Touchless interaction with software in interventional radiology and surgery: a systematic literature review.

PubMed

Mewes, André; Hensen, Bennet; Wacker, Frank; Hansen, Christian

2017-02-01

In this article, we systematically examine the current state of research of systems that focus on touchless human-computer interaction in operating rooms and interventional radiology suites. We further discuss the drawbacks of current solutions and underline promising technologies for future development. A systematic literature search of scientific papers that deal with touchless control of medical software in the immediate environment of the operation room and interventional radiology suite was performed. This includes methods for touchless gesture interaction, voice control and eye tracking. Fifty-five research papers were identified and analyzed in detail including 33 journal publications. Most of the identified literature (62 %) deals with the control of medical image viewers. The others present interaction techniques for laparoscopic assistance (13 %), telerobotic assistance and operating room control (9 % each) as well as for robotic operating room assistance and intraoperative registration (3.5 % each). Only 8 systems (14.5 %) were tested in a real clinical environment, and 7 (12.7 %) were not evaluated at all. In the last 10 years, many advancements have led to robust touchless interaction approaches. However, only a few have been systematically evaluated in real operating room settings. Further research is required to cope with current limitations of touchless software interfaces in clinical environments. The main challenges for future research are the improvement and evaluation of usability and intuitiveness of touchless human-computer interaction and the full integration into productive systems as well as the reduction of necessary interaction steps and further development of hands-free interaction.

[Single-family rooms for neonatal intensive care units impacts on preterm newborns, families, and health-care staff. A systematic literature review].

PubMed

Servel, A-C; Rideau Batista Novais, A

2016-09-01

The quality of the environment is an essential point in the care of preterm newborns. The design of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) (open-bay, single-patient room, single-family room) directly affects both the preterm newborns and their caregivers (parents, healthcare staff). The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the impact of single-family rooms on the preterm newborn, its parents, and the staff. Single-family rooms improve outcome for the preterm newborn, with increasing parental involvement and better control of the environment (fewer inappropriate stimulations such as high levels of noise and illumination). This kind of NICU design also improves parental and staff satisfaction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Integrated intelligent systems in advanced reactor control rooms

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

Beckmeyer, R.R.

1989-01-01

An intelligent, reactor control room, information system is designed to be an integral part of an advanced control room and will assist the reactor operator's decision making process by continuously monitoring the current plant state and providing recommended operator actions to improve that state. This intelligent system is an integral part of, as well as an extension to, the plant protection and control systems. This paper describes the interaction of several functional components (intelligent information data display, technical specifications monitoring, and dynamic procedures) of the overall system and the artificial intelligence laboratory environment assembled for testing the prototype. 10 refs.,more » 5 figs.« less

Virtual reality conditioned place preference using monetary reward

PubMed Central

Childs, Emma; Astur, Robert S.; de Wit, Harriet

2017-01-01

Computerized tasks based on conditioned place preference (CPP) methodology offer the opportunity to study learning mechanisms involved in conditioned reward in humans. In this study, we examined acquisition and extinction of a CPP for virtual environments associated with monetary reward ($). Healthy men and women (N=57) completed a computerized CPP task in which they controlled an avatar within a virtual environment. On day 1, subjects completed 6 conditioning trials in which one room was paired with high $ and another with low $. Acquisition of place conditioning was assessed by measuring the time spent in each room during an exploration test of the virtual environments and using self-reported ratings of room liking and preference. Twenty-four hours later, retention and extinction of CPP were assessed during 4 successive exploration tests of the virtual environments. Participants exhibited a place preference for (spent significantly more time in) the virtual room paired with high $ over the one paired with low $ (p=0.015). They also reported that they preferred the high $ room (p<0.001) and liked it significantly more than the low $ room (p<0.001). However, these preferences were short-lived: 24h later subjects did not exhibit a behavioral or subjective preference for the high $ room. These findings show that individuals exhibit transient behavioral and subjective preferences for a virtual environment paired with monetary reward. Variations on this task may be useful to study mechanisms and brain substrates involved in conditioned reward and to examine the influence of drugs upon appetitive conditioning. PMID:28108321

Protective environment for hematopoietic cell transplant (HSCT) recipients: The Infectious Diseases Working Party EBMT analysis of global recommendations on health-care facilities.

PubMed

Styczynski, Jan; Tridello, Gloria; Donnelly, J Peter; Iacobelli, Simona; Hoek, Jennifer; Mikulska, Malgorzata; Aljurf, Mahmoud; Gil, Lidia; Cesaro, Simone

2018-03-13

International guidelines on protective environment for HSCT recipients proposed a set of 10 global recommendations in 2009 on protective environment (GRPE) concerning hospital room design and ventilation. The EBMT Infectious Diseases Working Party undertook a survey on the status on protective environment for HSCT recipients with the aim of surveying current practices and their agreement with GRPE recommendations. The questionnaire consisted of 37 questions divided into 5 sections about filtration, air changes, maintenance, and the protective environment in rooms and the surrounding unit. Overall, 177 centres (response rate 33%) from 36 countries responded, indicating that 99.4% of patient rooms were equipped with HEPA filters, but only 48.6% of the centre's staff were aware of, and could confirm, regular replacement of filters based on manufacturers' recommendations. Well-sealed rooms were used in terms of windows (70.6%), ceilings (35%), and plumbing pipes (51.4%). The sensor monitors in the patient room used to determine when the HEPA filters require changing were installed only in 18.1% of centres. Only 1 centre fulfilled all 10 GRPE recommendations, while 62 centres fulfilled the 3 level "A" recommendations. In conclusion, HEPA-filtered rooms are available in almost all centres, while fewer centres fulfilled other requirements. Knowledge on the details and maintenance of protective environments in the HSCT setting was inadequate, reflecting a lack of communication between the health personnel involved, hospital infection control and the hospital maintenance services.

An indicator device for monitoring of room illuminance level in the radiological image viewing environment.

PubMed

Azlan, C A; Ng, K H; Anandan, S; Nizam, M S

2006-09-01

Illuminance level in the softcopy image viewing room is a very important factor to optimize productivity in radiological diagnosis. In today's radiological environment, the illuminance measurements are normally done during the quality control procedure and performed annually. Although the room is equipped with dimmer switches, radiologists are not able to decide the level of illuminance according to the standards. The aim of this study is to develop a simple real-time illuminance detector system to assist the radiologists in deciding an adequate illuminance level during radiological image viewing. The system indicates illuminance in a very simple visual form by using light emitting diodes. By employing the device in the viewing room, illuminance level can be monitored and adjusted effectively.

Porting and refurbishment of the WSS TNG control software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caproni, Alessandro; Zacchei, Andrea; Vuerli, Claudio; Pucillo, Mauro

2004-09-01

The Workstation Software Sytem (WSS) is the high level control software of the Italian Galileo Galilei Telescope settled in La Palma Canary Island developed at the beginning of '90 for HP-UX workstations. WSS may be seen as a middle layer software system that manages the communications between the real time systems (VME), different workstations and high level applications providing a uniform distributed environment. The project to port the control software from the HP workstation to Linux environment started at the end of 2001. It is aimed to refurbish the control software introducing some of the new software technologies and languages, available for free in the Linux operating system. The project was realized by gradually substituting each HP workstation with a Linux PC with the goal to avoid main changes in the original software running under HP-UX. Three main phases characterized the project: creation of a simulated control room with several Linux PCs running WSS (to check all the functionality); insertion in the simulated control room of some HPs (to check the mixed environment); substitution of HP workstation in the real control room. From a software point of view, the project introduces some new technologies, like multi-threading, and the possibility to develop high level WSS applications with almost every programming language that implements the Berkley sockets. A library to develop java applications has also been created and tested.

Control of the Environment in the Operating Room.

PubMed

Katz, Jonathan D

2017-10-01

There is a direct relationship between the quality of the environment of a workplace and the productivity and efficiency of the work accomplished. Components such as temperature, humidity, ventilation, drafts, lighting, and noise each contribute to the quality of the overall environment and the sense of well-being of those who work there.The modern operating room is a unique workplace with specific, and frequently conflicting, environmental requirements for each of the inhabitants. Even minor disturbances in the internal environment of the operating room can have serious ramifications on the comfort, effectiveness, and safety of each of the inhabitants. A cool, well-ventilated, and dry climate is optimal for many members of the surgical team. Any significant deviation from these objectives raises the risk of decreased efficiency and productivity and adverse surgical outcomes. A warmer, more humid, and quieter environment is necessary for the patient. If these requirements are not met, the risk of surgical morbidity and mortality is increased. An important task for the surgical team is to find the correct balance between these 2 opposed requirements. Several of the components of the operating room environment, especially room temperature and airflow patterns, are easily manipulated by the members of the surgical team. In the following discussion, we will examine these elements to better understand the clinical ramifications of adjustments and accommodations that are frequently made to meet the requirements of both the surgical staff and the patient.

Virtual reality conditioned place preference using monetary reward.

PubMed

Childs, Emma; Astur, Robert S; de Wit, Harriet

2017-03-30

Computerized tasks based on conditioned place preference (CPP) methodology offer the opportunity to study learning mechanisms involved in conditioned reward in humans. In this study, we examined acquisition and extinction of a CPP for virtual environments associated with monetary reward ($). Healthy men and women (N=57) completed a computerized CPP task in which they controlled an avatar within a virtual environment. On day 1, subjects completed 6 conditioning trials in which one room was paired with high $ and another with low $. Acquisition of place conditioning was assessed by measuring the time spent in each room during an exploration test of the virtual environments and using self-reported ratings of room liking and preference. Twenty-four hours later, retention and extinction of CPP were assessed during 4 successive exploration tests of the virtual environments. Participants exhibited a place preference for (spent significantly more time in) the virtual room paired with high $ over the one paired with low $ (p=0.015). They also reported that they preferred the high $ room (p<0.001) and liked it significantly more than the low $ room (p<0.001). However, these preferences were short-lived: 24h later subjects did not exhibit a behavioral or subjective preference for the high $ room. These findings show that individuals exhibit transient behavioral and subjective preferences for a virtual environment paired with monetary reward. Variations on this task may be useful to study mechanisms and brain substrates involved in conditioned reward and to examine the influence of drugs upon appetitive conditioning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Clean room survey and assessment, volume 5, appendix H

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The scope of this task is to perform a comparative analysis of the various Environmental Control Life Support System (ECLSS) options for different growth scenarios. The Space Station Freedom ECLSS design and existing ground-based clean room facilities are used as a baseline for comparison. Specifically addressed here are the ground based clean room facilities at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Given here is an evaluation of the facilities, equipment, technologies, and procedures used to maintain specified environments in typical aerospace industrial areas. Twenty-five specific clean rooms are evaluated. The objectives were to collect, compare, and catalog data for each specified facility in the areas of engineering and design, construction materials, work stations, contamination control, particulate elimination, entry systems, and instrumentation, and to make recommendations concerning enhancements required to assure an efficient and orderly evolution of MSFC clean room environmental control facilities.

Bacteria killing nanotechnology Bio-Kil effectively reduces bacterial burden in intensive care units.

PubMed

Hsueh, P-R; Huang, H-C; Young, T-G; Su, C-Y; Liu, C-S; Yen, M-Y

2014-04-01

A contaminated hospital environment has been identified as an important reservoir of pathogens causing healthcare-associated infections. This study is to evaluate the efficacy of bacteria killing nanotechnology Bio-Kil on reducing bacterial counts in an intensive care unit (ICU). Two single-bed rooms (S-19 and S-20) in the ICU were selected from 7 April to 27 May 2011. Ten sets of new textiles (pillow cases, bed sheets, duvet cover, and patient clothing) used by patients in the two single-bed rooms were provided by the sponsors. In the room S-20, the 10 sets of new textiles were washed with Bio-Kil; the room walls, ceiling, and air-conditioning filters were treated with Bio-Kil; and the surfaces of instruments (respirator, telephone, and computer) were covered with Bio-Kil-embedded silicon pads. Room S-19 served as the control. We compared the bacterial count on textiles and environment surfaces as well as air samples between the two rooms. A total of 1,364 samples from 22 different sites in each room were collected. The mean bacterial count on textiles and environmental surfaces in room S-20 was significantly lower than that in room S-19 (10.4 vs 49.6 colony-forming units [CFU]/100 cm(2); P < 0.001). Room S-20 had lower bacterial counts in air samples than room S-19 (33.4-37.6 vs 21.6-25.7 CFU/hour/plate; P < 0.001). The density of microbial isolations was significantly greater among patients admitted to room S-19 than those to room S-20 (9.15 vs 5.88 isolates per 100 patient-days, P < 0.05). Bio-Kil can significantly reduce bacterial burden in the environment of the ICU.

Disinfectants used for environmental disinfection and new room decontamination technology.

PubMed

Rutala, William A; Weber, David J

2013-05-01

Environmental contamination plays an important role in the transmission of several key health care-associated pathogens. Effective and thorough cleaning/disinfecting of the patient environment is essential. Room decontamination units (such as ultraviolet-C and hydrogen peroxide systems) aid in reducing environmental contamination after terminal room cleaning and disinfection. Copyright © 2013 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Management of patients infected with airborne-spread diseases: an algorithm for infection control professionals.

PubMed

Rebmann, Terri

2005-12-01

Many US hospitals lack the capacity to house safely a surge of potentially infectious patients, increasing the risk of secondary transmission. Respiratory protection and negative-pressure rooms are needed to prevent transmission of airborne-spread diseases, but US hospitals lack available and/or properly functioning negative-pressure rooms. Creating new rooms or retrofitting existing facilities is time-consuming and expensive. Safe methods of managing patients with airborne-spread diseases and establishing temporary negative-pressure and/or protective environments were determined by a literature review. Relevant data were analyzed and synthesized to generate a response algorithm. Ideal patient management and placement guidelines, including instructions for choosing respiratory protection and creating temporary negative-pressure or other protective environments, were delineated. Findings were summarized in a treatment algorithm. The threat of bioterrorism and emerging infections increases health care's need for negative-pressure and/or protective environments. The algorithm outlines appropriate response steps to decrease transmission risk until an ideal protective environment can be utilized. Using this algorithm will prepare infection control professionals to respond more effectively during a surge of potentially infectious patients following a bioterrorism attack or emerging infectious disease outbreak.

A Case Study of Upper-Room UVGI in Densely-Occupied Elementary Classrooms by Real-Time Fluorescent Bioaerosol Measurements.

PubMed

Su, Chunxiao; Lau, Josephine; Yu, Fang

2017-01-08

Recently, the requirement to continuously collect bioaerosol samples using shorter response times has called for the use of real-time detection. The decreased cost of this technology makes it available for a wider application than military use, and makes it accessible to pharmaceutical and academic research. In this case study, real-time bioaerosol monitors (RBMs) were applied in elementary school classrooms-a densely occupied environment-along with upper-room ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) devices. The classrooms were separated into a UVGI group and a non-UVGI control group. Fluorescent bioaerosol counts (FBCs) were monitored on 20 visiting days over a four-month period. The classroom with upper-room UVGI showed significantly lower concentrations of fine size (<3 μm) and total FBCs than the control classroom during 13 of the 20 visiting days. The results of the study indicate that the upper-room UVGI could be effective in reducing FBCs in the school environment, and RBMs may be applicable in reflecting the transient conditions of the classrooms due to the dynamic activity levels of the students and teachers.

Microbial diversity in European and South American spacecraft assembly clean rooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moissl-Eichinger, Christine; Stieglmeier, Michaela; Schwendner, Petra

Spacecraft assembly clean rooms are unique environments for microbes: Due to low nutri-ent levels, desiccated, clean conditions, constant control of humidity and temperature, these environments are quite inhospitable to microbial life and even considered "extreme". Many procedures keep the contamination as low as possible, but these conditions are also highly se-lective for indigenous microbial communities. For space missions under planetary protection requirements, it is crucial to control the contaminating bioburden as much as possible; but for the development of novel cleaning/sterilization methods it is also important to identify and characterize (understand) the present microbial community of spacecraft clean rooms. In prepa-ration for the recently approved ESA ExoMars mission, two European and one South American spacecraft assembly clean rooms were analyzed with respect to their microbial diversity, using standard procedures, new cultivation approaches and molecular methods, that should shed light onto the presence of planetary protection relevant microorganisms. For this study, the Her-schel Space Observatory (launched in May 2009) and its housing clean rooms in Friedrichshafen (Germany), at ESTEC (The Netherlands) and CSG, Kourou (French Guyana) were sampled during assembly, test and launch operations. Although Herschel does not demand planetary protection requirements, all clean rooms were in a fully operating state during sampling. This gave us the opportunity to sample the microbial diversity under strict particulate and molecular contamination-control. Samples were collected from spacecraft and selected clean room surface areas and were subjected to cultivation assays (32 different media), molecular studies (based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis) and quantitative PCR. The results from different strategies will be compared and critically discussed, showing the advantages and limits of the selected methodologies. This talk will sum up the lessons learned from this microbial diversity project.

DHM simulation in virtual environments: a case-study on control room design.

PubMed

Zamberlan, M; Santos, V; Streit, P; Oliveira, J; Cury, R; Negri, T; Pastura, F; Guimarães, C; Cid, G

2012-01-01

This paper will present the workflow developed for the application of serious games in the design of complex cooperative work settings. The project was based on ergonomic studies and development of a control room among participative design process. Our main concerns were the 3D human virtual representation acquired from 3D scanning, human interaction, workspace layout and equipment designed considering ergonomics standards. Using Unity3D platform to design the virtual environment, the virtual human model can be controlled by users on dynamic scenario in order to evaluate the new work settings and simulate work activities. The results obtained showed that this virtual technology can drastically change the design process by improving the level of interaction between final users and, managers and human factors team.

Temperature-controlled airflow ventilation in operating rooms compared with laminar airflow and turbulent mixed airflow.

PubMed

Alsved, M; Civilis, A; Ekolind, P; Tammelin, A; Andersson, A Erichsen; Jakobsson, J; Svensson, T; Ramstorp, M; Sadrizadeh, S; Larsson, P-A; Bohgard, M; Šantl-Temkiv, T; Löndahl, J

2018-02-01

To evaluate three types of ventilation systems for operating rooms with respect to air cleanliness [in colony-forming units (cfu/m 3 )], energy consumption and comfort of working environment (noise and draught) as reported by surgical team members. Two commonly used ventilation systems, vertical laminar airflow (LAF) and turbulent mixed airflow (TMA), were compared with a newly developed ventilation technique, temperature-controlled airflow (T c AF). The cfu concentrations were measured at three locations in an operating room during 45 orthopaedic procedures: close to the wound (<40cm), at the instrument table and peripherally in the room. The operating team evaluated the comfort of the working environment by answering a questionnaire. LAF and T c AF, but not TMA, resulted in less than 10cfu/m 3 at all measurement locations in the room during surgery. Median values of cfu/m 3 close to the wound (250 samples) were 0 for LAF, 1 for T c AF and 10 for TMA. Peripherally in the room, the cfu concentrations were lowest for T c AF. The cfu concentrations did not scale proportionally with airflow rates. Compared with LAF, the power consumption of T c AF was 28% lower and there was significantly less disturbance from noise and draught. T c AF and LAF remove bacteria more efficiently from the air than TMA, especially close to the wound and at the instrument table. Like LAF, the new T c AF ventilation system maintained very low levels of cfu in the air, but T c AF used substantially less energy and provided a more comfortable working environment than LAF. This enables energy savings with preserved air quality. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The RoboConsultant: telementoring and remote presence in the operating room during minimally invasive urologic surgeries using a novel mobile robotic interface.

PubMed

Agarwal, Rahul; Levinson, Adam W; Allaf, Mohamad; Makarov, Danil; Nason, Alex; Su, Li-Ming

2007-11-01

Remote presence is the ability of an individual to project himself from one location to another to see, hear, roam, talk, and interact just as if that individual were actually there. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and functionality of a novel mobile robotic telementoring system controlled by a portable laptop control station linked via broadband Internet connection. RoboConsultant (RemotePresence-7; InTouch Health, Sunnyvale, CA) was employed for the purpose of intraoperative telementoring and consultation during five laparoscopic and endoscopic urologic procedures. Robot functionality including navigation, zoom capability, examination of external and internal endoscopic camera views, and telestration were evaluated. The robot was controlled by a senior surgeon from various locations ranging from an adjacent operating room to an affiliated hospital 5 miles away. The RoboConsultant performed without connection failure or interruption in each case, allowing the consulting surgeon to immerse himself and navigate within the operating room environment and provide effective communication, mentoring, telestration, and consultation. RoboConsultant provided clear, real-time, and effective telementoring and telestration and allowed the operator to experience remote presence in the operating room environment as a surgical consultant. The portable laptop control station and wireless connectivity allowed the consultant to be mobile and interact with the operating room team from virtually any location. In the future, the remote presence provided by the RoboConsultant may provide useful and effective intraoperative consultation by expert surgeons located in remote sites.

Design of the thermal insulating test system for doors and windows of buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yan; Qi, Jinqing; Xu, Yunwei; Wu, Hao; Ou, Jinping

2011-04-01

Thermal insulating properties of doors and widows are important parameter to measure the quality of windows and doors. This paper develops the thermal insulating test system of doors and windows for large temperature difference in winter in north of China according to national standards. This system is integrated with temperature measurement subsystem, temperature control subsystem, the heating power measurement subsystem, and heat transfer coefficient calculated subsystem. The temperature measurement subsystem includes temperature sensor which is implemented by sixty-four thermocouple sensors to measure the key positions of cold room and hot room, and the temperature acquisition unit which adopts Agilent 34901A data acquisition card to achieve self-compensation and accurate temperature capture. The temperature control subsystem including temperature controller and compressor system is used to control the temperature between 0 degree to 20 degree for hot room and -20 degree to 0 degree for cold room. The hot room controller uses fuzzy control algorithm to achieve accurate control of temperature and the cold room controller firstly uses compressor to achieve coarse control and then uses more accurate temperature controller unit to obtain constant temperature(-20 degree). The heating power measurement is mainly to get the heat power of hot room heating devices. After above constant temperature environment is constructed, software of the test system is developed. Using software, temperature data and heat power data can be accurately got and then the heat transfer coefficient, representing the thermal insulating properties of doors and widows, is calculated using the standard formula. Experimental results show that the test system is simple, reliable and precise. It meets the testing requirements of national standard and has a good application prospect.

Social Skills Deficits in a Virtual Environment Among Spanish Children With ADHD.

PubMed

García-Castellar, Rosa; Jara-Jiménez, Pilar; Sánchez-Chiva, Desirée; Mikami, Amori Y

2018-06-01

Research assessing the social skills of children with ADHD has predominantly relied upon North American samples. In addition, most existing work has been conducted using methodology that fails to use a controlled peer stimulus; such methods may be more vulnerable to cultural influence. We examined the social skills of 52 Spanish children (ages 8-12) with and without ADHD using a controlled Chat Room Task, which simulates a virtual social environment where peers' responses are held constant, so that participants' social skills may be assessed. After statistical control of typing and reading comprehension skills, Spanish children with ADHD gave fewer prosocial comments and had greater difficulty remembering central details from the conversation between the peers, relative to comparison children. The virtual Chat Room Task may be useful to assess social skills deficits using a controlled paradigm, resulting in the identification of common social deficiencies cross-culturally.

18. DETAIL OF NORTH END OF ATLAS CONTROL CONSOLE NEAR ...

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

18. DETAIL OF NORTH END OF ATLAS CONTROL CONSOLE NEAR WEST WALL OF SLC-3W CONTROL ROOM SHOWING PAYLOAD ENVIRONMENT CONTROL AND MONITORING PANELS (LABELED 'PECMP') - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

Utility of virtual reality environments to examine physiological reactivity and subjective distress in adults who stutter.

PubMed

Brundage, Shelley B; Brinton, James M; Hancock, Adrienne B

2016-12-01

Virtual reality environments (VREs) allow for immersion in speaking environments that mimic real-life interactions while maintaining researcher control. VREs have been used successfully to engender arousal in other disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of virtual reality environments to examine physiological reactivity and subjective ratings of distress in persons who stutter (PWS). Subjective and objective measures of arousal were collected from 10PWS during four-minute speeches to a virtual audience and to a virtual empty room. Stuttering frequency and physiological measures (skin conductance level and heart rate) did not differ across speaking conditions, but subjective ratings of distress were significantly higher in the virtual audience condition compared to the virtual empty room. VREs have utility in elevating subjective ratings of distress in PWS. VREs have the potential to be useful tools for practicing treatment targets in a safe, controlled, and systematic manner. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Operating Room Environment Control. Part A: a Valve Cannister System for Anesthetic Gas Adsorption. Part B: a State-of-the-art Survey of Laminar Flow Operating Rooms. Part C: Three Laminar Flow Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, J. S.; Kosovich, J.

1973-01-01

An anesthetic gas flow pop-off valve canister is described that is airtight and permits the patient to breath freely. Once its release mechanism is activated, the exhaust gases are collected at a hose adapter and passed through activated coal for adsorption. A survey of laminar air flow clean rooms is presented and the installation of laminar cross flow air systems in operating rooms is recommended. Laminar flow ventilation experiments determine drying period evaporation rates for chicken intestines, sponges, and sections of pig stomach.

Clean Room in the Zero Gravity Research Facility

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-07-21

A technician prepares a test sample in the Zero Gravity Research Facility clean room at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center. The Zero Gravity Research Facility contained a drop tower which provided five seconds of microgravity during freefall in its 450-foot deep vacuum chamber. The facility has been used for a variety of studies relating to the behavior of fluids and flames in microgravity. During normal operations, a cylindrical 3-foot diameter and 11-foot long vehicle was used to house the experiments, instrumentation, and high speed cameras. The 4.5-foot long and 1.5-foot wide rectangular vehicle, seen in this photograph, was used less frequently. A 3-foot diameter orb was used for the special ten-second drops in which the package was pneumatically shot to the top of the tower then dropped. The facility also contained a control room, shop offices, tool and equipment rooms, and this clean room. The 242.5-foot long and 19.5-foot wide clean room was equipped with specialized cleaning equipment. In the 1960s the room was rated as a class 10,000 clean room, but I was capable of meeting the class 100 requirements. The room included a fume hood, ultrasonic cleaner, and a laminar flow station which operated as a class 100 environment. The environment in the clean room was maintained at 71° F and a relative humidity of 45- percent.

Ergonomic evaluation of the environment: a case study in a control room of the hydroelectric sector.

PubMed

Falcão, Christianne Soares; Soares, Marcelo Marcio

2012-01-01

Representative systematic evaluation studies of the workspace and the extent to which that space is suitable for performing tasks have been developed by professionals engaged on finding evidence as to the importance of users and designers being joint participants in drawing up projects. In this context, this paper sets out to evaluate the environment of a control room in the hydroelectric sector, based on a multidisciplinary method which integrates ergonomics, architecture and environmental psychology so as to assess the influence of space on the user, and thus to identify the user's level of satisfaction with it. It was observed that some adaptation strategies of the space for activities were not implemented satisfactorily, resulting in the need for further studies on making workspaces suitable.

Future of operating rooms.

PubMed

Reijnen, Michel M P J; Zeebregts, Clark J; Meijerink, Wilhelmus J H J

2005-01-01

Operating-room design has not changed significantly since the modern era of surgery began. Minimal invasive, endoscopic, procedures, and evolution of technology will affect operating-room design in the near future. Poor ergonomics has always been one of the major drawbacks of endoscopic surgery. Use of retractable arms and monitors will improve ergonomics of the operating team. Developments in telecommunication will allow surgeons to communicate with colleagues and experts during the procedure in virtually any location around the world, which increases teaching possibilities and procedural safety. Introduction and further development of intraoperative imaging, including real-time, three-dimensional (3-D) reconstructions of patient, and computer-aided surgery offer surgeons the opportunity to train the planned surgical procedure. Moreover, they will improve control and supervision of the procedure in learning situations. The last decade's robotics have made their introduction into the operating rooms. They improve control over the operating-room environment and will facilitate the performance of more complex procedures. However, high costs and lack of force feedback remain its major drawbacks. Improvements of robotic techniques and its implementation into the operating rooms will further guide their design into highly specialized operating units.

Principles of a clean operating room environment.

PubMed

Howard, James L; Hanssen, Arlen D

2007-10-01

Optimizing the operating room environment is necessary to minimize the prevalence of arthroplasty infection. Reduction of bacterial contamination in the operating room should be a primary focus of all members of the operating room team. However, in recent years, there has been a decline in the emphasis of the basic principles of antisepsis in many operating rooms. The purpose of this review is to highlight important considerations for optimizing the operating room environment. These principles should be actively promoted by orthopedic surgeons in their operating rooms as part of a comprehensive approach to minimizing arthroplasty infection.

Evaluation of the efficacy of akacid plus® fogging in eradicating causative microorganism in nosocomial infections.

PubMed

Unal, Nevzat; Yanik, Keramettin; Karadag, Adil; Odabaşı, Hakan; Esen, Saban; Günaydin, Murat

2014-01-01

The novel polymeric guanidine Akacid Plus® is a member of the cationic family of disinfectants. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the activity of Akacid Plus® against bacteria which cause nosocomial infections and remain viable after contaminating the environment and determine the effects of organic materials to the activity. Closed room and control room were created for experimental disinfection. Bacterial suspensions of 0.5 McFarland were prepared from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Acinetobacter baumannii and vancomycine-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) strains. A 0.1 mL of each suspension was applied on the chipboard (25 cm(2)) and tile (25 cm(2)) test surfaces without albumin and with 2% albumin to simulate organic dirt, and the test surfaces were placed in the test and control rooms after drying. Before testing, cotton swab premoistened with serum physiologic was used to obtain samples from various surfaces in the environment and the samples were transferred onto 5% sheep blood agar for incubation at 37°C. Akacid Plus® solution at a concentration of 0.5% was nebulized with an aerosol applicator (Prowi-06, Germany) for 45 minutes. After a 2-hour waiting period, 1 mL neutralizing broth (Dey-Engley Neutralizing Broth, Fluka) was transferred on the test surfaces, and samples were collected with a swab from the test surfaces and various surfaces in the testing room and inoculated on 5% sheep blood agar for incubation at 37oC for 24 hours. At the end of the incubation period, number of colonies were evaluated on the control and test plates. Although coagulase-negative staphylococci, Bacillus spp., and fungi were grown in cultured samples obtained from the environment of experimental laboratory, no growth was observed in the test plates after room disinfection with Akacid Plus®. After room disinfection, MRSA and A. baumannii were not detectable in the cultured media prepared from the test surfaces with or without albumin. The bacterial count for vancomyine-resistant E. faecium was reduced from 10(7) to 5×10(2) on surfaces without albumin and from 10(7) to 2.5×10(3) on surfaces with albumin. All test plates prepared from the surfaces in the control room showed abundant growth of the microorganism. The nebulization of Akacid plus® solution at a concentration of 0.5% proved to be an efficient means of disinfection for the removal of pathogenic microorganisms that cause hospital outbreaks and use of isolation measures.

Methodology for analyzing environmental quality indicators in a dynamic operating room environment.

PubMed

Gormley, Thomas; Markel, Troy A; Jones, Howard W; Wagner, Jennifer; Greeley, Damon; Clarke, James H; Abkowitz, Mark; Ostojic, John

2017-04-01

Sufficient quantities of quality air and controlled, unidirectional flow are important elements in providing a safe building environment for operating rooms. To make dynamic assessments of an operating room environment, a validated method of testing the multiple factors influencing the air quality in health care settings needed to be constructed. These include the following: temperature, humidity, particle load, number of microbial contaminants, pressurization, air velocity, and air distribution. The team developed the name environmental quality indicators (EQIs) to describe the overall air quality based on the actual measurements of these properties taken during the mock surgical procedures. These indicators were measured at 3 different hospitals during mock surgical procedures to simulate actual operating room conditions. EQIs included microbial assessments at the operating table and the back instrument table and real-time analysis of particle counts at 9 different defined locations in the operating suites. Air velocities were measured at the face of the supply diffusers, at the sterile field, at the back table, and at a return grille. The testing protocol provided consistent and comparable measurements of air quality indicators between institutions. At 20 air changes per hour (ACH), and an average temperature of 66.3°F, the median of the microbial contaminants for the 3 operating room sites ranged from 3-22 colony forming units (CFU)/m 3 at the sterile field and 5-27 CFU/m 3 at the back table. At 20 ACH, the median levels of the 0.5-µm particles at the 3 sites were 85,079, 85,325, and 912,232 in particles per cubic meter, with a predictable increase in particle load in the non-high-efficiency particulate air-filtered operating room site. Using a comparison with cleanroom standards, the microbial and particle counts in all 3 operating rooms were equivalent to International Organization for Standardization classifications 7 and 8 during the mock surgical procedures. The EQI protocol was measurable and repeatable and therefore can be safely used to evaluate air quality within the health care environment to provide guidance for operational practices and regulatory requirements. Copyright © 2017 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Operating Room of the Future: Advanced Technologies in Safe and Efficient Operating Rooms

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-01

fit” or compatibility with different tasks. Ideally, the optimal match between tasks and well-designed display alternatives will be self -apparent...hierarchical display environment. The FARO robot arm is used as an accurate and reliable tracker to control a virtual camera. The virtual camera pose is...in learning outcomes due to self -feedback, improvements in learning outcomes due to instructor feedback and synchronous versus asynchronous

Designing an Easy-to-use Executive Conference Room Control System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Back, Maribeth; Golovchinsky, Gene; Qvarfordt, Pernilla; van Melle, William; Boreczky, John; Dunnigan, Tony; Carter, Scott

The Usable Smart Environment project (USE) aims at designing easy-to-use, highly functional, next-generation conference rooms. Our first design prototype focuses on creating a “no wizards” room for an American executive; that is, a room the executive could walk into and use by himself, without help from a technologist. A key idea in the USE framework is that customization is one of the best ways to create a smooth user experience. As the system needs to fit both with the personal leadership style of the executive and the corporation’s meeting culture, we began the design process by exploring the work flow in and around meetings attended by the executive.

Breathe Deeply.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milshtein, Amy

2000-01-01

Discusses the special indoor air quality issues confronting school gyms, locker rooms, and pools; and explores ways to keep the indoor environment healthy. Included are discussions of mold and fungus control and air issues stemming from indoor pools. (GR)

Microorganisms in Confined Habitats: Microbial Monitoring and Control of Intensive Care Units, Operating Rooms, Cleanrooms and the International Space Station

PubMed Central

Mora, Maximilian; Mahnert, Alexander; Koskinen, Kaisa; Pausan, Manuela R.; Oberauner-Wappis, Lisa; Krause, Robert; Perras, Alexandra K.; Gorkiewicz, Gregor; Berg, Gabriele; Moissl-Eichinger, Christine

2016-01-01

Indoor environments, where people spend most of their time, are characterized by a specific microbial community, the indoor microbiome. Most indoor environments are connected to the natural environment by high ventilation, but some habitats are more confined: intensive care units, operating rooms, cleanrooms and the international space station (ISS) are extraordinary living and working areas for humans, with a limited exchange with the environment. The purposes for confinement are different: a patient has to be protected from infections (intensive care unit, operating room), product quality has to be assured (cleanrooms), or confinement is necessary due to extreme, health-threatening outer conditions, as on the ISS. The ISS represents the most secluded man-made habitat, constantly inhabited by humans since November 2000 – and, inevitably, also by microorganisms. All of these man-made confined habitats need to be microbiologically monitored and controlled, by e.g., microbial cleaning and disinfection. However, these measures apply constant selective pressures, which support microbes with resistance capacities against antibiotics or chemical and physical stresses and thus facilitate the rise of survival specialists and multi-resistant strains. In this article, we summarize the available data on the microbiome of aforementioned confined habitats. By comparing the different operating, maintenance and monitoring procedures as well as microbial communities therein, we emphasize the importance to properly understand the effects of confinement on the microbial diversity, the possible risks represented by some of these microorganisms and by the evolution of (antibiotic) resistances in such environments – and the need to reassess the current hygiene standards. PMID:27790191

Microorganisms in Confined Habitats: Microbial Monitoring and Control of Intensive Care Units, Operating Rooms, Cleanrooms and the International Space Station.

PubMed

Mora, Maximilian; Mahnert, Alexander; Koskinen, Kaisa; Pausan, Manuela R; Oberauner-Wappis, Lisa; Krause, Robert; Perras, Alexandra K; Gorkiewicz, Gregor; Berg, Gabriele; Moissl-Eichinger, Christine

2016-01-01

Indoor environments, where people spend most of their time, are characterized by a specific microbial community, the indoor microbiome. Most indoor environments are connected to the natural environment by high ventilation, but some habitats are more confined: intensive care units, operating rooms, cleanrooms and the international space station (ISS) are extraordinary living and working areas for humans, with a limited exchange with the environment. The purposes for confinement are different: a patient has to be protected from infections (intensive care unit, operating room), product quality has to be assured (cleanrooms), or confinement is necessary due to extreme, health-threatening outer conditions, as on the ISS. The ISS represents the most secluded man-made habitat, constantly inhabited by humans since November 2000 - and, inevitably, also by microorganisms. All of these man-made confined habitats need to be microbiologically monitored and controlled, by e.g., microbial cleaning and disinfection. However, these measures apply constant selective pressures, which support microbes with resistance capacities against antibiotics or chemical and physical stresses and thus facilitate the rise of survival specialists and multi-resistant strains. In this article, we summarize the available data on the microbiome of aforementioned confined habitats. By comparing the different operating, maintenance and monitoring procedures as well as microbial communities therein, we emphasize the importance to properly understand the effects of confinement on the microbial diversity, the possible risks represented by some of these microorganisms and by the evolution of (antibiotic) resistances in such environments - and the need to reassess the current hygiene standards.

Nurses' Perceptions of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Environment and Work Experience After Transition to Single-Patient Rooms.

PubMed

Kudchadkar, Sapna R; Beers, M Claire; Ascenzi, Judith A; Jastaniah, Ebaa; Punjabi, Naresh M

2016-09-01

The architectural design of the pediatric intensive care unit may play a major role in optimizing the environment to promote patients' sleep while improving stress levels and the work experience of critical care nurses. To examine changes in nurses' perceptions of the environment of a pediatric critical care unit for promotion of patients' sleep and the nurses' work experience after a transition from multipatient rooms to single-patient rooms. A cross-sectional survey of nurses was conducted before and after the move to a new hospital building in which all rooms in the pediatric critical care unit were single-patient rooms. Nurses reported that compared with multipatient rooms, single-patient private rooms were more conducive to patients sleeping well at night and promoted a more normal sleep-wake cycle (P < .001). Monitors/alarms and staff conversations were the biggest factors that adversely influenced the environment for sleep promotion in both settings. Nurses were less annoyed by noise in single-patient rooms (33%) than in multipatient rooms (79%; P < .001) and reported improved exposure to sunlight. Use of single-patient rooms rather than multipatient rooms improved nurses' perceptions of the pediatric intensive care unit environment for promoting patients' sleep and the nurses' own work experience. ©2016 American Association of Critical-Care Nurses.

Oximeter reliability in a subzero environment.

PubMed

Macnab, A J; Smith, M; Phillips, N; Smart, P

1996-11-01

Pulse oximeters optimize care in the pre-hospital setting. As British Columbia ambulance teams often provide care in subzero temperatures, we conducted a study to determine the reliability of 3 commercially-available portable oximeters in a subzero environment. We hypothesized that there is no significant difference between SaO2 readings obtained using a pulse oximeter at room temperature and a pulse oximeter operating at sub-zero temperatures. Subjects were stable normothermic children in intensive care on Hewlett Packard monitors (control unit) at room temperature. The test units were packed in dry ice in an insulated bin (temperature - 15 degrees C to -30 degrees C) and their sensors placed on the subjects, contralateral to the control sensors. Data were collected simultaneously from test and control units immediately following validation of control unit values by co-oximetry (blood gas). No data were unacceptable. Two units (Propaq 106EC and Nonin 8500N) functioned well to < -15 degrees C, providing data comparable to those obtained from the control unit (p < 0.001). The Siemens Micro O2 did not function at the temperatures tested. Monitor users who require equipment to function in subzero environments (military, Coast Guard, Mountain Rescue) should ensure that function is reliable, and could test units using this method.

40 CFR 85.2222 - On-board diagnostic test procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... 85.2222 Section 85.2222 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM MOBILE SOURCES Emission Control System Performance... inspected at the EPA Docket No. A-94-21 at EPA's Air Docket (LE-131), Room 1500 M, 1st Floor, Waterside Mall...

A qualitative study of Western Australian women's perceptions of using a Snoezelen room for breastfeeding during their postpartum hospital stay.

PubMed

Hauck, Yvonne L; Summers, Lisa; White, Ellie; Jones, Cheryl

2008-08-13

There is limited evidence on the use of the Snoezelen concept for maternity clients. Snoezelen, a Dutch concept, initiated in the 1970s as a leisure activity for severely disabled people, involves creating an indoor environment using controllable stimuli to enhance comfort and relaxation. These specially designed rooms expose the user to multiple sensory stimulations combining vision, touch, sounds and aromas. The aim of this study was to provide insight into breastfeeding women's experience of using a Snoezelen room during hospitalisation. A qualitative exploratory design was chosen to reveal women's perceptions of using the Snoezelen room. Osborne Park Hospital, the study setting is the second largest public provider of obstetric services in Western Australia. A purposive sample was drawn from breastfeeding women who used the Snoezelen room during their postpartum stay from March 2006 to March 2007. Saturation was achieved after eleven breastfeeding women were interviewed six weeks post discharge. Data analysis involved the constant comparison method. Participants entered the room feeling tired and emotional with an unsettled baby and breastfeeding issues aggravated by maternal stress and anxiety. All women indicated they were able to achieve relaxation while in the room and would recommend its use to other breastfeeding mothers. Two key themes revealed how the Snoezelen room facilitated maternal relaxation, which ultimately enhanced the breastfeeding experience. The first theme, "Finding Relaxation for the Breastfeeding Mother" incorporates three subthemes: 'Time out' for mother; Control in own personal space; and a Quiet/calm environment with homelike atmosphere. The second theme, "Enabling Focus on Breastfeeding", occurred after relaxation was achieved and involved four subthemes: Able to get one-on-one attention; Not physically exposed to others; Away from prying, judgemental eyes and Able to safely attempt breastfeeding alone knowing help is nearby. Insight into how the Snoezelen room promoted relaxation also highlights what contributes to maternal anxiety during breastfeeding experiences in hospital. The findings offer health professionals the opportunity to consider adopting strategies such as a Snoezelen room in their hospital or being innovative in modifying the postpartum setting to promote relaxation for breastfeeding women.

Fatigue crack growth in SA508-CL2 steel in a high temperature, high purity water environment

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

Gerber, T.L.; Heald, J.D.; Kiss, E.

1974-10-01

Fatigue crack growth tests were conducted with 1 in. plate specimens of SA508-CL 2 steel in room temperature air, 550$sup 0$F air and in a 550$sup 0$F, high purity, water environment. Zero-tension load controlled tests were run at cyclic frequencies as low as 0.037 CPM. Results show that growth rates in the simulated Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) water environment are faster than growth rates observed in 550$sup 0$F air and these rates are faster than the room temperature rate. In the BWR water environment, lowering the cyclic frequency from 0.37 to 0.037 CPM caused only a slight increase in themore » fatigue crack growth rate. All growth rates measured in these tests were below the upper bound design curve presented in Section XI of the ASME Code. (auth)« less

Computer modeling and design of diagnostic workstations and radiology reading rooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratib, Osman M.; Amato, Carlos L.; Balbona, Joseph A.; Boots, Kevin; Valentino, Daniel J.

2000-05-01

We used 3D modeling techniques to design and evaluate the ergonomics of diagnostic workstation and radiology reading room in the planning phase of building a new hospital at UCLA. Given serious space limitations, the challenge was to provide more optimal working environment for radiologists in a crowded and busy environment. A particular attention was given to flexibility, lighting condition and noise reduction in rooms shared by multiple users performing diagnostic tasks as well as regular clinical conferences. Re-engineering workspace ergonomics rely on the integration of new technologies, custom designed cabinets, indirect lighting, sound-absorbent partitioning and geometric arrangement of workstations to allow better privacy while optimizing space occupation. Innovations included adjustable flat monitors, integration of videoconferencing and voice recognition, control monitor and retractable keyboard for optimal space utilization. An overhead compartment protecting the monitors from ambient light is also used as accessory lightbox and rear-view projection screen for conferences.

The validity of virtual environments for eliciting emotional responses in patients with eating disorders and in controls.

PubMed

Ferrer-García, Marta; Gutiérrez-Maldonado, José; Caqueo-Urízar, Alejandra; Moreno, Elena

2009-11-01

This article explores the efficacy of virtual environments representing situations that are emotionally significant to patients with eating disorders (ED) to modify depression and anxiety levels both in these patients and in controls. Eighty-five ED patients and 108 students were randomly exposed to five experimental virtual environments (a kitchen with low-calorie food, a kitchen with high-calorie food, a restaurant with high-calorie food, a restaurant with low-calorie food, and a swimming-pool) and to one neutral environment. In the interval between the presentation of each situation, anxiety and depressed mood were assessed. Results of several repeated measures analyses demonstrated that patients show higher levels of anxiety and a more depressed mood after eating, especially high-calorie food, and after visiting the swimming pool than in the neutral room. In contrast, controls only show higher levels of anxiety in the swimming pool. In the rest of the situations they presented a similar mood state as in the neutral room. We concluded that virtual reality is a useful vehicle for eliciting similar emotional reactions to those one would expect in real life situations. Thus, this technology seems well suited for use in experimental studies as well as in evaluative and therapeutic contexts.

Summer Biomedical Engineering Institute 1972

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deloatch, E. M.

1973-01-01

The five problems studied for biomedical applications of NASA technology are reported. The studies reported are: design modification of electrophoretic equipment, operating room environment control, hematological viscometry, handling system for iridium, and indirect blood pressure measuring device.

Real behavior in virtual environments: psychology experiments in a simple virtual-reality paradigm using video games.

PubMed

Kozlov, Michail D; Johansen, Mark K

2010-12-01

The purpose of this research was to illustrate the broad usefulness of simple video-game-based virtual environments (VEs) for psychological research on real-world behavior. To this end, this research explored several high-level social phenomena in a simple, inexpensive computer-game environment: the reduced likelihood of helping under time pressure and the bystander effect, which is reduced helping in the presence of bystanders. In the first experiment, participants had to find the exit in a virtual labyrinth under either high or low time pressure. They encountered rooms with and without virtual bystanders, and in each room, a virtual person requested assistance. Participants helped significantly less frequently under time pressure but the presence/absence of a small number of bystanders did not significantly moderate helping. The second experiment increased the number of virtual bystanders, and participants were instructed to imagine that these were real people. Participants helped significantly less in rooms with large numbers of bystanders compared to rooms with no bystanders, thus demonstrating a bystander effect. These results indicate that even sophisticated high-level social behaviors can be observed and experimentally manipulated in simple VEs, thus implying the broad usefulness of this paradigm in psychological research as a good compromise between experimental control and ecological validity.

Stress-reducing effects of real and artificial nature in a hospital waiting room.

PubMed

Beukeboom, Camiel J; Langeveld, Dion; Tanja-Dijkstra, Karin

2012-04-01

This field study investigated the potential stress-reducing effects of exposure to real or artificial nature on patients in a hospital waiting room. Additionally, it was investigated whether perceived attractiveness of the room could explain these effects. In this between-patients experimental design, patients were exposed to one of the following: real plants, posters of plants, or no nature (control). These conditions were alternately applied to two waiting rooms. The location of this study was two waiting rooms at the Radiology Department of a Dutch hospital. The subjects comprised 457 patients (60% female and 40% male) who were mostly scheduled for echocardiogram, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography scans, or nuclear research. Patients exposed to real plants, as well as patients exposed to posters of plants, report lower levels of experienced stress compared to the control condition. Further analyses show that these small but significant effects of exposure to nature are partially mediated by the perceived attractiveness of the waiting room. Natural elements in hospital environments have the potential to reduce patients' feelings of stress. By increasing the attractiveness of the waiting room by adding either real plants or posters of plants, hospitals can create a pleasant atmosphere that positively influences patients' well-being.

A 2-year comparative study of mold and bacterial counts in air samples from neutral and positive pressure rooms in 2 tertiary care hospitals.

PubMed

Ryan, Laura; O'Mara, Niall; Tansey, Sana; Slattery, Tom; Hanahoe, Belinda; Vellinga, Akke; Doyle, Maeve; Cormican, Martin

2018-05-01

Immunocompromised patients are at risk of invasive fungal infection. These high-risk patients are nursed in protective isolation to reduce the risk of nosocomial aspergillosis while in hospital-ideally in a positive pressure single room with high-efficiency particulate air filtration. However, neutral pressure rooms are a potential alternative, especially for patients requiring both protective and source isolation. This study examined mold and bacterial concentrations in air samples from positive and neutral pressure rooms to assess whether neutral pressure rooms offer a similar environment to that of positive pressure rooms in terms of mold concentrations in the air. Mold concentrations were found to be similar in the positive and neutral pressure room types examined in this study. These results add to the paucity of literature in this area. Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Virtual environment display for a 3D audio room simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapin, William L.; Foster, Scott

1992-06-01

Recent developments in virtual 3D audio and synthetic aural environments have produced a complex acoustical room simulation. The acoustical simulation models a room with walls, ceiling, and floor of selected sound reflecting/absorbing characteristics and unlimited independent localizable sound sources. This non-visual acoustic simulation, implemented with 4 audio ConvolvotronsTM by Crystal River Engineering and coupled to the listener with a Poihemus IsotrakTM, tracking the listener's head position and orientation, and stereo headphones returning binaural sound, is quite compelling to most listeners with eyes closed. This immersive effect should be reinforced when properly integrated into a full, multi-sensory virtual environment presentation. This paper discusses the design of an interactive, visual virtual environment, complementing the acoustic model and specified to: 1) allow the listener to freely move about the space, a room of manipulable size, shape, and audio character, while interactively relocating the sound sources; 2) reinforce the listener's feeling of telepresence into the acoustical environment with visual and proprioceptive sensations; 3) enhance the audio with the graphic and interactive components, rather than overwhelm or reduce it; and 4) serve as a research testbed and technology transfer demonstration. The hardware/software design of two demonstration systems, one installed and one portable, are discussed through the development of four iterative configurations. The installed system implements a head-coupled, wide-angle, stereo-optic tracker/viewer and multi-computer simulation control. The portable demonstration system implements a head-mounted wide-angle, stereo-optic display, separate head and pointer electro-magnetic position trackers, a heterogeneous parallel graphics processing system, and object oriented C++ program code.

Increases in heart rate and serum cortisol concentrations in healthy dogs are positively correlated with an indoor waiting-room environment.

PubMed

Perego, Roberta; Proverbio, Daniela; Spada, Eva

2014-03-01

Few studies have investigated the effect of veterinary clinical procedures on the welfare of dogs, with specific emphasis on the veterinary practice environment. Clinicopathologic variables have also not been assessed in these potentially stressful situations. Similar to human clinical studies, the veterinary clinical waiting room could present a significant stress factor for dogs. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of waiting-room environment on serum cortisol and glucose alterations as well as heart rate in privately owned healthy dogs. The clinical trial included 24 healthy dogs that were divided into 2 groups: the clinical waiting-room group (A) and the control group (B) that waited outside in a garden. During the entire experiment, 18 dogs (9 dogs per group) were monitored with a human heart rate monitor fastened around the chest. After 20 minutes of waiting, blood samples were collected from all of the dogs (24 dogs) to determine serum cortisol concentration. Serum cortisol concentration and mean, maximum, and minimum heart rate were significantly higher in group A compared with group B, but there was no statistical difference in serum glucose concentrations between the 2 study groups. Results of this study suggest that the waiting room is a potentially stressful situation for dogs in clinical veterinary practice, when compared with a garden, based on the assessment of adrenal cortex function and heart rate evaluation. © 2014 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology and European Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

Applying a Wearable Voice-Activated Computer to Instructional Applications in Clean Room Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graves, Corey A.; Lupisella, Mark L.

2004-01-01

The use of wearable computing technology in restrictive environments related to space applications offers promise in a number of domains. The clean room environment is one such domain in which hands-free, heads-up, wearable computing is particularly attractive for education and training because of the nature of clean room work We have developed and tested a Wearable Voice-Activated Computing (WEVAC) system based on clean room applications. Results of this initial proof-of-concept work indicate that there is a strong potential for WEVAC to enhance clean room activities.

Lightning Effects in the Payload Changeout Room

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Garland L.; Fisher, Franklin A.; Collier, Richard S.; Medelius, Pedro J.

1997-01-01

Analytical and empirical studies have been performed to provide better understanding of the electromagnetic environment inside the Payload Changeout Room and Orbiter payload bay resulting from lightning strikes to the launch pad lightning protection system. The analytical studies consisted of physical and mathematical modeling of the pad structure and the Payload Changeout Room. Empirical testing was performed using a lightning simulator to simulate controlled (8 kA) lightning strikes to the catenary wire lightning protection system. In addition to the analyses and testing listed above, an analysis of the configuration with the vehicle present was conducted, in lieu of testing, by the Finite Difference, Time Domain method.

Auto identification technology and its impact on patient safety in the Operating Room of the Future.

PubMed

Egan, Marie T; Sandberg, Warren S

2007-03-01

Automatic identification technologies, such as bar coding and radio frequency identification, are ubiquitous in everyday life but virtually nonexistent in the operating room. User expectations, based on everyday experience with automatic identification technologies, have generated much anticipation that these systems will improve readiness, workflow, and safety in the operating room, with minimal training requirements. We report, in narrative form, a multi-year experience with various automatic identification technologies in the Operating Room of the Future Project at Massachusetts General Hospital. In each case, the additional human labor required to make these ;labor-saving' technologies function in the medical environment has proved to be their undoing. We conclude that while automatic identification technologies show promise, significant barriers to realizing their potential still exist. Nevertheless, overcoming these obstacles is necessary if the vision of an operating room of the future in which all processes are monitored, controlled, and optimized is to be achieved.

Control of airborne infectious diseases in ventilated spaces

PubMed Central

Nielsen, Peter V.

2009-01-01

We protect ourselves from airborne cross-infection in the indoor environment by supplying fresh air to a room by natural or mechanical ventilation. The air is distributed in the room according to different principles: mixing ventilation, displacement ventilation, etc. A large amount of air is supplied to the room to ensure a dilution of airborne infection. Analyses of the flow in the room show that there are a number of parameters that play an important role in minimizing airborne cross-infection. The air flow rate to the room must be high, and the air distribution pattern can be designed to have high ventilation effectiveness. Furthermore, personalized ventilation may reduce the risk of cross-infection, and in some cases, it can also reduce the source of infection. Personalized ventilation can especially be used in hospital wards, aircraft cabins and, in general, where people are in fixed positions. PMID:19740921

Fluorescent and high intensity discharge lamp use in chambers and greenhouses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Langhans, Robert W.

1994-01-01

Fluorescent and High Intensity Discharge lamps have opened up great opportunities for researchers to study plant growth under controlled environment conditions and for commercial growers to increase plant production during low/light periods. Specific technical qualities of fluorescent and HID lamps have been critically reviewed. I will direct my remarks to fluorescent and high intensity discharge (HID) lamps in growth chambers, growth rooms, and greenhouses. I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using each lamp in growth chambers, growth rooms and greenhouses.

40 CFR 1601.12 - Public reading room.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 34 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Public reading room. 1601.12 Section 1601.12 Protection of Environment CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD PROCEDURES FOR DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT Administration § 1601.12 Public reading room. (a) The CSB maintains a public reading room that...

40 CFR 1601.12 - Public reading room.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 33 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Public reading room. 1601.12 Section 1601.12 Protection of Environment CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD PROCEDURES FOR DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT Administration § 1601.12 Public reading room. (a) The CSB maintains a public reading room that...

40 CFR 1601.12 - Public reading room.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 32 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Public reading room. 1601.12 Section 1601.12 Protection of Environment CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD PROCEDURES FOR DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT Administration § 1601.12 Public reading room. (a) The CSB maintains a public reading room that...

40 CFR 1601.12 - Public reading room.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 33 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Public reading room. 1601.12 Section 1601.12 Protection of Environment CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD PROCEDURES FOR DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT Administration § 1601.12 Public reading room. (a) The CSB maintains a public reading room that...

40 CFR 1601.12 - Public reading room.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 34 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Public reading room. 1601.12 Section 1601.12 Protection of Environment CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD PROCEDURES FOR DISCLOSURE OF RECORDS UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT Administration § 1601.12 Public reading room. (a) The CSB maintains a public reading room that...

Staphylococcus aureus recovery from environmental and human locations in 2 collegiate athletic teams.

