Newer regional analgesia interventions (fascial plane blocks) for breast surgeries: Review of literature.

PubMed

Garg, Rakesh; Bhan, Swati; Vig, Saurabh

2018-04-01

Surgical resection of the primary tumour with axillary dissection is one of the main modalities of breast cancer treatment. Regional blocks have been considered as one of the modalities for effective perioperative pain control. With the advent of ultrasound, newer interventions such as fascial plane blocks have been reported for perioperative analgesia in breast surgeries. Our aim is to review the literature for fascial plane blocks for analgesia in breast surgeries. The research question for initiating the review was 'What are the reported newer regional anaesthesia techniques (fascial plane blocks) for female patients undergoing breast surgery and their analgesic efficacy?.' The participants, intervention, comparisons, outcomes and study design were followed. Due to the paucity of similar studies and heterogeneity, the assessment of bias, systematic review or pooled analysis/meta-analysis was not feasible. Of the 989 manuscripts, the present review included 28 manuscripts inclusive of all types of published manuscripts. 15 manuscripts directly related to the administration of fascial plane blocks for breast surgery across all type of study designs and cases were reviewed for the utility of fascial plane blocks in breast surgeries. Interfascial blocks score over regional anaesthetic techniques such as paravertebral block as they have no risk of sympathetic blockade, intrathecal or epidural spread which may lead to haemodynamic instability and prolonged hospital stay. This review observed that no block effectively covers the whole of breast and axilla, thus a combination of blocks should be used depending on the site of incision and extent of surgical resection.

Block Study: Learning About Your Local Community.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckbreth, Catherine

Designed for 7th- and 8th-grade students, five lessons using a block of houses in an urban neighborhood help students learn about the history of a neighborhood, the owners of the houses, and the style and architectural features of the homes. Although this unit has been developed for a specific neighborhood, a similar block study could be conducted…

Space Launch Systems Block 1B Preliminary Navigation System Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliver, T. Emerson; Park, Thomas; Anzalone, Evan; Smith, Austin; Strickland, Dennis; Patrick, Sean

2018-01-01

NASA is currently building the Space Launch Systems (SLS) Block 1 launch vehicle for the Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) test flight. In parallel, NASA is also designing the Block 1B launch vehicle. The Block 1B vehicle is an evolution of the Block 1 vehicle and extends the capability of the NASA launch vehicle. This evolution replaces the Interim Cryogenic Propulsive Stage (ICPS) with the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS). As the vehicle evolves to provide greater lift capability, increased robustness for manned missions, and the capability to execute more demanding missions so must the SLS Integrated Navigation System evolved to support those missions. This paper describes the preliminary navigation systems design for the SLS Block 1B vehicle. The evolution of the navigation hard-ware and algorithms from an inertial-only navigation system for Block 1 ascent flight to a tightly coupled GPS-aided inertial navigation system for Block 1B is described. The Block 1 GN&C system has been designed to meet a LEO insertion target with a specified accuracy. The Block 1B vehicle navigation system is de-signed to support the Block 1 LEO target accuracy as well as trans-lunar or trans-planetary injection accuracy. Additionally, the Block 1B vehicle is designed to support human exploration and thus is designed to minimize the probability of Loss of Crew (LOC) through high-quality inertial instruments and robust algorithm design, including Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) logic.

Factor levels for density comparisons in the split-block spacing design

Treesearch

Kurt H. Riitters; Brian J. Stanton; Robbert H. Walkup

1989-01-01

The split-block spacing design is a compact test of the effects of within-row and between-row spacings. But the sometimes awkward analysis of density (i.e., trees/ha) effects may deter use of the design. The analysis is simpler if the row spacings are chosen to obtain a balanced set of equally spaced density and rectangularity treatments. A spacing study in poplar (...

24 CFR 3285.306 - Design procedures for concrete block piers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... block piers. 3285.306 Section 3285.306 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and....306 Design procedures for concrete block piers. (a) Frame piers less than 36 inches high. (1) Frame... blocks, 8 inches “ 8 inches “ 16 inches, when the design capacity of the block is not exceeded. (2) The...

Optimum study designs.

PubMed

Gu, C; Rao, D C

2001-01-01

Because simplistic designs will lead to prohibitively large sample sizes, the optimization of genetic study designs is critical for successfully mapping genes for complex diseases. Creative designs are necessary for detecting and amplifying the usually weak signals for complex traits. Two important outcomes of a study design--power and resolution--are implicitly tied together by the principle of uncertainty. Overemphasis on either one may lead to suboptimal designs. To achieve optimality for a particular study, therefore, practical measures such as cost-effectiveness must be used to strike a balance between power and resolution. In this light, the myriad of factors involved in study design can be checked for their effects on the ultimate outcomes, and the popular existing designs can be sorted into building blocks that may be useful for particular situations. It is hoped that imaginative construction of novel designs using such building blocks will lead to enhanced efficiency in finding genes for complex human traits.

Teko: A block preconditioning capability with concrete example applications in Navier--Stokes and MHD

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

Cyr, Eric C.; Shadid, John N.; Tuminaro, Raymond S.

This study describes the design of Teko, an object-oriented C++ library for implementing advanced block preconditioners. Mathematical design criteria that elucidate the needs of block preconditioning libraries and techniques are explained and shown to motivate the structure of Teko. For instance, a principal design choice was for Teko to strongly reflect the mathematical statement of the preconditioners to reduce development burden and permit focus on the numerics. Additional mechanisms are explained that provide a pathway to developing an optimized production capable block preconditioning capability with Teko. Finally, Teko is demonstrated on fluid flow and magnetohydrodynamics applications. In addition to highlightingmore » the features of the Teko library, these new results illustrate the effectiveness of recent preconditioning developments applied to advanced discretization approaches.« less

Teko: A block preconditioning capability with concrete example applications in Navier--Stokes and MHD

DOE PAGES

Cyr, Eric C.; Shadid, John N.; Tuminaro, Raymond S.

2016-10-27

This study describes the design of Teko, an object-oriented C++ library for implementing advanced block preconditioners. Mathematical design criteria that elucidate the needs of block preconditioning libraries and techniques are explained and shown to motivate the structure of Teko. For instance, a principal design choice was for Teko to strongly reflect the mathematical statement of the preconditioners to reduce development burden and permit focus on the numerics. Additional mechanisms are explained that provide a pathway to developing an optimized production capable block preconditioning capability with Teko. Finally, Teko is demonstrated on fluid flow and magnetohydrodynamics applications. In addition to highlightingmore » the features of the Teko library, these new results illustrate the effectiveness of recent preconditioning developments applied to advanced discretization approaches.« less

A Study of the Impact of Block Scheduling on Student Academic Achievement in Public High Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norton, Mary Kay

2010-01-01

The number of public high schools implementing a semester 4 x 4 block scheduling design within the state of South Carolina has tripled since 2005. However, minimal local research has been conducted regarding the impact of block scheduling on student academic achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine if significant differences exist…

Block 2 SRM conceptual design studies. Volume 1, Book 1: Conceptual design package

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Brad; Williams, Neal; Miller, John; Ralston, Joe; Richardson, Jennifer; Moore, Walt; Doll, Dan; Maughan, Jeff; Hayes, Fred

1986-01-01

The conceptual design studies of a Block 2 Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) require the elimination of asbestos-filled insulation and was open to alternate designs, such as case changes, different propellants, modified burn rate - to improve reliability and performance. Limitations were placed on SRM changes such that the outside geometry should not impact the physical interfaces with other Space Shuttle elements and should have minimum changes to the aerodynamic and dynamic characteristics of the Space Shuttle vehicle. Previous Space Shuttle SRM experience was assessed and new design concepts combined to define a valid approach to assured flight success and economic operation of the STS. Trade studies, preliminary designs, analyses, plans, and cost estimates are documented.

29 CFR 1919.32 - Specially designed blocks and components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Specially designed blocks and components. 1919.32 Section 1919.32 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION... Treatment; Competent Persons § 1919.32 Specially designed blocks and components. (a) Blocks and connecting...

A Characterization of BIB Designs Based on v Treatments in Blocks of Size k Whose Number of Blocks is at Least vCk.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-01

Discrete Math . 6, 189-200. Foody, W. and A. Hedayat, (1977). On theory and applications of BIB designs with repeated blocks. Ann. Statist. 5, i •, 932...945. Corrections: Ann. Statist. 7 (1979). 925. van Lint, J.I1. and H.J. Ryser (1972). Block designs with repeated blocks. Discrete Math ., 3, 381-396

Designing Technology for Children: Moving from the Computer into the Physical World with Electronic Blocks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyeth, Peta; Purchase, Helen

2002-01-01

Electronic Blocks are a new programming environment designed specifically for children between three and eight years of age. As such, the design of the Electronic Block environment is firmly based on principles of developmentally appropriate practices in early childhood education. Electronic Blocks are the physical embodiment of computer…

Identifying Effective Design Approaches to Allocate Genotypes in Two-Phase Designs: A Case Study in Pelargonium zonale

PubMed Central

Molenaar, Heike; Boehm, Robert; Piepho, Hans-Peter

2018-01-01

Robust phenotypic data allow adequate statistical analysis and are crucial for any breeding purpose. Such data is obtained from experiments laid out to best control local variation. Additionally, experiments frequently involve two phases, each contributing environmental sources of variation. For example, in a former experiment we conducted to evaluate production related traits in Pelargonium zonale, there were two consecutive phases, each performed in a different greenhouse. Phase one involved the propagation of the breeding strains to obtain the stem cutting count, and phase two involved the assessment of root formation. The evaluation of the former study raised questions regarding options for improving the experimental layout: (i) Is there a disadvantage to using exactly the same design in both phases? (ii) Instead of generating a separate layout for each phase, can the design be optimized across both phases, such that the mean variance of a pair-wise treatment difference (MVD) can be decreased? To answer these questions, alternative approaches were explored to generate two-phase designs either in phase-wise order (Option 1) or across phases (Option 2). In Option 1 we considered the scenarios (i) using in both phases the same experimental design and (ii) randomizing each phase separately. In Option 2, we considered the scenarios (iii) generating a single design with eight replicates and splitting these among the two phases, (iv) separating the block structure across phases by dummy coding, and (v) design generation with optimal alignment of block units in the two phases. In both options, we considered the same or different block structures in each phase. The designs were evaluated by the MVD obtained by the intra-block analysis and the joint inter-block–intra-block analysis. The smallest MVD was most frequently obtained for designs generated across phases rather than for each phase separately, in particular when both phases of the design were separated with a single pseudo-level. The joint optimization ensured that treatment concurrences were equally balanced across pairs, one of the prerequisites for an efficient design. The proposed alternative approaches can be implemented with any model-based design packages with facilities to formulate linear models for treatment and block structures. PMID:29354145

SAQP and EUV block patterning of BEOL metal layers on IMEC's iN7 platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bekaert, Joost; Di Lorenzo, Paolo; Mao, Ming; Decoster, Stefan; Larivière, Stéphane; Franke, Joern-Holger; Blanco Carballo, Victor M.; Kutrzeba Kotowska, Bogumila; Lazzarino, Frederic; Gallagher, Emily; Hendrickx, Eric; Leray, Philippe; Kim, R. Ryoung-han; McIntyre, Greg; Colsters, Paul; Wittebrood, Friso; van Dijk, Joep; Maslow, Mark; Timoshkov, Vadim; Kiers, Ton

2017-03-01

The imec N7 (iN7) platform has been developed to evaluate EUV patterning of advanced logic BEOL layers. Its design is based on a 42 nm first-level metal (M1) pitch, and a 32 nm pitch for the subsequent M2 layer. With these pitches, the iN7 node is an `aggressive' full-scaled N7, corresponding to IDM N7, or foundry N5. Even in a 1D design style, single exposure of the 16 nm half-pitch M2 layer is very challenging for EUV lithography, because of its tight tip-to-tip configurations. Therefore, the industry is considering the hybrid use of ArFi-based SAQP combined with EUV Block as an alternative to EUV single exposure. As a consequence, the EUV Block layer may be one of the first layers to adopt EUV lithography in HVM. In this paper, we report on the imec iN7 SAQP + Block litho performance and process integration, targeting the M2 patterning for a 7.5 track logic design. The Block layer is exposed on an ASML NXE:3300 EUV-scanner at imec, using optimized illumination conditions and state-of-the-art metal-containing negative tone resist (Inpria). Subsequently, the SAQP and block structures are characterized in a morphological study, assessing pattern fidelity and CD/EPE variability. The work is an experimental feasibility study of EUV insertion, for SAQP + Block M2 patterning on an industry-relevant N5 use-case.

Effect of Goal Setting on the Strategies Used to Solve a Block Design Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rozencwajg, Paulette; Fenouillet, Fabien

2012-01-01

In this experiment we studied the effect of goal setting on the strategies used to perform a block design task called SAMUEL. SAMUEL can measure many indicators, which are then combined to determine the strategies used by participants when solving SAMUEL problems. Two experimental groups were created: one group was given an explicit, difficult…

SLS Block 1-B and Exploration Upper Stage Navigation System Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oliver, T. Emerson; Park, Thomas B.; Smith, Austin; Anzalone, Evan; Bernard, Bill; Strickland, Dennis; Geohagan, Kevin; Green, Melissa; Leggett, Jarred

2018-01-01

The SLS Block 1B vehicle is planned to extend NASA's heavy lift capability beyond the initial SLS Block 1 vehicle. The most noticeable change for this vehicle from SLS Block 1 is the swapping of the upper stage from the Interim Cryogenic Propulsion stage (ICPS), a modified Delta IV upper stage, to the more capable Exploration Upper Stage (EUS). As the vehicle evolves to provide greater lift capability and execute more demanding missions so must the SLS Integrated Navigation System to support those missions. The SLS Block 1 vehicle carries two independent navigation systems. The responsibility of the two systems is delineated between ascent and upper stage flight. The Block 1 navigation system is responsible for the phase of flight between the launch pad and insertion into Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). The upper stage system assumes the mission from LEO to payload separation. For the Block 1B vehicle, the two functions are combined into a single system intended to navigate from ground to payload insertion. Both are responsible for self-disposal once payload delivery is achieved. The evolution of the navigation hardware and algorithms from an inertial-only navigation system for Block 1 ascent flight to a tightly coupled GPS-aided inertial navigation system for Block 1-B is described. The Block 1 GN&C system has been designed to meet a LEO insertion target with a specified accuracy. The Block 1-B vehicle navigation system is designed to support the Block 1 LEO target accuracy as well as trans-lunar or trans-planetary injection accuracy. This is measured in terms of payload impact and stage disposal requirements. Additionally, the Block 1-B vehicle is designed to support human exploration and thus is designed to minimize the probability of Loss of Crew (LOC) through high-quality inertial instruments and Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) logic. The preliminary Block 1B integrated navigation system design is presented along with the challenges associated with meeting the design objectives. This paper also addresses the design considerations associated with the use of Block 1 and Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) avionics for Block 1-B/EUS as part of an integrated vehicle suite for orbital operations.

Using R in experimental design with BIBD: An application in health sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliveira, Teresa A.; Francisco, Carla; Oliveira, Amílcar; Ferreira, Agostinho

2016-06-01

Considering the implementation of an Experimental Design, in any field, the experimenter must pay particular attention and look for the best strategies in the following steps: planning the design selection, conduct the experiments, collect observed data, proceed to analysis and interpretation of results. The focus is on providing both - a deep understanding of the problem under research and a powerful experimental process at a reduced cost. Mainly thanks to the possibility of allowing to separate variation sources, the importance of Experimental Design in Health Sciences is strongly recommended since long time. Particular attention has been devoted to Block Designs and more precisely to Balanced Incomplete Block Designs - in this case the relevance states from the fact that these designs allow testing simultaneously a number of treatments bigger than the block size. Our example refers to a possible study of inter reliability of the Parkinson disease, taking into account the UPDRS (Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale) in order to test if there are significant differences between the specialists who evaluate the patients performances. Statistical studies on this disease were described for example in Richards et al (1994), where the authors investigate the inter-rater Reliability of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Motor Examination. We consider a simulation of a practical situation in which the patients were observed by different specialists and the UPDRS on assessing the impact of Parkinson's disease in patients was observed. Assigning treatments to the subjects following a particular BIBD(9,24,8,3,2) structure, we illustrate that BIB Designs can be used as a powerful tool to solve emerging problems in this area. Once a structure with repeated blocks allows to have some block contrasts with minimum variance, see Oliveira et al. (2006), the design with cardinality 12 was selected for the example. R software was used for computations.

Computational Design of Biomimetic Gels With Properties of Human Tissues

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

poly(styrene-block- isoprene -block-styrene) copolymer or SIS in the I-selective solvent has been chosen as a model triblock copolymer for this study...our model. A A B B B RC Fig. 2. Schematic representation of A1B3A1 triblock copolymer mapped on DPD model. Poly(styrene-block- isoprene -block...Pa making G 2.25 times higher for c changes from 0.16 to 0.33 (density of styrene and isoprene blocks are taken to be 1.04 and 0.913 g/cm3

Selecting the best design for nonstandard toxicology experiments.

PubMed

Webb, Jennifer M; Smucker, Byran J; Bailer, A John

2014-10-01

Although many experiments in environmental toxicology use standard statistical experimental designs, there are situations that arise where no such standard design is natural or applicable because of logistical constraints. For example, the layout of a laboratory may suggest that each shelf serve as a block, with the number of experimental units per shelf either greater than or less than the number of treatments in a way that precludes the use of a typical block design. In such cases, an effective and powerful alternative is to employ optimal experimental design principles, a strategy that produces designs with precise statistical estimates. Here, a D-optimal design was generated for an experiment in environmental toxicology that has 2 factors, 16 treatments, and constraints similar to those described above. After initial consideration of a randomized complete block design and an intuitive cyclic design, it was decided to compare a D-optimal design and a slightly more complicated version of the cyclic design. Simulations were conducted generating random responses under a variety of scenarios that reflect conditions motivated by a similar toxicology study, and the designs were evaluated via D-efficiency as well as by a power analysis. The cyclic design performed well compared to the D-optimal design. © 2014 SETAC.

The balanced incomplete block design is not suitable for the evaluation of complex interventions.

PubMed

Trietsch, Jasper; Leffers, Pieter; van Steenkiste, Ben; Grol, Richard; van der Weijden, Trudy

2014-12-01

In quality of care research, the balanced incomplete block (BIB) design is regularly claimed to have been used when evaluating complex interventions. In this article, we reflect on the appropriateness of using this design for evaluating complex interventions. Literature study using PubMed and handbooks. After studying various articles on health services research that claim to have applied the BIB and the original methodological literature on this design, it became clear that the applied method is in fact not a BIB design. We conclude that the use of this design is not suited for evaluating complex interventions. We stress that, to prevent improper use of terms, more attention should be paid to proper referencing of the original methodological literature. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Intensification Approach to Double-Block Algebra: A Pilot Implementation of Intensified Algebra in A Large Urban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tidd, Simon T.; Stoelinga, Timothy M.; Bush-Richards, Angela M.; De Sena, Donna L.; Dwyer, Theodore J.

2018-01-01

Double-block instruction has become a popular strategy for supporting struggling mathematics students in algebra I. Despite its widespread adoption, little consistent evidence supports the attributes of a successful double-block design or the effectiveness of this instructional strategy. In this study, the authors examine a pilot implementation of…

Prospective power calculations for the Four Lab study of a multigenerational reproductive/developmental toxicity rodent bioassay using a complex mixture of disinfection by-products in the low-response region.

PubMed

Dingus, Cheryl A; Teuschler, Linda K; Rice, Glenn E; Simmons, Jane Ellen; Narotsky, Michael G

2011-10-01

In complex mixture toxicology, there is growing emphasis on testing environmentally representative doses that improve the relevance of results for health risk assessment, but are typically much lower than those used in traditional toxicology studies. Traditional experimental designs with typical sample sizes may have insufficient statistical power to detect effects caused by environmentally relevant doses. Proper study design, with adequate statistical power, is critical to ensuring that experimental results are useful for environmental health risk assessment. Studies with environmentally realistic complex mixtures have practical constraints on sample concentration factor and sample volume as well as the number of animals that can be accommodated. This article describes methodology for calculation of statistical power for non-independent observations for a multigenerational rodent reproductive/developmental bioassay. The use of the methodology is illustrated using the U.S. EPA's Four Lab study in which rodents were exposed to chlorinated water concentrates containing complex mixtures of drinking water disinfection by-products. Possible experimental designs included two single-block designs and a two-block design. Considering the possible study designs and constraints, a design of two blocks of 100 females with a 40:60 ratio of control:treated animals and a significance level of 0.05 yielded maximum prospective power (~90%) to detect pup weight decreases, while providing the most power to detect increased prenatal loss.

Prospective Power Calculations for the Four Lab Study of A Multigenerational Reproductive/Developmental Toxicity Rodent Bioassay Using A Complex Mixture of Disinfection By-Products in the Low-Response Region

PubMed Central

Dingus, Cheryl A.; Teuschler, Linda K.; Rice, Glenn E.; Simmons, Jane Ellen; Narotsky, Michael G.

2011-01-01

In complex mixture toxicology, there is growing emphasis on testing environmentally representative doses that improve the relevance of results for health risk assessment, but are typically much lower than those used in traditional toxicology studies. Traditional experimental designs with typical sample sizes may have insufficient statistical power to detect effects caused by environmentally relevant doses. Proper study design, with adequate statistical power, is critical to ensuring that experimental results are useful for environmental health risk assessment. Studies with environmentally realistic complex mixtures have practical constraints on sample concentration factor and sample volume as well as the number of animals that can be accommodated. This article describes methodology for calculation of statistical power for non-independent observations for a multigenerational rodent reproductive/developmental bioassay. The use of the methodology is illustrated using the U.S. EPA’s Four Lab study in which rodents were exposed to chlorinated water concentrates containing complex mixtures of drinking water disinfection by-products. Possible experimental designs included two single-block designs and a two-block design. Considering the possible study designs and constraints, a design of two blocks of 100 females with a 40:60 ratio of control:treated animals and a significance level of 0.05 yielded maximum prospective power (~90%) to detect pup weight decreases, while providing the most power to detect increased prenatal loss. PMID:22073030

Quasi-Block Copolymers Based on a General Polymeric Chain Stopper.

PubMed

Sanguramath, Rajashekharayya A; Nealey, Paul F; Shenhar, Roy

2016-07-11

Quasi-block copolymers (q-BCPs) are block copolymers consisting of conventional and supramolecular blocks, in which the conventional block is end-terminated by a functionality that interacts with the supramolecular monomer (a "chain stopper" functionality). A new design of q-BCPs based on a general polymeric chain stopper, which consists of polystyrene end-terminated with a sulfonate group (PS-SO3 Li), is described. Through viscosity measurements and a detailed diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy study, it is shown that PS-SO3 Li can effectively cap two types of model supramolecular monomers to form q-BCPs in solution. Furthermore, differential scanning calorimetry data and structural characterization of thin films by scanning force microscopy suggests the existence of the q-BCP architecture in the melt. The new design considerably simplifies the synthesis of polymeric chain stoppers; thus promoting the utilization of q-BCPs as smart, nanostructured materials. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Optimizing Balanced Incomplete Block Designs for Educational Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van der Linden, Wim J.; Veldkamp, Bernard P.; Carlson, James E.

2004-01-01

A popular design in large-scale educational assessments as well as any other type of survey is the balanced incomplete block design. The design is based on an item pool split into a set of blocks of items that are assigned to sets of "assessment booklets." This article shows how the problem of calculating an optimal balanced incomplete block…

78 FR 49334 - Designation of 5 individual(s) and 2 entity(-ies) Pursuant to Executive Order 13581, “Blocking...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-13

... entity(-ies) Pursuant to Executive Order 13581, ``Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal... July 24, 2011, ``Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal Organizations.'' DATES: The designations... President issued Executive Order 13581, ``Blocking Property of Transnational Criminal Organizations'' (the...

Design and Synthesis of Novel Block Copolymers for Efficient Opto-Electronic Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sun, Sam-Shajing; Fan, Zhen; Wang, Yiqing; Taft, Charles; Haliburton, James; Maaref, Shahin

2002-01-01

It has been predicted that nano-phase separated block copolymer systems containing electron rich donor blocks and electron deficient acceptor blocks may facilitate the charge carrier separation and migration in organic photovoltaic devices due to improved morphology in comparison to polymer blend system. This paper presents preliminary data describing the design and synthesis of a novel Donor-Bridge-Acceptor (D-B-A) block copolymer system for potential high efficient organic optoelectronic applications. Specifically, the donor block contains an electron donating alkyloxy derivatized polyphenylenevinylene (PPV), the acceptor block contains an electron withdrawing alkyl-sulfone derivatized polyphenylenevinylene (PPV), and the bridge block contains an electronically neutral non-conjugated aliphatic hydrocarbon chain. The key synthetic strategy includes the synthesis of each individual block first, then couple the blocks together. While the donor block stabilizes and facilitates the transport of the holes, the acceptor block stabilizes and facilitates the transport of the electrons, the bridge block is designed to hinder the probability of electron-hole recombination. Thus, improved charge separation and stability are expected with this system. In addition, charge migration toward electrodes may also be facilitated due to the potential nano-phase separated and highly ordered block copolymer ultra-structure.

Block design reconstruction skills: not a good candidate for an endophenotypic marker in autism research.

PubMed

de Jonge, Maretha; Kemner, Chantal; Naber, Fabienne; van Engeland, Herman

2009-04-01

Superior performance on block design tasks is reported in autistic individuals, although it is not consistently found in high-functioning individuals or individuals with Asperger Syndrome. It is assumed to reflect weak central coherence: an underlying cognitive deficit, which might also be part of the genetic makeup of the disorder. We assessed block design reconstruction skills in high-functioning individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) from multi-incidence families and in their parents. Performance was compared to relevant matched control groups. We used a task that was assumed to be highly sensitive to subtle performance differences. We did not find individuals with ASD to be significantly faster on this task than the matched control group, not even when the difference between reconstruction time of segmented and pre-segmented designs was compared. However, we found individuals with ASD to make fewer errors during the process of reconstruction which might indicate some dexterity in mental segmentation. However, parents of individuals with ASD did not perform better on the task than control parents. Therefore, based on our data, we conclude that mental segmentation ability as measured with a block design reconstruction task is not a neurocognitive marker or endophenotype useful in genetic studies.

Implementing the Three Block Model of Universal Design for Learning: Effects on Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Stress, and Job Satisfaction in Inclusive Classrooms K-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Fifty-eight teachers of grades 1-12 in 10 schools located in two rural and three urban school divisions in Manitoba were involved in a study implementing the Three Block Model of Universal Design for Learning and exploring its outcomes for teachers and students. This article reports teachers' perceptions related to the outcomes of the…

A Design Selection Procedure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kroeker, Leonard P.

The problem of blocking on a status variable was investigated. The one-way fixed-effects analysis of variance, analysis of covariance, and generalized randomized block designs each treat the blocking problem in a different way. In order to compare these designs, it is necessary to restrict attention to experimental situations in which observations…

Sintering behavior and mechanical properties of zirconia compacts fabricated by uniaxial press forming.

PubMed

Oh, Gye-Jeong; Yun, Kwi-Dug; Lee, Kwang-Min; Lim, Hyun-Pil; Park, Sang-Won

2010-09-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the linear sintering behavior of presintered zirconia blocks of various densities. The mechanical properties of the resulting sintered zirconia blocks were then analyzed. Three experimental groups of dental zirconia blocks, with a different presintering density each, were designed in the present study. Kavo Everest® ZS blanks (Kavo, Biberach, Germany) were used as a control group. The experimental group blocks were fabricated from commercial yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia powder (KZ-3YF (SD) Type A, KCM. Corporation, Nagoya, Japan). The biaxial flexural strengths, microhardnesses, and microstructures of the sintered blocks were then investigated. The linear sintering shrinkages of blocks were calculated and compared. Despite their different presintered densities, the sintered blocks of the control and experimental groups showed similar mechanical properties. However, the sintered block had different linear sintering shrinkage rate depending on the density of the presintered block. As the density of the presintered block increased, the linear sintering shrinkage decreased. In the experimental blocks, the three sectioned pieces of each block showed the different linear shrinkage depending on the area. The tops of the experimental blocks showed the lowest linear sintering shrinkage, whereas the bottoms of the experimental blocks showed the highest linear sintering shrinkage. Within the limitations of this study, the density difference of the presintered zirconia block did not affect the mechanical properties of the sintered zirconia block, but affected the linear sintering shrinkage of the zirconia block.

Sintering behavior and mechanical properties of zirconia compacts fabricated by uniaxial press forming

PubMed Central

Oh, Gye-Jeong; Yun, Kwi-Dug; Lee, Kwang-Min; Lim, Hyun-Pil

2010-01-01

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to compare the linear sintering behavior of presintered zirconia blocks of various densities. The mechanical properties of the resulting sintered zirconia blocks were then analyzed. MATERIALS AND METHODS Three experimental groups of dental zirconia blocks, with a different presintering density each, were designed in the present study. Kavo Everest® ZS blanks (Kavo, Biberach, Germany) were used as a control group. The experimental group blocks were fabricated from commercial yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia powder (KZ-3YF (SD) Type A, KCM. Corporation, Nagoya, Japan). The biaxial flexural strengths, microhardnesses, and microstructures of the sintered blocks were then investigated. The linear sintering shrinkages of blocks were calculated and compared. RESULTS Despite their different presintered densities, the sintered blocks of the control and experimental groups showed similar mechanical properties. However, the sintered block had different linear sintering shrinkage rate depending on the density of the presintered block. As the density of the presintered block increased, the linear sintering shrinkage decreased. In the experimental blocks, the three sectioned pieces of each block showed the different linear shrinkage depending on the area. The tops of the experimental blocks showed the lowest linear sintering shrinkage, whereas the bottoms of the experimental blocks showed the highest linear sintering shrinkage. CONCLUSION Within the limitations of this study, the density difference of the presintered zirconia block did not affect the mechanical properties of the sintered zirconia block, but affected the linear sintering shrinkage of the zirconia block. PMID:21165274

The effect of implant design and bone quality on insertion torque, resonance frequency analysis, and insertion energy during implant placement in low or low- to medium-density bone.

PubMed

Wang, Tong-Mei; Lee, Ming-Shu; Wang, Juo-Song; Lin, Li-Deh

2015-01-01

This study investigated the effect of implant design and bone quality on insertion torque (IT), implant stability quotient (ISQ), and insertion energy (IE) by monitoring the continuous change in IT and ISQ while implants were inserted in artificial bone blocks that simulate bone of poor or poor-to-medium quality. Polyurethane foam blocks (Sawbones) of 0.16 g/cm³ and 0.32 g/cm³ were respectively used to simulate low density and low- to medium-density cancellous bone. In addition, some test blocks were laminated with a 1-mm 0.80 g/cm³ polyurethane layer to simulate cancellous bone with a thin cortical layer. Four different implants (Nobel Biocare Mk III-3.75, Mk III-4.0, Mk IV-4.0, and NobelActive-4.3) were placed into the different test blocks in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. The IT and ISQ were recorded at every 0.5-mm of inserted length during implant insertion, and IE was calculated from the torque curve. The peak IT (PIT), final IT (FIT), IE, and final ISQ values were statistically analyzed. All implants showed increasing ISQ values when the implant was inserted more deeply. In contrast to the ISQ, implants with different designs showed dissimilar IT curve patterns during the insertion. All implants showed a significant increase in the PIT, FIT, IE, and ISQ when the test-block density increased or when the 1-mm laminated layer was present. Tapered implants showed FIT or PIT values of more than 40 Ncm for all of the laminated test blocks and for the nonlaminated test blocks of low to medium density. Parallel-wall implants did not exhibit PIT or FIT values of more than 40 Ncm for all of the test blocks. NobelActive-4.3 showed a significantly higher FIT, but a significantly lower IE, than Mk IV-4.0. While the existence of cortical bone or implant designs significantly affects the dynamic IT profiles during implant insertion, it does not affect the ISQ to a similar extent. Certain implant designs are more suitable than others if high IT is required in bone of poor quality. The manner in which IT, IE, and ISQ represent the implant primary stability requires further study.

A reuse-based framework for the design of analog and mixed-signal ICs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castro-Lopez, Rafael; Fernandez, Francisco V.; Rodriguez Vazquez, Angel

2005-06-01

Despite the spectacular breakthroughs of the semiconductor industry, the ability to design integrated circuits (ICs) under stringent time-to-market (TTM) requirements is lagging behind integration capacity, so far keeping pace with still valid Moore"s Law. The resulting gap is threatening with slowing down such a phenomenal growth. The design community believes that it is only by means of powerful CAD tools and design methodologies - and, possibly, a design paradigm shift - that this design gap can be bridged. In this sense, reuse-based design is seen as a promising solution, and concepts such as IP Block, Virtual Component, and Design Reuse have become commonplace thanks to the significant advances in the digital arena. Unfortunately, the very nature of analog and mixed-signal (AMS) design has hindered a similar level of consensus and development. This paper presents a framework for the reuse-based design of AMS circuits. The framework is founded on three key elements: (1) a CAD-supported hierarchical design flow that facilitates the incorporation of AMS reusable blocks, reduces the overall design time, and expedites the management of increasing AMS design complexity; (2) a complete, clear definition of the AMS reusable block, structured into three separate facets or views: the behavioral, structural, and layout facets, the two first for top-down electrical synthesis and bottom-up verification, the latter used during bottom-up physical synthesis; (3) the design for reusability set of tools, methods, and guidelines that, relying on intensive parameterization as well as on design knowledge capture and encapsulation, allows to produce fully reusable AMS blocks. A case study and a functional silicon prototype demonstrate the validity of the paper"s proposals.

Design, fabrication and test of block 4 design solar cell modules. Part 2: Residential module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jester, T. L.

1982-01-01

Design, fabrication and test of the Block IV residential load module are reported. Design changes from the proposed module design through three iterations to the discontinuance of testing are outlined.

Elfin: An algorithm for the computational design of custom three-dimensional structures from modular repeat protein building blocks.

PubMed

Yeh, Chun-Ting; Brunette, T J; Baker, David; McIntosh-Smith, Simon; Parmeggiani, Fabio

2018-02-01

Computational protein design methods have enabled the design of novel protein structures, but they are often still limited to small proteins and symmetric systems. To expand the size of designable proteins while controlling the overall structure, we developed Elfin, a genetic algorithm for the design of novel proteins with custom shapes using structural building blocks derived from experimentally verified repeat proteins. By combining building blocks with compatible interfaces, it is possible to rapidly build non-symmetric large structures (>1000 amino acids) that match three-dimensional geometric descriptions provided by the user. A run time of about 20min on a laptop computer for a 3000 amino acid structure makes Elfin accessible to users with limited computational resources. Protein structures with controlled geometry will allow the systematic study of the effect of spatial arrangement of enzymes and signaling molecules, and provide new scaffolds for functional nanomaterials. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Liquid cooling applications on automotive exterior LED lighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aktaş, Mehmet; Şenyüz, Tunç; Şenyıldız, Teoman; Kılıç, Muhsin

2018-02-01

In this study cooling of a LED unit with heatsink and liquid cooling block which is used in automotive head lamp applications has been investigated numerically and experimentally. Junction temperature of a LED which is cooled with heatsink and liquid cooling block obtained in the experiment. 23°C is used both in the simulation and the experiment phase. Liquid cooling block material is choosed aluminium (Al) and polyamide. All tests and simulation are performed with three different flow rate. Temperature distribution of the designed product is investigated by doing the numerical simulations with a commercially software. In the simulations, fluid flow is assumed to be steady, incompressible and laminar and 3 dimensional (3D) Navier-Stokes equations are used. According to the calculations it is obtained that junction temperature is higher in the heatsink design compared to block cooled one. By changing the block material, it is desired to investigate the variation on the LED junction temperature. It is found that more efficient cooling can be obtained in block cooling by using less volume and weight. With block cooling lifetime of LED can be increased and flux loss can be decreased with the result of decreased junction temperature.

The effect of Fisher information matrix approximation methods in population optimal design calculations.

PubMed

Strömberg, Eric A; Nyberg, Joakim; Hooker, Andrew C

2016-12-01

With the increasing popularity of optimal design in drug development it is important to understand how the approximations and implementations of the Fisher information matrix (FIM) affect the resulting optimal designs. The aim of this work was to investigate the impact on design performance when using two common approximations to the population model and the full or block-diagonal FIM implementations for optimization of sampling points. Sampling schedules for two example experiments based on population models were optimized using the FO and FOCE approximations and the full and block-diagonal FIM implementations. The number of support points was compared between the designs for each example experiment. The performance of these designs based on simulation/estimations was investigated by computing bias of the parameters as well as through the use of an empirical D-criterion confidence interval. Simulations were performed when the design was computed with the true parameter values as well as with misspecified parameter values. The FOCE approximation and the Full FIM implementation yielded designs with more support points and less clustering of sample points than designs optimized with the FO approximation and the block-diagonal implementation. The D-criterion confidence intervals showed no performance differences between the full and block diagonal FIM optimal designs when assuming true parameter values. However, the FO approximated block-reduced FIM designs had higher bias than the other designs. When assuming parameter misspecification in the design evaluation, the FO Full FIM optimal design was superior to the FO block-diagonal FIM design in both of the examples.

Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Extension Block Splint

PubMed Central

Abboudi, Jack; Jones, Christopher M.

2016-01-01

Background: Extension block splinting of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint is a simple and useful treatment option although the practical application of this technique has remained undefined in the literature. Methods: This article provides a step-by-step technique for the construction of a reliable PIP extension block splint and also reviews basic indications for treatment with a PIP extension block splint as well as other PIP extension block splint designs. Results: The proposed splint design outlined in this article is reliable, easy to reproduce and easy for patients to manage when treated with a PIP extension block splint. Conclusions: PIP extension block splinting has a role for certain injuries and certain post-operative protocols. A reliable splint design that is easy to manage makes this treatment choice more attractive to the surgeon and the patient. PMID:27390555

The experimental design of the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project

Treesearch

Steven L. Sheriff; Shuoqiong He

1997-01-01

The Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) is an experiment that examines the effects of three forest management practices on the forest community. MOFEP is designed as a randomized complete block design using nine sites divided into three blocks. Treatments of uneven-aged, even-aged, and no-harvest management were randomly assigned to sites within each block...

A novel depth-of-interaction block detector for positron emission tomography using a dichotomous orthogonal symmetry decoding concept.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuxuan; Yan, Han; Baghaei, Hossain; Wong, Wai-Hoi

2016-02-21

Conventionally, a dual-end depth-of-interaction (DOI) block detector readout requires two two-dimensional silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) arrays, one on top and one on the bottom, to define the XYZ positions. However, because both the top and bottom SiPM arrays are reading the same pixels, this creates information redundancy. We propose a dichotomous orthogonal symmetric (DOS) dual-end readout block detector design, which removes this redundancy by reducing the number of SiPMs and still achieves XY and DOI (Z) decoding for positron emission tomography (PET) block detector. Reflecting films are used within the block detector to channel photons going to the top of the block to go only in the X direction, and photons going to the bottom are channeled along the Y direction. Despite the unidirectional channeling on each end, the top readout provides both X and Y information using two one-dimensional SiPM arrays instead of a two-dimensional SiPM array; similarly, the bottom readout also provides both X and Y information with just two one-dimensional SiPM arrays. Thus, a total of four one-dimensional SiPM arrays (4  ×  N SiPMs) are used to decode the XYZ positions of the firing pixels instead of two two-dimensional SiPM arrays (2  ×  N  ×  N SiPMs), reducing the number of SiPM arrays per block from 2N(2) to 4 N for PET/MR or PET/CT systems. Moreover, the SiPM arrays on one end can be replaced by two regular photomultiplier tubes (PMTs), so that a block needs only 2 N SiPMs  +  2 half-PMTs; this hybrid-DOS DOI block detector can be used in PET/CT systems. Monte Carlo simulations were carried out to study the performance of our DOS DOI block detector design, including the XY-decoding quality, energy resolution, and DOI resolution. Both BGO and LSO scintillators were studied. We found that 4 mm pixels were well decoded for 5  ×  5 BGO and 9  ×  9 LSO arrays with 4 to 5 mm DOI resolution and 16-20% energy resolution. By adding light-channel decoding, we modified the DOS design to a high-resolution design, which resolved scintillator pixels smaller than the SiPM dimensions. Detector pixels of 2.4 mm were decoded for 8  ×  8 BGO and 15  ×  15 LSO arrays with 5 mm DOI resolution and 20-23% energy resolution. Time performance was also studied for the 8  ×  8 BGO and 15  ×  15 LSO HR-DOS arrays. The timing resolution for the corner and central crystals is 986  ±  122 ps and 1.89  ±  0.17 μs respectively with BGO, 137  ±  42 ps and 458  ±  67 ps respectively with LSO. Monte Carlo simulations with GATE/Geant4 demonstrated the feasibility of our DOS DOI block detector design. In conclusion, our novel design achieved good performance except the time performance while using fewer SiPMs and supporting electronic channels than the current non-DOI PET detectors. This novel design can significantly reduce the cost, heat, and readout complexity of DOI block detectors for PET/MR/CT systems that don't require the time-of-flight capability.

Preference for blocking or response redirection during stereotypy treatment.

PubMed

Giles, Aimee F; St Peter, Claire C; Pence, Sacha T; Gibson, Alexandra B

2012-01-01

Response redirection and response blocking reduce stereotypy maintained by automatic reinforcement. The current study evaluated the effects of redirection and response blocking on the stereotypic responding of three elementary-age children diagnosed with autism. During the treatment evaluation, redirection and response blocking were evaluated using an alternating treatment embedded in a reversal design. Both procedures resulted in comparably low levels of motor stereotypy. Following treatment evaluation, a concurrent chain was conducted to evaluate participant preference for redirection or response blocking. All three participants preferred redirection. Practitioners may wish to consider participant preference when developing and implementing treatments for stereotypy. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bayesian block-diagonal variable selection and model averaging

PubMed Central

Papaspiliopoulos, O.; Rossell, D.

2018-01-01

Summary We propose a scalable algorithmic framework for exact Bayesian variable selection and model averaging in linear models under the assumption that the Gram matrix is block-diagonal, and as a heuristic for exploring the model space for general designs. In block-diagonal designs our approach returns the most probable model of any given size without resorting to numerical integration. The algorithm also provides a novel and efficient solution to the frequentist best subset selection problem for block-diagonal designs. Posterior probabilities for any number of models are obtained by evaluating a single one-dimensional integral, and other quantities of interest such as variable inclusion probabilities and model-averaged regression estimates are obtained by an adaptive, deterministic one-dimensional numerical integration. The overall computational cost scales linearly with the number of blocks, which can be processed in parallel, and exponentially with the block size, rendering it most adequate in situations where predictors are organized in many moderately-sized blocks. For general designs, we approximate the Gram matrix by a block-diagonal matrix using spectral clustering and propose an iterative algorithm that capitalizes on the block-diagonal algorithms to explore efficiently the model space. All methods proposed in this paper are implemented in the R library mombf. PMID:29861501

The Three-Block Model of Universal Design for Learning Implementation in a High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Jennifer; Sugden, Ron

2013-01-01

The role of the school leader (principal) in supporting educational reform is explored through a case study of one high school implementing the Three Block Model of UDL (Katz, 2012a) in an effort to meet the needs of a diverse student population. This case study is a part of a much larger study exploring outcomes for students and teachers of…

Structure to function: Spider silk and human collagen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabotyagova, Olena S.

Nature has the ability to assemble a variety of simple molecules into complex functional structures with diverse properties. Collagens, silks and muscles fibers are some examples of fibrous proteins with self-assembling properties. One of the great challenges facing Science is to mimic these designs in Nature to find a way to construct molecules that are capable of organizing into functional supra-structures by self-assembly. In order to do so, a construction kit consisting of molecular building blocks along with a complete understanding on how to form functional materials is required. In this current research, the focus is on spider silk and collagen as fibrous protein-based biopolymers that can shed light on how to generate nanostructures through the complex process of self-assembly. Spider silk in fiber form offers a unique combination of high elasticity, toughness, and mechanical strength, along with biological compatibility and biodegrability. Spider silk is an example of a natural block copolymer, in which hydrophobic and hydrophilic blocks are linked together generating polymers that organize into functional materials with extraordinary properties. Since silks resemble synthetic block copolymer systems, we adopted the principles of block copolymer design from the synthetic polymer literature to build block copolymers based on spider silk sequences. Moreover, we consider spider silk to be an important model with which to study the relationships between structure and properties in our system. Thus, the first part of this work was dedicated to a novel family of spider silk block copolymers, where we generated a new family of functional spider silk-like block copolymers through recombinant DNA technology. To provide fundamental insight into relationships between peptide primary sequence, block composition, and block length and observed morphological and structural features, we used these bioengineered spider silk block copolymers to study secondary structure, morphological features and assembly. Aside from fundamental perspectives, we anticipate that these results will provide a blueprint for the design of precise materials for a range of potential applications such as controlled release devices, functional coatings, components of tissue regeneration materials and environmentally friendly polymers in future studies. In the second part of this work, human collagen type I was studied as another representative of the family of fibrous proteins. Collagen type I is the most abundant extracellular matrix protein in the human body, providing the basis for tissue structure and directing cellular functions. Collagen has a complex structural hierarchy, organized at different length scales, including the characteristic triple helical feature. In the present study we assessed the relationship between collagen structure (native vs. denatured) and sensitivity to UV radiation with a focus on changes in the primary structure, conformation, microstructure and material properties. Free radical reactions are involved in collagen degradation and a mechanism for UV-induced collagen degradation related to structure was proposed. The results from this study demonstrated the role of collagen supramolecular organization (triple helix) in the context of the effects of electromagnetic radiation on extracellular matrices. Owing to the fact that both silks and collagens are proteins that have found widespread interest for biomaterial related needs, we anticipate that the current studies will serve as a foundation for future biomaterial designs with controlled properties. Furthermore, fundamental insight into self-assembly and environmentally-2mediated degradation, will build a foundation for fundamental understanding of the remodeling and functions of these types of fibrous proteins in vivo and in vitro. This type of insight is essential for many areas of scientific inquiry, from drug delivery, to scaffolds for tissue engineering, and to the stability of materials in space.

Expediting analog design retargeting by design knowledge re-use and circuit synthesis: a practical example on a Delta-Sigma modulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Webb, Matthew; Tang, Hua

2016-08-01

In the past decade or two, due to constant and rapid technology changes, analog design re-use or design retargeting to newer technologies has been brought to the table in order to expedite the design process and improve time-to-market. If properly conducted, analog design retargeting could significantly cut down design cycle compared to designs starting from the scratch. In this article, we present an empirical and general method for efficient analog design retargeting by design knowledge re-use and circuit synthesis (CS). The method first identifies circuit blocks that compose the source system and extracts the performance parameter specifications of each circuit block. Then, for each circuit block, it scales the values of design variables (DV) from the source design to derive an initial design in the target technology. Depending on the performance of this initial target design, a design space is defined for synthesis. Subsequently, each circuit block is automatically synthesised using state-of-art analog synthesis tools based on a combination of global and local optimisation techniques to achieve comparable performance specifications to those extracted from the source system. Finally, the overall system is composed of those synthesised circuit blocks in the target technology. We illustrate the method using a practical example of a complex Delta-Sigma modulator (DSM) circuit.

Powered Explicit Guidance Modifications and Enhancements for Space Launch System Block-1 and Block-1B Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Von der Porten, Paul; Ahmad, Naeem; Hawkins, Matt; Fill, Thomas

2018-01-01

NASA is currently building the Space Launch System (SLS) Block-1 launch vehicle for the Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) test flight. NASA is also currently designing the next evolution of SLS, the Block-1B. The Block-1 and Block-1B vehicles will use the Powered Explicit Guidance (PEG) algorithm (of Space Shuttle heritage) for closed loop guidance. To accommodate vehicle capabilities and design for future evolutions of SLS, modifications were made to PEG for Block-1 to handle multi-phase burns, provide PEG updated propulsion information, and react to a core stage engine out. In addition, due to the relatively low thrust-to-weight ratio of the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) and EUS carrying out Lunar Vicinity and Earth Escape missions, certain enhancements to the Block-1 PEG algorithm are needed to perform Block-1B missions to account for long burn arcs and target translunar and hyperbolic orbits. This paper describes the design and implementation of modifications to the Block-1 PEG algorithm as compared to Space Shuttle. Furthermore, this paper illustrates challenges posed by the Block-1B vehicle and the required PEG enhancements. These improvements make PEG capable for use on the SLS Block-1B vehicle as part of the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) System.

Designing Learning Environments to Teach Interactive Quantum Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puente, Sonia M. Gomez; Swagten, Henk J. M.

2012-01-01

This study aims at describing and analysing systematically an interactive learning environment designed to teach Quantum Physics, a second-year physics course. The instructional design of Quantum Physics is a combination of interactive lectures (using audience response systems), tutorials and self-study in unit blocks, carried out with small…

Designer interface peptide grafts target estrogen receptor alpha dimerization

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

Chakraborty, S.; Asare, B.K.; Biswas, P.K., E-mail: pbiswas@tougaloo.edu

The nuclear transcription factor estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), triggered by its cognate ligand estrogen, regulates a variety of cellular signaling events. ERα is expressed in 70% of breast cancers and is a widely validated target for anti-breast cancer drug discovery. Administration of anti-estrogen to block estrogen receptor activation is still a viable anti-breast cancer treatment option but anti-estrogen resistance has been a significant bottle-neck. Dimerization of estrogen receptor is required for ER activation. Blocking ERα dimerization is therefore a complementary and alternative strategy to combat anti-estrogen resistance. Dimer interface peptide “I-box” derived from ER residues 503–518 specifically blocks ER dimerization.more » Recently using a comprehensive molecular simulation we studied the interaction dynamics of ERα LBDs in a homo-dimer. Based on this study, we identified three interface recognition peptide motifs LDKITDT (ERα residues 479–485), LQQQHQRLAQ (residues 497–506), and LSHIRHMSNK (residues 511–520) and reported the suitability of using LQQQHQRLAQ (ER 497–506) as a template to design inhibitors of ERα dimerization. Stability and self-aggregation of peptide based therapeutics poses a significant bottle-neck to proceed further. In this study utilizing peptide grafted to preserve their pharmacophoric recognition motif and assessed their stability and potential to block ERα mediated activity in silico and in vitro. The Grafted peptides blocked ERα mediated cell proliferation and viability of breast cancer cells but did not alter their apoptotic fate. We believe the structural clues identified in this study can be used to identify novel peptidometics and small molecules that specifically target ER dimer interface generating a new breed of anti-cancer agents. - Highlights: • Designer peptide grafts retain core molecular recognition motif during MD simulations. • Designer peptide grafts with Poly-ALA helix form stable complexes with estrogen receptor in silico. • Inhibitor peptides significantly decrease estrogen induced cell proliferation of ER positive breast cancer cells in vitro.« less

Channel Estimation and Pilot Design for Massive MIMO Systems with Block-Structured Compressive Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, ZhuoKai; Yang, Tiejun; Zhu, Chunhua

2018-03-01

Through utilizing the technology of compressive sensing (CS), the channel estimation methods can achieve the purpose of reducing pilots and improving spectrum efficiency. The channel estimation and pilot design scheme are explored during the correspondence under the help of block-structured CS in massive MIMO systems. The block coherence property of the aggregate system matrix can be minimized so that the pilot design scheme based on stochastic search is proposed. Moreover, the block sparsity adaptive matching pursuit (BSAMP) algorithm under the common sparsity model is proposed so that the channel estimation can be caught precisely. Simulation results are to be proved the proposed design algorithm with superimposed pilots design and the BSAMP algorithm can provide better channel estimation than existing methods.

Backward Blocking and Interference between Cues Are Empirically Equivalent in Non-Causally Framed Learning Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luque, David; Moris, Joaquin; Orgaz, Cristina; Cobos, Pedro L.; Matute, Helena

2011-01-01

Backward blocking (BB) and interference between cues (IbC) are cue competition effects produced by very similar manipulations. In a standard BB design, both effects might occur simultaneously, which implies a potential problem for studying BB. In the present study with humans, the magnitude of both effects was compared using a non-causal scenario…

Using research literature to develop a perceptual retraining treatment protocol.

PubMed

Neistadt, M E

1994-01-01

Treatment protocols derived from research literature can help therapists provide more rigorous treatment and more systematic assessment of client progress. This study applied research findings about the influence of task, subject, and feedback parameters on adult performance with block designs to an occupational therapy treatment protocol for parquetry block assembly--an activity occupational therapists use to remediate constructional deficits. Task parameter research suggests that parquetry tasks can be graded according to the features of the design cards, with cards having all block boundaries drawn in being easier than those with some block boundaries omitted. Subject parameter findings suggest that clients' lesions and initial constructional competence can influence their approaches to parquetry tasks. Feedback parameter research suggests that a combination of perceptual and planning cues is most effective for parquetry tasks. Methods to help clients transfer constructional skills from parquetry to functional tasks are also discussed.

Closed Loop Guidance Trade Study for Space Launch System Block-1B Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Von der Porten, Paul; Ahmad, Naeem; Hawkins, Matt

2018-01-01

NASA is currently building the Space Launch System (SLS) Block-1 launch vehicle for the Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) test flight. The design of the next evolution of SLS, Block-1B, is well underway. The Block-1B vehicle is more capable overall than Block-1; however, the relatively low thrust-to-weight ratio of the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS) presents a challenge to the Powered Explicit Guidance (PEG) algorithm used by Block-1. To handle the long burn durations (on the order of 1000 seconds) of EUS missions, two algorithms were examined. An alternative algorithm, OPGUID, was introduced, while modifications were made to PEG. A trade study was conducted to select the guidance algorithm for future SLS vehicles. The chosen algorithm needs to support a wide variety of mission operations: ascent burns to LEO, apogee raise burns, trans-lunar injection burns, hyperbolic Earth departure burns, and contingency disposal burns using the Reaction Control System (RCS). Additionally, the algorithm must be able to respond to a single engine failure scenario. Each algorithm was scored based on pre-selected criteria, including insertion accuracy, algorithmic complexity and robustness, extensibility for potential future missions, and flight heritage. Monte Carlo analysis was used to select the final algorithm. This paper covers the design criteria, approach, and results of this trade study, showing impacts and considerations when adapting launch vehicle guidance algorithms to a broader breadth of in-space operations.

A novel resource sharing algorithm based on distributed construction for radiant enclosure problems

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

Finzell, Peter; Bryden, Kenneth M.

This study demonstrates a novel approach to solving inverse radiant enclosure problems based on distributed construction. Specifically, the problem of determining the temperature distribution needed on the heater surfaces to achieve a desired design surface temperature profile is recast as a distributed construction problem in which a shared resource, temperature, is distributed by computational agents moving blocks. The sharing of blocks between agents enables them to achieve their desired local state, which in turn achieves the desired global state. Each agent uses the current state of their local environment and a simple set of rules to determine when to exchangemore » blocks, each block representing a discrete unit of temperature change. This algorithm is demonstrated using the established two-dimensional inverse radiation enclosure problem. The temperature profile on the heater surfaces is adjusted to achieve a desired temperature profile on the design surfaces. The resource sharing algorithm was able to determine the needed temperatures on the heater surfaces to obtain the desired temperature distribution on the design surfaces in the nine cases examined.« less

A novel resource sharing algorithm based on distributed construction for radiant enclosure problems

DOE PAGES

Finzell, Peter; Bryden, Kenneth M.

2017-03-06

This study demonstrates a novel approach to solving inverse radiant enclosure problems based on distributed construction. Specifically, the problem of determining the temperature distribution needed on the heater surfaces to achieve a desired design surface temperature profile is recast as a distributed construction problem in which a shared resource, temperature, is distributed by computational agents moving blocks. The sharing of blocks between agents enables them to achieve their desired local state, which in turn achieves the desired global state. Each agent uses the current state of their local environment and a simple set of rules to determine when to exchangemore » blocks, each block representing a discrete unit of temperature change. This algorithm is demonstrated using the established two-dimensional inverse radiation enclosure problem. The temperature profile on the heater surfaces is adjusted to achieve a desired temperature profile on the design surfaces. The resource sharing algorithm was able to determine the needed temperatures on the heater surfaces to obtain the desired temperature distribution on the design surfaces in the nine cases examined.« less

Finding Efficiency in the Design of Large Multisite Evaluations: Estimating Variances for Science Achievement Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westine, Carl D.

