The AMADEE-15 Mars simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groemer, Gernot; Losiak, Anna; Soucek, Alexander; Plank, Clemens; Zanardini, Laura; Sejkora, Nina; Sams, Sebastian

2016-12-01

We report on the AMADEE-15 mission, a 12-day Mars analog field test at the Kaunertal Glacier in Austria. Eleven experiments were conducted by a field crew at the test site under simulated martian surface exploration conditions and coordinated by a Mission Support Center in Innsbruck, Austria. The experiments' research fields encompassed geology, human factors, astrobiology, robotics, tele-science, exploration, and operations research. A Remote Science Support team analyzed field data in near real time, providing planning input for a flight control team to manage a complex system of field assets in a realistic work flow, including: two advanced space suit simulators; and four robotic and aerial vehicles. Field operations were supported by a dedicated flight planning group, an external control center tele-operating the PULI-rover, and a medical team. A 10-min satellite communication delay and other limitations pertinent to human planetary surface activities were introduced. This paper provides an overview of the geological context and environmental conditions of the test site and the mission architecture, with a focus on the mission's communication infrastructure. We report on the operational workflows and the experiments conducted, as well as a novel approach of measuring mission success through the introduction of general analog mission transferrable performance indicators.

Possibilities of the regional gravity field recovery from first-, second- and third-order radial derivatives of the disturbing gravitational potential measured on moving platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pitonak, Martin; Sprlak, Michal; Novak, Pavel; Tenzer, Robert

2016-04-01

Recently realized gravity-dedicated satellite missions allow for measuring values of scalar, vectorial (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment - GRACE) and second-order tensorial (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer - GOCE) parameters of the Earth's gravitational potential. Theoretical aspects related to using moving sensors for measuring elements of the third-order gravitational tensor are currently under investigation, e.g., the gravity field-dedicated satellite mission OPTIMA (OPTical Interferometry for global Mass change detection from space) should measure third-order derivatives of the Earth's gravitational potential. This contribution investigates regional recovery of the disturbing gravitational potential on the Earth's surface from satellite and aerial observations of the first-, second- and third-order radial derivatives of the disturbing gravitational potential. Synthetic measurements along a satellite orbit at the altitude of 250 km and along an aircraft track at the altitude of 10 km are synthetized from the global gravitational model EGM2008 and polluted by the Gaussian noise. The process of downward continuation is stabilized by the Tikhonov regularization. Estimated values of the disturbing gravitational potential are compared with the same quantity synthesized directly from EGM2008.

Experimental Nuclear Physics Activity in Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiavassa, E.; de Marco, N.

2003-04-01

The experimental Nuclear Physics activity of the Italian researchers is briefly reviewed. The experiments, that are financially supported by the INFN, are done in strict collaboration by more than 500 INFN and University researchers. The experiments cover all the most important field of the modern Nuclear Physics with probes extremely different in energy and interactions. Researches are done in all the four National Laboratories of the INFN even if there is a deeper involvement of the two national laboratories expressly dedicated to Nuclear Physics: the LNL (Laboratorio Nazionale di Legnaro) and LNS (Laboratorio Nazionale del Sud) where nuclear spectroscopy and reaction dynamics are investigated. All the activities with electromagnetic probes develops in abroad laboratories as TJNAF, DESY, MAMI, ESFR and are dedicated to the studies of the spin physics and of the nucleon resonance; hypernuclear and kaon physics is investigated at LNF. A strong community of researchers work in the relativistic and ultra-relativistic heavy ions field in particular at CERN with the SPS Pb beam and in the construction of the ALICE detector for heavy-ion physics at the LHC collider. Experiments of astrophysical interest are done with ions of very low energy; in particular the LUNA accelerator facility at LNGS (Laboratorio Nazionale del Gran Sasso) succeeded measuring cross section at solar energies, below or near the solar Gamow peak. Interdisciplinary researches on anti-hydrogen atom spectroscopy and on measurements of neutron cross sections of interest for ADS development are also supported.

[Nikola Tesla in medicine, too].

PubMed

Hanzek, Branko; Jakobović, Zvonimir

2007-12-01

Using primary and secondary sources we have shown in this paper the influence of Nikola Tesla's work on the field of medicine. The description of his experiments conduced within secondary-school education programs aimed to present the popularization of his work in Croatia. Although Tesla was dedicated primarily to physics and was not directly involved in biomedical research, his work significantly contributed to paving the way of medical physics particularly radiology and high-frequency electrotherapy.

Water vapour intercomparison effort in the frame of HyMeX-SOP1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Summa, Donato; Di Girolamo, Paolo; Stelitano, Dario; Cacciani, Marco; Flamant, Cyrille; Chazette, Patrick; Ducrocq, Véronique; Nuret, Mathieu; Fourié, Nadia; Richard, Evelyne

2014-05-01

A water vapour intercomparison effort, involving airborne and ground-based water vapour lidar systems and mesoscale models, was carried out in the framework of the international HyMeX (Hydrological cycle in the Mediterranean Experiment) dedicated to the hydrological cycle and related high-impact events. Within HyMeX, a major field campaign was dedicated to heavy precipitation and flash flood events from 5 September to 6 November 2012. The 2 month field campaign took place over the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea and its surrounding coastal regions in France, Italy, and Spain. The main objective of this work is to provide accurate error estimates for the lidar systems i.e. the ground-based Raman lidar BASIL and the CNRS DIAL Leandre 2 on board the ATR42, as well as use BASIL data to validate mesoscale model results from the MESO NH and Arome WMED. The effort will benefit from the few dedicated ATR42 flights in the frame of the EUFAR Project "WaLiTemp". In the present work our attention was focused on two specific case studies: 13 September and 2 October in the altitude region 0.5 - 5.5 km. Comparisons between the ground-based Raman lidar BASIL and the airborne CNRS DIAL indicate a mean relative bias between the two sensors of 6.5%, while comparisons between BASIL and CNRS DIAL vs. the radiosondes indicate a bias of 2.6 and -3.5 %, respectively. The bias of BASIL vs. the ATR insitu sensor indicate a bias of -20.4 %. Specific attention will also be dedicated to the WALI/BASIL intercomparison effort which took place in Candillargues on 30 October 2012. Specific results from this intercomparison effort and from the intercomparison between BASIL and Meso-NH/AROME-WMed will be illustrated and discussed at the Conference.

The MARS2013 Mars analog mission.

PubMed

Groemer, Gernot; Soucek, Alexander; Frischauf, Norbert; Stumptner, Willibald; Ragonig, Christoph; Sams, Sebastian; Bartenstein, Thomas; Häuplik-Meusburger, Sandra; Petrova, Polina; Evetts, Simon; Sivenesan, Chan; Bothe, Claudia; Boyd, Andrea; Dinkelaker, Aline; Dissertori, Markus; Fasching, David; Fischer, Monika; Föger, Daniel; Foresta, Luca; Fritsch, Lukas; Fuchs, Harald; Gautsch, Christoph; Gerard, Stephan; Goetzloff, Linda; Gołebiowska, Izabella; Gorur, Paavan; Groemer, Gerhard; Groll, Petra; Haider, Christian; Haider, Olivia; Hauth, Eva; Hauth, Stefan; Hettrich, Sebastian; Jais, Wolfgang; Jones, Natalie; Taj-Eddine, Kamal; Karl, Alexander; Kauerhoff, Tilo; Khan, Muhammad Shadab; Kjeldsen, Andreas; Klauck, Jan; Losiak, Anna; Luger, Markus; Luger, Thomas; Luger, Ulrich; McArthur, Jane; Moser, Linda; Neuner, Julia; Orgel, Csilla; Ori, Gian Gabriele; Paternesi, Roberta; Peschier, Jarno; Pfeil, Isabella; Prock, Silvia; Radinger, Josef; Ramirez, Barbara; Ramo, Wissam; Rampey, Mike; Sams, Arnold; Sams, Elisabeth; Sandu, Oana; Sans, Alejandra; Sansone, Petra; Scheer, Daniela; Schildhammer, Daniel; Scornet, Quentin; Sejkora, Nina; Stadler, Andrea; Stummer, Florian; Taraba, Michael; Tlustos, Reinhard; Toferer, Ernst; Turetschek, Thomas; Winter, Egon; Zanella-Kux, Katja

2014-05-01

We report on the MARS2013 mission, a 4-week Mars analog field test in the northern Sahara. Nineteen experiments were conducted by a field crew in Morocco under simulated martian surface exploration conditions, supervised by a Mission Support Center in Innsbruck, Austria. A Remote Science Support team analyzed field data in near real time, providing planning input for the management of a complex system of field assets; two advanced space suit simulators, four robotic vehicles, an emergency shelter, and a stationary sensor platform in a realistic work flow were coordinated by a Flight Control Team. A dedicated flight planning group, external control centers for rover tele-operations, and a biomedical monitoring team supported the field operations. A 10 min satellite communication delay and other limitations pertinent to human planetary surface activities were introduced. The fields of research for the experiments were geology, human factors, astrobiology, robotics, tele-science, exploration, and operations research. This paper provides an overview of the geological context and environmental conditions of the test site and the mission architecture, in particular the communication infrastructure emulating the signal travel time between Earth and Mars. We report on the operational work flows and the experiments conducted, including a deployable shelter prototype for multiple-day extravehicular activities and contingency situations.

The matter in extreme conditions instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source

DOE PAGES

Nagler, Bob; Arnold, Brice; Bouchard, Gary; ...

2015-04-21

The LCLS beam provides revolutionary capabilities for studying the transient behavior of matter in extreme conditions. The particular strength of the Matter in Extreme Conditions instrument is that it combines the unique LCLS beam with high-power optical laser beams, and a suite of dedicated diagnostics tailored for this field of science. In this paper an overview of the beamline, the capabilities of the instrumentation, and selected highlights of experiments and commissioning results are presented.

Studies for a Dedicated B Detector at the Fermilab Collider

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McBride, Patricia

1996-06-01

The observation of CP violation in the B system is one of the great experimental challenges of the next decade. Several B factories are already planned, however, there will be many interesting measurements awaiting a second generation of B exeriments. Studies are being carried out to design a dedicated collider B experiment for the Tevatron at Fermilab. A dedicated B detector at a hadron collider will have a physics reach beyond that of experiments scheduled to begin operation before the end of the decade.

K-shell spectroscopy of silicon ions as diagnostic for high electric fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loetzsch, R.; Jäckel, O.; Höfer, S.; Kämpfer, T.; Polz, J.; Uschmann, I.; Kaluza, M. C.; Förster, E.; Stambulchik, E.; Kroupp, E.; Maron, Y.

2012-11-01

We developed a detection scheme, capable of measuring X-ray line shape of tracer ions in μm thick layers at the rear side of a target foil irradiated by ultra intense laser pulses. We performed simulations of the effect of strong electric fields on the K-shell emission of silicon and developed a spectrometer dedicated to record this emission. The combination of a cylindrically bent crystal in von Hámos geometry and a CCD camera with its single photon counting capability allows for a high dynamic range of the instrument and background free spectra. This approach will be used in future experiments to study electric fields of the order of TV/m at high density plasmas close to solid density.

The Mu2e experiment at Fermilab: A search for lepton flavor violation

DOE PAGES

Pezzullo, Gianantonio

2017-05-04

The Mu2e experiment at Fermilab will search for the charged lepton flavor violating process of neutrino-less μ→e coherent conversion in the field of an aluminum nucleus. About 7 ∙ 10 17 muons, provided by a dedicated muon beam line in construction at Fermilab, will be stopped in 3 years in the aluminum target. The corresponding single event sensitivity will be 2.5∙10 $-$17 . Here in this paper a brief overview of the physics explored by the μ→e conversion is given, followed by a description of the Mu2e experimental apparatus and the expected detector performance.

Lunar Infrared Spectrometer (LIS) for Luna-Resurs and Luna-Glob missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korablev, O.; Ivanov, A.; Mantsevich, S.; Kiselev, A.; Vyazovetskiy, N.; Fedorova, A.; Evdokimova, N.; Stepanov, A.; Titov, A.; Kalinnikov, Y.

2012-09-01

Lunar Infrared Spectrometer (LIS) is an experiment onboard Luna-Glob (launch in 2015) and Luna- Resurs (launch in 2017) Russian surface missions. The experiment is dedicated to the studies of mineralogy of the lunar regolith in the vicinity of the lander. The instrument is mounted on the mechanic arm of landing module in the field of view (45°) of stereo TV camera. LIS will provide measurements of selected surface region in the spectral range of 1.15-3.3 μm. The electrically commanded acousto-optic filter scans sequentially at a desired sampling, with random access, over the entire spectral range.

Low-cost synchronization of high-speed audio and video recordings in bio-acoustic experiments.

PubMed

Laurijssen, Dennis; Verreycken, Erik; Geipel, Inga; Daems, Walter; Peremans, Herbert; Steckel, Jan

2018-02-27

In this paper, we present a method for synchronizing high-speed audio and video recordings of bio-acoustic experiments. By embedding a random signal into the recorded video and audio data, robust synchronization of a diverse set of sensor streams can be performed without the need to keep detailed records. The synchronization can be performed using recording devices without dedicated synchronization inputs. We demonstrate the efficacy of the approach in two sets of experiments: behavioral experiments on different species of echolocating bats and the recordings of field crickets. We present the general operating principle of the synchronization method, discuss its synchronization strength and provide insights into how to construct such a device using off-the-shelf components. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

The Matter in Extreme Conditions instrument at the Linac Coherent Light Source

PubMed Central

Nagler, Bob; Arnold, Brice; Bouchard, Gary; Boyce, Richard F.; Boyce, Richard M.; Callen, Alice; Campell, Marc; Curiel, Ruben; Galtier, Eric; Garofoli, Justin; Granados, Eduardo; Hastings, Jerry; Hays, Greg; Heimann, Philip; Lee, Richard W.; Milathianaki, Despina; Plummer, Lori; Schropp, Andreas; Wallace, Alex; Welch, Marc; White, William; Xing, Zhou; Yin, Jing; Young, James; Zastrau, Ulf; Lee, Hae Ja

2015-01-01

The LCLS beam provides revolutionary capabilities for studying the transient behavior of matter in extreme conditions. The particular strength of the Matter in Extreme Conditions instrument is that it combines the unique LCLS beam with high-power optical laser beams, and a suite of dedicated diagnostics tailored for this field of science. In this paper an overview of the beamline, the capabilities of the instrumentation, and selected highlights of experiments and commissioning results are presented. PMID:25931063

Optimizing and Evaluating an Integrated SPECT-CmT System Dedicated to Improved 3-D Breast Cancer Imaging

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-01

mammography," (2008). 4. H. M. Warren-Forward and L. Duggan, "Towards in vivo TLD dosimetry in mammography," Br J Radiol 77, 426-432 (2004). 5. X. Wu, G...thermoluminescent detectors ( TLDs ) were used in the experiments but, after consultation with experts in the field of radiation dosimetry , it was decided...prohibitively expensive to use TLDs for the various study setups and that the dosimetry results from one setup could be extended to similar setups that

Coherence in Professional Education: Does It Foster Dedication and Identification?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heggen, Kåre; Terum, Lars Inge

2013-01-01

This article examines the impact of professional education on students' dedication to and identification with a profession. The premise is that professional education is not only about knowledge acquisition and reasoning but also about attitudes and aspirations. In fostering dedication and identification, students' experiences of relevance seem to…

The Neurolab mission and biomedical engineering: a partnership for the future.

PubMed

Liskowsky, D R; Frey, M A; Sulzman, F M; White, R J; Likowsky, D R

1996-01-01

Over the last five years, with the advent of flights of U.S. Shuttle/Spacelab missions dedicated entirely to life sciences research, the opportunities for conducting serious studies that use a fully outfitted space laboratory to better understand basic biological processes have increased. The last of this series of Shuttle/Spacelab missions, currently scheduled for 1998, is dedicated entirely to neuroscience and behavioral research. The mission, named Neurolab, includes a broad range of experiments that build on previous research efforts, as well as studies related to less mature areas of space neuroscience. The Neurolab mission provides the global scientific community with the opportunity to use the space environment for investigations that exploit microgravity to increase our understanding of basic processes in neuroscience. The results from this premier mission should lead to a significant advancement in the field as a whole and to the opening of new lines of investigation for future research. Experiments under development for this mission will utilize human subjects as well as a variety of other species. The capacity to carry out detailed experiments on both human and animal subjects in space allows a diverse complement of studies that investigate functional changes and their underlying molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms. In order to conduct these experiments, a wide array of biomedical instrumentation will be used, including some instruments and devices being developed especially for the mission.

Inter-observer reliability of high-resolution ultrasonography in the assessment of bone erosions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: experience of an intensive dedicated training programme.

PubMed

Gutierrez, Marwin; Filippucci, Emilio; Ruta, Santiago; Salaffi, Fausto; Blasetti, Patrizia; Di Geso, Luca; Grassi, Walter

2011-02-01

The present study was aimed at testing the ability of a rheumatologist without experience in ultrasound (US) who attended an intensive 4-week training programme focused on US assessing bone erosions in the hands and feet in patients with RA. Twenty patients diagnosed with RA according to the ACR criteria were included in the study. All US examinations were performed bilaterally by two investigators (with different experience in the field of musculoskeletal US) at the following sites: the dorsal, lateral and volar aspect of the second metacarpal, ulnar and fifth metatarsal head; and the dorsal and volar aspect of the third metacarpal and second proximal heads. Each quadrant was scanning in longitudinal and transverse scans for assessing the qualitative, semiquantitative and quantitative US findings indicative of bone erosions according the OMERACT preliminary definition. Both κ-values and overall agreement percentages of qualitative and semiquantitative assessments showed moderate to excellent agreement between the two investigators. Similar results were obtained for the quantitative assessment with the concordance correlation coefficient value always significant. The only exception was the volar aspects, in particular those of the fifth metatarsal head. Our study suggests that after a 4-week dedicated training programme, a rheumatologist without experience in US is able to detect and score bone erosions in the hands and feet of patients with RA.

The Neurolab mission and biomedical engineering: a partnership for the future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liskowsky, D. R.; Frey, M. A.; Sulzman, F. M.; White, R. J.; Likowsky, D. R.

1996-01-01

Over the last five years, with the advent of flights of U.S. Shuttle/Spacelab missions dedicated entirely to life sciences research, the opportunities for conducting serious studies that use a fully outfitted space laboratory to better understand basic biological processes have increased. The last of this series of Shuttle/Spacelab missions, currently scheduled for 1998, is dedicated entirely to neuroscience and behavioral research. The mission, named Neurolab, includes a broad range of experiments that build on previous research efforts, as well as studies related to less mature areas of space neuroscience. The Neurolab mission provides the global scientific community with the opportunity to use the space environment for investigations that exploit microgravity to increase our understanding of basic processes in neuroscience. The results from this premier mission should lead to a significant advancement in the field as a whole and to the opening of new lines of investigation for future research. Experiments under development for this mission will utilize human subjects as well as a variety of other species. The capacity to carry out detailed experiments on both human and animal subjects in space allows a diverse complement of studies that investigate functional changes and their underlying molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms. In order to conduct these experiments, a wide array of biomedical instrumentation will be used, including some instruments and devices being developed especially for the mission.

ICP-MS measurement of natural radioactivity at LNGS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nisi, S.; Copia, L.; Dafinei, I.; di Vacri, M. L.

2017-10-01

Rare events search experiments, like those dedicated to the direct evidence of dark matter or neutrinoless double beta decay, are among the most exciting challenges of modern physics. The sensitivity of such experiments is driven by the background, which depends substantially on the radiopurity of the materials used for the experimental apparatus. Cutting edge measurement techniques are needed for a fast, sensitive and efficient screening of these materials and the certification of their production. Trace element measurements of high sensitivity and quick execution are mandatory also in other fields like tracing the geographical origin of food, temporal and geographical assignment of cultural heritage or monitoring environmental radioactivity. This work is an overview of the inorganic mass spectrometry facility available at Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS) for radiopure material screening and is especially focused on its ICP-MS instrumentation. Analytical methods developed to achieve lowest detection limits in different types of matrix, like metals, polymers, crystals and composite materials, are also indicated. Detection limits of 10-18gg-1 for 226Ra, 10-14gg-1 for U and Th and 10-12gg-1 for K are attained through dedicated operation conditions of the instrumentation. Details are given on the results obtained for different experiments ongoing or under construction at LNGS.

Analysis of satellite and airborne wind measurements during the SEMAPHORE experiment

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

Tournadre, J.; Hauser, D.

1994-12-31

During the SEMAPHORE experiment Intensive Observation Period (IOP), held in October and November 1993 in the Azores-Madeira region, two airplanes, instrumented for atmospheric research, and two oceanographic research vessels have conducted in situ measurements in a 500km x 500km domain. Within the framework of SEMAPHORE, the SOFIA program is dedicated to the study of the air-sea fluxes and interactions from local scale up to mesoscale. The analysis of the structure of the wind and wave fields and their relations to the surface fluxes (especially near oceanic fronts) and the validation of the satellite data are two of the main goalsmore » of the SOFIA program. During the IOP, the experiment domain was regularly overflown by the ERS-1 and Topex-Poseidon (TP) satellites. This study presents a preliminary analysis of the ERS-1 and TP altimeter wind and wave measurement and ERS-1 scatterometer wind fields. The data from the airborne RESSAC (a radar ocean wave spectrometer) are also presented.« less

Cross-field electron transport inside an insulating cylinder of a baffled probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raitses, Yevgeny; Alt, Andrew

2017-10-01

Plasma-immersed wall experiments have been performed in a magnetized xenon plasma in a cross-field Penning configuration with density around 1012 cm-3 and an electron temperature around a few eV. A cylinder with an open end and diameter of 1.4 mm was placed across field lines so that electrons were blocked from reaching a wire recessed behind the shield while ions were unimpeded. The reduction of electron current to the wire causes it to float closer to the plasma potential, possibly making a device that can passively measure plasma potential. However, the measured electron current was much higher than expected even when the wire was recessed several electron gyroradii behind the baffle. Possible mechanisms for this electron conduction causing the short circuiting to the bulk plasma have been studied with numerical approaches and with a dedicated experiment designed to isolate this short circuit effect. The obtained results may be important for cross-field transport in a variety of other configurations in magnetized, low-temperature plasmas. This work was supported by DOE contract DE-AC02-09CH11466.

Materials Science Experiments Under Microgravity - A Review of History, Facilities, and Future Opportunities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stenzel, Ch.

2012-01-01

Materials science experiments have been a key issue already since the early days of research under microgravity conditions. A microgravity environment facilitates processing of metallic and semiconductor melts without buoyancy driven convection and sedimentation. Hence, crystal growth of semiconductors, solidification of metallic alloys, and the measurement of thermo-physical parameters are the major applications in the field of materials science making use of these dedicated conditions in space. In the last three decades a large number of successful experiments have been performed, mainly in international collaborations. In parallel, the development of high-performance research facilities and the technological upgrade of diagnostic and stimuli elements have also contributed to providing optimum conditions to perform such experiments. A review of the history of materials science experiments in space focussing on the development of research facilities is given. Furthermore, current opportunities to perform such experiments onboard ISS are described and potential future options are outlined.

Regional Recovery of the Disturbing Gravitational Potential from Satellite Observations of First-, Second- and Third-order Radial Derivatives of the Disturbing Gravitational Potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novak, P.; Pitonak, M.; Sprlak, M.

2015-12-01

Recently realized gravity-dedicated satellite missions allow for measuring values of scalar, vectorial (Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment - GRACE) and second-order tensorial (Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer - GOCE) parameters of the Earth's gravitational potential. Theoretical aspects related to using moving sensors for measuring elements of a third-order gravitational tensor are currently under investigation, e.g. the gravity-dedicated satellite mission OPTIMA (OPTical Interferometry for global Mass change detection from space) should measure third-order derivatives of the Earth's gravitational potential. This contribution investigates regional recovery of the disturbing gravitational potential on the Earth's surface from satellite observations of first-, second- and third-order radial derivatives of the disturbing gravitational potential. Synthetic measurements along a satellite orbit at the altitude of 250 km are synthetized from the global gravitational model EGM2008 and polluted by the Gaussian noise. The process of downward continuation is stabilized by the Tikhonov regularization. Estimated values of the disturbing gravitational potential are compared with the same quantity synthesized directly from EGM2008. Finally, this contribution also discusses merging a regional solution into a global field as a patchwork.

Man/terminal interaction evaluation of computer operating system command and control service concepts. [in Spacelab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dodson, D. W.; Shields, N. L., Jr.

1978-01-01

The Experiment Computer Operating System (ECOS) of the Spacelab will allow the onboard Payload Specialist to command experiment devices and display information relative to the performance of experiments. Three candidate ECOS command and control service concepts were reviewed and laboratory data on operator performance was taken for each concept. The command and control service concepts evaluated included a dedicated operator's menu display from which all command inputs were issued, a dedicated command key concept with which command inputs could be issued from any display, and a multi-display concept in which command inputs were issued from several dedicated function displays. Advantages and disadvantages are discussed in terms of training, operational errors, task performance time, and subjective comments of system operators.

Laboratory reconnection experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grulke, Olaf

Laboratory experiments dedicated for the study of magnetic reconnection have been contributed considerably to a more detailed understanding of the involved processes. Their strength is to disentangle parameter dependencies, to diagnose in detail the plasma and field response, and to form an excellent testbed for the validation of numerical simulations. In the present paper recent results obtained from the new cylindrical reconnection experiment VINETA II are presented. The experimental setup allows to independently vary plasma parameters, reconnection drive strength/timescale, and current sheet amplitude. Current research objectives focus on two major scientific issues: Guide field effects on magnetic reconnection and the evolution of electromagnetic fluctuations. The superimposed homogeneous magnetic guide field has a strong influence on the spatiotemporal evolution of the current sheet, predominantly due to magnetic pitch angle effects, which leads to a strong elongation of the sheet along the separatrices and results in axial gradients of the reconnection rates. Within the current sheet, incoherent electromagnetic fluctuations are observed. Their magnetic signature is characterized by a broad spectrum somewhat centered around the lower-hybrid frequency and extremely short spatial correlation lengths being typically smaller than the local ion sound radius. The fluctuation amplitude correlates with the local current density and, thus, for low guide fields, displays also axial gradients. Despite the quantitatively different parameter regime and geometry the basic fluctuation properties are in good agreement with studies conducted at the MRX experiment (PPPL).

The Track Imaging Cerenkov Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wissel, S. A.; Byrum, K.; Cunningham, J. D.; Drake, G.; Hays, E.; Horan, D.; Kieda, D.; Kovacs, E.; Magill, S.; Nodulman, L.;

Polarization analysis for magnetic field imaging at RADEN in J-PARC/MLF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinohara, Takenao; Hiroi, Kosuke; Su, Yuhua; Kai, Tetsuya; Nakatani, Takeshi; Oikawa, Kenichi; Segawa, Mariko; Hayashida, Hirotoshi; Parker, Joseph D.; Matsumoto, Yoshihiro; Zhang, Shuoyuan; Kiyanagi, Yoshiaki

2017-06-01

Polarized neutron imaging is an attractive method for visualizing magnetic fields in a bulk object or in free space. In this technique polarization of neutrons transmitted through a sample is analyzed position by position to produce an image of the polarization distribution. In particular, the combination of three-dimensional spin analysis and the use of a pulsed neutron beam is very effective for the quantitative evaluation of both field strength and direction by means of the analysis of the wavelength dependent polarization vector. Recently a new imaging instrument “RADEN” has been constructed at the beam line of BL22 of the Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) at J-PARC, which is dedicated to energy-resolved neutron imaging experiments. We have designed a polarization analysis apparatus for magnetic field imaging at the RADEN instrument and have evaluated its performance.

Perspectives for the high field approach in fusion research and advances within the Ignitor Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coppi, B.; Airoldi, A.; Albanese, R.; Ambrosino, G.; Belforte, G.; Boggio-Sella, E.; Cardinali, A.; Cenacchi, G.; Conti, F.; Costa, E.; D'Amico, A.; Detragiache, P.; De Tommasi, G.; DeVellis, A.; Faelli, G.; Ferraris, P.; Frattolillo, A.; Giammanco, F.; Grasso, G.; Lazzaretti, M.; Mantovani, S.; Merriman, L.; Migliori, S.; Napoli, R.; Perona, A.; Pierattini, S.; Pironti, A.; Ramogida, G.; Rubinacci, G.; Sassi, M.; Sestero, A.; Spillantini, S.; Tavani, M.; Tumino, A.; Villone, F.; Zucchi, L.

2015-05-01

The Ignitor Program maintains the objective of approaching D-T ignition conditions by incorporating systematical advances made with relevant high field magnet technology and with experiments on high density well confined plasmas in the present machine design. An additional objective is that of charting the development of the high field line of experiments that goes from the Alcator machine to the ignitor device. The rationale for this class of experiments, aimed at producing poloidal fields with the highest possible values (compatible with proven safety factors of known plasma instabilities) is given. On the basis of the favourable properties of high density plasmas produced systematically by this line of machines, the envisioned future for the line, based on novel high field superconducting magnets, includes the possibility of investigating more advanced fusion burn conditions than those of the D-T plasmas for which Ignitor is designed. Considering that a detailed machine design has been carried out (Coppi et al 2013 Nucl. Fusion 53 104013), the advances made in different areas of the physics and technology that are relevant to the Ignitor project are reported. These are included within the following sections of the present paper: main components issues, assembly and welding procedures; robotics criteria; non-linear feedback control; simulations with three-dimensional structures and disruption studies; ICRH and dedicated diagnostics systems; anomalous transport processes including self-organization for fusion burning regimes and the zero-dimensional model; tridimensional structures of the thermonuclear instability and control provisions; superconducting components of the present machine; envisioned experiments with high field superconducting magnets.

Revision to dedicated short range communication roadside equipment specification – RSU 4.1.Bench Test Plan.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-04-28

The document describes the overall process for evaluating Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) Roadside Units (RSU) against USDOT RSU Specification 4.1 in preparation for field evaluation. The Test Cases contained in this document only evaluate...

Life sciences flight experiments program mission science requirements document. The first life sciences dedicated Spacelab mission, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rummel, J. A.

1982-01-01

The Mission Science Requirements Document (MSRD) for the First Dedicated Life Sciences Mission (LS-1) represents the culmination of thousands of hours of experiment selection, and science requirement definition activities. NASA life sciences has never before attempted to integrate, both scientifically and operationally, a single mission dedicated to life sciences research, and the complexity of the planning required for such an endeavor should be apparent. This set of requirements completes the first phase of a continual process which will attempt to optimize (within available programmatic and mission resources) the science accomplished on this mission.

Ensuring Environmentally Sustainable Production of Dedicated Biomass Feedstocks

Treesearch

V.R. Tolbert; D.A. Mays; A. Houston; D.D. Tyler; C.H. Perry; K.E. Brooks; F.C. Thornton; B.R. Bock; J.D. Joslin; Carl C. Trettin; J. Isebrands

2000-01-01

Ensuring acceptance of dedicated biomass feedstocks by landowners, agricultural communities, environmental and public interest groups, requires that the environmental benefits, concerns, and risks associated with their production be quantified. Establishment and management measures to benefit soil and water quality are being identified by ongoing research. Field...

What's with all this peer-review stuff anyway?

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

Warner, J. S.

2010-01-01

The Journal of Physical Security was ostensibly started to deal with a perceived lack of peer-reviewed journals related to the field of physical security. In fact, concerns have been expressed that the field of physical security is scarcely a field at all. A typical, well-developed field might include the following: multiple peer-reviewed journals devoted to the subject, rigor and critical thinking, metrics, fundamental principles, models and theories, effective standards and guidelines, R and D conferences, professional societies, certifications, its own academic department (or at least numerous academic experts), widespread granting of degrees in the field from 4-year research universities, mechanismsmore » for easily spotting 'snake oil' products and services, and the practice of professionals organizing to police themselves, provide quality control, and determine best practices. Physical Security seems to come up short in a number of these areas. Many of these attributes are difficult to quantify. This paper seeks to focus on one area that is quantifiable: the number of peer-reviewed journals dedicated to the field of Physical Security. In addition, I want to examine the number of overall periodicals (peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed) dedicated to physical security, as well as the number of papers published each year about physical security. These are potentially useful analyses because one can often infer how healthy or active a given field is by its publishing activity. For example, there are 2,754 periodicals dedicated to the (very healthy and active) field of physics. This paper concentrates on trade journal versus peer-reviewed journals. Trade journals typically focus on practice-related topics. A paper appropriate for a trade journal is usually based more on practical experience than rigorous studies or research. Models, theories, or rigorous experimental research results will usually not be included. A trade journal typically targets a specific market in an industry or trade. Such journals are often considered to be news magazines and may contain industry specific advertisements and/or job ads. A peer-reviewed journal, a.k.a 'referred journal', in contrast, contains peer-reviewed papers. A peer-reviewed paper is one that has been vetted by the peer review process. In this process, the paper is typically sent to independent experts for review and consideration. A peer-reviewed paper might cover experimental results, and/or a rigorous study, analyses, research efforts, theory, models, or one of many other scholarly endeavors.« less

Implementation of a custom time-domain firmware trigger for RADAR-based cosmic ray detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prohira, S.; Besson, D.; Kunwar, S.; Ratzlaff, K.; Young, R.

2018-05-01

Interest in Radio-based detection schemes for ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECR) has surged in recent years, owing to the potentially very low cost/detection ratio. The method of radio-frequency (RF) scatter has been proposed as potentially the most economical detection technology. Though the first dedicated experiment to employ this method, the Telescope Array RADAR experiment (TARA) reported no signal, efforts to develop more robust and sensitive trigger techniques continue. This paper details the development of a time-domain firmware trigger that exploits characteristics of the expected scattered signal from an UHECR extensive-air shower (EAS). The improved sensitivity of this trigger is discussed, as well as implementation in two separate field deployments from 2016 to 2017.

In-field Raman amplification on coherent optical fiber links for frequency metrology.

PubMed

Clivati, C; Bolognini, G; Calonico, D; Faralli, S; Mura, A; Levi, F

2015-04-20

Distributed Raman amplification (DRA) is widely exploited for the transmission of broadband, modulated signals used in data links, but not yet in coherent optical links for frequency metrology, where the requirements are rather different. After preliminary tests on fiber spools, in this paper we deeper investigate Raman amplification on deployed in-field optical metrological links. We actually test a Doppler-stabilized optical link both on a 94 km-long metro-network implementation with multiplexed ITU data channels and on a 180 km-long dedicated fiber haul connecting two cities, where DRA is employed in combination with Erbium-doped fiber amplification (EDFA). The performance of DRA is detailed in both experiments, indicating that it does not introduce noticeable penalties for the metrological signal or for the ITU data channels. We hence show that Raman amplification of metrological signals can be compatible with a wavelength division multiplexing architecture and that it can be used as an alternative or in combination with dedicated bidirectional EDFAs. No deterioration is noticed in the coherence properties of the delivered signal, which attains frequency instability at the 10(-19) level in both cases. This study can be of interest also in view of the undergoing deployment of continental fiber networks for frequency metrology.

A coordinated set of ecosystem research platforms open to international research in ecotoxicology, AnaEE-France.

PubMed

Mougin, Christian; Azam, Didier; Caquet, Thierry; Cheviron, Nathalie; Dequiedt, Samuel; Le Galliard, Jean-François; Guillaume, Olivier; Houot, Sabine; Lacroix, Gérard; Lafolie, François; Maron, Pierre-Alain; Michniewicz, Radika; Pichot, Christian; Ranjard, Lionel; Roy, Jacques; Zeller, Bernd; Clobert, Jean; Chanzy, André

2015-10-01

The infrastructure for Analysis and Experimentation on Ecosystems (AnaEE-France) is an integrated network of the major French experimental, analytical, and modeling platforms dedicated to the biological study of continental ecosystems (aquatic and terrestrial). This infrastructure aims at understanding and predicting ecosystem dynamics under global change. AnaEE-France comprises complementary nodes offering access to the best experimental facilities and associated biological resources and data: Ecotrons, seminatural experimental platforms to manipulate terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, in natura sites equipped for large-scale and long-term experiments. AnaEE-France also provides shared instruments and analytical platforms dedicated to environmental (micro) biology. Finally, AnaEE-France provides users with data bases and modeling tools designed to represent ecosystem dynamics and to go further in coupling ecological, agronomical, and evolutionary approaches. In particular, AnaEE-France offers adequate services to tackle the new challenges of research in ecotoxicology, positioning its various types of platforms in an ecologically advanced ecotoxicology approach. AnaEE-France is a leading international infrastructure, and it is pioneering the construction of AnaEE (Europe) infrastructure in the field of ecosystem research. AnaEE-France infrastructure is already open to the international community of scientists in the field of continental ecotoxicology.

Dedicated low-field MRI in mice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choquet, P.; Breton, E.; Goetz, C.; Marin, C.; Constantinesco, A.

2009-09-01

The rationale of this work is to point out the relevance of in vivo MR images of mice obtained using a dedicated low-field system. For this purpose a small 0.1 T water-cooled electro-magnet and solenoidal radio frequency (RF) transmit-receive coils were used. All MR images were acquired in three-dimensional (3D) mode. An isolation cell was designed allowing easy placement of the RF coils and simple delivery of gaseous anesthesia as well as warming of the animal. Images with and without contrast agent were obtained in total acquisition times on the order of half an hour to four hours on normal mice as well as on animals bearing tumors. Typical in plane pixel dimensions range from 200 × 200 to 500 × 500 µm2 with slice thicknesses ranging between 0.65 and 1.50 mm. This work shows that, besides light installation and low cost, dedicated low-field MR systems are suitable for small rodents imaging, opening this technique even to small research units.

Overview and first results of the Wind and Storms Experiment (WASTEX): a field campaign to observe the formation of gusts using a Doppler lidar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pantillon, Florian; Wieser, Andreas; Adler, Bianca; Corsmeier, Ulrich; Knippertz, Peter

2018-05-01

Wind gusts are responsible for most damages in winter storms over central Europe, but capturing their small scale and short duration is a challenge for both models and observations. This motivated the Wind and Storms Experiment (WASTEX) dedicated to investigate the formation of gusts during the passage of extratropical cyclones. The field campaign took place during the winter 2016-2017 on a former waste deposit located close to Karlsruhe in the Upper Rhine Valley in southwest Germany. Twelve extratropical cyclones were sampled during WASTEX with a Doppler lidar system performing vertical scans in the mean wind direction and complemented with a Doppler C-band radar and a 200 m instrumented tower. First results are provided here for the three most intense storms and include a potential sting jet, a unique direct observation of a convective gust and coherent boundary-layer structures of strong winds.

A new ion beam facility based on a 3 MV Tandetron™ at IFIN-HH, Romania

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burducea, I.; Straticiuc, M.; Ghiță, D. G.; Moșu, D. V.; Călinescu, C. I.; Podaru, N. C.; Mous, D. J. W.; Ursu, I.; Zamfir, N. V.

2015-09-01

A 3 MV Tandetron™ accelerator system has been installed and commissioned at the "Horia Hulubei" National Institute for Physics and Nuclear Engineering - IFIN-HH, Măgurele, Romania. The main purpose of this machine is to strengthen applied nuclear physics research ongoing in our institute for more than four decades. The accelerator system was developed by High Voltage Engineering Europa B.V. (HVE) and comprises three high energy beam lines. The first beam line is dedicated to ion beam analysis (IBA) techniques: Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry - RBS, Nuclear Reaction Analysis - NRA, Particle Induced X-ray and γ-ray Emission - PIXE and PIGE and micro-beam experiments - μ-PIXE. The second beam line is dedicated to high energy ion implantation experiments and the third beam line was designed mainly for nuclear cross-sections measurements used in nuclear astrophysics. A unique feature, the first time in operation at an accelerator facility is the Na charge exchange canal (CEC), which is used to obtain high intensity beams of He- of at least 3 μA. The results of the acceptance tests demonstrate the huge potential of this new facility in various fields, from IBA to radiation hardness studies and from medical or environmental applications to astrophysics. The main features of the accelerator are presented in this paper.

Increased exposure of Southern Ocean phytoplankton to ultraviolet radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubin, Dan; Arrigo, Kevin R.; van Dijken, Gert L.

2004-05-01

Satellite remote sensing of both surface solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and chlorophyll over two decades shows that biologically significant ultraviolet radiation increases began to occur over the Southern Ocean three years before the ozone ``hole'' was discovered. Beginning in October 1983, the most frequent occurrences of enhanced UVR over phytoplankton-rich waters occurred in the Weddell Sea and Indian Ocean sectors of the Southern Ocean, impacting 60% of the surface biomass by the late 1990s. These results suggest two reasons why more serious impacts to the base of the marine food web may not have been detected by field experiments: (1) the onset of UVR increases several years before dedicated field work began may have impacted the most sensitive organisms long before such damage could be detected, and (2) most biological field work has so far not taken place in Antarctic waters most extensively subjected to enhanced UVR.

Remote Access to the PXRR Macromolecular Crystallography Facilities at the NSLS

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

Soares, A.S.; Schneider, D. K.; Skinner, J. M.

2008-09-01

The most recent surge of innovations that have simplified and streamlined the process of determining macromolecular structures by crystallography owes much to the efforts of the structural genomics community. However, this was only the last step in a long evolution that saw the metamorphosis of crystallography from an heroic effort that involved years of dedication and skill into a straightforward measurement that is occasionally almost trivial. Many of the steps in this remarkable odyssey involved reducing the physical labor that is demanded of experimenters in the field. Other steps reduced the technical expertise required for conducting those experiments.

Remote Access to the PXRR Macromolecular Crystallography Facilities at the NSLS

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

A Soares; D Schneider; J Skinner

2011-12-31

The most recent surge of innovations that have simplified and streamlined the process of determining macromolecular structures by crystallography owes much to the efforts of the structural genomics community. However, this was only the last step in a long evolution that saw the metamorphosis of crystallography from an heroic effort that involved years of dedication and skill into a straightforward measurement that is occasionally almost trivial. Many of the steps in this remarkable odyssey involved reducing the physical labor that is demanded of experimenters in the field. Other steps reduced the technical expertise required for conducting those experiments.

Instrumentation of LOTIS: Livermore Optical Transient Imaging System; a fully automated wide field of view telescope system searching for simultaneous optical counterparts of gamma ray bursts

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

Park, H.S.; Ables, E.; Barthelmy, S.D.

LOTIS is a rapidly slewing wide-field-of-view telescope which was designed and constructed to search for simultaneous gamma-ray burst (GRB) optical counterparts. This experiment requires a rapidly slewing ({lt} 10 sec), wide-field-of-view ({gt} 15{degrees}), automatic and dedicated telescope. LOTIS utilizes commercial tele-photo lenses and custom 2048 x 2048 CCD cameras to view a 17.6 x 17.6{degrees} field of view. It can point to any part of the sky within 5 sec and is fully automated. It is connected via Internet socket to the GRB coordinate distribution network which analyzes telemetry from the satellite and delivers GRB coordinate information in real-time. LOTISmore » started routine operation in Oct. 1996. In the idle time between GRB triggers, LOTIS systematically surveys the entire available sky every night for new optical transients. This paper will describe the system design and performance.« less

Adaptive Proactive Inhibitory Control for Embedded Real-Time Applications

PubMed Central

Yang, Shufan; McGinnity, T. Martin; Wong-Lin, KongFatt

2012-01-01

Psychologists have studied the inhibitory control of voluntary movement for many years. In particular, the countermanding of an impending action has been extensively studied. In this work, we propose a neural mechanism for adaptive inhibitory control in a firing-rate type model based on current findings in animal electrophysiological and human psychophysical experiments. We then implement this model on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) prototyping system, using dedicated real-time hardware circuitry. Our results show that the FPGA-based implementation can run in real-time while achieving behavioral performance qualitatively suggestive of the animal experiments. Implementing such biological inhibitory control in an embedded device can lead to the development of control systems that may be used in more realistic cognitive robotics or in neural prosthetic systems aiding human movement control. PMID:22701420

Field Emission Enhancement and the Field-Screening Effect Reduction using Carbon Nanopipettes as Cold Cathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safir, Abdelilah; Mudd, David; Yazdanpanah, Mehdi; Dobrokhotov, Vladimir; Sumanasekera, Gamini; Cohn, Robert

2008-03-01

In this work, we report a recent experimental study of high emission current densities exceeding 10mA/cm^2 and breakdown electric field lower than 5Volts/μm from novel cold cathodes such as conical shaped carbon nanopipettes (CNP). CNP were grown by CVD on Pt wire and have apex as sharp as 10nm with length between 3-6μm. The emission experiments were conducted under vacuum in a scanning electron microscope for individual CNP and in a dedicated chamber for bulk samples. CNP's conical bases and low density contribute significantly to the reduction of the screening effect and to the field emission enhancement. The experimental value for the field enhancement factor, γ, was about 867. Comparing emission results taken from CNP and aligned multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) show that the ratio between γCNP and γMWNT is ˜1.6 which contributes to the reduction of screening effect. The emission from multilayers of graphene was also studied. High emission current (20μA) demonstrates promising emission properties of graphene.

Radial electric field in JET advanced tokamak scenarios with toroidal field ripple

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crombé, K; Andrew, Y; Biewer, T M; Blanco, E; de Vries, P C; Giroud, C; Hawkes, N C; Meigs, A; Tala, T; von Hellermann, M; Zastrow, K-D; JET EFDA Contributors

2009-05-01

A dedicated campaign has been run on JET to study the effect of toroidal field (TF) ripple on plasma performance. Radial electric field measurements from experiments on a series of plasmas with internal transport barriers (ITBs) and different levels of ripple amplitude are presented. They have been calculated from charge exchange measurements of impurity ion temperature, density and rotation velocity profiles, using the force balance equation. The ion temperature and the toroidal and poloidal rotation velocities are compared in plasmas with both reversed and optimized magnetic shear profiles. Poloidal rotation velocity (vθ) in the ITB region is measured to be of the order of a few tens of km s-1, significantly larger than the neoclassical predictions. Increasing levels of the TF ripple are found to decrease the ion temperature gradient in the ITB region, a measure for the quality of the ITB, and the maximum value of vθ is reduced. The poloidal rotation term dominates in the calculations of the total radial electric field (Er), with the largest gradient in Er measured in the radial region coinciding with the ITB.

Radial electric field in JET advanced tokamak scenarios with toroidal field ripple

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

Crombe, K.; Andrew, Y.; Biewer, Theodore M

A dedicated campaign has been run on JET to study the effect of toroidal field (TF) ripple on plasma performance. Radial electric field measurements from experiments on a series of plasmas with internal transport barriers (ITBs) and different levels of ripple amplitude are presented. They have been calculated from charge exchange measurements of impurity ion temperature, density and rotation velocity profiles, using the force balance equation. The ion temperature and the toroidal and poloidal rotation velocities are compared in plasmas with both reversed and optimized magnetic shear profiles. Poloidal rotation velocity (v ) in the ITB region is measured tomore » be of the order of a few tens of km s 1, significantly larger than the neoclassical predictions. Increasing levels of the TF ripple are found to decrease the ion temperature gradient in the ITB region, a measure for the quality of the ITB, and the maximum value of v is reduced. The poloidal rotation term dominates in the calculations of the total radial electric field (Er), with the largest gradient in Er measured in the radial region coinciding with the ITB.« less

The significance of task significance: Job performance effects, relational mechanisms, and boundary conditions.

PubMed

Grant, Adam M

2008-01-01

Does task significance increase job performance? Correlational designs and confounded manipulations have prevented researchers from assessing the causal impact of task significance on job performance. To address this gap, 3 field experiments examined the performance effects, relational mechanisms, and boundary conditions of task significance. In Experiment 1, fundraising callers who received a task significance intervention increased their levels of job performance relative to callers in 2 other conditions and to their own prior performance. In Experiment 2, task significance increased the job dedication and helping behavior of lifeguards, and these effects were mediated by increases in perceptions of social impact and social worth. In Experiment 3, conscientiousness and prosocial values moderated the effects of task significance on the performance of new fundraising callers. The results provide fresh insights into the effects, relational mechanisms, and boundary conditions of task significance, offering noteworthy implications for theory, research, and practice on job design, social information processing, and work motivation and performance. 2008 APA

MR susceptibility imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duyn, Jeff

2013-04-01

This work reviews recent developments in the use of magnetic susceptibility contrast for human MRI, with a focus on the study of brain anatomy. The increase in susceptibility contrast with modern high field scanners has led to novel applications and insights into the sources and mechanism contributing to this contrast in brain tissues. Dedicated experiments have demonstrated that in most of healthy brain, iron and myelin dominate tissue susceptibility variations, although their relative contribution varies substantially. Local variations in these compounds can affect both amplitude and frequency of the MRI signal. In white matter, the myelin sheath introduces an anisotropic susceptibility that has distinct effects on the water compartments inside the axons, between the myelin sheath, and the axonal space, and renders their signals dependent on the angle between the axon and the magnetic field. This offers opportunities to derive tissue properties specific to these cellular compartments.

Synthesis and operation of an FFT-decoupled fixed-order reversed-field pinch plasma control system based on identification data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olofsson, K. Erik J.; Brunsell, Per R.; Witrant, Emmanuel; Drake, James R.

2010-10-01

Recent developments and applications of system identification methods for the reversed-field pinch (RFP) machine EXTRAP T2R have yielded plasma response parameters for decoupled dynamics. These data sets are fundamental for a real-time implementable fast Fourier transform (FFT) decoupled discrete-time fixed-order strongly stabilizing synthesis as described in this work. Robustness is assessed over the data set by bootstrap calculation of the sensitivity transfer function worst-case H_{\\infty} -gain distribution. Output tracking and magnetohydrodynamic mode m = 1 tracking are considered in the same framework simply as two distinct weighted traces of a performance channel output-covariance matrix as derived from the closed-loop discrete-time Lyapunov equation. The behaviour of the resulting multivariable controller is investigated with dedicated T2R experiments.

Editorial: Looking beyond the horizon--innovation in child psychology and psychiatry.

PubMed

Pasco Fearon, R M

2016-03-01

As readers will no doubt be well aware, the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry dedicates an entire issue, once a year, to state-of-the-art authoritative reviews of research on some of the central issues in our field.(1) I like to think that in doing so we have been quietly undertaking a giant Pavlovian conditioning experiment: every year, as the spring flowers start to blossom (in the northern hemisphere at least), the nucleus accumbens of child psychologists and psychiatrists around the world begin to glow in anticipation of intellectual reward. © 2016 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

An ethnographic study of nurses' experience with nursing research and its integration in practice.

PubMed

Dupin, Cécile Marie; Borglin, Gunilla; Debout, Christophe; Rothan-Tondeur, Monique

2014-09-01

To report from a study aimed at illuminating how French Registered Nurses experience and engage in nursing research in clinical practice. Nursing research in France is mainly conducted by nurses working at clinical research units rather than by dedicated nurse researchers. Education, i.e. advanced degrees, in the field of nursing research is still in its infancy and not yet consistent with the international context. Outside France, the general perception is that nursing research is a unified part of professional nursing. Consequently, in-depth knowledge about how nurses in a French clinical context might experience and engage in nursing research is still lacking. The design of this study was influenced by an ethnographic approach as described by the French anthropologists Beaud and Weber. Data, participatory observations, field notes and interviews (n = 6) were collected in a teaching hospital between April-August 2012. The field consisted of a wound-care unit and clinical research units. Collected data were analysed based on Beaud and Weber's description of analysis. Three beliefs were identified: being a unified part of a research team, being an integral part of 'crosswise - across' activities and being part of research activities. Commitment to nursing research was strengthened by patient-related issues. Based on this context, nursing research would likely benefit from the support of a naturalized reciprocity between clinical practice and research. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Interventional MR: vascular applications.

PubMed

Smits, H F; Bos, C; van der Weide, R; Bakker, C J

1999-01-01

Three strategies for visualisation of MR-dedicated guidewires and catheters have been proposed, namely active tracking, the technique of locally induced field inhomogeneity and passive susceptibility-based tracking. In this article the pros and cons of these techniques are discussed, including the development of MR-dedicated guidewires and catheters, scan techniques, post-processing tools, and display facilities for MR tracking. Finally, some of the results obtained with MR tracking are discussed.

A technique for incorporating the NASA spacelab payload dedicated experiment processor software into the simulation system for the payload crew training complex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bremmer, D. A.

1986-01-01

The feasibility of some off-the-shelf microprocessors and state-of-art software is assessed (1) as a development system for the principle investigator (pi) in the design of the experiment model, (2) as an example of available technology application for future PI's experiments, (3) as a system capable of being interactive in the PCTC's simulation of the dedicated experiment processor (DEP), preferably by bringing the PI's DEP software directly into the simulation model, (4) as a system having bus compatibility with host VAX simulation computers, (5) as a system readily interfaced with mock-up panels and information displays, and (6) as a functional system for post mission data analysis.

Operational plans for life science payloads - From experiment selection through postflight reporting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccollum, G. W.; Nelson, W. G.; Wells, G. W.

1976-01-01

Key features of operational plans developed in a study of the Space Shuttle era life science payloads program are presented. The data describes the overall acquisition, staging, and integration of payload elements, as well as program implementation methods and mission support requirements. Five configurations were selected as representative payloads: (a) carry-on laboratories - medical emphasis experiments, (b) mini-laboratories - medical/biology experiments, (c) seven-day dedicated laboratories - medical/biology experiments, (d) 30-day dedicated laboratories - Regenerative Life Support Evaluation (RLSE) with selected life science experiments, and (e) Biomedical Experiments Scientific Satellite (BESS) - extended duration primate (Type I) and small vertebrate (Type II) missions. The recommended operational methods described in the paper are compared to the fundamental data which has been developed in the life science Spacelab Mission Simulation (SMS) test series. Areas assessed include crew training, experiment development and integration, testing, data-dissemination, organization interfaces, and principal investigator working relationships.

The Sanford Underground Research Facility at Homestake (SURF)

DOE PAGES

Lesko, K. T.

2015-03-24

The former Homestake gold mine in Lead, South Dakota is being transformed into a dedicated laboratory to pursue underground research in rare-process physics, as well as offering research opportunities in other disciplines. A key component of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) is the Davis Campus, which is in operation at the 4850-foot level (4300 m.w.e) and currently hosts three projects: the LUX dark matter experiment, the Majorana Demonstrator neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment and the Berkeley and CUBED low-background counters. Plans for possible future experiments at SURF are well underway and include long baseline neutrino oscillation experiments, future dark mattermore » experiments as well as nuclear astrophysics accelerators. Facility upgrades to accommodate some of these future projects have already started. SURF is a dedicated facility with significant expansion capability. These plans include a Generation-2 Dark Matter experiment and the US flagship neutrino experiment, LBNE.« less

Influence of frequency tuning and double-frequency heating on ions extracted from an electron cyclotron resonance ion source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maimone, F.; Celona, L.; Lang, R.; Mäder, J.; Roßbach, J.; Spädtke, P.; Tinschert, K.

2011-12-01

The electromagnetic field within the plasma chamber of an electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS) and the properties of the plasma waves affect the plasma properties and ion beam production. We have experimentally investigated the "frequency tuning effect" and "double frequency heating" on the CAPRICE ECRIS device. A traveling wave tube amplifier, two microwave sweep generators, and a dedicated experimental set-up were used to carry out experiments in the 12.5-16.5 GHz frequency range. During the frequency sweeps the evolution of the intensity and shape of the extracted argon beam were measured together with the microwave reflection coefficient. A range of different ion source parameter settings was used. Here we describe these experiments and the resultant improved understanding of these operational modes of the ECR ion source.

Influence of frequency tuning and double-frequency heating on ions extracted from an electron cyclotron resonance ion source.

PubMed

Maimone, F; Celona, L; Lang, R; Mäder, J; Rossbach, J; Spädtke, P; Tinschert, K

2011-12-01

The electromagnetic field within the plasma chamber of an electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS) and the properties of the plasma waves affect the plasma properties and ion beam production. We have experimentally investigated the "frequency tuning effect" and "double frequency heating" on the CAPRICE ECRIS device. A traveling wave tube amplifier, two microwave sweep generators, and a dedicated experimental set-up were used to carry out experiments in the 12.5-16.5 GHz frequency range. During the frequency sweeps the evolution of the intensity and shape of the extracted argon beam were measured together with the microwave reflection coefficient. A range of different ion source parameter settings was used. Here we describe these experiments and the resultant improved understanding of these operational modes of the ECR ion source.

Phase-field modelling of β(Ti) solidification in Ti-45at.%Al: columnar dendrite growth at various gravity levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viardin, A.; Berger, R.; Sturz, L.; Apel, M.; Hecht, U.

2016-03-01

The effect of solutal convection on the solidification of γ titanium aluminides, specifically on β(Ti) dendrite growth, is not well known. With the aim of supporting directional solidification experiments under hyper-gravity using a large diameter centrifuge, 2D-phase field simulations of β(Ti) dendrite growth have been performed for the binary alloy Ti-45at.%Al and various gravity scenarios. Both, the direction and magnitude of the gravity vector were varied systematically in order to reveal the subtle interplay between the convective flow pattern and mushy zone characteristics. In this presentation, gravity effects are discussed for early dendrite growth. For selected cases the evolution on longer timescales is also analyse of and oscillatory modes leading to dynamically stable steady state growth are outlined. In a dedicated simulation series forced flow is superimposed, as to mimic thermally driven fluid flow expected to establish on the macroscopic scale (sample size) in the centrifugal experiments. Above a certain threshold this flow turns dominant and precludes solutally driven convective effects.

Islamic bioethics: between sacred law, lived experiences, and state authority.

PubMed

Padela, Aasim I

2013-04-01

There is burgeoning interest in the field of "Islamic" bioethics within public and professional circles, and both healthcare practitioners and academic scholars deploy their respective expertise in attempts to cohere a discipline of inquiry that addresses the needs of contemporary bioethics stakeholders while using resources from within the Islamic ethico-legal tradition. This manuscript serves as an introduction to the present thematic issue dedicated to Islamic bioethics. Using the collection of papers as a guide the paper outlines several critical questions that a comprehensive and cohesive Islamic bioethical theory must address: (i) What are the relationships between Islamic law (Sharī'ah), moral theology (uṣūl al-Fiqh), and Islamic bioethics? (ii) What is the relationship between an Islamic bioethics and the lived experiences of Muslims? and (iii) What is the relationship between Islamic bioethics and the state? This manuscript, and the papers in this special collection, provides insight into how Islamic bioethicists and Muslim communities are addressing some of these questions, and aims to spur further dialogue around these overaching questions as Islamic bioethics coalesces into a true field of scholarly and practical inquiry.

