Flat-plate solar array project. Volume 5: Process development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallagher, B.; Alexander, P.; Burger, D.

1986-01-01

The goal of the Process Development Area, as part of the Flat-Plate Solar Array (FSA) Project, was to develop and demonstrate solar cell fabrication and module assembly process technologies required to meet the cost, lifetime, production capacity, and performance goals of the FSA Project. R&D efforts expended by Government, Industry, and Universities in developing processes capable of meeting the projects goals during volume production conditions are summarized. The cost goals allocated for processing were demonstrated by small volume quantities that were extrapolated by cost analysis to large volume production. To provide proper focus and coverage of the process development effort, four separate technology sections are discussed: surface preparation, junction formation, metallization, and module assembly.

Update to permeable pavement research at the Edison ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Abstract: The EPA’s Urban Watershed Management Branch (UWMB) has been monitoring the permeable pavement demonstration site at the Edison Environmental Center, NJ since 2010. This site has three different types of permeable pavement including: interlocking concrete permeable pavers; porous concrete; and permeable asphalt. The parking lot is instrumented with water content reflectometers and thermistors for continuous monitoring and has four lined sections for each surface to capture permeable pavement infiltrate for water quality analyses.Previous technical releases concerning the demonstration site focused on monitoring techniques, observed chloride and nutrient concentrations, and infiltration and evaporation rates. Thispresentation summarizes past findings and addresses current water quality efforts. This presentation summarizes past findings and addresses current water quality efforts.

Airbreathing Hypersonic Systems Focus at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunt, James L.; Rausch, Vincent L.

1998-01-01

This paper presents the status of the airbreathing hypersonic airplane and space-access vehicle design matrix, reflects on the synergies and issues, and indicates the thrust of the effort to resolve the design matrix and to focus/advance systems technology maturation. Priority is given to the design of the vision operational vehicles followed by flow-down requirements to flight demonstrator vehicles and their design for eventual consideration in the Future-X Program.

Greening the Engineering and Technology Curriculum via Real Life Hands-on Projects

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This paper aims at demonstrating how greening efforts can be embedded into science and engineering courses without major curricular changes. In this regard, examples of final projects assigned in a statistical quality control, a 500-level, graduate engineering course, focusing on campus sustainabili...

ASSESSING WATER QUALITY AND BIOLOGICAL INTEGRITY OF THE GREAT RIVERS OF THE CENTRAL U.S.

EPA Science Inventory

The goal of USEPA's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program for Great River Ecosystems (EMAP-GRE) is to demonstrate techniques with which to assess environmental conditions in the Upper Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio Rivers. Previous EMAP efforts have focused on streams,...

Gabor Filters and Neural Networks for Segmentation of Synthetic Aperture Radar Imagery

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

unending enthusiasm focused my efforts. I would also like to thank Dr Matthew Kabrisky and Maj Rogers for their enlightening pattern recognition courses...merit in neurophysiology . Specifically, interest in the Gabor function results from recent research demonstrating its close approximation to measured

MINE WASTE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM - SULFATE REDUCING BACTERIA REACTIVE WALL DEMO

EPA Science Inventory

Efforts reported in this document focused on the demonstration of a passive technology that could be used for remediation of
thousands of abandoned mines existing in the Western United States that emanate acid mine drainage (AMD). This passive remedial technology takes ad...

Spatial allocation of forest recreation value

Treesearch

Kenneth A. Baerenklau; Armando Gonzalez-Caban; Catrina Paez; Edgard Chavez

2009-01-01

Non-market valuation methods and geographic information systems are useful planning and management tools for public land managers. Recent attention has been given to investigation and demonstration of methods for combining these tools to provide spatially-explicit representations of non-market value. Most of these efforts have focused on spatial allocation of...

Large Composite Structures Processing Technologies for Reusable Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clinton, R. G., Jr.; Vickers, J. H.; McMahon, W. M.; Hulcher, A. B.; Johnston, N. J.; Cano, R. J.; Belvin, H. L.; McIver, K.; Franklin, W.; Sidwell, D.

2001-01-01

Significant efforts have been devoted to establishing the technology foundation to enable the progression to large scale composite structures fabrication. We are not capable today of fabricating many of the composite structures envisioned for the second generation reusable launch vehicle (RLV). Conventional 'aerospace' manufacturing and processing methodologies (fiber placement, autoclave, tooling) will require substantial investment and lead time to scale-up. Out-of-autoclave process techniques will require aggressive efforts to mature the selected technologies and to scale up. Focused composite processing technology development and demonstration programs utilizing the building block approach are required to enable envisioned second generation RLV large composite structures applications. Government/industry partnerships have demonstrated success in this area and represent best combination of skills and capabilities to achieve this goal.

SUBTASK 6.1 – STRATEGIC STUDIES

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

Erickson, Thomas; Harju, John; Steadman, Edward

The Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has recently completed 7 years of research through the Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) focused on fossil energy technology development and demonstration. To support a significant number of the different activities being considered within all of our research contracts with NETL, a subtask (6.1 – Strategic Studies) was created to focus on small research efforts that came up throughout the year that would support an existing EERC–NETL project or would help to develop a new concept for inclusion in future efforts. This subtask wasmore » funded through the EERC–DOE Joint Program on Research and Development for Fossil Energy-Related Resources Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC26- 08NT43291« less

Hardware Assessment in Support of the Dynamic Power Convertor Development Effort

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Scott D.; Oriti, Sal M.; Schifer, Nicholas A.

2017-01-01

Stirling Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) are being developed by NASA's RPS Program in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Efforts ranging from 2001 to 2015 enabled development of the Technology Demonstration Convertor (TDC) for use in the 110-watt Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG-110) and the Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC) for use in the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG). The DOE selected Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC) as the system integration contractor for both flight development efforts. The SRG-110 housed two TDCs fabricated by Infinia and resulted in the production of 16x demonstration units and 2x engineering units. The project was redirected in 2006 to make use of a more efficient and lower mass ASCs under development by Sunpower Inc. The DOE managed the flight contract with LMSSC and subcontractor Sunpower Inc. from 2007 to 2013 to build the ASRG, with support from NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). Sunpower Inc. held two parallel contracts to produce ASCs, one with Lockheed Martin to produce ASC-F flight units and one with GRC for the production of ASC-E3 engineering unit pathfinders that were used to refine the flight design and production processes. The DOE initiated termination of the ASRG contract in late 2013. After ASRG had ended, GRC completed characterization testing of the ASRG Engineering Unit #2 (EU2) and the GRC contract with Sunpower was also completed. The NASA RPS Program Office has recently initiated a new Dynamic Power Conversion development effort which includes the potential maturation of Stirling, Brayton, and Rankine power convertors for the next generation of RPS. The effort started with the request for proposal and review of submits. Contracts are anticipated for release in 2017 and will initially focus on a design phase prior to fabrication and testing. This new effort will focus on robustness in addition to high efficiency, specific power, and reliability. Also, some requirements introduced during the ASRG contract have also been included in the new effort, such as constant lateral loading. Due to the focus on robustness and new requirements relative to the older TDC design, the Stirling Cycle Development Project has initiated an assessment of government owned hardware to help inform requirements evolution and evaluation of future designs. While lessons learned from the ASRG flight development project have been taken into consideration, the evaluation of the TDC design had not been completed for some existing environments or relatively new requirements. To further assess the TDC design, a series of tasks were initiated to evaluate degradation for units that have operated unattended for over 105,000 hours, demonstrate robustness to a random vibration environment, characterize and evaluate performance for varying lateral load profiles. The status for each task are described.

Selective evaporation of focusing fluid in two-fluid hydrodynamic print head.

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

Keicher, David M.; Cook, Adam W.

The work performed in this project has demonstrated the feasibility to use hydrodynamic focusing of two fluid steams to create a novel micro printing technology for electronics and other high performance applications. Initial efforts focused solely on selective evaporation of the sheath fluid from print stream provided insight in developing a unique print head geometry allowing excess sheath fluid to be separated from the print flow stream for recycling/reuse. Fluid flow models suggest that more than 81 percent of the sheath fluid can be removed without affecting the print stream. Further development and optimization is required to demonstrate this capabilitymore » in operation. Print results using two-fluid hydrodynamic focusing yielded a 30 micrometers wide by 0.5 micrometers tall line that suggests that the cross-section of the printed feature from the print head was approximately 2 micrometers in diameter. Printing results also demonstrated that complete removal of the sheath fluid is not necessary for all material systems. The two-fluid printing technology could enable printing of insulated conductors and clad optical interconnects. Further development of this concept should be pursued.« less

Principles and implementations of electrolysis systems for water splitting

DOE PAGES

Xiang, Chengxiang; Papadantonakis, Kimberly M.; Lewis, Nathan S.

2016-02-12

Efforts to develop renewable sources of carbon-neutral fuels have brought a renewed focus to research and development of sunlight-driven water-splitting systems. Electrolysis of water to produce H 2 and O 2 gases is the foundation of such systems, is conceptually and practically simple, and has been practiced both in the laboratory and industrially for many decades. In this Focus article, the fundamentals of water splitting and practices which distinguish commercial water-electrolysis systems from simple laboratory-scale demonstrations are described.

Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention: Strategies for the '80's.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortiz, Elizabeth T.; Bassoff, Betty Z.

Most efforts at combating teenage pregnancy have focused on cognitive/educational levels felt by concerned adults to be of greatest importance. However, recent research has demonstrated the connection between lack of career goals, low self-esteem, perception of narrow options, and risk-taking behavior as factors leading to pregnancy. A 3-year…

Thermal Performance of a Cryogenic Fluid Management Cubesat Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berg, J. J.; Oliveira, J. M.; Congiardo, J. F.; Walls, L. K.; Putman, P. T.; Haberbusch, M. S.

2013-01-01

Development for an in-space demonstration of a CubeS at as a Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM) test bed is currently underway. The favorable economics of CubeSats make them appealing for technology development activity. While their size limits testing to smaller scales, many of the regimes relevant to CFM can still be achieved. The first demo flight of this concept, CryoCube®-1, will focus on oxygen liquefaction and low-gravity level sensing using Reduced Gravity CryoTracker®. An extensive thermal modeling effort has been underway to both demonstrate concept feasibility and drive the prototype design. The satellite will utilize both a sun- and earth-shield to passively cool its experimental tank below 115 K. An on-board gas generator will create high pressure gaseous oxygen, which will be throttled into a bottle in the experimental node and condensed. The resulting liquid will be used to perform various experiments related to level sensing. Modeling efforts have focused on the spacecraft thermal performance and its effects on condensation in the experimental node. Parametric analyses for both optimal and suboptimal conditions have been considered and are presented herein.

Development of molten carbonate fuel cell technology at M-C Power Corporation

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

Dilger, D.

1996-04-01

M-C Power Corporation was founded in 1987 with the mission to further develop and subsequently commercialize molten carbonate fuel cells (MCFC). The technology chosen for commercialization was initially developed by the Institute of Gas technology (IGT). At the center of this MCFC technology is the Internally Manifolded Heat EXchange (IMHEX) separator plate design. The IMHEX technology design provides several functions within one component assembly. These functions include integrating the gas manifold structure into the fuel cell stack, separating the fuel gas stream from the oxidant gas stream, providing the required electrical contact between cells to achieve desired power output, andmore » removing excess heat generated in the electrochemical process. Development of this MCFC technology from lab-scale sizes too a commercial area size of 1m{sup 2} has focused our efforts an demonstrating feasibility and evolutionary progress. The development effort will culminate in a proof-of-concept- 250kW power plant demonstration in 1996. The remainder of our commercialization program focuses upon lowering the costs associated with the MCFC power plant system in low production volumes.« less

Research and demonstration to improve air quality for the U.S. animal feeding operations in the 21st century - a critical review.

PubMed

Ni, Ji-Qin

2015-05-01

There was an increasing interest in reducing production and emission of air pollutants to improve air quality for animal feeding operations (AFOs) in the U.S. in the 21st century. Research was focused on identification, quantification, characterization, and modeling of air pollutions; effects of emissions; and methodologies and technologies for scientific research and pollution control. Mitigation effects were on pre-excretion, pre-release, pre-emission, and post-emission. More emphasis was given on reducing pollutant emissions than improving indoor air quality. Research and demonstrations were generally continuation and improvement of previous efforts. Most demonstrated technologies were still in a limited scale of application. Future efforts are needed in many fundamental and applied research areas. Advancement in instrumentation, computer technology, and biological sciences and genetic engineering is critical to bring major changes in this area. Development in research and demonstration will depend on the actual political, economic, and environmental situations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling to Mars: a NASA Model Based Systems Engineering Pathfinder Effort

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phojanamongkolkij, Nipa; Lee, Kristopher A.; Miller, Scott T.; Vorndran, Kenneth A.; Vaden, Karl R.; Ross, Eric P.; Powell, Bobby C.; Moses, Robert W.

2017-01-01

The NASA Engineering Safety Center (NESC) Systems Engineering (SE) Technical Discipline Team (TDT) initiated the Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) Pathfinder effort in FY16. The goals and objectives of the MBSE Pathfinder include developing and advancing MBSE capability across NASA, applying MBSE to real NASA issues, and capturing issues and opportunities surrounding MBSE. The Pathfinder effort consisted of four teams, with each team addressing a particular focus area. This paper focuses on Pathfinder team 1 with the focus area of architectures and mission campaigns. These efforts covered the timeframe of February 2016 through September 2016. The team was comprised of eight team members from seven NASA Centers (Glenn Research Center, Langley Research Center, Ames Research Center, Goddard Space Flight Center IV&V Facility, Johnson Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, and Stennis Space Center). Collectively, the team had varying levels of knowledge, skills and expertise in systems engineering and MBSE. The team applied their existing and newly acquired system modeling knowledge and expertise to develop modeling products for a campaign (Program) of crew and cargo missions (Projects) to establish a human presence on Mars utilizing In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). Pathfinder team 1 developed a subset of modeling products that are required for a Program System Requirement Review (SRR)/System Design Review (SDR) and Project Mission Concept Review (MCR)/SRR as defined in NASA Procedural Requirements. Additionally, Team 1 was able to perform and demonstrate some trades and constraint analyses. At the end of these efforts, over twenty lessons learned and recommended next steps have been identified.

Rocket-Based Combined Cycle Activities in the Advanced Space Transportation Program Office

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hueter, Uwe; Turner, James

1999-01-01

NASA's Office of Aero-Space Technology (OAST) has established three major goals, referred to as, "The Three Pillars for Success". The Advanced Space Transportation Program Office (ASTP) at the NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Ala. focuses on future space transportation technologies Under the "Access to Space" pillar. The Core Technologies Project, part of ASTP, focuses on the reusable technologies beyond those being pursued by X-33. One of the main activities over the past two and a half years has been on advancing the rocket-based combined cycle (RBCC) technologies. In June of last year, activities for reusable launch vehicle (RLV) airframe and propulsion technologies were initiated. These activities focus primarily on those technologies that support the decision to determine the path this country will take for Space Shuttle and RLV. This year, additional technology efforts in the reusable technologies will be awarded. The RBCC effort that was completed early this year was the initial step leading to flight demonstrations of the technology for space launch vehicle propulsion.

Knowledge Distance, Cognitive-Search Processes, and Creativity

PubMed Central

Acar, Oguz Ali; van den Ende, Jan

2016-01-01

Prior research has provided conflicting arguments and evidence about whether people who are outsiders or insiders relative to a knowledge domain are more likely to demonstrate scientific creativity in that particular domain. We propose that the nature of the relationship between creativity and the distance of an individual’s expertise from a knowledge domain depends on his or her cognitive processes of problem solving (i.e., cognitive-search effort and cognitive-search variation). In an analysis of 230 solutions generated in a science contest platform, we found that distance was positively associated with creativity when problem solvers engaged in a focused search (i.e., low cognitive-search variation) and exerted a high level of cognitive effort. People whose expertise was close to a knowledge domain, however, were more likely to demonstrate creativity in that domain when they drew on a wide variety of different knowledge elements for recombination (i.e., high cognitive-search variation) and exerted substantial cognitive effort. PMID:27016241

Knowledge Distance, Cognitive-Search Processes, and Creativity: The Making of Winning Solutions in Science Contests.

PubMed

Acar, Oguz Ali; van den Ende, Jan

2016-05-01

Prior research has provided conflicting arguments and evidence about whether people who are outsiders or insiders relative to a knowledge domain are more likely to demonstrate scientific creativity in that particular domain. We propose that the nature of the relationship between creativity and the distance of an individual's expertise from a knowledge domain depends on his or her cognitive processes of problem solving (i.e., cognitive-search effort and cognitive-search variation). In an analysis of 230 solutions generated in a science contest platform, we found that distance was positively associated with creativity when problem solvers engaged in a focused search (i.e., low cognitive-search variation) and exerted a high level of cognitive effort. People whose expertise was close to a knowledge domain, however, were more likely to demonstrate creativity in that domain when they drew on a wide variety of different knowledge elements for recombination (i.e., high cognitive-search variation) and exerted substantial cognitive effort. © The Author(s) 2016.

The Ecological Areawide Management (TEAM) of leafy spurge program of the United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service.

PubMed

Anderson, Gerald L; Prosser, Chad W; Wendel, Lloyd E; Delfosse, Ernest S; Faust, Robert M

2003-01-01

The Ecological Areawide Management (TEAM) of Leafy Spurge program was developed to focus research and control efforts on a single weed, leafy spurge, and demonstrate the effectiveness of a coordinated, biologically based, integrated pest management program (IPM). This was accomplished through partnerships and teamwork that clearly demonstrated the advantages of the biologically based IPM approach. However, the success of regional weed control programs horizontally across several states and provinces also requires a vertical integration of several sectors of society. Awareness and education are the essential elements of vertical integration. Therefore, a substantial effort was made to produce a wide variety of information products specifically designed to educate different segments of society. During its tenure, land managers and agency decision makers have seen the potential of using the TEAM approach to accelerate the regional control of leafy spurge. The example set by the TEAM organization and participants is viewed as a model for future weed-control efforts.

Arctic Research NASA's Cryospheric Sciences Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waleed, Abdalati; Zukor, Dorothy J. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Much of NASA's Arctic Research is run through its Cryospheric Sciences Program. Arctic research efforts to date have focused primarily on investigations of the mass balance of the largest Arctic land-ice masses and the mechanisms that control it, interactions among sea ice, polar oceans, and the polar atmosphere, atmospheric processes in the polar regions, energy exchanges in the Arctic. All of these efforts have been focused on characterizing, understanding, and predicting, changes in the Arctic. NASA's unique vantage from space provides an important perspective for the study of these large scale processes, while detailed process information is obtained through targeted in situ field and airborne campaigns and models. An overview of NASA investigations in the Arctic will be presented demonstrating how the synthesis of space-based technology, and these complementary components have advanced our understanding of physical processes in the Arctic.

Internationalization Efforts in United States Community Colleges: A Comparative Analysis of Urban, Suburban, and Rural Institutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harder, Natalie Jean

2010-01-01

Research demonstrates employers value international experiences when hiring employees. Community college students who do not have global or international experience risk being less valuable to employers than students who have such experience. With community colleges educating up to one-half of all U.S. undergraduates, more focus on…

MIT Lincoln Laboratory Facts 2013

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

efforts span all network layers (from physical to application), with primary focuses on radio - frequency (RF) military satellite communications (MILSATCOM...upgrade, Kwajalein Atoll ■■ Extremely high- frequency submarine communications demonstrated ■■ Lincoln Experimental Satellites 8 and 9 Overview 5...Immersive Surveillance ■■ Lincoln Adaptable Real-time Information Assurance Testbed ■■ Graph detection algorithms ■■ Miniaturized radio - frequency

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow? Investigating Rates and Patterns of Financial Aid Renewal among College Freshmen

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bird, Kelli; Castleman, Benjamin L.

2016-01-01

College affordability continues to be a top concern among prospective students, their families, and policy makers. Prior work has demonstrated that a significant share of prospective students forgo financial aid because they did not complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); recent federal policy efforts have focused on…

The Systems Autonomy Demonstration Project - Catalyst for Space Station advanced automation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Healey, Kathleen J.

1988-01-01

The Systems Autonomy Demonstration Project (SADP) was initiated by NASA to address the advanced automation needs for the Space Station program. The application of advanced automation to the Space Station's operations management system (OMS) is discussed. The SADP's future goals and objectives are discussed with respect to OMS functional requirements, design, and desired evolutionary capabilities. Major technical challenges facing the designers, developers, and users of the OMS are identified in order to guide the definition of objectives, plans, and scenarios for future SADP demonstrations, and to focus the efforts on the supporting research.

The achievement of spacecraft autonomy through the thematic application of multiple cooperating intelligent agents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rossomando, Philip J.

1992-01-01

A description is given of UNICORN, a prototype system developed for the purpose of investigating artificial intelligence (AI) concepts supporting spacecraft autonomy. UNICORN employs thematic reasoning, of the type first described by Rodger Schank of Northwestern University, to allow the context-sensitive control of multiple intelligent agents within a blackboard based environment. In its domain of application, UNICORN demonstrates the ability to reason teleologically with focused knowledge. Also presented are some of the lessons learned as a result of this effort. These lessons apply to any effort wherein system level autonomy is the objective.

Self-control and Task Timing Shift Self-efficacy and Influence Willingness to Engage in Effortful Tasks

PubMed Central

Ein-Gar, Danit; Steinhart, Yael

2017-01-01

Self-efficacy constitutes a key factor that influences people's inclination to engage in effortful tasks. In this study, we focus on an interesting interplay between two prominent factors known to influence engagement in effortful tasks: the timing of the task (i.e., whether the task is scheduled to take place in the near or distant future) and individuals' levels of self-control. Across three studies, we show that these two factors have an interacting effect on self-efficacy. Low self-control (LSC) individuals report higher self-efficacy for distant-future effortful tasks than for near-future tasks, whereas high self-control (HSC) individuals report higher self-efficacy for near-future tasks than for distant future tasks. We further demonstrate how self-efficacy then molds individuals' willingness to engage in those effortful tasks. Given that a particular task may comprise effortful aspects alongside more enjoyable aspects, we show that the effects we observe emerge with regard to a task whose effortful aspects are salient and that the effects are eliminated when the enjoyable aspects of that same task are highlighted. PMID:29075225

Not all players are equally motivated: The role of narcissism.

PubMed

Roberts, Ross; Woodman, Tim; Lofthouse, Sian; Williams, Lucy

2015-01-01

Research on motivational climates consistently demonstrates that mastery-focused climates are associated with positive outcomes and ego-involving performance climates lead to maladaptive outcomes. However, the role of personality within such a framework has been largely ignored. To redress this imbalance, we examined the potential role of narcissism in moderating the effects of different motivational climates on leader-inspired extra effort in training. Training is where rugby players spend most of their rugby time and we were keen to examine the combination of personality and climate that might maximise the yield of such training environments. Female rugby players (n = 126) from 15 clubs completed measures of narcissism, motivational climate and effort. Moderated regression analyses revealed that narcissism moderated the relationship between motivational climate and effort. Increases in either performance or mastery climates were associated with increases in effort for narcissists; no such relationship was revealed for low narcissists. The findings demonstrate the importance of considering personality within rugby training environments, as it is clear that not every player will respond the same way to specific training conditions. Coaches who understand this and are able to tailor individualised motivational climates will likely gain the greatest benefits from their different players.

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

Byrer, C.W.; Layne, A.W.; Guthrie, H.D.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), at its Morgantown Energy Technology Center, has been involved in natural gas research since the 1970`s. DOE has assessed the potential of gas in coals throughout the U.S. and promoted research and development for recovery and use of methane found in minable and unminable coalbeds. DOE efforts have focused on the use of coal mine methane for regional economic gas self-sufficiency, energy parks, self-help initiatives, and small-power generation. This paper focuses on DOE`s past and present efforts to more effectively and efficiently recover and use this valuable domestic energy source. The Climate Change Actionmore » Plan (CCAP) (1) lists a series of 50 voluntary initiatives designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as methane from mining operations, to their 1990 levels. Action No. 36 of the CCAP expands the DOE research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) efforts to broaden the range of cost-effective technologies and practices for recovering methane associated with coal mining operations. The major thrust of Action No. 36 is to reduce methane emissions associated with coal mining operations from target year 2000 levels by 1.5 MMT of carbon equivalent. Crosscutting activities in the DOE Natural Gas Program supply the utilization sectors will address RD&D to reduce methane emissions released from various mining operations, focusing on recovery and end use technology systems to effectively drain, capture, and utilize the emitted gas. Pilot projects with industry partners will develop and test the most effective methods and technology systems for economic recovery and utilization of coal mine gas emissions in regions where industry considers efforts to be presently non-economic. These existing RD&D programs focus on near-term gas recovery and gathering systems, gas upgrading, and power generation.« less

Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator Ground Test Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Del Corso, Jospeh A.; Hughes, Stephen; Cheatwood, Neil; Johnson, Keith; Calomino, Anthony

2015-01-01

Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology readiness levels have been incrementally matured by NASA over the last thirteen years, with most recent support from NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) Game Changing Development Program (GCDP). Recently STMD GCDP has authorized funding and support through fiscal year 2015 (FY15) for continued HIAD ground developments which support a Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) study. The Mars study will assess the viability of various EDL architectures to enable a Mars human architecture pathfinder mission planned for mid-2020. At its conclusion in November 2014, NASA's first HIAD ground development effort had demonstrated success with fabricating a 50 W/cm2 modular thermal protection system, a 400 C capable inflatable structure, a 10-meter scale aeroshell manufacturing capability, together with calibrated thermal and structural models. Despite the unquestionable success of the first HIAD ground development effort, it was recognized that additional investment was needed in order to realize the full potential of the HIAD technology capability to enable future flight opportunities. The second HIAD ground development effort will focus on extending performance capability in key technology areas that include thermal protection system, lifting-body structures, inflation systems, flight control, stage transitions, and 15-meter aeroshell scalability. This paper presents an overview of the accomplishments under the baseline HIAD development effort and current plans for a follow-on development effort focused on extending those critical technologies needed to enable a Mars Pathfinder mission.