2016-01-01

Little is known empirically about intraclass correlations (ICCs) for multisite cluster randomized trial (MSCRT) designs, particularly in science education. In this study, ICCs suitable for science achievement studies using a three-level (students in schools in districts) MSCRT design that block on district are estimated and examined. Estimates of…

Transition from capacitive coupling to direct charge transfer in asymmetric terahertz plasmonic assemblies.

PubMed

Ahmadivand, Arash; Sinha, Raju; Gerislioglu, Burak; Karabiyik, Mustafa; Pala, Nezih; Shur, Michael

2016-11-15

We experimentally and numerically analyze the charge transfer THz plasmons using an asymmetric plasmonic assembly of metallic V-shaped blocks. The asymmetric design of the blocks allows for the excitation of classical dipolar and multipolar modes due to the capacitive coupling. Introducing a conductive microdisk between the blocks, we facilitated the excitation of the charge transfer plasmons and studied their characteristics along with the capacitive coupling by varying the size of the disk.

Power deposition on misaligned castellated tungsten blocks in the Magnum-PSI and Pilot-PSI linear devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgan, T. W.; van den Berg, M. A.; De Temmerman, G.; Bardin, S.; Aussems, D. U. B.; Pitts, R. A.

2017-12-01

For the final design of the ITER divertor it is important to determine whether shaping of each tungsten monoblock to eliminate leading edges is required or not. In order to aid this decision, two experiments were performed in DIFFER’s linear plasma devices to study heat loads on misaligned water cooled blocks at glancing incidence. First, a series of tungsten blocks were exposed to a high parallel heat flux (26 MW \

Design development of graphite primary structures enables SSTO success

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biagiotti, V. A.; Yahiro, J. S.; Suh, Daniel E.; Hodges, Eric R.; Prior, Donald J.

1997-01-01

This paper describes the development of a graphite composite wing and a graphite composite intertank primary structure for application toward Single-Stage to Orbit space vehicles such as those under development in NASA's X-33/Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Program. The trade study and designs are based on a Rockwell vertical take-off and horizontal landing (VTHL) wing-body RLV vehicle. Northrop Grumman's approach using a building block development technique is described. Composite Graphite/Bismaleimide (Gr/BMI) material characterization test results are presented. Unique intertank and wing composite subcomponent test article designs are described and test results to date are presented. Wing and intertank Full Scale Section Test Article (FSTA) objectives and designs are outlined. Trade studies, supporting building block testing, and FSTA demonstrations combine to develop graphite primary structure composite technology that enables developing X-33/RLV design programs to meet critical SSTO structural weight and operations performance criteria.

Yucca Mountain Project Subsurface Facilities Design

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

A. Linden; R.S. Saunders; R.J. Boutin

2002-11-19

Four units of the Topopah Springs formation (volcanic tuff) are considered for the proposed repository: the upper lithophysal, the middle non-lithophysal, the lower lithophysal, and the lower non-lithophysal. Yucca Mountain was recently designated the site for a proposed repository to dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Work is proceeding to advance the design of subsurface facilities to accommodate emplacing waste packages in the proposed repository. This paper summarized recent progress in the design of subsurface layout of the proposed repository. The original Site Recommendation (SR) concept for the subsurface design located the repository largely within the lowermore » lithophysal zone (approximately 73%) of the Topopah The Site Recommendation characterized area suitable for emplacement consisted of the primary upper block, the lower block and the southern upper block extension. The primary upper block accommodated the mandated 70,000 metric tons of heavy metal (MTHM) at a 1.45 kW/m hear heat load. Based on further study of the Site Recommendation concept, the proposed repository siting area footprint was modified to make maximum use of available site characterization data, and thus, reduce uncertainties associated with performance assessment. As a result of this study, a modified repository footprint has been proposed and is presently being review for acceptance by the DOE. A panel design concept was developed to reduce overall costs and reduce the overall emplacement schedule. This concept provides flexibility to adjust the proposed repository subsurface layout with time, as it makes it unnecessary to ''commit'' to development of a large single panel at the earliest stages of construction. A description of the underground layout configuration and influencing factors that affect the layout configuration are discussed in the report.« less

Design of responsive materials using topologically interlocked elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molotnikov, A.; Gerbrand, R.; Qi, Y.; Simon, G. P.; Estrin, Y.

2015-02-01

In this work we present a novel approach to designing responsive structures by segmentation of monolithic plates into an assembly of topologically interlocked building blocks. The particular example considered is an assembly of interlocking osteomorphic blocks. The results of this study demonstrate that the constraining force, which is required to hold the blocks together, can be viewed as a design parameter that governs the bending stiffness and the load bearing capacity of the segmented structure. In the case where the constraining forces are provided laterally using an external frame, the maximum load the assembly can sustain and its stiffness increase linearly with the magnitude of the lateral load applied. Furthermore, we show that the segmented plate with integrated shape memory wires employed as tensioning cables can act as a smart structure that changes its flexural stiffness and load bearing capacity in response to external stimuli, such as heat generated by the switching on and off an electric current.

A Lower-Cost High-Resolution LYSO Detector Development for Positron Emission Mammography (PEM)

PubMed Central

Ramirez, Rocio A.; Zhang, Yuxuan; Liu, Shitao; Li, Hongdi; Baghaei, Hossain; An, Shaohui; Wang, Chao; Jan, Meei-Ling; Wong, Wai-Hoi

2010-01-01

In photomultiplier-quadrant-sharing (PQS) geometry for positron emission tomography applications, each PMT is shared by four blocks and each detector block is optically coupled to four round PMTs. Although this design reduces the cost of high-resolution PET systems, when the camera consists of detector panels that are made up of square blocks, half of the PMT’s sensitive window remains unused at the detector panel edge. Our goal was to develop a LYSO detector panel which minimizes the unused portion of the PMTs for a low-cost, high-resolution, and high-sensitivity positron emission mammography (PEM) camera. We modified the PQS design by using elongated blocks at panel edges and square blocks in the inner area. For elongated blocks, symmetric and asymmetrical reflector patterns were developed and PQS and PMT-half-sharing (PHS) arrangements were implemented in order to obtain a suitable decoding. The packing fraction was 96.3% for asymmetric block and 95.5% for symmetric block. Both of the blocks have excellent decoding capability with all crystals clearly identified, 156 for asymmetric and 144 for symmetric and peak-to-valley ratio of 3.0 and 2.3 respectively. The average energy resolution was 14.2% for the asymmetric block and 13.1% for the symmetric block. Using a modified PQS geometry and asymmetric block design, we reduced the unused PMT region at detector panel edges, thereby increased the field-of-view and the overall detection sensitivity and minimized the undetected breast region near the chest wall. This detector design and using regular round PMT allowed building a lower-cost, high-resolution and high-sensitivity PEM camera. PMID:20485510

A new bite block for panoramic radiographs of anterior edentulous patients: A technical report.

PubMed

Park, Jong-Woong; Symkhampha, Khanthaly; Huh, Kyung-Hoe; Yi, Won-Jin; Heo, Min-Suk; Lee, Sam-Sun; Choi, Soon-Chul

2015-06-01

Panoramic radiographs taken using conventional chin-support devices have often presented problems with positioning accuracy and reproducibility. The aim of this report was to propose a new bite block for panoramic radiographs of anterior edentulous patients that better addresses these two issues. A new panoramic radiography bite block similar to the bite block for dentulous patients was developed to enable proper positioning stability for edentulous patients. The new bite block was designed and implemented in light of previous studies. The height of the new bite block was 18 mm and to compensate for the horizontal edentulous space, its horizontal width was 7 mm. The panoramic radiographs using the new bite block were compared with those using the conventional chin-support device. Panoramic radiographs taken with the new bite block showed better stability and bilateral symmetry than those taken with the conventional chin-support device. Patients also showed less movement and more stable positioning during panoramic radiography with the new bite block. Conventional errors in panoramic radiographs of edentulous patients could be caused by unreliability of the chin-support device. The newly proposed bite block for panoramic radiographs of edentulous patients showed better reliability. Further study is required to evaluate the image quality and reproducibility of images with the new bite block.

How Young Children Learn to Program with Sensor, Action, and Logic Blocks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wyeth, Peta

2008-01-01

Electronic Blocks are a new programming environment designed specifically for children aged between 3 and 8 years. These physical, stackable blocks include sensor blocks, action blocks, and logic blocks. By connecting these blocks, children can program a wide variety of structures that interact with one another and the environment. Electronic…

Intra-class correlation estimates for assessment of vitamin A intake in children.

PubMed

Agarwal, Girdhar G; Awasthi, Shally; Walter, Stephen D

2005-03-01

In many community-based surveys, multi-level sampling is inherent in the design. In the design of these studies, especially to calculate the appropriate sample size, investigators need good estimates of intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC), along with the cluster size, to adjust for variation inflation due to clustering at each level. The present study used data on the assessment of clinical vitamin A deficiency and intake of vitamin A-rich food in children in a district in India. For the survey, 16 households were sampled from 200 villages nested within eight randomly-selected blocks of the district. ICCs and components of variances were estimated from a three-level hierarchical random effects analysis of variance model. Estimates of ICCs and variance components were obtained at village and block levels. Between-cluster variation was evident at each level of clustering. In these estimates, ICCs were inversely related to cluster size, but the design effect could be substantial for large clusters. At the block level, most ICC estimates were below 0.07. At the village level, many ICC estimates ranged from 0.014 to 0.45. These estimates may provide useful information for the design of epidemiological studies in which the sampled (or allocated) units range in size from households to large administrative zones.

Loblolly Pine Growth 16 Years After Four Site Preparation Treatments

Treesearch

John C. Adams; Clyde Vidrine

2002-01-01

Thirteen-year growth results of 1-0 planted loblolly pine seedlings (Pinus taeda L.) on differently prepared upland mixed pine-hardwood sites located in north western Louisiana are presented. The study was designed as a randomized complete block consisting of three blocks of four site preparation treatments, which included: chop and burn, windrow,...

Arginine supplementation does not alter nitrogen metabolism of beef steers during a lipopolysaccharide challenge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Demand for arginine (Arg) is reported to increase during immune challenges. This study evaluated effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and abomasal Arg infusion on nitrogen (N) metabolism and immune response of 20 ruminally cannulated steers (369 ± 46 kg BW) in a randomized block design. Each block co...

Survival and migration behavior of juvenile salmonids at Lower Granite Dam, 2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Beeman, John W.; Fielding, Scott D.; Braatz, Amy C.; Wilkerson, Tamara S.; Pope, Adam C.; Walker, Christopher E.; Hardiman, Jill M.; Perry, Russell W.; Counihan, Timothy D.

2008-01-01

We described behavior and estimated passage and survival parameters of juvenile salmonids during spring and summer migration periods at Lower Granite Dam in 2006. During the spring, the study was designed to examine the effects of the Behavioral Guidance Structure (BGS) by using a randomized-block BGS Stored / BGS Deployed treatment design. The summer study was designed to compare passage and survival through Lower Granite Dam using a randomized-block design during two spill treatments while the BGS was in the stored position. We used the Route Specific Survival Model to estimate survival and passage probabilities of hatchery yearling Chinook salmon, hatchery juvenile steelhead, and hatchery and wild subyearling Chinook salmon. We also estimated fish guidance efficiency (FGE), fish passage efficiency (FPE), Removable Spillway Weir passage effectiveness (RPE), spill passage effectiveness (SPY), and combined spill and RSW passage effectiveness.

Continuous vs. blocks of physiotherapy for motor development in children with cerebral palsy and similar syndromes: A prospective randomized study.

PubMed

Brunner, Anne-Louise; Rutz, Erich; Juenemann, Stephanie; Brunner, Reinald

2014-12-01

To determine whether physiotherapy is more effective when applied in blocks or continuously in children with cerebral palsy (CP). A prospective randomized cross-over design study compared the effect of regular physiotherapy (baseline) with blocks of physiotherapy alternating with no physiotherapy over one year. Thirty-nine institutionalized children with CP and clinically similar syndromes (6-16 years old, Gross Motor Function Classification Scale II-IV) were included. During the first scholastic year, group A received regular physiotherapy, group B blocks of physiotherapy and vice versa in the second year. The Gross Motor Function Measure 66 (GMFM-66) was the outcome measure. Thirteen children in each group completed the study. GMFM-66 improved (p < 0.05) over the study period in both groups in total; changes (p < 0.05) were seen only in dimension D (group B) and E (both groups) during regular therapy. Physiotherapy may be more effective when provided regularly rather than in blocks.

Block 2 Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) conceptual design study, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

Segmented and monolithic Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) design concepts were evaluated with emphasis on joints and seals. Particular attention was directed to eliminating deficiencies in the SRM High Performance Motor (HPM). The selected conceptual design is described and discussed.

TIGGERC: Turbomachinery Interactive Grid Generator for 2-D Grid Applications and Users Guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, David P.

1994-01-01

A two-dimensional multi-block grid generator has been developed for a new design and analysis system for studying multiple blade-row turbomachinery problems. TIGGERC is a mouse driven, interactive grid generation program which can be used to modify boundary coordinates and grid packing and generates surface grids using a hyperbolic tangent or algebraic distribution of grid points on the block boundaries. The interior points of each block grid are distributed using a transfinite interpolation approach. TIGGERC can generate a blocked axisymmetric H-grid, C-grid, I-grid or O-grid for studying turbomachinery flow problems. TIGGERC was developed for operation on Silicon Graphics workstations. Detailed discussion of the grid generation methodology, menu options, operational features and sample grid geometries are presented.

Inverse design of bulk morphologies in block copolymers using particle swarm optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khadilkar, Mihir; Delaney, Kris; Fredrickson, Glenn

Multiblock polymers are a versatile platform for creating a large range of nanostructured materials with novel morphologies and properties. However, achieving desired structures or property combinations is difficult due to a vast design space comprised of parameters including monomer species, block sequence, block molecular weights and dispersity, copolymer architecture, and binary interaction parameters. Navigating through such vast design spaces to achieve an optimal formulation for a target structure or property set requires an efficient global optimization tool wrapped around a forward simulation technique such as self-consistent field theory (SCFT). We report on such an inverse design strategy utilizing particle swarm optimization (PSO) as the global optimizer and SCFT as the forward prediction engine. To avoid metastable states in forward prediction, we utilize pseudo-spectral variable cell SCFT initiated from a library of defect free seeds of known block copolymer morphologies. We demonstrate that our approach allows for robust identification of block copolymers and copolymer alloys that self-assemble into a targeted structure, optimizing parameters such as block fractions, blend fractions, and Flory chi parameters.

Apollo CSM Power Generation System Design Considerations, Failure Modes and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Interbartolo, Michael

2009-01-01

The objectives of this slide presentation are to: review the basic design criteria for fuel cells (FC's), review design considerations during developmental phase that affected Block I and Block II vehicles, summarize the conditions that led to the failure of components in the FC's, and state the solution implemented for each failure. It reviews the location of the fuel cells, the fuel cell theory the design criteria going into development phase and coming from the development phase, failures and solutions of Block I and II, and the lessons learned.

Transmission-blocking interventions eliminate malaria from laboratory populations

PubMed Central

Blagborough, A. M.; Churcher, T. S.; Upton, L. M.; Ghani, A. C.; Gething, P. W.; Sinden, R. E.

2013-01-01

Transmission-blocking interventions aim to reduce the prevalence of infection in endemic communities by targeting Plasmodium within the insect host. Although many studies have reported the successful reduction of infection in the mosquito vector, direct evidence that there is an onward reduction in infection in the vertebrate host is lacking. Here we report the first experiments using a population, transmission-based study of Plasmodium berghei in Anopheles stephensi to assess the impact of a transmission-blocking drug upon both insect and host populations over multiple transmission cycles. We demonstrate that the selected transmission-blocking intervention, which inhibits transmission from vertebrate to insect by only 32%, reduces the basic reproduction number of the parasite by 20%, and in our model system can eliminate Plasmodium from mosquito and mouse populations at low transmission intensities. These findings clearly demonstrate that use of transmission-blocking interventions alone can eliminate Plasmodium from a vertebrate population, and have significant implications for the future design and implementation of transmission-blocking interventions within the field. PMID:23652000

Fast downscaled inverses for images compressed with M-channel lapped transforms.

PubMed

de Queiroz, R L; Eschbach, R

1997-01-01

Compressed images may be decompressed and displayed or printed using different devices at different resolutions. Full decompression and rescaling in space domain is a very expensive method. We studied downscaled inverses where the image is decompressed partially, and a reduced inverse transform is used to recover the image. In this fashion, fewer transform coefficients are used and the synthesis process is simplified. We studied the design of fast inverses, for a given forward transform. General solutions are presented for M-channel finite impulse response (FIR) filterbanks, of which block and lapped transforms are a subset. Designs of faster inverses are presented for popular block and lapped transforms.

Building Quality Report Cards for Geriatric Care in The Netherlands: Using Concept Mapping to Identify the Appropriate "Building Blocks" from the Consumer's Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groenewoud, A. Stef; van Exel, N. Job A.; Berg, Marc; Huijsman, Robbert

2008-01-01

Purpose: This article reports on a study to identify "building blocks" for quality report cards for geriatric care. Its aim is to present (a) the results of the study and (b) the innovative step-by-step approach that was developed to arrive at these results. Design and Methods: We used Concept Mapping/Structured Conceptualization to…

48 CFR 50.205-3 - Authorization of offers contingent upon SAFETY Act designation or certification before contract...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...— (i) For offers contingent upon SAFETY Act designation, a pre-qualification designation notice or a block designation; or (ii) For offers contingent upon SAFETY Act certification, a block certification... contingent upon SAFETY Act designation or certification before contract award. 50.205-3 Section 50.205-3...

Combustion Processes in Solid Propellant Cracks

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-06-01

Ignition at the Closed End of an Inert Ctack . . ......................... 38 12. Block Diagram of Remotely-Controlled Ignition and Photography System ...41 13. Block Diagram of Data Acquisition System ... ........ .. 42 14. Measured Pressure-Time Traces for Crack...ignition system has been designed and fabricated. 5. Experimental firings with single-pore propellant grain have been conducted to study the effects of

Arginine supplementation does not alter nitrogen metabolism of beef steers during a lipopolysaccharide challenge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Demand for Arg is reported to increase during immune challenge. This study evaluated the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and abomasal Arg infusion on N metabolism and immune response of 20 ruminally cannulated steers (369 ± 46 kg BW) in a randomized block design. Each block was 20 d and consiste...

The Simulation Study of Horizontal Axis Water Turbine Using Flow Simulation Solidworks Application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasetyo, H.; Budiana, EP; Tjahjana, DDDP; Hadi, S.

2018-02-01

The design of Horizontal Axis Water Turbine in pico hydro power plants involves many parameters. To simplify that, usually using computer simulation is applied. This research performs simulation process variation on turbine blade number, turbine blade curvature angle, turbine bucket angle and blocking system tilt angle. Those four variations were combined in order to obtain the best design of turbine. The study used Flow Simulation Solidworks application, and obtain data on turbine speed, pressure, force, and torque. However, this research focused on turbine torque value. The best design of turbine was obtained in the turbine with 6 blades, blade curvature angle of 65° and bucket angle of 10°, and blocking system tilt angle of 40°. In the best turbine, the produced torque value was 8.464 Nm.

CODEHOP (COnsensus-DEgenerate Hybrid Oligonucleotide Primer) PCR primer design

PubMed Central

Rose, Timothy M.; Henikoff, Jorja G.; Henikoff, Steven

2003-01-01

We have developed a new primer design strategy for PCR amplification of distantly related gene sequences based on consensus-degenerate hybrid oligonucleotide primers (CODEHOPs). An interactive program has been written to design CODEHOP PCR primers from conserved blocks of amino acids within multiply-aligned protein sequences. Each CODEHOP consists of a pool of related primers containing all possible nucleotide sequences encoding 3–4 highly conserved amino acids within a 3′ degenerate core. A longer 5′ non-degenerate clamp region contains the most probable nucleotide predicted for each flanking codon. CODEHOPs are used in PCR amplification to isolate distantly related sequences encoding the conserved amino acid sequence. The primer design software and the CODEHOP PCR strategy have been utilized for the identification and characterization of new gene orthologs and paralogs in different plant, animal and bacterial species. In addition, this approach has been successful in identifying new pathogen species. The CODEHOP designer (http://blocks.fhcrc.org/codehop.html) is linked to BlockMaker and the Multiple Alignment Processor within the Blocks Database World Wide Web (http://blocks.fhcrc.org). PMID:12824413

Inferior alveolar nerve block: Alternative technique

PubMed Central

Thangavelu, K.; Kannan, R.; Kumar, N. Senthil

2012-01-01

Background: Inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) is a technique of dental anesthesia, used to produce anesthesia of the mandibular teeth, gingivae of the mandible and lower lip. The conventional IANB is the most commonly used the nerve block technique for achieving local anesthesia for mandibular surgical procedures. In certain cases, however, this nerve block fails, even when performed by the most experienced clinician. Therefore, it would be advantageous to find an alternative simple technique. Aim and Objective: The objective of this study is to find an alternative inferior alveolar nerve block that has a higher success rate than other routine techniques. To this purpose, a simple painless inferior alveolar nerve block was designed to anesthetize the inferior alveolar nerve. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted in Oral surgery department of Vinayaka Mission's dental college Salem from May 2009 to May 2011. Five hundred patients between the age of 20 years and 65 years who required extraction of teeth in mandible were included in the study. Out of 500 patients 270 were males and 230 were females. The effectiveness of the IANB was evaluated by using a sharp dental explorer in the regions innervated by the inferior alveolar, lingual, and buccal nerves after 3, 5, and 7 min, respectively. Conclusion: This study concludes that inferior alveolar nerve block is an appropriate alternative nerve block to anesthetize inferior alveolar nerve due to its several advantages. PMID:25885503

Inferior alveolar nerve block: Alternative technique.

PubMed

Thangavelu, K; Kannan, R; Kumar, N Senthil

2012-01-01

Inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) is a technique of dental anesthesia, used to produce anesthesia of the mandibular teeth, gingivae of the mandible and lower lip. The conventional IANB is the most commonly used the nerve block technique for achieving local anesthesia for mandibular surgical procedures. In certain cases, however, this nerve block fails, even when performed by the most experienced clinician. Therefore, it would be advantageous to find an alternative simple technique. The objective of this study is to find an alternative inferior alveolar nerve block that has a higher success rate than other routine techniques. To this purpose, a simple painless inferior alveolar nerve block was designed to anesthetize the inferior alveolar nerve. This study was conducted in Oral surgery department of Vinayaka Mission's dental college Salem from May 2009 to May 2011. Five hundred patients between the age of 20 years and 65 years who required extraction of teeth in mandible were included in the study. Out of 500 patients 270 were males and 230 were females. The effectiveness of the IANB was evaluated by using a sharp dental explorer in the regions innervated by the inferior alveolar, lingual, and buccal nerves after 3, 5, and 7 min, respectively. This study concludes that inferior alveolar nerve block is an appropriate alternative nerve block to anesthetize inferior alveolar nerve due to its several advantages.

76 FR 2193 - Designation Pursuant to Executive Order 13396 of February 7, 2006, “Blocking Property of Certain...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-12

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Office of Foreign Assets Control Designation Pursuant to Executive Order 13396 of February 7, 2006, ``Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in... 7, 2006, ``Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Conflict in C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire...

The Effect of a Commercial Game on Children's Block Design Scores on the WISC-R IQ Test.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dirks, Jean

1982-01-01

Relatively brief interactions with a commercial game that involved blocks and matching patterns are shown to cause a significant improvement in children's performances on the WISC-R Block Design subtest. Two experiments are described using 10-year-old children in game and no-game conditions. (Author/CM)

Knowledge and Processes in Design

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-09-03

Orqanization Name(s) and Address(es). Self-explanatory. Block 16. Price Code. Enter approoriate price Block 8. Performing Organization Report code...NTIS on/y). Number. Enter the unique alphanumerc report number(s) assigned by the organization periorming the report. Blocks 17.-19...statement codings were then organized into larger control-flow structures centered around design components called modules. The general assumption was

Inexpensive position sensitive detector block for dedicated PET cameras using 40-mm diameter PMT in quadrant sharing configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uribe, J.; Aykac, M.; Baghaei, H.; Li, Hongdi; Wang, Yu; Liu, Yaqiang; Wong, V.; Xing, Tao; Ramirez, R.; Wong, Wai-Hoi

2003-06-01

Recent approvals by CMS (HCFA) for reimbursement of positron emission tomography (PET) scans fuels the rapid grow of the PET market, thus creating the need for more affordable dedicated PET scanners. The objective of the work presented here was the development of a BGO position-sensitive block with similar detector area (40 mm /spl times/ 40 mm) and same number of crystals (8 /spl times/ 8) as the block of a commercial BGO PET, using the less expensive photomultiplier quadrant sharing (PQS) technique. This block is coupled to four single-anode 40-mm diameter photomultipliers (PMT) instead of the 19-mm PMT used in a popular commercial BGO PET, and each PMT is shared by four adjacent detector blocks. Potentially, this design needs only 25% of the number of PMT used in the commercial BGO PET. In order not to waste the unused half-row of PMT at the edges of a detector panel/module when the module is made up solely of square blocks, an extended rectangular block has to be developed for the edge-blocks in the module, which maximized the use of the PMT and minimized the gap between modules. Only the extended block needs to be developed to derive the design for all the blocks in the module because the symmetric square block uses the same light-distributing partitions as those along the short side of the extended rectangular block. White-paint masks applied with accurate templates and airbrush were fine-tuned for every pair of adjacent crystals. The experimental block developed in this study provided good crystal-decoding. The composite energy spectrum of all 64 crystals showed a prominent photopeak. The worst crystal sitting in the air space between 4 round PMTs still has 60% of the signal pulse height as the best crystal. The average energy resolution was 21.8% for 511 keV gamma (range 17% - 28.7%) that compared well with the 22% - 44% measured with GE and CTI blocks. The image resolution provided by the PQS blocks is expected to be comparable to that of commercial BGO PETs as similar size crystals were decoded.

Design development of graphite primary structures enables SSTO success

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

Biagiotti, V.A.; Yahiro, J.S.; Suh, D.E.

1997-01-01

This paper describes the development of a graphite composite wing and a graphite composite intertank primary structure for application toward Single-Stage to Orbit space vehicles such as those under development in NASA{close_quote}s X-33/Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) Program. The trade study and designs are based on a Rockwell vertical take-off and horizontal landing (VTHL) wing-body RLV vehicle. Northrop Grumman{close_quote}s approach using a building block development technique is described. Composite Graphite/Bismaleimide (Gr/BMI) material characterization test results are presented. Unique intertank and wing composite subcomponent test article designs are described and test results to date are presented. Wing and intertank Full Scale Sectionmore » Test Article (FSTA) objectives and designs are outlined. Trade studies, supporting building block testing, and FSTA demonstrations combine to develop graphite primary structure composite technology that enables developing X-33/RLV design programs to meet critical SSTO structural weight and operations performance criteria. {copyright} {ital 1997 American Institute of Physics.}« less

Back to basics: The effects of block vs. interleaved trial administration on pro- and anti-saccade performance

PubMed Central

Zeligman, Liran; Zivotofsky, Ari Z.

2017-01-01

The pro and anti-saccade task (PAT) is a widely used tool in the study of overt and covert attention with promising potential role in neurocognitive and psychiatric assessment. However, specific PAT protocols can vary significantly between labs, potentially resulting in large variations in findings across studies. In light of recent calls towards a standardization of PAT the current study's objective was to systematically and purposely evaluate the effects of block vs. interleaved administration—a fundamental consideration—on PAT measures in a within subject design. Additionally, this study evaluated whether measures of a Posner-type cueing paradigm parallels measures of the PAT paradigm. As hypothesized, results indicate that PAT performance is highly susceptible to administration mode. Interleaved mode resulted in larger error rates not only for anti (blocks: M = 22%; interleaved: M = 42%) but also for pro-saccades (blocks: M = 5%; interleaved: M = 12%). This difference between block and interleaved administration was significantly larger in anti-saccades compared to pro-saccades and cannot be attributed to a 'speed/accuracy tradeoff'. Interleaved mode produced larger pro and anti-saccade differences in error rates while block administration produced larger latency differences. Results question the reflexive nature of pro-saccades, suggesting they are not purely reflexive. These results were further discussed and compared to previous studies that included within subject data of blocks and interleaved trials. PMID:28222173

Environmental and Water Quality Operational Studies. Environmental Features for Streambank Protection Projects.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-11-01

Port Royal Road, Springfield, Virginia 22161. 19. KEY WORDS (Conltinue an, reverse olde It necessemy and Identify by block imbr) Bank protection (WES...20. AmT-RAcT (cothwe areyee &M ffneeeeiny ge Identify by block nmmber) This report provides guidance for incorporating environmental consid- erations...Environmental Effects ....................... 16 * PART IV: STRUCTURAL DESIGNS ..................... 24 4 Composite Revetment ........................ 249

Systems thinking in practice: the current status of the six WHO building blocks for health system strengthening in three BHOMA intervention districts of Zambia: a baseline qualitative study.

PubMed

Mutale, Wilbroad; Bond, Virginia; Mwanamwenge, Margaret Tembo; Mlewa, Susan; Balabanova, Dina; Spicer, Neil; Ayles, Helen

2013-08-01

The primary bottleneck to achieving the MDGs in low-income countries is health systems that are too fragile to deliver the volume and quality of services to those in need. Strong and effective health systems are increasingly considered a prerequisite to reducing the disease burden and to achieving the health MDGs. Zambia is one of the countries that are lagging behind in achieving millennium development targets. Several barriers have been identified as hindering the progress towards health related millennium development goals. Designing an intervention that addresses these barriers was crucial and so the Better Health Outcomes through Mentorship (BHOMA) project was designed to address the challenges in the Zambia's MOH using a system wide approach. We applied systems thinking approach to describe the baseline status of the Six WHO building blocks for health system strengthening. A qualitative study was conducted looking at the status of the Six WHO building blocks for health systems strengthening in three BHOMA districts. We conducted Focus group discussions with community members and In-depth Interviews with key informants. Data was analyzed using Nvivo version 9. The study showed that building block specific weaknesses had cross cutting effect in other health system building blocks which is an essential element of systems thinking. Challenges noted in service delivery were linked to human resources, medical supplies, information flow, governance and finance building blocks either directly or indirectly. Several barriers were identified as hindering access to health services by the local communities. These included supply side barriers: Shortage of qualified health workers, bad staff attitude, poor relationships between community and health staff, long waiting time, confidentiality and the gender of health workers. Demand side barriers: Long distance to health facility, cost of transport and cultural practices. Participating communities seemed to lack the capacity to hold health workers accountable for the drugs and services. The study has shown that building block specific weaknesses had cross cutting effect in other health system building blocks. These linkages emphasised the need to use system wide approaches in assessing the performance of health system strengthening interventions.

Orchestrating Proactive and Reactive Mechanisms for Filtering Distracting Information: Brain-Behavior Relationships Revealed by a Mixed-Design fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Marini, Francesco; Demeter, Elise; Roberts, Kenneth C.; Chelazzi, Leonardo

2016-01-01

Given the information overload often imparted to human cognitive-processing systems, suppression of irrelevant and distracting information is essential for successful behavior. Using a hybrid block/event-related fMRI design, we characterized proactive and reactive brain mechanisms for filtering distracting stimuli. Participants performed a flanker task, discriminating the direction of a target arrow in the presence versus absence of congruent or incongruent flanking distracting arrows during either Pure blocks (distracters always absent) or Mixed blocks (distracters on 80% of trials). Each Mixed block had either 20% or 60% incongruent trials. Activations in the dorsal frontoparietal attention network during Mixed versus Pure blocks evidenced proactive (blockwise) recruitment of a distraction-filtering mechanism. Sustained activations in right middle frontal gyrus during 60% Incongruent blocks correlated positively with behavioral indices of distraction-filtering (slowing when distracters might occur) and negatively with distraction-related behavioral costs (incongruent vs congruent trials), suggesting a role in coordinating proactive filtering of potential distracters. Event-related analyses showed that incongruent trials elicited greater reactive activations in 20% (vs 60%) Incongruent blocks for counteracting distraction and conflict, including in the insula and anterior cingulate. Context-related effects in occipitoparietal cortex consisted of greater target-evoked activations for distracter-absent trials (central-target-only) in Mixed versus Pure blocks, suggesting enhanced attentional engagement. Functional-localizer analyses in V1/V2/V3 revealed less distracter-processing activity in 60% (vs 20%) Incongruent blocks, presumably reflecting tonic suppression by proactive filtering mechanisms. These results delineate brain mechanisms underlying proactive and reactive filtering of distraction and conflict, and how they are orchestrated depending on distraction probability, thereby aiding task performance. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Irrelevant stimuli distract people and impair their attentional performance. Here, we studied how the brain deals with distracting stimuli using a hybrid block/event-related fMRI design and a task that varied the probability of the occurrence of such distracting stimuli. The results suggest that when distraction is likely, a region in right frontal cortex proactively implements attentional control mechanisms to help filter out any distracting stimuli that might occur. In contrast, when distracting input occurs infrequently, this region is more reactively engaged to help limit the negative consequences of the distracters on behavioral performance. Our results thus help illuminate how the brain flexibly responds under differing attentional demands to engender effective behavior. PMID:26791226

Computational Design of Self-Assembling Protein Nanomaterials with Atomic Level Accuracy

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

King, Neil P.; Sheffler, William; Sawaya, Michael R.

2015-09-17

We describe a general computational method for designing proteins that self-assemble to a desired symmetric architecture. Protein building blocks are docked together symmetrically to identify complementary packing arrangements, and low-energy protein-protein interfaces are then designed between the building blocks in order to drive self-assembly. We used trimeric protein building blocks to design a 24-subunit, 13-nm diameter complex with octahedral symmetry and a 12-subunit, 11-nm diameter complex with tetrahedral symmetry. The designed proteins assembled to the desired oligomeric states in solution, and the crystal structures of the complexes revealed that the resulting materials closely match the design models. The method canmore » be used to design a wide variety of self-assembling protein nanomaterials.« less

Receiver-exciter controller design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jansma, P. A.

1982-01-01

A description of the general design of both the block 3 and block 4 receiver-exciter controllers for the Deep Space Network (DSN) Mark IV-A System is presented along with the design approach. The controllers are designed to enable the receiver-exciter subsystem (RCV) to be configured, calibrated, initialized and operated from a central location via high level instructions. The RECs are designed to be operated under the control of the DMC subsystem. The instructions are in the form of standard subsystem blocks (SSBs) received via the local area network (LAN). The centralized control provided by RECs and other DSCC controllers in Mark IV-A is intended to reduce DSN operations costs from the Mark III era.

[Changes of brain pain center and default mode network an electro acupuncture in Weizhong and Dachangshu acupoints: a task-fMRI study].

PubMed

Zhou, S; Cao, H X; Yu, L C; Jin, Y J; Jia, R H; Wen, Y R; Chen, X F

2016-02-23

To investigate the functional brain pain center and default mode network response to electro acupuncture stimulate in weizhong acupoints(BL40) and dachangshu acupoints(BL25). During January to February 2015, volunteers were enrolled in this study from the staff and student interns of Gansu Province Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. A total of 20 healthy, right-handed subjects, male 9, female 11, age (23±3) years, participated in this study. Block design task functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI) 3.0 T was performed in all subjects by electro acupuncture stimulating at BL40 and BL25 from the same experienced acupuncturist.The needle connected electric acupuncture apparatus through tow long coaxial-cable. A block design with five 120 s blocks of rest time (OFF block, electric acupuncture turn off ) interspersed between five 60 s blocks of stimulation (ON block, electric acupuncture turn on) fMRI scan. Magnetic resonance data of brain function was collected and FSL(fMRI Software Library) software was used to analyze the data. All subjects' data were analyzed except 2 cases whose head movement were more than 2 mm. Activated brain function regions by electro acupuncture stimulate included temporal lobe lateral sulcus, lobus insularis, thalamus, supramarginal gyrus, prefrontal medial frontal gyrus. Negative activated brain regions included middle frontal gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, cingulate cortex abdominal segment, parietal cortex.The functional pain central and default mode network were changed when electro acupuncture stimulate in(BL40) and(BL25). There are several brain activation regions and negative activated brain regions when administering electro acupuncture stimulation at BL40 and BL25.

Cattaraugus Creek Harbor, New York General Design Memorandum. Phase II (Detailed Design). Volume I. Main Report-GDM II.

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-03-01

of the abetract entered In Block 20, If different from Report) I$. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES .4 19. KEY WORDS (Continue on reverse aide If neceesary and...Identify by block number) Harbors Cattaraugus Creek Flood Control 20O T’rlq 4CT Caiweut -t reverse se 0 neceeeely mid Identify by block number) The... blocked by the sand bar and lake ice at the creek mouth. During discharges developed by the com- bination of rainfall and snow melt, ice jams raise the

Embeddable Reconfigurable Neuroprocessors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daud, Taher; Duong, Tuan; Langenbacher, Harry; Tran, Mua; Thakoor, Anil

1993-01-01

Reconfigurable and cascadable building block neural network chips, fabricated using analog VLSI design tools, are interfaced to a PC. The building block chip designs, the cascadability and the hardware-in-the-loop supervised learning aspects of these chips are described.

Comparative study of CAVET with dielectric and p-GaN gate and Mg ion-implanted current blocking layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Saptarshi; Agarwal, Anchal; Ahmadi, Elaheh; Mahadeva Bhat, K.; Laurent, Matthew A.; Keller, Stacia; Chowdhury, Srabanti

2017-08-01

In this work, a study of two different types of current aperture vertical electron transistor (CAVET) with ion-implanted blocking layer are presented. The device fabrication and performance limitation of a CAVET with a dielectric gate is discussed, and the breakdown limiting structure is evaluated using on-wafer test structures. The gate dielectric limited the device breakdown to 50V, while the blocking layer was able to withstand over 400V. To improve the device performance, an alternative CAVET structure with a p-GaN gate instead of dielectric is designed and realized. The pGaN gated CAVET structure increased the breakdown voltage to over 400V. Measurement of test structures on the wafer showed the breakdown was limited by the blocking layer instead of the gate p-n junction.

Protograph LDPC Codes Over Burst Erasure Channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Divsalar, Dariush; Dolinar, Sam; Jones, Christopher

2006-01-01

In this paper we design high rate protograph based LDPC codes suitable for binary erasure channels. To simplify the encoder and decoder implementation for high data rate transmission, the structure of codes are based on protographs and circulants. These LDPC codes can improve data link and network layer protocols in support of communication networks. Two classes of codes were designed. One class is designed for large block sizes with an iterative decoding threshold that approaches capacity of binary erasure channels. The other class is designed for short block sizes based on maximizing minimum stopping set size. For high code rates and short blocks the second class outperforms the first class.

Development of Suitable Technologies for Heterodyne W-Band Focal-Plane Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mena, Patricio; Reyes, N.; Jarufe, C.; Barrueto, I.; Molina, R.; Monasterio, D.; Bronfman, L.

2018-01-01

We present the ongoing efforts at University of Chile to develop technologies for heterodyne focal-plane arrays. We have focused in W band covering four areas of study. 1. OPTICAL SYSTEMS: We have studied the possibility of using multi-pixel receivers at ALMA-type antennas. We designed an array of 7 pixels (extensible to 19) that fits into an ALMA cartridge. The design includes a set of mirrors and a fly-eye lens that allows the system to fit on the available space. For the feed, we have studied smooth-wall horns and Vivaldi antennas. 2. COMPACT OMTS: We have been working on turnstile-type OMTs fabricated in platelets that permit integration of several OMTs in the same block. 3. LOW NOISE AMPLIFIERS: We are working on a hybrid concept that uses a single transistor mounted before a commercial MMIC. We have measured noise temperatures lower than 50 K. The aim is to produce compact blocks suitable for integration. 4. DOWNCONVERTING MIXERS: We have designed biased sub-harmonic mixers based on Schottky diodes using MMIC technology and to be fabricated in a commercial run. We expect conversion losses below 15 dB. Mixers and LNA will be packaged in a single block using a 2SB scheme.

Unpacking the Blockers: Understanding Perceptions and Social Constraints of Health Communication in Hereditary Breast Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) Susceptibility Families

PubMed Central

Kenen, Regina; Hoskins, Lindsey M.; Koehly, Laura M.; Graubard, Barry; Loud, Jennifer T.; Greene, Mark H.

2012-01-01

Family communication is essential for accurate cancer risk assessment and counseling; family blockers play a role in this communication process. This qualitative analysis of social exchanges is an extension of earlier work characterizing those who are perceived by study participants as health information gatherers, disseminators, and blockers within families with Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer (HBOC) susceptibility. Eighty-nine women, ages 23–56 years, enrolled in a Breast Imaging Study (BIS) and participated in a sub-study utilizing a social assessment tool known as the Colored Ecological Genetic Relational Map (CEGRM). Purposive sampling ensured that participants varied according to numbers of participating family members e.g., ranging from 1 to 6. Eighty-nine women from 42 families (1–8 relatives/family) participated. They collectively designated 65 blockers, both male and female. Situational factors, beliefs, attitudes and cultural traditions, privacy and protectiveness comprised perceived reasons for blocking intra-family health communications. Longitudinal data collected over 4 years showed families where blocking behavior was universally recognized and stable over time, as well as other families where blocking was less consistent. Self-blocking was observed among a significant minority of participating women. Blocking of health communications among family members with HBOC was variable, complex, and multifaceted. The reasons for blocking were heterogeneous; duration of the blocking appeared to depend on the reasons for blocking. Blocking often seemed to involve bi-directional feedback loops, in keeping with Lepore’s Social Constraints and Modulation Theory. Privacy and protectiveness predominated as explanations for long-term blocking. PMID:21547418

Approaching the design of a failsafe turbine monitor with simple microcontroller blocks

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

Zapolin, R.E.

1995-12-31

The proper approach to early instrumentation design for tasks like failsafe turbine monitoring permits meeting requirements without resorting to traditional complex special-purpose electronics. Instead a small network of basic microcontroller building blocks can split the effort with each block optimized for its portion of the overall system. This paper discusses approaching design by partitioning intricate system specifications to permit each block to be optimized to the safety level appropriate for its portion of the overall task while retaining and production and reliability advantages of having common simple modules. It illustrates that approach with a modular microcontroller-based speed monitor which metmore » user needs for the latest in power plant monitoring equipment.« less

ALIGNING JIG

DOEpatents

Culver, J.S.; Tunnell, W.C.

1958-08-01

A jig or device is described for setting or aligning an opening in one member relative to another member or structure, with a predetermined offset, or it may be used for measuring the amount of offset with which the parts have previously been sct. This jig comprises two blocks rabbeted to each other, with means for securing thc upper block to the lower block. The upper block has fingers for contacting one of the members to be a1igmed, the lower block is designed to ride in grooves within the reference member, and calibration marks are provided to determine the amount of offset. This jig is specially designed to align the collimating slits of a mass spectrometer.

Population Blocks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Martin H.

1992-01-01

Describes an educational game called "Population Blocks" that is designed to illustrate the concept of exponential growth of the human population and some potential effects of overpopulation. The game material consists of wooden blocks; 18 blocks are painted green (representing land), 7 are painted blue (representing water); and the remaining…

NUCLEAR REACTOR CORE DESIGN

DOEpatents

Mahlmeister, J.E.; Peck, W.S.; Haberer, W.V.; Williams, A.C.

1960-03-22

An improved core design for a sodium-cooled, graphitemoderated nuclear reactor is described. The improved reactor core comprises a number of blocks of moderator material, each block being in the shape of a regular prism. A number of channels, extending the length of each block, are disposed around the periphery. When several blocks are placed in contact to form the reactor core, the channels in adjacent blocks correspond with each other to form closed conduits extending the length of the core. Fuel element clusters are disposed in these closed conduits, and liquid coolant is forced through the annulus between the fuel cluster and the inner surface of the conduit. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the moderator blocks are in the form of hexagonal prisms with longitudinal channels cut into the corners of the hexagon. The main advantage of an "edge-loaded" moderator block is that fewer thermal neutrons are absorbed by the moderator cladding, as compared with a conventional centrally loaded moderator block.

Parametric study on the thermal performance of beam screen samples of the High-Luminosity LHC upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borges de Sousa, P.; Morrone, M.; Hovenga, N.; Garion, C.; van Weelderen, R.; Koettig, T.; Bremer, J.

2017-12-01

The High-Luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) will increase the accelerator’s luminosity by a factor 10 beyond its original design value, giving rise to more collisions and generating an intense flow of debris. A new beam screen has been designed for the inner triplets that incorporates tungsten alloy blocks to shield the superconducting magnets and the 1.9 K superfluid helium bath from incoming radiation. These screens will operate between 60 K and 80 K and are designed to sustain a nominal head load of 15 Wm-1, over 10 times the nominal heat load for the original LHC design. Their overall new and more complex design requires them and their constituent parts to be characterised from a thermal performance standpoint. In this paper we describe the experimental parametric study carried out on two principal thermal components: a representative sample of the beam screen with a tungsten-based alloy block and thermal link and the supporting structure composed of an assembly of ceramic spheres and titanium springs. Results from both studies are shown and discussed regarding their impact on the baseline considerations for the thermal design of the beam screens.

Ten-year response of a forest bird community to an operational herbicide-shelterwood treatment in Allegheny hardwoods

Treesearch

Scott H. Stoleson; Todd E. Ristau; David S. deCalesta; Stephen B. Horsley

2011-01-01

Use of herbicides in forestry to direct successional trajectories has raised concerns over possible direct or indirect effects on non-target organisms. We studied the response of forest birds to an operational application of glyphosate and sulfometuron methyl herbicides, using a randomized block design in which half of each 8 ha block received herbicide and the other...

The building blocks of a 'Liveable Neighbourhood': Identifying the key performance indicators for walking of an operational planning policy in Perth, Western Australia.

PubMed

Hooper, Paula; Knuiman, Matthew; Foster, Sarah; Giles-Corti, Billie

2015-11-01

Planning policy makers are requesting clearer guidance on the key design features required to build neighbourhoods that promote active living. Using a backwards stepwise elimination procedure (logistic regression with generalised estimating equations adjusting for demographic characteristics, self-selection factors, stage of construction and scale of development) this study identified specific design features (n=16) from an operational planning policy ("Liveable Neighbourhoods") that showed the strongest associations with walking behaviours (measured using the Neighbourhood Physical Activity Questionnaire). The interacting effects of design features on walking behaviours were also investigated. The urban design features identified were grouped into the "building blocks of a Liveable Neighbourhood", reflecting the scale, importance and sequencing of the design and implementation phases required to create walkable, pedestrian friendly developments. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Network design and quality checks in automatic orientation of close-range photogrammetric blocks.

PubMed

Dall'Asta, Elisa; Thoeni, Klaus; Santise, Marina; Forlani, Gianfranco; Giacomini, Anna; Roncella, Riccardo

2015-04-03

Due to the recent improvements of automatic measurement procedures in photogrammetry, multi-view 3D reconstruction technologies are becoming a favourite survey tool. Rapidly widening structure-from-motion (SfM) software packages offer significantly easier image processing workflows than traditional photogrammetry packages. However, while most orientation and surface reconstruction strategies will almost always succeed in any given task, estimating the quality of the result is, to some extent, still an open issue. An assessment of the precision and reliability of block orientation is necessary and should be included in every processing pipeline. Such a need was clearly felt from the results of close-range photogrammetric surveys of in situ full-scale and laboratory-scale experiments. In order to study the impact of the block control and the camera network design on the block orientation accuracy, a series of Monte Carlo simulations was performed. Two image block configurations were investigated: a single pseudo-normal strip and a circular highly-convergent block. The influence of surveying and data processing choices, such as the number and accuracy of the ground control points, autofocus and camera calibration was investigated. The research highlights the most significant aspects and processes to be taken into account for adequate in situ and laboratory surveys, when modern SfM software packages are used, and evaluates their effect on the quality of the results of the surface reconstruction.

Design of a rear anamorphic attachment for digital cinematography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cifuentes, A.; Valles, A.

2008-09-01

Digital taking systems for HDTV and now for the film industry present a particularly challenging design problem for rear adapters in general. The thick 3-channel prism block in the camera provides an important challenge in the design. In this paper the design of a 1.33x rear anamorphic attachment is presented. The new design departs significantly from the traditional Bravais condition due to the thick dichroic prism block. Design strategies for non-rotationally symmetric systems and fields of view are discussed. Anamorphic images intrinsically have a lower contrast and less resolution than their rotationally symmetric counterparts, therefore proper image evaluation must be considered. The interpretation of the traditional image quality methods applied to anamorphic images is also discussed in relation to the design process. The final design has a total track less than 50 mm, maintaining the telecentricity of the digital prime lens and taking full advantage of the f/1.4 prism block.

Suprascapular and Interscalene Nerve Block for Shoulder Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Hussain, Nasir; Goldar, Ghazaleh; Ragina, Neli; Banfield, Laura; Laffey, John G; Abdallah, Faraj W

2017-12-01

Interscalene block provides optimal shoulder surgery analgesia, but concerns over its associated risks have prompted the search for alternatives. Suprascapular block was recently proposed as an interscalene block alternative, but evidence of its comparative analgesic effect is conflicting. This meta-analysis compares the analgesic effect and safety of suprascapular block versus interscalene block for shoulder surgery. Databases were searched for randomized trials comparing interscalene block with suprascapular block for shoulder surgery. Postoperative 24-h cumulative oral morphine consumption and the difference in the area under curve for pooled rest pain scores were designated as primary outcomes. Analgesic and safety outcomes, particularly block-related and respiratory complications, were evaluated as secondary outcomes. Results were pooled using random-effects modeling. Data from 16 studies (1,152 patients) were analyzed. Interscalene block and suprascapular block were not different in 24-h morphine consumption. The difference in area under the curve of pain scores for the 24-h interval favored interscalene block by 1.1 cm/h, but this difference was not clinically important. Compared with suprascapular block, interscalene block reduced postoperative pain but not opioid consumption during recovery room stay by a weighted mean difference (95% CI) of 1.5 cm (0.6 to 2.5 cm; P < 0.0001). Pain scores were not different at any other time. In contrast, suprascapular block reduced the odds of block-related and respiratory complications. This review suggests that there are no clinically meaningful analgesic differences between suprascapular block and interscalene block except for interscalene block providing better pain control during recovery room stay; however, suprascapular block has fewer side effects. These findings suggest that suprascapular block may be considered an effective and safe interscalene block alternative for shoulder surgery.

Gyroid structure via highly asymmetric ABC and AB blends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, Seonghyeon; Kwak, Jongheon; Choi, Chungryong; Kim, Jin Kon

Gyroid structures are very important because of their co-continuous and network structures. However, a block copolymer shows gyroid structures only at 35 % volume fraction of one block. In this study, we designed ABC/AB blend system. B (polystyrene (PS)) is the matrix, while A (polyisoprene (PI)) and C (poly(2-vinyl pridine (P2VP)) are the core part. This blend shows gyroid structures at 20 % volume fraction, that is smaller than that observed at diblock copolymer. Morphologies of neat block copolymers and blends were characterized by TEM and small angle X-ray scattering.

Mesoscale simulation of the formation and dynamics of lipid-structured poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) diblock copolymers.

PubMed

Mu, Dan; Li, Jian-Quan; Feng, Sheng-Yu

2015-05-21

Twelve poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PEO-b-PMMA) copolymers with lipid-like structures were designed and investigated by MesoDyn simulation. Spherical and worm-like micelles as well as bicontinuous, lamellar and defected lamellar phases were obtained. A special structure, designated B2412, with two lipid structures connected by their heads, was found to undergo four stages prior to forming a spherical micelle phase. Two possible assembly mechanisms were found via thermodynamic and dynamic process analyses; namely, the fusion and fission of micelles in dynamic equilibrium during the adjustment stage. Water can be encapsulated into these micelles, which can affect their size, particularly in low concentration aqueous solutions. The assignment of weak negative charges to the hydrophilic EO blocks resulted in a clear effect on micelle size. Surprisingly, the largest effect was observed with EO blocks with -0.5 e, wherein an ordered perfect hexagonal phase was formed. The obtained results can be applied in numerous fields of study, including adsorption, catalysis, controlled release and drug delivery.

Estimation of the return period of rockfall blocks according to their size

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Biagi, Valerio; Lia Napoli, Maria; Barbero, Monica; Peila, Daniele

2017-01-01

With reference to the rockfall risk estimation and the planning of rockfall protection devices, one of the most critical and most discussed problems is the correct definition of the design block by taking into account its return period. In this paper, a methodology for the assessment of the design block linked with its return time is proposed and discussed, following a statistical approach. The procedure is based on the survey of the blocks that were already detached from the slope and had accumulated at the foot of the slope in addition to the available historical data.

Main-chain supramolecular block copolymers.

PubMed

Yang, Si Kyung; Ambade, Ashootosh V; Weck, Marcus

2011-01-01

Block copolymers are key building blocks for a variety of applications ranging from electronic devices to drug delivery. The material properties of block copolymers can be tuned and potentially improved by introducing noncovalent interactions in place of covalent linkages between polymeric blocks resulting in the formation of supramolecular block copolymers. Such materials combine the microphase separation behavior inherent to block copolymers with the responsiveness of supramolecular materials thereby affording dynamic and reversible materials. This tutorial review covers recent advances in main-chain supramolecular block copolymers and describes the design principles, synthetic approaches, advantages, and potential applications.

SRA Real Math Building Blocks PreK. What Works Clearinghouse Intervention Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2007

2007-01-01

"SRA Real Math Building Blocks PreK" (also referred to as "Building Blocks for Math") is a supplemental mathematics curriculum designed to develop preschool children's early mathematical knowledge through various individual and small- and large-group activities. It uses "Building Blocks for Math PreK" software,…

Sphenopalatine ganglion: block, radiofrequency ablation and neurostimulation - a systematic review.

PubMed

Ho, Kwo Wei David; Przkora, Rene; Kumar, Sanjeev

2017-12-28

Sphenopalatine ganglion is the largest collection of neurons in the calvarium outside of the brain. Over the past century, it has been a target for interventional treatment of head and facial pain due to its ease of access. Block, radiofrequency ablation, and neurostimulation have all been applied to treat a myriad of painful syndromes. Despite the routine use of these interventions, the literature supporting their use has not been systematically summarized. This systematic review aims to collect and summarize the level of evidence supporting the use of sphenopalatine ganglion block, radiofrequency ablation and neurostimulation. Medline, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases were reviewed for studies on sphenopalatine ganglion block, radiofrequency ablation and neurostimulation. Studies included in this review were compiled and analyzed for their treated medical conditions, study design, outcomes and procedural details. Studies were graded using Oxford Center for Evidence-Based Medicine for level of evidence. Based on the level of evidence, grades of recommendations are provided for each intervention and its associated medical conditions. Eighty-three publications were included in this review, of which 60 were studies on sphenopalatine ganglion block, 15 were on radiofrequency ablation, and 8 were on neurostimulation. Of all the studies, 23 have evidence level above case series. Of the 23 studies, 19 were on sphenopalatine ganglion block, 1 study on radiofrequency ablation, and 3 studies on neurostimulation. The rest of the available literature was case reports and case series. The strongest evidence lies in using sphenopalatine ganglion block, radiofrequency ablation and neurostimulation for cluster headache. Sphenopalatine ganglion block also has evidence in treating trigeminal neuralgia, migraines, reducing the needs of analgesics after endoscopic sinus surgery and reducing pain associated with nasal packing removal after nasal operations. Overall, sphenopalatine ganglion is a promising target for treating cluster headache using blocks, radiofrequency ablation and neurostimulation. Sphenopalatine ganglion block also has some evidence supporting its use in a few other conditions. However, most of the controlled studies were small and without replications. Further controlled studies are warranted to replicate and expand on these previous findings.

Grid Block Design Based on Monte Carlo Simulated Dosimetry, the Linear Quadratic and Hug–Kellerer Radiobiological Models

PubMed Central

Gholami, Somayeh; Nedaie, Hassan Ali; Longo, Francesco; Ay, Mohammad Reza; Dini, Sharifeh A.; Meigooni, Ali S.

