Sample records for area precision scheduling

  1. Efficiency Benefits Using the Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thipphavong, Jane; Swenson, Harry N.; Lin, Paul; Seo, Anthony Y.; Bagasol, Leonard N.

    2011-01-01

    NASA has developed a capability for terminal area precision scheduling and spacing (TAPSS) to increase the use of fuel-efficient arrival procedures during periods of traffic congestion at a high-density airport. Sustained use of fuel-efficient procedures throughout the entire arrival phase of flight reduces overall fuel burn, greenhouse gas emissions and noise pollution. The TAPSS system is a 4D trajectory-based strategic planning and control tool that computes schedules and sequences for arrivals to facilitate optimal profile descents. This paper focuses on quantifying the efficiency benefits associated with using the TAPSS system, measured by reduction of level segments during aircraft descent and flight distance and time savings. The TAPSS system was tested in a series of human-in-the-loop simulations and compared to current procedures. Compared to the current use of the TMA system, simulation results indicate a reduction of total level segment distance by 50% and flight distance and time savings by 7% in the arrival portion of flight (200 nm from the airport). The TAPSS system resulted in aircraft maintaining continuous descent operations longer and with more precision, both achieved under heavy traffic demand levels.

  2. Design and Evaluation of the Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Swenson, Harry N.; Thipphavong, Jane; Sadovsky, Alex; Chen, Liang; Sullivan, Chris; Martin, Lynne

    2011-01-01

    This paper describes the design, development and results from a high fidelity human-in-the-loop simulation of an integrated set of trajectory-based automation tools providing precision scheduling, sequencing and controller merging and spacing functions. These integrated functions are combined into a system called the Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing (TAPSS) system. It is a strategic and tactical planning tool that provides Traffic Management Coordinators, En Route and Terminal Radar Approach Control air traffic controllers the ability to efficiently optimize the arrival capacity of a demand-impacted airport while simultaneously enabling fuel-efficient descent procedures. The TAPSS system consists of four-dimensional trajectory prediction, arrival runway balancing, aircraft separation constraint-based scheduling, traffic flow visualization and trajectory-based advisories to assist controllers in efficient metering, sequencing and spacing. The TAPSS system was evaluated and compared to today's ATC operation through extensive series of human-in-the-loop simulations for arrival flows into the Los Angeles International Airport. The test conditions included the variation of aircraft demand from a baseline of today's capacity constrained periods through 5%, 10% and 20% increases. Performance data were collected for engineering and human factor analysis and compared with similar operations both with and without the TAPSS system. The engineering data indicate operations with the TAPSS show up to a 10% increase in airport throughput during capacity constrained periods while maintaining fuel-efficient aircraft descent profiles from cruise to landing.

  3. Highly Automated Arrival Management and Control System Suitable for Early NextGen

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Swenson, Harry N.; Jung, Jaewoo

    2013-01-01

    This is a presentation of previously published work conducted in the development of the Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing (TAPSS) system. Included are concept and technical descriptions of the TAPSS system and results from human in the loop simulations conducted at Ames Research Center. The Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing system has demonstrated through research and extensive high-fidelity simulation studies to have benefits in airport arrival throughput, supporting efficient arrival descents, and enabling mixed aircraft navigation capability operations during periods of high congestion. NASA is currently porting the TAPSS system into the FAA TBFM and STARS system prototypes to ensure its ability to operate in the FAA automation Infrastructure. NASA ATM Demonstration Project is using the the TAPSS technologies to provide the ground-based automation tools to enable airborne Interval Management (IM) capabilities. NASA and the FAA have initiated a Research Transition Team to enable potential TAPSS and IM Technology Transfer.

  4. Scheduling quality of precise form sets which consist of tasks of circular type in GRID systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Saak, A. E.; Kureichik, V. V.; Kravchenko, Y. A.

    2018-05-01

    Users’ demand in computer power and rise of technology favour the arrival of Grid systems. The quality of Grid systems’ performance depends on computer and time resources scheduling. Grid systems with a centralized structure of the scheduling system and user’s task are modeled by resource quadrant and re-source rectangle accordingly. A Non-Euclidean heuristic measure, which takes into consideration both the area and the form of an occupied resource region, is used to estimate scheduling quality of heuristic algorithms. The authors use sets, which are induced by the elements of square squaring, as an example of studying the adapt-ability of a level polynomial algorithm with an excess and the one with minimal deviation.

  5. On optimal scheduling and air traffic control in the near terminal area. M.S. Thesis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sarris, A. H.

    1971-01-01

    A scheme is proposed for automated air traffic control of landing aircraft in the vicinity of the airport. Each aircraft is put under the control of an airport-based computer as soon as it enters the near-terminal area (NTA). Scheduling is done immediately thereafter. The aircraft is given a flight plan which, if followed precisely, will lead it to the runway at a prespecified time. The geometry of the airspace in the NTA is chosen so that delays are executed far from the outer marker, and violations of minimum altitude and lateral separations are avoided. Finally, a solution to the velocity mix problem is proposed.

  6. Evaluation of the Terminal Precision Scheduling and Spacing System for Near-Term NAS Application

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thipphavong, Jane; Martin, Lynne Hazel; Swenson, Harry N.; Lin, Paul; Nguyen, Jimmy

    2012-01-01

    NASA has developed a capability for terminal area precision scheduling and spacing (TAPSS) to provide higher capacity and more efficiently manage arrivals during peak demand periods. This advanced technology is NASA's vision for the NextGen terminal metering capability. A set of human-in-the-loop experiments was conducted to evaluate the performance of the TAPSS system for near-term implementation. The experiments evaluated the TAPSS system under the current terminal routing infrastructure to validate operational feasibility. A second goal of the study was to measure the benefit of the Center and TRACON advisory tools to help prioritize the requirements for controller radar display enhancements. Simulation results indicate that using the TAPSS system provides benefits under current operations, supporting a 10% increase in airport throughput. Enhancements to Center decision support tools had limited impact on improving the efficiency of terminal operations, but did provide more fuel-efficient advisories to achieve scheduling conformance within 20 seconds. The TRACON controller decision support tools were found to provide the most benefit, by improving the precision in schedule conformance to within 20 seconds, reducing the number of arrivals having lateral path deviations by 50% and lowering subjective controller workload. Overall, the TAPSS system was found to successfully develop an achievable terminal arrival metering plan that was sustainable under heavy traffic demand levels and reduce the complexity of terminal operations when coupled with the use of the terminal controller advisory tools.

  7. Department of Defense Tri-Service Precision Machine-Tool Program. Quarterly report, February--April 1978

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

    Not Available

    1978-06-01

    Following a planning period during which the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and the Department of Defense managing sponsor, the USAF Materials Laboratory, agreed on work statements, the Department of Defense Tri-Service Precision Machine-Tool Program began in February 1978. Milestones scheduled for the first quarter have been met. Tasks and manpower requirements for two basic projects, precision-machining commercialization (PMC) and a machine-tool task force (MTTF), were defined. Progress by PMC includes: (1) documentation of existing precision machine-tool technology by initiation and compilation of a bibliography containing several hundred entries: (2) identification of the problems and needs of precision turning-machine builders and ofmore » precision turning-machine users interested in developing high-precision machining capability; and (3) organization of the schedule and content of the first seminar, to be held in October 1978, which will bring together representatives from the machine-tool and optics communities to address the problems and begin the process of high-precision machining commercialization. Progress by MTTF includes: (1) planning for the organization of a team effort of approximately 60 to 80 international experts to contribute in various ways to project objectives, namely, to summarize state-of-the-art cutting-machine-tool technology and to identify areas where future R and D should prove technically and economically profitable; (2) preparation of a comprehensive plan to achieve those objectives; and (3) preliminary arrangements for a plenary session, also in October, when the task force will meet to formalize the details for implementing the plan.« less

  8. Automated and dynamic scheduling for geodetic VLBI - A simulation study for AuScope and global networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Iles, E. J.; McCallum, L.; Lovell, J. E. J.; McCallum, J. N.

    2018-02-01

    As we move into the next era of geodetic VLBI, the scheduling process is one focus for improvement in terms of increased flexibility and the ability to react with changing conditions. A range of simulations were conducted to ascertain the impact of scheduling on geodetic results such as Earth Orientation Parameters (EOPs) and station coordinates. The potential capabilities of new automated scheduling modes were also simulated, using the so-called 'dynamic scheduling' technique. The primary aim was to improve efficiency for both cost and time without losing geodetic precision, particularly to maximise the uses of the Australian AuScope VLBI array. We show that short breaks in observation will not significantly degrade the results of a typical 24 h experiment, whereas simply shortening observing time degrades precision exponentially. We also confirm the new automated, dynamic scheduling mode is capable of producing the same standard of result as a traditional schedule, with close to real-time flexibility. Further, it is possible to use the dynamic scheduler to augment the 3 station Australian AuScope array and thereby attain EOPs of the current global precision with only intermittent contribution from 2 additional stations. We thus confirm automated, dynamic scheduling bears great potential for flexibility and automation in line with aims for future continuous VLBI operations.

  9. Effect of blood sampling schedule and method of calculating the area under the curve on validity and precision of glycaemic index values.

    PubMed

    Wolever, Thomas M S

    2004-02-01

    To evaluate the suitability for glycaemic index (GI) calculations of using blood sampling schedules and methods of calculating area under the curve (AUC) different from those recommended, the GI values of five foods were determined by recommended methods (capillary blood glucose measured seven times over 2.0 h) in forty-seven normal subjects and different calculations performed on the same data set. The AUC was calculated in four ways: incremental AUC (iAUC; recommended method), iAUC above the minimum blood glucose value (AUCmin), net AUC (netAUC) and iAUC including area only before the glycaemic response curve cuts the baseline (AUCcut). In addition, iAUC was calculated using four different sets of less than seven blood samples. GI values were derived using each AUC calculation. The mean GI values of the foods varied significantly according to the method of calculating GI. The standard deviation of GI values calculating using iAUC (20.4), was lower than six of the seven other methods, and significantly less (P<0.05) than that using netAUC (24.0). To be a valid index of food glycaemic response independent of subject characteristics, GI values in subjects should not be related to their AUC after oral glucose. However, calculating GI using AUCmin or less than seven blood samples resulted in significant (P<0.05) relationships between GI and mean AUC. It is concluded that, in subjects without diabetes, the recommended blood sampling schedule and method of AUC calculation yields more valid and/or more precise GI values than the seven other methods tested here. The only method whose results agreed reasonably well with the recommended method (ie. within +/-5 %) was AUCcut.

  10. [Implementation of precision control to achieve the goal of schistosomiasis elimination in China].

    PubMed

    Zhou, Xiao-nong

    2016-02-01

    The integrated strategy for schistosomiasis control with focus on infectious source control, which has been implemented since 2004, accelerated the progress towards schistosomiasis control in China, and achieved transmission control of the disease across the country by the end of 2015, which achieved the overall objective of the Mid- and Long-term National Plan for Prevention and Control of Schistosomiasis (2004-2015) on schedule. Then, the goal of schistosomiasis elimination by 2025 was proposed in China in 2014. To achieve this new goal on schedule, we have to address the key issues, and implement precision control measures with more precise identification of control targets, so that we are able to completely eradicate the potential factors leading to resurgence of schistosomiasis transmission and enable the achievement of schistosomiasis elimination on schedule. Precision schistosomiasis control, a theoretical innovation of precision medicine in schistosomiasis control, will provide new insights into schistosomiasis control based on the conception of precision medicine. This paper describes the definition, interventions and the role of precision schistosomiasis control in the elimination of schistosomiasis in China, and demonstrates that sustainable improvement of professionals and integrated control capability at grass-root level is a prerequisite to the implementation of schistosomiasis control, precision schistosomiasis control is a key to the further implementation of the integrated strategy for schistosomiasis control with focus on infectious source control, and precision schistosomiasis control is a guarantee of curing schistosomiasis patients and implementing schistosomiasis control program and interventions.

  11. Examining Exposure Assessment in Shift Work Research: A Study on Depression Among Nurses.

    PubMed

    Hall, Amy L; Franche, Renée-Louise; Koehoorn, Mieke

    2018-02-13

    Coarse exposure assessment and assignment is a common issue facing epidemiological studies of shift work. Such measures ignore a number of exposure characteristics that may impact on health, increasing the likelihood of biased effect estimates and masked exposure-response relationships. To demonstrate the impacts of exposure assessment precision in shift work research, this study investigated relationships between work schedule and depression in a large survey of Canadian nurses. The Canadian 2005 National Survey of the Work and Health of Nurses provided the analytic sample (n = 11450). Relationships between work schedule and depression were assessed using logistic regression models with high, moderate, and low-precision exposure groupings. The high-precision grouping described shift timing and rotation frequency, the moderate-precision grouping described shift timing, and the low-precision grouping described the presence/absence of shift work. Final model estimates were adjusted for the potential confounding effects of demographic and work variables, and bootstrap weights were used to generate sampling variances that accounted for the survey sample design. The high-precision exposure grouping model showed the strongest relationships between work schedule and depression, with increased odds ratios [ORs] for rapidly rotating (OR = 1.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.91-2.51) and undefined rotating (OR = 1.67, 95% CI = 0.92-3.02) shift workers, and a decreased OR for depression in slow rotating (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.57-1.08) shift workers. For the low- and moderate-precision exposure grouping models, weak relationships were observed for all work schedule categories (OR range 0.95 to 0.99). Findings from this study support the need to consider and collect the data required for precise and conceptually driven exposure assessment and assignment in future studies of shift work and health. Further research into the effects of shift rotation frequency on depression is also recommended. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Occupational Hygiene Society.

  12. How to Compute a Slot Marker - Calculation of Controller Managed Spacing Tools for Efficient Descents with Precision Scheduling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Prevot, Thomas

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes the underlying principles and algorithms for computing the primary controller managed spacing (CMS) tools developed at NASA for precisely spacing aircraft along efficient descent paths. The trajectory-based CMS tools include slot markers, delay indications and speed advisories. These tools are one of three core NASA technologies integrated in NASAs ATM technology demonstration-1 (ATD-1) that will operationally demonstrate the feasibility of fuel-efficient, high throughput arrival operations using Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) and ground-based and airborne NASA technologies for precision scheduling and spacing.

  13. Evaluation of the Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing System for Performance-Based Navigation Arrivals

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jung, Jaewoo; Swenson, Harry; Thipphavong, Jane; Martin, Lynne Hazel; Chen, Liang; Nguyen, Jimmy

    2013-01-01

    The growth of global demand for air transportation has put increasing strain on the nation's air traffic management system. To relieve this strain, the International Civil Aviation Organization has urged all nations to adopt Performance-Based Navigation (PBN), which can help to reduce air traffic congestion, decrease aviation fuel consumption, and protect the environment. NASA has developed a Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing (TAPSS) system that can support increased use of PBN during periods of high traffic, while supporting fuel-efficient, continuous descent approaches. In the original development of this system, arrival aircraft are assigned fuel-efficient Area Navigation (RNAV) Standard Terminal Arrival Routes before their initial descent from cruise, with routing defined to a specific runway. The system also determines precise schedules for these aircraft that facilitate continuous descent through the assigned routes. To meet these schedules, controllers are given a set of advisory tools to precisely control aircraft. The TAPSS system has been evaluated in a series of human-in-the-loop (HITL) air traffic simulations during 2010 and 2011. Results indicated increased airport arrival throughput up to 10 over current operations, and maintained fuel-efficient aircraft decent profiles from the initial descent to landing with reduced controller workload. This paper focuses on results from a joint NASA and FAA HITL simulation conducted in 2012. Due to the FAA rollout of the advance terminal area PBN procedures at mid-sized airports first, the TAPSS system was modified to manage arrival aircraft as they entered Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON). Dallas-Love Field airport (DAL) was selected by the FAA as a representative mid-sized airport within a constrained TRACON airspace due to the close proximity of a major airport, in this case Dallas-Ft Worth International Airport, one of the busiest in the world. To address this constraint, RNAV routes and Required Navigation Performance with the particular capability known as Radius-to-Fix (RNP-RF) approaches to a short final were used. The purpose of this simulation was to get feedback on how current operations could benefit with the TAPSS system and also to evaluate the efficacy of the advisory tools to support the broader use of PBN in the US National Airspace System. For this NASA-FAA joint experiment, an Air Traffic Control laboratory at NASA Ames was arranged to simulate arrivals into DAL in Instrument Meteorological Conditions utilizing parallel dependent approaches, with two feeder positions that handed off traffic to one final position. Four FAA controllers participated, alternately covering these three positions. All participants were Full-Performance Level terminal controllers and members of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association. During the simulation, PBN arrival operations were compared and contrasted in three conditions. They were the Baseline, where none of the TAPSS systems TRACON controller decision support advisories were provided, the Limited Advisories, reflecting the existing but dormant capabilities of the current terminal automation equipment with providing a subset of the TAPSS systems advisories; numerical delay, landing sequence, and runway assignment information, and the Full Advisories, with providing the following in addition to the ones in the Limited condition; trajectory slot markers, timelines of estimated times of arrivals and sched

  14. Testing Task Schedulers on Linux System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jelenković, Leonardo; Groš, Stjepan; Jakobović, Domagoj

    Testing task schedulers on Linux operating system proves to be a challenging task. There are two main problems. The first one is to identify which properties of the scheduler to test. The second problem is how to perform it, e.g., which API to use that is sufficiently precise and in the same time supported on most platforms. This paper discusses the problems in realizing test framework for testing task schedulers and presents one potential solution. Observed behavior of the scheduler is the one used for “normal” task scheduling (SCHED_OTHER), unlike one used for real-time tasks (SCHED_FIFO, SCHED_RR).

  15. NBS (National Bureau of Standards) calibration services users guide: Fee schedule

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    1987-04-01

    The physical measurement services of the National Bureau of Standards are designed to help the makers and users of precision instruments achieve the highest possible levels of measurement quality and productivity. The hundreds of individual services found listed in the Fee Schedule constitute the highest-order calibration services available in the United States. These services directly link a customer's precision equipment or transfer standards to national measurement standards. These services are offered to public and private organizations and individuals alike. The Fee Schedule is a supplement to NBS Special Publication 250, Calibration Services Users Guide. These documents are designed to make the task of selecting and ordering an appropriate calibration service as quick and easy as possible.

  16. A comparison of analysis methods to estimate contingency strength.

    PubMed

    Lloyd, Blair P; Staubitz, Johanna L; Tapp, Jon T

    2018-05-09

    To date, several data analysis methods have been used to estimate contingency strength, yet few studies have compared these methods directly. To compare the relative precision and sensitivity of four analysis methods (i.e., exhaustive event-based, nonexhaustive event-based, concurrent interval, concurrent+lag interval), we applied all methods to a simulated data set in which several response-dependent and response-independent schedules of reinforcement were programmed. We evaluated the degree to which contingency strength estimates produced from each method (a) corresponded with expected values for response-dependent schedules and (b) showed sensitivity to parametric manipulations of response-independent reinforcement. Results indicated both event-based methods produced contingency strength estimates that aligned with expected values for response-dependent schedules, but differed in sensitivity to response-independent reinforcement. The precision of interval-based methods varied by analysis method (concurrent vs. concurrent+lag) and schedule type (continuous vs. partial), and showed similar sensitivities to response-independent reinforcement. Recommendations and considerations for measuring contingencies are identified. © 2018 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

  17. Precision irrigation for improving crop water management

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Precision irrigation is gaining attention by the agricultural industry as a means to optimize water inputs, reduce environmental degradation from runoff or deep percolation and maintain crop yields. This presenation will discuss the mechanical and software framework of the irrigation scheduling sup...

  18. Scheduling Mission-Critical Flows in Congested and Contested Airborne Network Environments

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2018-03-01

    precision agriculture [64–71]. However, designing, implementing, and testing UAV networks poses numerous interdisciplinary challenges because the...applications including search and rescue, disaster relief, precision agriculture , environmental monitoring, and surveillance. Many of these applications...monitoring enabling precision agriculture ,” in Automation Science and Engineering (CASE), 2015 IEEE International Conference on. IEEE, 2015, pp. 462–469. [65

  19. New micro-beam beamline at SPring-8, targeting at protein micro-crystallography

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

    Hirata, Kunio; Ueno, Go; Nisawa, Atsushi

    2010-06-23

    A new protein micro-crystallography beamline BL32XU at SPring-8 is under construction and scheduled to start operation in 2010. The beamline is designed to provide the stabilized and brilliant micro-beam to collect high-quality data from micro-crystals. The beamline consists of a hybrid in-vacuum undulator, a liquid-nitrogen cooled double crystal monochromator, and K-B focusing mirrors with large magnification factor. Development of data acquisition system and end station consists of high-precision diffractometer, high-efficiency area detector, sample auto-changer etc. are also in progress.

  20. Study on SOC wavelet analysis for LiFePO4 battery

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xuepeng; Zhao, Dongmei

    2017-08-01

    Improving the prediction accuracy of SOC can reduce the complexity of the conservative and control strategy of the strategy such as the scheduling, optimization and planning of LiFePO4 battery system. Based on the analysis of the relationship between the SOC historical data and the external stress factors, the SOC Estimation-Correction Prediction Model based on wavelet analysis is established. Using wavelet neural network prediction model is of high precision to achieve forecast link, external stress measured data is used to update parameters estimation in the model, implement correction link, makes the forecast model can adapt to the LiFePO4 battery under rated condition of charge and discharge the operating point of the variable operation area. The test results show that the method can obtain higher precision prediction model when the input and output of LiFePO4 battery are changed frequently.

  1. 5 CFR 532.261 - Special wage schedules for leader and supervisory schedules for leader and supervisory wage...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... supervisory schedules for leader and supervisory wage employees in the Puerto Rico wage area. 532.261 Section... schedules for leader and supervisory wage employees in the Puerto Rico wage area. (a) The Department of... the Puerto Rico wage area. (c) The step 2 rate for the supervisory wage schedule shall be: (1) For...

  2. 5 CFR 532.261 - Special wage schedules for leader and supervisory schedules for leader and supervisory wage...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... supervisory schedules for leader and supervisory wage employees in the Puerto Rico wage area. 532.261 Section... schedules for leader and supervisory wage employees in the Puerto Rico wage area. (a) The Department of... the Puerto Rico wage area. (c) The step 2 rate for the supervisory wage schedule shall be: (1) For...

  3. 5 CFR 532.261 - Special wage schedules for leader and supervisory schedules for leader and supervisory wage...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... supervisory schedules for leader and supervisory wage employees in the Puerto Rico wage area. 532.261 Section... schedules for leader and supervisory wage employees in the Puerto Rico wage area. (a) The Department of... the Puerto Rico wage area. (c) The step 2 rate for the supervisory wage schedule shall be: (1) For...

  4. 5 CFR 532.261 - Special wage schedules for leader and supervisory schedules for leader and supervisory wage...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... supervisory schedules for leader and supervisory wage employees in the Puerto Rico wage area. 532.261 Section... schedules for leader and supervisory wage employees in the Puerto Rico wage area. (a) The Department of... the Puerto Rico wage area. (c) The step 2 rate for the supervisory wage schedule shall be: (1) For...

  5. 5 CFR 532.261 - Special wage schedules for leader and supervisory schedules for leader and supervisory wage...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... supervisory schedules for leader and supervisory wage employees in the Puerto Rico wage area. 532.261 Section... schedules for leader and supervisory wage employees in the Puerto Rico wage area. (a) The Department of... the Puerto Rico wage area. (c) The step 2 rate for the supervisory wage schedule shall be: (1) For...

  6. Realization of high quality production schedules: Structuring quality factors via iteration of user specification processes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hamazaki, Takashi

    1992-01-01

    This paper describes an architecture for realizing high quality production schedules. Although quality is one of the most important aspects of production scheduling, it is difficult, even for a user, to specify precisely. However, it is also true that the decision as to whether a scheduler is good or bad can only be made by the user. This paper proposes the following: (1) the quality of a schedule can be represented in the form of quality factors, i.e. constraints and objectives of the domain, and their structure; (2) quality factors and their structure can be used for decision making at local decision points during the scheduling process; and (3) that they can be defined via iteration of user specification processes.

  7. Information management in an integrated space telerobot

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dipippo, S.; Pasquariello, G.; Labini, G. Sylos

    1989-01-01

    The in-orbit operations, like space structures inspection, servicing and repairing, is expected to be one of the most significant technological area for application and development of Robotics and Automation in Space Station environment. The Italian National Space Plan (PSN) has started up its strategic programme SPIDER (Space Inspection Device for Extravehicular Repairs), which is scheduled in three phases, with the final goal of performing docking and precision repairing in the Space Station environment. SPIDER system is an autonomous integrated space robot, using mature Artificial Intelligence tools and technics for its operational control. The preliminary results of a study on the information architecture of the spacecraft are described.

  8. IEEE-1588(Trademark) Standard for a Precision Clock Synchronization Protocol for Networked Measurement and Control Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-12-01

    34th Annual Precise Time and Time Interval (PTTI) Meeting 243 IEEE-1588™ STANDARD FOR A PRECISION CLOCK SYNCHRONIZATION PROTOCOL FOR... synchronization . 2. Cyclic-systems. In cyclic-systems, timing is periodic and is usually defined by the characteristics of a cyclic network or bus...incommensurate, timing schedules for each device are easily implemented. In addition, synchronization accuracy depends on the accuracy of the common

  9. Utilizing AI in Temporal, Spatial, and Resource Scheduling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stottler, Richard; Kalton, Annaka; Bell, Aaron

    2006-01-01

    Aurora is a software system enabling the rapid, easy solution of complex scheduling problems involving spatial and temporal constraints among operations and scarce resources (such as equipment, workspace, and human experts). Although developed for use in the International Space Station Processing Facility, Aurora is flexible enough that it can be easily customized for application to other scheduling domains and adapted as the requirements change or become more precisely known over time. Aurora s scheduling module utilizes artificial-intelligence (AI) techniques to make scheduling decisions on the basis of domain knowledge, including knowledge of constraints and their relative importance, interdependencies among operations, and possibly frequent changes in governing schedule requirements. Unlike many other scheduling software systems, Aurora focuses on resource requirements and temporal scheduling in combination. For example, Aurora can accommodate a domain requirement to schedule two subsequent operations to locations adjacent to a shared resource. The graphical interface allows the user to quickly visualize the schedule and perform changes reflecting additional knowledge or alterations in the situation. For example, the user might drag the activity corresponding to the start of operations to reflect a late delivery.

  10. Improvements in Space Surveillance Processing for Wide Field of View Optical Sensors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sydney, P.; Wetterer, C.

    2014-09-01

    For more than a decade, an autonomous satellite tracking system at the Air Force Maui Optical and Supercomputing (AMOS) observatory has been generating routine astrometric measurements of Earth-orbiting Resident Space Objects (RSOs) using small commercial telescopes and sensors. Recent work has focused on developing an improved processing system, enhancing measurement performance and response while supporting other sensor systems and missions. This paper will outline improved techniques in scheduling, detection, astrometric and photometric measurements, and catalog maintenance. The processing system now integrates with Special Perturbation (SP) based astrodynamics algorithms, allowing covariance-based scheduling and more precise orbital estimates and object identification. A merit-based scheduling algorithm provides a global optimization framework to support diverse collection tasks and missions. The detection algorithms support a range of target tracking and camera acquisition rates. New comprehensive star catalogs allow for more precise astrometric and photometric calibrations including differential photometry for monitoring environmental changes. This paper will also examine measurement performance with varying tracking rates and acquisition parameters.

  11. Infrared coagulation in the treatment of condyloma acuminata in the female genital tract.

    PubMed

    Bekassy, Z; Weström, L

    1987-01-01

    An infrared contact coagulator was used for the treatment of genital condyloma acuminata in 89 women. After direct application to the condyloma, the device produces a precisely adjustable tissue necrosis without tissue adhesion. Of the 89 women, 74 returned for scheduled follow-up visits after one, three, and six months. Treatment failure, i.e., recurrence of warts in a treated area, was seen in 13 (10.8%) of 120 treated areas, or in 13 (17.6%) of 74 patients. No complications were observed. The physical working principle of infrared coagulation as well as the results in treatment of condyloma are the same as those of the CO2 laser, but the equipment is cheaper, safer, and more easily handled. It can be used in out-patient departments of clinical and general practices.

  12. An investigation on impacts of scheduling configurations on Mississippi biology subject area testing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marchette, Frances Lenora

    The purpose of this mixed modal study was to compare the results of Biology Subject Area mean scores of students on a 4 x 4 block schedule, A/B block schedule, and traditional year-long schedule for 1A to 5A size schools. This study also reviewed the data to determine if minority or gender issues might influence the test results. Interviews with administrators and teachers were conducted about the type of schedule configuration they use and the influence that the schedule has on student academic performance on the Biology Subject Area Test. Additionally, this research further explored whether schedule configurations allow sufficient time for students to construct knowledge. This study is important to schools, teachers, and administrators because it can assist them in considering the impacts that different types of class schedules have on student performance and if ethnic or gender issues are influencing testing results. This study used the causal-comparative method for the quantitative portion of the study and constant comparative method for the qualitative portion to explore the relationship of school schedules on student academic achievement on the Mississippi Biology Subject Area Test. The aggregate means of selected student scores indicate that the Mississippi Biology Subject Area Test as a measure of student performance reveals no significant difference on student achievement for the three school schedule configurations. The data were adjusted for initial differences of gender, minority, and school size on the three schedule configurations. The results suggest that schools may employ various schedule configurations and expect student performance on the Mississippi Biology Subject Area Test to be unaffected. However, many areas of concern were identified in the interviews that might impact on school learning environments. These concerns relate to effective classroom management, the active involvement of students in learning, the adequacy of teacher education programs and the stress of testing on everyone involved in high-stakes testing.

  13. 7 CFR 29.9404 - Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules... MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMODITY....9404 Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules. (a) The Flue-Cured Tobacco Advisory...

  14. 7 CFR 29.9404 - Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules... MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMODITY....9404 Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules. (a) The Flue-Cured Tobacco Advisory...

  15. 7 CFR 29.9404 - Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules... MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMODITY....9404 Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules. (a) The Flue-Cured Tobacco Advisory...

  16. 7 CFR 29.9404 - Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules... MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMODITY....9404 Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules. (a) The Flue-Cured Tobacco Advisory...

  17. 7 CFR 29.9404 - Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules... MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMODITY....9404 Marketing area opening dates and marketing schedules. (a) The Flue-Cured Tobacco Advisory...

  18. Department of Defense Precise Time and Time Interval program improvement plan

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bowser, J. R.

    1981-01-01

    The United States Naval Observatory is responsible for ensuring uniformity in precise time and time interval operations including measurements, the establishment of overall DOD requirements for time and time interval, and the accomplishment of objectives requiring precise time and time interval with minimum cost. An overview of the objectives, the approach to the problem, the schedule, and a status report, including significant findings relative to organizational relationships, current directives, principal PTTI users, and future requirements as currently identified by the users are presented.

  19. An Evaluation of a Flight Deck Interval Management Algorithm Including Delayed Target Trajectories

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Swieringa, Kurt A.; Underwood, Matthew C.; Barmore, Bryan; Leonard, Robert D.

    2014-01-01

    NASA's first Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) was created to facilitate the transition of mature air traffic management technologies from the laboratory to operational use. The technologies selected for demonstration are the Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering (TMA-TM), which provides precise timebased scheduling in the terminal airspace; Controller Managed Spacing (CMS), which provides controllers with decision support tools enabling precise schedule conformance; and Interval Management (IM), which consists of flight deck automation that enables aircraft to achieve or maintain precise in-trail spacing. During high demand operations, TMA-TM may produce a schedule and corresponding aircraft trajectories that include delay to ensure that a particular aircraft will be properly spaced from other aircraft at each schedule waypoint. These delayed trajectories are not communicated to the automation onboard the aircraft, forcing the IM aircraft to use the published speeds to estimate the target aircraft's estimated time of arrival. As a result, the aircraft performing IM operations may follow an aircraft whose TMA-TM generated trajectories have substantial speed deviations from the speeds expected by the spacing algorithm. Previous spacing algorithms were not designed to handle this magnitude of uncertainty. A simulation was conducted to examine a modified spacing algorithm with the ability to follow aircraft flying delayed trajectories. The simulation investigated the use of the new spacing algorithm with various delayed speed profiles and wind conditions, as well as several other variables designed to simulate real-life variability. The results and conclusions of this study indicate that the new spacing algorithm generally exhibits good performance; however, some types of target aircraft speed profiles can cause the spacing algorithm to command less than optimal speed control behavior.

  20. Analysis of Issues for Project Scheduling by Multiple, Dispersed Schedulers (distributed Scheduling) and Requirements for Manual Protocols and Computer-based Support

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Richards, Stephen F.

    1991-01-01

    Although computerized operations have significant gains realized in many areas, one area, scheduling, has enjoyed few benefits from automation. The traditional methods of industrial engineering and operations research have not proven robust enough to handle the complexities associated with the scheduling of realistic problems. To address this need, NASA has developed the computer-aided scheduling system (COMPASS), a sophisticated, interactive scheduling tool that is in wide-spread use within NASA and the contractor community. Therefore, COMPASS provides no explicit support for the large class of problems in which several people, perhaps at various locations, build separate schedules that share a common pool of resources. This research examines the issue of distributing scheduling, as applied to application domains characterized by the partial ordering of tasks, limited resources, and time restrictions. The focus of this research is on identifying issues related to distributed scheduling, locating applicable problem domains within NASA, and suggesting areas for ongoing research. The issues that this research identifies are goals, rescheduling requirements, database support, the need for communication and coordination among individual schedulers, the potential for expert system support for scheduling, and the possibility of integrating artificially intelligent schedulers into a network of human schedulers.

  1. 5 CFR 532.255 - Regular appropriated fund wage schedules in foreign areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... schedules shall provide rates of pay for nonsupervisory, leader, supervisory, and production facilitating employees. (b) Schedules shall be— (1) Computed on the basis of a simple average of all regular appropriated fund wage area schedules in effect on December 31; and (2) Effective on the first day of the first pay...

  2. 5 CFR 532.255 - Regular appropriated fund wage schedules in foreign areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... schedules shall provide rates of pay for nonsupervisory, leader, supervisory, and production facilitating employees. (b) Schedules shall be— (1) Computed on the basis of a simple average of all regular appropriated fund wage area schedules in effect on December 31; and (2) Effective on the first day of the first pay...

  3. 5 CFR 532.271 - Special wage schedules for National Park Service positions in overlap areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Special wage schedules for National Park... wage schedules for National Park Service positions in overlap areas. (a)(1) The Department of the Interior shall establish special schedules for wage employees of the National Park Service whose duty...

  4. 5 CFR 532.271 - Special wage schedules for National Park Service positions in overlap areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Special wage schedules for National Park... wage schedules for National Park Service positions in overlap areas. (a)(1) The Department of the Interior shall establish special schedules for wage employees of the National Park Service whose duty...

  5. 5 CFR 532.271 - Special wage schedules for National Park Service positions in overlap areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Special wage schedules for National Park... wage schedules for National Park Service positions in overlap areas. (a)(1) The Department of the Interior shall establish special schedules for wage employees of the National Park Service whose duty...

  6. 5 CFR 532.271 - Special wage schedules for National Park Service positions in overlap areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Special wage schedules for National Park... wage schedules for National Park Service positions in overlap areas. (a)(1) The Department of the Interior shall establish special schedules for wage employees of the National Park Service whose duty...

  7. 5 CFR 532.271 - Special wage schedules for National Park Service positions in overlap areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Special wage schedules for National Park... wage schedules for National Park Service positions in overlap areas. (a)(1) The Department of the Interior shall establish special schedules for wage employees of the National Park Service whose duty...

  8. Precision Information Environment (PIE) for International Safeguards: Pre-Demonstration Development Use Cases

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

    Gastelum, Zoe N.; Henry, Michael J.

    2013-11-13

    In FY2013, the PIE International Safeguards team demonstrated our development progress to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) staff from the Office of Nonproliferation and International Security (NA-24, our client) and the Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation Research and Development (NA-22). Following the demonstration, the team was asked by our client to complete additional development prior to a planned demonstration at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), scheduled tentatively for January or spring of 2014. The team discussed four potential areas for development (in priority order), and will develop them as time and funding permit prior to an IAEA demonstration. Themore » four capability areas are: 1. Addition of equipment manuals to PIE-accessible files 2. Optical character recognition (OCR) of photographed text 3. Barcode reader with information look-up from a database 4. Add Facilities to Data Model 5. Geospatial capabilities with information integration Each area will be described below in a use case.« less

  9. Advanced Chemical Propulsion for Science Missions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Liou, Larry

    2008-01-01

    The advanced chemical propulsion technology area of NASA's In-Space Technology Project is investing in systems and components for increased performance and reduced cost of chemical propulsion technologies applicable to near-term science missions. Presently the primary investment in the advanced chemical propulsion technology area is in the AMBR high temperature storable bipropellant rocket engine. Scheduled to be available for flight development starting in year 2008, AMBR engine shows a 60 kg payload gain in an analysis for the Titan-Enceladus orbiter mission and a 33 percent manufacturing cost reduction over its baseline, state-of-the-art counterpart. Other technologies invested include the reliable lightweight tanks for propellant and the precision propellant management and mixture ratio control. Both technologies show significant mission benefit, can be applied to any liquid propulsion system, and upon completion of the efforts described in this paper, are at least in parts ready for flight infusion. Details of the technologies are discussed.

  10. Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) Overview and Results: NASA to FAA Research Transition

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Engelland, Shawn; Davis, Tom.

    2013-01-01

    NASA researchers developed the Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) concept to improve the tactical departure scheduling process. The PDRC system is comprised of: 1) a surface automation system that computes ready time predictions and departure runway assignments, 2) an en route scheduling automation tool that uses this information to estimate ascent trajectories to the merge point and computes release times and, 3) an interface that provides two-way communication between the two systems. To minimize technology transfer issues and facilitate its adoption by TMCs and Frontline Managers (FLM), NASA developed the PDRC prototype using the Surface Decision Support System (SDSS) for the Tower surface automation tool, a research version of the FAA TMA (RTMA) for en route automation tool and a digital interface between the two DSTs to facilitate coordination.

  11. An Optimization Model for Scheduling Problems with Two-Dimensional Spatial Resource Constraint

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Garcia, Christopher; Rabadi, Ghaith

    2010-01-01

    Traditional scheduling problems involve determining temporal assignments for a set of jobs in order to optimize some objective. Some scheduling problems also require the use of limited resources, which adds another dimension of complexity. In this paper we introduce a spatial resource-constrained scheduling problem that can arise in assembly, warehousing, cross-docking, inventory management, and other areas of logistics and supply chain management. This scheduling problem involves a twodimensional rectangular area as a limited resource. Each job, in addition to having temporal requirements, has a width and a height and utilizes a certain amount of space inside the area. We propose an optimization model for scheduling the jobs while respecting all temporal and spatial constraints.

  12. Linked Orders Improve Safety in Scheduling and Administration of Chemotherapeutic Agents

    PubMed Central

    Whipple, Nancy; Boulware, Joy; Danca, Kala; Boyarin, Kirill; Ginsberg, Eliot; Poon, Eric; Sweet, Micheal; Schade, Sue; Rogala, Jennifer

    2010-01-01

    The pharmacologic treatment for cancer must adhere to complex, finely orchestrated treatment plans, including not only chemotherapy medications, but pre/post-hydration, anti-emetics, anti-anxiety, and other medications that are given before, during and after chemotherapy doses. The treatment plans specify the medications and dictate precise dosing, frequency, and timing. This is a challenge to most Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE), Pharmacy and Electronic Medication Administration record (eMAR) Systems. Medications are scheduled on specific dates, referred to as chemo days, from the onset of the treatment, and precisely timed on the designated chemo day. For patients enrolled in research protocols, the adherence to the defined schedule takes on additional import, since variation is a violation of the protocol. If the oncologist determines that medications must be administered outside the defined constraints, the patient must be un-enrolled from the protocol and the course of therapy is re-written. Pharmacy and eMAR systems utilized in processing chemotherapy medications must be able to support the intricate relationships between each drug defined in the treatment plans. PMID:21347104

  13. The Multi-energy High precision Data Processor Based on AD7606

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Chen; Zhang, Yanchi; Xie, Da

    2017-11-01

    This paper designs an information collector based on AD7606 to realize the high-precision simultaneous acquisition of multi-source information of multi-energy systems to form the information platform of the energy Internet at Laogang with electricty as its major energy source. Combined with information fusion technologies, this paper analyzes the data to improve the overall energy system scheduling capability and reliability.

  14. Research on the water resources regulation ability model of dams in the Huai He River Basin considering ecological and management factors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shui, Y.; Liu, H. C.; Li, L. H.; Yu, G. G.; Liu, J.

    2016-08-01

    Research that assesses the scheduling ability of dams gamers a great deal of attention due to the global water resource crisis. These studies can provide useful and practical suggestions for scheduling the water resources of dams to solve problems, such as addressing ecological water needs and so on. Recent studies have primarily evaluated the schedule ability of dams according to their quantifiable attributes, such as water quantity, flow velocity, etc. However, the ecological and management status can directly determine the possibility and efficiency of a dam's water resource scheduling. This paper presents an evaluation model to assess the scheduling capacity of dams that takes into consideration ecological and management factors. In the experiment stage, this paper takes the Sha Ying river of the Huai He River Basin as an example to evaluate the scheduling ability of its dams. The results indicate that the proposed evaluation model can provide more precise and practical suggestions.

  15. Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

    MedlinePlus

    ... specialized training in the field of radiation oncology physics, ensures the linear accelerator delivers the precise radiation ... critical normal structures, as well as the patient's health. Typically, patients are scheduled for IMRT sessions five ...

  16. Creative employee scheduling in the health information management department.

    PubMed

    Hyde, C S

    1998-02-01

    What effect do schedules have on employees and department activities? Negative effects such as backlogs, poor employee morale, and absenteeism may be due to scheduling practices currently in place. The value of effective employee scheduling practices may be seen in areas of improved productivity. The process of developing schedules should include assessing department areas, understanding operational needs, choosing an option, and implementation. Finding a schedule that meets the needs of managers as well as those of the employees is rewarding. It is a win-win situation, and the benefits can yield increased productivity, decreased turnover, and higher morale.

  17. 76 FR 82319 - Gulf of Mexico (GOM), Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), Western Planning Area (WPA) and Central...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-12-30

    ... Continental Shelf (OCS), Western Planning Area (WPA) and Central Planning Area (CPA), Oil and Gas Lease Sales... prepared a Draft EIS on oil and gas lease sales tentatively scheduled in 2012-2017 in the WPA and CPA... scheduled for the WPA and five annual areawide lease sales are scheduled for the CPA. The proposed WPA lease...

  18. NextGen Operations in a Simulated NY Area Airspace

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smith, Nancy M.; Parke, Bonny; Lee, Paul; Homola, Jeff; Brasil, Connie; Buckley, Nathan; Cabrall, Chris; Chevalley, Eric; Lin, Cindy; Morey, Susan; hide

    2013-01-01

    A human-in-the-loop simulation conducted in the Airspace Operations Laboratory (AOL) at NASA Ames Research Center explored the feasibility of a Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) solution to address airspace and airport capacity limitations in and around the New York metropolitan area. A week-long study explored the feasibility of a new Optimal Profile Descent (OPD) arrival into the airspace as well as a novel application of a Terminal Area Precision Scheduling and Spacing (TAPSS) enhancement to the Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) arrival scheduling tool to coordinate high volume arrival traffic to intersecting runways. In the simulation, four en route sector controllers and four terminal radar approach control (TRACON) controllers managed traffic inbound to Newark International Airport's primary runway, 22L, and its intersecting overflow runway, 11. TAPSS was used to generate independent arrival schedules for each runway and a traffic management coordinator participant adjusted the arrival schedule for each runway 11 aircraft to follow one of the 22L aircraft. TAPSS also provided controller-managed spacing tools (slot markers with speed advisories and timelines) to assist the TRACON controllers in managing the arrivals that were descending on OPDs. Results showed that the tools significantly decreased the occurrence of runway violations (potential go-arounds) when compared with a Baseline condition with no tools. Further, the combined use of the tools with the new OPD produced a peak arrival rate of over 65 aircraft per hour using instrument flight rules (IFR), exceeding the current maximum arrival rate at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) of 52 per hour under visual flight rules (VFR). Although the participants rated the workload as relatively low and acceptable both with and without the tools, they rated the tools as reducing their workload further. Safety and coordination were rated by most participants as acceptable in both conditions, although the TRACON Runway Coordinator (TRC) rated neither as acceptable in the Baseline condition. Regarding the role of the TRC, the two TRACON controllers handling the 11 arrivals indicated that the TRC was very much needed in the Baseline condition without tools, but not needed in the condition with tools. This indicates that the tools were providing much of the sequencing and spacing information that the TRC had supplied in the Baseline condition.

  19. Air Traffic Management Technology Demostration: 1 Research and Procedural Testing of Routes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wilson, Sara R.; Kibler, Jennifer L.; Hubbs, Clay E.; Smail, James W.

    2015-01-01

    NASA's Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration-1 (ATD-1) will operationally demonstrate the feasibility of efficient arrival operations combining ground-based and airborne NASA technologies. The ATD-1 integrated system consists of the Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering which generates precise time-based schedules to the runway and merge points; Controller Managed Spacing decision support tools which provide controllers with speed advisories and other information needed to meet the schedule; and Flight deck-based Interval Management avionics and procedures which allow flight crews to adjust their speed to achieve precise relative spacing. Initial studies identified air-ground challenges related to the integration of these three scheduling and spacing technologies, and NASA's airborne spacing algorithm was modified to address some of these challenges. The Research and Procedural Testing of Routes human-in-the-loop experiment was then conducted to assess the performance of the new spacing algorithm. The results of this experiment indicate that the algorithm performed as designed, and the pilot participants found the airborne spacing concept, air-ground procedures, and crew interface to be acceptable. However, the researchers concluded that the data revealed issues with the frequency of speed changes and speed reversals.

  20. Earth orientation from lunar laser range-differencing. Ph.D. Thesis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Leick, A.

    1978-01-01

    For the optimal use of high precision lunar laser ranging (LLR), an investigation regarding a clear definition of the underlying coordinate systems, identification of estimable quantities, favorable station geometry and optimal observation schedule is given.

  1. Scheduling techniques in the Request Oriented Scheduling Engine (ROSE)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Zoch, David R.

    1991-01-01

    Scheduling techniques in the ROSE are presented in the form of the viewgraphs. The following subject areas are covered: agenda; ROSE summary and history; NCC-ROSE task goals; accomplishments; ROSE timeline manager; scheduling concerns; current and ROSE approaches; initial scheduling; BFSSE overview and example; and summary.

  2. Network Control Center User Planning System (NCC UPS)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dealy, Brian

    1991-09-01

    NCC UPS is presented in the form of the viewgraphs. The following subject areas are covered: UPS overview; NCC UPS role; major NCC UPS functional requirements; interactive user access levels; UPS interfaces; interactive user subsystem; interface navigation; scheduling screen hierarchy; interactive scheduling input panels; autogenerated schedule request panel; schedule data tabular display panel; schedule data graphic display panel; graphic scheduling aid design; and schedule data graphic display.

  3. Network Control Center User Planning System (NCC UPS)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dealy, Brian

    1991-01-01

    NCC UPS is presented in the form of the viewgraphs. The following subject areas are covered: UPS overview; NCC UPS role; major NCC UPS functional requirements; interactive user access levels; UPS interfaces; interactive user subsystem; interface navigation; scheduling screen hierarchy; interactive scheduling input panels; autogenerated schedule request panel; schedule data tabular display panel; schedule data graphic display panel; graphic scheduling aid design; and schedule data graphic display.

  4. System Performance of an Integrated Airborne Spacing Algorithm with Ground Automation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Swieringa, Kurt A.; Wilson, Sara R.; Baxley, Brian T.

    2016-01-01

    The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) first Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) was created to facilitate the transition of mature ATM technologies from the laboratory to operational use. The technologies selected for demonstration are the Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering (TMA-TM), which provides precise time-based scheduling in the Terminal airspace; Controller Managed Spacing (CMS), which provides controllers with decision support tools to enable precise schedule conformance; and Interval Management (IM), which consists of flight deck automation that enables aircraft to achieve or maintain precise spacing behind another aircraft. Recent simulations and IM algorithm development at NASA have focused on trajectory-based IM operations where aircraft equipped with IM avionics are expected to achieve a spacing goal, assigned by air traffic controllers, at the final approach fix. The recently published IM Minimum Operational Performance Standards describe five types of IM operations. This paper discusses the results and conclusions of a human-in-the-loop simulation that investigated three of those IM operations. The results presented in this paper focus on system performance and integration metrics. Overall, the IM operations conducted in this simulation integrated well with ground-based decisions support tools and certain types of IM operational were able to provide improved spacing precision at the final approach fix; however, some issues were identified that should be addressed prior to implementing IM procedures into real-world operations.

  5. Multi-Satellite Observation Scheduling for Large Area Disaster Emergency Response

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niu, X. N.; Tang, H.; Wu, L. X.

    2018-04-01

    an optimal imaging plan, plays a key role in coordinating multiple satellites to monitor the disaster area. In the paper, to generate imaging plan dynamically according to the disaster relief, we propose a dynamic satellite task scheduling method for large area disaster response. First, an initial robust scheduling scheme is generated by a robust satellite scheduling model in which both the profit and the robustness of the schedule are simultaneously maximized. Then, we use a multi-objective optimization model to obtain a series of decomposing schemes. Based on the initial imaging plan, we propose a mixed optimizing algorithm named HA_NSGA-II to allocate the decomposing results thus to obtain an adjusted imaging schedule. A real disaster scenario, i.e., 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, is revisited in terms of rapid response using satellite resources and used to evaluate the performance of the proposed method with state-of-the-art approaches. We conclude that our satellite scheduling model can optimize the usage of satellite resources so as to obtain images in disaster response in a more timely and efficient manner.

  6. Large Deployable Reflector (LDR) system concept and technology definition study. Volume 2: Technology assessment and technology development plan

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Agnew, Donald L.; Jones, Peter A.

    1989-01-01

    A study was conducted to define reasonable and representative LDR system concepts for the purpose of defining a technology development program aimed at providing the requisite technological capability necessary to start LDR development by the end of 1991. This volume presents thirteen technology assessments and technology development plans, as well as an overview and summary of the LDR concepts. Twenty-two proposed augmentation projects are described (selected from more than 30 candidates). The five LDR technology areas most in need of supplementary support are: cryogenic cooling; astronaut assembly of the optically precise LDR in space; active segmented primary mirror; dynamic structural control; and primary mirror contamination control. Three broad, time-phased, five-year programs were synthesized from the 22 projects, scheduled, and funding requirements estimated.

  7. Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) Final Report

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Engelland, Shawn A.; Capps, Richard; Day, Kevin Brian; Kistler, Matthew Stephen; Gaither, Frank; Juro, Greg

    2013-01-01

    After takeoff, aircraft must merge into en route (Center) airspace traffic flows that may be subject to constraints that create localized demand/capacity imbalances. When demand exceeds capacity, Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs) and Frontline Managers (FLMs) often use tactical departure scheduling to manage the flow of departures into the constrained Center traffic flow. Tactical departure scheduling usually involves a Call for Release (CFR) procedure wherein the Tower must call the Center to coordinate a release time prior to allowing the flight to depart. In present-day operations release times are computed by the Center Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) decision support tool, based upon manual estimates of aircraft ready time verbally communicated from the Tower to the Center. The TMA-computed release time is verbally communicated from the Center back to the Tower where it is relayed to the Local controller as a release window that is typically three minutes wide. The Local controller will manage the departure to meet the coordinated release time window. Manual ready time prediction and verbal release time coordination are labor intensive and prone to inaccuracy. Also, use of release time windows adds uncertainty to the tactical departure process. Analysis of more than one million flights from January 2011 indicates that a significant number of tactically scheduled aircraft missed their en route slot due to ready time prediction uncertainty. Uncertainty in ready time estimates may result in missed opportunities to merge into constrained en route flows and lead to lost throughput. Next Generation Air Transportation System plans call for development of Tower automation systems capable of computing surface trajectory-based ready time estimates. NASA has developed the Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) concept that improves tactical departure scheduling by automatically communicating surface trajectory-based ready time predictions and departure runway assignments to the Center scheduling tool. The PDRC concept also incorporates earlier NASA and FAA research into automation-assisted CFR coordination. The PDRC concept reduces uncertainty by automatically communicating coordinated release times with seconds-level precision enabling TMCs and FLMs to work with target times rather than windows. NASA has developed a PDRC prototype system that integrates the Center's TMA system with a research prototype Tower decision support tool. A two-phase field evaluation was conducted at NASA's North Texas Research Station in Dallas/Fort Worth. The field evaluation validated the PDRC concept and demonstrated reduced release time uncertainty while being used for tactical departure scheduling of more than 230 operational flights over 29 weeks of operations. This paper presents research results from the PDRC research activity. Companion papers present the Concept of Operations and a Technology Description.

  8. Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) Technology Description

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Engelland, Shawn A.; Capps, Richard; Day, Kevin; Robinson, Corissia; Null, Jody R.

    2013-01-01

    After takeoff, aircraft must merge into en route (Center) airspace traffic flows which may be subject to constraints that create localized demand-capacity imbalances. When demand exceeds capacity, Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs) often use tactical departure scheduling to manage the flow of departures into the constrained Center traffic flow. Tactical departure scheduling usually involves use of a Call for Release (CFR) procedure wherein the Tower must call the Center TMC to coordinate a release time prior to allowing the flight to depart. In present-day operations release times are computed by the Center Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) decision support tool based upon manual estimates of aircraft ready time verbally communicated from the Tower to the Center. The TMA-computed release is verbally communicated from the Center back to the Tower where it is relayed to the Local controller as a release window that is typically three minutes wide. The Local controller will manage the departure to meet the coordinated release time window. Manual ready time prediction and verbal release time coordination are labor intensive and prone to inaccuracy. Also, use of release time windows adds uncertainty to the tactical departure process. Analysis of more than one million flights from January 2011 indicates that a significant number of tactically scheduled aircraft missed their en route slot due to ready time prediction uncertainty. Uncertainty in ready time estimates may result in missed opportunities to merge into constrained en route flows and lead to lost throughput. Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) plans call for development of Tower automation systems capable of computing surface trajectory-based ready time estimates. NASA has developed the Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) concept that uses this technology to improve tactical departure scheduling by automatically communicating surface trajectory-based ready time predictions to the Center scheduling tool. The PDRC concept also incorporates earlier NASA and FAA research into automation-assisted CFR coordination. The PDRC concept helps reduce uncertainty by automatically communicating coordinated release times with seconds-level precision enabling TMCs to work with target times rather than windows. NASA has developed a PDRC prototype system that integrates the Center's TMA system with a research prototype Tower decision support tool. A two-phase field evaluation was conducted at NASA's North Texas Research Station (NTX) in Dallas-Fort Worth. The field evaluation validated the PDRC concept and demonstrated reduced release time uncertainty while being used for tactical departure scheduling of more than 230 operational flights over 29 weeks of operations. This paper presents the Technology Description. Companion papers include the Final Report and a Concept of Operations.