Simulation and Analysis of Launch Teams (SALT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

A SALT effort was initiated in late 2005 with seed funding from the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance Human Factors organization. Its objectives included demonstrating human behavior and performance modeling and simulation technologies for launch team analysis, training, and evaluation. The goal of the research is to improve future NASA operations and training. The project employed an iterative approach, with the first iteration focusing on the last 70 minutes of a nominal-case Space Shuttle countdown, the second iteration focusing on aborts and launch commit criteria violations, the third iteration focusing on Ares I-X communications, and the fourth iteration focusing on Ares I-X Firing Room configurations. SALT applied new commercial off-the-shelf technologies from industry and the Department of Defense in the spaceport domain.

No Child Left Behind: The Mathematics of Guaranteed Failure. NCLB: Failed Schools--Or Failed Law?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rose, Lowell C.

2004-01-01

The signing of the No Child Left Behind Act on January 8, 2002, moved the federal effort to influence K-12 schooling to a new and higher level--more aggressive, focused, and directive. The act requires that school districts and schools demonstrate adequate yearly progress (AYP) toward a particular goal: universal student achievement of standards…

The CEOS WGISS Atmospheric Composition Portal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lynnes, Chris

2010-01-01

Goal: Demonstrate the feasibility of connecting distributed atmospheric composition data and analysis tools into a common and shared web framework. Initial effort focused on: a) Collaboratively creating a web application within WDC-RSAT for comparison of satellite derived atmospheric composition datasets accessed from distributed data sources. b) Implementation of data access and interoperability standards. c) Sollicit feedback from paternal users; Especially from ACC participants.

An Examination of Student Stop-Outs and Stay-Outs in a Community College: A Qualitative Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loresco, Royal

2013-01-01

Student retention in higher education has focused on institutional holding power and exit prevention, leaving drop-out recovery efforts to high schools. Students in 2-year colleges exhibit noncontinuous enrollment patterns, demonstrating the need to examine both stop-out (those who return after a time-out) and stay-out (those who have not returned…

A historical perspective of the YF-12A thermal loads and structures program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jenkins, Jerald M.; Quinn, Robert D.

1996-01-01

Around 1970, the Y-F-12A loads and structures efforts focused on numerous technological issues that needed defining with regard to aircraft that incorporate hot structures in the design. Laboratory structural heating test technology with infrared systems was largely created during this program. The program demonstrated the ability to duplicate the complex flight temperatures of an advanced supersonic airplane in a ground-based laboratory. The ability to heat and load an advanced operational aircraft in a laboratory at high temperatures and return it to flight status without adverse effects was demonstrated. The technology associated with measuring loads with strain gages on a hot structure was demonstrated with a thermal calibration concept. The results demonstrated that the thermal stresses were significant although the airplane was designed to reduce thermal stresses. Considerable modeling detail was required to predict the heat transfer and the corresponding structural characteristics. The overall YF-12A research effort was particularly productive, and a great deal of flight, laboratory, test and computational data were produced and cross-correlated.

The neural correlates of impaired attentional control in social anxiety: an ERP study of inhibition and shifting.

PubMed

Judah, Matt R; Grant, DeMond M; Mills, Adam C; Lechner, William V

2013-12-01

Cognitive models of social anxiety disorder posit that maladaptive thought processes play an etiological role in symptoms. The current study tested whether socially anxious individuals (HSAs) demonstrated impaired processing efficiency at the neural and behavioral level, and whether this was exacerbated by self-focused attention. Thirty-two (16 socially anxious, 16 nonanxious controls) subjects completed a mixed-antisaccade task with an oddball instructional cue. To manipulate self-focus, participants were told that the oddball cue indicated elevated heart rate. The HSA group demonstrated delayed saccade onset compared with controls, but made fewer errors. HSAs also had lower P3b amplitude compared with controls, suggesting reduced availability of resources for discriminating cues, and later P3b latency during self-focus trials, suggesting delayed cue categorization. Additionally, HSAs had greater CNV negativity compared with controls, suggesting greater effort in response preparation, and this negativity was reduced during self-focus trials, supporting the hypothesis that self-focused attention preoccupies executive resources. The current study supports and expands cognitive theories by documenting impaired neural and behavioral functioning in social anxiety and the role of self-focused attention in these deficits.

The Role of the Food Industry in Obesity Prevention.

PubMed

Binks, Martin

2016-06-01

Obesity is a complex disease of diverse etiology. Among the potential influences in the development of obesity, the food supply chain remains an important influence. We provide a conceptual overview related to the food industry's role in obesity prevention. We first discuss some limitations of current public health efforts. We then describe how a model that attends to personal autonomy in the context of supportive policy intervention can empower individuals in their efforts to navigate the food supply chain. We then provide an evidence informed overview of key areas where continued efforts to collaboratively engage the food industry, through solution-focused dialogue and action, have the potential to contribute to obesity prevention. While challenging, appropriately transparent, well-governed public-private partnerships have the demonstrated potential to benefit the communities we serve.

Overview of NASA GRC Stirling Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schreiber, Jeffrey G.; Thieme, Lanny G.

2004-01-01

The Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG) is currently being developed by Lockheed Martin Astronautics (LMA) under contract to the Department of Energy (DOE). The generator will be a high efficiency electric power source for NASA Space Science missions with the ability to operate in vacuum or in an atmosphere such as on Mars. High efficiency is obtained through the use of free-piston Stirling power conversion. Power output will be greater than 100 watts at the beginning of life with the decline in power largely due to the decay of the plutonium heat source. In support of the DOE SRG project, the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has established a technology effort to provide data to ensure a successful transition to flight for what will be the first dynamic power system in space. Initially, a limited number of areas were selected for the effort, however this is now being expanded to more thoroughly cover key technical issues. There is also an advanced technology effort that is complementary to the near-term technology effort. Many of the tests use the 55-We Technology Demonstration Convertor (TDC). There have been multiple controller tests to support the LMA flight controller design effort. Preparation is continuing for a thermal/vacuum system demonstration. A pair of flight prototype TDC s have been placed on continuous operation. Heater head life assessment continues, with the material data being refined and the analysis moving toward the system perspective. Magnet aging tests continue to characterize any possible aging in the strength or demagnetization resistance of the magnets in the linear alternator. A reliability effort has been initiated to help guide the development activities with focus on the key components and subsystems. This paper will provide an overview of some of the GRC technical efforts, including the status, and a description of future efforts.

A Comparative Analysis of Social Work Faculty's Perception of Gatekeeping Procedures and Practices within Online and Traditional MSW Social Work Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Audrey R.

2017-01-01

The social work profession evolved from neighborly, volunteer-based efforts into a distinct profession. Throughout the evolvement of the profession, there has been a consistent focus on meeting the needs of the poor, oppressed, and impoverished individuals in a manner that demonstrates competency on behalf of the caregiver or practitioner. Present…

MIT Lincoln Laboratory Facts 2015

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

this technology to industry for deployment in operational systems. Current efforts focus on radio - frequency (RF) military satellite communications ... frequency submarine communications demonstration ■■ Continuous-wave diode laser developed in InGaAsP/InP alloy ■■ Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep...Radar upgrade ■■ Miniaturized radio - frequency receiver ■■ Missile Alternative Range Target Instrument payloads ■■ Multifunction phased array radar

Restoring oak ecosystems on national forest system lands in the eastern region: an adaptive management approach

Treesearch

Gregory Nowacki; Michael Ablutz; Dan Yaussy; Thomas Schuler; Dan Dey

2009-01-01

The U.S. Forest Service has recently completed an ecosystem restoration framework and enacted accompanying policy to help guide its nationwide efforts. The Eastern Region is in the midst of translating the general guidance set forth in these documents to actual on-the-ground restoration. We envision a set of coordinated field demonstrations that will initially focus on...

Mirror self-recognition: a review and critique of attempts to promote and engineer self-recognition in primates.

PubMed

Anderson, James R; Gallup, Gordon G

2015-10-01

We review research on reactions to mirrors and self-recognition in nonhuman primates, focusing on methodological issues. Starting with the initial demonstration in chimpanzees in 1970 and subsequent attempts to extend this to other species, self-recognition in great apes is discussed with emphasis on spontaneous manifestations of mirror-guided self-exploration as well as spontaneous use of the mirror to investigate foreign marks on otherwise nonvisible body parts-the mark test. Attempts to show self-recognition in other primates are examined with particular reference to the lack of convincing examples of spontaneous mirror-guided self-exploration, and efforts to engineer positive mark test responses by modifying the test or using conditioning techniques. Despite intensive efforts to demonstrate self-recognition in other primates, we conclude that to date there is no compelling evidence that prosimians, monkeys, or lesser apes-gibbons and siamangs-are capable of mirror self-recognition.

Newspaper coverage of youth and tobacco: implications for public health.

PubMed

Smith, Katherine Clegg; Wakefield, Melanie

2006-01-01

The presentation of smoking as a "youth" issue is a powerful component of current tobacco-control efforts. Agenda setting theory demonstrates that the media serve as a potent forum in which the consideration and presentation of perspectives of social problems take place. This analysis of 643 U.S. youth-focused newspaper articles examines the messages being conveyed to the public and policymakers through coverage of tobacco issues focused on youth. Data illustrate that the issue of youth tobacco use is newsworthy but also suggest that youth-focused issues garner little commentary coverage. Rather, straightforward reports of "feel good" stories dominate the coverage, and youth-focused articles tend to conceptualize the problem of tobacco as being one of a need for greater individual-level education rather than structural or policy changes.

Decontamination & decommissioning focus area

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

NONE

1996-08-01

In January 1994, the US Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (DOE EM) formally introduced its new approach to managing DOE`s environmental research and technology development activities. The goal of the new approach is to conduct research and development in critical areas of interest to DOE, utilizing the best talent in the Department and in the national science community. To facilitate this solutions-oriented approach, the Office of Science and Technology (EM-50, formerly the Office of Technology Development) formed five Focus AReas to stimulate the required basic research, development, and demonstration efforts to seek new, innovative cleanup methods. In Februarymore » 1995, EM-50 selected the DOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) to lead implementation of one of these Focus Areas: the Decontamination and Decommissioning (D & D) Focus Area.« less

Mirrors, masks, and motivation: implicit and explicit self-focused attention influence effort-related cardiovascular reactivity.

PubMed

Silvia, Paul J

2012-07-01

Using motivational intensity theory as a framework, three experiments examined how implicit self-focus (manipulated with masked first-name priming) and explicit self-focus (manipulated with a large mirror) influence effort-related cardiovascular activity, particularly systolic blood pressure reactivity. Theories of self-focused attention suggest that both implicit and explicit self-focus bring about self-evaluation and thus make meeting a goal more important. For a "do your best" task of unfixed difficulty, implicit and explicit self-focus both increased effort (Experiment 1) compared to a control condition. For a task that varied in difficulty, implicit and explicit self-focus promoted more effort as the task became increasingly hard (Experiments 2 and 3). Taken together, the findings suggest that implicit and explicit self-processes share a similar motivational architecture. The discussion explores the value of integrating motivational intensity theory with self-awareness theory and considers the emerging interest in implicit aspects of effort regulation. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Malczyce, Poland: a multifaceted community action project in eastern Europe in a time of rapid economic change.

PubMed

Moskalewicz, J; Swiatktewicz, G

2000-01-01

The major focus of this paper is the sustainability of a one-year demonstration project on drug misuse prevention, which was implemented in a local community affected by acute economic crisis and high unemployment. The project was initiated by the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology, and supported by the European Commission. The primary goal of the project was to demonstrate that community-based prevention is possible and feasible within the context of current transitions in Poland. Its major outcome was a community prevention package consisting of a number of booklets and videos to assist other communities in their prevention efforts. Experiences from this study suggest that factors contributing to the sustainability of a community prevention project can be identified and emphasized through simple analysis of community surveys, as well as focus group discussion.

Recent advances in rapid and ultrasensitive biosensors for infectious agents: lesson from Bacillus anthracis diagnostic sensors.

PubMed

Kim, Joungmok; Yoon, Moon-Young

2010-06-01

Here, we review the cumulative efforts to develop rapid and ultrasensitive diagnostic systems, especially for the infectious agent, Bacillus anthracis, as a model system. This Minireview focuses on demonstrating the features of various probes for target molecule detection and recent methods of signal generation within the biosensors. Also, we discuss the possibility of using peptides as next-generation probe molecules.

Redox flow cell development and demonstration project, calendar year 1976

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The major focus of the effort was the key technology issues that directly influence the fundamental feasibility of the overall redox concept. These issues were the development of a suitable semipermeable separator membrane for the system, the screening and study of candidate redox couples to achieve optimum cell performance, and the carrying out of systems analysis and modeling to develop system performance goals and cost estimates.

Demonstration of Four Operating Capabilities to Enable a Small Aircraft Transportation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Viken, Sally A.; Brooks, Frederick M.

2005-01-01

The Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) project has been a five-year effort fostering research and development that could lead to the transformation of our country s air transportation system. It has become evident that our commercial air transportation system is reaching its peak in terms of capacity, with numerous delays in the system and the demand keeps steadily increasing. The SATS vision is to increase mobility in our nation s transportation system by expanding access to more than 3400 small community airports that are currently under-utilized. The SATS project has focused its efforts on four key operating capabilities that have addressed new emerging technologies and procedures to pave the way for a new way of air travel. The four key operating capabilities are: Higher Volume Operations at Non-Towered/Non-Radar Airports, En Route Procedures and Systems for Integrated Fleet Operations, Lower Landing Minimums at Minimally Equipped Landing Facilities, and Increased Single Pilot Performance. These four capabilities are key to enabling low-cost, on-demand, point-to-point transportation of goods and passengers utilizing small aircraft operating from small airports. The focus of this paper is to discuss the technical and operational feasibility of the four operating capabilities and demonstrate how they can enable a small aircraft transportation system.

DAMAS Processing for a Phased Array Study in the NASA Langley Jet Noise Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooks, Thomas F.; Humphreys, William M.; Plassman, Gerald e.

2010-01-01

A jet noise measurement study was conducted using a phased microphone array system for a range of jet nozzle configurations and flow conditions. The test effort included convergent and convergent/divergent single flow nozzles, as well as conventional and chevron dual-flow core and fan configurations. Cold jets were tested with and without wind tunnel co-flow, whereas, hot jets were tested only with co-flow. The intent of the measurement effort was to allow evaluation of new phased array technologies for their ability to separate and quantify distributions of jet noise sources. In the present paper, the array post-processing method focused upon is DAMAS (Deconvolution Approach for the Mapping of Acoustic Sources) for the quantitative determination of spatial distributions of noise sources. Jet noise is highly complex with stationary and convecting noise sources, convecting flows that are the sources themselves, and shock-related and screech noise for supersonic flow. The analysis presented in this paper addresses some processing details with DAMAS, for the array positioned at 90 (normal) to the jet. The paper demonstrates the applicability of DAMAS and how it indicates when strong coherence is present. Also, a new approach to calibrating the array focus and position is introduced and demonstrated.

Assessment Of The Stirling Power Option for Space Science Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schreiber, Jeffrey G.

2000-01-01

Free-piston Stirling technology efforts in the past typically were intended to address power needs in the multi-kilowatt range. The Stirling power option was attractive primarily because of the high conversion efficiency and potential for long life. In recent years, several technology efforts have focused on the free-piston Stirling power d convertor for space power applications, however the more recent efforts are intended to provide power at levels far below one kilowatt. Through a variety of projects funded by both NASA and DOE, the free-piston Stirling convertor technology has successfully demonstrated high efficiency and long life. Other areas of concern, such as control of multi-convertor systems, and vibration reduction have also been addressed. Efforts are being initiated to address issues such as electro-magnetic interference (EMI), radiation tolerance of organic materials, and the ability to operate through launch loads and survive with integrity. The status of the technology in these areas will be briefly discussed in this paper.

A Student's Guide to Giant Viruses Infecting Small Eukaryotes: From Acanthamoeba to Zooxanthellae.

PubMed

Wilhelm, Steven W; Bird, Jordan T; Bonifer, Kyle S; Calfee, Benjamin C; Chen, Tian; Coy, Samantha R; Gainer, P Jackson; Gann, Eric R; Heatherly, Huston T; Lee, Jasper; Liang, Xiaolong; Liu, Jiang; Armes, April C; Moniruzzaman, Mohammad; Rice, J Hunter; Stough, Joshua M A; Tams, Robert N; Williams, Evan P; LeCleir, Gary R

2017-03-17

The discovery of infectious particles that challenge conventional thoughts concerning "what is a virus" has led to the evolution a new field of study in the past decade. Here, we review knowledge and information concerning "giant viruses", with a focus not only on some of the best studied systems, but also provide an effort to illuminate systems yet to be better resolved. We conclude by demonstrating that there is an abundance of new host-virus systems that fall into this "giant" category, demonstrating that this field of inquiry presents great opportunities for future research.

COI NMSD Hybrid Mirror

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehle, Greg; Stahl, Phil (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

This presentation provides an overview of the development of the 1.6 meter hybrid mirror demonstrator for the NGST Mirror System Demonstrator (NMSD) program. The COI design approach for the NGST program combines the optical performance of glass, with the high specific stiffness capabilities of composite materials The foundation technologies being exploited in the development of the hybrid mirror focus upon precision Composite Materials for cryogenic operation, and non-contact optical processing (ion figuring) of the lightweight mirror surface. The NGST Mirror System Demonstrator (NMSD) has been designed and built by Composite Optics, Inc. (COI) with optical processing performed by SAGEM (REOSC). The sponsors of these efforts are the NASA Marshall and Goddard Space Flight Centers.

Recent advances in the development of p21-activated kinase inhibitors.

PubMed

Coleman, Natalia; Kissil, Joseph

2012-04-01

The p21-activated kinases (PAKs) are downstream effectors of the small G-proteins of the Rac and cdc42 family and have been implicated as essential for cell proliferation and survival. Recent studies have also demonstrated the promise of PAKs as therapeutic targets in various types of cancers. The PAKs are divided into two major groups (group I and II) based on sequence similarities. Although the different roles the PAK groups might play are not well understood, recent efforts have focused on the identification of kinase inhibitors that can discriminate between the two groups. In this review these efforts and newly identified inhibitors will be described and future directions discussed.

Combining Computational and Social Effort for Collaborative Problem Solving

PubMed Central

Wagy, Mark D.; Bongard, Josh C.

2015-01-01

Rather than replacing human labor, there is growing evidence that networked computers create opportunities for collaborations of people and algorithms to solve problems beyond either of them. In this study, we demonstrate the conditions under which such synergy can arise. We show that, for a design task, three elements are sufficient: humans apply intuitions to the problem, algorithms automatically determine and report back on the quality of designs, and humans observe and innovate on others’ designs to focus creative and computational effort on good designs. This study suggests how such collaborations should be composed for other domains, as well as how social and computational dynamics mutually influence one another during collaborative problem solving. PMID:26544199

Time to foster a rational approach to preventing cardiovascular morbid events.

PubMed

Cohn, Jay N; Duprez, Daniel A

2008-07-29

Efforts to prevent atherosclerotic morbid events have focused primarily on risk factor prevention and intervention. These approaches, based on the statistical association of risk factors with events, have dominated clinical practice in the last generation. Because the cardiovascular abnormalities eventuating in morbid events are detectable in the arteries and heart before the development of symptomatic disease, recent efforts have focused on identifying the presence of these abnormalities as a more sensitive and specific guide to the need for therapy. Advances in noninvasive techniques for studying the vasculature and the left ventricle now provide the opportunity to use early disease rather than risk factors as the tool for clinical decision making. A disease scoring system has been developed using 10 tests of vascular and cardiac function and structure. More extensive data to confirm the sensitivity and specificity of this scoring system and to demonstrate its utility in tracking the response to therapy are needed to justify widespread application in clinical practice.

Early Engagement of Safety and Mission Assurance Expertise Using Systems Engineering Tools: A Risk-Based Approach to Early Identification of Safety and Assurance Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darpel, Scott; Beckman, Sean

2016-01-01

Decades of systems engineering practice have demonstrated that the earlier the identification of requirements occurs, the lower the chance that costly redesigns will needed later in the project life cycle. A better understanding of all requirements can also improve the likelihood of a design's success. Significant effort has been put into developing tools and practices that facilitate requirements determination, including those that are part of the model-based systems engineering (MBSE) paradigm. These efforts have yielded improvements in requirements definition, but have thus far focused on a design's performance needs. The identification of safety & mission assurance (S&MA) related requirements, in comparison, can occur after preliminary designs are already established, yielding forced redesigns. Engaging S&MA expertise at an earlier stage, facilitated by the use of MBSE tools, and focused on actual project risk, can yield the same type of design life cycle improvements that have been realized in technical and performance requirements.

Current Trends in Robot-Assisted Upper-Limb Stroke Rehabilitation: Promoting Patient Engagement in Therapy.

PubMed

Blank, Amy A; French, James A; Pehlivan, Ali Utku; O'Malley, Marcia K

2014-09-01

Stroke is one of the leading causes of long-term disability today; therefore, many research efforts are focused on designing maximally effective and efficient treatment methods. In particular, robotic stroke rehabilitation has received significant attention for upper-limb therapy due to its ability to provide high-intensity repetitive movement therapy with less effort than would be required for traditional methods. Recent research has focused on increasing patient engagement in therapy, which has been shown to be important for inducing neural plasticity to facilitate recovery. Robotic therapy devices enable unique methods for promoting patient engagement by providing assistance only as needed and by detecting patient movement intent to drive to the device. Use of these methods has demonstrated improvements in functional outcomes, but careful comparisons between methods remain to be done. Future work should include controlled clinical trials and comparisons of effectiveness of different methods for patients with different abilities and needs in order to inform future development of patient-specific therapeutic protocols.

Study Methods to Characterize and Implement Thermography Nondestructive Evaluation (NDE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walker, James L.

1998-01-01

The limits and conditions under which an infrared thermographic nondestructive evaluation can be utilized to assess the quality of aerospace hardware is demonstrated in this research effort. The primary focus of this work is on applying thermography to the inspection of advanced composite structures such as would be found in the International Space Station Instrumentation Racks, Space Shuttle Cargo Bay Doors, Bantam RP-1 tank or RSRM Nose Cone. Here, the detection of delamination, disbond, inclusion and porosity type defects are of primary interest. In addition to composites, an extensive research effort has been initiated to determine how well a thermographic evaluation can detect leaks and disbonds in pressurized metallic systems "i.e. the Space Shuttle Main Engine Nozzles". In either case, research into developing practical inspection procedures was conducted and thermographic inspections were performed on a myriad of test samples, subscale demonstration articles and "simulated" flight hardware. All test samples were fabricated as close to their respective structural counterparts as possible except with intentional defects for NDE qualification. As an added benefit of this effort to create simulated defects, methods were devised for defect fabrication that may be useful in future NDE qualification ventures.

Recent activities in printed Antennas at LeRC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Richard Q.; Simons, Rainee N.

1993-01-01

This paper will report two recent R&D efforts in printed antennas at NASA Lewis Research Center. These efforts are: (1) to enhance the current antenna performance in gain, bandwidth and pattern characteristics, and (2) to develop coplanar waveguide/aperture coupled feeding technique for dual excitation of a patch antenna. Research in area (1) has led to the development of a nonplanar linearly tapered slot antenna (LTSA) which has exhibited over 10 dB gain with broad bandwidth and excellent radiation patterns. This endfire antenna element is most suitable for use in MMIC arrays of 'brick' construction. A space power amplifier composed of active LTSA has been demonstrated and shown to have a gain of 30 dB at 20 GHz. In each of the antenna elements, a GaAs monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) three-stage power amplifier is integrated with two LTSA's. A single active LTSA has also been demonstrated and exhibited a power gain of 6.7 dB with the MMIC amplifier turned on. The aperture coupled feeding technique with coplanar waveguide feeds has demonstrated high coupling efficiency on both LTSA and patch antennas. Recent efforts have been focused on applying this technique for dual excitation (dual frequency and/or dual polarization) of a patch antenna. Preliminary results confirm the feasibility of this approach. Further development is required to improve the coupling efficiency and antenna radiation characteristics.

Prioritizing multiple therapeutic targets in parallel using automated DNA-encoded library screening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machutta, Carl A.; Kollmann, Christopher S.; Lind, Kenneth E.; Bai, Xiaopeng; Chan, Pan F.; Huang, Jianzhong; Ballell, Lluis; Belyanskaya, Svetlana; Besra, Gurdyal S.; Barros-Aguirre, David; Bates, Robert H.; Centrella, Paolo A.; Chang, Sandy S.; Chai, Jing; Choudhry, Anthony E.; Coffin, Aaron; Davie, Christopher P.; Deng, Hongfeng; Deng, Jianghe; Ding, Yun; Dodson, Jason W.; Fosbenner, David T.; Gao, Enoch N.; Graham, Taylor L.; Graybill, Todd L.; Ingraham, Karen; Johnson, Walter P.; King, Bryan W.; Kwiatkowski, Christopher R.; Lelièvre, Joël; Li, Yue; Liu, Xiaorong; Lu, Quinn; Lehr, Ruth; Mendoza-Losana, Alfonso; Martin, John; McCloskey, Lynn; McCormick, Patti; O'Keefe, Heather P.; O'Keeffe, Thomas; Pao, Christina; Phelps, Christopher B.; Qi, Hongwei; Rafferty, Keith; Scavello, Genaro S.; Steiginga, Matt S.; Sundersingh, Flora S.; Sweitzer, Sharon M.; Szewczuk, Lawrence M.; Taylor, Amy; Toh, May Fern; Wang, Juan; Wang, Minghui; Wilkins, Devan J.; Xia, Bing; Yao, Gang; Zhang, Jean; Zhou, Jingye; Donahue, Christine P.; Messer, Jeffrey A.; Holmes, David; Arico-Muendel, Christopher C.; Pope, Andrew J.; Gross, Jeffrey W.; Evindar, Ghotas

2017-07-01

The identification and prioritization of chemically tractable therapeutic targets is a significant challenge in the discovery of new medicines. We have developed a novel method that rapidly screens multiple proteins in parallel using DNA-encoded library technology (ELT). Initial efforts were focused on the efficient discovery of antibacterial leads against 119 targets from Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus. The success of this effort led to the hypothesis that the relative number of ELT binders alone could be used to assess the ligandability of large sets of proteins. This concept was further explored by screening 42 targets from Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Active chemical series for six targets from our initial effort as well as three chemotypes for DHFR from M. tuberculosis are reported. The findings demonstrate that parallel ELT selections can be used to assess ligandability and highlight opportunities for successful lead and tool discovery.