PubMed

Oller, Anna R; Province, Larry; Curless, Brian

2010-01-01

Staphylococcus aureus is spread via direct contact with persons and indirect contact via environmental surfaces such as weight benches. Athletes participating in direct-contact sports have an increased risk of acquiring S aureus infections. To determine (1) potential environmental reservoirs of S aureus in football and wrestling locker rooms and weight rooms, (2) environmental bacterial status after employing more stringent cleaning methods, (3) differences in colonization rates between athletes and nonathletes, (4) exposed body locations where Staphylococcus was recovered more frequently, and (5) personal hygiene practices of athletes and nonathletes. Cross-sectional study. Locker room and strengthening and conditioning facilities at a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II university. Collegiate football players and wrestlers, with nonathlete campus residents serving as the control group. Infection control methods, education of the custodial staff, and education of the athletes regarding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for infection prevention. Cultures were taken from the participants' noses, fingertips, knuckles, forearms, and shoes and from the environment. Before the intervention, from the 108 environmental samples taken from the football locker room and weight room, 26 (24%) contained methicillin-susceptible S aureus (MSSA) and 33 (31%) contained methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA). From the 39 environmental samples taken from the wrestling locker room and pit areas, 1 (3%) contained MSSA and 4 (10%) contained MRSA. The MRSA rates were different between the 2 locations according to a chi(2) test (P = .01). Seven MRSA isolates were recovered from football players and 1 from a wrestler; no MRSA isolates were recovered from the control group. The fingertip location of S aureus recovery from football players was significant when compared with both other locations in football players and fingertips in wrestlers and the control group (P < .05). Football players and wrestlers shared more personal items than the control group (P < .05). After the intervention, the football locker room and weight room samples were negative for S aureus. Intact strengthening and conditioning equipment, proper hygiene, and proper disinfection methods lowered both environmental and human S aureus recovery at 1 university.

Leadership in Surgery for Public Sector Hospitals in Jamaica: Strategies for the Operating Room

PubMed Central

Cawich, Shamir O; Harding, Hyacinth E; Crandon, Ivor W; McGaw, Clarence D; Barnett, Alan T; Tennant, Ingrid; Evans, Necia R; Martin, Allie C; Simpson, Lindberg K; Johnson, Peter

2013-01-01

The barriers to health care delivery in developing nations are many: underfunding, limited support services, scarce resources, suboptimal health care worker attitudes, and deficient health care policies are some of the challenges. The literature contains little information about health care leadership in developing nations. This discursive paper examines the impact of leadership on the delivery of operating room (OR) services in public sector hospitals in Jamaica. Delivery of OR services in Jamaica is hindered by many unique cultural, financial, political, and environmental barriers. We identify six leadership goals adapted to this environment to achieve change. Effective leadership must adapt to the environment. Delivery of OR services in Jamaica may be improved by addressing leadership training, workplace safety, interpersonal communication, and work environment and by revising existing policies. Additionally, there should be regular practice audits and quality control surveys. PMID:24355903

Experimental system, and its evaluation for the control of surgically inducted infections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tevebaugh, M. D.; Nelson, J. P.

1972-01-01

The effect is reported to design, fabricate, test and evaluate a prototype experimental system for the control of surgically induced infections. The purpose is to provide the cleanest possible environment within a hospital surgery room and eliminate contamination sources that could cause infections during surgery. The system design is described. The system provides for a portable laminar flow clean room, a full bubble helmet system with associated communications and ventilation subsystems for operating room personnel, and surgical gowns that minimize the migration of bacteria. The development test results consisting of portability, laminar flowrate, air flow pattern, electrostatic buildup, noise level, ventilation, human factors, electrical and material compatibility tests are summarized. The conclusions are that the experimental system is effective in reducing the airborne and wound contamination although the helmets and gowns may not be a significant part of this reduction. Definitive conclusions with regard to the infection rate cannot be made at this time.

Design of the environment of care for safety of patients and personnel: does form follow function or vice versa in the intensive care unit?

PubMed

Bartley, Judene; Streifel, Andrew J

2010-08-01

We review the context of the environment of care in the intensive care unit setting in relation to patient safety and quality, specifically addressing healthcare-associated infection issues and solutions involving interdisciplinary teams. Issues addressed include current and future architectural design and layout trends, construction trends affecting intensive care units, and prevention of construction-associated healthcare-associated infections related to airborne and waterborne risks and design solutions. Specific elements include single-occupancy, acuity-scalable intensive care unit rooms; environmental aspects of hand hygiene, such as water risks, sink design/location, human waste management, surface selection (floor covering, countertops, furniture, and equipment) and cleaning, antimicrobial-treated or similar materials, ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, specialized rooms (airborne infection isolation and protective environments), and water system design and strategies for safe use of potable water and mitigation of water intrusion. Effective design and operational use of the intensive care unit environment of care must engage critical care personnel from initial planning and design through occupancy of the new/renovated intensive care unit as part of the infection control risk assessment team. The interdisciplinary infection control risk assessment team can address key environment of care design features to enhance the safety of intensive care unit patients, personnel, and visitors. This perspective will ensure the environment of care supports human factors and behavioral aspects of the interaction between the environment of care and its occupants.

Fluorescent and high intensity discharge lamp use in chambers and greenhouses

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

Langhans, R.W.

1994-12-31

Fluorescent and High Intensity Discharge lamps have opened up great opportunities for researchers to study plant growth under controlled environment conditions and for commercial growers to increase plant production during low/light periods. This report describes the advantages and disadvantages of using each lamp in growth chambers, growth rooms and greenhouses. Growth Chambers are small (3m x 4/m and smaller) walk-in or reach-in enclosures with programmable, accurate temperature, relative humidity (RH) and irradiance control over wide ranges. The intent of growth chambers was to replicate sunlight conditions and transfer research results directly to the greenhouse or outside. It was realized thatmore » sunlight and outside conditions could not be mimicked. Growth chambers are also used to study irradiance and spectral fluxes. Growth Rooms are usually large rooms (larger than 3m x 4m) with only lamp irradiance, but providing relatively limited ranges of environmental control (i.e., 10 to 30 C temperature, 50 to 90% RH and ambient to 1000 ppm CO{sub 2}), and commonly independent of outside conditions. Irradiance requirements for growth rooms are similar to those of growth chambers. Growth rooms are also used for growing a large number of plants in a uniform standard environment condition and in commercial horticulture for tissue culture, seed germination (plugs) and seedling growth. Greenhouses are designed to allow maximum sunlight penetration through the structure. Initially greenhouses were used to extend the growing season. Then as heating systems, and cooling systems improved, they were used year round. Low light during the winter months reduced plant growth, but with the advent of efficient lamps (HID and fluorescent) it became possible to increase growth to rates close to that in summer months. Supplementary lighting is used during low light periods of the year and anytime to ensure consistent total daily irradiance for research plants.« less

The empty OR-process analysis and a new concept for flexible and modular use in minimal invasive surgery.

PubMed

Eckmann, Christian; Olbrich, Guenter; Shekarriz, Hodjat; Bruch, Hans-Peter

2003-01-01

The reproducible advantages of minimal invasive surgery have led to a worldwide spread of these techniques. Nevertheless, the increasing use of technology causes problems in the operating room (OR). The workstation environment and workflow are handicapped by a great number of isolated solutions that demand a large amount of space. The Center of Excellence in Medical Technology (CEMET) was established in 2001 as an institution for a close cooperation between users, science, and manufacturers of medical devices in the State of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The future OR, as a major project, began with a detailed process analysis, which disclosed a large number of medical devices with different interfaces and poor standardisation as main problems. Smaller and more flexible devices are necessary, as well as functional modules located outside the OR. Only actuators should be positioned near the operation area. The future OR should include a flexible-room concept and less equipment than is in use currently. A uniform human-user interface is needed to control the OR environment. This article addresses the need for a clear workspace environment, intelligent-user interfaces, and flexible-room concept to improve the potentials in use of minimal invasive surgery.

Online estimation of room reverberation time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratnam, Rama; Jones, Douglas L.; Wheeler, Bruce C.; Feng, Albert S.

2003-04-01

The reverberation time (RT) is an important parameter for characterizing the quality of an auditory space. Sounds in reverberant environments are subject to coloration. This affects speech intelligibility and sound localization. State-of-the-art signal processing algorithms for hearing aids are expected to have the ability to evaluate the characteristics of the listening environment and turn on an appropriate processing strategy accordingly. Thus, a method for the characterization of room RT based on passively received microphone signals represents an important enabling technology. Current RT estimators, such as Schroeder's method or regression, depend on a controlled sound source, and thus cannot produce an online, blind RT estimate. Here, we describe a method for estimating RT without prior knowledge of sound sources or room geometry. The diffusive tail of reverberation was modeled as an exponentially damped Gaussian white noise process. The time constant of the decay, which provided a measure of the RT, was estimated using a maximum-likelihood procedure. The estimates were obtained continuously, and an order-statistics filter was used to extract the most likely RT from the accumulated estimates. The procedure was illustrated for connected speech. Results obtained for simulated and real room data are in good agreement with the real RT values.

Healing Environments: What Design Factors Really Matter According to Patients? An Exploratory Analysis.

PubMed

Schreuder, Eliane; Lebesque, Layla; Bottenheft, Charelle

2016-10-01

The main aim of this research was to identify the impact of design characteristics (DCs) of a patient room on self-reported patient well-being. This knowledge enables the construction of healing environments focusing on DCs that maximize well-being. Six themes were identified in literature that create healing environments: spatial comfort, safety and security, autonomy, sensory comfort, privacy, and social comfort. We wondered what themes and associated DCs should be prioritized if needed to maximize well-being. The physical environment of patient rooms in four hospital locations was measured and patients who stayed in these rooms were asked to evaluate the room design on above mentioned themes and its contribution to their well-being. We used a machine-learning technique and regression analysis to find relations between the physical environment of a patient room and patient well-being. We found that spatial comfort, safety and security, autonomy, and associated DCs have the strongest ability to influence patient's self-reported well-being in a patient room. Privacy appears to have the smallest influence. © The Author(s) 2016.

Sustained Reduction of Microbial Burden on Common Hospital Surfaces through Introduction of Copper

PubMed Central

Attaway, Hubert H.; Sharpe, Peter A.; John, Joseph; Sepkowitz, Kent A.; Morgan, Andrew; Fairey, Sarah E.; Singh, Susan; Steed, Lisa L.; Cantey, J. Robert; Freeman, Katherine D.; Michels, Harold T.; Salgado, Cassandra D.

2012-01-01

The contribution of environmental surface contamination with pathogenic organisms to the development of health care-associated infections (HAI) has not been well defined. The microbial burden (MB) associated with commonly touched surfaces in intensive care units (ICUs) was determined by sampling six objects in 16 rooms in ICUs in three hospitals over 43 months. At month 23, copper-alloy surfaces, with inherent antimicrobial properties, were installed onto six monitored objects in 8 of 16 rooms, and the effect that this application had on the intrinsic MB present on the six objects was assessed. Census continued in rooms with and without copper for an additional 21 months. In concert with routine infection control practices, the average MB found for the six objects assessed in the clinical environment during the preintervention phase was 28 times higher (6,985 CFU/100 cm2; n = 3,977 objects sampled) than levels proposed as benign immediately after terminal cleaning (<250 CFU/100 cm2). During the intervention phase, the MB was found to be significantly lower for both the control and copper-surfaced objects. Copper was found to cause a significant (83%) reduction in the average MB found on the objects (465 CFU/100 cm2; n = 2714 objects) compared to the controls (2,674 CFU/100 cm2; n = 2,831 objects [P < 0.0001]). The introduction of copper surfaces to objects formerly covered with plastic, wood, stainless steel, and other materials found in the patient care environment significantly reduced the overall MB on a continuous basis, thereby providing a potentially safer environment for hospital patients, health care workers (HCWs), and visitors. PMID:22553242

Sustained reduction of microbial burden on common hospital surfaces through introduction of copper.

PubMed

Schmidt, Michael G; Attaway, Hubert H; Sharpe, Peter A; John, Joseph; Sepkowitz, Kent A; Morgan, Andrew; Fairey, Sarah E; Singh, Susan; Steed, Lisa L; Cantey, J Robert; Freeman, Katherine D; Michels, Harold T; Salgado, Cassandra D

2012-07-01

The contribution of environmental surface contamination with pathogenic organisms to the development of health care-associated infections (HAI) has not been well defined. The microbial burden (MB) associated with commonly touched surfaces in intensive care units (ICUs) was determined by sampling six objects in 16 rooms in ICUs in three hospitals over 43 months. At month 23, copper-alloy surfaces, with inherent antimicrobial properties, were installed onto six monitored objects in 8 of 16 rooms, and the effect that this application had on the intrinsic MB present on the six objects was assessed. Census continued in rooms with and without copper for an additional 21 months. In concert with routine infection control practices, the average MB found for the six objects assessed in the clinical environment during the preintervention phase was 28 times higher (6,985 CFU/100 cm(2); n = 3,977 objects sampled) than levels proposed as benign immediately after terminal cleaning (<250 CFU/100 cm(2)). During the intervention phase, the MB was found to be significantly lower for both the control and copper-surfaced objects. Copper was found to cause a significant (83%) reduction in the average MB found on the objects (465 CFU/100 cm(2); n = 2714 objects) compared to the controls (2,674 CFU/100 cm(2); n = 2,831 objects [P < 0.0001]). The introduction of copper surfaces to objects formerly covered with plastic, wood, stainless steel, and other materials found in the patient care environment significantly reduced the overall MB on a continuous basis, thereby providing a potentially safer environment for hospital patients, health care workers (HCWs), and visitors.

Recommendations to Improve Employee Thermal Comfort When Working in 40°F Refrigerated Cold Rooms.

PubMed

Ceballos, Diana; Mead, Kenneth; Ramsey, Jessica

2015-01-01

Cold rooms are commonly used for food storage and preparation, and are usually kept around 40°F following food safety guidelines. Some food preparation employees may spend 8 or more hours inside cold rooms. These employees may not be aware of the risks associated with mildly cold temperatures, dampness, and limited ventilation. We performed an evaluation of cold rooms at an airline catering facility because of concerns with exposure to cold temperatures. We spoke with and observed employees in two cold rooms, reviewed daily temperature logs, evaluated employee's physical activity, work/rest schedule, and protective clothing. We measured temperature, percent relative humidity, and air velocities at different work stations inside the cold rooms. We concluded that thermal comfort concerns perceived by cold room employees may have been the result of air drafts at their workstations, insufficient use of personal protective equipment due to dexterity concerns, work practices, and lack of knowledge about good health and safety practices in cold rooms. These moderately cold work conditions with low air velocities are not well covered in current occupational health and safety guidelines, and wind chill calculations do not apply. We provide practical recommendations to improve thermal comfort of cold room employees. Engineering control recommendations include the redesigning of air deflectors and installing of suspended baffles. Administrative controls include the changing out of wet clothing, providing hand warmers outside of cold rooms, and educating employees on cold stress. We also recommended providing more options on personal protective equipment. However, there is a need for guidelines and educational materials tailored to employees in moderately cold environments to improve thermal comfort and minimize health and safety problems.

Recommendations to Improve Employee Thermal Comfort When Working in 40°F Refrigerated Cold Rooms

PubMed Central

Ceballos, Diana; Mead, Kenneth; Ramsey, Jessica

2015-01-01

Cold rooms are commonly used for food storage and preparation, and are usually kept around 40°F following food safety guidelines. Some food preparation employees may spend 8 or more hours inside cold rooms. These employees may not be aware of the risks associated with mildly cold temperatures, dampness, and limited ventilation. We performed an evaluation of cold rooms at an airline catering facility because of concerns with exposure to cold temperatures. We spoke with and observed employees in two cold rooms, reviewed daily temperature logs, evaluated employee’s physical activity, work/rest schedule, and protective clothing. We measured temperature, percent relative humidity, and air velocities at different work stations inside the cold rooms. We concluded that thermal comfort concerns perceived by cold room employees may have been the result of air drafts at their workstations, insufficient use of personal protective equipment due to dexterity concerns, work practices, and lack of knowledge about good health and safety practices in cold rooms. These moderately cold work conditions with low air velocities are not well covered in current occupational health and safety guidelines, and wind chill calculations do not apply. We provide practical recommendations to improve thermal comfort of cold room employees. Engineering control recommendations include the redesigning of air deflectors and installing of suspended baffles. Administrative controls include the changing out of wet clothing, providing hand warmers outside of cold rooms, and educating employees on cold stress. We also recommended providing more options on personal protective equipment. However, there is a need for guidelines and educational materials tailored to employees in moderately cold environments to improve thermal comfort and minimize health and safety problems. PMID:25961447

[Correlation of bacteria in the contaminated drug and the environmental microbes in the clean room for pharmaceutical microbial test investigated by FTIR].

PubMed

Pei, Lin; Hu, Chang-qin; Ma, Shi-hong; Dai, Hui; Hang, Tai-jun

2007-11-01

The FTIR method was used to investigate the correlation of bacteria in the contaminated drug and the environmental microbes in the clean room for pharmaceutical microbial test. The similarity of bacteria in the contaminated drug and environmental microbes was compared by critical hit value method and cluster analysis method. This constructed the FTIR spectra library of clean room environmental microbe, and determined the criterion to promptly judge if the bacteria isolated from pharmaceuticals were contaminated by environment or not, hence the exactness of "one-off report" of sterile test result can be guaranteed, and can be used for the dynamic monitoring of environmental bacteria of clean room. The method is proven to be simple, accurate and rapid, and can be easily spread to the pharmaceutical microbial control.

Fungal spore concentrations in two haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) units containing distinct air control systems.

PubMed

Brun, C P; Miron, D; Silla, L M R; Pasqualotto, A C

2013-04-01

Invasive fungal diseases have emerged as important causes of morbidity and mortality in haematological patients. In this study air samples were collected in two haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) units, in which distinct air-control systems were in place. In hospital 1 no high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter was available whereas in hospital 2 HSCT rooms were equipped with HEPA filters, with positive air pressure in relation to the corridor. A total of 117 samples from rooms, toilets and corridors were obtained during December 2009 to January 2011, using a six-stage Andersen sampler. In both hospitals, the concentration of potentially pathogenic fungi in the air was reduced in patients' rooms compared to corridors (P < 0·0001). Despite the presence of a HEPA filter in hospital 2, rooms in both hospitals showed similar concentrations of potentially pathogenic fungi (P = 0·714). These findings may be explained by the implementation of additional protective measures in hospital 1, emphasizing the importance of such measures in protected environments.

Virtual Environment for Surgical Room of the Future.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-10-01

Design; 1. wire frame Dynamic Interaction 2. surface B. Acoustic Three-Dimensional Modeling; 3. solid based on radiosity modeling B. Dynamic...infection control of people and E. Rendering and Shadowing equipment 1. ray tracing D. Fluid Flow 2. radiosity F. Animation OBJECT RECOGNITION COMMUNICATION

Safety in the Preschool.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Settles, Mimi

Guidelines for safety in the cooperative preschool are outlined, emphasizing control of the physical environment to insure maximum freedom for the children compatible with maximum safety. Building standards are set for stairways, rooms, lavatories, parking lots, harmful supplies, and wading pools. Orientation for safety is discussed in regard to…

Argon-oxygen atmospheric pressure plasma treatment on carbon fiber reinforced polymer for improved bonding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chartosias, Marios

Acceptance of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) structures requires a robust surface preparation method with improved process controls capable of ensuring high bond quality. Surface preparation in a production clean room environment prior to applying adhesive for bonding would minimize risk of contamination and reduce cost. Plasma treatment is a robust surface preparation process capable of being applied in a production clean room environment with process parameters that are easily controlled and documented. Repeatable and consistent processing is enabled through the development of a process parameter window utilizing techniques such as Design of Experiments (DOE) tailored to specific adhesive and substrate bonding applications. Insight from respective plasma treatment Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and screening tests determined critical process factors from non-factors and set the associated factor levels prior to execution of the DOE. Results from mode I Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) testing per ASTM D 5528 [1] standard and DOE statistical analysis software are used to produce a regression model and determine appropriate optimum settings for each factor.

Physical order produces healthy choices, generosity, and conventionality, whereas disorder produces creativity.

PubMed

Vohs, Kathleen D; Redden, Joseph P; Rahinel, Ryan

2013-09-01

Order and disorder are prevalent in both nature and culture, which suggests that each environ confers advantages for different outcomes. Three experiments tested the novel hypotheses that orderly environments lead people toward tradition and convention, whereas disorderly environments encourage breaking with tradition and convention-and that both settings can alter preferences, choice, and behavior. Experiment 1 showed that relative to participants in a disorderly room, participants in an orderly room chose healthier snacks and donated more money. Experiment 2 showed that participants in a disorderly room were more creative than participants in an orderly room. Experiment 3 showed a predicted crossover effect: Participants in an orderly room preferred an option labeled as classic, but those in a disorderly room preferred an option labeled as new. Whereas prior research on physical settings has shown that orderly settings encourage better behavior than disorderly ones, the current research tells a nuanced story of how different environments suit different outcomes.

Consultation, communication, and conflict management by out-of-operating room anesthesiologists: strangers in a strange land.

PubMed

Caplan, Jason P; Querques, John; Epstein, Lucy A; Stern, Theodore A

2009-03-01

With anesthesiology increasingly practiced outside the operating room (OR) environment, it is important that anesthesiologists begin to identify and to teach the communication skills required for practice in non-OR general hospital settings. The "one back" position of the consultant, and the associated diminished sense of immediate control, can generate discomfort for many clinicians. This article discusses the literature regarding practice as a consultant and the navigation of conflict with an emphasis on how anesthesiologists might apply the findings to out-of-OR practice.

Metal oxide gas sensors on the nanoscale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plecenik, A.; Haidry, A. A.; Plecenik, T.; Durina, P.; Truchly, M.; Mosko, M.; Grancic, B.; Gregor, M.; Roch, T.; Satrapinskyy, L.; Moskova, A.; Mikula, M.; Kus, P.

2014-06-01

Low cost, low power and highly sensitive gas sensors operating at room temperature are very important devices for controlled hydrogen gas production and storage. One of the disadvantages of chemosensors is their high operating temperature (usually 200 - 400 °C), which excludes such type of sensors from usage in explosive environment. In this report, a new concept of gas chemosensors operating at room temperature based on TiO2 thin films is discussed. Integration of such sensor is fully compatible with sub-100 nm semiconductor technology and could be transferred directly from labor to commercial sphere.

Spatial Cues Provided by Sound Improve Postural Stabilization: Evidence of a Spatial Auditory Map?

PubMed Central

Gandemer, Lennie; Parseihian, Gaetan; Kronland-Martinet, Richard; Bourdin, Christophe

2017-01-01

It has long been suggested that sound plays a role in the postural control process. Few studies however have explored sound and posture interactions. The present paper focuses on the specific impact of audition on posture, seeking to determine the attributes of sound that may be useful for postural purposes. We investigated the postural sway of young, healthy blindfolded subjects in two experiments involving different static auditory environments. In the first experiment, we compared effect on sway in a simple environment built from three static sound sources in two different rooms: a normal vs. an anechoic room. In the second experiment, the same auditory environment was enriched in various ways, including the ambisonics synthesis of a immersive environment, and subjects stood on two different surfaces: a foam vs. a normal surface. The results of both experiments suggest that the spatial cues provided by sound can be used to improve postural stability. The richer the auditory environment, the better this stabilization. We interpret these results by invoking the “spatial hearing map” theory: listeners build their own mental representation of their surrounding environment, which provides them with spatial landmarks that help them to better stabilize. PMID:28694770

Coupling indoor airflow, HVAC, control and building envelope heat transfer in the Modelica Buildings library

DOE PAGES

Zuo, Wangda; Wetter, Michael; Tian, Wei; ...

2015-07-13

Here, this paper describes a coupled dynamic simulation of an indoor environment with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, controls and building envelope heat transfer. The coupled simulation can be used for the design and control of ventilation systems with stratified air distributions. Those systems are commonly used to reduce building energy consumption while improving the indoor environment quality. The indoor environment was simulated using the fast fluid dynamics (FFD) simulation programme. The building fabric heat transfer, HVAC and control system were modelled using the Modelica Buildings library. After presenting the concept, the mathematical algorithm and the implementation ofmore » the coupled simulation were introduced. The coupled FFD–Modelica simulation was then evaluated using three examples of room ventilation with complex flow distributions with and without feedback control. Lastly, further research and development needs were also discussed.« less

Coupling indoor airflow, HVAC, control and building envelope heat transfer in the Modelica Buildings library

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

Zuo, Wangda; Wetter, Michael; Tian, Wei

Here, this paper describes a coupled dynamic simulation of an indoor environment with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, controls and building envelope heat transfer. The coupled simulation can be used for the design and control of ventilation systems with stratified air distributions. Those systems are commonly used to reduce building energy consumption while improving the indoor environment quality. The indoor environment was simulated using the fast fluid dynamics (FFD) simulation programme. The building fabric heat transfer, HVAC and control system were modelled using the Modelica Buildings library. After presenting the concept, the mathematical algorithm and the implementation ofmore » the coupled simulation were introduced. The coupled FFD–Modelica simulation was then evaluated using three examples of room ventilation with complex flow distributions with and without feedback control. Lastly, further research and development needs were also discussed.« less

CHARACTERIZATION OF AEROSOLS FROM A WATER-BASED CLEANER APPLIED WITH A HAND-PUMP SPRAYER

EPA Science Inventory

The paper gives results of tests that were performed in a controlled-environment test room to measure particle concentrations and size distributions and concentrations of selected volatily organic compounds during, and following, application of water-based cleaners to realistic s...

Spatial Hearing with Incongruent Visual or Auditory Room Cues

PubMed Central

Gil-Carvajal, Juan C.; Cubick, Jens; Santurette, Sébastien; Dau, Torsten

2016-01-01

In day-to-day life, humans usually perceive the location of sound sources as outside their heads. This externalized auditory spatial perception can be reproduced through headphones by recreating the sound pressure generated by the source at the listener’s eardrums. This requires the acoustical features of the recording environment and listener’s anatomy to be recorded at the listener’s ear canals. Although the resulting auditory images can be indistinguishable from real-world sources, their externalization may be less robust when the playback and recording environments differ. Here we tested whether a mismatch between playback and recording room reduces perceived distance, azimuthal direction, and compactness of the auditory image, and whether this is mostly due to incongruent auditory cues or to expectations generated from the visual impression of the room. Perceived distance ratings decreased significantly when collected in a more reverberant environment than the recording room, whereas azimuthal direction and compactness remained room independent. Moreover, modifying visual room-related cues had no effect on these three attributes, while incongruent auditory room-related cues between the recording and playback room did affect distance perception. Consequently, the external perception of virtual sounds depends on the degree of congruency between the acoustical features of the environment and the stimuli. PMID:27853290

Behind the Scenes: Patient Safety in the Operating Room and Central Materiel Service During Deployments

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

The surgical hand scrub plays a significant role in preventing nosocomial and surgical site infections . After approval from the Infection Control...stressful conditions in a time- constrained environment. As a result, they are more comfortable with the hands - on aspects of patient care within the...amount of dust, organic debris, and microbial load in surgical environments. Proper cleaning of surfaces can greatly reduce the risk of nosocomial

Transcriptional control, but not subcellular location, of PGC-1α is altered following exercise in a hot environment

PubMed Central

Shute, Robert J.; Kreiling, Jodi L.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine mitochondrial biogenesis-related mRNA expression, binding of transcription factors to the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1-α (PGC-1α) promoter, and subcellular location of PGC-1α protein in human skeletal muscle following exercise in a hot environment compared with a room temperature environment. Recreationally trained males (n = 11) completed two trials in a temperature- and humidity-controlled environmental chamber. Each trial consisted of cycling in either a hot (H) or room temperature (C) environment (33 and 20°C, respectively) for 1 h at 60% of maximum wattage (Wmax) followed by 3 h of supine recovery at room temperature. Muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis pre-, post-, and 3 h postexercise. PGC-1α mRNA increased post (P = 0.039)- and 3 h postexercise in C (P = 0.002). PGC-1α, estrogen-related receptor-α (ERRα), and nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF-1) mRNA was all lower in H than C post (P = 0.038, P < 0.001, and P = 0.030, respectively)- and 3 h postexercise (P = 0.035, P = 0.007, and P < 0.001, respectively). Binding of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) (P = 0.005), myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) (P = 0.047), and FoxO forkhead box class-O1 (FoxO1) (P = 0.010) to the promoter region of the PGC-1α gene was lower in H than C. Nuclear PGC-1α protein increased postexercise in both H and C (P = 0.029) but was not different between trials (P = 0.602). These data indicate that acute exercise in a hot environment blunts expression of mitochondrial biogenesis-related mRNA, due to decreased binding of CREB, MEF2, and FoxO1 to the PGC-1α promoter. PMID:27445305

Staphylococcus aureus Recovery From Environmental and Human Locations in 2 Collegiate Athletic Teams

PubMed Central

Oller, Anna R.; Province, Larry; Curless, Brian

2010-01-01

Abstract Context: Staphylococcus aureus is spread via direct contact with persons and indirect contact via environmental surfaces such as weight benches. Athletes participating in direct-contact sports have an increased risk of acquiring S aureus infections. Objective: To determine (1) potential environmental reservoirs of S aureus in football and wrestling locker rooms and weight rooms, (2) environmental bacterial status after employing more stringent cleaning methods, (3) differences in colonization rates between athletes and nonathletes, (4) exposed body locations where Staphylococcus was recovered more frequently, and (5) personal hygiene practices of athletes and nonathletes. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Locker room and strengthening and conditioning facilities at a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II university. Patients or Other Participants: Collegiate football players and wrestlers, with nonathlete campus residents serving as the control group. Intervention(s): Infection control methods, education of the custodial staff, and education of the athletes regarding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for infection prevention. Main Outcome Measure(s): Cultures were taken from the participants' noses, fingertips, knuckles, forearms, and shoes and from the environment. Results: Before the intervention, from the 108 environmental samples taken from the football locker room and weight room, 26 (24%) contained methicillin-susceptible S aureus (MSSA) and 33 (31%) contained methicillin-resistant S aureus (MRSA). From the 39 environmental samples taken from the wrestling locker room and pit areas, 1 (3%) contained MSSA and 4 (10%) contained MRSA. The MRSA rates were different between the 2 locations according to a χ2 test (P  =  .01). Seven MRSA isolates were recovered from football players and 1 from a wrestler; no MRSA isolates were recovered from the control group. The fingertip location of S aureus recovery from football players was significant when compared with both other locations in football players and fingertips in wrestlers and the control group (P < .05). Football players and wrestlers shared more personal items than the control group (P < .05). After the intervention, the football locker room and weight room samples were negative for S aureus. Conclusions: Intact strengthening and conditioning equipment, proper hygiene, and proper disinfection methods lowered both environmental and human S aureus recovery at 1 university. PMID:20446834

Human factors dimensions in the evolution of increasingly automated control rooms for near-earth satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, C. M.

1982-01-01

The NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center is responsible for the control and ground support for all of NASA's unmanned near-earth satellites. Traditionally, each satellite had its own dedicated mission operations room. In the mid-seventies, an integration of some of these dedicated facilities was begun with the primary objective to reduce costs. In this connection, the Multi-Satellite Operations Control Center (MSOCC) was designed. MSOCC represents currently a labor intensive operation. Recently, Goddard has become increasingly aware of human factors and human-machine interface issues. A summary is provided of some of the attempts to apply human factors considerations in the design of command and control environments. Current and future activities with respect to human factors and systems design are discussed, giving attention to the allocation of tasks between human and computer, and the interface for the human-computer dialogue.

NFL Films music scoring stage and control room space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, Russ; Schrag, Richard C.; Ridings, Jason J.

2003-04-01

NFL Films' new 200,000 sq. ft. corporate headquarters is home to an orchestral scoring stage used to record custom music scores to support and enhance their video productions. Part of the 90,000 sq. ft. of sound critical technical space, the music scoring stage and its associated control room are at the heart of the audio facilities. Driving the design were the owner's mandate for natural light, wood textures, and an acoustical environment that would support small rhythm sections, soloists, and a full orchestra. Being an industry leader in cutting-edge video and audio formats, the NFLF required that the technical spaces allow the latest in technology to be continually integrated into the infrastructure. Never was it more important for a project to hold true to the adage of ``designing from the inside out.'' Each audio and video space within the facility had to stand on its own with regard to user functionality, acoustical accuracy, sound isolation, noise control, and monitor presentation. A detailed look at the architectural and acoustical design challenges encountered and the solutions developed for the performance studio and the associated control room space will be discussed.

A simple highly efficient non invasive EMG-based HMI.

PubMed

Vitiello, N; Olcese, U; Oddo, C M; Carpaneto, J; Micera, S; Carrozza, M C; Dario, P

2006-01-01

Muscle activity recorded non-invasively is sufficient to control a mobile robot if it is used in combination with an algorithm for its asynchronous analysis. In this paper, we show that several subjects successfully can control the movements of a robot in a structured environment made up of six rooms by contracting two different muscles using a simple algorithm. After a small training period, subjects were able to control the robot with performances comparable to those achieved manually controlling the robot.

Managing Archival Collections in an Automated Environment: The Joys of Barcoding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamburger, Susan; Charles, Jane Veronica

2006-01-01

In a desire for automated collection control, archival repositories are adopting barcoding from their library and records center colleagues. This article discusses the planning, design, and implementation phases of barcoding. The authors focus on reasons for barcoding, security benefits, in-room circulation tracking, potential for gathering…

Microenvironments in swine farrowing rooms: the thermal, lighting and acoustic environments of sows and piglets

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The present research hypothesized that the thermal, lighting and acoustic environments in commercial swine farrowing rooms vary over time and among crates. The study was conducted in 27 replicates in two commercial farrowing rooms in North Central Indiana, each equipped with 60 farrowing crates. Tem...

Multisensory environments for leisure: promoting well-being in nursing home residents with dementia.

PubMed

Cox, Helen; Burns, Ian; Savage, Sally

2004-02-01

Multisensory environments such as Snoezelen rooms are becoming increasingly popular in health care facilities for older individuals. There is limited reliable evidence of the benefits of such innovations, and the effect they have on residents, caregivers, and visitors in these facilities. This two-stage project examined how effective two types of multisensory environments were in improving the well-being of older individuals with dementia. The two multisensory environments were a Snoezelen room and a landscaped garden. These environments were compared to the experience of the normal living environment. The observed response of 24 residents with dementia in a nursing home was measured during time spent in the Snoezelen room, in the garden, and in the living room. In the second part of the project, face-to-face interviews were conducted with six caregivers and six visitors to obtain their responses to the multisensory environments. These interviews identified the components of the environments most used and enjoyed by residents and the ways in which they could be improved to maximize well-being.

Ventilation noise and its effects on annoyance and performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landstrom, Ulf

2004-05-01

In almost every room environment, ventilation acts as a more or less prominent part of the noise exposure. The contribution to the overall sound environment is a question not only of the way in which the ventilation system itself functions, but also a question of the prominence of other contemporary sound sources such as speech, equipment, machines, and external noises. Hazardous effects due to ventilation noise are most prominent in offices, hospitals, control rooms, classrooms, conference rooms, and other types of silent areas. The effects evoked by ventilation noise have also been found to be related to the type of activity being conducted. Annoyance and performance thus not only seemed to be linked to the physical character of exposure, i.e., noise level, frequency characteristics, and length of exposure, but also mental and manual activity, complexity, and monotony of the work. The effects can be described in terms of annoyance, discomfort, and fatigue, with consequences on performance and increased mental load. The silent areas where ventilation noise may be most frequently experienced are often synonymous with areas and activities most sensitive to the exposure.

Multiple sound source localization using gammatone auditory filtering and direct sound componence detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Huaiyu; Cao, Li

2017-06-01

In order to research multiple sound source localization with room reverberation and background noise, we analyze the shortcomings of traditional broadband MUSIC and ordinary auditory filtering based broadband MUSIC method, then a new broadband MUSIC algorithm with gammatone auditory filtering of frequency component selection control and detection of ascending segment of direct sound componence is proposed. The proposed algorithm controls frequency component within the interested frequency band in multichannel bandpass filter stage. Detecting the direct sound componence of the sound source for suppressing room reverberation interference is also proposed, whose merits are fast calculation and avoiding using more complex de-reverberation processing algorithm. Besides, the pseudo-spectrum of different frequency channels is weighted by their maximum amplitude for every speech frame. Through the simulation and real room reverberation environment experiments, the proposed method has good performance. Dynamic multiple sound source localization experimental results indicate that the average absolute error of azimuth estimated by the proposed algorithm is less and the histogram result has higher angle resolution.

The social computing room: a multi-purpose collaborative visualization environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borland, David; Conway, Michael; Coposky, Jason; Ginn, Warren; Idaszak, Ray

2010-01-01

The Social Computing Room (SCR) is a novel collaborative visualization environment for viewing and interacting with large amounts of visual data. The SCR consists of a square room with 12 projectors (3 per wall) used to display a single 360-degree desktop environment that provides a large physical real estate for arranging visual information. The SCR was designed to be cost-effective, collaborative, configurable, widely applicable, and approachable for naive users. Because the SCR displays a single desktop, a wide range of applications is easily supported, making it possible for a variety of disciplines to take advantage of the room. We provide a technical overview of the room and highlight its application to scientific visualization, arts and humanities projects, research group meetings, and virtual worlds, among other uses.

Guidelines for environmental infection control in health-care facilities. Recommendations of CDC and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC).

PubMed

Sehulster, Lynne; Chinn, Raymond Y W

2003-06-06

The health-care facility environment is rarely implicated in disease transmission, except among patients who are immunocompromised. Nonetheless, inadvertent exposures to environmental pathogens (e.g., Aspergillus spp. and Legionella spp.) or airborne pathogens (e.g., Mycobacterium tuberculosis and varicella-zoster virus) can result in adverse patient outcomes and cause illness among health-care workers. Environmental infection-control strategies and engineering controls can effectively prevent these infections. The incidence of health-care--associated infections and pseudo-outbreaks can be minimized by 1) appropriate use of cleaners and disinfectants; 2) appropriate maintenance of medical equipment (e.g., automated endoscope reprocessors or hydrotherapy equipment); 3) adherence to water-quality standards for hemodialysis, and to ventilation standards for specialized care environments (e.g., airborne infection isolation rooms, protective environments, or operating rooms); and 4) prompt management of water intrusion into the facility. Routine environmental sampling is not usually advised, except for water quality determinations in hemodialysis settings and other situations where sampling is directed by epidemiologic principles, and results can be applied directly to infection-control decisions. This report reviews previous guidelines and strategies for preventing environment-associated infections in health-care facilities and offers recommendations. These include 1) evidence-based recommendations supported by studies; 2) requirements of federal agencies (e.g., Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, and U.S. Department of Justice); 3) guidelines and standards from building and equipment professional organizations (e.g., American Institute of Architects, Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation, and American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers); 4) recommendations derived from scientific theory or rationale; and 5) experienced opinions based upon infection-control and engineering practices. The report also suggests a series of performance measurements as a means to evaluate infection-control efforts.

Evidence for enhanced discrimination of virtual auditory distance among blind listeners using level and direct-to-reverberant cues.

PubMed

Kolarik, Andrew J; Cirstea, Silvia; Pardhan, Shahina

2013-02-01

Totally blind listeners often demonstrate better than normal capabilities when performing spatial hearing tasks. Accurate representation of three-dimensional auditory space requires the processing of available distance information between the listener and the sound source; however, auditory distance cues vary greatly depending upon the acoustic properties of the environment, and it is not known which distance cues are important to totally blind listeners. Our data show that totally blind listeners display better performance compared to sighted age-matched controls for distance discrimination tasks in anechoic and reverberant virtual rooms simulated using a room-image procedure. Totally blind listeners use two major auditory distance cues to stationary sound sources, level and direct-to-reverberant ratio, more effectively than sighted controls for many of the virtual distances tested. These results show that significant compensation among totally blind listeners for virtual auditory spatial distance leads to benefits across a range of simulated acoustic environments. No significant differences in performance were observed between listeners with partial non-correctable visual losses and sighted controls, suggesting that sensory compensation for virtual distance does not occur for listeners with partial vision loss.

Fabrication, test and demonstration of critical environment monitoring system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heimendinger, K. W.

1972-01-01

Design and performance of an analytical system for the evaluation of certain environmental constituents in critical environmental areas of the Quality Reliability and Assurance Laboratory are reported. Developed was a self-contained, integrated, minimum sized unit that detects, interrogates, and records those parameters of the environment dictated for control in large storage facilities, clean rooms, temporarily curtained enclosures, and special working benches. The system analyzes humidity, temperature, hydrocarbons particle size, and particle count within prescribed clean areas.

Effects of speech style, room acoustics, and vocal fatigue on vocal effort

PubMed Central

Bottalico, Pasquale; Graetzer, Simone; Hunter, Eric J.

2016-01-01

Vocal effort is a physiological measure that accounts for changes in voice production as vocal loading increases. It has been quantified in terms of sound pressure level (SPL). This study investigates how vocal effort is affected by speaking style, room acoustics, and short-term vocal fatigue. Twenty subjects were recorded while reading a text at normal and loud volumes in anechoic, semi-reverberant, and reverberant rooms in the presence of classroom babble noise. The acoustics in each environment were modified by creating a strong first reflection in the talker position. After each task, the subjects answered questions addressing their perception of the vocal effort, comfort, control, and clarity of their own voice. Variation in SPL for each subject was measured per task. It was found that SPL and self-reported effort increased in the loud style and decreased when the reflective panels were present and when reverberation time increased. Self-reported comfort and control decreased in the loud style, while self-reported clarity increased when panels were present. The lowest magnitude of vocal fatigue was experienced in the semi-reverberant room. The results indicate that early reflections may be used to reduce vocal effort without modifying reverberation time. PMID:27250179

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

Garabedian, G.

This document details the decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) process of Rooms 248 and 250 of Building 62 at the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). The document describes the D&D efforts for the rooms, their contents, and adjacent areas containing ancillary equipment. The rooms and equipment, before being released, were required to meet the unrestricted release criteria and requirements set forth in DOE orders 5400.5 and 5480.11, LBNL`s internal release-criteria procedure (EH&S Procedure 708), and the LBNL Radiological Control Manual. The radioactive material and items not meeting the release criteria were either sent to the Hazardous Waste Handling Facilitymore » (HWHF) for disposal or transferred to other locations approved for radioactive material. The D&D was undertaken by the Radiation Protection Group of LBNL`s Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) Division at the request of the Materials Sciences Division. Current and past use of radioactive material in both Rooms 248 and 250 necessitated the D&D in order to release both rooms for nonradioactive work. (1) Room 248 was designated a {open_quotes}controlled area.{close_quotes} There was contained radioactive material in some of the equipment. The previous occupants of Room 248 had worked with radioactive materials. (2) Room 250 was designated a {open_quotes}Radioactive Materials Management Area{close_quotes} (RMMA) because the current occupants used potentially dispersible radioisotopes. Both laboratories, during the occupancy of U.C. Berkeley Professor Leo Brewer and Ms. Karen Krushwitz, were kept in excellent condition. There was a detailed inventory of all radioactive materials and chemicals. All work and self surveys were documented. The labs were kept extremely orderly, clean, and in compliance. In October 1993 Ms. Krushwitz received an award in recognition of her efforts in Environmental Protection, Health, and Safety at LBNL.« less

Remote presence proctoring by using a wireless remote-control videoconferencing system.

PubMed

Smith, C Daniel; Skandalakis, John E

2005-06-01

Remote presence in an operating room to allow an experienced surgeon to proctor a surgeon has been promised through robotics and telesurgery solutions. Although several such systems have been developed and commercialized, little progress has been made using telesurgery for anything more than live demonstrations of surgery. This pilot project explored the use of a new videoconferencing capability to determine if it offers advantages over existing systems. The video conferencing system used is a PC-based system with a flat screen monitor and an attached camera that is then mounted on a remotely controlled platform. This device is controlled from a remotely placed PC-based videoconferencing system computer outfitted with a joystick. Using the public Internet and a wireless router at the client site, a surgeon at the control station can manipulate the videoconferencing system. Controls include navigating the unit around the room and moving the flat screen/camera portion like a head looking up/down and right/left. This system (InTouch Medical, Santa Barbara, CA) was used to proctor medical students during an anatomy class cadaver dissection. The ability of the remote surgeon to effectively monitor the students' dissections and direct their activities was assessed subjectively by students and surgeon. This device was very effective at providing a controllable and interactive presence in the anatomy lab. Students felt they were interacting with a person rather than a video screen and quickly forgot that the surgeon was not in the room. The ability to move the device within the environment rather than just observe the environment from multiple fixed camera angles gave the surgeon a similar feel of true presence. A remote-controlled videoconferencing system provides a more real experience for both student and proctor. Future development of such a device could greatly facilitate progress in implementation of remote presence proctoring.

Water-vapor pressure control in a volume

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scialdone, J. J.

1978-01-01

The variation with time of the partial pressure of water in a volume that has openings to the outside environment and includes vapor sources was evaluated as a function of the purging flow and its vapor content. Experimental tests to estimate the diffusion of ambient humidity through openings and to validate calculated results were included. The purging flows required to produce and maintain a certain humidity in shipping containers, storage rooms, and clean rooms can be estimated with the relationship developed here. These purging flows are necessary to prevent the contamination, degradation, and other effects of water vapor on the systems inside these volumes.

Analysis, design, fabrication and testing of an optical tip clearance sensor. [turbocompressor blade tips

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poppel, G. L.; Marple, D. T. F.; Kingsley, J. D.

1981-01-01

Analyses and the design, fabrication, and testing of an optical tip clearance sensor with intended application in aircraft propulsion control systems are reported. The design of a sensor test rig, evaluation of optical sensor components at elevated temperatures, sensor design principles, sensor test results at room temperature, and estimations of sensor accuracy at temperatures of an aircraft engine environment are discussed. Room temperature testing indicated possible measurement accuracies of less than 12.7 microns (0.5 mils). Ways to improve performance at engine operating temperatures are recommended. The potential of this tip clearance sensor is assessed.

Quo vadis? Microbial profiling revealed strong effects of cleanroom maintenance and routes of contamination in indoor environments

DOE PAGES

Moissl-Eichinger, Christine; Auerbach, Anna K.; Probst, Alexander J.; ...

2015-03-17

Space agencies maintain highly controlled cleanrooms to ensure the demands of planetary protection. To study potential effects of microbiome control, we analyzed microbial communities in two particulate-controlled cleanrooms (ISO 5 and ISO 8) and two vicinal uncontrolled areas (office, changing room) by cultivation and 16S rRNA gene amplicon analysis (cloning, pyrotagsequencing, and PhyloChip G3 analysis). Maintenance procedures affected the microbiome on total abundance and microbial community structure concerning richness, diversity and relative abundance of certain taxa. Cleanroom areas were found to be mainly predominated by potentially human-associated bacteria; archaeal signatures were detected in every area. Results indicate that microorganisms weremore » mainly spread from the changing room (68%) into the cleanrooms, potentially carried along with human activity. The numbers of colony forming units were reduced by up to ~400 fold from the uncontrolled areas towards the ISO 5 cleanroom, accompanied with a reduction of the living portion of microorganisms from 45% (changing area) to 1% of total 16S rRNA gene signatures as revealed via propidium monoazide treatment of the samples. Our results demonstrate the strong effects of cleanroom maintenance on microbial communities in indoor environments and can be used to improve the design and operation of biologically controlled cleanrooms.« less

Quo vadis? Microbial profiling revealed strong effects of cleanroom maintenance and routes of contamination in indoor environments

PubMed Central

Moissl-Eichinger, Christine; Auerbach, Anna K.; Probst, Alexander J.; Mahnert, Alexander; Tom, Lauren; Piceno, Yvette; Andersen, Gary L.; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri; Rettberg, Petra; Barczyk, Simon; Pukall, Rüdiger; Berg, Gabriele

2015-01-01

Space agencies maintain highly controlled cleanrooms to ensure the demands of planetary protection. To study potential effects of microbiome control, we analyzed microbial communities in two particulate-controlled cleanrooms (ISO 5 and ISO 8) and two vicinal uncontrolled areas (office, changing room) by cultivation and 16S rRNA gene amplicon analysis (cloning, pyrotagsequencing, and PhyloChip G3 analysis). Maintenance procedures affected the microbiome on total abundance and microbial community structure concerning richness, diversity and relative abundance of certain taxa. Cleanroom areas were found to be mainly predominated by potentially human-associated bacteria; archaeal signatures were detected in every area. Results indicate that microorganisms were mainly spread from the changing room (68%) into the cleanrooms, potentially carried along with human activity. The numbers of colony forming units were reduced by up to ~400 fold from the uncontrolled areas towards the ISO 5 cleanroom, accompanied with a reduction of the living portion of microorganisms from 45% (changing area) to 1% of total 16S rRNA gene signatures as revealed via propidium monoazide treatment of the samples. Our results demonstrate the strong effects of cleanroom maintenance on microbial communities in indoor environments and can be used to improve the design and operation of biologically controlled cleanrooms. PMID:25778463

Quo vadis? Microbial profiling revealed strong effects of cleanroom maintenance and routes of contamination in indoor environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moissl-Eichinger, Christine; Auerbach, Anna K.; Probst, Alexander J.; Mahnert, Alexander; Tom, Lauren; Piceno, Yvette; Andersen, Gary L.; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri; Rettberg, Petra; Barczyk, Simon; Pukall, Rüdiger; Berg, Gabriele

2015-03-01

Space agencies maintain highly controlled cleanrooms to ensure the demands of planetary protection. To study potential effects of microbiome control, we analyzed microbial communities in two particulate-controlled cleanrooms (ISO 5 and ISO 8) and two vicinal uncontrolled areas (office, changing room) by cultivation and 16S rRNA gene amplicon analysis (cloning, pyrotagsequencing, and PhyloChip G3 analysis). Maintenance procedures affected the microbiome on total abundance and microbial community structure concerning richness, diversity and relative abundance of certain taxa. Cleanroom areas were found to be mainly predominated by potentially human-associated bacteria; archaeal signatures were detected in every area. Results indicate that microorganisms were mainly spread from the changing room (68%) into the cleanrooms, potentially carried along with human activity. The numbers of colony forming units were reduced by up to ~400 fold from the uncontrolled areas towards the ISO 5 cleanroom, accompanied with a reduction of the living portion of microorganisms from 45% (changing area) to 1% of total 16S rRNA gene signatures as revealed via propidium monoazide treatment of the samples. Our results demonstrate the strong effects of cleanroom maintenance on microbial communities in indoor environments and can be used to improve the design and operation of biologically controlled cleanrooms.

Quo vadis? Microbial profiling revealed strong effects of cleanroom maintenance and routes of contamination in indoor environments

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

Moissl-Eichinger, Christine; Auerbach, Anna K.; Probst, Alexander J.

Space agencies maintain highly controlled cleanrooms to ensure the demands of planetary protection. To study potential effects of microbiome control, we analyzed microbial communities in two particulate-controlled cleanrooms (ISO 5 and ISO 8) and two vicinal uncontrolled areas (office, changing room) by cultivation and 16S rRNA gene amplicon analysis (cloning, pyrotagsequencing, and PhyloChip G3 analysis). Maintenance procedures affected the microbiome on total abundance and microbial community structure concerning richness, diversity and relative abundance of certain taxa. Cleanroom areas were found to be mainly predominated by potentially human-associated bacteria; archaeal signatures were detected in every area. Results indicate that microorganisms weremore » mainly spread from the changing room (68%) into the cleanrooms, potentially carried along with human activity. The numbers of colony forming units were reduced by up to ~400 fold from the uncontrolled areas towards the ISO 5 cleanroom, accompanied with a reduction of the living portion of microorganisms from 45% (changing area) to 1% of total 16S rRNA gene signatures as revealed via propidium monoazide treatment of the samples. Our results demonstrate the strong effects of cleanroom maintenance on microbial communities in indoor environments and can be used to improve the design and operation of biologically controlled cleanrooms.« less

Simulating environmental and psychological acoustic factors of the operating room.

PubMed

Bennett, Christopher L; Dudaryk, Roman; Ayers, Andrew L; McNeer, Richard R

2015-12-01

In this study, an operating room simulation environment was adapted to include quadraphonic speakers, which were used to recreate a composed clinical soundscape. To assess validity of the composed soundscape, several acoustic parameters of this simulated environment were acquired in the presence of alarms only, background noise only, or both. These parameters were also measured for comparison from size-matched operating rooms at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The parameters examined included sound level, reverberation time, and predictive metrics of speech intelligibility in quiet and noise. It was found that the sound levels and acoustic parameters were comparable between the simulated environment and the actual operating rooms. The impact of the background noise on the perception of medical alarms was then examined, and was found to have little impact on the audibility of the alarms. This study is a first in kind report of a comparison between the environmental and psychological acoustical parameters of a hospital simulation environment and actual operating rooms.

Controlling allergens in animal rooms by using curtains.

PubMed

Krohn, Thomas C; Itter, Gabi; Fosse, Richard; Hansen, Axel K

2006-05-01

The reduction and control of allergens in the animal facility is important for staff working with laboratory animals. This study was designed to evaluate the efficiency of perforated Makrolon curtains in front of racks as a method to reduce the amount of allergen in the animal room. The experimental situation we studied provides some information regarding allergen disposition in animal rooms but is clearly artificial and does not reflect a typical, 'real-world' environment in terms of preventing exposure of workers to allergens. Plastic curtains with holes were placed in front of racks, and a corridor between the racks and a curtain was present. The room was ventilated with air, which was blown into the room through the middle of the corridor, flowing downstream and passing through the holes in the curtain. This set-up resulted in air flow from the corridor through the curtain. Air samples were collected from sites in the corridor and behind the curtain. The samples were analyzed for the allergen Mus m1, and the amount of allergen was calculated. The results show air flow from the aisle through the holes in the curtains and through the racks behind the curtains, and this flow keeps allergen behind the curtains and prevents its spread from the cages into the aisle. The present study shows that the use of curtains in front of the cage racks is an efficient way to prevent spread of allergens from rodent cages to the entire animal room.

The time course of location-avoidance learning in fear of spiders.

PubMed

Rinck, Mike; Koene, Marieke; Telli, Sibel; Moerman-van den Brink, Wiltine; Verhoeven, Barbara; Becker, Eni S

2016-01-01

Two experiments were designed to study the time course of avoidance learning in spider fearfuls (SFs) under controlled experimental conditions. To achieve this, we employed an immersive virtual environment (IVE): While walking freely through a virtual art museum to search for specific paintings, the participants were exposed to virtual spiders. Unbeknown to the participants, only two of four museum rooms contained spiders, allowing for avoidance learning. Indeed, the more SF the participants were, the faster they learned to avoid the rooms that contained spiders (Experiment. 1), and within the first six trials, high fearfuls already developed a preference for starting their search task in rooms without spiders (Experiment 2). These results illustrate the time course of avoidance learning in SFs, and they speak to the usefulness of IVEs in fundamental anxiety research.

GAS-PHASE AND PARTICULATE EMISSIONS DURING APPLICATION OF A WATER-BASED CLEANER WITH A HAND-PUMP SPRAYER

EPA Science Inventory

The paper gives results of tests in a controlled environment test room to measure concentrations of 2-butoxyethanol and particles during application of a cleaner to realistic surfaces (counter tops, glass, walls). (NOTE: Users of water-based cleaners applied with hand-pump spray...

Vacuum storage of yellow-poplar pollen

Treesearch

James R. Wilcox

1966-01-01

Vacuum-drying, followed by storage in vacuo or in an inert gas, is effective for storing pollen of many species. It permits storage at room environments without rigid controls of either temperature or humidity, an advantage that becomes paramount during long-distance transfers of pollen when critical storage conditions are impossible to maintain. In...

Methods of rapid, early selection of poplar clones for maximum yield potential: a manual of procedures.

Treesearch

USDA FS

1982-01-01

Instructions, illustrated with examples and experimental results, are given for the controlled-environment propagation and selection of poplar clones. Greenhouse and growth-room culture of poplar stock plants and scions are described, and statistical techniques for discriminating among clones on the basis of growth variables are emphasized.

Wave field synthesis, adaptive wave field synthesis and ambisonics using decentralized transformed control: Potential applications to sound field reproduction and active noise control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauthier, Philippe-Aubert; Berry, Alain; Woszczyk, Wieslaw

2005-09-01

Sound field reproduction finds applications in listening to prerecorded music or in synthesizing virtual acoustics. The objective is to recreate a sound field in a listening environment. Wave field synthesis (WFS) is a known open-loop technology which assumes that the reproduction environment is anechoic. Classical WFS, therefore, does not perform well in a real reproduction space such as room. Previous work has suggested that it is physically possible to reproduce a progressive wave field in-room situation using active control approaches. In this paper, a formulation of adaptive wave field synthesis (AWFS) introduces practical possibilities for an adaptive sound field reproduction combining WFS and active control (with WFS departure penalization) with a limited number of error sensors. AWFS includes WFS and closed-loop ``Ambisonics'' as limiting cases. This leads to the modification of the multichannel filtered-reference least-mean-square (FXLMS) and the filtered-error LMS (FELMS) adaptive algorithms for AWFS. Decentralization of AWFS for sound field reproduction is introduced on the basis of sources' and sensors' radiation modes. Such decoupling may lead to decentralized control of source strength distributions and may reduce computational burden of the FXLMS and the FELMS algorithms used for AWFS. [Work funded by NSERC, NATEQ, Université de Sherbrooke and VRQ.] Ultrasound/Bioresponse to

Study protocol for the Flooring for Injury Prevention (FLIP) Study: a randomised controlled trial in long-term care.

