Drug efficiency: a new concept to guide lead optimization programs towards the selection of better clinical candidates.

PubMed

Braggio, Simone; Montanari, Dino; Rossi, Tino; Ratti, Emiliangelo

2010-07-01

As a result of their wide acceptance and conceptual simplicity, drug-like concepts are having a major influence on the drug discovery process, particularly in the selection of the 'optimal' absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity and physicochemical parameters space. While they have an undisputable value when assessing the potential of lead series or in evaluating inherent risk of a portfolio of drug candidates, they result much less useful in weighing up compounds for the selection of the best potential clinical candidate. We introduce the concept of drug efficiency as a new tool both to guide the drug discovery program teams during the lead optimization phase and to better assess the developability potential of a drug candidate.

Students’ Conception on Heat and Temperature toward Science Process Skill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratnasari, D.; Sukarmin, S.; Suparmi, S.; Aminah, N. S.

2017-09-01

This research is aimed to analyze the effect of students’ conception toward science process skill. This is a descriptive research with subjects of the research were 10th-grade students in Surakarta from high, medium and low categorized school. The sample selection uses purposive sampling technique based on physics score in national examination four latest years. Data in this research collecting from essay test, two-tier multiple choice test, and interview. Two-tier multiple choice test consists of 30 question that contains an indicator of science process skill. Based on the result of the research and analysis, it shows that students’ conception of heat and temperature affect science process skill of students. The students’ conception that still contains the wrong concept can emerge misconception. For the future research, it is suggested to improve students’ conceptual understanding and students’ science process skill with appropriate learning method and assessment instrument because heat and temperature is one of physics material that closely related with students’ daily life.

Active heat exchange system development for latent heat thermal energy storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lefrois, R. T.; Mathur, A. K.

1980-01-01

Five tasks to select, design, fabricate, test and evaluate candidate active heat exchanger modules for future applications to solar and conventional utility power plants were discussed. Alternative mechanizations of active heat exchange concepts were analyzed for use with heat of fusion phase change materials (PCMs) in the temperature range of 250 to 350 C. Twenty-six heat exchange concepts were reviewed, and eight were selected for detailed assessment. Two candidates were selected for small-scale experimentation: a coated tube and shell heat exchanger and a direct contact reflux boiler. A dilute eutectic mixture of sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide was selected as the PCM from over 50 candidate inorganic salt mixtures. Based on a salt screening process, eight major component salts were selected initially for further evaluation. The most attractive major components in the temperature range of 250 to 350 C appeared to be NaNO3, NaNO2, and NaOH. Sketches of the two active heat exchange concepts selected for test are given.

Active heat exchange system development for latent heat thermal energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefrois, R. T.; Mathur, A. K.

1980-04-01

Five tasks to select, design, fabricate, test and evaluate candidate active heat exchanger modules for future applications to solar and conventional utility power plants were discussed. Alternative mechanizations of active heat exchange concepts were analyzed for use with heat of fusion phase change materials (PCMs) in the temperature range of 250 to 350 C. Twenty-six heat exchange concepts were reviewed, and eight were selected for detailed assessment. Two candidates were selected for small-scale experimentation: a coated tube and shell heat exchanger and a direct contact reflux boiler. A dilute eutectic mixture of sodium nitrate and sodium hydroxide was selected as the PCM from over 50 candidate inorganic salt mixtures. Based on a salt screening process, eight major component salts were selected initially for further evaluation. The most attractive major components in the temperature range of 250 to 350 C appeared to be NaNO3, NaNO2, and NaOH. Sketches of the two active heat exchange concepts selected for test are given.

Environmental Epigenetics and a Unified Theory of the Molecular Aspects of Evolution: A Neo-Lamarckian Concept that Facilitates Neo-Darwinian Evolution.

PubMed

Skinner, Michael K

2015-04-26

Environment has a critical role in the natural selection process for Darwinian evolution. The primary molecular component currently considered for neo-Darwinian evolution involves genetic alterations and random mutations that generate the phenotypic variation required for natural selection to act. The vast majority of environmental factors cannot directly alter DNA sequence. Epigenetic mechanisms directly regulate genetic processes and can be dramatically altered by environmental factors. Therefore, environmental epigenetics provides a molecular mechanism to directly alter phenotypic variation generationally. Lamarck proposed in 1802 the concept that environment can directly alter phenotype in a heritable manner. Environmental epigenetics and epigenetic transgenerational inheritance provide molecular mechanisms for this process. Therefore, environment can on a molecular level influence the phenotypic variation directly. The ability of environmental epigenetics to alter phenotypic and genotypic variation directly can significantly impact natural selection. Neo-Lamarckian concept can facilitate neo-Darwinian evolution. A unified theory of evolution is presented to describe the integration of environmental epigenetic and genetic aspects of evolution. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Conical scan impact study. Volume 2: Small local user data processing facility. [multispectral band scanner design alternatives for earth resources data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ebert, D. H.; Chase, P. E.; Dye, J.; Fahline, W. C.; Johnson, R. H.

1973-01-01

The impact of a conical scan versus a linear scan multispectral scanner (MSS) instrument on a small local-user data processing facility was studied. User data requirements were examined to determine the unique system rquirements for a low cost ground system (LCGS) compatible with the Earth Observatory Satellite (EOS) system. Candidate concepts were defined for the LCGS and preliminary designs were developed for selected concepts. The impact of a conical scan MSS versus a linear scan MSS was evaluated for the selected concepts. It was concluded that there are valid user requirements for the LCGS and, as a result of these requirements, the impact of the conical scanner is minimal, although some new hardware development for the LCGS is necessary to handle conical scan data.

Selective Attention in the Learning Disabled Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wooten, Ann M.

The paper reviews literature relating to selective attention in the learning disabled child. Three processes related to the concept of selective attention (as proposed by D. Berlyne) are discussed: attention in learning, attention in remembering, and attention in performance. It is pointed out that verbal mediation, the use of verbal labels to…

Lunar-base construction equipment and methods evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boles, Walter W.; Ashley, David B.; Tucker, Richard L.

1993-01-01

A process for evaluating lunar-base construction equipment and methods concepts is presented. The process is driven by the need for more quantitative, systematic, and logical methods for assessing further research and development requirements in an area where uncertainties are high, dependence upon terrestrial heuristics is questionable, and quantitative methods are seldom applied. Decision theory concepts are used in determining the value of accurate information and the process is structured as a construction-equipment-and-methods selection methodology. Total construction-related, earth-launch mass is the measure of merit chosen for mathematical modeling purposes. The work is based upon the scope of the lunar base as described in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Office of Exploration's 'Exploration Studies Technical Report, FY 1989 Status'. Nine sets of conceptually designed construction equipment are selected as alternative concepts. It is concluded that the evaluation process is well suited for assisting in the establishment of research agendas in an approach that is first broad, with a low level of detail, followed by more-detailed investigations into areas that are identified as critical due to high degrees of uncertainty and sensitivity.

The application of constructivism to concepts of occupation using a group process approach.

PubMed

Lederer, J M

2001-01-01

Students in an undergraduate occupational therapy program used the concepts of constructivism and the group process to select and decoupage chairs depicting varieties of occupations for one of four life span segments: infancy, adolescence, young adulthood and older adulthood. Students were not provided a set of specific guidelines to follow during the process but constructed their learning according to their creativity and hands-on application of classroom concepts. Student feedback indicated that, while they found the experience challenging, they enjoyed the process and learned a great deal not only about the group process but also about how to approach and solve unfamiliar problems. Results suggest the similarity between principles underlying good education and those underlying occupational performance. Implications for classroom instruction are discussed.

Toward a New Theory for Selecting Instructional Visuals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Croft, Richard S.; Burton, John K.

This paper provides a rationale for the selection of illustrations and visual aids for the classroom. The theories that describe the processing of visuals are dual coding theory and cue summation theory. Concept attainment theory offers a basis for selecting which cues are relevant for any learning task which includes a component of identification…

Environmental stress and adaptational responses: consequences for human health outcomes.

PubMed

Garruto, Ralph M; Little, Michael A; Weitz, Charles A

2004-12-01

With the dramatic pace of modernization of the world's population, human adaptation as a theoretical construct and paradigm will likely become a focal scientific issue involving scientists from many disciplinary areas during the 21st Century. Macro and micro environments are in rapid flux and human populations are exposed to rapid change. The concept of adaptation, at least in the field of biological anthropology and human biology, will likely remain tied to evolutionary processes and concepts of selection and fitness. In this paper, we discuss the theoretical constructs of adaptation and adaptability and select three current examples from our ongoing research that involve studies of adaptation and evolutionary processes in modernizing populations in different locations worldwide.

A network control concept for the 30/20 GHz communication system baseband processor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sabourin, D. J.; Hay, R. E.

1982-01-01

The architecture and system design for a satellite-switched TDMA communication system employing on-board processing was developed by Motorola for NASA's Lewis Research Center. The system design is based on distributed processing techniques that provide extreme flexibility in the selection of a network control protocol without impacting the satellite or ground terminal hardware. A network control concept that includes system synchronization and allows burst synchronization to occur within the system operational requirement is described. This concept integrates the tracking and control links with the communication links via the baseband processor, resulting in an autonomous system operational approach.

Introduction to Command, Control and Communications (C3) Through Comparative Case Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-01

enhancing the process of learning from experience. Case study allows the student to apply concepts , theories, and techniques to an actual incident within...part of the thesis describes selected principles and concepts of 33 related to cormruication management, interoperability, command structure and...The solutions to the cases require applying the principles and concepts presented in the first rart. The four cases are: (1) the Iran hostage rescue

Attentional Selection in Object Recognition

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-02-01

order. It also affects the choice of strategies in both the 24 A Computational Model of Attentional Selection filtering and arbiter stages. The set...such processing. In Treisman’s model this was hidden in the concept of the selection filter . Later computational models of attention tried to...This thesis presents a novel approach to the selection problem by propos. ing a computational model of visual attentional selection as a paradigm for

Making Nutrition Education Count: A Guide for Nutrition Education K-6. Grade 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kratky, Patricia; Haigh, Lois

This curriculum guide for nutrition education grade 3, was designed to incorporate knowledge of thirteen concepts into the child's decision-making processes as a food consumer. These concepts, as covered by the guide, are: affecting bodily well-being through nutrition; affecting dental health through nutrition; models for diet selection;…

Making Nutrition Education Count: A Guide for Nutrition Education K-6. Grade 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kratky, Patricia; Haigh, Lois

This curriculum guide for nutrition education grade 1, was designed to incorporate knowledge of thirteen concepts into the child's decision-making processes as a food consumer. These concepts, as covered by the guide, are: affecting bodily well-being through nutrition; affecting dental health through nutrition; models for diet selection;…

Making Nutrition Education Count: A Guide for Nutrition Education K-6. Grade 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kratky, Patricia; Haigh, Lois

This curriculum guide for nutrition education grade 2, was designed to incorporate knowledge of thirteen concepts into the child's decision-making processes as a food consumer. These concepts, as covered by the guide, are: affecting bodily well-being through nutrition; affecting dental health through nutrition; models for diet selection;…

Making Nutrition Education Count: A Guide for Nutrition Education K-6. Grade 4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kratky, Patricia; Haigh, Lois

This curriculum guide for nutrition education grade 4, was designed to incorporate knowledge of thirteen concepts into the child's decision-making processes as a food consumer. These concepts, as covered by the guide, are: affecting bodily well-being through nutrition; affecting dental health through nutrition; models for diet selection;…

Making Nutrition Education Count: A Guide for Nutrition Education K-6. Grade 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kratky, Patricia; Haigh, Lois

This curriculum guide for nutrition education grade 6, was designed to incorporate knowledge of thirteen concepts into the child's decision-making processes as a food consumer. These concepts, as covered by the guide, are: affecting bodily well-being through nutrition; affecting dental health through nutrition; models for diet selection;…

Making Nutrition Education Count: A Guide for Nutrition Education K-6. Grade 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kratky, Patricia; Haigh, Lois

This curriculum guide for nutrition education grade 5, was designed to incorporate knowledge of thirteen concepts into the child's decision-making processes as a food consumer. These concepts, as covered by the guide, are: affecting bodily well-being through nutrition; affecting dental health through nutrition; models for diet selection;…

The Toddler and the Pre-Schooler. Unit for Child Studies. Selected Papers Number 29.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Shelley

This description of toddlers and preschool children emphasizes how young children think and describes the development of self-concept. Language development and antisocial and prosocial behavior are also discussed. The exploration of children's thought processes begins with two principles: (1) Concepts originate in activity; and (2) Motor…

An overview on tritium permeation barrier development for WCLL blanket concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aiello, A.; Ciampichetti, A.; Benamati, G.

2004-08-01

The reduction of tritium permeation through blanket structural materials and cooling tubes has to be carefully evaluated to minimise radiological hazards. A strong effort has been made in the past to select the best technological solution for the realisation of tritium permeation barriers (TPB) on complex structures not directly accessible after the completion of the manufacturing process. The best solution was identified in aluminium rich coatings, which form Al 2O 3 at their surface. Two technologies were selected as reference for the realisation of coating in the WCLL blanket concept: the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) process developed on laboratory scale by CEA, and the hot dipping (HD) process developed by FZK. The results obtained during three years of tests on CVD and HD coated specimens in gas and liquid metal phase are summarised and discussed.

A Flexible Pilot-Scale Setup for Real-Time Studies in Process Systems Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Panjapornpon, Chanin; Fletcher, Nathan; Soroush, Masoud

2006-01-01

This manuscript describes a flexible, pilot-scale setup that can be used for training students and carrying out research in process systems engineering. The setup allows one to study a variety of process systems engineering concepts such as design feasibility, design flexibility, control configuration selection, parameter estimation, process and…

Process and assembly plans for low cost commercial fuselage structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willden, Kurtis; Metschan, Stephen; Starkey, Val

1991-01-01

Cost and weight reduction for a composite structure is a result of selecting design concepts that can be built using efficient low cost manufacturing and assembly processes. Since design and manufacturing are inherently cost dependent, concurrent engineering in the form of a Design-Build Team (DBT) is essential for low cost designs. Detailed cost analysis from DBT designs and hardware verification must be performed to identify the cost drivers and relationships between design and manufacturing processes. Results from the global evaluation are used to quantitatively rank design, identify cost centers for higher ranking design concepts, define and prioritize a list of technical/economic issues and barriers, and identify parameters that control concept response. These results are then used for final design optimization.

Waste collection subsystem study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

Practical ways were explored of improving waste compaction and of providing rapid turnaround between flights at essentially no cost for the space shuttle waste collection subsystem commode. Because of the possible application of a fully developed shuttle commode to the space station, means of providing waste treatment without overboard venting were also considered. Three basic schemes for compaction and rapid turnaround, each fully capable of meeting the objectives, were explored in sufficient depth to bring out the characteristic advantages and disadvantages of each. Tradeoff comparisons were very close between leading contenders and efforts were made to refine the design concepts sufficiently to justify a selection. The concept selected makes use of a sealed canister containing wastes that have been forcibly compacted, which is removable in flight. No selection was made between three superior non-venting treatment methods owing to the need for experimental evaluations of the processes involved. A system requirements definition document has been prepared to define the task for a test embodiment of the selected concept.

Student concepts of Natural Selection from a resource-based perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benjamin, Scott Shawn

The past two decades have produced a substantial amount of research about the teaching and learning of evolution; however, recent research often lacks a theoretical foundation. Application of a new theoretical framework could help fill the void and improve research about student concepts of evolution. This study seeks to show that a resource-based framework (Hammer et al., 2005) can improve research into student concepts of natural selection. Concepts of natural selection from urban community college students were assessed via qualitative (interviews, written open-response questions, and write/think aloud procedures) and quantitative methods (coded open response analysis, Concept Inventory for Natural Selection (CINS)(Anderson, Fisher, & Norman, 2002). Results showed that students demonstrate four important aspects of resource-based framework: the multi-faceted construction of concepts, context sensitivity/ concept flexibility, at-the-moment activation of resources, and perceptual frames. In open response assessment, evolutionary-gain responses produced significantly different responses than evolutionary-loss questions with: 1) significantly more correct answers for the gain than loss question (Wilcoxon signed rank test, z = -3.68, p=0.0002); 2) more Lamarckian responses to loss than the gain question (Fisher exact, p=0.0039); and significantly different distributions in expanded need vs basic need answers (Fishers exact, p = 0.02). Results from CINS scores showed significant differences in post activity scores between students that held different naive concepts associated with origin of variation, origin of species, differential reproduction, and limited survival suggesting that some naive ideas facilitate learning. Outcomes also suggest that an everyday or self-experience typological perceptual frame is an underlying source of many incorrect ideas about evolution. Interview and write/think aloud assessments propose four process resources applied by students as they explain evolutionary change: list what I know, why story, compare past to present, mapping self-experience. The study concludes that a resource-based framework is a valuable tool to advance the study student concepts of natural selection.

Lay Worker Health Literacy: A Concept Analysis and Operational Definition.

PubMed

Cadman, Kathleen Paco

2017-10-01

The concept of lay worker health literacy is created by concurrently analyzing and synthesizing two intersecting concepts, lay workers and health literacy. Articulation of this unique intersection is the result of implementing a simplified Wilson's Concept Analysis Procedure. This process incorporates the following components: a) selecting a concept, b) determining the aims/purposes of analysis, c) identifying all uses of the concept, d) determining defining attributes, e) identifying a model case, f) identifying borderline, related, contrary, and illegitimate cases, g) identifying antecedents and consequences, and h) defining empirical referents. Furthermore, as current literature provides no operational definition for lay worker health literacy, one is created to contribute cohesion to the concept. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Summary and recommendations. [reduced gravitational effects on materials manufactured in space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

An economic analysis using econometric and cost benefit analysis techniques was performed to determine the feasibility of space processing of certain products. The overall objectives of the analysis were (1) to determine specific products or processes uniquely connected with space manufacturing, (2) to select a specific product or process from each of the areas of semiconductors, metals, and biochemicals, and (3) to determine the overall price/cost structure of each product or process considered. The economic elements of the analysis involved a generalized decision making format for analyzing space manufacturing, a comparative cost study of the selected processes in space vs. earth manufacturing, and a supply and demand study of the economic relationships of one of the manufacturing processes. Space processing concepts were explored. The first involved the use of the shuttle as the factory with all operations performed during individual flights. The second concept involved a permanent unmanned space factory which would be launched separately. The shuttle in this case would be used only for maintenance and refurbishment. Finally, some consideration was given to a permanent manned space factory.

Cloud decision model for selecting sustainable energy crop based on linguistic intuitionistic information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Hong-Gang; Wang, Jian-Qiang

2017-11-01

In recent years, sustainable energy crop has become an important energy development strategy topic in many countries. Selecting the most sustainable energy crop is a significant problem that must be addressed during any biofuel production process. The focus of this study is the development of an innovative multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method to handle sustainable energy crop selection problems. Given that various uncertain data are encountered in the evaluation of sustainable energy crops, linguistic intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (LIFNs) are introduced to present the information necessary to the evaluation process. Processing qualitative concepts requires the effective support of reliable tools; then, a cloud model can be used to deal with linguistic intuitionistic information. First, LIFNs are converted and a novel concept of linguistic intuitionistic cloud (LIC) is proposed. The operations, score function and similarity measurement of the LICs are defined. Subsequently, the linguistic intuitionistic cloud density-prioritised weighted Heronian mean operator is developed, which served as the basis for the construction of an applicable MCDM model for sustainable energy crop selection. Finally, an illustrative example is provided to demonstrate the proposed method, and its feasibility and validity are further verified by comparing it with other existing methods.

Deinking selectivity (Z-factor) : a new parameter to evaluate the performance of flotation deinking process

Treesearch

J.Y.: Tan Zhu; K.L. Scallon; Y.L. Zhao; Y. Deng

2005-01-01

This study proposes a deinking selectivity concept that considers both ink removal and fiber yield in determining the performance of deinking operations. The defined deinking selectivity. or Z -factor, is expressed by the ratio of ink removal expressed by the International Standards Organization (ISO) brightness gain or the reduction in relative effective residual ink...

Deinking selectivity (Z-factor) : a new parameter to evaluate the performance of flotation deinking process

Treesearch

J.Y. Zhu; F. Tan; K.L. Scallon; Y. Zhao; Y. Deng

2004-01-01

Reducing fiber loss is also important to conserve resources and reduce the cost of secondary fibers. This study proposes a deinking selectivity concept that considers both ink removal and fiber yield in determining the performance of deinking operations. The defined deinking selectivity, or Z-factor, is expressed by the ratio of ink removal expressed by the...

The Concept of Competence in the Development of Vocational Education and Training in Selected EU Member States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weigel, Tanja; Mulder, Martin; Collins, Kate

2007-01-01

This contribution reviews how four European countries--England, Germany, France and the Netherlands--use the concept of competence in the process of developing vocational education and training. Competence in England is set in the context of the National Vocational Qualifications; in Germany within action competence and the approach to learning…

Conceptions of Art Education Programs Held by a Rural and Remote Australian Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Tara

2007-01-01

This article discusses the results of a one-year study in a physically isolated school community in Queensland, Australia. The decision-making processes in the selection of school subjects became the focus for interviews conducted with the school community (students, parents, and teachers) and the vehicle for identifying the held conceptions of…

23 CFR Appendix A to Part 450 - Linking the Transportation Planning and NEPA Processes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... and refined, and how the design concept and scope were determined) should play a critical role in...., congestion, pavement, bridge, and/or safety) may shape the purpose and need statement. The use of these..., selection of the design concept and scope for a project or series of projects. Subsequently, second-tier...

23 CFR Appendix A to Part 450 - Linking the Transportation Planning and NEPA Processes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... and refined, and how the design concept and scope were determined) should play a critical role in...., congestion, pavement, bridge, and/or safety) may shape the purpose and need statement. The use of these..., selection of the design concept and scope for a project or series of projects. Subsequently, second-tier...

23 CFR Appendix A to Part 450 - Linking the Transportation Planning and NEPA Processes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... and refined, and how the design concept and scope were determined) should play a critical role in...., congestion, pavement, bridge, and/or safety) may shape the purpose and need statement. The use of these..., selection of the design concept and scope for a project or series of projects. Subsequently, second-tier...

23 CFR Appendix A to Part 450 - Linking the Transportation Planning and NEPA Processes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... and refined, and how the design concept and scope were determined) should play a critical role in...., congestion, pavement, bridge, and/or safety) may shape the purpose and need statement. The use of these..., selection of the design concept and scope for a project or series of projects. Subsequently, second-tier...

23 CFR Appendix A to Part 450 - Linking the Transportation Planning and NEPA Processes

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... and refined, and how the design concept and scope were determined) should play a critical role in...., congestion, pavement, bridge, and/or safety) may shape the purpose and need statement. The use of these..., selection of the design concept and scope for a project or series of projects. Subsequently, second-tier...

The Failure of Academically Selective High Schools To Deliver Academic Benefits: The Importance of Academic Self-Concept and Educational Aspirations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marsh, Herbert W.

Research emphasizing a psychological perspective of social comparison processes shows that school-average ability (SAA) is negatively associated with academic self-concepts (ASC). Sociological research indicates that SAA is negatively related to educational and occupational aspirations. The present study unites these two related research areas,…

Red Onions, "Elodea," or Decalcified Chicken Eggs? Selecting & Sequencing Representations for Teaching Diffusion & Osmosis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lankford, Deanna; Friedrichsen, Patricia

2012-01-01

Diffusion and osmosis are important biological concepts that students often struggle to understand. These are important concepts because they are the basis for many complex biological processes, such as photosynthesis and cellular respiration. We examine a wide variety of representations used by experienced teachers to teach diffusion and osmosis.…

Configuration evaluation and criteria plan. Volume 2: Evaluation critera plan (preliminary). Space Transportation Main Engine (STME) configuration study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bair, E. K.

1986-01-01

The unbiased selection of the Space Transportation Main Engine (STME) configuration requires that the candidate engines be evaluated against a predetermined set of criteria which must be properly weighted to emphasize critical requirements defined prior to the actual evaluation. The evaluation and selection process involves the following functions: (1) determining if a configuration can satisfy basic STME requirements (yes/no); (2) defining the evaluation criteria; (3) selecting the criteria relative importance or weighting; (4) determining the weighting sensitivities; and (5) establishing a baseline for engine evaluation. The criteria weighting and sensitivities are cost related and are based on mission models and vehicle requirements. The evaluation process is used as a coarse screen to determine the candidate engines for the parametric studies and as a fine screen to determine concept(s) for conceptual design. The criteria used for the coarse and fine screen evaluation process is shown. The coarse screen process involves verifying that the candidate engines can meet the yes/no screening requirements and a semi-subjective quantitative evaluation. The fine screen engines have to meet all of the yes/no screening gates and are then subjected to a detailed evaluation or assessment using the quantitative cost evaluation processes. The option exists for re-cycling a concept through the quantitative portion of the screening and allows for some degree of optimization. The basic vehicle is a two stage LOX/HC, LOX/LH2 parallel burn vehicle capable of placing 150,000 lbs in low Earth orbit (LEO).

Illuminating the processes of knowledge transfer in nursing.

PubMed

Aita, Marilyn; Richer, Marie-Claire; Héon, Marjolaine

2007-01-01

Over the past 10 years, there has been a propensity to translate research findings and evidence into clinical practice, and concepts such as knowledge transfer, research dissemination, research utilization, and evidence-based practice have been described in the nursing literature. This manuscript shows a selective review of the definitions and utilization of these concepts and offers a perspective on their interrelationships by indicating how knowledge transfer processes are the basis of all the concepts under review. Definitions and utilization of knowledge transfer in the literature have been influenced by educational and social perspectives and indicate two important processes that are rooted in the mechanisms of research dissemination, research utilization, and evidence-based practice. These processes refer to a cognitive and an interpersonal dimension. Knowledge transfer underlies a process involving cognitive resources as well as an interpersonal process where the knowledge is transferred between individuals or groups of individuals. This manuscript can contribute to our understanding of the theoretical foundations linking these concepts and these processes by comparing and contrasting them. It also shows the value and empirical importance of the cognitive and interpersonal processes of knowledge transfer by which research findings and evidence can be successfully translated and implemented into the nursing clinical practice.

Self-aligned block technology: a step toward further scaling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2017-04-01

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

48 CFR 873.113 - Exchanges with offerors.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... judgment. Clarifications, communications, and discussions, as provided for in the FAR, are concepts not... take place throughout the source selection process. Exchanges may start in the planning stages and...

Structural Design of Ares V Interstage Composite Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sleigh, David W.; Sreekantamurthy, Thammaiah; Kosareo, Daniel N.; Martin, Robert A.; Johnson, Theodore F.

2011-01-01

Preliminary and detailed design studies were performed to mature composite structural design concepts for the Ares V Interstage structure as a part of NASA s Advanced Composite Technologies Project. Aluminum honeycomb sandwich and hat-stiffened composite panel structural concepts were considered. The structural design and analysis studies were performed using HyperSizer design sizing software and MSC Nastran finite element analysis software. System-level design trade studies were carried out to predict weight and margins of safety for composite honeycomb-core sandwich and composite hat-stiffened skin design concepts. Details of both preliminary and detailed design studies are presented in the paper. For the range of loads and geometry considered in this work, the hat-stiffened designs were found to be approximately 11-16 percent lighter than the sandwich designs. A down-select process was used to choose the most favorable structural concept based on a set of figures of merit, and the honeycomb sandwich design was selected as the best concept based on advantages in manufacturing cost.

A Conceptual Characterization of Online Videos Explaining Natural Selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bohlin, Gustav; Göransson, Andreas; Höst, Gunnar E.; Tibell, Lena A. E.

2017-11-01

Educational videos on the Internet comprise a vast and highly diverse source of information. Online search engines facilitate access to numerous videos claiming to explain natural selection, but little is known about the degree to which the video content match key evolutionary content identified as important in evolution education research. In this study, we therefore analyzed the content of 60 videos accessed through the Internet, using a criteria catalog with 38 operationalized variables derived from research literature. The variables were sorted into four categories: (a) key concepts (e.g. limited resources and inherited variation), (b) threshold concepts (abstract concepts with a transforming and integrative function), (c) misconceptions (e.g. that evolution is driven by need), and (d) organismal context (e.g. animal or plant). The results indicate that some concepts are frequently communicated, and certain taxa are commonly used to illustrate concepts, while others are seldom included. In addition, evolutionary phenomena at small temporal and spatial scales, such as subcellular processes, are rarely covered. Rather, the focus is on population-level events over time scales spanning years or longer. This is consistent with an observed lack of explanations regarding how randomly occurring mutations provide the basis for variation (and thus natural selection). The findings imply, among other things, that some components of natural selection warrant far more attention in biology teaching and science education research.

Meaningful Solutions for the Unemployed or Their Counsellors? The Role of Case Managers' Conceptions of Their Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Värk, Aare; Reino, Anne

2018-01-01

This article reports the outcomes of a phenomenographical study of case managers' conceptions of case management work and its influence on the process and performance of the work of counselling the unemployed. A heterogeneous sample of 11 Estonian case managers was selected for in-depth interviews. Analysis of the interviews revealed three…

GAMMON: An Approach to the Concept of Strategy in Game-Playing Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bushey, William Edward

In order to investigate the use of strategies in a game-playing computer program, "Gammon," a computer program that plays Backgammon, was developed. It focuses on the play of a given strategy, as well as the process of strategy selection, and examines the concept of strategy as an integrating and driving force in the play of a game. A…

Space station automation study. Automation requirements derived from space manufacturing concepts. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The two manufacturing concepts developed represent innovative, technologically advanced manufacturing schemes. The concepts were selected to facilitate an in depth analysis of manufacturing automation requirements in the form of process mechanization, teleoperation and robotics, and artificial intelligence. While the cost effectiveness of these facilities has not been analyzed as part of this study, both appear entirely feasible for the year 2000 timeframe. The growing demand for high quality gallium arsenide microelectronics may warrant the ventures.

Robustness. [in space systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryan, Robert

1993-01-01

The concept of rubustness includes design simplicity, component and path redundancy, desensitization to the parameter and environment variations, control of parameter variations, and punctual operations. These characteristics must be traded with functional concepts, materials, and fabrication approach against the criteria of performance, cost, and reliability. The paper describes the robustness design process, which includes the following seven major coherent steps: translation of vision into requirements, definition of the robustness characteristics desired, criteria formulation of required robustness, concept selection, detail design, manufacturing and verification, operations.

Investigating Undergraduate Students' Use of Intuitive Reasoning and Evolutionary Knowledge in Explanations of Antibiotic Resistance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richard, Melissa; Coley, John D.; Tanner, Kimberly D.

2017-01-01

Natural selection is a central concept throughout biology; however, it is a process frequently misunderstood. Bacterial resistance to antibiotic medications provides a contextual example of the relevance of evolutionary theory and is also commonly misunderstood. While research has shed light on student misconceptions of natural selection, minimal…

Selection of Technical Communication Concepts for Integration into an Accounting Information Systems Course: A WAC Case Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gelinas, Ulric J., Jr.; Rama, D. V.; Skelton, Terrance M.

1997-01-01

Profiles a writing-across-the-curriculum project in an accountancy program. Notes that the team's collaborative process produced three critical planning decisions: (1) establishing "fitness-for-use" for evaluating student communications; (2) selecting only those forms of communication used in accountancy; and (3) teaching only those…

Design of a Vehicle Based Intervention System to Prevent Ozone Loss

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cole, Robin; Fisher, Daniel; Meade, Matt; Neel, James; Olson, Kristin; Pittman, Andrew; Valdivia, Anne; Wibisono, Aria; Mason, William H.; Kirschbaum, Nathan

1995-01-01

This project was designed to be completed over a period of three years. Overall project goals were: (1) To understand the processes that contribute to stratospheric ozone loss; (2) To determine the best prevention scheme for loss; (3) To design a delivery vehicle to accomplish the prevention scheme. The 1994-1995 design objectives included: (1) To review the results of the 1993-1994 design team, including a reevaluation of the major assumptions and criteria selected to choose a vehicle; (2) To evaluate preliminary vehicle concepts and perform quantitative trade studies to select the optimal vehicle concept.

Horizontal Launch: A Versatile Concept for Assured Space Access

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bartolotta, Paul; Wilhite, Alan W.; Schaffer, Mark; Voland, Randall T.; Huebner, Larry

2011-01-01

The vision of horizontal launch is the capability to provide a mobile launch pad that can use existing aircraft runways, cruise above weather, loiter for mission instructions, and achieve precise placement for orbital intercept, rendezvous, or reconnaissance. Another compelling benefit of horizontal launch is that today s ground-based vertical launch pads are a single earthquake, hurricane, or terrorist attack away from disruption of critical U.S. launch capabilities. The study did not attempt to design a new system concept for horizontal launch, but rather focused on the refinement of many previously-studied horizontal launch concepts. Because of the large number of past horizontal launch studies, a process was developed to narrow the number of concepts through prescreening, screening, and evaluation of point designs. The refinement process was not intended to select the "best" concept, but rather to establish the feasibility of horizontal launch from a balanced assessment of figures of merit and to identify potential concepts that warrant further exploration.

Donor Conception and "Passing," or; Why Australian Parents of Donor-Conceived Children Want Donors Who Look Like Them.

PubMed

Wong, Karen-Anne

2017-03-01

This article explores the processes through which Australian recipients select unknown donors for use in assisted reproductive technologies and speculates on how those processes may affect the future life of the donor-conceived person. I will suggest that trust is an integral part of the exchange between donors, recipients, and gamete agencies in donor conception and heavily informs concepts of relatedness, race, ethnicity, kinship, class, and visibility. The decision to be transparent (or not) about a child's genetic parentage affects recipient parents' choices of donor, about who is allowed to "know" children's genetic backgrounds, and how important it is to be able to "pass" as an unassisted conception. In this way, recipients must trust the process, institutions, and individuals involved in their treatment, as well as place trust in the future they imagine for their child. The current market for donor gametes reproduces normative conceptions of the nuclear family, kinship, and relatedness by facilitating "matching" donors to recipients by phenotype and cultural affinities. Recipient parents who choose not to prioritize "matching," and actively disclose the process of children's conceptions, may embark on a project of queering heteronormative family structures and place great trust in both their own children and changing social attitudes to reduce stigma and generate acceptance for non-traditional families.

De-implementation: A concept analysis.

PubMed

Upvall, Michele J; Bourgault, Annette M

2018-04-25

The purpose of this concept analysis is to explore the meaning of de-implementation and provide a definition that can be used by researchers and clinicians to facilitate evidence-based practice. De-implementation is a relatively unknown process overshadowed by the novelty of introducing new ideas and techniques into practice. Few studies have addressed the challenge of de-implementation and the cognitive processes involved when terminating harmful or unnecessary practices. Also, confusion exists regarding the myriad of terms used to describe de-implementation processes. Walker and Avant's method (2011) for describing concepts was used to clarify de-implementation. A database search limited to academic journals yielded 281 publications representing basic research, study protocols, and editorials/commentaries from implementation science experts. After applying exclusion criterion of English language only and eliminating overlap between databases, 41 articles were selected for review. Literature review and synthesis provided a concept analysis and a distinct definition of de-implementation. De-implementation was defined as the process of identifying and removing harmful, non-cost-effective, or ineffective practices based on tradition and without adequate scientific support. The analysis provided further refinement of de-implementation as a significant concept for ongoing theory development in implementation science and clinical practice. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Textile technology development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shah, Bharat M.

1995-01-01

The objectives of this report were to evaluate and select resin systems for Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) and Powder Towpreg Material, to develop and evaluate advanced textile processes by comparing 2-D and 3-D braiding for fuselage frame applications and develop window belt and side panel structural design concepts, to evaluate textile material properties, and to develop low cost manufacturing and tooling processes for the automated manufacturing of fuselage primary structures. This research was in support of the NASA and Langley Research Center (LaRc) Advanced Composite Structural Concepts and Materials Technologies for Primary Aircraft Structures program.

Group selection and the development of the biological species concept

PubMed Central

Mallet, James

2010-01-01

The development of what became known as the biological species concept began with a paper by Theodosius Dobzhansky in 1935, and was amplified by a mutualistic interaction between Dobzhansky, Alfred Emerson and Ernst Mayr after the second world war. By the 1950s and early 1960s, these authors had developed an influential concept of species as coadapted genetic complexes at equilibrium. At this time many features of species were seen as group advantages maintained by selection to avoid breakdown of beneficial coadaptation and the ‘gene pool’. Speciation thus seemed difficult. It seemed to require, more so than today, an external deus ex machina, such as allopatry or the founder effect, rather than ordinary within-species processes of natural selection, sexual selection, drift and gene flow. In the mid-1960s, the distinctions between group and individual selection were clarified. Dobzhansky and Mayr both understood the implications, but their views on species changed little. These group selectionist ideas now seem peculiar, and are becoming distinctly less popular today. Few vestiges of group selectionism and species-level adaptationism remain in recent reviews of speciation. One wonders how many of our own cherished views on evolution will seem as odd to future biologists. PMID:20439286

Managing for resilience

EPA Science Inventory

Early efforts in wildlife management focused on reducing population variability and maximizing yields of select species. Aldo Leopold proposed the concept of habitat management as superior to population management. More recently, ecosystem management, whereby ecological processes...

Evolvability Is an Evolved Ability: The Coding Concept as the Arch-Unit of Natural Selection.

PubMed

Janković, Srdja; Ćirković, Milan M

2016-03-01

Physical processes that characterize living matter are qualitatively distinct in that they involve encoding and transfer of specific types of information. Such information plays an active part in the control of events that are ultimately linked to the capacity of the system to persist and multiply. This algorithmicity of life is a key prerequisite for its Darwinian evolution, driven by natural selection acting upon stochastically arising variations of the encoded information. The concept of evolvability attempts to define the total capacity of a system to evolve new encoded traits under appropriate conditions, i.e., the accessible section of total morphological space. Since this is dependent on previously evolved regulatory networks that govern information flow in the system, evolvability itself may be regarded as an evolved ability. The way information is physically written, read and modified in living cells (the "coding concept") has not changed substantially during the whole history of the Earth's biosphere. This biosphere, be it alone or one of many, is, accordingly, itself a product of natural selection, since the overall evolvability conferred by its coding concept (nucleic acids as information carriers with the "rulebook of meanings" provided by codons, as well as all the subsystems that regulate various conditional information-reading modes) certainly played a key role in enabling this biosphere to survive up to the present, through alterations of planetary conditions, including at least five catastrophic events linked to major mass extinctions. We submit that, whatever the actual prebiotic physical and chemical processes may have been on our home planet, or may, in principle, occur at some time and place in the Universe, a particular coding concept, with its respective potential to give rise to a biosphere, or class of biospheres, of a certain evolvability, may itself be regarded as a unit (indeed the arch-unit) of natural selection.

A method to select human-system interfaces for nuclear power plants

DOE PAGES

Hugo, Jacques Victor; Gertman, David Ira

2015-10-19

The new generation of nuclear power plants (NPPs) will likely make use of state-of-the-art technologies in many areas of the plant. The analysis, design, and selection of advanced human–system interfaces (HSIs) constitute an important part of power plant engineering. Designers need to consider the new capabilities afforded by these technologies in the context of current regulations and new operational concepts, which is why they need a more rigorous method by which to plan the introduction of advanced HSIs in NPP work areas. Much of current human factors research stops at the user interface and fails to provide a definitive processmore » for integration of end user devices with instrumentation and control (I&C) and operational concepts. The current lack of a clear definition of HSI technology, including the process for integration, makes characterization and implementation of new and advanced HSIs difficult. This paper describes how new design concepts in the nuclear industry can be analyzed and how HSI technologies associated with new industrial processes might be considered. Furthermore, it also describes a basis for an understanding of human as well as technology characteristics that could be incorporated into a prioritization scheme for technology selection and deployment plans.« less

Embracing Community Ecology in Plant Microbiome Research.

PubMed

Dini-Andreote, Francisco; Raaijmakers, Jos M

2018-06-01

Community assembly is mediated by selection, dispersal, drift, and speciation. Environmental selection is mostly used to date to explain patterns in plant microbiome assembly, whereas the influence of the other processes remains largely elusive. Recent studies highlight that adopting community ecology concepts provides a mechanistic framework for plant microbiome research. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Student Conceptions of Natural Selection and Its Role in Evolution, Research Series No. l65.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bishop, Beth A.; Anderson, Charles W.

Pretests and posttests on the topic of evolution through natural selection were administered to students in a college nonmajors' biology course. Analysis of test responses revealed that most students understood evolution as a process in which species respond to environmental conditions by changing gradually over time. Student thinking differed…

Education and Social Selection in Ancient China: Semantics, Conceptual Transformation and Social Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Meiyao

2015-01-01

This paper investigates the transformation in the Zhou dynasty China (1046-256 BC) of the concept of education in relation to the process of social selection, which concerns the distribution both of knowledge and of social ranks. An approach in terms of historical semantics, mainly influenced by Luhmannian sociological theory with some reference…

Chronic condition self-management surveillance: what is and what should be measured?

PubMed

Ruiz, Sarah; Brady, Teresa J; Glasgow, Russell E; Birkel, Richard; Spafford, Michelle

2014-06-19

The rapid growth in chronic disease prevalence, in particular the prevalence of multiple chronic conditions, poses a significant and increasing burden on the health of Americans. Maximizing the use of proven self-management (SM) strategies is a core goal of the US Department of Health and Human Services. Yet, there is no systematic way to assess how much SM or self-management support (SMS) is occurring in the United States. The purpose of this project was to identify appropriate concepts or measures to incorporate into national SM and SMS surveillance. A multistep process was used to identify candidate concepts, assess existing measures, and select high-priority concepts for further development. A stakeholder survey, an environmental scan, subject matter expert feedback, and a stakeholder priority-setting exercise were all used to select the high-priority concepts for development. The stakeholder survey gathered feedback on 32 candidate concepts; 9 concepts were endorsed by more than 66% of respondents. The environmental scan indicated few existing measures that adequately reflected the candidate concepts, and those that were identified were generally specific to a defined condition and not gathered on a population basis. On the basis of the priority setting exercises and environmental scan, we selected 1 concept from each of 5 levels of behavioral influence for immediate development as an SM or SMS indicator. The absence of any available measures to assess SM or SMS across the population highlights the need to develop chronic condition SM surveillance that uses national surveys and other data sources to measure national progress in SM and SMS.

Feedbacks between geomorphology and biota controlling Earth surface processes and landforms: A review of foundation concepts and current understandings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corenblit, Dov; Baas, Andreas C. W.; Bornette, Gudrun; Darrozes, José; Delmotte, Sébastien; Francis, Robert A.; Gurnell, Angela M.; Julien, Frédéric; Naiman, Robert J.; Steiger, Johannes

2011-06-01

This review article presents recent advances in the field of biogeomorphology related to the reciprocal coupling between Earth surface processes and landforms, and ecological and evolutionary processes. The aim is to present to the Earth Science community ecological and evolutionary concepts and associated recent conceptual developments for linking geomorphology and biota. The novelty of the proposed perspective is that (1) in the presence of geomorphologic-engineer species, which modify sediment and landform dynamics, natural selection operating at the scale of organisms may have consequences for the physical components of ecosystems, and particularly Earth surface processes and landforms; and (2) in return, these modifications of geomorphologic processes and landforms often feed back to the ecological characteristics of the ecosystem (structure and function) and thus to biological characteristics of engineer species and/or other species (adaptation and speciation). The main foundation concepts from ecology and evolutionary biology which have led only recently to an improved conception of landform dynamics in geomorphology are reviewed and discussed. The biogeomorphologic macroevolutionary insights proposed explicitly integrate geomorphologic niche-dimensions and processes within an ecosystem framework and reflect current theories of eco-evolutionary and ecological processes. Collectively, these lead to the definition of an integrated model describing the overall functioning of biogeomorphologic systems over ecological and evolutionary timescales.

Extension of quality-by-design concept to the early development phase of pharmaceutical R&D processes.

PubMed

Csóka, Ildikó; Pallagi, Edina; Paál, Tamás L

2018-03-27

Here, we propose the extension of the quality-by-design (QbD) concept to also fit the early development phases of pharmaceuticals by adding elements that are currently widely applied, but not yet included in the QbD model in a structured way. These are the introduction of a 'zero' preformulation phase (i.e., selection of drug substance, possible dosage forms and administration routes based on the evaluated therapeutic need); building in stakeholders' (industry, patient, and regulatory) requirements into the quality target product profile (QTTP); and the use of modern quality management tools during the composition and process design phase [collecting critical quality attributes (CQAs) and selection of CPPs) for (still laboratory-scale) design space (DS) development. Moreover, during industrial scale-up, CQAs (as well as critical process parameters; CPPs) can be changed; however, we recommend that the existing QbD elements are reconsidered and updated after this phase. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Composite fuselage crown panel manufacturing technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willden, Kurtis; Metschan, S.; Grant, C.; Brown, T.

1992-01-01

Commercial fuselage structures contain significant challenges in attempting to save manufacturing costs with advanced composite technology. Assembly issues, materials costs, and fabrication of elements with complex geometry are each expected to drive the cost of composite fuselage structure. Key technologies, such as large crown panel fabrication, were pursued for low cost. An intricate bond panel design and manufacturing concept were selected based on the efforts of the Design Build Team. The manufacturing processes selected for the intricate bond design include multiple large panel fabrication with Advanced Tow Placement (ATP) process, innovative cure tooling concepts, resin transfer molding of long fuselage frames, and use of low cost materials forms. The process optimization for final design/manufacturing configuration included factory simulations and hardware demonstrations. These efforts and other optimization tasks were instrumental in reducing costs by 18 pct. and weight by 45 pct. relative to an aluminum baseline. The qualitative and quantitative results of the manufacturing demonstrations were used to assess manufacturing risks and technology readiness.

Mimicking electrodeposition in the gas phase: a programmable concept for selected-area fabrication of multimaterial nanostructures.

PubMed

Cole, Jesse J; Lin, En-Chiang; Barry, Chad R; Jacobs, Heiko O

2010-05-21

An in situ gas-phase process that produces charged streams of Au, Si, TiO(2), ZnO, and Ge nanoparticles/clusters is reported together with a programmable concept for selected-area assembly/printing of more than one material type. The gas-phase process mimics solution electrodeposition whereby ions in the liquid phase are replaced with charged clusters in the gas phase. The pressure range in which the analogy applies is discussed and it is demonstrated that particles can be plated into pores vertically (minimum resolution 60 nm) or laterally to form low-resistivity (48 microOmega cm) interconnects. The process is applied to the formation of multimaterial nanoparticle films and sensors. The system works at atmospheric pressure and deposits material at room temperature onto electrically biased substrate regions. The combination of pumpless operation and parallel nozzle-free deposition provides a scalable tool for printable flexible electronics and the capability to mix and match materials.

Priming semantic concepts affects the dynamics of aesthetic appreciation.

PubMed

Faerber, Stella J; Leder, Helmut; Gerger, Gernot; Carbon, Claus-Christian

2010-10-01

Aesthetic appreciation (AA) plays an important role for purchase decisions, for the appreciation of art and even for the selection of potential mates. It is known that AA is highly reliable in single assessments, but over longer periods of time dynamic changes of AA may occur. We measured AA as a construct derived from the literature through attractiveness, arousal, interestingness, valence, boredom and innovativeness. By means of the semantic network theory we investigated how the priming of AA-relevant semantic concepts impacts the dynamics of AA of unfamiliar product designs (car interiors) that are known to be susceptible to triggering such effects. When participants were primed for innovativeness, strong dynamics were observed, especially when the priming involved additional AA-relevant dimensions. This underlines the relevance of priming of specific semantic networks not only for the cognitive processing of visual material in terms of selective perception or specific representation, but also for the affective-cognitive processing in terms of the dynamics of aesthetic processing. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Composite fuselage crown panel manufacturing technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willden, Kurtis; Metschan, S.; Grant, C.; Brown, T.

1992-01-01

Commercial fuselage structures contain significant challenges in attempting to save manufacturing costs with advanced composite technology. Assembly issues, material costs, and fabrication of elements with complex geometry are each expected to drive the cost of composite fuselage structures. Boeing's efforts under the NASA ACT program have pursued key technologies for low-cost, large crown panel fabrication. An intricate bond panel design and manufacturing concepts were selected based on the efforts of the Design Build Team (DBT). The manufacturing processes selected for the intricate bond design include multiple large panel fabrication with the Advanced Tow Placement (ATP) process, innovative cure tooling concepts, resin transfer molding of long fuselage frames, and utilization of low-cost material forms. The process optimization for final design/manufacturing configuration included factory simulations and hardware demonstrations. These efforts and other optimization tasks were instrumental in reducing cost by 18 percent and weight by 45 percent relative to an aluminum baseline. The qualitative and quantitative results of the manufacturing demonstrations were used to assess manufacturing risks and technology readiness.

A Ceramic Fracture Model for High Velocity Impact

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-05-01

employ damage concepts appear more relevant than crack growth models for this application . This research adopts existing fracture model concepts and...extends them through applications in an existing finite element continuum mechanics code (hydrocode) to the prediction of the damage and fracture processes...to be accurate in the lower velocity range of this work. Mescall and Tracy 15] investigated the selection of ceramic material for application in armors

Novel large deployable antenna backing structure concepts for foldable reflectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fraux, V.; Lawton, M.; Reveles, J. R.; You, Z.

2013-12-01

This paper describes a number of large deployable antenna (LDA) reflector structure concepts developed at EnerSys-ABSL. Furthermore, EnerSys-ABSL has confirmed the desire to build a breadboard demonstrator of a backing deployable structure for a foldable reflector in the diameter range of 4-9 m. As part of this project EnerSys-ABSL has explored five novel deployable structure concepts. This paper presents the top level definition of these concepts together with the requirements considered in the design and selection of the preferred candidate. These new concepts are described and then compared through a trade-off analysis to identify the most suitable concept that EnerSys-ABSL would like to consider for the breadboard demonstrator. Finally, the kinematics of the chosen concept is described in more detail and future steps in the development process are highlighted.

Photovoltaic module encapsulation design and materials selection, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuddihy, E.; Carroll, W.; Coulbert, C.; Gupta, A.; Liang, R. H.

1982-01-01

Encapsulation material system requirements, material selection criteria, and the status and properties of encapsulation materials and processes available are presented. Technical and economic goals established for photovoltaic modules and encapsulation systems and their status are described. Available encapsulation technology and data are presented to facilitate design and material selection for silicon flat plate photovoltaic modules, using the best materials available and processes optimized for specific power applications and geographic sites. The operational and environmental loads that encapsulation system functional requirements and candidate design concepts and materials that are identified to have the best potential to meet the cost and performance goals for the flat plate solar array project are described. Available data on encapsulant material properties, fabrication processing, and module life and durability characteristics are presented.

Risk-Informed Decision Making: Application to Technology Development Alternative Selection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dezfuli, Homayoon; Maggio, Gaspare; Everett, Christopher

2010-01-01

NASA NPR 8000.4A, Agency Risk Management Procedural Requirements, defines risk management in terms of two complementary processes: Risk-informed Decision Making (RIDM) and Continuous Risk Management (CRM). The RIDM process is used to inform decision making by emphasizing proper use of risk analysis to make decisions that impact all mission execution domains (e.g., safety, technical, cost, and schedule) for program/projects and mission support organizations. The RIDM process supports the selection of an alternative prior to program commitment. The CRM process is used to manage risk associated with the implementation of the selected alternative. The two processes work together to foster proactive risk management at NASA. The Office of Safety and Mission Assurance at NASA Headquarters has developed a technical handbook to provide guidance for implementing the RIDM process in the context of NASA risk management and systems engineering. This paper summarizes the key concepts and procedures of the RIDM process as presented in the handbook, and also illustrates how the RIDM process can be applied to the selection of technology investments as NASA's new technology development programs are initiated.

Richer concepts are better remembered: number of features effects in free recall

PubMed Central

Hargreaves, Ian S.; Pexman, Penny M.; Johnson, Jeremy C.; Zdrazilova, Lenka

2012-01-01

Many models of memory build in a term for encoding variability, the observation that there can be variability in the richness or extensiveness of processing at encoding, and that this variability has consequences for retrieval. In four experiments, we tested the expectation that encoding variability could be driven by the properties of the to-be-remembered item. Specifically, that concepts associated with more semantic features would be better remembered than concepts associated with fewer semantic features. Using feature listing norms we selected sets of items for which people tend to list higher numbers of features (high NoF) and items for which people tend to list lower numbers of features (low NoF). Results showed more accurate free recall for high NoF concepts than for low NoF concepts in expected memory tasks (Experiments 1–3) and also in an unexpected memory task (Experiment 4). This effect was not the result of associative chaining between study items (Experiment 3), and can be attributed to the amount of item-specific processing that occurs at study (Experiment 4). These results provide evidence that stimulus-specific differences in processing at encoding have consequences for explicit memory retrieval. PMID:22514526

Exploration of the concept of collaboration within the context of nurse practitioner-physician collaborative practice.

PubMed

Bridges, Sharon

2014-07-01

Collaboration in the healthcare setting is a multifaceted process that calls for deliberate knowledge sharing and mutual accountability for patient care. The purpose of this analysis is to offer an increased understanding of the concept of collaboration within the context of nurse practitioner (NP)-physician (MD) collaborative practice. The evolutionary method of concept analysis was utilized to explore the concept of collaboration. The process of literature retrieval and data collection was discussed. The search of several nursing and medicine databases resulted in 31 articles, including 17 qualitative and quantitative studies, which met criteria for inclusion in the concept analysis. Collaboration is a complex, sophisticated process that requires commitment of all parties involved. The data analysis identified the surrogate and related terms, antecedents, attributes, and consequences of collaboration within the selected context, which were recognized by major themes presented in the literature and these were discussed. An operational definition was proposed. Increasing collaborative efforts among NPs and MDs may reduce hospital length of stays and healthcare costs, while enhancing professional relationships. Further research is needed to evaluate collaboration and collaborative efforts within the context of NP-MD collaborative practice. ©2013 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

A Planetary Protection Strategy for the Mars Aerial Regional-Scale Environmental Survey (ARES) Mission Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhl, Christopher A.

2008-01-01

The Aerial Regional-scale Environmental Survey (ARES) is a Mars exploration mission concept designed to send an airplane to fly through the lower atmosphere of Mars, with the goal of taking scientific measurements of the atmosphere, surface, and subsurface phenomenon. ARES was first proposed to the Mars Scout program in December 2002 for a 2007 launch opportunity and was selected to proceed with a Phase A study, step-2 proposal which was submitted in May 2003. ARES was not selected for the Scout mission, but efforts continued on risk reduction of the atmospheric flight system in preparation for the next Mars Scout opportunity in 2006. The ARES concept was again proposed in July 2006 to the Mars Scout program but was not selected to proceed into Phase A. This document describes the Planetary Protection strategy that was developed in ARES Pre Phase-A activities to help identify, early in the design process, certain hardware, assemblies, and/or subsystems that will require unique design considerations based on constraints imposed by Planetary Protection requirements. Had ARES been selected as an exploration project, information in this document would make up the ARES Project Planetary Protection Plan.

Improvement of Automated POST Case Success Rate Using Support Vector Machines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zwack, Mathew R.; Dees, Patrick D.

2017-01-01

During early conceptual design of complex systems, concept down selection can have a large impact upon program life-cycle cost. Therefore, any concepts selected during early design will inherently commit program costs and affect the overall probability of program success. For this reason it is important to consider as large a design space as possible in order to better inform the down selection process. For conceptual design of launch vehicles, trajectory analysis and optimization often presents the largest obstacle to evaluating large trade spaces. This is due to the sensitivity of the trajectory discipline to changes in all other aspects of the vehicle design. Small deltas in the performance of other subsystems can result in relatively large fluctuations in the ascent trajectory because the solution space is non-linear and multi-modal. In order to help capture large design spaces for new launch vehicles, the authors have performed previous work seeking to automate the execution of the industry standard tool, Program to Optimize Simulated Trajectories (POST). This work initially focused on implementation of analyst heuristics to enable closure of cases in an automated fashion, with the goal of applying the concepts of design of experiments (DOE) and surrogate modeling to enable near instantaneous throughput of vehicle cases.3 As noted in [4] work was then completed to improve the DOE process by utilizing a graph theory based approach to connect similar design points.

