Border Jumping: Strategic and Operational Considerations in Planning Cross-Border Raids Against Insurgent Sanctuaries

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

POLITICAL COSTS .......25 D. THE OVERALL TIMING OF NICARAGUAN CROSS-BORDER OFFENSIVES...27 E. THE TERMINATION OF NICARAGUAN CROSS-BORDER RAIDS...Exploit, and Analyze FARC Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia FDN Nicaraguan Democratic Force FLN Front de Libération Nationale FSLN Sandinista

Development of a Traffic Management Decision Support Tool for Freeway Incident Traffic Management (FITM) Plan Deployment

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-12-01

Traffic incidents have long been recognized as the main contributor to congestion in highway networks. Thus, contending with non-recurrent congestion has been a priority task for most highway agencies over the past decades. Under most incident scenar...

The FATA/NWFP Dilemma; Defining United States Policy for Long Term Stability on the Afghanistan-Pakistan Border

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-18

PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME (S) AND ADDRESS (ES) National Defense University...Joint Forces Staff College, 7800 Hampton Blvd, Norfolk, VA, 23511-1702 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING...especially the SEM III crew, thanks for all of the laughs, and above all, thanks for all of the teamwork . I look forward to serving with you all in

Improving performance with clinical decision support.

PubMed

Brailer, D J; Goldfarb, S; Horgan, M; Katz, F; Paulus, R A; Zakrewski, K

1996-07-01

CADU/CIS (Clinical and Administrative Decision-support Utility and Clinical Information System) is a clinical decision-support workstation that allows large volumes of clinical information systems data to be analyzed in a timely and user-friendly fashion. CARE PROCESS MEASUREMENT: For any given disease, subgroups of patients are identified, and automated, customized "clinical pathways" are generated. For each subgroup, the best practice norms for use of test and therapies are identified. Practice style variations are then compared to outcomes to focus inquiry on decisions that significantly affect outcomes. INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION: Graduate Health Systems, a multisite integrated provider in the Philadelphia area, has used CADU/CIS to improve quality problems, reduce treatment-intensity variations, and improve clinical participation in care process evaluation and decision making. A task force selected intestinal obstruction without hernia as its first study because of the related high-volume and high-morbidity complications. Use of a ten-step method for clinical performance improvement showed that the intravenous administration of unnecessary fluids to 104 patients with intestinal obstruction induced congestive heart failure (CHF) in 5 patients. Task force members and other practicing physicians are now developing guidelines and other interventions aimed at fluid use. Indeed, the task force used CADU/CIS to identify an additional 250 patients in one year whose conditions were complicated by CHF. A clinical decision support tool can be instrumental in detecting problems with important clinical and economic implications, identifying their important underlying causes, tracking the associated tests and therapies, and monitoring interventions.

Minimum package for cross-border TB control and care in the WHO European region: a Wolfheze consensus statement

PubMed Central

Dara, Masoud; de Colombani, Pierpaolo; Petrova-Benedict, Roumyana; Centis, Rosella; Zellweger, Jean-Pierre; Sandgren, Andreas; Heldal, Einar; Sotgiu, Giovanni; Jansen, Niesje; Bahtijarevic, Rankica; Migliori, Giovanni Battista

2012-01-01

The World Health Organization (WHO) European region estimates that more than 400,000 tuberculosis (TB) cases occur in Europe, a large proportion of them among migrants. A coordinated public health mechanism to guarantee TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care across borders is not in place. A consensus paper describing the minimum package of cross-border TB control and care was prepared by a task force following a literature review, and with input from the national TB control programme managers of the WHO European region and the Wolfheze 2011 conference. A literature review focused on the subject of TB in migrants was carried out, selecting documents published during the 11-yr period 2001–2011. Several issues were identified in cross-border TB control and care, varying from the limited access to early TB diagnosis, to the lack of continuity of care and information during migration, and the availability of, and access to, health services in the new country. The recommended minimum package addresses the current shortcomings and intends to improve the situation by covering several areas: political commitment (including the implementation of a legal framework for TB cross-border collaboration), financial mechanisms and adequate health service delivery (prevention, infection control, contact management, diagnosis and treatment, and psychosocial support). PMID:22653772

Imagining and Imaging Borders: Understanding Borderlands for Global Sustainability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konrad, V.

2013-11-01

Borders are increasingly complex human responses and social constructions in a world where globalizing forces confront basic human concerns for security and certainty. In an effort to provide a background to assess research directions for imaging borders, this paper explores what we know about borders, and what we do not know well about borders. Borders in globalization are the meeting points of globalizing forces of security, trade and migration flows with emerging technologies, self determination and regionalization around the world. We need to know more about how: self determination fuels secessions and new borders; borders result from complex rather than simple policy and governance issues; borders depend on the political clout of borderland communities; market and migration flows impact borders; and borders are always in motion. The paper shows how these organizing principles underlie the basic themes of border governance, flows, culture, history, security and sustainability. Finally, the paper offers two brief illustrations of border imaging to link this presentation to the following discussion of the workshop.

76 FR 49527 - Joint Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee and Medical Review Board Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-10

... Task 11-03, regarding the Agency's Cross Border Trucking Pilot Program, will meet. Copies of all MCSAC... Trucking Pilot Program Task The MCSAC Subcommittee will continue its work on Task 11-03 concerning the... a meeting of the Cross-Border Trucking Pilot Program subcommittee. All three days of the meeting...

Human rights and mental health among Latin American women in situations of state-sponsored violence. Bibliographic resources.

PubMed

Lykes, M B; Brabeck, M M; Ferns, T; Radan, A

1993-12-01

The Task Force of the American Psychological Association Division 35, Psychology of Women, conducted a literature review of resources from Latin America to examine the social dimensions of state-sponsored violence in Latin America, their effects on socialization and community, and some responses of women surviving these experiences. It limited its review to works of women's groups, progressive organizations, and individual women exploring the effects of war and state-sponsored violence on women's mental health. Recurring emergent themes included the false dichotomy of violence committed against women in public versus that committed in private, silencing of women accompanies state imposed terror, collective resistance to such terror. The resources addressed 3 types of women's experiences of violence: exile within and beyond one's national borders; torture--an extreme form of state-sponsored violence; and nontraditional, culturally appropriate interventions--alternatives to Western models. This review motivated the Task Force to call on their colleagues to contribute to the on-going documentation of state-sponsored violence. Task Force members identified several areas for collaborative research and/or theory development. Psychologists should question the validity of clinical neutrality and examine the particular meanings of non-neutrality within different cultures. For example, some Latin American psychologists reject diagnoses of intrapsychic syndromes (e.g., post-traumatic stress syndrome) and propose concepts that center on the nexus of individuals and social life. The Task Force sees great opportunities for US psychologists to network and to form solidarity-based relationships with Latin American women. It has identified many women's groups working in Latin America. Human rights organizations (e.g., Americas Watch) have formed women's projects. Further work should be done to improve resource exchanges.

Kinematically redundant robot manipulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baillieul, J.; Hollerbach, J.; Brockett, R.; Martin, D.; Percy, R.; Thomas, R.

1987-01-01

Research on control, design and programming of kinematically redundant robot manipulators (KRRM) is discussed. These are devices in which there are more joint space degrees of freedom than are required to achieve every position and orientation of the end-effector necessary for a given task in a given workspace. The technological developments described here deal with: kinematic programming techniques for automatically generating joint-space trajectories to execute prescribed tasks; control of redundant manipulators to optimize dynamic criteria (e.g., applications of forces and moments at the end-effector that optimally distribute the loading of actuators); and design of KRRMs to optimize functionality in congested work environments or to achieve other goals unattainable with non-redundant manipulators. Kinematic programming techniques are discussed, which show that some pseudo-inverse techniques that have been proposed for redundant manipulator control fail to achieve the goals of avoiding kinematic singularities and also generating closed joint-space paths corresponding to close paths of the end effector in the workspace. The extended Jacobian is proposed as an alternative to pseudo-inverse techniques.

A New Procedure for Wrapped-Negative Pressure Wound Therapy for Congestion After Arterialized Venous Flap Surgery

PubMed Central

Niimi, Yosuke; Mori, Satoko; Takeuchi, Masaki

2017-01-01

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is a method for treating wound. However, there are no case reports using NPWT for treating congestion after arterialized venous flap. Therefore, this study reported favorable outcomes after using a single-use NPWT system for managing congestion. A 39-year-old man had his index finger caught by a press machine. The finger had a soft tissue defect at the ventral part. An arterialized venous flap taken from the right forearm was transplanted. Perfusion of the flap was favorable, but on postoperative day 5, congestion and the edema of the flap were found. Then, NPWT was initiated. The congestion and edema in the flap were improved without complications such as flap necrosis and wound infection. At 4 months postoperatively, the morphology of the finger was favorable. In this study, NPWT was speculated to force the deeper blood vessels within the flap to dilate with inducing drainage and the simultaneous reduction in excess blood flow to the cortical layer, resulting in the improvement of congestion. Negative pressure wound therapy was used for treating congestion after the transplantation of arterialized venous flap, and the wound was favorably managed. PMID:29270041

Languages without Borders: TESOL in a Transient World

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nero, Shondel

2012-01-01

In today's transient world, where a continual multidirectional flow of people, goods, and services has deterritorialized languages and their users, languages, especially English, are now without borders. In this context, English language teaching (ELT) as a profession is called to a new task. In this article, I examine this task by asking the…

Summary of Independent Assessment of the Afghan National Security Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-02-01

Afghan National Police (ANP), which are the Afghan Border Police ( ABP ), Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP), Afghan Uniform Police (AUP...intentionally left blank 43 Acronyms AACP Afghan Anti-Crime Police AAF Afghan Air Force ABP Afghan Border Police ALP Afghan

QoS for Real Time Applications over Next Generation Data Networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ivancic, William; Atiquzzaman, Mohammed; Bai, Haowei; Su, Hongjun; Chitri, Jyotsna; Ahamed, Faruque

2001-01-01

Viewgraphs on Qualtity of Service (QOS) for real time applications over next generation data networks are presented. The progress to date include: Task 1: QoS in Integrated Services over DiffServ networks (UD); Task 2: Interconnecting ATN with the next generation Internet (UD); Task 3: QoS in DiffServ over ATM (UD); Task 4: Improving Explicit Congestion Notification with the Mark-Front Strategy (OSU); Task 5: Multiplexing VBR over VBR (OSU); and Task 6: Achieving QoS for TCP traffic in Satellite Networks with Differentiated Services (OSU).

Numbers Matter: Post-2014 Afghan National Security Force End Strength

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

Afghan Border Police ( ABP ), and the Afghan National Civil Order Police (ANCOP).16 Two other Afghan security organizations, which did not factor...Air Force (AAF), Afghan Border Police ( ABP ), and Afghan Uniform Police (AUP), is also a significant challenge to the legitimacy of the ANSF with the

Diuretics as pathogenetic treatment for heart failure

PubMed Central

Guglin, Maya

2011-01-01

Increased intracardiac filling pressure or congestion causes symptoms and leads to hospital admissions in patients with heart failure, regardless of their systolic function. A history of hospital admission, in turn, predicts further hospitalizations and morbidity, and a higher number of hospitalizations determine higher mortality. Congestion is therefore the driving force of the natural history of heart failure. Congestion is the syndrome shared by heart failure with preserved and reduced systolic function. These two conditions have almost identical morbidity, mortality, and survival because the outcomes are driven by congestion. A small difference in favor of heart failure with preserved systolic function comes from decreased ejection fraction and left ventricular remodeling which is only present in heart failure with decreased systolic function. The magnitude of this difference reflects the contribution of decreased systolic function and ventricular remodeling to the progression of heart failure. The only treatment available for congestion is fluid removal via diuretics, ultrafiltration, or dialysis. It is the only treatment that works equally well for heart failure with reduced and preserved systolic function because it affects congestion, the main pathogenetic feature of the disease. Diuretics are pathogenetic therapy for heart failure. PMID:21403798

Counseling in the U.S.-Mexico Border Region.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Todd T.; Madrigal, Julio F.

Residents of the U. S.-Mexico border region have the immense task of reconciling two different and often incompatible cultures, traditions, and languages. The cultural and environmental conditions of the South Texas border region are briefly described, and economic and social conditions are reviewed. The unique counseling needs of borderlanders of…

Modeling the U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector for the Deployment and Operations of Border Security Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-03-01

Crime_Trends_2005.pdf (accessed August 3, 2005). Consejo de Seguridad Publica , “Programa de Mediano Plazo 2004 - 2009: Seguridad Publica ,” http...international Southwest border. The issue of illegal human smuggling is not new to the United States- Mexico border or to law enforcement agencies...Operation Gatekeeper; Operation Hold the Line; Operation Stonegarden; Tucson Sector; US Border Patrol; US- Mexico border. 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY

Employing U.S. Army Special Forces to Defeat America’s Emerging Threats

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

GPF operation which is primarily focused on improving allied and host nation security force capacity.36 In 2004, the El Salvadorian Ambassador to...forces to Haiti to conduct Stability Operations following their devastating earthquakes . Operation Unified Quest, led by LTG Ken Keen included personnel...U.S. Border Patrol (point of entry and border security operations), 95th Civil Affairs Brigade (Civil Affairs related activities), El Paso and Austin

Ion channels versus ion pumps: the principal difference, in principle.

PubMed

Gadsby, David C

2009-05-01

The incessant traffic of ions across cell membranes is controlled by two kinds of border guards: ion channels and ion pumps. Open channels let selected ions diffuse rapidly down electrical and concentration gradients, whereas ion pumps labour tirelessly to maintain the gradients by consuming energy to slowly move ions thermodynamically uphill. Because of the diametrically opposed tasks and the divergent speeds of channels and pumps, they have traditionally been viewed as completely different entities, as alike as chalk and cheese. But new structural and mechanistic information about both of these classes of molecular machines challenges this comfortable separation and forces its re-evaluation.

Caltrans TMC coordination.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-09-01

Caltrans Transportation Management Centers (TMCs) are tasked with the management of the statewide transportation system to reduce congestion and provide for the safe movement of people, goods, and information. They must work with neighboring TMCs to ...

Force-displacement measurements of earlywood bordered pits using a mesomechanical tester

Treesearch

Samuel L. Zelinka; Keith J. Bourne; John C. Hermanson; Samuel V. Glass; Adriana Costa; Alex C. Wiedenhoeft

2015-01-01

The elastic properties of pit membranes are reported to have important implications in understanding air-seeding phenomena in gymnosperms, and pit aspiration plays a large role in wood technological applications such as wood drying and preservative treatment. Here we present force–displacement measurements for pit membranes of circular bordered pits, collected on a...

Higher Educational Institutions Providing Border Security Training: What Motivates Cadets and Instructors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Talynev, V. E.

2007-01-01

The specific character of border troops' performance of their operational and service tasks at border security posts and "hot spots" makes it necessary to analyze in depth and study the problems of how to improve the training of graduates and how to motivate the cadets enrolled in higher educational institutions of Russia's Federal…

Aspects of IVHS architecture design

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1991-09-17

IVHS systems influence four kinds of decisions that drivers make during their trip. The : corresponding tasks that IVHS systems carry out are route and flow control, congestion : control, vehicle coordination, and spacing. A comparison of two scenari...

New method of neck surface electromyography for the evaluation of tongue-lifting activity.

PubMed

Manda, Y; Maeda, N; Pan, Q; Sugimoto, K; Hashimoto, Y; Tanaka, Y; Kodama, N; Minagi, S

2016-06-01

Elevation of the posterior part of the tongue is important for normal deglutition and speech. The purpose of this study was to develop a new surface electromyography (EMG) method to non-invasively and objectively evaluate activity in the muscles that control lifting movement in the posterior tongue. Neck surface EMG (N-EMG) was recorded using differential surface electrodes placed on the neck, 1 cm posterior to the posterior border of the mylohyoid muscle on a line orthogonal to the lower border of the mandible. Experiment 1: Three healthy volunteers (three men, mean age 37·7 years) participated in an evaluation of detection method of the posterior tongue lifting up movement. EMG recordings from the masseter, temporalis and submental muscles and N-EMG revealed that i) N-EMG was not affected by masseter muscle EMG and ii) N-EMG activity was not observed during simple jaw opening and tongue protrusion, revealing the functional difference between submental surface EMG and N-EMG. Experiment 2: Seven healthy volunteers (six men and one woman, mean age 27·9 years) participated in a quantitative evaluation of muscle activity. Tongue-lifting tasks were perfor-med, exerting a prescribed force of 20, 50, 100 and 150 gf with visual feedback. For all subjects, a significant linear relationship was observed bet-ween the tongue-lifting force and N-EMG activity (P < 0·01). These findings indicate that N-EMG can be used to quantify the force of posterior tongue lifting and could be useful to evaluate the effect of tongue rehabilitation in future studies. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Forced Child Removal and the Politics of National Apologies in Australia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuthbert, Denise; Quartly, Marian

2013-01-01

Inquiries into the removal and mistreatment of Indigenous and non-Indigenous children, national regret, and national apologies constitute a congested political landscape in contemporary Australia. Within two years, two formal apologies were delivered by the prime minister, Kevin Rudd, to individuals who had suffered forced removal from family and…

Myofilament dysfunction contributes to impaired myocardial contraction in the infarct border zone

PubMed Central

Shimkunas, Rafael; Makwana, Om; Spaulding, Kimberly; Bazargan, Mona; Khazalpour, Michael; Takaba, Kiyoaki; Soleimani, Mehrdad; Myagmar, Bat-Erdene; Lovett, David H.; Simpson, Paul C.; Ratcliffe, Mark B.

2014-01-01

After myocardial infarction, a poorly contracting nonischemic border zone forms adjacent to the infarct. The cause of border zone dysfunction is unclear. The goal of this study was to determine the myofilament mechanisms involved in postinfarction border zone dysfunction. Two weeks after anteroapical infarction of sheep hearts, we studied in vitro isometric and isotonic contractions of demembranated myocardium from the infarct border zone and a zone remote from the infarct. Maximal force development (Fmax) of the border zone myocardium was reduced by 31 ± 2% versus the remote zone myocardium (n = 6/group, P < 0.0001). Decreased border zone Fmax was not due to a reduced content of contractile material, as assessed histologically, and from myosin content. Furthermore, decreased border zone Fmax did not involve altered cross-bridge kinetics, as assessed by muscle shortening velocity and force development kinetics. Decreased border zone Fmax was associated with decreased cross-bridge formation, as assessed from muscle stiffness in the absence of ATP where cross-bridge formation should be maximized (rigor stiffness was reduced 34 ± 6%, n = 5, P = 0.011 vs. the remote zone). Furthermore, the border zone myocardium had significantly reduced phosphorylation of myosin essential light chain (ELC; 41 ± 10%, n = 4, P < 0.05). However, for animals treated with doxycycline, an inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases, rigor stiffness and ELC phosphorylation were not reduced in the border zone myocardium, suggesting that doxycycline had a protective effect. In conclusion, myofilament dysfunction contributes to postinfarction border zone dysfunction, myofilament dysfunction involves impaired cross-bridge formation and decreased ELC phosphorylation, and matrix metalloproteinase inhibition may be beneficial for limiting postinfarct border zone dysfunction. PMID:25128171

Optimal CH-47 AND C-130 Workload Balance

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

the above hub-and-spoke formulations as a foundation for further model variants. For example, de Camargo et al. introduced a model formulation for...the load among other hubs mitigating flow congestion (de Camargo , Miranda, Ferreira, Luna, 2009). Hyun and O’Kelly constructed the reliable p-hub...Department of the Air Force, Air University, Air Force Institute of Technology. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH. 1998. de Camargo , R. S

United States Border Security and Reserve Component Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-15

and the thirteen mile border between San Diego and Tijuana , Mexico. The Border Patrol increased the number of agents from 3,389 in 1993 to 6,213 in...that assemble goods for exportation, known as the “ maquilas ,” to relocate to Mexico’s interior and southern regions.30 The infrastructure problems

Model-dependent effects of the gap junction conduction-enhancing antiarrhythmic peptide rotigaptide (ZP123) on experimental atrial fibrillation in dogs.

PubMed

Shiroshita-Takeshita, Akiko; Sakabe, Masao; Haugan, Ketil; Hennan, James K; Nattel, Stanley

2007-01-23

Abnormal intercellular communication caused by connexin dysfunction may be involved in atrial fibrillation (AF). The present study assessed the effect of the gap junctional conduction-enhancing peptide rotigaptide on AF maintenance in substrates that result from congestive heart failure induced by 2-week ventricular tachypacing (240 bpm), atrial tachypacing (ATP; 400 bpm for 3 to 6 weeks), and isolated atrial myocardial ischemia. Electrophysiological study and epicardial mapping were performed before and after rotigaptide administration in dogs with ATP and congestive heart failure, as well as in similarly instrumented sham dogs that were not tachypaced. For atrial myocardial ischemia, dogs administered rotigaptide before myocardial ischemia were compared with no-drug myocardial ischemia controls. ATP significantly shortened the atrial effective refractory period (P=0.003) and increased AF duration (P=0.008), with AF lasting >3 hours in all 6-week ATP animals. Rotigaptide increased conduction velocity in ATP dogs slightly but significantly (P=0.04) and did not affect the effective refractory period, AF duration, or atrial vulnerability. In dogs with congestive heart failure, rotigaptide also slightly increased conduction velocity (P=0.046) but failed to prevent AF promotion. Rotigaptide had no statistically significant effects in sham dogs. Myocardial ischemia alone increased AF duration and impaired conduction (based on conduction velocity across the ischemic border and indices of conduction heterogeneity). Rotigaptide prevented myocardial ischemia-induced conduction slowing and AF duration increases. Rotigaptide improves conduction in various AF models but suppresses AF only for the acute ischemia substrate. These results define the atrial antiarrhythmic profile of a mechanistically novel antiarrhythmic drug and suggest that gap junction dysfunction may be more important in ischemic AF than in ATP remodeling or congestive heart failure substrates.

Creation of impacTX : improved mobility plan for advancing connected transportation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-03-01

The state is at a pivotal moment in transportation, where the rate of population growth, infrastructure : deterioration, and congestion are outpacing Texass ability to provide quality service. This document introduces : the Texas Technology Task F...

27 CFR 9.120 - Sierra Foothills.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... where the western border of T. 16 N., R. 6 E. meets the northernmost perimeter of Beale Air Force Base... as follows: (1) Beginning on the “Chico” map at the point of intersection of the north border of T... point where S. Honcut Creek meets the western border of T. 18 N., R. 6 E.; (2) Then south, approximately...

27 CFR 9.120 - Sierra Foothills.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... where the western border of T. 16 N., R. 6 E. meets the northernmost perimeter of Beale Air Force Base... as follows: (1) Beginning on the “Chico” map at the point of intersection of the north border of T... point where S. Honcut Creek meets the western border of T. 18 N., R. 6 E.; (2) Then south, approximately...

Trace Contraband Detection Field-Test by the South Texas Specialized Crimes and Narcotics Task Force

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

Hannum, David W.; Shannon, Gary W.

This report describes the collaboration between the South Texas Specialized Crimes and Narcotics Task Force (STSCNTF) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) in a field test that provided prototype hand-held trace detection technology for use in counter-drug operations. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ)/National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC)/Border Research and Technology Center (BRTC) was contacted by STSCNTF for assistance in obtaining cutting-edge technology. The BRTC created a pilot project for Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the STSCNTF for the use of SNL’s Hound, a hand-held sample collection and preconcentration system that, when combined with a commercial chemical detector,more » can be used for the trace detection of illicit drugs and explosives. The STSCNTF operates in an area of high narcotics trafficking where methods of concealment make the detection of narcotics challenging. Sandia National Laboratories’ (SNL) Contraband Detection Department personnel provided the Hound system hardware and operational training. The Hound system combines the GE VaporTracer2, a hand-held commercial chemical detector, with an SNL-developed sample collection and preconcentration system. The South Texas Task force reported a variety of successes, including identification of a major shipment of methamphetamines, the discovery of hidden compartments in vehicles that contained illegal drugs and currency used in drug deals, and the identification of a suspect in a nightclub shooting. The main advantage of the hand-held trace detection unit is its ability to quickly identify the type of chemical (drugs or explosives) without a long lag time for laboratory analysis, which is the most common analysis method for current law enforcement procedures.« less

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

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-06-01

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

The kidney in congestive heart failure: 'are natriuresis, sodium, and diuretics really the good, the bad and the ugly?'.

PubMed

Verbrugge, Frederik H; Dupont, Matthias; Steels, Paul; Grieten, Lars; Swennen, Quirine; Tang, W H Wilson; Mullens, Wilfried

2014-02-01

This review discusses renal sodium handling in heart failure. Increased sodium avidity and tendency to extracellular volume overload, i.e. congestion, are hallmark features of the heart failure syndrome. Particularly in the case of concomitant renal dysfunction, the kidneys often fail to elicit potent natriuresis. Yet, assessment of renal function is generally performed by measuring serum creatinine, which has inherent limitations as a biomarker for the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Moreover, glomerular filtration only represents part of the nephron's function. Alterations in the fractional reabsorptive rate of sodium are at least equally important in emerging therapy-refractory congestion. Indeed, renal blood flow decreases before the GFR is affected in congestive heart failure. The resulting increased filtration fraction changes Starling forces in peritubular capillaries, which drive sodium reabsorption in the proximal tubules. Congestion further stimulates this process by augmenting renal lymph flow. Consequently, fractional sodium reabsorption in the proximal tubules is significantly increased, limiting sodium delivery to the distal nephron. Orthosympathetic activation probably plays a pivotal role in those deranged intrarenal haemodynamics, which ultimately enhance diuretic resistance, stimulate neurohumoral activation with aldosterone breakthrough, and compromise the counter-regulatory function of natriuretic peptides. Recent evidence even suggests that intrinsic renal derangements might impair natriuresis early on, before clinical congestion or neurohumoral activation are evident. This represents a paradigm shift in heart failure pathophysiology, as it suggests that renal dysfunction-although not by conventional GFR measurements-is driving disease progression. In this respect, a better understanding of renal sodium handling in congestive heart failure is crucial to achieve more tailored decongestive therapy, while preserving renal function. © 2013 The Authors. European Journal of Heart Failure © 2013 European Society of Cardiology.

Task and spatial frequency modulations of object processing: an EEG study.

PubMed

Craddock, Matt; Martinovic, Jasna; Müller, Matthias M

2013-01-01

Visual object processing may follow a coarse-to-fine sequence imposed by fast processing of low spatial frequencies (LSF) and slow processing of high spatial frequencies (HSF). Objects can be categorized at varying levels of specificity: the superordinate (e.g. animal), the basic (e.g. dog), or the subordinate (e.g. Border Collie). We tested whether superordinate and more specific categorization depend on different spatial frequency ranges, and whether any such dependencies might be revealed by or influence signals recorded using EEG. We used event-related potentials (ERPs) and time-frequency (TF) analysis to examine the time course of object processing while participants performed either a grammatical gender-classification task (which generally forces basic-level categorization) or a living/non-living judgement (superordinate categorization) on everyday, real-life objects. Objects were filtered to contain only HSF or LSF. We found a greater positivity and greater negativity for HSF than for LSF pictures in the P1 and N1 respectively, but no effects of task on either component. A later, fronto-central negativity (N350) was more negative in the gender-classification task than the superordinate categorization task, which may indicate that this component relates to semantic or syntactic processing. We found no significant effects of task or spatial frequency on evoked or total gamma band responses. Our results demonstrate early differences in processing of HSF and LSF content that were not modulated by categorization task, with later responses reflecting such higher-level cognitive factors.

Isolated torsion of fallopian tube in a post-menopausal patient: a case report.

PubMed

Ozgun, Mahmut Tuncay; Batukan, Cem; Turkyilmaz, Cagdas; Serin, Ibrahim Serdar

2007-07-20

Isolated fallopian tube torsion after menopause is a rare condition. Here we report the second case of isolated fallopian tube torsion in a post-menopausal woman. A 55-year-old post-menopausal woman presented with right lower abdominal pain. Sonography depicted a simple cystic mass adjacent to the right uterine border. Laparatomy revealed torsion of the right fallopian tube together with a paraovarian cyst. Total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. Histopathological examination revealed a simple paraovarian cyst with severe congestion, necrosis and hemorrhage. Tubal torsion should be considered in the differential diagnosis of acute lower abdominal pain, even in post-menopausal women.

Accelerating Bridge Construction to Reduce Congestion

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-05-01

The magnitude of the "residual" displacements at the end of an earthquake can affect the amount of time needed to restore a bridge to service. It may be possible to reduce these displacements (and downtimes) by introducing prestressing forces into br...

A Strategic Plan for the Persian Gulf Region: Options for Deterring and/or Defeating an Emerging Threat

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

Iraq, and the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC-Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar , and Oman) are the...Council (GCC) itself. In October 1992 a border dispute between Qatar and Saudi Arabia flared up. Qatar accused Saudi forces of illegally occupying a...Qatari border post and killing two people. Qatar demanded the withdrawal of the Saudi troops. Riyadh denied that Saudi forces were involved in the

Improving and Extending the Mobility En Route System

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-01

adequate military force to defend Saudi Arabia from Iraqi aggression. While Saddam Hussein had been unwilling to press his numerical advantage ... advantages . Changes at Anderson AB, Guam, due to new units and missions being moved there from Okinawa, Japan, will likely make the field too congested for...AFIT/ GMO /ENS/05E-15, Graduate School of Engineering and Management, Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH: May 2005. 39

U.S.-MEXICO BORDER PROGRAM ARIZONA BORDER STUDY--STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE FOR PREPARATION OF STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES (SOPS) (UA-G-1.0)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this SOP is to establish a uniform format for the preparation of SOPs. Use of these protocols ensures consistent implementation of project tasks, documents the preparation and implementation of the procedures used, describes quality control measures and the limits...

Analysis of longitudinal data from the Puget Sound Transportation Panel : task F : cross section and dynamic analysis of activity and travel patterns in PSTP

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-02-01

The profiles contained in the appendix are all in the Portland, Maine district. They are listed below by border groups as used in the study, with the U.S. Customs port codes indicated. Maine Frontier Border Crossings: Calais - Calais, Ferry Point, ME...

A Line in the Sand a Historical Study of Border Security During Insurgencies and Lessons for the Contemporary Afghan-Pakistan Frontier

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-03

day, the border force ploughed a ten-metre strip inside the barricade to allow trackers to assess the size of any groups that successfully crossed the...managed to breach the line, but once alerted, the French forces rapidly encircled the insurgents. After a week of fighting, the French killed or...camels in the Western Dhofar. During the next two days, Strikemasters accounted for over two-hundred camels killed .44 From 1974, the SAF enhanced their

77 FR 26815 - Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC): Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-07

...--005; H-08-013; H-09-019--020; and H-09-037--041. Long-Haul Cross Border Trucking Pilot Program Task... Metro station. Copies of all MCSAC Task Statements and an agenda for the entire meeting will be made... Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) At this meeting, the MCSAC will hear presentations and deliberate on Task 12...

Border Forces and Friction Control Epithelial Closure Dynamics

PubMed Central

Cochet-Escartin, Olivier; Ranft, Jonas; Silberzan, Pascal; Marcq, Philippe

2014-01-01

We study the closure dynamics of a large number of well-controlled circular apertures within an epithelial monolayer, where the collective cell migration responsible for epithelization is triggered by the removal of a spatial constraint rather than by scratching. Based on experimental observations, we propose a physical model that takes into account border forces, friction with the substrate, and tissue rheology. Border protrusive activity drives epithelization despite the presence of a contractile actomyosin cable at the periphery of the wound. The closure dynamics is quantified by an epithelization coefficient, defined as the ratio of protrusive stress to tissue-substrate friction, that allows classification of different phenotypes. The same analysis demonstrates a distinct signature for human cells bearing the oncogenic RasV12 mutation, demonstrating the potential of the approach to quantitatively characterize metastatic transformations. PMID:24411238

Guidelines for enhancing ITS public/private partnerships in Wisconsin ; Project task reports for methods to enhance public/private partnerships for ITS in Wisconsin

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-05-01

Since the early 1970s, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation has taken advantage of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) to help reduce highway congestion and improve safety. In order to take advantage of ITS in additional areas, funding out...

Designing for Discovery Learning of Complexity Principles of Congestion by Driving Together in the TrafficJams Simulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Sharona T.; Peleg, Ran; Ofeck, Eyal; Tabor, Naamit; Dubovi, Ilana; Bluestein, Shiri; Ben-Zur, Hadar

2018-01-01

We propose and evaluate a framework supporting collaborative discovery learning of complex systems. The framework blends five design principles: (1) individual action: amidst (2) social interactions; challenged with (3) multiple tasks; set in (4) a constrained interactive learning environment that draws attention to (5) highlighted target…

Local field potentials and border ownership: A conjecture about computation in visual cortex.

PubMed

Zucker, Steven W

2012-01-01

Border ownership is an intermediate-level visual task: it must integrate (upward flowing) image information about edges with (downward flowing) shape information. This highlights the familiar local-to-global aspect of border formation (linking of edge elements to form contours) with the much less studied global-to-local aspect (which edge elements form part of the same shape). To address this task we show how to incorporate certain high-level notions of distance and geometric arrangement into a form that can influence image-based edge information. The center of the argument is a reaction-diffusion equation that reveals how (global) aspects of the distance map (that is, shape) can be "read out" locally, suggesting a solution to the border ownership problem. Since the reaction-diffusion equation defines a field, a possible information processing role for the local field potential can be defined. We argue that such fields also underlie the Gestalt notion of closure, especially when it is refined using modern experimental techniques. An important implication of this theoretical argument is that, if true, then network modeling must be extended to include the substrate surrounding spiking neurons, including glia. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessment of U.S. Government and Coalition Efforts to Train, Equip, and Advise the Afghan Border Police

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-24

abuse of materiel. In zones that were under-resourced, zone commanders do not have the resources to meet their operational needs. Funding for Canine ...Program – Coalition forces and German Police Training Teams worked with the Border Police to develop a canine program to search for explosives and...airports and major border crossings did not know if their canine teams would be available post-2014, which prevented planning for effective security

Vision restoration therapy (VRT) efficacy as assessed by comparative perimetric analysis and subjective questionnaires.

PubMed

Sabel, Bernhard A; Kenkel, Sigrid; Kasten, Erich

2004-01-01

We wished to evaluate the efficacy of vision restoration therapy (VRT) in patients with post-chiasmatic brain damage using different functional perimetric tests. These were compared with measures of subjective vision and reaction time. An open trial was conducted with hemianopia/scotoma (n=16) patients. Before and after 6 months of VRT results of high resolution (HRP) and Tuebingen automated perimetry (TAP) were evaluated and compared to performance in a Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (SLO) as previously reported. Whereas TAP and HRP used above-threshold or near-threshold individual target stimuli on grey background, the SLO used a psychophysical task of detection of three black targets (reverse stimulus) on bright red, patterned background. Subjective testimonials of activities of daily living (ADL) were probed with questionnaires and interviews. Before VRT, the visual field border as assessed by SLO was located significantly closer to the vertical midline than the HRP and TAP border (border mismatch). After VRT the SLO border was still unchanged whereas HRP measurements revealed significant border shifts due to improved stimulus detection (p<0.0001) and improved reaction time (p<0.005) . Fewer misses were also observed in both eyes with TAP (p<0.01) which was primarily due to a significant shift of the absolute borders. Thus, VRT potentiated the mismatch between the SLO borders and the HRP/TAP borders. Fixation performance and the blind spot position remained unchanged after VRT. ADL ratings in the questionnaire improved significantly after VRT which was confirmed by independent patient testimonials. We replicated earlier findings that VRT improves stimulus detection in HRP and TAP perimetry which were accompanied by subjective, visual improvements. These changes are not caused by fixation or eye movement artifacts. Because the SLO border was located significantly closer to the vertical midline before VRT ("border mismatch") and, in contrast to HRP and TAP, did not change after VRT, we interpret this border mismatch to indicate that the SLO task was too difficult to perform and thus insensitive to VRT effects. Significant reaction time improvements indicate that plasticity of temporal processing might play an important role in vision restoration after brain damage. A further description of the precise psychophysical nature of the restored areas of residual vision is now warranted.

Hand digit control in children: motor overflow in multi-finger pressing force vector space during maximum voluntary force production.

PubMed

Shim, Jae Kun; Karol, Sohit; Hsu, Jeffrey; de Oliveira, Marcio Alves

2008-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the contralateral motor overflow in children during single-finger and multi-finger maximum force production tasks. Forty-five right handed children, 5-11 years of age produced maximum isometric pressing force in flexion or extension with single fingers or all four fingers of their right hand. The forces produced by individual fingers of the right and left hands were recorded and analyzed in four-dimensional finger force vector space. The results showed that increases in task (right) hand finger forces were linearly associated with non-task (left) hand finger forces. The ratio of the non-task hand finger force magnitude to the corresponding task hand finger force magnitude, termed motor overflow magnitude (MOM), was greater in extension than flexion. The index finger flexion task showed the smallest MOM values. The similarity between the directions of task hand and non-task hand finger force vectors in four-dimensional finger force vector space, termed motor overflow direction (MOD), was the greatest for index and smallest for little finger tasks. MOM of a four-finger task was greater than the sum of MOMs of single-finger tasks, and this phenomenon was termed motor overflow surplus. Contrary to previous studies, no single-finger or four-finger tasks showed significant changes of MOM or MOD with the age of children. We conclude that the contralateral motor overflow in children during finger maximum force production tasks is dependent upon the task fingers and the magnitude and direction of task finger forces.

75 FR 45606 - Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force-Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-03

... COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force--Final Recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force AGENCY: Council on Environmental Quality. ACTION: Notice of Availability, Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force's [[Page 45607

Heavy vehicle performance during recovery from forced-flow urban freeway conditions due to incidents, work zones and recurring congestion.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-12-01

Information contained in the Highway Capacity Manual on the influence heavy vehicles have on freeway traffic : operations has been based on few field data collection efforts and relied mostly on traffic simulation efforts. In the : 2010 Manual heavy ...

Figure-Ground Organization in Visual Cortex for Natural Scenes

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Abstract Figure-ground organization and border-ownership assignment are essential for understanding natural scenes. It has been shown that many neurons in the macaque visual cortex signal border-ownership in displays of simple geometric shapes such as squares, but how well these neurons resolve border-ownership in natural scenes is not known. We studied area V2 neurons in behaving macaques with static images of complex natural scenes. We found that about half of the neurons were border-ownership selective for contours in natural scenes, and this selectivity originated from the image context. The border-ownership signals emerged within 70 ms after stimulus onset, only ∼30 ms after response onset. A substantial fraction of neurons were highly consistent across scenes. Thus, the cortical mechanisms of figure-ground organization are fast and efficient even in images of complex natural scenes. Understanding how the brain performs this task so fast remains a challenge. PMID:28058269

[The repercussions of pulmonary congestion on ventilatory volumes, capacities and flows].

PubMed

Carmo, M M; Ferreira, T; Lousada, N; Bárbara, C; Neves, P R; Correia, J M; Rendas, A B

1994-10-01

To evaluate the effects of pulmonary congestion on pulmonary function. Prospective study performed in patients with left ventricular failure or mitral stenosis. Forty-eight hospitalized patients were included suffering from pulmonary congestion either from left ventricular failure or mitral stenosis. While in hospital all patients were submitted to right heart catheterization by the Swan-Ganz method and also to an echocardiographic examination. Within 48 hours after the patients were submitted to the following lung function studies: lung volumes and capacities by the multi-breath helium dilution method and airway flows by pneumotachography. Respiratory symptoms were evaluated by the Medical Research Council Questionnaire and the functional class classified according to the NYHA. Correlations were made between the functional and clinical data. Regarding the cardiac evaluation patients presented with a mean pulmonary wedge pressure of 19.9 +/- 8.6 mmHg, a cardiac index of 2.5 +/- 0.8 l/min/m2, an end diastolic dimension of the left ventricle of 65.9 +/- 10.1 mm, and end systolic dimension of 51.2 +/- 12.2 mm, with a shortening fraction of 21.8 +/- 9.5%. The pulmonary evaluation showed a restrictive syndrome with a reduction in the mean values of the following parameters: total pulmonary capacity 71 +/- 14.4% of the predicted value (pv), forced vital capacity (FVC) 69.8 +/- 20.5% pv, and forced expiratory volume (FEV1) of 64 +/- 21.8% vp. The index FEV1/FVC was within the normal value of 72.7 +/- 9.7%. These lung function results did not correlate significantly with either the clinical, the hemodynamic or echocardiographic findings. In these group of patients pulmonary congestion led to the development of a restrictive syndrome which failed to correlate in severity with the duration of the disease, the pulmonary wedge pressure and the left ventricular function.

76 FR 60863 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-30

...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force (ANS Task Force). The ANS Task Force's purpose is to develop and implement a program for U.S. waters to prevent...

78 FR 29378 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force; Public Teleconference/Webinar

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-20

...-FF09F14000-134] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force; Public Teleconference/ Webinar AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife... teleconference/webinar of the Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force (ANS Task Force). The ANS Task Force's purpose... aquatic nuisance species; to monitor, control, and study such species; and to disseminate related...

Keepin' On: Five Years Down the Road to Better Schools. Reports of the Task Force on Improving Kentucky's Schools and the Task Force on Restructuring Time and Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence, Lexington, KY.

This report contains the findings of two task forces established during 1994 by the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence: (1) the Task Force on Improving Kentucky Schools; and (2) the Task Force on Restructuring Time and Learning. The task forces, comprised of parents and business members of the Prichard Committee, examined key elements of…

Tricuspid valve dysplasia: A retrospective study of clinical features and outcome in dogs in the UK

PubMed Central

Navarro-Cubas, Xavier; Palermo, Valentina; French, Anne; Sanchis-Mora, Sandra; Culshaw, Geoff

2017-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the demographic, clinical and survival characteristics and to identify risk factors for mortality due to tricuspid valve dysplasia in UK dogs. Records of client-owned dogs diagnosed with tricuspid valve dysplasia at a referral centre were retrospectively reviewed. Only dogs diagnosed with tricuspid valve dysplasia based on the presence of a right-sided heart murmur identified prior to one year of age, and confirmed with Doppler echocardiography, were included. Dogs with concomitant cardiac diseases, pulmonary hypertension and/or trivial tricuspid regurgitation were excluded. Analysed data included signalment, reason for presentation, clinical signs, electrocardiographic and echocardiographic features, survival status and cause of death. Survival times and risk factors for mortality were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression. Eighteen dogs met inclusion criteria. Border collies were over-represented (p= 0.014). Dogs were most frequently referred for investigation of heart murmur. The most common arrhythmia was atrial fibrillation (n=3). Median survival time from diagnosis of tricuspid valve dysplasia was 2775 days (range 1-3696 days; 95% CI 1542.41-4007.59) and from onset of right-sided congestive heart failure was 181 days (range 1-2130 days; 95% CI 0-455.59). Syncope was the sole risk factor for cardiac death. In this population of UK dogs, tricuspid valve dysplasia was uncommon but, when severe, frequently led to right-sided congestive heart failure. Prognosis was favourable for mild and moderate tricuspid dysplasia. Survival time was reduced with right-sided congestive heart failure but varied widely. Risk of cardiac death was significantly increased if syncope had occurred. PMID:29296595

Grip force and force sharing in two different manipulation tasks with bottles.