PubMed

Lachance, Chantelle C; Feldman, Fabio; Laing, Andrew C; Leung, Pet Ming; Robinovitch, Stephen N; Mackey, Dawn C

2016-12-01

A promising strategy for reducing the incidence and severity of fall-related injuries in long-term care (LTC) is to decrease the ground surface stiffness, and the subsequent forces applied to the body parts at impact, through installation of compliant flooring that does not substantially affect balance or mobility. Definitive evidence of the effects of compliant flooring on fall-related injuries in LTC is lacking. The Flooring for Injury Prevention (FLIP) Study is designed to address this gap. The FLIP Study is a 4-year, parallel-group, 2-arm, randomised controlled superiority trial of flooring in 150 resident rooms at a LTC site. The primary objective is to determine whether compliant flooring reduces serious fall-related injuries relative to control flooring. Intervention (2.54 cm SmartCells compliant; 74 rooms) and control (2.54 cm plywood; 76 rooms) floorings were installed over the top of existing concrete floors and covered with identical 2.00 mm vinyl. The primary outcome is serious fall-related injury, defined as any impact-related injury due to a fall in a study room that results in Emergency Department visit or hospital admission. Secondary outcomes include minor fall-related injury, any fall-related injury, falls, number of fallers, fractures, and healthcare utilisation and costs for serious fall-related injuries. Randomisation of study rooms, and residents in rooms, was stratified by residential unit, and flooring assignments were concealed. Outcome ascertainment began September 2013. Results from the FLIP Study will provide evidence about the effects of compliant flooring on fall-related injuries in LTC and will guide development of safer environments for vulnerable older adults. NCT01618786. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Exposure of hospital operating room personnel to potentially harmful environmental agents

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

Sass-Kortsak, A.M.; Purdham, J.T.; Bozek, P.R.

1992-03-01

Epidemiologic studies of risk to reproductive health arising from the operating room environment have been inconclusive and lack quantitative exposure information. This study was undertaken to quantify exposure of operating room (OR) personnel to anesthetic agents, x-radiation, methyl methacrylate, and ethylene oxide and to determine how exposure varies with different operating room factors. Exposures of anesthetists and nurses to these agents were determined in selected operating rooms over three consecutive days. Each subject was asked to wear an x-radiation dosimeter for 1 month. Exposure to anesthetic agents was found to be influenced by the age of the OR facility, typemore » of surgical service, number of procedures carried out during the day, type of anesthetic circuitry, and method of anesthesia delivery. Anesthetists were found to have significantly greater exposures than OR nurses. Exposure of OR personnel to ethylene oxide, methyl methacrylate, and x-radiation were well within existing standards. Exposure of anesthetists and nurses to anesthetic agents, at times, was in excess of Ontario exposure guidelines, despite improvements in the control of anesthetic pollution.« less

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

Welch, B.L.; Briggs, S.F.; Johansen, J.H.

Big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) seeds were stored in three different environments; cool, constant temperature (refrigerator 10 degs. C); room temperature (14 to 24 degs. C); and a nonheated warehouse (-28 to +44 degs. C). In all three cases, humidity was held constant and equal. Significant drop in seed viability occurred first in the seed stored in the nonheated warehouse, followed by seed stored at room temperatures, and then seed stored at cool temperatures. It appeared from this study and studies by others that humidity control is more important to maintaining seed viability than temperature control. The old adage simplymore » states `store seeds in a cool and dry place` - but first make sure the seeds have been properly dried. Drying sagebrush seed during the cool, wet weather of the harvesting period creates special challenges to the producer.« less

Shaping reverberating sound fields with an actively tunable metasurface.

PubMed

Ma, Guancong; Fan, Xiying; Sheng, Ping; Fink, Mathias

2018-06-26

A reverberating environment is a common complex medium for airborne sound, with familiar examples such as music halls and lecture theaters. The complexity of reverberating sound fields has hindered their meaningful control. Here, by combining acoustic metasurface and adaptive wavefield shaping, we demonstrate the versatile control of reverberating sound fields in a room. This is achieved through the design and the realization of a binary phase-modulating spatial sound modulator that is based on an actively reconfigurable acoustic metasurface. We demonstrate useful functionalities including the creation of quiet zones and hotspots in a typical reverberating environment. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

ARC-2005-ACD05-0022-025

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-02-04

Ames Mars Wind Tunnel Facility N-245: NASA is simulating small martian 'dust devils' and wind in a laboraotry to determine how they may affect the landscape and environment of the red planet. Dust Devils on Mars are often a great deal biggger than those on Earth and can at times cover the whole planet. Martian winds & dust devils, big and little, collectively are a great force that is constantly changing the planet's environment. shown here: is the control room for the Mars W.T. with Eric Eddlemon

The Effect of Room Acoustics on the Sleep Quality of Healthy Sleepers

PubMed Central

Fietze, Ingo; Barthe, Charlotte; Hölzl, Matthias; Glos, Martin; Zimmermann, Sandra; Bauer-Diefenbach, Ralf; Penzel, Thomas

2016-01-01

Introduction: Noise is one of the factors that can seriously disturb sleep, and sound volume is an important factor in this context. One strategy involves avoiding exposure to sounds in the night, while entail the minimization of background noise in a bedroom. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of systematic sound attenuation on nocturnal sleep by influencing sound volume and reverberation within the context of room acoustics. Materials and Methods: On this basis, we designed a randomized, controlled crossover trial investigating 24 healthy sleepers (15 men and 9 women, aged 24.9 ± 4.1 years) with a body mass index (BMI) of 21.9 ± 1.6 kg/m2. Each participant slept for three consecutive nights at three different locations: (a) at our sleep lab, (b) at the participant's home, and (c) at an acoustically isolated room. In addition to conduct of polysomnography (PSG), subjective sleep quality and nocturnal noise level were measured at each location. We likewise measured room temperature and relative humidity. Results: Under conditions of equal sleep efficiency, a significant increase in deep sleep, by 16–34 min, was determined in an acoustically isolated room in comparison to the two other sleep locations. Fewer arousal events and an increase in rapid eye movement (REM) latency became evident in an acoustically isolated environment. Sleep in a domestic environment was subjectively better than sleep under the two test conditions. Discussion: For healthy sleepers, room acoustics influence the microstructure of sleep, without subjective morning benefit. Reduction of noise level and of reverberation leads to an increase in the amount of deep sleep and to reduction of nocturnal arousal events, which is especially important for poor sleepers. PMID:27762252

The effect of room acoustics on the sleep quality of healthy sleepers.

PubMed

Fietze, Ingo; Barthe, Charlotte; Hölzl, Matthias; Glos, Martin; Zimmermann, Sandra; Bauer-Diefenbach, Ralf; Penzel, Thomas

2016-01-01

Noise is one of the factors that can seriously disturb sleep, and sound volume is an important factor in this context. One strategy involves avoiding exposure to sounds in the night, while entail the minimization of background noise in a bedroom. The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of systematic sound attenuation on nocturnal sleep by influencing sound volume and reverberation within the context of room acoustics. On this basis, we designed a randomized, controlled crossover trial investigating 24 healthy sleepers (15 men and 9 women, aged 24.9 ± 4.1 years) with a body mass index (BMI) of 21.9 ± 1.6 kg/m2. Each participant slept for three consecutive nights at three different locations: (a) at our sleep lab, (b) at the participant's home, and (c) at an acoustically isolated room. In addition to conduct of polysomnography (PSG), subjective sleep quality and nocturnal noise level were measured at each location. We likewise measured room temperature and relative humidity. Under conditions of equal sleep efficiency, a significant increase in deep sleep, by 16-34 min, was determined in an acoustically isolated room in comparison to the two other sleep locations. Fewer arousal events and an increase in rapid eye movement (REM) latency became evident in an acoustically isolated environment. Sleep in a domestic environment was subjectively better than sleep under the two test conditions. For healthy sleepers, room acoustics influence the microstructure of sleep, without subjective morning benefit. Reduction of noise level and of reverberation leads to an increase in the amount of deep sleep and to reduction of nocturnal arousal events, which is especially important for poor sleepers.

Decreasing airborne contamination levels in high-risk hospital areas using a novel mobile air-treatment unit.

PubMed

Bergeron, V; Reboux, G; Poirot, J L; Laudinet, N

2007-10-01

To evaluate the performance of a new mobile air-treatment unit that uses nonthermal-plasma reactors for lowering the airborne bioburden in critical hospital environments and reducing the risk of nosocomial infection due to opportunistic airborne pathogens, such as Aspergillus fumigatus. Tests were conducted in 2 different high-risk hospital areas: an operating room under simulated conditions and rooms hosting patients in a pediatric hematology ward. Operating room testing provided performance evaluations of removal rates for airborne contamination (ie, particles larger than 0.5 microm) and overall lowering of the airborne bioburden (ie, colony-forming units of total mesophilic flora and fungal flora per cubic meter of air). In the hematology service, opportunistic and nonpathogenic airborne fungal levels in a patient's room equipped with an air-treatment unit were compared to those in a control room. In an operating room with a volume of 118 m(3), the time required to lower the concentration of airborne particles larger than 0.5 microm by 90% was decreased from 12 minutes with the existing high-efficiency particulate air filtration system to less than 2 minutes with the units tested, with a 2-log decrease in the steady-state levels of such particles (P<.01). Concurrently, total airborne mesophilic flora concentrations dropped by a factor of 2, and the concentrations of fungal species were reduced to undetectable levels (P<.01). The 12-day test period in the hematology ward revealed a significant reduction in airborne fungus levels (P<.01), with average reductions of 75% for opportunistic species and 82% for nonpathogenic species. Our data indicate that the mobile, nonthermal-plasma air treatment unit tested in this study can rapidly reduce the levels of airborne particles and significantly lower the airborne bioburden in high-risk hospital environments.

Application of Dilute Hydrogen Peroxide Gas Technology for Continuous Room Decontamination of Multidrug-Resistant Organisms: Negative Results from A Preliminary Experimental Study

PubMed Central

Rutala, William A; Kanamori, Hajime; Gergen, Maria; Sickbert-Bennett, Emily; Anderson, Deverick; Sexton, Daniel; Weber, David J

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Healthcare room environmental surfaces can be frequently and continuously contaminated with multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) that can persist in the environment for a prolonged time. Here, we used a dilute hydrogen peroxide (DHP) gas system for continuous room decontamination and experimentally examined the germicidal efficacy of the new technology against MDROs. Methods DHP units were installed in ceilings of a model room and the hallway in front of the room. We tested three test organisms; methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), and MDR-Acinetobacter baumannii. An estimated 100–500 CFU for each test organism was inoculated and spread separately on each Formica sheet then exposed to DHP gas released into the room air. Triplicate samples were collected at times 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 24, and 48 hours. Following incubation, the colony forming units (CFU) of the test organisms on each Rodac plate were counted. Two separate experimental trials were performed for all time points. Statistical significance between intervention and control groups at each time point was determined by the Wilcoxon test, and P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results There were no statistical differences in survival between DHP intervention and control groups except data at very few time points for each organism (i.e., for MRSA in Figure 1, P = 0.0063 at 24 hours; for VRE in Figure 2, P = 0.0163 at 1 hour, P = 0.0163 at 3 hours; for MDR-Acinetobacter in in Figure 3, P = 0.0369 at 24 hours). The survival curves between both groups for each organism intersected at around 24 hours. The DHP units maintained a germicidal concentration (<0.3ppm for all runs) that was inadequate, despite attempts to control factors that could interfere with the hydrogen peroxide gas concentration. Conclusion Our preliminary study using DHP demonstrated inactivity against MDROs on room surfaces, likely because we were unable to generate a sufficient germicidal level under our test conditions with the particular DHP units. Additional technologic modifications would be required to maintain stable and effective DHP level for continuous room decontamination in patient rooms. Disclosures D. Sexton, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Grant Investigator, Grant recipient. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Foundation: Grant Investigator, Grant recipient. UpToDate: Collaborator, Royalty Recipient. D. J. Weber, PDI: Consultant, Consulting fee.

The operating room of the future: observations and commentary.

PubMed

Satava, Richard M

2003-09-01

The Operating Room of the Future is a construct upon which to develop the next generation of operating environments for the patient, surgeon, and operating team. Analysis of the suite of visions for the Operating Room of the Future reveals a broad set of goals, with a clear overall solution to create a safe environment for high-quality healthcare. The vision, although planned for the future, is based upon iteratively improving and integrating current systems, both technology and process. This must become the Operating Room of Today, which will require the enormous efforts described. An alternative future of the operating room, based upon emergence of disruptive technologies, is also presented.

Game theory: applications for surgeons and the operating room environment.

PubMed

McFadden, David W; Tsai, Mitchell; Kadry, Bassam; Souba, Wiley W

2012-11-01

Game theory is an economic system of strategic behavior, often referred to as the "theory of social situations." Very little has been written in the medical literature about game theory or its applications, yet the practice of surgery and the operating room environment clearly involves multiple social situations with both cooperative and non-cooperative behaviors. A comprehensive review was performed of the medical literature on game theory and its medical applications. Definitive resources on the subject were also examined and applied to surgery and the operating room whenever possible. Applications of game theory and its proposed dilemmas abound in the practicing surgeon's world, especially in the operating room environment. The surgeon with a basic understanding of game theory principles is better prepared for understanding and navigating the complex Operating Room system and optimizing cooperative behaviors for the benefit all stakeholders. Copyright © 2012 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

NFL Films audio, video, and film production facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, Russ; Schrag, Richard C.; Ridings, Jason J.

2003-04-01

The new NFL Films 200,000 sq. ft. headquarters is home for the critically acclaimed film production that preserves the NFL's visual legacy week-to-week during the football season, and is also the technical plant that processes and archives football footage from the earliest recorded media to the current network broadcasts. No other company in the country shoots more film than NFL Films, and the inclusion of cutting-edge video and audio formats demands that their technical spaces continually integrate the latest in the ever-changing world of technology. This facility houses a staggering array of acoustically sensitive spaces where music and sound are equal partners with the visual medium. Over 90,000 sq. ft. of sound critical technical space is comprised of an array of sound stages, music scoring stages, audio control rooms, music writing rooms, recording studios, mixing theaters, video production control rooms, editing suites, and a screening theater. Every production control space in the building is designed to monitor and produce multi channel surround sound audio. An overview of the architectural and acoustical design challenges encountered for each sophisticated listening, recording, viewing, editing, and sound critical environment will be discussed.

Thermal responses from repeated exposures to severe cold with intermittent warmer temperatures.

PubMed

Ozaki, H; Enomoto-Koshimizu, H; Tochihara, Y; Nakamura, K

1998-09-01

This study was conducted to evaluate physiological reaction and manual performance during exposure to warm (30 degrees C) and cool (10 degrees C) environments after exposure to very low temperatures (-25 degrees C). Furthermore, this experiment was conducted to study whether it is desirable to remove cold-protective jackets in warmer rooms after severe cold exposure. Eight male students remained in an extremely cold room for 20 min, after which they transferred into either the warm room or the cool room for 20 min. This pattern was repeated three times, and the total cold exposure time was 60 min. In the warm and cool rooms, the subjects either removed their cold-protective jackets (Condition A), or wore them continuously (Condition B). Rectal temperature, skin temperatures, manual performance, blood pressure, thermal, comfort and pain sensations were measured during the experiment. The effects of severe cold on almost all measurements in the cool (10 degrees C) environment were greater than those in the warm (30 degrees C) environment under both clothing conditions. The effects of severe cold on all measurements under Condition A except rectal temperature and toe skin temperature were significantly greater than those under Condition B in the cool environment but, not at all differences between Condition A and Condition B in the warm environments were significant. It was recognized that to remove cold-protective jackets in the cool room (10 degrees C) after severe cold exposure promoted the effects of severe cold. When rewarming in the warm resting room (30 degrees C), the physiological and psychological responses and manual performance were not influenced by the presence or absence of cold-protective clothing. These results suggest that it is necessary for workers to make sure to rewarm in the warm room outside of the cold storage and continue to wear cold-protective clothing in the cool room.

Wayfinding and Glaucoma: A Virtual Reality Experiment.

PubMed

Daga, Fábio B; Macagno, Eduardo; Stevenson, Cory; Elhosseiny, Ahmed; Diniz-Filho, Alberto; Boer, Erwin R; Schulze, Jürgen; Medeiros, Felipe A

2017-07-01

Wayfinding, the process of determining and following a route between an origin and a destination, is an integral part of everyday tasks. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of glaucomatous visual field loss on wayfinding behavior using an immersive virtual reality (VR) environment. This cross-sectional study included 31 glaucomatous patients and 20 healthy subjects without evidence of overall cognitive impairment. Wayfinding experiments were modeled after the Morris water maze navigation task and conducted in an immersive VR environment. Two rooms were built varying only in the complexity of the visual scene in order to promote allocentric-based (room A, with multiple visual cues) versus egocentric-based (room B, with single visual cue) spatial representations of the environment. Wayfinding tasks in each room consisted of revisiting previously visible targets that subsequently became invisible. For room A, glaucoma patients spent on average 35.0 seconds to perform the wayfinding task, whereas healthy subjects spent an average of 24.4 seconds (P = 0.001). For room B, no statistically significant difference was seen on average time to complete the task (26.2 seconds versus 23.4 seconds, respectively; P = 0.514). For room A, each 1-dB worse binocular mean sensitivity was associated with 3.4% (P = 0.001) increase in time to complete the task. Glaucoma patients performed significantly worse on allocentric-based wayfinding tasks conducted in a VR environment, suggesting visual field loss may affect the construction of spatial cognitive maps relevant to successful wayfinding. VR environments may represent a useful approach for assessing functional vision endpoints for clinical trials of emerging therapies in ophthalmology.

Test results from a comparative evaluation of a condensation nuclei fire detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bricker, R. W.

1985-01-01

The fire/smoke alarm response of a condensation nuclei fire detector (CNFD) was compared with photoelectric and ionization detectors. Tests were conducted in a former control room 8.5 m by 8.9 with a 2.7 m ceiling. The room had air supplied from above the ceiling and under the floor with return air exiting from ceiling grills. The environment was varied from 278 to 305 K and relative humidities from 8 to 65%. Four detection zones were located in the room. Each zone contained a sampling head for the CNDF, a photodetector, and an ionization detector so that each detector system had four opportunities to alarm during tests. The particle level in the test room was also monitored during tests with a condensation nuclei particle counter. The CNFD responded to 90% of exposures to smoldering plastic and 84% of exposures to visible fire. The photoelectric response was 43 and 12.5% respectively for the same conditions. The ionization response was 9 and 48 respectively.

A virtual clean room to teach USP 797 regulations for intravenous medications.

PubMed

Patel, Sheetal; Vincent, Ashley H; Abel, Steven R; Jacobs, Carolyn M; Dunlop, Steven R; Seibert, Megan

2011-02-10

To provide a virtual environment for pharmacy students to learn United States Pharmacopeia Chapter 797 (USP 797) requirements, while recognizing the role of pharmacists in the safe use of intravenous (IV) medications. A virtual laboratory was created that included stations for IV medications, product verification, medication safety, and patient cases pertaining to high-alert medications. Pharmacy students used 3-D glasses and a wireless controller to navigate through the session and identify violations of USP 797 regulations. Pre-assessments and post-assessments were administered to students who completed the session in each of the 2 years it was offered. In the first year, 88% of students strongly agreed or agreed that the sessions met their expectation. Following their APPE clerkship, 92% of these students felt the virtual IV room prepared them for the IV clean room experience. In the second year, 88% of students felt the experience enhanced their understanding of clean room procedures. After session completion, 75% of participants perceived medication errors to be more significant. Written examinations also were administered and students' mean scores improved significantly compared to those of students' prior to implementation of the session (89.6% in year 0; 91.2% in year 1; and 96.1% in year 2). The immersive virtual environment is a contemporary and effective way to teach USP 797 requirements and enhance the awareness of medication errors.

A Virtual Clean Room to Teach USP 797 Regulations for Intravenous Medications

PubMed Central

Patel, Sheetal; Abel, Steven R.; Jacobs, Carolyn M.; Dunlop, Steven R.; Seibert, Megan

2011-01-01

Objective To provide a virtual environment for pharmacy students to learn United States Pharmacopeia Chapter 797 (USP 797) requirements, while recognizing the role of pharmacists in the safe use of intravenous (IV) medications. Design A virtual laboratory was created that included stations for IV medications, product verification, medication safety, and patient cases pertaining to high-alert medications. Pharmacy students used 3-D glasses and a wireless controller to navigate through the session and identify violations of USP 797 regulations. Assessment Preassessments and postassessments were administered to students who completed the session in each of the 2 years it was offered. In the first year, 88% of students strongly agreed or agreed that the sessions met their expectation. Following their APPE clerkship, 92% of these students felt the virtual IV room prepared them for the IV clean room experience. In the second year, 88% of students felt the experience enhanced their understanding of clean room procedures. After session completion, 75% of participants perceived medication errors to be more significant. Written examinations also were administered and students' mean scores improved significantly compared to those of students' prior to implementation of the session (89.6% in year 0; 91.2% in year 1; and 96.1% in year 2). Conclusion The immersive virtual environment is a contemporary and effective way to teach USP 797 requirements and enhance the awareness of medication errors. PMID:21451759

Switching the JLab Accelerator Operations Environment from an HP-UX Unix-based to a PC/Linux-based environment

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

Mcguckin, Theodore

2008-10-01

The Jefferson Lab Accelerator Controls Environment (ACE) was predominantly based on the HP-UX Unix platform from 1987 through the summer of 2004. During this period the Accelerator Machine Control Center (MCC) underwent a major renovation which included introducing Redhat Enterprise Linux machines, first as specialized process servers and then gradually as general login servers. As computer programs and scripts required to run the accelerator were modified, and inherent problems with the HP-UX platform compounded, more development tools became available for use with Linux and the MCC began to be converted over. In May 2008 the last HP-UX Unix login machinemore » was removed from the MCC, leaving only a few Unix-based remote-login servers still available. This presentation will explore the process of converting an operational Control Room environment from the HP-UX to Linux platform as well as the many hurdles that had to be overcome throughout the transition period (including a discussion of« less

Laparoscopic Skills Are Improved With LapMentor™ Training

PubMed Central

Andreatta, Pamela B.; Woodrum, Derek T.; Birkmeyer, John D.; Yellamanchilli, Rajani K.; Doherty, Gerard M.; Gauger, Paul G.; Minter, Rebecca M.

2006-01-01

Objective: To determine if prior training on the LapMentor™ laparoscopic simulator leads to improved performance of basic laparoscopic skills in the animate operating room environment. Summary Background Data: Numerous influences have led to the development of computer-aided laparoscopic simulators: a need for greater efficiency in training, the unique and complex nature of laparoscopic surgery, and the increasing demand that surgeons demonstrate competence before proceeding to the operating room. The LapMentor™ simulator is expensive, however, and its use must be validated and justified prior to implementation into surgical training programs. Methods: Nineteen surgical interns were randomized to training on the LapMentor™ laparoscopic simulator (n = 10) or to a control group (no simulator training, n = 9). Subjects randomized to the LapMentor™ trained to expert criterion levels 2 consecutive times on 6 designated basic skills modules. All subjects then completed a series of laparoscopic exercises in a live porcine model, and performance was assessed independently by 2 blinded reviewers. Time, accuracy rates, and global assessments of performance were recorded with an interrater reliability between reviewers of 0.99. Results: LapMentor™ trained interns completed the 30° camera navigation exercise in significantly less time than control interns (166 ± 52 vs. 220 ± 39 seconds, P < 0.05); they also achieved higher accuracy rates in identifying the required objects with the laparoscope (96% ± 8% vs. 82% ± 15%, P < 0.05). Similarly, on the two-handed object transfer exercise, task completion time for LapMentor™ trained versus control interns was 130 ± 23 versus 184 ± 43 seconds (P < 0.01) with an accuracy rate of 98% ± 5% versus 80% ± 13% (P < 0.001). Additionally, LapMentor™ trained interns outperformed control subjects with regard to camera navigation skills, efficiency of motion, optimal instrument handling, perceptual ability, and performance of safe electrocautery. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that prior training on the LapMentor™ laparoscopic simulator leads to improved resident performance of basic skills in the animate operating room environment. This work marks the first prospective, randomized evaluation of the LapMentor™ simulator, and provides evidence that LapMentor™ training may lead to improved operating room performance. PMID:16772789

How does the environment impact on the quality of life of advanced cancer patients? A qualitative study with implications for ward design.

PubMed

Rowlands, J; Noble, S

2008-09-01

It is well recognized that the ward environment has an effect on patients' quality of life and may, therefore, impact on the quality of end of life care. The body of evidence that informs ward design policy recommends single-bedded rooms on grounds of reduced infection risk, noise and versatility. Considering the majority of anticipated patient deaths occurring in hospitals, the quality of life aspects of ward design should also be considered. The aim of this study is to explore the views of patients with advanced cancer on the effect the ward environment has on their overall well-being. Semi-structured interviews exploring the experiences of 12 inpatients at a regional cancer centre were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analysed for emerging themes until theoretical saturation. Four major themes emerged: staff behaviours, the immediate environment, single vs. multi-bedded rooms and contact with the outside environment. The attitude, competence and helpfulness of the staff creates the atmosphere of the ward regardless of layout, furnishings, equipment and décor. The majority of the patients in this study expressed a strong preference for a multi-bedded room when they were well enough to interact and a single cubicle when they were very ill or dying, which opposes the current advice for building new hospitals with all single rooms. Although the current policy recommends the use of single-bedded rooms, this study suggests the need for a mix of multi-bedded wards and single rooms with respect to the impact of the environment on patient quality of life.

Buoyancy driven acceleration in a hospital operating room indoor environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeill, James; Hertzberg, Jean; Zhai, John

2011-11-01

In hospital operating rooms, centrally located non-isothermal ceiling jets provide sterile air for protecting the surgical site from infectious particles in the room air as well as room cooling. Modern operating rooms are requiring larger temperature differences to accommodate increasing cooling loads for heat gains from medical equipment. This trend may lead to significant changes in the room air distribution patterns that may sacrifice the sterile air field across the surgical table. Quantitative flow visualization experiments using laser sheet illumination and RANS modeling of the indoor environment were conducted to demonstrate the impact of the indoor environment thermal conditions on the room air distribution. The angle of the jet shear layer was studied as function of the area of the vena contracta of the jet, which is in turn dependent upon the Archimedes number of the jet. Increases in the buoyancy forces cause greater air velocities in the vicinity of the surgical site increasing the likelihood of deposition of contaminants in the flow field. The outcome of this study shows the Archimedes number should be used as the design parameter for hospital operating room air distribution in order to maintain a proper supply air jet for covering the sterile region. This work is supported by ASHRAE.

The operating room as a clinical learning environment: An exploratory study.

PubMed

Meyer, Rhoda; Van Schalkwyk, Susan C; Prakaschandra, Rosaley

2016-05-01

Students undertake their clinical placement in various clinical settings for the exposure to and acquisition of skills related to that particular context. The operating room is a context that offers the opportunity to develop critical skills related to the perioperative care of the patient. Despite numerous studies that have been undertaken in this field, few have investigated the operating room as a clinical learning environment in the South African private healthcare context. The aim of this study was to determine nursing students' perceptions of the operating room as a clinical learning environment. An exploratory, interpretive and descriptive design generating qualitative data was utilized. Eight nursing students completed an open-ended questionnaire, and twelve nursing students participated in the focus group discussion. Four themes emerged, namely, 'interpersonal factors', 'educational factors', 'private operating room context', and 'recommendations'. The opinion that the operating room offers an opportunity to gain skills unique to this context was expressed. However, despite the potential learning opportunities, the key findings of this study reveal negative perceptions of nursing students regarding learning experiences in the operating room. Exploration into the preparatory needs of students specific to learning outcomes before operating room placement should be considered. It will also be necessary to improve collaboration between lecturers, mentors and theatre managers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uniformity of environmental conditions and plant growth in a hydroponic culture system for use in a growth room with aerial CO2 control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vessey, J. K.; York, E. K.; Henry, L. T.; Raper, C. D. Jr; Raper CD, J. r. (Principal Investigator)

1988-01-01

A portable system of hydroponic culture was developed that maintained temperature, pH, and nutrient concentrations of circulating nutrient solutions. The hydroponic system is used within a controlled-environment room (CER) for control of aerial environment. The CER was equipped with an auto-calibrating system for atmospheric CO2 control. The control systems for the hydroponic chambers were able to maintain acidity within +/- 0.2 pH units and the temperature with +/- 0.5 degree C. Mixing time for the 200-liter volume of solution within a hydroponic chamber was less than 12 min. The CO2 control system was able to maintain aerial concentrations within +/- 10 ppm CO2 during the light period. The only gradient found to occur within the hydroponic chambers or CER was a slight gradient in aerial temperature along the length of hydroponic chambers. Growth of soybeans [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] was characterized during a 3-week period of vegetative development by leaf number and area, plant dry weight, total N content of plants, and N depletion from the nutrient solution. The growth characteristics among populations for three hydroponic chambers within the CER were not significantly different, and the percent standard errors of means of the measurements within populations from each chamber were nearly all less than 10%. Thus, the uniformity of plant growth reflected the uniformity of environmental conditions.

Recognition of plant parts with problem-specific algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwanke, Joerg; Brendel, Thorsten; Jensch, Peter F.; Megnet, Roland

1994-06-01

Automatic micropropagation is necessary to produce cost-effective high amounts of biomass. Juvenile plants are dissected in clean- room environment on particular points on the stem or the leaves. A vision-system detects possible cutting points and controls a specialized robot. This contribution is directed to the pattern- recognition algorithms to detect structural parts of the plant.

The Curriculum in the Palestinian Territories: Drama Processes in Theatre Making and Self-Liberation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Yamani, Hala; Attallah, Susan; Alsawayfa, Fadel

2016-01-01

The Israeli occupation and its strategies employed for controlling the Palestinian Territories have reflected negatively on all aspects of Palestinians' lives. The occupation has also created a closed environment where people have little room to act and react freely. This article highlights the importance of drama and theatre making for…

Designing Empathy: The Role of a "Control Room" in an E-Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gentes, Annie; Cambone, Marie

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to focus on the challenge of designing an interface for a virtual class, where being represented together contributes to the learning process. It explores the possibility of virtual empathy. Design/methodology/approach: The challenges are: How can this feeling of empathy be recreated through a delicate staging…

Blind estimation of reverberation time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ratnam, Rama; Jones, Douglas L.; Wheeler, Bruce C.; O'Brien, William D.; Lansing, Charissa R.; Feng, Albert S.

2003-11-01

The reverberation time (RT) is an important parameter for characterizing the quality of an auditory space. Sounds in reverberant environments are subject to coloration. This affects speech intelligibility and sound localization. Many state-of-the-art audio signal processing algorithms, for example in hearing-aids and telephony, are expected to have the ability to characterize the listening environment, and turn on an appropriate processing strategy accordingly. Thus, a method for characterization of room RT based on passively received microphone signals represents an important enabling technology. Current RT estimators, such as Schroeder's method, depend on a controlled sound source, and thus cannot produce an online, blind RT estimate. Here, a method for estimating RT without prior knowledge of sound sources or room geometry is presented. The diffusive tail of reverberation was modeled as an exponentially damped Gaussian white noise process. The time-constant of the decay, which provided a measure of the RT, was estimated using a maximum-likelihood procedure. The estimates were obtained continuously, and an order-statistics filter was used to extract the most likely RT from the accumulated estimates. The procedure was illustrated for connected speech. Results obtained for simulated and real room data are in good agreement with the real RT values.

Establishing and monitoring an aseptic workspace for building the MOMA mass spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lalime, Erin N.; Berlin, David

2016-09-01

Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) is an instrument suite on the European Space Agency (ESA) ExoMars 2020 Rover, and the Mass Spectrometer (MOMA-MS) is being built at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). MOMA-MS is a life-detection instrument and thus falls in the most stringent category of Planetary Protection (PP) biological cleanliness requirements. Less than 0.03 spore/m2 are allowed in the instrument sample path. In order to meet these PP requirements, MOMA-MS must be built and maintained in a low bioburden environment. The MOMA-MS project at GSFC maintains three clean rooms with varying levels of bioburden control. The Aseptic Assembly Clean room has the highest level of control, applying three different bioburden reducing methods: 70% Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA), 7.5% Hydrogen Peroxide, and Ultra-Violet C (UVC) light. The three methods are used in rotation and each kills microorganisms by a different mechanism, reducing the likelihood of microorganisms developing resistance to all three. The Integration and Mars Chamber Clean rooms use less biocidal cleaning, with the option to deploy extra techniques as necessary. To support the monitoring of clean rooms and verification that MOMA-MS hardware meets PP requirements, a new Planetary Protection lab was established that currently has the capabilities of standard growth assays for spore or vegetative bacteria, rapid bioburden analysis that detects Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), plus autoclave and Dry Heat microbial Reduction (DHMR) verification. The clean rooms are monitored for vegetative microorganisms and by rapid ATP assay, and a clear difference in bioburden is observed between the aseptic and other clean room.

Establishing and Monitoring an Aseptic Workspace for Building the MOMA Mass Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lalime, Erin N.; Berlin, David

2016-01-01

Mars Organic Molecule Analyzer (MOMA) is an instrument suite on the European Space Agency (ESA) ExoMars 2020 Rover, and the Mass Spectrometer (MOMA-MS) is being built at Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). MOMA-MS is a life-detection instrument and thus falls in the most stringent category of Planetary Protection (PP) biological cleanliness requirements. Less than 0.03 spore/m2 are allowed in the instrument sample path. In order to meet these PP requirements, MOMA-MS must be built and maintained in a low bioburden environment. The MOMA-MS project at GSFC maintains three clean rooms with varying levels of bioburden control. The Aseptic Assembly Clean room has the highest level of control, applying three different bioburden reducing methods: 70% Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA), 7.5% Hydrogen Peroxide, and Ultra-Violet C (UVC) light. The three methods are used in rotation and each kills microorganisms by a different mechanism, reducing the likelihood of microorganisms developing resistance to all three. The Integration and Mars Chamber Clean rooms use less biocidal cleaning, with the option to deploy extra techniques as necessary. To support the monitoring of clean rooms and verification that MOMA-MS hardware meets PP requirements, a new Planetary Protection lab was established that currently has the capabilities of standard growth assays for spore or vegetative bacteria, rapid bioburden analysis that detects Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), plus autoclave and Dry Heat microbial Reduction (DHMR) verification. The clean rooms are monitored for vegetative microorganisms and by rapid ATP assay, and a clear difference in bioburden is observed between the aseptic and other clean room.

Perceptual effects in auralization of virtual rooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleiner, Mendel; Larsson, Pontus; Vastfjall, Daniel; Torres, Rendell R.

2002-05-01

By using various types of binaural simulation (or ``auralization'') of physical environments, it is now possible to study basic perceptual issues relevant to room acoustics, as well to simulate the acoustic conditions found in concert halls and other auditoria. Binaural simulation of physical spaces in general is also important to virtual reality systems. This presentation will begin with an overview of the issues encountered in the auralization of room and other environments. We will then discuss the influence of various approximations in room modeling, in particular, edge- and surface scattering, on the perceived room response. Finally, we will discuss cross-modal effects, such as the influence of visual cues on the perception of auditory cues, and the influence of cross-modal effects on the judgement of ``perceived presence'' and the rating of room acoustic quality.

Auditory environmental context affects visual distance perception.

PubMed

Etchemendy, Pablo E; Abregú, Ezequiel; Calcagno, Esteban R; Eguia, Manuel C; Vechiatti, Nilda; Iasi, Federico; Vergara, Ramiro O

2017-08-03

In this article, we show that visual distance perception (VDP) is influenced by the auditory environmental context through reverberation-related cues. We performed two VDP experiments in two dark rooms with extremely different reverberation times: an anechoic chamber and a reverberant room. Subjects assigned to the reverberant room perceived the targets farther than subjects assigned to the anechoic chamber. Also, we found a positive correlation between the maximum perceived distance and the auditorily perceived room size. We next performed a second experiment in which the same subjects of Experiment 1 were interchanged between rooms. We found that subjects preserved the responses from the previous experiment provided they were compatible with the present perception of the environment; if not, perceived distance was biased towards the auditorily perceived boundaries of the room. Results of both experiments show that the auditory environment can influence VDP, presumably through reverberation cues related to the perception of room size.

A Comparison between Temperature-Controlled Laminar Airflow Device and a Room Air-Cleaner in Reducing Exposure to Particles While Asleep

PubMed Central

Spilak, Michal P.; Sigsgaard, Torben; Takai, Hisamitsu; Zhang, Guoqiang

2016-01-01

People spend approximately one third of their life sleeping. Exposure to pollutants in the sleep environment often leads to a variety of adverse health effects, such as development and exacerbation of asthma. Avoiding exposure to these pollutants by providing a sufficient air quality in the sleep environment might be a feasible method to alleviate these health symptoms. We performed full-scale laboratory measurements using a thermal manikin positioned on an experimental bed. Three ventilation settings were tested: with no filtration system operated, use of portable air cleaner and use of a temperature-controlled laminar airflow (TLA) device. The first part of the experiment investigated the air-flow characteristics in the breathing zone. In the second part, particle removal efficiency was estimated. Measured in the breathing zone, the room air cleaner demonstrated high turbulence intensity, high velocity and turbulence diffusivity level, with a particle reduction rate of 52% compared to baseline after 30 minutes. The TLA device delivered a laminar airflow to the breathing zone with a reduction rate of 99.5%. During a periodical duvet lifting mimicking a subject’s movement in bed, the particle concentration was significantly lower with the TLA device compared to the room air cleaner. The TLA device provided a barrier which significantly reduced the introduction of airborne particles into the breathing zone. Further studies should be conducted for the understanding of the transport of resuspended particles between the duvet and the laying body. PMID:27898693

A Comparison between Temperature-Controlled Laminar Airflow Device and a Room Air-Cleaner in Reducing Exposure to Particles While Asleep.

PubMed

Spilak, Michal P; Sigsgaard, Torben; Takai, Hisamitsu; Zhang, Guoqiang

2016-01-01

People spend approximately one third of their life sleeping. Exposure to pollutants in the sleep environment often leads to a variety of adverse health effects, such as development and exacerbation of asthma. Avoiding exposure to these pollutants by providing a sufficient air quality in the sleep environment might be a feasible method to alleviate these health symptoms. We performed full-scale laboratory measurements using a thermal manikin positioned on an experimental bed. Three ventilation settings were tested: with no filtration system operated, use of portable air cleaner and use of a temperature-controlled laminar airflow (TLA) device. The first part of the experiment investigated the air-flow characteristics in the breathing zone. In the second part, particle removal efficiency was estimated. Measured in the breathing zone, the room air cleaner demonstrated high turbulence intensity, high velocity and turbulence diffusivity level, with a particle reduction rate of 52% compared to baseline after 30 minutes. The TLA device delivered a laminar airflow to the breathing zone with a reduction rate of 99.5%. During a periodical duvet lifting mimicking a subject's movement in bed, the particle concentration was significantly lower with the TLA device compared to the room air cleaner. The TLA device provided a barrier which significantly reduced the introduction of airborne particles into the breathing zone. Further studies should be conducted for the understanding of the transport of resuspended particles between the duvet and the laying body.

Lighting, sleep and circadian rhythm: An intervention study in the intensive care unit.

PubMed

Engwall, Marie; Fridh, Isabell; Johansson, Lotta; Bergbom, Ingegerd; Lindahl, Berit

2015-12-01

Patients in an intensive care unit (ICU) may risk disruption of their circadian rhythm. In an intervention research project a cycled lighting system was set up in an ICU room to support patients' circadian rhythm. Part I aimed to compare experiences of the lighting environment in two rooms with different lighting environments by lighting experiences questionnaire. The results indicated differences in advantage for the patients in the intervention room (n=48), in perception of daytime brightness (p=0.004). In nighttime, greater lighting variation (p=0.005) was found in the ordinary room (n=52). Part II aimed to describe experiences of lighting in the room equipped with the cycled lighting environment. Patients (n=19) were interviewed and the results were presented in categories: "A dynamic lighting environment", "Impact of lighting on patients' sleep", "The impact of lighting/lights on circadian rhythm" and "The lighting calms". Most had experiences from sleep disorders and half had nightmares/sights and circadian rhythm disruption. Nearly all were pleased with the cycled lighting environment, which together with daylight supported their circadian rhythm. In night's actual lighting levels helped patients and staff to connect which engendered feelings of calm. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Nursing staff's experiences of working in an evidence-based designed ICU patient room-An interview study.

PubMed

Sundberg, Fredrika; Olausson, Sepideh; Fridh, Isabell; Lindahl, Berit

2017-12-01

It has been known for centuries that environment in healthcare has an impact, but despite this, environment has been overshadowed by technological and medical progress, especially in intensive care. Evidence-based design is a concept concerning integrating knowledge from various research disciplines and its application to healing environments. The aim was to explore the experiences of nursing staff of working in an evidence-based designed ICU patient room. Interviews were carried out with eight critical care nurses and five assistant nurses and then subjected to qualitative content analysis. The experience of working in an evidence-based designed intensive care unit patient room was that the room stimulates alertness and promotes wellbeing in the nursing staff, fostering their caring activities but also that the interior design of the medical and technical equipment challenges nursing actions. The room explored in this study had been rebuilt in order to create and evaluate a healing environment. This study showed that the new environment had a great impact on the caring staffs' wellbeing and their caring behaviour. At a time when turnover in nurses is high and sick leave is increasing, these findings show the importance of interior design ofintensive care units. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isolation of clinically relevant fungal species from solid waste and environment of dental health services.

PubMed

Vieira, C D; de Carvalho, M A R; de Resende, M A; de Menezes Cussiol, N A; Alvarez-Leite, M E; dos Santos, S G; de Oliveira, M B; de Magalhães, T F F; Silva, M X; Nicoli, J R; de Macêdo Farias, L

2010-10-01

This study was undertaken to detect, identify and determine antifungal susceptibility of yeast strains isolated from dental solid waste and to evaluate airborne fungi in the Brazilian dental health care environment and in the waste storage room. A group of 17 yeast strains were identified by macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, API 20C Aux system and Multiplex PCR. All 104 airborne fungal colonies were identified by macroscopic and microscopic morphology. The CLSI broth microdilution method was utilized as the susceptibility test. Candida parapsilosis was the prevailing yeast species recovered from waste, followed by Rhodotorula glutinis. Three strains of Candida guilliermondii presented minimal inhibitory concentration values considered to be susceptible dose dependent (2 μg ml(-1)) to voriconazole. Of all airborne fungal species, 69% were recovered from the waste storage room and 31% were recovered from the clinical/surgical environment. Most of them were identified as Cladosporium spp. These findings reinforce the potential risk of waste handling and point out the need for safe management to minimize the spread of these agents to the environment. Filamentous fungi isolation in almost all sampled environments indicates that a periodic monitoring of airborne microbiota in the dental health care service environment is required. The survival of yeast strains for 48 h suggests that dental waste should be carefully controlled and monitored. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

143. ARAIII Control building (ARA607) Floor plan. Shows control room, ...

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

143. ARA-III Control building (ARA-607) Floor plan. Shows control room, contaminated work area, counting and computer room, health physics room, instrument repair room, offices, and other rooms. Aerojet-general 880-area/GCRE-607-A-1. Date: February 1958. Ineel index code no. 063-0607-00-013-102546. - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Army Reactors Experimental Area, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Influenza-like symptoms in the college dormitory environment: a survey taken during the 1999-2000 influenza season.

PubMed

Tsuang, Wayne M; Bailar, John C; Englund, Janet A

2004-04-01

The effect of dormitory environments on the transmission of the influenza virus in college students is not well understood. During the 1999-2000 flu season, dormitory residents at a college campus in Chicago were surveyed about their living conditions and influenza-like symptoms (ILS). The survey had a 42 percent response ratio (721 of 1,704). Students who had > or = 50 percent carpeting in their room were at significantly lower risk for ILS (p = .02). Although the risk of ILS increased for roommates who shared sleeping quarters compared with those who slept in different rooms (RR = 4.3), the difference was not statistically significant. No evidence was found that ILS risk was affected by washroom, laundry, or dining settings, or by demographics, including gender or year in college. The survey instrument detected strong relations between ILS and the dormitory room environment, in contrast with other settings in the dormitory. Further research on transmission may focus on the room environment.

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

Ramos, Tiffanie; Dedesko, Sandra; Siegel, Jeffrey A.

The dynamics of indoor environmental conditions, human occupancy, and operational characteristics of buildings influence human comfort and indoor environmental quality, including the survival and progression of microbial communities. A suite of continuous, long-term environmental and operational parameters were measured in ten patient rooms and two nurse stations in a new hospital building in Chicago, IL to characterize the indoor environment in which microbial samples were taken for the Hospital Microbiome Project. Measurements included environmental conditions (indoor dry-bulb temperature, relative humidity, humidity ratio, and illuminance) in the patient rooms and nurse stations; differential pressure between the patient rooms and hallways; surrogatemore » measures for human occupancy and activity in the patient rooms using both indoor air CO₂ concentrations and infrared doorway beam-break counters; and outdoor air fractions in the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems serving the sampled spaces. Measurements were made at 5-minute intervals over consecutive days for nearly one year, providing a total of ~8×10⁶ data points. Indoor temperature, illuminance, and human occupancy/activity were all weakly correlated between rooms, while relative humidity, humidity ratio, and outdoor air fractions showed strong temporal (seasonal) patterns and strong spatial correlations between rooms. Differential pressure measurements confirmed that all patient rooms were operated at neutral pressure. The patient rooms averaged about 100 combined entrances and exits per day, which suggests they were relatively lightly occupied compared to higher traffic environments (e.g., retail buildings) and more similar to lower traffic office environments. There were also clear differences in several environmental parameters before and after the hospital was occupied with patients and staff. Characterizing and understanding factors that influence these building dynamics is vital for hospital environments, where they can impact patient health and the survival and spread of healthcare associated infections.« less

Large-eddy simulation of human-induced contaminant transport in room compartments.

PubMed

Choi, J-I; Edwards, J R

2012-02-01

A large-eddy simulation is used to investigate contaminant transport owing to complex human and door motions and vent-system activity in room compartments where a contaminated and clean room are connected by a vestibule. Human and door motions are simulated with an immersed boundary procedure. We demonstrate the details of contaminant transport owing to human- and door-motion-induced wake development during a short-duration event involving the movement of a person (or persons) from a contaminated room, through a vestibule, into a clean room. Parametric studies that capture the effects of human walking pattern, door operation, over-pressure level, and vestibule size are systematically conducted. A faster walking speed results in less mass transport from the contaminated room into the clean room. The net effect of increasing the volume of the vestibule is to reduce the contaminant transport. The results show that swinging-door motion is the dominant transport mechanism and that human-induced wake motion enhances compartment-to-compartment transport. The effect of human activity on contaminant transport may be important in design and operation of clean or isolation rooms in chemical or pharmaceutical industries and intensive care units for airborne infectious disease control in a hospital. The present simulations demonstrate details of contaminant transport in such indoor environments during human motion events and show that simulation-based sensitivity analysis can be utilized for the diagnosis of contaminant infiltration and for better environmental protection. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Overview of an Indoor Sonic Boom Simulator at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klos, Jacob

2012-01-01

A facility has been constructed at NASA Langley Research Center to simulate the soundscape inside residential houses that are exposed to environmental noise from aircraft. This controllable indoor listening environment, the Interior Effects Room, enables systematic study of parameters that affect psychoacoustic response. The single-room facility, built using typical residential construction methods and materials, is surrounded on adjacent sides by two arrays of loudspeakers in close proximity to the exterior walls. The arrays, containing 52 subwoofers and 52 mid-range speakers, have a usable bandwidth of 3 Hz to 5 kHz and sufficient output to allow study of sonic boom noise. In addition to these exterior arrays, satellite speakers placed inside the room are used to augment the transmitted sound with rattle and other audible contact ]induced noise that can result from low frequency excitation of a residential house. The layout of the facility, operational characteristics, acoustic characteristics and equalization approaches are summarized.

Designing EvoRoom: An Immersive Simulation Environment for Collective Inquiry in Secondary Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lui, Michelle Mei Yee

This dissertation investigates the design of complex inquiry for co-located students to work as a knowledge community within a mixed-reality learning environment. It presents the design of an immersive simulation called EvoRoom and corresponding collective inquiry activities that allow students to explore concepts around topics of evolution and biodiversity in a Grade 11 Biology course. EvoRoom is a room-sized simulation of a rainforest, modeled after Borneo in Southeast Asia, where several projected displays are stitched together to form a large, animated simulation on each opposing wall of the room. This serves to create an immersive environment in which students work collaboratively as individuals, in small groups and a collective community to investigate science topics using the simulations as an evidentiary base. Researchers and a secondary science teacher co-designed a multi-week curriculum that prepared students with preliminary ideas and expertise, then provided them with guided activities within EvoRoom, supported by tablet-based software as well as larger visualizations of their collective progress. Designs encompassed the broader curriculum, as well as all EvoRoom materials (e.g., projected displays, student tablet interfaces, collective visualizations) and activity sequences. This thesis describes a series of three designs that were developed and enacted iteratively over two and a half years, presenting key features that enhanced students' experiences within the immersive environment, their interactions with peers, and their inquiry outcomes. Primary research questions are concerned with the nature of effective design for such activities and environments, and the kinds of interactions that are seen at the individual, collaborative and whole-class levels. The findings fall under one of three themes: 1) the physicality of the room, 2) the pedagogical script for student observation and reflection and collaboration, and 3) ways of including collective visualizations in the activity. Discrete findings demonstrate how the above variables, through their design as inquiry components (i.e., activity, room, scripts and scaffolds on devices, collective visualizations), can mediate the students' interactions with one another, with their teacher, and impact the outcomes of their inquiry. A set of design recommendations is drawn from the results of this research to guide future design or research efforts.

Impact of NICU design on environmental noise.

PubMed

Szymczak, Stacy E; Shellhaas, Renée A

2014-04-01

For neonates requiring intensive care, the optimal sound environment is uncertain. Minimal disruptions from medical staff create quieter environments for sleep, but limit language exposure necessary for proper language development. There are two models of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs): open-bay, in which 6-to-10 infants are cared for in a single large room; and single-room, in which neonates are housed in private, individual hospital rooms. We compared the acoustic environments in the two NICU models. We extracted the audio tracks from video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring studies from neonates in an open-bay NICU and compared the acoustic environment to that recorded from neonates in a new single-room NICU. From each NICU, 18 term infants were studied (total N=36; mean gestational age 39.3±1.9 weeks). Neither z-scores of the sound level variance (0.088±0.03 vs. 0.083±0.03, p=0.7), nor percent time with peak sound variance (above 2 standard deviations; 3.6% vs. 3.8%, p=0.6) were different. However, time below 0.05 standard deviations was higher in the single-room NICU (76% vs. 70%, p=0.02). We provide objective evidence that single-room NICUs have equal sound peaks and overall noise level variability compared with open-bay units, but the former may offer significantly more time at lower noise levels.

FRAMEWORK AND APPLICATION FOR MODELING CONTROL ROOM CREW PERFORMANCE AT NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS

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

Ronald L Boring; David I Gertman; Tuan Q Tran

2008-09-01

This paper summarizes an emerging project regarding the utilization of high-fidelity MIDAS simulations for visualizing and modeling control room crew performance at nuclear power plants. The key envisioned uses for MIDAS-based control room simulations are: (i) the estimation of human error associated with advanced control room equipment and configurations, (ii) the investigative determination of contributory cognitive factors for risk significant scenarios involving control room operating crews, and (iii) the certification of reduced staffing levels in advanced control rooms. It is proposed that MIDAS serves as a key component for the effective modeling of cognition, elements of situation awareness, and riskmore » associated with human performance in next generation control rooms.« less

10. CONTROL ROOM INTERIOR. Looking into southwest corner. CONTROL ROOM ...

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

10. CONTROL ROOM INTERIOR. Looking into southwest corner. CONTROL ROOM INTERIOR, SHOWING ESCAPE HATCH. Looking north along east wall. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Instrumentation & Control Building, Test Area 1-115, northwest end of Saturn Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

Virtual Environment Training: Auxiliary Machinery Room (AMR) Watchstation Trainer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hriber, Dennis C.; And Others

1993-01-01

Describes a project implemented at Newport News Shipbuilding that used Virtual Environment Training to improve the performance of submarine crewmen. Highlights include development of the Auxiliary Machine Room (AMR) Watchstation Trainer; Digital Video Interactive (DVI); screen layout; test design and evaluation; user reactions; authoring language;…

Innovative Designs for the Smart ICU.

PubMed

Halpern, Neil A

2014-03-01

Successfully designing a new ICU requires clarity of vision and purpose and the recognition that the patient room is the core of the ICU experience for patients, staff, and visitors. The ICU can be conceptualized into three components: the patient room, central areas, and universal support services. Each patient room should be designed for single patient use and be similarly configured and equipped. The design of the room should focus upon functionality, ease of use, healing, safety, infection control, communications, and connectivity. All aspects of the room, including its infrastructure; zones for work, care, and visiting; environment, medical devices, and approaches to privacy; logistics; and waste management, are important elements in the design process. Since most medical devices used at the ICU bedside are really sophisticated computers, the ICU needs to be capable of supporting the full scope of medical informatics. The patient rooms, the central ICU areas (central stations, corridors, supply rooms, pharmacy, laboratory, staff lounge, visitor waiting room, on-call suite, conference rooms, and offices), and the universal support services (infection prevention, finishings and flooring, staff communications, signage and wayfinding, security, and fire and safety) work best when fully interwoven. This coordination helps establish efficient and safe patient throughput and care and fosters physical and social cohesiveness within the ICU. A balanced approach to centralized and decentralized monitoring and logistics also offers great flexibility. Synchronization of the universal support services in the ICU with the hospital's existing systems maintains unity of purpose and continuity across the enterprise and avoids unnecessary duplication of efforts. Copyright © 2014 The American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental tobacco smoke particles in multizone indoor environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, S. L.; Nazaroff, W. W.

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is a major source of human exposure to airborne particles. To better understand the factors that affect exposure, and to investigate the potential effectiveness of technical control measures, a series of experiments was conducted in a two-room test facility. Particle concentrations, size distributions, and airflow rates were measured during and after combustion of a cigarette. Experiments were varied to obtain information about the effects on exposure of smoker segregation, ventilation modification, and air filtration. The experimental data were used to test the performance of an analytical model of the two-zone environment and a numerical multizone aerosol dynamics model. A respiratory tract particle deposition model was also applied to the results to estimate the mass of ETS particles that would be deposited in the lungs of a nonsmoker exposed in either the smoking or nonsmoking room. Comparisons between the experimental data and model predictions showed good agreement. For time-averaged particle mass concentration, the average bias between model and experiments was less than 10%. The average absolute error was typically 35%, probably because of variability in particle emission rates from cigarettes. For the conditions tested, the use of a portable air filtration unit yielded 65-90% reductions in predicted lung deposition relative to the baseline scenario. The use of exhaust ventilation in the smoking room reduced predicted lung deposition in the nonsmoking room by more than 80%, as did segregating the smoker from nonsmokers with a closed door.

The effect of indoor office environment on the work performance, health and well-being of office workers.

PubMed

Vimalanathan, Komalanathan; Ramesh Babu, Thangavelu

2014-01-01

The effect of indoor environment may have an influence on the performance, productivity health and well-being of office workers. Environmental factors such as indoor temperature and illumination have been investigated at three levels. A neurobehavioral test (NBT) has been proposed for the evaluation of office workersc performance. A field lab to emulate an office has been created. In controlled condition of environmental factors, the neurobehavioral test was conducted. The response time and the number of errors in each test have been recorded. A randomized block factorial design was used to analyze the responses of office worker's performance. The results revealed that the independent and interaction effect of temperature and illumination have significant effect on the office workers' performance. The effect of indoor room temperature has more influences than the effect of illumination. The effect of indoor temperature has 38.56% of contribution on the performance. The optimum levels of indoor temperature at 21°C and illumination at 1000 lux have improved the work performance and health of office workers. The indoor room temperature and illumination are more influence on the performance of the office workers. It may be concluded that the impact of indoor room temperature (38.56%) is more on the office worker's performance than the effect of illumination (19.91%). Further, it may be concluded that the optimum level of indoor room temperature (21°C) and illumination (1000lux) have improved the work performance, health and productivity of office workers.

Qualities of Inpatient Hospital Rooms: Patients' Perspectives.

PubMed

Devlin, Ann Sloan; Andrade, Cláudia Campos; Carvalho, Diana

2016-04-01

The aim of this qualitative study was to investigate what design features of hospital rooms are valued by inpatients. Little research has explored how patients evaluate the physical environment of their hospital rooms. Most responses are captured by the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey, which includes only two questions about the physical environment. Two hundred thirty-six orthopedic patients (78 in the United States and 158 in Portugal) listed three features of their hospital room that influenced their level of satisfaction with their hospital stay, indicating whether the feature was positive or negative. The comments were more positive (71.4%) than negative (28.6%). Using the framework of supportive design from Ulrich, over half the comments (64.31%) could be categorized in one of the three dimensions: 33.2% (positive distraction), 22.4% (perceived control), and 6.0% (social support). This total includes Internet (2.7%), which could be categorized as either social support or positive distraction. Comments called "other aspects" focused on overall environmental appraisals, cleanliness, and functionality and maintenance. The majority of comments could be accommodated by Ulrich's theory, but it is noteworthy that other aspects emerge from patients' comments and affect their experience. Cross-cultural differences pointed to the greater role of light and sun for Portuguese patients and health status whiteboard for U.S. Qualitative research can add significantly to our understanding of the healthcare experience and may inform design decisions. © The Author(s) 2015.

SIG -- The Role of Human-Computer Interaction in Next-Generation Control Rooms

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

Ronald L. Boring; Jacques Hugo; Christian Richard

2005-04-01

The purpose of this CHI Special Interest Group (SIG) is to facilitate the convergence between human-computer interaction (HCI) and control room design. HCI researchers and practitioners actively need to infuse state-of-the-art interface technology into control rooms to meet usability, safety, and regulatory requirements. This SIG outlines potential HCI contributions to instrumentation and control (I&C) and automation in control rooms as well as to general control room design.