2017-01-01

Purpose: The clinical efficacy of Grid therapy has been examined by several investigators. In this project, the hole diameter and hole spacing in Grid blocks were examined to determine the optimum parameters that give a therapeutic advantage. Methods: The evaluations were performed using Monte Carlo (MC) simulation and commonly used radiobiological models. The Geant4 MC code was used to simulate the dose distributions for 25 different Grid blocks with different hole diameters and center-to-center spacing. The therapeutic parameters of these blocks, namely, the therapeutic ratio (TR) and geometrical sparing factor (GSF) were calculated using two different radiobiological models, including the linear quadratic and Hug–Kellerer models. In addition, the ratio of the open to blocked area (ROTBA) is also used as a geometrical parameter for each block design. Comparisons of the TR, GSF, and ROTBA for all of the blocks were used to derive the parameters for an optimum Grid block with the maximum TR, minimum GSF, and optimal ROTBA. A sample of the optimum Grid block was fabricated at our institution. Dosimetric characteristics of this Grid block were measured using an ionization chamber in water phantom, Gafchromic film, and thermoluminescent dosimeters in Solid Water™ phantom materials. Results: The results of these investigations indicated that Grid blocks with hole diameters between 1.00 and 1.25 cm and spacing of 1.7 or 1.8 cm have optimal therapeutic parameters (TR > 1.3 and GSF~0.90). The measured dosimetric characteristics of the optimum Grid blocks including dose profiles, percentage depth dose, dose output factor (cGy/MU), and valley-to-peak ratio were in good agreement (±5%) with the simulated data. Conclusion: In summary, using MC-based dosimetry, two radiobiological models, and previously published clinical data, we have introduced a method to design a Grid block with optimum therapeutic response. The simulated data were reproduced by experimental data. PMID:29296035

Novel High Efficient Organic Photovoltaic Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sun, Sam; Haliburton, James; Fan, Zben; Taft, Charles; Wang, Yi-Qing; Maaref, Shahin; Mackey, Willie R. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

In man's mission to the outer space or a remote site, the most abundant, renewable, nonpolluting, and unlimited external energy source is light. Photovoltaic (PV) materials can convert light into electrical power. In order to generate appreciable electrical power in space or on the Earth, it is necessary to collect sunlight from large areas due to the low density of sunlight, and this would be very costly using current commercially available inorganic solar cells. Future organic or polymer based solar cells seemed very attractive due to several reasons. These include lightweight, flexible shape, ultra-fast optoelectronic response time (this also makes organic PV materials attractive for developing ultra-fast photo detectors), tunability of energy band-gaps via molecular design, versatile materials synthesis and device fabrication schemes, and much lower cost on large-scale industrial production. It has been predicted that nano-phase separated block copolymer systems containing electron rich donor blocks and electron deficient acceptor blocks will facilitate the charge separation and migration due to improved electronic ultrastructure and morphology in comparison to current polymer composite photovoltaic system. This presentation will describe our recent progress in the design, synthesis and characterization of a novel donor-bridge-acceptor block copolymer system for potential high-efficient organic optoelectronic applications. Specifically, the donor block contains an electron donating alkyloxy derivatized polyphenylenevinylene, the acceptor block contains an electron withdrawing alkyl-sulfone derivatized polyphenylenevinylene, and the bridge block contains an electronically neutral non-conjugated aliphatic hydrocarbon chain. The key synthetic strategy includes the synthesis of each individual block first, then couple the blocks together. While the donor block stabilizes the holes, the acceptor block stabilizes the electrons. The bridge block is designed to hinder the electron-hole recombination. Thus, improved charge separation is expected. In addition, charge migration will also be facilitated due to the expected nano-phase separated and highly ordered block copolymer ultrastructural. The combination of all these factors will result in significant overall enhancement of photovoltaic power conversion efficiency.

76 FR 20451 - Unblocking of Specially Designated National and Blocked Person Pursuant to Executive Order 13566

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-12

... unblocking and removal from the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (``SDN List'') of..., the Director of OFAC removed from the SDN List the individual listed below, whose property and...

Dendronized Metal Nanoparticles-Self-Organizing Building Blocks for the Design of New Functional Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-01

characterization has just started.       The hybrids that we have synthesized are based on plasmonic gold and  silver   nanoparticles  (NPs) but  the concept  is...AFRL-AFOSR-UK-TR-2016-0010 Dendronized metal nanoparticles - self-organizing building blocks for the design of new functional materials Bertrand...2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Dendronized metal nanoparticles - self-organizing building blocks for the design of new functional materials 5a. CONTRACT

Combinatorics associated with inflections and bitangents of plane quartics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gizatullin, M. Kh

2013-08-01

After a preliminary survey and a description of some small Steiner systems from the standpoint of the theory of invariants of binary forms, we construct a binary Golay code (of length 24) using ideas from J. Grassmann's thesis of 1875. One of our tools is a pair of disjoint Fano planes. Another application of such pairs and properties of plane quartics is a construction of a new block design on 28 objects. This block design is a part of a dissection of the set of 288 Aronhold sevens. The dissection distributes the Aronhold sevens into 8 disjoint block designs of this type.

The modeling of an automotive electronic control system and the application of optimizing methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yansheng; Yang, Zhigang; Zhang, Xiang

2005-12-01

Now, MATLAB/SIMULINK software is popularly used by automotive electronic control designers to develop automotive electronic control systems and perform numerical simulations. But they will face problems, such as value initialization in the "integrator" block, conversion among different data types, selection of "if" block and "switch" block, realization of the "if-clause" under multiple options and the auto-switching control, etc. Taking as an example the designing of an Automated Mechanical Transmission (AMT) system, this paper discusses some techniques and methods for modeling the automotive electronic control system with MATLAB/SIMULINK, offering designers some successful examples.

Permutation testing of orthogonal factorial effects in a language-processing experiment using fMRI.

PubMed

Suckling, John; Davis, Matthew H; Ooi, Cinly; Wink, Alle Meije; Fadili, Jalal; Salvador, Raymond; Welchew, David; Sendur, Levent; Maxim, Vochita; Bullmore, Edward T

2006-05-01

The block-paradigm of the Functional Image Analysis Contest (FIAC) dataset was analysed with the Brain Activation and Morphological Mapping software. Permutation methods in the wavelet domain were used for inference on cluster-based test statistics of orthogonal contrasts relevant to the factorial design of the study, namely: the average response across all active blocks, the main effect of speaker, the main effect of sentence, and the interaction between sentence and speaker. Extensive activation was seen with all these contrasts. In particular, different vs. same-speaker blocks produced elevated activation in bilateral regions of the superior temporal lobe and repetition suppression for linguistic materials (same vs. different-sentence blocks) in left inferior frontal regions. These are regions previously reported in the literature. Additional regions were detected in this study, perhaps due to the enhanced sensitivity of the methodology. Within-block sentence suppression was tested post-hoc by regression of an exponential decay model onto the extracted time series from the left inferior frontal gyrus, but no strong evidence of such an effect was found. The significance levels set for the activation maps are P-values at which we expect <1 false-positive cluster per image. Nominal type I error control was verified by empirical testing of a test statistic corresponding to a randomly ordered design matrix. The small size of the BOLD effect necessitates sensitive methods of detection of brain activation. Permutation methods permit the necessary flexibility to develop novel test statistics to meet this challenge.

Size of Coarse Woody Debris 5 Years After Girdling and Removal Treatments in 50-Year-Old Loblolly Pine Plantations

Treesearch

M. Boyd Edwards

2004-01-01

In 1996, a study began at Savannah River Site to investigate large-scale replicated forest areas to control coarse woody debris for integrated biodiversity objectives. Research design was a randomized complete block with four treatments replicated in four blocks, resulting in 16 plots. The treatments applied to 50-year-old loblolly pine stands were (1) control, (2)...

15. WEST SIDE OF 1900 BLOCK, PACIFIC AVE. FROM RIGHT; ...

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

15. WEST SIDE OF 1900 BLOCK, PACIFIC AVE. FROM RIGHT; 1920-22 PACIFIC AVE., WIEGAL COMPANY CANDY FACTORY (1904); 1924-26 PACIFIC AVE., CAMPBELL BUILDING (DAVIS BUILDING) (1890); 1928-30 PACIFIC AVE., REESE-CRANDALL & REDMAN BUILDING, (1890); 1932-36 PACIFIC AVE., MC DONALD & SMITH BUILDING (1890); 1938-48 PACIFIC AVE., F.S. HARMON COMPANY WAREHOUSE (1908), DESIGNED BY CARL AUGUST DARMER. - Union Depot Area Study, Tacoma, Pierce County, WA

Manipulating the ABCs of self-assembly via low-χ block polymer design

PubMed Central

Chang, Alice B.; Lee, Byeongdu; Garland, Carol M.; Jones, Simon C.; Matsen, Mark W.

2017-01-01

Block polymer self-assembly typically translates molecular chain connectivity into mesoscale structure by exploiting incompatible blocks with large interaction parameters (χij). In this article, we demonstrate that the converse approach, encoding low-χ interactions in ABC bottlebrush triblock terpolymers (χAC ≲ 0), promotes organization into a unique mixed-domain lamellar morphology, which we designate LAMP. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that LAMP exhibits ACBC domain connectivity, in contrast to conventional three-domain lamellae (LAM3) with ABCB periods. Complementary small-angle X-ray scattering experiments reveal a strongly decreasing domain spacing with increasing total molar mass. Self-consistent field theory reinforces these observations and predicts that LAMP is thermodynamically stable below a critical χAC, above which LAM3 emerges. Both experiments and theory expose close analogies to ABA′ triblock copolymer phase behavior, collectively suggesting that low-χ interactions between chemically similar or distinct blocks intimately influence self-assembly. These conclusions provide fresh opportunities for block polymer design with potential consequences spanning all self-assembling soft materials. PMID:28588139

Design study for electronic system for Jupiter Orbit Probe (JOP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elero, B. P., Jr.; Carignan, G. R.

1978-01-01

The conceptual design of the Jupiter probe spectrometer is presented. Block and circuit diagrams are presented along with tabulated parts lists. Problem areas are considered to be (1) the schedule, (2) weight limitations for the electronic systems, and (3) radiation hardness of the electronic devices.

Composite Interval Mapping Based on Lattice Design for Error Control May Increase Power of Quantitative Trait Locus Detection.

PubMed

He, Jianbo; Li, Jijie; Huang, Zhongwen; Zhao, Tuanjie; Xing, Guangnan; Gai, Junyi; Guan, Rongzhan

2015-01-01

Experimental error control is very important in quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping. Although numerous statistical methods have been developed for QTL mapping, a QTL detection model based on an appropriate experimental design that emphasizes error control has not been developed. Lattice design is very suitable for experiments with large sample sizes, which is usually required for accurate mapping of quantitative traits. However, the lack of a QTL mapping method based on lattice design dictates that the arithmetic mean or adjusted mean of each line of observations in the lattice design had to be used as a response variable, resulting in low QTL detection power. As an improvement, we developed a QTL mapping method termed composite interval mapping based on lattice design (CIMLD). In the lattice design, experimental errors are decomposed into random errors and block-within-replication errors. Four levels of block-within-replication errors were simulated to show the power of QTL detection under different error controls. The simulation results showed that the arithmetic mean method, which is equivalent to a method under random complete block design (RCBD), was very sensitive to the size of the block variance and with the increase of block variance, the power of QTL detection decreased from 51.3% to 9.4%. In contrast to the RCBD method, the power of CIMLD and the adjusted mean method did not change for different block variances. The CIMLD method showed 1.2- to 7.6-fold higher power of QTL detection than the arithmetic or adjusted mean methods. Our proposed method was applied to real soybean (Glycine max) data as an example and 10 QTLs for biomass were identified that explained 65.87% of the phenotypic variation, while only three and two QTLs were identified by arithmetic and adjusted mean methods, respectively.

75 FR 12000 - Unblocking of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons Pursuant to the Cuban Assets...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-12

... unblocking and removal from the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (``SDN list'') of...-hour fax-on-demand service at (202) 622-0077. Background On March 2, 2010, OFAC removed from the SDN...

Design and installation of a subsea multiwell drilling template at Garden Banks Block 189

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

Domangue, R.J.

1991-09-01

This paper describes the economics, design, and installation of a simple drilling template that was used to retain or save subsea exploratory and delineation wells in Garden Banks Block 189 (GB 189) in the Gulf of Mexico.

A numerical study of mixing in supersonic combustors with hypermixing injectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, J.

1993-01-01

A numerical study was conducted to evaluate the performance of wall mounted fuel-injectors designed for potential Supersonic Combustion Ramjet (SCRAM-jet) engine applications. The focus of this investigation was to numerically simulate existing combustor designs for the purpose of validating the numerical technique and the physical models developed. Three different injector designs of varying complexity were studied to fully understand the computational implications involved in accurate predictions. A dual transverse injection system and two streamwise injector designs were studied. The streamwise injectors were designed with swept ramps to enhance fuel-air mixing and combustion characteristics at supersonic speeds without the large flow blockage and drag contribution of the transverse injection system. For this study, the Mass-Average Navier-Stokes equations and the chemical species continuity equations were solved. The computations were performed using a finite-volume implicit numerical technique and multiple block structured grid system. The interfaces of the multiple block structured grid systems were numerically resolved using the flux-conservative technique. Detailed comparisons between the computations and existing experimental data are presented. These comparisons show that numerical predictions are in agreement with the experimental data. These comparisons also show that a number of turbulence model improvements are needed for accurate combustor flowfield predictions.

A numerical study of mixing in supersonic combustors with hypermixing injectors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, J.

1992-01-01

A numerical study was conducted to evaluate the performance of wall mounted fuel-injectors designed for potential Supersonic Combustion Ramjet (SCRAM-jet) engine applications. The focus of this investigation was to numerically simulate existing combustor designs for the purpose of validating the numerical technique and the physical models developed. Three different injector designs of varying complexity were studied to fully understand the computational implications involved in accurate predictions. A dual transverse injection system and two streamwise injector designs were studied. The streamwise injectors were designed with swept ramps to enhance fuel-air mixing and combustion characteristics at supersonic speeds without the large flow blockage and drag contribution of the transverse injection system. For this study, the Mass-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations and the chemical species continuity equations were solved. The computations were performed using a finite-volume implicit numerical technique and multiple block structured grid system. The interfaces of the multiple block structured grid systems were numerically resolved using the flux-conservative technique. Detailed comparisons between the computations and existing experimental data are presented. These comparisons show that numerical predictions are in agreement with the experimental data. These comparisons also show that a number of turbulence model improvements are needed for accurate combustor flowfield predictions.

Two injection digital block versus single subcutaneous palmar injection block for finger lacerations.

PubMed

Okur, O M; Şener, A; Kavakli, H Ş; Çelik, G K; Doğan, N Ö; Içme, F; Günaydin, G P

2017-12-01

We aimed to compare two digital nerve block techniques in patients due to traumatic digital lacerations. This was a randomized-controlled study designed prospectively in the emergency department of a university-based training and research hospital. Randomization was achieved by sealed envelopes. Half of the patients were randomised to traditional (two-injection) digital nerve block technique while single-injection digital nerve block technique was applied to the other half. Score of pain due to anesthetic infiltration and suturing, onset time of total anesthesia, need for an additional rescue injection were the parameters evaluated with both groups. Epinephrin added lidocaine hydrochloride preparation was used for the anesthetic application. Visual analog scale was used for the evaluation of pain scores. Outcomes were compared by using Mann-Whitney U test and Student t-test. Fifty emergency department patients ≥18 years requiring digital nerve block were enrolled in the study. Mean age of the patients was 33 (min-max: 19-86) and 39 (78 %) were male. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of our main parameters; anesthesia pain score, suturing pain score, onset time of total anesthesia and rescue injection need. Single injection volar digital nerve block technique is a suitable alternative for digital anesthesias in emergency departments.

NASA/GE Energy Efficient Engine low pressure turbine scaled test vehicle performance report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridgeman, M. J.; Cherry, D. G.; Pedersen, J.

1983-01-01

The low pressure turbine for the NASA/General Electric Energy Efficient Engine is a highly loaded five-stage design featuring high outer wall slope, controlled vortex aerodynamics, low stage flow coefficient, and reduced clearances. An assessment of the performance of the LPT has been made based on a series of scaled air-turbine tests divided into two phases: Block 1 and Block 2. The transition duct and the first two stages of the turbine were evaluated during the Block 1 phase from March through August 1979. The full five-stage scale model, representing the final integrated core/low spool (ICLS) design and incorporating redesigns of stages 1 and 2 based on Block 1 data analysis, was tested as Block 2 in June through September 1981. Results from the scaled air-turbine tests, reviewed herein, indicate that the five-stage turbine designed for the ICLS application will attain an efficiency level of 91.5 percent at the Mach 0.8/10.67-km (35,000-ft), max-climb design point. This is relative to program goals of 91.1 percent for the ICLS and 91.7 percent for the flight propulsion system (FPS).

Application of satellite data in observational and theoretical studies of the evolving structure of baroclinic waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saltzman, Barry

1987-01-01

A variety of observational and theoretical studies were performed which were designed to clarify the relationship between satellite measurements of cloud and radiation and the evolution of transient and stationary circulation in middle latitudes. Satellite outgoing longwave radiation data are used to: (1) estimate the generation of available potential energy due to infrared radiation, and (2) show the extent to which these data can provide the signature of high and low frequency weather phenomena including blocking. In a significant series of studies the nonlinear, energetical, and predictability properties of these blocking situations, and the ralationship of blocking to the planetary, scale longwave structure are described. These studies form the background for continuing efforts to describe and theoretically account for these low frequency planetary wave phenomena in terms of their bimodal properties.

Relevancies of multiple-interaction events and signal-to-noise ratio for Anger-logic based PET detector designs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Hao

2015-10-01

A fundamental challenge for PET block detector designs is to deploy finer crystal elements while limiting the number of readout channels. The standard Anger-logic scheme including light sharing (an 8 by 8 crystal array coupled to a 2×2 photodetector array with an optical diffuser, multiplexing ratio: 16:1) has been widely used to address such a challenge. Our work proposes a generalized model to study the impacts of two critical parameters on spatial resolution performance of a PET block detector: multiple interaction events and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The study consists of the following three parts: (1) studying light output profile and multiple interactions of 511 keV photons within crystal arrays of different crystal widths (from 4 mm down to 1 mm, constant height: 20 mm); (2) applying the Anger-logic positioning algorithm to investigate positioning/decoding uncertainties (i.e., "block effect") in terms of peak-to-valley ratio (PVR), with light sharing, multiple interactions and photodetector SNR taken into account; and (3) studying the dependency of spatial resolution on SNR in the context of modulation transfer function (MTF). The proposed model can be used to guide the development and evaluation of a standard Anger-logic based PET block detector including: (1) selecting/optimizing the configuration of crystal elements for a given photodetector SNR; and (2) predicting to what extent additional electronic multiplexing may be implemented to further reduce the number of readout channels.

Systems thinking in practice: the current status of the six WHO building blocks for health system strengthening in three BHOMA intervention districts of Zambia: a baseline qualitative study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The primary bottleneck to achieving the MDGs in low-income countries is health systems that are too fragile to deliver the volume and quality of services to those in need. Strong and effective health systems are increasingly considered a prerequisite to reducing the disease burden and to achieving the health MDGs. Zambia is one of the countries that are lagging behind in achieving millennium development targets. Several barriers have been identified as hindering the progress towards health related millennium development goals. Designing an intervention that addresses these barriers was crucial and so the Better Health Outcomes through Mentorship (BHOMA) project was designed to address the challenges in the Zambia’s MOH using a system wide approach. We applied systems thinking approach to describe the baseline status of the Six WHO building blocks for health system strengthening. Methods A qualitative study was conducted looking at the status of the Six WHO building blocks for health systems strengthening in three BHOMA districts. We conducted Focus group discussions with community members and In-depth Interviews with key informants. Data was analyzed using Nvivo version 9. Results The study showed that building block specific weaknesses had cross cutting effect in other health system building blocks which is an essential element of systems thinking. Challenges noted in service delivery were linked to human resources, medical supplies, information flow, governance and finance building blocks either directly or indirectly. Several barriers were identified as hindering access to health services by the local communities. These included supply side barriers: Shortage of qualified health workers, bad staff attitude, poor relationships between community and health staff, long waiting time, confidentiality and the gender of health workers. Demand side barriers: Long distance to health facility, cost of transport and cultural practices. Participating communities seemed to lack the capacity to hold health workers accountable for the drugs and services. Conclusion The study has shown that building block specific weaknesses had cross cutting effect in other health system building blocks. These linkages emphasised the need to use system wide approaches in assessing the performance of health system strengthening interventions. PMID:23902601

A Study on Markerless AR-Based Infant Education System Using CBIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Ji-Hoon; Kim, Seoksoo

Block play is widely known to be effective to help a child develop emotionally and physically based on learning by a sense of sight and touch. But block play can not expect to have learning effects through a sense of hearing. Therefore, in this study, such limitations are overcome by a method that recognizes an object made up of blocks, not a marker-based method generally used for an AR environment, a matching technology enabling an object to be perceived in every direction, and a technology combining images of the real world with 2D/3D images/pictures/sounds of a similar object. Also, an education system for children aged 3~5 is designed to implement markerless AR with the CBIR method.

Block 2 SRM conceptual design studies. Volume 1, Book 2: Preliminary development and verification plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

Activities that will be conducted in support of the development and verification of the Block 2 Solid Rocket Motor (SRM) are described. Development includes design, fabrication, processing, and testing activities in which the results are fed back into the project. Verification includes analytical and test activities which demonstrate SRM component/subassembly/assembly capability to perform its intended function. The management organization responsible for formulating and implementing the verification program is introduced. It also identifies the controls which will monitor and track the verification program. Integral with the design and certification of the SRM are other pieces of equipment used in transportation, handling, and testing which influence the reliability and maintainability of the SRM configuration. The certification of this equipment is also discussed.

Learning Effects in the Block Design Task: A Stimulus Parameter-Based Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Joseph C.; Ruthig, Joelle C.; Bradley, April R.; Wise, Richard A.; Pedersen, Heather A.; Ellison, Jo M.

2009-01-01

Learning effects were assessed for the block design (BD) task, on the basis of variation in 2 stimulus parameters: perceptual cohesiveness (PC) and set size uncertainty (U). Thirty-one nonclinical undergraduate students (19 female) each completed 3 designs for each of 4 varied sets of the stimulus parameters (high-PC/high-U, high-PC/low-U,…

Solid-state X-band Combiner Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pitzalis, O., Jr.; Russell, K. J.

1979-01-01

The feasibility of developing solid-state amplifiers at 4 and 10 GHz for application in spacecraft altimeters was studied. Bipolar-transistor, field-effect-transistor, and Impatt-diode amplifier designs based on 1980 solid-state technology are investigated. Several output power levels of the pulsed, low-duty-factor amplifiers are considered at each frequency. Proposed transistor and diode amplifier designs are illustrated in block diagrams. Projections of size, weight, and primary power requirements are given for each design.

Comparative Microstrain Study of Internal Hexagon and Plateau Design of Short Implants Under Vertical Loading.

PubMed

Nishioka, Renato Sussumu; Rodrigues, Vinicius Anéas; De Santis, Leandro Ruivo; Nishioka, Gabriela Nogueira De Melo; Santos, Vivian Mayumi Miyazaki; Souza, Francisley Ávila

2016-02-01

To quantify microstrain development during axial loading using strain gauge analysis for short implants, varying the type of fixture-abutment joint and thread design. An internal hexagon implant (4 × 8 mm) and a plateau design implant (4 × 8 mm) were embedded on the center of 10 polyurethane blocks with dimensions of 190 × 30 × 12 mm. The respective abutments were screwed onto the implants. Four strain gauges (SGs) were bonded onto the surface of each block, and 4 vertical SGs were bonded onto the side of each block. Axial load of 30 kgf was applied for 10 seconds in the center of each implant. The data were analyzed statistically by analysis of variance for repeated measures and Tukey test (P < 0.05). The interaction between implant and region factors have been statistically significant (P = 0.0259). Tukey test revealed a difference on plateau's horizontal region. The cervical region presented higher microstrain values, when compared with the medium and apical regions of the implants. Within the purpose of the study, the type of fixture-abutment joint is a relevant factor to affect the amount of stress/strain in bone simulation. The microstrain development was concentrated on the cervical region of the implant.

Pattern-based IP block detection, verification, and variability analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad Ibrahim, Muhamad Asraf Bin; Muhsain, Mohamad Fahmi Bin; Kamal Baharin, Ezni Aznida Binti; Sweis, Jason; Lai, Ya-Chieh; Hurat, Philippe

2018-03-01

The goal of a foundry partner is to deliver high quality silicon product to its customers on time. There is an assumed trust that the silicon will yield, function and perform as expected when the design fits all the sign-off criteria. The use of Intellectual Property (IP) blocks is very common today and provides the customer with pre-qualified and optimized functions for their design thus shortening the design cycle. There are many methods by which an IP Block can be generated and placed within layout. Even with the most careful methods and following of guidelines comes the responsibility of sign-off checking. A foundry needs to detect where these IP Blocks have been placed and look for any violations. This includes DRC clean modifications to the IP Block which may or may not be intentional. Using a pattern-based approach to detect all IP Blocks used provides the foundry advanced capabilities to analyze them further for any kind of changes which could void the OPC and process window optimizations. Having any changes in an IP Block could cause functionality changes or even failures. This also opens the foundry to legal and cost issues while at the same time forcing re-spins of the design. In this publication, we discuss the methodology we have employed to avoid process issues and tape-out errors while at the same time reduce our manual work and improve the turnaround time. We are also able to use our pattern analysis to improve our OPC optimizations when modifications are encountered which have not been seen before.

Rework and workarounds in nurse medication administration process: implications for work processes and patient safety.

PubMed

Halbesleben, Jonathon R B; Savage, Grant T; Wakefield, Douglas S; Wakefield, Bonnie J

2010-01-01

Health care organizations have redesigned existing and implemented new work processes intended to improve patient safety. As a consequence of these process changes, there are now intentionally designed "blocks" or barriers that limit how specific work actions, such as ordering and administering medication, are to be carried out. Health care professionals encountering these designed barriers can choose to either follow the new process, engage in workarounds to get past the block, or potentially repeat work (rework). Unfortunately, these workarounds and rework may lead to other safety concerns. The aim of this study was to examine rework and workarounds in hospital medication administration processes. Observations and semistructured interviews were conducted with 58 nurses from four hospital intensive care units focusing on the medication administration process. Using the constant comparative method, we analyzed the observation and interview data to develop themes regarding rework and workarounds. From this analysis, we developed an integrated process map of the medication administration process depicting blocks. A total of 12 blocks were reported by the participants. Based on the analysis, we categorized them as related to information exchange, information entry, and internal supply chain issues. Whereas information exchange and entry blocks tended to lead to rework, internal supply chain issues were more likely to lead to workarounds. A decentralized pharmacist on the unit may reduce work flow blocks (and, thus, workarounds and rework). Work process redesign may further address the problems of workarounds and rework.

LAM Pilot Study with Imatinib Mesylate (LAMP-1)

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-14-1-0132 TITLE: LAM Pilot Study with Imatinib Mesylate (LAMP-1) PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Charlie Strange, MD...completion dates or the percentage of completion. The LAMP-1 study is designed to generate short-term safety and efficacy data...block the growth of LAM cells through initiation of targeted cell death. This study employs a small clinical trial design using 20 participants at two

Effect of different adhesive strategies on microtensile bond strength of computer aided design/computer aided manufacturing blocks bonded to dentin.

PubMed

Roperto, Renato; Akkus, Anna; Akkus, Ozan; Lang, Lisa; Sousa-Neto, Manoel Damiao; Teich, Sorin; Porto, Thiago Soares

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the microtensile bond strength (μTBS) of ceramic and composite computer aided design-computer aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) blocks bonded to dentin using different adhesive strategies. In this in vitro study, 30 crowns of sound freshly extracted human molars were sectioned horizontally 3 mm above the cementoenamel junction to produce flat dentin surfaces. Ceramic and composite CAD/CAM blocks, size 14, were sectioned into slices of 3 mm thick. Before bonding, CAD/CAM block surfaces were treated according to the manufacturer's instructions. Groups were created based on the adhesive strategy used: Group 1 (GI) - conventional resin cement + total-etch adhesive system, Group 2 (GII) - conventional resin cement + self-etch adhesive system, and Group 3 (GIII) - self-adhesive resin cement with no adhesive. Bonded specimens were stored in 100% humidity for 24h at 37΀C, and then sectioned with a slow-speed diamond saw to obtain 1 mm × 1 mm × 6 mm microsticks. Microtensile testing was then conducted using a microtensile tester. μTBS values were expressed in MPa and analyzed by one-way ANOVA with post hoc (Tukey) test at the 5% significance level. Mean values and standard deviations of μTBS (MPa) were 17.68 (±2.71) for GI/ceramic; 17.62 (±3.99) for GI/composite; 13.61 (±6.92) for GII/composite; 12.22 (±4.24) for GII/ceramic; 7.47 (±2.29) for GIII/composite; and 6.48 (±3.10) for GIII/ceramic; ANOVA indicated significant differences among the adhesive modality and block interaction (P < 0.05), and no significant differences among blocks only, except between GI and GII/ceramic. Bond strength of GIII was consistently lower (P < 0.05) than GI and GII groups, regardless the block used. Cementation of CAD/CAM restorations, either composite or ceramic, can be significantly affected by different adhesive strategies used.

Solid oxide fuel cell matrix and modules

DOEpatents

Riley, Brian

1990-01-01

Porous refractory ceramic blocks arranged in an abutting, stacked configuration and forming a three dimensional array provide a support structure and coupling means for a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). Each of the blocks includes a square center channel which forms a vertical shaft when the blocks are arranged in a stacked array. Positioned within the channel is a SOFC unit cell such that a plurality of such SOFC units disposed within a vertical shaft form a string of SOFC units coupled in series. A first pair of facing inner walls of each of the blocks each include an interconnecting channel hole cut horizontally and vertically into the block walls to form gas exit channels. A second pair of facing lateral walls of each block further include a pair of inner half circular grooves which form sleeves to accommodate anode fuel and cathode air tubes. The stack of ceramic blocks is self-supporting, with a plurality of such stacked arrays forming a matrix enclosed in an insulating refractory brick structure having an outer steel layer. The necessary connections for air, fuel, burnt gas, and anode and cathode connections are provided through the brick and steel outer shell. The ceramic blocks are so designed with respect to the strings of modules that by simple and logical design the strings could be replaced by hot reloading if one should fail. The hot reloading concept has not been included in any previous designs.

Effect of Fertilization on Growth and Wood Properties of Thinned and Un-thinned Mid-rotation Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda L.) Stands

Treesearch

Finto Antony; Laurence R. Schimleck; Richard F. Daniels; Alexander Clark

2011-01-01

Growth and wood properties were measured on breast height cores collected from two stands, New Bern and Bertie, located in the lower Coastal Plain of North Carolina. The New Bern site was thinned before fertilizer application, and the Bertie site was not. The study was laid out in a randomized complete block design with each treatment replicated in four blocks at New...

New Kids on the Block Schedule: Beginning Teachers Face Challenges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zepeda, Sally J.; Mayers, R. Stewart

2001-01-01

Across the United States, an ever-increasing number of high schools have reevaluated their use of instructional time and have adopted some form of a block schedule. Block scheduling, an innovation grounded in Trump's Flexible Modular Scheduling Design, reorganizes the school day into extended blocks of time, each approximately 70 to 90 minutes.…

77 FR 10808 - Designation of One Entity Pursuant to Executive Order 13572 of April 29, 2011, “Blocking Property...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-23

... Executive Order 13572 of April 29, 2011, ``Blocking Property of Certain Persons With Respect to Human Rights..., 2011, ``Blocking Property of Certain Persons with Respect to Human Rights Abuses in Syria.'' DATES: The..., ``Blocking Property of Certain Persons with Respect to Human Rights Abuses in Syria,'' (the ``Order...

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Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-01

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77 FR 20693 - Designation of Three Individuals Pursuant to Executive Order 13573 of May 18, 2011, “Blocking...

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2012-04-05

... Pursuant to Executive Order 13573 of May 18, 2011, ``Blocking Property of Senior Officials of the... whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to Executive Order 13573 of May 18, 2011...-622-0077. Background On May 18, 2011, the President issued Executive Order 13573, ``Blocking Property...

A Comparison of Jump Height, Takeoff Velocities, and Blocking Coverage in the Swing and Traditional Volleyball Blocking Techniques

PubMed Central

Ficklin, Travis; Lund, Robin; Schipper, Megan

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare traditional and swing blocking techniques on center of mass (COM) projectile motion and effective blocking area in nine healthy Division I female volleyball players. Two high-definition (1080 p) video cameras (60 Hz) were used to collect two-dimensional variables from two separate views. One was placed perpendicular to the plane of the net and the other was directed along the top of the net, and were used to estimate COM locations and blocking area in a plane parallel to the net and hand penetration through the plane of the net respectively. Video of both the traditional and swing techniques were digitized and kinematic variables were calculated. Paired samples t-tests indicated that the swing technique resulted in greater (p < 0.05) vertical and horizontal takeoff velocities (vy and vx), jump height (H), duration of the block (tBLOCK), blocking coverage during the block (C) as well as hand penetration above and through the net’s plane (YPEN, ZPEN). The traditional technique had significantly greater approach time (tAPP). The results of this study suggest that the swing technique results in both greater jump height and effective blocking area. However, the shorter tAPP that occurs with swing is associated with longer times in the air during the block which may reduce the ability of the athlete to make adjustments to attacks designed to misdirect the defense. Key Points Swing blocking technique has greater jump height, effective blocking area, hand penetration, horizontal and vertical takeoff velocity, and has a shorter time of approach. Despite these advantages, there may be more potential for mistiming blocks and having erratic deflections of the ball after contact when using the swing technique. Coaches should take more than simple jump height and hand penetration into account when deciding which technique to employ. PMID:24570609

A comparison of jump height, takeoff velocities, and blocking coverage in the swing and traditional volleyball blocking techniques.

PubMed

Ficklin, Travis; Lund, Robin; Schipper, Megan

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare traditional and swing blocking techniques on center of mass (COM) projectile motion and effective blocking area in nine healthy Division I female volleyball players. Two high-definition (1080 p) video cameras (60 Hz) were used to collect two-dimensional variables from two separate views. One was placed perpendicular to the plane of the net and the other was directed along the top of the net, and were used to estimate COM locations and blocking area in a plane parallel to the net and hand penetration through the plane of the net respectively. Video of both the traditional and swing techniques were digitized and kinematic variables were calculated. Paired samples t-tests indicated that the swing technique resulted in greater (p < 0.05) vertical and horizontal takeoff velocities (vy and vx), jump height (H), duration of the block (tBLOCK), blocking coverage during the block (C) as well as hand penetration above and through the net's plane (YPEN, ZPEN). The traditional technique had significantly greater approach time (tAPP). The results of this study suggest that the swing technique results in both greater jump height and effective blocking area. However, the shorter tAPP that occurs with swing is associated with longer times in the air during the block which may reduce the ability of the athlete to make adjustments to attacks designed to misdirect the defense. Key PointsSwing blocking technique has greater jump height, effective blocking area, hand penetration, horizontal and vertical takeoff velocity, and has a shorter time of approach.Despite these advantages, there may be more potential for mistiming blocks and having erratic deflections of the ball after contact when using the swing technique.Coaches should take more than simple jump height and hand penetration into account when deciding which technique to employ.

78 FR 6179 - Unblocking of One Specially Designated National and Blocked Person Pursuant to Executive Order 13448

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-29

... Nationals and Blocked Persons (``SDN List'') of the individual identified in this notice whose property and... SDN List the individual listed below, whose property and interests in property were blocked pursuant...

Relative Efficacy of Ultrasound-guided Ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric Nerve Block versus Transverse Abdominis Plane Block for Postoperative Analgesia following Lower Segment Cesarean Section: A Prospective, Randomized Observer-blinded Trial.

PubMed

Kiran, L Vamsee; Sivashanmugam, T; Kumar, V R Hemanth; Krishnaveni, N; Parthasarathy, S

2017-01-01

Quality of postoperative analgesia after cesarean section makes difference to mother in child bonding, early ambulation, and discharge. Ilioinguinal iliohypogastric (ILIH) and transverse abdominis plane (TAP) block had been tried to reduce the opioid analgesics, but the relative efficacy is unknown. Hence, this study was designed to compare the efficacy of these two regional analgesic techniques in sparing postoperative rescue analgesic requirement following lower segment cesarean section (LSCS). Sixty patients who underwent LSCS were randomly allocated into two groups to receive either US-guided TAP block or ILIH nerve block using sealed envelope technique at the end of the surgery. In the postoperative ward, whenever patient complained of pain, pain nurse in-charge administered the rescue analgesics as per the study protocol. A blinded observer visited the patient at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 24 h postoperative intervals and recorded the quality of pain relief and the amount of rescue analgesic consumed. All patients in both the study groups required one dose of rescue analgesics in the form of injection diclofenac sodium 50 mg intravenously but subsequently 57% of patients did not require any further analgesics till 24 h in the TAP block group whereas in ILIH group, only 13% did not require further analgesics ( P = 0.00), correspondingly the cumulative tramadol dose was significantly higher at all the time interval in the ILIH group when compared to the TAP group. Quality of postoperative analgesia provided by TAP block was superior to ILIH block following LSCS.

A scintillator geometry suitable for very small PET gantries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, A. J.; Gonzalez-Montoro, A.; Aguilar, A.; Cañizares, G.; Martí, R.; Iranzo, S.; Lamprou, E.; Sanchez, S.; Sanchez, F.; Benlloch, J. M.

2017-12-01

In this work we are describing a novel approach to the scintillator crystal configuration as used in nuclear medicine imaging. Our design is related to the coupling in one PET module of the two separate crystal configurations used so far there: monolithic and crystal arrays. The particular design we have studied is based on a two-layer scintillator approach (hybrid) composed of a monolithic LYSO crystal (5-6 mm thickness) and a LYSO crystal array with 4-5 mm height (0.8 and 1 mm pixels). We show here the detector block performance, in terms of spatial, energy and DOI information, to be used as a module in the design of PET scanners. The design we propose allows one to achieve accurate three-dimensional spatial resolution (including DOI information) while assuring high detection efficiency at reasonable cost. Moreover, the proposed design improves the spatial response uniformity across the whole detector module, and especially at the edge region. The crystal arrays are mounted in the front and were well resolved. The monolithic crystal inserted between crystal array and the photosensor, provided measured FWHM resolution as good as 1.5-1.7 mm including the 1 mm source size. The monolithic block achieved a DOI resolution (FWHM) nearing 3 mm. We compared these results with an approach in which we use a single monolithic block with total volume equals to the hybrid approach. In general, comparable performances were obtained.

The rationale and design of the Beta-blocker to LOwer CArdiovascular Dialysis Events (BLOCADE) Feasibility Study.

PubMed

Roberts, Matthew A; Pilmore, Helen L; Ierino, Francesco L; Badve, Sunil V; Cass, Alan; Garg, Amit X; Hawley, Carmel M; Isbel, Nicole M; Krum, Henry; Pascoe, Elaine M; Tonkin, Andrew M; Vergara, Liza A; Perkovic, Vlado

2015-03-01

The Beta-blocker to LOwer CArdiovascular Dialysis Events (BLOCADE) Feasibility Study aims to determine the feasibility of a large-scale randomized controlled trial with clinical endpoints comparing the beta-blocking agent carvedilol with placebo in patients receiving dialysis. The BLOCADE Feasibility Study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group feasibility study comparing the beta-blocking agent carvedilol with placebo. Patients receiving dialysis for ≥3 months and who are aged ≥50 years, or who are ≥18 years and have diabetes or cardiovascular disease, were eligible. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants who complete a 6-week run-in phase in which all participants received carvedilol titrated from 3.125 mg twice daily to 6.25 mg twice daily. Other measures included how many patients are screened, the proportion recruited, the overall recruitment rate, the proportion of participants who remain on study drug for 12 months and the incidence of intra-dialytic hypotension while on randomized treatment. The BLOCADE Feasibility Study commenced recruiting in May 2011 and involves 11 sites in Australia and New Zealand. The BLOCADE Feasibility Study will inform the design of a larger clinical endpoint study to determine whether beta-blocking agents provide benefit to patients receiving dialysis, and define whether such a study is feasible. © 2014 Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology.

A general U-block model-based design procedure for nonlinear polynomial control systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Q. M.; Zhao, D. Y.; Zhang, Jianhua

2016-10-01

The proposition of U-model concept (in terms of 'providing concise and applicable solutions for complex problems') and a corresponding basic U-control design algorithm was originated in the first author's PhD thesis. The term of U-model appeared (not rigorously defined) for the first time in the first author's other journal paper, which established a framework for using linear polynomial control system design approaches to design nonlinear polynomial control systems (in brief, linear polynomial approaches → nonlinear polynomial plants). This paper represents the next milestone work - using linear state-space approaches to design nonlinear polynomial control systems (in brief, linear state-space approaches → nonlinear polynomial plants). The overall aim of the study is to establish a framework, defined as the U-block model, which provides a generic prototype for using linear state-space-based approaches to design the control systems with smooth nonlinear plants/processes described by polynomial models. For analysing the feasibility and effectiveness, sliding mode control design approach is selected as an exemplary case study. Numerical simulation studies provide a user-friendly step-by-step procedure for the readers/users with interest in their ad hoc applications. In formality, this is the first paper to present the U-model-oriented control system design in a formal way and to study the associated properties and theorems. The previous publications, in the main, have been algorithm-based studies and simulation demonstrations. In some sense, this paper can be treated as a landmark for the U-model-based research from intuitive/heuristic stage to rigour/formal/comprehensive studies.

Mapping lexical-semantic networks and determining hemispheric language dominance: Do task design, sex, age, and language performance make a difference?

PubMed

Chang, Yu-Hsuan A; Javadi, Sogol S; Bahrami, Naeim; Uttarwar, Vedang S; Reyes, Anny; McDonald, Carrie R

2018-04-01

Blocked and event-related fMRI designs are both commonly used to localize language networks and determine hemispheric dominance in research and clinical settings. We compared activation profiles on a semantic monitoring task using one of the two designs in a total of 43 healthy individual to determine whether task design or subject-specific factors (i.e., age, sex, or language performance) influence activation patterns. We found high concordance between the two designs within core language regions, including the inferior frontal, posterior temporal, and basal temporal region. However, differences emerged within inferior parietal cortex. Subject-specific factors did not influence activation patterns, nor did they interact with task design. These results suggest that despite high concordance within perisylvian regions that are robust to subject-specific factors, methodological differences between blocked and event-related designs may contribute to parietal activations. These findings provide important information for researchers incorporating fMRI results into meta-analytic studies, as well as for clinicians using fMRI to guide pre-surgical planning. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Revealing the functional neuroanatomy of intrinsic alertness using fMRI: methodological peculiarities.

PubMed

Clemens, Benjamin; Zvyagintsev, Mikhail; Sack, Alexander T; Sack, Alexander; Heinecke, Armin; Willmes, Klaus; Sturm, Walter

2011-01-01

Clinical observations and neuroimaging data revealed a right-hemisphere fronto-parietal-thalamic-brainstem network for intrinsic alertness, and additional left fronto-parietal activity during phasic alertness. The primary objective of this fMRI study was to map the functional neuroanatomy of intrinsic alertness as precisely as possible in healthy participants, using a novel assessment paradigm already employed in clinical settings. Both the paradigm and the experimental design were optimized to specifically assess intrinsic alertness, while at the same time controlling for sensory-motor processing. The present results suggest that the processing of intrinsic alertness is accompanied by increased activity within the brainstem, thalamus, anterior cingulate gyrus, right insula, and right parietal cortex. Additionally, we found increased activation in the left hemisphere around the middle frontal gyrus (BA 9), the insula, the supplementary motor area, and the cerebellum. Our results further suggest that rather minute aspects of the experimental design may induce aspects of phasic alertness, which in turn might lead to additional brain activation in left-frontal areas not normally involved in intrinsic alertness. Accordingly, left BA 9 activation may be related to co-activation of the phasic alertness network due to the switch between rest and task conditions functioning as an external warning cue triggering the phasic alertness network. Furthermore, activation of the intrinsic alertness network during fixation blocks due to enhanced expectancy shortly before the switch to the task block might, when subtracted from the task block, lead to diminished activation in the typical right hemisphere intrinsic alertness network. Thus, we cautiously suggest that--as a methodological artifact--left frontal activations might show up due to phasic alertness involvement and intrinsic alertness activations might be weakened due to contrasting with fixation blocks, when assessing the functional neuroanatomy of intrinsic alertness with a block design in fMRI studies.

Revealing the Functional Neuroanatomy of Intrinsic Alertness Using fMRI: Methodological Peculiarities

PubMed Central

Clemens, Benjamin; Zvyagintsev, Mikhail; Sack, Alexander; Heinecke, Armin; Willmes, Klaus; Sturm, Walter

2011-01-01

Clinical observations and neuroimaging data revealed a right-hemisphere fronto-parietal-thalamic-brainstem network for intrinsic alertness, and additional left fronto-parietal activity during phasic alertness. The primary objective of this fMRI study was to map the functional neuroanatomy of intrinsic alertness as precisely as possible in healthy participants, using a novel assessment paradigm already employed in clinical settings. Both the paradigm and the experimental design were optimized to specifically assess intrinsic alertness, while at the same time controlling for sensory-motor processing. The present results suggest that the processing of intrinsic alertness is accompanied by increased activity within the brainstem, thalamus, anterior cingulate gyrus, right insula, and right parietal cortex. Additionally, we found increased activation in the left hemisphere around the middle frontal gyrus (BA 9), the insula, the supplementary motor area, and the cerebellum. Our results further suggest that rather minute aspects of the experimental design may induce aspects of phasic alertness, which in turn might lead to additional brain activation in left-frontal areas not normally involved in intrinsic alertness. Accordingly, left BA 9 activation may be related to co-activation of the phasic alertness network due to the switch between rest and task conditions functioning as an external warning cue triggering the phasic alertness network. Furthermore, activation of the intrinsic alertness network during fixation blocks due to enhanced expectancy shortly before the switch to the task block might, when subtracted from the task block, lead to diminished activation in the typical right hemisphere intrinsic alertness network. Thus, we cautiously suggest that – as a methodological artifact – left frontal activations might show up due to phasic alertness involvement and intrinsic alertness activations might be weakened due to contrasting with fixation blocks, when assessing the functional neuroanatomy of intrinsic alertness with a block design in fMRI studies. PMID:21984928

31 CFR 515.306 - Specially designated national.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... of Foreign Assets Control's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) for... interests in property therefore are blocked pursuant to this part. The SDN List entries for such persons include the identifier “[CUBA].” The SDN List is accessible through the following page on the Office of...

31 CFR 515.306 - Specially designated national.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... of Foreign Assets Control's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) for... interests in property therefore are blocked pursuant to this part. The SDN List entries for such persons include the identifier “[CUBA].” The SDN List is accessible through the following page on the Office of...

31 CFR 515.306 - Specially designated national.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... of Foreign Assets Control's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) for... interests in property therefore are blocked pursuant to this part. The SDN List entries for such persons include the identifier “[CUBA].” The SDN List is accessible through the following page on the Office of...

31 CFR 515.306 - Specially designated national.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... of Foreign Assets Control's Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) for... interests in property therefore are blocked pursuant to this part. The SDN List entries for such persons include the identifier “[CUBA].” The SDN List is accessible through the following page on the Office of...

78 FR 28700 - Unblocking of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons Pursuant to the Foreign...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-15

... Secretary of Homeland Security when designating and blocking the property or interests in property, subject... financial or technological support for or to, or providing goods or services in support of, the..., Colombia; citizen Colombia; Cedula No. 79263544 (Colombia) (individual) [SDNTK]. 2. MORENO BERNAL, Luz...

Design of a doubly-hydrophilic block copolypeptide that directs the formation of calcium carbonate microspheres.

PubMed

Euliss, Larken E; Trnka, Tina M; Deming, Timothy J; Stucky, Galen D

2004-08-07

The crystallization of calcium carbonate into microspheres has been accomplished using the rationally-designed, doubly-hydrophilic block copolypeptide poly(Nepsilon-2[2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]acetyl-L-lysine)(100)-b-poly(L-aspartate sodium salt)30 as a structure-directing agent.

Photo-responsive block copolymer micelles: design and behavior.

PubMed

Gohy, Jean-François; Zhao, Yue

2013-09-07

Stimuli-responsive block copolymer micelles are the topic of intense research since they are able to show sharp and eventually reversible responses to various environmental changes and find applications in various fields including controlled drug delivery. Among all the available stimuli, light has recently attracted much attention since it can be localized in time and space, and it can also be triggered from outside of the system. In this tutorial review, we highlight the progress realized in recent years. More precisely, we provide some guidelines towards the rational design of photo-responsive block copolymers and we present the different photo-responsive moieties that have been used so far. We also discuss the different types of irreversible and reversible responses encountered by photo-responsive block copolymer micelles. Finally, we suggest possible future developments including the design of biocompatible systems operating at excitation wavelengths compatible for biomedical applications.

Active angular alignment of gauge blocks in double-ended interferometers.

PubMed

Buchta, Zdeněk; Reřucha, Simon; Hucl, Václav; Cížek, Martin; Sarbort, Martin; Lazar, Josef; Cíp, Ondřej

2013-09-27

This paper presents a method implemented in a system for automatic contactless calibration of gauge blocks designed at ISI ASCR. The system combines low-coherence interferometry and laser interferometry, where the first identifies the gauge block sides position and the second one measures the gauge block length itself. A crucial part of the system is the algorithm for gauge block alignment to the measuring beam which is able to compensate the gauge block lateral and longitudinal tilt up to 0.141 mrad. The algorithm is also important for the gauge block position monitoring during its length measurement.

Active Angular Alignment of Gauge Blocks in Double-Ended Interferometers

PubMed Central

Buchta, Zdeněk; Řeřucha, Šimon; Hucl, Václav; Čížek, Martin; Šarbort, Martin; Lazar, Josef; Číp, Ondřej

2013-01-01

This paper presents a method implemented in a system for automatic contactless calibration of gauge blocks designed at ISI ASCR. The system combines low-coherence interferometry and laser interferometry, where the first identifies the gauge block sides position and the second one measures the gauge block length itself. A crucial part of the system is the algorithm for gauge block alignment to the measuring beam which is able to compensate the gauge block lateral and longitudinal tilt up to 0.141 mrad. The algorithm is also important for the gauge block position monitoring during its length measurement. PMID:24084107

Manipulating the ABCs of self-assembly via low-χ block polymer design

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

Chang, Alice B.; Bates, Christopher M.; Lee, Byeongdu

Block polymer self-assembly typically translates molecular chain connectivity into mesoscale structure by exploiting incompatible blocks with large interaction parameters (χ ij). In this report, we demonstrate that the converse approach, encoding low-χ interactions in ABC bottlebrush triblock terpolymers (χ AC ≲ 0), promotes organization into a unique mixed-domain lamellar morphology which we designate LAM P. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that LAMP exhibits ACBC domain connectivity, in contrast to conventional three-domain lamellae (LAM 3) with ABCB periods. Complementary small angle X-ray scattering experiments reveal a strongly decreasing domain spacing with increasing total molar mass. Self-consistent field theory reinforces these observations andmore » predicts that LAM P is thermodynamically stable below a critical χ AC, above which LAM 3 emerges. Both experiments and theory expose close analogies to ABA triblock copolymer phase behavior, collectively suggesting that low-χ interactions between chemically similar or distinct blocks intimately influence self-assembly. Furthermore, these conclusions provide new opportunities in block polymer design with potential consequences spanning all self-assembling soft materials.« less

Manipulating the ABCs of self-assembly via low-χ block polymer design

DOE PAGES

Chang, Alice B.; Bates, Christopher M.; Lee, Byeongdu; ...

2017-06-06

Block polymer self-assembly typically translates molecular chain connectivity into mesoscale structure by exploiting incompatible blocks with large interaction parameters (χ ij). In this report, we demonstrate that the converse approach, encoding low-χ interactions in ABC bottlebrush triblock terpolymers (χ AC ≲ 0), promotes organization into a unique mixed-domain lamellar morphology which we designate LAM P. Transmission electron microscopy indicates that LAMP exhibits ACBC domain connectivity, in contrast to conventional three-domain lamellae (LAM 3) with ABCB periods. Complementary small angle X-ray scattering experiments reveal a strongly decreasing domain spacing with increasing total molar mass. Self-consistent field theory reinforces these observations andmore » predicts that LAM P is thermodynamically stable below a critical χ AC, above which LAM 3 emerges. Both experiments and theory expose close analogies to ABA triblock copolymer phase behavior, collectively suggesting that low-χ interactions between chemically similar or distinct blocks intimately influence self-assembly. Furthermore, these conclusions provide new opportunities in block polymer design with potential consequences spanning all self-assembling soft materials.« less

A Library of Rad Hard Mixed-Voltage/Mixed-Signal Building Blocks for Integration of Avionics Systems for Deep Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mojarradi, M. M.; Blaes, B.; Kolawa, E. A.; Blalock, B. J.; Li, H. W.; Buck, K.; Houge, D.

2001-01-01

To build the sensor intensive system-on-a-chip for the next generation spacecrafts for deep space, Center for Integration of Space Microsystems at JPL (CISM) takes advantage of the lower power rating and inherent radiation resistance of Silicon on Insulator technology (SOI). We are developing a suite of mixed-voltage and mixed-signal building blocks in Honeywell's SOI process that can enable the rapid integration of the next generation avionics systems with lower power rating, higher reliability, longer life, and enhanced radiation tolerance for spacecrafts such as the Europa Orbiter and Europa Lander. The mixed-voltage building blocks are predominantly for design of adaptive power management systems. Their design centers around an LDMOS structure that is being developed by Honeywell, Boeing Corp, and the University of Idaho. The mixed-signal building blocks are designed to meet the low power, extreme radiation requirement of deep space applications. These building blocks are predominantly used to interface analog sensors to the digital CPU of the next generation avionics system on a chip. Additional information is contained in the original extended abstract.

The Design, Fabrication and Characterization of a Transparent Atom Chip

PubMed Central

Chuang, Ho-Chiao; Huang, Chia-Shiuan; Chen, Hung-Pin; Huang, Chi-Sheng; Lin, Yu-Hsin

2014-01-01

This study describes the design and fabrication of transparent atom chips for atomic physics experiments. A fabrication process was developed to define the wire patterns on a transparent glass substrate to create the desired magnetic field for atom trapping experiments. An area on the chip was reserved for the optical access, so that the laser light can penetrate directly through the glass substrate for the laser cooling process. Furthermore, since the thermal conductivity of the glass substrate is poorer than other common materials for atom chip substrate, for example silicon, silicon carbide, aluminum nitride. Thus, heat dissipation copper blocks are designed on the front and back of the glass substrate to improve the electrical current conduction. The testing results showed that a maximum burnout current of 2 A was measured from the wire pattern (with a width of 100 μm and a height of 20 μm) without any heat dissipation design and it can increase to 2.5 A with a heat dissipation design on the front side of the atom chips. Therefore, heat dissipation copper blocks were designed and fabricated on the back of the glass substrate just under the wire patterns which increases the maximum burnout current to 4.5 A. Moreover, a maximum burnout current of 6 A was achieved when the entire backside glass substrate was recessed and a thicker copper block was electroplated, which meets most requirements of atomic physics experiments. PMID:24922456

78 FR 31631 - Designation of Three (3) Individuals Pursuant to Executive Order 13573 of May 18, 2011, “Blocking...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-24

... Pursuant to Executive Order 13573 of May 18, 2011, ``Blocking Property of Senior Officials of the...) individuals whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to Executive Order 13573 of May 18..., Tel.: 202/622-0077. Background On May 18, 2011, the President issued Executive Order 13573, ``Blocking...

Interactive Block Games for Assessing Children's Cognitive Skills: Design and Preliminary Evaluation.