  9. Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC): NASA to FAA Research Transition

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Engelland, Shawn; Davis, Thomas J.

    2013-01-01

    After takeoff, aircraft must merge into en route (Center) airspace traffic flows which may be subject to constraints that create localized demand-capacity imbalances. When demand exceeds capacity, Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs) and Frontline Managers (FLMs) often use tactical departure scheduling to manage the flow of departures into the constrained Center traffic flow. Tactical departure scheduling usually involves use of a Call for Release (CFR) procedure wherein the Tower must call the Center to coordinate a release time prior to allowing the flight to depart. In present-day operations release times are computed by the Center Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) decision support tool based upon manual estimates of aircraft ready time verbally communicated from the Tower to the Center. The TMA-computed release time is verbally communicated from the Center back to the Tower where it is relayed to the Local controller as a release window that is typically three minutes wide. The Local controller will manage the departure to meet the coordinated release time window. Manual ready time prediction and verbal release time coordination are labor intensive and prone to inaccuracy. Also, use of release time windows adds uncertainty to the tactical departure process. Analysis of more than one million flights from January 2011 indicates that a significant number of tactically scheduled aircraft missed their en route slot due to ready time prediction uncertainty. Uncertainty in ready time estimates may result in missed opportunities to merge into constrained en route flows and lead to lost throughput. Next Generation Air Transportation System plans call for development of Tower automation systems capable of computing surface trajectory-based ready time estimates. NASA has developed the Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) concept that improves tactical departure scheduling by automatically communicating surface trajectory-based ready time predictions and departure runway assignments to the Center scheduling tool. The PDRC concept also incorporates earlier NASA and FAA research into automation-assisted CFR coordination. The PDRC concept reduces uncertainty by automatically communicating coordinated release times with seconds-level precision enabling TMCs and FLMs to work with target times rather than windows. NASA has developed a PDRC prototype system that integrates the Center's TMA system with a research prototype Tower decision support tool. A two-phase field evaluation was conducted at NASA's North Texas Research Station in Dallas-Fort Worth. The field evaluation validated the PDRC concept and demonstrated reduced release time uncertainty while being used for tactical departure scheduling of more than 230 operational flights over 29 weeks of operations.

  10. Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) Concept of Operations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Engelland, Shawn; Capps, Richard A.; Day, Kevin Brian

    2013-01-01

    After takeoff, aircraft must merge into en route (Center) airspace traffic flows which may be subject to constraints that create localized demandcapacity imbalances. When demand exceeds capacity Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs) often use tactical departure scheduling to manage the flow of departures into the constrained Center traffic flow. Tactical departure scheduling usually involves use of a Call for Release (CFR) procedure wherein the Tower must call the Center TMC to coordinate a release time prior to allowing the flight to depart. In present-day operations release times are computed by the Center Traffic Management Advisor (TMA) decision support tool based upon manual estimates of aircraft ready time verbally communicated from the Tower to the Center. The TMA-computed release is verbally communicated from the Center back to the Tower where it is relayed to the Local controller as a release window that is typically three minutes wide. The Local controller will manage the departure to meet the coordinated release time window. Manual ready time prediction and verbal release time coordination are labor intensive and prone to inaccuracy. Also, use of release time windows adds uncertainty to the tactical departure process. Analysis of more than one million flights from January 2011 indicates that a significant number of tactically scheduled aircraft missed their en route slot due to ready time prediction uncertainty. Uncertainty in ready time estimates may result in missed opportunities to merge into constrained en route flows and lead to lost throughput. Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) plans call for development of Tower automation systems capable of computing surface trajectory-based ready time estimates. NASA has developed the Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) concept that uses this technology to improve tactical departure scheduling by automatically communicating surface trajectory-based ready time predictions to the Center scheduling tool. The PDRC concept also incorporates earlier NASA and FAA research into automation-assisted CFR coordination. The PDRC concept helps reduce uncertainty by automatically communicating coordinated release times with seconds-level precision enabling TMCs to work with target times rather than windows. NASA has developed a PDRC prototype system that integrates the Center's TMA system with a research prototype Tower decision support tool. A two-phase field evaluation was conducted at NASA's North Texas Research Station (NTX) in DallasFort Worth. The field evaluation validated the PDRC concept and demonstrated reduced release time uncertainty while being used for tactical departure scheduling of more than 230 operational flights over 29 weeks of operations. This paper presents the Concept of Operations. Companion papers include the Final Report and a Technology Description. ? SUBJECT:

  11. Linear modeling of steady-state behavioral dynamics.

    PubMed Central

    Palya, William L; Walter, Donald; Kessel, Robert; Lucke, Robert

    2002-01-01

    The observed steady-state behavioral dynamics supported by unsignaled periods of reinforcement within repeating 2,000-s trials were modeled with a linear transfer function. These experiments employed improved schedule forms and analytical methods to improve the precision of the measured transfer function, compared to previous work. The refinements include both the use of multiple reinforcement periods that improve spectral coverage and averaging of independently determined transfer functions. A linear analysis was then used to predict behavior observed for three different test schedules. The fidelity of these predictions was determined. PMID:11831782

  12. Bat Surveys of Retired Facilitiies Scheduled for Demolition by Washington Closure Hanford

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

    Gano, K. A.; Lucas, J. G.; Lindsey, C. T.

    2011-06-30

    This project was conducted to evaluate buildings and facilities remaining in the Washington Closure Hanford (WCH) deactivation, decontamination, decommissioning, and demolition schedule for bat roost sites. The project began in spring of 2009 and was concluded in spring of 2011. A total of 196 buildings and facilities were evaluated for the presence of bat roosting sites. The schedule for the project was prioritized to accommodate the demolition schedule. As the surveys were completed, the results were provided to the project managers to facilitate planning and project completion. The surveys took place in the 300 Area, 400 Area, 100-H, 100-D, 100-N,more » and 100-B/C Area. This report is the culmination of all the bat surveys and summarizes the findings by area and includes recommended mitigation actions where bat roosts were found.« less

  13. Optimal designs for population pharmacokinetic studies of the partner drugs co-administered with artemisinin derivatives in patients with uncomplicated falciparum malaria.

    PubMed

    Jamsen, Kris M; Duffull, Stephen B; Tarning, Joel; Lindegardh, Niklas; White, Nicholas J; Simpson, Julie A

    2012-07-11

    Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is currently recommended as first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria, but of concern, it has been observed that the effectiveness of the main artemisinin derivative, artesunate, has been diminished due to parasite resistance. This reduction in effect highlights the importance of the partner drugs in ACT and provides motivation to gain more knowledge of their pharmacokinetic (PK) properties via population PK studies. Optimal design methodology has been developed for population PK studies, which analytically determines a sampling schedule that is clinically feasible and yields precise estimation of model parameters. In this work, optimal design methodology was used to determine sampling designs for typical future population PK studies of the partner drugs (mefloquine, lumefantrine, piperaquine and amodiaquine) co-administered with artemisinin derivatives. The optimal designs were determined using freely available software and were based on structural PK models from the literature and the key specifications of 100 patients with five samples per patient, with one sample taken on the seventh day of treatment. The derived optimal designs were then evaluated via a simulation-estimation procedure. For all partner drugs, designs consisting of two sampling schedules (50 patients per schedule) with five samples per patient resulted in acceptable precision of the model parameter estimates. The sampling schedules proposed in this paper should be considered in future population pharmacokinetic studies where intensive sampling over many days or weeks of follow-up is not possible due to either ethical, logistic or economical reasons.

  14. Optimization of the MINERVA Exoplanet Search Strategy via Simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nava, Chantell; Johnson, Samson; McCrady, Nate; Minerva

    2015-01-01

    Detection of low-mass exoplanets requires high spectroscopic precision and high observational cadence. MINERVA is a dedicated observatory capable of sub meter-per-second radial velocity precision. As a dedicated observatory, MINERVA can observe with every-clear-night cadence that is essential for low-mass exoplanet detection. However, this cadence complicates the determination of an optimal observing strategy. We simulate MINERVA observations to optimize our observing strategy and maximize exoplanet detections. A dispatch scheduling algorithm provides observations of MINERVA targets every day over a three-year observing campaign. An exoplanet population with a distribution informed by Kepler statistics is assigned to the targets, and radial velocity curves induced by the planets are constructed. We apply a correlated noise model that realistically simulates stellar astrophysical noise sources. The simulated radial velocity data is fed to the MINERVA planet detection code and the expected exoplanet yield is calculated. The full simulation provides a tool to test different strategies for scheduling observations of our targets and optimizing the MINERVA exoplanet search strategy.

  15. Analysis of phospholipids in bio-oils and fats by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Viidanoja, Jyrki

    2015-09-15

    A new, sensitive and selective liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-ESI-MS/MS) method was developed for the analysis of Phospholipids (PLs) in bio-oils and fats. This analysis employs hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography-scheduled multiple reaction monitoring (HILIC-sMRM) with a ZIC-cHILIC column. Eight PL class selective internal standards (homologs) were used for the semi-quantification of 14 PL classes for the first time. More than 400 scheduled MRMs were used for the measurement of PLs with a run time of 34min. The method's performance was evaluated for vegetable oil, animal fat and algae oil. The averaged within-run precision and between-run precision were ≤10% for all of the PL classes that had a direct homologue as an internal standard. The method accuracy was generally within 80-120% for the tested PL analytes in all three sample matrices. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Delivery performance of conventional aircraft by terminal-area, time-based air traffic control: A real-time simulation evaluation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Credeur, Leonard; Houck, Jacob A.; Capron, William R.; Lohr, Gary W.

    1990-01-01

    A description and results are presented of a study to measure the performance and reaction of airline flight crews, in a full workload DC-9 cockpit, flying in a real-time simulation of an air traffic control (ATC) concept called Traffic Intelligence for the Management of Efficient Runway-scheduling (TIMER). Experimental objectives were to verify earlier fast-time TIMER time-delivery precision results and obtain data for the validation or refinement of existing computer models of pilot/airborne performance. Experimental data indicated a runway threshold, interarrival-time-error standard deviation in the range of 10.4 to 14.1 seconds. Other real-time system performance parameters measured include approach speeds, response time to controller turn instructions, bank angles employed, and ATC controller message delivery-time errors.

  17. Simulation evaluation of TIMER, a time-based, terminal air traffic, flow-management concept

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Credeur, Leonard; Capron, William R.

    1989-01-01

    A description of a time-based, extended terminal area ATC concept called Traffic Intelligence for the Management of Efficient Runway scheduling (TIMER) and the results of a fast-time evaluation are presented. The TIMER concept is intended to bridge the gap between today's ATC system and a future automated time-based ATC system. The TIMER concept integrates en route metering, fuel-efficient cruise and profile descents, terminal time-based sequencing and spacing together with computer-generated controller aids, to improve delivery precision for fuller use of runway capacity. Simulation results identify and show the effects and interactions of such key variables as horizon of control location, delivery time error at both the metering fix and runway threshold, aircraft separation requirements, delay discounting, wind, aircraft heading and speed errors, and knowledge of final approach speed.

  18. Co-scheduling of network resource provisioning and host-to-host bandwidth reservation on high-performance network and storage systems

    DOEpatents

    Yu, Dantong; Katramatos, Dimitrios; Sim, Alexander; Shoshani, Arie

    2014-04-22

    A cross-domain network resource reservation scheduler configured to schedule a path from at least one end-site includes a management plane device configured to monitor and provide information representing at least one of functionality, performance, faults, and fault recovery associated with a network resource; a control plane device configured to at least one of schedule the network resource, provision local area network quality of service, provision local area network bandwidth, and provision wide area network bandwidth; and a service plane device configured to interface with the control plane device to reserve the network resource based on a reservation request and the information from the management plane device. Corresponding methods and computer-readable medium are also disclosed.

  19. SPIKE: AI scheduling techniques for Hubble Space Telescope

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Johnston, Mark D.

    1991-09-01

    AI (Artificial Intelligence) scheduling techniques for HST are presented in the form of the viewgraphs. The following subject areas are covered: domain; HST constraint timescales; HTS scheduling; SPIKE overview; SPIKE architecture; constraint representation and reasoning; use of suitability functions by scheduling agent; SPIKE screen example; advantages of suitability function framework; limiting search and constraint propagation; scheduling search; stochastic search; repair methods; implementation; and status.

  20. Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration-1 Concept of Operations (ATD-1 ConOps), Version 2.0

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baxley, Brian T.; Johnson, William C.; Swenson, Harry N.; Robinson, John E.; Prevot, Tom; Callantine, Todd J.; Scardina, John; Greene, Michael

    2013-01-01

    This document is an update to the operations and procedures envisioned for NASA s Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration #1 (ATD-1). The ATD-1 Concept of Operations (ConOps) integrates three NASA technologies to achieve high throughput, fuel-efficient arrival operations into busy terminal airspace. They are Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering (TMA-TM) for precise time-based schedules to the runway and points within the terminal area, Controller-Managed Spacing (CMS) decision support tools for terminal controllers to better manage aircraft delay using speed control, and Flight deck Interval Management (FIM) avionics and flight crew procedures to conduct airborne spacing operations. The ATD-1 concept provides de-conflicted and efficient operations of multiple arrival streams of aircraft, passing through multiple merge points, from top-of-descent (TOD) to the Final Approach Fix. These arrival streams are Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs) from en route altitude to the runway, using primarily speed control to maintain separation and schedule. The ATD-1 project is currently addressing the challenges of integrating the three technologies, and their implantation into an operational environment. The ATD-1 goals include increasing the throughput of high-density airports, reducing controller workload, increasing efficiency of arrival operations and the frequency of trajectory-based operations, and promoting aircraft ADS-B equipage.

  1. NASA's ATM Technology Demonstration-1: Integrated Concept of Arrival Operations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baxley, Brian T.; Swenson, Harry N.; Prevot, Thomas; Callantine, Todd J.

    2012-01-01

    This paper describes operations and procedures envisioned for NASA s Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration #1 (ATD-1). The ATD-1 Concept of Operations (ConOps) demonstration will integrate three NASA technologies to achieve high throughput, fuel-efficient arrival operations into busy terminal airspace. They are Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering (TMA-TM) for precise time-based schedules to the runway and points within the terminal area, Controller-Managed Spacing (CMS) decision support tools for terminal controllers to better manage aircraft delay using speed control, and Flight deck Interval Management (FIM) avionics and flight crew procedures to conduct airborne spacing operations. The ATD-1 concept provides de-conflicted and efficient operations of multiple arrival streams of aircraft, passing through multiple merge points, from top-of-descent (TOD) to touchdown. It also enables aircraft to conduct Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs) from en route altitude to the runway, using primarily speed control to maintain separation and schedule. The ATD-1 project is currently addressing the challenges of integrating the three technologies, and implantation into an operational environment. Goals of the ATD-1 demonstration include increasing the throughput of high-density airports, reducing controller workload, increasing efficiency of arrival operations and the frequency of trajectory-based operations, and promoting aircraft ADS-B equipage.

  2. a Quadtree Organization Construction and Scheduling Method for Urban 3d Model Based on Weight

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yao, C.; Peng, G.; Song, Y.; Duan, M.

    2017-09-01

    The increasement of Urban 3D model precision and data quantity puts forward higher requirements for real-time rendering of digital city model. Improving the organization, management and scheduling of 3D model data in 3D digital city can improve the rendering effect and efficiency. This paper takes the complexity of urban models into account, proposes a Quadtree construction and scheduling rendering method for Urban 3D model based on weight. Divide Urban 3D model into different rendering weights according to certain rules, perform Quadtree construction and schedule rendering according to different rendering weights. Also proposed an algorithm for extracting bounding box extraction based on model drawing primitives to generate LOD model automatically. Using the algorithm proposed in this paper, developed a 3D urban planning&management software, the practice has showed the algorithm is efficient and feasible, the render frame rate of big scene and small scene are both stable at around 25 frames.

  3. Contamination Sources Effects Analysis (CSEA) - A Tool to Balance Cost/Schedule While Managing Facility Availability

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wilcox, Margaret

    2008-01-01

    A CSEA is similar to a Failure Modes Effects Analysis (FMEA). A CSEA tracks risk, deterrence, and occurrence of sources of contamination and their mitigation plans. Documentation is provided spanning mechanical and electrical assembly, precision cleaning, thermal vacuum bake-out, and thermal vacuum testing. These facilities all may play a role in contamination budgeting and reduction ultimately affecting test and flight. With a CSEA, visibility can be given to availability of these facilities, test sequencing and trade-offs. A cross-functional team including specialty engineering, contamination control, electrostatic dissipation, manufacturing, testing, and material engineering participate in an exercise that identifies contaminants and minimizes the complexity of scheduling these facilities considering their volatile schedules. Care can be taken in an efficient manner to insure correct cleaning processes are employed. The result is reduction in cycle time ("schedule hits"), reduced cost due to rework, reduced risk and improved communication and quality while achieving adherence to the Contamination Control Plan.

  4. 75 FR 29324 - Preferred Supplier Program (PSP)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-25

    ... of the Navy, Acquisition and Logistics Management (DASN (A&LM)), is soliciting comments that the...; in the areas of cost, schedule, performance, quality, and business relations would be granted... exemplary performance, at the corporate level, in the areas of cost, schedule, performance, quality, and...

  5. 75 FR 28788 - Preferred Supplier Program (PSP)

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-24

    ... of the Navy, Acquisition and Logistics Management (DASN (A&LM)), is soliciting comments that the...; in the areas of cost, schedule, performance, quality, and business relations would be granted... demonstrated exemplary performance, at the corporate level, in the areas of cost, schedule, performance...

  6. A Human-in-the Loop Evaluation of a Coordinated Arrival Departure Scheduling Operations for Managing Departure Delays at LaGuardia Airport

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lee, Paul U.; Smith, Nancy M.; Bienert, Nancy; Brasil, Connie; Buckley, Nathan; Chevalley, Eric; Homola, Jeffrey; Omar, Faisal; Parke, Bonny; Yoo, Hyo-Sang

    2016-01-01

    LaGuardia (LGA) departure delay was identified by the stakeholders and subject matter experts as a significant bottleneck in the New York metropolitan area. Departure delay at LGA is primarily due to dependency between LGA's arrival and departure runways: LGA departures cannot begin takeoff until arrivals have cleared the runway intersection. If one-in one-out operations are not maintained and a significant arrival-to-departure imbalance occurs, the departure backup can persist through the rest of the day. At NASA Ames Research Center, a solution called "Departure-sensitive Arrival Spacing" (DSAS) was developed to maximize the departure throughput without creating significant delays in the arrival traffic. The concept leverages a Terminal Sequencing and Spacing (TSS) operations that create and manage the arrival schedule to the runway threshold and added an interface enhancement to the traffic manager's timeline to provide the ability to manually adjust inter-arrival spacing to build precise gaps for multiple departures between arrivals. A more complete solution would include a TSS algorithm enhancement that could automatically build these multi-departure gaps. With this set of capabilities, inter-arrival spacing could be controlled for optimal departure throughput. The concept was prototyped in a human-in-the- loop (HITL) simulation environment so that operational requirements such as coordination procedures, timing and magnitude of TSS schedule adjustments, and display features for Tower, TRACON and Traffic Management Unit could be determined. A HITL simulation was conducted in August 2014 to evaluate the concept in terms of feasibility, controller workload impact, and potential benefits. Three conditions were tested, namely a Baseline condition without scheduling, TSS condition that schedules the arrivals to the runway threshold, and TSS+DSAS condition that adjusts the arrival schedule to maximize the departure throughput. The results showed that during high arrival demand period, departure throughput could be incrementally increased under TSS and TSS+DSAS conditions without compromising the arrival throughput. The concept, operational procedures, and summary results were originally published in ATM20151 but detailed results were omitted. This paper expands on the earlier paper to provide the detailed results on throughput, conformance, safety, flight time/distance, etc. that provide extra insights into the feasibility and the potential benefits on the concept.

  7. Shiftwork Scheduling for the 1990s.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coleman, Richard M.

    1989-01-01

    The author discusses the problems of scheduling shift work, touching on such topics as employee desires, health requirements, and business needs. He presents a method for developing shift schedules that addresses these three areas. Implementation hints are also provided. (CH)

  8. Range Scheduling Aid (RSA)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Logan, J. R.; Pulvermacher, M. K.

    1991-01-01

    Range Scheduling Aid (RSA) is presented in the form of the viewgraphs. The following subject areas are covered: satellite control network; current and new approaches to range scheduling; MITRE tasking; RSA features; RSA display; constraint based analytic capability; RSA architecture; and RSA benefits.

  9. Approximate Synchrony: An Abstraction for Distributed Almost Synchronous Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-05-29

    finding bugs. Verification of the TSCH Protocol. Time Synchronized Channel Hopping (TSCH) is a Medium Access Control scheme that enables low power...allotted by the schedule and remain in sleep mode otherwise. In the ab- sence of precise time-synchronization, the time-slots across nodes would not be

  10. Cost and Effectiveness of an Educational Program for Autistic Children Using a Systems Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hung, David W.; And Others

    1983-01-01

    A systems approach, which features behavioral assessments, a functional curriculum, behavior management, precision teaching, systematic use of reinforcement, and a structured teaching schedule, resulted in greater learning of functional skills and increased structured teaching time per day compared to two control treaments for 12 autistic…

  11. Lysimetric evaluation of eddy covariance and scitillometer systems for the Texas High Plains

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Evapotranspiration (ET) is an important component in the water budget and used extensively in water planning and irrigation scheduling. Although lysimetry is considered the most accurate method for crop water use measurements, large precision weighing lysimeters are expensive to build and operate. A...

  12. EPA Sets Schedule to Improve Visibility in the Nation's Most Treasured Natural Areas

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    EPA issued a schedule to act on more than 40 state pollution reduction plans that will improve visibility in national parks and wilderness areas and protect public health from the damaging effects of the pollutants that cause regional haze.

  13. 300 Area treated effluent disposal facility sampling schedule

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

    Loll, C.M.

    1994-10-11

    This document is the interface between the 300 Area Liquid Effluent Process Engineering (LEPE) group and the Waste Sampling and Characterization Facility (WSCF), concerning process control samples. It contains a schedule for process control samples at the 300 Area TEDF which describes the parameters to be measured, the frequency of sampling and analysis, the sampling point, and the purpose for each parameter.

  14. Strategies GeoCape Intelligent Observation Studies @ GSFC

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cappelaere, Pat; Frye, Stu; Moe, Karen; Mandl, Dan; LeMoigne, Jacqueline; Flatley, Tom; Geist, Alessandro

    2015-01-01

    This presentation provides information a summary of the tradeoff studies conducted for GeoCape by the GSFC team in terms of how to optimize GeoCape observation efficiency. Tradeoffs include total ground scheduling with simple priorities, ground scheduling with cloud forecast, ground scheduling with sub-area forecast, onboard scheduling with onboard cloud detection and smart onboard scheduling and onboard image processing. The tradeoffs considered optimzing cost, downlink bandwidth and total number of images acquired.

  15. Analysis of a resistance-energy balance method for estimating daily evaporation from wheat plots using one-time-of-day infrared temperature observations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Choudhury, B. J.; Idso, S. B.; Reginato, R. J.

    1986-01-01

    Accurate estimates of evaporation over field-scale or larger areas are needed in hydrologic studies, irrigation scheduling, and meteorology. Remotely sensed surface temperature might be used in a model to calculate evaporation. A resistance-energy balance model, which combines an energy balance equation, the Penman-Monteith (1981) evaporation equation, and van den Honert's (1948) equation for water extraction by plant roots, is analyzed for estimating daily evaporation from wheat using postnoon canopy temperature measurements. Additional data requirements are half-hourly averages of solar radiation, air and dew point temperatures, and wind speed, along with reasonable estimates of canopy emissivity, albedo, height, and leaf area index. Evaporation fluxes were measured in the field by precision weighing lysimeters for well-watered and water-stressed wheat. Errors in computed daily evaporation were generally less than 10 percent, while errors in cumulative evaporation for 10 clear sky days were less than 5 percent for both well-watered and water-stressed wheat. Some results from sensitivity analysis of the model are also given.

  16. Engineering Technician Standards.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Hampton, VA. Langley Research Center.

    The booklet describes the program offerings, requirements, training, and pay schedules of the Langley Research Center Technician Training Program. Training schedules and the duties expected upon completion of each of the training areas are specified, along with on-the-job and academic requirements. The areas of training are: engineering draftsman,…

  17. 300 Area treated effluent disposal facility sampling schedule. Revision 1

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

    Loll, C.M.

    1995-03-28

    This document is the interface between the 300 Area liquid effluent process engineering (LEPE) group and the waste sampling and characterization facility (WSCF), concerning process control samples. It contains a schedule for process control samples at the 300 Area TEDF which describes the parameters to be measured, the frequency of sampling and analysis, the sampling point, and the purpose for each parameter.

  18. Design Considerations for a New Terminal Area Arrival Scheduler

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thipphavong, Jane; Mulfinger, Daniel

    2010-01-01

    Design of a terminal area arrival scheduler depends on the interrelationship between throughput, delay and controller intervention. The main contribution of this paper is an analysis of the above interdependence for several stochastic behaviors of expected system performance distributions in the aircraft s time of arrival at the meter fix and runway. Results of this analysis serve to guide the scheduler design choices for key control variables. Two types of variables are analyzed, separation buffers and terminal delay margins. The choice for these decision variables was tested using sensitivity analysis. Analysis suggests that it is best to set the separation buffer at the meter fix to its minimum and adjust the runway buffer to attain the desired system performance. Delay margin was found to have the least effect. These results help characterize the variables most influential in the scheduling operations of terminal area arrivals.

  19. 5 CFR 532.259 - Special appropriated fund wage schedules for U.S. insular areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Special appropriated fund wage schedules for U.S. insular areas. 532.259 Section 532.259 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PREVAILING RATE SYSTEMS Prevailing Rate Determinations § 532.259 Special...

  20. Searching for X-ray Pulsations from Neutron Stars Using NICER

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ray, Paul S.; Arzoumanian, Zaven; Bogdanov, Slavko; Bult, Peter; Chakrabarty, Deepto; Guillot, Sebastien; Kust Harding, Alice; Ho, Wynn C. G.; Lamb, Frederick K.; Mahmoodifar, Simin; Miller, M. Coleman; Strohmayer, Tod E.; Wilson-Hodge, Colleen A.; Wolff, Michael Thomas

    2017-08-01

    The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) presents an exciting new capability for discovering new modulation properties of X-ray emitting neutron stars, including large area, low background, extremely precise absolute time stamps, superb low-energy response and flexible scheduling. The Pulsation Searches and Multiwavelength Coordination working group has designed a 2.5 Ms observing program to search for pulsations and characterize the modulation properties of about 30 known or suspected neutron star sources across a number of source categories. A key early goal will be to search for pulsations from millisecond pulsars that might exhibit thermal pulsations from the surface suitable for pulse profile modeling to constrain the neutron star equation of state. In addition, we will search for pulsations from transitional millisecond pulsars, isolated neutron stars, LMXBs, accretion-powered millisecond pulsars, central compact objects and other sources. We will present our science plan and initial results from the first months of the NICER mission.

  1. Searching for X-ray Pulsations from Neutron Stars Using NICER

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ray, Paul S.; Arzoumanian, Zaven; Gendreau, Keith C.; Bogdanov, Slavko; Bult, Peter; Chakrabarty, Deepto; Chakrabarty, Deepto; Guillot, Sebastien; Harding, Alice; Ho, Wynn C. G.; Lamb, Frederick; Mahmoodifar, Simin; Miller, Cole; Strohmayer, Tod; Wilson-Hodge, Colleen; Wolff, Michael T.; NICER Science Team Working Group on Pulsation Searches and Multiwavelength Coordination

    2018-01-01

    The Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) presents an exciting new capability for discovering new modulation properties of X-ray emitting neutron stars, including large area, low background, extremely precise absolute time stamps, superb low-energy response and flexible scheduling. The Pulsation Searches and Multiwavelength Coordination working group has designed a 2.5 Ms observing program to search for pulsations and characterize the modulation properties of about 30 known or suspected neutron star sources across a number of source categories. A key early goal will be to search for pulsations from millisecond pulsars that might exhibit thermal pulsations from the surface suitable for pulse profile modeling to constrain the neutron star equation of state. In addition, we will search for pulsations from transitional millisecond pulsars, isolated neutron stars, LMXBs, accretion-powered millisecond pulsars, central compact objects and other sources. We present our science plan and initial results from the first months of the NICER mission.

  2. RICH upgrade in LHCb experiment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pistone, A.; LHCb RICH Collaboration

    2017-01-01

    The LHCb experiment is dedicated to precision measurements of CP violation and rare decays of B hadrons at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN (Geneva). The second long shutdown of the LHC is currently scheduled to begin in 2019. During this period the LHCb experiment with all its sub-detectors will be upgraded in order to run at an instantaneous luminosity of 2 × 10^{33} cm ^{-2} s ^{-1} , about a factor 5 higher than the current luminosity, and to read out data at a rate of 40MHz into a flexible software-based trigger. The Ring Imaging CHerenkov (RICH) system will require new photon detectors and modifications to the optics of the upstream detector. Tests of the prototype of the smallest constituent of the new RICH system have been performed during testbeam sessions at the North Area test beam facility at CERN in the last years.

  3. Modern digital flight control system design for VTOL aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Broussard, J. R.; Berry, P. W.; Stengel, R. F.

    1979-01-01

    Methods for and results from the design and evaluation of a digital flight control system (DFCS) for a CH-47B helicopter are presented. The DFCS employed proportional-integral control logic to provide rapid, precise response to automatic or manual guidance commands while following conventional or spiral-descent approach paths. It contained altitude- and velocity-command modes, and it adapted to varying flight conditions through gain scheduling. Extensive use was made of linear systems analysis techniques. The DFCS was designed, using linear-optimal estimation and control theory, and the effects of gain scheduling are assessed by examination of closed-loop eigenvalues and time responses.

  4. Multi-Satellite Scheduling Approach for Dynamic Areal Tasks Triggered by Emergent Disasters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Niu, X. N.; Zhai, X. J.; Tang, H.; Wu, L. X.

    2016-06-01

    The process of satellite mission scheduling, which plays a significant role in rapid response to emergent disasters, e.g. earthquake, is used to allocate the observation resources and execution time to a series of imaging tasks by maximizing one or more objectives while satisfying certain given constraints. In practice, the information obtained of disaster situation changes dynamically, which accordingly leads to the dynamic imaging requirement of users. We propose a satellite scheduling model to address dynamic imaging tasks triggered by emergent disasters. The goal of proposed model is to meet the emergency response requirements so as to make an imaging plan to acquire rapid and effective information of affected area. In the model, the reward of the schedule is maximized. To solve the model, we firstly present a dynamic segmenting algorithm to partition area targets. Then the dynamic heuristic algorithm embedding in a greedy criterion is designed to obtain the optimal solution. To evaluate the model, we conduct experimental simulations in the scene of Wenchuan Earthquake. The results show that the simulated imaging plan can schedule satellites to observe a wider scope of target area. We conclude that our satellite scheduling model can optimize the usage of satellite resources so as to obtain images in disaster response in a more timely and efficient manner.

  5. Hard real-time beam scheduler enables adaptive images in multi-probe systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tobias, Richard J.

    2014-03-01

    Real-time embedded-system concepts were adapted to allow an imaging system to responsively control the firing of multiple probes. Large-volume, operator-independent (LVOI) imaging would increase the diagnostic utility of ultrasound. An obstacle to this innovation is the inability of current systems to drive multiple transducers dynamically. Commercial systems schedule scanning with static lists of beams to be fired and processed; here we allow an imager to adapt to changing beam schedule demands, as an intelligent response to incoming image data. An example of scheduling changes is demonstrated with a flexible duplex mode two-transducer application mimicking LVOI imaging. Embedded-system concepts allow an imager to responsively control the firing of multiple probes. Operating systems use powerful dynamic scheduling algorithms, such as fixed priority preemptive scheduling. Even real-time operating systems lack the timing constraints required for ultrasound. Particularly for Doppler modes, events must be scheduled with sub-nanosecond precision, and acquired data is useless without this requirement. A successful scheduler needs unique characteristics. To get close to what would be needed in LVOI imaging, we show two transducers scanning different parts of a subjects leg. When one transducer notices flow in a region where their scans overlap, the system reschedules the other transducer to start flow mode and alter its beams to get a view of the observed vessel and produce a flow measurement. The second transducer does this in a focused region only. This demonstrates key attributes of a successful LVOI system, such as robustness against obstructions and adaptive self-correction.

  6. 29 CFR 785.47 - Where records show insubstantial or insignificant periods of time.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... scheduled working hours, which cannot as a practical administrative matter be precisely recorded for payroll... as hours worked any part, however small, of the employee's fixed or regular working time or... of time. 785.47 Section 785.47 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) WAGE AND HOUR DIVISION...

  7. Design of a universal logic block for fault-tolerant realization of any logic operation in trapped-ion quantum circuits

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goudarzi, H.; Dousti, M. J.; Shafaei, A.; Pedram, M.

    2014-05-01

    This paper presents a physical mapping tool for quantum circuits, which generates the optimal universal logic block (ULB) that can, on average, perform any logical fault-tolerant (FT) quantum operations with the minimum latency. The operation scheduling, placement, and qubit routing problems tackled by the quantum physical mapper are highly dependent on one another. More precisely, the scheduling solution affects the quality of the achievable placement solution due to resource pressures that may be created as a result of operation scheduling, whereas the operation placement and qubit routing solutions influence the scheduling solution due to resulting distances between predecessor and current operations, which in turn determines routing latencies. The proposed flow for the quantum physical mapper captures these dependencies by applying (1) a loose scheduling step, which transforms an initial quantum data flow graph into one that explicitly captures the no-cloning theorem of the quantum computing and then performs instruction scheduling based on a modified force-directed scheduling approach to minimize the resource contention and quantum circuit latency, (2) a placement step, which uses timing-driven instruction placement to minimize the approximate routing latencies while making iterative calls to the aforesaid force-directed scheduler to correct scheduling levels of quantum operations as needed, and (3) a routing step that finds dynamic values of routing latencies for the qubits. In addition to the quantum physical mapper, an approach is presented to determine the single best ULB size for a target quantum circuit by examining the latency of different FT quantum operations mapped onto different ULB sizes and using information about the occurrence frequency of operations on critical paths of the target quantum algorithm to weigh these latencies. Experimental results show an average latency reduction of about 40 % compared to previous work.

  8. 40 CFR 58.12 - Operating schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ...) AMBIENT AIR QUALITY SURVEILLANCE Monitoring Network § 58.12 Operating schedules. State and local... part. Area-specific PAMS operating schedules must be included as part of the PAMS network description... remains once every six days. No less frequently than as part of each 5-year network assessment, the most...

  9. 40 CFR 58.12 - Operating schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ...) AMBIENT AIR QUALITY SURVEILLANCE Monitoring Network § 58.12 Operating schedules. State and local... part. Area-specific PAMS operating schedules must be included as part of the PAMS network description... remains once every six days. No less frequently than as part of each 5-year network assessment, the most...

  10. [Estimating emergency hospital admissions to gauge short-term effects of air pollution: evaluation of health data quality].

    PubMed

    Bois de Fer, Béatrice; Host, Sabine; Chardon, Benoît; Chatignoux, Edouard; Beaujouan, Laure; Brun-Ney, Dominique; Grémy, Isabelle

    2009-01-01

    The study of the short-term effects and health impact of air pollution is carrier out by the ERPURS regional surveillance program which utilizes hospitalization data obtained from the French hospital information system (PMSI) to determine these links. This system does not permit the distinction between emergency hospital admissions from scheduled ones, which cannot be related to short term changes in air pollution levels. This study examines how scheduled admissions affect the quality of the health indicators used to estimate air pollution effects. This indicator is compared to three new emergency hospitalisation indicators reconstructed based on data from the public hospitals in Paris, partly from the PMSI data and partly with data from an on-line emergency network that regroups all of the computerized emergency services. According to the pathology, scheduled admissions present a difficulty which affects the capacity to highlight the weakest risks with any precision.

  11. Concepts, requirements, and design approaches for building successful planning and scheduling systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hornstein, Rhoda Shaller; Willoughby, John K.

    1991-01-01

    Traditional practice of systems engineering management assumes requirements can be precisely determined and unambiguously defined prior to system design and implementation; practice further assumes requirements are held static during implementation. Human-computer decision support systems for service planning and scheduling applications do not conform well to these assumptions. Adaptation to the traditional practice of systems engineering management are required. Basic technology exists to support these adaptations. Additional innovations must be encouraged and nutured. Continued partnership between the programmatic and technical perspective assures proper balance of the impossible with the possible. Past problems have the following origins: not recognizing the unusual and perverse nature of the requirements for planning and scheduling; not recognizing the best starting point assumptions for the design; not understanding the type of system that being built; and not understanding the design consequences of the operations concept selected.

  12. Trajectory-Based Takeoff Time Predictions Applied to Tactical Departure Scheduling: Concept Description, System Design, and Initial Observations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Engelland, Shawn A.; Capps, Alan

    2011-01-01

    Current aircraft departure release times are based on manual estimates of aircraft takeoff times. Uncertainty in takeoff time estimates may result in missed opportunities to merge into constrained en route streams and lead to lost throughput. However, technology exists to improve takeoff time estimates by using the aircraft surface trajectory predictions that enable air traffic control tower (ATCT) decision support tools. NASA s Precision Departure Release Capability (PDRC) is designed to use automated surface trajectory-based takeoff time estimates to improve en route tactical departure scheduling. This is accomplished by integrating an ATCT decision support tool with an en route tactical departure scheduling decision support tool. The PDRC concept and prototype software have been developed, and an initial test was completed at air traffic control facilities in Dallas/Fort Worth. This paper describes the PDRC operational concept, system design, and initial observations.

  13. 5 CFR 532.317 - Use of data from the nearest similar area.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... REGULATIONS PREVAILING RATE SYSTEMS Determining Rates for Principal Types of Positions § 532.317 Use of data... of Defense, the lead agency shall, in establishing the regular schedule under the provisions of this... obtained from inside the local wage survey area. The regular schedule for Department of Defense prevailing...

  14. 5 CFR 532.317 - Use of data from the nearest similar area.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... REGULATIONS PREVAILING RATE SYSTEMS Determining Rates for Principal Types of Positions § 532.317 Use of data... of Defense, the lead agency shall, in establishing the regular schedule under the provisions of this... obtained from inside the local wage survey area. The regular schedule for Department of Defense prevailing...

  15. Knowledge-Based Scheduling of Arrival Aircraft in the Terminal Area

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krzeczowski, K. J.; Davis, T.; Erzberger, H.; Lev-Ram, Israel; Bergh, Christopher P.

    1995-01-01

    A knowledge based method for scheduling arrival aircraft in the terminal area has been implemented and tested in real time simulation. The scheduling system automatically sequences, assigns landing times, and assign runways to arrival aircraft by utilizing continuous updates of aircraft radar data and controller inputs. The scheduling algorithm is driven by a knowledge base which was obtained in over two thousand hours of controller-in-the-loop real time simulation. The knowledge base contains a series of hierarchical 'rules' and decision logic that examines both performance criteria, such as delay reductions, as well as workload reduction criteria, such as conflict avoidance. The objective of the algorithm is to devise an efficient plan to land the aircraft in a manner acceptable to the air traffic controllers. This paper describes the scheduling algorithms, gives examples of their use, and presents data regarding their potential benefits to the air traffic system.

  16. XOPPS - OEL PROJECT PLANNER/SCHEDULER TOOL

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mulnix, C. L.

    1994-01-01

    XOPPS is a window-based graphics tool for scheduling and project planning that provides easy and fast on-screen WYSIWYG editing capabilities. It has a canvas area which displays the full image of the schedule being edited. The canvas contains a header area for text and a schedule area for plotting graphic representations of milestone objects in a flexible timeline. XOPPS is object-oriented, but it is unique in its capability for creating objects that have date attributes. Each object on the screen can be treated as a unit for moving, editing, etc. There is a mouse interface for simple control of pointer location. The user can position objects to pixel resolution, but objects with an associated date are positioned automatically in their correct timeline position in the schedule area. The schedule area has horizontal lines across the page with capabilities for multiple pages and for editing the number of lines per page and the line grid. The text on a line can be edited and a line can be moved with all objects on the line moving with it. The timeline display can be edited to plot any time period in a variety of formats from Fiscal year to Calendar Year and days to years. Text objects and image objects (rasterfiles and icons) can be created for placement anywhere on the page. Milestone event objects with a single associated date (and optional text and milestone symbol) and activity objects with start and end dates (and an optional completion date) have unique editing panels for entering data. A representation for schedule slips is also provided with the capability to automatically convert a milestone event to a slip. A milestone schedule on another computer can be saved to an ASCII file to be read by XOPPS. The program can print a schedule to a PostScript file. Dependencies between objects can also be displayed on the chart through the use of precedence lines. This program is not intended to replace a commercial scheduling/project management program. Because XOPPS has an ASCII file interface it can be used in conjunction with a project management tool to produce schedules with a quality appearance. XOPPS is written in C-language for Sun series workstations running SunOS. This package requires MIT's X Window System, Version 11 Revision 4, with OSF/Motif 1.1. A sample executable is included. XOPPS requires 375K main memory and 1.5Mb free disk space for execution. The standard distribution medium is a .25 inch streaming magnetic tape cartridge in UNIX tar format. XOPPS was developed in 1992, based on the Sunview version of OPPS (NPO-18439) developed in 1990. It is a copyrighted work with all copyright vested in NASA.

  17. 5 CFR 532.401 - Definitions.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... schedule, whether in the same or different wage area; (2) Moves from a position under a prevailing rate... revision of a wage schedule. Highest previous rate means the highest scheduled rate of pay previously paid to a person while employed in a job in any branch of the Federal Government, a mixed-ownership...

  18. Complex ambulatory settings demand scheduling systems.

    PubMed

    Ross, K M

    1998-01-01

    Practice management systems are becoming more and more complex, as they are asked to integrate all aspects of patient and resource management. Although patient scheduling is a standard expectation in any ambulatory environment, facilities and equipment resource scheduling are additional functionalities of scheduling systems. Because these functions were not typically managed in manual patient scheduling, often the result was resource mismanagement, along with a potential negative impact on utilization, patient flow and provider productivity. As ambulatory organizations have become more seasoned users of practice management software, the value of resource scheduling has become apparent. Appointment scheduling within a fully integrated practice management system is recognized as an enhancement of scheduling itself and provides additional tools to manage other information needs. Scheduling, as one component of patient information management, provides additional tools in these areas.

  19. Feasibility Criteria for Interval Management Operations as Part of Arrival Management Operations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Levitt, Ian M.; Weitz, Lesley A.; Barmore, Bryan E.; Castle, Michael W.

    2014-01-01

    Interval Management (IM) is a future airborne spacing concept that aims to provide more precise inter-aircraft spacing to yield throughput improvements and greater use of fuel efficient trajectories for arrival and approach operations. To participate in an IM operation, an aircraft must be equipped with avionics that provide speeds to achieve and maintain an assigned spacing interval relative to another aircraft. It is not expected that all aircraft will be equipped with the necessary avionics, but rather that IM fits into a larger arrival management concept developed to support the broader mixed-equipage environment. Arrival management concepts are comprised of three parts: a ground-based sequencing and scheduling function to develop an overall arrival strategy, ground-based tools to support the management of aircraft to that schedule, and the IM tools necessary for the IM operation (i.e., ground-based set-up, initiation, and monitoring, and the flight-deck tools to conduct the IM operation). The Federal Aviation Administration is deploying a near-term ground-automation system to support metering operations in the National Airspace System, which falls within the first two components of the arrival management concept. This paper develops a methodology for determining the required delivery precision at controlled meter points for aircraft that are being managed to a schedule and aircraft being managed to a relative spacing interval in order to achieve desired flow rates and adequate separation at the meter points.

  20. 50 CFR Table 1 to Part 697 - Area 3 Trap Reduction Schedule

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Area 3 Trap Reduction Schedule 1 Table 1 to Part 697 Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND... 944 1150 1150 1093 1038 1012 987 1170 1170 1112 1056 1030 1004 1200-1299 1200 1140 1083 1056 1030 1300...

  1. 5 CFR 532.257 - Regular nonappropriated fund wage schedules in foreign areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    .... These schedules will provide rates of pay for nonsupervisory, leader, and supervisory employees. (b) Schedules will be— (1) Computed on the basis of a simple average of all regular nonappropriated fund wage... each nonsupervisory grade will be derived by computing a simple average of each step 2 rate for each of...

  2. 5 CFR 532.257 - Regular nonappropriated fund wage schedules in foreign areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    .... These schedules will provide rates of pay for nonsupervisory, leader, and supervisory employees. (b) Schedules will be— (1) Computed on the basis of a simple average of all regular nonappropriated fund wage... each nonsupervisory grade will be derived by computing a simple average of each step 2 rate for each of...

  3. User’s guide to SNAP for ArcGIS® :ArcGIS interface for scheduling and network analysis program

    Treesearch

    Woodam Chung; Dennis Dykstra; Fred Bower; Stephen O’Brien; Richard Abt; John. and Sessions

    2012-01-01

    This document introduces a computer software named SNAP for ArcGIS® , which has been developed to streamline scheduling and transportation planning for timber harvest areas. Using modern optimization techniques, it can be used to spatially schedule timber harvest with consideration of harvesting costs, multiple products, alternative...

  4. Pilot Fatigue and Circadian Desynchronosis

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1981-01-01

    Pilot fatigue and circadian desynchronosis, its significance to air transport safety, and research approaches, were examined. There is a need for better data on sleep, activity, and other pertinent factors from pilots flying a variety of demanding schedules. Simulation studies of flight crew performance should be utilized to determine the degree of fatigue induced by demanding schedules and to delineate more precisely the factors responsible for performance decrements in flight and to test solutions proposed to resolve problems induced by fatigue and desynchronosis. It was concluded that there is a safety problem of uncertain magnitude due to transmeridian flying and a potential problem due to fatigue associated with various factors found in air transport operations.

  5. Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration-1 Concept of Operations (ATD-1 ConOps)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Baxley, Brian T.; Johnson, William C.; Swenson, Harry; Robinson, John E.; Prevot, Thomas; Callantine, Todd; Scardina, John; Greene, Michael

    2012-01-01

    The operational goal of the ATD-1 ConOps is to enable aircraft, using their onboard FMS capabilities, to fly Optimized Profile Descents (OPDs) from cruise to the runway threshold at a high-density airport, at a high throughput rate, using primarily speed control to maintain in-trail separation and the arrival schedule. The three technologies in the ATD-1 ConOps achieve this by calculating a precise arrival schedule, using controller decision support tools to provide terminal controllers with speeds for aircraft to fly to meet times at a particular meter points, and onboard software providing flight crews with speeds for the aircraft to fly to achieve a particular spacing behind preceding aircraft.

  6. Nucleation of holin domains and holes optimizes lysis timing of E. coli by phage λ

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ryan, Gillian; Rutenberg, Andrew

    2007-03-01

    Holin proteins regulate the precise scheduling of Escherichia coli lysis during infection by bacteriophage λ. Inserted into the host bacterium's inner membrane during infection, holins aggregate to form rafts and then holes within those rafts. We present a two-stage nucleation model of holin action, with the nucleation of condensed holin domains followed by the nucleation of holes within these domains. Late nucleation of holin rafts leads to a weak dependence of lysis timing on host cell size, though both nucleation events contribute equally to timing errors. Our simulations recover the accurate scheduling observed experimentally, and also suggest that phage-λ lysis of E.coli is optimized.

  7. Benefit Assessment of the Precision Departure Release Capability Concept

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Palopo, Kee; Chatterji, Gano B.; Lee, Hak-Tae

    2011-01-01

    A Precision Departure Release Capability concept is being evaluated by both the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration as part of a larger goal of improving throughput, efficiency and capacity in integrated departure, arrival and surface operations. The concept is believed to have the potential of increasing flight efficiency and throughput by avoiding missing assigned slots and minimizing speed increase or path stretch to recover the slot. The main thrust of the paper is determining the impact of early and late departures from the departure runway when an aircraft has a slot assigned either at a meter fix or at the arrival airport. Results reported in the paper are for two scenarios. The first scenario considers flights out of Dallas/Fort Worth destined for Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta flying through the Meridian meter-fix in the Memphis Center with miles-in-trail constraints. The second scenario considers flights destined to George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport with specified airport arrival rate constraint. Results show that delay reduction can be achieved by allowing reasonable speed changes in scheduling. It was determined that the traffic volume between Dallas/Fort Worth and Atlanta via the Meridian fix is low and the departures times are spread enough that large departure schedule uncertainty can be tolerated. Flights can depart early or late within 90 minutes without accruing much more delay due to miles-in-trail constraint at the Meridian fix. In the Houston scenario, 808 arrivals from 174 airports were considered. Results show that delay experienced by the 16 Dallas/Fort Worth departures is higher if initial schedules of the remaining 792 flights are kept unaltered while they are rescheduled. Analysis shows that the probability of getting the initially assigned slot back after perturbation and rescheduling decreases with increasing standard deviation of the departure delay distributions. Results show that most Houston arrivals can be expected to be on time based on the assumed zero-mean Normal departure delay distributions achievable by Precision Departure Release Capability. In the current system, airport-departure delay, which is the sum of gate-departure delay and taxi-out delay, is observed at the airports. This delay acts as a bias, which can be reduced by Precision Departure Release Capability.

  8. How do current irrigation practices perform? Evaluation of different irrigation scheduling approaches based on experiements and crop model simulations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Seidel, Sabine J.; Werisch, Stefan; Barfus, Klemens; Wagner, Michael; Schütze, Niels; Laber, Hermann

    2014-05-01

    The increasing worldwide water scarcity, costs and negative off-site effects of irrigation are leading to the necessity of developing methods of irrigation that increase water productivity. Various approaches are available for irrigation scheduling. Traditionally schedules are calculated based on soil water balance (SWB) calculations using some measure of reference evaporation and empirical crop coeffcients. These crop-specific coefficients are provided by the FAO but are also available for different regions (e.g. Germany). The approach is simple but there are several inaccuracies due to simplifications and limitations such as poor transferability. Crop growth models - which simulate the main physiological plant processes through a set of assumptions and calibration parameter - are widely used to support decision making, but also for yield gap or scenario analyses. One major advantage of mechanistic models compared to empirical approaches is their spatial and temporal transferability. Irrigation scheduling can also be based on measurements of soil water tension which is closely related to plant stress. Advantages of precise and easy measurements are able to be automated but face difficulties of finding the place where to probe especially in heterogenous soils. In this study, a two-year field experiment was used to extensively evaluate the three mentioned irrigation scheduling approaches regarding their efficiency on irrigation water application with the aim to promote better agronomic practices in irrigated horticulture. To evaluate the tested irrigation scheduling approaches, an extensive plant and soil water data collection was used to precisely calibrate the mechanistic crop model Daisy. The experiment was conducted with white cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) on a sandy loamy field in 2012/13 near Dresden, Germany. Hereby, three irrigation scheduling approaches were tested: (i) two schedules were estimated based on SWB calculations using different crop coefficients, and (ii) one treatment was automatically drip irrigated using tensiometers (irrigation of 15 mm at a soil tension of -250 hPa at 30 cm soil depth). In treatment (iii), the irrigation schedule was estimated (using the same critera as in the tension-based treatment) applying the model Daisy partially calibrated against data of 2012. Moreover, one control treatment was minimally irrigated. Measured yield was highest for the tension-based treatment with a low irrigation water input (8.5 DM t/ha, 120 mm). Both SWB treatments showed lower yields and higher irrigation water input (both 8.3 DM t/ha, 306 and 410 mm). The simulation model based treatment yielded lower (7.5 DM t/ha, 106 mm) mainly due to drought stress caused by inaccurate simulation of the soil water dynamics and thus an overestimation of the soil moisture. The evaluation using the calibrated model estimated heavy deep percolation under both SWB treatments. Targeting the challenge to increase water productivity, soil water tension-based irrigation should be favoured. Irrigation scheduling based on SWB calculation requires accurate estimates of crop coefficients. A robust calibration of mechanistic crop models implies a high effort and can be recommended to farmers only to some extent but enables comprehensive crop growth and site analyses.

  9. Repair of major system elements on Skylab

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pace, R. E., Jr.

    1975-01-01

    In-flight maintenance, as conceived and pre-planned for the Skylab Mission, was limited to simple scheduled and unscheduled replacement tasks and minor contingency repairs. Failures during the mission dictated complicated and sophisticated repairs to major systems so that the mission could continue. These repairs include the release of a large structure that failed to deploy, the assembly and deployment of large mechanical devices, the installation and checkout of precision electronic equipment, troubleshooting and repair of precision electromechanical equipment and tapping into and recharging a cooling system. The Skylab experience proves conclusively that crewmen can, with adequate training, make major system repairs in space using standard or special tools.

  10. Colorado SIP: 5 CCR 1001-13, Reg 11, Motor Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program—Part A, General Provisions, Area of Applicability, Schedules for Obtaining Certification of Emissions Control, Definitions, Exemptions, and Clean Screening/Remote Sensing

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    Colorado SIP: 5 CCR 1001-13, Reg 11, Motor Vehicle Emissions Inspection Program—Part A, General Provisions, Area of Applicability, Schedules for Obtaining Certification of Emissions Control, Definitions, Exemptions, and Clean Screening/Remote Sensing

  11. A treatment schedule of conventional physical therapy provided to enhance upper limb sensorimotor recovery after stroke: expert criterion validity and intra-rater reliability.