PubMed

Cepriá-Bernal, Javier; Pérez-González, Antonio; Mora, Marta C; Sancho-Bru, Joaquín L

2017-07-01

Grip force and force sharing during two activities of daily living were analysed experimentally in 10 right-handed subjects. Four different bottles, filled to two different levels, were manipulated for two tasks: transporting and pouring. Each test subject's hand was instrumented with eight thin wearable force sensors. The grip force and force sharing were significantly different for each bottle model. Increasing the filling level resulted in an increase in grip force, but the ratio of grip force to load force was higher for lighter loads. The task influenced the force sharing but not the mean grip force. The contributions of the thumb and ring finger were higher in the pouring task, whereas the contributions of the palm and the index finger were higher in the transport task. Mean force sharing among fingers was 30% for index, 29% for middle, 22% for ring and 19% for little finger. Practitioner Summary: We analysed grip force and force sharing in two manipulation tasks with bottles: transporting and pouring. The objective was to understand the effects of the bottle features, filling level and task on the contribution of different areas of the hand to the grip force. Force sharing was different for each task and the bottles features affected to both grip force and force sharing.

PRN 94-9: Announcing the Formation of Two Industry-Wide Task Forces: Agricultural Reentry Task Force and Outdoor Residential Exposure Task Force

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This Notice announces two industry-wide Task Forces being formed in response to generic exposure data requirements. It contains EPA's policy on a registrant's options for, and responsibilities when joining Task Force as a way to satisfy data requirements.

78 FR 60306 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-01

...-FF09F14000-134] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior... the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The ANS Task Force's purpose is to develop and... Task Force will meet from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6, through Thursday, November 7...

Overload Control for Signaling Congestion of Machine Type Communications in 3GPP Networks

PubMed Central

Lu, Zhaoming; Pan, Qi; Wang, Luhan; Wen, Xiangming

2016-01-01

Because of the limited resources on radio access channels of third generation partnership projection (3GPP) network, one of the most challenging tasks posted by 3GPP cellular-based machine type communications (MTC) is congestion due to massive requests for connection to radio access network (RAN). In this paper, an overload control algorithm in 3GPP RAN is proposed, which proactively disperses the simultaneous access attempts in evenly distributed time window. Through periodic reservation strategy, massive access requests of MTC devices are dispersed in time, which reduces the probability of confliction of signaling. By the compensation and prediction mechanism, each device can communicate with MTC server with dynamic load of air interface. Numerical results prove that proposed method makes MTC applications friendly to 3GPP cellular network. PMID:27936011

Overload Control for Signaling Congestion of Machine Type Communications in 3GPP Networks.

PubMed

Lu, Zhaoming; Pan, Qi; Wang, Luhan; Wen, Xiangming

2016-01-01

Because of the limited resources on radio access channels of third generation partnership projection (3GPP) network, one of the most challenging tasks posted by 3GPP cellular-based machine type communications (MTC) is congestion due to massive requests for connection to radio access network (RAN). In this paper, an overload control algorithm in 3GPP RAN is proposed, which proactively disperses the simultaneous access attempts in evenly distributed time window. Through periodic reservation strategy, massive access requests of MTC devices are dispersed in time, which reduces the probability of confliction of signaling. By the compensation and prediction mechanism, each device can communicate with MTC server with dynamic load of air interface. Numerical results prove that proposed method makes MTC applications friendly to 3GPP cellular network.

19 CFR 158.7 - Allowance for reduction or loss of merchandise by a natural force or by leakage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... a natural force or by leakage. 158.7 Section 158.7 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION... § 158.7 Allowance for reduction or loss of merchandise by a natural force or by leakage. Merchandise... or diminished by a natural force, such as evaporation, or by leakage, shall be appraised in its...

19 CFR 158.7 - Allowance for reduction or loss of merchandise by a natural force or by leakage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... a natural force or by leakage. 158.7 Section 158.7 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION... § 158.7 Allowance for reduction or loss of merchandise by a natural force or by leakage. Merchandise... or diminished by a natural force, such as evaporation, or by leakage, shall be appraised in its...

19 CFR 158.7 - Allowance for reduction or loss of merchandise by a natural force or by leakage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... a natural force or by leakage. 158.7 Section 158.7 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION... § 158.7 Allowance for reduction or loss of merchandise by a natural force or by leakage. Merchandise... or diminished by a natural force, such as evaporation, or by leakage, shall be appraised in its...

19 CFR 158.7 - Allowance for reduction or loss of merchandise by a natural force or by leakage.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... a natural force or by leakage. 158.7 Section 158.7 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION... § 158.7 Allowance for reduction or loss of merchandise by a natural force or by leakage. Merchandise... or diminished by a natural force, such as evaporation, or by leakage, shall be appraised in its...

77 FR 61019 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-05

..., Cost Center: FF09F14000, Fund: 134] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and... Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The ANS Task Force's purpose is to develop and implement a.... DATES: The ANS Task Force will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Wednesday November 14, and from 8:30 a.m...

Task specific grip force control in writer's cramp.

PubMed

Schneider, A S; Fürholzer, W; Marquardt, C; Hermsdörfer, J

2014-04-01

Writer's cramp is defined as a task specific focal dystonia generating hypertonic muscle co-contractions during handwriting resulting in impaired writing performance and exaggerated finger force. However, little is known about the generalisation of grip force across tasks others than writing. The aim of the study was to directly compare regulation of grip forces during handwriting with force regulation in other fine-motor tasks in patients and control subjects. Handwriting, lifting and cyclic movements of a grasped object were investigated in 21 patients and 14 controls. The applied forces were registered in all three tasks and compared between groups and tasks. In addition, task-specific measures of fine-motor skill were assessed. As expected, patients generated exaggerated forces during handwriting compared to control subjects. However there were no statistically significant group differences during lifting and cyclic movements. The control group revealed a generalisation of grip forces across manual tasks whereas in patients there was no such correlation. We conclude that increased finger forces during handwriting are a task-specific phenomenon that does not necessarily generalise to other fine-motor tasks. Force control of patients with writer's cramp in handwriting and other fine-motor tasks is characterised by individualised control strategies. Copyright © 2013 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

76 FR 22685 - Interagency Management Task Force Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-22

... Force Public Meeting AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of Energy (DOE... meetings of the Interagency Energy Management Task Force (Task Force) in 2011. FEMP intends to hold recurring public meetings of the Task Force. Interested parties can check http://www.femp.energy.gov/news...

Propagation of a transverse wave on a foam microchannel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derec, C.; Leroy, V.; Kaurin, D.; Arbogast, L.; Gay, C.; Elias, F.

2015-11-01

In a dry foam, soap films meet by three in the liquid microchannels, called Plateau borders, which contain most of the liquid of the foam. We investigated here the transverse vibration of a single Plateau border isolated on a rigid frame. We measured and we computed numerically and analytically the propagation of a transverse pulse along the channel in the 20-2000 Hz frequency range. The dispersion relation shows different scaling regimes, which provide information on the role of inertial and elastic forces acting on the Plateau border. At low frequency, the dispersion relation is dominated by the vibration of the air set into motion by the transverse vibration of the adjacent soap films. The inertia of the liquid in the Plateau border plays a role at high frequency, the critical frequency separating the low-frequency and the high-frequency regimes being a decreasing function of the radius R of the Plateau border.

75 FR 20578 - Federal Advisory Committee; Defense Health Board (DHB); Department of Defense Task Force on the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-20

... (DHB); Department of Defense Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces... announces a meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the... Secretary, Department of Defense Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces, One...

Reflex tracheal contraction during pulmonary venous congestion in the dog.

PubMed Central

Kappagoda, C T; Man, G C; Ravi, K; Teo, K K

1988-01-01

1. The effect of pulmonary venous congestion on tracheal tone was studied in dogs anaesthetized with alpha-chloralose. Pulmonary venous congestion was produced by partial obstruction of the mitral valve to increase left atrial pressure by 10 mmHg. Tracheal tone was measured in vivo by an isometric force displacement method. 2. Tracheal tone increased by 6.3 +/- 0.3 g from a control level of 91.6 +/- 2.8 g when left atrial pressure was increased by 10.5 +/- 0.3 mmHg. This response was abolished by cooling the cervical vagi to 8 degrees C at a point caudal to the origin of the superior laryngeal nerves. Also, sectioning the superior laryngeal nerves abolished this increase in tracheal tone. 3. Afferent activity recorded from rapidly adapting receptors of the airways increased significantly during pulmonary venous congestion. This increase in activity was abolished by cooling the vagi caudal to the recording site to 8-9 degrees C. 4. Administration of propranolol (0.5 mg/kg) failed to abolish this increase in tracheal tone while atropine (3 mg/kg) did so. 5. Stimulation of left atrial receptors without an increase in left atrial pressure and stimulation of right atrial receptors with and without increases in right atrial pressure did not cause any change in tracheal tone. 6. It is suggested that pulmonary venous congestion is associated with a reflex increase in tracheal tone, the afferent limb of which is formed by pulmonary receptors discharging into myelinated fibres in the cervical vagi and the efferent limb by parasympathetic cholinergic fibres in the superior laryngeal nerves. The afferent receptors are likely to be the rapidly adapting receptors. This reflex may be of importance in the development of the respiratory symptoms associated with left ventricular failure. PMID:3236242

75 FR 21603 - Renewal of Department of Defense Federal Advisory Committee; Missouri River (North Dakota) Task...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-26

...-6128. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Task Force is a non-discretionary Federal advisory committee and... Committee; Missouri River (North Dakota) Task Force AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Renewal of... Missouri River (North Dakota) Task Force (hereafter referred to as the Task Force). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION...

Force fluctuations while pressing and moving against high- and low-friction touch screen surfaces.

PubMed

Joshi, Mukta N; Keenan, Kevin G

2016-07-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of a high- and low-friction surface on the ability to maintain a steady downward force during an index finger pressing and moving task. Fifteen right-handed subjects (24-48 years) performed a static force pressing task and a hybrid pressing and moving task on the surface of an iPad mini while holding a steady 2-N force on high- and low-friction surfaces. Variability of force was quantified as the standard deviation (SD) of normal force (F z) and shear force (F xy) across friction conditions and tasks. The SD of F z was 227 % greater during the hybrid task as compared to the static task (p < .001) and was 19 % greater for the high- versus low-friction condition (p = .033). There were positive correlations between SD of F z and F xy during the hybrid force/motion tasks on the high- and low-friction conditions (r (2) = 0.5 and 0.86, respectively), suggesting significant associations between normal and shear forces for this hybrid task. The correlation between the SD of F z for static and hybrid tasks was r (2) = 0.44, indicating that the common practice of examining the control of static tasks may not sufficiently explain performance during hybrid tasks, at least for the young subjects tested in the current study. As activities of daily living frequently require hybrid force/motion tasks (e.g., writing, doing the dishes, and cleaning counters), the results of this study emphasize the need to study motor performance during hybrid tasks in addition to static force tasks.

Coding the presence of visual objects in a recurrent neural network of visual cortex.

PubMed

Zwickel, Timm; Wachtler, Thomas; Eckhorn, Reinhard

2007-01-01

Before we can recognize a visual object, our visual system has to segregate it from its background. This requires a fast mechanism for establishing the presence and location of objects independently of their identity. Recently, border-ownership neurons were recorded in monkey visual cortex which might be involved in this task [Zhou, H., Friedmann, H., von der Heydt, R., 2000. Coding of border ownership in monkey visual cortex. J. Neurosci. 20 (17), 6594-6611]. In order to explain the basic mechanisms required for fast coding of object presence, we have developed a neural network model of visual cortex consisting of three stages. Feed-forward and lateral connections support coding of Gestalt properties, including similarity, good continuation, and convexity. Neurons of the highest area respond to the presence of an object and encode its position, invariant of its form. Feedback connections to the lowest area facilitate orientation detectors activated by contours belonging to potential objects, and thus generate the experimentally observed border-ownership property. This feedback control acts fast and significantly improves the figure-ground segregation required for the consecutive task of object recognition.

Securing the Northern Maritime Border Through Maritime Domain Awareness

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

is handled through 1) aircraft overflights (Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary aircraft, U.S. Air Force, Customs and Border Patrol, Canadian...caliber machine gun, or like automatic weapons. Bruce Levy, Director, U.S. Transboundary Division conveyed to Nancy Mason, Director, Office of...1 NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, is a binational military command focused on the air defense of North America and located

Global Connections to Global Partnerships: Navigating the Changing Landscape of Internationalism and Cross-Border Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olcott, Don, Jr.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide continuing higher education leaders with a comprehensive overview of the major considerations for doing business in the global market. Included is an analysis of the driving forces in global higher education and current trends in cross-border programs and a brief review of activities that may be part of a…

U.S. Northern Command > Newsroom > Fact Sheets

Science.gov Websites

Operations Command, North U.S. Marine Forces Northern Command U.S. Fleet Forces Command Air Forces Northern U.S. Army North Joint Task Force North Joint Task Force Civil Support Joint Task Force Alaska Joint

Skin tumor area extraction using an improved dynamic programming approach.

PubMed

Abbas, Qaisar; Celebi, M E; Fondón García, Irene

2012-05-01

Border (B) description of melanoma and other pigmented skin lesions is one of the most important tasks for the clinical diagnosis of dermoscopy images using the ABCD rule. For an accurate description of the border, there must be an effective skin tumor area extraction (STAE) method. However, this task is complicated due to uneven illumination, artifacts present in the lesions and smooth areas or fuzzy borders of the desired regions. In this paper, a novel STAE algorithm based on improved dynamic programming (IDP) is presented. The STAE technique consists of the following four steps: color space transform, pre-processing, rough tumor area detection and refinement of the segmented area. The procedure is performed in the CIE L(*) a(*) b(*) color space, which is approximately uniform and is therefore related to dermatologist's perception. After pre-processing the skin lesions to reduce artifacts, the DP algorithm is improved by introducing a local cost function, which is based on color and texture weights. The STAE method is tested on a total of 100 dermoscopic images. In order to compare the performance of STAE with other state-of-the-art algorithms, various statistical measures based on dermatologist-drawn borders are utilized as a ground truth. The proposed method outperforms the others with a sensitivity of 96.64%, a specificity of 98.14% and an error probability of 5.23%. The results demonstrate that this STAE method by IDP is an effective solution when compared with other state-of-the-art segmentation techniques. The proposed method can accurately extract tumor borders in dermoscopy images. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Changing concentration, lifetime and climate forcing of atmospheric methane

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lelieveld, Jos; Crutzen, Paul J.; Dentener, Frank J.

1998-04-01

Previous studies on ice core analyses and recent in situ measurements have shown that CH4 has increased from about 0.75 1.73μmol/mol during the past 150years. Here, we review sources and sink estimates and we present global 3D model calculations, showing that the main features of the global CH4 distribution are well represented. The model has been used to derive the total CH4 emission source, being about 600 Tg yr-1. Based on published results of isotope measurements the total contribution of fossil fuel related CH4 emissions has been estimated to be about 110 Tg yr-1. However, the individual coal, natural gas and oil associated CH4 emissions can not be accurately quantified. In particular natural gas and oil associated emissions remain speculative. Since the total anthropogenic CH4 source is about 410 Tg yr-1 (70% of the total source) and the mean recent atmospheric CH4 increase is 20 Tg yr-1 an anthropogenic source reduction of 5% could stabilize the atmospheric CH4 level. We have calculated the indirect chemical effects of increasing CH4 on climate forcing on the basis of global 3D chemistry-transport and radiative transfer calculations. These indicate an enhancement of the direct radiative effect by about 30%, in agreement with previous work. The contribution of CH4 (direct and indirect effects) to climate forcing during the past 150years is 0.57W m2 (direct 0.44W m2, indirect 0.13 W m2). This is about 35% of the climate forcing by CO2 (1.6W m2) and about 22% of the forcing by all long-lived greenhouse gases (2.6 W m2). Scenario calculations (IPCC-IS92a) indicate that the CH4 lifetime in the atmosphere increased by about 25 30%during the past 150years to a current value of 7.9years. Future lifetime changes are expected to be much smaller, about 6%, mostly due to the expected increase of tropospheric O3 (→OH) in the tropics. The global mean concentration of CH4 may increase to about 2.55μmol/mol, its lifetime is expected to increase to 8.4years in the year 2050. Further, we have calculated a CH4 global warming potential (GWP) of 21 (kgCH4/kgCO2) over a time horizon of 100years, in agreement with IPCC (1996). Scenario calculations indicate that the importance of the climate forcing by CH4 (including indirect effects) relative to that of CO2 will decrease in future; currently this is about 35%, while this is expected to decrease to about 15% in the year 2050.

Proximal arm kinematics affect grip force-load force coordination

PubMed Central

Vermillion, Billy C.; Lum, Peter S.

2015-01-01

During object manipulation, grip force is coordinated with load force, which is primarily determined by object kinematics. Proximal arm kinematics may affect grip force control, as proximal segment motion could affect control of distal hand muscles via biomechanical and/or neural pathways. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of proximal kinematics on grip force modulation during object manipulation. Fifteen subjects performed three vertical lifting tasks that involved distinct proximal kinematics (elbow/shoulder), but resulted in similar end-point (hand) trajectories. While temporal coordination of grip and load forces remained similar across the tasks, proximal kinematics significantly affected the grip force-to-load force ratio (P = 0.042), intrinsic finger muscle activation (P = 0.045), and flexor-extensor ratio (P < 0.001). Biomechanical coupling between extrinsic hand muscles and the elbow joint cannot fully explain the observed changes, as task-related changes in intrinsic hand muscle activation were greater than in extrinsic hand muscles. Rather, between-task variation in grip force (highest during task 3) appears to contrast to that in shoulder joint velocity/acceleration (lowest during task 3). These results suggest that complex neural coupling between the distal and proximal upper extremity musculature may affect grip force control during movements, also indicated by task-related changes in intermuscular coherence of muscle pairs, including intrinsic finger muscles. Furthermore, examination of the fingertip force showed that the human motor system may attempt to reduce variability in task-relevant motor output (grip force-to-load force ratio), while allowing larger fluctuations in output less relevant to task goal (shear force-to-grip force ratio). PMID:26289460

78 FR 23970 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-23

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force Meeting. SUMMARY: This document corrects the SBA's Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Developments...

32 CFR 700.1053 - Commander of a task force.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Commander of a task force. 700.1053 Section 700... Command Detail to Duty § 700.1053 Commander of a task force. (a) A geographic fleet commander, and any other naval commander, may detail in command of a task force, or other task command, any eligible...

75 FR 76422 - Meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-08

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on... Forces (Subsequently Referred to as the Task Force) AGENCY: Department of Defense. ACTION: Notice... forthcoming meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

75 FR 62611 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-12

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be...

75 FR 76744 - National Disaster Housing Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-09

...] National Disaster Housing Task Force AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS. ACTION: Notice of Meeting. SUMMARY: The National Disaster Housing Task Force (NDHTF) will meet by teleconference on December...: Mitchell Wyllins, National Disaster Housing Task Force, 500 C Street, SW., (Room 428), Washington, DC 20472...

77 FR 41472 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-13

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be...

76 FR 8393 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-14

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be...

75 FR 62438 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-08

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development Meeting AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force... first public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting...

Face and Construct Validity of a Novel Virtual Reality-Based Bimanual Laparoscopic Force-Skills Trainer With Haptics Feedback.

PubMed

Prasad, Raghu; Muniyandi, Manivannan; Manoharan, Govindan; Chandramohan, Servarayan M

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the face and construct validity of a custom-developed bimanual laparoscopic force-skills trainer with haptics feedback. The study also examined the effect of handedness on fundamental and complex tasks. Residents (n = 25) and surgeons (n = 25) performed virtual reality-based bimanual fundamental and complex tasks. Tool-tissue reaction forces were summed, recorded, and analysed. Seven different force-based measures and a 1-time measure were used as metrics. Subsequently, participants filled out face validity and demographic questionnaires. Residents and surgeons were positive on the design, workspace, and usefulness of the simulator. Construct validity results showed significant differences between residents and experts during the execution of fundamental and complex tasks. In both tasks, residents applied large forces with higher coefficient of variation and force jerks (P < .001). Experts, with their dominant hand, applied lower forces in complex tasks and higher forces in fundamental tasks (P < .001). The coefficients of force variation (CoV) of residents and experts were higher in complex tasks (P < .001). Strong correlations were observed between CoV and task time for fundamental (r = 0.70) and complex tasks (r = 0.85). Range of smoothness of force was higher for the non-dominant hand in both fundamental and complex tasks. The simulator was able to differentiate the force-skills of residents and surgeons, and objectively evaluate the effects of handedness on laparoscopic force-skills. Competency-based laparoscopic skills assessment curriculum should be updated to meet the requirements of bimanual force-based training.

Research in Network Management Techniques for Tactical Data Communications Network.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-01

the control period. Research areas include Packet Network modelling, adaptive network routing, network design algorithms, network design techniques...contro!lers are designed to perform their limited tasks optimally. For the dynamic routing problem considered here, the local controllers are node...feedback to finding in optimum stead-o-state routing (static strategies) under non - control which can be easily implemented in real time. congested

Childhood Obesity Task Forces Established by State Legislatures, 2001-2010

PubMed Central

Kim, Sonia A.; Sherry, Bettylou; Blanck, Heidi M.

2013-01-01

Introduction States and communities are considering policy and environmental strategies, including enacting legislation, to reduce and prevent childhood obesity. One legislative approach has been to create task forces to understand key issues and develop a course of action. The goal of this study was to describe state-level, childhood obesity task forces in the United States created by legislation from 2001 through 2010. Methods We used the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity database to identify state-level childhood obesity task forces created through legislation from 2001 through 2010. Results We identified 21 states that had enacted legislation creating childhood obesity task forces of which 6 had created more than one task force. Most task forces were charged with both gathering and reviewing information and making recommendations for obesity-prevention actions in the state. Most legislation required that task forces include representation from the state legislature, state agencies, community organizations, and community members. Conclusion Evaluation of the effectiveness of obesity-prevention task forces and the primary components that contribute to their success may help to determine the advantages of the use of such strategies in obesity prevention. PMID:23987250

2015 International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) Workshop |

Science.gov Websites

Photovoltaic Research | NREL International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) Workshop 2015 International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT) Workshop Wednesday, February 25, 2015 Chairs : Tony Sample and Masaaki Yamamichi The 2015 International PV Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT

78 FR 27969 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-13

... discussed: Matters to be discussed: cancer prevention and control, cardiovascular disease prevention and... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

77 FR 56845 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-14

...: Matters to be discussed: Tobacco, oral health and cardiovascular disease. Meeting Accessibility: This... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

78 FR 59939 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-30

.... Matters to be discussed: Cancer prevention and control, cardiovascular disease prevention and control... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

78 FR 7849 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-04

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force Meeting... meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be open to...

76 FR 54258 - Request for Comments-Fiscal Oversight Task Force Report and Recommendations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-31

... LEGAL SERVICES CORPORATION Request for Comments--Fiscal Oversight Task Force Report and... Fiscal Oversight Task Force, which reviewed and made recommendations regarding how LSC conducts fiscal... territories. By Resolution adopted on July 21, 2010, the Board established the Fiscal Oversight Task Force...

78 FR 70087 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-22

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be open to...

78 FR 45996 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-30

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force meeting... meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be open to...

78 FR 21492 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-10

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency Task Force Meeting... meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The meeting will be open to...

77 FR 41165 - Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-12

... Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will.../Concerns Discussion Continued discussion of goals for Task Force Anaerobic Digester Technologies Odor...

Community hoarding task forces: a comparative case study of five task forces in the United States.

PubMed

Bratiotis, Christiana

2013-05-01

During the past decade, many community task forces have formed to address hoarding problems that come to public attention. Such task forces provide a societal-level intervention to assist people with the most severe cases of hoarding, who do not voluntarily seek or want help for their hoarding behaviour. This qualitative study of five U.S. hoarding task forces included sites selected for their diversity of purpose, approaches to hoarding intervention and community geography, composition and resources. Data were collected during the period of September 2007-March 2008. The case study methodology used multiple forms of data, including semi-structured interviews, analysis of documents, small group interviews and investigator observation. This study captured the perspectives of public and private sector service providers such as mental health, housing, social service, public health agencies and community enforcement organisations (fire, police, legal, animal control) to examine how task forces organise and operate and the emerging practice and policy changes. Study findings suggest that structural factors (e.g. leadership, purpose, funding and membership) impact hoarding task force viability, that participation on a task force influences practice and policy decisions about hoarding, and that social work can expand its role in task force leadership. Task forces may be a mechanism for improving community policies about hoarding and mechanisms for addressing other social problems across multiple sectors. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Southeast Asia Report, No. 1371.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-11-18

Malaysian military pressure, according to a rare joint communique issued by the two factions. The merger, agreed to after recent talks, was thought...copy of which was obtained exclusive- ly by the BANGKOK POST, says the talks were held recently in a jungle redoubt along the Thai- Malaysian border...Force for the suppression of guerrillas of the Communist Party of Malaya [CPM] along the Thai- Malaysian border, reported that, on 30 September at

75 FR 32186 - Task Force on Community Preventive Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-07

... by space available. Purpose: The mission of the Task Force is to develop and publish the Guide to... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Task Force on Community Preventive Services Name: Task Force on Community Preventive Services meeting. Times and Dates: 8...

78 FR 2996 - Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-15

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) AGENCY: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announces the next meeting of the Community Preventive...

77 FR 16256 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-20

...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The ANS Task Force's purpose is to develop and implement a program for U.S. waters to prevent introduction...

75 FR 57987 - Evaluation of the Groundwater Task Force Report: Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-23

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2010-0302] Evaluation of the Groundwater Task Force Report... Task Force (GTF) in March 2010 to determine whether past, current, and planned actions should be... recommendations made in the Liquid Radioactive Release Lessons Learned Task Force Final Report dated September 1...

75 FR 70764 - Small Business Information Security Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-18

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Information Security Task Force AGENCY: U.S. Small... publish meeting minutes for the Small Business Information Security Task Force Meeting. DATES: 1 p.m... Task Force. Chairman, Rusty Pickens, called the meeting to order on October 13, 2010 at 1 p.m. Roll...

7 CFR 1900.6 - Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 12 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force. 1900.6 Section... AGRICULTURE PROGRAM REGULATIONS GENERAL Delegations of Authority § 1900.6 Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force. The Chair, Loan Resolution Task Force is delegated the following authorities, to be exercised until...

76 FR 5232 - Small Business Information Security Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-28

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Information Security Task Force AGENCY: U.S. Small... publish meeting minutes for the Small Business Information Security Task Force Meeting. DATES: 1 p.m... Task Force. Chairman, Rusty Pickens, called the meeting to order on December 8, 2010 at 1 p.m. Roll...

76 FR 11307 - Small Business Information Security Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-01

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Small Business Information Security Task Force AGENCY: U.S. Small... publish meeting minutes for the Small Business Information Security Task Force Meeting. DATES: 1 p.m... Task Force. Chairman, Mr. Rusty Pickens, called the meeting to order on January 12, 2011 at 1 p.m. Roll...

Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Meeting and Public Listening

Science.gov Websites

Data Media & News Publications Press Releases Story Archive Home Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Meeting and Public Listening Session Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Meeting and Title: Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force Meeting and Public Listening SessionDescription: The

Task Force II: Energy and Its Socioeconomic Impacts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appalachia, 1977

1977-01-01

Summarizing the Task Force Issues Paper presented at the Appalachian Conference on Balanced Growth and Economic Development (1977), this article presents selected comments by Task Force participants, and Task Force recommendations re: a national severence tax on extraction of nonrenewable energy resources; socioeconomic costs of nuclear energy; a…

"Is it worth risking your life?" Ethnography, risk and death on the U.S.-Mexico border.

PubMed

Holmes, Seth M

2013-12-01

Every year, several hundred people die attempting to cross the border from Mexico into the United States, most often from dehydration and heat stroke though snake bites and violent assaults are also common. This article utilizes participant observation fieldwork in the borderlands of the US and Mexico to explore the experience of structural vulnerability and bodily health risk along the desert trek into the US. Between 2003 and 2005, the ethnographer recorded interviews and conversations with undocumented immigrants crossing the border, border patrol agents, border activists, borderland residents, and armed civilian vigilantes. In addition, he took part in a border crossing beginning in the Mexican state of Oaxaca and ending in a border patrol jail in Arizona after he and his undocumented Mexican research subjects were apprehended trekking through the borderlands. Field notes and interview transcriptions provide thick ethnographic detail demonstrating the ways in which social, ethnic, and citizenship differences as well as border policies force certain categories of people to put their bodies, health, and lives at risk in order for them and their families to survive. Yet, metaphors of individual choice deflect responsibility from global economic policy and US border policy, subtly blaming migrants for the danger - and sometimes death - they experience. The article concludes with policy changes to make US-Mexico labor migration less deadly. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Counter Narco-Terrorism Program Building Force Capacity of Guatemalan Kaibiles Assisted by the United States Special Operations Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

ultimately the United States. Due to its geographical , and multiple international borders, including access to both Atlantic and Pacific littorals...therefore achieving freedom of movement causing further instability throughout the region. Because of that reason , United States has the Counter-Narco

Unintentional force changes in cyclical tasks performed by an abundant system: Empirical observations and a dynamical model.

PubMed

Reschechtko, Sasha; Hasanbarani, Fariba; Akulin, Vladimir M; Latash, Mark L

2017-05-14

The study explored unintentional force changes elicited by removing visual feedback during cyclical, two-finger isometric force production tasks. Subjects performed two types of tasks at 1Hz, paced by an auditory metronome. One - Force task - required cyclical changes in total force while maintaining the sharing, defined as relative contribution of a finger to total force. The other task - Share task - required cyclical changes in sharing while keeping total force unchanged. Each trial started under full visual feedback on both force and sharing; subsequently, feedback on the variable that was instructed to stay constant was frozen, and finally feedback on the other variable was also removed. In both tasks, turning off visual feedback on total force elicited a drop in the mid-point of the force cycle and an increase in the peak-to-peak force amplitude. Turning off visual feedback on sharing led to a drift of mean share toward 50:50 across both tasks. Without visual feedback there was consistent deviation of the two force time series from the in-phase pattern (typical of the Force task) and from the out-of-phase pattern (typical of the Share task). This finding is in contrast to most earlier studies that demonstrated only two stable patterns, in-phase and out-of-phase. We interpret the results as consequences of drifts of parameters in a dynamical system leading in particular to drifts in the referent finger coordinates toward their actual coordinates. The relative phase desynchronization is caused by the right-left differences in the hypothesized drift processes, consistent with the dynamic dominance hypothesis. Copyright © 2017 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Unintentional force changes in cyclical tasks performed by an abundant system: Empirical observations and a dynamical model

PubMed Central

Reschechtko, Sasha; Hasanbarani, Fariba; Akulin, Vladimir M.; Latash, Mark L.

2017-01-01

The study explored unintentional force changes elicited by removing visual feedback during cyclical, two-finger isometric force production tasks. Subjects performed two types of tasks at 1 Hz, paced by an auditory metronome. One – Force task – required cyclical changes in total force while maintaining the sharing, defined as relative contribution of a finger to total force. The other task – Share task – required cyclical changes in sharing while keeping total force unchanged. Each trial started under full visual feedback on both force and sharing; subsequently, feedback on the variable that was instructed to stay constant was frozen, and finally feedback on the other variable was also removed. In both tasks, turning off visual feedback on total force elicited a drop in the mid-point of the force cycle and an increase in the peak-to-peak force amplitude. Turning off visual feedback on sharing led to a drift of mean share toward 50:50 across both tasks. Without visual feedback there was consistent deviation of the two force time series from the in-phase pattern (typical of the Force task) and from the out-of-phase pattern (typical of the Share task). This finding is in contrast to most earlier studies that demonstrated only two stable patterns, in-phase and out-of-phase. We interpret the results as consequences of drifts of parameters in a dynamical system leading in particular to drifts in the referent finger coordinates toward their actual coordinates. The relative phase desynchronization is caused by the right-left differences in the hypothesized drift processes, consistent with the dynamic dominance hypothesis. PMID:28344070

77 FR 4584 - Sunshine Act Meetings; National Science Board

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-30

... of a National Academy of Sciences/National Research Council study CPP Task Force on Unsolicited Mid... and December 13 meeting minutes Discussion of the MS Task Force draft report CSB Task Force on Data... Task Force Closing Remarks From the Chairman Committee on Audit and Oversight (A&O) Open Session: 4-4...

Academic Standards Task Force Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burnham, Peter F.

The product of a year-long research process undertaken by a Task Force on Academic Standards at Tompkins Cortland Community College (TCCC) in 1980-81, this report provides background to the deliberations of the Task Force and a presentation of their position on academic standards at TCCC. The report establishes the Task Force's commitments to…

75 FR 61175 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-04

...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The.... DATES: The ANS Task Force will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 3 through Thursday...

18 CFR 701.58 - Task forces.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Task forces. 701.58... Headquarters Organization § 701.58 Task forces. The Director with Council concurrence or the Council may establish task forces from time to time to aid in the preparation of issues for presentation to the Council...

3 CFR - White House Task Force on Middle-Class Working Families

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 3 The President 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false White House Task Force on Middle-Class Working... Task Force on Middle-Class Working Families Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and... times. To these ends, I hereby direct the following: Section 1. White House Task Force on Middle-Class...

77 FR 441 - Measurement and Control of Combustible Gas Generation and Dispersal

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-05

... Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report... Fukushima Task Force Report: ``[t]he task force recommends, as part of the longer term review, that the NRC... additional information is revealed through further study of the Fukushima Dai-ichi accident.'' The Commission...

76 FR 58165 - Petitions for Rulemaking Submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-20

...-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report... the Fukushima Task Force Report for the purpose of providing the Commission with fully-informed... recommendations from the Fukushima Task Force Report, and is not providing a separate opportunity for public...

76 FR 76189 - Notice of Public Hearing-Fiscal Oversight Task Force Report & Recommendations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-06

... period; and (3) reactions to those comments submitted by Task Force members. DATES: Monday, December 12... Report, the public comments previously submitted, and reactions to those comments from several Task Force members. The public comments and a summary of Task Force members' reactions may be viewed online at http...

Solar Energy Task Force Report: Technical Training Guidelines.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Kevin

This task force report offers guidelines and information for the development of vocational education programs oriented to the commercial application of solar energy in water and space heating. After Section I introduces the Solar Energy Task Force and its activities, Section II outlines the task force's objectives and raises several issues and…

The effect of bracing availability on one-hand isometric force exertion capability.

PubMed

Jones, Monica L H; Reed, Matthew P; Chaffin, Don B

2013-01-01

Environmental obstructions that workers encounter can kinematically limit the postures that they can achieve. However, such obstructions can also provide an opportunity for additional support by bracing with the hand, thigh or other body part. The reaction forces on bracing surfaces, which are in addition to those acting at the feet and task hand, are hypothesised to improve force exertion capability, and become required inputs to biomechanical analysis of tasks with bracing. The effects of kinematic constraints and associated bracing opportunities on isometric hand force were quantified in a laboratory study of 22 men and women. Analyses of one-hand maximal push, pull and lift tasks demonstrated that bracing surfaces available at the thighs and non-task hand enabled participants to exert an average of 43% more force at the task hand. Task hand force direction deviated significantly from the nominal direction for exertions performed with bracing at both medium and low task hand locations. This study quantifies the effect of bracing on kinematically constrained force exertions. Knowledge that appropriate bracing surfaces can substantially increase hand force is critical to the evaluation of task-oriented strength capability. Force estimates may also involve large off-axis components, which have clear implications for ergonomic analyses of manual tasks.

Do we still need cities? Evidence on rates of innovation from count data models of metropolitan statistical area patents.

PubMed

Sedgley, Norman; Elmslie, Bruce

2011-01-01

Evidence of the importance of urban agglomeration and the offsetting effects of congestion are provided in a number of studies of productivity and wages. Little attention has been paid to this evidence in the economic growth literature, where the recent focus is on technological change. We extend the idea of agglomeration and congestion effects to the area of innovation by empirically looking for a nonlinear link between population density and patent activity. A panel data set consisting of observations on 302 USA metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) over a 10-year period from 1990 to 1999 is utilized. Following the patent and R&D literature, models that account for the discreet nature of the dependent variable are employed. Strong evidence is found that agglomeration and congestion are important in explaining the vast differences in patent rates across US cities. The most important reason cities continue to exist, given the dramatic drop in transportation costs for physical goods over the last century, is probably related to the forces of agglomeration as they apply to knowledge spillovers. Therefore, the empirical investigation proposed here is an important part of understanding the viability of urban areas in the future.

Pricing by timing: innovating broadband data plans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Sangtae; Joe-Wong, Carlee; Sen, Soumya; Chiang, Mung

2012-01-01

Wireless Internet usage is doubling every year. Users are using more of high bandwidth data applications, and the heavy usage concentrates on several peak hours in a day, forcing ISPs to overprovision their networks accordingly. In order to remain profitable, ISPs have been using pricing as a congestion management tool. We review many of such pricing schemes in practice today and argue that they do not solve ISPs' problem of growing data traffic. We believe that dynamic, time-dependent usage pricing, which charges users based on when they access the Internet, can incentivize users to spread out their bandwidth consumption more evenly across different times of the day, thus helping ISPs to overcome the problem of peak congestion. Congestion pricing is not a new idea in itself, but the time for its implementation in data networks has finally arrived. Our key contribution lies in developing new analysis and a fully integrated system architecture, called TUBE (Time-dependent Usage-based Broadband price Engineering) that enables ISPs to implement the proposed TDP plan. The theory, simulation, and system implementation of TUBE system is further complemented with consumer surveys conducted in India and the US, along with preparations for a field trial that is currently underway.

Performance drifts in two-finger cyclical force production tasks performed by one and two actors.

PubMed

Hasanbarani, Fariba; Reschechtko, Sasha; Latash, Mark L

2018-03-01

We explored changes in the cyclical two-finger force performance task caused by turning visual feedback off performed either by the index and middle fingers of the dominant hand or by two index fingers of two persons. Based on an earlier study, we expected drifts in finger force amplitude and midpoint without a drift in relative phase. The subjects performed two rhythmical tasks at 1 Hz while paced by an auditory metronome. One of the tasks required cyclical changes in total force magnitude without changes in the sharing of the force between the two fingers. The other task required cyclical changes in the force sharing without changing total force magnitude. Subjects were provided with visual feedback, which showed total force magnitude and force sharing via cursor motion along the vertical and horizontal axes, respectively. Further, visual feedback was turned off, first on the variable that was not required to change and then on both variables. Turning visual feedback off led to a mean force drift toward lower magnitudes while force amplitude increased. There was a consistent drift in the relative phase in the one-hand task with the index finger leading the middle finger. No consistent relative phase drift was seen in the two-person tasks. The shape of the force cycle changed without visual feedback reflected in the lower similarity to a perfect cosine shape and in the higher time spent at lower force magnitudes. The data confirm findings of earlier studies regarding force amplitude and midpoint changes, but falsify predictions of an earlier proposed model with respect to the relative phase changes. We discuss factors that could contribute to the observed relative phase drift in the one-hand tasks including the leader-follower pattern generalized for two-effector tasks performed by one person.

Control of a Serpentine Robot for Inspection Tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colbaugh, R.; Glass, K.; Seraji, H.

1994-01-01

This paper presents a simple and robust kinematic control scheme for the JPL serpentine robot system. The proposed strategy is developed using the dampened-least-squares/configuration control methodology, and permits the considerable dexterity of the JPL serpentine robot to be effectively utilized for maneuvering in the congested and uncertain workspaces often encountered in inspection tasks. Computer simulation results are given for the 20 degree-of-freedom (DOF) manipulator system obtained by mounting the twelve DOF serpentine robot at the end-effector of an eight DOF Robotics Research arm/lathe-bed system. These simulations demonstrate that the proposed approach provides an effective method of controlling this complex system.

An Improved Simulated Annealing Technique for Enhanced Mobility in Smart Cities.

PubMed

Amer, Hayder; Salman, Naveed; Hawes, Matthew; Chaqfeh, Moumena; Mihaylova, Lyudmila; Mayfield, Martin

2016-06-30

Vehicular traffic congestion is a significant problem that arises in many cities. This is due to the increasing number of vehicles that are driving on city roads of limited capacity. The vehicular congestion significantly impacts travel distance, travel time, fuel consumption and air pollution. Avoidance of traffic congestion and providing drivers with optimal paths are not trivial tasks. The key contribution of this work consists of the developed approach for dynamic calculation of optimal traffic routes. Two attributes (the average travel speed of the traffic and the roads' length) are utilized by the proposed method to find the optimal paths. The average travel speed values can be obtained from the sensors deployed in smart cities and communicated to vehicles via the Internet of Vehicles and roadside communication units. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared to three other algorithms: the simulated annealing weighted sum, the simulated annealing technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution and the Dijkstra algorithm. The weighted sum and technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution methods are used to formulate different attributes in the simulated annealing cost function. According to the Sheffield scenario, simulation results show that the improved simulated annealing technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution method improves the traffic performance in the presence of congestion by an overall average of 19.22% in terms of travel time, fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions as compared to other algorithms; also, similar performance patterns were achieved for the Birmingham test scenario.