NASA total quality management 1989 accomplishments report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tai, Betty P. (Editor); Stewart, Lynne M. (Editor)

1990-01-01

NASA and contractor employees achieved many notable improvements in 1989. The highlights of those improvements, described in this seventh annual Accomplishments Report, demonstrate that the people who support NASA's activities are getting more involved in quality and continuous improvement efforts. Their gains solidly support NASA's and this Nation's goal to remain a leader in space exploration and in world-wide market competition, and, when communicated to others through avenues such as this report, foster improvement efforts across government and industry. The principles in practice which led to these process refinements are important cultural elements to any organization's productivity and quality efforts. The categories in this report reflect NASA principles set forth in the 1980's and are more commonly known today as Total Quality Management (TQM): top management leadership and support; strategic planning; focus on the customer; employee training and recognition; employee empowerment and teamwork; measurement and analysis; and quality assurance.

Advanced Wireless Integrated Navy Network (AWINN)

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-31

handle high data rates using COTS FPGAs . The effort of the Cross-Layer Optimization group is focused on cross-layer design of UWB for position location...From Transmitter Boar1 To Receiver BoardTransmittedl Receiver i i.. Switch Lowpass -20 dB FPGA -2dB Filter Gain Controlled Gain Variable Attenuator... FPGA Code * April - June 2006 "o Demonstrate Transceiver Operation "o Integrate Transceiver with Other AWINN Activities Personnel: Chris R. Anderson

High-Sensitivity X-ray Polarimetry with Amorphous Silicon Active-Matrix Pixel Proportional Counters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Black, J. K.; Deines-Jones, P.; Jahoda, K.; Ready, S. E.; Street, R. A.

2003-01-01

Photoelectric X-ray polarimeters based on pixel micropattern gas detectors (MPGDs) offer order-of-magnitude improvement in sensitivity over more traditional techniques based on X-ray scattering. This new technique places some of the most interesting astronomical observations within reach of even a small, dedicated mission. The most sensitive instrument would be a photoelectric polarimeter at the focus of 2 a very large mirror, such as the planned XEUS. Our efforts are focused on a smaller pathfinder mission, which would achieve its greatest sensitivity with large-area, low-background, collimated polarimeters. We have recently demonstrated a MPGD polarimeter using amorphous silicon thin-film transistor (TFT) readout suitable for the focal plane of an X-ray telescope. All the technologies used in the demonstration polarimeter are scalable to the areas required for a high-sensitivity collimated polarimeter. Leywords: X-ray polarimetry, particle tracking, proportional counter, GEM, pixel readout

Prefrontal Cortical Inactivations Decrease Willingness to Expend Cognitive Effort on a Rodent Cost/Benefit Decision-Making Task.

PubMed

Hosking, Jay G; Cocker, Paul J; Winstanley, Catharine A

2016-04-01

Personal success often necessitates expending greater effort for greater reward but, equally important, also requires judicious use of our limited cognitive resources (e.g., attention). Previous animal models have shown that the prelimbic (PL) and infralimbic (IL) regions of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are not involved in (physical) effort-based choice, whereas human studies have demonstrated PFC contributions to (mental) effort. Here, we utilize the rat Cognitive Effort Task (rCET) to probe PFC's role in effort-based decision making. In the rCET, animals can choose either an easy trial, where the attentional demand is low but the reward (sugar) is small or a difficult trial on which both the attentional demand and reward are greater. Temporary inactivation of PL and IL decreased all animals' willingness to expend mental effort and increased animals' distractibility; PL inactivations more substantially affected performance (i.e., attention), whereas IL inactivations increased motor impulsivity. These data imply that the PFC contributes to attentional resources, and when these resources are diminished, animals shift their choice (via other brain regions) accordingly. Thus, one novel therapeutic approach to deficits in effort expenditure may be to focus on the resources that such decision making requires, rather than the decision-making process per se. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Board development in two hospitals: lessons from a demonstration.

PubMed

Kovner, A R; Ritvo, R A; Holland, T P

1997-01-01

A recently concluded demonstration project examined efforts to improve the effectiveness of nonprofit boards. This article focuses on the interventions at two participating healthcare organizations and examines the outcomes of these efforts. Changes made at the Alpha Health Care system included: reduction in the number of boards, term limits established for board members, election of new board chairs for two of the fewer boards, reduction in the size of those boards, implementation of a consent agenda, and reorganization of the boards' committee structure. Fewer changes were implemented at the Beta Hospital, where several initiatives were started but only some of which were retained by the projects' conclusion. Key factors limiting the extent of changes there were the modest interest in an active board by a new CEO and the limited investment of trustees in change. The article concludes with a discussion of lessons learned about board assessment, the use of retreats to initiate board development, and the importance of time management and CEO support to strengthen board effectiveness.

"It drives us to do it": pregnant adolescents identify drivers for sexual risk-taking.

PubMed

King Jones, Tammy C

2010-01-01

Sexual risk-taking behaviors have a negative effect on the heath and future of American adolescents. To gain insight into these behaviors and preventative efforts, this study explored the experiences and perceptions of 15 pregnant adolescents using a qualitative feminist approach and in-depth interviews. As participants discussed sex education, each identified influences on sexual decision-making that often overpowered the information received. Content analysis and constant comparison of this data led to the overarching theme "Drivers for Sexual Risk-taking." Drivers were categorized as internal and external and each demonstrated a significant influence on adolescent sexual decision-making. Results of this study can inform the development of educational efforts, reform of social policy, and the focus of future research.

Wilson Prize article: From vacuum tubes to lasers and back again1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madey, John M. J.

2014-07-01

The first demonstration of an optical-wavelength laser by Theodore Maiman in 1960 had a transformational impact on the paths that would be blazed to advance the state of the art of short wavelength coherent electron beam-based radiation sources. Free electron lasers (FELs) emerged from these efforts as the electron beam-based realization of the pioneering model of atom-based "optical masers" by Schawlow and Townes, but with far greater potential for tunable operation at high power and very short wavelengths. Further opportunities for yet greater capabilities may be inherent in our still growing understanding of the underlying physics. This article focuses on the FEL efforts in which the author was directly and personally involved.

Observation of High Transformer Ratio of Shaped Bunch Generated by an Emittance-Exchange Beam Line.

PubMed

Gao, Q; Ha, G; Jing, C; Antipov, S P; Power, J G; Conde, M; Gai, W; Chen, H; Shi, J; Wisniewski, E E; Doran, D S; Liu, W; Whiteford, C E; Zholents, A; Piot, P; Baturin, S S

2018-03-16

Collinear wakefield acceleration has been long established as a method capable of generating ultrahigh acceleration gradients. Because of the success on this front, recently, more efforts have shifted towards developing methods to raise the transformer ratio (TR). This figure of merit is defined as the ratio of the peak acceleration field behind the drive bunch to the peak deceleration field inside the drive bunch. TR is always less than 2 for temporally symmetric drive bunch distributions and therefore recent efforts have focused on generating asymmetric distributions to overcome this limitation. In this Letter, we report on using the emittance-exchange method to generate a shaped drive bunch to experimentally demonstrate a TR≈5 in a dielectric wakefield accelerator.

Status of the Space-Rated Lithium-Ion Battery Advanced Development Project in Support of the Exploration Vision

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Thomas

2007-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC), along with the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Johnson Space Center (JSC), Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), and industry partners, is leading a space-rated lithium-ion advanced development battery effort to support the vision for Exploration. This effort addresses the lithium-ion battery portion of the Energy Storage Project under the Exploration Technology Development Program. Key discussions focus on the lithium-ion cell component development activities, a common lithium-ion battery module, test and demonstration of charge/discharge cycle life performance and safety characterization. A review of the space-rated lithium-ion battery project will be presented highlighting the technical accomplishments during the past year.

Using CFD as a Rocket Injector Design Tool: Recent Progress at Marshall Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, Kevin; West, Jeff; Williams, Robert; Lin, Jeff; Canabal, Francisco; Rocker, marvin; Robles, Bryan; Garcia, Robert; Chenoweth, James

2005-01-01

New programs are forcing American propulsion system designers into unfamiliar territory. For instance, industry s answer to the cost and reliability goals set out by the Next Generation Launch Technology Program are engine concepts based on the Oxygen- Rich Staged Combustion Cycle. Historical injector design tools are not well suited for this new task. The empirical correlations do not apply directly to the injector concepts associated with the ORSC cycle. These legacy tools focus primarily on performance with environment evaluation a secondary objective. Additionally, the environmental capability of these tools is usually one-dimensional while the actual environments are at least two- and often three-dimensional. CFD has the potential to calculate performance and multi-dimensional environments but its use in the injector design process has been retarded by long solution turnaround times and insufficient demonstrated accuracy. This paper has documented the parallel paths of program support and technology development currently employed at Marshall Space Flight Center in an effort to move CFD to the forefront of injector design. MSFC has established a long-term goal for use of CFD for combustion devices design. The work on injector design is the heart of that vision and the Combustion Devices CFD Simulation Capability Roadmap that focuses the vision. The SRL concept, combining solution fidelity, robustness and accuracy, has been established as a quantitative gauge of current and desired capability. Three examples of current injector analysis for program support have been presented and discussed. These examples are used to establish the current capability at MSFC for these problems. Shortcomings identified from this experience are being used as inputs to the Roadmap process. The SRL evaluation identified lack of demonstrated solution accuracy as a major issue. Accordingly, the MSFC view of code validation and current MSFC-funded validation efforts were discussed in some detail. The objectives of each effort were noted. Issues relative to code validation for injector design were discussed in some detail. The requirement for CFD support during the design of the experiment was noted and discussed in terms of instrumentation placement and experimental rig uncertainty. In conclusion, MSFC has made significant progress in the last two years in advancing CFD toward the goal of application to injector design. A parallel effort focused on program support and technology development via the SCIT Task have enabled the progress.

NASA's current activities in free space optical communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edwards, Bernard L.

2017-11-01

NASA and other space agencies around the world are currently developing free space optical communication systems for both space-to-ground links and space-to-space links. This paper provides an overview of NASA's current activities in free space optical communications with a focus on Near Earth applications. Activities to be discussed include the Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration, the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration, and the commercialization of the underlying technology. The paper will also briefly discuss ongoing efforts and studies for Deep Space optical communications. Finally the paper will discuss the development of international optical communication standards within the Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems.

A Student’s Guide to Giant Viruses Infecting Small Eukaryotes: From Acanthamoeba to Zooxanthellae

PubMed Central

Wilhelm, Steven W.; Bird, Jordan T.; Bonifer, Kyle S.; Calfee, Benjamin C.; Chen, Tian; Coy, Samantha R.; Gainer, P. Jackson; Gann, Eric R.; Heatherly, Huston T.; Lee, Jasper; Liang, Xiaolong; Liu, Jiang; Armes, April C.; Moniruzzaman, Mohammad; Rice, J. Hunter; Stough, Joshua M. A.; Tams, Robert N.; Williams, Evan P.; LeCleir, Gary R.

2017-01-01

The discovery of infectious particles that challenge conventional thoughts concerning “what is a virus” has led to the evolution a new field of study in the past decade. Here, we review knowledge and information concerning “giant viruses”, with a focus not only on some of the best studied systems, but also provide an effort to illuminate systems yet to be better resolved. We conclude by demonstrating that there is an abundance of new host–virus systems that fall into this “giant” category, demonstrating that this field of inquiry presents great opportunities for future research. PMID:28304329

Thermal hydraulic simulations, error estimation and parameter sensitivity studies in Drekar::CFD

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

Smith, Thomas Michael; Shadid, John N.; Pawlowski, Roger P.

2014-01-01

This report describes work directed towards completion of the Thermal Hydraulics Methods (THM) CFD Level 3 Milestone THM.CFD.P7.05 for the Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors (CASL) Nuclear Hub effort. The focus of this milestone was to demonstrate the thermal hydraulics and adjoint based error estimation and parameter sensitivity capabilities in the CFD code called Drekar::CFD. This milestone builds upon the capabilities demonstrated in three earlier milestones; THM.CFD.P4.02 [12], completed March, 31, 2012, THM.CFD.P5.01 [15] completed June 30, 2012 and THM.CFD.P5.01 [11] completed on October 31, 2012.

Channeling technique to make nanoscale ion beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biryukov, V. M.; Bellucci, S.; Guidi, V.

2005-04-01

Particle channeling in a bent crystal lattice has led to an efficient instrument for beam steering at accelerators [Biryukov et al., Crystal Channeling and its Application at High Energy Accelerators, Springer, Berlin, 1997], demonstrated from MeV to TeV energies. In particular, crystal focusing of high-energy protons to micron size has been demonstrated at IHEP with the results well in match with Lindhard (critical angle) prediction. Channeling in crystal microstructures has been proposed as a unique source of a microbeam of high-energy particles [Bellucci et al., Phys. Rev. ST Accel. Beams 6 (2003) 033502]. Channeling in nanostructures (single-wall and multi-wall nanotubes) offers the opportunities to produce ion beams on nanoscale. Particles channeled in a nanotube (with typical diameter of about 1 nm) are trapped in two dimensions and can be steered (deflected, focused) with the efficiency similar to that of crystal channeling or better. This technique has been a subject of computer simulations, with experimental efforts under way in several high-energy labs, including IHEP. We present the theoretical outlook for making channeling-based nanoscale ion beams and report the experience with crystal-focused microscale proton beams.

Modern Warfare: An M and S Examination of the Dynamic Impact of Warlords and Insurgents on State Stability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Phillip N.; Drucker, Nick; Schwartz, Noah

2012-01-01

9/11 changed the world as we knew it. Part of this change was to redirect the military of the United States away from focusing primarily on conventional conflict to a primary focus on unconventional or irregular conflict. This change required a tremendous learning effort by the military and their supporting research and development community. This learning effort included relearning of old but largely forgotten lessons as well as acquiring newly discovered knowledge. During the process of our immediate 9/11 response, we identified that we were engaged in Iraq and Afghanistan in an insurgency. Subsequently, our focus converged upon the description of insurgencies and the requirements for counterinsurgency. This paper argues that emerging conditions now allow the re-evaluation of the type of conflict occurring today and into the foreseeable future: that we, including the modeling and simulation world, emerge from a singular focus on orthodox insurgencies and start to consider the consequences and opportunities of the complexity of current conflicts. As an example of complexity, this paper will use the relatively common phenomenon of the Warlord or Warlordism. The paper will provide a definition of this phenomenon and then describe the implications for modelers. The paper will conclude by demonstrating the impact of incorporating this one rather prosaic complexity into an insurgency model, using agent based modeling (ABM).

Cross-scale morphology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Allen, Craig R.; Holling, Crawford S.; Garmestani, Ahjond S.; El-Shaarawi, Abdel H.; Piegorsch, Walter W.

2013-01-01

The scaling of physical, biological, ecological and social phenomena is a major focus of efforts to develop simple representations of complex systems. Much of the attention has been on discovering universal scaling laws that emerge from simple physical and geometric processes. However, there are regular patterns of departures both from those scaling laws and from continuous distributions of attributes of systems. Those departures often demonstrate the development of self-organized interactions between living systems and physical processes over narrower ranges of scale.

Analysis of Mission Effectiveness: Modern System Architecture Tools for Project Developers

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

operator input and scripted instructions to describe low-level flow. Note that the case study in Chapter IV describes one pass through evaluation...capability of the sensors. A constraint on the case study is that each sensor type must cover the entire operations area. Cost is a function of 53...completed. 5. Assessment This case study focuses on the first recursive refinement phase completed in a multi-phase effort to demonstrate the effects

Employee responsibility in benefit change.

PubMed

Hart, Deb; Arian, Mark

2007-01-01

If employers want to move employees beyond superficial acceptance of benefit changes, organizations need to increase the focus on how they manage the change process and support employee decision making. This article describes how employers can help workers understand changes and, through effective change management and communication, successfully navigate in an evolving benefits world. Using recent survey research about large employer and employee attitudes, the authors demonstrate tangible proof that these efforts pay off, both in financial and cultural terms.

Initial design and evaluation of automatic restructurable flight control system concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weiss, J. L.; Looze, D. P.; Eterno, J. S.; Grunberg, D. B.

1986-01-01

Results of efforts to develop automatic control design procedures for restructurable aircraft control systems is presented. The restructurable aircraft control problem involves designing a fault tolerance control system which can accommodate a wide variety of unanticipated aircraft failure. Under NASA sponsorship, many of the technologies which make such a system possible were developed and tested. Future work will focus on developing a methodology for integrating these technologies and demonstration of a complete system.

The Quality Imperative for Palliative Care

PubMed Central

Kamal, Arif H.; Hanson, Laura C.; Casarett, David J.; Dy, Sydney M.; Pantilat, Steven Z.; Lupu, Dale; Abernethy, Amy P.

2015-01-01

Palliative medicine must prioritize the routine assessment of the quality of clinical care we provide. This includes regular assessment, analysis, and reporting of data on quality. Assessment of quality informs opportunities for improvement and demonstrates to our peers and ourselves the value of our efforts. In fact, continuous messaging of the value of palliative care services is needed to sustain our discipline; this requires regularly evaluating the quality of our care. As the reimbursement mechanisms for health care in the United States shift from fee-for-service to fee-for-value models, palliative care will be expected to report robust data on quality of care. We must move beyond demonstrating to our constituents (including patients and referrers), “here is what we do,” and increase the focus on “this is how well we do it” and “let’s see how we can do it better.” It is incumbent on palliative care professionals to lead these efforts. This involves developing standardized methods to collect data without adding additional burden, comparing and sharing our experiences to promote discipline-wide quality assessment and improvement initiatives, and demonstrating our intentions for quality improvement on the clinical frontline. PMID:25057987

QuEST: Qualifying Environmentally Sustainable Technologies. Volume 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Christina (Editor)

2007-01-01

TEERM focuses its validation efforts on technologies that have shown promise in laboratory testing, but lack testing under realistic or field environment. Mature technologies have advantages over those that are still in the developmental stage such as being more likely to be transitioned into a working environment. One way TEERM begins to evaluate the suitability of technologies is through Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs). TRLs are a systematic metric/measurement system that supports assessments of the maturity of a particular technology and the consistent comparison of maturity between different types of technology. TEERM generally works on demonstrating/validating alternatives that fall within TRLs 5-9. In instances where a mature technology does not exist for a particular Agency application, TEERM works with technology development groups and programs such as NASA's Innovative Partnerships Program (IPP). The IPP's purpose is to identify and document available technologies in light of NASA's needs, evaluate and prioritize those technologies, and reach out to find new partners. All TEERM projects involve multiple partners. Partnering reduces duplication of effort that otherwise might occur if individuals worked their problems alone. Partnering also helps reduce individual contributors' shares of the total cost of technology validation. Through collaboration and financial commitment from project stakeholders and third-party sources, it is possible to fully fund expensive demonstration/validation efforts.

Minimum impulse thruster valve design and development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huftalen, Richard L.; Platt, Andrea L.; Parker, Morgan J.; Yankura, George A.

2003-01-01

The design and development of a minimum impulse thruster valve was conducted, by Moog, under contract by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, for deep space propulsion systems. The effort was focused on applying known solenoid design techniques scaled to provide a 1 -millisecond response capability for monopropellant, hydrazine ACS thruster applications. The valve has an extended operating temperature range of 20(deg)F to +350(deg)F with a total mass of less than 25 grams and nominal power draw of 7 watts. The design solution resulted in providing a solenoid valve that is one-tenth the scale of the standard product line. The valve has the capability of providing a mass flow rate of 0.0009 pounds per second hydrazine. The design life of 1,000,000 cycles was demonstrated both dry and wet. Not all design factors scaled as expected and proved to be the focus of the final development effort. These included the surface interactions, hydrodynamics and driver electronics. The resulting solution applied matured design approaches to minimize the program risk with innovative methods to address the impacts of scale.

Special action groups for policy change and infrastructure support to foster healthier communities on the Arizona-Mexico border.

PubMed Central

Cohen, Stuart J.; Meister, Joel S.; deZapien, Jill G.

2004-01-01

As part of efforts to help stem the rising tide of diabetes among Hispanic Americans living in Arizona-Mexico border communities, the Border Health Strategic Initiative was launched to foster community-based approaches to diabetes prevention and control. A major thrust of the initiative was establishment of special community action groups (SAGs) to help stimulate policy change and sustain interventions designed to reduce the risk of diabetes and its complications. The SAGs met regularly for more than two years, focusing primarily on policies that encourage development of an infrastructure to support physical activity and healthier nutrition. Through involvement with planning commissions, parks and recreation, and private companies, two community development block grants were obtained to support new walking trails. The SAGs also encouraged elementary schools to improve physical education and change vending machine products, and grocery store owners and managers to allow the demonstration and promotion of healthier foods. These groups, focused on policy and infrastructure change within their communities, may be the glue needed to hold comprehensive community health promotion efforts together. PMID:15147648

Wooooooahhh! vs Aha!, is the choice obvious?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehdi, Faraz

2016-11-01

There has been a lot of focus towards attracting people, especially under-represented groups, to STEM fields. One of the ways to accomplish this is short demonstrations and workshops, where young students are exposed to "exciting" experiments in an effort to make STEM more appealing. We tried an alternative approach by making the students perform a deliberately "boring" experiment but one which made them think scientifically. This was tested on a small group of high school students during Girls Technology Day in New Hampshire.

Cloud Computing for Complex Performance Codes.

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

Appel, Gordon John; Hadgu, Teklu; Klein, Brandon Thorin

This report describes the use of cloud computing services for running complex public domain performance assessment problems. The work consisted of two phases: Phase 1 was to demonstrate complex codes, on several differently configured servers, could run and compute trivial small scale problems in a commercial cloud infrastructure. Phase 2 focused on proving non-trivial large scale problems could be computed in the commercial cloud environment. The cloud computing effort was successfully applied using codes of interest to the geohydrology and nuclear waste disposal modeling community.

Frameworks and Tools for High-Confidence Design of Adaptive, Distributed Embedded Control Systems. Multi-University Research Initiative on High-Confidence Design for Distributed Embedded Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

controllers (currently using the Robostix+Gumstix pair ). The interface between the plant simulator and the controller is ‘hard real-time’, and the xPC box... simulation ) on aerobatic maneuver design for the STARMAC quadrotor helicopter testbed. In related work, we have developed a new optimization scheme...for scheduling hybrid systems, and have demonstrated the results on an autonomous car simulation testbed. We are focusing efforts this summer for

KML-based teaching lessons developed by Google in partnership with the University of Alaska.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolb, E. J.; Bailey, J.; Bishop, A.; Cain, J.; Goddard, M.; Hurowitz, K.; Kennedy, K.; Ornduff, T.; Sfraga, M.; Wernecke, J.

2008-12-01

The focus of Google's Geo Education outreach efforts (http://www.google.com/educators/geo.html) is on helping primary, secondary, and post-secondary educators incorporate Google Earth and Sky, Google Maps, and SketchUp into their classroom lessons. In this poster and demonstration, we will show our KML-based science lessons that were developed in partnership with the University of Alaska and used in classroom teachings by our team to Alaskan high-school students.

Interactive Computing and Processing of NASA Land Surface Observations Using Google Earth Engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Molthan, Andrew; Burks, Jason; Bell, Jordan

2016-01-01

Google's Earth Engine offers a "big data" approach to processing large volumes of NASA and other remote sensing products. h\\ps://earthengine.google.com/ Interfaces include a Javascript or Python-based API, useful for accessing and processing over large periods of record for Landsat and MODIS observations. Other data sets are frequently added, including weather and climate model data sets, etc. Demonstrations here focus on exploratory efforts to perform land surface change detection related to severe weather, and other disaster events.

Study of the acceleration, focussing and bunching of ions by electronic space charge for pellet fusion. Technical progress report

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

Verdeyen, J.T.; Cherrington, B.E.

1977-01-01

Three areas of work during this contract period are discussed: (1) a low energy (1 to 10 keV) experiment to demonstrate focusing and to clarify the physics of bunching, (2) an experiment at high energy (100 to 500 keV) to scale prior results, and (3) a theoretical effort to formulate a self-consistent transient analysis of the virtual cathode--plasma interaction. Some results of this work are discussed. (MOW)

Current Reform Efforts in Mathematics Education. ERIC/CSMEE Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Thomas G.