Energy Systems Integration Facility Control Room | Energy Systems

Science.gov Websites

Integration Facility | NREL Energy Systems Integration Facility Control Room Energy Systems Integration Facility Control Room The Energy Systems Integration Facility control room allows system engineers as the monitoring point for the facility's integrated safety and control systems. Photo of employees

Document handover of ISS Flight Control room to new Flight Control Room in old MCC

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-10-06

JSC2006-E-43863 (6 Oct. 2006)--- International Space Station flight controllers have this area as their new home with increased technical capabilities, more workspace and a long, distinguished history. The newly updated facility is just down the hall from its predecessor at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. This view is toward the rear of the "new" room. Known as Flight Control Room 1, it was first used to control a space flight 38 years ago, the mission of Apollo 7 launched Oct. 11, 1968. It was one of two control rooms for NASA's manned missions. The room it replaces in its new ISS role, designated the Blue Flight Control Room, had been in operation since the first station component was launched in 1998.

The Effects of Altering Environmental and Instrumental Context on the Performance of Memorized Music

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mishra, Jennifer; Backlin, William

2007-01-01

Three experiments investigated whether musical memory was context dependent. Instrumental musicians memorized music in one context and recalled in either the same or a different context. Contexts included atypical performing environments (Experiment 1: lobby/conference room) or commonly encountered environments (Experiment 2: practice room,…

Nursing in a technological environment: nursing care in the operating room.

PubMed

Bull, Rosalind; FitzGerald, Mary

2006-02-01

Operating room nurses continue to draw criticism regarding the appropriateness of a nursing presence in the operating room. The technological focus of the theatre and the ways in which nurses in the theatre have shaped and reshaped their practice in response to technological change have caused people within and outside the nursing profession to question whether operating room nursing is a technological rather than nursing undertaking. This paper reports findings from an ethnographic study that was conducted in an Australian operating department. The study examined the contribution of nurses to the work of the operating room through intensive observation and ethnographic interviews. This paper uses selected findings from the study to explore the ways in which nurses in theatre interpret their role in terms of caring in a technological environment.

Noise disturbance in open-plan study environments: a field study on noise sources, student tasks and room acoustic parameters.

PubMed

Braat-Eggen, P Ella; van Heijst, Anne; Hornikx, Maarten; Kohlrausch, Armin

2017-09-01

The aim of this study is to gain more insight in the assessment of noise in open-plan study environments and to reveal correlations between noise disturbance experienced by students and the noise sources they perceive, the tasks they perform and the acoustic parameters of the open-plan study environment they work in. Data were collected in five open-plan study environments at universities in the Netherlands. A questionnaire was used to investigate student tasks, perceived sound sources and their perceived disturbance, and sound measurements were performed to determine the room acoustic parameters. This study shows that 38% of the surveyed students are disturbed by background noise in an open-plan study environment. Students are mostly disturbed by speech when performing complex cognitive tasks like studying for an exam, reading and writing. Significant but weak correlations were found between the room acoustic parameters and noise disturbance of students. Practitioner Summary: A field study was conducted to gain more insight in the assessment of noise in open-plan study environments at universities in the Netherlands. More than one third of the students was disturbed by noise. An interaction effect was found for task type, source type and room acoustic parameters.

Macro-mechanics controls quantum mechanics: mechanically controllable quantum conductance switching of an electrochemically fabricated atomic-scale point contact.

PubMed

Staiger, Torben; Wertz, Florian; Xie, Fangqing; Heinze, Marcel; Schmieder, Philipp; Lutzweiler, Christian; Schimmel, Thomas

2018-01-12

Here, we present a silver atomic-scale device fabricated and operated by a combined technique of electrochemical control (EC) and mechanically controllable break junction (MCBJ). With this EC-MCBJ technique, we can perform mechanically controllable bistable quantum conductance switching of a silver quantum point contact (QPC) in an electrochemical environment at room temperature. Furthermore, the silver QPC of the device can be controlled both mechanically and electrochemically, and the operating mode can be changed from 'electrochemical' to 'mechanical', which expands the operating mode for controlling QPCs. These experimental results offer the perspective that a silver QPC may be used as a contact for a nanoelectromechanical relay.

Macro-mechanics controls quantum mechanics: mechanically controllable quantum conductance switching of an electrochemically fabricated atomic-scale point contact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staiger, Torben; Wertz, Florian; Xie, Fangqing; Heinze, Marcel; Schmieder, Philipp; Lutzweiler, Christian; Schimmel, Thomas

2018-01-01

Here, we present a silver atomic-scale device fabricated and operated by a combined technique of electrochemical control (EC) and mechanically controllable break junction (MCBJ). With this EC-MCBJ technique, we can perform mechanically controllable bistable quantum conductance switching of a silver quantum point contact (QPC) in an electrochemical environment at room temperature. Furthermore, the silver QPC of the device can be controlled both mechanically and electrochemically, and the operating mode can be changed from ‘electrochemical’ to ‘mechanical’, which expands the operating mode for controlling QPCs. These experimental results offer the perspective that a silver QPC may be used as a contact for a nanoelectromechanical relay.

Microbiological aspects of clean room technology as applied to surgery, with special reference to unidirectional airflow systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wardle, M. D.

1974-01-01

The microbiological aspects of clean room technology as applied to surgery were reviewed. The following pertinent subject areas were examined: (1) clean room technology per se and its utilization for surgery, (2) microbiological monitoring of the clean room surgical environment, (3) clean rooms and their impact on operating room environmental microbiology, and (4) the effect of the technology on surgical wound infection rates. Conclusions were drawn for each topic investigated.

Cold Exposure Exacerbates the Development of Diabetic Polyneuropathy in the Rat

PubMed Central

Kasselman, Lora J.; Veves, Aristidis; Gibbons, Christopher H.; Rutkove, Seward B.

2009-01-01

Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) and cold-induced nerve injury share several pathogenic mechanisms. This study explores whether cold exposure contributes to the development of DPN. Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats and controls were exposed to a room temperature (23°C) or cold environment (10°C). H-reflex, tail and sciatic motor, and sensory nerve conduction studies were performed. Analyses of sural nerve, intraepidermal nerve fibers, and skin and nerve nitrotyrosine ELISAs were performed. Diabetic animals exposed to a cold environment had an increased H-reflex four weeks earlier than diabetic room temperature animals (P = .03). Cold-exposed diabetic animals also had greater reduction in motor conduction velocities at 20 weeks (P = .017), decreased skin nerve fiber density (P = .037), and increased skin nitrotyrosine levels (P = .047). Cold exposure appears to hasten the development of DPN in the rat STZ model of diabetes. These findings support that further study into the relationship between ambient temperature and DPN is warranted. PMID:20130819

Contamination control and cleanliness level integrity for the Space Shuttle Orbiter PLB, payloads and facilities at KSC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bartelson, D.

1984-01-01

The PLB, its cargo, and payload canister must satisfy the cleanliness requirements of visual clean (VC) level 1, 2, 3, or special as stated in NASA document SN-C-0005A. The specific level of cleanliness is chosen by the payload bay customer for their mission. During orbiter turnaround processing at KSC, the payload bay is exposed to the environments of the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) and the Payload Changeout Room (PCR). In supportive response to the orbiter payload bay/facility interface, it is necessary that the facility environment be controlled and monitored to protect the cleanliness/environmental integrity of the payload bay and its cargo. Techniques used to meet environmental requirements during orbiter processing are introduced.

75 FR 67450 - Pipeline Safety: Control Room Management Implementation Workshop

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-02

... PHMSA-2010-0294] Pipeline Safety: Control Room Management Implementation Workshop AGENCY: Pipeline and...) on the implementation of pipeline control room management. The workshop is intended to foster an understanding of the Control Room Management Rule issued by PHMSA on December 3, 2009, and is open to the public...

Preserving electron spin coherence in solids by optimal dynamical decoupling.

PubMed

Du, Jiangfeng; Rong, Xing; Zhao, Nan; Wang, Ya; Yang, Jiahui; Liu, R B

2009-10-29

To exploit the quantum coherence of electron spins in solids in future technologies such as quantum computing, it is first vital to overcome the problem of spin decoherence due to their coupling to the noisy environment. Dynamical decoupling, which uses stroboscopic spin flips to give an average coupling to the environment that is effectively zero, is a particularly promising strategy for combating decoherence because it can be naturally integrated with other desired functionalities, such as quantum gates. Errors are inevitably introduced in each spin flip, so it is desirable to minimize the number of control pulses used to realize dynamical decoupling having a given level of precision. Such optimal dynamical decoupling sequences have recently been explored. The experimental realization of optimal dynamical decoupling in solid-state systems, however, remains elusive. Here we use pulsed electron paramagnetic resonance to demonstrate experimentally optimal dynamical decoupling for preserving electron spin coherence in irradiated malonic acid crystals at temperatures from 50 K to room temperature. Using a seven-pulse optimal dynamical decoupling sequence, we prolonged the spin coherence time to about 30 mus; it would otherwise be about 0.04 mus without control or 6.2 mus under one-pulse control. By comparing experiments with microscopic theories, we have identified the relevant electron spin decoherence mechanisms in the solid. Optimal dynamical decoupling may be applied to other solid-state systems, such as diamonds with nitrogen-vacancy centres, and so lay the foundation for quantum coherence control of spins in solids at room temperature.

The Ethics of the Collegiate Locker Room

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roper, Larry D.

2017-01-01

Locker rooms are a fixture in the athletic culture of colleges and universities. Given the important roles those spaces play in the learning, growth, and development of student-athletes, collegiate leaders should consider how to influence locker room environments in positive ways.

Enhancing Health Care Delivery through Ambient Intelligence Applications

PubMed Central

Kartakis, Sokratis; Sakkalis, Vangelis; Tourlakis, Panagiotis; Zacharioudakis, Georgios; Stephanidis, Constantine

2012-01-01

This paper presents the implementation of a smart environment that employs Ambient Intelligence technologies in order to augment a typical hospital room with smart features that assist both patients and medical staff. In this environment various wireless and wired sensor technologies have been integrated, allowing the patient to control the environment and interact with the hospital facilities, while a clinically oriented interface allows for vital sign monitoring. The developed applications are presented both from a patient's and a doctor's perspective, offering different services depending on the user's role. The results of the evaluation process illustrate the need for such a service, leading to important conclusions about the usefulness and crucial role of AmI in health care. PMID:23112664

Review article: Staff perception of the emergency department working environment: Integrative review of the literature

PubMed Central

Abraham, Louisa; Greenslade, Jaimi; Thom, Ogilvie; Carlstrom, Eric; Wallis, Marianne; Crilly, Julia

2016-01-01

Abstract Employees in EDs report increasing role overload because of critical staff shortages, budgetary cuts and increased patient numbers and acuity. Such overload could compromise staff satisfaction with their working environment. This integrative review identifies, synthesises and evaluates current research around staff perceptions of the working conditions in EDs. A systematic search of relevant databases, using MeSH descriptors ED/EDs, Emergency room/s, ER/s, or A&E coupled with (and) working environment, working condition/s, staff perception/s, as well as reference chaining was conducted. We identified 31 key studies that were evaluated using the mixed methods assessment tool (MMAT). These comprised 24 quantitative‐descriptive studies, four mixed descriptive/comparative (non‐randomised controlled trial) studies and three qualitative studies. Studies included varied widely in quality with MMAT scores ranging from 0% to 100%. A key finding was that perceptions of working environment varied across clinical staff and study location, but that high levels of autonomy and teamwork offset stress around high pressure and high volume workloads. The large range of tools used to assess staff perception of working environment limits the comparability of the studies. A dearth of intervention studies around enhancing working environments in EDs limits the capacity to recommend evidence‐based interventions to improve staff morale. © 2016 The Authors. Emergency Medicine Australasia published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine PMID:26784282

A collaborative working environment for small group meetings in Second Life.

PubMed

da Silva, Cintia Rc; Garcia, Ana Cristina B

2013-01-01

This paper presents the SLMeetingRoom, a virtual reality online environment to support group meetings of geographically dispersed participants. A prototype was developed to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach using the Second Life platform. Ten additional components had to be added to Second Life environment to support group work essential activities such as participants' communication, tasks' and participants' coordination, participants' collaboration and work evolution's perception. Empirical studies, both pilot and experiment, were developed comparing four different meeting settings: face-to-face, videoconference, stand Second Life and SLMeetingRoom. The study involved graduate students enrolled in the Interface and Multimedia discipline at the Fluminense Federal University (UFF) in Brazil. Results indicated that groups working within SLMeetingRoom environment presented similar results as face-to-face meeting as far as sense of presence is concerned and with low cognitive effort. Task completion and degree of participation were not affected by the meeting set up. It was concluded that Second Life, in conjunction with the SLMeetingRoom components, is a good tool for holding synchronous remote meetings and coexists with other electronic meeting technologies.

Acoustic Calibration of the Exterior Effects Room at the NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Faller, Kenneth J., II; Rizzi, Stephen A.; Klos, Jacob; Chapin, William L.; Surucu, Fahri; Aumann, Aric R.

2010-01-01

The Exterior Effects Room (EER) at the NASA Langley Research Center is a 39-seat auditorium built for psychoacoustic studies of aircraft community noise. The original reproduction system employed monaural playback and hence lacked sound localization capability. In an effort to more closely recreate field test conditions, a significant upgrade was undertaken to allow simulation of a three-dimensional audio and visual environment. The 3D audio system consists of 27 mid and high frequency satellite speakers and 4 subwoofers, driven by a real-time audio server running an implementation of Vector Base Amplitude Panning. The audio server is part of a larger simulation system, which controls the audio and visual presentation of recorded and synthesized aircraft flyovers. The focus of this work is on the calibration of the 3D audio system, including gains used in the amplitude panning algorithm, speaker equalization, and absolute gain control. Because the speakers are installed in an irregularly shaped room, the speaker equalization includes time delay and gain compensation due to different mounting distances from the focal point, filtering for color compensation due to different installations (half space, corner, baffled/unbaffled), and cross-over filtering.

Document handover of ISS Flight Control room to new Flight Control Room in old MCC

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-10-06

JSC2006-E-43860 (6 Oct. 2006)--- International Space Station flight controllers have this area as their new home with increased technical capabilities, more workspace and a long, distinguished history. The newly updated facility is just down the hall from its predecessor at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston. Known as Flight Control Room 1, it was first used to control a space flight 38 years ago, the mission of Apollo 7 launched Oct. 11, 1968. It was one of two control rooms for NASA's manned missions. The room it replaces in its new ISS role, designated the Blue Flight Control Room, had been in operation since the first station component was launched in 1998.

Flexible sample environment for high resolution neutron imaging at high temperatures in controlled atmosphere

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

Makowska, Małgorzata G.; Theil Kuhn, Luise; Cleemann, Lars N.

In high material penetration by neutrons allows for experiments using sophisticated sample environments providing complex conditions. Thus, neutron imaging holds potential for performing in situ nondestructive measurements on large samples or even full technological systems, which are not possible with any other technique. Our paper presents a new sample environment for in situ high resolution neutron imaging experiments at temperatures from room temperature up to 1100 degrees C and/or using controllable flow of reactive atmospheres. The design also offers the possibility to directly combine imaging with diffraction measurements. Design, special features, and specification of the furnace are described. In addition,more » examples of experiments successfully performed at various neutron facilities with the furnace, as well as examples of possible applications are presented. Our work covers a broad field of research from fundamental to technological investigations of various types of materials and components.« less

Flexible sample environment for high resolution neutron imaging at high temperatures in controlled atmosphere

DOE PAGES

Makowska, Małgorzata G.; Theil Kuhn, Luise; Cleemann, Lars N.; ...

2015-12-17

In high material penetration by neutrons allows for experiments using sophisticated sample environments providing complex conditions. Thus, neutron imaging holds potential for performing in situ nondestructive measurements on large samples or even full technological systems, which are not possible with any other technique. Our paper presents a new sample environment for in situ high resolution neutron imaging experiments at temperatures from room temperature up to 1100 degrees C and/or using controllable flow of reactive atmospheres. The design also offers the possibility to directly combine imaging with diffraction measurements. Design, special features, and specification of the furnace are described. In addition,more » examples of experiments successfully performed at various neutron facilities with the furnace, as well as examples of possible applications are presented. Our work covers a broad field of research from fundamental to technological investigations of various types of materials and components.« less

[Design of an anesthesia and micro-environment information management system in mobile operating room].

PubMed

Wang, Xianwen; Liu, Zhiguo; Zhang, Wenchang; Wu, Qingfu; Tan, Shulin

2013-08-01

We have designed a mobile operating room information management system. The system is composed of a client and a server. A client, consisting of a PC, medical equipments, PLC and sensors, provides the acquisition and processing of anesthesia and micro-environment data. A server is a powerful computer that stores the data of the system. The client gathers the medical device data by using the C/S mode, and analyzes the obtained HL7 messages through the class library call. The client collects the micro-environment information with PLC, and finishes the data reading with the OPC technology. Experiment results showed that the designed system could manage the patient anesthesia and micro-environment information well, and improve the efficiency of the doctors' works and the digital level of the mobile operating room.

Sound Fields in Complex Listening Environments

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

The conditions of sound fields used in research, especially testing and fitting of hearing aids, are usually simplified or reduced to fundamental physical fields, such as the free or the diffuse sound field. The concepts of such ideal conditions are easily introduced in theoretical and experimental investigations and in models for directional microphones, for example. When it comes to real-world application of hearing aids, however, the field conditions are more complex with regard to specific stationary and transient properties in room transfer functions and the corresponding impulse responses and binaural parameters. Sound fields can be categorized in outdoor rural and urban and indoor environments. Furthermore, sound fields in closed spaces of various sizes and shapes and in situations of transport in vehicles, trains, and aircrafts are compared with regard to the binaural signals. In laboratory tests, sources of uncertainties are individual differences in binaural cues and too less controlled sound field conditions. Furthermore, laboratory sound fields do not cover the variety of complex sound environments. Spatial audio formats such as higher-order ambisonics are candidates for sound field references not only in room acoustics and audio engineering but also in audiology. PMID:21676999

Reactivity to Cannabis Cues in Virtual Reality Environments†

PubMed Central

Bordnick, Patrick S.; Copp, Hilary L.; Traylor, Amy; Graap, Ken M.; Carter, Brian L.; Walton, Alicia; Ferrer, Mirtha

2014-01-01

Virtual reality (VR) cue environments have been developed and successfully tested in nicotine, cocaine, and alcohol abusers. Aims in the current article include the development and testing of a novel VR cannabis cue reactivity assessment system. It was hypothesized that subjective craving levels and attention to cannabis cues would be higher in VR environments merits with cannabis cues compared to VR neutral environments. Twenty nontreatment-seeking current cannabis smokers participated in the VR cue trial. During the VR cue trial, participants were exposed to four virtual environments that contained audio, visual, olfactory, and vibrotactile sensory stimuli. Two VR environments contained cannabis cues that consisted of a party room in which people were smoking cannabis and a room containing cannabis paraphernalia without people. Two VR neutral rooms without cannabis cues consisted of a digital art gallery with nature videos. Subjective craving and attention to cues were significantly higher in the VR cannabis environments compared to the VR neutral environments. These findings indicate that VR cannabis cue reactivity may offer a new technology-based method to advance addiction research and treatment. PMID:19705672

Human physiological responses to wooden indoor environment.

PubMed

Zhang, Xi; Lian, Zhiwei; Wu, Yong

2017-05-15

Previous studies are mainly focused on non-wooden environments, whereas few are concerned with wooden ones. How wooden indoor environments impact the physiology of the occupants is still unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the distinct physiological responses to wooden and non-wooden indoor environments, assessed by physiological parameters tests including blood pressure, electrocardiogram measurements, electro-dermal activity, oxyhemoglobin saturation, skin temperature, and near distance vision. Twenty healthy adults participated in this experiment, and their physiological responses were evaluated in a 90minute investigation. The results illustrated that; less tension and fatigue were generated in the wooden rooms than in the non-wooden rooms when the participants did their work. In addition, the study also found that the wooden environments benefit the autonomic nervous system, respiratory system, and visual system. Moreover, wooden rooms play a valuable role in physiological regulation and ease function especially after a consecutive period of work. These results provide an experimental basis to support that wooden environment is beneficial to indoor occupants than the non-wooden indoor environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

75 FR 69912 - Pipeline Safety: Control Room Management/Human Factors

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-16

... 192 and 195 [Docket ID PHMSA-2007-27954] RIN 2137-AE64 Pipeline Safety: Control Room Management/Human... rulemaking; Extension of comment period. SUMMARY: On September 17, 2010, PHMSA published a Control Room... Control Room Management/Human Factors rule at 49 CFR 192.631 and 195.446. The NPRM proposes to expedite...

Choosing art as a complement to healing.

PubMed

Suter, Esther; Baylin, Debbie

2007-02-01

Art à la Carte is a volunteer program that enables long-term care patients to decorate their hospital room with an art print of their choice. Thirty-seven participants were interviewed to evaluate the program. The data suggest that art adds a personal touch to the sterile hospital environment, facilitates interaction between staff and patients, and provides positive distractions. Choosing a work of art also helps patients to regain a sense of control. These themes coincide with the key components of supportive health care environment. The data suggest that Art à la Carte can provide a meaningful complement to the healing process.

Spatial and temporal variations in indoor environmental conditions, human occupancy, and operational characteristics in a new hospital building

DOE PAGES

Ramos, Tiffanie; Dedesko, Sandra; Siegel, Jeffrey A.; ...

2015-03-02

The dynamics of indoor environmental conditions, human occupancy, and operational characteristics of buildings influence human comfort and indoor environmental quality, including the survival and progression of microbial communities. A suite of continuous, long-term environmental and operational parameters were measured in ten patient rooms and two nurse stations in a new hospital building in Chicago, IL to characterize the indoor environment in which microbial samples were taken for the Hospital Microbiome Project. Measurements included environmental conditions (indoor dry-bulb temperature, relative humidity, humidity ratio, and illuminance) in the patient rooms and nurse stations; differential pressure between the patient rooms and hallways; surrogatemore » measures for human occupancy and activity in the patient rooms using both indoor air CO₂ concentrations and infrared doorway beam-break counters; and outdoor air fractions in the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems serving the sampled spaces. Measurements were made at 5-minute intervals over consecutive days for nearly one year, providing a total of ~8×10⁶ data points. Indoor temperature, illuminance, and human occupancy/activity were all weakly correlated between rooms, while relative humidity, humidity ratio, and outdoor air fractions showed strong temporal (seasonal) patterns and strong spatial correlations between rooms. Differential pressure measurements confirmed that all patient rooms were operated at neutral pressure. The patient rooms averaged about 100 combined entrances and exits per day, which suggests they were relatively lightly occupied compared to higher traffic environments (e.g., retail buildings) and more similar to lower traffic office environments. There were also clear differences in several environmental parameters before and after the hospital was occupied with patients and staff. Characterizing and understanding factors that influence these building dynamics is vital for hospital environments, where they can impact patient health and the survival and spread of healthcare associated infections.« less

Spatial and Temporal Variations in Indoor Environmental Conditions, Human Occupancy, and Operational Characteristics in a New Hospital Building

PubMed Central

Ramos, Tiffanie; Dedesko, Sandra; Siegel, Jeffrey A.; Gilbert, Jack A.; Stephens, Brent

2015-01-01

The dynamics of indoor environmental conditions, human occupancy, and operational characteristics of buildings influence human comfort and indoor environmental quality, including the survival and progression of microbial communities. A suite of continuous, long-term environmental and operational parameters were measured in ten patient rooms and two nurse stations in a new hospital building in Chicago, IL to characterize the indoor environment in which microbial samples were taken for the Hospital Microbiome Project. Measurements included environmental conditions (indoor dry-bulb temperature, relative humidity, humidity ratio, and illuminance) in the patient rooms and nurse stations; differential pressure between the patient rooms and hallways; surrogate measures for human occupancy and activity in the patient rooms using both indoor air CO2 concentrations and infrared doorway beam-break counters; and outdoor air fractions in the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems serving the sampled spaces. Measurements were made at 5-minute intervals over consecutive days for nearly one year, providing a total of ∼8×106 data points. Indoor temperature, illuminance, and human occupancy/activity were all weakly correlated between rooms, while relative humidity, humidity ratio, and outdoor air fractions showed strong temporal (seasonal) patterns and strong spatial correlations between rooms. Differential pressure measurements confirmed that all patient rooms were operated at neutral pressure. The patient rooms averaged about 100 combined entrances and exits per day, which suggests they were relatively lightly occupied compared to higher traffic environments (e.g., retail buildings) and more similar to lower traffic office environments. There were also clear differences in several environmental parameters before and after the hospital was occupied with patients and staff. Characterizing and understanding factors that influence these building dynamics is vital for hospital environments, where they can impact patient health and the survival and spread of healthcare associated infections. PMID:25729898

Baseline Study Methodology for Future Phases of Research on Nuclear Power Plant Control Room Technologies

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

Le Blanc, Katya Lee; Bower, Gordon Ross; Hill, Rachael Ann

In order to provide a basis for industry adoption of advanced technologies, the Control Room Upgrades Benefits Research Project will investigate the benefits of including advanced technologies as part of control room modernization This report describes the background, methodology, and research plan for the first in a series of full-scale studies to test the effects of advanced technology in NPP control rooms. This study will test the effect of Advanced Overview Displays in the partner Utility’s control room simulator

Learner-Environment Fit: University Students in a Computer Room.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeaman, Andrew R. J.

The purpose of this study was to apply the theory of person-environment fit in assessing student well-being in a university computer room. Subjects were 12 students enrolled in a computer literacy course. Their learning behavior and well-being were evaluated on the basis of three symptoms of video display terminal stress usually found in the…

Mitigating operating room fires: development of a carbon dioxide fire prevention device.

PubMed

Culp, William C; Kimbrough, Bradly A; Luna, Sarah; Maguddayao, Aris J

2014-04-01

Operating room fires are sentinel events that present a real danger to surgical patients and occur at least as frequently as wrong-sided surgery. For fire to occur, the 3 points of the fire triad must be present: an oxidizer, an ignition source, and fuel source. The electrosurgical unit (ESU) pencil triggers most operating room fires. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a gas that prevents ignition and suppresses fire by displacing oxygen. We hypothesize that a device can be created to reduce operating room fires by generating a cone of CO2 around the ESU pencil tip. One such device was created by fabricating a divergent nozzle and connecting it to a CO2 source. This device was then placed over the ESU pencil, allowing the tip to be encased in a cone of CO2 gas. The device was then tested in 21%, 50%, and 100% oxygen environments. The ESU was activated at 50 W cut mode while placing the ESU pencil tip on a laparotomy sponge resting on an aluminum test plate for up to 30 seconds or until the sponge ignited. High-speed videography was used to identify time of ignition. Each test was performed in each oxygen environment 5 times with the device activated (CO2 flow 8 L/min) and with the device deactivated (no CO2 flow-control). In addition, 3-dimensional spatial mapping of CO2 concentrations was performed with a CO2 sampling device. The median ± SD [range] ignition time of the control group in 21% oxygen was 2.9 s ± 0.44 [2.3-3.0], in 50% oxygen 0.58 s ± 0.12 [0.47-0.73], and in 100% oxygen 0.48 s ± 0.50 [0.03-1.27]. Fires were ignited with each control trial (15/15); no fires ignited when the device was used (0/15, P < 0.0001). The CO2 concentration at the end of the ESU pencil tip was 95%, while the average CO2 concentration 1 to 1.4 cm away from the pencil tip on the bottom plane was 64%. In conclusion, an operating room fire prevention device can be created by using a divergent nozzle design through which CO2 passes, creating a cone of fire suppressant. This device as demonstrated in a flammability model effectively reduced the risk of fire. CO2 3-dimensional spatial mapping suggests effective fire reduction at least 1 cm away from the tip of the ESU pencil at 8 L/min CO2 flow. Future testing should determine optimum CO2 flow rates and ideal nozzle shapes. Use of this device may substantially reduce the risk of patient injury due to operating room fires.

Mental and behavioral health environments: critical considerations for facility design.

PubMed

Shepley, Mardelle McCuskey; Watson, Angela; Pitts, Francis; Garrity, Anne; Spelman, Elizabeth; Kelkar, Janhawi; Fronsman, Andrea

2016-01-01

The purpose of the study was to identify features in the physical environment that are believed to positively impact staff and patients in psychiatric environments and use these features as the foundation for future research regarding the design of mental and behavioral health facilities. Pursuant to a broad literature review that produced an interview script, researchers conducted 19 interviews of psychiatric staff, facility administrators and architects. Interview data were analyzed using the highly structured qualitative data analysis process authored by Lincoln and Guba (1985). Seventeen topics were addressed ranging from the importance of a deinstitutionalized environment to social interaction and autonomy. The interviewees reinforced the controversy that exists around the implications of a deinstitutionalized environment, when the resulting setting diminishes patient and staff safety. Respondents tended to support open nurse stations vs. enclosed stations. Support for access to nature and the provision of an aesthetic environment was strong. Most interviewees asserted that private rooms were highly desirable because lower room density reduces the institutional character of a unit. However, a few interviewees adamantly opposed private rooms because they considered the increased supervision of one patient by another to be a deterrent to self-harm. The need to address smoking rooms in future research received the least support of all topics. Responses of interviews illustrate current opinion regarding best practice in the design of psychiatric facilities. The findings emphasize the need for more substantive research on appropriate physical environments in mental and behavioral health settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identification of Clostridium difficile Reservoirs in The Patient Environment and Efficacy of Aerial Hydrogen Peroxide Decontamination.

PubMed

Yui, Samuel; Ali, Shanom; Muzslay, Monika; Jeanes, Annette; Wilson, A Peter R

2017-12-01

OBJECTIVE To identify, using a novel enhanced method of recovery, environmental sites where spores of Clostridium difficile persist despite cleaning and hydrogen peroxide aerial decontamination. DESIGN Cohort study. SETTING Tertiary referral center teaching hospital. METHODS In total, 16 sites representing high-frequency contact or difficult-to-clean surfaces in a single-isolation room or bed area in patient bed bays were sampled before and after terminal or hydrogen peroxide disinfection using a sponge swab. In some rooms, individual sites were not present (eg, there were no en-suite rooms in the ICU). Swab contents were homogenized, concentrated by membrane-filtration, and plated onto selective media. Results of C. difficile sampling were used to focus cleaning. RESULTS Over 1 year, 2,529 sites from 146 rooms and 44 bays were sampled. Clostridium difficile was found on 131 of 572 surfaces (22.9%) before terminal cleaning, on 105 of 959 surfaces (10.6%) after terminal cleaning, and on 43 of 967 surfaces (4.4%) after hydrogen peroxide disinfection. Clostridium difficile persisted most frequently on floor corners (97 of 334; 29.0%) after disinfection. Between the first and third quarters, we observed a significant decrease in the number of positive sites (25 of 390 vs 6 of 256). However, no similar change in the number of isolates before terminal cleaning was observed. CONCLUSION Persistence of C. difficile in the clinical environment was widespread. Although feedback of results did not improve the efficacy of manual disinfection, numbers of C. difficile following hydrogen peroxide gradually declined. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1487-1492.

Hacking the hospital environment: young adults designing youth-friendly hospital rooms together with young people with cancer experiences.

PubMed

Boisen, Kirsten A; Boisen, Anne; Thomsen, Stine Legarth; Matthiesen, Simon Meggers; Hjerming, Maiken; Hertz, Pernille Grarup

2015-12-09

There is a need for youth-friendly hospital environments as the ward environment may affect both patient satisfaction and health outcomes. To involve young people in designing youth-friendly ward environment. We arranged a design competition lasting 42 h (Hackathon). Students in architecture, design, engineering, communication and anthropology participated (27 young adults) - forming eight groups. Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with current or former cancer experience participated as sparring partners. We provided workspace and food during the weekend. The groups presented their products to a jury and relevant stakeholders. The groups created eight unique design concepts. The young designers were extremely flexible listening to ideas and experiences from the young patients, which led to common features including individual and flexible design, privacy in two-bed wardrooms and social contact with other hospitalized AYA. The winning project included an integrated concept for both wardrooms and the AYA day room, including logos and names for the rooms and an 'energy wall' in the day room. A hackathon event was an effective mode of youth participation. The design concepts and ideas were in line with current evidence regarding pleasing hospital environment and youth-friendly inpatient facilities and may be applicable to other young patients.

Digital Full-Scope Simulation of a Conventional Nuclear Power Plant Control Room, Phase 2: Installation of a Reconfigurable Simulator to Support Nuclear Plant Sustainability

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

Ronald L. Boring; Vivek Agarwal; Kirk Fitzgerald

2013-03-01

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability program has developed a control room simulator in support of control room modernization at nuclear power plants in the U.S. This report highlights the recent completion of this reconfigurable, full-scale, full-scope control room simulator buildout at the Idaho National Laboratory. The simulator is fully reconfigurable, meaning it supports multiple plant models developed by different simulator vendors. The simulator is full-scale, using glasstop virtual panels to display the analog control boards found at current plants. The present installation features 15 glasstop panels, uniquely achieving a complete control room representation. The simulator ismore » also full-scope, meaning it uses the same plant models used for training simulators at actual plants. Unlike in the plant training simulators, the deployment on glasstop panels allows a high degree of customization of the panels, allowing the simulator to be used for research on the design of new digital control systems for control room modernization. This report includes separate sections discussing the glasstop panels, their layout to mimic control rooms at actual plants, technical details on creating a multi-plant and multi-vendor reconfigurable simulator, and current efforts to support control room modernization at U.S. utilities. The glasstop simulator provides an ideal testbed for prototyping and validating new control room concepts. Equally importantly, it is helping create a standardized and vetted human factors engineering process that can be used across the nuclear industry to ensure control room upgrades maintain and even improve current reliability and safety.« less

A Research Framework for Demonstrating Benefits of Advanced Control Room Technologies

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

Le Blanc, Katya; Boring, Ronald; Joe, Jeffrey

Control Room modernization is an important part of life extension for the existing light water reactor fleet. None of the 99 currently operating commercial nuclear power plants in the U.S. has completed a full-scale control room modernization to date. A full-scale modernization might, for example, entail replacement of all analog panels with digital workstations. Such modernizations have been undertaken successfully in upgrades in Europe and Asia, but the U.S. has yet to undertake a control room upgrade of this magnitude. Instead, nuclear power plant main control rooms for the existing commercial reactor fleet remain significantly analog, with only limited digitalmore » modernizations. Previous research under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program has helped establish a systematic process for control room upgrades that support the transition to a hybrid control. While the guidance developed to date helps streamline the process of modernization and reduce costs and uncertainty associated with introducing digital control technologies into an existing control room, these upgrades do not achieve the full potential of newer technologies that might otherwise enhance plant and operator performance. The aim of the control room benefits research presented here is to identify previously overlooked benefits of modernization, identify candidate technologies that may facilitate such benefits, and demonstrate these technologies through human factors research. This report serves as an outline for planned research on the benefits of greater modernization in the main control rooms of nuclear power plants.« less

Synthesis and humidity sensing analysis of ZnS nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okur, Salih; Üzar, Neslihan; Tekgüzel, Nesli; Erol, Ayşe; Çetin Arıkan, M.

2012-03-01

ZnS nanowires synthesized by the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) method and humidity sensing properties of obtained ZnS nanowires were investigated by quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) method and electrical measurements. The synthesized nanowires were exposed to relative humidity (RH) between 22% and 97% under controlled environment. Our experimental results show that ZnS nanowires have a great potential for humidity sensing applications in room temperature operations.

[Quantitative analysis of factors to influence the environment of the clean room and clean bench during preparation of intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH) admixtures].

PubMed

Hotoda, S; Aoyama, T; Sato, A; Yamamura, Y; Nakajima, K; Nakamura, K; Sato, H; Iga, T

1999-12-01

We quantitatively studied factors influencing the environment cleanliness for intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH) admixing. The environment cleanliness was evaluated by measuring the counts of particles (> 0.5 micron) and bacteria floating in 1 ft3 of the air inside the clean room (23.6 m3) and in the clean bench built in the department of pharmacy, The University of Tokyo Hospital in 1998. The number of particles at the center of the clean room during IVH admixing by 4 pharmacists was higher than that at the medicine passing area (150 +/- 50/ft3 vs. 260 +/- 60/ft3; mean +/- S.D., n = 12). The cleanliness inside the clean room was improved as the measurement point became higher from the floor (600 +/- 180/ft3, 150 +/- 50/ft3, and 35 +/- 15/ft3 at 50, 100, and 150 cm height, respectively) and the number of persons working inside the room decreased. The changes in the counts of floating bacteria were similar to that of floating particles under the same conditions. In addition the effect of disinfection on the counts of bacteria was clearly observed. When the cleanliness of the room became lower by turning off the air conditioning, the particle counts inside the clean bench became lower along with the distance from the front glass becoming deeper (i.e., 1400 +/- 550/ft3, 140 +/- 70/ft3, and 40 +/- 30/ft3 at 0, 5, and 15 cm, respectively). From these lines of evidence, the following items were suggested in order to maintain the environment cleanliness for IVH admixing. First, the number of persons residing in the clean room should be kept to be minimum. Second, the clean bench should be set up in the center of the clean room. Finally IVH admixing operation should be performed at more than 15 cm depth inside the front glass surface of the clean bench. Moreover, the effect of mopping-up of the clean room with 0.1% benzethonium chloride clearly demonstrated the importance of disinfection on a routine basis.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the high bay clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers remove the protective cover from NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. Employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the high bay clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers remove the protective cover from NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. Employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers move NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft into a high bay clean room. Employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers move NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft into a high bay clean room. Employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the high bay clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft is revealed. Employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the high bay clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft is revealed. Employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

The Aircraft Simulation Role in Improving Flight Safety Through Control Room Training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shy, Karla S.; Hageman, Jacob J.; Le, Jeanette H.; Sitz, Joel (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

NASA Dryden Flight Research Center uses its six-degrees-of-freedom (6-DOF) fixed-base simulations for mission control room training to improve flight safety and operations. This concept is applied to numerous flight projects such as the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV), the F-15 Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS), the X-38 Actuator Control Test (XACT), and X-43A (Hyper-X). The Dryden 6-DOF simulations are typically used through various stages of a project, from design to ground tests. The roles of these simulations have expanded to support control room training, reinforcing flight safety by building control room staff proficiency. Real-time telemetry, radar, and video data are generated from flight vehicle simulation models. These data are used to drive the control room displays. Nominal static values are used to complete information where appropriate. Audio communication is also an integral part of training sessions. This simulation capability is used to train control room personnel and flight crew for nominal missions and emergency situations. Such training sessions are also opportunities to refine flight cards and control room display pages, exercise emergency procedures, and practice control room setup for the day of flight. This paper describes this technology as it is used in the X-43A and F-15 IFCS and XACT projects.

Conditioned place preferences in humans using virtual reality.

PubMed

Astur, Robert S; Carew, Andrew W; Deaton, Bonnie E

2014-07-01

To extend a standard paradigm of conditioning in nonhumans to humans, we created a virtual reality (VR) conditioned place preference task, with real-life food rewards. Undergraduates were placed into a VR environment consisting of 2 visually distinct rooms. On Day 1, participants underwent 6 pairing sessions in which they were confined into one of the two rooms and explored the VR environment. Room A was paired with real-life M&Ms for 3 sessions, and Room B was paired with no food for 3 sessions. Day 2 was the test day, administered the next day, and participants were given free access to the entire VR environment for 5min. In experiment 1, participants were food restricted, and we observed that on the test day, participants display a significant conditioned place preference for the VR room previously paired with food (p<0.001). Additionally, they display a significant explicit preference for the M&M-paired room in a forced-choice of "Which room do you like best?". In experiment 2, when participants were not food restricted, there was no evidence of a place preference, either implicitly (e.g. dwell time) or explicitly. Hence, we show that we can reliably establish a place preference in humans, but that the preference is contingent on the participants' hunger state. Future research will examine the extent to which these preferences can be blocked or extinguished as well as whether these preferences are evident using other reinforcers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

8. VIEW OF SLC3W CONTROL ROOM (ROOM 105) FROM ITS ...

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

8. VIEW OF SLC-3W CONTROL ROOM (ROOM 105) FROM ITS NORTHEAST CORNER. TELEMETRY ROOM VISIBLE THROUGH WINDOWS IN SOUTH WALL. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

7. VIEW OF SLC3W CONTROL ROOM (ROOM 105) FROM ITS ...

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

7. VIEW OF SLC-3W CONTROL ROOM (ROOM 105) FROM ITS SOUTHWEST CORNER. NOTE RAISED FLATFORM IN CENTER OF ROOM. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

Effect of a Brief Video Intervention on Incident Infection among Patients Attending Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinics

PubMed Central

Warner, Lee; Klausner, Jeffrey D; Rietmeijer, Cornelis A; Malotte, C. Kevin; O'Donnell, Lydia; Margolis, Andrew D; Greenwood, Gregory L; Richardson, Doug; Vrungos, Shelley; O'Donnell, Carl R; Borkowf, Craig B

2008-01-01

Background Sexually transmitted disease (STD) prevention remains a public health priority. Simple, practical interventions to reduce STD incidence that can be easily and inexpensively administered in high-volume clinical settings are needed. We evaluated whether a brief video, which contained STD prevention messages targeted to all patients in the waiting room, reduced acquisition of new infections after that clinic visit. Methods and Findings In a controlled trial among patients attending three publicly funded STD clinics (one in each of three US cities) from December 2003 to August 2005, all patients (n = 38,635) were systematically assigned to either a theory-based 23-min video depicting couples overcoming barriers to safer sexual behaviors, or the standard waiting room environment. Condition assignment alternated every 4 wk and was determined by which condition (intervention or control) was in place in the clinic waiting room during the patient's first visit within the study period. An intent-to-treat analysis was used to compare STD incidence between intervention and control patients. The primary endpoint was time to diagnosis of incident laboratory-confirmed infections (gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis, syphilis, and HIV), as identified through review of medical records and county STD surveillance registries. During 14.8 mo (average) of follow-up, 2,042 patients (5.3%) were diagnosed with incident STD (4.9%, intervention condition; 5.7%, control condition). In survival analysis, patients assigned to the intervention condition had significantly fewer STDs compared with the control condition (hazard ratio [HR], 0.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84 to 0.99). Conclusions Showing a brief video in STD clinic waiting rooms reduced new infections nearly 10% overall in three clinics. This simple, low-intensity intervention may be appropriate for adoption by clinics that serve similar patient populations. Trial registration: http://www.ClinicalTrials.gov (#NCT00137670). PMID:18578564

Utility of Recycled Bedding for Laboratory Rodents

PubMed Central

Miyamoto, Toru; Li, Zhixia; Kibushi, Tomomi; Okano, Shinya; Yamasaki, Nakamichi; Kasai, Noriyuki

2009-01-01

Animal facilities generate a large amount of used bedding containing excrement as medical waste. We developed a recycling system for used bedding that involves soft hydrothermal processing. In this study, we examined the effects of bedding type on growth, hematologic and serum biochemical values, and organ weights of female and male mice reared on either recycled or fresh bedding from 3 to 33 wk of age. Neither growth nor physiology differed between mice housed on recycled bedding compared with fresh bedding. When 14-wk-old mice were bred, litter size and total number of weaned pups showed no significant differences between animals raised on recycled or fresh bedding. Because bedding type influences the environment within cages and animal rooms, we evaluated particulate and ammonia data from cages and animal rooms. Values were significantly lower from cages and rooms that used recycled bedding than from those using fresh bedding, thus indicating that recycled bedding has the potential to improve the environment within both cages and animal rooms. Overall, this study revealed that recycled bedding is an excellent material for use in housing laboratory rodents. Specifically, recycled bedding may reduce medical waste and maintain healthy environments within cages and animal rooms. PMID:19653951

Differential responses of individuals with late-stage dementia to two novel environments: a multimedia room and an interior garden.

PubMed

Goto, Seiko; Kamal, Naveed; Puzio, Helene; Kobylarz, Fred; Herrup, Karl

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the responses of individuals with advanced dementia to two novel sensory environments in a nursing home facility. The first was a multisensory Snoezelen room; the second was a temporary Japanese garden. Subjects viewed each environment twice a week for 15 minutes during the study. Stress was measured using heart rate and informant-based behavioral changes. By these criteria, the garden-viewing group showed positive behavioral changes while the responses of the subjects in the Snoezelen group were more negative. The response of the subjects' pulse rate was most dramatic. During the 15 minutes in the garden, the average rate (all subjects/all visits) was significantly less than in their residential room. In the Snoezelen room, we detected little or no change. The impact of the garden could also be seen in the negative behavioral signs elicited upon returning the subjects to the garden room after the installation had been replaced with plants and furniture arranged with no formal design. We propose that exposure to a small interior Japanese garden could be an effective intervention for individuals suffering from late stage Alzheimer's disease.

Heat exchange studies on coconut oil cells as thermal energy storage for room thermal conditioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sutjahja, I. M.; Putri, Widya A.; Fahmi, Z.; Wonorahardjo, S.; Kurnia, D.

2017-07-01

As reported by many thermal environment experts, room air conditioning might be controlled by thermal mass system. In this paper we discuss the performance of coconut oil cells as room thermal energy storage. The heat exchange mechanism of coconut oil (CO) which is one of potential organic Phase Change Material (PCM) is studied based on the results of temperature measurements in the perimeter and core parts of cells. We found that the heat exchange performance, i.e. heat absorption and heat release processes of CO cells are dominated by heat conduction in the sensible solid from the higher temperature perimeter part to the lower temperature core part and heat convection during the solid-liquid phase transition and sensible liquid phase. The capability of heat absorption as measured by the reduction of air temperature is not influenced by CO cell size. Besides that, the application of CO as the thermal mass has to be accompanied by air circulation to get the cool sensation of the room’s occupants.

PBF Control Building (PER619). Interior of control room shows control ...

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

PBF Control Building (PER-619). Interior of control room shows control console from direction facing visitors room and its observation window. Camera facing northeast. Date: May 2004. INEEL negative no. HD-41-7-1 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, SPERT-I & Power Burst Facility Area, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Benefits of Advanced Control Room Technologies: Phase One Upgrades to the HSSL, Research Plan, and Performance Measures

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

Le Blanc, Katya; Joe, Jeffrey; Rice, Brandon

Control Room modernization is an important part of life extension for the existing light water reactor fleet. None of the 99 currently operating commercial nuclear power plants in the U.S. has completed a full-scale control room modernization to date. A full-scale modernization might, for example, entail replacement of all analog panels with digital workstations. Such modernizations have been undertaken successfully in upgrades in Europe and Asia, but the U.S. has yet to undertake a control room upgrade of this magnitude. Instead, nuclear power plant main control rooms for the existing commercial reactor fleet remain significantly analog, with only limited digitalmore » modernizations. Previous research under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program has helped establish a systematic process for control room upgrades that support the transition to a hybrid control room. While the guidance developed to date helps streamline the process of modernization and reduce costs and uncertainty associated with introducing digital control technologies into an existing control room, these upgrades do not achieve the full potential of newer technologies that might otherwise enhance plant and operator performance. The aim of the control room benefits research is to identify previously overlooked benefits of modernization, identify candidate technologies that may facilitate such benefits, and demonstrate these technologies through human factors research. This report describes the initial upgrades to the HSSL and outlines the methodology for a pilot test of the HSSL configuration.« less

Disparities in Ammonia, Temperature, Humidity, and Airborne Particulate Matter between the Micro-and Macroenvironments of Mice in Individually Ventilated Caging

PubMed Central

Rosenbaum, Matthew D; VandeWoude, Susan; Volckens, John; Johnson, Thomas E

2010-01-01

Animal room environmental parameters typically are monitored with the assumption that the environment within the cage closely mirrors the room environment. This study evaluated that premise by examining macro- (room) and microenvironmental (cage) parameters in individually ventilated cages housing mice with variable amounts of bedding over a period of 17 d without cage changes. Intracage ammonia levels remained within recommended human guidelines but were higher than room levels, confirming that microisolation caging is efficient at preventing ammonia generated from animal waste from escaping into the room. Humidity and temperature within cages were consistently higher than room levels. Particles in the room predominantly consisted of fine particles (diameter less than 2.5 µm), presumably from the ambient atmosphere; some of these particles were found in the cage microenvironment. In addition, mouse activity within cages produced larger particles, and these particles contributed to substantially higher aerosol mass concentrations within the cage. These findings demonstrate that, although cage and room environmental parameters differ, knowledge of room environmental conditions can be used to predict certain conditions within the cage. This association is relevant in that typical animal care standard operating procedures rely on room measurements, not intracage measurements, which arguably are more important for assessing animal welfare. Further, location and ambient climate can influence particle concentrations in the room, and consequently within the animal cage, suggesting local weather patterns and air quality may account for variability among studies conducted at sites that are geographically divergent. PMID:20353692

Montessori All Day, All Year

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Black, Connie; Davis, Liza

2015-01-01

Introducing real community into the Children's House goes back to the roots of Montessori education through all-day Montessori. The all-day environment is a house where children live with a "developmental room" of Montessori materials including a living room, kitchen, dining area, bedroom, bathroom, greeting rooms, and outdoor spaces.…

From Laboratory Research to a Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Michels, Harold T.; Keevil, C. William; Salgado, Cassandra D.; Schmidt, Michael G.

2015-01-01

Objective: This is a translational science article that discusses copper alloys as antimicrobial environmental surfaces. Bacteria die when they come in contact with copper alloys in laboratory tests. Components made of copper alloys were also found to be efficacious in a clinical trial. Background: There are indications that bacteria found on frequently touched environmental surfaces play a role in infection transmission. Methods: In laboratory testing, copper alloy samples were inoculated with bacteria. In clinical trials, the amount of live bacteria on the surfaces of hospital components made of copper alloys, as well as those made from standard materials, was measured. Finally, infection rates were tracked in the hospital rooms with the copper components and compared to those found in the rooms containing the standard components. Results: Greater than a 99.9% reduction in live bacteria was realized in laboratory tests. In the clinical trials, an 83% reduction in bacteria was seen on the copper alloy components, when compared to the surfaces made from standard materials in the control rooms. Finally, the infection rates were found to be reduced by 58% in patient rooms with components made of copper, when compared to patients' rooms with components made of standard materials. Conclusions: Bacteria die on copper alloy surfaces in both the laboratory and the hospital rooms. Infection rates were lowered in those hospital rooms containing copper components. Thus, based on the presented information, the placement of copper alloy components, in the built environment, may have the potential to reduce not only hospital-acquired infections but also patient treatment costs. PMID:26163568

6. VIEW OF SLC3W CONTROL ROOM (ROOM 105) FROM ITS ...

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

6. VIEW OF SLC-3W CONTROL ROOM (ROOM 105) FROM ITS SOUTHEAST CORNER - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

The dynamics of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus exposure in a hospital model and the potential for environmental intervention.

PubMed

Plipat, Nottasorn; Spicknall, Ian H; Koopman, James S; Eisenberg, Joseph Ns

2013-12-17

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major cause of healthcare-associated infections. An important control strategy is hand hygiene; however, non-compliance has been a major problem in healthcare settings. Furthermore, modeling studies have suggested that the law of diminishing return applies to hand hygiene. Other additional control strategies such as environmental cleaning may be warranted, given that MRSA-positive individuals constantly shed contaminated desquamated skin particles to the environment. We constructed and analyzed a deterministic environmental compartmental model of MRSA fate, transport, and exposure between two hypothetical hospital rooms: one with a colonized patient, shedding MRSA; another with an uncolonized patient, susceptible to exposure. Healthcare workers (HCWs), acting solely as vectors, spread MRSA from one patient room to the other. Although porous surfaces became highly contaminated, their low transfer efficiency limited the exposure dose to HCWs and the uncolonized patient. Conversely, the high transfer efficiency of nonporous surfaces allows greater MRSA transfer when touched. In the colonized patient's room, HCW exposure occurred more predominantly through the indirect (patient to surfaces to HCW) mode compared to the direct (patient to HCW) mode. In contrast, in the uncolonized patient's room, patient exposure was more predominant in the direct (HCW to patient) mode compared to the indirect (HCW to surfaces to patient) mode. Surface wiping decreased MRSA exposure to the uncolonized patient more than daily surface decontamination. This was because wiping allowed higher cleaning frequency and cleaned more total surface area per day. Environmental cleaning should be considered as an integral component of MRSA infection control in hospitals. Given the previously under-appreciated role of surface contamination in MRSA transmission, this intervention mode can contribute to an effective multiple barrier approach in concert with hand hygiene.

Environmental Panels as a Proxy for Nursing Facility Patients With Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aure and Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Colonization.

PubMed

Cassone, Marco; Mantey, Julia; Perri, Mary Beth; Gibson, Kristen; Lansing, Bonnie; McNamara, Sara; Patel, Payal K; Cheng, Vincent C C; Walters, Maroya S; Stone, Nimalie D; Zervos, Marcus J; Mody, Lona

2018-05-02

Most nursing facilities (NFs) lack methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) surveillance programs due to limited resources and high costs. We investigated the utility of environmental screening of high-touch surfaces in patient rooms as a way to circumvent these challenges. We compared MRSA and VRE culture data from high-touch surfaces in patients' rooms (14450 samples from 6 NFs) and ranked each site's performance in predicting patient colonization (7413 samples). The best-performing sites were included in a MRSA- and a VRE-specific panel that functioned as a proxy for patient colonization. Molecular typing was performed to confirm available concordant patient-environment pairs. We identified and validated a MRSA panel that consisted of the bed controls, nurse call button, bed rail, and TV remote control. The VRE panel included the toilet seat, bed controls, bed rail, TV remote control, and top of the side table. Panel colonization data tracked patient colonization. Negative predictive values were 89%-92% for MRSA and 82%-84% for VRE. Molecular typing confirmed a strong clonal type relationship in available concordant patient-environment pairs (98% for MRSA, 91% for VRE), pointing to common epidemiological patterns for environmental and patient isolates. Environmental panels used as a proxy for patient colonization and incorporated into facility surveillance protocols can guide decolonization strategies, improve awareness of MRSA and VRE burden, and inform efforts to reduce transmission. Targeted environmental screening may be a viable surveillance strategy for MRSA and VRE detection in NFs.

Clinical studies of the High-Intensity Narrow-Spectrum light Environmental Decontamination System (HINS-light EDS), for continuous disinfection in the burn unit inpatient and outpatient settings.

PubMed

Bache, Sarah E; Maclean, Michelle; MacGregor, Scott J; Anderson, John G; Gettinby, George; Coia, John E; Taggart, Ian

2012-02-01

Infections are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in burn patients and prevention of contamination from exogenous sources including the hospital environment is becoming increasingly emphasised. The High-Intensity Narrow-Spectrum light Environmental Decontamination System (HINS-light EDS) is bactericidal yet safe for humans, allowing continuous disinfection of the environment surrounding burn patients. Environmental samples were collected from inpatient isolation rooms and the outpatient clinic in the burn unit, and comparisons were then made between the bacterial contamination levels observed with and without use of the HINS-light EDS. Over 1000 samples were taken. Inpatient studies, with sampling carried out at 0800 h, demonstrated a significant reduction in the average number of bacterial colonies following HINS-light EDS use of between 27% and 75%, (p<0.05). There was more variation when samples were taken at times of increased activity in the room. Outpatient studies during clinics demonstrated a 61% efficacy in the reduction of bacterial contamination on surfaces throughout the room during the course of a clinic (p=0.02). The results demonstrate that use of the HINS-light EDS allows efficacious bacterial reductions over and above that achieved by standard cleaning and infection control measures in both inpatient and outpatient settings in the burn unit. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

[Significance of working environment improvement based on determination of source of harmful substance--example of an endoscope syringe room using glutaraldehyde].

PubMed

Tashiro, Hiraku; Oda, Susumu; Mori, Koji

2004-03-01

Because a worker complained of irritated eyes and throat due to glutaraldehyde (GA) in an endoscope syringe room, the automated endoscope washers and GA liquid stored in reserve were isolated in a separate room. A ventilation system was installed in this room, and the packing of the automated endoscope washers was changed. However, since the obnoxious smell of GA still remained in the endoscope syringe room, we had to determine the source of the smell. A plastic bucket with a cap was found to be filled with GA for disinfection of the endoscope apparatus. GA had evaporated when dispersed around the bucket, resulting in the obnoxious smell. The plastic bucket was replaced with a different type of container. Moreover, GA from the separate room did not affect the concentration of GA in the working area because the separate room for the automated endoscope washers had twice the ventilation volume proposed by the guidelines of the Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates of the USA and the Healthcare Engineering Association of Japan. Consequently, we reconfirmed the significance of working environment improvement after clarifying the source of the harmful substance.

Potato growth in response to relative humidity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheeler, R. M.; Tibbitts, T. W.; Fitzpatrick, A. H.

1989-01-01

Potato plants (Solanum tuberosum L. cvs. Russet Burbank, Norland, and Denali) were grown for 56 days in controlled-environment rooms under continuous light at 20C and 50% or 85% RH. No significant differences in total plant dry weight were measured between the humidity treatments, but plants grown under 85% RH produced higher tuber yields. Leaf areas were greater under 50% RH and leaves tended to be larger and darker green than at 85% RH.

Pavlovian conditioning to food reward as a function of eating disorder risk.