Case Study Application Of Determining End Of Asset Physical Life Using Survival Analysis:(WERF Report INFR2R11a)

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract:This case study application provides discussion on a selected application of advanced concepts, included in the End of Asset Life Reinvestment decision-making process tool, using a utility practitioner’s data set. The tool provides step-by-step process guidance to the as...

Hydrated Cations in the General Chemistry Course.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kauffman, George B.; Baxter, John F., Jr.

1981-01-01

Presents selected information regarding the descriptive chemistry of the common metal ions and their compounds, including the concepts of process of solution, polar molecules, ionic size and charge, complex ions, coordination number, and the Bronsted-Lowry acid-base theory. (CS)

Evaluating Fault Management Operations Concepts for Next-Generation Spacecraft: What Eye Movements Tell Us

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayashi, Miwa; Ravinder, Ujwala; McCann, Robert S.; Beutter, Brent; Spirkovska, Lily

2009-01-01

Performance enhancements associated with selected forms of automation were quantified in a recent human-in-the-loop evaluation of two candidate operational concepts for fault management on next-generation spacecraft. The baseline concept, called Elsie, featured a full-suite of "soft" fault management interfaces. However, operators were forced to diagnose malfunctions with minimal assistance from the standalone caution and warning system. The other concept, called Besi, incorporated a more capable C&W system with an automated fault diagnosis capability. Results from analyses of participants' eye movements indicate that the greatest empirical benefit of the automation stemmed from eliminating the need for text processing on cluttered, text-rich displays.

Design of a vehicle based system to prevent ozone loss

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Talbot, Matthew D.; Eby, Steven C.; Ireland, Glen J.; Mcwithey, Michael C.; Schneider, Mark S.; Youngblood, Daniel L.; Johnson, Matt; Taylor, Chris

1994-01-01

This project is designed to be completed over a three year period. Overall project goals are: (1) to understand the processes that contribute to stratospheric ozone loss; (2) to determine the best scheme to prevent ozone loss; and (3) to design a vehicle based system to carry out the prevention scheme. The 1993/1994 design objectives included: (1) to review the results of the 1992/1993 design team, including a reevaluation of the key assumptions used; (2) to develop a matrix of baseline vehicle concepts as candidates for the delivery vehicle; and (3) to develop a selection criteria and perform quantitative trade studies to use in the selection of the specific vehicle concept.

Comprehension of Concrete and Abstract Words in Patients with Selective Anterior Temporal Lobe Resection and in Patients with Selective Amygdalo-Hippocampectomy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loiselle, Magalie; Rouleau, Isabelle; Nguyen, Dang Khoa; Dubeau, Francois; Macoir, Joel; Whatmough, Christine; Lepore, Franco; Joubert, Sven

2012-01-01

The role of the anterior temporal lobe (ATL) in semantic memory is now firmly established. There is still controversy, however, regarding the specific role of this region in processing various types of concepts. There have been reports of patients suffering from semantic dementia (SD), a neurodegenerative condition in which the ATL is damaged…

[Claim and reality of selective contact options : experiences in finalizing selective contracts in urological care].

PubMed

Ex, P; Schroeder, A

2014-08-01

Selective contracts are an important component in addition to the total healthcare concept in order to introduce process-related innovations into the healthcare system. Since 2011 the Berufsverband der Deutschen Urologen (BDU, Professional Association of German Urologists) has held negotiations with individual health insurance companies and care providers in order to view selective contracts as collective contracts, not only as pilot projects but also as additional forms of care.This article illustrates the experiences of the BDU in the initiation and finalizing of selective contracts as well as existing weak points in the framework conditions.

Hockey-stick steam generator for LMFBR

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

Hallinan, G.J.; Svedlund, P.E.

1981-01-01

This paper presents the criteria and evaluation leading to the selection of the Hockey Stick Steam Generator Concept and subsequent development of that concept for LMFBR application. The selection process and development of the Modular Steam Generator (MSG) is discussed, including the extensive test programs that culminated in the manufacture and test of a 35 MW(t) Steam Generator. The design of the CRBRP Steam Generator is described, emphasizing the current status and a review of the critical structural areas. CRBRP steam generator development tests are evaluated, with a discussion of test objectives and rating of the usefulness of test resultsmore » to the CRBRP prototype design. Manufacturing experience and status of the CRBRP prototype and plant units is covered. The scaleup of the Hockey Stick concept to large commercial plant application is presented, with an evaluation of scaleup limitations, transient effects, and system design implications.« less

Thalamic Mechanisms in Language: A Reconsideration Based on Recent Findings and Concepts

PubMed Central

Crosson, Bruce

2012-01-01

Recent literature on thalamic aphasia and thalamic activity during neuroimaging is selectively reviewed followed by a consideration of recent anatomic and physiological findings regarding thalamic structure and functions. It is concluded that four related corticothalamic and/or thalamocortical mechanisms impact language processing: (1) selective engagement of task-relevant cortical areas in a heightened state of responsiveness in part through the nucleus reticularis (NR), (2) passing information from one cortical area to another through corticothalamo-cortical mechanisms, (3) sharpening the focus on task-relevant information through corticothalamo-cortical feedback mechanisms, and (4) selection of one language unit over another in the expression of a concept, accomplished in concert with basal ganglia loops. The relationship and interaction of these mechanisms is discussed and integrated with thalamic aphasia and neuroimaging data into a theory of thalamic functions in language. PMID:22831779

Visualization of the membrane engineering concept: evidence for the specific orientation of electroinserted antibodies and selective binding of target analytes.

PubMed

Kokla, Anna; Blouchos, Petros; Livaniou, Evangelia; Zikos, Christos; Kakabakos, Sotiris E; Petrou, Panagiota S; Kintzios, Spyridon

2013-12-01

Membrane engineering is a generic methodology for increasing the selectivity of a cell biosensor against a target molecule, by electroinserting target-specific receptor-like molecules on the cell surface. Previous studies have elucidated the biochemical aspects of the interaction between various analytes (including viruses) and their homologous membrane-engineered cells. In the present study, purified anti-biotin antibodies from a rabbit antiserum along with in-house prepared biotinylated bovine serum albumin (BSA) were used as a model antibody-antigen pair of molecules for facilitating membrane engineering experiments. It was proven, with the aid of fluorescence microscopy, that (i) membrane-engineered cells incorporated the specific antibodies in the correct orientation and that (ii) the inserted antibodies are selectively interacting with the homologous target molecules. This is the first time the actual working concept of membrane engineering has been visualized, thus providing a final proof of the concept behind this innovative process. In addition, the fluorescence microscopy measurements were highly correlated with bioelectric measurements done with the aid of a bioelectric recognition assay. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Autism: a transdiagnostic, dimensional, construct of reasoning?

PubMed

Aggernaes, Bodil

2018-03-01

The concept of autism has changed across time, from the Bleulerian concept, which defined it as one of several symptoms of dementia praecox, to the present-day concept representing a pervasive development disorder. The present theoretical contribution to this special issue of EJN on autism introduces new theoretical ideas and discusses them in light of selected prior theories, clinical examples, and recent empirical evidence. The overall aim is to identify some present challenges of diagnostic practice and autism research and to suggest new pathways that may help direct future research. Future research must agree on the definitions of core concepts such as autism and psychosis. A possible redefinition of the concept of autism may be a condition in which the rationale of an individual's behaviour differs qualitatively from that of the social environment due to characteristic cognitive impairments affecting reasoning. A broad concept of psychosis could focus on deviances in the experience of reality resulting from impairments of reasoning. In this light and consistent with recent empirical evidence, it may be appropriate to redefine dementia praecox as a developmental disorder of reasoning. A future challenge of autism research may be to develop theoretical models that can account for the impact of complex processes acting at the social level in addition to complex neurobiological and psychological processes. Such models could profit from a distinction among processes related to (i) basic susceptibility, (ii) adaptive processes and (iii) decompensating factors involved in the development of manifest illness. © 2017 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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

Hugo, Jacques Victor; Gertman, David Ira

The new generation of nuclear power plants (NPPs) will likely make use of state-of-the-art technologies in many areas of the plant. The analysis, design, and selection of advanced human–system interfaces (HSIs) constitute an important part of power plant engineering. Designers need to consider the new capabilities afforded by these technologies in the context of current regulations and new operational concepts, which is why they need a more rigorous method by which to plan the introduction of advanced HSIs in NPP work areas. Much of current human factors research stops at the user interface and fails to provide a definitive processmore » for integration of end user devices with instrumentation and control (I&C) and operational concepts. The current lack of a clear definition of HSI technology, including the process for integration, makes characterization and implementation of new and advanced HSIs difficult. This paper describes how new design concepts in the nuclear industry can be analyzed and how HSI technologies associated with new industrial processes might be considered. Furthermore, it also describes a basis for an understanding of human as well as technology characteristics that could be incorporated into a prioritization scheme for technology selection and deployment plans.« less

Dirt Cheap and All Around Us.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Donald J.

1985-01-01

Presents a variety of outdoor and classroom activities in which soil is used to teach environmental concepts and to provide students with science process skills practice. Areas considered include: site selection and description; compaction; infiltration rate; temperature; components; water content; and microorganisms. (DH)

Something's Fishy in Paxton Lake: A Case on Speciation in Sticklebacks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sharp, Joan

2002-01-01

Introduces a case study on speciation and evolutionary mechanisms. Teaches science process skills as well as natural selection, biological species concepts, basic genetic terminology, and classification. Includes teaching notes and classroom management strategies. (Contains 14 references.) (YDS)

A new strategy for efficient solar energy conversion: Parallel-processing with surface plasmons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, L. M.

1982-01-01

This paper introduces an advanced concept for direct conversion of sunlight to electricity, which aims at high efficiency by tailoring the conversion process to separate energy bands within the broad solar spectrum. The objective is to obtain a high level of spectrum-splitting without sequential losses or unique materials for each frequency band. In this concept, sunlight excites a spectrum of surface plasma waves which are processed in parallel on the same metal film. The surface plasmons transport energy to an array of metal-barrier-semiconductor diodes, where energy is extracted by inelastic tunneling. Diodes are tuned to different frequency bands by selecting the operating voltage and geometry, but all diodes share the same materials.

Application Development for Optimizing Patient Placement on Aeromedical Evacuation Flights: Proof-of-Concept

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-01-12

outcomes. This study included three phases: knowledge elicitation, establishment of rule-based, logic requirements, and the development of the POC iOS ...establish the logic needed for a mobile app prior to programming for iOS platforms. The study team selected Microsoft Excel because it enabled the...distribution of these plans would streamline the plan development process. Thus, as a proof-of-concept, the study team conducted a multi-phased effort

Manufacturing process and material selection in concurrent collaborative design of MEMS devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zha, Xuan F.; Du, H.

2003-09-01

In this paper we present knowledge of an intensive approach and system for selecting suitable manufacturing processes and materials for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) devices in concurrent collaborative design environment. In the paper, fundamental issues on MEMS manufacturing process and material selection such as concurrent design framework, manufacturing process and material hierarchies, and selection strategy are first addressed. Then, a fuzzy decision support scheme for a multi-criteria decision-making problem is proposed for estimating, ranking and selecting possible manufacturing processes, materials and their combinations. A Web-based prototype advisory system for the MEMS manufacturing process and material selection, WebMEMS-MASS, is developed based on the client-knowledge server architecture and framework to help the designer find good processes and materials for MEMS devices. The system, as one of the important parts of an advanced simulation and modeling tool for MEMS design, is a concept level process and material selection tool, which can be used as a standalone application or a Java applet via the Web. The running sessions of the system are inter-linked with webpages of tutorials and reference pages to explain the facets, fabrication processes and material choices, and calculations and reasoning in selection are performed using process capability and material property data from a remote Web-based database and interactive knowledge base that can be maintained and updated via the Internet. The use of the developed system including operation scenario, use support, and integration with an MEMS collaborative design system is presented. Finally, an illustration example is provided.

Manual and computer-aided materials selection for industrial production: An exercise in decision making

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bates, Seth P.

1990-01-01

Students are introduced to methods and concepts for systematic selection and evaluation of materials which are to be used to manufacture specific products in industry. For this laboratory exercise, students are asked to work in groups to identify and describe a product, then to proceed through the process to select a list of three candidates to make the item from. The exercise draws on knowledge of mechanical, physical, and chemical properties, common materials test techniques, and resource management skills in finding and assessing property data. A very important part of the exercise is the students' introduction to decision making algorithms, and learning how to apply them to a complex decision making process.

Towards "Precision Mining" of wastewater: Selective recovery of Cu from acid mine drainage onto diatomite supported nanoscale zerovalent iron particles.

PubMed

Crane, R A; Sapsford, D J

2018-07-01

This paper introduces the concept of 'Precision Mining' of metals which can be defined as a process for the selective in situ uptake of a metal from a material or media, with subsequent retrieval and recovery of the target metal. In order to demonstrate this concept nanoscale zerovalent iron (nZVI) was loaded onto diatomaceous earth (DE) and tested for the selective uptake of Cu from acid mine drainage (AMD) and subsequent release. Batch experiments were conducted using the AMD and nZVI-DE at 4.0-16.0 g/L. Results demonstrate nZVI-DE as highly selective for Cu removal with >99% uptake recorded after 0.25 h when using nZVI-DE concentrations ≥12.0 g/L, despite appreciable concentrations of numerous other metals in the AMD, namely: Co, Ni, Mn and Zn. Cu uptake was maintained in excess of 4 and 24 h when using nZVI-DE concentrations of 12.0 and 16.0 g/L respectively. Near-total Cu release from the nZVI-DE was then recorded and attributed to the depletion of the nZVI component and the subsequent Eh, DO and pH recovery. This novel Cu uptake and release mechanism, once appropriately engineered, holds great promise as a novel 'Precision Mining' process for the rapid and selective Cu recovery from acidic wastewater, process effluents and leach liquors. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Validation of multisource electronic health record data: an application to blood transfusion data.

PubMed

Hoeven, Loan R van; Bruijne, Martine C de; Kemper, Peter F; Koopman, Maria M W; Rondeel, Jan M M; Leyte, Anja; Koffijberg, Hendrik; Janssen, Mart P; Roes, Kit C B

2017-07-14

Although data from electronic health records (EHR) are often used for research purposes, systematic validation of these data prior to their use is not standard practice. Existing validation frameworks discuss validity concepts without translating these into practical implementation steps or addressing the potential influence of linking multiple sources. Therefore we developed a practical approach for validating routinely collected data from multiple sources and to apply it to a blood transfusion data warehouse to evaluate the usability in practice. The approach consists of identifying existing validation frameworks for EHR data or linked data, selecting validity concepts from these frameworks and establishing quantifiable validity outcomes for each concept. The approach distinguishes external validation concepts (e.g. concordance with external reports, previous literature and expert feedback) and internal consistency concepts which use expected associations within the dataset itself (e.g. completeness, uniformity and plausibility). In an example case, the selected concepts were applied to a transfusion dataset and specified in more detail. Application of the approach to a transfusion dataset resulted in a structured overview of data validity aspects. This allowed improvement of these aspects through further processing of the data and in some cases adjustment of the data extraction. For example, the proportion of transfused products that could not be linked to the corresponding issued products initially was 2.2% but could be improved by adjusting data extraction criteria to 0.17%. This stepwise approach for validating linked multisource data provides a basis for evaluating data quality and enhancing interpretation. When the process of data validation is adopted more broadly, this contributes to increased transparency and greater reliability of research based on routinely collected electronic health records.

Contextual behavior and neural circuits

PubMed Central

Lee, Inah; Lee, Choong-Hee

2013-01-01

Animals including humans engage in goal-directed behavior flexibly in response to items and their background, which is called contextual behavior in this review. Although the concept of context has long been studied, there are differences among researchers in defining and experimenting with the concept. The current review aims to provide a categorical framework within which not only the neural mechanisms of contextual information processing but also the contextual behavior can be studied in more concrete ways. For this purpose, we categorize contextual behavior into three subcategories as follows by considering the types of interactions among context, item, and response: contextual response selection, contextual item selection, and contextual item–response selection. Contextual response selection refers to the animal emitting different types of responses to the same item depending on the context in the background. Contextual item selection occurs when there are multiple items that need to be chosen in a contextual manner. Finally, when multiple items and multiple contexts are involved, contextual item–response selection takes place whereby the animal either chooses an item or inhibits such a response depending on item–context paired association. The literature suggests that the rhinal cortical regions and the hippocampal formation play key roles in mnemonically categorizing and recognizing contextual representations and the associated items. In addition, it appears that the fronto-striatal cortical loops in connection with the contextual information-processing areas critically control the flexible deployment of adaptive action sets and motor responses for maximizing goals. We suggest that contextual information processing should be investigated in experimental settings where contextual stimuli and resulting behaviors are clearly defined and measurable, considering the dynamic top-down and bottom-up interactions among the neural systems for contextual behavior. PMID:23675321

Novel Composites for Wing and Fuselage Applications. Task 1; Novel Wing Design Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suarez, J. A.; Buttitta, C.; Flanagan, G.; DeSilva, T.; Egensteiner, W.; Bruno, J.; Mahon, J.; Rutkowski, C.; Collins, R.; Fidnarick, R.;

Clinical decisions for anterior restorations: the concept of restorative volume.

PubMed

Cardoso, Jorge André; Almeida, Paulo Júlio; Fischer, Alex; Phaxay, Somano Luang

2012-12-01

The choice of the most appropriate restoration for anterior teeth is often a difficult decision. Numerous clinical and technical factors play an important role in selecting the treatment option that best suits the patient and the restorative team. Experienced clinicians have developed decision processes that are often more complex than may seem. Less experienced professionals may find difficulties making treatment decisions because of the widely varied restorative materials available and often numerous similar products offered by different manufacturers. The authors reviewed available evidence and integrated their clinical experience to select relevant factors that could provide a logical and practical guideline for restorative decisions in anterior teeth. The presented concept of restorative volume is based on structural, optical, and periodontal factors. Each of these factors will influence the short- and long-term behavior of restorations in terms of esthetics, biology, and function. Despite the marked evolution of esthetic restorative techniques and materials, significant limitations still exist, which should be addressed by researchers. The presented guidelines must be regarded as a mere orientation for risk analysis. A comprehensive individual approach should always be the core of restorative esthetic treatments. The complex decision process for anterior esthetic restorations can be clarified by a systematized examination of structural, optical, and periodontal factors. The basis for the proposed thought process is the concept of restorative volume that is a contemporary interpretation of restoration categories and their application. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Examining the similarities and differences of OMERACT core sets using the ICF: first step towards an improved domain specification and development of an item pool to measure functioning and health.

PubMed

Escorpizo, Reuben; Boers, Maarten; Stucki, Gerold; Boonen, Annelies

2011-08-01

To contribute to the discussion on a common approach for domain selection in the Outcomes in Rheumatology Clinical Trials (OMERACT) process. First, this article reports on the consistency in the selection and names of the domains of the current OMERACT core set, and next on the comparability of the specifications of concepts that are relevant within the domains. For this purpose, a convenience sample of 4 OMERACT core sets was used: rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), longitudinal observational studies (LOS) in rheumatology, and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Domains from the different core sets were compared directly. To be able to compare the specific content of the domains, the concepts contained in the questionnaires that were considered or proposed to measure the domains were identified and linked to the category of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) that best fit that construct. Large differences in the domains, and lack of domain definitions, were noted among the 4 OMERACT core sets. When comparing the concepts in the questionnaires that represent the domains, core sets differed also in the number and type of constructs that were addressed within each of the domains. Especially for the specification of the concepts within the domains Discomfort and Disability, the ICF proved to be useful as external reference to classify the different constructs. Our exercise suggests that the OMERACT process could benefit from a standardized approach to select, define, and specify domains, and demonstrated that the ICF is useful for further classification of the more specific concepts of "what to measure" within the domains. A clear definition and classification of domains and their specification can be useful as a starting point to build a pool of items that could then be used to develop new instruments to assess functioning and health for rheumatological conditions.

EFFECTS OF CARCINOGENIC AGENTS ON AQUATIC ANIMALS: AN ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL OVERVIEW

EPA Science Inventory

A major underlying motivation for seriously studying carcinogenesis in aquatic animals is the concept of utilizing selected lower animal species as models in understanding neoplasia and the neoplastic process. Numerous examples may be cited which illustrate the contribution that ...

Cultural Change and a Balanced Scorecard. Does Your Organization Measure Up?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McAlary, Chris K.

2001-01-01

Discusses the balanced scorecard concept, a customer-based planning and process improvement system for measuring the success of campus business enterprises and helping to better achieve organizational goals. Scorecard design and implementation are described as are selected success stories. (GR)

The Construct of Attention in Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Luck, Steven J.; Gold, James M.

2008-01-01

Schizophrenia is widely thought to involve deficits of attention. However, the term attention can be defined so broadly that impaired performance on virtually any task could be construed as evidence for a deficit in attention, and this has slowed cumulative progress in understanding attention deficits in schizophrenia. To address this problem, we divide the general concept of attention into two distinct constructs: input selection, the selection of task-relevant inputs for further processing; and rule selection, the selective activation of task-appropriate rules. These constructs are closely tied to working memory, because input selection mechanisms are used to control the transfer of information into working memory and because working memory stores the rules used by rule selection mechanisms. These constructs are also closely tied to executive function, because executive systems are used to guide input selection and because rule selection is itself at key aspect of executive function. Within the domain of input selection, it is important to distinguish between the control of selection—the processes that guide attention to task-relevant inputs—and the implementation of selection—the processes that enhance the processing of the relevant inputs and suppress the irrelevant inputs. Current evidence suggests that schizophrenia involves a significant impairment in the control of selection but little or no impairment in the implementation of selection. Consequently, the CNTRICS participants agreed by consensus that attentional control should be a priority target for measurement and treatment research in schizophrenia. PMID:18374901

A Method for Aircraft Concept Selection Using Multicriteria Interactive Genetic Algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buonanno, Michael; Mavris, Dimitri

2005-01-01

The problem of aircraft concept selection has become increasingly difficult in recent years as a result of a change from performance as the primary evaluation criteria of aircraft concepts to the current situation in which environmental effects, economics, and aesthetics must also be evaluated and considered in the earliest stages of the decision-making process. This has prompted a shift from design using historical data regression techniques for metric prediction to the use of physics-based analysis tools that are capable of analyzing designs outside of the historical database. The use of optimization methods with these physics-based tools, however, has proven difficult because of the tendency of optimizers to exploit assumptions present in the models and drive the design towards a solution which, while promising to the computer, may be infeasible due to factors not considered by the computer codes. In addition to this difficulty, the number of discrete options available at this stage may be unmanageable due to the combinatorial nature of the concept selection problem, leading the analyst to arbitrarily choose a sub-optimum baseline vehicle. These concept decisions such as the type of control surface scheme to use, though extremely important, are frequently made without sufficient understanding of their impact on the important system metrics because of a lack of computational resources or analysis tools. This paper describes a hybrid subjective/quantitative optimization method and its application to the concept selection of a Small Supersonic Transport. The method uses Genetic Algorithms to operate on a population of designs and promote improvement by varying more than sixty parameters governing the vehicle geometry, mission, and requirements. In addition to using computer codes for evaluation of quantitative criteria such as gross weight, expert input is also considered to account for criteria such as aeroelasticity or manufacturability which may be impossible or too computationally expensive to consider explicitly in the analysis. Results indicate that concepts resulting from the use of this method represent designs which are promising to both the computer and the analyst, and that a mapping between concepts and requirements that would not otherwise be apparent is revealed.

Research on the selection of innovation compound using Possibility Construction Space Theory and fuzzy pattern recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Songhua; Li, Dehua; Nie, Hui

2009-10-01

There are a large number of fuzzy concepts and fuzzy phenomena in traditional Chinese medicine, which have led to great difficulties for study of traditional Chinese medicine. In this paper, the mathematical methods are used to quantify fuzzy concepts of drugs and prescription. We put forward the process of innovation formulations and selection method in Chinese medicine based on the Possibility Construction Space Theory (PCST) and fuzzy pattern recognition. Experimental results show that the method of selecting medicines from a number of characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine is consistent with the basic theory of traditional Chinese medicine. The results also reflect the integrated effects of the innovation compound. Through the use of the innovation formulations system, we expect to provide software tools for developing new traditional Chinese medicine and to inspire traditional Chinese medicine researchers to develop novel drugs.

A method for tailoring the information content of a software process model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perkins, Sharon; Arend, Mark B.

1990-01-01

The framework is defined for a general method for selecting a necessary and sufficient subset of a general software life cycle's information products, to support new software development process. Procedures for characterizing problem domains in general and mapping to a tailored set of life cycle processes and products is presented. An overview of the method is shown using the following steps: (1) During the problem concept definition phase, perform standardized interviews and dialogs between developer and user, and between user and customer; (2) Generate a quality needs profile of the software to be developed, based on information gathered in step 1; (3) Translate the quality needs profile into a profile of quality criteria that must be met by the software to satisfy the quality needs; (4) Map the quality criteria to set of accepted processes and products for achieving each criterion; (5) Select the information products which match or support the accepted processes and product of step 4; and (6) Select the design methodology which produces the information products selected in step 5.

A method for tailoring the information content of a software process model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perkins, Sharon; Arend, Mark B.

1990-01-01

The framework is defined for a general method for selecting a necessary and sufficient subset of a general software life cycle's information products, to support new software development process. Procedures for characterizing problem domains in general and mapping to a tailored set of life cycle processes and products is presented. An overview of the method is shown using the following steps: (1) During the problem concept definition phase, perform standardized interviews and dialogs between developer and user, and between user and customer; (2) Generate a quality needs profile of the software to be developed, based on information gathered in step 1; (3) Translate the quality needs profile into a profile of quality criteria that must be met by the software to satisfy the quality needs; (4) Map the quality criteria to a set of accepted processes and products for achieving each criterion; (5) select the information products which match or support the accepted processes and product of step 4; and (6) Select the design methodology which produces the information products selected in step 5.

Contributions of experimental protobiogenesis to the theory of evolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, S. W.

1976-01-01

Inferences from experiments in protobiogenesis are examined as a forward extension of the theory of evolutionary biology. A nondiscontinuous, intraconsistent theory of general evolution embracing both protobiology and biology is outlined. This overview emphasizes Darwinian selection in the later stages of evolution, and stereochemical molecular selection in some of its earlier stages. It incorporates the concept of limitation of the scope of evolution by internal constraints on variation, based on the argument that internally limiting constraints observed in experiments with molecules are operative in organisms, if chemical processes occur within biological processes and biological processes are assumed to be exponentializations of chemical processes. Major evolutionary events might have occurred by rapid self-assembly processes analogous to those observed in the formation of phase-separated microspheres from amorphous powder or supersaturated solutions.

Results from the Biology Concept Inventory (BCI), and what they mean for biogeoscience literacy.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garvin-Doxas, K.; Klymkowsky, M.

2008-12-01

While researching the Biology Concept Inventory (BCI) we found that a wide class of student difficulties in genetics and molecular biology can be traced to deep-seated misconceptions about random processes and molecular interactions. Students believe that random processes are inefficient, while biological systems are very efficient, and are therefore quick to propose their own rational explanations for various processes (from diffusion to evolution). These rational explanations almost always make recourse to a driver (natural selection in genetics, or density gradients in molecular biology) with the process only taking place when the driver is present. The concept of underlying random processes that are taking place all the time giving rise to emergent behaviour is almost totally absent. Even students who have advanced or college physics, and can discuss diffusion correctly in that context, cannot make the transfer to biological processes. Furthermore, their understanding of molecular interactions is purely geometric, with a lock-and-key model (rather than an energy minimization model) that does not allow for the survival of slight variations of the "correct" molecule. Together with the dominant misconception about random processes, this results in a strong conceptual barrier in understanding evolutionary processes, and can frustrate the success of education programs.

Cost studies for commercial fuselage crown designs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, T. H.; Smith, P. J.; Truslove, G.; Willden, K. S.; Metschan, S. L.; Pfahl, C. L.

1991-01-01

Studies were conducted to evaluate the cost and weight potential of advanced composite design concepts in the crown region of a commercial transport. Two designs from each of three design families were developed using an integrated design-build team. A range of design concepts and manufacturing processes were included to allow isolation and comparison of cost centers. Detailed manufacturing/assembly plans were developed as the basis for cost estimates. Each of the six designs was found to have advantages over the 1995 aluminum benchmark in cost and weight trade studies. Large quadrant panels and cobonded frames were found to save significant assembly labor costs. Comparisons of high- and intermediate-performance fiber systems were made for skin and stringer applications. Advanced tow placement was found to be an efficient process for skin lay up. Further analysis revealed attractive processes for stringers and frames. Optimized designs were informally developed for each design family, combining the most attractive concepts and processes within that family. A single optimized design was selected as the most promising, and the potential for further optimization was estimated. Technical issues and barriers were identified.

The Operations Security Concept for Future ESA Earth Observation Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, D.; Bargellini, P.; Merri, M.

2008-08-01

Next-generation European earth observation missions will play a critical role in public safety and security infrastructures. This makes it necessary for ESA to protect the communication infrastructure of these missions in order to guarantee their service availability. In this paper, we discuss the development process for a generic earth observation security concept. This concept has been developed as part of a GMES Flight Operation Segment security study with the objective to analyse and select a number of high level security requirements for the missions. Further, we studied the impact of an implementation for these requirements on the operational infrastructure of current earth observation missions.

Philippine Wind Farm Analysis and Site Selection Analysis, 1 January 2000 - 31 December 2000

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

Conover, K.

2001-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), has been working in partnership with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in an ongoing process to quantify the Philippine wind energy potential and foster wind farm development. As part of that process, NREL retained Global Energy Concepts, LLC (GEC) to review and update the policy needs as well as develop a site-screening process applicable for the Philippines. GEC worked closely with the Philippines National Power Corporation (NPC) in completing this work. This report provides the results of the policy needs and site selection analyses conductedmore » by GEC.« less

Integrated Evaluation Concept to Assess the Efficacy of Advanced Wastewater Treatment Processes for the Elimination of Micropollutants and Pathogens.

PubMed

Ternes, Thomas A; Prasse, Carsten; Eversloh, Christian Lütke; Knopp, Gregor; Cornel, Peter; Schulte-Oehlmann, Ulrike; Schwartz, Thomas; Alexander, Johannes; Seitz, Wolfram; Coors, Anja; Oehlmann, Jörg

2017-01-03

A multidisciplinary concept has been developed to compare advanced wastewater treatment processes for their efficacy of eliminating micropollutants and pathogens. The concept is based on (i) the removal/formation of selected indicator substances and their transformation products (TPs), (ii) the assessment of ecotoxicity via in vitro tests, and (iii) the removal of pathogens and antibiotic resistant bacteria. It includes substances passing biological wastewater treatment plants regulated or proposed to be regulated in the European Water Framework Directive, TPs formed in biological processes or during ozonation, agonistic/antagonistic endocrine activities, mutagenic/genotoxic activities, cytotoxic activities, further activities like neurotoxicity as well as antibiotics resistance genes, and taxonomic gene markers for pathogens. At a pilot plant, ozonation of conventionally treated wastewater resulted in the removal of micropollutants and pathogens and the reduction of estrogenic effects, whereas the in vitro mutagenicity increased. Subsequent post-treatment of the ozonated water by granular activated carbon (GAC) significantly reduced the mutagenic effects as well as the concentrations of remaining micropollutants, whereas this was not the case for biofiltration. The results demonstrate the suitability of the evaluation concept to assess processes of advanced wastewater treatment including ozonation and GAC by considering chemical, ecotoxicological, and microbiological parameters.

Strategic Planning and the Marketing Process: Library Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wood, Elizabeth J.

1983-01-01

Illustrates how basic principles of marketing and strategic market planning can be applied to libraries and discusses some concepts of strategic planning (organization mission, objectives and goals, growth strategy, program portfolio plan) and marketing (opportunity analysis, target market selection, marketing mix strategy, marketing systems…

"What Do They Want Me To Say?" The hidden curriculum at work in the medical school selection process: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background There has been little study of the role of the essay question in selection for medical school. The purpose of this study was to obtain a better understanding of how applicants approached the essay questions used in selection at our medical school in 2007. Methods The authors conducted a qualitative analysis of 210 essays written as part of the medical school admissions process, and developed a conceptual framework to describe the relationships, ideas and concepts observed in the data. Results Findings of this analysis were confirmed in interviews with applicants and assessors. Analysis revealed a tension between "genuine" and "expected" responses that we believe applicants experience when choosing how to answer questions in the admissions process. A theory named "What do they want me to say?" was developed to describe the ways in which applicants modulate their responses to conform to their expectations of the selection process; the elements of this theory were confirmed in interviews with applicants and assessors. Conclusions This work suggests the existence of a "hidden curriculum of admissions" and demonstrates that the process of selection has a strong influence on applicant response. This paper suggests ways that selection might be modified to address this effect. Studies such as this can help us to appreciate the unintended consequences of admissions processes and can identify ways to make the selection process more consistent, transparent and fair. PMID:22448658

Experimental Evaluation of Concepts for Miqsture; An Online Interactive Language for Tactical Intelligence Processing

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-10

Review Collection Plan File. L... _.. Table 20 (Item 18) Items 76 17, and’ 78 compared three different METHODS for recording the outcomes of a task...3-1 3.2 Background ........ n. .... .............. ...... 3-1 3.3 Method Summary...aspects of descriptions of selected tasks from Army tactical Intelli- gence processing. The results provided indications of what query methods have

Forest landscape analysis and design: a process for developing and implementing land management objectives for landscape patterns.

Treesearch

Nancy Diaz; Dean Apostol

1992-01-01

This publication presents a Landscape Design and Analysis Process, along with some simple methods and tools for describing landscapes and their function. The information is qualitative in nature and highlights basic concepts, but does not address landscape ecology in great depth. Readers are encouraged to consult the list of selected references in Chapter 2 if they...

Bow Your Head in Shame, or, Hold Your Head Up with Pride: Semantic Processing of Self-Esteem Concepts Orients Attention Vertically.

PubMed

Taylor, J Eric T; Lam, Timothy K; Chasteen, Alison L; Pratt, Jay

2015-01-01

Embodied cognition holds that abstract concepts are grounded in perceptual-motor simulations. If a given embodied metaphor maps onto a spatial representation, then thinking of that concept should bias the allocation of attention. In this study, we used positive and negative self-esteem words to examine two properties of conceptual cueing. First, we tested the orientation-specificity hypothesis, which predicts that conceptual cues should selectively activate certain spatial axes (in this case, valenced self-esteem concepts should activate vertical space), instead of any spatial continuum. Second, we tested whether conceptual cueing requires semantic processing, or if it can be achieved with shallow visual processing of the cue words. Participants viewed centrally presented words consisting of high or low self-esteem traits (e.g., brave, timid) before detecting a target above or below the cue in the vertical condition, or on the left or right of the word in the horizontal condition. Participants were faster to detect targets when their location was compatible with the valence of the word cues, but only in the vertical condition. Moreover, this effect was observed when participants processed the semantics of the word, but not when processing its orthography. The results show that conceptual cueing by spatial metaphors is orientation-specific, and that an explicit consideration of the word cues' semantics is required for conceptual cueing to occur.

Adaptation as process: the future of Darwinism and the legacy of Theodosius Dobzhansky.

PubMed

Depew, David J

2011-03-01

Conceptions of adaptation have varied in the history of genetic Darwinism depending on whether what is taken to be focal is the process of adaptation, adapted states of populations, or discrete adaptations in individual organisms. I argue that Theodosius Dobzhansky's view of adaptation as a dynamical process contrasts with so-called "adaptationist" views of natural selection figured as "design-without-a-designer" of relatively discrete, enumerable adaptations. Correlated with these respectively process and product oriented approaches to adaptive natural selection are divergent pictures of organisms themselves as developmental wholes or as "bundles" of adaptations. While even process versions of genetical Darwinism are insufficiently sensitive to the fact much of the variation on which adaptive selection works consists of changes in the timing, rate, or location of ontogenetic events, I argue that articulations of the Modern Synthesis influenced by Dobzhansky are more easily reconciled with the recent shift to evolutionary developmentalism than are versions that make discrete adaptations central. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Big Data in the Industry - Overview of Selected Issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gierej, Sylwia

2017-12-01

This article reviews selected issues related to the use of Big Data in the industry. The aim is to define the potential scope and forms of using large data sets in manufacturing companies. By systematically reviewing scientific and professional literature, selected issues related to the use of mass data analytics in production were analyzed. A definition of Big Data was presented, detailing its main attributes. The importance of mass data processing technology in the development of Industry 4.0 concept has been highlighted. Subsequently, attention was paid to issues such as production process optimization, decision making and mass production individualisation, and indicated the potential for large volumes of data. As a result, conclusions were drawn regarding the potential of using Big Data in the industry.

Automated ammunition logistics for the Crusader program

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

Speaks, D.M.; Kring, C.T.; Lloyd, P.D.

1997-03-01

The US Army`s next generation artillery system is called the Crusader. A self-propelled howitzer and a resupply vehicle constitute the Crusader system, which will be designed for improved mobility, increased firepower, and greater survivability than current generation vehicles. The Army`s Project Manager, Crusader, gave Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) the task of developing and demonstrating a concept for the resupply vehicle. The resupply vehicle is intended to sustain the howitzer with ammunition and fuel and will significantly increase capabilities over those of current resupply vehicles. Ammunition is currently processed and transferred almost entirely by hand. ORNL identified and evaluated variousmore » concepts for automated upload, processing, storage, docking and delivery. Each of the critical technologies was then developed separately and demonstrated on discrete test platforms. An integrated technology demonstrator, incorporating each of the individual technology components to realistically simulate performance of the selected vehicle concept, was developed and successfully demonstrated for the Army.« less

Extended performance solar electric propulsion thrust system study. Volume 4: Thruster technology evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poeschel, R. L.; Hawthorne, E. I.; Weisman, Y. C.; Frisman, M.; Benson, G. C.; Mcgrath, R. J.; Martinelli, R. M.; Linsenbardt, T. L.; Beattie, J. R.

1977-01-01

Several thrust system design concepts were evaluated and compared using the specifications of the most advanced 30 cm engineering model thruster as the technology base. Emphasis was placed on relatively high power missions (60 to 100 kW) such as a Halley's comet rendezvous. The extensions in thruster performance required for the Halley's comet mission were defined and alternative thrust system concepts were designed in sufficient detail for comparing mass, efficiency, reliability, structure, and thermal characteristics. Confirmation testing and analysis of thruster and power processing components were performed, and the feasibility of satisfying extended performance requirements was verified. A baseline design was selected from the alternatives considered, and the design analysis and documentation were refined. The baseline thrust system design features modular construction, conventional power processing, and a concentrator solar array concept and is designed to interface with the Space Shuttle.

[Social companies and solidary economy: perspectives for the work inclusion of individuals with mental disorders].

PubMed

Lussi, Isabela Aparecida de Oliveira; Pereira, Maria Alice Ornellas

2011-04-01

The psychiatric reform process requires the implementation of public policies that guarantee the work inclusion of individuals with mental disorders. To do this, work must be understood as a promoter of autonomy, emancipation and citizenship. The objective of this study is to reflect on the theoretical concepts related to social insertion through work, with the purpose of exploring the inclusion of individuals with mental disorders in the work market. The concepts social company and solidary economy where selected as fundamental for the study. In the social company, the subject is considered to be a social being, focusing on the development process towards emancipation. In solidary economy, the objective is to develop an economy that is more just, equal and solidary. Further discussions on these concepts should be developed to support the implementation of projects for social inclusion through work.

Extended performance solar electric propulsion thrust system study. Volume 2: Baseline thrust system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poeschel, R. L.; Hawthorne, E. I.

1977-01-01

Several thrust system design concepts were evaluated and compared using the specifications of the most advanced 30- cm engineering model thruster as the technology base. Emphasis was placed on relatively high-power missions (60 to 100 kW) such as a Halley's comet rendezvous. The extensions in thruster performance required for the Halley's comet mission were defined and alternative thrust system concepts were designed in sufficient detail for comparing mass, efficiency, reliability, structure, and thermal characteristics. Confirmation testing and analysis of thruster and power-processing components were performed, and the feasibility of satisfying extended performance requirements was verified. A baseline design was selected from the alternatives considered, and the design analysis and documentation were refined. The baseline thrust system design features modular construction, conventional power processing, and a concentractor solar array concept and is designed to interface with the space shuttle.

Safety in surgery: is selection the missing link?

PubMed

Paice, Alistair G; Aggarwal, Rajesh; Darzi, Ara

2010-09-01

Health care providers comprise an example of a "high risk organization." Safety failings within these organizations have the potential to cause significant public harm. Significant safety improvements in other high risk organizations such as the aviation industry have led to the concept of a high reliability organization (HRO)--a high risk organization that has enjoyed a prolonged safety record. A strong organizational culture is common to all successful HROs, encompassing powerful systems of selection and training. Aircrew selection processes provide a good example of this and are examined in detail in this article using the Royal Air Force process as an example. If the lessons of successful HROs are to be applied to health care organizations, candidate selection to specialties such as surgery must become more objective and robust. Other HROs can provide valuable lessons in how this may be approached.

Investigation of virtual reality concept based on system analysis of conceptual series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romanova, A.; Shuklin, D. A.; Kalinkina, M. E.; Gotskaya, I. B.; Ponomarev, Y. E.

2018-05-01

The paper covers approaches to the definition of virtual reality from the point of view of the humanitarian sciences and technology. Each approach analyzing problems of concept perception of methods interpreted by representatives of philosophy, psychology and sociology is singled out. Terminological analysis of the basic concepts is carried out and their refinement is constructed in the process of comparing the concepts of virtuality and virtual reality. Using the analysis of selected sources, a number of singularity characteristics of the given concept are singled out and its definition is specified. Results consist in combining the interpretation of all approaches to determine the concept of virtual reality. Due to the use of a comprehensive approach to the definition of the investigated concept, which allows us to consider the object of research as a set of elements that are subject to study with the help of a corresponding set of methods, one can conclude that the concept under study is complex and multifaceted. The authors noted that virtual reality technologies have a flexible concept depending on the field of application.

Security giving in surrogacy motherhood process as a caring model for commissioning mothers: A theory synthesis.

PubMed

Zandi, Mitra; Vanaki, Zohreh; Shiva, Marziyeh; Mohammadi, Eesa; Bagheri-Lankarani, Narges

2016-07-01

Despite the increasing use of surrogacy, there are no caring theories/models that serve as the basis for nursing care to surrogacy commissioning mothers. This study has designed a model for caring of surrogacy commissioning mothers in 2013. The theory synthesis of Walker and Avant's strategies of theory construction (2011) was used to design a caring model/theory. The theory synthesis includes three stages: (i) selection of focal concept (the concept of "security giving in motherhood" was selected); (ii) review of studies in order to identify factors related to focal concept relevant studies (42 articles and 13 books) were reviewed, statements and concepts related to focal concept were then extracted and classified, and their relations were specified; and (iii) organization of concepts and statements within a relevant general and effective manifestation of the phenomenon under study which led to developing of a model. In this caring model/theory, entitled "security giving in surrogacy motherhood", nurses roles were conceptualized within the conceptual framework that includes three main roles: (i) coordination; (ii) participation; and (iii) security giving (physical, emotional, and legal support; empowerment; presence; relationship management between both parties and advocacy). Training surrogacy specialist nurses and establishment of surrogacy care centers are important factors for implementation of the model. This model could help to provided better caring for surrogacy clients, especially for commissioning mothers. © 2016 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

Meaningful main effects or intriguing interactions? Examining the influences of epistemic beliefs and knowledge representations on cognitive processing and conceptual change when learning physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franco, Gina M.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of epistemic beliefs and knowledge representations in cognitive and metacognitive processing and conceptual change when learning about physics concepts through text. Specifically, I manipulated the representation of physics concepts in texts about Newtonian mechanics and explored how these texts interacted with individuals' epistemic beliefs to facilitate or constrain learning. In accordance with definitions from Royce's (1983) framework of psychological epistemology, texts were developed to present Newtonian concepts in either a rational or a metaphorical format. Seventy-five undergraduate students completed questionnaires designed to measure their epistemic beliefs and their misconceptions about Newton's laws of motion. Participants then read the first of two instructional texts (in either a rational or metaphorical format), and were asked to think aloud while reading. After reading the text, participants completed a recall task and a post-test of selected items regarding Newtonian concepts. These steps were repeated with a second instructional text (in either a rational or metaphorical format, depending on which format was assigned previously). Participants' think-aloud sessions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and then blindly coded, and their recalls were scored for total number of correctly recalled ideas from the text. Changes in misconceptions were analyzed by examining changes in participants' responses to selected questions about Newtonian concepts from pretest to posttest. Results revealed that when individuals' epistemic beliefs were congruent with the knowledge representations in their assigned texts, they performed better on both online measures of learning (e.g., use of processing strategies) and offline products of learning (e.g., text recall, changes in misconceptions) than when their epistemic beliefs were incongruent with the knowledge representations. These results have implications for how researchers conceptualize epistemic beliefs and are in line with contemporary views regarding the context sensitivity of individuals' epistemic beliefs. Moreover, the findings from this study not only support current theory about the dynamic and interactive nature of conceptual change, but also advance empirical work in this area by identifying knowledge representations as a text characteristic that may play an important role in the change process.

Conception d'instrument pour une mission d'observation haute resolution et grand champ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fayret, Jean-Philippe; Gaudin-Delrieu, Catherine; Lamard, Jean-Luc; Devilliers, Christophe; Costes, Vincent

2017-11-01

The future Earth observation missions aim at delivering images with a high resolution and a large field of view. The PLEIADES mission, coming after the SPOT satellites, lead to enhance the resolution to submetric values with a swath over 20km. Panchromatic and multispectral images will be proposed. Starting with the mission requirements elaborated by the CNES, Alcatel Space Industries has conducted a study to identify the instrument concepts most suited to comply with these performance. In addition, to minimise the development costs, a mini satellite approach has been selected, leading to a compact concept for the instrument design. During the study, various detection techniques and the associated detectors have been investigated from classical pushbroom to supermode acquisition modes. For each of these options, different optical lay-outs were proposed and evaluated with respect to performance as well as interfaces requirements. Optical performance, mechanical design constraints and manufacturing processes were taken into account to assess the performances of the various solutions. Eventually the most promising concept was selected and a preliminary design study performed. This concept, based on a Korsch optical scheme associated with TDI detectors, complies with the mission requirements and allows for a wide number of possibilities of accommodation with a minisatellite class platform.

The UARS and open data system concept and analysis study. Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mittal, M.; Nebb, J.; Woodward, H.

1983-01-01

Alternative concepts for a common design for the UARS and OPEN Central Data Handling Facility (CDHF) are offered. The designs are consistent with requirements shared by UARS and OPEN and the data storage and data processing demands of these missions. Because more detailed information is available for UARS, the design approach was to size the system and to select components for a UARS CDHF, but in a manner that does not optimize the CDHF at the expense of OPEN. Costs for alternative implementations of the UARS designs are presented showing that the system design does not restrict the implementation to a single manufacturer. Processing demands on the alternative UARS CDHF implementations are discussed. With this information at hand together with estimates for OPEN processing demands, it is shown that any shortfall in system capability for OPEN support can be remedied by either component upgrades or array processing attachments rather than a system redesign.

Use of critical thinking in the diagnostic process.

PubMed

Lunney, Margaret

2010-01-01

To demonstrate use of critical thinking in the diagnostic process in order to achieve accuracy of nursing diagnoses. The 7 cognitive skills and 10 habits of mind identified as important for nursing in a Delphi study by Scheffer and Rubenfeld are applied to the diagnostic process using a published case study of a woman with heart failure. Taking into account all data from the case study and using the concepts of critical thinking, two high-accuracy nursing diagnoses were selected to guide nursing interventions. Because the specific types of critical thinking needed for accurate diagnosing are not known, nurses should develop all 17 of the cognitive skills and habits of mind so these thinking abilities are available when needed. The 17 critical thinking concepts should be combined with domain knowledge, e.g., nursing diagnoses, to think about thinking, which will improve critical thinking processes.

The Modular Modeling System (MMS): User's Manual

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leavesley, G.H.; Restrepo, Pedro J.; Markstrom, S.L.; Dixon, M.; Stannard, L.G.

1996-01-01

The Modular Modeling System (MMS) is an integrated system of computer software that has been developed to provide the research and operational framework needed to support development, testing, and evaluation of physical-process algorithms and to facilitate integration of user-selected sets of algorithms into operational physical-process models. MMS uses a module library that contains modules for simulating a variety of water, energy, and biogeochemical processes. A model is created by selectively coupling the most appropriate modules from the library to create a 'suitable' model for the desired application. Where existing modules do not provide appropriate process algorithms, new modules can be developed. The MMS user's manual provides installation instructions and a detailed discussion of system concepts, module development, and model development and application using the MMS graphical user interface.

Evidence of semantic processing impairments in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia and Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Cousins, Katheryn A Q; Grossman, Murray

2017-12-01

Category-specific impairments caused by brain damage can provide important insights into how semantic concepts are organized in the brain. Recent research has demonstrated that disease to sensory and motor cortices can impair perceptual feature knowledge important to the representation of semantic concepts. This evidence supports the grounded cognition theory of semantics, the view that lexical knowledge is partially grounded in perceptual experience and that sensory and motor regions support semantic representations. Less well understood, however, is how heteromodal semantic hubs work to integrate and process semantic information. Although the majority of semantic research to date has focused on how sensory cortical areas are important for the representation of semantic features, new research explores how semantic memory is affected by neurodegeneration in regions important for semantic processing. Here, we review studies that demonstrate impairments to abstract noun knowledge in behavioural variant frontotemporal degeneration (bvFTD) and to action verb knowledge in Parkinson's disease, and discuss how these deficits relate to disease of the semantic selection network. Findings demonstrate that semantic selection processes are supported by the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) and basal ganglia, and that disease to these regions in bvFTD and Parkinson's disease can lead to categorical impairments for abstract nouns and action verbs, respectively.

System Oriented Runway Management: A Research Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lohr, Gary W.; Brown, Sherilyn A.; Stough, Harry P., III; Eisenhawer, Steve; Atkins, Stephen; Long, Dou

2011-01-01

The runway configuration used by an airport has significant implications with respect to its capacity and ability to effectively manage surface and airborne traffic. Aircraft operators rely on runway configuration information because it can significantly affect an airline's operations and planning of their resources. Current practices in runway management are limited by a relatively short time horizon for reliable weather information and little assistance from automation. Wind velocity is the primary consideration when selecting a runway configuration; however when winds are below a defined threshold, discretion may be used to determine the configuration. Other considerations relevant to runway configuration selection include airport operator constraints, weather conditions (other than winds) traffic demand, user preferences, surface congestion, and navigational system outages. The future offers an increasingly complex landscape for the runway management process. Concepts and technologies that hold the potential for capacity and efficiency increases for both operations on the airport surface and in terminal and enroute airspace are currently under investigation. Complementary advances in runway management are required if capacity and efficiency increases in those areas are to be realized. The System Oriented Runway Management (SORM) concept has been developed to address this critical part of the traffic flow process. The SORM concept was developed to address all aspects of runway management for airports of varying sizes and to accommodate a myriad of traffic mixes. SORM, to date, addresses the single airport environment; however, the longer term vision is to incorporate capabilities for multiple airport (Metroplex) operations as well as to accommodate advances in capabilities resulting from ongoing research. This paper provides an update of research supporting the SORM concept including the following: a concept of overview, results of a TRCM simulation, single airport and Metroplex modeling effort and a benefits assessment.

A concept-based interactive biomedical image retrieval approach using visualness and spatial information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Md M.; Antani, Sameer K.; Demner-Fushman, Dina; Thoma, George R.

2015-03-01

This paper presents a novel approach to biomedical image retrieval by mapping image regions to local concepts and represent images in a weighted entropy-based concept feature space. The term concept refers to perceptually distinguishable visual patches that are identified locally in image regions and can be mapped to a glossary of imaging terms. Further, the visual significance (e.g., visualness) of concepts is measured as Shannon entropy of pixel values in image patches and is used to refine the feature vector. Moreover, the system can assist user in interactively select a Region-Of-Interest (ROI) and search for similar image ROIs. Further, a spatial verification step is used as a post-processing step to improve retrieval results based on location information. The hypothesis that such approaches would improve biomedical image retrieval, is validated through experiments on a data set of 450 lung CT images extracted from journal articles from four different collections.

The Velveteen Rabbit, the Little Prince, and Friends: Posacculturation through Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ehle, Maryann

"Posacculturation" (positive acculturation) is the power of literature to deepen understandings and appreciations of the self and others. In the successful posacculturation process, the facilitator identifies the values, concepts, or behaviors to be acculturated; selects the appropriate literature to meet the reader's needs; and communicates the…

A multi-criteria decisionmaking approach to management indicator species selection for the Monongahela National Forest, West Virginia.

Treesearch

Kurtis R. Moseley; W.Mark Ford; John W. Edwards; Michael P. Strager

2010-01-01

The management indicator species concept is useful for land managers charged with monitoring and conserving complex biological diversity over large landscapes with limited available resources. We used the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to determine the best management indicator species (MIS) for three...

Insights into Students' Conceptual Understanding Using Textual Analysis: A Case Study in Signal Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goncher, Andrea M.; Jayalath, Dhammika; Boles, Wageeh

2016-01-01

Concept inventory tests are one method to evaluate conceptual understanding and identify possible misconceptions. The multiple-choice question format, offering a choice between a correct selection and common misconceptions, can provide an assessment of students' conceptual understanding in various dimensions. Misconceptions of some engineering…

The Vision of Geography Underlying the Australian Geography Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maude, Alaric

2013-01-01

A common geography curriculum for Australian schools was approved in May 2013. This paper describes the conceptual and philosophical foundations of the curriculum through a discussion of its definition of geography, selection of concepts, integration of skills into the process of inquiry, and specification of learning about countries and…

BASIC Simulation Programs; Volumes I and II. Biology, Earth Science, Chemistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Digital Equipment Corp., Maynard, MA.

Computer programs which teach concepts and processes related to biology, earth science, and chemistry are presented. The seven biology problems deal with aspects of genetics, evolution and natural selection, gametogenesis, enzymes, photosynthesis, and the transport of material across a membrane. Four earth science problems concern climates, the…

Career Activities in Science: Grades 7-12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sleep, Gerald; And Others

The curriculum guide attempts to assemble select activities that represent skills related to careers in science. These learning activities are designed to give junior and senior high school students opportunities to explore concepts and processes in many science-related careers. The broad areas covered are biology, chemistry, physics, and earth…

Who Makes the Most? Measuring the "Urban Environmental Virtuosity"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Romano, Oriana; Ercolano, Salvatore

2013-01-01

This paper advances a composite indicator called urban environmental virtuosity index (UEVI), in order to measure the efforts made by public local bodies in applying an ecosystem approach to urban management. UEVI employs the less exploited process-based selection criteria for representing the original concept of virtuosity, providing makes a…

Making Sense of Natural Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Passmore, Cynthia; Coleman, Elizabeth; Horton, Jennifer; Parker, Heather

2013-01-01

At its core, science is about making sense of the world around us. Therefore, science education should engage students in that sense-making process. Helping students make sense of disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts by engaging in scientific practices is the key innovation of the "Next Generation Science Standards"…

Race and Sex Identification in Preschool Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raymer, Elizabeth

Identification is a learning process important to the development of self-concept and to the role behavior of an individual. This study investigated the degree of race and sex identification and preference in both black and white disadvantaged preschool children. The measurement instrument developed was a 96-item paired picture selection task…

Making the case for evidence-based design in healthcare: a descriptive case study of organizational decision making.