An Improved Simulated Annealing Technique for Enhanced Mobility in Smart Cities

PubMed Central

Amer, Hayder; Salman, Naveed; Hawes, Matthew; Chaqfeh, Moumena; Mihaylova, Lyudmila; Mayfield, Martin

2016-01-01

Vehicular traffic congestion is a significant problem that arises in many cities. This is due to the increasing number of vehicles that are driving on city roads of limited capacity. The vehicular congestion significantly impacts travel distance, travel time, fuel consumption and air pollution. Avoidance of traffic congestion and providing drivers with optimal paths are not trivial tasks. The key contribution of this work consists of the developed approach for dynamic calculation of optimal traffic routes. Two attributes (the average travel speed of the traffic and the roads’ length) are utilized by the proposed method to find the optimal paths. The average travel speed values can be obtained from the sensors deployed in smart cities and communicated to vehicles via the Internet of Vehicles and roadside communication units. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared to three other algorithms: the simulated annealing weighted sum, the simulated annealing technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution and the Dijkstra algorithm. The weighted sum and technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution methods are used to formulate different attributes in the simulated annealing cost function. According to the Sheffield scenario, simulation results show that the improved simulated annealing technique for order preference by similarity to the ideal solution method improves the traffic performance in the presence of congestion by an overall average of 19.22% in terms of travel time, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions as compared to other algorithms; also, similar performance patterns were achieved for the Birmingham test scenario. PMID:27376289

Peroneal perforator pedicle propeller flap for lower leg soft tissue defect reconstruction: Clinical applications and treatment of venous congestion

PubMed Central

Liu, Yiyang; Zhang, Chun; Guo, Qiaofeng; Huang, Wenhua; Wong, Kelvin Kian Loong; Chang, Shimin

2017-01-01

Objective To describe the characteristics of the perforator vessel in the peroneal artery of the lower leg and to explore the use of perforator pedicle propeller flaps to repair soft tissue defects in the lower leg, heel and foot. Methods This retrospective study enrolled patients with soft tissue defects of the distal lower leg, heel and foot who underwent surgery using peroneal perforator-based propeller flaps. The peroneal artery perforators were identified preoperatively by colour duplex Doppler ultrasound. The flap was designed based on the preoperatively-identified perforator location, with the posterior border of the fibula employed as an axis, and the perforator vessel as the pivot point of rotation. Patients were followed-up to determine the outcomes. Results The study analysed 36 patients (mean age, 39.7 years). The majority of the soft tissue defects were on the heel (20; 55.6%). The donor-site of the flap was closed in 11 patients by direct suturing and skin grafting was undertaken in 25 patients. Postoperative complications included venous congestion (nine patients), which was managed with delayed wound coverage and bleeding therapy. All wounds were eventually cured and the flaps were cosmetically acceptable. Conclusions The peroneal perforator pedicle propeller flap is an appropriate choice to repair soft tissue defects of the distal limbs. PMID:28345420

Peroneal perforator pedicle propeller flap for lower leg soft tissue defect reconstruction: Clinical applications and treatment of venous congestion.

PubMed

Shen, Lifeng; Liu, Yiyang; Zhang, Chun; Guo, Qiaofeng; Huang, Wenhua; Wong, Kelvin Kian Loong; Chang, Shimin

2017-06-01

Objective To describe the characteristics of the perforator vessel in the peroneal artery of the lower leg and to explore the use of perforator pedicle propeller flaps to repair soft tissue defects in the lower leg, heel and foot. Methods This retrospective study enrolled patients with soft tissue defects of the distal lower leg, heel and foot who underwent surgery using peroneal perforator-based propeller flaps. The peroneal artery perforators were identified preoperatively by colour duplex Doppler ultrasound. The flap was designed based on the preoperatively-identified perforator location, with the posterior border of the fibula employed as an axis, and the perforator vessel as the pivot point of rotation. Patients were followed-up to determine the outcomes. Results The study analysed 36 patients (mean age, 39.7 years). The majority of the soft tissue defects were on the heel (20; 55.6%). The donor-site of the flap was closed in 11 patients by direct suturing and skin grafting was undertaken in 25 patients. Postoperative complications included venous congestion (nine patients), which was managed with delayed wound coverage and bleeding therapy. All wounds were eventually cured and the flaps were cosmetically acceptable. Conclusions The peroneal perforator pedicle propeller flap is an appropriate choice to repair soft tissue defects of the distal limbs.

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

Hannum, David W.; Shannon, Gary W.

This report describes the collaboration between the South Texas Specialized Crimes and Narcotics Task Force (STSCNTF) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) in a field test that provided prototype hand-held trace detection technology for use in counter-drug operations. The National Institute of Justice (NIJ)/National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center (NLECTC)/Border Research and Technology Center (BRTC) was contacted by STSCNTF for assistance in obtaining cutting-edge technology. The BRTC created a pilot project for Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the STSCNTF for the use of SNL’s Hound, a hand-held sample collection and preconcentration system that, when combined with a commercial chemical detector,more » can be used for the trace detection of illicit drugs and explosives. The STSCNTF operates in an area of high narcotics trafficking where methods of concealment make the detection of narcotics challenging. Sandia National Laboratories’ (SNL) Contraband Detection Department personnel provided the Hound system hardware and operational training. The Hound system combines the GE VaporTracer2, a hand-held commercial chemical detector, with an SNL-developed sample collection and preconcentration system. The South Texas Task force reported a variety of successes, including identification of a major shipment of methamphetamines, the discovery of hidden compartments in vehicles that contained illegal drugs and currency used in drug deals, and the identification of a suspect in a nightclub shooting. The main advantage of the hand-held trace detection unit is its ability to quickly identify the type of chemical (drugs or explosives) without a long lag time for laboratory analysis, which is the most common analysis method for current law enforcement procedures.« less

76 FR 52318 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-22

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Coral Reef Task Force... of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. The meeting will be held in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. This meeting, the 26th bi-annual meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, provides a forum for coordinated...

76 FR 7579 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-10

.... Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior... Service (Service), announce a public business meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) [email protected] ); or Liza Johnson, U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Department of the Interior Liaison, U.S...

76 FR 15334 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-21

...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The.... DATES: The ANS Task Force will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4; and Thursday May 5; and...

The Dual Function of the Indonesian Armed Forces (Dwi Fungsi ABRI)

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-12-01

miles) from north to south. Indonesia’s 13,667 islands are nestled between two continents, Asia and Australia, and two oceans, the Indian and the...shares borders with Malaysia , Papua New Guinea and sea borders with Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, and 9 Australia. Indonesia’s Exclusive...Asian Nation (ASEAN), which it co-founded in 1967 along with Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. Brunei joined in 1984. Indonesia was

Crossing Our Red Lines About Partner Engagement in Mexico

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-01

aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law , no person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of...the United States is willing to provide the military or law enforcement forces required to adequately control the international border or the...war on drugs. Americans demand that Mexico do a better job of imposing the rule of law within its own borders. Both positions divert attention away

The Gap in Operation and Maintenance of the Afghan National Security Forces Infrastructure

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-22

organizations. They include the Afghan Border Police ( ABP ), the Afghan Uniform Police (AUP), the Afghan Highway Police (AHP), and the Criminal...other elements under the ANP include the Afghan Border Police ( ABP ), the Afghan Uniformed Police (AUP), the Afghan Highway Police (AHP) and the...delineates the authorized personnel and equipment for the army. The ANP tashkil delineates the authorized personnel and equipment for the AUP, ABP , AHP, and

Shoulder joint loading and posture during medicine cart pushing task.

PubMed

Xu, Xu; Lin, Jia-Hua; Boyer, Jon

2013-01-01

Excessive physical loads and awkward shoulder postures during pushing and pulling are risk factors for shoulder pain. Pushing a medicine cart is a major component of a work shift for nurses and medical assistants in hospitals and other health care facilities. A laboratory experiment was conducted to examine the effects of common factors (e.g., lane congestion, cart load stability, floor surface friction) on shoulder joint moment and shoulder elevation angle of participants during cart pushing. Participants pushed a medicine cart on straight tracks and turning around right-angle corners. Peak shoulder joint moments reached 25.1 Nm, 20.3 Nm, and 26.8 Nm for initial, transition, and turning phases of the pushing tasks, indicating that shoulder joint loading while pushing a medical cart is comparable to levels previously reported from heavy manual activities encountered in industry (e.g., garbage collection). Also, except for user experience, all other main study factors, including congestion level, cart load stability, location of transition strip, shoulder tendency, surface friction, and handedness, significantly influenced shoulder joint moment and shoulder elevation angle. The findings provide a better understanding of shoulder exposures associated with medicine cart operations and may be helpful in designing and optimizing the physical environment where medicine carts are used.

[Cross-border healthcare in European Union and Czech Republic].

PubMed

Barták, Miroslav; Rogalewicz, Vladimír; Jílková, Jiřina; Jeřábková, Silvie

Currently, the cross-border healthcare still represents a marginal part of the Czech healthcare system's performance, though. Compared to the total healthcare expenditures in the Czech Republic that accounted for CZK 299.9 billion in 2014, the costs of the treatment provided to Czech patients abroad constitute mere 0.27%, and the (subsequently refunded) costs of the treatment provided to foreign patients in the Czech Republic 0.24%.Although data on changes in the volume and reimbursements of healthcare due to the Directive 2011/24/EU have not been published yet, we can expect rather evolutionary than revolutionary development of cross-border healthcare volumes. Taking into account all available data, we can conclude that the cross-border healthcare, as specified by the directive currently in force, is important in our conditions above all in relation to our neighbours, i. e. Germany, Austria, Slovakia and Poland.Key words: cross-border healthcare, patient mobility, international reimbursements EU health policy, Directive 2011/24/EU.

Managing healthcare services in the global marketplace.

PubMed

Fried, Bruce J; Harris, Dean M

2007-01-01

The world is getting "flatter"; people, information, technology, and ideas are increasingly crossing national borders. U.S. healthcare is not immune from the forces of globalization. Competition from medical tourism and the rapid growth in the number of undocumented aliens requiring care represent just two challenges healthcare organizations face. An international workforce requires leaders to confront the legal, financial, and ethical implications of using foreign-trained personnel. Cross-border institutional arrangements are emerging, drawing players motivated by social responsibility, globalization of competitors, growth opportunities, or an awareness of vulnerability to the forces of globalization. Forward-thinking healthcare leaders will begin to identify global strategies that address global pressures, explore the opportunities, and take practical steps to prepare for a flatter world.

Force Control Characteristics for Generation and Relaxation in the Lower Limb.

PubMed

Ohtaka, Chiaki; Fujiwara, Motoko

2018-05-29

We investigated the characteristics for force generation and relaxation using graded isometric contractions of the knee extensors. Participants performed the following tasks as quickly and accurately as possible. For the force generation task, force was increased from 0% to 20%, 40% and 60% of the maximal voluntary force (MVF). For the force relaxation task, force was decreased from 60% to 40%, 20% and 0%. The following parameters of the recorded force were calculated: error, time, and rate of force development. The error was consistently greater for force relaxation than generation. Reaction and adjustment times were independent of the tasks. The control strategy was markedly different for force relaxation and generation, this tendency was particularly evident for the lower limb compared to the upper limb.

Consolidated fuel reprossing program: The implications of force reflection for teleoperation in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Draper, John V.; Herndon, Joseph N.; Moore, Wendy E.

1987-01-01

Previous research on teleoperator force feedback is reviewed and results of a testing program which assessed the impact of force reflection on teleoperator task performance are reported. Force relection is a type of force feedback in which the forces acting on the remote portion of the teleoperator are displayed to the operator by back-driving the master controller. The testing program compared three force reflection levels: 4 to 1 (four units of force on the slave produce one unit of force at the master controller), 1 to 1, and infinity to 1 (no force reflection). Time required to complete tasks, rate of occurrence of errors, the maximum force applied to tasks components, and variability in forces applied to components during completion of representative remote handling tasks were used as dependent variables. Operators exhibited lower error rates, lower peak forces, and more consistent application of forces using force relection than they did without it. These data support the hypothesis that force reflection provides useful information for teleoperator users. The earlier literature and the results of the experiment are discussed in terms of their implications for space based teleoperator systems. The discussion described the impact of force reflection on task completion performance and task strategies, as suggested by the literature. It is important to understand the trade-offs involved in using telerobotic systems with and without force reflection.

Dynamical signatures of isometric force control as a function of age, expertise, and task constraints.

PubMed

Vieluf, Solveig; Sleimen-Malkoun, Rita; Voelcker-Rehage, Claudia; Jirsa, Viktor; Reuter, Eva-Maria; Godde, Ben; Temprado, Jean-Jacques; Huys, Raoul

2017-07-01

From the conceptual and methodological framework of the dynamical systems approach, force control results from complex interactions of various subsystems yielding observable behavioral fluctuations, which comprise both deterministic (predictable) and stochastic (noise-like) dynamical components. Here, we investigated these components contributing to the observed variability in force control in groups of participants differing in age and expertise level. To this aim, young (18-25 yr) as well as late middle-aged (55-65 yr) novices and experts (precision mechanics) performed a force maintenance and a force modulation task. Results showed that whereas the amplitude of force variability did not differ across groups in the maintenance tasks, in the modulation task it was higher for late middle-aged novices than for experts and higher for both these groups than for young participants. Within both tasks and for all groups, stochastic fluctuations were lowest where the deterministic influence was smallest. However, although all groups showed similar dynamics underlying force control in the maintenance task, a group effect was found for deterministic and stochastic fluctuations in the modulation task. The latter findings imply that both components were involved in the observed group differences in the variability of force fluctuations in the modulation task. These findings suggest that between groups the general characteristics of the dynamics do not differ in either task and that force control is more affected by age than by expertise. However, expertise seems to counteract some of the age effects. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Stochastic and deterministic dynamical components contribute to force production. Dynamical signatures differ between force maintenance and cyclic force modulation tasks but hardly between age and expertise groups. Differences in both stochastic and deterministic components are associated with group differences in behavioral variability, and observed behavioral variability is more strongly task dependent than person dependent. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Military Assistance to Mexico: Use of Special Operations Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-31

91 Donald Sparks, " Jackal Stone 2009; Special Opcmti011s Forces Multinational Training in Croatia", Tt/J of the Spear, USSCOM, Tampa FL, 92 Sparks...Data Analysis from 2001-2009" Justice in Mexico Project, Trans Border Institute, University of San Diego, January 2009. Sparks, Donald " Jackal Stone

Characterization of Visual Scanning Patterns in Air Traffic Control

PubMed Central

McClung, Sarah N.; Kang, Ziho

2016-01-01

Characterization of air traffic controllers' (ATCs') visual scanning strategies is a challenging issue due to the dynamic movement of multiple aircraft and increasing complexity of scanpaths (order of eye fixations and saccades) over time. Additionally, terminologies and methods are lacking to accurately characterize the eye tracking data into simplified visual scanning strategies linguistically expressed by ATCs. As an intermediate step to automate the characterization classification process, we (1) defined and developed new concepts to systematically filter complex visual scanpaths into simpler and more manageable forms and (2) developed procedures to map visual scanpaths with linguistic inputs to reduce the human judgement bias during interrater agreement. The developed concepts and procedures were applied to investigating the visual scanpaths of expert ATCs using scenarios with different aircraft congestion levels. Furthermore, oculomotor trends were analyzed to identify the influence of aircraft congestion on scan time and number of comparisons among aircraft. The findings show that (1) the scanpaths filtered at the highest intensity led to more consistent mapping with the ATCs' linguistic inputs, (2) the pattern classification occurrences differed between scenarios, and (3) increasing aircraft congestion caused increased scan times and aircraft pairwise comparisons. The results provide a foundation for better characterizing complex scanpaths in a dynamic task and automating the analysis process. PMID:27239190

Characterization of Visual Scanning Patterns in Air Traffic Control.

PubMed

McClung, Sarah N; Kang, Ziho

2016-01-01

Characterization of air traffic controllers' (ATCs') visual scanning strategies is a challenging issue due to the dynamic movement of multiple aircraft and increasing complexity of scanpaths (order of eye fixations and saccades) over time. Additionally, terminologies and methods are lacking to accurately characterize the eye tracking data into simplified visual scanning strategies linguistically expressed by ATCs. As an intermediate step to automate the characterization classification process, we (1) defined and developed new concepts to systematically filter complex visual scanpaths into simpler and more manageable forms and (2) developed procedures to map visual scanpaths with linguistic inputs to reduce the human judgement bias during interrater agreement. The developed concepts and procedures were applied to investigating the visual scanpaths of expert ATCs using scenarios with different aircraft congestion levels. Furthermore, oculomotor trends were analyzed to identify the influence of aircraft congestion on scan time and number of comparisons among aircraft. The findings show that (1) the scanpaths filtered at the highest intensity led to more consistent mapping with the ATCs' linguistic inputs, (2) the pattern classification occurrences differed between scenarios, and (3) increasing aircraft congestion caused increased scan times and aircraft pairwise comparisons. The results provide a foundation for better characterizing complex scanpaths in a dynamic task and automating the analysis process.

Task parameters affecting ergonomic demands and productivity of HVAC duct installation.

PubMed

Mitropoulos, Panagiotis; Hussain, Sanaa; Guarascio-Howard, Linda; Memarian, Babak

2014-01-01

Mechanical installation workers experience work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) at high rates. (1) Quantify the ergonomic demands during HVAC installation, (2) identify the tasks and task parameters that generated extreme ergonomic demands, and (3) propose improvements to reduce the WMSDs among mechanical workers. The study focused on installation of rectangular ductwork components using ladders, and analyzed five operations by two mechanical contractors. Using continuous time observational assessment, the videotaped operations were analyzed along two dimensions: (1) the production tasks and durations, and (2) the ergonomic demands for four body regions (neck, arms/shoulders, back, and knees). The analysis identified tasks with low portion of productive time and high portion of extreme postures, and task parameters that generated extreme postures. Duct alignment was the task with the highest portion of extreme postures. The position of the ladder (angle and distance from the duct) was a task parameter that strongly influenced the extreme postures for back, neck and shoulders. Other contributing factors included the difficulty to reach the hand tools when working on the ladder, the congestion of components in the ceiling, and the space between the duct and the ceiling. The identified tasks and factors provide directions for improvement.

Crafting a Balanced System of Assessment in Wisconsin. Recommendations of the Next Generation Assessment Task Force

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 2009

2009-01-01

The Next Generation Assessment Task Force was convened to formulate Wisconsin's path forward. Task force members listened to leaders from business and technology sectors as well as leaders from PK-12 and higher education. This summary shares the process, definitions, assumptions, and recommendations of the task force. This paper aims to use these…

75 FR 47624 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-06

... DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and... (Service), announce a public meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) and a request for written.... Coral Reef Task Force Department of the Interior Liaison, U.S. Department of the Interior, MS-3530-MIB...

75 FR 15457 - Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-29

...] Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force Meeting AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: This notice announces a meeting of the Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Task Force. The.... DATES: The ANS Task Force will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5, and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m...

77 FR 23667 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-20

... CONTACT: Mail Delivery service through Recovering Warrior Task Force, Hoffman Building II, 200 Stovall St... Review of Non- Medical Case Management. 9:30-9:45 a.m. Break. 9:45-10:45 a.m. Task Force Recommendation... Task Force through the contact information in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT, and this individual will...

Forest biomass as an energy source

Treesearch

P.E. Laks; R.W. Hemingway; A. Conner

1979-01-01

The Task Force on Forest Biomass as an Energy Source was chartered by the Society of American Foresters on September 26, 1977, and took its present form following an amendment to the charter on October 5, 1977. It built upon the findings of two previous task forces, the Task Force on Energy and Forest Resources and the Task Force for Evaluation of the CORRIM Report (...

Control of force during rapid visuomotor force-matching tasks can be described by discrete time PID control algorithms.

PubMed

Dideriksen, Jakob Lund; Feeney, Daniel F; Almuklass, Awad M; Enoka, Roger M

2017-08-01

Force trajectories during isometric force-matching tasks involving isometric contractions vary substantially across individuals. In this study, we investigated if this variability can be explained by discrete time proportional, integral, derivative (PID) control algorithms with varying model parameters. To this end, we analyzed the pinch force trajectories of 24 subjects performing two rapid force-matching tasks with visual feedback. Both tasks involved isometric contractions to a target force of 10% maximal voluntary contraction. One task involved a single action (pinch) and the other required a double action (concurrent pinch and wrist extension). 50,000 force trajectories were simulated with a computational neuromuscular model whose input was determined by a PID controller with different PID gains and frequencies at which the controller adjusted muscle commands. The goal was to find the best match between each experimental force trajectory and all simulated trajectories. It was possible to identify one realization of the PID controller that matched the experimental force produced during each task for most subjects (average index of similarity: 0.87 ± 0.12; 1 = perfect similarity). The similarities for both tasks were significantly greater than that would be expected by chance (single action: p = 0.01; double action: p = 0.04). Furthermore, the identified control frequencies in the simulated PID controller with the greatest similarities decreased as task difficulty increased (single action: 4.0 ± 1.8 Hz; double action: 3.1 ± 1.3 Hz). Overall, the results indicate that discrete time PID controllers are realistic models for the neural control of force in rapid force-matching tasks involving isometric contractions.

Improving Dual-Task Control With a Posture-Second Strategy in Early-Stage Parkinson Disease.

PubMed

Huang, Cheng-Ya; Chen, Yu-An; Hwang, Ing-Shiou; Wu, Ruey-Meei

2018-03-31

To examine the task prioritization effects on postural-suprapostural dual-task performance in patients with early-stage Parkinson disease (PD) without clinically observed postural symptoms. Cross-sectional study. Participants performed a force-matching task while standing on a mobile platform, and were instructed to focus their attention on either the postural task (posture-first strategy) or the force-matching task (posture-second strategy). University research laboratory. Individuals (N=16) with early-stage PD who had no clinically observed postural symptoms. Not applicable. Dual-task change (DTC; percent change between single-task and dual-task performance) of posture error, posture approximate entropy (ApEn), force error, and reaction time (RT). Positive DTC values indicate higher postural error, posture ApEn, force error, and force RT during dual-task conditions compared with single-task conditions. Compared with the posture-first strategy, the posture-second strategy was associated with smaller DTC of posture error and force error, and greater DTC of posture ApEn. In contrast, greater DTC of force RT was observed under the posture-second strategy. Contrary to typical recommendations, our results suggest that the posture-second strategy may be an effective dual-task strategy in patients with early-stage PD who have no clinically observed postural symptoms in order to reduce the negative effect of dual tasking on performance and facilitate postural automaticity. Copyright © 2018 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interagency Task Forces: The Right Tools for the Job

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

shortcomings. This analysis discusses four organizational reform models and recommends the interagency task force ( IATF ) as the preferred structure...model.64 Still others recommend creating and deploying ad hoc IATFs for crisis operations. These interagency task forces would be task- organized to...forces assigned for planning, exercises, and mission execution.65 A 2005 article in Policy Review recommended developing IATFs as needed for specific

Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment Bulletin; Vol. 8, Special Edition: Vocational Evaluation Project Final Report Part 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vocational Evaluation and Work Adjustment Association, Washington, DC.

Part 2 of the three-part Vocational Evaluation Project final report contains brief summaries of the seven task force report which comprise the final report and two such task force reports. The report of task force 5, Standards for Vocational Evaluation, describes the task force's effort to study the standards for accreditation presently used by…

Comparing the Values Hierarchy of the Kentucky Department of Education's Character/Values Task Force. Comparing a Character/Values Task Force to a National Sample.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butler, Fonda P.

In March 1989, the Kentucky Department of Education assembled a task force to make recommendations regarding the issue of teaching values and character in public schools in Kentucky. The 23-member task force represented educators, parents, the legislature, state and local school boards, law enforcement agencies, higher education, Catholic…

Task Force on Defense Strategies for Ensuring the Resilience of National Space Capabilities. Executive Summary

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-21

March 2017 Task Force on Defense Strategies for Ensuring the Resilience of National Space Capabilities OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY OF...the Department of Defense. The DSB Task Force on Defense Strategies for Ensuring the Resilience of National Space Capabilities completed its formal...Ensuring the Resilience of National Space Capabilities | i DSB Task Force on Defense Strategies for Ensuring the

Communicating with New and Existing Markets. A Task Force of Howard Community College's 1998-1999 Commission on the Future.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard Community Coll., Columbia, MD.

This is a report from a task force formed by Howard Community College (Maryland) to examine existing and future markets. The task force also explored ways to use marketing strategies to attract potential customers to the college. The task force recommends that the college use its strengths to attract customers, such as its commitment to open…

The Evolution of the Security Order in Europe: Importance of Multinational Forces

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-02-25

facto-- prevented the economic self - sufficiency of the republics.1 Therefore, it would have been necessary to agree some form of common market and...Defense Identity", Survival (July/August 1991), 336. 32 Douglas T. Stuart, "Can NATO Trascend Its Europeans Borders? NATO Out of Area Disputes", Strategic...Overaio (Novembre 1990): 1-18. Stuart, Douglas T. "Can NATO Trascend Its European Borders?." Strateoic Studies Institute (USAWC): 1-21. 48 Taylor

Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Quality of Life.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-10-15

The Quality of Life Task Force is deeply grateful to those distinguished Americans who served as Counselors to the Task Force. Although they did not... Quality of Life issues to the readiness and well being of our Armed Forces. Their willingness to offer suggestions and advice on topics within their...respective expertise was most helpful The recommendations of the Report are those of the Quality of Life Task Force; and Counselors may, or may not, concur in whole or in part with them.

Screening for Hepatitis C Infections in Adults

MedlinePlus

Understanding Task Force Recommendations Screening for Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Adults The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force) has issued a final recommendation statement on Screening for Hepatitis C ...

Airborne Network Optimization with Dynamic Network Update

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-26

Faculty Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate School of Engineering and Management Air Force Institute of Technology Air University...Member Dr. Barry E. Mullins Member AFIT-ENG-MS-15-M-030 Abstract Modern networks employ congestion and routing management algorithms that can perform...airborne networks. Intelligent agents can make use of Kalman filter predictions to make informed decisions to manage communication in airborne networks. The

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

MedlinePlus

... USPSTF Our Members Conflict of Interest Disclosures Task Force Resources Our Partners Reports to Congress Contact Us ... effort to make the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations clearer and its processes more transparent, ...

[After ACC/AHA and ESC Guidelines: Pre-operative cardiological evaluation in non-cardiac surgery: certainties, controversial areas and opportunities for a team approach].

PubMed

Urbinati, Stefano; Faggiano, Pompilio; Colivicchi, Furio; Riccio, Carmine; Abrignani, Maurizio Giuseppe; Genovesi-Ebert, Alberto; Fattirolli, Francesco; De Feo, Stefania; Gambetti, Simona; Uguccioni, Massimo

2011-09-01

A standardized and evidence-based approach to the cardiological management of patients undergoing noncardiac surgery has been recently defined by Task Forces of the American Heart Association (AHA), American College of Cardiology (ACC) and the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) that published their guidelines in 2007 and 2009, respectively. Both the recommendations moved from risk indices to a practical, stepwise approach of the patient, which integrates clinical risk factors and test results with the estimated stress of the planned surgical procedure. In the present paper the main topics of the guidelines are discussed, and moreover, emphasis is placed on four controversial issues such as the use of prophylactic coronary revascularization in patients with myocardial ischemia, the perioperative management of patients with congestive heart failure, the routine use of betablockers and statins, and, finally, the management of antiplatelet therapies in patients with coronary stents. In addition to promoting an improvement of immediate perioperative care, the preoperative cardiological evaluation should be a challenge for identifying subjects with enhanced risk of cardiovascular events, who should be treated and monitored during a long-term follow-up.

Exploitable Vulnerabilities of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-12

former IRGC Qods ( Jerusalem ) Force commander, He is also the subject of an Interpol Red Notice for his role in the 1994 attacks on Israeli and Jewish...maintain a capability to take the conflict outside its borders through unconventional tactics and asymmetric warfare. The Pasdaran’s Qods ( Jerusalem ...Force is its primary tool in that endeavor. The Jerusalem Force will be addressed separately in subsequent discussion of the IRGC’s influence

78 FR 10127 - Request for Nominations to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-13

... Conservation Service Request for Nominations to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural... Nominations to the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force. SUMMARY: The Secretary of Agriculture invites... Force (AAQTF) which was established by the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to...

Science and Sandy: Lessons Learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Werner, K.

2013-12-01

Following Hurricane Sandy's impact on the mid-Atlantic region, President Obama established a Task Force to '...ensure that the Federal Government continues to provide appropriate resources to support affected State, local, and tribal communities to improve the region's resilience, health, and prosperity by building for the future.' The author was detailed from NOAA to the Task Force between January and June 2013. As the Task Force and others began to take stock of the region's needs and develop plans to address them, many diverse approaches emerged from different areas of expertise including: infrastructure, management and construction, housing, public health, and others. Decision making in this environment was complex with many interests and variables to consider and balance. Although often relevant, science and technical expertise was not always at the forefront of this process. This talk describes the author's experience with the Sandy Task Force focusing on organizing scientific expertise to support the work of the Task Force. This includes a description of federal activity supporting Sandy recovery efforts, the role of the Task Force, and lessons learned from developing a science support function within the Task Force.

Dorsal premotor cortex is involved in switching motor plans

PubMed Central

Pastor-Bernier, Alexandre; Tremblay, Elsa; Cisek, Paul

2012-01-01

Previous studies have shown that neural activity in primate dorsal premotor cortex (PMd) can simultaneously represent multiple potential movement plans, and that activity related to these movement options is modulated by their relative subjective desirability. These findings support the hypothesis that decisions about actions are made through a competition within the same circuits that guide the actions themselves. This hypothesis further predicts that the very same cells that guide initial decisions will continue to update their activities if an animal changes its mind. For example, if a previously selected movement option suddenly becomes unavailable, the correction will be performed by the same cells that selected the initial movement, as opposed to some different group of cells responsible for online guidance. We tested this prediction by recording neural activity in the PMd of a monkey performing an instructed-delay reach selection task. In the task, two targets were simultaneously presented and their border styles indicated whether each would be worth 1, 2, or 3 juice drops. In a random subset of trials (FREE), the monkey was allowed a choice while in the remaining trials (FORCED) one of the targets disappeared at the time of the GO signal. In FORCED-LOW trials the monkey was forced to move to the less valuable target and started moving either toward the new target (Direct) or toward the target that vanished and then curved to reach the remaining one (Curved). Prior to the GO signal, PMd activity clearly reflected the monkey's subjective preference, predicting his choices in FREE trials even with equally valued options. In FORCED-LOW trials, PMd activity reflected the switch of the monkey's plan as early as 100 ms after the GO signal, well before movement onset (MO). This confirms that the activity is not related to feedback from the movement itself, and suggests that PMd continues to participate in action selection even when the animal changes its mind on-line. These findings were reproduced by a computational model suggesting that switches between action plans can be explained by the same competition process responsible for initial decisions. PMID:22493577

Using Grid Benchmarks for Dynamic Scheduling of Grid Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frumkin, Michael; Hood, Robert

2003-01-01

Navigation or dynamic scheduling of applications on computational grids can be improved through the use of an application-specific characterization of grid resources. Current grid information systems provide a description of the resources, but do not contain any application-specific information. We define a GridScape as dynamic state of the grid resources. We measure the dynamic performance of these resources using the grid benchmarks. Then we use the GridScape for automatic assignment of the tasks of a grid application to grid resources. The scalability of the system is achieved by limiting the navigation overhead to a few percent of the application resource requirements. Our task submission and assignment protocol guarantees that the navigation system does not cause grid congestion. On a synthetic data mining application we demonstrate that Gridscape-based task assignment reduces the application tunaround time.

Force related hemodynamic responses during execution and imagery of a hand grip task: A functional near infrared spectroscopy study.

PubMed

Wriessnegger, Selina C; Kirchmeyr, Daniela; Bauernfeind, Günther; Müller-Putz, Gernot R

2017-10-01

We examined force related hemodynamic changes during the performance of a motor execution (ME) and motor imagery (MI) task by means of multichannel functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The hemodynamic responses of fourteen healthy participants were measured while they performed a hand grip execution or imagery task with low and high grip forces. We found an overall higher increase of [oxy-Hb] concentration changes during ME for both grip forces but with a delayed peak maximum for the lower grip force. During the MI task with lower grip force, the [oxy-Hb] level increases are stronger compared to the MI with higher grip force. The facilitation in performing MI with higher grip strength might thus indicate less inhibition of the actual motor act which could also explain the later increase onset of [oxy-Hb] in the ME task with the lower grip force. Our results suggest that execution and imagery of a hand grip task with high and low grip forces, leads to different cortical activation patterns. Since impaired control of grip forces during object manipulation in particular is one aspect of fine motor control deficits after stroke, our study will contribute to future rehabilitation programs enhancing patient's grip force control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

U.S. Border Patrol OCONUS: Possible Contributions to the Whole of Government Approach to Stability Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-11

Force–Rural Area Police Patrol Unit (Unidad Móvil Policial Para Reas Rurales) also known as Los Leopardos (the Leopards ). USBP U.S. Border Patrol...99Ibid. 38 Antinarcotics Force--Rural Area Police Patrol Unit (Unidad Móvil Policial Para Reas Rurales) also known as Los Leopardos (the Leopards ). The...training or preparation time for this mission. Upon arrival he found that the inclement cold weather included snow , sleet, ice, and frigid cold

78 FR 28580 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-15

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces AGENCY: Office... Defense announces the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force...

77 FR 68744 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-16

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Federal... Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

75 FR 59698 - Federal Advisory Committee; Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-28

.... SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Task Force is a non-discretionary Federal advisory committee established to (a... for wounded, ill, and injured members of the Armed Forces; ii. Medical case management; iii. Non... Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Member of...

Curbing gridlock: Peak-period fees to relieve traffic congestion. Volume 2. Commissioned papers. Special report

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

Not Available

1994-01-01

;Contents: Volume 2: Commissioned Papers: Congestion Trends in Metropolitan Areas; Alternative Methods for Measuring Congestion Levels; Potential of Congestion Pricing in the Metropolitan Washington Region; Transportation Pricing and Travel Behavior; Peak Pricing Strategies in Transportation, Utilities, and Telecommunications: Lessons for Road Pricing; Cashing Out Employer-Paid Parking: A Precedent for Congestion Pricing; The New York Region: First in Tolls, Last in Road Pricing; Pricing Urban Roadways: Administrative and Institutional Issues; Equity and Fairness Considerations of Congestion Pricing; The Politics of Congestion Pricing; Institutional and Political Challenges in Implementing Congestion Pricing: Case Study of the San Francisco Bay Area; How Congestion Pricingmore » Came to Be Proposed in the San Diego Region: A Case History; Urban Transportation Congestion Pricing: Effects on Urban Form; Congestion Pricing and Motor Vehicle Emissions: An Initial Review; Private Toll Roads: Acceptability of Congestion Pricing in Southern California; Potential of Next-Generation Technology; Electronic Toll Collection Systems; and Impacts of Congestion Pricing on Transit and Carpool Demand and Supply.« less

Final report for the Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) control plane security LDRD project.

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

Torgerson, Mark Dolan; Michalski, John T.; Tarman, Thomas David

2003-09-01

As rapid Internet growth continues, global communications becomes more dependent on Internet availability for information transfer. Recently, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) introduced a new protocol, Multiple Protocol Label Switching (MPLS), to provide high-performance data flows within the Internet. MPLS emulates two major aspects of the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) technology. First, each initial IP packet is 'routed' to its destination based on previously known delay and congestion avoidance mechanisms. This allows for effective distribution of network resources and reduces the probability of congestion. Second, after route selection each subsequent packet is assigned a label at each hop, whichmore » determines the output port for the packet to reach its final destination. These labels guide the forwarding of each packet at routing nodes more efficiently and with more control than traditional IP forwarding (based on complete address information in each packet) for high-performance data flows. Label assignment is critical in the prompt and accurate delivery of user data. However, the protocols for label distribution were not adequately secured. Thus, if an adversary compromises a node by intercepting and modifying, or more simply injecting false labels into the packet-forwarding engine, the propagation of improperly labeled data flows could create instability in the entire network. In addition, some Virtual Private Network (VPN) solutions take advantage of this 'virtual channel' configuration to eliminate the need for user data encryption to provide privacy. VPN's relying on MPLS require accurate label assignment to maintain user data protection. This research developed a working distributive trust model that demonstrated how to deploy confidentiality, authentication, and non-repudiation in the global network label switching control plane. Simulation models and laboratory testbed implementations that demonstrated this concept were developed, and results from this research were transferred to industry via standards in the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF).« less

PRN 2009-1: Establishment of Antimicrobial Exposure Assessment Task Force II

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This PR notice announces the establishment of the Antimicrobial Exposure Assessment Task Force II, an industry-wide task force to develop mixer, loader, applicator and post-application exposure data for antimicrobial pesticides used in various settings.

Practice and Age-Related Loss of Adaptability in Sensorimotor Performance

PubMed Central

Sosnoff, Jacob J.; Voudrie, Stefani J.

2009-01-01

The purpose of the present investigation was to examine whether the ability to adapt to task constraints is influenced by short-term practice in older adults. Young (18–29 years old) and old (65–75 years old) adults produced force output to a constant force target and a 1-Hz sinusoidal force target by way of the index finger flexion. Participants completed each task 5 times per session for 5 concurrent sessions. The amount and structure of force variability was calculated using linear and nonlinear analyses. As expected, there was a decrease in the magnitude of variability (coefficient of variation) in both tasks and task-related change in the structure of force variability (approximate entropy) with training across groups. The authors found older adults to have a greater amount of variability than their younger counterparts in both tasks. Older adults also demonstrated an increase in the structure of force output in the constant task but a decrease in structure in the sinusoidal task. Age differences in the adaptability to task constraints persisted throughout practice. The authors propose that older adults' ability to adapt sensorimotor output to task demands is not a result of lack of familiarity with the task but that it is, instead, characteristic of the aging process. PMID:19201684

Tibiofemoral contact forces during walking, running and sidestepping.

PubMed

Saxby, David J; Modenese, Luca; Bryant, Adam L; Gerus, Pauline; Killen, Bryce; Fortin, Karine; Wrigley, Tim V; Bennell, Kim L; Cicuttini, Flavia M; Lloyd, David G

2016-09-01

We explored the tibiofemoral contact forces and the relative contributions of muscles and external loads to those contact forces during various gait tasks. Second, we assessed the relationships between external gait measures and contact forces. A calibrated electromyography-driven neuromusculoskeletal model estimated the tibiofemoral contact forces during walking (1.44±0.22ms(-1)), running (4.38±0.42ms(-1)) and sidestepping (3.58±0.50ms(-1)) in healthy adults (n=60, 27.3±5.4years, 1.75±0.11m, and 69.8±14.0kg). Contact forces increased from walking (∼1-2.8 BW) to running (∼3-8 BW), sidestepping had largest maximum total (8.47±1.57 BW) and lateral contact forces (4.3±1.05 BW), while running had largest maximum medial contact forces (5.1±0.95 BW). Relative muscle contributions increased across gait tasks (up to 80-90% of medial contact forces), and peaked during running for lateral contact forces (∼90%). Knee adduction moment (KAM) had weak relationships with tibiofemoral contact forces (all R(2)<0.36) and the relationships were gait task-specific. Step-wise regression of multiple external gait measures strengthened relationships (0.20

Traffic congestion and reliability : trends and advanced strategies for congestion mitigation.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-09-01

The report Traffic Congestion and Reliability: Trends and Advanced Strategies for : Congestion Mitigation provides a snapshot of congestion in the United States by : summarizing recent trends in congestion, highlighting the role of travel time : reli...

The link between the peel force of adhesive dressings and subjective discomfort in volunteer subjects.

PubMed

Dykes, P J; Heggie, R

2003-07-01

The study compared the level of discomfort experienced by healthy volunteers on the removal of a range of adhesive wounds. This was an open, within subject comparative study of six adhesive dressings in 24 volunteers. The test site was the lower back. Allocation of test materials to the test sites was randomised. The peel force of removal was recorded after 24 hours of application using a device that removed the dressing at a constant speed and angle to the skin surface. The discomfort experienced at each removal was assessed by the subjects themselves using an electronic visual analogue scale. Overall, Mepilex Border was given a significantly lower discomfort score (p < or = 0.01) by the subjects than the other dressings. There were no clear differences between the five other products tested. Tielle and Allevyn Adhesive had significantly higher (p < or = 0.05) peel force than the other products. Mepilex Border caused less discomfort on removal than Duoderm Extra Thin, Biatain and Versiva, even though the peel force was similar. Tielle and Allevyn had higher peel force, but the levels of discomfort were not significantly higher for these products. It may be that the level of discomfort experienced by subjects on removal of an adhesive dressing is not entirely dependent on the peel force and that other aspects of the interaction of the skin surface and adhesive play a role.

Fitts' Law in the Control of Isometric Grip Force With Naturalistic Targets.

PubMed

Thumser, Zachary C; Slifkin, Andrew B; Beckler, Dylan T; Marasco, Paul D

2018-01-01

Fitts' law models the relationship between amplitude, precision, and speed of rapid movements. It is widely used to quantify performance in pointing tasks, study human-computer interaction, and generally to understand perceptual-motor information processes, including research to model performance in isometric force production tasks. Applying Fitts' law to an isometric grip force task would allow for quantifying grasp performance in rehabilitative medicine and may aid research on prosthetic control and design. We examined whether Fitts' law would hold when participants attempted to accurately produce their intended force output while grasping a manipulandum when presented with images of various everyday objects (we termed this the implicit task). Although our main interest was the implicit task, to benchmark it and establish validity, we examined performance against a more standard visual feedback condition via a digital force-feedback meter on a video monitor (explicit task). Next, we progressed from visual force feedback with force meter targets to the same targets without visual force feedback (operating largely on feedforward control with tactile feedback). This provided an opportunity to see if Fitts' law would hold without vision, and allowed us to progress toward the more naturalistic implicit task (which does not include visual feedback). Finally, we changed the nature of the targets from requiring explicit force values presented as arrows on a force-feedback meter (explicit targets) to the more naturalistic and intuitive target forces implied by images of objects (implicit targets). With visual force feedback the relation between task difficulty and the time to produce the target grip force was predicted by Fitts' law (average r 2 = 0.82). Without vision, average grip force scaled accurately although force variability was insensitive to the target presented. In contrast, images of everyday objects generated more reliable grip forces without the visualized force meter. In sum, population means were well-described by Fitts' law for explicit targets with vision ( r 2 = 0.96) and implicit targets ( r 2 = 0.89), but not as well-described for explicit targets without vision ( r 2 = 0.54). Implicit targets should provide a realistic see-object-squeeze-object test using Fitts' law to quantify the relative speed-accuracy relationship of any given grasper.