    PubMed

    Donaldson, Catherine; Tallis, Raymond C; Pomeroy, Valerie M

    2009-06-01

    Inadequate description of treatment hampers progress in stroke rehabilitation. To develop a valid, reliable, standardised treatment schedule of conventional physical therapy provided for the paretic upper limb after stroke. Eleven neurophysiotherapists participated in the established methodology: semi-structured interviews, focus groups and piloting a draft treatment schedule in clinical practice. Different physiotherapists (n=13) used the treatment schedule to record treatment given to stroke patients with mild, moderate and severe upper limb paresis. Rating of adequacy of the treatment schedule was made using a visual analogue scale (0 to 100mm). Mean (95% confidence interval) visual analogue scores were calculated (expert criterion validity). For intra-rater reliability, each physiotherapist observed a video tape of their treatment and immediately completed a treatment schedule recording form on two separate occasions, 4 to 6 weeks apart. The Kappa statistic was calculated for intra-rater reliability. The treatment schedule consists of a one-page A4 recording form and a user booklet, detailing 50 treatment activities. Expert criterion validity was 79 (95% confidence interval 74 to 84). Intra-rater Kappa was 0.81 (P<0.001). This treatment schedule can be used to document conventional physical therapy in subsequent clinical trials in the geographical area of its development. Further work is needed to investigate generalisability beyond this geographical area.

  12. Generating High-Resolution Lake Bathymetry over Lake Mead using the ICESat-2 Airborne Simulator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Y.; Gao, H.; Jasinski, M. F.; Zhang, S.; Stoll, J.

    2017-12-01

    Precise lake bathymetry (i.e., elevation/contour) mapping is essential for optimal decision making in water resources management. Although the advancement of remote sensing has made it possible to monitor global reservoirs from space, most of the existing studies focus on estimating the elevation, area, and storage of reservoirs—and not on estimating the bathymetry. This limitation is attributed to the low spatial resolution of satellite altimeters. With the significant enhancement of ICESat-2—the Ice, Cloud & Land Elevation Satellite #2, which is scheduled to launch in 2018—producing satellite-based bathymetry becomes feasible. Here we present a pilot study for deriving the bathymetry of Lake Mead by combining Landsat area estimations with airborne elevation data using the prototype of ICESat-2—the Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar (MABEL). First, an ISODATA classifier was adopted to extract the lake area from Landsat images during the period from 1982 to 2017. Then the lake area classifications were paired with MABEL elevations to establish an Area-Elevation (AE) relationship, which in turn was applied to the classification contour map to obtain the bathymetry. Finally, the Lake Mead bathymetry image was embedded onto the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) Digital Elevation Model (DEM), to replace the existing constant values. Validation against sediment survey data indicates that the bathymetry derived from this study is reliable. This algorithm has the potential for generating global lake bathymetry when ICESat-2 data become available after next year's launch.

  13. Four-Day Week Schedule. Research Brief

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marx, Gary E.

    2007-01-01

    What does research say about the four-day week as an alternative school schedule? More than 100 districts in at least 12 states currently use a four-day week alternative schedule. Most are located in rural areas, serve less than 1000 students, and made the move to a shorter school week with longer instructional days for financial reasons. Although…

  14. Task Scheduling in Desktop Grids: Open Problems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chernov, Ilya; Nikitina, Natalia; Ivashko, Evgeny

    2017-12-01

    We survey the areas of Desktop Grid task scheduling that seem to be insufficiently studied so far and are promising for efficiency, reliability, and quality of Desktop Grid computing. These topics include optimal task grouping, "needle in a haystack" paradigm, game-theoretical scheduling, domain-imposed approaches, special optimization of the final stage of the batch computation, and Enterprise Desktop Grids.

  15. The role of response force on the persistence and structure of behavior during extinction.

    PubMed

    Pinkston, Jonathan W; Foss, Erica K

    2018-01-01

    Behavior Momentum Theory has emerged as a prominent account of resistance to change in both basic and applied research. Although laboratory studies often define precise, repeatable responses, application research often deals with response classes that may vary widely along a number of dimensions. In general, Behavior Momentum Theory has not addressed how response dimensions impact resistance to change, providing an opportunity to expand the model in new directions. Four rats pressed a force transducer under a multiple variable interval (VI) 60-s VI 60-s schedule of reinforcement. In one component, responses satisfied the schedule only if the response force fell within a "low" force band requirement; responses in the other schedule were required to satisfy a "high" force band. Once responding stabilized, extinction was programmed for three sessions. Then, the procedures were replicated. The results showed that response force came under discriminative control, but force requirements had no impact on resistance to extinction. In a follow-up condition, the schedule was changed to a multiple VI 30-s VI 120-s schedule and the low-force band operated in both components. The results showed that behavior maintained by the VI 30-s schedule was generally more resistant to extinction. A secondary analysis showed that force distributions created under baseline maintained during extinction. Overall, the results suggest that differential response force requirements prevailing in steady state do not affect the course of extinction. © 2018 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

  16. NASA scheduling technologies

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Adair, Jerry R.

    1994-01-01

    This paper is a consolidated report on ten major planning and scheduling systems that have been developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A description of each system, its components, and how it could be potentially used in private industry is provided in this paper. The planning and scheduling technology represented by the systems ranges from activity based scheduling employing artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to constraint based, iterative repair scheduling. The space related application domains in which the systems have been deployed vary from Space Shuttle monitoring during launch countdown to long term Hubble Space Telescope (HST) scheduling. This paper also describes any correlation that may exist between the work done on different planning and scheduling systems. Finally, this paper documents the lessons learned from the work and research performed in planning and scheduling technology and describes the areas where future work will be conducted.

  17. X-ray verification of an optically-aligned off-plane grating module

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Donovan, Benjamin; McEntaffer, Randall; Tutt, James; DeRoo, Casey; Allured, Ryan; Gaskin, Jessica; Kolodziejczak, Jeffery

    2017-08-01

    The next generation of X-ray spectrometer missions are baselined to have order-of-magnitude improvements in both spectral resolving power and effective area when compared to existing X-ray spectrometer missions. Off-plane X-ray reflection gratings are capable of achieving high resolution and high diffraction efficiencies over the entire X-ray bandpass, making them an ideal technology to implement on these future missions. To achieve the high effective area desired while maintaining high spectral resolution, many off-plane gratings must be precisely aligned such that their diffraction arcs overlap at the focal plane. Methods are under development to align a number of these gratings into a grating module using optical metrology techniques in support of the Off-plane Grating Rocket Experiment (OGRE), a suborbital rocket payload scheduled to launch in late 2018. X-ray testing was performed on an aligned grating module at the Straylight Test Facility (SLTF) at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to assess the current alignment methodology and its ability to meet the desired performance of OGRE. We report on the results from the test campaign at MSFC, as well as plans for future development.

  18. Production Planning and Planting Pattern Scheduling Information System for Horticulture

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vitadiar, Tanhella Zein; Farikhin; Surarso, Bayu

    2018-02-01

    This paper present the production of planning and planting pattern scheduling faced by horticulture farmer using two methods. Fuzzy time series method use to predict demand on based on sales amount, while linear programming is used to assist horticulture farmers in making production planning decisions and determining the schedule of cropping patterns in accordance with demand predictions of the fuzzy time series method, variable use in this paper is size of areas, production advantage, amount of seeds and age of the plants. This research result production planning and planting patterns scheduling information system with the output is recommendations planting schedule, harvest schedule and the number of seeds will be plant.

  19. Investigating the Impact of Off-Nominal Events on High-Density "Green" Arrivals

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Callatine, Todd J.; Cabrall, Christopher; Kupfer, Michael; Martin, Lynne; Mercer, Joey; Palmer, Everett A.

    2012-01-01

    Trajectory-based controller tools developed to support a schedule-based terminal-area air traffic management (ATM) concept have been shown effective for enabling green arrivals along Area Navigation (RNAV) routes in moderately high-density traffic conditions. A recent human-in-the-loop simulation investigated the robustness of the concept and tools to off-nominal events events that lead to situations in which runway arrival schedules require adjustments and controllers can no longer use speed control alone to impose the necessary delays. Study participants included a terminal-area Traffic Management Supervisor responsible for adjusting the schedules. Sector-controller participants could issue alternate RNAV transition routes to absorb large delays. The study also included real-time winds/wind-forecast changes. The results indicate that arrival spacing accuracy, schedule conformance, and tool usage and usefulness are similar to that observed in simulations of nominal operations. However, the time and effort required to recover from an off-nominal event is highly context-sensitive, and impacted by the required schedule adjustments and control methods available for managing the evolving situation. The research suggests ways to bolster the off-nominal recovery process, and highlights challenges related to using human-in-the-loop simulation to investigate the safety and robustness of advanced ATM concepts.

  20. Curriculum-Based Measurement of Oral Reading: Multi-Study Evaluation of Schedule, Duration, and Dataset Quality on Progress Monitoring Outcomes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christ, Theodore J.; Zopluoglu, Cengiz; Monaghen, Barbara D.; Van Norman, Ethan R.

    2013-01-01

    Curriculum-Based Measurement of Oral Reading (CBM-R) is used to collect time series data, estimate the rate of student achievement, and evaluate program effectiveness. A series of 5 studies were carried out to evaluate the validity, reliability, precision, and diagnostic accuracy of progress monitoring across a variety of progress monitoring…

  1. The Effects of Baseline Estimation on the Reliability, Validity, and Precision of CBM-R Growth Estimates

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Norman, Ethan R.; Christ, Theodore J.; Zopluoglu, Cengiz

    2013-01-01

    This study examined the effect of baseline estimation on the quality of trend estimates derived from Curriculum Based Measurement of Oral Reading (CBM-R) progress monitoring data. The authors used a linear mixed effects regression (LMER) model to simulate progress monitoring data for schedules ranging from 6-20 weeks for datasets with high and low…

  2. Temporal Data-Driven Sleep Scheduling and Spatial Data-Driven Anomaly Detection for Clustered Wireless Sensor Networks

    PubMed Central

    Li, Gang; He, Bin; Huang, Hongwei; Tang, Limin

    2016-01-01

    The spatial–temporal correlation is an important feature of sensor data in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Most of the existing works based on the spatial–temporal correlation can be divided into two parts: redundancy reduction and anomaly detection. These two parts are pursued separately in existing works. In this work, the combination of temporal data-driven sleep scheduling (TDSS) and spatial data-driven anomaly detection is proposed, where TDSS can reduce data redundancy. The TDSS model is inspired by transmission control protocol (TCP) congestion control. Based on long and linear cluster structure in the tunnel monitoring system, cooperative TDSS and spatial data-driven anomaly detection are then proposed. To realize synchronous acquisition in the same ring for analyzing the situation of every ring, TDSS is implemented in a cooperative way in the cluster. To keep the precision of sensor data, spatial data-driven anomaly detection based on the spatial correlation and Kriging method is realized to generate an anomaly indicator. The experiment results show that cooperative TDSS can realize non-uniform sensing effectively to reduce the energy consumption. In addition, spatial data-driven anomaly detection is quite significant for maintaining and improving the precision of sensor data. PMID:27690035

  3. Time-based air traffic management using expert systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tobias, L.; Scoggins, J. L.

    1986-01-01

    A prototype expert system has been developed for the time scheduling of aircraft into the terminal area. The three functions of the air-traffic-control schedule advisor are as follows: (1) for each new arrival, it develops an admisible flight plan for that aircraft; (2) as the aircraft progresses through the terminal area, it monitors deviations from the aircraft's flight plan and provides advisories to return the aircraft to its assigned schedule; and (3) if major disruptions such as missed approaches occur, it develops a revised plan. The advisor is operational on a Symbolics 3600, and is programmed in MRS (a logic programming language), Lisp, and Fortran.

  4. Time-based air traffic management using expert systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tobias, L.; Scoggins, J. L.

    1986-01-01

    A prototype expert system was developed for the time scheduling of aircraft into the terminal area. The three functions of the air traffic control schedule advisor are as follows: first, for each new arrival, it develops an admissible flight plan for that aircraft. Second, as the aircraft progresses through the terminal area, it monitors deviations from the flight plan and provides advisories to return the aircraft to its assigned schedule. Third, if major disruptions such as missed approaches occur, it develops a revised plan. The advisor is operational on a Symbolics 3600, and is programed in MRS (a logic programming language), Lisp, and FORTRAN.

  5. Job shop scheduling problem with late work criterion

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piroozfard, Hamed; Wong, Kuan Yew

    2015-05-01

    Scheduling is considered as a key task in many industries, such as project based scheduling, crew scheduling, flight scheduling, machine scheduling, etc. In the machine scheduling area, the job shop scheduling problems are considered to be important and highly complex, in which they are characterized as NP-hard. The job shop scheduling problems with late work criterion and non-preemptive jobs are addressed in this paper. Late work criterion is a fairly new objective function. It is a qualitative measure and concerns with late parts of the jobs, unlike classical objective functions that are quantitative measures. In this work, simulated annealing was presented to solve the scheduling problem. In addition, operation based representation was used to encode the solution, and a neighbourhood search structure was employed to search for the new solutions. The case studies are Lawrence instances that were taken from the Operations Research Library. Computational results of this probabilistic meta-heuristic algorithm were compared with a conventional genetic algorithm, and a conclusion was made based on the algorithm and problem.

  6. Improved Space Surveillance Network (SSN) Scheduling using Artificial Intelligence Techniques

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Stottler, D.

    There are close to 20,000 cataloged manmade objects in space, the large majority of which are not active, functioning satellites. These are tracked by phased array and mechanical radars and ground and space-based optical telescopes, collectively known as the Space Surveillance Network (SSN). A better SSN schedule of observations could, using exactly the same legacy sensor resources, improve space catalog accuracy through more complementary tracking, provide better responsiveness to real-time changes, better track small debris in low earth orbit (LEO) through efficient use of applicable sensors, efficiently track deep space (DS) frequent revisit objects, handle increased numbers of objects and new types of sensors, and take advantage of future improved communication and control to globally optimize the SSN schedule. We have developed a scheduling algorithm that takes as input the space catalog and the associated covariance matrices and produces a globally optimized schedule for each sensor site as to what objects to observe and when. This algorithm is able to schedule more observations with the same sensor resources and have those observations be more complementary, in terms of the precision with which each orbit metric is known, to produce a satellite observation schedule that, when executed, minimizes the covariances across the entire space object catalog. If used operationally, the results would be significantly increased accuracy of the space catalog with fewer lost objects with the same set of sensor resources. This approach inherently can also trade-off fewer high priority tasks against more lower-priority tasks, when there is benefit in doing so. Currently the project has completed a prototyping and feasibility study, using open source data on the SSN's sensors, that showed significant reduction in orbit metric covariances. The algorithm techniques and results will be discussed along with future directions for the research.

  7. The Traffic Management Advisor

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nedell, William; Erzberger, Heinz; Neuman, Frank

    1990-01-01

    The traffic management advisor (TMA) is comprised of algorithms, a graphical interface, and interactive tools for controlling the flow of air traffic into the terminal area. The primary algorithm incorporated in it is a real-time scheduler which generates efficient landing sequences and landing times for arrivals within about 200 n.m. from touchdown. A unique feature of the TMA is its graphical interface that allows the traffic manager to modify the computer-generated schedules for specific aircraft while allowing the automatic scheduler to continue generating schedules for all other aircraft. The graphical interface also provides convenient methods for monitoring the traffic flow and changing scheduling parameters during real-time operation.

  8. 33 CFR Schedule II to Subpart A of... - Table of Speeds 1

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Table of Speeds 1 II Schedule II... Schedule II to Subpart A of Part 401—Table of Speeds 1 From— To— Maximum speed over the bottom, knots Col.... All other canals 6 6. 1 Maximum speeds at which a vessel may travel in identified areas in both normal...

  9. 33 CFR Schedule II to Subpart A of... - Table of Speeds 1

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Table of Speeds 1 II Schedule II... Schedule II to Subpart A of Part 401—Table of Speeds 1 From— To— Maximum speed over the bottom, knots Col.... All other canals 6 6. 1 Maximum speeds at which a vessel may travel in identified areas in both normal...

  10. Interfacing An Intelligent Decision-Maker To A Real-Time Control System

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Evers, D. C.; Smith, D. M.; Staros, C. J.

    1984-06-01

    This paper discusses some of the practical aspects of implementing expert systems in a real-time environment. There is a conflict between the needs of a process control system and the computational load imposed by intelligent decision-making software. The computation required to manage a real-time control problem is primarily concerned with routine calculations which must be executed in real time. On most current hardware, non-trivial AI software should not be forced to operate under real-time constraints. In order for the system to work efficiently, the two processes must be separated by a well-defined interface. Although the precise nature of the task separation will vary with the application, the definition of the interface will need to follow certain fundamental principles in order to provide functional separation. This interface was successfully implemented in the expert scheduling software currently running the automated chemical processing facility at Lockheed-Georgia. Potential applications of this concept in the areas of airborne avionics and robotics will be discussed.

  11. A Concept for Robust, High Density Terminal Air Traffic Operations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Isaacson, Douglas R.; Robinson, John E.; Swenson, Harry N.; Denery, Dallas G.

    2010-01-01

    This paper describes a concept for future high-density, terminal air traffic operations that has been developed by interpreting the Joint Planning and Development Office s vision for the Next Generation (NextGen) Air Transportation System and coupling it with emergent NASA and other technologies and procedures during the NextGen timeframe. The concept described in this paper includes five core capabilities: 1) Extended Terminal Area Routing, 2) Precision Scheduling Along Routes, 3) Merging and Spacing, 4) Tactical Separation, and 5) Off-Nominal Recovery. Gradual changes are introduced to the National Airspace System (NAS) by phased enhancements to the core capabilities in the form of increased levels of automation and decision support as well as targeted task delegation. NASA will be evaluating these conceptual technological enhancements in a series of human-in-the-loop simulations and will accelerate development of the most promising capabilities in cooperation with the FAA through the Efficient Flows Into Congested Airspace Research Transition Team.

  12. Challenges in transformation of the "traditional block rotation" medical student clinical education into a longitudinal integrated clerkship model.

    PubMed

    Heddle, William; Roberton, Gayle; Mahoney, Sarah; Walters, Lucie; Strasser, Sarah; Worley, Paul

    2014-01-01

    Longitudinal integrated clerkships (LIC) in the first major clinical year in medical student training have been demonstrated to be at least equivalent to and in some areas superior to the "traditional block rotation" (TBR). Flinders University School of Medicine is starting a pilot changing the traditional teaching at the major Academic Medical Centre from TBR to LIC (50% of students in other locations in the medical school already have a partial or full LIC programme). This paper summarises the expected challenges presented at the "Rendez-Vous" Conference in October 2012: (a) creating urgency, (b) training to be a clinician rather than imparting knowledge, (c) resistance to change. We discuss the unexpected challenges that have evolved since then: (a) difficulty finalising the precise schedule, (b) underestimating time requirements, (c) managing the change process inclusively. Transformation of a "block rotation" to "LIC" medical student education in a tertiary academic teaching hospital has many challenges, many of which can be anticipated, but some are unexpected.

  13. Interactive computer aided shift scheduling.

    PubMed

    Gaertner, J

    2001-12-01

    This paper starts with a discussion of computer aided shift scheduling. After a brief review of earlier approaches, two conceptualizations of this field are introduced: First, shift scheduling as a field that ranges from extremely stable rosters at one pole to rather market-like approaches on the other pole. Unfortunately, already small alterations of a scheduling problem (e.g., the number of groups, the number of shifts) may call for rather different approaches and tools. Second, their environment shapes scheduling problems and scheduling has to be done within idiosyncratic organizational settings. This calls for the amalgamation of scheduling with other tasks (e.g., accounting) and for reflections whether better solutions might become possible by changes in the problem definition (e.g., other service levels, organizational changes). Therefore shift scheduling should be understood as a highly connected problem. Building upon these two conceptualizations, a few examples of software that ease scheduling in some areas of this field are given and future research questions are outlined.

  14. Precision controllability of the YF-17 airplane

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sisk, T. R.; Mataeny, N. W.

    1980-01-01

    A flying qualities evaluation conducted on the YF-17 airplane permitted assessment of its precision controllability in the transonic flight regime over the allowable angle of attack range. The precision controllability (tailchase tracking) study was conducted in constant-g and windup turn tracking maneuvers with the command augmentation system (CAS) on, automatic maneuver flaps, and the caged pipper gunsight depressed 70 mils. This study showed that the YF-17 airplane tracks essentially as well at 7 g's to 8 g's as earlier fighters did at 4 g's to 5 g's before they encountered wing rock. The pilots considered the YF-17 airplane one of the best tracking airplanes they had flown. Wing rock at the higher angles of attack degraded tracking precision, and lack of control harmony made precision controllability more difficult. The revised automatic maneuver flap schedule incorporated in the airplane at the time of the tests did not appear to be optimum. The largest tracking errors and greatest pilot workload occurred at high normal load factors at low angles of attack. The pilots reported that the high-g maneuvers caused some tunnel vision and that they found it difficult to think clearly after repeated maneuvers.

  15. Area under precision-recall curves for weighted and unweighted data.

    PubMed

    Keilwagen, Jens; Grosse, Ivo; Grau, Jan

    2014-01-01

    Precision-recall curves are highly informative about the performance of binary classifiers, and the area under these curves is a popular scalar performance measure for comparing different classifiers. However, for many applications class labels are not provided with absolute certainty, but with some degree of confidence, often reflected by weights or soft labels assigned to data points. Computing the area under the precision-recall curve requires interpolating between adjacent supporting points, but previous interpolation schemes are not directly applicable to weighted data. Hence, even in cases where weights were available, they had to be neglected for assessing classifiers using precision-recall curves. Here, we propose an interpolation for precision-recall curves that can also be used for weighted data, and we derive conditions for classification scores yielding the maximum and minimum area under the precision-recall curve. We investigate accordances and differences of the proposed interpolation and previous ones, and we demonstrate that taking into account existing weights of test data is important for the comparison of classifiers.

  16. Area under Precision-Recall Curves for Weighted and Unweighted Data

    PubMed Central

    Grosse, Ivo

    2014-01-01

    Precision-recall curves are highly informative about the performance of binary classifiers, and the area under these curves is a popular scalar performance measure for comparing different classifiers. However, for many applications class labels are not provided with absolute certainty, but with some degree of confidence, often reflected by weights or soft labels assigned to data points. Computing the area under the precision-recall curve requires interpolating between adjacent supporting points, but previous interpolation schemes are not directly applicable to weighted data. Hence, even in cases where weights were available, they had to be neglected for assessing classifiers using precision-recall curves. Here, we propose an interpolation for precision-recall curves that can also be used for weighted data, and we derive conditions for classification scores yielding the maximum and minimum area under the precision-recall curve. We investigate accordances and differences of the proposed interpolation and previous ones, and we demonstrate that taking into account existing weights of test data is important for the comparison of classifiers. PMID:24651729

  17. Nurse Scheduling by Cooperative GA with Effective Mutation Operator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ohki, Makoto

    In this paper, we propose an effective mutation operators for Cooperative Genetic Algorithm (CGA) to be applied to a practical Nurse Scheduling Problem (NSP). The nurse scheduling is a very difficult task, because NSP is a complex combinatorial optimizing problem for which many requirements must be considered. In real hospitals, the schedule changes frequently. The changes of the shift schedule yields various problems, for example, a fall in the nursing level. We describe a technique of the reoptimization of the nurse schedule in response to a change. The conventional CGA is superior in ability for local search by means of its crossover operator, but often stagnates at the unfavorable situation because it is inferior to ability for global search. When the optimization stagnates for long generation cycle, a searching point, population in this case, would be caught in a wide local minimum area. To escape such local minimum area, small change in a population should be required. Based on such consideration, we propose a mutation operator activated depending on the optimization speed. When the optimization stagnates, in other words, when the optimization speed decreases, the mutation yields small changes in the population. Then the population is able to escape from a local minimum area by means of the mutation. However, this mutation operator requires two well-defined parameters. This means that user have to consider the value of these parameters carefully. To solve this problem, we propose a periodic mutation operator which has only one parameter to define itself. This simplified mutation operator is effective over a wide range of the parameter value.

  18. Bridging the Gap Between Planning and Scheduling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smith, David E.; Frank, Jeremy; Jonsson, Ari K.; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

    2000-01-01

    Planning research in Artificial Intelligence (AI) has often focused on problems where there are cascading levels of action choice and complex interactions between actions. In contrast. Scheduling research has focused on much larger problems where there is little action choice, but the resulting ordering problem is hard. In this paper, we give an overview of M planning and scheduling techniques, focusing on their similarities, differences, and limitations. We also argue that many difficult practical problems lie somewhere between planning and scheduling, and that neither area has the right set of tools for solving these vexing problems.

  19. The String Stability of a Trajectory-Based Interval Management Algorithm in the Midterm Airspace

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Swieringa, Kurt A.

    2015-01-01

    NASA's first Air Traffic Management (ATM) Technology Demonstration (ATD-1) was created to facilitate the transition of mature ATM technologies from the laboratory to operational use. The technologies selected for demonstration are the Traffic Management Advisor with Terminal Metering (TMA-TM), which provides precise time-based scheduling in the terminal airspace; Controller Managed Spacing (CMS), which provides terminal controllers with decision support tools enabling precise schedule conformance; and Interval Management (IM), which consists of flight deck automation that enables aircraft to achieve or maintain a precise spacing interval behind a target aircraft. As the percentage of IM equipped aircraft increases, controllers may provide IM clearances to sequences, or strings, of IM-equipped aircraft. It is important for these strings to maintain stable performance. This paper describes an analytic analysis of the string stability of the latest version of NASA's IM algorithm and a fast-time simulation designed to characterize the string performance of the IM algorithm. The analytic analysis showed that the spacing algorithm has stable poles, indicating that a spacing error perturbation will be reduced as a function of string position. The fast-time simulation investigated IM operations at two airports using constraints associated with the midterm airspace, including limited information of the target aircraft's intended speed profile and limited information of the wind forecast on the target aircraft's route. The results of the fast-time simulation demonstrated that the performance of the spacing algorithm is acceptable for strings of moderate length; however, there is some degradation in IM performance as a function of string position.

  20. High-Precision Registration of Point Clouds Based on Sphere Feature Constraints.

    PubMed

    Huang, Junhui; Wang, Zhao; Gao, Jianmin; Huang, Youping; Towers, David Peter

    2016-12-30

    Point cloud registration is a key process in multi-view 3D measurements. Its precision affects the measurement precision directly. However, in the case of the point clouds with non-overlapping areas or curvature invariant surface, it is difficult to achieve a high precision. A high precision registration method based on sphere feature constraint is presented to overcome the difficulty in the paper. Some known sphere features with constraints are used to construct virtual overlapping areas. The virtual overlapping areas provide more accurate corresponding point pairs and reduce the influence of noise. Then the transformation parameters between the registered point clouds are solved by an optimization method with weight function. In that case, the impact of large noise in point clouds can be reduced and a high precision registration is achieved. Simulation and experiments validate the proposed method.

  1. High-Precision Registration of Point Clouds Based on Sphere Feature Constraints

    PubMed Central

    Huang, Junhui; Wang, Zhao; Gao, Jianmin; Huang, Youping; Towers, David Peter

    2016-01-01

    Point cloud registration is a key process in multi-view 3D measurements. Its precision affects the measurement precision directly. However, in the case of the point clouds with non-overlapping areas or curvature invariant surface, it is difficult to achieve a high precision. A high precision registration method based on sphere feature constraint is presented to overcome the difficulty in the paper. Some known sphere features with constraints are used to construct virtual overlapping areas. The virtual overlapping areas provide more accurate corresponding point pairs and reduce the influence of noise. Then the transformation parameters between the registered point clouds are solved by an optimization method with weight function. In that case, the impact of large noise in point clouds can be reduced and a high precision registration is achieved. Simulation and experiments validate the proposed method. PMID:28042846

  2. Precise montaging and metric quantification of retinal surface area from ultra-widefield fundus photography and fluorescein angiography.

    PubMed

    Croft, Daniel E; van Hemert, Jano; Wykoff, Charles C; Clifton, David; Verhoek, Michael; Fleming, Alan; Brown, David M

    2014-01-01

    Accurate quantification of retinal surface area from ultra-widefield (UWF) images is challenging due to warping produced when the retina is projected onto a two-dimensional plane for analysis. By accounting for this, the authors sought to precisely montage and accurately quantify retinal surface area in square millimeters. Montages were created using Optos 200Tx (Optos, Dunfermline, U.K.) images taken at different gaze angles. A transformation projected the images to their correct location on a three-dimensional model. Area was quantified with spherical trigonometry. Warping, precision, and accuracy were assessed. Uncorrected, posterior pixels represented up to 79% greater surface area than peripheral pixels. Assessing precision, a standard region was quantified across 10 montages of the same eye (RSD: 0.7%; mean: 408.97 mm(2); range: 405.34-413.87 mm(2)). Assessing accuracy, 50 patients' disc areas were quantified (mean: 2.21 mm(2); SE: 0.06 mm(2)), and the results fell within the normative range. By accounting for warping inherent in UWF images, precise montaging and accurate quantification of retinal surface area in square millimeters were achieved. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

  3. Modulation of neural activity by reward in medial intraparietal cortex is sensitive to temporal sequence of reward

    PubMed Central

    Rajalingham, Rishi; Stacey, Richard Greg; Tsoulfas, Georgios

    2014-01-01

    To restore movements to paralyzed patients, neural prosthetic systems must accurately decode patients' intentions from neural signals. Despite significant advancements, current systems are unable to restore complex movements. Decoding reward-related signals from the medial intraparietal area (MIP) could enhance prosthetic performance. However, the dynamics of reward sensitivity in MIP is not known. Furthermore, reward-related modulation in premotor areas has been attributed to behavioral confounds. Here we investigated the stability of reward encoding in MIP by assessing the effect of reward history on reward sensitivity. We recorded from neurons in MIP while monkeys performed a delayed-reach task under two reward schedules. In the variable schedule, an equal number of small- and large-rewards trials were randomly interleaved. In the constant schedule, one reward size was delivered for a block of trials. The memory period firing rate of most neurons in response to identical rewards varied according to schedule. Using systems identification tools, we attributed the schedule sensitivity to the dependence of neural activity on the history of reward. We did not find schedule-dependent behavioral changes, suggesting that reward modulates neural activity in MIP. Neural discrimination between rewards was less in the variable than in the constant schedule, degrading our ability to decode reach target and reward simultaneously. The effect of schedule was mitigated by adding Haar wavelet coefficients to the decoding model. This raises the possibility of multiple encoding schemes at different timescales and reinforces the potential utility of reward information for prosthetic performance. PMID:25008408

  4. Modulation of neural activity by reward in medial intraparietal cortex is sensitive to temporal sequence of reward.

    PubMed

    Rajalingham, Rishi; Stacey, Richard Greg; Tsoulfas, Georgios; Musallam, Sam

    2014-10-01

    To restore movements to paralyzed patients, neural prosthetic systems must accurately decode patients' intentions from neural signals. Despite significant advancements, current systems are unable to restore complex movements. Decoding reward-related signals from the medial intraparietal area (MIP) could enhance prosthetic performance. However, the dynamics of reward sensitivity in MIP is not known. Furthermore, reward-related modulation in premotor areas has been attributed to behavioral confounds. Here we investigated the stability of reward encoding in MIP by assessing the effect of reward history on reward sensitivity. We recorded from neurons in MIP while monkeys performed a delayed-reach task under two reward schedules. In the variable schedule, an equal number of small- and large-rewards trials were randomly interleaved. In the constant schedule, one reward size was delivered for a block of trials. The memory period firing rate of most neurons in response to identical rewards varied according to schedule. Using systems identification tools, we attributed the schedule sensitivity to the dependence of neural activity on the history of reward. We did not find schedule-dependent behavioral changes, suggesting that reward modulates neural activity in MIP. Neural discrimination between rewards was less in the variable than in the constant schedule, degrading our ability to decode reach target and reward simultaneously. The effect of schedule was mitigated by adding Haar wavelet coefficients to the decoding model. This raises the possibility of multiple encoding schemes at different timescales and reinforces the potential utility of reward information for prosthetic performance. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

  5. Chemotherapy and treatment scheduling: the Johns Hopkins Oncology Center Outpatient Department.

    PubMed Central

    Majidi, F.; Enterline, J. P.; Ashley, B.; Fowler, M. E.; Ogorzalek, L. L.; Gaudette, R.; Stuart, G. J.; Fulton, M.; Ettinger, D. S.

    1993-01-01

    The Chemotherapy and Treatment Scheduling System provides integrated appointment and facility scheduling for very complex procedures. It is fully integrated with other scheduling systems at The Johns Hopkins Oncology Center and is supported by the Oncology Clinical Information System (OCIS). It provides a combined visual and textual environment for the scheduling of events that have multiple dimensions and dependencies on other scheduled events. It is also fully integrated with other clinical decision support and ancillary systems within OCIS. The system has resulted in better patient flow through the ambulatory care areas of the Center. Implementing the system required changes in behavior among physicians, staff, and patients. This system provides a working example of building a sophisticated rule-based scheduling system using a relatively simple paradigm. It also is an example of what can be achieved when there is total integration between the operational and clinical components of patient care automation. PMID:8130453

  6. Future Air Traffic Growth and Schedule Model, Supplement

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kimmel, William M. (Technical Monitor); Smith, Jeremy C.; Dollyhigh, Samuel M.

    2004-01-01

    The Future Air Traffic Growth and Schedule Model was developed as an implementation of the Fratar algorithm to project future traffic flow between airports in a system and of then scheduling the additional flights to reflect current passenger time-of-travel preferences. The methodology produces an unconstrained future schedule from a current (or baseline) schedule and the airport operations growth rates. As an example of the use of the model, future schedules are projected for 2010 and 2022 for all flights arriving at, departing from, or flying between all continental United States airports that had commercial scheduled service for May 17, 2002. Inter-continental US traffic and airports are included and the traffic is also grown with the Fratar methodology to account for their arrivals and departures to the continental US airports. Input data sets derived from the Official Airline Guide (OAG) data and FAA Terminal Area Forecast (TAF) are included in the examples of the computer code execution.

  7. Scheduling for energy and reliability management on multiprocessor real-time systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Qi, Xuan

    Scheduling algorithms for multiprocessor real-time systems have been studied for years with many well-recognized algorithms proposed. However, it is still an evolving research area and many problems remain open due to their intrinsic complexities. With the emergence of multicore processors, it is necessary to re-investigate the scheduling problems and design/develop efficient algorithms for better system utilization, low scheduling overhead, high energy efficiency, and better system reliability. Focusing cluster schedulings with optimal global schedulers, we study the utilization bound and scheduling overhead for a class of cluster-optimal schedulers. Then, taking energy/power consumption into consideration, we developed energy-efficient scheduling algorithms for real-time systems, especially for the proliferating embedded systems with limited energy budget. As the commonly deployed energy-saving technique (e.g. dynamic voltage frequency scaling (DVFS)) will significantly affect system reliability, we study schedulers that have intelligent mechanisms to recuperate system reliability to satisfy the quality assurance requirements. Extensive simulation is conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithms on reduction of scheduling overhead, energy saving, and reliability improvement. The simulation results show that the proposed reliability-aware power management schemes could preserve the system reliability while still achieving substantial energy saving.

  8. An UAV scheduling and planning method for post-disaster survey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, G. Q.; Zhou, X. G.; Yin, J.; Xiao, Q. Y.

    2014-11-01

    Annually, the extreme climate and special geological environments lead to frequent natural disasters, e.g., earthquakes, floods, etc. The disasters often bring serious casualties and enormous economic losses. Post-disaster surveying is very important for disaster relief and assessment. As the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) remote sensing with the advantage of high efficiency, high precision, high flexibility, and low cost, it is widely used in emergency surveying in recent years. As the UAVs used in emergency surveying cannot stop and wait for the happening of the disaster, when the disaster happens the UAVs usually are working at everywhere. In order to improve the emergency surveying efficiency, it is needed to track the UAVs and assign the emergency surveying task for each selected UAV. Therefore, a UAV tracking and scheduling method for post-disaster survey is presented in this paper. In this method, Global Positioning System (GPS), and GSM network are used to track the UAVs; an emergency tracking UAV information database is built in advance by registration, the database at least includes the following information, e.g., the ID of the UAVs, the communication number of the UAVs; when catastrophe happens, the real time location of all UAVs in the database will be gotten using emergency tracking method at first, then the traffic cost time for all UAVs to the disaster region will be calculated based on the UAVs' the real time location and the road network using the nearest services analysis algorithm; the disaster region is subdivided to several emergency surveying regions based on DEM, area, and the population distribution map; the emergency surveying regions are assigned to the appropriated UAV according to shortest cost time rule. The UAVs tracking and scheduling prototype is implemented using SQLServer2008, ArcEnginge 10.1 SDK, Visual Studio 2010 C#, Android, SMS Modem, and Google Maps API.

  9. Optimized scheduling of VLBI UT1 intensive sessions for twin telescopes employing impact factor analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leek, Judith; Artz, Thomas; Nothnagel, Axel

    2015-09-01

    Daily Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) intensive measurements make an important contribution to the regular monitoring of Earth rotation variations. Since these variations are quite rapid, their knowledge is important for navigation with global navigation satellite system and for investigations in Earth sciences. Unfortunately, the precision of VLBI intensive observations is 2-3 times worse than the precision of regular 24h-VLBI measurements with networks of 5-10 radio telescopes. The major advancement of research in this paper is the improvement of VLBI intensive results by (a) using twin telescopes instead of single telescopes and (b) applying an entirely new scheduling concept for the individual observations. Preparatory investigations of standardintensive sessions suggest that the impact factors of the observations are well suited for the identification of the most influential observations which are needed for the determination of certain parameters within the entire design of a VLBI session. Based on this experience, the scheduling method is designed for optimizing the observations' geometry for a given network of radio telescopes and a predefined set of parameters to be estimated. The configuration of at least two twin telescopes, or one twin and two single telescopes, offers the possibility of building pairwise sub-nets that observe two different sources simultaneously. In addition to an optimized observing plan, a special parametrization for twin telescopes leads to an improved determination of Earth rotation variations, as it is shown by simulated observations. In general, an improvement of about 50 % in the formal errors can be realized using twin radio telescopes. This result is only due to geometric improvements as higher slew rates of the twin telescopes are not taken into account.

  10. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In KSC's Vertical Processing Facility, Louise Kleba of the Vehicle Integration Test Team (VITT) and engineer Devin Tailor of Goddard Space Flight Center examine the Pistol Grip Tool (PGT), which was designed for use by astronauts during spacewalks. The PGT is a self-contained, micro-processor controlled, battery-powered tool. It also can be used as a nonpowered ratchet wrench. The experiences of the astronauts on the first Hubble Space Telescope (HST) servicing mission led to recommendations for this smaller, more efficient tool for precision work during spacewalks. The PGT will be used on the second HST servicing mission, STS-82. Liftoff aboard Discovery is scheduled Feb. 11.

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1997-01-22

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In KSC's Vertical Processing Facility, Louise Kleba of the Vehicle Integration Test Team (VITT) and engineer Devin Tailor of Goddard Space Flight Center examine the Pistol Grip Tool (PGT), which was designed for use by astronauts during spacewalks. The PGT is a self-contained, micro-processor controlled, battery-powered tool. It also can be used as a nonpowered ratchet wrench. The experiences of the astronauts on the first Hubble Space Telescope (HST) servicing mission led to recommendations for this smaller, more efficient tool for precision work during spacewalks. The PGT will be used on the second HST servicing mission, STS-82. Liftoff aboard Discovery is scheduled Feb. 11.

  11. A Generic and Target Architecture For Command and Control Information Systems

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1991-09-01

    forces, logistics, and optimum routing of forces to destination; supports development of the force, material and personnel 9 lists, schedules , and...recommendations T.5, T.6, and T.73 for Telefax. Teletex, Textfax, and Telefax are not currently scheduled to become a part of GOSIP. In the 1995-1997 time...defining application interfaces to the func- tional areas that impact resource management, for example, priority scheduling , real-time files, and

  12. Study of the impact of cruise speed on scheduling and productivity of commercial transport aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bond, E. Q.; Carroll, E. A.; Flume, R. A.

    1977-01-01

    A comparison is made between airplane productivity and utilization levels derived from commercial airline type schedules which were developed for two subsonic and four supersonic cruise speed aircraft. The cruise speed component is the only difference between the schedules which are based on 1995 passenger demand forecasts. Productivity-to-speed relationships were determined for the three discrete route systems: North Atlantic, Trans-Pacific, and North-South America. Selected combinations of these route systems were also studied. Other areas affecting the productivity-to-speed relationship such as aircraft design range and scheduled turn time were examined.

  13. Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ting, Samuel

    2010-02-01

    The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) is a multi-purpose, large acceptance, precision magnetic spectrometer to be installed on the International Space Station (ISS) via Space Shuttle STS-134, currently scheduled to launch on July 29, 2010. AMS is a US DOE-lead international collaboration involving 16 countries and 60 institutes. AMS will measure gamma rays, charged particles and nuclei to the TeV region. Some of the physics objectives are to search for the origin of dark matter, search for the existence of antimatter, search for the existence of strangelets, and precision study of cosmic rays and gamma rays. The construction of the detector was completed mostly in Europe and Asia. It will be the only large physical science experiment on the ISS. )

  14. Autonomous Precision Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) Project Status as of May 2010

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Striepe, Scott A.; Epp, Chirold D.; Robertson, Edward A.

    2010-01-01

    This paper includes the current status of NASA s Autonomous precision Landing and Hazard Avoidance Technology (ALHAT) Project. The ALHAT team has completed several flight tests and two major design analysis cycles. These tests and analyses examine terrain relative navigation sensors, hazard detection and avoidance sensors and algorithms, and hazard relative navigation algorithms, and the guidance and navigation system using these ALHAT functions. The next flight test is scheduled for July 2010. The paper contains results from completed flight tests and analysis cycles. ALHAT system status, upcoming tests and analyses is also addressed. The current ALHAT plans as of May 2010 are discussed. Application of the ALHAT system to landing on bodies other than the Moon is included

  15. In-Space Crew-Collaborative Task Scheduling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jaap, John; Meyer, Patrick; Davis, Elizabeth; Richardson, Lea

    2006-01-01

    As humans venture farther from Earth for longer durations, it will become essential for those on the journey to have significant control over the scheduling of their own activities as well as the activities of their companion systems and robots. However, the crew will not do all the scheduling; timelines will be the result of collaboration with ground personnel. Emerging technologies such as in-space message buses, delay-tolerant networks, and in-space internet will be the carriers on which the collaboration rides. Advances in scheduling technology, in the areas of task modeling, scheduling engines, and user interfaces will allow the crew to become virtual scheduling experts. New concepts of operations for producing the timeline will allow the crew and the ground support to collaborate while providing safeguards to ensure that the mission will be effectively accomplished without endangering the systems or personnel.

  16. Technology Estimating 2: A Process to Determine the Cost and Schedule of Space Technology Research and Development

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cole, Stuart K.; Wallace, Jon; Schaffer, Mark; May, M. Scott; Greenberg, Marc W.

    2014-01-01

    As a leader in space technology research and development, NASA is continuing in the development of the Technology Estimating process, initiated in 2012, for estimating the cost and schedule of low maturity technology research and development, where the Technology Readiness Level is less than TRL 6. NASA' s Technology Roadmap areas consist of 14 technology areas. The focus of this continuing Technology Estimating effort included four Technology Areas (TA): TA3 Space Power and Energy Storage, TA4 Robotics, TA8 Instruments, and TA12 Materials, to confine the research to the most abundant data pool. This research report continues the development of technology estimating efforts completed during 2013-2014, and addresses the refinement of parameters selected and recommended for use in the estimating process, where the parameters developed are applicable to Cost Estimating Relationships (CERs) used in the parametric cost estimating analysis. This research addresses the architecture for administration of the Technology Cost and Scheduling Estimating tool, the parameters suggested for computer software adjunct to any technology area, and the identification of gaps in the Technology Estimating process.

  17. Air Traffic Controllers' Control Strategies in the Terminal Area Under Off-Nominal Conditions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Martin, Lynne; Mercer, Joey; Callantine, Todd; Kupfer, Michael; Cabrall, Christopher

    2012-01-01

    A human-in-the-loop simulation investigated the robustness of a schedule-based terminal-area air traffic management concept, and its supporting controller tools, to off-nominal events - events that led to situations in which runway arrival schedules required adjustments and controllers could no longer use speed control alone to impose the necessary delays. The main research question was exploratory: to assess whether controllers could safely resolve and control the traffic during off-nominal events. A focus was the role of the supervisor - how he managed the schedules, how he assisted the controllers, what strategies he used, and which combinations of tools he used. Observations and questionnaire responses revealed supervisor strategies for resolving events followed a similar pattern: a standard approach specific to each type of event often resolved to a smooth conclusion. However, due to the range of factors influencing the event (e.g., environmental conditions, aircraft density on the schedule, etc.), sometimes the plan required revision and actions had a wide-ranging effect.

  18. Aortic annulus and ascending aorta: comparison of preoperative and periooperative measurement in patients with aortic stenosis.

    PubMed

    Smíd, Michal; Ferda, Jirí; Baxa, Jan; Cech, Jakub; Hájek, Tomás; Kreuzberg, Boris; Rokyta, Richard

    2010-04-01

    Precise determination of the aortic annulus size constitutes an integral part of the preoperative evaluation prior to aortic valve replacement. It enables the estimation of the size of prosthesis to be implanted. Knowledge of the size of the ascending aorta is required in the preoperative analysis and monitoring of its dilation enables the precise timing of the operation. Our goal was to compare the precision of measurement of the aortic annulus and ascending aorta using magnetic resonance (MR), multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT), transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), and transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in patients with degenerative aortic stenosis. A total of 15 patients scheduled to have aortic valve replacement were enrolled into this prospective study. TTE was performed in all patients and was supplemented with TEE, CT and MR in the majority of patients. The values obtained were compared with perioperative measurements. For the measurement of aortic annulus, MR was found to be the most precise technique, followed by MDCT, TTE, and TEE. For the measurement of ascending aorta, MR again was found to be the most precise technique, followed by MDCT, TEE, and TTE. In our study, magnetic resonance was found to be the most precise technique for the measurement of aortic annulus and ascending aorta in patients with severe degenerative aortic stenosis. Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC employee Gene Peavler works in the wheel area on the orbiter Discovery. The vehicle has undergone Orbiter Major Modifications in the past year. Discovery is scheduled to fly on mission STS-121 to the International Space Station.

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-12-09

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC employee Gene Peavler works in the wheel area on the orbiter Discovery. The vehicle has undergone Orbiter Major Modifications in the past year. Discovery is scheduled to fly on mission STS-121 to the International Space Station.

  20. Mississippi National River and Recreation Area : confluence area shuttle plan

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2015-02-28

    This report described a proposed passenger shuttle for the Confluence Area of the National Park Service's Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The report includes a proposed route, description of the stops, proposed schedules, and cost est...

  1. Recent Earthquakes Mark the Onset of Induced Seismicity in Northeastern Pennsylvania

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martone, P.; Nikulin, A.; Pietras, J.

    2017-12-01

    The link between induced seismicity and injection of hydraulic fracturing wastewater has largely been accepted and corroborated through case studies in Colorado, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma. To date, induced seismicity has largely impacted hydrocarbon-producing regions in the Central United States, while the seismic response in Eastern states, like Pennsylvania, has been relatively muted. In recent years, Pennsylvania exponentially increased hydrocarbon production from the Marcellus and Utica Shales and our results indicate that this activity has triggered an onset of induced seismicity in areas of the state where no previous seismic activity was reported. Three recent earthquakes in Northeastern Pennsylvania directly correlate to hydraulic fracturing activity, though USGS NEIC earthquake catalog locations have vertical errors up to 31km. We present signal analysis results of recorded waveforms of the three identified events and results of a high-precision relocation effort and improvements to the regional velocity model aimed at constraining the horizontal and vertical error in hypocenter position. We show that at least one event is positioned directly along the wellbore track of an active well and correlate its timing to the hydraulic fracturing schedule. Results show that in the absence of wastewater disposal in this area, it is possible to confidently make the connection between the hydraulic fracturing process and induced seismicity.

  2. Future applications of artificial intelligence to Mission Control Centers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Friedland, Peter

    1991-01-01

    Future applications of artificial intelligence to Mission Control Centers are presented in the form of the viewgraphs. The following subject areas are covered: basic objectives of the NASA-wide AI program; inhouse research program; constraint-based scheduling; learning and performance improvement for scheduling; GEMPLAN multi-agent planner; planning, scheduling, and control; Bayesian learning; efficient learning algorithms; ICARUS (an integrated architecture for learning); design knowledge acquisition and retention; computer-integrated documentation; and some speculation on future applications.

  3. Irrigation scheduling based on crop canopy temperature for humid environments

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    The use of infrared thermometers (IR) to measure canopy temperatures for irrigation scheduling has been successfully applied in arid environments. Functionality of this technique in humid areas has been limited due to the presence of low vapor pressure deficits (VPD) and intermittent cloud cover. T...

  4. 36 CFR 1225.12 - How are records schedules developed?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... activity to identify records series, systems, and nonrecord materials. (c) Determine the appropriate scope of the records schedule items, e.g., individual series/system component, work process, group of related work processes, or broad program area. (d) Evaluate the period of time the agency needs each...

  5. 36 CFR 1225.12 - How are records schedules developed?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... activity to identify records series, systems, and nonrecord materials. (c) Determine the appropriate scope of the records schedule items, e.g., individual series/system component, work process, group of related work processes, or broad program area. (d) Evaluate the period of time the agency needs each...

  6. 36 CFR 1225.12 - How are records schedules developed?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... activity to identify records series, systems, and nonrecord materials. (c) Determine the appropriate scope of the records schedule items, e.g., individual series/system component, work process, group of related work processes, or broad program area. (d) Evaluate the period of time the agency needs each...

  7. 19 CFR 122.31 - Notice of arrival.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... following information: (1) Type of aircraft and registration number; (2) Name (last, first, middle, if... provided in paragraph (b) of this section, all aircraft entering the United States from a foreign area must give advance notice of arrival. (b) Exceptions for scheduled aircraft of a scheduled airline. Advance...

  8. 19 CFR 122.31 - Notice of arrival.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... following information: (1) Type of aircraft and registration number; (2) Name (last, first, middle, if... provided in paragraph (b) of this section, all aircraft entering the United States from a foreign area must give advance notice of arrival. (b) Exceptions for scheduled aircraft of a scheduled airline. Advance...

  9. 19 CFR 122.31 - Notice of arrival.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... following information: (1) Type of aircraft and registration number; (2) Name (last, first, middle, if... provided in paragraph (b) of this section, all aircraft entering the United States from a foreign area must give advance notice of arrival. (b) Exceptions for scheduled aircraft of a scheduled airline. Advance...

  10. Simulation of time-control procedures for terminal area flow management

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Alcabin, M.; Erzberger, H.; Tobias, L.; Obrien, P. J.

    1985-01-01

    Simulations of a terminal area traffic-management system incorporating automated scheduling and time-control (four-dimensional) techniques conducted at NASA Ames Research Center jointly with the Federal Aviation Administration, have shown that efficient procedures can be developed for handling a mix of 4D-equipped and conventionally equipped aircraft. A crucial role in this system is played by an ATC host computer algorithm, referred to as a speed advisory, that allows controllers to maintain accurate time schedules of the conventionally equipped aircraft in the traffic mix. Results are of the most recent simulations in which two important special cases were investigated. First, the effects of a speed advisory on touchdown time scheduling are examined, when unequipped aircraft are constrained to follow fuel-optimized profiles in the near-terminal area, and rescheduling procedures are developed to handle missed approaches of 4D-equipped aircraft. Various performance measures, including controller opinion, are used to evaluate the effectiveness of the procedures.

  11. Future Air Traffic Growth and Schedule Model User's Guide

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kimmel, William M. (Technical Monitor); Smith, Jeremy C.; Dollyhigh, Samuel M.

    2004-01-01

    The Future Air Traffic Growth and Schedule Model was developed as an implementation of the Fratar algorithm to project future traffic flow between airports in a system and of then scheduling the additional flights to reflect current passenger time-of-travel preferences. The methodology produces an unconstrained future schedule from a current (or baseline) schedule and the airport operations growth rates. As an example of the use of the model, future schedules are projected for 2010 and 2022 for all flights arriving at, departing from, or flying between all continental United States airports that had commercial scheduled service for May 17, 2002. Inter-continental US traffic and airports are included and the traffic is also grown with the Fratar methodology to account for their arrivals and departures to the continental US airports. Input data sets derived from the Official Airline Guide (OAG) data and FAA Terminal Area Forecast (TAF) are included in the examples of the computer code execution.

  12. Three-Stage Production Cost Modeling Approach for Evaluating the Benefits of Intra-Hour Scheduling Between Balancing Authorities

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

    Samaan, Nader; Milligan, Michael; Hunsaker, Matt

    This paper introduces a production cost modeling approach for evaluating the benefits of intra-hour scheduling among Balancing Authorities (BAs). System operation is modeled in a three-stage sequential manner: day ahead (DA)-hour ahead (HA) real time (RT). In addition to contingency reserve, each BA will need to carry out 'up' and 'down' load following and regulation reserve capacity requirements in the DA and HA time frames. In the RT simulation, only contingency and regulation reserves are carried out as load following is deployed. To model current RT operation with hourly schedules, a new constraint was introduced to force each BA netmore » exchange schedule deviation from HA schedules to be within North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) area control error (ACE) limits. Case studies that investigate the benefits of moving from hourly exchange schedules between Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) BAs into 10-minute exchange schedules under two different levels of wind and solar penetration (11% and 33%) are presented.« less

  13. The Earth System Science Pathfinder Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) Mission

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Crisp, David

    2003-01-01

    A viewgraph presentation describing the Earth System Science Pathfinder Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) Mission is shown. The contents include: 1) Why CO2?; 2) What Processes Control CO2 Sinks?; 3) OCO Science Team; 4) Space-Based Measurements of CO2; 5) Driving Requirement: Precise, Bias-Free Global Measurements; 6) Making Precise CO2 Measurements from Space; 7) OCO Spatial Sampling Strategy; 8) OCO Observing Modes; 9) Implementation Approach; 10) The OCO Instrument; 11) The OCO Spacecraft; 12) OCO Will Fly in the A-Train; 13) Validation Program Ensures Accuracy and Minimizes Spatially Coherent Biases; 14) Can OCO Provide the Required Precision?; 15) O2 Column Retrievals with Ground-based FTS; 16) X(sub CO2) Retrieval Simulations; 17) Impact of Albedo and Aerosol Uncertainty on X(sub CO2) Retrievals; 18) Carbon Cycle Modeling Studies: Seasonal Cycle; 19) Carbon Cycle Modeling Studies: The North-South Gradient in CO2; 20) Carbon Cycle Modeling Studies: Effect of Diurnal Biases; 21) Project Status and Schedule; and 22) Summary.