PubMed

Astur, Robert S; Palmisano, Alexandra N; Hudd, Ellie C; Carew, Andrew W; Deaton, Bonnie E; Kuhney, Franchesca S; Niezrecki, Rachel N; Santos, Melissa

2015-09-15

The aim of this experiment was to examine the extent to which eating disorder risk affects the strength of food-reward conditioning. Eighty food-restricted undergraduates were placed into a VR environment consisting of two visually distinct rooms. Participants underwent multiple pairing sessions in which they were confined into one of the two rooms and explored a VR environment. Room A was paired with real-life M&Ms for three sessions, and Room B was paired with no food for three sessions. After a short delay, a test session was administered, and participants were given free access to the entire VR environment for 5 min. Participants also completed the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26; [11]), which is a standard screening tool of eating disorder risk. Participants displayed a significant conditioned place preference for the VR room previously paired with food, and they displayed a significant explicit preference for the M&M-paired room in a forced-choice test. There was a significant positive correlation between place preference strength and scores on the dieting subscale of the EAT-26. Additionally, ratings of the no-food room were significantly lower as dieting scores increased. This suggests that components of eating disorder risk can influence basic conditioning strength to places associated with food reward. For both males and females, additional correlations between eating disorder risk subscales and conditioning variables are discussed, and implications for future research are proposed in hopes of understanding how conditioning paradigms can provide insight into treating and preventing eating disorders. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Teachers' Rooms Environmental Assessment Scale: Development and Psychometric Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arslan, Suna

2016-01-01

Teachers' rooms are important parts of educational environments, as the quality of the physical-spatial and psychosocial conditions may affect the personal and occupational developments of teachers as well as the education processes. In Study 1 (n = 245), a Teachers' Rooms-Environmental Assessment Scale (TREAS) measure of the current conditions of…

The Western Primary School 'Quiet Room' Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Angus; Chantler, Zara

2002-01-01

This article describes a "Quiet Room" project for students with social, emotional, and behavioral problems at a British primary school. The Quiet Room was designed to provide a nurturing environment away from the classroom in which a child's emotional needs can be explored on a one-to-one basis. Benefits for children, parents, and…

PBF Control Building (PER619). Interior of control room. Control console ...

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

PBF Control Building (PER-619). Interior of control room. Control console in center of room. Indicator panels along walls. Window shown in ID-33-F-120 is between control panels at left. Camera facing northwest. Date: May 2004. INEEL negative no. HD-41-7-3 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, SPERT-I & Power Burst Facility Area, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Multi-Sensory Rooms: Comparing Effects of the Snoezelen and the Stimulus Preference Environment on the Behavior of Adults with Profound Mental Retardation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fava, Leonardo; Strauss, Kristin

2010-01-01

The present study examined whether Snoezelen and Stimulus Preference environments have differential effects on disruptive and pro-social behaviors in adults with profound mental retardation and autism. In N = 27 adults these target behaviors were recorded for a total of 20 sessions using both multi-sensory rooms. Three comparison groups were…

Shuttle optical environment; Proceedings of the Meeting, Washington, DC, April 23, 24, 1981

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, E. R. (Editor); Fazio, G. G.

1982-01-01

The numerical modeling, instrumentation, identification, and procedures to characterize and/or control contamination hazards to equipment used on the Shuttle are discussed. On-orbit pollutants include molecular offgassing and outgassing, particulate material, and substances from thrusters, vents, and leaks. Clean-rooms are being implemented in ground assembly and integration facilities. Attention is given to an upgraded SPACE program for numerically modeling contamination pathways and appropriate procedures to protect instrumentation from film and particulate deposition. Finally, attention is given to military cryogenic IR detectors being employed to quantify the Shuttle thermal and solid pollutant environment on-orbit as a prelude to future operational IR sensors.

Investigation of the impact of main control room digitalization on operators cognitive reliability in nuclear power plants.

PubMed

Zhou, Yong; Mu, Haiying; Jiang, Jianjun; Zhang, Li

2012-01-01

Currently, there is a trend in nuclear power plants (NPPs) toward introducing digital and computer technologies into main control rooms (MCRs). Safe generation of electric power in NPPs requires reliable performance of cognitive tasks such as fault detection, diagnosis, and response planning. The digitalization of MCRs has dramatically changed the whole operating environment, and the ways operators interact with the plant systems. If the design and implementation of the digital technology is incompatible with operators' cognitive characteristics, it may have negative effects on operators' cognitive reliability. Firstly, on the basis of three essential prerequisites for successful cognitive tasks, a causal model is constructed to reveal the typical human performance issues arising from digitalization. The cognitive mechanisms which they impact cognitive reliability are analyzed in detail. Then, Bayesian inference is used to quantify and prioritize the influences of these factors. It suggests that interface management and unbalanced workload distribution have more significant impacts on operators' cognitive reliability.

Framing of grid cells within and beyond navigation boundaries

PubMed Central

Savelli, Francesco; Luck, JD; Knierim, James J

2017-01-01

Grid cells represent an ideal candidate to investigate the allocentric determinants of the brain’s cognitive map. Most studies of grid cells emphasized the roles of geometric boundaries within the navigational range of the animal. Behaviors such as novel route-taking between local environments indicate the presence of additional inputs from remote cues beyond the navigational borders. To investigate these influences, we recorded grid cells as rats explored an open-field platform in a room with salient, remote cues. The platform was rotated or translated relative to the room frame of reference. Although the local, geometric frame of reference often exerted the strongest control over the grids, the remote cues demonstrated a consistent, sometimes dominant, countervailing influence. Thus, grid cells are controlled by both local geometric boundaries and remote spatial cues, consistent with prior studies of hippocampal place cells and providing a rich representational repertoire to support complex navigational (and perhaps mnemonic) processes. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.21354.001 PMID:28084992

Characterizing the audibility of sound field with diffusion in architectural spaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Utami, Sentagi Sesotya

The significance of diffusion control in room acoustics is that it attempts to avoid echoes by dispersing reflections while removing less valuable sound energy. Some applications place emphasis on the enhancement of late reflections to promote a sense of envelopment, and on methods required to measure the performance of diffusers. What still remains unclear is the impact of diffusion on the audibility quality due to the geometric arrangement of architectural elements. The objective of this research is to characterize the audibility of the sound field with diffusion in architectural space. In order to address this objective, an approach utilizing various methods and new techniques relevant to room acoustics standards was applied. An array of microphones based on beam forming (i.e., an acoustic camera) was utilized for field measurements in a recording studio, classrooms, auditoriums, concert halls and sport arenas. Given the ability to combine a visual image with acoustical data, the impulse responses measured were analyzed to identify the impact of diffusive surfaces on the early, late, and reverberant sound fields. The effects of the room geometry and the proportions of the diffusive and absorptive surfaces were observed by utilizing geometrical room acoustics simulations. The degree of diffuseness in each space was measured by coherences from different measurement positions along with the acoustical conditions predicted by well-known objective parameters such as T30, EDT, C80, and C50. Noticeable differences of the auditory experience were investigated by utilizing computer-based survey techniques, including the use of an immersive virtual environment system, given the current software auralization capabilities. The results based on statistical analysis demonstrate the users' ability to localize the sound and to distinguish the intensity, clarity, and reverberation created within the virtual environment. Impact of architectural elements in diffusion control is evaluated by the design variable interaction, objectively and subjectively. Effectiveness of the diffusive surfaces is determined by the echo reduction and the sense of complete immersion in a given room acoustics volume. Application of such methodology at various stages of design provides the ability to create a better auditory experience by the users. The results based on the cases studied have contributed to the development of new acoustical treatment based on the diffusion characteristics.

KSC-2012-6402

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Firing Room 1, also known as the Young-Crippen Firing Room, has been outfitted with computer, communications and networking systems to host rockets and spacecraft that are currently under development. The firing room is where the launch of rockets and spacecraft are controlled at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Flight controllers also monitor processing and preparations of launch vehicles from the firing room. There are four firing rooms inside the Launch Control Center at Kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Dmitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2012-6401

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-11-16

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Firing Room 1, also known as the Young-Crippen Firing Room, has been outfitted with computer, communications and networking systems to host rockets and spacecraft that are currently under development. The firing room is where the launch of rockets and spacecraft are controlled at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Flight controllers also monitor processing and preparations of launch vehicles from the firing room. There are four firing rooms inside the Launch Control Center at Kennedy. Photo credit: NASA/Dmitri Gerondidakis

Action research to improve methods of delivery and feedback in an Access Grid Room environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McArthur, Lynne C.; Klass, Lara; Eberhard, Andrew; Stacey, Andrew

2011-12-01

This article describes a qualitative study which was undertaken to improve the delivery methods and feedback opportunity in honours mathematics lectures which are delivered through Access Grid Rooms. Access Grid Rooms are facilities that provide two-way video and audio interactivity across multiple sites, with the inclusion of smart boards. The principal aim was to improve the student learning experience, given the new environment. The specific aspects of the course delivery that the study focused on included presentation of materials and provision of opportunities for interaction between the students and between students and lecturers. The practical considerations in the delivery of distance learning are well documented in the literature, and similar problems arise in the Access Grid Room environment; in particular, those of limited access to face-to-face interaction and the reduction in peer support. The nature of the Access Grid Room classes implies that students studying the same course can be physically situated in different cities, and possibly in different countries. When studying, it is important that students have opportunity to discuss new concepts with others; particularly their peers and their lecturer. The Access Grid Room environment also presents new challenges for the lecturer, who must learn new skills in the delivery of materials. The unique nature of Access Grid Room technology offers unprecedented opportunity for effective course delivery and positive outcomes for students, and was developed in response to a need to be able to interact with complex data, other students and the instructor, in real-time, at a distance and from multiple sites. This is a relatively new technology and as yet there has been little or no studies specifically addressing the use and misuse of the technology. The study found that the correct placement of cameras and the use of printed material and smart boards were all crucial to the student experience. In addition, the inclusion of special tutorial type sessions were necessary to provide opportunities to students for one-on-one discussion with both lecturer and other students. This study contributes to the broader understanding of distance education in general and future Access Grid Room course delivery in particular.

Effects of room environment and nursing experience on clinical blood pressure measurement: an observational study.

PubMed

Zhang, Meng; Zhang, Xuemei; Chen, Fei; Dong, Birong; Chen, Aiqing; Zheng, Dingchang

2017-04-01

This study aimed to examine the effects of measurement room environment and nursing experience on the accuracy of manual auscultatory blood pressure (BP) measurement. A training database with 32 Korotkoff sounds recordings from the British Hypertension Society was played randomly to 20 observers who were divided into four groups according to the years of their nursing experience (i.e. ≥10 years, 1-9 years, nursing students with frequent training, and those without any medical background; five observers in each group). All the observers were asked to determine manual auscultatory systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) both in a quiet clinical assessment room and in a noisy nurse station area. This procedure was repeated on another day, yielding a total of four measurements from each observer (i.e. two room environments and two repeated determinations on 2 separate days) for each Korotkoff sound. The measurement error was then calculated against the reference answer, with the effects of room environment and nursing experience of the observer investigated. Our results showed that there was no statistically significant difference for BPs measured under both quiet and noisy environments (P>0.80 for both SBP and DBP). However, there was a significant effect on the measurement accuracy between the observer groups (P<0.001 for both SBP and DBP). The nursing students performed best with overall SBP and DBP errors of -0.8±2.4 and 0.1±1.8 mmHg, respectively. The SBP measurement error from the nursing students was significantly smaller than that for each of the other three groups (all P<0.001). Our results indicate that frequent nursing trainings are important for nurses to achieve accurate manual auscultatory BP measurement.

Sensitive and Selective NH₃ Monitoring at Room Temperature Using ZnO Ceramic Nanofibers Decorated with Poly(styrene sulfonate).

PubMed

Andre, Rafaela S; Kwak, Dongwook; Dong, Qiuchen; Zhong, Wei; Correa, Daniel S; Mattoso, Luiz H C; Lei, Yu

2018-04-01

Ammonia (NH₃) gas is a prominent air pollutant that is frequently found in industrial and livestock production environments. Due to the importance in controlling pollution and protecting public health, the development of new platforms for sensing NH₃ at room temperature has attracted great attention. In this study, a sensitive NH₃ gas device with enhanced selectivity is developed based on zinc oxide nanofibers (ZnO NFs) decorated with poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) and operated at room temperature. ZnO NFs were prepared by electrospinning followed by calcination at 500 °C for 3 h. The electrospun ZnO NFs are characterized to evaluate the properties of the as-prepared sensing materials. The loading of PSS to prepare ZnO NFs/PSS composite is also optimized based on the best sensing performance. Under the optimal composition, ZnO NFs/PSS displays rapid, reversible, and sensitive response upon NH₃ exposure at room temperature. The device shows a dynamic linear range up to 100 ppm and a limit of detection of 3.22 ppm and enhanced selectivity toward NH₃ in synthetic air, against NO₂ and CO, compared to pure ZnO NFs. Additionally, a sensing mechanism is proposed to illustrate the sensing performance using ZnO NFs/PSS composite. Therefore, this study provides a simple methodology to design a sensitive platform for NH₃ monitoring at room temperature.

[Hygienic relevance of devices for indoor air treatment].

PubMed

Wegner, J

1982-01-01

Shortcomings regarding design, construction, operation (including emissions), maintenance/repair and control of buildings with rooms for the accommodation of persons may be the reason to install air conditioning devices. According to manufacturers' data, such devices may be applied for various purposes, e.g. the creation of a defined air temperature or humidity, an increase of the supply of outdoor air, the cleaning and deodorization of indoor air or the alteration of the so-called electric climate of a room. The hygienic health evaluation of the different types of air conditioning devices should establish whether --there are aspects of health necessitating alterations of the microclimate of a room; --such alterations could be brought about in a more economic way by purely constructional or individual measures; --the function of individual apparatuses could be accomplished in a better way by replacing them by a larger device serving several rooms; --the operation of such devices may produce adverse health effects such as nuisance by noise, formation of undesirable gases (ozone), danger owing to non-adherence to electric safety rules; --there will be no damage to rooms and furniture, e.g. by water droplets. A look at a number of commercially available devices shows that they are generally dispensable. There are, however, special rare cases where the use of such devices may result in an improvement of the quality of indoor environments.

Virtual operating room for team training in surgery.

PubMed

Abelson, Jonathan S; Silverman, Elliott; Banfelder, Jason; Naides, Alexandra; Costa, Ricardo; Dakin, Gregory

2015-09-01

We proposed to develop a novel virtual reality (VR) team training system. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of creating a VR operating room to simulate a surgical crisis scenario and evaluate the simulator for construct and face validity. We modified ICE STORM (Integrated Clinical Environment; Systems, Training, Operations, Research, Methods), a VR-based system capable of modeling a variety of health care personnel and environments. ICE STORM was used to simulate a standardized surgical crisis scenario, whereby participants needed to correct 4 elements responsible for loss of laparoscopic visualization. The construct and face validity of the environment were measured. Thirty-three participants completed the VR simulation. Attendings completed the simulation in less time than trainees (271 vs 201 seconds, P = .032). Participants felt the training environment was realistic and had a favorable impression of the simulation. All participants felt the workload of the simulation was low. Creation of a VR-based operating room for team training in surgery is feasible and can afford a realistic team training environment. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Smart Offices and Intelligent Decision Rooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramos, Carlos; Marreiros, Goreti; Santos, Ricardo; Freitas, Carlos Filipe

Nowadays computing technology research is focused on the development of Smart Environments. Following that line of thought several Smart Rooms projects were developed and their appliances are very diversified. The appliances include projects in the context of workplace or everyday living, entertainment, play and education. These appliances envisage to acquire and apply knowledge about the environment state in order to reason about it so as to define a desired state for its inhabitants and perform adaptation adaptation to these desires and therefore improving their involvement and satisfaction with that environment.

Bio-Kil, a nano-based disinfectant, reduces environmental bacterial burden and multidrug-resistant organisms in intensive care units.

PubMed

Lee, Wen-Sen; Hsieh, Tai-Chin; Shiau, Justine C; Ou, Tsong-Yih; Chen, Fu-Lun; Liu, Yu-Hsin; Yen, Muh-Yong; Hsueh, Po-Ren

2017-10-01

This prospective before-after study was intended to investigate the effect of Bio-Kil on reducing environmental bacterial burden and healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) in intensive care units (ICUs) at the Municipal Wan-Fang Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan in 2014. Four rooms in the medical and surgical ICUs were investigated and designated as study rooms (n = 2) or control rooms (n = 2). Routine disinfection was performed during the pre-intervention period in both room types. Bio-Kil was applied to the fomites and surroundings of the study rooms during the intervention period. Total bacterial burden and proportion of colonization of fomites and surroundings by multidrug-resistance organisms (MDROs) were determined before and after the intervention. The demographic characteristics, underlying conditions, and clinical outcomes of patients were analyzed. After application of Bio-Kil, the bacterial burden declined in both groups, although the reduction was greater in the study rooms as compared with the control rooms (p = 0.001). During the pre-intervention period, 16 patients were admitted to control rooms and 18 patients to study rooms. After the intervention, 22 patients were admitted to control rooms and 21 patients to study rooms. The number of cases of new-onset sepsis declined in the intervention group (from 33% to 23.8%), but increased in the control group (from 25% to 40.9%); however, there was no significant difference in incidence of new-onset sepsis between the study and control rooms after intervention. Application of Bio-Kil reduced the environmental bacterial burden and MDROs in ICUs. Further studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of this nanotechnology-based disinfectant in reducing HAIs. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Virtual reality in the operating room of the future.

PubMed

Müller, W; Grosskopf, S; Hildebrand, A; Malkewitz, R; Ziegler, R

1997-01-01

In cooperation with the Max-Delbrück-Centrum/Robert-Rössle-Klinik (MDC/RRK) in Berlin, the Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics is currently designing and developing a scenario for the operating room of the future. The goal of this project is to integrate new analysis, visualization and interaction tools in order to optimize and refine tumor diagnostics and therapy in combination with laser technology and remote stereoscopic video transfer. Hence, a human 3-D reference model is reconstructed using CT, MR, and anatomical cryosection images from the National Library of Medicine's Visible Human Project. Applying segmentation algorithms and surface-polygonization methods a 3-D representation is obtained. In addition, a "fly-through" the virtual patient is realized using 3-D input devices (data glove, tracking system, 6-DOF mouse). In this way, the surgeon can experience really new perspectives of the human anatomy. Moreover, using a virtual cutting plane any cut of the CT volume can be interactively placed and visualized in realtime. In conclusion, this project delivers visions for the application of effective visualization and VR systems. Commonly known as Virtual Prototyping and applied by the automotive industry long ago, this project shows, that the use of VR techniques can also prototype an operating room. After evaluating design and functionality of the virtual operating room, MDC plans to build real ORs in the near future. The use of VR techniques provides a more natural interface for the surgeon in the OR (e.g., controlling interactions by voice input). Besides preoperative planning future work will focus on supporting the surgeon in performing surgical interventions. An optimal synthesis of real and synthetic data, and the inclusion of visual, aural, and tactile senses in virtual environments can meet these requirements. This Augmented Reality could represent the environment for the surgeons of tomorrow.

Fungi inhabiting household environments in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Bokhary, H A; Parvez, S

1995-05-01

Fungi inhabiting household environments in the West, East and Central localities of Riyadh city were screened. The screened area included bedrooms, drawing rooms, living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms. The common genera of fungi isolated were Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cercospora, Chaetomium, Cladosporium, Curvularia, Drechslera, Embellisia, Fusarium, Mucor, Penicillium, Rhizopus, Scytalidium, Trichoderma, Torula and Ulocladium. Two uncommon genera Nodulosporium and Oidiodendron for Saudi Arabian mycoflora were also isolated. In all the localities, the highest number of fungal colonies per plate or per gram were found in the living rooms, followed by bedrooms. The number of colonies per plate or per gram was in general higher in densely populated than in less populated areas.

Maintaining a Class M 5.5 environment in a Class M 6.5 cleanroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, David W.; Hedgeland, Randy J.; Geer, Wayne C.; Greenberg, Barry N.

1994-10-01

During Kennedy Space Center processing of the Hubble Space Telescope First Servicing Mission, critical optical components were integrated in a Class 100,000 (M 6.5 at 0.5 micrometers and 5.0 micrometers , per Fed-Std 209E) cleanroom. A Class 10,000 (M 5.5) environment was mandated by the 400B (per Mil-Std 1246B) surface cleanliness requirement of the Scientific Instruments. To maintain a Class M 5.5 environment, a contamination control plan was implemented which addressed personnel constraints, operations, and site management. This plan limited personnel access, imposed strict gowning requirements, and increased cleanroom janitorial operations, prohibited operations known to generate contamination while sensitive hardware was exposed to the environment, and controlled roadwork, insecticide spraying, and similar activities. Facility preparations included a ceiling to floor cleaning, sealing of vents and doors, and revising the garment change room entry patterns. The cleanroom was successfully run below Class 5000 while the instruments were present; certain operations, however, were observed to cause local contamination levels to increase above Class M 5.5.

A unique facility for V/STOL aircraft hover testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Culpepper, R. G.; Murphy, R. D.

1979-01-01

The paper discusses the Navy's XFV-12A tethered hover testing capabilities utilizing NASA's Impact Dynamic Research Facility (IDRF) at Langley. The facility allows for both static and dynamic tethered hover test operations to be undertaken with safety. The installation which consists of the 'Z' system (tether), restraint system, static tiedowns and the control room and console, is presented in detail. Among the capabilities demonstrated were the ability to recover the aircraft anytime during a test, to rapidly and safely define control limits, and to provide a realistic environment for pilot training and proficiency in VTOL flight.

Finding privacy from a public death: a qualitative exploration of how a dedicated space for end-of-life care in an acute hospital impacts on dying patients and their families.

PubMed

Slatyer, Susan; Pienaar, Catherine; Williams, Anne M; Proctor, Karen; Hewitt, Laura

2015-08-01

To explore the experiences and perceptions of hospital staff caring for dying patients in a dedicated patient/family room (named Lotus Room). Dying in hospital is a common outcome for people across the world. However, noise and activity in acute environments present barriers to quality end-of-life care. This is of concern because care provided to dying patients has been shown to affect both the patients and the bereaved families. A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 multidisciplinary staff and seven families provided information through an investigator-developed instrument. Qualitative data analysis generated three categories describing: Dying in an hospital; The Lotus Room; and the Outcomes for patients and families. The Lotus Room was seen as a large, private and, ultimately, safe space for patients and families within the public hospital environment. Family feedback supported staff perspectives that the Lotus Room facilitated family presence and communication. The privacy afforded by the Lotus Room within this acute hospital provided benefits for the dying patients and grieving families. Improved outcomes included a peaceful death for patients, which may have assisted the family with their bereavement. This study provides evidence of how the physical environment can address well-established barriers to quality end-of-life care in acute hospitals. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Action Research to Improve Methods of Delivery and Feedback in an Access Grid Room Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McArthur, Lynne C.; Klass, Lara; Eberhard, Andrew; Stacey, Andrew

2011-01-01

This article describes a qualitative study which was undertaken to improve the delivery methods and feedback opportunity in honours mathematics lectures which are delivered through Access Grid Rooms. Access Grid Rooms are facilities that provide two-way video and audio interactivity across multiple sites, with the inclusion of smart boards. The…

Residence as a Diagnostic and Therapeutic Area - A Smart Home Approach.

PubMed

Mielke, Corinna; Voss, Thorsten; Haux, Reinhold

2017-01-01

The "research apartment Halberstadtstraße" (HSS) in Braunschweig, Germany, is the attempt to realize a personal living environment as a room for diagnostics and therapy with the support of health-enabling and ambient assistive technologies (HEAAT). As a research tool, the HSS will enable the efficient implementation of new HEAAT and help in evaluating these under controlled real-life conditions. This new research tool will therefore be the missing link between artificial laboratory and complete real-life conditions. For a defined period, selected subjects can live in the HSS and experience the benefit of such a "Smart Home". The academic support in a real-life controlled living-environment enables continuous monitoring of behavior patterns and habits of healthy and ill persons, evaluation of new HEAAT, and conduction of requirements analysis and acceptance studies.

Infection control in the operating room: is it more than a clean dish?

PubMed

Loftus, Randy W

2016-04-01

Healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) are driven by a complex interplay between host defenses, pathogen traits, and pathogen transmission. A better understanding of each of these factors is required to extend infection control beyond antibiotic therapy to improvements in basic preventive measures that can achieve sustained HCAI reductions. The purpose of this article is to review recent advancements in our understanding of these issues for the operating room environment. The importance and implications of intraoperative bacterial transmission have been solidified, and hyper transmissible, virulent, and antibiotic resistant bacterial strains have been characterized. As a result, a best practice for improved intraoperative infection control has been delineated. Little advancement has been made in our understanding of the efficacy of higher inspired oxygen concentrations, improved postoperative glucose control, perioperative normothermia, and prophylactic antibiotic selection, timing, and dose for HCAI prevention. Recent work has led to the development of evidence-based hand hygiene, environmental cleaning, patient decolonization, and intravascular catheter design and handling improvement strategies. Evidence suggests that a best practice for postoperative infection control is a multimodal program that utilizes these interventions to target patient, provider, and environmental reservoirs in parallel. The development of novel diagnostic tools for targeted attenuation of hyper virulent, transmissible and resistant strains/strain characteristics is indicated to improve patient decolonization efforts.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the high bay clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers prepare NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft for transfer to a work stand. There employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the high bay clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers prepare NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft for transfer to a work stand. There employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers begin moving NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft into the building MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - is being taken into a high bay clean room where employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers begin moving NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft into the building MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - is being taken into a high bay clean room where employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, a lift begins lowering NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft onto the ground. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be taken into a high bay clean room and employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, a lift begins lowering NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft onto the ground. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be taken into a high bay clean room and employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the high bay clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers get ready to remove the protective cover from NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. Employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the high bay clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers get ready to remove the protective cover from NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. Employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers check the moveable pallet holding NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be taken into a high bay clean room and employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers check the moveable pallet holding NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be taken into a high bay clean room and employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

The Portable War Room Research Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Govers, Francis X., III; Fry, Mark

1997-01-01

The Portable War Room is an internal TASC project to research and develop a visualization and simulation environment to provide for decision makers the power to review the past, understand the present, and peer into the future.

Temporal and Spatial Dispersal of Cladobotryum Conidia in the Controlled Environment of a Mushroom Growing Room▿

PubMed Central

Adie, Bruce; Grogan, Helen; Archer, Simon; Mills, Peter

2006-01-01

Cladobotryum spp. are responsible for cobweb disease of mushrooms. In two commercial and one experimental mushroom-growing room, Cladobotryum conidia were released into the air in direct response to physical disturbance of disease colonies during either crop watering or treatment by covering with salt to 10 mm. Conidia were detected using a Burkard spore trap or agar-based trap plates. A maximum concentration of ∼25,000 conidia m−3 was recorded in a small (75-m3) experimental growing room in the hour following the salting of 16 cobweb patches (0.55 m2). Concentrations of 100 and 40 conidia m−3 were recorded in the two larger commercial growing rooms in the hour following the salting of 18 and 11 patches of cobweb (diameter, approximately 50 to 200 mm), respectively. In controlled experiments, disturbed conidia were dispersed rapidly throughout a small growing room, with 91 to 97% of conidia settling out within 15 min. Eighty-five percent of conidia settled out within a 0.5-m radius when air-conditioning fans were switched off, consistent with airborne spore dispersal. Alternative methods for treating diseased areas to minimize conidial release and distribution were investigated and included covering disease colonies with damp paper tissue prior to salt application (tissue salting) and holding a dust extractor above disease colonies during salt application. Both methods resulted in no detectable airborne conidia, but the tissue paper salting technique was more convenient. Prevention of airborne conidial release and distribution is essential to avoid mushroom spotting symptoms, secondary colonies, and early crop termination. PMID:16980426

Full immersion simulation: validation of a distributed simulation environment for technical and non-technical skills training in Urology.

PubMed

Brewin, James; Tang, Jessica; Dasgupta, Prokar; Khan, Muhammad S; Ahmed, Kamran; Bello, Fernando; Kneebone, Roger; Jaye, Peter

2015-07-01

To evaluate the face, content and construct validity of the distributed simulation (DS) environment for technical and non-technical skills training in endourology. To evaluate the educational impact of DS for urology training. DS offers a portable, low-cost simulated operating room environment that can be set up in any open space. A prospective mixed methods design using established validation methodology was conducted in this simulated environment with 10 experienced and 10 trainee urologists. All participants performed a simulated prostate resection in the DS environment. Outcome measures included surveys to evaluate the DS, as well as comparative analyses of experienced and trainee urologist's performance using real-time and 'blinded' video analysis and validated performance metrics. Non-parametric statistical methods were used to compare differences between groups. The DS environment demonstrated face, content and construct validity for both non-technical and technical skills. Kirkpatrick level 1 evidence for the educational impact of the DS environment was shown. Further studies are needed to evaluate the effect of simulated operating room training on real operating room performance. This study has shown the validity of the DS environment for non-technical, as well as technical skills training. DS-based simulation appears to be a valuable addition to traditional classroom-based simulation training. © 2014 The Authors BJU International © 2014 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Impact of indoor environment on path loss in body area networks.

PubMed

Hausman, Sławomir; Januszkiewicz, Łukasz

2014-10-20

In this paper the influence of an example indoor environment on narrowband radio channel path loss for body area networks operating around 2.4 GHz is investigated using computer simulations and on-site measurements. In contrast to other similar studies, the simulation model included both a numerical human body phantom and its environment-room walls, floor and ceiling. As an example, radio signal attenuation between two different configurations of transceivers with dipole antennas placed in a direct vicinity of a human body (on-body scenario) is analyzed by computer simulations for several types of reflecting environments. In the analyzed case the propagation environments comprised a human body and office room walls. As a reference environment for comparison, free space with only a conducting ground plane, modelling a steel mesh reinforced concrete floor, was chosen. The transmitting and receiving antennas were placed in two on-body configurations chest-back and chest-arm. Path loss vs. frequency simulation results obtained using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method and a multi-tissue anthropomorphic phantom were compared to results of measurements taken with a vector network analyzer with a human subject located in an average-size empty cuboidal office room. A comparison of path loss values in different environments variants gives some qualitative and quantitative insight into the adequacy of simplified indoor environment model for the indoor body area network channel representation.

Inactivation of Poxviruses by Upper-Room UVC Light in a Simulated Hospital Room Environment

PubMed Central

McDevitt, James J.; Milton, Donald K.; Rudnick, Stephen N.; First, Melvin W.

2008-01-01

In the event of a smallpox outbreak due to bioterrorism, delays in vaccination programs may lead to significant secondary transmission. In the early phases of such an outbreak, transmission of smallpox will take place especially in locations where infected persons may congregate, such as hospital emergency rooms. Air disinfection using upper-room 254 nm (UVC) light can lower the airborne concentrations of infective viruses in the lower part of the room, and thereby control the spread of airborne infections among room occupants without exposing occupants to a significant amount of UVC. Using vaccinia virus aerosols as a surrogate for smallpox we report on the effectiveness of air disinfection, via upper-room UVC light, under simulated real world conditions including the effects of convection, mechanical mixing, temperature and relative humidity. In decay experiments, upper-room UVC fixtures used with mixing by a conventional ceiling fan produced decreases in airborne virus concentrations that would require additional ventilation of more than 87 air changes per hour. Under steady state conditions the effective air changes per hour associated with upper-room UVC ranged from 18 to 1000. The surprisingly high end of the observed range resulted from the extreme susceptibility of vaccinia virus to UVC at low relative humidity and use of 4 UVC fixtures in a small room with efficient air mixing. Increasing the number of UVC fixtures or mechanical ventilation rates resulted in greater fractional reduction in virus aerosol and UVC effectiveness was higher in winter compared to summer for each scenario tested. These data demonstrate that upper-room UVC has the potential to greatly reduce exposure to susceptible viral aerosols. The greater survival at baseline and greater UVC susceptibility of vaccinia under winter conditions suggest that while risk from an aerosol attack with smallpox would be greatest in winter, protective measures using UVC may also be most efficient at this time. These data may also be relevant to influenza, which also has improved aerosol survival at low RH and somewhat similar sensitivity to UVC. PMID:18781204

Effects of acoustic environment on work in private office rooms and open-plan offices - longitudinal study during relocation.

PubMed

Kaarlela-Tuomaala, A; Helenius, R; Keskinen, E; Hongisto, V

2009-11-01

The aim was to determine how the perceived work environment, especially acoustic environment, and its effects differed in private office rooms and in open-plan offices. The subjects consisted of 31 workers who moved from private office rooms to open-plan offices and who answered the questionnaire before and after the relocation. Private office rooms were occupied only by one person while open-plan offices were occupied by more than 20 persons. Room acoustical descriptors showed a significant reduction in speech privacy after relocation. The noise level averaged over the whole work day did not change but the variability of noise level reduced significantly. Negative effects of acoustic environment increased significantly, including increased distraction, reduced privacy, increased concentration difficulties and increased use of coping strategies. Self-rated loss of work performance because of noise doubled. Cognitively demanding work and phone conversations were most distracted by noise. The benefits that are often associated with open-plan offices did not appear: cooperation became less pleasant and direct and information flow did not change. Nowadays, most office workers, independent of job type, are located in open-plan offices without the individual needs of privacy, concentration and interaction being analysed. This intervention study consisted of professional workers. Their work tasks mainly required individual efforts, and interaction between other workers was not of primary concern, although necessary. The results suggest that the open-plan office is not recommended for professional workers. Similar intervention studies should also be made for other job types.

Architectural design influences the diversity and structure of the built environment microbiome

PubMed Central

Kembel, Steven W; Jones, Evan; Kline, Jeff; Northcutt, Dale; Stenson, Jason; Womack, Ann M; Bohannan, Brendan JM; Brown, G Z; Green, Jessica L

2012-01-01

Buildings are complex ecosystems that house trillions of microorganisms interacting with each other, with humans and with their environment. Understanding the ecological and evolutionary processes that determine the diversity and composition of the built environment microbiome—the community of microorganisms that live indoors—is important for understanding the relationship between building design, biodiversity and human health. In this study, we used high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene to quantify relationships between building attributes and airborne bacterial communities at a health-care facility. We quantified airborne bacterial community structure and environmental conditions in patient rooms exposed to mechanical or window ventilation and in outdoor air. The phylogenetic diversity of airborne bacterial communities was lower indoors than outdoors, and mechanically ventilated rooms contained less diverse microbial communities than did window-ventilated rooms. Bacterial communities in indoor environments contained many taxa that are absent or rare outdoors, including taxa closely related to potential human pathogens. Building attributes, specifically the source of ventilation air, airflow rates, relative humidity and temperature, were correlated with the diversity and composition of indoor bacterial communities. The relative abundance of bacteria closely related to human pathogens was higher indoors than outdoors, and higher in rooms with lower airflow rates and lower relative humidity. The observed relationship between building design and airborne bacterial diversity suggests that we can manage indoor environments, altering through building design and operation the community of microbial species that potentially colonize the human microbiome during our time indoors. PMID:22278670

Main Control Room, view to the east. The door to ...

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

Main Control Room, view to the east. The door to the motor room is to the right, and the main control cabinets are to the left - Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation System, Pumping Plant No. 1, Bounded by Gila River & Union Pacific Railroad, Wellton, Yuma County, AZ

Human Factors Guidance for Control Room and Digital Human-System Interface Design and Modification, Guidelines for Planning, Specification, Design, Licensing, Implementation, Training, Operation and Maintenance

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

R. Fink, D. Hill, J. O'Hara

2004-11-30

Nuclear plant operators face a significant challenge designing and modifying control rooms. This report provides guidance on planning, designing, implementing and operating modernized control rooms and digital human-system interfaces.

40 CFR Table 8 to Subpart IIIii of... - Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring Program

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 13 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring... Mercury Cell Chlor-Alkali Plants Pt. 63, Subpt. IIIII, Table 8 Table 8 to Subpart IIIII of Part 63—Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring Program As stated in § 63.8192(g)(1), your mercury monitoring system must...

"Whose Room This Is I Think I Know"; Toilet Bowls and Tree Trunks: Changing the High School English Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veix, Donald B.

1976-01-01

Students of English brought into the classroom subject-related objects, changing their room constantly as new ideas and concepts were encountered; their teacher believes that students contributing to the physical environment of their room are more imaginative and freer to try different activities than students who are passive and uninvolved. (JD)

40 CFR Table 8 to Subpart IIIii of... - Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring Program

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 13 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring... Mercury Cell Chlor-Alkali Plants Pt. 63, Subpt. IIIII, Table 8 Table 8 to Subpart IIIII of Part 63—Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring Program As stated in § 63.8192(g)(1), your mercury monitoring system must...

40 CFR Table 8 to Subpart IIIii of... - Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring Program

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 14 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring... Mercury Cell Chlor-Alkali Plants Pt. 63, Subpt. IIIII, Table 8 Table 8 to Subpart IIIII of Part 63—Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring Program As stated in § 63.8192(g)(1), your mercury monitoring system must...

40 CFR Table 8 to Subpart IIIii of... - Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring Program

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 14 2012-07-01 2011-07-01 true Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring... Mercury Cell Chlor-Alkali Plants Pt. 63, Subpt. IIIII, Table 8 Table 8 to Subpart IIIII of Part 63—Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring Program As stated in § 63.8192(g)(1), your mercury monitoring system must...

40 CFR Table 8 to Subpart IIIii of... - Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring Program

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 14 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring... Mercury Cell Chlor-Alkali Plants Pt. 63, Subpt. IIIII, Table 8 Table 8 to Subpart IIIII of Part 63—Requirements for Cell Room Monitoring Program As stated in § 63.8192(g)(1), your mercury monitoring system must...

Seasonal mapping of NICU temperature.

PubMed

Thomas, Karen A; Magbalot, Almita; Shinabarger, Kelley; Mokhnach, Larisa; Anderson, Marilyn; Diercks, Kristi; Millar, April; Thorngate, Lauren; Walker, Wendy; Dilback, Nancy; Berkan, Maureen

2010-04-01

To create a thermal map of ambient air, radiant, and evaporative temperatures and humidity throughout the NICU nursery by season across a calendar year. Each cubicle of the 32-bed NICU, distributed across 5 rooms, in a level III nursery was measured. Temperatures were recorded at a consistent time on one day during January, April, July, and October. An electronic monitor (QUESTemp degrees 34; Quest Technologies, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin) was used to measure dry bulb, wet bulb, and globe thermometer temperatures. Analysis of variance revealed statistically significant (P < .000) differences in season, room, and season by room interaction. Room ambient air temperatures differed by less than 2 degrees F across season. Radiant temperature paralleled air temperature. Humidity, the predominant difference across season, produced evaporative temperatures considerably lower than room air temperature, and the gradient between mean nursery dry bulb temperature and wet bulb temperature was 9.3 degrees F in summer and 16.8 degrees F in winter. The thermal map revealed seasonal thermal differences, particularly in humidity level and evaporative temperature. Room temperature alone does not reflect the total thermal environment. Recommendations include periodic assessment of nurseries along with air, evaporative, and radiant temperatures as well as humidity to fully appreciate the impact of the thermal environment on infants.

Seasonal mapping of NICU temperature.

PubMed

Thomas, Karen A; Magbalot, Almita; Shinabarger, Kelley; Mokhnach, Larisa; Anderson, Marilyn; Diercks, Kristi; Millar, April; Thorngate, Lauren; Walker, Wendy; Dilback, Nancy; Berkan, Maureen

2010-10-01

To create a thermal map of ambient air, radiant, and evaporative temperatures and humidity throughout the NICU nursery by season across a calendar year. Each cubicle of the 32-bed NICU, distributed across 5 rooms, in a level III nursery was measured. Temperatures were recorded at a consistent time on one day during January, April, July, and October. : An electronic monitor (QUESTemp ° 34; Quest Technologies, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin) was used to measure dry bulb, wet bulb, and globe thermometer temperatures. Analysis of variance revealed statistically significant (P ≤ .000) differences in season, room, and season by room interaction. Room ambient air temperatures differed by less than 2 ° F across season. Radiant temperature paralleled air temperature. Humidity, the predominant difference across season, produced evaporative temperatures considerably lower than room air temperature, and the gradient between mean nursery dry bulb temperature and wet bulb temperature was 9.3 ° F in summer and 16.8 ° F in winter. The thermal map revealed seasonal thermal differences, particularly in humidity level and evaporative temperature. Room temperature alone does not reflect the total thermal environment. Recommendations include periodic assessment of nurseries along with air, evaporative, and radiant temperatures as well as humidity to fully appreciate the impact of the thermal environment on infants.

Molecular bacterial community analysis of clean rooms where spacecraft are assembled.

PubMed

Moissl, Christine; Osman, Shariff; La Duc, Myron T; Dekas, Anne; Brodie, Eoin; DeSantis, Todd; Desantis, Tadd; Venkateswaran, Kasthuri

2007-09-01

Molecular bacterial community composition was characterized from three geographically distinct spacecraft-associated clean rooms to determine whether such populations are influenced by the surrounding environment or the maintenance of the clean rooms. Samples were collected from facilities at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Kennedy Space Flight Center (KSC), and Johnson Space Center (JSC). Nine clone libraries representing different surfaces within the spacecraft facilities and three libraries from the surrounding air were created. Despite the highly desiccated, nutrient-bare conditions within these clean rooms, a broad diversity of bacteria was detected, covering all the main bacterial phyla. Furthermore, the bacterial communities were significantly different from each other, revealing only a small subset of microorganisms common to all locations (e.g. Sphingomonas, Staphylococcus). Samples from JSC assembly room surfaces showed the greatest diversity of bacteria, particularly within the Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria. The bacterial community structure of KSC assembly surfaces revealed a high presence of proteobacterial groups, whereas the surface samples collected from the JPL assembly facility showed a predominance of Firmicutes. Our study presents the first extended molecular survey and comparison of NASA spacecraft assembly facilities, and provides new insights into the bacterial diversity of clean room environments .

History and applications in controlled environments

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

Downs, R.J.

1994-12-31

The widespread application of electric (often called artificial) light in greenhouses, growing rooms, and plant growth chambers would presuppose that the role of phytochrome would be considered in the selection and use of such lighting systems. Part of the problem is that many students, and indeed an unfortunate number of senior scientists, seem to regard phytochrome as a laboratory phenomenon without much application in the real world. They simply have not grasped the concept that phytochrome is functioning through all stages of plant development, wherever plants are grown. It is certainly true, as Meijer (1971) stated, that one cannot comparemore » experimental results obtained under very strict laboratory conditions with plant irradiation in glasshouses and in growth rooms. For example, the action spectrum for flowering of the long-day plant, Hyoscyamus niger, clearly shows that red radiation is the most efficient portion of the spectrum for promoting flower initiation, but in practical photoperiod control red or fluorescent lamps do not promote flowering nearly as well as the mixture of red and far-red in incandescent lamps. Nevertheless, much evidence exists that documents phytochrome control of plant growth and development in controlled environments and under natural conditions. When Karl Norris developed the first practical portable spectroradiometer about 1962 some of the first measurements were to determine the red/far-red ratios under tree canopies. These measurements showed clearly the predominance of far-red in the understory and suggested that far-red was contributing to the elongation exhibited by many species growing in the shade, and possibly was a factor in the induction of light requirements in seeds. Subsequently we used Catalpa leaves as far-red filters to make light-insensitive lettuce seed light requiring.« less

Magnetically suspended stepping motors for clean room and vacuum environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higuchi, Toshiro

1994-01-01

To answer the growing needs for super-clean or contact free actuators for uses in clean rooms, vacuum chambers, and space, innovative actuators which combine the functions of stepping motors and magnetic bearings in one body were developed. The rotor of the magnetically suspended stepping motor is suspended like a magnetic bearing and rotated and positioned like a stepping motor. The important trait of the motor is that it is not a simple mixture or combination of a stepping motor and conventional magnetic bearing, but an amalgam of a stepping motor and a magnetic bearing. Owing to optimal design and feed-back control, a toothed stator and rotor are all that are needed structurewise for stable suspension. More than ten types of motors such as linear type, high accuracy rotary type, two-dimensional type, and high vacuum type were built and tested. This paper describes the structure and design of these motors and their performance for such applications as precise positioning rotary table, linear conveyor system, and theta-zeta positioner for clean room and high vacuum use.

User evaluation of an innovative digital reading room.

PubMed

Hugine, Akilah; Guerlain, Stephanie; Hedge, Alan

2012-06-01

Reading room design can have a major impact on radiologists' health, productivity, and accuracy in reading. Several factors must be taken into account in order to optimize the work environment for radiologists. Further, with the advancement in imaging technology, clinicians now have the ability to view and see digital exams without having to interact with radiologists. However, it is important to design components that encourage and enhance interactions between clinicians and radiologists to increase patient safety, and to combine physician and radiologist expertise. The present study evaluates alternative workstations in a real-world testbed space, using qualitative data (users' perspectives) to measure satisfaction with the lighting, ergonomics, furniture, collaborative spaces, and radiologist workstations. In addition, we consider the impact of the added collaboration components of the future reading room design, by utilizing user evaluation surveys to devise baseline satisfaction data regarding the innovative reading room environment.

An Informationally Structured Room for Robotic Assistance †

PubMed Central

Tsuji, Tokuo; Mozos, Oscar Martinez; Chae, Hyunuk; Pyo, Yoonseok; Kusaka, Kazuya; Hasegawa, Tsutomu; Morooka, Ken'ichi; Kurazume, Ryo

2015-01-01

The application of assistive technologies for elderly people is one of the most promising and interesting scenarios for intelligent technologies in the present and near future. Moreover, the improvement of the quality of life for the elderly is one of the first priorities in modern countries and societies. In this work, we present an informationally structured room that is aimed at supporting the daily life activities of elderly people. This room integrates different sensor modalities in a natural and non-invasive way inside the environment. The information gathered by the sensors is processed and sent to a centralized management system, which makes it available to a service robot assisting the people. One important restriction of our intelligent room is reducing as much as possible any interference with daily activities. Finally, this paper presents several experiments and situations using our intelligent environment in cooperation with our service robot. PMID:25912347

The ergonomic conundrum for technology integration.

PubMed

Ahearn, David

2006-01-01

In the operatory of today, the opportunities are great. Space is at a premium and integration is a must. By consolidating the operator's primary supplies, which formerly were spread around the room, performance improves and space is gained for the successful introduction of high technology. Room cost decreases, permitting more networked rooms in less space at a lower cost. The productive potential of today's practice is greater than ever before; however, to gain the most from these opportunities, a change must occur in our perception of the treatment environment. When designing an office for the coming decades, it is vitally important to create a space for the future, not the past. Dentists must be willing to look objectively at their clinical environment and be willing to gain a clear sense of future needs. Your new treatment room can become a tool for future growth and prosperity or a museum about dentistry's past. Opportunity knocks.

[Team training and assessment in mixed reality-based simulated operating room : Current state of research in the field of simulation in spine surgery exemplified by the ATMEOS project].

PubMed

Stefan, P; Pfandler, M; Wucherer, P; Habert, S; Fürmetz, J; Weidert, S; Euler, E; Eck, U; Lazarovici, M; Weigl, M; Navab, N

2018-04-01

Surgical simulators are being increasingly used as an attractive alternative to clinical training in addition to conventional animal models and human specimens. Typically, surgical simulation technology is designed for the purpose of teaching technical surgical skills (so-called task trainers). Simulator training in surgery is therefore in general limited to the individual training of the surgeon and disregards the participation of the rest of the surgical team. The objective of the project Assessment and Training of Medical Experts based on Objective Standards (ATMEOS) is to develop an immersive simulated operating room environment that enables the training and assessment of multidisciplinary surgical teams under various conditions. Using a mixed reality approach, a synthetic patient model, real surgical instruments and radiation-free virtual X‑ray imaging are combined into a simulation of spinal surgery. In previous research studies, the concept was evaluated in terms of realism, plausibility and immersiveness. In the current research, assessment measurements for technical and non-technical skills are developed and evaluated. The aim is to observe multidisciplinary surgical teams in the simulated operating room during minimally invasive spinal surgery and objectively assess the performance of the individual team members and the entire team. Moreover, the effectiveness of training methods and surgical techniques or success critical factors, e. g. management of crisis situations, can be captured and objectively assessed in the controlled environment.

Computer based guidance in the modern operating room: a historical perspective.

PubMed

Bova, Frank

2010-01-01

The past few decades have seen the introduction of many different and innovative approaches aimed at enhancing surgical technique. As microprocessors have decreased in size and increased in processing power, more sophisticated systems have been developed. Some systems have attempted to provide enhanced instrument control while others have attempted to provide tools for surgical guidance. These systems include robotics, image enhancements, and frame-based and frameless guidance procedures. In almost every case the system's design goals were achieved and surgical outcomes were enhanced, yet a vast majority of today's surgical procedures are conducted without the aid of these advances. As new tools are developed and existing tools refined, special attention to the systems interface and integration into the operating room environment will be required before increased utilization of these technologies can be realized.

Advanced air distribution: improving health and comfort while reducing energy use.

PubMed

Melikov, A K

2016-02-01

Indoor environment affects the health, comfort, and performance of building occupants. The energy used for heating, cooling, ventilating, and air conditioning of buildings is substantial. Ventilation based on total volume air distribution in spaces is not always an efficient way to provide high-quality indoor environments at the same time as low-energy consumption. Advanced air distribution, designed to supply clean air where, when, and as much as needed, makes it possible to efficiently achieve thermal comfort, control exposure to contaminants, provide high-quality air for breathing and minimizing the risk of airborne cross-infection while reducing energy use. This study justifies the need for improving the present air distribution design in occupied spaces, and in general the need for a paradigm shift from the design of collective environments to the design of individually controlled environments. The focus is on advanced air distribution in spaces, its guiding principles and its advantages and disadvantages. Examples of advanced air distribution solutions in spaces for different use, such as offices, hospital rooms, vehicle compartments, are presented. The potential of advanced air distribution, and individually controlled macro-environment in general, for achieving shared values, that is, improved health, comfort, and performance, energy saving, reduction of healthcare costs and improved well-being is demonstrated. Performance criteria are defined and further research in the field is outlined. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

5. "UNDERGROUND CONTROL ROOM AT TEST STAND 1A, DIRECTORATE OF ...

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

5. "UNDERGROUND CONTROL ROOM AT TEST STAND 1-A, DIRECTORATE OF MISSILE CAPTIVE TEST, EDWARDS AFB, 15 JAN 58, 3097.58." Two men working in the control room. Photo no. "3097 58; G-AFFTC 15 JAN 58, T.S. 1-A Control". - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Control Center, Test Area 1-115, near Altair & Saturn Boulevards, Boron, Kern County, CA

Impact of Indoor Environment on Path Loss in Body Area Networks

PubMed Central

Hausman, Sławomir; Januszkiewicz, Łukasz

2014-01-01

In this paper the influence of an example indoor environment on narrowband radio channel path loss for body area networks operating around 2.4 GHz is investigated using computer simulations and on-site measurements. In contrast to other similar studies, the simulation model included both a numerical human body phantom and its environment—room walls, floor and ceiling. As an example, radio signal attenuation between two different configurations of transceivers with dipole antennas placed in a direct vicinity of a human body (on-body scenario) is analyzed by computer simulations for several types of reflecting environments. In the analyzed case the propagation environments comprised a human body and office room walls. As a reference environment for comparison, free space with only a conducting ground plane, modelling a steel mesh reinforced concrete floor, was chosen. The transmitting and receiving antennas were placed in two on-body configurations chest–back and chest–arm. Path loss vs. frequency simulation results obtained using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) method and a multi-tissue anthropomorphic phantom were compared to results of measurements taken with a vector network analyzer with a human subject located in an average-size empty cuboidal office room. A comparison of path loss values in different environments variants gives some qualitative and quantitative insight into the adequacy of simplified indoor environment model for the indoor body area network channel representation. PMID:25333289

[Preliminary ergonomic assessment of the work sites and living conditions for the crew on board the new t/h Ignacy Daszyński series of merchant ships].

PubMed

Weclawik, Z

1989-01-01

The author describes the new merchant ship series B545-OT, built at the Szczecin shipyard. The preliminary appraisal of this vessel was made during the trial trip in November 1987. The experimented ship is a universal and very modern cargo boat, type B545-OT, which meets the requirements of the international conventions with respect to the prevention of sea pollution by ships. As regards its construction and equipment, the vessel complies with all conditions and international conventions on safety, as well as on health and environment protection. A control and actuation system centralized in the engine-room assures the functioning without a direct supervision. The automatic functioning of mechanisms is followed-up by means of a computed alarm system. The living-rooms, the recreation spaces, the cabins, which secure to the crew comfortable conditions on the ship, are built in a modern style. Less successfully was solved the placement of the kitchen, the dining-room and the larder on the upper deck, near the entrance to the engine-room, entailing thus the danger of steam penetration from the latter. The conditioned air assures in the cabins and living-rooms a temperature of +20 degrees C and a relative humidity of 40-60 per cent. The designers and builders have not used all the possibilities of lowering the intensity of noise.

Perceived distance depends on the orientation of both the body and the visual environment.

PubMed

Harris, Laurence R; Mander, Charles

2014-10-15

Models of depth perception typically omit the orientation and height of the observer despite the potential usefulness of the height above the ground plane and the need to know about head position to interpret retinal disparity information. To assess the contribution of orientation to perceived distance, we used the York University Tumbled and Tumbling Room facilities to modulate both perceived and actual body orientation. These facilities are realistically decorated rooms that can be systematically arranged to vary the relative orientation of visual, gravity, and body cues to upright. To assess perceived depth we exploited size/distance constancy. Observers judged the perceived length of a visual line (controlled by a QUEST adaptive procedure) projected on to the wall of the facilities, relative to the length of an unseen iron rod held in their hands. In the Tumbled Room (viewing distance 337 cm) the line was set about 10% longer when participants were supine compared to when they were upright. In the Tumbling Room (viewing distance 114 cm), the line was set about 11% longer when participants were either supine or made to feel that they were supine by the orientation of the room. Matching a longer visual line to the reference rod is compatible with the opposite wall being perceived as closer. The effect was modulated by whether viewing was monocular or binocular at a viewing distance of 114 cm but not at 337 cm suggesting that reliable binocular cues can override the effect. © 2014 ARVO.

A proven knowledge-based approach to prioritizing process information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corsberg, Daniel R.

1991-01-01

Many space-related processes are highly complex systems subject to sudden, major transients. In any complex process control system, a critical aspect is rapid analysis of the changing process information. During a disturbance, this task can overwhelm humans as well as computers. Humans deal with this by applying heuristics in determining significant information. A simple, knowledge-based approach to prioritizing information is described. The approach models those heuristics that humans would use in similar circumstances. The approach described has received two patents and was implemented in the Alarm Filtering System (AFS) at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). AFS was first developed for application in a nuclear reactor control room. It has since been used in chemical processing applications, where it has had a significant impact on control room environments. The approach uses knowledge-based heuristics to analyze data from process instrumentation and respond to that data according to knowledge encapsulated in objects and rules. While AFS cannot perform the complete diagnosis and control task, it has proven to be extremely effective at filtering and prioritizing information. AFS was used for over two years as a first level of analysis for human diagnosticians. Given the approach's proven track record in a wide variety of practical applications, it should be useful in both ground- and space-based systems.

Main control room, showing original sixpane windows and doors to ...

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

Main control room, showing original six-pane windows and doors to pump motor room at left. The main control cabinets and switchgear, visible on right, were replaced in 2003. View to the south - Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation System, Pumping Plant No. 2, Bounded by Interstate 8 to south, Wellton, Yuma County, AZ

VIEW OF PDP CONTROL ROOM PANELS, LEVEL 0’, LOOKING WEST. ...

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

VIEW OF PDP CONTROL ROOM PANELS, LEVEL 0’, LOOKING WEST. THESE PANELS WERE WHERE THE A-MOTOR TAPES WOULD HAVE BEEN VISIBLE IN THE CONTROL ROOM. MORE RECENT MONITOR IN UPPER CENTER FOR “LTR FLUX MONITORS” - Physics Assembly Laboratory, Area A/M, Savannah River Site, Aiken, Aiken County, SC

An embedded checklist in the Anesthesia Information Management System improves pre-anaesthetic induction setup: a randomised controlled trial in a simulation setting.

PubMed

Wetmore, Douglas; Goldberg, Andrew; Gandhi, Nishant; Spivack, John; McCormick, Patrick; DeMaria, Samuel

2016-10-01

Anaesthesiologists work in a high stress, high consequence environment in which missed steps in preparation may lead to medical errors and potential patient harm. The pre-anaesthetic induction period has been identified as a time in which medical errors can occur. The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation has developed a Pre-Anesthetic Induction Patient Safety (PIPS) checklist. We conducted this study to test the effectiveness of this checklist, when embedded in our institutional Anesthesia Information Management System (AIMS), on resident performance in a simulated environment. Using a randomised, controlled, observer-blinded design, we compared performance of anaesthesiology residents in a simulated operating room under production pressure using a checklist in completing a thorough pre-anaesthetic induction evaluation and setup with that of residents with no checklist. The checklist was embedded in the simulated operating room's electronic medical record. Data for 38 anaesthesiology residents shows a statistically significant difference in performance in pre-anaesthetic setup and evaluation as scored by blinded raters (maximum score 22 points), with the checklist group performing better by 7.8 points (p<0.01). The effects of gender and year of residency on total score were not significant. Simulation duration (time to anaesthetic agent administration) was increased significantly by the use of the checklist. Required use of a pre-induction checklist improves anaesthesiology resident performance in a simulated environment. The PIPS checklist as an integrated part of a departmental AIMS warrant further investigation as a quality measure. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Exploring surface cleaning strategies in hospital to prevent contact transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Lei, Hao; Jones, Rachael M; Li, Yuguo

2017-01-18

Cleaning of environmental surfaces in hospitals is important for the control of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other hospital-acquired infections transmitted by the contact route. Guidance regarding the best approaches for cleaning, however, is limited. In this study, a mathematical model based on ordinary differential equations was constructed to study MRSA concentration dynamics on high-touch and low-touch surfaces, and on the hands and noses of two patients (in two hospitals rooms) and a health care worker in a hypothetical hospital environment. Two cleaning interventions - whole room cleaning and wipe cleaning of touched surfaces - were considered. The performance of the cleaning interventions was indicated by a reduction in MRSA on the nose of a susceptible patient, relative to no intervention. Whole room cleaning just before first patient care activities of the day was more effective than whole room cleaning at other times, but even with 100% efficiency, whole room cleaning only reduced the number of MRSA transmitted to the susceptible patient by 54%. Frequent wipe cleaning of touched surfaces was shown to be more effective that whole room cleaning because surfaces are rapidly re-contaminated with MRSA after cleaning. Wipe cleaning high-touch surfaces was more effective than wipe cleaning low-touch surfaces for the same frequency of cleaning. For low wipe cleaning frequency (≤3 times per hour), high-touch surfaces should be targeted, but for high wipe cleaning frequency (>3 times per hour), cleaning should target high- and low-touch surfaces in proportion to the surface touch frequency. This study reproduces the observations from a field study of room cleaning, which provides support for the validity of our findings. Daily whole room cleaning, even with 100% cleaning efficiency, provides limited reduction in the number of MRSA transmitted to susceptible patients via the contact route; and should be supplemented with frequent targeted cleaning of high-touch surfaces, such as by a wipe or cloth containing disinfectant.