PubMed

Lee, Kiju; Jeong, Donghwa; Schindler, Rachael C; Hlavaty, Laura E; Gross, Susan I; Short, Elizabeth J

2018-01-01

Background: This paper presents design and results from preliminary evaluation of Tangible Geometric Games (TAG-Games) for cognitive assessment in young children. The TAG-Games technology employs a set of sensor-integrated cube blocks, called SIG-Blocks, and graphical user interfaces for test administration and real-time performance monitoring. TAG-Games were administered to children from 4 to 8 years of age for evaluating preliminary efficacy of this new technology-based approach. Methods: Five different sets of SIG-Blocks comprised of geometric shapes, segmented human faces, segmented animal faces, emoticons, and colors, were used for three types of TAG-Games, including Assembly, Shape Matching, and Sequence Memory. Computational task difficulty measures were defined for each game and used to generate items with varying difficulty. For preliminary evaluation, TAG-Games were tested on 40 children. To explore the clinical utility of the information assessed by TAG-Games, three subtests of the age-appropriate Wechsler tests (i.e., Block Design, Matrix Reasoning, and Picture Concept) were also administered. Results: Internal consistency of TAG-Games was evaluated by the split-half reliability test. Weak to moderate correlations between Assembly and Block Design, Shape Matching and Matrix Reasoning, and Sequence Memory and Picture Concept were found. The computational measure of task complexity for each TAG-Game showed a significant correlation with participants' performance. In addition, age-correlations on TAG-Game scores were found, implying its potential use for assessing children's cognitive skills autonomously.

Interactive Block Games for Assessing Children's Cognitive Skills: Design and Preliminary Evaluation

PubMed Central

Lee, Kiju; Jeong, Donghwa; Schindler, Rachael C.; Hlavaty, Laura E.; Gross, Susan I.; Short, Elizabeth J.

2018-01-01

Background: This paper presents design and results from preliminary evaluation of Tangible Geometric Games (TAG-Games) for cognitive assessment in young children. The TAG-Games technology employs a set of sensor-integrated cube blocks, called SIG-Blocks, and graphical user interfaces for test administration and real-time performance monitoring. TAG-Games were administered to children from 4 to 8 years of age for evaluating preliminary efficacy of this new technology-based approach. Methods: Five different sets of SIG-Blocks comprised of geometric shapes, segmented human faces, segmented animal faces, emoticons, and colors, were used for three types of TAG-Games, including Assembly, Shape Matching, and Sequence Memory. Computational task difficulty measures were defined for each game and used to generate items with varying difficulty. For preliminary evaluation, TAG-Games were tested on 40 children. To explore the clinical utility of the information assessed by TAG-Games, three subtests of the age-appropriate Wechsler tests (i.e., Block Design, Matrix Reasoning, and Picture Concept) were also administered. Results: Internal consistency of TAG-Games was evaluated by the split-half reliability test. Weak to moderate correlations between Assembly and Block Design, Shape Matching and Matrix Reasoning, and Sequence Memory and Picture Concept were found. The computational measure of task complexity for each TAG-Game showed a significant correlation with participants' performance. In addition, age-correlations on TAG-Game scores were found, implying its potential use for assessing children's cognitive skills autonomously. PMID:29868520

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

Feldman, Steven; Valera-Leon, Carlos; Dechev, Damian

The vector is a fundamental data structure, which provides constant-time access to a dynamically-resizable range of elements. Currently, there exist no wait-free vectors. The only non-blocking version supports only a subset of the sequential vector API and exhibits significant synchronization overhead caused by supporting opposing operations. Since many applications operate in phases of execution, wherein each phase only a subset of operations are used, this overhead is unnecessary for the majority of the application. To address the limitations of the non-blocking version, we present a new design that is wait-free, supports more of the operations provided by the sequential vector,more » and provides alternative implementations of key operations. These alternatives allow the developer to balance the performance and functionality of the vector as requirements change throughout execution. Compared to the known non-blocking version and the concurrent vector found in Intel’s TBB library, our design outperforms or provides comparable performance in the majority of tested scenarios. Over all tested scenarios, the presented design performs an average of 4.97 times more operations per second than the non-blocking vector and 1.54 more than the TBB vector. In a scenario designed to simulate the filling of a vector, performance improvement increases to 13.38 and 1.16 times. This work presents the first ABA-free non-blocking vector. Finally, unlike the other non-blocking approach, all operations are wait-free and bounds-checked and elements are stored contiguously in memory.« less

An Efficient Wait-Free Vector

DOE PAGES

Feldman, Steven; Valera-Leon, Carlos; Dechev, Damian

2016-03-01

The vector is a fundamental data structure, which provides constant-time access to a dynamically-resizable range of elements. Currently, there exist no wait-free vectors. The only non-blocking version supports only a subset of the sequential vector API and exhibits significant synchronization overhead caused by supporting opposing operations. Since many applications operate in phases of execution, wherein each phase only a subset of operations are used, this overhead is unnecessary for the majority of the application. To address the limitations of the non-blocking version, we present a new design that is wait-free, supports more of the operations provided by the sequential vector,more » and provides alternative implementations of key operations. These alternatives allow the developer to balance the performance and functionality of the vector as requirements change throughout execution. Compared to the known non-blocking version and the concurrent vector found in Intel’s TBB library, our design outperforms or provides comparable performance in the majority of tested scenarios. Over all tested scenarios, the presented design performs an average of 4.97 times more operations per second than the non-blocking vector and 1.54 more than the TBB vector. In a scenario designed to simulate the filling of a vector, performance improvement increases to 13.38 and 1.16 times. This work presents the first ABA-free non-blocking vector. Finally, unlike the other non-blocking approach, all operations are wait-free and bounds-checked and elements are stored contiguously in memory.« less

Capacitor blocks for linear transformer driver stages.

PubMed

Kovalchuk, B M; Kharlov, A V; Kumpyak, E V; Smorudov, G V; Zherlitsyn, A A

2014-01-01

In the Linear Transformer Driver (LTD) technology, the low inductance energy storage components and switches are directly incorporated into the individual cavities (named stages) to generate a fast output voltage pulse, which is added along a vacuum coaxial line like in an inductive voltage adder. LTD stages with air insulation were recently developed, where air is used both as insulation in a primary side of the stages and as working gas in the LTD spark gap switches. A custom designed unit, referred to as a capacitor block, was developed for use as a main structural element of the transformer stages. The capacitor block incorporates two capacitors GA 35426 (40 nF, 100 kV) and multichannel multigap gas switch. Several modifications of the capacitor blocks were developed and tested on the life time and self breakdown probability. Blocks were tested both as separate units and in an assembly of capacitive module, consisting of five capacitor blocks. This paper presents detailed design of capacitor blocks, description of operation regimes, numerical simulation of electric field in the switches, and test results.

Increasing efficiency of preclinical research by group sequential designs

PubMed Central

Piper, Sophie K.; Rex, Andre; Florez-Vargas, Oscar; Karystianis, George; Schneider, Alice; Wellwood, Ian; Siegerink, Bob; Ioannidis, John P. A.; Kimmelman, Jonathan; Dirnagl, Ulrich

2017-01-01

Despite the potential benefits of sequential designs, studies evaluating treatments or experimental manipulations in preclinical experimental biomedicine almost exclusively use classical block designs. Our aim with this article is to bring the existing methodology of group sequential designs to the attention of researchers in the preclinical field and to clearly illustrate its potential utility. Group sequential designs can offer higher efficiency than traditional methods and are increasingly used in clinical trials. Using simulation of data, we demonstrate that group sequential designs have the potential to improve the efficiency of experimental studies, even when sample sizes are very small, as is currently prevalent in preclinical experimental biomedicine. When simulating data with a large effect size of d = 1 and a sample size of n = 18 per group, sequential frequentist analysis consumes in the long run only around 80% of the planned number of experimental units. In larger trials (n = 36 per group), additional stopping rules for futility lead to the saving of resources of up to 30% compared to block designs. We argue that these savings should be invested to increase sample sizes and hence power, since the currently underpowered experiments in preclinical biomedicine are a major threat to the value and predictiveness in this research domain. PMID:28282371

Benzyl alcohol and block copolymer micellar lithography: a versatile route to assembling gold and in situ generated titania nanoparticles into uniform binary nanoarrays.

PubMed

Polleux, Julien; Rasp, Matthias; Louban, Ilia; Plath, Nicole; Feldhoff, Armin; Spatz, Joachim P

2011-08-23

Simultaneous synthesis and assembly of nanoparticles that exhibit unique physicochemical properties are critically important for designing new functional devices at the macroscopic scale. In the present study, we report a simple version of block copolymer micellar lithography (BCML) to synthesize gold and titanium dioxide (TiO(2)) nanoarrays by using benzyl alcohol (BnOH) as a solvent. In contrast to toluene, BnOH can lead to the formation of various gold nanopatterns via salt-induced micellization of polystyrene-block-poly(vinylpyridine) (PS-b-P2VP). In the case of titania, the use of BCML with a nonaqueous sol-gel method, the "benzyl alcohol route", enables the fabrication of nanopatterns made of quasi-hexagonally organized particles or parallel wires upon aging a (BnOH-TiCl(4)-PS(846)-b-P2VP(171))-containing solution for four weeks to grow TiO(2) building blocks in situ. This approach was found to depend mainly on the relative lengths of the polymer blocks, which allows nanoparticle-induced micellization and self-assembly during solvent evaporation. Moreover, this versatile route enables the design of uniform and quasi-ordered gold-TiO(2) binary nanoarrays with a precise particle density due to the absence of graphoepitaxy during the deposition of TiO(2) onto gold nanopatterns. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Construction of a thermoresponsive magnetic porous polymer membrane enzyme reactor for glutaminase kinetics study.

PubMed

Zhao, Liping; Qiao, Juan; Moon, Meyong Hee; Qi, Li

2018-06-16

Fabrication of polymer membranes with nanopores and a confinement effect toward enzyme immobilization has been an enabling endeavor. In the work reported here, an enzyme reactor based on a thermoresponsive magnetic porous block copolymer membrane was designed and constructed. Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization was used to synthesize the block copolymer, poly(maleic anhydride-styrene-N-isopropylacrylamide), with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) as the thermoresponsive moiety. The self-assembly property of the block copolymer was used for preparation of magnetic porous thin film matrices with iron oxide nanoparticles. By covalent bonding of glutaminase onto the surface of the membrane matrices and changing the temperature to tune the nanopore size, we observed enhanced enzymolysis efficiency due to the confinement effect. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant and the maximum rate of the enzyme reactor were determined (K m = 32.3 mM, V max = 33.3 mM min -1 ) by a chiral ligand exchange capillary electrochromatography protocol with L-glutamine as the substrate. Compared with free glutaminase in solution, the proposed enzyme reactor exhibits higher enzymolysis efficiency, greater stability, and greater reusability. Furthermore, the enzyme reactor was applied for a glutaminase kinetics study. The tailored pore sizes and the thermoresponsive property of the block copolymer result in the designed porous membrane based enzyme reactor having great potential for high enzymolysis performance. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

Morpho-physiological characterization of cold-and pre-flowering drought tolerance in grain Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) inbreds

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aim: The relationships between early-season cold temperature germination and preflowering drought stress in eight grain sorghum inbreds were assessed using morphophysiological traits. Study Design: Field was laid out in a randomized complete block design. Place and Duration: The experiment was condu...

Double-stranded RNA transcribed from vector-based oligodeoxynucleotide acts as transcription factor decoy

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

Xiao, Xiao; Gang, Yi; Department of Infectious Diseases, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710038, Shaanxi Province

2015-02-06

Highlights: • A shRNA vector based transcription factor decoy, VB-ODN, was designed. • VB-ODN for NF-κB inhibited cell viability in HEK293 cells. • VB-ODN inhibited expression of downstream genes of target transcription factors. • VB-ODN may enhance nuclear entry ratio for its feasibility of virus production. - Abstract: In this study, we designed a short hairpin RNA vector-based oligodeoxynucleotide (VB-ODN) carrying transcription factor (TF) consensus sequence which could function as a decoy to block TF activity. Specifically, VB-ODN for Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) could inhibit cell viability and decrease downstream gene expression in HEK293 cells without affecting expression of NF-κB itself.more » The specific binding between VB-ODN produced double-stranded RNA and NF-κB was evidenced by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Moreover, similar VB-ODNs designed for three other TFs also inhibit their downstream gene expression but not that of themselves. Our study provides a new design of decoy for blocking TF activity.« less

Analgesic Effect Of Bilateral Subcostal Tap Block After Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.

PubMed

Khan, Karima Karam; Khan, Robyna Irshad

2018-01-01

Pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy is mild to moderate in intensity. Several modalities are employed for achieving safe and effective postoperative analgesia, the benefits of which adds to the early recovery of the patients. As a part of multimodal analgesia, various approaches of Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block has been used for management of parietal and incisional components of pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This study was designed to compare the analgesic efficacy of two different approaches of ultrasound guided TAP block, i.e., Subcostal-TAP block technique with ultrasound guided Posterior-TAP block for postoperative pain management in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy under general anaesthesia. In this double blinded randomized controlled study, consecutive nonprobability sampling was done and a total of 126 patients admitted for elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy fulfilling the inclusion criteria were selected. After induction of general anaesthesia, patients were randomized through draw method and received either ultrasound guided posterior TAP block with 0.375% bupivacaine (20ml volume) on each side of the abdomen or subcostal TAP block bilaterally with the same. Up to 24 hours postoperatively, static and dynamic numeric rating pain scores were assessed. We found statistically significant difference in mean static pain scores over 24 hours postoperatively in subcostal TAP group, suggesting improved analgesia. However, mean dynamic postoperative pain scores were comparable between the two groups. Whereas, patients in both groups were satisfied with pain management. Ultrasound guided subcostal TAP block provides better postoperative analgesia as compared to the Posterior TAP block in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Otherwise both of the approaches improve patient outcomes towards early recovery and discharge from hospital.

Comparison of periodontal ligament injection and inferior alveolar nerve block in mandibular primary molars pulpotomy: a randomized control trial.

PubMed

Haghgoo, Roza; Taleghani, Ferial

2015-05-01

Inferior alveolar nerve block is a common technique for anesthesia of the primary mandibular molars. A number of disadvantages have been shown to be associated with this technique. Periodontal ligament (PDL) injection could be considered as an alternative to inferior alveolar nerve block. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of PDL injection in the anesthesia of primary molar pulpotomy with mandibular block. This study was performed using a sequential double-blind randomized trial design. 80 children aged 3-7 years old who required pulpotomy in symmetrical mandibular primary molars were selected. The teeth of these children were anesthetized with periodontal injection on one side of the mandible and block on the other. Pulpotomy was performed on each patient during the same appointment. Signs of discomfort, including hand and body tension and eye movement, the verbal complaint and crying (SEM scale), were evaluated by a dental assistant who was blinded to the treatment allocation of the patients. Finally, the data were analyzed using the exact Fisher test and Pearson Chi-squared exact test. Success rate was 88/75 and 91/25 in the PDL injection and nerve block groups, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the two techniques (P = 0.250). Results showed that PDL injection can be used as an alternative to nerve block in pulpotomy of the mandibular primary molars.

Effects of Interlocking and Supporting Conditions on Concrete Block Pavements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahapatra, Geetimukta; Kalita, Kuldeep

2018-02-01

Concrete Block Paving (CBP) is widely used as wearing course in flexible pavements, preferably under light and medium vehicular loadings. Construction of CBP at site is quick and easy in quality control. Usually, flexible pavement design philosophy is followed in CBP construction, though it is structurally different in terms of small block elements with high strength concrete and their interlocking aspects, frequent joints and discontinuity, restrained edge etc. Analytical solution for such group action of concrete blocks under loading in a three dimensional multilayer structure is complex and thus, the need of conducting experimental studies is necessitated for extensive understanding of the load—deformation characteristics and behavior of concrete blocks in pavement. The present paper focuses on the experimental studies for load transfer characteristics of CBP under different interlocking and supporting conditions. It is observed that both interlocking and supporting conditions affect significantly on the load transfer behavior in CBP structures. Coro-lock block exhibits better performance in terms of load carrying capacity and distortion behavior under static loads. Plate load tests are performed over subgrade, granular sub-base (GSB), CBP with and without GSB using different block shapes. For an example case, the comparison of CBP with conventional flexible pavement section is also presented and it is found that CBP provides considerable benefit in terms of construction cost of the road structure.

Sustainable management and utilisation of concrete slurry waste: A case study in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Hossain, Md Uzzal; Xuan, Dongxing; Poon, Chi Sun

2017-03-01

With the promotion of environmental protection in the construction industry, the mission to achieve more sustainable use of resources during the production process of concrete is also becoming important. This study was conducted to assess the environmental sustainability of concrete slurry waste (CSW) management by life cycle assessment (LCA) techniques, with the aim of identifying a resource-efficient solution for utilisation of CSW in the production of partition wall blocks. CSW is the dewatered solid residues deposited in the sedimentation tank after washing out over-ordered/rejected fresh concrete and concrete trucks in concrete batching plants. The reuse of CSW as recycled aggregates or a cementitious binder for producing partition wall blocks, and the life cycle environmental impact of the blocks were assessed and compared with the conventional one designed with natural materials. The LCA results showed that the partition wall blocks prepared with fresh CSW and recycled concrete aggregates achieved higher sustainability as it consumed 59% lower energy, emitted 66% lower greenhouse gases, and produced lesser amount of other environmental impacts than that of the conventional one. When the mineral carbonation technology was further adopted for blocks curing using CO 2 , the global warming potential of the corresponding blocks production process was negligible, and hence the carbonated blocks may be considered as carbon neutral eco-product. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Skillings-Mack test (Friedman test when there are missing data).

PubMed

Chatfield, Mark; Mander, Adrian

2009-04-01

The Skillings-Mack statistic (Skillings and Mack, 1981, Technometrics 23: 171-177) is a general Friedman-type statistic that can be used in almost any block design with an arbitrary missing-data structure. The missing data can be either missing by design, for example, an incomplete block design, or missing completely at random. The Skillings-Mack test is equivalent to the Friedman test when there are no missing data in a balanced complete block design, and the Skillings-Mack test is equivalent to the test suggested in Durbin (1951, British Journal of Psychology, Statistical Section 4: 85-90) for a balanced incomplete block design. The Friedman test was implemented in Stata by Goldstein (1991, Stata Technical Bulletin 3: 26-27) and further developed in Goldstein (2005, Stata Journal 5: 285). This article introduces the skilmack command, which performs the Skillings-Mack test.The skilmack command is also useful when there are many ties or equal ranks (N.B. the Friedman statistic compared with the chi(2) distribution will give a conservative result), as well as for small samples; appropriate results can be obtained by simulating the distribution of the test statistic under the null hypothesis.

78 FR 31631 - Designation of One (1) Individual Pursuant to Executive Orders 13572 of April 29, 2011, “Blocking...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-24

... to Human Rights Abuses in Syria'' and 13573 of May 18, 2011, ``Blocking Property of Senior Officials... 13572 of April 29, 2011, ``Blocking Property of Certain Persons with Respect to Human Rights Abuses in...

Impedance Matched Absorptive Thermal Blocking Filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wollack, E. J.; Chuss, D. T.; U-Yen, K.; Rostem, K.

2014-01-01

We have designed, fabricated and characterized absorptive thermal blocking filters for cryogenic microwave applications. The transmission line filter's input characteristic impedance is designed to match 50 Omega and its response has been validated from 0-to-50GHz. The observed return loss in the 0-to-20GHz design band is greater than 20 dB and shows graceful degradation with frequency. Design considerations and equations are provided that enable this approach to be scaled and modified for use in other applications.

Impedance Matched Absorptive Thermal Blocking Filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wollack, E. J.; Chuss, D. T.; Rostem, K.; U-Yen, K.

2014-01-01

We have designed, fabricated and characterized absorptive thermal blocking filters for cryogenic microwave applications. The transmission line filter's input characteristic impedance is designed to match 50O and its response has been validated from 0-to-50GHz. The observed return loss in the 0-to-20GHz design band is greater than 20 dB and shows graceful degradation with frequency. Design considerations and equations are provided that enable this approach to be scaled and modified for use in other applications.

Transonic Fan/Compressor Rotor Design Study. Volume 4

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-01

amd Identify by block number) Fan Aircraft Engines Compressor Blade Thickness Rotor Camber Distribution Aerodesign Throat Margin Aerodynamics 20...COMPRESSOR ROTOR DESIGN STUDY Volume IV D.E. Parker and M.R. Simonson General Electric Company Aircraft Engine Business Group Advanced Technology...Compressor Research Group Chief, Technology Branch FOR THE COMMANDER H. IVAN BUS Director, Turbine Engine Division If your address has changed, if you

Transonic Fan/Compressor Rotor Design Study. Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-01

Identity by block number) Fan Aircraft Engines Compressor Blade Thickness Rotor Camber Distribution Aerodesign Throat Margin Aerodynamics 20. 1ABSRACT...COMPRESSOR ROTOR DESIGN STUDY Volume II D.E. Parker and M.R. Simonson General Electric Company / Aircraft Engine Business Group Advanced Technology...Research Group Chief, Technology Branch FOR THE COMMANDER H. IVAN BUSH Director, Turbine Engine Division . If your address has changed, if you wish to be

Adaptive neural control of MIMO nonlinear systems with a block-triangular pure-feedback control structure.

PubMed

Chen, Zhenfeng; Ge, Shuzhi Sam; Zhang, Yun; Li, Yanan

2014-11-01

This paper presents adaptive neural tracking control for a class of uncertain multiinput-multioutput (MIMO) nonlinear systems in block-triangular form. All subsystems within these MIMO nonlinear systems are of completely nonaffine pure-feedback form and allowed to have different orders. To deal with the nonaffine appearance of the control variables, the mean value theorem is employed to transform the systems into a block-triangular strict-feedback form with control coefficients being couplings among various inputs and outputs. A systematic procedure is proposed for the design of a new singularity-free adaptive neural tracking control strategy. Such a design procedure can remove the couplings among subsystems and hence avoids the possible circular control construction problem. As a consequence, all the signals in the closed-loop system are guaranteed to be semiglobally uniformly ultimately bounded. Moreover, the outputs of the systems are ensured to converge to a small neighborhood of the desired trajectories. Simulation studies verify the theoretical findings revealed in this paper.

Enhanced Mechanical Performance of Bio-Inspired Hybrid Structures Utilising Topological Interlocking Geometry.

PubMed

Djumas, Lee; Molotnikov, Andrey; Simon, George P; Estrin, Yuri

2016-05-24

Structural composites inspired by nacre have emerged as prime exemplars for guiding materials design of fracture-resistant, rigid hybrid materials. The intricate microstructure of nacre, which combines a hard majority phase with a small fraction of a soft phase, achieves superior mechanical properties compared to its constituents and has generated much interest. However, replicating the hierarchical microstructure of nacre is very challenging, not to mention improving it. In this article, we propose to alter the geometry of the hard building blocks by introducing the concept of topological interlocking. This design principle has previously been shown to provide an inherently brittle material with a remarkable flexural compliance. We now demonstrate that by combining the basic architecture of nacre with topological interlocking of discrete hard building blocks, hybrid materials of a new type can be produced. By adding a soft phase at the interfaces between topologically interlocked blocks in a single-build additive manufacturing process, further improvement of mechanical properties is achieved. The design of these fabricated hybrid structures has been guided by computational work elucidating the effect of various geometries. To our knowledge, this is the first reported study that combines the advantages of nacre-inspired structures with the benefits of topological interlocking.

Integrated mixed signal control IC for 500-kHz switching frequency buck regulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Keng; Zhang, Hong

2015-12-01

The main purpose for this work is to study the challenges of designing a digital buck regulator using pipelined analog to digital converter (ADC). Although pipelined ADC can achieve high sampling speed, it will introduce additional phase lag to the buck circuit. Along with the latency brought by processing time of additional digital circuits, as well as the time delay associated with the switching frequency, the closed loop will be unstable; moreover, raw ADC outputs have low signal-to-noise ratio, which usually need back-end calibration. In order to compensate these phase lag and make control loop unconditional stable, as well as boost up signal-to-noise ratio of the ADC block with cost-efficient design, a finite impulse response filter followed by digital proportional-integral-derivative blocks were designed. All these digital function blocks were optimised with processing speed. In the system simulation, it can be found that this controller achieved output regulation within 10% of nominal 5 V output voltage under 1 A/µs load transient condition; moreover, with the soft-start method, there is no turn-on overshooting. The die size of this controller is controlled within 3 mm2 by using 180 nm CMOS technology.

76 FR 60130 - Unblocking of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons Pursuant to the Cuban Assets...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-28

... removal from the list of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (``SDN List'') of the... INFORMATION: Electronic and Facsimile Availability The SDN List and additional information concerning OFAC are... service at (202) 622-0077. Background On September 21, 2011, OFAC unblocked and removed from the SDN List...

75 FR 81718 - Unblocking of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons Pursuant to Executive Order...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-28

... Foreign Assets Control (``OFAC'') is publishing the names of ten individuals whose property and interests... Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (``SDN List'') of the ten individuals identified in this notice... Annex to Executive Order 13288 included 77 individuals, including nine of the ten individuals identified...

29 CFR 1919.32 - Specially designed blocks and components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 29 Labor 7 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Specially designed blocks and components. 1919.32 Section 1919.32 Labor Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued) OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (CONTINUED) GEAR CERTIFICATION Certification of Vessels: Tests and Proof Loads; Heat Treatment; Competent Persons § 1919.32...

Origami-inspired building block and parametric design for mechanical metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Wei; Ma, Hua; Feng, Mingde; Yan, Leilei; Wang, Jiafu; Wang, Jun; Qu, Shaobo

2016-08-01

An origami-based building block of mechanical metamaterials is proposed and explained by introducing a mechanism model based on its geometry. According to our model, this origami mechanism supports response to uniaxial tension that depends on structure parameters. Hence, its mechanical properties can be tunable by adjusting the structure parameters. Experiments for poly lactic acid (PLA) samples were carried out, and the results are in good agreement with those of finite element analysis (FEA). This work may be useful for designing building blocks of mechanical metamaterials or other complex mechanical structures.

RAD hard PROM design study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The results of a preliminary study on the design of a radiation hardened fusible link programmable read-only memory (PROM) are presented. Various fuse technologies and the effects of radiation on MOS integrated circuits are surveyed. A set of design rules allowing the fabrication of a radiation hardened PROM using a Si-gate CMOS process is defined. A preliminary cell layout was completed and the programming concept defined. A block diagram is used to describe the circuit components required for a 4 K design. A design goal data sheet giving target values for the AC, DC, and radiation parameters of the circuit is presented.

Ionic Blocks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sevcik, Richard S.; Gamble, Rex; Martinez, Elizabet; Schultz, Linda D.; Alexander, Susan V.

2008-01-01

"Ionic Blocks" is a teaching tool designed to help middle school students visualize the concepts of ions, ionic compounds, and stoichiometry. It can also assist high school students in reviewing their subject mastery. Three dimensional blocks are used to represent cations and anions, with color indicating charge (positive or negative) and size…

Venus wind-altitude radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levanon, N.

1974-01-01

A design study on adding a radar altimeter to the Pioneer Venus small probe is review. Block and timing diagrams are provided. The inherent and interface ambiguities, resolution, and data handling logic for radar altimeters are described.

Liposomal bupivacaine versus interscalene nerve block for pain control after shoulder arthroplasty: A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Yan, Zeng; Chen, Zong; Ma, Chuangen

2017-07-01

Postoperative pain control after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) can be challenging. Liposomal bupivacaine and interscalene nerve block are 2 common pain control protocol for TSA patients. However, whether liposomal bupivacaine was superior than interscalene nerve block was unknown. This meta-analysis aimed to illustrate the efficacy liposomal bupivacaine versus interscalene nerve block for pain control in patients undergoing TSA. In May 2017, a systematic computer-based search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Google database. Data on patients prepared for TSA in studies that compared liposomal bupivacaine versus interscalene nerve block were retrieved. The endpoints were the visual analogue scale (VAS) at 4 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, and 2 weeks, total morphine consumption at 24 hours, and the length of hospital stay. Software of Stata 12.0 was used for pooling the final outcomes. Five clinical studies with 573 patients (liposomal bupivacaine group = 239, interscalene nerve block group = 334) were ultimately included in the meta-analysis. There was no significant difference between the VAS at 4 hours, 8 hours, and 2 weeks between liposomal bupivacaine group and interscalene nerve block group (P > .05). Compared with interscalene nerve block group, liposomal bupivacaine was associated with a reduction of VAS score at 12 hours, 24 hours by appropriately 3.31 points and 6.42 points respectively on a 100-point VAS. Furthermore, liposomal bupivacaine was associated with a significantly reduction of the length of hospital stay by appropriately by 0.16 days compared with interscalene nerve block group. Current meta-analysis indicates that compared with interscalene nerve block, liposomal bupivacaine had comparative effectiveness on reducing both pain scores and the length of hospital stay. However, studies with more patients and better-designed methods are needed to establish the optimal regimen and the safety of liposomal bupivacaine in TSA patients.

Liposomal bupivacaine versus interscalene nerve block for pain control after shoulder arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Yan, Zeng; Chen, Zong; Ma, Chuangen

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Postoperative pain control after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) can be challenging. Liposomal bupivacaine and interscalene nerve block are 2 common pain control protocol for TSA patients. However, whether liposomal bupivacaine was superior than interscalene nerve block was unknown. This meta-analysis aimed to illustrate the efficacy liposomal bupivacaine versus interscalene nerve block for pain control in patients undergoing TSA. Methods: In May 2017, a systematic computer-based search was conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Google database. Data on patients prepared for TSA in studies that compared liposomal bupivacaine versus interscalene nerve block were retrieved. The endpoints were the visual analogue scale (VAS) at 4 hours, 8 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours, and 2 weeks, total morphine consumption at 24 hours, and the length of hospital stay. Software of Stata 12.0 was used for pooling the final outcomes. Results: Five clinical studies with 573 patients (liposomal bupivacaine group = 239, interscalene nerve block group = 334) were ultimately included in the meta-analysis. There was no significant difference between the VAS at 4 hours, 8 hours, and 2 weeks between liposomal bupivacaine group and interscalene nerve block group (P > .05). Compared with interscalene nerve block group, liposomal bupivacaine was associated with a reduction of VAS score at 12 hours, 24 hours by appropriately 3.31 points and 6.42 points respectively on a 100-point VAS. Furthermore, liposomal bupivacaine was associated with a significantly reduction of the length of hospital stay by appropriately by 0.16 days compared with interscalene nerve block group. Conclusion: Current meta-analysis indicates that compared with interscalene nerve block, liposomal bupivacaine had comparative effectiveness on reducing both pain scores and the length of hospital stay. However, studies with more patients and better-designed methods are needed to establish the optimal regimen and the safety of liposomal bupivacaine in TSA patients. PMID:28682872

Protein based Block Copolymers

PubMed Central

Rabotyagova, Olena S.; Cebe, Peggy; Kaplan, David L.

2011-01-01

Advances in genetic engineering have led to the synthesis of protein-based block copolymers with control of chemistry and molecular weight, resulting in unique physical and biological properties. The benefits from incorporating peptide blocks into copolymer designs arise from the fundamental properties of proteins to adopt ordered conformations and to undergo self-assembly, providing control over structure formation at various length scales when compared to conventional block copolymers. This review covers the synthesis, structure, assembly, properties, and applications of protein-based block copolymers. PMID:21235251

Efficient Multiplexer FPGA Block Structures Based on G4FETs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vatan, Farrokh; Fijany, Amir

2009-01-01

Generic structures have been conceived for multiplexer blocks to be implemented in field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) based on four-gate field-effect transistors (G(sup 4)FETs). This concept is a contribution to the continuing development of digital logic circuits based on G4FETs and serves as a further demonstration that logic circuits based on G(sup 4)FETs could be more efficient (in the sense that they could contain fewer transistors), relative to functionally equivalent logic circuits based on conventional transistors. Results in this line of development at earlier stages were summarized in two previous NASA Tech Briefs articles: "G(sup 4)FETs as Universal and Programmable Logic Gates" (NPO-41698), Vol. 31, No. 7 (July 2007), page 44, and "Efficient G4FET-Based Logic Circuits" (NPO-44407), Vol. 32, No. 1 ( January 2008), page 38 . As described in the first-mentioned previous article, a G4FET can be made to function as a three-input NOT-majority gate, which has been shown to be a universal and programmable logic gate. The universality and programmability could be exploited to design logic circuits containing fewer components than are required for conventional transistor-based circuits performing the same logic functions. The second-mentioned previous article reported results of a comparative study of NOT-majority-gate (G(sup 4)FET)-based logic-circuit designs and equivalent NOR- and NAND-gate-based designs utilizing conventional transistors. [NOT gates (inverters) were also included, as needed, in both the G(sup 4)FET- and the NOR- and NAND-based designs.] In most of the cases studied, fewer logic gates (and, hence, fewer transistors), were required in the G(sup 4)FET-based designs. There are two popular categories of FPGA block structures or architectures: one based on multiplexers, the other based on lookup tables. In standard multiplexer- based architectures, the basic building block is a tree-like configuration of multiplexers, with possibly a few additional logic gates such as ANDs or ORs. Interconnections are realized by means of programmable switches that may connect the input terminals of a block to output terminals of other blocks, may bridge together some of the inputs, or may connect some of the input terminals to signal sources representing constant logical levels 0 or 1. The left part of the figure depicts a four-to-one G(sup 4)FET-based multiplexer tree; the right part of the figure depicts a functionally equivalent four-to-one multiplexer based on conventional transistors. The G(sup 4)FET version would contains 54 transistors; the conventional version contains 70 transistors.

Optimization of block-floating-point realizations for digital controllers with finite-word-length considerations.

PubMed

Wu, Jun; Hu, Xie-he; Chen, Sheng; Chu, Jian

2003-01-01

The closed-loop stability issue of finite-precision realizations was investigated for digital controllers implemented in block-floating-point format. The controller coefficient perturbation was analyzed resulting from using finite word length (FWL) block-floating-point representation scheme. A block-floating-point FWL closed-loop stability measure was derived which considers both the dynamic range and precision. To facilitate the design of optimal finite-precision controller realizations, a computationally tractable block-floating-point FWL closed-loop stability measure was then introduced and the method of computing the value of this measure for a given controller realization was developed. The optimal controller realization is defined as the solution that maximizes the corresponding measure, and a numerical optimization approach was adopted to solve the resulting optimal realization problem. A numerical example was used to illustrate the design procedure and to compare the optimal controller realization with the initial realization.

A comparative study of nerve stimulator versus ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block.

PubMed

Duncan, Mithun; Shetti, Akshaya N; Tripathy, Debendra Kumar; Roshansingh, D; Krishnaveni, N

2013-01-01

With the advent of ultrasound (US) guidance, this technique saw resurgence in the late 1990s. As US guidance provides real-time view of the block needle, the brachial plexus, and its spatial relationship to the surrounding vital structures; it not only increased the success rates, but also brought down the complication rates. Most of the studies show use of US guidance for performing brachial plexus block, results in near 100% success with or without complications. This study has been designed to examine the technique and usefulness of state-of-the-art US technology-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block and compare it with routine nerve stimulator (NS)-guided technique. To note block execution time, time of onset of sensory and motor block, quality of block and success rates. Randomized controlled trial. A total of 60 patients were enrolled in this prospective randomized study and were randomly divided into two groups: US (Group US) and NS (Group NS). Both groups received 1:1 mixture of 0.5% bupivacaine and 2% lignocaine with 1:200000 adrenaline. The amount of local anaesthetic injected calculated according to the body weight and not crossing the toxic dosage (Inj. bupivacaine 2 mg/kg, Inj. lignocaine with adrenaline 7 mg/kg). The parameters compared between the two groups are block execution time, time of onset of sensory and motor block, quality of sensory and motor block, success rates are noted. The failed blocks are supplemented with general anesthesia. The data were analyzed using the SPSS (version 19) software. The parametric data were analyzed with student "t" test and the nonparametric data were analyzed with Chi-square test A P < 0.05 was considered significant. There was no significant difference between patient groups with regard to demographic data, the time of onset of sensory and motor block. Comparing the two groups, we found that the difference in the block execution time and success rates is not statistically significant. A failure rate of 10% in US and 20% in NS group observed and is statistically insignificant (P = 0.278). No complication observed in either group. US and NS group guidance for performing supraclavicular brachial plexus blocks ensures a high success rate and a decreased incidence of complications that are associated with the blind technique. However, our study did not prove the superiority of one technique over the other. The US-guided technique seemed to have an edge over the NS-guided technique. A larger study may be required to analyze the advantages of using US in performing supraclavicular brachial plexus blocks, which could help justify the cost of purchase of the US machine.

Widely Tunable Morphologies in Block Copolymer Thin Films Through Solvent Vapor Annealing Using Mixtures of Selective Solvents

PubMed Central

Chavis, Michelle A.; Smilgies, Detlef-M.; Wiesner, Ulrich B.; Ober, Christopher K.

2015-01-01

Thin films of block copolymers are extremely attractive for nanofabrication because of their ability to form uniform and periodic nanoscale structures by microphase separation. One shortcoming of this approach is that to date the design of a desired equilibrium structure requires synthesis of a block copolymer de novo within the corresponding volume ratio of the blocks. In this work, we investigated solvent vapor annealing in supported thin films of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate)-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) [PHEMA-b-PMMA] by means of grazing incidence small angle X–ray scattering (GISAXS). A spin-coated thin film of lamellar block copolymer was solvent vapor annealed to induce microphase separation and improve the long-range order of the self-assembled pattern. Annealing in a mixture of solvent vapors using a controlled volume ratio of solvents (methanol, MeOH, and tetrahydrofuran, THF), which are chosen to be preferential for each block, enabled selective formation of ordered lamellae, gyroid, hexagonal or spherical morphologies from a single block copolymer with a fixed volume fraction. The selected microstructure was then kinetically trapped in the dry film by rapid drying. To our knowledge, this paper describes the first reported case where in-situ methods are used to study the transition of block copolymer films from one initial disordered morphology to four different ordered morphologies, covering much of the theoretical diblock copolymer phase diagram. PMID:26819574

Motivational Strategies for Instructional Design.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-24

This space is for use by the Defense Documentation Center. Block 3. Recipient’s Catalog Number. Leave blank. This space is for the use of the report...will be placed in this space . If no such numbers are used, leave this space blank. Block 7. Author(s). Include corresponding information from the...that are concerned with the spccffl.: problem of designing motivating instruction. Keller’s in pre.) paper provides a motivational design theory which

Lack of habituation to shocking words: the attentional bias to their spatial origin is context free.

PubMed

Bertels, Julie; Kolinsky, Régine; Morais, José

2012-01-01

Following a suggestion made by Aquino and Arnell (2007), we assumed that the processing of emotional words is influenced by their context of presentation. Supporting this idea, previous studies using the emotional Stroop task in its visual or auditory variant revealed different results depending on the mixed versus blocked presentation of the stimuli (Bertels, Kolinsky, Pietrons, & Morais, 2011; Richards, French, Johnson, Naparstek, & Williams, 1992). In the present study, we investigated the impact of these presentation designs on the occurrence of spatial attentional biases in a modified version of the beep-probe task (Bertels, Kolinsky, & Morais, 2010). Attentional vigilance to taboo words as well as non-spatial slowing effects of these words were observed whatever the mixed or blocked design, whereas attentional vigilance to positive words was only observed in the mixed design. Together with the results from our previous study (Bertels et al., 2010), the present data support the reliability of the effects of shocking stimuli, while vigilance to positive words would only be observed in a threatening context.

Novel High Efficient Organic Photovoltaic Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sun, Sam; Haliburton, James; Wang, Yi-Qing; Fan, Zhen; Taft, Charles; Maaref, Shahin; Bailey, Sheila (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

Solar energy is a renewable, nonpolluting, and most abundant energy source for human exploration of a remote site or outer space. In order to generate appreciable electrical power in space or on the earth, it is necessary to collect sunlight from large areas and with high efficiency due to the low density of sunlight. Future organic or polymer (plastic) solar cells appear very attractive due to their unique features such as light weight, flexible shape, tunability of energy band-gaps via versatile molecular or supramolecular design, synthesis, processing and device fabrication schemes, and much lower cost on large scale industrial production. It has been predicted that supramolecular and nano-phase separated block copolymer systems containing electron rich donor blocks and electron deficient acceptor blocks may facilitate the charge carrier separation and migration due to improved electronic ultrastructure and morphology in comparison to polymer composite system. This presentation will describe our recent progress in the design, synthesis and characterization of a novel block copolymer system containing donor and acceptor blocks covalently attached. Specifically, the donor block contains an electron donating alkyloxy derivatized polyphenylenevinylene (RO-PPV), the acceptor block contains an electron withdrawing alkyl-sulfone derivatized polyphenylenevinylene (SF-PPV). The key synthetic strategy includes the synthesis of each individual block first, then couple the blocks together. While the donor block has a strong PL emission at around 560 nm, and acceptor block has a strong PL emission at around 520 nm, the PL emissions of final block copolymers are severely quenched. This verifies the expected electron transfer and charge separation due to interfaces of donor and acceptor nano phase separated blocks. The system therefore has potential for variety light harvesting applications, including high efficient photovoltaic applications.

Native American Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Porter, C. Fayne; And Others

Designed to accommodate a semester course in Native American Literature for secondary students, this teacher's guide includes a general introduction, a statement of the philosophy and goals upon which it is predicated, a nine-week block on post-Columbian literature, a nine-week block on oral literature, separate appendices for each block, a…

24 CFR 3285.306 - Design procedures for concrete block piers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... top to the bottom of the pier must not exceed one-half inch. (5) Mortar is not required, unless... not exceeded. Mortar is not required for concrete block piers, unless otherwise specified in the..., in accordance with acceptable engineering practice. Mortar is not required for concrete block piers...

24 CFR 3285.306 - Design procedures for concrete block piers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... top to the bottom of the pier must not exceed one-half inch. (5) Mortar is not required, unless... not exceeded. Mortar is not required for concrete block piers, unless otherwise specified in the..., in accordance with acceptable engineering practice. Mortar is not required for concrete block piers...

24 CFR 3285.306 - Design procedures for concrete block piers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... top to the bottom of the pier must not exceed one-half inch. (5) Mortar is not required, unless... not exceeded. Mortar is not required for concrete block piers, unless otherwise specified in the..., in accordance with acceptable engineering practice. Mortar is not required for concrete block piers...

24 CFR 3285.306 - Design procedures for concrete block piers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... top to the bottom of the pier must not exceed one-half inch. (5) Mortar is not required, unless... not exceeded. Mortar is not required for concrete block piers, unless otherwise specified in the..., in accordance with acceptable engineering practice. Mortar is not required for concrete block piers...

Can Facebook pages be a mode of blended learning to supplement in-class teaching in Saudi Arabia?

PubMed

Anwar, Khurshid; Sajid, Muhammad Raihan; Cahusac, Peter; Shaikh, Abdul Ahad; Elgammal, Ahmad; Alshedoukhy, Ahlam; Kashir, Junaid

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to examine the potential of a self-designed Facebook page on Neuroscience, to supplement in-class teaching as a mode of blended learning. Posts were split into multiple choice questions (MCQs), general interest articles, neuroscience-related external links and resources, and lecture notes and PowerPoint presentations. The study was divided into three distinct phases: before, during, and after the Neuroscience block. Student responses were evaluated via a self-developed questionnaire. Grades achieved by students undertaking the block in 2015 and 2014 were recorded, as were the grades achieved by the same cohort in concurrent blocks in the same year of study. Results showed that ~80% of students reported that use of the page enhanced their overall subject knowledge and exam preparation. Highest page activity occurred during the Neuroscience block. Peak activity occurred directly before summative assessments, with MCQ posts having the highest impact. The cohort of students with access to the Facebook page achieved better grades in the block compared with the previous cohort, despite similar average performance in other subjects. We demonstrate the utility of Facebook as a powerful tool for undergraduate education, supplementing in-class teaching, and assisting in exam preparation, potentially increasing average student performance. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Antiparallel pinned NiO spin valve sensor for GMR head application (invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinarbasi, M.; Metin, S.; Gill, H.; Parker, M.; Gurney, B.; Carey, M.; Tsang, C.

2000-05-01

NiO antiferromagnetic material possesses certain advantages for spin valve applications and has attracted considerable attention. Some of the key advantages are its insulating properties, very high corrosion resistance, less sensitivity to composition, and its low reset temperature. This material, however, has a low blocking temperature which prevents its application to simple spin valve designs. The use of this material in spin valve structures required significant improvements in thermal stability, blocking temperature, and the spin valve design. In the present study, the blocking temperature and the blocking temperature distribution of the NiO films have been improved by depositing the films reactively using ion beam sputtering. A number of improvements in the processing method and deposition system had to be made to allow full NiO spin valve deposition for mass production. Another critical part was the use of antiparallel pinned design in place of the simple design to improve the thermal stability of the NiO spin valves as read elements at disk drive temperatures. The selection of the ferromagnetic pinned layers and the Ru spacer thickness in AP-pinned spin valves has significant impact on the behavior of the devices. These spin valves are all bottom type, NiO/PL1/Ru/PL2/Cu/Co/NiFe/Ta, where the metallic portion of the spin valve is deposited on top of the NiO AF layer. The PL1 and PL2 are ferromagnetic layers comprising NiFe and Co layers. Read elements have been made using these spin valves that delivered areal densities of 12 Gbit/in. These topics and other improvements which resulted in successful use of NiO spin valves as GMR heads in hard disk drives will be discussed.

SU-E-T-419: Fabricating Cerrobend Grids with 3D Printing for Spatially Modulated Radiation Therapy: A Feasibility Study

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

Zhu, X; Driewer, J; Lei, Y

2015-06-15

Purpose: Grid therapy has promising applications in the radiation treatment of bulky and large tumors. However, research and applications of grid therapy is limited by the accessibility of the specialized blocks that produce the grid of pencil-like radiation beams. In this study, a Cerrobend grid block was fabricated using a 3D printing technique. Methods: A grid block mold was designed with divergent tubes following beam central rays. The mold was printed using a resin with the working temperature below 230 °C. The melted Cerrobend liquid at 120°oC was cast into the resin mold to yield a block with a thicknessmore » of 7.4 cm. The grid had a hexagonal pattern, with each pencil beam diameter of 1.4 cm at the iso-center plane; the distance between the beam centers was 2 cm. The dosimetric properties of the grid block were studied using radiographic film and small field dosimeters. Results: the grid block was fabricated to be mounted at the third accessory mount of a Siemens Oncor linear accelerator. Fabricating a grid block using 3D printing is similar to making cutouts for traditional radiotherapy photon blocks, with the difference being that the mold was created by a 3D printer rather than foam. In this study, the valley-to-peak ratio for a 6MV photon grid beam was 20% at dmax, and 30% at 10 cm depth, respectively. Conclusion: We have demonstrated a novel process for implementing grid radiotherapy using 3D printing techniques. Compared to existing approaches, our technique combines reduced cost, accessibility, and flexibility in customization with efficient delivery. This lays the groundwork for future studies to improve our understanding of the efficacy of grid therapy and apply it to improve cancer treatment.« less

An interactive multi-block grid generation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kao, T. J.; Su, T. Y.; Appleby, Ruth

1992-01-01

A grid generation procedure combining interactive and batch grid generation programs was put together to generate multi-block grids for complex aircraft configurations. The interactive section provides the tools for 3D geometry manipulation, surface grid extraction, boundary domain construction for 3D volume grid generation, and block-block relationships and boundary conditions for flow solvers. The procedure improves the flexibility and quality of grid generation to meet the design/analysis requirements.

Visuo-Spatial Performance in Autism: A Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muth, Anne; Hönekopp, Johannes; Falter, Christine M.

2014-01-01

Visuo-spatial skills are believed to be enhanced in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). This meta-analysis tests the current state of evidence for Figure Disembedding, Block Design, Mental Rotation and Navon tasks in ASD and neurotypicals. Block Design (d = 0.32) and Figure Disembedding (d = 0.26) showed superior performance for ASD with large…

31 CFR Appendix A to Chapter V - Information Pertaining to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List A Appendix A to Chapter V Money and Finance... OF THE TREASURY Ch. V, App. A Appendix A to Chapter V—Information Pertaining to the Specially... the economic sanctions programs in chapter V. 6. Specific licenses previously issued by OFAC may...

Transonic Fan/Compressor Rotor Design Study. Volume 3

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-01

KEY WORDS (Continue on revere. old. $1 nocoeoary and identify by block nuvb.,) Fan Aircraft Engines Compressor Blade Thickne)s Rotor Camber...COMPRESSOR ’Q ROTOR DESIGN STUDY Volume III D.E. Parker and M.R. Simonson CZ) General Electric Company Aircraft Engine Business Group Advanced...Compressor Research Group Chief, Technology Branch FOR THE COMMANDER H. WAN BI Director, Turbine Engine Division ŕ *If your address has changed, if you wish

Peculiarities of Clutch Forming Rails and Wheel Block Construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiler, V. V.; Galiev, I. I.; Shiler, A. V.

2018-03-01

The clutch of the wheel and rail is significantly influenced by the design features of the standard wheel pair, which are manifested in the presence of "parasitic" slipping of the wheels along the rails during its movement. The purpose of the presented work is to evaluate new design solutions for wheel sets. The research was carried out using methods of comparative simulation modelling and physical prototyping. A new design of the wheel pair (block wheel pair) is proposed, which features an independent rotation of all surfaces of the wheels in contact with the rails. The block construction of the wheel pair forms open mechanical contours with the track gauge, which completely eliminates the "parasitic" slippage. As a result, in the process of implementing traction or braking forces, the coupling coefficient of the block construction of the wheel pair is significantly higher than that of existing structures. In addition, in the run-out mode, the resistance to movement of the block wheel pair is half as much. All this will allow one to significantly reduce the energy consumption for traction of trains, wear of track elements and crew, and to increase the speed and safety of train traffic.

Architecture and design of a 500-MHz gallium-arsenide processing element for a parallel supercomputer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fouts, Douglas J.; Butner, Steven E.

1991-01-01

The design of the processing element of GASP, a GaAs supercomputer with a 500-MHz instruction issue rate and 1-GHz subsystem clocks, is presented. The novel, functionally modular, block data flow architecture of GASP is described. The architecture and design of a GASP processing element is then presented. The processing element (PE) is implemented in a hybrid semiconductor module with 152 custom GaAs ICs of eight different types. The effects of the implementation technology on both the system-level architecture and the PE design are discussed. SPICE simulations indicate that parts of the PE are capable of being clocked at 1 GHz, while the rest of the PE uses a 500-MHz clock. The architecture utilizes data flow techniques at a program block level, which allows efficient execution of parallel programs while maintaining reasonably good performance on sequential programs. A simulation study of the architecture indicates that an instruction execution rate of over 30,000 MIPS can be attained with 65 PEs.

Low cost miniature data collection platform

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The development of the RF elements of a telecommunications package involved detailed study and analysis of concepts and techniques followed by laboratory testing and evaluation of designs. The design goals for a complete telecommunications package excluding antenna were a total weight of 300 grams, in a total volume of 400 cu cm with a capability of unattended operation for a period of six months. Of utmost importance is extremely low cost when produced in lots of 10,000. Early in the program it became apparent that a single Miniature Data Collection Platform would not satisfy all users. A single high efficiency system would not satisfy a user who had available a large battery capacity but required a low cost system. Conversely, the low cost system would not satisfy the end user who had a very limited battery capacity. A system design to satisfy these varied requirements was implemented by designing several versions of the system building blocks and then constructing three systems from these building blocks.

Viking Orbiter 1975 articulation control subsystem design analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horiuchi, H. H.; Vallas, L. J.

1973-01-01

The articulation control subsystem, developed for the Viking Orbiter 1975 spacecraft, is a digital, multiplexed, closed-loop servo system used to control the pointing and positioning of the science scan platform and the high-gain communication antenna, and to position the solar-energy controller louver blades for the thermal control of the propellant tanks. The development, design, and anlaysis of the subsystem is preliminary. The subsystem consists of a block-redundant control electronics multiplexed among eight control actuators. Each electronics block is capable of operating either individually or simultaneously with the second block. This provides the subsystem the capability of simultaneous two-actuator control or a single actuator control with the second block in a stand-by redundant mode. The result of the preliminary design and analysis indicates that the subsystem will perform satisfactorily in the Viking Orbiter 1975 mission. Some of the parameter values used, particularly those in the subsystem dynamics and the error estimates, are preliminary and the results will be updated as more accurate parameter values become available.

Optical design of cipher block chaining (CBC) encryption mode by using digital holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gil, Sang Keun; Jeon, Seok Hee; Jung, Jong Rae; Kim, Nam

2016-03-01

We propose an optical design of cipher block chaining (CBC) encryption by using digital holographic technique, which has higher security than the conventional electronic method because of the analog-type randomized cipher text with 2-D array. In this paper, an optical design of CBC encryption mode is implemented by 2-step quadrature phase-shifting digital holographic encryption technique using orthogonal polarization. A block of plain text is encrypted with the encryption key by applying 2-step phase-shifting digital holography, and it is changed into cipher text blocks which are digital holograms. These ciphered digital holograms with the encrypted information are Fourier transform holograms and are recorded on CCDs with 256 gray levels quantized intensities. The decryption is computed by these encrypted digital holograms of cipher texts, the same encryption key and the previous cipher text. Results of computer simulations are presented to verify that the proposed method shows the feasibility in the high secure CBC encryption system.

Controlling Microstructure-Transport Interplay in Highly Phase-Separated Perfluorosulfonated Aromatic Multiblock Ionomers via Molecular Architecture Design.

PubMed

Nguyen, Huu-Dat; Assumma, Luca; Judeinstein, Patrick; Mercier, Regis; Porcar, Lionel; Jestin, Jacques; Iojoiu, Cristina; Lyonnard, Sandrine

2017-01-18

Proton-conducting multiblock polysulfones bearing perfluorosulfonic acid side chains were designed to encode nanoscale phase-separation, well-defined hydrophilic/hydrophobic interfaces, and optimized transport properties. Herein, we show that the superacid side chains yield highly ordered morphologies that can be tailored by best compromising ion-exchange capacity and block lengths. The obtained microstructures were extensively characterized by small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) over an extended range of hydration. Peculiar swelling behaviors were evidenced at two different scales and attributed to the dilution of locally flat polymer particles. We evidence the direct correlation between the quality of interfaces, the topology and connectivity of ionic nanodomains, the block superstructure long-range organization, and the transport properties. In particular, we found that the proton conductivity linearly depends on the microscopic expansion of both ionic and block domains. These findings indicate that neat nanoscale phase-separation and block-induced long-range connectivity can be optimized by designing aromatic ionomers with controlled architectures to improve the performances of polymer electrolyte membranes.

Molecular dynamics study of the encapsulation capability of a PCL-PEO based block copolymer for hydrophobic drugs with different spatial distributions of hydrogen bond donors and acceptors.