#ClimateEdCommunity : Field Workshops Bring Together Teachers and Researchers to Make Meaning of Science and Classroom Integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartholow, S.; Warburton, J.; Wood, J. H.; Steiner, S. M.

2015-12-01

Seeing Understanding and Teaching: Climate Change in Denali is a four-day immersive teacher professional development course held in Denali National Park. Developed through three partner organizations, the course aims to develop teachers' skills for integrating climate change content into their classrooms. This presentation aims to share tangible best practices for linking researchers and teachers in the field, through four years of experience in program delivery and reported through a published external evaluation. This presentation will examine the key aspects of a successful connection between teachers, researchers, science, and classrooms: (1) Inclusion of teacher leaders, (2) dedicated program staff, (3) workshop community culture, and will expose barriers to this type of collaboration including (1) differences in learning style, (2) prior teaching experience, (3) existing/scaffolding understanding of climate change science, and (4) accessibility of enrollment and accommodations for the extended learning experience. Presentation Content Examples:Participants overwhelmingly value the deep commitment this course has to linking their field experience to the classroom attributing to the role of a teacher-leader; an expert science teacher with first-hand field research experience in the polar regions. The goal of including a teacher-leader is to enhance translatability between fieldwork and the classroom. Additionally, qualitative aspects of the report touches on the intangible successes of the workshop such as: (1) the creation of a non-judgmental learning atmosphere, (2) addressing accessibility to science learning tools in rural and under-served communities, (3) defining successful collaboration as making meaning together through exploratory questioning while in the field (4) discussed the social and cultural implications of climate change, and the difficulty of navigating these topics in educational and/or multicultural spaces. Next Steps? Create a #ClimateEdCommunity that is both teachers and researchers with teacher leaders as a catalyst for transcending our disparate disciplines and developing a community of learning, without judgment, and interpersonal connections.

Commissioning of the ECR ion source of the high intensity proton injector of the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuske, O.; Chauvin, N.; Delferriere, O.; Fils, J.; Gauthier, Y.

2018-05-01

The CEA at Saclay is in charge of developing and building the ion source and the low energy line of the proton linac of the FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research) accelerator complex located at GSI (Darmstadt) in Germany. The FAIR facility will deliver stable and rare isotope beams covering a huge range of intensities and beam energies for experiments in the fields of atomic physics, plasma physics, nuclear physics, hadron physics, nuclear matter physics, material physics, and biophysics. A significant part of the experimental program at FAIR is dedicated to antiproton physics that requires an ultimate number 7 × 1010 cooled pbar/h. The high-intensity proton beam that is necessary for antiproton production will be delivered by a dedicated 75 mA/70 MeV proton linac. A 2.45 GHz microwave ion source will deliver a 100 mA H+ beam pulsed at 4 Hz with an energy of 95 keV. A 2 solenoids low energy beam transport line allows the injection of the proton beam into the radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) within an acceptance of 0.3π mm mrad (norm. rms). An electrostatic chopper system located between the second solenoid and the RFQ is used to cut the beam macro-pulse from the source to inject 36 μs long beam pulses into the RFQ. At present time, a Ladder-RFQ is under construction at the University of Frankfurt. This article reports the first beam measurements obtained since mid of 2016. Proton beams have been extracted from the ECR ion source and analyzed just after the extraction column on a dedicated diagnostic chamber. Emittance measurements as well as extracted current and species proportion analysis have been performed in different configurations of ion source parameters, such as magnetic field profile, radio frequency power, gas injection, and puller electrode voltage.

Heavy spin-2 Dark Matter

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

Babichev, Eugeny; UPMC-CNRS, UMR7095, Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, GReCO,98bis boulevard Arago, F-75014 Paris; Marzola, Luca

2016-09-12

We provide further details on a recent proposal addressing the nature of the dark sectors in cosmology and demonstrate that all current observations related to Dark Matter can be explained by the presence of a heavy spin-2 particle. Massive spin-2 fields and their gravitational interactions are uniquely described by ghost-free bimetric theory, which is a minimal and natural extension of General Relativity. In this setup, the largeness of the physical Planck mass is naturally related to extremely weak couplings of the heavy spin-2 field to baryonic matter and therefore explains the absence of signals in experiments dedicated to Dark Mattermore » searches. It also ensures the phenomenological viability of our model as we confirm by comparing it with cosmological and local tests of gravity. At the same time, the spin-2 field possesses standard gravitational interactions and it decays universally into all Standard Model fields but not into massless gravitons. Matching the measured DM abundance together with the requirement of stability constrains the spin-2 mass to be in the 1 to 100 TeV range.« less

PILOT: optical performance and end-to-end characterisation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Longval, Y.; Misawa, R.; Ade, P.; André, Y.; de Bernardis, P.; Bousquet, F.; Bouzit, M.; Buttice, V.; Charra, M.; Crane, B.; Dubois, J. P.; Engel, C.; Griffin, M.; Hargrave, P.; Leriche, B.; Maestre, S.; Marty, C.; Marty, W.; Masi, S.; Mot, B.; Narbonne, J.; Pajot, F.; Pisano, G.; Ponthieu, N.; Ristorcelli, I.; Rodriguez, L.; Roudil, G.; Simonella, O.; Salatino, M.; Savini, G.; Tucker, C.; Bernard, J.-P.

2017-11-01

PILOT (Polarized Instrument for the Long-wavelength Observations of the Tenuous ISM), is a balloon-borne astronomy experiment dedicated to study the polarization of dust emission from the diffuse ISM in our Galaxy [1]. The observations of PILOT have two major scientific objectives. Firstly, they will allow us to constrain the large-scale geometry of the magnetic field in our Galaxy and to study in details the alignment properties of dust grains with respect to the magnetic field. In this domain, the measurements of PILOT will complement those of the Planck satellite at longer wavelengths. In particular, they will bring information at a better angular resolution, which is critical in crowded regions such as the Galactic plane. They will allow us to better understand how the magnetic field is shaping the ISM material on large scale in molecular clouds, and the role it plays in the gravitational collapse leading to star formation. Secondly, the PILOT observations will allow us to measure for the first time the polarized dust emission towards the most diffuse regions of the sky, where the measurements are the most easily interpreted in terms of the physics of dust. In this particular domain, PILOT will play a role for future CMB missions similar to that played by the Archeops experiment for Planck. The results of PILOT will allow us to gain knowledge about the magnetic properties of dust grains and about the structure of the magnetic field in the diffuse ISM that is necessary to a precise foreground subtraction in future polarized CMB measurements. The PILOT measurements, combined with those of Planck at longer wavelengths, will therefore allow us to further constrain the dust models. The outcome of such studies will likely impact the instrumental and technical choices for the future space missions dedicated to CMB polarization. The PILOT instrument will allow observations in two photometric channels at wavelengths 240 μm and 550 μm, with an angular resolution of a few arcminutes. We will make use of large format bolometer arrays, developed for the PACS instrument on board the Herschel satellite. With 1024 detectors per photometric channel and photometric band optimized for the measurement of dust emission, PILOT is likely to become the most sensitive experiment for this type of measurements. The PILOT experiment will take advantage of the large gain in sensitivity allowed by the use of large format, filled bolometer arrays at frequencies more favorable to the detection of dust emission. This paper presents the optical design, optical characterization and its performance. We begin with a presentation of the instrument and the optical system and then we summarise the main optical tests performed. In section III, we present preliminary end-to-end test results.

Body perceptions and health behaviors in an online bodybuilding community.

PubMed

Smith, Aaron C T; Stewart, Bob

2012-07-01

In this article we explore the social constructions, body perceptions, and health experiences of a serious recreational and competitive bodybuilder and powerlifter community. Data were obtained from a discussion forum appearing within an online community dedicated to muscular development. Forum postings for a period of 36 months were transposed to QSR NVivo, in which a narrative-based analytical method employing Gee's coding approach was employed. We used a priori codes based on Bourdieu's multipronged conceptual categories of social field, habitus, and capital accumulation as a theoretical frame. Our results expose an extreme social reality held by a devoted muscle-building community with a fanatical obsession with muscular hypertrophy and any accouterment helpful in its acquisition, from nutrition and supplements to training regimes and anabolic androgenic substances. Few health costs were considered too severe in this muscular meritocracy, where the strong commanded deference and the massive dominated the social field.

A Novel Approach to β-delayed Neutron Spectroscopy Using the Beta-decay Paul Trap

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

Scielzo, N.D., E-mail: scielzo1@llnl.gov; Yee, R.M.; Department of Nuclear Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720

A new approach to β-delayed neutron spectroscopy has been demonstrated that circumvents the many limitations associated with neutron detection by instead inferring the decay branching ratios and energy spectra of the emitted neutrons by studying the nuclear recoil. Using the Beta-decay Paul Trap, fission-product ions were trapped and confined to within a 1-mm{sup 3} volume under vacuum using only electric fields. Results from recent measurements of {sup 137}I{sup +} and plans for development of a dedicated ion trap for future experiments using the intense fission fragment beams from the Californium Rare Isotope Breeder Upgrade (CARIBU) facility at Argonne National Laboratorymore » are summarized. The improved nuclear data that can be collected is needed in many fields of basic and applied science such as nuclear energy, nuclear astrophysics, and stockpile stewardship.« less

Nonlinear Large Scale Flow in a Precessing Cylinder and Its Ability To Drive Dynamo Action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giesecke, André; Vogt, Tobias; Gundrum, Thomas; Stefani, Frank

2018-01-01

We have conducted experimental measurements and numerical simulations of a precession-driven flow in a cylindrical cavity. The study is dedicated to the precession dynamo experiment currently under construction at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf and aims at the evaluation of the hydrodynamic flow with respect to its ability to drive a dynamo. We focus on the strongly nonlinear regime in which the flow is essentially composed of the directly forced primary Kelvin mode and higher modes in terms of standing inertial waves arising from nonlinear self-interactions. We obtain an excellent agreement between experiment and simulation with regard to both flow amplitudes and flow geometry. A peculiarity is the resonance-like emergence of an axisymmetric mode that represents a double roll structure in the meridional plane. Kinematic simulations of the magnetic field evolution induced by the time-averaged flow yield dynamo action at critical magnetic Reynolds numbers around Rmc≈430 , which is well within the range of the planned liquid sodium experiment.

Nonlinear Large Scale Flow in a Precessing Cylinder and Its Ability To Drive Dynamo Action.

PubMed

Giesecke, André; Vogt, Tobias; Gundrum, Thomas; Stefani, Frank

2018-01-12

We have conducted experimental measurements and numerical simulations of a precession-driven flow in a cylindrical cavity. The study is dedicated to the precession dynamo experiment currently under construction at Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf and aims at the evaluation of the hydrodynamic flow with respect to its ability to drive a dynamo. We focus on the strongly nonlinear regime in which the flow is essentially composed of the directly forced primary Kelvin mode and higher modes in terms of standing inertial waves arising from nonlinear self-interactions. We obtain an excellent agreement between experiment and simulation with regard to both flow amplitudes and flow geometry. A peculiarity is the resonance-like emergence of an axisymmetric mode that represents a double roll structure in the meridional plane. Kinematic simulations of the magnetic field evolution induced by the time-averaged flow yield dynamo action at critical magnetic Reynolds numbers around Rm^{c}≈430, which is well within the range of the planned liquid sodium experiment.

Monte Carlo study for designing a dedicated “D”-shaped collimator used in the external beam radiotherapy of retinoblastoma patients

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

Mayorga, P. A.; Departamento de Física Atómica, Molecular y Nuclear, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada; Brualla, L.

2014-01-15

Purpose: Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular malignancy in the early childhood. Patients treated with external beam radiotherapy respond very well to the treatment. However, owing to the genotype of children suffering hereditary retinoblastoma, the risk of secondary radio-induced malignancies is high. The University Hospital of Essen has successfully treated these patients on a daily basis during nearly 30 years using a dedicated “D”-shaped collimator. The use of this collimator that delivers a highly conformed small radiation field, gives very good results in the control of the primary tumor as well as in preserving visual function, while it avoids themore » devastating side effects of deformation of midface bones. The purpose of the present paper is to propose a modified version of the “D”-shaped collimator that reduces even further the irradiation field with the scope to reduce as well the risk of radio-induced secondary malignancies. Concurrently, the new dedicated “D”-shaped collimator must be easier to build and at the same time produces dose distributions that only differ on the field size with respect to the dose distributions obtained by the current collimator in use. The scope of the former requirement is to facilitate the employment of the authors' irradiation technique both at the authors' and at other hospitals. The fulfillment of the latter allows the authors to continue using the clinical experience gained in more than 30 years. Methods: The Monte Carlo codePENELOPE was used to study the effect that the different structural elements of the dedicated “D”-shaped collimator have on the absorbed dose distribution. To perform this study, the radiation transport through a Varian Clinac 2100 C/D operating at 6 MV was simulated in order to tally phase-space files which were then used as radiation sources to simulate the considered collimators and the subsequent dose distributions. With the knowledge gained in that study, a new, simpler, “D”-shaped collimator is proposed. Results: The proposed collimator delivers a dose distribution which is 2.4 cm wide along the inferior-superior direction of the eyeball. This width is 0.3 cm narrower than that of the dose distribution obtained with the collimator currently in clinical use. The other relevant characteristics of the dose distribution obtained with the new collimator, namely, depth doses at clinically relevant positions, penumbrae width, and shape of the lateral profiles, are statistically compatible with the results obtained for the collimator currently in use. Conclusions: The smaller field size delivered by the proposed collimator still fully covers the planning target volume with at least 95% of the maximum dose at a depth of 2 cm and provides a safety margin of 0.2 cm, so ensuring an adequate treatment while reducing the irradiated volume.« less

Turbulent magnetic fluctuations in laboratory reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Von Stechow, Adrian; Grulke, Olaf; Klinger, Thomas

2016-07-01

The role of fluctuations and turbulence is an important question in astrophysics. While direct observations in space are rare and difficult dedicated laboratory experiments provide a versatile environment for the investigation of magnetic reconnection due to their good diagnostic access and wide range of accessible plasma parameters. As such, they also provide an ideal chance for the validation of space plasma reconnection theories and numerical simulation results. In particular, we studied magnetic fluctuations within reconnecting current sheets for various reconnection parameters such as the reconnection rate, guide field, as well as plasma density and temperature. These fluctuations have been previously interpreted as signatures of current sheet plasma instabilities in space and laboratory systems. Especially in low collisionality plasmas these may provide a source of anomalous resistivity and thereby contribute a significant fraction of the reconnection rate. We present fluctuation measurements from two complementary reconnection experiments and compare them to numerical simulation results. VINETA.II (Greifswald, Germany) is a cylindrical, high guide field reconnection experiment with an open field line geometry. The reconnecting current sheet has a three-dimensional structure that is predominantly set by the magnetic pitch angle which results from the superposition of the guide field and the in-plane reconnecting field. Within this current sheet, high frequency magnetic fluctuations are observed that correlate well with the local current density and show a power law spectrum with a spectral break at the lower hybrid frequency. Their correlation lengths are found to be extremely short, but propagation is nonetheless observed with high phase velocities that match the Whistler dispersion. To date, the experiment has been run with an external driving field at frequencies higher than the ion cyclotron frequency f_{ci}, which implies that the EMHD framework applies. Recent machine upgrades allow the inclusion of ion dynamics by reducing the drive frequency below f_{ci}. Two numerical codes (EMHD and hybrid, respectively) have been developed at the Max Planck Institute for solar physics and are used to investigate instability mechanisms and scaling laws for the observed results. MRX (PPPL. Princeton) is a zero to medium guide field, toroidal reconnection experiment. Despite the differing plasma parameters, the qualitative magnetic fluctuation behavior (amplitude profiles, spectra and propagation properties) is comparable to VINETA.II. Results from a new measurement campaign at several different guide fields provides partial overlap with VINETA.II guide field ratios and thereby extends the accessible parameter space of our studies.

Theory and Observations of Plasma Waves Excited Space Shuttle OMS Burns in the Ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernhardt, P. A.; Pfaff, R. F.; Schuck, P. W.; Hunton, D. E.; Hairston, M. R.

2010-12-01

Measurements of artificial plasma turbulence were obtained during two Shuttle Exhaust Ionospheric Turbulence Experiments (SEITE) conducted during the flights of the Space Shuttle (STS-127 and STS-129). Based on computer modeling at the NRL PPD and Laboratory for Computational Physics & Fluid Dynamics (LCP), two dedicated burns of the Space Shuttle Orbital Maneuver Subsystem (OMS) engines were scheduled to produce 200 to 240 kg exhaust clouds that passed over the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Communications, Navigation, and Outage Forecast System (C/NOFS) satellite. This operation required the coordination by the DoD Space Test Program (STP), the NASA Flight Dynamics Officer (FDO), the C/NOFS payload operations, and the C/NOFS instrument principal investigators. The first SEITE mission used exhaust from a 12 Second OMS burn to deposit 1 Giga-Joules of energy into the upper atmosphere at a range of 230 km from C/NOFS. The burn was timed so C/NOFS could fly though the center of the exhaust cloud at a range of 87 km above the orbit of the Space Shuttle. The first SEITE experiment is important because is provided plume detection by ionospheric plasma and electric field probes for direct sampling of irregularities that can scatter radar signals. Three types of waves were detected by C/NOFS during and after the first SEITE burn. With the ignition and termination of the pair of OMS engines, whistler mode signals were recorded at C/NOFS. Six seconds after ignition, a large amplitude electromagnetic pulse reached the satellite. This has been identified as a fast magnetosonic wave propagating across magnetic field lines to reach the electric field (VEFI) sensors on the satellite. Thirty seconds after the burn, the exhaust cloud reach C/NOFS and engulfed the satellite providing very strong electric field turbulence along with enhancements in electron and ion densities. Kinetic modeling has been used to track the electric field turbulence to an unstable velocity distribution produced after the supersonic exhaust molecules charge exchanged with ambient oxygen ions. Based on the success of the first SEITE mission, a second dedicated burn of the OMS engine was scheduled to intercept the C/NOFS satellite, this time at an initial range of 430 km. The trajectory of this exhaust cloud was not centered on the satellite so the turbulent edge was sampled by the C/NOFS instruments. The electromagnetic pulse and the in situ plasma turbulence was recorded during the second SEITE experiment. A comparison of the data from the two OMS burns shows that a wide range of plasma waves are consistently produced with rocket engines are fired in the ionosphere.

Quantum quenches in the Luttinger model and its close relatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cazalilla, M. A.; Chung, Ming-Chiang

2016-06-01

A number of results on quantum quenches in the Luttinger and related models are surveyed with emphasis on post-quench correlations. For the Luttinger model and initial gaussian states, we discuss both sudden and smooth quenches of the interaction and the emergence of a steady state described by a generalized Gibbs ensemble. Comparisons between analytics and numerics, and the question of universality or lack thereof are also discussed. The relevance of the theoretical results to current and future experiments in the fields of ultracold atomic gases and mesoscopic systems of electrons is also briefly touched upon. Wherever possible, our approach is pedagogical and self-contained. This work is dedicated to the memory of our colleague Alejandro Muramatsu.

A multiarchitecture parallel-processing development environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Townsend, Scott; Blech, Richard; Cole, Gary

1993-01-01

A description is given of the hardware and software of a multiprocessor test bed - the second generation Hypercluster system. The Hypercluster architecture consists of a standard hypercube distributed-memory topology, with multiprocessor shared-memory nodes. By using standard, off-the-shelf hardware, the system can be upgraded to use rapidly improving computer technology. The Hypercluster's multiarchitecture nature makes it suitable for researching parallel algorithms in computational field simulation applications (e.g., computational fluid dynamics). The dedicated test-bed environment of the Hypercluster and its custom-built software allows experiments with various parallel-processing concepts such as message passing algorithms, debugging tools, and computational 'steering'. Such research would be difficult, if not impossible, to achieve on shared, commercial systems.

Sound of Dark Matter: Searching for Light Scalars with Resonant-Mass Detectors.

PubMed

Arvanitaki, Asimina; Dimopoulos, Savas; Van Tilburg, Ken

2016-01-22

The fine-structure constant and the electron mass in string theory are determined by the values of scalar fields called moduli. If the dark matter takes on the form of such a light modulus, it oscillates with a frequency equal to its mass and an amplitude determined by the local dark-matter density. This translates into an oscillation of the size of a solid that can be observed by resonant-mass antennas. Existing and planned experiments, combined with a dedicated resonant-mass detector proposed in this Letter, can probe dark-matter moduli with frequencies between 1 kHz and 1 GHz, with much better sensitivity than searches for fifth forces.

Computational and mathematical methods in brain atlasing.

PubMed

Nowinski, Wieslaw L

2017-12-01

Brain atlases have a wide range of use from education to research to clinical applications. Mathematical methods as well as computational methods and tools play a major role in the process of brain atlas building and developing atlas-based applications. Computational methods and tools cover three areas: dedicated editors for brain model creation, brain navigators supporting multiple platforms, and atlas-assisted specific applications. Mathematical methods in atlas building and developing atlas-aided applications deal with problems in image segmentation, geometric body modelling, physical modelling, atlas-to-scan registration, visualisation, interaction and virtual reality. Here I overview computational and mathematical methods in atlas building and developing atlas-assisted applications, and share my contribution to and experience in this field.

In the Lead Again Horizontal-Ellipsis [Journal of Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology

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

Vorwerk, Dierk, E-mail: dierk.vorwerk@klinikum-ingolstadt.de

The 2013 ISI journal rankings are out and it is my pleasure to inform our readership that CVIR ranks 43/120 (2012: 46/118) journals in the field of radiology. The 2013 impact factor further improved to 2.138 (2012: 2.093). This means that Cardiovascular and Interventional Radiology again continues to be the highest ranked journal dedicated to the field of interventional radiology in 2013.This is mainly due to the great support we achieve by you as authors and readers of CVIR, your dedication to the profession, and your loyalty both to the journal and to CIRSE. For all of this, we owemore » you our thanks and respect.« less

Low-cost extrapolation method for maximal LTE radio base station exposure estimation: test and validation.

PubMed

Verloock, Leen; Joseph, Wout; Gati, Azeddine; Varsier, Nadège; Flach, Björn; Wiart, Joe; Martens, Luc

2013-06-01

An experimental validation of a low-cost method for extrapolation and estimation of the maximal electromagnetic-field exposure from long-term evolution (LTE) radio base station installations are presented. No knowledge on downlink band occupation or service characteristics is required for the low-cost method. The method is applicable in situ. It only requires a basic spectrum analyser with appropriate field probes without the need of expensive dedicated LTE decoders. The method is validated both in laboratory and in situ, for a single-input single-output antenna LTE system and a 2×2 multiple-input multiple-output system, with low deviations in comparison with signals measured using dedicated LTE decoders.

Enhancing Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Perception of Competence and Confidence During an Alternative Dedicated Education Unit Experience: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Schecter, Rose; Gallagher, Joan; Ryan, Marybeth

This quasiexperimental pilot study explored the effect three consecutive adult health Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) clinical placements would have on baccalaureate nursing students' self-perception of growth in competence and confidence. A Likert-type Competence/Confidence Self-Assessment Scale was constructed as a pretest/posttest measure; competence and confidence posttest means increased in each course. The study provides nursing professional development practitioners with information about the alternative DEU concept, its effect on student outcomes, and benefits nursing staff can gain by participating in a DEU experience.

The Shock and Vibration Digest. Volume 16, Number 4

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-04-01

The 2nd International Modal Analysis Conference, which was held in Orlando, Florida, this past February, was highly successful in all respects. A...announcement of the formation of a new technical society dedicated to advancing the modal analysis technology, the International Society for Modal Testing and... Analysis . This new society is I unique in two respects. First, it is dedicated to a specific branch of a specialized technical field..Second, it is a

OFC: People, and a drum of know-how. [Oil Field Chemicals division of Exxon

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

Not Available

1978-01-01

The Oil Field Chemicals (OFC) division of Exxon Chemical USA story is one more of people than products, more one of selling through experience than selling through persuasion. OFC sales representatives direct teams dedicated to solving problems in the oil field, pipelines, refineries, and petrochemical plants. The major enemy in oil production is water. When a reservoir is first produced the oil is fairly dry. In time, water comes and with it a host of problems: stable emulsions, corrosion that eats at pipes and equipment, scaling, and bacterial growth. This brings into play the know-how of OFC people and theirmore » ability to diagnose the problem and make the right recommendation. If their field evaluations are inconclusive they will call for help from technical specialists in the Chemical Specialties Technology division for specific situations. These specialists travel to the site, run tests, then quickly develop alternatives. Depending on the solution, the Houston Chemical Plant may be called on to manufacture blends in commercial quantities in a remarkably short period of time. How some of these field problems were solved are described.« less

Laboratory investigation of dust impacts on antennas in space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sternovsky, Zoltan; Malaspina, D.; Gruen, E.; Drake, K.

2013-10-01

Recent observations of sharp voltage spikes by the WAVES electric field experiments onboard the twin STEREO spacecraft have been attributed to plasma clouds generated by the impact ionization of high velocity dust particles. The reported dust fluxes are much higher than those measured by dedicated dust detectors at 1 AU, which leads to the interpretation that the STEREO observations are due to nanometer-sized dust particles originating from the inner solar system and accelerated to high velocities by the solar wind magnetic field. However, this interpretation is based on a simplified model of coupling between the expanding plasma cloud from the dust impact and the WAVES electric field instrument. A series of laboratory measurements are performed to validate this model and to calibrate/investigate the effect of various impact parameters on the signals measured by the electric field instrument. The dust accelerator facility operating at the University of Colorado is used for the measurement with micron and submicron sized particles accelerated to 50 km/s. The first set of measurements is performed to calibrate the impact charge generated from materials specific the STEREO spacecraft and will help to interpret electric field data.

Wageningen UR Unmanned Aerial Remote Sensing Facility - Overview of activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartholomeus, Harm; Keesstra, Saskia; Kooistra, Lammert; Suomalainen, Juha; Mucher, Sander; Kramer, Henk; Franke, Jappe

2016-04-01

To support environmental management there is an increasing need for timely, accurate and detailed information on our land. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) are increasingly used to monitor agricultural crop development, habitat quality or urban heat efficiency. An important reason is that UAS technology is maturing quickly while the flexible capabilities of UAS fill a gap between satellite based and ground based geo-sensing systems. In 2012, different groups within Wageningen University and Research Centre have established an Unmanned Airborne Remote Sensing Facility. The objective of this facility is threefold: a) To develop innovation in the field of remote sensing science by providing a platform for dedicated and high-quality experiments; b) To support high quality UAS services by providing calibration facilities and disseminating processing procedures to the UAS user community; and c) To promote and test the use of UAS in a broad range of application fields like habitat monitoring, precision agriculture and land degradation assessment. The facility is hosted by the Laboratory of Geo-Information Science and Remote Sensing (GRS) and the Department of Soil Physics and Land Management (SLM) of Wageningen University together with the team Earth Informatics (EI) of Alterra. The added value of the Unmanned Aerial Remote Sensing Facility is that compared to for example satellite based remote sensing more dedicated science experiments can be prepared. This includes for example higher frequent observations in time (e.g., diurnal observations), observations of an object under different observation angles for characterization of BRDF and flexibility in use of camera's and sensors types. In this way, laboratory type of set ups can be tested in a field situation and effects of up-scaling can be tested. In the last years we developed and implemented different camera systems (e.g. a hyperspectral pushbroom system, and multispectral frame cameras) which we operated in projects all around the world, while new camera systems are being planned such as LiDAR and a full frame hyperspectral camera. In the presentation we will give an overview of our activities, ranging from erosion studies, decision support for precision agriculture, determining leaf biochemistry and canopy structure in tropical forests to the mapping of coastal zones.

Dynamic diagnostics of the error fields in tokamaks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pustovitov, V. D.

2007-07-01

The error field diagnostics based on magnetic measurements outside the plasma is discussed. The analysed methods rely on measuring the plasma dynamic response to the finite-amplitude external magnetic perturbations, which are the error fields and the pre-programmed probing pulses. Such pulses can be created by the coils designed for static error field correction and for stabilization of the resistive wall modes, the technique developed and applied in several tokamaks, including DIII-D and JET. Here analysis is based on the theory predictions for the resonant field amplification (RFA). To achieve the desired level of the error field correction in tokamaks, the diagnostics must be sensitive to signals of several Gauss. Therefore, part of the measurements should be performed near the plasma stability boundary, where the RFA effect is stronger. While the proximity to the marginal stability is important, the absolute values of plasma parameters are not. This means that the necessary measurements can be done in the diagnostic discharges with parameters below the nominal operating regimes, with the stability boundary intentionally lowered. The estimates for ITER are presented. The discussed diagnostics can be tested in dedicated experiments in existing tokamaks. The diagnostics can be considered as an extension of the 'active MHD spectroscopy' used recently in the DIII-D tokamak and the EXTRAP T2R reversed field pinch.

Initial Retrieval Validation from the Joint Airborne IASI Validation Experiment (JAIVEx)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Daniel K.; Liu, Xu; Smith, WIlliam L.; Larar, Allen M.; Taylor, Jonathan P.; Revercomb, Henry E.; Mango, Stephen A.; Schluessel, Peter; Calbet, Xavier

2007-01-01

The Joint Airborne IASI Validation Experiment (JAIVEx) was conducted during April 2007 mainly for validation of the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) on the MetOp satellite, but also included a strong component focusing on validation of the Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS) aboard the AQUA satellite. The cross validation of IASI and AIRS is important for the joint use of their data in the global Numerical Weather Prediction process. Initial inter-comparisons of geophysical products have been conducted from different aspects, such as using different measurements from airborne ultraspectral Fourier transform spectrometers (specifically, the NPOESS Airborne Sounder Testbed Interferometer (NAST-I) and the Scanning-High resolution Interferometer Sounder (S-HIS) aboard the NASA WB-57 aircraft), UK Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurements (FAAM) BAe146-301 aircraft insitu instruments, dedicated dropsondes, radiosondes, and ground based Raman Lidar. An overview of the JAIVEx retrieval validation plan and some initial results of this field campaign are presented.

Unclassified Computing Capability: User Responses to a Multiprogrammatic and Institutional Computing Questionnaire

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

McCoy, M; Kissel, L

2002-01-29

We are experimenting with a new computing model to be applied to a new computer dedicated to that model. Several LLNL science teams now have computational requirements, evidenced by the mature scientific applications that have been developed over the past five plus years, that far exceed the capability of the institution's computing resources. Thus, there is increased demand for dedicated, powerful parallel computational systems. Computation can, in the coming year, potentially field a capability system that is low cost because it will be based on a model that employs open source software and because it will use PC (IA32-P4) hardware.more » This incurs significant computer science risk regarding stability and system features but also presents great opportunity. We believe the risks can be managed, but the existence of risk cannot be ignored. In order to justify the budget for this system, we need to make the case that it serves science and, through serving science, serves the institution. That is the point of the meeting and the White Paper that we are proposing to prepare. The questions are listed and the responses received are in this report.« less

eMeteorNews: website and PDF journal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roggemans, P.; Kacerek, R.; Koukal, J.; Miskotte, K.; Piffl, R.

2016-01-01

Amateur meteor workers have always been interested to exchange information and experience. In the past this was only possible via personal contacts by letter or by specialized journals. With internet a much faster medium became available and plenty of websites, mailing lists, Facebook groups, etc., have been created in order to communicate about meteors. Today there is a wealth of meteor data circulating on internet, but the information is very scattered and not directly available to everyone. The authors have been considering how to organize an easy access to the many different meteor related publications. The best solution for the current needs of amateur meteor observers proved to be a dedicated website combined with a PDF journal, both being free available without any subscription fee or registration requirement. The authors decided to start with this project and in March 2016 the website meteornews.org has been created. A first issue of eMeteorNews was prepared in April 2016. The year 2016 will be a test period for this project. The mission statement of this project is: "Minimizing overhead and editorial constraints to assure a swift exchange of information dedicated to all fields of active amateur meteor work."

Why to start with eMeteorNews?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roggemans, Paul

2016-01-01

Amateur meteor workers have always been interested to exchange information and experience. In the past this was only possible via personal contacts by letter or by specialized journals. With internet a much faster medium became available and plenty of websites, mailing lists, Facebook groups, etc., have been created in order to communicate about meteors. Today there is a wealth of meteor data circulating on internet, but the information is very scattered and not directly available to everyone. The authors have been considering how to organize an easy access to the many different meteor related publications. The best solution for the current needs of amateur meteor observers proved to be a dedicated website combined with a PDF journal, both being free available without any subscription fee or registration requirement. The authors decided to start with this project and in March 2016 the website meteornews.org has been created. A first issue of eMeteorNews has been prepared in May 2016. The year 2016 will be a test period for this project. The mission statement of this project is: “Minimizing overhead and editorial constraints to assure a swift exchange of information dedicated to all fields of active amateur meteor work.”

Boundary layer aerosol size distribution, mass concentration and mineralogical composition in Morocco and at Cape Verde Islands during SAMUM I-II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kandler, K.; Lieke, K.

2009-04-01

The Saharan Mineral Dust Experiment (SAMUM) is dedicated to the understanding of the radiative effects of mineral dust. Two major field experiments were performed: A first joint field campaign took place at Ouarzazate and near Zagora, southern Morocco, from May 13 to June 7, 2006. Aircraft and ground based measurements of aerosol physical and chemical properties were carried out to collect a data set of surface and atmospheric columnar information within a major dust source. This data set combined with satellite data provides the base of the first thorough columnar radiative closure tests in Saharan dust. A second field experiment was conducted during January-February 2008, in the Cape Verde Islands region, where about 300 Tg of mineral dust are transported annually from Western Africa across the Atlantic towards the Caribbean Sea and the Amazon basin. Along its transport path, the mineral dust is expected to influence significantly the radiation budget - by direct and indirect effects - of the subtropical North Atlantic. We are lacking a radiative closure in the Saharan air plume. One focus of the investigation within the trade wind region is the spatial distribution of mixed dust/biomass/sea salt aerosol and their physical and chemical properties, especially with regard to radiative effects. We report on measurements of size distributions, mass concentrations and mineralogical composition conducted at the Zagora (Morocco) and Praia (Cape Verde islands) ground stations. The aerosol size distribution was measured from 20 nm to 500

Outreach/education interface for Cryosphere models using the Virtual Ice Sheet Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larour, E. Y.; Halkides, D. J.; Romero, V.; Cheng, D. L.; Perez, G.

2014-12-01

In the past decade, great strides have been made in the development of models capable of projecting the future evolution of glaciers and the polar ice sheets in a changing climate. These models are now capable of replicating some of the trends apparent in satellite observations. However, because this field is just now maturing, very few efforts have been dedicated to adapting these capabilities to education. Technologies that have been used in outreach efforts in Atmospheric and Oceanic sciences still have not been extended to Cryospheric Science. We present a cutting-edge, technologically driven virtual laboratory, geared towards outreach and k-12 education, dedicated to the polar ice sheets on Antarctica and Greenland, and their role as major contributors to sea level rise in coming decades. VISL (Virtual Ice Sheet Laboratory) relies on state-of-the art Web GL rendering of polar ice sheets, Android/iPhone and web portability using Javascript, as well as C++ simulations (back-end) based on the Ice Sheet System Model, the NASA model for simulating the evolution of polar ice sheets. Using VISL, educators and students can have an immersive experience into the world of polar ice sheets, while at the same exercising the capabilities of a state-of-the-art climate model, all of it embedded into an education experience that follows the new STEM standards for education.This work was performed at the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Cryosphere Science Program.

Using OSG Computing Resources with (iLC)Dirac

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sailer, A.; Petric, M.; CLICdp Collaboration

2017-10-01

CPU cycles for small experiments and projects can be scarce, thus making use of all available resources, whether dedicated or opportunistic, is mandatory. While enabling uniform access to the LCG computing elements (ARC, CREAM), the DIRAC grid interware was not able to use OSG computing elements (GlobusCE, HTCondor-CE) without dedicated support at the grid site through so called ‘SiteDirectors’, which directly submit to the local batch system. This in turn requires additional dedicated effort for small experiments on the grid site. Adding interfaces to the OSG CEs through the respective grid middleware is therefore allowing accessing them within the DIRAC software without additional site-specific infrastructure. This enables greater use of opportunistic resources for experiments and projects without dedicated clusters or an established computing infrastructure with the DIRAC software. To allow sending jobs to HTCondor-CE and legacy Globus computing elements inside DIRAC the required wrapper classes were developed. Not only is the usage of these types of computing elements now completely transparent for all DIRAC instances, which makes DIRAC a flexible solution for OSG based virtual organisations, but it also allows LCG Grid Sites to move to the HTCondor-CE software, without shutting DIRAC based VOs out of their site. In these proceedings we detail how we interfaced the DIRAC system to the HTCondor-CE and Globus computing elements and explain the encountered obstacles and solutions developed, and how the linear collider community uses resources in the OSG.

The "global surgeon": is it time for modifications in the American surgical training paradigm?

PubMed

Ginwalla, Rashna F; Rustin, Rudolph B

2015-01-01

"Global surgery" is becoming an increasingly popular concept not only for new trainees, but also for established surgeons. The need to provide surgical care in low-resource settings is laudable, but the American surgical training system currently does not impart the breadth of skills required to provide quality care. We propose one possible model for a surgical fellowship program that provides those trainees who desire to practice in these settings a comprehensive experience that encompasses not only broad technical skills but also the opportunity to engage in policy and programmatic development and implementation. This is a descriptive commentary based on personal experience and a review of the literature. The proposed model is 2 years long, and can either be done after general surgery training as an additional "global surgery" fellowship or as part of a 3 + 2 general surgery + global surgery system. It would incorporate training in general surgery as well as orthopedics, urology, obstetrics & gynecology, neurosurgery, plastics & reconstructive surgery, as well as dedicated time for health systems training. Incorporating such training in a low-resource setting would be a requirement of such a program, in order to obtain field experience. Global surgery is a key word these days in attracting young trainees to academic surgical residency programs, yet they are subsequently inadequately trained to provide the required surgical services in these low-resource settings. Dedicated programmatic changes are required to allow those who choose to practice in these settings to obtain the full breadth of training needed to become safe, competent surgeons in such environments. Copyright © 2015 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Engineering approaches to transdermal drug delivery: a tribute to contributions of prof. Robert Langer.

PubMed

Mitragotri, S

2013-01-01

Transdermal drug delivery continues to provide an advantageous route of drug administration over injections. While the number of drugs delivered by passive transdermal patches has increased over the years, no macromolecule is currently delivered by the transdermal route. Substantial research efforts have been dedicated by a large number of researchers representing varied disciplines including biology, chemistry, pharmaceutics and engineering to understand, model and overcome the skin's barrier properties. This article focuses on engineering contributions to the field of transdermal drug delivery. The article pays tribute to Prof. Robert Langer, who pioneered the engineering approach towards transdermal drug delivery. Over a period spanning nearly 25 years since his first publication in the field of transdermal drug delivery, Bob Langer has deeply impacted the field by quantitative analysis and innovative engineering. At the same time, he has inspired several generations of engineers by collaborations and mentorship. His scientific insights, innovative technologies, translational efforts and dedicated mentorship have transformed the field. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Searching for Physics Beyond the Standard Model: Strongly-Coupled Field Theories at the Intensity and Energy Frontiers

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

Brower, Richard C.

This proposal is to develop the software and algorithmic infrastructure needed for the numerical study of quantum chromodynamics (QCD), and of theories that have been proposed to describe physics beyond the Standard Model (BSM) of high energy physics, on current and future computers. This infrastructure will enable users (1) to improve the accuracy of QCD calculations to the point where they no longer limit what can be learned from high-precision experiments that seek to test the Standard Model, and (2) to determine the predictions of BSM theories in order to understand which of them are consistent with the data thatmore » will soon be available from the LHC. Work will include the extension and optimizations of community codes for the next generation of leadership class computers, the IBM Blue Gene/Q and the Cray XE/XK, and for the dedicated hardware funded for our field by the Department of Energy. Members of our collaboration at Brookhaven National Laboratory and Columbia University worked on the design of the Blue Gene/Q, and have begun to develop software for it. Under this grant we will build upon their experience to produce high-efficiency production codes for this machine. Cray XE/XK computers with many thousands of GPU accelerators will soon be available, and the dedicated commodity clusters we obtain with DOE funding include growing numbers of GPUs. We will work with our partners in NVIDIA's Emerging Technology group to scale our existing software to thousands of GPUs, and to produce highly efficient production codes for these machines. Work under this grant will also include the development of new algorithms for the effective use of heterogeneous computers, and their integration into our codes. It will include improvements of Krylov solvers and the development of new multigrid methods in collaboration with members of the FASTMath SciDAC Institute, using their HYPRE framework, as well as work on improved symplectic integrators.« less

FLiT: a field line trace code for magnetic confinement devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Innocente, P.; Lorenzini, R.; Terranova, D.; Zanca, P.

2017-04-01

This paper presents a field line tracing code (FLiT) developed to study particle and energy transport as well as other phenomena related to magnetic topology in reversed-field pinch (RFP) and tokamak experiments. The code computes magnetic field lines in toroidal geometry using curvilinear coordinates (r, ϑ, ϕ) and calculates the intersections of these field lines with specified planes. The code also computes the magnetic and thermal diffusivity due to stochastic magnetic field in the collisionless limit. Compared to Hamiltonian codes, there are no constraints on the magnetic field functional formulation, which allows the integration of whichever magnetic field is required. The code uses the magnetic field computed by solving the zeroth-order axisymmetric equilibrium and the Newcomb equation for the first-order helical perturbation matching the edge magnetic field measurements in toroidal geometry. Two algorithms are developed to integrate the field lines: one is a dedicated implementation of a first-order semi-implicit volume-preserving integration method, and the other is based on the Adams-Moulton predictor-corrector method. As expected, the volume-preserving algorithm is accurate in conserving divergence, but slow because the low integration order requires small amplitude steps. The second algorithm proves to be quite fast and it is able to integrate the field lines in many partially and fully stochastic configurations accurately. The code has already been used to study the core and edge magnetic topology of the RFX-mod device in both the reversed-field pinch and tokamak magnetic configurations.

STEM Education is Missing This.......

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orr, Laura; Johnson, Milton; Miller, Alexandra; Rebull, Luisa M.

2017-01-01

STEM education gets a lot of attention in schools, media, politics, and funding. But while the acronym grows from STEM to STEAM to STREAM, we still see a lack of student participation in real science, using big data and building partnerships with professionals in the field, and real student growth in science achievement. After the NITARP experience, we believe that NITARP is a rich, demanding, and authentic experience for dedicated teachers and students that provides a caliber of learning that is hard, if not impossible, to achieve in the traditional classroom. This poster looks at what STEM still needs to be and become for it to be the driving force behind greater student involvement, interest, and increased academic performance in the sciences. We focus on our own experiences and that of our students; our different teaching backgrounds and school environments; and the effects we see on our students using traditional and new STEM education and participation in the NITARP program. We come from backgrounds and situations that range from urban to rural, middle to high school, wide socioeconomic variety, gender differences, as well as different exposures to STEM opportunities. We propose that traditional and current standards for STEM education are falling short of what is needed for students to truly experience, understand, and gain the skills to accurately apply and advance in science. Incoming and current science teachers at all levels are not provided with quality, realistic, or applicable preparation. NITARP is truly a STEM experience because it actually integrates the 4 fields and provides opportunities for students to experience the overlap of the 4 fields in an authentic way. The deep, long term exposure to authentic research and technology as well as opportunity to talk with working scientists in a variety of fields have a huge impact on the students and teachers alike. Exposure to programs and experiences like NITARP are needed to help drive and support STEM education to meet its goals and intentions. Support provided for this work by the NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP), which receives funding from the NASA ADP program.

European retrievable carrier (Eureca) and evolutionary space carrier for microgravity, Earth observation and technology demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mory, R.; Seibert, G.

1984-01-01

The Spacelab relatively short stay-time in orbit has led to consideration of the European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA) concept as a reusable carrier. The EURECA concept is a free-flying carrier of experiments which is launched and recovered by the space shuttle. It is commensurate with the size of payloads that can be economically developed in Europe and combines the advantages of Spacelab (high mass and power capability, recovery) with those of a free flyer (extended operating time in a non-polluted environment). The launch of the first EURECA mission is scheduled for October 1987. The Eureca spacecraft will be deployed from the Shuttle cargo bay in orbit, will operate in a free-flying mode for about six months, and will then be retrieved, together with its payloads, returned to Earth by the Space Shuttle and prepared for the next mission. The first mission of EURECA is dedicated to research in the fields of life sciences and material sciences. The experimental hardware of the first mission consist of a variety of processin chambers for crystal growth and equipment for biological investigations viz plant growth and protein crystallization, and there is the possibility to perform experiments in the field of exobiology.

Neurolab - A Space Shuttle Mission Dedicated to Neuroscience Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Session JA5 includes short reports concerning: (1) NASA/NIH Neurolab Collaborations; (2) Neurolab Mission: An Example of International Cooperation; (3) Neurolab: An Overview of the Planned Scientific Investigations; (4) EDEN: A Payload for NEUROLAB, dedicated to Neuro Vestibular Research; (5) Neurolab Experiments on the Role of Visual Cues in Microgravity Spatial Orientation; and (6) The Role of Space in the Exploration of the Mammalian Vestibular System.

Integrating quality and safety education into clinical nursing education through a dedicated education unit.

PubMed

Masters, Kelli

2016-03-01

The Institute of Medicine and American Association of Colleges of Nursing are calling for curriculum redesign that prepares nursing students with the requisite knowledge and skills to provide safe, high quality care. The purpose of this project was to improve nursing students' knowledge of quality and safety by integrating Quality and Safety Education for Nurses into clinical nursing education through development of a dedicated education unit. This model, which pairs nursing students with front-line nursing staff for clinical experiences, was implemented on a medical floor in an acute care hospital. Prior to implementation, nurses and students were educated about the dedicated education unit and quality and safety competencies. During each clinical rotation, students collaborated with their nurses on projects related to these competencies. Students' knowledge was assessed using questions related to quality and safety. Students who participated in the dedicated education unit had higher scores than those with traditional clinical rotations. Focus groups were held mid-semester to assess nurses' perceptions of the experience. Five themes emerged from the qualitative data including thirsting for knowledge, building teamwork and collaboration, establishing trust and decreasing anxiety, mirroring organization and time management skills, and evolving confidence in the nursing role. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comment on the paper by R.I. Khrapko 'On the possibility of an experiment on 'nonlocality' of electrodynamics'

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

Venediktov, V Yu

2015-04-30

This methodological note is dedicated to the analysis of the imaginary experiment proposed in the paper by R.I. Khrapko 'On the possibility of an experiment on 'nonlocality' of electrodynamics' [Quantum Electronics, 42, 1133 (2012)]. (discussion)

Dedicated Education Units: Partnerships for Building Leadership Competency.

PubMed

Galuska, Lee A

2015-07-01

To enable nurses to lead in health care transformation, nursing education must include opportunities for developing leadership, as well as clinical competencies. Dedicated education units (DEUs) provide supportive environments for competency development in undergraduate students. This study's aim was to explore the effects of a DEU experience on the leadership development of baccalaureate nursing students. A mixed-methods design included a quantitative strand, using a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, multisite design with control groups and a qualitative strand using focus groups. Students in the DEUs demonstrated significant increases (p < 0.01) in leadership behaviors, as measured by the Student Leadership Practice Inventory. Focus group themes illuminate how the experiences of the students contributed to their leadership growth. Findings suggest that the DEU experience may promote enhanced undergraduate leadership competency development. Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.

Multistage morphological segmentation of bright-field and fluorescent microscopy images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korzyńska, A.; Iwanowski, M.

2012-06-01

This paper describes the multistage morphological segmentation method (MSMA) for microscopic cell images. The proposed method enables us to study the cell behaviour by using a sequence of two types of microscopic images: bright field images and/or fluorescent images. The proposed method is based on two types of information: the cell texture coming from the bright field images and intensity of light emission, done by fluorescent markers. The method is dedicated to the image sequences segmentation and it is based on mathematical morphology methods supported by other image processing techniques. The method allows for detecting cells in image independently from a degree of their flattening and from presenting structures which produce the texture. It makes use of some synergic information from the fluorescent light emission image as the support information. The MSMA method has been applied to images acquired during the experiments on neural stem cells as well as to artificial images. In order to validate the method, two types of errors have been considered: the error of cell area detection and the error of cell position using artificial images as the "gold standard".

Test and evaluation of a multifunction keyboard and a dedicated keyboard for control of a flight management computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crane, J. M.; Boucek, G. P., Jr.; Smith, W. D.

1986-01-01

A flight management computer (FMC) control display unit (CDU) test was conducted to compare two types of input devices: a fixed legend (dedicated) keyboard and a programmable legend (multifunction) keyboard. The task used for comparison was operation of the flight management computer for the Boeing 737-300. The same tasks were performed by twelve pilots on the FMC control display unit configured with a programmable legend keyboard and with the currently used B737-300 dedicated keyboard. Flight simulator work activity levels and input task complexity were varied during each pilot session. Half of the points tested were previously familiar with the B737-300 dedicated keyboard CDU and half had no prior experience with it. The data collected included simulator flight parameters, keystroke time and sequences, and pilot questionnaire responses. A timeline analysis was also used for evaluation of the two keyboard concepts.

[Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy: Brain pathologies applications].

PubMed

Menuel, C; Guillevin, R; Costalat, R; Perrin, M; Sahli-Amor, M; Martin-Duverneuil, N; Chiras, J

2010-05-01

Until recent years, brain applications of (31)P magnetic resonance spectroscopy were poor. Arising of clinical high field strength magnets (three Tesla) as well as dedicated brain coils (eg: bird cage), using specific and useful sequences providing appropriate spatial localisation and signal to noise ratio brought highlights on multinuclear spectroscopy. Better understanding of brain metabolism emphasizes the role of phosphoenergetic compounds and its potential issues in tumoral, metabolic and degenerative diseases. In the present paper, we report 1 year of experience and preliminary results for 40 patients as well as review of the literature. By successive in vivo determination and quantitation of numerous metabolites it allows, multinuclear spectroscopy may provide additional information to biomathematical models of brain metabolism. Copyright 2009. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

MMX-I: data-processing software for multimodal X-ray imaging and tomography.

PubMed

Bergamaschi, Antoine; Medjoubi, Kadda; Messaoudi, Cédric; Marco, Sergio; Somogyi, Andrea

2016-05-01

A new multi-platform freeware has been developed for the processing and reconstruction of scanning multi-technique X-ray imaging and tomography datasets. The software platform aims to treat different scanning imaging techniques: X-ray fluorescence, phase, absorption and dark field and any of their combinations, thus providing an easy-to-use data processing tool for the X-ray imaging user community. A dedicated data input stream copes with the input and management of large datasets (several hundred GB) collected during a typical multi-technique fast scan at the Nanoscopium beamline and even on a standard PC. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first software tool that aims at treating all of the modalities of scanning multi-technique imaging and tomography experiments.

Light-ion therapy in the U.S.: From the Bevalac to ??

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

Alonso, Jose R.; Castro, Joseph R.

2002-09-24

While working with E.O. Lawrence at Berkeley, R.R. Wilson in 1946 noted the potential for using the Bragg-peak of protons (or heavier ions) for radiation therapy. Thus began the long history of contributions from Berkeley to this field. Pioneering work by C.A. Tobias et al at the 184-Inch Synchrocyclotron led ultimately to clinical applications of proton and helium beams, with over 1000 patients treated through 1974 with high-energy plateau radiation; placing the treatment volume (mostly pituitary fields) at the rotational center of a sophisticated patient positioner. In 1974 the SuperHILAC and Bevatron accelerators at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory were joinedmore » by the construction of a 250-meter transfer line, forming the Bevalac, a facility capable of accelerating ions of any atomic species to relativistic energies. With the advent of these new beams, and better diagnostic tools capable of more precise definition of tumor volume and determination of the stopping point of charged-particle beams, large-field Bragg-peak therapy with ion beams became a real possibility. A dedicated Biomedical experimental area was developed, ultimately consisting of three distinct irradiation stations; two dedicated to therapy and one to radiobiology and biophysics. These facilities included dedicated support areas for patient setup and staging of animal and cell samples, and a central control area linked to the main Bevatron control room.« less

The contribution of radio-frequency rectification to field-aligned losses of high-harmonic fast wave power to the divertor in the National Spherical Torus eXperiment

DOE PAGES

Perkins, R. J.; Hosea, J. C.; Jaworski, M. A.; ...

2015-04-13

The National Spherical Torus eXperiment (NSTX) can exhibit a major loss of high-harmonic fast wave (HHFW) power along scrape-off layer (SOL) field lines passing in front of the antenna, resulting in bright and hot spirals on both the upper and lower divertor regions. One possible mechanism for this loss is RF sheaths forming at the divertors. We demonstrate that swept-voltage Langmuir probe characteristics for probes under the spiral are shifted relative to those not under the spiral in a manner consistent with RF rectification. We estimate both the magnitude of the RF voltage across the sheath and the sheath heatmore » flux transmission coefficient in the presence of the RF field. Though the precise comparison between computed heat flux and infrared (IR) thermography cannot yet be made, the computed heat deposition compares favorably with the projections from IR camera measurements. The RF sheath losses are significant and contribute substantially to the total SOL losses of HHFW power to the divertor for the cases studied. Our work will guide future experimentation on NSTX-U, where a wide-angle IR camera and a dedicated set of coaxial Langmuir probes for measuring the RF sheath voltage directly will quantify the contribution of RF sheath rectification to the heat deposition from the SOL to the divertor.« less

Using Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud to dynamically scale CMS computational resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, D.; Fisk, I.; Holzman, B.; Melo, A.; Metson, S.; Pordes, R.; Sheldon, P.; Tiradani, A.

2011-12-01

Large international scientific collaborations such as the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the Large Hadron Collider have traditionally addressed their data reduction and analysis needs by building and maintaining dedicated computational infrastructure. Emerging cloud computing services such as Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) offer short-term CPU and storage resources with costs based on usage. These services allow experiments to purchase computing resources as needed, without significant prior planning and without long term investments in facilities and their management. We have demonstrated that services such as EC2 can successfully be integrated into the production-computing model of CMS, and find that they work very well as worker nodes. The cost-structure and transient nature of EC2 services makes them inappropriate for some CMS production services and functions. We also found that the resources are not truely "on-demand" as limits and caps on usage are imposed. Our trial workflows allow us to make a cost comparison between EC2 resources and dedicated CMS resources at a University, and conclude that it is most cost effective to purchase dedicated resources for the "base-line" needs of experiments such as CMS. However, if the ability to use cloud computing resources is built into an experiment's software framework before demand requires their use, cloud computing resources make sense for bursting during times when spikes in usage are required.

Experimental Studies of Instability Development in Magnetically Driven Systems

DOE PAGES

Awe, Thomas James

2015-03-01

The author highlights results from a variety of experiments on the Z Machine, for which he served as the lead experimentalist. All experiments on Z take dedicated effort from a large collaboration of scientists, engineers, and technicians.

M and D SIG progress report: Laboratory simulations of LDEF impact features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horz, Friedrich; Bernhard, R. P.; See, T. H.; Atkinson, D.; Allbrooks, M.

1992-01-01

Laboratory impact experiments are needed to understand the relationship between a measured penetration hole diameter and associated projectile dimension in the thermal blankets of experiment A0178, which occupied some 16 sq. m. These blankets are composed of 125 micron thick Teflon that has an Ag/enconel second mirror surface, backed by organic binder and Chemglaze paint for a total thickness of some 170 microns. While dedicated experiments are required to understand the penetration behavior of this compound target in detail, we report here on impact simulations sponsored by other projects into pure Teflon and aluminum targets. These experiments will allow first order interpretations of impact features on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), and they will serve as guides for dedicated experiments that employ the real LDEF blankets, both exposed and unexposed, for a refined understanding of the LDEF's collisional environment. We employed a light gas gun to launch soda-lime glass spheres from 50 to 3200 microns in diameter that impacted targets of variable thickness. Penetration measurements are given.

"A mission-driven discipline": the growth of conservation biology.

PubMed

Meine, Curt; Soulé, Michael; Noss, Reed E

2006-06-01

Conservation biology emerged in the mid-1980s, drawing on established disciplines and integrating them in pursuit of a coherent goal: the protection and perpetuation of the Earth's biological diversity. Opportunistic in its borrowing and application of knowledge, conservation biology had its roots within the established biological sciences and resource management disciplines but has continually incorporated insights from the empirical experience of resource managers, from the social sciences and humanities, and from diverse cultural sources. The Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) has represented the field's core constituency, while expanding that constituency in keeping with the field's integrative spirit. Conservation Biology has served as SCB's flagship publication, promoting research, dialog, debate, and application of the field's essential concepts. Over the last 20 years the field, SCB, and the journal have evolved to meet changing conservation needs, to explore gaps in our knowledge base, to incorporate new information from related fields, to build professional capacity, and to provide expanded opportunities for international participation. In turn, the field, SCB, and journal have prompted change in related fields, organizations, and publications. In its dedication to advancing the scientific foundations of biodiversity conservation and placing that science at the service of society in a world whose variety, wildness, and beauty we care for conservation biology represents both a continuation and radical reconfiguration of the traditional relationship between science and conservation.