The current reform effort in mathematics education has its roots in the decade of the 1980's and the national reports that focused attention on an impending crisis in education, particularly in mathematics and science. Within this context, dozens of individual reform efforts have been initiated in recent years. Many have focused on the development…

Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of Nanostructured Materials for Energy Storage Devices and Flexible Chemical Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Ning

Nanomaterials have shown increasing applications in the design and fabrication of functional devices such as energy storage devices and sensor devices. A key challenge is the ability to harness the nanostructures in terms of size, shape, composition and structure so that the unique nanoscale functional properties can be exploited. This dissertation describes our findings in design, synthesis, and characterization of nanoparticles towards applications in two important fronts. The first involves the investigation of nanoalloy catalysts and functional nanoparticles for energy storage devices, including Li-air and Li-ion batteries, aiming at increasing the capacity and cycle performance. Part of this effort focuses on design of bifunctional nanocatalysts through alloying noble metal with non-noble transition metal to improve the ORR and OER activity of Li-air batteries. By manipulating the composition and alloying structure of the catalysts, synergetic effect has been demonstrated, which is substantiated by both experimental results and theoretical calculation for the charge/discharge process. The other part of the effort focuses on modification of Si nanoparticles towards high-capacity anode materials. The modification involved dopant elements, carbon coating, and graphene composite formation to manipulate the ability of the nanoparticles in accommodating the volume expansion. The second part focuses on the design, preparation and characterization of metal nanoparticles and nanocomposite materials for the application in flexible sensing devices. The investigation focuses on fabrication of a novel class of nanoparticle-nanofibrous membranes consisting of gold nanoparticles embedded in a multi-layered fibrous membrane as a tunable interfacial scaffold for flexible sweat sensors. Sensing responses to different ionic species in aqueous solutions and relative humidity changes in the environment were demonstrated, showing promising potential as flexible sensing devices for applications in wearable sweat sensors. Moreover, printing technique was also applied in the fabrication of conductive patterns as the sensing electrodes. The results shed new lights on the understanding of the structural tuning of the nanomaterials for the ultimate applications in advanced energy storage devices and chemical sensor devices.

Assessing Ethanol's Actions in the Suprachiasmatic Circadian Clock Using In vivo and In vitro Approaches

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Research over the past decade has demonstrated substantial interactions between the circadian system and the processes through which alcohol affects behavior and physiology. Here we summarize the results of our collaborative efforts focused on this intersection. Using a combination of in vivo and in vitro approaches, we have shown that ethanol affects many aspects of the mammalian circadian system, both acutely as well as after chronic administration. Conversely, we have shown circadian influences on ethanol consumption. Importantly, we are beginning to delve into the cellular mechanisms associated with these effects. We are also starting to form a picture of the neuroanatomical bases for many of these actions. Finally, we put our current findings into perspective by suggesting new avenues of inquiry for our future efforts. PMID:25457753

The TRAINS project: A case study in building a conversational planning agent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, James F.; Schubert, Lenhart K.; Ferguson, George; Heeman, Peter; Hwang, Chung Hee; Kato, Tsuneaki; Light, Marc; Martin, Nathaniel G.; Miller, Bradford W.; Poesio, Massimo

1994-09-01

The TRAINS project is an effort to build a conversationally proficient planning assistant. A key part of the project is the construction of the TRAINS system, which provides the research platform for a wide range of issues in natural language understanding, mixed-initiative planning systems, and representing and reasoning about time, actions and events. Four years have not passed since the beginning of the project. Each year, we produced a demonstration system that focused on a dialog that illustrated particular aspects of our research. The commitment to building complete integrated systems is a significant overhead on the research, but we feel it is essential to guarantee that the results constitute real progress in the field. This paper describes the goals of the project, and our experience with the effort so far.

Accurately modeling Gaussian beam propagation in the context of Monte Carlo techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hokr, Brett H.; Winblad, Aidan; Bixler, Joel N.; Elpers, Gabriel; Zollars, Byron; Scully, Marlan O.; Yakovlev, Vladislav V.; Thomas, Robert J.

2016-03-01

Monte Carlo simulations are widely considered to be the gold standard for studying the propagation of light in turbid media. However, traditional Monte Carlo methods fail to account for diffraction because they treat light as a particle. This results in converging beams focusing to a point instead of a diffraction limited spot, greatly effecting the accuracy of Monte Carlo simulations near the focal plane. Here, we present a technique capable of simulating a focusing beam in accordance to the rules of Gaussian optics, resulting in a diffraction limited focal spot. This technique can be easily implemented into any traditional Monte Carlo simulation allowing existing models to be converted to include accurate focusing geometries with minimal effort. We will present results for a focusing beam in a layered tissue model, demonstrating that for different scenarios the region of highest intensity, thus the greatest heating, can change from the surface to the focus. The ability to simulate accurate focusing geometries will greatly enhance the usefulness of Monte Carlo for countless applications, including studying laser tissue interactions in medical applications and light propagation through turbid media.

Climatic response variability and machine learning: development of a modular technology framework for predicting bio-climatic change in pacific northwest ecosystems"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seamon, E.; Gessler, P. E.; Flathers, E.

2015-12-01

The creation and use of large amounts of data in scientific investigations has become common practice. Data collection and analysis for large scientific computing efforts are not only increasing in volume as well as number, the methods and analysis procedures are evolving toward greater complexity (Bell, 2009, Clarke, 2009, Maimon, 2010). In addition, the growth of diverse data-intensive scientific computing efforts (Soni, 2011, Turner, 2014, Wu, 2008) has demonstrated the value of supporting scientific data integration. Efforts to bridge this gap between the above perspectives have been attempted, in varying degrees, with modular scientific computing analysis regimes implemented with a modest amount of success (Perez, 2009). This constellation of effects - 1) an increasing growth in the volume and amount of data, 2) a growing data-intensive science base that has challenging needs, and 3) disparate data organization and integration efforts - has created a critical gap. Namely, systems of scientific data organization and management typically do not effectively enable integrated data collaboration or data-intensive science-based communications. Our research efforts attempt to address this gap by developing a modular technology framework for data science integration efforts - with climate variation as the focus. The intention is that this model, if successful, could be generalized to other application areas. Our research aim focused on the design and implementation of a modular, deployable technology architecture for data integration. Developed using aspects of R, interactive python, SciDB, THREDDS, Javascript, and varied data mining and machine learning techniques, the Modular Data Response Framework (MDRF) was implemented to explore case scenarios for bio-climatic variation as they relate to pacific northwest ecosystem regions. Our preliminary results, using historical NETCDF climate data for calibration purposes across the inland pacific northwest region (Abatzoglou, Brown, 2011), show clear ecosystems shifting over a ten-year period (2001-2011), based on multiple supervised classifier methods for bioclimatic indicators.

UnitedHealthcare experience illustrates how payers can enable patient engagement.

PubMed

Sandy, Lewis G; Tuckson, Reed V; Stevens, Simon L

2013-08-01

Patient engagement is crucial to better outcomes and a high-performing health system, but efforts to support it often focus narrowly on the role of physicians and other care providers. Such efforts miss payers' unique capabilities to help patients achieve better health. Using the experience of UnitedHealthcare, a large national payer, this article demonstrates how health plans can analyze and present information to both patients and providers to help close gaps in care; share detailed quality and cost information to inform patients' choice of providers; and offer treatment decision support and value-based benefit designs to help guide choices of diagnostic tests and therapies. As an employer, UnitedHealth Group has used these strategies along with an "earn-back" program that provides positive financial incentives through reduced premiums to employees who adopt healthful habits. UnitedHealth's experience provides lessons for other payers and for Medicare and Medicaid, which have had minimal involvement with demand-side strategies and could benefit from efforts to promote activated beneficiaries.

Putting Your Money Where Your Mouth Is: Why Sustainability Reporting Based on the Triple Bottom Line Can Be Misleading

PubMed Central

Shnayder, Larissa; van Rijnsoever, Frank J.; Hekkert, Marko P.

2015-01-01

In the packaged food industry, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an informal requirement for which firms account through sustainability reporting. CSR behaviors are often reported and analyzed using the Triple Bottom Line (3BL) framework, which categorizes them as affecting people, planet, or profit. 3BL is useful in determining which of these categories is most elaborated upon by the firm, but has a limited scope and many documented criticisms. This paper aims to address the aforementioned insufficiencies by augmenting the 3BL framework with two important attributes of CSR practices: (1) the presence of change in core firm behavior of the firm itself or of others in the supply chain, and (2) whether the behavior qualifies as being outside of the firm’s normal business practice or is something that they might have done anyway. We qualitatively analyze CSR behaviors described in sustainability reports and interviews from major players in the packaged food industry and categorize them using these attributes as a supplement to 3BL. This enables us to separate the behaviors from their framing and analyze them more critically. Our results demonstrate how the visible CSR efforts of a firm can be misleading at first glance. Using only 3BL, we find that the CSR focus of firms in this industry is people. We then discover that the codes focusing on people (as opposed to planet or profit) require the least amount of real structural change from a firm or its supply chain partners, and thus arguably, the least amount of effort. We also find that behaviors that focus on planet require the most effort within the firm itself, but for behaviors involving supply chain partners, effort is required for behaviors in all three categories. Finally, we find that CSR behavior that is related to planet tends to go beyond normal business practice. PMID:25793612

Putting your money where your mouth is: why sustainability reporting based on the triple bottom line can be misleading.

PubMed

Shnayder, Larissa; van Rijnsoever, Frank J; Hekkert, Marko P

2015-01-01

In the packaged food industry, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an informal requirement for which firms account through sustainability reporting. CSR behaviors are often reported and analyzed using the Triple Bottom Line (3BL) framework, which categorizes them as affecting people, planet, or profit. 3BL is useful in determining which of these categories is most elaborated upon by the firm, but has a limited scope and many documented criticisms. This paper aims to address the aforementioned insufficiencies by augmenting the 3BL framework with two important attributes of CSR practices: (1) the presence of change in core firm behavior of the firm itself or of others in the supply chain, and (2) whether the behavior qualifies as being outside of the firm's normal business practice or is something that they might have done anyway. We qualitatively analyze CSR behaviors described in sustainability reports and interviews from major players in the packaged food industry and categorize them using these attributes as a supplement to 3BL. This enables us to separate the behaviors from their framing and analyze them more critically. Our results demonstrate how the visible CSR efforts of a firm can be misleading at first glance. Using only 3BL, we find that the CSR focus of firms in this industry is people. We then discover that the codes focusing on people (as opposed to planet or profit) require the least amount of real structural change from a firm or its supply chain partners, and thus arguably, the least amount of effort. We also find that behaviors that focus on planet require the most effort within the firm itself, but for behaviors involving supply chain partners, effort is required for behaviors in all three categories. Finally, we find that CSR behavior that is related to planet tends to go beyond normal business practice.

IGES, a key interface specification for CAD/CAM systems integration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, B. M.; Wellington, J.

1984-01-01

The Initial Graphics Exchange Specification (IGES) program has focused the efforts of 52 companies on the development and documentation of a means of graphics data base exchange among present day CAD/CAM systems. The project's brief history has seen the evolution of the Specification into preliminary industrial usage marked by public demonstrations of vendor capability, mandatory requests in procurement actions, and a formalization into an American National Standard in September 1981. Recent events have demonstrated intersystem data exchange among seven vendor systems with a total of 30 vendors committing to offer IGES capability. A full range of documentation supports the IGES project and the recently approved IGES Version 2.0 of the Specification.

Advanced power assessment for Czech lignite. Task 3.6, Volume 1

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

Sondreal, E.A.; Mann, M.D.; Weber, G.W.

1995-12-01

The US has invested heavily in research, development, and demonstration of efficient and environmentally acceptable technologies for the use of coal. The US has the opportunity to use its leadership position to market a range of advanced coal-based technologies internationally. For example, coal mining output in the Czech Republic has been decreasing. This decrease in demand can be attributed mainly to the changing structure of the Czech economy and to environmental constraints. The continued production of energy from indigenous brown coals is a major concern for the Czech Republic. The strong desire to continue to use this resource is amore » challenge. The Energy and Environmental Research Center undertook two major efforts recently. One effort involved an assessment of opportunities for commercialization of US coal technologies in the Czech Republic. This report is the result of that effort. The technology assessment focused on the utilization of Czech brown coals. These coals are high in ash and sulfur, and the information presented in this report focuses on the utilization of these brown coals in an economically and environmentally friendly manner. Sections 3--5 present options for utilizing the as-mined coal, while Sections 6 and 7 present options for upgrading and generating alternative uses for the lignite. Contents include Czech Republic national energy perspectives; powering; emissions control; advanced power generation systems; assessment of lignite-upgrading technologies; and alternative markets for lignite.« less

Embedded Thermal Control for Subsystems for Next Generation Spacecraft Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Didion, Jeffrey R.

2015-01-01

Thermal Fluids and Analysis Workshop, Silver Spring MD NCTS 21070-15. NASA, the Defense Department and commercial interests are actively engaged in developing miniaturized spacecraft systems and scientific instruments to leverage smaller cheaper spacecraft form factors such as CubeSats. This paper outlines research and development efforts among Goddard Space Flight Center personnel and its several partners to develop innovative embedded thermal control subsystems. Embedded thermal control subsystems is a cross cutting enabling technology integrating advanced manufacturing techniques to develop multifunctional intelligent structures to reduce Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) consumption of both the thermal control subsystem and overall spacecraft. Embedded thermal control subsystems permit heat acquisition and rejection at higher temperatures than state of the art systems by employing both advanced heat transfer equipment (integrated heat exchangers) and high heat transfer phenomena. The Goddard Space Flight Center Thermal Engineering Branch has active investigations seeking to characterize advanced thermal control systems for near term spacecraft missions. The embedded thermal control subsystem development effort consists of fundamental research as well as development of breadboard and prototype hardware and spaceflight validation efforts. This paper will outline relevant fundamental investigations of micro-scale heat transfer and electrically driven liquid film boiling. The hardware development efforts focus upon silicon based high heat flux applications (electronic chips, power electronics etc.) and multifunctional structures. Flight validation efforts include variable gravity campaigns and a proposed CubeSat based flight demonstration of a breadboard embedded thermal control system. The CubeSat investigation is technology demonstration will characterize in long-term low earth orbit a breadboard embedded thermal subsystem and its individual components to develop optimized operational schema.

Examining Longitudinal Relationship among Effort Reward Imbalance, Coping Strategies and Academic Burnout in Korean Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Boyoung; Kim, Eunjoo; Lee, Sang Min

2017-01-01

The present study examined the longitudinal relationship between effort-reward imbalance as a stressor and academic burnout as a strain. The study also examined the moderation effect of coping strategies, a problem-focused coping and an emotion-focused coping, in the relationship between effort-reward imbalance as a stressor and middle school…

Research In Nonlinear Flight Control for Tiltrotor Aircraft Operating in the Terminal Area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calise, A. J.; Rysdyk, R.

1996-01-01

The research during the first year of the effort focused on the implementation of the recently developed combination of neural net work adaptive control and feedback linearization. At the core of this research is the comprehensive simulation code Generic Tiltrotor Simulator (GTRS) of the XV-15 tilt rotor aircraft. For this research the GTRS code has been ported to a Fortran environment for use on PC. The emphasis of the research is on terminal area approach procedures, including conversion from aircraft to helicopter configuration. This report focuses on the longitudinal control which is the more challenging case for augmentation. Therefore, an attitude command attitude hold (ACAH) control augmentation is considered which is typically used for the pitch channel during approach procedures. To evaluate the performance of the neural network adaptive control architecture it was necessary to develop a set of low order pilot models capable of performing such tasks as, follow desired altitude profiles, follow desired speed profiles, operate on both sides of powercurve, convert, including flaps as well as mastangle changes, operate with different stability and control augmentation system (SCAS) modes. The pilot models are divided in two sets, one for the backside of the powercurve and one for the frontside. These two sets are linearly blended with speed. The mastangle is also scheduled with speed. Different aspects of the proposed architecture for the neural network (NNW) augmented model inversion were also demonstrated. The demonstration involved implementation of a NNW architecture using linearized models from GTRS, including rotor states, to represent the XV-15 at various operating points. The dynamics used for the model inversion were based on the XV-15 operating at 30 Kts, with residualized rotor dynamics, and not including cross coupling between translational and rotational states. The neural network demonstrated ACAH control under various circumstances. Future efforts will include the implementation into the Fortran environment of GTRS, including pilot modeling and NNW augmentation for the lateral channels. These efforts should lead to the development of architectures that will provide for fully automated approach, using similar strategies.

What's in a name? Group fitness class names and women's reasons for exercising.

PubMed

Brown, Theresa C; Miller, Bridget M; Adams, Bailey M

2017-01-01

The benefits of intrinsic exercise motivation are well recognized, yet extrinsically focused group-fitness class names/descriptions dominate the fitness industry. To explore the impact of how fitness classes are marketed, women (N = 389) were asked to indicate their preference for either intrinsically or extrinsically focused fitness classes based on title/description. Participants who favored intrinsic class names/descriptions were more likely to report greater interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, and greater effort and report exercising for health/fitness-related reasons. Those favoring extrinsic class names/descriptions were more likely to experience tension/pressure when exercising and report exercising for appearance/weight-related reasons. The results demonstrate the importance of wording when marketing fitness classes.

Advanced Launch System propulsion focused technology liquid methane turbopump technical implementation plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Csomor, A.; Nielson, C. E.

1989-01-01

This program will focus on the integration of all functional disciplines of the design, manufacturing, materials, fabrication and producibility to define and demonstrate a highly reliable, easily maintained, low cost liquid methane turbopump as a component for the STBE (Space Transportation Booster Engine) using the STME (main engine) oxygen turbopump. A cost model is to be developed to predict the recurring cost of production hardware and operations. A prime objective of the program is to design the liquid methane turbopump to be used in common with a LH2 turbopump optimized for the STME. Time phasing of the effort is presented and interrelationship of the tasks is defined. Major subcontractors are identified and their roles in the program are described.

Integrated delivery systems focus on service delivery after capitation efforts stall.

PubMed

2005-03-01

Integrated delivery systems focus on service delivery after capitation efforts stall. Integrated delivery systems are going through changes that are focusing the provider organizations more on delivering care than managing risk, says Dean C. Coddington, one of the leading researchers into capitated organizations and a senior consultant with McManis Consulting in Denver.

Uniform Doping in Quantum-Dots-Based Dilute Magnetic Semiconductor.

PubMed

Saha, Avijit; Shetty, Amitha; Pavan, A R; Chattopadhyay, Soma; Shibata, Tomohiro; Viswanatha, Ranjani

2016-07-07

Effective manipulation of magnetic spin within a semiconductor leading to a search for ferromagnets with semiconducting properties has evolved into an important field of dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMS). Although a lot of research is focused on understanding the still controversial origin of magnetism, efforts are also underway to develop new materials with higher magnetic temperatures for spintronics applications. However, so far, efforts toward quantum-dots(QDs)-based DMS materials are plagued with problems of phase separation, leading to nonuniform distribution of dopant ions. In this work, we have developed a strategy to synthesize highly crystalline, single-domain DMS system starting from a small magnetic core and allowing it to diffuse uniformly inside a thick CdS semiconductor matrix and achieve DMS QDs. X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy-scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM-EDX) indicates the homogeneous distribution of magnetic impurities inside the semiconductor QDs leading to superior magnetic property. Further, the versatility of this technique was demonstrated by obtaining ultra large particles (∼60 nm) with uniform doping concentration as well as demonstrating the high quality magnetic response.

After-action review of the 2009-10 H1N1 Influenza Outbreak Response: Ohio's Public Health System's performance.

PubMed

Mase, William A; Bickford, Beth; Thomas, Casey L; Jones, Shamika D; Bisesi, Michael

In early 2009, H1N1 influenza was identified within the human population. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials responded with focused assessment, policy development, and assurances. The response was mobilized through efforts including procurement of adequate vaccine supply, local area span of control, materials acquisition, and facilities and resource identification. Qualitative evaluation of the assurance functions specific to the system's ability to assure safe and healthy conditions are reported. The methodology mirrors the Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program used to assess system capability. Findings demonstrate the effectiveness of community responsive disease prevention efforts in partnership with the public health systems mission to unify traditional public sector systems, for-profit systems, and local area systems was accomplished. As a result of this response pharmaceutical industries, healthcare providers, healthcare agencies, police/safety, colleges, and health and human service agencies were united. Findings demonstrate the effectiveness of community response strategies utilizing feedback from system stakeholders. After-action review processes are critical in all-hazards preparedness. This analysis of local health district response to the H1N1 influenza outbreak informs future public health service delivery. Results provide a synthesis of local health department's emergency response strategies, challenges encountered, and future-focused emergency response strategy implementation. A synthesis is provided as to policy and practice developments which have emerged over the past seven years with regard to lessons learned from the 2009-10 H1N1 influenza outbreak and response.

Formal Analysis of the Remote Agent Before and After Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Havelund, Klaus; Lowry, Mike; Park, SeungJoon; Pecheur, Charles; Penix, John; Visser, Willem; White, Jon L.

2000-01-01

This paper describes two separate efforts that used the SPIN model checker to verify deep space autonomy flight software. The first effort occurred at the beginning of a spiral development process and found five concurrency errors early in the design cycle that the developers acknowledge would not have been found through testing. This effort required a substantial manual modeling effort involving both abstraction and translation from the prototype LISP code to the PROMELA language used by SPIN. This experience and others led to research to address the gap between formal method tools and the development cycle used by software developers. The Java PathFinder tool which directly translates from Java to PROMELA was developed as part of this research, as well as automatic abstraction tools. In 1999 the flight software flew on a space mission, and a deadlock occurred in a sibling subsystem to the one which was the focus of the first verification effort. A second quick-response "cleanroom" verification effort found the concurrency error in a short amount of time. The error was isomorphic to one of the concurrency errors found during the first verification effort. The paper demonstrates that formal methods tools can find concurrency errors that indeed lead to loss of spacecraft functions, even for the complex software required for autonomy. Second, it describes progress in automatic translation and abstraction that eventually will enable formal methods tools to be inserted directly into the aerospace software development cycle.

Propulsion Risk Reduction Activities for Non-Toxic Cryogenic Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Timothy D.; Klem, Mark D.; Fisher, Kenneth

2010-01-01

The Propulsion and Cryogenics Advanced Development (PCAD) Project s primary objective is to develop propulsion system technologies for non-toxic or "green" propellants. The PCAD project focuses on the development of non-toxic propulsion technologies needed to provide necessary data and relevant experience to support informed decisions on implementation of non-toxic propellants for space missions. Implementation of non-toxic propellants in high performance propulsion systems offers NASA an opportunity to consider other options than current hypergolic propellants. The PCAD Project is emphasizing technology efforts in reaction control system (RCS) thruster designs, ascent main engines (AME), and descent main engines (DME). PCAD has a series of tasks and contracts to conduct risk reduction and/or retirement activities to demonstrate that non-toxic cryogenic propellants can be a feasible option for space missions. Work has focused on 1) reducing the risk of liquid oxygen/liquid methane ignition, demonstrating the key enabling technologies, and validating performance levels for reaction control engines for use on descent and ascent stages; 2) demonstrating the key enabling technologies and validating performance levels for liquid oxygen/liquid methane ascent engines; and 3) demonstrating the key enabling technologies and validating performance levels for deep throttling liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen descent engines. The progress of these risk reduction and/or retirement activities will be presented.

Propulsion Risk Reduction Activities for Nontoxic Cryogenic Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Timothy D.; Klem, Mark D.; Fisher, Kenneth L.

2010-01-01

The Propulsion and Cryogenics Advanced Development (PCAD) Project s primary objective is to develop propulsion system technologies for nontoxic or "green" propellants. The PCAD project focuses on the development of nontoxic propulsion technologies needed to provide necessary data and relevant experience to support informed decisions on implementation of nontoxic propellants for space missions. Implementation of nontoxic propellants in high performance propulsion systems offers NASA an opportunity to consider other options than current hypergolic propellants. The PCAD Project is emphasizing technology efforts in reaction control system (RCS) thruster designs, ascent main engines (AME), and descent main engines (DME). PCAD has a series of tasks and contracts to conduct risk reduction and/or retirement activities to demonstrate that nontoxic cryogenic propellants can be a feasible option for space missions. Work has focused on 1) reducing the risk of liquid oxygen/liquid methane ignition, demonstrating the key enabling technologies, and validating performance levels for reaction control engines for use on descent and ascent stages; 2) demonstrating the key enabling technologies and validating performance levels for liquid oxygen/liquid methane ascent engines; and 3) demonstrating the key enabling technologies and validating performance levels for deep throttling liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen descent engines. The progress of these risk reduction and/or retirement activities will be presented.

Interdisciplinary modeling and analysis to reduce loss of life from tsunamis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wood, N. J.

2016-12-01

Recent disasters have demonstrated the significant loss of life and community impacts that can occur from tsunamis. Minimizing future losses requires an integrated understanding of the range of potential tsunami threats, how individuals are specifically vulnerable to these threats, what is currently in place to improve their chances of survival, and what risk-reduction efforts could be implemented. This presentation will provide a holistic perspective of USGS research enabled by recent advances in geospatial modeling to assess and communicate population vulnerability to tsunamis and the range of possible interventions to reduce it. Integrated research includes efforts to characterize the magnitude and demography of at-risk individuals in tsunami-hazard zones, their evacuation potential based on landscape conditions, nature-based mitigation to improve evacuation potential, evacuation pathways and population demand at assembly areas, siting considerations for vertical-evacuation refuges, community implications of multiple evacuation zones, car-based evacuation modeling for distant tsunamis, and projected changes in population exposure to tsunamis over time. Collectively, this interdisciplinary research supports emergency managers in their efforts to implement targeted risk-reduction efforts based on local conditions and needs, instead of generic regional strategies that only focus on hazard attributes.

CASL L2 milestone report : VUQ.Y1.03, %22Enable statistical sensitivity and UQ demonstrations for VERA.%22

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

Sung, Yixing; Adams, Brian M.; Witkowski, Walter R.