KSC-2014-1973

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Mobile Launcher is visible through a window inside Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing efforts to create a new multi-user firing room in Firing Room 4. The main floor consoles, cabling and wires below the floor and ceiling tiles above have been removed. Sub-flooring has been installed and the room is marked off to create four separate rooms on the main floor. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future NASA and commercial user requirements. The equipment and most of the consoles from Firing Room 4 were moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Installation of PMV Operation Program in DDC Controller and Air Conditioning Control Using PMV Directly as Set Point

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haramoto, Ken-Ichi

In general, air conditioning control in a building is operated mainly by indoor air temperature control. Although the operators of the machine in the building accepted a claim for indoor air temperature presented by the building inhabitants, the indoor conditions have been often too cool or warm. Therefore, in an attempt to create better thermal environments, the author paid attention to the PMV that is a thermal comfort index. And then, the possibility of air conditioning control using the PMV directly as the set point was verified by employing actual equipment in an air conditioning testing room and an office building. Prior to the execution of this control, the operation program of the PMV was installed in a DDC controller for the air conditioning control. And information from indoor sensors and so on was inputted to the controller, and the computed PMV was used as the feedback variable.

Front view of bldg 30 which houses mission control

NASA Image and Video Library

1984-08-30

41D-3072 (30 Aug 1984) --- A 41-D shift change is taking place in the Johnson Space Center's Building 30. In its twenty years of operation, the mission control center has been the scene of many such changes. The windowless wing at left houses three floors, including rooms supporting flight control rooms 1 & 2 (formerly called mission operations control rooms 1 & 2).

VIEW OF CABLES AND TAPES ASSOCIATED WITH ADRIVE CONTROL ROD ...

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

VIEW OF CABLES AND TAPES ASSOCIATED WITH A-DRIVE CONTROL ROD SYSTEM, AT LEVEL +15’, DIRECTLY ABOVE PDP CONTROL ROOM, LOOKING NORTHWEST. THE CABLES FROM THE PDP ROOM GO THROUGH THE CONCRETE WALL, MAKE A RIGHT ANGLE TURN DOWNWARD, AND DESCEND INTO THE PDP CONTROL ROOM AS VERTICAL TAPES - Physics Assembly Laboratory, Area A/M, Savannah River Site, Aiken, Aiken County, SC

10. Interior view of control room in Components Test Laboratory ...

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

10. Interior view of control room in Components Test Laboratory (T-27), looking east. The control room is located in the center of the building and abuts the Test Cell 8, 9, and 10 and equipment room wings. Photograph shows upgraded instrumentation, piping, and technological modifications installed in 1997-99 to accommodate component testing requirements for the Atlas V missile. - Air Force Plant PJKS, Systems Integration Laboratory, Components Test Laboratory, Waterton Canyon Road & Colorado Highway 121, Lakewood, Jefferson County, CO

Twenty years of experience in monitoring 41Ar in a research reactor and decrease of its discharge into the environment.

PubMed

Fukui, M

2004-04-01

The radioactive gas 41Ar has been produced at high concentration by neutron activation near the reactor core in the Kyoto University Research Reactor. A pipe line for an exhaust stream, so-called sweep gas, was fabricated at the construction of the reactor in 1964 in order to exhale 41Ar from the facilities above to the environment. Other exhaust lines with decay tanks were established separately from the sweep line for both the cold neutron source in 1986 and the heavy-water tank in 1996, respectively, because a higher amount of 41Ar was thought to be produced from these facilities due to the improvement. As a result, a slight change in the flow rate of the exhaust was found to have a great deal of influence on both the 41Ar concentration in the reactor room and the rate of emission from the stack. By monitoring the exhaust air from the decay tanks, the mechanism for decreasing the emission was clarified together with identifying an obstacle, i.e., the condensate against the steady state flow, formed in the exhaust pipe. By setting the flow rate suitably in the exhaust line, the rate of 41Ar emission from the biological shielding into both the work place in the reactor room and the environment has been controlled as low as reasonably achievable.

3. OBLIQUE VIEW OF THE PRESENT CONTROL ROOM (ORIGINALLY THE ...

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

3. OBLIQUE VIEW OF THE PRESENT CONTROL ROOM (ORIGINALLY THE TRANSFORMER ROOM). - Washington Water Power Company Post Falls Power Plant, Middle Channel Powerhouse & Dam, West of intersection of Spokane & Fourth Streets, Post Falls, Kootenai County, ID

5. INTERIOR VIEW, SHOWING A CONTROL ROOM INSIDE THE RADIOGRAPHY ...

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

5. INTERIOR VIEW, SHOWING A CONTROL ROOM INSIDE THE RADIOGRAPHY ROOM; PASS-THROUGH FOR EXPOSED FILM ON RIGHT - Fort McCoy, Building No. T-1031, North side of South Tenth Avenue, Block 10, Sparta, Monroe County, WI

Measuring Human Performance in Simulated Nuclear Power Plant Control Rooms Using Eye Tracking

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

Kovesdi, Casey Robert; Rice, Brandon Charles; Bower, Gordon Ross

Control room modernization will be an important part of life extension for the existing light water reactor fleet. As part of modernization efforts, personnel will need to gain a full understanding of how control room technologies affect performance of human operators. Recent advances in technology enables the use of eye tracking technology to continuously measure an operator’s eye movement, which correlates with a variety of human performance constructs such as situation awareness and workload. This report describes eye tracking metrics in the context of how they will be used in nuclear power plant control room simulator studies.

Adaptive lighting controllers using smart sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papantoniou, Sotiris; Kolokotsa, Denia; Kalaitzakis, Kostas; Cesarini, Davide Nardi; Cubi, Eduard; Cristalli, Cristina

2016-07-01

The aim of this paper is to present an advanced controller for artificial lights evaluated in several rooms in two European Hospitals located in Chania, Greece and Ancona, Italy. Fuzzy techniques have been used for the architecture of the controller. The energy efficiency of the controllers has been calculated by running the controller coupled with validated models of the RADIANCE back-wards ray tracing software. The input of the controller is the difference between the current illuminance value and the desired one, while the output is the change of the light level that should be applied in the artificial lights. Simulation results indicate significant energy saving potentials. Energy saving potential is calculated from the comparison of the current use of the artificial lights by the users and the proposed one. All simulation work has been conducted using Matlab and RADIANCE environment.

Accumulation and transport of microbial-size particles in a pressure protected model burn unit: CFD simulations and experimental evidence

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Controlling airborne contamination is of major importance in burn units because of the high susceptibility of burned patients to infections and the unique environmental conditions that can accentuate the infection risk. In particular the required elevated temperatures in the patient room can create thermal convection flows which can transport airborne contaminates throughout the unit. In order to estimate this risk and optimize the design of an intensive care room intended to host severely burned patients, we have relied on a computational fluid dynamic methodology (CFD). Methods The study was carried out in 4 steps: i) patient room design, ii) CFD simulations of patient room design to model air flows throughout the patient room, adjacent anterooms and the corridor, iii) construction of a prototype room and subsequent experimental studies to characterize its performance iv) qualitative comparison of the tendencies between CFD prediction and experimental results. The Electricité De France (EDF) open-source software Code_Saturne® (http://www.code-saturne.org) was used and CFD simulations were conducted with an hexahedral mesh containing about 300 000 computational cells. The computational domain included the treatment room and two anterooms including equipment, staff and patient. Experiments with inert aerosol particles followed by time-resolved particle counting were conducted in the prototype room for comparison with the CFD observations. Results We found that thermal convection can create contaminated zones near the ceiling of the room, which can subsequently lead to contaminate transfer in adjacent rooms. Experimental confirmation of these phenomena agreed well with CFD predictions and showed that particles greater than one micron (i.e. bacterial or fungal spore sizes) can be influenced by these thermally induced flows. When the temperature difference between rooms was 7°C, a significant contamination transfer was observed to enter into the positive pressure room when the access door was opened, while 2°C had little effect. Based on these findings the constructed burn unit was outfitted with supplemental air exhaust ducts over the doors to compensate for the thermal convective flows. Conclusions CFD simulations proved to be a particularly useful tool for the design and optimization of a burn unit treatment room. Our results, which have been confirmed qualitatively by experimental investigation, stressed that airborne transfer of microbial size particles via thermal convection flows are able to bypass the protective overpressure in the patient room, which can represent a potential risk of cross contamination between rooms in protected environments. PMID:21371304

Accumulation and transport of microbial-size particles in a pressure protected model burn unit: CFD simulations and experimental evidence.

PubMed

Beauchêne, Christian; Laudinet, Nicolas; Choukri, Firas; Rousset, Jean-Luc; Benhamadouche, Sofiane; Larbre, Juliette; Chaouat, Marc; Benbunan, Marc; Mimoun, Maurice; Lajonchère, Jean-Patrick; Bergeron, Vance; Derouin, Francis

2011-03-03

Controlling airborne contamination is of major importance in burn units because of the high susceptibility of burned patients to infections and the unique environmental conditions that can accentuate the infection risk. In particular the required elevated temperatures in the patient room can create thermal convection flows which can transport airborne contaminates throughout the unit. In order to estimate this risk and optimize the design of an intensive care room intended to host severely burned patients, we have relied on a computational fluid dynamic methodology (CFD). The study was carried out in 4 steps: i) patient room design, ii) CFD simulations of patient room design to model air flows throughout the patient room, adjacent anterooms and the corridor, iii) construction of a prototype room and subsequent experimental studies to characterize its performance iv) qualitative comparison of the tendencies between CFD prediction and experimental results. The Electricité De France (EDF) open-source software Code_Saturne® (http://www.code-saturne.org) was used and CFD simulations were conducted with an hexahedral mesh containing about 300 000 computational cells. The computational domain included the treatment room and two anterooms including equipment, staff and patient. Experiments with inert aerosol particles followed by time-resolved particle counting were conducted in the prototype room for comparison with the CFD observations. We found that thermal convection can create contaminated zones near the ceiling of the room, which can subsequently lead to contaminate transfer in adjacent rooms. Experimental confirmation of these phenomena agreed well with CFD predictions and showed that particles greater than one micron (i.e. bacterial or fungal spore sizes) can be influenced by these thermally induced flows. When the temperature difference between rooms was 7°C, a significant contamination transfer was observed to enter into the positive pressure room when the access door was opened, while 2°C had little effect. Based on these findings the constructed burn unit was outfitted with supplemental air exhaust ducts over the doors to compensate for the thermal convective flows. CFD simulations proved to be a particularly useful tool for the design and optimization of a burn unit treatment room. Our results, which have been confirmed qualitatively by experimental investigation, stressed that airborne transfer of microbial size particles via thermal convection flows are able to bypass the protective overpressure in the patient room, which can represent a potential risk of cross contamination between rooms in protected environments.

Charging of Single Micron Sized Dust Grains by Secondary Electron Emission: A Laboratory Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spann, James F., Jr.; Venturini, Catherine C.; Comfort, R. H.

1998-01-01

We present the details of a new laboratory study whose objective is to experimentally study the interaction of micron sized particles with plasmas and electromagnetic radiation. Specifically, to investigate under what conditions and to what extent do particles of various compositions and sizes become charged, or discharged, while exposed to an electron beam and ultraviolet radiation environment The emphasis is the study of the two charging mechanisms, secondary emission of electrons and photoelectric effect. The experiment uses a technique known as electrodynamic suspension of particles. With this technique, a single charged particle is electrodynamically levitated and then exposed to a controlled environment. Its charge to mass ratio is directly measured. Viscous drag measurements and the light scattering measurements characterize its size and optical characteristics. The environment to which the particle is expose may consist of room temperature and pressure or a rarefied atmosphere where only one major gaseous constituent is present, or, as in this case, a vacuum environment under electron bombardment or UV radiation . In addition, the environment can be cycled as part of the experiment. Therefore, using this technique, a single particle can be repeatedly exposed to a controlled environment and its response measured, or a single particle can be exposed to similar environments with minor differences and its response measured as a function of only the changed environmental conditions.

Room model based Monte Carlo simulation study of the relationship between the airborne dose rate and the surface-deposited radon progeny.

PubMed

Sun, Kainan; Field, R William; Steck, Daniel J

2010-01-01

The quantitative relationships between radon gas concentration, the surface-deposited activities of various radon progeny, the airborne radon progeny dose rate, and various residential environmental factors were investigated through a Monte Carlo simulation study based on the extended Jacobi room model. Airborne dose rates were calculated from the unattached and attached potential alpha-energy concentrations (PAECs) using two dosimetric models. Surface-deposited (218)Po and (214)Po were significantly correlated with radon concentration, PAECs, and airborne dose rate (p-values <0.0001) in both non-smoking and smoking environments. However, in non-smoking environments, the deposited radon progeny were not highly correlated to the attached PAEC. In multiple linear regression analysis, natural logarithm transformation was performed for airborne dose rate as a dependent variable, as well as for radon and deposited (218)Po and (214)Po as predictors. In non-smoking environments, after adjusting for the effect of radon, deposited (214)Po was a significant positive predictor for one dose model (RR 1.46, 95% CI 1.27-1.67), while deposited (218)Po was a negative predictor for the other dose model (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.83-0.98). In smoking environments, after adjusting for radon and room size, deposited (218)Po was a significant positive predictor for one dose model (RR 1.10, 95% CI 1.02-1.19), while a significant negative predictor for the other model (RR 0.90, 95% CI 0.85-0.95). After adjusting for radon and deposited (218)Po, significant increases of 1.14 (95% CI 1.03-1.27) and 1.13 (95% CI 1.05-1.22) in the mean dose rates were found for large room sizes relative to small room sizes in the different dose models.

KSC-2014-1972

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing efforts to create a new multi-user firing room in Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The main floor consoles, cabling and wires below the floor and ceiling tiles have been removed. Sub-flooring has been installed and the room is marked off to create four separate rooms on the main floor. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future NASA and commercial user requirements. The equipment and most of the consoles from Firing Room 4 were moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

Interior of display area (room 101), looking south towards TV ...

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

Interior of display area (room 101), looking south towards TV control panel room (room 139) at far left corner. The stairway leads to the commander's quarters and the senior battle viewing bridge at top right. Control and communication consoles at the right - March Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command, Combat Operations Center, 5220 Riverside Drive, Moreno Valley, Riverside County, CA

Use of Video Analysis System for Working Posture Evaluations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKay, Timothy D.; Whitmore, Mihriban

1994-01-01

In a work environment, it is important to identify and quantify the relationship among work activities, working posture, and workplace design. Working posture may impact the physical comfort and well-being of individuals, as well as performance. The Posture Video Analysis Tool (PVAT) is an interactive menu and button driven software prototype written in Supercard (trademark). Human Factors analysts are provided with a predefined set of options typically associated with postural assessments and human performance issues. Once options have been selected, the program is used to evaluate working posture and dynamic tasks from video footage. PVAT has been used to evaluate postures from Orbiter missions, as well as from experimental testing of prototype glove box designs. PVAT can be used for video analysis in a number of industries, with little or no modification. It can contribute to various aspects of workplace design such as training, task allocations, procedural analyses, and hardware usability evaluations. The major advantage of the video analysis approach is the ability to gather data, non-intrusively, in restricted-access environments, such as emergency and operation rooms, contaminated areas, and control rooms. Video analysis also provides the opportunity to conduct preliminary evaluations of existing work areas.

The Effects of Panax ginseng and Panax quinquefolius on Thermoregulation in Animal Models

PubMed Central

Hong, Bin Na; Do, Moon Ho; Her, You Ri

2015-01-01

We devised a study using animal models of hyperthermia and hypothermia and also attempted to accurately assess the effects of Panax ginseng (PG) and Panax quinquefolius (PQ) on body temperature using these models. In addition, we investigated the effects of PG and PQ in our animal models in high and low temperature environments. The results of our experiments show that mice with normothermia, hyperthermia, and hypothermia maintained their body temperatures after a certain period in accordance with the condition of each animal model. In our experiments of body temperature change in models of normal, low, or high room temperature, the hyperthermic model did not show any body temperature change in either the PG- or PQ-administered group. In the normal and low room temperature models, the group administered PG maintained body temperature, while the body temperature of the PQ-administered group was lower than or similar to that of the control group. In conclusion, the fact that PG increases body temperature could not be verified until now. We also showed that the effect of maintaining body temperature in the PG-administered group was superior in a hypothermia-prone low temperature environment. PMID:25709709

Innovative Patient Room Lighting System with Integrated Spectrally Adaptive Control

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

Maniccia, Dorene A.; Rizzo, Patricia; Kim, James

In December of 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy’s SSL R&D Program released a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), that for the first time, contained opportunities for comprehensive application-specific system development. The FOA included opportunities for two applications, one of which was a Patient Room. Philips Lighting Research North America, submitted a proposal for the Patient Room application, and was selected for the complete project award. The award amount was for $497,127, with a Philips Research co-funding commitment 165,709 dollars. The total project value was 662,836 dollars. This project sought to redefine lighting for the patient room application. The goal wasmore » to deliver an innovative LED patient suite (patient room and bathroom) lighting system solution that was 40% more energy-efficient than traditional fluorescent incumbent technologies, and would meet all the visual and non-visual needs of patients, caregivers and visitors, and improve the patient experience. State-of-the-art multichannel LED platforms and control technologies that would provide spectral tuning and become part of an intelligent, connected lighting system drove the solution. The project was scoped into four main task areas that included a) System Concept Creation, b) Identification of the Luminaire Portfolio, c) Development of the Connected Lighting Infrastructure, and d) System Performance Validation. Each of the four main tasks were completed and validated extensively over the course the 2 ½ year project. The system concept was created by first developing a lighting design that demonstrated best practices for patient room lighting – illuminance and uniformity for task performance, reduced glare, and convenient controls, in addition to giving patients control over the lighting in their environment. A framework was defined to deliver circadian support via software behaviors. Through that process luminaires were identified from the Philips portfolio that were adaptable – by their form, dimensions, and optical materials – to mix multicolor LED platforms uniformly and deliver target design lumen levels. The Blue Sky luminaire was selected for the patient bed area to give the illusion of skylight while providing white light on the patient bed. Luminaires used existing 2-channel tunable white LED boards, and newly developed 4-channel LED boards. Red-Orange, Blue, Green, and Blue-shifted Yellow LED chips were selected based on spectral characteristics and their ability to produce high quality white light. 4-channel Power over Ethernet (PoE) drivers were developed and firmware written so they would communicate with both 2- and 4-channel boards. These components formed the backbone of the connected lighting infrastructure. Software, flexible and nuanced in its complexity, was written to set behaviors for myriad lighting scenes in the room throughout the 24 hour day – and all could be overridden by manual controls. This included a dynamic tunable white program, three color changing automatic programs that simulated degrees of sunrise to sunset palettes, and an amber night lighting system that offered visual cues for postural stability to minimize the risk of falls. All programs were carefully designed to provide visual comfort for all occupants, support critical task performance for staff, and to support the patient’s 24hr rhythms. A full scale mockup room was constructed in the Philips Cambridge Lab. The lighting system was installed, tested and functionality demonstrated to ensure smooth operation of system components – luminaires, drivers, PoE switches, wall controls, patient remote, and daylight and occupancy sensors. How did the system perform? It met visual criteria, confirmed by calculations, simulations and measurements in the field. It met non-visual criteria, confirmed by setting circadian stimulus (CS) targets and performing calculations using the calculator developed by the Lighting Research Center. Finally, human factors validation studies were conducted to gain insight from real end users in the healthcare profession; surveys were administered, data analyzed, and audio comments captured. The general consensus was positive, with requests to pilot the system in their hospitals. The importance of the research completed under this grant is that it allowed the exploration and development of a unique lighting system, one that would deliver a blend of visual and non-visual criteria in patient room design for today’s healthcare environment. The research investigated the area of multichannel LED technology, multichannel Power over Ethernet (PoE) drivers and their integration with automatic and manual controls as a system – uncovering and meeting challenges along the way. It married visual needs of patients and staff with support for 24 hour rhythms, placing value on the wellbeing of the patient – while successfully saving energy over incumbent technologies. Indications are that the market is ready and willing to invest – multiple healthcare facilities are in line to pilot this system, recognizing its value beyond energy to patient and staff well-being. Its value to the public can best be expressed by a patient support coordinator who, after spending several hours in the room being immersed in the lighting, analyzing all its features, commented: “This re-writes lighting for healthcare”.« less

If you can't take the room out of your mix, you can't take your mix out of the room!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Antonio, Peter

2003-04-01

The key issue in any recording studio is transferability-the ability of a mix to transfer to other listening environments outside the studio. For a mix to faithfully transfer to a wide range of acoustical environments, it must be created in a room with minimal acoustic distortion. The music industry is very aware of electronic distortion; however, the audible effects of acoustic distortion are only now being fully appreciated. The four forms of acoustic distortion are modal coupling, speaker boundary interference response, comb filtering and poor diffusion or a sparse spatial and temporal reflection density. These phenomena will be explained and methods to minimize them will be suggested.

A Semantic Labeling of the Environment Based on What People Do.

PubMed

Crespo, Jonathan; Gómez, Clara; Hernández, Alejandra; Barber, Ramón

2017-01-29

In this work, a system is developed for semantic labeling of locations based on what people do. This system is useful for semantic navigation of mobile robots. The system differentiates environments according to what people do in them. Background sound, number of people in a room and amount of movement of those people are items to be considered when trying to tell if people are doing different actions. These data are sampled, and it is assumed that people behave differently and perform different actions. A support vector machine is trained with the obtained samples, and therefore, it allows one to identify the room. Finally, the results are discussed and support the hypothesis that the proposed system can help to semantically label a room.

Tunability of room-temperature ferromagnetism in spintronic semiconductors through nonmagnetic atoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leedahl, Brett; Abooalizadeh, Zahra; LeBlanc, Kyle; Moewes, Alexander

2017-07-01

The implementation and control of room-temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) by adding magnetic atoms to a semiconductor's lattice has been one of the most important problems in solid-state physics in the last decade. Herein we report on the mechanism that allows RTFM to be tuned by the inclusion of nonmagnetic aluminum in nickel ferrite. This material, NiFe2 -xAlxO4 (x =0 ,0.5 ,1.5 ), has already shown much promise for magnetic semiconductor technologies, and we are able to add to its versatility technological viability with our results. The site occupancies and valencies of Fe atoms (Fe3 +Td , Fe2 +Oh , and Fe3 +Oh ) can be methodically controlled by including aluminum. Using the fact that aluminum strongly prefers a 3+ octahedral environment, we can selectively fill iron sites with aluminum atoms, and hence specifically tune the magnetic contributions for each of the iron sites, and therefore the bulk material as well. Interestingly, the influence of the aluminum is weak on the electronic structure, allowing one to retain the desirable electronic properties while achieving desirable magnetic properties.

11. Historic view of Building 100 control room, showing personnel ...

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

11. Historic view of Building 100 control room, showing personnel operating rocket engine test controls and observer watching activity from observation room. May 27, 1957. On file at NASA Plumbrook Research Center, Sandusky, Ohio. NASA photo number C-45020. - Rocket Engine Testing Facility, GRC Building No. 100, NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Advanced visualization platform for surgical operating room coordination: distributed video board system.

PubMed

Hu, Peter F; Xiao, Yan; Ho, Danny; Mackenzie, Colin F; Hu, Hao; Voigt, Roger; Martz, Douglas

2006-06-01

One of the major challenges for day-of-surgery operating room coordination is accurate and timely situation awareness. Distributed and secure real-time status information is key to addressing these challenges. This article reports on the design and implementation of a passive status monitoring system in a 19-room surgical suite of a major academic medical center. Key design requirements considered included integrated real-time operating room status display, access control, security, and network impact. The system used live operating room video images and patient vital signs obtained through monitors to automatically update events and operating room status. Images were presented on a "need-to-know" basis, and access was controlled by identification badge authorization. The system delivered reliable real-time operating room images and status with acceptable network impact. Operating room status was visualized at 4 separate locations and was used continuously by clinicians and operating room service providers to coordinate operating room activities.

An object oriented generic controller using CLIPS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nivens, Cody R.

1990-01-01

In today's applications, the need for the division of code and data has focused on the growth of object oriented programming. This philosophy gives software engineers greater control over the environment of an application. Yet the use of object oriented design does not exclude the need for greater understanding by the application of what the controller is doing. Such understanding is only possible by using expert systems. Providing a controller that is capable of controlling an object by using rule-based expertise would expedite the use of both object oriented design and expert knowledge of the dynamic of an environment in modern controllers. This project presents a model of a controller that uses the CLIPS expert system and objects in C++ to create a generic controller. The polymorphic abilities of C++ allow for the design of a generic component stored in individual data files. Accompanying the component is a set of rules written in CLIPS which provide the following: the control of individual components, the input of sensory data from components and the ability to find the status of a given component. Along with the data describing the application, a set of inference rules written in CLIPS allows the application to make use of sensory facts and status and control abilities. As a demonstration of this ability, the control of the environment of a house is provided. This demonstration includes the data files describing the rooms and their contents as far as devices, windows and doors. The rules used for the home consist of the flow of people in the house and the control of devices by the home owner.

Exploring the Influence of Environment on the Spatial Behavior of Older Adults in a Purpose-Built Acute Care Dementia Unit.

PubMed

Mazzei, Francesco; Gillan, Roslyn; Cloutier, Denise

2014-06-01

Limited research explores the experience of individuals with dementia in acute care geriatric psychiatry units. This observational case study examines the influence of the physical environment on behavior (wandering, pacing, door testing, congregation and seclusions) among residents in a traditional geriatric psychiatry unit who were then relocated to a purpose-built acute care unit. Purpose-built environments should be well suited to the needs of residents with dementia. Observed trends revealed differences in spatial behaviors in the pre- and post- environments attributable to the physical environment. Person-centred modifications to the current environment including concerted efforts to know residents are meaningful in fostering quality of life. Color coded environments (rooms vs dining areas etc.) to improve wayfinding and opportunities to personalize rooms that address the `hominess' of the setting also have potential. Future research could also seek the opinions of staff about the impact of the environment on them as well as residents. © The Author(s) 2013.

Thermal comfort assessment of a surgical room through computational fluid dynamics using local PMV index.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Nelson J O; Oliveira, Ricardo F; Teixeira, Senhorinha F C F; Miguel, Alberto Sérgio; Teixeira, José Carlos; Baptista, João S

2015-01-01

Studies concerning indoor thermal conditions are very important in defining the satisfactory comfort range in health care facilities. This study focuses on the evaluation of the thermal comfort sensation felt by surgeons and nurses, in an orthopaedic surgical room of a Portuguese hospital. Two cases are assessed, with and without the presence of a person. Computational fluid dynamic (CFD) tools were applied for evaluating the predicted mean vote (PMV) index locally. Using average ventilation values to calculate the PMV index does not provide a correct and enough descriptive evaluation of the surgical room thermal environment. As studied for both cases, surgeons feel the environment slightly hotter than nurses. The nurses feel a slightly cold sensation under the air supply diffuser and their neutral comfort zone is located in the air stagnation zones close to the walls, while the surgeons feel the opposite. It was observed that the presence of a person in the room leads to an increase of the PMV index for surgeons and nurses. That goes in line with the empirical knowledge that more persons in a room lead to an increased heat sensation. The clothing used by both classes, as well as the ventilation conditions, should be revised accordingly to the amount of persons in the room and the type of activity performed.

KSC-2014-1971

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing efforts to create a new multi-user firing room in Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The main floor consoles, cabling and wires below the floor and ceiling tiles above have been removed. Sub-flooring has been installed and the room is marked off to create four separate rooms on the main floor. In view along the soffit are space shuttle launch plaques for 21 missions launched from Firing Room 4. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future NASA and commercial user requirements. The equipment and most of the consoles from Firing Room 4 were moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

A Pilot Study Investigating the Effects of Advanced Nuclear Power Plant Control Room Technologies: Methods and Qualitative Results

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

BLanc, Katya Le; Powers, David; Joe, Jeffrey

2015-08-01

Control room modernization is an important part of life extension for the existing light water reactor fleet. None of the 99 currently operating commercial nuclear power plants in the U.S. has completed a full-scale control room modernization to date. Nuclear power plant main control rooms for the existing commercial reactor fleet remain significantly analog, with only limited digital modernizations. Upgrades in the U.S. do not achieve the full potential of newer technologies that might otherwise enhance plant and operator performance. The goal of the control room upgrade benefits research is to identify previously overlooked benefits of modernization, identify candidate technologiesmore » that may facilitate such benefits, and demonstrate these technologies through human factors research. This report describes a pilot study to test upgrades to the Human Systems Simulation Laboratory at INL.« less

Multipurpose Rooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American School & University, 2003

2003-01-01

Presents K-12 and college multipurpose rooms considered outstanding in a competition, which judged the most outstanding learning environments at educational institutions nationwide. Jurors spent two days reviewing projects, highlighting concepts and ideas that made them exceptional. For each citation, the article offers information on the firm,…

Auditoriums/Music Rooms.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American School & University, 2003

2003-01-01

Presents auditoriums/music rooms considered outstanding in a competition, which judged the most outstanding learning environments at educational institutions nationwide. Jurors spent two days reviewing projects, focusing on concepts and ideas that made them exceptional. For each citation, the article offers information on the firm, client, total…

Analysis of Listeria monocytogenes strain distribution in a pork slaughter and cutting plant in the province of Quebec.

PubMed

Larivière-Gauthier, Guillaume; Letellier, Ann; Kérouanton, Annaëlle; Bekal, Sadjia; Quessy, Sylvain; Fournaise, Sylvain; Fravalo, Philippe

2014-12-01

Following the 2008 Canadian listeriosis outbreak associated with ready-to-eat (RTE) meat products, regulations on the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in RTE food production facilities were modified by Health Canada, confirming the need to control this pathogen, not only in the final product but also in the plant environment. Information on the occurrence of this microorganism during the early steps of production, such as the slaughtering process and in the cutting area, is scarce in Canada. In this study, we sampled different production steps in a slaughtering and cutting plant in the province of Quebec over a 2-year period. The lairage pens, representative areas of the slaughter line, and cutting zones were targeted after their respective cleaning procedures. A total of 874 samples were analyzed for the presence of L. monocytogenes. Characterization was done by first genoserogrouping the isolates using multiplex PCR and then using a pulsed-field gel electrophoresis approach. L. monocytogenes was detected throughout all production stages. The 108 positive samples found were analyzed further, and we established that there were 4 different serogroups, with serogroup IIb being the most prevalent. The results of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis showed a significant decrease in the diversity of strains from the first areas of the plant to the cutting room (10 pulsotypes in 13 positive samples in lairage and 9 in 86 positive samples in cutting) and also showed the overrepresentation of a single predominant strain in the cutting room environment (type 1, representing 96.1% of the isolates). Biofilm formation analysis of the strains cannot exclusively explain the transitions we observed. A strong genotypic similarity between strains isolated in the early production areas and some strains in the cutting room was shown. These results support the need for better surveillance of L. monocytogenes prior to RTE food production in order to design control strategies that are better adapted from a public health perspective.

Intrinsic polarization control in rectangular GaN nanowire lasers

DOE PAGES

Li, Changyi; Liu, Sheng; Luk, Ting S.; ...

2016-02-01

In this study, we demonstrate intrinsic, linearly polarized lasing from single GaN nanowires using cross-sectional shape control. A two-step top-down fabrication approach was employed to create straight nanowires with controllable rectangular cross-sections. A clear lasing threshold of 444kW/cm 2 and a narrow spectral line width of 0.16 nm were observed under optical pumping at room temperature, indicating the onset of lasing. The polarization was along the short dimension (y-direction) of the nanowire due to the higher transverse confinement factors for y-polarized transverse modes resulting from the rectangular nanowire cross-section. The results show that cross-sectioned shape control can enable inherent controlmore » over the polarization of nanowire lasers without additional environment requirements, such as placement onto lossy substrates.« less

29. MAIN CONTROL ROOM, PANELS WEST OF MAIN CONTROL AREA, ...

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

29. MAIN CONTROL ROOM, PANELS WEST OF MAIN CONTROL AREA, LOOKING SOUTH (LOCATION Q) - Shippingport Atomic Power Station, On Ohio River, 25 miles Northwest of Pittsburgh, Shippingport, Beaver County, PA

28. MAIN CONTROL ROOM, PANELS WEST OF MAIN CONTROL AREA, ...

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

28. MAIN CONTROL ROOM, PANELS WEST OF MAIN CONTROL AREA, LOOKING NORTH (LOCATION Q) - Shippingport Atomic Power Station, On Ohio River, 25 miles Northwest of Pittsburgh, Shippingport, Beaver County, PA

Binaural room simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lehnert, H.; Blauert, Jens; Pompetzki, W.

1991-01-01

In every-day listening the auditory event perceived by a listener is determined not only by the sound signal that a sound emits but also by a variety of environmental parameters. These parameters are the position, orientation and directional characteristics of the sound source, the listener's position and orientation, the geometrical and acoustical properties of surfaces which affect the sound field and the sound propagation properties of the surrounding fluid. A complete set of these parameters can be called an Acoustic Environment. If the auditory event perceived by a listener is manipulated in such a way that the listener is shifted acoustically into a different acoustic environment without moving himself physically, a Virtual Acoustic Environment has been created. Here, we deal with a special technique to set up nearly arbitrary Virtual Acoustic Environments, the Binaural Room Simulation. The purpose of the Binaural Room Simulation is to compute the binaural impulse response related to a virtual acoustic environment taking into account all parameters mentioned above. One possible way to describe a Virtual Acoustic Environment is the concept of the virtual sound sources. Each of the virtual sources emits a certain signal which is correlated but not necessarily identical with the signal emitted by the direct sound source. If source and receiver are non moving, the acoustic environment becomes a linear time-invariant system. Then, the Binaural Impulse Response from the source to a listener' s eardrums contains all relevant auditory information related to the Virtual Acoustic Environment. Listening into the simulated environment can easily be achieved by convolving the Binaural Impulse Response with dry signals and representing the results via headphones.

West wall, display area (room 101), view 1 of 4: ...

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

West wall, display area (room 101), view 1 of 4: southwest corner, showing stairs to commander's quarters and viewing bridge, windows to controller's room (room 102), south end of control consoles, and holes in pedestal floor for computer equipment cables (tape drive I/O?) - March Air Force Base, Strategic Air Command, Combat Operations Center, 5220 Riverside Drive, Moreno Valley, Riverside County, CA

Advanced Control Surface Seal Development for Future Space Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeMange, J. J.; Dunlap, P. H., Jr.; Steinetz, B. M.

2004-01-01

NASA s Glenn Research Center (GRC) has been developing advanced high temperature structural seals since the late 1980's and is currently developing seals for future space vehicles as part of the Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) program. This includes control surface seals that seal the edges and hinge lines of movable flaps and elevons on future reentry vehicles. In these applications, the seals must operate at temperatures above 2000 F in an oxidizing environment, limit hot gas leakage to protect underlying structures, endure high temperature scrubbing against rough surfaces, and remain flexible and resilient enough to stay in contact with sealing surfaces for multiple heating and loading cycles. For this study, three seal designs were compared against the baseline spring tube seal through a series of compression tests at room temperature and 2000 F and flow tests at room temperature. In addition, canted coil springs were tested as preloaders behind the seals at room temperature to assess their potential for improving resiliency. Addition of these preloader elements resulted in significant increases in resiliency compared to the seals by themselves and surpassed the performance of the baseline seal at room temperature. Flow tests demonstrated that the seal candidates with engineered cores had lower leakage rates than the baseline spring tube design. However, when the seals were placed on the preloader elements, the flow rates were higher as the seals were not compressed as much and therefore were not able to fill the groove as well. High temperature tests were also conducted to asses the compatibility of seal fabrics against ceramic matrix composite (CMC) panels anticipated for use in next generation launch vehicles. These evaluations demonstrated potential bonding issues between the Nextel fabrics and CMC candidates.

Auditory Processing Testing: In the Booth versus Outside the Booth.

PubMed

Lucker, Jay R

2017-09-01

Many audiologists believe that auditory processing testing must be carried out in a soundproof booth. This expectation is especially a problem in places such as elementary schools. Research comparing pure-tone thresholds obtained in sound booths compared to quiet test environments outside of these booths does not support that belief. Auditory processing testing is generally carried out at above threshold levels, and therefore may be even less likely to require a soundproof booth. The present study was carried out to compare test results in soundproof booths versus quiet rooms. The purpose of this study was to determine whether auditory processing tests can be administered in a quiet test room rather than in the soundproof test suite. The outcomes would identify that audiologists can provide auditory processing testing for children under various test conditions including quiet rooms at their school. A battery of auditory processing tests was administered at a test level equivalent to 50 dB HL through headphones. The same equipment was used for testing in both locations. Twenty participants identified with normal hearing were included in this study, ten having no auditory processing concerns and ten exhibiting auditory processing problems. All participants underwent a battery of tests, both inside the test booth and outside the booth in a quiet room. Order of testing (inside versus outside) was counterbalanced. Participants were first determined to have normal hearing thresholds for tones and speech. Auditory processing tests were recorded and presented from an HP EliteBook laptop computer with noise-canceling headphones attached to a y-cord that not only presented the test stimuli to the participants but also allowed monitor headphones to be worn by the evaluator. The same equipment was used inside as well as outside the booth. No differences were found for each auditory processing measure as a function of the test setting or the order in which testing was done, that is, in the booth or in the room. Results from the present study indicate that one can obtain the same results on auditory processing tests, regardless of whether testing is completed in a soundproof booth or in a quiet test environment. Therefore, audiologists should not be required to test for auditory processing in a soundproof booth. This study shows that audiologists can conduct testing in a quiet room so long as the background noise is sufficiently controlled. American Academy of Audiology

Personal sound zone reproduction with room reflections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olik, Marek

Loudspeaker-based sound systems, capable of a convincing reproduction of different audio streams to listeners in the same acoustic enclosure, are a convenient alternative to headphones. Such systems aim to generate "sound zones" in which target sound programmes are to be reproduced with minimum interference from any alternative programmes. This can be achieved with appropriate filtering of the source (loudspeaker) signals, so that the target sound's energy is directed to the chosen zone while being attenuated elsewhere. The existing methods are unable to produce the required sound energy ratio (acoustic contrast) between the zones with a small number of sources when strong room reflections are present. Optimization of parameters is therefore required for systems with practical limitations to improve their performance in reflective acoustic environments. One important parameter is positioning of sources with respect to the zones and room boundaries. The first contribution of this thesis is a comparison of the key sound zoning methods implemented on compact and distributed geometrical source arrangements. The study presents previously unpublished detailed evaluation and ranking of such arrangements for systems with a limited number of sources in a reflective acoustic environment similar to a domestic room. Motivated by the requirement to investigate the relationship between source positioning and performance in detail, the central contribution of this thesis is a study on optimizing source arrangements when strong individual room reflections occur. Small sound zone systems are studied analytically and numerically to reveal relationships between the geometry of source arrays and performance in terms of acoustic contrast and array effort (related to system efficiency). Three novel source position optimization techniques are proposed to increase the contrast, and geometrical means of reducing the effort are determined. Contrary to previously published case studies, this work presents a systematic examination of the key problem of first order reflections and proposes general optimization techniques, thus forming an important contribution. The remaining contribution considers evaluation and comparison of the proposed techniques with two alternative approaches to sound zone generation under reflective conditions: acoustic contrast control (ACC) combined with anechoic source optimization and sound power minimization (SPM). The study provides a ranking of the examined approaches which could serve as a guideline for method selection for rooms with strong individual reflections.

Building interactive virtual environments for simulated training in medicine using VRML and Java/JavaScript.

PubMed

Korocsec, D; Holobar, A; Divjak, M; Zazula, D

2005-12-01

Medicine is a difficult thing to learn. Experimenting with real patients should not be the only option; simulation deserves a special attention here. Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML) as a tool for building virtual objects and scenes has a good record of educational applications in medicine, especially for static and animated visualisations of body parts and organs. However, to create computer simulations resembling situations in real environments the required level of interactivity and dynamics is difficult to achieve. In the present paper we describe some approaches and techniques which we used to push the limits of the current VRML technology further toward dynamic 3D representation of virtual environments (VEs). Our demonstration is based on the implementation of a virtual baby model, whose vital signs can be controlled from an external Java application. The main contributions of this work are: (a) outline and evaluation of the three-level VRML/Java implementation of the dynamic virtual environment, (b) proposal for a modified VRML Timesensor node, which greatly improves the overall control of system performance, and (c) architecture of the prototype distributed virtual environment for training in neonatal resuscitation comprising the interactive virtual newborn, active bedside monitor for vital signs and full 3D representation of the surgery room.

Extensive severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus contamination in surrounding environment in patient rooms.

PubMed

Ryu, B-H; Kim, J Y; Kim, T; Kim, M-C; Kim, M J; Chong, Y-P; Lee, S-O; Choi, S-H; Kim, Y S; Woo, J H; Kim, S-H

2018-01-31

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne disease in Korea and China. Although there is previous evidence of person-to-person transmission via direct contact with body fluids, the role of environmental contamination by SFTS virus (SFTSV) in healthcare settings has not been established. We therefore investigated the contamination of the healthcare environment by SFTSV. We investigated the possible contamination of hospital air and surfaces with SFTSV transmission by collecting air and swabbing environmental surface samples in two hospitals treating six SFTS patients between March and September 2017. The samples were tested using real-time RT-PCR for SFTS M and S segments. Of the six SFTS patients, four received mechanical ventilation and three died. Five rooms were occupied by those using mechanical ventilation or total plasma exchange therapy in isolation rooms without negative pressure and one room was occupied by a patient bedridden due to SFTS. SFTSV was detected in 14 (21%) of 67 swab samples. Five of 24 swab samples were obtained from fomites including stethoscopes, and 9 of 43 were obtained from fixed structures including doorknobs and bed guardrails. Some samples from fixed structures such as television monitors and sink tables were obtained in areas remote from the patients. SFTSV RNA was not detected in five air samples from three patients' rooms. Our data suggest that SFTSV contamination was extensive in surrounding environments in SFTS patients' rooms. Therefore, more strict isolation methods and disinfecting procedures should be considered when managing SFTS patients. Copyright © 2018 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Governing time in operating rooms.

PubMed

Riley, Robin; Manias, Elizabeth

2006-05-01

This paper examines how time is controlled and governed in operating rooms through interpersonal communication between nurses and doctors. Time is a valuable commodity in organizations with improvements often directed towards maximizing efficiencies. As a consequence, time can be a source of tension and interpersonal conflict as individuals compete for control of its use. The data in this paper emanate from an ethnographic study that explored a range of communication practices in operating room nursing. Participants comprised 11 operating room nurses. Data were collected over two years in three different institutional settings and involved participant observation, interviews and the keeping of a personal diary. A deconstructive analysis of the data was undertaken. Results are discussed in terms of the practices, in which clinicians are engaged in, to govern and control their use of time. The four practices presented in this paper include; questioning judgment and timing, controlling speed, estimating surgeons' use of time and coping with different perceptions of time. Time and speed were hotly contested by nurses. They used their personal knowledge of individual surgeon's habits of time to govern and control practice. Nurses thought about surgeons in terms of time and developed commonly accepted understandings about the length of surgical procedures. They used this knowledge to manage the scheduling of operations in the departments and to control the workflow in individual operating rooms. Knowledge of individual surgeons was a source of power for operating room nurses. Nurses have more power in the operating room than might be imagined but they exercise this power in subtle ways. If operating rooms are to work effectively, the operating room team must understand each others' work better.

Environmental colonization and onward clonal transmission of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) in a medical intensive care unit: the case for environmental hygiene.

PubMed

Ng, Deborah H L; Marimuthu, Kalisvar; Lee, Jia Jun; Khong, Wei Xin; Ng, Oon Tek; Zhang, Wei; Poh, Bee Fong; Rao, Pooja; Raj, Maya Devi Rajinder; Ang, Brenda; De, Partha Pratim

2018-01-01

In May 2015, we noticed an increase in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) infections in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU). To investigate this, we studied the extent of environmental contamination and subsequent onward clonal transmission of CRAB. We conducted a one-day point prevalence screening (PPS) of the patients and environment in the MICU. We screened patients using endotracheal tube aspirates and swabs from nares, axillae, groin, rectum, wounds, and exit sites of drains. We collected environmental samples from patients' rooms and environment outside the patients' rooms. CRAB isolates from the PPS and clinical samples over the subsequent one month were studied for genetic relatedness by whole genome sequencing (WGS). We collected 34 samples from seven patients and 244 samples from the environment. On the day of PPS, we identified 8 CRAB carriers: 3 who screened positive and 5 previously known clinical infections. We detected environmental contamination in nearly two-thirds of the rooms housing patients with CRAB. WGS demonstrated genetic clustering of isolates within rooms but not across rooms. We analysed 4 CRAB isolates from clinical samples following the PPS. One genetically-related CRAB was identified in the respiratory sample of a patient with nosocomial pneumonia, who was admitted to the MICU five days after the PPS. The extensive environmental colonization of CRAB by patients highlights the importance of environmental hygiene. The transmission dynamics of CRAB needs further investigation.

Promoting Hand Hygiene With a Lighting Prompt.

PubMed

Diegel-Vacek, Lauren; Ryan, Catherine

2016-10-01

The objective of this pilot study was to assess an automatic sink light design intervention as a prompt for clinician hand hygiene (as defined by World Health Organization [WHO]). Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are still leading causes of morbidity and mortality and contribute to burdens on our healthcare system. Hand hygiene has been related to reducing the rate of HAIs and positively impacting both patient and hospital outcomes. This pilot study was a prospective, longitudinal observational study of a convenience sample of healthcare clinicians. In one inpatient room, clinicians were exposed to a hand hygiene reminder that consisted of a light turning on over the sink as they entered. A control room (the adjacent inpatient room) did not have the intervention. A total of 88 clinician encounters were monitored during the study. On the first observation day at the initial activation of the signal light system, the percentage of clinicians performing hand hygiene upon entering a room was only 7% in the control room and 23% in the intervention room. During the second observation (Day 14), those percentages were 16% in the control room and 30% in the intervention room. During the third observation (Day 21), those percentages were 23% in the control room and 23% in the intervention room. The healthcare system frequently relies on expensive technology to improve healthcare delivery, but implementation of low-cost, low-technology methods such as this light may be effective in prompting hand hygiene. © The Author(s) 2016.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the high bay clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers prepare to attach an overhead crane to NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. The spacecraft will be moved to a work stand where employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the high bay clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers prepare to attach an overhead crane to NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. The spacecraft will be moved to a work stand where employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., is offloaded. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be taken into a high bay clean room and employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., is offloaded. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be taken into a high bay clean room and employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the high bay clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers attach an overhead crane to NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. The spacecraft will be moved to a work stand where employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the high bay clean room at the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, workers attach an overhead crane to NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft. The spacecraft will be moved to a work stand where employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, a lift helps offload NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft shipped from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be taken into a high bay clean room and employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC, a lift helps offload NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft shipped from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be taken into a high bay clean room and employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

Defense applications of the CAVE (CAVE automatic virtual environment)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isabelle, Scott K.; Gilkey, Robert H.; Kenyon, Robert V.; Valentino, George; Flach, John M.; Spenny, Curtis H.; Anderson, Timothy R.

1997-07-01

The CAVE is a multi-person, room-sized, high-resolution, 3D video and auditory environment, which can be used to present very immersive virtual environment experiences. This paper describes the CAVE technology and the capability of the CAVE system as originally developed at the Electronics Visualization Laboratory of the University of Illinois- Chicago and as more recently implemented by Wright State University (WSU) in the Armstrong Laboratory at Wright- Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB). One planned use of the WSU/WPAFB CAVE is research addressing the appropriate design of display and control interfaces for controlling uninhabited aerial vehicles. The WSU/WPAFB CAVE has a number of features that make it well-suited to this work: (1) 360 degrees surround, plus floor, high resolution visual displays, (2) virtual spatialized audio, (3) the ability to integrate real and virtual objects, and (4) rapid and flexible reconfiguration. However, even though the CAVE is likely to have broad utility for military applications, it does have certain limitations that may make it less well- suited to applications that require 'natural' haptic feedback, vestibular stimulation, or an ability to interact with close detailed objects.

Impossible spaces: maximizing natural walking in virtual environments with self-overlapping architecture.

PubMed

Suma, Evan A; Lipps, Zachary; Finkelstein, Samantha; Krum, David M; Bolas, Mark

2012-04-01

Walking is only possible within immersive virtual environments that fit inside the boundaries of the user's physical workspace. To reduce the severity of the restrictions imposed by limited physical area, we introduce "impossible spaces," a new design mechanic for virtual environments that wish to maximize the size of the virtual environment that can be explored with natural locomotion. Such environments make use of self-overlapping architectural layouts, effectively compressing comparatively large interior environments into smaller physical areas. We conducted two formal user studies to explore the perception and experience of impossible spaces. In the first experiment, we showed that reasonably small virtual rooms may overlap by as much as 56% before users begin to detect that they are in an impossible space, and that the larger virtual rooms that expanded to maximally fill our available 9.14 m x 9.14 m workspace may overlap by up to 31%. Our results also demonstrate that users perceive distances to objects in adjacent overlapping rooms as if the overall space was uncompressed, even at overlap levels that were overtly noticeable. In our second experiment, we combined several well-known redirection techniques to string together a chain of impossible spaces in an expansive outdoor scene. We then conducted an exploratory analysis of users' verbal feedback during exploration, which indicated that impossible spaces provide an even more powerful illusion when users are naive to the manipulation.

Software Support during a Control Room Upgrade

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

Michele Joyce; Michael Spata; Thomas Oren

2005-09-21

In 2004, after 14 years of accelerator operations and commissioning, Jefferson Lab renovated its main control room. Changes in technology and lessons learned during those 14 years drove the control room redesign in a new direction, one that optimizes workflow and makes critical information and controls available to everyone in the control room. Fundamental changes in a variety of software applications were required to facilitate the new operating paradigm. A critical component of the new control room design is a large-format video wall that is used to make a variety of operating information available to everyone in the room. Analogmore » devices such as oscilloscopes and function generators are now displayed on the video wall through two crosspoint switchers: one for analog signals and another for video signals. A new software GUI replaces manual configuration of the oscilloscopes and function generators and helps automate setup. Monitoring screens, customized for the video wall, now make important operating information visible to everyone, not just a single operator. New alarm handler software gives any operator, on any workstation, access to all alarm handler functionality, and multiple users can now contribute to a single electronic logbook entry. To further support the shift to distributed access and control, many applications have been redesigned to run on servers instead of on individual workstations.« less

Internet Protocol Display Sharing Solution for Mission Control Center Video System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Michael A.

2009-01-01

With the advent of broadcast television as a constant source of information throughout the NASA manned space flight Mission Control Center (MCC) at the Johnson Space Center (JSC), the current Video Transport System (VTS) characteristics provides the ability to visually enhance real-time applications as a broadcast channel that decision making flight controllers come to rely on, but can be difficult to maintain and costly. The Operations Technology Facility (OTF) of the Mission Operations Facility Division (MOFD) has been tasked to provide insight to new innovative technological solutions for the MCC environment focusing on alternative architectures for a VTS. New technology will be provided to enable sharing of all imagery from one specific computer display, better known as Display Sharing (DS), to other computer displays and display systems such as; large projector systems, flight control rooms, and back supporting rooms throughout the facilities and other offsite centers using IP networks. It has been stated that Internet Protocol (IP) applications are easily readied to substitute for the current visual architecture, but quality and speed may need to be forfeited for reducing cost and maintainability. Although the IP infrastructure can support many technologies, the simple task of sharing ones computer display can be rather clumsy and difficult to configure and manage to the many operators and products. The DS process shall invest in collectively automating the sharing of images while focusing on such characteristics as; managing bandwidth, encrypting security measures, synchronizing disconnections from loss of signal / loss of acquisitions, performance latency, and provide functions like, scalability, multi-sharing, ease of initial integration / sustained configuration, integration with video adjustments packages, collaborative tools, host / recipient controllability, and the utmost paramount priority, an enterprise solution that provides ownership to the whole process, while maintaining the integrity of the latest technological displayed image devices. This study will provide insights to the many possibilities that can be filtered down to a harmoniously responsive product that can be used in today's MCC environment.

KSC-2014-2302

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Construction workers have installed the framing and some of the inner walls inside Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Three rows of upper level management consoles remain. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing efforts to create a new firing room based on a multi-user concept. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future NASA and commercial user requirements. The equipment and most of the consoles from Firing Room 4 were moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2014-2304

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Construction workers have installed the framing and some of the inner walls inside Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Three rows of upper level management consoles remain. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing efforts to create a new firing room based on a multi-user concept. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future NASA and commercial user requirements. The equipment and most of the consoles from Firing Room 4 were moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

KSC-2014-2303

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Construction workers have installed the framing and some of the inner walls inside Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Three rows of upper level management consoles remain. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing efforts to create a new firing room based on a multi-user concept. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future NASA and commercial user requirements. The equipment and most of the consoles from Firing Room 4 were moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA/Dimitri Gerondidakis

Interior shadings for office indoor visual comfort in humid climate region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinapradipta, Asri; Sudarma, Erwin; Defiana, Ima; Erwindi, Collinthia

2018-03-01

As part of the fenestration system, the interior shadings have also a role to control the indoor environment to maintain indoor visual comfort. As the occupants have personal access to control these, their control behavior then, might enhance or even worsen indoor comfort performance. The controlling behavior might not only influence indoor comfort performance but can also indicate the success or failure of interior shading as a control device element. This paper is intended to report control behavior patterns, as represented by the variety of the slats’ openings of two types of interior shading i.e. Venetian and Vertical blinds and to analyze these on the concurrent impacts to indoor office building’s indoor illuminance and luminance distribution. The purpose of this research is to figure out the shading control patterns as well as to examine the effectiveness of these two types of interior shadings to control indoor visual environment. This study is a quantitative research using experimentation on the slats’ opening of two types of shadings at two identical office rooms. The research results suggested that both types of blinds seem unsuitable for gaining proper illumination values at work planes in humid tropics area. However, these shadings demonstrate good performance for luminance distribution except for that of the closed Venetian blinds.

Changes in patient satisfaction related to hospital renovation: experience with a new clinical building.

PubMed

Siddiqui, Zishan K; Zuccarelli, Rebecca; Durkin, Nowella; Wu, Albert W; Brotman, Daniel J

2015-03-01

There is an increasing trend toward designing hospitals with patient-centered features like reduced noise, improved natural light, visitor friendly facilities, well-decorated rooms, and hotel-like amenities. It has also been suggested that because patients cannot reliably distinguish positive experiences with the physical environment from positive experience with care, an improved hospital environment leads to higher satisfaction with physicians, nursing, food service, housekeeping, and higher overall satisfaction. To characterize changes in patient satisfaction that occurred when clinical services (comprised of stable nursing, physician, and unit teams) were relocated to a new clinical building with patient-centered features. We hypothesized that new building features would positively impact provider, ancillary staff, and overall satisfaction, as well as improved satisfaction with the facility. Natural experiment utilizing a pre-post design with concurrent controls. Academic tertiary care hospital. We included all patients discharged from 12 clinical units that relocated to the new clinical building who returned surveys in the 7.5-month period following the move. Premove baseline data were captured from the year prior to the move. Patients on unmoved clinical units who returned satisfaction surveys served as concurrent controls. Patient-centered design features incorporated into the new clinical building. All patients during the baseline period and control patients during the study period were located in usual patient rooms with standard hospital amenities. The primary outcome was satisfaction scores on the Press Ganey and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey, dichotomized at highest category versus lower categories. We performed logistic regression to identify predictors of "top-box" scores. The move was associated with improved room- and visitor-related satisfaction without significant improvement in satisfaction with clinical providers, ancillary staff, and only 1 of 4 measures of overall satisfaction improved. The most prominent increase was with pleasantness of décor (33.6% vs 64.8%) and visitor accommodation and comfort (50.0% vs 70.3%). Patients responded positively to pleasing surroundings and comfort, but were able to discriminate their experiences with the hospital environment from those with physicians and nurses. The move to a new building had significant impact on only 1 of the 4 measures of overall patient satisfaction, as clinical care is likely to be the most important determinant of this outcome. Hospital administrators should not use outdated facilities as an excuse for suboptimal provider satisfaction scores. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine.