SU-F-E-17: A Dedicated Teaching and Research Linac as a Stepping Stone to Introduce Medical Physics to Students

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

Beaulieu, L; Archambault, L; Universite Laval, Quebec, Quebec

Purpose: This work describes how a non-clinical, research and teaching Linac is used as an extremely motivating and exciting way to introduce students to medical physics. Methods: The dedicated facility was inaugurated in 2014. The facility is composed of a fully equipped and functional state-of-the-art Varian TrueBeam Linac and a complete set of physics instruments and QA phantoms for the Linac and onboard imaging. The Linac bunker and treatment console are oversized such that a class of 12–15 can comfortably fit, seated if needed for longer sessions. A 3cr undergraduate laboratory course that includes medical imaging, x-ray source characterization (mAs,more » kVp, and filtering) and many others including an introductory Linac laboratory was created. The latter is composed of one general 4-hours session and a weekly 4-hours session for teams of two students. The general session includes a hands-on presentation of the Linac, its environment and a formal safety and radiation protection course (with an exam). Results: Since the winter of 2015, senior undergraduate (total of 15) pursuing either the medical physics or the biomedical engineering tracks can register. At the Linac, the students are allowed full control of the experiments, including set-up and irradiation. Supervisor intervention is limited to safety concerns for students or equipment. Measurements of output factors using two chambers (regular and small field) for various field sizes (1×1 to 30×30 cm{sup 2}) and of detailed depth-dose curves for 6 MV, 6 and 12 MeV beams are to be performed and discussed in a formal report. Conclusion: Full access to, and control of, a Linac is the high point of this course. It provides a glimpse of medical physics and generates an experimental background for those continuing to CAMPEP programs. This dedicated, non-clinical facility further enable enhance CAMPEP graduate teaching and research activities not possible with a clinical device.« less

Gas-hydrate-bearing sand reservoir systems in the offshore of India: Results of the India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kumar, P.; Collett, Timothy S.; Vishwanath, K.; Shukla, K.M.; Nagalingam, J.; Lall, M.V.; Yamada, Y; Schultheiss, P.; Holland, M.

2016-01-01

The India National Gas Hydrate Program Expedition 02 (NGHP-02) was conducted from 3-March-2015 to 28-July-2015 off the eastern coast of India using the deepwater drilling vessel Chikyu. The primary goal of this expedition was to explore for highly saturated gas hydrate occurrences in sand reservoirs that would become targets for future production tests. The first two months of the expedition were dedicated to logging-whiledrilling (LWD) operations, with a total of 25 holes drilled and logged. The next three months were dedicated to coring operations at 10 of the most promising sites. With a total of five months of continuous field operations, the expedition was the most comprehensive dedicated gas hydrate investigation ever undertaken.

In quest of perfection in electron optics: a biographical sketch of Harald Rose on the occasion of his 80th birthday.

PubMed

Urban, Knut W

2015-04-01

This brief biographical sketch of Harald Rose on occasion of his 80th birthday describes some of the key events in an extraordinarily successful scientific life. Many of the theoretical concepts developed by him over the last 50 years have been fundamental for electron optics. Indeed, some of them have changed the whole complexion of this field and are fundamental to modern electron microscopy, both in TEM and in STEM mode. With this dedicated issue of Ultramicroscopy, the members of the electron microscopy community would like to thank Harald Rose for dedicating his professional life to their field and thereby enriching the life of those active in it. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modeling of non-ideal hard permanent magnets with an affine-linear model, illustrated for a bar and a horseshoe magnet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glane, Sebastian; Reich, Felix A.; Müller, Wolfgang H.

2017-11-01

This study is dedicated to continuum-scale material modeling of isotropic permanent magnets. An affine-linear extension to the commonly used ideal hard model for permanent magnets is proposed, motivated, and detailed. In order to demonstrate the differences between these models, bar and horseshoe magnets are considered. The structure of the boundary value problem for the magnetic field and related solution techniques are discussed. For the ideal model, closed-form analytical solutions were obtained for both geometries. Magnetic fields of the boundary value problems for both models and differently shaped magnets were computed numerically by using the boundary element method. The results show that the character of the magnetic field is strongly influenced by the model that is used. Furthermore, it can be observed that the shape of an affine-linear magnet influences the near-field significantly. Qualitative comparisons with experiments suggest that both the ideal and the affine-linear models are relevant in practice, depending on the magnetic material employed. Mathematically speaking, the ideal magnetic model is a special case of the affine-linear one. Therefore, in applications where knowledge of the near-field is important, the affine-linear model can yield more accurate results—depending on the magnetic material.

Recent progress on the Axion Dark Matter eXperiment (ADMX)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khatiwada, Rakshya; ADMX Collaboration

2017-01-01

The Axion Dark Matter eXperiment (ADMX) is one of the three ``Generation-2'' direct dark matter searches and the only one dedicated to finding the axion. It looks for axions that convert into photons through the Primakoff process in the presence of a strong magnetic field. The mass of the axion is unknown but expected to be few to tens of μeV, which corresponds to photons in the GHz range. The expected signal power is of the order 10-24 W, which puts stringent requirements on the system's noise level. ADMX has recently started its Generation-2 data run with the recent upgrades of a dilution refrigerator, which cools the system to sub-K temperature suppressing the thermal background noise and tunable, near quantum noise-limited SQUID amplifiers. This talk will summarize the current status and operation of ADMX experiment as it searches for dark matter axions. Supported by DOE Grants DE-SC0010280, DE-FG02-96ER40956, DE-AC52-07NA27344, DE-AC03-76SF00098, the Heising-Simons Foundation and the LLNL, FNAL and PNNL LDRD program.

High School and Undergraduate Participation in Field Experiments as a Means of Teaching Global Change Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chiariello, N. R.; Gomez, W.; Field, C. B.

2004-12-01

Field experiments offer unique opportunities to teach undergraduates and high school students many of the principles and methods of global change science. The Jasper Ridge Global Change Experiment (JRGCE) studies the response of California grassland to four environmental factors changing globally, and has emphasized a tiered program of outreach that combines curriculum supplements, demonstration tours, sample data sets, and internship opportunities. The program emphasizes translating a complex environmental question into an experiment. High school outreach by the JRGCE has focused on the environmental studies classes at a nearby public high school. Students begin with background material via a website and in-class sessions that focus on global and regional changes in the four environmental factors incorporated in the experiment: warming, elevated CO2, increased precipitation, and nitrogen deposition. Each class also visits the experiment to see and discuss many aspects of experimental design: environmental heterogeneity, the importance of replication and randomization, the role of experimental controls, the possibility of experimental artifacts, the importance of minimally disruptive measurements, and the complexity of ecosystems and their responses to experimental treatments. These demonstration tours also emphasize hands-on measurements to illustrate how ecosystem responses to global change are quantified across a wide range of mechanisms. Finally, students use data from the experiment to test for effects of the treatments. For undergraduate classes, outreach focuses on either broad-based or more specialized demonstration tours to support their already well-developed curriculum. A few strongly interested high school students and undergraduates also conduct studies within the JRGCE under the supervision of a graduate student, postdoc, or professor. These educational activities depend crucially on three factors: 1) involvement of many members of the experiment team so that demonstration tours can be subdivided into small groups, 2) communication skills of dedicated volunteers to create and implement a broad set of educational materials, and 3) collaboration with participating teachers so that the activities merge with their curriculum. Feedback from students suggests that the outreach has been most successful when small groups of students are in the field with volunteers or researchers who engage them in well-crafted thought experiments or hands-on measurements.

Dedicated education unit: student perspectives.

PubMed

Nishioka, Vicki M; Coe, Michael T; Hanita, Makoto; Moscato, Susan R

2014-01-01

The study compared students' perceptions of their clinical learning experiences in a dedicated education unit (DEU) with their experiences in traditional clinical education. Unlike traditional academic-instructor models, expert nurses in the DEU provide clinical education to students with faculty support. This repeated measures design used student surveys, supplemented by focus group data. Students were more likely to agree that their clinical learning experience was high quality and they had a consistent mentoring relationship during DEU rotations. Students also reported the quality of the unit's learning environment, the leadership style of the nurse manager, and the nursing care on the unit was more favorable in DEUs than traditional units. Consistent with their changed role in DEUs, faculty members were less active in helping students integrate theory and practice. These findings provide additional evidence of the value that the DEU model contributes to high-quality clinical education.

Micro-Ares, An electric field sensor for ExoMars 2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Déprez, G.; Montmessin, F.; Witasse, O.; Lapauw, L.; Vivat, F.; Abbaki, S.; Granier, P.; Moirin, D.; Trautner, R.; Hassen-Khodja, R.; d'Almeida, E.; Chardenal, L.; Berthelier, J.-J.; Espositi, F.; Debei, S.; Rafkin, S.; Barth, E.

2015-10-01

For the past few years, LATMOS has been involved in the development of Micro-ARES, an electric field sensor part of the science payload (DREAMS) of the ExoMars 2016 Schiaparelli entry, descent and landing demonstratormodule (EDM). It is dedicated to the very first measurement and characterization of the Martian atmospheric electricity.

DIAPHANE: muon tomography applied to volcanoes, civil engineering, archaelogy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marteau, J.; de Bremond d'Ars, J.; Gibert, D.; Jourde, K.; Ianigro, J.-C.; Carlus, B.

2017-02-01

Muography techniques applied to geological structures greatly improved in the past ten years. Recent applications demonstrate the interest of the method not only to perform structural imaging but also to monitor the dynamics of inner movements like magma ascent inside volcanoes or density variations in hydrothermal systems. Muography time-resolution has been studied thanks to dedicated experiments, e.g. in a water tower tank. This paper presents the activities of the DIAPHANE collaboration between particle- and geo-physicists and the most recent results obtained in the field of volcanology, with a focus on the main target, the Soufrière of Guadeloupe active volcano. Special emphasis is given on the monitoring of the dome's inner volumes opacity variations, that could be ascribed to the hydrothermal system dynamics (vaporization of inner liquid water in coincidence with the appearance of new fumaroles at the summit). I also briefly present results obtained in the fields of civil engineering (study of urban underground tunnels) and archaelogy (greek tumulus scanning).

Micro- and nano-imaging at the diamond beamline I13L-imaging and coherence

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

Rau, C., E-mail: Christoph.rau@diamond.ac.uk; University of Manchester, School of Materials Grosvenor St., Manchester, M1 7HS; Northwestern University School of Medicine, 303 E. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611-3008

2016-07-27

The Diamond Beamline I13L is dedicated to imaging on the micron- and nano-lengthscale, operating in the energy range between 6 and 30 keV. For this purpose two independent stations have been built. The imaging branch is fully operational for micro-tomography and in-line phase contrast imaging with micrometer resolution. Currently a full-field microscope providing 50nm spatial resolution over a field of view of 100 µm is being tested. On the coherence branch, coherent diffraction imaging techniques such as ptychography and coherent X-ray Bragg diffraction are currently developed. The beamline contains a number of unique features. The machine layout has been modifiedmore » to the so-called mini-beta scheme, providing significantly increased flux from the two canted undulators. New instrumental designs such as a robot arm for the detector in diffraction experiments have been employed. The imaging branch is operated in collaboration with Manchester University, called therefore the Diamond-Manchester Branchline.« less

Integration of a neuroimaging processing pipeline into a pan-canadian computing grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavoie-Courchesne, S.; Rioux, P.; Chouinard-Decorte, F.; Sherif, T.; Rousseau, M.-E.; Das, S.; Adalat, R.; Doyon, J.; Craddock, C.; Margulies, D.; Chu, C.; Lyttelton, O.; Evans, A. C.; Bellec, P.

2012-02-01

The ethos of the neuroimaging field is quickly moving towards the open sharing of resources, including both imaging databases and processing tools. As a neuroimaging database represents a large volume of datasets and as neuroimaging processing pipelines are composed of heterogeneous, computationally intensive tools, such open sharing raises specific computational challenges. This motivates the design of novel dedicated computing infrastructures. This paper describes an interface between PSOM, a code-oriented pipeline development framework, and CBRAIN, a web-oriented platform for grid computing. This interface was used to integrate a PSOM-compliant pipeline for preprocessing of structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging into CBRAIN. We further tested the capacity of our infrastructure to handle a real large-scale project. A neuroimaging database including close to 1000 subjects was preprocessed using our interface and publicly released to help the participants of the ADHD-200 international competition. This successful experiment demonstrated that our integrated grid-computing platform is a powerful solution for high-throughput pipeline analysis in the field of neuroimaging.

Proton shock acceleration using a high contrast high intensity laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauthier, Maxence; Roedel, Christian; Kim, Jongjin; Aurand, Bastian; Curry, Chandra; Goede, Sebastian; Propp, Adrienne; Goyon, Clement; Pak, Art; Kerr, Shaun; Ramakrishna, Bhuvanesh; Ruby, John; William, Jackson; Glenzer, Siegfried

2015-11-01

Laser-driven proton acceleration is a field of intense research due to the interesting characteristics of this novel particle source including high brightness, high maximum energy, high laminarity, and short duration. Although the ion beam characteristics are promising for many future applications, such as in the medical field or hybrid accelerators, the ion beam generated using TNSA, the acceleration mechanism commonly achieved, still need to be significantly improved. Several new alternative mechanisms have been proposed such as collisionless shock acceleration (CSA) in order to produce a mono-energetic ion beam favorable for those applications. We report the first results of an experiment performed with the TITAN laser system (JLF, LLNL) dedicated to the study of CSA using a high intensity (5x1019W/cm2) high contrast ps laser pulse focused on 55 μm thick CH and CD targets. We show that the proton spectrum generated during the interaction exhibits high-energy mono-energetic features along the laser axis, characteristic of a shock mechanism.

Nanotomography endstation at the P05 beamline: Status and perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greving, I.; Ogurreck, M.; Marschall, F.; Last, A.; Wilde, F.; Dose, T.; Burmester, H.; Lottermoser, L.; Müller, M.; David, C.; Beckmann, F.

2017-06-01

The Imaging Beamline IBL/P05 at the DESY storage ring PETRA III, operated by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, has two dedicated endstations optimized for micro- and nanotomography experiments [1-3]. Here we present the status of the nanotomography endstation, highlight the latest instrumentation upgrades and present first experimental results. In particular in materials science, where structures with ceramics or metallic materials are of interest, X-ray energies of 15 keV and above are required even for sample sizes of several 10 μm in diameter. The P05 imaging beamline is dedicated to materials science and is designed to allow for imaging applications with X-ray energies of 10 to 50 keV. In addition to the full field X-ray microscopy setup, the layout of the nanotomography endstation allows switching to cone-beam configuration. Kinematics for X-ray optics like compound refractive lenses (CRLs), Fresnel zone plates (FZP) or beam-shaping optics are implemented and the installation of a Kirkpatrick Baez-mirror (KB mirror) system is foreseen at a later stage of the beamline development. Altogether this leads to a high flexibility of the nanotomography setup such that the instrument can be tailored to the specific experimental requirements of a range of sample systems.

Female Gamers: A Thematic Analysis of Their Gaming Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLean, Lavinia; Griffiths, Mark D.

2013-01-01

International evidence indicates that the number of females involved in video-gaming is increasing. Within the context of this increase, there is a need to explore the experiences of this group of gamers in detail. This study explored female experiences of playing video-games. Data were collected from an online discussion forum dedicated to…

Bringing Earth Magnetism Research into the High School Physics Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smirnov, A. V.; Bluth, G.; Engel, E.; Kurpier, K.; Foucher, M. S.; Anderson, K. L.

2015-12-01

We present our work in progress from an NSF CAREER project that aims to integrate paleomagnetic research and secondary school physics education. The research project is aimed at quantifying the strength and geometry of the Precambrian geomagnetic field. Investigation of the geomagnetic field behavior is crucial for understanding the mechanisms of field generation, and the development of the Earth's atmosphere and biosphere, and can serve as a focus for connecting high-level Earth science research with a standard physics curriculum. High school science teachers have participated in each summer field and research component of the project, gaining field and laboratory research experience, sets of rock and mineral samples, and classroom-tested laboratory magnetism activities for secondary school physics and earth science courses. We report on three field seasons of teacher field experiences and two years of classroom testing of paleomagnetic research materials merged into physics instruction on magnetism. Students were surveyed before and after dedicated instruction for both perceptions and attitude towards earth science in general, then more specifically on earth history and earth magnetism. Students were also surveyed before and after instruction on major earth system and magnetic concepts and processes, particularly as they relate to paleomagnetic research. Most students surveyed had a strongly positive viewpoint towards the study of Earth history and the importance of studying Earth Sciences in general, but were significantly less drawn towards more specific topics such as mineralogy and magnetism. Students demonstrated understanding of Earth model and the basics of magnetism, as well as the general timing of life, atmospheric development, and magnetic field development. However, detailed knowledge such as the magnetic dynamo, how the magnetic field has changed over time, and connections between earth magnetism and the development of an atmosphere remained largely misunderstood even after specific instruction, laboratory activities, and research examples. Ongoing work is examining the effectiveness of specific classroom and laboratory activities on student perceptions and misconceptions - which models work best to develop deeper understanding and appreciation of paleomagnetic research.

Experimental setup for the determination of the correction factors of the neutron doseratemeters in fast neutron fields

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

Iliescu, Elena; Bercea, Sorin; Dudu, Dorin

2013-12-16

The use of the U-120 Cyclotron of the IFIN-HH allowed to perform a testing bench with fast neutrons in order to determine the correction factors of the doseratemeters dedicated to neutron measurement. This paper deals with researchers performed in order to develop the irradiation facility testing the fast neutrons flux generated at the Cyclotron. This facility is presented, together with the results obtain in determining the correction factor for a doseratemeter dedicated to the neutron dose equivalent rate measurement.

Iconic 2007

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-02-01

This conference is dedicated to providing a unified and unique international forum in which different communities (Acoustics, Electromagnetics and Optics) are brought together for the exchange of ideas in the realm of innovative Near-Field Methods in...

Intense deformation field at oceanic front inferred from directional sea surface roughness observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rascle, Nicolas; Molemaker, Jeroen; Marié, Louis; Nouguier, Frédéric; Chapron, Bertrand; Lund, Björn; Mouche, Alexis

2017-06-01

Fine-scale current gradients at the ocean surface can be observed by sea surface roughness. More specifically, directional surface roughness anomalies are related to the different horizontal current gradient components. This paper reports results from a dedicated experiment during the Lagrangian Submesoscale Experiment (LASER) drifter deployment. A very sharp front, 50 m wide, is detected simultaneously in drifter trajectories, sea surface temperature, and sea surface roughness. A new observational method is applied, using Sun glitter reflections during multiple airplane passes to reconstruct the multiangle roughness anomaly. This multiangle anomaly is consistent with wave-current interactions over a front, including both cross-front convergence and along-front shear with cyclonic vorticity. Qualitatively, results agree with drifters and X-band radar observations. Quantitatively, the sharpness of roughness anomaly suggests intense current gradients, 0.3 m s-1 over the 50 m wide front. This work opens new perspectives for monitoring intense oceanic fronts using drones or satellite constellations.

Behavioral economics. Avoiding overhead aversion in charity.

PubMed

Gneezy, Uri; Keenan, Elizabeth A; Gneezy, Ayelet

2014-10-31

Donors tend to avoid charities that dedicate a high percentage of expenses to administrative and fundraising costs, limiting the ability of nonprofits to be effective. We propose a solution to this problem: Use donations from major philanthropists to cover overhead expenses and offer potential donors an overhead-free donation opportunity. A laboratory experiment testing this solution confirms that donations decrease when overhead increases, but only when donors pay for overhead themselves. In a field experiment with 40,000 potential donors, we compared the overhead-free solution with other common uses of initial donations. Consistent with prior research, informing donors that seed money has already been raised increases donations, as does a $1:$1 matching campaign. Our main result, however, clearly shows that informing potential donors that overhead costs are covered by an initial donation significantly increases the donation rate by 80% (or 94%) and total donations by 75% (or 89%) compared with the seed (or matching) approach. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Photon-photon scattering at the high-intensity frontier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gies, Holger; Karbstein, Felix; Kohlfürst, Christian; Seegert, Nico

2018-04-01

The tremendous progress in high-intensity laser technology and the establishment of dedicated high-field laboratories in recent years have paved the way towards a first observation of quantum vacuum nonlinearities at the high-intensity frontier. We advocate a particularly prospective scenario, where three synchronized high-intensity laser pulses are brought into collision, giving rise to signal photons, whose frequency and propagation direction differ from the driving laser pulses, thus providing various means to achieve an excellent signal to background separation. Based on the theoretical concept of vacuum emission, we employ an efficient numerical algorithm which allows us to model the collision of focused high-intensity laser pulses in unprecedented detail. We provide accurate predictions for the numbers of signal photons accessible in experiment. Our study is the first to predict the precise angular spread of the signal photons, and paves the way for a first verification of quantum vacuum nonlinearity in a well-controlled laboratory experiment at one of the many high-intensity laser facilities currently coming online.

Observation of resonant and non-resonant magnetic braking in the n = 1 non-axisymmetric configurations on KSTAR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kimin; Choe, W.; In, Y.; Ko, W. H.; Choi, M. J.; Bak, J. G.; Kim, H. S.; Jeon, Y. M.; Kwak, J. G.; Yoon, S. W.; Oh, Y. K.; Park, J.-K.

2017-12-01

Toroidal rotation braking by neoclassical toroidal viscosity driven by non-axisymmetric (3D) magnetic fields, called magnetic braking, has great potential to control rotation profile, and thereby modify tokamak stability and performance. In order to characterize magnetic braking in the various 3D field configurations, dedicated experiments have been carried out in KSTAR, applying a variety of static n=1 , 3D fields of different phasing of -90 , 0, and +90 . Resonant-type magnetic braking was achieved by -90 phasing fields, accompanied by strong density pump-out and confinement degradation, and explained by excitation of kink response captured by ideal plasma response calculation. Strong resonant plasma response was also observed under +90 phasing at q95 ∼ 6 , leading to severe confinement degradation and eventual disruption by locked modes. Such a strong resonant transport was substantially modified to non-resonant-type transport at higher q95 ∼ 7.2 , as the resonant particle transport was significantly reduced and the rotation braking was pushed to plasma edge. This is well explained by ideal perturbed equilibrium calculations indicating the strong kink coupling at lower q95 is reduced at higher q95 discharge. The 0 phasing fields achieved quiescent magnetic braking without density pump-out and confinement degradation, which is consistent with vacuum and ideal plasma response analysis predicting deeply penetrating 3D fields without an excitation of strong kink response.

Etna_NETVIS: A dedicated tool for automatically pre-processing high frequency data useful to extract geometrical parameters and track the evolution of the lava field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsella, Maria; Junior Valentino D'Aranno, Peppe; De Bonis, Roberto; Nardinocchi, Carla; Scifoni, Silvia; Scutti, Marianna; Sonnessa, Alberico; Wahbeh, Wissam; Biale, Emilio; Coltelli, Mauro; Pecora, Emilio; Prestifilippo, Michele; Proietti, Cristina

2016-04-01

In volcanic areas, where it could be difficult to gain access to the most critical zones for carrying out direct surveys, digital photogrammetry techniques are rarely experimented, although in many cases they proved to have remarkable potentialities, as the possibility to follow the evolution of volcanic (fracturing, vent positions, lava fields, lava front positions) and deformation processes (inflation/deflation and instability phenomena induced by volcanic activity). These results can be obtained, in the framework of standard surveillance activities, by acquiring multi-temporal datasets including Digital Orthophotos (DO) and Digital Elevation Models (DEM) to be used for implementing a quantitative and comparative analysis. The frequency of the surveys can be intensified during emergency phases to implement a quasi real-time monitoring for supporting civil protection actions. The high level of accuracy and the short time required for image processing make digital photogrammetry a suitable tool for controlling the evolution of volcanic processes which are usually characterized by large and rapid mass displacements. In order to optimize and extend the existing permanent ground NEtwork of Thermal and VIsible Sensors located on Mt. Etna (Etna_NETVIS) and to improve the observation of the most active areas, an approach for monitoring surface sin-eruptive processes was implemented. A dedicated tool for automatically pre-processing high frequency data, useful to extract geometrical parameters as well as to track the evolution of the lava field, was developed and tested both in simulated and real scenarios. The tool allows to extract a coherent multi-temporal dataset of orthophotos useful to evaluate active flow area and to estimate effusion rates. Furthermore, Etna_NETVIS data were used to downscale the information derived from satellite data and/or to integrate the satellite datasets in case of incomplete coverage or missing acquisitions. This work was developed in the framework of the EU-FP7 project "MED-SUV" (MEDiterranean SUpersite Volcanoes).

Arctic Messages: Arctic Research in the Vocabulary of Poets and Artists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samsel, F.

2017-12-01

Arctic Messages is a series of prints created by a multidisciplinary team designed to build understanding and encourage dialogue about the changing Arctic ecosystems and the impacts on global weather patterns. Our team comprised of Arctic researchers, a poet, a visual artist, photographers and visualization experts set out to blend the vocabularies of our disciplines in order to provide entry into the content for diverse audiences. Arctic Messages is one facet of our broader efforts experimenting with mediums of communication able to provide entry to those of us outside scientific of fields. We believe that the scientific understanding of change presented through the languages art will speak to our humanity as well as our intellect. The prints combine poetry, painting, visualization, and photographs, drawn from the Arctic field studies of the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiments research team at Los Alamos National Laboratory. The artistic team interviewed the scientists, read their papers and poured over their field blogs. The content and concepts are designed to portray the wonder of nature, the complexity of the science and the dedication of the researchers. Smith brings to life the intertwined connection between the research efforts, the ecosystems and the scientist's experience. Breathtaking photography of the research site is accompanied by Samsel's drawings and paintings of the ecosystem relationships and geological formations. Together they provide entry to the variety and wonder of life on the Arctic tundra and that resting quietly in the permafrost below. Our team has experimented with many means of presentation from complex interactive systems to quiet individual works. Here we are presenting a series of prints, each one based on a single thread of the research or the scientist's experience but containing intertwined relationships similar to the ecosystems they represent. Earlier interactive systems, while engaging, were not tuned to those seeking quieter contemplation. The long linear work spreads across the wall enable viewers to explore the content of interest at the pace and through the vocabulary that speaks to them.

6. Detail view of south elevation of Chapel with English ...

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

6. Detail view of south elevation of Chapel with English dedication inscription and allegorical bas relief "History." - Flanders Field American Cemetery & Memorial, Chapel, Wortegemseweg 117, Waregem, West Flanders (Belgium), BEL

Pathways to Careers in Federal Highway Research

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-02-16

Our researchers at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center are dedicated scientists and engineers. They are experts in more than 100 trans-portation-related fields including: CIVIL ENGINEERING STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING PAVEMENT ENGINEERING CHEMISTRY...

ARC-2011-ACD11-0035-013

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-16

New Armed Forces Reserve Center & 63rd Regional Support Command Headquarters, Moffett Field, CA ribbon cutting ceremonies and dedication of the United States Armed Forces Center is memorialized in honor of Sgt James Wilkowski.

ARC-2011-ACD11-0035-011

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-16

New Armed Forces Reserve Center & 63rd Regional Support Command Headquarters, Moffett Field, CA ribbon cutting ceremonies and dedication of the United States Armed Forces Center is memorialized in honor of Sgt James Wilkowski.

ARC-2011-ACD11-0035-014

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-16

New Armed Forces Reserve Center & 63rd Regional Support Command Headquarters, Moffett Field, CA ribbon cutting ceremonies and dedication of the United States Armed Forces Center is memorialized in honor of Sgt James Wilkowski.

ARC-2011-ACD11-0035-015

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-16

New Armed Forces Reserve Center & 63rd Regional Support Command Headquarters, Moffett Field, CA ribbon cutting ceremonies and dedication of the United States Armed Forces Center is memorialized in honor of Sgt James Wilkowski.

ARC-2011-ACD11-0035-017

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-16

New Armed Forces Reserve Center & 63rd Regional Support Command Headquarters, Moffett Field, CA ribbon cutting ceremonies and dedication of the United States Armed Forces Center is memorialized in honor of Sgt James Wilkowski.

ARC-2011-ACD11-0035-018

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-16

New Armed Forces Reserve Center & 63rd Regional Support Command Headquarters, Moffett Field, CA ribbon cutting ceremonies and dedication of the United States Armed Forces Center is memorialized in honor of Sgt James Wilkowski.

ARC-2011-ACD11-0035-016

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-02-16

New Armed Forces Reserve Center & 63rd Regional Support Command Headquarters, Moffett Field, CA ribbon cutting ceremonies and dedication of the United States Armed Forces Center is memorialized in honor of Sgt James Wilkowski.

The Birth of a Field and the Rebirth of the Laboratory School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Marc; Gerlach, Jeanne

2011-01-01

We describe the emergence of a new field, "Mind Brain and Education", dedicated to the science of learning, as well as the roles researchers, policy makers, and educators need to play in developing this collaborative effort. The article highlights the challenges that MBE faces and the strategy researchers and educators in Texas are…

34 Activities To Promote Careers in Special Education and Related Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education, Reston, VA.

This guide was developed to assist in the recruitment of new professionals to the field of special education and related services. The 34 suggested activities are based on the assumptions that planned, systematic recruitment at the local level is critical to attracting dedicated and talented individuals to the field; that career choices are often…

Identifying Research Topic Development in Business and Management Education Research Using Legitimation Code Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arbaugh, J. B.; Fornaciari, Charles J.; Hwang, Alvin

2016-01-01

Although the volume of business and management education (BME) research has expanded substantially, concerns remain about the field's legitimacy and its ability to attract new and dedicated scholars. An obstacle that may impede field development is lack of knowledge about influential works and authors to frame topical areas of inquiry and future…

EMC Aspects of Turbulence Heating ObserveR (THOR) Spacecraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soucek, J.; Ahlen, L.; Bale, S.; Bonnell, J.; Boudin, N.; Brienza, D.; Carr, C.; Cipriani, F.; Escoubet, C. P.; Fazakerley, A.; Gehler, M.; Genot, V.; Hilgers, A.; Hanock, B.; Jannet, G.; Junge, A.; Khotyaintsev, Y.; De Keyser, J.; Kucharek, H.; Lan, R.; Lavraud, B.; Leblanc, F.; Magnes, W.; Mansour, M.; Marcucci, M. F.; Nakamura, R.; Nemecek, Z.; Owen, C.; Phal, Y.; Retino, A.; Rodgers, D.; Safrankova, J.; Sahraoui, F.; Vainio, R.; Wimmer-Schweingruber, R.; Steinhagen, J.; Vaivads, A.; Wielders, A.; Zaslavsky, A.

2016-05-01

Turbulence Heating ObserveR (THOR) is a spacecraft mission dedicated to the study of plasma turbulence in near-Earth space. The mission is currently under study for implementation as a part of ESA Cosmic Vision program. THOR will involve a single spinning spacecraft equipped with state of the art instruments capable of sensitive measurements of electromagnetic fields and plasma particles. The sensitive electric and magnetic field measurements require that the spacecraft- generated emissions are restricted and strictly controlled; therefore a comprehensive EMC program has been put in place already during the study phase. The THOR study team and a dedicated EMC working group are formulating the mission EMC requirements already in the earliest phase of the project to avoid later delays and cost increases related to EMC. This article introduces the THOR mission and reviews the current state of its EMC requirements.

Recent GE BWR fuel experience and design evolution

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

Wood, J.E.; Potts, G.A.; Proebstle, R.A.

1992-01-01

Reliable fuel operation is essential to the safe, reliable, and economic power production by today's commercial nuclear reactors. GE Nuclear Energy is committed to maximize fuel reliability through the progressive development of improved fuel design features and dedication to provide the maximum quality of the design features and dedication to provide the maximum quality of the design, fabrication, and operation of GE BWR fuel. Over the last 35 years, GE has designed, fabricated, and placed in operation over 82,000 BWR fuel bundles containing over 5 million fuel rods. This experience includes successful commercial reactor operation of fuel assemblies to greatermore » than 45000 MWd/MTU bundle average exposure. This paper reports that this extensive experience base has enabled clear identification and characterization of the active failure mechanisms. With this failure mechanism characterization, mitigating actions have been developed and implemented by GE to provide the highest reliability BWR fuel bundles possible.« less

Modelling third harmonic ion cyclotron acceleration of deuterium beams for JET fusion product studies experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, M.; Johnson, T.; Dumont, R.; Eriksson, J.; Eriksson, L.-G.; Giacomelli, L.; Girardo, J.-B.; Hellsten, T.; Khilkevitch, E.; Kiptily, V. G.; Koskela, T.; Mantsinen, M.; Nocente, M.; Salewski, M.; Sharapov, S. E.; Shevelev, A. E.; Contributors, JET

2016-11-01

Recent JET experiments have been dedicated to the studies of fusion reactions between deuterium (D) and Helium-3 (3He) ions using neutral beam injection (NBI) in synergy with third harmonic ion cyclotron radio-frequency heating (ICRH) of the beam. This scenario generates a fast ion deuterium tail enhancing DD and D3He fusion reactions. Modelling and measuring the fast deuterium tail accurately is essential for quantifying the fusion products. This paper presents the modelling of the D distribution function resulting from the NBI+ICRF heating scheme, reinforced by a comparison with dedicated JET fast ion diagnostics, showing an overall good agreement. Finally, a sawtooth activity for these experiments has been observed and interpreted using SPOT/RFOF simulations in the framework of Porcelli’s theoretical model, where NBI+ICRH accelerated ions are found to have a strong stabilizing effect, leading to monster sawteeth.

Women in Science and Engineering Building Community Online

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleinman, Sharon S.

This article explores the constructs of online community and online social support and discusses a naturalistic case study of a public, unmoderated, online discussion group dedicated to issues of interest to women in science and engineering. The benefits of affiliation with OURNET (a pseudonym) were explored through participant observation over a 4-year period, telephone interviews with 21 subscribers, and content analysis of e-mail messages posted to the discussion group during a 125-day period. The case study findings indicated that through affiliation with the online discussion group, women in traditionally male-dominated fields expanded their professional networks, increased their knowledge, constituted and validated positive social identities, bolstered their self-confidence, obtained social support and information from people with a wide range of experiences and areas of expertise, and, most significantly, found community.

MMX-I: data-processing software for multimodal X-ray imaging and tomography

PubMed Central

Bergamaschi, Antoine; Medjoubi, Kadda; Messaoudi, Cédric; Marco, Sergio; Somogyi, Andrea

2016-01-01

A new multi-platform freeware has been developed for the processing and reconstruction of scanning multi-technique X-ray imaging and tomography datasets. The software platform aims to treat different scanning imaging techniques: X-ray fluorescence, phase, absorption and dark field and any of their combinations, thus providing an easy-to-use data processing tool for the X-ray imaging user community. A dedicated data input stream copes with the input and management of large datasets (several hundred GB) collected during a typical multi-technique fast scan at the Nanoscopium beamline and even on a standard PC. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first software tool that aims at treating all of the modalities of scanning multi-technique imaging and tomography experiments. PMID:27140159

The history of Italian parasitology.

PubMed

Roncalli Amici, R

2001-07-12

The history of Italian parasitology can be subdivided into two periods: pre-Redi and post-Redi. The first period includes the contributions to parasitology by savants who operated during the Roman, medieval and Renaissance eras; the second period started in 1668 when Francesco Redi published his experiments to debunk the theory of spontaneous generation; the work of Redi was subsequently continued by Vallisnieri, Spallanzani and others. The latter period includes classic contributions in the field of parasitology provided by veterinarians such as Ercolani, Perroncito, Piana and Rivolta, and by physicians such as Bassi, Grassi, Golgi, and Celli. Also, two outstanding pages of medical parasitology were written during this period--the unraveling and defeat of St. Gotthard's disease and the conquering of malaria on Italian soil--both accomplished through the generous efforts of dedicated individuals.

The Sociology of the Deceased Harvard Medical Unit at Boston City Hospital.

PubMed

Tishler, Peter V

2015-12-01

Many graduates of the Harvard Medical Unit (HMU) at Boston City Hospital, in either the clinical training/residency program or the research program at the Thorndike Memorial Laboratory, contributed in major ways to the HMU and constantly relived their HMU experiences. The HMU staff physicians, descending from founder and mentor physicians Francis W. Peabody, Soma Weiss, and George R. Minot, were dedicated to the teaching, development, and leadership of its clinical and research trainees, whose confidence and dedication to patient care as a result of their mentorship led many to lifelong achievements as clinicians, teachers, and mentors. Their experience also led to a lifelong love of the HMU (despite its loss), camaraderie, happiness, and intense friendships with their associates.

The Sociology of the Deceased Harvard Medical Unit at Boston City Hospital

PubMed Central

Tishler, Peter V.

2015-01-01

Many graduates of the Harvard Medical Unit (HMU) at Boston City Hospital, in either the clinical training/residency program or the research program at the Thorndike Memorial Laboratory, contributed in major ways to the HMU and constantly relived their HMU experiences. The HMU staff physicians, descending from founder and mentor physicians Francis W. Peabody, Soma Weiss, and George R. Minot, were dedicated to the teaching, development, and leadership of its clinical and research trainees, whose confidence and dedication to patient care as a result of their mentorship led many to lifelong achievements as clinicians, teachers, and mentors. Their experience also led to a lifelong love of the HMU (despite its loss), camaraderie, happiness, and intense friendships with their associates. PMID:26604868

Spacelab mission 4 - The first dedicated life sciences mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, T. W.; Reid, D. H.

1983-01-01

Plans for the first Spacelab-4 mission dedicated entirely to the life sciences, are reviewed. The thrust of the scientific mission scheduled for late 1985 will be to study the acute effects of weightlessness on living systems, particularly humans. The payload of the Spacelab compartment will contain 24 experiments of which approximately half will involve humans. Among the major areas of interest are cardiovascular and pulmonary function, vestibular function, renal and endocrine physiology, hematology, nitrogen balance, immunological function, the gravitational biology of plants, inflight fertilization of frogs' eggs and the effects of zero gravity on monkeys and rats. In selecting the array of experiments an effort was made to combine investigations with complementary scientific objectives to develop animal models of human biological problems.

PREFACE: Proceedings of the International Conference on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Melbourne, 25-29 February 2008) Proceedings of the International Conference on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (Melbourne, 25-29 February 2008)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ford, Mike; Russo, Salvy; Gale, Julian

2009-04-01

image The International Conference on Nanoscience and Nanotechnology is held bi-annually in Australia, supported by the Australian Research Council and Australian Nanotechnology Network. The purpose of the conference is to provide a forum for discussion about all aspects of nanoscience and nanotechnology, to enable young Australian researchers a chance to meet and engage with leading global scientists in the field, and to set up the exchange mechanisms and collaborations that will enable the field to continue to develop and flourish. The second conference in this series co-chaired by Professor Paul Mulvaney and Professor Abid Khan attracted over eight hundred participants from across academia, industry, government and schools, with 8 plenary talks, 32 invited talks and more than 420 oral and poster papers spread across 6 parallel symposia. These symposia presented the status of international research from nanoelectronics to nanobiotechnology, a stream dedicated to commercialization issues and showcasing Australian success stories, and a final symposium discussing regulatory, environmental and health issues, and the next stage of the nanotechnology roadmap. The development of efficient algorithms and availability of computing power has seen calculation play a crucial role in the progress of nanoscience and nanotechnology, providing a window onto processes occurring at the molecular level that are not easily accessed by experiment alone. Consequently, a symposium was dedicated to nanocomputation, containing contributions ranging from first principles atomistic simulations of nanostructures to classical models of nanotube motion. The papers in this special issue are contributions to this symposium co-chaired by Salvy Russo, Julian Gale and Mike Ford.

EDITORIAL: The interaction of radio-frequency fields with fusion plasmas: the JET experience The interaction of radio-frequency fields with fusion plasmas: the JET experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ongena, Jef

2012-07-01

The JET Task Force Heating is proud to present this special issue. It is the result of hard and dedicated work by everybody participating in the Task Force over the last four years and gives an overview of the experimental and theoretical results obtained in the period 2008-2010 with radio frequency heating of JET fusion plasmas. Topics studied and reported in this issue are: investigations into the operation of lower hybrid heating accompanied by new modeling results; new experimental results and insights into the physics of various ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) heating scenarios; progress in studies of intrinsic and ion cyclotron wave-induced plasma rotation and flows; a summary of the developments over the last years in designing an ion cyclotron radiofrequency heating (ICRH) system that can cope with the presence of fast load variations in the edge, as e.g. caused by pellets or edge localized modes (ELMs) during H-Mode operation; an overview of the results obtained with the ITER-like antenna operating in H-Mode with a packed array of straps and power densities close to those of the projected ITER ICRH antenna; and, finally, a summary of the results obtained in applying ion cyclotron waves for wall conditioning of the tokamak. This issue would not have been possible without the strong motivation and efforts (sometimes truly heroic) of all colleagues of the JET Task Force Heating. A sincere word of thanks, therefore, to all authors and co-authors involved in the experiments, analysis and compilation of the papers. It was a special privilege to work with all of them during the past very intense years. Thanks also to all other European and non-European scientists who contributed to the JET scientific programme, the operations team of JET and the colleagues of the Close Support Unit in Culham. Thanks also to the editors, Editorial Board and referees of Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion, together with the publishing staff of IOPP, who have not only supported but also contributed very substantially to this initiative. Without their dedication this issue would not have been possible in its present form. A special word of thanks to Marie-Line Mayoral and Joelle Mailloux for their precious help and very active support in running the JET Task Force Heating over the last years. Without Joelle and Marie-Line itwould have been a much more daunting task to prepare JET operations, monitor progress during the experiments and edit the papers that are compiled here.

Paper 58714 - Exploring activated faults hydromechanical processes from semi-controled field injection experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guglielmi, Y.; Cappa, F.; Nussbaum, C.

2015-12-01

The appreciation of the sensitivity of fractures and fault zones to fluid-induced-deformations in the subsurface is a key question in predicting the reservoir/caprock system integrity around fluid manipulations with applications to reservoir leakage and induced seismicity. It is also a question of interest in understanding earthquakes source, and recently the hydraulic behavior of clay faults under a potential reactivation around nuclear underground depository sites. Fault and fractures dynamics studies face two key problems (1) the up-scaling of laboratory determined properties and constitutive laws to the reservoir scale which is not straightforward when considering faults and fractures heterogeneities, (2) the difficulties to control both the induced seismicity and the stimulated zone geometry when a fault is reactivated. Using instruments dedicated to measuring coupled pore pressures and deformations downhole, we conducted field academic experiments to characterize fractures and fault zones hydromechanical properties as a function of their multi-scale architecture, and to monitor their dynamic behavior during the earthquake nucleation process. We show experiments on reservoir or cover rocks analogues in underground research laboratories where experimental conditions can be optimized. Key result of these experiments is to highlight how important the aseismic fault activation is compared to the induced seismicity. We show that about 80% of the fault kinematic moment is aseismic and discuss the complex associated fault friction coefficient variations. We identify that the slip stability and the slip velocity are mainly controlled by the rate of the permeability/porosity increase, and discuss the conditions for slip nucleation leading to seismic instability.

Study of electron transport across the magnetic filter of NIO1 negative ion source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veltri, P.; Sartori, E.; Cavenago, M.; Serianni, G.; Barbisan, M.; Zaniol, B.

2017-08-01

In the framework of the accompanying activities in support to the ITER NBI test facility, a relatively compact radiofrequency (RF) ion source, named NIO1 (Negative Ion Optimization, phase 1) was developed in Padua, Italy, in collaboration between Consorzio RFX and INFN. Negative hydrogen ions are formed in a cold, inductively coupled plasma with a 2MHz, 2.5 kW external antenna. A low electron energy is necessary to increase the survival probability of negative ions in the proximity of the extraction area. This goal is accomplished by means of a transversal magnetic field, confining the high energy electrons better than the colder electrons. In NIO1, this filter field can cover different topologies, exploiting different set of magnets and high current paths. In this contribution we study the property of the plasma in the vicinity of the extraction region for two different B field configurations. For this experiment the source was operated in pure volume conditions, in hydrogen and oxygen plasmas. The experimental data, measured by spectroscopic means, is interpreted also with the support of finite element analyses simulations of the magnetic field and a dedicated particle in cell (PIC) numerical model for the electron transport across it, including Coulomb and gas collisions.

How can laboratory plasma experiments contribute to space and &astrophysics?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamada, M.

Plasma physics plays key role in a wide range of phenomena in the universe, from laboratory plasmas to the magnetosphere, the solar corona, and to the tenuous interstellar and intergalactic gas. Despite the huge difference in physical scales, there are striking similarities in plasma behavior of laboratory and space plasmas. Similar plasma physics problems have been investigated independently by both laboratory plasma physicists and astrophysicists. Since 1991, cross fertilization has been increased among laboratory plasma physicists and space physicists through meeting such as IPELS [Interrelationship between Plasma Experiments in the Laboratory and Space] meeting. The advances in laboratory plasma physics, along with the recent surge of astronomical data from satellites, make this moment ripe for research collaboration to further advance plasma physics and to obtain new understanding of key space and astrophysical phenomena. The recent NRC review of astronomy and astrophysics notes the benefit that can accrue from stronger connection to plasma physics. The present talk discusses how laboratory plasma studies can contribute to the fundamental understandings of the space and astrophysical phenomena by covering common key physics topics such as magnetic reconnection, dynamos, angular momentum transport, ion heating, and magnetic self-organization. In particular, it has recently been recognized that "physics -issue- dedicated" laboratory experiments can contribute significantly to the understanding of the fundamental physics for space-astrophysical phenomena since they can create fundamental physics processes in controlled manner and provide well-correlated plasma parameters at multiple plasma locations simultaneously. Such dedicated experiments not only can bring about better understanding of the fundamental physics processes but also can lead to findings of new physics principles as well as new ideas for fusion plasma confinement. Several dedicated experiments have provided the fundamental physics data for magnetic reconnection [1]. Linear plasma devices have been utilized to investigate Whistler waves and Alfven wave phenomena [2,3]. A rotating gallium disk experiment has been initiated to study magneto-rotational instability [4]. This talk also presents the most recent progress of these dedicated laboratory plasma research. 1. M. Yamada et al., Phys. Plasmas 4, 1936, (1997) 2. R. Stenzel, Phys. Rev. Lett. 65, 3001 (1991) 3. W. Gekelman et al, Plasma Phys. Contr. Fusion, v42, B15-B26, Suppl.12B (2000) 4. H. Ji, J. Goodman, A. Kageyama Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 325, L1- (2001)

Three-wave and four-wave interactions in gravity wave turbulence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aubourg, Quentin; Campagne, Antoine; Peureux, Charles; Ardhuin, Fabrice; Sommeria, Joel; Viboud, Samuel; Mordant, Nicolas

2017-11-01

Weak-turbulence theory is a statistical framework to describe a large ensemble of nonlinearly interacting waves. The archetypal example of such system is the ocean surface that is made of interacting surface gravity waves. Here we describe a laboratory experiment dedicated to probe the statistical properties of turbulent gravity waves. We set up an isotropic state of interacting gravity waves in the Coriolis facility (13-m-diam circular wave tank) by exciting waves at 1 Hz by wedge wave makers. We implement a stereoscopic technique to obtain a measurement of the surface elevation that is resolved in both space and time. Fourier analysis shows that the laboratory spectra are systematically steeper than the theoretical predictions and the field observations in the Black Sea by Leckler et al. [F. Leckler et al., J. Phys. Oceanogr. 45, 2484 (2015), 10.1175/JPO-D-14-0237.1]. We identify a strong impact of surface dissipation on the scaling of the Fourier spectrum at the scales that are accessible in the experiments. We use bicoherence and tricoherence statistical tools in frequency and/or wave-vector space to identify the active nonlinear coupling. These analyses are also performed on the field data by Leckler et al. for comparison with the laboratory data. Three-wave coupling is characterized by and shown to involve mostly quasiresonances of waves with second- or higher-order harmonics. Four-wave coupling is not observed in the laboratory but is evidenced in the field data. We discuss temporal scale separation to explain our observations.

Undergraduates as Environmental Educators: The Pedal and Paddle Pollution Tour Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cronje, Ruth Johnson; Neff, Paula Kleintjes; Mowry, Donald; Running, Garry L.

2016-01-01

Undergraduates can become effective agents of environmental outreach when challenged to produce evidence-based messages to inform the public about local environmental issues. We recount our experience partnering our undergraduate students with community organizations dedicated to water stewardship to create a "Pedal and Paddle Pollution…

An algorithm for deriving core magnetic field models from the Swarm data set

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rother, Martin; Lesur, Vincent; Schachtschneider, Reyko

2013-11-01

In view of an optimal exploitation of the Swarm data set, we have prepared and tested software dedicated to the determination of accurate core magnetic field models and of the Euler angles between the magnetic sensors and the satellite reference frame. The dedicated core field model estimation is derived directly from the GFZ Reference Internal Magnetic Model (GRIMM) inversion and modeling family. The data selection techniques and the model parameterizations are similar to what were used for the derivation of the second (Lesur et al., 2010) and third versions of GRIMM, although the usage of observatory data is not planned in the framework of the application to Swarm. The regularization technique applied during the inversion process smoothes the magnetic field model in time. The algorithm to estimate the Euler angles is also derived from the CHAMP studies. The inversion scheme includes Euler angle determination with a quaternion representation for describing the rotations. It has been built to handle possible weak time variations of these angles. The modeling approach and software have been initially validated on a simple, noise-free, synthetic data set and on CHAMP vector magnetic field measurements. We present results of test runs applied to the synthetic Swarm test data set.

ADX: A high Power Density, Advanced RF-Driven Divertor Test Tokamak for PMI studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whyte, Dennis; ADX Team

2015-11-01

The MIT PSFC and collaborators are proposing an advanced divertor experiment, ADX; a divertor test tokamak dedicated to address critical gaps in plasma-material interactions (PMI) science, and the world fusion research program, on the pathway to FNSF/DEMO. Basic ADX design features are motivated and discussed. In order to assess the widest range of advanced divertor concepts, a large fraction (>50%) of the toroidal field volume is purpose-built with innovative magnetic topology control and flexibility for assessing different surfaces, including liquids. ADX features high B-field (>6 Tesla) and high global power density (P/S ~ 1.5 MW/m2) in order to access the full range of parallel heat flux and divertor plasma pressures foreseen for reactors, while simultaneously assessing the effect of highly dissipative divertors on core plasma/pedestal. Various options for efficiently achieving high field are being assessed including the use of Alcator technology (cryogenic cooled copper) and high-temperature superconductors. The experimental platform would also explore advanced lower hybrid current drive and ion-cyclotron range of frequency actuators located at the high-field side; a location which is predicted to greatly reduce the PMI effects on the launcher while minimally perturbing the core plasma. The synergistic effects of high-field launchers with high total B on current and flow drive can thus be studied in reactor-relevant boundary plasmas.

RF Sheath-Enhanced Plasma Surface Interaction Studies using Beryllium Optical Emission Spectroscopy in JET ITER-Like Wall

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

Agarici, G.; Klepper, C Christopher; Colas, L.

A dedicated study on JET-ILW, deploying two types of ICRH antennas and spectroscopic observation spots at two outboard, beryllium limiters, has provided insight on long-range (up to 6m) RFenhanced plasma-surface interactions (RF-PSI) due to near-antenna electric fields. To aid in the interpretation of optical emission measurements of these effects, the antenna near-fields are computed using the TOPICA code, specifically run for the ITER-like antenna (ILA); similar modelling already existed for the standard JET antennas (A2). In the experiment, both antennas were operated in current drive mode, as RF-PSI tends to be higher in this phasing and at similar power (∼0.5more » MW). When sweeping the edge magnetic field pitch angle, peaked RF-PSI effects, in the form of 2-4 fold increase in the local Be source,are consistently measured with the observation spots magnetically connect to regions of TOPICAL-calculated high near-fields, particularly at the near-antenna limiters. It is also found that similar RF-PSI effects are produced by the two types of antenna on similarly distant limiters. Although this mapping of calculated near-fields to enhanced RF-PSI gives only qualitative interpretion of the data, the present dataset is expected to provide a sound experimental basis for emerging RF sheath simulation model validation.« less

ARC-2008-ACD08-0265-209

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-11-02

Airship Ventures Zeppelin Dedication during the Moffett Field Diamond Jubilee. The Thruxar electric race car at the Nov. 21 Diamond Jubilee exhibits. KleenSpeed is an advanced R&D firm focusing on scalable electric propulsion systems for transportation

The science enabled by the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, N. F.; Babusiaux, C.

2017-12-01

With its unique wide-field, multi-object, and dedicated spectroscopic capabilities, the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer (MSE) is a powerful facility to shed light on the faint Universe. Built around an upgrade of the Canada-France Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) to a 11.25-meter telescope with a dedicated ˜1.5 deg^2, 4,000-fiber wide-field spectrograph that covers the optical and near-infrared wavelengths at resolutions between 2,500 and 40,000, the MSE is the essential follow-up complement to the current and next generations of multi-wavelength imaging surveys, such as the LSST, Gaia, Euclid, eROSITA, SKA, and WFIRST, and is an ideal feeder facility for the extremely large telescopes that are currently being built (E-ELT, GMT, and TMT). The science enabled by the MSE is vast and would have an impact on almost all aspects of astronomy research.

The Senior Living Lab: an example of nursing leadership

PubMed Central

Riva-Mossman, Susie; Kampel, Thomas; Cohen, Christine; Verloo, Henk

2016-01-01

The Senior Living Lab (SLL) is dedicated to the care of older adults and exemplifies how nursing leadership can influence clinical practice by designing research models capable of configuring interdisciplinary partnerships with the potential of generating innovative practices and better older patient outcomes. Demographic change resulting in growing numbers of older adults requires a societal approach, uniting stakeholders in social innovation processes. The LL approach is an innovative research method that values user perceptions and participation in the cocreation of new products and services. The SLL is crafting a platform responsive to change. It is a learning organization facilitating community-based participatory research methods in the field. Advanced nurse practitioners are well positioned to lead the way forward, fostering interdisciplinary academic collaborations dedicated to healthy aging at home. The SLL demonstrates how nursing science is taking the lead in the field of social innovation. PMID:27013869

The Senior Living Lab: an example of nursing leadership.

PubMed

Riva-Mossman, Susie; Kampel, Thomas; Cohen, Christine; Verloo, Henk

2016-01-01

The Senior Living Lab (SLL) is dedicated to the care of older adults and exemplifies how nursing leadership can influence clinical practice by designing research models capable of configuring interdisciplinary partnerships with the potential of generating innovative practices and better older patient outcomes. Demographic change resulting in growing numbers of older adults requires a societal approach, uniting stakeholders in social innovation processes. The LL approach is an innovative research method that values user perceptions and participation in the cocreation of new products and services. The SLL is crafting a platform responsive to change. It is a learning organization facilitating community-based participatory research methods in the field. Advanced nurse practitioners are well positioned to lead the way forward, fostering interdisciplinary academic collaborations dedicated to healthy aging at home. The SLL demonstrates how nursing science is taking the lead in the field of social innovation.

Magnetic Shielding of an Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator for TES Microcalorimeter Operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hishi, U.; Fujimoto, R.; Kunihisa, T.; Takakura, S.; Mitsude, T.; Kamiya, K.; Kotake, M.; Hoshino, A.; Shinozaki, K.

2014-09-01

We are developing a compact adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) dedicated for TES X-ray microcalorimeter operation. Ferric ammonium alum (FAA) was grown in a stainless-steel container in our laboratory. This salt pill was mounted together with a superconducting magnet and a conventional mechanical heat-switch in a dedicated helium cryostat. Using this system, we achieved mK and a hold time of h below 100 mK. Initially, we used a 3 mm thick silicon steel shield around the ADR magnet and a Nb/Cryoperm double shield around the detector. However, this silicon steel shield allowed a mT field at the detector position when a full field (3 T) was applied, and caused the Nb shield around the detector to trap a magnetic field. The observed transition curve of a TES was broad ( mK) compared to mK obtained in a dilution refrigerator. By increasing the shield thickness to 12 mm, transition width was improved to mK, which suggests that the shields work as expected. When we operated a TES microcalorimeter, energy resolution was eV (FWHM) at 5.9 keV.

Testing of electrical equipment for a commercial grade dedication program

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

Brown, J.L.; Srinivas, N.

1995-10-01

The availability of qualified safety related replacement parts for use in nuclear power plants has decreased over time. This has caused many nuclear power plants to purchase commercial grade items (CGI) and utilize the commercial grade dedication process to qualify the items for use in nuclear safety related applications. The laboratories of Technical and Engineering Services (the testing facility of Detroit Edison) have been providing testing services for verification of critical characteristics of these items. This paper presents an overview of the experience in testing electrical equipment with an emphasis on fuses.

Is Einsteinian no-signalling violated in Bell tests?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kupczynski, Marian

2017-11-01

Relativistic invariance is a physical law verified in several domains of physics. The impossibility of faster than light influences is not questioned by quantum theory. In quantum electrodynamics, in quantum field theory and in the standard model relativistic invariance is incorporated by construction. Quantum mechanics predicts strong long range correlations between outcomes of spin projection measurements performed in distant laboratories. In spite of these strong correlations marginal probability distributions should not depend on what was measured in the other laboratory what is called shortly: non-signalling. In several experiments, performed to test various Bell-type inequalities, some unexplained dependence of empirical marginal probability distributions on distant settings was observed. In this paper we demonstrate how a particular identification and selection procedure of paired distant outcomes is the most probable cause for this apparent violation of no-signalling principle. Thus this unexpected setting dependence does not prove the existence of superluminal influences and Einsteinian no-signalling principle has to be tested differently in dedicated experiments. We propose a detailed protocol telling how such experiments should be designed in order to be conclusive. We also explain how magical quantum correlations may be explained in a locally causal way.

[The role adaptation process of the executive director of nursing department].

PubMed

Kang, Sung-Ye; Park, Kwang-Ok; Kim, Jong-Kyung

2010-12-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the role adaptation process experienced by executive directors of nursing department of general hospitals. Data were collected from 9 executive nursing directors though in-depth interviews about their experiences. The main question was "How do you describe your experience of the process of role adaptation as an executive nursing director?" Qualitative data from field and transcribed notes were analyzed using Strauss & Corbin's grounded theory methodology. The core category of experience of the process of role adaptation as an executive nursing director was identified as "entering the center with pushing and pulling". The participants used five interactional strategies;'maintaining modest attitudes','inquiring about trends of popular feeling','making each person a faithful follower','collecting & displaying power','leading with initiative'. The consequences of role adaptation in executive nursing directors were'coexisting with others','immersing in one's new role with dedication', and'having capacity for high tolerance'. The types of role adaptations of executive directors in nursing department were friendly type, propulsive type, accommodating type. The results of this study produced useful information for executive nursing directors on designing a self-managerial program to enhance role adaptation based on interactional strategies.

The MICROSCOPE experiment, ready for the in-orbit test of the equivalence principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Touboul, P.; Métris, G.; Lebat, V.; Robert, A.