A guide for statewide impaired-driving task forces.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-09-01

The purpose of the guide is to assist State officials and other stakeholders who are interested in establishing an : Impaired-Driving Statewide Task Force or who are exploring ways to improve their current Task Force. The guide : addresses issues suc...

PRN 2007-3: The Agricultural Handlers Exposure Task Force, L.L.C

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This PR Notice discusses the Agricultural Handlers Exposure Task Force, an industry-wide task force formed to develop mixer, loader, and applicator exposure data for pesticides used in agricultural settings. It includes contacts for more information.

78 FR 7415 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-01

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Notice of... Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

78 FR 66902 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-07

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Notice of... Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and...

77 FR 31337 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-25

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Notice of... Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and...

76 FR 38118 - Meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-29

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on... Forces AGENCY: Department of Defense. ACTION: Meeting notice. SUMMARY: Under the provisions of the... that the following Federal Advisory Committee meeting of the Department of Defense Task Force on the...

78 FR 38015 - Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-25

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded, Ill, and Injured Members of the Armed Forces; Notice of... of the Department of Defense Task Force on the Care, Management, and Transition of Recovering Wounded...

Cooperative Monitoring Center Occasional Paper/8: Cooperative Border Security for Jordan: Assessment and Options

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

Qojas, M.

1999-03-01

This document is an analysis of options for unilateral and cooperative action to improve the security of Jordan's borders. Sections describe the current political, economic, and social interactions along Jordan's borders. Next, the document discusses border security strategy for cooperation among neighboring countries and the adoption of confidence-building measures. A practical cooperative monitoring system would consist of hardware for early warning, command and control, communications, and transportation. Technical solutions can expand opportunities for the detection and identification of intruders. Sensors (such as seismic, break-wire, pressure-sensing, etc.) can warn border security forces of intrusion and contribute to the identification of themore » intrusion and help formulate the response. This document describes conceptual options for cooperation, offering three scenarios that relate to three hypothetical levels (low, medium, and high) of cooperation. Potential cooperative efforts under a low cooperation scenario could include information exchanges on military equipment and schedules to prevent misunderstandings and the establishment of protocols for handling emergency situations or unusual circumstances. Measures under a medium cooperation scenario could include establishing joint monitoring groups for better communications, with hot lines and scheduled meetings. The high cooperation scenario describes coordinated responses, joint border patrols, and sharing border intrusion information. Finally, the document lists recommendations for organizational, technical, and operational initiatives that could be applicable to the current situation.« less

Consumer perceptions of specific design characteristics for front-of-package nutrition labels.

PubMed

Acton, R B; Vanderlee, L; Roberto, C A; Hammond, D

2018-04-01

An increasing number of countries are developing front-of-package (FOP) labels; however, there is limited evidence examining the impact of specific design characteristics for these labels. The current study investigated consumer perceptions of several FOP label design characteristics, including potential differences among sociodemographic sub-groups. Two hundred and thirty-four participants aged 16 years or older completed nine label rating tasks on a laptop at a local shopping mall in Canada. The rating tasks asked participants to rate five primary design characteristics (border, background presence, background colour, 'caution' symbol and government attribution) on their noticeability, readability, believability and likelihood of changing their beverage choice. FOP labels with a border, solid background and contrasting colours increased noticeability. A solid background increased readability, while a contrasting background colour reduced it. Both a 'caution' symbol and a government attribution increased the believability of the labels and the perceived likelihood of influencing beverage choice. The effect of the design characteristics was generally similar across sociodemographic groups, with modest differences in five of the nine outcomes. Label design characteristics, such as the use of a border, colour and symbols can enhance the salience of FOP nutrition labels and may increase the likelihood that FOP labels are used by consumers.

Load type influences motor unit recruitment in biceps brachii during a sustained contraction.

PubMed

Baudry, Stéphane; Rudroff, Thorsten; Pierpoint, Lauren A; Enoka, Roger M

2009-09-01

Twenty subjects participated in four experiments designed to compare time to task failure and motor-unit recruitment threshold during contractions sustained at 15% of maximum as the elbow flexor muscles either supported an inertial load (position task) or exerted an equivalent constant torque against a rigid restraint (force task). Subcutaneous branched bipolar electrodes were used to record single motor unit activity from the biceps brachii muscle during ramp contractions performed before and at 50 and 90% of the time to failure for the position task during both fatiguing contractions. The time to task failure was briefer for the position task than for the force task (P=0.0002). Thirty and 29 motor units were isolated during the force and position tasks, respectively. The recruitment threshold declined by 48 and 30% (P=0.0001) during the position task for motor units with an initial recruitment threshold below and above the target force, respectively, whereas no significant change in recruitment threshold was observed during the force task. Changes in recruitment threshold were associated with a decrease in the mean discharge rate (-16%), an increase in discharge rate variability (+40%), and a prolongation of the first two interspike intervals (+29 and +13%). These data indicate that there were faster changes in motor unit recruitment and rate coding during the position task than the force task despite a similar net muscle torque during both tasks. Moreover, the results suggest that the differential synaptic input observed during the position task influences most of the motor unit pool.

Joint Operating Environment: The Joint Force in a Contested and Disordered World

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-07-14

spilling over borders, and creating wide-ranging international problems. The future of Science, Technology, and Engineering will see others reaching...10 Science, Technology, and Engineering and the Future Joint Force ..........................................15 Summary... Engineering – may lead to new and challenging conditions that will redefine the security environment of 2035.  Section 2: Contexts of Future Conflict

Force-displacement measurements of earlywood bordered pits using a mesomechanical tester.

PubMed

Zelinka, Samuel L; Bourne, Keith J; Hermanson, John C; Glass, Samuel V; Costa, Adriana; Wiedenhoeft, Alex C

2015-10-01

The elastic properties of pit membranes are reported to have important implications in understanding air-seeding phenomena in gymnosperms, and pit aspiration plays a large role in wood technological applications such as wood drying and preservative treatment. Here we present force-displacement measurements for pit membranes of circular bordered pits, collected on a mesomechanical testing system. The system consists of a quartz microprobe attached to a microforce sensor that is positioned and advanced with a micromanipulator mounted on an inverted microscope. Membrane displacement is measured from digital image analysis. Unaspirated pits from earlywood of never-dried wood of Larix and Pinus and aspirated pits from earlywood of dried wood of Larix were tested to generate force-displacement curves up to the point of membrane failure. Two failure modes were observed: rupture or tearing of the pit membrane by the microprobe tip, and the stretching of the pit membrane until the torus was forced out of the pit chamber through the pit aperture without rupture, a condition we refer to as torus prolapse. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Task- and time-dependent modulation of Ia presynaptic inhibition during fatiguing contractions performed by humans

PubMed Central

Maerz, Adam H.; Gould, Jeffrey R.; Enoka, Roger M.

2011-01-01

Presynaptic modulation of Ia afferents converging onto the motor neuron pool of the extensor carpi radialis (ECR) was compared during contractions (20% of maximal force) sustained to failure as subjects controlled either the angular position of the wrist while supporting an inertial load (position task) or exerted an equivalent force against a rigid restraint (force task). Test Hoffmann (H) reflexes were evoked in the ECR by stimulating the radial nerve above the elbow. Conditioned H reflexes were obtained by stimulating either the median nerve above the elbow or at the wrist (palmar branch) to assess presynaptic inhibition of homonymous (D1 inhibition) and heteronymous Ia afferents (heteronymous Ia facilitation), respectively. The position task was briefer than the force task (P = 0.001), although the maximal voluntary force and electromyograph for ECR declined similarly at failure for both tasks. Changes in the amplitude of the conditioned H reflex were positively correlated between the two conditioning methods (P = 0.02) and differed between the two tasks (P < 0.05). The amplitude of the conditioned H reflex during the position task first increased (129 ± 20.5% of the initial value, P < 0.001) before returning to its initial value (P = 0.22), whereas it increased progressively during the force task to reach 122 ± 17.4% of the initial value at failure (P < 0.001). Moreover, changes in conditioned H reflexes were associated with the time to task failure and force fluctuations. The results suggest a task- and time-dependent modulation of presynaptic inhibition of Ia afferents during fatiguing contractions. PMID:21543747

77 FR 6786 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-09

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration U.S. Coral Reef Task Force... of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force. The meeting will be held in Washington, DC This meeting, the 27th [[Page 6787

First Responder Refresher: National Standard Curriculum (Instructor Course Guide)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-07-08

This white paper provides a brief overview of the report titled "ITS Focus Task Force on System Architecture Report", dated May 1997. The report was prepared by a special task force of the United Kingdoms ITS Focus organization. This task force wa...

Repairing the Breach. Key Ways To Support Family Life, Reclaim Our Streets, and Rebuild Civil Society in America's Communities. Report of the National Task Force on African-American Men and Boys.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Austin, Bobby William, Ed.

This report of the National Task Force on African-American Men and Boys is the beginning of an approach to repair society's breaches and restore the streets to safety. The Task Force, headed by Andrew J. Young and established in 1994, conceived its mission as one of reclamation. The Task Force made 61 specific recommendations, and three general…

Bidirectional transfer between joint and individual actions in a task of discrete force production.

PubMed

Masumoto, Junya; Inui, Nobuyuki

2017-07-01

The present study examined bidirectional learning transfer between joint and individual actions involving discrete isometric force production with the right index finger. To examine the effects of practice of joint action on performance of the individual action, participants performed a pre-test (individual condition), practice blocks (joint condition), and a post-test (individual condition) (IJI task). To examine the effects of practice of the individual action on performance during the joint action, the participants performed a pre-test (joint condition), practice blocks (individual condition), and a post-test (joint condition) (JIJ task). Whereas one participant made pressing movements with a target peak force of 10% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) in the individual condition, two participants produced the target force of the sum of 10% MVC produced by each of them in the joint condition. In both the IJI and JIJ tasks, absolute errors and standard deviations of peak force were smaller post-test than pre-test, indicating bidirectional transfer between individual and joint conditions for force accuracy and variability. Although the negative correlation between forces produced by two participants (complementary force production) became stronger with practice blocks in the IJI task, there was no difference between the pre- and post-tests for the negative correlation in the JIJ task. In the JIJ task, the decrease in force accuracy and variability during the individual action did not facilitate complementary force production during the joint action. This indicates that practice performed by two people is essential for complementary force production in joint action.

77 FR 55218 - Homeland Security Advisory Council

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-07

... childhood arrivals program. The HSAC will also receive a report from the Sustainability and Efficiency Task Force, review and discuss the task forces' report, and formulate recommendations for the Department. The.... HSAC conference call details and the Sustainability and Efficiency Task Force report will be provided...

Task force on deterrence of air piracy : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-11-01

In February 1969, as the frequency of hijacking of U.S. air carrier aircraft was rising to an all-time high, the Federal Aviation Administration established a multi-disciplinary Task Force on Deterrence of Air Piracy. The work of the Task Force in de...

75 FR 16577 - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-01

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). ACTION: Notice with request for comments. SUMMARY: The Secretary Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF) in August 2009 to...

77 FR 18307 - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force Report

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-27

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force Report AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Secretary Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF) in August 2009 to conduct a comprehensive...

78 FR 28292 - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-14

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). ACTION: Notice with request for comments. SUMMARY: The Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF) in August 2009 to...

76 FR 65321 - Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-20

... DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). ACTION: Notice with request for comments. SUMMARY: The Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) established the Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses Task Force (GWVI-TF) in August 2009 to...

78 FR 63208 - UPDATE-Meeting of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-23

..., and issues recommendations. These recommendations provide evidence-based options from which decision makers in communities, companies, health departments, health plans and healthcare systems, non..., available resources, and constraints of their constituents. The Task Force's recommendations, along with the...

An introductory handbook for state task forces to combat drunk driving.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-01-01

In June 1982 Governor Robb created a task force to identify and assess efforts under way in Virginia to address the problem of drunken driving and to make recommendations. This booklet was prepared to assist the task force in its deliberations.

Forced Aerobic Exercise Preceding Task Practice Improves Motor Recovery Poststroke.

PubMed

Linder, Susan M; Rosenfeldt, Anson B; Dey, Tanujit; Alberts, Jay L

To understand how two types of aerobic exercise affect upper-extremity motor recovery post-stroke. Our aims were to (1) evaluate the feasibility of having people who had a stroke complete an aerobic exercise intervention and (2) determine whether forced or voluntary exercise differentially facilitates upper-extremity recovery when paired with task practice. Seventeen participants with chronic stroke completed twenty-four 90-min sessions over 8 wk. Aerobic exercise was immediately followed by task practice. Participants were randomized to forced or voluntary aerobic exercise groups or to task practice only. Improvement on the Fugl-Meyer Assessment exceeded the minimal clinically important difference: 12.3, 4.8, and 4.4 for the forced exercise, voluntary exercise, and repetitive task practice-only groups, respectively. Only the forced exercise group exhibited a statistically significant improvement. People with chronic stroke can safely complete intensive aerobic exercise. Forced aerobic exercise may be optimal in facilitating motor recovery associated with task practice. Copyright © 2017 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Analysis of Random Drop for Gateway Congestion Control

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-11-01

effective congest)on control policies. Currently No Gateway Policy is used to relieve and signal congestion, which leads to unfair service to the...early application of the policy removes the pressure of congestion relief and allows more accurate signaling of congestion. ’ To be used effectively ...prompted the need for more effective congestion control policies. Currently No Gateway Policy is used to relieve and signal congestion, which leads to

Nataniel, NAFTA, and Public Health at the U.S.-Mexico Border.

PubMed

Olson, Tom; Tapia, Sergio

2009-01-01

Advocating overall improvements in health for individuals and communities is a daunting but important task for nurses in particular, and for health care professionals in general. This is particularly true when focusing on the population along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border, a unique region in which distinct cultures, economies, and political systems meet. The purpose of this paper is to confront the assumption that trade and economic expansion automatically translate into improved public health, and to explore policy implications of the public health situation at the border. It uses a meta-narrative, an overarching story that draws on and illustrates collective stories from 300 participants in a study of mental health disparities, to argue for a more nuanced and complex understanding of health among the largely Hispanic population in this region.

Response to Vogelstein: How the 2012 AAP Task Force on circumcision went wrong.

PubMed

Van Howe, Robert S

2018-01-01

Vogelstein cautions medical organizations against jumping into the fray of controversial issues, yet proffers the 2012 American Academy of Pediatrics' Task Force policy position on infant male circumcision as 'an appropriate use of position-statements.' Only a scratch below the surface of this policy statement uncovers the Task Force's failure to consider Vogelstein's many caveats. The Task Force supported the cultural practice by putting undeserved emphasis on questionable scientific data, while ignoring or underplaying the importance of valid contrary scientific data. Without any effort to quantitatively assess the risk/benefit balance, the Task Force concluded the benefits of circumcision outweighed the risks, while acknowledging that the incidence of risks was unknown. This Task Force differed from other Academy policy-forming panels by ignoring the Academy's standard quality measures and by not appointing members with extensive research experience, extensive publications, or recognized expertise directly related to this topic. Despite nearly 100 publications available at the time addressing the substantial ethical issues associated with infant male circumcision, the Task Force chose to ignore the ethical controversy. They merely stated, with minimal justification, the opinion of one of the Task Force members that the practice of infant male circumcision is morally permissible. The release of the report has fostered an explosion of academic discussion on the ethics of infant male circumcision with a number of national medical organizations now decrying the practice as a human rights violation. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Task analysis of Air Force pharmacy practice.

PubMed

Bartholomew, A; Sawyer, W T; Coats, L

1995-01-15

The frequency with which United States Air Force pharmacists perform specific professional tasks and the pharmacists' views as to the importance of those tasks were studied. A questionnaire was prepared that asked recipients to rate each of 36 tasks selected as representing the spectrum of practice activities. There were four categories of tasks: managerial tasks, dispensing tasks, drug information tasks, and patient care tasks. Recipients rated the tasks with respect to frequency of performance and importance on separate 6-point scales. The questionnaire was mailed in May 1991 to the 225 pharmacists then serving in the Air Force worldwide. Of the 225 questionnaires, 150 usable questionnaires were returned (response rate, 67%). All the tasks in the survey were performed by at least one Air Force pharmacy officer, although the frequency of task performance varied. In particular, the frequency of many patient care tasks was low. All the tasks were perceived to have some importance, but drug information tasks were rated as being significantly more important than tasks in the other categories; patient care tasks were rated lowest in importance. The results varied with the respondents' demographic characteristics. Pharmacy officers with more years of service, more senior positions, higher rank, or an advanced degree in a field other than pharmacy tended to give responses that diverged from those of the population. A 1991 survey showed an awareness among Air Force pharmacists of the need to orient practice around patient care; however, they were not spending substantial time on patient care and tended to view it as less important than more traditional pharmacy tasks.

Grip force control in individuals with multiple sclerosis.

PubMed

Iyengar, Veena; Santos, Marcio J; Ko, Michael; Aruin, Alexander S

2009-10-01

Appropriate regulation of grip force is essential in performance of various activities of daily living such as drinking, eating, buttoning a shirt, and so on. The extent to which individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) are able to regulate grip forces while performing elements of the activities of daily living is largely unknown. . To investigate how individuals with MS control grip force during performance of functional tasks. . This study evaluated the grip force control in selected individuals with MS (n = 9) and healthy control subjects (n = 9) while they performed the task of lifting and placing an instrumented object on a shelf and the task of lifting the object and bringing it close to the mouth to mimic drinking. The grip forces, object acceleration, force ratio, and time lag were recorded and analyzed. . The individuals with MS used significantly larger peak grip force and force ratio than control subjects while performing both tasks and for both hands. In addition, the time lag between the peaks of grip and load forces was significantly longer in individuals with MS. . The application of excessive grip force could predispose individuals with MS to additional fatigue and musculoskeletal overuse trauma. Rehabilitation protocols for the MS population may need to account for increased levels of grip force applied during the performance of functional tasks.

76 FR 52932 - Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-24

... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Natural Resources Conservation Service Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will meet to continue discussions on...

Using grasping tasks to evaluate hand force coordination in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy.

PubMed

Mackenzie, Samuel J; Getchell, Nancy; Modlesky, Christopher M; Miller, Freeman; Jaric, Slobodan

2009-08-01

Mackenzie SJ, Getchell N, Modlesky CM, Miller F, Jaric S. Using grasping tasks to evaluate hand force coordination in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. To assess force coordination in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP) using a device that allows for testing both unimanual and bimanual manipulation tasks performed under static and dynamic conditions. Nonequivalent groups design. University research laboratory for motor control. Six children with hemiplegic CP (age, mean +/- SD, 11.6+/-1.8 y) and 6 typically developing controls (11.6+/-1.6 y). Not applicable. Children performed simple lifting and force-matching static ramp tasks by way of both unimanual and bimanual pulling using a device that measures grip force (force acting perpendicularly at the digits-device contact area) and load force (tangential force). Main outcome measures were grip/load force ratios (grip force scaling) and correlation coefficients (force coupling). CP subjects showed significantly higher grip/load force ratios (P<.05) and slightly lower correlation coefficients than the control group, with more pronounced differences for most tasks when using their involved hand. For subjects with CP, switching from unimanual to bimanual conditions did not bring changes in scaling or coupling for the involved hand (P>.05). Compared with healthy children, the impaired hand function in the hemiplegic CP pediatric population could be reflected in excessive grip force that is also decoupled from ongoing changes in load force. Therefore, the bimanual grip load device used in this study could provide a sensitive measure of grip force coordination in CP, although nonmotor deficits should be taken into account when asking children to perform more complex tasks.

Comparing Perceptions and Measures of Congestion

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-10-01

Peoples perception of congestion and the actual measured congestion do not always agree. Measured : congestion relates to the delay resulting from field measurements of traffic volume, speed, and travel : time. Peoples perception of congestion ...

77 FR 3241 - Intent To Hold North Dakota Task Force Meeting as Established by the Missouri River Protection...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-23

... duties of the Task Force are to prepare and approve a plan for the use of the funds made available under... of the Task Force are to prepare and approve a plan for the use of the funds made available under... Force Meeting as Established by the Missouri River Protection and Improvement Act of 2000 (Title VII...

75 FR 33838 - NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-15

... NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [Notice (10-065)] NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. ACTION... amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a meeting of the Ad-Hoc Task Force on...

75 FR 15742 - NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-30

... NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [Notice: (10-035)] NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. ACTION... amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a meeting of the Ad-Hoc Task Force on...

Honeywell's Working Parents Task Force. Final Report and Recommendations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honeywell, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.

This publication provides a summary of the Honeywell Working Parent Task Force's recommendations on how to solve problems experienced by working parents. The Task Force consisted of three committees: the Employment Practices Committee (EPC); the Parent Education Committee (PEC); and the Child Care Facilities Committee (CCFC). After examining a…

77 FR 71471 - Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development; Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-30

... SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development; Notice of Meeting AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice of open Federal Interagency... agenda for its public meeting of the Interagency Task Force on Veterans Small Business Development. The...

75 FR 34439 - Defense Science Board Task Force on Nuclear Treaty Monitoring and Verification

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-17

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Science Board Task Force on Nuclear Treaty... meetings. SUMMARY: The Defense Science Board Task Force on Nuclear Treaty Monitoring and Verification will... Applications International Corporation, 4001 North Fairfax Drive, Suite 300, Arlington, VA. FOR FURTHER...

76 FR 70913 - Retrospective Review Under Executive Order 13579

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-16

... Fukushima Task Force Report. DATES: November 16, 2011. ADDRESSES: You can access publicly available... Enhancing Reactor Safety in the 21st Century: The Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report, ML111861807), was issued. The Commission has...

76 FR 55394 - Meeting of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-07

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the...), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease... (Task Force). The Task Force--an independent, nonfederal body of nationally known leaders in public...

76 FR 4115 - Meeting of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-24

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the...), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease... (Task Force). The Task Force--an independent, nonfederal body of nationally known leaders in public...

75 FR 63846 - Meeting of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-18

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Meeting of the...), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ACTION: Notice of meeting. SUMMARY: The Centers for Disease... (Task Force). The Task Force is an independent, nonfederal body of nationally known leaders in public...

75 FR 48929 - Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-12

... Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), United States... Triangle Park, North Carolina 27711; (919) 541-5400. The Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will meet to continue discussions on air quality issues relating to agriculture. Additionally, the Livestock...

NASA replanning efforts continue

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katzoff, Judith A.

A task force of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is producing new launch schedules for NASA's three remaining space shuttle orbiters, possibly supplemented by expendable launch vehicles. In the wake of the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986, the task force is assuming a delay of 12-18 months before resumption of shuttle flights.NASA's Headquarters Replanning Task Force, which meets daily, is separate from the agency's Data and Design Analysis Task Force, which collects and analyzes information about the accident for the use of the investigative commission appointed by President Ronald Reagan.

Report of NASA Lunar Energy Enterprise Case Study Task Force

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kearney, John J.

1989-01-01

The Lunar Energy Enterprise Case Study Task Force was asked to determine the economic viability and commercial potential of mining and extracting He-3 from the lunar soil, and transporting the material to Earth for use in a power-generating fusion reactor. Two other space energy projects, the Space Power Station (SPS) and the Lunar Power Station (LPS), were also reviewed because of several interrelated aspects of these projects. The specific findings of the Task Force are presented. Appendices contain related papers generated by individual Task Force Members.

14th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies Task Force Report on Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

PubMed

Cervera, Ricard; Rodríguez-Pintó, Ignasi; Colafrancesco, Serena; Conti, Fabrizio; Valesini, Guido; Rosário, Cristina; Agmon-Levin, Nancy; Shoenfeld, Yehuda; Ferrão, Claudia; Faria, Raquel; Vasconcelos, Carlos; Signorelli, Flavio; Espinosa, Gerard

2014-07-01

The 'Task Force on Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome (CAPS)' was developed on the occasion of the 14th International Congress on Antiphospholipid Antibodies. The objectives of this Task Force were to assess the current knowledge on pathogenesis, clinical and laboratory features, diagnosis and classification, precipitating factors and treatment of this condition in order to address recommendations for future research. This article summarizes the studies analyzed by the Task Force, its recommendations and the future research agenda. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

2005 Defense Economics Conference: Perspectives on the Military Medical Mission

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-22

organized, formal level to take certain areas like congestive heart failure, diabetes, asthma, obesity —areas where we see a lot of expenditure of...Australia and overseas, including a tour of Malaysia . Air Vice Marshal Austin was made a member of the Order of Australia in 1997 for services to...provided aviation medicine support to the Australian Defence Force within Australia and overseas, including a tour of Malaysia . Air Vice Marshal

US Space Superiority: It was Good While it Lasted; Exploring the Contesting and Congesting of the Space Domain

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-04-11

of the Graduation Requirements Advisors: Dr. John T. Ackerman Dr. Kathleen Mahoney -Norris Maxwell Air Force...like to thank my advisors, Dr. John Ackerman and Dr. Kathleen Mahoney -Norris, for creating and administering the Future Trends course with such...Security Act of 2011. 49 Newman , Andrew. The Truth About Oil. 50 Miner, Dan. Beyond Oil: Appendix B: Fuel Depletion and Peak Oil Guarantee Volatility

Fitts’ Law in the Control of Isometric Grip Force With Naturalistic Targets

PubMed Central

Thumser, Zachary C.; Slifkin, Andrew B.; Beckler, Dylan T.; Marasco, Paul D.

2018-01-01

Fitts’ law models the relationship between amplitude, precision, and speed of rapid movements. It is widely used to quantify performance in pointing tasks, study human-computer interaction, and generally to understand perceptual-motor information processes, including research to model performance in isometric force production tasks. Applying Fitts’ law to an isometric grip force task would allow for quantifying grasp performance in rehabilitative medicine and may aid research on prosthetic control and design. We examined whether Fitts’ law would hold when participants attempted to accurately produce their intended force output while grasping a manipulandum when presented with images of various everyday objects (we termed this the implicit task). Although our main interest was the implicit task, to benchmark it and establish validity, we examined performance against a more standard visual feedback condition via a digital force-feedback meter on a video monitor (explicit task). Next, we progressed from visual force feedback with force meter targets to the same targets without visual force feedback (operating largely on feedforward control with tactile feedback). This provided an opportunity to see if Fitts’ law would hold without vision, and allowed us to progress toward the more naturalistic implicit task (which does not include visual feedback). Finally, we changed the nature of the targets from requiring explicit force values presented as arrows on a force-feedback meter (explicit targets) to the more naturalistic and intuitive target forces implied by images of objects (implicit targets). With visual force feedback the relation between task difficulty and the time to produce the target grip force was predicted by Fitts’ law (average r2 = 0.82). Without vision, average grip force scaled accurately although force variability was insensitive to the target presented. In contrast, images of everyday objects generated more reliable grip forces without the visualized force meter. In sum, population means were well-described by Fitts’ law for explicit targets with vision (r2 = 0.96) and implicit targets (r2 = 0.89), but not as well-described for explicit targets without vision (r2 = 0.54). Implicit targets should provide a realistic see-object-squeeze-object test using Fitts’ law to quantify the relative speed-accuracy relationship of any given grasper. PMID:29773999

Delivering Faster Congestion Feedback with the Mark-Front Strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Chunlei; Jain, Raj

2001-01-01

Computer networks use congestion feedback from the routers and destinations to control the transmission load. Delivering timely congestion feedback is essential to the performance of networks. Reaction to the congestion can be more effective if faster feedback is provided. Current TCP/IP networks use timeout, duplicate Acknowledgement Packets (ACKs) and explicit congestion notification (ECN) to deliver the congestion feedback, each provides a faster feedback than the previous method. In this paper, we propose a markfront strategy that delivers an even faster congestion feedback. With analytical and simulation results, we show that mark-front strategy reduces buffer size requirement, improves link efficiency and provides better fairness among users. Keywords: Explicit Congestion Notification, mark-front, congestion control, buffer size requirement, fairness.

Commando Raids: 1946-1983.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-10-01

excluded, the success rate of elite forces declines to 33 percent. Nevertheless, commando and commando-type warfare possesses a number of advantages: * It...operations took place. When these two operations are excluded, the rate of success of elite forces declines significantly (to 33 percent). Commando units...102-103. 1°. -53- (68) Operation Aztec : attack on Jorge do Limpopo, Mapai, and Madulo Pan, Mozambique, May/June 1977: Cross-border operation

Covert face recognition in congenital prosopagnosia: a group study.

PubMed

Rivolta, Davide; Palermo, Romina; Schmalzl, Laura; Coltheart, Max

2012-03-01

Even though people with congenital prosopagnosia (CP) never develop a normal ability to "overtly" recognize faces, some individuals show indices of "covert" (or implicit) face recognition. The aim of this study was to demonstrate covert face recognition in CP when participants could not overtly recognize the faces. Eleven people with CP completed three tasks assessing their overt face recognition ability, and three tasks assessing their "covert" face recognition: a Forced choice familiarity task, a Forced choice cued task, and a Priming task. Evidence of covert recognition was observed with the Forced choice familiarity task, but not the Priming task. In addition, we propose that the Forced choice cued task does not measure covert processing as such, but instead "provoked-overt" recognition. Our study clearly shows that people with CP demonstrate covert recognition for faces that they cannot overtly recognize, and that behavioural tasks vary in their sensitivity to detect covert recognition in CP. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Srl. All rights reserved.

Investigating the effect of freeway congestion thresholds on decision-making inputs.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-05-01

Congestion threshold is embedded in the congestion definition. Two basic approaches exist in : current practice for setting the congestion threshold. One common approach uses the free-flow or : unimpeded conditions as the congestion threshold. ...

Report of the Fermilab ILC Citizens' Task Force

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

None

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory convened the ILC Citizens' Task Force to provide guidance and advice to the laboratory to ensure that community concerns and ideas are included in all public aspects of planning and design for a proposed future accelerator, the International Linear Collider. In this report, the members of the Task Force describe the process they used to gather and analyze information on all aspects of the proposed accelerator and its potential location at Fermilab in northern Illinois. They present the conclusions and recommendations they reached as a result of the learning process and their subsequent discussions and deliberations.more » While the Task Force was charged to provide guidance on the ILC, it became clear during the process that the high cost of the proposed accelerator made a near-term start for the project at Fermilab unlikely. Nevertheless, based on a year of extensive learning and dialogue, the Task Force developed a series of recommendations for Fermilab to consider as the laboratory develops all successor projects to the Tevatron. The Task Force recognizes that bringing a next-generation particle physics project to Fermilab will require both a large international effort and the support of the local community. While the Task Force developed its recommendations in response to the parameters of a future ILC, the principles they set forth apply directly to any large project that may be conceived at Fermilab, or at other laboratories, in the future. With this report, the Task Force fulfills its task of guiding Fermilab from the perspective of the local community on how to move forward with a large-scale project while building positive relationships with surrounding communities. The report summarizes the benefits, concerns and potential impacts of bringing a large-scale scientific project to northern Illinois.« less

Using Eye-Tracking Data and Mouse Cursor Location To Examine Visual Alerting in a Multi-Display Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-23

displays. Border alerts were similar in width and colour but surrounded the entire perimeter of the display. Secondary task The secondary task...cognitive processes. Cognitive Psychology , 8, 441-480. Li, G., Wang, W., Li, S., Cheng, B., & Green, P. (2014). Effectiveness of flashing brake and hazard...T., Engbert, R., & Henderson, J. (2010). CRISP: A computational model of fixation durations in scene viewing. Psychological Review, 117(2), 382-405

Learning for Semantic Parsing and Natural Language Generation Using Statistical Machine Translation Techniques

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-08-01

In this domain, queries typically show a deeply nested structure, which makes the semantic parsing task rather challenging , e.g.: What states border...only 80% of the GEOQUERY queries are semantically tractable, which shows that GEOQUERY is indeed a more challenging domain than ATIS. Note that none...a particularly challenging task, because of the inherent ambiguity of natural languages on both sides. It has inspired a large body of research. In

Reducing congestion : congestion pricing has promise for improving use of transportation infrastructure

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-05-06

Congestion pricing can potentially reduce congestion by providing incentives for drivers to shift trips to off-peak periods, use less congested routes, or use alternative modes, thereby spreading out demand for available transportation infrastructure...

Understanding the topological characteristics and flow complexity of urban traffic congestion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Tzai-Hung; Chin, Wei-Chien-Benny; Lai, Pei-Chun

2017-05-01

For a growing number of developing cities, the capacities of streets cannot meet the rapidly growing demand of cars, causing traffic congestion. Understanding the spatial-temporal process of traffic flow and detecting traffic congestion are important issues associated with developing sustainable urban policies to resolve congestion. Therefore, the objective of this study is to propose a flow-based ranking algorithm for investigating traffic demands in terms of the attractiveness of street segments and flow complexity of the street network based on turning probability. Our results show that, by analyzing the topological characteristics of streets and volume data for a small fraction of street segments in Taipei City, the most congested segments of the city were identified successfully. The identified congested segments are significantly close to the potential congestion zones, including the officially announced most congested streets, the segments with slow moving speeds at rush hours, and the areas near significant landmarks. The identified congested segments also captured congestion-prone areas concentrated in the business districts and industrial areas of the city. Identifying the topological characteristics and flow complexity of traffic congestion provides network topological insights for sustainable urban planning, and these characteristics can be used to further understand congestion propagation.

Status Report on Activities of the Systems Assessment Task Force, OECD-NEA Expert Group on Accident Tolerant Fuels for LWRs

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

Bragg-Sitton, Shannon Michelle

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development /Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) Nuclear Science Committee approved the formation of an Expert Group on Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) for LWRs (EGATFL) in 2014. Chaired by Kemal Pasamehmetoglu, INL Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Science and Technology, the mandate for the EGATFL defines work under three task forces: (1) Systems Assessment, (2) Cladding and Core Materials, and (3) Fuel Concepts. Scope for the Systems Assessment task force includes definition of evaluation metrics for ATF, technology readiness level definition, definition of illustrative scenarios for ATF evaluation, parametric studies, and selection of system codes. Themore » Cladding and Core Materials and Fuel Concepts task forces will identify gaps and needs for modeling and experimental demonstration; define key properties of interest; identify the data necessary to perform concept evaluation under normal conditions and illustrative scenarios; identify available infrastructure (internationally) to support experimental needs; and make recommendations on priorities. Where possible, considering proprietary and other export restrictions (e.g., International Traffic in Arms Regulations), the Expert Group will facilitate the sharing of data and lessons learned across the international group membership. The Systems Assessment Task Force is chaired by Shannon Bragg-Sitton (INL), while the Cladding Task Force will be chaired by a representative from France (Marie Moatti, Electricite de France [EdF]) and the Fuels Task Force will be chaired by a representative from Japan (Masaki Kurata, Japan Atomic Energy Agency [JAEA]). This report provides an overview of the Systems Assessment Task Force charter and status of work accomplishment.« less

Network congestion control algorithm based on Actor-Critic reinforcement learning model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Tao; Gong, Lina; Zhang, Wei; Li, Xuhong; Wang, Xia; Pan, Wenwen

2018-04-01

Aiming at the network congestion control problem, a congestion control algorithm based on Actor-Critic reinforcement learning model is designed. Through the genetic algorithm in the congestion control strategy, the network congestion problems can be better found and prevented. According to Actor-Critic reinforcement learning, the simulation experiment of network congestion control algorithm is designed. The simulation experiments verify that the AQM controller can predict the dynamic characteristics of the network system. Moreover, the learning strategy is adopted to optimize the network performance, and the dropping probability of packets is adaptively adjusted so as to improve the network performance and avoid congestion. Based on the above finding, it is concluded that the network congestion control algorithm based on Actor-Critic reinforcement learning model can effectively avoid the occurrence of TCP network congestion.

Increased reaction times and reduced response preparation already starts at middle age

PubMed Central

Wolkorte, Ria; Kamphuis, Janine; Zijdewind, Inge

2014-01-01

Generalized slowing characterizes aging and there is some evidence to suggest that this slowing already starts at midlife. This study aims to assess reaction time changes while performing a concurrent low-force and high-force motor task in young and middle-aged subjects. The high-force motor task is designed to induce muscle fatigue and thereby progressively increase the attentional demands. Twenty-five young (20–30 years, 12 males) and 16 middle-aged (35–55 years, 9 males) adults performed an auditory two-choice reaction time task (CRT) with and without a concurrent low- or high-force motor task. The CRT required subjects to respond to two different stimuli that occurred with a probability of 70 or 30%. The motor task consisted of index finger abduction, at either 10% (10%-dual-task) or 30% (30%-dual-task) of maximal voluntary force. Cognitive task performance was measured as percentage of correct responses and reaction times. Middle-aged subjects responded slower on the frequent but more accurately on the infrequent stimuli of CRT than young subjects. Both young and middle-aged subjects showed increased errors and reaction times while performing under dual-task conditions and both outcome measures increased further under fatiguing conditions. Only under 30%-dual-task demands, an age-effect on dual-task performance was present. Both single- and dual-task conditions showed that already at mid-life response preparation is seriously declined and that subjects implement different strategies to perform a CRT task. PMID:24808862

TASK FORCE REPORT ON ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MORRIS, ROBERT

THE TASK FORCE ON ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION HAS BEEN CHARGED TO RECOMMEND THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS FOR ASSESSING AND EVALUATING THE SHORT-TERM ACTIVITIES AND THE LONG-TERM ACHIEVEMENTS OF ACTION FOR BOSTON COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. THE GENERAL OBJECTIVES OF THE TASK FORCE ARE--THE ANALYSIS OF DATA RELEVANT FOR EVALUATING DAY-BY-DAY DECISION-MAKING,…

Inter-Association Task Force Report on Image.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Special Libraries Association, Washington, DC.

In 1988, the Board of Directors of the Special Libraries Association provided funding to a task force to gather data which would determine how certain segments of society perceive librarians, how librarians view themselves and their colleagues, and to provide recommendations for addressing the issue of image. The task force project consisted of…

Report of the Social Studies Task Force.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gathman, John; And Others

In 1982 the Colorado Board of Education directed the State Board of Education to organize task forces to address a variety of state educational needs. This report, presented by the Social Studies Task Force, explains the group's purposes and concerns, provides a social studies definition, and outlines the Colorado grades K-12 social studies…

Human Health Effects, Task Force Assessment, Preliminary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aronow, Wilbert S.; And Others

Presented in this preliminary report is one of seven assessments conducted by a special task force of Project Clean Air, the Human Health Effects Task Force. The reports summarize assessments of the state of knowledge on various air pollution problems, particularly in California, and make tentative recommendations as to what the University of…

Report of the Task Force on School Health.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Dept. of Health and Mental Hygiene, Baltimore.

The 1990 Report of the Task Force on School Health examines the current status of Maryland's school health programs and proposes 16 recommendations designed to implement a comprehensive school health (CSH) program to meet the needs of all students. The report describes the Task Force, which was appointed in 1989. After presenting a background on…

A Status Report from the Task Force on Marketing Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keim, William A.; And Others

Concerned with changes in enrollment and credit hour patterns, the chancellor of the Kansas City Metropolitan Community Colleges (MCC) created a special Task Force to consider recommendations for marketing strategies for the 1978-79 academic year. The Task Force reviewed regional and district demography, area population trends and density, age and…

Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability, and Partnerships. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Dept. of Legislative Services, Annapolis.

In 1997, Maryland formed the Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability, and Partnerships. The group made a comprehensive review of education funding and programs in grades K-12 to ensure that students throughout Maryland have an equal opportunity for academic success. The task force's final report features the membership roster, the…

75 FR 43943 - Defense Science Board; Task Force on Nuclear Treaty Monitoring and Verification

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-27

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Defense Science Board; Task Force on Nuclear Treaty... meetings. SUMMARY: The Defense Science Board Task Force on Nuclear Treaty Monitoring and Verification will... held September 13-14, and 25-26, 2010. ADDRESSES: The meetings will be held at Science Applications...

76 FR 69296 - Proposed Models for Plant-Specific Adoption of Technical Specifications Task Force Traveler TSTF...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-08

... Adoption of Technical Specifications Task Force Traveler TSTF-500, Revision 2, ``DC Electrical Rewrite... Technical Specifications Task Force (TSTF) Traveler TSTF-500, Revision 2, ``DC Electrical Rewrite--Update to... Reactor Systems Engineer, Technical Specifications Branch, Mail Stop: O-7 C2A, Division of Inspection and...

28 CFR 16.105 - Exemption of Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force System.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Exemption of Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force System. 16.105 Section 16.105 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PRODUCTION OR... of Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force System. (a) The following system of records is exempt from 5...

26 CFR 54.9815-2713T - Coverage of preventive health services (temporary).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force with respect to the... States Preventive Services Task Force with respect to the individual. The provider bills the plan for an... A or B in the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force with...

National Task Force on Student Aid Problems. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1975

This document presents a full discussion of the activities, findings, and recommendations of the National Task Force on Student Aid Problems. The task force was a voluntary association of concerned and interested agencies and organizations. Its only standing came from the support of those directly concerned with student aid problems. By design and…

Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability, and Partnerships. Preliminary Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland State Dept. of Legislative Services, Annapolis.

In 1997, Maryland formed the Task Force on Education Funding Equity, Accountability, and Partnerships to ensure that students throughout Maryland have an equal opportunity for academic success. The Task Force's preliminary report features a comprehensive review of education funding and programs in grades K-12. The report presents membership and…

78 FR 44034 - Petition for Rulemaking Submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-23

... the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident,'' (Fukushima Task Force Report, ADAMS Accession No. ML111861807..., pages 43-46, of the Fukushima Task Force Report, which discusses the enhancement of spent fuel pool... Commission was still in the process of reviewing the Fukushima Task Force Report, and the NRC did not...

Initial Report of the Task Force on Cultural Competence Education in the Health Sciences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Mexico Higher Education Department, 2007

2007-01-01

This report summarizes the findings and recommendations of the Task Force on Cultural Competence Education and represents the distillation of the Task Force's efforts to fulfill its legislative charge. The report is intended to facilitate a statewide conversation about the health services provided to New Mexico's multicultural citizenry. It…

75 FR 30002 - Federal Advisory Committee; Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-28

... DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE Office of the Secretary Federal Advisory Committee; Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the Military Services AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION: Termination of... Department of Defense gives notice that it is terminating the Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault in the...