PubMed

Patel, Sarthak K; Lavasanifar, Afsaneh; Choi, Phillip

2010-03-01

Molecular dynamics simulation was used to study the potential of using a block copolymer containing three poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) blocks of equal length connected to one end of a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) block, designated as PEO-b-3PCL, to encapsulate two classes of hydrophobic drugs with distinctively different molecular structures. In particular, the first class of drugs consisted of two cucurbitacin drugs (CuB and CuI) that contain multiple hydrogen bond donors and acceptors evenly distributed on their molecules while the other class of drugs (fenofibrate and nimodipine) contain essentially only clustered hydrogen bond acceptors. In the case of cucurbitacin drugs, the results showed that PEO-b-3PCL lowered the Flory-Huggins interaction parameters (chi) considerably (i.e., increased the drug solubility) compared to the linear di-block copolymer PEO-b-PCL with the same PCL/PEO (w/w) ratio of 1.0. However, the opposite effect was observed for fenofibrate and nimodipine. Analysis of the intermolecular interactions indicates that the number of hydrogen bonds formed between the three PCL blocks and cucurbitacin drugs is significantly higher than that of the linear di-block copolymer. On the other hand, owing to the absence of hydrogen bond donors and the clustering of the hydrogen bond acceptors on the fenofibrate and nimodipine molecules, this significantly reduces the number of hydrogen bonds formed in the multi-PCL block environment, leading to unfavourable chi values. The findings of the present work suggest that multi-hydrophobic block architecture could potentially increase the drug loading for hydrophobic drugs with structures containing evenly distributed multiple hydrogen bond donors and acceptors. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-aligned block technology: a step toward further scaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazzarino, Frédéric; Mohanty, Nihar; Feurprier, Yannick; Huli, Lior; Luong, Vinh; Demand, Marc; Decoster, Stefan; Vega Gonzalez, Victor; Ryckaert, Julien; Kim, Ryan Ryoung Han; Mallik, Arindam; Leray, Philippe; Wilson, Chris; Boemmels, Jürgen; Kumar, Kaushik; Nafus, Kathleen; deVilliers, Anton; Smith, Jeffrey; Fonseca, Carlos; Bannister, Julie; Scheer, Steven; Tokei, Zsolt; Piumi, Daniele; Barla, Kathy

2017-04-01

In this work, we present and compare two integration approaches to enable self-alignment of the block suitable for the 5- nm technology node. The first approach is exploring the insertion of a spin-on metal-based material to memorize the first block and act as an etch stop layer in the overall integration. The second approach is evaluating the self-aligned block technology employing widely used organic materials and well-known processes. The concept and the motivation are discussed considering the effects on design and mask count as well as the impact on process complexity and EPE budget. We show the integration schemes and discuss the requirements to enable self-alignment. We present the details of materials and processes selection to allow optimal selective etches and we demonstrate the proof of concept using a 16- nm half-pitch BEOL vehicle. Finally, a study on technology insertion and cost estimation is presented.

Structure and Dynamics Ionic Block co-Polymer Melts: Computational Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aryal, Dipak; Perahia, Dvora; Grest, Gary S.

Tethering ionomer blocks into co-polymers enables engineering of polymeric systems designed to encompass transport while controlling structure. Here the structure and dynamics of symmetric pentablock copolymers melts are probed by fully atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. The center block consists of randomly sulfonated polystyrene with sulfonation fractions f = 0 to 0.55 tethered to a hydrogenated polyisoprene (PI), end caped with poly(t-butyl styrene). We find that melts with f = 0.15 and 0.30 consist of isolated ionic clusters whereas melts with f = 0.55 exhibit a long-range percolating ionic network. Similar to polystyrene sulfonate, a small number of ionic clusters slow the mobility of the center of mass of the co-polymer, however, formation of the ionic clusters is slower and they are often intertwined with PI segments. Surprisingly, the segmental dynamics of the other blocks are also affected. NSF DMR-1611136; NERSC; Palmetto Cluster Clemson University; Kraton Polymers US, LLC.

Laser dynamics: The system dynamics and network theory of optoelectronic integrated circuit design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarng, Tom Shinming-T. K.

Laser dynamics is the system dynamics, communication and network theory for the design of opto-electronic integrated circuit (OEIC). Combining the optical network theory and optical communication theory, the system analysis and design for the OEIC fundamental building blocks is considered. These building blocks include the direct current modulation, inject light modulation, wideband filter, super-gain optical amplifier, E/O and O/O optical bistability and current-controlled optical oscillator. Based on the rate equations, the phase diagram and phase portrait analysis is applied to the theoretical studies and numerical simulation. The OEIC system design methodologies are developed for the OEIC design. Stimulating-field-dependent rate equations are used to model the line-width narrowing/broadening mechanism for the CW mode and frequency chirp of semiconductor lasers. The momentary spectra are carrier-density-dependent. Furthermore, the phase portrait analysis and the nonlinear refractive index is used to simulate the single mode frequency chirp. The average spectra of chaos, period doubling, period pulsing, multi-loops and analog modulation are generated and analyzed. The bifurcation-chirp design chart with modulation depth and modulation frequency as parameters is provided for design purpose.

3D Volume and Morphology of Perennial Cave Ice and Related Geomorphological Models at Scăriloara Ice Cave, Romania, from Structure from Motion, Ground Penetrating Radar and Total Station Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hubbard, J.; Onac, B. P.; Kruse, S.; Forray, F. L.

2017-12-01

Research at Scăriloara Ice Cave has proceeded for over 150 years, primarily driven by the presence and paleoclimatic importance of the large perennial ice block and various ice speleothems located within its galleries. Previous observations of the ice block led to rudimentary volume estimates of 70,000 to 120,000 cubic meters (m3), prospectively placing it as one of the world's largest cave ice deposits. The cave morphology and the surface of the ice block are now recreated in a total station survey-validated 3D model, produced using Structure from Motion (SfM) software. With the total station survey and the novel use of ArcGIS tools, the SfM validation process is drastically simplified to produce a scaled, georeferenced, and photo-texturized 3D model of the cave environment with a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.24 m. Furthermore, ground penetrating radar data was collected and spatially oriented with the total station survey to recreate the ice block basal surface and was combined with the SfM model to create a model of the ice block itself. The resulting ice block model has a volume of over 118,000 m3 with an uncertainty of 9.5%, with additional volumes left un-surveyed. The varying elevation of the ice block basal surface model reflect specific features of the cave roof, such as areas of enlargement, shafts, and potential joints, which offer further validation and inform theories on cave and ice genesis. Specifically, a large depression area was identified as a potential area of initial ice growth. Finally, an ice thickness map was produced that will aid in the designing of future ice coring projects. This methodology presents a powerful means to observe and accurately characterize and measure cave and cave ice morphologies with ease and affordability. Results further establish the significance of Scăriloara's ice block to paleoclimate research, provide insights into cave and ice block genesis, and aid future study design.

An SRRC elliptically polarizing undulator prototype to examine mechanical design feasibility and magnetic field performance.

PubMed

Chang, C H; Hwang, C S; Fan, T C; Chen, K H; Pan, K T; Lin, F Y; Wang, C; Chang, L H; Chen, H H; Lin, M C; Yeh, S

1998-05-01

In this work, a 1 m long Sasaki-type elliptically polarizing undulator (EPU) prototype with 5.6 cm period length is used to examine the mechanical design feasibility as well as magnetic field performance. The magnetic field characteristics of the EPU5.6 prototype at various phase shifts and gap motion are described. The field errors from mechanical tolerances, magnet block errors, end field effects and phase/gap motion effects are analysed. The procedures related to correcting the field with the block position tuning, iron shimming and the trim blocks at both ends are outlined.

Comparison of Periodontal Ligament Injection and Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block in Mandibular Primary Molars Pulpotomy: A Randomized Control Trial

PubMed Central

Haghgoo, Roza; Taleghani, Ferial

2015-01-01

Background: Inferior alveolar nerve block is a common technique for anesthesia of the primary mandibular molars. A number of disadvantages have been shown to be associated with this technique. Periodontal ligament (PDL) injection could be considered as an alternative to inferior alveolar nerve block. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of PDL injection in the anesthesia of primary molar pulpotomy with mandibular block. Methods: This study was performed using a sequential double-blind randomized trial design. 80 children aged 3-7 years old who required pulpotomy in symmetrical mandibular primary molars were selected. The teeth of these children were anesthetized with periodontal injection on one side of the mandible and block on the other. Pulpotomy was performed on each patient during the same appointment. Signs of discomfort, including hand and body tension and eye movement, the verbal complaint and crying (SEM scale), were evaluated by a dental assistant who was blinded to the treatment allocation of the patients. Finally, the data were analyzed using the exact Fisher test and Pearson Chi-squared exact test. Results: Success rate was 88/75 and 91/25 in the PDL injection and nerve block groups, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the two techniques (P = 0.250). Conclusion: Results showed that PDL injection can be used as an alternative to nerve block in pulpotomy of the mandibular primary molars. PMID:26028895

Multi-scale analysis of the effect of nano-filler particle diameter on the physical properties of CAD/CAM composite resin blocks.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Satoshi; Inoue, Sayuri; Sakai, Takahiko; Abe, Tomohiro; Kitagawa, Haruaki; Imazato, Satoshi

2017-05-01

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of silica nano-filler particle diameters in a computer-aided design/manufacturing (CAD/CAM) composite resin (CR) block on physical properties at the multi-scale in silico. CAD/CAM CR blocks were modeled, consisting of silica nano-filler particles (20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 nm) and matrix (Bis-GMA/TEGDMA), with filler volume contents of 55.161%. Calculation of Young's moduli and Poisson's ratios for the block at macro-scale were analyzed by homogenization. Macro-scale CAD/CAM CR blocks (3 × 3 × 3 mm) were modeled and compressive strengths were defined when the fracture loads exceeded 6075 N. MPS values of the nano-scale models were compared by localization analysis. As the filler size decreased, Young's moduli and compressive strength increased, while Poisson's ratios and MPS decreased. All parameters were significantly correlated with the diameters of the filler particles (Pearson's correlation test, r = -0.949, 0.943, -0.951, 0.976, p < 0.05). The in silico multi-scale model established in this study demonstrates that the Young's moduli, Poisson's ratios, and compressive strengths of CAD/CAM CR blocks can be enhanced by loading silica nanofiller particles of smaller diameter. CAD/CAM CR blocks by using smaller silica nano-filler particles have a potential to increase fracture resistance.

Design of short peptides to block BTLA/HVEM interactions for promoting anticancer T-cell responses

PubMed Central

Spodzieja, Marta; Lach, Sławomir; Iwaszkiewicz, Justyna; Cesson, Valérie; Kalejta, Katarzyna; Olive, Daniel; Michielin, Olivier; Speiser, Daniel E.; Zoete, Vincent

2017-01-01

Antibody based immune-checkpoint blockade therapy is a major breakthrough in oncology, leading to clinical benefit for cancer patients. Among the growing family of inhibitory receptors, the B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA), which interacts with herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM), is a promising target for immunotherapy. Indeed, BTLA inhibits T-cell proliferation and cytokine production. The crystal structure of the BTLA/HVEM complex has shown that the HVEM(26–38) fragment is directly involved in protein binding. We designed and analyzed the capacity of several analogs of this fragment to block the ligation between BTLA and HVEM, using competitive ELISA and cellular assay. We found that the HVEM(23–39) peptide can block BTLA/HVEM ligation. However, the blocking ability was due to the Cys encompassed in this peptide and that even free cysteine targeted the BTLA protein and blocked its interaction with HVEM. These data highlight a Cys-related artefact in vitro, which should be taken in consideration for future development of BTLA/HVEM blocking compounds. PMID:28594868

Design strategy of pH-sensitive triblock copolymer micelles for efficient cellular uptake by computer simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Qiang-sheng; Ding, Hong-ming; Ma, Yu-qiang

2018-03-01

Efficient delivery of nanoparticles into specific cell interiors is of great importance in biomedicine. Recently, the pH-responsive micelle has emerged as one potential nanocarrier to realize such purpose since there exist obvious pH differences between normal tissues and tumors. Herein, by using dissipative particle dynamics simulation, we investigate the interaction of the pH-sensitive triblock copolymer micelles composed of ligand (L), hydrophobic block (C) and polyelectrolyte block (P) with cell membrane. It is found that the structure rearrangement of the micelle can facilitate its penetration into the lower leaflet of the bilayer. However, when the ligand-receptor specific interaction is weak, the micelles may just fuse with the upper leaflet of the bilayer. Moreover, the ionization degree of polyelectrolyte block and the length of hydrophobic block also play a vital role in the penetration efficiency. Further, when the sequence of the L, P, C beads in the copolymers is changed, the translocation pathways of the micelles may change from direct penetration to Janus engulfment. The present study reveals the relationship between the molecular structure of the copolymer and the uptake of the pH-sensitive micelles, which may give some significant insights into the experimental design of responsive micellar nanocarriers for highly efficient cellular delivery.

Environmental testing of block 2 solar cell modules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffith, J. S.

1979-01-01

The testing procedures and results of samples of the LSA Project Block 2 procurement of silicon solar cell modules are described. Block 2 was the second large scale procurement of silicon solar cell modules made by the JPL Low-cost Solar Array Project with deliveries in 1977 and early 1978. The results showed that the Block 2 modules were greatly improved over Block 1 modules. In several cases it was shown that design improvements were needed to reduce environmental test degradation. These improvements were incorporated during this production run.

Block copolymers for alkaline fuel cell membrane materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yifan

Alkaline fuel cells (AFCs) using anion exchange membranes (AEMs) as electrolyte have recently received considerable attention. AFCs offer some advantages over proton exchange membrane fuel cells, including the potential of non-noble metal (e.g. nickel, silver) catalyst on the cathode, which can dramatically lower the fuel cell cost. The main drawback of traditional AFCs is the use of liquid electrolyte (e.g. aqueous potassium hydroxide), which can result in the formation of carbonate precipitates by reaction with carbon dioxide. AEMs with tethered cations can overcome the precipitates formed in traditional AFCs. Our current research focuses on developing different polymer systems (blend, block, grafted, and crosslinked polymers) in order to understand alkaline fuel cell membrane in many aspects and design optimized anion exchange membranes with better alkaline stability, mechanical integrity and ionic conductivity. A number of distinct materials have been produced and characterized. A polymer blend system comprised of poly(vinylbenzyl chloride)-b-polystyrene (PVBC-b-PS) diblock copolymer, prepared by nitroxide mediated polymerization (NMP), with poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) or brominated PPO was studied for conversion into a blend membrane for AEM. The formation of a miscible blend matrix improved mechanical properties while maintaining high ionic conductivity through formation of phase separated ionic domains. Using anionic polymerization, a polyethylene based block copolymer was designed where the polyethylene-based block copolymer formed bicontinuous morphological structures to enhance the hydroxide conductivity (up to 94 mS/cm at 80 °C) while excellent mechanical properties (strain up to 205%) of the polyethylene block copolymer membrane was observed. A polymer system was designed and characterized with monomethoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG) as a hydrophilic polymer grafted through substitution of pendent benzyl chloride groups of a PVBC-b-PS. The incorporation of the hydrophilic polymer allows for an investigation of the effect of hydration on ionic conductivity, resulting in the increase in membrane water affinity, enhancement of conductivity and reduced dependence of conductivity on relative humidity. A study of crosslinking of block copolymers was done wherein the crosslinking occurs in the non-matrix phase in order to maintain mechanical properties. The formation of a cationic crosslinked structure improves the mechanical integrity of the membrane in water while showing little deleterious effect on ionic conductivity and mechanical properties.

31 CFR Appendix A to Chapter V - Information Pertaining to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... by OFAC. This Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) is updated..., identification, and delisting actions, all of which are published in the Federal Register. The SDN List is...: http://www.treasury.gov/sdn. Members of the public may also sign up through OFAC's Web site to receive...

31 CFR Appendix A to Chapter V - Information Pertaining to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... by OFAC. This Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) is updated..., identification, and delisting actions, all of which are published in the Federal Register. The SDN List is...: http://www.treasury.gov/sdn. Members of the public may also sign up through OFAC's Web site to receive...

31 CFR Appendix A to Chapter V - Information Pertaining to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... by OFAC. This Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List (“SDN List”) is updated..., identification, and delisting actions, all of which are published in the Federal Register. The SDN List is...: http://www.treasury.gov/sdn. Members of the public may also sign up through OFAC's Web site to receive...

De novo design of molecular architectures by evolutionary assembly of drug-derived building blocks.

PubMed

Schneider, G; Lee, M L; Stahl, M; Schneider, P

2000-07-01

An evolutionary algorithm was developed for fragment-based de novo design of molecules (TOPAS, TOPology-Assigning System). This stochastic method aims at generating a novel molecular structure mimicking a template structure. A set of approximately 25,000 fragment structures serves as the building block supply, which were obtained by a straightforward fragmentation procedure applied to 36,000 known drugs. Eleven reaction schemes were implemented for both fragmentation and building block assembly. This combination of drug-derived building blocks and a restricted set of reaction schemes proved to be a key for the automatic development of novel, synthetically tractable structures. In a cyclic optimization process, molecular architectures were generated from a parent structure by virtual synthesis, and the best structure of a generation was selected as the parent for the subsequent TOPAS cycle. Similarity measures were used to define 'fitness', based on 2D-structural similarity or topological pharmacophore distance between the template molecule and the variants. The concept of varying library 'diversity' during a design process was consequently implemented by using adaptive variant distributions. The efficiency of the design algorithm was demonstrated for the de novo construction of potential thrombin inhibitors mimicking peptide and non-peptide template structures.

Precocious realists: perceptual and cognitive characteristics associated with drawing talent in non-autistic children

PubMed Central

Drake, Jennifer E.; Winner, Ellen

2009-01-01

A local processing bias in the block design task and in drawing strategy has been used to account for realistic drawing skill in individuals with autism. We investigated whether the same kind of local processing bias is seen in typically developing children with unusual skill in realistic graphic representation. Forty-three 5–11-year-olds who drew a still life completed a version of the block design task in both standard and segmented form, were tested for their memory for the block design items, and were given the Kaufmann Brief Intelligence Test-II. Children were classified as gifted, moderately gifted or typical on the basis of the level of realism in their drawings. Similar to autistic individuals, the gifted group showed a local processing bias in the block design task. But unlike autistic individuals, the gifted group showed a global advantage in the visual memory task and did not use a local drawing strategy; in addition, their graphic realism skill was related to verbal IQ. Differences in the extent of local processing bias in autistic and typically developing children with drawing talent are discussed. PMID:19528030

Evaluation of eyes with relative pupillary block by indentation ultrasound biomicroscopy gonioscopy.

PubMed

Matsunaga, Koichi; Ito, Kunio; Esaki, Koji; Sugimoto, Kota; Sano, Toru; Miura, Katsuya; Sasoh, Mikio; Uji, Yukitaka

2004-03-01

To investigate changes in anterior chamber angle configuration with indentation ultrasound biomicroscopy gonioscopy of relative pupillary block (RPB). Cross-sectional study. This study included 26 eyes of 26 patients with RPB. We determined angle opening distance 500 and angle recess area using indentation ultrasound biomicroscopy gonioscopy and compared a small-sized standard eye cup with a new eye cup with an area for inducing pressure. Indentation ultrasound biomicroscopy images documented concavity of the iris in eyes with RPB. Both the new and the small standard eye cups widened the anterior chamber angle significantly (P <.0001) without causing corneal damage. Angle changes were significantly greater for the new eye cup design. Indentation ultrasound biomicroscopy gonioscopy is a useful technique for observation and diagnosis of RPB. Using a small standard or the newly designed eye cup, the procedure can be performed easily and without causing corneal damage.

Teaching strategies and student achievement in high school block scheduled biology classes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Louden, Cynthia Knapp

The objectives of this study included determining whether teachers in block or traditionally scheduled biology classes (1) implement inquiry-based instruction more often or with different methods, (2) understand the concept of inquiry-based instruction as it is described in the National Science Standards, (3) have classes with significantly different student achievement, and (4) believe that their school schedule facilitates their use of inquiry-based instruction in the classroom. Biology teachers in block and non-block scheduled classes were interviewed, surveyed, and observed to determine the degree to which they implement inquiry-based instructional practices in their classrooms. State biology exams were used to indicate student achievement. Teachers in block scheduled and traditional classes used inquiry-based instruction with nearly the same frequency. Approximately 30% of all teachers do not understand the concept of inquiry-based instruction as described by the National Science Standards. No significant achievement differences between block and traditionally scheduled biology classes were found using ANCOVA analyses and a nonequivalent control-group quasi-experimental design. Using the same analysis techniques, significant achievement differences were found between biology classes with teachers who used inquiry-based instruction frequently and infrequently. Teachers in block schedules believed that their schedules facilitated inquiry-based instruction more than teachers in traditional schedules.

Dual functional star polymers for lubricants

DOE PAGES

Cosimbescu, Lelia; Robinson, Joshua W.; Zhou, Yan; ...

2016-09-12

Star-shaped poly(alkyl methacrylate)s (PAMAs) with a three arm architecturewere designed, prepared and their performance as a dual additive (viscosity index improver and friction modifier) for engine oils was evaluated. Furthermore, the structure property relationships between the macromolecular structure and lubricant performance were studied, such as molecular weight and polarity effects on the viscosity index. Several copolymers of dodecylmethacrylate with polar methacrylates in various amounts and various topologies, were synthesized as model compounds. Star polymers with a polar content of at least 10% in a block or tapered block topology effectively reduced the friction coefficient in both mixed and boundary lubricationmore » regimes. Furthermore, a polar content of 20% was efficient in reducing friction in both random and block topologies.« less

Role of an anatomically contoured plate and metal block for balanced stability between the implant and lateral hinge in open-wedge high-tibial osteotomy.

PubMed

Jang, Young Woong; Lim, DoHyung; Seo, Hansol; Lee, Myung Chul; Lee, O-Sung; Lee, Yong Seuk

2018-07-01

Open-wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) is a well-established surgical option for medial compartment osteoarthritis of the varus knee. The initial strength of the fixation plate is critical for successful correction maintenance and healing of the osteotomy site. This study was conducted to verify if a newly designed anatomical plate (LCfit) improves the stability of both the medial implant and lateral hinge area, as well as to evaluate how the metal block contributes to both medial and lateral stability. A finite element (FE) tibial model was combined with TomoFix plate, a LCfit plate with and without a metal block. Data analysis was conducted to evaluate the balanced stability, which refers to the enforced lateral stability resulting from redistribution of overall stress. We assessed the balanced stability of the medial implant and lateral hinge area in three cases using the same Sawbones and loads using the tibia FE model. The LCfit plate reduced stress by 23.1% at the lateral hinge compared to the TomoFix plate (TomoFix vs. LCfit: 34.2 ± 23.3 MPa vs. 26.3 ± 17.5 MPa). The LCfit plate with a metal block reduced stress by 40.1% at the medial plate (210.1 ± 64.2 MPa vs. 125.8 ± 65.7 MPa) and by 31.2% (26.3 ± 17.5 MPa vs. 18.1 ± 12.1 MPa) at the lateral hinge area compared to the reduction using the LCfit plate without a metal block. The newly designed fixation system for OWHTO balanced the overall stress distribution and reduced stress at the lateral hinge area compared to that using a conventional fixation system. The addition of the metal block showed additional benefits for balanced stability between the medial implant and lateral hinge area. However, this conclusion could only be drawn using the FE model in this study. Therefore, further clinical studies are necessary to reveal the clinical effect of reduced lateral stress on the occurrence of the lateral hinge fracture and the biologic effect of the metal block on the healing of the medial cortex.

Transmittance of tinted and UV-blocking disposable contact lenses.

PubMed

Harris, M G; Haririfar, M; Hirano, K Y

1999-03-01

Tinted and ultraviolet (UV)-blocking disposable contact lenses have become increasingly popular over the last decade. Wearers of UV-blocking contact lenses could benefit greatly by protecting their eyes from potential UV radiation damage. A Uvikon 930 dual beam spectrophotometer was used to measure three enhancement-tinted lenses (royal blue, evergreen, and aqua), two types of UV-blocking lenses, and two types of non-UV-blocking lenses. Enhancement-tinted lenses did show a decrease in transmittance at certain wavelengths on the visible spectrum, but they did not reduce the transmittance of UV radiation to the extent of the UV-blocking lenses designed specifically for this purpose.

Primers to block the amplification of symbiotic apostome ciliate 18S rRNA gene in a PCR-based copepod diet study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Xiaoyan; Zhang, Huan; Liu, Guangxing

2014-05-01

Pelagic copepods play an important role in the marine food web. However, a full understanding of the ecological status of this zooplankton group depends on the careful study of their natural diets. In previous PCR-based copepod diet studies, we found many apostome ciliates that live symbiotically under the exoskeleton of the copepods, and their sequences were often over-represented in the 18S rRNA gene (18S rDNA) libraries. As a first step to address this issue, we designed three apostome ciliate 18S rDNA blocking primers, and tested their blocking efficiency against apostome ciliate 18s rDNA under various PCR conditions. Using a semi-quantitative PCR method, we optimized the conditions to efficiently amplify the 18S rDNA of the prey while simultaneously excluding the symbiotic apostome ciliates. This technique will facilitate PCR-based diet studies of copepods and other zooplankton in their natural environments.

DEM study of granular flow around blocks attached to inclined walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samsu, Joel; Zhou, Zongyan; Pinson, David; Chew, Sheng

2017-06-01

Damage due to intense particle-wall contact in industrial applications can cause severe problems in industries such as mineral processing, mining and metallurgy. Studying the flow dynamics and forces on containing walls can provide valuable feedback for equipment design and optimising operations to prolong the equipment lifetime. Therefore, solids flow-wall interaction phenomena, i.e. induced wall stress and particle flow patterns should be well understood. In this work, discrete element method (DEM) is used to study steady state granular flow in a gravity-fed hopper like geometry with blocks attached to an inclined wall. The effects of different geometries, e.g. different wall angles and spacing between blocks are studied by means of a 3D DEM slot model with periodic boundary conditions. The findings of this work include (i) flow analysis in terms of flow patterns and particle velocities, (ii) force distributions within the model geometry, and (iii) wall stress vs. model height diagrams. The model enables easy transfer of the key findings to other industrial applications handling granular materials.

Elevated airborne manganese and low executive function in school-aged children in Brazil.

PubMed

Carvalho, Chrissie F; Menezes-Filho, José A; de Matos, Vitor P; Bessa, Jonatas Reis; Coelho-Santos, Juliana; Viana, Gustavo F S; Argollo, Nayara; Abreu, Neander

2014-12-01

Exposure to airborne manganese (Mn) has been associated with neurotoxic effects, including motor and cognitive deficits. The main deficits related to excessive exposure to Mn are predominantly the dysfunction of fronto-striatal and dopaminergic circuits observed in animal experimental studies, which are involved in attention, working memory and motor function. The present study aims to assess the association between elevated Mn exposure and performance on executive function and attention neuropsychological tests in children living in two communities near a ferro-manganese alloy plant. Seventy children aged between 7 and 12 years with no history of neurologic disease and an estimated IQ >68 (Vocabulary and Block Design subtests) that had lived near the iron-Mn production alloy plant for at least 1.5 years were included. Participants were assessed for cognitive functioning with neuropsychological measures for sustained attention (Test of Visual Attention - TAVIS-3R), cognitive flexibility (WCST), and verbal and visual working memory (WISC-III Digit Span subtest and Corsi Block). Manganese hair (MnH) levels were used as a biomarker of exposure. Mean scores among study participants were lower than general population norms/averages for block design, digit span, reaction time and commission errors. The median MnH level was 11.48 (range 0.52-55.74) μg/g, and no difference between sexes was observed. Spearman's correlation analysis showed a significant inverse correlation between MnH levels and estimated IQ (rho=-0.448, p=0.0001), Vocabulary (rho=-0.272, p=0.02), Block Design (rho=-0.485, p=0.00002) and Digit Span (rho=-0.410, p=0.0004). Multiple regression analyses detected inverse associations between log MnH and scores on estimated IQ (β=-9.67; 95%CI=-16.97 to -2.37), Block Design (β=-2.50; 95%CI=-3.91 to -1.10) and Digit Span Total (β=-2.59; 95%CI=-4.13 to -1.05) standardized scores and the number of correct answers in forward and backward Digit Span methods, after adjusting for covariates (β=-1.32=95%CI=-2.23 to -0.40; β=-1.09 95%CI=-2.02 to -0.16, respectively). The results suggest that airborne Mn exposure may be associated with lower IQ and neuropsychological performance in tests of executive function of inhibition responses, strategic visual formation and verbal working memory. Executive function is dependent on the fronto-striatal circuit, which may be disrupted by Mn accumulation in the brain. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of the Conference on the Design of Experiments in Army Research Development and Testing (28th) Held at Monterey, California on 20-22 October 1982

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-01

program specifically designed to solve IME equations. The IME measure is a useful index because it translates system performance characteristics of...8.0 SUMMARY The purpose of this study was to design the field evaluation of a camou- flage system in such a manner that the camoufleur could...analysis of complex factorial designs and their associated systems of confounding ((44), [46)) and to the introduction of incomplete block designs . My

The impact of temperature loading on massive concrete block resistance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beran, Pavel; Kočí, Jan

2017-07-01

Very large and massive concrete blocks with thickness in interval 3.5 - 6 meters are often designed in cement industry. These massive blocks have high heat inertial and thus the thermal stress due to nonlinear temperature gradient in concrete block may occur. The coupled thermo-mechanical analysis of concrete block in Prague Czech Republic and Sterlitamak Russia was made. By the numerical model of concrete block was analyzed the typical year (called reference year) in particular localities. The results show that in concrete block the thermal stresses which are higher than the tensile strength of concrete originate. Therefore, the concrete block should be reinforced by steel rods. The values of stresses are markedly affected by climate. The significantly higher values of thermal stresses were detected in Sterlitamak than in Prague.

Solid oxide fuel cell matrix and modules

DOEpatents

Riley, B.

1988-04-22

Porous refractory ceramic blocks arranged in an abutting, stacked configuration and forming a three dimensional array provide a support structure and coupling means for a plurality of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The stack of ceramic blocks is self-supporting, with a plurality of such stacked arrays forming a matrix enclosed in an insulating refractory brick structure having an outer steel layer. The necessary connections for air, fuel, burnt gas, and anode and cathode connections are provided through the brick and steel outer shell. The ceramic blocks are so designed with respect to the strings of modules that by simple and logical design the strings could be replaced by hot reloading if one should fail. The hot reloading concept has not been included in any previous designs. 11 figs.

Chemical Modification and Structure-property Relationships of Acrylic and Ionomeric Thermoplastic Elastomer Gels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vargantwar, Pruthesh Hariharrao

Block copolymers (BCs) have remained at the forefront of materials research due to their versatility in applications ranging from hot-melt/pressure-sensitive adhesives and impact modifiers to compatibilizing agents and vibration-dampening/nanotemplating media. Of particular interest are macromolecules composed of two or more chemically dissimilar blocks covalently linked together to form triblock or pentablock copolymers. If the blocks are sufficiently incompatible and the copolymer behaves as a thermoplastic elastomer, the molecules can spontaneously self-assemble to form nanostructured materials that exhibit shape memory due to the formation of a supramolecular network. The BCs of these types are termed as conventional. When BCs contain blocks having ionic moieties such as sulfonic acid groups, they are termed as block ionomers. Designing new systems based on either conventional or ionic BCs, characterizing their structure-property relationships and later using them as electroacive polymers form the essential objectives of this work. Electroactive polymers (EAPs) exhibit electromechanical actuation when stimulated by an external electric field. In the first part of this work, it is shown that BCs resolve some of the outstanding problems presently encountered in the design of two different classes of EAP actuators: dielectric elastomers (DEs) and ionic polymer metal composites (IPMCs). All-acrylic triblock copolymer gels used as DEs actuate with high efficacy without any requirement of mechanical prestrain and, thus, eliminate the need for bulky and heavy hardware essential with prestrained dielectric actuators, as well as material problems associated with stress relaxation. The dependence of actuation behavior on gel morphology as evaluated from mechanical and microstructure studies is observed. In the case of IPMCs, ionic BCs employed in this study greatly facilitate processing compared to other contenders such as NafionRTM, which is commonly used in this class of EAPs. The unique copolymer investigated here (i) retains its mechanical integrity when highly solvated by polar solvents, (ii) demonstrates a high degree of actuation when tested in a cantilever configuration, and (iii) avoids the shortcomings of back-relaxation/overshoot within the testing conditions when used in combination with an appropriate solvent. In the second part of this work, two chemical strategies to design midblock sulfonated block ionomers are explored. In one case, selective sulfonation of the midblocks in triblock copolymers is achieved via a dioxane:sulfur trioxide chemistry, while in the other acetyl sulfate is used for the same purpose. Excellent control on the degree of sulfonation (DOS) is achieved. The block ionomers swell in different solvents while retaining their mechanical integrity. They show disorder-order, order-order, and order-reduced order morphological transitions as DOS varies. These transitions in morphologies are reflected in their thermal behavior as well. The microstructures show periodicity, which is, again, a function of DOS. The transitions are explained in terms of the molar volume expansion and volume densification of the blocks on sulfonation. The ionic levels, morphology and periodicity in microstructure are important for applications such as actuators, sensors and fuel cell membranes. The ability to tune these aspects in the ionomers designed in this work make them potential candidates for these applications.

Pre-PDK block-level PPAC assessment of technology options for sub-7nm high-performance logic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liebmann, L.; Northrop, G.; Facchini, M.; Riviere Cazaux, L.; Baum, Z.; Nakamoto, N.; Sun, K.; Chanemougame, D.; Han, G.; Gerousis, V.

2018-03-01

This paper describes a rigorous yet flexible standard cell place-and-route flow that is used to quantify block-level power, performance, and area trade-offs driven by two unique cell architectures and their associated design rule differences. The two architectures examined in this paper differ primarily in their use of different power-distribution-networks to achieve the desired circuit performance for high-performance logic designs. The paper shows the importance of incorporating block-level routability experiments in the early phases of design-technology co-optimization by reviewing a series of routing trials that explore different aspects of the technology definition. Since the electrical and physical parameters leading to critical process assumptions and design rules are unique to specific integration schemes and design objectives, it is understood that the goal of this work is not to promote one cell-architecture over another, but rather to convey the importance of exploring critical trade-offs long before the process details of the technology node are finalized to a point where a process design kit can be published.

29 CFR 1917.41 - House falls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... working with house fall blocks. (c) Designated employees shall inspect chains, links, shackles, swivels, blocks and other loose gear used in house fall operations before each day's use. Defective gear shall not...

29 CFR 1917.41 - House falls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... working with house fall blocks. (c) Designated employees shall inspect chains, links, shackles, swivels, blocks and other loose gear used in house fall operations before each day's use. Defective gear shall not...

29 CFR 1917.41 - House falls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... working with house fall blocks. (c) Designated employees shall inspect chains, links, shackles, swivels, blocks and other loose gear used in house fall operations before each day's use. Defective gear shall not...

29 CFR 1917.41 - House falls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... working with house fall blocks. (c) Designated employees shall inspect chains, links, shackles, swivels, blocks and other loose gear used in house fall operations before each day's use. Defective gear shall not...

29 CFR 1917.41 - House falls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... working with house fall blocks. (c) Designated employees shall inspect chains, links, shackles, swivels, blocks and other loose gear used in house fall operations before each day's use. Defective gear shall not...

Enhanced Mechanical Performance of Bio-Inspired Hybrid Structures Utilising Topological Interlocking Geometry

PubMed Central

Djumas, Lee; Molotnikov, Andrey; Simon, George P.; Estrin, Yuri

2016-01-01

Structural composites inspired by nacre have emerged as prime exemplars for guiding materials design of fracture-resistant, rigid hybrid materials. The intricate microstructure of nacre, which combines a hard majority phase with a small fraction of a soft phase, achieves superior mechanical properties compared to its constituents and has generated much interest. However, replicating the hierarchical microstructure of nacre is very challenging, not to mention improving it. In this article, we propose to alter the geometry of the hard building blocks by introducing the concept of topological interlocking. This design principle has previously been shown to provide an inherently brittle material with a remarkable flexural compliance. We now demonstrate that by combining the basic architecture of nacre with topological interlocking of discrete hard building blocks, hybrid materials of a new type can be produced. By adding a soft phase at the interfaces between topologically interlocked blocks in a single-build additive manufacturing process, further improvement of mechanical properties is achieved. The design of these fabricated hybrid structures has been guided by computational work elucidating the effect of various geometries. To our knowledge, this is the first reported study that combines the advantages of nacre-inspired structures with the benefits of topological interlocking. PMID:27216277

Noncanonical self-assembly of multifunctional DNA nanoflowers for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Zhu, Guizhi; Hu, Rong; Zhao, Zilong; Chen, Zhuo; Zhang, Xiaobing; Tan, Weihong

2013-11-06

DNA nanotechnology has been extensively explored to assemble various functional nanostructures for versatile applications. Mediated by Watson-Crick base-pairing, these DNA nanostructures have been conventionally assembled through hybridization of many short DNA building blocks. Here we report the noncanonical self-assembly of multifunctional DNA nanostructures, termed as nanoflowers (NFs), and the versatile biomedical applications. These NFs were assembled from long DNA building blocks generated via rolling circle replication (RCR) of a designer template. NF assembly was driven by liquid crystallization and dense packaging of building blocks, without relying on Watson-Crick base-pairing between DNA strands, thereby avoiding the otherwise conventional complicated DNA sequence design. NF sizes were readily tunable in a wide range, by simply adjusting such parameters as assembly time and template sequences. NFs were exceptionally resistant to nuclease degradation, denaturation, or dissociation at extremely low concentration, presumably resulting from the dense DNA packaging in NFs. The exceptional biostability is critical for biomedical applications. By rational design, NFs can be readily incorporated with myriad functional moieties. All these properties make NFs promising for versatile applications. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, in this study, NFs were integrated with aptamers, bioimaging agents, and drug loading sites, and the resultant multifunctional NFs were demonstrated for selective cancer cell recognition, bioimaging, and targeted anticancer drug delivery.

Noncanonical self-assembly of multifunctional DNA nanoflowers for biomedical applications

PubMed Central

Zhu, Guizhi; Hu, Rong; Zhao, Zilong; Chen, Zhuo; Zhang, Xiaobing; Tan, Weihong

2013-01-01

DNA nanotechnology has been extensively explored to assemble various functional nanostructures for versatile applications. Mediated by Watson-Crick base-pairing, these DNA nanostructures have been conventionally assembled through hybridization of many short DNA building blocks. Here we report the noncanonical self-assembly of multifunctional DNA nanostructures, termed as nanoflowers (NFs), and the versatile biomedical applications. These NFs were assembled from long DNA building blocks generated via Rolling Circle Replication (RCR) of a designer template. NF assembly was driven by liquid crystallization and dense packaging of building blocks, without relying on Watson-Crick base-pairing between DNA strands, thereby avoiding the otherwise conventional complicated DNA sequence design. NF sizes were readily tunable in a wide range, by simply adjusting such parameters as assembly time and template sequences. NFs were exceptionally resistant to nuclease degradation, denaturation, or dissociation at extremely low concentration, presumably resulting from the dense DNA packaging in NFs. The exceptional biostability is critical for biomedical applications. By rational design, NFs can be readily incorporated with myriad functional moieties. All these properties make NFs promising for versatile applications. As a proof-of-principle demonstration, in this study, NFs were integrated with aptamers, bioimaging agents, and drug loading sites, and the resultant multifunctional NFs were demonstrated for selective cancer cell recognition, bioimaging, and targeted anticancer drug delivery. PMID:24164620

Computational strategies for the automated design of RNA nanoscale structures from building blocks using NanoTiler.

PubMed

Bindewald, Eckart; Grunewald, Calvin; Boyle, Brett; O'Connor, Mary; Shapiro, Bruce A

2008-10-01

One approach to designing RNA nanoscale structures is to use known RNA structural motifs such as junctions, kissing loops or bulges and to construct a molecular model by connecting these building blocks with helical struts. We previously developed an algorithm for detecting internal loops, junctions and kissing loops in RNA structures. Here we present algorithms for automating or assisting many of the steps that are involved in creating RNA structures from building blocks: (1) assembling building blocks into nanostructures using either a combinatorial search or constraint satisfaction; (2) optimizing RNA 3D ring structures to improve ring closure; (3) sequence optimisation; (4) creating a unique non-degenerate RNA topology descriptor. This effectively creates a computational pipeline for generating molecular models of RNA nanostructures and more specifically RNA ring structures with optimized sequences from RNA building blocks. We show several examples of how the algorithms can be utilized to generate RNA tecto-shapes.

Computational strategies for the automated design of RNA nanoscale structures from building blocks using NanoTiler☆

PubMed Central

Bindewald, Eckart; Grunewald, Calvin; Boyle, Brett; O’Connor, Mary; Shapiro, Bruce A.

2013-01-01

One approach to designing RNA nanoscale structures is to use known RNA structural motifs such as junctions, kissing loops or bulges and to construct a molecular model by connecting these building blocks with helical struts. We previously developed an algorithm for detecting internal loops, junctions and kissing loops in RNA structures. Here we present algorithms for automating or assisting many of the steps that are involved in creating RNA structures from building blocks: (1) assembling building blocks into nanostructures using either a combinatorial search or constraint satisfaction; (2) optimizing RNA 3D ring structures to improve ring closure; (3) sequence optimisation; (4) creating a unique non-degenerate RNA topology descriptor. This effectively creates a computational pipeline for generating molecular models of RNA nanostructures and more specifically RNA ring structures with optimized sequences from RNA building blocks. We show several examples of how the algorithms can be utilized to generate RNA tecto-shapes. PMID:18838281

Blocking Filters with Enhanced Throughput for X-Ray Microcalorimetry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grove, David; Betcher, Jacob; Hagen, Mark

2012-01-01

New and improved blocking filters (see figure) have been developed for microcalorimeters on several mission payloads, made of high-transmission polyimide support mesh, that can replace the nickel mesh used in previous blocking filter flight designs. To realize the resolution and signal sensitivity of today s x-ray microcalorimeters, significant improvements in the blocking filter stack are needed. Using high-transmission polyimide support mesh, it is possible to improve overall throughput on a typical microcalorimeter such as Suzaku s X-ray Spectrometer by 11%, compared to previous flight designs. Using polyimide to replace standard metal mesh means the mesh will be transparent to energies 3 keV and higher. Incorporating polyimide s advantageous strength-to-weight ratio, thermal stability, and transmission characteristics permits thinner filter materials, significantly enhancing through - put. A prototype contamination blocking filter for ASTRO-H has passed QT-level acoustic testing. Resistive traces can also be incorporated to provide decontamination capability to actively restore filter performance in orbit.

78 FR 31630 - Designation of One (1) Entity Pursuant to Executive Order 13582 of August 17, 2011, “Blocking...

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2013-05-24

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Quantum Image Steganography and Steganalysis Based On LSQu-Blocks Image Information Concealing Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

A. AL-Salhi, Yahya E.; Lu, Songfeng

2016-08-01

Quantum steganography can solve some problems that are considered inefficient in image information concealing. It researches on Quantum image information concealing to have been widely exploited in recent years. Quantum image information concealing can be categorized into quantum image digital blocking, quantum image stereography, anonymity and other branches. Least significant bit (LSB) information concealing plays vital roles in the classical world because many image information concealing algorithms are designed based on it. Firstly, based on the novel enhanced quantum representation (NEQR), image uniform blocks clustering around the concrete the least significant Qu-block (LSQB) information concealing algorithm for quantum image steganography is presented. Secondly, a clustering algorithm is proposed to optimize the concealment of important data. Finally, we used Con-Steg algorithm to conceal the clustered image blocks. Information concealing located on the Fourier domain of an image can achieve the security of image information, thus we further discuss the Fourier domain LSQu-block information concealing algorithm for quantum image based on Quantum Fourier Transforms. In our algorithms, the corresponding unitary Transformations are designed to realize the aim of concealing the secret information to the least significant Qu-block representing color of the quantum cover image. Finally, the procedures of extracting the secret information are illustrated. Quantum image LSQu-block image information concealing algorithm can be applied in many fields according to different needs.

48 CFR 50.203 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... management protections for sellers of QATTs and others in the supply and distribution chain. (b) The SAFETY... website are block designations and block certifications granted by DHS. [72 FR 63030, Nov. 7, 2007, as...

48 CFR 50.203 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... management protections for sellers of QATTs and others in the supply and distribution chain. (b) The SAFETY... website are block designations and block certifications granted by DHS. [72 FR 63030, Nov. 7, 2007, as...

48 CFR 50.203 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... management protections for sellers of QATTs and others in the supply and distribution chain. (b) The SAFETY... website are block designations and block certifications granted by DHS. [72 FR 63030, Nov. 7, 2007, as...

48 CFR 50.203 - General.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... management protections for sellers of QATTs and others in the supply and distribution chain. (b) The SAFETY... website are block designations and block certifications granted by DHS. [72 FR 63030, Nov. 7, 2007, as...

Liposomal Bupivacaine Use in Transversus Abdominis Plane Blocks Reduces Pain and Postoperative Intravenous Opioid Requirement After Colorectal Surgery.

PubMed

Stokes, Audrey L; Adhikary, Sanjib D; Quintili, Ashley; Puleo, Frances J; Choi, Christine S; Hollenbeak, Christopher S; Messaris, Evangelos

2017-02-01

Enhanced recovery protocols frequently use multimodal postoperative analgesia to improve postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing colorectal surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate liposomal bupivacaine use in transversus abdominis plane blocks on postoperative pain scores and opioid use after colorectal surgery. This was a retrospective cohort study comparing outcomes between patients receiving nonliposomal anesthetic (n = 104) and liposomal bupivacaine (n = 303) blocks. The study was conducted at a single tertiary care center. Patients included those identified within an institutional database as inpatients undergoing colorectal procedures between 2013 and 2015 who underwent transversus abdominis plane block for perioperative analgesia. The study measured postoperative pain scores and opioid requirements. Patients receiving liposomal bupivacaine had significantly lower pain scores for the first 24 to 36 postoperative hours. Pain scores were similar after 36 hours. The use of intravenous opioids among the liposomal bupivacaine group decreased by more than one third during the hospitalization (99.1 vs 64.5 mg; p = 0.040). The use of ketorolac was also decreased (49.0 vs 18.3 mg; p < 0.001). In subgroup analysis, the decrease in opioid use was observed between laparoscopic and robotic procedures but not with laparotomies. No significant differences were noted in the use of oral opioids, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. Postoperative length of stay and total cost were decreased in the liposomal bupivacaine group but did not achieve statistical significance. The study was limited by its retrospective, single-center design and heterogeneity of block administration. Attenuated pain scores observed with liposomal bupivacaine use were associated with significantly lower intravenous opioid and ketorolac use, suggesting that liposomal bupivacaine-containing transversus abdominis plane blocks are well aligned with the opioid-reducing goals of many enhanced recovery protocols.

HEAO Block 2 study executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

An executive summary is presented of a preliminary study done on several potential High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO) missions which are follow-on missions to the currently defined HEAO program. The purpose was to examine several typical missions and determine the relative complexities associated with them. The four payloads investigated were (1) a 1.2 m Diameter X-ray Telescope observatory, (2) a Large Area Moderate Angular Resolution (LAMAR) observatory, (3) a cosmic ray observatory, and (4) a gamma ray observatory. Each of the four observatories was considered a national facility. Low cost approaches were stressed throughout, with considerable use of HEAO Block I experience and designs effected to provide a high degree of confidence that such approaches were achievable. The use of the Multi-Mission Spacecraft (MMS) and the HEAO Block I spacecraft was considered as a result of this low cost emphasis. Also, NASA standard components were considered, where applicable.

Influence of Chirality in Ordered Block Copolymer Phases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prasad, Ishan; Grason, Gregory

2015-03-01

Block copolymers are known to assemble into rich spectrum of ordered phases, with many complex phases driven by asymmetry in copolymer architecture. Despite decades of study, the influence of intrinsic chirality on equilibrium mesophase assembly of block copolymers is not well understood and largely unexplored. Self-consistent field theory has played a major role in prediction of physical properties of polymeric systems. Only recently, a polar orientational self-consistent field (oSCF) approach was adopted to model chiral BCP having a thermodynamic preference for cholesteric ordering in chiral segments. We implement oSCF theory for chiral nematic copolymers, where segment orientations are characterized by quadrupolar chiral interactions, and focus our study on the thermodynamic stability of bi-continuous network morphologies, and the transfer of molecular chirality to mesoscale chirality of networks. Unique photonic properties observed in butterfly wings have been attributed to presence of chiral single-gyroid networks, this has made it an attractive target for chiral metamaterial design.

Optimal block cosine transform image coding for noisy channels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaishampayan, V.; Farvardin, N.

1986-01-01

The two dimensional block transform coding scheme based on the discrete cosine transform was studied extensively for image coding applications. While this scheme has proven to be efficient in the absence of channel errors, its performance degrades rapidly over noisy channels. A method is presented for the joint source channel coding optimization of a scheme based on the 2-D block cosine transform when the output of the encoder is to be transmitted via a memoryless design of the quantizers used for encoding the transform coefficients. This algorithm produces a set of locally optimum quantizers and the corresponding binary code assignment for the assumed transform coefficient statistics. To determine the optimum bit assignment among the transform coefficients, an algorithm was used based on the steepest descent method, which under certain convexity conditions on the performance of the channel optimized quantizers, yields the optimal bit allocation. Comprehensive simulation results for the performance of this locally optimum system over noisy channels were obtained and appropriate comparisons against a reference system designed for no channel error were rendered.

New Whole-House Case Study: William Ryan Homes, Tampa, Florida

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

none,

The builder worked with Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings to design HERS-65 homes with energy-efficient heat pumps and programmable thermostats with humidity controls, foam-filled concrete block walls, draining house wrap, and airsealed kneewalls.

Model based design introduction: modeling game controllers to microprocessor architectures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jungwirth, Patrick; Badawy, Abdel-Hameed

2017-04-01

We present an introduction to model based design. Model based design is a visual representation, generally a block diagram, to model and incrementally develop a complex system. Model based design is a commonly used design methodology for digital signal processing, control systems, and embedded systems. Model based design's philosophy is: to solve a problem - a step at a time. The approach can be compared to a series of steps to converge to a solution. A block diagram simulation tool allows a design to be simulated with real world measurement data. For example, if an analog control system is being upgraded to a digital control system, the analog sensor input signals can be recorded. The digital control algorithm can be simulated with the real world sensor data. The output from the simulated digital control system can then be compared to the old analog based control system. Model based design can compared to Agile software develop. The Agile software development goal is to develop working software in incremental steps. Progress is measured in completed and tested code units. Progress is measured in model based design by completed and tested blocks. We present a concept for a video game controller and then use model based design to iterate the design towards a working system. We will also describe a model based design effort to develop an OS Friendly Microprocessor Architecture based on the RISC-V.

48 CFR 215.404-72 - Modified weighted guidelines method for nonprofit organizations other than FFRDCs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) Do not assign a value from the technology incentive designated range. (2) Modifications to contract type risk (Block 24 of the DD Form 1547). Use a designated range of −1 percent to 0 percent instead of... performance risk (Blocks 21-23 of the DD Form 1547). (i) If the contracting officer assigns a value from the...

NASA Docking System (NDS) Interface Definitions Document (IDD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tabakman, Alexander; England, Warren

2013-01-01

The contents of this document define the integrated performance and interface design for NASA Docking System (NDS) Block 1 and the International Docking Adapter. The intent of this IDD is to provide the interface design for using, installing, and interfacing to the NDS Block 1 that will enable successful docking to the IDA. This document is under the control of the ISS Development Projects Office (OG).

Importance of sequence specific hydrophobicity in synthetic protein transduction domain mimics.

PubMed

Sgolastra, Federica; Minter, Lisa M; Osborne, Barbara A; Tew, Gregory N

2014-03-10

A new series of synthetic protein transduction domain mimics (PTDMs) was designed to analyze the importance of guanidine and phenyl group segregation along the backbone on their membrane interaction and cellular internalization abilities. ROMP was utilized to synthesize three polymers: nonsegregated homopolymers, intermediately segregated gradient copolymers, and strongly segregated block copolymers. In order to understand the role of functional group segregation on activity, it was important to design monomers that enabled these three different polymer topologies, or constitutional macromolecular isomers, to be prepared with identical chemical compositions. The structure-activity relationships were evaluated by both a biophysical assay, using dye-loaded vesicles, and by in vitro cellular uptake studies of fluorescently labeled chains. The results showed that functional group segregation impacts activity. In general, the nonsegregated homopolymer was the most active in both assays but also showed larger, ill-defined aggregates compared to either the gradient or block copolymers. It was also the most cytotoxic of the three isomers. As a result, the gradient copolymer with intermediate segregation optimizes activity and solubility with low cytotoxicity. This study gives new design guidelines for the development of PTDMs.

HPMA copolymers: Origins, early developments, present, and future☆

PubMed Central

Kopeček, Jindřich; Kopečková, Pavla

2010-01-01

The overview covers the discovery of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) copolymers, initial studies on their synthesis, evaluation of biological properties, and explorations of their potential as carriers of biologically active compounds in general and anticancer drugs in particular. The focus is on the research in the authors’ laboratory – the development of macromolecular therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and musculoskeletal diseases. In addition, the evaluation of HPMA (co)polymers as building blocks of mod and new biomaterials is presented: the utilization of semitelechelic poly(HPMA) and HPMA copolymers for the modification of biomaterial and protein surfaces and the design of hybrid block and graft HPMA copolymers that self-assemble into smart hydrogels. Finally, suggestions for the design of second-generation macromolecular therapeutics are portrayed. PMID:19919846

Broader autism phenotype in parents of autistic children: reality or myth?

PubMed

Scheeren, Anke M; Stauder, Johannes E A

2008-02-01

The finding that relatives of individuals with autism show mild autistic traits is referred to as the broader autism phenotype (BAP). In the current study, 25 parents with a child with high-functioning autism and 25 parents with typically developed children were compared on: (1) the Block Design Test, (2) the Autism-Spectrum Quotient (AQ), and (3) a reaction time task to examine reflexive covert visual orienting to social (eyes) and non-social (arrows) cues. The parent groups were scored similar on the Block Design Test and the AQ. However, fathers with an autistic child demonstrated a different reaction time pattern and responded slower on the social cues than control fathers. These results partly support and further elaborate on the BAP in parents with an autistic child.

Rational Design of Tunnel Supports: An Interactive Graphics Based Analysis of the Support Requirements of Excavations in Jointed Rock Masses.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-09-01

joint orientetion and joint slippage than to failure of the intact rock mass. Dixon (1971) noted the importance of including the confining influence of...dedicated computer. The area of research not covered by this investigation which holds promise for a future study is a detailed comparison of the results of...block data, type key "W". The program writes this data on Linc tapes for future retripval. This feature can be used to store the consolidated block

Do Apprentices' Communities of Practice Block Unwelcome Knowledge?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sligo, Frank; Tilley, Elspeth; Murray, Niki

2011-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to examine how well print-literacy support being provided to New Zealand Modern Apprentices (MAs) is supporting their study and practical work. Design/methodology/approach: The authors undertook a qualitative analysis of a database of 191 MAs in the literacy programme, then in 14 case studies completed 46 interviews with…

Controlling domain orientation of liquid crystalline block copolymer in thin films through tuning mesogenic chemical structures

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

Xie, He-Lou; Li, Xiao; Ren, Jiaxing

Controlling the macroscopic orientation of nanoscale periodic structures of amphiphilic liquid crystalline block copolymers (LC BCPs) is important to a variety of technical applications (e.g., lithium conducting polymer electrolytes). To study LC BCP domain orientation, a series of LC BCPs containing a poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) block as a conventional hydrophilic coil block and LC blocks containing azobenzene mesogens is designed and synthesized. LC ordering in thin films of the BCP leads to the formation of highly ordered, microphase-separated nanostructures, with hexagonally arranged PEO cylinders. Substitution on the tail of the azobenzene mesogen is shown to control the orientation of themore » PEO cylinders. When the substitution on the mesogenic tails is an alkyl chain, the PEO cylinders have a perpendicular orientation to the substrate surface, provided the thin film is above a critical thickness value. In contrast, when the substitution on the mesogenic tails has an ether group the PEO cylinders assemble parallel to the substrate surface regardless of the film thickness value.« less

Self-Assembly of Diblock Molecular Polymer Brushes in the Spherical Confinement of Nanoemulsion Droplets.

PubMed

Steinhaus, Andrea; Pelras, Théophile; Chakroun, Ramzi; Gröschel, André H; Müllner, Markus

2018-05-02

Understanding the self-assembly behavior of polymers of various topologies is key to a reliable design of functional polymer materials. Self-assembly under confinement conditions emerges as a versatile avenue to design polymer particles with complex internal morphologies while simultaneously facilitating scale-up. However, only linear block copolymers have been studied to date, despite the increasing control over macromolecule composition and architecture available. This study extends the investigation of polymer self-assembly in confinement from regular diblock copolymers to diblock molecular polymer brushes (MPBs). Block-type MPBs with polystyrene (PS) and polylactide (PLA) compartments of different sizes are incorporated into surfactant-stabilized oil-in-water (chloroform/water) emulsions. The increasing confinement in the nanoemulsion droplets during solvent evaporation directs the MPBs to form solid nano/microparticles. Microscopy studies reveal an intricate internal particle structure, including interpenetrating networks and axially stacked lamellae of PS and PLA, depending on the PS/PLA ratio of the brushes. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Block 5 documentation and solar modules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Design and fabrication of Spire Corporation's Block 5 photovoltaic flat plate module is reviewed. These modules exhibited power of about 70 watts under standard test conditions. Results of performance and environmental testing are provided.