2012-09-01

Deviations from standard general relativity are being intensively tested in various aspects. The MICROSCOPE space mission, which has recently been approved to be launched in 2016, aims at testing the universality of free fall with an accuracy better than 10-15. The instrument has been developed and most of the sub-systems have been tested to the level required for the detection of accelerations lower than one tenth of a femto-g. Two concentric test masses are electrostatically levitated inside the same silica structure and controlled on the same trajectory at better than 0.1 Å. Any dissymmetry in the measured electrostatic pressures shall be analysed with respect to the Earth's gravity field. The nearly 300 kg heavy dedicated satellite is defined to provide a very steady environment to the experiment and a fine control of its attitude and of its drag-free motion along the orbit. Both the evaluations of the performance of the instrument and the satellite demonstrate the expected test accuracy. The detailed description of the experiment and the major driving parameters of the instrument, the satellite and the data processing are provided in this paper.

Employee unethical behavior to shame as an indicator of self-image threat and exemplification as a form of self-image protection: The exacerbating role of supervisor bottom-line mentality.

PubMed

Bonner, Julena M; Greenbaum, Rebecca L; Quade, Matthew J

2017-08-01

Employee unethical behavior continues to be an area of interest as real-world business scandals persist. We investigate what happens after people engage in unethical behavior. Drawing from emotion theories (e.g., Tangney & Dearing, 2002) and the self-presentation literature (e.g., Leary & Miller, 2000), we first argue that people are socialized to experience shame after moral violations (Hypothesis 1). People then manage their shame and try to protect their self-images by engaging in exemplification behaviors (i.e., self-sacrificial behaviors that give the attribution of being a dedicated person; Hypothesis 2). We also examine the moderating role of supervisor bottom-line mentality (BLM; i.e., a supervisor's singular focus on pursuing bottom-line outcomes) in relation to our theoretical model. We argue that high supervisor BLM intensifies the employee unethical behavior to shame relationship (Hypothesis 3) and results in heightened exemplification as a way to protect one's self-image by portraying the self as a dedicated person who is worthy of association (Hypothesis 4). We test our theoretical model across 2 experimental studies and 2 field studies. Although our results provide general support for Hypotheses 1, 2, and 3, our results produced mixed findings for Hypothesis 4. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Implementation of a commercial-grade dedication program - Benefits and lessons learned

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

Harrington, M.; MacFarlane, I.

1991-01-01

The recent issuance of industry guidelines, the Nuclear Management and Resources Council procurement initiative, and a US Nuclear Regulatory Commission NRC generic letter on commercial-grade item dedication (CGD) has been viewed by many utility managers and executives as only adding to the existing burden of compliance with regulatory requirements. While the incorporation of these documents into existing CGD programs has created additional costs, the resulting enhanced dedication programs have also produced benefits beyond regulatory compliance, and some lessons have been learned. This paper discusses the benefits and the lessons learned during implementation of an enhanced CGD program at New Hampshiremore » Yankee's (NHY's) Seabrook nuclear plant. Based on NHY's experience, it is believed that the benefits described in this paper can be realized by other utilities implementing CGD programs.« less

Doing it right the first time: quality improvement and the contaminant blood culture.

PubMed

Weinbaum, F I; Lavie, S; Danek, M; Sixsmith, D; Heinrich, G F; Mills, S S

1997-03-01

The aim of the project was to determine whether the rate of contaminant blood cultures could be reduced by using a team of dedicated phlebotomists. Comparisons were made between adult patients requiring blood cultures for suspected bacteremia on medical and surgical units before and after the introduction and withdrawal of a dedicated blood culture team. The results showed that a significant reduction in the contaminant blood culture rate was achieved by the blood culture team (P < 0.001; chi(2) test). Therefore, in our experience, the rate of contaminant blood cultures can be reduced in a teaching hospital by using a team of dedicated phlebotomists. Calculations made with our data and those published by others suggest that cost savings from reducing false-positive blood cultures are greater than the cost of the blood culture team.

Atmospheric Research 2011 Technical Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2012-01-01

The 2011 Technical Highlights describes the efforts of all members of Atmospheric Research. Their dedication to advancing Earth Science through conducting research, developing and running models, designing instruments, managing projects, running field campaigns, and numerous other activities, is highlighted in this report.

Coast Guard Surface Vessel Radar Detection Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-04-01

conjunction with two vis-, ual detection experiments in 1980 and 1981 and a dedicated electronic detection experiment in 1981 conducted by the U.S.C.G. R&D...Center. These are partof 4 series of experiments designed to improve search planning guidance contained in the National Search and Rescue Manual. Eighty...BACKGROUND .................... 1-. 1.1 SCOPE . . 1.2 AN/SPS-64(V) AND AN/SPS-66 SYSTEM DESCRIPTIONS . . . . . . 1-1 1.3 DESCRIPTION OF THE EXPERIMENTS

The LArIAT Experiment

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

Nutini, Irene

2017-09-20

A short overview of the Liquid Argon In A Testbeam (LArIAT) experiment hosted at Fermilab is reported. This program supports the Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) Neutrino Experiments at Fermilab. The LArIAT program consists of a calibration of a LArTPC in a dedicated charged particle beamline. The first total pion interaction cross section measurement ever made on argon is presented here (preliminary result).

STS-28 Columbia, OV-102, Commander Shaw aboard T-38A at Ellington Field

NASA Image and Video Library

1989-08-05

STS-28 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, Commander Brewster H. Shaw, wearing navy blue flight coveralls and helmet, sits in T-38A forward cockpit. Shaw, along with his fellow crewmembers, is preparing for departure from Ellington Field to Kennedy Space Center (KSC). STS-28, a Department of Defense (DOD) dedicated mission, is scheduled for launch on 08-08-89.

STS-28 Columbia, OV-102, Commander Shaw aboard T-38A at Ellington Field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

STS-28 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, Commander Brewster H. Shaw, wearing navy blue flight coveralls and helmet, sits in T-38A forward cockpit. Shaw, along with his fellow crewmembers, is preparing for departure from Ellington Field to Kennedy Space Center (KSC). STS-28, a Department of Defense (DOD) dedicated mission, is scheduled for launch on 08-08-89.

Autism and Early Years Practice: A Guide for Early Years Professionals, Teachers and Parents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wall, Kate

2004-01-01

In this book the author discusses the field of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) as one in which practitioners are highly committed, dedicated and willing to learn. Generally, they try to do their very best for the children with whom they work. However, the author also shows that the field has hitherto been neglected in the areas of…

The Nazi Seizure of the "International Education Review": A Dark Episode in the Early Professional Development of Comparative Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Epstein, Erwin H.

2018-01-01

It was not until the 1930s that comparative education, with the initiation of dedicated courses and programmes at universities in various countries, that the field became internationally recognised in its own right. And, it was not until the 1930s that the first internationally recognised journal in the field, the "International Education…

HyMeX-SOP1, the field campaign dedicated to heavy precipitation and flash-flooding in Northwestern Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ducrocq, Véronique

2013-04-01

The Mediterranean region is frequently affected by heavy precipitation events associated with flash-floods, landslides and mudslides each year that cost several billions of dollars in damage and causing too often casualties. Within the framework of the 10-year international HyMeX program dedicated to the hydrological cycle and related processes in the Mediterranean (http://www.hymex.org), a major field campaign has been dedicated to heavy precipitation and flash-floods from September to November 2012. The 2-month field campaign took place over the Northwestern Mediterranean Sea and its surrounding coastal regions in France, Italy and Spain. The observation strategy aimed at documenting four key components leading to heavy precipitation and flash-flooding in that region: (i) the marine atmospheric flow that transport moist and conditionaly unstable air towards the coasts; (ii) the Mediterranean Sea as a moisture and energy source; (iii) the dynamics and microphysics of the convective systems; (iv) the hydrological processes during flash-floods. During the field campaign about twenty precipitation events were monitored, including mesoscale convective systems, Mediterranean cyclogenesis, shallow-convection orographic precipitation. Three aircraft performed about 250 flight hours for a survey of the upstream flow, the air-sea fluxes and the convective systems. About 700 additional radiosoundings were launched either from HyMeX sites or from operational RS sites in Europe, as well as about 20 boundary layer balloons were launched to monitor the low-level flow over the Mediterranean Sea and the ambient atmospheric conditions. Gliders, Argo floats, drifting buoys and ocean soundings from vessels monitored the Mediterranean Sea during the field campaign. Atmospheric and hydrological instruments such as radars, LIDARS, radiometers, wind profilers, lightning sensors, were deployed over 5 regions in France, Italy and Spain. The presentation will present the general observation strategy and instrumentation deployed during the campaign, as well as the weather forecast component of the field operations coordination. An overview of the Intensive Observation Periods (IOP) will be then presented, together with first highlights on some observations and events.

Experience of 16 years and its associated challenges in the Field Epidemiology Training Program in Korea.

PubMed

Lee, Moo-Sik; Kim, Eun-Young; Lee, Sang-Won

2017-01-01

The field epidemiologist system of South Korea, which employs public health doctors who are relatively more readily available, was created in 1999 to ensure a ready supply of experts for epidemiological investigations and enable an effective response for new and reemerging infectious diseases. However, the 2015 outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome revealed limitations in the existing systems of management of field epidemiologists and communicable diseases. The present study aims to evaluate data on current states, administrative reports, and other literature on the field epidemiologist system that has been in place in South Korea for 16 years since 1999 and to suggest appropriate future improvements in this system. By suggesting methods to evaluate the field epidemiologist system and training programs and by suggesting ways for the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct evaluations on its own, the present study provides supporting evidence for improvement of systems for training of experts in epidemiological investigations. Moreover, based on the findings, this study also suggests methods to systematically train experts in communicable diseases management and a sustainable system to establish the basis of and develop strategies for a systematic and phased management of field epidemiologist training programs. The present study suggests the possibility of establishing dedicated training facilities, revising the guidelines on training and improvement of the competency of public health experts, while not limiting the scope of application to communicable diseases.

VLITE-Fast: A Real-time, 350 MHz Commensal VLA Survey for Fast Transients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerr, Matthew; Ray, Paul S.; Kassim, Namir E.; Clarke, Tracy; Deneva, Julia; Polisensky, Emil

2018-01-01

The VLITE (VLA Low Band Ionosphere and Transient Experiment; http://vlite.nrao.edu) program operates commensally during all Very Large Array observations, collecting data from 320 to 384 MHz. Recently expanded to include 16 antennas, the large field of view and huge time on sky offer good coverage of the transient, low-frequency sky. We describe the VLITE-Fast system, a GPU-based signal processor capable of detecting short (<1s) transients in real time and triggering recording of baseband voltage for offline imaging. In the case of Fast Radio Bursts, this offers the opportunity for discovering host galaxies of non-repeating FRBs, and in the case of single pulses, the identification of pulsar positions for dedicated follow-up. We describe the observing system, techniques for mitigating interference, and initial results from searches for FRBs.

February 2017 - NIF Highlights

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

Fournier, K. B.

2017-03-13

February was a very productive month with only 20 shot days on the calendar. There were 41 target shots performed for the HED, ICF, and the Discovery Science (DS) program. The DS program had a week dedicated to their experiments that was extraordinarily fruitful: 14 target shots were performed for five independent teams, each of whom had a unique experimental platform to field. The teams and the facility worked extraordinarily well to pull off this feat! Additionally, the facility developed high-energy laser operations on a demonstration quad to investigate taking NIF to a new level of performance, and the ICFmore » program demonstrated a 40% increase in the yield from a capsule that had a new, 5-μm-diameter fill tube that apparently mitigates some of the issues that have affected implosions to date. Details follow below.« less

Leading a change process to improve health service delivery.

PubMed Central

Bahamon, Claire; Dwyer, Joseph; Buxbaum, Ann

2006-01-01

In the fields of health and development, donors channel multiple resources into the design of new practices and technologies, as well as small-scale programmes to test them. But successful practices are rarely scaled up to the level where they beneficially impact large, impoverished populations. An effective process for change is to use the experiences of new practices gained at the programme level for full-scale implementation. To make an impact, new practices need to be applied, and supported by management systems, at many organizational levels. At every level, potential implementers and likely beneficiaries must first recognize some characteristics that would benefit them in the new practices. An effective change process, led by a dedicated internal change agent, comprises several well-defined phases that successively broaden and institutionalize the use of new practices. PMID:16917654

Bullying in Context: Stories of Bullying on an Internet Discussion Board

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osvaldsson, Karin

2011-01-01

The paper examines how young people describe experiences of bullying when participating in an Internet community dedicated to young people experiencing mental health problems. The micro-analytic focus demonstrates how young people construct their identities in relation to their telling about their experiences of being victims of bullying,…

Using Photocatalytic Oxidation and Analytic Techniques to Remediate Lab Wastewater Containing Methanol

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xiong, Qing; Luo, Mingliang; Bao, Xiaoming; Deng, Yurong; Qin, Song; Pu, Xuemei

2018-01-01

This experiment is dedicated to second-year and above undergraduates who are in their experimental session of the analytical chemistry course. Grouped students are required to use a TiO[subscript 2] photocatalytic oxidation process to treat the methanol-containing wastewater that resulted from their previous HPLC experiments. Students learn to…

Rotational Dynamics with Tracker

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eadkhong, T.; Rajsadorn, R.; Jannual, P.; Danworaphong, S.

2012-01-01

We propose the use of Tracker, freeware for video analysis, to analyse the moment of inertia ("I") of a cylindrical plate. Three experiments are performed to validate the proposed method. The first experiment is dedicated to find the linear coefficient of rotational friction ("b") for our system. By omitting the effect of such friction, we derive…

Life Science Research In Space: The Spacelab Era

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrell, R. M.; Cramer, D. B.; Reid, D. H.

1982-02-01

This manuscript summarizes the events leading to the first Spacelab mission dedicated exclusively to life sciences experimentation. This mission is currently planned for a Space Shuttle flight in the 1984-1985 time frame. Following publication of a NASA Announce ment of Opportunity in 1978, approximately 400 proposals were received from researchers in universities, government laboratories, and industrial firms both in the U. S. and abroad. In 1979, 87 candidate experiments were selected for definition studies to identify the detailed resources which would need to be accommodated by the Spacelab. These proposals addressed problems encountered in man's previous space flight experience, such as space motion sickness, cardiovascular deconditioning, muscle wasting, calcium loss and a reduction in red cell mass. Additionally, experiments were selected in areas of bioengineering, behavior and performance, Plant physiology, and cell biology. Animal species (rodents and small primates) to be investigated will be housed in a specially-developed animal holding facility which will provide all life support requirements for the animals. Human subjects will consist of a Mission Specialist Astronaut and up to four Payload Specialists. Plant species will be housed in Plant Growth Units. A general purpose work station and biological containment facility will provide the working area for much of the in-space experimentation. A comprehensive array of flight qualified laboratory equipment will be made available by NASA to Principal Investigators for in-flight use by the Payload Specialists. This equipment includes microscopes, biotelemetry systems, cameras, centrifuges, refrigerators, and similar equipment. All of this equipment has been designed for use in weightlessness. The process to develop a primary payload of about 20 experiments is now underway for Spacelab mission number four, the first dedicated life sciences flight. Under the overall guidance of NASA Headquarters, responsibility for carrying out this program rests with NASA and contractor scientists, physicians, engineers hind technicians at the Johnson Space Center, Ames Research Center, and the Kennedy Space Center. Spacelab-4 will be the first of a series of dedicated life sciences missions; future dedicated missions are planned at 18-month intervals.

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

Cibinetto, G.

Inner Trackers (IT) are key detectors in Particle Physics experiments; excellent spatial resolution, radiation transparency and hardness, and operability under high occupancies are main requirements. We aim to design, build and commission by 2017 a Cylindrical GEM (CGEM) detector candidate to be the new IT of the BESIII spectrometer, hosted on BEPC2 in IHEP, Beijing; BESIII data taking will last until at least 2020. The IT itself will represent an evolution w.r.t. the state of the art of GEM detectors, since the use of new kind of mechanical supports for the GEM foils will reduce the total radiation length ofmore » the detector and improve its tracking performance; an innovative design of the CGEM anode will allow for smaller capacitance and hence for bigger signals. The relatively strong BESIII magnetic field requires a new analogue readout; full custom front-end electronics, including a dedicated ASIC, will be designed and produced for optimal data collection. Prototype Beam Test results showing the measurement of the spatial resolution in a 1 Tesla magnetic field will be presented among with the mechanical design and simulations. (authors)« less

Assessment of IT solutions used in the Hungarian income tax microsimulation system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molnar, I.; Hardhienata, S.

2017-01-01

This paper focuses on the use of information technology (IT) in diverse microsimulation studies and presents state-of-the-art solutions in the traditional application field of personal income tax simulation. The aim of the paper is to promote solutions, which can improve the efficiency and quality of microsimulation model implementation, assess their applicability and help to shift attention from microsimulation model implementation and data analysis towards experiment design and model use. First, the authors shortly discuss the relevant characteristics of the microsimulation application field and the managerial decision-making problem. After examination of the salient problems, advanced IT solutions, such as meta-database and service-oriented architecture are presented. The authors show how selected technologies can be applied to support both data- and behavior-driven and even agent-based personal income tax microsimulation model development. Finally, examples are presented and references made to the Hungarian Income Tax Simulator (HITS) models and their results. The paper concludes with a summary of the IT assessment and application-related author remarks dedicated to an Indonesian Income Tax Microsimulation Model.

Viscoacoustic model for near-field ultrasonic levitation.

PubMed

Melikhov, Ivan; Chivilikhin, Sergey; Amosov, Alexey; Jeanson, Romain

2016-11-01

Ultrasonic near-field levitation allows for contactless support and transportation of an object over vibrating surface. We developed an accurate model predicting pressure distribution in the gap between the surface and levitating object. The formulation covers a wide range of the air flow regimes: from viscous squeezed flow dominating in small gap to acoustic wave propagation in larger gap. The paper explains derivation of the governing equations from the basic fluid dynamics. The nonreflective boundary conditions were developed to properly define air flow at the outlet. Comparing to direct computational fluid dynamics modeling our approach allows achieving good accuracy while keeping the computation cost low. Using the model we studied the levitation force as a function of gap distance. It was shown that there are three distinguished flow regimes: purely viscous, viscoacoustic, and acoustic. The regimes are defined by the balance of viscous and inertial forces. In the viscous regime the pressure in the gap is close to uniform while in the intermediate viscoacoustic and the acoustic regimes the pressure profile is wavy. The model was validated by a dedicated levitation experiment and compared to similar published results.

Viscoacoustic model for near-field ultrasonic levitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melikhov, Ivan; Chivilikhin, Sergey; Amosov, Alexey; Jeanson, Romain

2016-11-01

Ultrasonic near-field levitation allows for contactless support and transportation of an object over vibrating surface. We developed an accurate model predicting pressure distribution in the gap between the surface and levitating object. The formulation covers a wide range of the air flow regimes: from viscous squeezed flow dominating in small gap to acoustic wave propagation in larger gap. The paper explains derivation of the governing equations from the basic fluid dynamics. The nonreflective boundary conditions were developed to properly define air flow at the outlet. Comparing to direct computational fluid dynamics modeling our approach allows achieving good accuracy while keeping the computation cost low. Using the model we studied the levitation force as a function of gap distance. It was shown that there are three distinguished flow regimes: purely viscous, viscoacoustic, and acoustic. The regimes are defined by the balance of viscous and inertial forces. In the viscous regime the pressure in the gap is close to uniform while in the intermediate viscoacoustic and the acoustic regimes the pressure profile is wavy. The model was validated by a dedicated levitation experiment and compared to similar published results.

Earth orbiting Sisyphus system study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jurkevich, I.; Krause, K. W.; Neste, S. L.; Soberman, R. K.

1971-01-01

The feasibility of employing an optical meteoroid detecting system, known as Sisyphus, to measure the near-earth particulates from an earth orbiting vehicle, is considered. A Sisyphus system can discriminate between natural and man-made particles since the system measures orbital characteristics of particles. A Sisyphus system constructed for the Pioneer F/G missions to Jupiter is used as the baseline, and is described. The amount of observing time which can be obtained by a Sisyphus instrument launched into various orbits is determined. Observation time is lost when, (1) the Sun is in or near the field of view, (2) the lighted Earth is in or near the field of view, (3) the instrument is eclipsed by the Earth, and (4) the phase angle measured at the particle between the forward scattering direction and the instrument is less than a certain critical value. The selection of the launch system and the instrument platform with a dedicated, attitude controlled payload package is discussed. Examples of such systems are SATS and SOLRAD 10(C) vehicles, and other possibilities are AVCO Corp. S4 system, the OWL system, and the Delta Payload Experiment Package.

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

Heise, J.

The former Homestake gold mine in Lead, South Dakota, has been transformed into a dedicated facility to pursue underground research in rare-process physics, as well as offering research opportunities in other disciplines such as biology, geology and engineering. A key component of the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) is the Davis Campus, which is in operation at the 4850-foot level (4300 m.w.e.) and currently hosts two main physics projects: the LUX dark matter experiment and the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR neutrinoless double-beta decay experiment. In addition, two low-background counters currently operate at the Davis Campus in support of current and future experiments. Expansionmore » of the underground laboratory space is underway at the 4850L Ross Campus in order to maintain and enhance low-background assay capabilities as well as to host a unique nuclear astrophysics accelerator facility. Plans to accommodate other future experiments at SURF are also underway and include the next generation of direct-search dark matter experiments and the Fermilab-led international long-baseline neutrino program. Planning to understand the infrastructure developments necessary to accommodate these future projects is well advanced and in some cases have already started. SURF is a dedicated research facility with significant expansion capability.« less

Conflict's consequences: effects of social motives on postnegotiation creative and convergent group functioning and performance.

PubMed

Beersma, Bianca; De Dreu, Carsten K W

2005-09-01

Two studies tested the effects of social motives during negotiation on postnegotiation group performance. In both experiments, a prosocial or a proself motivation was induced, and participants negotiated in 3-person groups about a joint market. In Experiment 1, groups subsequently performed an advertisement task. Consistent with the authors' predictions, results showed that proself groups performed worse on the convergent aspects of this task but better on the divergent aspects than prosocial groups. In Experiment 2, the authors manipulated social motive and negotiation (negotiation vs. no negotiation), and groups performed a creativity task (requiring divergent performance) or a planning task (requiring convergent performance). Proself groups showed greater dedication, functioned more effectively, and performed better than prosocial groups on the creativity task, whereas prosocial groups showed greater dedication, functioned more effectively, and performed better than proself groups on the planning task, and these effects only occurred when the task was preceded by group negotiation.

APEX - the Hyperspectral ESA Airborne Prism Experiment

PubMed Central

Itten, Klaus I.; Dell'Endice, Francesco; Hueni, Andreas; Kneubühler, Mathias; Schläpfer, Daniel; Odermatt, Daniel; Seidel, Felix; Huber, Silvia; Schopfer, Jürg; Kellenberger, Tobias; Bühler, Yves; D'Odorico, Petra; Nieke, Jens; Alberti, Edoardo; Meuleman, Koen

2008-01-01

The airborne ESA-APEX (Airborne Prism Experiment) hyperspectral mission simulator is described with its distinct specifications to provide high quality remote sensing data. The concept of an automatic calibration, performed in the Calibration Home Base (CHB) by using the Control Test Master (CTM), the In-Flight Calibration facility (IFC), quality flagging (QF) and specific processing in a dedicated Processing and Archiving Facility (PAF), and vicarious calibration experiments are presented. A preview on major applications and the corresponding development efforts to provide scientific data products up to level 2/3 to the user is presented for limnology, vegetation, aerosols, general classification routines and rapid mapping tasks. BRDF (Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function) issues are discussed and the spectral database SPECCHIO (Spectral Input/Output) introduced. The optical performance as well as the dedicated software utilities make APEX a state-of-the-art hyperspectral sensor, capable of (a) satisfying the needs of several research communities and (b) helping the understanding of the Earth's complex mechanisms. PMID:27873868

Multiscale GPS tomography during COPS: validation and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Champollion, Cédric; Flamant, Cyrille; Masson, Frédéric; Gégout, Pascal; Boniface, Karen; Richard, Evelyne

2010-05-01

Accurate 3D description of the water vapour field is of interest for process studies such as convection initiation. None of the current techniques (LIDAR, satellite, radio soundings, GPS) can provide an all weather continuous 3D field of moisture. The combination of GPS tomography with radio-soundings (and/or LIDAR) has been used for such process studies using both advantages of vertically resolved soundings and high temporal density of GPS measurements. GPS tomography has been used at short scale (10 km horizontal resolution but in a 50 km² area) for process studies such as the ESCOMPTE experiment (Bastin et al., 2005) and at larger scale (50 km horizontal resolution) during IHOP_2002. But no extensive statistical validation has been done so far. The overarching goal of the COPS field experiment is to advance the quality of forecasts of orographically induced convective precipitation by four-dimensional observations and modeling of its life cycle for identifying the physical and chemical processes responsible for deficiencies in QPF over low-mountain regions. During the COPS field experiment, a GPS network of about 100 GPS stations has been continuously operating during three months in an area of 500 km² in the East of France (Vosges Mountains) and West of Germany (Black Forest). If the mean spacing between the GPS is about 50 km, an East-West GPS profile with a density of about 10 km is dedicated to high resolution tomography. One major goal of the GPS COPS experiment is to validate the GPS tomography with different spatial resolutions. Validation is based on additional radio-soundings and airborne / ground-based LIDAR measurement. The number and the high quality of vertically resolved water vapor observations give an unique data set for GPS tomography validation. Numerous tests have been done on real data to show the type water vapor structures that can be imaging by GPS tomography depending of the assimilation of additional data (radio soundings), the resolution of the tomography grid and the density of GPS network. Finally some applications to different cases studies will be shortly presented.

Towards an open grapevine information system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Viticulture, like other fields of agriculture, is currently facing important challenges that will be addressed only through sustained, dedicated and coordinated research. While the methods used in biology have evolved tremendously in recent years and now involve the routine production of large datas...

Perennial plants for biofuel production: bridging genomics and field research.

PubMed

Alves, Alexandre Alonso; Laviola, Bruno G; Formighieri, Eduardo F; Carels, Nicolas

2015-04-01

Development of dedicated perennial crops has been indicated as a strategic action to meet the growing demand for biofuels. Breeding of perennial crops,however, is often time- and resource-consuming. As genomics offers a platform from which to learn more about the relationships of genes and phenotypes,its operational use in the context of breeding programs through strategies such as genomic selection promises to foster the development of perennial crops dedicated to biodiesel production by increasing the efficiency of breeding programs and by shortening the length of the breeding cycles. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Scientific and technical training in the Soviet Union

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spearman, M. L.

1984-01-01

The Soviet Union recognizes that the foundation of their system depends upon complete dedication of the people to the state through thorough psychological training as well as through military training, and through specialized education in the broad fields of engineering, natural sciences, life sciences, social sciences, and education. An outline of the U.S.S.R. educational system indicates the extent of academic training, coupled with on-the-job and military training, that can produce a highly skilled, dedicated, and matured person. Observations on the coupling of political, economic, and psychological training along with the technical training are made, along with some mention of positive and negative aspects of the training.

Design, Kinematic Optimization, and Evaluation of a Teleoperated System for Middle Ear Microsurgery

PubMed Central

Miroir, Mathieu; Nguyen, Yann; Szewczyk, Jérôme; Sterkers, Olivier; Bozorg Grayeli, Alexis

2012-01-01

Middle ear surgery involves the smallest and the most fragile bones of the human body. Since microsurgical gestures and a submillimetric precision are required in these procedures, the outcome can be potentially improved by robotic assistance. Today, there is no commercially available device in this field. Here, we describe a method to design a teleoperated assistance robotic system dedicated to the middle ear surgery. Determination of design specifications, the kinematic structure, and its optimization are detailed. The robot-surgeon interface and the command modes are provided. Finally, the system is evaluated by realistic tasks in experimental dedicated settings and in human temporal bone specimens. PMID:22927789

The first dedicated life sciences Spacelab mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perry, T. W.; Rummel, J. A.; Griffiths, L. D.; White, R. J.; Leonard, J. I.

1984-01-01

JIt is pointed out that the Shuttle-borne Spacelab provides the capability to fly large numbers of life sciences experiments, to retrieve and rescue experimental equipment, and to undertake multiple-flight studies. A NASA Life Sciences Flight Experiments Program has been organized with the aim to take full advantages of this capability. A description is provided of the scientific aspects of the most ambitious Spacelab mission currently being conducted in connection with this program, taking into account the First Dedicated Life Sciences Spacelab Mission. The payload of this mission will contain the equipment for 24 separate investigations. It is planned to perform the mission on two separate seven-day Spacelab flights, the first of which is currently scheduled for early 1986. Some of the mission objectives are related to the study of human and animal responses which occur promptly upon achieving weightlessness.

An apparatus for pulsed ESR and DNP experiments using optically excited triplet states down to liquid helium temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eichhorn, T. R.; Haag, M.; van den Brandt, B.; Hautle, P.; Wenckebach, W. Th.; Jannin, S.; van der Klink, J. J.; Comment, A.

2013-09-01

In standard Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) electron spins are polarized at low temperatures in a strong magnetic field and this polarization is transferred to the nuclear spins by means of a microwave field. To obtain high nuclear polarizations cryogenic equipment reaching temperatures of 1 K or below and superconducting magnets delivering several Tesla are required. This equipment strongly limits applications in nuclear and particle physics where beams of particles interact with the polarized nuclei, as well as in neutron scattering science. The problem can be solved using short-lived optically excited triplet states delivering the electron spin. The spin is polarized in the optical excitation process and both the cryogenic equipment and magnet can be simplified significantly. A versatile apparatus is described that allows to perform pulsed dynamic nuclear polarization experiments at X-band using short-lived optically excited triplet sates. The efficient 4He flow cryostat that cools the sample to temperatures between 4 K and 300 K has an optical access with a coupling stage for a fiber transporting the light from a dedicated laser system. It is further designed to be operated on a neutron beam. A combined pulse ESR/DNP spectrometer has been developed to observe and characterize the triplet states and to perform pulse DNP experiments. The ESR probe is based on a dielectric ring resonator of 7 mm inner diameter that can accommodate cubic samples of 5 mm length needed for neutron experiments. NMR measurements can be performed during DNP with a coil integrated in the cavity. With the presented apparatus a proton polarization of 0.5 has been achieved at 0.3 T.

An enhanced Planetary Radar Operating Centre (PROC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Catallo, C.

2010-12-01

Planetary exploration by means of radar systems, mainly using GPRs is an important role of Italy and numerous scientific international space programs are carried out jointly with ESA and NASA by Italian Space Agency, the scientific community and the industry. Three experiments under Italian leadership ( designed and manufactured by the Italian industry) provided by ASI within a NASA/ESA/ASI joint venture framework are successfully operating: MARSIS on-board MEX, SHARAD on-board MRO and CASSINI Radar on-board Cassini spacecraft: the missions have been further extended . Three dedicated operational centers, namely SHOC, (Sharad Operating Centre), MOC (Marsis Operating Center) and CASSINI PAD are operating from the missions beginning to support all the scientific communities, institutional customers and experiment teams operation Each center is dedicated to a single instrument management and control, data processing and distribution and even if they had been conceived to operate autonomously and independently one from each other, synergies and overlaps have been envisaged leading to the suggestion of a unified center, the Planetary Radar Processing Center (PROC). In order to harmonize operations either from logistics point of view and from HW/SW capabilities point of view PROC is designed and developed for offering improved functionalities to increase capabilities, mainly in terms of data exchange, comparison, interpretation and exploitation. PROC is, therefore, conceived as the Italian support facility to the scientific community for on-going and future Italian planetary exploration programs, such as Europa-Jupiter System Mission (EJSM) The paper describes how the new PROC is designed and developed, to allow SHOC, MOC and CASSINI PAD to operate as before, and to offer improved functionalities to increase capabilities, mainly in terms of data exchange, comparison, interpretation and exploitation aiding scientists to increase their knowledge in the field of surface radar sounding: furthermore the flexibility and the big dimensions of the PROC archives allow easy integration of other missions (e.g. EJSM). A specific PROC Web facility and a dedicated high capacity on line storage allow PROC missions status and scientific results spreading, scientific requests submission, news, studies, technical information, radar data images publication and data retrieving (the latter only on science team members request), according to different permissions assigned both to science team members and generic users

A survey of experiments and experimental facilities for control of flexible structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sparks, Dean W., Jr.; Juang, Jer-Nan; Klose, Gerhard J.

1989-01-01

This paper presents a survey of U.S. ground experiments and facilities dedicated to the study of active control of flexible structures. The facilities will be briefly described in terms of capability, configuration, size and instrumentation. Topics on the experiments include vibration suppression, slewing and system identification. Future research directions, particularly of the NASA Langley Research Center's Controls/Structures Interaction (CSI) ground test program, will be discussed.

Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument Experiment Diffusion Coefficient Mixture-3 (SODI) DCMix-3 Installation

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-09-13

NASA astronaut Kate Rubins works on Selectable Optical Diagnostics Instrument Experiment Diffusion Coefficient Mixture-3 (SODI) DCMix-3 Installation inside the station’s Microgravity Science Glovebox. The glovebox is one of the major dedicated science facilities inside the Destiny laboratory and provides a sealed environment for conducting science and technology experiments. The glovebox is particularly suited for handling hazardous materials when the crew is present.

DOD Space Test Program (STP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Llwyn

1995-01-01

This paper describes the Space Test Program (STP) which provides access to space for the DOD-wide space research and development (R&D) community. STP matches a ranked list of sanctioned experiments with available budgets and searches for the most cost effective mechanisms to get the experiments into space. The program has successfully flown over 350 experiments, using dedicated freeflyer spacecraft, secondary space on the Space Shuttle, and various host satellites.

Laboratory Studies in UV and EUV Solar Physics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parkinson, W. H.; Wagner, William J. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Ion Beam Experiment at the Center for Astrophysics is dedicated to the study of ion-electron collision processes of importance in solar physics. The analysis of measurements of Electron Impact Excitation (EIE) from the 3s3p(exp 3)P(exp o) metastable state to the 3s3p(exp 1)P state of Si(2+) was completed during the past year and a paper describing the results is available as a preprint. Our current program is directed at measuring absolute cross sections for dielectronic recombination (DR) and EIE in Si(3+), one of the primary ions used for probing the solar transition region. Our study of DR is particularly concerned with the effects of electric and magnetic fields on the recombination rates. Measurements of silicon ions with charge greater than n=2 have necessitated upgrading the experiment with a new ion source. The new source is also suitable for producing C(2+) beams to be used for measurements of EIE and DR for that system. The source is expected to be capable of producing beams of more highly charged systems as well.

BaR-SPOrt: the instrument to be accommodated at Dome C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zannoni, M.; Carretti, E.; Cortiglioni, S.; Macculi, C.; Ramponi, M.; Sbarra, C.; Ventura, G.; Monari, J.; Poloni, M.; Poppi, S.; Natale, V.; Nesti, R.; Baralis, M.; Peverini, O.; Tascone, R.; Virone, G.; Boscaleri, A.; Boella, G.; Sironi, G.; Gervasi, M.; de Bernardis, P.; Masi, S.; de Petris, M.

The BaR-SPOrt (Balloon-Borne Radiometers for Sky Polarization Observations) experiment, a program of the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) co-funded by PNRA (Progetto Nazionale di Ricerca in Antartide) was originally designed as a payload for long duration balloons flights. The changing scenario, both scientific and strategic, has led us to propose it for the starting winter campaign of at the Concordia Base. Here the instrument and the features making it suitable to operate at Dome-C are described. After the initial setup, BaR-SPOrt should not require any kind of routine intervention by a dedicated base staff. The experiment will just need electrical power (less than 2 kW) and a suitable accommodation on the field. It can be fully monitored and controlled, including the data acquisition, through its own telemetry/telecommand link using IRIDIUM modems. Both the receiver and the critical electronics are housed inside a temperature-controlled vacuum chamber, providing the properly stabilized environment. The cold part of the radiometer employs a closed loop mechanical cryo-cooler that provides temperatures <70 ±0.1 K with low power consumption (<200 W).

Strategies of statistical windows in PET image reconstruction to improve the user’s real time experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moliner, L.; Correcher, C.; Gimenez-Alventosa, V.; Ilisie, V.; Alvarez, J.; Sanchez, S.; Rodríguez-Alvarez, M. J.

2017-11-01

Nowadays, with the increase of the computational power of modern computers together with the state-of-the-art reconstruction algorithms, it is possible to obtain Positron Emission Tomography (PET) images in practically real time. These facts open the door to new applications such as radio-pharmaceuticals tracking inside the body or the use of PET for image-guided procedures, such as biopsy interventions, among others. This work is a proof of concept that aims to improve the user experience with real time PET images. Fixed, incremental, overlapping, sliding and hybrid windows are the different statistical combinations of data blocks used to generate intermediate images in order to follow the path of the activity in the Field Of View (FOV). To evaluate these different combinations, a point source is placed in a dedicated breast PET device and moved along the FOV. These acquisitions are reconstructed according to the different statistical windows, resulting in a smoother transition of positions for the image reconstructions that use the sliding and hybrid window.

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

Ding, R.; Rudakov, D. L.; Stangeby, P. C.

Dedicated DIII-D experiments coupled with modeling reveal that the net erosion rate of high-Z materials, i.e. Mo and W, is strongly affected by carbon concentration in the plasma and the magnetic pre-sheath properties. We have investigated different methods such as electrical biasing and local gas injection to control high-Z material erosion. The net erosion rate of high-Z materials is significantly reduced due to the high local re-deposition ratio. The ERO modeling shows that the local re-deposition ratio is mainly controlled by the electric field and plasma density within the magnetic pre-sheath. The net erosion can be significantly suppressed by reducingmore » the sheath potential drop. A high carbon impurity concentration in the background plasma is also found to reduce the net erosion rate of high-Z materials. Both DIII-D experiments and modeling show that local 13CH 4 injection can create a carbon coating on the metal surface. The profile of 13C deposition provides quantitative information on radial transport due to E × B drift and the cross-field diffusion. The deuterium gas injection upstream of the W sample can reduce W net erosion rate by plasma perturbation. The inter-ELM W erosion we measured in H-mode plasmas, rates at different radial locations are well reproduced by ERO modeling taking into account charge-state-resolved carbon ion flux in the background plasma calculated using the OEDGE code.« less

Magnetite Equation of State: Implications for Mars' Interior and Magnetization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gant, P.; Walsh, J.; Lazarz, J. D.; Jacobsen, S. D.; Jurdy, D. M.

2017-12-01

Mars once had a global magnetic field, although it no longer has an active dynamo. Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) unexpectedly measured a strongly magnetized crust. However, the magnetic carrier as well as the nature and depth of magnetization remain unknown. Downward continuation of the surface magnetization suggests the possibility of great depth of magnetization, as much as 100-200 km, far exceeding that of Earth's. The interior composition and structure of Mars remain unknown. Magnetite offers a likely candidate for Martian magnetization. Experiments with magnetite crystals - one naturally-occurring, the other a laboratory-fabricated single domain crystal, determine its equation of state. NASA's upcoming InSight (INterior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy, and Heat Transport) mission to Mars will be the first dedicated to study of the Martian interior. It will land in the Elysium Planitia with a 3-component broadband and short period seismometer, heatflow probe, and a magnetometer to monitor the local, atmospheric, and crustal magnetic field. The planned InSight measurements of Martian heatflow will establish its current temperature gradient. The first step in understanding Mars' magnetization requires knowing both temperature and pressure conditions for its interior, along with the equation of state for magnetite - and other possible magnetic minerals. Laboratory experiments with a range of compositions for the Martian interior could provide critical comparisons with the InSight mission's seismic data.

Photochemistry of Fe2(CO)8(Mu-CH2)

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-04

REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1...State University PUBLICATIONS 1. Branan, D. M.; Hoffman, N. W.; McElroy, E. A.; Prokopuk, N.; Salazar, A. B.; Robbins, M. J.; Hill, W. E.; Webb, T...17), 2915, (1987) FIELDS OF STUDY Major Field: Chemistiy TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT jj DEDICATION jjj ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iv VITA v PUBLICATIONS

Dedication file preparation for commercial-grade electric components

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

Hendricks, J.R.; Farwell, C.R. Jr.

1988-01-01

Dedication is the process of making a commercial-grade item into a basic component that can be installed in safety systems. This process ensures that the commercially manufactured items are of the same or equivalent form, fit, function, and materials as the originally provided safety item. This process must ensure that the original utility's equipment qualification program is maintained per licensing commitments to 10CFR50.49 and general design criterion No. 4. Today, utilities recognize the need for establishing a dedication program to provide the flexibility in obtaining replacement items directly from the original manufacturers. This need has arisen because (a) most systemmore » houses, large manufacturers, and component manufacturers will sell their products only through distributors as straight commercial-grade items or only service former clients, and (b) lack of competition for specific safety-related items has resulted in excessive hardware cost and very long delivery schedules, which could affect plant availability. The vehicle for utilities to obtain safety-related items is to establish and manage a comprehensive dedication program for their own use or provide the direction for a nuclear supplier to follow. This paper provides both utilities and nuclear suppliers insight into the complexities of a dedication program. This insight is provided from our experience as a utilities agent and as a third-party nuclear supplier.« less

Spacelab payload accommodation handbook. Appendix A: Avionics interface definition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

The Spacelab side of the electrical interface between Spacelab subsystem equipment and experiments is presented. The electrical hardware which interfaces with the experiments is defined and the signal/load characteristics are stated. Major subsystems considered include: electrical power and distribution; command and data management subsystem; orbiter avionics via dedicated connectors of Spacelab; and electrical ground support equipment.

The CANDELLE experiment for characterization of neutron sensitivity of LiF TLDs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guillou, M. Le; Billebaud, A.; Gruel, A.; Kessedjian, G.; Méplan, O.; Destouches, C.; Blaise, P.

2018-01-01

As part of the design studies conducted at CEA for future power and research nuclear reactors, the validation of neutron and photon calculation schemes related to nuclear heating prediction are strongly dependent on the implementation of nuclear heating measurements. Such measurements are usually performed in low-power reactors, whose core dimensions are accurately known and where irradiation conditions (power, flux and temperature) are entirely controlled. Due to the very low operating power of such reactors (of the order of 100 W), nuclear heating is assessed by using dosimetry techniques such as thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs). However, although they are highly sensitive to gamma radiation, such dosimeters are also, to a lesser extent, sensitive to neutrons. The neutron dose depends strongly on the TLD composition, typically contributing to 10-30% of the total measured dose in a mixed neutron/gamma field. The experimental determination of the neutron correction appears therefore to be crucial to a better interpretation of doses measured in reactor with reduced uncertainties. A promising approach based on the use of two types of LiF TLDs respectively enriched with lithium-6 and lithium-7, precalibrated both in photon and neutron fields, has been recently developed at INFN (Milan, Italy) for medical purposes. The CANDELLE experiment is dedicated to the implementation of a pure neutron field "calibration" of TLDs by using the GENEPI-2 neutron source of LPSC (Grenoble, France). Those irradiation conditions allowed providing an early assessment of the neutron components of doses measured in EOLE reactor at CEA Cadarache with 10% uncertainty at 1σ.

Laboratory for Atmospheres: 2006 Technical Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Richard W.

2007-01-01

The 2006 Technical Highlights describes the efforts of all members of the Laboratory for Atmospheres. Their dedication to advancing Earth science through conducting research, developing and running models, designing instruments, managing projects, running field campaigns, and numerous other activities, are highlighted in this report.

Laboratory for Atmospheres 2009 Technical Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cote, Charles E.

2010-01-01

The 2009 Technical Highlights describes the efforts of all members of the Laboratory for Atmospheres. Their dedication to advancing Earth Science through conducting research, developing and running models, designing instruments, managing projects, running field campaigns, and numerous other activities, is highlighted in this report.

Cryopreservation of eucalyptus genetic resources

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The long-term preservation of forest genetic resources is a vital part of preserving our forest crops for future generations. Unfortunately there are few genebanks dedicated to forest trees and very few methods aside from field plantings of germplasm collections of elite clonal individuals. The use ...

Laboratory for Atmospheres 2005 Technical Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

The 2005 Technical highlights describes the efforts of all members of the Laboratory for Atmospheres. Their dedication to advancing Earth Science through conducting research, developing and running models, designing instruments, managing projects, running field campaigns, and numerous other activities, is highlighted in this report.

Laboratory for Atmospheres 2007 Technical Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Richard W.

2008-01-01

The 2007 Technical Highlights describes the efforts of all members of the Laboratory for Atmospheres. Their dedication to advancing Earth Science through conducting research, developing and running models, designing instruments, managing projects, running field campaigns, and numerous other activities, is highlighted in this report.

ARC-1984-AC84-0712-15

NASA Image and Video Library

1984-11-08

Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA Aerials showing the National Full Scale Aerodynamic Complex (NFAC) which can be seen from U.S. Highway 101 in Northern California (NOTE: this image in a vertical cropped version was used on the cover of the NFAC dedication brochure)

Laboratory for Atmospheres 2010 Technical Highlights

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2011-01-01

The 2010 Technical Highlights describes the efforts of all members of the Laboratory for Atmospheres. Their dedication to advancing Earth Science through conducting research, developing and running models, designing instruments, managing projects, running field campaigns, and numerous other activities, is highlighted in this report.

On the feasibility of using satellite gravity observations for detecting large-scale solid mass transfer events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peidou, Athina C.; Fotopoulos, Georgia; Pagiatakis, Spiros

2017-10-01

The main focus of this paper is to assess the feasibility of utilizing dedicated satellite gravity missions in order to detect large-scale solid mass transfer events (e.g. landslides). Specifically, a sensitivity analysis of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) gravity field solutions in conjunction with simulated case studies is employed to predict gravity changes due to past subaerial and submarine mass transfer events, namely the Agulhas slump in southeastern Africa and the Heart Mountain Landslide in northwestern Wyoming. The detectability of these events is evaluated by taking into account the expected noise level in the GRACE gravity field solutions and simulating their impact on the gravity field through forward modelling of the mass transfer. The spectral content of the estimated gravity changes induced by a simulated large-scale landslide event is estimated for the known spatial resolution of the GRACE observations using wavelet multiresolution analysis. The results indicate that both the Agulhas slump and the Heart Mountain Landslide could have been detected by GRACE, resulting in {\\vert }0.4{\\vert } and {\\vert }0.18{\\vert } mGal change on GRACE solutions, respectively. The suggested methodology is further extended to the case studies of the submarine landslide in Tohoku, Japan, and the Grand Banks landslide in Newfoundland, Canada. The detectability of these events using GRACE solutions is assessed through their impact on the gravity field.

A DICOM-based 2nd generation Molecular Imaging Data Grid implementing the IHE XDS-i integration profile.

PubMed

Lee, Jasper; Zhang, Jianguo; Park, Ryan; Dagliyan, Grant; Liu, Brent; Huang, H K

2012-07-01

A Molecular Imaging Data Grid (MIDG) was developed to address current informatics challenges in archival, sharing, search, and distribution of preclinical imaging studies between animal imaging facilities and investigator sites. This manuscript presents a 2nd generation MIDG replacing the Globus Toolkit with a new system architecture that implements the IHE XDS-i integration profile. Implementation and evaluation were conducted using a 3-site interdisciplinary test-bed at the University of Southern California. The 2nd generation MIDG design architecture replaces the initial design's Globus Toolkit with dedicated web services and XML-based messaging for dedicated management and delivery of multi-modality DICOM imaging datasets. The Cross-enterprise Document Sharing for Imaging (XDS-i) integration profile from the field of enterprise radiology informatics was adopted into the MIDG design because streamlined image registration, management, and distribution dataflow are likewise needed in preclinical imaging informatics systems as in enterprise PACS application. Implementation of the MIDG is demonstrated at the University of Southern California Molecular Imaging Center (MIC) and two other sites with specified hardware, software, and network bandwidth. Evaluation of the MIDG involves data upload, download, and fault-tolerance testing scenarios using multi-modality animal imaging datasets collected at the USC Molecular Imaging Center. The upload, download, and fault-tolerance tests of the MIDG were performed multiple times using 12 collected animal study datasets. Upload and download times demonstrated reproducibility and improved real-world performance. Fault-tolerance tests showed that automated failover between Grid Node Servers has minimal impact on normal download times. Building upon the 1st generation concepts and experiences, the 2nd generation MIDG system improves accessibility of disparate animal-model molecular imaging datasets to users outside a molecular imaging facility's LAN using a new architecture, dataflow, and dedicated DICOM-based management web services. Productivity and efficiency of preclinical research for translational sciences investigators has been further streamlined for multi-center study data registration, management, and distribution.

Imaging performance of a dedicated radiation transparent RF coil on a 1.0 Tesla inline MRI-linac.

PubMed

Liney, Gary P; Dong, Bin; Weber, Ewald; Rai, Robba; Destruel, Aurelien; Garcia-Alvarez, Roberto; Manton, David; Jelen, Urszula; Zhang, Kevin; Barton, Michael; Keall, Paul J; Crozier, Stuart

2018-05-25

This work describes the first imaging studies on a 1.0 Tesla inline MRI-Linac using a dedicated transmit/receive RF body coil that has been designed to be completely radio transparent and provide optimum imaging performance over a large patient opening. Methods: A series of experiments was performed on the MRI-Linac to investigate the performance and imaging characteristics of a new dedicated volumetric RF coil: (1) numerical electromagnetic simulations were used to measure transmit efficiency in two patient positions; (2) image quality metrics of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), ghosting and uniformity were assessed in a large diameter phantom with no radiation beam; (3) radiation induced effects were investigated in both the raw data (k-space) and image sequences acquired with simultaneous irradiation; (4) radiation dose was measured with and without image acquisition; (5) RF heating was studied using an MR-compatible fluoroptic thermometer and; (6) the in vivo image quality and versatility of the coil was demonstrated in normal healthy subjects for both supine and standing positions. Results: Daily phantom measurements demonstrated excellent imaging performance with stable SNR over a period of 3 months (42.6 ± 0.9). Simultaneous irradiation produced no statistical change in image quality (p>0.74) and no interference in raw data for a 20  20 cm radiation field. The coil was found to be efficient over large volumes and negligible RF heating was observed. Volunteer scans acquired in both supine and standing positions provided artefact free images with good anatomical visualisation. Conclusions: The first completely radio transparent RF coil for use on a 1.0 Tesla MRI-Linac has been described. There is no impact on either the imaging or dosimetry performance with a simultaneous radiation beam. The open design enables imaging and radiotherapy guidance in a variety of positons. . © 2018 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.

Status of the Nanoscopium scanning nanoprobe beamline of Synchrotron Soleil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somogyi, A.; Medjoubi, K.; Kewish, C. M.; Leroux, V.; Ribbens, M.; Baranton, G.; Polack, F.; Samama, J. P.

2013-09-01

The Nanoscopium 155 m-long scanning nanoprobe beamline of Synchrotron Soleil (St Aubin, France) is dedicated to quantitative multi-modal imaging. Dedicated experimental stations, working in consecutive operation mode, will provide coherent scatter imaging and spectro-microscopy techniques in the 5-20 keV energy range for various user communities. Next to fast scanning, cryogenic cooling will reduce the radiation damage of sensitive samples during the measurements. Nanoscopium is in the construction phase, the first user experiments are expected in 2014. The main characteristics of the beamline and an overview of its status are given in this contribution.

Ecological engineering to control bioclogging: an original field study coupling infiltration and biological measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gette-bouvarot, Morgane; Mermillod-Blondin, Florian; Lassabatere, Laurent; Lemoine, Damien; Delolme, Cécile; Volatier, Laurence

2014-05-01

Infiltration systems are increasingly used in urban areas for several purposes such as flood prevention and groundwater recharge. However, their functioning is often impacted by clogging that leads to decreases in hydraulic and water treatment performances. These systems are commonly built with sand as infiltration medium, a media subject to rapid clogging by the combined and overlapping processes of pore occlusion by fine particles and biofilm development. In a previous study, we pointed out that the phototrophic component of biofilms developed at the surface layer of infiltration systems (algae, cyanobacteria) could reduce by up to 60-fold the saturated hydraulic conductivity. Consequently, it appears crucial to control biofilm growth to maintain porous infiltration media performances. The present study aimed to test the influence of biotic (addition of animals or macrophytes) and abiotic (light reduction) treatments on biofilm development and associated hydraulic properties in an infiltration device dedicated to aquifer recharge with river water in Lyon Area (France). Twenty-five benthic enclosures were used to test 5 "treatments" on non-manipulated surface layer under field conditions. Three biotic treatments consisted in the introduction of: (i) an invertebrate acting as algae grazer (Viviparus viviparus), (ii) an invertebrate that digs galleries in sediments (Tubifex tubifex), and (iii) a macrophyte that could inhibit benthic biofilm by allelopathic activity (Vallisneria spiralis L). The fourth treatment was designed to simulate shading. The last "treatment" was a control which monitored the evolution of the system during the experiment without manipulation (addition of macro-organisms or shading). Each treatment was replicated five times. The experiment was conducted for 6 weeks, and sampling of the surface layer (0-1 cm) was carried out in each enclosure at the beginning (t0) and the end (tf). We coupled biological characterizations (organic matter, algal biomass, bacterial abundances, microbial enzymatic activities, EPS composition, and photosynthetic efficiency) with in situ hydraulic conductivity measurements (falling head method, five measures per enclosure at t0 and tf). Our results showed that some treatments could regulate benthic biofilm growth and improve infiltration rate. For instance, V. viviparus treatment resulted in a decrease in chlorophyll-a, EPS sugar and protein contents and an associated increase of infiltration rate, while it decreased in the control treatment. These results are very promising for the future development of ecological engineering solutions to prevent biological clogging in systems dedicated to infiltration. To our knowledge, this study is the first to highlight such potential role of macro-organisms under field conditions.

An Introduction to Air Quality Modeling

EPA Science Inventory

Empowering Sustainability is an initiative at the University of California, Irvine, dedicated to connecting sustainability leaders (fellows) across generations, countries, and disciplines through the exchange of ideas and experiences related to all aspects of sustainability, and ...

Dedication to Professor Hannspeter Winter (1941 2006): Dedication to Professor Hannspeter Winter (1941 2006)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCullough, Bob

2007-03-01

Professor H Winter. It was with great sadness that we learnt of the death of colleague and friend Professor Hannspeter Winter in Vienna on the 8 November 2006. In memory of him and the contribution he made both to our conference and to the field of the physics of highly charged ions we dedicate these proceedings. Hannspeter was one of our distinguished invited speakers at HCI2006 and gave a talk on the status of the ITER programme. His invited paper on the subject is included in these proceedings. Hannspeter will be particularly remembered for his pioneering work on ion-surface interactions that, together with his colleagues at the Vienna University of Technology (TUW), has stimulated a worldwide experimental and theoretical interest in this field. He was appointed Director of the Institut fuer Allgemeine Physik at TUW in 1987 and using both his scientific and management skills has made it one of the leading university physics laboratories in the world. His research publications, of which there are 270, have inspired many others to work in the field of atomic and plasma physics. He was also a great European playing a major role in the EURATOM fusion programme, the European Physical Society and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics and was an evaluator and advisory board member for many national and international institutions. Hannspeter was also an interesting and friendly social companion with interests in current affairs, music and fine wines and will be greatly missed both on a scientific and social level. Our condolences go to his wife Renate, son Dorian and his relatives. R W McCullough Co-chair HCI2006

Dedicated Industrial Oilseed Crops as Metabolic Engineering Platforms for Sustainable Industrial Feedstock Production

PubMed Central

Zhu, Li-Hua; Krens, Frans; Smith, Mark A.; Li, Xueyuan; Qi, Weicong; van Loo, Eibertus N.; Iven, Tim; Feussner, Ivo; Nazarenus, Tara J.; Huai, Dongxin; Taylor, David C.; Zhou, Xue-Rong; Green, Allan G.; Shockey, Jay; Klasson, K. Thomas; Mullen, Robert T.; Huang, Bangquan; Dyer, John M.; Cahoon, Edgar B.

2016-01-01

Feedstocks for industrial applications ranging from polymers to lubricants are largely derived from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. Vegetable oils with fatty acid structures and storage forms tailored for specific industrial uses offer renewable and potentially sustainable sources of petrochemical-type functionalities. A wide array of industrial vegetable oils can be generated through biotechnology, but will likely require non-commodity oilseed platforms dedicated to specialty oil production for commercial acceptance. Here we show the feasibility of three Brassicaceae oilseeds crambe, camelina, and carinata, none of which are widely cultivated for food use, as hosts for complex metabolic engineering of wax esters for lubricant applications. Lines producing wax esters >20% of total seed oil were generated for each crop and further improved for high temperature oxidative stability by down-regulation of fatty acid polyunsaturation. Field cultivation of optimized wax ester-producing crambe demonstrated commercial utility of these engineered crops and a path for sustainable production of other industrial oils in dedicated specialty oilseeds. PMID:26916792

Dedicated Industrial Oilseed Crops as Metabolic Engineering Platforms for Sustainable Industrial Feedstock Production.

PubMed

Zhu, Li-Hua; Krens, Frans; Smith, Mark A; Li, Xueyuan; Qi, Weicong; van Loo, Eibertus N; Iven, Tim; Feussner, Ivo; Nazarenus, Tara J; Huai, Dongxin; Taylor, David C; Zhou, Xue-Rong; Green, Allan G; Shockey, Jay; Klasson, K Thomas; Mullen, Robert T; Huang, Bangquan; Dyer, John M; Cahoon, Edgar B

2016-02-26

Feedstocks for industrial applications ranging from polymers to lubricants are largely derived from petroleum, a non-renewable resource. Vegetable oils with fatty acid structures and storage forms tailored for specific industrial uses offer renewable and potentially sustainable sources of petrochemical-type functionalities. A wide array of industrial vegetable oils can be generated through biotechnology, but will likely require non-commodity oilseed platforms dedicated to specialty oil production for commercial acceptance. Here we show the feasibility of three Brassicaceae oilseeds crambe, camelina, and carinata, none of which are widely cultivated for food use, as hosts for complex metabolic engineering of wax esters for lubricant applications. Lines producing wax esters >20% of total seed oil were generated for each crop and further improved for high temperature oxidative stability by down-regulation of fatty acid polyunsaturation. Field cultivation of optimized wax ester-producing crambe demonstrated commercial utility of these engineered crops and a path for sustainable production of other industrial oils in dedicated specialty oilseeds.

A new beam emission polarimetry diagnostic for measuring the magnetic field line angle at the plasma edge of ASDEX Upgrade.