2011-04-01

The CASL Level 2 Milestone VUQ.Y1.03, 'Enable statistical sensitivity and UQ demonstrations for VERA,' was successfully completed in March 2011. The VUQ focus area led this effort, in close partnership with AMA, and with support from VRI. DAKOTA was coupled to VIPRE-W thermal-hydraulics simulations representing reactors of interest to address crud-related challenge problems in order to understand the sensitivity and uncertainty in simulation outputs with respect to uncertain operating and model form parameters. This report summarizes work coupling the software tools, characterizing uncertainties, selecting sensitivity and uncertainty quantification algorithms, and analyzing the results of iterative studies. These demonstration studies focusedmore » on sensitivity and uncertainty of mass evaporation rate calculated by VIPRE-W, a key predictor for crud-induced power shift (CIPS).« less

Solution of the lossy nonlinear Tricomi equation with application to sonic boom focusing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salamone, Joseph A., III

Sonic boom focusing theory has been augmented with new terms that account for mean flow effects in the direction of propagation and also for atmospheric absorption/dispersion due to molecular relaxation due to oxygen and nitrogen. The newly derived model equation was numerically implemented using a computer code. The computer code was numerically validated using a spectral solution for nonlinear propagation of a sinusoid through a lossy homogeneous medium. An additional numerical check was performed to verify the linear diffraction component of the code calculations. The computer code was experimentally validated using measured sonic boom focusing data from the NASA sponsored Superboom Caustic and Analysis Measurement Program (SCAMP) flight test. The computer code was in good agreement with both the numerical and experimental validation. The newly developed code was applied to examine the focusing of a NASA low-boom demonstration vehicle concept. The resulting pressure field was calculated for several supersonic climb profiles. The shaping efforts designed into the signatures were still somewhat evident despite the effects of sonic boom focusing.

Bridging the Science/Policy Gap through Boundary Chain Partnerships and Communities of Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalafatis, S.

2014-12-01

Generating the capacity to facilitate the informed usage of climate change science by decision makers on a large scale is fast becoming an area of great concern. While research demonstrates that sustained interactions between producers of such information and potential users can overcome barriers to information usage, it also demonstrates the high resource demand of these efforts. Our social science work at Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessments (GLISA) sheds light on scaling up the usability of climate science through two research areas. The first focuses on partnerships with other boundary organizations that GLISA has leveraged - the "boundary chains" approach. These partnerships reduce the transaction costs involved with outreach and have enhanced the scope of GLISA's climate service efforts to encompass new users such as First Nations groups in Wisconsin and Michigan and underserved neighborhoods in St. Paul, Minnesota. The second research area looks at the development of information usability across the regional scale of the eight Great Lakes states. It has identified the critical role that communities of practice are playing in making information usable to large groups of users who work in similar contexts and have similar information needs. Both these research areas demonstrate the emerging potential of flexible knowledge networks to enhance society's ability to prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Recent developments in microfluidic large scale integration.

PubMed

Araci, Ismail Emre; Brisk, Philip

2014-02-01

In 2002, Thorsen et al. integrated thousands of micromechanical valves on a single microfluidic chip and demonstrated that the control of the fluidic networks can be simplified through multiplexors [1]. This enabled realization of highly parallel and automated fluidic processes with substantial sample economy advantage. Moreover, the fabrication of these devices by multilayer soft lithography was easy and reliable hence contributed to the power of the technology; microfluidic large scale integration (mLSI). Since then, mLSI has found use in wide variety of applications in biology and chemistry. In the meantime, efforts to improve the technology have been ongoing. These efforts mostly focus on; novel materials, components, micromechanical valve actuation methods, and chip architectures for mLSI. In this review, these technological advances are discussed and, recent examples of the mLSI applications are summarized. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Changing the focus of Brownfields cleanups

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

Cichon, E.

The Brownfields Tax Incentive proposed by President Clinton illustrates the remarkable evolution in the government`s view of contaminated property remediation. The current program, spearheaded by the president`s Brownfields Initiative, reflects a significant shift of emphasis. Remedial programs now pinpoint the end use of the affected property as the ultimate objective, with the required cleanup of impacted media regarded as only one of several elements. In place of enforcement, government now is employing incentives--from federal policies limiting landowner liability to proposed tax incentives--to eliminate traditional obstacles to the remediation and reuse of contaminated land. Some three dozen Brownfields Initiative pilot projectsmore » have been launched across the country. These first-generation brownfields remediation efforts demonstrate that to realize the program`s regulatory and economic advantages, practical and cost-effective remedial efforts are required.« less

Erythropoietin: new approaches to improved molecular designs and therapeutic alternatives.

PubMed

Debeljak, N; Sytkowski, A J

2008-01-01

Erythropoietin (Epo) is a glycoprotein hormone that is the prime regulator of erythropoiesis. Recombinant Epo is a highly effective pharmaceutical used to correct anemias associated with renal insufficiency, cancer and other diseases. Efforts to increase its efficacy in vivo by manipulating the protein's structure have met with some success, and novel Epo-like agents are in development. Additionally, efforts to create Epo mimetic agents are underway, as is the design of agents to increase endogenous production. Because Epo has tissue protective actions outside of erythropoiesis, other designs have focused on producing erythropoietically inactive molecules that still retain extra-hematopoietic activity. The demonstration that Epo can trigger signaling in some cancer cells with, potentially, adverse effects on patient health has raised warning signs in the medical community and has gained the attention of regulatory authorities.

An assessment of non-stationarity in physiological cognitive state assessment using artificial neural networks.

PubMed

Estepp, Justin R; Klosterman, Samantha L; Christensen, James C

2011-01-01

With increased attention toward physiological cognitive state assessment as a component in the larger field of applied neuroscience, the need to develop methods for robust, stable assessment of cognitive state has been expressed as critical to designing effective augmented human-machine systems. The technique of cognitive state assessment, as well as its benefits, has been demonstrated by many research groups. In an effort to move closer toward a realized system, efforts must now be focused on critical issues that remain unsolved, namely instability of pattern classifiers over the course of hours and days. This work, as part of the Cognitive State Assessment Competition 2011, seeks to explore methods for 'learning' non-stationarity as a mitigation for more generalized patterns that are stable over time courses that are not widely discussed in the literature.

Worldly approaches to global health: 1851 to the present.

PubMed

Markel, H

2014-02-01

The tension between managing episodic, acute, and deadly pandemics and the arduous path to ameliorating the chronic maladies and social conditions that kill many more people, but in far less dramatic ways, has always shaped the agenda and work of the World Health Organization. Yet the historical record amply demonstrates how international efforts to control infectious disease, beginning in the mid-nineteenth century and extending to the present, have dominated global health policies, regulations, agendas and budgets: often at the expense of addressing more chronic health and environmental concerns. How these challenges have affected present circumstances and created demands for an entirely new conception and execution of 21st century global health efforts is the focus of this paper. Copyright © 2013 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

Middleton, Richard S.; Levine, Jonathan S.; Bielicki, Jeffrey M.

CO 2 capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology has yet to be widely deployed at a commercial scale despite multiple high-profile demonstration projects. We suggest that developing a large-scale, visible, and financially viable CCUS network could potentially overcome many barriers to deployment and jumpstart commercial-scale CCUS. To date, substantial effort has focused on technology development to reduce the costs of CO 2 capture from coal-fired power plants. Here, we propose that near-term investment could focus on implementing CO 2 capture on facilities that produce high-value chemicals/products. These facilities can absorb the expected impact of the marginal increase in the costmore » of production on the price of their product, due to the addition of CO 2 capture, more than coal-fired power plants. A financially viable demonstration of a large-scale CCUS network requires offsetting the costs of CO 2 capture by using the CO 2 as an input to the production of market-viable products. As a result, we demonstrate this alternative development path with the example of an integrated CCUS system where CO 2 is captured from ethylene producers and used for enhanced oil recovery in the U.S. Gulf Coast region.« less

Redox flow cell development and demonstration project, calendar year 1977

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Research and development on the redox flow cell conducted from January 1, 1977, to December 31, 1977, are described in this report. The major focus of the effort during 1977 was the key technology issues that directly influence the fundamental feasibility of the overall redox concept. These issues were the development of a suitable ion exchange membrane for the system, the screening and study of candidate redox couples to achieve optimum cell performance, and the carrying out of systems analysis and modeling to develop system performance goals and cost estimates.

2016 Annual Progress Report: DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program

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

Satyapal, Sunita

In the past year, the DOE Hydrogen Program (the Program) made substantial progress toward its goals and objectives. The Program has conducted comprehensive and focused efforts to enable the widespread commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in diverse sectors of the economy. With emphasis on applications that will effectively strengthen our nation's energy security and improve our stewardship of the environment, the Program engages in research, development, and demonstration of critical improvements in the technologies. Highlights of the Program's accomplishments can be found in the sub-program chapters of this report.

Final Technical Report [Cosmogenic background and shielding R&D for a Ge Neutrinoless Double Beta Decay Experiment

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

Guiseppe, Vince

2013-10-01

The USD Majorana group focused all of its effort in support of the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR (MJD) experiment. Final designs of the shielding subsystems are complete. Construction of the MJD shielding systems at SURF has begun and the proposed activities directly support the completion of the shield systems. The PI and the group contribute heavily to the onsite construction activities of the MJD experiment. The group led investigations into neutron and neutron-­induced backgrounds, shielding effectiveness and design, and radon backgrounds.

Development and applications of single particle orientation and rotational tracking in dynamic systems

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

Chen, Kuangcai

The goal of this study is to help with future data analysis and experiment designs in rotational dynamics research using DIC-based SPORT technique. Most of the current studies using DIC-based SPORT techniques are technical demonstrations. Understanding the mechanisms behind the observed rotational behaviors of the imaging probes should be the focus of the future SPORT studies. More efforts are still needed in the development of new imaging probes, particle tracking methods, instrumentations, and advanced data analysis methods to further extend the potential of DIC-based SPORT technique.

2010 Annual Progress Report: DOE Hydrogen Program

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

Not Available

In the past year, the DOE Hydrogen Program (the Program) made substantial progress toward its goals and objectives. The Program has conducted comprehensive and focused efforts to enable the widespread commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in diverse sectors of the economy. With emphasis on applications that will effectively strengthen our nation's energy security and improve our stewardship of the environment, the Program engages in research, development, and demonstration of critical improvements in the technologies. Highlights of the Program's accomplishments can be found in the sub-program chapters of this report.

2015 Annual Progress Report: DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program

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

Popovich, Neil

In the past year, the DOE Hydrogen Program (the Program) made substantial progress toward its goals and objectives. The Program has conducted comprehensive and focused efforts to enable the widespread commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in diverse sectors of the economy. With emphasis on applications that will effectively strengthen our nation's energy security and improve our stewardship of the environment, the Program engages in research, development, and demonstration of critical improvements in the technologies. Highlights of the Program's accomplishments can be found in the sub-program chapters of this report.

Proceedings: pellet fuels conference

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

Not Available

1995-12-31

The conference brought together professionals from the process- engineered-fuels (PEF), utility, paper, plastics, and boiler industries. Although the last two decades have produced technical breakthroughs, efforts to advance PEF must now focus on increasing commercial breakthroughs. Successful commercialization will depend on increasing supplier, consumer, and regulator confidence and support by demonstrating the performance and value of PEF products. Speakers provided updates on how PEF technology is evolving with respect to technical, economic, and regulatory challenges. Actions critical toward full commercialization of PEF were then considered. Discussion groups addressed materials sourcing, fuel processing and transportation, combustion, and ash handling.

A partitioned model order reduction approach to rationalise computational expenses in nonlinear fracture mechanics

PubMed Central

Kerfriden, P.; Goury, O.; Rabczuk, T.; Bordas, S.P.A.

2013-01-01

We propose in this paper a reduced order modelling technique based on domain partitioning for parametric problems of fracture. We show that coupling domain decomposition and projection-based model order reduction permits to focus the numerical effort where it is most needed: around the zones where damage propagates. No a priori knowledge of the damage pattern is required, the extraction of the corresponding spatial regions being based solely on algebra. The efficiency of the proposed approach is demonstrated numerically with an example relevant to engineering fracture. PMID:23750055

2012 Annual Progress Report: DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program

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

Not Available

In the past year, the DOE Hydrogen Program (the Program) made substantial progress toward its goals and objectives. The Program has conducted comprehensive and focused efforts to enable the widespread commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in diverse sectors of the economy. With emphasis on applications that will effectively strengthen our nation's energy security and improve our stewardship of the environment, the Program engages in research, development, and demonstration of critical improvements in the technologies. Highlights of the Program's accomplishments can be found in the sub-program chapters of this report.

New challenges for palliative nursing.

PubMed

Aranda, Sanchia

1997-05-02

Editorials by Jeanette Webber and Libby White (IJPN 2(3)) explored threats to both the nursing profession and palliative nursing as the health system faces the reality of limited resources and expanding client needs. I wish to pick up on these issues in the light of changes proposed for palliative care in one Australian state, Victoria. My central argument is that to secure the future of palliative nursing, efforts must focus on demonstrating clearly the value and contribution of nurses to client and family outcomes. Why do I think we are challenged to do this?

Stretched Lens Array (SLA) Photovoltaic Concentrator Hardware Development and Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piszczor, Michael; O'Neill, Mark J.; Eskenazi, Michael

2003-01-01

Over the past two years, the Stretched Lens Array (SLA) photovoltaic concentrator has evolved, under a NASA contract, from a concept with small component demonstrators to operational array hardware that is ready for space validation testing. A fully-functional four panel SLA solar array has been designed, built and tested. This paper will summarize the focus of the hardware development effort, discuss the results of recent testing conducted under this program and present the expected performance of a full size 7kW array designed to meet the requirements of future space missions.

Flight Dynamics and GN&C for Spacecraft Servicing Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naasz, Bo; Zimpfer, Doug; Barrington, Ray; Mulder, Tom

2010-01-01

Future human exploration missions and commercial opportunities will be enabled through In-space assembly and satellite servicing. Several recent efforts have developed technologies and capabilities to support these exciting future missions, including advances in flight dynamics and Guidance, Navigation and Control. The Space Shuttle has demonstrated significant capabilities for crewed servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and assembly of the International Space Station (ISS). Following the Columbia disaster NASA made significant progress in developing a robotic mission to service the HST. The DARPA Orbital Express mission demonstrated automated rendezvous and capture, In-space propellant transfer, and commodity replacement. This paper will provide a summary of the recent technology developments and lessons learned, and provide a focus for potential future missions.

The NASA Constellation University Institutes Project: Thrust Chamber Assembly Virtual Institute

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, P. Kevin; Rybak, Jeffry A.; Hulka, James R.; Jones, Gregg W.; Nesman, Tomas; West, Jeffrey S.

2006-01-01

This paper documents key aspects of the Constellation University Institutes Project (CUIP) Thrust Chamber Assembly (TCA) Virtual Institute (VI). Specifically, the paper details the TCA VI organizational and functional aspects relative to providing support for Constellation Systems. The TCA VI vision is put forth and discussed in detail. The vision provides the objective and approach for improving thrust chamber assembly design methodologies by replacing the current empirical tools with verified and validated CFD codes. The vision also sets out ignition, performance, thermal environments and combustion stability as focus areas where application of these improved tools is required. Flow physics and a study of the Space Shuttle Main Engine development program are used to conclude that the injector is the key to robust TCA design. Requirements are set out in terms of fidelity, robustness and demonstrated accuracy of the design tool. Lack of demonstrated accuracy is noted as the most significant obstacle to realizing the potential of CFD to be widely used as an injector design tool. A hierarchical decomposition process is outlined to facilitate the validation process. A simulation readiness level tool used to gauge progress toward the goal is described. Finally, there is a description of the current efforts in each focus area. The background of each focus area is discussed. The state of the art in each focus area is noted along with the TCA VI research focus in the area. Brief highlights of work in the area are also included.

Health Policy 2016 – Implications for Geriatric Urology

PubMed Central

Suskind, Anne M.; Clemens, J. Quentin

2016-01-01

Purpose of Review The U.S. healthcare system is undergoing fundamental changes in an effort to improve access to care, curtail healthcare spending, and improve quality of care. These efforts largely focused on Medicare, and therefore will have a fundamental impact on the care of geriatric patients. This article reviews contemporary health policy issues, with a focus on how these issues may impact the care of geriatric urology patients. Recent Findings The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has broadened the scope of Medicare coverage. Future Medicare reimbursement will be increasingly tied to care coordination, quality reporting, and demonstration of appropriate outcomes. Additional research is needed to better define the comparative effectiveness of urologic therapies in geriatric patients. Workforce projections indicate that there is a shortage of urologists in many areas of the country, and that this shortage will worsen over time unless a new funding model is instituted for graduate medical education. Summary Medicare spending drives many health policy decisions. Therefore, few health policy topics are unique to geriatrics or geriatric urology. However, certain health policy topics (e.g., care coordination, risk-stratification) are particularly germaine to the elderly patients. Urologists with a particular interest in geriatric urology should be familiar with these issues. PMID:26765043

Health policy 2016: implications for geriatric urology.

PubMed

Suskind, Anne M; Clemens, J Quentin

2016-03-01

The US healthcare system is undergoing fundamental changes in an effort to improve access to care, curtail healthcare spending, and improve quality of care. These efforts largely focused on Medicare, and therefore, will have a fundamental impact on the care of geriatric patients. This article reviews contemporary health policy issues, with a focus on how these issues may impact the care of geriatric urology patients. The Affordable Care Act has broadened the scope of Medicare coverage. Future Medicare reimbursement will be increasingly tied to care coordination, quality reporting, and demonstration of appropriate outcomes. Additional research is needed to better define the comparative effectiveness of urologic therapies in geriatric patients. Workforce projections indicate that there is a shortage of urologists in many areas of the country, and that this shortage will worsen over time unless a new funding model is instituted for graduate medical education. Medicare spending drives many health policy decisions. Therefore, few health policy topics are unique to geriatrics or geriatric urology. However, certain health policy topics (e.g., care coordination and risk-stratification) are particularly germaine to the elderly patients. Urologists with a particular interest in geriatric urology should be familiar with these issues.

Assessing anhedonia in depression: Potentials and pitfalls

PubMed Central

Rizvi, Sakina J.; Pizzagalli, Diego A.; Sproule, Beth A.; Kennedy, Sidney H.

2016-01-01

The resurgence of interest in anhedonia within major depression has been fuelled by clinical trials demonstrating its utility in predicting antidepressant response as well as recent conceptualizations focused on the role and manifestation of anhedonia in depression. Historically, anhedonia has been conceptualized as a “loss of pleasure”, yet neuropsychological and neurobiological studies reveal a multifaceted reconceptualization that emphasizes different facets of hedonic function, including desire, effort/motivation, anticipation and consummatory pleasure. To ensure generalizability across studies, evaluation of the available subjective and objective methods to assess anhedonia is necessary. The majority of research regarding anhedonia and its neurobiological underpinnings comes from preclinical research, which uses primary reward (e.g. food) to probe hedonic responding. In contrast, behavioural studies in humans primarily use secondary reward (e.g. money) to measure many aspects of reward responding, including delay discounting, response bias, prediction error, probabilistic reversal learning, effort, anticipation and consummatory pleasure. The development of subjective scales to measure anhedonia has also increased in the last decade. This review will assess the current methodology to measure anhedonia, with a focus on scales and behavioural tasks in humans. Limitations of current work and recommendations for future studies are discussed. PMID:26959336

How do feelings influence effort? An empirical study of entrepreneurs' affect and venture effort.

PubMed

Foo, Maw-Der; Uy, Marilyn A; Baron, Robert A

2009-07-01

How do feelings influence the effort of entrepreneurs? To obtain data on this issue, the authors implemented experience sampling methodology in which 46 entrepreneurs used cell phones to provide reports on their affect, future temporal focus, and venture effort twice daily for 24 days. Drawing on the affect-as-information theory, the study found that entrepreneurs' negative affect directly predicts entrepreneurs' effort toward tasks that are required immediately. Results were consistent for within-day and next-day time lags. Extending the theory, the study found that positive affect predicts venture effort beyond what is immediately required and that this relationship is mediated by future temporal focus. The mediating effects were significant only for next-day outcomes. Implications of findings on the nature of the affect-effort relationship for different time lags are discussed.

Surface Habitat Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kennedy, Kriss J.

2009-01-01

The Surface Habitat Systems (SHS) Focused Investment Group (FIG) is part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) effort to provide a focused direction and funding to the various projects that are working on human surface habitat designs and technologies for the planetary exploration missions. The overall SHS-FIG effort focuses on directing and guiding those projects that: 1) develop and demonstrate new surface habitat system concepts, innovations, and technologies to support human exploration missions, 2) improve environmental systems that interact with human habitats, 3) handle and emplace human surface habitats, and 4) focus on supporting humans living and working in habitats on planetary surfaces. The activity areas of the SHS FIG described herein are focused on the surface habitat project near-term objectives as described in this document. The SHS-FIG effort focuses on mitigating surface habitat risks (as identified by the Lunar Surface Systems Project Office (LSSPO) Surface Habitat Element Team; and concentrates on developing surface habitat technologies as identified in the FY08 gap analysis. The surface habitat gap assessment will be updated annually as the surface architecture and surface habitat definition continues to mature. These technologies are mapped to the SHS-FIG Strategic Development Roadmap. The Roadmap will bring to light the areas where additional innovative efforts are needed to support the development of habitat concepts and designs and the development of new technologies to support of the LSSPO Habitation Element development plan. Three specific areas of development that address Lunar Architecture Team (LAT)-2 and Constellation Architecture Team (CxAT) Lunar habitat design issues or risks will be focused on by the SHS-FIG. The SHS-FIG will establish four areas of development that will help the projects prepare in their planning for surface habitat systems development. Those development areas are the 1) surface habitat concept definition, 2) inflatable surface habitat development, and 3) autonomous habitat operations, and 4) cross-cutting / systems engineering. In subsequent years, the SHS-FIG will solicit a call for innovations and technologies that will support the development of these four development areas. The other development areas will be assessed yearly and identified on the SHS-FIG s Strategic Development Roadmap. Initial investment projects that are funded by the Constellation Program Office (CxPO), LSSPO, or the Exploration Technology Development Projects (ETDP) will also be included on the Roadmap. For example, in one or two years from now, the autonomous habitat operations and testbed would collaborations with the Integrated Systems Health Management (ISHM) and Automation for Operations ETDP projects, which will give the surface habitat projects an integrated habitat autonomy testbed to test software and systems. The SHS-FIG scope is to provide focused direction for multiple innovations, technologies and subsystems that are needed to support humans at a remote planetary surface habitat during the concept development, design definition, and integration phases of that project. Subsystems include: habitability, lightweight structures, power management, communications, autonomy, deployment, outfitting, life support, wireless connectivity, lighting, thermal and more.

Using aquatic vegetation to remediate nitrate, ammonium, and soluble reactive phosphorus in simulated runoff

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Within the agriculturally-intensive Mississippi River Basin of the United States, significant conservation efforts have focused on management practices that reduce nutrient runoff into receiving aquatic ecosystems. Only a small fraction of those efforts have focused on phytoremediation techniques. ...

DOD Financial Management: Improvements Needed in the Navys Audit Readiness Efforts for Fund Balance with Treasury

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-01

prioritization of key information technology limits management’s ability to focus audit readiness efforts on the systems with the highest risk...corrective actions for the higher-risk systems first. For an audit readiness plan for key information technology systems, the Navy provided a schedule...prioritization of key information technology systems used in the FBWT process limits management’s ability to focus audit readiness efforts on the most

Amperometric IFN-γ immunosensors with commercially fabricated PCB sensing electrodes.

PubMed

Moschou, Despina; Greathead, Louise; Pantelidis, Panagiotis; Kelleher, Peter; Morgan, Hywel; Prodromakis, Themistoklis

2016-12-15

Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) technology has the potential to revolutionize medical Point-of-Care diagnostics. Currently, considerable research efforts are focused on innovative production technologies that will make commercial upscaling of lab-on-chip products financially viable. Printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing techniques have several advantages in this field. In this paper we focus on transferring a complete IFN-γ enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA) onto a commercial PCB electrochemical biosensing platform, We adapted a commercially available ELISA to detect the enzyme product TMB/H2O2 using amperometry, successfully reproducing the colorimetry-obtained ELISA standard curve. The results demonstrate the potential for the integration of these components into an automated, disposable, electronic ELISA Lab-on-PCB diagnostic platform. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Placing invasive species management in a spatiotemporal context.

PubMed

Baker, Christopher M; Bode, Michael

2016-04-01

Invasive species are a worldwide issue, both ecologically and economically. A large body of work focuses on various aspects of invasive species control, including how to allocate control efforts to eradicate an invasive population as cost effectively as possible: There are a diverse range of invasive species management problems, and past mathematical analyses generally focus on isolated examples, making it hard to identify and understand parallels between the different contexts. In this study, we use a single spatiotemporal model to tackle the problem of allocating control effort for invasive species when suppressing an island invasive species, and for long-term spatial suppression projects. Using feral cat suppression as an illustrative example, we identify the optimal resource allocation for island and mainland suppression projects. Our results demonstrate how using a single model to solve different problems reveals similar characteristics of the solutions in different scenarios. As well as illustrating the insights offered by linking problems through a spatiotemporal model, we also derive novel and practically applicable results for our case studies. For temporal suppression projects on islands, we find that lengthy projects are more cost effective and that rapid control projects are only economically cost effective when population growth rates are high or diminishing returns on control effort are low. When suppressing invasive species around conservation assets (e.g., national parks or exclusion fences), we find that the size of buffer zones should depend on the ratio of the species growth and spread rate.