Convergence, Competition, Cooperation: The Report of the Governor's Blue Ribbon Telecommunications Infrastructure Task Force. Volume One.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin Governor's Office, Madison.

This report by the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Wisconsin's Telecommunications Infrastructure considers infrastructure to be the common network that connects individual residences, businesses, and agencies, rather than the individual systems and equipment themselves. The task force recognizes that advances in telecommunications technologies and…

The Washington State Task Force on Student Transportation Safety. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington State Legislature, Olympia.

Findings of a study conducted by the Washington State Task Force on Student Transportation Safety are presented in this report. The data-collection process involved four phases: meetings with experts in student transportation and pedestrian safety; public meetings, informational work sessions, and tours of problems areas; task force meetings; and…

Youth Employment. Final Recommendations of the State Superintendent's Task Force.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wisconsin State Dept. of Public Instruction, Madison.

This report contains the final recommendations of the task force on youth employment for the state of Wisconsin. The task force was specifically charged with studying issues related to working teenagers, reviewing existing laws and regulations on child labor, and developing recommendations to ensure that when teenagers work, their jobs do not…

78 FR 10636 - Task Force on Research on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-14

... DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Task Force on Research on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women; Meeting AGENCY: Office on Violence Against Women, United States Department of Justice. ACTION... public meeting of the Task Force on Research on Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women...

32 CFR 700.1053 - Commander of a task force.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Commander of a task force. 700.1053 Section 700.1053 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY... Command Detail to Duty § 700.1053 Commander of a task force. (a) A geographic fleet commander, and any...

32 CFR 700.1053 - Commander of a task force.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Commander of a task force. 700.1053 Section 700.1053 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY... Command Detail to Duty § 700.1053 Commander of a task force. (a) A geographic fleet commander, and any...

32 CFR 700.1053 - Commander of a task force.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Commander of a task force. 700.1053 Section 700.1053 National Defense Department of Defense (Continued) DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY UNITED STATES NAVY... Command Detail to Duty § 700.1053 Commander of a task force. (a) A geographic fleet commander, and any...

77 FR 59627 - Homeland Security Advisory Council

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-28

... purpose of reviewing and deliberating on recommendations by the HSAC's Cyber Skills Task Force. DATES: The.... The HSAC will meet to review and deliberate on the Cyber Skills Task Force report of findings and... details and the Cyber Skills Task Force report will be provided to interested members of the public at the...

Report of the Task Force on Declining Enrollment. Third Revision.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Highline Public Schools, Seattle, WA.

The purpose of this task force was to study the program, facilities, and alternatives of the Highline School District as they relate to enrollment decline. Specifically, the task force was to establish criteria for identifying facilities where changes should be considered; identify and prioritize alternatives for use of excess classroom space; and…

77 FR 1913 - Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-12

... Conservation Service Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural Air Quality Task Force AGENCY: Natural Resources...), Agricultural Air Quality Task Force (AAQTF) will meet to continue discussions on critical air quality issues... relationship between agricultural production and air quality. The meeting is open to the public, and a draft...

Forearm vasodilatation following release of venous congestion

PubMed Central

Caro, C. G.; Foley, T. H.; Sudlow, M. F.

1970-01-01

1. The volume rate of forearm blood flow was measured with a mercury-in-rubber strain gauge, or with a water-filled plethysmograph, from 1 sec after termination of a 2-3 min period of venous congestion. 2. When congesting pressure had been less than 18 mm Hg, average post-congestion flow (five subjects) was constant during approx. 10 sec and not significantly different from resting flow. 3. When congesting pressure had been 30 mm Hg, average post-congestion flow (eight subjects) was 26% higher than resting, during 3-4 sec after release of congestion, but rose to 273% of resting during 4-6 sec after release of congestion. 4. In other studies forearm vascular resistance had been found normal or increased during such venous congestion, and theoretical studies here indicated that passive mechanical factors could not account for the delayed occurrence of high post-congestion flow. 5. It appears, therefore, that the forearm vascular bed dilates actively shortly after release of substantial venous congestion. It would seem more likely that a myogenic mechanism, rather than a metabolic one, is responsible. PMID:5532541

Status Report on Activities of the Systems Assessment Task Force, OECD-NEA Expert Group on Accident Tolerant Fuels for LWRs

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

Bragg-Sitton, Shannon Michelle

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development /Nuclear Energy Agency (OECD/NEA) Nuclear Science Committee approved the formation of an Expert Group on Accident Tolerant Fuel (ATF) for LWRs (EGATFL) in 2014. Chaired by Kemal Pasamehmetoglu, INL Associate Laboratory Director for Nuclear Science and Technology, the mandate for the EGATFL defines work under three task forces: (1) Systems Assessment, (2) Cladding and Core Materials, and (3) Fuel Concepts. Scope for the Systems Assessment task force (TF1) includes definition of evaluation metrics for ATF, technology readiness level definition, definition of illustrative scenarios for ATF evaluation, and identification of fuel performance and systemmore » codes applicable to ATF evaluation. The Cladding and Core Materials (TF2) and Fuel Concepts (TF3) task forces will identify gaps and needs for modeling and experimental demonstration; define key properties of interest; identify the data necessary to perform concept evaluation under normal conditions and illustrative scenarios; identify available infrastructure (internationally) to support experimental needs; and make recommendations on priorities. Where possible, considering proprietary and other export restrictions (e.g., International Traffic in Arms Regulations), the Expert Group will facilitate the sharing of data and lessons learned across the international group membership. The Systems Assessment task force is chaired by Shannon Bragg-Sitton (Idaho National Laboratory [INL], U.S.), the Cladding Task Force is chaired by Marie Moatti (Electricite de France [EdF], France), and the Fuels Task Force is chaired by a Masaki Kurata (Japan Atomic Energy Agency [JAEA], Japan). The original Expert Group mandate was established for June 2014 to June 2016. In April 2016 the Expert Group voted to extend the mandate one additional year to June 2017 in order to complete the task force deliverables; this request was subsequently approved by the Nuclear Science Committee. This report provides an update on the status Systems Assessment Task Force activities.« less

Research on Urban Road Traffic Congestion Charging Based on Sustainable Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Sun

Traffic congestion is a major problem which bothers our urban traffic sustainable development at present. Congestion charging is an effective measure to alleviate urban traffic congestion. The paper first probes into several key issues such as the goal, the pricing, the scope, the method and the redistribution of congestion charging from theoretical angle. Then it introduces congestion charging practice in Singapore and London and draws conclusion and suggestion that traffic congestion charging should take scientific plan, support of public, public transportation development as the premise.

Fifth Report of the NASA Advisory Council Task Force on the Shuttle-Mir Rendezvous and Docking Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

The NASA Advisory Council Task Force on the Shuttle-Mir rendezvous and docking missions examine a number of specific issues related to the Shuttle-Mir program. Three teams composed of Task Force members and technical advisors were formed to address the follow issues: preliminary results from STS-71 and the status of preparations for STS-74; NASA's presence in Russia; and NASA's automated data processing and telecommunications (ADP/T) infrastructure in Russia. The three review team reports have been included in the fifth report of the Task Force.

Enhanced Training by a Systemic Governance of Force Capabilities, Tasks, and Processes

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

18th ICCRTS “C2 in Underdeveloped, Degraded and Denied Operational Environments” Enhanced Training by a Systemic Governance of Force Capabilities...TITLE AND SUBTITLE Enhanced Training by a Systemic Governance of Force Capabilities, Tasks, and Processes 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c...assess, evaluate and accredit the Swedish forces. This paper presents a Systemic Governance of Capabilities, Tasks, and Processes applied to the

Evaluation of pliers' grip spans in the maximum gripping task and sub-maximum cutting task.

PubMed

Kim, Dae-Min; Kong, Yong-Ku

2016-12-01

A total of 25 males participated to investigate the effects of the grip spans of pliers on the total grip force, individual finger forces and muscle activities in the maximum gripping task and wire-cutting tasks. In the maximum gripping task, results showed that the 50-mm grip span had significantly higher total grip strength than the other grip spans. In the cutting task, the 50-mm grip span also showed significantly higher grip strength than the 65-mm and 80-mm grip spans, whereas the muscle activities showed a higher value at 80-mm grip span. The ratios of cutting force to maximum grip strength were also investigated. Ratios of 30.3%, 31.3% and 41.3% were obtained by grip spans of 50-mm, 65-mm, and 80-mm, respectively. Thus, the 50-mm grip span for pliers might be recommended to provide maximum exertion in gripping tasks, as well as lower maximum-cutting force ratios in the cutting tasks.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendations and cancer screening among female Medicare beneficiaries.

PubMed

Salloum, Ramzi G; Kohler, Racquel E; Jensen, Gail A; Sheridan, Stacey L; Carpenter, William R; Biddle, Andrea K

2014-03-01

Medicare covers several cancer screening tests not currently recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (Task Force). In September 2002, the Task Force relaxed the upper age limit of 70 years for breast cancer screening recommendations, and in March 2003 an upper age limit of 65 years was introduced for cervical cancer screening recommendations. We assessed whether mammogram and Pap test utilization among women with Medicare coverage is influenced by changes in the Task Force's recommendations for screening. We identified female Medicare beneficiaries aged 66-80 years and used bivariate probit regression to examine the receipt of breast (mammogram) and cervical (Pap test) cancer screening reflecting changes in the Task Force recommendations. We analyzed 9,760 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey responses from 2001 to 2007. More than two-thirds reported receiving a mammogram and more than one-third a Pap test in the previous 2 years. Lack of recommendation was given as a reason for not getting screened among the majority (51% for mammogram and 75% for Pap). After controlling for beneficiary-level socioeconomic characteristics and access to care factors, we did not observe a significant change in breast and cervical cancer screening patterns following the changes in Task Force recommendations. Although there is evidence that many Medicare beneficiaries adhere to screening guidelines, some women may be receiving non-recommended screening services covered by Medicare.

Deficits in inhibitory force control in young adults with ADHD.

PubMed

Neely, Kristina A; Wang, Peiyuan; Chennavasin, Amanda P; Samimy, Shaadee; Tucker, Jacqueline; Merida, Andrea; Perez-Edgar, Koraly; Huang-Pollock, Cynthia

2017-05-01

Poor inhibitory control is a well-established cognitive correlate of adults with ADHD. However, the simple reaction time (RT) task used in a majority of studies records performance errors only via the presence or absence of a single key press. This all-or-nothing response makes it impossible to capture subtle differences in underlying processes that shape performance. Subsequently, all-or-nothing tasks may underestimate the prevalence of executive function deficits in ADHD. The current study measured inhibitory control using a standard Go/No-Go RT task and a more sensitive continuous grip force task among adults with (N=51, 22 female) and without (N=51, 29 female) ADHD. Compared to adults without ADHD, adults with ADHD made more failed inhibits in the classic Go/No-Go paradigm and produced greater and more variable force during motor inhibition. The amount of force produced on failed inhibits was a stronger predictor of ADHD-related symptoms than the number of commissions in the standard RT task. Adults with ADHD did not differ from those without ADHD on the mean force and variability of force produced in Go trials. These findings suggest that the use of a precise and continuous motor task, such as the force task used here, provides additional information about the nature of inhibitory motor control in adults with ADHD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Interaction between worsening renal function and persistent congestion in acute decompensated heart failure.

PubMed

Wattad, Malak; Darawsha, Wisam; Solomonica, Amir; Hijazi, Maher; Kaplan, Marielle; Makhoul, Badira F; Abassi, Zaid A; Azzam, Zaher S; Aronson, Doron

2015-04-01

Worsening renal function (WRF) and congestion are inextricably related pathophysiologically, suggesting that WRF occurring in conjunction with persistent congestion would be associated with worse clinical outcome. We studied the interdependence between WRF and persistent congestion in 762 patients with acute decompensated heart failure (HF). WRF was defined as ≥0.3 mg/dl increase in serum creatinine above baseline at any time during hospitalization and persistent congestion as ≥1 sign of congestion at discharge. The primary end point was all-cause mortality with mean follow-up of 15 ± 9 months. Readmission for HF was a secondary end point. Persistent congestion was more common in patients with WRF than in patients with stable renal function (51.0% vs 26.6%, p <0.0001). Both persistent congestion and persistent WRF were significantly associated with mortality (both p <0.0001). There was a strong interaction (p = 0.003) between persistent WRF and congestion, such that the increased risk for mortality occurred predominantly with both WRF and persistent congestion. The adjusted hazard ratio for mortality in patients with persistent congestion as compared with those without was 4.16 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.20 to 7.86) in patients with WRF and 1.50 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.93) in patients without WRF. In conclusion, persisted congestion is frequently associated with WRF. We have identified a substantial interaction between persistent congestion and WRF such that congestion portends increased mortality particularly when associated with WRF. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimation of lumbar spinal loading and trunk muscle forces during asymmetric lifting tasks: application of whole-body musculoskeletal modelling in OpenSim.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun-Kyung; Zhang, Yanxin

2017-04-01

Large spinal compressive force combined with axial torsional shear force during asymmetric lifting tasks is highly associated with lower back injury (LBI). The aim of this study was to estimate lumbar spinal loading and muscle forces during symmetric lifting (SL) and asymmetric lifting (AL) tasks using a whole-body musculoskeletal modelling approach. Thirteen healthy males lifted loads of 7 and 12 kg under two lifting conditions (SL and AL). Kinematic data and ground reaction force data were collected and then processed by a whole-body musculoskeletal model. The results show AL produced a significantly higher peak lateral shear force as well as greater peak force of psoas major, quadratus lumborum, multifidus, iliocostalis lumborum pars lumborum, longissimus thoracis pars lumborum and external oblique than SL. The greater lateral shear forces combined with higher muscle force and asymmetrical muscle contractions may have the biomechanical mechanism responsible for the increased risk of LBI during AL. Practitioner Summary: Estimating lumbar spinal loading and muscle forces during free-dynamic asymmetric lifting tasks with a whole-body musculoskeletal modelling in OpenSim is the core value of this research. The results show that certain muscle groups are fundamentally responsible for asymmetric movement, thereby producing high lumbar spinal loading and muscle forces, which may increase risks of LBI during asymmetric lifting tasks.

Finger Interdependence: Linking the Kinetic and Kinematic Variables

PubMed Central

Kim, Sun Wook; Shim, Jae Kun; Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M.; Latash, Mark L.

2008-01-01

We studied the dependence between voluntary motion of a finger and pressing forces produced by the tips of other fingers of the hand. Subjects moved one of the fingers (task finger) of the right hand trying to follow a cyclic, ramp-like flexion-extension template at different frequencies. The other fingers (slave fingers) were restricted from moving; their flexion forces were recorded and analyzed. Index finger motion caused the smallest force production by the slave fingers. Larger forces were produced by the neighbors of the task finger; these forces showed strong modulation over the range of motion of the task finger. The enslaved forces were higher during the flexion phase of the movement cycle as compared to the extension phase. The index of enslaving expressed in N/rad was higher when the task finger moved through the more flexed postures. The dependence of enslaving on both range and direction of task finger motion poses problems for methods of analysis of finger coordination based on an assumption of universal matrices of finger inter-dependence. PMID:18255182

Southeast Asia Report, No. 1283.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-05-05

the national front of resistance , you will achieve new successes in the struggle against the Camp David plot in order to repel the aggression of the...fact stated earlier when its deputy foreign minister, Ha Van Lau, confirmed Vietnam’s intentions to pursue the resistance forces across the border...into Kampuchea more than four years ago, is yet another attempt by Vietnam to undercut the growing strength of the resistance forces which had

Coalition Operations in Afghanistan Post 2014

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-14

country. Their entry standards are higher than the Afghan National Police (ANP) or Afghan Border Patrol ( ABP ). The ANCOP receive more detailed...intelligence. Nonetheless, they do not trust of other forces and are reluctant to share information. The final two elements, the ANP and the ABP ...lower than in other forces. Senior leaders receive positions through bribes or favors. Of the five elements, the ANP and ABP have the most contact

Report of the MLA Task Force on Evaluating Scholarship for Tenure and Promotion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Modern Language Association, 2007

2007-01-01

In 2004 the Executive Council of the Modern Language Association of America (MLA) created a task force to examine current standards and emerging trends in publication requirements for tenure and promotion in English and foreign language departments in the United States. To fulfill its charge, the task force reviewed numerous studies, reports, and…

Short-Circuiting the Bureaucracy: Policy Origins in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Hugh Davis

The Great Society's secret task forces created by Lyndon Johnson, particularly in the case-study area of federal education policy, show the use and misuse of the task force device. Modern use of it began with John F. Kennedy. Although he used the task force device effectively sometimes, he did not use it effectively in his educational programs in…

77 FR 39724 - U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-05

...-DS61200000] U.S. Coral Reef Task Force Public Meeting and Public Comment AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service... Wildlife Service (Service), announce a public meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force (USCRTF) and a... strengthen U.S. government actions to better preserve and protect coral reef ecosystems. The Departments of...

Idaho Rural Education Task Force. Public School Information. Legislative Report, 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Idaho State Department of Education, 2008

2008-01-01

The Idaho Rural Education Task Force was formed in July 2007 with the goal of proposing and examining solutions to challenges facing rural schools. The task force's work this year has focused on three areas: recruitment and retention of highly qualified teachers, funding shortages related to insurance costs and staff allowances, and the technology…

Lifelong Learning NCES Task Force: Final Report, Volume I. Working Paper Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Binkley, Marilyn; Hudson, Lisa; Knepper, Paula; Kolstad, Andy; Stowe, Peter; Wirt, John

In September 1998, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) established a 1-year task force to review the NCES's role concerning lifelong learning. The eight-member task force established a working definition of lifelong learning ("a process or system through which individuals are able and willing to learn at all stages of life,…

Million Hearts 2022: Understanding the Links between Environmental Pollutant Exposure and Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Events - Justus-Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force

EPA Science Inventory

The webinar was requested by the Justus-Warren Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Task Force. From their website, “The task force was established in 1995 in North Carolina to provide statewide leadership for the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease. Meetings are...

History and background of the California Oak Mortality Task Force (COMTF)

Treesearch

Mark R. Stanley

2006-01-01

The California Oak Mortality Task Force was formed in August 2000 as a consensus group to address the impacts caused by Phytophthora ramorum. It is over 1000 strong with over 80 agencies, universities, public, and private groups currently involved. The Task Force has been a tremendous success and may serve as model for other similar efforts.

77 FR 17534 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Depository Trust Company; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-26

... Association (``SIFMA'') formed the MMI Blue-Sky Task Force (``Task Force'') to address systemic and unique... processing. The Task Force, along other money market industry members,\\8\\ determined that DTC's current MMI... amount or proceeds after the 3 p.m. E.T. deadline for RTP instructions.\\9\\ Accordingly, DTC is proposing...

"Rekindle and Recapture the Love": Establishing System-Wide Indicators of Progress in Community Engagement and Economic Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janke, Emily M.

2014-01-01

In May 2012, University of North Carolina (UNC) President Tom Ross simultaneously commissioned two task forces to develop indicators that all UNC campuses could use to measure "progress in community engagement and economic development." The charge to the Community Engagement Task Force and the Economic Development Task Force was to…

77 FR 16483 - Petition for Rulemaking Submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-21

... Enhancing Reactor Safety in the 21st Century: The Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report, ADAMS Accession No. ML111861807), dated July 12..., of the Fukushima Task Force Report, regarding the enhancement of the ability of nuclear power plants...

San Juan College Task Force on Innovation 1995 Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Nelle

In fall 1994, San Juan College, in New Mexico, established the Task Force on Innovation to examine changes in the paradigm of education and how those changes might affect the college. The Task Force determined that the primary driver of change in education was technology, and specifically the increasing number of means and ease of access to…

Report of the Task Force on Continuing Education and Non-Credit Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ernest, Richard J.; And Others

The Task Force on Continuing Education and Non-Credit Instruction was appointed to develop specific strategies for expanding lifelong learning and non-credit instruction in the Virginia community colleges. The task force reviewed a report on the state funding of non-credit instruction; wrote to the community college coordinating offices in 17…

ACHP | News

Science.gov Websites

Search skip specific nav links Home arrow News arrow June 27, 2012 ACHP Rightsizing Task Force to Meet in Cleveland The ACHP's Rightsizing Task Force will be making a visit to Cleveland, Ohio, June 25-26 for a tour and a listening session and open meeting. The task force will host a public meeting on June 26 at

Responding to Violence and Abuse: Educating Minnesota Professionals for the Future. A Report of the Statewide Task Forces.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota Higher Education Center against Violence and Abuse, St. Paul.

In response to a 1993 Minnesota crime bill, four task forces reviewed violence education in professional higher education programs and made recommendations for legislation and law enforcement. The four task forces--in Law, Health Services, Human Services, and Education--made several critical recommendations that applied across professions:…

National Library of Education Advisory Task Force. Briefing Book.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Library of Education (ED/OERI), Washington, DC.

This briefing book with appendices was prepared for the initial meetings of the National Library of Education Advisory Task Force (NLE/ATF), in March 1996. An agenda for this meeting is included in the briefing book. The first section, "Governing Authorities for NLE and the Advisory Task Force," contains a copy of Public Law 103-227,…

Correlation between border traps and exposed surface properties in gate recessed normally-off Al2O3/GaN MOSFET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Ruiyuan; Li, Yue; Sun, Yu; Wen, Cheng P.; Hao, Yilong; Wang, Maojun

2018-06-01

We report the effect of the gate recess process and the surface of as-etched GaN on the gate oxide quality and first reveal the correlation between border traps and exposed surface properties in normally-off Al2O3/GaN MOSFET. The inductively coupled plasma (ICP) dry etching gate recess with large damage presents a rough and active surface that is prone to form detrimental GaxO validated by atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Lower drain current noise spectral density of the 1/f form and less dispersive ac transconductance are observed in GaN MOSFETs fabricated with oxygen assisted wet etching compared with devices based on ICP dry etching. One decade lower density of border traps is extracted in devices with wet etching according to the carrier number fluctuation model, which is consistent with the result from the ac transconductance method. Both methods show that the density of border traps is skewed towards the interface, indicating that GaxO is of higher trap density than the bulk gate oxide. GaxO located close to the interface is the major location of border traps. The damage-free oxidation assisted wet etching gate recess technique presents a relatively smooth and stable surface, resulting in lower border trap density, which would lead to better MOS channel quality and improved device reliability.

Delay-based virtual congestion control in multi-tenant datacenters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yuxin; Zhu, Danhong; Zhang, Dong

2018-03-01

With the evolution of cloud computing and virtualization, the congestion control of virtual datacenters has become the basic issue for multi-tenant datacenters transmission. Regarding to the friendly conflict of heterogeneous congestion control among multi-tenant, this paper proposes a delay-based virtual congestion control, which translates the multi-tenant heterogeneous congestion control into delay-based feedback uniformly by setting the hypervisor translation layer, modifying three-way handshake of explicit feedback and packet loss feedback and throttling receive window. The simulation results show that the delay-based virtual congestion control can effectively solve the unfairness of heterogeneous feedback congestion control algorithms.

Attainment and retention of force moderation following laparoscopic resection training with visual force feedback.

PubMed

Hernandez, Rafael; Onar-Thomas, Arzu; Travascio, Francesco; Asfour, Shihab

2017-11-01

Laparoscopic training with visual force feedback can lead to immediate improvements in force moderation. However, the long-term retention of this kind of learning and its potential decay are yet unclear. A laparoscopic resection task and force sensing apparatus were designed to assess the benefits of visual force feedback training. Twenty-two male university students with no previous experience in laparoscopy underwent relevant FLS proficiency training. Participants were randomly assigned to either a control or treatment group. Both groups trained on the task for 2 weeks as follows: initial baseline, sixteen training trials, and post-test immediately after. The treatment group had visual force feedback during training, whereas the control group did not. Participants then performed four weekly test trials to assess long-term retention of training. Outcomes recorded were maximum pulling and pushing forces, completion time, and rated task difficulty. Extreme maximum pulling force values were tapered throughout both the training and retention periods. Average maximum pushing forces were significantly lowered towards the end of training and during retention period. No significant decay of applied force learning was found during the 4-week retention period. Completion time and rated task difficulty were higher during training, but results indicate that the difference eventually fades during the retention period. Significant differences in aptitude across participants were found. Visual force feedback training improves on certain aspects of force moderation in a laparoscopic resection task. Results suggest that with enough training there is no significant decay of learning within the first month of the retention period. It is essential to account for differences in aptitude between individuals in this type of longitudinal research. This study shows how an inexpensive force measuring system can be used with an FLS Trainer System after some retrofitting. Surgical instructors can develop their own tasks and adjust force feedback levels accordingly.

A teleoperation training simulator with visual and kinesthetic force virtual reality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Won S.; Schenker, Paul

1992-01-01

A force-reflecting teleoperation training simulator with a high-fidelity real-time graphics display has been developed for operator training. A novel feature of this simulator is that it enables the operator to feel contact forces and torques through a force-reflecting controller during the execution of the simulated peg-in-hole task, providing the operator with the feel of visual and kinesthetic force virtual reality. A peg-in-hole task is used in our simulated teleoperation trainer as a generic teleoperation task. A quasi-static analysis of a two-dimensional peg-in-hole task model has been extended to a three-dimensional model analysis to compute contact forces and torques for a virtual realization of kinesthetic force feedback. The simulator allows the user to specify force reflection gains and stiffness (compliance) values of the manipulator hand for both the three translational and the three rotational axes in Cartesian space. Three viewing modes are provided for graphics display: single view, two split views, and stereoscopic view.

Integrating Medical Simulation Into the Physician Assistant Physiology Curriculum.

PubMed

Li, Lixin; Lopes, John; Zhou, Joseph Yi; Xu, Biao

2016-12-01

Medical simulation has recently been used in medical education, and evidence indicates that it is a valuable tool for teaching and evaluation. Very few studies have evaluated the integration of medical simulation in medical physiology education, particularly in PA programs. This study was designed to assess the value of integrating medical simulation into the PA physiology curriculum. Seventy-five students from the PA program at Central Michigan University participated in this study. Mannequin-based simulation was used to simulate a patient with hemorrhagic shock and congestive heart failure to demonstrate the Frank-Starling force and cardiac function curve. Before and after the medical simulation, students completed a questionnaire as a self-assessment. A knowledge test was also delivered after the simulation. Our study demonstrated a significant improvement in student confidence in understanding congestive heart failure, hemorrhagic shock, and the Frank-Starling curve after the simulation. Medical simulation may be an effective way to enhance basic science learning experiences for students and an ideal supplement to traditional, lecture-based teaching in PA education.

Improving child and adolescent psychiatry education for medical students: an inter-organizational collaborative action plan.

PubMed

Fox, Geraldine S; Stock, Saundra; Briscoe, Gregory W; Beck, Gary L; Horton, Rita; Hunt, Jeffrey I; Liu, Howard Y; Partner Rutter, Ashley; Sexson, Sandra; Schlozman, Steven C; Stubbe, Dorothy E; Stuber, Margaret L

2012-11-01

A new Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Medical Education (CAPME) Task Force, sponsored by the Association for Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (ADMSEP), has created an inter-organizational partnership between child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) educators and medical student educators in psychiatry. This paper outlines the task force design and strategic plan to address the long-standing dearth of CAP training for medical students. The CAPME ADMSEP Task Force, formed in 2010, identified common challenges to teaching CAP among ADMSEP's CAPME Task Force members, utilizing focus-group discussions and a needs-assessment survey. The Task Force was organized into five major sections, with inter-organizational action plans to address identified areas of need, such as portable modules and development of benchmark CAP competencies. The authors predict that all new physicians, regardless of specialty, will be better trained in CAP. Increased exposure may also improve recruitment into this underserved area.

Revised American Thyroid Association guidelines for the management of medullary thyroid carcinoma.

PubMed

Wells, Samuel A; Asa, Sylvia L; Dralle, Henning; Elisei, Rossella; Evans, Douglas B; Gagel, Robert F; Lee, Nancy; Machens, Andreas; Moley, Jeffrey F; Pacini, Furio; Raue, Friedhelm; Frank-Raue, Karin; Robinson, Bruce; Rosenthal, M Sara; Santoro, Massimo; Schlumberger, Martin; Shah, Manisha; Waguespack, Steven G

2015-06-01

The American Thyroid Association appointed a Task Force of experts to revise the original Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: Management Guidelines of the American Thyroid Association. The Task Force identified relevant articles using a systematic PubMed search, supplemented with additional published materials, and then created evidence-based recommendations, which were set in categories using criteria adapted from the United States Preventive Services Task Force Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The original guidelines provided abundant source material and an excellent organizational structure that served as the basis for the current revised document. The revised guidelines are focused primarily on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and hereditary MTC. The Task Force developed 67 evidence-based recommendations to assist clinicians in the care of patients with MTC. The Task Force considers the recommendations to represent current, rational, and optimal medical practice.

Revised American Thyroid Association Guidelines for the Management of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma

PubMed Central

Asa, Sylvia L.; Dralle, Henning; Elisei, Rossella; Evans, Douglas B.; Gagel, Robert F.; Lee, Nancy; Machens, Andreas; Moley, Jeffrey F.; Pacini, Furio; Raue, Friedhelm; Frank-Raue, Karin; Robinson, Bruce; Rosenthal, M. Sara; Santoro, Massimo; Schlumberger, Martin; Shah, Manisha; Waguespack, Steven G.

2015-01-01

Introduction: The American Thyroid Association appointed a Task Force of experts to revise the original Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: Management Guidelines of the American Thyroid Association. Methods: The Task Force identified relevant articles using a systematic PubMed search, supplemented with additional published materials, and then created evidence-based recommendations, which were set in categories using criteria adapted from the United States Preventive Services Task Force Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The original guidelines provided abundant source material and an excellent organizational structure that served as the basis for the current revised document. Results: The revised guidelines are focused primarily on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with sporadic medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) and hereditary MTC. Conclusions: The Task Force developed 67 evidence-based recommendations to assist clinicians in the care of patients with MTC. The Task Force considers the recommendations to represent current, rational, and optimal medical practice. PMID:25810047

International confederation for cleft lip and palate and related craniofacial anomalies task force report: holistic outcomes.

PubMed

Broder, Hillary L

2014-11-01

Objective : This paper describes the process and outcomes of the 2013 American Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association task force on Holistic Outcomes. The goals and membership of the task force are presented. Methods : Using internet communication, the group introduced themselves, shared ideas and information related to holistic assessment and implementation of using a validated holistic measure, the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) at participating international sites. Results : Data from the sites were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Administration of the COHIP was successful. It varied from self-completion as well as verbal presentation due to language differences and a function of the short time period to complete collection. Additionally qualitative comments were reported by the task force site directors. Conclusions : Future directions for holistic assessment and communication among task force members and sites were discussed at the Congress and are presented in this report.

NASA's Big Data Task Force

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holmes, C. P.; Kinter, J. L.; Beebe, R. F.; Feigelson, E.; Hurlburt, N. E.; Mentzel, C.; Smith, G.; Tino, C.; Walker, R. J.

2017-12-01

Two years ago NASA established the Ad Hoc Big Data Task Force (BDTF - https://science.nasa.gov/science-committee/subcommittees/big-data-task-force), an advisory working group with the NASA Advisory Council system. The scope of the Task Force included all NASA Big Data programs, projects, missions, and activities. The Task Force focused on such topics as exploring the existing and planned evolution of NASA's science data cyber-infrastructure that supports broad access to data repositories for NASA Science Mission Directorate missions; best practices within NASA, other Federal agencies, private industry and research institutions; and Federal initiatives related to big data and data access. The BDTF has completed its two-year term and produced several recommendations plus four white papers for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. This presentation will discuss the activities and results of the TF including summaries of key points from its focused study topics. The paper serves as an introduction to the papers following in this ESSI session.

A Model for Steering with Haptic-Force Guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xing-Dong; Irani, Pourang; Boulanger, Pierre; Bischof, Walter F.

Trajectory-based tasks are common in many applications and have been widely studied. Recently, researchers have shown that even very simple tasks, such as selecting items from cascading menus, can benefit from haptic-force guidance. Haptic guidance is also of significant value in many applications such as medical training, handwriting learning, and in applications requiring precise manipulations. There are, however, only very few guiding principles for selecting parameters that are best suited for proper force guiding. In this paper, we present a model, derived from the steering law that relates movement time to the essential components of a tunneling task in the presence of haptic-force guidance. Results of an experiment show that our model is highly accurate for predicting performance times in force-enhanced tunneling tasks.

Results of telerobotic hand controller study using force information and rate control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willshire, Kelli F.; Harrison, F. W.; Hogge, Edward F.; Williams, Robert L.; Soloway, Donald

1992-01-01

To increase quantified information about the effectiveness and subjective workload of force information relayed through manipulator input control devices, a space related task was performed by eight subjects with kinesthetic force feedback and/or local force accommodation through three different input control devices (i.e., hand controllers) operating in rate control mode. Task completion time, manipulator work, and subjective responses were measured. Results indicated a difference among the hand controllers. For the Honeywell six degree-of-freedom hand controller, the overall task completion times were shortest, the amount of work exerted was the least, and was the most preferred by test subjects. Neither force accommodation with or without reflection resulted in shorter task completion times or reduced work although those conditions were better than no force information for some aspects. Comparisons of results from previous studies are discussed.

Dynamic route guidance strategy in a two-route pedestrian-vehicle mixed traffic flow system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Mianfang; Xiong, Shengwu; Li, Bixiang

2016-05-01

With the rapid development of transportation, traffic questions have become the major issue for social, economic and environmental aspects. Especially, during serious emergencies, it is very important to alleviate road traffic congestion and improve the efficiency of evacuation to reduce casualties, and addressing these problems has been a major task for the agencies responsible in recent decades. Advanced road guidance strategies have been developed for homogeneous traffic flows, or to reduce traffic congestion and enhance the road capacity in a symmetric two-route scenario. However, feedback strategies have rarely been considered for pedestrian-vehicle mixed traffic flows with variable velocities and sizes in an asymmetric multi-route traffic system, which is a common phenomenon in many developing countries. In this study, we propose a weighted road occupancy feedback strategy (WROFS) for pedestrian-vehicle mixed traffic flows, which considers the system equilibrium to ease traffic congestion. In order to more realistic simulating the behavior of mixed traffic objects, the paper adopted a refined and dynamic cellular automaton model (RDPV_CA model) as the update mechanism for pedestrian-vehicle mixed traffic flow. Moreover, a bounded rational threshold control was introduced into the feedback strategy to avoid some negative effect of delayed information and reduce. Based on comparisons with the two previously proposed strategies, the simulation results obtained in a pedestrian-vehicle traffic flow scenario demonstrated that the proposed strategy with a bounded rational threshold was more effective and system equilibrium, system stability were reached.

Problems and research issues associated with the hybrid control of force and displacement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paul, R. P.

1987-01-01

The hybrid control of force and position is basic to the science of robotics but is only poorly understood. Before much progress can be made in robotics, this problem needs to be solved in a robust manner. However, the use of hybrid control implies the existence of a model of the environment, not an exact model (as the function of hybrid control is to accommodate these errors), but a model appropriate for planning and reasoning. The monitored forces in position control are interpreted in terms of a model of the task as are the monitored displacements in force control. The reaction forces of the task of writing are far different from those of hammering. The programming of actions in such a modeled world becomes more complicated and systems of task level programming need to be developed. Sensor based robotics, of which force sensing is the most basic, implies an entirely new level of technology. Indeed, robot force sensors, no matter how compliant they may be, must be protected from accidental collisions. This implies other sensors to monitor task execution and again the use of a world model. This new level of technology is the task level, in which task actions are specified, not the actions of individual sensors and manipulators.

Identification of Occupational Areas for Indiana's Future. Final Report of the Technology Forecasting Task Force.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Indiana State Commission on Vocational and Technical Education, Indianapolis.

A task force representing the Indiana private sector was convened for two purposes: to (1) identify the impact of technology on required worker skills, the labor market, and the vocational education, training, and employment system; and (2) identify occupational areas that should be future growth areas for the state. Task force members reviewed…

Task Force for Expanding Credit and Noncredit Courses for Students with Intellectual and Development Disabilities. Final Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maryland Higher Education Commission, 2016

2016-01-01

The Task Force to Study the Impact of Expanding Credit and Noncredit Courses for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities was formed in July 2013. Chapter 392, Acts of 2013, (House Bill 813) established the Task Force to Study the Impact of Expanding Credit and Noncredit Courses for Students with Intellectual and Developmental…

Arizona Community Colleges: Report of the Task Force on Community College Enrollment Growth Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arizona State Board of Directors for Community Colleges, Phoenix.

The Task Force on Enrollment Growth Planning (TFEGP), authorized in 1992 by the State Board of Directors for Community Colleges (SBDCC) of Arizona, includes representatives from each community college as well as staff from SBDCC office. The Task Force was created to prepare enrollment growth estimates for community colleges through the year 2010;…

The Educational, Fiscal, and Access Implications of the Fall Academic Calendar. The Report of the Academic Calendar Task Force.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, William B.

In 1991, California's San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) formed a task force to investigate the effects of adopting academic calendars that end either before or after the winter holidays. To gather information, the task force performed a grade distribution analysis among district college students to determine the impact of fall semester…

Report of the Task Force to Explore Feasibility of a Three-Year Baccalaureate Program. Established March 1, 1972.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Dept. of Education, Tallahassee.

Presented in this document are the results of a Task Force study in Florida that explored the feasibility of a baccalaureate degree program that can be completed in 3 academic years. The Task Force addressed itself to the issues surrounding time-shortened degrees: acceleration; locksteps; relevancy of educational objectives to individual and…

Report of the Task Force on the Status of Women at the University of California, Davis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fisher, Kathleen M.

The charge given to the Task Force on the Status of Women at the University of California, Davis, was to determine the employment opportunities for women on the Davis campus. The Task Force addressed itself primarily to 4 major employment categories: non-academic staff, academic staff, faculty, and administration, with lesser consideration given…

A Report by the Governor's Task Force on Vocational and Technical Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Governor's Task Force on Vocational and Technical Education, Columbus, OH.

On July 19, 1968, a Task Force on Vocational and Technical Education was created by the governor of Ohio to develop proposals for organization, financing, and legislation. Some major problems to which the Task Force gave attention were: (1) the serious gap between the need for and the availability of vocational and technical education, (2) the…

76 FR 70067 - Taxpayers and Ratepayers United, et al.; Environmental Impacts of Severe Reactor and Spent Fuel...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-10

... environmental issues raised in the Fukushima Task Force Report. The NRC is not instituting a public comment... Reactor Safety in the 21st Century: The Near-Term Task Force Review of Insights from the Fukushima Dai-ichi Accident'' (Fukushima Task Force Report, ADAMS Accession No. ML111861807), dated July 12, 2011, as...

77 FR 30560 - Proposed Generic Communication; Generic Letter on Seismic Risk Evaluations for Operating Reactors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-23

... the Fukushima Near-Term Task Force Recommendations 2.1 and 2.3. The request for information letters... addressing the Fukushima Near-Term Task Force Recommendations 2.1 and 2.3. The memorandum is available... Fukushima Near-Term Task Force Recommendations 2.1 and 2.3 (ADAMS Accession Number ML12056A046), as...

The APA Task Force on Statistical Inference (TFSI) Report as a Framework for Teaching and Evaluating Students' Understandings of Study Validity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Bruce

Web-based statistical instruction, like all statistical instruction, ought to focus on teaching the essence of the research endeavor: the exercise of reflective judgment. Using the framework of the recent report of the American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on Statistical Inference (Wilkinson and the APA Task Force on Statistical…

Building Bridges to the Information Superhighway: Annual Report of the Disabilities Issues Task Force, Federal Communications Commission (March 1995--April 1996).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC.

This report describes activities and accomplishments of the Federal Communications Commission's Disabilities Issues Task Force on disabilities issues from March 1995 through April 1996, its first year. Introductory material includes a message from the chairman of the Commission and a statement of the Task Force's purpose, which is to address…

U. S. Atlantic Fleet, Task Force 85. Operation Plan Number 3-44

DTIC Science & Technology

1944-07-27

Potential Targets in Sectors of Responsibility Gril /8thPhib/Al6-3 Serial: 0031(P) DEAN/14- Potential Targets in Se_otors t of Respon- sibility...tags accompany the remains, ANNEX QUEEN MEDICAL PLAN - Page 6 of 8 GrIl /8thPhib/Al6-3 WESTERN NAVAL TASK FORCE, Serial: 0037(P) TASK FORCE EIGHTY-FIVE

Credentialing Educational Accomplishment. Report and Recommendations of the Task Force on Educational Credit and Credentials.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Jerry W., Ed.; Mills, Olive, Ed.

The Task Force on Educational Credit and Credentials of the American Council on Education undertook a two-year study to determine how postsecondary education's system for awarding credit and credentials can be changed or its adequacy improved to meet today's educational and social needs. This book sets forth the Task Force's report and…

Tomorrow. The Report of the Task Force for the Study of Chemistry Education in the United States.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Chemical Society, Washington, DC.

An American Chemical Society (ACS) task force was charged to examine the state of chemistry education in the United States and to make recommendations in light of its findings. This document presents the task force's report and 39 major (and also secondary) recommendations. These recommendations, with accompanying discussions, focus on: (1)…

Turning gadflies into allies.

PubMed

Yaziji, Michael

2004-02-01

Multinational companies are the driving force behind globalization, but they are also the source of many of its most painful consequences, including currency crises, cross-border pollution, and overfishing. These problems remain unsolved because they are beyond the scope of individual governments; transnational organizations have also proved unequal to the task. Nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations have leaped into the breach. To force policy changes, they have seized on all forms of modern persuasion to influence public sentiment toward global traders, manufacturers, and investors. By partnering with NGOs instead of opposing them, companies can avoid costly conflict and can use NGOs' assets to gain competitive advantage. So far, however, most companies have proved ill equipped to deal with NGOs. Large companies know how to compete on the basis of product attributes and price. But NGO attacks focus on production methods and their spillover effects, which are often noneconomic. Similarly, NGOs are able to convert companies' standard competitive strengths--such as size and wide market awareness of their brands--into liabilities. That's because the wealthier and better known a company is, the juicier the target it makes. Emboldened by their successes, NGOs continue to take on new causes. By partnering with NGOs instead of reflexively opposing them, companies could draw on NGOs' key strengths--legitimacy, awareness of social forces, distinct networks, and specialized technical expertise--which most companies could use more of. And with NGOs as allies and guides, companies should also be able to accelerate innovation, foresee shifts in demand, shape legislation affecting them, and, in effect, set technical and regulatory standards for their industries.