PubMed

Viezzer, E; Dux, R; Dunne, M G

2016-11-01

A new edge beam emission polarimetry diagnostic dedicated to the measurement of the magnetic field line angle has been installed on the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. The new diagnostic relies on the motional Stark effect and is based on the simultaneous measurement of the polarization direction of the linearly polarized π (parallel to the electric field) and σ (perpendicular to the electric field) lines of the Balmer line D α . The technical properties of the system are described. The calibration procedures are discussed and first measurements are presented.

A new beam emission polarimetry diagnostic for measuring the magnetic field line angle at the plasma edge of ASDEX Upgrade

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

Viezzer, E., E-mail: eleonora.viezzer@ipp.mpg.de, E-mail: eviezzer@us.es; Department of Atomic, Molecular, and Nuclear Physics, University of Seville, Avda. Reina Mercedes, 41012 Seville; Dux, R.

2016-11-15

A new edge beam emission polarimetry diagnostic dedicated to the measurement of the magnetic field line angle has been installed on the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak. The new diagnostic relies on the motional Stark effect and is based on the simultaneous measurement of the polarization direction of the linearly polarized π (parallel to the electric field) and σ (perpendicular to the electric field) lines of the Balmer line D{sub α}. The technical properties of the system are described. The calibration procedures are discussed and first measurements are presented.

Preface: Special Topic: From Quantum Mechanics to Force Fields.

PubMed

Piquemal, Jean-Philip; Jordan, Kenneth D

2017-10-28

This Special Topic issue entitled "From Quantum Mechanics to Force Fields" is dedicated to the ongoing efforts of the theoretical chemistry community to develop a new generation of accurate force fields based on data from high-level electronic structure calculations and to develop faster electronic structure methods for testing and designing force fields as well as for carrying out simulations. This issue includes a collection of 35 original research articles that illustrate recent theoretical advances in the field. It provides a timely snapshot of recent developments in the generation of approaches to enable more accurate molecular simulations of processes important in chemistry, physics, biophysics, and materials science.

Preface: Special Topic: From Quantum Mechanics to Force Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piquemal, Jean-Philip; Jordan, Kenneth D.

2017-10-01

This Special Topic issue entitled "From Quantum Mechanics to Force Fields" is dedicated to the ongoing efforts of the theoretical chemistry community to develop a new generation of accurate force fields based on data from high-level electronic structure calculations and to develop faster electronic structure methods for testing and designing force fields as well as for carrying out simulations. This issue includes a collection of 35 original research articles that illustrate recent theoretical advances in the field. It provides a timely snapshot of recent developments in the generation of approaches to enable more accurate molecular simulations of processes important in chemistry, physics, biophysics, and materials science.

A Century of Geology-Curriculum Response to Society: A Case Study at Oregon State University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grunder, A.; Johnson, J. A.

2014-12-01

Over the past century, the geology curriculum at Oregon State University has remained constant in some areas and changed in others in response to internal (faculty and university) and external (economic, and intellectual) drivers. A decadal summary of 100 years of the geology curriculum at Oregon State University reveals socio-economic patterns. From 1913, when the School of Mines was established, to 1932, when it was dismembered, the geology curriculum was designed in support mining engineering. In that time, the geology department (est. 1914) moved from the School of Mines to the School of Science. Several decades of paleontology-intensive curriculum followed under the leadership of noted paleontologist Earl Packard, as dean and chair. The curriculum transitioned from support of the oil industry in the 60s and 70s, with a strong field emphasis engendered by "Doc" Wilkinson, to increased structure and tectonics emphasis in response to the tectonic revolution under the leadership of structural geologist Robert Yeats. In the last few decades the program has grown diverse in environmental and climatic interests. The early curriculum required a three-course series in determinative mineralogy plus petrography and 3 courses in petrology (igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic), making a core of seven; we require 3 courses today. Like all students in the School of Mines, those with the geology specialization were required to take a field course in surveying and to spend several summer months working in the mining industry. This strong field tradition persisted through time with an introductory field methods class coupled with a summer field camp. The total number of weeks dedicated to field classes, excluding the work experience requirement, has varied from as high as 12 credit-hours to the present 6 (quarters basis). On the other hand, increased short field experiences are reflected by incorporation of more field trips in nearly all courses since the 80's, fostered by accessible transportation. General education courses delivered by geology faculty have mimicked these changes, from early service courses in basic geology for engineering, mining and agriculture to a diverse slate of courses from basic geology to natural hazards and climate.

Long term dose monitoring onboard the European Columbus module of the International Space Station (ISS) in the frame of the DOSIS and DOSIS 3D project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berger, Thomas

The radiation environment encountered in space differs in nature from that on earth, consisting mostly of high energetic ions from protons up to iron, resulting in radiation levels far exceeding the ones present on earth for occupational radiation workers. Accurate knowledge of the physical characteristics of the space radiation field in dependence on the solar activity, the orbital parameters and the different shielding configurations of the International Space Station (ISS) is therefore needed. For the investigation of the spatial and temporal distribution of the radiation field inside the European Columbus module the experiment “Dose Distribution Inside the ISS” (DOSIS), under the project and science lead of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), was launched on July 15th 2009 with STS-127 to the ISS. The DOSIS experiment consists of a combination of “Passive Detector Packages” (PDP) distributed at eleven locations inside Columbus for the measurement of the spatial variation of the radiation field and two active Dosimetry Telescopes (DOSTELs) with a Data and Power Unit (DDPU) in a dedicated nomex pouch mounted at a fixed location beneath the European Physiology Module rack (EPM) for the measurement of the temporal variation of the radiation field parameters. The DOSIS experiment suite measured during the lowest solar minimum conditions in the space age from July 2009 to June 2011. In July 2011 the active hardware was transferred to ground for refurbishment and preparation for the follow up DOSIS 3D experiment. The hardware for DOSIS 3D was launched with Soyuz 30S to the ISS on May 15th 2012. The PDPs are replaced with each even number Soyuz flight starting with Soyuz 30S. Data from the active detectors is transferred to ground via the EPM rack which is activated once a month for this action. The presentation will give an overview of the DOSIS and DOSIS 3D experiment and focus on the results from the passive radiation detectors from the DOSIS 3D experiment (2012 - 2014) in comparison to the data of the DOSIS experiment (2009 - 2011). The Polish contribution was supported by the National Science Centre (No DEC-2012/06/M/ST9/00423). The CAU contributions to DOSIS and DOSIS 3D are financially supported by BMWi under Grants 50WB0826, 50WB1026 and 50WB1232.

Near-Field Sound Localization Based on the Small Profile Monaural Structure

PubMed Central

Kim, Youngwoong; Kim, Keonwook

2015-01-01

The acoustic wave around a sound source in the near-field area presents unconventional properties in the temporal, spectral, and spatial domains due to the propagation mechanism. This paper investigates a near-field sound localizer in a small profile structure with a single microphone. The asymmetric structure around the microphone provides a distinctive spectral variation that can be recognized by the dedicated algorithm for directional localization. The physical structure consists of ten pipes of different lengths in a vertical fashion and rectangular wings positioned between the pipes in radial directions. The sound from an individual direction travels through the nearest open pipe, which generates the particular fundamental frequency according to the acoustic resonance. The Cepstral parameter is modified to evaluate the fundamental frequency. Once the system estimates the fundamental frequency of the received signal, the length of arrival and angle of arrival (AoA) are derived by the designed model. From an azimuthal distance of 3–15 cm from the outer body of the pipes, the extensive acoustic experiments with a 3D-printed structure show that the direct and side directions deliver average hit rates of 89% and 73%, respectively. The closer positions to the system demonstrate higher accuracy, and the overall hit rate performance is 78% up to 15 cm away from the structure body. PMID:26580618

ONIX results: Comparison of grid geometry (BATMAN - ELISE - flat grid)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Revel, Adrien; Mochalskyy, Serhiy; Wünderlich, Dirk; Fantz, Ursel; Minea, Tiberiu

2017-08-01

The 3D PIC-MCC code ONIX is dedicated to the modelling of negative hydrogen or deuterium ion extraction and the co-extracted electrons from the plasma in radio-frequency driven sources. The extraction process highly depends on the plasma characteristics close to the plasma grid where it is difficult to obtain experimental data. ONIX brings valuable insights on the plasma behavior in this area. In the code, the numerical treatment of the boundaries have been improved in order to describe with more accuracy the potential and the electric field in this vicinity. The computation time has been reduced by a factor of 2 and the parallelization efficiency has been highly improved. The influence of the magnetic field in BATMAN on the plasma behaviour has been investigated by comparing two different configurations of the magnet bars producing the filter field (internal magnets: x = 3 cm; external magnets: x = 9 cm). A flat grid geometry for the PG instead of the usual conical grid geometry has been studied to evaluate its impact on the extracted current, especially for the negative ions emitted from the surface of the PG. Finally, the ONIX code has been used for the first 3D PIC calculations ever performed for the ELISE experiment.

FID navigator-based MR thermometry method to monitor small temperature changes in the brain of ventilated animals.

PubMed

Boulant, Nicolas; Bottlaender, Michel; Uhrig, Lynn; Giacomini, Eric; Luong, Michel; Amadon, Alexis; Massire, Aurélien; Larrat, Benoît; Vignaud, Alexandre

2015-01-01

An MR thermometry method is proposed for measuring in vivo small temperature changes engendered by external RF heat sources. The method relies on reproducible and stable respiration and therefore currently applies to ventilated animals whose breathing is carefully controlled. It first consists in characterizing the stability of the main magnetic field as well as the variations induced by breathing during a first monitoring stage. Second, RF heating is applied while the phase and thus temperature evolutions are continuously measured, the corrections due to breathing and field drift being made thanks to the data accumulated during the first period. The RF heat source is finally stopped and the temperature rise likewise is continuously monitored during a third and last stage to observe the animal cooling down and to validate the assumptions made for correcting for the main field variation and the physiological noise. Experiments were performed with a clinical 7 T scanner on an anesthetized baboon and with a dedicated RF heating setup. Analysis of the data reveals a precision around 0.1°C, which allows us to reliably measure sub-degree temperature rises in the muscle and in the brain of the animal. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Exoplanet atmosphere highlights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García Muñoz, A.

2017-03-01

In only two decades since the first identification of a planet outside the Solar System,and about one since the pioneering detection of an atmosphere, exoplanet science has established itself as a mature field of astrophysics. As the search of as-of-yet undiscovered planets goes on, the field is steadily expanding its focus from detection only to detection and characterization. The information to be grasped from exoplanet atmospheres provides valuable insight into the formation and evolution of the planets and, in turn, into how unique our Solar System is. Ultimately, a dedicated search for life in these distant worlds will have to deal with the information encoded in their atmospheres. In recent years there has been rapid progress on both the theoretical and observational fronts in the investigation of exoplanet atmospheres. Theorists are predicting the prevailing conditions (temperature, chemical composition, cloud occurrence, energy transport) in these objects' envelopes, and are building the frameworks with which to approach the interpretation of observables. In parallel, observers have consolidated the remote sensing techniques that were utilized during the early years, and are now venturing into techniques that hold great promise for the future. With a number of space missions soon to fly and ground-based telescopes and instruments to be commissioned, all of them conceived during the exoplanet era, the field is set to experience unprecedented progress.

ARC-2008-ACD08-0265-214

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-11-02

Airship Ventures Zeppelin Dedication during the Moffett Field Diamond Jubilee. New NRP Partner KleenSpeed Chairman Timothy Collins (l) with THRUXAR electric race car at the Nov. 21 Diamond Jubilee exhibits. KleenSpeed is an advanced R&D firm focusing on scalable electric propulsion systems for transportation

77 FR 10482 - Trademark Petitions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-22

... through the Trademark Electronic Application System (TEAS). The USPTO has developed a TEAS Global Form format that permits the agency to collect information electronically for which a TEAS form with dedicated data fields is not yet available. With the introduction of the TEAS Global Forms, the information in...

Career Guidance Ideabook.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, Candace; Collarini, Cheryl

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a nationally based, non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging women to pursue careers in the field of engineering. The specific objectives include informing young women of the achievements, qualifications and opportunities open to them; assisting women engineers in returning to active employment after…

SU-F-T-138: Commissioning and Evaluating Dose Computation Models for a Dedicated Proton Line Scanning Beam Nozzle in Eclipse Treatment Planning System

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

Tsai, P; Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Huang, H

Purpose: In this study, we present an effective method to derive low dose envelope of the proton in-air spot fluence at beam positions other than the isocenter to reduce amount of measurements required for planning commission. Also, we demonstrate commissioning and validation results of this method to the Eclipse treatment planning system (version 13.0.29) for a Sumitomo dedicated proton line scanning beam nozzle. Methods: The in-air spot profiles at five beam-axis positions (±200, ±100 and 0 mm) were obtained in trigger mode using a MP3 Water tank (PTW-Freiburg) and a pinpoint ionization chamber (model 31014, PTW-Freiburg). Low dose envelope (belowmore » 1% of the center dose) of the spot profile at isocenter was obtained by repeated point measurements to minimize dosimetry uncertainty. The double Gaussian (DG) model was used to fit and obtain optimal σ1, σ2 and their corresponding weightings through our in-house MATLAB (Mathworks) program. σ1, σ2 were assumed to expand linearly along the beam axis from a virtual source position calculated by back projecting fitted sigmas from the single Gaussian (SG) model. Absolute doses in water were validated using an Advanced Markus chamber at the depth of 2cm with Pristine Peak (BP) R90d ranging from 5–32 cm for 10×10 cm2 scanned fields. The field size factors were verified with square fields from 2 to 20 cm at 2cm and before BP depth. Results: The absolute dose outputs were found to be within ±3%. For field size factor, the agreement between calculated and measurement were within ±2% at 2cm and ±3% before BP, except for the field size below 2×2 cm2. Conclusion: The double Gaussian model was found to be sufficient for characterizing the Sumitomo dedicated proton line scanning nozzle. With our effective double Gaussian fitting method, we are able to save significant proton beam time with acceptable output accuracy.« less

Hadron Cancer Therapy - relative merits of X-ray, proton and carbon beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jakel, Oliver

2014-03-01

-Heidelberg University has a long experience in radiotherapy with carbon ions, starting with a pilot project at GSI in 1997. This project was jointly run by the Dep. for Radiation Oncology of Heidelberg University, GSI and the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ). A hospital based heavy ion center at Heidelberg University, the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Center (HIT) was proposed by the same group in 1998 and started clinical operation in late 2009. Since then nearly 2000 patients were treated with beams of carbon ions and protons. Just recently the operation of the world's first and only gantry for heavy ions also started at HIT. Patient treatments are performed in three rooms. Besides that, a lot of research projects are run in the field of Medical Physics and Radiobiology using a dedicated experimental area and the possibility to use beams of protons, carbon, helium and oxygen ions being delivered with the raster scanning technique.

Digital phonocardiographic experiments and signal processing in multidisciplinary fields of university education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagy, Tamás; Vadai, Gergely; Gingl, Zoltán

2017-09-01

Modern measurement of physical signals is based on the use of sensors, electronic signal conditioning, analog-to-digital conversion and digital signal processing carried out by dedicated software. The same signal chain is used in many devices such as home appliances, automotive electronics, medical instruments, and smartphones. Teaching the theoretical, experimental, and signal processing background must be an essential part of improving the standard of higher education, and it fits well to the increasingly multidisciplinary nature of physics and engineering too. In this paper, we show how digital phonocardiography can be used in university education as a universal, highly scalable, exciting, and inspiring laboratory practice and as a demonstration at various levels and complexity. We have developed open-source software templates in modern programming languages to support immediate use and to serve as a basis of further modifications using personal computers, tablets, and smartphones.

Empowering the Design and the Sharing of Learning Plans by Means of Net Technologies: The IAMEL System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bottino, Rosa Maria; Ott, Michela; Tavella, Mauro

This paper reports on the research work carried out by the authors in the framework of the IAMEL project, supported by the Italian Ministry of Education. The project was mainly aimed at enhancing the teaching/learning of mathematics by providing teachers with specific e-learning platforms endowed with a number of dedicated tools supporting the setting-up and the carrying-out of specific in-field experiments. One of the main results of the project was the development of a methodology to carry out the design of educational interventions; such a methodology was based on a conceptual goal-oriented framework and on different authoring tools among which the IAMEL system, an online tool fully described in the paper that allows both the production and the sharing of pedagogical plans and consents the design and the modeling of educational interventions with different levels of granularity and scope.

Pion-photon reactions and chiral dynamics in Primakoff processes at COMPASS

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

Friedrich, Jan Michael

2016-01-22

With the COMPASS experiment at CERN, pion-photon reactions are investigated via the Primakoff effect, implying that high-energetic pions react with the quasi-real photon field surrounding the target nuclei. The production of a single hard photon in such a pion scattering at lowest momentum transfer to the nucleus is related to pion Compton scattering. From the measured cross-section shape, the pion polarisability is determined. The COMPASS measurement is in contradiction to the earlier dedicated measurements, and rather in agreement with the theoretical expectation from chiral perturbation theory. In the same data taking, reactions with neutral and charged pions in the finalmore » state are measured and analyzed. At low energy in the pion-photon centre-of-momentum system, these reactions are governed by chiral dynamics and contain information relevant for chiral perturbation theory. At higher energies, resonances are produced and their radiative coupling is investigated.« less

A New Hard X-ray Wiggler for DORIS III

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

Tischer, M.; Gumprecht, L.; Pflueger, J.

2007-01-19

A 4 m long hard X-ray wiggler has been built and installed in the DORIS III storage ring at DESY. The device replaces an old wiggler especially designed for angiography studies. Future use of this beamline at the HARWI straight section has been dedicated to hard X-ray scattering and diffraction experiments for material science and geological investigations. The required energy range is from 30 keV to about 200 keV with emphasis on the {approx}100 keV spectral range. The magnet configuration corresponds to a hybrid structure with additional side magnets to achieve a 2 T peak field for the specified periodmore » length of 110 mm. The wiggler position in the storage ring has been moved 8 m upstream into the next cell which allowed for reduction of the minimum magnetic wiggler gap to 14 mm.« less

Ultrasonography in lung pathologies: new perspectives.

PubMed

Demi, Libertario; Demi, Marcello; Smargiassi, Andrea; Inchingolo, Riccardo; Faita, Francesco; Soldati, Gino

2014-01-01

Nowadays, ultrasound techniques have not gained importance in the diagnosis and monitoring of lung pathologies yet because of the high mismatch in acoustic impedance between air and intercostal tissues. However, it is evident that B-mode imaging provides important information on pulmonary tissue, although in the form of image artifacts. Notwithstanding medical evidences, there exists no ultrasound-based method dedicated to the lung, hampering de facto the full exploitation of ultrasound potentials. A chance is given by the experience acquired in other fields, where acoustic attenuation is used to estimate concentrations of suspended particles in liquids and of air-bubbles in aerated foods. Custom hardware must be developed since commercial echographic equipment has been optimized to work with low acoustic impedance mismatches, and, in general, does not provide the primitive radiofrequency (RF) signals nor the possibility to tune key acquisition parameters such as ultrasound carrier frequency and pulse bandwidth, which are surely needed for our application.

Ultrasonography in lung pathologies: new perspectives

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Nowadays, ultrasound techniques have not gained importance in the diagnosis and monitoring of lung pathologies yet because of the high mismatch in acoustic impedance between air and intercostal tissues. However, it is evident that B-mode imaging provides important information on pulmonary tissue, although in the form of image artifacts. Findings Notwithstanding medical evidences, there exists no ultrasound-based method dedicated to the lung, hampering de facto the full exploitation of ultrasound potentials. A chance is given by the experience acquired in other fields, where acoustic attenuation is used to estimate concentrations of suspended particles in liquids and of air-bubbles in aerated foods. Conclusions Custom hardware must be developed since commercial echographic equipment has been optimized to work with low acoustic impedance mismatches, and, in general, does not provide the primitive radiofrequency (RF) signals nor the possibility to tune key acquisition parameters such as ultrasound carrier frequency and pulse bandwidth, which are surely needed for our application. PMID:24834347

An Effective Evolutionary Approach for Bicriteria Shortest Path Routing Problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Lin; Gen, Mitsuo

Routing problem is one of the important research issues in communication network fields. In this paper, we consider a bicriteria shortest path routing (bSPR) model dedicated to calculating nondominated paths for (1) the minimum total cost and (2) the minimum transmission delay. To solve this bSPR problem, we propose a new multiobjective genetic algorithm (moGA): (1) an efficient chromosome representation using the priority-based encoding method; (2) a new operator of GA parameters auto-tuning, which is adaptively regulation of exploration and exploitation based on the change of the average fitness of parents and offspring which is occurred at each generation; and (3) an interactive adaptive-weight fitness assignment mechanism is implemented that assigns weights to each objective and combines the weighted objectives into a single objective function. Numerical experiments with various scales of network design problems show the effectiveness and the efficiency of our approach by comparing with the recent researches.

Aquatics Systems Branch: transdisciplinary research to address water-related environmental problems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dong, Quan; Walters, Katie D.

2015-01-01

The Aquatic Systems Branch at the Fort Collins Science Center is a group of scientists dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary science and providing science support to solve water-related environmental issues. Natural resource managers have an increasing need for scientific information and stakeholders face enormous challenges of increasing and competing demands for water. Our scientists are leaders in ecological flows, riparian ecology, hydroscape ecology, ecosystem management, and contaminant biology. The Aquatic Systems Branch employs and develops state-of-the-science approaches in field investigations, laboratory experiments, remote sensing, simulation and predictive modeling, and decision support tools. We use the aquatic experimental laboratory, the greenhouse, the botanical garden and other advanced facilities to conduct unique research. Our scientists pursue research on the ground, in the rivers, and in the skies, generating and testing hypotheses and collecting quantitative information to support planning and design in natural resource management and aquatic restoration.

Doors for memory: A searchable database.

PubMed

Baddeley, Alan D; Hitch, Graham J; Quinlan, Philip T; Bowes, Lindsey; Stone, Rob

2016-11-01

The study of human long-term memory has for over 50 years been dominated by research on words. This is partly due to lack of suitable nonverbal materials. Experience in developing a clinical test suggested that door scenes can provide an ecologically relevant and sensitive alternative to the faces and geometrical figures traditionally used to study visual memory. In pursuing this line of research, we have accumulated over 2000 door scenes providing a database that is categorized on a range of variables including building type, colour, age, condition, glazing, and a range of other physical characteristics. We describe an illustrative study of recognition memory for 100 doors tested by yes/no, two-alternative, or four-alternative forced-choice paradigms. These stimuli, together with the full categorized database, are available through a dedicated website. We suggest that door scenes provide an ecologically relevant and participant-friendly source of material for studying the comparatively neglected field of visual long-term memory.

Air Force Intelligence Officer Targeteers: A Discussion on Specialization

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-10

significant force management problems for several reasons ( Galway et al. 2005, 48). The first reason was attributed to having no dedicated career field...manager to coordinate joint command and major command (MAJCOM) personnel requirements ( Galway et al. 2005, 51). Lack of a full time career field...intelligence work was required ( Galway et al. 2005, 48). RAND also noted that a tenuous balance existed between acquiring breadth and depth as a company

Solar Thermal Propulsion Optical Figure Measuring and Rocket Engine Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bonometti, Joseph

1997-01-01

Solar thermal propulsion has been an important area of study for four years at the Propulsion Research Center. Significant resources have been devoted to the development of the UAH Solar Thermal Laboratory that provides unique, high temperature, test capabilities. The facility is fully operational and has successfully conducted a series of solar thruster shell experiments. Although presently dedicated to solar thermal propulsion, the facility has application to a variety of material processing, power generation, environmental clean-up, and other fundamental research studies. Additionally, the UAH Physics Department has joined the Center in support of an in-depth experimental investigation on Solar Thermal Upper Stage (STUS) concentrators. Laboratory space has been dedicated to the concentrator evaluation in the UAH Optics Building which includes a vertical light tunnel. Two, on-going, research efforts are being sponsored through NASA MSFC (Shooting Star Flight Experiment) and the McDonnell Douglas Corporation (Solar Thermal Upper Stage Technology Ground Demonstrator).

Space shuttle and life sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mason, J. A.

1977-01-01

During the 1980's, some 200 Spacelab missions will be flown on space shuttle in earth-orbit. Within these 200 missions, it is planned that at least 20 will be dedicated to life sciences research, projects which are yet to be outlined by the life sciences community. Objectives of the Life Sciences Shuttle/Spacelab Payloads Program are presented. Also discussed are major space life sciences programs including space medicine and physiology, clinical medicine, life support technology, and a variety of space biology topics. The shuttle, spacelab, and other life sciences payload carriers are described. Concepts for carry-on experiment packages, mini-labs, shared and dedicated spacelabs, as well as common operational research equipment (CORE) are reviewed. Current NASA planning and development includes Spacelab Mission Simulations, an Announcement of Planning Opportunity for Life Sciences, and a forthcoming Announcement of Opportunity for Flight Experiments which will together assist in forging a Life Science Program in space.

The difference in learning culture and learning performance between a traditional clinical placement, a dedicated education unit and work-based learning.

PubMed

Claeys, Maureen; Deplaecie, Monique; Vanderplancke, Tine; Delbaere, Ilse; Myny, Dries; Beeckman, Dimitri; Verhaeghe, Sofie

2015-09-01

An experiment was carried out on the bachelor's degree course in nursing with two new clinical placement concepts: workplace learning and the dedicated education centre. The aim was to establish a learning culture that creates a sufficiently high learning performance for students. The objectives of this study are threefold: (1) to look for a difference in the "learning culture" and "learning performance" in traditional clinical placement departments and the new clinical placement concepts, the "dedicated education centre" and "workplace learning"; (2) to assess factors influencing the learning culture and learning performance; and (3) to investigate whether there is a link between the learning culture and the learning performance. A non-randomised control study was carried out. The experimental group consisted of 33 final-year nursing undergraduates who were following clinical placements at dedicated education centres and 70 nursing undergraduates who undertook workplace learning. The control group consisted of 106 students who followed a traditional clinical placement. The "learning culture" outcome was measured using the Clinical Learning Environment, Supervision and Nurse Teacher scale. The "learning performance" outcome consisting of three competencies was measured using the Nursing Competence Questionnaire. The traditional clinical placement concept achieved the highest score for learning culture (p<0.001). The new concepts scored higher for learning performance of which the dedicated education centres achieved the highest scores. The 3 clinical placement concepts showed marked differences in learning performance for the "assessment" competency (p<0.05) and for the "interventions" competency (p<0.05). Traditional clinical placement, a dedicated education centre and workplace learning can be seen as complementary clinical placement concepts. The organisation of clinical placements under the dedicated education centre concept and workplace learning is recommended for final-year undergraduate nursing students. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Arctic Collaboration: Developing a Successful Researcher/Teacher Expedition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skotnicki, S.; Loranty, M. M.

2016-12-01

Are you a researcher working in the polar regions of the world or a K-12 science teacher who would like to be part of a field research expedition in the polar regions? Researchers and K-12 science teachers can apply for funding from PolarTREC, a program that pairs researchers and teachers to conduct field science in Antarctica and the Arctic. Our poster presentation will offer details of one such successful researcher/teacher partnership. During the summer of 2016, Science Teacher Stan Skotnicki (Cheektowaga Central Middle School in Buffalo, NY) was teamed up with Assistant Professor Mike Loranty (Colgate University) to study vegetation and ecosystem impacts on permafrost vulnerability. Stan joined Mike and his research team in Northeastern Siberia preparing field sites, collecting data, processing samples, discussing methods, and planning daily activities. In order to raise awareness and broaden the impact of the research being conducted, Stan communicated the science through a series of journals on the PolarTREC website with his students, staff, and members of the community. Additionally, Mike and Stan held a live webinar from Siberia discussing the content of the research, the nature of the fieldwork, and why it was important to travel so far for this information. This expedition allowed Stan to experience working with a field research team for an extended period of time. Mike benefited from having a team member dedicated to learning about and communicating project details that also provided valuable field assistance. Stan gets to bring his hands-on experience back to his classroom in Buffalo and Mike has the opportunity to share his research with a new and different audience, including presenting to students at Cheektowaga Central with the help of his undergraduate students. This model of collaboration provides a number of valuable benefits for both teachers and researchers. While the PolarTREC program provides necessary logistics and funding to conduct these types of activities in polar regions, the approach is readily transferable to less remote locations, potentially at lower costs.

Validity and reliability of an application review process using dedicated reviewers in one stage of a multi-stage admissions model.

PubMed

Zeeman, Jacqueline M; McLaughlin, Jacqueline E; Cox, Wendy C

2017-11-01

With increased emphasis placed on non-academic skills in the workplace, a need exists to identify an admissions process that evaluates these skills. This study assessed the validity and reliability of an application review process involving three dedicated application reviewers in a multi-stage admissions model. A multi-stage admissions model was utilized during the 2014-2015 admissions cycle. After advancing through the academic review, each application was independently reviewed by two dedicated application reviewers utilizing a six-construct rubric (written communication, extracurricular and community service activities, leadership experience, pharmacy career appreciation, research experience, and resiliency). Rubric scores were extrapolated to a three-tier ranking to select candidates for on-site interviews. Kappa statistics were used to assess interrater reliability. A three-facet Many-Facet Rasch Model (MFRM) determined reviewer severity, candidate suitability, and rubric construct difficulty. The kappa statistic for candidates' tier rank score (n = 388 candidates) was 0.692 with a perfect agreement frequency of 84.3%. There was substantial interrater reliability between reviewers for the tier ranking (kappa: 0.654-0.710). Highest construct agreement occurred in written communication (kappa: 0.924-0.984). A three-facet MFRM analysis explained 36.9% of variance in the ratings, with 0.06% reflecting application reviewer scoring patterns (i.e., severity or leniency), 22.8% reflecting candidate suitability, and 14.1% reflecting construct difficulty. Utilization of dedicated application reviewers and a defined tiered rubric provided a valid and reliable method to effectively evaluate candidates during the application review process. These analyses provide insight into opportunities for improving the application review process among schools and colleges of pharmacy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

e-Drug3D: 3D structure collections dedicated to drug repurposing and fragment-based drug design.

PubMed

Pihan, Emilie; Colliandre, Lionel; Guichou, Jean-François; Douguet, Dominique

2012-06-01

In the drug discovery field, new uses for old drugs, selective optimization of side activities and fragment-based drug design (FBDD) have proved to be successful alternatives to high-throughput screening. e-Drug3D is a database of 3D chemical structures of drugs that provides several collections of ready-to-screen SD files of drugs and commercial drug fragments. They are natural inputs in studies dedicated to drug repurposing and FBDD. e-Drug3D collections are freely available at http://chemoinfo.ipmc.cnrs.fr/e-drug3d.html either for download or for direct in silico web-based screenings.

The USC Epigenome Center.

PubMed

Laird, Peter W

2009-10-01

The University of Southern California (USC, CA, USA) has a long tradition of excellence in epigenetics. With the recent explosive growth and technological maturation of the field of epigenetics, it became clear that a dedicated high-throughput epigenomic data production facility would be needed to remain at the forefront of epigenetic research. To address this need, USC launched the USC Epigenome Center as the first large-scale center in academics dedicated to epigenomic research. The Center is providing high-throughput data production for large-scale genomic and epigenomic studies, and developing novel analysis tools for epigenomic research. This unique facility promises to be a valuable resource for multidisciplinary research, education and training in genomics, epigenomics, bioinformatics, and translational medicine.

M and D SIG progress report: Laboratory simulations of LDEF impact features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horz, Friedrich; Bernhard, R. P.; See, Thomas H.; Atkinson, Dale R.; Allbrooks, Martha K.

1991-01-01

Reported here are impact simulations into pure Teflon and aluminum targets. These experiments will allow first order interpretations of impact features on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), and they will serve as guides for dedicated experiments that employ the real LDEF blankets, both unexposed and exposed, for a refined understanding of the Long Duration Exposure Facility's collisional environment.

Program Experiences of Adults with Autism, Their Families, and Providers: Findings from a Focus Group Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koffer Miller, Kaitlin H.; Mathew, Mary; Nonnemacher, Stacy L.; Shea, Lindsay L.

2018-01-01

A growing number of individuals with autism spectrum disorder are aging into adulthood. In the United States, Medicaid is the primary payer for services for adults with autism spectrum disorder, yet there are few funded programs that provide dedicated supports to this population. This study examined the experiences of adults with autism spectrum…

iPads in Breast Imaging – A Phantom Study

PubMed Central

Hammon, M.; Schlechtweg, P. M.; Schulz-Wendtland, R.; Uder, M.; Schwab, S. A.

2014-01-01

Introduction: Modern tablet PCs as the iPad are becoming more and more integrated into medicine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the display quality of iPads regarding digital mammography. Materials and Methods: Three experienced readers compared the display quality of the iPad 2 and 3 with a dedicated 10 megapixel (MP) mammography liquid crystal display (LCD) screen in consensus using the standardized Contrast Detail Mammography (CDMAM) phantom. Phantom fields without agreement between the readers were classified as “uncertain”, correct 2 : 1 decisions were classified as “uncertain/readable”. In a second step display quality of the three reading devices was judged subjectively in a side by side comparison. Results: The 10 MP screen was superior to both iPads in 4 (phantom-)fields and inferior in 2 fields. Comparing the iPads, version 3 was superior in 4 fields and version 2 was superior in 1 field. However these differences were not significant. Total number of “uncertain” fields did not show significant differences. The number of “uncertain” fields was 15 with the 10 MP screen, 16 with the iPad 2 and 17 with the iPad 3 (p > 0.05), the number of “uncertain/readable” fields was 4, 7 and 8, respectively. Subjective image quality of the iPad 3 and the 10 MP screen was rated superior to the iPad 2. Conclusion: The evaluated iPads, especially in version 3, seem to be adequate to display mammograms in a diagnostic quality and thus could be useful e.g. for patient consultation, clinical demonstration or educational and teaching purposes. However primary mammogram reading should still be performed on dedicated large sized reading screens. PMID:24741126

THOR Field and Wave Processor - FWP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soucek, Jan; Rothkaehl, Hanna; Balikhin, Michael; Zaslavsky, Arnaud; Nakamura, Rumi; Khotyaintsev, Yuri; Uhlir, Ludek; Lan, Radek; Yearby, Keith; Morawski, Marek; Winkler, Marek

2016-04-01

If selected, Turbulence Heating ObserveR (THOR) will become the first mission ever flown in space dedicated to plasma turbulence. The Fields and Waves Processor (FWP) is an integrated electronics unit for all electromagnetic field measurements performed by THOR. FWP will interface with all fields sensors: electric field antennas of the EFI instrument, the MAG fluxgate magnetometer and search-coil magnetometer (SCM) and perform data digitization and on-board processing. FWP box will house multiple data acquisition sub-units and signal analyzers all sharing a common power supply and data processing unit and thus a single data and power interface to the spacecraft. Integrating all the electromagnetic field measurements in a single unit will improve the consistency of field measurement and accuracy of time synchronization. The feasibility of making highly sensitive electric and magnetic field measurements in space has been demonstrated by Cluster (among other spacecraft) and THOR instrumentation complemented by a thorough electromagnetic cleanliness program will further improve on this heritage. Taking advantage of the capabilities of modern electronics, FWP will provide simultaneous synchronized waveform and spectral data products at high time resolution from the numerous THOR sensors, taking advantage of the large telemetry bandwidth of THOR. FWP will also implement a plasma a resonance sounder and a digital plasma quasi-thermal noise analyzer designed to provide high cadence measurements of plasma density and temperature complementary to data from particle instruments. FWP will be interfaced with the particle instrument data processing unit (PPU) via a dedicated digital link which will enable performing on board correlation between waves and particles, quantifying the transfer of energy between waves and particles. The FWP instrument shall be designed and built by an international consortium of scientific institutes from Czech Republic, Poland, France, UK, Sweden and Austria.

PREFACE: 16th International Conference on Calorimetry in High Energy Physics (CALOR 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novotny, Rainer W.

2015-02-01

The XVIth International Conference on Calorimetry in High Energy Physics - CALOR 2014 - was held in Giessen, Germany from 6-11 April 2014 at the Science Campus of the University. It was hosted by the Justus-Liebig-University and the HIC for FAIR Helmholtz International Center. The series of conferences on calorimetry were started in 1990 at Fermilab and are focusing primarily on operating and future calorimeter systems within the Hadron and High-Energy Physics community without neglecting the impact on other fields such as Astrophysics or Medical Imaging. Confirmed by the impressive list of over 70 oral presentations, 5 posters and over 100 attendees, the field of calorimetry appears alive and attractive. The present volume contains the written contributions of almost all presentations which can be found at http://calor2014.de. Time slots of 15 or 30 minutes including discussion were allocated. The conference was accompanied by a small exhibition of several industrial companies related to the field. The day before the opening of the scientific program, Richard Wigmans gave an excellent and vivid tutorial on basic aspects on calorimetry meant as an introduction for students and conference attendees new in the field. The opening ceremony was used to give an impression of the present and future status and the scientific program of the new FAIR facility nearby at Darmstadt presented by Klaus Peters from GSI. The conference program of the first day was dedicated to the performance and required future upgrade of the LHC experiments, dominated by ATLAS, CMS and LHCb. The program of the next day contained specific aspects on electronics and readout as well as calorimetry in outer space. Several contributions discussed in detail new concepts for hadron calorimeters within the CALICE collaboration completed by a session on sampling calorimeters. The next sections were dedicated to operating and future calorimeters at various laboratories and covering a wide range of projectiles and beam energies, such as ELSA at Bonn, BELLE2, BESIII or future projects at JLab, FAIR or RHIC. The last group of contributions was focusing on new concepts including new detector materials or techniques taking into account the general demand on radiation hardness. Damage caused by a large fluence of hadrons appears to become the limiting factor for the detector performance in future collider experiments. The scientific program was completed by a single contribution on applications in medical imaging. Marcella Diemoz gave a personal conference summary underlining again the high quality of the presentations, lively discussions and the wide range of the physics program and the related detector systems. The significant support by the Justus-Liebig-University, HIC for FAIR and sponsoring industrial partners allowed to keep the overall costs low and to support the participation of students and young scientists. I personally would like to thank the session chairs, the local organizing committee, the secretaries, technicians and students of the institute for the smooth operation of the conference. Finally, I would like to express my appreciation to all participants who made the conference successful by their high level contributions and discussion distributing their ideas and experiences. Rainer W Novotny Chair of the Conference

Potential for double-cropping with winter camelina

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Double-cropping camelina with a food or forage crop may offer a profitable means of producing a dedicated biofuel crop without jeopardizing food security. A 2-yr field study was conducted in west central Minnesota to evaluate the agronomic and economic viability of producing short-season cultivars o...

Field Emission Cathode and Vacuum Microelectronic Microwave Amplifier Development

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-03-31

the crushed material with additional yttria-stabilized zirconia powder to yield a pressable material of appropriate overall composition. This mixture...sensitivity of the system to oxygen content, a dedicated effort is planned to study the effect of residual oxygen in the zirconia powder on composite growth

Three Requirements for Justifying an Educational Neuroscience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hruby, George G.

2012-01-01

Background: Over the past quarter century, efforts to bridge between research in the neurosciences and research, theory, and practice in education have grown from a mere hope to noteworthy scholarly sophistication. Many dedicated educational researchers have developed the secondary expertise in the necessary neurosciences and related fields to…

Reinventing Discovery Learning: A Field-Wide Research Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrahamson, Dor; Kapur, Manu

2018-01-01

Whereas some educational designers believe that students should learn new concepts through explorative problem solving within dedicated environments that constrain key parameters of their search and then support their progressive appropriation of empowering disciplinary forms, others are critical of the ultimate efficacy of this discovery-based…

Community Research Mythology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldern, Barbara

2006-01-01

This article is dedicated to an in-depth discussion of the theme community and the implications the multiple meanings of community hold for the field of qualitative research. This theme surfaced from Walderns 2003 study entitled Resistance to Research in Vancouvers Downtown Eastside, which dealt with participant resistance to joining research…

Research Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Serig, Dan, Ed.

2010-01-01

This research review is dedicated to the memory of William Safire (1929-2009). A visionary leader, Safire brought other visionaries, researchers, educators, artists, and policymakers together to explore the confluence of arts education and neuroscience. He fostered the new field of neuroeducation in his work as chair of The Dana Foundation in…

Acting with dedication and expertise: Relatives' experience of nurses' provision of care in a palliative unit.

PubMed

Grøthe, Å; Biong, Stian; Grov, E K

2015-12-01

Admission of a cancer patient to a palliative unit when near the final stage of their disease trajectory undoubtedly impacts their relatives. The aim of our study was to illuminate and interpret relatives' lived experiences of health personnel's provision of care in a palliative ward. A phenomenological/hermeneutic approach was employed that was inspired by the philosophical tradition of Heidegger and Ricoeur and further developed by Lindseth and Nordberg. The perspectives of the narrator and the text were interpreted by highlighting relatives' views on a situation in which they have to face existential challenges. The analysis was undertaken in three steps: naïve reading, structural analysis, and comprehensive understanding, including the authors' professional experiences and theoretical background. Six subthemes appeared: the dying person, the bubble, the sight, the cover, the provision for children's needs, and the availability of immediate help. These components were further constructed into three themes: the meaning of relating, the meaning of action, and the meaning of resources. Our comprehensive understanding of the results suggests that the most important theme is "acting with dedication and expertise." The following aspects are crucial for relatives of cancer patients hospitalized in a palliative ward: time and existence, family dynamics, and care adjusted to the situation. Our study results led to reflections on the impact of how nurses behave when providing care to patients during the palliative phase, and how they interact with relatives in this situation. We found that cancer patients in a palliative unit most appreciate nurses who act with dedication and expertise.

Teleconferences and Audiovisual Materials in Earth Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cortina, L. M.

2007-05-01

Unidad de Educacion Continua y a Distancia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Coyoaca 04510 Mexico, MEXICO As stated in the special session description, 21st century undergraduate education has access to resources/experiences that go beyond university classrooms. However in some cases, resources may go largely unused and a number of factors may be cited such as logistic problems, restricted internet and telecommunication service access, miss-information, etc. We present and comment on our efforts and experiences at the National University of Mexico in a new unit dedicated to teleconferences and audio-visual materials. The unit forms part of the geosciences institutes, located in the central UNAM campus and campuses in other States. The use of teleconference in formal graduate and undergraduate education allows teachers and lecturers to distribute course material as in classrooms. Course by teleconference requires learning and student and teacher effort without physical contact, but they have access to multimedia available to support their exhibition. Well selected multimedia material allows the students to identify and recognize digital information to aid understanding natural phenomena integral to Earth Sciences. Cooperation with international partnerships providing access to new materials and experiences and to field practices will greatly add to our efforts. We will present specific examples of the experiences that we have at the Earth Sciences Postgraduate Program of UNAM with the use of technology in the education in geosciences.

Potential land competition between open-pond microalgae production and terrestrial dedicated feedstock supply systems in the U.S.

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

Langholtz, Matthew H.; Coleman, Andre M.; Eaton, Laurence M.

Biofuels produced from both terrestrial and algal biomass feedstocks can contribute to energy security while providing economic, environmental, and social benefits. To assess the potential for land competition between these two feedstock types in the United States, we evaluate a scenario in which 41.5 x 109 L yr-1 of second-generation biofuels are produced on pastureland, the most likely land base where both feedstock types may be deployed. This total includes 12.0 x 109 L yr-1 of biofuels from open-pond microalgae production and 29.5 x 109 L yr-1 of biofuels from terrestrial dedicated feedstock supply systems. Under these scenarios, open-pond microalgaemore » production is projected to use 1.2 million ha of private pastureland, while terrestrial dedicated feedstock supply systems would use 14.0 million ha of private pastureland. A spatial meta-analysis indicates that potential competition for land under these scenarios would be concentrated in 110 counties, containing 1.0 and 1.7 million hectares of algal and terrestrial dedicated feedstock production, respectively. A land competition index applied to these 110 counties suggests that 38 to 59 counties could experience competition for upwards of 40% of a county’s pastureland. However, this combined 2.7 million ha represents only 2%-5% of total pastureland in the U.S., with the remaining 12.5 million ha of algal or terrestrial dedicated feedstock production on pastureland in non-competing areas.« less

Direct detection of antiprotons with the Timepix3 in a new electrostatic selection beamline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pacifico, N.; Aghion, S.; Alozy, J.; Amsler, C.; Ariga, A.; Ariga, T.; Bonomi, G.; Bräunig, P.; Bremer, J.; Brusa, R. S.; Cabaret, L.; Caccia, M.; Campbell, M.; Caravita, R.; Castelli, F.; Cerchiari, G.; Chlouba, K.; Cialdi, S.; Comparat, D.; Consolati, G.; Demetrio, A.; Di Noto, L.; Doser, M.; Dudarev, A.; Ereditato, A.; Evans, C.; Ferragut, R.; Fesel, J.; Fontana, A.; Gerber, S.; Giammarchi, M.; Gligorova, A.; Guatieri, F.; Haider, S.; Holmestad, H.; Huse, T.; Jordan, E.; Kellerbauer, A.; Kimura, M.; Krasnický, D.; Lagomarsino, V.; Lansonneur, P.; Lawler, G.; Lebrun, P.; Llopart, X.; Malbrunot, C.; Mariazzi, S.; Marx, L.; Matveev, V.; Mazzotta, Z.; Nebbia, G.; Nedelec, P.; Oberthaler, M.; Pagano, D.; Penasa, L.; Petracek, V.; Pistillo, C.; Prelz, F.; Prevedelli, M.; Ravelli, L.; Resch, L.; Røhne, O. M.; Rotondi, A.; Sacerdoti, M.; Sandaker, H.; Santoro, R.; Scampoli, P.; Smestad, L.; Sorrentino, F.; Spacek, M.; Storey, J.; Strojek, I. M.; Testera, G.; Tietje, I.; Tlustos, L.; Widmann, E.; Yzombard, P.; Zavatarelli, S.; Zmeskal, J.; Zurlo, N.

2016-09-01

We present here the first results obtained employing the Timepix3 for the detection and tagging of annihilations of low energy antiprotons. The Timepix3 is a recently developed hybrid pixel detector with advanced Time-of-Arrival and Time-over-Threshold capabilities and has the potential of allowing precise kinetic energy measurements of low energy charged particles from their time of flight. The tagging of the characteristic antiproton annihilation signature, already studied by our group, is enabled by the high spatial and energy resolution of this detector. In this study we have used a new, dedicated, energy selection beamline (GRACE). The line is symbiotic to the AEgIS experiment at the CERN Antiproton Decelerator and is dedicated to detector tests and possibly antiproton physics experiments. We show how the high resolution of the Timepix3 on the Time-of-Arrival and Time-over-Threshold information allows for a precise 3D reconstruction of the annihilation prongs. The presented results point at the potential use of the Timepix3 in antimatter-research experiments where a precise and unambiguous tagging of antiproton annihilations is required.

Experiences and prospects of nuclear astrophysics in underground laboratories

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

Junker, M.

Impressive progress has been made in the course the last decades in understanding astrophysical objects. Increasing precision of nuclear physics data has contributed significantly to this success, but now a better understanding of several important findings is frequently limited by uncertainties related to the available nuclear physics data. Consequently it is desirable to improve significantly the quality of these data. An important step towards higher precision is an excellent signal to background ratio of the data. Placing an accelerator facility inside an underground laboratory reducing the cosmic ray induced background by six orders of magnitude is a powerful method tomore » reach this goal, even though careful reduction of environmental and beam induced background must still be considered. Experience in the field of underground nuclear astrophysics has been gained since 20 years due to the pioneering work of the LUNA Collaboration (Laboratory for Underground Nuclear Astrophysics) operating inside the underground laboratories of the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso (LNGS) in Italy. Based on the success of this work presently also several other projects for underground laboratories dedicated to nuclear astrophysics are being pursued worldwide. This contribution will give a survey of the past experience in underground nuclear astrophysics as well as an outlook on future developments.« less

Experimental Design and Simulation for the Third Generation (e, e'K+) Hypernuclear Spectroscopy at JLab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawama, D.; Fujii, Y.; Gogami, T.; Hashimoto, O.; Kanda, H.; Maruta, T.; Matsumura, A.; Nakamura, S. N.; Shichijo, A.; Taniya, N.; Yamamoto, T.; Yokota, K.; Kato, S.; Tang, L.; Chen, C.; Ye, Z.; Yuan, L.; Reinhold, J.

2010-10-01

We are now preparing for the third generation (e, e'K+) Λ hypernuclear spectroscopic experiment at Hall C, Jefferson Lab (USA). The goal of the experiment is the precise spectroscopy of hypernuclei in wide mass region. We have constructed a new high resolution electron spectrometer "HES" dedicated to (e, e'K+) hypernuclear study. We can expect the total energy resolution of the experiment is about 350 keV(FWHM).

Status of the Nanoscopium Scanning Hard X-ray Nanoprobe Beamline of Synchrotron Soleil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Somogyi, A.; Kewish, C. M.; Ribbens, M.; Moreno, T.; Polack, F.; Baranton, G.; Desjardins, K.; Samama, J. P.

2013-10-01

The Nanoscopium 155 m-long scanning hard X-ray nanoprobe beamline of Synchrotron Soleil (St Aubin, France) is dedicated to quantitative multi-modal 2D/3D imaging. The beamline aims to reach down to 30 nm spatial resolution in the 5-20 keV energy range. Two experimental stations working in consecutive operation mode will be dedicated to coherent diffractive imaging and scanning X-ray nanoprobe techniques. The beamline is in the construction phase, the first user experiments are expected in 2014. The main characteristics of the beamline and an overview of its status are given in this paper.

Multiplexed time-lapse photomicrography of cultured cells.

PubMed

Heye, R R; Kiebler, E W; Arnzen, R J; Tolmach, L J

1982-01-01

A system of cinemicrography has been developed in which a single microscope and 16 mm camera are multiplexed to produce a time-lapse photographic record of many fields simultaneously. The field coordinates and focus are selected via a control console and entered into the memory of a dedicated microcomputer; they are then automatically recalled in sequence, thus permitting the photographing of additional fields in the interval between exposures of any given field. Sequential exposures of each field are isolated in separate sections of the film by means of a specially designed random-access camera that is also controlled by the microcomputer. The need to unscramble frames is thereby avoided, and the developed film can be directly analysed.

Fourth-year medical student opinions and basic knowledge regarding the field of radiology.

PubMed

Prezzia, Charles; Vorona, Gregory; Greenspan, Robin

2013-03-01

This study evaluates the opinions and knowledge of fourth-year US medical students regarding radiology and analyzes the influence of a required or nonrequired radiology rotation as a reflection of the effectiveness of radiology medical student education. Our institutional review board granted exempt status. An invitation e-mail was sent to 137 US medical schools. Upon receiving approval a second email was sent containing our voluntary anonymous online survey hyperlink to forward to their fourth-year class. Survey topics included demographics, radiology educational experiences, attitudes toward the field, and basic radiology knowledge. Responses were collected between August 4 and September 26, 2011. A total of 444 fourth-year medical students from 37 medical schools participated: 89% planned to enter a nonradiology specialty, 10.8% were required to take a dedicated radiology rotation, 34.9% completed one, 77% planned to complete one by graduation, 88.4% thought radiology often changes patient care or is at least as important as physical exam, 91.4% underestimated the cancer risk of an abdomen and pelvis computed tomography by at least one order of magnitude, and 72.9% by at least two orders. Seventy-seven percent had never heard of the American College of Radiology (ACR) Appropriateness Criteria. Respondents underestimated the potential risks of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); with 58.3% aware intravenous gadolinium can cause nephrogenic systemic fibrosis and 79.4% aware of potential injury from metallic projectiles. 40.4% indicated that non-radiologist clinicians in specific medical specialties interpret their respective imaging studies at least as accurately as corresponding subspecialty radiologists. Other results include student opinions regarding teleradiology, radiologist lifestyle, and compensation. Fourth-year medical students recognize the importance of radiology but are poorly informed regarding radiation safety, MRI safety, and ACR Appropriateness Criteria, despite 34.9% having a dedicated rotation. This highlights the need for adoption of the Alliance of Medical Student Educators in Radiology curriculum. Copyright © 2013 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A possible new test of general relativity with Juno

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iorio, L.

2013-10-01

The expansion in multipoles Jℓ, ℓ = 2, … of the gravitational potential of a rotating body affects the orbital motion of a test particle orbiting it with long-term perturbations both at a classical and at a relativistic level. In this preliminary sensitivity analysis, we show that, for the first time, the J2c-2 effects could be measured by the ongoing Juno mission in the gravitational field of Jupiter during its nearly yearlong science phase (10 November 2016-5 October 2017), thanks to its high eccentricity (e = 0.947) and to the huge oblateness of Jupiter (J2 = 1.47 × 10-2). The semimajor axis a and the perijove ω of Juno are expected to be shifted by Δa ≲ 700-900 m and Δω ≲ 50-60 milliarcseconds (mas), respectively, over 1-2 yr. A numerical analysis shows also that the expected J2c-2 range-rate signal for Juno should be as large as ≈280 microns per second (μm s-1) during a typical 6 h pass at its closest approach. Independent analyses previously performed by other researchers about the measurability of the Lense-Thirring effect showed that the radio science apparatus of Juno should reach an accuracy in Doppler range-rate measurements of ≈1-5 μm s-1 over such passes. The range-rate signature of the classical even zonal perturbations is different from the first post-Newtonian (1PN) one. Thus, further investigations, based on covariance analyses of simulated Doppler data and dedicated parameters estimation, are worth of further consideration. It turns out that the J2c-2 effects cannot be responsible of the flyby anomaly in the gravitational field of the Earth. A dedicated spacecraft in a 6678 km × 57103 km polar orbit would experience a geocentric J2c-2 range-rate shift of ≈0.4 mm s-1.

Fellowship Training in the Emerging Fields of Fetal-Neonatal Neurology and Neonatal Neurocritical Care.

PubMed

Smyser, Christopher D; Tam, Emily W Y; Chang, Taeun; Soul, Janet S; Miller, Steven P; Glass, Hannah C

2016-10-01

Neonatal neurocritical care is a growing and rapidly evolving medical subspecialty, with increasing numbers of dedicated multidisciplinary clinical, educational, and research programs established at academic institutions. The growth of these programs has provided trainees in neurology, neonatology, and pediatrics with increased exposure to the field, sparking interest in dedicated fellowship training in fetal-neonatal neurology. To meet this rising demand, increasing numbers of training programs are being established to provide trainees with the requisite knowledge and skills to independently deliver care for infants with neurological injury or impairment from the fetal care center and neonatal intensive care unit to the outpatient clinic. This article provides an initial framework for standardization of training across these programs. Recommendations include goals and objectives for training in the field; core areas where clinical competency must be demonstrated; training activities and neuroimaging and neurodiagnostic modalities which require proficiency; and programmatic requirements necessary to support a comprehensive and well-rounded training program. With consistent implementation, the proposed model has the potential to establish recognized standards of professional excellence for training in the field, provide a pathway toward Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education certification for program graduates, and lead to continued improvements in medical and neurological care provided to patients in the neonatal intensive care unit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Large photocathode 20-inch PMT testing methods for the JUNO experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anfimov, N.

2017-06-01

The 20 kt Liquid Scintillator (LS) JUNO detector is being constructed by the International Collaboration in China, with the primary goal of addressing the question of neutrino mass ordering (hierarchy). The main challenge for JUNO is to achieve a record energy resolution, ~ 3% at 1 MeV of energy released in the LS, which is required to perform the neutrino mass hierarchy determination. About 20 000 large 20'' PMTs with high Photon Detection Efficiency (PDE) and good photocathode uniformity will ensure an approximately 80% surface coverage of the JUNO detector. The JUNO collaboration is preparing equipment for the mass tests of all PMTs using 4 dedicated containers. Each container consists of 36 drawers. Each drawer will test a single PMT. This approach allows us to test 144 PMTs in parallel. The primary measurement in the container will be the PMT response to illumination of its photocathode by a low-intensity uniform light. Each of the 20000 PMTs will undergo the container test. Additionally, a dedicated scanning system was constructed for sampled tests of PMTs that allows us to study the variation of the PDE over the entire PMT photocathode surface. A sophisticated laboratory for PMT testing was recently built. It includes a dark room where the scanning station is housed. The core of the scanning station is a rotating frame with 7 LED sources of calibrated short light flashes that are placed along the photocathode surface covering zenith angles from the top of a PMT to its equator. It allows for the testing of individual PMTs in all relevant aspects by scanning the photocathode and identifying any potential problems. The collection efficiency of a large PMT is known to be very sensitive to the Earth Magnetic Field (EMF), therefore, understanding the necessary level of EMF suppression is crucial for the JUNO Experiment. A dark room with Helmholtz coils compensating the EMF components is available for these tests at a JUNO facility. The Hamamatsu R12860 20'' PMT is a candidate for the JUNO experiment. In this article the container design and mass-testing method, the scanning setup and scanning method are briefly described and preliminary results for performance test of this PMT are reported.

Ensemble Data Assimilation and Predictability of Tropical Cyclones

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

Poterjoy and Christopher Melhauser) have been dedicated to the project tasks at the Pennsylvania State University under the guidance of both PI’s...8. Rozoff, C. M., D. S. Nolan , J. P. Kossin, F. Zhang, and J. Fang, 2012: The roles of an expanding wind field and inertial stability in tropical

Field productivities of Switchgrass for conversion to sugars and ethanol

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Switchgrass (SG, Panicum virgatum) is a warm season perennial grass being developed as a dedicated bioenergy crop. The Agricultural Research Service has recently released a new cultivar of SG named Liberty, which is a cross between Summer and Kanlow cultivars. In prior studies Liberty grown on 4 sit...

The ID Database: Managing the Instructional Development Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piña, Anthony A.; Sanford, Barry K.

2017-01-01

Management is evolving as a foundational domain to the field of instructional design and technology. However, there are few tools dedicated to the management of instructional design and development projects and activities. In this article, we describe the development, features and implementation of an instructional design database--built from a…

Portable Intelligent Tritium in Air Monitor

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

Purghel, L.; Calin, M.R.; Bartos, D.

2005-07-15

The tritium detection method used for this monitor is original, patented in Romania. The detection unit consists of a single ionization chamber, a special fast preamplifier and a dedicated software associated to the detection unit, for signals processing. Some results concerning the tritium in relative strong gamma-ray fields are presented.