Overview of NASA GRC Stirling Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schreiber, Jeffrey; Thieme, Lanny

2003-01-01

The Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG) is currently being developed by Lockheed Martin Astronautics (LMA) under contract to the Depar1ment of Energy (DOE). The generator will be a high efficiency electric power source for NASA Space Science missions with the capability to operate in the vacuum of deep space or in an atmosphere such as on the surface of Mars. High system efficiency is obtained through the use of free-piston Stirling power conversion technology. Power output of the generator will be greater than 100 watts at the beginning of life with the decline in power being largely due to the decay of the plutonium heat source. In suppOl1 of the DOE SRG project, the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) has established a near-term technology effort to provide some of the critical data to ensure a successful transition to flight for what will be the first dynamic power system used in space. Initially, a limited number of technical areas were selected for the GRC effort, however this is now being expanded to more thoroughly cover a range of technical issues. The tasks include in-house testing of Stirling convertors and controllers, materials evaluation and heater head life assessment, structural dynamics, electromagnetic interference, organics evaluation, and reliability analysis. Most of these high-level tasks have several subtasks within. There is also an advanced technology effort that is complementary near-term technology effort. Many of the tests make use of the 55-We Technology Demonstration Convel10r (TDC). There have been multiple controller tests to support the LMA flight controller design effort. Preparation is continuing for a thermal/vacuum system demonstration. A pair of flight prototype TDC's have recently been placed on an extended test with unattended, continuous operation. Heater head life assessment efforts continue, with the material data being refined and the analysis moving toward the system perspective. Long-term magnet aging tests are continuing to characterize any possible aging in the strength or demagnetization resistance of the permanent magnets used in the linear alternator. In a parallel effort, higher performance magnets are also being evaluated. A reliability effort is being initiated that will help to guide the development activities with an increased focus on the necessary components and subsystems. Some other disciplines that are active in the GRC technology effort include structural dynamics, linear alternator analysis, EMI/EMC, controls, and mechanical design evaluation. This paper will provide an overview of some of the GRC technical efforts, including the current status, and a description of future efforts.

CO{sub 2} Reuse in Petrochemical Facilities

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

Jason Trembly; Brian Turk; Maruthi Pavani

2010-12-31

To address public concerns regarding the consequences of climate change from anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) emissions, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory (DOE/NETL) is actively funding a CO{sub 2} management program to develop technologies capable of mitigating CO{sub 2} emissions from power plant and industrial facilities. Over the past decade, this program has focused on reducing the costs of carbon capture and storage technologies. Recently, DOE/NETL launched an alternative CO{sub 2} mitigation program focused on beneficial CO{sub 2} reuse to support the development of technologies that mitigate emissions by converting CO{sub 2} into valuable chemicals andmore » fuels. RTI, with DOE/NETL support, has been developing an innovative beneficial CO{sub 2} reuse process for converting CO{sub 2} into substitute natural gas (SNG) by using by-product hydrogen (H{sub 2)-containing fuel gas from petrochemical facilities. This process leveraged commercial reactor technology currently used in fluid catalytic crackers in petroleum refining and a novel nickel (Ni)-based catalyst developed by RTI. The goal was to generate an SNG product that meets the pipeline specifications for natural gas, making the SNG product completely compatible with the existing natural gas infrastructure. RTI's technology development efforts focused on demonstrating the technical feasibility of this novel CO{sub 2} reuse process and obtaining the necessary engineering information to design a pilot demonstration unit for converting about 4 tons per day (tons/day) of CO{sub 2} into SNG at a suitable host site. This final report describes the results of the Phase I catalyst and process development efforts. The methanation activity of several commercial fixed-bed catalysts was evaluated under fluidized-bed conditions in a bench-scale reactor to identify catalyst performance targets. RTI developed two fluidizable Ni-based catalyst formulations (Cat-1 and Cat-3) that demonstrated equal or better performance than that of commercial methanation catalysts. The Cat-1 and Cat-3 formulations were successfully scaled up using commercial manufacturing equipment at the Sud-Chemie Inc. pilot-plant facility in Louisville, KY. Pilot transport reactor testing with RTI's Cat-1 formulation at Kellog Brown & Root's Technology Center demonstrated the ability of the process to achieve high single-pass CO{sub 2} conversion. Using information acquired from bench- and pilot-scale testing, a basic engineering design package was prepared for a 4-ton/day CO{sub 2} pilot demonstration unit, including process and instrumentation diagrams, equipment list, control philosophy, and preliminary cost estimate.« less

Fast Whole-Engine Stirling Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dyson, Rodger W.; Wilson, Scott D.; Tew, Roy C.; Demko, Rikako

2005-01-01

An experimentally validated approach is described for fast axisymmetric Stirling engine simulations. These simulations include the entire displacer interior and demonstrate it is possible to model a complete engine cycle in less than an hour. The focus of this effort was to demonstrate it is possible to produce useful Stirling engine performance results in a time-frame short enough to impact design decisions. The combination of utilizing the latest 64-bit Opteron computer processors, fiber-optical Myrinet communications, dynamic meshing, and across zone partitioning has enabled solution times at least 240 times faster than previous attempts at simulating the axisymmetric Stirling engine. A comparison of the multidimensional results, calibrated one-dimensional results, and known experimental results is shown. This preliminary comparison demonstrates that axisymmetric simulations can be very accurate, but more work remains to improve the simulations through such means as modifying the thermal equilibrium regenerator models, adding fluid-structure interactions, including radiation effects, and incorporating mechanodynamics.

NASA Systems Autonomy Demonstration Project - Development of Space Station automation technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bull, John S.; Brown, Richard; Friedland, Peter; Wong, Carla M.; Bates, William

1987-01-01

A 1984 Congressional expansion of the 1958 National Aeronautics and Space Act mandated that NASA conduct programs, as part of the Space Station program, which will yield the U.S. material benefits, particularly in the areas of advanced automation and robotics systems. Demonstration programs are scheduled for automated systems such as the thermal control, expert system coordination of Station subsystems, and automation of multiple subsystems. The programs focus the R&D efforts and provide a gateway for transfer of technology to industry. The NASA Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology is responsible for directing, funding and evaluating the Systems Autonomy Demonstration Project, which will include simulated interactions between novice personnel and astronauts and several automated, expert subsystems to explore the effectiveness of the man-machine interface being developed. Features and progress on the TEXSYS prototype thermal control system expert system are outlined.

Fast Whole-Engine Stirling Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dyson, Rodger W.; Wilson, Scott D.; Tew, Roy C.; Demko, Rikako

2007-01-01

An experimentally validated approach is described for fast axisymmetric Stirling engine simulations. These simulations include the entire displacer interior and demonstrate it is possible to model a complete engine cycle in less than an hour. The focus of this effort was to demonstrate it is possible to produce useful Stirling engine performance results in a time-frame short enough to impact design decisions. The combination of utilizing the latest 64-bit Opteron computer processors, fiber-optical Myrinet communications, dynamic meshing, and across zone partitioning has enabled solution times at least 240 times faster than previous attempts at simulating the axisymmetric Stirling engine. A comparison of the multidimensional results, calibrated one-dimensional results, and known experimental results is shown. This preliminary comparison demonstrates that axisymmetric simulations can be very accurate, but more work remains to improve the simulations through such means as modifying the thermal equilibrium regenerator models, adding fluid-structure interactions, including radiation effects, and incorporating mechanodynamics.

Data Analysis Methods for Synthetic Polymer Mass Spectrometry: Autocorrelation

PubMed Central

Wallace, William E.; Guttman, Charles M.

2002-01-01

Autocorrelation is shown to be useful in describing the periodic patterns found in high- resolution mass spectra of synthetic polymers. Examples of this usefulness are described for a simple linear homopolymer to demonstrate the method fundamentals, a condensation polymer to demonstrate its utility in understanding complex spectra with multiple repeating patterns on different mass scales, and a condensation copolymer to demonstrate how it can elegantly and efficiently reveal unexpected phenomena. It is shown that using autocorrelation to determine where the signal devolves into noise can be useful in determining molecular mass distributions of synthetic polymers, a primary focus of the NIST synthetic polymer mass spectrometry effort. The appendices describe some of the effects of transformation from time to mass space when time-of-flight mass separation is used, as well as the effects of non-trivial baselines on the autocorrelation function. PMID:27446716

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency's Technical Nuclear Forensics Research and Development Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franks, J.

2015-12-01

The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) Technical Nuclear Forensics (TNF) Research and Development (R&D) Program's overarching goal is to design, develop, demonstrate, and transition advanced technologies and methodologies that improve the interagency operational capability to provide forensics conclusions after the detonation of a nuclear device. This goal is attained through the execution of three focus areas covering the span of the TNF process to enable strategic decision-making (attribution): Nuclear Forensic Materials Exploitation - Development of targeted technologies, methodologies and tools enabling the timely collection, analysis and interpretation of detonation materials.Prompt Nuclear Effects Exploitation - Improve ground-based capabilities to collect prompt nuclear device outputs and effects data for rapid, complementary and corroborative information.Nuclear Forensics Device Characterization - Development of a validated and verified capability to reverse model a nuclear device with high confidence from observables (e.g., prompt diagnostics, sample analysis, etc.) seen after an attack. This presentation will outline DTRA's TNF R&D strategy and current investments, with efforts focusing on: (1) introducing new technical data collection capabilities (e.g., ground-based prompt diagnostics sensor systems; innovative debris collection and analysis); (2) developing new TNF process paradigms and concepts of operations to decrease timelines and uncertainties, and increase results confidence; (3) enhanced validation and verification (V&V) of capabilities through technology evaluations and demonstrations; and (4) updated weapon output predictions to account for the modern threat environment. A key challenge to expanding these efforts to a global capability is the need for increased post-detonation TNF international cooperation, collaboration and peer reviews.

New student-designed research and demonstration drop tower

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, Donald; Weislogel, Mark

A new drop tower has been designed and constructed at Portland State University. The ap-proach incorporates innovative features to increase throughput and microgravity quality in a highly public facility. Push button operation with full wireless CCTV coverage and passive magnetic deceleration provides quiet, safe operation from a single control station with low re-cycle time. A two-stage coaxial release mechanism decouples the payload from the drag shield to minimize disturbances to the experiment during release. This is especially important for fluids experiments that are highly sensitive to initial conditions. Performance of the new tower is presented including release, free fall, and deceleration accelerometer data. The two second tower is used for research and educational outreach. The research efforts focus on capillary flows and phenomena relevant to spacecraft fluid systems. The outreach efforts utilize partnerships with local primary, secondary and post-secondary institutions to promote the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

NASA's Role in Aeronautics: A Workshop. Volume 4: General aviation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

A substantially improved flow of new technology is imperative if the general aviation industry is to maintain a strong world position. Although NASA is the most eminently suited entity available to carry out the necessary research and technology development effort because of its facilities, expertise, and endorsement by the aircraft industry, less than 3% of its aeronautical R&T budget is devoted to general aviation aeronautics. It is recommended that (1) a technology program, particularly one that focuses on improving fuel efficienty and safety, be aggressively pursued by NASA; (2) NASA be assigned the role of leading basic research technology effort in general aviation up through technology demonstration; (3) a strategic plan be developed by NASA, in cooperation with the industry, and implemented in time for the 1982 budget cycle; and (4) a NASA R&T budget be allocated for general aviation adequate to support the proposed plan.

HART-II: Prediction of Blade-Vortex Interaction Loading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lim, Joon W.; Tung, Chee; Yu, Yung H.; Burley, Casey L.; Brooks, Thomas; Boyd, Doug; vanderWall, Berend; Schneider, Oliver; Richard, Hugues; Raffel, Markus

2003-01-01

During the HART-I data analysis, the need for comprehensive wake data was found including vortex creation and aging, and its re-development after blade-vortex interaction. In October 2001, US Army AFDD, NASA Langley, German DLR, French ONERA and Dutch DNW performed the HART-II test as an international joint effort. The main objective was to focus on rotor wake measurement using a PIV technique along with the comprehensive data of blade deflections, airloads, and acoustics. Three prediction teams made preliminary correlation efforts with HART-II data: a joint US team of US Army AFDD and NASA Langley, German DLR, and French ONERA. The predicted results showed significant improvements over the HART-I predicted results, computed about several years ago, which indicated that there has been better understanding of complicated wake modeling in the comprehensive rotorcraft analysis. All three teams demonstrated satisfactory prediction capabilities, in general, though there were slight deviations of prediction accuracies for various disciplines.

Lighting for Tomorrow: Building on the results of the first national energy-efficient lighting fixture design competition in the United States

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

Gordon, Kelly L.; Foster, Rebecca; McGowan, Terry

2005-05-09

Lighting for Tomorrow was the first residential lighting fixture design competition conducted in the United States to focus on energy-efficient light sources. Sponsored by the American Lighting Association, the Consortium for Energy Efficiency, and the U.S. Department of Energy, the competition was carried out in two phases between 2002 and 2004. Five winning fixture designs were selected from a field of 24 finalists. The paper describes the competition in detail, including its origins, sponsors, structure and rules, timeline, prizes, selection criteria, and judges. The paper describes the results of the competition, including industry response, promotion and publicity efforts, technical andmore » design innovations demonstrated by the winners, and retail placements to date. Finally, the paper offers several lessons learned that are instructive for future efforts to promote high-efficiency lighting through the design competition approach.« less

US Navy superconductivity program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gubser, Donald U.

1991-01-01

Both the new high temperature superconductors (HTS) and the low temperature superconductors (LTS) are important components of the Navy's total plan to integrate superconductivity into field operational systems. Fundamental research is an important component of the total Navy program and focuses on the HTS materials. Power applications (ship propulsion) use LTS materials while space applications (millimeter wave electronics) use HTS materials. The Space Experiment to be conducted at NRL will involve space flight testing of HTS devices built by industry and will demonstrate the ability to engineer and space qualify these devices for systems use. Another important component of the Navy's effort is the development of Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) magnetometers. This program will use LTS materials initially, but plans to implement HTS materials as soon as possible. Hybrid HTS/LTS systems are probable in many applications. A review of the status of the Navy's HTS materials research is given as well as an update on the Navy's development efforts in superconductivity.

Human Mars EDL Pathfinder Study: Assessment of Technology Development Gaps and Mitigations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lillard, Randolph; Olejniczak, Joe; Polsgrove, Tara; Cianciolo, Alice Dwyer; Munk, Michelle; Whetsel, Charles; Drake, Bret

2017-01-01

This paper presents the results of a NASA initiated Agency-wide assessment to better characterize the risks and potential mitigation approaches associated with landing human class Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) systems on Mars. Due to the criticality and long-lead nature of advancing EDL techniques, it is necessary to determine an appropriate strategy to improve the capability to land large payloads. A key focus of this study was to understand the key EDL risks and with a focus on determining what "must" be tested at Mars. This process identified the various risks and potential risk mitigation strategies along with the key near term technology development efforts required and in what environment those technology demonstrations were best suited. The study identified key risks along with advantages to each entry technology. In addition, it was identified that provided the EDL concept of operations (con ops) minimized large scale transition events, there was no technology requirement for a Mars pre-cursor demonstration. Instead, NASA should take a direct path to a human-scale lander.

Three-dimensional landing zone ladar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savage, James; Goodrich, Shawn; Burns, H. N.

2016-05-01

Three-Dimensional Landing Zone (3D-LZ) refers to a series of Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) programs to develop high-resolution, imaging ladar to address helicopter approach and landing in degraded visual environments with emphasis on brownout; cable warning and obstacle avoidance; and controlled flight into terrain. Initial efforts adapted ladar systems built for munition seekers, and success led to a the 3D-LZ Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) , a 27-month program to develop and demonstrate a ladar subsystem that could be housed with the AN/AAQ-29 FLIR turret flown on US Air Force Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters. Following the JCTD flight demonstration, further development focused on reducing size, weight, and power while continuing to refine the real-time geo-referencing, dust rejection, obstacle and cable avoidance, and Helicopter Terrain Awareness and Warning (HTAWS) capability demonstrated under the JCTD. This paper summarizes significant ladar technology development milestones to date, individual LADAR technologies within 3D-LZ, and results of the flight testing.

Space Station power system autonomy demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kish, James A.; Dolce, James L.; Weeks, David J.

1988-01-01

The Systems Autonomy Demonstration Program (SADP) represents NASA's major effort to demonstrate, through a series of complex ground experiments, the application and benefits of applying advanced automation technologies to the Space Station project. Lewis Research Center (LeRC) and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) will first jointly develop an autonomous power system using existing Space Station testbed facilities at each center. The subsequent 1990 power-thermal demonstration will then involve the cooperative operation of the LeRC/MSFC power system with the Johnson Space Center (JSC's) thermal control and DMS/OMS testbed facilities. The testbeds and expert systems at each of the NASA centers will be interconnected via communication links. The appropriate knowledge-based technology will be developed for each testbed and applied to problems requiring intersystem cooperation. Primary emphasis will be focused on failure detection and classification, system reconfiguration, planning and scheduling of electrical power resources, and integration of knowledge-based and conventional control system software into the design and operation of Space Station testbeds.

Integrated Computational System for Aerodynamic Steering and Visualization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hesselink, Lambertus

1999-01-01

In February of 1994, an effort from the Fluid Dynamics and Information Sciences Divisions at NASA Ames Research Center with McDonnel Douglas Aerospace Company and Stanford University was initiated to develop, demonstrate, validate and disseminate automated software for numerical aerodynamic simulation. The goal of the initiative was to develop a tri-discipline approach encompassing CFD, Intelligent Systems, and Automated Flow Feature Recognition to improve the utility of CFD in the design cycle. This approach would then be represented through an intelligent computational system which could accept an engineer's definition of a problem and construct an optimal and reliable CFD solution. Stanford University's role focused on developing technologies that advance visualization capabilities for analysis of CFD data, extract specific flow features useful for the design process, and compare CFD data with experimental data. During the years 1995-1997, Stanford University focused on developing techniques in the area of tensor visualization and flow feature extraction. Software libraries were created enabling feature extraction and exploration of tensor fields. As a proof of concept, a prototype system called the Integrated Computational System (ICS) was developed to demonstrate CFD design cycle. The current research effort focuses on finding a quantitative comparison of general vector fields based on topological features. Since the method relies on topological information, grid matching and vector alignment is not needed in the comparison. This is often a problem with many data comparison techniques. In addition, since only topology based information is stored and compared for each field, there is a significant compression of information that enables large databases to be quickly searched. This report will (1) briefly review the technologies developed during 1995-1997 (2) describe current technologies in the area of comparison techniques, (4) describe the theory of our new method researched during the grant year (5) summarize a few of the results and finally (6) discuss work within the last 6 months that are direct extensions from the grant.

Estimating restorable wetland water storage at landscape scales

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jones, Charles Nathan; Evenson, Grey R.; McLaughlin, Daniel L.; Vanderhoof, Melanie; Lang, Megan W.; McCarty, Greg W.; Golden, Heather E.; Lane, Charles R.; Alexander, Laurie C.

2018-01-01

Globally, hydrologic modifications such as ditching and subsurface drainage have significantly reduced wetland water storage capacity (i.e., volume of surface water a wetland can retain) and consequent wetland functions. While wetland area has been well documented across many landscapes and used to guide restoration efforts, few studies have directly quantified the associated wetland storage capacity. Here, we present a novel raster-based approach to quantify both contemporary and potential (i.e., restorable) storage capacities of individual depressional basins across landscapes. We demonstrate the utility of this method by applying it to the Delmarva Peninsula, a region punctuated by both depressional wetlands and drainage ditches. Across the entire peninsula, we estimated that restoration (i.e., plugging ditches) could increase storage capacity by 80%. Focusing on an individual watershed, we found that over 59% of restorable storage capacity occurs within 20 m of the drainage network, and that 93% occurs within 1 m elevation of the drainage network. Our demonstration highlights widespread ditching in this landscape, spatial patterns of both contemporary and potential storage capacities, and clear opportunities for hydrologic restoration. In Delmarva and more broadly, our novel approach can inform targeted landscape-scale conservation and restoration efforts to optimize hydrologically mediated wetland functions.

Estimating restorable wetland water storage at landscape scales.

PubMed

Jones, Charles Nathan; Evenson, Grey R; McLaughlin, Daniel L; Vanderhoof, Melanie K; Lang, Megan W; McCarty, Greg W; Golden, Heather E; Lane, Charles R; Alexander, Laurie C

2018-01-01

Globally, hydrologic modifications such as ditching and subsurface drainage have significantly reduced wetland water storage capacity (i.e., volume of surface water a wetland can retain) and consequent wetland functions. While wetland area has been well documented across many landscapes and used to guide restoration efforts, few studies have directly quantified the associated wetland storage capacity. Here, we present a novel raster-based approach to quantify both contemporary and potential (i.e., restorable) storage capacities of individual depressional basins across landscapes. We demonstrate the utility of this method by applying it to the Delmarva Peninsula, a region punctuated by both depressional wetlands and drainage ditches. Across the entire peninsula, we estimated that restoration (i.e., plugging ditches) could increase storage capacity by 80%. Focusing on an individual watershed, we found that over 59% of restorable storage capacity occurs within 20 m of the drainage network, and that 93% occurs within 1 m elevation of the drainage network. Our demonstration highlights widespread ditching in this landscape, spatial patterns of both contemporary and potential storage capacities, and clear opportunities for hydrologic restoration. In Delmarva and more broadly, our novel approach can inform targeted landscape-scale conservation and restoration efforts to optimize hydrologically mediated wetland functions.

Smoking Trends and Disparities Among Black and Non-Hispanic Whites in California

PubMed Central

Felicitas, Jamie; Fagan, Pebbles; Gruder, Charles L.; Blanco, Lyzette; Cappelli, Christopher; Trinidad, Dennis R.

2015-01-01

Objectives: The current study examined disparities in smoking trends across Blacks and non-Hispanic Whites in California. Methods: Data from the 1996 to 2008 California Tobacco Survey were analyzed to examine trends in smoking behaviors and cessation across Blacks and non-Hispanic Whites. Results: A decrease in overall ever and current smoking was observed for both Black and non-Hispanic Whites across the 12-year time period. A striking decrease in proportions of heavy daily smokers for both Black and non-Hispanic Whites were observed. Proportions of light and intermittent smokers and moderate daily smokers displayed modest increases for Blacks, but large increases for non-Hispanic Whites. Increases in successful cessation were also observed for Blacks and, to a lesser extent, for non-Hispanic Whites. Discussion: Smoking behavior and cessation trends across Blacks and non-Hispanic Whites were revealing. The decline in heavy daily and former smokers may demonstrate the success and effectiveness of tobacco control efforts in California. However, the increase in proportions of light and intermittent smokers and moderate daily smokers for both Blacks and non-Hispanic Whites demonstrates a need for tobacco cessation efforts focused on lighter smokers. PMID:25666813

Resolute efforts to cure hepatitis C: Understanding patients' reasons for completing antiviral treatment.

PubMed

Clark, Jack A; Gifford, Allen L

2015-09-01

Antiviral treatment for hepatitis C is usually difficult, demanding, and debilitating and has long offered modest prospects of successful cure. Most people who may need treatment have faced stigma of an illness associated with drug and alcohol misuse and thus may be deemed poor candidates for treatment, while completing a course of treatment typically calls for resolve and responsibility. Patients' efforts and their reasons for completing treatment have received scant attention in hepatitis C clinical policy discourse that instead focuses on problems of adherence and patients' expected failures. Thus, we conducted qualitative interviews with patients who had recently undertaken treatment to explore their reasons for completing antiviral treatment. Analysis of their narrative accounts identified four principal reasons: cure the infection, avoid a bad end, demonstrate the virtue of perseverance through a personal trial, and achieve personal rehabilitation. Their reasons reflect moral rationales that mark the social discredit ascribed to the infection and may represent efforts to restore creditable social membership. Their reasons may also reflect the selection processes that render some of the infected as good candidates for treatment, while excluding others. Explication of the moral context of treatment may identify opportunities to support patients' efforts in completing treatment, as well as illuminate the choices people with hepatitis C make about engaging in care. © US Government 2014.

The Role of IT in Campus Sustainability Efforts. An EDUCAUSE White Paper

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Carie

2009-01-01

As the impact of worldwide carbon emissions comes into sharper focus, college and university sustainability efforts are increasingly turning green, focusing on ways to use resources more efficiently, consume less, and reduce campus carbon footprints. Yet, despite the direct impact of IT on institutional carbon levels and the potential for new…

Leadership for Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services. Third Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edginton, Christopher R.; Hudson, Susan D.; Scholl, Kathleen G.

2005-01-01

This third edition of "Leadership for Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services" is unique from many different perspectives.The current effort of this book is focused on bringing together a number of interrelated elements that influence leadership in recreation, parks, and leisure service organizations. Thus, the authors have focused the effort on…

Neural Network Research: A Personal Perspective,

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-01

problems in computer science and technology today. Still others do both. Whatever the focus, here isafidred to adre efforts of a wide variety of gifted ...Still others do both. Whatever the focus, here is a field ready to challenge and reward the sustained efforts of a wide variety of gifted people. 14 7eN. a rcb

Community-University Partnerships in University Internship Programs in Indonesia: What Can We Learn from Universities with International Curricula?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anantadjaya, Sam P. D.

2011-01-01

As Indonesian higher education strives to achieve educational excellence, universities with international curricula have become a focus of improvement efforts. Many of these university efforts involve business schools forming partnerships built around internships. Yet, as this focus on internship partnerships becomes more pronounced, many…

77 FR 26511 - Announcing a National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence (NCCoE) Workshop

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-04

... possible case studies that are expected to form a central focus of collaborative efforts. The workshop will... possible case studies that are expected to form a central focus of collaborative efforts. The workshop will... together experts from industry, government and academia under one roof to develop practical, interoperable...

Restructuring Vocational Special Needs Education through Interdisciplinary Team Effort: Local Motion in the Pacific Basin.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Garnett J.; Stodden, Robert A.

1994-01-01

The Restructuring through Interdisciplinary Team Effort project focuses on changing the culture and structure of vocational special needs education in the Pacific Basin. Its three dimensions are cognitive core (best practices, outcome-focused design, strategic planning); team network of stakeholders; and systemic renewal (school-to-work…

Geometric modeling for computer aided design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schwing, James L.