  14. Contingency rescheduling of spacecraft operations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Britt, Daniel L.; Geoffroy, Amy L.; Gohring, John R.

    1988-01-01

    Spacecraft activity scheduling was a focus of attention in artificial intelligence recently. Several scheduling systems were devised which more-or-less successfully address various aspects of the activity scheduling problem, though most of these are not yet mature, with the notable expection of NASA's ESP. Few current scheduling systems, however, make any attempt to deal fully with the problem of modifying a schedule in near-real-time in the event of contingencies which may arise during schedule execution. These contingencies can include resources becoming unavailable unpredictably, a change in spacecraft conditions or environment, or the need to perform an activity not scheduled. In these cases it becomes necessary to repair an existing schedule, disrupting ongoing operations as little as possible. Normal scheduling is just a part of that which must be accomplished during contingency rescheduling. A prototype system named MAESTRO was developed for spacecraft activity scheduling. MAESTRO is briefly described with a focus on recent work in the area of real-time contingency handling. Included is a discussion of some of the complexities of the scheduling problem and how they affect contingency rescheduling, such as temporal constraints between activities, activities which may be interrupted and continued in any of several ways, and different ways to choose a resource complement which will allow continuation of an activity. Various heuristics used in MAESTRO for contingency rescheduling is discussed, as are operational concerns such as interaction of the scheduler with spacecraft subsystems controllers.

  15. Scheduling Software for Complex Scenarios

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2006-01-01

    Preparing a vehicle and its payload for a single launch is a complex process that involves thousands of operations. Because the equipment and facilities required to carry out these operations are extremely expensive and limited in number, optimal assignment and efficient use are critically important. Overlapping missions that compete for the same resources, ground rules, safety requirements, and the unique needs of processing vehicles and payloads destined for space impose numerous constraints that, when combined, require advanced scheduling. Traditional scheduling systems use simple algorithms and criteria when selecting activities and assigning resources and times to each activity. Schedules generated by these simple decision rules are, however, frequently far from optimal. To resolve mission-critical scheduling issues and predict possible problem areas, NASA historically relied upon expert human schedulers who used their judgment and experience to determine where things should happen, whether they will happen on time, and whether the requested resources are truly necessary.

  16. Remote Collaboration on Task Scheduling for Humans at Mars

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jaap, John; Meyer, Patrick; Davis, Elizabeth; Richardson, Lea

    2006-01-01

    As humans venture farther from Earth for longer durations, it will become essential for those on the journey to have significant control over the scheduling of their own activities as well as the activities of their companion systems and robots. However, the crew will not do all the scheduling; timelines will be the result of collaboration with ground personnel. Emerging technologies such as in-space message buses, delay-tolerant networks, and in-space internet will be the carriers on which the collaboration rides. Advances in scheduling technology, in the areas of task modeling, scheduling engines, and user interfaces will allow the crew to become virtual scheduling experts. New concepts of operations for producing the timeline will allow the crew and the ground support to collaborate while providing safeguards to ensure that the mission will be effectively accomplished without endangering the systems or personnel.

  17. In-Space Crew-Collaborative Task Scheduling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jaap, John; Meyer, Patrick; Davis, Elizabeth; Richardson, Lea

    2006-01-01

    As humans venture farther from earth for longer durations, it will become essential for those on the journey to have significant control over the scheduling of their own activities as well as the activities of their companion systems and robots. However, there are many reasons why the crew will not do all the scheduling; timelines will be the result of collaboration with ground personnel. Emerging technologies such as in-space message buses, delay-tolerant networks, and in-space internet will be the carriers on which the collaboration rides. Advances in scheduling technology, in the areas of task modeling, scheduling engines, and user interfaces will allow the crew to become virtual scheduling experts. New concepts of operations for producing the timeline will allow the crew and the ground support to collaborate while providing safeguards to ensure that the mission will be effectively accomplished without endangering the systems or personnel.

  18. How do Medicare Physician Fees Compare With Private Payers?

    PubMed Central

    Miller, Mark E.; Zuckerman, Stephen; Gates, Michael

    1993-01-01

    Under the new fee schedule, Medicare physician fees are 76 percent of private fees. Consistent with the intent of payment reform, Medicare physician fees more closely approximate private fees for visits (93 percent) than for surgery (51 percent) and in rural areas as compared with large metropolitan areas. Variation in private fees across the country is considerably greater than it is for Medicare fees. Consequently, Medicare fees are most generous in areas that compare least favorably with the private market because private fees in these areas are well above average. These results shed light on the impact of the fee schedule and on the implications of using Medicare payment methods as part of a broad-based health reform. PMID:10130578

  19. The Prickly Politics of School Starting Times.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wahlstrom, Kyla L.

    1999-01-01

    Tinkering with school schedules to accommodate adolescents' sleep patterns is politically risky. A University of Minnesota study analyzing stakeholders' attitudes toward later high school starting times showed that changing a school's schedule provokes as emotional a reaction as that of closing a school or changing its attendance area. Open…

  20. 77 FR 68891 - Medicare Program; Revisions to Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule, DME Face-to...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-16

    ... Area ICD International Classification of Diseases IMRT Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy IOM... Stereotactic body radiation therapy SGR Sustainable growth rate TC Technical component TIN Tax identification... Clinical Lab Fee Schedule, which is unaffected by the misvalued code initiative. Radiation therapy centers...

  1. 76 FR 32859 - General Schedule Locality Pay Areas

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-06-07

    ... remoteness and isolation. (OPM notes, however, that locality pay must be based on pay comparisons, not... locality pay rate due to the effect of remoteness and isolation from the mainland. We respond in detail... * * *''. OPM Response The locality pay statute bases locality pay on comparisons of General Schedule and non...

  2. LOFT. Containment and service building (TAN650). Room number schedule, sheet ...

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

    LOFT. Containment and service building (TAN-650). Room number schedule, sheet 2 of 2. Kaiser engineers 6413-11-STEP/LOFT-650-A-XX. Date: October 1969. INEEL index code no. 036-650-00-486-122228 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Area North, Scoville, Butte County, ID

  3. 77 FR 43084 - Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) Program Continuous Open Season-Operational Change

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-07-23

    ... Award Schedule (MAS) Program Continuous Open Season- Operational Change AGENCY: Federal Acquisition... proposing this operational change to enhance the performance of and modernize the MAS program in three key program areas: Small business viability, operational efficiency, and cost control. The DBM will realign...

  4. Nonlinear Pricing in Energy and Environmental Markets

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ito, Koichiro

    This dissertation consists of three empirical studies on nonlinear pricing in energy and environmental markets. The first investigates how consumers respond to multi-tier nonlinear price schedules for residential electricity. Chapter 2 asks a similar research question for residential water pricing. Finally, I examine the effect of nonlinear financial rewards for energy conservation by applying a regression discontinuity design to a large-scale electricity rebate program that was implemented in California. Economic theory generally assumes that consumers respond to marginal prices when making economic decisions, but this assumption may not hold for complex price schedules. The chapter "Do Consumers Respond to Marginal or Average Price? Evidence from Nonlinear Electricity Pricing" provides empirical evidence that consumers respond to average price rather than marginal price when faced with nonlinear electricity price schedules. Nonlinear price schedules, such as progressive income tax rates and multi-tier electricity prices, complicate economic decisions by creating multiple marginal prices for the same good. Evidence from laboratory experiments suggests that consumers facing such price schedules may respond to average price as a heuristic. I empirically test this prediction using field data by exploiting price variation across a spatial discontinuity in electric utility service areas. The territory border of two electric utilities lies within several city boundaries in southern California. As a result, nearly identical households experience substantially different nonlinear electricity price schedules. Using monthly household-level panel data from 1999 to 2008, I find strong evidence that consumers respond to average price rather than marginal or expected marginal price. I show that even though this sub-optimizing behavior has a minimal impact on individual welfare, it can critically alter the policy implications of nonlinear pricing. The second chapter " How Do Consumers Respond to Nonlinear Pricing? Evidence from Household Water Demand" provides similar empirical evidence in residential water markets. In this paper, I exploit variation in residential water pricing in Southern California to examine how consumers respond to nonlinear pricing. Contrary to the standard predictions for nonlinear budget sets, I find no bunching of consumers around the kink points of their nonlinear price schedule. I then explore whether consumers respond to marginal price, expected marginal price, or average price when faced with nonlinear water price schedules. The price schedule of one service area was changed from a linear price schedule to a nonlinear price schedule. This policy change lead to an increase in marginal price and expected marginal price but a decrease in average price for many consumers. Using household-level panel data, I find strong evidence that consumers respond to average price rather than marginal or expected marginal price. Estimates of the short-run price elasticity for the summer and winter months are -.127 and -.097, and estimates of the long-run price elasticity for the summer and winter months are -.203 and -.154. I conclude with "The Effect of Cash Rewards on Energy Conservation: Evidence from a Regression Discontinuity Design" to examine the effect of an alternative form of nonlinear pricing that was developed to provide an explicit financial incentive for conservation. In the summer of 2005, California residents received a 20% discount on their summer electricity bills if they could reduce their electricity consumption by 20% relative to 2004. Nearly all households automatically participated in the program, but the eligibility rule required households to have started their electricity service by a certain cutoff date in 2004. This rule generated an essentially random assignment of the program among households that started their service right before and after the cutoff date. Using household-level monthly billing records from the three largest California electric utilities, I find evidence that the rebate incentive reduced consumption by 5% to 10% in the areas where summer temperature is persistently high and income-level is relatively low, but the estimated treatment effects are nearly zero in other areas. To save 1 kWh of electricity, the program cost 2 cents in inland areas, 91 cents in coastal areas, and 14.8 cents for all service areas.

  5. Modeling Off-Nominal Recovery in NextGen Terminal-Area Operations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Callantine, Todd J.

    2011-01-01

    Robust schedule-based arrival management requires efficient recovery from off-nominal situations. This paper presents research on modeling off-nominal situations and plans for recovering from them using TRAC, a route/airspace design, fast-time simulation, and analysis tool for studying NextGen trajectory-based operations. The paper provides an overview of a schedule-based arrival-management concept and supporting controller tools, then describes TRAC implementations of methods for constructing off-nominal scenarios, generating trajectory options to meet scheduling constraints, and automatically producing recovery plans.

  6. Statistical modelling for precision agriculture: A case study in optimal environmental schedules for Agaricus Bisporus production via variable domain functional regression.

    PubMed

    Panayi, Efstathios; Peters, Gareth W; Kyriakides, George

    2017-01-01

    Quantifying the effects of environmental factors over the duration of the growing process on Agaricus Bisporus (button mushroom) yields has been difficult, as common functional data analysis approaches require fixed length functional data. The data available from commercial growers, however, is of variable duration, due to commercial considerations. We employ a recently proposed regression technique termed Variable-Domain Functional Regression in order to be able to accommodate these irregular-length datasets. In this way, we are able to quantify the contribution of covariates such as temperature, humidity and water spraying volumes across the growing process, and for different lengths of growing processes. Our results indicate that optimal oxygen and temperature levels vary across the growing cycle and we propose environmental schedules for these covariates to optimise overall yields.

  7. Statistical modelling for precision agriculture: A case study in optimal environmental schedules for Agaricus Bisporus production via variable domain functional regression

    PubMed Central

    Panayi, Efstathios; Kyriakides, George

    2017-01-01

    Quantifying the effects of environmental factors over the duration of the growing process on Agaricus Bisporus (button mushroom) yields has been difficult, as common functional data analysis approaches require fixed length functional data. The data available from commercial growers, however, is of variable duration, due to commercial considerations. We employ a recently proposed regression technique termed Variable-Domain Functional Regression in order to be able to accommodate these irregular-length datasets. In this way, we are able to quantify the contribution of covariates such as temperature, humidity and water spraying volumes across the growing process, and for different lengths of growing processes. Our results indicate that optimal oxygen and temperature levels vary across the growing cycle and we propose environmental schedules for these covariates to optimise overall yields. PMID:28961254

  8. Thermo-mechanical performance of precision C/SiC mounts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goodman, William A.; Mueller, Claus E.; Jacoby, Marc T.; Wells, Jim D.

    2001-12-01

    For complex shaped, lightweight, high precision opto- mechanical structures that must operate in adverse environments and over wide ranges of temperature, we consider IABG's optical grade silicon carbide composite ceramic (C/SiC) as the material of choice. C/SiC employs conventional NC machining/milling equipment to rapidly fabricate near-net shape parts, providing substantial schedule, cost, and risk savings for high precision components. Unlike powder based SiC ceramics, C/SiC does not experience significant shrinkage during processing, nor does it suffer from incomplete densification. If required, e.g. for large-size components, a fully-monolithic ceramic joining technique can be applied. Generally, the thermal and mechanical properties of C/SiC are tunable in certain ranges by modifying certain process steps. This paper focuses on the thermo-mechanical performance of new, high precision mounts designed by Schafer Corporation and manufactured by IABG. The mounts were manufactured using standard optical grade C/SiC (formulation internally called A-3). The A-3 formulation has a near-perfect CTE match with silicon, making it the ideal material to athermally support Schafer produced Silicon Lightweight Mirrors (SLMs) that will operate in a cryogenic environment. Corresponding thermo- mechanical testing and analysis is presented in this manuscript.

  9. The influence of chronotype on making music: circadian fluctuations in pianists' fine motor skills

    PubMed Central

    Van Vugt, Floris T.; Treutler, Katharina; Altenmüller, Eckart; Jabusch, Hans-Christian

    2013-01-01

    Making music on a professional level requires a maximum of sensorimotor precision. Chronotype-dependent fluctuations of sensorimotor precision in the course of the day may prove a challenge for musicians because public performances or recordings are usually scheduled at fixed times of the day. We investigated pianists' sensorimotor timing precision in a scale playing task performed in the morning and in the evening. Participants' chronotype was established through the Munich Chrono-Type Questionnaire, where mid-sleep time served as a marker for the individual chronotypes. Twenty-one piano students were included in the study. Timing precision was decomposed into consistent within-trial variability (irregularity) and residual, between-trial variability (instability). The timing patterns of late chronotype pianists were more stable in the evening than in the morning, whereas early chronotype pianists did not show a difference between the two recording timepoints. In sum, the present results indicate that even highly complex sensorimotor tasks such as music playing are affected by interactions between chronotype and the time of day. Thus, even long-term, massed practice of these expert musicians has not been able to wash out circadian fluctuations in performance. PMID:23847515

  10. The influence of chronotype on making music: circadian fluctuations in pianists' fine motor skills.

    PubMed

    Van Vugt, Floris T; Treutler, Katharina; Altenmüller, Eckart; Jabusch, Hans-Christian

    2013-01-01

    Making music on a professional level requires a maximum of sensorimotor precision. Chronotype-dependent fluctuations of sensorimotor precision in the course of the day may prove a challenge for musicians because public performances or recordings are usually scheduled at fixed times of the day. We investigated pianists' sensorimotor timing precision in a scale playing task performed in the morning and in the evening. Participants' chronotype was established through the Munich Chrono-Type Questionnaire, where mid-sleep time served as a marker for the individual chronotypes. Twenty-one piano students were included in the study. Timing precision was decomposed into consistent within-trial variability (irregularity) and residual, between-trial variability (instability). The timing patterns of late chronotype pianists were more stable in the evening than in the morning, whereas early chronotype pianists did not show a difference between the two recording timepoints. In sum, the present results indicate that even highly complex sensorimotor tasks such as music playing are affected by interactions between chronotype and the time of day. Thus, even long-term, massed practice of these expert musicians has not been able to wash out circadian fluctuations in performance.

  11. Testing the Deployment Repeatability of a Precision Deployable Boom Prototype for the Proposed SWOT Karin Instrument

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Agnes, Gregory S.; Waldman, Jeff; Hughes, Richard; Peterson, Lee D.

    2015-01-01

    NASA's proposed Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission, scheduled to launch in 2020, would provide critical information about Earth's oceans, ocean circulation, fresh water storage, and river discharge. The mission concept calls for a dual-antenna Ka-band radar interferometer instrument, known as KaRIn, that would map the height of water globally along two 50 km wide swaths. The KaRIn antennas, which would be separated by 10 meters on either side of the spacecraft, would need to be precisely deployable in order to meet demanding pointing requirements. Consequently, an effort was undertaken to design build and prototype a precision deployable Mast for the KaRIn instrument. Each mast was 4.5-m long with a required dilitation stability of 2.5 microns over 3 minutes. It required a minimum first mode of 7 Hz. Deployment repeatability was less than +/- 7 arcsec in all three rotation directions. Overall mass could not exceed 41.5 Kg including any actuators and thermal blanketing. This set of requirements meant the boom had to be three times lighter and two orders of magnitude more precise than the existing state of the art for deployable booms.

  12. From non-preemptive to preemptive scheduling using synchronization synthesis.

    PubMed

    Černý, Pavol; Clarke, Edmund M; Henzinger, Thomas A; Radhakrishna, Arjun; Ryzhyk, Leonid; Samanta, Roopsha; Tarrach, Thorsten

    2017-01-01

    We present a computer-aided programming approach to concurrency. The approach allows programmers to program assuming a friendly, non-preemptive scheduler, and our synthesis procedure inserts synchronization to ensure that the final program works even with a preemptive scheduler. The correctness specification is implicit, inferred from the non-preemptive behavior. Let us consider sequences of calls that the program makes to an external interface. The specification requires that any such sequence produced under a preemptive scheduler should be included in the set of sequences produced under a non-preemptive scheduler. We guarantee that our synthesis does not introduce deadlocks and that the synchronization inserted is optimal w.r.t. a given objective function. The solution is based on a finitary abstraction, an algorithm for bounded language inclusion modulo an independence relation, and generation of a set of global constraints over synchronization placements. Each model of the global constraints set corresponds to a correctness-ensuring synchronization placement. The placement that is optimal w.r.t. the given objective function is chosen as the synchronization solution. We apply the approach to device-driver programming, where the driver threads call the software interface of the device and the API provided by the operating system. Our experiments demonstrate that our synthesis method is precise and efficient. The implicit specification helped us find one concurrency bug previously missed when model-checking using an explicit, user-provided specification. We implemented objective functions for coarse-grained and fine-grained locking and observed that different synchronization placements are produced for our experiments, favoring a minimal number of synchronization operations or maximum concurrency, respectively.

  13. Variable Scheduling to Mitigate Channel Losses in Energy-Efficient Body Area Networks

    PubMed Central

    Tselishchev, Yuriy; Boulis, Athanassios; Libman, Lavy

    2012-01-01

    We consider a typical body area network (BAN) setting in which sensor nodes send data to a common hub regularly on a TDMA basis, as defined by the emerging IEEE 802.15.6 BAN standard. To reduce transmission losses caused by the highly dynamic nature of the wireless channel around the human body, we explore variable TDMA scheduling techniques that allow the order of transmissions within each TDMA round to be decided on the fly, rather than being fixed in advance. Using a simple Markov model of the wireless links, we devise a number of scheduling algorithms that can be performed by the hub, which aim to maximize the expected number of successful transmissions in a TDMA round, and thereby significantly reduce transmission losses as compared with a static TDMA schedule. Importantly, these algorithms do not require a priori knowledge of the statistical properties of the wireless channels, and the reliability improvement is achieved entirely via shuffling the order of transmissions among devices, and does not involve any additional energy consumption (e.g., retransmissions). We evaluate these algorithms directly on an experimental set of traces obtained from devices strapped to human subjects performing regular daily activities, and confirm that the benefits of the proposed variable scheduling algorithms extend to this practical setup as well. PMID:23202183

  14. Full-Authority Fault-Tolerant Electronic Engine Control Systems for Variable Cycle Engines.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1981-12-01

    Geometry or Fuel Flow Scheduled as a Function of Engine State, i.e. FIGV = f( N1 C2 ) Closed Loop - Geometry or Fuel Flow Modulated To Maintain an Engine...Low Pressure Turbine Inlet Area (A41) Closed Loop (Integral) N2, T22 Core Stream Exhaust Nozzle Area (AJE) Closed Loop (Integral) N1 , T2 Duct Stream...to remain at the breakpoint value while low rotor speed reference ( N1 reference) is scheduled to decrease as a function of power lever angle (PLA), to

  15. 15 CFR 710.4 - Overview of scheduled chemicals and examples of affected industries.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... WEAPONS CONVENTION REGULATIONS GENERAL INFORMATION AND OVERVIEW OF THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION... Schedule 2 chemicals may be useful in the production of chemical weapons, they also have legitimate uses in... may be useful in the production of chemical weapons, they also have legitimate uses in areas such as...

  16. Planning for the Intensively Scheduled Class.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hertz, Vivienne

    How does the college faculty member involved in off-campus teaching plan for intensively scheduled classes comprised of forty hours of instruction in three weekends? Two main areas of concern are (1) the differences between these students and those found on the main campus and (2) methods of providing variety in instruction to maintain a…

  17. 5 CFR 532.245 - Selection of payline and issuance of wage schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... for issuance as the regular wage schedules for the wage area, after considering all of the information, analysis, and recommendations made available to it pursuant to this subpart. (b)(1) The lead agency shall prepare and maintain a record of all of the analysis and deliberations made under this subpart...

  18. 5 CFR 532.245 - Selection of payline and issuance of wage schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... for issuance as the regular wage schedules for the wage area, after considering all of the information, analysis, and recommendations made available to it pursuant to this subpart. (b)(1) The lead agency shall prepare and maintain a record of all of the analysis and deliberations made under this subpart...

  19. 5 CFR 532.245 - Selection of payline and issuance of wage schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... for issuance as the regular wage schedules for the wage area, after considering all of the information, analysis, and recommendations made available to it pursuant to this subpart. (b)(1) The lead agency shall prepare and maintain a record of all of the analysis and deliberations made under this subpart...

  20. 5 CFR 532.245 - Selection of payline and issuance of wage schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... for issuance as the regular wage schedules for the wage area, after considering all of the information, analysis, and recommendations made available to it pursuant to this subpart. (b)(1) The lead agency shall prepare and maintain a record of all of the analysis and deliberations made under this subpart...

  1. 5 CFR 532.245 - Selection of payline and issuance of wage schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... for issuance as the regular wage schedules for the wage area, after considering all of the information, analysis, and recommendations made available to it pursuant to this subpart. (b)(1) The lead agency shall prepare and maintain a record of all of the analysis and deliberations made under this subpart...

  2. PubMed Central

    FOUNTOULAKIS, E.N.; PAPADAKI, E.; PANAGIOTAKI, I.; GIANNIKAKI, E.; LAGOUDIANAKIS, G.; BIZAKIS, J.

    2011-01-01

    SUMMARY Haemangiopericytoma is a rare soft tissue tumour, with great histological variability and unpredictable clinical and biological behaviour. The precise cell type origin is uncertain. One third of haemangiopericytomas occur in the head and neck area, but only a few cases have been reported regarding localization at the parapharyngeal space. Herewith, case is presented of a 54-year-old female, referred to our Department due to a parapharyngeal space tumour with non-specific imaging characteristics. The patient underwent radical excision of the tumour with a trans-cervical sub-mandibular approach. The histolopathologic examination revealed a neoplasm with the characteristic features of haemangiopericytoma. One year later, during the scheduled follow-up, the computerized tomography scan showed no evidence of recurrence or residual disease. The pre-operative evaluation of a haemangiopericytoma must include a thorough imaging evaluation with computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, even if results may not be specific for haemangiopericytoma. Angiography and pre-operative embolization may be performed in cases of large tumours with significant vascularity. The treatment of choice is radical excision. The follow-up includes clinical evaluation every 6 months and annual magnetic resonance imaging for at least 3 years. PMID:22058597

  3. NICER: Mission Overview and Status

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Arzoumanian, Zaven; Gendreau, Keith C.

    2016-04-01

    NASA's Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER) mission will explore the structure, dynamics, and energetics of neutron stars through soft X-ray (0.2-12 keV) timing and spectroscopy. An external attached payload on the International Space Station (ISS), NICER is manifested on the Commercial Resupply Services SpaceX-11 flight, with launch scheduled for late 2016. The NICER payload is currently in final integration and environmental testing. Ground calibration has provided robust performance measures of the optical and detector subsystems, demonstrating that the instrument meets or surpasses its effective area, timing resolution, energy resolution, etc., requirements. We briefly describe the NICER hardware, its continuing testing, operations and environment on ISS, and the objectives of NICER's prime mission—including precise radius measurements for a handful of neutron stars to constrain the equation of state of cold, ultra-dense matter. Other contributions at this meeting address specific scientific investigations that are enabled by NICER, for neutron stars in their diverse manifestations as well as for broader X-ray astrophysics through a brief, approved Guest Observer program beginning in 2018.

  4. Precision and accuracy of suggested maxillary and mandibular landmarks with cone-beam computed tomography for regional superimpositions: An in vitro study.

    PubMed

    Lemieux, Genevieve; Carey, Jason P; Flores-Mir, Carlos; Secanell, Marc; Hart, Adam; Lagravère, Manuel O

    2016-01-01

    Our objective was to identify and evaluate the accuracy and precision (intrarater and interrater reliabilities) of various anatomic landmarks for use in 3-dimensional maxillary and mandibular regional superimpositions. We used cone-beam computed tomography reconstructions of 10 human dried skulls to locate 10 landmarks in the maxilla and the mandible. Precision and accuracy were assessed with intrarater and interrater readings. Three examiners located these landmarks in the cone-beam computed tomography images 3 times with readings scheduled at 1-week intervals. Three-dimensional coordinates were determined (x, y, and z coordinates), and the intraclass correlation coefficient was computed to determine intrarater and interrater reliabilities, as well as the mean error difference and confidence intervals for each measurement. Bilateral mental foramina, bilateral infraorbital foramina, anterior nasal spine, incisive canal, and nasion showed the highest precision and accuracy in both intrarater and interrater reliabilities. Subspinale and bilateral lingulae had the lowest precision and accuracy in both intrarater and interrater reliabilities. When choosing the most accurate and precise landmarks for 3-dimensional cephalometric analysis or plane-derived maxillary and mandibular superimpositions, bilateral mental and infraorbital foramina, landmarks in the anterior region of the maxilla, and nasion appeared to be the best options of the analyzed landmarks. Caution is needed when using subspinale and bilateral lingulae because of their higher mean errors in location. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. New paradigm for patient-reported outcomes assessment in foot & ankle research: computerized adaptive testing.

    PubMed

    Hung, Man; Nickisch, Florian; Beals, Timothy C; Greene, Tom; Clegg, Daniel O; Saltzman, Charles L

    2012-08-01

    Accurately measuring, reporting and comparing outcomes is essential for improving health care delivery. Current challenges with available health status scales include patient fatigue, floor/ceiling effects and validity/reliability. This study compared Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-based Lower Extremity Physical Function Computerized Adaptive Test (LE CAT) and two legacy scales -the Foot and Function Index (FFI) and the sport module from the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (spFAAM) -for 287 patients scheduled for elective foot and ankle surgery. We documented the time required by patients to complete the instrument, instrument precision, and the extent to which each instrument covered the full range of physical functioning across the patient sample. Average time of test administration: 66 seconds for LE CAT, 130 seconds for spFAAM and 239 seconds for FFI. All three instruments were fairly precise at intermediate physical functioning levels (i.e., Standard Error of Measurement < 0.35), were relatively less precise at the higher trait levels and the LE CAT maintained precision in the lower range while the spFAAM and FFI's had decreased precision. The LE CAT had less floor/ceiling effects than the FFI and the spFAAM. The LE CAT showed considerable advantage compared to legacy scales for measuring patient-reported outcomes in orthopaedic patients with foot and ankle problems. A paradigm shift to broader use of PROMIS-based CATs should be considered to improve precision and reduce patient burden with patient-reported outcome measuremen foot and ankle patients.

  6. A Conceptual Framework for Adaptive Project Management in the Department of Defense

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-04-30

    schedule work) established a core set of principles that went unchallenged until the start of the 21st century. This belief that managing...detailed planning, task decomposition and assignment of hours at the start of a project as unnecessary, often wasted effort that sacrifices accuracy...with the illusion of precision. Work, at the task level, is best assigned by the team performing the work as close as possible to the actual start

  7. U.S. Geological Survey Library classification system

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Sasscer, R. Scott

    2000-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey Library classification system has been designed for earth science libraries. It is a tool for assigning call numbers to earth science and allied pure science materials in order to collect these materials into related subject groups on the library shelves and arrange them alphabetically by author and title. The classification can be used as a retrieval system to access materials through the subject and geographic numbers.The classification scheme has been developed over the years since 1904 to meet the ever-changing needs of increased specialization and the development of new areas of research in the earth sciences. The system contains seven schedules: Subject scheduleGeological survey schedule Earth science periodical scheduleGovernment document periodical scheduleGeneral science periodical schedule Earth science map schedule Geographic schedule Introduction provides detailed instructions on the construction of call numbers for works falling into the framework of the classification schedules.The tables following the introduction can be quickly accessed through the use of the newly expanded subject index.The purpose of this publication is to provide the earth science community with a classification and retrieval system for earth science materials, to offer sufficient explanation of its structure and use, and to enable library staff and clientele to classify or access research materials in a library collection.

  8. Dispatch Scheduling of Automated Telescopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Denny, R. B.

    2004-05-01

    Automated telescope scheduling systems have traditionally focused on optimiz- ing the use of the observatory, minimizing overhead and maximizing shutter- open time. However, educational and amateur observatories do not enjoy con- sistently good skies. Conditions can change significantly during an observing session, leading to schedule breakage. This gives rise to the need for a scheduling system that is capable of recovering from periods of bad skies, wind, etc. without operator intervention. The concept of dispatch scheduling, where the scheduler makes a "best" choice for the next observation, will be discussed. The choice of next target must consider constraints such as mini- mum altitude or maximum air mass, moon illumination, and sky condition, as well as timing constraints that may arise from linked observations and/or target phasing requirements. It also must be as fair and efficient as prac- tical. A dispatch scheduler (ACPS) was constructed and used to perform a num- ber of simulations with both isolated and multiple/linked observations, and noisy timing. By varying "best next target" choice algorithm, these simula- tions provided insight into the behavior of a dispatch scheduler. This talk will describe the scheduler and present the results of these preliminary sim- ulations, some conclusions that arose from them, and outline areas for fur- ther research.

  9. A novel semi-robotized device for high-precision 18F-FDG-guided breast cancer biopsy.

    PubMed

    Hellingman, D; Teixeira, S C; Donswijk, M L; Rijkhorst, E J; Moliner, L; Alamo, J; Loo, C E; Valdés Olmos, R A; Stokkel, M P M

    To assess the 3D geometric sampling accuracy of a new PET-guided system for breast cancer biopsy (BCB) from areas within the tumour with high 18 F-FDG uptake. In the context of the European Union project MammoCare, a prototype semi-robotic stereotactic prototype BCB-device was incorporated into a dedicated high resolution PET-detector for breast imaging. The system consists of 2 stacked rings, each containing 12 plane detectors, forming a dodecagon with a 186mm aperture for 3D reconstruction (1mm 3 voxel). A vacuum-assisted biopsy needle attached to a robot-controlled arm was used. To test the accuracy of needle placement, the needle tip was labelled with 18 F-FDG and positioned at 78 target coordinates distributed over a 35mm×24mm×28mm volume within the PET-detector field-of-view. At each position images were acquired from which the needle positioning accuracy was calculated. Additionally, phantom-based biopsy proofs, as well as MammoCare images of 5 breast cancer patients, were evaluated for the 3D automated locating of 18 F-FDG uptake areas within the tumour. Needle positioning tests revealed an average accuracy of 0.5mm (range 0-1mm), 0.6mm (range 0-2mm), and 0.4mm (range 0-2mm) for the x/y/z-axes, respectively. Furthermore, the MammoCare system was able to visualize and locate small (<10mm) regions with high 18 F-FDG uptake within the tumour suitable for PET-guided biopsy after being located by the 3D automated application. Accuracy testing demonstrated high-precision of this semi-automatic 3D PET-guided system for breast cancer core needle biopsy. Its clinical feasibility evaluation in breast cancer patients scheduled for neo-adjuvant chemotherapy will follow. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMNIM. All rights reserved.

  10. An expert system for scheduling requests for communications Links between TDRSS and ERBS

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mclean, David R.; Littlefield, Ronald G.; Beyer, David S.

    1987-01-01

    An ERBS-TDRSS Contact Planning System (ERBS-TDRSS CPS) is described which uses a graphics interface and the NASA Transportable Interference Engine. The procedure involves transfer of the ERBS-TDRSS Ground Track Orbit Prediction data to the ERBS flight operations area, where the ERBS-TDRSS CPS automatically generates requests for TDRSS service. As requested events are rejected, alternative context sensitive strategies are employed to generate new requested events until a schedule is completed. A report generator builds schedule requests for separate ERBS-TDRSS contacts.

  11. Characterization of Tactical Departure Scheduling in the National Airspace System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Capps, Alan; Engelland, Shawn A.

    2011-01-01

    This paper discusses and analyzes current day utilization and performance of the tactical departure scheduling process in the National Airspace System (NAS) to understand the benefits in improving this process. The analysis used operational air traffic data from over 1,082,000 flights during the month of January, 2011. Specific metrics included the frequency of tactical departure scheduling, site specific variances in the technology's utilization, departure time prediction compliance used in the tactical scheduling process and the performance with which the current system can predict the airborne slot that aircraft are being scheduled into from the airport surface. Operational data analysis described in this paper indicates significant room for improvement exists in the current system primarily in the area of reduced departure time prediction uncertainty. Results indicate that a significant number of tactically scheduled aircraft did not meet their scheduled departure slot due to departure time uncertainty. In addition to missed slots, the operational data analysis identified increased controller workload associated with tactical departures which were subject to traffic management manual re-scheduling or controller swaps. An analysis of achievable levels of departure time prediction accuracy as obtained by a new integrated surface and tactical scheduling tool is provided to assess the benefit it may provide as a solution to the identified shortfalls. A list of NAS facilities which are likely to receive the greatest benefit from the integrated surface and tactical scheduling technology are provided.

  12. A COTS-Based Attitude Dependent Contact Scheduling System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    DeGumbia, Jonathan D.; Stezelberger, Shane T.; Woodard, Mark

    2006-01-01

    The mission architecture of the Gamma-ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) requires a sophisticated ground system component for scheduling the downlink of science data. Contacts between the ````````````````` satellite and the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) are restricted by the limited field-of-view of the science data downlink antenna. In addition, contacts must be scheduled when permitted by the satellite s complex and non-repeating attitude profile. Complicating the matter further, the long lead-time required to schedule TDRSS services, combined with the short duration of the downlink contact opportunities, mandates accurate GLAST orbit and attitude modeling. These circumstances require the development of a scheduling system that is capable of predictively and accurately modeling not only the orbital position of GLAST but also its attitude. This paper details the methods used in the design of a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS)-based attitude-dependent. TDRSS contact Scheduling system that meets the unique scheduling requirements of the GLAST mission, and it suggests a COTS-based scheduling approach to support future missions. The scheduling system applies filtering and smoothing algorithms to telemetered GPS data to produce high-accuracy predictive GLAST orbit ephemerides. Next, bus pointing commands from the GLAST Science Support Center are used to model the complexities of the two dynamic science gathering attitude modes. Attitude-dependent view periods are then generated between GLAST and each of the supporting TDRSs. Numerous scheduling constraints are then applied to account for various mission specific resource limitations. Next, an optimization engine is used to produce an optimized TDRSS contact schedule request which is sent to TDRSS scheduling for confirmation. Lastly, the confirmed TDRSS contact schedule is rectified with an updated ephemeris and adjusted bus pointing commands to produce a final science downlink contact schedule.

  13. A scalable approach to solving dense linear algebra problems on hybrid CPU-GPU systems

    DOE PAGES

    Song, Fengguang; Dongarra, Jack

    2014-10-01

    Aiming to fully exploit the computing power of all CPUs and all graphics processing units (GPUs) on hybrid CPU-GPU systems to solve dense linear algebra problems, in this paper we design a class of heterogeneous tile algorithms to maximize the degree of parallelism, to minimize the communication volume, and to accommodate the heterogeneity between CPUs and GPUs. The new heterogeneous tile algorithms are executed upon our decentralized dynamic scheduling runtime system, which schedules a task graph dynamically and transfers data between compute nodes automatically. The runtime system uses a new distributed task assignment protocol to solve data dependencies between tasksmore » without any coordination between processing units. By overlapping computation and communication through dynamic scheduling, we are able to attain scalable performance for the double-precision Cholesky factorization and QR factorization. Finally, our approach demonstrates a performance comparable to Intel MKL on shared-memory multicore systems and better performance than both vendor (e.g., Intel MKL) and open source libraries (e.g., StarPU) in the following three environments: heterogeneous clusters with GPUs, conventional clusters without GPUs, and shared-memory systems with multiple GPUs.« less

  14. User-Assisted Store Recycling for Dynamic Task Graph Schedulers

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

    Kurt, Mehmet Can; Krishnamoorthy, Sriram; Agrawal, Gagan

    The emergence of the multi-core era has led to increased interest in designing effective yet practical parallel programming models. Models based on task graphs that operate on single-assignment data are attractive in several ways: they can support dynamic applications and precisely represent the available concurrency. However, they also require nuanced algorithms for scheduling and memory management for efficient execution. In this paper, we consider memory-efficient dynamic scheduling of task graphs. Specifically, we present a novel approach for dynamically recycling the memory locations assigned to data items as they are produced by tasks. We develop algorithms to identify memory-efficient store recyclingmore » functions by systematically evaluating the validity of a set of (user-provided or automatically generated) alternatives. Because recycling function can be input data-dependent, we have also developed support for continued correct execution of a task graph in the presence of a potentially incorrect store recycling function. Experimental evaluation demonstrates that our approach to automatic store recycling incurs little to no overheads, achieves memory usage comparable to the best manually derived solutions, often produces recycling functions valid across problem sizes and input parameters, and efficiently recovers from an incorrect choice of store recycling functions.« less

  15. A scalable approach to solving dense linear algebra problems on hybrid CPU-GPU systems

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

    Song, Fengguang; Dongarra, Jack

    Aiming to fully exploit the computing power of all CPUs and all graphics processing units (GPUs) on hybrid CPU-GPU systems to solve dense linear algebra problems, in this paper we design a class of heterogeneous tile algorithms to maximize the degree of parallelism, to minimize the communication volume, and to accommodate the heterogeneity between CPUs and GPUs. The new heterogeneous tile algorithms are executed upon our decentralized dynamic scheduling runtime system, which schedules a task graph dynamically and transfers data between compute nodes automatically. The runtime system uses a new distributed task assignment protocol to solve data dependencies between tasksmore » without any coordination between processing units. By overlapping computation and communication through dynamic scheduling, we are able to attain scalable performance for the double-precision Cholesky factorization and QR factorization. Finally, our approach demonstrates a performance comparable to Intel MKL on shared-memory multicore systems and better performance than both vendor (e.g., Intel MKL) and open source libraries (e.g., StarPU) in the following three environments: heterogeneous clusters with GPUs, conventional clusters without GPUs, and shared-memory systems with multiple GPUs.« less

  16. A risk-based auditing process for pharmaceutical manufacturers.

    PubMed

    Vargo, Susan; Dana, Bob; Rangavajhula, Vijaya; Rönninger, Stephan

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this article is to share ideas on developing a risk-based model for the scheduling of audits (both internal and external). Audits are a key element of a manufacturer's quality system and provide an independent means of evaluating the manufacturer's or the supplier/vendor's compliance status. Suggestions for risk-based scheduling approaches are discussed in the article. Pharmaceutical manufacturers are required to establish and implement a quality system. The quality system is an organizational structure defining responsibilities, procedures, processes, and resources that the manufacturer has established to ensure quality throughout the manufacturing process. Audits are a component of the manufacturer's quality system and provide a systematic and an independent means of evaluating the manufacturer's overall quality system and compliance status. Audits are performed at defined intervals for a specified duration. The intention of the audit process is to focus on key areas within the quality system and may not cover all relevant areas during each audit. In this article, the authors provide suggestions for risk-based scheduling approaches to aid pharmaceutical manufacturers in identifying the key focus areas for an audit.

  17. Precision Pointing for the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stoneking, Eric; Hsu, Oscar; Welter, Gary

    2017-01-01

    The Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) mission, scheduled for a mid-2020's launch, is currently in its definition phase. The mission is designed to investigate essential questions in the areas of dark energy, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics. WFIRST will use a 2.4-meter primary telescope (same size as the Hubble Space Telescope's primary mirror) and two instruments: the Wide Field Instrument (WFI) and the Coronagraph Instrument (CGI). In order to ad-dress the critical science requirements, the WFIRST mission will conduct large-scale surveys of the infrared sky, requiring both agility and precision pointing (11.6 milli-arcsec stability, 14 milli-arcsec jitter). This paper describes some of the challenges this mission profile presents to the GNC subsystem, and some of the design elements chosen to accommodate those challenges. The high-galactic-latitude survey is characterized by 3-minute observations separated by slews ranging from 0.025 deg to 0.8 deg. The need for observation efficiency drives the slew and settle process to be as rapid as possible. A description of the shaped slew profile chosen to minimize excitation of structural oscillation, and the handoff from star tracker-gyro control to fine guidance sensor control is detailed. Also presented is the fine guidance sensor (FGS), which is integral with the primary instrument (WFI). The FGS is capable of tracking up to 18 guide stars, enabling robust FGS acquisition and precision pointing. To avoid excitation of observatory structural jitter, reaction wheel speeds are operationally maintained within set limits. In addition, the wheel balance law is designed to maintain 1-Hz separation between the wheel speeds to avoid reinforcing jitter excitation at any particular frequency. The wheel balance law and operational implications are described. Finally, the candidate GNC hardware suite needed to meet the requirements of the mission is presented.

  18. Precision Pointing for the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope(WFIRST)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Stoneking, Eric T.; Hsu, Oscar C.; Welter, Gary

    2017-01-01

    The Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) mission, scheduled for a mid-2020's launch, is currently in its definition phase. The mission is designed to investigate essential questions in the areas of dark energy, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics. WFIRST will use a 2.4-meter primary telescope (same size as the Hubble Space Telescope's primary mirror) and two instruments: the Wide Field Instrument (WFI) and the Coronagraph Instrument (CGI). In order to address the critical science requirements, the WFIRST mission will conduct large-scale surveys of the infrared sky, requiring both agility and precision pointing (11.6 milli-arcsec stability, 14 milli-arcsec jitter). This paper describes some of the challenges this mission profile presents to the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) subsystem, and some of the design elements chosen to accommodate those challenges. The high-galactic-latitude survey is characterized by 3-minute observations separated by slews ranging from 0.025 deg to 0.8 deg. The need for observation efficiency drives the slew and settle process to be as rapid as possible. A description of the shaped slew profile chosen to minimize excitation of structural oscillation, and the handoff from star tracker-gyro control to fine guidance sensor control is detailed. Also presented is the fine guidance sensor (FGS), which is integral with the primary instrument (WFI). The FGS is capable of tracking up to 18 guide stars, enabling robust FGS acquisition and precision pointing. To avoid excitation of observatory structural jitter, reaction wheel speeds are operationally maintained within set limits. In addition, the wheel balance law is designed to maintain 1-Hz separation between the wheel speeds to avoid reinforcing jitter excitation at any particular frequency. The wheel balance law and operational implications are described. Finally, the candidate GNC hardware suite needed to meet the requirements of the mission is presented.

  19. Localized Fault Recovery for Nested Fork-Join Programs

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

    Kestor, Gokcen; Krishnamoorthy, Sriram; Ma, Wenjing

    Nested fork-join programs scheduled using work stealing can automatically balance load and adapt to changes in the execution environment. In this paper, we design an approach to efficiently recover from faults encountered by these programs. Specifically, we focus on localized recovery of the task space in the presence of fail-stop failures. We present an approach to efficiently track, under work stealing, the relationships between the work executed by various threads. This information is used to identify and schedule the tasks to be re-executed without interfering with normal task execution. The algorithm precisely computes the work lost, incurs minimal re-execution overhead,more » and can recover from an arbitrary number of failures. Experimental evaluation demonstrates low overheads in the absence of failures, recovery overheads on the same order as the lost work, and much lower recovery costs than alternative strategies.« less

  20. A Multiobjective Interval Programming Model for Wind-Hydrothermal Power System Dispatching Using 2-Step Optimization Algorithm

    PubMed Central

    Jihong, Qu

    2014-01-01

    Wind-hydrothermal power system dispatching has received intensive attention in recent years because it can help develop various reasonable plans to schedule the power generation efficiency. But future data such as wind power output and power load would not be accurately predicted and the nonlinear nature involved in the complex multiobjective scheduling model; therefore, to achieve accurate solution to such complex problem is a very difficult task. This paper presents an interval programming model with 2-step optimization algorithm to solve multiobjective dispatching. Initially, we represented the future data into interval numbers and simplified the object function to a linear programming problem to search the feasible and preliminary solutions to construct the Pareto set. Then the simulated annealing method was used to search the optimal solution of initial model. Thorough experimental results suggest that the proposed method performed reasonably well in terms of both operating efficiency and precision. PMID:24895663

  1. A multiobjective interval programming model for wind-hydrothermal power system dispatching using 2-step optimization algorithm.

    PubMed

    Ren, Kun; Jihong, Qu

    2014-01-01

    Wind-hydrothermal power system dispatching has received intensive attention in recent years because it can help develop various reasonable plans to schedule the power generation efficiency. But future data such as wind power output and power load would not be accurately predicted and the nonlinear nature involved in the complex multiobjective scheduling model; therefore, to achieve accurate solution to such complex problem is a very difficult task. This paper presents an interval programming model with 2-step optimization algorithm to solve multiobjective dispatching. Initially, we represented the future data into interval numbers and simplified the object function to a linear programming problem to search the feasible and preliminary solutions to construct the Pareto set. Then the simulated annealing method was used to search the optimal solution of initial model. Thorough experimental results suggest that the proposed method performed reasonably well in terms of both operating efficiency and precision.

  2. Applying Graph Theory to Problems in Air Traffic Management

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Farrahi, Amir Hossein; Goldbert, Alan; Bagasol, Leonard Neil; Jung, Jaewoo

    2017-01-01

    Graph theory is used to investigate three different problems arising in air traffic management. First, using a polynomial reduction from a graph partitioning problem, it is shown that both the airspace sectorization problem and its incremental counterpart, the sector combination problem are NP-hard, in general, under several simple workload models. Second, using a polynomial time reduction from maximum independent set in graphs, it is shown that for any fixed e, the problem of finding a solution to the minimum delay scheduling problem in traffic flow management that is guaranteed to be within n1-e of the optimal, where n is the number of aircraft in the problem instance, is NP-hard. Finally, a problem arising in precision arrival scheduling is formulated and solved using graph reachability. These results demonstrate that graph theory provides a powerful framework for modeling, reasoning about, and devising algorithmic solutions to diverse problems arising in air traffic management.

  3. Applying Graph Theory to Problems in Air Traffic Management

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Farrahi, Amir H.; Goldberg, Alan T.; Bagasol, Leonard N.; Jung, Jaewoo

    2017-01-01

    Graph theory is used to investigate three different problems arising in air traffic management. First, using a polynomial reduction from a graph partitioning problem, it isshown that both the airspace sectorization problem and its incremental counterpart, the sector combination problem are NP-hard, in general, under several simple workload models. Second, using a polynomial time reduction from maximum independent set in graphs, it is shown that for any fixed e, the problem of finding a solution to the minimum delay scheduling problem in traffic flow management that is guaranteed to be within n1-e of the optimal, where n is the number of aircraft in the problem instance, is NP-hard. Finally, a problem arising in precision arrival scheduling is formulated and solved using graph reachability. These results demonstrate that graph theory provides a powerful framework for modeling, reasoning about, and devising algorithmic solutions to diverse problems arising in air traffic management.

  4. IET. Control and equipment building (TAN620) floor plan. Schedule of ...

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

    IET. Control and equipment building (TAN-620) floor plan. Schedule of furniture and equipment. Ralph M. Parsons 902-4-ANP-A 320. Date: February 1954. Approved by INEEL Classification Office for public release. INEEL index code no. 035-0620-00-693-106905 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Area North, Scoville, Butte County, ID

  5. A comprehensive approach to reactive power scheduling in restructured power systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shukla, Meera

    Financial constraints, regulatory pressure, and need for more economical power transfers have increased the loading of interconnected transmission systems. As a consequence, power systems have been operated close to their maximum power transfer capability limits, making the system more vulnerable to voltage instability events. The problem of voltage collapse characterized by a severe local voltage depression is generally believed to be associated with inadequate VAr support at key buses. The goal of reactive power planning is to maintain a high level of voltage security, through installation of properly sized and located reactive sources and their optimal scheduling. In case of vertically-operated power systems, the reactive requirement of the system is normally satisfied by using all of its reactive sources. But in case of different scenarios of restructured power systems, one may consider a fixed amount of exchange of reactive power through tie lines. Reviewed literature suggests a need for optimal scheduling of reactive power generation for fixed inter area reactive power exchange. The present work proposed a novel approach for reactive power source placement and a novel approach for its scheduling. The VAr source placement technique was based on the property of system connectivity. This is followed by development of optimal reactive power dispatch formulation which facilitated fixed inter area tie line reactive power exchange. This formulation used a Line Flow-Based (LFB) model of power flow analysis. The formulation determined the generation schedule for fixed inter area tie line reactive power exchange. Different operating scenarios were studied to analyze the impact of VAr management approach for vertically operated and restructured power systems. The system loadability, losses, generation and the cost of generation were the performance measures to study the impact of VAr management strategy. The novel approach was demonstrated on IEEE 30 bus system.

  6. Enhancing Adoption of Irrigation Scheduling to Sustain the Viability of Fruit and Nut Crops in California

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fulton, A.; Snyder, R.; Hillyer, C.; English, M.; Sanden, B.; Munk, D.

    2012-04-01

    Enhancing Adoption of Irrigation Scheduling to Sustain the Viability of Fruit and Nut Crops in California Allan Fulton, Richard Snyder, Charles Hillyer, Marshall English, Blake Sanden, and Dan Munk Adoption of scientific methods to decide when to irrigate and how much water to apply to a crop has increased over the last three decades in California. In 1988, less than 4.3 percent of US farmers employed some type of science-based technique to assist in making irrigation scheduling decisions (USDA, 1995). An ongoing survey in California, representing an industry irrigating nearly 0.4 million planted almond hectares, indicates adoption rates ranging from 38 to 55 percent of either crop evapotranspiration (ETc), soil moisture monitoring, plant water status, or some combination of these irrigation scheduling techniques to assist with making irrigation management decisions (California Almond Board, 2011). High capital investment to establish fruit and nut crops, sensitivity to over and under-irrigation on crop performance and longevity, and increasing costs and competition for water have all contributed to increased adoption of scientific irrigation scheduling methods. These trends in adoption are encouraging and more opportunities exist to develop improved irrigation scheduling tools, especially computer decision-making models. In 2009 and 2010, an "On-line Irrigation Scheduling Advisory Service" (OISO, 2012), also referred to as Online Irrigation Management (IMO), was used and evaluated in commercial walnut, almond, and French prune orchards in the northern Sacramento Valley of California. This specific model has many features described as the "Next Generation of Irrigation Schedulers" (Hillyer, 2010). While conventional irrigation management involves simply irrigating as needed to avoid crop stress, this IMO is designed to control crop stress, which requires: (i) precise control of crop water availability (rather than controlling applied water); (ii) quantifying crop stress in order to manage it in heterogeneous fields; and (iii) predicting crop responses to water stress. The capacities of this IMO include: 1. Modeling of the disposition of applied water in spatially variable fields; 2. Conjunctive scheduling for multiple fields, rather than scheduling each field independently; 3. Long range forecasting of crop water requirements to better utilize limited water or limited delivery system capacity: and 4. Explicit modeling of the uncertainties of water use and crop yield. This was one of the first efforts to employ a "Next Generation" type computer irrigation scheduling advisory model or IMO in orchard crops. This paper discusses experiences with introducing this model to fruit and nut growers of various size and scale in the northern Sacramento Valley of California and the accuracy of its forecasts of irrigation needs in fruit and nut crops. Strengths and opportunities to forge ahead in the development of a "Next Generation" irrigation scheduler were identified from this on-farm evaluation.

  7. Research on Scheduling Algorithm for Multi-satellite and Point Target Task on Swinging Mode

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, M.; Dai, G.; Peng, L.; Song, Z.; Chen, G.