Dropout Prevention Fieldbook: Best Practices from the Field

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schargel, Franklin P.

2012-01-01

Reduce your school's dropout rate, help improve teaching and learning, and develop stronger relationships with parents and the community. This book showcases the collected efforts of dedicated educators from across the country, selected and presented by one of today's leading experts in dropout prevention, Franklin Schargel. Easily indexed…

78 FR 76969 - Wright Brothers Day, 2013

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-19

... champion STEM education in their communities. As we remember the Wright brothers, let us not forget another... results. That is why my Administration is dedicated to improving education in the vital fields of science... underrepresented groups, and through Race to the Top, we are raising standards and making STEM education a priority...

ARC-2006-ACD06-0213-011

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-10-03

Ames and Moffett Field (MFA) historical sites and memorials Unitary Plan Wind Tunned plaza; display and historical site plaques with the NASA logo on the Wind Tunnel valve as a backdrop. shown is the Unitary International Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark Dedication plaque (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) May 5, 1995

Benchmarking 2009: Trends in Education Philanthropy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bearman, Jessica; Kilgore, Gin

2009-01-01

"Benchmarking 2009: Trends in Education Philanthropy" is Grantmakers for Education's (GFE) second annual study of grantmaking trends and priorities among members. As a national network dedicated to improving education outcomes through philanthropy, GFE members are mindful of their role in fostering greater knowledge in the field. They believe it's…

Commentary: Narrative Ethnography as Applied Communication Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodall, H. L., Jr.

2004-01-01

The breadth and heuristic merits of Harold (Buddy) Goodall's scholarship exemplify the teachings and influence of Gerald Phillips. One nominator applauds Goodall's leadership and dedication to furthering the visibility and utility of applied communication. Goodall's research is also widely used in other fields such as sociology and anthropology,…

Bi-axial Vibration Energy Harvesting

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-07-01

included early dedicated portable signal averaging equipment, Nomad, CT4 and F18 fatigue test control systems and some field trials. Currently he is...and repairs to acoustically- fatigued structures. ____________________ ________________________________________________ UNCLASSIFIED...Physicists at the Tokyo Institute of Technology investigated various piezoceramic materials [20], developing lead zirconate titanate ( PZT ) in around 1952

Women in Metabolism: Part II.

PubMed

2015-09-01

The "Rosies" of Cell Metabolism are back for the second part of the "Women in Metabolism" series. In continuing our celebrations of Cell Metabolism's 10th anniversary, we are happy to present 15 new fascinating stories, revealing the passion, dedication, and words of wisdom from women leaders in the metabolism field.

Creating a Strategy for Progress: A Contextual Behavioral Science Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vilardaga, Roger; Hayes, Steven C.; Levin, Michael E.; Muto, Takashi

2009-01-01

Behavior analysis is a field dedicated to the development and application of behavioral principles to the understanding and modification of the psychological actions of organisms. As such, behavior analysis was committed from the beginning to a comprehensive account of behavior, stretching from animal learning to complex human behavior. Despite…

More than Mere Movement: Dalcroze Eurhythmics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mead, Virginia Hoge

1986-01-01

Since the early 1900s, the influence of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze has been felt worldwide in the field of music, as well as dance, theater, therapy, and education. To understand this influence, one needs to know something of his lifelong endeavors and dedication to improving the teaching of music. (RM)

Tracking our Nation's vital forest resources

Treesearch

Southern Research Station USDA Forest Service

2007-01-01

Since the 1930s, the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service has been tracking forest extent, health, vitality, and contributions to the national and global timber supply. Our field, office, and administrative staff are dedicated to helping foresters, wildlife biologists, universities, non-governmental...

Historical Perspective of Biofuels: Learning from the Past to Rediscover the Future

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This issue of in vitro plant is dedicated to various aspects of biofuel research and development. The editors have sought the experts in this field and solicited manuscripts for this special issue publication from various academic institutions, government (USDA, DOE), industry (Mendel, Alellyx, Can...

Family Support Reaching Out.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goetz, Kathy, Ed.

1995-01-01

The articles in this journal, which is dedicated to the family support field, include such topics as: (1) creating links between family support and early childhood education programs; (2) the challenges facing grandparent caregivers; (3) the problems endemic in social services for infants, toddlers, and their families; (4) the use of the internet…

Large Bore Powder Gun Qualification (U)

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

Rabern, Donald A.; Valdiviez, Robert

A Large Bore Powder Gun (LBPG) is being designed to enable experimentalists to characterize material behavior outside the capabilities of the NNSS JASPER and LANL TA-55 PF-4 guns. The combination of these three guns will create a capability to conduct impact experiments over a wide range of pressures and shock profiles. The Large Bore Powder Gun will be fielded at the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) U1a Complex. The Complex is nearly 1000 ft below ground with dedicated drifts for testing, instrumentation, and post-shot entombment. To ensure the reliability, safety, and performance of the LBPG, a qualification plan has beenmore » established and documented here. Requirements for the LBPG have been established and documented in WE-14-TR-0065 U A, Large Bore Powder Gun Customer Requirements. The document includes the requirements for the physics experiments, the gun and confinement systems, and operations at NNSS. A detailed description of the requirements is established in that document and is referred to and quoted throughout this document. Two Gun and Confinement Systems will be fielded. The Prototype Gun will be used primarily to characterize the gun and confinement performance and be the primary platform for qualification actions. This gun will also be used to investigate and qualify target and diagnostic modifications through the life of the program (U1a.104 Drift). An identical gun, the Physics Gun, will be fielded for confirmatory and Pu experiments (U1a.102D Drift). Both guns will be qualified for operation. The Gun and Confinement System design will be qualified through analysis, inspection, and testing using the Prototype Gun for the majority of process. The Physics Gun will be qualified through inspection and a limited number of qualification tests to ensure performance and behavior equivalent to the Prototype gun. Figure 1.1 shows the partial configuration of U1a and the locations of the Prototype and Physics Gun/Confinement Systems.« less

Low-temperature relative reflectivity measurements of reflective and scintillating foils used in rare event searches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Langenkämper, A.; Ulrich, A.; Defay, X.; Feilitzsch, F. v.; Lanfranchi, J.-C.; Mondragón, E.; Münster, A.; Oppenheimer, C.; Potzel, W.; Roth, S.; Schönert, S.; Steiger, H.; Trinh Thi, H. H.; Wawoczny, S.; Willers, M.; Zöller, A.

2018-03-01

In this work we investigate the reflectivity of highly reflective multilayer polymer foils used in the CRESST experiment. The CRESST experiment searches directly for dark matter via operating scintillating CaWO4 crystals as targets for elastic dark matter-nucleon scattering. In order to suppress background events, the experiment employs the so-called phonon-light technique which is based on the simultaneous measurement of the heat signal in the main CaWO4 target crystal and of the emitted scintillation light with a separate cryogenic light detector. Both detectors are surrounded by a highly reflective and scintillating multilayer polymer foil to increase the light collection efficiency and to veto surface backgrounds. While this study is motivated by the CRESST experiment, the results are also relevant for other rare event searches using scintillating cryogenic bolometers in the field of the search of dark matter and neutrinoless double beta decay (0 νββ). In this work a dedicated experiment has been set up to determine the relative reflectivity at 300 K and 20 K of three multilayer foils ("VM2000", "VM2002", "Vikuiti") produced by the company 3M. The intensity of a light beam reflected off the foil is measured with a CCD camera. The ratio of the intensities at 300 K and 20 K corresponds to the relative reflectivity change. The measurements performed in this work show no variation of the reflectivity with temperature at a level of ∼1%.

High speed systems for time-resolved experiments with synchrotron radiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koziol, Anna; Maj, Piotr

2018-02-01

The UFXC32k is a single photon counting hybrid pixel detector with 75 μm pixel pitch. It was designed to cope with high X-ray intensities and therefore it is a very good candiate for synchrotron applications. In order to use this detector in an application, a dedicated setup must be designed and built allowing proper operation of the detector within the experiment. The paper presents two setups built for the purpose of Pump-Probe-Probe experiments at the Synchrotron SOLEIL and XPCS experiments at the APS.

Evaluation of an image-based tracking workflow using a passive marker and resonant micro-coil fiducials for automatic image plane alignment in interventional MRI.

PubMed

Neumann, M; Breton, E; Cuvillon, L; Pan, L; Lorenz, C H; de Mathelin, M

2012-01-01

In this paper, an original workflow is presented for MR image plane alignment based on tracking in real-time MR images. A test device consisting of two resonant micro-coils and a passive marker is proposed for detection using image-based algorithms. Micro-coils allow for automated initialization of the object detection in dedicated low flip angle projection images; then the passive marker is tracked in clinical real-time MR images, with alternation between two oblique orthogonal image planes along the test device axis; in case the passive marker is lost in real-time images, the workflow is reinitialized. The proposed workflow was designed to minimize dedicated acquisition time to a single dedicated acquisition in the ideal case (no reinitialization required). First experiments have shown promising results for test-device tracking precision, with a mean position error of 0.79 mm and a mean orientation error of 0.24°.

Profiling optimization for big data transfer over dedicated channels

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

Yun, D.; Wu, Qishi; Rao, Nageswara S

The transfer of big data is increasingly supported by dedicated channels in high-performance networks, where transport protocols play an important role in maximizing applicationlevel throughput and link utilization. The performance of transport protocols largely depend on their control parameter settings, but it is prohibitively time consuming to conduct an exhaustive search in a large parameter space to find the best set of parameter values. We propose FastProf, a stochastic approximation-based transport profiler, to quickly determine the optimal operational zone of a given data transfer protocol/method over dedicated channels. We implement and test the proposed method using both emulations based onmore » real-life performance measurements and experiments over physical connections with short (2 ms) and long (380 ms) delays. Both the emulation and experimental results show that FastProf significantly reduces the profiling overhead while achieving a comparable level of end-to-end throughput performance with the exhaustive search-based approach.« less

System Administration Support/SWORDS G2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dito, Scott Joseph

2014-01-01

The Soldier-Warfighter Operationally Responsive Deployer for Space (SWORDS) rocket is a dedicated small satellite launcher that will minimize danger and complexity in order to allow soldiers in the field to put payloads of up to 25kg into orbit from the field. The SWORDSG2 project is the development of a model, simulation, and ultimately a working application that will control and monitor the cryogenic fluid delivery to the SWORDS rocket for testing purposes. To accomplish this, the project is using the programming language environment Gensym G2. The environment is an all-inclusive application that allows development, testing, modeling, and finally operation of the unique application through graphical and programmatic methods. In addition, observation of the current cryogenic fluid delivery system in the Kennedy Space Center Cry Lab has allowed me to gain valuable experience of fluid systems and propelant delivery that is valuable to our team when developing amd modeling our own system.The ultimate goal of having a test-ready application to show to the heads of the project, and demonstrating G2's capabilities, by late 2014 will require hard work and intense study and understanding of not only the programming aspect but also the physical phenomena we want to model, observe, and control.

[Cell engineering in nephrology: The current state and prospectives from the point of view of military medicine].

PubMed

Bel'skih, A N; Golota, A S; Krassii, A B; Nagibovich, O A

2015-09-01

This article is dedicated to the current state and prospectives of cell engineering in nephrology from the point of view of military medicine. The review is based on publications from January 1, 2014, to June 1, 2015, and consists of two parts. In the first part the main directions of the cell engineering development are mentioned. The only two clinical trials existed in the field are discussed in more detail. The second part deals with prospectives of cell engineering in nephrology. It is shown that currently this field is in the stage of preclinical experimentation. Of the two known clinical trials the first has failed to demonstrate any effectiveness of cell engineering, the second--will be completed only at the end of 2016. Also, the review notes an extraordinary cost of cell engineering experiments in nephrology. The analysis of publications allows to come to a conclusion that the future progress in prevention and treatment of acute kidney injury could go not in the direction of cell engineering but rather non-cell technologies. One of. the practical consequence of such a conclusion is a necessity to continue the improvement of already existing methods of machine renal replacement therapy.

ASAS centennial paper: Farm animal welfare science in the United States.

PubMed

Johnson, A K

2009-06-01

Compared with the more traditional sciences of nutrition, physiology, and reproduction, the acceptance of animal welfare science in its own right is still relatively new. Seven colleagues, who had an average of 10 yr experience with beef (n = 5), swine (n = 5), dairy (n = 2), poultry (n = 1), and sheep (n = 1) were asked several questions on the opportunities and challenges facing the field. The information collected was pooled for anonymity. General challenges identified by the group were (1) are we making progress and how can this be defined, (2) demand for information has outpaced the science, and (3) pressures from stakeholders. Solutions were (1) to continue providing sound science that has been validated, measured objectively, and is reliable; and (2) to continue to have animal science and veterinary medicine departments employ faculty trained in farm animal welfare. Highlights for the future were willingness for animal welfare scientists to work across disciplines and across departments, within the same institution, and enthusiastically across state lines, and expansion of new teaching models. In conclusion, new and innovative tools, personalities, and dedication to the field of animal welfare will continue to provide scientific information and direction for farm animal welfare science.

[Patients' intervention in a therapeutic education program dedicated to systemic lupus: definitions, setting and benefits].

PubMed

Hervier, B; Magar, Y; Allab, F; Richard, K; Neves, Y; Danjou, S; Amoura, Z; Ayçaguer, S

2015-10-01

Though recommended, participation of patients with specific expertise in therapeutic education programs (TEP) is rare. This work reports the experience of a national reference centre for rare systemic diseases. Involvement of "expert patients" (EP) has been planned from the development of a TEP dedicated to systemic lupus: patients' roles and required expertise have been defined and linked to the pedagogical tools. Such patients have been recruited during individual interviews and called to participate to specific pedagogical training. EP intervention have been evaluated by questionnaire to EP and health care providers. Three EP's functions have been identified: sharing experiences, giving "tips and tricks" and promoting dialogue. EP's interventions has been organised into a hierarchy (from sharing to co-animation). Among 298 patients enrolled in the TEP, 25 (8.4%) have been identified as possible EP. Eight of them (32%) benefited from a specific training of 12 hours. Among these patients, two (25%) regularly participate to the education sessions. For EP as well as for health care providers, EP's intervention seems beneficial (visual scale scores of 7.5 and 9.5, respectively). Though difficult to organise, EP's intervention in TEP dedicated to rare systemic diseases seems useful and would earn to be increase. Copyright © 2015 Société nationale française de médecine interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Using Remotely Sensed Data to Automate and Improve Census Bureau Update Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Desch, A., IV

2017-12-01

Location of established and new housing structures is fundamental in the Census Bureau's planning and execution of each decennial census. Past Census address list compilation and update programs have involved sending more than 100,000 workers into the field to find and verify housing units. The 2020 Census program has introduced an imagery based In-Office Address Canvassing Interactive Review (IOAC-IR) program in an attempt to reduce the in-field workload. The human analyst driven, aerial image based IOAC-IR operation has proven to be a cost effective and accurate substitute for a large portion of the expensive in-field address canvassing operations. However, the IOAC-IR still required more than a year to complete and over 100 full-time dedicated employees. Much of the basic image analysis work done in IOAC-IR can be handled with established remote sensing and computer vision techniques. The experience gained from the Interactive Review phase of In-Office Address Canvassing has led to the development of a prototype geo-processing tool to automate much of this process for future and ongoing Address Canvassing operations. This prototype utilizes high-resolution aerial imagery and LiDAR to identify structures and compare their location to existing Census geographic information. In this presentation, we report on the comparison of this exploratory system's results to the human based IOAC-IR. The experimental image and LiDAR based change detection approach has itself led to very promising follow-on experiments utilizing very current, high repeat datasets and scalable cloud computing. We will discuss how these new techniques can be used to both aid the US Census Bureau meet its goals of identify all the housing units in the US as well as aid developing countries better identify where there population is currently distributed.

Nonthermal microwave effects revisited: on the importance of internal temperature monitoring and agitation in microwave chemistry.

PubMed

Herrero, M Antonia; Kremsner, Jennifer M; Kappe, C Oliver

2008-01-04

The concept of nonthermal microwave effects has received considerable attention in recent years and is the subject of intense debate in the scientific community. Nonthermal microwave effects have been postulated to result from a direct stabilizing interaction of the electric field with specific (polar) molecules in the reaction medium that is not related to a macroscopic temperature effect. In order to probe the existence of nonthermal microwave effects, four synthetic transformations (Diels-Alder cycloaddition, alkylation of triphenylphosphine and 1,2,4-triazole, direct amide bond formation) were reevaluated under both microwave dielectric heating and conventional thermal heating. In all four cases, previous studies have claimed the existence of nonthermal microwave effects in these reactions. Experimentally, significant differences in conversion and/or product distribution comparing the conventionally and microwave-heated experiments performed at the same measured reaction temperature were found. The current reevaluation of these reactions was performed in a dedicated reactor setup that allowed accurate internal reaction temperature measurements using a multiple fiber-optic probe system. Using this technology, the importance of efficient stirring and internal temperature measurement in microwave-heated reactions was made evident. Inefficient agitation leads to temperature gradients within the reaction mixture due to field inhomogeneities in the microwave cavity. Using external infrared temperature sensors in some cases results in significant inaccuracies in the temperature measurement. Applying the fiber-optic probe temperature monitoring device, a critical reevaluation of all four reactions has provided no evidence for the existence of nonthermal microwave effects. Ensuring efficient agitation of the reaction mixture via magnetic stirring, no significant differences in terms of conversion and selectivity between experiments performed under microwave or oil bath conditions at the same internally measured reaction temperatures were experienced. The observed effects were purely thermal and not related to the microwave field.

Recent Advances in Studies of Ionospheric Modification Using Rocket Exhaust (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bernhardt, P. A.

2009-12-01

Rocket exhaust interacts with the ionosphere to produce a wide range of disturbances. A ten second burn of the Orbital Maneuver Subsystem (OMS) engines on the Space Shuttle deposits over 1 Giga Joule of energy into the upper atmosphere. The exhaust vapors travel at speeds between 4.7 and 10.7 km/s coupling momentum into the ions by both collisions and charge exchange. Long-lived plasma irregularities are formed by the artificial hypersonic “neutral wind” passing through the ionosphere. Charge exchange between the fast neutrals and the ambient ions yields high-speed ion beams that excite electro-static plasma waves. Ground based radar has been used to detect both field aligned irregularities and electrostatic turbulence driven by the Space Shuttle OMS exhaust. Molecular ions produced by the charge exchange with molecules in the rocket exhaust recombine with a time scale of 10 minutes leaving a residual plasma depression. This ionospheric “hole” fills in by ambipolar diffusion leaving a depleted magnetic flux tube. This large scale reduction in Pedersen conductivity can provide a seed for plasma interchange instabilities. For instance, a rocket firing on the bottom side of the ionosphere near the equator can trigger a Rayleigh-Taylor instability that is naturally seen as equatorial Spread-F. The Naval Research Laboratory has been exploring these phenomena with dedicated burns of the Space Shuttle OMS engines and exhaust releases from rockets. The Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Pulsed Localized Exhaust (SIMPLEX) series of experiments uses ground radars to probe the ionosphere affected by dedicated burns of the Space Shuttle OMS engines. Radars located at Millstone Hill, Massachusetts; Arecibo, Puerto Rico; Jicamarca, Peru; Kwajalein, Marshall Island; and Alice Springs, Australia have participated in the SIMPLEX program. A companion program called Shuttle Exhaust Ionospheric Turbulence Experiment has or will use satellites to fly through the turbulence ionosphere produced by Space Shuttle Exhaust. This program is employing the Air Force Research Laboratory C/NOFS and the Canadian CASSIOPE/EPoP satellites to make in situ measurements of Space Shuttle exhaust effects. Finally, NRL is conducting the Charged Aerosol Release Experiment which employs a solid rocket motor to modify the ionosphere using supersonic particulate injection and dusty plasma formation. Both the theoretic basis for these experiments and as summary of the experimental results will be presented.

Using Interdisciplinary research to enrich teachers and classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warburton, J.; Timm, K.; Huffman, L. T.; Peart, L. W.; Hammond, J.; McMahon, E.

2011-12-01

Imagine being on the stern of a ship in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New England as the crew dumps thousands of scallops on the deck, searching the Greenland ice sheet for a remote weather station, or uncovering secrets to past climates as you join an ocean sediment drilling team in Antarctica. So you ask yourself, what would you be doing in all of these places? What you would be doing is what hundreds of educators from around the world have done for over 20 years, participating in field-based Teacher Research Experience (TRE) programs. Teacher Research Experiences involve educators from varying grade levels and backgrounds in hands-on research as a member of a scientific research team. The teacher works side by side with actual research scientists, often on tasks similar to a field assistant or graduate student. As an important member of the research team teachers learn more about science content and the process of science. Subsequently, the educators play a key role in digesting and communicating the science to their students and the general public. TRE programs vary in many ways. Programs take place in a variety of settings-from laboratories to field camps, and from university campuses to aircraft or ships. The primary commonality of the TRE programs in this presentation-PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating), ANDRILL (ANtarctic geological DRILLing) Research Immersion for Science Educators (ARISE); Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) School of Rock (SOR); and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Teacher at Sea (TAS) program-is that these programs provide an authentic field-based research experience for teachers outside of a laboratory setting, frequently in harsh, remote, or unusual settings. In addition, each of these programs is federally funded, possess dedicated program management staff, leverage existing scientific and programmatic resources, and are usually national, and sometimes international, in scope. Sharing their unique lessons learned and program results, authors will describe how TRE's improve and enrich interdisciplinary science education by connecting teachers, researchers, students, and the public around the globe for involvement in scientific research and global issues.

Employee engagement within the NHS: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Jeve, Yadava Bapurao; Oppenheimer, Christina; Konje, Justin

2015-02-01

Employee engagement is the emotional commitment of the employee towards the organisation. We aimed to analyse baseline work engagement using Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) at a teaching hospital. We have conducted a cross-sectional study within the National Health Service (NHS) Teaching Hospital in the UK. All participants were working age population from both genders directly employed by the hospital. UWES has three constituting dimensions of work engagement as vigor, dedication, and absorption. We conducted the study using UWES-9 tool. Outcome measures were mean score for each dimension of work engagement (vigor, dedication, absorption) and total score compared with control score from test manual. We found that the score for vigor and dedication is significantly lower than comparison group (P< 0.0001 for both). The score for absorption was significantly higher than comparison group (P< 0.0001). However, total score is not significantly different. The study shows that work engagement level is below average within the NHS employees. Vigor and dedication are significantly lower, these are characterised by energy, mental resilience, the willingness to invest one's effort, and persistence as well as a sense of significance, enthusiasm, inspiration, pride, and challenge. The NHS employees are immersed in work. Urgent need to explore strategies to improve work engagement as it is vital for improving productivity, safety and patient experience.

Advances in understanding of high- Z material erosion and re-deposition in low- Z wall environment in DIII-D

DOE PAGES

Ding, R.; Rudakov, D. L.; Stangeby, P. C.; ...

2017-03-24

Dedicated DIII-D experiments coupled with modeling reveal that the net erosion rate of high-Z materials, i.e. Mo and W, is strongly affected by carbon concentration in the plasma and the magnetic pre-sheath properties. We have investigated different methods such as electrical biasing and local gas injection to control high-Z material erosion. The net erosion rate of high-Z materials is significantly reduced due to the high local re-deposition ratio. The ERO modeling shows that the local re-deposition ratio is mainly controlled by the electric field and plasma density within the magnetic pre-sheath. The net erosion can be significantly suppressed by reducingmore » the sheath potential drop. A high carbon impurity concentration in the background plasma is also found to reduce the net erosion rate of high-Z materials. Both DIII-D experiments and modeling show that local 13CH 4 injection can create a carbon coating on the metal surface. The profile of 13C deposition provides quantitative information on radial transport due to E × B drift and the cross-field diffusion. The deuterium gas injection upstream of the W sample can reduce W net erosion rate by plasma perturbation. The inter-ELM W erosion we measured in H-mode plasmas, rates at different radial locations are well reproduced by ERO modeling taking into account charge-state-resolved carbon ion flux in the background plasma calculated using the OEDGE code.« less

Utilising Raspberry Pi as a cheap and easy do it yourself streaming device for astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maulana, F.; Soegijoko, W.; Yamani, A.

2016-11-01

Recent developments in personal computing platforms have been revolutionary. With the advent of the Raspberry Pi series and the Arduino series, sub USD 100 computing platforms have changed the playing field altogether. It used to be that you would need a PC or an FPGA platform costing thousands of USD to create a dedicated device for a a dedicated task. Combining a PiCam with the Raspberry Pi allows for smaller budgets to be able to stream live images to the internet and to the public in general. This paper traces our path in designing and adapting the PiCam to a common sized eyepiece and telescope in preparation for the TSE in Indonesia this past March.

History and perspectives of medical research at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Lambaréné, Gabon.

PubMed

Ramharter, Michael; Adegnika, Ayola A; Agnandji, Selidji T; Matsiegui, Pierre Blaise; Grobusch, Martin P; Winkler, Stefan; Graninger, Wolfgang; Krishna, Sanjeev; Yazdanbakhsh, Maria; Mordmüller, Benjamin; Lell, Bertrand; Missinou, Michel A; Mavoungou, Elie; Issifou, Saadou; Kremsner, Peter G

2007-01-01

In 1913 Albert Schweitzer founded one of the first modern hospitals in Africa dedicated to the health of the local population. The Albert Schweitzer Hospital is located in Lambaréné, a small town in Gabon. In 1981 a research department--the Medical Research Unit--was established with the aim to perform research in the field of infectious diseases ( www.lambarene.org ). The main focus lies on clinical research on malaria and other parasitic diseases. Studies on the molecular biology and immunology of parasitic diseases are fostered since the inauguration of a novel building dedicated for basic science. A training program in clinical research in tropical diseases for African scientists has been set up recently.

Low-noise cold-field emission current obtained between two opposed carbon cone nanotips during in situ transmission electron microscope biasing

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

Knoop, L. de; Gatel, C.; Houdellier, F.

2015-06-29

A dedicated transmission electron microscope sample holder has been used to study in situ the cold-field emission process of carbon cone nanotips (CCnTs). We show that when using a CCnT instead of a Au plate-anode, the standard deviation of the emission current noise can be decreased from the 10 nA range to the 1 nA range under vacuum conditions of 10{sup −5 }Pa. This shows the strong influence of the anode on the cold-field emission current noise.

Interdisciplinary Learning Through the Teaching of Science and Art

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Illingworth, Samuel; Verran, Joanna; Griffiths, Dave; Carpenter, Annie

2017-04-01

Science and Art are two disciplines that are usually treated as mutually exclusive entities, and yet which have much to offer each other in terms of process, experimentation and analysis. The field of SciArt (or ArtSci) is a relatively new one, in which scientists and artists work together to create information and demonstrations that are neither the science of art nor the art of science but are instead interdisciplinary investigations that utilise the unique strengths and overlapping commonalities of both fields. As well as the products and processes that are created via such collaboration, the introduction of artists and scientists to one another is an exceptionally valuable prospect which can have a significant impact on the working practices of both sets of collaborators. To further develop this field and these opportunities for collaboration, it is necessary to introduce scientists and artists to the potential of working together at an early point in their careers, ideally when they are still in tertiary education. Manchester Metropolitan University has been involved in several art and science programmes that involve science and art undergraduate and postgraduate students working together to create performances, experiments and demonstrations. This includes the UK's first dedicated SciArt course, residential field trips, and exhibiting at an internationally- renowned gallery. Here we present the outcomes of this work, discussing the development of these schemes and presenting future opportunities for early career scientists and artists to collaborate further.

Expanding Your Laboratory by Accessing Collaboratory Resources

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

Hoyt, David W.; Burton, Sarah D.; Peterson, Michael R.

2004-03-01

The Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL) in Richland, Washington, is the home of a research facility setup by the United States Department of Energy (DOE). The facility is atypical because it houses over 100 cutting-edge research systems for the use of researchers all over the United States and the world. Access to the lab is requested through a peer-review proposal process and the scientists who use the facility are generally referred to as ‘users’. There are six main research facilities housed in EMSL, all of which host visiting researchers. Several of these facilities also participate in the EMSL Collaboratory, amore » remote access capability supported by EMSL operations funds. Of these, the High-Field Magnetic Resonance Facility (HFMRF) and Molecular Science Computing Facility (MSCF) have a significant number of their users performing remote work. The HFMRF in EMSL currently houses 12 NMR spectrometers that range in magnet field strength from 7.05T to 21.1T. Staff associated with the NMR facility offers scientific expertise in the areas of structural biology, solid-state materials/catalyst characterization, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. The way in which the HFMRF operates, with a high level of dedication to remote operation across the full suite of High-Field NMR spectrometers, has earned it the name “Virtual NMR Facility”. This review will focus on the operational aspects of remote research done in the High-Field Magnetic Resonance Facility and the computer tools that make remote experiments possible.« less

Chuck Warnath: Visionary Gadfly of Professional Counseling.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mallinckrodt, Brent; Sprinkle, Mary Ann

1991-01-01

Charles F. "Chuck" Warnath, professor emeritus and former university counseling center director, was interviewed about his personal life, early training with Donald Super, counseling center experiences, convictions about professional counseling, dedication to issues of equality, and current struggles with the progressive effects of retinitis…

Dispersive hydrodynamics: Preface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biondini, G.; El, G. A.; Hoefer, M. A.; Miller, P. D.

2016-10-01

This Special Issue on Dispersive Hydrodynamics is dedicated to the memory and work of G.B. Whitham who was one of the pioneers in this field of physical applied mathematics. Some of the papers appearing here are related to work reported on at the workshop "Dispersive Hydrodynamics: The Mathematics of Dispersive Shock Waves and Applications" held in May 2015 at the Banff International Research Station. This Preface provides a broad overview of the field and summaries of the various contributions to the Special Issue, placing them in a unified context.

Electromagnetic Imaging Methods for Nondestructive Evaluation Applications

PubMed Central

Deng, Yiming; Liu, Xin

2011-01-01

Electromagnetic nondestructive tests are important and widely used within the field of nondestructive evaluation (NDE). The recent advances in sensing technology, hardware and software development dedicated to imaging and image processing, and material sciences have greatly expanded the application fields, sophisticated the systems design and made the potential of electromagnetic NDE imaging seemingly unlimited. This review provides a comprehensive summary of research works on electromagnetic imaging methods for NDE applications, followed by the summary and discussions on future directions. PMID:22247693

Experiment on Uav Photogrammetry and Terrestrial Laser Scanning for Ict-Integrated Construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, N.; Wakutsu, R.; Kato, T.; Wakaizumi, T.; Ooishi, T.; Matsuoka, R.

2017-08-01

In the 2016 fiscal year the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan started a program integrating construction and ICT in earthwork and concrete placing. The new program named "i-Construction" focusing on productivity improvement adopts such new technologies as UAV photogrammetry and TLS. We report a field experiment to investigate whether the procedures of UAV photogrammetry and TLS following the standards for "i-Construction" are feasible or not. In the experiment we measured an embankment of about 80 metres by 160 metres immediately after earthwork was done on the embankment. We used two sets of UAV and camera in the experiment. One is a larger UAV enRoute Zion QC730 and its onboard camera Sony α6000. The other is a smaller UAV DJI Phantom 4 and its dedicated onboard camera. Moreover, we used a terrestrial laser scanner FARO Focus3D X330 based on the phase shift principle. The experiment results indicate that the procedures of UAV photogrammetry using a QC730 with an α6000 and TLS using a Focus3D X330 following the standards for "i-Construction" would be feasible. Furthermore, the experiment results show that UAV photogrammetry using a lower price UAV Phantom 4 was unable to satisfy the accuracy requirement for "i-Construction." The cause of the low accuracy by Phantom 4 is under investigation. We also found that the difference of image resolution on the ground would not have a great influence on the measurement accuracy in UAV photogrammetry.

Lessons Learned From a 5-Year Experience With a 4-Week Experiential Quality Improvement Curriculum in a Preventive Medicine Fellowship

PubMed Central

Varkey, Prathibha; Karlapudi, Sudhakar Prakash

2009-01-01

Background Competency in practice-based learning and improvement (PBLI) and systems-based practice (SBP) empowers learners with the skills to plan, lead, and execute health care systems improvement efforts. Experiences from several graduate medical education programs describe the implementation of PBLI and SBP curricula as challenging because of lack of adequate curricular time and faculty resources, as well as a perception that PBLI and SBP are not relevant to future careers. A dedicated experiential rotation that requires fellow participation in a specialty-specific quality improvement project (QIP) may address some of these challenges. Method We describe a retrospective analysis of our 5-year experience with a dedicated 3-week PBLI-SBP experiential curriculum in a preventive medicine fellowship program at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota. Results Between 2004 and 2008, 19 learners including 7 preventive medicine fellows participated in the rotation. Using just-in-time learning, fellows work together on a relatively complex QIP of community or institutional significance. Since 2004, all 19 learners (100%) participating in this rotation have consistently demonstrated statistically significant increase in their quality improvement knowledge application tool (QIKAT) scores at the end of the rotation. At the end of the rotation, all 19 learners stated that they were either confident or very confident of making a change to improve health care in a local setting. Most of the QIPs resulted in sustainable practice improvements, and resultant solutions have been disseminated beyond the location of the original QIP. Conclusion A dedicated experiential rotation that requires learner participation in a QIP is one of the effective methods to address the needs of the SBP and PBLI competencies. PMID:21975713

Nanoplasma Formation by High Intensity Hard X-rays

PubMed Central

Tachibana, T.; Jurek, Z.; Fukuzawa, H.; Motomura, K.; Nagaya, K.; Wada, S.; Johnsson, P.; Siano, M.; Mondal, S.; Ito, Y.; Kimura, M.; Sakai, T.; Matsunami, K.; Hayashita, H.; Kajikawa, J.; Liu, X.-J.; Robert, E.; Miron, C.; Feifel, R.; Marangos, J. P.; Tono, K.; Inubushi, Y.; Yabashi, M.; Son, S.-K.; Ziaja, B.; Yao, M.; Santra, R.; Ueda, K.

2015-01-01

Using electron spectroscopy, we have investigated nanoplasma formation from noble gas clusters exposed to high-intensity hard-x-ray pulses at ~5 keV. Our experiment was carried out at the SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free electron LAser (SACLA) facility in Japan. Dedicated theoretical simulations were performed with the molecular dynamics tool XMDYN. We found that in this unprecedented wavelength regime nanoplasma formation is a highly indirect process. In the argon clusters investigated, nanoplasma is mainly formed through secondary electron cascading initiated by slow Auger electrons. Energy is distributed within the sample entirely through Auger processes and secondary electron cascading following photoabsorption, as in the hard x-ray regime there is no direct energy transfer from the field to the plasma. This plasma formation mechanism is specific to the hard-x-ray regime and may, thus, also be important for XFEL-based molecular imaging studies. In xenon clusters, photo- and Auger electrons contribute more significantly to the nanoplasma formation. Good agreement between experiment and simulations validates our modelling approach. This has wide-ranging implications for our ability to quantitatively predict the behavior of complex molecular systems irradiated by high-intensity hard x-rays. PMID:26077863

High-Z material erosion and its control in DIII-D carbon divertor

DOE PAGES

Ding, Rui; Rudakov, Dimitry L.; Stangeby, Peter C.; ...

2017-03-16

It is expected that high-Z materials will be used as plasma-facing components (PFCs) in future fusion devices, making the erosion of high-Z material a key issue for high-power, long pulse operation. High-Z material erosion and redeposition have been studied using tungsten and molybdenum coated samples exposed in well-diagnosed DIII-D divertor plasma discharges. By coupling dedicated experiments and modelling using the 3D Monte Carlo code ERO, the roles of sheath potential and background carbon impurities in determining high-Z material erosion are identified. Different methods suggested by modelling have been investigated to control high-Z material erosion in DIII-D experiments. The erosion ofmore » Mo and W are found to be strongly suppressed by local injection of methane and deuterium gases. The 13C deposition resulting from local 13CH 4 injection also provides information on radial transport due to E×B drifts and cross field diffusion. Finally, D 2 gas puffing is found to cause 2 local plasma perturbation, suppressing W erosion because of the lower effective sputtering yield of W at lower plasma temperature and for higher carbon concentration in the mixed surface layer.« less

Super-light baryo-photons, weak gravity conjecture and exotic instantons in neutron-antineutron transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Addazi, Andrea

2018-05-01

In companion papers (A. Addazi, Nuovo Cim. C, 38(1): 21 (2015); A. Addazi, Z. Berezhiani, and Y. Kamyshkov, arXiv:1607.00348), we have discussed current bounds on a new super-light baryo-photon, associated with a U(1) B-L gauge, from current neutron-antineutron data, which are competitive with Eötvös-type experiments. Here, we discuss the implications of possible baryo-photon detection in string theory and quantum gravity. The discovery of a very light gauge boson should imply violation of the weak gravity conjecture, carrying deep consequences for our understanding of holography, quantum gravity and black holes. We also show how the detection of a baryo-photon would exclude the generation of all B–L violating operators from exotic stringy instantons. We will argue against the common statement in the literature that neutron-antineutron data may indirectly test at least the 300–1000 TeV scale. Searches for baryo-photons can provide indirect information on the Planck (or string) scale (quantum black holes, holography and non-perturbative stringy effects). This strongly motivates new neutron-antineutron experiments with adjustable magnetic fields dedicated to the detection of super-light baryo-photons.

Estimating background-subtracted fluorescence transients in calcium imaging experiments: a quantitative approach.

PubMed

Joucla, Sébastien; Franconville, Romain; Pippow, Andreas; Kloppenburg, Peter; Pouzat, Christophe

2013-08-01

Calcium imaging has become a routine technique in neuroscience for subcellular to network level investigations. The fast progresses in the development of new indicators and imaging techniques call for dedicated reliable analysis methods. In particular, efficient and quantitative background fluorescence subtraction routines would be beneficial to most of the calcium imaging research field. A background-subtracted fluorescence transients estimation method that does not require any independent background measurement is therefore developed. This method is based on a fluorescence model fitted to single-trial data using a classical nonlinear regression approach. The model includes an appropriate probabilistic description of the acquisition system's noise leading to accurate confidence intervals on all quantities of interest (background fluorescence, normalized background-subtracted fluorescence time course) when background fluorescence is homogeneous. An automatic procedure detecting background inhomogeneities inside the region of interest is also developed and is shown to be efficient on simulated data. The implementation and performances of the proposed method on experimental recordings from the mouse hypothalamus are presented in details. This method, which applies to both single-cell and bulk-stained tissues recordings, should help improving the statistical comparison of fluorescence calcium signals between experiments and studies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Histiocytic proliferations.

PubMed

Ranganathan, Sarangarajan

2016-11-01

The study of Histiocytic lesions has been a passion of Pepper Dehner over the years. He has contributed several case series and reviews on various categories of these diseases for over 4 decades, with his earliest articles in the 1970s. He has written on all aspects of the disease including seminal articles on Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) and their prognostic features, his experiences with regressing atypical histiocytosis, his encounters with malignant histiocytosis, and classic articles on juvenile xanthogranuloma. His contributions in the form of chapters in his 2 editions of the unique Pediatric Pathology textbook are no less important than his many articles. His experience with these lesions is highlighted in the 2 editions of the book, and the author and the audience is left wishing for more in a more current version. This article is more of a journey from descriptions and understanding of these various histiocytic syndromes to the current understanding and classifications with molecular inputs and recent advances. This article is dedicated to a master Clinician, Pathologist, and mentor whose contributions to the field of Pediatric Pathology makes him deserve beyond all doubt the title of "Father of Modern Pediatric Pathology." Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Constructing Worlds of Education: A Historical Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Droux, Joëlle; Hofstetter, Rita

2015-01-01

Over the past two decades, historians have dedicated a growing amount of research to the history of globalization. This introduction shows how the articles in this issue contribute to this dynamic, aiming to illustrate its heuristic potential in historicizing educational phenomena. The field of education is presented as a relevant platform for an…

76 FR 13987 - Submissions Regarding Correspondence and Regarding Attorney Representation (Trademarks)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-15

... Electronic Application System (TEAS). The USPTO has developed a new TEAS Global Form format that permits the agency to collect information electronically when a TEAS form having dedicated data fields is not yet available. With the introduction of the TEAS Global Forms, the information in this collection can be...

76 FR 44578 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-26

... (TEAS). The USPTO is proposing to add six new items into the inventory at this time to take into account a new method of electronic submission of information when a TEAS form having dedicated data fields is not yet available (i.e., TEAS Global forms). These TEAS Global forms can also be submitted in...

David F. Treagust: Congenial Soul, Science Educator, and International Research Leader

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tobin, Kenneth; Rennie, Leonie; Venville, Grady; Chu, Hye-Eun; Fensham, Peter; Gallagher, James; Duit, Reinders; Graeber, Wolfgang; van den Berg, Ed; Hand, Brian; Ritchie, Stephen; Dillon, Justin

2011-01-01

For almost a half century David F. Treagust has been an exemplary science educator who has contributed through his dedication and commitments to students, curriculum development and collaboration with teachers, and cutting edge research in science education that has impacted the field globally, nationally and locally. A hallmark of his outstanding…

Electronic Field Trip: Journalism's New Frontier Involves Live, Interactive Broadcast.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

LaMar, Jason

1998-01-01

Describes the "Newseum," a recently opened museum in Arlington, Virginia, dedicated to journalism and freedom of speech. Lists its highlights: free admission, an interactive newsroom, a 126-foot video wall, a news history gallery, a domed theater with a 20-by-40-foot high-definition video screen, and "The Freedom Wall." (PA)

Dedicated to Their Degrees: Adult Transfer Students in Engineering Baccalaureate Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Taryn Ozuna; Zhang, Yi

2016-01-01

Objective: Increasing degree completion in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, particularly engineering, is a national priority. With an aspiration to increase the number of STEM graduates by one million in the next 10 years, more research is needed to understand the role of community colleges in achieving this…

Adolescent Literacy and Content Area Reading. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grady, Karen

Noting a renewed interest in and dedication to the rights and needs of adolescent readers, this digest addresses the development of content area reading, discusses recent reconceptualizations of the field, and offers a new model for classroom practice. It begins with a brief description of the historical context of literacy development in the…

Speaking the Same Language: Building a Data Governance Program for Institutional Impact

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chapple, Mike

2013-01-01

Colleges and universities should be among the world's leading institutions in the field of data governance. After all, higher education institutions are dedicated to the creation and dissemination of knowledge. Why, then, do those who work in colleges and universities often have so much difficulty corralling information about their own operations…

Kirkham’s legacy and contemporary challenges in soil physics research

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This paper, written by the winners of the Don and Betty Kirkham Award in Soil Physics, is dedicated to the legacy of Don Kirkham. It describes eight longstanding or emerging research areas in soil physics that contain key unsolved problems. All are field-oriented with applications to a number of imp...

Curbing Teen Dating Violence: Evidence from a School Prevention Program. RB-9194-CDC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jaycox, Lisa H.; McCaffrey, Daniel F.; Weidmer Ocampo, Beverly; Marshall, Grant N.; Collins, Rebecca L.; Hickman, Laura J.; Quigley, Denise D.

2006-01-01

This research brief summarizes a survey about the effectiveness of programs from Break the Cycle, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and fielding dating-violence prevention programs. The study evaluated "Ending Violence," a three-class-session prevention program. Developed by a Los Angeles-based nonprofit group called Break…

A quasi-hemispheric model of the Hermean's magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thebault, E.; Oliveira, J.; Langlais, B.; Amit, H.

2015-10-01

We analyse and process magnetic field measurements provided by the MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, Geochemistry, and Ranging (MESSENGER) mission. The vect or magnetic field measurements are modelled with a dedicated regional scheme expanded in space and in time. Compared to the widely used global Spherical Harmonics (SH), the regional approach is particularly well suited because the partial and quasi hemispheric distribution of the MESSENGER data represents no major numerical difficulty. We confirm that the internal magnetic field of Mercury is mostly axisymmetric with a magnetic equator shifted northward. However, we also observe a time dependency in the model that is at present hardly explained only by time variations of the external magnetic fields. We present the major spatial and temporal structures shown by the regional model.

A USNRC perspective on the use of commercial-off-shelf software (COTS) in advanced reactors

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

Stewart, J.C.

1997-12-01

The use of commercially available digital computer systems and components in safety critical systems (nuclear power plant, military, and commercial applications) is increasing rapidly. While this paper focuses on the software aspects of the application most of these continents are applicable to the hardware aspects as well. Commercial dedication (the process of assuring that a commercial grade item will perform its intended safety function) has demonstrated benefits in cost savings and a wide base of user experience, however, care must be taken to avoid difficulties with some aspects of the dedication process such as access to vendor development information, configurationmore » management long term support, and system integration.« less

Organizing human functioning and rehabilitation research into distinct scientific fields. Part I: Developing a comprehensive structure from the cell to society.

PubMed

Stucki, Gerold; Grimby, Gunnar

2007-05-01

There is a need to organize rehabilitation and related research into distinct scientific fields in order to overcome the current limitations of rehabilitation research. Based on the general distinction in basic, applied and professional sciences applicable to research in general, and the rehabilitation relevant distinction between the comprehensive perspective based on WHO's integrative model of human functioning (ICF) and the partial perspective focusing on the biomedical aspects of functioning, it is possible to identify 5 distinct scientific fields of human functioning and rehabilitation research. These are the emerging human functioning sciences and integrative rehabilitation sciences from the comprehensive perspective, the established biosciences and biomedical rehabilitation sciences and engineering from the partial perspective, and the professional rehabilitation sciences at the cutting edge of research and practice. The human functioning sciences aim to understand human functioning and to identify targets for comprehensive interventions, with the goal of contributing to the minimization of the experience of disability in the population. The biosciences in rehabilitation aim to explain body injury and repair and to identify targets for biomedical interventions. The integrative rehabilitation sciences design and study comprehensive assessments and interventions that integrate biomedical, personal factor and environmental approaches suited to optimize people's performance. The biomedical rehabilitation sciences and engineering study diagnostic measures and interventions suitable to minimize impairment, including symptom control, and to optimize people's capacity. The professional rehabilitation sciences study how to provide best care with the goal of enabling people with health conditions experiencing or likely to experience disability to achieve and maintain optimal functioning in interaction with the environment. The organization of human functioning and rehabilitation research into the 5 distinct scientific fields facilitates the development of academic training programs and career building as well as the development of research structures dedicated to human functioning and rehabilitation research.

Teaching Cybersecurity Using the Cloud

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salah, Khaled; Hammoud, Mohammad; Zeadally, Sherali

2015-01-01

Cloud computing platforms can be highly attractive to conduct course assignments and empower students with valuable and indispensable hands-on experience. In particular, the cloud can offer teaching staff and students (whether local or remote) on-demand, elastic, dedicated, isolated, (virtually) unlimited, and easily configurable virtual machines.…

My Classroom: Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balazs, Erica

2015-01-01

This article describes the teaching experiences of Alief Noor Farida--a junior lecturer at Indonesia's "Universitas Negeri Semarang" (Semarang State University [UNNES]). Now teaching her fourth semester and an alumna of the English Education program at UNNES, Ms. Farida is an especially motivated and dedicated educator. She teaches 18…

Millimeter spatial resolution in vivo sodium MRI of the human eye at 7 T using a dedicated radiofrequency transceiver array.

PubMed

Wenz, Daniel; Kuehne, Andre; Huelnhagen, Till; Nagel, Armin M; Waiczies, Helmar; Weinberger, Oliver; Oezerdem, Celal; Stachs, Oliver; Langner, Soenke; Seeliger, Erdmann; Flemming, Bert; Hodge, Russell; Niendorf, Thoralf

2018-08-01

The aim of this study was to achieve millimeter spatial resolution sodium in vivo MRI of the human eye at 7 T using a dedicated six-channel transceiver array. We present a detailed description of the radiofrequency coil design, along with electromagnetic field and specific absorption ratio simulations, data validation, and in vivo application. Electromagnetic field and specific absorption ratio simulations were performed. Transmit field uniformity was optimized by using a multi-objective genetic algorithm. Transmit field mapping was conducted using a phase-sensitive method. An in vivo feasibility study was carried out with 3-dimensional density-adapted projection reconstruction imaging technique. Measured transmit field distribution agrees well with the one obtained from simulations. The specific absorption ratio simulations confirm that the radiofrequency coil is safe for clinical use. Our radiofrequency coil is light and conforms to an average human head. High spatial resolution (nominal 1.4 and 1.0 mm isotropic) sodium in vivo images of the human eye were acquired within scan times suitable for clinical applications (∼ 10 min). Three most important eye compartments in the context of sodium physiology were clearly delineated in all of the images: the vitreous humor, the aqueous humor, and the lens. Our results provide encouragement for further clinical studies. The implications for research into eye diseases including ocular melanoma, cataract, and glaucoma are discussed. Magn Reson Med 80:672-684, 2018. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

The SHiP experiment at CERN SPS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Crescenzo, A.; SHiP Collaboration

2016-01-01

SHiP is a new general purpose fixed target facility, whose Technical Proposal has been recently submitted to the CERN SPS Committee. In its initial phase, the 400GeV proton beam extracted from the SPS will be dumped on a heavy target with the aim of integrating 2×1020 pot in 5years. A dedicated detector located downstream of the target, based on a long vacuum tank followed by a spectrometer and particle identification detectors, will allow probing a variety of models with light long-lived exotic particles and masses below a few GeV/c2. The beam dump is also an ideal source of tau neutrinos, the less known particle in the Standard Model. Another dedicated detector, based on the Emulsion Cloud Chamber technology already used in the OPERA experiment, will allow to perform for the first time measurements of the tau neutrino deep inelastic scattering cross section. Tau neutrinos will be distinguished from tau anti-neutrinos, thus providing the first observation of the tau anti-neutrino.

A multi-disciplinary approach to the origins of music: perspectives from anthropology, archaeology, cognition and behaviour.

PubMed

Morley, Iain

2014-01-01

Archaeological evidence for musical activities pre-dates even the earliest-known cave art and it remains the case that no human culture has yet been encountered that does not practise some recognisably musical activity. Yet the human abilities to make and appreciate music have been described as "amongst the most mysterious with which [we are] endowed" (Charles Darwin, 1872) and music itself as "the supreme mystery of the science of man" (Claude Levi-Strauss, 1970). Like language, music has been the subject of keen investigation across a great diversity of fields, from neuroscience and psychology, to ethnography, to studies of its structures in its own dedicated field, musicology; unlike the evolution of human language abilities, it is only recently that the origins of musical capacities have begun to receive dedicated attention. It is increasingly clear that human musical abilities are fundamentally related to other important human abilities, yet much remains mysterious about this ubiquitous human phenomenon, not least its prehistoric origins. It is evident that no single field of investigation can address the wide range of issues relevant to answering the question of music's origins. This review brings together evidence from a wide range of anthropological and human sciences, including palaeoanthropology, archaeology, neuroscience, primatology and developmental psychology, in an attempt to elucidate the nature of the foundations of music, how they have evolved, and how they are related to capabilities underlying other important human behaviours. It is proposed that at their most fundamental level musical behaviours (including both vocalisation and dance) are forms of deliberate metrically-organised gesture, and constitute a specialised use of systems dedicated to the expression and comprehension of social and emotional information between individuals. The abilities underlying these behaviours are selectively advantageous themselves; in addition, various mechanisms by which the practice of musical activities themselves could be advantageous are outlined.

Slow positron applications at slow positron facility of institute of materials structure science, KEK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyodo, Toshio; Mochizuki, Izumi; Wada, Ken; Toge, Nobukazu; Shidara, Tetsuo

2018-05-01

Slow Positron Facility at High Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK) is a user dedicated facility with an energy-tunable (0.1 - 35 keV) slow positron beam created by a dedicated ˜ 50 MeV linac. It operates in a short pulse (width 1-12 ns, variable, 5×106 e+/s) and a long pulse (width 1.2 µs, 5×107 e+/s) modes of 50 Hz. High energy positrons from pair creation are moderated by reemission after thermalization in W foils. The reemitted positrons are then electrostatically accelerated to a desired energy up to 35 keV and magnetically transported. A pulse-stretching section (pulse stretcher) is installed in the middle of the beamline. It stretches the slow positron pulse for the experiments where too many positrons annihilating in the sample at the same time has to be avoided. Four experiment stations for TRHEPD (total-reflection high-energy positron diffraction), LEPD (low-energy positron diffraction), Ps- (positronium negative ion), and Ps-TOF (positronium time-of-flight) experiments are connected to the beamline branches, SPF-A3, SPF-A4, SPF-B1 and SPF-B2, respectively. Recent results of these stations are briefly described.

Planetary Radio Interferometry and Doppler Experiment (PRIDE) technique: A test case of the Mars Express Phobos Flyby. II. Doppler tracking: Formulation of observed and computed values, and noise budget

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bocanegra-Bahamón, T. M.; Molera Calvés, G.; Gurvits, L. I.; Duev, D. A.; Pogrebenko, S. V.; Cimò, G.; Dirkx, D.; Rosenblatt, P.

2018-01-01

Context. Closed-loop Doppler data obtained by deep space tracking networks, such as the NASA Deep Space Network (DSN) and the ESA tracking station network (Estrack), are routinely used for navigation and science applications. By shadow tracking the spacecraft signal, Earth-based radio telescopes involved in the Planetary Radio Interferometry and Doppler Experiment (PRIDE) can provide open-loop Doppler tracking data only when the dedicated deep space tracking facilities are operating in closed-loop mode. Aims: We explain the data processing pipeline in detail and discuss the capabilities of the technique and its potential applications in planetary science. Methods: We provide the formulation of the observed and computed values of the Doppler data in PRIDE tracking of spacecraft and demonstrate the quality of the results using an experiment with the ESA Mars Express spacecraft as a test case. Results: We find that the Doppler residuals and the corresponding noise budget of the open-loop Doppler detections obtained with the PRIDE stations compare to the closed-loop Doppler detections obtained with dedicated deep space tracking facilities.

The effect of a dedicated endocrine surgery program on general surgery training: a single institutional experience.

PubMed

Wiseman, James E; Ituarte, Philip H G; Ro, Kevin; Pasternak, Jesse D; Quach, Chi A; Tillou, Areti K; Hines, O Joe; Hiatt, Jonathan R; Yeh, Michael W

2012-06-01

The endocrine surgery program was established at the University of California, Los Angeles, in 2006 to enhance the educational experience of surgical residents in this area. The impact of this program on subjective and objective measures of resident education was prospectively tracked. Resident case logs, American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination scores, self-assessment surveys, and annual rotation evaluations from July 2005 to June 2009 were reviewed. The mean number of endocrine cases reported by graduates doubled during the study period (from 18 to 36, P < .001). Self-assessment scores increased for thyroid (from 4.53 to 5.76, P = .04) and parathyroid (from 4.46 to 5.90, P = .03) disorders. The mean rating for the endocrine rotation (from 3.23 to 3.95, P = .005) improved, with specific increases in the quantity (from 3.05 to 3.74, P = .02) and quality (from 3.25 to 3.95, P = .002) of operative experience. Since 2006, trainees have coauthored 17 peer-reviewed reports and 3 textbook chapters on endocrine topics. The establishment of a dedicated endocrine surgery program has a measurable impact on resident education within this core content area. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Study of Magnetic Damping Effect on Convection and Solidification Under G-Jitter Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Ben Q.; deGroh, H. C., III

1999-01-01

As shown by NASA resources dedicated to measuring residual gravity (SAMS and OARE systems), g-jitter is a critical issue affecting space experiments on solidification processing of materials. This study aims to provide, through extensive numerical simulations and ground based experiments, an assessment of the use of magnetic fields in combination with microgravity to reduce the g-jitter induced convective flows in space processing systems. We have so far completed asymptotic analyses based on the analytical solutions for g-jitter driven flow and magnetic field damping effects for a simple one-dimensional parallel plate configuration, and developed both 2-D and 3-D numerical models for g-jitter driven flows in simple solidification systems with and without presence of an applied magnetic field. Numerical models have been checked with the analytical solutions and have been applied to simulate the convective flows and mass transfer using both synthetic g-jitter functions and the g-jitter data taken from space flight. Some useful findings have been obtained from the analyses and the modeling results. Some key points may be summarized as follows: (1) the amplitude of the oscillating velocity decreases at a rate inversely proportional to the g-jitter frequency and with an increase in the applied magnetic field; (2) the induced flow approximately oscillates at the same frequency as the affecting g-jitter, but out of a phase angle; (3) the phase angle is a complicated function of geometry, applied magnetic field, temperature gradient and frequency; (4) g-jitter driven flows exhibit a complex fluid flow pattern evolving in time; (5) the damping effect is more effective for low frequency flows; and (6) the applied magnetic field helps to reduce the variation of solutal distribution along the solid-liquid interface. Work in progress includes numerical simulations and ground-based measurements. Both 2-D and 3-D numerical simulations are being continued to obtain further information on g-jitter driven flows and magnetic field effects. A physical model for ground-based measurements is completed and some measurements of the oscillating convection are being taken on the physical model. The comparison of the measurements with numerical simulations is in progress. Additional work planned in the project will also involve extending the 2-D numerical model to include the solidification phenomena with the presence of both g-jitter and magnetic fields.