Enslaving in a serial chain: interactions between grip force and hand force in isometric tasks.

PubMed

Paclet, Florent; Ambike, Satyajit; Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M; Latash, Mark L

2014-03-01

This study was motivated by the double action of extrinsic hand muscles that produce grip force and also contribute to wrist torque. We explored interactions between grip force and wrist torque in isometric force production tasks. In particular, we tested a hypothesis that an intentional change in one of the two kinetic variables would produce an unintentional change in the other (enslaving). When young healthy subjects produced accurate changes in the grip force, only minor effects on the force produced by the hand (by wrist flexion/extension action) were observed. In contrast, a change in the hand force produced consistent changes in grip force in the same direction. The magnitude of such unintentional grip force change was stronger for intentional hand force decrease as compared to hand force increase. These effects increased with the magnitude of the initial grip force. When the subjects were asked to produce accurate total force computed as the sum of the hand and grip forces, strong negative covariation between the two forces was seen across trials interpreted as a synergy stabilizing the total force. An index of this synergy was higher in the space of "modes," hypothetical signals to the two effectors that could be changed by the controller one at a time. We interpret the complex enslaving effects (positive force covariation) as conditioned by typical everyday tasks. The presence of synergic effects (negative, task-specific force covariation) can be naturally interpreted within the referent configuration hypothesis.

Enslaving in a serial chain: Interactions between grip force and hand force in isometric tasks

PubMed Central

Paclet, Florent; Ambike, Satyajit; Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M.; Latash, Mark L.

2014-01-01

This study was motivated by the double action of extrinsic hand muscles that produce grip force and also contribute to wrist torque. We explored interactions between grip force and wrist torque in isometric force production tasks. In particular, we tested a hypothesis that an intentional change in one of the two kinetic variables would produce an unintentional change in the other (enslaving). When young healthy subjects produced accurate changes in the grip force, only minor effects on the force produced by the hand (by wrist flexion/extension action) were observed. In contrast, a change in the hand force produced consistent changes in grip force in the same direction. The magnitude of such unintentional grip force change was stronger for intentional hand force decrease as compared to hand force increase. These effects increased with the magnitude of the initial grip force. When the subjects were asked to produce accurate total force computed as the sum of the hand and grip forces, strong negative co-variation between the two forces was seen across trials interpreted as a synergy stabilizing the total force. An index of this synergy was higher in the space of “modes”, hypothetical signals to the two effectors that could be changed by the controller one at a time. We interpret the complex enslaving effects (positive force co-variation) as conditioned by typical everyday tasks. The presence of synergic effects (negative, task-specific force co-variation) can be naturally interpreted within the referent configuration hypothesis. PMID:24309747

The interaction of force and repetition on musculoskeletal and neural tissue responses and sensorimotor behavior in a rat model of work-related musculoskeletal disorders

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background We examined the relationship of musculoskeletal risk factors underlying force and repetition on tissue responses in an operant rat model of repetitive reaching and pulling, and if force x repetition interactions were present, indicative of a fatigue failure process. We examined exposure-dependent changes in biochemical, morphological and sensorimotor responses occurring with repeated performance of a handle-pulling task for 12 weeks at one of four repetition and force levels: 1) low repetition with low force, 2) high repetition with low force, 3) low repetition with high force, and 4) high repetition with high force (HRHF). Methods Rats underwent initial training for 4–6 weeks, and then performed one of the tasks for 12 weeks, 2 hours/day, 3 days/week. Reflexive grip strength and sensitivity to touch were assayed as functional outcomes. Flexor digitorum muscles and tendons, forelimb bones, and serum were assayed using ELISA for indicators of inflammation, tissue stress and repair, and bone turnover. Histomorphometry was used to assay macrophage infiltration of tissues, spinal cord substance P changes, and tissue adaptative or degradative changes. MicroCT was used to assay bones for changes in bone quality. Results Several force x repetition interactions were observed for: muscle IL-1alpha and bone IL-1beta; serum TNFalpha, IL-1alpha, and IL-1beta; muscle HSP72, a tissue stress and repair protein; histomorphological evidence of tendon and cartilage degradation; serum biomarkers of bone degradation (CTXI) and bone formation (osteocalcin); and morphological evidence of bone adaptation versus resorption. In most cases, performance of the HRHF task induced the greatest tissue degenerative changes, while performance of moderate level tasks induced bone adaptation and a suggestion of muscle adaptation. Both high force tasks induced median nerve macrophage infiltration, spinal cord sensitization (increased substance P), grip strength declines and forepaw mechanical allodynia by task week 12. Conclusions Although not consistent in all tissues, we found several significant interactions between the critical musculoskeletal risk factors of force and repetition, consistent with a fatigue failure process in musculoskeletal tissues. Prolonged performance of HRHF tasks exhibited significantly increased risk for musculoskeletal disorders, while performance of moderate level tasks exhibited adaptation to task demands. PMID:24156755

The interaction of force and repetition on musculoskeletal and neural tissue responses and sensorimotor behavior in a rat model of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

PubMed

Barbe, Mary F; Gallagher, Sean; Massicotte, Vicky S; Tytell, Michael; Popoff, Steven N; Barr-Gillespie, Ann E

2013-10-25

We examined the relationship of musculoskeletal risk factors underlying force and repetition on tissue responses in an operant rat model of repetitive reaching and pulling, and if force x repetition interactions were present, indicative of a fatigue failure process. We examined exposure-dependent changes in biochemical, morphological and sensorimotor responses occurring with repeated performance of a handle-pulling task for 12 weeks at one of four repetition and force levels: 1) low repetition with low force, 2) high repetition with low force, 3) low repetition with high force, and 4) high repetition with high force (HRHF). Rats underwent initial training for 4-6 weeks, and then performed one of the tasks for 12 weeks, 2 hours/day, 3 days/week. Reflexive grip strength and sensitivity to touch were assayed as functional outcomes. Flexor digitorum muscles and tendons, forelimb bones, and serum were assayed using ELISA for indicators of inflammation, tissue stress and repair, and bone turnover. Histomorphometry was used to assay macrophage infiltration of tissues, spinal cord substance P changes, and tissue adaptative or degradative changes. MicroCT was used to assay bones for changes in bone quality. Several force x repetition interactions were observed for: muscle IL-1alpha and bone IL-1beta; serum TNFalpha, IL-1alpha, and IL-1beta; muscle HSP72, a tissue stress and repair protein; histomorphological evidence of tendon and cartilage degradation; serum biomarkers of bone degradation (CTXI) and bone formation (osteocalcin); and morphological evidence of bone adaptation versus resorption. In most cases, performance of the HRHF task induced the greatest tissue degenerative changes, while performance of moderate level tasks induced bone adaptation and a suggestion of muscle adaptation. Both high force tasks induced median nerve macrophage infiltration, spinal cord sensitization (increased substance P), grip strength declines and forepaw mechanical allodynia by task week 12. Although not consistent in all tissues, we found several significant interactions between the critical musculoskeletal risk factors of force and repetition, consistent with a fatigue failure process in musculoskeletal tissues. Prolonged performance of HRHF tasks exhibited significantly increased risk for musculoskeletal disorders, while performance of moderate level tasks exhibited adaptation to task demands.

Learning to combine high variability with high precision: lack of transfer to a different task.

PubMed

Wu, Yen-Hsun; Truglio, Thomas S; Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M; Latash, Mark L

2015-01-01

The authors studied effects of practicing a 4-finger accurate force production task on multifinger coordination quantified within the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis. During practice, task instability was modified by changing visual feedback gain based on accuracy of performance. The authors also explored the retention of these effects, and their transfer to a prehensile task. Subjects practiced the force production task for 2 days. After the practice, total force variability decreased and performance became more accurate. In contrast, variance of finger forces showed a tendency to increase during the first practice session while in the space of finger modes (hypothetical commands to fingers) the increase was under the significance level. These effects were retained for 2 weeks. No transfer of these effects to the prehensile task was seen, suggesting high specificity of coordination changes. The retention of practice effects without transfer to a different task suggests that further studies on a more practical method of improving coordination are needed.

Relationship Between Carbon Dioxide Levels and Reported Congestion and Headaches on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cole, Robert; Wear, Mary; Young, Millennia; Cobel, Christopher; Mason, Sara

2017-01-01

Congestion is commonly reported during spaceflight, and most crewmembers have reported using medications for congestion during International Space Station (ISS) missions. Although congestion has been attributed to fluid shifts during spaceflight, fluid status reaches equilibrium during the first week after launch while congestion continues to be reported throughout long duration missions. Congestion complaints have anecdotally been reported in relation to ISS CO2 levels; this evaluation was undertaken to determine whether or not an association exists. METHODS: Reported headaches, congestion symptoms, and CO2 levels were obtained for ISS expeditions 2-31, and time-weighted means and single-point maxima were determined for 24-hour (24hr) and 7-day (7d) periods prior to each weekly private medical conference. Multiple imputation addressed missing data, and logistic regression modeled the relationship between probability of reported event of congestion or headache and CO2 levels, adjusted for possible confounding covariates. The first seven days of spaceflight were not included to control for fluid shifts. Data were evaluated to determine the concentration of CO2 required to maintain the risk of congestion below 1% to allow for direct comparison with a previously published evaluation of CO2 concentrations and headache. RESULTS: This study confirmed a previously identified significant association between CO2 and headache and also found a significant association between CO2 and congestion. For each 1-mm Hg increase in CO2, the odds of a crew member reporting congestion doubled. The average 7-day CO2 would need to be maintained below 1.5 mmHg to keep the risk of congestion below 1%. The predicted probability curves of ISS headache and congestion curves appear parallel when plotted against ppCO2 levels with congestion occurring at approximately 1mmHg lower than a headache would be reported. DISCUSSION: While the cause of congestion is multifactorial, this study showed congestion is associated with CO2 levels on ISS. Data from additional expeditions could be incorporated to further assess this finding. CO2 levels are also associated with reports of headaches on ISS. While it may be expected for astronauts with congestion to also complain of headaches, these two symptoms are commonly mutually exclusive. Furthermore, it is unknown if a temporal CO2 relationship exists between congestion and headache on ISS. CO2 levels were time-weighted for 24hr and 7d, and thus the time course of congestion leading to headache was not assessed; however, congestion could be an early CO2-related symptom when compared to headache. Future studies evaluating the association of CO2-related congestion leading to headache would be difficult due to the relatively stable daily CO2 levels on ISS currently, but a systematic study could be implemented on-orbit if desired.

Collective Learning: Interaction and a Shared Action Arena

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doos, Marianne; Wilhelmson, Lena

2011-01-01

Purpose: The paper seeks to argue for a theoretical contribution that deals with the detection of collective learning. The aim is to examine and clarify the genesis processes of collective learning. The empirical basis is a telecoms context with task-driven networking across both internal and external organisational borders.…

U.S. Air Force Environmental Assessment: Repair by Replacement JP-8 Fuel Transfer Line Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

archaeological deposits discovered during construction activities would be managed in accordance with the compliance procedures in the Tinker AFB...missions, located in the southeast Oklahoma City area, directly south of the suburb of Midwest Environmental Assessment Chapter 1 Repair by...the incorporated city limits of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Centered ten miles southeast of downtown, Tinker AFB is generally bordered to the north by

Task Analysis in Optical & Contact Lens Dispensing. Dispensing Opticians.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hrushowy, Eugene; Stanley, Dale

A task force of opticians and educators in British Columbia was assembled to determine the knowledge and skills required of dispensing opticians and contact lens specialists. The ideas generated by the task force were analyzed and distilled into the standardized tasks listed in this document, using Krathwohl's taxonomy. The document contains 36…

Maximal force and tremor changes across the menstrual cycle.

PubMed

Tenan, Matthew S; Hackney, Anthony C; Griffin, Lisa

2016-01-01

Sex hormones have profound effects on the nervous system in vitro and in vivo. The present study examines the effect of the menstrual cycle on maximal isometric force (MVC) and tremor during an endurance task. Nine eumenorrheic females participated in five study visits across their menstrual cycle. In each menstrual phase, an MVC and an endurance task to failure were performed. Tremor across the endurance task was quantified as the coefficient of variation in force and was assessed in absolute time and relative percent time to task failure. MVC decreases 23% from ovulation to the mid luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. In absolute time, the mid luteal phase has the highest initial tremor, though the early follicular phase has substantially higher tremor than other phases after 150 s of task performance. In relative time, the mid luteal phase has the highest level of tremor throughout the endurance task. Both MVC and tremor during an endurance task are modified by the menstrual cycle. Performance of tasks and sports which require high force and steadiness to exhaustion may be decreased in the mid luteal phase compared to other menstrual phases.

A Study of the Effects of Congestion Information and a Priority Boarding Pass in a Theme Park with Multi-Agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tone, Tetsuya; Kohara, Kazuhiro

We have investigated ways to reduce congestion in a theme park with multi-agents. We constructed a theme park model called Digital Park 1.0 with twenty-three attractions similar in form to Tokyo Disney Sea. We consider not only congestion information (number of vistors standing in line at each attraction) but also the advantage of a priority boarding pass, like Fast Pass which is used at Tokyo Disney Sea. The congestion-information-usage ratio, which reflects the ratio of visitors who behave according to congestion information, was changed from 0% to 100% in both models, with and without priority boarding pass. The “mean stay time of visitors" is a measure of satisfaction. The smaller mean stay time, the larger degree of satisfaction. Here, a short stay time means a short wait time. The resluts of each simulation are averaged over ten trials. The main results are as follows. (1) When congestion-information-usage ratio increased, the mean stay time decreases. When 20% of visitors behaved according to congestion information, the mean stay time was reduced by 30%. (2) A priority boarding pass reduced congestion, and mean stay time was reduced by 15%. (3) When visitors used congestion information and a priority boarding pass, mean stay time was further reduced. When the congestion-information-usage ratio was 20%, mean stay time was reduced by 35%. (4) When congestion-information-usage ratio was over 50%, the congestion reduction effects reached saturation.

75 FR 4051 - Defense Health Board; DoD Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-26

... Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces; Meeting AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD). ACTION... of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces (hereafter, Task Force) will meet on February 11, 2010, to gather information pertaining to suicide and suicide prevention programs for members of the Armed...

Neural Correlates of Task Cost for Stance Control with an Additional Motor Task: Phase-Locked Electroencephalogram Responses

PubMed Central

Hwang, Ing-Shiou; Huang, Cheng-Ya

2016-01-01

With appropriate reallocation of central resources, the ability to maintain an erect posture is not necessarily degraded by a concurrent motor task. This study investigated the neural control of a particular postural-suprapostural procedure involving brain mechanisms to solve crosstalk between posture and motor subtasks. Participants completed a single posture task and a dual-task while concurrently conducting force-matching and maintaining a tilted stabilometer stance at a target angle. Stabilometer movements and event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded. The added force-matching task increased the irregularity of postural response rather than the size of postural response prior to force-matching. In addition, the added force-matching task during stabilometer stance led to marked topographic ERP modulation, with greater P2 positivity in the frontal and sensorimotor-parietal areas of the N1-P2 transitional phase and in the sensorimotor-parietal area of the late P2 phase. The time-frequency distribution of the ERP primary principal component revealed that the dual-task condition manifested more pronounced delta (1–4 Hz) and beta (13–35 Hz) synchronizations but suppressed theta activity (4–8 Hz) before force-matching. The dual-task condition also manifested coherent fronto-parietal delta activity in the P2 period. In addition to a decrease in postural regularity, this study reveals spatio-temporal and temporal-spectral reorganizations of ERPs in the fronto-sensorimotor-parietal network due to the added suprapostural motor task. For a particular set of postural-suprapostural task, the behavior and neural data suggest a facilitatory role of autonomous postural response and central resource expansion with increasing interregional interactions for task-shift and planning the motor-suprapostural task. PMID:27010634

Task Force on the Role of General Education in Associate Science Degree Programs. Final Report and Recommendations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weyers, Lori; Langerman, Philip

In 1989-90, the General Education Task Force of the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) was convened to determine the role of the general education curriculum in the attainment of skills that enhance the likelihood of success among technical college graduates in their careers, homes and communities. The Task Force consisted of at least one…

Guidelines for Cognitive Behavioral Training within Doctoral Psychology Programs in the United States: Report of the Inter-Organizational Task Force on Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology Doctoral Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klepac, Robert K.; Ronan, George F.; Andrasik, Frank; Arnold, Kevin D.; Belar, Cynthia D.; Berry, Sharon L.; Christofff, Karen A.; Craighead, Linda W.; Dougher, Michael J.; Dowd, E. Thomas; Herbert, James D.; McFarr, Lynn M.; Rizvi, Shireen L.; Sauer, Eric M.; Strauman, Timothy J.

2012-01-01

The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies initiated an interorganizational task force to develop guidelines for integrated education and training in cognitive and behavioral psychology at the doctoral level in the United States. Fifteen task force members representing 16 professional associations participated in a yearlong series of…

Homelessness: The New Hampshire Response. The Final Report and Recommendations of the New Hampshire Task Force on Homelessness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Hampshire State Div. of Mental Health and Developmental Services, Concord.

This report presents results and recommendations of a two-year study and information-gathering effort by the New Hampshire Task Force on Homelessness, in compliance with the charge of the State legislature. The report is comprised of five sections. Section 1, "Introduction," presents an overview of the Task Force and a report on the…

Funds for the Future. Report of the Twentieth Century Fund Task Force on College and University Endowment Policy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, J. Peter

The Task Force on College and University Endowment Policy examines endowment policy in a broad context. They feel that it is important to preserve private colleges and universities and develop a sense of mission about how best to pursue this objective. The Task Force reviews policy issues faced by managers of endowment funds for institutions of…

Conference-EC-US Task Force Joint US-EU Workshop on Metabolomics and Environmental Biotechnology

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

PI: Lily Y. Young

2009-06-04

Since 1990, the EC-US Task Force on Biotechnology Research has been coordinating transatlantic efforts to guide and exploit the ongoing revolution in biotechnology and the life sciences. The Task Force was established in June 1990 by the European Commission and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The Task Force has acted as an effective forum for discussion, coordination, and development of new ideas for the last 18 years. Task Force members are European Commission and US Government science and technology administrators who meet annually to enhance communication across the Atlantic, and to encourage collaborative research. Through sponsoringmore » workshops, and other activities, the Task Force also brings together scientific leaders and early career researchers from both sides of the Atlantic to forecast research challenges and opportunities and to promote better links between researchers. Over the years, by keeping a focus on the future of science, the Task Force has played a key role in establishing a diverse range of emerging scientific fields, including biodiversity research, neuroinformatics, genomics, nanobiotechnology, neonatal immunology, transkingdom molecular biology, biologically-based fuels, and environmental biotechnology. The EC-US Task Force has sponsored a number of Working Groups on topics of mutual transatlantic interest. The idea to create a Working Group on Environmental Biotechnology research was discussed in the Task Force meeting of October 1993. The EC-US Working Group on Environmental Biotechnology set as its mission 'To train the next generation of leaders in environmental biotechnology in the United States and the European Union to work collaboratively across the Atlantic.' Since 1995, the Working Group supported three kinds of activities, all of which focus one early career scientists: (1) Workshops on the use of molecular methods and genomics in environmental biotechnology; (2) Short courses with theoretical, laboratory and field elements; and (3) Short term exchange fellowships. The short term exchange fellowships were created to enable young scientists to develop collaborations with colleagues across the Atlantic and to learn a new skill or expertise in the area of environmental biotechnology.« less

The synergic control of multi-finger force production: Stability of explicit and implicit task components

PubMed Central

Reschechtko, Sasha; Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M.; Latash, Mark L.

2016-01-01

Manipulating objects with the hands requires the accurate production of resultant forces including shear forces; effective control of these shear forces also requires the production of internal forces normal to the surface of the object(s) being manipulated. In the present study, we investigated multi-finger synergies stabilizing shear and normal components of force, as well as drifts in both components of force, during isometric pressing tasks requiring a specific magnitude of shear force production. We hypothesized that shear and normal forces would evolve similarly in time, and also show similar stability properties as assessed by the decomposition of inter-trial variance within the uncontrolled manifold hypothesis. Healthy subjects were required to accurately produce total shear and total normal forces with four fingers of the hand during a steady-state force task (with and without visual feedback) and a self-paced force pulse task. The two force components showed similar time profiles during both shear force pulse production and unintentional drift induced by turning the visual feedback off. Only the explicitly instructed components of force, however, were stabilized with multi-finger synergies. No force-stabilizing synergies and no anticipatory synergy adjustments were seen for the normal force in shear force production trials. These unexpected qualitative differences in the control of the two force components – which are produced by some of the same muscles and show high degree of temporal coupling – are interpreted within the theory of control with referent coordinates for salient variables. These observations suggest the existence of two classes of neural variables: one that translates into shifts of referent coordinates and defines changes in magnitude of salient variables, and the other controlling gains in back-coupling loops that define stability of the salient variables. Only the former are shared between the explicit and implicit task components. PMID:27601252

Force-stabilizing synergies in motor tasks involving two actors

PubMed Central

Solnik, Stanislaw; Reschechtko, Sasha; Wu, Yen-Hsun; Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M.; Latash, Mark L.

2015-01-01

We investigated the ability of two persons to produce force-stabilizing synergies in accurate multi-finger force production tasks under visual feedback on the total force only. The subjects produced a time profile of total force (the sum of two hand forces in one-person tasks and the sum of two subject forces in two-person tasks) consisting of a ramp-up, steady-state, and ramp-down segments; the steady-state segment was interrupted in the middle by a quick force pulse. Analyses of the structure of inter-trial finger force variance, motor equivalence, anticipatory synergy adjustments (ASAs), and the unintentional drift of the sharing pattern were performed. The two-person performance was characterized by a dramatically higher amount of inter-trial variance that did not affect total force, higher finger force deviations that did not affect total force (motor equivalent deviations), shorter ASAs, and larger drift of the sharing pattern. The rate of sharing pattern drift correlated with the initial disparity between the forces produced by the two persons (or two hands). The drift accelerated following the quick force pulse. Our observations show that sensory information on the task-specific performance variable is sufficient for the organization of performance-stabilizing synergies. They suggest, however, that two actors are less likely to follow a single optimization criterion as compared to a single performer. The presence of ASAs in the two-person condition might reflect fidgeting by one or both of the subjects. We discuss the characteristics of the drift in the sharing pattern as reflections of different characteristic times of motion within the sub-spaces that affect and do not affect salient performance variables. PMID:26105756

Force-stabilizing synergies in motor tasks involving two actors.

PubMed

Solnik, Stanislaw; Reschechtko, Sasha; Wu, Yen-Hsun; Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M; Latash, Mark L

2015-10-01

We investigated the ability of two persons to produce force-stabilizing synergies in accurate multi-finger force production tasks under visual feedback on the total force only. The subjects produced a time profile of total force (the sum of two hand forces in one-person tasks and the sum of two subject forces in two-person tasks) consisting of a ramp-up, steady-state, and ramp-down segments; the steady-state segment was interrupted in the middle by a quick force pulse. Analyses of the structure of inter-trial finger force variance, motor equivalence, anticipatory synergy adjustments (ASAs), and the unintentional drift of the sharing pattern were performed. The two-person performance was characterized by a dramatically higher amount of inter-trial variance that did not affect total force, higher finger force deviations that did not affect total force (motor equivalent deviations), shorter ASAs, and larger drift of the sharing pattern. The rate of sharing pattern drift correlated with the initial disparity between the forces produced by the two persons (or two hands). The drift accelerated following the quick force pulse. Our observations show that sensory information on the task-specific performance variable is sufficient for the organization of performance-stabilizing synergies. They suggest, however, that two actors are less likely to follow a single optimization criterion as compared to a single performer. The presence of ASAs in the two-person condition might reflect fidgeting by one or both of the subjects. We discuss the characteristics of the drift in the sharing pattern as reflections of different characteristic times of motion within the subspaces that affect and do not affect salient performance variables.

The Role of Direct and Visual Force Feedback in Suturing Using a 7-DOF Dual-Arm Teleoperated System.

PubMed

Talasaz, Ali; Trejos, Ana Luisa; Patel, Rajni V

2017-01-01

The lack of haptic feedback in robotics-assisted surgery can result in tissue damage or accidental tool-tissue hits. This paper focuses on exploring the effect of haptic feedback via direct force reflection and visual presentation of force magnitudes on performance during suturing in robotics-assisted minimally invasive surgery (RAMIS). For this purpose, a haptics-enabled dual-arm master-slave teleoperation system capable of measuring tool-tissue interaction forces in all seven Degrees-of-Freedom (DOFs) was used. Two suturing tasks, tissue puncturing and knot-tightening, were chosen to assess user skills when suturing on phantom tissue. Sixteen subjects participated in the trials and their performance was evaluated from various points of view: force consistency, number of accidental hits with tissue, amount of tissue damage, quality of the suture knot, and the time required to accomplish the task. According to the results, visual force feedback was not very useful during the tissue puncturing task as different users needed different amounts of force depending on the penetration of the needle into the tissue. Direct force feedback, however, was more useful for this task to apply less force and to minimize the amount of damage to the tissue. Statistical results also reveal that both visual and direct force feedback were required for effective knot tightening: direct force feedback could reduce the number of accidental hits with the tissue and also the amount of tissue damage, while visual force feedback could help to securely tighten the suture knots and maintain force consistency among different trials/users. These results provide evidence of the importance of 7-DOF force reflection when performing complex tasks in a RAMIS setting.

Age-related differences in postural adjustments in connection with different tasks involving weight transfer while standing.

PubMed

Jonsson, Erika; Henriksson, Marketta; Hirschfeld, Helga

2007-10-01

Weight transfer designed to change the area of the supportive base during the performance of three different motor tasks (one-leg stance, tandem stance and gait initiation) was examined both in healthy, physically active elderly people and younger adults. The former two tasks are balance tests used clinically. Our hypothesis was that the elderly subjects would demonstrate age-related changes in their postural adjustments that could be detected by analysis of the ground reaction forces. While 24 healthy elderly adults (65-77 years of age) and 26 younger adults (24-40 years of age) performed these three tasks, the ground reaction forces were recorded from two force plates. Prior to the onset of all three tasks, the elderly placed significantly more weight on the leg that was to provide support (the stance leg), than did the younger individuals. The analyses revealed two distinct phases of weight transfer, i.e., an initial thrust and a subsequent unloading phase. The elderly individuals exhibited a significantly longer unloading phase, as well as a higher frequency of peaks of vertical and lateral forces during this phase. Moreover, the maximal force rate during this phase was achieved at an earlier time point by the elderly. However, both groups generated forces of similar magnitudes and force rates. In conclusion, our findings indicate the presence of age-related differences in the temporal phasing of the ground reaction forces in all three of these tasks involving weight transfer, whereas the magnitude and rates of change of these forces are independent of age.

U. S. Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, Special Action Report, Iwo Jima Campaign

DTIC Science & Technology

1945-01-01

authorized by Tables of filio winces. , (a) One TD-14 Bulldozer to be used as a prime mover and for construction of revetments for reproduction...Evacuation Hospital $ 1. ’ ! (a) The congestion on this small island combined with the violence of combat to make selection of a site for the Corps...his parent organization with timely, accurate and .complete information of what is happening in the unit to which he is sent. In order to effectively

Dynamic, stochastic models for congestion pricing and congestion securities.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-12-01

This research considers congestion pricing under demand uncertainty. In particular, a robust optimization (RO) approach is applied to optimal congestion pricing problems under user equilibrium. A mathematical model is developed and an analysis perfor...

Haptic force-feedback devices for the office computer: performance and musculoskeletal loading issues.

PubMed

Dennerlein, J T; Yang, M C

2001-01-01

Pointing devices, essential input tools for the graphical user interface (GUI) of desktop computers, require precise motor control and dexterity to use. Haptic force-feedback devices provide the human operator with tactile cues, adding the sense of touch to existing visual and auditory interfaces. However, the performance enhancements, comfort, and possible musculoskeletal loading of using a force-feedback device in an office environment are unknown. Hypothesizing that the time to perform a task and the self-reported pain and discomfort of the task improve with the addition of force feedback, 26 people ranging in age from 22 to 44 years performed a point-and-click task 540 times with and without an attractive force field surrounding the desired target. The point-and-click movements were approximately 25% faster with the addition of force feedback (paired t-tests, p < 0.001). Perceived user discomfort and pain, as measured through a questionnaire, were also smaller with the addition of force feedback (p < 0.001). However, this difference decreased as additional distracting force fields were added to the task environment, simulating a more realistic work situation. These results suggest that for a given task, use of a force-feedback device improves performance, and potentially reduces musculoskeletal loading during mouse use. Actual or potential applications of this research include human-computer interface design, specifically that of the pointing device extensively used for the graphical user interface.

Effects of mental workload on physiological and subjective responses during traffic density monitoring: A field study.

PubMed

Fallahi, Majid; Motamedzade, Majid; Heidarimoghadam, Rashid; Soltanian, Ali Reza; Miyake, Shinji

2016-01-01

This study evaluated operators' mental workload while monitoring traffic density in a city traffic control center. To determine the mental workload, physiological signals (ECG, EMG) were recorded and the NASA-Task Load Index (TLX) was administered for 16 operators. The results showed that the operators experienced a larger mental workload during high traffic density than during low traffic density. The traffic control center stressors caused changes in heart rate variability features and EMG amplitude, although the average workload score was significantly higher in HTD conditions than in LTD conditions. The findings indicated that increasing traffic congestion had a significant effect on HR, RMSSD, SDNN, LF/HF ratio, and EMG amplitude. The results suggested that when operators' workload increases, their mental fatigue and stress level increase and their mental health deteriorate. Therefore, it maybe necessary to implement an ergonomic program to manage mental health. Furthermore, by evaluating mental workload, the traffic control center director can organize the center's traffic congestion operators to sustain the appropriate mental workload and improve traffic control management. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Designing a Technology Enhanced Practice for Home Nursing Care of Patients with Congestive Heart Failure

PubMed Central

Casper, Gail R.; Karsh, Ben-Tzion; K.L., Calvin; Carayon, Pascale; Grenier, Anne-Sophie; Sebern, Margaret; Burke, Laura J.; Brennan, Patricia F.

2005-01-01

This paper describes the process we used to design the HeartCare website to support Technology Enhanced Practice (TEP) for home care nurses engaged in providing care for patients with Congestive Heart Failure (CHF). Composed of communication, information, and self-monitoring functions, the HeartCare website is aimed at supporting best practice nursing care for these patients. Its unique focus is professional practice, thus the scope of this project is greater and more abstract than those focusing on a task or set of activities. A modified macroergonomic analysis, design work system analysis, and focus groups utilizing participatory design methodology were undertaken to characterize the nursing practice model. Design of the HeartCare website required synthesizing the extant practice model and the agency’s evidence-based heart failure protocols, identifying aspects of practice that could be enhanced by supporting technology, and delineation of functional requirements of the Enhanced HeartCare technology. Validation and refinement of the website and planning for user training activities will be accomplished through a two-stage usability testing strategy. PMID:16779013

Performance evaluation of a six-axis generalized force-reflecting teleoperator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hannaford, B.; Wood, L.; Guggisberg, B.; Mcaffee, D.; Zak, H.

1989-01-01

Work in real-time distributed computation and control has culminated in a prototype force-reflecting telemanipulation system having a dissimilar master (cable-driven, force-reflecting hand controller) and a slave (PUMA 560 robot with custom controller), an extremely high sampling rate (1000 Hz), and a low loop computation delay (5 msec). In a series of experiments with this system and five trained test operators covering over 100 hours of teleoperation, performance was measured in a series of generic and application-driven tasks with and without force feedback, and with control shared between teleoperation and local sensor referenced control. Measurements defining task performance included 100-Hz recording of six-axis force/torque information from the slave manipulator wrist, task completion time, and visual observation of predefined task errors. The task consisted of high precision peg-in-hole insertion, electrical connectors, velcro attach-de-attach, and a twist-lock multi-pin connector. Each task was repeated three times under several operating conditions: normal bilateral telemanipulation, forward position control without force feedback, and shared control. In shared control, orientation was locally servo controlled to comply with applied torques, while translation was under operator control. All performance measures improved as capability was added along a spectrum of capabilities ranging from pure position control through force-reflecting teleoperation and shared control. Performance was optimal for the bare-handed operator.

Exploring Operational Test and Evaluation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems: A Qualitative Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saliceti, Jose A.

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore and identify strategies that may potentially remedy operational test and evaluation procedures used to evaluate Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) technology. The sample for analysis consisted of organizations testing and evaluating UASs (e.g., U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Coast Guard, and Customs Border Protection). A purposeful sampling technique was used to select 15 subject matter experts in the field of operational test and evaluation of UASs. A questionnaire was provided to participants to construct a descriptive and robust research. Analysis of responses revealed themes related to each research question. Findings revealed operational testers utilized requirements documents to extrapolate measures for testing UAS technology and develop critical operational issues. The requirements documents were (a) developed without the contribution of stakeholders and operational testers, (b) developed with vague or unrealistic measures, and (c) developed without a systematic method to derive requirements from mission tasks. Four approaches are recommended to develop testable operational requirements and assist operational testers: (a) use a mission task analysis tool to derive requirements for mission essential tasks for the system, (b) exercise collaboration among stakeholders and testers to ensure testable operational requirements based on mission tasks, (c) ensure testable measures are used in requirements documents, and (d) create a repository list of critical operational issues by mission areas. The preparation of operational test and evaluation processes for UAS technology is not uniform across testers. The processes in place are not standardized, thus test plan preparation and reporting are different among participants. A standard method to prepare and report UAS technology should be used when preparing and reporting on UAS technology. Using a systematic process, such as mission-based test design, resonated among participants as an analytical method to link UAS mission tasks and measures of performance to the capabilities of the system under test when developing operational test plans. Further research should examine system engineering designs for system requirements traceability matrix of mission tasks and subtasks while using an analysis tool that adequately evaluates UASs with an acceptable level of confidence in the results.

Altered visual strategies and attention are related to increased force fluctuations during a pinch grip task in older adults.

PubMed

Keenan, Kevin G; Huddleston, Wendy E; Ernest, Bradley E

2017-11-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the visual strategies used by older adults during a pinch grip task and to assess the relations between visual strategy, deficits in attention, and increased force fluctuations in older adults. Eye movements of 23 older adults (>65 yr) were monitored during a low-force pinch grip task while subjects viewed three common visual feedback displays. Performance on the Grooved Pegboard test and an attention task (which required no concurrent hand movements) was also measured. Visual strategies varied across subjects and depended on the type of visual feedback provided to the subjects. First, while viewing a high-gain compensatory feedback display (horizontal bar moving up and down with force), 9 of 23 older subjects adopted a strategy of performing saccades during the task, which resulted in 2.5 times greater force fluctuations in those that exhibited saccades compared with those who maintained fixation near the target line. Second, during pursuit feedback displays (force trace moving left to right across screen and up and down with force), all subjects exhibited multiple saccades, and increased force fluctuations were associated ( r s = 0.6; P = 0.002) with fewer saccades during the pursuit task. Also, decreased low-frequency (<4 Hz) force fluctuations and Grooved Pegboard times were significantly related ( P = 0.033 and P = 0.005, respectively) with higher (i.e., better) attention z scores. Comparison of these results with our previously published results in young subjects indicates that saccadic eye movements and attention are related to force control in older adults. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The significant contributions of the study are the addition of eye movement data and an attention task to explain differences in hand motor control across different visual displays in older adults. Older participants used different visual strategies across varying feedback displays, and saccadic eye movements were related with motor performance. In addition, those older individuals with deficits in attention had impaired motor performance on two different hand motor control tasks, including the Grooved Pegboard test. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

The Oklahoma Attorney General's Task Force report on the State of End-of-Life Health Care, 2005.

PubMed

Edmondson, W A Drew

2005-05-01

This article includes the recommendations submitted by the 15 members of the Oklahoma Attorney General's Task Force in their Report on the State of End-of-Life Health Care. The task force was created on April 21, 2004, and their report was accepted by Attorney General W.A. Drew Edmondson at a press conference April 11, 2005. It has been forwarded to members of the Oklahoma Legislature, relevant state agencies and organizations with an invitation to join with members of the task force to continue efforts to improve end-of-life care for Oklahomans. Copies of the report are available upon request to the Office of Attorney General.

Modified two-layer social force model for emergency earthquake evacuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hao; Liu, Hong; Qin, Xin; Liu, Baoxi

2018-02-01

Studies of crowd behavior with related research on computer simulation provide an effective basis for architectural design and effective crowd management. Based on low-density group organization patterns, a modified two-layer social force model is proposed in this paper to simulate and reproduce a group gathering process. First, this paper studies evacuation videos from the Luan'xian earthquake in 2012, and extends the study of group organization patterns to a higher density. Furthermore, taking full advantage of the strength in crowd gathering simulations, a new method on grouping and guidance is proposed while using crowd dynamics. Second, a real-life grouping situation in earthquake evacuation is simulated and reproduced. Comparing with the fundamental social force model and existing guided crowd model, the modified model reduces congestion time and truly reflects group behaviors. Furthermore, the experiment result also shows that a stable group pattern and a suitable leader could decrease collision and allow a safer evacuation process.

Traffic congestion and reliability : linking solutions to problems.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-07-19

The Traffic Congestion and Reliability: Linking Solutions to Problems Report provides : a snapshot of congestion in the United States by summarizing recent trends in : congestion, highlighting the role of unreliable travel times in the effects of con...

Egypt: Background and U.S. Relations

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-19

syndicates (associations), including those representing engineers, doctors, lawyers and academics.21 CRS-15 21 (...continued) winter 2003), vol. 24...Schiff, a columnist for the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz recently wrote that “The rules of engagement for the Egyptian forces guarding the border are also

Impaired Inhibitory Force Feedback in Fixed Dystonia.

PubMed

Mugge, Winfred; Schouten, Alfred C; van Hilten, Jacobus J; van der Helm, Frans C T

2016-04-01

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a multifactorial disorder associated with an aberrant host response to tissue injury. About 25% of CRPS patients suffer poorly understood involuntary sustained muscle contractions associated with dysfunctional reflexes that result in abnormal postures (fixed dystonia). A recent modeling study simulated fixed dystonia (FD) caused by aberrant force feedback. The current study aims to validate this hypothesis by experimentally recording the modulation of reflexive force feedback in patients with FD. CRPS patients with and without FD, patients with FD but without CRPS, as well as healthy controls participated in the experiment. Three task instructions and three perturbation characteristics were used to evoke a wide range of responses to force perturbations. During position tasks ("maintain posture"), healthy subjects as well as patients resisted the perturbations, becoming more stiff than when being relaxed (i.e., the relax task). Healthy subjects and CRPS patients without FD were both more compliant during force tasks ("maintain force") than during relax tasks, meaning they actively gave way to the imposed forces. Remarkably, the patients with FD failed to do so. A neuromuscular model was fitted to the experimental data to separate the distinct contributions of position, velocity and force feedback, as well as co-contraction to the motor behavior. The neuromuscular modeling indicated that inhibitory force feedback is deregulated in patients with FD, for both CRPS and non-CRPS patients. From previously published simulation results and the present experimental study, it is concluded that aberrant force feedback plays a role in fixed dystonia.

Research on Evacuation Based on Social Force Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, W.; Deng, Z.; Li, W.; Lin, J.

2017-09-01

Crowded centers always cause personnel casualties in evacuation operations. Stampede events often occur by hit, squeeze and crush due to panic. It is of vital important to alleviate such situation. With the deepening of personnel evacuation research, more and more researchers are committed to study individual behaviors and self-organization phenomenon in evacuation process. The study mainly includes: 1, enrich the social force model from different facets such as visual, psychological, external force to descript more realistic evacuation; 2, research on causes and effects of self - organization phenomenon. In this paper, we focus on disorder motion that occurs in the crowded indoor publics, especially the narrow channel and safety exits and other special arteries. We put forward the improved social force model to depict pedestrians' behaviors, an orderly speed-stratification evacuation method to solve disorder problem, and shape-changed export to alleviate congestion. The result of this work shows an improvement of evacuation efficiency by 19.5 %. Guiding pedestrians' direction to slow down the influence of social forces has a guidance function in improving the efficiency of indoor emergency evacuation.

Effect of loudness on reaction time and response force in different motor tasks.

PubMed

Jaśkowski, Piotr; Włodarczyk, Dariusz

2005-12-01

Van der Molen and Keuss, in 1979 and 1981, showed that paradoxically long reaction times occur with extremely strong auditory stimuli when the task is difficult, e.g., choice-by-location or Simon paradigm. It was argued that this paradoxical behavior of RT is due to active inhibition of an arousal-dependent bypassing mechanism to prevent false responses. As the peak force, i.e., maximal force exerted by participants on a response key, is considered to be related to immediate arousal, we predicted that for extremely loud stimuli and for difficult tasks, lengthening of RT should be associated with reduction of peak force. Moreover, these effects should be enhanced when emphasis is on accuracy rather than speed. Although the relation between RT and intensity depended on task difficulty, no increase in RT was found for the loudest tones. Moreover, peak force increased monotonically with loudness, showing no tendency to be suppressed for loudest tones and difficult tasks.

Corporate funding and conflicts of interest: a primer for psychologists.

PubMed

Pachter, Wendy S; Fox, Ronald E; Zimbardo, Philip; Antonuccio, David O

2007-12-01

A presidential task force on external funding was established by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2003 to review APA policies, procedures, and practices regarding the acceptance of funding and support from private corporations for educational and training programs; continuing education offerings; research projects; publications; advertising; scientific and professional meetings and conferences; and consulting, practice, and advocacy relationships. This article, based on the Executive Summary of the APA Task Force on External Funding Final Report, presents the findings and unanimous recommendations of the task force in the areas of association income, annual convention, research and journals, continuing education, education, practice, and conflicts of interest and ethics. The task force concluded that it is important for both APA and individual psychologists to become familiar with the challenges that corporate funding can pose to their integrity. The nature and extent of those challenges led the task force to recommend that APA develop explicit policies, educational materials, and continuing education programs to preserve the independence of psychological science, practice, and education. (Copyright) 2007 APA.

Early childhood: breastfeeding, "solving the problem of childhood obesity within a generation," an excerpt from the White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity: report to the President, May 2010.