Engineering aqueous fiber assembly into silk-elastin-like protein polymers.

PubMed

Zeng, Like; Jiang, Linan; Teng, Weibing; Cappello, Joseph; Zohar, Yitshak; Wu, Xiaoyi

2014-07-01

Self-assembled peptide/protein nanofibers are valuable 1D building blocks for creating complex structures with designed properties and functions. It is reported that the self-assembly of silk-elastin-like protein polymers into nanofibers or globular aggregates in aqueous solutions can be modulated by tuning the temperature of the protein solutions, the size of the silk blocks, and the charge of the elastin blocks. A core-sheath model is proposed for nanofiber formation, with the silk blocks in the cores and the hydrated elastin blocks in the sheaths. The folding of the silk blocks into stable cores--affected by the size of the silk blocks and the charge of the elastin blocks--plays a critical role in the assembly of silk-elastin nanofibers. Furthermore, enhanced hydrophobic interactions between the elastin blocks at elevated temperatures greatly influence the nanoscale features of silk-elastin nanofibers. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Rockfall Modelling with Remedial Design and Measures along Part of a Mountainous Settlement Area, Southern Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Güntel, Berna; Acar, Altay

2016-10-01

In June 2011, a heavy rainfall triggered a number of rockfalls from steep slopes and on slopes made of soft to loose soils capped by inhomogeneous hard rock blocks and masses in the Düziçi Town of Osmaniye Province in Turkey. Large rock blocks had damaged 15 prefabricated hotel rooms whereas the slope movement blocked the major road between Duzigi and hot spring facilities at numerous locations along 280 m. This paper describes remedial measures and design recommended according to the modelling process based on the collection of data and simulation of rockfall with Rocscience RockFall 5.0 software.

Multiresonant Composite Optical Nanoantennas by Out-of-plane Plasmonic Engineering.

PubMed

Song, Junyeob; Zhou, Wei

2018-06-27

Optical nanoantennas can concentrate light and enhance light-matter interactions in subwavelength domain, which is useful for photodetection, light emission, optical biosensing, and spectroscopy. However, conventional optical nanoantennas operating at a single wavelength band are not suitable for multiband applications. Here, we propose and exploit an out-of-plane plasmonic engineering strategy to design and create composite optical nanoantennas that can support multiple nanolocalized modes at different resonant wavelengths. These multiresonant composite nanoantennas are composed of vertically stacked building blocks of metal-insulator-metal loop nanoantennas. Studies of multiresonant composite nanoantennas demonstrate that the number of supported modes depends on the number of vertically stacked building blocks and the resonant wavelengths of individual modes are tunable by controlling the out-of-plane geometries of their building blocks. In addition, numerical studies show that the resonant wavelengths of individual modes in composite nanoantennas can deviate from the optical response of building blocks due to hybridization of magnetic modes in neighboring building blocks. Using Au nanohole arrays as deposition masks to fabricate arrays of multilayered composite nanoantennas, we experimentally demonstrate their multiresonant optical properties in good agreement with theory predictions. These studies show that out-of-plane engineered multiresonant composite nanoantennas can provide new opportunities for fundamental nanophotonics research and practical applications involving optical multiband operations, such as multiphoton process, broadband solar energy conversion, and wavelength-multiplexed optical system.

Forks in the road: choices in procedures for designing wildland linkages.

PubMed

Beier, Paul; Majka, Daniel R; Spencer, Wayne D

2008-08-01

Models are commonly used to identify lands that will best maintain the ability of wildlife to move between wildland blocks through matrix lands after the remaining matrix has become incompatible with wildlife movement. We offer a roadmap of 16 choices and assumptions that arise in designing linkages to facilitate movement or gene flow of focal species between 2 or more predefined wildland blocks. We recommend designing linkages to serve multiple (rather than one) focal species likely to serve as a collective umbrella for all native species and ecological processes, explicitly acknowledging untested assumptions, and using uncertainty analysis to illustrate potential effects of model uncertainty. Such uncertainty is best displayed to stakeholders as maps of modeled linkages under different assumptions. We also recommend modeling corridor dwellers (species that require more than one generation to move their genes between wildland blocks) differently from passage species (for which an individual can move between wildland blocks within a few weeks). We identify a problem, which we call the subjective translation problem, that arises because the analyst must subjectively decide how to translate measurements of resource selection into resistance. This problem can be overcome by estimating resistance from observations of animal movement, genetic distances, or interpatch movements. There is room for substantial improvement in the procedures used to design linkages robust to climate change and in tools that allow stakeholders to compare an optimal linkage design to alternative designs that minimize costs or achieve other conservation goals.

Experimental Investigations on Axially and Eccentrically Loaded Masonry Walls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keshava, Mangala; Raghunath, Seshagiri Rao

2017-12-01

In India, un-reinforced masonry walls are often used as main structural components in load bearing structures. Indian code on masonry accounts the reduction in strength of walls by using stress reduction factors in its design philosophy. This code was introduced in 1987 and reaffirmed in 1995. The present study investigates the use of these factors for south Indian masonry. Also, with the gaining popularity in block work construction, the aim of this study was to find out the suitability of these factors given in the Indian code to block work masonry. Normally, the load carrying capacity of masonry walls can be assessed in three ways, namely, (1) tests on masonry constituents, (2) tests on masonry prisms and (3) tests on full-scale wall specimens. Tests on bricks/blocks, cement-sand mortar, brick/block masonry prisms and 14 full-scale brick/block masonry walls formed the experimental investigation. The behavior of the walls was investigated under varying slenderness and eccentricity ratios. Hollow concrete blocks normally used as in-fill masonry can be considered as load bearing elements as its load carrying capacity was found to be high when compared to conventional brick masonry. Higher slenderness and eccentricity ratios drastically reduced the strength capacity of south Indian brick masonry walls. The reduction in strength due to slenderness and eccentricity is presented in the form of stress reduction factors in the Indian code. These factors obtained through experiments on eccentrically loaded brick masonry walls was lower while that of brick/block masonry under axial loads was higher than the values indicated in the Indian code. Also the reduction in strength is different for brick and block work masonry thus indicating the need for separate stress reduction factors for these two masonry materials.

Beneficial effects of growth hormone treatment on cognition in children with Prader-Willi syndrome: a randomized controlled trial and longitudinal study.

PubMed

Siemensma, Elbrich P C; Tummers-de Lind van Wijngaarden, Roderick F A; Festen, Dederieke A M; Troeman, Zyrhea C E; van Alfen-van der Velden, A A E M Janielle; Otten, Barto J; Rotteveel, Joost; Odink, Roelof J H; Bindels-de Heus, G C B Karen; van Leeuwen, Mariette; Haring, Danny A J P; Oostdijk, Wilma; Bocca, Gianni; Mieke Houdijk, E C A; van Trotsenburg, A S Paul; Hoorweg-Nijman, J J Gera; van Wieringen, Hester; Vreuls, René C F M; Jira, Petr E; Schroor, Eelco J; van Pinxteren-Nagler, Evelyn; Willem Pilon, Jan; Lunshof, L Bert; Hokken-Koelega, Anita C S

2012-07-01

Knowledge about the effects of GH treatment on cognitive functioning in children with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is limited. Fifty prepubertal children aged 3.5 to 14 yr were studied in a randomized controlled GH trial during 2 yr, followed by a longitudinal study during 4 yr of GH treatment. Cognitive functioning was measured biennially by short forms of the WPPSI-R or WISC-R, depending on age. Total IQ (TIQ) score was estimated based on two subtest scores. During the randomized controlled trial, mean sd scores of all subtests and mean TIQ score remained similar compared to baseline in GH-treated children with PWS, whereas in untreated controls mean subtest sd scores and mean TIQ score decreased and became lower compared to baseline. This decline was significant for the Similarities (P = 0.04) and Vocabulary (P = 0.03) subtests. After 4 yr of GH treatment, mean sd scores on the Similarities and Block design subtests were significantly higher than at baseline (P = 0.01 and P = 0.03, respectively), and scores on Vocabulary and TIQ remained similar compared to baseline. At baseline, children with a maternal uniparental disomy had a significantly lower score on the Block design subtest (P = 0.01) but a larger increment on this subtest during 4 yr of GH treatment than children with a deletion. Lower baseline scores correlated significantly with higher increases in Similarities (P = 0.04) and Block design (P < 0.0001) sd scores. Our study shows that GH treatment prevents deterioration of certain cognitive skills in children with PWS on the short term and significantly improves abstract reasoning and visuospatial skills during 4 yr of GH treatment. Furthermore, children with a greater deficit had more benefit from GH treatment.

Nitrogen fertilization effects on sorghum forage yield and quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The study objective was to determine the effect of nitrogen fertilization on yield and quality of photoperiod sensitive (PS) and non-PS forage sorghum, sorghum-sudangrass, and sudangrass compared to corn. This study was a randomized complete block design with treatments arranged in a 4 x 8 factorial...

Efficacy of Visual-Acoustic Biofeedback Intervention for Residual Rhotic Errors: A Single-Subject Randomization Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byun, Tara McAllister

2017-01-01

Purpose: This study documented the efficacy of visual-acoustic biofeedback intervention for residual rhotic errors, relative to a comparison condition involving traditional articulatory treatment. All participants received both treatments in a single-subject experimental design featuring alternating treatments with blocked randomization of…

Early Cognitive Profiles of Emergent Readers: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brunswick, Nicola; Martin, G. Neil; Rippon, Georgina

2012-01-01

This longitudinal study examined the contribution of phonological awareness, phonological memory, and visuospatial ability to reading development in 142 English-speaking children from the start of kindergarten to the middle of Grade 2. Partial cross-lagged analyses revealed significant relationships between early performance on block design and…

Scaling a Single Attribute: A Methodological Study of Conservation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofmann, Richard J.; Trepanier, Mary

1975-01-01

This study was designed to assess the acquisition of conservation of number on equal addition tasks through scalogram analysis to determine if this analysis defines a scale or continuum. Ten block tasks administered to 85 kindergarten children validated Piaget's theory that cognitive development is sequential and continuous. (Author/ED)

Study to investigate and evaluate means of optimizing the radar function. [systems engineering of pulse radar for the space shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The investigations for a rendezvous radar system design and an integrated radar/communication system design are presented. Based on these investigations, system block diagrams are given and system parameters are optimized for the noncoherent pulse and coherent pulse Doppler radar modulation types. Both cooperative (transponder) and passive radar operation are examined including the optimization of the corresponding transponder design for the cooperative mode of operation.

Adjustable bridge blocks make huge difference to the self-assembly of multiblock copolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Weihua

We present theoretical studies on two types of multiblock copolymers, whose self-assemblies lead to a lot of novel ordered nanostructures. The first example is BABCB multiblock terpolymer, where A- and C-blocks separately aggregate into isolated domains and the three B-blocks with adjustable lengths form the matrix. As a result, the middle B-block forms a natural bridge connecting A- and C-domains. In contrast to ABC, the BABCB can form many binary spherical and cylindrical phases with tunable coordination numbers. In addition, the ABCB solution can form a lot of planet-satellite micellar superstructures with tunable number of satellites that varies from 3 to 20. The another system is AB-type multiblock copolymers. In contrast to the above system, there is no natural bridge. Accordingly, we introduce multiple arms into the architecture which tend to partition themselves into different domains to maximize their configurational entropy, thus forming effective bridges. Furthermore, each arm is devised as BAB triblock to enable adjustable length of bridges. With this copolymer, we predict a few non-classical ordered phases, including a square array cylinder. Our study opens the possibilities of fabricating desired nanostructures using designed block copolymers. National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21322407, 21574026).

Customized Knee Prosthesis in Treatment of Giant Cell Tumors of the Proximal Tibia: Application of 3-Dimensional Printing Technology in Surgical Design.

PubMed

Luo, Wenbin; Huang, Lanfeng; Liu, He; Qu, Wenrui; Zhao, Xin; Wang, Chenyu; Li, Chen; Yu, Tao; Han, Qing; Wang, Jincheng; Qin, Yanguo

2017-04-07

BACKGROUND We explored the application of 3-dimensional (3D) printing technology in treating giant cell tumors (GCT) of the proximal tibia. A tibia block was designed and produced through 3D printing technology. We expected that this 3D-printed block would fill the bone defect after en-bloc resection. Importantly, the block, combined with a standard knee joint prosthesis, provided attachments for collateral ligaments of the knee, which can maintain knee stability. MATERIAL AND METHODS A computed tomography (CT) scan was taken of both knee joints in 4 patients with GCT of the proximal tibia. We developed a novel technique - the real-size 3D-printed proximal tibia model - to design preoperative treatment plans. Hence, with the application of 3D printing technology, a customized proximal tibia block could be designed for each patient individually, which fixed the bone defect, combined with standard knee prosthesis. RESULTS In all 4 cases, the 3D-printed block fitted the bone defect precisely. The motion range of the affected knee was 90 degrees on average, and the soft tissue balance and stability of the knee were good. After an average 7-month follow-up, the MSTS score was 19 on average. No sign of prosthesis fracture, loosening, or other relevant complications were detected. CONCLUSIONS This technique can be used to treat GCT of the proximal tibia when it is hard to achieve soft tissue balance after tumor resection. 3D printing technology simplified the design and manufacturing progress of custom-made orthopedic medical instruments. This new surgical technique could be much more widely applied because of 3D printing technology.

Improving MRI surface coil decoupling to reduce B1 distortion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, Christian

As clinical MRI systems continue to advance, larger focus is being given to image uniformity. Good image uniformity begins with generating uniform magnetic fields, which are easily distorted by induced currents on receive-only surface coils. It has become an industry standard to combat these induced currents by placing RF blocking networks on surface coils. This paper explores the effect of blocking network impedance of phased array surface coils on B1 distortion. It has been found and verified, that traditional approaches for blocking network design in complex phased arrays can leave undesirable B1 distortions at 3 Tesla. The traditional approach of LC tank blocking is explored, but shifts from the idea that higher impedance equals better B1 distortion at 3T. The result is a new design principle for a tank with a finite inductive reactance at the Larmor Frequency. The solution is demonstrated via simulation using a simple, single, large tuning loop. The same loop, along with a smaller loop, is used to derive the new design principle, which is then applied to a complex phased array structure.

Comparison of block and event-related experimental designs in diffusion-weighted functional MRI.

PubMed

Williams, Rebecca J; McMahon, Katie L; Hocking, Julia; Reutens, David C

2014-08-01

To compare diffusion-weighted functional magnetic resonance imaging (DfMRI), a novel alternative to the blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast, in a functional MRI experiment. Nine participants viewed contrast reversing (7.5 Hz) black-and-white checkerboard stimuli using block and event-related paradigms. DfMRI (b = 1800 mm/s(2)) and BOLD sequences were acquired. Four parameters describing the observed signal were assessed: percent signal change, spatial extent of the activation, the Euclidean distance between peak voxel locations, and the time-to-peak of the best fitting impulse response for different paradigms and sequences. The BOLD conditions showed a higher percent signal change relative to DfMRI; however, event-related DfMRI showed the strongest group activation (t = 21.23, P < 0.0005). Activation was more diffuse and spatially closer to the BOLD response for DfMRI when the block design was used. DfMRIevent showed the shortest TTP (4.4 ± 0.88 sec). The hemodynamic contribution to DfMRI may increase with the use of block designs. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Patterning nonisometric origami in nematic elastomer sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plucinsky, Paul; Kowalski, Benjamin A.; White, Timothy J.; Bhattacharya, Kaushik

Nematic elastomers dramatically change their shape in response to diverse stimuli including light and heat. In this paper, we provide a systematic framework for the design of complex three dimensional shapes through the actuation of heterogeneously patterned nematic elastomer sheets. These sheets are composed of \\textit{nonisometric origami} building blocks which, when appropriately linked together, can actuate into a diverse array of three dimensional faceted shapes. We demonstrate both theoretically and experimentally that: 1) the nonisometric origami building blocks actuate in the predicted manner, 2) the integration of multiple building blocks leads to complex multi-stable, yet predictable, shapes, 3) we can bias the actuation experimentally to obtain a desired complex shape amongst the multi-stable shapes. We then show that this experimentally realized functionality enables a rich possible design landscape for actuation using nematic elastomers. We highlight this landscape through theoretical examples, which utilize large arrays of these building blocks to realize a desired three dimensional origami shape. In combination, these results amount to an engineering design principle, which we hope will provide a template for the application of nematic elastomers to emerging technologies.

Computational Design of High-χ Block Oligomers for Accessing 1 nm Domains.

PubMed

Chen, Qile P; Barreda, Leonel; Oquendo, Luis E; Hillmyer, Marc A; Lodge, Timothy P; Siepmann, J Ilja

2018-05-22

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to design a series of high-χ block oligomers (HCBOs) that can self-assemble into a variety of mesophases with domain sizes as small as 1 nm. The exploration of these oligomers with various chain lengths, volume fractions, and chain architectures at multiple temperatures reveals the presence of ordered lamellae, perforated lamellae, and hexagonally packed cylinders. The achieved periods are as small as 3.0 and 2.1 nm for lamellae and cylinders, respectively, which correspond to polar domains of approximately 1 nm. Interestingly, the detailed phase behavior of these oligomers is distinct from that of either solvent-free surfactants or block polymers. The simulations reveal that the behavior of these HCBOs is a product of an interplay between both "surfactant factors" (headgroup interactions, chain flexibility, and interfacial curvature) and "block polymer factors" (χ, chain length N, and volume fraction f). This insight promotes the understanding of molecular features pivotal for mesophase formation at the sub-5 nm length scale, which facilitates the design of HCBOs tailored toward particular desired morphologies.

BEHAVIORAL COACHING TO IMPROVE OFFENSIVE LINE PASS-BLOCKING SKILLS OF HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ATHLETES

PubMed Central

Stokes, John V; Luiselli, James K; Reed, Derek D; Fleming, Richard K

2010-01-01

We evaluated several behavioral coaching procedures for improving offensive line pass-blocking skills with 5 high school varsity football players. Pass blocking was measured during practice drills and games, and our intervention included descriptive feedback with and without video feedback and teaching with acoustical guidance (TAG). Intervention components and pass blocking were evaluated in a multiple baseline design, which showed that video feedback and TAG were the most effective procedures. For all players, improved pass blocking matched a standard derived by observing more experienced linemen and was evident in games. Additional intervention was required to maintain pass-blocking proficiency. Issues pertinent to behavioral coaching and sport psychology research are discussed. PMID:21358905

Numbers of center points appropriate to blocked response surface experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holms, A. G.

1979-01-01

Tables are given for the numbers of center points to be used with blocked sequential designs of composite response surface experiments as used in empirical optimum seeking. The star point radii for exact orthogonal blocking is presented. The center point options varied from a lower limit of one to an upper limit equal to the numbers proposed by Box and Hunter for approximate rotatability and uniform variance, and exact orthogonal blocking. Some operating characteristics of the proposed options are described.

Communications Effects Server (CES) Model for Systems Engineering Research

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-31

Visualization Tool Interface «logical» HLA Tool Interface «logical» DIS Tool Interface «logical» STK Tool Interface «module» Execution Kernels «logical...interoperate with STK when running simulations. GUI Components  Architect – The Architect represents the main network design and visualization ...interest» CES «block» Third Party Visualization Tool «block» Third Party Analysis Tool «block» Third Party Text Editor «block» HLA Tools Analyst User Army

Functionalized Helical Building Blocks for Nanoelectronics.

PubMed

Khokhlov, Khrystofor; Schuster, Nathaniel J; Ng, Fay; Nuckolls, Colin

2018-04-06

Molecular building blocks are designed and created for the cis- and trans-dibrominated perylenediimides. The syntheses are simple and provide these useful materials on the gram scale. To demonstrate their synthetic versatility, these building blocks were used to create new dimeric perylenediimide helixes. Two of these helical dimers are twistacenes, and one is a helicene. Crucially, each possesses regiochemically defined functionality that allows the dimer helix to be elaborated into higher oligomers. It would be very difficult to prepare these helical PDI building blocks regioselectively without the methods described.

Comparative evaluation of the amount of gingival displacement produced by three different gingival retraction systems: An in vivo study.

PubMed

Chaudhari, Jignesh; Prajapati, Paranjay; Patel, Jayanti; Sethuraman, Rajesh; Naveen, Y G

2015-01-01

Tetrahydrozoline has been introduced as new gingival retraction agent but its clinical efficacy with widely used conventional retraction agents has not been tested. The study was designed to clinically evaluate efficacy of newer retraction agent tetrahydrozoline with two widely used retraction systems i.e., Expasyl retraction system and medicated retraction cords on basis of amount of gingival retraction. 30 subjects were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Maxillary Impressions were made with irreversible hydrocolloid for all subjects. Tray material was used for making the special tray. Latin Block Design was Used in the Study to avoid tissue fatigue. Retraction was done with aluminium chloride; Tetrahydrozoline and Expasyl according to Latin block design. Impressions were poured with die stone. Casts were retrieved and sections were made with die cutter. 3 mm thin slices were obtained. Each slice was used to measure the amount of retraction under stereomicroscope under 20x and images were transferred to image analyser. The amount of gingival retraction obtained by using aluminium chloride as gingival retraction agent was maximum (148238.33 μm(2)) compared to tetrahydrozoline (140737.87 μm(2)) and Expasyl (67784.90 μm(2)).

Side-chain amino-acid-based pH-responsive self-assembled block copolymers for drug delivery and gene transfer.

PubMed

Kumar, Sonu; Acharya, Rituparna; Chatterji, Urmi; De, Priyadarsi

2013-12-10

Developing safe and effective nanocarriers for multitype of delivery system is advantageous for several kinds of successful biomedicinal therapy with the same carrier. In the present study, we have designed amino acid biomolecules derived hybrid block copolymers which can act as a promising vehicle for both drug delivery and gene transfer. Two representative natural chiral amino acid-containing (l-phenylalanine and l-alanine) vinyl monomers were polymerized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) process in the presence of monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) based macro-chain transfer agents (mPEGn-CTA) for the synthesis of well-defined side-chain amino-acid-based amphiphilic block copolymers, monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(Boc-amino acid methacryloyloxyethyl ester) (mPEGn-b-P(Boc-AA-EMA)). The self-assembled micellar aggregation of these amphiphilic block copolymers were studied by fluorescence spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Potential applications of these hybrid polymers as drug carrier have been demonstrated in vitro by encapsulation of nile red dye or doxorubicin drug into the core of the micellar nanoaggregates. Deprotection of side-chain Boc- groups in the amphiphilic block copolymers subsequently transformed them into double hydrophilic pH-responsive cationic block copolymers having primary amino groups in the side-chain terminal. The DNA binding ability of these cationic block copolymers were further investigated by using agarose gel retardation assay and AFM. The in vitro cytotoxicity assay demonstrated their biocompatible nature and these polymers can serve as "smart" materials for promising bioapplications.

76 FR 55167 - Designation of Three Individuals Pursuant to Executive Order 13573 of May 18, 2011, “Blocking...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-06

... Pursuant to Executive Order 13573 of May 18, 2011, ``Blocking Property of Senior Officials of the... individuals whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to Executive Order 13573 of May 18...-hour fax-on-demand service, Tel.: 202/622-0077. Background On May 18, 2011, the President issued...

31 CFR 597.513 - Payments from funds originating outside the United States and the formation of legal defense...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

....505 are to be provided, whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to any part of... and interests in property are blocked pursuant to any other part of this chapter holds an interest. (3... their designation or the blocking of their property and interests in property may apply for a specific...

31 CFR 597.513 - Payments from funds originating outside the United States and the formation of legal defense...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

....505 are to be provided, whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to any part of... and interests in property are blocked pursuant to any other part of this chapter holds an interest. (3... their designation or the blocking of their property and interests in property may apply for a specific...

31 CFR 597.513 - Payments from funds originating outside the United States and the formation of legal defense...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

....505 are to be provided, whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to any part of... and interests in property are blocked pursuant to any other part of this chapter holds an interest. (3... their designation or the blocking of their property and interests in property may apply for a specific...

31 CFR 597.513 - Payments from funds originating outside the United States and the formation of legal defense...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

....505 are to be provided, whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to any part of... and interests in property are blocked pursuant to any other part of this chapter holds an interest. (3... their designation or the blocking of their property and interests in property may apply for a specific...

A low cost, modular, and physiologically inspired electronic neuron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sitt, J. D.; Campetella, F.; Aliaga, J.

2010-12-01

We describe a low cost design of an electronic neuron, which is designed to represent the dynamical properties of the membrane potential of biological neurons by modeling the states of the membrane channels. This electronic neuron can be used to study the nonlinear properties of the membrane voltage dynamics and to develop and analyze small neuronal circuits using electronic neurons as building blocks.

Application of Sensor Technology for the Efficient Positioningand Assembling of Ship Blocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sangdon; SeongbaeEun; Jung, Jai Jin; Song, Hacheol

2010-09-01

This paper proposes the application of sensor technology to assemble ship blocks efficiently. A sensor-based monitoring system is designed and implemented to improve shipbuilding productivity by reducing the labor cost for the adjustment of adequate positioning between ship blocks during pre-erection or erection stage. For the real-time remote monitoring of relative distances between two ship blocks, sensor nodes are applied to measure the distances between corresponding target points on the blocks. Highly precise positioning data can be transferred to a monitoring server via wireless network, and analyzed to support the decision making which needs to determine the next construction process; further adjustment or seam welding between the ship blocks. The developed system is expected to put to practical use, and increase the productivity during ship blocks assembly.

Blocked versus randomized presentation modes differentially modulate feedback-related negativity and P3b amplitudes

PubMed Central

Pfabigan, Daniela M.; Zeiler, Michael; Lamm, Claus; Sailer, Uta

2014-01-01

Objective Electrophysiological studies on feedback processing typically use a wide range of feedback stimuli which might not always be comparable. The current study investigated whether two indicators of feedback processing – feedback-related negativity (FRN) and P3b – differ for feedback stimuli with explicit (facial expressions) or assigned valence information (symbols). In addition, we assessed whether presenting feedback in either a trial-by-trial or a block-wise fashion affected these ERPs. Methods EEG was recorded in three experiments while participants performed a time estimation task and received two different types of performance feedback. Results Only P3b amplitudes varied consistently in response to feedback type for both presentation types. Moreover, the blocked feedback type presentation yielded more distinct FRN peaks, higher effect sizes, and a significant relation between FRN amplitudes and behavioral task performance measures. Conclusion Both stimulus type and presentation mode may provoke systematic changes in feedback-related ERPs. The current findings point at important potential confounds that need to be controlled for when designing FRN or P3b studies. Significance Studies investigating P3b amplitudes using mixed types of stimuli have to be interpreted with caution. Furthermore, we suggest implementing a blocked presentation format when presenting different feedback types within the same experiment. PMID:24144779

Effects of Grafting Density on Block Polymer Self-Assembly: From Linear to Bottlebrush

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

Lin, Tzu-Pin; Chang, Alice B.; Luo, Shao-Xiong

Grafting density is an important structural parameter that imparts significant influences over the physical properties of architecturally complex polymers. In this paper, the physical consequences of varying the grafting density (z) were studied in the context of block polymer self-assembly. Well-defined block polymers spanning the linear, comb, and bottlebrush regimes (0 ≤ z ≤ 1) were prepared via grafting-through ring-opening-metathesis polymerization (ROMP). ω-norbornenyl poly(D,L-lactide) (PLA) and polystyrene (PS) macromonomers were copolymerized with discrete co-monomers in different feed ratios, enabling precise control over the grafting density. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments demonstrate that these graft block polymers can self-assemble into long-range-orderedmore » lamellar structures. For seventeen series of block polymers with variable z, the scaling of the lamellar period with the total backbone degree of polymerization (d* ~ N bb α) was studied. The scaling exponent α monotonically decreases with decreasing z and exhibits an apparent transition at z ≈ 0.2, suggesting significant changes in the chain conformations. Comparison of two block polymer systems, one that is strongly segregated for all z (System I) and one that experiences weak segregation at low z (System II), indicates that the observed trends are primarily caused by the polymer architectures, instead of segregation strengths. A model is pro-posed in which the characteristic ratio (C ∞), a proxy for the backbone stiffness, scales with N bb as a function of the grafting density: C ∞ ~ N bb f(z). To the best of our knowledge, this report represents the first study of scaling behavior for the self-assembly of block polymers with variable grafting density. Lastly, the relationships disclosed herein provide valuable insights into conformational changes with grafting density, thus introducing new opportunities for future block polymer design.« less

Effects of Grafting Density on Block Polymer Self-Assembly: From Linear to Bottlebrush

DOE PAGES

Lin, Tzu-Pin; Chang, Alice B.; Luo, Shao-Xiong; ...

2017-10-26

Grafting density is an important structural parameter that imparts significant influences over the physical properties of architecturally complex polymers. In this paper, the physical consequences of varying the grafting density (z) were studied in the context of block polymer self-assembly. Well-defined block polymers spanning the linear, comb, and bottlebrush regimes (0 ≤ z ≤ 1) were prepared via grafting-through ring-opening-metathesis polymerization (ROMP). ω-norbornenyl poly(D,L-lactide) (PLA) and polystyrene (PS) macromonomers were copolymerized with discrete co-monomers in different feed ratios, enabling precise control over the grafting density. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) experiments demonstrate that these graft block polymers can self-assemble into long-range-orderedmore » lamellar structures. For seventeen series of block polymers with variable z, the scaling of the lamellar period with the total backbone degree of polymerization (d* ~ N bb α) was studied. The scaling exponent α monotonically decreases with decreasing z and exhibits an apparent transition at z ≈ 0.2, suggesting significant changes in the chain conformations. Comparison of two block polymer systems, one that is strongly segregated for all z (System I) and one that experiences weak segregation at low z (System II), indicates that the observed trends are primarily caused by the polymer architectures, instead of segregation strengths. A model is pro-posed in which the characteristic ratio (C ∞), a proxy for the backbone stiffness, scales with N bb as a function of the grafting density: C ∞ ~ N bb f(z). To the best of our knowledge, this report represents the first study of scaling behavior for the self-assembly of block polymers with variable grafting density. Lastly, the relationships disclosed herein provide valuable insights into conformational changes with grafting density, thus introducing new opportunities for future block polymer design.« less

Composability-Centered Convolutional Neural Network Pruning

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

Shen, Xipeng; Guan, Hui; Lim, Seung-Hwan

This work studies the composability of the building blocks ofstructural CNN models (e.g., GoogleLeNet and Residual Networks) in thecontext of network pruning. We empirically validate that a networkcomposed of pre-trained building blocks (e.g. residual blocks andInception modules) not only gives a better initial setting fortraining, but also allows the training process to converge at asignificantly higher accuracy in much less time. Based on thatinsight, we propose a {\\em composability-centered} design for CNNnetwork pruning. Experiments show that this new scheme shortens theconfiguration process in CNN network pruning by up to 186.8X forResNet-50 and up to 30.2X for Inception-V3, and meanwhile, themore » modelsit finds that meet the accuracy requirement are significantly morecompact than those found by default schemes.« less

Creating and validating GIS measures of urban design for health research.

PubMed

Purciel, Marnie; Neckerman, Kathryn M; Lovasi, Gina S; Quinn, James W; Weiss, Christopher; Bader, Michael D M; Ewing, Reid; Rundle, Andrew

2009-12-01

Studies relating urban design to health have been impeded by the unfeasibility of conducting field observations across large areas and the lack of validated objective measures of urban design. This study describes measures for five dimensions of urban design - imageability, enclosure, human scale, transparency, and complexity - created using public geographic information systems (GIS) data from the US Census and city and state government. GIS measures were validated for a sample of 588 New York City block faces using a well-documented field observation protocol. Correlations between GIS and observed measures ranged from 0.28 to 0.89. Results show valid urban design measures can be constructed from digital sources.

Creating and validating GIS measures of urban design for health research

PubMed Central

Purciel, Marnie; Neckerman, Kathryn M.; Lovasi, Gina S.; Quinn, James W.; Weiss, Christopher; Bader, Michael D.M.; Ewing, Reid; Rundle, Andrew

2012-01-01

Studies relating urban design to health have been impeded by the unfeasibility of conducting field observations across large areas and the lack of validated objective measures of urban design. This study describes measures for five dimensions of urban design – imageability, enclosure, human scale, transparency, and complexity – created using public geographic information systems (GIS) data from the US Census and city and state government. GIS measures were validated for a sample of 588 New York City block faces using a well-documented field observation protocol. Correlations between GIS and observed measures ranged from 0.28 to 0.89. Results show valid urban design measures can be constructed from digital sources. PMID:22956856

Design and Production of an Articulating Needle Guide for Ultrasound-Guided Needle Block Manufactured With a Three-Dimensional Printer: Technical Communication.

PubMed

Bigeleisen, Paul E

2017-05-15

Needle guides may allow the practitioner to align the needle with the probe when ultrasound-guided nerve block is performed. The author's goal was to design and fabricate an inexpensive ($1.90), disposable, needle guide that could articulate over a range from 85 degrees to 0 degrees with a three-dimension printer. Three-dimensional representations of an L50, L25, and C 60 ultrasound probe (Sono Site, Bothell, WA) were created using a laser scanner. Computer-aided design software (Solid Works, Waltham, MA) was used to design a needle bracket and needle guide to attach to these probes. A three-dimensional printer was used to fabricate the needle bracket and guide with acrylonitrile polybutadiene polystyrene. An echogenic needle was held in plane with the needle guide. The author performed a supraclavicular block in a morbidly obese patient. The needle was easily visualized. Similar guides that are commercially available cost as much as $400. A knowledge of computer-aided design is necessary for this work.

A new routing enhancement scheme based on node blocking state advertisement in wavelength-routed WDM networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Peigang; Jin, Yaohui; Zhang, Chunlei; He, Hao; Hu, WeiSheng

2005-02-01

The increasing switching capacity brings the optical node with considerable complexity. Due to the limitation in cost and technology, an optical node is often designed with partial switching capability and partial resource sharing. It means that the node is of blocking to some extent, for example multi-granularity switching node, which in fact is a structure using pass wavelength to reduce the dimension of OXC, and partial sharing wavelength converter (WC) OXC. It is conceivable that these blocking nodes will have great effects on the problem of routing and wavelength assignment. Some previous works studied the blocking case, partial WC OXC, using complicated wavelength assignment algorithm. But the complexities of these schemes decide them to be not in practice in real networks. In this paper, we propose a new scheme based on the node blocking state advertisement to reduce the retry or rerouting probability and improve the efficiency of routing in the networks with blocking nodes. In the scheme, node blocking state are advertised to the other nodes in networks, which will be used for subsequent route calculation to find a path with lowest blocking probability. The performance of the scheme is evaluated using discrete event model in 14-node NSFNET, all the nodes of which employ a kind of partial sharing WC OXC structure. In the simulation, a simple First-Fit wavelength assignment algorithm is used. The simulation results demonstrate that the new scheme considerably reduces the retry or rerouting probability in routing process.

A Quick Assessment of Visuospatial Abilities in Adolescents Using the Design Organization Test (DOT).

PubMed

Burggraaf, Rudolf; Frens, Maarten A; Hooge, Ignace T C; van der Geest, Jos N

2016-01-01

Tests measuring visuospatial abilities have shown that these abilities increase during adolescence. Unfortunately, the Block Design test and other such tests are complicated and time-consuming to administer, making them unsuitable for use with large groups of restless adolescents. The results of the Design Organization Test (DOT), a quick pen-and-paper test, have been shown to correlate with those of the Block Design test. A group of 198 healthy adolescents (110 male and 88 female) aged 12 to 19 years old participated in this study. A slightly modified version of the DOT has been used in which we shortened the administration time to avoid a ceiling effect in the score. Scores show a linear increase with age (on average 2.0 points per year, r = .61) independent of sex. Scores did not differ between individual setting and group setting. Thus, the DOT is a simple and effective way to assess visuospatial ability in large groups, such as in schools, and it can be easily administered year after year to follow the development of students.

Integrated geometry and grid generation system for complex configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Akdag, Vedat; Wulf, Armin

1992-01-01

A grid generation system was developed that enables grid generation for complex configurations. The system called ICEM/CFD is described and its role in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) applications is presented. The capabilities of the system include full computer aided design (CAD), grid generation on the actual CAD geometry definition using robust surface projection algorithms, interfacing easily with known CAD packages through common file formats for geometry transfer, grid quality evaluation of the volume grid, coupling boundary condition set-up for block faces with grid topology generation, multi-block grid generation with or without point continuity and block to block interface requirement, and generating grid files directly compatible with known flow solvers. The interactive and integrated approach to the problem of computational grid generation not only substantially reduces manpower time but also increases the flexibility of later grid modifications and enhancements which is required in an environment where CFD is integrated into a product design cycle.

Selective directed self-assembly of coexisting morphologies using block copolymer blends

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, A.; Wright, G.; Yager, K. G.; Doerk, G. S.; Black, C. T.

2016-08-01

Directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers is an emergent technique for nano-lithography, but is limited in the range of structures possible in a single fabrication step. Here we expand on traditional DSA chemical patterning. A blend of lamellar- and cylinder-forming block copolymers assembles on specially designed surface chemical line gratings, leading to the simultaneous formation of coexisting ordered morphologies in separate areas of the substrate. The competing energetics of polymer chain distortions and chemical mismatch with the substrate grating bias the system towards either line/space or dot array patterns, depending on the pitch and linewidth of the prepattern. This is in contrast to the typical DSA, wherein assembly of a single-component block copolymer on chemical templates generates patterns of either lines/spaces (lamellar) or hexagonal dot arrays (cylinders). In our approach, the chemical template encodes desired local spatial arrangements of coexisting design motifs, self-assembled from a single, sophisticated resist.

Bridge effects on light harvesting of a DBfA type polymer system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Sam-Shajing; Hasib, Muhammad; Gavrilenko, Alexander V.; Devan, Joshua; Gavrilenko, Vladimir

2016-09-01

Plastic optoelectronic materials and thin film devices are very attractive in future optical sensor and solar energy applications due to their lightweight, flexible shape, high photon absorption coefficients, low cost, and environmental benefits. In this study, optoelectronic properties of D, D/fA blend, DfA, and a series of DBfA type of conjugated block copolymers has been investigated, where D is a donor type PPV conjugated block, B is a non-conjugated and flexible aliphatic hydrocarbon bridge chain containing different number of aliphatic methylene units, and fA is a fluorinated acceptor type PPV conjugated block. The optical absorptions of the D/fA blend, DfA, and DBfAs are typical overlaps of individual absorptions of D and fA blocks, while the solution steady state photoluminescence (PL) emission of D were quenched to different levels in blends and block copolymers, with DBfAs containing one methylene unit bridge (DB1fA) quenched most. This could be attributed to an intra-molecular photo induced electron transfer or charge separation in DBfA systems. Theoretical first principles study of the equilibrium atomic configuration of DfA reveals the existence of twisting angles between the D and fA blocks in DfA stable states which may account for a less PL quenching of DfA as compared to DB1fA. These results are important for designing and developing high efficiency polymer based optoelectronic systems.

Perspective: Evolutionary design of granular media and block copolymer patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaeger, Heinrich M.; de Pablo, Juan J.

2016-05-01

The creation of new materials "by design" is a process that starts from desired materials properties and proceeds to identify requirements for the constituent components. Such process is challenging because it inverts the typical modeling approach, which starts from given micro-level components to predict macro-level properties. We describe how to tackle this inverse problem using concepts from evolutionary computation. These concepts have widespread applicability and open up new opportunities for design as well as discovery. Here we apply them to design tasks involving two very different classes of soft materials, shape-optimized granular media and nanopatterned block copolymer thin films.

Investigation on the Core Bypass Flow in a Very High Temperature Reactor

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

Hassan, Yassin

2013-10-22

Uncertainties associated with the core bypass flow are some of the key issues that directly influence the coolant mass flow distribution and magnitude, and thus the operational core temperature profiles, in the very high-temperature reactor (VHTR). Designers will attempt to configure the core geometry so the core cooling flow rate magnitude and distribution conform to the design values. The objective of this project is to study the bypass flow both experimentally and computationally. Researchers will develop experimental data using state-of-the-art particle image velocimetry in a small test facility. The team will attempt to obtain full field temperature distribution using racksmore » of thermocouples. The experimental data are intended to benchmark computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes by providing detailed information. These experimental data are urgently needed for validation of the CFD codes. The following are the project tasks: • Construct a small-scale bench-top experiment to resemble the bypass flow between the graphite blocks, varying parameters to address their impact on bypass flow. Wall roughness of the graphite block walls, spacing between the blocks, and temperature of the blocks are some of the parameters to be tested. • Perform CFD to evaluate pre- and post-test calculations and turbulence models, including sensitivity studies to achieve high accuracy. • Develop the state-of-the art large eddy simulation (LES) using appropriate subgrid modeling. • Develop models to be used in systems thermal hydraulics codes to account and estimate the bypass flows. These computer programs include, among others, RELAP3D, MELCOR, GAMMA, and GAS-NET. Actual core bypass flow rate may vary considerably from the design value. Although the uncertainty of the bypass flow rate is not known, some sources have stated that the bypass flow rates in the Fort St. Vrain reactor were between 8 and 25 percent of the total reactor mass flow rate. If bypass flow rates are on the high side, the quantity of cooling flow through the core may be considerably less than the nominal design value, causing some regions of the core to operate at temperatures in excess of the design values. These effects are postulated to lead to localized hot regions in the core that must be considered when evaluating the VHTR operational and accident scenarios.« less

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

He Yongzhou; Zhang Jidong; Zhou Qiaogen

Two in-vacuum undulators IVU25s and one elliptically polarized undulator EPU100 have been developed for SSRF. Two IVU25s with the same hybrid design contain about 640 Sm{sub 2}Co{sub 17} magnet blocks and the dimension of blocks is 65 Wx25 Hx9 D. The EPU100 of the APPLE-II type contains about 690 NdFeB magnet blocks with the dimension of 35 Wx35 Hx25 D. This paper describes the magnetic measurements of these magnet blocks with the Helmholtz coil measurement system for IVU25 magnet blocks and the Hall probe measurement system for EPU100 magnet blocks. The measured maximum magnetic moment deviation and the maximum anglemore » deviation are less than {+-}1.0% and 1.1 deg. respectively both for Sm{sub 2}Co{sub 17} blocks and NdFeB blocks and satisfy the specifications of undulators.« less

Advanced CD-SEM solution for edge placement error characterization of BEOL pitch 32nm metal layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charley, A.; Leray, P.; Lorusso, G.; Sutani, T.; Takemasa, Y.

2018-03-01

Metrology plays an important role in edge placement error (EPE) budgeting. Control for multi-patterning applications as new critical distances needs to be measured (edge to edge) and requirements become tighter and tighter in terms of accuracy and precision. In this paper we focus on imec iN7 BEOL platform and particularly on M2 patterning scheme using SAQP + block EUV for a 7.5 track logic design. Being able to characterize block to SAQP edge misplacement is important in a budgeting exercise (1) but is also extremely difficult due to challenging edge detection with CD-SEM (similar materials, thin layers, short distances, 3D features). In this study we develop an advanced solution to measure block to SAQP placement, we characterize it in terms of sensitivity, precision and accuracy through the comparison to reference metrology. In a second phase, the methodology is applied to budget local effects and the results are compared to the characterization of the SAQP and block independently.

Block copolymer micelles with a dual-stimuli-responsive core for fast or slow degradation.

PubMed

Han, Dehui; Tong, Xia; Zhao, Yue

2012-02-07

We report the design and demonstration of a dual-stimuli-responsive block copolymer (BCP) micelle with increased complexity and control. We have synthesized and studied a new amphiphilic ABA-type triblock copolymer whose hydrophobic middle block contains two types of stimuli-sensitive functionalities regularly and repeatedly positioned in the main chain. Using a two-step click chemistry approach, disulfide and o-nitrobenzyle methyl ester groups are inserted into the main chain, which react to reducing agents and light, respectively. With the end blocks being poly(ethylene oxide), micelles formed by this BCP possess a core that can be disintegrated either rapidly via photocleavage of o-nitrobenzyl methyl esters or slowly through cleavage of disulfide groups by a reducing agent in the micellar solution. This feature makes possible either burst release of an encapsulated hydrophobic species from disintegrated micelles by UV light, or slow release by the action of a reducing agent, or release with combined fast-slow rate profiles using the two stimuli.

There Once Was a 9-Block ...--A Middle-School Design for Probability and Statistics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrahamson, Dor; Janusz, Ruth M.; Wilensky, Uri

2006-01-01

ProbLab is a probability-and-statistics unit developed at the Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling, Northwestern University. Students analyze the combinatorial space of the 9-block, a 3-by-3 grid of squares, in which each square can be either green or blue. All 512 possible 9-blocks are constructed and assembled in a "bar…

Program Aids Specification Of Multiple-Block Grids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sorenson, R. L.; Mccann, K. M.

1993-01-01

3DPREP computer program aids specification of multiple-block computational grids. Highly interactive graphical preprocessing program designed for use on powerful graphical scientific computer workstation. Divided into three main parts, each corresponding to principal graphical-and-alphanumerical display. Relieves user of some burden of collecting and formatting many data needed to specify blocks and grids, and prepares input data for NASA's 3DGRAPE grid-generating computer program.

PEG Enhancement for EM1 and EM2+ Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Von der Porten, Paul; Ahmad, Naeem; Hawkins, Matt

2018-01-01

NASA is currently building the Space Launch System (SLS) Block-1 launch vehicle for the Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1) test flight. The next evolution of SLS, the Block-1B Exploration Mission 2 (EM-2), is currently being designed. The Block-1 and Block-1B vehicles will use the Powered Explicit Guidance (PEG) algorithm. Due to the relatively low thrust-to-weight ratio of the Exploration Upper Stage (EUS), certain enhancements to the Block-1 PEG algorithm are needed to perform Block-1B missions. In order to accommodate mission design for EM-2 and beyond, PEG has been significantly improved since its use on the Space Shuttle program. The current version of PEG has the ability to switch to different targets during Core Stage (CS) or EUS flight, and can automatically reconfigure for a single Engine Out (EO) scenario, loss of communication with the Launch Abort System (LAS), and Inertial Navigation System (INS) failure. The Thrust Factor (TF) algorithm uses measured state information in addition to a priori parameters, providing PEG with an improved estimate of propulsion information. This provides robustness against unknown or undetected engine failures. A loft parameter input allows LAS jettison while maximizing payload mass. The current PEG algorithm is now able to handle various classes of missions with burn arcs much longer than were seen in the shuttle program. These missions include targeting a circular LEO orbit with a low-thrust, long-burn-duration upper stage, targeting a highly eccentric Trans-Lunar Injection (TLI) orbit, targeting a disposal orbit using the low-thrust Reaction Control System (RCS), and targeting a hyperbolic orbit. This paper will describe the design and implementation of the TF algorithm, the strategy to handle EO in various flight regimes, algorithms to cover off-nominal conditions, and other enhancements to the Block-1 PEG algorithm. This paper illustrates challenges posed by the Block-1B vehicle, and results show that the improved PEG algorithm is capable for use on the SLS Block 1-B vehicle as part of the Guidance, Navigation, and Control System.

Anaesthetic efficacy of 4% articaine mandibular buccal infiltration compared to 2% lignocaine inferior alveolar nerve block in children with irreversible pulpitis.

PubMed

Arali, Veena; P, Mytri

2015-04-01

Lidocaine is the gold standard anaesthetic solution that has been used since its inception into dentistry till date. Around 80% of failures have been reported when lignocaine has been used for inferior alveolar nerve block in children and adults with irreversible pulpitis. There is a need to use newer drugs which are available which have been reported to be effective like lignocaine, such as articaine. Although articaine has been used in adults, literature supporting its use in children is sparse. The purpose of this study is to compare the anaesthetic efficacy of 4% articaine buccal infiltration and 2% lignocaine inferior alveolar nerve block in children with irreversible pulpitis. It also aims to assess the need for supplemental intrapulpal injections. This study was designed as a randomized double-blind cross over trial comparing the anaesthetic effectiveness of 4% articaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine in buccal infiltration and 2% lignocaine IAN block anaesthesia. The study subject and the pediatric dentist performing the pulpectomy procedures were blinded to the study. A sample size of 40 subjects in the age group of 5-8 y was included in the study. The onset of anaesthesia with 4% articaine was faster as compared to 2% lignocaine. The duration of anaesthesia with articaine infiltration was shorter. The need for supplemental injection in the articaine group was less. Four percent articaine infiltration can be used in children with irreversible pulpitis. It can be used to replace the IAN block in children thereby reducing the post anaesthetic complications like lip biting.

A Vibration Device to Control Injection Discomfort.

PubMed

Shaefer, Jeffry R; Lee, Stephanie J; Anderson, Nina K

2017-06-01

Pain from local anesthesia injections can be reduced by distraction and counter-stimulation techniques. This study investigated the DentalVibe® Injection Comfort System (third-generation, DV3), developed to lessen anesthesia pain through pulsed vibration, a form of counter-stimulation. The aim of the study was to evaluate both the efficacy of DV3 in reducing pain and discomfort from intraoral long buccal (LB) and inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) injections and the time needed to achieve complete anesthesia during an IAN block. The study enrolled 60 subjects, 30 men and 30 women, aged 21 to 32 years, who rated both injection pain on a visual analog scale and discomfort, unpleasantness, and difficulty in enduring the injection on a modified symptom severity index. Each subject received bilateral LB injections and an IAN block. Using block design, the third-generation DV (DV3) was randomly assigned to either the first or second LB injection and to 30 subjects on their third injection, the IAN block. No topical anesthesia was applied. Subjects receiving DV3 reported significantly less pain, discomfort, unpleasantness, and difficulty in enduring LB and IAN injections (P < .05), regardless of whether DV3 was used on the first or second LB injection. Time to complete anesthesia was not significantly different (P > .05) when DV3 was used on IAN block injections. The DV3 significantly (P < .02) reduced pain/discomfort from anesthetic injections in this pilot study, in which many subjects were either dental or medical students familiar with performing and enduring injections. More studies are warranted on layperson populations.

List blocking and longer retention intervals reveal an influence of gist processing for lexically ambiguous critical lures

PubMed Central

McNabb, Jaimie; Hutchison, Keith A.

2016-01-01

In two experiments, we examined veridical and false memory for lists of associates from two meanings (e.g., stumble, trip, harvest, pumpkin, etc.) that converged upon a single, lexically ambiguous critical lure (e.g., fall), in order to compare the activation-monitoring and fuzzy-trace false memory accounts. In Experiment 1, we presented study lists that were blocked or alternated by meaning (within subjects), followed by a free recall test completed immediately or after a 2.5-min delay. Correct recall was greater for blocked than for alternated lists. Critical-lure false recall was greater for blocked lists on an immediate test, whereas both list types produced equivalent false recall on a delayed test. In Experiment 2, lists blocked and alternated by meaning were presented via a between-subjects design, in order to eliminate possible list-type carryover effects. Correct recall replicated the result from Experiment 1; however, blocking lists increased false recall on delayed, but not on immediate, tests. Across the experiments, clustering correct recall by meaning increased across the delay selectively for the alternated lists. Our results suggest that thematic (i.e., gist) processes are influential for false recall, especially following a delay, a pattern consistent with fuzzy-trace theory. PMID:26105976

Assessment of Micro-Basin Tillage as a Soil and Water Conservation Practice in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China.

PubMed

Sui, Yuanyuan; Ou, Yang; Yan, Baixing; Xu, Xiaohong; Rousseau, Alain N; Zhang, Yu

2016-01-01

Micro-basin tillage is a soil and water conservation practice that requires building individual earth blocks along furrows. In this study, plot experiments were conducted to assess the efficiency of micro-basin tillage on sloping croplands between 2012 and 2013 (5°and 7°). The conceptual, optimal, block interval model was used to design micro-basins which are meant to capture the maximum amount of water per unit area. Results indicated that when compared to the up-down slope tillage, micro-basin tillage could increase soil water content and maize yield by about 45% and 17%, and reduce runoff, sediment and nutrients loads by about 63%, 96% and 86%, respectively. Meanwhile, micro-basin tillage could reduce the peak runoff rates and delay the initial runoff-yielding time. In addition, micro-basin tillage with the optimal block interval proved to be the best one among all treatments with different intervals. Compared with treatments of other block intervals, the optimal block interval treatments increased soil moisture by around 10% and reduced runoff rate by around 15%. In general, micro-basin tillage with optimal block interval represents an effective soil and water conservation practice for sloping farmland of the black soil region.

Assessment of Micro-Basin Tillage as a Soil and Water Conservation Practice in the Black Soil Region of Northeast China

PubMed Central

Sui, Yuanyuan; Ou, Yang; Yan, Baixing; Xu, Xiaohong; Rousseau, Alain N.; Zhang, Yu

2016-01-01

Micro-basin tillage is a soil and water conservation practice that requires building individual earth blocks along furrows. In this study, plot experiments were conducted to assess the efficiency of micro-basin tillage on sloping croplands between 2012 and 2013 (5°and 7°). The conceptual, optimal, block interval model was used to design micro-basins which are meant to capture the maximum amount of water per unit area. Results indicated that when compared to the up-down slope tillage, micro-basin tillage could increase soil water content and maize yield by about 45% and 17%, and reduce runoff, sediment and nutrients loads by about 63%, 96% and 86%, respectively. Meanwhile, micro-basin tillage could reduce the peak runoff rates and delay the initial runoff-yielding time. In addition, micro-basin tillage with the optimal block interval proved to be the best one among all treatments with different intervals. Compared with treatments of other block intervals, the optimal block interval treatments increased soil moisture by around 10% and reduced runoff rate by around 15%. In general, micro-basin tillage with optimal block interval represents an effective soil and water conservation practice for sloping farmland of the black soil region. PMID:27031339

Testing the Immediate and Long-Term Efficacy of a Tier 2 Kindergarten Mathematics Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Ben; Doabler, Christian T.; Smolkowski, Keith; Kurtz-Nelson, Evangeline; Fien, Hank; Baker, Scott K.; Kosty, Derek

2016-01-01

This study examined the efficacy of a kindergarten mathematics intervention program, ROOTS, focused on developing whole-number understanding in the areas of counting and cardinality and operations and algebraic thinking for students at risk in mathematics. The study utilized a randomized block design with students within classrooms randomly…

Cognitive Dissonance, Supervision, and Administrative Team Conflict

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zepeda, Sally J.

2006-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to record and summarize the tensions and problems experienced by a high school administrative team as they attempted to change supervision alongside instruction in a transition to a new block schedule. Design/methodology/approach: A case study method was used. As a case study, the research is contextual in…

Supplemental dietary L-arginine attenuates intestinal mucosal disruption during a coccidial vaccine challenge in broiler chickens

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The present study investigated the effects of dietary arginine (Arg) supplementation on intestinal barrier integrity in broiler chickens undergoing coccidial challenge. The design of this study was a randomized complete block employing a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement (n = 8) with 3 level of Arg (1.11,...

A Powerful, Potential Outcomes Method for Estimating Any Estimand across Multiple Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pattanayak, Cassandra W.; Rubin, Donald B.; Zell, Elizabeth R.

2013-01-01

In educational research, outcome measures are often estimated across separate studies or across schools, districts, or other subgroups to assess the overall causal effect of an active treatment versus a control treatment. Students may be partitioned into such strata or blocks by experimental design, or separated into studies within a…

The World Around Them; Environmental Education in the Urban Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henderson, Ernest L.

This manual is a teacher's guide to environmental study activities for intermediate grade students in urban areas. It is divided into four color coded sections: A City Block-An Environmental Design; The Streets of the City; Noise Pollution; and Student Worksheets and Study Guides. Each of these sections presents objectives, generalizations, and…

Flipped Instruction in a High School Science Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leo, Jonathan; Puzio, Kelly

2016-01-01

This paper reports on a quasi-experimental study examining the effectiveness of flipped instruction in a 9th grade biology classroom. This study included four sections of freshmen-level biology taught by the first author at a private secondary school in the Pacific Northwest. Using a block randomized design, two sections were flipped and two…

United States Army Command and General Staff Officers Course Preparatory Curriculum Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-12

However, there are no studies from CGSOC to evaluate this assertion. Several studies show that upbringing and experience play more of a role in...... exercises during the Common Core and AOC blocks of instruction. The Common Core Curriculum and AOC comprise the forty-four-week resident course designed

Rheological Design of Sustainable Block Copolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mannion, Alexander M.