Patient and carer experience of hospital-based rehabilitation from intensive care to hospital discharge: mixed methods process evaluation of the RECOVER randomised clinical trial

PubMed Central

Ramsay, Pam; Huby, Guro; Merriweather, Judith; Salisbury, Lisa; Rattray, Janice; Griffith, David; Walsh, Timothy

2016-01-01

Objectives To explore and compare patient/carer experiences of rehabilitation in the intervention and usual care arms of the RECOVER trial (ISRCTN09412438); a randomised controlled trial of a complex intervention of post-intensive care unit (ICU) acute hospital-based rehabilitation following critical illness. Design Mixed methods process evaluation including comparison of patients' and carers' experience of usual care versus the complex intervention. We integrated and compared quantitative data from a patient experience questionnaire (PEQ) with qualitative data from focus groups with patients and carers. Setting Two university-affiliated hospitals in Scotland. Participants 240 patients discharged from ICU who required ≥48 hours of mechanical ventilation were randomised into the trial (120 per trial arm). Exclusion criteria comprised: primary neurologic diagnosis, palliative care, current/planned home ventilation and age <18 years. 182 patients completed the PEQ at 3 months postrandomisation. 22 participants (14 patients and 8 carers) took part in focus groups (2 per trial group) at >3 months postrandomisation. Interventions A complex intervention of post-ICU acute hospital rehabilitation, comprising enhanced physiotherapy, nutritional care and information provision, case-managed by dedicated rehabilitation assistants (RAs) working within existing ward-based clinical teams, delivered between ICU discharge and hospital discharge. Comparator was usual care. Outcome measures A novel PEQ capturing patient-reported aspects of quality care. Results The PEQ revealed statistically significant between-group differences across 4 key intervention components: physiotherapy (p=0.039), nutritional care (p=0.038), case management (p=0.045) and information provision (p<0.001), suggesting greater patient satisfaction in the intervention group. Focus group data strongly supported and helped explain these findings. Specifically, case management by dedicated RAs facilitated greater access to physiotherapy, nutritional care and information that cut across disciplinary boundaries and staffing constraints. Patients highly valued its individualisation according to their needs, abilities and preferences. Conclusions Case management by dedicated RAs improves patients' experiences of post-ICU hospital-based rehabilitation and increases perceived quality of care. Trial registration number ISRCTN09412438. PMID:27481624

Seven tesla MRI improves detection of focal cortical dysplasia in patients with refractory focal epilepsy.

PubMed

Veersema, Tim J; Ferrier, Cyrille H; van Eijsden, Pieter; Gosselaar, Peter H; Aronica, Eleonora; Visser, Fredy; Zwanenburg, Jaco M; de Kort, Gerard A P; Hendrikse, Jeroen; Luijten, Peter R; Braun, Kees P J

2017-06-01

The aim of this study is to determine whether the use of 7 tesla (T) MRI in clinical practice leads to higher detection rates of focal cortical dysplasias in possible candidates for epilepsy surgery. In our center patients are referred for 7 T MRI if lesional focal epilepsy is suspected, but no abnormalities are detected at one or more previous, sufficient-quality lower-field MRI scans, acquired with a dedicated epilepsy protocol, or when concealed pathology is suspected in combination with MR-visible mesiotemporal sclerosis-dual pathology. We assessed 40 epilepsy patients who underwent 7 T MRI for presurgical evaluation and whose scans (both 7 T and lower field) were discussed during multidisciplinary epilepsy surgery meetings that included a dedicated epilepsy neuroradiologist. We compared the conclusions of the multidisciplinary visual assessments of 7 T and lower-field MRI scans. In our series of 40 patients, multidisciplinary evaluation of 7 T MRI identified additional lesions not seen on lower-field MRI in 9 patients (23%). These findings were guiding in surgical planning. So far, 6 patients underwent surgery, with histological confirmation of focal cortical dysplasia or mild malformation of cortical development. Seven T MRI improves detection of subtle focal cortical dysplasia and mild malformations of cortical development in patients with intractable epilepsy and may therefore contribute to identification of surgical candidates and complete resection of the epileptogenic lesion, and thus to postoperative seizure freedom.

Software Defined Radio (SDR) and Direct Digital Synthesizer (DDS) for NMR/MRI instruments at low-field.

PubMed

Asfour, Aktham; Raoof, Kosai; Yonnet, Jean-Paul

2013-11-27

A proof-of-concept of the use of a fully digital radiofrequency (RF) electronics for the design of dedicated Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) systems at low-field (0.1 T) is presented. This digital electronics is based on the use of three key elements: a Direct Digital Synthesizer (DDS) for pulse generation, a Software Defined Radio (SDR) for a digital receiving of NMR signals and a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) for system control and for the generation of the gradient signals (pulse programmer). The SDR includes a direct analog-to-digital conversion and a Digital Down Conversion (digital quadrature demodulation, decimation filtering, processing gain…). The various aspects of the concept and of the realization are addressed with some details. These include both hardware design and software considerations. One of the underlying ideas is to enable such NMR systems to "enjoy" from existing advanced technology that have been realized in other research areas, especially in telecommunication domain. Another goal is to make these systems easy to build and replicate so as to help research groups in realizing dedicated NMR desktops for a large palette of new applications. We also would like to give readers an idea of the current trends in this field. The performances of the developed electronics are discussed throughout the paper. First FID (Free Induction Decay) signals are also presented. Some development perspectives of our work in the area of low-field NMR/MRI will be finally addressed.

H2O: A Hampton University-Hampton School District Outreach Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gueye, Paul; Young, William

2011-04-01

For many years, Hampton University (HU, Hampton, VA) has been collaborating with local schools of the Hampton City School District (HCS) in various areas that foster science education. This partnership between an HBCU and a local school district has been extended to a new level through a novel K-12 initiative:Hampton University-Hampton School District Outreach (H2O) program. This effort will target 9 schools out of the 34 schools from HCS, involve a total of 25 graduate students (5/year), 25 junior and senior undergraduate students (5/year) and 102 teachers (3/school). Faculty and students from seven STEM fields at HU will contribute by reaching out to Departments offering MS and PhD degrees in these areas. In addition to providing teaching experience to students, H2O will infuse research within the classrooms and offer a teacher professional development program, G5-12 students will present some research conducted throughout the year at a dedicated conference at HU and at the National Society of Black Physicists annual meeting, and a dedicated 2-day workshop in the fall with K-12 educators will provide a platform to share some outcomes of H2O. This program has reached out to several societies (NSBP, NSHP, APS, AAPT and AAPM) as a vehicle for teacher professional training, along with including an international component with Canada, France and Senegal. A review of recent collaborations and outcomes from this partnership will be provided and the status of the H2O program will be presented.

Professional Training of Specialists in International Marketing in Poland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zukowski, Wojciech

2015-01-01

Polish experience in training specialists in international marketing in the context of globalization and integration processes has been studied. A range of theoretical resources, namely Market Entry Strategy for Poland; the articles dedicated to international marketing and economy development (W. Grzegorczyk, M. Viachevskyi, M. Urbanetst); program…

History and Accomplishments of USDA-ARS Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The USDA-Agricultural Research Service Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory (ADOL) in East Lansing, Michigan, formerly known as Regional Poultry Research Laboratory, was dedicated on August 8, 1939. Its establishment was the result of joint efforts by the Agricultural Experiment Stations of the Nor...

Teaching Science and Mathematics Subjects Using the Excel Spreadsheet Package

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ibrahim, Dogan

2009-01-01

The teaching of scientific subjects usually require laboratories where students can put the theory they have learned into practice. Traditionally, electronic programmable calculators, dedicated software, or expensive software simulation packages, such as MATLAB have been used to simulate scientific experiments. Recently, spreadsheet programs have…

Museum Connections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schrementi, Laurel N.

2011-01-01

Scientific exploration can happen anywhere in a classroom full of eager learners. By dedicating time for reflection and planning, teachers can feel empowered to make small changes to classroom spaces to increase their students' scientific experiences. At the museum, teachers believe that by ensuring that the environment is richly stocked with a…

Investigating technical challenges and research needs related to shared corridors for high speed passenger and railroad freight operations.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-05-01

The development of both incremental and dedicated high-speed rail lines in the United States poses a number of questions. Despite nearly 50 years of international experience in planning, designing, building and operating high-speed passenger infrastr...

The LHCb Detector at the LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

LHCb Collaboration; Alves, A. Augusto, Jr.; Filho, L. M. Andrade; Barbosa, A. F.; Bediaga, I.; Cernicchiaro, G.; Guerrer, G.; Lima, H. P., Jr.; Machado, A. A.; Magnin, J.; Marujo, F.; de Miranda, J. M.; Reis, A.; Santos, A.; Toledo, A.; Akiba, K.; Amato, S.; de Paula, B.; de Paula, L.; da Silva, T.; Gandelman, M.; Lopes, J. H.; Maréchal, B.; Moraes, D.; Polycarpo, E.; Rodrigues, F.; Ballansat, J.; Bastian, Y.; Boget, D.; DeBonis, I.; Coco, V.; David, P. Y.; Decamp, D.; Delebecque, P.; Drancourt, C.; Dumont-Dayot, N.; Girard, C.; Lieunard, B.; Minard, M. N.; Pietrzyk, B.; Rambure, T.; Rospabe, G.; T'Jampens, S.; Ajaltouni, Z.; Bohner, G.; Bonnefoy, R.; Borras, D.; Carloganu, C.; Chanal, H.; Conte, E.; Cornat, R.; Crouau, M.; Delage, E.; Deschamps, O.; Henrard, P.; Jacquet, P.; Lacan, C.; Laubser, J.; Lecoq, J.; Lefèvre, R.; Magne, M.; Martemiyanov, M.; Mercier, M.-L.; Monteil, S.; Niess, V.; Perret, P.; Reinmuth, G.; Robert, A.; Suchorski, S.; Arnaud, K.; Aslanides, E.; Babel, J.; Benchouk, C.; Cachemiche, J.-P.; Cogan, J.; Derue, F.; Dinkespiler, B.; Duval, P.-Y.; Garonne, V.; Favard, S.; LeGac, R.; Leon, F.; Leroy, O.; Liotard, P.-L.; Marin, F.; Menouni, M.; Ollive, P.; Poss, S.; Roche, A.; Sapunov, M.; Tocco, L.; Viaud, B.; Tsaregorodtsev, A.; Amhis, Y.; Barrand, G.; Barsuk, S.; Beigbeder, C.; Beneyton, R.; Breton, D.; Callot, O.; Charlet, D.; D'Almagne, B.; Duarte, O.; Fulda-Quenzer, F.; Jacholkowska, A.; Jean-Marie, B.; Lefrancois, J.; Machefert, F.; Robbe, P.; Schune, M.-H.; Tocut, V.; Videau, I.; Benayoun, M.; David, P.; DelBuono, L.; Gilles, G.; Domke, M.; Futterschneider, H.; Ilgner, Ch; Kapusta, P.; Kolander, M.; Krause, R.; Lieng, M.; Nedos, M.; Rudloff, K.; Schleich, S.; Schwierz, R.; Spaan, B.; Wacker, K.; Warda, K.; Agari, M.; Bauer, C.; Baumeister, D.; Bulian, N.; Fuchs, H. P.; Fallot-Burghardt, W.; Glebe, T.; Hofmann, W.; Knöpfle, K. T.; Löchner, S.; Ludwig, A.; Maciuc, F.; Sanchez Nieto, F.; Schmelling, M.; Schwingenheuer, B.; Sexauer, E.; Smale, N. J.; Trunk, U.; Voss, H.; Albrecht, J.; Bachmann, S.; Blouw, J.; Deissenroth, M.; Deppe, H.; Dreis, H. B.; Eisele, F.; Haas, T.; Hansmann-Menzemer, S.; Hennenberger, S.; Knopf, J.; Moch, M.; Perieanu, A.; Rabenecker, S.; Rausch, A.; Rummel, C.; Rusnyak, R.; Schiller, M.; Stange, U.; Uwer, U.; Walter, M.; Ziegler, R.; Avoni, G.; Balbi, G.; Bonifazi, F.; Bortolotti, D.; Carbone, A.; D'Antone, I.; Galli, D.; Gregori, D.; Lax, I.; Marconi, U.; Peco, G.; Vagnoni, V.; Valenti, G.; Vecchi, S.; Bonivento, W.; Cardini, A.; Cadeddu, S.; DeLeo, V.; Deplano, C.; Furcas, S.; Lai, A.; Oldeman, R.; Raspino, D.; Saitta, B.; Serra, N.; Baldini, W.; Brusa, S.; Chiozzi, S.; Cotta Ramusino, A.; Evangelisti, F.; Franconieri, A.; Germani, S.; Gianoli, A.; Guoming, L.; Landi, L.; Malaguti, R.; Padoan, C.; Pennini, C.; Savriè, M.; Squerzanti, S.; Zhao, T.; Zhu, M.; Bizzeti, A.; Graziani, G.; Lenti, M.; Lenzi, M.; Maletta, F.; Pennazzi, S.; Passaleva, G.; Veltri, M.; Alfonsi, M.; Anelli, M.; Balla, A.; Battisti, A.; Bencivenni, G.; Campana, P.; Carletti, M.; Ciambrone, P.; Corradi, G.; Dané, E.; Di Virgilio, A.; DeSimone, P.; Felici, G.; Forti, C.; Gatta, M.; Lanfranchi, G.; Murtas, F.; Pistilli, M.; Poli Lener, M.; Rosellini, R.; Santoni, M.; Saputi, A.; Sarti, A.; Sciubba, A.; Zossi, A.; Ameri, M.; Cuneo, S.; Fontanelli, F.; Gracco, V.; Miní, G.; Parodi, M.; Petrolini, A.; Sannino, M.; Vinci, A.; Alemi, M.; Arnaboldi, C.; Bellunato, T.; Calvi, M.; Chignoli, F.; DeLucia, A.; Galotta, G.; Mazza, R.; Matteuzzi, C.; Musy, M.; Negri, P.; Perego, D.; Pessina, G.; Auriemma, G.; Bocci, V.; Buccheri, A.; Chiodi, G.; Di Marco, S.; Iacoangeli, F.; Martellotti, G.; Nobrega, R.; Pelosi, A.; Penso, G.; Pinci, D.; Rinaldi, W.; Rossi, A.; Santacesaria, R.; Satriano, C.; Carboni, G.; Iannilli, M.; Massafferri Rodrigues, A.; Messi, R.; Paoluzzi, G.; Sabatino, G.; Santovetti, E.; Satta, A.; Amoraal, J.; van Apeldoorn, G.; Arink, R.; van Bakel, N.; Band, H.; Bauer, Th; Berkien, A.; van Beuzekom, M.; Bos, E.; Bron, Ch; Ceelie, L.; Doets, M.; van der Eijk, R.; Fransen, J.-P.; de Groen, P.; Gromov, V.; Hierck, R.; Homma, J.; Hommels, B.; Hoogland, W.; Jans, E.; Jansen, F.; Jansen, L.; Jaspers, M.; Kaan, B.; Koene, B.; Koopstra, J.; Kroes, F.; Kraan, M.; Langedijk, J.; Merk, M.; Mos, S.; Munneke, B.; Palacios, J.; Papadelis, A.; Pellegrino, A.; van Petten, O.; du Pree, T.; Roeland, E.; Ruckstuhl, W.; Schimmel, A.; Schuijlenburg, H.; Sluijk, T.; Spelt, J.; Stolte, J.; Terrier, H.; Tuning, N.; Van Lysebetten, A.; Vankov, P.; Verkooijen, J.; Verlaat, B.; Vink, W.; de Vries, H.; Wiggers, L.; Ybeles Smit, G.; Zaitsev, N.; Zupan, M.; Zwart, A.; van den Brand, J.; Bulten, H. J.; de Jong, M.; Ketel, T.; Klous, S.; Kos, J.; M'charek, B.; Mul, F.; Raven, G.; Simioni, E.; Cheng, J.; Dai, G.; Deng, Z.; Gao, Y.; Gong, G.; Gong, H.; He, J.; Hou, L.; Li, J.; Qian, W.; Shao, B.; Xue, T.; Yang, Z.; Zeng, M.; Muryn, B.; Ciba, K.; Oblakowska-Mucha, A.; Blocki, J.; Galuszka, K.; Hajduk, L.; Michalowski, J.; Natkaniec, Z.; Polok, G.; Stodulski, M.; Witek, M.; Brzozowski, K.; Chlopik, A.; Gawor, P.; Guzik, Z.; Nawrot, A.; Srednicki, A.; Syryczynski, K.; Szczekowski, M.; Anghel, D. V.; Cimpean, A.; Coca, C.; Constantin, F.; Cristian, P.; Dumitru, D. D.; Dumitru, D. T.; Giolu, G.; Kusko, C.; Magureanu, C.; Mihon, Gh; Orlandea, M.; Pavel, C.; Petrescu, R.; Popescu, S.; Preda, T.; Rosca, A.; Rusu, V. L.; Stoica, R.; Stoica, S.; Tarta, P. D.; Filippov, S.; Gavrilov, Yu; Golyshkin, L.; Gushchin, E.; Karavichev, O.; Klubakov, V.; Kravchuk, L.; Kutuzov, V.; Laptev, S.; Popov, S.; Aref'ev, A.; Bobchenko, B.; Dolgoshein, V.; Egorychev, V.; Golutvin, A.; Gushchin, O.; Konoplyannikov, A.; Korolko, I.; Kvaratskheliya, T.; Machikhiliyan, I.; Malyshev, S.; Mayatskaya, E.; Prokudin, M.; Rusinov, D.; Rusinov, V.; Shatalov, P.; Shchutska, L.; Tarkovskiy, E.; Tayduganov, A.; Voronchev, K.; Zhiryakova, O.; Bobrov, A.; Bondar, A.; Eidelman, S.; Kozlinsky, A.; Shekhtman, L.; Beloous, K. S.; Dzhelyadin, R. I.; Gelitsky, Yu V.; Gouz, Yu P.; Kachnov, K. G.; Kobelev, A. S.; Matveev, V. D.; Novikov, V. P.; Obraztsov, V. F.; Ostankov, A. P.; Romanovsky, V. I.; Rykalin, V. I.; Soldatov, A. P.; Soldatov, M. M.; Tchernov, E. N.; Yushchenko, O. P.; Bochin, B.; Bondar, N.; Fedorov, O.; Golovtsov, V.; Guets, S.; Kashchuk, A.; Lazarev, V.; Maev, O.; Neustroev, P.; Sagidova, N.; Spiridenkov, E.; Volkov, S.; Vorobyev, An; Vorobyov, A.; Aguilo, E.; Bota, S.; Calvo, M.; Comerma, A.; Cano, X.; Dieguez, A.; Herms, A.; Lopez, E.; Luengo, S.; Garra, J.; Garrido, Ll; Gascon, D.; Gaspar de Valenzuela, A.; Gonzalez, C.; Graciani, R.; Grauges, E.; Perez Calero, A.; Picatoste, E.; Riera, J.; Rosello, M.; Ruiz, H.; Vilasis, X.; Xirgu, X.; Adeva, B.; Cid Vidal, X.; MartÉnez Santos, D.; Esperante Pereira, D.; Fungueiriño Pazos, J. L.; Gallas Torreira, A.; Gómez, C. Lois; Pazos Alvarez, A.; Pérez Trigo, E.; Pló Casasús, M.; Rodriguez Cobo, C.; Rodríguez Pérez, P.; Saborido, J. J.; Seco, M.; Vazquez Regueiro, P.; Bartalini, P.; Bay, A.; Bettler, M.-O.; Blanc, F.; Borel, J.; Carron, B.; Currat, C.; Conti, G.; Dormond, O.; Ermoline, Y.; Fauland, P.; Fernandez, L.; Frei, R.; Gagliardi, G.; Gueissaz, N.; Haefeli, G.; Hicheur, A.; Jacoby, C.; Jalocha, P.; Jimenez-Otero, S.; Hertig, J.-P.; Knecht, M.; Legger, F.; Locatelli, L.; Moser, J.-R.; Needham, M.; Nicolas, L.; Perrin-Giacomin, A.; Perroud, J.-P.; Potterat, C.; Ronga, F.; Schneider, O.; Schietinger, T.; Steele, D.; Studer, L.; Tareb, M.; Tran, M. T.; van Hunen, J.; Vervink, K.; Villa, S.; Zwahlen, N.; Bernet, R.; Büchler, A.; Gassner, J.; Lehner, F.; Sakhelashvili, T.; Salzmann, C.; Sievers, P.; Steiner, S.; Steinkamp, O.; Straumann, U.; van Tilburg, J.; Vollhardt, A.; Volyanskyy, D.; Ziegler, M.; Dovbnya, A.; Ranyuk, Yu; Shapoval, I.; Borisova, M.; Iakovenko, V.; Kyva, V.; Kovalchuk, O.; Okhrimenko, O.; Pugatch, V.; Pylypchenko, Yu; Adinolfi, M.; Brook, N. H.; Head, R. D.; Imong, J. P.; Lessnoff, K. A.; Metlica, F. C. D.; Muir, A. J.; Rademacker, J. H.; Solomin, A.; Szczypka, P. M.; Barham, C.; Buszello, C.; Dickens, J.; Gibson, V.; Haines, S.; Harrison, K.; Jones, C. R.; Katvars, S.; Kerzel, U.; Lazzeroni, C.; Li, Y. Y.; Rogers, G.; Storey, J.; Skottowe, H.; Wotton, S. A.; Adye, T. J.; Densham, C. J.; Easo, S.; Franek, B.; Loveridge, P.; Morrow, D.; Morris, J. V.; Nandakumar, R.; Nardulli, J.; Papanestis, A.; Patrick, G. N.; Ricciardi, S.; Woodward, M. L.; Zhang, Z.; Chamonal, R. J. U.; Clark, P. J.; Clarke, P.; Eisenhardt, S.; Gilardi, N.; Khan, A.; Kim, Y. M.; Lambert, R.; Lawrence, J.; Main, A.; McCarron, J.; Mclean, C.; Muheim, F.; Osorio-Oliveros, A. F.; Playfer, S.; Styles, N.; Xie, Y.; Bates, A.; Carson, L.; da Cunha Marinho, F.; Doherty, F.; Eklund, L.; Gersabeck, M.; Haddad, L.; Macgregor, A. A.; Melone, J.; McEwan, F.; Petrie, D. M.; Paterson, S. K.; Parkes, C.; Pickford, A.; Rakotomiaramanana, B.; Rodrigues, E.; Saavedra, A. F.; Soler, F. J. P.; Szumlak, T.; Viret, S.; Allebone, L.; Awunor, O.; Back, J.; Barber, G.; Barnes, C.; Cameron, B.; Clark, D.; Clark, I.; Dornan, P.; Duane, A.; Eames, C.; Egede, U.; Girone, M.; Greenwood, S.; Hallam, R.; Hare, R.; Howard, A.; Jolly, S.; Kasey, V.; Khaleeq, M.; Koppenburg, P.; Miller, D.; Plackett, R.; Price, D.; Reece, W.; Savage, P.; Savidge, T.; Simmons, B.; Vidal-Sitjes, G.; Websdale, D.; Affolder, A.; Anderson, J. S.; Biagi, S. F.; Bowcock, T. J. V.; Carroll, J. L.; Casse, G.; Cooke, P.; Donleavy, S.; Dwyer, L.; Hennessy, K.; Huse, T.; Hutchcroft, D.; Jones, D.; Lockwood, M.; McCubbin, M.; McNulty, R.; Muskett, D.; Noor, A.; Patel, G. D.; Rinnert, K.; Shears, T.; Smith, N. A.; Southern, G.; Stavitski, I.; Sutcliffe, P.; Tobin, M.; Traynor, S. M.; Turner, P.; Whitley, M.; Wormald, M.; Wright, V.; Bibby, J. H.; Brisbane, S.; Brock, M.; Charles, M.; Cioffi, C.; Gligorov, V. V.; Handford, T.; Harnew, N.; Harris, F.; John, M. J. J.; Jones, M.; Libby, J.; Martin, L.; McArthur, I. A.; Muresan, R.; Newby, C.; Ottewell, B.; Powell, A.; Rotolo, N.; Senanayake, R. S.; Somerville, L.; Soroko, A.; Spradlin, P.; Sullivan, P.; Stokes-Rees, I.; Topp-Jorgensen, S.; Xing, F.; Wilkinson, G.; Artuso, M.; Belyaev, I.; Blusk, S.; Lefeuvre, G.; Menaa, N.; Menaa-Sia, R.; Mountain, R.; Skwarnicki, T.; Stone, S.; Wang, J. C.; Abadie, L.; Aglieri-Rinella, G.; Albrecht, E.; André, J.; Anelli, G.; Arnaud, N.; Augustinus, A.; Bal, F.; Barandela Pazos, M. C.; Barczyk, A.; Bargiotti, M.; Batista Lopes, J.; Behrendt, O.; Berni, S.; Binko, P.; Bobillier, V.; Braem, A.; Brarda, L.; Buytaert, J.; Camilleri, L.; Cambpell, M.; Castellani, G.; Cataneo, F.; Cattaneo, M.; Chadaj, B.; Charpentier, P.; Cherukuwada, S.; Chesi, E.; Christiansen, J.; Chytracek, R.; Clemencic, M.; Closier, J.; Collins, P.; Colrain, P.; Cooke, O.; Corajod, B.; Corti, G.; D'Ambrosio, C.; Damodaran, B.; David, C.; de Capua, S.; Decreuse, G.; Degaudenzi, H.; Dijkstra, H.; Droulez, J.-P.; Duarte Ramos, D.; Dufey, J. P.; Dumps, R.; Eckstein, D.; Ferro-Luzzi, M.; Fiedler, F.; Filthaut, F.; Flegel, W.; Forty, R.; Fournier, C.; Frank, M.; Frei, C.; Gaidioz, B.; Gaspar, C.; Gayde, J.-C.; Gavillet, P.; Go, A.; Gracia Abril, G.; Graulich, J.-S.; Giudici, P.-A.; Guirao Elias, A.; Guglielmini, P.; Gys, T.; Hahn, F.; Haider, S.; Harvey, J.; Hay, B.; Hernando Morata, J.-A.; Herranz Alvarez, J.; van Herwijnen, E.; Hilke, H. J.; von Holtey, G.; Hulsbergen, W.; Jacobsson, R.; Jamet, O.; Joram, C.; Jost, B.; Kanaya, N.; Knaster Refolio, J.; Koestner, S.; Koratzinos, M.; Kristic, R.; Lacarrère, D.; Lasseur, C.; Lastovicka, T.; Laub, M.; Liko, D.; Lippmann, C.; Lindner, R.; Losasso, M.; Maier, A.; Mair, K.; Maley, P.; Mato Vila, P.; Moine, G.; Morant, J.; Moritz, M.; Moscicki, J.; Muecke, M.; Mueller, H.; Nakada, T.; Neufeld, N.; Ocariz, J.; Padilla Aranda, C.; Parzefall, U.; Patel, M.; Pepe-Altarelli, M.; Piedigrossi, D.; Pivk, M.; Pokorski, W.; Ponce, S.; Ranjard, F.; Riegler, W.; Renaud, J.; Roiser, S.; Rossi, A.; Roy, L.; Ruf, T.; Ruffinoni, D.; Saladino, S.; Sambade Varela, A.; Santinelli, R.; Schmelling, S.; Schmidt, B.; Schneider, T.; Schöning, A.; Schopper, A.; Seguinot, J.; Snoeys, W.; Smith, A.; Smith, A. C.; Somogyi, P.; Stoica, R.; Tejessy, W.; Teubert, F.; Thomas, E.; Toledo Alarcon, J.; Ullaland, O.; Valassi, A.; Vannerem, P.; Veness, R.; Wicht, P.; Wiedner, D.; Witzeling, W.; Wright, A.; Wyllie, K.; Ypsilantis, T.

2008-08-01

The LHCb experiment is dedicated to precision measurements of CP violation and rare decays of B hadrons at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN (Geneva). The initial configuration and expected performance of the detector and associated systems, as established by test beam measurements and simulation studies, is described.

Nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics in plastic surgery: The next frontier

PubMed Central

Tan, Aaron; Chawla, Reema; Natasha, G; Mahdibeiraghdar, Sara; Jeyaraj, Rebecca; Rajadas, Jayakumar; Hamblin, Michael R.; Seifalian, Alexander M.

2015-01-01

Summary The rapid ascent of nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics as applied to medicine and surgery has seen an exponential rise in the scale of research generated in this field. This is evidenced not only by the sheer volume of papers dedicated to nanotechnology but also in a large number of new journals dedicated to nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics specifically to medicine and surgery. Aspects of nanotechnology that have already brought benefits to these areas include advanced drug delivery platforms, molecular imaging and materials engineering for surgical implants. Particular areas of interest include nerve regeneration, burns and wound care, artificial skin with nanoelectronic sensors and head and neck surgery. This study presents a review of nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics, with focus on its applications and implications in plastic surgery. PMID:26422652

PESSTO: The Public ESO Spectroscopic Survey of Transient Objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smartt, S. J.; Valenti, S.; Fraser, M.; Inserra, C.; Young, D. R.; Sullivan, M.; Benetti, S.; Gal-Yam, A.; Knapic, C.; Molinaro, M.; Pastorello, A.; Smareglia, R.; Smith, K. W.; Taubenberger, S.; Yaron, O.

2013-12-01

PESSTO, which began in April 2012 as one of two ESO public spectroscopic surveys, uses the EFOSC2 and SOFI instruments on the New Technology Telescope during ten nights a month for nine months of the year. Transients for PESSTO follow-up are provided by dedicated large-field 1-2-metre telescope imaging surveys. In its first year PESSTO classified 263 optical transients, publicly released the reduced spectra within 12 hours of the end of the night and identified 33 supernovae (SNe) for dedicated follow-up campaigns. Nine papers have been published or submitted on the topics of supernova progenitors, the origins of type ia SNe, the uncertain nature of faint optical transients and superluminous supernovae, and a definitive public dataset on a most intriguing supernova, the infamous SN2009ip.

Software-type Wave-Particle Interaction Analyzer on board the ARASE satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katoh, Y.; Kojima, H.; Hikishima, M.; Takashima, T.; Asamura, K.; Miyoshi, Y.; Kasahara, Y.; Kasahara, S.; Mitani, T.; Higashio, N.; Matsuoka, A.; Ozaki, M.; Yagitani, S.; Yokota, S.; Matsuda, S.; Kitahara, M.; Shinohara, I.

2017-12-01

Wave-Particle Interaction Analyzer (WPIA) is a new type of instrumentation recently proposed by Fukuhara et al. (2009) for direct and quantitative measurements of wave-particle interactions. WPIA computes an inner product W(ti) = qE(ti)·vi, where ti is the detection timing of the i-th particle, E(ti) is the wave electric field vector at ti, and q and vi is the charge and the velocity vector of the i-th particle, respectively. Since W(ti) is the gain or the loss of the kinetic energy of the i-th particle, by accumulating W for detected particles, we obtain the net amount of the energy exchange in the region of interest. Software-type WPIA (S-WPIA) is installed in the ARASE satellite as a software function running on the mission data processor. S-WPIA on board the ARASE satellite uses electromagnetic field waveform measured by Waveform Capture (WFC) of Plasma Wave Experiment (PWE) and velocity vectors detected by Medium-Energy Particle Experiments - Electron Analyzer (MEP-e), High-Energy Electron Experiments (HEP), and Extremely High-Energy Electron Experiment (XEP). The prime target of S-WPIA is the measurement of the energy exchange between whistler-mode chorus emissions and energetic electrons in the inner magnetosphere. It is essential for S-WPIA to synchronize instruments in the time resolution better than the time scale of wave-particle interactions. Since the typical frequency of chorus emissions is a few kHz in the inner magnetosphere, the time resolution better than 10 micro-sec should be realized so as to measure the relative phase angle between wave and velocity vectors with the accuracy enough to detect the sign of W correctly. In the ARASE satellite, a dedicated system has been developed in order to realize the required time resolution for the inter-instruments communications. In this presentation, we show the principle of the WPIA and its significance as well as the implementation of S-WPIA on the ARASE satellite.

Seismic Endoscopy: Design of New Instruments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conil, F.; Nicollin, F.; Gibert, D.

2003-04-01

In order to perform 3D images around shallow-depth boreholes, in conditions in the field and within reasonable times of data acquisitions, several instrumental developments have been performed. The first development concerns the design of a directional probe working in the 20-100 kHz frequency range; the idea is to create a tool composed of multiple elementary piezoelectric entities able to cover the whole space to explore; made of special polyurethane rigid foam with excellent attenuation performances, the prototypes are covered by flexible polyurethane electric resin. By multiplying the number of elementary receptors around the vertical axes and piling up each elementary sensor, a complete design of multi-azimuth and multi-offset has been concepted. In addition to this, a test site has been built in order to obtain a controlled medium at typical scales of interest for seismic endoscopy and dedicated to experiment near the conditions in the field. Various reflectors are placed in well known positions and filled in an homogeneous cement medium; the whole edifice (2.2 m in diameter and 8 metres in depth) also contains 4 PVC tubes to simulate boreholes. The second part of this instrumental developments concern the synthesis of input signals; indeed, many modern devices used in ultrasonic experiment have non linear output response outside their nominal range: this is especially true in geophysical acoustical experiments when high acoustical power is necessary to insonify deep geological targets. Thanks to the high speed electronic and computerised devices now available, it is possible to plug in experimental set-ups into non linear inversions algorithms like simulated annealing. First experiments showed the robustness of the method in case of non linear analogic architecture. Large wavelet families have or example been constructed thanks to the method and multiscale Non Destructive Testing Method have been performed as an efficient method to detect and characterise discontinuities or velocities variations of a material.

Probing light sterile neutrino signatures at reactor and Spallation Neutron Source neutrino experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosmas, T. S.; Papoulias, D. K.; Tórtola, M.; Valle, J. W. F.

2017-09-01

We investigate the impact of a fourth sterile neutrino at reactor and Spallation Neutron Source neutrino detectors. Specifically, we explore the discovery potential of the TEXONO and COHERENT experiments to subleading sterile neutrino effects through the measurement of the coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering event rate. Our dedicated χ2-sensitivity analysis employs realistic nuclear structure calculations adequate for high purity sub-keV threshold Germanium detectors.

Real-time graphic display utility for nuclear safety applications

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

Yang, S.; Huang, X.; Taylor, J.

2006-07-01

With the increasing interests in the nuclear energy, new nuclear power plants will be constructed and licensed, and older generation ones will be upgraded for assuring continuing operation. The tendency of adopting the latest proven technology and the fact of older parts becoming obsolete have made the upgrades imperative. One of the areas for upgrades is the older CRT display being replaced by the latest graphics displays running under modern real time operating system (RTOS) with safety graded modern computer. HFC has developed a graphic display utility (GDU) under the QNX RTOS. A standard off-the-shelf software with a long historymore » of performance in industrial applications, QNX RTOS used for safety applications has been examined via a commercial dedication process that is consistent with the regulatory guidelines. Through a commercial survey, a design life cycle and an operating history evaluation, and necessary tests dictated by the dedication plan, it is reasonably confirmed that the QNX RTOS was essentially equivalent to what would be expected in the nuclear industry. The developed GDU operates and communicates with the existing equipment through a dedicated serial channel of a flat panel controller (FPC) module. The FPC module drives a flat panel display (FPD) monitor. A touch screen mounted on the FPD serves as the normal operator interface with the FPC/FPD monitor system. The GDU can be used not only for replacing older CRTs but also in new applications. The replacement of the older CRT does not disturb the function of the existing equipment. It not only provides modern proven technology upgrade but also improves human ergonomics. The FPC, which can be used as a standalone controller running with the GDU, is an integrated hardware and software module. It operates as a single board computer within a control system, and applies primarily to the graphics display, targeting, keyboard and mouse. During normal system operation, the GDU has two sources of data input: a serial interface with field equipment and a serial input from the FPD touch screen. The mechanism for data collection from the field equipment consists of the regular exchange of the data update request messages and target commands sent to the equipment and the update messages returned to the FPC. The data updates from field equipment control displays presented on the graphic pages. Touch screen contacts are decoded to identify physical position that was contacted. If that position corresponds with one of the buttons on the graphic page, the software uses that input to initiate the function defined for the particular button contacted. In this paper, the FPC will be illustrated as a standalone system as well as a module in a dedicated control system. The GDU design concepts and its design flow will be demonstrated. The dedication process of the QNX RTOS needed for the GDU will be highlighted. Finally, the GDU with a specific application example used in one of the nuclear power plants will be presented. (authors)« less

Modulated phases in a three-dimensional Maier-Saupe model with competing interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bienzobaz, P. F.; Xu, Na; Sandvik, Anders W.

2017-07-01

This work is dedicated to the study of the discrete version of the Maier-Saupe model in the presence of competing interactions. The competition between interactions favoring different orientational ordering produces a rich phase diagram including modulated phases. Using a mean-field approach and Monte Carlo simulations, we show that the proposed model exhibits isotropic and nematic phases and also a series of modulated phases that meet at a multicritical point, a Lifshitz point. Though the Monte Carlo and mean-field phase diagrams show some quantitative disagreements, the Monte Carlo simulations corroborate the general behavior found within the mean-field approximation.

Status and perspectives of neutrino physics at present and future experiments

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

Pagliarone, Carmine Elvezio, E-mail: pagliarone@unicas.it, E-mail: carmine.pagliarone@lngs.infn.it; Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso

2016-03-25

Neutrino Physics and Dark Matter searches play a crucial role in nowadays Particle and Astroparticle Physics. The present review paper will describe general properties of neutrinos and neutrino mass phenomenology (Dirac and Majorana masses). Space will be dedicated to the experimental attempts to answer the question of the neutrino mass hierarchy. We will give, then, a short review of the results of part of the experiments that have been running so far. We will also shortly summarize future experiments that plan to explore this very wide scientific area.

Present Status and Future Perspectives of the NEXT Experiment

DOE PAGES

Gómez Cadenas, J. J.; Álvarez, V.; Borges, F. I. G.; ...

2014-03-18

NEXT is an experiment dedicated to neutrinoless double beta decay searches in xenon. The detector is a TPC, holding 100 kg of high-pressure xenon enriched in the 136Xe isotope. It is under construction in the Laboratorio Subterráneo de Canfranc in Spain, and it will begin operations in 2015. The NEXT detector concept provides an energy resolutionbetter than 1% FWHM and a topological signal that can be used to reduce the background. Furthermore, the NEXT technology can be extrapolated to a 1 ton-scale experiment.

What's Happening in the Software Engineering Laboratory?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pajerski, Rose; Green, Scott; Smith, Donald

1995-01-01

Since 1976 the Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) has been dedicated to understanding and improving the way in which one NASA organization the Flight Dynamics Division (FDD) at Goddard Space Flight Center, develops, maintains, and manages complex flight dynamics systems. This paper presents an overview of recent activities and studies in SEL, using as a framework the SEL's organizational goals and experience based software improvement approach. It focuses on two SEL experience areas : (1) the evolution of the measurement program and (2) an analysis of three generations of Cleanroom experiments.

Electronics for the STEREO experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

HÉLAINE, Victor; STEREO Collaboration

2017-09-01

The STEREO experiment, aiming to probe short baseline neutrino oscillations by precisely measuring reactor anti-neutrino spectrum, is currently under installation. It is located at short distance from the compact research reactor core of the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France. Dedicated electronics, hosted in a single µTCA crate, were designed for this experiment. In this article, the electronics requirements, architecture and the performances achieved are described. It is shown how intrinsic Pulse Shape Discrimination properties of the liquid scintillator are preserved and how custom adaptable logic is used to improve the muon veto efficiency.

Experimental control requirements for life sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berry, W. E.; Sharp, J. C.

1978-01-01

The Life Sciences dedicated Spacelab will enable scientists to test hypotheses in various disciplines. Building upon experience gained in mission simulations, orbital flight test experiments, and the first three Spacelab missions, NASA will be able to progressively develop the engineering and management capabilities necessary for the first Life Sciences Spacelab. Development of experiments for these missions will require implementation of life-support systems not previously flown in space. Plant growth chambers, animal holding facilities, aquatic specimen life-support systems, and centrifuge-mounted specimen holding units are examples of systems currently being designed and fabricated for flight.

Spacelab Life Sciences 1 results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seddon, Rhea

1992-01-01

Results are presented from the experiments conducted by the first Shuttle/Spacelab mission dedicated entirely to the life sciences, the Spacelab Life Sciences 1, launched on June 5, 1991. The experiments carried out during the 9-day flight included investigations of changes in the human cardiovascular, pulmonary, renal/endocrine, blood, and vestibular systems that were brought about by microgravity. Results were also obtained from the preflight and postflight complementary experiments performed on rats, which assessed the suitability of rodents as animal models for humans. Most results verified, or expanded on, the accepted theories of adaptation to zero gravity.

Employee engagement within the NHS: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Jeve, Yadava Bapurao; Oppenheimer, Christina; Konje, Justin

2015-01-01

Background: Employee engagement is the emotional commitment of the employee towards the organisation. We aimed to analyse baseline work engagement using Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) at a teaching hospital. Methods: We have conducted a cross-sectional study within the National Health Service (NHS) Teaching Hospital in the UK. All participants were working age population from both genders directly employed by the hospital. UWES has three constituting dimensions of work engagement as vigor, dedication, and absorption. We conducted the study using UWES-9 tool. Outcome measures were mean score for each dimension of work engagement (vigor, dedication, absorption) and total score compared with control score from test manual. Results: We found that the score for vigor and dedication is significantly lower than comparison group (P< 0.0001 for both). The score for absorption was significantly higher than comparison group (P< 0.0001). However, total score is not significantly different. Conclusion: The study shows that work engagement level is below average within the NHS employees. Vigor and dedication are significantly lower, these are characterised by energy, mental resilience, the willingness to invest one’s effort, and persistence as well as a sense of significance, enthusiasm, inspiration, pride, and challenge. The NHS employees are immersed in work. Urgent need to explore strategies to improve work engagement as it is vital for improving productivity, safety and patient experience PMID:25674571

Methodology for creating dedicated machine and algorithm on sunflower counting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muracciole, Vincent; Plainchault, Patrick; Mannino, Maria-Rosaria; Bertrand, Dominique; Vigouroux, Bertrand

2007-09-01

In order to sell grain lots in European countries, seed industries need a government certification. This certification requests purity testing, seed counting in order to quantify specified seed species and other impurities in lots, and germination testing. These analyses are carried out within the framework of international trade according to the methods of the International Seed Testing Association. Presently these different analyses are still achieved manually by skilled operators. Previous works have already shown that seeds can be characterized by around 110 visual features (morphology, colour, texture), and thus have presented several identification algorithms. Until now, most of the works in this domain are computer based. The approach presented in this article is based on the design of dedicated electronic vision machine aimed to identify and sort seeds. This machine is composed of a FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) and a PC bearing the GUI (Human Machine Interface) of the system. Its operation relies on the stroboscopic image acquisition of a seed falling in front of a camera. A first machine was designed according to this approach, in order to simulate all the vision chain (image acquisition, feature extraction, identification) under the Matlab environment. In order to perform this task into dedicated hardware, all these algorithms were developed without the use of the Matlab toolbox. The objective of this article is to present a design methodology for a special purpose identification algorithm based on distance between groups into dedicated hardware machine for seed counting.

Applying systems engineering to implement an evidence-based intervention at a community health center.

PubMed

Tu, Shin-Ping; Feng, Sherry; Storch, Richard; Yip, Mei-Po; Sohng, HeeYon; Fu, Mingang; Chun, Alan

2012-11-01

Impressive results in patient care and cost reduction have increased the demand for systems-engineering methodologies in large health care systems. This Report from the Field describes the feasibility of applying systems-engineering techniques at a community health center currently lacking the dedicated expertise and resources to perform these activities.

The Mathematics Problem: The Construction of a Market-Led Education Discourse in the Republic of Ireland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kirwan, Liz; Hall, Kathy

2016-01-01

Educational change in the neoliberal state is permeated by the effects of forces from outside the field of education itself. The process of governmentality welcomes, indeed demands, the participation of those non-state actors valorised by neoliberalism as well as government agencies dedicated to the advancement of such groups. Inevitably, the…

BTTC Doctors and Institutions | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

BTTC Doctors and Institutions Committed to Discovering New Therapies The doctors and institutions who are participating in the BTTC are compassionate experts in their respective fields and are dedicated to finding new and effective therapies for the treatment of patients with brain tumors. Feel free to contact any of these outstanding facilities to make an appointment or

Applying Systems Engineering to Implement an Evidence-based Intervention at a Community Health Center

PubMed Central

Tu, Shin-Ping; Feng, Sherry; Storch, Richard; Yip, Mei-Po; Sohng, HeeYon; Fu, Mingang; Chun, Alan

2013-01-01

Summary Impressive results in patient care and cost reduction have increased the demand for systems-engineering methodologies in large health care systems. This Report from the Field describes the feasibility of applying systems-engineering techniques at a community health center currently lacking the dedicated expertise and resources to perform these activities. PMID:23698657

A Peace Education Pioneer: A Swedish Professor in Pedagogy Dedicated to Peace Education--Ake Bjerstedt

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersson, Irene; Johansson, Roger

2010-01-01

This article profiles Swedish professor Ake Bjerstedt and discusses his contributions to the field of peace education. Bjerstedt helped history researchers a great deal by writing bibliographies like "Educating towards a culture of peace. A select bibliography focusing on the last 25 years", 2001, and by keeping a well organized archive…

LULAC National Educational Service Centers Inc. (LNESC) Progress Report, 1977: Building Leadership Through Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorber, Erin, Ed.; And Others

Since 1973, the LULAC National Education Service Centers, Inc. (LNESC) has been functioning to increase Hispanic access to and participation in post-secondary education. A national educational outreach network consisting of 12 field center offices and a headquarters in Washington, D.C. LNESC is dedicated to the principle that the essential…

Claiming the Polarity of Art Therapy: Lessons from the Field in Colombia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salom, Andrée

2017-01-01

Long-posed questions about art therapy's artistic and psychological polarity are revisited when the profession is introduced into a new country. In a symposium dedicated to the process of advancing the profession in Colombia, attendees who were unfamiliar with art therapy raised questions that resonated with the historical polarity of art versus…

Field evaluation of commercial off-the-shelf spatial repellents against the Asian Tiger Mosquito, Aedes albopictus (Skuse), and the potential for use during deployment.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Testing and Evaluation Department of the US Navy Entomology Center of Excellence (NECE), Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, Florida, is dedicated to the evaluation of novel equipment and vector control techniques to provide guidance on effective protection measures against human pathogens transmit...

Nano Futures: shaping the nanoscience landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demming, Anna; Reed, Mark

2017-06-01

Nano Futures™ is a new journal, dedicated to bringing together the latest and most important results and perspectives from across nanoscience and related technologies. Highly selective, the journal's primary aim is to become the home for high urgency work that will define the future direction of new and emerging fields across nanoscience, with the expectation for lasting scientific and technological impact.

The Main Features of Organized Summer Vacation and Recreation Opportunities for Children in Russia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anuchin, I. A.; Belikov, A. A.; Denisov, A. A.; Kupriyanov, B. V.

2017-01-01

This article is dedicated to the 2015 Russian summer recreation campaign for children and teenagers between the ages of 6 and 18. The data presented will prove useful to experts in the field of public policy in education as a starting point for further analysis. [This article was translated by Kenneth Cargill.

Leaving a Legacy: Passing Montessori to the Next Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loveless, Sylvia

2012-01-01

For each of the past 19 years, the American Montessori Society has chosen to recognize one Montessorian as an AMS Living Legacy. Recipients are honored at the AMS annual conference for their salient work or volunteerism in the Montessori field and their dedication and leadership that has made an impact on the AMS community. It seems fitting that…

Development of user guidelines for ECAS display design, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dodson, D. W.; Shields, N. L., Jr.

1978-01-01

Experiment computer application software (ECAS) display design and command usage guidelines were developed, which if followed by spacelab experiments, would standardize methods and techniques for data presentation and commanding via ECAS. These guidelines would provide some commonality among experiments which would enhance crew training and flight operations. The guidelines are applicable to all onboard experiment displays, whether allocated by ECAS or a dedicated experiment processor. A brief description of the spacelab data display system characteristics and of the services provided by the experiment computer operating system is included. Guidelines concerning data presentation and layout of alphanumeric and graphic information are presented along with guidelines concerning keyboard commanding and command feedback.

Plantar fascia evaluation with a dedicated magnetic resonance scanner in weight-bearing position: our experience in patients with plantar fasciitis and in healthy volunteers.

PubMed

Sutera, R; Iovane, A; Sorrentino, F; Candela, F; Mularo, V; La Tona, G; Midiri, M

2010-03-01

This study assessed the usefulness of upright weight-bearing examination of the ankle/hind foot performed with a dedicated magnetic resonance (MR) imaging scanner in the evaluation of the plantar fascia in healthy volunteers and in patients with clinical evidence of plantar fasciitis. Between January and March 2009, 20 patients with clinical evidence of plantar fasciitis (group A) and a similar number of healthy volunteers (group B) underwent MR imaging of the ankle/hind foot in the upright weight-bearing and conventional supine position. A 0.25-Tesla MR scanner (G-Scan, Esaote SpA, Genoa, Italy) was used with a dedicated receiving coil for the ankle/hind foot. Three radiologists, blinded to patients' history and clinical findings, assessed in consensus morphological and dimensional changes and signal intensity alterations on images acquired in both positions, in different sequences and in different planes. In group A, MR imaging confirmed the diagnosis in 15/20 cases; in 4/15 cases, a partial tear of the plantar fascia was identified in the upright weight-bearing position alone. In the remaining 5/20 cases in group A and in all cases in group B, the plantar fascia showed no abnormal signal intensity. Because of the increased stretching of the plantar fascia, in all cases in group A and B, thickness in the proximal third was significantly reduced (p<0.0001) under upright weight-bearing compared with the supine position. Imaging the ankle/hind foot in the upright weight-bearing position with a dedicated MR scanner and a dedicated coil might enable the identification of partial tears of the plantar fascia, which could be overlooked in the supine position.

Vigour and dedication in nursing professionals: towards a better understanding of work engagement.

PubMed

Jenaro, Cristina; Flores, Noelia; Orgaz, Maria Begoña; Cruz, Maribel

2011-04-01

This paper analyses the association between nurses' individual characteristics, job features and work engagement. Current shortage of nurses and turnover justify more research efforts on job satisfaction. Closely associated with job satisfaction is work engagement, a construct which is composed of vigour, dedication and absorption, and requires more empirical evidence supporting its relevance. Most of the studies focus on organizational features, while reducing the relevance of individual characteristics. Survey data for this descriptive, correlational study were collected over a 7-month period (2006-2007) from a convenience sample of 412 Nurses. Measures utilized were the Work Engagement Survey, the General Health Questionnaire, and an ad hoc survey. Concerning psychiatric morbidity, 49% nurses met criteria for somatic symptoms, 65.5% met criteria for anxiety and insomnia, 4.6% met criteria for social dysfunction and 10% met criteria for severe depression. There were no effects for length of service or professional category. Nurse managers scored significantly higher in several job stressors compared with other groups. Concerning engagement, 33% of the nurses experienced high dedication, 20.4% experienced high vigour and 36.7% experienced high absorption. Predictors of vigour and dedication were satisfaction with job position, higher quality of working life, lower social dysfunction and lower stress associated with patient care. Strategies to promote work engagement should be implemented. More attention should be paid to job environments to guarantee job satisfaction. Organizational strategies to reduce the stress associated with patients' care, and initiatives to improve social and communication skills are also required for nurses to experience vigour and dedication. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Developing Therapies for Brain Tumors: The Impact of the Johns Hopkins Hunterian Neurosurgical Research Laboratory.

PubMed

Brem, Henry; Sankey, Eric W; Liu, Ann; Mangraviti, Antonella; Tyler, Betty M

2017-01-01

The Johns Hopkins Hunterian Neurosurgical Laboratory at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine was created in 1904 by Harvey Cushing and William Halsted and has had a long history of fostering surgical training, encouraging basis science research, and facilitating translational application. Over the past 30 years, the laboratory has addressed the paucity of brain tumor therapies. Pre-clinical work from the laboratory led to the development of carmustine wafers with initial US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in 1996. Combining carmustine wafers, radiation, and temozolomide led to a significant increase in the median survival of patients with glioblastoma. The laboratory has also developed microchips and immunotherapy to further extend survival in this heretofore underserved population. These achievements were made possible by the dedication, commitment, and creativity of more than 300 trainees of the Hunterian Neurosurgical Laboratory. The laboratory demonstrates the beneficial influence of research experience as well its substantial impact on the field of biomedical research.

Search for space charge effects in the ICARUS T600 LAr-TPC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torti, Marta

2016-11-01

Space charge in Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber is due to the accumu- lation of positive ions, produced by ionizing tracks crossing the detector, which slowly flow toward the cathode. As a consequence, electric field distortions may arise, thus hindering the possibility to produce faithful 3D images of the ionizing events. The presence of space charge becomes relevant for large TPCs operating at surface or at shallow depths, where cosmic ray flux is high. These effects could interest the next phase of the ICARUS T600 detector, which will be deployed at shallow depths as a Far Detector for Short Baseline Neutrino experiment at FNAL dedicated to sterile neutrino searches. In 2001, the first ICARUS T600 module (T300) operated at surface in Pavia (Italy), recording cosmic ray data. In this work, a sample of cosmic muon tracks from the 2001 run was analyzed and results on space charge effects in LAr-TPCs are shown.

The MIDAS telescope for microwave detection of ultra-high energy cosmic rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez-Muñiz, J.; Amaral Soares, E.; Berlin, A.; Bogdan, M.; Boháčová, M.; Bonifazi, C.; Carvalho, W. R.; de Mello Neto, J. R. T.; Facal San Luis, P.; Genat, J. F.; Hollon, N.; Mills, E.; Monasor, M.; Privitera, P.; Ramos de Castro, A.; Reyes, L. C.; Richardson, M.; Rouille d'Orfeuil, B.; Santos, E. M.; Wayne, S.; Williams, C.; Zas, E.; Zhou, J.

2013-08-01

We present the design, implementation and data taking performance of the MIcrowave Detection of Air Showers (MIDAS) experiment, a large field of view imaging telescope designed to detect microwave radiation from extensive air showers induced by ultra-high energy cosmic rays. This novel technique may bring a tenfold increase in detector duty cycle when compared to the standard fluorescence technique based on detection of ultraviolet photons. The MIDAS telescope consists of a 4.5 m diameter dish with a 53-pixel receiver camera, instrumented with feed horns operating in the commercial extended C-Band (3.4-4.2 GHz). A self-trigger capability is implemented in the digital electronics. The main objectives of this first prototype of the MIDAS telescope - to validate the telescope design, and to demonstrate a large detector duty cycle - were successfully accomplished in a dedicated data taking run at the University of Chicago campus prior to installation at the Pierre Auger Observatory.

Tools to Perform Local Dense 3D Reconstruction of Shallow Water Seabed ‡

PubMed Central

Avanthey, Loïca; Beaudoin, Laurent; Gademer, Antoine; Roux, Michel

2016-01-01

Tasks such as distinguishing or identifying individual objects of interest require the production of dense local clouds at the scale of these individual objects of interest. Due to the physical and dynamic properties of an underwater environment, the usual dense matching algorithms must be rethought in order to be adaptive. These properties also imply that the scene must be observed at close range. Classic robotized acquisition systems are oversized for local studies in shallow water while the systematic acquisition of data is not guaranteed with divers. We address these two major issues through a multidisciplinary approach. To efficiently acquire on-demand stereoscopic pairs using simple logistics in small areas of shallow water, we devised an agile light-weight dedicated system which is easy to reproduce. To densely match two views in a reliable way, we devised a reconstruction algorithm that automatically accounts for the dynamics, variability and light absorption of the underwater environment. Field experiments in the Mediterranean Sea were used to assess the results. PMID:27196913

Effect of directional speech warnings on road hazard detection.

PubMed

Serrano, Jesús; Di Stasi, Leandro L; Megías, Alberto; Catena, Andrés

2011-12-01

In the last 2 decades, cognitive science and the transportation psychology field have dedicated a lot of effort to designing advanced driver support systems. Verbal warning systems are increasingly being implemented in modern automobiles in an effort to increase road safety. The study presented here investigated the impact of directional speech alert messages on the participants' speed to judge whether or not naturalistic road scenes depicted a situation of impending danger. Thirty-eight volunteers performed a computer-based key-press reaction time task. Findings indicated that semantic content of verbal warning signals can be used for increasing driving safety and improving hazard detection. Furthermore, the classical result regarding signal accuracy is confirmed: directional informative speech messages lead to faster hazard detection compared to drivers who received a high rate of false alarms. Notwithstanding some study limitations (lack of driver experience and low ecological validity), this evidence could provide important information for the specification of future Human-Machine-interaction (HMI) design guidelines.

A system for characterization of DEPFET silicon pixel matrices and test beam results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furletov, Sergey; DEPFET Collaboration

2011-02-01

The DEPFET pixel detector offers first stage in-pixel amplification by incorporating a field effect transistor in the high resistivity silicon substrate. In this concept, a very small input capacitance can be realized thus allowing for low noise measurements. This makes DEPFET sensors a favorable technology for tracking in particle physics. Therefore a system with a DEPFET pixel matrix was developed to test DEPFET performance for an application as a vertex detector for the Belle II experiment. The system features a current based, row-wise readout of a DEPFET pixel matrix with a designated readout chip, steering chips for matrix control, a FPGA based data acquisition board, and a dedicated software package. The system was successfully operated in both test beam and lab environment. In 2009 new DEPFET matrices have been characterized in a 120 GeV pion beam at the CERN SPS. The current status of the DEPFET system and test beam results are presented.

How Genetically Engineered Mouse Tumor Models Provide Insights Into Human Cancers

PubMed Central

Politi, Katerina; Pao, William

2011-01-01

Genetically engineered mouse models (GEMMs) of human cancer were first created nearly 30 years ago. These early transgenic models demonstrated that mouse cells could be transformed in vivo by expression of an oncogene. A new field emerged, dedicated to generating and using mouse models of human cancer to address a wide variety of questions in cancer biology. The aim of this review is to highlight the contributions of mouse models to the diagnosis and treatment of human cancers. Because of the breadth of the topic, we have selected representative examples of how GEMMs are clinically relevant rather than provided an exhaustive list of experiments. Today, as detailed here, sophisticated mouse models are being created to study many aspects of cancer biology, including but not limited to mechanisms of sensitivity and resistance to drug treatment, oncogene cooperation, early detection, and metastasis. Alternatives to GEMMs, such as chemically induced or spontaneous tumor models, are not discussed in this review. PMID:21263096

A Micromegas-based telescope for muon tomography: The WatTo experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouteille, S.; Attié, D.; Baron, P.; Calvet, D.; Magnier, P.; Mandjavidze, I.; Procureur, S.; Riallot, M.; Winkler, M.

2016-10-01

This paper reports about the first Micromegas-based telescope built for applications in muon tomography. The telescope consists of four, 50×50 cm2 resistive multiplexed Micromegas with a 2D layout and a self-triggering electronics based on the Dream chip. Thanks to the multiplexing, the four detectors were readout with a single Front-End Unit. The high voltages were provided by a dedicated card using low consumption CAEN miniaturized modules. A nano-PC (Hummingboard) ensured the HV control and monitoring coupled with a temperature feedback as well as the data acquisition and storage. The overall consumption of the instrument yielded 30 W only, i.e. the equivalent of a standard bulb. The telescope was operated outside during 3.5 months to image the water tower of the CEA-Saclay research center, including a 1.5-month campaign with solar panels. The development of autonomous, low consumption muon telescopes with unprecedented accuracy opens new applications in imaging as well as in the field of muon metrology.