PubMed

Shoemaker, Lorie K; Kazley, Abby Swanson; White, Andrea

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to describe the organizational decision-making process used in the selection of evidence-based design (EBD) concepts, the criteria used to make these decisions, and the extent to which leadership style may have influenced the decision-making process. Five research questions were formulated to frame the direction of this study, including: (1) How did healthcare leaders learn of innovations in design? (2) How did healthcare leaders make decisions in the selection of healthcare design concepts? (3) What criteria did healthcare leaders use in the decision-making process? (4) How did healthcare leaders consider input from the staff in design decisions? and (5) To what extent did the leadership style of administrators affect the outcomes of the decision-making process? Current issues affecting healthcare in the community led the principal investigator's organization to undertake an ambitious facilities expansion project. As part of its planning process, the organization learned of EBD principles that seemingly had a positive impact on patient care and safety and staff working conditions. Although promising, a paucity of empirical research addressed the cost/benefit of incorporating many EBD concepts into one hospital setting, and there was no research that articulated the organizational decision-making process used by healthcare administrators when considering the use of EBD in expansion projects. A mixed-method, descriptive, qualitative, single-case study and quantitative design were used to address the five research questions. The Systems Research Organizing Model provided the theoretical framework. A variety of data collection methods was used, including interviews of key respondents, the review of documentary evidence, and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. A participatory process was used throughout the design decision phases, involving staff at all levels of the organization. The Internet and architects facilitated learning about EBD. Financial considerations were a factor in decision making. The prevalence of the transformational leadership style among the organization's administrators exceeded the U.S. mean.

Family Communication about Donor Conception: A Qualitative Study with Lesbian Parents.

PubMed

Van Parys, Hanna; Wyverkens, Elia; Provoost, Veerle; De Sutter, Petra; Pennings, Guido; Buysse, Ann

2016-03-01

In this qualitative study of 10 lesbian couples who built their families through anonymous donor conception, we explore how lesbian parents experience communication about the donor conception within the family. While for these families "disclosure" of donor conception is often seen as evident, the way parents and children discuss this subject and how this is experienced by the parents themselves has not received much research attention. To meet this gap in the literature, in-depth interviews with lesbian couples were conducted. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis showed that this family communication process can be understood within the broader relational context of parent-child relationships. Even though parents handled this family communication in many different ways, these were all inspired by the same motives: acting in the child's best interest and-on a more implicit level-maintaining good relations within the family. Furthermore, parents left the initiative for talking about the DC mostly to the child. Overall, parents aimed at constructing a donor conception narrative that they considered acceptable for both the children and themselves. They used different strategies, such as gradual disclosure, limiting the meaning of the donor, and justifying the donor conception. Building an acceptable donor conception narrative was sometimes challenged by influences from the social environment. In the discussion, we relate this qualitative systemic study to the broader issues of selective disclosure and bidirectionality within families. © 2014 Family Process Institute.

Satellite Power Systems (SPS) concept definition study. Volume 2: SPS system requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanley, G.

1978-01-01

Collected data reflected the level of definition resulting from the evaluation of a broad spectrum of SPS (satellite power systems) concepts. As the various concepts matured, these requirements were updated to reflect the requirements identified for the projected satellite system/subsystem point design(s). The study established several candidate concepts which were presented to provide a basis for the selection of one or two approaches that would be given a more comprehensive examination. The two selected concepts were expanded and constitute the selected system point designs. The identified system/subsystem requirements was emphasized and information on the selected point design was provided.

Adaptive inertial shock-absorber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faraj, Rami; Holnicki-Szulc, Jan; Knap, Lech; Seńko, Jarosław

2016-03-01

This paper introduces and discusses a new concept of impact absorption by means of impact energy management and storage in dedicated rotating inertial discs. The effectiveness of the concept is demonstrated in a selected case-study involving spinning management, a recently developed novel impact-absorber. A specific control technique performed on this device is demonstrated to be the main source of significant improvement in the overall efficiency of impact damping process. The influence of various parameters on the performance of the shock-absorber is investigated. Design and manufacturing challenges and directions of further research are formulated.

Determination of Process Parameters for High-Density, Ti-6Al-4V Parts Using Additive Manufacturing

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

Kamath, C.

In our earlier work, we described an approach for determining the process parameters that re- sult in high-density parts manufactured using the additive-manufacturing process of selective laser melting (SLM). Our approach, which combines simple simulations and experiments, was demon- strated using 316L stainless steel. We have also used the approach successfully for several other materials. This short note summarizes the results of our work in determining process parameters for Ti-6Al-4V using a Concept Laser M2 system.

A sharp image or a sharp knife: norms for the modality-exclusivity of 774 concept-property items.

PubMed

van Dantzig, Saskia; Cowell, Rosemary A; Zeelenberg, René; Pecher, Diane

2011-03-01

According to recent embodied cognition theories, mental concepts are represented by modality-specific sensory-motor systems. Much of the evidence for modality-specificity in conceptual processing comes from the property-verification task. When applying this and other tasks, it is important to select items based on their modality-exclusivity. We collected modality ratings for a set of 387 properties, each of which was paired with two different concepts, yielding a total of 774 concept-property items. For each item, participants rated the degree to which the property could be experienced through five perceptual modalities (vision, audition, touch, smell, and taste). Based on these ratings, we computed a measure of modality exclusivity, the degree to which a property is perceived exclusively through one sensory modality. In this paper, we briefly sketch the theoretical background of conceptual knowledge, discuss the use of the property-verification task in cognitive research, provide our norms and statistics, and validate the norms in a memory experiment. We conclude that our norms are important for researchers studying modality-specific effects in conceptual processing.

Multi-objective decision-making under uncertainty: Fuzzy logic methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardy, Terry L.

1994-01-01

Selecting the best option among alternatives is often a difficult process. This process becomes even more difficult when the evaluation criteria are vague or qualitative, and when the objectives vary in importance and scope. Fuzzy logic allows for quantitative representation of vague or fuzzy objectives, and therefore is well-suited for multi-objective decision-making. This paper presents methods employing fuzzy logic concepts to assist in the decision-making process. In addition, this paper describes software developed at NASA Lewis Research Center for assisting in the decision-making process. Two diverse examples are used to illustrate the use of fuzzy logic in choosing an alternative among many options and objectives. One example is the selection of a lunar lander ascent propulsion system, and the other example is the selection of an aeration system for improving the water quality of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. The fuzzy logic techniques provided here are powerful tools which complement existing approaches, and therefore should be considered in future decision-making activities.

Study to investigate design, fabrication and test of low cost concepts for large hybrid composite helicopter fuselage, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, K. M.; Lucas, J. J.

1975-01-01

The development of a frame/stringer/skin fabrication technique for composite airframe construction was studied as a low cost approach to the manufacture of large helicopter airframe components. A center cabin aluminum airframe section of the Sikorsky CH-53D helicopter was selected for evaluation as a composite structure. The design, as developed, is composed of a woven KEVLAR-49/epoxy skin and graphite/epoxy frames and stringers. To support the selection of this specific design concept a materials study was conducted to develop and select a cure compatible graphite and KEVLAR-49/epoxy resin system, and a foam system capable of maintaining shape and integrity under the processing conditions established. The materials selected were, Narmco 5209/Thornel T-300 graphite, Narmco 5209/KEVLAR-49 woven fabric, and Stathane 8747 polyurethane foam. Eight specimens were fabricated, representative of the frame, stringer, and splice joint attachments. Evaluation of the results of analysis and test indicate that design predictions are good to excellent except for some conservatism of the complex frame splice.

Knowledge-Based Manufacturing and Structural Design for a High Speed Civil Transport

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marx, William J.; Mavris, Dimitri N.; Schrage, Daniel P.

1994-01-01

The aerospace industry is currently addressing the problem of integrating manufacturing and design. To address the difficulties associated with using many conventional procedural techniques and algorithms, one feasible way to integrate the two concepts is with the development of an appropriate Knowledge-Based System (KBS). The authors present their reasons for selecting a KBS to integrate design and manufacturing. A methodology for an aircraft producibility assessment is proposed, utilizing a KBS for manufacturing process selection, that addresses both procedural and heuristic aspects of designing and manufacturing of a High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) wing. A cost model is discussed that would allow system level trades utilizing information describing the material characteristics as well as the manufacturing process selections. Statements of future work conclude the paper.

Nonmathematical concepts of selection, evolutionary energy, and levels of evolution.

PubMed

Darlington, P J

1972-05-01

The place of mathematics in hypotheticodeductive processes and in biological research is discussed. (Natural) Selection is defined and described as differential elimination of performed sets at any level. Sets and acting sets are groups of units (themselves sets of smaller units) at any level that may or do interact. A pseudomathematical equation describes directional change (evolution) in sets at any level. Selection is the ram of evolution; it cannot generate, but can only direct, evolutionary energy. The energy of evolution is derived from molecular or chemical levels, is transmitted upwards through the increasingly complex sets of sets that form living systems, and is turned in directions determined by the sum of selective processes, at different levels, which may either supplement or oppose each other. All evolutionary processes conform to the pseudomathematical equation referred to above, use energy as described above, and have a P/OE (ratio of programming to open-endedness) that cannot be measured, but can be related to other P/OE values. Phylogeny and ontogeny are compared as processes af directional change with set selection. Stages in the evolution of multi-cellular individuals are suggested, and are essentially the same as stages in the evolution of some multi-individual insect societies. Thinking is considered as a part of ontogeny involving an irreversible, nonrepetitive process of set selection in the brain.

Space Launch System Complex Decision-Making Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lyles, Garry; Flores, Tim; Hundley, Jason; Monk, Timothy; Feldman,Stuart

2012-01-01

The Space Shuttle program has ended and elements of the Constellation Program have either been cancelled or transitioned to new NASA exploration endeavors. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has worked diligently to select an optimum configuration for the Space Launch System (SLS), a heavy lift vehicle that will provide the foundation for future beyond low earth orbit (LEO) large-scale missions for the next several decades. From Fall 2010 until Spring 2011, an SLS decision-making framework was formulated, tested, fully documented, and applied to multiple SLS vehicle concepts at NASA from previous exploration architecture studies. This was a multistep process that involved performing figure of merit (FOM)-based assessments, creating Pass/Fail gates based on draft threshold requirements, performing a margin-based assessment with supporting statistical analyses, and performing sensitivity analysis on each. This paper focuses on the various steps and methods of this process (rather than specific data) that allowed for competing concepts to be compared across a variety of launch vehicle metrics in support of the successful completion of the SLS Mission Concept Review (MCR) milestone.

Use of consumer insight in the new product development process in the meat sector.

PubMed

Grunert, Klaus G; Verbeke, Wim; Kügler, Jens O; Saeed, Faiza; Scholderer, Joachim

2011-11-01

Successful new product development requires input from the market throughout the product development process, from identification of opportunities via screening of ideas, development of concepts, development of physical prototypes and to launch. Drawing on work done in the EU FP6 projects PROSAFEBEEF and Q-PORKCHAINS and a Danish project, all dealing with new product development in the meat sector, it is shown how the use of consumer insight techniques can a) support the identification of market opportunities, b) make sure that technologies applied are acceptable to consumers, c) aid the selection and optimisation of new product concepts and related communication, and d) be used to test product prototypes before final launch. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of Thermodynamic Modeling for Selection of Electrolyte for Electrorefining of Magnesium from Aluminum Alloy Melts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gesing, Adam J.; Das, Subodh K.

2017-02-01

With United States Department of Energy Advanced Research Project Agency funding, experimental proof-of-concept was demonstrated for RE-12TM electrorefining process of extraction of desired amount of Mg from recycled scrap secondary Al molten alloys. The key enabling technology for this process was the selection of the suitable electrolyte composition and operating temperature. The selection was made using the FactSage thermodynamic modeling software and the light metal, molten salt, and oxide thermodynamic databases. Modeling allowed prediction of the chemical equilibria, impurity contents in both anode and cathode products, and in the electrolyte. FactSage also provided data on the physical properties of the electrolyte and the molten metal phases including electrical conductivity and density of the molten phases. Further modeling permitted selection of electrode and cell construction materials chemically compatible with the combination of molten metals and the electrolyte.

The NASA X-Ray Mission Concepts Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petre, Robert; Ptak, A.; Bookbinder, J.; Garcia, M.; Smith, R.; Bautz, M.; Bregman, J.; Burrows, D.; Cash, W.; Jones-Forman, C.;

Shuttle derived vehicle analysis solid booster unmanned launch vehicle concept definition study, volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

The technical effort associated with the selection and definition of the recommended SRB-X concept is documented. Included are discussions concerning the trades leading to the selected concept, the analysis that established the concept's basic subsystem characteristics, selected configuration description and performance capabilities, launch site operations and facility needs, development schedule, cost characteristics, risk assessment, and a cursory comparison with other launch systems.

The Future of the Space Age or how to Evaluate Innovative Ideas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vollerthun, A.; Fricke, E.

2002-05-01

Based on an initiative of the German Aerospace Industry Association to foster a more transparent and structured funding of German commercial-oriented space projects a three-phased approach is suggested in this paper, to stepwise improve and evaluate proposed concepts for space-related innovations. The objective of this concept was to develop a transparent, structured, and reproducible process to select the right innovative project in terms of political, economical, and technical objectives for funding by e.g. a governmental agency. A stepwise process and related methods, that cover technical as well as economical aspects (and related sensitivities) are proposed. Based on the special needs and requirements of space industry the proposals are compared to a set of predefined top level objectives/requirements. Using an initial trades analysis with the criteria company, technology, product, and market, an initial business case is analyzed. The alternative innovative concepts are in the third process step subject to a very detailed analysis. The full economical and technical scale of the projects is evaluated and metrics for e.g. the 'Return on Investment' or 'Break Even Point' are determined, to compare the various innovations. Risks related to time, cost, and quality are considered, when performing sensitivity analysis by varying the most important factors of the project. Before discussing critical aspects of the proposed process, space-related examples will be presented to show how the process could be applied, and how different concepts should be evaluated.

The biometric-based module of smart grid system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engel, E.; Kovalev, I. V.; Ermoshkina, A.

2015-10-01

Within Smart Grid concept the flexible biometric-based module base on Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and selective Neural Network is developed. The formation of the selective Neural Network the biometric-based module uses the method which includes three main stages: preliminary processing of the image, face localization and face recognition. Experiments on the Yale face database show that (i) selective Neural Network exhibits promising classification capability for face detection, recognition problems; and (ii) the proposed biometric-based module achieves near real-time face detection, recognition speed and the competitive performance, as compared to some existing subspaces-based methods.

Integrated Technology Assessment Center (ITAC) Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, J. L.; Neely, M. A.; Curran, F. M.; Christensen, E. R.; Escher, D.; Lovell, N.; Morris, Charles (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Integrated Technology Assessment Center (ITAC) has developed a flexible systems analysis framework to identify long-term technology needs, quantify payoffs for technology investments, and assess the progress of ASTP-sponsored technology programs in the hypersonics area. For this, ITAC has assembled an experienced team representing a broad sector of the aerospace community and developed a systematic assessment process complete with supporting tools. Concepts for transportation systems are selected based on relevance to the ASTP and integrated concept models (ICM) of these concepts are developed. Key technologies of interest are identified and projections are made of their characteristics with respect to their impacts on key aspects of the specific concepts of interest. Both the models and technology projections are then fed into the ITAC's probabilistic systems analysis framework in ModelCenter. This framework permits rapid sensitivity analysis, single point design assessment, and a full probabilistic assessment of each concept with respect to both embedded and enhancing technologies. Probabilistic outputs are weighed against metrics of interest to ASTP using a multivariate decision making process to provide inputs for technology prioritization within the ASTP. ITAC program is currently finishing the assessment of a two-stage-to-orbit (TSTO), rocket-based combined cycle (RBCC) concept and a TSTO turbine-based combined cycle (TBCC) concept developed by the team with inputs from NASA. A baseline all rocket TSTO concept is also being developed for comparison. Boeing has recently submitted a performance model for their Flexible Aerospace System Solution for Tomorrow (FASST) concept and the ISAT program will provide inputs for a single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) TBCC based concept in the near-term. Both of these latter concepts will be analyzed within the ITAC framework over the summer. This paper provides a status update of the ITAC program.

Research and Development Project Selection Tools: Probing Wright Laboratory’s Project Selection Methods and Decision Criteria Using the Lateral Airfoil Concept

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-01

mismanagement. The broad spectrum of personality types and large sums of money, $43.3 billion in R&D for fiscal year 1993 (FY93) (Goodwin, 1992:57...projects. He used a personal and telephone interview technique to fulfill ten specific objectives. His research provides the first historical data...exploratory nature of the determinant attribute identification process suggests a personal interview format for the data collection method (Emory and Cooper

Selectivity in analytical chemistry: two interpretations for univariate methods.

PubMed

Dorkó, Zsanett; Verbić, Tatjana; Horvai, George

2015-01-01

Selectivity is extremely important in analytical chemistry but its definition is elusive despite continued efforts by professional organizations and individual scientists. This paper shows that the existing selectivity concepts for univariate analytical methods broadly fall in two classes: selectivity concepts based on measurement error and concepts based on response surfaces (the response surface being the 3D plot of the univariate signal as a function of analyte and interferent concentration, respectively). The strengths and weaknesses of the different definitions are analyzed and contradictions between them unveiled. The error based selectivity is very general and very safe but its application to a range of samples (as opposed to a single sample) requires the knowledge of some constraint about the possible sample compositions. The selectivity concepts based on the response surface are easily applied to linear response surfaces but may lead to difficulties and counterintuitive results when applied to nonlinear response surfaces. A particular advantage of this class of selectivity is that with linear response surfaces it can provide a concentration independent measure of selectivity. In contrast, the error based selectivity concept allows only yes/no type decision about selectivity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Structure of Processing Resource Demands in Monitoring Automatic Systems.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-01

Attempts at modelling the human failure detection process have continually focused on normative predictions of optimal operator behavior ( Smallwood ...Broadbent’s filter model (Broadbent, 1957), to Treisman’s attenuation model (Treisman, 1964), to Norman’s late selection model ( Norman , 1968), tife concept...survey and a model. Acta Psychologica, 1967, 27, 84-92. Moray, N. Mental workload: Its theory and measurement. New York: Plenum Press, 1979. Li 42 Norman

Improved orbiter waste collection system study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bastin, P. H.

1984-01-01

Design concepts for improved fecal waste collection both on the space shuttle orbiter and as a precursor for the space station are discussed. Inflight usage problems associated with the existing orbiter waste collection subsystem are considered. A basis was sought for the selection of an optimum waste collection system concept which may ultimately result in the development of an orbiter flight test article for concept verification and subsequent production of new flight hardware. Two concepts were selected for orbiter and are shown in detail. Additionally, one concept selected for application to the space station is presented.

ASRM propellant and igniter propellant development and process scale-up

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landers, L. C.; Booth, D. W.; Stanley, C. B.; Ricks, D. W.

1993-01-01

A program of formulation and process development for ANB-3652 motor propellant was conducted to validate design concepts and screen critical propellant composition and process parameters. Design experiments resulted in the selection of a less active grade of ferric oxide to provide better burning rate control, the establishment of AP fluidization conditions that minimized the adverse effects of particle attrition, and the selection of a higher mix temperature to improve mechanical properties. It is shown that the propellant can be formulated with AP and aluminum powder from various producers. An extended duration pilot plant run demonstrated stable equipment operation and excellent reproducibility of propellant properties. A similar program of formulation and process optimization culminating in large batch scaleup was conducted for ANB-3672 igniter propellant. The results for both ANB-3652 and ANB 37672 confirmed that their processing characteristics are compatible with full-scale production.

The concept of function in modern physiology.

PubMed

Roux, Etienne

2014-06-01

An overview of the scientific literature shows that the concept of function is central in physiology. However, the concept itself is not defined by physiologists. On the other hand, the teleological, namely, the 'goal-directed' dimension of function, and its subsequent explanatory relevance, is a philosophical problem. Intuitively, the function of a trait in a system explains why this trait is present, but, in the early 1960s, Ernest Nagel and Carl Hempel have shown that this inference cannot be logically founded. However, they showed that self-regulated systems are teleological. According to the selectionist theories, the function of an item is its effect that has been selected by natural selection, a process that explains its presence. As they restrict the functional attribution of a trait to its past selective value and not its current properties, these theories are inconsistent with the concept of function in physiology. A more adequate one is the causal role theory, for which a function of a trait in a system is its causal contribution to the functional capacity of the system. However, this leaves unsolved the question of the 'surplus meaning' of the teleological dimension of function. The significance of considering organisms as 'purpose-like' (teleological) systems may reside not in its explanatory power but in its methodological fruitfulness in physiology. In this view, the teleological dimension of physiological functions is convergent to but not imported from, the teleological dimension of evolutionary biology. © 2014 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2014 The Physiological Society.

High school students' views of learning chemistry concepts with analogies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathews, Jeffrey A.

Analogies are often used in teaching abstract chemistry concepts, however few studies are concerned with how students actually view learning with analogies. An eight-member focus group, consisting of high school students, described the process of learning with analogies and how aware they were of their own learning. The students attended four analogy presentations and completed written responses, attended focus groups, and participated in repeated individual interview sessions throughout this eight-week, emic, phenomenological study. This study utilized an interpretive, qualitative methodology using a constant comparative, inductive analysis design. Students from a suburban high school in the southeastern United States were selected by purposeful sampling involving a concepts pre-test and an analogy presentation used to determine an eight member focus group. The focus group meetings were videotaped and emergent, semi-structured individual interviews were audio taped, transcribed and coded. Personal student journals, field notes, and a reflective journal were used to triangulate the study. Open, axial, and selective coding were used for data analysis and interpretation. Students described the process of learning with analogies as being able to visually see connections or picture mental images of familiar and unfamiliar concepts. Students pointed out the significance of investigating analogy breakdowns and described accommodation of new information as either automatic, which according to students resulted in memorization and hard learning, or quite laborious, which resulted in understanding and soft learning. Results indicated that students gave themselves more permission to ask questions and be critical of the teaching they are experiencing when their views were given merit. Implications for teachers include insight on students' views of learning and students' self-awareness.

Lithuanian Students' Choice of University: A Consumer Value Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bartkute, Darija

2017-01-01

Increasing competition within the Lithuanian educational market has paved the way for an analysis of the complex choice processes enrollees undergo in selecting a higher education institution. This research examines the concept of consumer value and its interpretation in the Lithuanian higher education setting. Based on data collected from 445…

Case Study Application of Determining End of Physical Life Using Survival Analysis (WERF Report INFR2R11b)

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract: This case study application provides discussion on a selected application of advanced concepts, included in the End of Asset Life Reinvestment decision-making process tool, using Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewer District (MMSD) pump and motor data sets. The tool provides s...

Language Planning, Channel Management, and ESP.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Chris

Channel management, a concept developed in marketing to refer to the process by which a product is moved from production to consumption, uses a channel of distribution operating at several levels, each responsible for one or more of the activities of moving the product forward to the consumer. The function of channel management is to select the…

Analyzing Problem's Difficulty Based on Neural Networks and Knowledge Map

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuo, Rita; Lien, Wei-Peng; Chang, Maiga; Heh, Jia-Sheng

2004-01-01

This paper proposes a methodology to calculate both the difficulty of the basic problems and the difficulty of solving a problem. The method to calculate the difficulty of problem is according to the process of constructing a problem, including Concept Selection, Unknown Designation, and Proposition Construction. Some necessary measures observed…

Science: A Practical View. Volume I. Teacher Edition. Applied Basic Curriculum Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evaluation, Dissemination and Assessment Center, Dallas.

This guide, the first in a series of three, provides the intermediate science student and teacher an opportunity to review selected science concepts and processes through activities which emphasize the applicability of scientific knowledge in the professional world. The three components in this guide deal with (1) ecology (what marine science…

Understanding the Adult Transfer Student--Support, Concerns, and Transfer Student Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenberg, Michael J.

2016-01-01

This quantitative study of degree-seeking students in community college examines whether there are age-related differences in transfer intent, research on selection of a transfer destination, use of transfer-related services, and concerns about the transfer process, all of which are key aspects of the concept of transfer student capital. Students…

Adding Dimension to Evaluative Research Through the Use of Protocol Material.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tittle, Carol Kehr

A rationale and illustration of the use of original records or protocol materials in an evaluation research report are described. Records of school observations and audiotape transcripts were selected to represent the concepts or categories which were developed in the process of evaluation. These qualitative data were collected in a project which…

How Distinctive Processing Enhances Hits and Reduces False Alarms

PubMed Central

Hunt, R. Reed; Smith, Rebekah E.

2015-01-01

Distinctive processing is a concept designed to account for precision in memory, both correct responses and avoidance of errors. The principal question addressed in two experiments is how distinctive processing of studied material reduces false alarms to familiar distractors. Jacoby (Jacoby, Kelley, & McElree, 1999) has used the metaphors early selection and late correction to describe two different types of control processes. Early selection refers to limitations on access whereas late correction describes controlled monitoring of accessed information. The two types of processes are not mutually exclusive, and previous research has provided evidence for the operation of both. The data reported here extend previous work to a criterial recollection paradigm and to a recognition memory test. The results of both experiments show that variables that reduce false memory for highly familiar distracters continue to exert their effect under conditions of minimal post-access monitoring. Level of monitoring was reduced in the first experiment through test instructions and in the second experiment through speeded test responding. The results were consistent with the conclusion that both early selection and late correction operate to control accuracy in memory. PMID:26034343

Lunar lander and return propulsion system trade study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurlbert, Eric A.; Moreland, Robert; Sanders, Gerald B.; Robertson, Edward A.; Amidei, David; Mulholland, John

1993-01-01

This trade study was initiated at NASA/JSC in May 1992 to develop and evaluate main propulsion system alternatives to the reference First Lunar Outpost (FLO) lander and return-stage transportation system concept. Thirteen alternative configurations were developed to explore the impacts of various combinations of return stage propellants, using either pressure or pump-fed propulsion systems and various staging options. Besides two-stage vehicle concepts, the merits of single-stage and stage-and-a-half options were also assessed in combination with high-performance liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellants. Configurations using an integrated modular cryogenic engine were developed to assess potential improvements in packaging efficiency, mass performance, and system reliability compared to non-modular cryogenic designs. The selection process to evaluate the various designs was the analytic hierarchy process. The trade study showed that a pressure-fed MMH/N2O4 return stage and RL10-based lander stage is the best option for a 1999 launch. While results of this study are tailored to FLO needs, the design date, criteria, and selection methodology are applicable to the design of other crewed lunar landing and return vehicles.

The Ganymede Interior Structure, and Magnetosphere Observer (GISMO) Mission Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lynch, K. L.; Smith, I. B.; Singer, K. N.; Vogt, M. F.; Blackburn, D. G.; Chaffin, M.; Choukroun, M.; Ehsan, N.; DiBraccio, G. A.; Gibbons, L. J.;

Fairness and equity in the provision of anti-retroviral therapy: some reflections from Lesotho.

PubMed

Armstrong, Russell

2010-12-01

The number of people in immediate need of anti-retroviral treatment (ART) in the southern African region continues to significantly exceed the capacity of health systems there to provide it. Approaches to this complex rationing dilemma have evolved in different directions. The ethical concepts of fairness and equity have been suggested as a basis to guide the development of approaches to select patients for ART. This article reports the results of a case study on patient selection at a rural ART clinic in Lesotho. The purpose of the study was to examine whether or not such concepts had relevance or operative value for a treatment team providing ART in rural Lesotho. The study found that while concepts of fairness and equity were relevant to the work of the treatment team, patient selection practices did not necessarily reflect what these concepts entail. The idea of fairness as a structured, formalized selection process did not figure in the approach to ART provision at the site. A less formal, 'first-come-first-served' approach was adopted. While there was knowledge among some team members that social, economic or geographic conditions inhibit individuals and groups from gaining access to ART and that this was inequitable, it was felt that there was little they could do to try to mediate the impact of these conditions. The study's findings pose importance questions about the approach to ART programming in resource constrained settings. The findings also question the relevance of trying to achieve fairness and equity when the gap between need for care and capacity to provide it remains so large. © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

"In search of a tale they can live with": about loss, family secrets, and selective disclosure.

PubMed

Rober, Peter; Walravens, Geertje; Versteynen, Leen

2012-07-01

Several authors have written about family secrets in the family therapy literature in interesting ways. According to these authors, the questions "who knows the secret?" and "who does not know the secret?" are central. In the present study, we have qualitatively analyzed the documentary film Familiegeheim (Family Secret) by the Dutch director Jaap van Hoewijk. The film shows van Hoewijk's investigation into the death of his father in 1974 and tells the story of a family in which the suicide of the father is kept secret from the three children. Our analysis of the film highlights the complex ways in which families deal with sensitive issues like loss, grief, and suicide. The concept of family secrets seems to poorly capture this complexity, focusing one-sidedly on the destructive effects of withholding delicate information. The concept of selective disclosure is proposed as an alternative. Selective disclosure refers to the complex processes involved in dealing with the dialectic tension between sharing information and keeping it secret. The concept is not only focused on the destructiveness of secrecy but, in addition, also makes room for an appreciation of the caution with which family members deal with sensitive family issues. © 2011 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

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

Hu, Michael Z.; Engtrakul, Chaiwat; Bischoff, Brian L.

A new class of inorganic-based membranes, i.e., High-Performance Architectured Surface Selective (HiPAS) membranes, is introduced to provide high perm-selective flux by exploiting unique separation mechanisms induced by superhydrophobic or superhydrophilic surface interactions and confined capillary condensation in enlarged membrane pores (~8 nm). The super-hydro-tunable HiPAS membranes were originally developed for the purpose of bio-oil/biofuel processing to achieve selective separations at higher flux relative to size selective porous membranes (e.g., inorganic zeolite-based membranes) and better high-temperature tolerance than polymer membranes (>250 C) for hot vapor processing. Due to surface-enhanced separation selectivity, HiPAS membranes can thus possibly enable larger pores to facilitatemore » large-flux separations by increasing from sub-nanometer pores to mesopores (2-50 nm) for vapor phase or micron-scale pores for liquid phase separations. In this paper, we describe an innovative membrane concept and a materials synthesis strategy to fabricate HiPAS membranes, and demonstrate selective permeation in both vapor- and liquid-phase applications. High permeability and selectivity were demonstrated using surrogate mixtures, such as ethanol-water, toluene-water, and toluene-phenol-water. The overall membrane evaluation results show promise for the future processing of biomass pyrolysis and upgraded product vapors and condensed liquid bio-oil intermediates.« less

Example-based learning: comparing the effects of additionally providing three different integrative learning activities on physiotherapy intervention knowledge.

PubMed

Dyer, Joseph-Omer; Hudon, Anne; Montpetit-Tourangeau, Katherine; Charlin, Bernard; Mamede, Sílvia; van Gog, Tamara

2015-03-07

Example-based learning using worked examples can foster clinical reasoning. Worked examples are instructional tools that learners can use to study the steps needed to solve a problem. Studying worked examples paired with completion examples promotes acquisition of problem-solving skills more than studying worked examples alone. Completion examples are worked examples in which some of the solution steps remain unsolved for learners to complete. Providing learners engaged in example-based learning with self-explanation prompts has been shown to foster increased meaningful learning compared to providing no self-explanation prompts. Concept mapping and concept map study are other instructional activities known to promote meaningful learning. This study compares the effects of self-explaining, completing a concept map and studying a concept map on conceptual knowledge and problem-solving skills among novice learners engaged in example-based learning. Ninety-one physiotherapy students were randomized into three conditions. They performed a pre-test and a post-test to evaluate their gains in conceptual knowledge and problem-solving skills (transfer performance) in intervention selection. They studied three pairs of worked/completion examples in a digital learning environment. Worked examples consisted of a written reasoning process for selecting an optimal physiotherapy intervention for a patient. The completion examples were partially worked out, with the last few problem-solving steps left blank for students to complete. The students then had to engage in additional self-explanation, concept map completion or model concept map study in order to synthesize and deepen their knowledge of the key concepts and problem-solving steps. Pre-test performance did not differ among conditions. Post-test conceptual knowledge was higher (P < .001) in the concept map study condition (68.8 ± 21.8%) compared to the concept map completion (52.8 ± 17.0%) and self-explanation (52.2 ± 21.7%) conditions. Post-test problem-solving performance was higher (P < .05) in the self-explanation (63.2 ± 16.0%) condition compared to the concept map study (53.3 ± 16.4%) and concept map completion (51.0 ± 13.6%) conditions. Students in the self-explanation condition also invested less mental effort in the post-test. Studying model concept maps led to greater conceptual knowledge, whereas self-explanation led to higher transfer performance. Self-explanation and concept map study can be combined with worked example and completion example strategies to foster intervention selection.

Spatio-temporal Dynamics of Referential and Inferential Naming: Different Brain and Cognitive Operations to Lexical Selection.

PubMed

Fargier, Raphaël; Laganaro, Marina

2017-03-01

Picture naming tasks are largely used to elicit the production of specific words and sentences in psycholinguistic and neuroimaging research. However, the generation of lexical concepts from a visual input is clearly not the exclusive way speech production is triggered. In inferential speech encoding, the concept is not provided from a visual input, but is elaborated though semantic and/or episodic associations. It is therefore likely that the cognitive operations leading to lexical selection and word encoding are different in inferential and referential expressive language. In particular, in picture naming lexical selection might ensue from a simple association between a perceptual visual representation and a word with minimal semantic processes, whereas richer semantic associations are involved in lexical retrieval in inferential situations. Here we address this hypothesis by analyzing ERP correlates during word production in a referential and an inferential task. The participants produced the same words elicited from pictures or from short written definitions. The two tasks displayed similar electrophysiological patterns only in the time-period preceding the verbal response. In the stimulus-locked ERPs waveform amplitudes and periods of stable global electrophysiological patterns differed across tasks after the P100 component and until 400-500 ms, suggesting the involvement of different, task-specific neural networks. Based on the analysis of the time-windows affected by specific semantic and lexical variables in each task, we conclude that lexical selection is underpinned by a different set of conceptual and brain processes, with semantic processes clearly preceding word retrieval in naming from definition whereas the semantic information is enriched in parallel with word retrieval in picture naming.

The evolution of social and semantic networks in epistemic communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margolin, Drew Berkley

This study describes and tests a model of scientific inquiry as an evolving, organizational phenomenon. Arguments are derived from organizational ecology and evolutionary theory. The empirical subject of study is an epistemic community of scientists publishing on a research topic in physics: the string theoretic concept of "D-branes." The study uses evolutionary theory as a means of predicting change in the way members of the community choose concepts to communicate acceptable knowledge claims. It is argued that the pursuit of new knowledge is risky, because the reliability of a novel knowledge claim cannot be verified until after substantial resources have been invested. Using arguments from both philosophy of science and organizational ecology, it is suggested that scientists can mitigate and sensibly share the risks of knowledge discovery within the community by articulating their claims in legitimate forms, i.e., forms that are testable within and relevant to the community. Evidence from empirical studies of semantic usage suggests that the legitimacy of a knowledge claim is influenced by the characteristics of the concepts in which it is articulated. A model of conceptual retention, variation, and selection is then proposed for predicting the usage of concepts and conceptual co-occurrences in the future publications of the community, based on its past. Results substantially supported hypothesized retention and selection mechanisms. Future concept usage was predictable from previous concept usage, but was limited by conceptual carrying capacity as predicted by density dependence theory. Also as predicted, retention was stronger when the community showed a more cohesive social structure. Similarly, concepts that showed structural signatures of high testability and relevance were more likely to be selected after previous usage frequency was controlled for. By contrast, hypotheses for variation mechanisms were not supported. Surprisingly, concepts whose structural position suggested they would be easiest to discover through search processes were used less frequently, once previous usage frequency was controlled for. The study also makes a theoretical contribution by suggesting ways that evolutionary theory can be used to integrate findings from the study of science with insights from organizational communication. A variety of concrete directions for future studies of social and semantic network evolution are also proposed.

Research on the use of space resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carroll, W. F. (Editor)

1983-01-01

The second year of a multiyear research program on the processing and use of extraterrestrial resources is covered. The research tasks included: (1) silicate processing, (2) magma electrolysis, (3) vapor phase reduction, and (4) metals separation. Concomitant studies included: (1) energy systems, (2) transportation systems, (3) utilization analysis, and (4) resource exploration missions. Emphasis in fiscal year 1982 was placed on the magma electrolysis and vapor phase reduction processes (both analytical and experimental) for separation of oxygen and metals from lunar regolith. The early experimental work on magma electrolysis resulted in gram quantities of iron (mixed metals) and the identification of significant anode, cathode, and container problems. In the vapor phase reduction tasks a detailed analysis of various process concepts led to the selection of two specific processes designated as ""Vapor Separation'' and ""Selective Ionization.'' Experimental work was deferred to fiscal year 1983. In the Silicate Processing task a thermophysical model of the casting process was developed and used to study the effect of variations in material properties on the cooling behavior of lunar basalt.

Sexual selection: Another Darwinian process.

PubMed

Gayon, Jean

2010-02-01

Why was sexual selection so important to Darwin? And why was it de-emphasized by almost all of Darwin's followers until the second half of the 20th century? These two questions shed light on the complexity of the scientific tradition named "Darwinism". Darwin's interest in sexual selection was almost as old as his discovery of the principle of natural selection. From the beginning, sexual selection was just another "natural means of selection", although different from standard "natural selection" in its mechanism. But it took Darwin 30 years to fully develop his theory, from the early notebooks to the 1871 book The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. Although there is a remarkable continuity in his basic ideas about sexual selection, he emphasized increasingly the idea that sexual selection could oppose the action of natural selection and be non adaptive. In time, he also gave more weight to mate choice (especially female choice), giving explicit arguments in favor of psychological notions such as "choice" and "aesthetic sense". But he also argued that there was no strict demarcation line between natural and sexual selection, a major difficulty of the theory from the beginning. Female choice was the main reason why Alfred Russel Wallace, the co-discoverer of the principle of natural selection, engaged in a major controversy with Darwin about sexual selection. Wallace was suspicious about sexual selection in general, trying to minimize it by all sorts of arguments. And he denied entirely the existence of female choice, because he thought that it was both unnecessary and an anthropomorphic notion. This had something to do with his spiritualist convictions, but also with his conception of natural selection as a sufficient principle for the evolutionary explanation of all biological phenomena (except for the origin of mind). This is why Wallace proposed to redefine Darwinism in a way that excluded Darwin's principle of sexual selection. The main result of the Darwin-Wallace controversy was that most Darwinian biologists avoided the subject of sexual selection until at least the 1950s, Ronald Fisher being a major exception. This controversy still deserves attention from modern evolutionary biologists, because the modern approach inherits from both Darwin and Wallace. The modern approach tends to present sexual selection as a special aspect of the theory of natural selection, although it also recognizes the big difficulties resulting from the inevitable interaction between these two natural processes of selection. And contra Wallace, it considers mate choice as a major process that deserves a proper evolutionary treatment. The paper's conclusion explains why sexual selection can be taken as a test case for a proper assessment of "Darwinism" as a scientific tradition. Darwin's and Wallace's attitudes towards sexual selection reveal two different interpretations of the principle of natural selection: Wallace's had an environmentalist conception of natural selection, whereas Darwin was primarily sensitive to the element of competition involved in the intimate mechanism of any natural process of selection. Sexual selection, which can lack adaptive significance, reveals this exemplarily. 2010 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Forest fragmentation and selective logging have inconsistent effects on multiple animal-mediated ecosystem processes in a tropical forest.

PubMed

Schleuning, Matthias; Farwig, Nina; Peters, Marcell K; Bergsdorf, Thomas; Bleher, Bärbel; Brandl, Roland; Dalitz, Helmut; Fischer, Georg; Freund, Wolfram; Gikungu, Mary W; Hagen, Melanie; Garcia, Francisco Hita; Kagezi, Godfrey H; Kaib, Manfred; Kraemer, Manfred; Lung, Tobias; Naumann, Clas M; Schaab, Gertrud; Templin, Mathias; Uster, Dana; Wägele, J Wolfgang; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin

2011-01-01

Forest fragmentation and selective logging are two main drivers of global environmental change and modify biodiversity and environmental conditions in many tropical forests. The consequences of these changes for the functioning of tropical forest ecosystems have rarely been explored in a comprehensive approach. In a Kenyan rainforest, we studied six animal-mediated ecosystem processes and recorded species richness and community composition of all animal taxa involved in these processes. We used linear models and a formal meta-analysis to test whether forest fragmentation and selective logging affected ecosystem processes and biodiversity and used structural equation models to disentangle direct from biodiversity-related indirect effects of human disturbance on multiple ecosystem processes. Fragmentation increased decomposition and reduced antbird predation, while selective logging consistently increased pollination, seed dispersal and army-ant raiding. Fragmentation modified species richness or community composition of five taxa, whereas selective logging did not affect any component of biodiversity. Changes in the abundance of functionally important species were related to lower predation by antbirds and higher decomposition rates in small forest fragments. The positive effects of selective logging on bee pollination, bird seed dispersal and army-ant raiding were direct, i.e. not related to changes in biodiversity, and were probably due to behavioural changes of these highly mobile animal taxa. We conclude that animal-mediated ecosystem processes respond in distinct ways to different types of human disturbance in Kakamega Forest. Our findings suggest that forest fragmentation affects ecosystem processes indirectly by changes in biodiversity, whereas selective logging influences processes directly by modifying local environmental conditions and resource distributions. The positive to neutral effects of selective logging on ecosystem processes show that the functionality of tropical forests can be maintained in moderately disturbed forest fragments. Conservation concepts for tropical forests should thus include not only remaining pristine forests but also functionally viable forest remnants.

Forest Fragmentation and Selective Logging Have Inconsistent Effects on Multiple Animal-Mediated Ecosystem Processes in a Tropical Forest

PubMed Central

Schleuning, Matthias; Farwig, Nina; Peters, Marcell K.; Bergsdorf, Thomas; Bleher, Bärbel; Brandl, Roland; Dalitz, Helmut; Fischer, Georg; Freund, Wolfram; Gikungu, Mary W.; Hagen, Melanie; Garcia, Francisco Hita; Kagezi, Godfrey H.; Kaib, Manfred; Kraemer, Manfred; Lung, Tobias; Schaab, Gertrud; Templin, Mathias; Uster, Dana; Wägele, J. Wolfgang; Böhning-Gaese, Katrin

2011-01-01

Forest fragmentation and selective logging are two main drivers of global environmental change and modify biodiversity and environmental conditions in many tropical forests. The consequences of these changes for the functioning of tropical forest ecosystems have rarely been explored in a comprehensive approach. In a Kenyan rainforest, we studied six animal-mediated ecosystem processes and recorded species richness and community composition of all animal taxa involved in these processes. We used linear models and a formal meta-analysis to test whether forest fragmentation and selective logging affected ecosystem processes and biodiversity and used structural equation models to disentangle direct from biodiversity-related indirect effects of human disturbance on multiple ecosystem processes. Fragmentation increased decomposition and reduced antbird predation, while selective logging consistently increased pollination, seed dispersal and army-ant raiding. Fragmentation modified species richness or community composition of five taxa, whereas selective logging did not affect any component of biodiversity. Changes in the abundance of functionally important species were related to lower predation by antbirds and higher decomposition rates in small forest fragments. The positive effects of selective logging on bee pollination, bird seed dispersal and army-ant raiding were direct, i.e. not related to changes in biodiversity, and were probably due to behavioural changes of these highly mobile animal taxa. We conclude that animal-mediated ecosystem processes respond in distinct ways to different types of human disturbance in Kakamega Forest. Our findings suggest that forest fragmentation affects ecosystem processes indirectly by changes in biodiversity, whereas selective logging influences processes directly by modifying local environmental conditions and resource distributions. The positive to neutral effects of selective logging on ecosystem processes show that the functionality of tropical forests can be maintained in moderately disturbed forest fragments. Conservation concepts for tropical forests should thus include not only remaining pristine forests but also functionally viable forest remnants. PMID:22114695

Understanding Randomness and its Impact on Student Learning: Lessons Learned from Building the Biology Concept Inventory (BCI)

PubMed Central

Garvin-Doxas, Kathy

2008-01-01

While researching student assumptions for the development of the Biology Concept Inventory (BCI; http://bioliteracy.net), we found that a wide class of student difficulties in molecular and evolutionary biology appears to be based on deep-seated, and often unaddressed, misconceptions about random processes. Data were based on more than 500 open-ended (primarily) college student responses, submitted online and analyzed through our Ed's Tools system, together with 28 thematic and think-aloud interviews with students, and the responses of students in introductory and advanced courses to questions on the BCI. Students believe that random processes are inefficient, whereas biological systems are very efficient. They are therefore quick to propose their own rational explanations for various processes, from diffusion to evolution. These rational explanations almost always make recourse to a driver, e.g., natural selection in evolution or concentration gradients in molecular biology, with the process taking place only when the driver is present, and ceasing when the driver is absent. For example, most students believe that diffusion only takes place when there is a concentration gradient, and that the mutational processes that change organisms occur only in response to natural selection pressures. An understanding that random processes take place all the time and can give rise to complex and often counterintuitive behaviors is almost totally absent. Even students who have had advanced or college physics, and can discuss diffusion correctly in that context, cannot make the transfer to biological processes, and passing through multiple conventional biology courses appears to have little effect on their underlying beliefs. PMID:18519614

Process material management in the Space Station environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, J. L.; Humphries, W. R.

1988-01-01

The Space Station will provide a unique facility for conducting material-processing and life-science experiments under microgravity conditions. These conditions place special requirements on the U.S. Laboratory for storing and transporting chemicals and process fluids, reclaiming water from selected experiments, treating and storing experiment wastes, and providing vacuum utilities. To meet these needs and provide a safe laboratory environment, the Process Material Management System (PMMS) is being developed. Preliminary design requirements and concepts related to the PMMS are addressed, and the MSFC PMMS breadboard test facility and a preliminary plan for validating the overall system design are discussed.

A Comparison of Photocatalytic Oxidation Reactor Performance for Spacecraft Cabin Trace Contaminant Control Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, Jay L.; Frederick, Kenneth R.; Scott, Joseph P.; Reinermann, Dana N.

2011-01-01

Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) is a maturing process technology that shows potential for spacecraft life support system application. Incorporating PCO into a spacecraft cabin atmosphere revitalization system requires an understanding of basic performance, particularly with regard to partial oxidation product production. Four PCO reactor design concepts have been evaluated for their effectiveness for mineralizing key trace volatile organic com-pounds (VOC) typically observed in crewed spacecraft cabin atmospheres. Mineralization efficiency and selectivity for partial oxidation products are compared for the reactor design concepts. The role of PCO in a spacecraft s life support system architecture is discussed.

Light sheet microscopy.

PubMed

Weber, Michael; Mickoleit, Michaela; Huisken, Jan

2014-01-01

This chapter introduces the concept of light sheet microscopy along with practical advice on how to design and build such an instrument. Selective plane illumination microscopy is presented as an alternative to confocal microscopy due to several superior features such as high-speed full-frame acquisition, minimal phototoxicity, and multiview sample rotation. Based on our experience over the last 10 years, we summarize the key concepts in light sheet microscopy, typical implementations, and successful applications. In particular, sample mounting for long time-lapse imaging and the resulting challenges in data processing are discussed in detail. © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improved signal recovery for flow cytometry based on ‘spatially modulated emission’

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quint, S.; Wittek, J.; Spang, P.; Levanon, N.; Walther, T.; Baßler, M.

2017-09-01

Recently, the technique of ‘spatially modulated emission’ has been introduced (Baßler et al 2008 US Patent 0080181827A1; Kiesel et al 2009 Appl. Phys. Lett. 94 041107; Kiesel et al 2011 Cytometry A 79A 317-24) improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for detecting bio-particles in the field of flow cytometry. Based on this concept, we developed two advanced signal processing methods which further enhance the SNR and selectivity for cell detection. The improvements are achieved by adapting digital filtering methods from RADAR technology and mainly address inherent offset elimination, increased signal dynamics and moreover reduction of erroneous detections due to processing artifacts. We present a comprehensive theory on SNR gain and provide experimental results of our concepts.

Selecting the most appropriate inferential statistical test for your quantitative research study.

PubMed

Bettany-Saltikov, Josette; Whittaker, Victoria Jane

2014-06-01

To discuss the issues and processes relating to the selection of the most appropriate statistical test. A review of the basic research concepts together with a number of clinical scenarios is used to illustrate this. Quantitative nursing research generally features the use of empirical data which necessitates the selection of both descriptive and statistical tests. Different types of research questions can be answered by different types of research designs, which in turn need to be matched to a specific statistical test(s). Discursive paper. This paper discusses the issues relating to the selection of the most appropriate statistical test and makes some recommendations as to how these might be dealt with. When conducting empirical quantitative studies, a number of key issues need to be considered. Considerations for selecting the most appropriate statistical tests are discussed and flow charts provided to facilitate this process. When nursing clinicians and researchers conduct quantitative research studies, it is crucial that the most appropriate statistical test is selected to enable valid conclusions to be made. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Using a concept map as a tool for strategic planning: The Healthy Brain Initiative.

PubMed

Anderson, Lynda A; Day, Kristine L; Vandenberg, Anna E

2011-09-01

Concept mapping is a tool to assist in strategic planning that allows planners to work through a sequence of phases to produce a conceptual framework. Although several studies describe how concept mapping is applied to various public health problems, the flexibility of the methods used in each phase of the process is often overlooked. If practitioners were more aware of the flexibility, more public health endeavors could benefit from using concept mapping as a tool for strategic planning. The objective of this article is to describe how the 6 concept-mapping phases originally outlined by William Trochim guided our strategic planning process and how we adjusted the specific methods in the first 2 phases to meet the specialized needs and requirements to create The Healthy Brain Initiative: A National Public Health Road Map to Maintaining Cognitive Health. In the first stage (phases 1 and 2 of concept mapping), we formed a steering committee, convened 4 work groups over a period of 3 months, and generated an initial set of 42 action items grounded in science. In the second stage (phases 3 and 4), we engaged stakeholders in sorting and rating the action items and constructed a series of concept maps. In the third and final stage (phases 5 and 6), we examined and refined the action items and generated a final concept map consisting of 44 action items. We then selected the top 10 action items, and in 2007, we published The Healthy Brain Initiative: A National Public Health Road Map to Maintaining Cognitive Health, which represents the strategic plan for The Healthy Brain Initiative.

Modality exclusivity norms for 400 nouns: the relationship between perceptual experience and surface word form.

PubMed

Lynott, Dermot; Connell, Louise

2013-06-01

We present modality exclusivity norms for 400 randomly selected noun concepts, for which participants provided perceptual strength ratings across five sensory modalities (i.e., hearing, taste, touch, smell, and vision). A comparison with previous norms showed that noun concepts are more multimodal than adjective concepts, as nouns tend to subsume multiple adjectival property concepts (e.g., perceptual experience of the concept baby involves auditory, haptic, olfactory, and visual properties, and hence leads to multimodal perceptual strength). To show the value of these norms, we then used them to test a prediction of the sound symbolism hypothesis: Analysis revealed a systematic relationship between strength of perceptual experience in the referent concept and surface word form, such that distinctive perceptual experience tends to attract distinctive lexical labels. In other words, modality-specific norms of perceptual strength are useful for exploring not just the nature of grounded concepts, but also the nature of form-meaning relationships. These norms will be of benefit to those interested in the representational nature of concepts, the roles of perceptual information in word processing and in grounded cognition more generally, and the relationship between form and meaning in language development and evolution.

Making on-orbit structural repairs to Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haber, Harry S.; Quinn, Alberta

1989-01-01

One of the key factors dictating the safety and durability of the proposed U.S. Space Station is the ability to repair structural damage while remaining in orbit. Consequently, studies are conducted to identify the engineering problems associated with accomplishing structural repairs on orbit, due to zero gravity environment and exposure to extreme temperature variations. There are predominant forms of structural failure, depending on the metallic or composite material involved. Aluminum is the primary metallic material used in space vehicle applications. Welding processes on aluminum alloy structures were tested, resulting in final selection of electron beam welding as the primary technique for metallic material repair in Space. Several composite structure repair processes were bench-tested to define their applicability to on-orbit EVA requirements: induction heating prevailed. One of the unique problems identified as inherent in the on-orbit repair process is that of debris containment. The Maintenance Work Station concept provides means to prevent module contamination from repair debris and ensure the creation of a facility for crew members to work easily in a microgravity environment. Different technologies were also examined for application to EVA repair activities, and the concept selected was a spring-loaded, collapsible, box-like Debris Containement and Collection Device with incorporated fold-down tool boards and handholes in the front panel.

Predicting speech intelligibility based on the signal-to-noise envelope power ratio after modulation-frequency selective processing.

PubMed

Jørgensen, Søren; Dau, Torsten

2011-09-01

A model for predicting the intelligibility of processed noisy speech is proposed. The speech-based envelope power spectrum model has a similar structure as the model of Ewert and Dau [(2000). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 108, 1181-1196], developed to account for modulation detection and masking data. The model estimates the speech-to-noise envelope power ratio, SNR(env), at the output of a modulation filterbank and relates this metric to speech intelligibility using the concept of an ideal observer. Predictions were compared to data on the intelligibility of speech presented in stationary speech-shaped noise. The model was further tested in conditions with noisy speech subjected to reverberation and spectral subtraction. Good agreement between predictions and data was found in all cases. For spectral subtraction, an analysis of the model's internal representation of the stimuli revealed that the predicted decrease of intelligibility was caused by the estimated noise envelope power exceeding that of the speech. The classical concept of the speech transmission index fails in this condition. The results strongly suggest that the signal-to-noise ratio at the output of a modulation frequency selective process provides a key measure of speech intelligibility. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

Diazepam dose-dependently increases or decreases implicit priming of alcohol associations in problem drinkers.

PubMed

Zack, Martin; Poulos, Constantine X; Woodford, Tracy M

2006-01-01

Words denoting negative affect (NEG) have been found to prime alcohol-related words (ALC) on semantic priming tasks, and this effect is tied to severity of addiction. Previous research suggested that high doses of benzodiazepines may dampen NEG-ALC priming. The present study tested this possibility and the role of motivation for alcohol in this process. A placebo-controlled, double blind, between-within, counterbalanced design was employed. Two groups of male problem drinkers (n = 6/group) received a high (15-mg) or low (5-mg) dose of diazepam versus placebo on two identical test sessions. A lexical decision task assessed priming. Under placebo, significant NEG-->ALC priming emerged in each group. High-dose diazepam selectively reversed this effect, while low-dose selectively enhanced it. Correlations between NEG-->ALC priming and desire for alcohol provided further support that semantic priming of ALC concepts reflects a motivational process. The bi-directional effects found here parallel the effects of high- versus low-dose benzodiazepines on alcohol self-administration in animals. High-dose diazepam reduces prime-induced activation of ALC concepts in problem drinkers. Low-dose diazepam facilitates this process, and cross-priming of motivation for alcohol appears to explain this effect. Neurochemical modulation of the alcohol memory network may contribute to the motivational effects of benzodiazepines in problem drinkers.

Simple autonomous Mars walker

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Larimer, Stanley J.; Lisec, Thomas R.; Spiessbach, Andrew J.

1989-01-01

Under a contract with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Martin Marietta has developed several alternative rover concepts for unmanned exploration of the planet Mars. One of those concepts, the 'Walking Beam', is the subject of this paper. This concept was developed with the goal of achieving many of the capabilities of more sophisticated articulated-leg walkers with a much simpler, more robust, less computationally demanding and more power efficient design. It consists of two large-base tripods nested one within the other which alternately translate with respect to each other along a 5-meter beam to propel the vehicle. The semiautonomous navigation system relies on terrain geometry sensors and tacticle feedback from each foot to autonomously select a path which avoids hazards along a route designated from earth. Both mobility and navigation features of this concept are discussed including a top-level description of the vehicle's physical characteristics, deployment strategy, mobility elements, sensor suite, theory of operation, navigation and control processes, and estimated performance.

Family conference in palliative care: concept analysis.

PubMed

Silva, Rudval Souza da; Trindade, Géssica Sodré Sampaio; Paixão, Gilvânia Patrícia do Nascimento; Silva, Maria Júlia Paes da

2018-01-01

to analyze the attributes, antecedents and consequents of the family conference concept. Walker and Avante's method for concept analysis and the stages of the integrative review process, with a selection of publications in the PubMed, Cinahl and Lilacs databases focusing on the family conference theme in the context of palliative care. the most cited antecedents were the presence of doubts and the need to define a care plan. Family reunion and working instrument were evidenced as attributes. With respect to consequents, to promote the effective communication and to establish a plan of consensual action were the most remarkable elements. the scarcity of publications on the subject was observed, as well as and the limitation of the empirical studies to the space of intensive therapy. Thus, by analyzing the attributes, antecedents and consequents of the concept it was possible to follow their evolution and to show their efficacy and effectiveness as a therapeutic intervention.