1988-01-01

Research focused on two major areas. The first effort addressed the design and implementation of a technique that allows for the visualization of the real time variation of physical properties. The second effort focused on the design and implementation of an on-line help system with components designed for both authors and users of help information.

A framework for modeling and optimizing dynamic systems under uncertainty

DOE PAGES

Nicholson, Bethany; Siirola, John

2017-11-11

Algebraic modeling languages (AMLs) have drastically simplified the implementation of algebraic optimization problems. However, there are still many classes of optimization problems that are not easily represented in most AMLs. These classes of problems are typically reformulated before implementation, which requires significant effort and time from the modeler and obscures the original problem structure or context. In this work we demonstrate how the Pyomo AML can be used to represent complex optimization problems using high-level modeling constructs. We focus on the operation of dynamic systems under uncertainty and demonstrate the combination of Pyomo extensions for dynamic optimization and stochastic programming.more » We use a dynamic semibatch reactor model and a large-scale bubbling fluidized bed adsorber model as test cases.« less

A status of the Turbine Technology Team activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, Lisa W.

1992-01-01

The recent activities of the Turbine Technology Team of the Consortium for Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Application in Propulsion Technology is presented. The team consists of members from the government, industry, and universities. The goal of this team is to demonstrate the benefits to the turbine design process attainable through the application of CFD. This goal is to be achieved by enhancing and validating turbine design tools for improved loading and flowfield definition and loss prediction, and transferring the advanced technology to the turbine design process. In order to demonstrate the advantages of using CFD early in the design phase, the Space Transportation Main Engine (STME) turbines for the National Launch System (NLS) were chosen on which to focus the team's efforts. The Turbine Team activities run parallel to the STME design work.

Seasonal forecast of St. Louis encephalitis virus transmission, Florida.

PubMed

Shaman, Jeffrey; Day, Jonathan F; Stieglitz, Marc; Zebiak, Stephen; Cane, Mark

2004-05-01

Disease transmission forecasts can help minimize human and domestic animal health risks by indicating where disease control and prevention efforts should be focused. For disease systems in which weather-related variables affect pathogen proliferation, dispersal, or transmission, the potential for disease forecasting exists. We present a seasonal forecast of St. Louis encephalitis virus transmission in Indian River County, Florida. We derive an empiric relationship between modeled land surface wetness and levels of SLEV transmission in humans. We then use these data to forecast SLEV transmission with a seasonal lead. Forecast skill is demonstrated, and a real-time seasonal forecast of epidemic SLEV transmission is presented. This study demonstrates how weather and climate forecast skill-verification analyses may be applied to test the predictability of an empiric disease forecast model.

Seasonal Forecast of St. Louis Encephalitis Virus Transmission, Florida

PubMed Central

Day, Jonathan F.; Stieglitz, Marc; Zebiak, Stephen; Cane, Mark

2004-01-01

Disease transmission forecasts can help minimize human and domestic animal health risks by indicating where disease control and prevention efforts should be focused. For disease systems in which weather-related variables affect pathogen proliferation, dispersal, or transmission, the potential for disease forecasting exists. We present a seasonal forecast of St. Louis encephalitis virus transmission in Indian River County, Florida. We derive an empirical relationship between modeled land surface wetness and levels of SLEV transmission in humans. We then use these data to forecast SLEV transmission with a seasonal lead. Forecast skill is demonstrated, and a real-time seasonal forecast of epidemic SLEV transmission is presented. This study demonstrates how weather and climate forecast skill verification analyses may be applied to test the predictability of an empirical disease forecast model. PMID:15200812

A framework for modeling and optimizing dynamic systems under uncertainty

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

Nicholson, Bethany; Siirola, John

Algebraic modeling languages (AMLs) have drastically simplified the implementation of algebraic optimization problems. However, there are still many classes of optimization problems that are not easily represented in most AMLs. These classes of problems are typically reformulated before implementation, which requires significant effort and time from the modeler and obscures the original problem structure or context. In this work we demonstrate how the Pyomo AML can be used to represent complex optimization problems using high-level modeling constructs. We focus on the operation of dynamic systems under uncertainty and demonstrate the combination of Pyomo extensions for dynamic optimization and stochastic programming.more » We use a dynamic semibatch reactor model and a large-scale bubbling fluidized bed adsorber model as test cases.« less

Program test objectives milestone 3. [Integrated Propulsion Technology Demonstrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaynor, T. L.

1994-01-01

The following conclusions have been developed relative to propulsion system technology adequacy for efficient development and operation of recoverable and expendable launch vehicles (RLV and ELV) and the benefits which the integrated propulsion technology demonstrator will provide for enhancing technology: (1) Technology improvements relative to propulsion system design and operation can reduce program cost. Many features or improvement needs to enhance operability, reduce cost, and improve payload are identified. (2) The Integrated Propulsion Technology Demonstrator (IPTD) Program provides a means of resolving the majority of issues associated with improvement needs. (3) The IPTD will evaluate complex integration of vehicle and facility functions in fluid management and propulsion control systems, and provides an environment for validating improved mechanical and electrical components. (4) The IPTD provides a mechanism for investigating operational issues focusing on reducing manpower and time to perform various functions at the launch site. These efforts include model development, collection of data to validate subject models, and ultimate development of complex time line models. (5) The IPTD provides an engine test bed for tri/bi-propellant engine development firings which is representative of the actual vehicle environment. (6) The IPTD provides for only a limited multiengine configuration integration environment for RLV. Multiengine efforts may be simulated for a number of subsystems and a number of subsystems are relatively independent of the multiengine influences.

Balancing emotion and cognition: a case for decision aiding in conservation efforts.

PubMed

Wilson, Robyn S

2008-12-01

Despite advances in the quality of participatory decision making for conservation, many current efforts still suffer from an inability to bridge the gap between science and policy. Judgment and decision-making research suggests this gap may result from a person's reliance on affect-based shortcuts in complex decision contexts. I examined the results from 3 experiments that demonstrate how affect (i.e., the instantaneous reaction one has to a stimulus) influences individual judgments in these contexts and identified techniques from the decision-aiding literature that help encourage a balance between affect-based emotion and cognition in complex decision processes. In the first study, subjects displayed a lack of focus on their stated conservation objectives and made decisions that reflected their initial affective impressions. Value-focused approaches may help individuals incorporate all the decision-relevant objectives by making the technical and value-based objectives more salient. In the second study, subjects displayed a lack of focus on statistical risk and again made affect-based decisions. Trade-off techniques may help individuals incorporate relevant technical data, even when it conflicts with their initial affective impressions or other value-based objectives. In the third study, subjects displayed a lack of trust in decision-making authorities when the decision involved a negatively affect-rich outcome (i.e., a loss). Identifying shared salient values and increasing procedural fairness may help build social trust in both decision-making authorities and the decision process.

Water for electricity in India: A multi-model study of future challenges and linkages to climate change mitigation

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

Srinivasan, Shweta; Kholod, Nazar; Chaturvedi, Vaibhav

This paper provides projections of water withdrawals and consumption for electricity generation in India through 2050. Based on the results from five energy-economic modeling teams, the paper explores the implications of economic growth, power plant cooling policies, and electricity CO2 emissions reductions on water withdrawals and consumption. To isolate modeling differences, the five teams used harmonized assumptions regarding economic and population growth, the distribution of power plants by cooling technologies, and withdrawals and consumption intensities. The results demonstrate the different but potentially complementary implications of cooling technology policies and efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. The application of closed-loop cooling technologiesmore » substantially reduces water withdrawals but increases consumption. The water implications of CO2 emissions reductions, depend critically on the approach to these reductions. Focusing on wind and solar power reduces consumption and withdrawals; a focus on nuclear power increases both; and a focus on hydroelectric power could increase consumptive losses through evaporation.« less

Jumpstarting commercial-scale CO 2 capture and storage with ethylene production and enhanced oil recovery in the US Gulf

DOE PAGES

Middleton, Richard S.; Levine, Jonathan S.; Bielicki, Jeffrey M.; ...

2015-04-27

CO 2 capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology has yet to be widely deployed at a commercial scale despite multiple high-profile demonstration projects. We suggest that developing a large-scale, visible, and financially viable CCUS network could potentially overcome many barriers to deployment and jumpstart commercial-scale CCUS. To date, substantial effort has focused on technology development to reduce the costs of CO 2 capture from coal-fired power plants. Here, we propose that near-term investment could focus on implementing CO 2 capture on facilities that produce high-value chemicals/products. These facilities can absorb the expected impact of the marginal increase in the costmore » of production on the price of their product, due to the addition of CO 2 capture, more than coal-fired power plants. A financially viable demonstration of a large-scale CCUS network requires offsetting the costs of CO 2 capture by using the CO 2 as an input to the production of market-viable products. As a result, we demonstrate this alternative development path with the example of an integrated CCUS system where CO 2 is captured from ethylene producers and used for enhanced oil recovery in the U.S. Gulf Coast region.« less

Computational nuclear quantum many-body problem: The UNEDF project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bogner, S.; Bulgac, A.; Carlson, J.; Engel, J.; Fann, G.; Furnstahl, R. J.; Gandolfi, S.; Hagen, G.; Horoi, M.; Johnson, C.; Kortelainen, M.; Lusk, E.; Maris, P.; Nam, H.; Navratil, P.; Nazarewicz, W.; Ng, E.; Nobre, G. P. A.; Ormand, E.; Papenbrock, T.; Pei, J.; Pieper, S. C.; Quaglioni, S.; Roche, K. J.; Sarich, J.; Schunck, N.; Sosonkina, M.; Terasaki, J.; Thompson, I.; Vary, J. P.; Wild, S. M.

2013-10-01

The UNEDF project was a large-scale collaborative effort that applied high-performance computing to the nuclear quantum many-body problem. The primary focus of the project was on constructing, validating, and applying an optimized nuclear energy density functional, which entailed a wide range of pioneering developments in microscopic nuclear structure and reactions, algorithms, high-performance computing, and uncertainty quantification. UNEDF demonstrated that close associations among nuclear physicists, mathematicians, and computer scientists can lead to novel physics outcomes built on algorithmic innovations and computational developments. This review showcases a wide range of UNEDF science results to illustrate this interplay.

2011 Annual Progress Report: DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program (Book)

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

Not Available

In the past year, the DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Program (the Program) made substantial progress toward its goals and objectives. The Program has conducted comprehensive and focused efforts to enable the widespread commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in diverse sectors of the economy. With emphasis on applications that will effectively strengthen our nation's energy security and improve our stewardship of the environment, the Program engages in research, development, and demonstration of critical improvements in the technologies. Highlights of the Program's accomplishments can be found in the sub-program chapters of this report.

Effective organizational solutions for implementation of DBMS software packages

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, D.

1984-01-01

The space telescope management information system development effort is a guideline for discussing effective organizational solutions used in implementing DBMS software. Focus is on the importance of strategic planning. The value of constructing an information system architecture to conform to the organization's managerial needs, the need for a senior decision maker, dealing with shifting user requirements, and the establishment of a reliable working relationship with the DBMS vendor are examined. Requirements for a schedule to demonstrate progress against a defined timeline and the importance of continued monitoring for production software control, production data control, and software enhancements are also discussed.

Modular reservoir concept for MEMS-based transdermal drug delivery systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cantwell, Cara T.; Wei, Pinghung; Ziaie, Babak; Rao, Masaru P.

2014-11-01

While MEMS-based transdermal drug delivery device development efforts have typically focused on tightly-integrated solutions, we propose an alternate conception based upon a novel, modular drug reservoir approach. By decoupling the drug storage functionality from the rest of the delivery system, this approach seeks to minimize cold chain storage volume, enhance compatibility with conventional pharmaceutical practices, and allow independent optimization of reservoir device design, materials, and fabrication. Herein, we report the design, fabrication, and preliminary characterization of modular reservoirs that demonstrate the virtue of this approach within the application context of transdermal insulin administration for diabetes management.

FY 2014 Annual Progress Report - Advanced Combustion Engine Research and Development (Book)

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

Not Available

In the past year, the DOE Hydrogen Program (the Program) made substantial progress toward its goals and objectives. The Program has conducted comprehensive and focused efforts to enable the widespread commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies in diverse sectors of the economy. With emphasis on applications that will effectively strengthen our nation's energy security and improve our stewardship of the environment, the Program engages in research, development, and demonstration of critical improvements in the technologies. Highlights of the Program's accomplishments can be found in the sub-program chapters of this report.

Overview of the Small Aircraft Transportation System Project Four Enabling Operating Capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Viken, Sally A.; Brooks, Frederick M.; Johnson, Sally C.

2005-01-01

It has become evident that our commercial air transportation system is reaching its peak in terms of capacity, with numerous delays in the system and the demand still steadily increasing. NASA, FAA, and the National Consortium for Aviation Mobility (NCAM) have partnered to aid in increasing the mobility throughout the United States through the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) project. The SATS project has been a five-year effort to provide the technical and economic basis for further national investment and policy decisions to support a small aircraft transportation system. The SATS vision is to enable people and goods to have the convenience of on-demand point-to-point travel, anywhere, anytime for both personal and business travel. This vision can be obtained by expanding near all-weather access to more than 3,400 small community airports that are currently under-utilized throughout the United States. SATS has focused its efforts on four key operating capabilities that have addressed new emerging technologies, procedures, and concepts to pave the way for small aircraft to operate in nearly all weather conditions at virtually any runway in the United States. These four key operating capabilities are: Higher Volume Operations at Non-Towered/Non-Radar Airports, En Route Procedures and Systems for Integrated Fleet Operations, Lower Landing Minimums at Minimally Equipped Landing Facilities, and Increased Single Pilot Performance. The SATS project culminated with the 2005 SATS Public Demonstration in Danville, Virginia on June 5th-7th, by showcasing the accomplishments achieved throughout the project and demonstrating that a small aircraft transportation system could be viable. The technologies, procedures, and concepts were successfully demonstrated to show that they were safe, effective, and affordable for small aircraft in near all weather conditions. The focus of this paper is to provide an overview of the technical and operational feasibility of the four operating capabilities, and explain how they can enable a small aircraft transportation system.

Improved Wide Operating Temperature Range of LiNiCoAiO2-based Li-ion Cells with Methyl Propionate-based Electrolytes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smart, Marshall C.; Tomcsi, Michael R.; Hwang, C.; Whitcanack, L. D.; Bugga, Ratnakumar V.; Nagata, Mikito; Visco, Vince; Tsukamoto, Hisashi

2012-01-01

Demonstration of wide operating temperature range Li-ion electrolytes Methyl propionate-based wide operating temperature range electrolytes were demonstrated to provide dramatic improvement of the low temperature capability of Quallion prototype Li-ion cells (MCMB-LiNiCoAlO2). Some formulations were observed to deliver over 60% of the room temperature capacity using a 5C rate at - 40oC !! Represents over a 4-fold improvement over the baseline electrolyte system. Demonstrated operational capability of a number of systems over a wide temperature range (-40 to +70 C) Demonstrated reasonably good long term cycle life performance at high temperature (i.e., at +40deg and +50 C) A number of formulations containing electrolytes additives (i.e., FEC, VC, LiBOB, and lithium oxalate) have been shown to have enhanced lithium kinetics at low temperature and promising high temperature resilience. Demonstrated good performance in larger capacity (12 Ah) Quallion Li-ion cells with methyl propionate-based electrolytes. Current efforts focused upon performing life studies and the impact upon low temperature capability.

Testing a two-scale focused conservation strategy for reducing phosphorus and sediment loads from agricultural watersheds

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carvin, Rebecca; Good, Laura W.; Fitzpatrick, Faith A.; Diehl, Curt; Songer, Katherine; Meyer, Kimberly J.; Panuska, John C.; Richter, Steve; Whalley, Kyle

2018-01-01

This study tested a focused strategy for reducing phosphorus (P) and sediment loads in agricultural streams. The strategy involved selecting small watersheds identified as likely to respond relatively quickly, and then focusing conservation practices on high-contributing fields within those watersheds. Two 5,000 ha (12,360 ac) watersheds in the Driftless Area of south central Wisconsin, previously ranked in the top 6% of similarly sized Wisconsin watersheds for expected responsiveness to conservation efforts to reduce high P and sediment loads, were chosen for the study. The stream outlets from both watersheds were monitored from October of 2006 through September of 2016 for streamflow and concentrations of sediment, total P, and, beginning in October of 2009, total dissolved P. Fields and pastures having the highest potential P delivery to the streams in each watershed were identified using the Wisconsin P Index (Good et al. 2012). After three years of baseline monitoring (2006 to 2009), farmers implemented both field- and farm-based conservation practices in one watershed (treatment) as a means to reduce sediment and P inputs to the stream from the highest contributing areas, whereas there were no out-of-the-ordinary conservation efforts in the second watershed (control). Implementation occurred primarily in 2011 and 2012. In the four years following implementation of conservation practices (2013 through 2016), there was a statistically significant reduction in storm-event suspended sediment loads in the treatment watershed compared to the control watershed when the ground was not frozen (p = 0.047). While there was an apparent reduction in year-round suspended sediment event loads, it was not statistically significant at the 95% confidence level (p = 0.15). Total P loads were significantly reduced for runoff events (p < 0.01) with a median reduction of 50%. Total P and total dissolved P concentrations for low-flow conditions were also significantly reduced (p < 0.01) compared to the control watershed. This study demonstrated that a strategy that first identifies watersheds likely to respond to conservation efforts and then focuses implementation on relatively high-contributing fields within those watersheds can be successful in reducing stream P concentrations and loads.

Environmental Restoration and Waste Management: An Introduction. Student Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Department of Energy, Washington, DC.

This technical document focuses on the Department of Energy's (DOE) efforts to restore the environment and manage nuclear waste. This student edition was rewritten and edited by a team of high school students in order to make it "user-friendly" for high school students and the general public. The document focuses on the efforts of the…

Primary Prevention of Heart Failure

PubMed Central

Butler, Javed

2012-01-01

Most heart failure research and quality improvement efforts are targeted at treatment and secondary prevention of patients with manifest heart failure. This is distinct from coronary disease where primary prevention has been a focus for over three decades. Given the current importance and the projected worsening of heart failure epidemiology, a more focused effort on prevention is urgently needed. PMID:22957272

Program Standards and Expectations: Providing Clarity, Consistency, and Focus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diem, Keith G.

2016-01-01

The effort described in this article resulted from requests for clarity and consistency from new and existing Extension/4-H educators as well as from recommendations by university auditors. The primary purpose of the effort was to clarify standards for effective county-based 4-H youth development programs and to help focus the roles of 4-H…

Expanding the Conversation about SEM: Advancing SEM Efforts to Improve Student Learning and Persistence--Part II

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yale, Amanda

2010-01-01

The first article in this two-part series focused on the need for enrollment management conceptual and organizational models to focus more intentionally and purposefully on efforts related to improving student learning, success, and persistence. Time and again, SEM is viewed from a conventional lens comprising marketing, recruitment and …

Access to Democracy Project: Community Report on Attitudes Regarding Educational Attainment. Grand Rapids (Michigan) Surrounding Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daun-Barnett, Nathan J.; Bowman, Nicholas A.

2005-01-01

The "Access to Democracy" project has two broad goals. It is an effort to understand community beliefs, attitudes and conditions that shape educational outcomes for community youth, and it is a way to focus community discussions on efforts that support higher educational attainment for residents. This report focuses on the lessons…

Effortful Control and Adaptive Functioning of Homeless Children: Variable-Focused and Person-Focused Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obradovic, Jelena

2010-01-01

Homeless children show significant developmental delays across major domains of adaptation, yet research on protective processes that may contribute to resilient adaptation in this highly disadvantaged group of children is extremely rare. This study examined the role of effortful control for adaption in 58 homeless children, ages 5-6, during their…

What is known about tobacco industry efforts to influence tobacco tax? A systematic review of empirical studies.

PubMed

Smith, Katherine E; Savell, Emily; Gilmore, Anna B

2013-03-01

To systematically review studies of tobacco industry efforts to influence tobacco tax policies. Searches were conducted between 1 October 2009 and 31 March 2010 in 14 databases/websites, in relevant bibliographies and via experts. Studies were included if they focused on industry efforts to influence tobacco tax policies, drew on empirical evidence, were in English and concerned the period 1985-2010. In total, 36 studies met these criteria. Two reviewers undertook data extraction and critical appraisal. A random selection of 15 studies (42%) was subject to second review. Evidence was assessed thematically to identify distinct tobacco industry aims, arguments and tactics. A total of 34 studies examined industry efforts to influence tax levels. They suggest the tobacco industry works hard to prevent significant increases and particularly dislikes taxes 'earmarked' for tobacco control. Key arguments to counter increases are that tobacco taxes are socially regressive, unfair and lead to increased levels of illicit trade and negative economic impacts. For earmarked taxes, the industry also frequently tries to raise concerns about revenue allocation. Assessing industry arguments against established evidence demonstrates most are unsupported. Key industry tactics include: establishing 'front groups', securing credible allies, direct lobbying and publicity campaigns. Only seven studies examined efforts to influence tax structures. They suggest company preferences vary and tactics centre on direct lobbying. The tobacco industry has historically tried to keep tobacco taxes low using consistent tactics and misleading arguments. Further research is required to explore efforts to influence tax structures, excise policies beyond the USA and recent policies.

What is known about tobacco industry efforts to influence tobacco tax? A systematic review of empirical studies

PubMed Central

Smith, K.E.; Savell, E.; Gilmore, A.B.

2013-01-01

Objective To systematically review studies of tobacco industry efforts to influence tax policies. Data sources We conducted searches between 1st October 2009 and 31st March 2010 on 14 databases/websites, in relevant bibliographies and via experts. Study selection We included studies if they: focused on industry efforts to influence tobacco tax policies; drew on empirical evidence; were in English; concerned the period 1985–2010. 36 studies met these criteria. Data extraction Two reviewers undertook data extraction and critical appraisal. A random selection of 15 studies (42%) was subject to second review. Data synthesis We assessed evidence thematically to identify distinct tobacco industry aims, arguments and tactics. 34 studies examined industry efforts to influence tax levels. They suggest industry works hard to prevent significant increases and particularly dislikes taxes ‘earmarked’ for tobacco control. Key arguments to counter increases are that tobacco taxes are socially regressive, unfair and lead to increased levels of illicit trade and negative economic impacts. For earmarked taxes, the industry also frequently tries to raise concerns about revenue allocation. Assessing industry arguments against established evidence demonstrates most are unsupported. Key industry tactics include: establishing ‘front groups’; securing credible allies, direct lobbying; and publicity campaigns. Only seven studies examined efforts to influence tax structures. They suggest company preferences vary and tactics centre on direct lobbying. Conclusions The tobacco industry has historically tried to keep tobacco taxes low using consistent tactics and misleading arguments. Further research is required to explore efforts to influence: tax structures; excise policies beyond the US; recent policies. PMID:22887175

Propulsion/ASME Rocket-Based Combined Cycle Activities in the Advanced Space Transportation Program Office

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hueter, Uwe; Turner, James

1998-01-01

NASA's Office Of Aeronautics and Space Transportation Technology (OASTT) has establish three major coals. "The Three Pillars for Success". The Advanced Space Transportation Program Office (ASTP) at the NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville,Ala. focuses on future space transportation technologies under the "Access to Space" pillar. The Advanced Reusable Technologies (ART) Project, part of ASTP, focuses on the reusable technologies beyond those being pursued by X-33. The main activity over the past two and a half years has been on advancing the rocket-based combined cycle (RBCC) technologies. In June of last year, activities for reusable launch vehicle (RLV) airframe and propulsion technologies were initiated. These activities focus primarily on those technologies that support the year 2000 decision to determine the path this country will take for Space Shuttle and RLV. In February of this year, additional technology efforts in the reusable technologies were awarded. The RBCC effort that was completed early this year was the initial step leading to flight demonstrations of the technology for space launch vehicle propulsion. Aerojet, Boeing-Rocketdyne and Pratt & Whitney were selected for a two-year period to design, build and ground test their RBCC engine concepts. In addition, ASTROX, Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and University of Alabama in Huntsville also conducted supporting activities. The activity included ground testing of components (e.g., injectors, thrusters, ejectors and inlets) and integrated flowpaths. An area that has caused a large amount of difficulty in the testing efforts is the means of initiating the rocket combustion process. All three of the prime contractors above were using silane (SiH4) for ignition of the thrusters. This follows from the successful use of silane in the NASP program for scramjet ignition. However, difficulties were immediately encountered when silane (an 80/20 mixture of hydrogen/silane) was used for rocket ignition.

The E-3 Project: A Collaborative Curriculum Development Effort.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Lynn R.; And Others

This paper chronicles the effort of a curriculum development team to alter the high school social studies curriculum, its content, and instructional methods. Specifically, Entrepreneur/Economic Education (E-3) is the focus of this curriculum reform effort. The E-3 program is designed as a four-year cooperative effort involving selected teachers,…

Review of synthetic approaches toward maoecrystal V.

PubMed

Smith, Brandon R; Njardarson, Jon T

2018-05-18

Synthetic approaches toward the complex natural product diterpenoid maoecrystal V are reviewed, including successful total syntheses, published synthetic efforts, and efforts compiled from dissertations. The review focuses on general synthetic strategies and chronicles efforts toward the molecule since its isolation in 2004, summarizing key contributions of these efforts to the broader synthetic community.

Enabling scientific teamwork

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hereld, Mark; Hudson, Randy; Norris, John; Papka, Michael E.; Uram, Thomas

2009-07-01

The Computer Supported Collaborative Work research community has identified that the technology used to support distributed teams of researchers, such as email, instant messaging, and conferencing environments, are not enough. Building from a list of areas where it is believed technology can help support distributed teams, we have divided our efforts into support of asynchronous and synchronous activities. This paper will describe two of our recent efforts to improve the productivity of distributed science teams. One effort focused on supporting the management and tracking of milestones and results, with the hope of helping manage information overload. The second effort focused on providing an environment that supports real-time analysis of data. Both of these efforts are seen as add-ons to the existing collaborative infrastructure, developed to enhance the experience of teams working at a distance by removing barriers to effective communication.