PubMed

2010-10-01

On February 9, 2010, the same day the First Lady launched the Let's Move! campaign, President Obama created a new interagency White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity, charged with creating and implementing a comprehensive action plan to end the childhood obesity epidemic. The resulting action plan was developed by experts from across the federal government, with substantial public input, and released on May 11. The first chapter of the task force report discusses strategies for getting children a healthy start on life, including supporting breastfeeding. Here is an excerpt from the discussion of breastfeeding that appears in the report. The full text of the task force report can be found at www.letsmove.gov . —Martha Coven, JD Special Assistant to the President for Mobility and Opportunity White House Domestic Policy Council Lead Staff, White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity.

Improving the Agility of the NATO Response Force (NRF)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

the MCCE and the MIH helicopter task force. As 168 Hauser and Kernic eds., 140-141. 169 NATO...agility through unified efforts. Initiatives such as the MIH helicopter task force and the Movement Coordination Centre Europe (MCCE) are positive

Design and Analysis of Optimization Algorithms to Minimize Cryptographic Processing in BGP Security Protocols.

PubMed

Sriram, Vinay K; Montgomery, Doug

2017-07-01

The Internet is subject to attacks due to vulnerabilities in its routing protocols. One proposed approach to attain greater security is to cryptographically protect network reachability announcements exchanged between Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) routers. This study proposes and evaluates the performance and efficiency of various optimization algorithms for validation of digitally signed BGP updates. In particular, this investigation focuses on the BGPSEC (BGP with SECurity extensions) protocol, currently under consideration for standardization in the Internet Engineering Task Force. We analyze three basic BGPSEC update processing algorithms: Unoptimized, Cache Common Segments (CCS) optimization, and Best Path Only (BPO) optimization. We further propose and study cache management schemes to be used in conjunction with the CCS and BPO algorithms. The performance metrics used in the analyses are: (1) routing table convergence time after BGPSEC peering reset or router reboot events and (2) peak-second signature verification workload. Both analytical modeling and detailed trace-driven simulation were performed. Results show that the BPO algorithm is 330% to 628% faster than the unoptimized algorithm for routing table convergence in a typical Internet core-facing provider edge router.

Toward a State of Esteem. The Final Report of the California Task Force to Promote Self-esteem and Personal and Social Responsibility.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California State Dept. of Education, Sacramento.

This document contains the final report of a California Task Force created to promote self-esteem and personal responsibility. It begins with an executive summary listing key principles of the task force and providing recommendations and discussions in each of six major areas upon which the report focuses. The next section presents the task…

7 CFR Exhibit D to Subpart B of... - Fact Sheet-The Federal Interagency Task Force on Food and Shelter for the Homeless

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 14 2010-01-01 2009-01-01 true Fact Sheet-The Federal Interagency Task Force on Food... (CONTINUED) PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Management of Property Exhibit D to Subpart B of Part 1955—Fact Sheet—The Federal Interagency Task Force on Food and Shelter for the Homeless Editorial Note: Exhibit D is not...

Proceedings: The Conference of the University/Urban Schools National Task Force: What Works in Urban Schools (3rd, San Francisco, CA, July 9-10, 1982).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bossone, Richard M., Ed.

Proceedings of the University/Urban Schools Task Force conference on what works in urban schools are summarized in this report. The future direction of the Task Force, articulated by conference participants, is described as a move toward the conceptualization and design of programs to teach thinking skills versus programs that mainly teach subject…

Report and Recommendations of the British Columbia Teacher's Federation's (BCTF) Task Force on First Nations Education to the Annual General Meeting (January 1999). (Revised Annotated Version).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

British Columbia Teachers' Federation, Vancouver.

In 1998, the British Columbia Teachers' Federation (BCTF) appointed an eight-member task force to investigate the effectiveness of the education system for First Nations students. The task force report and recommendations are intended to serve several groups of Aboriginal students: First Nations students, with or without status under Canada's…

Last Best Chance 2004: Educating Young Adolescents in the 21st Century. Middle Grades Task Force Report. Fall 2004

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

North Carolina State Department of Education, 2004

2004-01-01

This study is a follow up to the Last Best Chance report published in 1989. A task force of 29 education leaders was challenged to help chart the course for middle level education in North Carolina. While examining middle level education (ages 11 through 14), task force members continuously asked, "What should it look like in order for all…

SUNY 2000. College Expectations: The Report of the SUNY Task Force on College Entry-Level Knowledge and Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

State Univ. of New York, Albany. Office of the Chancellor.

This document reports on the work of a task force charged with formulating recommendations on the kind of preparation an incoming student should have to assure successful entry to and completion of the freshman year of study at the State University of New York (SUNY). In addition, the task force was asked to specify what program of study and forms…

Defense Science Board Task Force Report on Cyber Defense Management

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

manage cyber security is often a verymanual and labor intensive process. When a crisis hits, DoD responses range from highly automatedand instrumented...DSB Task Force Report on Cyber Defense Management September 2016 (U) This page intentionally blank REPORT OF THE DEFENSE SCIENCE BOARD STUDY ON Cyber ...DEFENSE FOR ACQUISITION, TECHNOLOGY & LOGISTICS SUBJECT: Final Report of the Defense Science Board (DSB) Task Force on Cyber Defense Management I am

Flow Control and Design Assessment for Drainage System at McMurdo Station, Antarctica

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-24

Council BMP Best Management Practice CASQUA California Storm Water Quality Task Force CRREL Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory DS...ponds The California Storm Water Quality Task Force (CASQUA 1993) defines a sediment basin as “a pond created by excavation or constructing an em...British Standards Institution. California Storm Water Quality Task Force (CASQUA). 1993. ESC41: Check Dams. In Stormwater Best Management Practices

The Report to the United States Office of Education of the National Task Forces on Instructional Strategies in Schools with High Concentrations of Low-Income Pupils.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Optimum Computer Systems, Inc., Washington, DC.

This paper presents the reports of the National Task Forces on Urban, Rural, Migrant, Native American and Bilingual/Bicultural Education. The Task Forces were asked to pinpoint strategies for instructional and programmatic improvement in these areas. The focus of inquiry was on reading and mathematics instruction. Attention was also paid to…

The effect of ankle bracing on knee kinetics and kinematics during volleyball-specific tasks.

PubMed

West, T; Ng, L; Campbell, A

2014-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ankle bracing on knee kinetics and kinematics during volleyball tasks. Fifteen healthy, elite, female volleyball players performed a series of straight-line and lateral volleyball tasks with no brace and when wearing an ankle brace. A 14-camera Vicon motion analysis system and AMTI force plate were used to capture the kinetic and kinematic data. Knee range of motion, peak knee anterior-posterior and medial-lateral shear forces, and peak ground reaction forces that occurred between initial contact with the force plate and toe off were compared using paired sample t-tests between the braced and non-braced conditions (P < 0.05). The results revealed no significant effect of bracing on knee kinematics or ground reaction forces during any task or on knee kinetics during the straight-line movement volleyball tasks. However, ankle bracing was demonstrated to reduce knee lateral shear forces during all of the lateral movement volleyball tasks. Wearing the Active Ankle T2 brace will not impact knee joint range of motion and may in fact reduce shear loading to the knee joint in volleyball players. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Developing a Community-Wide Initiative to Address Childhood Adversity and Toxic Stress: A Case Study of The Philadelphia ACE Task Force.

PubMed

Pachter, Lee M; Lieberman, Leslie; Bloom, Sandra L; Fein, Joel A

The Philadelphia ACE Task Force is a community based collaborative of health care providers, researchers, community-based organizations, funders, and public sector representatives. The mission of the task force is to provide a venue to address childhood adversity and its consequences in the Philadelphia metropolitan region. In this article we describe the origins and metamorphosis of the Philadelphia ACE Task Force, which initially was narrowly focused on screening for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in health care settings but expanded its focus to better represent a true community-based approach to sharing experiences with addressing childhood adversity in multiple sectors of the city and region. The task force has been successful in developing a research agenda and conducting research on ACEs in the urban context, and has identified foci of local activity in the areas of professional training and workforce development, community education, and local practical interventions around adversity, trauma, and resiliency. In this article we also address the lessons learned over the first 5 years of the task force's existence and offers recommendations for future efforts to build a local community-based ACEs collaborative. Copyright © 2017 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proceedings of the Seminar on the DoD Computer Security Initiative Program (3rd), National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, Maryland, November 18-20, 1980.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

TECHNIQUES IMPROVING RAPIDLY C-7 INDUSTRY THRUSTS IN 70s DRIVING FORCE : IMPROVE PRODUCT QUALITY * EASE MAINTENANCE, MODIFICATION IMPROVE PERFORMANCE...together a task force to make recommendations on what we should be doing about computer secur- ity. Other members of the task force came from both our...of the marketing task force mostly echoed and endorsed the user’s report. Both reports were issued in March of 1973. Notice that DoD 5200.28 had just

A Bayesian ridge regression analysis of congestion's impact on urban expressway safety.

PubMed

Shi, Qi; Abdel-Aty, Mohamed; Lee, Jaeyoung

2016-03-01

With the rapid growth of traffic in urban areas, concerns about congestion and traffic safety have been heightened. This study leveraged both Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) system and Microwave Vehicle Detection System (MVDS) installed on an expressway in Central Florida to explore how congestion impacts the crash occurrence in urban areas. Multiple congestion measures from the two systems were developed. To ensure more precise estimates of the congestion's effects, the traffic data were aggregated into peak and non-peak hours. Multicollinearity among traffic parameters was examined. The results showed the presence of multicollinearity especially during peak hours. As a response, ridge regression was introduced to cope with this issue. Poisson models with uncorrelated random effects, correlated random effects, and both correlated random effects and random parameters were constructed within the Bayesian framework. It was proven that correlated random effects could significantly enhance model performance. The random parameters model has similar goodness-of-fit compared with the model with only correlated random effects. However, by accounting for the unobserved heterogeneity, more variables were found to be significantly related to crash frequency. The models indicated that congestion increased crash frequency during peak hours while during non-peak hours it was not a major crash contributing factor. Using the random parameter model, the three congestion measures were compared. It was found that all congestion indicators had similar effects while Congestion Index (CI) derived from MVDS data was a better congestion indicator for safety analysis. Also, analyses showed that the segments with higher congestion intensity could not only increase property damage only (PDO) crashes, but also more severe crashes. In addition, the issues regarding the necessity to incorporate specific congestion indicator for congestion's effects on safety and to take care of the multicollinearity between explanatory variables were also discussed. By including a specific congestion indicator, the model performance significantly improved. When comparing models with and without ridge regression, the magnitude of the coefficients was altered in the existence of multicollinearity. These conclusions suggest that the use of appropriate congestion measure and consideration of multicolilnearity among the variables would improve the models and our understanding about the effects of congestion on traffic safety. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stability of multifinger action in different state spaces

PubMed Central

Reschechtko, Sasha; Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M.

2014-01-01

We investigated stability of action by a multifinger system with three methods: analysis of intertrial variance, application of transient perturbations, and analysis of the system's motion in different state spaces. The “inverse piano” device was used to apply transient (lifting-and-lowering) perturbations to individual fingers during single- and two-finger accurate force production tasks. In each trial, the perturbation was applied either to a finger explicitly involved in the task or one that was not. We hypothesized that, in one-finger tasks, task-specific stability would be observed in the redundant space of finger forces but not in the nonredundant space of finger modes (commands to explicitly involved fingers). In two-finger tasks, we expected that perturbations applied to a nontask finger would not contribute to task-specific stability in mode space. In contrast to our expectations, analyses in both force and mode spaces showed lower stability in directions that did not change total force output compared with directions that did cause changes in total force. In addition, the transient perturbations led to a significant increase in the enslaving index. We consider these results within a theoretical scheme of control with referent body configurations organized hierarchically, using multiple few-to-many mappings organized in a synergic way. The observed volatility of enslaving, greater equifinality of total force compared with elemental variables, and large magnitude of motor equivalent motion in both force and mode spaces provide support for the concept of task-specific stability of performance and the existence of multiple neural loops, which ensure this stability. PMID:25253478

Stability of multifinger action in different state spaces.

PubMed

Reschechtko, Sasha; Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M; Latash, Mark L

2014-12-15

We investigated stability of action by a multifinger system with three methods: analysis of intertrial variance, application of transient perturbations, and analysis of the system's motion in different state spaces. The "inverse piano" device was used to apply transient (lifting-and-lowering) perturbations to individual fingers during single- and two-finger accurate force production tasks. In each trial, the perturbation was applied either to a finger explicitly involved in the task or one that was not. We hypothesized that, in one-finger tasks, task-specific stability would be observed in the redundant space of finger forces but not in the nonredundant space of finger modes (commands to explicitly involved fingers). In two-finger tasks, we expected that perturbations applied to a nontask finger would not contribute to task-specific stability in mode space. In contrast to our expectations, analyses in both force and mode spaces showed lower stability in directions that did not change total force output compared with directions that did cause changes in total force. In addition, the transient perturbations led to a significant increase in the enslaving index. We consider these results within a theoretical scheme of control with referent body configurations organized hierarchically, using multiple few-to-many mappings organized in a synergic way. The observed volatility of enslaving, greater equifinality of total force compared with elemental variables, and large magnitude of motor equivalent motion in both force and mode spaces provide support for the concept of task-specific stability of performance and the existence of multiple neural loops, which ensure this stability. Copyright © 2014 the American Physiological Society.

Ecological Relevance Determines Task Priority in Older Adults' Multitasking.

PubMed

Doumas, Michail; Krampe, Ralf Th

2015-05-01

Multitasking is a challenging aspect of human behavior, especially if the concurrently performed tasks are different in nature. Several studies demonstrated pronounced performance decrements (dual-task costs) in older adults for combinations of cognitive and motor tasks. However, patterns of costs among component tasks differed across studies and reasons for participants' resource allocation strategies remained elusive. We investigated young and older adults' multitasking of a working memory task and two sensorimotor tasks, one with low (finger force control) and one with high ecological relevance (postural control). The tasks were performed in single-, dual-, and triple-task contexts. Working memory accuracy was reduced in dual-task contexts with either sensorimotor task and deteriorated further under triple-task conditions. Postural and force performance deteriorated with age and task difficulty in dual-task contexts. However, in the triple-task context with its maximum resource demands, older adults prioritized postural control over both force control and memory. Our results identify ecological relevance as the key factor in older adults' multitasking. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Infrared laser spectroscopy of the n-propyl and i-propyl radicals: Stretch-bend Fermi coupling in the alkyl CH stretch region

DOE PAGES

Franke, Peter R.; Tabor, Daniel P.; Moradi, Christopher P.; ...

2016-12-13

The n-propyl and i-propyl radicals were generated in the gas phase via pyrolysis of n-butyl nitrite [CH 3(CH 2) 3ONO] and i-butyl nitrite [(CH 3) 2CHCH 2ONO], respectively. Nascent radicals were promptly solvated by a beam of He nanodroplets, and the infrared spectra of the radicals were recorded in the CH stretching region. Several previously unreported bands are observed between 2800 and 3150 cm –1. The CH stretching modes observed above 3000 cm –1 are in excellent agreement with CCSD(T) anharmonic frequencies computed using second-order vibrational perturbation theory. However, between 2800 and 3000 cm –1, the spectra of n- andmore » i-propyl radicals become congested and difficult to assign due to the presence of multiple anharmonic resonance polyads. To model the spectrally congested region, Fermi and Darling-Dennison resonances are treated explicitly using “dressed” Hamiltonians and CCSD(T) quartic force fields in the normal mode representation, and the agreement with experiment is less than satisfactory. Computations employing local mode effective Hamiltonians reveal the origin of the spectral congestion to be strong coupling between the high frequency CH stretching modes and the lower frequency CH n bending/scissoring motions. The most significant coupling is between stretches and bends localized on the same CH 2/CH 3 group. As a result, spectral simulations using the local mode approach are in excellent agreement with experiment.« less

Infrared laser spectroscopy of the n-propyl and i-propyl radicals: Stretch-bend Fermi coupling in the alkyl CH stretch region

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

Franke, Peter R.; Tabor, Daniel P.; Moradi, Christopher P.

The n-propyl and i-propyl radicals were generated in the gas phase via pyrolysis of n-butyl nitrite [CH 3(CH 2) 3ONO] and i-butyl nitrite [(CH 3) 2CHCH 2ONO], respectively. Nascent radicals were promptly solvated by a beam of He nanodroplets, and the infrared spectra of the radicals were recorded in the CH stretching region. Several previously unreported bands are observed between 2800 and 3150 cm –1. The CH stretching modes observed above 3000 cm –1 are in excellent agreement with CCSD(T) anharmonic frequencies computed using second-order vibrational perturbation theory. However, between 2800 and 3000 cm –1, the spectra of n- andmore » i-propyl radicals become congested and difficult to assign due to the presence of multiple anharmonic resonance polyads. To model the spectrally congested region, Fermi and Darling-Dennison resonances are treated explicitly using “dressed” Hamiltonians and CCSD(T) quartic force fields in the normal mode representation, and the agreement with experiment is less than satisfactory. Computations employing local mode effective Hamiltonians reveal the origin of the spectral congestion to be strong coupling between the high frequency CH stretching modes and the lower frequency CH n bending/scissoring motions. The most significant coupling is between stretches and bends localized on the same CH 2/CH 3 group. As a result, spectral simulations using the local mode approach are in excellent agreement with experiment.« less

2012 urban congestion trends, operations : the key to reliable travel.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-04-01

Congestion levels remained relatively unchanged : from 2011 to 2012 in the 19 urban areas in the United States monitored : in this report. : Congestion levels across all of the congestion measures are still generally : below the levels experienced in...

Desloratadine and pseudoephedrine combination therapy as a comprehensive treatment for allergic rhinitis and nasal congestion.

PubMed

Anolik, Robert

2009-06-01

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is rapidly increasing in global prevalence. Symptoms of AR, particularly nasal congestion, can cause quality of life (QoL) impairment. Second-generation antihistamines are a recommended first-line therapy for AR but are not viewed as very effective for the treatment of congestion. Therefore, an antihistamine plus a decongestant, such as the combination of desloratadine and pseudoephedrine, is a convenient and efficacious treatment. To review the clinical evidence on the efficacy and safety of combination desloratadine/pseudoephedrine for the treatment of AR symptoms, particularly nasal congestion. Four large studies found that improvement in nasal congestion is enhanced when patients are treated with combination desloratadine/pseudoephedrine. The combination drug significantly improved mean reflective nasal congestion scores in these studies compared with either component as monotherapy (p

Fighting the War above Iraq. Employing Space Forces to Defeat an Insurgency

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-01

Before discussing the part space forces can play, we must first validate that current operations in Iraq actu­ ally require isolating the physical ...borders.”24 In order to overcome the previous challenges and achieve this objec­ tive, we can look for past attempts to isolate the physical ... physical battlespace through surveil­ lance will likely be countered. Space Forces’ Role We have seen that the need to isolate the physical battle­

Remote Acculturation: The "Americanization" of Jamaican Islanders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ferguson, Gail M.; Bornstein, Marc H.

2012-01-01

Twenty-first century globalization forces of technology and trade transport cultures across territorial borders. Cultural exchange now occurs in the absence of first-hand continuous contact that accompanies population migration. We propose and test a modern type of acculturation--"remote acculturation"--associated with indirect and/or…

Multifunctional Battalion Task Force Training: Slovenian Armed Forces Battalion Training Cycle

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-10

MULTIFUNCTIONAL BATTALION TASK FORCE TRAINING: SLOVENIAN ARMED FORCES BATTALION TRAINING CYCLE A thesis presented to...Forces Battalion Training Cycle 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Major Ales Avsec 5d...Bn TF) training cycle . It focuses on how the SAF is conducting the infantry and multifunctional Bn TF training. In particular, it deals with mission

Evidence for tension-based regulation of Drosophila MAL and SRF during invasive cell migration.

PubMed

Somogyi, Kálmán; Rørth, Pernille

2004-07-01

Cells migrating through a tissue exert force via their cytoskeleton and are themselves subject to tension, but the effects of physical forces on cell behavior in vivo are poorly understood. Border cell migration during Drosophila oogenesis is a useful model for invasive cell movement. We report that this migration requires the activity of the transcriptional factor serum response factor (SRF) and its cofactor MAL-D and present evidence that nuclear accumulation of MAL-D is induced by cell stretching. Border cells that cannot migrate lack nuclear MAL-D but can accumulate it if they are pulled by other migrating cells. Like mammalian MAL, MAL-D also responds to activated Diaphanous, which affects actin dynamics. MAL-D/SRF activity is required to build a robust actin cytoskeleton in the migrating cells; mutant cells break apart when initiating migration. Thus, tension-induced MAL-D activity may provide a feedback mechanism for enhancing cytoskeletal strength during invasive migration.

Multi-level partnerships to promote health services among internally displaced in eastern Burma.

PubMed

Mahn, M; Maung, C; Oo, E K Shwe; Smith, L; Lee, C I; Whichard, E; Neumann, C; Richards, A K; Mullany, L C; Kuiper, H; Lee, T J

2008-01-01

Ethnic populations in eastern Burma are the target of military policies that result in forced labour, destruction of food supplies, and massive forced displacement. Despite international assistance to Burmese refugees along the Thai-Burma border, traditional humanitarian models have failed to reach these internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Burma. Nevertheless, through the cultivation of a model (cross border local-global partnerships) 300,000 IDPs in eastern Burma now receive critical health services where, otherwise, there would be none. We describe key elements of the partnership model's genesis in eastern Burma. The role of the local partner, Backpack Health Worker Team (BPHWT), is highlighted for its indigenous access to the IDP populations and its maintenance of programmatic autonomy. These local elements are potentiated by international support for technical assistance, training, resources, and advocacy. International policy and investment should prioritize support of locally-driven health initiatives that utilize local-global partnerships to reach not only IDPs but also other war-torn or traditionally inaccessible populations worldwide.

The physical mechanisms of complete denture retention.

PubMed

Darvell, B W; Clark, R K

2000-09-09

The purpose of this article is to assist the practitioner to understand which factors are relevant to complete denture retention in the light of the current understanding of physics and materials science and thus to guide design. Atmospheric pressure, vacuum, adhesion, cohesion, surface tension, viscosity, base adaption, border seal, seating force and muscular control have all been cited at one time or another as major or contributory factors, but usually as an opinion without proper reference to fundamental principles. Although there has been a detailed analysis published, it seems appropriate that a restatement of the points in a collated form be made. In fact, denture retention is a dynamic issue dependent on the control of the flow of interposed fluid and thus its viscosity and film thickness, while the timescale of displacement loading affects the assessment. Surface tension forces at the periphery contribute to retention, but the most important concerns are good base adaptation and border seal. These must be achieved if full advantage is to be taken of the saliva flow-related effects.

Transforming American Education: Reducing the Risk to the Nation. A Report to the Secretary of Education, United States Department of Education, by The National Task Force on Educational Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ridley, William J.; Hull, McAllister H., Jr.

Designed to assist educational decision-makers at the school and district level, this report summarizes the work of the National Task Force on Educational Technology, which was formed in the fall of 1984 to investigate the potential of appropriately integrated technology for improving learning in American schools. The task force used six primary…

GAO's Views on the Default Task Force's Recommendations for Reducing Default Costs in the Guaranteed Student Loan Program. Testimony before the Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gainer, William J.

This General Accounting Office (GAO) testimony before the Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education, Committee on Education and Labor, House of Representatives, concerns the findings of the task force that addressed the increasing costs of student loan defaults. The task force report is considered, generally, to provide additional incentives and…

Appalachia: Rural Women and the Economics of Hunger. Hearing before the Domestic Task Force of the Select Committee on Hunger. House of Representatives, Ninety-Ninth Congress, First Session.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Select Committee on Hunger.

The Domestic Task Force of the House Select Committee on Hunger met to hear testimony on women and hunger in Appalachia and on food assistance programs and legislation, including H.R. 2100, the 1985 farm bill. Introductory remarks by task force members outline the bill's food assistance provisions, which include increased funding for food stamp…

A Real Alternative: The Final Report and Recommendations of the Community National Field Task Force on the Improvement and Reform of American Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Office of Education (DHEW), Washington, DC.

This report is one of six to be released by as many task forces on educational improvement and reform. The main body of this report consists of five sections: (a) an introduction, which briefly describes the work of the task force; (b) a description of the alternative of community participation in education; (c) recommendations; (d) access to…

Staff Report on the Guaranteed Student Loan Program, Belmont Task Force Recommendations. Prepared for the Subcommittee on Postsecondary Education of the Committee on Education and Labor.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. House Committee on Education and Labor.

Recommendations of the Belmont Task Force concerning the problem of student loan defaults are offered to the U.S. House of Representatives. The task force concludes that the purpose of the Guaranteed Student Loan (GSL) program has changed significantly in the last decade. While originally established as a loan of convenience for middle-income…

DESIGNING PHARMACEUTICAL TRIALS FOR SARCOPENIA IN FRAIL OLDER ADULTS: EU/US TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS

PubMed Central

VELLAS, B.; PAHOR, M.; MANINI, T.; ROOKS, D.; GURALNIK, J.M.; MORLEY, J.; STUDENSKI, S.; EVANS, W.; ASBRAND, C.; FARIELLO, R.; PEREIRA, S.; ROLLAND, Y.; VAN KAN, G. ABELLAN; CESARI, M.; CHUMLEA, WM.C.; FIELDING, R.

2014-01-01

An international task force of academic and industry leaders in sarcopenia research met on December 5, 2012 in Orlando, Florida to develop guidelines for designing and executing randomized clinical trials of sarcopenia treatments. The Task Force reviewed results from previous trials in related disease areas to extract lessons relevant to future sarcopenia trials, including practical issues regarding the design and conduct of trials in elderly populations, the definition of appropriate target populations, and the selection of screening tools, outcome measures, and biomarkers. They discussed regulatory issues, the challenges posed by trials of different types of interventions, and the need for standardization and harmonization. The Task Force concluded with recommendations for advancing the field toward better clinical trials. PMID:23933872

Task Force on Teacher Education in Physics: Findings and Recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otero, Valerie

2010-03-01

In response to the national crisis in science education, including low performance in high school physical science and a critical shortage of highly qualified physics teachers, a National Task Force was convened to investigate the state of physics education in the United States. The Task Force spent one year collecting data from over 900 universities and conducting site visits at 13 universities that were identified as ``high producers'' of physics teachers. The final report of the Task Force will be published early in 2010 and will highlight the findings and recommendations that resulted from the study. In this presentation, the main findings and recommendations will be presented along with selected case studies that illustrate exemplary practices in physics and education departments.

Along the Margins, across the Borders: Teaching and Learning among Veneto "Attrazionisti Viaggianti" in Italy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gobbo, Francesca

2006-01-01

The article presents the findings of an ethnographic study carried out among Italian "attrazionisti viaggianti" (fairground and circus people) who lead a nomadic life and work in four Veneto provinces (Padua, Vicenza, Treviso and Venice). Defining parents as "marginalised pedagogues" engaged in the task of enculturating their…

Water resources vulnerability assessment in the Adriatic Sea region: the case of Corfu Island.

PubMed

Kanakoudis, Vasilis; Tsitsifli, Stavroula; Papadopoulou, Anastasia; Cencur Curk, Barbara; Karleusa, Barbara

2017-09-01

Cross-border water resources management and protection is a complicated task to achieve, lacking a common methodological framework. Especially in the Adriatic region, water used for drinking water supply purposes pass from many different countries, turning its management into a hard task to achieve. During the DRINKADRIA project, a common methodological framework has been developed, for efficient and effective cross-border water supply and resources management, taking into consideration different resources types (surface and groundwater) emphasizing in drinking water supply intake. The common methodology for water resources management is based on four pillars: climate characteristics and climate change, water resources availability, quality, and security. The present paper assesses both present and future vulnerability of water resources in the Adriatic region, with special focus on Corfu Island, Greece. The results showed that climate change is expected to impact negatively on water resources availability while at the same time, water demand is expected to increase. Water quality problems will be intensified especially due to land use changes and salt water intrusion. The analysis identified areas where water resources are more vulnerable, allowing decision makers develop management strategies.

Improved cancer diagnostics by different image processing techniques on OCT images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanawade, Rajesh; Lengenfelder, Benjamin; Marini Menezes, Tassiana; Hohmann, Martin; Kopfinger, Stefan; Hohmann, Tim; Grabiec, Urszula; Klämpfl, Florian; Gonzales Menezes, Jean; Waldner, Maximilian; Schmidt, Michael

2015-07-01

Optical-coherence tomography (OCT) is a promising non-invasive, high-resolution imaging modality which can be used for cancer diagnosis and its therapeutic assessment. However, speckle noise makes detection of cancer boundaries and image segmentation problematic and unreliable. Therefore, to improve the image analysis for a precise cancer border detection, the performance of different image processing algorithms such as mean, median, hybrid median filter and rotational kernel transformation (RKT) for this task is investigated. This is done on OCT images acquired from an ex-vivo human cancerous mucosa and in vitro by using cultivated tumour applied on organotypical hippocampal slice cultures. The preliminary results confirm that the border between the healthy and the cancer lesions can be identified precisely. The obtained results are verified with fluorescence microscopy. This research can improve cancer diagnosis and the detection of borders between healthy and cancerous tissue. Thus, it could also reduce the number of biopsies required during screening endoscopy by providing better guidance to the physician.

Muscle function in glenohumeral joint stability during lifting task.

PubMed

Blache, Yoann; Begon, Mickaël; Michaud, Benjamin; Desmoulins, Landry; Allard, Paul; Dal Maso, Fabien

2017-01-01

Ensuring glenohumeral stability during repetitive lifting tasks is a key factor to reduce the risk of shoulder injuries. Nevertheless, the literature reveals some lack concerning the assessment of the muscles that ensure glenohumeral stability during specific lifting tasks. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the stabilization function of shoulder muscles during a lifting task. Kinematics and muscle electromyograms (n = 9) were recorded from 13 healthy adults during a bi-manual lifting task performed from the hip to the shoulder level. A generic upper-limb OpenSim model was implemented to simulate glenohumeral stability and instability by performing static optimizations with and without glenohumeral stability constraints. This procedure enabled to compute the level of shoulder muscle activity and forces in the two conditions. Without the stability constraint, the simulated movement was unstable during 74%±16% of the time. The force of the supraspinatus was significantly increased of 107% (p<0.002) when the glenohumeral stability constraint was implemented. The increased supraspinatus force led to greater compressive force (p<0.001) and smaller shear force (p<0.001), which contributed to improved glenohumeral stability. It was concluded that the supraspinatus may be the main contributor to glenohumeral stability during lifting task.

Muscle function in glenohumeral joint stability during lifting task

PubMed Central

Begon, Mickaël; Michaud, Benjamin; Desmoulins, Landry; Allard, Paul

2017-01-01

Ensuring glenohumeral stability during repetitive lifting tasks is a key factor to reduce the risk of shoulder injuries. Nevertheless, the literature reveals some lack concerning the assessment of the muscles that ensure glenohumeral stability during specific lifting tasks. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the stabilization function of shoulder muscles during a lifting task. Kinematics and muscle electromyograms (n = 9) were recorded from 13 healthy adults during a bi-manual lifting task performed from the hip to the shoulder level. A generic upper-limb OpenSim model was implemented to simulate glenohumeral stability and instability by performing static optimizations with and without glenohumeral stability constraints. This procedure enabled to compute the level of shoulder muscle activity and forces in the two conditions. Without the stability constraint, the simulated movement was unstable during 74%±16% of the time. The force of the supraspinatus was significantly increased of 107% (p<0.002) when the glenohumeral stability constraint was implemented. The increased supraspinatus force led to greater compressive force (p<0.001) and smaller shear force (p<0.001), which contributed to improved glenohumeral stability. It was concluded that the supraspinatus may be the main contributor to glenohumeral stability during lifting task. PMID:29244838

Effects of Type and Strength of Force Feedback on Movement Time in a Target Selection Task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rorie, Robert Conrad; Vu, Kim-Phuong L.; Marayong, Panadda; Robles, Jose; Strybel, Thomas Z.; Battiste, Vernol

2013-01-01

Future cockpits will likely include new onboard technologies, such as cockpit displays of traffic information, to help support future flight deck roles and responsibilities. These new technologies may benefit from multimodal feedback to aid pilot information processing. The current study investigated the effects of multiple levels of force feedback on operator performance in an aviation task. Participants were presented with two different types of force feedback (gravitational and spring force feedback) for a discrete targeting task, with multiple levels of gain examined for each force feedback type. Approach time and time in target were recorded. Results suggested that the two highest levels of gravitational force significantly reduced approach times relative to the lowest level of gravitational force. Spring force level only affected time in target. Implications of these findings for the design of future cockpit displays will be discussed.

Impaired force control in writer's cramp showing a bilateral deficit in sensorimotor integration.

PubMed

Bleton, Jean-Pierre; Teremetz, Maxime; Vidailhet, Marie; Mesure, Serge; Maier, Marc A; Lindberg, Påvel G

2014-01-01

Abnormal cortical processing of sensory inputs has been found bilaterally in writer's cramp (WC). This study tested the hypothesis that patients with WC have an impaired ability to adjust grip forces according to visual and somatosensory cues in both hands. A unimanual visuomotor force-tracking task and a bimanual sense of effort force-matching task were performed by WC patients and healthy controls. In visuomotor tracking, WC patients showed increased error, greater variability, and longer release duration than controls. In the force-matching task, patients underestimated, whereas controls overestimated, the force applied in the other hand. Visuomotor tracking and force matching were equally impaired in both the symptomatic and nonsymptomatic hand in WC patients. This study provides evidence of bilaterally impaired grip-force control in WC, when using visual or sense of effort cues. This suggests a generalized subclinical deficit in sensorimotor integration in WC. Copyright © 2013 Movement Disorder Society.

An evaluation of nursing tasks.

PubMed

Baptiste, Andrea

2011-01-01

Functional capacity evaluations have been criticized as being too general in theory and not being accurate enough to determine what tasks an employee can perform. This paper will describe results of a descriptive study that was conducted in a laboratory setting to objectively determine the physical demands of patient transfer tasks performed by nurses. Fifty three tasks were analyzed and broken down into sub-tasks to quantify the peak force required to perform each sub-task in order to determine which tasks pose healthcare workers at highest risk of injury. Dissecting the transfer task into segments allows us to see which part of the task requires high forces on the part of the caregiver. The task can then be modified to eliminate the risk of injury to the caregiver. This modification can be accomplished by using healthcare technology, such as floor based or overhead lifts, friction reducing devices, sit to stand lifts, properly designed slings, and motorized beds/trolleys. Technological solutions are available for some of these high risk tasks and should be implemented where applicable to reduce the force demand and eliminate or reduce the risk of injury to healthcare workers in nursing.

Consistency of Border-Ownership Cells across Artificial Stimuli, Natural Stimuli, and Stimuli with Ambiguous Contours.

PubMed

Hesse, Janis K; Tsao, Doris Y

2016-11-02

Segmentation and recognition of objects in a visual scene are two problems that are hard to solve separately from each other. When segmenting an ambiguous scene, it is helpful to already know the present objects and their shapes. However, for recognizing an object in clutter, one would like to consider its isolated segment alone to avoid confounds from features of other objects. Border-ownership cells (Zhou et al., 2000) appear to play an important role in segmentation, as they signal the side-of-figure of artificial stimuli. The present work explores the role of border-ownership cells in dorsal macaque visual areas V2 and V3 in the segmentation of natural object stimuli and locally ambiguous stimuli. We report two major results. First, compared with previous estimates, we found a smaller percentage of cells that were consistent across artificial stimuli used previously. Second, we found that the average response of those neurons that did respond consistently to the side-of-figure of artificial stimuli also consistently signaled, as a population, the side-of-figure for borders of single faces, occluding faces and, with higher latencies, even stimuli with illusory contours, such as Mooney faces and natural faces completely missing local edge information. In contrast, the local edge or the outlines of the face alone could not always evoke a significant border-ownership signal. Our results underscore that border ownership is coded by a population of cells, and indicate that these cells integrate a variety of cues, including low-level features and global object context, to compute the segmentation of the scene. To distinguish different objects in a natural scene, the brain must segment the image into regions corresponding to objects. The so-called "border-ownership" cells appear to be dedicated to this task, as they signal for a given edge on which side the object is that owns it. Here, we report that individual border-ownership cells are unreliable when tested across a battery of artificial stimuli used previously but can signal border-ownership consistently as a population. We show that these border-ownership population signals are also suited for signaling border-ownership for natural objects and at longer latency, even for stimuli without local edge information. Our results suggest that border-ownership cells integrate both local, low-level and global, high-level cues to segment the scene. Copyright © 2016 the authors 0270-6474/16/3611338-12$15.00/0.

Contemporary approaches to congestion pricing : lessons learned from the national evaluation of congestion pricing strategies at six sites.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-08-01

This document represents the final report of the national evaluation of congestion reduction strategies at six sites that received federal funding under the Urban Partnership Agreement (UPA) and Congestion Reduction Demonstration (CRD) programs. The ...

Mobility and the costs of congestion in New Jersey : 2001 update

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-07-01

The objective of the Mobility and the Costs of Congestion study is to measure quantifiable and qualitative impacts of roadway congestion in New Jersey. The study addresses the impacts of congestion on an average traveler or affected person, as well a...

Diagnosis and management of nasal congestion: the role of intranasal corticosteroids.

PubMed

Benninger, Michael

2009-01-01

Nasal congestion is considered the most bothersome of allergic rhinitis (AR) symptoms and can significantly impair ability to function at work, home, and school. Effective management of AR-related nasal congestion depends on accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Many individuals with AR and AR-related congestion remain undiagnosed and do not receive prescription medication. However, new tools intended to improve the diagnosis of nasal congestion have been developed and validated. Intranasal corticosteroids (INSs) are recommended as first-line therapy for patients with moderate-to-severe AR and also when nasal congestion is a prominent symptom. Double blind, randomized clinical trials have demonstrated greater efficacy of INSs versus placebo, antihistamines, or montelukast for relief of all nasal symptoms, especially congestion. Patient adherence to treatment also affects outcomes, and this may be influenced by patient preferences for the sensory attributes of an individual drug. Increased awareness of the effects of AR-related nasal congestion, the efficacy and safety of available pharmacotherapies, and barriers to adherence may improve clinical outcomes.

Effects of load position and force direction on back muscle loading in one-wheeled wheelbarrow tasks.

PubMed

Chen, Su-Huang; Lee, Yung-Hui; Lin, Chiuhsiang Joe

2015-01-01

Various parameters related to pushing/pulling tasks have been examined yet the effects of changing the load position in one-wheeled wheelbarrow task has not been examined. To explore the effects of load position and force direction on muscle activity during wheelbarrow tasks. Nine participants were recruited to take part in the experiment. Each participant performed 18 trials consisting of 2 force directions (push and pull) and 9 load positions. The dependent variables were EMG of erector spinae and gripping force. ANOVA was used to identify significant differences between force direction and load position in EMG and gripping force data. Results showed that peak EMG was lowest for the left and right erector spinae when the load was positioned farther from the participant. Peak EMG of the bilateral erector spinae increased when the weight was near the participant and on the ipsilateral hand. Based on the EMG results, we suggest that loads be arranged in the anterior part of the bin in order to reduce muscle activity on the spine during the wheelbarrow task. This finding also provides some directions in the improvement and ergonomic redesign of the one-wheeled wheelbarrow.

Active Travel Behavior in a Border Region of Texas and New Mexico: Motivators, Deterrents, and Characteristics.

PubMed

Sener, Ipek N; Lee, Richard J

2017-08-01

Active travel has been linked with improved transportation and health outcomes, such as reduced traffic congestion and air pollution, improved mobility, accessibility, and equity, and increased physical and mental health. The purpose of this study was to better understand active travel characteristics, motivators, and deterrents in the El Paso, TX, region. A multimodal transportation survey brought together elements of transportation and health, with a focus on attitudinal characteristics. The analysis consisted of an initial descriptive analysis, spatial analysis, and multivariate binary and ordered-response models of walking and bicycling behavior. The motivators and deterrents of active travel differed for walkers, bicyclists, and noncyclists interested in bicycling. The link between active travel and life satisfaction was moderated by age, with a negative association for older travelers. This effect was stronger for bicycling than it was for walking. Based on the findings, several interventions to encourage walking and bicycling were suggested. These included infrastructure and built environment enhancements, workplace programs, and interventions targeting specific subpopulations.

Local search to improve coordinate-based task mapping

DOE PAGES

Balzuweit, Evan; Bunde, David P.; Leung, Vitus J.; ...

2015-10-31

We present a local search strategy to improve the coordinate-based mapping of a parallel job’s tasks to the MPI ranks of its parallel allocation in order to reduce network congestion and the job’s communication time. The goal is to reduce the number of network hops between communicating pairs of ranks. Our target is applications with a nearest-neighbor stencil communication pattern running on mesh systems with non-contiguous processor allocation, such as Cray XE and XK Systems. Utilizing the miniGhost mini-app, which models the shock physics application CTH, we demonstrate that our strategy reduces application running time while also reducing the runtimemore » variability. Furthermore, we further show that mapping quality can vary based on the selected allocation algorithm, even between allocation algorithms of similar apparent quality.« less

Reciprocity-based experimental determination of dynamic forces and moments: A feasibility study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ver, Istvan L.; Howe, Michael S.

1994-01-01

BBN Systems and Technologies has been tasked by the Georgia Tech Research Center to carry Task Assignment No. 7 for the NASA Langley Research Center to explore the feasibility of 'In-Situ Experimental Evaluation of the Source Strength of Complex Vibration Sources Utilizing Reciprocity.' The task was carried out under NASA Contract No. NAS1-19061. In flight it is not feasible to connect the vibration sources to their mounting points on the fuselage through force gauges to measure dynamic forces and moments directly. However, it is possible to measure the interior sound field or vibration response caused by these structureborne sound sources at many locations and invoke principle of reciprocity to predict the dynamic forces and moments. The work carried out in the framework of Task 7 was directed to explore the feasibility of reciprocity-based measurements of vibration forces and moments.

Age-related differences in finger force control are characterized by reduced force production.