SEDHI: development status of the Pléiades detection electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dantes, Didier; Biffi, Jean-Marc; Neveu, Claude; Renard, Christophe

2017-11-01

In the framework of the Pléiades program, Alcatel Space is developping with CNES a new concept of Highly Integrated Detection Electronic Subsystem (SEDHI) which lead to very high gains in term of camera mass, volume and power consumption. This paper presents the design of this new concept and summarizes its main performances. The electrical, mechanical and thermal aspects of the SEDHI concept are described, including the basic technologies: panchromatic detector, multispectral detector, butting technology, ASIC for phase shift of detector clocks, ASIC for video processing, ASIC for phase trimming, hybrids, video modules... This concept and these technologies can be adapted to a large scale of missions and instruments. Design, performance and budgets of the subsystem are given for the Pléiades mission for which the SEDHI concept has been selected. The detailed performances of each critical component are provided, focusing on the most critical performances which have been obtained at this level of the Pléiades development.

Gender and Course Selection in Upper Secondary Education: Effects of Academic Self-Concept and Intrinsic Value

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagy, Gabriel; Trautwein, Ulrich; Baumert, Jurgen; Koller, Olaf; Garrett, Jessica

2006-01-01

Predictions about processes linking gender to students' choices of advanced courses were derived from the internal/external frame of reference (I/E) model and expectancy value (EV) theory. The predictions were tested for the domains of mathematics and biology using data from 1,148 students attending academically oriented secondary schools in…

[Selected problems of manufacturing influenza vaccines].

PubMed

Augustynowicz, Ewa

2010-01-01

In the study chosen issues of manufacturing influenza vaccines running to increase effectiveness were performed. New concepts into development of process of safety and efficacy influenza vaccines are connected with use a new adjuvants, use of alternative routes of administration of vaccine, new structural virus subunits including DNA, new way of virus culture and use of live, attenuated vaccines.

DownscaleConcept 2.3 User Manual. Downscaled, Spatially Distributed Soil Moisture Calculator

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

be first presented with the dataset 28 results to your query. From this page, check the box next to the ASTER GDEM dataset and press the "List...information for verification. No charge will be associated with GDEM data archives. 14. Select "Submit Order Now!" to process your order. 15. Wait for

"Culture Programs," Cultural Differences, Knowledge Resources, and Their Impacts on Learning Cultures in Transnational Enterprises in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robak, Steffi

2014-01-01

This contribution discusses selected basic theoretical principles and empirical results from my postdoctoral thesis (Robak, 2012a), which investigates the learning and educational processes of German-speaking expatriates in global enterprises in China. I start by showing that no adequately developed concepts for an integrated learning culture…

Unit Planning Grids for Visual Arts--Grade 9-12 Advanced.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delaware State Dept. of Education, Dover.

This planning grid for teaching visual arts (advanced) in grades 9-12 in Delaware outlines the following six standards for students to complete: (1) students will select and use form, media, techniques, and processes to create works of art and communicate meaning; (2) students will create ways to use visual, spatial, and temporal concepts in…

Privatism and Pluralism: Some Implications for Education from Selected Aspects of the Social Philosophy of Merleau-Ponty.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrison, Harriet

The philosophy of phenomenologist Maurice Merleau-Ponty, who views the individual and society as contributors to a dynamic, ambiguous process, is applicable to educational philosophy. Merleau-Ponty's concern with free men and their relationship to the world centers on his concept of self, others, intersubjectivity, and morality. The self's contact…

How holistic processing of faces relates to cognitive control and intelligence.

PubMed

Gauthier, Isabel; Chua, Kao-Wei; Richler, Jennifer J

2018-04-16

The Vanderbilt Holistic Processing Test for faces (VHPT-F) is the first standard test designed to measure individual differences in holistic processing. The test measures failures of selective attention to face parts through congruency effects, an operational definition of holistic processing. However, this conception of holistic processing has been challenged by the suggestion that it may tap into the same selective attention or cognitive control mechanisms that yield congruency effects in Stroop and Flanker paradigms. Here, we report data from 130 subjects on the VHPT-F, several versions of Stroop and Flanker tasks, as well as fluid IQ. Results suggested a small degree of shared variance in Stroop and Flanker congruency effects, which did not relate to congruency effects on the VHPT-F. Variability on the VHPT-F was also not correlated with Fluid IQ. In sum, we find no evidence that holistic face processing as measured by congruency in the VHPT-F is accounted for by domain-general control mechanisms.

An evolutionary framework for cultural change: Selectionism versus communal exchange

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabora, Liane

2013-06-01

Dawkins' replicator-based conception of evolution has led to widespread mis-application of selectionism across the social sciences because it does not address the paradox that necessitated the theory of natural selection in the first place: how do organisms accumulate change when traits acquired over their lifetime are obliterated? This is addressed by von Neumann's concept of a self-replicating automaton (SRA). A SRA consists of a self-assembly code that is used in two distinct ways: (1) actively deciphered during development to construct a self-similar replicant, and (2) passively copied to the replicant to ensure that it can reproduce. Information that is acquired over a lifetime is not transmitted to offspring, whereas information that is inherited during copying is transmitted. In cultural evolution there is no mechanism for discarding acquired change. Acquired change can accumulate orders of magnitude faster than, and quickly overwhelm, inherited change due to differential replication of variants in response to selection. This prohibits a selectionist but not an evolutionary framework for culture and the creative processes that fuel it. The importance non-Darwinian processes in biological evolution is increasingly recognized. Recent work on the origin of life suggests that early life evolved through a non-Darwinian process referred to as communal exchange that does not involve a self-assembly code, and that natural selection emerged from this more haphazard, ancestral evolutionary process. It is proposed that communal exchange provides an evolutionary framework for culture that enables specification of cognitive features necessary for a (real or artificial) societies to evolve culture. This is supported by a computational model of cultural evolution and a conceptual network based program for documenting material cultural history, and it is consistent with high levels of human cooperation.

Lean Stability augmentation study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcvey, J. B.; Kennedy, J. B.

1979-01-01

An analytical and experimental program was conducted to investigate techniques and develop technology for improving the lean combustion limits of premixing, prevaporizing combustors applicable to gas turbine engine main burners. Three concepts for improving lean stability limits were selected for experimental evaluation among twelve approaches considered. Concepts were selected on the basis of the potential for improving stability limits and achieving emission goals, the technological risks associated with development of practical burners employing the concepts, and the penalties to airline direct operating costs resulting from decreased combustor performance, increased engine cost, increased maintenance cost and increased engine weight associated with implementation of the concepts. Tests of flameholders embodying the selected concepts were conducted.

High School Biology Students' Transfer of the Concept of Natural Selection: A Mixed-Methods Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pugh, Kevin J.; Koskey, Kristin L. K.; Linnenbrink-Garcia, Lisa

2014-01-01

The concept of natural selection serves as a foundation for understanding diverse biological concepts and has broad applicability to other domains. However, we know little about students' abilities to transfer (i.e. apply to a new context or use generatively) this concept and the relation between students' conceptual understanding and transfer…

Stand-alone and biorefinery pathways to produce hydrogen through gasification and dark fermentation using Pinus Patula.

PubMed

García, Carlos A; Betancourt, Ramiro; Cardona, Carlos A

2017-12-01

New efforts in the search of alternative clean and renewable energy to replace the current energy precursors have been assessed in order to reduce emissions to the environment. Lignocellulosic Biomass (LB) can be used to produce bioenergy due to its high energy potential and availability. Different ways are proposed for the transformation of these residues into high added-value products. Thermochemical and biochemical technologies are the most interest concepts focusing on the use of biomass as source for energy production at positive net balances. This study presents the techno-economic, energy and environmental assessment of five scenarios for the hydrogen production through gasification and dark fermentation based on the biorefinery and stand-alone concepts. The results demonstrated that the production of hydrogen based on the concept of a biorefinery can improve the profitability, energy efficiency and reduce the emissions of the processes compared to that based on the stand-alone way. The selection of ethanol and electricity as valuable co-products of the biorefinery in the hydrogen production process confirmed that the process scale and products diversity makes possible a flexible and suitable process to produce hydrogen and other energy carriers from Pinus Patula. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Disselkamp, Robert S.; Chajkowski, Sarah M.; Boyles, Kelly R.

Here we discuss results obtained as part of a three-year investigation at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory of ultrasound processing to effect selectivity and activity in the hydrogenation of water-soluble olefins on transition metal catalysts. We have shown previously that of the two regimes for ultrasound processing, high-power cavitating and high-power non-cavitating, only the former can effect product selectivity dramatically (> 1000%) whereas the selectivity of the latter was comparable with those obtained in stirred/silent control experiments [R.S. Disselkamp, Y.-H. Chin, C.H.F. Peden, J. Catal., 227, 552 (2005)]. As a means of ensuring the benefits of cavitating ultrasound processing, we introducedmore » the concept of employing inert dopants into the reacting solution. These inert dopants do not partake in solution chemistry but enable a more facile transition from high-power non-cavitating to cavitating conditions during sonication treatment. With cavitation processing conditions ensured, we discuss here results of isotopic H/D substitution for a variety of substrates and illustrate how such isotope dependent chemistries during substrate hydrogenation elucidate detailed mechanistic information about these reaction systems.« less

Measuring social science concepts in pharmacy education research: From definition to item analysis of self-report instruments.

PubMed

Cor, M Ken

Interpreting results from quantitative research can be difficult when measures of concepts are constructed poorly, something that can limit measurement validity. Social science steps for defining concepts, guidelines for limiting construct-irrelevant variance when writing self-report questions, and techniques for conducting basic item analysis are reviewed to inform the design of instruments to measure social science concepts in pharmacy education research. Based on a review of the literature, four main recommendations emerge: These include: (1) employ a systematic process of conceptualization to derive nominal definitions; (2) write exact and detailed operational definitions for each concept, (3) when creating self-report questionnaires, write statements and select scales to avoid introducing construct-irrelevant variance (CIV); and (4) use basic item analysis results to inform instrument revision. Employing recommendations that emerge from this review will strengthen arguments to support measurement validity which in turn will support the defensibility of study finding interpretations. An example from pharmacy education research is used to contextualize the concepts introduced. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pathological anxiety in animals.

PubMed

Ohl, Frauke; Arndt, Saskia S; van der Staay, F Josef

2008-01-01

Selective breeding programmes in domestic and laboratory animals generally focus on physiological and/or anatomical characteristics. However, selection may have an (unintended) impact on other characteristics and may lead to dysfunctional behaviour that can affect biological functioning and, as a consequence, compromise welfare and quality of life. In this review it is proposed that various behavioural dysfunctions in animals are due to pathological anxiety. Although several approaches have been undertaken to specify the diagnostic criteria of pathological anxiety as a behavioural disorder in animals, the causal aetiology largely remains unknown. This is mainly due to the fact that integrated concepts, combining the behavioural syndrome and (neuro-) physiological processes, are widely lacking. Moreover, even the term anxiety itself represents a poorly defined concept or category. A definition is suggested and the potential causes of pathological anxiety are explored with a plea for developing adequate diagnostic tools and therapies to fight pathological anxiety in animals based on insight from scientific research.

A novel method for multifactorial bio-chemical experiments design based on combinational design theory.

PubMed

Wang, Xun; Sun, Beibei; Liu, Boyang; Fu, Yaping; Zheng, Pan

2017-01-01

Experimental design focuses on describing or explaining the multifactorial interactions that are hypothesized to reflect the variation. The design introduces conditions that may directly affect the variation, where particular conditions are purposely selected for observation. Combinatorial design theory deals with the existence, construction and properties of systems of finite sets whose arrangements satisfy generalized concepts of balance and/or symmetry. In this work, borrowing the concept of "balance" in combinatorial design theory, a novel method for multifactorial bio-chemical experiments design is proposed, where balanced templates in combinational design are used to select the conditions for observation. Balanced experimental data that covers all the influencing factors of experiments can be obtianed for further processing, such as training set for machine learning models. Finally, a software based on the proposed method is developed for designing experiments with covering influencing factors a certain number of times.

Trade Study of System Level Ranked Radiation Protection Concepts for Deep Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cerro, Jeffrey A

2013-01-01

A strategic focus area for NASA is to pursue the development of technologies which support exploration in space beyond the current inhabited region of low earth orbit. An unresolved issue for crewed deep space exploration involves limiting crew radiation exposure to below acceptable levels, considering both solar particle events and galactic cosmic ray contributions to dosage. Galactic cosmic ray mitigation is not addressed in this paper, but by addressing credible, easily implemented, and mass efficient solutions for the possibility of solar particle events, additional margin is provided that can be used for cosmic ray dose accumulation. As a result, NASA s Advanced Engineering Systems project office initiated this Radiation Storm Shelter design activity. This paper reports on the first year results of an expected 3 year Storm Shelter study effort which will mature concepts and operational scenarios that protect exploration astronauts from solar particle radiation events. Large trade space definition, candidate concept ranking, and a planned demonstration comprised the majority of FY12 activities. A system key performance parameter is minimization of the required increase in mass needed to provide a safe environment. Total system mass along with operational assessments and other defined protection system metrics provide the guiding metrics to proceed with concept developments. After a downselect to four primary methods, the concepts were analyzed for dosage severity and the amount of shielding mass necessary to bring dosage to acceptable values. Besides analytical assessments, subscale models of several concepts and one full scale concept demonstrator were created. FY12 work terminated with a plan to demonstrate test articles of two selected approaches. The process of arriving at these selections and their current envisioned implementation are presented in this paper.

Performance Evaluation of a Database System in a Multiple Backend Configurations,

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-10-01

leaving a systemn process , the * internal performance measuremnents of MMSD have been carried out. Mathodo lo.- gies for constructing test databases...access d i rectory data via the AT, EDIT, and CDT. In designing the test database, one of the key concepts is the choice of the directory attributes in...internal timing. These requests are selected since they retrieve the seIaI lest portion of the test database and the processing time for each request is

Static and dynamic high power, space nuclear electric generating systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wetch, J. R.; Begg, L. L.; Koester, J. K.

1985-01-01

Space nuclear electric generating systems concepts have been assessed for their potential in satisfying future spacecraft high power (several megawatt) requirements. Conceptual designs have been prepared for reactor power systems using the most promising static (thermionic) and the most promising dynamic conversion processes. Component and system layouts, along with system mass and envelope requirements have been made. Key development problems have been identified and the impact of the conversion process selection upon thermal management and upon system and vehicle configuration is addressed.

A Analysis of the Development of Weather Concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mroz, Paul John

Weather information in all forms is poorly understood and often misinterpreted by the general public. Weather literacy is necessary for everyone if critical weather messages, designed to save lives and protect property, are to be effective. The purpose of this study was to seek content and causal evidence for a developmental concept of Weather Information Processing that was consistent with Piagetian Cognitive Stages of Development. Three ordinal Content Stages Of Weather Information Processing (phenomena, process and mechanism) and three ordinal Causal Explanation Stages Of Weather Information Processing (non-real, natural, and scientifically valid abstract ideas) were explored for their relationship with Piaget's Pre-Operational, Concrete and Formal Stages of Development. One hundred and fifty -five elementary and secondary school students from two school districts were administered a written Piagetian exam. Commonly available television weather programs were categorized, randomly assigned and viewed by 42 randomly selected students who were administered three Piagetian tasks. Students were clinically interviewed for the level of content information and causal explanations (reasoning). Results indicated that content information and causal reasoning of students to televised weather information is significantly related (p <.01) to age, and Piagetian Cognitive Stages of Development. Two Piagetian logic operations (seriation and correlation) were established as significantly different (p <.05) when related to age. These findings support a developmental concept of Weather Information Processing and have implications for teaching and presenting weather information to the public.

Fog-computing concept usage as means to enhance information and control system reliability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melnik, E. V.; Klimenko, A. B.; Ivanov, D. Ya

2018-05-01

This paper focuses on the reliability issue of information and control systems (ICS). The authors propose using the elements of the fog-computing concept to enhance the reliability function. The key idea of fog-computing is to shift computations to the fog-layer of the network, and thus to decrease the workload of the communication environment and data processing components. As for ICS, workload also can be distributed among sensors, actuators and network infrastructure facilities near the sources of data. The authors simulated typical workload distribution situations for the “traditional” ICS architecture and for the one with fogcomputing concept elements usage. The paper contains some models, selected simulation results and conclusion about the prospects of the fog-computing as a means to enhance ICS reliability.

Patterns of thinking about phylogenetic trees: A study of student learning and the potential of tree thinking to improve comprehension of biological concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naegle, Erin

Evolution education is a critical yet challenging component of teaching and learning biology. There is frequently an emphasis on natural selection when teaching about evolution and conducting educational research. A full understanding of evolution, however, integrates evolutionary processes, such as natural selection, with the resulting evolutionary patterns, such as species divergence. Phylogenetic trees are models of evolutionary patterns. The perspective gained from understanding biology through phylogenetic analyses is referred to as tree thinking. Due to the increasing prevalence of tree thinking in biology, understanding how to read phylogenetic trees is an important skill for students to learn. Interpreting graphics is not an intuitive process, as graphical representations are semiotic objects. This is certainly true concerning phylogenetic tree interpretation. Previous research and anecdotal evidence report that students struggle to correctly interpret trees. The objective of this research was to describe and investigate the rationale underpinning the prior knowledge of introductory biology students' tree thinking Understanding prior knowledge is valuable as prior knowledge influences future learning. In Chapter 1, qualitative methods such as semi-structured interviews were used to explore patterns of student rationale in regard to tree thinking. Seven common tree thinking misconceptions are described: (1) Equating the degree of trait similarity with the extent of relatedness, (2) Environmental change is a necessary prerequisite to evolution, (3) Essentialism of species, (4) Evolution is inherently progressive, (5) Evolution is a linear process, (6) Not all species are related, and (7) Trees portray evolution through the hybridization of species. These misconceptions are based in students' incomplete or incorrect understanding of evolution. These misconceptions are often reinforced by the misapplication of cultural conventions to make sense of trees. Chapter 2 explores the construction, validity, and reliability of a tree thinking concept inventory. Concept inventories are research based instruments that diagnose faulty reasoning among students. Such inventories are tools for improving teaching and learning of concepts. Test scores indicate that tree thinking misconceptions are held by novice and intermediate biology students. Finally, Chapter 3 presents a tree thinking rubric. The rubric aids teachers in selecting and improving introductory tree thinking learning exercises that address students' tree thinking misconceptions.

Assessing potential propulsion breakthroughs.

PubMed

Millis, Marc G

2005-12-01

The term, propulsion breakthrough, refers to concepts like propellantless space drives and faster-than-light travel, the kind of breakthroughs that would make interstellar exploration practical. Although no such breakthroughs appear imminent, a variety of investigations have begun. During 1996-2002 NASA supported the breakthrough propulsion physics project to examine physics in the context of breakthrough spaceflight. Three facets of these assessments are now reported: (1) predicting benefits, (2) selecting research, and (3) recent technical progress. Predicting benefits is challenging, since the breakthroughs are still only notional concepts, but energy can serve as a basis for comparison. A hypothetical space drive would require many orders of magnitude less energy than a rocket for journeys to our nearest neighboring star. Assessing research options is challenging when the goals are beyond known physics and when the implications of success are profound. To mitigate the challenges, a selection process is described where: (1) research tasks are constrained to only address the immediate unknowns, curious effects, or critical issues; (2) reliability of assertions is more important than their implications; and (3) reviewers judge credibility rather than feasibility. The recent findings of a number of tasks, some selected using this process, are discussed. Of the 14 tasks included, six reached null conclusions, four remain unresolved, and four have opportunities for sequels. A dominant theme with the sequels is research about the properties of space, inertial frames, and the quantum vacuum.

Process Improvement of Reactive Dye Synthesis Using Six Sigma Concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suwanich, Thanapat; Chutima, Parames

2017-06-01

This research focuses on the problem occurred in the reactive dye synthesis process of a global manufacturer in Thailand which producing various chemicals for reactive dye products to supply global industries such as chemicals, textiles and garments. The product named “Reactive Blue Base” is selected in this study because it has highest demand and the current chemical yield shows a high variation, i.e. yield variation of 90.4% - 99.1% (S.D. = 2.405 and Cpk = -0.08) and average yield is 94.5% (lower than the 95% standard set by the company). The Six Sigma concept is applied aiming at increasing yield and reducing variation of this process. This approach is suitable since it provides a systematic guideline with five improvement phases (DMAIC) to effectively tackle the problem and find the appropriate parameter settings of the process. Under the new parameter settings, the process yield variation is reduced to range between 96.5% - 98.5% (S.D. = 0.525 and Cpk = 1.83) and the average yield is increased to 97.5% (higher than the 95% standard set by the company).

NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cassanova, Robert A.

1999-01-01

The purpose of NASA Institute for Advanced Concepts (NIAC) is to provide an independent, open forum for the external analysis and definition of space and aeronautics advanced concepts to complement the advanced concepts activities conducted within the NASA Enterprises. The NIAC will issue Calls for Proposals during each year of operation and will select revolutionary advanced concepts for grant or contract awards through a peer review process. Final selection of awards will be with the concurrence of NASA's Chief Technologist. The operation of the NIAC is reviewed biannually by the NIAC Science, Exploration and Technology Council (NSETC) whose members are drawn from the senior levels of industry and universities. The process of defining the technical scope of the initial Call for Proposals was begun with the NIAC "Grand Challenges" workshop conducted on May 21-22, 1998 in Columbia, Maryland. These "Grand Challenges" resulting from this workshop became the essence of the technical scope for the first Phase I Call for Proposals which was released on June 19, 1998 with a due date of July 31, 1998. The first Phase I Call for Proposals attracted 119 proposals. After a thorough peer review, prioritization by NIAC and technical concurrence by NASA, sixteen subgrants were awarded. The second Phase I Call for Proposals was released on November 23, 1998 with a due date of January 31, 1999. Sixty-three (63) proposals were received in response to this Call. On December 2-3, 1998, the NSETC met to review the progress and future plans of the NIAC. The next NSETC meeting is scheduled for August 5-6, 1999. The first Phase II Call for Proposals was released to the current Phase I grantees on February 3,1999 with a due date of May 31, 1999. Plans for the second year of the contract include a continuation of the sequence of Phase I and Phase II Calls for Proposals and hosting the first NIAC Annual Meeting and USRA/NIAC Technical Symposium in NASA HQ.

NITARP: Measuring The Effectiveness of an Authentic Research Experience in Secondary Astronomy Education Through Concept Mapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deeb, Elin; Rebull, Luisa M.; Black, David V.; Gibbs, John; Larsen, Estefania

2015-01-01

For secondary students to make use of astronomical data in a school setting, they previously needed access to large telescopes, expensive equipment and difficult-to-use software. This has improved as online data archives have become available; however, difficulties remain, including searching and downloading the data and translating it into formats that high school students can readily analyze. To address these issues, the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP) selects teams consisting of teachers and students from several schools. Each year, new teams of educators attend an introductory workshop at the winter AAS conference where they select a research project that will use the archived data. Throughout the spring, educators engage in weekly teleconferences, write proposals, and begin working with their students. The teams meet at Caltech in the summer to learn how to access and analyze the IPAC data and continue to work throughout the fall. Through this experience, participants learn how to search, download, translate, and analyze authentic astronomical data. They learn the nature of scientific communication through developing and presenting their findings alongside practicing astronomers at the following winter AAS. In order to measure how successful the 2014 NITARP summer visit was in teaching participating high school students the terminology and processes necessary to analyze IPAC data, students were asked to create concept maps showing the main and subsidiary ideas and concepts related to their research. They then synthesized their group webs into a master web. When additional terms and concepts were presented, the students were able to integrate them into the master web, showing that they understood the relationship of ideas, concepts, and processes needed for their research. Our companion poster, Gibbs et al., presents the scientific aspects of this project. This research was made possible through the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP) and was funded by the NASA Astrophysics Data Program.

R-CMap-An open-source software for concept mapping.

PubMed

Bar, Haim; Mentch, Lucas

2017-02-01

Planning and evaluating projects often involves input from many stakeholders. Fusing and organizing many different ideas, opinions, and interpretations into a coherent and acceptable plan or project evaluation is challenging. This is especially true when seeking contributions from a large number of participants, especially when not all can participate in group discussions, or when some prefer to contribute their perspectives anonymously. One of the major breakthroughs in the area of evaluation and program planning has been the use of graphical tools to represent the brainstorming process. This provides a quantitative framework for organizing ideas and general concepts into simple-to-interpret graphs. We developed a new, open-source concept mapping software called R-CMap, which is implemented in R. This software provides a graphical user interface to guide users through the analytical process of concept mapping. The R-CMap software allows users to generate a variety of plots, including cluster maps, point rating and cluster rating maps, as well as pattern matching and go-zone plots. Additionally, R-CMap is capable of generating detailed reports that contain useful statistical summaries of the data. The plots and reports can be embedded in Microsoft Office tools such as Word and PowerPoint, where users may manually adjust various plot and table features to achieve the best visual results in their presentations and official reports. The graphical user interface of R-CMap allows users to define cluster names, change the number of clusters, select rating variables for relevant plots, and importantly, select subsets of respondents by demographic criteria. The latter is particularly useful to project managers in order to identify different patterns of preferences by subpopulations. R-CMap is user-friendly, and does not require any programming experience. However, proficient R users can add to its functionality by directly accessing built-in functions in R and sharing new features with the concept mapping community. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploring the Relationship between Secondary Science Teachers' Subject Matter Knowledge and Knowledge of Student Conceptions While Teaching Evolution by Natural Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucero, Margaret M.; Petrosino, Anthony J.; Delgado, Cesar

2017-01-01

The fundamental scientific concept of evolution occurring by natural selection is home to many deeply held alternative conceptions and considered difficult to teach. Science teachers' subject matter knowledge (SMK) and the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) component of knowledge of students' conceptions (KOSC) can be valuable resources for…

Methods to Improve the Selection and Tailoring of Implementation Strategies

PubMed Central

Powell, Byron J.; Beidas, Rinad S.; Lewis, Cara C.; Aarons, Gregory A.; McMillen, J. Curtis; Proctor, Enola K.; Khinduka, Shanti K.; Mandell, David S.

2015-01-01

Implementing behavioral health interventions is a complicated process. It has been suggested that implementation strategies should be selected and tailored to address the contextual needs of a given change effort; however, there is limited guidance as to how to do this. This article proposes four methods (concept mapping, group model building, conjoint analysis, and intervention mapping) that could be used to match implementation strategies to identified barriers and facilitators for a particular evidence-based practice or process change being implemented in a given setting. Each method is reviewed, examples of their use are provided, and their strengths and weaknesses are discussed. The discussion includes suggestions for future research pertaining to implementation strategies and highlights these methods' relevance to behavioral health services and research. PMID:26289563

An overview of selected information storage and retrieval issues in computerized document processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominick, Wayne D. (Editor); Ihebuzor, Valentine U.

1984-01-01

The rapid development of computerized information storage and retrieval techniques has introduced the possibility of extending the word processing concept to document processing. A major advantage of computerized document processing is the relief of the tedious task of manual editing and composition usually encountered by traditional publishers through the immense speed and storage capacity of computers. Furthermore, computerized document processing provides an author with centralized control, the lack of which is a handicap of the traditional publishing operation. A survey of some computerized document processing techniques is presented with emphasis on related information storage and retrieval issues. String matching algorithms are considered central to document information storage and retrieval and are also discussed.

Superhydrophobic and superhydrophilic surface-enhanced separation performance of porous inorganic membranes for biomass-to-biofuel conversion applications

DOE PAGES

Hu, Michael Z.; Engtrakul, Chaiwat; Bischoff, Brian L.; ...

2016-11-14

A new class of inorganic-based membranes, i.e., High-Performance Architectured Surface Selective (HiPAS) membranes, is introduced to provide high perm-selective flux by exploiting unique separation mechanisms induced by superhydrophobic or superhydrophilic surface interactions and confined capillary condensation in enlarged membrane pores (~8 nm). The super-hydro-tunable HiPAS membranes were originally developed for the purpose of bio-oil/biofuel processing to achieve selective separations at higher flux relative to size selective porous membranes (e.g., inorganic zeolite-based membranes) and better high-temperature tolerance than polymer membranes (>250 C) for hot vapor processing. Due to surface-enhanced separation selectivity, HiPAS membranes can thus possibly enable larger pores to facilitatemore » large-flux separations by increasing from sub-nanometer pores to mesopores (2-50 nm) for vapor phase or micron-scale pores for liquid phase separations. In this paper, we describe an innovative membrane concept and a materials synthesis strategy to fabricate HiPAS membranes, and demonstrate selective permeation in both vapor- and liquid-phase applications. High permeability and selectivity were demonstrated using surrogate mixtures, such as ethanol-water, toluene-water, and toluene-phenol-water. The overall membrane evaluation results show promise for the future processing of biomass pyrolysis and upgraded product vapors and condensed liquid bio-oil intermediates.« less

Analysis of the most common concept inventories in physics: What are we assessing?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laverty, James T.; Caballero, Marcos D.

2018-06-01

Assessing student learning is a cornerstone of educational practice. Standardized assessments have played a significant role in the development of instruction, curricula, and educational spaces in college physics. However, the use of these assessments to evaluate student learning is only productive if they continue to align with our learning goals. Recently, there have been calls to elevate the process of science ("scientific practices") to the same level of importance and emphasis as the concepts of physics ("core ideas" and "crosscutting concepts"). We use the recently developed Three-Dimensional Learning Assessment Protocol to investigate how well the most commonly used standardized assessments in introductory physics (i.e., concept inventories) align with this modern understanding of physics education's learning goals. We find that many of the questions on concept inventories do elicit evidence of student understanding of core ideas, but do not have the potential to elicit evidence of scientific practices or crosscutting concepts. Furthermore, we find that the individual scientific practices and crosscutting concepts that are assessed using these tools are limited to a select few. We discuss the implications that these findings have on designing and testing curricula and instruction both in the past and for the future.

Multilevel processes and cultural adaptation: Examples from past and present small-scale societies.

PubMed

Reyes-García, V; Balbo, A L; Gomez-Baggethun, E; Gueze, M; Mesoudi, A; Richerson, P; Rubio-Campillo, X; Ruiz-Mallén, I; Shennan, S

2016-12-01

Cultural adaptation has become central in the context of accelerated global change with authors increasingly acknowledging the importance of understanding multilevel processes that operate as adaptation takes place. We explore the importance of multilevel processes in explaining cultural adaptation by describing how processes leading to cultural (mis)adaptation are linked through a complex nested hierarchy, where the lower levels combine into new units with new organizations, functions, and emergent properties or collective behaviours. After a brief review of the concept of "cultural adaptation" from the perspective of cultural evolutionary theory and resilience theory, the core of the paper is constructed around the exploration of multilevel processes occurring at the temporal, spatial, social and political scales. We do so by examining small-scale societies' case studies. In each section, we discuss the importance of the selected scale for understanding cultural adaptation and then present an example that illustrates how multilevel processes in the selected scale help explain observed patterns in the cultural adaptive process. We end the paper discussing the potential of modelling and computer simulation for studying multilevel processes in cultural adaptation.

Multilevel processes and cultural adaptation: Examples from past and present small-scale societies

PubMed Central

Reyes-García, V.; Balbo, A. L.; Gomez-Baggethun, E.; Gueze, M.; Mesoudi, A.; Richerson, P.; Rubio-Campillo, X.; Ruiz-Mallén, I.; Shennan, S.

2016-01-01

Cultural adaptation has become central in the context of accelerated global change with authors increasingly acknowledging the importance of understanding multilevel processes that operate as adaptation takes place. We explore the importance of multilevel processes in explaining cultural adaptation by describing how processes leading to cultural (mis)adaptation are linked through a complex nested hierarchy, where the lower levels combine into new units with new organizations, functions, and emergent properties or collective behaviours. After a brief review of the concept of “cultural adaptation” from the perspective of cultural evolutionary theory and resilience theory, the core of the paper is constructed around the exploration of multilevel processes occurring at the temporal, spatial, social and political scales. We do so by examining small-scale societies’ case studies. In each section, we discuss the importance of the selected scale for understanding cultural adaptation and then present an example that illustrates how multilevel processes in the selected scale help explain observed patterns in the cultural adaptive process. We end the paper discussing the potential of modelling and computer simulation for studying multilevel processes in cultural adaptation. PMID:27774109

On selecting satellite conjunction filter parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alfano, Salvatore; Finkleman, David

2014-06-01

This paper extends concepts of signal detection theory to predict the performance of conjunction screening techniques and guiding the selection of keepout and screening thresholds. The most efficient way to identify satellites likely to collide is to employ filters to identify orbiting pairs that should not come close enough over a prescribed time period to be considered hazardous. Such pairings can then be eliminated from further computation to accelerate overall processing time. Approximations inherent in filtering techniques include screening using only unperturbed Newtonian two body astrodynamics and uncertainties in orbit elements. Therefore, every filtering process is vulnerable to including objects that are not threats and excluding some that are threats, Type I and Type II errors. The approach in this paper guides selection of the best operating point for the filters suited to a user's tolerance for false alarms and unwarned threats. We demonstrate the approach using three archetypal filters with an initial three-day span, select filter parameters based on performance, and then test those parameters using eight historical snapshots of the space catalog. This work provides a mechanism for selecting filter parameters but the choices depend on the circumstances.

Visual Attention and Applications in Multimedia Technologies

PubMed Central

Le Callet, Patrick; Niebur, Ernst

2013-01-01

Making technological advances in the field of human-machine interactions requires that the capabilities and limitations of the human perceptual system are taken into account. The focus of this report is an important mechanism of perception, visual selective attention, which is becoming more and more important for multimedia applications. We introduce the concept of visual attention and describe its underlying mechanisms. In particular, we introduce the concepts of overt and covert visual attention, and of bottom-up and top-down processing. Challenges related to modeling visual attention and their validation using ad hoc ground truth are also discussed. Examples of the usage of visual attention models in image and video processing are presented. We emphasize multimedia delivery, retargeting and quality assessment of image and video, medical imaging, and the field of stereoscopic 3D images applications. PMID:24489403

Space station systems analysis study. Part 2, Volume 2. [technical report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Specific system options are defined and identified for a cost effective space station capable of orderly growth with regard to both function and orbit location. Selected program options are analyzed and configuration concepts are developed to meet objectives for the satellite power system, earth servicing, space processing, and supporting activities. Transportation systems are analyzed for both LEO and GEO orbits.

The ELPAT living organ donor Psychosocial Assessment Tool (EPAT): from 'what' to 'how' of psychosocial screening - a pilot study.

PubMed

Massey, Emma K; Timmerman, Lotte; Ismail, Sohal Y; Duerinckx, Nathalie; Lopes, Alice; Maple, Hannah; Mega, Inês; Papachristou, Christina; Dobbels, Fabienne

2018-01-01

Thorough psychosocial screening of donor candidates is required in order to minimize potential negative consequences and to strive for optimal safety within living donation programmes. We aimed to develop an evidence-based tool to standardize the psychosocial screening process. Key concepts of psychosocial screening were used to structure our tool: motivation and decision-making, personal resources, psychopathology, social resources, ethical and legal factors and information and risk processing. We (i) discussed how each item per concept could be measured, (ii) reviewed and rated available validated tools, (iii) where necessary developed new items, (iv) assessed content validity and (v) pilot-tested the new items. The resulting ELPAT living organ donor Psychosocial Assessment Tool (EPAT) consists of a selection of validated questionnaires (28 items in total), a semi-structured interview (43 questions) and a Red Flag Checklist. We outline optimal procedures and conditions for implementing this tool. The EPAT and user manual are available from the authors. Use of this tool will standardize the psychosocial screening procedure ensuring that no psychosocial issues are overlooked and ensure that comparable selection criteria are used and facilitate generation of comparable psychosocial data on living donor candidates. © 2017 Steunstichting ESOT.

Engineering principles to assure compatible docking between future spacecraft of USA and USSR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, C. C.

1973-01-01

An androgynous peripheral type docking mechanism concept selected by the U.S. and the USSR is described. The rationale supporting the selection of the concept, the mechanical principles inherent to the concept, and the probable nature of future designs stemming from the concept are discussed. Operational situations prior to docking, impact conditions, energy absorption, and structural joining of two spacecraft are examined.

Different approaches for identifying important concepts in probabilistic biomedical text summarization.

PubMed

Moradi, Milad; Ghadiri, Nasser

2018-01-01

Automatic text summarization tools help users in the biomedical domain to acquire their intended information from various textual resources more efficiently. Some of biomedical text summarization systems put the basis of their sentence selection approach on the frequency of concepts extracted from the input text. However, it seems that exploring other measures rather than the raw frequency for identifying valuable contents within an input document, or considering correlations existing between concepts, may be more useful for this type of summarization. In this paper, we describe a Bayesian summarization method for biomedical text documents. The Bayesian summarizer initially maps the input text to the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) concepts; then it selects the important ones to be used as classification features. We introduce six different feature selection approaches to identify the most important concepts of the text and select the most informative contents according to the distribution of these concepts. We show that with the use of an appropriate feature selection approach, the Bayesian summarizer can improve the performance of biomedical summarization. Using the Recall-Oriented Understudy for Gisting Evaluation (ROUGE) toolkit, we perform extensive evaluations on a corpus of scientific papers in the biomedical domain. The results show that when the Bayesian summarizer utilizes the feature selection methods that do not use the raw frequency, it can outperform the biomedical summarizers that rely on the frequency of concepts, domain-independent and baseline methods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sperm selection in natural conception: what can we learn from Mother Nature to improve assisted reproduction outcomes?

PubMed Central

Sakkas, Denny; Ramalingam, Mythili; Garrido, Nicolas; Barratt, Christopher L.R.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND In natural conception only a few sperm cells reach the ampulla or the site of fertilization. This population is a selected group of cells since only motile cells can pass through cervical mucus and gain initial entry into the female reproductive tract. In animals, some studies indicate that the sperm selected by the reproductive tract and recovered from the uterus and the oviducts have higher fertilization rates but this is not a universal finding. Some species show less discrimination in sperm selection and abnormal sperm do arrive at the oviduct. In contrast, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) utilize a more random sperm population. In this review we contrast the journey of the spermatozoon in vivo and in vitro and discuss this in the context of developing new sperm preparation and selection techniques for ART. METHODS A review of the literature examining characteristics of the spermatozoa selected in vivo is compared with recent developments in in vitro selection and preparation methods. Contrasts and similarities are presented. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS New technologies are being developed to aid in the diagnosis, preparation and selection of spermatozoa in ART. To date progress has been frustrating and these methods have provided variable benefits in improving outcomes after ART. It is more likely that examining the mechanisms enforced by nature will provide valuable information in regard to sperm selection and preparation techniques in vitro. Identifying the properties of those spermatozoa which do reach the oviduct will also be important for the development of more effective tests of semen quality. In this review we examine the value of sperm selection to see how much guidance for ART can be gleaned from the natural selection processes in vivo. PMID:26386468

Multibeam antenna study, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bellamy, J. L.

1972-01-01

A multibeam antenna concept was developed for providing spot beam coverage of the contiguous 48 states. The selection of a suitable antenna concept for the multibeam application and an experimental evaluation of the antenna concept selected are described. The final analysis indicates that the preferred concept is a dual-antenna, circular artificial dielectric lens. A description of the analytical methods is provided, as well as a discussion of the absolute requirements placed on the antenna concepts. Finally, a comparative analysis of reflector antenna off-axis beam performance is presented.

The prior conceptions about force and motion held by grade 8 students in educational opportunity expansion schools of Thailand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buaraphan, Khajornsak

2018-01-01

According to the constructivist theory, students' prior conceptions play an important role in their process of knowledge construction and teachers must take those prior conceptions into account when designing learning activities. The interpretive study was conducted to explore grade 8 students' conceptions about force and motion. The research participants were 42 students (21 male, 21 female) from seven Educational Opportunity Expansion Schools in Nakhon Pathom province located at the central region of Thailand. In each school, two low, two medium and two high achievers were selected. The Interview-About-Instance (IAI) technique was used to collect data. All interviews were audio recorded and subsequently transcribed verbatim. The students' conceptions were interpreted into scientific conception (SC), partial scientific conception (PC) and alternative conception (AC). The frequency of each category was counted and calculated for percentage. The results revealed that the students held a variety of prior conceptions about force and motion ranged from SC, PC to AC. Each students, including the high achievers, held mixed conceptions of force and motion. Interesting, the two dominant ACs held by the students were: a) force-implies-motion or motion-implies-force, and b) force coming only from an active agent. The science teachers need to take these ACs into account when designing the learning activities to cope with them. The implications regarding teaching and learning about force and motion are also discussed.

Biomimetic photo-actuation: sensing, control and actuation in sun-tracking plants.

PubMed

Dicker, M P M; Rossiter, J M; Bond, I P; Weaver, P M

2014-09-01

Although the actuation mechanisms that drive plant movement have been investigated from a biomimetic perspective, few studies have looked at the wider sensing and control systems that regulate this motion. This paper examines photo-actuation-actuation induced by, and controlled with light-through a review of the sun-tracking functions of the Cornish Mallow. The sun-tracking movement of the Cornish Mallow leaf results from an extraordinarily complex-yet extremely elegant-process of signal perception, generation, filtering and control. Inspired by this process, a concept for a simplified biomimetic analogue of this leaf is proposed: a multifunctional structure employing chemical sensing, signal transmission, and control of composite hydrogel actuators. We present this multifunctional structure, and show that the success of the concept will require improved selection of materials and structural design. This device has application in the solar-tracking of photovoltaic panels for increased energy yield. More broadly it is envisaged that the concept of chemical sensing and control can be expanded beyond photo-actuation to many other stimuli, resulting in new classes of robust solid-state devices.

Health Monitoring and Evaluation of Long-Span Bridges Based on Sensing and Data Analysis: A Survey

PubMed Central

Zhou, Jianting; Li, Xiaogang; Xia, Runchuan; Yang, Jun; Zhang, Hong

2017-01-01

Aimed at the health monitoring and evaluation of bridges based on sensing technology, the monitoring contents of different structural types of long-span bridges were defined. Then, the definition, classification, selection principle, and installation requirements of the sensors were summarized. The concept was proposed that new adaptable long-life sensors could be developed by new theories and new effects. The principle and methods to select controlled sections and optimize the layout design of measuring points were illustrated. The functional requirements were elaborated on about the acquisition, transmission, processing, and management of sensing information. Some advanced concepts about the method of bridge safety evaluation were demonstrated and technology bottlenecks in the current safety evaluation were also put forward. Ultimately, combined with engineering practices, an application was carried out. The results showed that new, intelligent, and reliable sensor technology would be one of the main future development directions in the long-span bridge health monitoring and evaluation field. Also, it was imperative to optimize the design of the health monitoring system and realize its standardization. Moreover, it is a heavy responsibility to explore new thoughts and new concepts regarding practical bridge safety and evaluation technology. PMID:28300785

Where is the action? Action sentence processing in Parkinson's disease

PubMed Central

Fernandino, Leonardo; Conant, Lisa L.; Binder, Jeffrey R.; Blindauer, Karen; Hiner, Bradley; Spangler, Katie; Desai, Rutvik H.

2013-01-01

According to an influential view of conceptual representation, action concepts are understood through motoric simulations, involving motor networks of the brain. A stronger version of this embodied account suggests that even figurative uses of action words (e.g., grasping the concept) are understood through motoric simulations. We investigated these claims by assessing whether Parkinson's disease (PD), a disorder affecting the motor system, is associated with selective deficits in comprehending action-related sentences. Twenty PD patients and 21 age-matched controls performed a sentence comprehension task, where sentences belonged to one of four conditions: literal action, non-idiomatic metaphoric action, idiomatic action, and abstract. The same verbs (referring to hand/arm actions) were used in the three action-related conditions. Patients, but not controls, were slower to respond to literal and idiomatic action than to abstract sentences. These results indicate that sensory-motor systems play a functional role in semantic processing, including processing of figurative action language. PMID:23624313

Let's 'play' with molecular pharmacology.

PubMed

Choudhury, Supriyo; Pradhan, Richeek; Sengupta, Gairik; Das, Manisha; Chatterjee, Manojit; Roy, Ranendra Kumar; Chatterjee, Suparna

2015-01-01

Understanding concepts of molecular mechanisms of drug action involves sequential visualization of physiological processes and drug effects, a task that can be difficult at an undergraduate level. Role-play is a teaching-learning methodology whereby active participation of students as well as clear visualization of the phenomenon is used to convey complex physiological concepts. However, its use in teaching drug action, a process that demands understanding of a second level of complexity over the physiological process, has not been investigated. We hypothesized that role-play can be an effective and well accepted method for teaching molecular pharmacology. In an observational study, students were guided to perform a role-play on a selected topic involving drug activity. Students' gain in knowledge was assessed comparing validated pre- and post-test questionnaires as well as class average normalized gain. The acceptance of role-play among undergraduate medical students was evaluated by Likert scale analysis and thematic analysis of their open-ended written responses. Significant improvement in knowledge (P < 0.001) was noted in the pre- to post-test knowledge scores, while a high gain in class average normalized score was evident. In Likert scale analysis, most students (93%) expressed that role-play was an acceptable way of teaching. In a thematic analysis, themes of both strengths and weaknesses of the session emerged. Role-play can be effectively utilized while teaching selected topics of molecular pharmacology in undergraduate medical curricula.

Values in Health Policy – A Concept Analysis

PubMed Central

Shams, Lida; Akbari Sari, Ali; Yazdani, Shahram

2016-01-01

Background: Despite the significant role "values" play in decision-making no definition or attributes regarding the concept have been provided in health policy-making. This study aimed to clarify the defining attributes of a concept of value and its irrelevant structures in health policy-making. We anticipate our findings will help reduce the semantic ambiguities associated with the use of "values" and other concepts such as principles, criteria, attitudes, and beliefs. Methods: An extensive search of literature was carried out using electronic data base and library. The overall search strategy yielded about 1540 articles and 450 additional records. Based on traditional qualitative research, studies were purposefully selected and the coding of articles continued until data saturation was reached. Accordingly, 31 articles, 2 books, and 5 other documents were selected for the review. We applied Walker and Avant’s method of concept analysis in studying the phenomenon. Definitions, applications, attributes, antecedents, and consequences of the concept of "value in health policy-making" were extracted. We also identified similarities and differences that exist between and within them. Results: We identified eight major attributes of "value in health policy-making": ideological origin, affect one’s choices, more resistant to change over time, source of motivation, ability to sacrifice one’s interest, goal-oriented nature for community, trans-situational and subjectivity. Other features pinpointed include alternatives, antecedents, and consequences. Alternative, antecedents and consequences case may have more or fewer attributes or may lack one of these attributes and at the same time have other distinctive ones. Conclusion: Despite the use of the value framework, ambiguities still persist in providing definition of the concept value in health policy-making. Understanding the concept of value in health policy-making may provide extra theoretical support to decision-makers in their policy-making process, to help avoid poor policy formulation and wastage of limited resources. PMID:27801357

Health Education a Conceptual Approach. Growing and Developing, Interacting, Decision Making. Concept 10: Food Selecting and Eating Patterns Are Determined by Physical, Social, Mental, Economic, and Cultural Factors. Teacher-Student Resources.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Creswell, William H., Jr.; And Others

The following resource guide is one in a series which presents extensive bibliographic material oriented around a specific concept, in this guide, food selection and eating patterns. A section is devoted to selected materials related to the concept; grade levels for which each resource might be useful are indicated beside each citation. A second…

Nociception, pain, negative moods and behavior selection

PubMed Central

Baliki, Marwan N.; Apkarian, A. Vania

2015-01-01

Recent neuroimaging studies suggest that the brain adapts with pain, as well as imparts risk for developing chronic pain. Within this context we revisit the concepts for nociception, acute and chronic pain, and negative moods relative to behavior selection. We redefine nociception as the mechanism protecting the organism from injury; while acute pain as failure of avoidant behavior; and a mesolimbic threshold process that gates the transformation of nociceptive activity to conscious pain. Adaptations in this threshold process are envisioned to be critical for development of chronic pain. We deconstruct chronic pain into four distinct phases, each with specific mechanisms; and outline current state of knowledge regarding these mechanisms: The limbic brain imparting risk, while mesolimbic learning processes reorganizing the neocortex into a chronic pain state. Moreover, pain and negative moods are envisioned as a continuum of aversive behavioral learning, which enhance survival by protecting against threats. PMID:26247858

Text Simplification Using Consumer Health Vocabulary to Generate Patient-Centered Radiology Reporting: Translation and Evaluation.

PubMed

Qenam, Basel; Kim, Tae Youn; Carroll, Mark J; Hogarth, Michael

2017-12-18

Radiology reporting is a clinically oriented form of documentation that reflects critical information for patients about their health care processes. Realizing its importance, many medical institutions have started providing radiology reports in patient portals. The gain, however, can be limited because of medical language barriers, which require a way for customizing these reports for patients. The open-access, collaborative consumer health vocabulary (CHV) is a terminology system created for such purposes and can be the basis of lexical simplification processes for clinical notes. The aim of this study was to examine the comprehensibility and suitability of CHV in simplifying radiology reports for consumers. This was done by characterizing the content coverage and the lexical similarity between the terms in the reports and the CHV-preferred terms. The overall procedure was divided into the following two main stages: (1) translation and (2) evaluation. The translation process involved using MetaMap to link terms in the reports to CHV concepts. This is followed by replacing the terms with CHV-preferred terms using the concept names and sources table (MRCONSO) in the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) Metathesaurus. In the second stage, medical terms in the reports and general terms that are used to describe medical phenomena were selected and evaluated by comparing the words in the original reports with the translated ones. The evaluation includes measuring the content coverage, investigating lexical similarity, and finding trends in missing concepts. Of the 792 terms selected from the radiology reports, 695 of them could be mapped directly to CHV concepts, indicating a content coverage of 88.5%. A total of 51 of the concepts (53%, 51/97) that could not be mapped are names of human anatomical structures and regions, followed by 28 anatomical descriptions and pathological variations (29%, 28/97). In addition, 12 radiology techniques and projections represented 12% of the unmapped concepts, whereas the remaining six concepts (6%, 12/97) were physiological descriptions. The rate of lexical similarity between the CHV-preferred terms and the terms in the radiology reports was approximately 72.6%. The CHV covered a high percentage of concepts found in the radiology reports, but unmapped concepts are associated with areas that are commonly found in radiology reporting. CHV terms also showed a high percentage of lexical similarity with terms in the reports, which contain a myriad of medical jargon. This suggests that many CHV terms might not be suitable for lay consumers who would not be facile with radiology-specific vocabulary. Therefore, further patient-centered content changes are needed of the CHV to increase its usefulness and facilitate its integration into consumer-oriented applications. ©Basel Qenam, Tae Youn Kim, Mark J Carroll, Michael Hogarth. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 18.12.2017.

Mars 2020 Science Rover: Science Goals and Mission Concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mustard, John F.; Beaty, D.; Bass, D.

2013-10-01

The Mars 2020 Science Definition Team (SDT), chartered in January 2013 by NASA, formulated a spacecraft mission concept for a science-focused, highly mobile rover to explore and investigate in detail a site on Mars that likely was once habitable. The mission, based on the Mars Science Laboratory landing and rover systems, would address, within a cost- and time-constrained framework, four objectives: (A) Explore an astrobiologically relevant ancient environment on Mars to decipher its geological processes and history, including the assessment of past habitability; (B) Assess the biosignature preservation potential within the selected geological environment and search for potential biosignatures; (C) Demonstrate significant technical progress towards the future return of scientifically selected, well-documented samples to Earth; and (D) provide an opportunity for contributed instruments from Human Exploration or Space Technology Programs. The SDT addressed the four mission objectives and six additional charter-specified tasks independently while specifically looking for synergy among them. Objectives A and B are each ends unto themselves, while Objective A is also the means by which samples are selected for objective B, and together they motivate and inform Objective C. The SDT also found that Objective D goals are well aligned with A through C. Critically, Objectives A, B, and C as an ensemble brought the SDT to the conclusion that exploration oriented toward both astrobiology and the preparation of a returnable cache of scientifically selected, well documented surface samples is the only acceptable mission concept. Importantly the SDT concluded that the measurements needed to attain these objectives were essentially identical, consisting of six types of field measurements: 1) context imaging 2) context mineralogy, 3) fine-scale imaging, 4) fine-scale mineralogy, 5) fine-scale elemental chemistry, and 6) organic matter detection. The mission concept fully addresses the requirements specified by NASA in the SDT charter while also ensuring alignment with the recommendations of the National Academy of Sciences Decadal Survey for Planetary Exploration (Visions and Voyages, 2011).

Using marketing research concepts to investigate specialty selection by medical students.

PubMed

Weissman, Charles; Schroeder, Josh; Elchalal, Uriel; Weiss, Yoram; Tandeter, Howard; Zisk-Rony, Rachel Y

2012-10-01

This study was intended to examine whether a marketing research approach improves understanding of medical specialty selection by medical students. This approach likens students to consumers who are deciding whether or not to purchase a product (specialty). This approach proposes that when consumers' criteria match their perceptions of a product's features, the likelihood that they will purchase it (select the specialty) increases. This study examines whether exploring students' selection criteria and perceptions of various specialties provides additional insights into the selection process. Using a consumer behaviour model as a framework, a questionnaire was designed and administered to Year 6 (final-year) students in 2008 and 2009 to elicit information on their knowledge about and interests in various specialties, the criteria they used in specialty selection, and their perceptions of six specialties. A total of 132 (67%) questionnaires were returned. In many instances, consistency between selection criteria and perceptions of a specialty was accompanied by interest in pursuing the specialty. Exceptions were noted and pointed to areas requiring additional research. For example, although > 70% of female students replied that the affordance of a controllable lifestyle was an important selection criterion, many were interested in obstetrics and gynaecology despite the fact that it was not perceived as providing a controllable lifestyle. Minimal overlap among students reporting interest in primary specialties that possess similar characteristics (e.g. paediatrics and family medicine) demonstrated the need to target marketing (recruitment) efforts for each specialty individually. Using marketing research concepts to examine medical specialty selection may precipitate a conceptual shift among health care leaders which acknowledges that, to attract students, specialties must meet students' selection criteria. Moreover, if consumers (students) deem a product (specialty) unattractive, it may need to be examined further to improve its appeal. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2012.

Transforming care in nursing: a concept analysis.

PubMed

Vázquez-Calatayud, Mónica; Oroviogoicoechea, Cristina; Saracibar, Maribel; Pumar-Méndez, María J

2017-04-01

Although the concept of 'Transforming care' is promising for improving health care, there is no consensus in the field as to its definition. The aim of this concept analysis is to develop a deeper understanding of the term 'Transforming care' within the nursing discipline, in order to facilitate its comprehension, implementation, and evaluation. We performed a comprehensive literature review on electronic databases such as Medline (PubMed), Cinahl (Ebsco), Cochrane Library, PsycINFO (Ovid), Web of Science, Wiley-Blackwell, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink and used Walker and Avant's approach to analyse the concept. From the 20 studies selected for this analysis, 3 main attributes of 'Transforming care' were identified: patient-centredness, evidence-based change, and transformational leadership driven. We suggest an operational definition to facilitate the implementation of the concept in practice. Furthermore, we propose that implementation is guided by the following key ideas: (1) fostering a culture of continuous improvement; (2) encouraging bottom-up initiatives; (3) promoting patient-centred care; and (4) using transformational leadership. Lastly, the evaluation of 'Transforming care' initiatives should assess care processes and professionals' and patients' outcomes.