    2012-12-01

    Nowadays, using satellite in space to observe ground is an important and major method to obtain ground information. With the development of the scientific technology in the field of space, many fields such as military and economic and other areas have more and more requirement of space technology because of the benefits of the satellite's widespread, timeliness and unlimited of area and country. And at the same time, because of the wide use of all kinds of satellites, sensors, repeater satellites and ground receiving stations, ground control system are now facing great challenge. Therefore, how to make the best value of satellite resources so as to make full use of them becomes an important problem of ground control system. Satellite scheduling is to distribute the resource to all tasks without conflict to obtain the scheduling result so as to complete as many tasks as possible to meet user's requirement under considering the condition of the requirement of satellites, sensors and ground receiving stations. Considering the size of the task, we can divide tasks into point task and area task. This paper only considers point targets. In this paper, a description of satellite scheduling problem and a chief introduction of the theory of satellite scheduling are firstly made. We also analyze the restriction of resource and task in scheduling satellites. The input and output flow of scheduling process are also chiefly described in the paper. On the basis of these analyses, we put forward a scheduling model named as multi-variable optimization model for multi-satellite and point target task on swinging mode. In the multi-variable optimization model, the scheduling problem is transformed the parametric optimization problem. The parameter we wish to optimize is the swinging angle of every time-window. In the view of the efficiency and accuracy, some important problems relating the satellite scheduling such as the angle relation between satellites and ground targets, positive and negative swinging angle and the computation of time window are analyzed and discussed. And many strategies to improve the efficiency of this model are also put forward. In order to solve the model, we bring forward the conception of activity sequence map. By using the activity sequence map, the activity choice and the start time of the activity can be divided. We also bring forward three neighborhood operators to search the result space. The front movement remaining time and the back movement remaining time are used to analyze the feasibility to generate solution from neighborhood operators. Lastly, the algorithm to solve the problem and model is put forward based genetic algorithm. Population initialization, crossover operator, mutation operator, individual evaluation, collision decrease operator, select operator and collision elimination operator is designed in the paper. Finally, the scheduling result and the simulation for a practical example on 5 satellites and 100 point targets with swinging mode is given, and the scheduling performances are also analyzed while the swinging angle in 0, 5, 10, 15, 25. It can be shown by the result that the model and the algorithm are more effective than those ones without swinging mode.

  8. Real time simulation of computer-assisted sequencing of terminal area operations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dear, R. G.

    1981-01-01

    A simulation was developed to investigate the utilization of computer assisted decision making for the task of sequencing and scheduling aircraft in a high density terminal area. The simulation incorporates a decision methodology termed Constrained Position Shifting. This methodology accounts for aircraft velocity profiles, routes, and weight classes in dynamically sequencing and scheduling arriving aircraft. A sample demonstration of Constrained Position Shifting is presented where six aircraft types (including both light and heavy aircraft) are sequenced to land at Denver's Stapleton International Airport. A graphical display is utilized and Constrained Position Shifting with a maximum shift of four positions (rearward or forward) is compared to first come, first serve with respect to arrival at the runway. The implementation of computer assisted sequencing and scheduling methodologies is investigated. A time based control concept will be required and design considerations for such a system are discussed.

  9. Corticospinal control of the thumb-index grip depends on precision of force control: a transcranial magnetic stimulation and functional magnetic resonance imagery study in humans.

    PubMed

    Bonnard, M; Galléa, C; De Graaf, J B; Pailhous, J

    2007-02-01

    The corticospinal system (CS) is well known to be of major importance for controlling the thumb-index grip, in particular for force grading. However, for a given force level, the way in which the involvement of this system could vary with increasing demands on precise force control is not well-known. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation and functional magnetic resonance imagery, the present experiments investigated whether increasing the precision demands while keeping the averaged force level similar during an isometric dynamic low-force control task, involving the thumb-index grip, does affect the corticospinal excitability to the thumb-index muscles and the activation of the motor cortices, primary and non-primary (supplementary motor area, dorsal and ventral premotor and in the contralateral area), at the origin of the CS. With transcranial magnetic stimulation, we showed that, when precision demands increased, the CS excitability increased to either the first dorsal interosseus or the opponens pollicis, and never to both, for similar ongoing electromyographic activation patterns of these muscles. With functional magnetic resonance imagery, we demonstrated that, for the same averaged force level, the amplitude of blood oxygen level-dependent signal increased in relation to the precision demands in the hand area of the contralateral primary motor cortex in the contralateral supplementary motor area, ventral and dorsal premotor area. Together these results show that, during the course of force generation, the CS integrates online top-down information to precisely fit the motor output to the task's constraints and that its multiple cortical origins are involved in this process, with the ventral premotor area appearing to have a special role.

  10. A traveling-salesman-based approach to aircraft scheduling in the terminal area

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Luenberger, Robert A.

    1988-01-01

    An efficient algorithm is presented, based on the well-known algorithm for the traveling salesman problem, for scheduling aircraft arrivals into major terminal areas. The algorithm permits, but strictly limits, reassigning an aircraft from its initial position in the landing order. This limitation is needed so that no aircraft or aircraft category is unduly penalized. Results indicate, for the mix of arrivals investigated, a potential increase in capacity in the 3 to 5 percent range. Furthermore, it is shown that the computation time for the algorithm grows only linearly with problem size.

  11. Interconnection-wide hour-ahead scheduling in the presence of intermittent renewables and demand response: A surplus maximizing approach

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

    Behboodi, Sahand; Chassin, David P.; Djilali, Ned

    This study describes a new approach for solving the multi-area electricity resource allocation problem when considering both intermittent renewables and demand response. The method determines the hourly inter-area export/import set that maximizes the interconnection (global) surplus satisfying transmission, generation and load constraints. The optimal inter-area transfer set effectively makes the electricity price uniform over the interconnection apart from constrained areas, which overall increases the consumer surplus more than it decreases the producer surplus. The method is computationally efficient and suitable for use in simulations that depend on optimal scheduling models. The method is demonstrated on a system that represents Northmore » America Western Interconnection for the planning year of 2024. Simulation results indicate that effective use of interties reduces the system operation cost substantially. Excluding demand response, both the unconstrained and the constrained scheduling solutions decrease the global production cost (and equivalently increase the global economic surplus) by 12.30B and 10.67B per year, respectively, when compared to the standalone case in which each control area relies only on its local supply resources. This cost saving is equal to 25% and 22% of the annual production cost. Including 5% demand response, the constrained solution decreases the annual production cost by 10.70B, while increases the annual surplus by 9.32B in comparison to the standalone case.« less

  12. Interconnection-wide hour-ahead scheduling in the presence of intermittent renewables and demand response: A surplus maximizing approach

    DOE PAGES

    Behboodi, Sahand; Chassin, David P.; Djilali, Ned; ...

    2016-12-23

    This study describes a new approach for solving the multi-area electricity resource allocation problem when considering both intermittent renewables and demand response. The method determines the hourly inter-area export/import set that maximizes the interconnection (global) surplus satisfying transmission, generation and load constraints. The optimal inter-area transfer set effectively makes the electricity price uniform over the interconnection apart from constrained areas, which overall increases the consumer surplus more than it decreases the producer surplus. The method is computationally efficient and suitable for use in simulations that depend on optimal scheduling models. The method is demonstrated on a system that represents Northmore » America Western Interconnection for the planning year of 2024. Simulation results indicate that effective use of interties reduces the system operation cost substantially. Excluding demand response, both the unconstrained and the constrained scheduling solutions decrease the global production cost (and equivalently increase the global economic surplus) by 12.30B and 10.67B per year, respectively, when compared to the standalone case in which each control area relies only on its local supply resources. This cost saving is equal to 25% and 22% of the annual production cost. Including 5% demand response, the constrained solution decreases the annual production cost by 10.70B, while increases the annual surplus by 9.32B in comparison to the standalone case.« less

  13. Improving Resource Selection and Scheduling Using Predictions. Chapter 1

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Smith, Warren

    2003-01-01

    The introduction of computational grids has resulted in several new problems in the area of scheduling that can be addressed using predictions. The first problem is selecting where to run an application on the many resources available in a grid. Our approach to help address this problem is to provide predictions of when an application would start to execute if submitted to specific scheduled computer systems. The second problem is gaining simultaneous access to multiple computer systems so that distributed applications can be executed. We help address this problem by investigating how to support advance reservations in local scheduling systems. Our approaches to both of these problems are based on predictions for the execution time of applications on space- shared parallel computers. As a side effect of this work, we also discuss how predictions of application run times can be used to improve scheduling performance.

  14. Controversies in rabies vaccination.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Tapan Kr

    2003-06-01

    Rabies is a cent per cent fatal disease and there should not be any controversy in giving rabies vaccine to the victims. WHO has fixed schedules for doses for both pre and post-exposure in different category of cases, which also help us to avoid all controversies. But controversies arise in five main areas, which are related to the strategies of rabies prevention. These are: (i) Replacing use of NTV by MTCV. (ii) Intradermal schedule of MTCV, in place of Essen protocol of 5 i.m. doses to reduce the cost. (iii) Acceptability and inclusion of pre-exposure doses of MTCV in the immunization schedule of children as additional vaccine (iv) Schedule for re-exposure in already post-exposure vaccinated cases and schedule for exposure in pre-exposure vaccinated cases. (v) Uses of RIG in WHO category III cases. If these controversial issues are considered scientifically, rabies prophylaxis will see the light of success.

  15. EQUITY EVALUATION OF PADDY IRRIGATION WATER DISTRIBUTION BY SOCIETY-JUSTICE-WATER DISTRIBUTION RULE HYPOTHESIS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tanji, Hajime; Kiri, Hirohide; Kobayashi, Shintaro

    When total supply is smaller than total demand, it is difficult to apply the paddy irrigation water distribution rule. The gap must be narrowed by decreasing demand. Historically, the upstream served rule, rotation schedule, or central schedule weight to irrigated area was adopted. This paper proposes the hypothesis that these rules are dependent on social justice, a hypothesis called the "Society-Justice-Water Distribution Rule Hypothesis". Justice, which means a balance of efficiency and equity of distribution, is discussed under the political philosophy of utilitarianism, liberalism (Rawls), libertarianism, and communitarianism. The upstream served rule can be derived from libertarianism. The rotation schedule and central schedule can be derived from communitarianism. Liberalism can provide arranged schedule to adjust supply and demand based on "the Difference Principle". The authors conclude that to achieve efficiency and equity, liberalism may provide the best solution after modernization.

  16. Knowledge-based scheduling of arrival aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Krzeczowski, K.; Davis, T.; Erzberger, H.; Lev-Ram, I.; Bergh, C.

    1995-01-01

    A knowledge-based method for scheduling arrival aircraft in the terminal area has been implemented and tested in real-time simulation. The scheduling system automatically sequences, assigns landing times, and assigns runways to arrival aircraft by utilizing continuous updates of aircraft radar data and controller inputs. The scheduling algorithms is driven by a knowledge base which was obtained in over two thousand hours of controller-in-the-loop real-time simulation. The knowledge base contains a series of hierarchical 'rules' and decision logic that examines both performance criteria, such as delay reduction, as well as workload reduction criteria, such as conflict avoidance. The objective of the algorithms is to devise an efficient plan to land the aircraft in a manner acceptable to the air traffic controllers. This paper will describe the scheduling algorithms, give examples of their use, and present data regarding their potential benefits to the air traffic system.

  17. CLASP2: High-Precision Spectro-Polarimetery in Mg II h & k

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ishikawa, R.; McKenzie, D.; Trujillo Bueno, J.; Auchere, F.; Rachmeler, L.; Okamoto, T. J.; Kano, R.; Song, D.; Kubo, M.; Narukage, N.; hide

    2017-01-01

    The international team is promoting the CLASP2 (Chromospheric LAyer Spectro-Polarimeter 2) sounding rocket experiment, which is the re-flight of CLASP (2015). In this second flight, we will refit the existing CLASP instrument to measure all Stokes parameters in Mg II h k lines, and aim at inferring the magnetic field information in the upper chromosphere combining the Hanle and Zeeman effects. CLASP2 project was approved by NASA in December 2016, and is now scheduled to fly in 2019.

  18. KSC-2009-1733

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-02-11

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transporter holding NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, arrives on Launch Complex 576-E. OCO will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. OCO is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 aboard an Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Photo credit: NASA/VAFB

  19. KSC-2009-1732

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-02-11

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transporter holding NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, heads for Launch Complex 576-E. OCO will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. OCO is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 aboard an Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Photo credit: NASA/VAFB

  20. KSC-2009-1731

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-02-11

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- At Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, the transporter holding NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, heads for Launch Complex 576-E. OCO will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. OCO is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 aboard an Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Photo credit: NASA/VAFB

  1. 5 CFR 591.210 - What are weights?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    .... The employment weight is the relative employment population of the survey area compared with the employment population of the COLA area as a whole. OPM uses the number of General Schedule employees in the...

  2. 5 CFR 591.210 - What are weights?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    .... The employment weight is the relative employment population of the survey area compared with the employment population of the COLA area as a whole. OPM uses the number of General Schedule employees in the...

  3. 5 CFR 591.210 - What are weights?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    .... The employment weight is the relative employment population of the survey area compared with the employment population of the COLA area as a whole. OPM uses the number of General Schedule employees in the...

  4. 5 CFR 591.210 - What are weights?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    .... The employment weight is the relative employment population of the survey area compared with the employment population of the COLA area as a whole. OPM uses the number of General Schedule employees in the...

  5. 77 FR 70381 - General Schedule Locality Pay Areas

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-26

    ... based on appropriate factors, which may include local labor market patterns, commuting patterns, and the... Implementation The proposed rule will have no effect on existing locality pay area definitions but will prevent...

  6. [Working time and sleep in nursing staff employed in "3 x 8" and "2 x 12" fast rotating shift schedules].

    PubMed

    Castellini, G; Anelli, M M; Punzi, S; Boari, P; Camerino, D; Costa, G

    2011-01-01

    The study is aimed at assessing, in 200 nurses shift workers, the impact on sleep of two different working areas ("emergency" and "hospitalization") having the same "3 x 8" shift system, and of two different shift schedules at quick rotation ("2 x 12" and "3 x 8") in the same working area ("emergency"). Night and morning shifts prove to interfere to a greater extent with sleep in relation to both "2 x 12" and "3 x 8" shift systems as well as to the two operative areas. Hence the importance to consider in shift work planning, the direction of shift rotation and the length of the duty period according to the type of activity.

  7. Uav for Geodata Acquisition in Agricultureal and Forestal Applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reidelstürz, P.; Schrenk, L.; Littmann, W.

    2011-09-01

    In the field of precision-farming research, solutions are worked out to combine ecological and economical requirements in a harmonic way. Integrating hightech in agricultural machinery, natural differences in the fields (biodiversity) can be detected and considered to economize agricultural resources and to give respect to natural ecological variability at the same time. Using precision farming resources, machining - and labour time can be economized, productivness can be improved, environmental burden can be discharged and documentation of production processes can be improved. To realize precision farming it is essential to make contemporary large scale data of the biodiversity in the field available. In the last years effectual traktor based equipment for real time precision farming applications was developed. Using remote sensing, biomass diversity of the field can be considered while applicating operating ressources economicly. Because these large scale data aquisition depends on expensive tractor based inspections, capable Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) could complement or in special situations even replace such tractor based data aquisition needed for the realization of precision farming strategies. The specific advantages and application slots of UAVs seems to be ideal for the usage in the field of precision farming. For example the size of even large agricultural fields in germany can be managed even by smaller UAVs. Data can be captured spontaneously, promptly, in large scale, with less respect of weather conditions. In agricultural regions UAV flights can be arranged in visual range as actually the legislator requires in germany, especially because the use of autopilotsystems in fact is nessecary to assure regular area-wide data without gaps but not to fly in non-visible regions. Also a minimized risk of hazard is given, flying UAVs over deserted agricultural areas. In a first stage CIS GmbH cooperated with "Institute For Flightsystems" of the University of German Armed Forces in Neubiberg/Munich and the well-established precision farming company "Konsultationszentrum Liepen" to develop an applicable UAV for precision farming purposes. Currently Cis GmbH and Technologie Campus Freyung, with intense contact to the „flying robot"- team of DLR Oberpfaffenhofen, collaborate to optimize the existing UAV and to extend the applications from data aquisition for biomass diversity up to detect the water supply situation in agricultural fields, to support pest management systems as much as to check the possibilities to detect bark beetle attacks in european spruce in an early stage of attack (green attack phase) by constructing and integrating further payload modules with different sensors in the existing UAV airframe. Also effective data processing workflows are to be worked out. Actually in the existing UAV autopilotsystem "piccolo" (cloudcaptech) is integrated and also a replaceable payload module is available, carrying a VIS and a NIR camera to calculate maps of NDVI diversity as indicator of biomass diversity. Further modules with a 6 channel multispectral still camera and with a spectrometer are planned. The airframe's wingspan is about 3,45m weighting 4.2 kg, ready to fly. The hand launchable UAV can start from any place in agricultural regions. The wing is configured with flaps, allowing steep approaches and short landings using a „butterfly" brake configuration. In spite of the lightweight configuration the UAV yet proves its worth under windy baltic wether situations by collecting regular sharp images of fields under wind speed up to 15m/s (Beaufort 6 -7). In further projects the development of further payload modules and a user friendly flight planning tool is scheduled considering different payload - and airframe requirements for different precision farming purposes and forest applications. Data processing and workflow will be optimized. Cooperation with further partners to establish UAV systems in agricultural, forest and geodata aquisition is desired.

  8. PSECMAC intelligent insulin schedule for diabetic blood glucose management under nonmeal announcement.

    PubMed

    Teddy, S D; Quek, C; Lai, E M-K; Cinar, A

    2010-03-01

    Therapeutically, the closed-loop blood glucose-insulin regulation paradigm via a controllable insulin pump offers a potential solution to the management of diabetes. However, the development of such a closed-loop regulatory system to date has been hampered by two main issues: 1) the limited knowledge on the complex human physiological process of glucose-insulin metabolism that prevents a precise modeling of the biological blood glucose control loop; and 2) the vast metabolic biodiversity of the diabetic population due to varying exogneous and endogenous disturbances such as food intake, exercise, stress, and hormonal factors, etc. In addition, current attempts of closed-loop glucose regulatory techniques generally require some form of prior meal announcement and this constitutes a severe limitation to the applicability of such systems. In this paper, we present a novel intelligent insulin schedule based on the pseudo self-evolving cerebellar model articulation controller (PSECMAC) associative learning memory model that emulates the healthy human insulin response to food ingestion. The proposed PSECMAC intelligent insulin schedule requires no prior meal announcement and delivers the necessary insulin dosage based only on the observed blood glucose fluctuations. Using a simulated healthy subject, the proposed PSECMAC insulin schedule is demonstrated to be able to accurately capture the complex human glucose-insulin dynamics and robustly addresses the intraperson metabolic variability. Subsequently, the PSECMAC intelligent insulin schedule is employed on a group of type-1 diabetic patients to regulate their impaired blood glucose levels. Preliminary simulation results are highly encouraging. The work reported in this paper represents a major paradigm shift in the management of diabetes where patient compliance is poor and the need for prior meal announcement under current treatment regimes poses a significant challenge to an active lifestyle.

  9. Geodetic Imaging Lidar: Applications for high-accuracy, large area mapping with NASA's upcoming high-altitude waveform-based airborne laser altimetry Facility

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Blair, J. B.; Rabine, D.; Hofton, M. A.; Citrin, E.; Luthcke, S. B.; Misakonis, A.; Wake, S.

    2015-12-01

    Full waveform laser altimetry has demonstrated its ability to capture highly-accurate surface topography and vertical structure (e.g. vegetation height and structure) even in the most challenging conditions. NASA's high-altitude airborne laser altimeter, LVIS (the Land Vegetation, and Ice Sensor) has produced high-accuracy surface maps over a wide variety of science targets for the last 2 decades. Recently NASA has funded the transition of LVIS into a full-time NASA airborne Facility instrument to increase the amount and quality of the data and to decrease the end-user costs, to expand the utilization and application of this unique sensor capability. Based heavily on the existing LVIS sensor design, the Facility LVIS instrument includes numerous improvements for reliability, resolution, real-time performance monitoring and science products, decreased operational costs, and improved data turnaround time and consistency. The development of this Facility instrument is proceeding well and it is scheduled to begin operations testing in mid-2016. A comprehensive description of the LVIS Facility capability will be presented along with several mission scenarios and science applications examples. The sensor improvements included increased spatial resolution (footprints as small as 5 m), increased range precision (sub-cm single shot range precision), expanded dynamic range, improved detector sensitivity, operational autonomy, real-time flight line tracking, and overall increased reliability and sensor calibration stability. The science customer mission planning and data product interface will be discussed. Science applications of the LVIS Facility include: cryosphere, territorial ecology carbon cycle, hydrology, solid earth and natural hazards, and biodiversity.

  10. Effect of Spatial Titration on Task Performance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glowacki, Lawrence

    1976-01-01

    A reinforcement schedule and spatial titration method were used to determine task-reinforcement area separation most preferred and effective in two third-grade boys. Errors in task performance decreased task-reinforcement area separation, while correct responses in task performance increased task-reinforcement area separation. (Author)

  11. Method of precisely modifying predetermined surface layers of a workpiece by cluster ion impact therewith

    DOEpatents

    Friedman, L.; Beuhler, R.J.; Matthew, M.W.; Ledbetter, M.

    1984-06-25

    A method of precisely modifying a selected area of a workpiece by producing a beam of charged cluster ions that is narrowly mass selected to a predetermined mean size of cluster ions within a range of 25 to 10/sup 6/ atoms per cluster ion, and accelerated in a beam to a critical velocity. The accelerated beam is used to impact a selected area of an outer surface of the workpiece at a preselected rate of impacts of cluster ions/cm/sup 2//sec in order to effect a precise modification in that selected area of the workpiece.

  12. Method of precisely modifying predetermined surface layers of a workpiece by cluster ion impact therewith

    DOEpatents

    Friedman, Lewis; Buehler, Robert J.; Matthew, Michael W.; Ledbetter, Myron

    1985-01-01

    A method of precisely modifying a selected area of a workpiece by producing a beam of charged cluster ions that is narrowly mass selected to a predetermined mean size of cluster ions within a range of 25 to 10.sup.6 atoms per cluster ion, and accelerated in a beam to a critical velocity. The accelerated beam is used to impact a selected area of an outer surface of the workpiece at a preselected rate of impacts of cluster ions/cm.sup.2 /sec. in order to effect a precise modification in that selected area of the workpiece.

  13. An Improved Memetic Algorithm for Break Scheduling

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Widl, Magdalena; Musliu, Nysret

    In this paper we consider solving a complex real life break scheduling problem. This problem of high practical relevance arises in many working areas, e.g. in air traffic control and other fields where supervision personnel is working. The objective is to assign breaks to employees such that various constraints reflecting legal demands or ergonomic criteria are satisfied and staffing requirement violations are minimised.

  14. 5 CFR 532.203 - Structure of regular wage schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... grade; (3) NA means a nonappropriated fund nonsupervisory grade; and (4) NL means a nonappropriated fund... schedule for the area, plus 20 percent of the rate for step 2 of NA-8; (2) For grades NS-9 through NS-15... percent, respectively, above the step 2 rate of NA-15; (f) The number of within-grade steps and the...

  15. 49 CFR Appendix D to Part 37 - Construction and Interpretation of Provisions of 49 CFR Part 37

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... service is fixed route, from the train station to a few points in the metropolitan area, with a schedule keyed to the train schedule. It would be regarded as commuter bus service, meaning that accessible... TRANSPORTATION SERVICES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES (ADA) Pt. 37, App. D Appendix D to Part 37—Construction...

  16. Spatial analysis of fuel treatment options for chaparral on the Angeles national forest

    Treesearch

    G. Jones; J. Chew; R. Silverstein; C. Stalling; J. Sullivan; J. Troutwine; D. Weise; D. Garwood

    2008-01-01

    Spatial fuel treatment schedules were developed for the chaparral vegetation type on the Angeles National Forest using the Multi-resource Analysis and Geographic Information System (MAGIS). Schedules varied by the priority given to various wildland urban interface areas and the general forest, as well as by the number of acres treated per decade. The effectiveness of...

  17. Medicare program; replacement of reasonable charge methodology by fee schedules for parenteral and enteral nutrients, equipment, and supplies. Final rule.

    PubMed

    2001-08-28

    This final rule implements fee schedules for payment of parenteral and enteral nutrition (PEN) items and services furnished under the prosthetic device benefit, defined in section 1861(s)(8) of the Social Security Act. The authority for establishing these fee schedules is provided by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, which amended the Social Security Act at section 1842(s). Section 1842(s) of the Social Security Act specifies that statewide or other area wide fee schedules may be implemented for the following items and services still subject to the reasonable charge payment methodology: medical supplies; home dialysis supplies and equipment; therapeutic shoes; parenteral and enteral nutrients, equipment, and supplies; electromyogram devices; salivation devices; blood products; and transfusion medicine. This final rule describes changes made to the proposed fee schedule payment methodology for these items and services and provides that the fee schedules for PEN items and services are effective for all covered items and services furnished on or after January 1, 2002. Fee schedules will not be implemented for electromyogram devices and salivation devices at this time since these items are not covered by Medicare. In addition, fee schedules will not be implemented for medical supplies, home dialysis supplies and equipment, therapeutic shoes, blood products, and transfusion medicine at this time since the data required to establish these fee schedules are inadequate.

  18. An on-time power-aware scheduling scheme for medical sensor SoC-based WBAN systems.

    PubMed

    Hwang, Tae-Ho; Kim, Dong-Sun; Kim, Jung-Guk

    2012-12-27

    The focus of many leading technologies in the field of medical sensor systems is on low power consumption and robust data transmission. For example, the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), which is used to maintain the heart in a healthy state, requires a reliable wireless communication scheme with an extremely low duty-cycle, high bit rate, and energy-efficient media access protocols. Because such devices must be sustained for over 5 years without access to battery replacement, they must be designed to have extremely low power consumption in sleep mode. Here, an on-time, energy-efficient scheduling scheme is proposed that performs power adjustments to minimize the sleep-mode current. The novelty of this scheduler is that it increases the determinacy of power adjustment and the predictability of scheduling by employing non-pre-emptible dual priority scheduling. This predictable scheduling also guarantees the punctuality of important periodic tasks based on their serialization, by using their worst case execution time) and the power consumption optimization. The scheduler was embedded into a system on chip (SoC) developed to support the wireless body area network-a wakeup-radio and wakeup-timer for implantable medical devices. This scheduling system is validated by the experimental results of its performance when used with life-time extensions of ICD devices.

  19. An On-Time Power-Aware Scheduling Scheme for Medical Sensor SoC-Based WBAN Systems

    PubMed Central

    Hwang, Tae-Ho; Kim, Dong-Sun; Kim, Jung-Guk

    2013-01-01

    The focus of many leading technologies in the field of medical sensor systems is on low power consumption and robust data transmission. For example, the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), which is used to maintain the heart in a healthy state, requires a reliable wireless communication scheme with an extremely low duty-cycle, high bit rate, and energy-efficient media access protocols. Because such devices must be sustained for over 5 years without access to battery replacement, they must be designed to have extremely low power consumption in sleep mode. Here, an on-time, energy-efficient scheduling scheme is proposed that performs power adjustments to minimize the sleep-mode current. The novelty of this scheduler is that it increases the determinacy of power adjustment and the predictability of scheduling by employing non-pre-emptible dual priority scheduling. This predictable scheduling also guarantees the punctuality of important periodic tasks based on their serialization, by using their worst case execution time) and the power consumption optimization. The scheduler was embedded into a system on chip (SoC) developed to support the wireless body area network—a wakeup-radio and wakeup-timer for implantable medical devices. This scheduling system is validated by the experimental results of its performance when used with life-time extensions of ICD devices. PMID:23271602

  20. Indianapolis Area ITS Early Deployment Plan Final Report

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1996-07-01

    PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP, TRAFFIC SIGNAL CONTROL, REGIONAL MULTIMODAL TRAVEL INFORMATION, ADVANCED RURAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS OR ARTS : THIS DOCUMENT LAYS OUT A 20-YEAR SCHEDULE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF ITS IN THE INDIANAPOLIS AREA. THE REPOR...

  1. 7 CFR 305.6 - Methyl bromide fumigation treatment schedules.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ..., fumigation with methyl bromide for sapote fruit fly. Regulated citrus fruits originating inside an area quarantined for sapote fruit fly that are to be moved outside the quarantined area may be treated with methyl...

  2. Special Opportunities for Highly Sampled Areas

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Knox, Robert G.

    2010-01-01

    This slide presentation reviews the coverage areas for the two instruments that are scheduled to be on board the HyspIRI mission, (i.e.,visible to short wave infrared (VSWIR) and a multispectral thermal infrared (TIR) imager.)

  3. Video conferencing made easy

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Larsen, D. Gail; Schwieder, Paul R.

    1993-01-01

    Network video conferencing is advancing rapidly throughout the nation, and the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), a Department of Energy (DOE) facility, is at the forefront of the development. Engineers at INEL/EG&G designed and installed a very unique DOE videoconferencing system, offering many outstanding features, that include true multipoint conferencing, user-friendly design and operation with no full-time operators required, and the potential for cost effective expansion of the system. One area where INEL/EG&G engineers made a significant contribution to video conferencing was in the development of effective, user-friendly, end station driven scheduling software. A PC at each user site is used to schedule conferences via a windows package. This software interface provides information to the users concerning conference availability, scheduling, initiation, and termination. The menus are 'mouse' controlled. Once a conference is scheduled, a workstation at the hubs monitors the network to initiate all scheduled conferences. No active operator participation is required once a user schedules a conference through the local PC; the workstation automatically initiates and terminates the conference as scheduled. As each conference is scheduled, hard copy notification is also printed at each participating site. Video conferencing is the wave of the future. The use of these user-friendly systems will save millions in lost productivity and travel cost throughout the nation. The ease of operation and conference scheduling will play a key role on the extent industry uses this new technology. The INEL/EG&G has developed a prototype scheduling system for both commercial and federal government use.

  4. Video conferencing made easy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Larsen, D. Gail; Schwieder, Paul R.

    1993-02-01

    Network video conferencing is advancing rapidly throughout the nation, and the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), a Department of Energy (DOE) facility, is at the forefront of the development. Engineers at INEL/EG&G designed and installed a very unique DOE videoconferencing system, offering many outstanding features, that include true multipoint conferencing, user-friendly design and operation with no full-time operators required, and the potential for cost effective expansion of the system. One area where INEL/EG&G engineers made a significant contribution to video conferencing was in the development of effective, user-friendly, end station driven scheduling software. A PC at each user site is used to schedule conferences via a windows package. This software interface provides information to the users concerning conference availability, scheduling, initiation, and termination. The menus are 'mouse' controlled. Once a conference is scheduled, a workstation at the hubs monitors the network to initiate all scheduled conferences. No active operator participation is required once a user schedules a conference through the local PC; the workstation automatically initiates and terminates the conference as scheduled. As each conference is scheduled, hard copy notification is also printed at each participating site. Video conferencing is the wave of the future. The use of these user-friendly systems will save millions in lost productivity and travel cost throughout the nation. The ease of operation and conference scheduling will play a key role on the extent industry uses this new technology. The INEL/EG&G has developed a prototype scheduling system for both commercial and federal government use.

  5. Video conferencing made easy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Larsen, D. G.; Schwieder, P. R.

    Network video conferencing is advancing rapidly throughout the nation, and the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL), a Department of Energy (DOE) facility, is at the forefront of the development. Engineers at INEL/EG&G designed and installed a very unique DOE video conferencing system, offering many outstanding features, that include true multipoint conferencing, user-friendly design and operation with no full-time operators required, and the potential for cost effective expansion of the system. One area where INEL/EG&G engineers made a significant contribution to video conferencing was in the development of effective, user-friendly, end station driven scheduling software. A PC at each user site is used to schedule conferences via a windows package. This software interface provides information to the users concerning conference availability, scheduling, initiation, and termination. The menus are 'mouse' controlled. Once a conference is scheduled, a workstation at the hub monitors the network to initiate all scheduled conferences. No active operator participation is required once a user schedules a conference through the local PC; the workstation automatically initiates and terminates the conference as scheduled. As each conference is scheduled, hard copy notification is also printed at each participating site. Video conferencing is the wave of the future. The use of these user-friendly systems will save millions in lost productivity and travel costs throughout the nation. The ease of operation and conference scheduling will play a key role on the extent industry uses this new technology. The INEL/EG&G has developed a prototype scheduling system for both commercial and federal government use.

  6. Pooled analysis of two randomized, open-label studies comparing the effects of nomegestrol acetate/17β-estradiol and drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol on bleeding patterns in healthy women.

    PubMed

    Mansour, Diana; Westhoff, Carolyn; Kher, Uma; Korver, Tjeerd

    2017-04-01

    To obtain more precise and detailed information regarding the bleeding patterns of nomegestrol acetate (NOMAC)/17β-estradiol (E2) and drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol (DRSP/EE) and to identify whether baseline demographic characteristics were associated with unscheduled bleeding, absent scheduled bleeding, or amenorrhea. This analysis pooled results from two pivotal open-label, randomized trials that compared bleeding patterns of NOMAC/E2 and DRSP/EE. In the two studies 4317 women aged 18-50 years from 24 countries across the Americas, Europe, and Asia underwent treatment. 2835 women taking NOMAC/E2 (2.5 mg/1.5 mg) in a 24/4-day regimen and 938 women taking DRSP/EE (3 mg/30 μg) in a 21/7-day regimen had at least 1 evaluable cycle for vaginal bleeding analyses. The frequency of absent scheduled bleeding was higher (p<.0001) for women using NOMAC/E2 than DRSP/EE across all 11 cycles (cycles 2-12), ranging between 17.6% and 31.6% and between 3.4% and 5.8%, respectively. For women who had absent scheduled bleeding in cycles 2, 3, or 4 the incidence of absent scheduled bleeding in subsequent cycles was high and ranged between approximately 50%-60% for NOMAC/E2 and approximately 40%-50% for DRSP/EE. Amenorrhea increased over time with both regimens, being higher with NOMAC/E2. Both absent scheduled bleeding and amenorrhea with NOMAC/E2 were more common in older women, overweight women, switchers, and smokers; unscheduled bleeding was more common in starters, but had no association with age, body mass index, and smoking. NOMAC/E2 is associated with a higher prevalence of absent scheduled bleeding compared with DRSP/EE. Absent scheduled bleeding and amenorrhea were associated with age, body weight, switching and smoking. Unscheduled bleeding was more common in starters. Information about the factors associated with bleeding patterns may help clinicians provide guidance to women considering use of the NOMAC/E2 oral contraceptive. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. 5 CFR 531.603 - Locality pay areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Locality pay areas. 531.603 Section 531.603 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PAY UNDER THE GENERAL SCHEDULE Locality-Based Comparability Payments § 531.603 Locality pay areas. (a) Locality rates of...

  8. 41 CFR Appendix E to Chapter 301 - Suggested Guidance for Conference Planning

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ..., and logistics, e.g., schedule, exhibits, speaker. • Making suggestions as to who should attend...). • Registration instructions. • Registration deadline date. • Detailed area map and driving instructions.... • Identify designated smoking areas. • Special events. • Message center information. • Area map. • Other...

  9. 41 CFR Appendix E to Chapter 301 - Suggested Guidance for Conference Planning

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ..., and logistics, e.g., schedule, exhibits, speaker. • Making suggestions as to who should attend...). • Registration instructions. • Registration deadline date. • Detailed area map and driving instructions.... • Identify designated smoking areas. • Special events. • Message center information. • Area map. • Other...

  10. 76 FR 58805 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-09-22

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF11-10-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on September 7, 2011, the Western Area Power Administration submitted its Rate Order No. WAPA-155 and certain Rate Schedules concerning formula rates...

  11. 77 FR 65546 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-10-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF11-7-000] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on July 14, 2011, Western Area Power Administration submitted its revised version of its Tariff Title for the Western Rate Schedules database, to be...

  12. 77 FR 65545 - Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-10-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. EF11-7-001] Western Area Power Administration; Notice of Filing Take notice that on August 13, 2012, Western Area Power Administration submitted its revised version of its Western Rate Schedules, to be effective October 1, 2012. Any...

  13. Accuracy or precision: Implications of sample design and methodology on abundance estimation

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Kowalewski, Lucas K.; Chizinski, Christopher J.; Powell, Larkin A.; Pope, Kevin L.; Pegg, Mark A.

    2015-01-01

    Sampling by spatially replicated counts (point-count) is an increasingly popular method of estimating population size of organisms. Challenges exist when sampling by point-count method, and it is often impractical to sample entire area of interest and impossible to detect every individual present. Ecologists encounter logistical limitations that force them to sample either few large-sample units or many small sample-units, introducing biases to sample counts. We generated a computer environment and simulated sampling scenarios to test the role of number of samples, sample unit area, number of organisms, and distribution of organisms in the estimation of population sizes using N-mixture models. Many sample units of small area provided estimates that were consistently closer to true abundance than sample scenarios with few sample units of large area. However, sample scenarios with few sample units of large area provided more precise abundance estimates than abundance estimates derived from sample scenarios with many sample units of small area. It is important to consider accuracy and precision of abundance estimates during the sample design process with study goals and objectives fully recognized, although and with consequence, consideration of accuracy and precision of abundance estimates is often an afterthought that occurs during the data analysis process.

  14. 75 FR 34923 - General Schedule Locality Pay Areas

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-06-21

    ...;Prices of new books are listed in the first FEDERAL REGISTER issue of each #0;week. #0; #0; #0; #0;#0... area to the New York locality pay area. We received no comments on the interim rule and adopt the final... Philadelphia locality pay area while Lakehurst, in Ocean County, New Jersey, was in the New York locality pay...

  15. Precision Cleaning - Path to Premier

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mackler, Scott E.

    2008-01-01

    ITT Space Systems Division s new Precision Cleaning facility provides critical cleaning and packaging of aerospace flight hardware and optical payloads to meet customer performance requirements. The Precision Cleaning Path to Premier Project was a 2007 capital project and is a key element in the approved Premier Resource Management - Integrated Supply Chain Footprint Optimization Project. Formerly precision cleaning was located offsite in a leased building. A new facility equipped with modern precision cleaning equipment including advanced process analytical technology and improved capabilities was designed and built after outsourcing solutions were investigated and found lacking in ability to meet quality specifications and schedule needs. SSD cleans parts that can range in size from a single threaded fastener all the way up to large composite structures. Materials that can be processed include optics, composites, metals and various high performance coatings. We are required to provide verification to our customers that we have met their particulate and molecular cleanliness requirements and we have that analytical capability in this new facility. The new facility footprint is approximately half the size of the former leased operation and provides double the amount of throughput. Process improvements and new cleaning equipment are projected to increase 1st pass yield from 78% to 98% avoiding $300K+/yr in rework costs. Cost avoidance of $350K/yr will result from elimination of rent, IT services, transportation, and decreased utility costs. Savings due to reduced staff expected to net $4-500K/yr.

  16. Approximal sealings on lesions in neighbouring teeth requiring operative treatment: an in vitro study.

    PubMed

    Cartagena, Alvaro; Bakhshandeh, Azam; Ekstrand, Kim Rud

    2018-02-07

    With this in vitro study we aimed to assess the possibility of precise application of sealant on accessible artificial white spot lesions (WSL) on approximal surfaces next to a tooth surface under operative treatment. A secondary aim was to evaluate whether the use of magnifying glasses improved the application precision. Fifty-six extracted premolars were selected, approximal WSL lesions were created with 15% HCl gel and standardized photographs were taken. The premolars were mounted in plaster-models in contact with a neighbouring molar with Class II/I-II restoration (Sample 1) or approximal, cavitated dentin lesion (Sample 2). The restorations or the lesion were removed, and Clinpro Sealant was placed over the WSL. Magnifying glasses were used when sealing half the study material. The sealed premolar was removed from the plaster-model and photographed. Adobe Photoshop was used to measure the size of WSL and sealed area. The degree of match between the areas was determined in Photoshop. Interclass agreement for WSL, sealed, and matched areas were found as excellent (κ = 0.98-0.99). The sealant covered 48-100% of the WSL-area (median = 93%) in Sample 1 and 68-100% of the WSL-area (median = 95%) in Sample 2. No statistical differences were observed concerning uncovered proportions of the WSL-area between groups with and without using magnifying glasses (p values ≥ .19). However, overextended sealed areas were more pronounced when magnification was used (p = .01). The precision did not differ between the samples (p = .31). It was possible to seal accessible approximal lesions with high precision. Use of magnifying glasses did not improve the precision.

  17. Problems of Education of Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes: A Case Study in Kolkata and Surroundings and Medinipur and Surrounding Areas

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ghosh, Bhola Nath

    2011-01-01

    Education is an important aspect of human resource development. Imparting of education leads to the improvement of understanding, perception, attitude and efficiency of working population. Education has been considered as a lever to raise one's position in the society as well as a tool to fight against poverty and ignorance. Since the independence…

  18. A&M. TAN633. Hot cell floor plans, elevations, sections. Hole schedule ...

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

    A&M. TAN-633. Hot cell floor plans, elevations, sections. Hole schedule (penetrations through concrete). Swing-door details. Ralph M. Parsons 1229-13-ANP/GE-3-633-A-3. Date: December 1956. Approved by INEEL Classification Office for public release. INNEL index code no. 034-0633-00-693-107317 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Area North, Scoville, Butte County, ID

  19. Assignment Scheduling Capability for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles - A Discrete Event Simulation with Optimization in the Loop Approach to Solving a Scheduling Problem

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-12-01

    APPROACH As mentioned previously, ASCU does not use simulation in the traditional manner. Instead, it uses simulation to transition and capture the state...0 otherwise (by a heuristic discussed below). • Let cja = The reward for a UAV with sensor pack- age j being assigned to mission area a from the

  20. A Novel Energy Efficient Topology Control Scheme Based on a Coverage-Preserving and Sleep Scheduling Model for Sensor Networks

    PubMed Central

    Shi, Binbin; Wei, Wei; Wang, Yihuai; Shu, Wanneng

    2016-01-01

    In high-density sensor networks, scheduling some sensor nodes to be in the sleep mode while other sensor nodes remain active for monitoring or forwarding packets is an effective control scheme to conserve energy. In this paper, a Coverage-Preserving Control Scheduling Scheme (CPCSS) based on a cloud model and redundancy degree in sensor networks is proposed. Firstly, the normal cloud model is adopted for calculating the similarity degree between the sensor nodes in terms of their historical data, and then all nodes in each grid of the target area can be classified into several categories. Secondly, the redundancy degree of a node is calculated according to its sensing area being covered by the neighboring sensors. Finally, a centralized approximation algorithm based on the partition of the target area is designed to obtain the approximate minimum set of nodes, which can retain the sufficient coverage of the target region and ensure the connectivity of the network at the same time. The simulation results show that the proposed CPCSS can balance the energy consumption and optimize the coverage performance of the sensor network. PMID:27754405

  1. A Novel Energy Efficient Topology Control Scheme Based on a Coverage-Preserving and Sleep Scheduling Model for Sensor Networks.

    PubMed

    Shi, Binbin; Wei, Wei; Wang, Yihuai; Shu, Wanneng

    2016-10-14

    In high-density sensor networks, scheduling some sensor nodes to be in the sleep mode while other sensor nodes remain active for monitoring or forwarding packets is an effective control scheme to conserve energy. In this paper, a Coverage-Preserving Control Scheduling Scheme (CPCSS) based on a cloud model and redundancy degree in sensor networks is proposed. Firstly, the normal cloud model is adopted for calculating the similarity degree between the sensor nodes in terms of their historical data, and then all nodes in each grid of the target area can be classified into several categories. Secondly, the redundancy degree of a node is calculated according to its sensing area being covered by the neighboring sensors. Finally, a centralized approximation algorithm based on the partition of the target area is designed to obtain the approximate minimum set of nodes, which can retain the sufficient coverage of the target region and ensure the connectivity of the network at the same time. The simulation results show that the proposed CPCSS can balance the energy consumption and optimize the coverage performance of the sensor network.

  2. Assessment of Delivery Accuracy in an Operational-Like Environment

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sharma, Shivanjli; Wynnyk, Mitch

    2016-01-01

    In order to enable arrival management concepts and solutions in a Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) environment, ground-based sequencing and scheduling functions were developed to support metering operations in the National Airspace System. These sequencing and scheduling tools are designed to assist air traffic controllers in developing an overall arrival strategy, from enroute down to the terminal area boundary. NASA developed a ground system concept and protoype capability called Terminal Sequencing and Spacing (TSAS) to extend metering operations into the terminal area to the runway. To demonstrate the use of these scheduling and spacing tools in an operational-like environment, the FAA, NASA, and MITRE conducted an Operational Integration Assessment (OIA) of a prototype TSAS system at the FAA's William J. Hughes Technical Center (WJHTC). This paper presents an analysis of the arrival management strategies utilized and delivery accuracy achieved during the OIA. The analysis demonstrates how en route preconditioning, in various forms, and schedule disruptions impact delivery accuracy. As the simulation spanned both enroute and terminal airspace, the use of Ground Interval Management - Spacing (GIM-S) enroute speed advisories was investigated. Delivery accuracy was measured as the difference between the Scheduled Time of Arrival (STA) and the Actual Time of Arrival (ATA). The delivery accuracy was computed across all runs conducted during the OIA, which included deviations from nominal operations which are known to commonly occur in real operations, such as schedule changes and missed approaches. Overall, 83% of all flights were delivered into the terminal airspace within +/- 30 seconds of their STA and 94% of flights were delivered within +/- 60 seconds. The meter fix delivery accuracy standard deviation was found to be between 36 and 55 seconds across all arrival procedures. The data also showed when schedule disruptions were excluded, the percentage of aircraft delivered within +/- 30 seconds was between 85 and 90% across the various arrival procedures at the meter fix. This paper illustrates the ability to meet new delivery accuracy requirements in an operational-like environment using operational systems and NATCA controller participants, while also including common events that might cause disruptions to the schedule and overall system.

  3. Gravity Probe B: Testing Einstein with Gyroscopes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Geveden, Rex D.; May, Todd

    2003-01-01

    Some 40 years in the making, NASA' s historic Gravity Probe B (GP-B) mission is scheduled to launch aboard a Delta II in 2003. GP-B will test two extraordinary predictions from Einstein's General Relativity: geodetic precession and the Lense-Thirring effect (frame-dragging). Employing tiny, ultra-precise gyroscopes, GP-B features a measurement accuracy of 0.5 milli-arc-seconds per year. The extraordinary measurement precision is made possible by a host of breakthrough technologies, including electro-statically suspended, super-conducting quartz gyroscopes; virtual elimination of magnetic flux; a solid quartz star tracking telescope; helium microthrusters for drag-free control of the spacecraft; and a 2400 liter superfluid helium dewar. This paper will provide an overview of the science, key technologies, flight hardware, integration and test, and flight operations of the GP-B space vehicle. It will also examine some of the technical management challenges of a large-scale, technology-driven, Principal Investigator-led mission.

  4. Gravity Probe B: Testing Einstein with Gyroscopes

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Geveden, Rex D.; May, Todd

    2003-01-01

    Some 40 years in the making, NASA s historic Gravity Probe B (GP-B) mission is scheduled to launch aboard a Delta I1 in 2003. GP-B will test two extraordinary predictions from Einstein s General Relativity: geodetic precession and the Lense-Thirring effect (frame-dragging). Employing tiny, ultra-precise gyroscopes, GP-B features a measurement accuracy of 0.5 milli-arc-seconds per year. The extraordinary measurement precision is made possible by a host of breakthrough technologies, including electro-statically suspended, super-conducting quartz gyroscopes; virtual elimination of magnetic flux; a solid quartz star- tracking telescope; helium microthrusters for drag-free control of the spacecraft; and a 2400 liter superfluid helium dewar. This paper will provide an overview of the science, key technologies, flight hardware, integration and test, and flight operations of the GP-B space vehicle. It will also examine some of the technical management challenges of a large-scale, technology-driven, Principal Investigator-led mission.

  5. On the Feasibility of Intense Radial Velocity Surveys for Earth-twin Discoveries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hall, Richard D.; Thompson, Samantha J.; Handley, Will; Queloz, Didier

    2018-06-01

    This work assesses the potential capability of the next generation of high-precision Radial Velocity (RV) instruments for Earth-twin exoplanet detection. From the perspective of the importance of data sampling, the Terra Hunting Experiment aims to do this through an intense series of nightly RV observations over a long baseline on a carefully selected target list, via the brand-new instrument HARPS3. This paper describes an end-to-end simulation of generating and processing such data to help us better understand the impact of uncharacterised stellar noise in the recovery of Earth-mass planets with orbital periods of the order of many months. We consider full Keplerian systems, realistic simulated stellar noise, instrument white noise, and location-specific weather patterns for our observation schedules. We use Bayesian statistics to assess various planetary models fitted to the synthetic data, and compare the successful planet recovery of the Terra Hunting Experiment schedule with a typical reference survey. We find that the Terra Hunting Experiment can detect Earth-twins in the habitable zones of solar-type stars, in single and multi-planet systems, and in the presence of stellar signals. Also that it out-performs a typical reference survey on accuracy of recovered parameters, and that it performs comparably to an uninterrupted space-based schedule.

  6. Generating effective project scheduling heuristics by abstraction and reconstitution

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Janakiraman, Bhaskar; Prieditis, Armand

    1992-01-01

    A project scheduling problem consists of a finite set of jobs, each with fixed integer duration, requiring one or more resources such as personnel or equipment, and each subject to a set of precedence relations, which specify allowable job orderings, and a set of mutual exclusion relations, which specify jobs that cannot overlap. No job can be interrupted once started. The objective is to minimize project duration. This objective arises in nearly every large construction project--from software to hardware to buildings. Because such project scheduling problems are NP-hard, they are typically solved by branch-and-bound algorithms. In these algorithms, lower-bound duration estimates (admissible heuristics) are used to improve efficiency. One way to obtain an admissible heuristic is to remove (abstract) all resources and mutual exclusion constraints and then obtain the minimal project duration for the abstracted problem; this minimal duration is the admissible heuristic. Although such abstracted problems can be solved efficiently, they yield inaccurate admissible heuristics precisely because those constraints that are central to solving the original problem are abstracted. This paper describes a method to reconstitute the abstracted constraints back into the solution to the abstracted problem while maintaining efficiency, thereby generating better admissible heuristics. Our results suggest that reconstitution can make good admissible heuristics even better.

  7. The Dynamic Planner: The Sequencer, Scheduler, and Runway Allocator for Air Traffic Control Automation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wong, Gregory L.; Denery, Dallas (Technical Monitor)

    2000-01-01

    The Dynamic Planner (DP) has been designed, implemented, and integrated into the Center-TRACON Automation System (CTAS) to assist Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs), in real time, with the task of planning and scheduling arrival traffic approximately 35 to 200 nautical miles from the destination airport. The TMC may input to the DP a series of current and future scheduling constraints that reflect the operation and environmental conditions of the airspace. Under these constraints, the DP uses flight plans, track updates, and Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) predictions to calculate optimal runway assignments and arrival schedules that help ensure an orderly, efficient, and conflict-free flow of traffic into the terminal area. These runway assignments and schedules can be shown directly to controllers or they can be used by other CTAS tools to generate advisories to the controllers. Additionally, the TMC and controllers may override the decisions made by the DP for tactical considerations. The DP will adapt to computations to accommodate these manual inputs.

  8. Basic Features of Customer Satisfaction with Train Schedules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Murakoshi, Akiko; Kunimatsu, Taketoshi; Saito, Ayano

    This paper aims to reveal the fundamental features of customer satisfaction with train schedules, which is one of the most basic services provided by a railway company. A customer satisfaction survey of passengers who frequently utilize three lines in the metropolitan area was conducted; we obtained the following findings: (a) out of nine factors to evaluate a train schedule from a passenger's viewpoint, the four most important ones are the frequency of trains running, punctuality, congestion rate, and time distance; (b) the ride-frequency influences the degree of satisfaction with train schedules in a particular line; and (c) it is important to set a numeric goal for the level of customer satisfaction by grasping the relationship between the transport service and a passenger's satisfaction with that service. The difference between customer satisfaction and passenger disutility is also discussed. The findings are expected to help conduct customer satisfaction surveys and also to form the basis for establishing a method by which to evaluate a train schedule from passengers' satisfaction ratings.

  9. Quantifying Scheduling Challenges for Exascale System Software

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

    Mondragon, Oscar; Bridges, Patrick G.; Jones, Terry R

    2015-01-01

    The move towards high-performance computing (HPC) ap- plications comprised of coupled codes and the need to dra- matically reduce data movement is leading to a reexami- nation of time-sharing vs. space-sharing in HPC systems. In this paper, we discuss and begin to quantify the perfor- mance impact of a move away from strict space-sharing of nodes for HPC applications. Specifically, we examine the po- tential performance cost of time-sharing nodes between ap- plication components, we determine whether a simple coor- dinated scheduling mechanism can address these problems, and we research how suitable simple constraint-based opti- mization techniques are for solvingmore » scheduling challenges in this regime. Our results demonstrate that current general- purpose HPC system software scheduling and resource al- location systems are subject to significant performance de- ciencies which we quantify for six representative applica- tions. Based on these results, we discuss areas in which ad- ditional research is needed to meet the scheduling challenges of next-generation HPC systems.« less

  10. How Heterogeneity Affects the Design of Hadoop MapReduce Schedulers: A State-of-the-Art Survey and Challenges.

    PubMed

    Pandey, Vaibhav; Saini, Poonam

    2018-06-01

    MapReduce (MR) computing paradigm and its open source implementation Hadoop have become a de facto standard to process big data in a distributed environment. Initially, the Hadoop system was homogeneous in three significant aspects, namely, user, workload, and cluster (hardware). However, with growing variety of MR jobs and inclusion of different configurations of nodes in the existing cluster, heterogeneity has become an essential part of Hadoop systems. The heterogeneity factors adversely affect the performance of a Hadoop scheduler and limit the overall throughput of the system. To overcome this problem, various heterogeneous Hadoop schedulers have been proposed in the literature. Existing survey works in this area mostly cover homogeneous schedulers and classify them on the basis of quality of service parameters they optimize. Hence, there is a need to study the heterogeneous Hadoop schedulers on the basis of various heterogeneity factors considered by them. In this survey article, we first discuss different heterogeneity factors that typically exist in a Hadoop system and then explore various challenges that arise while designing the schedulers in the presence of such heterogeneity. Afterward, we present the comparative study of heterogeneous scheduling algorithms available in the literature and classify them by the previously said heterogeneity factors. Lastly, we investigate different methods and environment used for evaluation of discussed Hadoop schedulers.