5. INSTRUMENT ROOM INTERIOR, SHOWING BACKS OF CONSOLE LOCKERS. Looking ...

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

5. INSTRUMENT ROOM INTERIOR, SHOWING BACKS OF CONSOLE LOCKERS. Looking northeast to firing control room passageway. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Firing Control Building, Test Area 1-100, northeast end of Test Area 1-100 Road, Boron, Kern County, CA

83. DETAIL OF HONEYWELL AIRCONDITIONING CONTROLS IN SLC3E CONTROL ROOM ...

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

83. DETAIL OF HONEYWELL AIR-CONDITIONING CONTROLS IN SLC-3E CONTROL ROOM - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

10. Credit BG. Interior of control and observation room at ...

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

10. Credit BG. Interior of control and observation room at Control and Recording Center Building 4221/E-22. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Control & Recording Center, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

The influence of ambient scent and music on patients' anxiety in a waiting room of a plastic surgeon.

PubMed

Fenko, Anna; Loock, Caroline

2014-01-01

This study investigates the influence of ambient scent and music, and their combination, on patients' anxiety in a waiting room of a plastic surgeon. Waiting for an appointment with a plastic surgeon can increase a patient's anxiety. It is important to make the waiting time before an appointment with the surgeon more pleasant and to reduce the patient's anxiety. Ambient environmental stimuli can influence people's mood, cognition, and behavior. This experimental study was performed to test whether ambient scent and music can help to reduce patients' anxiety. Two pre-studies (n = 21) were conducted to measure the subjective pleasantness and arousal of various scents and music styles. Scent and music that scored high on pleasantness and low on arousal were selected for the main study. The field experiment (n = 117) was conducted in the waiting room of a German plastic surgeon. The patients' levels of anxiety were measured in four conditions: (1) without scent and music, (2) with lavender scent; (3) with instrumental music; (4) with both scent and music. When used separately, each of the environmental factors, music and scent, significantly reduced the level of patient's anxiety compared to the control condition. However, the combination of scent and music was not effective in reducing anxiety. Our results suggest that ambient scent and music can help to reduce patients' anxiety, but they should be used with caution. Adding more ambient elements to environment could raise patients' level of arousal and thus increase their anxiety. Healing environments, patient, patient-centered care, quality care, satisfaction.

Working conditions in the engine department - A qualitative study among engine room personnel on board Swedish merchant ships.

PubMed

Lundh, Monica; Lützhöft, Margareta; Rydstedt, Leif; Dahlman, Joakim

2011-01-01

The specific problems associated with the work on board within the merchant fleet are well known and have over the years been a topic of discussion. The work conditions in the engine room (ER) are demanding due to, e.g. the thermal climate, noise and awkward working postures. The work in the engine control room (ECR) has over recent years undergone major changes, mainly due to the introduction of computers on board. In order to capture the impact these changes had implied, and also to investigate how the work situation has developed, a total of 20 engine officers and engine ratings were interviewed. The interviews were semi-structured and Grounded Theory was used for the data analysis. The aim of the present study was to describe how the engine crew perceive their work situation and working environment on board. Further, the aim was to identify areas for improvements which the engine crew consider especially important for a safe and effective work environment. The result of the study shows that the design of the ECR and ER is crucial for how different tasks are performed. Design which does not support operational procedures and how tasks are performed risk inducing inappropriate behaviour as the crew members' are compelled to find alternative ways to perform their tasks in order to get the job done. These types of behaviour can induce an increased risk of exposure to hazardous substances and the engine crew members becoming injured. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

The research and application of green computer room environmental monitoring system based on internet of things technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Wang; Chongchao, Pan; Yikai, Liang; Gang, Li

2017-11-01

With the rapid development of information technology, the scale of data center increases quickly, and the energy consumption of computer room also increases rapidly, among which, energy consumption of air conditioning cooling makes up a large proportion. How to apply new technology to reduce the energy consumption of the computer room becomes an important topic of energy saving in the current research. This paper study internet of things technology, and design a kind of green computer room environmental monitoring system. In the system, we can get the real-time environment data from the application of wireless sensor network technology, which will be showed in a creative way of three-dimensional effect. In the environment monitor, we can get the computer room assets view, temperature cloud view, humidity cloud view, microenvironment view and so on. Thus according to the condition of the microenvironment, we can adjust the air volume, temperature and humidity parameters of the air conditioning for the individual equipment cabinet to realize the precise air conditioning refrigeration. And this can reduce the energy consumption of air conditioning, as a result, the overall energy consumption of the green computer room will reduce greatly. At the same time, we apply this project in the computer center of Weihai, and after a year of test and running, we find that it took a good energy saving effect, which fully verified the effectiveness of this project on the energy conservation of the computer room.

Event memory and moving in a well-known environment.

PubMed

Tamplin, Andrea K; Krawietz, Sabine A; Radvansky, Gabriel A; Copeland, David E

2013-11-01

Research in narrative comprehension has repeatedly shown that when people read about characters moving in well-known environments, the accessibility of object information follows a spatial gradient. That is, the accessibility of objects is best when they are in the same room as the protagonist, and it becomes worse the farther away they are see, e.g., Morrow, Greenspan, & Bower, (Journal of Memory and Language, 26, 165-187, 1987). In the present study, we assessed this finding using an interactive environment in which we had people memorize a map and navigate a virtual simulation of the area. During navigation, people were probed with pairs of object names and indicated whether both objects were in the same room. In contrast to the narrative studies described above, several experiments showed no evidence of a clear spatial gradient. Instead, memory for objects in currently occupied locations (e.g., the location room) was more accessible, especially after a small delay, but no clear decline was evident in the accessibility of information in memory with increased distance. Also, memory for objects along the pathway of movement (i.e., rooms that a person only passed through) showed a transitory suppression effect that was present immediately after movement, but attenuated over time. These results were interpreted in light of the event horizon model of event cognition.

The role of the surface environment in healthcare-associated infections.

PubMed

Weber, David J; Anderson, Deverick; Rutala, William A

2013-08-01

This article reviews the evidence demonstrating the importance of contamination of hospital surfaces in the transmission of healthcare-associated pathogens and interventions scientifically demonstrated to reduce the levels of microbial contamination and decrease healthcare-associated infections. The contaminated surface environment in hospitals plays an important role in the transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus spp. (VRE), Clostridium difficile, Acinetobacter spp., and norovirus. Improved surface cleaning and disinfection can reduce transmission of these pathogens. 'No-touch' methods of room disinfection (i.e., devices which produce ultraviolet light or hydrogen peroxide) and 'self-disinfecting' surfaces (e.g., copper) also show promise to decrease contamination and reduce healthcare-associated infections. Hospital surfaces are frequently contaminated with important healthcare-associated pathogens. Contact with the contaminated environment by healthcare personnel is equally as likely as direct contact with a patient to lead to contamination of the healthcare provider's hands or gloves that may result in patient-to-patient transmission of nosocomial pathogens. Admission to a room previously occupied by a patient with MRSA, VRE, Acinetobacter, or C. difficile increases the risk for the subsequent patient admitted to the room to acquire the pathogen. Improved cleaning and disinfection of room surfaces decreases the risk of healthcare-associated infections.

Amplitude modulation detection by human listeners in reverberant sound fields: Effects of prior listening exposure.

PubMed

Zahorik, Pavel; Anderson, Paul W

2013-01-01

Previous work [Zahorik et al., POMA, 15, 050002 (2012)] has reported that for both broadband and narrowband noise carrier signals in a simulated reverberant sound field, human sensitivity to amplitude modulation (AM) is higher than would be predicted based on the acoustical modulation transfer function (MTF) of the listening environment. These results may be suggestive of mechanisms that functionally enhance modulation in reverberant listening, although many details of this enhancement effect are unknown. Given recent findings that demonstrate improvements in speech understanding with prior exposure to reverberant listening environments, it is of interest to determine whether listening exposure to a reverberant room might also influence AM detection in the room, and perhaps contribute to the AM enhancement effect. Here, AM detection thresholds were estimated (using an adaptive 2-alternative forced-choice procedure) in each of two listening conditions: one in which consistent listening exposure to a particular room was provided, and a second that intentionally disrupted listening exposure by varying the room from trial-to-trial. Results suggest that consistent prior listening exposure contributes to enhanced AM sensitivity in rooms. [Work supported by the NIH/NIDCD.].

Nuclear reactor control room construction

DOEpatents

Lamuro, R.C.; Orr, R.

1993-11-16

A control room for a nuclear plant is disclosed. In the control room, objects labelled 12, 20, 22, 26, 30 in the drawing are no less than four inches from walls labelled 10.2. A ceiling contains cooling fins that extend downwards toward the floor from metal plates. A concrete slab is poured over the plates. Studs are welded to the plates and are encased in the concrete. 6 figures.

Nuclear reactor control room construction

DOEpatents

Lamuro, Robert C.; Orr, Richard

1993-01-01

A control room 10 for a nuclear plant is disclosed. In the control room, objects 12, 20, 22, 26, 30 are no less than four inches from walls 10.2. A ceiling 32 contains cooling fins 35 that extend downwards toward the floor from metal plates 34. A concrete slab 33 is poured over the plates. Studs 36 are welded to the plates and are encased in the concrete.

17. CONTROL ROOM, NORTH SIDE, WITH BRIDGE SWING CONTROLS ON ...

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

17. CONTROL ROOM, NORTH SIDE, WITH BRIDGE SWING CONTROLS ON LEFT, SIGNAL CONTROLS ON RIGHT, WHISTLE PULL TOP. RADIO TELEPHONE IN CENTER BACK (Fred Small) - Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge, Spanning Willamette River at River Mile 6.9, Portland, Multnomah County, OR

KSC-2009-5248

NASA Image and Video Library

2009-09-25

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – This ribbon cutting officially turns over NASA Kennedy Space Center's Launch Control Center Firing Room 1 from the Space Shuttle Program to the Constellation Program. Participating are (from left) Pepper Phillips, director of the Constellation Project Office at Kennedy; Bob Cabana, Kennedy's director; Robert Crippen, former astronaut; Jeff Hanley, manager of the Constellation Program at NASA's Johnson Space Center; and Nancy Bray, deputy director of Center Operations at Kennedy. The room has undergone demolition and construction and been outfitted with consoles for the upcoming Ares I-X rocket flight test targeted for launch on Oct. 27. As the center of launch operations at Kennedy since the Apollo Program, the Launch Control Center, or LCC, has played a central role in NASA's human spaceflight programs. Firing Room 1 was the first operational firing room constructed. From this room, controllers launched the first Saturn V, the first crewed flight of Saturn V, the first crewed mission to the moon and the first space shuttle. Firing Room 1 will continue this tradition of firsts when controllers launch the Constellation Program's first flight test. Also, this firing room will be the center of operations for the upcoming Ares I and Orion operations. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

11. CENTRAL ATLAS CONTROL CONSOLE IN SLC3W CONTROL ROOM. COMMUNICATIONS ...

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

11. CENTRAL ATLAS CONTROL CONSOLE IN SLC-3W CONTROL ROOM. COMMUNICATIONS HEADSETS IN FOREGROUND. - Vandenberg Air Force Base, Space Launch Complex 3, Launch Operations Building, Napa & Alden Roads, Lompoc, Santa Barbara County, CA

A structural regression model for relationship between indoor air quality with dissatisfaction of occupants in education environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini, Hamid Reza; Yunos, Mohd Yazid Mohd; Ismail, Sumarni; Yaman, Maheran

2017-12-01

This paper analysis the effects of indoor air elements on the dissatisfaction of occupants in education of environments. Tries to find the equation model for increasing the comprehension about these affects and optimizes satisfaction of occupants about indoor environment. Subsequently, increase performance of students, lecturers and staffs. As the method, a satisfaction questionnaire (SQ) and measuring environment elements (MEE) was conducted, 143 respondents at five classrooms, four staff rooms and five lectures rooms were considered. Temperature, air velocity and humidity (TVH) were used as independent variables and dissatisfaction as dependent variable. The hypothesis was tested for significant relationship between variables, and analysis was applied. Results found that indoor air quality presents direct effects on dissatisfaction of occupants and indirect effects on performance and the highest effects fallowed by temperature. These results may help to optimize the quality of efficiency and effectiveness in education environments.

Photographic art in exam rooms may reduce white coat hypertension.

PubMed

Harper, Michael B; Kanayama-Trivedi, Stacy; Caldito, Gloria; Montgomery, David; Mayeaux, E J; DelRosso, Lourdes M

2015-12-01

Blood pressure (BP) elevation in medical office settings in patients who are normotensive in nonmedical settings is an effect known as 'white coat hypertension'. This phenomenon is thought to be due to situational anxiety caused by the experience of visiting a doctor and the anxiety-inducing nature of the medical office. Our study was designed to determine if carefully selected photographic art could counter the anxiety that causes white coat hypertension and lead to lower BP recordings in some patients. 117 adults, non-pregnant patients from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center Family Medicine Resident Clinic participated in this study. After the triage nurse measured the BP, the patients were randomly placed in either an exam room with standard medical posters (control room) or in an exam room with photographic art (photo room). The BP was measured in the exam room. After the medical visit, the patients switched rooms and the BP was measured a third time. The patients were asked to fill out a questionnaire to identify room preference. On average, the BP obtained in the control rooms was higher than that obtained in the photo rooms. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean arterial pressure, systolic BP and diastolic BP between the control room and the photo room. Landscape photographic art may have the beneficial effect of reducing BP in medical office examination rooms. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

A comprehensive operating room information system using the Kinect sensors and RFID.

PubMed

Nouei, Mahyar Taghizadeh; Kamyad, Ali Vahidian; Soroush, Ahmad Reza; Ghazalbash, Somayeh

2015-04-01

Occasionally, surgeons do need various types of information to be available rapidly, efficiently and safely during surgical procedures. Meanwhile, they need to free up hands throughout the surgery to necessarily access the mouse to control any application in the sterility mode. In addition, they are required to record audio as well as video files, and enter and save some data. This is an attempt to develop a comprehensive operating room information system called "Medinav" to tackle all mentioned issues. An integrated and comprehensive operating room information system is introduced to be compatible with Health Level 7 (HL7) and digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM). DICOM is a standard for handling, storing, printing, and transmitting information in medical imaging. Besides, a natural user interface (NUI) is designed specifically for operating rooms where touch-less interactions with finger and hand tracking are in use. Further, the system could both record procedural data automatically, and view acquired information from multiple perspectives graphically. A prototype system is tested in a live operating room environment at an Iranian teaching hospital. There are also contextual interviews and usability satisfaction questionnaires conducted with the "MediNav" system to investigate how useful the proposed system could be. The results reveal that integration of these systems into a complete solution is the key to not only stream up data and workflow but maximize surgical team usefulness as well. It is now possible to comprehensively collect and visualize medical information, and access a management tool with a touch-less NUI in a rather quick, practical, and harmless manner.

Design requirements for ubiquitous computing environments for healthcare professionals.

PubMed

Bång, Magnus; Larsson, Anders; Eriksson, Henrik

2004-01-01

Ubiquitous computing environments can support clinical administrative routines in new ways. The aim of such computing approaches is to enhance routine physical work, thus it is important to identify specific design requirements. We studied healthcare professionals in an emergency room and developed the computer-augmented environment NOSTOS to support teamwork in that setting. NOSTOS uses digital pens and paper-based media as the primary input interface for data capture and as a means of controlling the system. NOSTOS also includes a digital desk, walk-up displays, and sensor technology that allow the system to track documents and activities in the workplace. We propose a set of requirements and discuss the value of tangible user interfaces for healthcare personnel. Our results suggest that the key requirements are flexibility in terms of system usage and seamless integration between digital and physical components. We also discuss how ubiquitous computing approaches like NOSTOS can be beneficial in the medical workplace.

Cyclic Fiber Push-In Test Monitors Evolution of Interfacial Behavior in Ceramic Matrix Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eldridge, Jeffrey I.

1998-01-01

SiC fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites are being developed for high-temperature advanced jet engine applications. Obtaining a strong, tough composite material depends critically on optimizing the mechanical coupling between the reinforcing fibers and the surrounding matrix material. This has usually been accomplished by applying a thin C or BN coating onto the surface of the reinforcing fibers. The performance of these fiber coatings, however, may degrade under cyclic loading conditions or exposure to different environments. Degradation of the coating-controlled interfacial behavior will strongly affect the useful service lifetime of the composite material. Cyclic fiber push-in testing was applied to monitor the evolution of fiber sliding behavior in both C- and BN-coated small-diameter (15-mm) SiC-fiber-reinforced ceramic matrix composites. The cyclic fiber push-in tests were performed using a desktop fiber push-out apparatus. At the beginning of each test, the fiber to be tested was aligned underneath a 10- mm-diameter diamond punch; then, the applied load was cycled between selected maximum and minimum loads. From the measured response, the fiber sliding distance and frictional sliding stresses were determined for each cycle. Tests were performed in both room air and nitrogen. Cyclic fiber push-in tests of C-coated, SiC-fiber-reinforced SiC showed progressive increases in fiber sliding distances along with decreases in frictional sliding stresses for continued cycling in room air. This rapid degradation in interfacial response was not observed for cycling in nitrogen, indicating that moisture exposure had a large effect in immediately lowering the frictional sliding stresses of C-coated fibers. These results indicate that matrix cracks bridged by C-coated fibers will not be stable, but will rapidly grow in moisture-containing environments. In contrast, cyclic fiber push-in tests of both BN-coated, SiC-fiber-reinforced SiC and BNcoated, SiC-fiber-reinforced barium strontium aluminosilicate showed no significant changes in fiber sliding behavior with continued short-term cycling in either room air or nitrogen. Although the composites with BN-coated fibers showed stable short-term cycling behavior in both environments, long-term (several-week) exposure of debonded fibers to room air resulted in dramatically increased fiber sliding distances and decreased frictional sliding stresses. These results indicate that although matrix cracks bridged by BNcoated fibers will show short-term stability, such cracks will show substantial growth with long-term exposure to moisture-containing environments. Newly formulated BN coatings, with higher moisture resistance, will be tested in the near future.

Impact of pulsed xenon ultraviolet light on hospital-acquired infection rates in a community hospital.

PubMed

Vianna, Pedro G; Dale, Charles R; Simmons, Sarah; Stibich, Mark; Licitra, Carmelo M

2016-03-01

The role of contaminated environments in the spread of hospital-associated infections has been well documented. This study reports the impact of a pulsed xenon ultraviolet no-touch disinfection system on infection rates in a community care facility. This study was conducted in a community hospital in Southern Florida. Beginning November 2012, a pulsed xenon ultraviolet disinfection system was implemented as an adjunct to traditional cleaning methods on discharge of select rooms. The technology uses a xenon flashlamp to generate germicidal light that damages the DNA of organisms in the hospital environment. The device was implemented in the intensive care unit (ICU), with a goal of using the pulsed xenon ultraviolet system for disinfecting all discharges and transfers after standard cleaning and prior to occupation of the room by the next patient. For all non-ICU discharges and transfers, the pulsed xenon ultraviolet system was only used for Clostridium difficile rooms. Infection data were collected for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, C difficile, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE). The intervention period was compared with baseline using a 2-sample Wilcoxon rank-sum test. In non-ICU areas, a significant reduction was found for C difficile. There was a nonsignificant decrease in VRE and a significant increase in methicillin-resistant S aureus. In the ICU, all infections were reduced, but only VRE was significant. This may be because of the increased role that environment plays in the transmission of this pathogen. Overall, there were 36 fewer infections in the whole facility and 16 fewer infections in the ICU during the intervention period than would have been expected based on baseline data. Implementation of pulsed xenon ultraviolet disinfection is associated with significant decreases in facility-wide and ICU infection rates. These outcomes suggest that enhanced environmental disinfection plays a role in the risk mitigation of hospital-acquired infections. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

CONTROL ROOM WITH SPRINKLER SYSTEM CONTROLS, INCLUDING MANUAL CONTROL BOXES ...

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

CONTROL ROOM WITH SPRINKLER SYSTEM CONTROLS, INCLUDING MANUAL CONTROL BOXES FOR THE VENTILATION SYSTEM AND A PLC SWITCH FOR AUTOMATIC CO (CARBON MONOXIDE) SYSTEM. THE AIR TESTING SYSTEM IS FREE STANDING AND THE FANS ARE COMPUTER-OPERATED. - Alaskan Way Viaduct and Battery Street Tunnel, Seattle, King County, WA

2. CONTROL ROOM INTERIOR, CONSOLE AND MONITORS. Looking west. ...

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

2. CONTROL ROOM INTERIOR, CONSOLE AND MONITORS. Looking west. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Control Center, Test Area 1-115, near Altair & Saturn Boulevards, Boron, Kern County, CA

TRITIUM LABORATORY, TRA666, INTERIOR. MAIN FLOOR. CONTROL ROOM ENCLOSURE AT ...

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

TRITIUM LABORATORY, TRA-666, INTERIOR. MAIN FLOOR. CONTROL ROOM ENCLOSURE AT CENTER OF VIEW. SIGN ABOVE DOOR SAYS "HYDRAULIC TEST FACILITY CONTROL ROOM." SIGN IN WINDOW SAYS "EATING AREA." "EVACUATION AND EMERGENCY INFORMATION" IS POSTED ON CABINET AT LEFT OF VIEW. INL NEGATIVE NO. HD30-2-3. Mike Crane, Photographer, 6/2001 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Reactor Area, Materials & Engineering Test Reactors, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Color constancy influenced by unnatural spatial structure.

PubMed

Mizokami, Yoko; Yaguchi, Hirohisa

2014-04-01

The recognition of spatial structures is important for color constancy because we cannot identify an object's color under different illuminations without knowing which space it is in and how that space is illuminated. To show the importance of the natural structure of environments on color constancy, we investigated the way in which color appearance was affected by unnatural viewing conditions in which a spatial structure was distorted. Observers judged the color of a test patch placed in the center of a small room illuminated by white or reddish lights, as well as two rooms illuminated by white and reddish light, respectively. In the natural viewing condition, an observer saw the room(s) through a viewing window, whereas in an unnatural viewing condition, the scene structure was scrambled by a kaleidoscope-type viewing box. Results of single room condition with one illuminant color showed little difference in color constancy between the two viewing conditions. However, it decreased in the two-rooms condition with a more complex arrangement of space and illumination. The patch's appearance under the unnatural viewing condition was more influenced by simultaneous contrast than its appearance under the natural viewing condition. It also appears that color appearance under white illumination is more stable compared to that under reddish illumination. These findings suggest that natural spatial structure plays an important role for color constancy in a complex environment.

13. CONTROL ROOM OF GENE PUMPING STATION. CONTROL CUBICLES ARRAYED ...

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

13. CONTROL ROOM OF GENE PUMPING STATION. CONTROL CUBICLES ARRAYED BEHIND MANAGER'S ART DECO-STYLE CONTROL DESK, WITH CONTROL CUBICLE 1 AT FAR RIGHT AND CONTROL CUBICLE 9 AT FAR LEFT. - Gene Pump Plant, South of Gene Wash Reservoir, 2 miles west of Whitsett Pump Plant, Parker Dam, San Bernardino County, CA

11. Credit BG. Interior of control and observation room at ...

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

11. Credit BG. Interior of control and observation room at Control and Recording Center, showing detail of switchboard and closed circuit television monitors. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory Edwards Facility, Control & Recording Center, Edwards Air Force Base, Boron, Kern County, CA

5. INTERIOR VIEW OF UPPER LEVEL ROOM OF THE CONTROL ...

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

5. INTERIOR VIEW OF UPPER LEVEL ROOM OF THE CONTROL HOUSE LOCATED ON THE SOUTH END OF BIG TUJUNGA DAM SHOWING THE CONTROL PANEL. - Big Tujunga Dam, Control House, 809 West Big Tujunga Road, Sunland, Los Angeles County, CA

Rooms with a View

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hourihan, Peter; Berry, Millard, III

2006-01-01

When well-designed and integrated into a campus living or learning space, an atrium can function as the heart and spirit of a building, connecting interior rooms and public spaces with the outside environment. However, schools and universities should seek technological and HVAC solutions that maximize energy efficiency. This article discusses how…

Snoezelen Room and Childbirth Outcome: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Jamshidi Manesh, Mansoureh; Kalati, Mahnaz; Hosseini, Fatemeh

2015-05-01

One of the strategies for a good outcome and pain free childbearing is to design the delivery room. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of snoezelen room on childbearing outcome such as pain intensity, duration of labor, and perinea status in nulliparous women. This study was a randomized controlled clinical trial consists of 100 childbearing women. They were randomly divided into 2 groups. The experimental group went to snoezelen room when their cervix dilation was 4 cm, while the control group went to physiologic delivery room with the same cervix dilation. The mean ± SD of VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) pain intensity of the experimental and control groups before the intervention were 5.1 ± 1.95 and 5.58 ± 1.62, respectively (P = 0.13). The mean ± SD of VAS pain intensity scores of the experimental and control groups after 3 hours spending in their assigned rooms were 5.26 ± 0.86 and 9.56 ± 1.48, respectively (P = 0.01). The mean ± SD of the first stage scores of the experimental and control groups were 6.95 ± 0.97 and 8.41 ± 0.67, respectively (P = 0.042). About 92% of participants' intervention vs. 66% of control participants had perinea laceration (P = 0.041). According to the findings of the present study, distracting senses in snoezelen room decreases mother's pain intensity, the length of labor, and incidence of episiotomy.

Snoezelen Room and Childbirth Outcome: A Randomized Clinical Trial

PubMed Central

Jamshidi Manesh, Mansoureh; Kalati, Mahnaz; Hosseini, Fatemeh

2015-01-01

Background: One of the strategies for a good outcome and pain free childbearing is to design the delivery room. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of snoezelen room on childbearing outcome such as pain intensity, duration of labor, and perinea status in nulliparous women. Patients and Methods: This study was a randomized controlled clinical trial consists of 100 childbearing women. They were randomly divided into 2 groups. The experimental group went to snoezelen room when their cervix dilation was 4 cm, while the control group went to physiologic delivery room with the same cervix dilation. Results: The mean ± SD of VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) pain intensity of the experimental and control groups before the intervention were 5.1 ± 1.95 and 5.58 ± 1.62, respectively (P = 0.13). The mean ± SD of VAS pain intensity scores of the experimental and control groups after 3 hours spending in their assigned rooms were 5.26 ± 0.86 and 9.56 ± 1.48, respectively (P = 0.01). The mean ± SD of the first stage scores of the experimental and control groups were 6.95 ± 0.97 and 8.41 ± 0.67, respectively (P = 0.042). About 92% of participants’ intervention vs. 66% of control participants had perinea laceration (P = 0.041). Conclusions: According to the findings of the present study, distracting senses in snoezelen room decreases mother’s pain intensity, the length of labor, and incidence of episiotomy. PMID:26082849

A simulator-based nuclear reactor emergency response training exercise.

PubMed

Waller, Edward; Bereznai, George; Shaw, John; Chaput, Joseph; Lafortune, Jean-Francois

Training offsite emergency response personnel basic awareness of onsite control room operations during nuclear power plant emergency conditions was the primary objective of a week-long workshop conducted on a CANDU® virtual nuclear reactor simulator available at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, Oshawa, Canada. The workshop was designed to examine both normal and abnormal reactor operating conditions, and to observe the conditions in the control room that may have impact on the subsequent offsite emergency response. The workshop was attended by participants from a number of countries encompassing diverse job functions related to nuclear emergency response. Objectives of the workshop were to provide opportunities for participants to act in the roles of control room personnel under different reactor operating scenarios, providing a unique experience for participants to interact with the simulator in real-time, and providing increased awareness of control room operations during accident conditions. The ability to "pause" the simulator during exercises allowed the instructors to evaluate and critique the performance of participants, and to provide context with respect to potential offsite emergency actions. Feedback from the participants highlighted (i) advantages of observing and participating "hands-on" with operational exercises, (ii) their general unfamiliarity with control room operational procedures and arrangements prior to the workshop, (iii) awareness of the vast quantity of detailed control room procedures for both normal and transient conditions, and (iv) appreciation of the increased workload for the operators in the control room during a transient from normal operations. Based upon participant feedback, it was determined that the objectives of the training had been met, and that future workshops should be conducted.

46 CFR 151.25-2 - Cargo handling space.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Cargo handling space. 151.25-2 Section 151.25-2 Shipping... BULK LIQUID HAZARDOUS MATERIAL CARGOES Environmental Control § 151.25-2 Cargo handling space. Pump rooms, compressor rooms, refrigeration rooms, heating rooms, instrument rooms or other closed spaces...

46 CFR 151.25-2 - Cargo handling space.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Cargo handling space. 151.25-2 Section 151.25-2 Shipping... BULK LIQUID HAZARDOUS MATERIAL CARGOES Environmental Control § 151.25-2 Cargo handling space. Pump rooms, compressor rooms, refrigeration rooms, heating rooms, instrument rooms or other closed spaces...

46 CFR 151.25-2 - Cargo handling space.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cargo handling space. 151.25-2 Section 151.25-2 Shipping... BULK LIQUID HAZARDOUS MATERIAL CARGOES Environmental Control § 151.25-2 Cargo handling space. Pump rooms, compressor rooms, refrigeration rooms, heating rooms, instrument rooms or other closed spaces...

46 CFR 151.25-2 - Cargo handling space.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Cargo handling space. 151.25-2 Section 151.25-2 Shipping... BULK LIQUID HAZARDOUS MATERIAL CARGOES Environmental Control § 151.25-2 Cargo handling space. Pump rooms, compressor rooms, refrigeration rooms, heating rooms, instrument rooms or other closed spaces...

46 CFR 151.25-2 - Cargo handling space.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Cargo handling space. 151.25-2 Section 151.25-2 Shipping... BULK LIQUID HAZARDOUS MATERIAL CARGOES Environmental Control § 151.25-2 Cargo handling space. Pump rooms, compressor rooms, refrigeration rooms, heating rooms, instrument rooms or other closed spaces...

Rooms with Gender: Physical Environment and Play Culture in Kindergarten

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Børve, Hege Eggen; Børve, Elin

2017-01-01

This article focuses on the impact of the physical environment and construction of play culture in kindergartens. Based on a case study, we explore employees' perception of indoor physical environment and children's play. The findings revealed that gender is interwoven in the physical environments and materials. Children's play practices are…

12. "TAPE ROOM" LOCATED AT SOUTHEAST CORNER OF MAIN ROOM. ...

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

12. "TAPE ROOM" LOCATED AT SOUTHEAST CORNER OF MAIN ROOM. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Instrumentation & Control Building, Test Area 1-115, northwest end of Saturn Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

DETAIL VIEW OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT ROOM, FIRING ROOM NO. 3, ...

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

DETAIL VIEW OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT ROOM, FIRING ROOM NO. 3, FACING NORTH - Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Launch Complex 39, Launch Control Center, LCC Road, East of Kennedy Parkway North, Cape Canaveral, Brevard County, FL

DETAIL VIEW OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT ROOM, FIRING ROOM NO. 3, ...

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

DETAIL VIEW OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT ROOM, FIRING ROOM NO. 3, FACING SOUTHEAST - Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Launch Complex 39, Launch Control Center, LCC Road, East of Kennedy Parkway North, Cape Canaveral, Brevard County, FL

DETAIL VIEW OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT ROOM, FIRING ROOM NO. 3, ...

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

DETAIL VIEW OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT ROOM, FIRING ROOM NO. 3, FACING EAST - Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Launch Complex 39, Launch Control Center, LCC Road, East of Kennedy Parkway North, Cape Canaveral, Brevard County, FL

DETAIL VIEW OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT ROOM, FIRING ROOM NO. 4, ...

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

DETAIL VIEW OF OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT ROOM, FIRING ROOM NO. 4, FACING WEST - Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Launch Complex 39, Launch Control Center, LCC Road, East of Kennedy Parkway North, Cape Canaveral, Brevard County, FL

Patient Perceptions of the Environment of Care in Which Their Healthcare is Delivered.

PubMed

LaVela, Sherri L; Etingen, Bella; Hill, Jennifer N; Miskevics, Scott

2016-04-01

To measure patients' perceptions of the environment of care (EOC), with a focus on the physical environment, in which healthcare is delivered. The EOC may impact patient experiences, care perceptions, and health outcomes. EOC may be improved through redesign of existing physical structures or spaces or by adding nurturing amenities. Demographics, health status, hospital use, and data on the environment (physical, comfort, orientation, and privacy) were collected via a mailed cross-sectional survey sent to patients seen at four hospital Centers of Innovation (COIs; that implemented many modifications to the healthcare environment to address physical, comfort, orientation, and privacy factors) and four matched controls, supplemented with checklist and VA administrative data. A modified Perceived Hospital Environment Quality Indicators instrument was used to measure patients' EOC perceptions. Respondents (3,321/5,117; 65% response) rated, [mean (SD)], exterior space highest, 3.09 (0.73), followed by interior space, 2.96 (0.74), and privacy, 2.44 (1.01). COIs had significantly higher ratings than controls on interior space (2.99 vs. 2.96, p = .02) and privacy (2.48 vs. 2.38, p = .005) but no differences for exterior space. Subscales with significantly higher ratings in COIs (vs. controls) in interior space were "spatial-physical comfort" and "orientation," for example, clean, good signage, spacious rooms, and for privacy included "not too crowded" and "able to talk without being overheard." Checklist findings confirmed the presence of EOC innovations rated highly by patients. Patients identified cleanliness, good signs/information points, adequate seating, nonovercrowding, and privacy for conversations as important. Hospital design modifications, with particular attention to the physical environment, can improve patient EOC perceptions. © The Author(s) 2015.

IET control building (TAN620). control room. facing north. control consoles ...

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

IET control building (TAN-620). control room. facing north. control consoles have been removed. Openings in floor were communication and control conduits. Periscope controls at center left (see also HAER No. ID-33-E-20). INEEL negative no. HD-21-3-1 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Area North, Scoville, Butte County, ID

MTR CONTROL ROOM WITH CONTROL CONSOLE AND STATUS READOUTS ALONG ...

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

MTR CONTROL ROOM WITH CONTROL CONSOLE AND STATUS READOUTS ALONG WALL. WORKERS MAKE ELECTRICAL AND OTHER CONNECTIONS. INL NEGATIVE NO. 4289. Unknown Photographer, 2/26/1952 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Reactor Area, Materials & Engineering Test Reactors, Scoville, Butte County, ID

49 CFR 195.446 - Control room management.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... written control room management procedures that implement the requirements of this section. The procedures... define the roles and responsibilities of a controller during normal, abnormal, and emergency operating... operator must define each of the following: (1) A controller's authority and responsibility to make...

Wireless multipoint communication for optical sensors in the industrial environment using the new Bluetooth standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussmann, Stephan; Lau, Wing Y.; Chu, Terry; Grothof, Markus

2003-07-01

Traditionally, the measuring or monitoring system of manufacturing industries uses sensors, computers and screens for their quality control (Q.C.). The acquired information is fed back to the control room by wires, which - for obvious reason - are not suitable in many environments. This paper describes a method to solve this problem by employing the new Bluetooth technology to set up a complete new system, where a total wireless solution is made feasible. This new Q.C. system allows several line scan cameras to be connected at once to a graphical user interface (GUI) that can monitor the production process. There are many Bluetooth devices available on the market such as cell-phones, headsets, printers, PDA etc. However, the detailed application is a novel implementation in the industrial Q.C. area. This paper will contain more details about the Bluetooth standard and why it is used (nework topologies, host controller interface, data rates, etc.), the Bluetooth implemetation in the microcontroller of the line scan camera, and the GUI and its features.

An intervention for noise control of blast furnace in steel industry.

PubMed

Golmohammadi, Rostam; Giahi, Omid; Aliabadi, Mohsen; Darvishi, Ebrahim

2014-01-01

Noise pollution is currently a major health risk factor for workers in industries. The aim of this study was to investigate noise pollution and implement a control intervention plan for blast furnace in a steel industry. The measurement of sound pressure level (SPL) along with frequency analysis was done with the sound-level-meter Cell-450. Personal noise exposure was performed using dosimeter TES-1345 calibrated with CEL-282. Before planning noise controls, acoustic insulation properties of the furnace control unit and workers' rest room were assessed. Control room and workers' rest room were redesigned in order to improve acoustical condition. The SPL before intervention around the Blast Furnace was 90.3 dB (L) and its dominant frequency was 4000 Hz. Besides, noise transmission loss of the control and rest rooms were 10.3 dB and 4.2 dB, respectively. After intervention, noise reduction rates in the control and rest rooms were 27.4 dB and 27.7 dB, respectively. The workers' noise dose before and after the intervention was 240% and less than 100%, respectively. Improvement the workroom acoustic conditions through noise insulation can be considered effective method for preventing workers exposure to harmful noise.

A field demonstration of energy conservation using occupancy sensor lighting control in equipment rooms

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

Dagle, J.E.

1992-09-01

The Pacific Northwest Laboratory identified energy savings potential of automatic equipment-room lighting controls, which was demonstrated by the field experiment described in this report. Occupancy sensor applications have gained popularity in recent years due to improved technology that enhances reliability and reduces cost. Automatic lighting control using occupancy sensors has been accepted as an energy-conservation measure because it reduces wasted lighting. This study focused on lighting control for equipment rooms, which have inherent conditions ideal for automatic lighting control, i.e., an area which is seldom occupied, multiple users of the area who would not know if others are in themore » room when they leave, and high lighting energy intensity in the area. Two rooms were selected for this study: a small equipment room in the basement of the 337 Building, and a large equipment area in the upper level of the 329 Building. The rooms were selected to demonstrate the various degrees of complexity which may be encountered in equipment rooms throughout the Hanford Site. The 337 Building equipment-room test case demonstrated a 97% reduction in lighting energy consumption, with an annual energy savings of $184. Including lamp-replacement savings, a total savings of $306 per year is offset by an initial installation cost of $1,100. The installation demonstrates a positive net present value of $2,858 when the lamp-replacement costs are included in a life-cycle analysis. This also corresponds to a 4.0-year payback period. The 329 Building equipment-room installation resulted in a 92% reduction in lighting energy consumption. This corresponds to annual energy savings of $1,372, and a total annual savings of $2,104 per year including lamp-replacement savings. The life-cycle cost analysis shows a net present value of $15,855, with a 5.8-year payback period.« less

Contamination control of the space shuttle Orbiter crew compartment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bartelson, Donald W.

1986-01-01

Effective contamination control as applied to manned space flight environments is a discipline characterized and controlled by many parameters. An introduction is given to issues involving Orbiter crew compartment contamination control. An effective ground processing contamination control program is an essential building block to a successful shuttle mission. Personnel are required to don cleanroom-grade clothing ensembles before entering the crew compartment and follow cleanroom rules and regulations. Prior to crew compartment entry, materials and equipment must be checked by an orbiter integrity clerk stationed outside the white-room entrance for compliance to program requirements. Analysis and source identification of crew compartment debris studies have been going on for two years. The objective of these studies is to determine and identify particulate generating materials and activities in the crew compartment. Results show a wide spectrum of many different types of materials. When source identification is made, corrective action is implemented to minimize or curtail further contaminate generation.

27. Pump Room interiorDrainage pump motor control center with main ...

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

27. Pump Room interior-Drainage pump motor control center with main valve control panel at right. - Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, Drydock No. 4, East terminus of Palou Avenue, San Francisco, San Francisco County, CA

31. INTERIOR VIEW TO THE SOUTHWEST OF A THIRD CONTROL ...

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

31. INTERIOR VIEW TO THE SOUTHWEST OF A THIRD CONTROL PANEL IN ROOM 105, THE CONTROL ROOM. - Nevada Test Site, Pluto Facility, Disassembly Building, Area 26, Wahmonie Flats, Cane Spring Road, Mercury, Nye County, NV

30. INTERIOR VIEW TO THE WEST OF A SECOND CONTROL ...

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

30. INTERIOR VIEW TO THE WEST OF A SECOND CONTROL PANEL IN ROOM 105, THE CONTROL ROOM. - Nevada Test Site, Pluto Facility, Disassembly Building, Area 26, Wahmonie Flats, Cane Spring Road, Mercury, Nye County, NV

Front view of bldg 30 which houses mission control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

Front view of bldg 30 which houses mission control. A shift change for the 41-D mission is underway. The windowless wing at left houses three floors, including rooms supporting flight control room 1 and 2.

11. LAUNCH CONTROL SUPPORT BUILDING. INTERIOR OF MECHANICAL ROOM. VIEW ...

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

11. LAUNCH CONTROL SUPPORT BUILDING. INTERIOR OF MECHANICAL ROOM. VIEW TO SOUTHEAST. - Minuteman III ICBM Launch Control Facility November-1, 1.5 miles North of New Raymer & State Highway 14, New Raymer, Weld County, CO

12. LAUNCH CONTROL SUPPORT BUILDING. INTERIOR OF GENERATOR ROOM. VIEW ...

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

12. LAUNCH CONTROL SUPPORT BUILDING. INTERIOR OF GENERATOR ROOM. VIEW TO EAST. - Minuteman III ICBM Launch Control Facility November-1, 1.5 miles North of New Raymer & State Highway 14, New Raymer, Weld County, CO

Atmospheric Tracer Depletion Testing for Unfiltered Air In-Leakage Determination at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant

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

Sullivan, T. M.; Wilke, R. J.; Roberts, T.

Atmospheric Tracer Depletion tests were conducted at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant to quantify the unfiltered in-leakage (UI) into the Control Room (CR), Control Building (CB), and Equipment Rooms (ER) at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant. Wolf Creek has two independent charcoal filter Emergency Ventilation Systems (EVS) that can be used to purify air entering the control building and control room. The Bravo System contains a filtration system in Room 1501 in the Auxiliary Building for the Control Room and another filtration system (FGK02B) on Elevation 2016 for the Control Building. The Alpha system contains a filtration systemmore » in Room 1512 in the Auxiliary Building for the Control Room and another filtration system (FGK02A) on Elevation 2016 for the Control Building. The Atmospheric Tracer Depletion (ATD) test is a technique to measure in-leakage using the concentration of perfluorocarbon compounds that have a constant atmospheric background. These levels are present in the Control Room and Control Building under normal operating conditions. When air is supplied by either of the EVS, most of the PFTS are removed by the charcoal filters. If the concentrations of the PFTs measured in protected areas are the same as the levels at the output of the EVS, the in-leakage of outside air into the protected area would be zero. If the concentration is higher in the protected area than at the output of the filter system, there is in-leakage and the in-leakage can be quantified by the difference. Sampling was performed using state-of-the-art Brookhaven Atmospheric Tracer Samplers (BATS) air sampling equipment and analysis performed on Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) dedicated PFT analytical systems. In the Alpha test two tracers PMCH and mcPDCH were used to determine in-leakage into the control building. The analytical system was tuned to maximize sensitivity after initial analysis of the Alpha test. The increased sensitivity permitted accurate quantification of five isomers of the PFT PDCH (mtPDCH, pcPDCH, otPDCH, mcPDCH, and ptPDCH). These isomers were quantified in the low concentration samples in the Alpha test and in all samples in the Bravo test. The best estimates of UI (Rui) for the four zones are provided in Table ES-1. For the CB, this estimate averages the four tracers at the four elevations. For the CR, this estimate uses the four sampling units located in the Control Room.« less

Atmospheric Tracer Depletion Testing for Unfiltered Air In-Leakage Determination at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant

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

Sullivan, T. M.; Wilke, R. J.; Roberts, T.

Atmospheric Tracer Depletion tests were conducted at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant to quantify the unfiltered in-leakage (UI) into the Control Room (CR), Control Building (CB), and Equipment Rooms (ER) at the Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant. Wolf Creek has two independent charcoal filter Emergency Ventilation Systems (EVS) that can be used to purify air entering the control building and control room. The Bravo System contains a filtration system in Room 1501 in the Auxiliary Building for the Control Room and another filtration system (FGK02B) on Elevation 2016 for the Control Building. The Alpha system contains a filtration systemmore » in Room 1512 in the Auxiliary Building for the Control Room and another filtration system (FGK02A) on Elevation 2016 for the Control Building.The Atmospheric Tracer Depletion (ATD) test is a technique to measure in-leakage using the concentration of perfluorocarbon compounds that have a constant atmospheric background. These levels are present in the Control Room and Control Building under normal operating conditions. When air is supplied by either of the EVS, most of the PFTS are removed by the charcoal filters. If the concentrations of the PFTs measured in protected areas are the same as the levels at the output of the EVS, the in-leakage of outside air into the protected area would be zero. If the concentration is higher in the protected area than at the output of the filter system, there is in-leakage and the in-leakage can be quantified by the difference.Sampling was performed using state-of-the-art Brookhaven Atmospheric Tracer Samplers (BATS) air sampling equipment and analysis performed on Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) dedicated PFT analytical systems. In the Alpha test two tracers PMCH and mcPDCH were used to determine in-leakage into the control building. The analytical system was tuned to maximize sensitivity after initial analysis of the Alpha test. The increased sensitivity permitted accurate quantification of five isomers of the PFT PDCH (mtPDCH, pcPDCH, otPDCH, mcPDCH, and ptPDCH). These isomers were quantified in the low concentration samples in the Alpha test and in all samples in the Bravo test.The best estimates of UI (Rui) for the four zones are provided in Table ES-1. For the CB, this estimate averages the four tracers at the four elevations. For the CR, this estimate uses the four sampling units located in the Control Room.« less

49. Environmental equipment room, cbr filter at left, ventilation control ...

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

49. Environmental equipment room, cbr filter at left, ventilation control panel in center, brine chiller controls at right, looking southeast - Ellsworth Air Force Base, Delta Flight, Launch Control Facility, County Road CS23A, North of Exit 127, Interior, Jackson County, SD

Documentation of new mission control center White Flight Control Room (FLCR)

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-06-06

Documentation of the new mission control center White Flight Control Room (FLCR). Excellent overall view of White FLCR with personnel manning console workstations (11221). Fisheye lens perspective from Flight Director station with Brian Austin (11222). Environmental (EECOM) workstation and personnel (11223).

Standard work for room entry: Linking lean, hand hygiene, and patient-centeredness.

PubMed

O'Reilly, Kristin; Ruokis, Samantha; Russell, Kristin; Teves, Tim; DiLibero, Justin; Yassa, David; Berry, Hannah; Howell, Michael D

2016-03-01

Healthcare-associated infections are costly and fatal. Substantial front-line, administrative, regulatory, and research efforts have focused on improving hand hygiene. While broad agreement exists that hand hygiene is the most important single approach to infection prevention, compliance with hand hygiene is typically only about 40%(1). Our aim was to develop a standard process for room entry in the intensive care unit that improved compliance with hand hygiene and allowed for maximum efficiency. We recognized that hand hygiene is a single step in a substantially more complicated process of room entry. We applied Lean engineering techniques to develop a standard process that included both physical steps and also standard communication elements from provider to patients and families and created a physical environment to support this. We observed meaningful improvement in the performance of the new standard as well as time savings for clinical providers with each room entry. We also observed an increase in room entries that included verbal communication and an explanation of what the clinician was entering the room to do. The design and implementation of a standardized room entry process and the creation of an environment that supports that new process has resulted in measurable positive outcomes on the medical intensive care unit, including quality, patient experience, efficiency, and staff satisfaction. Designing a process, rather than viewing tasks that need to happen in close proximity in time (either serially or in parallel) as unrelated, simplifies work for staff and results in higher compliance to individual tasks. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparison of parent satisfaction in an open-bay and single-family room neonatal intensive care unit.

PubMed

Stevens, Dennis C; Helseth, Carol C; Khan, M Akram; Munson, David P; Reid, E J

2011-01-01

The purpose of this research was to test the hypothesis that parental satisfaction with neonatal intensive care is greater in a single-family room facility as compared with a conventional open-bay neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). This investigation was a prospective cohort study comparing satisfaction survey results for parents who responded to a commercially available parent NICU satisfaction survey following the provision of NICU care in open-bay and single-family room facilities. A subset of 16 items indicative of family-centered care was also computed and compared for these two NICU facilities. Parents whose babies received care in the single-family room facility expressed significantly improved survey responses in regard to the NICU environment, overall assessment of care, and total survey score than did parents of neonates in the open-bay facility. With the exception of the section on nursing in which scores in both facilities were high, nonsignificant improvement in median scores for the sections on delivery, physicians, discharge planning, and personal issues were noted. The total median item score for family-centered care was significantly greater in the single-family room than the open-bay facility. Parental satisfaction with care in the single-family room NICU was improved in comparison with the traditional open-bay NICU. The single-family room environment appears more conducive to the provision of family-centered care. Improved parental satisfaction with care and the potential for enhanced family-centered care need to be considered in decisions made regarding the configuration of NICU facilities in the future.

An integrated system for dynamic control of auditory perspective in a multichannel sound field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corey, Jason Andrew

An integrated system providing dynamic control of sound source azimuth, distance and proximity to a room boundary within a simulated acoustic space is proposed for use in multichannel music and film sound production. The system has been investigated, implemented, and psychoacoustically tested within the ITU-R BS.775 recommended five-channel (3/2) loudspeaker layout. The work brings together physical and perceptual models of room simulation to allow dynamic placement of virtual sound sources at any location of a simulated space within the horizontal plane. The control system incorporates a number of modules including simulated room modes, "fuzzy" sources, and tracking early reflections, whose parameters are dynamically changed according to sound source location within the simulated space. The control functions of the basic elements, derived from theories of perception of a source in a real room, have been carefully tuned to provide efficient, effective, and intuitive control of a sound source's perceived location. Seven formal listening tests were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the algorithm design choices. The tests evaluated: (1) loudness calibration of multichannel sound images; (2) the effectiveness of distance control; (3) the resolution of distance control provided by the system; (4) the effectiveness of the proposed system when compared to a commercially available multichannel room simulation system in terms of control of source distance and proximity to a room boundary; (5) the role of tracking early reflection patterns on the perception of sound source distance; (6) the role of tracking early reflection patterns on the perception of lateral phantom images. The listening tests confirm the effectiveness of the system for control of perceived sound source distance, proximity to room boundaries, and azimuth, through fine, dynamic adjustment of parameters according to source location. All of the parameters are grouped and controlled together to create a perceptually strong impression of source location and movement within a simulated space.

KSC-2014-1969

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Three rows of upper level management consoles are all that remain in Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The main floor consoles, cabling and wires below the floor and ceiling tiles above have been removed. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing efforts to create a new firing room based on a multi-user concept that will support NASA and commercial launch needs. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future NASA and commercial user requirements. The equipment and most of the consoles from Firing Room 4 were moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

KSC-2014-1970

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-04-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Three rows of upper level management consoles are all that remain in Firing Room 4 in the Launch Control Center at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The main floor consoles, cabling and wires below the floor and ceiling tiles above have been removed. The Ground Systems Development and Operations Program is overseeing efforts to create a new firing room based on a multi-user concept that will support NASA and commercial launch needs. The design of Firing Room 4 will incorporate five control room areas that are flexible to meet current and future NASA and commercial user requirements. The equipment and most of the consoles from Firing Room 4 were moved to Firing Room 2 for possible future reuse. Photo credit: NASA/Ben Smegelsky

A system to simulate and reproduce audio-visual environments for spatial hearing research.

PubMed

Seeber, Bernhard U; Kerber, Stefan; Hafter, Ervin R

2010-02-01

The article reports the experience gained from two implementations of the "Simulated Open-Field Environment" (SOFE), a setup that allows sounds to be played at calibrated levels over a wide frequency range from multiple loudspeakers in an anechoic chamber. Playing sounds from loudspeakers in the free-field has the advantage that each participant listens with their own ears, and individual characteristics of the ears are captured in the sound they hear. This makes an easy and accurate comparison between various listeners with and without hearing devices possible. The SOFE uses custom calibration software to assure individual equalization of each loudspeaker. Room simulation software creates the spatio-temporal reflection pattern of sound sources in rooms which is played via the SOFE loudspeakers. The sound playback system is complemented by a video projection facility which can be used to collect or give feedback or to study auditory-visual interaction. The article discusses acoustical and technical requirements for accurate sound playback against the specific needs in hearing research. An introduction to software concepts is given which allow easy, high-level control of the setup and thus fast experimental development, turning the SOFE into a "Swiss army knife" tool for auditory, spatial hearing and audio-visual research. Crown Copyright 2009. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Objective analysis of ambisonics for hearing aid applications: Effect of listener's head, room reverberation, and directional microphones.

PubMed

Oreinos, Chris; Buchholz, Jörg M

2015-06-01

Recently, an increased interest has been demonstrated in evaluating hearing aids (HAs) inside controlled, but at the same time, realistic sound environments. A promising candidate that employs loudspeakers for realizing such sound environments is the listener-centered method of higher-order ambisonics (HOA). Although the accuracy of HOA has been widely studied, it remains unclear to what extent the results can be generalized when (1) a listener wearing HAs that may feature multi-microphone directional algorithms is considered inside the reconstructed sound field and (2) reverberant scenes are recorded and reconstructed. For the purpose of objectively validating HOA for listening tests involving HAs, a framework was developed to simulate the entire path of sounds presented in a modeled room, recorded by a HOA microphone array, decoded to a loudspeaker array, and finally received at the ears and HA microphones of a dummy listener fitted with HAs. Reproduction errors at the ear signals and at the output of a cardioid HA microphone were analyzed for different anechoic and reverberant scenes. It was found that the diffuse reverberation reduces the considered time-averaged HOA reconstruction errors which, depending on the considered application, suggests that reverberation can increase the usable frequency range of a HOA system.

Moving Sound Source Localization Based on Sequential Subspace Estimation in Actual Room Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsuji, Daisuke; Suyama, Kenji

This paper presents a novel method for moving sound source localization and its performance evaluation in actual room environments. The method is based on the MUSIC (MUltiple SIgnal Classification) which is one of the most high resolution localization methods. When using the MUSIC, a computation of eigenvectors of correlation matrix is required for the estimation. It needs often a high computational costs. Especially, in the situation of moving source, it becomes a crucial drawback because the estimation must be conducted at every the observation time. Moreover, since the correlation matrix varies its characteristics due to the spatial-temporal non-stationarity, the matrix have to be estimated using only a few observed samples. It makes the estimation accuracy degraded. In this paper, the PAST (Projection Approximation Subspace Tracking) is applied for sequentially estimating the eigenvectors spanning the subspace. In the PAST, the eigen-decomposition is not required, and therefore it is possible to reduce the computational costs. Several experimental results in the actual room environments are shown to present the superior performance of the proposed method.

Virtual environment display for a 3D audio room simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapin, William L.; Foster, Scott H.

1992-01-01

The development of a virtual environment simulation system integrating a 3D acoustic audio model with an immersive 3D visual scene is discussed. The system complements the acoustic model and is specified to: allow the listener to freely move about the space, a room of manipulable size, shape, and audio character, while interactively relocating the sound sources; reinforce the listener's feeling of telepresence in the acoustical environment with visual and proprioceptive sensations; enhance the audio with the graphic and interactive components, rather than overwhelm or reduce it; and serve as a research testbed and technology transfer demonstration. The hardware/software design of two demonstration systems, one installed and one portable, are discussed through the development of four iterative configurations.

Wireless local area network in a prehospital environment

PubMed Central

Chen, Dongquan; Soong, Seng-jaw; Grimes, Gary J; Orthner, Helmuth F

2004-01-01

Background Wireless local area networks (WLANs) are considered the next generation of clinical data network. They open the possibility for capturing clinical data in a prehospital setting (e.g., a patient's home) using various devices, such as personal digital assistants, laptops, digital electrocardiogram (EKG) machines, and even cellular phones, and transmitting the captured data to a physician or hospital. The transmission rate is crucial to the applicability of the technology in the prehospital setting. Methods We created two separate WLANs to simulate a virtual local are network environment such as in a patient's home or an emergency room (ER). The effects of different methods of data transmission, number of clients, and roaming among different access points on the file transfer rate were determined. Results The present results suggest that it is feasible to transfer small files such as patient demographics and EKG data from the patient's home to the ER at a reasonable speed. Encryption, user control, and access control were implemented and results discussed. Conclusions Implementing a WLAN in a centrally managed and multiple-layer-controlled access control server is the key to ensuring its security and accessibility. Future studies should focus on product capacity, speed, compatibility, interoperability, and security management. PMID:15339336

Wireless local area network in a prehospital environment.

PubMed

Chen, Dongquan; Soong, Seng-jaw; Grimes, Gary J; Orthner, Helmuth F

2004-08-31

Wireless local area networks (WLANs) are considered the next generation of clinical data network. They open the possibility for capturing clinical data in a prehospital setting (e.g., a patient's home) using various devices, such as personal digital assistants, laptops, digital electrocardiogram (EKG) machines, and even cellular phones, and transmitting the captured data to a physician or hospital. The transmission rate is crucial to the applicability of the technology in the prehospital setting. We created two separate WLANs to simulate a virtual local are network environment such as in a patient's home or an emergency room (ER). The effects of different methods of data transmission, number of clients, and roaming among different access points on the file transfer rate were determined. The present results suggest that it is feasible to transfer small files such as patient demographics and EKG data from the patient's home to the ER at a reasonable speed. Encryption, user control, and access control were implemented and results discussed. Implementing a WLAN in a centrally managed and multiple-layer-controlled access control server is the key to ensuring its security and accessibility. Future studies should focus on product capacity, speed, compatibility, interoperability, and security management.