Development of an Electrochemistry Teaching Sequence using a Phenomenographic Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodriguez-Velazquez, Sorangel

Electrochemistry is the area of chemistry that studies electron transfer reactions across an interface. Chemistry education researchers have acknowledged that difficulties in electrochemistry instruction arise due to the level of abstraction of the topic, lack of adequate explanations and representations found in textbooks, and a quantitative emphasis in the application of concepts. Studies have identified conceptions (also referred to as misconceptions, alternative conceptions, etc.) about the electrochemical process that transcends academic and preparation levels (e.g., students and instructors) as well as cultural and educational settings. Furthermore, conceptual understanding of the electrochemical process requires comprehension of concepts usually studied in physics such as electric current, resistance and potential and often neglected in introductory chemistry courses. The lack of understanding of physical concepts leads to students. conceptions with regards to the relation between the concepts of redox reactions and electric circuits. The need for instructional materials to promote conceptual understanding of the electrochemical process motivated the development of the electrochemistry teaching sequence presented in this dissertation. Teaching sequences are educational tools that aim to bridge the gap between student conceptions and the scientific acceptable conceptions that instructors expect students to learn. This teaching sequence explicitly addresses known conceptions in electrochemistry and departs from traditional instruction in electrochemistry to reinforce students. previous knowledge in thermodynamics providing the foundation for the explicit relation of redox reactions and electric circuits during electrochemistry instruction. The scientific foundations of the electrochemical process are explained based on the Gibbs free energy (G) involved rather than on the standard redox potential values (E° ox/red) of redox half-reactions. Representations of the core concepts from discipline-specific models and theories serve as visual tools to describe reversible redox half-reactions at equilibrium, predict the spontaneity of the electrochemical process and explain interfacial equilibrium between redox species and electrodes in solution. The integration of physics concepts into electrochemistry instruction facilitated describing the interactions between the chemical system (e.g., redox species) and the external circuit (e.g., voltmeter). The "Two worlds" theoretical framework was chosen to anchor a robust educational design where the world of objects and events is deliberately connected to the world of theories and models. The core concepts in Marcus theory and density of states (DOS) provided the scientific foundations to connect both worlds. The design of this teaching sequence involved three phases; the selection of the content to be taught, the determination of a coherent and explicit connection among concepts and the development of educational activities to engage students in the learning process. The reduction-oxidation and electrochemistry chapters of three of the most popular general chemistry textbooks were revised in order to identify potential gaps during instruction, taking into consideration learning and teaching difficulties. The electrochemistry curriculum was decomposed into manageable sections contained in modules. Thirteen modules were developed and each module addresses specific conceptions with regard to terminology, redox reactions in electrochemical cells, and the function of the external circuit in electrochemical process. The electrochemistry teaching sequence was evaluated using a phenomenographic approach. This approach allows describing the qualitative variation in instructors' consciousness about the teaching of electrochemistry. A phenomenographic analysis revealed that the most relevant aspect of variation came from instructors' expertise. Participant A expertise (electrochemist) promoted in-depth discussions of fundamental theories and models that explain the electrochemical process while participant B expertise (general chemistry instruction) emphasized a coherent and explicit presentation of such theories and models to students. Other categories of variation were identified as: recognizing students' conceptions, the use of teaching resources and instructors' expectations for the teaching sequence. For example, while Participant B depended heavily on representations and explanations found in textbooks, participant A recognized misleading representations and oversimplified statements in general chemistry textbooks. Participant A was also more inclined to question the significance of some conceptions such as the correlation between the use of the term circuit and students' conceptions related to the movement of electrons in solution in an electrochemical cell. The electrochemistry teaching sequence in this dissertation fulfils each of the instructors' expectations with regards to the content that incorporated discipline-specific theories and models, explicit connections and flow among concepts, and addressing students' conceptions via the educational activities developed.

Active learning: a step towards automating medical concept extraction.

PubMed

Kholghi, Mahnoosh; Sitbon, Laurianne; Zuccon, Guido; Nguyen, Anthony

2016-03-01

This paper presents an automatic, active learning-based system for the extraction of medical concepts from clinical free-text reports. Specifically, (1) the contribution of active learning in reducing the annotation effort and (2) the robustness of incremental active learning framework across different selection criteria and data sets are determined. The comparative performance of an active learning framework and a fully supervised approach were investigated to study how active learning reduces the annotation effort while achieving the same effectiveness as a supervised approach. Conditional random fields as the supervised method, and least confidence and information density as 2 selection criteria for active learning framework were used. The effect of incremental learning vs standard learning on the robustness of the models within the active learning framework with different selection criteria was also investigated. The following 2 clinical data sets were used for evaluation: the Informatics for Integrating Biology and the Bedside/Veteran Affairs (i2b2/VA) 2010 natural language processing challenge and the Shared Annotated Resources/Conference and Labs of the Evaluation Forum (ShARe/CLEF) 2013 eHealth Evaluation Lab. The annotation effort saved by active learning to achieve the same effectiveness as supervised learning is up to 77%, 57%, and 46% of the total number of sequences, tokens, and concepts, respectively. Compared with the random sampling baseline, the saving is at least doubled. Incremental active learning is a promising approach for building effective and robust medical concept extraction models while significantly reducing the burden of manual annotation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Integrated Technology Rotor/Flight Research Rotor (ITR/FRR) concept definition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harse, J. H.

1983-01-01

A program was performed to identify and evaluate a variety of candidate rotor hub configurations for the ITR/FRR. Design criteria were established for the development of the hub concepts. Eight initial hub configurations were examined and two were selected for further refinement and evaluation. The selected concepts were bearingless designs with and without lead-lag dampers. The selected concepts were refined to the point that their physical properties relative to the Government's technical goals and manufacturing aspects could be assessed. In addition, variations that could be incorporated for the FRR were identified and compatibility for installation on the RSRA was addressed.

Global Fleet Station: Station Ship Concept

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-02-01

The basic ISO TEU containers can be designed for any number of configurations and provide many different capabilities. For example there are...Design Design Process The ship was designed using an iterative weight and volume balancing method . This method assigns a weight and volume to each...from existing merchant ships3. Different ship types are modeled in the algorithm though the selection of appropriate non-dimensional factors

The Use of Criteria in Argumentation and the Construction of Environmental Concepts: A University Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uskola, Araitz; Maguregi, Gurutze; Jimenez-Aleixandre, Maria-Pilar

2010-01-01

We have analysed the processes of argumentation of three university student groups (A: six students, C: five students, and J: seven students) while making a decision about an environmental problem (selection of a heating system). The discussions took place in three 1 1/2-hour sessions that were audio-taped and transcribed. For the analysis of the…

La ciencia en la vida actual. Volumen I. Edicion para el maestro (Science in Everyday Life. Volume I. Teacher Edition). Applied Basic Curriculum Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evaluation, Dissemination and Assessment Center, Dallas.

This guide, the first in a series of three, provides the Spanish-speaking intermediate science student and teacher an opportunity to review selected science concepts and processes through activities which emphasize the applicability of scientific knowledge in the professional world. The three components in this guide deal with (1) ecology (what…

La ciencia en la vida actual. Volumen II. Edicion para el maestro (Science in Everyday Life. Volume II. Teacher Edition). Applied Basic Curriculum Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evaluation, Dissemination and Assessment Center, Dallas.

This guide, the second in a series of three, provides the Spanish-speaking intermediate science student and teacher an opportunity to review selected science concepts and processes through activities which emphasize the applicability of scientific knowledge in the professional world. This guide is divided into three components. The first component…

La ciencia en la vida actual. Volumen III. Edicion para el maestro (Science in Everyday Life. Volume III. Teacher Edition). Applied Basic Curriculum Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Evaluation, Dissemination and Assessment Center, Dallas.

This guide, the third in a series of three, provides the Spanish-speaking intermediate science student and teacher an opportunity to review selected science concepts and processes through activities which emphasize the applicability of scientific knowledge in the professional world. The three components in this guide deal with (1) the scientific…

The relationship between activity specialization and preferences for setting and route attributes of selected rock climbers

Treesearch

Kurt Merrill; Alan Graefe

1998-01-01

Many natural areas are now in the process of developing climbing management plans in order to control management factors associated with the growth of rock climbing. These factors may include limiting areas of use and limiting the type of climber utilizing the resource. The purpose of this study was to further develop and operationalize the concept of recreation...

How Visual Imagery Contributed to College: A Case of How Visual Imagery Contributes to a College Algebra Student's Understanding of the Concept of Function in the United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lane, Rebekah M.

2011-01-01

This investigation utilized the qualitative case study method. Seventy-one College Algebra students were given a mathematical processing instrument. This testing device measured a student's preference for visual thinking. Two students were purposefully selected using the instrument. The visual mathematical learner (VL) was discussed in this…

Storage systems for solar thermal power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calogeras, J. E.; Gordon, L. H.

1978-01-01

The development status is reviewed of some thermal energy storage technologies specifically oriented towards providing diurnal heat storage for solar central power systems and solar total energy systems. These technologies include sensible heat storage in caverns and latent heat storage using both active and passive heat exchange processes. In addition, selected thermal storage concepts which appear promising to a variety of advanced solar thermal system applications are discussed.

The Adventures of a Guinea Pig: Sharing a Class Pet with Children and Their Families.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyer, Becky

2000-01-01

Recounts the use of pets in a kindergarten classroom for children to experience pet ownership and to share the care of animals. Outlines the entire process of pet selection, program implementation, and reactions to the program. Notes that in addition to exposure to pet care, children quickly learned the days of the week and recycling concepts. (SD)

A generic concept to overcome bandgap limitations for designing highly efficient multi-junction photovoltaic cells

PubMed Central

Guo, Fei; Li, Ning; Fecher, Frank W.; Gasparini, Nicola; Quiroz, Cesar Omar Ramirez; Bronnbauer, Carina; Hou, Yi; Radmilović, Vuk V.; Radmilović, Velimir R.; Spiecker, Erdmann; Forberich, Karen; Brabec, Christoph J.

2015-01-01

The multi-junction concept is the most relevant approach to overcome the Shockley–Queisser limit for single-junction photovoltaic cells. The record efficiencies of several types of solar technologies are held by series-connected tandem configurations. However, the stringent current-matching criterion presents primarily a material challenge and permanently requires developing and processing novel semiconductors with desired bandgaps and thicknesses. Here we report a generic concept to alleviate this limitation. By integrating series- and parallel-interconnections into a triple-junction configuration, we find significantly relaxed material selection and current-matching constraints. To illustrate the versatile applicability of the proposed triple-junction concept, organic and organic-inorganic hybrid triple-junction solar cells are constructed by printing methods. High fill factors up to 68% without resistive losses are achieved for both organic and hybrid triple-junction devices. Series/parallel triple-junction cells with organic, as well as perovskite-based subcells may become a key technology to further advance the efficiency roadmap of the existing photovoltaic technologies. PMID:26177808

A generic concept to overcome bandgap limitations for designing highly efficient multi-junction photovoltaic cells.

PubMed

Guo, Fei; Li, Ning; Fecher, Frank W; Gasparini, Nicola; Ramirez Quiroz, Cesar Omar; Bronnbauer, Carina; Hou, Yi; Radmilović, Vuk V; Radmilović, Velimir R; Spiecker, Erdmann; Forberich, Karen; Brabec, Christoph J

2015-07-16

The multi-junction concept is the most relevant approach to overcome the Shockley-Queisser limit for single-junction photovoltaic cells. The record efficiencies of several types of solar technologies are held by series-connected tandem configurations. However, the stringent current-matching criterion presents primarily a material challenge and permanently requires developing and processing novel semiconductors with desired bandgaps and thicknesses. Here we report a generic concept to alleviate this limitation. By integrating series- and parallel-interconnections into a triple-junction configuration, we find significantly relaxed material selection and current-matching constraints. To illustrate the versatile applicability of the proposed triple-junction concept, organic and organic-inorganic hybrid triple-junction solar cells are constructed by printing methods. High fill factors up to 68% without resistive losses are achieved for both organic and hybrid triple-junction devices. Series/parallel triple-junction cells with organic, as well as perovskite-based subcells may become a key technology to further advance the efficiency roadmap of the existing photovoltaic technologies.

The use of concept mapping for scale development and validation in evaluation.

PubMed

Rosas, Scott R; Camphausen, Lauren C

2007-05-01

Evaluators often make key decisions about what content to include when designing new scales. However, without clear conceptual grounding, there is a risk these decisions may compromise the scale's validity. Techniques such as concept mapping are available to evaluators for the specification of conceptual frameworks, but have not been used as a fully integrated part of scale development. As part of a multi-site evaluation of family support programs, we integrated concept mapping with traditional scale-development processes to strengthen the creation of a scale for inclusion in an evaluation instrument. Using concept mapping, we engaged staff and managers in the development of a framework of intended benefits of program participation and used the information to systematically select the scale's content. The psychometric characteristics of the scale were then formally assessed using a sample of program participants. The implications of the approach for supporting construct validity, inclusion of staff and managers, and theory-driven evaluation are discussed.

Equipment concept design and development plans for microgravity science and applications research on space station: Combustion tunnel, laser diagnostic system, advanced modular furnace, integrated electronics laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uhran, M. L.; Youngblood, W. W.; Georgekutty, T.; Fiske, M. R.; Wear, W. O.

1986-01-01

Taking advantage of the microgravity environment of space NASA has initiated the preliminary design of a permanently manned space station that will support technological advances in process science and stimulate the development of new and improved materials having applications across the commercial spectrum. Previous studies have been performed to define from the researcher's perspective, the requirements for laboratory equipment to accommodate microgravity experiments on the space station. Functional requirements for the identified experimental apparatus and support equipment were determined. From these hardware requirements, several items were selected for concept designs and subsequent formulation of development plans. This report documents the concept designs and development plans for two items of experiment apparatus - the Combustion Tunnel and the Advanced Modular Furnace, and two items of support equipment the Laser Diagnostic System and the Integrated Electronics Laboratory. For each concept design, key technology developments were identified that are required to enable or enhance the development of the respective hardware.

[The influence of meaning making following stressful life experiences on change of self-concept].

PubMed

Horita, Ryo; Sugie, Masashi

2013-10-01

As interest in meaning making following stressful life experiences continues to grow, it is important to clarify the features and functions of the meaning- making process. We examined the influence of meaning making following stressful life experiences on change of self-concept. In two studies, university students selected their most stressful life experience and completed the Assimilation and Accommodation of Meaning Making Scale. In Study 1, 235 university students also completed questionnaires regarding post-traumatic growth and positive change of the sense of identity following their stressful life experience. The results of covariance structure analysis indicated that accommodation promoted a positive change of self-concept. In Study 2, 199 university students completed questionnaires regarding change of self-concept and emotion as a positive or negative change following stressful life experiences. The results of covariance structure analysis indicated that accommodation promoted a positive change, similar to the results of Study 1. In addition, accommodation also promoted negative change. However, assimilation did not promote positive change but did restrain negative change.

Machine learning-based coreference resolution of concepts in clinical documents

PubMed Central

Ware, Henry; Mullett, Charles J; El-Rawas, Oussama

2012-01-01

Objective Coreference resolution of concepts, although a very active area in the natural language processing community, has not yet been widely applied to clinical documents. Accordingly, the 2011 i2b2 competition focusing on this area is a timely and useful challenge. The objective of this research was to collate coreferent chains of concepts from a corpus of clinical documents. These concepts are in the categories of person, problems, treatments, and tests. Design A machine learning approach based on graphical models was employed to cluster coreferent concepts. Features selected were divided into domain independent and domain specific sets. Training was done with the i2b2 provided training set of 489 documents with 6949 chains. Testing was done on 322 documents. Results The learning engine, using the un-weighted average of three different measurement schemes, resulted in an F measure of 0.8423 where no domain specific features were included and 0.8483 where the feature set included both domain independent and domain specific features. Conclusion Our machine learning approach is a promising solution for recognizing coreferent concepts, which in turn is useful for practical applications such as the assembly of problem and medication lists from clinical documents. PMID:22582205

Configuration selection for a 450-passenger ultraefficient 2020 aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paulus, D.; Salmon, T.; Mohr, B.; Roessler, C.; Petersson, Ӧ.; Stroscher, F.; Baier, H.; Hornung, M.

2013-12-01

This paper describes the configuration selection process in the FP7 project ACFA (Active Control for Flexible Aircraft) 2020 in view of the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE) aims. The design process challenges and the comparison of a blended wing body (BWB) aircraft with a wide body carry-through wing box (CWB) configuration are described in detail. Furthermore, the interactions between the conceptual design and structural design using multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) to rapidly generate and adapt structural models to design changes and provide early feedback of mass and center of gravity values for these nontraditional configurations are discussed. Comparison of the two concepts determined that the developed all-lifting BWB airframe has the potential for a significant reduced fuel consumption compared to the CWB.

Concepts for on board satellite image registration. Volume 4: Impact of data set selection on satellite on board signal processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruedger, W. H.; Aanstoos, J. V.; Snyder, W. E.

1982-01-01

The NASA NEEDS program goals present a requirement for on-board signal processing to achieve user-compatible, information-adaptive data acquisition. This volume addresses the impact of data set selection on data formatting required for efficient telemetering of the acquired satellite sensor data. More specifically, the FILE algorithm developed by Martin-Marietta provides a means for the determination of those pixels from the data stream effects an improvement in the achievable system throughput. It will be seen that based on the lack of statistical stationarity in cloud cover, spatial distribution periods exist where data acquisition rates exceed the throughput capability. The study therefore addresses various approaches to data compression and truncation as applicable to this sensor mission.

Multi-objective decision-making under uncertainty: Fuzzy logic methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardy, Terry L.

1995-01-01

Fuzzy logic allows for quantitative representation of vague or fuzzy objectives, and therefore is well-suited for multi-objective decision-making. This paper presents methods employing fuzzy logic concepts to assist in the decision-making process. In addition, this paper describes software developed at NASA Lewis Research Center for assisting in the decision-making process. Two diverse examples are used to illustrate the use of fuzzy logic in choosing an alternative among many options and objectives. One example is the selection of a lunar lander ascent propulsion system, and the other example is the selection of an aeration system for improving the water quality of the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland, Ohio. The fuzzy logic techniques provided here are powerful tools which complement existing approaches, and therefore should be considered in future decision-making activities.

A survey of compiler development aids. [concerning lexical, syntax, and semantic analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buckles, B. P.; Hodges, B. C.; Hsia, P.

1977-01-01

A theoretical background was established for the compilation process by dividing it into five phases and explaining the concepts and algorithms that underpin each. The five selected phases were lexical analysis, syntax analysis, semantic analysis, optimization, and code generation. Graph theoretical optimization techniques were presented, and approaches to code generation were described for both one-pass and multipass compilation environments. Following the initial tutorial sections, more than 20 tools that were developed to aid in the process of writing compilers were surveyed. Eight of the more recent compiler development aids were selected for special attention - SIMCMP/STAGE2, LANG-PAK, COGENT, XPL, AED, CWIC, LIS, and JOCIT. The impact of compiler development aids were assessed some of their shortcomings and some of the areas of research currently in progress were inspected.

Charge Transfer Directed Radical Substitution Enables para-Selective C–H Functionalization

PubMed Central

Boursalian, Gregory B.; Ham, Won Seok; Mazzotti, Anthony R.; Ritter, Tobias

2016-01-01

Efficient C–H functionalization requires selectivity for specific C–H bonds. Progress has been made for directed aromatic substitution reactions to achieve ortho- and meta- selectivity, but a general strategy for para-selective C–H functionalization has remained elusive. Herein, we introduce a previously unappreciated concept which enables nearly complete para selectivity. We propose that radicals with high electron affinity elicit areneto-radical charge transfer in the transition state of radical addition, which is the factor primarily responsible for high positional selectivity. We demonstrate that the selectivity is predictable by a simple theoretical tool and show the utility of the concept through a direct synthesis of aryl piperazines. Our results contradict the notion, widely held by organic chemists, that radical aromatic substitution reactions are inherently unselective. The concept of charge transfer directed radical substitution could serve as the basis for the development of new, highly selective C–H functionalization reactions. PMID:27442288

Charge-transfer-directed radical substitution enables para-selective C-H functionalization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boursalian, Gregory B.; Ham, Won Seok; Mazzotti, Anthony R.; Ritter, Tobias

2016-08-01

Efficient C-H functionalization requires selectivity for specific C-H bonds. Progress has been made for directed aromatic substitution reactions to achieve ortho and meta selectivity, but a general strategy for para-selective C-H functionalization has remained elusive. Herein we introduce a previously unappreciated concept that enables nearly complete para selectivity. We propose that radicals with high electron affinity elicit arene-to-radical charge transfer in the transition state of radical addition, which is the factor primarily responsible for high positional selectivity. We demonstrate with a simple theoretical tool that the selectivity is predictable and show the utility of the concept through a direct synthesis of aryl piperazines. Our results contradict the notion, widely held by organic chemists, that radical aromatic substitution reactions are inherently unselective. The concept of radical substitution directed by charge transfer could serve as the basis for the development of new, highly selective C-H functionalization reactions.

The effect of spatial organization of targets and distractors on the capacity to selectively memorize objects in visual short-term memory.

PubMed

Abbes, Aymen Ben; Gavault, Emmanuelle; Ripoll, Thierry

2014-01-01

We conducted a series of experiments to explore how the spatial configuration of objects influences the selection and the processing of these objects in a visual short-term memory task. We designed a new experiment in which participants had to memorize 4 targets presented among 4 distractors. Targets were cued during the presentation of distractor objects. Their locations varied according to 4 spatial configurations. From the first to the last configuration, the distance between targets' locations was progressively increased. The results revealed a high capacity to select and memorize targets embedded among distractors even when targets were extremely distant from each other. This capacity is discussed in relation to the unitary conception of attention, models of split attention, and the competitive interaction model. Finally, we propose that the spatial dispersion of objects has different effects on attentional allocation and processing stages. Thus, when targets are extremely distant from each other, attentional allocation becomes more difficult while processing becomes easier. This finding implicates that these 2 aspects of attention need to be more clearly distinguished in future research.

Extended spider cognition.

PubMed

Japyassú, Hilton F; Laland, Kevin N

2017-05-01

There is a tension between the conception of cognition as a central nervous system (CNS) process and a view of cognition as extending towards the body or the contiguous environment. The centralised conception requires large or complex nervous systems to cope with complex environments. Conversely, the extended conception involves the outsourcing of information processing to the body or environment, thus making fewer demands on the processing power of the CNS. The evolution of extended cognition should be particularly favoured among small, generalist predators such as spiders, and here, we review the literature to evaluate the fit of empirical data with these contrasting models of cognition. Spiders do not seem to be cognitively limited, displaying a large diversity of learning processes, from habituation to contextual learning, including a sense of numerosity. To tease apart the central from the extended cognition, we apply the mutual manipulability criterion, testing the existence of reciprocal causal links between the putative elements of the system. We conclude that the web threads and configurations are integral parts of the cognitive systems. The extension of cognition to the web helps to explain some puzzling features of spider behaviour and seems to promote evolvability within the group, enhancing innovation through cognitive connectivity to variable habitat features. Graded changes in relative brain size could also be explained by outsourcing information processing to environmental features. More generally, niche-constructed structures emerge as prime candidates for extending animal cognition, generating the selective pressures that help to shape the evolving cognitive system.

Conceptual understandings of biology in pre-service science educators and undergraduate biology students at Colorado institutions of higher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Trenton John

Pre-service secondary science individuals, future middle or high school instructors training to become teachers, along with both Honors and general first year undergraduate biology students were investigated to determine how they reason about and understand two core topics in Biology: matter and energy flow through biological systems and evolution by natural selection. Diagnostic Question Clusters were used to assess student understanding of the processes by which matter and energy flow through biological systems over spatial scales, from the atomic-molecular to ecosystem levels. Key concepts and identified misconceptions were examined over topics of evolution by natural selection using the multiple-choice Concept Inventory of Natural Selection (CINS) and open-response Assessing COntextual Reasoning about Natural Selection (ACORNS). Pre-service teachers used more scientifically based reasoning than the undergraduate students over the topics of matter and energy flow. The Honors students used more scientific and less improper informal reasoning than the general undergraduates over matter and energy flow. Honors students performed best on both the CINS and ACORNS items over natural selection, while the general undergraduates scored the lowest on the CINS, and the pre-service instructors scored lowest on the ACORNS. Overall, there remain a large proportion of students not consistently using scientific reasoning about these two important concepts, even in future secondary science teachers. My findings are similar to those of other published studies using the same assessments. In general, very few biology students at the college level use scientific reasoning that exhibits deep conceptual understanding. A reason for this could be that instructors fail to recognize deficiencies in student reasoning; they assume their students use principle-based reasoning. Another reason could be that principle-based reasoning is very difficult and our teaching approaches in college promote memorization of content rather than conceptual change. My findings are significant to the work and progression of concept inventories in biology education, as well as to the instructors of students at all levels of biology curriculum, and those of future science teachers.

Therapeutic androgen receptor ligands

PubMed Central

Allan, George F.; Sui, Zhihua

2003-01-01

In the past several years, the concept of tissue-selective nuclear receptor ligands has emerged. This concept has come to fruition with estrogens, with the successful marketing of drugs such as raloxifene. The discovery of raloxifene and other selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) has raised the possibility of generating selective compounds for other pathways, including androgens (that is, selective androgen receptor modulators, or SARMs). PMID:16604181

Objects Classification by Learning-Based Visual Saliency Model and Convolutional Neural Network.

PubMed

Li, Na; Zhao, Xinbo; Yang, Yongjia; Zou, Xiaochun

2016-01-01

Humans can easily classify different kinds of objects whereas it is quite difficult for computers. As a hot and difficult problem, objects classification has been receiving extensive interests with broad prospects. Inspired by neuroscience, deep learning concept is proposed. Convolutional neural network (CNN) as one of the methods of deep learning can be used to solve classification problem. But most of deep learning methods, including CNN, all ignore the human visual information processing mechanism when a person is classifying objects. Therefore, in this paper, inspiring the completed processing that humans classify different kinds of objects, we bring forth a new classification method which combines visual attention model and CNN. Firstly, we use the visual attention model to simulate the processing of human visual selection mechanism. Secondly, we use CNN to simulate the processing of how humans select features and extract the local features of those selected areas. Finally, not only does our classification method depend on those local features, but also it adds the human semantic features to classify objects. Our classification method has apparently advantages in biology. Experimental results demonstrated that our method made the efficiency of classification improve significantly.

Materials and manufacturing processes for increased life/reliability. [of turbine wheels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duttweiler, R. E.

1977-01-01

Improvements in both quality and durability of disk raw material for both military and commercial engines necessitated an entirely new concept in raw material process control which imposes careful selection, screening and sampling of the basic alloy ingredients, followed by careful monitoring of the melting parameters in all phases of the vacuum melting sequence. Special care is taken to preclude solidification conditions that produce adverse levels of segregation. Melt furnaces are routinely cleaned and inspected for contamination. Ingots are also cleaned and inspected before entering the final melt step.

Manufacturing engineering: Principles for optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koenig, Daniel T.

Various subjects in the area of manufacturing engineering are addressed. The topics considered include: manufacturing engineering organization concepts and management techniques, factory capacity and loading techniques, capital equipment programs, machine tool and equipment selection and implementation, producibility engineering, methods, planning and work management, and process control engineering in job shops. Also discussed are: maintenance engineering, numerical control of machine tools, fundamentals of computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacture, computer-aided process planning and data collection, group technology basis for plant layout, environmental control and safety, and the Integrated Productivity Improvement Program.

Concept of Operations Visualization in Support of Ares I Production

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chilton, James H.; Smith, Daid Alan

2008-01-01

Boeing was selected in 2007 to manufacture Ares I Upper Stage and Instrument Unit according to NASA's design which would require the use of the latest manufacturing and integration processes to meet NASA budget and schedule targets. Past production experience has established that the majority of the life cycle cost is established during the initial design process. Concept of Operations (CONOPs) visualizations/simulations help to reduce life cycle cost during the early design stage. Production and operation visualizations can reduce tooling, factory capacity, safety, and build process risks while spreading program support across government, academic, media and public constituencies. The NASA/Boeing production visualization (DELMIA; Digital Enterprise Lean Manufacturing Interactive Application) promotes timely, concurrent and collaborative producibility analysis (Boeing)while supporting Upper Stage Design Cycles (NASA). The DELMIA CONOPs visualization reduced overall Upper Stage production flow time at the manufacturing facility by over 100 man-days to 312.5 man-days and helped to identify technical access issues. The NASA/Boeing Interactive Concept of Operations (ICON) provides interactive access to Ares using real mission parameters, allows users to configure the mission which encourages ownership and identifies areas for improvement, allows mission operations or spacecraft detail to be added as needed, and provides an effective, low coast advocacy, outreach and education tool.

Specific responses of human hippocampal neurons are associated with better memory.

PubMed

Suthana, Nanthia A; Parikshak, Neelroop N; Ekstrom, Arne D; Ison, Matias J; Knowlton, Barbara J; Bookheimer, Susan Y; Fried, Itzhak

2015-08-18

A population of human hippocampal neurons has shown responses to individual concepts (e.g., Jennifer Aniston) that generalize to different instances of the concept. However, recordings from the rodent hippocampus suggest an important function of these neurons is their ability to discriminate overlapping representations, or pattern separate, a process that may facilitate discrimination of similar events for successful memory. In the current study, we explored whether human hippocampal neurons can also demonstrate the ability to discriminate between overlapping representations and whether this selectivity could be directly related to memory performance. We show that among medial temporal lobe (MTL) neurons, certain populations of neurons are selective for a previously studied (target) image in that they show a significant decrease in firing rate to very similar (lure) images. We found that a greater proportion of these neurons can be found in the hippocampus compared with other MTL regions, and that memory for individual items is correlated to the degree of selectivity of hippocampal neurons responsive to those items. Moreover, a greater proportion of hippocampal neurons showed selective firing for target images in good compared with poor performers, with overall memory performance correlated with hippocampal selectivity. In contrast, selectivity in other MTL regions was not associated with memory performance. These findings show that a substantial proportion of human hippocampal neurons encode specific memories that support the discrimination of overlapping representations. These results also provide previously unidentified evidence consistent with a unique role of the human hippocampus in orthogonalization of representations in declarative memory.

Concept Selection and Developmental Effects in Bilingual Speech Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwieter, John; Sunderman, Gretchen

2009-01-01

The present study investigates the locus of language selection in less and more proficient language learners, specifically testing differential predictions of La Heij's (2005) concept selection model (CSM) and Kroll and Stewart's (1994) revised hierarchical model (RHM). Less and more proficient English dominant learners of Spanish participated in…

Description of Selected Algorithms and Implementation Details of a Concept-Demonstration Aircraft VOrtex Spacing System (AVOSS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hinton, David A.

2001-01-01

A ground-based system has been developed to demonstrate the feasibility of automating the process of collecting relevant weather data, predicting wake vortex behavior from a data base of aircraft, prescribing safe wake vortex spacing criteria, estimating system benefit, and comparing predicted and observed wake vortex behavior. This report describes many of the system algorithms, features, limitations, and lessons learned, as well as suggested system improvements. The system has demonstrated concept feasibility and the potential for airport benefit. Significant opportunities exist however for improved system robustness and optimization. A condensed version of the development lab book is provided along with samples of key input and output file types. This report is intended to document the technical development process and system architecture, and to augment archived internal documents that provide detailed descriptions of software and file formats.

Development of inquiry behavior in concept identification.

PubMed

Vassilopoulos, C A; Dickerson, D J

1992-08-01

We studied inquiry behavior in concept identification in first-, fifth-, eighth-grade, and college students with problems involving eight four-letter strings. The task was to identify the correct string by asking questions related to either one letter or four letters that were answered by yes or no. Processing demands were manipulated by comparing (a) a condition in which letter strings were removed from view as feedback eliminated them as possible solutions with a condition in which strings remained in view and (b) problems that were structured so that relevant letter categories were easy to identify with problems that were not. Problem solving generally improved with age. First graders tended to ask questions that eliminated solutions one by one, whereas the older groups asked more informative questions. At the three upper grade levels, strategies for selecting queries were adapted to situations, with less demanding strategies being used when processing demands were higher.

Development of expanded extrusion food products for an Advanced Life Support system.

PubMed

Zasypkin, D V; Lee, T C

1999-01-01

Extrusion processing was proposed to provide texture and to expand the variety of cereal food products in an isolated Advanced Life Support (ALS) system. Rice, wheat, and soy are the baseline crops selected for growing during long-term manned space missions. A Brabender single-screw laboratory extruder (model 2003, L/D 20:1), equipped with round nozzles of various lengths, was used as a prototype of a small-size extruder. Several concepts were tested to extend the variety and improve the quality of the products, to decrease environmental loads, and to promote processing stability. These concepts include: the blending of wheat and soybean flour, the extrusion of a coarser rice flour, separation of wheat bran, and optimization of the extruder nozzle design. An optimal nozzle length has been established for the extrusion of rice flour. Bran separating was necessary to improve the quality of wheat extrudates.

Concepts Within Reach: Action Performance Predicts Action Language Processing in Stroke

PubMed Central

Desai, Rutvik H.; Herter, Troy; Riccardi, Nicholas; Rorden, Chris; Fridriksson, Julius

2015-01-01

The relationship between the brain’s conceptual or semantic and sensory-motor systems remains controversial. Here, we tested manual and conceptual abilities of 41 chronic stroke patients in order to examine their relationship. Manual abilities were assed through a reaching task using an exoskeleton robot. Semantic abilities were assessed with implicit as well as explicit semantic tasks, for both verbs and nouns. The results show that that the degree of selective impairment for action word processing was predicted by the degree of impairment in reaching performance. Moreover, the implicit semantic measures showed a correlation with a global reaching parameter, while the explicit semantic similarity judgment task predicted performance in action initiation. These results indicate that action concepts are dynamically grounded through motoric simulations, and that more details are simulated for more explicit semantic tasks. This is evidence for a close and causal relationship between sensory-motor and conceptual systems of the brain. PMID:25858602

Molybdenum-base cermet fuel development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pilger, James P.; Gurwell, William E.; Moss, Ronald W.; White, George D.; Seifert, David A.

Development of a multimegawatt (MMW) space nuclear power system requires identification and resolution of several technical feasibility issues before selecting one or more promising system concepts. Demonstration of reactor fuel fabrication technology is required for cermet-fueled reactor concepts. The MMW reactor fuel development activity at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) is focused on producing a molybdenum-matrix uranium-nitride (UN) fueled cermte. This cermet is to have a high matrix density (greater than or equal to 95 percent) for high strength and high thermal conductance coupled with a high particle (UN) porosity (approximately 25 percent) for retention of released fission gas at high burnup. Fabrication process development involves the use of porous TiN microspheres as surrogate fuel material until porous Un microspheres become available. Process development was conducted in the areas of microsphere synthesis, particle sealing/coating, and high-energy-rate forming (HERF) and the vacuum hot press consolidation techniques. This paper summarizes the status of these activities.

Knowledge Driven Variable Selection (KDVS) – a new approach to enrichment analysis of gene signatures obtained from high–throughput data

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background High–throughput (HT) technologies provide huge amount of gene expression data that can be used to identify biomarkers useful in the clinical practice. The most frequently used approaches first select a set of genes (i.e. gene signature) able to characterize differences between two or more phenotypical conditions, and then provide a functional assessment of the selected genes with an a posteriori enrichment analysis, based on biological knowledge. However, this approach comes with some drawbacks. First, gene selection procedure often requires tunable parameters that affect the outcome, typically producing many false hits. Second, a posteriori enrichment analysis is based on mapping between biological concepts and gene expression measurements, which is hard to compute because of constant changes in biological knowledge and genome analysis. Third, such mapping is typically used in the assessment of the coverage of gene signature by biological concepts, that is either score–based or requires tunable parameters as well, limiting its power. Results We present Knowledge Driven Variable Selection (KDVS), a framework that uses a priori biological knowledge in HT data analysis. The expression data matrix is transformed, according to prior knowledge, into smaller matrices, easier to analyze and to interpret from both computational and biological viewpoints. Therefore KDVS, unlike most approaches, does not exclude a priori any function or process potentially relevant for the biological question under investigation. Differently from the standard approach where gene selection and functional assessment are applied independently, KDVS embeds these two steps into a unified statistical framework, decreasing the variability derived from the threshold–dependent selection, the mapping to the biological concepts, and the signature coverage. We present three case studies to assess the usefulness of the method. Conclusions We showed that KDVS not only enables the selection of known biological functionalities with accuracy, but also identification of new ones. An efficient implementation of KDVS was devised to obtain results in a fast and robust way. Computing time is drastically reduced by the effective use of distributed resources. Finally, integrated visualization techniques immediately increase the interpretability of results. Overall, KDVS approach can be considered as a viable alternative to enrichment–based approaches. PMID:23302187

High Altitude Long Endurance Air Vehicle Analysis of Alternatives and Technology Requirements Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nickol, Craig L.; Guynn, Mark D.; Kohout, Lisa L.; Ozoroski, Thomas A.

2007-01-01

The objective of this study was to develop a variety of High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) conceptual designs for two operationally useful missions (hurricane science and communications relay) and compare their performance and cost characteristics. Sixteen potential HALE UAV configurations were initially developed, including heavier-than-air (HTA) and lighter-than-air (LTA) concepts with both consumable fuel and solar regenerative (SR) propulsion systems. Through an Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) down select process, the two leading consumable fuel configurations (one each from the HTA and LTA alternatives) and an HTA SR configuration were selected for further analysis. Cost effectiveness analysis of the consumable fuel configurations revealed that simply maximizing vehicle endurance can lead to a sub-optimum system solution. An LTA concept with a hybrid propulsion system (solar arrays and a hydrogen-air proton exchange membrane fuel cell) was found to have the best mission performance; however, an HTA diesel-fueled wing-body-tail configuration emerged as the preferred consumable fuel concept because of the large size and technical risk of the LTA concept. The baseline missions could not be performed by even the best HTA SR concept. Mission and SR technology trade studies were conducted to enhance understanding of the potential capabilities of such a vehicle. With near-term technology SR-powered HTA vehicles are limited to operation in favorable solar conditions, such as the long days and short nights of summer at higher latitudes. Energy storage system specific energy and solar cell efficiency were found to be the key technology areas for enhancing HTA SR performance.

Assessing Potential Propulsion Breakthroughs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Millis, Marc G.

2005-01-01

The term, propulsion breakthrough, refers to concepts like propellantless space drives and faster-than-light travel, the kind of breakthroughs that would make interstellar exploration practical. Although no such breakthroughs appear imminent, a variety of investigations into these goals have begun. From 1996 to 2002, NASA supported the Breakthrough Propulsion Physics Project to examine physics in the context of breakthrough spaceflight. Three facets of these assessments are now reported: (1) predicting benefits, (2) selecting research, and (3) recent technical progress. Predicting benefits is challenging since the breakthroughs are still only notional concepts, but kinetic energy can serve as a basis for comparison. In terms of kinetic energy, a hypothetical space drive could require many orders of magnitude less energy than a rocket for journeys to our nearest neighboring star. Assessing research options is challenging when the goals are beyond known physics and when the implications of success are profound. To mitigate the challenges, a selection process is described where: (a) research tasks are constrained to only address the immediate unknowns, curious effects or critical issues, (b) reliability of assertions is more important than their implications, and (c) reviewers judge credibility rather than feasibility. The recent findings of a number of tasks, some selected using this process, are discussed. Of the 14 tasks included, six reached null conclusions, four remain unresolved, and four have opportunities for sequels. A dominant theme with the sequels is research about the properties of space, inertial frames, and the quantum vacuum.

An Alternative View of Forest Sampling

Treesearch

Francis A. Roesch; Edwin J. Green; Charles T. Scott

1993-01-01

A generalized concept is presented for all of the commonly used methods of forest sampling. The concept views the forest as a two-dimensional picture which is cut up into pieces like a jigsaw puzzle, with the pieces defined by the individual selection probabilities of the trees in the forest. This concept results in a finite number of independently selected sample...

Self-care Concept Analysis in Cancer Patients: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis.

PubMed

Hasanpour-Dehkordi, Ali

2016-01-01

Self-care is a frequently used concept in both the theory and the clinical practice of nursing and is considered an element of nursing theory by Orem. The aim of this paper is to identify the core attributes of the self-care concept in cancer patients. We used Rodgers' evolutionary method of concept analysis. The articles published in English language from 1980 to 2015 on nursing and non-nursing disciplines were analyzed. Finally, 85 articles, an MSc thesis, and a PhD thesis were selected, examined, and analyzed in-depth. Two experts checked the process of analysis and monitored and reviewed the articles. The analysis showed that self-care concept is determined by four attributes of education, interaction, self-control, and self-reliance. Three types of antecedents in the present study were client-related (self-efficacy, self-esteem), system-related (adequate sources, social networks, and cultural factors), and healthcare professionals-related (participation). The self-care concept has considerably evolved among patients with chronic diseases, particularly cancer, over the past 35 years, and nurses have managed to enhance their knowledge about self-care remarkably for the clients so that the nurses in healthcare teams have become highly efficient and able to assume the responsibility for self-care teams.

Self-care Concept Analysis in Cancer Patients: An Evolutionary Concept Analysis

PubMed Central

Hasanpour-Dehkordi, Ali

2016-01-01

Background: Self-care is a frequently used concept in both the theory and the clinical practice of nursing and is considered an element of nursing theory by Orem. The aim of this paper is to identify the core attributes of the self-care concept in cancer patients. Materials and Methods: We used Rodgers’ evolutionary method of concept analysis. The articles published in English language from 1980 to 2015 on nursing and non-nursing disciplines were analyzed. Finally, 85 articles, an MSc thesis, and a PhD thesis were selected, examined, and analyzed in-depth. Two experts checked the process of analysis and monitored and reviewed the articles. Results: The analysis showed that self-care concept is determined by four attributes of education, interaction, self-control, and self-reliance. Three types of antecedents in the present study were client-related (self-efficacy, self-esteem), system-related (adequate sources, social networks, and cultural factors), and healthcare professionals-related (participation). Conclusion: The self-care concept has considerably evolved among patients with chronic diseases, particularly cancer, over the past 35 years, and nurses have managed to enhance their knowledge about self-care remarkably for the clients so that the nurses in healthcare teams have become highly efficient and able to assume the responsibility for self-care teams. PMID:27803559

Microalgal process-monitoring based on high-selectivity spectroscopy tools: status and future perspectives.

PubMed

Podevin, Michael; Fotidis, Ioannis A; Angelidaki, Irini

2018-08-01

Microalgae are well known for their ability to accumulate lipids intracellularly, which can be used for biofuels and mitigate CO 2 emissions. However, due to economic challenges, microalgae bioprocesses have maneuvered towards the simultaneous production of food, feed, fuel, and various high-value chemicals in a biorefinery concept. On-line and in-line monitoring of macromolecules such as lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and high-value pigments will be more critical to maintain product quality and consistency for downstream processing in a biorefinery to maintain and valorize these markets. The main contribution of this review is to present current and prospective advances of on-line and in-line process analytical technology (PAT), with high-selectivity - the capability of monitoring several analytes simultaneously - in the interest of improving product quality, productivity, and process automation of a microalgal biorefinery. The high-selectivity PAT under consideration are mid-infrared (MIR), near-infrared (NIR), and Raman vibrational spectroscopies. The current review contains a critical assessment of these technologies in the context of recent advances in software and hardware in order to move microalgae production towards process automation through multivariate process control (MVPC) and software sensors trained on "big data". The paper will also include a comprehensive overview of off-line implementations of vibrational spectroscopy in microalgal research as it pertains to spectral interpretation and process automation to aid and motivate development.

A proposal for a drug product Manufacturing Classification System (MCS) for oral solid dosage forms.

PubMed

Leane, Michael; Pitt, Kendal; Reynolds, Gavin

2015-01-01

This paper proposes the development of a drug product Manufacturing Classification System (MCS) based on processing route. It summarizes conclusions from a dedicated APS conference and subsequent discussion within APS focus groups and the MCS working party. The MCS is intended as a tool for pharmaceutical scientists to rank the feasibility of different processing routes for the manufacture of oral solid dosage forms, based on selected properties of the API and the needs of the formulation. It has many applications in pharmaceutical development, in particular, it will provide a common understanding of risk by defining what the "right particles" are, enable the selection of the best process, and aid subsequent transfer to manufacturing. The ultimate aim is one of prediction of product developability and processability based upon previous experience. This paper is intended to stimulate contribution from a broad range of stakeholders to develop the MCS concept further and apply it to practice. In particular, opinions are sought on what API properties are important when selecting or modifying materials to enable an efficient and robust pharmaceutical manufacturing process. Feedback can be given by replying to our dedicated e-mail address (mcs@apsgb.org); completing the survey on our LinkedIn site; or by attending one of our planned conference roundtable sessions.

Advanced Technology Composite Fuselage - Materials and Processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scholz, D. B.; Dost, E. F.; Flynn, B. W.; Ilcewicz, L. B.; Nelson, K. M.; Sawicki, A. J.; Walker, T. H.; Lakes, R. S.

1997-01-01

The goal of Boeing's Advanced Technology Composite Aircraft Structures (ATCAS) program was to develop the technology required for cost and weight efficient use of composite materials in transport fuselage structure. This contractor report describes results of material and process selection, development, and characterization activities. Carbon fiber reinforced epoxy was chosen for fuselage skins and stiffening elements and for passenger and cargo floor structures. The automated fiber placement (AFP) process was selected for fabrication of monolithic and sandwich skin panels. Circumferential frames and window frames were braided and resin transfer molded (RTM'd). Pultrusion was selected for fabrication of floor beams and constant section stiffening elements. Drape forming was chosen for stringers and other stiffening elements. Significant development efforts were expended on the AFP, braiding, and RTM processes. Sandwich core materials and core edge close-out design concepts were evaluated. Autoclave cure processes were developed for stiffened skin and sandwich structures. The stiffness, strength, notch sensitivity, and bearing/bypass properties of fiber-placed skin materials and braided/RTM'd circumferential frame materials were characterized. The strength and durability of cocured and cobonded joints were evaluated. Impact damage resistance of stiffened skin and sandwich structures typical of fuselage panels was investigated. Fluid penetration and migration mechanisms for sandwich panels were studied.

Advanced Low-Emissions Catalytic-Combustor Program, phase 1. [aircraft gas turbine engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sturgess, G. J.

1981-01-01

Six catalytic combustor concepts were defined, analyzed, and evaluated. Major design considerations included low emissions, performance, safety, durability, installations, operations and development. On the basis of these considerations the two most promising concepts were selected. Refined analysis and preliminary design work was conducted on these two concepts. The selected concepts were required to fit within the combustor chamber dimensions of the reference engine. This is achieved by using a dump diffuser discharging into a plenum chamber between the compressor discharge and the turbine inlet, with the combustors overlaying the prediffuser and the rear of the compressor. To enhance maintainability, the outer combustor case for each concept is designed to translate forward for accessibility to the catalytic reactor, liners and high pressure turbine area. The catalytic reactor is self-contained with air-cooled canning on a resilient mounting. Both selected concepts employed integrated engine-starting approaches to raise the catalytic reactor up to operating conditions. Advanced liner schemes are used to minimize required cooling air. The two selected concepts respectively employ fuel-rich initial thermal reaction followed by rapid quench and subsequent fuel-lean catalytic reaction of carbon monoxide, and, fuel-lean thermal reaction of some fuel in a continuously operating pilot combustor with fuel-lean catalytic reaction of remaining fuel in a radially-staged main combustor.

Zero-Gravity Atmospheric Cloud Physics Experiment Laboratory engineering concepts/design tradeoffs. Volume 1: Study results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greco, R. V.; Eaton, L. R.; Wilkinson, H. C.

1974-01-01

The work is summarized which was accomplished from January 1974 to October 1974 for the Zero-Gravity Atmospheric Cloud Physics Laboratory. The definition and development of an atmospheric cloud physics laboratory and the selection and delineation of candidate experiments that require the unique environment of zero gravity or near zero gravity are reported. The experiment program and the laboratory concept for a Spacelab payload to perform cloud microphysics research are defined. This multimission laboratory is planned to be available to the entire scientific community to utilize in furthering the basic understanding of cloud microphysical processes and phenomenon, thereby contributing to improved weather prediction and ultimately to provide beneficial weather control and modification.

Remote sensing in the coastal and marine environment. Proceedings of the US North Atlantic Regional Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaitzeff, J. B. (Editor); Cornillon, P. (Editor); Aubrey, D. A. (Editor)

1980-01-01

Presentations were grouped in the following categories: (1) a technical orientation of Earth resources remote sensing including data sources and processing; (2) a review of the present status of remote sensing technology applicable to the coastal and marine environment; (3) a description of data and information needs of selected coastal and marine activities; and (4) an outline of plans for marine monitoring systems for the east coast and a concept for an east coast remote sensing facility. Also discussed were user needs and remote sensing potentials in the areas of coastal processes and management, commercial and recreational fisheries, and marine physical processes.

Will Quantitative Proteomics Redefine Some of the Key Concepts in Skeletal Muscle Physiology?

PubMed

Gizak, Agnieszka; Rakus, Dariusz

2016-01-11

Molecular and cellular biology methodology is traditionally based on the reasoning called "the mechanistic explanation". In practice, this means identifying and selecting correlations between biological processes which result from our manipulation of a biological system. In theory, a successful application of this approach requires precise knowledge about all parameters of a studied system. However, in practice, due to the systems' complexity, this requirement is rarely, if ever, accomplished. Typically, it is limited to a quantitative or semi-quantitative measurements of selected parameters (e.g., concentrations of some metabolites), and a qualitative or semi-quantitative description of expression/post-translational modifications changes within selected proteins. A quantitative proteomics approach gives a possibility of quantitative characterization of the entire proteome of a biological system, in the context of the titer of proteins as well as their post-translational modifications. This enables not only more accurate testing of novel hypotheses but also provides tools that can be used to verify some of the most fundamental dogmas of modern biology. In this short review, we discuss some of the consequences of using quantitative proteomics to verify several key concepts in skeletal muscle physiology.

The 'wise list'- a comprehensive concept to select, communicate and achieve adherence to recommendations of essential drugs in ambulatory care in Stockholm.

PubMed

Gustafsson, Lars L; Wettermark, Björn; Godman, Brian; Andersén-Karlsson, Eva; Bergman, Ulf; Hasselström, Jan; Hensjö, Lars-Olof; Hjemdahl, Paul; Jägre, Ingrid; Julander, Margaretha; Ringertz, Bo; Schmidt, Daniel; Sjöberg, Susan; Sjöqvist, Folke; Stiller, Carl-Olav; Törnqvist, Elisabeth; Tryselius, Rolf; Vitols, Sigurd; von Bahr, Christer

2011-04-01

The aim was to present and evaluate the impact of a comprehensive strategy over 10 years to select, communicate and achieve adherence to essential drug recommendations (EDR) in ambulatory care in a metropolitan healthcare region. EDRs were issued and launched as a 'Wise List' by the regional Drug and Therapeutics Committee in Stockholm. This study presents the concept by: (i) documenting the process for selecting, communicating and monitoring the impact of the 'Wise List'; (ii) analysing the variation in the number of drug substances recommended between 2000 and 2010; (iii) assessing the attitudes to the 'Wise List' among prescribers and the public; (iv) evaluating the adherence to recommendations between 2003 and 2009. The 'Wise List' consistently contained 200 drug substances for treating common diseases. The drugs were selected based on their efficacy, safety, suitability and cost-effectiveness. The 'Wise List' was known among one-third of a surveyed sample of the public in 2002 after initial marketing campaigns. All surveyed prescribers knew about the concept and 81% found the recommendations trustworthy in 2005. Adherence to recommendations increased from 69% in 1999 to 77% in 2009. In primary care, adherence increased from 83% to 87% from 2003 to 2009. The coefficient of variation (CV%) decreased from 6.1% to 3.8% for 156 healthcare centres between these years. The acceptance of the 'Wise List' in terms of trust among physicians and among the public and increased adherence may be explained by clear criteria for drug recommendations, a comprehensive communication strategy, electronic access to recommendations, continuous medical education and involvement of professional networks and patients.

Coupled Multi-physical Simulations for the Assessment of Nuclear Waste Repository Concepts: Modeling, Software Development and Simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massmann, J.; Nagel, T.; Bilke, L.; Böttcher, N.; Heusermann, S.; Fischer, T.; Kumar, V.; Schäfers, A.; Shao, H.; Vogel, P.; Wang, W.; Watanabe, N.; Ziefle, G.; Kolditz, O.

2016-12-01

As part of the German site selection process for a high-level nuclear waste repository, different repository concepts in the geological candidate formations rock salt, clay stone and crystalline rock are being discussed. An open assessment of these concepts using numerical simulations requires physical models capturing the individual particularities of each rock type and associated geotechnical barrier concept to a comparable level of sophistication. In a joint work group of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR), scientists of the UFZ are developing and implementing multiphysical process models while BGR scientists apply them to large scale analyses. The advances in simulation methods for waste repositories are incorporated into the open-source code OpenGeoSys. Here, recent application-driven progress in this context is highlighted. A robust implementation of visco-plasticity with temperature-dependent properties into a framework for the thermo-mechanical analysis of rock salt will be shown. The model enables the simulation of heat transport along with its consequences on the elastic response as well as on primary and secondary creep or the occurrence of dilatancy in the repository near field. Transverse isotropy, non-isothermal hydraulic processes and their coupling to mechanical stresses are taken into account for the analysis of repositories in clay stone. These processes are also considered in the near field analyses of engineered barrier systems, including the swelling/shrinkage of the bentonite material. The temperature-dependent saturation evolution around the heat-emitting waste container is described by different multiphase flow formulations. For all mentioned applications, we illustrate the workflow from model development and implementation, over verification and validation, to repository-scale application simulations using methods of high performance computing.

Zen and the brain: mutually illuminating topics.

PubMed

Austin, James H

2013-10-24

Zen Buddhist meditative practices emphasize the long-term, mindful training of attention and awareness during one's ordinary daily-life activities, the shedding of egocentric behaviors, and the skillful application of one's innate compassionate resources of insight-wisdom toward others and oneself. This review focuses on how such a comprehensive approach to training the brain could relate to a distinctive flavor of Zen: its emphasis on direct experience, with special reference to those major acute states of awakening that create deep transformations of consciousness and behavior. In Japanese, these advanced states are called kensho and satori. Ten key concepts are reviewed. They begin by distinguishing between the concentrative and receptive forms of meditation, noticing the complementary ways that they each train our normal "top-down" and "bottom-up" modes of attentive processing. Additional concepts distinguish between our two major processing pathways. The self-centered, egocentric frame of reference processes information in relation to our body (our soma) or to our mental functions (our psyche). The other-centered frame of reference processes information anonymously. Its prefix, allo- simply means "other" in Greek. Subsequent concepts consider how these useful Greek words-ego/allo, soma/psyche-correlate with the normal functional anatomy of important thalamo ↔ cortical connections. A plausible model then envisions how a triggering stimulus that captures attention could prompt the reticular nucleus to release GABA; how its selective inhibition of the dorsal thalamus could then block both our higher somatic and psychic cortical functions; so as to: (a) delete the maladaptive aspects of selfhood, while also (b) releasing the direct, all-inclusive, globally-unified experience of other. Two final concepts consider how the long-term meditative training of intuitive functions relates to certain kinds of word-free spatial tasks that involve insightful creative problem-solving.

Zen and the brain: mutually illuminating topics

PubMed Central

Austin, James H.

2013-01-01

Zen Buddhist meditative practices emphasize the long-term, mindful training of attention and awareness during one's ordinary daily-life activities, the shedding of egocentric behaviors, and the skillful application of one's innate compassionate resources of insight-wisdom toward others and oneself. This review focuses on how such a comprehensive approach to training the brain could relate to a distinctive flavor of Zen: its emphasis on direct experience, with special reference to those major acute states of awakening that create deep transformations of consciousness and behavior. In Japanese, these advanced states are called kensho and satori. Ten key concepts are reviewed. They begin by distinguishing between the concentrative and receptive forms of meditation, noticing the complementary ways that they each train our normal “top–down” and “bottom–up” modes of attentive processing. Additional concepts distinguish between our two major processing pathways. The self-centered, egocentric frame of reference processes information in relation to our body (our soma) or to our mental functions (our psyche). The other-centered frame of reference processes information anonymously. Its prefix, allo- simply means “other” in Greek. Subsequent concepts consider how these useful Greek words—ego/allo, soma/psyche—correlate with the normal functional anatomy of important thalamo ↔ cortical connections. A plausible model then envisions how a triggering stimulus that captures attention could prompt the reticular nucleus to release GABA; how its selective inhibition of the dorsal thalamus could then block both our higher somatic and psychic cortical functions; so as to: (a) delete the maladaptive aspects of selfhood, while also (b) releasing the direct, all-inclusive, globally-unified experience of other. Two final concepts consider how the long-term meditative training of intuitive functions relates to certain kinds of word-free spatial tasks that involve insightful creative problem-solving. PMID:24187544

Students' Conceptions of Selected Science, Technology and Society Issues: An Exploratory Multidimensional Scaling Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thirunarayanan, M. O.