  11. A new parallel DNA algorithm to solve the task scheduling problem based on inspired computational model.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhaocai; Ji, Zuwen; Wang, Xiaoming; Wu, Tunhua; Huang, Wei

    2017-12-01

    As a promising approach to solve the computationally intractable problem, the method based on DNA computing is an emerging research area including mathematics, computer science and molecular biology. The task scheduling problem, as a well-known NP-complete problem, arranges n jobs to m individuals and finds the minimum execution time of last finished individual. In this paper, we use a biologically inspired computational model and describe a new parallel algorithm to solve the task scheduling problem by basic DNA molecular operations. In turn, we skillfully design flexible length DNA strands to represent elements of the allocation matrix, take appropriate biological experiment operations and get solutions of the task scheduling problem in proper length range with less than O(n 2 ) time complexity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  12. Optimization of scheduling system for plant watering using electric cars in agro techno park

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Oktavia Adiwijaya, Nelly; Herlambang, Yudha; Slamin

    2018-04-01

    Agro Techno Park in University of Jember is a special area used for the development of agriculture, livestock and fishery. In this plantation, the process of watering the plants is according to the frequency of each plant needs. This research develops the optimization of plant watering scheduling system using edge coloring of graph. This research was conducted in 3 stages, namely, data collection phase, analysis phase, and system development stage. The collected data was analyzed and then converted into a graph by using bipartite adjacency matrix representation. The development phase is conducted to build a web-based watering schedule optimization system. The result of this research showed that the schedule system is optimal because it can maximize the use of all electric cars to water the plants and minimize the number of idle cars.

  13. NASA records retention schedules: Procedures governing the retention, retirement, and destruction of agency records

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1994-01-01

    This handbook sets forth the minimum retention periods of official records of NASA. Its provisions are applicable to NASA Headquarters and all field installations. This revised edition has been correlated to the 'NASA Uniform Files Index (UFI) (NHB 1442.1B), the General Records Schedules' produced by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), and has been enlarged in scope to cover Privacy Act Systems of Records and record series previously omitted. Guidance is provided in the areas of record retirement, transfer, and retrieval from Federal Record Centers (FRC) and disposal actions. Included are provisions for making changes to these schedules by addition of new items or revision of current items. The NASA Records Retention Schedules (NRRS) were approved for NASA use by NARA, the General Services Administration, and the General Accounting Office.

  14. 41 CFR Appendix E to Chapter 301 - Suggested Guidance for Conference Planning

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... logistics, e.g., schedule, exhibits, speaker. • Making suggestions as to who should attend. • Serving as... date. • Detailed area map and driving instructions. • Information on traffic patterns to avoid rush... designated smoking areas. • Special events. • Message center information. • Area map. • Other pertinent...

  15. 5 CFR 531.603 - Locality pay areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 5 Administrative Personnel 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Locality pay areas. 531.603 Section 531.603 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS PAY UNDER THE GENERAL SCHEDULE Locality-Based Comparability Payments § 531.603 Locality pay areas. (a) Locality rates of pay under this subpart shall be payable to...

  16. 7 CFR 51.45 - Fees and charges at shipping point areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Fees and charges at shipping point areas. 51.45 Section 51.45 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE..., AND STANDARDS) Regulations 1 Schedule of Fees and Charges at Shipping Point Areas § 51.45 Fees and...

  17. 7 CFR 51.45 - Fees and charges at shipping point areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Fees and charges at shipping point areas. 51.45 Section 51.45 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE..., AND STANDARDS) Regulations 1 Schedule of Fees and Charges at Shipping Point Areas § 51.45 Fees and...

  18. 7 CFR 51.45 - Fees and charges at shipping point areas.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 7 Agriculture 2 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Fees and charges at shipping point areas. 51.45 Section 51.45 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE..., AND STANDARDS) Regulations 1 Schedule of Fees and Charges at Shipping Point Areas § 51.45 Fees and...

  19. The Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Perceptions of Different Literacy Types among College Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bui, Ngoc H.

    2017-01-01

    Studies on reading literacy have yet to connect how students perceive the importance of different literacy areas to their ability perception in those areas. This article analyzes students' importance ranking of four different areas of literacy: prose (comprehending written information), document (interpreting information in forms, schedules,…

  20. Systems Analysis of Rapid Transit Underground Construction : Volume 2. Sections 6-9 and Appendixes.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1974-12-01

    Three San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) projects and two Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) projects are analyzed with respect to time schedules, costs, and sensitivity to physical and institutional controls. These data ...

  1. Dynamic optimization of cargo movement by trucks in metropolitan areas with adjacent ports

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2002-06-01

    Today, in the trucking industry, dispatchers perform the tasks of cargo assignment, and driver scheduling. The growing number of containers processed at marine centers and the increasing traffic congestion in metropolitan areas adjacent to marine por...

  2. Problem area descriptions : motor vehicle crashes - data analysis and IVI program analysis

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    In general, the IVI program focuses on the more significant safety problem categories as : indicated by statistical analyses of crash data. However, other factors were considered in setting : program priorities and schedules. For some problem areas, ...

  3. Knowledge-Based Runway Assignment for Arrival Aircraft in the Terminal Area

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1997-01-01

    A knowledge-based system for scheduling arrival traffic in the terminal area, : referred to as the Final Approach Spacing Tool (FAST), has been implemented and : operationally tested at the Dallas/Fort Worth Terminal Radar Approach Control : (TRACON)...

  4. 8. "TEST STAND, ARCHITECTURAL, FLOOR PLANS AND SCHEDULES." Specifications No. ...

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

    8. "TEST STAND, ARCHITECTURAL, FLOOR PLANS AND SCHEDULES." Specifications No. ENG-04-353-55-72; Drawing No. 60-0912; sheet 22 of 148; file no. 1320/73. Stamped: RECORD DRAWING - AS CONSTRUCTED. Below stamp: Contract no. 4338, no change. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Test Stand 1-A Terminal Room, Test Area 1-120, north end of Jupiter Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

  5. Radiation-induced vaginal stenosis: current perspectives

    PubMed Central

    Morris, Lucinda; Do, Viet; Chard, Jennifer; Brand, Alison H

    2017-01-01

    Treatment of gynecological cancer commonly involves pelvic radiation therapy (RT) and/or brachytherapy. A commonly observed side effect of such treatment is radiation-induced vaginal stenosis (VS). This review analyzed the incidence, pathogenesis, clinical manifestation(s) and assessment and grading of radiation-induced VS. In addition, risk factors, prevention and treatment options and follow-up schedules are also discussed. The limited available literature on many of these aspects suggests that additional studies are required to more precisely determine the best management strategy of this prevalent group after RT. PMID:28496367

  6. KSC-2009-1790

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-02-21

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers remove the scaffolding surrounding Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Atop the rocket is NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, which is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 from Vandenberg. The spacecraft will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. Photo credit: NASA/Richard Nielsen, VAFB

  7. KSC-2009-1791

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-02-21

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers remove the scaffolding surrounding Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Atop the rocket is NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO. The spacecraft is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 from Vandenberg. The spacecraft will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. Photo credit: NASA/Richard Nielsen, VAFB

  8. KSC-2009-1795

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-02-21

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers remove the umbilical tower attached to Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Atop the rocket is NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, which is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 from Vandenberg. The spacecraft will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. Photo credit: NASA/Richard Nielsen, VAFB

  9. Testing Einstein in Space: The Gravity Probe B Relativity Mission

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mester, John

    The Gravity Probe B Relativity Mission was successfully launched on April 20, 2004 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, a culmination of 40 years of collaborative development at Stanford University and NASA. The goal of the GP-B experiment is to perform precision tests of two independent predictions of general relativity, the geodetic effect and frame dragging. On-orbit cryogenic operations lasted 17.3 months, exceeding requirements. Analysis of the science data is now in progress with a planned announcement of results scheduled for December 2007.

  10. KSC-2009-1726

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-02-11

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- In the Astrotech payload processing facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, is being prepared for transfer to Launch Complex 576-E. OCO will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. OCO is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 aboard an Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Photo credit: NASA/VAFB

  11. KSC-2009-1792

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-02-21

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers remove the umbilical tower attached to Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Atop the rocket is NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, which is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 from Vandenberg. The spacecraft will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. Photo credit: NASA/Richard Nielsen, VAFB

  12. KSC-2009-1793

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-02-21

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers remove the umbilical tower attached to Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Atop the rocket is NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, which is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 from Vandenberg. The spacecraft will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. Photo credit: NASA/Richard Nielsen, VAFB

  13. Levels, trends & predictors of infant & child mortality among Scheduled Tribes in rural India

    PubMed Central

    Sahu, Damodar; Nair, Saritha; Singh, Lucky; Gulati, B.K.; Pandey, Arvind

    2015-01-01

    Background & objectives: The level of infant and child mortality is high among Scheduled Tribes particularly those living in rural areas. This study examines levels, trends and socio-demographic factors associated with infant and child mortality among Scheduled Tribes in rural areas. Methods: Data from the three rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of India from 1992 to 2006 were analysed to assess the levels and trends of infant and child mortality. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard model were used to understand the socio-economic and demographic factors associated with mortality during 1992–2006. Results: Significant change was observed in infant and child mortality over the time period from 1992-2006 among Scheduled Tribes in rural areas. After controlling for other factors, birth interval, household wealth, and region were found to be significantly associated with infant and child mortality. Hazard of infant mortality was highest among births to mothers aged 30 yr or more (HR=1.3, 95% CI=1.1-1.7) as compared with births to the mother's aged 20-29 yr. Hazard of under-five mortality was 42 per cent (95% CI=1.3-1.6) higher among four or more birth order compared with the first birth order. The risk of infant dying was higher among male children (HR = 1.2, 95% CI=1.1-1.4) than among female children while male children were at 30 per cent (HR=0.7, 95% CI=0.6-0.7) less hazard of child mortality than female children. Literate women were at 40 per cent (HR=0.6, 95% CI=0.50-0.76) less hazard of child death than illiterate women. Interpretation & conclusions: Mortality differentials by socio-demographic and economic factors were observed over the time period (1992-2006) among Scheduled Tribes (STs) in rural India. Findings support the need to focus on age at first birth and spacing between two births. PMID:26139791

  14. Levels, trends & predictors of infant & child mortality among Scheduled Tribes in rural India.

    PubMed

    Sahu, Damodar; Nair, Saritha; Singh, Lucky; Gulati, B K; Pandey, Arvind

    2015-05-01

    The level of infant and child mortality is high among Scheduled Tribes particularly those living in rural areas. This study examines levels, trends and socio-demographic factors associated with infant and child mortality among Scheduled Tribes in rural areas. Data from the three rounds of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) of India from 1992 to 2006 were analysed to assess the levels and trends of infant and child mortality. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard model were used to understand the socio-economic and demographic factors associated with mortality during 1992-2006. Significant change was observed in infant and child mortality over the time period from 1992-2006 among Scheduled Tribes in rural areas. After controlling for other factors, birth interval, household wealth, and region were found to be significantly associated with infant and child mortality. Hazard of infant mortality was highest among births to mothers aged 30 yr or more (HR=1.3, 95% CI=1.1-1.7) as compared with births to the mother's aged 20-29 yr. Hazard of under-five mortality was 42 per cent (95% CI=1.3-1.6) higher among four or more birth order compared with the first birth order. The risk of infant dying was higher among male children (HR = 1.2, 95% CI=1.1-1.4) than among female children while male children were at 30 per cent (HR=0.7, 95% CI=0.6-0.7) less hazard of child mortality than female children. Literate women were at 40 per cent (HR=0.6, 95% CI=0.50-0.76) less hazard of child death than illiterate women. Mortality differentials by socio-demographic and economic factors were observed over the time period (1992-2006) among Scheduled Tribes (STs) in rural India. Findings support the need to focus on age at first birth and spacing between two births.

  15. A force compliant surgical robotic tool with IPMC actuator and integrated sensing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fu, Lixue; McDaid, Andrew J.; Aw, Kean C.

    2013-08-01

    A robotic surgical device, actuated by Ionic Polymer-metal Composite (IPMC), integrated with a strain gauge to achieve force control is proposed. Test results have proved the capabilities of this device to conduct surgical procedures. The recent growth of patient acceptance and demand for robotic aided surgery has stimulated the progress of research where in many applications the performance has been proven to surpass human surgeons. A new area which uses the inherently force compliant and back-drivable properties of polymers, IPMC in this case, has shown its potential to undertake precise surgical procedures in delicate environments of medical practice. This is because IPMCs have similar actuation characteristics to real biological systems ensuring the safety of the practice. Nevertheless, little has been done in developing IPMCs as a rotary joint actuators used as functional surgical devices. This research demonstrates the design of a single degree of freedom (1DOF) robotic surgical instrument with one joint mechanism actuated by IPMC with an embedded strain gauge as a feedback unit, and controlled by a scheduled gain PI controller. With the simplicity of the system it was proven to be able to cut to the desired controlled force and hence depth.

  16. KSC-2011-6813

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2011-09-08

    CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A Tweetup participant searches for the right photo angle along the NASA Causeway launch viewing area at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida during prelaunch activities for the agency’s Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) mission. Participants toured the center and got a close-up view of Space Launch Complex 17B at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The tweeters will share their experiences with followers through the social networking site Twitter. GRAIL will fly twin spacecraft in tandem around the moon to precisely measure and map variations in the moon’s gravitational field. The mission will provide the most accurate global gravity field to date for any planet, including Earth. This detailed information will reveal differences in the density of the moon’s crust and mantle and will help answer fundamental questions about the moon’s internal structure, thermal evolution, and history of collisions with asteroids. The aim is to map the moon’s gravity field so completely that future lunar vehicles can safely navigate anywhere on the moon’s surface. Launch is scheduled for 8:37:06 a.m. EDT Sept. 8. For more information, visit http://www.nasa.gov/grail. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

  17. A comparison of computer-assisted and manual wound size measurement.

    PubMed

    Thawer, Habiba A; Houghton, Pamela E; Woodbury, M Gail; Keast, David; Campbell, Karen

    2002-10-01

    Accurate and precise wound measurements are a critical component of every wound assessment. To examine the reliability and validity of a new computerized technique for measuring human and animal wounds, chronic human wounds (N = 45) and surgical animal wounds (N = 38) were assessed using manual and computerized techniques. Using intraclass correlation coefficients, intrarater and interrater reliability of surface area measurements obtained using the computerized technique were compared to those obtained using acetate tracings and planimetry. A single measurement of surface area using either technique produced excellent intrarater and interrater reliability for both human and animal wounds, but the computerized technique was more precise than the manual technique for measuring the surface area of animal wounds. For both types of wounds and measurement techniques, intrarater and interrater reliability improved when the average of three repeated measurements was obtained. The precision of each technique with human wounds and the precision of the manual technique with animal wounds also improved when three repeated measurement results were averaged. Concurrent validity between the two techniques was excellent for human wounds but poor for the smaller animal wounds, regardless of whether single or the average of three repeated surface area measurements was used. The computerized technique permits reliable and valid assessment of the surface area of both human and animal wounds.

  18. 75 FR 4227 - Phytosanitary Treatments; Location of and Process for Updating Treatment Schedules

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-01-26

    ...We are amending the phytosanitary treatment regulations in 7 CFR part 305 by removing the lists of approved treatments and treatment schedules from the regulations, while retaining the general requirements for performing treatments and certifying or approving treatment facilities. We are removing treatment schedules from other places where they are currently found in 7 CFR chapter III as well. Approved treatment schedules will instead be found in the Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual, which is available on the Internet. We are also establishing a new process to provide the public with notice and the opportunity to comment on changes to treatment schedules. Finally, we are harmonizing and combining the requirements for performing irradiation treatment for imported articles, articles moved interstate from Hawaii and U.S. territories, and articles moved interstate from an area quarantined for fruit flies. These changes will simplify and expedite our processes for adding, changing, and removing treatment schedules while continuing to provide for public participation in the process. These changes will also simplify our presentation of treatments to the public by consolidating all treatments into one document and eliminating redundant text from the regulations.

  19. Integrating payload design, planning, and control in the Dutch Utilisation Centre

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Grant, T. J.

    1993-01-01

    Spacecraft payload design, experiment planning and scheduling, and payload control are traditionally separate areas of activity. This paper describes the development of a prototype software tool--the Activity Scheduling System (ASS)--which integrates these activity areas. ASS is part of a larger project to build a Dutch Utilisation Centre (DUC), intended eventually to support all space utilization activities in The Netherlands. ASS has been tested on the High Performance Capillary Electrophoresis payload. The paper outlines the integrated preparation and operations concept embodied in ASS. It describes the ASS prototype, including a typical session. The results of testing are summarized. Possible enhancement of ASS, including integration into DUC, is sketched.

  20. [Estimation of desert vegetation coverage based on multi-source remote sensing data].

    PubMed

    Wan, Hong-Mei; Li, Xia; Dong, Dao-Rui

    2012-12-01

    Taking the lower reaches of Tarim River in Xinjiang of Northwest China as study areaAbstract: Taking the lower reaches of Tarim River in Xinjiang of Northwest China as study area and based on the ground investigation and the multi-source remote sensing data of different resolutions, the estimation models for desert vegetation coverage were built, with the precisions of different estimation methods and models compared. The results showed that with the increasing spatial resolution of remote sensing data, the precisions of the estimation models increased. The estimation precision of the models based on the high, middle-high, and middle-low resolution remote sensing data was 89.5%, 87.0%, and 84.56%, respectively, and the precisions of the remote sensing models were higher than that of vegetation index method. This study revealed the change patterns of the estimation precision of desert vegetation coverage based on different spatial resolution remote sensing data, and realized the quantitative conversion of the parameters and scales among the high, middle, and low spatial resolution remote sensing data of desert vegetation coverage, which would provide direct evidence for establishing and implementing comprehensive remote sensing monitoring scheme for the ecological restoration in the study area.

  1. On precise phase difference measurement approach using border stability of detection resolution.

    PubMed

    Bai, Lina; Su, Xin; Zhou, Wei; Ou, Xiaojuan

    2015-01-01

    For the precise phase difference measurement, this paper develops an improved dual phase coincidence detection method. The measurement resolution of the digital phase coincidence detection circuits is always limited, for example, only at the nanosecond level. This paper reveals a new way to improve the phase difference measurement precision by using the border stability of the circuit detection fuzzy areas. When a common oscillator signal is used to detect the phase coincidence with the two comparison signals, there will be two detection fuzzy areas for the reason of finite detection resolution surrounding the strict phase coincidence. Border stability of fuzzy areas and the fluctuation difference of the two fuzzy areas can be even finer than the picoseconds level. It is shown that the system resolution obtained only depends on the stability of the circuit measurement resolution which is much better than the measurement device resolution itself.

  2. RESOURCESAT-2: a mission for Earth resources management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Venkata Rao, M.; Gupta, J. P.; Rattan, Ram; Thyagarajan, K.

    2006-12-01

    The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has established an operational Remote sensing satellite system by launching its first satellite, IRS-1A in 1988, followed by a series of IRS spacecraft. The IRS-1C/1D satellites with their unique combination of Payloads have taken a lead position in the Global remote sensing scenario. Realising the growing User demands for the "Multi" level approach in terms of Spatial, Spectral, Temporal and Radiometric resolutions, ISRO identified the Resourcesat as a continuity as well as improved RS Satellite. The Resourcesat-1 (IRS-P6) was launched in October 2003 using PSLV launch vehicle and it is in operational service. Resourcesat-2 is its follow-on Mission scheduled for launch in 2008. Each Resourcesat satellite carries three Electro-optical cameras as its payload - LISS-3, LISS-4 and AWIFS. All the three are multi-spectral push-broom scanners with linear array CCDs as Detectors. LISS-3 and AWIFS operate in four identical spectral bands in the VIS-NIR-SWIR range while LISS-4 is a high resolution camera with three spectral bands in VIS-NIR range. In order to meet the stringent requirements of band-to-band registration and platform stability, several improvements have been incorporated in the mainframe Bus configuration like wide field Star trackers, precision Gyroscopes, on-board GPS receiver etc,. The Resourcesat data finds its application in several areas like agricultural crop discrimination and monitoring, crop acreage/yield estimation, precision farming, water resources, forest mapping, Rural infrastructure development, disaster management etc,. to name a few. A brief description of the Payload cameras, spacecraft bus elements and operational modes and few applications are presented.

  3. Photocopy of drawing. SPACECRAFT INDUSTRIAL AREA, O&C BUILDING, A&T AREA, ...

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

    Photocopy of drawing. SPACECRAFT INDUSTRIAL AREA, O&C BUILDING, A&T AREA, ALTITUDE CHAMBER “L”. NASA, John F. Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Drawing 79K00213, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, no date. SHELL PENETRATION SCHEDULE. Sheet 4 - Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Launch Complex 39, Altitude Chambers, First Street, between Avenue D and Avenue E, Cape Canaveral, Brevard County, FL

  4. 43 CFR 2885.20 - How will the BLM calculate my rent for linear rights-of-way the Per Acre Rent Schedule covers?

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... per acre for the appropriate county (or other geographical area) zone from the current schedule by the... length of time for which the holder is paying rent). (b) Phase-in provisions: (1) The BLM will phase-in... may qualify for a 2-year phase-in period if you are a small business entity as that term is defined in...

  5. Control of Indian Education in BIA Schools. A Progress Report, September 1974. Research and Evaluation Report Series No. 29.02.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bureau of Indian Affairs (Dept. of Interior), Albuquerque, NM.

    Presenting a brief narrative relative to Bureau of Indian Affairs Area Offices and implementation of the Presidential/Secretarial Objective, this September 1974 monthly summary identifies Area Office problems and accomplishments. Specifically, this report presents: area operating plans; schedules of implementation; definition of the term,…

  6. Omics Profiling in Precision Oncology*

    PubMed Central

    Yu, Kun-Hsing; Snyder, Michael

    2016-01-01

    Cancer causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide, and is the area most targeted in precision medicine. Recent development of high-throughput methods enables detailed omics analysis of the molecular mechanisms underpinning tumor biology. These studies have identified clinically actionable mutations, gene and protein expression patterns associated with prognosis, and provided further insights into the molecular mechanisms indicative of cancer biology and new therapeutics strategies such as immunotherapy. In this review, we summarize the techniques used for tumor omics analysis, recapitulate the key findings in cancer omics studies, and point to areas requiring further research on precision oncology. PMID:27099341

  7. MRI of bone marrow in the distal radius: in vivo precision of effective transverse relaxation times

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Grampp, S.; Majumdar, S.; Jergas, M.; Lang, P.; Gies, A.; Genant, H. K.

    1995-01-01

    The effective transverse relaxation time T2* is influenced by the presence of trabecular bone, and can potentially provide a measure of bone density as well as bone structure. We determined the in vivo precision of T2* in repeated bone marrow measurements. The T2* measurements of the bone marrow of the distal radius were performed twice within 2 weeks in six healthy young volunteers using a modified water-presaturated 3D Gradient-Recalled Acquisition at Steady State (GRASS) sequence with TE 7, 10, 12, 20, and 30; TR 67; flip angle (FA) 90 degrees. An axial volume covering a length of 5.6 cm in the distal radius was measured. Regions of interest (ROIs) were determined manually and consisted of the entire trabecular bone cross-section extending proximally from the radial subchondral endplate. Reproducibility of T2* and area measurements was expressed as the absolute precision error (standard deviation [SD] in ms or mm2) or as the relative precision error (SD/mean x 100, or coefficient of variation [CV] in %) between the two-point measurements. Short-term precision of T2* and area measurements varied depending on section thickness and location of the ROI in the distal radius. Absolute precision errors for T2* times were between 1.3 and 2.9 ms (relative precision errors 3.8-9.5 %) and for area measurements between 20 and 55 mm2 (relative precision errors 5.1-16.4%). This MR technique for quantitative assessment of trabecular bone density showed reasonable reproducibility in vivo and is a promising future tool for the assessment of osteoporosis.

  8. Systematic literature review comparing rapid 3-dose administration of the GSK tick-borne encephalitis vaccine with other primary immunization schedules.

    PubMed

    Galgani, Ilaria; Bunge, Eveline M; Hendriks, Lisa; Schludermann, Christopher; Marano, Cinzia; De Moerlooze, Laurence

    2017-09-01

    Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), which is endemic across large regions of Europe and Asia, is most effectively prevented through vaccination. Three-dose primary TBE vaccination schedules are either rapid (0,7,21-days) or conventional (0,28-84-days, 9-12-months). The second dose can also be administered at 14 days for faster priming and sero-protection). Areas covered: We used a three-step selection process to identify 21 publications comparing the immunogenicity and/or safety of different schedules. Expert commentary: Priming with two or three TBE vaccine doses was highly immunogenic. After conventional priming (0-28 days), 95% adults and ≥95% children had neutralization test (NT) titers ≥10 at 14 days post-dose-2 compared with 92% adults and 99% children at 21 days post-dose-3 (rapid schedule). Most subjects retained NT titers ≥10 at day 300. A single booster dose induced a strong immune response in all subjects irrespective of primary vaccination schedule or elapsed time since priming. GMT peaked at 42 days post-dose-1 (i.e., 21 days post-dose 3 [rapid-schedule], or 14-28 days post-dose-2 [conventional-schedule]), and declined thereafter. Adverse events were generally rare and declined with increasing doses. In the absence of data to recommend one particular schedule, the regimen choice will remain at the physician's discretion, based on patient constraints and availability.

  9. Ozone impact minimization through coordinated scheduling of turnaround operations from multiple olefin plants in an ozone nonattainment area

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ge, Sijie; Wang, Sujing; Xu, Qiang; Ho, Thomas

    2018-03-01

    Turnaround operations (start-up and shutdown) are critical operations in olefin plants, which emit large quantities of VOCs, NOx and CO. The emission has great potentials to impact the ozone level in ozone nonattainment areas. This study demonstrates a novel practice to minimize the ozone impact through coordinated scheduling of turnaround operations from multiple olefin plants located in Houston, Texas, an ozone nonattainment area. The study considered two olefin plants scheduled to conduct turnaround operations: one start-up and one shutdown, simultaneously on the same day within a five-hour window. Through dynamic simulations of the turnaround operations using ASPEN Plus Dynamics and air quality simulations using CAMx, the study predicts the ozone impact from the combined effect of the two turnaround operations under different starting-time scenarios. The simulations predict that the ozone impact from planned turnaround operations ranges from a maximum of 11.4 ppb to a minimum of 1.4 ppb. Hence, a reduction of up to 10.0 ppb can be achieved on a single day based on the selected two simulation days. This study demonstrates a cost-effective and environmentally benign ozone control practice for relevant stakeholders, including environmental agencies, regional plant operators, and local communities.

  10. High-precision reflectivity measurements: improvements in the calibration procedure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jupe, Marco; Grossmann, Florian; Starke, Kai; Ristau, Detlev

    2003-05-01

    The development of high quality optical components is heavily depending on precise characterization procedures. The reflectance and transmittance of laser components are the most important parameters for advanced laser applications. In the industrial fabrication of optical coatings, quality management is generally insured by spectral photometric methods according to ISO/DIS 15386 on a medium level of accuracy. Especially for high reflecting mirrors, a severe discrepancy in the determination of the absolute reflectivity can be found for spectral photometric procedures. In the first part of the CHOCLAB project, a method for measuring reflectance and transmittance with an enhanced precision was developed, which is described in ISO/WD 13697. In the second part of the CHOCLAB project, the evaluation and optimization for the presented method is scheduled. Within this framework international Round-Robin experiment is currently in progress. During this Round-Robin experiment, distinct deviations could be observed between the results of high precision measurement facilities of different partners. Based on the extended experiments, the inhomogeneity of the sample reflectivity was identified as one important origin for the deviation. Consequently, this inhomogeneity is also influencing the calibration procedure. Therefore, a method was developed that allows the calibration of the chopper blade using always the same position on the reference mirror. During the investigations, the homogeneity of several samples was characterized by a surface mapping procedure for 1064 nm. The measurement facility was extended to the additional wavelength 532 nm and a similar set-up was assembled at 10.6 μm. The high precision reflectivity procedure at the mentioned wavelengths is demonstrated for exemplary measurements.

  11. Using All-Sky Imaging to Improve Telescope Scheduling (Abstract)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cole, G. M.

    2017-12-01

    (Abstract only) Automated scheduling makes it possible for a small telescope to observe a large number of targets in a single night. But when used in areas which have less-than-perfect sky conditions such automation can lead to large numbers of observations of clouds and haze. This paper describes the development of a "sky-aware" telescope automation system that integrates the data flow from an SBIG AllSky340c camera with an enhanced dispatch scheduler to make optimum use of the available observing conditions for two highly instrumented backyard telescopes. Using the minute-by-minute time series image stream and a self-maintained reference database, the software maintains a file of sky brightness, transparency, stability, and forecasted visibility at several hundred grid positions. The scheduling software uses this information in real time to exclude targets obscured by clouds and select the best observing task, taking into account the requirements and limits of each instrument.

  12. SMEX-Lite Modular Solar Array Architecture

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Lyons, John W.; Day, John (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    The NASA Small Explorer (SMEX) missions have typically had three years between mission definition and launch. This short schedule has posed significant challenges with respect to solar array design and procurement. Typically, the solar panel geometry is frozen prior to going out with a procurement. However, with the SMEX schedule, it has been virtually impossible to freeze the geometry in time to avoid scheduling problems with integrating the solar panels to the spacecraft. A modular solar array architecture was developed to alleviate this problem. This approach involves procuring sufficient modules for multiple missions and assembling the modules onto a solar array framework that is unique to each mission. The modular approach removes the solar array from the critical path of the SMEX integration and testing schedule. It also reduces the cost per unit area of the solar arrays and facilitates the inclusion of experiments involving new solar cell or panel technologies in the SMEX missions.

  13. DTaP5-IPV-Hib-HepB, a hexavalent vaccine for infants and toddlers.

    PubMed

    Lee, Andrew W; Jordanov, Emilia; Boisnard, Florence; Marshall, Gary S

    2017-02-01

    Combination vaccines reduce the 'shot burden' and simplify the childhood immunization schedule. Only 5-valent DTaP-based vaccines are licensed in the U.S. Areas covered: A new combination vaccine - DTaP5-IPV-Hib-HepB - is described, which induces antibody responses in infants (given in different schedules, including a 2, 4, and 6-month schedule) that are similar to the respective component vaccines. The vaccine appears to be safe and would be expected to protect against six diseases: diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B, H influenzae type b, and polio. Administration is associated with higher rates of mild fever, but without significant safety signals. Expert commentary: Incorporation of this hexavalent vaccine into the U.S. schedule could improve coverage rates and timeliness, and addition to the E.U. market would add depth to the available repertoire of combination vaccines.

  14. Facilities Planning Guide for the Community College System.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Massachusetts Advisory Council on Education, Boston.

    These guidelines include definitions pertaining to educational criteria and planning criteria, and guidelines regarding--(1) administrative ratios, (2) space allocation in assignable square feet, (3) area conversion factors, (4) gross building area distribution, (5) curriculum balance development, (6) project performance schedule, and (7) project…

  15. 78 FR 3311 - Safety Enhancements, Certification of Airports

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-01-16

    ... the airport non-movement area, and (5) Requiring certificate holders to conduct pavement surface... (SMGCS). Non-Movement Area Safety Training... YES NO. Runway Pavement Surface Evaluation.. YES NO. In... 139 to host scheduled passenger carrying operations of an air carrier operating aircraft designed for...

  16. 43 CFR 36.3 - Preapplication.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... obtaining approval of a TUS is encouraged to establish early contact with each appropriate Federal agency so... processing of an application may be tentatively scheduled. (b) Reasonable preapplication activities in areas... permanent damage to the values for which the area was established or unreasonably interfere with other...

  17. Small City Transit : East Chicago, Indiana : Free-Fare Transit in a High Density, Industrialized Area

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1976-03-01

    East Chicago, Indiana, is an illustration of a free-fare transit service operating in a high density area. The transit service was devised with a minimum of help from professional consultants, and without sophisticated routing, scheduling, or marketi...

  18. Continuous Improvement in Battery Testing at the NASA/JSC Energy System Test Area

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Boyd, William; Cook, Joseph

    2003-01-01

    The Energy Systems Test Area (ESTA) at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas conducts development and qualification tests to fulfill Energy System Division responsibilities relevant to ASA programs and projects. EST A has historically called upon a variety of fluid, mechanical, electrical, environmental, and data system capabilities spread amongst five full-service facilities to test human and human supported spacecraft in the areas of propulsion systems, fluid systems, pyrotechnics, power generation, and power distribution and control systems. Improvements at ESTA are being made in full earnest of offering NASA project offices an option to choose a thorough test regime that is balanced with cost and schedule constraints. In order to continue testing of enabling power-related technologies utilized by the Energy System Division, an especially proactive effort has been made to increase the cost effectiveness and schedule responsiveness for battery testing. This paper describes the continuous improvement in battery testing at the Energy Systems Test Area being made through consolidation, streamlining, and standardization.

  19. Evaluation of routing and scheduling considerations for possible future commercial hypersonic transport aircraft

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Feir, J. B.

    1974-01-01

    Travel markets which would be served by high speed commercial transport aircraft and the ability of the airlines to schedule and route the aircraft in a way that would achieve good daily utilization and productivity are examined. The following areas are considered: (1) identification of the major long-haul city pairs that would most likely demand nonstop service; (2) selection of flight tracks observing alternative sonic boom restrictions; (3) estimation of flight times for all city pairs for the various sonic boom constraints; (4) impact of airport curfews on possible departure and arrival schedules; (5) projection of passenger traffic volumes on the selected city pairs; and (6) potential daily utilization and aircraft productivity.

  20. Scheduling algorithms for rapid imaging using agile Cubesat constellations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nag, Sreeja; Li, Alan S.; Merrick, James H.

    2018-02-01

    Distributed Space Missions such as formation flight and constellations, are being recognized as important Earth Observation solutions to increase measurement samples over space and time. Cubesats are increasing in size (27U, ∼40 kg in development) with increasing capabilities to host imager payloads. Given the precise attitude control systems emerging in the commercial market, Cubesats now have the ability to slew and capture images within short notice. We propose a modular framework that combines orbital mechanics, attitude control and scheduling optimization to plan the time-varying, full-body orientation of agile Cubesats in a constellation such that they maximize the number of observed images and observation time, within the constraints of Cubesat hardware specifications. The attitude control strategy combines bang-bang and PD control, with constraints such as power consumption, response time, and stability factored into the optimality computations and a possible extension to PID control to account for disturbances. Schedule optimization is performed using dynamic programming with two levels of heuristics, verified and improved upon using mixed integer linear programming. The automated scheduler is expected to run on ground station resources and the resultant schedules uplinked to the satellites for execution, however it can be adapted for onboard scheduling, contingent on Cubesat hardware and software upgrades. The framework is generalizable over small steerable spacecraft, sensor specifications, imaging objectives and regions of interest, and is demonstrated using multiple 20 kg satellites in Low Earth Orbit for two case studies - rapid imaging of Landsat's land and coastal images and extended imaging of global, warm water coral reefs. The proposed algorithm captures up to 161% more Landsat images than nadir-pointing sensors with the same field of view, on a 2-satellite constellation over a 12-h simulation. Integer programming was able to verify that optimality of the dynamic programming solution for single satellites was within 10%, and find up to 5% more optimal solutions. The optimality gap for constellations was found to be 22% at worst, but the dynamic programming schedules were found at nearly four orders of magnitude better computational speed than integer programming. The algorithm can include cloud cover predictions, ground downlink windows or any other spatial, temporal or angular constraints into the orbital module and be integrated into planning tools for agile constellations.

  1. Arthroscopic-assisted core decompression of the humeral head.

    PubMed

    Dines, Joshua S; Strauss, Eric J; Fealy, Stephen; Craig, Edward V

    2007-01-01

    Humeral head osteonecrosis is a progressive disease that requires prompt diagnosis and treatment. Core decompression is a viable treatment option for early-stage cases. Most surgeons perform core decompression by arthroscopically visualizing the necrotic area of bone and using a cannulated drill to take a core. Several attempts are frequently needed to reach the proper location. In the hip multiple passes are associated with complications. We describe the use of an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tibial drill guide to precisely localize the area of necrotic bone. Diagnostic arthroscopy is performed to assess the areas of osteonecrosis. Core decompression is performed by use of an ACL tibial guide, brought in through the anterior or posterior portal to precisely localize the necrotic area in preparation for drilling. Under image intensification, Steinmann pins are advanced into the area of osteonecrosis. Once positioned, several 4-mm cores are made. We treated 3 patients with this technique, and all had immediate pain relief. The use of the ACL guide allows precise localization of the area of humeral head involvement and avoids multiple drillings into unaffected areas. Initial indications are that arthroscopic-assisted core decompression with an ACL guide is an effective alternative to previously used methods.

  2. Precision and accuracy of manual water-level measurements taken in the Yucca Mountain area, Nye County, Nevada, 1988-90

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Boucher, M.S.

    1994-01-01

    Water-level measurements have been made in deep boreholes in the Yucca Mountain area, Nye County, Nevada, since 1983 in support of the U.S. Department of Energy's Yucca Mountain Project, which is an evaluation of the area to determine its suitability as a potential storage area for high-level nuclear waste. Water-level measurements were taken either manually, using various water-level measuring equipment such as steel tapes, or they were taken continuously, using automated data recorders and pressure transducers. This report presents precision range and accuracy data established for manual water-level measurements taken in the Yucca Mountain area, 1988-90. Precision and accuracy ranges were determined for all phases of the water-level measuring process, and overall accuracy ranges are presented. Precision ranges were determined for three steel tapes using a total of 462 data points. Mean precision ranges of these three tapes ranged from 0.014 foot to 0.026 foot. A mean precision range of 0.093 foot was calculated for the multiconductor cable, using 72 data points. Mean accuracy values were calculated on the basis of calibrations of the steel tapes and the multiconductor cable against a reference steel tape. The mean accuracy values of the steel tapes ranged from 0.053 foot, based on three data points to 0.078, foot based on six data points. The mean accuracy of the multiconductor cable was O. 15 foot, based on six data points. Overall accuracy of the water-level measurements was calculated by taking the square root of the sum of the squares of the individual accuracy values. Overall accuracy was calculated to be 0.36 foot for water-level measurements taken with steel tapes, without accounting for the inaccuracy of borehole deviations from vertical. An overall accuracy of 0.36 foot for measurements made with steel tapes is considered satisfactory for this project.

  3. Elective surgical case cancellation in the Veterans Health Administration system: identifying areas for improvement.

    PubMed

    Argo, Joshua L; Vick, Catherine C; Graham, Laura A; Itani, Kamal M F; Bishop, Michael J; Hawn, Mary T

    2009-11-01

    This study evaluated elective surgical case cancellation (CC) rates, reasons for these cancellations, and identified areas for improvement within the Veterans Health Administration (VA) system. CC data for 2006 were collected from the scheduling software for 123 VA facilities. Surveys were distributed to 40 facilities (10 highest and 10 lowest CC rates for high- and low-volume facilities). CC reasons were standardized and piloted at 5 facilities. Of 329,784 cases scheduled by 9 surgical specialties, 40,988 (12.4%) were cancelled. CC reasons (9,528) were placed into 6 broad categories: patient (35%), work-up/medical condition change (28%), facility (20%), surgeon (8%), anesthesia (1%), and miscellaneous (8%). Survey results show areas for improvement at the facility level and a standardized list of 28 CC reasons was comprehensive. Interventions that decrease cancellations caused by patient factors, inadequate work-up, and facility factors are needed to reduce overall elective surgical case cancellations.

  4. SPACELAB (SL)- I (SIMULATION) - JSC

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1983-09-23

    S83-40845 (Dec 1983) --- Principal investigators and their ground support teams follow Spacelab 1 activities in the Science Monitoring Area of the Johnson Space Center's mission control center. NOTE: This area will be manned for the Spacelab Life Sciences-1 (SLS-1) mission, currently scheduled for May of 1991.

  5. Design, implementation and multisite evaluation of a system suitability protocol for the quantitative assessment of instrument performance in liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring-MS (LC-MRM-MS).

    PubMed

    Abbatiello, Susan E; Mani, D R; Schilling, Birgit; Maclean, Brendan; Zimmerman, Lisa J; Feng, Xingdong; Cusack, Michael P; Sedransk, Nell; Hall, Steven C; Addona, Terri; Allen, Simon; Dodder, Nathan G; Ghosh, Mousumi; Held, Jason M; Hedrick, Victoria; Inerowicz, H Dorota; Jackson, Angela; Keshishian, Hasmik; Kim, Jong Won; Lyssand, John S; Riley, C Paige; Rudnick, Paul; Sadowski, Pawel; Shaddox, Kent; Smith, Derek; Tomazela, Daniela; Wahlander, Asa; Waldemarson, Sofia; Whitwell, Corbin A; You, Jinsam; Zhang, Shucha; Kinsinger, Christopher R; Mesri, Mehdi; Rodriguez, Henry; Borchers, Christoph H; Buck, Charles; Fisher, Susan J; Gibson, Bradford W; Liebler, Daniel; Maccoss, Michael; Neubert, Thomas A; Paulovich, Amanda; Regnier, Fred; Skates, Steven J; Tempst, Paul; Wang, Mu; Carr, Steven A

    2013-09-01

    Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mass spectrometry coupled with stable isotope dilution (SID) and liquid chromatography (LC) is increasingly used in biological and clinical studies for precise and reproducible quantification of peptides and proteins in complex sample matrices. Robust LC-SID-MRM-MS-based assays that can be replicated across laboratories and ultimately in clinical laboratory settings require standardized protocols to demonstrate that the analysis platforms are performing adequately. We developed a system suitability protocol (SSP), which employs a predigested mixture of six proteins, to facilitate performance evaluation of LC-SID-MRM-MS instrument platforms, configured with nanoflow-LC systems interfaced to triple quadrupole mass spectrometers. The SSP was designed for use with low multiplex analyses as well as high multiplex approaches when software-driven scheduling of data acquisition is required. Performance was assessed by monitoring of a range of chromatographic and mass spectrometric metrics including peak width, chromatographic resolution, peak capacity, and the variability in peak area and analyte retention time (RT) stability. The SSP, which was evaluated in 11 laboratories on a total of 15 different instruments, enabled early diagnoses of LC and MS anomalies that indicated suboptimal LC-MRM-MS performance. The observed range in variation of each of the metrics scrutinized serves to define the criteria for optimized LC-SID-MRM-MS platforms for routine use, with pass/fail criteria for system suitability performance measures defined as peak area coefficient of variation <0.15, peak width coefficient of variation <0.15, standard deviation of RT <0.15 min (9 s), and the RT drift <0.5min (30 s). The deleterious effect of a marginally performing LC-SID-MRM-MS system on the limit of quantification (LOQ) in targeted quantitative assays illustrates the use and need for a SSP to establish robust and reliable system performance. Use of a SSP helps to ensure that analyte quantification measurements can be replicated with good precision within and across multiple laboratories and should facilitate more widespread use of MRM-MS technology by the basic biomedical and clinical laboratory research communities.

  6. Design, Implementation and Multisite Evaluation of a System Suitability Protocol for the Quantitative Assessment of Instrument Performance in Liquid Chromatography-Multiple Reaction Monitoring-MS (LC-MRM-MS)*

    PubMed Central

    Abbatiello, Susan E.; Mani, D. R.; Schilling, Birgit; MacLean, Brendan; Zimmerman, Lisa J.; Feng, Xingdong; Cusack, Michael P.; Sedransk, Nell; Hall, Steven C.; Addona, Terri; Allen, Simon; Dodder, Nathan G.; Ghosh, Mousumi; Held, Jason M.; Hedrick, Victoria; Inerowicz, H. Dorota; Jackson, Angela; Keshishian, Hasmik; Kim, Jong Won; Lyssand, John S.; Riley, C. Paige; Rudnick, Paul; Sadowski, Pawel; Shaddox, Kent; Smith, Derek; Tomazela, Daniela; Wahlander, Asa; Waldemarson, Sofia; Whitwell, Corbin A.; You, Jinsam; Zhang, Shucha; Kinsinger, Christopher R.; Mesri, Mehdi; Rodriguez, Henry; Borchers, Christoph H.; Buck, Charles; Fisher, Susan J.; Gibson, Bradford W.; Liebler, Daniel; MacCoss, Michael; Neubert, Thomas A.; Paulovich, Amanda; Regnier, Fred; Skates, Steven J.; Tempst, Paul; Wang, Mu; Carr, Steven A.

    2013-01-01

    Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mass spectrometry coupled with stable isotope dilution (SID) and liquid chromatography (LC) is increasingly used in biological and clinical studies for precise and reproducible quantification of peptides and proteins in complex sample matrices. Robust LC-SID-MRM-MS-based assays that can be replicated across laboratories and ultimately in clinical laboratory settings require standardized protocols to demonstrate that the analysis platforms are performing adequately. We developed a system suitability protocol (SSP), which employs a predigested mixture of six proteins, to facilitate performance evaluation of LC-SID-MRM-MS instrument platforms, configured with nanoflow-LC systems interfaced to triple quadrupole mass spectrometers. The SSP was designed for use with low multiplex analyses as well as high multiplex approaches when software-driven scheduling of data acquisition is required. Performance was assessed by monitoring of a range of chromatographic and mass spectrometric metrics including peak width, chromatographic resolution, peak capacity, and the variability in peak area and analyte retention time (RT) stability. The SSP, which was evaluated in 11 laboratories on a total of 15 different instruments, enabled early diagnoses of LC and MS anomalies that indicated suboptimal LC-MRM-MS performance. The observed range in variation of each of the metrics scrutinized serves to define the criteria for optimized LC-SID-MRM-MS platforms for routine use, with pass/fail criteria for system suitability performance measures defined as peak area coefficient of variation <0.15, peak width coefficient of variation <0.15, standard deviation of RT <0.15 min (9 s), and the RT drift <0.5min (30 s). The deleterious effect of a marginally performing LC-SID-MRM-MS system on the limit of quantification (LOQ) in targeted quantitative assays illustrates the use and need for a SSP to establish robust and reliable system performance. Use of a SSP helps to ensure that analyte quantification measurements can be replicated with good precision within and across multiple laboratories and should facilitate more widespread use of MRM-MS technology by the basic biomedical and clinical laboratory research communities. PMID:23689285

  7. LAI-2000 Accuracy, Precision, and Application to Visual Estimation of Leaf Area Index of Loblolly Pine

    Treesearch

    Jason A. Gatch; Timothy B. Harrington; James P. Castleberry

    2002-01-01

    Leaf area index (LAI) is an important parameter of forest stand productivity that has been used to diagnose stand vigor and potential fertilizer response of southern pines. The LAI-2000 was tested for its ability to provide accurate and precise estimates of LAI of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.). To test instrument accuracy, regression was used to...

  8. Develop Measures of Effectiveness and Deployment Optimization Rules for Networked Ground Micro-Sensors

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2001-05-01

    types and total #) Ø Control of Sensors ( Scheduling ) Ø Coverage (Time & Area) Uncontrollable Inputs ØWeather Ø Atmospheric Effects Ø Equipment...are widely scattered and used to cue or wakeup other higher-level sensors. Trip line sensors consist of some combination of acoustic, seismic and...Employ a mix if different sensor types in order to increase detection probability 4.4.4.2 Minimize Battery Power • Set schedule turn on and off

  9. Predicting No-Shows in Radiology Using Regression Modeling of Data Available in the Electronic Medical Record.

    PubMed

    Harvey, H Benjamin; Liu, Catherine; Ai, Jing; Jaworsky, Cristina; Guerrier, Claude Emmanuel; Flores, Efren; Pianykh, Oleg

    2017-10-01

    To test whether data elements available in the electronic medical record (EMR) can be effectively leveraged to predict failure to attend a scheduled radiology examination. Using data from a large academic medical center, we identified all patients with a diagnostic imaging examination scheduled from January 1, 2016, to April 1, 2016, and determined whether the patient successfully attended the examination. Demographic, clinical, and health services utilization variables available in the EMR potentially relevant to examination attendance were recorded for each patient. We used descriptive statistics and logistic regression models to test whether these data elements could predict failure to attend a scheduled radiology examination. The predictive accuracy of the regression models were determined by calculating the area under the receiver operator curve. Among the 54,652 patient appointments with radiology examinations scheduled during the study period, 6.5% were no-shows. No-show rates were highest for the modalities of mammography and CT and lowest for PET and MRI. Logistic regression indicated that 16 of the 27 demographic, clinical, and health services utilization factors were significantly associated with failure to attend a scheduled radiology examination (P ≤ .05). Stepwise logistic regression analysis demonstrated that previous no-shows, days between scheduling and appointments, modality type, and insurance type were most strongly predictive of no-show. A model considering all 16 data elements had good ability to predict radiology no-shows (area under the receiver operator curve = 0.753). The predictive ability was similar or improved when these models were analyzed by modality. Patient and examination information readily available in the EMR can be successfully used to predict radiology no-shows. Moving forward, this information can be proactively leveraged to identify patients who might benefit from additional patient engagement through appointment reminders or other targeted interventions to avoid no-shows. Copyright © 2017 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Optimization and Flight Schedules of Pioneer Routes in Papua Province

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ronting, Y.; Adisasmita, S. A.; Hamid, S.; Hustim, M.

    2018-04-01

    The province of Papua has a very varied topography, ranging from swampy lowlands, hills, and plateaus up steep hills. The total area of land is 410,660 km2, which consists of 28 counties and one city, 389 districts and 5.420 villages. The population of Papua Province in 2017 was 3.265.202 people with an average growth of 4.21% per year. The transportation services is still low, especially in the mountainous region, which is isolated and could only be reached by an air transportation mode, causing a considerable price disparity between coastal and mountainous areas. The purpose of this paper is to develop the route optimization and pioneer flight schedules models as an airbridge. This research is conducted by collecting primary data and secondary data. Data is based on field surveys; interviews; discussions with airport authority, official government, etc; and also from various agencies. The analytical tools used to optimization flight schedule and route are analyzed by add-in solver in Microsoft Excel. The results of the analysis we can get a more optimal route so that it can save transportation costs by 7.26%.

  11. Application of expert systems in project management decision aiding

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Harris, Regina; Shaffer, Steven; Stokes, James; Goldstein, David

    1987-01-01

    The feasibility of developing an expert systems-based project management decision aid to enhance the performance of NASA project managers was assessed. The research effort included extensive literature reviews in the areas of project management, project management decision aiding, expert systems technology, and human-computer interface engineering. Literature reviews were augmented by focused interviews with NASA managers. Time estimation for project scheduling was identified as the target activity for decision augmentation, and a design was developed for an Integrated NASA System for Intelligent Time Estimation (INSITE). The proposed INSITE design was judged feasible with a low level of risk. A partial proof-of-concept experiment was performed and was successful. Specific conclusions drawn from the research and analyses are included. The INSITE concept is potentially applicable in any management sphere, commercial or government, where time estimation is required for project scheduling. As project scheduling is a nearly universal management activity, the range of possibilities is considerable. The INSITE concept also holds potential for enhancing other management tasks, especially in areas such as cost estimation, where estimation-by-analogy is already a proven method.

  12. Advanced transportation system studies, technical area 3. Alternate propulsion subsystem concepts: J-2S restart study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vilja, John; Levack, Daniel

    1993-04-01

    The objectives were to assess what design changes would be required to remit late production of the J-2S engine for use as a large high energy upper stage engine. The study assessed design changes required to perform per the J-2S model specification, manufacturing changes required due to obsolescence or improvements in state-of-the-practice, availability issues for supplier provided items, and provided cost and schedule estimates for this configuration. The confidence that J-2S production could be reinitiated within reasonable costs and schedules was provided. No significant technical issues were identified in either the producibility study or in the review of previous technical data. Areas of potential cost reduction were identified which could be quantified to a greater extent with further manufacturing planning. The proposed schedule can be met with no foreseeable impacts. The results of the study provided the necessary foundation for the detailed manufacturing and test plans and non-recurring and recurring cost estimates that are needed to complete the effort to reinitiate production of the J-2S engine system.

  13. Solving a mathematical model integrating unequal-area facilities layout and part scheduling in a cellular manufacturing system by a genetic algorithm.

    PubMed

    Ebrahimi, Ahmad; Kia, Reza; Komijan, Alireza Rashidi

    2016-01-01

    In this article, a novel integrated mixed-integer nonlinear programming model is presented for designing a cellular manufacturing system (CMS) considering machine layout and part scheduling problems simultaneously as interrelated decisions. The integrated CMS model is formulated to incorporate several design features including part due date, material handling time, operation sequence, processing time, an intra-cell layout of unequal-area facilities, and part scheduling. The objective function is to minimize makespan, tardiness penalties, and material handling costs of inter-cell and intra-cell movements. Two numerical examples are solved by the Lingo software to illustrate the results obtained by the incorporated features. In order to assess the effects and importance of integration of machine layout and part scheduling in designing a CMS, two approaches, sequentially and concurrent are investigated and the improvement resulted from a concurrent approach is revealed. Also, due to the NP-hardness of the integrated model, an efficient genetic algorithm is designed. As a consequence, computational results of this study indicate that the best solutions found by GA are better than the solutions found by B&B in much less time for both sequential and concurrent approaches. Moreover, the comparisons between the objective function values (OFVs) obtained by sequential and concurrent approaches demonstrate that the OFV improvement is averagely around 17 % by GA and 14 % by B&B.

  14. Optimal Time Advance In Terminal Area Arrivals: Throughput vs. Fuel Savings

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sadovsky, Alexander V .; Swenson, Harry N.; Haskell, William B.; Rakas, Jasenka

    2011-01-01

    The current operational practice in scheduling air traffic arriving at an airport is to adjust flight schedules by delay, i.e. a postponement of an aircrafts arrival at a scheduled location, to manage safely the FAA-mandated separation constraints between aircraft. To meet the observed and forecast growth in traffic demand, however, the practice of time advance (speeding up an aircraft toward a scheduled location) is envisioned for future operations as a practice additional to delay. Time advance has two potential advantages. The first is the capability to minimize, or at least reduce, the excess separation (the distances between pairs of aircraft immediately in-trail) and thereby to increase the throughput of the arriving traffic. The second is to reduce the total traffic delay when the traffic sample is below saturation density. A cost associated with time advance is the fuel expenditure required by an aircraft to speed up. We present an optimal control model of air traffic arriving in a terminal area and solve it using the Pontryagin Maximum Principle. The admissible controls allow time advance, as well as delay, some of the way. The cost function reflects the trade-off between minimizing two competing objectives: excess separation (negatively correlated with throughput) and fuel burn. A number of instances are solved using three different methods, to demonstrate consistency of solutions.

  15. [Progress in precision medicine: a scientific perspective].