Multi-agent Simulations of Population Behavior: A Promising Tool for Systems Biology.

PubMed

Colosimo, Alfredo

2018-01-01

This contribution reports on the simulation of some dynamical events observed in the collective behavior of different kinds of populations, ranging from shape-changing cells in a Petri dish to functionally correlated brain areas in vivo. The unifying methodological approach, based upon a Multi-Agent Simulation (MAS) paradigm as incorporated in the NetLogo™ interpreter, is a direct consequence of the cornerstone that simple, individual actions within a population of interacting agents often give rise to complex, collective behavior.The discussion will mainly focus on the emergence and spreading of synchronous activities within the population, as well as on the modulation of the collective behavior exerted by environmental force-fields. A relevant section of this contribution is dedicated to the extension of the MAS paradigm to Brain Network models. In such a general framework some recent applications taken from the direct experience of the author, and exploring the activation patterns characteristic of specific brain functional states, are described, and their impact on the Systems-Biology universe underlined.

Multi-Axis Force Sensor for Human-Robot Interaction Sensing in a Rehabilitation Robotic Device.

PubMed

Grosu, Victor; Grosu, Svetlana; Vanderborght, Bram; Lefeber, Dirk; Rodriguez-Guerrero, Carlos

2017-06-05

Human-robot interaction sensing is a compulsory feature in modern robotic systems where direct contact or close collaboration is desired. Rehabilitation and assistive robotics are fields where interaction forces are required for both safety and increased control performance of the device with a more comfortable experience for the user. In order to provide an efficient interaction feedback between the user and rehabilitation device, high performance sensing units are demanded. This work introduces a novel design of a multi-axis force sensor dedicated for measuring pelvis interaction forces in a rehabilitation exoskeleton device. The sensor is conceived such that it has different sensitivity characteristics for the three axes of interest having also movable parts in order to allow free rotations and limit crosstalk errors. Integrated sensor electronics make it easy to acquire and process data for a real-time distributed system architecture. Two of the developed sensors are integrated and tested in a complex gait rehabilitation device for safe and compliant control.

``But it doesn't come naturally'': how effort expenditure shapes the benefit of growth mindset on women's sense of intellectual belonging in computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stout, Jane G.; Blaney, Jennifer M.

2017-10-01

Research suggests growth mindset, or the belief that knowledge is acquired through effort, may enhance women's sense of belonging in male-dominated disciplines, like computing. However, other research indicates women who spend a great deal of time and energy in technical fields experience a low sense of belonging. The current study assessed the benefits of a growth mindset on women's (and men's) sense of intellectual belonging in computing, accounting for the amount of time and effort dedicated to academics. We define "intellectual belonging" as the sense that one is believed to be a competent member of the community. Whereas a stronger growth mindset was associated with stronger intellectual belonging for men, a growth mindset only boosted women's intellectual belonging when they did not work hard on academics. Our findings suggest, paradoxically, women may not benefit from a growth mindset in computing when they exert a lot of effort.

A satellite view of aerosols in the climate system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, Yoram J.; Tanre, Didier; Boucher, Olivier

2002-01-01

Anthropogenic aerosols are intricately linked to the climate system and to the hydrologic cycle. The net effect of aerosols is to cool the climate system by reflecting sunlight. Depending on their composition, aerosols can also absorb sunlight in the atmosphere, further cooling the surface but warming the atmosphere in the process. These effects of aerosols on the temperature profile, along with the role of aerosols as cloud condensation nuclei, impact the hydrologic cycle, through changes in cloud cover, cloud properties and precipitation. Unravelling these feedbacks is particularly difficult because aerosols take a multitude of shapes and forms, ranging from desert dust to urban pollution, and because aerosol concentrations vary strongly over time and space. To accurately study aerosol distribution and composition therefore requires continuous observations from satellites, networks of ground-based instruments and dedicated field experiments. Increases in aerosol concentration and changes in their composition, driven by industrialization and an expanding population, may adversely affect the Earth's climate and water supply.

Multi-camera and structured-light vision system (MSVS) for dynamic high-accuracy 3D measurements of railway tunnels.

PubMed

Zhan, Dong; Yu, Long; Xiao, Jian; Chen, Tanglong

2015-04-14

Railway tunnel 3D clearance inspection is critical to guaranteeing railway operation safety. However, it is a challenge to inspect railway tunnel 3D clearance using a vision system, because both the spatial range and field of view (FOV) of such measurements are quite large. This paper summarizes our work on dynamic railway tunnel 3D clearance inspection based on a multi-camera and structured-light vision system (MSVS). First, the configuration of the MSVS is described. Then, the global calibration for the MSVS is discussed in detail. The onboard vision system is mounted on a dedicated vehicle and is expected to suffer from multiple degrees of freedom vibrations brought about by the running vehicle. Any small vibration can result in substantial measurement errors. In order to overcome this problem, a vehicle motion deviation rectifying method is investigated. Experiments using the vision inspection system are conducted with satisfactory online measurement results.

Real-time vehicle matching for multi-camera tunnel surveillance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jelača, Vedran; Niño Castañeda, Jorge Oswaldo; Frías-Velázquez, Andrés; Pižurica, Aleksandra; Philips, Wilfried

2011-03-01

Tracking multiple vehicles with multiple cameras is a challenging problem of great importance in tunnel surveillance. One of the main challenges is accurate vehicle matching across the cameras with non-overlapping fields of view. Since systems dedicated to this task can contain hundreds of cameras which observe dozens of vehicles each, for a real-time performance computational efficiency is essential. In this paper, we propose a low complexity, yet highly accurate method for vehicle matching using vehicle signatures composed of Radon transform like projection profiles of the vehicle image. The proposed signatures can be calculated by a simple scan-line algorithm, by the camera software itself and transmitted to the central server or to the other cameras in a smart camera environment. The amount of data is drastically reduced compared to the whole image, which relaxes the data link capacity requirements. Experiments on real vehicle images, extracted from video sequences recorded in a tunnel by two distant security cameras, validate our approach.

NanoLaunch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Jonathan; Harris, Lawanna

2015-01-01

NASA's NanoLaunch effort will provide the framework to mature both Earth-to-orbit and on-orbit propulsion and avionics technologies while also providing affordable, dedicated access to low-Earth orbit for CubeSat-class payloads. The project will also serve as an early career personnel training opportunity with mentors to gain hands-on project experience.

Probing Year 11 Physics Students' Understandings of Gravitation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Simon; Dawson, Vaille

2015-01-01

Science education involves students learning explanations of natural phenomena which are neither obvious nor intuitive. Generally, they have been arrived at and refined by years of dedicated inquiry on the part of large scientific communities. At the same time, these phenomena often concern the objects of everyday experience regarding which…

The Kodaikanal Experience: Chapter II. Kahn-Montessori Interview

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NAMTA Journal, 2013

2013-01-01

This article provides an interview transcript between David Kahn and Mario Montessori (1898-1982), son of Dr. Maria Montessori. Mario Montessori dedicated his life to the preservation, dissemination and application of Montessori's works. Herein Kahn asks Montessori about his time living in the hills of Kodaikanal, India. Montessori touches upon…

Singer Perceptions of Collegiate Mid-Level Choral Experiences: A Descriptive Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Major, Marci L.; Dakon, Jacob M.

2016-01-01

In this descriptive study, researchers surveyed choristers (N = 630) from 16 mid-level collegiate choirs nationwide to investigate their perceptions and behaviors as they related to the strategies used by directors to facilitate ensemble identity. Also investigated were the factors affecting choristers' dedication to choir and their intentions…

Lifeworld-Oriented Family Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Razpotnik, Špela; Turnšek, Nada; Rapuš-Pavel, Jana; Poljšak-Škraban, Olga

2016-01-01

Since the spring of 2014, the authors of this article, joined by a wider group of students, have been dedicated to researching vulnerable families and their involvement with education systems. In the initial phase, we explored the experiences and challenges that these families face and how they understand and address these challenges. Next, we…

Adult Students' Experiences of a Flipped Mathematics Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larsen, Judy

2015-01-01

The flipped classroom is a flexible blended learning model that is growing in popularity due to the emergent accessibility to online content delivery technology. By delivering content outside of class time asynchronously, teachers are able to dedicate their face to face class time for student-centred teaching approaches. The flexibility in…

Innovative Language Teaching and Learning at University: Enhancing Employability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Álvarez-Mayo, Carmen, Ed.; Gallagher-Brett, Angela, Ed.; Michel, Franck, Ed.

2017-01-01

This second volume in this series of papers dedicated to innovative language teaching and learning at university focuses on enhancing employability. Throughout the book, which includes a selection of 14 peer-reviewed and edited short papers, authors share good practices drawing on research; reflect on their experience to promote student…

The Long Haul: An Autobiography.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horton, Myles; And Others

In 1932, Myles Horton founded the Highlander Folk School in Monteagle, Tennessee. Horton created an adult education center dedicated to helping groups of primarily poor and uneducated people strive together to solve their social, economic, and political problems and conflicts by mining their own experiences and awareness. In this book, Horton…

American Camping Association Annual Report, 2000.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American Camping Association, Martinsville, IN.

The American Camping Association (ACA) is a community of camp professionals dedicated to enriching the lives of children and adults through the camp experience. This annual report describes ACA activities during 2000, grouped in five areas: (1) expansion of services and other development of ACA's 24 regional sections and partnerships with other…

Citizen Science International Pellet Watch

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dohrenwend, Peter

2012-01-01

Like Tokyo, other cities, both small and large, typically have numerous universities with dedicated faculties of scientists. By using portals such as Citizen Science and SciStarter, teachers can reach beyond the four walls of their classroom. The incredible experience of forging a relationship with a local scientist can easily begin via a cordial…

Special issue of Computers and Fluids in honor of Cecil E. (Chuck) Leith

DOE PAGES

Zhou, Ye; Herring, Jackson

2017-05-12

Here, this special issue of Computers and Fluids is dedicated to Cecil E. (Chuck) Leith in honor of his research contributions, leadership in the areas of statistical fluid mechanics, computational fluid dynamics, and climate theory. Leith's contribution to these fields emerged from his interest in solving complex fluid flow problems--even those at high Mach numbers--in an era well before large scale supercomputing became the dominant mode of inquiry into these fields. Yet the issues raised and solved by his research effort are still of vital interest today.

The Next Wave: Humans, Computers, and Redefining Reality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Little, William

2018-01-01

The Augmented/Virtual Reality (AVR) Lab at KSC is dedicated to " exploration into the growing computer fields of Extended Reality and the Natural User Interface (it is) a proving ground for new technologies that can be integrated into future NASA projects and programs." The topics of Human Computer Interface, Human Computer Interaction, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Mixed Reality are defined; examples of work being done in these fields in the AVR Lab are given. Current new and future work in Computer Vision, Speech Recognition, and Artificial Intelligence are also outlined.

Special issue of Computers and Fluids in honor of Cecil E. (Chuck) Leith

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

Zhou, Ye; Herring, Jackson

Here, this special issue of Computers and Fluids is dedicated to Cecil E. (Chuck) Leith in honor of his research contributions, leadership in the areas of statistical fluid mechanics, computational fluid dynamics, and climate theory. Leith's contribution to these fields emerged from his interest in solving complex fluid flow problems--even those at high Mach numbers--in an era well before large scale supercomputing became the dominant mode of inquiry into these fields. Yet the issues raised and solved by his research effort are still of vital interest today.

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

Hurley, D.F.; Whitehouse, J.M.

A dedicated low-flow groundwater sample collection system was designed for implementation in a post-closure ACL monitoring program at the Yaworski Lagoon NPL site in Canterbury, Connecticut. The system includes dedicated bladder pumps with intake ports located in the screened interval of the monitoring wells. This sampling technique was implemented in the spring of 1993. The system was designed to simultaneously obtain samples directly from the screened interval of nested wells in three distinct water bearing zones. Sample collection is begun upon stabilization of field parameters. Other than line volume, no prior purging of the well is required. It was foundmore » that dedicated low-flow sampling from the screened interval provides a method of representative sample collection without the bias of suspended solids introduced by traditional techniques of pumping and bailing. Analytical data indicate that measured chemical constituents are representative of groundwater migrating through the screened interval. Upon implementation of the low-flow monitoring system, analytical results exhibited a decrease in concentrations of some organic compounds and metals. The system has also proven to be a cost effective alternative to pumping and bailing which generate large volumes of purge water requiring containment and disposal.« less

On the Navier Stokes equations simulation of the head-on collision between two surface solitary waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubin, Pierre; Vincent, Stéphane; Caltagirone, Jean-Paul

2005-04-01

The scope of this Note is to show the results obtained for simulating the two-dimensional head-on collision of two solitary waves by solving the Navier-Stokes equations in air and water. The work is dedicated to the numerical investigation of the hydrodynamics associated to this highly nonlinear flow configuration, the first numerical results being analyzed. The original numerical model is proved to be efficient and accurate in predicting the main features described in experiments found in the literature. This Note also outlines the interest of this configuration to be considered as a test-case for numerical models dedicated to computational fluid mechanics. To cite this article: P. Lubin et al., C. R. Mecanique 333 (2005).

The dedicated education unit: a practice and education partnership.

PubMed

Miller, Terry W

2005-01-01

Both educational institutions and health care agencies have a propensity to look to the past for solutions to their present and projected problems, such as the nursing shortage. One problem that continually surfaces and has become one of two primary limitations on expanding nursing school enrollments is finding and sustaining quality clinical experiences in acute care settings. The demand for these clinical sites continues to grow and the consequent need for effective clinical partnerships grows with it. The Dedicated Education Unit is a creative strategy for addressing the confluence of highly sophisticated marketing efforts promoting the profession of nursing as a whole, the high demand job market for nurses, and the increase in nursing school enrollments at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

Development of a circular shape Si-PM-based detector ring for breast-dedicated PET system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakanishi, Kouhei; Yamamoto, Seiichi; Watabe, Hiroshi; Abe, Shinji; Fujita, Naotoshi; Kato, Katsuhiko

2018-02-01

In clinical situations, various breast-dedicated positron emission tomography (PET) systems have been used. However, clinical breast-dedicated PET systems have polygonal detector ring. Polygonal detector ring sometimes causes image artifact, so complicated reconstruction algorithm is needed to reduce artifact. Consequently, we developed a circular detector ring for breast-dedicated PET to obtain images without artifact using a simple reconstruction algorithm. We used Lu1.9Gd0.1SiO5 (LGSO) scintillator block which was made of 1.5 x 1.9 x 15 mm pixels that were arranged in an 8 x 24 matrix. As photodetectors, we used silicon photomultiplier (Si-PM) arrays whose channel size was 3 x 3 mm. A detector unit was composed of four scintillator blocks, 16 Si-PM arrays and a light guide. The developed detector unit had angled configuration since the light guide was bending. A detector unit had three gaps with an angle of 5.625° between scintillator blocks. With these configurations, we could arrange 64 scintillator blocks in nearly circular shape (regular 64-sided polygon) using 16 detector units. The use of the smaller number of detector units could reduce the size of the front-end electronics circuits. The inner diameter of the developed detector ring was 260 mm. This size was similar to those of brain PET systems, so our breast-dedicated PET detector ring can measure not only breast but also brain. Measured radial, tangential and axial spatial resolution of the detector ring reconstructed by the filtered back-projection (FBP) algorithm were 2.1 mm FWHM, 2.0 mm FWHM and 1.7 mm FWHM at center of field of view (FOV), respectively. The sensitivity was 2.0% at center of the axial FOV. With the developed detector ring, we could obtain high resolution image of the breast phantom and the brain phantom. We conclude that our developed Si-PM-based detector ring is promising for a high resolution breast-dedicated PET system that can also be used for brain PET system.

Experimental investigations of heat transfer and temperature fields in models simulating fuel assemblies used in the core of a nuclear reactor with a liquid heavy-metal coolant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belyaev, I. A.; Genin, L. G.; Krylov, S. G.; Novikov, A. O.; Razuvanov, N. G.; Sviridov, V. G.

2015-09-01

The aim of this experimental investigation is to obtain information on the temperature fields and heat transfer coefficients during flow of liquid-metal coolant in models simulating an elementary cell in the core of a liquid heavy metal cooled fast-neutron reactor. Two design versions for spacing fuel rods in the reactor core were considered. In the first version, the fuel rods were spaced apart from one another using helical wire wound on the fuel rod external surface, and in the second version spacer grids were used for the same purpose. The experiments were carried out on the mercury loop available at the Moscow Power Engineering Institute National Research University's Chair of Engineering Thermal Physics. Two experimental sections simulating an elementary cell for each of the fuel rod spacing versions were fabricated. The temperature fields were investigated using a dedicated hinged probe that allows temperature to be measured at any point of the studied channel cross section. The heat-transfer coefficients were determined using the wall temperature values obtained at the moment when the probe thermocouple tail end touched the channel wall. Such method of determining the wall temperature makes it possible to alleviate errors that are unavoidable in case of measuring the wall temperature using thermocouples placed in slots milled in the wall. In carrying out the experiments, an automated system of scientific research was applied, which allows a large body of data to be obtained within a short period of time. The experimental investigations in the first test section were carried out at Re = 8700, and in the second one, at five values of Reynolds number. Information about temperature fields was obtained by statistically processing the array of sampled probe thermocouple indications at 300 points in the experimental channel cross section. Reach material has been obtained for verifying the codes used for calculating velocity and temperature fields in channels with an intricately shaped cross section simulating the flow pass sections for liquid-metal coolants cooling the core of nuclear reactors.

Present and Future Ground-Based Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciani, Giacomo; Fulda, Paul

In this chapter, we first briefly review the early history of gravitational wave detection, and how the research turned towards the large scale interferometers that proved to be the most effective devices for gravitational wave astronomy. We provide an overview of what is generically defined as the "first generation" of interferometric detectors, a number of instruments built around the globe at the end of the last century, differing in size, technology and scope. A more detailed description is dedicated to the "second generation", or "advanced detectors", and their main subsystems, which represent the state of the art of the science and technology in the field. In the final section, we give a glimpse of what the next generation of detectors may look like. Given the many similitudes between different projects, throughout the chapter we will use LIGO as the leading example, and highlight how the other projects compared to it both technologically and strategically. This choice is mainly due to the size of the LIGO project and of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, and to the pivotal role they played in the history of the field and eventually in the first detection of gravitational waves. It is important to note, however, that the comparatively small amount of space and detail dedicated to other endeavors is not indicative of the importance of the role they have played and still play in the field.

Background evaluation for the neutron sources in the Daya Bay experiment

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

Gu, W. Q.; Cao, G. F.; Chen, X. H.

2016-07-06

Here, we present an evaluation of the background induced by 241Am–13C neutron calibration sources in the Daya Bay reactor neutrino experiment. Furthermore, as a significant background for electron-antineutrino detection at 0.26 ± 0.12 detector per day on average, it has been estimated by a Monte Carlo simulation that was benchmarked by a special calibration data set. This dedicated data set also provides the energy spectrum of the background.

KSC technician installs rows of experiment racks in IML-1 spacelab module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

Kennedy Space Center (KSC) technician installs rows of experiment racks in the International Microgravity Laboratory 1 (IML-1) in the KSC Operations and Checkout (O and C) Bldg. The IML-1 is scheduled to fly on STS-42 in early 1992, and will turn the shuttle into a laboratory dedicated to investigating the effects of microgravity on materials and life processes. View provided by KSC with alternate number KSC-91P-169.

Spacelab Life Sciences 1 - Dedicated life sciences mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Womack, W. D.

1990-01-01

The Spacelab Life Sciences 1 (SLS-1) mission is discussed, and an overview of the SLS-1 Spacelab configuration is shown. Twenty interdisciplinary experiments, planned for this mission, are intended to explore the early stages of human and animal physiological adaptation to space flight conditions. Biomedical and gravitational biology experiments include cardiovascular and cardiopulmonary deconditioning, altered vestibular functions, altered metabolic functions (including altered fluid-electrolyte regulation), muscle atrophy, bone demineralization, decreased red blood cell mass, and altered immunologic responses.

Spacelab

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-01-01

The IML-1 mission was the first in a series of Shuttle flights dedicated to fundamental materials and life sciences research with the international partners. The participating space agencies included: NASA, the 14-nation European Space Agency (ESA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), The French National Center of Space Studies (CNES), the German Space Agency and the German Aerospace Research Establishment (DAR/DLR), and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). Dedicated to the study of life and materials sciences in microgravity, the IML missions explored how life forms adapt to weightlessness and investigated how materials behave when processed in space. Both life and materials sciences benefited from the extended periods of microgravity available inside the Spacelab science module in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle Orbiter. This photograph shows Astronaut Norman Thagard performing the fluid experiment at the Fluid Experiment System (FES) facility inside the laboratory module. The FES facility had sophisticated optical systems for imaging fluid flows during materials processing, such as experiments to grow crystals from solution and solidify metal-modeling salts. A special laser diagnostic technique recorded the experiments, holograms were made for post-flight analysis, and video was used to view the samples in space and on the ground. Managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), the IML-1 mission was launched on January 22, 1992 aboard the Shuttle Orbiter Discovery (STS-42).

Space Shuttle Exhaust Modifications of the Mid-Latitude Ionospheric Plasma As Diagnosed By Ground Based Radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lind, F. D.; Erickson, P. J.; Bhatt, A.; Bernhardt, P. A.

2009-12-01

The Space Shuttle's Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) engines have been used since the early days of the STS program for active ionospheric modification experiments designed to be viewed by ground based ionospheric radar systems. In 1995, the Naval Research Laboratory initiated the Shuttle Ionospheric Modification with Pulsed Localized Exhaust (SIMPLEX) Program using dedicated Space Shuttle OMS burns scheduled through the US Department of Defense's Space Test Program. SIMPLEX objectives include generation of localized ion-acoustic turbulence and the formation of ionospheric density irregularities for injections perpendicular to the local magnetic field, creating structures which can scatter incident UHF radar signals. We discuss radar observations made during several recent SIMPLEX mid-latitude experiments conducted over the Millstone Hill incoherent scatter radar system in Westford, Massachusetts. OMS engine firings release 10 kg/s of CO2, H2, H2O, and N2 molecules which charge exchange with ambient O+ ions in the F region, producing molecular ions and long lived electron density depletions as recombination occurs with ambient electrons. Depending on the magnetic field angle, the high velocity of the injected reactive exhaust molecules relative to the background ionosphere can create longitudinal propagating ion acoustic waves with amplitudes well above normal thermal levels and stimulate a wide variety of plasma instability processes. These effects produce high radar cross section targets readily visible to the Millstone Hill system, a high power large aperture radar designed to measure very weak scatter from the quiescent background ionosphere. We will survey the plasma instability parameter space explored to date and discuss plans for future SIMPLEX observations.

Environmental Education in High Schools in Kosovo—A teachers' perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyseni Spahiu, Mimoza; Korca, Bardha; Lindemann-Matthies, Petra

2014-11-01

The integration of education for sustainable development (ESD) into all levels of education is a key priority in Kosovo's environmental action plan. However, at present it is not even known how environmental education (EE) is integrated in the country's educational system. With the help of a written questionnaire and in-depth interviews with 18 teachers, this study investigated the integration of EE in high schools (optional upper secondary education) in Kosovo. The representative sample of biology, geography, chemistry, and civic education teachers (244 persons) focused on various kinds of pollution and hazards of pollutants. Teachers' choice of topics was highly relevant, place-based, and linked to the experiences of students, but excluded sustainability issues such as the loss of biodiversity. EE was approached in three ways. The first approach critically reflected links between the natural, social, and cultural environment, while the second approach was characterized by knowledge submission of environmental facts. The third approach aimed at capacity-building and, in the sense of ESD, understood learning as process-oriented, participatory, and action-oriented. However, this approach was rather uncommon, most likely due to insufficient teacher preparation, large classes (up to 50 students), and little time (just one hour per week for EE). Class size and time also restricted outdoor activities, in particular field work. Nevertheless, in view of the interviewees, ideal EE would mean outdoor education, field work and other place-based, capacity-building practical experiences, and the development of critical thinking skills. This exemplifies that approaches to ESD may find support from dedicated teachers in Kosovo.

Laboratory investigation of dust impacts induced signals on antennas in space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rocha, J. R.; Collette, A.; Malaspina, D.; Gruen, E.; Sternovsky, Z.

2014-12-01

Recent observations of sharp voltage spikes by the WAVES electric field experiments onboard the twin STEREO spacecraft have been attributed to plasma clouds generated by the impact ionization of high velocity dust particles. The reported dust fluxes are much higher than those measured by dedicated dust detectors at 1 AU, which leads to the interpretation that the STEREO observations are due to nanometer-sized dust particles originating from the inner solar system and accelerated to high velocities by the solar wind magnetic field. However, this interpretation is based on a simplified model of coupling between the expanding plasma cloud from the dust impact and the WAVES electric field instrument. A series of laboratory measurements are performed to validate this model and to calibrate/investigate the effect of various impact parameters on the signals measured by the electric field instrument. The dust accelerator facility operating at the University of Colorado is used for the measurement with micron and submicron sized particles accelerated to 50 km/s. The first set of measurements was aimed at the understanding of the charge yield of impact-generated plasmas from common materials used on spacecraft, i.e. BeCu, germanium coated black Kapton, MLI, and solar cells. The measurements show that at 10 km/s these materials yield similar charge signals. At higher speeds (~50 km/s) the variation is with material increases. The impact charge is also found to depend on angle of incidence; the data suggest a maximum at 45 degrees. The second set of measurements investigates the variation of the induced dust signal with bias potential applied on the simulated spacecraft.

Ionization chamber correction factors for MR-linacs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pojtinger, Stefan; Steffen Dohm, Oliver; Kapsch, Ralf-Peter; Thorwarth, Daniela

2018-06-01

Previously, readings of air-filled ionization chambers have been described as being influenced by magnetic fields. To use these chambers for dosimetry in magnetic resonance guided radiotherapy (MRgRT), this effect must be taken into account by introducing a correction factor k B. The purpose of this study is to systematically investigate k B for a typical reference setup for commercially available ionization chambers with different magnetic field strengths. The Monte Carlo simulation tool EGSnrc was used to simulate eight commercially available ionization chambers in magnetic fields whose magnetic flux density was in the range of 0–2.5 T. To validate the simulation, the influence of the magnetic field was experimentally determined for a PTW30013 Farmer-type chamber for magnetic flux densities between 0 and 1.425 T. Changes in the detector response of up to 8% depending on the magnetic flux density, on the chamber geometry and on the chamber orientation were obtained. In the experimental setup, a maximum deviation of less than 2% was observed when comparing measured values with simulated values. Dedicated values for two MR-linac systems (ViewRay MRIdian, ViewRay Inc, Cleveland, United States, 0.35 T/ 6 MV and Elekta Unity, Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden, 1.5 T/7 MV) were determined for future use in reference dosimetry. Simulated values for thimble-type chambers are in good agreement with experiments as well as with the results of previous publications. After further experimental validation, the results can be considered for definition of standard protocols for purposes of reference dosimetry in MRgRT.

Ionization chamber correction factors for MR-linacs.

PubMed

Pojtinger, Stefan; Dohm, Oliver Steffen; Kapsch, Ralf-Peter; Thorwarth, Daniela

2018-06-07

Previously, readings of air-filled ionization chambers have been described as being influenced by magnetic fields. To use these chambers for dosimetry in magnetic resonance guided radiotherapy (MRgRT), this effect must be taken into account by introducing a correction factor k B . The purpose of this study is to systematically investigate k B for a typical reference setup for commercially available ionization chambers with different magnetic field strengths. The Monte Carlo simulation tool EGSnrc was used to simulate eight commercially available ionization chambers in magnetic fields whose magnetic flux density was in the range of 0-2.5 T. To validate the simulation, the influence of the magnetic field was experimentally determined for a PTW30013 Farmer-type chamber for magnetic flux densities between 0 and 1.425 T. Changes in the detector response of up to 8% depending on the magnetic flux density, on the chamber geometry and on the chamber orientation were obtained. In the experimental setup, a maximum deviation of less than 2% was observed when comparing measured values with simulated values. Dedicated values for two MR-linac systems (ViewRay MRIdian, ViewRay Inc, Cleveland, United States, 0.35 T/ 6 MV and Elekta Unity, Elekta AB, Stockholm, Sweden, 1.5 T/7 MV) were determined for future use in reference dosimetry. Simulated values for thimble-type chambers are in good agreement with experiments as well as with the results of previous publications. After further experimental validation, the results can be considered for definition of standard protocols for purposes of reference dosimetry in MRgRT.

A case study of collaboration in science education: Integrating informal learning experiences into the school curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson, Amy Michelle

This is a study of a collaboration between multiple stakeholders in science education for the purpose of creating educational field trip experiences. The collaboration involves four major facets of science education: formal education at the elementary and university levels, informal education, and educational research. The primary participants in the collaboration include two elementary school teachers, a scientist from a local university, an informal educator from an environmental education site, and the researcher acting as a participant observer. The coming together of these different sides of science education provided a unique opportunity to explore the issues and experiences that emerged as such a partnership was formed and developed. Strongly influenced by action research, this study is a qualitative case study. The data was collected by means of observation, semi-structured interviews, and written document review, in order to provide both a descriptive and an interpretive account of this collaboration. The final analysis integrates a description of the participants' experiences as evidenced in the data with the issues that arose from these experiences. The evolution of the collaborators' roles was examined, as was the development of shared vision. In this study, there were several factors that significantly affected the progress towards a shared vision and a successful collaboration. These factors include time, communication, understanding others' perspectives, dedication and ownership, as well as the collaborative environment. Each collaborator benefited both professionally and personally from their participation in the collaboration. In addition, the students gained cognitively, affectively, and socially from the educational experiences created through the collaboration. Steps, such as working towards communication and understanding others' perspectives, should continue to be taken to ensure the collaboration continues beyond the term of the current key participants.

Tulip-form variable-curvature mirrors: interferometry and field compensation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemaitre, Gerard R.; Mazzanti, Silvio; Ferrari, Marc

1998-07-01

Active Optics methods are now capable to provide variable curvature mirrors (VCMs) having controlled sags in the focal range from f/(infinity) to f/2.5. Those development have been carried out by the authors for the optical path equalizer dedicated to each Mersenne focus of the VLTI. The basic principle is to use VCMs as cat's eye mirrors in each delay line in order to achieve field compensations at the recombined Mersenne focii. During the VLTI development phase, cycloid form VCMs controlled by air pressure have been performed with a 10(superscript -4) mirror sag resolution. The cycloid form has been selected for the VLTi delay lines. However, other analytical solutions from circular plates elasticity theory have been found. Two thickness distributions lead to tulip form VCMs controlled by a central force. One of them, using a lineic reaction at the edge is the object of this paper. Active optics design, construction features, test and experimental He-Ne interferograms obtained with 16mm boundary aperture and 10mm clear aperture are presented. The mean aspect-ratio of the tulip from VCM is d/t(subscript 0.5) approximately equals 60, providing a focal zoom range from f/(infinity) to f/2.5. The experiment is carried out form f/(infinity) to f/5.

Two-year colleges, Physics, and Teacher Preparation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clay, Keith

2002-05-01

In the midst of a teacher shortage no field suffers more than physics. Half of our secondary physics teachers have less than a minor in physics. Meanwhile half of our future teachers start out at two-year colleges with physicists on staff. The opportunity for community colleges to have an impact on K-12 teaching is tremendous. Project TEACH has been honored as an outstanding teacher preparation program. It is a collaboration of colleges and K-12 schools dedicated to the improvement of teacher preparation, especially in science and math. Based at Green River Community College, Project TEACH unites certification institutions, community colleges, and K-12 school districts in the pre-service and in-service training of teachers. Activities of Project TEACH include recruitment and advising of future teachers, field experience for education students, creation of pre-teaching and para-educator degrees, tutoring from elementary school through college, in-service courses for current teachers, and special math and science courses aimed at future teachers. The yearlong interdisciplinary science sequence blends chemistry, physics, geology, and biology in a hands-on inquiry-based environment. The yearlong math sequence covers arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and probability with inquiry-based pedagogy. The programs developed by Project TEACH are being disseminated to colleges across Washington State and beyond.

Cryogenic Permanent Magnet Undulators

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

Chavanne, J.; Lebec, G.; Penel, C.

For an in-vacuum undulator operated at small gaps the permanent magnet material needs to be highly resistant to possible electron beam exposure. At room temperature, one generally uses Sm{sub 2}Co{sub 17} or high coercivity NdFeB magnets at the expense of a limited field performance. In a cryogenic permanent magnet undulator (CPMU), at a temperature of around 150 K, any NdFeB grade reveals a coercivity large enough to be radiation resistant. In particular, very high remanence NdFeB material can be used to build undulators with enhanced field and X-ray brilliance at high photon energy provided that the pre-baking of the undulatormore » above 100 deg. C can be eliminated. The ESRF has developed a full scale 2 m long CPMU with a period of 18 mm. This prototype has been in operation on the ID6 test beamline since January 2008. A significant effort was put into the characterization of NdFeB material at low temperature, the development of dedicated magnetic measurement systems and cooling methods. The measured heat budget with beam is found to be larger than expected without compromising the smooth operation of the device. Leading on from this first experience, new CPMUs are currently being considered for the upgrade of the ESRF.« less

Atypical Mg-poor Milky Way Field Stars with Globular Cluster Second-generation-like Chemical Patterns

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

Fernández-Trincado, J. G.; Geisler, D.; Tang, B.

We report the peculiar chemical abundance patterns of 11 atypical Milky Way (MW) field red giant stars observed by the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE). These atypical giants exhibit strong Al and N enhancements accompanied by C and Mg depletions, strikingly similar to those observed in the so-called second-generation (SG) stars of globular clusters (GCs). Remarkably, we find low Mg abundances ([Mg/Fe] < 0.0) together with strong Al and N overabundances in the majority (5/7) of the metal-rich ([Fe/H] ≳ −1.0) sample stars, which is at odds with actual observations of SG stars in Galactic GCs of similarmore » metallicities. This chemical pattern is unique and unprecedented among MW stars, posing urgent questions about its origin. These atypical stars could be former SG stars of dissolved GCs formed with intrinsically lower abundances of Mg and enriched Al (subsequently self-polluted by massive AGB stars) or the result of exotic binary systems. We speculate that the stars Mg-deficiency as well as the orbital properties suggest that they could have an extragalactic origin. This discovery should guide future dedicated spectroscopic searches of atypical stellar chemical patterns in our Galaxy, a fundamental step forward to understanding the Galactic formation and evolution.« less

SEE induced in SRAM operating in a superconducting electron linear accelerator environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Makowski, D.; Mukherjee, Bhaskar; Grecki, M.; Simrock, Stefan

2005-02-01

Strong fields of bremsstrahlung photons and photoneutrons are produced during the operation of high-energy electron linacs. Therefore, a mixed gamma and neutron radiation field dominates the accelerators environment. The gamma radiation induced Total Ionizing Dose (TID) effect manifests the long-term deterioration of the electronic devices operating in accelerator environment. On the other hand, the neutron radiation is responsible for Single Event Effects (SEE) and may cause a temporal loss of functionality of electronic systems. This phenomenon is known as Single Event Upset (SEU). The neutron dose (KERMA) was used to scale the neutron induced SEU in the SRAM chips. Hence, in order to estimate the neutron KERMA conversion factor for Silicon (Si), dedicated calibration experiments using an Americium-Beryllium (241Am/Be) neutron standard source was carried out. Single Event Upset (SEU) influences the short-term operation of SRAM compared to the gamma induced TID effect. We are at present investigating the feasibility of an SRAM based real-time beam-loss monitor for high-energy accelerators utilizing the SEU caused by fast neutrons. This paper highlights the effects of gamma and neutron radiations on Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), placed at selected locations near the Superconducting Linear Accelerator driving the Vacuum UV Free Electron Laser (VUVFEL) of DESY.

Development of the Central Dogma Concept Inventory (CDCI) Assessment Tool

PubMed Central

Newman, Dina L.; Snyder, Christopher W.; Fisk, J. Nick; Wright, L. Kate

2016-01-01

Scientific teaching requires scientifically constructed, field-tested instruments to accurately evaluate student thinking and gauge teacher effectiveness. We have developed a 23-question, multiple select–format assessment of student understanding of the essential concepts of the central dogma of molecular biology that is appropriate for all levels of undergraduate biology. Questions for the Central Dogma Concept Inventory (CDCI) tool were developed and iteratively revised based on student language and review by experts. The ability of the CDCI to discriminate between levels of understanding of the central dogma is supported by field testing (N = 54), and large-scale beta testing (N = 1733). Performance on the assessment increased with experience in biology; scores covered a broad range and showed no ceiling effect, even with senior biology majors, and pre/posttesting of a single class focused on the central dogma showed significant improvement. The multiple-select format reduces the chances of correct answers by random guessing, allows students at different levels to exhibit the extent of their knowledge, and provides deeper insight into the complexity of student thinking on each theme. To date, the CDCI is the first tool dedicated to measuring student thinking about the central dogma of molecular biology, and version 5 is ready to use. PMID:27055775

Atypical Mg-poor Milky Way Field Stars with Globular Cluster Second-generation-like Chemical Patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Trincado, J. G.; Zamora, O.; García-Hernández, D. A.; Souto, Diogo; Dell'Agli, F.; Schiavon, R. P.; Geisler, D.; Tang, B.; Villanova, S.; Hasselquist, Sten; Mennickent, R. E.; Cunha, Katia; Shetrone, M.; Allende Prieto, Carlos; Vieira, K.; Zasowski, G.; Sobeck, J.; Hayes, C. R.; Majewski, S. R.; Placco, V. M.; Beers, T. C.; Schleicher, D. R. G.; Robin, A. C.; Mészáros, Sz.; Masseron, T.; García Pérez, Ana E.; Anders, F.; Meza, A.; Alves-Brito, A.; Carrera, R.; Minniti, D.; Lane, R. R.; Fernández-Alvar, E.; Moreno, E.; Pichardo, B.; Pérez-Villegas, A.; Schultheis, M.; Roman-Lopes, A.; Fuentes, C. E.; Nitschelm, C.; Harding, P.; Bizyaev, D.; Pan, K.; Oravetz, D.; Simmons, A.; Ivans, Inese I.; Blanco-Cuaresma, S.; Hernández, J.; Alonso-García, J.; Valenzuela, O.; Chanamé, J.

2017-09-01

We report the peculiar chemical abundance patterns of 11 atypical Milky Way (MW) field red giant stars observed by the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE). These atypical giants exhibit strong Al and N enhancements accompanied by C and Mg depletions, strikingly similar to those observed in the so-called second-generation (SG) stars of globular clusters (GCs). Remarkably, we find low Mg abundances ([Mg/Fe] < 0.0) together with strong Al and N overabundances in the majority (5/7) of the metal-rich ([Fe/H] ≳ -1.0) sample stars, which is at odds with actual observations of SG stars in Galactic GCs of similar metallicities. This chemical pattern is unique and unprecedented among MW stars, posing urgent questions about its origin. These atypical stars could be former SG stars of dissolved GCs formed with intrinsically lower abundances of Mg and enriched Al (subsequently self-polluted by massive AGB stars) or the result of exotic binary systems. We speculate that the stars Mg-deficiency as well as the orbital properties suggest that they could have an extragalactic origin. This discovery should guide future dedicated spectroscopic searches of atypical stellar chemical patterns in our Galaxy, a fundamental step forward to understanding the Galactic formation and evolution.

Definition of common support equipment and space station interface requirements for IOC model technology experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, Richard A.; Waiss, Richard D.

1988-01-01

A study was conducted to identify the common support equipment and Space Station interface requirements for the IOC (initial operating capabilities) model technology experiments. In particular, each principal investigator for the proposed model technology experiment was contacted and visited for technical understanding and support for the generation of the detailed technical backup data required for completion of this study. Based on the data generated, a strong case can be made for a dedicated technology experiment command and control work station consisting of a command keyboard, cathode ray tube, data processing and storage, and an alert/annunciator panel located in the pressurized laboratory.

Towards Commissioning the Fermilab Muon G-2 Experiment

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

Stratakis, D.; Convery, M. E.; Morgan, J. P.

2017-01-01

Starting this summer, Fermilab will host a key experiment dedicated to the search for signals of new physics: The Fermilab Muon g-2 Experiment. Its aim is to precisely measure the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon. In full operation, in order to avoid contamination, the newly born secondary beam is injected into a 505 m long Delivery Ring (DR) wherein it makes several revolutions before being sent to the experiment. Part of the commissioning scenario will execute a running mode wherein the passage from the DR will be skipped. With the aid of numerical simulations, we provide estimates of themore » expected performance.« less

CLAS+FROST: new generation of photoproduction experiments at Jefferson Lab

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

Eugene Pasyuk

2009-12-01

A large part of the experimental program in Hall B of the Jefferson Lab is dedicated to baryon spectroscopy. Photoproduction experiments are essential part of this program. CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) and availability of circularly and linearly polarized tagged photon beams provide unique conditions for this type of experiments. Recent addition of the Frozen Spin Target (FROST) gives a remarkable opportunity to measure double and triple polarization observables for different pseudo-scalar meson photoproduction processes. For the first time, a complete or nearly complete experiment becomes possible and will allow model independent extraction of the reaction amplitude. An overview ofmore » the experiment and its current status is presented.« less

Nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics in plastic surgery: The next frontier.

PubMed

Tan, Aaron; Chawla, Reema; G, Natasha; Mahdibeiraghdar, Sara; Jeyaraj, Rebecca; Rajadas, Jayakumar; Hamblin, Michael R; Seifalian, Alexander M

2016-01-01

The rapid ascent of nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics as applied to medicine and surgery has seen an exponential rise in the scale of research generated in this field. This is evidenced not only by the sheer volume of papers dedicated to nanotechnology but also in a large number of new journals dedicated to nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics specifically to medicine and surgery. Aspects of nanotechnology that have already brought benefits to these areas include advanced drug delivery platforms, molecular imaging and materials engineering for surgical implants. Particular areas of interest include nerve regeneration, burns and wound care, artificial skin with nanoelectronic sensors and head and neck surgery. This study presents a review of nanotechnology and regenerative therapeutics, with focus on its applications and implications in plastic surgery. Copyright © 2015 British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons. All rights reserved.

Dispersed publication of editorial research.

PubMed

Rosenberg, Jacob; Pommergaard, Hans-Christian; Vinther, Siri; Burcharth, Jakob

2015-02-01

There seems to be no dedicated journals available for publication of editorial research in the biomedical sciences; that is research into editorial or publication process issues involving the scientific approach to writing, reviewing, editing and publishing. It is unknown where papers concerning these issues are typically published. We therefore set out to study the distribution of such papers in the biomedical literature. In this pilot study, we conducted a MEDLINE search for papers on editorial research published in the year 2012. We found 445 articles published in 311 journals with a median of one article per journal (range: 1-17). The publication of papers on editorial research seems to be dispersed. In order to increase the visibility of this research field, it may be reasonable to establish well-defined platforms such as dedicated journals or journal sections in which such research could preferably be published.

Digitally enhanced homodyne interferometry.

PubMed

Sutton, Andrew J; Gerberding, Oliver; Heinzel, Gerhard; Shaddock, Daniel A

2012-09-24

We present two variations of a novel interferometry technique capable of simultaneously measuring multiple targets with high sensitivity. The technique performs a homodyne phase measurement by application of a four point phase shifting algorithm, with pseudo-random switching between points to allow multiplexed measurement based upon propagation delay alone. By multiplexing measurements and shifting complexity into signal processing, both variants realise significant complexity reductions over comparable methods. The first variant performs a typical coherent detection with a dedicated reference field and achieves a displacement noise floor 0.8 pm/√Hz above 50 Hz. The second allows for removal of the dedicated reference, resulting in further simplifications and improved low frequency performance with a 1 pm/√Hz noise floor measured down to 20 Hz. These results represent the most sensitive measurement performed using this style of interferometry whilst simultaneously reducing the electro-optic footprint.

BTTC Doctors and Institutions | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

BTTC Doctors and Institutions Committed to Discovering New Therapies The doctors and institutions who are participating in the BTTC are compassionate experts in their respective fields and are dedicated to finding new and effective therapies for the treatment of patients with brain tumors. Feel free to contact any of these outstanding facilities to make an appointment or participate in a BTTC clinical trial.

The CARFAX road traffic information system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandell, R. S.

1984-02-01

A description of the development work and field trials which led to the completion of the dedicated traffic information service "CARFAX' is presented. The system employs a single medium frequency channel, and involves a network of low powered transmitters that operate in time division multiplex to provide traffic announcements. A description of the network distribution, equipment test, results and future system utilization is included.

The Sensitivity of Parameter Estimates to the Latent Ability Distribution. Research Report. ETS RR-11-40

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Xueli; Jia, Yue

2011-01-01

Estimation of item response model parameters and ability distribution parameters has been, and will remain, an important topic in the educational testing field. Much research has been dedicated to addressing this task. Some studies have focused on item parameter estimation when the latent ability was assumed to follow a normal distribution,…

"Pathways to Excellence in Teaching and Learning." Proceedings from the Annual MCLCA Conference (4th, Evanston, Illinois, October 11-13, 1989).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eckermann, Carol A., Ed.

This report of a conference dedicated to the growth of professionalism within the field of learning assistance begins with a brief introduction reviewing the origins and objectives of the sponsoring association, followed by 10 representative papers. The papers have the following titles and authors: "The Classroom Research Project: Results at…

Voices of Women in the Field--The Midwest Women's Leadership Institute--Responding to a Call to Lead

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haar, Jean

2009-01-01

The Midwest Women's Leadership Institute at Minnesota State University did not occur by chance nor did it happen quickly. Rather, it was the direct result of the work, support, and dedication of a number of people committed to strengthening leadership opportunities for women in higher education. In this article, the author relates how the…

Scholarship in Student Affairs Revisited: The Summit on Scholarship, March 2006

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jablonski, Margaret A.; Mena, Salvador B.; Manning, Kathleen; Carpenter, Stan; Siko, Kari Lee

2006-01-01

Over the past 5 years, ACPA and NASPA have promoted conversations about an exploration of scholarship in the field through dedicated special issues of their journals (2001 and 2002 respectively) to the topic. The leadership of NASPA called a "summit" in 2006 for scholars and practitioners to gather and discuss the state of scholarship in the field…

Website on Protein Interaction and Protein Structure Related Work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Samanta, Manoj; Liang, Shoudan; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

In today's world, three seemingly diverse fields - computer information technology, nanotechnology and biotechnology are joining forces to enlarge our scientific knowledge and solve complex technological problems. Our group is dedicated to conduct theoretical research exploring the challenges in this area. The major areas of research include: 1) Yeast Protein Interactions; 2) Protein Structures; and 3) Current Transport through Small Molecules.

Key Considerations for the Success of Medical Education Research and Innovation Units in Canada: Unit Director Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Varpio, Lara; Bidlake, Erin; Humphrey-Murto, Sue; Sutherland, Stephanie; Hamstra, Stanley J.

2014-01-01

Growth in the field of medical education is evidenced by the proliferation of units dedicated to advancing Medical Education Research and Innovation (MERI). While a review of the literature discovered narrative accounts of MERI unit development, we found no systematic examinations of the dimensions of and structures that facilitate the success of…

Dedicated hardware processor and corresponding system-on-chip design for real-time laser speckle imaging.

PubMed

Jiang, Chao; Zhang, Hongyan; Wang, Jia; Wang, Yaru; He, Heng; Liu, Rui; Zhou, Fangyuan; Deng, Jialiang; Li, Pengcheng; Luo, Qingming

2011-11-01

Laser speckle imaging (LSI) is a noninvasive and full-field optical imaging technique which produces two-dimensional blood flow maps of tissues from the raw laser speckle images captured by a CCD camera without scanning. We present a hardware-friendly algorithm for the real-time processing of laser speckle imaging. The algorithm is developed and optimized specifically for LSI processing in the field programmable gate array (FPGA). Based on this algorithm, we designed a dedicated hardware processor for real-time LSI in FPGA. The pipeline processing scheme and parallel computing architecture are introduced into the design of this LSI hardware processor. When the LSI hardware processor is implemented in the FPGA running at the maximum frequency of 130 MHz, up to 85 raw images with the resolution of 640×480 pixels can be processed per second. Meanwhile, we also present a system on chip (SOC) solution for LSI processing by integrating the CCD controller, memory controller, LSI hardware processor, and LCD display controller into a single FPGA chip. This SOC solution also can be used to produce an application specific integrated circuit for LSI processing.

[New professional field in France: Analysis of the training needs of case managers].

PubMed

Somme, Dominique; Corvol, Aline; Couturier, Yves; Pimouguet, Clément; Moreau, Olivier; Perivier, Samuel; Balard, Frédéric; de Stampa, Matthieu

2015-01-01

Case management is a relatively new career field in France. It was first introduced on an experimental basis in 2007-2008, and was then developedfollowing the National Alzheimer Plan and finally enshrined in legislation in 2012. This careerfield is based on a set of tasks widely described internationally: identifying the right level of intervention, standardized multidimensional assessment, planning all aid (care and social services), implementation of the plan, monitoring and reassessment and periodic reassessment of all needs in a continuous and long-term process. The specific, systematic and dedicated nature of these tasks to these tasks makes training essential. Regulations also stipulate that the professional must acquire additional training by a dedicated inter-university degree. This requirement is a French specificity The authors present the history of case management and training in France and analyze the various international training frameworks identified by an Internet search. Moreover, based on the opinions expressed by case managers at different times of the scientific assessment and a review ofseveral studies conducted by inter-university case management program students, this article highlights the specific training needs of case managers and how the proposed training can meet these needs.

Detecting tidal disruption events of massive black holes in normal galaxies with the Einstein Probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, W.; Komossa, S.; Zhang, C.; Feng, H.; Ling, Z.-X.; Zhao, D. H.; Zhang, S.-N.; Osborne, J. P.; O'Brien, P.; Willingale, R.; Lapington, J.

2016-02-01

Stars are tidally disrupted and accreted when they approach massive black holes (MBHs) closely, producing a flare of electromagnetic radiation. The majority of the (approximately two dozen) tidal disruption events (TDEs) identified so far have been discovered by their luminous, transient X-ray emission. Once TDEs are detected in much larger numbers, in future dedicated transient surveys, a wealth of new applications will become possible. Here, we present the proposed Einstein Probe mission, which is a dedicated time-domain soft X-ray all-sky monitor aiming at detecting X-ray transients including TDEs in large numbers. The mission consists of a wide-field micro-pore Lobster-eye imager (60° × 60°), and is designed to carry out an all-sky transient survey at energies of 0.5-4 keV. It will also carry a more sensitive telescope for X-ray follow-ups, and will be capable of issuing public transient alerts rapidly. Einstein Probe is expected to revolutionise the field of TDE research by detecting several tens to hundreds of events per year from the early phase of flares, many with long-term, well sampled lightcurves.

Large aperture wide field multi-object spectroscopy for the 2020s: the science and status of the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Devost, Daniel; McConnachie, Alan; Chambers, Kenneth; Gallagher, Sarah; Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer Project office, MSE Science Advisory group, MSE Science Team

2018-01-01

Numerous international reports have recently highlighted the need for fully dedicated, large aperture, highly multiplexed spectroscopy at a range of spectral resolutions in the OIR wavelength range. Such a facility is the most obvious missing link in the emerging network of international multi-wavelength, astronomy facilities, and enables science from reverberation mapping of black holes to the nucleosynthetic history of the Galaxy, and will follow-up discoveries from the optical through to the radio with facilities such as LSST. The only fully dedicated large aperture MOS facility that is in the design phase is the Maunakea Spectroscopic Explorer (MSE), an 11.4m segmented mirror prime focus telescope with a 1.5 square degree field of view that has 3200 fibers at low (R~2500) and moderate (R~6000) resolution, and 1000 fibers at high (R=20/40000) resolution. I will provide an overview of MSE, describing the science drivers and the current design status, as well as the international partnership, and the results of multiple, newly completed, external reviews for the system and subsystems. The anticipated cost and timeline to first light will also be presented.

Ultrashort Microwave-Pumped Real-Time Thermoacoustic Breast Tumor Imaging System.

PubMed

Ye, Fanghao; Ji, Zhong; Ding, Wenzheng; Lou, Cunguang; Yang, Sihua; Xing, Da

2016-03-01

We report the design of a real-time thermoacoustic (TA) scanner dedicated to imaging deep breast tumors and investigate its imaging performance. The TA imaging system is composed of an ultrashort microwave pulse generator and a ring transducer array with 384 elements. By vertically scanning the transducer array that encircles the breast phantom, we achieve real-time, 3D thermoacoustic imaging (TAI) with an imaging speed of 16.7 frames per second. The stability of the microwave energy and its distribution in the cling-skin acoustic coupling cup are measured. The results indicate that there is a nearly uniform electromagnetic field in each XY-imaging plane. Three plastic tubes filled with salt water are imaged dynamically to evaluate the real-time performance of our system, followed by 3D imaging of an excised breast tumor embedded in a breast phantom. Finally, to demonstrate the potential for clinical applications, the excised breast of a ewe embedded with an ex vivo human breast tumor is imaged clearly with a contrast of about 1:2.8. The high imaging speed, large field of view, and 3D imaging performance of our dedicated TAI system provide the potential for clinical routine breast screening.

10 CFR 21.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... dedication process. (2) When applied to standard design certifications under subpart C of part 52 of this... CFR part 50, dedicating entity means the organization that performs the dedication process. Dedication... auditable records of the dedication process. Dedication. (1) When applied to nuclear power plants licensed...

10 CFR 21.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... dedication process. (2) When applied to standard design certifications under subpart C of part 52 of this... CFR part 50, dedicating entity means the organization that performs the dedication process. Dedication... auditable records of the dedication process. Dedication. (1) When applied to nuclear power plants licensed...

10 CFR 21.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... dedication process. (2) When applied to standard design certifications under subpart C of part 52 of this... CFR part 50, dedicating entity means the organization that performs the dedication process. Dedication... auditable records of the dedication process. Dedication. (1) When applied to nuclear power plants licensed...

10 CFR 21.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... dedication process. (2) When applied to standard design certifications under subpart C of part 52 of this... CFR part 50, dedicating entity means the organization that performs the dedication process. Dedication... auditable records of the dedication process. Dedication. (1) When applied to nuclear power plants licensed...

10 CFR 21.3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... dedication process. (2) When applied to standard design certifications under subpart C of part 52 of this... CFR part 50, dedicating entity means the organization that performs the dedication process. Dedication... auditable records of the dedication process. Dedication. (1) When applied to nuclear power plants licensed...

TSTA Piping and Flame Arrestor Operating Experience Data

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

Cadwallader, Lee C.; Willms, R. Scott

The Tritium Systems Test Assembly (TSTA) was a facility dedicated to tritium handling technology and experiment research at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The facility operated from 1984 to 2001, running a prototype fusion fuel processing loop with ~100 grams of tritium as well as small experiments. There have been several operating experience reports written on this facility’s operation and maintenance experience. This paper describes analysis of two additional components from TSTA, small diameter gas piping that handled small amounts of tritium in a nitrogen carrier gas, and the flame arrestor used in this piping system. The operating experiences andmore » the component failure rates for these components are discussed in this paper. Comparison data from other applications are also presented.« less

Defining, Discussing, and Evaluating Mobile Learning: The Moving Finger Writes and Having Writ...

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Traxler, John

2007-01-01

Since the start of the current millennium, experience and expertise in the development and delivery of mobile learning have blossomed and a community of practice has evolved that is distinct from the established communities of "tethered" e-Learning. This community is currently visible mainly through dedicated international conference…

Conceptions of Adulthood among Migrant Women Workers in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhong, Juan; Arnett, Jeffrey J.

2014-01-01

The experiences of emerging adulthood may vary in different historical and cultural contexts. Little research has been dedicated to how non college students view adulthood in developing countries. Currently, millions of young people are migrating from rural villages to industrial cities in China. The purpose of this study was to investigate…

Now That I Know What I Know

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Dan

2012-01-01

Looking back through the lens of experience at his first disastrous year of teaching, a veteran shares what he's learned about the supports new teachers need. Some supports--such as getting comfortable with one's teaching persona, becoming familiar with the school community, and being truly dedicated to the job--are within the teacher's control.…

Kane Experimental Forest

Treesearch

Northeastern Research Station

1999-01-01

The 1,737 acres of forest land that comprise the Kane Experimental Forest (KEF), were originally part of the Allegheny National Forest. On March 23, 1932, the land was formally dedicated to research use for the Allegheny Forest Experiment Station (now the Northeastern Research Station). The KEF was established to promote the study of the unglaciated portion of the...

Alternative Fuel Vehicles: What Do the Drivers Say?

Science.gov Websites

); dedicated compressed natural gas (CNG) models; CNG after-market conversions; flexible-fuel methanol models ; flexible-fuel ethanol models, and gasoline models. Overall, drivers reported positive experiences, with primary concerns being lack of range (particularly for the CNG models) and lack of convenient fueling

Voluntary Euthanasia and the Right to Die: A Dialogue with Derek Humphry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinnett, E. Robert; And Others

1989-01-01

Presents interview with Derek Humphry, founder of the Hemlock Society (an international right-to-die organization), who shares his personal experiences, as well as his efforts to educate the public and stimulate legal reform. Notes Humphry has dedicated more than a decade to this highly charged universal problem. (Author/ABL)

A High-Resolution Stopwatch for Cents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gingl, Z.; Kopasz, K.

2011-01-01

A very low-cost, easy-to-make stopwatch is presented to support various experiments in mechanics. The high-resolution stopwatch is based on two photodetectors connected directly to the microphone input of a sound card. Dedicated free open-source software has been developed and made available to download. The efficiency is demonstrated by a free…

Educational and Social Inclusion of Handicapped Children. Polish Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Czyz, Anna

2016-01-01

This paper is dedicated to a very difficult and important subject--inclusion. Removing barriers, spreading social awareness and firmly established assistantship-guidance: these are the pillars by which inclusion is no longer an idea, but it becomes a process of creating a modern model of human functioning in the world. This pattern is primarily…