The purpose of this study was to explore students' conceptions of 31 selected science, technology, and society issues. Differences in such conceptions across different grade-levels and among males and females also were examined. A total of 138 males and females enrolled in grades five through eleven in a unified school district, and in…

Attainment of Selected Earth Science Concepts by Texas High School Seniors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rollins, Mavis M.; And Others

The purpose of this study was to determine whether high school seniors (N=492) had attained each of five selected earth science concepts and if said attainment was influenced by the number of science courses completed. A 72-item, multiple-choice format test (12 items for each concept) was developed and piloted previous to this study to measure…

AAFE large deployable antenna development program: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The large deployable antenna development program sponsored by the Advanced Applications Flight Experiments of the Langley Research Center is summarized. Projected user requirements for large diameter deployable reflector antennas were reviewed. Trade-off studies for the selection of a design concept for 10-meter diameter reflectors were made. A hoop/column concept was selected as the baseline concept. Parametric data are presented for 15-meter, 30-meter, and 100-meter diameters. A 1.82-meter diameter engineering model which demonstrated the feasiblity of the concept is described.

Design of a Mars Airplane Propulsion System for the Aerial Regional-Scale Environmental Survey (ARES) Mission Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhl, Christopher A.

2008-01-01

The Aerial Regional-Scale Environmental Survey (ARES) is a Mars exploration mission concept that utilizes a rocket propelled airplane to take scientific measurements of atmospheric, surface, and subsurface phenomena. The liquid rocket propulsion system design has matured through several design cycles and trade studies since the inception of the ARES concept in 2002. This paper describes the process of selecting a bipropellant system over other propulsion system options, and provides details on the rocket system design, thrusters, propellant tank and PMD design, propellant isolation, and flow control hardware. The paper also summarizes computer model results of thruster plume interactions and simulated flight performance. The airplane has a 6.25 m wingspan with a total wet mass of 185 kg and has to ability to fly over 600 km through the atmosphere of Mars with 45 kg of MMH / MON3 propellant.

Evolving political science. Biological adaptation, rational action, and symbolism.

PubMed

Tingley, Dustin

2006-01-01

Political science, as a discipline, has been reluctant to adopt theories and methodologies developed in fields studying human behavior from an evolutionary standpoint. I ask whether evolutionary concepts are reconcilable with standard political-science theories and whether those concepts help solve puzzles to which these theories classically are applied. I find that evolutionary concepts readily and simultaneously accommodate theories of rational choice, symbolism, interpretation, and acculturation. Moreover, phenomena perennially hard to explain in standard political science become clearer when human interactions are understood in light of natural selection and evolutionary psychology. These phenomena include the political and economic effects of emotion, status, personal attractiveness, and variations in information-processing and decision-making under uncertainty; exemplary is the use of "focal points" in multiple-equilibrium games. I conclude with an overview of recent research by, and ongoing debates among, scholars analyzing politics in evolutionarily sophisticated terms.

Group Decision Support System to Aid the Process of Design and Maintenance of Large Scale Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-23

from a fuzzy set of user requirements. The overall objective of the project is to develop a system combining the characteristics of a compact computer... AHP ) for hierarchical prioritization. 4) Individual Evaluation and Selection of Alternatives - Allows the decision maker to individually evaluate...its concept of outranking relations. The AHP method supports complex decision problems by successively decomposing and synthesizing various elements

Methodologies for processing plant material into acceptable food on a small scale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parks, Thomas R.; Bindon, John N.; Bowles, Anthony J. G.; Golbitz, Peter; Lampi, Rauno A.; Marquardt, Robert F.

1994-01-01

Based on the Controlled Environment Life Support System (CELSS) production of only four crops, wheat, white potatoes, soybeans, and sweet potatoes; a crew size of twelve; a daily planting/harvesting regimen; and zero-gravity conditions, estimates were made on the quantity of food that would need to be grown to provide adequate nutrition; and the corresponding amount of biomass that would result. Projections were made of the various types of products that could be made from these crops, the unit operations that would be involved, and what menu capability these products could provide. Equipment requirements to perform these unit operations were screened to identify commercially available units capable of operating (or being modified to operate) under CELSS/zero-gravity conditions. Concept designs were developed for those equipment needs for which no suitable units were commercially available. Prototypes of selected concept designs were constructed and tested on a laboratory scale, as were selected commercially available units. This report discusses the practical considerations taken into account in the various design alternatives, some of the many product/process factors that relate to equipment development, and automation alternatives. Recommendations are made on both general and specific areas in which it was felt additional investigation would benefit CELSS missions.

Evolutionary perspectives on learning: conceptual and methodological issues in the study of adaptive specializations.

PubMed

Krause, Mark A

2015-07-01

Inquiry into evolutionary adaptations has flourished since the modern synthesis of evolutionary biology. Comparative methods, genetic techniques, and various experimental and modeling approaches are used to test adaptive hypotheses. In psychology, the concept of adaptation is broadly applied and is central to comparative psychology and cognition. The concept of an adaptive specialization of learning is a proposed account for exceptions to general learning processes, as seen in studies of Pavlovian conditioning of taste aversions, sexual responses, and fear. The evidence generally consists of selective associations forming between biologically relevant conditioned and unconditioned stimuli, with conditioned responses differing in magnitude, persistence, or other measures relative to non-biologically relevant stimuli. Selective associations for biologically relevant stimuli may suggest adaptive specializations of learning, but do not necessarily confirm adaptive hypotheses as conceived of in evolutionary biology. Exceptions to general learning processes do not necessarily default to an adaptive specialization explanation, even if experimental results "make biological sense". This paper examines the degree to which hypotheses of adaptive specializations of learning in sexual and fear response systems have been tested using methodologies developed in evolutionary biology (e.g., comparative methods, quantitative and molecular genetics, survival experiments). A broader aim is to offer perspectives from evolutionary biology for testing adaptive hypotheses in psychological science.

Application of digital mapping technology to the display of hydrologic information; a proof-of-concept test in the Fox-Wolf River Basin, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, G.K.; Baten, L.G.; Allord, G.J.; Robinove, C.J.

1983-01-01

The Fox-Wolf River basin in east-central Wisconsin was selected to test concepts for a water-resources information system using digital mapping technology. This basin of 16,800 sq km is typical of many areas in the country. Fifty digital data sets were included in the Fox-Wolf information system. Many data sets were digitized from 1:500,000 scale maps and overlays. Some thematic data were acquired from WATSTORE and other digital data files. All data were geometrically transformed into a Lambert Conformal Conic map projection and converted to a raster format with a 1-km resolution. The result of this preliminary processing was a group of spatially registered, digital data sets in map form. Parameter evaluation, areal stratification, data merging, and data integration were used to achieve the processing objectives and to obtain analysis results for the Fox-Wolf basin. Parameter evaluation includes the visual interpretation of single data sets and digital processing to obtain new derived data sets. In the areal stratification stage, masks were used to extract from one data set all features that are within a selected area on another data set. Most processing results were obtained by data merging. Merging is the combination of two or more data sets into a composite product, in which the contribution of each original data set is apparent and can be extracted from the composite. One processing result was also obtained by data integration. Integration is the combination of two or more data sets into a single new product, from which the original data cannot be separated or calculated. (USGS)

Transparent Flexible Electronics By Directed Integration of Inorganic Micro and Nanomaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cole, Jesse J.

This thesis focuses on nanomanufacturing processes for the heterogeneous integration of nanomaterials. Our approaches involved local adjustment of electrostatics at the surfaces to control material flux. Templating of surface electrostatics was implemented differently for three broad concepts resulting in control over nanomaterial synthesis, deposition, and printing. These three general concepts are: (A) Tailored ZnO nanowire synthesis and integration out of the liquid phase; (B) Arc discharge synthesis and continuous nanocluster deposition from the gas phase; (C) Contact electrification and xerographic printing of nanoparticles from the gas phase. Concept (A): We report a method to fabricate and transfer crystalline ZnO with control over location, orientation, size, and shape. The process uses an oxygen plasma treatment in combination with a photoresist pattern on Magnesium-doped GaN substrates to define narrow nucleation regions and attachment points with 100 nanometer scale dimensions. Lateral epitaxial overgrowth follows nucleation to produce single crystalline ZnO which were fabricated into LEDs and photovoltaic cells. Concept (B): We report a gas phase nanoparticle deposition system which shares characteristics with liquid phase electrodeposition. Clusters of charged nanoparticles selectively deposit onto electrically grounded surfaces. Similar to electroplating, the continued deposition of Au nanoparticles onto underlying resistive traces increased overall line conductivity. Alternatively, semiconducting ZnO and Ge nanomaterial sequentially deposited between interdigitated electrodes and served as addressable sensor active areas. Concept (C): We report patterned transfer of charge between conformal material interfaces through a concept referred to as nanocontact electrification. Nanocontacts of different size and shape are formed between surface functionalized polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamps and other dielectric materials (PMMA, SiO 2). Forced delamination and cleavage of the interface yields a well defined charge pattern with a minimal feature size of 100 nm. The process produces charged surfaces and associated fields that exceed the breakdown strength of air leading to strong long range adhesive forces and force distance curves which are recorded over macroscopic distances. The process is applied to fabricate charge patterned surfaces for nanoxerography demonstrating 200 nm resolution nanoparticle prints and applied to thin film electronics where the patterned charges are used to shift the threshold voltages of underlying transistors by over 500 mV.

Towards quality indicators for assertive outreach programmes for severely impaired substance abusers: concept mapping with Dutch experts.

PubMed

Roeg, Diana; van de Goor, Ien; Garretsen, Henk

2005-06-01

We investigated the concept of 'quality of assertive outreach programmes for severely impaired substance abusers' with the aim of developing a conceptual framework as the basis for an assessment instrument. We held a concept-mapping session with 13 experts in 2003. Fifty measurable elements of quality were mentioned and rated in terms of relative importance on a Likert-type response scale. Subsequently, the experts grouped the statements that were similar in content. The resulting concept map and additional interpretation made up the final quality framework. SETTING/STUDY PARTICIPANTS: Theoretical sampling was used to select Dutch managers, team leaders, and service providers from different assertive outreach delivery systems for substance abusers. Variation in both perspective and region was reflected in the sample. Nine aspects of quality were formulated: preconditions for care, preconditions for service providers' work, relationship to regular care, service providers' activities and goals, service providers' skills, the role of repression, optimal care for the client, goals of assertive outreach, and nuisance reduction to society. Each aspect was presented using a selection of measurable elements. According to the experts, optimal assertive outreach depends on a broad range of aspects that were later classified in three regions: structure, process, and outcomes. Saturation of the elements has not been proved so far. Nevertheless, it is promising that the framework's regions are supported by theory and that it is largely in accordance with clients' perspectives on assertive community treatment.

A study on the indirect urea dosing method in the Selective Catalytic Reduction system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brzeżański, M.; Sala, R.

2016-09-01

This article presents the results of studies on concept solution of dosing urea in a gas phase in a selective catalytic reduction system. The idea of the concept was to heat-up and evaporate the water urea solution before introducing it into the exhaust gas stream. The aim was to enhance the processes of urea converting into ammonia, what is the target reductant for nitrogen oxides treatment. The study was conducted on a medium-duty Euro 5 diesel engine with exhaust line consisting of DOC catalyst, DPF filter and an SCR system with a changeable setup allowing to dose the urea in liquid phase (regular solution) and to dose it in a gas phase (concept solution). The main criteria was to assess the effect of physical state of urea dosed on the NOx conversion ratio in the SCR catalyst. In order to compare both urea dosing methods a special test procedure was developed which consisted of six test steps covering a wide temperature range of exhaust gas generated at steady state engine operation condition. Tests were conducted for different urea dosing quantities defined by the a equivalence ratio. Based on the obtained results, a remarkable improvement in NOx reduction was found for gas urea application in comparison to the standard liquid urea dosing. Measured results indicate a high potential to increase an efficiency of the SCR catalyst by using a gas phase urea and provide the basis for further scientific research on this type of concept.

Programmable in vivo selection of arbitrary DNA sequences.

PubMed

Ben Yehezkel, Tuval; Biezuner, Tamir; Linshiz, Gregory; Mazor, Yair; Shapiro, Ehud

2012-01-01

The extraordinary fidelity, sensory and regulatory capacity of natural intracellular machinery is generally confined to their endogenous environment. Nevertheless, synthetic bio-molecular components have been engineered to interface with the cellular transcription, splicing and translation machinery in vivo by embedding functional features such as promoters, introns and ribosome binding sites, respectively, into their design. Tapping and directing the power of intracellular molecular processing towards synthetic bio-molecular inputs is potentially a powerful approach, albeit limited by our ability to streamline the interface of synthetic components with the intracellular machinery in vivo. Here we show how a library of synthetic DNA devices, each bearing an input DNA sequence and a logical selection module, can be designed to direct its own probing and processing by interfacing with the bacterial DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system in vivo and selecting for the most abundant variant, regardless of its function. The device provides proof of concept for programmable, function-independent DNA selection in vivo and provides a unique example of a logical-functional interface of an engineered synthetic component with a complex endogenous cellular system. Further research into the design, construction and operation of synthetic devices in vivo may lead to other functional devices that interface with other complex cellular processes for both research and applied purposes.

A systems neurophysiology approach to voluntary event coding.

PubMed

Petruo, Vanessa A; Stock, Ann-Kathrin; Münchau, Alexander; Beste, Christian

2016-07-15

Mechanisms responsible for the integration of perceptual events and appropriate actions (sensorimotor processes) have been subject to intense research. Different theoretical frameworks have been put forward with the "Theory of Event Coding (TEC)" being one of the most influential. In the current study, we focus on the concept of 'event files' within TEC and examine what sub-processes being dissociable by means of cognitive-neurophysiological methods are involved in voluntary event coding. This was combined with EEG source localization. We also introduce reward manipulations to delineate the neurophysiological sub-processes most relevant for performance variations during event coding. The results show that processes involved in voluntary event coding included predominantly stimulus categorization, feature unbinding and response selection, which were reflected by distinct neurophysiological processes (the P1, N2 and P3 ERPs). On a system's neurophysiological level, voluntary event-file coding is thus related to widely distributed parietal-medial frontal networks. Attentional selection processes (N1 ERP) turned out to be less important. Reward modulated stimulus categorization in parietal regions likely reflecting aspects of perceptual decision making but not in other processes. The perceptual categorization stage appears central for voluntary event-file coding. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A translation table for patient-centered comparative effectiveness research: guidance to improve the value of research for clinical and health policy decision-making.

PubMed

Tunis, Sean R; Messner, Donna A; Mohr, Penny; Gliklich, Richard E; Dubois, Robert W

2012-05-01

This article provides background and context for a series of papers stemming from a collaborative effort by Outcome Sciences, Inc., the National Pharmaceutical Council and the Center for Medical Technology Policy to use a stakeholder-driven process to develop a decision tool to select appropriate methods for comparative effectiveness research. The perceived need and origins of the 'translation table' concept for method selection are described and the legislative history and role of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute are reviewed. The article concludes by stressing the significance of this effort for future health services and clinical research, and the importance of consulting end-users--patients, providers, payers and policy-makers--in the process of defining research questions and approaches to them.

Dichotomies of collectivism and individualism in bioethics: Selective abortion debates and issues of self-determination in Japan and 'the West'.

PubMed

Kato, Masae; Sleeboom-Faulkner, Margaret

2011-08-01

This article examines the dichotomies of collectivism and individualism in the debates on the selective abortion of disabled fetuses, which have occurred over the last four decades in Japan. Disagreements in debates on abortion in Japan have often revolved around the concept of self-determination (jiko-kettei). These debates usually focus on whether this 'foreign' concept is appropriate in a Japanese context, as the dominant Japanese discourse stereotypes the Japanese as making decisions in a harmonious manner. Both in public debates and in academic writing on abortion, the idea that the West is devoid of harmonious collectivism is often presented in an uncritical manner. In this article, we argue that the notion of 'self-determination' is borrowed from 'reverse Orientalist' and Occidentalist discourses that portray Westerners as individualistic or ego-centric and the Japanese as collectivist. The concept of 'self-determination' was remolded and projected onto Japanese public and academic debates on abortion. The relevance of this concept lies in the ways in which dichotomous views of 'Japan as harmonious' versus 'the West as individualistic' influence guidelines concerning prenatal testing and its daily practice. By critically analyzing the narratives of policy-makers and academic studies on self-determination and prenatal testing, this study traces these polarizing views back to the processes of national identity formation. These processes underlie political debates and academic work associated with the search for 'Japanese-ness'. This article further demonstrates that policy-makers' criticism of self-determination in prenatal testing derives from gender bias, which is also related to issues of Japanese identity. This article is based on both archival and field research materials collected between 1997 and 2008. We also refer to interviews with medical doctors, policy-makers, journalists, counselors, nurses, participants in various social movements and individuals undergoing prenatal testing, taken from a total of 180 interviews. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mental health recovery: A review of the peer-reviewed published literature.

PubMed

Jacob, Sini; Munro, Ian; Taylor, Beverley Joan; Griffiths, Debra

The concept of mental health recovery promotes collaborative partnership among consumers, carers and service providers. However views on mental health recovery are less explored among carers and service providers. The aim of this review was to analyse contemporary literature exploring views of mental health consumers, carers and service providers in relation to their understanding of the meaning of mental health recovery and factors influencing mental health recovery. The literature review questions were: How is mental health recovery and factors influencing mental health recovery viewed by consumers, carers and service providers? What are the differences and similarities in those perceptions? How can the outcomes and recommendations inform the Australian mental health practices? A review of the literature used selected electronic databases and specific search terms and supplemented with manual searching. Twenty-six studies were selected for review which included qualitative, mixed method, and quantitative approaches and a Delphi study. The findings indicated that the concept of mental health recovery is more explored among consumers and is seldom explored among carers and service providers. The studies suggested that recovery from mental illness is a multidimensional process and the concept cannot be defined in rigid terms. In order to achieve the best possible care, the stakeholders require flexible attitudes and openness to embrace the philosophy.

Constructive neutral evolution: exploring evolutionary theory's curious disconnect.

PubMed

Stoltzfus, Arlin

2012-10-13

Constructive neutral evolution (CNE) suggests that neutral evolution may follow a stepwise path to extravagance. Whether or not CNE is common, the mere possibility raises provocative questions about causation: in classical neo-Darwinian thinking, selection is the sole source of creativity and direction, the only force that can cause trends or build complex features. However, much of contemporary evolutionary genetics departs from the conception of evolution underlying neo-Darwinism, resulting in a widening gap between what formal models allow, and what the prevailing view of the causes of evolution suggests. In particular, a mutationist conception of evolution as a 2-step origin-fixation process has been a source of theoretical innovation for 40 years, appearing not only in the Neutral Theory, but also in recent breakthroughs in modeling adaptation (the "mutational landscape" model), and in practical software for sequence analysis. In this conception, mutation is not a source of raw materials, but an agent that introduces novelty, while selection is not an agent that shapes features, but a stochastic sieve. This view, which now lays claim to important theoretical, experimental, and practical results, demands our attention. CNE provides a way to explore its most significant implications about the role of variation in evolution. Alex Kondrashov, Eugene Koonin and Johann Peter Gogarten reviewed this article.

Constructive neutral evolution: exploring evolutionary theory’s curious disconnect

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Abstract Constructive neutral evolution (CNE) suggests that neutral evolution may follow a stepwise path to extravagance. Whether or not CNE is common, the mere possibility raises provocative questions about causation: in classical neo-Darwinian thinking, selection is the sole source of creativity and direction, the only force that can cause trends or build complex features. However, much of contemporary evolutionary genetics departs from the conception of evolution underlying neo-Darwinism, resulting in a widening gap between what formal models allow, and what the prevailing view of the causes of evolution suggests. In particular, a mutationist conception of evolution as a 2-step origin-fixation process has been a source of theoretical innovation for 40 years, appearing not only in the Neutral Theory, but also in recent breakthroughs in modeling adaptation (the “mutational landscape” model), and in practical software for sequence analysis. In this conception, mutation is not a source of raw materials, but an agent that introduces novelty, while selection is not an agent that shapes features, but a stochastic sieve. This view, which now lays claim to important theoretical, experimental, and practical results, demands our attention. CNE provides a way to explore its most significant implications about the role of variation in evolution. Reviewers Alex Kondrashov, Eugene Koonin and Johann Peter Gogarten reviewed this article. PMID:23062217

Concept mapping: Impact on content and organization of technical writing in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conklin, Elaine

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to compare the relationship between concept mapping and the content and organization of technical writing of ninth grade biology students. All students in the study completed a prewriting assessment. The experimental group received concept map instruction while the control group performed alternate tasks. After instruction, both groups completed the postwriting assessment and mean differences were compared using the t statistic for independent measures. Additionally, scores on the concept map were correlated to the scores on the postwriting assessment using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Finally, attitudes toward using concept mapping as a prewriting strategy were analyzed using the t statistic for repeated measures. Concept mapping significantly improved the depth of content; however, no statistical significance was detected for organization. Students had a significantly positive change in attitude toward using concept mapping to plan a writing assessment, organize information, and think creatively. The findings indicated concept mapping had a positive effect on the students' abilities to select concepts appropriate to respond to a writing prompt, integrate facts into complete thoughts and ideas, and apply it in novel situations. Concept maps appeared to facilitate learning how to process information and transform it into expository writing. Sustained practice in designing concept maps may influence organization as well as content. Developing a systematic approach to synthesize well-organized and coherent arguments in response to a writing task is an invaluable communication skill that has implications for the learner across disciplines and prepares them for higher education and the workforce.

MATERIALS USED IN TEACHING AND EVALUATING THE CONCEPTS RELATED TO THE BIOLOGICAL CELL IN GRADES 2-6, PRACTICAL PAPER NO. 2.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

STAUSS, NYLES G.

INCLUDED ARE MATERIALS FOR USE IN TEACHING AND EVALUATING 11 SELECTED CONCEPTS RELATED TO THE BIOLOGICAL CELL IN GRADES 2 TO 6. THE CONCEPTS WERE SELECTED AND THEIR ORDER DETERMINED THROUGH AN ANALYSIS OF ELEMENTARY TEXTBOOK SERIES, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE BIOLOGY TEXTS, CYTOLOGY TEXTS, AND INFORMATION GATHERED THROUGH A PILOT STUDY. THE MATERIALS…

A Resource for Eliciting Student Alternative Conceptions: Examining the Adaptability of a Concept Inventory for Natural Selection at the Secondary School Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lucero, Margaret M.; Petrosino, Anthony J.

2017-01-01

The Conceptual Inventory of Natural Selection (CINS) is an example of a research-based instrument that assesses conceptual understanding in an area that contains well-documented alternative conceptions. Much of the CINS's use and original validation has been relegated to undergraduate settings, but the information learned from student responses on…

Cajal and the Conceptual Weakness of Neural Sciences

PubMed Central

Delgado-García, José M.

2015-01-01

The experimental and conceptual contributions of Santiago Ramón y Cajal remain almost as fresh and valuable as when his original proposals were published more than a century ago—a rare example, contrasting with other related sciences. His basic concepts on the neuron as the main building block of the central nervous system, the dynamic polarization principle as a way to understand how neurons deal with ongoing active processes, and brain local structural arrangements as a result of the functional specialization of selected neural circuits are concepts still surviving in present research papers dealing with brain function during the performance of cognitive and/or behavioral activities. What is more, the central dogma of the Neuroscience of today, i.e., brain plasticity as the morpho-functional substrate of memory and learning processes, was already proposed and documented with notable insights by Ramón y Cajal. From this background, I will try to discuss in this chapter which new functional and structural concepts have been introduced in contemporary Neuroscience and how we will be able to construct a set of basic principles underlying brain functions for the twenty-first century. PMID:26483644

Virtual manufacturing in reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papstel, Jyri; Saks, Alo

2000-10-01

SMEs play an important role in manufacturing industry. But from time to time there is a shortage in resources to complete the particular order in time. Number of systems is introduced to produce digital information in order to support product and process development activities. Main problem is lack of opportunity for direct data transition within design system modules when needed temporary extension of design capacity (virtuality) or to implement integrated concurrent product development principles. The planning experience in the field is weakly used as well. The concept of virtual manufacturing is a supporting idea to solve this problem. At the same time a number of practical problems should be solved like information conformity, data transfer, unified technological concepts acceptation etc. In the present paper the proposed ways to solve the practical problems of virtual manufacturing are described. General objective is to introduce the knowledge-based CAPP system as missing module for Virtual Manufacturing in the selected product domain. Surface-centered planning concept based on STEP- based modeling principles, and knowledge-based process planning methodology will be used to gain the objectives. As a result the planning module supplied by design data with direct access, and supporting advising environment is expected. Mould producing SME would be as test basis.

ACT Payload Shroud Structural Concept Analysis and Optimization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zalewski, Bart B.; Bednarcyk, Brett A.

2010-01-01

Aerospace structural applications demand a weight efficient design to perform in a cost effective manner. This is particularly true for launch vehicle structures, where weight is the dominant design driver. The design process typically requires many iterations to ensure that a satisfactory minimum weight has been obtained. Although metallic structures can be weight efficient, composite structures can provide additional weight savings due to their lower density and additional design flexibility. This work presents structural analysis and weight optimization of a composite payload shroud for NASA s Ares V heavy lift vehicle. Two concepts, which were previously determined to be efficient for such a structure are evaluated: a hat stiffened/corrugated panel and a fiber reinforced foam sandwich panel. A composite structural optimization code, HyperSizer, is used to optimize the panel geometry, composite material ply orientations, and sandwich core material. HyperSizer enables an efficient evaluation of thousands of potential designs versus multiple strength and stability-based failure criteria across multiple load cases. HyperSizer sizing process uses a global finite element model to obtain element forces, which are statistically processed to arrive at panel-level design-to loads. These loads are then used to analyze each candidate panel design. A near optimum design is selected as the one with the lowest weight that also provides all positive margins of safety. The stiffness of each newly sized panel or beam component is taken into account in the subsequent finite element analysis. Iteration of analysis/optimization is performed to ensure a converged design. Sizing results for the hat stiffened panel concept and the fiber reinforced foam sandwich concept are presented.

Missing concepts in natural selection theory reconstructions.

PubMed

Ginnobili, Santiago

2016-09-01

The concept of fitness has generated a lot of discussion in philosophy of biology. There is, however, relative agreement about the need to distinguish at least two uses of the term: ecological fitness on the one hand, and population genetics fitness on the other. The goal of this paper is to give an explication of the concept of ecological fitness by providing a reconstruction of the theory of natural selection in which this concept was framed, that is, based on the way the theory was put to use in Darwin's main texts. I will contend that this reconstruction enables us to account for the current use of the theory of natural selection. The framework presupposed in the analysis will be that of metatheoretical structuralism. This framework will provide both a better understanding of the nature of ecological fitness and a more complete reconstruction of the theory. In particular, it will provide what I think is a better way of understanding how the concept of fitness is applied through heterogeneous cases. One of the major advantages of my way of thinking about natural selection theory is that it would not have the peculiar metatheoretical status that it has in other available views. I will argue that in order to achieve these goals it is necessary to make several concepts explicit, concepts that are frequently omitted in usual reconstructions.

Development of pseudo-linear gradient elution for high-throughput resin selectivity screening in RoboColumn® Format.

PubMed

Kiesewetter, André; Menstell, Peter; Peeck, Lars H; Stein, Andreas

2016-11-01

Rapid development of chromatographic processes relies on effective high-throughput screening (HTS) methods. This article describes the development of pseudo-linear gradient elution for resin selectivity screening using RoboColumns ® . It gives guidelines for the implementation of this HTS method on a Tecan Freedom EVO ® robotic platform, addressing fundamental aspects of scale down and liquid handling. The creation of a flexible script for buffer preparation and column operation plus efficient data processing provided the basis for this work. Based on the concept of discretization, linear gradient elution was transformed into multistep gradients. The impact of column size, flow rate, multistep gradient design, and fractionation scheme on separation efficiency was systematically investigated, using a ternary model protein mixture. We identified key parameters and defined optimal settings for effective column performance. For proof of concept, we examined the selectivity of several cation exchange resins using various buffer conditions. The final protocol enabled a clear differentiation of resin selectivity on miniature chromatography column (MCC) scale. Distinct differences in separation behavior of individual resins and the influence of buffer conditions could be demonstrated. Results obtained with the robotic platform were representative and consistent with data generated on a conventional chromatography system. A study on antibody monomer/high molecular weight separation comparing MCC and lab scale under higher loading conditions provided evidence of the applicability of the miniaturized approach to practically relevant feedstocks with challenging separation tasks as well as of the predictive quality for larger scale. A comparison of varying degrees of robotic method complexity with corresponding effort (analysis time and labware consumption) and output quality highlights tradeoffs to select a method appropriate for a given separation challenge or analytical constraints. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 32:1503-1519, 2016. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

SEDHI: a new generation of detection electronics for earth observation satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dantes, Didier; Neveu, Claude; Biffi, Jean-Marc; Devilliers, Christophe; Andre, Serge

2017-11-01

Future earth observation optical systems will be more and more demanding in terms of ground sampling distance, swath width, number of spectral bands, duty cycle. Existing architectures of focal planes and video processing electronics are hardly compatible with these new requirements: electronic functions are split in several units, and video processing is limited to frequencies around 5 MHz in order to fulfil the radiometric requirements expected for high performance image quality systems. This frequency limitation induces a high number of video chains operated in parallel to process the huge amount of pixels at focal plane output, and leads to unacceptable mass and power consumption budgets. Furthermore, splitting the detection electronics functions into several units (at least one for the focal plane and proximity electronics, and one for the video processing functions) does not optimise the production costs : specific development efforts must be performed on critical analogue electronics at each equipment level and operations of assembly, integration and tests are duplicated at equipment and subsystem levels. Alcatel Space Industries has proposed to CNES a new concept of highly integrated detection electronics (SEDHI), and is developing for CNES a breadboard which will allow to confirm its potentialities. This paper presents the trade-off study which have been performed before selection of this new concept and summarises the main advantages and drawbacks of each possible architecture. The electrical, mechanical and thermal aspects of the SEDHI concept are described, including the basic technologies : ASIC for phase shift of detector clocks, ASIC for video processing, hybrids, microchip module... The adaptability to a large amount of missions and optical instruments is also discussed.

Sustainable Supplier Performance Evaluation and Selection with Neofuzzy TOPSIS Method

PubMed Central

Chaharsooghi, S. K.; Ashrafi, Mehdi

2014-01-01

Supplier selection plays an important role in the supply chain management and traditional criteria such as price, quality, and flexibility are considered for supplier performance evaluation in researches. In recent years sustainability has received more attention in the supply chain management literature with triple bottom line (TBL) describing the sustainability in supply chain management with social, environmental, and economic initiatives. This paper explores sustainability in supply chain management and examines the problem of identifying a new model for supplier selection based on extended model of TBL approach in supply chain by presenting fuzzy multicriteria method. Linguistic values of experts' subjective preferences are expressed with fuzzy numbers and Neofuzzy TOPSIS is proposed for finding the best solution of supplier selection problem. Numerical results show that the proposed model is efficient for integrating sustainability in supplier selection problem. The importance of using complimentary aspects of sustainability and Neofuzzy TOPSIS concept in sustainable supplier selection process is shown with sensitivity analysis. PMID:27379267

Sustainable Supplier Performance Evaluation and Selection with Neofuzzy TOPSIS Method.

PubMed

Chaharsooghi, S K; Ashrafi, Mehdi

2014-01-01

Supplier selection plays an important role in the supply chain management and traditional criteria such as price, quality, and flexibility are considered for supplier performance evaluation in researches. In recent years sustainability has received more attention in the supply chain management literature with triple bottom line (TBL) describing the sustainability in supply chain management with social, environmental, and economic initiatives. This paper explores sustainability in supply chain management and examines the problem of identifying a new model for supplier selection based on extended model of TBL approach in supply chain by presenting fuzzy multicriteria method. Linguistic values of experts' subjective preferences are expressed with fuzzy numbers and Neofuzzy TOPSIS is proposed for finding the best solution of supplier selection problem. Numerical results show that the proposed model is efficient for integrating sustainability in supplier selection problem. The importance of using complimentary aspects of sustainability and Neofuzzy TOPSIS concept in sustainable supplier selection process is shown with sensitivity analysis.

Magnetic levitation assisted aircraft take-off and landing (feasibility study - GABRIEL concept)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rohacs, Daniel; Rohacs, Jozsef

2016-08-01

The Technology Roadmap 2013 developed by the International Air Transport Association envisions the option of flying without an undercarriage to be in operation by 2032. Preliminary investigations clearly indicate that magnetic levitation technology (MagLev) might be an appealing solution to assist the aircraft take-off and landing. The EU supported research project, abbreviated as GABRIEL, was dealing with (i) the concept development, (ii) the identification, evaluation and selection of the deployable magnetic levitation technology, (iii) the definition of the core system elements (including the required aircraft modifications, the ground-based system and airport elements, and the rendezvous control system), (iv) the analysis of the safety and security aspects, (v) the concept validation and (vi) the estimation of the proposed concept impact in terms of aircraft weight, noise, emission, cost-benefit). All results introduced here are compared to a medium size hypothetic passenger aircraft (identical with an Airbus A320). This paper gives a systematic overview of (i) the applied methods, (ii) the investigation of the possible use of magnetic levitation technology to assist the commercial aircraft take-off and landing processes and (iii) the demonstrations, validations showing the feasibility of the radically new concept. All major results are outlined.

Analysis of chemical concepts as the basic of virtual laboratory development and process science skills in solubility and solubility product subject

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syafrina, R.; Rohman, I.; Yuliani, G.

2018-05-01

This study aims to analyze the concept characteristics of solubility and solubility products that will serve as the basis for the development of virtual laboratory and students' science process skills. Characteristics of the analyzed concepts include concept definitions, concept attributes, and types of concepts. The concept analysis method uses concept analysis according to Herron. The results of the concept analysis show that there are twelve chemical concepts that become the prerequisite concept before studying the solubility and solubility and five core concepts that students must understand in the solubility and Solubility product. As many as 58.3% of the definitions of the concepts contained in high school textbooks support students' science process skills, the rest of the definition of the concept is memorized. Concept attributes that meet three levels of chemical representation and can be poured into a virtual laboratory have a percentage of 66.6%. Type of concept, 83.3% is a concept based on principle; and 16.6% concepts that state the process. Meanwhile, the science process skills that can be developed based on concept analysis are the ability to observe, calculate, measure, predict, interpret, hypothesize, apply, classify, and inference.

Crew appliance study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Proctor, B. W.; Reysa, R. P.; Russell, D. J.

1975-01-01

Viable crew appliance concepts were identified by means of a thorough literature search. Studies were made of the food management, personal hygiene, housekeeping, and off-duty habitability functions to determine which concepts best satisfy the Space Shuttle Orbiter and Modular Space Station mission requirements. Models of selected appliance concepts not currently included in the generalized environmental-thermal control and life support systems computer program were developed and validated. Development plans of selected concepts were generated for future reference. A shuttle freezer conceptual design was developed and a test support activity was provided for regenerative environmental control life support subsystems.

An overview of the thematic mapper geometric correction system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beyer, E. P.

1983-01-01

Geometric accuracy specifications for LANDSAT 4 are reviewed and the processing concepts which form the basis of NASA's thematic mapper geometric correction system are summarized for both the flight and ground segments. The flight segment includes the thematic mapper instrument, attitude measurement devices, attitude control, and ephemeris processing. For geometric correction the ground segment uses mirror scan correction data, payload correction data, and control point information to determine where TM detector samples fall on output map projection systems. Then the raw imagery is reformatted and resampled to produce image samples on a selected output projection grid system.

Incorporating development of a patient-reported outcome instrument in a clinical drug development program: examples from a heart failure program.

PubMed

Wiklund, Ingela; Anatchkova, Milena; Oko-Osi, Hafiz; von Maltzahn, Robyn; Chau, Dina; Malik, Fady I; Patrick, Donald L; Spertus, John; Teerlink, John R

2016-09-15

Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures can be used to support label claims if they adhere to US Food & Drug Administration guidance. The process of developing a new PRO measure is expensive and time-consuming. We report the results of qualitative studies to develop new PRO measures for use in clinical trials of omecamtiv mecarbil (a selective, small molecule activator of cardiac myosin) for patients with heart failure (HF), as well as the lessons learned from the development process. Concept elicitation focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with patients with HF to identify concepts for the instrument. Cognitive interviews with HF patients were used to confirm that no essential concepts were missing and to assess patient comprehension of the instrument and items. During concept elicitation, the most frequently reported HF symptoms were shortness of breath, tiredness, fluid retention, fatigue, dizziness/light-headedness, swelling, weight fluctuation, and trouble sleeping. Two measures were developed based on the concepts: the Heart Failure Symptom Diary (HF-SD) and the Heart Failure Impact Scale (HFIS). Findings from cognitive interviews suggested that the items in the HF-SD and HFIS were relevant and well understood by patients. Multiple iterations of concept elicitation and cognitive interviews were needed based on FDA request for a broader patient population in the qualitative study. Lessons learned from the omecamtiv mecarbil PRO/clinical development program are discussed, including challenges of qualitative studies, patient recruitment, expected and actual timelines, cost, and engagement with various stakeholders. Development of a new PRO measure to support a label claim requires significant investment and early planning, as demonstrated by the omecamtiv mecarbil program.

Geostationary platform systems concepts definition study. Volume 2: Technical, book 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The initial selection and definition of operational geostationary platform concepts is discussed. Candidate geostationary platform missions and payloads were identified from COMSAT, Aerospace, and NASA studies. These missions and payloads were cataloged; classified with to communications, military, or scientific uses; screened for application and compatibility with geostationary platforms; and analyzed to identify platform requirements. Two platform locations were then selected (Western Hemisphere - 110 deg W, and Atlantic - 15 deg W), and payloads allocated based on nominal and high traffic models. Trade studies were performed leading to recommendation of selected concepts. Of 30 Orbit Transfer Vehicle (0TV) configuration and operating mode options identified, 18 viable candidates compatible with the operational geostationary platform missions were selected for analysis. Each was considered using four platform operational modes - 8 or 16 year life, and serviced or nonserviced, providing a total of 72 OTV/platform-mode options. For final trade study concept selection, a cost program was developed considering payload and platform costs and weight; transportation unit and total costs for the shuttle and OTV; and operational costs such as assembly or construction time, mating time, and loiter time. Servicing costs were added for final analysis and recommended selection.

Lunar base heat pump, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldman, Jeffrey H.; Harvey, A.; Lovell, T.; Walker, David H.

1994-01-01

This report describes the Phase 1 process and analysis used to select a refrigerant and thermodynamic cycle as the basis of a vapor compression heat pump requiring a high temperature lift, then to perform a preliminary design to implement the selected concept, including major component selection. Use of a vapor compression heat pump versus other types was based on prior work performed for the Electric Power Research Institute. A high lift heat pump is needed to enable a thermal control system to remove heat down to 275 K from a habitable volume when the external thermal environment is severe. For example, a long-term lunar base habitat will reject heat from a space radiator to a 325 K environment. The first step in the selection process was to perform an optimization trade study, quantifying the effect of radiator operating temperature and heat pump efficiency on total system mass; then, select the radiator operating temperature corresponding to the lowest system mass. Total system mass included radiators, all heat pump components, and the power supply system. The study showed that lunar night operation, with no temperature lift, dictated the radiator size. To operate otherwise would require a high mass penalty to store power. With the defined radiation surface, and heat pump performances assumed to be from 40 percent to 60 percent of the Carnot ideal, the optimum heat rejection temperature ranged from 387 K to 377 K, as a function of heat pump performance. Refrigerant and thermodynamic cycles were then selected to best meet the previously determined design conditions. The system was then adapted as a ground-based prototype lifting temperature to 360 K (versus 385 K for flight unit) and using readily available commercial-grade components. Over 40 refrigerants, separated into wet and dry compression behavioral types, were considered in the selection process. Refrigerants were initially screened for acceptable critical temperature. The acceptable refrigerants were analyzed in ideal single and two-stage thermodynamic cycles. Top candidates were analyzed assuming realistic component limits and system pressure drops, and were evaluated for other considerations such as safety, environmental impact, and commercial availability. A maximum coefficient of performance (COP) of 56 percent of the Carnot ideal was achievable for a three-stage CFC-11 cycle operating under the flight conditions above. The program was completed by defining a control scheme and by researching and selecting the major components, compressor and heat exchangers, that could be used to implement the thermodynamic cycle selected. Special attention was paid to using similar technologies for the SIRF and flight heat pumps resulting in the commercially available equivalent of the flight unit. A package concept was generated for the components selected and mass and volume estimated.

The concept of self-organizing systems. Why bother?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elverfeldt, Kirsten v.; Embleton-Hamann, Christine; Slaymaker, Olav

2016-04-01

Complexity theory and the concept of self-organizing systems provide a rather challenging conceptual framework for explaining earth systems change. Self-organization - understood as the aggregate processes internal to an environmental system that lead to a distinctive spatial or temporal organization - reduces the possibility of implicating a specific process as being causal, and it poses some restrictions on the idea that external drivers cause a system to change. The concept of self-organizing systems suggests that many phenomena result from an orchestration of different mechanisms, so that no causal role can be assigned to an individual factor or process. The idea that system change can be due to system-internal processes of self-organization thus proves a huge challenge to earth system research, especially in the context of global environmental change. In order to understand the concept's implications for the Earth Sciences, we need to know the characteristics of self-organizing systems and how to discern self-organizing systems. Within the talk, we aim firstly at characterizing self-organizing systems, and secondly at highlighting the advantages and difficulties of the concept within earth system sciences. The presentation concludes that: - The concept of self-organizing systems proves especially fruitful for small-scale earth surface systems. Beach cusps and patterned ground are only two of several other prime examples of self-organizing earth surface systems. They display characteristics of self-organization like (i) system-wide order from local interactions, (ii) symmetry breaking, (iii) distributed control, (iv) robustness and resilience, (v) nonlinearity and feedbacks, (vi) organizational closure, (vii) adaptation, and (viii) variation and selection. - It is comparatively easy to discern self-organization in small-scale systems, but to adapt the concept to larger scale systems relevant to global environmental change research is more difficult: Self-organizing systems seem to form nested hierarchies, and on different hierarchical levels self-organizing and externally driven subsystems might occur simultaneously. - Traditional geomorphological concepts such as sensitivity to change, and intrinsic or extrinsic thresholds are compatible with the concept of self-organizing system, and these concepts are even enriched in their explanatory power when viewed in the larger framework of self-organization. The conceptual step to acknowledge self-organizing system change within earth system sciences thus can be regarded as relatively small. The concept of self-organization suggests a change of focus for earth system change research: a shift from input-output relations toward the inner organization of systems, since external controls rather limit the degrees of freedom of a system instead of triggering changes. Many systems might in fact be rather autonomous, and the specific and observable external trigger might be less important than the intrinsic system state. Hence, neither gradual nor catastrophic system changes necessarily need an external driver. The concept of self-organization provides important caveats to generally attributing environmental change to external drivers, and it encourages a frank admission of ignorance in the face of complexity.

150-nm DR contact holes die-to-database inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, Shen C.; Wu, Clare; Eran, Yair; Staud, Wolfgang; Hemar, Shirley; Lindman, Ofer

2000-07-01

Using a failure analysis-driven yield enhancements concept, based on an optimization of the mask manufacturing process and UV reticle inspection is studied and shown to improve the contact layer quality. This is achieved by relating various manufacturing processes to very fine tuned contact defect detection. In this way, selecting an optimized manufacturing process with fine-tuned inspection setup is achieved in a controlled manner. This paper presents a study, performed on a specially designed test reticle, which simulates production contact layers of design rule 250nm, 180nm and 150nm. This paper focuses on the use of advanced UV reticle inspection techniques as part of the process optimization cycle. Current inspection equipment uses traditional and insufficient methods of small contact-hole inspection and review.

Development of Teaching Material Oxidation-Reduction Reactions through Four Steps Teaching Material Development (4S TMD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syamsuri, B. S.; Anwar, S.; Sumarna, O.

2017-09-01

This research aims to develop oxidation-reduction reactions (redox) teaching material used the Four Steps Teaching Material Development (4S TMD) method consists of four steps: selection, structuring, characterization and didactical reduction. This paper is the first part of the development of teaching material that includes selection and structuring steps. At the selection step, the development of teaching material begins with the development concept of redox based on curriculum demands, then the development of fundamental concepts sourced from the international textbook, and last is the development of values or skills can be integrated with redox concepts. The results of this selection step are the subject matter of the redox concept and values can be integrated with it. In the structuring step was developed concept map that provide on the relationship between redox concepts; Macro structure that guide systematic on the writing of teaching material; And multiple representations which are the development of teaching material that connection between macroscopic, submicroscopic, and symbolic level representations. The result of the two steps in this first part of the study produced a draft of teaching material. Evaluation of the draft of teaching material is done by an expert lecturer in the field of chemical education to assess the feasibility of teaching material.

Tribology experiment. [journal bearings and liquid lubricants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wall, W. A.

1981-01-01

A two-dimensional concept for Spacelab rack 7 was developed to study the interaction of liquid lubricants and surfaces under static and dynamic conditions in a low-gravity environment fluid wetting and spreading experiments of a journal bearing experiments, and means to accurately measure and record the low-gravity environment during experimentation are planned. The wetting and spreading process of selected commercial lubricants on representative surface are to the observes in a near-zero gravity environment.

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

Not Available

The SPS Concept Development and Evaluation Program includes a comparative assessment. An early first step in the assessment process is the selection and characterization of alternative technologies. This document describes the cost and performance (i.e., technical and environmental) characteristics of six central station energy alternatives: (1) conventional coal-fired powerplant; (2) conventional light water reactor (LWR); (3) combined cycle powerplant with low-Btu gasifiers; (4) liquid metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR); (5) photovoltaic system without storage; and (6) fusion reactor.

Conception of discrete systems decomposition algorithm using p-invariants and hypergraphs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefanowicz, Ł.

2016-09-01

In the article author presents an idea of decomposition algorithm of discrete systems described by Petri Nets using pinvariants. Decomposition process is significant from the point of view of discrete systems design, because it allows separation of the smaller sequential parts. Proposed algorithm uses modified Martinez-Silva method as well as author's selection algorithm. The developed method is a good complement of classical decomposition algorithms using graphs and hypergraphs.

Expanded Concepts of the School Library Media Center; Narrative Evaluation Report on the Institute for Advanced Study for Librarians...University of Washington...July 6 to July 17, 1970.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Washington Univ., Seattle. School of Librarianship.

The purpose of the institute was to update school librarians in elementary and secondary schools and enable them to gain competency in the new media. The objectives of the institute were to assist the school librarian in the selection, processing and utilization of nonbook media, to learn simple techniques in production of materials, and to…

A Catalogue of Concepts in the Pedagogical Domain of Teacher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Multi-State Consortium on Performance-Based Teacher Education, Albany, NY.

This catalog of concepts in the pedagogical domain of teacher education organizes the critical concepts and provides definitions, indicators, and illustrations of the concepts. Chapter 1 presents a rationale for the selection of concepts in teacher education and discusses pedagogical domain, interactive teaching, the format of concepts in this…

Machinery Bearing Fault Diagnosis Using Variational Mode Decomposition and Support Vector Machine as a Classifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rama Krishna, K.; Ramachandran, K. I.

2018-02-01

Crack propagation is a major cause of failure in rotating machines. It adversely affects the productivity, safety, and the machining quality. Hence, detecting the crack’s severity accurately is imperative for the predictive maintenance of such machines. Fault diagnosis is an established concept in identifying the faults, for observing the non-linear behaviour of the vibration signals at various operating conditions. In this work, we find the classification efficiencies for both original and the reconstructed vibrational signals. The reconstructed signals are obtained using Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD), by splitting the original signal into three intrinsic mode functional components and framing them accordingly. Feature extraction, feature selection and feature classification are the three phases in obtaining the classification efficiencies. All the statistical features from the original signals and reconstructed signals are found out in feature extraction process individually. A few statistical parameters are selected in feature selection process and are classified using the SVM classifier. The obtained results show the best parameters and appropriate kernel in SVM classifier for detecting the faults in bearings. Hence, we conclude that better results were obtained by VMD and SVM process over normal process using SVM. This is owing to denoising and filtering the raw vibrational signals.

Modeling and system design for the LOFAR station digital processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alliot, Sylvain; van Veelen, Martijn

2004-09-01

In the context of the LOFAR preliminary design phase and in particular for the specification of the Station Digital Processing (SDP), a performance/cost model of the system was used. We present here the framework and the trajectory followed in this phase when going from requirements to specification. In the phased array antenna concepts for the next generation of radio telescopes (LOFAR, ATA, SKA) signal processing (multi-beaming and RFI mitigation) replaces the large antenna dishes. The embedded systems for these telescopes are major infrastructure cost items. Moreover, the flexibility and overall performance of the instrument depend greatly on them, therefore alternative solutions need to be investigated. In particular, the technology and the various data transport selections play a fundamental role in the optimization of the architecture. We proposed a formal method [1] of exploring these alternatives that has been followed during the SDP developments. Different scenarios were compared for the specification of the application (selection of the algorithms as well as detailed signal processing techniques) and in the specification of the system architecture (selection of high level topologies, platforms and components). It gave us inside knowledge on the possible trade-offs in the application and architecture domains. This was successful in providing firm basis for the design choices that are demanded by technical review committees.

Laser processes and system technology for the production of high-efficient crystalline solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayerhofer, R.; Hendel, R.; Zhu, Wenjie; Geiger, S.

2012-10-01

The laser as an industrial tool is an essential part of today's solar cell production. Due to the on-going efforts in the solar industry, to increase the cell efficiency, more and more laser-based processes, which have been discussed and tested at lab-scale for many years, are now being implemented in mass production lines. In order to cope with throughput requirements, standard laser concepts have to be improved continuously with respect to available average power levels, repetition rates or beam profile. Some of the laser concepts, that showed high potential in the past couple of years, will be substituted by other, more economic laser types. Furthermore, requirements for processing with less-heat affected zones fuel the development of industry-ready ultra short pulsed lasers with pulse widths even below the picosecond range. In 2011, the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) had launched the program "PV-Innovation Alliance", with the aim to support the rapid transfer of high-efficiency processes out of development departments and research institutes into solar cell production lines. Here, lasers play an important role as production tools, allowing the fast implementation of high-performance solar cell concepts. We will report on the results achieved within the joint project FUTUREFAB, where efficiency optimization, throughput enhancement and cost reduction are the main goals. Here, the presentation will focus on laser processes like selective emitter doping and ablation of dielectric layers. An indispensable part of the efforts towards cost reduction in solar cell production is the improvement of wafer handling and throughput capabilities of the laser processing system. Therefore, the presentation will also elaborate on new developments in the design of complete production machines.

Design of Backpack to Aid Elderly for the Mazu Touring Procession in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, F. L.; Huang, Y. C.; Su, J. Y.; Sun, C. L.; Chen, C. C.

2017-09-01

The Dajia Mazu Touring Procession is a 9-day long religious event held annually. However, for the elderly participants, it is a big burden especially in regards to physical strength. The goal of designing backpack is to reduce the physiological stress of elderly during the procession. Firstly, physical parameters were measured to explore the dimension parameters by testing. The height of the chair is different from that of the kneeling pad; a smooth curve was chosen to coordinate the two as the main outline of the backpack. Secondly, material selections based on following limits were considered: (1) acceptable weight and size, (2) intermediate price and (3) a design that is fitting to the Dajia event. The material and structural strength were evaluated for wood, bamboo, stainless steel. Two design concept were proposed, wood is selected for construction and testing by users. The texture of the backpack is Rush grass, it was built successfully to cover the backpack’s external surface to meet local culture features.

Modeling of plant in vitro cultures: overview and estimation of biotechnological processes.

PubMed

Maschke, Rüdiger W; Geipel, Katja; Bley, Thomas

2015-01-01

Plant cell and tissue cultivations are of growing interest for the production of structurally complex and expensive plant-derived products, especially in pharmaceutical production. Problems with up-scaling, low yields, and high-priced process conditions result in an increased demand for models to provide comprehension, simulation, and optimization of production processes. In the last 25 years, many models have evolved in plant biotechnology; the majority of them are specialized models for a few selected products or nutritional conditions. In this article we review, delineate, and discuss the concepts and characteristics of the most commonly used models. Therefore, the authors focus on models for plant suspension and submerged hairy root cultures. The article includes a short overview of modeling and mathematics and integrated parameters, as well as the application scope for each model. The review is meant to help researchers better understand and utilize the numerous models published for plant cultures, and to select the most suitable model for their purposes. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Values in Health Policy - A Concept Analysis.

PubMed

Shams, Lida; Akbari Sari, Ali; Yazdani, Shahram

2016-08-17

Despite the significant role "values" play in decision-making no definition or attributes regarding the concept have been provided in health policy-making. This study aimed to clarify the defining attributes of a concept of value and its irrelevant structures in health policy-making. We anticipate our findings will help reduce the semantic ambiguities associated with the use of "values" and other concepts such as principles, criteria, attitudes, and beliefs. An extensive search of literature was carried out using electronic data base and library. The overall search strategy yielded about 1540 articles and 450 additional records. Based on traditional qualitative research, studies were purposefully selected and the coding of articles continued until data saturation was reached. Accordingly, 31 articles, 2 books, and 5 other documents were selected for the review. We applied Walker and Avant's method of concept analysis in studying the phenomenon. Definitions, applications, attributes, antecedents, and consequences of the concept of "value in health policy-making" were extracted. We also identified similarities and differences that exist between and within them. We identified eight major attributes of "value in health policy-making": ideological origin, affect one's choices, more resistant to change over time, source of motivation, ability to sacrifice one's interest, goal-oriented nature for community, trans-situational and subjectivity. Other features pinpointed include alternatives, antecedents, and consequences. Alternative, antecedents and consequences case may have more or fewer attributes or may lack one of these attributes and at the same time have other distinctive ones. Despite the use of the value framework, ambiguities still persist in providing definition of the concept value in health policy-making. Understanding the concept of value in health policy-making may provide extra theoretical support to decision-makers in their policy-making process, to help avoid poor policy formulation and wastage of limited resources. © 2016 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Du changement conceptuel a la complexification conceptuelle dans l'apprentissage des sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belanger, Michel

Science learning has often been thought as a replacement process; learners' spontaneous ideas must be replaced by scientific ones. Many learning models in science education were formulated in this way (at least implicitly). But theses spontaneous ideas proved to be more resistant than initially thought. Several researchers concluded that students often possess an odd combination of intuitive and scientific ideas. Generally, the phenomenon of "multiple conceptions" refers to students having a repertoire of different conceptions, each associated with a context of relevance. A number of researchers in science education constructed models of this phenomenon, but none included a systematic treatment of what we consider one of its most important aspects: the fact that these multiple conceptions are not isolated within the cognitive structure, but integrated into a whole in many ways. This whole constitute a complex of conceptions, whence our utilisation of the expression "conceptual complexification" to designate this form of learning. Using ideas in the conceptual change literature and in philosophy of science, we propose five kinds of cognitive structures that could play an intermediary role between alternative conceptions, allowing the management of their multiplicity: descriptive, evaluative, explicative, transformative, and decisional. In the empirical section of the research, we explore specifically decisional structures, which are responsible for the selection of one conception of the repertoire. In order to do so, we submitted two series of tasks to eight collegial and undergraduate students in two situations. In the first tasks, subjects are asked to explain three phenomena (one biological and two physical) to fictive audiences of various ages (6 to 15 years old). In the second tasks, students' understanding of the quantum version of the Young's interference experiment is probed in order study their understanding of the demarcation between quantum and classical mechanics. In these two situations, students appear to make use of two different strategies for selecting between alternative conceptions. Many topics of science education are briefly touched in this research. The conceptual complexification model that we propose could constitute an interesting theoretical framework for their future study. Keywords: conceptual change, multiple conceptions, conceptual complexification, quantum mechanic learning, popularization, history of science.