PubMed

Vieluf, Solveig; Godde, Ben; Reuter, Eva-Maria; Voelcker-Rehage, Claudia

2013-01-01

It has been repeatedly shown that precise finger force control declines with age. The tasks and evaluation parameters used to reveal age-related differences vary between studies. In order to examine effects of task characteristics, young adults (18-25 years) and late middle-aged adults (55-65 years) performed precision grip tasks with varying speed and force requirements. Different outcome variables were used to evaluate age-related differences. Age-related differences were confirmed for performance accuracy (TWR) and variability (relative root mean square error, rRMSE). The task characteristics, however, influenced accuracy and variability in both age groups: Force modulation performance at higher speed was poorer than at lower speed and at fixed force levels than at force levels adjusted to the individual maximum forces. This effect tended to be stronger for older participants for the rRMSE. A curve fit confirmed the age-related differences for both spatial force tracking parameters (amplitude and intercept) and for one temporal parameter (phase shift), but not for the temporal parameter frequency. Additionally, matching the timing parameters of the sine wave seemed to be more important than matching the spatial parameters in both young adults and late middle-aged adults. However, the effect was stronger for the group of late middle-aged, even though maximum voluntary contraction was not significantly different between groups. Our data indicate that changes in the processing of fine motor control tasks with increasing age are caused by difficulties of late middle-aged adults to produce a predefined amount of force in a short time.

Signalling and obfuscation for congestion control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mareček, Jakub; Shorten, Robert; Yu, Jia Yuan

2015-10-01

We aim to reduce the social cost of congestion in many smart city applications. In our model of congestion, agents interact over limited resources after receiving signals from a central agent that observes the state of congestion in real time. Under natural models of agent populations, we develop new signalling schemes and show that by introducing a non-trivial amount of uncertainty in the signals, we reduce the social cost of congestion, i.e., improve social welfare. The signalling schemes are efficient in terms of both communication and computation, and are consistent with past observations of the congestion. Moreover, the resulting population dynamics converge under reasonable assumptions.

Improving Explicit Congestion Notification with the Mark-Front Strategy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Chunlei; Jain, Raj

2001-01-01

Delivering congestion signals is essential to the performance of networks. Current TCP/IP networks use packet losses to signal congestion. Packet losses not only reduces TCP performance, but also adds large delay. Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN) delivers a faster indication of congestion and has better performance. However, current ECN implementations mark the packet from the tail of the queue. In this paper, we propose the mark-front strategy to send an even faster congestion signal. We show that mark-front strategy reduces buffer size requirement, improves link efficiency and provides better fairness among users. Simulation results that verify our analysis are also presented.

23 CFR 971.214 - Federal lands congestion management system (CMS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... congestion management strategies; (v) Determine methods to monitor and evaluate the performance of the multi... Federal lands congestion management system (CMS). (a) For purposes of this section, congestion means the... for the transportation systems providing access to and within National Forests, as appropriate, that...

23 CFR 970.214 - Federal lands congestion management system (CMS).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Federal lands congestion management system (CMS). 970... LANDS HIGHWAYS NATIONAL PARK SERVICE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS National Park Service Management Systems § 970.214 Federal lands congestion management system (CMS). (a) For purposes of this section, congestion...

Purchasing oncology services. Kerr L. White Institute/American Cancer Society Task Force on Purchasing Oncology Services.

PubMed

Cangialose, C B; Blair, A E; Borchardt, J S; Ades, T B; Bennett, C L; Dickersin, K; Gesme, D H; Henderson, I C; McGinnis, L S; Mooney, K; Mortenson, L E; Sperduto, P; Winkenwerder, W; Ballard, D J

2000-06-15

A multidisciplinary panel representing various stakeholders in the health care delivery and oncology services marketplace was convened to develop specific criteria for healthcare purchasers to consider when evaluating the structures and processes of health plans. These rank ordered criteria also can be used by oncologic service providers and health plan designers as a yardstick for the services they offer. A multidisciplinary 31-member Task Force was assembled by the Kerr L. White Institute and the American Cancer Society in March 1997. Task Force members were selected for their ability to offer expert insight as purchasers, suppliers, policymakers, consumers, or stakeholders in the health care marketplace. A preference-weighted majority voting rule was used to identify the three most important recommendations of the 10 that were generated through a modified Delphi technique. To test the practicality of the top three recommendations, leaders of large managed care organizations (MCOs) were surveyed; the results of this survey then were compared with the results of the Task Force survey. The three most important recommendations from the Task Force were that health plans provide access to: 1) comprehensive cancer care, 2) preventive and screening services, and 3) second opinions and treatment options supported by scientific evidence. The difference between the responses of the Task Force and the MCOs was that MCOs placed the highest importance on evidence-based decision-making, with their next three rankings coinciding with those identified by the Task Force. The value of these summary recommendations will be realized through their use by both purchasers and suppliers to influence the structure and content of the delivery of oncologic services.

Preventing skin cancer: findings of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services On reducing Exposure to Ultraviolet Light.

PubMed

Saraiya, Mona; Glanz, Karen; Briss, Peter; Nichols, Phyllis; White, Cornelia; Das, Debjani

2003-10-17

Rates of skin cancer, the most common cancer in the United States, are increasing. The most preventable risk factor for skin cancer is unprotected ultraviolet (UV) exposure. Seeking to identify effective approaches to reducing the incidence of skin cancer by improving individual and community efforts to reduce unprotected UV exposure, the Task Force on Community Preventive Services conducted systematic reviews of community interventions to reduce exposure to ultraviolet light and increase protective behaviors. The Task Force found sufficient evidence to recommend two interventions that are based on improvements in sun protective or "covering-up" behavior (wearing protective clothing including long-sleeved clothing or hats): educational and policy approaches in two settings--primary schools and recreational or tourism sites. They found insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of a range of other population-based interventions and recommended additional research in these areas: educational and policy approaches in child care centers, secondary schools and colleges, recreational or tourism sites for children, and workplaces; interventions conducted in health-care settings and targeted to both providers and children's parents or caregivers; media campaigns alone; and community wide multicomponent interventions. This report also presents additional information regarding the recommended community interventions, briefly describes how the reviews were conducted, provides resources for further information, and provides information that can help in applying the interventions locally. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force conducted a systematic review of counseling by primary care clinicians to prevent skin cancer (CDC. Counseling to prevent skin cancer: recommendation and rationale of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. MMWR 2003;52[No. RR-15]:13-17), which is also included in this issue, the first jointly released findings from the Task Force on Community Preventive Services and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.

Measurement of Forces and Moments Transmitted to the Residual Limb

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

prosthesis alignment, socket pressure, gait, force and moment sensors 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: U 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18. NUMBER... prosthesis to measure the forces and moments at the base of the socket and to use these measurements to estimate the forces transmitted to the residual limb...BODY – EACH TASK IN STATEMENT OF WORK Task 1. To instrument a transtibial prosthesis with a tri-axial transducer to measure the forces and

The Composite Strain Index (COSI) and Cumulative Strain Index (CUSI): methodologies for quantifying biomechanical stressors for complex tasks and job rotation using the Revised Strain Index.

PubMed

Garg, Arun; Moore, J Steven; Kapellusch, Jay M

2017-08-01

The Composite Strain Index (COSI) quantifies biomechanical stressors for complex tasks consisting of exertions at different force levels and/or with different exertion times. The Cumulative Strain Index (CUSI) further integrates biomechanical stressors from different tasks to quantify exposure for the entire work shift. The paper provides methodologies to compute COSI and CUSI along with examples. Complex task simulation produced 169,214 distinct tasks. Use of average, time-weighted average (TWA) and peak force and COSI classified 66.9, 28.2, 100 and 38.9% of tasks as hazardous, respectively. For job rotation the simulation produced 10,920 distinct jobs. TWA COSI, peak task COSI and CUSI classified 36.5, 78.1 and 66.6% jobs as hazardous, respectively. The results suggest that the TWA approach systematically underestimates the biomechanical stressors and peak approach overestimates biomechanical stressors, both at the task and job level. It is believed that the COSI and CUSI partially address these underestimations and overestimations of biomechanical stressors. Practitioner Summary: COSI quantifies exposure when applied hand force and/or duration of that force changes during a task cycle. CUSI integrates physical exposures from job rotation. These should be valuable tools for designing and analysing tasks and job rotation to determine risk of musculoskeletal injuries.

75 FR 43565 - NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-26

... NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION [Notice: (10-084)] NASA Advisory Council; Ad-Hoc Task Force on Planetary Defense; Meeting AGENCY: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. ACTION... amended, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announces a two-part meeting of the Ad-Hoc Task...

76 FR 72404 - Pesticides: Availability of Pesticide Registration Notice Regarding the Non-Dietary Exposure Task...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-23

... Pesticide Registration Notice Regarding the Non-Dietary Exposure Task Force AGENCY: Environmental Protection... Registration Notice (PR Notice) regarding the data development efforts of the Non-Dietary Exposure Task Force... participate. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard P. Dumas, Pesticide Re- evaluation Division (7508P...

Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Globalization and Security.

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-12-01

adversaries, such as North Korea’s progress in ballistic missiles. The leveling effect of globalization is a thread that runs through the Task Force...globalization are manifold. Increased use of the commercial sector cannot be separated from the effects of globalization. Nor is increased DoD reliance...enhance dramatically DSB Task Force on Globalization and Security DoD’s organizational efficiency and effectiveness . This could allow DoD to cut

Applicability of Performance Assessment Tools to Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force C4 System of Systems Performance Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

application of existing assessment tools that may be applicable to Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Command, Control, Communications and...of existing assessment tools that may be applicable to Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4...assessment tools and analysis concepts that may be extended to the Marine Corps’ C4 System of Systems assessment methodology as a means to obtain a

Training and Familiarization with the Battle Command Sustainment Support System

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-11

for Task Force Bastone and SDDC” by Mitch Chandran (Translog, Fall 2005) focuses on the initial use of the BCS3 by the Surface Deployment and...the Heartbeat of ITV for Task Force Bastone and SDDC,” Journal of Military Transportation Management (Fall 2005): 13. 49Ibid. 50Ibid. 51Colonel...Mitch. “BCS3 Becomes the Heartbeat of ITV for Task Force Bastone and SDDC.” Journal of Military Transportation Management (Fall 2005). Department

Maritime Domain Awareness In The South China Sea: An Operational Picture Design

DTIC Science & Technology

China Sea (SCS) region. Socio- economic issues plague the SCS, including overfishing, piracy, and energy usage, and have forced many countries to...disregard borders, laws, and economic exclusionary zones (EEZ). These actions have caused numerous vessels of interest (VOIs) to turn off required

The Ink of Citizenship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Patel, Leigh

2017-01-01

Nations actively write themselves onto human bodies. They etch and scratch their borders onto human flesh with figurative, often contradictory, ink that delivers stark material impact. The impacts hold their greatest force in metering the hinged consequences of contingent citizenship for some and unfettered citizenship for a few others. In this…

Collaborative International Education: Reaching across Borders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilgers, Michael G.; Flachsbart, Barry B.; Elrod, Cassandra C.

2012-01-01

Purpose: As international boundaries fade and financial pressures increase, universities are redefining the norm in educational models. The move from a synchronous classroom to a blended classroom or a completely asynchronous environment has forced faculty to be creative in delivery while overcoming complexities in the associated infrastructure.…

23 CFR 450.320 - Congestion management process in transportation management areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Congestion management process in transportation... Programming § 450.320 Congestion management process in transportation management areas. (a) The transportation planning process in a TMA shall address congestion management through a process that provides for safe and...

23 CFR 450.320 - Congestion management process in transportation management areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Congestion management process in transportation... Programming § 450.320 Congestion management process in transportation management areas. (a) The transportation planning process in a TMA shall address congestion management through a process that provides for safe and...

23 CFR 450.320 - Congestion management process in transportation management areas.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 23 Highways 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Congestion management process in transportation... Programming § 450.320 Congestion management process in transportation management areas. (a) The transportation planning process in a TMA shall address congestion management through a process that provides for safe and...

76 FR 75875 - Plan for Conduct of 2012 Electric Transmission Congestion Study

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-05

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Plan for Conduct of 2012 Electric Transmission Congestion Study AGENCY... preparation of a study of electric transmission congestion pursuant to section 216(a)(1) of the Federal Power...-register at this Web site: http://energy.gov/oe/congestion-study-2012 . [[Page 75876

Power system restoration - A task force report

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

Adibi, M.; Clelland, P.; Fink, L.

1986-01-01

The IEEE PES System Operation Subcommittee has established the Power System Restoration Task Force to: review operating practices, conduct a literature search, prepare relevant glossaries and bibliographies, and promote information exchange through technical papers. This is the first report of the Task Force. The problem of bulk power system restoration following a complete or partial collapse is practically as old as the electric utility industry itself. Many electric utilities have developed over the years system restoration schemes that meet the needs of their particular systems. These plans provide a great deal of insight into how the restorative process is viewedmore » by operating and planning personnel and what concerns and constraints any plan must operate under. The body of the report consists of notes prepared by members of the Task Force. It should not be interred that a complete reporting on Power System Restoration is undertaken here. The intent is to report upon work of the Task Force to date. The report also reviews several different restoration plans and shows their common concerns and constraints.« less

The AAPT Advanced Laboratory Task Force Report

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunham, Jeffrey

2008-04-01

In late 2005, the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) assembled a seven-member Advanced Laboratory Task Force^ to recommend ways that AAPT could increase the degree and effectiveness of its interactions with physics teachers of upper-division physics laboratories, with the ultimate goal of improving the teaching of advanced laboratories. The task force completed its work during the first half of 2006 and its recommendations were presented to the AAPT Executive Committee in July 2006. This talk will present the recommendations of the task force and actions taken by AAPT in response to them. The curricular goals of the advanced laboratory course at various institutions will also be discussed. The talk will conclude with an appeal to the APS membership to support ongoing efforts to revitalize advanced laboratory course instruction. ^Members of the Advanced Laboratory Task Force: Van Bistrow, University of Chicago; Bob DeSerio, University of Florida; Jeff Dunham, Middlebury College (Chair); Elizabeth George, Wittenburg University; Daryl Preston, California State University, East Bay; Patricia Sparks, Harvey Mudd College; Gerald Taylor, James Madison University; and David Van Baak, Calvin College.

Report of the Special Task Force to Study Not-for-Profit Hospitals and Unsponsored Charity Care.

PubMed

Anderson, R J; Milburn, L T

1990-04-01

Texas not-for-profit hospitals recently received intense scrutiny regarding their involvement in charity-related contributions when Texas Attorney General Jim Mattox formed the Task Force to Study Not-for-Profit Hospitals and Unsponsored Charity Care. This article details the task force's recommendations concerning charity care obligations of Texas not-for-profit hospitals. Setting the stage for these recommendations was a broad definition of charitable services that included costs for delivering services to indigents and for providing community services to fulfill the hospital's charitable, religious, educational, research, or eleemosynary purposes. The task force unanimously agreed that a mandated level of charity care was incongruent with the hospitals' individual missions and specific community needs, but they supported the formation of standard accounting procedures for charitable services and the voluntary submission of their mission statements to the attorney general of Texas. While the hospitals' role in providing charitable services is very important, the task force emphasized that the overall need for adequate financing and reimbursement of health care is a societal problem that needs specific state and federal actions.

Evaluation of knee joint forces during kneeling work with different kneepads.

PubMed

Xu, Hang; Jampala, Sree; Bloswick, Donald; Zhao, Jie; Merryweather, Andrew

2017-01-01

The main purpose of this study is to determine knee joint forces resulting from kneeling work with and without kneepads to quantify how different kneepads redistribute force. Eleven healthy males simulated a tile setting task to different locations during six kneepad states (five different kneepad types and without kneepad). Peak and average forces on the anatomical landmarks of both knees were obtained by custom force sensors. The results revealed that kneepad design can significantly modify the forces on the knee joint through redistribution. The Professional Gel design was preferred among the five tested kneepads which was confirmed with both force measurements and participants' responses. The extreme reaching locations induced significantly higher joint forces on left knee or right knee depending on task. The conclusion of this study is that a properly selected kneepad for specific tasks and a more neutral working posture can modify the force distribution on the knees and likely decrease the risk of knee disorders from kneeling work. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving posture-motor dual-task with a supraposture-focus strategy in young and elderly adults

PubMed Central

Yu, Shu-Han

2017-01-01

In a postural-suprapostural task, appropriate prioritization is necessary to achieve task goals and maintain postural stability. A “posture-first” principle is typically favored by elderly people in order to secure stance stability, but this comes at the cost of reduced suprapostural performance. Using a postural-suprapostural task with a motor suprapostural goal, this study investigated differences between young and older adults in dual-task cost across varying task prioritization paradigms. Eighteen healthy young (mean age: 24.8 ± 5.2 years) and 18 older (mean age: 68.8 ± 3.7 years) adults executed a designated force-matching task from a stabilometer board using either a stabilometer stance (posture-focus strategy) or force-matching (supraposture-focus strategy) as the primary task. The dual-task effect (DTE: % change in dual-task condition; positive value: dual-task benefit, negative value: dual-task cost) of force-matching error and reaction time (RT), posture error, and approximate entropy (ApEn) of stabilometer movement were measured. When using the supraposture-focus strategy, young adults exhibited larger DTE values in each behavioral parameter than when using the posture-focus strategy. The older adults using the supraposture-focus strategy also attained larger DTE values for posture error, stabilometer movement ApEn, and force-matching error than when using the posture-focus strategy. These results suggest that the supraposture-focus strategy exerted an increased dual-task benefit for posture-motor dual-tasking in both healthy young and elderly adults. The present findings imply that the older adults should make use of the supraposture-focus strategy for fall prevention during dual-task execution. PMID:28151943

Improving posture-motor dual-task with a supraposture-focus strategy in young and elderly adults.

PubMed

Yu, Shu-Han; Huang, Cheng-Ya

2017-01-01

In a postural-suprapostural task, appropriate prioritization is necessary to achieve task goals and maintain postural stability. A "posture-first" principle is typically favored by elderly people in order to secure stance stability, but this comes at the cost of reduced suprapostural performance. Using a postural-suprapostural task with a motor suprapostural goal, this study investigated differences between young and older adults in dual-task cost across varying task prioritization paradigms. Eighteen healthy young (mean age: 24.8 ± 5.2 years) and 18 older (mean age: 68.8 ± 3.7 years) adults executed a designated force-matching task from a stabilometer board using either a stabilometer stance (posture-focus strategy) or force-matching (supraposture-focus strategy) as the primary task. The dual-task effect (DTE: % change in dual-task condition; positive value: dual-task benefit, negative value: dual-task cost) of force-matching error and reaction time (RT), posture error, and approximate entropy (ApEn) of stabilometer movement were measured. When using the supraposture-focus strategy, young adults exhibited larger DTE values in each behavioral parameter than when using the posture-focus strategy. The older adults using the supraposture-focus strategy also attained larger DTE values for posture error, stabilometer movement ApEn, and force-matching error than when using the posture-focus strategy. These results suggest that the supraposture-focus strategy exerted an increased dual-task benefit for posture-motor dual-tasking in both healthy young and elderly adults. The present findings imply that the older adults should make use of the supraposture-focus strategy for fall prevention during dual-task execution.

75 FR 12493 - Task Force on Childhood Obesity: Request for Information

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-16

... Force on Childhood Obesity: Request for Information AGENCY: U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S.... SUMMARY: Across the country, childhood obesity has reached epidemic rates. On February 9, 2010, President Obama signed a Presidential Memo establishing a Task Force on Childhood Obesity that directs Federal...

America’s Army: The Strength of the Nation. 2010 Army Posture Statement

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-19

Task Force ARFORGEN Army Force Generation AFRICOM Africa Command AMAP Army Medical Action Plan AMC Army Material Command APS Army Prepositioned Stocks ...Facilities EBCT Evaluation Brigade Combat Team EOD Explosive Ordnance Disposal ES2 Every Soldier a Sensor ETF Enterprise Task Force FCS Future Combat

Pharmacy faculty workplace issues: findings from the 2009-2010 COD-COF Joint Task Force on Faculty Workforce.

PubMed

Desselle, Shane P; Peirce, Gretchen L; Crabtree, Brian L; Acosta, Daniel; Early, Johnnie L; Kishi, Donald T; Nobles-Knight, Dolores; Webster, Andrew A

2011-05-10

Many factors contribute to the vitality of an individual faculty member, a department, and an entire academic organization. Some of the relationships among these factors are well understood, but many questions remain unanswered. The Joint Task Force on Faculty Workforce examined the literature on faculty workforce issues, including the work of previous task forces charged by the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP). We identified and focused on 4 unique but interrelated concepts: organizational culture/climate, role of the department chair, faculty recruitment and retention, and mentoring. Among all 4 resides the need to consider issues of intergenerational, intercultural, and gender dynamics. This paper reports the findings of the task force and proffers specific recommendations to AACP and to colleges and schools of pharmacy.

Interpersonal synergies: static prehension tasks performed by two actors.

PubMed

Solnik, Stanislaw; Reschechtko, Sasha; Wu, Yen-Hsun; Zatsiorsky, Vladimir M; Latash, Mark L

2016-08-01

We investigated multidigit synergies stabilizing components of the resultant force vector during joint performance of a static prehension task by two persons as compared to similar tasks performed by a single person using both hands. Subjects transferred the instrumented handle from the right hand to the left hand (one-person condition) or passed that handle to another person (two-person condition) while keeping the handle's position and orientation stationary. Only three digits were involved per hand, the thumb, the index finger, and the middle finger; the forces and moments produced by the digits were measured by six-component sensors. We estimated the performance-stabilizing synergies within the uncontrolled manifold framework by quantifying the intertrial variance structure of digit forces and moments. The analysis was performed at three levels: between hands, between virtual finger and virtual thumb (imagined digits producing the same mechanical variables as the corresponding actual digits combined) produced by the two hands (in both interpersonal and intrapersonal conditions), and between the thumb and virtual finger for one hand only. Additionally, we performed correlation and phase synchronization analyses of resultant tangential forces and internal normal forces. Overall, the one-person conditions were characterized by higher amount of intertrial variance that did not affect resultant normal force components, higher internal components of normal forces, and stronger synchronization of the normal forces generated by the hands. Our observations suggest that in two-person tasks, when participants try to achieve a common mechanical outcome, the performance-stabilizing synergies depend on non-visual information exchange, possibly via the haptic and proprioceptive systems. Therefore, synergies quantified in tasks using visual feedback only may not be generalizable to more natural tasks.

Visual search in a forced-choice paradigm

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holmgren, J. E.

1974-01-01

The processing of visual information was investigated in the context of two visual search tasks. The first was a forced-choice task in which one of two alternative letters appeared in a visual display of from one to five letters. The second task included trials on which neither of the two alternatives was present in the display. Search rates were estimated from the slopes of best linear fits to response latencies plotted as a function of the number of items in the visual display. These rates were found to be much slower than those estimated in yes-no search tasks. This result was interpreted as indicating that the processes underlying visual search in yes-no and forced-choice tasks are not the same.

Ambulatory Healthcare Utilization in the United States: A System Dynamics Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diaz, Rafael; Behr, Joshua G.; Tulpule, Mandar

2011-01-01

Ambulatory health care needs within the United States are served by a wide range of hospitals, clinics, and private practices. The Emergency Department (ED) functions as an important point of supply for ambulatory healthcare services. Growth in our aging populations as well as changes stemming from broader healthcare reform are expected to continue trend in congestion and increasing demand for ED services. While congestion is, in part, a manifestation of unmatched demand, the state of the alignment between the demand for, and supply of, emergency department services affects quality of care and profitability. The central focus of this research is to provide an explanation of the salient factors at play within the dynamic demand-supply tensions within which ambulatory care is provided within an Emergency Department. A System Dynamics (SO) simulation model is used to capture the complexities among the intricate balance and conditional effects at play within the demand-supply emergency department environment. Conceptual clarification of the forces driving the elements within the system , quantifying these elements, and empirically capturing the interaction among these elements provides actionable knowledge for operational and strategic decision-making.

Improving training of laparoscopic tissue manipulation skills using various visual force feedback types.

PubMed

Smit, Daan; Spruit, Edward; Dankelman, Jenny; Tuijthof, Gabrielle; Hamming, Jaap; Horeman, Tim

2017-01-01

Visual force feedback allows trainees to learn laparoscopic tissue manipulation skills. The aim of this experimental study was to find the most efficient visual force feedback method to acquire these skills. Retention and transfer validity to an untrained task were assessed. Medical students without prior experience in laparoscopy were randomized in three groups: Constant Force Feedback (CFF) (N = 17), Bandwidth Force Feedback (BFF) (N = 16) and Fade-in Force Feedback (N = 18). All participants performed a pretest, training, post-test and follow-up test. The study involved two dissimilar tissue manipulation tasks, one for training and one to assess transferability. Participants performed six trials of the training task. A force platform was used to record several force parameters. A paired-sample t test showed overall lower force parameter outcomes in the post-test compared to the pretest (p < .001). A week later, the force parameter outcomes were still significantly lower than found in the pretest (p < .005). Participants also performed the transfer task in the post-test (p < .02) and follow-up (p < .05) test with lower force parameter outcomes compared to the pretest. A one-way MANOVA indicated that in the post-test the CFF group applied 50 % less Mean Absolute Nonzero Force (p = .005) than the BFF group. All visual force feedback methods showed to be effective in decreasing tissue manipulation force as no major differences were found between groups in the post and follow-up trials. The BFF method is preferred for it respects individual progress and minimizes distraction.

Human lymphatic pumping measured in healthy and lymphoedematous arms by lymphatic congestion lymphoscintigraphy

PubMed Central

Modi, S; Stanton, A W B; Svensson, W E; Peters, A M; Mortimer, P S; Levick, J R

2007-01-01

Axillary surgery for breast cancer partially obstructs lymph outflow from the arm, chronically raising the lymphatic smooth muscle afterload. This may lead to pump failure, as in hypertensive cardiac failure, and could explain features of breast cancer treatment-related lymphoedema (BCRL) such as its delayed onset. A new method was developed to measure human lymphatic contractility non-invasively and test the hypothesis of contractile impairment. 99mTc-human IgG (Tc-HIG), injected into the hand dermis, drained into the arm lymphatic system which was imaged using a gamma-camera. Lymph transit time from hand to axilla, ttransit, was 9.6 ± 7.2 min (mean ±s.d.) (velocity 8.9 cm min−1) in seven normal subjects. To assess lymphatic contractility, a sphygmomanometer cuff around the upper arm was inflated to 60 mmHg (Pcuff) before 99mTc-HIG injection and maintained for >> ttransit. When Pcuff exceeded the maximum pressure generated by the lymphatic pump (Ppump), radiolabelled lymph was held up at the distal cuff border. Pcuff was then lowered in 10 mmHg steps until 99mTc-HIG began to flow under the cuff to the axilla, indicating Ppump≥Pcuff. In 16 normal subjects Ppump was 39 ± 14 mmHg. Ppump was 38% lower in 16 women with BCRL, namely 24 ± 19 mmHg (P = 0.014, Student's unpaired t test), and correlated negatively with the degree of swelling (12–56%). Blood radiolabel accumulation proved an unreliable measure of lymphatic pump function. Lymphatic congestion lymphoscintigraphy thus provided a quantitative measure of human lymphatic contractility without surgical cut-down, and the results supported the hypothesis of lymphatic pump failure in BCRL. PMID:17569739

Objective Assessment of Laparoscopic Force and Psychomotor Skills in a Novel Virtual Reality-Based Haptic Simulator.

PubMed

Prasad, M S Raghu; Manivannan, Muniyandi; Manoharan, Govindan; Chandramohan, S M

2016-01-01

Most of the commercially available virtual reality-based laparoscopic simulators do not effectively evaluate combined psychomotor and force-based laparoscopic skills. Consequently, the lack of training on these critical skills leads to intraoperative errors. To assess the effectiveness of the novel virtual reality-based simulator, this study analyzed the combined psychomotor (i.e., motion or movement) and force skills of residents and expert surgeons. The study also examined the effectiveness of real-time visual force feedback and tool motion during training. Bimanual fundamental (i.e., probing, pulling, sweeping, grasping, and twisting) and complex tasks (i.e., tissue dissection) were evaluated. In both tasks, visual feedback on applied force and tool motion were provided. The skills of the participants while performing the early tasks were assessed with and without visual feedback. Participants performed 5 repetitions of fundamental and complex tasks. Reaction force and instrument acceleration were used as metrics. Surgical Gastroenterology, Government Stanley Medical College and Hospital; Institute of Surgical Gastroenterology, Madras Medical College and Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. Residents (N = 25; postgraduates and surgeons with <2 years of laparoscopic surgery) and expert surgeons (N = 25; surgeons with >4 and ≤10 years of laparoscopic surgery). Residents applied large forces compared with expert surgeons and performed abrupt tool movements (p < 0.001). However, visual + haptic feedback improved the performance of residents (p < 0.001). In complex tasks, visual + haptic feedback did not influence the applied force of expert surgeons, but influenced their tool motion (p < 0.001). Furthermore, in complex tissue sweeping task, expert surgeons applied more force, but were within the tissue damage limits. In both groups, exertion of large forces and abrupt tool motion were observed during grasping, probing or pulling, and tissue sweeping maneuvers (p < 0.001). Modern day curriculum-based training should evaluate the skills of residents with robust force and psychomotor-based exercises for proficient laparoscopy. Visual feedback on force and motion during training has the potential to enhance the learning curve of residents. Copyright © 2016 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Autonomous Congestion Control in Delay-Tolerant Networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burleigh, Scott; Jennings, Esther; Schoolcraft, Joshua

2006-01-01

Congestion control is an important feature that directly affects network performance. Network congestion may cause loss of data or long delays. Although this problem has been studied extensively in the Internet, the solutions for Internet congestion control do not apply readily to challenged network environments such as Delay Tolerant Networks (DTN) where end-to-end connectivity may not exist continuously and latency can be high. In DTN, end-to-end rate control is not feasible. This calls for congestion control mechanisms where the decisions can be made autonomously with local information only. We use an economic pricing model and propose a rule-based congestion control mechanism where each router can autonomously decide on whether to accept a bundle (data) based on local information such as available storage and the value and risk of accepting the bundle (derived from historical statistics). Preliminary experimental results show that this congestion control mechanism can protect routers from resource depletion without loss of data.

A research of the community’s opening to the outside world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Lan; Liu, Xiangzhuo

2017-03-01

Closed residential areas, called community, the traffic network and result in various degrees of traffic congestion such as amputating, dead ends and T-shaped roads. In order to reveal the mechanism of the congestion, establish an effective evaluation index system and finally provide theoretical basis for the study of traffic congestion, we have done researches on factors for traffic congestion and have established a scientific evaluation index system combining experiences home and abroad, based on domestic congestion status. Firstly, we analyse the traffic network as the entry point, and then establish the evaluation model of road capacity with the method of AHP index system. Secondly, we divide the condition of urban congestion into 5 levels from congestion to smoothness. Besides, with VISSIM software, simulations about traffic capacity before and after community opening are carried out. Finally, we provide forward reasonable suggestions upon the combination of models and reality.

WWC Review of the Report "Meeting the Challenge of Combating Chronic Absenteeism: Impact of the NYC Mayor's Interagency Task Force on Chronic Absenteeism and School Attendance and Its Implications for Other Cities." What Works Clearinghouse Single Study Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

What Works Clearinghouse, 2014

2014-01-01

The 2013 study, "Meeting the Challenge of Combating Chronic Absenteeism: Impact of the NYC Mayor's Interagency Task Force on Chronic Absenteeism and School Attendance and Its Implications for Other Cities", examined the impact of the strategies developed by an interagency task force in New York City to combat chronic absenteeism in…

Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Tactical Battlefield Communications,

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-02-01

Communications, in and Intelligence (ASD/C3I); and LTG John Woodward, J6. The Task Force comprised fourteen experts from government, industry, and academe. The...O’Berry (USAF-Retired) Col Bobby Smart (USAF) Professor Stewart Personick Mr. Mark Rich Mr. Peter D. Steensma DSB Staff Assistant Mr. John ...were: The Honorable Dr. Jacques Gansler, USD/AT&L, the Honorable Art Money, ASD/C3I and LTG John Woodward, JCS-J6. The Task Force membership (Figure

Report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Trends and Implications of Climate Change on National and International Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-10-01

Propulsion Laboratory Dr. Diane Evans Jet Propulsion Laboratory CAPT Tim Gallaudet US Navy Task Force on Climate Change Mr. David Goldwyn State...Ashley Moran Strauss Center, University of Texas, Austin DOD’s (Minerva) Climate Change and African Political Stability Project CAPT Timothy ... Gallaudet Office of the Oceanographer of the Navy Navy’s Climate Change Task Force Dr. Sherri Goodman, Dr. Ralph Espach and Mr. Peter MacKenzie CNA

Hispanic Youth--Dropout Prevention. Report of the Task Force on the Participation of Hispanic Students in Vocational Education Programs = La Joventud Hispana. Reporte del Grupo Especial. La Investigacion de la Participacion de los Estudiantes Hispanos en la Educacion Relativa a la Vocacion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Idaho State Dept. of Education, Boise. Div. of Vocational Education.

An Idaho task force of Hispanic Americans, industry representatives, and education leaders studied the reasons Hispanic students were not enrolling in and completing vocational education programs. The task force sponsored a series of community meetings to identify reasons and solutions. Approximately 40-60 parents, students, and other interested…

National Task Force on a Uniform Measurement Unit for the Recognition of Continuing Education: Working Papers; and The Continuing Education Unit: A Uniform Unit of Measure for Non-Credit Continuing Education Programs (An Interim Statement of the National Task Force).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Univ. Extension Association, Washington, DC.

In 1968, a national planning conference, under the joint sponsorship of 34 organizations responsing to continuing education needs, created the National Task Force to determine the feasibility of a uniform unit of measurement and develop a proposal for field testing the concept. Stressing that continuing education units should supplement, not…

Overview of the Machine-Tool Task Force

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

Sutton, G.P.

1981-06-08

The Machine Tool Task Force, (MTTF) surveyed the state of the art of machine tool technology for material removal for two and one-half years. This overview gives a brief summary of the approach, specific subjects covered, principal conclusions and some of the key recommendations aimed at improving the technology and advancing the productivity of machine tools. The Task Force consisted of 123 experts from the US and other countries. Their findings are documented in a five-volume report, Technology of Machine Tools.

Effects of Visual Feedback and Memory on Unintentional Drifts in Performance During Finger Pressing Tasks

PubMed Central

Solnik, Stanislaw; Qiao, Mu; Latash, Mark L.

2017-01-01

This study tested two hypotheses on the nature of unintentional force drifts elicited by removing visual feedback during accurate force production tasks. The role of working memory (memory hypothesis) was explored in tasks with continuous force production, intermittent force production, and rest intervals over the same time interval. The assumption of unintentional drifts in referent coordinate for the fingertips was tested using manipulations of visual feedback: Young healthy subjects performed accurate steady-state force production tasks by pressing with the two index fingers on individual force sensors with visual feedback on the total force, sharing ratio, both, or none. Predictions based on the memory hypothesis have been falsified. In particular, we observed consistent force drifts to lower force values during continuous force production trials only. No force drift or drifts to higher forces were observed during intermittent force production trials and following rest intervals. The hypotheses based on the idea of drifts in referent finger coordinates have been confirmed. In particular, we observed superposition of two drift processes: A drift of total force to lower magnitudes and a drift of the sharing ratio to 50:50. When visual feedback on total force only was provided, the two finger forces showed drifts in opposite directions. We interpret the findings as evidence for the control of motor actions with changes in referent coordinates for participating effectors. Unintentional drifts in performance are viewed as natural relaxation processes in the involved systems; their typical time reflects stability in the direction of the drift. The magnitude of the drift was higher in the right (dominant) hand, which is consistent with the dynamic dominance hypothesis. PMID:28168396

Cortical activity predicts good variation in human motor output.

PubMed

Babikian, Sarine; Kanso, Eva; Kutch, Jason J

2017-04-01

Human movement patterns have been shown to be particularly variable if many combinations of activity in different muscles all achieve the same task goal (i.e., are goal-equivalent). The nervous system appears to automatically vary its output among goal-equivalent combinations of muscle activity to minimize muscle fatigue or distribute tissue loading, but the neural mechanism of this "good" variation is unknown. Here we use a bimanual finger task, electroencephalography (EEG), and machine learning to determine if cortical signals can predict goal-equivalent variation in finger force output. 18 healthy participants applied left and right index finger forces to repeatedly perform a task that involved matching a total (sum of right and left) finger force. As in previous studies, we observed significantly more variability in goal-equivalent muscle activity across task repetitions compared to variability in muscle activity that would not achieve the goal: participants achieved the task in some repetitions with more right finger force and less left finger force (right > left) and in other repetitions with less right finger force and more left finger force (left > right). We found that EEG signals from the 500 milliseconds (ms) prior to each task repetition could make a significant prediction of which repetitions would have right > left and which would have left > right. We also found that cortical maps of sites contributing to the prediction contain both motor and pre-motor representation in the appropriate hemisphere. Thus, goal-equivalent variation in motor output may be implemented at a cortical level.

Bilingual Advantage in Attentional Control: Evidence from the Forced-Attention Dichotic Listening Paradigm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soveri, Anna; Laine, Matti; Hamalainen, Heikki; Hugdahl, Kenneth

2011-01-01

It has been claimed that due to their experience in controlling two languages, bilinguals exceed monolinguals in certain executive functions, especially inhibition of task-irrelevant stimuli. Here we investigated the effects of bilingualism on an executive phonological task, namely the forced-attention dichotic listening task with syllabic…

Pulmonary edema

MedlinePlus

... congestion; Lung water; Pulmonary congestion; Heart failure - pulmonary edema ... Pulmonary edema is often caused by congestive heart failure . When the heart is not able to pump efficiently, blood ...

Task-level testing of the JPL-OMV smart end effector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hannaford, B.

1987-01-01

An intelligent end effector previously developed at JPL has been tested in over 21 hours of experimental teleoperation. The end effector provides local control of gripper clamping force and a 6-degree-of-freedom, wrist mounted force torque sensor. Resolved forces and torques were displayed to the test subjects, and the effect of this information on their performance of simulated satellite servicing tasks was assessed. The experienced subjects accomplished the tasks with lower levels of Remote Manipulator System (RMS) forces than intermediate and naive subjects, but the force levels were apparently uncorrelated with the presence or absence of the display. This negative finding was attributed to the lack of a suitable control mode in the manipulator control system.

Grasp Assist Device with Automatic Mode Control Logic

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laske, Evan (Inventor); Davis, Donald R. (Inventor); Ihrke, Chris A. (Inventor)

2018-01-01

A system includes a glove, sensors, actuator assemblies, and controller. The sensors include load sensors which measure an actual grasping force and attitude sensors which determine a glove attitude. The actuator assembly provides a grasp assist force to the glove. Respective locations of work cells in the work environment and permitted work tasks for each work cell are programmed into the controller. The controller detects the glove location and attitude. A work task is selected by the controller for the location. The controller calculates a required grasp assist force using measured actual grasping forces from the load sensors. The required grasp assist force is applied via the glove using the actuator assembly to thereby assist the operator in performing the identified work task.

A resilience-oriented approach for quantitatively assessing recurrent spatial-temporal congestion on urban roads.

PubMed

Tang, Junqing; Heinimann, Hans Rudolf

2018-01-01

Traffic congestion brings not only delay and inconvenience, but other associated national concerns, such as greenhouse gases, air pollutants, road safety issues and risks. Identification, measurement, tracking, and control of urban recurrent congestion are vital for building a livable and smart community. A considerable amount of works has made contributions to tackle the problem. Several methods, such as time-based approaches and level of service, can be effective for characterizing congestion on urban streets. However, studies with systemic perspectives have been minor in congestion quantification. Resilience, on the other hand, is an emerging concept that focuses on comprehensive systemic performance and characterizes the ability of a system to cope with disturbance and to recover its functionality. In this paper, we symbolized recurrent congestion as internal disturbance and proposed a modified metric inspired by the well-applied "R4" resilience-triangle framework. We constructed the metric with generic dimensions from both resilience engineering and transport science to quantify recurrent congestion based on spatial-temporal traffic patterns and made the comparison with other two approaches in freeway and signal-controlled arterial cases. Results showed that the metric can effectively capture congestion patterns in the study area and provides a quantitative benchmark for comparison. Also, it suggested not only a good comparative performance in measuring strength of proposed metric, but also its capability of considering the discharging process in congestion. The sensitivity tests showed that proposed metric possesses robustness against parameter perturbation in Robustness Range (RR), but the number of identified congestion patterns can be influenced by the existence of ϵ. In addition, the Elasticity Threshold (ET) and the spatial dimension of cell-based platform differ the congestion results significantly on both the detected number and intensity. By tackling this conventional problem with emerging concept, our metric provides a systemic alternative approach and enriches the toolbox for congestion assessment. Future work will be conducted on a larger scale with multiplex scenarios in various traffic conditions.

Analysis of random drop for gateway congestion control. M.S. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hashem, Emam Salaheddin

1989-01-01

Lately, the growing demand on the Internet has prompted the need for more effective congestion control policies. Currently No Gateway Policy is used to relieve and signal congestion, which leads to unfair service to the individual users and a degradation of overall network performance. Network simulation was used to illustrate the character of Internet congestion and its causes. A newly proposed gateway congestion control policy, called Random Drop, was considered as a promising solution to the pressing problem. Random Drop relieves resource congestion upon buffer overflow by choosing a random packet from the service queue to be dropped. The random choice should result in a drop distribution proportional to the bandwidth distribution among all contending TCP connections, thus applying the necessary fairness. Nonetheless, the simulation experiments demonstrate several shortcomings with this policy. Because Random Drop is a congestion control policy, which is not applied until congestion has already occurred, it usually results in a high drop rate that hurts too many connections including well-behaved ones. Even though the number of packets dropped is different from one connection to another depending on the buffer utilization upon overflow, the TCP recovery overhead is high enough to neutralize these differences, causing unfair congestion penalties. Besides, the drop distribution itself is an inaccurate representation of the average bandwidth distribution, missing much important information about the bandwidth utilization between buffer overflow events. A modification of Random Drop to do congestion avoidance by applying the policy early was also proposed. Early Random Drop has the advantage of avoiding the high drop rate of buffer overflow. The early application of the policy removes the pressure of congestion relief and allows more accurate signaling of congestion. To be used effectively, algorithms for the dynamic adjustment of the parameters of Early Random Drop to suite the current network load must still be developed.