    PubMed

    Wang, B; Li, L M

    2017-01-10

    Precision medicine is a new strategy for disease prevention and treatment by taking into account differences in genetics, environment and lifestyles among individuals and making precise diseases classification and diagnosis, which can provide patients with personalized, targeted prevention and treatment. Large-scale population cohort studies are fundamental for precision medicine research, and could produce best evidence for precision medicine practices. Current criticisms on precision medicine mainly focus on the very small proportion of benefited patients, the neglect of social determinants for health, and the possible waste of limited medical resources. In spite of this, precision medicine is still a most hopeful research area, and would become a health care practice model in the future.

  16. Performance Evaluation Test of the Rapid Area Preparation Tool (RAPTOR)

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-12-01

    the standard SETCO tires. A blast test of the new SETCO tire is scheduled for the spring of...Washington, DC 20301-2500 Performance Evaluation Test of the Rapid Area Preparation Tool (RAPTOR) December 2008 Prepared ...2008 to 00-00-2008 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Performance Evaluation Test of the Rapid Area Preparation Tool (RAPTOR) 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b.

  17. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC employee Joel Smith prepares an area on the orbiter Discovery for blanket installation. The blankets are part of the Orbiter Thermal Protection System, thermal shields to protect against temperatures as high as 3,000° Fahrenheit, which are produced during descent for landing. Discovery is scheduled to fly on mission STS-121 to the International Space Station.

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-12-09

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC employee Joel Smith prepares an area on the orbiter Discovery for blanket installation. The blankets are part of the Orbiter Thermal Protection System, thermal shields to protect against temperatures as high as 3,000° Fahrenheit, which are produced during descent for landing. Discovery is scheduled to fly on mission STS-121 to the International Space Station.

  18. KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC employee Nadine Phillips prepares an area on the orbiter Discovery for blanket installation. The blankets are part of the Orbiter Thermal Protection System, thermal shields to protect against temperatures as high as 3,000° Fahrenheit, which are produced during descent for landing. Discovery is scheduled to fly on mission STS-121 to the International Space Station.

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2003-12-09

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Orbiter Processing Facility, KSC employee Nadine Phillips prepares an area on the orbiter Discovery for blanket installation. The blankets are part of the Orbiter Thermal Protection System, thermal shields to protect against temperatures as high as 3,000° Fahrenheit, which are produced during descent for landing. Discovery is scheduled to fly on mission STS-121 to the International Space Station.

  19. Traffic Flow Management Wrap-Up

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Grabbe, Shon

    2011-01-01

    Traffic Flow Management involves the scheduling and routing of air traffic subject to airport and airspace capacity constraints, and the efficient use of available airspace. Significant challenges in this area include: (1) weather integration and forecasting, (2) accounting for user preferences in the Traffic Flow Management decision making process, and (3) understanding and mitigating the environmental impacts of air traffic on the environment. To address these challenges, researchers in the Traffic Flow Management area are developing modeling, simulation and optimization techniques to route and schedule air traffic flights and flows while accommodating user preferences, accounting for system uncertainties and considering the environmental impacts of aviation. This presentation will highlight some of the major challenges facing researchers in this domain, while also showcasing recent innovations designed to address these challenges.

  20. Sampling system for wheat (Triticum aestivum L) area estimation using digital LANDSAT MSS data and aerial photographs. [Brazil

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Parada, N. D. J. (Principal Investigator); Moreira, M. A.; Chen, S. C.; Batista, G. T.

    1984-01-01

    A procedure to estimate wheat (Triticum aestivum L) area using sampling technique based on aerial photographs and digital LANDSAT MSS data is developed. Aerial photographs covering 720 square km are visually analyzed. To estimate wheat area, a regression approach is applied using different sample sizes and various sampling units. As the size of sampling unit decreased, the percentage of sampled area required to obtain similar estimation performance also decreased. The lowest percentage of the area sampled for wheat estimation with relatively high precision and accuracy through regression estimation is 13.90% using 10 square km as the sampling unit. Wheat area estimation using only aerial photographs is less precise and accurate than those obtained by regression estimation.

  1. Schedule Dependence in Cancer Therapy: Intravenous Vitamin C and the Systemic Saturation Hypothesis

    PubMed Central

    Miranda Massari, Jorge R.; Duconge, Jorge; Riordan, Neil H.; Ichim, Thomas

    2013-01-01

    Despite the significant number of in vitro and in vivo studies to assess vitamin C effects on cancer following the application of large doses and its extensive use by alternative medicine practitioners in the USA; the precise schedule for successful cancer therapy is still unknown. Based on interpretation of the available data, we postulate that the relationship between Vitamin C doses and plasma concentration x time, the capability of tissue stores upon distribution, and the saturable mechanism of urinary excretion are all important determinants to understand the physiology of high intravenous vitamin C dose administration and its effect on cancer. Practitioners should pay more attention to the cumulative vitamin C effect instead of the vitamin C concentrations to account for observed discrepancy in antitumor response. We suggest that multiple, intermittent, short-term intravenous infusions of vitamin C over a longer time period will correlate with greater antitumor effects than do single continuous IV doses of the same total exposure. This approach would be expected to minimize saturation of renal reabsorption, providing a continuous “dynamic flow” of vitamin C in the body for optimal systemic exposure and clinical outcomes. This prevents the “systemic saturation” phenomena, which may recycle vitamin C and render it less effective as an anticancer agent. Nonetheless, more pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies are needed to fully understand this schedule-dependence phenomenon. PMID:24860238

  2. The development of composite materials for spacecraft precision reflector panels

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tompkins, Stephen S.; Bowles, David E.; Funk, Joan G.; Towell, Timothy W.; Lavoie, J. A.

    1990-01-01

    One of the critical technology needs for large precision reflectors required for future astrophysics and optical communications is in the area of structural materials. Therefore, a major area of the Precision Segmented Reflector Program at NASA is to develop lightweight composite reflector panels with durable, space environmentally stable materials which maintain both surface figure and required surface accuracy necessary for space telescope applications. Results from the materials research and development program at NASA Langley Research Center are discussed. Advanced materials that meet the reflector panel requirements are identified. Thermal, mechanical and durability properties of candidate materials after exposure to simulated space environments are compared to the baseline material.

  3. A comparative evaluation of the effect of Internet-based CME delivery format on satisfaction, knowledge and confidence.

    PubMed

    Curran, Vernon R; Fleet, Lisa J; Kirby, Fran

    2010-01-29

    Internet-based instruction in continuing medical education (CME) has been associated with favorable outcomes. However, more direct comparative studies of different Internet-based interventions, instructional methods, presentation formats, and approaches to implementation are needed. The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative evaluation of two Internet-based CME delivery formats and the effect on satisfaction, knowledge and confidence outcomes. Evaluative outcomes of two differing formats of an Internet-based CME course with identical subject matter were compared. A Scheduled Group Learning format involved case-based asynchronous discussions with peers and a facilitator over a scheduled 3-week delivery period. An eCME On Demand format did not include facilitated discussion and was not based on a schedule; participants could start and finish at any time. A retrospective, pre-post evaluation study design comparing identical satisfaction, knowledge and confidence outcome measures was conducted. Participants in the Scheduled Group Learning format reported significantly higher mean satisfaction ratings in some areas, performed significantly higher on a post-knowledge assessment and reported significantly higher post-confidence scores than participants in the eCME On Demand format that was not scheduled and did not include facilitated discussion activity. The findings support the instructional benefits of a scheduled delivery format and facilitated asynchronous discussion in Internet-based CME.

  4. Performance and policy dimensions in internet routing

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mills, David L.; Boncelet, Charles G.; Elias, John G.; Schragger, Paul A.; Jackson, Alden W.; Thyagarajan, Ajit

    1995-01-01

    The Internet Routing Project, referred to in this report as the 'Highball Project', has been investigating architectures suitable for networks spanning large geographic areas and capable of very high data rates. The Highball network architecture is based on a high speed crossbar switch and an adaptive, distributed, TDMA scheduling algorithm. The scheduling algorithm controls the instantaneous configuration and swell time of the switch, one of which is attached to each node. In order to send a single burst or a multi-burst packet, a reservation request is sent to all nodes. The scheduling algorithm then configures the switches immediately prior to the arrival of each burst, so it can be relayed immediately without requiring local storage. Reservations and housekeeping information are sent using a special broadcast-spanning-tree schedule. Progress to date in the Highball Project includes the design and testing of a suite of scheduling algorithms, construction of software reservation/scheduling simulators, and construction of a strawman hardware and software implementation. A prototype switch controller and timestamp generator have been completed and are in test. Detailed documentation on the algorithms, protocols and experiments conducted are given in various reports and papers published. Abstracts of this literature are included in the bibliography at the end of this report, which serves as an extended executive summary.

  5. 29 CFR 42.10 - Farm labor contact persons and regional coordinators (OSHA).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 29 Labor 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Farm labor contact persons and regional coordinators (OSHA... contact persons and regional coordinators (OSHA). (a) OSHA Area Directors shall be responsible for... taken; and (2) migrant farmworker camp inspections are scheduled promptly. (b) OSHA Area Directors shall...

  6. 36 CFR 1001.5 - Closures and public use limits.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... the Presidio Trust, adversely affect the natural, aesthetic, scenic or cultural values of the area... public health and safety, protection of environmental or scenic values, protection of natural or cultural...) Establish, for all or a portion of the area administered by the Presidio Trust, a reasonable schedule of...

  7. 49 CFR 236.1011 - PTC Implementation Plan content requirements.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... the following risk factors by track segment: (i) Segment traffic characteristics such as typical...; (4) How, to the extent practical, the PTC system will be implemented to address areas of greater risk to the public and railroad employees before areas of lesser risk; (5) The sequence and schedule in...

  8. Terminal area air traffic control simulation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1977-01-01

    To study the impact of advanced aeronautical technologies on operations to and from terminal airports, a computer model of air traffic movements was developed. The advantages of fast-time simulation are discussed, and the arrival scheduling and flight simulation are described. A New York area study, user's guide, and programmer's guide are included.

  9. CATSKILL AREA PROJECT IN SMALL SCHOOL DESIGN.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Catskill Area Project in Small School Design, Oneonta, NY.

    CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SMALL SCHOOL, AS PROPOSED BY THE PROJECT, ARE LISTED. FIVE AREAS OF SCHOOL OPERATION ARE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL--(1) MULTIPLE CLASSES, INCLUDING SUPERVISED CORRESPONDENCE COURSES, (2) FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES, (3) USE OF SCHOOL AIDES, (4) USES OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION, AND (5) SHARED SERVICES AND TALENTED YOUTH. A MAP LOCATING THE…

  10. Small School Design in Practice. Central Ideas -- Focus on The Catskill Area Project.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tremlett, Willard L.; And Others

    Describing major features of the New York Catskill Area Project in Small School Design (CAPSSD) begun in 1957, this pamphlet addresses: (1) Basic Concepts in Small School Design (flexible scheduling, multiple classes, organizational interdependency, teacher versatility, student planning, technological communications, and interagency cooperation);…

  11. 78 FR 5115 - General Schedule Locality Pay Areas

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-01-24

    ... contains regulatory documents #0;having general applicability and legal effect, most of which are keyed #0... appropriate factors, which may include local labor market patterns, commuting patterns, and the practices of... any changes. Impact The rule has no effect on existing locality pay area definitions but prevents any...

  12. 10 CFR 205.322 - Contents of application.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-01-01

    ... diagrams which provide clarification of any of the above items should be included. (2) A general area map... conductor ratings; (ii) System power flow plots for the applicant's service area for heavy summer and light... is scheduled to be placed in service and for the fifth year thereafter. The power flow plots...

  13. 10 CFR 205.322 - Contents of application.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-01-01

    ... diagrams which provide clarification of any of the above items should be included. (2) A general area map... conductor ratings; (ii) System power flow plots for the applicant's service area for heavy summer and light... is scheduled to be placed in service and for the fifth year thereafter. The power flow plots...

  14. 10 CFR 205.322 - Contents of application.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-01-01

    ... diagrams which provide clarification of any of the above items should be included. (2) A general area map... conductor ratings; (ii) System power flow plots for the applicant's service area for heavy summer and light... is scheduled to be placed in service and for the fifth year thereafter. The power flow plots...

  15. Advanced order management in ERM systems: the tic-tac-toe algorithm

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Badell, Mariana; Fernandez, Elena; Puigjaner, Luis

    2000-10-01

    The concept behind improved enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) systems is the overall integration of the whole enterprise functionality into the management systems through financial links. Converting current software into real management decision tools requires crucial changes in the current approach to ERP systems. This evolution must be able to incorporate the technological achievements both properly and in time. The exploitation phase of plants needs an open web-based environment for collaborative business-engineering with on-line schedulers. Today's short lifecycles of products and processes require sharp and finely tuned management actions that must be guided by scheduling tools. Additionally, such actions must be able to keep track of money movements related to supply chain events. Thus, the necessary outputs require financial-production integration at the scheduling level as proposed in the new approach of enterprise management systems (ERM). Within this framework, the economical analysis of the due date policy and its optimization become essential to manage dynamically realistic and optimal delivery dates with price-time trade-off during the marketing activities. In this work we propose a scheduling tool with web-based interface conducted by autonomous agents when precise economic information relative to plant and business actions and their effects are provided. It aims to attain a better arrangement of the marketing and production events in order to face the bid/bargain process during e-commerce. Additionally, management systems require real time execution and an efficient transaction-oriented approach capable to dynamically adopt realistic and optimal actions to support marketing management. To this end the TicTacToe algorithm provides sequence optimization with acceptable tolerances in realistic time.

  16. Tissue preparation for immunocytochemistry.

    PubMed Central

    Williams, J H; Mepham, B L; Wright, D H

    1997-01-01

    AIMS: To investigate the effect of tissue preparation on immunostaining and to establish whether there is a standard tissue preparation schedule that allows optimal demonstration of all antigens. METHODS: Blocks of tonsil were subjected to variations to a standard fixation, processing, and section preparation schedule. The sections were stained with five antibodies-L26 (CD20), UCHL1 (CD45RO), CD3, vimentin, and anti-kappa light chain--using the streptavidinbiotin immunostaining technique. When further investigation was necessary, other tissues and antibodies were used and where weak immunostaining was obtained the use of microwave pretreatment to improve staining was tested. RESULTS: Several factors involved in fixation were found to affect immunoreactivity. These included the duration, pH, and type of fixative used. In tissue processing only temperature and the duration of the dehydration and wax infiltration steps affected immunoreactivity. Of all the factors investigated, the temperature and duration of the section drying had the greatest effect. In contrast, long term storage of cut sections before immunostaining had no effect on the reactivity of the antibodies tested. Antibodies were found to be affected by alterations to tissue preparation by varying degrees, UCHL1 and vimentin being the most susceptible to changes in fixation and L26 to changes in processing. Where weak staining occurred, microwave pretreatment was generally found to eliminate the problem. CONCLUSIONS: There is no standard tissue preparation schedule for the optimal demonstration of all antigens. Factors involved in all aspects of tissue preparation can affect immunoreactivity, so it is important that precise details of the preparation schedule are given when reporting immunocytochemical studies, rather than using the general term "routinely fixed and processed". Images PMID:9215127

  17. Online Optimization Method for Operation of Generators in a Micro Grid

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hayashi, Yasuhiro; Miyamoto, Hideki; Matsuki, Junya; Iizuka, Toshio; Azuma, Hitoshi

    Recently a lot of studies and developments about distributed generator such as photovoltaic generation system, wind turbine generation system and fuel cell have been performed under the background of the global environment issues and deregulation of the electricity market, and the technique of these distributed generators have progressed. Especially, micro grid which consists of several distributed generators, loads and storage battery is expected as one of the new operation system of distributed generator. However, since precipitous load fluctuation occurs in micro grid for the reason of its smaller capacity compared with conventional power system, high-accuracy load forecasting and control scheme to balance of supply and demand are needed. Namely, it is necessary to improve the precision of operation in micro grid by observing load fluctuation and correcting start-stop schedule and output of generators online. But it is not easy to determine the operation schedule of each generator in short time, because the problem to determine start-up, shut-down and output of each generator in micro grid is a mixed integer programming problem. In this paper, the authors propose an online optimization method for the optimal operation schedule of generators in micro grid. The proposed method is based on enumeration method and particle swarm optimization (PSO). In the proposed method, after picking up all unit commitment patterns of each generators satisfied with minimum up time and minimum down time constraint by using enumeration method, optimal schedule and output of generators are determined under the other operational constraints by using PSO. Numerical simulation is carried out for a micro grid model with five generators and photovoltaic generation system in order to examine the validity of the proposed method.

  18. Simulation and analysis of differential GPS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Denaro, R. P.

    NASA is conducting a research program to evaluate differential Global Positioning System (GPS) concepts for civil helicopter navigation. It is pointed out that the civil helicopter community will probably be an early user of GPS because of the unique mission operations in areas where precise navigation aids are not available. However, many of these applications involve accuracy requirements which cannot be satisfied by conventional GPS. Such applications include remote area search and rescue, offshore oil platform approach, remote area precision landing, and other precise navigation operations. Differential GPS provides a promising approach for meeting very demanding accuracy requirements. The considered procedure eliminates some of the common bias errors experienced by conventional GPS. This is done by making use of a second GPS receiver. A simulation process is developed as a tool for analyzing various scenarios of GPS-referenced civil aircraft navigation.

  19. LANDSAT-4 evaluation program and scientific characterization activities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barker, J. L.

    1983-01-01

    The characterization objectives of the LANDSAT 4 Science Office at GSFC are to: (1) determine the accuracy and precision of sensor and spacecraft performance, image data quality, and derived information; (2) recommend LANDSAT 4 system improvements; and (3) communicate results to the research community. In-house activities are directed toward full access and utilization of the prelaunch and in-orbit engineering test data on the sensor and spacecraft. Principle scientists in remote sensing are involved as part of a major scientific characterization effort, and workshops were held for these investigative teams. A symposium is scheduled prior to turnover of the TM to NOAA.

  20. Laser Cooled Atomic Clocks in Space

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Thompson, R. J.; Kohel, J.; Klipstein, W. M.; Seidel, D. J.; Maleki, L.

    2000-01-01

    The goals of the Glovebox Laser-cooled Atomic Clock Experiment (GLACE) are: (1) first utilization of tunable, frequency-stabilized lasers in space, (2) demonstrate laser cooling and trapping in microgravity, (3) demonstrate longest 'perturbation-free' interaction time for a precision measurement on neutral atoms, (4) Resolve Ramsey fringes 2-10 times narrower than achievable on Earth. The approach taken is: the use of COTS components, and the utilization of prototype hardware from LCAP flight definition experiments. The launch date is scheduled for Oct. 2002. The Microgravity Science Glovebox (MSG) specifications are reviewed, and a picture of the MSG is shown.

  1. Flexure-based Roll-to-roll Platform: A Practical Solution for Realizing Large-area Microcontact Printing

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Xi; Xu, Huihua; Cheng, Jiyi; Zhao, Ni; Chen, Shih-Chi

    2015-01-01

    A continuous roll-to-roll microcontact printing (MCP) platform promises large-area nanoscale patterning with significantly improved throughput and a great variety of applications, e.g. precision patterning of metals, bio-molecules, colloidal nanocrystals, etc. Compared with nanoimprint lithography, MCP does not require a thermal imprinting step (which limits the speed and material choices), but instead, extreme precision with multi-axis positioning and misalignment correction capabilities for large area adaptation. In this work, we exploit a flexure-based mechanism that enables continuous MCP with 500 nm precision and 0.05 N force control. The fully automated roll-to-roll platform is coupled with a new backfilling MCP chemistry optimized for high-speed patterning of gold and silver. Gratings of 300, 400, 600 nm line-width at various locations on a 4-inch plastic substrate are fabricated at a speed of 60 cm/min. Our work represents the first example of roll-to-roll MCP with high reproducibility, wafer scale production capability at nanometer resolution. The precision roll-to-roll platform can be readily applied to other material systems. PMID:26037147

  2. Biomarkers: Delivering on the expectation of molecularly driven, quantitative health.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Jennifer L; Altman, Russ B

    2018-02-01

    Biomarkers are the pillars of precision medicine and are delivering on expectations of molecular, quantitative health. These features have made clinical decisions more precise and personalized, but require a high bar for validation. Biomarkers have improved health outcomes in a few areas such as cancer, pharmacogenetics, and safety. Burgeoning big data research infrastructure, the internet of things, and increased patient participation will accelerate discovery in the many areas that have not yet realized the full potential of biomarkers for precision health. Here we review themes of biomarker discovery, current implementations of biomarkers for precision health, and future opportunities and challenges for biomarker discovery. Impact statement Precision medicine evolved because of the understanding that human disease is molecularly driven and is highly variable across patients. This understanding has made biomarkers, a diverse class of biological measurements, more relevant for disease diagnosis, monitoring, and selection of treatment strategy. Biomarkers' impact on precision medicine can be seen in cancer, pharmacogenomics, and safety. The successes in these cases suggest many more applications for biomarkers and a greater impact for precision medicine across the spectrum of human disease. The authors assess the status of biomarker-guided medical practice by analyzing themes for biomarker discovery, reviewing the impact of these markers in the clinic, and highlight future and ongoing challenges for biomarker discovery. This work is timely and relevant, as the molecular, quantitative approach of precision medicine is spreading to many disease indications.

  3. High precision U-PB geochronology and implications for the tectonic evolution of the Superior Province

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Davis, D. W.; Corfu, F.; Krogh, T. E.

    1986-01-01

    The underlying mechanisms of Archean tectonics and the degree to which modern plate tectonic models are applicable early in Earth's history continue to be a subject of considerable debate. A precise knowledge of the timing of geological events is of the utmost importance in studying this problem. The high precision U-Pb method has been applied in recent years to rock units in many areas of the Superior Province. Most of these data have precisions of about + or - 2-3 Ma. The resulting detailed chronologies of local igneous development and the regional age relationships furnish tight constraints on any Archean tectonic model. Superior province terrains can be classified into 3 types: (1) low grade areas dominated by meta-volcanic rocks (greenstone belts); (2) high grade, largely metaplutonic areas with abundant orthogneiss and foliated to massive I-type granitoid bodies; and (3) high grade areas with abundant metasediments, paragneiss and S-type plutons. Most of the U-Pb age determinations have been done on type 1 terrains with very few having been done in type 3 terrains. A compilation of over 120 ages indicates that the major part of igneous activity took place in the period 2760-2670 Ma, known as the Kenoran event. This event was ubiquitous throughout the Superior Province.

  4. Feeding and metabolic consequences of scheduled consumption of large, binge-type meals of high fat diet in the Sprague-Dawley rat.

    PubMed

    Bake, T; Morgan, D G A; Mercer, J G

    2014-04-10

    Providing rats and mice with access to palatable high fat diets for a short period each day induces the consumption of substantial binge-like meals. Temporal food intake structure (assessed using the TSE PhenoMaster/LabMaster system) and metabolic outcomes (oral glucose tolerance tests [oGTTs], and dark phase glucose and insulin profiles) were examined in Sprague-Dawley rats given access to 60% high fat diet on one of 3 different feeding regimes: ad libitum access (HF), daily 2 h-scheduled access from 6 to 8 h into the dark phase (2 h-HF), and twice daily 1 h-scheduled access from both 1-2 h and 10-11 h into the dark phase (2×1 h-HF). Control diet remained available during the scheduled access period. HF rats had the highest caloric intake, body weight gain, body fat mass and plasma insulin. Both schedule-fed groups rapidly adapted their feeding behaviour to scheduled access, showing large meal/bingeing behaviour with 44% or 53% of daily calories consumed from high fat diet during the 2 h or 2×1 h scheduled feed(s), respectively. Both schedule-fed groups had an intermediate caloric intake and body fat mass compared to HF and control (CON) groups. Temporal analysis of food intake indicated that schedule-fed rats consumed large binge-type high fat meals without a habitual decrease in preceding intake on control diet, suggesting that a relative hypocaloric state was not responsible or required for driving the binge episode, and substantiating previous indications that binge eating may not be driven by hypothalamic energy balance neuropeptides. In an oGTT, both schedule-fed groups had impaired glucose tolerance with higher glucose and insulin area under the curve, similar to the response in ad libitum HF fed rats, suggesting that palatable feeding schedules represent a potential metabolic threat. Scheduled feeding on high fat diet produces similar metabolic phenotypes to mandatory (no choice) high fat feeding and may be a more realistic platform for mechanistic study of diet-induced obesity. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Simulation of Etching in Chlorine Discharges Using an Integrated Feature Evolution-Plasma Model

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hwang, Helen H.; Bose, Deepak; Govindan, T. R.; Meyyappan, M.; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    To better utilize its vast collection of heterogeneous resources that are geographically distributed across the United States, NASA is constructing a computational grid called the Information Power Grid (IPG). This paper describes various tools and techniques that we are developing to measure and improve the performance of a broad class of NASA applications when run on the IPG. In particular, we are investigating the areas of grid benchmarking, grid monitoring, user-level application scheduling, and decentralized system-level scheduling.

  6. Precision Compton polarimetry for the QWeak experiment at Jefferson Lab

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

    Wouter Deconinck

    2011-10-01

    The Q Weak experiment, scheduled to run in 2010-2012 in Hall C at Jefferson Lab, will measure the parity-violating asymmetry in elastic electron-proton scattering at 1.1 GeV to determine the weak charge of the proton, Q{sub Weak}{sup p} = 1 - 4 sin{sup 2} {theta}{sub W}. The dominant experimental systematic uncertainty will be the knowledge of the electron beam polarization. With a new Compton polarimeter we aim to measure the beam polarization with a statistical precision of 1% in one hour and a systematic uncertainty of 1%. A low-gain Fabry-Perot cavity laser system provides the circularly polarized photons. The scatteredmore » electrons are detected in radiation-hard diamond strip detectors, and form the basis for a coincidence trigger using distributed logic boards. The photon detector uses a fast, undoped CsI crystal with simultaneous sampling and integrating read-out. Coincident events are used to cross-calibrate the photon and electron detectors.« less

  7. Repair of major system elements on Skylab

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pace, R. E., Jr.

    1974-01-01

    In-flight maintenance, as conceived and preplanned for the Skylab mission was limited to simple scheduled and unscheduled replacement tasks and minor contingency repairs. Tools and spares were provided accordingly. However, failures during the mission dictated complicated and sophisticated repairs to major systems so that the mission could continue. These repairs included the release of a large structure that failed to deploy, the assembly and deployment of large mechanical devices, the installation and checkout of precision electronic equipment, troubleshooting and repair of precision electromechanical equipment, and tapping into and recharging a cooling system. The repairs were conducted both inside the spacecraft and during extravehicular activities. Some of the repair tasks required team effort on the part of the crewmen including close procedural coordination between internal and extravehicular crewmen. The Skylab experience indicates that crewmen can, with adequate training, make major system repairs in space using standard or special tools. Design of future spacecraft systems should acknowledge this capability and provide for more extensive in-flight repair and maintenance.

  8. 76 FR 1669 - Medicare Program; Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule and Other Revisions to Part B...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-01-11

    ... Areas Based on CBSA Labor Market Areas, we made technical and typographical errors in the composite rate... Based on CBSA Labor Market Areas, we made a technical error in the composite wage index for the nonurban... column, a. Second full paragraph, (1) Line 23, the figure ``1.181'' is corrected to read ``1.182.'' (2...

  9. Precision blackbody sources for radiometric standards.

    PubMed

    Sapritsky, V I; Khlevnoy, B B; Khromchenko, V B; Lisiansky, B E; Mekhontsev, S N; Melenevsky, U A; Morozova, S P; Prokhorov, A V; Samoilov, L N; Shapoval, V I; Sudarev, K A; Zelener, M F

    1997-08-01

    The precision blackbody sources developed at the All-Russian Institute for Optical and Physical Measurements (Moscow, Russia) and their characteristics are analyzed. The precision high-temperature graphite blackbody BB22p, large-area high-temperature pyrolytic graphite blackbody BB3200pg, middle-temperature graphite blackbody BB2000, low-temperature blackbody BB300, and gallium fixed-point blackbody BB29gl and their characteristics are described.

  10. Precision Medicine and PET/Computed Tomography: Challenges and Implementation.

    PubMed

    Subramaniam, Rathan M

    2017-01-01

    Precision Medicine is about selecting the right therapy for the right patient, at the right time, specific to the molecular targets expressed by disease or tumors, in the context of patient's environment and lifestyle. Some of the challenges for delivery of precision medicine in oncology include biomarkers for patient selection for enrichment-precision diagnostics, mapping out tumor heterogeneity that contributes to therapy failures, and early therapy assessment to identify resistance to therapies. PET/computed tomography offers solutions in these important areas of challenges and facilitates implementation of precision medicine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Superordinate Precision: An Examination of Academic Writing Among Bilingual Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students.

    PubMed

    Scott, Jessica A; Hoffmeister, Robert J

    2018-04-01

    Academic English is an essential literacy skill area for success in post-secondary education and in many work environments. Despite its importance, academic English is understudied with deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) students. Nascent research in this area suggests that academic English, alongside American Sign Language (ASL) fluency, may play an important role in the reading proficiency of DHH students in middle and high school. The current study expands this research to investigate academic English by examining student proficiency with a sub-skill of academic writing called superordinate precision, the taxonomical categorization of a term. Currently there is no research that examines DHH students' proficiency with superordinate precision. Middle and high school DHH students enrolled in bilingual schools for the deaf were assessed on their ASL proficiency, academic English proficiency, reading comprehension, and use of superordinate precision in definitions writing. Findings indicate that student use of superordinate precision in definitions writing was correlated with ASL proficiency, reading comprehension, and academic English proficiency. It is possible that degree of mastery of superordinate precision may indicate a higher overall level of proficiency with academic English. This may have important implications for assessment of and instruction in academic English literacy.

  12. Increased functional connectivity between cortical hand areas and praxis network associated with training-related improvements in non-dominant hand precision drawing.

    PubMed

    Philip, Benjamin A; Frey, Scott H

    2016-07-01

    Chronic forced use of the non-dominant left hand yields substantial improvements in the precision and quality of writing and drawing. These changes may arise from increased access by the non-dominant (right) hemisphere to dominant (left) hemisphere mechanisms specialized for end-point precision control. To evaluate this prediction, 22 healthy right-handed adults underwent resting state functional connectivity (FC) MRI scans before and after 10 days of training on a left hand precision drawing task. 89% of participants significantly improved left hand speed, accuracy, and smoothness. Smoothness gains were specific to the trained left hand and persistent: 6 months after training, 71% of participants exhibited above-baseline movement smoothness. Contrary to expectations, we found no evidence of increased FC between right and left hemisphere hand areas. Instead, training-related improvements in left hand movement smoothness were associated with increased FC between both sensorimotor hand areas and a left-lateralized parieto-prefrontal network implicated in manual praxis. By contrast, skill retention at 6 months was predicted by changes including decreased FC between the representation of the trained left hand and bilateral sensorimotor, parietal, and premotor cortices, possibly reflecting consolidation and a disengagement of early learning processes. These data indicate that modest amounts of training (<200min total) can induce substantial, persistent improvements the precision and quality of non-dominant hand control in healthy adults, supported by strengthened connectivity between bilateral sensorimotor hand areas and a left-lateralized parieto-prefrontal praxis network. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Precise Reproduction of Soft Tissue Structure around the Pontic Area Using Computer-Aided Design and Manufacturing.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hyeonjong; Paek, Janghyun; Noh, Kwantae; Kwon, Kung-Rock

    2017-08-21

    Reproducing soft tissue contours around a pontic area is important for the fabrication of an esthetic prosthesis, especially in the anterior area. A gingival model that precisely replicates the soft tissue structure around the pontic area can be easily obtained by taking a pick-up impression of an interim fixed dental prosthesis. After a working cast is fabricated using the customary technique, the pick-up model is superimposed onto the working model for the pontic area using computer-aided design and manufacturing (CAD/CAM). A definitive restoration using this technique would be well adapted to the pontic base, which is formed by the interim prosthesis. © 2017 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

  14. Efficient Trajectory Options Allocation for the Collaborative Trajectory Options Program

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rodionova, Olga; Arneson, Heather; Sridhar, Banavar; Evans, Antony

    2017-01-01

    The Collaborative Trajectory Options Program (CTOP) is a Traffic Management Initiative (TMI) intended to control the air traffic flow rates at multiple specified Flow Constrained Areas (FCAs), where demand exceeds capacity. CTOP allows flight operators to submit the desired Trajectory Options Set (TOS) for each affected flight with associated Relative Trajectory Cost (RTC) for each option. CTOP then creates a feasible schedule that complies with capacity constraints by assigning affected flights with routes and departure delays in such a way as to minimize the total cost while maintaining equity across flight operators. The current version of CTOP implements a Ration-by-Schedule (RBS) scheme, which assigns the best available options to flights based on a First-Scheduled-First-Served heuristic. In the present study, an alternative flight scheduling approach is developed based on linear optimization. Results suggest that such an approach can significantly reduce flight delays, in the deterministic case, while maintaining equity as defined using a Max-Min fairness scheme.

  15. A Pilot Study of Reasons and Risk Factors for "No-Shows" in a Pediatric Neurology Clinic.

    PubMed

    Guzek, Lindsay M; Fadel, William F; Golomb, Meredith R

    2015-09-01

    Missed clinic appointments lead to decreased patient access, worse patient outcomes, and increased healthcare costs. The goal of this pilot study was to identify reasons for and risk factors associated with missed pediatric neurology outpatient appointments ("no-shows"). This was a prospective cohort study of patients scheduled for 1 week of clinic. Data on patient clinical and demographic information were collected by record review; data on reasons for missed appointments were collected by phone interviews. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression to assess risk factors for missed appointments. Fifty-nine (25%) of 236 scheduled patients were no-shows. Scheduling conflicts (25.9%) and forgetting (20.4%) were the most common reasons for missed appointments. When controlling for confounding factors in the logistic regression, Medicaid (odds ratio 2.36), distance from clinic, and time since appointment was scheduled were associated with missed appointments. Further work in this area is needed. © The Author(s) 2014.

  16. The 1973 NASA payload model: Space opportunities 1973 - 1991. [characteristics of payloads and requirements of user community

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1973-01-01

    The tables of schedules and descriptions which portray the 1973 NASA Payload Model are presented. The schedules cover all NASA programs and the anticipated requirements of the user community, not including the Department of Defense, for the 1973 to 1991 period. The descriptions give an indication of what the payload is expected to accomplish, its characteristics, and where it is going. The payload flight schedules shown for each of the discipline areas indicate the time frame in which individual payloads will be launched, serviced, or retrieved. These do not necessarily constitute shuttle flights, however, since more than one payload can be flown on a single shuttle flight depending on size, weight, orbital destination, and the suitability of combining them. The weight, dimension, and destination data represent approximations of the payload characteristics as estimated by the Program Offices. Payload codes are provided for easy correlation between the schedules and descriptions of the Payload Model and subsequent documentation which may reference this model.

  17. Religious Expression in Coastal Area of Muslim Society West Papua

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mutia Faradillah Tukwain, Sitti; Fatimah, Fatimah; Suardi Wekke, Ismail

    2018-05-01

    This research focuses on da’i (Muslim preacher) absence during Ramadhan at Darussalam Mosque Kampung Pisang that ffects its da’wah (preaching) activity schedule. The activity meant here is a routine Islamic preaching which is scheduled every night during Ramdhan by Sorong Ministry of Religious Affair. The researcher appoints three problems to discuss: what are the reasons behind da’i absence during Ramadhan at Darussalam Mosque Kampung Pisang, how the attendees (mad’u) respond to the absence and how Ministry of Religious Affair deals with it. The type of this research is qualitative research. The data are collected from researcher interview with subjected primary informants; they are Darussalam Mosque Kampung Pisang committee, the listed da’i/mubaligh on schedule, the attendants (mad’u) and Ministry of Religious Affair for scheduling matters. The researcher also conducts a direct observation on the primary informants. This research finding is significant enough to base any related party who attempt to cope with similar problem.

  18. A Method for Optimal Load Dispatch of a Multi-zone Power System with Zonal Exchange Constraints

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hazarika, Durlav; Das, Ranjay

    2018-04-01

    This paper presented a method for economic generation scheduling of a multi-zone power system having inter zonal operational constraints. For this purpose, the generator rescheduling for a multi area power system having inter zonal operational constraints has been represented as a two step optimal generation scheduling problem. At first, the optimal generation scheduling has been carried out for the zone having surplus or deficient generation with proper spinning reserve using co-ordination equation. The power exchange required for the deficit zones and zones having no generation are estimated based on load demand and generation for the zone. The incremental transmission loss formulas for the transmission lines participating in the power transfer process among the zones are formulated. Using these, incremental transmission loss expression in co-ordination equation, the optimal generation scheduling for the zonal exchange has been determined. Simulation is carried out on IEEE 118 bus test system to examine the applicability and validity of the method.

  19. Office Occupations Curriculum Course Guide Postsecondary. Vocational Education, 1981.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aucoin, Margaret; And Others

    This publication is a curriculum guide for postsecondary office occupations education programs in Louisiana. The guide details courses to be taken in order for a student to major in the accounting, secretarial, or typist-clerk curriculum areas. Each of these three curriculum areas contains minimum requirements, exit points, hourly schedules, and…

  20. MAJOR AGRICULTURAL MIGRANT LABOR DEMAND AREAS.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department of Labor, Washington, DC.

    DEPICTED ARE 12 CHARTS OF MAJOR CROP PRODUCTION CENTERS IN THE UNITED STATES WHICH DEMAND THE LABOR OF MIGRATORY FARM WORKERS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. EACH CHART ILLUSTRATES THE AREAS OF AGRICULTURAL MIGRANT LABOR DEMAND FOR ONE MONTH OF THE YEAR. THE PURPOSE IS TO ACQUAINT THE PUBLIC WITH THE COMPLEXITY OF PLACING AND SCHEDULING MIGRATORY WORKERS…

  1. 117. ARAI Shop and maintenance (ARA627) building roof and floor ...

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

    117. ARA-I Shop and maintenance (ARA-627) building roof and floor plan. Includes room finish and equipment schedule. Norman Engineering Company 961-area/SF-627-A-1. Date: January 1959. Ineel index code no. 068-0627-00-613-102759. - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Army Reactors Experimental Area, Scoville, Butte County, ID

  2. Estimating allowable-cut by area-scheduling

    Treesearch

    William B. Leak

    2011-01-01

    Estimation of the regulated allowable-cut is an important step in placing a forest property under management and ensuring a continued supply of timber over time. Regular harvests also provide for the maintenance of needed wildlife habitat. There are two basic approaches: (1) volume, and (2) area/volume regulation, with many variations of each. Some require...

  3. 76 FR 45710 - Pay in Nonforeign Areas

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-08-01

    ... for the purpose of computing nonforeign area COLAs and post differentials, a retained rate established... limited by the normally applicable Executive Schedule level IV (EX-IV) cap on special rates ($155,500 in... special rate in excess of the EX-IV cap at the end of the transition period must be converted to a...

  4. 33 CFR 100.732 - Annual River Race Augusta; Savannah River, Augusta GA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Annual River Race Augusta... River Race Augusta; Savannah River, Augusta GA. (a) Definitions: (1) Regulated Area. The regulated area... Race Augusta each day, and during intervals between scheduled events, at the discretion of the Coast...

  5. 33 CFR 100.732 - Annual River Race Augusta; Savannah River, Augusta GA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Annual River Race Augusta... River Race Augusta; Savannah River, Augusta GA. (a) Definitions: (1) Regulated Area. The regulated area... Race Augusta each day, and during intervals between scheduled events, at the discretion of the Coast...

  6. 33 CFR 100.732 - Annual River Race Augusta; Savannah River, Augusta GA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Annual River Race Augusta... River Race Augusta; Savannah River, Augusta GA. (a) Definitions: (1) Regulated Area. The regulated area... Race Augusta each day, and during intervals between scheduled events, at the discretion of the Coast...

  7. 33 CFR 100.732 - Annual River Race Augusta; Savannah River, Augusta GA.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Annual River Race Augusta... River Race Augusta; Savannah River, Augusta GA. (a) Definitions: (1) Regulated Area. The regulated area... Race Augusta each day, and during intervals between scheduled events, at the discretion of the Coast...

  8. A general study of techniques for ultraviolet astrophysical studies on space vehicles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Moos, H. W.; Fastie, W. G.; Davidsen, A. F.

    1977-01-01

    Recent accomplishments in three areas of UV instrumentation for space astronomy are discussed. These areas include reliable UV photometry, sensitive photon-detection techniques, and precise telescope pointing. Calibration facilities for spectrometers designed to operate in the spectral regions above 1200 A and down to 400 A are described which employ a series of diodes calibrated against electron synchrotron radiation as well as other radiometric standards. Improvements in photon-detection sensitivity achieved with the aid of pulse-counting electronics and multispectral detectors are reported, and the technique of precise subarcsecond telescope pointing is briefly noted. Some observational results are presented which demonstrate the advantages and precision of the instruments and techniques considered.

  9. System for NIS Forecasting Based on Ensembles Analysis

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

    2014-01-02

    BMA-NIS is a package/library designed to be called by a script (e.g. Perl or Python). The software itself is written in the language of R. The software assists electric power delivery systems in planning resource availability and demand, based on historical data and current data variables. Net Interchange Schedule (NIS) is the algebraic sum of all energy scheduled to flow into or out of a balancing area during any interval. Accurate forecasts for NIS are important so that the Area Control Error (ACE) stays within an acceptable limit. To date, there are many approaches for forecasting NIS but all nonemore » of these are based on single models that can be sensitive to time of day and day of week effects.« less

  10. Results of quality-control sampling of water, bed sediment, and tissue in the Western Lake Michigan Drainages study unit of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Fitzgerald, S.A.

    1997-01-01

    This report contains the quality control results of the Western Lake Michigan Drainages study unit of the National Water Quality Assessment Program. Quality control samples were collected in the same manner and contemporaneously with environmental samples during the first highintensity study phase in the unit (1992 through 1995) and amounted to approximately 15 percent of all samples collected. The accuracy and precision of hundreds of chemical analyses of surface and ground-water, bed sediment, and tissue was determined through the collection and analysis of field blanks, field replicates and splits, matrix spikes, and surrogates. Despite the several detections of analytes in the field blanks, the concentrations of most constituents in the environmental samples will likely be an order of magnitude or higher than those in the blanks. However, frequent detections, and high concentrations, of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in several surface and ground-water blanks are probably significant with respect to commonly measured environmental concentrations, and the environmental data will have to be qualified accordingly. The precision of sampling of water on a percent basis, as determined from replicates and splits, was generally proportional to the concentration of the constituents, with constituents present in relatively high concentrations generally having less sampling variability than those with relatively low concentrations. In general, analytes with relatively high variability between replicates were present at concentrations near the reporting limit or were associated with relatively small absolute concentration differences, or both. Precision of replicates compared to that for splits in bed sediment samples was similar, thus eliminating sampling as a major source of variability in analyte concentrations. In the case the phthalates in bed sediment, contamination in either the field or laboratory could have caused the relatively large variability between replicate samples and between split samples.Variability of analyte concentrations in tissue samples was relatively low, being 29 percent or less for all constituents. Recoveries of most laboratory schedule 2001/2010 pesticide spike compounds in surfacewater samples were reasonably good. Low intrinsic method recovery resulted in relatively low recovery forp,p'-DDE, metribuzin, and propargite. In the case of propargite, decomposition with the environmental sample matrices was also indicated. Recoveries of two compounds, cyanazine and thiobencarb, might have been biased high due to interferences. The one laboratory schedule 2050/2051 field matrix pesticide spike indicated numerous operational problems with this method that biased recoveries either low or high. Recoveries of pesticides from both pesticide schedules in field spikes of ground-water samples generally were similar to those of field matrix spikes of surface- water samples. High maximum recoveries were noted for tebuthiuron, disulfoton, DCPA, and permethrin, which indicates the possible presence of interferents in the matrices for these compounds. Problems in the recoveries of pesticides on schedule 2050/2051 from ground-water samples generally were the same as those for surfacewater samples. Recoveries of VOCs in field matrix spikes were reasonable when consideration was given for the use of the micropipettor that delivered only about 80 percent on average of the nominal mass of spiked analytes. Finally, the recoveries of most surrogate compounds in surface and ground-water samples were reasonable. Problems in sample handling (for example, spillage) were likely not the cause of any of the low recoveries of spiked compounds.

  11. A Method for Forecasting the Commercial Air Traffic Schedule in the Future

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Long, Dou; Lee, David; Gaier, Eric; Johnson, Jesse; Kostiuk, Peter

    1999-01-01

    This report presents an integrated set of models that forecasts air carriers' future operations when delays due to limited terminal-area capacity are considered. This report models the industry as a whole, avoiding unnecessary details of competition among the carriers. To develop the schedule outputs, we first present a model to forecast the unconstrained flight schedules in the future, based on the assumption of rational behavior of the carriers. Then we develop a method to modify the unconstrained schedules, accounting for effects of congestion due to limited NAS capacities. Our underlying assumption is that carriers will modify their operations to keep mean delays within certain limits. We estimate values for those limits from changes in planned block times reflected in the OAG. Our method for modifying schedules takes many means of reducing the delays into considerations, albeit some of them indirectly. The direct actions include depeaking, operating in off-hours, and reducing hub airports'operations. Indirect actions include using secondary airports, using larger aircraft, and selecting new hub airports, which, we assume, have already been modeled in the FAA's TAF. Users of our suite of models can substitute an alternative forecast for the TAF.

  12. Fixed-interval performance and self-control in children.

    PubMed Central

    Darcheville, J C; Rivière, V; Wearden, J H

    1992-01-01

    Operant responses of 16 children (mean age 6 years and 1 month) were reinforced according to different fixed-interval schedules (with interreinforcer intervals of 20, 30, or 40 s) in which the reinforcers were either 20-s or 40-s presentations of a cartoon. In another procedure, they received training on a self-control paradigm in which both reinforcer delay (0.5 s or 40 s) and reinforcer duration (20 s or 40 s of cartoons) varied, and subjects were offered a choice between various combinations of delay and duration. Individual differences in behavior under the self-control procedure were precisely mirrored by individual differences under the fixed-interval schedule. Children who chose the smaller immediate reinforcer on the self-control procedure (impulsive) produced short postreinforcement pauses and high response rates in the fixed-interval conditions, and both measures changed little with changes in fixed-interval value. Conversely, children who chose the larger delayed reinforcer in the self-control condition (the self-controlled subjects) exhibited lower response rates and long postreinforcement pauses, which changed systematically with changes in the interval, in their fixed-interval performances. PMID:1573372

  13. Bonneville, Power Administration Timing System

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Martin, Kenneth E.

    1996-01-01

    Time is an integral part of the Bonneville Power Administration's (BPA) operational systems. Generation and power transfers are planned in advance. Utilities coordinate with each other by making these adjustments on a timed schedule. Price varies with demand, so billing is based on time. Outages for maintenance are scheduled to assure they do not interrupt reliable power delivery. Disturbance records are aligned with recorded timetags for analysis and comparison with related information. Advanced applications like traveling wave fault location and real-time phase measurement require continuous timing with high precision. Most of BPA is served by a Central Time System (CTS) at the Dittmer Control Center near Portland, OR. This system keeps time locally and supplies time to both the control center systems and field locations via a microwave signal. It is kept synchronized to national standard time and coordinated with interconnected utilities. It is the official BPA time. Powwer system control and operation is described, followed by a description of BPA timing systems including CTS, the Fault Location Acquisition Reporter, time dissemination, and phasor measurements. References are provided for further reading.

  14. Highly multiplexed targeted proteomics using precise control of peptide retention time.

    PubMed

    Gallien, Sebastien; Peterman, Scott; Kiyonami, Reiko; Souady, Jamal; Duriez, Elodie; Schoen, Alan; Domon, Bruno

    2012-04-01

    Large-scale proteomics applications using SRM analysis on triple quadrupole mass spectrometers present new challenges to LC-MS/MS experimental design. Despite the automation of building large-scale LC-SRM methods, the increased numbers of targeted peptides can compromise the balance between sensitivity and selectivity. To facilitate large target numbers, time-scheduled SRM transition acquisition is performed. Previously published results have demonstrated incorporation of a well-characterized set of synthetic peptides enabled chromatographic characterization of the elution profile for most endogenous peptides. We have extended this application of peptide trainer kits to not only build SRM methods but to facilitate real-time elution profile characterization that enables automated adjustment of the scheduled detection windows. Incorporation of dynamic retention time adjustments better facilitate targeted assays lasting several days without the need for constant supervision. This paper provides an overview of how the dynamic retention correction approach identifies and corrects for commonly observed LC variations. This adjustment dramatically improves robustness in targeted discovery experiments as well as routine quantification experiments. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Electrophysiological assessment of water stress in fruit-bearing woody plants.

    PubMed

    Ríos-Rojas, Liliana; Tapia, Franco; Gurovich, Luis A

    2014-06-15

    Development and evaluation of a real-time plant water stress sensor, based on the electrophysiological behavior of fruit-bearing woody plants is presented. Continuous electric potentials are measured in tree trunks for different irrigation schedules, inducing variable water stress conditions; results are discussed in relation to soil water content and micro-atmospheric evaporative demand, determined continuously by conventional sensors, correlating this information with tree electric potential measurements. Systematic and differentiable patterns of electric potentials for water-stressed and no-stressed trees in 2 fruit species are presented. Early detection and recovery dynamics of water stress conditions can also be monitored with these electrophysiology sensors, which enable continuous and non-destructive measurements for efficient irrigation scheduling throughout the year. The experiment is developed under controlled conditions, in Faraday cages located at a greenhouse area, both in Persea americana and Prunus domestica plants. Soil moisture evolution is controlled using capacitance sensors and solar radiation, temperature, relative humidity, wind intensity and direction are continuously registered with accurate weather sensors, in a micro-agrometeorological automatic station located at the experimental site. The electrophysiological sensor has two stainless steel electrodes (measuring/reference), inserted on the stem; a high precision Keithley 2701 digital multimeter is used to measure plant electrical signals; an algorithm written in MatLab(®), allows correlating the signal to environmental variables. An electric cyclic behavior is observed (circadian cycle) in the experimental plants. For non-irrigated plants, the electrical signal shows a time positive slope and then, a negative slope after restarting irrigation throughout a rather extended recovery process, before reaching a stable electrical signal with zero slope. Well-watered plants presented a continuous signal with daily maximum and a minimum EP of similar magnitude in time, with zero slope. This plant electrical behavior is proposed for the development of a sensor measuring real-time plant water status. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  16. The effects of sample scheduling and sample numbers on estimates of the annual fluxes of suspended sediment in fluvial systems

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Horowitz, Arthur J.; Clarke, Robin T.; Merten, Gustavo Henrique

    2015-01-01

    Since the 1970s, there has been both continuing and growing interest in developing accurate estimates of the annual fluvial transport (fluxes and loads) of suspended sediment and sediment-associated chemical constituents. This study provides an evaluation of the effects of manual sample numbers (from 4 to 12 year−1) and sample scheduling (random-based, calendar-based and hydrology-based) on the precision, bias and accuracy of annual suspended sediment flux estimates. The evaluation is based on data from selected US Geological Survey daily suspended sediment stations in the USA and covers basins ranging in area from just over 900 km2 to nearly 2 million km2 and annual suspended sediment fluxes ranging from about 4 Kt year−1 to about 200 Mt year−1. The results appear to indicate that there is a scale effect for random-based and calendar-based sampling schemes, with larger sample numbers required as basin size decreases. All the sampling schemes evaluated display some level of positive (overestimates) or negative (underestimates) bias. The study further indicates that hydrology-based sampling schemes are likely to generate the most accurate annual suspended sediment flux estimates with the fewest number of samples, regardless of basin size. This type of scheme seems most appropriate when the determination of suspended sediment concentrations, sediment-associated chemical concentrations, annual suspended sediment and annual suspended sediment-associated chemical fluxes only represent a few of the parameters of interest in multidisciplinary, multiparameter monitoring programmes. The results are just as applicable to the calibration of autosamplers/suspended sediment surrogates currently used to measure/estimate suspended sediment concentrations and ultimately, annual suspended sediment fluxes, because manual samples are required to adjust the sample data/measurements generated by these techniques so that they provide depth-integrated and cross-sectionally representative data. 

  17. High resolution Florida IR silicon immersion grating spectrometer and an M dwarf planet survey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ge, Jian; Powell, Scott; Zhao, Bo; Wang, Ji; Fletcher, Adam; Schofield, Sidney; Liu, Jian; Muterspaugh, Matthew; Blake, Cullen; Barnes, Rory

    2012-09-01

    We report the system design and predicted performance of the Florida IR Silicon immersion grating spectromeTer (FIRST). This new generation cryogenic IR spectrograph offers broad-band high resolution IR spectroscopy with R=72,000 at 1.4-1.8 μm and R=60,000 at 0.8-1.35 μm in a single exposure with a 2kx2k H2RG IR array. It is enabled by a compact design using an extremely high dispersion silicon immersion grating (SIG) and an R4 echelle with a 50 mm diameter pupil in combination with an Image Slicer. This instrument is operated in vacuum with temperature precisely controlled to reach long term stability for high precision radial velocity (RV) measurements of nearby stars, especially M dwarfs and young stars. The primary technical goal is to reach better than 4 m/s long term RV precision with J<9 M dwarfs within 30 min exposures. This instrument is scheduled to be commissioned at the Tennessee State University (TSU) 2-m Automatic Spectroscopic Telescope (AST) at Fairborn Observatory in spring 2013. FIRST can also be used for observing transiting planets, young stellar objects (YSOs), magnetic fields, binaries, brown dwarfs (BDs), ISM and stars. We plan to launch the FIRST NIR M dwarf planet survey in 2014 after FIRST is commissioned at the AST. This NIR M dwarf survey is the first large-scale NIR high precision Doppler survey dedicated to detecting and characterizing planets around 215 nearby M dwarfs with J< 10. Our primary science goal is to look for habitable Super-Earths around the late M dwarfs and also to identify transiting systems for follow-up observations with JWST to measure the planetary atmospheric compositions and study their habitability. Our secondary science goal is to detect and characterize a large number of planets around M dwarfs to understand the statistics of planet populations around these low mass stars and constrain planet formation and evolution models. Our survey baseline is expected to detect ~30 exoplanets, including 10 Super Earths, within 100 day periods. About half of the Super-Earths are in their habitable zones and one of them may be a transiting planet. The AST, with its robotic control and ease of switching between instruments (in seconds), enables great flexibility and efficiency, and enables an optimal strategy, in terms of schedule and cadence, for this NIR M dwarf planet survey.