Discovery of DNA repair inhibitors by combinatorial library profiling

PubMed Central

Moeller, Benjamin J.; Sidman, Richard L.; Pasqualini, Renata; Arap, Wadih

2011-01-01

Small molecule inhibitors of DNA repair are emerging as potent and selective anti-cancer therapies, but the sheer magnitude of the protein networks involved in DNA repair processes poses obstacles to discovery of effective candidate drugs. To address this challenge, we used a subtractive combinatorial selection approach to identify a panel of peptide ligands that bind DNA repair complexes. Supporting the concept that these ligands have therapeutic potential, we show that one selected peptide specifically binds and non-competitively inactivates DNA-PKcs, a protein kinase critical in double-strand DNA break repair. In doing so, this ligand sensitizes BRCA-deficient tumor cells to genotoxic therapy. Our findings establish a platform for large-scale parallel screening for ligand-directed DNA repair inhibitors, with immediate applicability to cancer therapy. PMID:21343400

Inter-relationship of intelligence-quotient and self-concept with dental caries amongst socially handicapped orphan children.

PubMed

Virk, Pks; Jain, R L; Pathak, A; Sharma, U; Rajput, J S

2012-01-01

India has been the focus of many health surveys among normal, physically, and mentally handicapped children. However, the data, concerning oral health conditions of socially handicapped children living in orphanages, are scanty. To study the effect of parental inadequacy, environmental deprivation, and emotional disturbances on dental caries through intelligence quotient (IQ) and self-concept in orphan children and also to co-relate dental caries with different levels of IQ and self-concept. The study was carried out amongst socially handicapped children living in orphanages. 100 children in the age group of 10-14 years from orphanages were selected. Malin's Intelligence Scale for Indian Children (MISIC) was used to assess the intelligence quotient; self-concept questionnaire to assess self-concept of the child and recording of dental caries status of children was done as per WHO Index (1997). To assess the relationship of dental caries with IQ, student's unpaired t-test was used and; to find the relationship between self-concept and dental caries, Karl-Pearson's coefficient of co-relation was applied. the children in orphanages had a lower IQ and high caries experience but had an above average self-concept. There was also no co-relation between dental caries and self-concept. Orphan children, being socially handicapped, are at an increased risk for dental caries due to a lower IQ level, parental deprivation, and institutionalization. Moreover, lack of co-relation between dental caries and self-concept could be explained by the fact that dental caries is a lifelong process whereas different dimensions of self-concept are in a state of constant flux.

Cultural adaptation and translation of measures: an integrated method.

PubMed

Sidani, Souraya; Guruge, Sepali; Miranda, Joyal; Ford-Gilboe, Marilyn; Varcoe, Colleen

2010-04-01

Differences in the conceptualization and operationalization of health-related concepts may exist across cultures. Such differences underscore the importance of examining conceptual equivalence when adapting and translating instruments. In this article, we describe an integrated method for exploring conceptual equivalence within the process of adapting and translating measures. The integrated method involves five phases including selection of instruments for cultural adaptation and translation; assessment of conceptual equivalence, leading to the generation of a set of items deemed to be culturally and linguistically appropriate to assess the concept of interest in the target community; forward translation; back translation (optional); and pre-testing of the set of items. Strengths and limitations of the proposed integrated method are discussed. (c) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Plans for a Next Generation Space-Based Gravitational-Wave Observatory (NGO)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Livas, Jeffrey C.; Stebbins, Robin T.; Jennrich, Oliver

2012-01-01

The European Space Agency (ESA) is currently in the process of selecting a mission for the Cosmic Visions Program. A space-based gravitational wave observatory in the low-frequency band (0.0001 - 1 Hz) of the gravitational wave spectrum is one of the leading contenders. This low frequency band has a rich spectrum of astrophysical sources, and the LISA concept has been the key mission to cover this science for over twenty years. Tight budgets have recently forced ESA to consider a reformulation of the LISA mission concept that wi" allow the Cosmic Visions Program to proceed on schedule either with the US as a minority participant, or independently of the US altogether. We report on the status of these reformulation efforts.

The effect of spatial organization of targets and distractors on the capacity to selectively memorize objects in visual short-term memory

PubMed Central

Abbes, Aymen Ben; Gavault, Emmanuelle; Ripoll, Thierry

2014-01-01

We conducted a series of experiments to explore how the spatial configuration of objects influences the selection and the processing of these objects in a visual short-term memory task. We designed a new experiment in which participants had to memorize 4 targets presented among 4 distractors. Targets were cued during the presentation of distractor objects. Their locations varied according to 4 spatial configurations. From the first to the last configuration, the distance between targets’ locations was progressively increased. The results revealed a high capacity to select and memorize targets embedded among distractors even when targets were extremely distant from each other. This capacity is discussed in relation to the unitary conception of attention, models of split attention, and the competitive interaction model. Finally, we propose that the spatial dispersion of objects has different effects on attentional allocation and processing stages. Thus, when targets are extremely distant from each other, attentional allocation becomes more difficult while processing becomes easier. This finding implicates that these 2 aspects of attention need to be more clearly distinguished in future research. PMID:25339978

Feature Transformation Detection Method with Best Spectral Band Selection Process for Hyper-spectral Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hai-Wen; McGurr, Mike; Brickhouse, Mark

2015-11-01

We present a newly developed feature transformation (FT) detection method for hyper-spectral imagery (HSI) sensors. In essence, the FT method, by transforming the original features (spectral bands) to a different feature domain, may considerably increase the statistical separation between the target and background probability density functions, and thus may significantly improve the target detection and identification performance, as evidenced by the test results in this paper. We show that by differentiating the original spectral, one can completely separate targets from the background using a single spectral band, leading to perfect detection results. In addition, we have proposed an automated best spectral band selection process with a double-threshold scheme that can rank the available spectral bands from the best to the worst for target detection. Finally, we have also proposed an automated cross-spectrum fusion process to further improve the detection performance in lower spectral range (<1000 nm) by selecting the best spectral band pair with multivariate analysis. Promising detection performance has been achieved using a small background material signature library for concept-proving, and has then been further evaluated and verified using a real background HSI scene collected by a HYDICE sensor.

Concept mapping to improve team work, team learning and care of the person with dementia and behavioural and psychological symptoms.

PubMed

Aberdeen, Suzanne M; Byrne, Graeme

2018-04-01

The incidence of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia in residential aged care facilities is high. Effective team work and knowledgeable staff are cited as important facilitators of appropriate care responses to clients with these symptoms, but to achieve this within a resource-poor workplace can be challenging. In the study reported in this paper, concept mapping was trialled to enhance multifocal person-centred assessment and care planning as well as team learning. The outcomes of team concept mapping were evaluated using a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-testing in 11 selected Australian residential aged care facilities , including two control residential aged care facilities , over a nine-month period. It was demonstrated that use of concept mapping improved team function, measured as effectiveness of care planning, as well as enhancing learning, with increased knowledge of dementia care even amongst staff who were not directly involved with the process. It is suggested that these results may be generalizable to other countries and care settings.

Laser processing for strengthening of the self-restoring metal-elastomer interface on a silicone sheet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasuda, Kiyokazu

2012-08-01

A self-restoring microsystem is a unique concept which realizes the sensing functionality and robust interface which mechanically and electrically connects a deformable object such as a human body with printed electronic devices. For this purpose, the formation of conductive wiring on an elastomer substrate was attempted using the nickel ink printing process. Before the wiring process, surface patterning of a silicone sheet by a galvano-scanned infrared laser was conducted for the enhancement of interface adhesion of the metal deposit and polymer. Characterization of the fabricated pattern was conducted by optical microscopy. The novel method was successfully demonstrated as a fabrication of selective patterns of metal particles on self-restoring MEMS.

How does the brain process music?

PubMed

Warren, Jason

2008-02-01

The organisation of the musical brain is a major focus of interest in contemporary neuroscience. This reflects the increasing sophistication of tools (especially imaging techniques) to examine brain anatomy and function in health and disease, and the recognition that music provides unique insights into a number of aspects of nonverbal brain function. The emerging picture is complex but coherent, and moves beyond older ideas of music as the province of a single brain area or hemisphere to the concept of music as a 'whole-brain' phenomenon. Music engages a distributed set of cortical modules that process different perceptual, cognitive and emotional components with varying selectivity. 'Why' rather than 'how' the brain processes music is a key challenge for the future.

Contingency Power Study for Short Haul Civil Tiltrotor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

D'Angelo, Marin M.

2004-01-01

NASA has concluded from previous studies that the twin engine tiltrotor is the most economical and technologically viable rotorcraft for near-term civil applications. Twin engine civil rotorcraft must be able to hover safely on one engine in an emergency. This emergency power requirement generally results in engines 20 to 50 percent larger than needed for normal engine operation, negatively impacting aircraft economics. This study identifies several contingency power enhancement concepts, and quantifies their potential to reduce aircraft operating costs. Many unique concepts were examined, and the selected concepts are simple, reliable, and have a high potential for near term realization. These engine concepts allow extremely high turbine temperatures during emergency operation by providing cooling to the power turbine and augmenting cooling of both turbines and structural hardware. Direct operating cost are reduced 3 to percent, which could yield a 30 to 80 percent increase in operating profits. The study consists of the definition of an aircraft economics model and a baseline engine, and an engine concept screening study, and a preliminary definition of the selected concepts. The selected concepts are evaluated against the baseline engine, and the critical technologies and development needs are identified, along with applications for this technology.

A hierarchical modeling methodology for the definition and selection of requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dufresne, Stephane

This dissertation describes the development of a requirements analysis methodology that takes into account the concept of operations and the hierarchical decomposition of aerospace systems. At the core of the methodology, the Analytic Network Process (ANP) is used to ensure the traceability between the qualitative and quantitative information present in the hierarchical model. The proposed methodology is implemented to the requirements definition of a hurricane tracker Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. Three research objectives are identified in this work; (1) improve the requirements mapping process by matching the stakeholder expectations with the concept of operations, systems and available resources; (2) reduce the epistemic uncertainty surrounding the requirements and requirements mapping; and (3) improve the requirements down-selection process by taking into account the level of importance of the criteria and the available resources. Several challenges are associated with the identification and definition of requirements. The complexity of the system implies that a large number of requirements are needed to define the systems. These requirements are defined early in the conceptual design, where the level of knowledge is relatively low and the level of uncertainty is large. The proposed methodology intends to increase the level of knowledge and reduce the level of uncertainty by guiding the design team through a structured process. To address these challenges, a new methodology is created to flow-down the requirements from the stakeholder expectations to the systems alternatives. A taxonomy of requirements is created to classify the information gathered during the problem definition. Subsequently, the operational and systems functions and measures of effectiveness are integrated to a hierarchical model to allow the traceability of the information. Monte Carlo methods are used to evaluate the variations of the hierarchical model elements and consequently reduce the epistemic uncertainty. The proposed methodology is applied to the design of a hurricane tracker Unmanned Aerial Vehicles to demonstrate the origin and impact of requirements on the concept of operations and systems alternatives. This research demonstrates that the hierarchical modeling methodology provides a traceable flow-down of the requirements from the problem definition to the systems alternatives phases of conceptual design.

The Effect of Using a Proposed Teaching Strategy Based on the Selective Thinking on Students' Acquisition Concepts in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qudah, Ahmad Hassan

2016-01-01

This study aimed at identify the effect of using a proposed teaching strategy based on the selective thinking in acquire mathematical concepts by Classroom Teacher Students at Al- al- Bayt University, The sample of the study consisted of (74) students, equally distributed into a control group and an experimental group. The selective thinking…

Inservice Elementary and Middle School Teachers' Conceptions of Photosynthesis and Respiration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krall, Rebecca McNall; Lott, Kimberly H.; Wymer, Carol L.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate inservice elementary and middle school teachers' conceptions of photosynthesis and respiration, basic concepts they are expected to teach. A forced-choice instrument assessing selected standards-based life science concepts with non-scientific conceptions embedded in distracter options was…

Tissue expansion: Concepts, techniques and unfavourable results

PubMed Central

Wagh, Milind S.; Dixit, Varun

2013-01-01

The phenomenon of tissue expansion is observed in nature all the time. The same properties of the human skin to stretch and expand and yield extra skin if placed under continuous stress over a prolonged period of time has been utilised for reconstructive purposes with the help of a silicon balloon inserted under the skin and progressively filled with saline. The technique of tissue expansion is now more than three decades old and has been a value addition to our armamentarium in reconstructive surgery in all parts of the body. However, it still requires careful patient selection, meticulous planning and faultless execution to successfully carry out the process, which usually lasts for more than 8-12 weeks and involves two sittings of surgery. Any compromise in this process can lead to unfavourable results and complications, some minor, which allow continuance of the process to attain the expected goal and others major, which force abandonment of the process without reaching the expected goal. This article seeks to highlight the intricacies of the concept of tissue expansion, the technique related to flawless execution of the process and likely complications with emphasis on their management. We also present our results from a personal series of 138 patients operated over a period of 18 years between 1994 and 2012. PMID:24501470

DESIGN CONCEPT FOR AN ELEVATED SOUTH POLE STATION.

DTIC Science & Technology

Because of the failing condition of the present South Pole Station and the need for a station with a minimum life of 15 years, in 1960 the Laboratory...was requested to study design concepts for the South Pole Station. All concepts were to be com patible with the logistical and natural problems...composite design was selected as the most promising for the South Pole Station. Following this selection, a conceptual design was developed. The

Engineering principles to assure compatible docking between future spacecraft of USA and USSR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, C. C.

1975-01-01

Working jointly the USA and the USSR have selected an androgynous, peripheral type docking mechanism concept. The mechanical principles inherent to the concept, the rationale supporting its selection, and the probable nature of future designs stemming from the concept, are described. Operational situations just prior to docking, impact conditions, energy absorption, and the structural joining of the spacecraft, are specified. Docking procedures for the Apollo-Soyuz missions are discussed.

[Pre-conception sex selection].

PubMed

Julesz, Máté

2014-11-16

According to Article 14 of the Oviedo Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine of the Council of Europe, the use of techniques of medically assisted procreation shall not be allowed for the purpose of choosing the sex of a future child, unless serious hereditary sex-related disease is to be avoided. In Israel and the United States of America, pre-conception sex selection for the purpose of family balancing is legal. The European health culture does not regard reproductive justice as part of social justice. From this aspect, the situation is very similar in China and India. Reproductive liberty is opposed by the Catholic Church, too. According to the Catholic Church, medical grounds may not justify pre-conception sex selection, though being bioethically less harmful than family balancing for social reasons. In Hungary, according to Section 170 of the Criminal Code, pre-conception sex selection for the purpose of family balancing constitutes a crime. At present, the Hungarian legislation is in full harmony with the Oviedo Convention, enacted in Hungary in 2002.

Advanced Automotive Diesel Assessment Program, executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

The objectives of this analytical study were: to select one advanced automotive diesel engine (AAD) concept which would increase the tank mileage of a 3,000 pound passenger car from the present 35 mpg to at least 52 mpg; to identify long term component research and development work required to bring the selected concept to fruition; and to prepare a development strategy that will bring the selected concept to a prototype testing phase. Cummins Engine Company has completed this study. The selected concept is a 4 stroke cycle, direct injection, spark assisted, advanced adiabatic diesel engine with positive displacement compounding plus expander and part load air preheating. The engine does not use a liquid coolant nor liquid lubricants. It is a 4 cylinder, in-line, 77 mm bore x 77 mm stroke, 1.434 liters displacement engine weighing 300 lb, and rated at 70 BHP at 3000 rpm. Installation dimensions are 621 mm length x 589 mm width x 479 mm height (24.4 inch x 22 inch x 18.9 inch).

Preliminary design of a supersonic Short-Takeoff and Vertical-Landing (STOVL) fighter aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

A preliminary study of a supersonic short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) fighter is presented. Three configurations (a lift plus lift/cruise concept, a hybrid fan vectored thrust concept, and a mixed flow vectored thrust concept) were initially investigated with one configuration selected for further design analysis. The selected configuration, the lift plus lift/cruise concept, was successfully integrated to accommodate the powered lift short takeoff and vertical landing requirements as well as the demanding supersonic cruise and point performance requirements. A supersonic fighter aircraft with a short takeoff and vertical landing capability using the lift plus lift/cruise engine concept seems a viable option for the next generation fighter.

A Primer on High-Throughput Computing for Genomic Selection

PubMed Central

Wu, Xiao-Lin; Beissinger, Timothy M.; Bauck, Stewart; Woodward, Brent; Rosa, Guilherme J. M.; Weigel, Kent A.; Gatti, Natalia de Leon; Gianola, Daniel

2011-01-01

High-throughput computing (HTC) uses computer clusters to solve advanced computational problems, with the goal of accomplishing high-throughput over relatively long periods of time. In genomic selection, for example, a set of markers covering the entire genome is used to train a model based on known data, and the resulting model is used to predict the genetic merit of selection candidates. Sophisticated models are very computationally demanding and, with several traits to be evaluated sequentially, computing time is long, and output is low. In this paper, we present scenarios and basic principles of how HTC can be used in genomic selection, implemented using various techniques from simple batch processing to pipelining in distributed computer clusters. Various scripting languages, such as shell scripting, Perl, and R, are also very useful to devise pipelines. By pipelining, we can reduce total computing time and consequently increase throughput. In comparison to the traditional data processing pipeline residing on the central processors, performing general-purpose computation on a graphics processing unit provide a new-generation approach to massive parallel computing in genomic selection. While the concept of HTC may still be new to many researchers in animal breeding, plant breeding, and genetics, HTC infrastructures have already been built in many institutions, such as the University of Wisconsin–Madison, which can be leveraged for genomic selection, in terms of central processing unit capacity, network connectivity, storage availability, and middleware connectivity. Exploring existing HTC infrastructures as well as general-purpose computing environments will further expand our capability to meet increasing computing demands posed by unprecedented genomic data that we have today. We anticipate that HTC will impact genomic selection via better statistical models, faster solutions, and more competitive products (e.g., from design of marker panels to realized genetic gain). Eventually, HTC may change our view of data analysis as well as decision-making in the post-genomic era of selection programs in animals and plants, or in the study of complex diseases in humans. PMID:22303303

A new comprehension and communication tool: a valuable resource for internationally educated occupational therapists.

PubMed

Nguyen, Tram; Baptiste, Sue; Jung, Bonny; Wilkins, Seanne

2014-06-01

The need was identified for a way to assess internationally educated occupational therapists’ skills in understanding and communicating professional terminology used in occupational therapy practice. The project aim was to develop and validate such a resource. A scenario-based assessment was developed using a three-phase process for tool development. The development process involved completion of a literature scan of professional terminology used in occupational therapy practice; selection of terms and concepts commonly used in occupational therapy practice; and, creation of practice-based scenarios illustrating key concepts complete with rating rubrics. An advisory group provided oversight, and a sample of internationally educated occupational therapists completed pilot and validity testing. The initial findings showed the assessment to be easy to complete and sensitive to testing understanding of the defined terms. The final outcome is an assessment tool that has broad application for occupational therapists wishing to enter professional practice in a new country. © 2013 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Economically viable large-scale hydrogen liquefaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardella, U.; Decker, L.; Klein, H.

2017-02-01

The liquid hydrogen demand, particularly driven by clean energy applications, will rise in the near future. As industrial large scale liquefiers will play a major role within the hydrogen supply chain, production capacity will have to increase by a multiple of today’s typical sizes. The main goal is to reduce the total cost of ownership for these plants by increasing energy efficiency with innovative and simple process designs, optimized in capital expenditure. New concepts must ensure a manageable plant complexity and flexible operability. In the phase of process development and selection, a dimensioning of key equipment for large scale liquefiers, such as turbines and compressors as well as heat exchangers, must be performed iteratively to ensure technological feasibility and maturity. Further critical aspects related to hydrogen liquefaction, e.g. fluid properties, ortho-para hydrogen conversion, and coldbox configuration, must be analysed in detail. This paper provides an overview on the approach, challenges and preliminary results in the development of efficient as well as economically viable concepts for large-scale hydrogen liquefaction.

Pre-pregnancy community-based intervention for couples in Malaysia: application of intervention mapping.

PubMed

Norris, Shane A; Ho, Julius Cheah Chee; Rashed, Aswir Abd; Vinding, Vibeke; Skau, Jutta K H; Biesma, Regien; Aagaard-Hansen, Jens; Hanson, Mark; Matzen, Priya

2016-11-17

Malaysia is experiencing a nutrition transition with burgeoning obesity, particularly in women, and a growing prevalence of non-communicable disease. These health burdens have severe implications not only for adult health but also across generations. Pre-conception health promotion could address the intergenerational risk of metabolic disease. This paper describes the development of the "Jom Mama" intervention using Intervention Mapping (IM). The Jom Mama intervention aims to improve the health of young adult couples in Malaysia prior to conception. IM comprises of five steps prior to the last one, which involves the evaluation of the intervention. We used the five steps to develop the Jom Mama intervention. Both the process and evidence is documented providing the rationale to the selection of the key objectives of the intervention: (i) increasing healthy dietary practice; (ii) increasing physical activity levels, (iii) reducing sedentary activity; and (iv) improving social support to offset stressful lifestyles. From the IM process, Jom Mama will be health-system centred approach that uniquely combines both community health promoters and an electronic-health platform to deliver the complex intervention. IM is an iterative process that systematically gathers "best" evidence, selects appropriate theories of behaviour change, and facilitates formative research so as to develop a complex intervention. Though the IM process is time consuming, complex, and costly, it has enriched the Jom Mama intervention with a number of notable advantages: (i) intervention fashioned on formative work with stakeholders and in the target group; (ii) intervention combines research evidence with theory; (iii) intervention acknowledges multiple dynamics of influence; and (iv) intervention is embedded within health service priorities in Malaysia for greater scale-up possibility.

Text de-identification for privacy protection: a study of its impact on clinical text information content.

PubMed

Meystre, Stéphane M; Ferrández, Óscar; Friedlin, F Jeffrey; South, Brett R; Shen, Shuying; Samore, Matthew H

2014-08-01

As more and more electronic clinical information is becoming easier to access for secondary uses such as clinical research, approaches that enable faster and more collaborative research while protecting patient privacy and confidentiality are becoming more important. Clinical text de-identification offers such advantages but is typically a tedious manual process. Automated Natural Language Processing (NLP) methods can alleviate this process, but their impact on subsequent uses of the automatically de-identified clinical narratives has only barely been investigated. In the context of a larger project to develop and investigate automated text de-identification for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) clinical notes, we studied the impact of automated text de-identification on clinical information in a stepwise manner. Our approach started with a high-level assessment of clinical notes informativeness and formatting, and ended with a detailed study of the overlap of select clinical information types and Protected Health Information (PHI). To investigate the informativeness (i.e., document type information, select clinical data types, and interpretation or conclusion) of VHA clinical notes, we used five different existing text de-identification systems. The informativeness was only minimally altered by these systems while formatting was only modified by one system. To examine the impact of de-identification on clinical information extraction, we compared counts of SNOMED-CT concepts found by an open source information extraction application in the original (i.e., not de-identified) version of a corpus of VHA clinical notes, and in the same corpus after de-identification. Only about 1.2-3% less SNOMED-CT concepts were found in de-identified versions of our corpus, and many of these concepts were PHI that was erroneously identified as clinical information. To study this impact in more details and assess how generalizable our findings were, we examined the overlap between select clinical information annotated in the 2010 i2b2 NLP challenge corpus and automatic PHI annotations from our best-of-breed VHA clinical text de-identification system (nicknamed 'BoB'). Overall, only 0.81% of the clinical information exactly overlapped with PHI, and 1.78% partly overlapped. We conclude that automated text de-identification's impact on clinical information is small, but not negligible, and that improved clinical acronyms and eponyms disambiguation could significantly reduce this impact. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct selective growth of ZnO nanowire arrays from inkjet-printed zinc acetate precursor on a heated substrate

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Inkjet printing of functional materials has drawn tremendous interest as an alternative to the conventional photolithography-based microelectronics fabrication process development. We introduce direct selective nanowire array growth by inkjet printing of Zn acetate precursor ink patterning and subsequent hydrothermal ZnO local growth without nozzle clogging problem which frequently happens in nanoparticle inkjet printing. The proposed process can directly grow ZnO nanowires in any arbitrary patterned shape, and it is basically very fast, low cost, environmentally benign, and low temperature. Therefore, Zn acetate precursor inkjet printing-based direct nanowire local growth is expected to give extremely high flexibility in nanomaterial patterning for high-performance electronics fabrication especially at the development stage. As a proof of concept of the proposed method, ZnO nanowire network-based field effect transistors and ultraviolet photo-detectors were demonstrated by direct patterned grown ZnO nanowires as active layer. PMID:24252130

QFD emphasis of IME design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erickson, C. M.; Martinez, A.

1993-06-01

The 1992 Integrated Modular Engine (IME) design concept, proposed to the Air Force Space Systems Division as a candidate for a National Launch System (NLS) upper stage, emphasized a detailed Quality Functional Deployment (QFD) procedure which set the basis for its final selection. With a list of engine requirements defined and prioritized by the customer, a QFD procedure was implemented where the characteristics of a number of engine and component configurations were assessed for degree of requirement satisfaction. The QFD process emphasized operability, cost, reliability and performance, with relative importance specified by the customer. Existing technology and near-term advanced technology were surveyed to achieve the required design strategies. In the process, advanced nozzles, advanced turbomachinery, valves, controls, and operational procedures were evaluated. The integrated arrangement of three conventional bell nozzle thrust chambers with two advanced turbopump sets selected as the configuration meeting all requirements was rated significantly ahead of the other candidates, including the Aerospike and horizontal flow nozzle configurations.

Creative thought as blind-variation and selective-retention: Combinatorial models of exceptional creativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simonton, Dean Keith

2010-06-01

Campbell (1960) proposed that creative thought should be conceived as a blind-variation and selective-retention process (BVSR). This article reviews the developments that have taken place in the half century that has elapsed since his proposal, with special focus on the use of combinatorial models as formal representations of the general theory. After defining the key concepts of blind variants, creative thought, and disciplinary context, the combinatorial models are specified in terms of individual domain samples, variable field size, ideational combination, and disciplinary communication. Empirical implications are then derived with respect to individual, domain, and field systems. These abstract combinatorial models are next provided substantive reinforcement with respect to findings concerning the cognitive processes, personality traits, developmental factors, and social contexts that contribute to creativity. The review concludes with some suggestions regarding future efforts to explicate creativity according to BVSR theory.

Selected Aspects of Markovian and Non-Markovian Quantum Master Equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lendi, K.

A few particular marked properties of quantum dynamical equations accounting for general relaxation and dissipation are selected and summarized in brief. Most results derive from the universal concept of complete positivity. The considerations mainly regard genuinely irreversible processes as characterized by a unique asymptotically stationary final state for arbitrary initial conditions. From ordinary Markovian master equations and associated quantum dynamical semigroup time-evolution, derivations of higher order Onsager coefficients and related entropy production are discussed. For general processes including non-faithful states a regularized version of quantum relative entropy is introduced. Further considerations extend to time-dependent infinitesimal generators of time-evolution and to a possible description of propagation of initial states entangled between open system and environment. In the coherence-vector representation of the full non-Markovian equations including entangled initial states, first results are outlined towards identifying mathematical properties of a restricted class of trial integral-kernel functions suited to phenomenological applications.

On-board B-ISDN fast packet switching architectures. Phase 2: Development. Proof-of-concept architecture definition report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shyy, Dong-Jye; Redman, Wayne

1993-01-01

For the next-generation packet switched communications satellite system with onboard processing and spot-beam operation, a reliable onboard fast packet switch is essential to route packets from different uplink beams to different downlink beams. The rapid emergence of point-to-point services such as video distribution, and the large demand for video conference, distributed data processing, and network management makes the multicast function essential to a fast packet switch (FPS). The satellite's inherent broadcast features gives the satellite network an advantage over the terrestrial network in providing multicast services. This report evaluates alternate multicast FPS architectures for onboard baseband switching applications and selects a candidate for subsequent breadboard development. Architecture evaluation and selection will be based on the study performed in phase 1, 'Onboard B-ISDN Fast Packet Switching Architectures', and other switch architectures which have become commercially available as large scale integration (LSI) devices.

Chaos and unpredictability in evolution.

PubMed

Doebeli, Michael; Ispolatov, Iaroslav

2014-05-01

The possibility of complicated dynamic behavior driven by nonlinear feedbacks in dynamical systems has revolutionized science in the latter part of the last century. Yet despite examples of complicated frequency dynamics, the possibility of long-term evolutionary chaos is rarely considered. The concept of "survival of the fittest" is central to much evolutionary thinking and embodies a perspective of evolution as a directional optimization process exhibiting simple, predictable dynamics. This perspective is adequate for simple scenarios, when frequency-independent selection acts on scalar phenotypes. However, in most organisms many phenotypic properties combine in complicated ways to determine ecological interactions, and hence frequency-dependent selection. Therefore, it is natural to consider models for evolutionary dynamics generated by frequency-dependent selection acting simultaneously on many different phenotypes. Here we show that complicated, chaotic dynamics of long-term evolutionary trajectories in phenotype space is very common in a large class of such models when the dimension of phenotype space is large, and when there are selective interactions between the phenotypic components. Our results suggest that the perspective of evolution as a process with simple, predictable dynamics covers only a small fragment of long-term evolution. © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution © 2014 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

"Understanding" medical school curriculum content using KnowledgeMap.

PubMed

Denny, Joshua C; Smithers, Jeffrey D; Miller, Randolph A; Spickard, Anderson

2003-01-01

To describe the development and evaluation of computational tools to identify concepts within medical curricular documents, using information derived from the National Library of Medicine's Unified Medical Language System (UMLS). The long-term goal of the KnowledgeMap (KM) project is to provide faculty and students with an improved ability to develop, review, and integrate components of the medical school curriculum. The KM concept identifier uses lexical resources partially derived from the UMLS (SPECIALIST lexicon and Metathesaurus), heuristic language processing techniques, and an empirical scoring algorithm. KM differentiates among potentially matching Metathesaurus concepts within a source document. The authors manually identified important "gold standard" biomedical concepts within selected medical school full-content lecture documents and used these documents to compare KM concept recognition with that of a known state-of-the-art "standard"-the National Library of Medicine's MetaMap program. The number of "gold standard" concepts in each lecture document identified by either KM or MetaMap, and the cause of each failure or relative success in a random subset of documents. For 4,281 "gold standard" concepts, MetaMap matched 78% and KM 82%. Precision for "gold standard" concepts was 85% for MetaMap and 89% for KM. The heuristics of KM accurately matched acronyms, concepts underspecified in the document, and ambiguous matches. The most frequent cause of matching failures was absence of target concepts from the UMLS Metathesaurus. The prototypic KM system provided an encouraging rate of concept extraction for representative medical curricular texts. Future versions of KM should be evaluated for their ability to allow administrators, lecturers, and students to navigate through the medical curriculum to locate redundancies, find interrelated information, and identify omissions. In addition, the ability of KM to meet specific, personal information needs should be assessed.

The New Millenium Program: Serving Earth and Space Sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Fuk K.

2000-01-01

NASA has exciting plans for space science and Earth observations during the next decade. A broad range of advanced spacecraft and measurement technologies will be needed to support these plans within the existing budget and schedule constraints. Many of these technology needs are common to both NASA's Office of Earth Science (OES) and Office of Space Sciences (OSS). Even though some breakthrough technologies have been identified to address these needs, project managers have traditionally been reluctant to incorporate them into flight programs because their inherent development risk. To accelerate the infusion of new technologies into its OES and OSS missions, NASA established the New Millennium Program (NMP). This program analyzes the capability needs of these enterprises, identifies candidate technologies to address these needs, incorporates advanced technology suites into validation flights, validates them in the relevant space environment, and then proactively infuses the validated technologies into future missions to enhance their capabilities while reducing their life cycle cost. The NMP employs a cross-enterprise Science Working Group, the NASA Enterprise science and technology roadmaps to define the capabilities needed by future Earth and Space science missions. Additional input from the science community is gathered through open workshops and peer-reviewed NASA Research Announcement (NRAs) for advanced measurement concepts. Technology development inputs from the technology organizations within NASA, other government agencies, federally funded research and development centers (FFRDC's), U.S. industry, and academia are sought to identify breakthrough technologies that might address these needs. This approach significantly extends NASA's technology infrastructure. To complement other flight test programs that develop or validate of individual components, the NMP places its highest priority on system-level validations of technology suites in the relevant space environment. This approach is not needed for all technologies, but it is usually essential to validate advanced system architectures or new measurement concepts. The NMP has recently revised its processes for defining candidate validation flights, and selecting technologies for these flights. The NMP now employs integrated project formulation teams, 'Which include scientists, technologists, and mission planners, to incorporate technology suites into candidate validation flights. These teams develop competing concepts, which can be rigorously evaluated prior to selection for flight. The technology providers for each concept are selected through an open, competitive, process during the project formulation phase. If their concept is selected for flight, they are incorporated into the Project Implementation Team, which develops, integrates, tests, launches, and operates the technology validation flight. Throughout the project implementation phase, the Implementation Team will document and disseminate their validation results to facilitate the infusion of their validated technologies into future OSS and OES science missions. The NMP has successfully launched its first two Deep Space flights for the OSS, and is currently implementing its first two Earth Orbiting flights for the OES. The next OSS and OES flights are currently being defined. Even though these flights are focused on specific Space Science and Earth Science themes, they are designed to validate a range of technologies that could benefit both enterprises, including advanced propulsion, communications, autonomous operations and navigation, multifunctional structures, microelectronics, and advanced instruments. Specific examples of these technologies will be provided in our presentation. The processes developed by the NMP also provide benefits across the Space and Earth Science enterprises. In particular, the extensive, nation-wide technology infrastructure developed by the NMP enhances the access to breakthrough technologies for both enterprises.

Algorithms, complexity, and the sciences

PubMed Central

Papadimitriou, Christos

2014-01-01

Algorithms, perhaps together with Moore’s law, compose the engine of the information technology revolution, whereas complexity—the antithesis of algorithms—is one of the deepest realms of mathematical investigation. After introducing the basic concepts of algorithms and complexity, and the fundamental complexity classes P (polynomial time) and NP (nondeterministic polynomial time, or search problems), we discuss briefly the P vs. NP problem. We then focus on certain classes between P and NP which capture important phenomena in the social and life sciences, namely the Nash equlibrium and other equilibria in economics and game theory, and certain processes in population genetics and evolution. Finally, an algorithm known as multiplicative weights update (MWU) provides an algorithmic interpretation of the evolution of allele frequencies in a population under sex and weak selection. All three of these equivalences are rife with domain-specific implications: The concept of Nash equilibrium may be less universal—and therefore less compelling—than has been presumed; selection on gene interactions may entail the maintenance of genetic variation for longer periods than selection on single alleles predicts; whereas MWU can be shown to maximize, for each gene, a convex combination of the gene’s cumulative fitness in the population and the entropy of the allele distribution, an insight that may be pertinent to the maintenance of variation in evolution. PMID:25349382

Dynamic conversion of solar generated heat to electricity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Powell, J. C.; Fourakis, E.; Hammer, J. M.; Smith, G. A.; Grosskreutz, J. C.; Mcbride, E.

1974-01-01

The effort undertaken during this program led to the selection of the water-superheated steam (850 psig/900 F) crescent central receiver as the preferred concept from among 11 candidate systems across the technological spectrum of the dynamic conversion of solar generated heat to electricity. The solar power plant designs were investigated in the range of plant capacities from 100 to 1000 Mw(e). The investigations considered the impacts of plant size, collector design, feed-water temperature ratio, heat rejection equipment, ground cover, and location on solar power technical and economic feasibility. For the distributed receiver systems, the optimization studies showed that plant capacities less than 100 Mw(e) may be best. Although the size of central receiver concepts was not parametrically investigated, all indications are that the optimal plant capacity for central receiver systems will be in the range from 50 to 200 Mw(e). Solar thermal power plant site selection criteria and methodology were also established and used to evaluate potentially suitable sites. The result of this effort was to identify a site south of Inyokern, California, as typically suitable for a solar thermal power plant. The criteria used in the selection process included insolation and climatological characteristics, topography, and seismic history as well as water availability.

THE MITOCHONDRIAL PARADIGM FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY AND CELLULAR FUNCTION: A COMPLEMENTARY CONCEPT TO MENDELIAN GENETICS

PubMed Central

Kryzwanski, David M.; Moellering, Douglas; Fetterman, Jessica L.; Dunham-Snary, Kimberly J.; Sammy, Melissa J.; Ballinger, Scott W.

2013-01-01

While there is general agreement that cardiovascular disease (CVD) development is influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, and behavioral contributors, the actual mechanistic basis of how these factors initiate or promote CVD development in some individuals while others with identical risk profiles do not, is not clearly understood. This review considers the potential role for mitochondrial genetics and function in determining CVD susceptibility from the standpoint that the original features that molded cellular function were based upon mitochondrial-nuclear relationships established millions of years ago and were likely refined during prehistoric environmental selection events that today, are largely absent. Consequently, contemporary risk factors that influence our susceptibility to a variety of age-related diseases, including CVD were probably not part of the dynamics that defined the processes of mitochondrial – nuclear interaction, and thus, cell function. In this regard, the selective conditions that contributed to cellular functionality and evolution should be given more consideration when interpreting and designing experimental data and strategies. Finally, future studies that probe beyond epidemiologic associations are required. These studies will serve as the initial steps for addressing the provocative concept that contemporary human disease susceptibility is the result of selection events for mitochondrial function that increased chances for prehistoric human survival and reproductive success. PMID:21647091

Screening analysis and selection of emission reduction concepts for intermittent combustion aircraft engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rezy, B. J.; Meyers, J. E.; Tucker, J. R.; Stuckas, S. J.

1976-01-01

An analysis was conducted to screen, evaluate, and select three engine exhaust emission reduction concepts from a group of 14 candidate alternatives. A comprehensive literature search was conducted to survey the emission reduction technology state-of-the-art and establish contact with firms working on intermittent combustion engine development and pollution reduction problems. Concept development, advantages, disadvantages, and expected emission reduction responses are stated. A set of cost effectiveness criteria was developed, appraised for relative importance, and traded off against each concept so that its merit could be determined. A decision model was used to aid the evaluators in managing the criteria, making consistent judgements, calculating merit scores, and ranking the concepts. An Improved Fuel Injection System, Improved Cooling Combustion Chamber, and a Variable Timing Ignition System were recommended to NASA for approval and further concept development. An alternate concept, Air Injection, was also recommended.

Conceptions on pharmaceutical services in Brazilian primary health care

PubMed Central

Costa, Ediná Alves; Araújo, Patrícia Sodré; Penaforte, Thais Rodrigues; Barreto, Joslene Lacerda; Guerra, Augusto Afonso; Acurcio, Francisco de Assis; Guibu, Ione Aquemi; Alvares, Juliana; Costa, Karen Sarmento; Karnikowski, Margô Gomes de Oliveira; Soeiro, Orlando Mario; Leite, Silvana Nair

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To identify and discuss the conceptions of pharmaceutical services in Brazilian Primary Health Care, according to different subjects. METHODS This study is part of the Pesquisa Nacional sobre Acesso, Utilização e Promoção do Uso Racional de Medicamentos – Serviços, 2015 (PNAUM – National Survey on Access, Use and Promotion of Rational Use of Medicines – Services, 2015), which is composed of an information survey in a representative sample of cities, stratified according to Brazilian regions, and a subsample of primary health care services. Municipal secretaries of health, those responsible for pharmaceutical services, and those responsible for medicine delivery in pharmacies/dispensing units of the selected services were interviewed. The questionnaires included one question about the understanding of the interviewee regarding pharmaceutical services. The content analysis technique was used to apprehend, in the statements, the meanings attributed to pharmaceutical services, which were subsequently classified into categories according to their main conceptions. RESULTS Among the wide diversity of conceptions on pharmaceutical services (PS), we highlight the ones focused on 1) logistic control of medicines with activities concerning guidance or information on their use and 2) guidance or information to users on the use of medicine. The findings reveal a shifting tendency from a medicine-focused conception to one that considers the users and their needs as the final recipient of these actions. However, the lack of references to conceptions regarding care management and integrality point out the slowness of this change; after all, this is a social and historical process that comprises the production of meanings that transcend legal, logistic, and technical arrangements in pharmaceutical services. CONCLUSIONS The diversity of conceptions expresses the several meanings attributed to pharmaceutical services; we also identified, in their reorientation process, a movement that reflects a gradual shift in the technical paradigm, from the focus on medicine logistics to a user-oriented approach of health services. PMID:29160453

A Systems Engineering Process for Selecting Technologies to Mitigate the Risk of Operating Rotorcraft in Degraded Visual Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

combining their know-how into a mathematical framework that properly captures their intent. Leveraging this framework is the final step by which all...into quantifiable and measureable concepts. The prior phase identified the capability gaps as the highest level goals and a series of DVE mitigation...gapy and s, is the level of satisfaction of said function as mathematically defined below. Similarly, the relationship between technology and

Agency Innovation Mission with Dava Newman

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-11-01

Dr. Dava Newman, NASA's deputy administrator, speaks to employees at the Florida spaceport during the annual KickStart Innovation Expo. The event gives employees an opportunity to present proposals for new ideas and processes. A small amount of funding is awarded to those selected allowing individuals or teams to procure needed items to implement their projects. Kennedy employees are encouraged to look for ways to do their work better and to propose concepts for tackling future mission needs.

Agency Innovation Mission with Dava Newman

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-11-01

Kennedy Space Center Director Bob Cabana speaks to employees at the Florida spaceport during the annual KickStart Innovation Expo. The event gives employees an opportunity to present proposals for new ideas and processes. A small amount of funding is awarded to those selected allowing individuals or teams to procure needed items to implement their projects. Kennedy employees are encouraged to look for ways to do their work better and to propose concepts for tackling future mission needs.

Agency Innovation Mission with Dava Newman

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-11-01

Dr. Dava Newman, NASA's deputy administrator, speaks to employees at the Florida spaceport during the annual KickStart Innovation Expo The event gives employees an opportunity to present proposals for new ideas and processes. A small amount of funding is awarded to those selected allowing individuals or teams to procure needed items to implement their projects. Kennedy employees are encouraged to look for ways to do their work better and to propose concepts for tackling future mission needs.

Extended observability of linear time-invariant systems under recurrent loss of output data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luck, Rogelio; Ray, Asok; Halevi, Yoram

1989-01-01

Recurrent loss of sensor data in integrated control systems of an advanced aircraft may occur under different operating conditions that include detected frame errors and queue saturation in computer networks, and bad data suppression in signal processing. This paper presents an extension of the concept of observability based on a set of randomly selected nonconsecutive outputs in finite-dimensional, linear, time-invariant systems. Conditions for testing extended observability have been established.

Development of optimized, graded-permeability axial groove heat pipes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kapolnek, Michael R.; Holmes, H. Rolland

1988-01-01

Heat pipe performance can usually be improved by uniformly varying or grading wick permeability from end to end. A unique and cost effective method for grading the permeability of an axial groove heat pipe is described - selective chemical etching of the pipe casing. This method was developed and demonstrated on a proof-of-concept test article. The process improved the test article's performance by 50 percent. Further improvement is possible through the use of optimally etched grooves.

Most and Least Preferred Colours Differ According to Object Context: New Insights from an Unrestricted Colour Range

PubMed Central

Jonauskaite, Domicele; Mohr, Christine; Antonietti, Jean-Philippe; Spiers, Peter M.; Althaus, Betty; Anil, Selin; Dael, Nele

2016-01-01

Humans like some colours and dislike others, but which particular colours and why remains to be understood. Empirical studies on colour preferences generally targeted most preferred colours, but rarely least preferred (disliked) colours. In addition, findings are often based on general colour preferences leaving open the question whether results generalise to specific objects. Here, 88 participants selected the colours they preferred most and least for three context conditions (general, interior walls, t-shirt) using a high-precision colour picker. Participants also indicated whether they associated their colour choice to a valenced object or concept. The chosen colours varied widely between individuals and contexts and so did the reasons for their choices. Consistent patterns also emerged, as most preferred colours in general were more chromatic, while for walls they were lighter and for t-shirts they were darker and less chromatic compared to least preferred colours. This meant that general colour preferences could not explain object specific colour preferences. Measures of the selection process further revealed that, compared to most preferred colours, least preferred colours were chosen more quickly and were less often linked to valenced objects or concepts. The high intra- and inter-individual variability in this and previous reports furthers our understanding that colour preferences are determined by subjective experiences and that most and least preferred colours are not processed equally. PMID:27022909

Most and Least Preferred Colours Differ According to Object Context: New Insights from an Unrestricted Colour Range.

PubMed

Jonauskaite, Domicele; Mohr, Christine; Antonietti, Jean-Philippe; Spiers, Peter M; Althaus, Betty; Anil, Selin; Dael, Nele

2016-01-01

Humans like some colours and dislike others, but which particular colours and why remains to be understood. Empirical studies on colour preferences generally targeted most preferred colours, but rarely least preferred (disliked) colours. In addition, findings are often based on general colour preferences leaving open the question whether results generalise to specific objects. Here, 88 participants selected the colours they preferred most and least for three context conditions (general, interior walls, t-shirt) using a high-precision colour picker. Participants also indicated whether they associated their colour choice to a valenced object or concept. The chosen colours varied widely between individuals and contexts and so did the reasons for their choices. Consistent patterns also emerged, as most preferred colours in general were more chromatic, while for walls they were lighter and for t-shirts they were darker and less chromatic compared to least preferred colours. This meant that general colour preferences could not explain object specific colour preferences. Measures of the selection process further revealed that, compared to most preferred colours, least preferred colours were chosen more quickly and were less often linked to valenced objects or concepts. The high intra- and inter-individual variability in this and previous reports furthers our understanding that colour preferences are determined by subjective experiences and that most and least preferred colours are not processed equally.

Zero-gravity quantity gaging system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

The Zero-Gravity Quantity Gaging System program is a technology development effort funded by NASA-LeRC and contracted by NASA-JSC to develop and evaluate zero-gravity quantity gaging system concepts suitable for application to large, on-orbit cryogenic oxygen and hydrogen tankage. The contract effective date was 28 May 1985. During performance of the program, 18 potential quantity gaging approaches were investigated for their merit and suitability for gaging two-phase cryogenic oxygen and hydrogen in zero-gravity conditions. These approaches were subjected to a comprehensive trade study and selection process, which found that the RF modal quantity gaging approach was the most suitable for both liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen applications. This selection was made with NASA-JSC concurrence.

GoDisco: Selective Gossip Based Dissemination of Information in Social Community Based Overlays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Datta, Anwitaman; Sharma, Rajesh

We propose and investigate a gossip based, social principles and behavior inspired decentralized mechanism (GoDisco) to disseminate information in online social community networks, using exclusively social links and exploiting semantic context to keep the dissemination process selective to relevant nodes. Such a designed dissemination scheme using gossiping over a egocentric social network is unique and is arguably a concept whose time has arrived, emulating word of mouth behavior and can have interesting applications like probabilistic publish/subscribe, decentralized recommendation and contextual advertisement systems, to name a few. Simulation based experiments show that despite using only local knowledge and contacts, the system has good global coverage and behavior.

An Investigation of Self-Concept, Clothing Selection, and Life Satisfaction among Disabled Consumers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Hyo Jung

2012-01-01

This dissertation investigates the relationships between various aspects of self-concept (i.e., generalized self-efficacy, public self-consciousness, state hope, and self-esteem), clothing selection (i.e., clothing that expresses individuality, clothing that improves the emotional state, clothing that camouflages the body), and life satisfaction…

Toward high-throughput phenotyping: unbiased automated feature extraction and selection from knowledge sources.

PubMed

Yu, Sheng; Liao, Katherine P; Shaw, Stanley Y; Gainer, Vivian S; Churchill, Susanne E; Szolovits, Peter; Murphy, Shawn N; Kohane, Isaac S; Cai, Tianxi

2015-09-01

Analysis of narrative (text) data from electronic health records (EHRs) can improve population-scale phenotyping for clinical and genetic research. Currently, selection of text features for phenotyping algorithms is slow and laborious, requiring extensive and iterative involvement by domain experts. This paper introduces a method to develop phenotyping algorithms in an unbiased manner by automatically extracting and selecting informative features, which can be comparable to expert-curated ones in classification accuracy. Comprehensive medical concepts were collected from publicly available knowledge sources in an automated, unbiased fashion. Natural language processing (NLP) revealed the occurrence patterns of these concepts in EHR narrative notes, which enabled selection of informative features for phenotype classification. When combined with additional codified features, a penalized logistic regression model was trained to classify the target phenotype. The authors applied our method to develop algorithms to identify patients with rheumatoid arthritis and coronary artery disease cases among those with rheumatoid arthritis from a large multi-institutional EHR. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) for classifying RA and CAD using models trained with automated features were 0.951 and 0.929, respectively, compared to the AUCs of 0.938 and 0.929 by models trained with expert-curated features. Models trained with NLP text features selected through an unbiased, automated procedure achieved comparable or slightly higher accuracy than those trained with expert-curated features. The majority of the selected model features were interpretable. The proposed automated feature extraction method, generating highly accurate phenotyping algorithms with improved efficiency, is a significant step toward high-throughput phenotyping. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Medical Informatics Association. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of laminar flow control system concepts for subsonic commercial transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

A two-year study conducted to establish a basis for industry decisions on the application of laminar flow control (LFC) to future commercial transports was presented. Areas of investigation included: (1) mission definition and baseline selection; (2) concepts evaluations; and (3) LFC transport configuration selection and component design. The development and evaluation of competing design concepts was conducted in the areas of aerodynamics, structures and materials, and systems. The results of supporting wind tunnel and laboratory testing on a full-scale LFC wing panel, suction surface opening concepts and structural samples were included. A final LFC transport was configured in incorporating the results of concept evaluation studies and potential performance improvements were assessed. Remaining problems together with recommendations for future research are discussed.

Global cost and weight evaluation of fuselage keel design concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flynn, B. W.; Morris, M. R.; Metschan, S. L.; Swanson, G. D.; Smith, P. J.; Griess, K. H.; Schramm, M. R.; Humphrey, R. J.

1993-01-01

The Boeing program entitled Advanced Technology Composite Aircraft Structure (ATCAS) is focused on the application of affordable composite technology to pressurized fuselage structure of future aircraft. As part of this effort, a design study was conducted on the keel section of the aft fuselage. A design build team (DBT) approach was used to identify and evaluate several design concepts which incorporated different material systems, fabrication processes, structural configurations, and subassembly details. The design concepts were developed in sufficient detail to accurately assess their potential for cost and weight savings as compared with a metal baseline representing current wide body technology. The cost and weight results, along with an appraisal of performance and producibility risks, are used to identify a globally optimized keel design; one which offers the most promising cost and weight advantages over metal construction. Lastly, an assessment is given of the potential for further cost and weight reductions of the selected keel design during local optimization.

The concept verification testing of materials science payloads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griner, C. S.; Johnston, M. H.; Whitaker, A.

1976-01-01

The concept Verification Testing (CVT) project at the Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama, is a developmental activity that supports Shuttle Payload Projects such as Spacelab. It provides an operational 1-g environment for testing NASA and other agency experiment and support systems concepts that may be used in shuttle. A dedicated Materials Science Payload was tested in the General Purpose Laboratory to assess the requirements of a space processing payload on a Spacelab type facility. Physical and functional integration of the experiments into the facility was studied, and the impact of the experiments on the facility (and vice versa) was evaluated. A follow-up test designated CVT Test IVA was also held. The purpose of this test was to repeat Test IV experiments with a crew composed of selected and trained scientists. These personnel were not required to have prior knowledge of the materials science disciplines, but were required to have a basic knowledge of science and the scientific method.

Semantic-gap-oriented active learning for multilabel image annotation.

PubMed

Tang, Jinhui; Zha, Zheng-Jun; Tao, Dacheng; Chua, Tat-Seng

2012-04-01

User interaction is an effective way to handle the semantic gap problem in image annotation. To minimize user effort in the interactions, many active learning methods were proposed. These methods treat the semantic concepts individually or correlatively. However, they still neglect the key motivation of user feedback: to tackle the semantic gap. The size of the semantic gap of each concept is an important factor that affects the performance of user feedback. User should pay more efforts to the concepts with large semantic gaps, and vice versa. In this paper, we propose a semantic-gap-oriented active learning method, which incorporates the semantic gap measure into the information-minimization-based sample selection strategy. The basic learning model used in the active learning framework is an extended multilabel version of the sparse-graph-based semisupervised learning method that incorporates the semantic correlation. Extensive experiments conducted on two benchmark image data sets demonstrated the importance of bringing the semantic gap measure into the active learning process.

Resonant leadership, workplace empowerment, and "spirit at work": impact on RN job satisfaction and organizational commitment.

PubMed

Wagner, Joan I J; Warren, Sharon; Cummings, Greta; Smith, Donna L; Olson, Joanne K

2013-12-01

Canadian researchers have developed the Spirit At Work (SAW) tool for identifying the experiences of individuals who are passionate about and energized by their work. This article describes (a) what registered nurses perceive as contributing to their personal SAW; and (b) the relationships among resonant leadership, structural empowerment concepts, psychological empowerment concepts, SAW concepts, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and the demographic variables of experience, education, and rank in the RN workplace. The theoretical model was tested using LISREL 8.80 and survey data from 147 randomly selected RNs. Engaging work was found to account for 63% of the explained variance in the model's endogenous variables. Spiritual connection had a causal effect on organizational commitment, while resonant leadership and individual empowerment had significant causal influence on SAW, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. These results strengthen those of previous studies reporting workplace structures/processes/contributions leading to superior care environments. Future studies will clarify the role of SAW in the workplace.

STS propellant scavenging systems study. Part 2, volume 2: Cost and WBS/dictionary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, Frank L.

1987-01-01

Presented are the results of the cost analysis performed to update and refine the program phase C/D cost estimates for a Shuttle Derived Vehicle (SDV) tanker. The SDV tanker concept is an unmanned cargo vehicle incorporating a set of propellant tanks in the vehicle's payload module. The tanker will be used to meet the demand for a cryogenic propellant supply in orbit. The propellant tanks are delivered to a low Earth orbit or to an orbit in the vicinity of the Space Station. The intent of the economic analysis is to provide NASA with economic justification for the propellant scavenging concept that minimizes the total Space Transportation System life cycle cost. The detailed costs supporting the concept selection process are presented with descriptive text to aid in forecasting the phase C/D project and program planning. Included are all propellant scavenging costs as well as all SDV, STS and Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle charges to deliver the propellants to the Space Station.

Care ideologies reflected in 4 conceptions of pharmaceutical care.