76 FR 9988 - Improving EPA Regulations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-23

...., Washington, DC. The Public Reading Room is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The telephone number for the Public Reading Room is (202) 566-1744, and the telephone... key considerations in mind: EPA must uphold its mission to protect human health and the environment...

The Role of Assistive Listening Devices in the Classroom. PEPNet Tipsheet

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Catherine

2000-01-01

Many students who use hearing aids effectively in quiet environments have a difficult time following information presented in large college classrooms. In the classroom, the instructor's voice is competing with background noise, room echo, and distance. Therefore, the intelligibility of the instructor's voice is degraded by the poor room acoustics…

Practice Brief: Accommodating Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students in Operating Room Environments--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meeks, Lisa M.; Laird-Metke, Elisa; Rollins, Mark; Gandhi, Seema; Stechert, Martin; Jain, Neera R.

2015-01-01

Increasing numbers of deaf students in the health professions require accommodations in the clinical setting to ensure effective learning and accurate communication. Although classroom learning barriers have long been identified and addressed, barriers to clinical education have been far less analyzed. Operating room clerkships, which include many…

Examining African American and Caucasian Interaction Patterns within Computer-Mediated Communication Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bellamy, Al; Greenfield, M. C.

2009-01-01

This study explored the extent to which student emotion management factors and normative orientation (belief that chat rooms have normative standards of conduct similar to face-to-face interaction) circumscribe the sending of hostile messages within electronic relay chat rooms on the Internet. A questionnaire survey collected data from 114…

A self-controlled trial to evaluate the use of active hearing defenders in the engine rooms of operational naval vessels.

PubMed

Ong, M; Choo, J T L; Low, E

2004-02-01

Active Hearing Defenders are established hearing protectors with in-built electro-acoustics that shut-off ambient noise while allowing effective communication between users. A blinded, self-controlled trial was conducted among naval servicemen to compare the effectiveness of two types of active hearing defenders (Howard-Leight Thunder TM and COM-55) in relation to passive hearing defenders in an operational environment. Subjects felt that the active hearing defenders were more comfortable, durable, and that the active hearing defenders helped them work better. When subjects were tested with a speech discrimination battery (Central Institute of the Deaf, Spondee Word lists), there was a significant difference (p value of 0.04, using the Kruskall-Wallis ANOVA test) between the two active and the passive defenders. However, no significant difference was found between the two types of active hearing defenders. Active hearing defenders are an acceptable and efficacious means of hearing protection in noisy environments.

11. CONTROL ROOM INTERIOR, SHOWING SEVERAL PERISCOPES. Looking north along ...

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

11. CONTROL ROOM INTERIOR, SHOWING SEVERAL PERISCOPES. Looking north along west wall. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Instrumentation & Control Building, Test Area 1-115, northwest end of Saturn Boulevard, Boron, Kern County, CA

29. INTERIOR VIEW TO THE NORTHEAST OF CONTROL PANEL AND ...

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

29. INTERIOR VIEW TO THE NORTHEAST OF CONTROL PANEL AND VIEWING WINDOW IN ROOM 105, THE CONTROL ROOM. - Nevada Test Site, Pluto Facility, Disassembly Building, Area 26, Wahmonie Flats, Cane Spring Road, Mercury, Nye County, NV

8. LAUNCH CONTROL SUPPORT BUILDING. INTERIOR OF DINING/RECREATION ROOM. VIEW ...

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

8. LAUNCH CONTROL SUPPORT BUILDING. INTERIOR OF DINING/RECREATION ROOM. VIEW TO EAST. - Minuteman III ICBM Launch Control Facility November-1, 1.5 miles North of New Raymer & State Highway 14, New Raymer, Weld County, CO

Microbial air contamination in indoor environment of a university library.

PubMed

Kalwasińska, Agnieszka; Burkowska, Aleksandra; Wilk, Iwona

2012-01-01

The present study was aimed at evaluating the number of bacteria and mould fungi in the indoor and outdoor environment of Toruń University Library. The sampling sites were located in the rooms serving the functions typical of libraries (i.e. in the Main Reading Room, Current Periodicals Reading Room, Collections Conservation Laboratory, Old Prints Storeroom, in rooms serving other (non-library) functions (i.e. main hall, cafeteria, and toilet) as well as outside the library building. The analyses reveal that the concentrations of bacterial as well as fungal aerosols estimated with the use of the impaction method ranged between 10(1)-10(3) CFU·m(-3), which corresponds to the concentrations normally observed in areas of this kind. Evaluation of the hygienic condition of the studied areas was based on the criteria for microbiological cleanliness in interiors submitted by the European Commission in 1993. According to this classification, the air was considered to be heavily or moderately contaminated with bacteria, while the air contamination with mould fungi was described as low or moderate. The air in the Old Prints Storeroom was considered the least contaminated with microbial aerosol.

Heterogeneity in a room-temperature ionic liquid: persistent local environments and the red-edge effect.

PubMed

Hu, Zhonghan; Margulis, Claudio J

2006-01-24

In this work, we investigate the slow dynamics of 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, a very popular room-temperature ionic solvent. Our study predicts the existence of heterogeneity in the liquid and shows that this heterogeneity is the underlying microscopic cause for the recently reported "red-edge effect" (REE) observed in the study of fluorescence of the organic probe 2-amino-7-nitrofluorene. This theoretical work explains in microscopic terms the relation between REE and dynamic heterogeneity in a room-temperature ionic liquid (IL). The REE is typical of micellar or colloidal systems, which are characterized by microscopic environments that are structurally very different. In contrast, in the case of this room-temperature IL, the REE occurs because of the long period during which molecules are trapped in quasistatic local solvent cages. This trapping time, which is longer than the lifetime of the excited-state probe, together with the inability of the surroundings to adiabatically relax, induces a set of site-specific spectroscopic responses. Subensembles of fluorescent molecules associated with particular local environments absorb and emit at different frequencies. We describe in detail the absorption wavelength-dependent emission spectra of 2-amino-7-nitrofluorene and show that this dependence on lambda(ex) is characteristic of the IL and, as is to be expected, is absent in the case of a normal solvent such as methanol.

Field study on occupant comfort and the office thermal environment in rooms with displacement ventilation.

PubMed

Melikov, A; Pitchurov, G; Naydenov, K; Langkilde, G

2005-06-01

A field survey of occupants' response to the indoor environment in 10 office buildings with displacement ventilation was performed. The response of 227 occupants was analyzed. About 24% of the occupants in the survey complained that they were daily bothered by draught, mainly at the lower leg. Vertical air temperature difference measured between head and feet levels was less than 3 degrees C at all workplaces visited. Combined local discomfort because of draught and vertical temperature difference does not seem to be a serious problem in rooms with displacement ventilation. Almost one half (49%) of the occupants reported that they were daily bothered by an uncomfortable room temperature. Forty-eight per cent of the occupants were not satisfied with the air quality. The PMV and the Draught Rating indices as well as the specifications for local discomfort because of the separate impact of draught and vertical temperature difference, as defined in the present standards, are relevant for the design of a thermal environment in rooms with displacement ventilation and for its assessment in practice. Increasing the supply air temperature in order to counteract draught discomfort is a measure that should be considered carefully; even if the desired stratification of pollution in the occupied zone is preserved, an increase of the inhaled air temperature may have a negative effect on perceived air quality.

Foundational Report Series: Advanced Distribution Management Systems for Grid Modernization, High-Level Use Cases for DMS

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

Wang, Jianhui; Lu, Xiaonan; Martino, Sal

Many distribution management systems (DMS) projects have achieved limited success because the electric utility did not sufficiently plan for actual use of the DMS functions in the control room environment. As a result, end users were not clear on how to use the new application software in actual production environments with existing, well-established business processes. An important first step in the DMS implementation process is development and refinement of the “to be” business processes. Development of use cases for the required DMS application functions is a key activity that leads to the formulation of the “to be” requirements. It ismore » also an important activity that is needed to develop specifications that are used to procure a new DMS.« less

Idiosyncratic characteristics of saccadic eye movements when viewing different visual environments.

PubMed

Andrews, T J; Coppola, D M

1999-08-01

Eye position was recorded in different viewing conditions to assess whether the temporal and spatial characteristics of saccadic eye movements in different individuals are idiosyncratic. Our aim was to determine the degree to which oculomotor control is based on endogenous factors. A total of 15 naive subjects viewed five visual environments: (1) The absence of visual stimulation (i.e. a dark room); (2) a repetitive visual environment (i.e. simple textured patterns); (3) a complex natural scene; (4) a visual search task; and (5) reading text. Although differences in visual environment had significant effects on eye movements, idiosyncrasies were also apparent. For example, the mean fixation duration and size of an individual's saccadic eye movements when passively viewing a complex natural scene covaried significantly with those same parameters in the absence of visual stimulation and in a repetitive visual environment. In contrast, an individual's spatio-temporal characteristics of eye movements during active tasks such as reading text or visual search covaried together, but did not correlate with the pattern of eye movements detected when viewing a natural scene, simple patterns or in the dark. These idiosyncratic patterns of eye movements in normal viewing reveal an endogenous influence on oculomotor control. The independent covariance of eye movements during different visual tasks shows that saccadic eye movements during active tasks like reading or visual search differ from those engaged during the passive inspection of visual scenes.

Hippocampus, Retrosplenial and Parahippocampal Cortices Encode Multicompartment 3D Space in a Hierarchical Manner.

PubMed

Kim, Misun; Maguire, Eleanor A

2018-05-01

Humans commonly operate within 3D environments such as multifloor buildings and yet there is a surprising dearth of studies that have examined how these spaces are represented in the brain. Here, we had participants learn the locations of paintings within a virtual multilevel gallery building and then used behavioral tests and fMRI repetition suppression analyses to investigate how this 3D multicompartment space was represented, and whether there was a bias in encoding vertical and horizontal information. We found faster response times for within-room egocentric spatial judgments and behavioral priming effects of visiting the same room, providing evidence for a compartmentalized representation of space. At the neural level, we observed a hierarchical encoding of 3D spatial information, with left anterior hippocampus representing local information within a room, while retrosplenial cortex, parahippocampal cortex, and posterior hippocampus represented room information within the wider building. Of note, both our behavioral and neural findings showed that vertical and horizontal location information was similarly encoded, suggesting an isotropic representation of 3D space even in the context of a multicompartment environment. These findings provide much-needed information about how the human brain supports spatial memory and navigation in buildings with numerous levels and rooms.

STS-97 P6 truss payload canister is lifted into payload changeout room

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

On Launch Pad 39B, the payload transport canister, with the P6 integrated truss segment inside, is lifted toward the payload changeout room (PCR). The PCR is the enclosed, environmentally controlled portion of the Rotating Service Structure that supports payload delivery at the pad and subsequent vertical installation in the orbiter payload bay. Attached to the canister are the red umbilical lines that maintain the controlled environment inside. The P6, payload on mission STS-97, comprises Solar Array Wing-3 and the Integrated Electronic Assembly, to be installed on the International Space Station. The Station'''s electrical power system will use eight photovoltaic solar arrays, each 112 feet long by 39 feet wide, to convert sunlight to electricity. The solar arrays are mounted on a '''blanket''' that can be folded like an accordion for delivery. Once in orbit, astronauts will deploy the blankets to their full size. Gimbals will be used to rotate the arrays so that they will face the Sun to provide maximum power to the Space Station. Launch of STS-97 is scheduled for Nov. 30 at 10:06 p.m. EST.

The Space Operations Simulation Center (SOSC) and Closed-loop Hardware Testing for Orion Rendezvous System Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

D'Souza, Christopher; Milenkovich, Zoran; Wilson, Zachary; Huich, David; Bendle, John; Kibler, Angela

2011-01-01

The Space Operations Simulation Center (SOSC) at the Lockheed Martin (LM) Waterton Campus in Littleton, Colorado is a dynamic test environment focused on Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking (AR&D) development testing and risk reduction activities. The SOSC supports multiple program pursuits and accommodates testing Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) algorithms for relative navigation, hardware testing and characterization, as well as software and test process development. The SOSC consists of a high bay (60 meters long by 15.2 meters wide by 15.2 meters tall) with dual six degree-of-freedom (6DOF) motion simulators and a single fixed base 6DOF robot. The large testing area (maximum sensor-to-target effective range of 60 meters) allows for large-scale, flight-like simulations of proximity maneuvers and docking events. The facility also has two apertures for access to external extended-range outdoor target test operations. In addition, the facility contains four Mission Operations Centers (MOCs) with connectivity to dual high bay control rooms and a data/video interface room. The high bay is rated at Class 300,000 (. 0.5 m maximum particles/m3) cleanliness and includes orbital lighting simulation capabilities.

LOFT. Interior, control room in control building (TAN630). Camera facing ...

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

LOFT. Interior, control room in control building (TAN-630). Camera facing north. Sign says "This control console is partially active. Do not operate any switch handle without authorization." Date: May 2004. INEEL negative no. HD-39-14-3 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Area North, Scoville, Butte County, ID

14. GENE PUMPING STATION CONTROL ROOM AS SEEN FROM MAIN ...

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

14. GENE PUMPING STATION CONTROL ROOM AS SEEN FROM MAIN STATION MANAGER'S CONTROL DESK. ELECTRICAL CONTROL INDICATORS AND CONTROLS FOR REGULATING ELECTRICITY INTO PLANT AS WELL AS SYNCHRONIZING STARTUP OF PUMPS. - Gene Pump Plant, South of Gene Wash Reservoir, 2 miles west of Whitsett Pump Plant, Parker Dam, San Bernardino County, CA

Fire safety in the operating room.

PubMed

Rinder, Christine Stowe

2008-12-01

Elimination of flammable anesthetic gases has had little effect on operating-room fires except to change their etiology. Electrocautery and lasers, in an oxygen-enriched environment, can ignite even the most fire-resistant materials, including the patient, and the fire triad possibilities in the operating room are nearly limitless. This review will: identify operating room contents capable of acting as ignition/oxidizer/fuel sources, highlight operating room items that are uniquely potent fire triad contributors, and operating room identify settings where fire risk is enhanced by proximity of triad components in time or space. Anesthesiologists are cognizant of the risk of airway surgery fires due to laser ignition of the endotracheal tube and/or its contents. Recently, however, head/neck surgery under monitored anesthesia care has emerged as a high-risk setting for operating room fires; burn injuries represent 20% of monitored anesthesia care-related malpractice claims, 95% of which involved head/neck surgery. Operating room fires are infrequent but catastrophic. Operating room fire prevention depends on: (a)understanding how fire triad elements interact to create a fire, (b) recognizing how standard operating-room equipment, materials, and supplemental oxygen can become one of those elements, and (c) vigilance for circumstances that bring fire triad elements into close proximity.

Traffic flow in the operating room: an explorative and descriptive study on air quality during orthopedic trauma implant surgery.

PubMed

Andersson, Annette Erichsen; Bergh, Ingrid; Karlsson, Jón; Eriksson, Bengt I; Nilsson, Kerstin

2012-10-01

Understanding the protective potential of operating room (OR) ventilation under different conditions is crucial to optimizing the surgical environment. This study investigated the air quality, expressed as colony-forming units (CFU)/m(3), during orthopedic trauma surgery in a displacement-ventilated OR; explored how traffic flow and the number of persons present in the OR affects the air contamination rate in the vicinity of surgical wounds; and identified reasons for door openings in the OR. Data collection, consisting of active air sampling and observations, was performed during 30 orthopedic procedures. In 52 of the 91 air samples collected (57%), the CFU/m(3) values exceeded the recommended level of <10 CFU/m(3). In addition, the data showed a strongly positive correlation between the total CFU/m(3) per operation and total traffic flow per operation (r = 0.74; P = .001; n = 24), after controlling for duration of surgery. A weaker, yet still positive correlation between CFU/m(3) and the number of persons present in the OR (r = 0.22; P = .04; n = 82) was also found. Traffic flow, number of persons present, and duration of surgery explained 68% of the variance in total CFU/m(3) (P = .001). Traffic flow has a strong negative impact on the OR environment. The results of this study support interventions aimed at preventing surgical site infections by reducing traffic flow in the OR. Copyright © 2012 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Doors are open on the air-conditioned transportation van that carried NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., to the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC. After offloading, MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be taken into a high bay clean room and employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-03-10

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Doors are open on the air-conditioned transportation van that carried NASA’s MESSENGER spacecraft from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., to the Astrotech Space Operations processing facilities near KSC. After offloading, MESSENGER - short for MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry and Ranging - will be taken into a high bay clean room and employees of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, builders of the spacecraft, will perform an initial state-of-health check. Then processing for launch can begin, including checkout of the power systems, communications systems and control systems. The thermal blankets will also be attached for flight. MESSENGER will be launched May 11 on a six-year mission aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. Liftoff is targeted for 2:26 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, May 11.

Families' views upon experiencing change in the neonatal intensive care unit environment: from the 'baby barn' to the private room.

PubMed

Carter, B S; Carter, A; Bennett, S

2008-12-01

Parents whose newborns were cared for in the old neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environment and then moved to the new NICU environment describe their impressions of the impact upon their infant's care, information access and support, of the two care settings. To determine the perceptions of parents in the NICU regarding noise, light, space, access to caregivers and personal privacy as they experience both old and new NICU environments in the continuum of care for their infant. In the first 9 months after moving into the new private room NICU, a convenience sampling of parents was voluntarily administered a 20-question Likert scale survey addressing length of stay (LOS) in the respective NICU environment, environmental stimuli, access to caregivers, access to information and personal privacy. Scores reflect frequency of perceptions as never=1, sometimes=2, usually=3 and always=4. The responses of 53 parents are reported. This represents 10% of admissions to the private room NICU during the 9-month sampling time. Fifty-nine percent had LOS of

Information Foraging in Nuclear Power Plant Control Rooms

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

R.L. Boring

2011-09-01

nformation foraging theory articulates the role of the human as an 'informavore' that seeks information and follows optimal foraging strategies (i.e., the 'information scent') to find meaningful information. This paper briefly reviews the findings from information foraging theory outside the nuclear domain and then discusses the types of information foraging strategies operators employ for normal and off-normal operations in the control room. For example, operators may employ a predatory 'wolf' strategy of hunting for information in the face of a plant upset. However, during routine operations, the operators may employ a trapping 'spider' strategy of waiting for relevant indicators tomore » appear. This delineation corresponds to information pull and push strategies, respectively. No studies have been conducted to determine explicitly the characteristics of a control room interface that is optimized for both push and pull information foraging strategies, nor has there been empirical work to validate operator performance when transitioning between push and pull strategies. This paper explores examples of control room operators as wolves vs. spiders and con- cludes by proposing a set of research questions to investigate information foraging in control room settings.« less

29 CFR 1910.1003 - 13 Carcinogens (4-Nitrobiphenyl, etc.).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

.... Disposal means the safe removal of the carcinogens addressed by this section from the work environment... in an environment free of the 13 carcinogens addressed by this section. The clean change room shall... external environment. Decontamination means the inactivation of a carcinogen addressed by this section or...

The effects of perceiving color in living environment on QEEG, oxygen saturation, pulse rate, and emotion regulation in humans.

PubMed

Sroykham, Watchara; Wongsathikun, J; Wongsawat, Y

2014-01-01

Light and color have been shown to have substantial physical, psychological and sociological effects on humans. Hence, an investigation on the effect of changes in light and color to the biological signals is a challenging problem. Five participants were measured the oxygen saturation (SpO2), pulse rate, and quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) in six colors (white, blue, green, yellow, red and black) of living environment for 5 minutes per color. Then all participants were asked to answer the emotional questionnaire of BRUMS and color performance for each color environment. The results showed brain activity of high beta wave (25-30 Hz) that associated with alertness, agitation, mental activity, and general activation of mind and body functions (at frontal lobes and temporal lobes) in red and yellow colored rooms were higher than blue, green, white and black colored rooms, respectively. It also had the relationship with the psychological effect (BRUMS). The amplitude asymmetry of beta wave (12-25 Hz) was highly attenuated in warm color (red and yellow colored rooms), moderately attenuated in cool color (green and blue colored room) and little attenuated in white and black colored rooms. The BRUMS showed that red and yellow yielded significant effect on anger (F = 4.966, p = 0.002) and confusion (F=3.853, p=0.008). Red and green color yielded high effect on vigor. Green color did not affect the depression. Blue color yielded moderate effect on confusion, tension and fatigue. White and black colors yielded low effect on any mood, but black color had no effect on vigor. In addition, we cannot observe any significant changes of pulse rate and blood oxygen saturation in each color. The results can possibly be used as the recommendation to design the room for either normal people or patients.

Light Water Reactor Sustainability Program A Reference Plan for Control Room Modernization: Planning and Analysis Phase

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

Jacques Hugo; Ronald Boring; Lew Hanes

2013-09-01

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability (LWRS) program is collaborating with a U.S. nuclear utility to bring about a systematic fleet-wide control room modernization. To facilitate this upgrade, a new distributed control system (DCS) is being introduced into the control rooms of these plants. The DCS will upgrade the legacy plant process computer and emergency response facility information system. In addition, the DCS will replace an existing analog turbine control system with a display-based system. With technology upgrades comes the opportunity to improve the overall human-system interaction between the operators and the control room. To optimize operatormore » performance, the LWRS Control Room Modernization research team followed a human-centered approach published by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. NUREG-0711, Rev. 3, Human Factors Engineering Program Review Model (O’Hara et al., 2012), prescribes four phases for human factors engineering. This report provides examples of the first phase, Planning and Analysis. The three elements of Planning and Analysis in NUREG-0711 that are most crucial to initiating control room upgrades are: • Operating Experience Review: Identifies opportunities for improvement in the existing system and provides lessons learned from implemented systems. • Function Analysis and Allocation: Identifies which functions at the plant may be optimally handled by the DCS vs. the operators. • Task Analysis: Identifies how tasks might be optimized for the operators. Each of these elements is covered in a separate chapter. Examples are drawn from workshops with reactor operators that were conducted at the LWRS Human System Simulation Laboratory HSSL and at the respective plants. The findings in this report represent generalized accounts of more detailed proprietary reports produced for the utility for each plant. The goal of this LWRS report is to disseminate the technique and provide examples sufficient to serve as a template for other utilities’ projects for control room modernization.« less

6. UNDERGROUND FIRING CONTROL ROOM, INTERIOR. Looking southeast to escape ...

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

6. UNDERGROUND FIRING CONTROL ROOM, INTERIOR. Looking southeast to escape tunnel. - Edwards Air Force Base, Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory, Firing Control Building, Test Area 1-100, northeast end of Test Area 1-100 Road, Boron, Kern County, CA

7. CONTROL AND EQUIPMENT ROOM INTERIOR. Looking to southwest corner ...

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

7. CONTROL AND EQUIPMENT ROOM INTERIOR. Looking to southwest corner and entrance to cable tunnel. - Edwards Air Force Base, South Base Sled Track, Firing Control Blockhouse, South of Sled Track at east end, Lancaster, Los Angeles County, CA

10 CFR 36.23 - Access control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Access control. 36.23 Section 36.23 Energy NUCLEAR... Requirements for Irradiators § 36.23 Access control. (a) Each entrance to a radiation room at a panoramic... radiation room at a panoramic irradiator must have an independent backup access control to detect personnel...

10 CFR 36.23 - Access control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Access control. 36.23 Section 36.23 Energy NUCLEAR... Requirements for Irradiators § 36.23 Access control. (a) Each entrance to a radiation room at a panoramic... radiation room at a panoramic irradiator must have an independent backup access control to detect personnel...

10 CFR 36.23 - Access control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Access control. 36.23 Section 36.23 Energy NUCLEAR... Requirements for Irradiators § 36.23 Access control. (a) Each entrance to a radiation room at a panoramic... radiation room at a panoramic irradiator must have an independent backup access control to detect personnel...

Wide angle view of the Flight control room of Mission control center

NASA Image and Video Library

1984-10-06

Wide angle view of the flight control room (FCR) of the Mission Control Center (MCC). Some of the STS 41-G crew can be seen on a large screen at the front of the MCC along with a map tracking the progress of the orbiter.

Sound-field reproduction in-room using optimal control techniques: simulations in the frequency domain.

PubMed

Gauthier, Philippe-Aubert; Berry, Alain; Woszczyk, Wieslaw

2005-02-01

This paper describes the simulations and results obtained when applying optimal control to progressive sound-field reproduction (mainly for audio applications) over an area using multiple monopole loudspeakers. The model simulates a reproduction system that operates either in free field or in a closed space approaching a typical listening room, and is based on optimal control in the frequency domain. This rather simple approach is chosen for the purpose of physical investigation, especially in terms of sensing microphones and reproduction loudspeakers configurations. Other issues of interest concern the comparison with wave-field synthesis and the control mechanisms. The results suggest that in-room reproduction of sound field using active control can be achieved with a residual normalized squared error significantly lower than open-loop wave-field synthesis in the same situation. Active reproduction techniques have the advantage of automatically compensating for the room's natural dynamics. For the considered cases, the simulations show that optimal control results are not sensitive (in terms of reproduction error) to wall absorption in the reproduction room. A special surrounding configuration of sensors is introduced for a sensor-free listening area in free field.

Localization of sound sources in a room with one microphone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peić Tukuljac, Helena; Lissek, Hervé; Vandergheynst, Pierre

2017-08-01

Estimation of the location of sound sources is usually done using microphone arrays. Such settings provide an environment where we know the difference between the received signals among different microphones in the terms of phase or attenuation, which enables localization of the sound sources. In our solution we exploit the properties of the room transfer function in order to localize a sound source inside a room with only one microphone. The shape of the room and the position of the microphone are assumed to be known. The design guidelines and limitations of the sensing matrix are given. Implementation is based on the sparsity in the terms of voxels in a room that are occupied by a source. What is especially interesting about our solution is that we provide localization of the sound sources not only in the horizontal plane, but in the terms of the 3D coordinates inside the room.

Nap environment control considering respiration rate and music tempo by using sensor agent robot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakaso, Sayaka; Mita, Akira

2015-03-01

We propose a system that controls a nap environment considering respiration rates and music tempo by using a sensor agent robot. The proposed system consists of two sub-systems. The first sub-system measures respiration rates using optical flow. We conducted preparatory experiments to verify the accuracy of this sub-system. The experimental results showed that this sub-system can measure the respiration rates accurately despite several positional relationships. It was also shown that the accuracy could be affected by clothes, movements and light. The second sub-system we constructed was the music play sub-system that chooses music with the certain tempo corresponding to the respiration rates measured by the first sub-system. We conducted verification experiments to verify the effectiveness of this music play sub-system. The experimental results showed the effectiveness of varying music tempo based on the respiration rates in taking a nap. We also demonstrated this system in a real environment; a subject entered into the room being followed by ebioNα. When the subject was considered sleeping, ebioNα started measuring respiration rates, controlling music based on the respiration rates. As a result, we showed that this system could be realized. As a next step, we would like to improve this system to a nap environment control system to be used in offices. To realize this, we need to update the first sub-system measuring respiration rates by removing disturbances. We also need to upgrade music play sub-system considering the numbers of tunes, the kinds of music and time to change music.

OR.NET: multi-perspective qualitative evaluation of an integrated operating room based on IEEE 11073 SDC.

PubMed

Rockstroh, M; Franke, S; Hofer, M; Will, A; Kasparick, M; Andersen, B; Neumuth, T

2017-08-01

Clinical working environments have become very complex imposing many different tasks in diagnosis, medical treatment, and care procedures. During the German flagship project OR.NET, more than 50 partners developed technologies for an open integration of medical devices and IT systems in the operating room. The aim of the present work was to evaluate a large set of the proposed concepts from the perspectives of various stakeholders. The demonstration OR is focused on interventions from the head and neck surgery and was developed in close cooperation with surgeons and numerous colleagues of the project partners. The demonstration OR was qualitatively evaluated including technical as well as clinical aspects. In the evaluation, a questionnaire was used to obtain feedback from hospital operators. The clinical implications were covered by structured interviews with surgeons, anesthesiologists and OR staff. In the present work, we qualitatively evaluate a subset of the proposed concepts from the perspectives of various stakeholders. The feedback of the clinicians indicates that there is a need for a flexible data and control integration. The hospital operators stress the need for tools to simplify risk management in openly integrated operating rooms. The implementation of openly integrated operating rooms will positively affect the surgeons, the anesthesiologists, the surgical nursing staff, as well as the technical personnel and the hospital operators. The evaluation demonstrated the need for OR integration technologies and identified the missing tools to support risk management and approval as the main barriers for future installments.

Consumer opinions of emergency room medical care.

PubMed

McMillan, J R; Younger, M S; DeWine, L C

1984-12-01

If hospital management is to adapt successfully to an increasingly competitive environment, and to retain a viable emergency department, it well be necessary to objectively and accurately assess the hospital's image in the community served. Knowledge of the consumers' views is an essential input into the formulation of strategic plans. This article reports on a study in which consumer opinions on 15 dimensions of emergency room health care were obtained from 723 respondents using a mail questionnaire. Findings reveal that consumers view the emergency room as being more expensive than other health care providers. Except for being available or convenient, little or no advantage is perceived for the emergency room over the personal physician. Even though the emergency room has specialized staff and equipment, consumers do not believe patients receive better or faster treatment in an emergency room than would be obtained in a physician's office. Unless changed, these perceptions will diminish the role of the emergency room in the delivery of health care services.

[Interface interconnection and data integration in implementing of digital operating room].

PubMed

Feng, Jingyi; Chen, Hua; Liu, Jiquan

2011-10-01

The digital operating-room, with highly integrated clinical information, is very important for rescuing lives of patients and improving quality of operations. Since equipments in domestic operating-rooms have diversified interface and nonstandard communication protocols, designing and implementing an integrated data sharing program for different kinds of diagnosing, monitoring, and treatment equipments become a key point in construction of digital operating room. This paper addresses interface interconnection and data integration for commonly used clinical equipments from aspects of hardware interface, interface connection and communication protocol, and offers a solution for interconnection and integration of clinical equipments in heterogeneous environment. Based on the solution, a case of an optimal digital operating-room is presented in this paper. Comparing with the international solution for digital operating-room, the solution proposed in this paper is more economical and effective. And finally, this paper provides a proposal for the platform construction of digital perating-room as well as a viewpoint for standardization of domestic clinical equipments.

Microcontroller based automatic temperature control for oyster mushroom plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sihombing, P.; Astuti, T. P.; Herriyance; Sitompul, D.

2018-03-01

In the cultivation of Oyster Mushrooms need special treatment because oyster mushrooms are susceptible to disease. Mushroom growth will be inhibited if the temperature and humidity are not well controlled because temperature and inertia can affect mold growth. Oyster mushroom growth usually will be optimal at temperatures around 22-28°C and humidity around 70-90%. This problem is often encountered in the cultivation of oyster mushrooms. Therefore it is very important to control the temperature and humidity of the room of oyster mushroom cultivation. In this paper, we developed an automatic temperature monitoring tool in the cultivation of oyster mushroom-based Arduino Uno microcontroller. We have designed a tool that will control the temperature and humidity automatically by Android Smartphone. If the temperature increased more than 28°C in the room of mushroom plants, then this tool will turn on the pump automatically to run water in order to lower the room temperature. And if the room temperature of mushroom plants below of 22°C, then the light will be turned on in order to heat the room. Thus the temperature in the room oyster mushrooms will remain stable so that the growth of oyster mushrooms can grow with good quality.

Fabrication method for a room temperature hydrogen sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shukla, Satyajit V. (Inventor); Cho, Hyoung (Inventor); Seal, Sudipta (Inventor); Ludwig, Lawrence (Inventor)

2011-01-01

A sensor for selectively determining the presence and measuring the amount of hydrogen in the vicinity of the sensor. The sensor comprises a MEMS device coated with a nanostructured thin film of indium oxide doped tin oxide with an over layer of nanostructured barium cerate with platinum catalyst nanoparticles. Initial exposure to a UV light source, at room temperature, causes burning of organic residues present on the sensor surface and provides a clean surface for sensing hydrogen at room temperature. A giant room temperature hydrogen sensitivity is observed after making the UV source off. The hydrogen sensor of the invention can be usefully employed for the detection of hydrogen in an environment susceptible to the incursion or generation of hydrogen and may be conveniently used at room temperature.

Ambient illumination revisited: A new adaptation-based approach for optimizing medical imaging reading environments

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

Chawla, Amarpreet S.; Samei, Ehsan; Duke Advanced Imaging Laboratories, Departments of Radiology, Physics, Medical Physics, and Biomedical Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27705

2007-01-15

Ambient lighting in soft-copy reading rooms is currently kept at low values to preserve contrast rendition in the dark regions of a medical image. Low illuminance levels, however, create inadequate viewing conditions and may also cause eye strain. This eye strain may be potentially attributed to notable variations in the luminance adaptation state of the reader's eyes when moving the gaze intermittently between the brighter display and darker surrounding surfaces. This paper presents a methodology to minimize this variation and optimize the lighting conditions of reading rooms by exploiting the properties of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) with low diffuse reflectionmore » coefficients and high luminance ratio. First, a computational model was developed to determine a global luminance adaptation value, L{sub adp}, when viewing a medical image on display. The model is based on the diameter of the pupil size, which depends on the luminance of the observed object. Second, this value was compared with the luminance reflected off surrounding surfaces, L{sub s}, under various conditions of room illuminance, E, different values of diffuse reflection coefficients of surrounding surfaces, R{sub s}, and calibration settings of a typical LCD. The results suggest that for typical luminance settings of current LCDs, it is possible to raise ambient illumination to minimize differences in eye adaptation, potentially reducing visual fatigue while also complying with the TG18 specifications for controlled contrast rendition. Specifically, room illumination in the 75-150 lux range and surface diffuse reflection coefficients in the practical range of 0.13-0.22 sr{sup -1} provide an ideal setup for typical LCDs. Future LCDs with lower diffuse reflectivity and with higher inherent luminance ratios can provide further improvement of ergonomic viewing conditions in reading rooms.« less

A novel interface for the telementoring of robotic surgery.

PubMed

Shin, Daniel H; Dalag, Leonard; Azhar, Raed A; Santomauro, Michael; Satkunasivam, Raj; Metcalfe, Charles; Dunn, Matthew; Berger, Andre; Djaladat, Hooman; Nguyen, Mike; Desai, Mihir M; Aron, Monish; Gill, Inderbir S; Hung, Andrew J

2015-08-01

To prospectively evaluate the feasibility and safety of a novel, second-generation telementoring interface (Connect(™) ; Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA) for the da Vinci robot. Robotic surgery trainees were mentored during portions of robot-assisted prostatectomy and renal surgery cases. Cases were assigned as traditional in-room mentoring or remote mentoring using Connect. While viewing two-dimensional, real-time video of the surgical field, remote mentors delivered verbal and visual counsel, using two-way audio and telestration (drawing) capabilities. Perioperative and technical data were recorded. Trainee robotic performance was rated using a validated assessment tool by both mentors and trainees. The mentoring interface was rated using a multi-factorial Likert-based survey. The Mann-Whitney and t-tests were used to determine statistical differences. We enrolled 55 mentored surgical cases (29 in-room, 26 remote). Perioperative variables of operative time and blood loss were similar between in-room and remote mentored cases. Robotic skills assessment showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). Mentors preferred remote over in-room telestration (P = 0.05); otherwise no significant difference existed in evaluation of the interfaces. Remote cases using wired (vs wireless) connections had lower latency and better data transfer (P = 0.005). Three of 18 (17%) wireless sessions were disrupted; one was converted to wired, one continued after restarting Connect, and the third was aborted. A bipolar injury to the colon occurred during one (3%) in-room mentored case; no intraoperative injuries were reported during remote sessions. In a tightly controlled environment, the Connect interface allows trainee robotic surgeons to be telementored in a safe and effective manner while performing basic surgical techniques. Significant steps remain prior to widespread use of this technology. © 2014 The Authors BJU International © 2014 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Effect of Dining Room Physical Environmental Renovations on Person-Centered Care Practice and Residents' Dining Experiences in Long-Term Care Facilities.

PubMed

Hung, Lillian; Chaudhury, Habib; Rust, Tiana

2016-12-01

This qualitative study evaluated the effect of dining room physical environmental changes on staff practices and residents' mealtime experiences in two units of a long-term care facility in Edmonton, Canada. Focus groups with staff (n = 12) and individual interviews with unit managers (n = 2) were conducted. We also developed and used the Dining Environment Assessment Protocol (DEAP) to conduct a systematic physical environmental evaluation of the dining rooms. Four themes emerged on the key influences of the renovations: (a) supporting independence and autonomy, (b) creating familiarity and enjoyment, (c) providing a place for social experience, and (d) challenges in supporting change. Feedback from the staff and managers provided evidence on the importance of physical environmental features, as well as the integral nature of the role of the physical environment and organizational support to provide person-centered care for residents. © The Author(s) 2015.

Motion sickness and development of synergy within the spatial orientation system. A hypothetical unifying concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guedry, F. E.; Rupert, A. R.; Reschke, M. F.

1998-01-01

Adaptation to research paradigms such as rotating rooms and optical alteration of visual feedback during movement results in development of perceptual-motor programs that provide the reflexive assistance that is necessary to skilled control of movement and balance. The discomfort and stomach awareness that occur during the adaptation process has been attributed to conflicting sensory information about the state of motion. Vestibular signals depend on the kinematics of head movements irrespective of the presence or absence of signals from other senses. We propose that sensory conflict when vestibular signals are at least one component of the conflict are innately disturbing and unpleasant. This innate reaction is part of a continuum that operates early in life to prevent development of inefficient perceptual-motor programs. This reaction operates irrespective of and in addition to reward and punishment from parental guidance or goal attainment to yield efficient control of whole body movement in the operating environment of the individual. The same mechanism is involved in adapting the spatial orientation system to strange environments. This conceptual model "explains" why motion sickness is associated with adaptation to novel environments and is in general consistent with motion sickness literature.

Enhanced Cleaning and Education to Prevent Transmission of Clostridium difficile in Pediatrics

PubMed Central

Aslam, Anoshé; Melendez, Giselle; Wang, Min; Stell, Frederic; Kelly, Paulette; Killinger, James; Dannaoui, Aimee; Riedman, Scott; Lopez, Ruben; Ackerman, Jill; Chou, Alexander; Wexler, Leonard; Smith, David; Sanchez, Stacy; Robilotti, Elizabeth; Kamboj, Mini; Eagan, Janet

2017-01-01

Abstract Background Transmission of healthcare-associated Clostridium difficile infection (HA-CDI) has been shown to occur directly or indirectly through a contaminated environment. At a tertiary-care cancer center, HA-CDI rates were higher for pediatric units than for other general oncology units. To address the problem, a multidisciplinary team, including Infection Control, Nursing, and Environmental Services (EVS), was convened and identified refusals and room clutter as barriers to proper cleaning of rooms on the unit. Aim: The aim of this study seeks to reduce HA-CDI in the inpatient pediatrics setting through environmental and educational interventions. Methods In the first phase of the study from February to April 2016, a baseline assessment of prevalent environmental disinfection practices was made among Nursing, EVS, Physicians, and Patient Representatives. Based on this feedback, the following were implemented during Phase 2, from June through October 2016: 1) Unit-wide disinfection with bleach twice a day including common and high traffic areas; 2) Initiation of a “preferred time for cleaning” program to engage families; 3) Enhanced visitor and family education on PPE use; 4) Creation of a communication plan in case of refusal to clean rooms; and 5) Dedicated use of diaper scales. Results During the first phase of the study, the following barriers to cleaning were identified: 1) High refusal rate as cleaning was perceived as inconvenient by families due to timing; 2) Common perception among EVS staff that multiple requests for cleaning the room may appear intrusive to the families; 3) Excessive clutter in the room; 4) Lack of education regarding PPE use; and 5) Shared equipment for diapers. To overcome these barriers, several interventions as outlined in methods were implemented. In Phase 2, there were 0 cases of HA-CDI identified in pediatric patients starting in July through October, 2016. Conclusion Control of CDI on pediatric units poses unique challenges. Engagement of key stakeholders is essential to identify and meet these challenges and to devise effective strategies that will ultimately lead to reduced hospital-based transmission of CDI. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

STS-109 Flight Control Room Photo

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-03-05

JSC2002-00575 (5 March 2002) --- The members of the STS-109 Orbit 3 Team pose for a group portrait in the shuttle flight control room (WFCR) in Houston’s Mission Control Center (MCC). Flight director Jeff Hanley is visible in the center foreground.

STS-109 Flight Control Room Photo

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-03-05

JSC2002-00576 (5 March 2002) --- The members of the STS-109 Orbit 3 Team pose for a group portrait in the shuttle flight control room (WFCR) in Houston’s Mission Control Center (MCC). Flight director Jeff Hanley is visible in the center foreground.

Control Room at the NACA’s Rocket Engine Test Facility

NASA Image and Video Library

1957-05-21

Test engineers monitor an engine firing from the control room of the Rocket Engine Test Facility at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. The Rocket Engine Test Facility, built in the early 1950s, had a rocket stand designed to evaluate high-energy propellants and rocket engine designs. The facility was used to study numerous different types of rocket engines including the Pratt and Whitney RL-10 engine for the Centaur rocket and Rocketdyne’s F-1 and J-2 engines for the Saturn rockets. The Rocket Engine Test Facility was built in a ravine at the far end of the laboratory because of its use of the dangerous propellants such as liquid hydrogen and liquid fluorine. The control room was located in a building 1,600 feet north of the test stand to protect the engineers running the tests. The main control and instrument consoles were centrally located in the control room and surrounded by boards controlling and monitoring the major valves, pumps, motors, and actuators. A camera system at the test stand allowed the operators to view the tests, but the researchers were reliant on data recording equipment, sensors, and other devices to provide test data. The facility’s control room was upgraded several times over the years. Programmable logic controllers replaced the electro-mechanical control devices. The new controllers were programed to operate the valves and actuators controlling the fuel, oxidant, and ignition sequence according to a predetermined time schedule.

26. A typical outer rod room, or rack room, showing ...

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

26. A typical outer rod room, or rack room, showing the racks for the nine horizontal control rods (HCRs) that would be inserted or withdrawn from the pile to control the rate of reaction. In this case, it is the 105-F Reactor in February 1945. The view is looking away from the pile, which is out of the picture on the left. Several of the cooling water hose reels for the rods can be seen at the end of the racks near the wall. D-8323 - B Reactor, Richland, Benton County, WA

Closed-Loop Acoustic Control of Reverberant Room for Satellite Environmental Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janssens, Karl; Bianciardi, Fabio; Sabbatini, Danilo; Debille, Jan; Carrella, Alex

2012-07-01

The full satellite acoustic test is an important milestone in a satellite launch survivability verification campaign. This test is required to verify the satellite’s mechanical design against the high-level acoustic loads induced by the launch vehicle during the atmospheric flight. During the test, the satellite is subjected to a broadband diffuse acoustic field, reproducing the pressure levels observed during launch. The excitation is in most cases provided by a combination of horns for the low frequencies and noise generators for the higher frequencies. Acoustic control tests are commonly performed in reverberant rooms, controlling the sound pressure levels in third octave bands over the specified target spectrum. This paper discusses an automatic feedback control system for acoustic control of large reverberation rooms for satellite environmental testing. The acoustic control system consists of parallel third octave PI (Proportional Integral) feedback controllers that take the reverberation characteristics of the room into consideration. The drive output of the control system is shaped at every control step based on the comparison of the average third octave noise spectrum, measured from a number of microphones in the test room, with the target spectrum. Cross-over filters split the output drive into band- limited signals to feed each of the horns. The control system is realized in several steps. In the first phase, a dynamic process model is developed, including the non-linear characteristics of the horns and the reverberant properties of the room. The model is identified from dynamic experiments using system identification techniques. In the next phase, an adequate control strategy is designed which is capable of reaching the target spectrum in the required time period without overshoots. This control strategy is obtained from model-in-the-loop (MIL) simulations, evaluating the performance of various potential strategies. Finally, the proposed strategy is implemented in real-time and its control performance tested and validated.

Exploring Magnetic Nanostructures Embedded Within Single-Crystal Silicon for Generation Of Spin-Polarized Carriers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malladi, Machara Krishna Girish

Integrating magnetic functionalities with silicon holds the promise of developing, in the most dominant semiconductor, a paradigm-shift information technology based on the manipulation and control of electron spin and charge. Here, we demonstrate an ion implantation approach enabling the synthesis of a ferromagnetic layer within a defect free Si environment by exploiting an additional implant of hydrogen in a region deep below the metal implanted layer. Upon post-implantation annealing, nanocavities created within the H-implanted region act as trapping sites for gettering the implanted metal species, resulting in the formation of metal nanoparticles in a Si region of excellent crystal quality. This is exemplified by the synthesis of magnetic nickel nanoparticles in Si implanted with H+(range: 850 nm; dose: 1.5x1016 cm-2) and Ni+ (range: 60 nm; dose: 2x10 15 cm-2). Following annealing, the H implanted region populated with Ni nanoparticles of size ( 10-25 nm) and density ( 1011/cm2) typical of those achievable via conventional thin film deposition and growth techniques. In particular, a maximum amount of gettered Ni atoms occurs after annealing at 900 ?C, yielding strong ferromagnetism persisting even at room temperature, as well as fully recovered crystalline Si environments adjacent to these Ni nanoparticles. Furthermore, Ni nanoparticles capsulated within a defect-free crystalline Si layer exhibit a very high magnetic switching energy barrier of 0.86 eV, an increase by about one order of magnitude as compared to their counterparts on a Si surface or in a highly defective Si environment. The electrical transport properties of the samples exhibiting room temperature ferromagnetism have been measured in an in-plane magnetic field and these samples show a high room temperature magnetoresistance ( 155% at 9T for p-Si and 80% at 9T for n-Si) which is dependent on the temperature and the applied current. The peak in the magnetoresistance occurs in the ohmic regime, where the inhomogeneity is the least in these samples measured. Such magnetoresistance has been attributed to the spin-dependent of splitting of the bands in the presence of magnetic nanoparticles with large moments and Schottky junction properties. A large spin-splitting (on the order of 100-150 meV in p-Si and 65-80 meV in n-Si) has been estimated along with large g-factor of 87 (p-Si) and 40 (n-Si). The spin polarization values based on these measurements has been estimated to be 99.6% in p-Si and 95.70% in n-Si at room temperature. Such large spin polarization values show a great promise for this material system to be the base material for the demonstration of a Si-based room temperature spintronic device.

KSC-08pd3194

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-15

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, workers in a clean room of the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility, or PHSF, check the controls on the payload canister with the Hubble Space Telescope equipment inside. The payload comprises four carriers holding various equipment for the mission. The canister maintains a controlled environment. In the PHSF, the carriers will be stored until a new target launch date can be set for Atlantis’ STS-125 mission in 2009. Atlantis’ October target launch date was delayed after a device on board Hubble used in the storage and transmission of science data to Earth shut down on Sept. 27. Replacing the broken device will be added to Atlantis’ servicing mission to the telescope. Photo credit: NASA/Troy Cryder

Controlling the quantum dynamics of a mesoscopic spin bath in diamond

PubMed Central

de Lange, Gijs; van der Sar, Toeno; Blok, Machiel; Wang, Zhi-Hui; Dobrovitski, Viatcheslav; Hanson, Ronald

2012-01-01

Understanding and mitigating decoherence is a key challenge for quantum science and technology. The main source of decoherence for solid-state spin systems is the uncontrolled spin bath environment. Here, we demonstrate quantum control of a mesoscopic spin bath in diamond at room temperature that is composed of electron spins of substitutional nitrogen impurities. The resulting spin bath dynamics are probed using a single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centre electron spin as a magnetic field sensor. We exploit the spin bath control to dynamically suppress dephasing of the NV spin by the spin bath. Furthermore, by combining spin bath control with dynamical decoupling, we directly measure the coherence and temporal correlations of different groups of bath spins. These results uncover a new arena for fundamental studies on decoherence and enable novel avenues for spin-based magnetometry and quantum information processing. PMID:22536480

The Plausibility of a String Quartet Performance in Virtual Reality.

PubMed

Bergstrom, Ilias; Azevedo, Sergio; Papiotis, Panos; Saldanha, Nuno; Slater, Mel

2017-04-01

We describe an experiment that explores the contribution of auditory and other features to the illusion of plausibility in a virtual environment that depicts the performance of a string quartet. 'Plausibility' refers to the component of presence that is the illusion that the perceived events in the virtual environment are really happening. The features studied were: Gaze (the musicians ignored the participant, the musicians sometimes looked towards and followed the participant's movements), Sound Spatialization (Mono, Stereo, Spatial), Auralization (no sound reflections, reflections corresponding to a room larger than the one perceived, reflections that exactly matched the virtual room), and Environment (no sound from outside of the room, birdsong and wind corresponding to the outside scene). We adopted the methodology based on color matching theory, where 20 participants were first able to assess their feeling of plausibility in the environment with each of the four features at their highest setting. Then five times participants started from a low setting on all features and were able to make transitions from one system configuration to another until they matched their original feeling of plausibility. From these transitions a Markov transition matrix was constructed, and also probabilities of a match conditional on feature configuration. The results show that Environment and Gaze were individually the most important factors influencing the level of plausibility. The highest probability transitions were to improve Environment and Gaze, and then Auralization and Spatialization. We present this work as both a contribution to the methodology of assessing presence without questionnaires, and showing how various aspects of a musical performance can influence plausibility.

Human factors aspects of control room design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenkins, J. P.

1983-01-01

A plan for the design and analysis of a multistation control room is reviewed. It is found that acceptance of the computer based information system by the uses in the control room is mandatory for mission and system success. Criteria to improve computer/user interface include: match of system input/output with user; reliability, compatibility and maintainability; easy to learn and little training needed; self descriptive system; system under user control; transparent language, format and organization; corresponds to user expectations; adaptable to user experience level; fault tolerant; dialog capability user communications needs reflected in flexibility, complexity, power and information load; integrated system; and documentation.

Industry Speed Bumps on Local Tobacco Control in Japan? The Case of Hyogo.

PubMed

Yamada, Keiko; Mori, Nagisa; Kashiwabara, Mina; Yasuda, Sakiko; Horie, Rumi; Yamato, Hiroshi; Garçon, Loic; Armada, Francisco

2015-01-01

Despite being a signatory since 2004, Japan has not yet fully implemented Article 8 of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control regarding 100% protection against exposure to second-hand smoke (SHS). The Japanese government still recognizes designated smoking rooms (DSRs) in public space as a valid control measure. Furthermore, subnational initiatives for tobacco control in Japan are of limited effectiveness. Through an analysis of the Hyogo initiative in 2012, we identified key barriers to the achievement of a smoke-free environment. Using a descriptive case-study approach, we analyzed the smoke-free policy development process. The information was obtained from meeting minutes and other gray literature, such as public records, well as key informant interviews. Hyogo Prefecture established a committee to propose measures against SHS, and most committee members agreed with establishing completely smoke-free environments. However, the hospitality sector representatives opposed regulation, and tobacco companies were allowed to make a presentation to the committee. Further, political power shifted against completely smoke-free environments in the context of upcoming local elections, which was an obvious barrier to effective regulation. Throughout the approving process, advocacy by civil society for stronger regulation was weak. Eventually, the ordinance approved by the Prefectural Assembly was even weaker than the committee proposal and included wide exemptions. The analysis of Hyogo's SHS control initiative shed light on three factors that present challenges to implementing tobacco control regulations in Japan, from which other countries can also draw lessons: incomplete national legislation, the weakness of advocacy by the civil society, and the interference of the tobacco industry.

Clown doctors as a treatment for preoperative anxiety in children: a randomized, prospective study.

PubMed

Vagnoli, Laura; Caprilli, Simona; Robiglio, Arianna; Messeri, Andrea

2005-10-01

The induction of anesthesia is one of the most stressful moments for a child who must undergo surgery: it is estimated that 60% of children suffer anxiety in the preoperative period. Preoperative anxiety is characterized by subjective feelings of tension, apprehension, nervousness, and worry. These reactions reflect the child's fear of separation from parents and home environment, as well as of loss of control, unfamiliar routines, surgical instruments, and hospital procedures. High levels of anxiety have been identified as predictors of postoperative troubles that can persist for 6 months after the procedure. Both behavioral and pharmacologic interventions are available to treat preoperative anxiety in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the presence of clowns on a child's preoperative anxiety during the induction of anesthesia and on the parent who accompanies him/her until he/she is asleep. The sample was composed of 40 subjects (5-12 years of age) who had to undergo minor day surgery and were assigned randomly to the clown group (N = 20), in which the children were accompanied in the preoperative room by the clowns and a parent, or the control group (N = 20), in which the children were accompanied by only 1 of his/her parents. The anxiety of the children in the preoperative period was measured through the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale instrument (observational behavioral checklist to measure the state anxiety of young children), and the anxiety of the parents was measured with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Y-1/Y-2) instrument (self-report anxiety behavioral instrument that measures trait/baseline and state/situational anxiety in adults). In addition, a questionnaire for health professionals was developed to obtain their opinion about the presence of clowns during the induction of anesthesia, and a self-evaluation form was developed to be filled out by the clowns themselves about their interactions with the child. The clown group was significantly less anxious during the induction of anesthesia compared with the control group. In the control group there was an increased level of anxiety in the induction room in comparison to in the waiting room; in the clown group anxiety was not significantly different in the 2 locations. The questionnaire for health professionals indicated that the clowns were a benefit to the child, but the majority of the staff was opposed to continuing the program because of perceived interference with the procedures of the operating room. The correlation between the scores of the form to self-evaluate the effectiveness of the clowns and of the Modified Yale Preoperative Anxiety Scale is significant for both the waiting room and induction room. This study shows that the presence of clowns during the induction of anesthesia, together with the child's parents, was an effective intervention for managing children's and parents' anxiety during the preoperative period. We would encourage the promotion of this form of distraction therapy in the treatment of children requiring surgery, but the resistance of medical personnel make it very difficult to insert this program in the activity of the operating room.

IET. Control room in control building (TAN620). Terminal panels for ...

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

IET. Control room in control building (TAN-620). Terminal panels for instrumentation wiring. Note alarm horn and emergency light at right edge of view. Cable reel comes from Collier, Pawtucket, RI. Date: February 1955. INEEL negative no. 55-362 - Idaho National Engineering Laboratory, Test Area North, Scoville, Butte County, ID

Guidelines on ergonomic aspects of control rooms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, C. M.; Bocast, A. K.; Stewart, L. J.

1983-01-01

The anthropometry, workstation design, and environmental design of control rooms are outlined. The automated interface and VDTs and displays and various modes of communication between the system and the human operator using VDTs are discussed. The man in the loop is examined, the single controller single task framework and multiple controller multiple tasks issues are considered.

Evaluation of the disruptive behaviors among treatment teams and its reflection on the therapy process of patients in the operating room: The impact of personal conflicts

PubMed Central

Maddineshat, Maryam; Hashemi, Mitra; Tabatabaeichehr, Mahbubeh

2017-01-01

INTRODUCTION: Understanding the development and distribution of disruptive behaviour among members of a health-care team is critical to the safety and quality of patient care in high-risk environments such as operating rooms. The present study identified disruptive behaviour and its effect on the treatment of patients in the operating room environment. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study used the convenience sampling method to select 144 operating room physicians and nurses (91 women and 53 men). The study was conducted in the operating rooms of four academic hospitals with different specialties in North Khorasan province in Iran from December 2013 to September 2014. The data were collected using a translated, modified, and validated questionnaire to investigate the prevalence and consequences of disruptive behaviour, the response of the health care system to the behaviour, factors affecting the creation of conflict and the spread of disruptive behaviour. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using SPSS 18. RESULTS: Disruptive behaviour was reported by 82.95% physicians and nurses. On average, 39% of physicians and 21% of operating room nurses exhibited disruptive behaviour. Disruptive behaviour is associated with psychological and clinical consequences. Factors such as fear of retaliation (8%), lack of change (43.8%), lack of security (18.1%) and attitude of the organization (14.6%) are significant reasons for the failure to report these behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that disruptive behaviour occurs and affects treatment and workflow of treatment teams in the operating room. Interpersonal conflict contributes to the growth of such behaviour; thus, more research should focus on this subject in the future. PMID:28852659

Evaluation of the disruptive behaviors among treatment teams and its reflection on the therapy process of patients in the operating room: The impact of personal conflicts.

PubMed

Maddineshat, Maryam; Hashemi, Mitra; Tabatabaeichehr, Mahbubeh

2017-01-01

Understanding the development and distribution of disruptive behaviour among members of a health-care team is critical to the safety and quality of patient care in high-risk environments such as operating rooms. The present study identified disruptive behaviour and its effect on the treatment of patients in the operating room environment. This cross-sectional study used the convenience sampling method to select 144 operating room physicians and nurses (91 women and 53 men). The study was conducted in the operating rooms of four academic hospitals with different specialties in North Khorasan province in Iran from December 2013 to September 2014. The data were collected using a translated, modified, and validated questionnaire to investigate the prevalence and consequences of disruptive behaviour, the response of the health care system to the behaviour, factors affecting the creation of conflict and the spread of disruptive behaviour. Statistical analysis of the data was performed using SPSS 18. Disruptive behaviour was reported by 82.95% physicians and nurses. On average, 39% of physicians and 21% of operating room nurses exhibited disruptive behaviour. Disruptive behaviour is associated with psychological and clinical consequences. Factors such as fear of retaliation (8%), lack of change (43.8%), lack of security (18.1%) and attitude of the organization (14.6%) are significant reasons for the failure to report these behaviours. The findings suggest that disruptive behaviour occurs and affects treatment and workflow of treatment teams in the operating room. Interpersonal conflict contributes to the growth of such behaviour; thus, more research should focus on this subject in the future.