  18. Marching to the beat of Moore's Law

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Borodovsky, Yan

    2006-03-01

    Area density scaling in integrated circuits, defined as transistor count per unit area, has followed the famous observation-cum-prediction by Gordon Moore for many generations. Known as "Moore's Law" which predicts density doubling every 18-24 month, it has provided all important synchronizing guidance and reference for tools and materials suppliers, IC manufacturers and their customers as to what minimal requirements their products and services need to meet to satisfy technical and financial expectations in support of the infrastructure required for the development and manufacturing of corresponding technology generation nodes. Multiple lithography solutions are usually under considerations for any given node. In general, three broad classes of solutions are considered: evolutionary - technology that is extension of existing technology infrastructure at similar or slightly higher cost and risk to schedule; revolutionary - technology that discards significant parts of the existing infrastructure at similar cost, higher risk to schedule but promises higher capability as compared to the evolutionary approach; and last but not least, disruptive - approach that as a rule promises similar or better capabilities, much lower cost and wholly unpredictable risk to schedule and products yields. This paper examines various lithography approaches, their respective merits against criteria of respective infrastructure availability, affordability and risk to IC manufacturer's schedules and strategy involved in developing and selecting best solution in an attempt to sort out key factors that will impact the decision on the lithography choice for large-scale manufacturing for the future technology nodes.

  19. Evaluating the accuracy of soil water sensors for irrigation scheduling to conserve freshwater

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ganjegunte, Girisha K.; Sheng, Zhuping; Clark, John A.

    2012-06-01

    In the Trans-Pecos area, pecan [ Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh) C. Koch] is a major irrigated cash crop. Pecan trees require large amounts of water for their growth and flood (border) irrigation is the most common method of irrigation. Pecan crop is often over irrigated using traditional method of irrigation scheduling by counting number of calendar days since the previous irrigation. Studies in other pecan growing areas have shown that the water use efficiency can be improved significantly and precious freshwater can be saved by scheduling irrigation based on soil moisture conditions. This study evaluated the accuracy of three recent low cost soil water sensors (ECH2O-5TE, Watermark 200SS and Tensiometer model R) to monitor volumetric soil water content (θv) to develop improved irrigation scheduling in a mature pecan orchard in El Paso, Texas. Results indicated that while all three sensors were successful in following the general trends of soil moisture conditions during the growing season, actual measurements differed significantly. Statistical analyses of results indicated that Tensiometer provided relatively accurate soil moisture data than ECH2O-5TE and Watermark without site-specific calibration. While ECH2O-5TE overestimated the soil water content, Watermark and Tensiometer underestimated. Results of this study suggested poor accuracy of all three sensors if factory calibration and reported soil water retention curve for study site soil texture were used. This indicated that sensors needed site-specific calibration to improve their accuracy in estimating soil water content data.

  20. Vertiports : Policy implications

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2018-01-01

    According to HeliExperts International, Heliports/Vertiports are designated helicopter and tiltrotor landing and takeoff areas. They range from simple unprepared open fields and parking lots to locations that support scheduled air services, comple...

  1. Method for maintaining precise suction strip porosities

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gallimore, Frank H. (Inventor)

    1989-01-01

    This invention relates to a masking method generally and, more particularly to a method of masking perforated titanium sheets having laminar control suction strips. As illustrated in the drawings, a nonaerodynamic surface of a perforated sheet has alternating suction strip areas and bonding land areas. Suction strip tapes overlie the bonding land areas during application of a masking material to an upper surface of the suction strip tapes. Prior to bonding the perforated sheet to a composite structure, the bonding land tapes are removed. The entire opposite aerodynamic surface is masked with tape before bonding. This invention provides a precise control of suction strip porosities by ensuring that no chemicals penetrate the suction strip areas during bonding.

  2. Influence of a new generation of operations support systems on current spacecraft operations philosophy: The users feedback

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Darroy, Jean Michel

    1993-01-01

    Current trends in the spacecraft mission operations area (spacecraft & mission complexity, project duration, required flexibility are requiring a breakthrough for what concerns philosophy, organization, and support tools. A major evolution is related to space operations 'informationalization', i.e adding to existing operations support & data processing systems a new generation of tools based on advanced information technologies (object-oriented programming, artificial intelligence, data bases, hypertext) that automate, at least partially, operations tasks that used be performed manually (mission & project planning/scheduling, operations procedures elaboration & execution, data analysis & failure diagnosis). All the major facets of this 'informationalization' are addressed at MATRA MARCONI SPACE, operational applications were fielded and generic products are becoming available. These various applications have generated a significant feedback from the users (at ESA, CNES, ARIANESPACE, MATRA MARCONI SPACE), which is now allowing us to precisely measure how the deployment of this new generation of tools, that we called OPSWARE, can 'reengineer' current spacecraft mission operations philosophy, how it can make space operations faster, better, and cheaper. This paper can be considered as an update of the keynote address 'Knowledge-Based Systems for Spacecraft Control' presented during the first 'Ground Data Systems for Spacecraft Control' conference in Darmstadt, June 1990, with a special emphasis on these last two years users feedback.

  3. Identifying Galactic Cosmic Ray Origins With Super-TIGER

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    deNolfo, Georgia; Binns, W. R.; Israel, M. H.; Christian, E. R.; Mitchell, J. W.; Hams, T.; Link, J. T.; Sasaki, M.; Labrador, A. W.; Mewaldt, R. A.; hide

    2009-01-01

    Super-TIGER (Super Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder) is a new long-duration balloon-borne instrument designed to test and clarify an emerging model of cosmic-ray origins and models for atomic processes by which nuclei are selected for acceleration. A sensitive test of the origin of cosmic rays is the measurement of ultra heavy elemental abundances (Z > or equal 30). Super-TIGER is a large-area (5 sq m) instrument designed to measure the elements in the interval 30 < or equal Z < or equal 42 with individual-element resolution and high statistical precision, and make exploratory measurements through Z = 60. It will also measure with high statistical accuracy the energy spectra of the more abundant elements in the interval 14 < or equal Z < or equal 30 at energies 0.8 < or equal E < or equal 10 GeV/nucleon. These spectra will give a sensitive test of the hypothesis that microquasars or other sources could superpose spectral features on the otherwise smooth energy spectra previously measured with less statistical accuracy. Super-TIGER builds on the heritage of the smaller TIGER, which produced the first well-resolved measurements of elemental abundances of the elements Ga-31, Ge-32, and Se-34. We present the Super-TIGER design, schedule, and progress to date, and discuss the relevance of UH measurements to cosmic-ray origins.

  4. Advances in mixed-integer programming methods for chemical production scheduling.

    PubMed

    Velez, Sara; Maravelias, Christos T

    2014-01-01

    The goal of this paper is to critically review advances in the area of chemical production scheduling over the past three decades and then present two recently proposed solution methods that have led to dramatic computational enhancements. First, we present a general framework and problem classification and discuss modeling and solution methods with an emphasis on mixed-integer programming (MIP) techniques. Second, we present two solution methods: (a) a constraint propagation algorithm that allows us to compute parameters that are then used to tighten MIP scheduling models and (b) a reformulation that introduces new variables, thus leading to effective branching. We also present computational results and an example illustrating how these methods are implemented, as well as the resulting enhancements. We close with a discussion of open research challenges and future research directions.

  5. A comparative evaluation of the effect of internet-based CME delivery format on satisfaction, knowledge and confidence

    PubMed Central

    2010-01-01

    Background Internet-based instruction in continuing medical education (CME) has been associated with favorable outcomes. However, more direct comparative studies of different Internet-based interventions, instructional methods, presentation formats, and approaches to implementation are needed. The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative evaluation of two Internet-based CME delivery formats and the effect on satisfaction, knowledge and confidence outcomes. Methods Evaluative outcomes of two differing formats of an Internet-based CME course with identical subject matter were compared. A Scheduled Group Learning format involved case-based asynchronous discussions with peers and a facilitator over a scheduled 3-week delivery period. An eCME On Demand format did not include facilitated discussion and was not based on a schedule; participants could start and finish at any time. A retrospective, pre-post evaluation study design comparing identical satisfaction, knowledge and confidence outcome measures was conducted. Results Participants in the Scheduled Group Learning format reported significantly higher mean satisfaction ratings in some areas, performed significantly higher on a post-knowledge assessment and reported significantly higher post-confidence scores than participants in the eCME On Demand format that was not scheduled and did not include facilitated discussion activity. Conclusions The findings support the instructional benefits of a scheduled delivery format and facilitated asynchronous discussion in Internet-based CME. PMID:20113493

  6. Application of smart phone in "Better Border Healthcare Program": a module for mother and child care.

    PubMed

    Kaewkungwal, Jaranit; Singhasivanon, Pratap; Khamsiriwatchara, Amnat; Sawang, Surasak; Meankaew, Pongthep; Wechsart, Apisit

    2010-11-03

    To assess the application of cell phone integrating into the healthcare system to improve antenatal care (ANC) and expanded programme on immunization (EPI) services for the under-served population in border area. A module combining web-based and mobile technology was developed to generate ANC/EPI visit schedule dates in which the healthcare personnel can cross-check, identify and update the mother's ANC and child's EPI status at the healthcare facility or at the household location when performing home visit; with additional feature of sending appointment reminder directly to the scheduled mother in the community. The module improved ANC/EPI coverage in the study area along the country border including for both Thai and non-Thai mothers and children who were either permanent resident or migrants; numbers of ANC and EPI visit on-time as per schedule significantly increased; there was less delay of antenatal visits and immunizations. The module integrated and functioned successfully as part of the healthcare system; it is proved for its feasibility and the extent to which community healthcare personnel in the low resource setting could efficiently utilize it to perform their duties.

  7. A time-based concept for terminal-area traffic management

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Erzberger, H.; Tobias, L.

    1986-01-01

    An automated air-traffic-management concept that has the potential for significantly increasing the efficiency of traffic flows in high-density terminal areas is discussed. The concept's implementation depends on the techniques for controlling the landing time of all aircraft entering the terminal area, both those that are equipped with on-board four dimensional guidance systems as well as those aircraft types that are conventionally equipped. The two major ground-based elements of the system are a scheduler which assigns conflict-free landing times and a profile descent advisor. Landing times provided by the scheduler are uplinked to equipped aircraft and translated into the appropriate four dimensional trajectory by the on-board flight-management system. The controller issues descent advisories to unequipped aircraft to help them achieve the assigned landing times. Air traffic control simulations have established that the concept provides an efficient method for controlling various mixes of four dimensional-equipped and unequipped, as well as low-and high-performance, aircraft.

  8. Border effect-based precise measurement of any frequency signal

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bai, Li-Na; Ye, Bo; Xuan, Mei-Na; Jin, Yu-Zhen; Zhou, Wei

    2015-12-01

    Limited detection resolution leads to fuzzy areas during the measurement, and the discrimination of the border of a fuzzy area helps to use the resolution stability. In this way, measurement precision is greatly improved, hence this phenomenon is named the border effect. The resolution fuzzy area and its application should be studied to realize high-resolution measurement. During the measurement of any frequency signal, the fuzzy areas of phase-coincidence detection are always discrete and irregular. In this paper the difficulty in capturing the border information of discrete fuzzy areas is overcome and extra-high resolution measurement is implemented. Measurement precision of any frequency-signal can easily reach better than 1 × 10-11/s in a wide range of frequencies, showing the great importance of the border effect. An in-depth study of this issue has great significance for frequency standard comparison, signal processing, telecommunication, and fundamental subjects. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 10978017 and 61201288), the Natural Science Foundation of Research Plan Projects of Shaanxi Province, China (Grant No. 2014JM2-6128), and the Sino-Poland Science and Technology Cooperation Projects (Grant No. 36-33).

  9. Sample Introduction Using the Hildebrand Grid Nebulizer for Plasma Spectrometry

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-01-01

    linear dynamic ranges, precision, and peak width were de- termined for elements in methanol and acetonitrile solutions. , (1)> The grid nebulizer was...FIA) with ICP-OES detection were evaluated. Detec- tion limits, linear dynamic ranges, precision, and peak width were de- termined for elements in...Concentration vs. Log Peak Area for Mn, 59 Cd, Zn, Au, Ni in Methanol (CMSC) 3-28 Log Concentration vs. Log Peak Area for Mn, 60 Cd, Au, Ni in

  10. Precision of pQCT-measured total, trabecular and cortical bone area, content, density and estimated bone strength in children

    PubMed Central

    Duff, W.R.D.; Björkman, K.M.; Kawalilak, C.E.; Kehrig, A.M.; Wiebe, S.; Kontulainen, S.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives: To define pQCT precision errors, least-significant-changes, and identify associated factors for bone outcomes at the radius and tibia in children. Methods: We obtained duplicate radius and tibia pQCT scans from 35 children (8-14yrs). We report root-mean-squared coefficient of variation (CV%RMS) and 95% limits-of-agreement to characterize repeatability across scan quality and least-significant-changes for bone outcomes at distal (total and trabecular area, content and density; and compressive bone strength) and shaft sites (total area and content; cortical area content, density and thickness; and torsional bone strength). We used Spearman’s rho to identify associations between CV% and time between measurements, child’s age or anthropometrics. Results: After excluding unanalyzable scans (6-10% of scans per bone site), CV%RMS ranged from 4% (total density) to 19% (trabecular content) at the distal radius, 4% (cortical content) to 8% (cortical thickness) at the radius shaft, 2% (total density) to 14% (trabecular content) at the distal tibia and from 2% (cortical content) to 6% (bone strength) at the tibia shaft. Precision errors were within 95% limits-of-agreement across scan quality. Age was associated (rho -0.4 to -0.5, p <0.05) with CV% at the tibia. Conclusion: Bone density outcomes and cortical bone properties appeared most precise (CV%RMS <5%) in children. PMID:28574412

  11. Guard cells elongate: relationship of volume and surface area during stomatal movement.

    PubMed

    Meckel, Tobias; Gall, Lars; Semrau, Stefan; Homann, Ulrike; Thiel, Gerhard

    2007-02-01

    Stomata in the epidermis of photosynthetically active plant organs are formed by pairs of guard cells, which create a pore, to facilitate CO2 and water exchange with the environment. To control this gas exchange, guard cells actively change their volume and, consequently, surface area to alter the aperture of the stomatal pore. Due to the limited elasticity of the plasma membrane, such changes in surface area require an exocytic addition or endocytic retrieval of membrane during stomatal movement. Using confocal microscopic data, we have reconstructed detailed three-dimensional models of open and closed stomata to precisely quantify the necessary area to be exo- and endocytosed by the guard cells. Images were obtained under a strong emphasis on a precise calibration of the method and by avoiding unphysiological osmotical imbalance, and hence osmocytosis. The data reveal that guard cells of Vicia faba L., whose aperture increases by 111.89+/-22.39%, increase in volume and surface area by 24.82+/-6.26% and 14.99+/-2.62%, respectively. In addition, the precise volume to surface area relationship allows quantitative modeling of the three-dimensional changes. While the major volume change is caused by a slight increase in the cross section of the cells, an elongation of the guard cells achieves the main aperture change.

  12. Dr. Kenneth Sudduth: A giant pioneering precision agriculture

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Dr. Ken Sudduth is nationally and internationally recognized for his precision agriculture research and leadership, especially in the areas of soil sensing and assessment of spatial variability for site-specific management. His many noteworthy contributions include novel techniques and methodology f...

  13. Regional and local networks of horizontal control, Cerro Prieto geothermal area

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Massey, B.L.

    1979-01-01

    The Cerro Prieto geothermal area in the Mexicali Valley 30 km southeast of Mexicali, Baja California, is probably deforming due to (1) the extraction of large volumes of steam and hot water, and (2) active tectonism. Two networks of precise horizontal control were established in Mexicali Valley by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1977 - 1978 to measure both types of movement as they occur. These networks consisted of (1) a regional trilateration net brought into the mountain ranges west of the geothermal area from survey stations on an existing U.S. Geological Survey crustal-strain network north of the international border, and (2) a local net tied to stations in the regional net and encompassing the area of present and planned geothermal production. Survey lines in this net were selected to span areas of probable ground-surface movements in and around the geothermal area. Electronic distance measuring (EDM) instruments, operating with a modulated laser beam, were used to measure the distances between stations in both networks. The regional net was run using a highly precise long-range EDM instrument, helicopters for transportation of men and equipment to inaccessible stations on mountain peaks, and a fixed wing airplane flying along the line of sight. Precision of measurements with this complex long-range system approached 0-2 ppm of line length. The local net was measured with a medium-range EDM instrument requiring minimal ancillary equipment. Precision of measurements with this less complex system approached 3 ppm for the shorter line lengths. The detection and analysis of ground-surface movements resulting from tectonic strains or induced by geothermal fluid withdrawal is dependent on subsequent resurveys of these networks. ?? 1979.

  14. Airport activity and noise trends

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1993-10-01

    This report is published by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission : (MTC) to provide information concerning local Bay Area airport activity and : airport noise trends. The airport activity data are obtained from published : airline schedules and...

  15. Assessing the Feasibility of International Branch Campuses: Factors Universities Consider when Establishing Campuses Abroad

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-01-01

    scheduled interview appointments with me but then cancelled and we were never able to reschedule . Only one potential interviewee declined outright...wanted. It’s a mining area, so they wanted civil engineering…They also wanted nursing [and] gerontology since it’s an area where people want to go to...government wanted. It’s a mining area, so they wanted civil engineering…They also wanted nursing [and] gerontology since it’s an area that people

  16. 41 CFR 102-74.525 - May Federal agencies reserve time periods for the use of public areas for official Government...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-07-01

    ... Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION REAL PROPERTY 74-FACILITY MANAGEMENT Occasional Use of Public Buildings Schedule of Use § 102-74.525 May Federal agencies reserve time... reserve time periods for the use of public areas for official Government business or for maintenance...

  17. Space Station Systems Technology Study. Volume 1: Executive summary

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1984-01-01

    The four study areas addressed are: (1) attitude control, (2) data management, (3) long-life thermal management, and (4) automated housekeeping integration. The design concepts in each area were refined. The cost benefits, schedules, and life cycle costs for the options were evaluated. Technology advancement plans were prepared for each of the selected items, and documentation was prepared.

  18. 7 CFR 500.24 - Fee Schedule.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... to maximum of 150 people at event; reserved for marriage ceremonies and accompanying receptions only. M Street Picnic Area 5,000 Per Day Up to 200 seated or standing; paved or grassy areas can be tented.... Filming $1,500 to $3,900 Per Whole Day Sliding scale based on number of people in cast and crew and number...

  19. The Basic Study Skills Guide for Grades K-6.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prince George's County Public Schools, Upper Marlboro, MD.

    This guide has been designed for use in teaching study skills to elementary school students, kindergarten through grade six. It contains lessons developed and refined over a three-year period in the skills areas of listening, scheduling and task analysis, memory, notetaking, and using a textbook. Each skills area is developed in the context of a…

  20. The Basic Study Skills Curriculum Guide for Grades 10-12.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prince George's County Public Schools, Upper Marlboro, MD.

    This guide has been designed for use in teaching study skills to high school students, grades ten through twelve. It contains lessons developed and refined over a three-year period in the skills areas of listening, scheduling and task analysis, memory, notetaking, and using a textbook. Each skills area is developed in the context of a kindergarten…

  1. The Basic Study Skills Curriculum Guide for Grades 7-9.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Prince George's County Public Schools, Upper Marlboro, MD.

    This guide has been designed for use in teaching study skills to junior high school students, grades seven through nine. It contains lessons developed and refined over a three-year period in the skills areas of listening, scheduling and task analysis, memory, notetaking, and using a textbook. Each skills area is developed in the context of a…

  2. Wrinkling and Folding on Patched Elastic Surfaces: Modulation of the Chemistry and Pattern Size of Microwrinkled Surfaces.

    PubMed

    Nogales, Aurora; Del Campo, Adolfo; Ezquerra, Tiberio A; Rodriguez-Hernández, Juan

    2017-06-14

    An unconventional strategy is proposed that takes advantage of localized high-deformation areas, referred to as folded wrinkles, to produce microstructured elastic surfaces with precisely controlled pattern dimensions and chemical distribution. For that purpose, elastic PDMS substrates were prestretched to a different extent and oxidized in particular areas using a mask. When the stretching was removed, the PDMS substrate exhibited out-of-plane deformations that largely depend on the applied prestretching. Prestretchings below 100% lead to affine deformations in which the treated areas are buckled. On the contrary, prestretchings above ε >100% prior to surface treatment induce the formation of folded wrinkles on those micrometer-size ultraviolet-ozone (UVO) treated areas upon relaxation. As a result, dual periodic wrinkles were formed due to the alternation of highly deformed (folded) and low deformed (buckled) areas. Our strategy is based on the surface treatment at precise positions upon prestretching of the elastic substrate (PDMS). Additionally, this approach can be used to template the formation of wrinkled surfaces by alternating lines of folded wrinkles (valleys) and low-deformed areas (hills). This effect allowed us to precisely tune the shape and distribution of the UVO exposed areas by varying the prestretching direction. Moreover, the wrinkle characteristics, including period and amplitude, exhibit a direct relation to the dimensions of the patterns present in the mask.

  3. The Spanish Diagnostic Interview Schedule. Reliability and concordance with clinical diagnoses in Puerto Rico.

    PubMed

    Canino, G J; Bird, H R; Shrout, P E; Rubio-Stipec, M; Bravo, M; Martinez, R; Sesman, M; Guzman, A; Guevara, L M; Costas, H

    1987-08-01

    A Spanish translation of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) was assessed using samples of Puerto Rican patients and community subjects from the San Juan area. Concordance between DIS results from psychiatrists' interviews and from laypersons' interviews was similar to results with the DIS in mainland samples. Comparisons of laypersons' DIS results with psychiatrists' clinical diagnoses yielded generally poorer agreement. Levels of agreement improved when diagnoses were clustered into higher-rank categories. These results raise cultural issues related to the use of the DIS in Puerto Rico.

  4. Optimal procedures for home visits — A case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alves, Filipe; Fernandes, Florbela P.; Pereira, Ana I.; Fernandes, Adília

    2017-07-01

    In Portugal the population is ageing. Therefore, the provision of health care at patients' home is becoming an important social and health area; this health service is provided by professional teams (usually composed by nurses) of the Health Centers. Nowadays, the scheduling of the visits is made manually. The proposal of this work is to do the scheduling automatically in order to minimize the overall time spent by the professional teams in the visiting activity. In this work the genetic algorithm was used to solve the optimization problem. Some numerical results are presented.

  5. KSC-07pd0406

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2007-02-16

    KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside the Space Station Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center, workers from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency watch from a control area as the Remote Manipulator System, or robotic arm, is attached to a hoisting device to prepare it for installation to the Japanese Experiment Module for testing. The RMS is one of the payloads scheduled to be delivered to the station on a future mission tentatively scheduled for 2008. The RMS is similar to the robotic arm already installed on the station's mobile base system. Photo credit: NASA/Amanda Diller

  6. 1976 annual summary report

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

    Not Available

    1978-03-01

    Abstracts of papers published during the previous calendar year, arranged in accordance with the project titles used in the USDOE Schedule 189 Budget Proposals, are presented. The collection of abstracts supplements the listing of papers published in the Schedule 189. The following subject areas are represented: high-energy physics; nuclear physics; basic energy sciences (nuclear science, materials sciences, solid state physics, materials chemistry); molecular, mathematical, and earth sciences (fundamental interactions, processes and techniques, mathematical and computer sciences); environmental research and development; physical and technological studies (characterization, measurement and monitoring); and nuclear research and applications.

  7. Future aircraft networks and schedules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shu, Yan

    2011-07-01

    Because of the importance of air transportation scheduling, the emergence of small aircraft and the vision of future fuel-efficient aircraft, this thesis has focused on the study of aircraft scheduling and network design involving multiple types of aircraft and flight services. It develops models and solution algorithms for the schedule design problem and analyzes the computational results. First, based on the current development of small aircraft and on-demand flight services, this thesis expands a business model for integrating on-demand flight services with the traditional scheduled flight services. This thesis proposes a three-step approach to the design of aircraft schedules and networks from scratch under the model. In the first step, both a frequency assignment model for scheduled flights that incorporates a passenger path choice model and a frequency assignment model for on-demand flights that incorporates a passenger mode choice model are created. In the second step, a rough fleet assignment model that determines a set of flight legs, each of which is assigned an aircraft type and a rough departure time is constructed. In the third step, a timetable model that determines an exact departure time for each flight leg is developed. Based on the models proposed in the three steps, this thesis creates schedule design instances that involve almost all the major airports and markets in the United States. The instances of the frequency assignment model created in this thesis are large-scale non-convex mixed-integer programming problems, and this dissertation develops an overall network structure and proposes iterative algorithms for solving these instances. The instances of both the rough fleet assignment model and the timetable model created in this thesis are large-scale mixed-integer programming problems, and this dissertation develops subproblem schemes for solving these instances. Based on these solution algorithms, this dissertation also presents computational results of these large-scale instances. To validate the models and solution algorithms developed, this thesis also compares the daily flight schedules that it designs with the schedules of the existing airlines. Furthermore, it creates instances that represent different economic and fuel-prices conditions and derives schedules under these different conditions. In addition, it discusses the implication of using new aircraft in the future flight schedules. Finally, future research in three areas---model, computational method, and simulation for validation---is proposed.

  8. Mapping stream habitats with a global positioning system: Accuracy, precision, and comparison with traditional methods

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Dauwalter, D.C.; Fisher, W.L.; Belt, K.C.

    2006-01-01

    We tested the precision and accuracy of the Trimble GeoXT??? global positioning system (GPS) handheld receiver on point and area features and compared estimates of stream habitat dimensions (e.g., lengths and areas of riffles and pools) that were made in three different Oklahoma streams using the GPS receiver and a tape measure. The precision of differentially corrected GPS (DGPS) points was not affected by the number of GPS position fixes (i.e., geographic location estimates) averaged per DGPS point. Horizontal error of points ranged from 0.03 to 2.77 m and did not differ with the number of position fixes per point. The error of area measurements ranged from 0.1% to 110.1% but decreased as the area increased. Again, error was independent of the number of position fixes averaged per polygon corner. The estimates of habitat lengths, widths, and areas did not differ when measured using two methods of data collection (GPS and a tape measure), nor did the differences among methods change at three stream sites with contrasting morphologies. Measuring features with a GPS receiver was up to 3.3 times faster on average than using a tape measure, although signal interference from high streambanks or overhanging vegetation occasionally limited satellite signal availability and prolonged measurements with a GPS receiver. There were also no differences in precision of habitat dimensions when mapped using a continuous versus a position fix average GPS data collection method. Despite there being some disadvantages to using the GPS in stream habitat studies, measuring stream habitats with a GPS resulted in spatially referenced data that allowed the assessment of relative habitat position and changes in habitats over time, and was often faster than using a tape measure. For most spatial scales of interest, the precision and accuracy of DGPS data are adequate and have logistical advantages when compared to traditional methods of measurement. ?? 2006 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc.

  9. ATD-1 Team Completes Flight Tests

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-02-24

    Members of a NASA-led research team pose in front of a trio of aircraft, which on Feb. 22 concluded racking up enough air miles to circle the planet four times, all in the name of testing a new cockpit-based air traffic management tool. The prototype hardware and software is designed to automatically provide pilots with more precise spacing information on approach into a busy airport so that more planes can safely land in a given time. The technology is intended to help airplanes spend less time in the air, save money on fuel, and reduce engine emissions – all the while improving schedule efficiency to help passengers arrive on time.

  10. KSC-2009-1794

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-02-21

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, workers in the bucket trucks are securing the fairing ducting, GN2 purge line, and cable harnesses to the umbilical mast attached to Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket. Atop the rocket is NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, which is scheduled to launch Feb. 24 from Vandenberg. The spacecraft will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. Photo credit: NASA/Richard Nielsen, VAFB

  11. KSC-2009-1712

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-02-18

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Orbital Sciences Engineer Jose Castillo (right) maneuvers the bucket truck into position over the fairing access door on NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO. Technician Mark Neuse feels for the payload access door through the environmental cover. OCO is scheduled for launch the Taurus rocket Feb. 24 from Vandenberg. The spacecraft will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. Photo credit: NASA/Richard Nielsen, VAFB

  12. KSC-2009-1676

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-02-17

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On Space Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, cranes are in position to move the tent where the upper stage of Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket is ready to be moved and lifted into the tower for stacking. The spacecraft is scheduled for launch aboard Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket Feb. 24 from Vandenberg. The spacecraft will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

  13. KSC-2009-1681

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2009-02-18

    VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory, or OCO, upper stack is prepared to be raised to vertical. The upper stack, consists of stages 1, 2 and 3 of the Taurus. The spacecraft is scheduled for launch aboard Orbital Sciences' Taurus XL rocket Feb. 24 from Vandenberg. The spacecraft will collect precise global measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Earth's atmosphere. Scientists will analyze OCO data to improve our understanding of the natural processes and human activities that regulate the abundance and distribution of this important greenhouse gas. Photo credit: NASA/Randy Beaudoin, VAFB

  14. Five critical elements to ensure the precision medicine.

    PubMed

    Chen, Chengshui; He, Mingyan; Zhu, Yichun; Shi, Lin; Wang, Xiangdong

    2015-06-01

    The precision medicine as a new emerging area and therapeutic strategy has occurred and was practiced in the individual and brought unexpected successes, and gained high attentions from professional and social aspects as a new path to improve the treatment and prognosis of patients. There will be a number of new components to appear or be discovered, of which clinical bioinformatics integrates clinical phenotypes and informatics with bioinformatics, computational science, mathematics, and systems biology. In addition to those tools, precision medicine calls more accurate and repeatable methodologies for the identification and validation of gene discovery. Precision medicine will bring more new therapeutic strategies, drug discovery and development, and gene-oriented treatment. There is an urgent need to identify and validate disease-specific, mechanism-based, or epigenetics-dependent biomarkers to monitor precision medicine, and develop "precision" regulations to guard the application of precision medicine.

  15. Payroll Salary Schedules

    Science.gov Websites

    Search the Division of Finance site DOF State of Alaska Finance Home Content Area Accounting Charge Cards Paystubs) Fringe Benefits Mission Statement The mission of the Division of Finance is to provide accounting

  16. The engine maintenance scheduling by using reliability centered maintenance method and the identification of 5S application in PT. XYZ

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sembiring, N.; Panjaitan, N.; Saragih, A. F.

    2018-02-01

    PT. XYZ is a manufacturing company that produces fresh fruit bunches (FFB) to Crude Palm Oil (CPO) and Palm Kernel Oil (PKO). PT. XYZ consists of six work stations: receipt station, sterilizing station, thressing station, pressing station, clarification station, and kernelery station. So far, the company is still implementing corrective maintenance maintenance system for production machines where the machine repair is done after damage occurs. Problems at PT. XYZ is the absence of scheduling engine maintenance in a planned manner resulting in the engine often damaged which can disrupt the smooth production. Another factor that is the problem in this research is the kernel station environment that becomes less convenient for operators such as there are machines and equipment not used in the production area, slippery, muddy, scattered fibers, incomplete use of PPE, and lack of employee discipline. The most commonly damaged machine is in the seed processing station (kernel station) which is cake breaker conveyor machine. The solution of this problem is to propose a schedule plan for maintenance of the machine by using the method of reliability centered maintenance and also the application of 5S. The result of the application of Reliability Centered maintenance method is obtained four components that must be treated scheduled (time directed), namely: for bearing component is 37 days, gearbox component is 97 days, CBC pen component is 35 days and conveyor pedal component is 32 days While after identification the application of 5S obtained the proposed corporate environmental improvement measures in accordance with the principles of 5S where unused goods will be moved from the production area, grouping goods based on their use, determining the procedure of cleaning the production area, conducting inspection in the use of PPE, and making 5S slogans.

  17. Leaf-IT: An Android application for measuring leaf area.

    PubMed

    Schrader, Julian; Pillar, Giso; Kreft, Holger

    2017-11-01

    The use of plant functional traits has become increasingly popular in ecological studies because plant functional traits help to understand key ecological processes in plant species and communities. This also includes changes in diversity, inter- and intraspecific interactions, and relationships of species at different spatiotemporal scales. Leaf traits are among the most important traits as they describe key dimensions of a plant's life history strategy. Further, leaf area is a key parameter with relevance for other traits such as specific leaf area, which in turn correlates with leaf chemical composition, photosynthetic rate, leaf longevity, and carbon investment. Measuring leaf area usually involves the use of scanners and commercial software and can be difficult under field conditions. We present Leaf-IT, a new smartphone application for measuring leaf area and other trait-related areas. Leaf-IT is free, designed for scientific purposes, and runs on Android 4 or higher. We tested the precision and accuracy using objects with standardized area and compared the area measurements of real leaves with the well-established, commercial software WinFOLIA using the Altman-Bland method. Area measurements of standardized objects show that Leaf-IT measures area with high accuracy and precision. Area measurements with Leaf-IT of real leaves are comparable to those of WinFOLIA. Leaf-IT is an easy-to-use application running on a wide range of smartphones. That increases the portability and use of Leaf-IT and makes it possible to measure leaf area under field conditions typical for remote locations. Its high accuracy and precision are similar to WinFOLIA. Currently, its main limitation is margin detection of damaged leaves or complex leaf morphologies.

  18. Design and specification of a centralized manufacturing data management and scheduling system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Farrington, Phillip A.

    1993-01-01

    As was revealed in a previous study, the Materials and Processes Laboratory's Productivity Enhancement Complex (PEC) has a number of automated production areas/cells that are not effectively integrated, limiting the ability of users to readily share data. The recent decision to utilize the PEC for the fabrication of flight hardware has focused new attention on the problem and brought to light the need for an integrated data management and scheduling system. This report addresses this need by developing preliminary designs specifications for a centralized manufacturing data management and scheduling system for managing flight hardware fabrication in the PEC. This prototype system will be developed under the auspices of the Integrated Engineering Environment (IEE) Oversight team and the IEE Committee. At their recommendation the system specifications were based on the fabrication requirements of the AXAF-S Optical Bench.

  19. MDTM: Optimizing Data Transfer using Multicore-Aware I/O Scheduling

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

    Zhang, Liang; Demar, Phil; Wu, Wenji

    2017-05-09

    Bulk data transfer is facing significant challenges in the coming era of big data. There are multiple performance bottlenecks along the end-to-end path from the source to destination storage system. The limitations of current generation data transfer tools themselves can have a significant impact on end-to-end data transfer rates. In this paper, we identify the issues that lead to underperformance of these tools, and present a new data transfer tool with an innovative I/O scheduler called MDTM. The MDTM scheduler exploits underlying multicore layouts to optimize throughput by reducing delay and contention for I/O reading and writing operations. With ourmore » evaluations, we show how MDTM successfully avoids NUMA-based congestion and significantly improves end-to-end data transfer rates across high-speed wide area networks.« less

  20. MDTM: Optimizing Data Transfer using Multicore-Aware I/O Scheduling

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

    Zhang, Liang; Demar, Phil; Wu, Wenji

    2017-01-01

    Bulk data transfer is facing significant challenges in the coming era of big data. There are multiple performance bottlenecks along the end-to-end path from the source to destination storage system. The limitations of current generation data transfer tools themselves can have a significant impact on end-to-end data transfer rates. In this paper, we identify the issues that lead to underperformance of these tools, and present a new data transfer tool with an innovative I/O scheduler called MDTM. The MDTM scheduler exploits underlying multicore layouts to optimize throughput by reducing delay and contention for I/O reading and writing operations. With ourmore » evaluations, we show how MDTM successfully avoids NUMA-based congestion and significantly improves end-to-end data transfer rates across high-speed wide area networks.« less

  1. The development and validation of command schedules for SeaWiFS

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Woodward, Robert H.; Gregg, Watson W.; Patt, Frederick S.

    1994-11-01

    An automated method for developing and assessing spacecraft and instrument command schedules is presented for the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) project. SeaWiFS is to be carried on the polar-orbiting SeaStar satellite in 1995. The primary goal of the SeaWiFS mission is to provide global ocean chlorophyll concentrations every four days by employing onboard recorders and a twice-a-day data downlink schedule. Global Area Coverage (GAC) data with about 4.5 km resolution will be used to produce the global coverage. Higher resolution (1.1 km resolution) Local Area Coverage (LAC) data will also be recorded to calibrate the sensor. In addition, LAC will be continuously transmitted from the satellite and received by High Resolution Picture Transmission (HRPT) stations. The methods used to generate commands for SeaWiFS employ numerous hierarchical checks as a means of maximizing coverage of the Earth's surface and fulfilling the LAC data requirements. The software code is modularized and written in Fortran with constructs to mirror the pre-defined mission rules. The overall method is specifically developed for low orbit Earth-observing satellites with finite onboard recording capabilities and regularly scheduled data downlinks. Two software packages using the Interactive Data Language (IDL) for graphically displaying and verifying the resultant command decisions are presented. Displays can be generated which show portions of the Earth viewed by the sensor and spacecraft sub-orbital locations during onboard calibration activities. An IDL-based interactive method of selecting and testing LAC targets and calibration activities for command generation is also discussed.

  2. Paperless medical records: measuring success.

    PubMed

    Tobey, Mary Ellen

    2004-01-01

    North Shore Magnetic Imaging Center (NSMIC) underwent a major transformation of the patient process through an 18-month "Reinvention Project." The project began in October 2002, with an assessment of systems in place. A complete review of each stage of the patient process--scheduling, registration, insurance verification, screening, scanning, transcription, and billing--resulted in the discovery that the paperwork for a single patient examination could go though as many as 20 sets of hands. The project was supported by the formation of an internal team comprised of staff members from all departments (support, patient accounts, and technical), radiologists, and members of the center's senior management team. The team had 2 goals: increase the level of patient care, and create a paperless environment. External teams were formed to address specific areas targeted to support the process. The transformation for all involved--patients, staff, radiologists, and referring physicians--has proved to be very positive. The work, however, was not finished. Upon the project's completion, NSMIC recognized the importance of identifying successes and areas for improvement. These included ongoing reviews of the project's impact on all stakeholders and looking for new technologies and programs to enhance the new systems in place. There are plans for a project "sequel." Strategies are being developed for "Reinvention, Phase II." Elements of these strategies include enhancement of the scheduling programs to create more checks and balances for the staff and investigating an online scheduling option for the center's referring physicians. The purchase and implementation of a voice recognition system--tabled during Phase I--is scheduled for the first quarter of 2005.

  3. Crowdsourcing as an Analytical Method: Metrology of Smartphone Measurements in Heritage Science.

    PubMed

    Brigham, Rosie; Grau-Bové, Josep; Rudnicka, Anna; Cassar, May; Strlic, Matija

    2018-06-18

    This research assesses the precision, repeatability, and accuracy of crowdsourced scientific measurements, and whether their quality is sufficient to provide usable results. Measurements of colour and area were chosen because of the possibility of producing them with smartphone cameras. The quality of the measurements was estimated experimentally by comparing data contributed by anonymous participants in heritage sites with reference measurements of known accuracy and precision. Participants performed the measurements by taking photographs with their smartphones, from which colour and dimensional data could be extracted. The results indicate that smartphone measurements provided by citizen scientists can be used to measure changes in colour, but that the performance is strongly dependent on the measured colour coordinate. The same method can be used to measure areas when the difference in colour with the neighbouring areas is large enough. These results render the method useful in some heritage science contexts, but higher precision would be desirable. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. Energy efficient mechanisms for high-performance Wireless Sensor Networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alsaify, Baha'adnan

    2009-12-01

    Due to recent advances in microelectronics, the development of low cost, small, and energy efficient devices became possible. Those advances led to the birth of the Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). WSNs consist of a large set of sensor nodes equipped with communication capabilities, scattered in the area to monitor. Researchers focus on several aspects of WSNs. Such aspects include the quality of service the WSNs provide (data delivery delay, accuracy of data, etc...), the scalability of the network to contain thousands of sensor nodes (the terms node and sensor node are being used interchangeably), the robustness of the network (allowing the network to work even if a certain percentage of nodes fails), and making the energy consumption in the network as low as possible to prolong the network's lifetime. In this thesis, we present an approach that can be applied to the sensing devices that are scattered in an area for Sensor Networks. This work will use the well-known approach of using a awaking scheduling to extend the network's lifespan. We designed a scheduling algorithm that will reduce the delay's upper bound the reported data will experience, while at the same time keeps the advantages that are offered by the use of the awaking scheduling -- the energy consumption reduction which will lead to the increase in the network's lifetime. The wakeup scheduling is based on the location of the node relative to its neighbors and its distance from the Base Station (the terms Base Station and sink are being used interchangeably). We apply the proposed method to a set of simulated nodes using the "ONE Simulator". We test the performance of this approach with three other approaches -- Direct Routing technique, the well known LEACH algorithm, and a multi-parent scheduling algorithm. We demonstrate a good improvement on the network's quality of service and a reduction of the consumed energy.

  5. Integration of multimodal transportation services : final report.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2016-03-08

    Flexible route paratransit services may complement as well as compete with conventional public transportation services (that : have fixed routes and schedules). Flexible routes are especially suitable for service areas or time periods with low demand...

  6. Making the Buses Run.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fickes, Michael

    1998-01-01

    Examines issues concerning outsourcing student transportation services: cost; management needs and capabilities; goals; and politics. Critical areas of transportation management are highlighted such as personnel management, student management and discipline, risk management, fleet analysis, and routing and scheduling. (GR)

  7. 7 CFR 29.9405 - Issuance of marketing area opening date and selling schedules by the Secretary.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... COMMODITY STANDARDS AND STANDARD CONTAINER REGULATIONS TOBACCO INSPECTION Policy Statement and Regulations Governing Availability of Tobacco Inspection and Price Support Services to Flue-Cured Tobacco on Designated...

  8. 78 FR 26246 - Special Local Regulation, 50 Aniversario Balneario de Boqueron, Bahia de Boqueron; Boqueron, PR

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-06

    ... Balneario de Boqueron, a high speed boat race. The event is scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 5, 2013. Approximately 40 high- speed power boats will be participating in the races. It is anticipated that 5 spectator... regulation will establish the following three areas: a high speed boat race area, where all persons and...

  9. 76 FR 36515 - Rangeland Allotment Management Planning on the Fall River and Oglala Geographic Areas, Pine Ridge...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-06-22

    ... full environmental analysis and decision-making process that will occur on the proposal so interested and affected people may become aware of how they may participate in the process and contribute to the... issued to update the project schedule. There will be a record of decision (ROD) for each geographic area...

  10. The handyman's brain: a neuroimaging meta-analysis describing the similarities and differences between grip type and pattern in humans.

    PubMed

    King, M; Rauch, H G; Stein, D J; Brooks, S J

    2014-11-15

    Handgrip is a ubiquitous human movement that was critical in our evolution. However, the differences in brain activity between grip type (i.e. power or precision) and pattern (i.e. dynamic or static) are not fully understood. In order to address this, we performed Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) analysis between grip type and grip pattern using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. ALE provides a probabilistic summary of the BOLD response in hundreds of subjects, which is often beyond the scope of a single fMRI experiment. We collected data from 28 functional magnetic resonance data sets, which included a total of 398 male and female subjects. Using ALE, we analyzed the BOLD response during power, precision, static and dynamic grip in a range of forces and age in right handed healthy individuals without physical impairment, cardiovascular or neurological dysfunction using a variety of grip tools, feedback and experimental training. Power grip generates unique activation in the postcentral gyrus (areas 1 and 3b) and precision grip generates unique activation in the supplementary motor area (SMA, area 6) and precentral gyrus (area 4a). Dynamic handgrip generates unique activation in the precentral gyrus (area 4p) and SMA (area 6) and of particular interest, both dynamic and static grip share activation in the area 2 of the postcentral gyrus, an area implicated in the evolution of handgrip. According to effect size analysis, precision and dynamic grip generates stronger activity than power and static, respectively. Our study demonstrates specific differences between grip type and pattern. However, there was a large degree of overlap in the pre and postcentral gyrus, SMA and areas of the frontal-parietal-cerebellar network, which indicates that other mechanisms are potentially involved in regulating handgrip. Further, our study provides empirically based regions of interest, which can be downloaded here within, that can be used to more effectively study power grip in a range of populations and conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. An informatics research agenda to support precision medicine: seven key areas

    PubMed Central

    Avillach, Paul; Benham-Hutchins, Marge; Breitenstein, Matthew K; Crowgey, Erin L; Hoffman, Mark A; Jiang, Xia; Madhavan, Subha; Mattison, John E; Nagarajan, Radhakrishnan; Ray, Bisakha; Shin, Dmitriy; Visweswaran, Shyam; Zhao, Zhongming; Freimuth, Robert R

    2016-01-01

    The recent announcement of the Precision Medicine Initiative by President Obama has brought precision medicine (PM) to the forefront for healthcare providers, researchers, regulators, innovators, and funders alike. As technologies continue to evolve and datasets grow in magnitude, a strong computational infrastructure will be essential to realize PM’s vision of improved healthcare derived from personal data. In addition, informatics research and innovation affords a tremendous opportunity to drive the science underlying PM. The informatics community must lead the development of technologies and methodologies that will increase the discovery and application of biomedical knowledge through close collaboration between researchers, clinicians, and patients. This perspective highlights seven key areas that are in need of further informatics research and innovation to support the realization of PM. PMID:27107452

  12. Comparative Study of Job Burnout Among Critical Care Nurses With Fixed and Rotating Shift Schedules

    PubMed Central

    Shamali, Mahdi; Shahriari, Mohsen; Babaii, Atye; Abbasinia, Mohammad

    2015-01-01

    Background: Nurses, as health care providers, are insurmountably obliged to the practice of shift work. Literature has reported shift working as one of the inducing factors of burnout. Despite numerous studies in this area, there are inconsistencies on the relationship between shift working and burnout among nurses, especially in those who work in critical care settings. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the occupational burnout in critical care nurses with and without fixed shift schedules. Patients and Methods: In this comparative study, 130 nurses with rotating shift schedule and 130 nurses with fixed shift schedule from six university hospitals were selected using stratified random sampling. Maslach burnout inventory was used for data collection. Independent samples t-test, chi-square and one-way ANOVA tests were used to analyze the data. Results: Most of the participants were females (62.7%), aged between 22 - 29 years (38.5%), married (59.2%), and had a bachelor degree (86.9%). The mean score of emotional exhaustion was significantly higher in nurses with fixed shift schedules (P < 0.001). However, no significant difference was found between the mean scores of the two groups in the personal accomplishment and depersonalization subscales (P > 0.05). Moreover, no significant difference was found in burnout mean scores between nurses with fixed morning and fixed night shifts (P > 0.05). The means of the emotional exhaustion subscale were significantly different in nurses with different characteristics (P < 0.05) except the gender and working unit. Conclusions: As a result of this study, it was found that critical care nurses with fixed shift schedules display more burnout in emotional exhaustion dimension, compared to those working with rotating shift schedules. PMID:26576442

  13. High precision, rapid laser hole drilling

    DOEpatents

    Chang, Jim J.; Friedman, Herbert W.; Comaskey, Brian J.

    2007-03-20

    A laser system produces a first laser beam for rapidly removing the bulk of material in an area to form a ragged hole. The laser system produces a second laser beam for accurately cleaning up the ragged hole so that the final hole has dimensions of high precision.

  14. High precision, rapid laser hole drilling

    DOEpatents

    Chang, Jim J.; Friedman, Herbert W.; Comaskey, Brian J.

    2005-03-08

    A laser system produces a first laser beam for rapidly removing the bulk of material in an area to form a ragged hole. The laser system produces a second laser beam for accurately cleaning up the ragged hole so that the final hole has dimensions of high precision.

  15. High precision, rapid laser hole drilling

    DOEpatents

    Chang, Jim J.; Friedman, Herbert W.; Comaskey, Brian J.

    2013-04-02

    A laser system produces a first laser beam for rapidly removing the bulk of material in an area to form a ragged hole. The laser system produces a second laser beam for accurately cleaning up the ragged hole so that the final hole has dimensions of high precision.

  16. Precision Machining Technologies. Occupational Competency Analysis Profile.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Vocational Instructional Materials Lab.

    This Occupational Competency Analysis Profile (OCAP), which is one of a series of OCAPs developed to identify the skills that Ohio employers deem necessary to entering a given occupation/occupational area, lists the occupational, academic, and employability skills required of individuals entering the occupation of precision machinist. The…

  17. Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual Precise Time and Time Interval (PTTI) Application and Planning Meeting. [conference

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wardrip, S. C. (Editor)

    1979-01-01

    Thirty eight papers are presented addressing various aspects of precise time and time interval applications. Areas discussed include: past accomplishments; state of the art systems; new and useful applications, procedures, and techniques; and fruitful directions for research efforts.

  18. Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Simmonds Precision Company - Operative Industries in Chester Township, New Jersey

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    The former Simmonds Precision site is located on a 15.2 acre located on Oakdale Road in Chester Township, New Jersey. The site is bound to the north by the Black River Wildlife Management Area, freshwater wetlands, and the Lamington River;

  19. Steps Toward Optimal Competitive Scheduling

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Frank, Jeremy; Crawford, James; Khatib, Lina; Brafman, Ronen

    2006-01-01

    This paper is concerned with the problem of allocating a unit capacity resource to multiple users within a pre-defined time period. The resource is indivisible, so that at most one user can use it at each time instance. However, different users may use it at different times. The users have independent, se@sh preferences for when and for how long they are allocated this resource. Thus, they value different resource access durations differently, and they value different time slots differently. We seek an optimal allocation schedule for this resource. This problem arises in many institutional settings where, e.g., different departments, agencies, or personal, compete for a single resource. We are particularly motivated by the problem of scheduling NASA's Deep Space Satellite Network (DSN) among different users within NASA. Access to DSN is needed for transmitting data from various space missions to Earth. Each mission has different needs for DSN time, depending on satellite and planetary orbits. Typically, the DSN is over-subscribed, in that not all missions will be allocated as much time as they want. This leads to various inefficiencies - missions spend much time and resource lobbying for their time, often exaggerating their needs. NASA, on the other hand, would like to make optimal use of this resource, ensuring that the good for NASA is maximized. This raises the thorny problem of how to measure the utility to NASA of each allocation. In the typical case, it is difficult for the central agency, NASA in our case, to assess the value of each interval to each user - this is really only known to the users who understand their needs. Thus, our problem is more precisely formulated as follows: find an allocation schedule for the resource that maximizes the sum of users preferences, when the preference values are private information of the users. We bypass this problem by making the assumptions that one can assign money to customers. This assumption is reasonable; a committee is usually in charge of deciding the priority of each mission competing for access to the DSN within a time period while scheduling. Instead, we can assume that the committee assigns a budget to each mission.This paper is concerned with the problem of allocating a unit capacity resource to multiple users within a pre-defined time period. The resource is indivisible, so that at most one user can use it at each time instance. However, different users may use it at different times. The users have independent, se@sh preferences for when and for how long they are allocated this resource. Thus, they value different resource access durations differently, and they value different time slots differently. We seek an optimal allocation schedule for this resource. This problem arises in many institutional settings where, e.g., different departments, agencies, or personal, compete for a single resource. We are particularly motivated by the problem of scheduling NASA's Deep Space Satellite Network (DSN) among different users within NASA. Access to DSN is needed for transmitting data from various space missions to Earth. Each mission has different needs for DSN time, depending on satellite and planetary orbits. Typically, the DSN is over-subscribed, in that not all missions will be allocated as much time as they want. This leads to various inefficiencies - missions spend much time and resource lobbying for their time, often exaggerating their needs. NASA, on the other hand, would like to make optimal use of this resource, ensuring that the good for NASA is maximized. This raises the thorny problem of how to measure the utility to NASA of each allocation. In the typical case, it is difficult for the central agency, NASA in our case, to assess the value of each interval to each user - this is really only known to the users who understand their needs. Thus, our problem is more precisely formulated as follows: find an allocation schedule for the resource that maximizes the sum ofsers preferences, when the preference values are private information of the users. We bypass this problem by making the assumptions that one can assign money to customers. This assumption is reasonable; a committee is usually in charge of deciding the priority of each mission competing for access to the DSN within a time period while scheduling. Instead, we can assume that the committee assigns a budget to each mission.

  20. Construction and quality assurance of large area resistive strip Micromegas for the upgrade of the ATLAS Muon Spectrometer at LHC/CERN

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lösel, P.

    2017-06-01

    Large area Micromegas detectors will be employed for the first time in high-energy physics experiments. To cope with increasing background rates, associated with the steadily increasing luminosity of LHC to 10 times design luminosity, the present detector technology in the current innermost stations of the muon endcap system of the ATLAS experiment (the Small Wheel), will be replaced in 2019/2020 by resistive strip Micromegas and small strip TGC detectors. Both technologies will provide tracking and trigger information. In the "New Small Wheel" the Micromegas will be arranged in eight detection layers built of trapezoidally shaped quadruplets of four different sizes covering in total about 1200 m2 of detection plane. In order to achieve 15 % transverse momentum resolution for 1 TeV muons, a challenging mechanical precision is required in the construction of each active plane, with an alignment of the readout strips at the level of 30 μm RMS along the precision coordinate and 80 μm RMS perpendicular to the plane. Each individual Micromegas plane must achieve a spatial resolution better than 100 μm at background rates up to 15 kHz/cm2 while being operated in an inhomogeneous magnetic field (B <= 0.3 T). The required mechanical precision for the production of the components and their assembly, on such large area detectors, is a key point and must be controlled during construction and integration. Particularly the alignment of the readout strips within a quadruplet appears to be demanding. The readout strips are etched on PCB boards using photolithographic processes. Depending on the type of the module, 3 or 5 PCB boards need to be joined and precisely aligned to form a full readout plane. The precision in the alignment is reached either by use of precision mechanical holes or by optical masks, both referenced to the strip patterns. Assembly procedures have been developed to build the single panels with the required mechanical precision and to assemble them in a module including the four metallic micro-meshes. Methods to confirm the precision of components and assembly are based on precise optical devices and X-ray or cosmic muon investigations. We will report on the construction procedures for the Micromegas quadruplets, on the quality control procedures and results, and on the assembly and calibration methods.

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