PubMed

Björkman, Ingeborg K; Bernsten, Cecilia B; Sanner, Margareta A

2008-12-01

Different ways to practice pharmaceutical care have been developed. One expression of this fact is the existence of many different classification systems to document drug-related problems (DRPs). Evidence suggests that classification systems have different characteristics and that these characteristics reflect different conceptions of pharmaceutical care. To increase the understanding of conceptions of pharmaceutical care, underlying values and beliefs (ideologies) can be explored. To explore various conceptions of pharmaceutical care to identify the care ideologies on which these conceptions are based. Representatives of 4 selected conceptions of pharmaceutical care were interviewed in face-to-face meetings. During the interviews, 4 basic questions were asked. Three were focused on pharmaceutical care and 1 on DRPs. Interview transcripts were analyzed by an inductive method inspired by grounded theory. The conceptions studied were Strand, Granada-II, PCNE v5.0, and Apoteket. In Strand, patients are given a more active role in the pharmaceutical care process, as compared to Granada-II, PCNE v5.0, and Apoteket. Pharmacists in all the conceptions of pharmaceutical care assume they have special knowledge that patients benefit from. However, they use their knowledge in different ways in the various pharmaceutical care conceptions. In Strand, individual goals of drug therapy are established together with the patient, whereas in Granada-II, PCNE, and Apoteket goals are not explicitly discussed. The identified differences correspond to different care ideologies. The pharmaceutical care conceptions are based on different care ideologies. The ideology is expressed in how therapy goals are set and patient needs defined. Strand is based on a patient-centered ideology; patient therapy goals and needs are defined by the patient together with the practitioners. Granada-II, PCNE, and Apoteket are based on an evidence-based medicine approach; patient therapy goals and needs are defined by the practitioners, based on available scientific knowledge.

Friction Stir Welding at MSFC: Kinematics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nunes, A. C., Jr.

2001-01-01

In 1991 The Welding Institute of the United Kingdom patented the Friction Stir Welding (FSW) process. In FSW a rotating pin-tool is inserted into a weld seam and literally stirs the faying surfaces together as it moves up the seam. By April 2000 the American Welding Society International Welding and Fabricating Exposition featured several exhibits of commercial FSW processes and the 81st Annual Convention devoted a technical session to the process. The FSW process is of interest to Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) as a means of avoiding hot-cracking problems presented by the 2195 aluminum-lithium alloy, which is the primary constituent of the Lightweight Space Shuttle External Tank. The process has been under development at MSFC for External Tank applications since the early 1990's. Early development of the FSW process proceeded by cut-and-try empirical methods. A substantial and complex body of data resulted. A theoretical model was wanted to deal with the complexity and reduce the data to concepts serviceable for process diagnostics, optimization, parameter selection, etc. A first step in understanding the FSW process is to determine the kinematics, i.e., the flow field in the metal in the vicinity of the pin-tool. Given the kinematics, the dynamics, i.e., the forces, can be targeted. Given a completed model of the FSW process, attempts at rational design of tools and selection of process parameters can be made.

Selection of Lockheed Martin's Preferred TSTO Configurations for the Space Launch Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hopkins, Joshua B.

2002-01-01

Lockheed Martin is developing concepts for safe, affordable Two Stage to Orbit (TSTO) reusable launch vehicles as part of NASA s Space Launch Initiaiive. This paper discusses the options considered for the design of the TSTO, the impact of each of these options on the vehicle configuration, the criteria used for selection of preferred configurations, and the results of the selection process. More than twenty configurations were developed in detail in order to compare optioiis such as propellant choice, serial vs. parallel burn sequence, use of propellant crossfeed between stages, bimese or optimized stage designs, and high or low staging velocities. Each configuration was analyzed not only for performance and sizing, but also for cost and reliability. The study concluded that kerosene was the superior fuel for first stages, and that bimese vehicles were not attractive.

MEDRank: using graph-based concept ranking to index biomedical texts

PubMed Central

Herskovic, Jorge R.; Cohen, Trevor; Subramanian, Devika; Iyengar, M. Sriram; Smith, Jack W.; Bernstam, Elmer V.

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND As the volume of biomedical text increases exponentially, automatic indexing becomes increasingly important. However, existing approaches do not distinguish central (or core) concepts from concepts that were mentioned in passing. We focus on the problem of indexing MEDLINE records, a process that is currently performed by highly-trained humans at the National Library of Medicine (NLM). NLM indexers are assisted by a system called the Medical Text Indexer (MTI) that suggests candidate indexing terms. OBJECTIVE To improve the ability of MTI to select the core terms in MEDLINE abstracts. These core concepts are deemed to be most important and are designated as “major headings” by MEDLINE indexers. We introduce and evaluate a graph-based indexing methodology called MEDRank that generates concept graphs from biomedical text and then ranks the concepts within these graphs to identify the most important ones. METHODS We insert a MEDRank step into the MTI and compare MTI’s output with and without MEDRank to the MEDLINE indexers’ selected terms for a sample of 11,803 PubMed Central articles. We also tested whether human raters prefer terms generated by the MEDLINE indexers, MTI without MEDRank, and MTI with MEDRank for a sample of 36 PubMed Central articles. RESULTS MEDRank improved recall of major headings designated by 30% over MTI without MEDRank (0.489 vs 0.376). Overall recall was only slightly (6.5%) higher (0.490 vs 0.460) as was F2 (3%, 0.408 vs 0.396). However, overall precision was 3.9% lower (0.268 vs 0.279). Human raters preferred terms generated by MTI with MEDRank over terms generated by MTI without MEDRank (by an average of 1.00 more term per article), and preferred terms generated by MTI with MEDRank and the MEDLINE indexers at the same rate. CONCLUSIONS The addition of MEDRank to MTI significantly improved the retrieval of core concepts in MEDLINE abstracts and more closely matched human expectations compared to MTI without MEDRank. In addition, MEDRank slightly improved overall recall and F2. PMID:21439897

MEDRank: using graph-based concept ranking to index biomedical texts.

PubMed

Herskovic, Jorge R; Cohen, Trevor; Subramanian, Devika; Iyengar, M Sriram; Smith, Jack W; Bernstam, Elmer V

2011-06-01

As the volume of biomedical text increases exponentially, automatic indexing becomes increasingly important. However, existing approaches do not distinguish central (or core) concepts from concepts that were mentioned in passing. We focus on the problem of indexing MEDLINE records, a process that is currently performed by highly trained humans at the National Library of Medicine (NLM). NLM indexers are assisted by a system called the Medical Text Indexer (MTI) that suggests candidate indexing terms. To improve the ability of MTI to select the core terms in MEDLINE abstracts. These core concepts are deemed to be most important and are designated as "major headings" by MEDLINE indexers. We introduce and evaluate a graph-based indexing methodology called MEDRank that generates concept graphs from biomedical text and then ranks the concepts within these graphs to identify the most important ones. We insert a MEDRank step into the MTI and compare MTI's output with and without MEDRank to the MEDLINE indexers' selected terms for a sample of 11,803 PubMed Central articles. We also tested whether human raters prefer terms generated by the MEDLINE indexers, MTI without MEDRank, and MTI with MEDRank for a sample of 36 PubMed Central articles. MEDRank improved recall of major headings designated by 30% over MTI without MEDRank (0.489 vs. 0.376). Overall recall was only slightly (6.5%) higher (0.490 vs. 0.460) as was F(2) (3%, 0.408 vs. 0.396). However, overall precision was 3.9% lower (0.268 vs. 0.279). Human raters preferred terms generated by MTI with MEDRank over terms generated by MTI without MEDRank (by an average of 1.00 more term per article), and preferred terms generated by MTI with MEDRank and the MEDLINE indexers at the same rate. The addition of MEDRank to MTI significantly improved the retrieval of core concepts in MEDLINE abstracts and more closely matched human expectations compared to MTI without MEDRank. In addition, MEDRank slightly improved overall recall and F(2). Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Overview of the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sherif, Josef S.; Tran, Tuyet-Lan

1995-01-01

QFD is a product planning tool and a process methodology that enables all organizations, departments, and individuals in a business or a project to systematically focus on the critical performance, functions, and/or characteristics of a product that are the most important to the customer. It is part of the Total Quality Management (TQM) concept.. This presentation describes the objectives of QFD, the process for implementing the technique, the benefits derived from proper implementation, the kinds of systems where QFD is best utilized, what the success factors are, how QFD works, some guidelines for selection of a QFD team, and the functional roles of key team members.

Reconfigurable Mobile System - Ground, sea and air applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamonica, Gary L.; Sturges, James W.

1990-11-01

The Reconfigurable Mobile System (RMS) is a highly mobile data-processing unit for military users requiring real-time access to data gathered by airborne (and other) reconnaissance data. RMS combines high-performance computation and image processing workstations with resources for command/control/communications in a single, lightweight shelter. RMS is composed of off-the-shelf components, and is easily reconfigurable to land-vehicle or shipboard versions. Mission planning, which involves an airborne sensor platform's sensor coverage, considered aircraft/sensor capabilities in conjunction with weather, terrain, and threat scenarios. RMS's man-machine interface concept facilitates user familiarization and features iron-based function selection and windowing.

Modeling unsaturated zone flow and runoff processes by integrating MODFLOW-LGR and VSF, and creating the new CFL package

USGS Publications Warehouse

Borsia, I.; Rossetto, R.; Schifani, C.; Hill, Mary C.

2013-01-01

In this paper two modifications to the MODFLOW code are presented. One concerns an extension of Local Grid Refinement (LGR) to Variable Saturated Flow process (VSF) capability. This modification allows the user to solve the 3D Richards’ equation only in selected parts of the model domain. The second modification introduces a new package, named CFL (Cascading Flow), which improves the computation of overland flow when ground surface saturation is simulated using either VSF or the Unsaturated Zone Flow (UZF) package. The modeling concepts are presented and demonstrated. Programmer documentation is included in appendices.

Concept mapping for virtual rehabilitation and training of the blind.

PubMed

Sanchez, Jaime; Flores, Hector

2010-04-01

Concept mapping is a technique that allows for the strengthening of the learning process, based on graphic representations of the learner's mental schemes. However, due to its graphic nature, it cannot be utilized by learners with visual disabilities. In response to this limitation we implemented a study that involves the design of AudiodMC, an audio-based, virtual environment for concept mapping designed for use by blind users and aimed at virtual training and rehabilitation. We analyzed the stages involved in the design of AudiodMC from a user-centered design perspective, considering user involvement and usability testing. These include an observation stage to learn how blind learners construct conceptual maps using concrete materials, a design stage to design of a software tool that aids blind users in creating concept maps, and a cognitive evaluation stage using AudiodMC. We also present the results of a study implemented in order to determine the impact of the use of this software on the development of essential skills for concept mapping (association, classification, categorization, sorting and summarizing). The results point to a high level of user acceptance, having identified key sound characteristics that help blind learners to learn concept codification and selection skills. The use of AudiodMC also allowed for the effective development of the skills under review in our research, thus facilitating meaningful learning.

Moist Heat Disinfection and Revisiting the A0 Concept.

PubMed

McCormick, Patrick J; Schoene, Michael J; Dehmler, Matthew A; McDonnell, Gerald

2016-04-02

Moist heat is employed in the medical device, pharmaceutical, and food processing industries to render products and goods safe for use and human consumption. Applications include its use to pasteurize a broad range of foods and beverages, the control of microbial contamination of blood products, and treatment of bone tissue transplants and vaccines. In the pharmaceutical industry, water heated to 65°C to 80°C is used to sanitize high-purity water systems. In healthcare, it has been employed for decades to disinfect patient care items ranging from bedpans to anesthesia equipment. There is a good understanding of the conditions necessary to achieve disinfection of microorganisms at temperatures ranging from 65°C to 100°C. Based on this information, the efficacy of moist heat processes at a range of exposure times and temperatures can be quantified based on mathematical models such as the A0 calculation. While the A0 concept is recognized within the European healthcare community, it has yet to be widely adopted within the United States. This article provides information regarding the A0 concept, a brief overview of the classification of thermal disinfection for use with healthcare applications within the United States, and recent data on reinvestigating the thermal disinfection of a selected panel of microorganisms and a mixed culture biofilm.

Data book: Space station/base food system study. Book 3: Study selection rationale sheets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1970-01-01

The supporting rationale sheets are presented which were utilized in the selection and support of the concepts considered in the final phase of the study. Each concept, conceived to fulfill a specific function of the food system, was assessed in terms of the eight critical factors depicted on the rationale sheet. When weighted and totaled, the resulting selection factor was used as a guide in making the final decision.

Customer satisfaction planning and industrial engineering move hospital towards in-house stockless program.

PubMed

Burton, R; Mauk, D

1993-03-01

By integrating customer satisfaction planning and industrial engineering techniques when examining internal costs and efficiencies, materiel managers are able to better realize what concepts will best meet their customers' needs. Defining your customer(s), applying industrial engineering techniques, completing work sampling studies, itemizing recommendations and benefits to each alternative, performing feasibility and cost-analysis matrixes and utilizing resources through productivity monitoring will get you on the right path toward selecting concepts to use. This article reviews the above procedures as they applied to one hospital's decision-making process to determine whether to incorporate a stockless inventory program. Through an analysis of customer demand, the hospital realized that stockless was the way to go, but not by outsourcing the function--the hospital incorporated an in-house stockless inventory program.

Boulder Capture System Design Options for the Asteroid Robotic Redirect Mission Alternate Approach Trade Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belbin, Scott P.; Merrill, Raymond G.

2014-01-01

This paper presents a boulder acquisition and asteroid surface interaction electromechanical concept developed for the Asteroid Robotic Redirect Mission (ARRM) option to capture a free standing boulder on the surface of a 100 m or larger Near Earth Asteroid (NEA). It details the down select process and ranking of potential boulder capture methods, the evolution of a simple yet elegant articulating spaceframe, and ongoing risk reduction and concept refinement efforts. The capture system configuration leverages the spaceframe, heritage manipulators, and a new microspine technology to enable the ARRM boulder capture. While at the NEA it enables attenuation of terminal descent velocity, ascent to escape velocity, boulder collection and restraint. After departure from the NEA it enables, robotic inspection, sample caching, and crew Extra Vehicular Activities (EVA).

An empirical evaulation of computerized tools to aid in enroute flight planning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Philip J.; Mccoy, C. Elaine; Layton, Charles

1993-01-01

The paper describes an experiment using the Flight Planning Testbed (FPT) in which 27 airline dispatchers were studied. Five general questions was addresses in the study: Under what circumstances does the introduction of computer-generated suggestions (flight plans) influence the planning behavior of dispatchers; what is the nature of such influences; How beneficial are the general design concepts underlying FPT; How effective are the specific implementation decisions made in realizing these general design concepts; How effectively do dispatchers evaluate situations requiring replanning and how effectively do they identify appropriate solutions to these situations. The study leaves little doubt that the introduction of computer-generated suggestions for solving a flight planning problem can have a marked impact on the cognitive processes of the user and on the ultimate plan selected.

The relativity of biological function.

PubMed

Laubichler, Manfred D; Stadler, Peter F; Prohaska, Sonja J; Nowick, Katja

2015-12-01

Function is a central concept in biological theories and explanations. Yet discussions about function are often based on a narrow understanding of biological systems and processes, such as idealized molecular systems or simple evolutionary, i.e., selective, dynamics. Conflicting conceptions of function continue to be used in the scientific literature to support certain claims, for instance about the fraction of "functional DNA" in the human genome. Here we argue that all biologically meaningful interpretations of function are necessarily context dependent. This implies that they derive their meaning as well as their range of applicability only within a specific theoretical and measurement context. We use this framework to shed light on the current debate about functional DNA and argue that without considering explicitly the theoretical and measurement contexts all attempts to integrate biological theories are prone to fail.

Meteorological and ecological monitoring of the stratosphere and mesosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newell, R. E.; Gray, C. R.

1972-01-01

A concept for determining the constituent densities of ozone, atomic oxygen, aerosols, and neutral density in the 20 to 1000 km region of the atmosphere from a satellite was developed. The concept includes the daytime measurement of solar scattering at the earth's limb in selected narrow spectral bands of the ultraviolet and visible regions, and the measurement of selected (dayglow) emissions. Nighttime measurements of the atmospheric extinction of stellar energy in selected bands are also considered as are simultaneous measurements of the 5577 airglow and molecular oxygen emission in the Herzberg band. Radiative-transfer models and recursive inversion algorithms are developed for the measurements, and the accuracy of the concept is assessed.

Applying Organ Clearance Concepts in a Clinical Setting

PubMed Central

2008-01-01

Objective To teach doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students how to apply organ clearance concepts in a clinical setting in order to optimize dose management, select the right drug product, and promote better patient-centered care practices. Design A student-focused 5-hour topic entitled "Organ Clearance Concepts: Modeling and Clinical Applications" was developed and delivered to second-year PharmD students. Active-learning techniques, such as reading assignments and thought-provoking questions, and collaborative learning techniques, such as small groups, were used. Student learning was assessed using application cards and a minute paper. Assessment Overall student responses to topic presentation were overwhelmingly positive. The teaching strategies here discussed allowed students to play an active role in their own learning process and provided the necessary connection to keep them motivated, as mentioned in the application cards and minute paper assessments. Students scored an average of 88% on the examination given at the end of the course. Conclusion By incorporating active-learning and collaborative-learning techniques in presenting material on organ clearance concept, students gained a more thorough knowledge of dose management and drug-drug interactions than if the concepts had been presented using a traditional lecture format. This knowledge will help students in solving critical patient situations in a real-world context. PMID:19214275

Missed nursing care: a concept analysis.

PubMed

Kalisch, Beatrice J; Landstrom, Gay L; Hinshaw, Ada Sue

2009-07-01

This paper is a report of the analysis of the concept of missed nursing care. According to patient safety literature, missed nursing care is an error of omission. This concept has been conspicuously absent in quality and patient safety literature, with individual aspects of nursing care left undone given only occasional mention. An 8-step method of concept analysis - select concept, determine purpose, identify uses, define attributes, identify model case, describe related and contrary cases, identify antecedents and consequences and define empirical referents - was used to examine the concept of missed nursing care. The sources for the analysis were identified by systematic searches of the World Wide Web, MEDLINE, CINAHL and reference lists of related journal articles with a timeline of 1970 to April 2008. Missed nursing care, conceptualized within the Missed Nursing Care Model, is defined as any aspect of required patient care that is omitted (either in part or in whole) or delayed. Various attribute categories reported by nurses in acute care settings contribute to missed nursing care: (1) antecedents that catalyse the need for a decision about priorities; (2) elements of the nursing process and (3) internal perceptions and values of the nurse. Multiple elements in the nursing environment and internal to nurses influence whether needed nursing care is provided. Missed care as conceptualized within the Missed Care Model is a universal phenomenon. The concept is expected to occur across all cultures and countries, thus being international in scope.

From SNOMED CT to Uberon: Transferability of evaluation methodology between similarly structured ontologies.

PubMed

Elhanan, Gai; Ochs, Christopher; Mejino, Jose L V; Liu, Hao; Mungall, Christopher J; Perl, Yehoshua

2017-06-01

To examine whether disjoint partial-area taxonomy, a semantically-based evaluation methodology that has been successfully tested in SNOMED CT, will perform with similar effectiveness on Uberon, an anatomical ontology that belongs to a structurally similar family of ontologies as SNOMED CT. A disjoint partial-area taxonomy was generated for Uberon. One hundred randomly selected test concepts that overlap between partial-areas were matched to a same size control sample of non-overlapping concepts. The samples were blindly inspected for non-critical issues and presumptive errors first by a general domain expert whose results were then confirmed or rejected by a highly experienced anatomical ontology domain expert. Reported issues were subsequently reviewed by Uberon's curators. Overlapping concepts in Uberon's disjoint partial-area taxonomy exhibited a significantly higher rate of all issues. Clear-cut presumptive errors trended similarly but did not reach statistical significance. A sub-analysis of overlapping concepts with three or more relationship types indicated a much higher rate of issues. Overlapping concepts from Uberon's disjoint abstraction network are quite likely (up to 28.9%) to exhibit issues. The results suggest that the methodology can transfer well between same family ontologies. Although Uberon exhibited relatively few overlapping concepts, the methodology can be combined with other semantic indicators to expand the process to other concepts within the ontology that will generate high yields of discovered issues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Orbital transfer vehicle concept definition and system analysis study, 1985. Volume 3: System and program trades

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, James H.; Mohrman, Gordon W.; Callan, Daniel R.

1986-01-01

The key system and program trade studies performed to arrive at a preferred Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) system concept and evolutionary approach to the acquisition of the requisite capabilites is documented. These efforts were expanded to encompass a Space Transportation Architecture Study (STAS) mission model and recommended unmanned cargo vehicle. The most important factors affecting the results presented are the mission model requirements and selection criteria. The reason for conducting the OTV concept definition and system analyses study is to select a concept and acquisition approach that meets a delivery requirement reflected by the mission model.

Applying Qualitative Hazard Analysis to Support Quantitative Safety Analysis for Proposed Reduced Wake Separation Conops

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shortle, John F.; Allocco, Michael

2005-01-01

This paper describes a scenario-driven hazard analysis process to identify, eliminate, and control safety-related risks. Within this process, we develop selective criteria to determine the applicability of applying engineering modeling to hypothesized hazard scenarios. This provides a basis for evaluating and prioritizing the scenarios as candidates for further quantitative analysis. We have applied this methodology to proposed concepts of operations for reduced wake separation for closely spaced parallel runways. For arrivals, the process identified 43 core hazard scenarios. Of these, we classified 12 as appropriate for further quantitative modeling, 24 that should be mitigated through controls, recommendations, and / or procedures (that is, scenarios not appropriate for quantitative modeling), and 7 that have the lowest priority for further analysis.

Subcortical mechanisms in language: lexical-semantic mechanisms and the thalamus.

PubMed

Crosson, B

1999-07-01

Four previously published cases of dominant thalamic lesion in which the author has participated are reviewed to gain a better understanding of thalamic participation in lexical-semantic functions. Naming deficits in two cases support Nadeau and Crosson's (1997) hypothesis of a selective engagement mechanism involving the frontal lobes, inferior thalamic peduncle, nucleus reticularis, and other thalamic nuclei, possibly the centromedian nucleus. This mechanism selectively engages those cortical areas required to perform a cognitive task, while maintaining other areas in a state of relative disengagement. Deficits in selective engagement disproportionately affect lexical retrieval based on semantic input, as opposed to lexical and sublexical processes, because the former is more dependent upon this attentional system. The concept of selective engagement is also useful in understanding thalamic participation in working memory, as supported by data from one recent functional neuroimaging study. Other processes also may be compromised in more posterior thalamic lesions which damage the pulvinar but not other components of this selective engagement system. A third case with aphasia after a more superior and posterior thalamic lesion also had oral reading errors similar to those in neglect dyslexia. The pattern of deficits suggested a visual processing problem in the early stages of reading. The fourth case had a category-specific naming deficit after posterior thalamic lesion. Taken together, the latter two cases indicate that the nature of language functions in more posterior regions of the dominant thalamus depends upon the cortical connectivity of the thalamic region. Together, findings from the four cases suggest that thalamic nuclei and systems are involved in multiple processes which directly or indirectly support cortical language functions. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Describing the organisational culture of a selection of community pharmacies using a tool borrowed from social science.

PubMed

Scahill, Shane; Harrison, Jeff; Carswell, Peter

2010-02-01

To describe the dimensions of organisational culture within a selection of community pharmacies. Community pharmacy in the New Zealand primary care sector which is partially government funded and currently undergoing major reform. Community pharmacy is under pressure to take on new roles, integrate within the wider primary care team and deliver the expectations of contemporary health policy. The mixed methods approach of concept mapping was undertaken with 10 representatives from six community pharmacies selected as case sites. The process was split into three parts (a) face to face brainstorming to generate statements describing culture, followed by (b) statement reduction, piloting and approval of statement list by participants, followed by (c) sorting the statements into 'like' groups. Multidimensional scaling analysis of participant sorting allows the development of discrete clusters of statements that describe aspects of organizational culture. A set of 105 statements were generated at the brainstorming meeting. Eight clusters of organisational culture resulted from participant sorting: leadership and staff management; valuing each other and the team; free thinking, fun and open to challenge; trusted behaviour; customer relations; focus on external integration; providing systematic advice; embracing innovation. Community pharmacy is under pressure to take on new roles and deliver and there is some evidence organisational culture of pharmacy may be a barrier. Our paper outlines the development of a survey instrument for describing organisational culture through Concept mapping, a tool borrowed from social sciences. This tool can be used for exploration of aspects of culture that may be important in the change management process for improving the effectiveness of community pharmacy as expected by contemporary primary health care policy.

A Selective Encryption Algorithm Based on AES for Medical Information.

PubMed

Oh, Ju-Young; Yang, Dong-Il; Chon, Ki-Hwan

2010-03-01

The transmission of medical information is currently a daily routine. Medical information needs efficient, robust and secure encryption modes, but cryptography is primarily a computationally intensive process. Towards this direction, we design a selective encryption scheme for critical data transmission. We expand the advandced encrytion stanard (AES)-Rijndael with five criteria: the first is the compression of plain data, the second is the variable size of the block, the third is the selectable round, the fourth is the optimization of software implementation and the fifth is the selective function of the whole routine. We have tested our selective encryption scheme by C(++) and it was compiled with Code::Blocks using a MinGW GCC compiler. The experimental results showed that our selective encryption scheme achieves a faster execution speed of encryption/decryption. In future work, we intend to use resource optimization to enhance the round operations, such as SubByte/InvSubByte, by exploiting similarities between encryption and decryption. As encryption schemes become more widely used, the concept of hardware and software co-design is also a growing new area of interest.

A Selective Encryption Algorithm Based on AES for Medical Information

PubMed Central

Oh, Ju-Young; Chon, Ki-Hwan

2010-01-01

Objectives The transmission of medical information is currently a daily routine. Medical information needs efficient, robust and secure encryption modes, but cryptography is primarily a computationally intensive process. Towards this direction, we design a selective encryption scheme for critical data transmission. Methods We expand the advandced encrytion stanard (AES)-Rijndael with five criteria: the first is the compression of plain data, the second is the variable size of the block, the third is the selectable round, the fourth is the optimization of software implementation and the fifth is the selective function of the whole routine. We have tested our selective encryption scheme by C++ and it was compiled with Code::Blocks using a MinGW GCC compiler. Results The experimental results showed that our selective encryption scheme achieves a faster execution speed of encryption/decryption. In future work, we intend to use resource optimization to enhance the round operations, such as SubByte/InvSubByte, by exploiting similarities between encryption and decryption. Conclusions As encryption schemes become more widely used, the concept of hardware and software co-design is also a growing new area of interest. PMID:21818420

Using HPLC-Mass Spectrometry to Teach Proteomics Concepts with Problem-Based Techniques

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Short, Michael; Short, Anne; Vankempen, Rachel; Seymour, Michael; Burnatowska-Hledin, Maria

2010-01-01

Practical instruction of proteomics concepts was provided using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a mass selective detection system (HPLC-MS) for the analysis of simulated protein digests. The samples were prepared from selected dipeptides in order to facilitate the mass spectral identification. As part of the prelaboratory…

Tangled up in views: Beliefs in the nature of science and responses to socioscientific dilemmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeidler, Dana L.; Walker, Kimberly A.; Ackett, Wayne A.; Simmons, Michael L.

2002-05-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between students' conceptions of the nature of science and their reactions to evidence that challenged their beliefs about socioscientific issues. This study involved 41 pairs of students representing critical cases of contrasting ethical viewpoints. These 82 students were identified from a larger sample of 248 students from 9th and 10th grade general science classes, 11th and 12th grade honors biology, honors science, and physics classes, and upper-level college preservice science education classes. Students responded to questions aimed at revealing their epistemological views of the nature of science and their belief convictions on a selected socioscientific issue. The smaller subset of students was selected based on varying degrees of belief convictions about the socioscientific issues and the selected students were then paired to discuss their reasoning related to the issue while being exposed to anomalous data and information from each other and in response to epistemological probes of an interviewer. Taxonomic categories of students' conceptions of the nature of science were derived from the researchers' analysis of student responses to interviews and questionnaires. In some instances, students' conceptions of the nature of science were reflected in their reasoning on a moral and ethical issue. This study stimulated students to reflect on their own beliefs and defend their opinions. The findings suggest that the reactions of students to anomalous socioscientific data are varied and complex, with notable differences in the reasoning processes of high school students compared to college students. A deeper understanding of how students reason about the moral and ethical context of controversial socioscientific issues will allow science educators to incorporate teaching strategies aimed at developing students' reasoning skills in these crucial areas.

Validation Of The Airspace Concept Evaluation System Using Real World Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zelinski, Shannon

2005-01-01

This paper discusses the process of performing a validation of the Airspace Concept Evaluation System (ACES) using real world historical flight operational data. ACES inputs are generated from select real world data and processed to create a realistic reproduction of a single day of operations within the National Airspace System (NAS). ACES outputs are then compared to real world operational metrics and delay statistics for the reproduced day. Preliminary results indicate that ACES produces delays and airport operational metrics similar to the real world with minor variations of delay by phase of flight. ACES is a nation-wide fast-time simulation tool developed at NASA Ames Research Center. ACES models and simulates the NAS using interacting agents representing center control, terminal flow management, airports, individual flights, and other NAS elements. These agents pass messages between one another similar to real world communications. This distributed agent based system is designed to emulate the highly unpredictable nature of the NAS, making it a suitable tool to evaluate current and envisioned airspace concepts. To ensure that ACES produces the most realistic results, the system must be validated. There is no way to validate future concepts scenarios using real world historical data, but current day scenario validations increase confidence in the validity of future scenario results. Each operational day has unique weather and traffic demand schedules. The more a simulation utilizes the unique characteristic of a specific day, the more realistic the results should be. ACES is able to simulate the full scale demand traffic necessary to perform a validation using real world data. Through direct comparison with the real world, models may continuee to be improved and unusual trends and biases may be filtered out of the system or used to normalize the results of future concept simulations.

[Development of a scale to measure the self concept of cesarean section mothers].

PubMed

Lee, M L; Cho, J H

1990-08-01

Recently, the rate of cesarean section in Korea has been increasing. The results of several previous studies in foreign countries on the emotional responses of cesarean section mothers showed that they might experience difficulties in the mother-infant interaction due to fatigue, lack of early mother-infant interaction, disappointments, anger, feelings of loss of control, and other factors. Human behavior is said to be determined by one's self concept, and self concept is influenced by both internal and external environmental factors. A scale to measure the self concept of cesarean section mothers was needed in order to identify those who might have difficulties in the mother-infant interactions in future. The purposes of this study were to develop a measuring scale, and to test its reliability and validity. The process of this study was as follows. A structured interview was done with 50 cesarean section and vaginal delivery mothers to find their state of emotional reaction after giving birth to their babies. Based on the results of the interviews, a 50 items Likert scale was developed. The self concept of 268 cesarean section and vaginal delivery mothers who were hospitalized at six hospital in seoul were measured, during the period between Feb. 1 and April 30. Reviewing the discriminating power of each item by means of crosstabulation, ten items were selected for the final scale. The reliability and validity of this ten item scale were tested by Cronbach's alpha and t-test, using spss pc + package. The results of this study and recommendation are as follows. 1. The ten selected items were as follows. I feel pains in my breast. (-) I have a good appetite now. (+) I feel pains in my flank. (-) I feel fine now. (+) My body seems to have returned to its prepregnant state. (+) Thinking of the delivery process, I feel sorry. (-) I want to hold my baby in my arms. (+) I want to keep my own life, even if I became a mother. (-) I want to delegate the care of the baby to my mother/mother in law. (-) I think baby is my alter ege. (+) 2. The reliability of this scale was tested by Cronbach's alpha, and the coefficient of this scale was .8066. 3. The construct validity of this scale was tested by means of known group methods. The value of self concept for cesarean section mother was significantly lower than for vaginal delivery mothers (t = -5.51, df = 266, p = 0.007).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Construction of the mathematical concept of pseudo thinking students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anggraini, D.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Pramudya, I.

2018-05-01

Thinking process is a process that begins with the acceptance of information, information processing and information calling in memory with structural changes that include concepts or knowledges. The concept or knowledge is individually constructed by each individual. While, students construct a mathematical concept, students may experience pseudo thinking. Pseudo thinking is a thinking process that results in an answer to a problem or construction to a concept “that is not true”. Pseudo thinking can be classified into two forms there are true pseudo and false pseudo. The construction of mathematical concepts in students of pseudo thinking should be immediately known because the error will have an impact on the next construction of mathematical concepts and to correct the errors it requires knowledge of the source of the error. Therefore, in this article will be discussed thinking process in constructing of mathematical concepts in students who experience pseudo thinking.

Minimizing the semantic gap in biomedical content-based image retrieval

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Haiying; Antani, Sameer; Long, L. Rodney; Thoma, George R.

2010-03-01

A major challenge in biomedical Content-Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) is to achieve meaningful mappings that minimize the semantic gap between the high-level biomedical semantic concepts and the low-level visual features in images. This paper presents a comprehensive learning-based scheme toward meeting this challenge and improving retrieval quality. The article presents two algorithms: a learning-based feature selection and fusion algorithm and the Ranking Support Vector Machine (Ranking SVM) algorithm. The feature selection algorithm aims to select 'good' features and fuse them using different similarity measurements to provide a better representation of the high-level concepts with the low-level image features. Ranking SVM is applied to learn the retrieval rank function and associate the selected low-level features with query concepts, given the ground-truth ranking of the training samples. The proposed scheme addresses four major issues in CBIR to improve the retrieval accuracy: image feature extraction, selection and fusion, similarity measurements, the association of the low-level features with high-level concepts, and the generation of the rank function to support high-level semantic image retrieval. It models the relationship between semantic concepts and image features, and enables retrieval at the semantic level. We apply it to the problem of vertebra shape retrieval from a digitized spine x-ray image set collected by the second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES II). The experimental results show an improvement of up to 41.92% in the mean average precision (MAP) over conventional image similarity computation methods.

Integrated process modeling for the laser inertial fusion energy (LIFE) generation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meier, W. R.; Anklam, T. M.; Erlandson, A. C.; Miles, R. R.; Simon, A. J.; Sawicki, R.; Storm, E.

2010-08-01

A concept for a new fusion-fission hybrid technology is being developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The primary application of this technology is base-load electrical power generation. However, variants of the baseline technology can be used to "burn" spent nuclear fuel from light water reactors or to perform selective transmutation of problematic fission products. The use of a fusion driver allows very high burn-up of the fission fuel, limited only by the radiation resistance of the fuel form and system structures. As a part of this process, integrated process models have been developed to aid in concept definition. Several models have been developed. A cost scaling model allows quick assessment of design changes or technology improvements on cost of electricity. System design models are being used to better understand system interactions and to do design trade-off and optimization studies. Here we describe the different systems models and present systems analysis results. Different market entry strategies are discussed along with potential benefits to US energy security and nuclear waste disposal. Advanced technology options are evaluated and potential benefits from additional R&D targeted at the different options is quantified.

Integrated operation of continuous chromatography and biotransformations for the generic high yield production of fine chemicals.

PubMed

Bechtold, Matthias; Makart, Stefan; Heinemann, Matthias; Panke, Sven

2006-06-25

The rapid progress in biocatalysis in the identification and development of enzymes over the last decade has enormously enlarged the chemical reaction space that can be addressed not only in research applications, but also on industrial scale. This enables us to consider even those groups of reactions that are very promising from a synthetic point of view, but suffer from drawbacks on process level, such as an unfavourable position of the reaction equilibrium. Prominent examples stem from the aldolase-catalyzed enantioselective carbon-carbon bond forming reactions, reactions catalyzed by isomerising enzymes, and reactions that are kinetically controlled. On the other hand, continuous chromatography concepts such as the simulating moving bed technology have matured and are increasingly realized on industrial scale for the efficient separation of difficult compound mixtures - including enantiomers - with unprecedented efficiency. We propose that coupling of enzyme reactor and continuous chromatography is a very suitable and potentially generic process concept to address the thermodynamic limitations of a host of promising biotransformations. This way, it should be possible to establish novel in situ product recovery processes of unprecedented efficiency and selectivity that represent a feasible way to recruit novel biocatalysts to the industrial portfolio.

Nonequilibrium thermodynamics and information theory: basic concepts and relaxing dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Altaner, Bernhard

2017-11-01

Thermodynamics is based on the notions of energy and entropy. While energy is the elementary quantity governing physical dynamics, entropy is the fundamental concept in information theory. In this work, starting from first principles, we give a detailed didactic account on the relations between energy and entropy and thus physics and information theory. We show that thermodynamic process inequalities, like the second law, are equivalent to the requirement that an effective description for physical dynamics is strongly relaxing. From the perspective of information theory, strongly relaxing dynamics govern the irreversible convergence of a statistical ensemble towards the maximally non-commital probability distribution that is compatible with thermodynamic equilibrium parameters. In particular, Markov processes that converge to a thermodynamic equilibrium state are strongly relaxing. Our framework generalizes previous results to arbitrary open and driven systems, yielding novel thermodynamic bounds for idealized and real processes. , which features invited work from the best early-career researchers working within the scope of J. Phys. A. This project is part of the Journal of Physics series’ 50th anniversary celebrations in 2017. Bernhard Altaner was selected by the Editorial Board of J. Phys. A as an Emerging Talent.

Rotating carbon nanotube membrane filter for water desalination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tu, Qingsong; Yang, Qiang; Wang, Hualin; Li, Shaofan

2016-05-01

We have designed a porous nanofluidic desalination device, a rotating carbon nanotube membrane filter (RCNT-MF), for the reverse osmosis desalination that can turn salt water into fresh water. The concept as well as design strategy of RCNT-MF is modeled, and demonstrated by using molecular dynamics simulation. It has been shown that the RCNT-MF device may significantly improve desalination efficiency by combining the centrifugal force propelled reverse osmosis process and the porous CNT-based fine scale selective separation technology.

Analysis of the Federal Aviation Administration’s Host Computer Acquisition Process and Potential Application in Department of Defense Acquisitions

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-01

defense programs lost far more to inefficient procedures than to fraud and dishonesty * (President’s Commission, l986c:15). Based on the Commission...recommendations from current studies, lessons learned from a successful program, and DOD expert opinions to develop an acquisition management strategy that...established for the alternative(s) selected in the preceding phase. 5. In the concept demonstration/validation phase the technical risk and economic

The path to an experiment in space (from concept to flight)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salzman, Jack A.

1994-01-01

The following are discussed in this viewgraph presentation on developing flight experiments for NASA's Microgravity Science and Applications Program: time from flight PI selection to launch; key flight experiment phases and schedule drivers; microgravity experiment definition/development process; definition and engineering development phase; ground-based reduced gravity research facilities; project organization; responsibilities and duties of principle investigator/co-investigators, project scientist, and project manager; the science requirements document; flight development phase; experiment cost and schedule; and keys to experiment success.

Rotating carbon nanotube membrane filter for water desalination

PubMed Central

Tu, Qingsong; Yang, Qiang; Wang, Hualin; Li, Shaofan

2016-01-01

We have designed a porous nanofluidic desalination device, a rotating carbon nanotube membrane filter (RCNT-MF), for the reverse osmosis desalination that can turn salt water into fresh water. The concept as well as design strategy of RCNT-MF is modeled, and demonstrated by using molecular dynamics simulation. It has been shown that the RCNT-MF device may significantly improve desalination efficiency by combining the centrifugal force propelled reverse osmosis process and the porous CNT-based fine scale selective separation technology. PMID:27188982

Portfolio selection and asset pricing under a benchmark approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Platen, Eckhard

2006-10-01

The paper presents classical and new results on portfolio optimization, as well as the fair pricing concept for derivative pricing under the benchmark approach. The growth optimal portfolio is shown to be a central object in a market model. It links asset pricing and portfolio optimization. The paper argues that the market portfolio is a proxy of the growth optimal portfolio. By choosing the drift of the discounted growth optimal portfolio as parameter process, one obtains a realistic theoretical market dynamics.

Environmental Impact Analysis Process. Environment Assessment. U.S. Air Force, Space Division Advanced Launch System (ALS) Concept Selection

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

Mauna Loa and Kilauea volcanoes . Both are shield volcanoes , having a broad summit and base. The southeastern flanks of the volcanoes are riddled with... Kilauea volcano frequently inundate the area a few miles north of Palima Point. The large system of cracks and fissures which are common in the...the island is the Mauna Kea volcano , which emits substantial quantities of S0 2 . The island of Hawaii is currently in attainment for all criteria

Prototype of a Graphical CONOPS (Concept of Operations) Development Environment for Agile Systems Engineering

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-23

orthogonal dimensions of cognition : things, places, paths, actions, and causes suggested as key by cognitive linguists. The goal of this research task... stylistic treatment across the system? O O O 1.3 Is a single, selected icon clearly visible when surrounded by unselected icons? O O O 1.4...1.21 Complex tasks: 8-12 seconds O O O 1.22 Are response times appropriate to the user’s cognitive processing? O O O 1.23 Continuity of thinking

The Experience Factory: Strategy and Practice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Basili, Victor R.; Caldiera, Gianluigi

1995-01-01

The quality movement, that has had in recent years a dramatic impact on all industrial sectors, has recently reached the system and software industry. Although some concepts of quality management, originally developed for other product types, can be applied to software, its specificity as a product which is developed and not produced requires a special approach. This paper introduces a quality paradigm specifically tailored on the problem of the systems and software industry. Reuse of products, processes and experiences originating from the system life cycle is seen today as a feasible solution to the problem of developing higher quality systems at a lower cost. In fact, quality improvement is very often achieved by defining and developing an appropriate set of strategic capabilities and core competencies to support them. A strategic capability is, in this context, a corporate goal defined by the business position of the organization and implemented by key business processes. Strategic capabilities are supported by core competencies, which are aggregate technologies tailored to the specific needs of the organization in performing the needed business processes. Core competencies are non-transitional, have a consistent evolution, and are typically fueled by multiple technologies. Their selection and development requires commitment, investment and leadership. The paradigm introduced in this paper for developing core competencies is the Quality Improvement Paradigm which consists of six steps: (1) Characterize the environment, (2) Set the goals, (3) Choose the process, (4) Execute the process, (5) Analyze the process data, and (6) Package experience. The process must be supported by a goal oriented approach to measurement and control, and an organizational infrastructure, called Experience Factory. The Experience Factory is a logical and physical organization distinct from the project organizations it supports. Its goal is development and support of core competencies through capitalization and reuse of its cycle experience and products. The paper introduces the major concepts of the proposed approach, discusses their relationship with other approaches used in the industry, and presents a case in which those concepts have been successfully applied.

Interface Pattern Selection Criterion for Cellular Structures in Directional Solidification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trivedi, R.; Tewari, S. N.; Kurtze, D.

1999-01-01

The aim of this investigation is to establish key scientific concepts that govern the selection of cellular and dendritic patterns during the directional solidification of alloys. We shall first address scientific concepts that are crucial in the selection of interface patterns. Next, the results of ground-based experimental studies in the Al-4.0 wt % Cu system will be described. Both experimental studies and theoretical calculations will be presented to establish the need for microgravity experiments.

Advanced reactor design study. Assessing nonbackfittable concepts for improving uranium utilization in light water reactors

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

Fleischman, R.M.; Goldsmith, S.; Newman, D.F.

1981-09-01

The objective of the Advanced Reactor Design Study (ARDS) is to identify and evaluate nonbackfittable concepts for improving uranium utilization in light water reactors (LWRs). The results of this study provide a basis for selecting and demonstrating specific nonbackfittable concepts that have good potential for implementation. Lead responsibility for managing the study was assigned to the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). Nonbackfittable concepts for improving uranium utilization in LWRs on the once-through fuel cycle were selected separately for PWRs and BWRs due to basic differences in the way specific concepts apply to those plants. Nonbackfittable concepts are those that are toomore » costly to incorporate in existing plants, and thus, could only be economically incorporated in new reactor designs or plants in very early stages of construction. Essential results of the Advanced Reactor Design Study are summarized.« less

Altered characteristic of brain networks in mild cognitive impairment during a selective attention task: An EEG study.

PubMed

Wei, Ling; Li, Yingjie; Yang, Xiaoli; Xue, Qing; Wang, Yuping

2015-10-01

The present study evaluated the topological properties of whole brain networks using graph theoretical concepts and investigated the time-evolution characteristic of brain network in mild cognitive impairment patients during a selective attention task. Electroencephalography (EEG) activities were recorded in 10 MCI patients and 17 healthy subjects when they performed a color match task. We calculated the phase synchrony index between each possible pairs of EEG channels in alpha and beta frequency bands and analyzed the local interconnectedness, overall connectedness and small-world characteristic of brain network in different degree for two groups. Relative to healthy normal controls, the properties of cortical networks in MCI patients tend to be a shift of randomization. Lower σ of MCI had suggested that patients had a further loss of small-world attribute both during active and resting states. Our results provide evidence for the functional disconnection of brain regions in MCI. Furthermore, we found the properties of cortical networks could reflect the processing of conflict information in the selective attention task. The human brain tends to be a more regular and efficient neural architecture in the late stage of information processing. In addition, the processing of conflict information needs stronger information integration and transfer between cortical areas. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measuring Social Studies Concept Attainment: Boys and Girls. Report from the Project on A Structure of Concept Attainment Abilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Margaret L.; Tabachnick, B. Robert

This paper describes test development efforts for measuring achievement of selected concepts in social studies. It includes descriptive item and test statistics for the tests developed. Twelve items were developed for each of 30 concepts. Subject specialists categorized the concepts into three major areas: Geographic Region, Man and Society, and…

The Neighborhood Auditing Tool: a hybrid interface for auditing the UMLS.

PubMed

Morrey, C Paul; Geller, James; Halper, Michael; Perl, Yehoshua

2009-06-01

The UMLS's integration of more than 100 source vocabularies, not necessarily consistent with one another, causes some inconsistencies. The purpose of auditing the UMLS is to detect such inconsistencies and to suggest how to resolve them while observing the requirement of fully representing the content of each source in the UMLS. A software tool, called the Neighborhood Auditing Tool (NAT), that facilitates UMLS auditing is presented. The NAT supports "neighborhood-based" auditing, where, at any given time, an auditor concentrates on a single-focus concept and one of a variety of neighborhoods of its closely related concepts. Typical diagrammatic displays of concept networks have a number of shortcomings, so the NAT utilizes a hybrid diagram/text interface that features stylized neighborhood views which retain some of the best features of both the diagrammatic layouts and text windows while avoiding the shortcomings. The NAT allows an auditor to display knowledge from both the Metathesaurus (concept) level and the Semantic Network (semantic type) level. Various additional features of the NAT that support the auditing process are described. The usefulness of the NAT is demonstrated through a group of case studies. Its impact is tested with a study involving a select group of auditors.

Teaching cardiovascular physiology with equivalent electronic circuits in a practically oriented teaching module.

PubMed

Ribaric, Samo; Kordas, Marjan

2011-06-01

Here, we report on a new tool for teaching cardiovascular physiology and pathophysiology that promotes qualitative as well as quantitative thinking about time-dependent physiological phenomena. Quantification of steady and presteady-state (transient) cardiovascular phenomena is traditionally done by differential equations, but this is time consuming and unsuitable for most undergraduate medical students. As a result, quantitative thinking about time-dependent physiological phenomena is often not extensively dealt with in an undergraduate physiological course. However, basic concepts of steady and presteady state can be explained with relative simplicity, without the introduction of differential equation, with equivalent electronic circuits (EECs). We introduced undergraduate medical students to the concept of simulating cardiovascular phenomena with EECs. EEC simulations facilitate the understanding of simple or complex time-dependent cardiovascular physiological phenomena by stressing the analogies between EECs and physiological processes. Student perceptions on using EEC to simulate, study, and understand cardiovascular phenomena were documented over a 9-yr period, and the impact of the course on the students' knowledge of selected basic facts and concepts in cardiovascular physiology was evaluated over a 3-yr period. We conclude that EECs are a valuable tool for teaching cardiovascular physiology concepts and that EECs promote active learning.

From Oedipus to PACE, using the concepts of shame and guilt as golden thread.

PubMed

Beckmann, Klaus Martin

2016-02-01

To demonstrate that antiquity's concepts of shame and guilt developed in their meaning over the centuries and can still have practical applicability in psychological therapies these days. To review shame and guilt in philosophy, history, ethics and psychiatry contexts. Within limitations, a narrative is presented, starting with Oedipus in antiquity, visiting several important philosophical theories and ending in the present time with, for example, Dan Hughes' PACE model for therapy. The first part expands on selected ideas presented in Melvyn Bragg's 2007 BBC radio programme entitled 'Guilt'; the second part adds selected therapeutic models where concepts of shame and guilt play a role. Shame and guilt are archaic but quintessential concepts that already occupied thinkers in antiquity. Shame and guilt are concepts that preoccupied science and art over the millennia and continue as useful concepts to the present day. Moreover, shame and guilt, as concepts, continue to play a salient role in recent and contemporary psychiatry. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Active learning methods for interactive image retrieval.

PubMed

Gosselin, Philippe Henri; Cord, Matthieu

2008-07-01

Active learning methods have been considered with increased interest in the statistical learning community. Initially developed within a classification framework, a lot of extensions are now being proposed to handle multimedia applications. This paper provides algorithms within a statistical framework to extend active learning for online content-based image retrieval (CBIR). The classification framework is presented with experiments to compare several powerful classification techniques in this information retrieval context. Focusing on interactive methods, active learning strategy is then described. The limitations of this approach for CBIR are emphasized before presenting our new active selection process RETIN. First, as any active method is sensitive to the boundary estimation between classes, the RETIN strategy carries out a boundary correction to make the retrieval process more robust. Second, the criterion of generalization error to optimize the active learning selection is modified to better represent the CBIR objective of database ranking. Third, a batch processing of images is proposed. Our strategy leads to a fast and efficient active learning scheme to retrieve sets of online images (query concept). Experiments on large databases show that the RETIN method performs well in comparison to several other active strategies.

Student conceptions of natural selection and its role in evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bishop, Beth A.; Anderson, Charles W.

Pretests and posttests on the topic of evolution by natural selection were administered to students in a college nonmajors' biology course. Analysis of test responses revealed that most students understood evolution as a process in which species respond to environmental conditions by changing gradually over time. Student thinking differed from accepted biological theory in that (a) changes in traits were attributed to a need-driven adaptive process rather than random genetic mutation and sexual recombination, (b) no role was assigned to variation on traits within a population or differences in reproductive success, and (c) traits were seen as gradually changing in all members of a population. Although students had taken an average of 1.9 years of previous biology courses, performance on the pretest was uniformly low. There was no relationship between the amount of previous biology taken and either pretest or posttest performance. Belief in the truthfulness of evolutionary theory was also unrelated to either pretest or posttest performance. Course instruction using specially designed materials was moderately successful in improving students' understanding of the evolutionary process.

Adaptive Skeletal Muscle Action Requires Anticipation and “Conscious Broadcasting”

PubMed Central

Poehlman, T. Andrew; Jantz, Tiffany K.; Morsella, Ezequiel

2012-01-01

Historically, the conscious and anticipatory processes involved in voluntary action have been associated with the loftiest heights of nervous function. Concepts like mental time travel, “theory of mind,” and the formation of “the self” have been at the center of many attempts to determine the purpose of consciousness. Eventually, more reductionistic accounts of consciousness emerged, proposing rather that conscious states play a much more basic role in nervous function. Though the widely held integration consensus proposes that conscious states integrate information-processing structures and events that would otherwise be independent, Supramodular Interaction Theory (SIT) argues that conscious states are necessary for the integration of only certain kinds of information. As revealed in this selective review, this integration is related to what is casually referred to as “voluntary” action, which is intimately related to the skeletal muscle output system. Through a peculiar form of broadcasting, conscious integration often controls and guides action via “ideomotor” mechanisms, where anticipatory processes play a central role. Our selective review covers evidence (including findings from anesthesia research) for the integration consensus, SIT, and ideomotor theory. PMID:23264766

Hybrid Propulsion Technology Program, phase 1. Volume 2: Technical discussion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

Information on hybrid propulsion system concepts is given largely in the form of outlines, charts and graphs. Included are the concept definition, trade study data generation, concept evaluation and selection, conceptual design definition, and technology definition.

Conceptual design of a crewed reusable space transportation system aimed at parabolic flights: stakeholder analysis, mission concept selection, and spacecraft architecture definition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fusaro, Roberta; Viola, Nicole; Fenoglio, Franco; Santoro, Francesco

2017-03-01

This paper proposes a methodology to derive architectures and operational concepts for future earth-to-orbit and sub-orbital transportation systems. In particular, at first, it describes the activity flow, methods, and tools leading to the generation of a wide range of alternative solutions to meet the established goal. Subsequently, the methodology allows selecting a small number of feasible options among which the optimal solution can be found. For the sake of clarity, the first part of the paper describes the methodology from a theoretical point of view, while the second part proposes the selection of mission concepts and of a proper transportation system aimed at sub-orbital parabolic flights. Starting from a detailed analysis of the stakeholders and their needs, the major objectives of the mission have been derived. Then, following a system engineering approach, functional analysis tools as well as concept of operations techniques allowed generating a very high number of possible ways to accomplish the envisaged goals. After a preliminary pruning activity, aimed at defining the feasibility of these concepts, more detailed analyses have been carried out. Going on through the procedure, the designer should move from qualitative to quantitative evaluations, and for this reason, to support the trade-off analysis, an ad-hoc built-in mission simulation software has been exploited. This support tool aims at estimating major mission drivers (mass, heat loads, manoeuverability, earth visibility, and volumetric efficiency) as well as proving the feasibility of the concepts. Other crucial and multi-domain mission drivers, such as complexity, innovation level, and safety have been evaluated through the other appropriate analyses. Eventually, one single mission concept has been selected and detailed in terms of layout, systems, and sub-systems, highlighting also logistic, safety, and maintainability aspects.

Online Event Reconstruction in the CBM Experiment at FAIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akishina, Valentina; Kisel, Ivan

2018-02-01

Targeting for rare observables, the CBM experiment will operate at high interaction rates of up to 10 MHz, which is unprecedented in heavy-ion experiments so far. It requires a novel free-streaming readout system and a new concept of data processing. The huge data rates of the CBM experiment will be reduced online to the recordable rate before saving the data to the mass storage. Full collision reconstruction and selection will be performed online in a dedicated processor farm. In order to make an efficient event selection online a clean sample of particles has to be provided by the reconstruction package called First Level Event Selection (FLES). The FLES reconstruction and selection package consists of several modules: track finding, track fitting, event building, short-lived particles finding, and event selection. Since detector measurements contain also time information, the event building is done at all stages of the reconstruction process. The input data are distributed within the FLES farm in a form of time-slices. A time-slice is reconstructed in parallel between processor cores. After all tracks of the whole time-slice are found and fitted, they are collected into clusters of tracks originated from common primary vertices, which then are fitted, thus identifying the interaction points. Secondary tracks are associated with primary vertices according to their estimated production time. After that short-lived particles are found and the full event building process is finished. The last stage of the FLES package is a selection of events according to the requested trigger signatures. The event reconstruction procedure and the results of its application to simulated collisions in the CBM detector setup are presented and discussed in detail.

CF6 jet engine performance improvement program. Task 1: Feasibility analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fasching, W. A.

1979-01-01

Technical and economic engine improvement concepts selected for subsequent development include: (1) fan improvement; (2) short core exhaust; (3) HP turbine aerodynamic improvement; (4) HP turbine roundness control; (5) HP turbine active clearance control; and (6) cabin air recirculation. The fuel savings for the selected engine modification concepts for the CF6 fleet are estimated.

The Dating Game: An Exercise Illustrating the Concepts of Homogamy, Heterogamy, Hyperogamy, and Hypogamy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Eileen; Foley, Lara

1999-01-01

Describes the "Dating Game," an exercise for use in marriage and family courses that enables students to learn about the theories of mate selection by simulating random mating. States that the dating game helps make mate selection concepts relevant to the students' lives. Discusses the students' reaction to the exercise. (CMK)

Subjective Evaluations of Intelligence and Academic Self-Concept Predict Academic Achievement: Evidence from a Selective Student Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kornilova, Tatiana V.; Kornilov, Sergey A.; Chumakova, Maria A.

2009-01-01

The study examined the relationship between implicit theories, goal orientations, subjective and test estimates of intelligence, academic self-concept, and achievement in a selective student population (N=300). There was no direct impact of implicit theories of intelligence and goal orientations on achievement. However, subjective evaluations of…

Development of deployable structures for large space platforms. Volume 2: Design development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenberg, H. S.

1983-01-01

Design evolution, test article design, test article mass properties, and structural analysis of deployable platform systems are discussed. Orbit transfer vehicle (OTV) hangar development, OTV hangar concept selection, and manned module development are discussed. Deployable platform systems requirements, material data base, technology development needs, concept selection and deployable volume enclosures are also discussed.