Block copolymers are extremely versatile materials that microphase separate to give rise to a rich array of complex behavior, making them the ideal platform for the development of rheologically sophisticated soft matter. In line with growing environmental concerns of conventional plastics from petroleum feedstocks, this work focuses on the rheological design of sustainable block copolymers--those derived from renewable sources and are degradable--based on poly(lactide). Although commercially viable, poly(lactide) has a number of inherent deficiencies that result in a host of challenges that require both creative and practical solutions that are cost-effective and amenable to large-scale production. Specifically, this dissertation looks at applications in which both shear and extensional rheology dictate performance attributes, namely chewing gum, pressure-sensitive adhesives, and polymers for blown film extrusion. Structure-property relationships in the context of block polymer architecture, polymer composition, morphology, and branching are explored in depth. The basic principles and fundamental findings presented in this thesis are applicable to a broader range of substances that incorporate block copolymers for which rheology plays a pivotal role.

Is Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block Sufficient for Routine Dental Treatment in 4- to 6-year-old Children?

PubMed Central

Erfanparast, Leila; Sheykhgermchi, Sanaz; Ghanizadeh, Milad

2017-01-01

Introduction Pain control is one of the most important aspects of behavior management in children. The most common way to achieve pain control is by using local anesthetics (LA). Many studies describe that the buccal nerve innervates the buccal gingiva and mucosa of the mandible for a variable extent from the vicinity of the lower third molar to the lower canine. Regarding the importance of appropriate and complete LA in child-behavior control, in this study, we examined the frequency of buccal gingiva anesthesia of primary mandibular molars and canine after inferior alveolar nerve block injection in 4- to 6-year-old children. Study design In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 220 4- to 6-year-old children were randomly selected and entered into the study. Inferior alveolar nerve block was injected with the same method and standards for all children, and after ensuring the success of block injection, anesthesia of buccal mucosa of primary molars and canine was examined by stick test and reaction of child using sound, eye, motor (SEM) scale. The data from the study were analyzed using descriptive statistics and statistical software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21. Results The area that was the highest nonanesthetized was recorded as in the distobuccal of the second primary molars. The area of the lowest nonanesthesia was also reported in the gingiva of primary canine tooth. Conclusion According to this study, in 15 to 30% of cases, after inferior alveolar nerve block injection, the primary mandibular molars’ buccal mucosa is not anesthetized. How to cite this article: Pourkazemi M, Erfanparast L, Sheykhgermchi S, Ghanizadeh M. Is Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block Sufficient for Routine Dental Treatment in 4- to 6-year-old Children? Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(4):369-372. PMID:29403231

Neuroimaging of decoding and language comprehension in young very low birth weight (VLBW) adolescents: Indications for compensatory mechanisms.

PubMed

van Ettinger-Veenstra, Helene; Widén, Carin; Engström, Maria; Karlsson, Thomas; Leijon, Ingemar; Nelson, Nina

2017-01-01

In preterm children with very low birth weight (VLBW ≤ 1500 g), reading problems are often observed. Reading comprehension is dependent on word decoding and language comprehension. We investigated neural activation-within brain regions important for reading-related to components of reading comprehension in young VLBW adolescents in direct comparison to normal birth weight (NBW) term-born peers, with the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We hypothesized that the decoding mechanisms will be affected by VLBW, and expect to see increased neural activity for VLBW which may be modulated by task performance and cognitive ability. The study investigated 13 (11 included in fMRI) young adolescents (ages 12 to 14 years) born preterm with VLBW and in 13 NBW controls (ages 12-14 years) for performance on the Block Design and Vocabulary subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children; and for semantic, orthographic, and phonological processing during an fMRI paradigm. The VLBW group showed increased phonological activation in left inferior frontal gyrus, decreased orthographic activation in right supramarginal gyrus, and decreased semantic activation in left inferior frontal gyrus. Block Design was related to altered right-hemispheric activation, and VLBW showed lower WISC Block Design scores. Left angular gyrus showed activation increase specific for VLBW with high accuracy on the semantic test. Young VLBW adolescents showed no accuracy and reaction time performance differences on our fMRI language tasks, but they did exhibit altered neural activation during these tasks. This altered activation for VLBW was observed as increased activation during phonological decoding, and as mainly decreased activation during orthographic and semantic processing. Correlations of neural activation with accuracy on the semantic fMRI task and with decreased WISC Block Design performance were specific for the VLBW group. Together, results suggest compensatory mechanisms by recruiting additional brain regions upon altered neural development of decoding for VLBW.

The System Design, Engineering Architecture, and Preliminary Results of a Lower-Cost High-Sensitivity High-Resolution Positron Emission Mammography Camera.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuxuan; Ramirez, Rocio A; Li, Hongdi; Liu, Shitao; An, Shaohui; Wang, Chao; Baghaei, Hossain; Wong, Wai-Hoi

2010-02-01

A lower-cost high-sensitivity high-resolution positron emission mammography (PEM) camera is developed. It consists of two detector modules with the planar detector bank of 20 × 12 cm(2). Each bank has 60 low-cost PMT-Quadrant-Sharing (PQS) LYSO blocks arranged in a 10 × 6 array with two types of geometries. One is the symmetric 19.36 × 19.36 mm(2) block made of 1.5 × 1.5 × 10 mm(3) crystals in a 12 × 12 array. The other is the 19.36 × 26.05 mm(2) asymmetric block made of 1.5 × 1.9 × 10 mm(3) crystals in 12 × 13 array. One row (10) of the elongated blocks are used along one side of the bank to reclaim the half empty PMT photocathode in the regular PQS design to reduce the dead area at the edge of the module. The bank has a high overall crystal packing fraction of 88%, which results in a very high sensitivity. Mechanical design and electronics have been developed for low-cost, compactness, and stability purposes. Each module has four Anger-HYPER decoding electronics that can handle a count-rate of 3 Mcps for single events. A simple two-module coincidence board with a hardware delay window for random coincidences has been developed with an adjustable window of 6 to 15 ns. Some of the performance parameters have been studied by preliminary tests and Monte Carlo simulations, including the crystal decoding map and the 17% energy resolution of the detectors, the point source sensitivity of 11.5% with 50 mm bank-to-bank distance, the 1.2 mm-spatial resolutions, 42 kcps peak Noise Equivalent Count Rate at 7.0-mCi total activity in human body, and the resolution phantom images. Those results show that the design goal of building a lower-cost, high-sensitivity, high-resolution PEM detector is achieved.

Polymer nanoreactors shown to produce and release antibiotics locally.

PubMed

Langowska, Karolina; Palivan, Cornelia G; Meier, Wolfgang

2013-01-07

We designed and prepared nanoreactors based on a poly(2-methyloxazoline)-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-poly(2-methyloxazoline (PMOXA-b-PDMS-b-PMOXA) amphiphilic triblock copolymer encapsulating the enzyme penicillin acylase for local and controlled production of antibiotics.

Equilibrium Field Theoretic and Dynamic Mean Field Simulations of Inhomogeneous Polymeric Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, Huikuan

Inhomogeneous polymeric materials is a large family of promising materials including but limited to block copolymers (BCPs), polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) and microscopically confined polymer films. The promising application of the materials originates from the materials' unique microstructures, which offer enhanced mechanical, thermal, optical and electrical properties to the materials. Due to the complex interactions and the large parameter space, behaviors of the microstructures formed by grafted nanoparticles and nanorods in PNCs are difficult to understand. Separately, because of relatively weak interactions, the microstructures are typically achieved through rapid processing that are kinetically controlled and beyond equilibrium. However, efficient simulation framework to study nonequilbrium dynamics of the materials is currently not available. To attack the first difficulty, I extended an efficient simulation framework, polymer nanocomposite field theory (PNC-FT), to incorporate grafted nanoparticles and nanorods. This extended framework is demonstrated against existing experimental studies and implemented to study how the nanoparticle design affects the nanoparticle distribution in binary homopolymer blends. The grafted nanoparticle model is also used as a platform to adopt an advanced optimization method to inversely design nanoparticles which are able to self-assemble into targeted two dimensional lattices. The nanorod model under PNC-FT framework is used to investigate the design of nanorod and block copolymer thin films to control the nanorod distribution. To attack the second difficulty, I established an efficient framework (SCMF-LD) based on a recently proposed dynamic mean field theory and used SCMF-LD to study how to kinetically control the nanoparticle distribution at the end of solvent annealing block copolymer thin films. The framework is then extended to incorporate hydrodynamics (SCMF-DPD) and the extended framework is implemented to study morphology development in phase inversion processing polymer thin films, where hydrodynamic effects play an important role. By exploring both equilibrium and nonequilibrium properties in a spectrum of inhomogeneous polymeric material systems, I successfully extended PNC-FT and established SCMF-LD and SCMF-DPD frameworks, which are expected to be efficient and powerful tools in studies of inhomogeneous polymeric material design and processing.

CALUTRON

DOEpatents

Lawrence, E.O.; Brobeck, W.M.

1959-04-14

ABS>An ion source is described for a calutron especially designed to improve the uniformity of charge vapor flow when the vapor encounters the arc. The inventive feature of the source consists of a specific source block construction wherein heater means prevents condensation from taking place within the block, and a separate vapor generator is supported on the wall of the block by a hollow thimble. The thimble communicates with a bore cavity in the block and the vapor flows therethrough into the cavity and uniformly out a slot along the length of the cavity where the arc discharge is located.

Student Teachers of Technology and Design: Can Short Periods of STEM-Related Industrial Placement Change Student Perceptions of Engineering and Technology?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, Ken S.

2012-01-01

This is a report, on a small-scale case study, of a programme of short industrial placements (5 day block) for student teachers of technology and design in Northern Ireland. Such placements increase student awareness and understanding of the nature of Engineering and Technology and therefore better prepare them to teach these subjects, as integral…

Self-Assembly and Responsiveness of Polypeptide-Based Star and Triblock Copolymers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savin, Daniel

This study involves the bottom-up design and tunability of responsive, peptide-based block polymers. The self-assembly of amphiphilic block polymers is dictated primarily by the balance between the hydrophobic core volume and the hydrophilic corona. In these studies, amphiphilic triblock and star copolymers containing poly(lysine) (PK), poly(leucine) (PL) and poly(glutamic acid) (PE) were synthesized and their solution properties studied using dynamic light scattering, circular dichroism spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The peptide block in these structures can serve to introduce pH responsiveness (in the case of PK and PE), or can facilitate the formation of elongated or kinetically-trapped structures (in the case of PL.) This talk will present some recent studies in solution morphology transitions that occur in these materials under varying solution conditions. As the topological complexity of the polymers increases from diblock to linear triblock or star polymers, the solution morphology and response becomes much more complex. We present a systematic series of structures, with increasing complexity, that have applications as passive and active delivery vehicles, hydrogels, and responsive viscosity modifiers. NSF CHE-1539347.

Integration between anticipatory blocking and redox signaling by the peroxiredoxin/thioredoxin/thioredoxin-reductase system.

PubMed

Selvaggio, Gianluca; Coelho, Pedro M B M; Salvador, Armindo

2014-10-01

Cells are occasionally exposed to high H2O2 concentrations, often preceding exposure to other electrophylic compounds. Both H2O2 and these compounds can irreversibly modify protein thiols, with deleterious consequences. Induction of enzymatic defenses against those agents is too slow to avoid significant damage. Cells may solve this conundrum by reversibly "blocking" the thiols once H2O2 concentrations begin to increase. We term this mechanism "anticipatory blocking" because it acts in anticipation of irreversible damage upon detection of early signs of stress. Here we examine the design requirements for the Peroxiredoxin/Thioredoxin/Thioredoxin-Reductase/Protein-Dithiol System (PTTRDS) to effectively integrate H2O2 signaling and anticipatory blocking of protein dithiols as disulfides, and we compared them to the designs found in cells. To that effect, we developed a minimal model of the PTTRDS, and we defined a set of quantitative performance criteria that embody the requirements for (a) efficient scavenging capacity, (b) low NADPH consumption, (c) effective signal propagation, and (d) effective anticipatory blocking. We then sought the design principles (relationships among rate constants and species concentrations) that warrant fulfillment of all these criteria. Experimental data indicates that the design of the PTTRDS in human erythrocytes fulfills these principles and thus accomplishes effective integration between anticipatory blocking, antioxidant protection and redox signaling. A more general analysis suggests that the same principles hold in a wide variety of cell types and organisms. We acknowledge grants PEst-C/SAU/LA0001/2013-2014, PEst-OE/QUI/UI0612/2013, FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-020978 (PTDC/QUI-BIQ/119657/2010) financed by FEDER through the "Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade, COMPETE" and by national funds through "FCT, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia". Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Use of an Android application “clinometer” for measurement of head down tilt given during subarachnoid block

PubMed Central

Dixit, RB; Neema, MM

2016-01-01

Context: Head down tilt is given to patients after sub arachnoid block for adjustment of height of block. However, the amount of tilt given is subjective and cannot be documented. Aims: We used an android application named “clinometer” to measure exact degree of tilt given by anesthesiologists as their routine practice. Settings and Design: This observational study, at a medical college hospital, was done in 130 patients given sub arachnoid block for lower abdominal surgeries. Materials and Methods: We observed and documented vital data of patients and measured tilt given by application “clinometer.” Results: We observed that the application was easy to use and measured tilt each time. The result obtained can be documented, digitally saved and transferred. In 130 patients studied, we observed incidence of degree of tilt as follows: 6-8° tilt in 38 patients (29.23%), 8-10 in 36 patients (27.69%), 10-12 in 30 patients (23.08%), 12-14 in 12 patients (9.23%) and 14-16° tilt in 14 patients (10.77%). Use of application was received with enthusiasm by practicing anesthesiologists. Various possible uses of this application are discussed. PMID:26955307

Chemical structure-guided design of dynapyrazoles, cell-permeable dynein inhibitors with a unique mode of action

PubMed Central

Steinman, Jonathan B; Santarossa, Cristina C; Miller, Rand M; Yu, Lola S; Serpinskaya, Anna S; Furukawa, Hideki; Morimoto, Sachie; Tanaka, Yuta; Nishitani, Mitsuyoshi; Asano, Moriteru; Zalyte, Ruta; Ondrus, Alison E; Johnson, Alex G; Ye, Fan; Nachury, Maxence V; Fukase, Yoshiyuki; Aso, Kazuyoshi; Foley, Michael A; Gelfand, Vladimir I; Chen, James K; Carter, Andrew P; Kapoor, Tarun M

2017-01-01

Cytoplasmic dyneins are motor proteins in the AAA+ superfamily that transport cellular cargos toward microtubule minus-ends. Recently, ciliobrevins were reported as selective cell-permeable inhibitors of cytoplasmic dyneins. As is often true for first-in-class inhibitors, the use of ciliobrevins has in part been limited by low potency. Moreover, suboptimal chemical properties, such as the potential to isomerize, have hindered efforts to improve ciliobrevins. Here, we characterized the structure of ciliobrevins and designed conformationally constrained isosteres. These studies identified dynapyrazoles, inhibitors more potent than ciliobrevins. At single-digit micromolar concentrations dynapyrazoles block intraflagellar transport in the cilium and lysosome motility in the cytoplasm, processes that depend on cytoplasmic dyneins. Further, we find that while ciliobrevins inhibit both dynein's microtubule-stimulated and basal ATPase activity, dynapyrazoles strongly block only microtubule-stimulated activity. Together, our studies suggest that chemical-structure-based analyses can lead to inhibitors with improved properties and distinct modes of inhibition. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.25174.001 PMID:28524820

Comparing the effectiveness of ropivacaine 0.5% versus ropivacaine 0.2% for transabdominis plane block in providing postoperative analgesia after appendectomy.

PubMed

Abdul Jalil, Reymi Marseela; Yahya, Nurlia; Sulaiman, Omar; Wan Mat, Wan Rahiza; Teo, Rufinah; Izaham, Azarinah; Rahman, Raha Abdul

2014-06-01

The basis for the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block involves infiltration of a local anesthetic into the neurofascial plane between the internal oblique and the transversus abdominis muscles, causing a regional block that spreads between the L1 and T10 dermatomes. Thus, the TAP block is said to be suitable for lower abdominal surgery. This study was designed to compare the analgesic efficacy of two different concentrations of ropivacaine for TAP block in patients undergoing appendectomy. Fifty-six patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II, aged 18 years and above, undergoing appendectomy were recruited in this prospective, randomized, double-blind study. They were divided into two groups: Group A patients who received 0.5 mL/kg of ropivacaine 0.5% and Group B patients who received 0.5 mL/kg of ropivacaine 0.2% via TAP block under ultrasound guidance. Postoperative pain was assessed using the visual analog scale upon arrival at the recovery room in the operating theatre, just prior to being discharged to the ward, and at 6 hours, 12 hours, 18 hours, and 24 hours postoperatively to compare the effectiveness of analgesia. Intraoperatively, patients in Group B required a significantly greater amount of additional intravenous fentanyl than those in Group A. There were no significant statistical differences in pain scores at rest and on movement at all assessment times as well as in the dose of 24-hour intravenous morphine consumption given via patient-controlled analgesia postoperatively between the two groups. The effectiveness of two different concentrations of ropivacaine (0.5% versus 0.2%) given via TAP block was comparable in providing postoperative analgesia for patients undergoing appendectomy. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effects of Grafting Density on Block Polymer Self-Assembly: From Linear to Bottlebrush.

PubMed

Lin, Tzu-Pin; Chang, Alice B; Luo, Shao-Xiong; Chen, Hsiang-Yun; Lee, Byeongdu; Grubbs, Robert H

2017-11-28

Grafting density is an important structural parameter that exerts significant influences over the physical properties of architecturally complex polymers. In this report, the physical consequences of varying the grafting density (z) were studied in the context of block polymer self-assembly. Well-defined block polymers spanning the linear, comb, and bottlebrush regimes (0 ≤ z ≤ 1) were prepared via grafting-through ring-opening-metathesis polymerization. ω-Norbornenyl poly(d,l-lactide) and polystyrene macromonomers were copolymerized with discrete comonomers in different feed ratios, enabling precise control over both the grafting density and molecular weight. Small-angle X-ray scattering experiments demonstrate that these graft block polymers self-assemble into long-range-ordered lamellar structures. For 17 series of block polymers with variable z, the scaling of the lamellar period with the total backbone degree of polymerization (d* ∼ N bb α ) was studied. The scaling exponent α monotonically decreases with decreasing z and exhibits an apparent transition at z ≈ 0.2, suggesting significant changes in the chain conformations. Comparison of two block polymer systems, one that is strongly segregated for all z (System I) and one that experiences weak segregation at low z (System II), indicates that the observed trends are primarily caused by the polymer architectures, not segregation effects. A model is proposed in which the characteristic ratio (C ∞ ), a proxy for the backbone stiffness, scales with N bb as a function of the grafting density: C ∞ ∼ N bb f(z) . The scaling behavior disclosed herein provides valuable insights into conformational changes with grafting density, thus introducing opportunities for block polymer and material design.

Double-Blind Crossover Study to Compare Pain Experience During Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block Administration Using Buffered Two Percent Lidocaine in Children.

PubMed

Chopra, Radhika; Jindal, Garima; Sachdev, Vinod; Sandhu, Meera

2016-01-01

Buffering of anesthetic solutions has been suggested to reduce pain on injection and onset of anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to assess the reduction in pain on injection during inferior alveolar nerve block administration in children. A double blind crossover study was designed where 30 six- to 12-year-old patients received two sessions of inferior alveolar nerve block scheduled one week apart. Two percent lidocaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine was given during one appointment, and a buffered solution was given during the other. Pain on injection was assessed using the sound, eye, and motor (SEM) scale, and the time to onset was assessed after gingival probing. The Heft-Parker visual analogue scale (HP-VAS) was self recorded by the patient after administration of local anesthesia. When tested using Mann-Whitney analysis, no significant differences were found between the SEM scores (P=0.71) and HP-VAS scores (P=0.93) for the two solutions used. Student's t test was used to assess the difference in the onset of anesthesia, which was also found to be statistically insignificant (P=0.824). Buffered lidocaine did not reduce the pain on injection or time to onset of anesthesia for inferior alveolar nerve block in children.

Technology Implementation and Workarounds in the Nursing Home

PubMed Central

Vogelsmeier, Amy A.; Halbesleben, Jonathon R.B.; Scott-Cawiezell, Jill R.

2008-01-01

Objective This study sought to explore the relationship of workarounds related to the implementation of an electronic medication administration record and medication safety practices in five Midwestern nursing homes. Design As a part of a larger study, this qualitative evaluation was conducted to identify workarounds associated with the implementation of an electronic medication administration record. Data were collected using multimethods including direct observation, process mapping, key informant interviews, and review of field notes from medication safety team meetings. Measurements Open and axial coding techniques were used to identify and categorize types of workarounds in relation to work flow blocks. Results Workarounds presented in two distinct patterns, those related to work flow blocks introduced by technology and those related to organizational processes not reengineered to effectively integrate with the technology. Workarounds such as safety alert overrides and shortcuts to documentation resulted from first-order problem solving of immediate blocks. Nursing home staff as individuals frequently used first-order problem solving instead of the more sophisticated second-order problem solving approach used by the medication safety team. Conclusion This study provides important practical examples of how nursing home staff work around work flow blocks encountered during the implementation of technology. Understanding these workarounds as a means of first-order problem solving is an important consideration to understanding risk to medication safety. PMID:17947626

High-voltage pulsed generator for dynamic fragmentation of rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovalchuk, B. M.; Kharlov, A. V.; Vizir, V. A.; Kumpyak, V. V.; Zorin, V. B.; Kiselev, V. N.

2010-10-01

A portable high-voltage (HV) pulsed generator has been designed for rock fragmentation experiments. The generator can be used also for other technological applications. The installation consists of low voltage block, HV block, coaxial transmission line, fragmentation chamber, and control system block. Low voltage block of the generator, consisting of a primary capacitor bank (300 μF) and a thyristor switch, stores pulse energy and transfers it to the HV block. The primary capacitor bank stores energy of 600 J at the maximum charging voltage of 2 kV. HV block includes HV pulsed step up transformer, HV capacitive storage, and two electrode gas switch. The following technical parameters of the generator were achieved: output voltage up to 300 kV, voltage rise time of ˜50 ns, current amplitude of ˜6 kA with the 40 Ω active load, and ˜20 kA in a rock fragmentation regime (with discharge in a rock-water mixture). Typical operation regime is a burst of 1000 pulses with a frequency of 10 Hz. The operation process can be controlled within a wide range of parameters. The entire installation (generator, transmission line, treatment chamber, and measuring probes) is designed like a continuous Faraday's cage (complete shielding) to exclude external electromagnetic perturbations.

High-voltage pulsed generator for dynamic fragmentation of rocks.

PubMed

Kovalchuk, B M; Kharlov, A V; Vizir, V A; Kumpyak, V V; Zorin, V B; Kiselev, V N

2010-10-01

A portable high-voltage (HV) pulsed generator has been designed for rock fragmentation experiments. The generator can be used also for other technological applications. The installation consists of low voltage block, HV block, coaxial transmission line, fragmentation chamber, and control system block. Low voltage block of the generator, consisting of a primary capacitor bank (300 μF) and a thyristor switch, stores pulse energy and transfers it to the HV block. The primary capacitor bank stores energy of 600 J at the maximum charging voltage of 2 kV. HV block includes HV pulsed step up transformer, HV capacitive storage, and two electrode gas switch. The following technical parameters of the generator were achieved: output voltage up to 300 kV, voltage rise time of ∼50 ns, current amplitude of ∼6 kA with the 40 Ω active load, and ∼20 kA in a rock fragmentation regime (with discharge in a rock-water mixture). Typical operation regime is a burst of 1000 pulses with a frequency of 10 Hz. The operation process can be controlled within a wide range of parameters. The entire installation (generator, transmission line, treatment chamber, and measuring probes) is designed like a continuous Faraday's cage (complete shielding) to exclude external electromagnetic perturbations.

The Research and Evaluation of Road Environment in the Block of City Based on 3-D Streetscape Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, L.; Ding, Y.; Ge, J.; Yang, H.; Feng, X.; Chen, P.

2018-04-01

This paper focus on the problem of the street environment of block unit, based on making clear the acquisition mode and characteristics of 3D streetscape data, the paper designs the assessment model of regional block unit based on 3D streetscape data. The 3D streetscape data with the aid of oblique photogrammetry surveying and mobile equipment, will greatly improve the efficiency and accuracy of urban regional assessment, and expand the assessment scope. Based on the latest urban regional assessment model, with the street environment assessment model of the current situation, this paper analyzes the street form and street environment assessment of current situation in the typical area of Beijing. Through the street environment assessment of block unit, we found that in the megacity street environment assessment model of block unit based on 3D streetscape data has greatly help to improve the assessment efficiency and accuracy. At the same time, motor vehicle lane, green shade deficiency, bad railings and street lost situation is still very serious in Beijing, the street environment improvement of the block unit is still a heavy task. The research results will provide data support for urban fine management and urban design, and provide a solid foundation for the improvement of city image.

76 FR 37892 - Unblocking of Specially Designated National and Blocked Person Pursuant to Executive Order 13566

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-28

... Nationals and Blocked Persons (``SDN List'') of the individual identified in this notice whose property and... Order, and correspondingly removed him from the SDN list. Dated: June 21, 2011. Adam J. Szubin, Director...

76 FR 37892 - Unblocking of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons Pursuant to Executive Orders...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-28

... Blocked Persons (``SDN List'') of the two individuals and four entities identified in this notice the... the SDN List. Individuals 1. MANYIKA, Elliot, P.O. Box 300, Bindura, Zimbabwe; DOB 30 Jul 1955...

77 FR 60177 - Unblocking of Two Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons Pursuant to Executive Order

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-02

... Nationals and Blocked Persons (``SDN List'') of the individuals identified in this notice whose property and... from the SDN List the two individuals listed below, whose property and interests in property were...

78 FR 32304 - Designation of Entity Pursuant to Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001, “Blocking Property...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-29

... Who Commit, Threaten To Commit, or Support Terrorism''; Identification of Entity Pursuant to Executive... Terrorism'' and Executive Order 13582 of August 17, 2011 ``Blocking Property of the Government of Syria and...

45 CFR 96.124 - Certain allocations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION BLOCK GRANTS Substance Abuse... to increase (relative to fiscal year 1992) the availability of treatment services designed for... 1992 alcohol and drug services Block Grant expenditures and State expenditures for pregnant women and...

45 CFR 96.124 - Certain allocations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION BLOCK GRANTS Substance Abuse... to increase (relative to fiscal year 1992) the availability of treatment services designed for... 1992 alcohol and drug services Block Grant expenditures and State expenditures for pregnant women and...

45 CFR 96.124 - Certain allocations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... Welfare Department of Health and Human Services GENERAL ADMINISTRATION BLOCK GRANTS Substance Abuse... to increase (relative to fiscal year 1992) the availability of treatment services designed for... 1992 alcohol and drug services Block Grant expenditures and State expenditures for pregnant women and...

45 CFR 96.124 - Certain allocations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION BLOCK GRANTS Substance Abuse... to increase (relative to fiscal year 1992) the availability of treatment services designed for... 1992 alcohol and drug services Block Grant expenditures and State expenditures for pregnant women and...

45 CFR 96.124 - Certain allocations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION BLOCK GRANTS Substance Abuse... to increase (relative to fiscal year 1992) the availability of treatment services designed for... 1992 alcohol and drug services Block Grant expenditures and State expenditures for pregnant women and...

[The anesthetic effects of Gow-Gates technique of inferior alveolar nerve block in impacted mandibular third molar extraction].

PubMed

Yang, Jieping; Liu, Wei; Gao, Qinghong

2013-08-01

To evaluate the anesthetic effects and safety of Gow-Gates technique of inferior alveolar nerve block in impacted mandibular third molar extraction. A split-mouth study was designed. The bilateral impacted mandibular third molar of 32 participants were divided into Gow-Gates technique of inferior alveolar nerve block (Gow-Gates group) and conventional technique of inferior alveolar nerve block (conventional group) randomly with third molar extracted. The anesthetic effects and adverse events were recorded. All the participants completed the research. The anesthetic success rate was 96.9% in Gow-Gates group and 90.6% in conventional group with no statistical difference ( P= 0.317); but when comparing the anesthesia grade, Gow-Gates group had a 96.9% of grade A and B, and conventional group had a rate of 78.1% (P = 0.034). And the Gow-Gates group had a much lower withdrawn bleeding than conventional group (P = 0.025). Two groups had no hematoma. Gow-Gates technique had a reliable anesthesia effects and safety in impacted mandibular third molar extraction and could be chosen as a candidate for the conventional inferior alveolar nerve block.

Self-assembly of discrete metal complexes in aqueous solution via block copolypeptide amphiphiles.

PubMed

Kuroiwa, Keita; Masaki, Yoshitaka; Koga, Yuko; Deming, Timothy J

2013-01-21

The integration of discrete metal complexes has been attracting significant interest due to the potential of these materials for soft metal-metal interactions and supramolecular assembly. Additionally, block copolypeptide amphiphiles have been investigated concerning their capacity for self-assembly into structures such as nanoparticles, nanosheets and nanofibers. In this study, we combined these two concepts by investigating the self-assembly of discrete metal complexes in aqueous solution using block copolypeptides. Normally, discrete metal complexes such as [Au(CN)(2)]-, when molecularly dispersed in water, cannot interact with one another. Our results demonstrated, however, that the addition of block copolypeptide amphiphiles such as K(183)L(19) to [Au(CN)(2)]- solutions induced one-dimensional integration of the discrete metal complex, resulting in photoluminescence originating from multinuclear complexes with metal-metal interactions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed a fibrous nanostructure with lengths and widths of approximately 100 and 20 nm, respectively, which grew to form advanced nanoarchitectures, including those resembling the weave patterns of Waraji (traditional Japanese straw sandals). This concept of combining block copolypeptide amphiphiles with discrete coordination compounds allows the design of flexible and functional supramolecular coordination systems in water.

Association of a multifunctional ionic block copolymer in a selective solvent

DOE PAGES

Etampawala, Thusitha N.; Aryal, Dipak; Osti, Naresh C.; ...

2016-11-14

The self-assembly of multiblock copolymers in solutions is controlled by a delicate balance between inherent phase segregation due to incompatibility of the blocks and the interaction of the individual blocks with the solvent. The current study elucidates the association of pentablock copolymers in a mixture of selective solvents which are good for the hydrophobic segments and poor for the hydrophilic blocks using small angle neutron scattering (SANS). The pentablock consists of a center block of randomly sulfonated polystyrene, designed for transport, tethered to poly-ethylene-r-propylene and end-capped by poly-t-butyl styrene, for mechanical stability. We find that the pentablock forms ellipsoidal core-shellmore » micelles with the sulfonated polystyrene in the core and Gaussian decaying chains of swollen poly-ethylene-r-propylene and poly-t-butyl styrene tertiary in the corona. With increasing solution concentration, the size of the micelle, the thickness of the corona, and the aggregation number increase, while the solvent fraction in the core decreases. As a result, in dilute solution the micelle increases in size as the temperature is increased, however, temperature effects dissipate with increasing solution concentration.« less

Replacement of Fine Aggregate by using Recyclable Materials in Paving Blocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koganti, Shyam Prakash; Hemanthraja, Kommineni; Sajja, Satish

2017-08-01

Cement concrete paving blocks are precast hard products complete out of cement concrete. The product is made in various sizes and shapes like square, round and rectangular blocks of different dimensions with designs for interlocking of adjacent tiles blocks. Several Research Works have been carried out in the past to study the possibility of utilizing waste materials and industrial byproducts in the manufacturing of paver blocks. Various industrial waste materials like quarry dust, glass powder, ceramic dust and coal dust are used as partial replacement of fine aggregate and assessed the strength parameters and compared the profit percentages after replacement with waste materials. Quarry dust can be replaced by 20% and beyond that the difference in strength is not much higher but considering cost we can replace upto 40% so that we can get a profit of almost 10%. Similarly we can replace glass powder and ceramic dust by 20% only beyond that there is decrement in strength and even with 20% replacement we can get 1.34 % and 2.42% of profit. Coal dust is not suitable for alternative material as fine aggregate as it reduces the strength.

On a Three-Channel Cosmic Ray Detector based on Aluminum Blocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arceo, L.; Félix, J.

2017-10-01

There are many general purpose cosmic ray detectors based on plastic scintillators and electronic boards from the market. This is a new cosmic ray detector designed on three 2.54 cm × 5.08 cm × 20.32 cm Aluminum blocks in stack arrangement, and three Hamamatsu S12572-100P photodiodes. The photodiode board, the passive electronic board, and the discriminator board are own designed. The electronic signals are stored with a CompactRIO -cRIO- by National Instruments. It is presented the design, the construction, the data acquisition system algorithm, and the preliminary physical results.

Multi-shape memory polymers achieved by the spatio-assembly of 3D printable thermoplastic building blocks.

PubMed

Li, Hongze; Gao, Xiang; Luo, Yingwu

2016-04-07

Multi-shape memory polymers were prepared by the macroscale spatio-assembly of building blocks in this work. The building blocks were methyl acrylate-co-styrene (MA-co-St) copolymers, which have the St-block-(St-random-MA)-block-St tri-block chain sequence. This design ensures that their transition temperatures can be adjusted over a wide range by varying the composition of the middle block. The two St blocks at the chain ends can generate a crosslink network in the final device to achieve strong bonding force between building blocks and the shape memory capacity. Due to their thermoplastic properties, 3D printing was employed for the spatio-assembly to build devices. This method is capable of introducing many transition phases into one device and preparing complicated shapes via 3D printing. The device can perform a complex action via a series of shape changes. Besides, this method can avoid the difficult programing of a series of temporary shapes. The control of intermediate temporary shapes was realized via programing the shapes and locations of building blocks in the final device.

Using Container Structures in Architecture and Urban Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grębowski, Karol; Kałdunek, Daniel

2017-10-01

The paper presents the use of shipping containers in architecture and urban design. Even today, houses and apartments are still too expensive. Since 1923 architects have been improving the living conditions of citizens by building very simple, repeatable forms. With prefabrication technology it became possible to build quicker, causing house prices to decrease. Apartments in block of flats became affordable to more and more people. Modernism had great impact on the quality of living spaces, despite the detrimental effect of large panel technology on social life. It gave people their own bathrooms, and gifted them with simple solutions we now consider indispensable. The ambition to build cheaply but effectively is still here. The future of housing lies in prefabricated apartment modules. A well optimized creation process is the key, but taking into consideration the mistakes made by past generations should be the second most important factor. Studies show that large panel buildings were too monumental and solid for a housing structure, and offered no public spaces between them. Lack of urban design transformed a great idea into blocks that are considered to be ugly and unfriendly. Diversity is something that large panel structures were missing. While most block of flats were being constructed out of the same module (Model 770), differentiated architecture was difficult to achieve. Nowadays, increasing numbers of shipping containers are being used for housing purposes. These constructions show that it is possible to create astonishing housing with modules. Shipping containers were not designed to be a building material, but in contrast to large panel modules, there are many more possibilities of their transformation. In this paper the authors propose a set of rules that, if followed, would result in cheaper apartments, while keeping in consideration both tremendous architecture and friendly urban design. What is more, the proposed solution is designed to adapt to personalized requirements. In this paper the authors include information about design guidelines for structures made from shipping containers.

SAMPA Chip: the New 32 Channels ASIC for the ALICE TPC and MCH Upgrades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adolfsson, J.; Ayala Pabon, A.; Bregant, M.; Britton, C.; Brulin, G.; Carvalho, D.; Chambert, V.; Chinellato, D.; Espagnon, B.; Hernandez Herrera, H. D.; Ljubicic, T.; Mahmood, S. M.; Mjörnmark, U.; Moraes, D.; Munhoz, M. G.; Noël, G.; Oskarsson, A.; Osterman, L.; Pilyar, A.; Read, K.; Ruette, A.; Russo, P.; Sanches, B. C. S.; Severo, L.; Silvermyr, D.; Suire, C.; Tambave, G. J.; Tun-Lanoë, K. M. M.; van Noije, W.; Velure, A.; Vereschagin, S.; Wanlin, E.; Weber, T. O.; Zaporozhets, S.

2017-04-01

This paper presents the test results of the second prototype of SAMPA, the ASIC designed for the upgrade of read-out front end electronics of the ALICE Time Projection Chamber (TPC) and Muon Chamber (MCH). SAMPA is made in a 130 nm CMOS technology with 1.25 V nominal voltage supply and provides 32 channels, with selectable input polarity, and three possible combinations of shaping time and sensitivity. Each channel consists of a Charge Sensitive Amplifier, a semi-Gaussian shaper and a 10-bit ADC; a Digital Signal Processor provides digital filtering and compression capability. In the second prototype run both full chip and single test blocks were fabricated, allowing block characterization and full system behaviour studies. Experimental results are here presented showing agreement with requirements for both the blocks and the full chip.

Comparative Study of Constant Dose Intrathecal Hypobaric Levobupivacaine with Varying Baricities in Lower Limb Surgeries

PubMed Central

Biji, K. P.; Sunil, M.; Ramadas, K. T.

2017-01-01

Background: Hypobaric spinal anesthesia is advantageous for unilateral lower extremity fractures as it obviates pain of lying on fractured limb for performing subarachnoid block. Aims: This study compares block characteristics and complications of three different baricities of constant dose intrathecal hypobaric levobupivacaine to determine an optimum baricity. Settings and Design: One-twenty American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status 1 and 2 patients aged 18–65 years undergoing unilateral lower limb surgeries were divided into three equal groups for this prospective cohort study. Materials and Methods: To 2 mL intrathecal 0.5% isobaric levobupivacaine (10 mg), 0.4 mL, 0.6 mL, and 0.8 mL of distilled water were added in Groups A, B, and C, respectively. Baricities of Groups A, B, and C are 0.999294, 0.998945, and 0.998806, respectively. Development of sensory and motor block was assessed by the pinprick method and Bromage scale, respectively. The total duration of analgesia and complications were noted. Statistical Analysis Used: Mean, standard error, one-way ANOVA, and Bonferroni were used to analyze quantitative variables; proportions and Chi-square tests for qualitative variables. Results: Demographic parameters, motor block of operated limb, and complications were comparable. Group C had the fastest onset of sensory block (10.10 min) and maximum duration of analgesia (478.97 min; P < 0.001); but high sensory levels in 48.7%. Group B had T10 sensory level in 92.5%; onset comparable to Group C (P = 0.248), and reasonable duration of analgesia (332.50 min). Group A had inadequate sensory levels, slow onset, and early regression. Conclusions: Group B (baricity - 0.998945) has better block characteristics among three groups compared. PMID:28928563

Evaluation of Lumbar Facet Joint Nerve Blocks in Managing Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Trial with a 2-Year Follow-Up

PubMed Central

Manchikanti, Laxmaiah; Singh, Vijay; Falco, Frank J.E.; Cash, Kimberly A.; Pampati, Vidyasagar

2010-01-01

Study Design: A randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Objective: To determine the clinical effectiveness of therapeutic lumbar facet joint nerve blocks with or without steroids in managing chronic low back pain of facet joint origin. Summary of Background Data: Lumbar facet joints have been shown as the source of chronic pain in 21% to 41% of low back patients with an average prevalence of 31% utilizing controlled comparative local anesthetic blocks. Intraarticular injections, medial branch blocks, and radiofrequency neurotomy of lumbar facet joint nerves have been described in the alleviation of chronic low back pain of facet joint origin. Methods: The study included 120 patients with 60 patients in each group with local anesthetic alone or local anesthetic and steroids. The inclusion criteria was based upon a positive response to diagnostic controlled, comparative local anesthetic lumbar facet joint blocks. Outcome measures included the numeric rating scale (NRS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), opioid intake, and work status, at baseline, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Results: Significant improvement with significant pain relief of ≥ 50% and functional improvement of ≥ 40% were observed in 85% in Group 1, and 90% in Group II, at 2-year follow-up. The patients in the study experienced significant pain relief for 82 to 84 weeks of 104 weeks, requiring approximately 5 to 6 treatments with an average relief of 19 weeks per episode of treatment. Conclusions: Therapeutic lumbar facet joint nerve blocks, with or without steroids, may provide a management option for chronic function-limiting low back pain of facet joint origin. PMID:20567613

Structural design of ketal and acetal blocking groups in two-component chemically amplified positive DUV resists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mertesdorf, Carlo; Muenzel, Norbert; Holzwarth, Heinz E.; Falcigno, Pasquale A.; Schacht, Hans-Thomas; Rohde, Ottmar; Schulz, Reinhard; Slater, Sydney G.; Frey, David; Nalamasu, Omkaram; Timko, Allen G.; Neenan, Thomas X.

1995-06-01

In the present study, protecting groups of moderate stability, such as acetals and ketals, were investigated as pendant blocking groups in polyvinyl phenols. Polymers were obtained by reacting enol ethers with the phenolic side groups to form acetal or ketal blocked phenols. Decomposition temperatures, glass transition temperatures, and molecular weights of the resulting polymers were monitored and correlated with the protecting group structure. Stability of the protecting groups can be explained by protonation occurring at either of the two oxygen sites, making two cleavage routes possible. Secondary reactions of the released protecting groups in the resist film were investigated and discussed. The structure of the protecting group was designed in order to meet basic resist properties such as resolution/linearity, DOF, post exposure delay latitude and thermal stability. A Canon FPA 4500 (NA equals 0.37) and a GCA XLS exposure tool (NA equals 0.53) were used for the optimization process. A preoptimized resist formulation based on the above criteria exhibits 0.23 micrometers line/space resolution, 0.8 micrometers focus latitude at 0.25 micrometers resolution and approximately two hours post exposure delay latitude.

A novel design of a scanning probe microscope integrated with an ultramicrotome for serial block-face nanotomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Efimov, Anton E.; Agapov, Igor I.; Agapova, Olga I.; Oleinikov, Vladimir A.; Mezin, Alexey V.; Molinari, Michael; Nabiev, Igor; Mochalov, Konstantin E.

2017-02-01

We present a new concept of a combined scanning probe microscope (SPM)/ultramicrotome apparatus. It enables "slice-and-view" scanning probe nanotomography measurements and 3D reconstruction of the bulk sample nanostructure from series of SPM images after consecutive ultrathin sections. The sample is fixed on a flat XYZ scanning piezostage mounted on the ultramicrotome arm. The SPM measuring head with a cantilever tip and a laser-photodiode tip detection system approaches the sample for SPM measurements of the block-face surface immediately after the ultramicrotome sectioning is performed. The SPM head is moved along guides that are also fixed on the ultramicrotome arm. Thereby, relative dysfunctional displacements of the tip, the sample, and the ultramicrotome knife are minimized. The design of the SPM head enables open frontal optical access to the sample block-face adapted for high-resolution optical lenses for correlative SPM/optical microscopy applications. The new system can be used in a wide range of applications for the study of 3D nanostructures of biological objects, biomaterials, polymer nanocomposites, and nanohybrid materials in various SPM and optical microscopy measuring modes.

PERTS: A Prototyping Environment for Real-Time Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Jane W. S.; Lin, Kwei-Jay; Liu, C. L.

1993-01-01

PERTS is a prototyping environment for real-time systems. It is being built incrementally and will contain basic building blocks of operating systems for time-critical applications, tools, and performance models for the analysis, evaluation and measurement of real-time systems and a simulation/emulation environment. It is designed to support the use and evaluation of new design approaches, experimentations with alternative system building blocks, and the analysis and performance profiling of prototype real-time systems.

Key Topics for High-Lift Research: A Joint Wind Tunnel/Flight Test Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, David; Thomas, Flint O.; Nelson, Robert C.

1996-01-01

Future high-lift systems must achieve improved aerodynamic performance with simpler designs that involve fewer elements and reduced maintenance costs. To expeditiously achieve this, reliable CFD design tools are required. The development of useful CFD-based design tools for high lift systems requires increased attention to unresolved flow physics issues. The complex flow field over any multi-element airfoil may be broken down into certain generic component flows which are termed high-lift building block flows. In this report a broad spectrum of key flow field physics issues relevant to the design of improved high lift systems are considered. It is demonstrated that in-flight experiments utilizing the NASA Dryden Flight Test Fixture (which is essentially an instrumented ventral fin) carried on an F-15B support aircraft can provide a novel and cost effective method by which both Reynolds and Mach number effects associated with specific high lift building block flows can be investigated. These in-flight high lift building block flow experiments are most effective when performed in conjunction with coordinated ground based wind tunnel experiments in low speed facilities. For illustrative purposes three specific examples of in-flight high lift building block flow experiments capable of yielding a high payoff are described. The report concludes with a description of a joint wind tunnel/flight test approach to high lift aerodynamics research.

Transcatheter Heart Valve Selection and Permanent Pacemaker Implantation in Patients With Pre-Existent Right Bundle Branch Block.

PubMed

van Gils, Lennart; Tchetche, Didier; Lhermusier, Thibault; Abawi, Masieh; Dumonteil, Nicolas; Rodriguez Olivares, Ramón; Molina-Martin de Nicolas, Javier; Stella, Pieter R; Carrié, Didier; De Jaegere, Peter P; Van Mieghem, Nicolas M

2017-03-03

Right bundle branch block is an established predictor for new conduction disturbances and need for a permanent pacemaker (PPM) after transcatheter aortic valve replacement. The aim of the study was to evaluate the absolute rates of transcatheter aortic valve replacement related PPM implantations in patients with pre-existent right bundle branch block and categorize for different transcatheter heart valves. We pooled data on 306 transcatheter aortic valve replacement patients from 4 high-volume centers in Europe and selected those with right bundle branch block at baseline without a previously implanted PPM. Logistic regression was used to evaluate whether PPM rate differed among transcatheter heart valves after adjustment for confounders. Mean age was 83±7 years and 63% were male. Median Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 6.3 (interquartile range, 4.1-10.2). The following transcatheter valve designs were used: Medtronic CoreValve (n=130; Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN); Edwards Sapien XT (ES-XT; n=124) and Edwards Sapien 3 (ES-3; n=32; Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA); and Boston Scientific Lotus (n=20; Boston Scientific Corporation, Marlborough, MA). Overall permanent pacemaker implantation rate post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement was 41%, and per valve design: 75% with Lotus, 46% with CoreValve, 32% with ES-XT, and 34% with ES-3. The indication for PPM implantation was total atrioventricular block in 98% of the cases. Lotus was associated with a higher PPM rate than all other valves. PPM rate did not differ between ES-XT and ES-3. Ventricular paced rhythm at 30-day and 1-year follow-up was present in 81% at 89%, respectively. Right bundle branch block at baseline is associated with a high incidence of PPM implantation for all transcatheter heart valves. PPM rate was highest for Lotus and lowest for ES-XT and ES-3. Pacemaker dependency remained high during follow-up. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley Blackwell.

Testing the Impact of a Pre-Instructional Digital Game on Middle-Grade Students' Understanding of Photosynthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Culp, Katherine McMillan; Martin, Wendy; Clements, Margaret; Lewis Presser, Ashley

2015-01-01

Rigorous studies of the impact of digital games on student learning remain relatively rare, as do studies of games as supports for learning difficult, core curricular concepts in the context of normal classroom practices. This study uses a blocked, cluster randomized controlled trial design to test the impact of a digital game, played as homework…

A grid generation system for multi-disciplinary design optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, William T.; Samareh-Abolhassani, Jamshid

1995-01-01

A general multi-block three-dimensional volume grid generator is presented which is suitable for Multi-Disciplinary Design Optimization. The code is timely, robust, highly automated, and written in ANSI 'C' for platform independence. Algebraic techniques are used to generate and/or modify block face and volume grids to reflect geometric changes resulting from design optimization. Volume grids are generated/modified in a batch environment and controlled via an ASCII user input deck. This allows the code to be incorporated directly into the design loop. Generated volume grids are presented for a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) Wing/Body geometry as well a complex HSCT configuration including horizontal and vertical tails, engine nacelles and pylons, and canard surfaces.

In Situ Resource-Based Lunar and Martian Habitat Structures Development at NASA/MSFC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bodiford, Melanie P.; Fiske, Michael R.; McGregory, Walter; Pope, Regina D.

2005-01-01

As the nation prepares to return to the Moon and subsequently to Mars, it is apparent that the viability of long duration visits with appropriate radiation shielding/crew protection, hinges on the development of habitat structures, preferably in advance of a manned landing, and preferably utilizing in-situ resources. A relatively large number of habitat structure configurations can be developed from a relatively small set of in-situ resource-based construction products, including, blocks, raw regolith, reinforced concrete, and glass products. A much larger group of habitat designs can be developed when "imported" material are brought from Earth, including thin films and liners, and foldable, or expandable metal structures. These, and other technologies have been identified, and subjected to a rigorous trade study evaluation with respect to exploration and other performance criteria. In this paper, results of this trade study will be presented, as well as various habitat structure design concepts and concepts for construction automation. Results of initial tests aimed at concrete, block and glass production using Lunar regolith simulants will also be presented. Key issues and concerns will be discussed, as well as design concepts for a Lunar environment testbed to be developed at MSFC's Microgravity Development Laboratory. (MDL).

In-situ Resource-based Lunar and Martian Habitat Structures Development at NASA/MSFC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bodiford, Melanie P.; Burks, Kevin H.; Fiske, Michael R.; Strong, Janet D.; McGregor, Walter

2005-01-01

As the nation prepares to return to the Moon and subsequently to Mars, it is apparent that the viability of long duration visits with appropriate radiation shielding/crew protection, hinges on the development of habitat structures, preferably in advance of a manned landing, and preferably utilizing in-situ resources. A relatively large number of habitat structure configurations can be developed from a relatively small set of in-situ resource-based construction products, including, blocks, raw regolith, reinforced concrete, and glass products. A much larger group of habitat designs can be developed when "imported" material are brought from Earth, including thin films and liners, and foldable, or expandable metal structures. These, and other technologies have been identified, and subjected to a rigorous trade study evaluation with respect to exploration and other performance criteria. In this paper, results of this trade study will be presented, as well as various habitat structure design concepts and concepts for construction automation. Results of initial tests aimed at concrete, block and glass production using Lunar regolith simulants will also be presented. Key issues and concerns will be discussed, as well as design concepts for a Lunar environment testbed to be developed at MSFC's Microgravity Development Laboratory (MDL).

Teaching engineering ethics using BLOCKS game.

PubMed

Lau, Shiew Wei; Tan, Terence Peng Lian; Goh, Suk Meng

2013-09-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the use of a newly developed design game called BLOCKS to stimulate awareness of ethical responsibilities amongst engineering students. The design game was played by seventeen teams of chemical engineering students, with each team having to arrange pieces of colored paper to produce two letters each. Before the end of the game, additional constraints were introduced to the teams such that they faced similar ambiguity in the technical facts that the engineers involved in the Challenger disaster had faced prior to the space shuttle launch. At this stage, the teams had to decide whether to continue with their original design or to develop alternative solutions. After the teams had made their decisions, a video of the Challenger explosion was shown followed by a post-game discussion. The students' opinion on five Statements on ethics was tracked via a Five-Item Likert survey which was administered three times, before and after the ethical scenario was introduced, and after the video and post-game discussion. The results from this study indicated that the combination of the game and the real-life incident from the video had generally strengthened the students' opinions of the Statements.

Thermal Design Overview of the Mars Exploration Rover Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsuyuki, Glenn

2002-01-01

Contents include the following: Mission Overview. Thermal Environments. Driving Thermal Requirements. Thermal Design Approach. Thermal Control Block Diagram. Thermal Design Description. Thermal Analysis Results Summary. Testing Plans. Issues & Concerns.

Inter-rater agreement among orthodontists in a blocked experiment.

PubMed

Korn, E L; Baumrind, S

1985-01-01

Five orthodontists were asked to predict for 64 patients a particular dichotomous outcome of treatment based on pre-treatment X-ray films. The orthodontists rated the cases in blocks of size 4-6 with the knowledge of the number of positive outcomes in each block. We discuss the reasons why this blocked design is appropriate whenever clinicians are asked to rate cases which have not been randomly selected from a clinical practice similar to their own. We give a simple description of the inter-rater agreement for this type of blocked experiment as well as a procedure to test that the agreement is no better than that expected by random independent assignment.

PERTS: A Prototyping Environment for Real-Time Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Jane W. S.; Lin, Kwei-Jay; Liu, C. L.

1991-01-01

We discuss an ongoing project to build a Prototyping Environment for Real-Time Systems, called PERTS. PERTS is a unique prototyping environment in that it has (1) tools and performance models for the analysis and evaluation of real-time prototype systems, (2) building blocks for flexible real-time programs and the support system software, (3) basic building blocks of distributed and intelligent real time applications, and (4) an execution environment. PERTS will make the recent and future theoretical advances in real-time system design and engineering readily usable to practitioners. In particular, it will provide an environment for the use and evaluation of new design approaches, for experimentation with alternative system building blocks and for the analysis and performance profiling of prototype real-time systems.

Coronagraphic and low-emissivity astronomical reflector (CLEAR): heat trap design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siegmund, Walter A.

1998-08-01

The heat trap in a coronagraphic telescope is located at its prime focus and blocks the transmission of radiation from unwanted portions of the solar disk to subsequent optics in the telescope. This reduces light scattered and heat absorbed by these optics. For observations of the corona, the solar disk is completely blocked, whereas for observations of the disk, typically 90% or more of the disk is blocked. The proposed heat trap design is constructed largely of fused silica plates, partially coated with platinum, and cooled with air. It is robust and handles high irradiance, i.e., almost f megawatt/m(superscript 2) at f/3.75, without degrading the image quality of the telescope or contributing significant stray light to the focal surface.

Characterizing the inverses of block tridiagonal, block Toeplitz matrices

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

Boffi, Nicholas M.; Hill, Judith C.; Reuter, Matthew G.

2014-12-04

We consider the inversion of block tridiagonal, block Toeplitz matrices and comment on the behaviour of these inverses as one moves away from the diagonal. Using matrix M bius transformations, we first present an O(1) representation (with respect to the number of block rows and block columns) for the inverse matrix and subsequently use this representation to characterize the inverse matrix. There are four symmetry-distinct cases where the blocks of the inverse matrix (i) decay to zero on both sides of the diagonal, (ii) oscillate on both sides, (iii) decay on one side and oscillate on the other and (iv)more » decay on one side and grow on the other. This characterization exposes the necessary conditions for the inverse matrix to be numerically banded and may also aid in the design of preconditioners and fast algorithms. Finally, we present numerical examples of these matrix types.« less

76 FR 25408 - Unblocking of Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons Pursuant to Executive Order 12978

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-04

... property and interests in property were blocked pursuant to the Order: AVILA GONZALEZ, Humberto, c/o...) [SDNT] MILLAN BONILLA, German, c/o CONSTRUVIDA S.A., Cali, Colombia; DOB 1 Feb 1952; Cedula No. 14995885...

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

Not Available

The final design, performance analysis, and economic analysis of a solar hot water system for curing concrete blocks at the new Rotoclave block fabricating plant being built by the York Building Products Co. Inc. at Harrisburg, Pa. are presented. The system will use AAI Corporation's 24/1 concentrating collectors. (WHK)

Wall Finishes; Carpentry: 901895.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

The course outline is designed to provide instruction in selecting, preparing, and installing wall finishing materials. Prerequisites for the course include mastery of building construction plans, foundations and walls, and basic mathematics. Intended for use in grades 11 and 12, the course contains five blocks of study totaling 135 hours of…

EVALUATION OF BIOREMEDIATION STRATEGIES OF A CONTROLLED OIL RELEASE IN A WETLAND

EPA Science Inventory

A controlled petroleum release was conducted to evaluate bioremediation in a wetland near Houston, Texas. The 140-day study was conducted using a randomized, complete block design to test three treatments with six replicates per treatment. The three treatment strategies were in...

The Molecular Basis for Dual Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH)/Cyclooxygenase (COX) Inhibition.

PubMed

Palermo, Giulia; Favia, Angelo D; Convertino, Marino; De Vivo, Marco

2016-06-20

The design of multitarget-directed ligands is a promising strategy for discovering innovative drugs. Here, we report a mechanistic study that clarifies key aspects of the dual inhibition of the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes by a new multitarget-directed ligand named ARN2508 (2-[3-fluoro-4-[3-(hexylcarbamoyloxy)phenyl]phenyl]propanoic acid). This potent dual inhibitor combines, in a single scaffold, the pharmacophoric elements often needed to block FAAH and COX, that is, a carbamate moiety and the 2-arylpropionic acid functionality, respectively. Molecular modeling and molecular dynamics simulations suggest that ARN2508 uses a noncovalent mechanism of inhibition to block COXs, while inhibiting FAAH via the acetylation of the catalytic Ser241, in line with previous experimental evidence for covalent FAAH inhibition. This study proposes the molecular basis for the dual FAAH/COX inhibition by this novel hybrid scaffold, stimulating further experimental studies and offering new insights for the rational design of novel anti-inflammatory agents that simultaneously act on FAAH and COX. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Differential neural responses to acupuncture revealed by MEG using wavelet-based time-frequency analysis: a pilot study.

PubMed

You, Youbo; Bai, Lijun; Dai, Ruwei; Xue, Ting; Zhong, Chongguang; Feng, Yuanyuan; Wang, Hu; Liu, Zhenyu; Tian, Jie

2011-01-01

Acupoint specificity, lying at the core of the Traditional Chinese Medicine, still faces many controversies. As previous neuroimaging studies on acupuncture mainly adopted relatively low time-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology and inappropriate block-designed experimental paradigm due to sustained effect, in the current study, we employed a single block-designed paradigm together with high temporal-resolution magnetoencephalography (MEG) technology. We applied time-frequency analysis based upon Morlet wavelet transforming approach to detect differential oscillatory brain dynamics induced by acupuncture at Stomach Meridian 36 (ST36) using a nearby nonacupoint (NAP) as control condition. We observed that frequency power changes were mainly restricted to delta band for both ST36 group and NAP group. Consistently increased delta band power in contralateral temporal regions and decreased power in the counterparts of ipsilateral hemisphere were detected following stimulation at ST36 on the right leg. Compared with ST36, no significant delta ranges were found in temporal regions in NAP group, illustrating different oscillatory brain patterns. Our results may provide additional evidence to support the specificity of acupuncture modulation effects.

Growth performance and total tract nutrient digestion for Holstein heifers limit-fed diets high in distillers grains with different forage particle sizes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study evaluated dairy heifer growth performance and total tract nutrient digestion when fed diets high in dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) with different forage particle size. An 8-wk randomized complete block design study was conducted utilizing twenty-two Holstein heifers (123 ±...

The Effects of Team-Based Learning on Social Studies Knowledge Acquisition in High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wanzek, Jeanne; Vaughn, Sharon; Kent, Shawn C.; Swanson, Elizabeth A.; Roberts, Greg; Haynes, Martha; Fall, Anna-Mária; Stillman-Spisak, Stephanie J.; Solis, Michael

2014-01-01

This randomized control trial examined the efficacy of team-based learning implemented within 11th-grade social studies classes. A randomized blocked design was implemented with 26 classes randomly assigned to treatment or comparison. In the treatment classes teachers implemented team-based learning practices to support students in engaging in…

Earth Observatory Satellite system definition study. Report no. 7: EOS system definition report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The design concept and operational aspects of the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) are presented. A table of the planned EOS missions is included to show the purpose of the mission, the instruments involved, and the launch date. The subjects considered in the analysis of the EOS development are: (1) system requirements, (2) design/cost trade methodology, (3) observatory design alternatives, (4) the data management system, (5) the design evaluation and preferred approach, (6) program cost compilation, (7) follow-on mission accommodation, and (8) space shuttle interfaces and utilization. Illustrations and block diagrams of the spacecraft configurations are provided.

Design Language for Digital Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shiva, S. G.

1985-01-01

Digital Systems Design Language (DDL) is convenient hardware description language for developing and testing digital designs and for inputting design details into design automation system. Describes digital systems at gate, register transfer, and combinational block levels. DDL-based programs written in FORTRAN IV for batch execution.

Blocked versus randomized presentation modes differentially modulate feedback-related negativity and P3b amplitudes.

PubMed

Pfabigan, Daniela M; Zeiler, Michael; Lamm, Claus; Sailer, Uta

2014-04-01

Electrophysiological studies on feedback processing typically use a wide range of feedback stimuli which might not always be comparable. The current study investigated whether two indicators of feedback processing - feedback-related negativity (FRN) and P3b - differ for feedback stimuli with explicit (facial expressions) or assigned valence information (symbols). In addition, we assessed whether presenting feedback in either a trial-by-trial or a block-wise fashion affected these ERPs. EEG was recorded in three experiments while participants performed a time estimation task and received two different types of performance feedback. Only P3b amplitudes varied consistently in response to feedback type for both presentation types. Moreover, the blocked feedback type presentation yielded more distinct FRN peaks, higher effect sizes, and a significant relation between FRN amplitudes and behavioral task performance measures. Both stimulus type and presentation mode may provoke systematic changes in feedback-related ERPs. The current findings point at important potential confounds that need to be controlled for when designing FRN or P3b studies. Studies investigating P3b amplitudes using mixed types of stimuli have to be interpreted with caution. Furthermore, we suggest implementing a blocked presentation format when presenting different feedback types within the same experiment. Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changes of hydrodynamic parameters on mountain stream bed within the block ramp influence and possibility of their use for integrated river management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radecki-Pawlik, Artur; Plesiński, Karol

2016-04-01

In modern river management practices and philosophy one can notice coming more into use ecological friendly hydraulic structures. Those, which are especially needed for river training works, as far as expectation of Water Framework Directive is concerned, are block ramps which are hydraulic structures working similar to riffles known very well from fluvial geomorphology studies and are natural features in streams and rivers. What is important well designed block ramps do not stop fish and invertebrates against migrating, provide natural and esthetical view being built within the river channel, still working as hydraulic engineering structures and might be used in river management in different river ecosystems. The main aim of the research was to describe changes of values of hydrodynamics parameters upstream and downstream of the block ramps and to find out their influence on hydrodynamics of the stream. The study was undertaken on the Porębianka River in the Gorce Mountains, Polish Carpathians. Observed hydrodynamic parameters within the reach of the block ramps depend on the location of measuring point and the influence of individual part of the structure. We concluded that: 1. Hydrodynamic parameters close to block ramps depend on the location of the measurement points in relation to particular elements of the structure; 2. The highest value of velocities don't cause the highest force values, which acting on the bed of the watercourse, because they are rather related to the water level of the channel; 3. The values of mean velocities, shear velocities and shear stresses were similar upstream and downstream the block ramps, which means that the structures stabilize the river bed. This study was performed within the scope of the Science Activity money from Ministry of High Education and Young Scientist's Activity Money of Department of Hydraulics Engineering and Geotechnique, University of Agriculture, Cracow, Poland

Defining Primary Care Shortage Areas: Do GIS-based Measures Yield Different Results?

PubMed

Daly, Michael R; Mellor, Jennifer M; Millones, Marco

2018-02-12

To examine whether geographic information systems (GIS)-based physician-to-population ratios (PPRs) yield determinations of geographic primary care shortage areas that differ from those based on bounded-area PPRs like those used in the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation process. We used geocoded data on primary care physician (PCP) locations and census block population counts from 1 US state to construct 2 shortage area indicators. The first is a bounded-area shortage indicator defined without GIS methods; the second is a GIS-based measure that measures the populations' spatial proximity to PCP locations. We examined agreement and disagreement between bounded shortage areas and GIS-based shortage areas. Bounded shortage area indicators and GIS-based shortage area indicators agree for the census blocks where the vast majority of our study populations reside. Specifically, 95% and 98% of the populations in our full and urban samples, respectively, reside in census blocks where the 2 indicators agree. Although agreement is generally high in rural areas (ie, 87% of the rural population reside in census blocks where the 2 indicators agree), agreement is significantly lower compared to urban areas. One source of disagreement suggests that bounded-area measures may "overlook" some shortages in rural areas; however, other aspects of the HPSA designation process likely mitigate this concern. Another source of disagreement arises from the border-crossing problem, and it is more prevalent. The GIS-based PPRs we employed would yield shortage area determinations that are similar to those based on bounded-area PPRs defined for Primary Care Service Areas. Disagreement rates were lower than previous studies have found. © 2018 National Rural Health Association.

Emerging CFD technologies and aerospace vehicle design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aftosmis, Michael J.

1995-01-01

With the recent focus on the needs of design and applications CFD, research groups have begun to address the traditional bottlenecks of grid generation and surface modeling. Now, a host of emerging technologies promise to shortcut or dramatically simplify the simulation process. This paper discusses the current status of these emerging technologies. It will argue that some tools are already available which can have positive impact on portions of the design cycle. However, in most cases, these tools need to be integrated into specific engineering systems and process cycles to be used effectively. The rapidly maturing status of unstructured and Cartesian approaches for inviscid simulations makes suggests the possibility of highly automated Euler-boundary layer simulations with application to loads estimation and even preliminary design. Similarly, technology is available to link block structured mesh generation algorithms with topology libraries to avoid tedious re-meshing of topologically similar configurations. Work in algorithmic based auto-blocking suggests that domain decomposition and point placement operations in multi-block mesh generation may be properly posed as problems in Computational Geometry, and following this approach may lead to robust algorithmic processes for automatic mesh generation.

Swell Gels to Dumbbell Micelles: Construction of Materials and Nanostructure with Self-assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pochan, Darrin

2007-03-01

Bionanotechnology, the emerging field of using biomolecular and biotechnological tools for nanostructure or nanotecnology development, provides exceptional opportunity in the design of new materials. Self-assembly of molecules is an attractive materials construction strategy due to its simplicity in application. By considering peptidic or charged synthetic polymer molecules in the bottom-up materials self-assembly design process, one can take advantage of inherently biomolecular attributes; intramolecular folding events, secondary structure, and electrostatic interactions; in addition to more traditional self-assembling molecular attributes such as amphiphilicty, to define hierarchical material structure and consequent properties. Several molecular systems will be discussed. Synthetic block copolymers with charged corona blocks can be assembled in dilute solution containing multivalent organic counterions to produce micelle structures such as toroids. These ring-like micelles are similar to the toroidal bundling of charged semiflexible biopolymers like DNA in the presence of multivalent counterions. Micelle structure can be tuned between toroids, cylinders, and disks simply by using different concentrations or molecular volumes of organic counterion. In addition, these charged blocks can consist of amino acids as monomers producing block copolypeptides. In addition to the above attributes, block copolypeptides provide the control of block secondary structure to further control self-assembly. Design strategies based on small (less than 24 amino acids) beta-hairpin peptides will be discussed. Self-assembly of the peptides is predicated on an intramolecular folding event caused by desired solution properties. Importantly, the intramolecular folding event impart a molecular-level mechanism for environmental responsiveness at the material level (e.g. infinite change in viscosity of a solution to a gel with changes in pH, ionic strength, temperature).

Bringing memory fMRI to the clinic: comparison of seven memory fMRI protocols in temporal lobe epilepsy.

PubMed

Towgood, Karren; Barker, Gareth J; Caceres, Alejandro; Crum, William R; Elwes, Robert D C; Costafreda, Sergi G; Mehta, Mitul A; Morris, Robin G; von Oertzen, Tim J; Richardson, Mark P

2015-04-01

fMRI is increasingly implemented in the clinic to assess memory function. There are multiple approaches to memory fMRI, but limited data on advantages and reliability of different methods. Here, we compared effect size, activation lateralisation, and between-sessions reliability of seven memory fMRI protocols: Hometown Walking (block design), Scene encoding (block design and event-related design), Picture encoding (block and event-related), and Word encoding (block and event-related). All protocols were performed on three occasions in 16 patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Group T-maps showed activity bilaterally in medial temporal lobe for all protocols. Using ANOVA, there was an interaction between hemisphere and seizure-onset lateralisation (P = 0.009) and between hemisphere, protocol and seizure-onset lateralisation (P = 0.002), showing that the distribution of memory-related activity between left and right temporal lobes differed between protocols and between patients with left-onset and right-onset seizures. Using voxelwise intraclass Correlation Coefficient, between-sessions reliability was best for Hometown and Scenes (block and event). The between-sessions spatial overlap of activated voxels was also greatest for Hometown and Scenes. Lateralisation of activity between hemispheres was most reliable for Scenes (block and event) and Words (event). Using receiver operating characteristic analysis to explore the ability of each fMRI protocol to classify patients as left-onset or right-onset TLE, only the Words (event) protocol achieved a significantly above-chance classification of patients at all three sessions. We conclude that Words (event) protocol shows the best combination of between-sessions reliability of the distribution of activity between hemispheres and reliable ability to distinguish between left-onset and right-onset patients. © 2015 The Authors Human Brain Mapping Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Malaria Vaccine Based on the Polymorphic Block 2 Region of MSP-1 that Elicits a Broad Serotype-Spanning Immune Response

PubMed Central

Cowan, Graeme J. M.; Creasey, Alison M.; Dhanasarnsombut, Kelwalin; Thomas, Alan W.; Remarque, Edmond J.; Cavanagh, David R.

2011-01-01

Polymorphic parasite antigens are known targets of protective immunity to malaria, but this antigenic variation poses challenges to vaccine development. A synthetic MSP-1 Block 2 construct, based on all polymorphic variants found in natural Plasmodium falciparum isolates has been designed, combined with the relatively conserved Block 1 sequence of MSP-1 and expressed in E.coli. The MSP-1 Hybrid antigen has been produced with high yield by fed-batch fermentation and purified without the aid of affinity tags resulting in a pure and extremely thermostable antigen preparation. MSP-1 hybrid is immunogenic in experimental animals using adjuvants suitable for human use, eliciting antibodies against epitopes from all three Block 2 serotypes. Human serum antibodies from Africans naturally exposed to malaria reacted to the MSP-1 hybrid as strongly as, or better than the same serum reactivities to individual MSP-1 Block 2 antigens, and these antibody responses showed clear associations with reduced incidence of malaria episodes. The MSP-1 hybrid is designed to induce a protective antibody response to the highly polymorphic Block 2 region of MSP-1, enhancing the repertoire of MSP-1 Block 2 antibody responses found among immune and semi-immune individuals in malaria endemic areas. The target population for such a vaccine is young children and vulnerable adults, to accelerate the acquisition of a full range of malaria protective antibodies against this polymorphic parasite antigen. PMID:22073118

Materials Design for Block Copolymer Lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sweat, Daniel Patrick

Block copolymers (BCPs) have attracted a great deal of scientific and technological interest due to their ability to spontaneously self-assemble into dense periodic nanostructures with a typical length scale of 5 to 50 nm. The use of self-assembled BCP thin-films as templates to form nanopatterns over large-area is referred to as BCP lithography. Directed self-assembly of BCPs is now viewed as a viable candidate for sub-20 nm lithography by the semiconductor industry. However, there are multiple aspects of assembly and materials design that need to be addressed in order for BCP lithography to be successful. These include substrate modification with polymer brushes or mats, tailoring of the block copolymer chemistry, understanding thin-film assembly and developing epitaxial like methods to control long range alignment. The rational design, synthesis and self-assembly of block copolymers with large interaction parameters (chi) is described in the first part of this dissertation. Two main blocks were chosen for introducing polarity into the BCP system, namely poly(4-hydroxystyrene) and poly(2-vinylpyridine). Each of these blocks are capable of ligating Lewis acids which can increase the etch contrast between the blocks allowing for facile pattern transfer to the underlying substrate. These BCPs were synthesized by living anionic polymerization and showed excellent control over molecular weight and dispersity, providing access to sub 5-nm domain sizes. Polymer brushes consist of a polymer chain with one end tethered to the surface and have wide applicability in tuning surface energy, forming responsive surfaces and increasing biocompatibility. In the second part of the dissertation, we present a universal method to grow dense polymer brushes on a wide range of substrates and combine this chemistry with BCP assembly to fabricate nanopatterned polymer brushes. This is the first demonstration of introducing additional functionality into a BCP directing layer and opens up a wide slew of applications from directed self-assembly to biomaterial engineering.

Block-based scalable wavelet image codec

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Yiliang; Kuo, C.-C. Jay

1999-10-01

This paper presents a high performance block-based wavelet image coder which is designed to be of very low implementational complexity yet with rich features. In this image coder, the Dual-Sliding Wavelet Transform (DSWT) is first applied to image data to generate wavelet coefficients in fixed-size blocks. Here, a block only consists of wavelet coefficients from a single subband. The coefficient blocks are directly coded with the Low Complexity Binary Description (LCBiD) coefficient coding algorithm. Each block is encoded using binary context-based bitplane coding. No parent-child correlation is exploited in the coding process. There is also no intermediate buffering needed in between DSWT and LCBiD. The compressed bit stream generated by the proposed coder is both SNR and resolution scalable, as well as highly resilient to transmission errors. Both DSWT and LCBiD process the data in blocks whose size is independent of the size of the original image. This gives more flexibility in the implementation. The codec has a very good coding performance even the block size is (16,16).

Seawalls, Bulkheads and Quaywalls. Design Manual 25.4.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

slopes, such as concrete block revetment , also can result in a large quantity of water overtopping the wall. Where overtopping is a serious problem...small precast units such as the concrete block revetment shown in Figure 1, type D and the precast stepped walls shown in Figure 1, types E and G, should...16. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT (of this Report) Unclassified/Unlimited ..... 17. DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT (of the abstract entered In Block 20, if different

Overview of the Space Launch System Ascent Aeroacoustic Environment Test Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herron, Andrew J.; Crosby, William A.; Reed, Darren K.

2016-01-01

Characterization of accurate flight vehicle unsteady aerodynamics is critical for component and secondary structure vibroacoustic design. The Aerosciences Branch at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Marshall Space Flight Center has conducted a test at the NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) Unitary Plan Wind Tunnels (UPWT) to determine such ascent aeroacoustic environments for the Space Launch System (SLS). Surface static pressure measurements were also collected to aid in determination of local environments for venting, CFD substantiation, and calibration of the flush air data system located on the launch abort system. Additionally, this test supported a NASA Engineering and Safety Center study of alternate booster nose caps. Testing occurred during two test campaigns: August - September 2013 and December 2013 - January 2014. Four primary model configurations were tested for ascent aeroacoustic environment definition. The SLS Block 1 vehicle was represented by a 2.5% full stack model and a 4% truncated model. Preliminary Block 1B payload and manned configurations were also tested, using 2.5% full stack and 4% truncated models respectively. This test utilized the 11 x 11 foot transonic and 9 x 7 foot supersonic tunnel sections at the ARC UPWT to collect data from Mach 0.7 through 2.5 at various total angles of attack. SLS Block 1 design environments were developed primarily using these data. SLS Block 1B preliminary environments have also been prepared using these data. This paper discusses the test and analysis methodology utilized, with a focus on the unsteady data collection and processing.

An alternative method for sampling and petrographically characterizing an Eocene coal bed, southeast Kalimantan, Indonesia

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

Moore, T.A.

1990-01-01

A study undertaken on an Eocene age coal bed in southeast Kalimantan, Indonesia determined that there was a relationship between megascopically determined coal types and kinds and sizes of organic components. The study also concluded that the most efficient way to characterize the seam was from collection of two 3 cm blocks from each layer or bench defined by megascopic character and that a maximum of 125 point counts was needed on each block. Microscopic examination of uncrushed block samples showed the coal to be composed of plant parts and tissues set in a matrix of both fine-grained and amorphousmore » material. The particulate matrix is composed of cell wall and liptinite fragments, resins, spores, algae, and fungal material. The amorphous matrix consists of unstructured (at 400x) huminite and liptinite. Size measurements showed that each particulate component possessed its own size distribution which approached normality when transformed to a log{sub 2} or phi scale. Degradation of the plant material during peat accumulation probably controlled grain size in the coal types. This notion is further supported by the increased concentration of decay resistant resin and cell fillings in the nonbanded and dull coal types. In the sampling design experiment, two blocks from each layer and two layers from each coal type were collected. On each block, 2 to 4 traverses totaling 500 point counts per block were performed to test the minimum number of points needed to characterize a block. A hierarchical analysis of variance showed that most of the petrographic variation occurred between coal types. The results from these analyses also indicated that, within a coal type, sampling should concentrate on the layer level and that only 250 point counts, split between two blocks, were needed to characterize a layer.« less

Split-Block Waveguide Polarization Twist for 220 to 325 GHz

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ward, John; Chattopadhyay, Goutam

2008-01-01

A split-block waveguide circuit that rotates polarization by 90 has been designed with WR-3 input and output waveguides, which are rectangular waveguides used for a nominal frequency range of 220 to 325 GHz. Heretofore, twisted rectangular waveguides equipped with flanges at the input and output have been the standard means of rotating the polarizations of guided microwave signals. However, the fabrication and assembly of such components become difficult at high frequency due to decreasing wavelength, such that twisted rectangular waveguides become impractical at frequencies above a few hundred gigahertz. Conventional twisted rectangular waveguides are also not amenable to integration into highly miniaturized subassemblies of advanced millimeter- and submillimeter-wave detector arrays now undergoing development. In contrast, the present polarization- rotating waveguide can readily be incorporated into complex integrated waveguide circuits such as miniaturized detector arrays fabricated by either conventional end milling of metal blocks or by deep reactive ion etching of silicon blocks. Moreover, the present split-block design can be scaled up in frequency to at least 5 THz. The main step in fabricating a splitblock polarization-rotating waveguide of the present design is to cut channels having special asymmetrically shaped steps into mating upper and lower blocks (see Figure 1). The dimensions of the steps are chosen to be consistent with the WR-3 waveguide cross section, which is 0.864 by 0.432 mm. The channels are characterized by varying widths with constant depths of 0.432, 0.324, and 0.216 mm and by relatively large corner radii to facilitate fabrication. The steps effect both a geometric transition and the corresponding impedance-matched electromagnetic-polarization transition between (1) a WR-3 rectangular waveguide oriented with the electric field vector normal to the block mating surfaces and (2) a corresponding WR-3 waveguide oriented with its electric field vector parallel to the mating surfaces of the blocks. A prototype has been built and tested. Figure 2 presents test results indicative of good performance over nearly the entire WR-3 waveguide frequency band.

Evaluating small-body landing hazards due to blocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ernst, C.; Rodgers, D.; Barnouin, O.; Murchie, S.; Chabot, N.

2014-07-01

Introduction: Landed missions represent a vital stage of spacecraft exploration of planetary bodies. Landed science allows for a wide variety of measurements essential to unraveling the origin and evolution of a body that are not possible remotely, including but not limited to compositional measurements, microscopic grain characterization, and the physical properties of the regolith. To date, two spacecraft have performed soft landings on the surface of a small body. In 2001, the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) mission performed a controlled descent and landing on (433) Eros following the completion of its mission [1]; in 2005, the Hayabusa spacecraft performed two touch-and-go maneuvers at (25143) Itokawa [2]. Both landings were preceded by rendezvous spacecraft reconnaissance, which enabled selection of a safe landing site. Three current missions have plans to land on small bodies (Rosetta, Hayabusa 2, and OSIRIS-REx); several other mission concepts also include small-body landings. Small-body landers need to land at sites having slopes and block abundances within spacecraft design limits. Due to the small scale of the potential hazards, it can be difficult or impossible to fully characterize a landing surface before the arrival of the spacecraft at the body. Although a rendezvous mission phase can provide global reconnaissance from which a landing site can be chosen, reasonable a priori assurance that a safe landing site exists is needed to validate the design approach for the spacecraft. Method: Many robotic spacecraft have landed safely on the Moon and Mars. Images of these landing sites, as well as more recent, extremely high-resolution orbital datasets, have enabled the comparison of orbital block observations to the smaller blocks that pose hazards to landers. Analyses of the Surveyor [3], Viking 1 and 2, Mars Pathfinder, Phoenix, Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity landing sites [4--8] have indicated that for a reasonable difference in size (a factor of several to ten), the size-frequency distribution of blocks can be modeled, allowing extrapolation from large block distributions to estimate small block densities. From that estimate, the probability of a lander encountering hazardous blocks can be calculated for a given lander design. Such calculations are used routinely to vet candidate sites for Mars landers [5--8]. Application to Small Bodies: To determine whether a similar approach will work for small bodies, we must determine if the large and small block populations can be linked. To do so, we analyze the comprehensive block datasets for the intermediate-sized Eros [9,10] and the small Itokawa [11,12]. Global and local block size-frequency distributions for Eros and Itokawa have power-law slopes on the order of -3 and match reasonably well between larger block sizes (from lower-resolution images) and smaller block sizes (from higher-resolution images). Although absolute block densities differ regionally on each asteroid, the slopes match reasonably well between Itokawa and Eros, with the geologic implications of this result discussed in [10]. For Eros and Itokawa, the approach of extending the size-frequency distribution from large, tens-of-meter-sized blocks down to small, tens-of-centimeter-sized blocks using a power-law fit to the large population yields reasonable estimates of small block populations. It is important to note that geologic context matters for the absolute block density --- if the global counts include multiple geologic settings, they will not directly extend to local areas containing only one setting [10]. A small number of high-resolution images of Phobos are sufficient for measuring blocks. These images are concentrated in the area outside of Stickney crater, which is thought to be the source of most of the observed blocks [13]. Block counts by Thomas et al. [13] suggest a power-law slope similar to those of Eros [9] and Itokawa global counts, with the absolute density of blocks similar to that of global Eros. Because blocks tend to be more numerous proximal to large, young craters (e.g., Stickney on Phobos, Shoemaker on Eros), the block density across most of Phobos is likely to be lower than that observed in the available high-resolution images. We suggest that a power-law extrapolation of Eros or Phobos large-block distributions provides upper limits for assessing the block landing hazards faced by a Phobos lander.

Investigation of panel-to-panel connections and block-outs for full-depth precast concrete bridge decks.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-06-01

Experimental tests were performed at Virginia Tech to investigate transverse panel-to-panel connections and horizontal shear : connector block-outs for full-depth precast concrete bridge deck panels. The connections were designed for a deck replaceme...

Low-cost modular array-field designs for flat-panel and concentrator photovoltaic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Post, H. N.; Carmichael, D. C.; Alexander, G.; Castle, J. A.

1982-09-01

Described are the design and development of low-cost, modular array fields for flat-panel and concentrator photovoltaic (PV) systems. The objective of the work was to reduce substantially the cost of the array-field Balance-of-System (BOS) subsystems and site-specific design costs as compared to previous PV installations. These subsystems include site preparation, foundations, support structures, electrical writing, grounding, lightning protection, electromagnetic interference considerations, and controls. To reduce these BOS and design costs, standardized modular (building-block) designs for flat-panel and concentrator array fields have been developed that are fully integrated and optimized for lowest life-cycle costs. Using drawings and specifications now available, these building-block designs can be used in multiples to install various size array fields. The developed designs are immediately applicable (1982) and reduce the array-field BOS costs to a fraction of previous costs.

Application of Composite Materials to Truck Components: Leaf Springs and Propeller Shafts for 5-Ton Trucks

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-11-01

Fiberglass-Epoxy Resin Matrix Composites 2(L ABSTRACT (Caautlrue am reverse de bf IHI wee•a’y d Identify by block number) The objective of the program was to...Army truck are designed using resin matrix composite materials. Both design studies and prototype fabrication and testing are included in the program...For the leaf springs (both front and rear) a hybrid design using steel DD FOR 143 ED#T1ON OF I NOV65 IS OBSOLETE SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE

Evaluation of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from vaccine site-associated sarcomas of cats for papillomavirus DNA and antigen.

PubMed

Kidney, B A; Haines, D M; Ellis, J A; Burnham, M L; Teifke, J P; Czerwinski, G; Jackson, M L

2001-06-01

To determine whether vaccine site-associated sarcomas (VSS) from cats contain papillomavirus antigen or DNA. 50 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks of VSS from cats. Sections from each tissue block were evaluated for papillomavirus antigen by use of an avidin-biotin-complex immunohistochemical staining method, using rabbit anti-bovine papillomavirus type-1 antibody. The DNA was extracted from sections of each tissue block, and polymerase chain reaction assays were performed, using primers designed to amplify regions of the E5 gene of bovine papillomavirus and consensus primers designed to amplify a region of the L1 gene of animal papillomaviruses. Sections from 20 of the tissue blocks were evaluated by use of nonradioactive in situ hybridization for bovine papillomavirus DNA. Papillomavirus antigen and DNA were not detected in any of the VSS. Results suggest that papillomaviruses likely do not have any direct involvement in the pathogenesis of VSS in cats.

Test aspects of the JPL Viterbi decoder

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breuer, M. A.

1989-01-01

The generation of test vectors and design-for-test aspects of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Viterbi decoder chip is discussed. Each processor integrated circuit (IC) contains over 20,000 gates. To achieve a high degree of testability, a scan architecture is employed. The logic has been partitioned so that very few test vectors are required to test the entire chip. In addition, since several blocks of logic are replicated numerous times on this chip, test vectors need only be generated for each block, rather than for the entire circuit. These unique blocks of logic have been identified and test sets generated for them. The approach employed for testing was to use pseudo-exhaustive test vectors whenever feasible. That is, each cone of logid is tested exhaustively. Using this approach, no detailed logic design or fault model is required. All faults which modify the function of a block of combinational logic are detected, such as all irredundant single and multiple stuck-at faults.

Verification of combined thermal-hydraulic and heat conduction analysis code FLOWNET/TRUMP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maruyama, Soh; Fujimoto, Nozomu; Kiso, Yoshihiro; Murakami, Tomoyuki; Sudo, Yukio

1988-09-01

This report presents the verification results of the combined thermal-hydraulic and heat conduction analysis code, FLOWNET/TRUMP which has been utilized for the core thermal hydraulic design, especially for the analysis of flow distribution among fuel block coolant channels, the determination of thermal boundary conditions for fuel block stress analysis and the estimation of fuel temperature in the case of fuel block coolant channel blockage accident in the design of the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor(HTTR), which the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute has been planning to construct in order to establish basic technologies for future advanced very high temperature gas-cooled reactors and to be served as an irradiation test reactor for promotion of innovative high temperature new frontier technologies. The verification of the code was done through the comparison between the analytical results and experimental results of the Helium Engineering Demonstration Loop Multi-channel Test Section(HENDEL T(sub 1-M)) with simulated fuel rods and fuel blocks.

Selective directed self-assembly of coexisting morphologies using block copolymer blends

PubMed Central

Stein, A.; Wright, G.; Yager, K. G.; Doerk, G. S.; Black, C. T.

2016-01-01

Directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers is an emergent technique for nano-lithography, but is limited in the range of structures possible in a single fabrication step. Here we expand on traditional DSA chemical patterning. A blend of lamellar- and cylinder-forming block copolymers assembles on specially designed surface chemical line gratings, leading to the simultaneous formation of coexisting ordered morphologies in separate areas of the substrate. The competing energetics of polymer chain distortions and chemical mismatch with the substrate grating bias the system towards either line/space or dot array patterns, depending on the pitch and linewidth of the prepattern. This is in contrast to the typical DSA, wherein assembly of a single-component block copolymer on chemical templates generates patterns of either lines/spaces (lamellar) or hexagonal dot arrays (cylinders). In our approach, the chemical template encodes desired local spatial arrangements of coexisting design motifs, self-assembled from a single, sophisticated resist. PMID:27480327

Selective directed self-assembly of coexisting morphologies using block copolymer blends

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

Stein, A.; Wright, G.; Yager, K. G.

Directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers is an emergent technique for nano-lithography, but is limited in the range of structures possible in a single fabrication step. We expand on traditional DSA chemical patterning. Moreover, a blend of lamellar- and cylinder-forming block copolymers assembles on specially designed surface chemical line gratings, leading to the simultaneous formation of coexisting ordered morphologies in separate areas of the substrate. The competing energetics of polymer chain distortions and chemical mismatch with the substrate grating bias the system towards either line/space or dot array patterns, depending on the pitch and linewidth of the prepattern. This contrastsmore » with typical DSA, wherein assembly of a single-component block copolymer on chemical templates generates patterns of either lines/spaces (lamellar) or hexagonal dot arrays (cylinders). In our approach, the chemical template encodes desired local spatial arrangements of coexisting design motifs, self-assembled from a single, sophisticated resist.« less

Selective directed self-assembly of coexisting morphologies using block copolymer blends

DOE PAGES

Stein, A.; Wright, G.; Yager, K. G.; ...

2016-08-02

Directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers is an emergent technique for nano-lithography, but is limited in the range of structures possible in a single fabrication step. We expand on traditional DSA chemical patterning. Moreover, a blend of lamellar- and cylinder-forming block copolymers assembles on specially designed surface chemical line gratings, leading to the simultaneous formation of coexisting ordered morphologies in separate areas of the substrate. The competing energetics of polymer chain distortions and chemical mismatch with the substrate grating bias the system towards either line/space or dot array patterns, depending on the pitch and linewidth of the prepattern. This contrastsmore » with typical DSA, wherein assembly of a single-component block copolymer on chemical templates generates patterns of either lines/spaces (lamellar) or hexagonal dot arrays (cylinders). In our approach, the chemical template encodes desired local spatial arrangements of coexisting design motifs, self-assembled from a single, sophisticated resist.« less

A Distributed Operating System Design and Dictionary/Directory for the Stock Point Logistics Integrated Communications Environment.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-11-01

transmission, FM(R) will only have to hold one message. 3. Program Control Block (PCB) The PCB ( Deitel 82] will be maintained by the Executive in...and Use of Kernel to Process Interrupts 35 10. Layered Operating System Design 38 11. Program Control Block Table 43 12. Ready List Data Structure 45 13...examples of fully distributed systems in operation. An objective of the NPS research program for SPLICE is to advance our knowledge of distributed

Aviation Wide-Angle Visual System (AWAVS). Trainer Design Report. Subsystem Design Report

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-05-01

205 60 Frequency-Gain Plot for FLOLS Meatball Servo 209 61 FLOLS Zoom Servo, Block Diagram 210 62 FLOLS Zoom Iris Servo, Block Diagram and...Servo Input Torques 196 24 FLOLS Servo Components 197 25 FLOLS Meatball Servo Performance 203 26 Inherent Zeros and Poles for FLOLS Meatball Servo...of their relative powers must equal the ratio of 500 ft to the simu- lated range. The FLOLS are on whenever the pilot is within the meatball field

Interactive Implementation of the Optimal Systems Control Design Program (OPTSYSX) on the IBM 3033.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-03-01

DAS A44 159 INTERACTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OPTIMAL SYSTEMS I CONTROL DESIGN PROGRAM (OPTSYSX) ON THE 1DM 3033(U NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY...noesear end idswtif’r b block number) Optimal Systems Control Systems Control Control Systems 10.; ABSTRACT (Continu an reveree side ff Roe684v ad Id yI...34 by block number) .- This thesis discusses the modification of an existing Optimal Systems Control FORTRAN program (OPTSYS) originally obtained from

Learned perceptual associations influence visuomotor programming under limited conditions: kinematic consistency.

PubMed

Haffenden, Angela M; Goodale, Melvyn A

2002-12-01

Previous findings have suggested that visuomotor programming can make use of learned size information in experimental paradigms where movement kinematics are quite consistent from trial to trial. The present experiment was designed to test whether or not this conclusion could be generalized to a different manipulation of kinematic variability. As in previous work, an association was established between the size and colour of square blocks (e.g. red = large; yellow = small, or vice versa). Associating size and colour in this fashion has been shown to reliably alter the perceived size of two test blocks halfway in size between the large and small blocks: estimations of the test block matched in colour to the group of large blocks are smaller than estimations of the test block matched to the group of small blocks. Subjects grasped the blocks, and on other trials estimated the size of the blocks. These changes in perceived block size were incorporated into grip scaling only when movement kinematics were highly consistent from trial to trial; that is, when the blocks were presented in the same location on each trial. When the blocks were presented in different locations grip scaling remained true to the metrics of the test blocks despite the changes in perceptual estimates of block size. These results support previous findings suggesting that kinematic consistency facilitates the incorporation of learned perceptual information into grip scaling.

DDL:Digital systems design language

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shival, S. G.

1980-01-01

Hardware description languages are valuable tools in such applications as hardware design, system documentation, and logic design training. DDL is convenient medium for inputting design details into hardware-design automation system. It is suitable for describing digital systems at gate, register transfer, and major combinational block level.

Ae2Sb2X4F2 (Ae = Sr, Ba): new members of the homologous series Ae2M(1+n)X(3+n)F2 designed from rock salt and fluorite 2D building blocks.

PubMed

Kabbour, Houria; Cario, Laurent

2006-03-20

We have designed new compounds within the homologous series Ae2F2M(1+n)X(3+n) (Ae = Sr, Ba; M = main group metal; n = integer) built up from the stacking of 2D building blocks of rock salt and fluorite types. By incrementally increasing the size of the rock salt 2D building blocks, we have obtained two new n = 1 members of this homologous series, namely, Sr2F2Sb2Se4 and Ba2F2Sb2Se4. We then succeeded in synthesizing these compounds using a high-temperature ceramic method. The structure refinements from the powder or single-crystal X-ray diffraction data confirmed presence of the expected alternating stacking of fluorite [Ae2F2] (Ae = Sr, Ba) and rock salt [Sb2Se4] 2D building blocks. However the Ba derivative shows a strong distortion of the [Sb2Se4] block and a concomitant change of the Sb atom coordination likely related to the lone-pair activity.

Nanoparticle optical notch filters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasinadhuni, Pradeep Kumar

Developing novel light blocking products involves the design of a nanoparticle optical notch filter, working on the principle of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). These light blocking products can be used in many applications. One such application is to naturally reduce migraine headaches and light sensitivity. Melanopsin ganglion cells present in the retina of the human eye, connect to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN-the body's clock) in the brain, where they participate in the entrainment of the circadian rhythms. As the Melanopsin ganglion cells are involved in triggering the migraine headaches in photophobic patients, it is necessary to block the part of visible spectrum that activates these cells. It is observed from the action potential spectrum of the ganglion cells that they absorb light ranging from 450-500nm (blue-green part) of the visible spectrum with a λmax (peak sensitivity) of around 480nm (blue line). Currently prescribed for migraine patients is the FL-41 coating, which blocks a broad range of wavelengths, including wavelengths associated with melanopsin absorption. The nanoparticle optical notch filter is designed to block light only at 480nm, hence offering an effective prescription for the treatment of migraine headaches.

Effect of poly(ethylene oxide) homopolymer and two different poly(ethylene oxide-b-poly(propylene oxide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymers on morphological, optical, and mechanical properties of nanostructured unsaturated polyester.

PubMed

Builes, Daniel H; Hernández-Ortiz, Juan P; Corcuera, Ma Angeles; Mondragon, Iñaki; Tercjak, Agnieszka

2014-01-22

Novel nanostructured unsaturated polyester resin-based thermosets, modified with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(propylene oxide) (PPO), and two poly(ethylene oxide-b-propylene oxide-b-ethylene oxide) block copolymers (BCP), were developed and analyzed. The effects of molecular weights, blocks ratio, and curing temperatures on the final morphological, optical, and mechanical properties were reported. The block influence on the BCP miscibility was studied through uncured and cured mixtures of unsaturated polyester (UP) resins with PEO and PPO homopolymers having molecular weights similar to molecular weights of the blocks of BCP. The final morphology of the nanostructured thermosetting systems, containing BCP or homopolymers, was investigated, and multiple mechanisms of nanostructuration were listed and explained. By considering the miscibility of each block before and after curing, it was determined that the formation of the nanostructured matrices followed a self-assembly mechanism or a polymerization-induced phase separation mechanism. The miscibility between PEO or PPO blocks with one of two phases of UP matrix was highlighted due to its importance in the final thermoset properties. Relationships between the final morphology and thermoset optical and mechanical properties were examined. The mechanisms and physics behind the morphologies lead toward the design of highly transparent, nanostructured, and toughened thermosetting UP systems.

Block Volume Estimation from the Discontinuity Spacing Measurements of Mesozoic Limestone Quarries, Karaburun Peninsula, Turkey

PubMed Central

Elci, Hakan; Turk, Necdet

2014-01-01

Block volumes are generally estimated by analyzing the discontinuity spacing measurements obtained either from the scan lines placed over the rock exposures or the borehole cores. Discontinuity spacing measurements made at the Mesozoic limestone quarries in Karaburun Peninsula were used to estimate the average block volumes that could be produced from them using the suggested methods in the literature. The Block Quality Designation (BQD) ratio method proposed by the authors has been found to have given in the same order of the rock block volume to the volumetric joint count (J v) method. Moreover, dimensions of the 2378 blocks produced between the years of 2009 and 2011 in the working quarries have been recorded. Assuming, that each block surfaces is a discontinuity, the mean block volume (V b), the mean volumetric joint count (J vb) and the mean block shape factor of the blocks are determined and compared with the estimated mean in situ block volumes (V in) and volumetric joint count (J vi) values estimated from the in situ discontinuity measurements. The established relations are presented as a chart to be used in practice for estimating the mean volume of blocks that can be obtained from a quarry site by analyzing the rock mass discontinuity spacing measurements. PMID:24696642

Block volume estimation from the discontinuity spacing measurements of mesozoic limestone quarries, Karaburun Peninsula, Turkey.

PubMed

Elci, Hakan; Turk, Necdet

2014-01-01

Block volumes are generally estimated by analyzing the discontinuity spacing measurements obtained either from the scan lines placed over the rock exposures or the borehole cores. Discontinuity spacing measurements made at the Mesozoic limestone quarries in Karaburun Peninsula were used to estimate the average block volumes that could be produced from them using the suggested methods in the literature. The Block Quality Designation (BQD) ratio method proposed by the authors has been found to have given in the same order of the rock block volume to the volumetric joint count (J(v)) method. Moreover, dimensions of the 2378 blocks produced between the years of 2009 and 2011 in the working quarries have been recorded. Assuming, that each block surfaces is a discontinuity, the mean block volume (V(b)), the mean volumetric joint count (J(vb)) and the mean block shape factor of the blocks are determined and compared with the estimated mean in situ block volumes (V(in)) and volumetric joint count (J(vi)) values estimated from the in situ discontinuity measurements. The established relations are presented as a chart to be used in practice for estimating the mean volume of blocks that can be obtained from a quarry site by analyzing the rock mass discontinuity spacing measurements.

Trade Masonry Syllabus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York State Education Dept., Albany. Bureau of Occupational Education Curriculum Development.

Designed for a two-year course of study, this syllabus encompasses six areas of the masonry trade: concrete, block, brick, stone, tile, and plaster. For each area, the separate units of instruction contain course content outline, student behavioral objectives, and suggested teaching methods and audiovisuals. The six sections and their units are as…

Mathematics: Foundations for Business. Instructor's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopfe, Manfred W.; Bianci-Rossi, Larry

This is the instructor's guide to a text designed for the contemporary business student who frequently questions the need for studying mathematics. The text material is presented in a "building-block" fashion, with skills learned in earlier chapters organized to provide a smooth transition into more difficult topics. This guide consists…

Classroom Questioning with Immediate Electronic Response: Do Clickers Improve Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yourstone, Steven A.; Kraye, Howard S.; Albaum, Gerald

2008-01-01

A number of studies have focused on how students and instructors feel about digital learning technologies. This research is focused on the substantive difference in learning outcomes between traditional classrooms and classrooms using clickers. A randomized block experimental design involving four sections of undergraduate Operations Management…

A Beautiful Britto Still Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coy, Mary

2012-01-01

Romero Britto is a wonderful artist for young students to study when learning the building blocks of art and design. Colorful, linear, and full of bold patterns, Britto's work blends a contemporary cubist style and pop art commercial appeal. Themes of this contemporary artist's work include animals, flowers, still life, and people in joyful…

Developing Children's Understanding of Fractions: An Intervention Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gabriel, Florence; Coche, Frederic; Szucs, Denes; Carette, Vincent; Rey, Bernard; Content, Alain

2012-01-01

Fractions constitute a stumbling block in mathematics education. To improve children's understanding of fractions, we designed an intervention based on learning-by-doing activities, which focused on the representation of the magnitude of fractions. Participants were 292 Grade 4 and 5 children. Half of the classes received experimental instruction,…

Overview of OBPR Free Flyer System Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leung, Ronald Y.; Lieberman, Alvin S.

2003-01-01

Contents include the following:OBPR free flyer theme. OBPR free flyer technical activity last 2 years. GSFC integrated mission design center (IMDC) studies. Free flyer assumptions and goals. Free flyer total payload reference concept capabilities. FFM reference payload requirements. FFM mission. FFM medium summary. FFH block diagram FFH spacecraft configuration.concept.

Development of design parameters for mass concrete using finite element analysis : final report, February 2010.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-02-01

A finite element model for analysis of mass concrete was developed in this study. To validate the developed model, large concrete blocks made with four different mixes of concrete, typical of use in mass concrete applications in Florida, were made an...

Math for Electronics; Industrial Electronics 1: 9323.04.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

This curriculum guide is designed for the student interested in preparing for vocational electronics and related fields of electricity, emphasizing the mathematics necessary for an indepth study of electronics. Included in the course content are goals, specific block objectives, basic algebra, powers of 10, the slide rule, basic trigonometry…

INVESTIGATION OF ORGANIC WEED CONTROL METHODS, PESTICIDE SPECIAL STUDY, COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY

EPA Science Inventory

The project is proposed for the 2003 and 2004 growing seasons. Corn gluten meal (CGM), treated paper mulch and plastic mulch, along with conventional herbicide, will be applied to fields of drip irrigated broccoli in a randomized complete block design with 6 replicates. Due to ...

Transforming information from silicon testing and design characterization into numerical data sets for yield learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Thomas; Shen, Yang; Zhang, Yifan; Sweis, Jason; Lai, Ya-Chieh

2017-03-01

Silicon testing results are regularly collected for a particular lot of wafers to study yield loss from test result diagnostics. Product engineers will analyze the diagnostic results and perform a number of physical failure analyses to detect systematic defects which cause yield loss for these sets of wafers in order to feedback the information to process engineers for process improvements. Most of time, the systematic defects that are detected are major issues or just one of the causes for the overall yield loss. This paper will present a working flow for using design analysis techniques combined with diagnostic methods to systematically transform silicon testing information into physical layout information. A new set of the testing results are received from a new lot of wafers for the same product. We can then correlate all the diagnostic results from different periods of time to check which blocks or nets have been highlighted or stop occurring on the failure reports in order to monitor process changes which impact the yield. The design characteristic analysis flow is also implemented to find 1) the block connections on a design that have failed electrical test or 2) frequently used cells that been highlighted multiple times.

Feed system design and experimental results in the uhf model study for the proposed Urbana phased array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Loane, J. T.; Bowhill, S. A.; Mayes, P. E.

1982-01-01

The effects of atmospheric turbulence and the basis for the coherent scatter radar techniques are discussed. The reasons are given for upgrading the Radar system to a larger steerable array. Phase array theory pertinent to the system design is reviewed, along with approximations for maximum directive gain and blind angles due to mutual coupling. The methods and construction techniques employed in the UHF model study are explained. The antenna range is described, with a block diagram for the mode of operation used.

Reliability study of Piezoelectric Structures Dedicated to Energy Harvesting by the Way of Blocking Force Investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maaroufi, S.; Parrain, F.; Lefeuvre, E.; Boutaud, B.; Dal Molin, R.

2015-12-01

In this paper we propose an approach to study the reliability of piezoelectric structures and more precisely energy harvesting micro-devices dedicated to autonomous active medical implants (new generation pacemakers). The structure under test is designed as a bimorph piezoelectric cantilever with a seismic mass at its tip. Good understanding of material aging and mechanical failure is critical for this kind of system. To study the reliability and durability of the piezoelectric part we propose to establish a new accelerated methodology and an associated test bench where the environment and stimuli can be precisely controlled over a wide period of time. This will allow the identification of potential failure modes and the study of their impacts by the way of direct mechanical investigation based on stiffness and blocking force measurements performed periodically.

Immediate processing of erotic stimuli in paedophilia and controls: a case control study.

PubMed

Habermeyer, Benedikt; Esposito, Fabrizio; Händel, Nadja; Lemoine, Patrick; Klarhöfer, Markus; Mager, Ralph; Dittmann, Volker; Seifritz, Erich; Graf, Marc

2013-03-19

Most neuroimaging studies investigating sexual arousal in paedophilia used erotic pictures together with a blocked fMRI design and long stimulus presentation time. While this approach allows the detection of sexual arousal, it does not enable the assessment of the immediate processing of erotically salient stimuli. Our study aimed to identify neuronal networks related to the immediate processing of erotic stimuli in heterosexual male paedophiles and healthy age-matched controls. We presented erotic pictures of prepubescent children and adults in an event related fMRI-design to eight paedophilic subjects and age-matched controls. Erotic pictures of females elicited more activation in the right temporal lobe, the right parietal lobe and both occipital lobes and erotic pictures of children activated the right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex in both groups. An interaction of sex, age and group was present in the right anteriolateral oribitofrontal cortex. Our event related study design confirmed that erotic pictures activate some of the brain regions already known to be involved in the processing of erotic pictures when these are presented in blocks. In addition, it revealed that erotic pictures of prepubescent children activate brain regions critical for choosing response strategies in both groups, and that erotically salient stimuli selectively activate a brain region in paedophilic subjects that had previously been attributed to reward and punishment, and that had been shown to be implicated in the suppression of erotic response and deception.

Updated optical read/write memory system components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The fabrication of an updated block data composer and holographic storage array for a breadboard holographic read/write memory system is described. System considerations such as transform optics and controlled aberration lens design are described along with the block data composer, photoplastic recording materials, and material development.

Domain modeling and grid generation for multi-block structured grids with application to aerodynamic and hydrodynamic configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spekreijse, S. P.; Boerstoel, J. W.; Vitagliano, P. L.; Kuyvenhoven, J. L.

1992-01-01

About five years ago, a joint development was started of a flow simulation system for engine-airframe integration studies on propeller as well as jet aircraft. The initial system was based on the Euler equations and made operational for industrial aerodynamic design work. The system consists of three major components: a domain modeller, for the graphical interactive subdivision of flow domains into an unstructured collection of blocks; a grid generator, for the graphical interactive computation of structured grids in blocks; and a flow solver, for the computation of flows on multi-block grids. The industrial partners of the collaboration and NLR have demonstrated that the domain modeller, grid generator and flow solver can be applied to simulate Euler flows around complete aircraft, including propulsion system simulation. Extension to Navier-Stokes flows is in progress. Delft Hydraulics has shown that both the domain modeller and grid generator can also be applied successfully for hydrodynamic configurations. An overview is given about the main aspects of both domain modelling and grid generation.

Characterization of a small Terfenol-D transducer in mechanically blocked configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faidley, LeAnn E.; Dapino, Marcelo J.; Flatau, Alison B.

2001-08-01

In numerous applications, smart material transducers are employed to actuate upon virtually immovable structures, that is, structures whose stiffness approaches infinity in comparison with that of the transducer itself. Such mechanically blocked transducer configurations can be found in applications ranging from seismic testing and isolation of civil structures, to clamping mechanisms in linear or rotational inchworm motors. In addition to providing high blocking forces, smart materials for this type of applications must often be small in size and lightweight in order for design constraints to be met. This paper provides a characterization of the force produced by a 0.9 cm (0.35 in) diameter, 2.0 cm (0.79i in) long Terfenol-D operated under mechanically blocked conditions. Experimental results are shown for several mechanical preloads as well as various magnetic field intensities, waveforms, and frequencies. Optimal levels are deduced and discussed and the results are compared to published data for a PZT transducer of similar size operated in mechanically blocked configuration. The comparison reveals that the Terfenol-D rod provides higher blocking forces than its PZT counterpart. It is thus feasible to employ small magnetostrictive drivers in applications involving zero or near-zero displacement, particularly those based on hybrid magnetostrictive/piezoelectric designs in which high efficiencies are achieved by driving the two electrically complementary transducer materials at electrical resonance.

An installed nacelle design code using a multiblock Euler solver. Volume 2: User guide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, H. C.

1992-01-01

This is a user manual for the general multiblock Euler design (GMBEDS) code. The code is for the design of a nacelle installed on a geometrically complex configuration such as a complete airplane with wing/body/nacelle/pylon. It consists of two major building blocks: a design module developed by LaRC using directive iterative surface curvature (DISC); and a general multiblock Euler (GMBE) flow solver. The flow field surrounding a complex configuration is divided into a number of topologically simple blocks to facilitate surface-fitted grid generation and improve flow solution efficiency. This user guide provides input data formats along with examples of input files and a Unix script for program execution in the UNICOS environment.

Designing an activity-based costing model for a non-admitted prisoner healthcare setting.

PubMed

Cai, Xiao; Moore, Elizabeth; McNamara, Martin

2013-09-01

To design and deliver an activity-based costing model within a non-admitted prisoner healthcare setting. Key phases from the NSW Health clinical redesign methodology were utilised: diagnostic, solution design and implementation. The diagnostic phase utilised a range of strategies to identify issues requiring attention in the development of the costing model. The solution design phase conceptualised distinct 'building blocks' of activity and cost based on the speciality of clinicians providing care. These building blocks enabled the classification of activity and comparisons of costs between similar facilities. The implementation phase validated the model. The project generated an activity-based costing model based on actual activity performed, gained acceptability among clinicians and managers, and provided the basis for ongoing efficiency and benchmarking efforts.

Hierarchically Ordered Nanopatterns for Spatial Control of Biomolecules

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The development and study of a benchtop, high-throughput, and inexpensive fabrication strategy to obtain hierarchical patterns of biomolecules with sub-50 nm resolution is presented. A diblock copolymer of polystyrene-b-poly(ethylene oxide), PS-b-PEO, is synthesized with biotin capping the PEO block and 4-bromostyrene copolymerized within the polystyrene block at 5 wt %. These two handles allow thin films of the block copolymer to be postfunctionalized with biotinylated biomolecules of interest and to obtain micropatterns of nanoscale-ordered films via photolithography. The design of this single polymer further allows access to two distinct superficial nanopatterns (lines and dots), where the PEO cylinders are oriented parallel or perpendicular to the substrate. Moreover, we present a strategy to obtain hierarchical mixed morphologies: a thin-film coating of cylinders both parallel and perpendicular to the substrate can be obtained by tuning the solvent annealing and irradiation conditions. PMID:25363506

Evaluation of power block arrangements for 100MW scale concentrated solar thermal power generation using top-down design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Post, Alexander; Beath, Andrew; Sauret, Emilie; Persky, Rodney

2017-06-01

Concentrated solar thermal power generation poses a unique situation for power block selection, in which a capital intensive heat source is subject to daily and seasonal fluctuations in intensity. In this study, a method is developed to easily evaluate the favourability of different power blocks for converting the heat supplied by a concentrated solar thermal plant into power at the 100MWe scale based on several key parameters. The method is then applied to a range of commercially available power cycles that operate over different temperatures and efficiencies, and with differing capital costs, each with performance and economic parameters selected to be typical of their technology type, as reported in literature. Using this method, the power cycle is identified among those examined that is most likely to result in a minimum levelised cost of energy of a solar thermal plant.

Influence of micromixer characteristics on polydispersity index of block copolymers synthesized in continuous flow microreactors.

PubMed

Rosenfeld, Carine; Serra, Christophe; Brochon, Cyril; Hadziioannou, Georges

2008-10-01

The influence of interdigital multilamination micromixer characteristics on monomer conversions, molecular weights and especially on the polydispersity index of block copolymers synthesized continuously in two microtube reactors is investigated. The micromixers are used to mix, before copolymerization, a polymer solution with different viscosities and the second monomer. Different geometries of micromixer (number of microchannels, characteristic lengths) have been studied. It was found that polydispersity indices of the copolymers follow a linear relationship with the Reynolds number in the micromixer, represented by a form factor. Thus, beside the operating conditions (nature of the first block and comonomer flow rate), the choice of the micromixer geometry and dimension is essential to control the copolymerization in terms of molecular weights and polydispersity indices. This linear correlation allows the prediction of copolymer features. It can also be a new method to optimize existing micromixers or design other geometries so that mixing could be more efficient.