Using Songbird Monitoring to Guide and Evaluate Riparian Restoration in Salmonid-Focused Stream Rehabilitation Projects

Treesearch

Ryan D. Burnett; Thomas Gardali; Geoffrey R. Geupel

2005-01-01

A restoration effort, primarily focused on reducing stranding and improving passage of anadromous fish, has been undertaken along sections of lower Clear Creek, Shasta County, California. Similar projects are occurring throughout California and, indeed, all of North America. To monitor the effects of these efforts at Clear Creek we implemented a multi-faceted songbird...

Beyond Language: Strategies for Promoting Academic Excellence among Immigrant Students. The Claremont Letter. Volume 2, Issue 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perez, William

2007-01-01

In this issue of "The Claremont Letter," the author argues that efforts to educate immigrant youth need to expand beyond a sole focus on language. Focusing solely on getting immigrant students to become English Proficient is short-sighted and inadequate. Efforts to educate immigrant youth need to include recognition of the various…

AF-M315E Propulsion System Advances and Improvements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Masse, Robert K.; Allen, May; Driscoll, Elizabeth; Spores, Ronald A.; Arrington, Lynn A.; Schneider, Steven J.; Vasek, Thomas E.

2016-01-01

Even as for the GR-1 awaits its first on-orbit demonstration on the planned 2017 launch of NASA's Green Propulsion Infusion Mission (GPIM) program, ongoing efforts continue to advance the technical state-of-the-art through improvements in the performance, life capability, and affordability of both Aerojet Rocketdyne's 1-N-class GR-1 and 20-N-class GR-22 green monopropellant thrusters. Hot-fire testing of a design upgrade of the GR-22 thruster successfully demonstrated resolution of a life-limiting thermo-structural issue encountered during prototype testing on the GPIM program, yielding both an approximately 2x increase in demonstrating life capability, as well as fundamental insights relating to how ionic liquid thrusters operate, thruster scaling, and operational factors affecting catalyst bed life. Further, a number of producibility improvements, related to both materials and processes and promising up to 50% unit cost reduction, have been identified through a comprehensive Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DFMA) assessment activity recently completed at Aerojet Rocketdyne. Focused specifically on the GR-1 but applicable to the common-core architecture of both thrusters, ongoing laboratory (heavyweight) thruster testing being conducted under a Space Act Agreement at NASA Glenn Research Center has already validated a number of these proposed manufacturability upgrades, additionally achieving a greater than 40% increase in thruster life. In parallel with technical advancements relevant to conventional large spacecraft, a joint effort between NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne is underway to prepare 1-U CubeSat AF-M315E propulsion module for first flight demonstration in 2018.

An Overview of the Launch Vehicle Blast Environments Development Efforts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richardson, Erin; Bangham, Mike; Blackwood, James; Skinner, Troy; Hays, Michael; Jackson, Austin; Richman, Ben

2014-01-01

NASA has been funding an ongoing development program to characterize the explosive environments produced during a catastrophic launch vehicle accident. These studies and small-scale tests are focused on the near field environments that threaten the crew. The results indicate that these environments are unlikely to result in immediate destruction of the crew modules. The effort began as an independent assessment by NASA safety organizations, followed by the Ares program and NASA Engineering and Safety Center and now as a Space Launch Systems (SLS) focused effort. The development effort is using the test and accident data available from public or NASA sources as well as focused scaled tests that are examining the fundamental aspects of uncontained explosions of Hydrogen and air and Hydrogen and Oxygen. The primary risk to the crew appears to be the high-energy fragments and these are being characterized for the SLS. The development efforts will characterize the thermal environment of the explosions as well to ensure that the risk is well understood and to document the overall energy balance of an explosion. The effort is multi-path in that analytical, computational and focused testing is being used to develop the knowledge to understand potential SLS explosions. This is an ongoing program with plans that expand the development from fundamental testing at small-scale levels to large-scale tests that can be used to validate models for commercial programs. The ultimate goal is to develop a knowledge base that can be used by vehicle designers to maximize crew survival in an explosion.

HIAD Advancements and Extension of Mission Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, R. Keith; Cheatwood, F. McNeil; Calomino, Anthony M.; Hughes, Stephen J.; Korzun, Ashley M.; DiNonno, John M.; Lindell, Mike C.; Swanson, Greg T.

2016-01-01

The Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (HIAD) technology has made significant advancements over the last decade with flight test demonstrations and ground development campaigns. The first generation (Gen-1) design and materials were flight tested with the successful third Inflatable Reentry Vehicle Experiment flight test of a 3-m HIAD (IRVE-3). Ground development efforts incorporated materials with higher thermal capabilities for the inflatable structure (IS) and flexible thermal protection system (F-TPS) as a second generation (Gen-2) system. Current efforts and plans are focused on extending capabilities to improve overall system performance and reduce areal weight, as well as expand mission applicability. F-TPS materials that offer greater thermal resistance, and ability to be packed to greater density, for a given thickness are being tested to demonstrated thermal performance benefits and manufacturability at flight-relevant scale. IS materials and construction methods are being investigated to reduce mass, increase load capacities, and improve durability for packing. Previous HIAD systems focused on symmetric geometries using stacked torus construction. Flight simulations and trajectory analysis show that symmetrical HIADs may provide L/D up to 0.25 via movable center of gravity (CG) offsets. HIAD capabilities can be greatly expanded to suit a broader range of mission applications with asymmetric shapes and/or modulating L/D. Various HIAD concepts are being developed to provide greater control to improve landing accuracy and reduce dependency upon propulsion systems during descent and landing. Concepts being studied include a canted stack torus design, control surfaces, and morphing configurations that allow the shape to be actively manipulated for flight control. This paper provides a summary of recent HIAD development activities, and plans for future HIAD developments including advanced materials, improved construction techniques, and alternate geometry concepts that will greatly expand HIAD mission applications.

Discerning bias in forensic psychological reports in insanity cases.

PubMed

Neal, Tess M S

2018-04-19

This project began as an attempt to develop systematic, measurable indicators of bias in written forensic mental health evaluations focused on the issue of insanity. Although forensic clinicians observed in this study did vary systematically in their report-writing behaviors on several of the indicators of interest, the data are most useful in demonstrating how and why bias is hard to ferret out. Naturalistic data were used in this project (i.e., 122 real forensic insanity reports), which in some ways is a strength. However, given the nature of bias and the problem of inferring whether a particular judgment is biased, naturalistic data also made arriving at conclusions about bias difficult. This paper describes the nature of bias - including why it is a special problem in insanity evaluations - and why it is hard to study and document. It details the efforts made in an attempt to find systematic indicators of potential bias, and how this effort was successful in part, but also how and why it failed. The lessons these efforts yield for future research are described. We close with a discussion of the limitations of this study and future directions for work in this area. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The three-dimensional structures of bacterial reaction centers.

PubMed

Olson, T L; Williams, J C; Allen, J P

2014-05-01

This review presents a broad overview of the research that enabled the structure determination of the bacterial reaction centers from Blastochloris viridis and Rhodobacter sphaeroides, with a focus on the contributions from Duysens, Clayton, and Feher. Early experiments performed in the laboratory of Duysens and others demonstrated the utility of spectroscopic techniques and the presence of photosynthetic complexes in both oxygenic and anoxygenic photosynthesis. The laboratories of Clayton and Feher led efforts to isolate and characterize the bacterial reaction centers. The availability of well-characterized preparations of pure and stable reaction centers allowed the crystallization and subsequent determination of the structures using X-ray diffraction. The three-dimensional structures of reaction centers revealed an overall arrangement of two symmetrical branches of cofactors surrounded by transmembrane helices from the L and M subunits, which also are related by the same twofold symmetry axis. The structure has served as a framework to address several issues concerning bacterial photosynthesis, including the directionality of electron transfer, the properties of the reaction center-cytochrome c 2 complex, and the coupling of proton and electron transfer. Together, these research efforts laid the foundation for ongoing efforts to address an outstanding question in oxygenic photosynthesis, namely the molecular mechanism of water oxidation.

Probabilistic Structural Analysis Methods (PSAM) for select space propulsion system components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

This annual report summarizes the work completed during the third year of technical effort on the referenced contract. Principal developments continue to focus on the Probabilistic Finite Element Method (PFEM) which has been under development for three years. Essentially all of the linear capabilities within the PFEM code are in place. Major progress in the application or verifications phase was achieved. An EXPERT module architecture was designed and partially implemented. EXPERT is a user interface module which incorporates an expert system shell for the implementation of a rule-based interface utilizing the experience and expertise of the user community. The Fast Probability Integration (FPI) Algorithm continues to demonstrate outstanding performance characteristics for the integration of probability density functions for multiple variables. Additionally, an enhanced Monte Carlo simulation algorithm was developed and demonstrated for a variety of numerical strategies.

Status of fusion research and implications for D/He-3 systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miley, George H.

1988-01-01

World wide programs in both magnetic confinement and inertial confinement fusion research have made steady progress towards the experimental demonstration of energy breakeven. However, after breakeven is achieved, considerable time and effort must still be expended to develop a usable power plant. The main program described is focused on Deuterium-Tritium devices. In magnetic confinement, three of the most promising high beta approaches with a reasonable experimental data base are the Field Reversed Configuration, the high field tokamak, and the dense Z-pinch. The situation is less clear in inertial confinement where the first step requires an experimental demonstration of D/T spark ignition. It appears that fusion research has reached a point in time where an R and D plan to develop a D/He-3 fusion reactor can be laid out with some confidence of success.

Fast Charge Battery Electric Transit Bus In-Use Fleet Evaluation

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

Prohaska, Robert; Kelly, Kenneth; Eudy, Leslie

2016-07-25

The focus of this interim fleet evaluation is to characterize and evaluate the operating behavior of Foothill Transit's fast charge battery electric buses (BEBs). Future research will compare the BEBs' performance to conventional vehicles. In an effort to better understand the impacts of drive cycle characteristics on advanced vehicle technologies, researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory analyzed over 148,000 km of in-use operational data, including driving and charging events. This analysis provides an unbiased evaluation of advanced vehicle technologies in real-world operation demonstrating the importance of understanding the effects of road grade and heating, ventilating and air conditioning requirementsmore » when deploying electric vehicles. The results of this analysis show that the Proterra BE35 demonstrated an operating energy efficiency of 1.34 kWh/km over the data reporting period.« less

Fast Charge Battery Electric Transit Bus In-Use Fleet Evaluation: Preprint

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

Prohaska, Robert; Eudy, Leslie; Kelly, Kenneth

2016-05-06

The focus of this interim fleet evaluation is to characterize and evaluate the operating behavior of Foothill Transit's fast charge battery electric buses (BEBs). Future research will compare the BEBs' performance to conventional vehicles. In an effort to better understand the impacts of drive cycle characteristics on advanced vehicle technologies, researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory analyzed over 148,000 km of in-use operational data, including driving and charging events. This analysis provides an unbiased evaluation of advanced vehicle technologies in real-world operation demonstrating the importance of understanding the effects of road grade and heating, ventilating and air conditioning requirementsmore » when deploying electric vehicles. The results of this analysis show that the Proterra BE35 demonstrated an operating energy efficiency of 1.34 kWh/km over the data reporting period.« less

Implementing the new HEDIS hypertension performance measure.

PubMed

Sennett, C

2000-04-01

There is a problem with blood pressure control in the United States--a problem with significant implications for the health and welfare of the populace. This problem is bigger than managed care, but managed care organizations have both unique opportunities and unique obligations to address it. NCQA has responded to this problem, and to the opportunity for better care implicit in it, by introducing into HEDIS a measure that focuses on hypertension control. This measure will add pressure to health plans to address the problem of hypertension control, but it also will create the opportunity for positive recognition for those plans that succeed. The HEDIS hypertension measure is well grounded in both the science of medicine and the science of measurement. But HEDIS measurement alone will not create change. To effect change will require analysis of the problems that limit the delivery of effective care to patients with hypertension. It will require measurement of the success of the key processes of care upon which effective care depends. And it will require response--rational, focused, and operationally effective. These, in turn, will challenge key managers in health plans. Medical directors will have to influence provider behavior. Pharmacy directors will have to leverage pharmacy resources to support efforts to change provider and enrollee behaviors. And QA directors will have to manage a challenging set of measurement activities, from which plans' efforts to improve will be launched. The next few years will not be easy--demands for improvement increase annually, and resources are every year more scarce. Yet the goal is worth the struggle--to transform an industry that the public perceives to be interested in limiting care into one that the public turns to for assurance that care represents high value. Responding effectively to the HEDIS hypertension measure creates a unique opportunity for managed care--to demonstrate to the public that managed care is leading national efforts to improve quality for 50 million Americans needlessly at risk for heart disease and stroke, and in doing so, to demonstrate its commitment to health maintenance--the very foundation of managed care.

Robust telerobotics - an integrated system for waste handling, characterization and sorting

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

Couture, S.A.; Hurd, R.L.; Wilhelmsen, K.C.

The Mixed Waste Management Facility (MWMF) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory was designed to serve as a national testbed to demonstrate integrated technologies for the treatment of low-level organic mixed waste at a pilot-plant scale. Pilot-scale demonstration serves to bridge the gap between mature, bench-scale proven technologies and full-scale treatment facilities by providing the infrastructure needed to evaluate technologies in an integrated, front-end to back-end facility. Consistent with the intent to focus on technologies that are ready for pilot scale deployment, the front-end handling and feed preparation of incoming waste material has been designed to demonstrate the application ofmore » emerging robotic and remotely operated handling systems. The selection of telerobotics for remote handling in MWMF was made based on a number of factors - personnel protection, waste generation, maturity, cost, flexibility and extendibility. Telerobotics, or shared control of a manipulator by an operator and a computer, provides the flexibility needed to vary the amount of automation or operator intervention according to task complexity. As part of the telerobotics design effort, the technical risk of deploying the technology was reduced through focused developments and demonstrations. The work involved integrating key tools (1) to make a robust telerobotic system that operates at speeds and reliability levels acceptable to waste handling operators and, (2) to demonstrate an efficient operator interface that minimizes the amount of special training and skills needed by the operator. This paper describes the design and operation of the prototype telerobotic waste handling and sorting system that was developed for MWMF.« less

Don't judge me: Psychophysiological evidence of gender differences to social evaluative feedback.

PubMed

Vanderhasselt, Marie-Anne; De Raedt, Rudi; Nasso, Selene; Puttevils, Louise; Mueller, Sven C

2018-05-01

Human beings have a basic need for esteemed social connections, and receiving negative self-evaluative feedback induces emotional distress. The aim of the current study is to measure eye movements (a physiological marker of attention allocation) and pupillary responses (a physiological marker of cognitive and emotional processing) as online and objective indices of participants' reaction to positive/negative social evaluations from the same or opposite sex. Following the paradigm, subjective mood ratings and heart rate variability (HRV) - as an objective index of regulatory effort- were measured. Results demonstrate clear gender-specific results in all measures. Eye-movements demonstrate that male participants respond more with other-focused attention (and specifically to male participants), whereas women respond more with self-focused attention following negative social evaluative feedback. Pupillary responses show that social evaluative feedback is specifically eliciting cognitive/affective processes in male participants to regulate emotional responses when provided by the opposite gender. Finally, following the paradigm, female (as compared to male) participants were more subjectively reactive to the paradigm (i.e., self-reports), and were less able to engage contextual- and goal related regulatory control of emotional responses (reduced HRV). Although the current study focused on psychiatrically healthy young adults, results may contribute to our understanding of sex differences in internalizing mental problems, such as rumination. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

EarthScope Education and Outreach: Accomplishments and Emerging Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robinson, S.; Ellins, K. K.; Semken, S. C.; Arrowsmith, R.

2014-12-01

EarthScope's Education and Outreach (E&O) program aims to increase public awareness of Earth science and enhance geoscience education at the K-12 and college level. The program is distinctive among major geoscience programs in two ways. First, planning for education and public engagement occurred in tandem with planning for the science mission. Second, the NSF EarthScope program includes funding support for education and outreach. In this presentation, we highlight key examples of the program's accomplishments and identify emerging E&O opportunities. E&O efforts have been collaboratively led by the EarthScope National Office (ESNO), IRIS, UNAVCO, the EarthScope Education and Outreach Subcommittee (EEOSC) and PI-driven EarthScope projects. Efforts by the EEOSC, guided by an EarthScope Education and Outreach Implementation Plan that is periodically updated, focus EarthScope E&O. EarthScope demonstrated early success in engaging undergraduate students (and teachers) in its mission through their involvement in siting USArray across the contiguous U.S. Funded E&O programs such as TOTLE, Illinois EarthScope, CEETEP (for K-12), InTeGrate and GETSI (for undergraduates) foster use of freely available EarthScope data and research findings. The Next Generation Science Standards, which stress science and engineering practices, offer an opportunity for alignment with existing EarthScope K-12 educational resources, and the EEOSC recommends focusing efforts on this task. The EEOSC recognizes the rapidly growing use of mobile smart devices by the public and in formal classrooms, which bring new opportunities to connect with the public and students. This will capitalize on EarthScope's already prominent social media presence, an effort that developed to accomplish one of the primary goals of the EarthScope E&O Implementation Plan to "Create a high-profile public identity for EarthScope" and to "Promote science literacy and understanding of EarthScope among all audiences through informal education venues" Leveraging ESNO, IRIS, and UNAVCO resources has exceeded the capabilities of any single entity, thereby amplifying the impact of EarthScope's education and outreach effort.

Results of prototype software development for automation of shuttle proximity operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hiers, Hal; Olszweski, Oscar

1991-01-01

The effort involves demonstration of expert system technology application to Shuttle rendezvous operations in a high-fidelity, real-time simulation environment. The JSC Systems Engineering Simulator (SES) served as the test bed for the demonstration. Rendezvous applications were focused on crew procedures and monitoring of sensor health and trajectory status. Proximity operations applications were focused on monitoring, crew advisory, and control of the approach trajectory. Guidance, Navigation, and Control areas of emphasis included the approach, transition and stationkeeping guidance, and laser docking sensor navigation. Operator interface displays for monitor and control functions were developed. A rule-based expert system was developed to manage the relative navigation system/sensors for nominal operations and simple failure contingencies. Testing resulted in the following findings; (1) the developed guidance is applicable for operations with LVLH stabilized targets; (2) closing rates less than 0.05 feet per second are difficult to maintain due to the Shuttle translational/rotational cross-coupling; (3) automated operations result in reduced propellant consumption and plume impingement effects on the target as compared to manual operations; and (4) braking gates are beneficial for trajectory management. A versatile guidance design was demonstrated. An accurate proximity operations sensor/navigation system to provide relative attitude information within 30 feet is required and redesign of the existing Shuttle digital autopilot should be considered to reduce the cross-coupling effects. This activity has demonstrated the feasibility of automated Shuttle proximity operations with the Space Station Freedom. Indications are that berthing operations as well as docking can be supported.

Perspectives of managers toward workplace breastfeeding support in the state of Michigan.

PubMed

Chow, Tan; Smithey Fulmer, Ingrid; Olson, Beth H

2011-05-01

Managers' attitudes influence female employees' perceptions of workplace breastfeeding support. Five focus groups were conducted with managers in the state of Michigan (N = 25) to assess their attitudes toward supporting breastfeeding. All focus group discussions were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed for themes. Participants supported efforts by managers and companies to assist breastfeeding employees, but the extent of accommodations they supported varied. Most participants reported no company breastfeeding policy or were unaware of their company having one and showed mixed attitudes about needing a policy. Participants acknowledged the potential for lower productivity and coworker jealousy toward time for breastfeeding or expressing milk but believed that benefits of support included employee recruitment and retention. Participants demonstrated some understanding of breastfeeding benefits. They identified barriers and facilitators for breastfeeding support at both the organizational and individual levels. Results of this study will be used for instrument development to measure managers' attitudes toward supporting breastfeeding.

On the Forward Scattering of Microwave Breast Imaging

PubMed Central

Lui, Hoi-Shun; Fhager, Andreas; Persson, Mikael

2012-01-01

Microwave imaging for breast cancer detection has been of significant interest for the last two decades. Recent studies focus on solving the imaging problem using an inverse scattering approach. Efforts have mainly been focused on the development of the inverse scattering algorithms, experimental setup, antenna design and clinical trials. However, the success of microwave breast imaging also heavily relies on the quality of the forward data such that the tumor inside the breast volume is well illuminated. In this work, a numerical study of the forward scattering data is conducted. The scattering behavior of simple breast models under different polarization states and aspect angles of illumination are considered. Numerical results have demonstrated that better data contrast could be obtained when the breast volume is illuminated using cross-polarized components in linear polarization basis or the copolarized components in the circular polarization basis. PMID:22611371

Why Map Issues? On Controversy Analysis as a Digital Method

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

This article takes stock of recent efforts to implement controversy analysis as a digital method in the study of science, technology, and society (STS) and beyond and outlines a distinctive approach to address the problem of digital bias. Digital media technologies exert significant influence on the enactment of controversy in online settings, and this risks undermining the substantive focus of controversy analysis conducted by digital means. To address this problem, I propose a shift in thematic focus from controversy analysis to issue mapping. The article begins by distinguishing between three broad frameworks that currently guide the development of controversy analysis as a digital method, namely, demarcationist, discursive, and empiricist. Each has been adopted in STS, but only the last one offers a digital “move beyond impartiality.” I demonstrate this approach by analyzing issues of Internet governance with the aid of the social media platform Twitter. PMID:26336325

Direct2Experts: a pilot national network to demonstrate interoperability among research-networking platforms.

PubMed

Weber, Griffin M; Barnett, William; Conlon, Mike; Eichmann, David; Kibbe, Warren; Falk-Krzesinski, Holly; Halaas, Michael; Johnson, Layne; Meeks, Eric; Mitchell, Donald; Schleyer, Titus; Stallings, Sarah; Warden, Michael; Kahlon, Maninder

2011-12-01

Research-networking tools use data-mining and social networking to enable expertise discovery, matchmaking and collaboration, which are important facets of team science and translational research. Several commercial and academic platforms have been built, and many institutions have deployed these products to help their investigators find local collaborators. Recent studies, though, have shown the growing importance of multiuniversity teams in science. Unfortunately, the lack of a standard data-exchange model and resistance of universities to share information about their faculty have presented barriers to forming an institutionally supported national network. This case report describes an initiative, which, in only 6 months, achieved interoperability among seven major research-networking products at 28 universities by taking an approach that focused on addressing institutional concerns and encouraging their participation. With this necessary groundwork in place, the second phase of this effort can begin, which will expand the network's functionality and focus on the end users.

Hong Kong Junk: Plague and the Economy of Chinese Things.

PubMed

Peckham, Robert

2016-01-01

Histories of the Third Plague Pandemic, which diffused globally from China in the 1890s, have tended to focus on colonial efforts to regulate the movement of infected populations, on the state's draconian public health measures, and on the development of novel bacteriological theories of disease causation. In contrast, this article focuses on the plague epidemic in Hong Kong and examines colonial preoccupations with Chinese "things" as sources of likely contagion. In the 1890s, laboratory science invested plague with a new identity as an object to be collected, cultivated, and depicted in journals. At the same time, in the increasingly vociferous anti-opium discourse, opium was conceived as a contagious Chinese commodity: a plague. The article argues that rethinking responses to the plague through the history of material culture can further our understanding of the political consequences of disease's entanglement with economic and racial categories, while demonstrating the extent to which colonial agents "thought through things."

Entrepreneurship by any other name: self-sufficiency versus innovation.

PubMed

Parker Harris, Sarah; Caldwell, Kate; Renko, Maija

2014-01-01

Entrepreneurship has been promoted as an innovative strategy to address the employment of people with disabilities. Research has predominantly focused on the self-sufficiency aspect without fully integrating entrepreneurship literature in the areas of theory, systems change, and demonstration projects. Subsequently there are gaps in services, policies, and research in this field that, in turn, have limited our understanding of the support needs and barriers or facilitators of entrepreneurs with disabilities. A thorough analysis of the literature in these areas led to the development of two core concepts that need to be addressed in integrating entrepreneurship into disability employment research and policy: clarity in operational definitions and better disability statistics and outcome measures. This article interrogates existing research and policy efforts in this regard to argue for a necessary shift in the field from focusing on entrepreneurship as self-sufficiency to understanding entrepreneurship as innovation.

Design and testing of focusing magnets for a compact electron linac

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Qushan; Qin, Bin; Liu, Kaifeng; Liu, Xu; Fu, Qiang; Tan, Ping; Hu, Tongning; Pei, Yuanji

2015-10-01

Solenoid field errors have great influence on electron beam qualities. In this paper, design and testing of high precision solenoids for a compact electron linac is presented. We proposed an efficient and practical method to solve the peak field of the solenoid for relativistic electron beams based on the reduced envelope equation. Beam dynamics involving space charge force were performed to predict the focusing effects. Detailed optimization methods were introduced to achieve an ultra-compact configuration as well as high accuracy, with the help of the POISSON and OPERA packages. Efforts were attempted to restrain system errors in the off-line testing, which showed the short lens and the main solenoid produced a peak field of 0.13 T and 0.21 T respectively. Data analysis involving central and off axes was carried out and demonstrated that the testing results fitted well with the design.

Understanding and encouraging volunteerism and community involvement.

PubMed

Stukas, Arthur A; Snyder, Mark; Clary, E Gil

2016-01-01

Volunteerism and community involvement have been demonstrated to offer benefits both to communities and to volunteers themselves. However, not every method to encourage these behaviors is equally effective in producing committed volunteers. Drawing on relevant theoretical and empirical literatures, we identify features of efforts that are likely to produce intrinsically motivated other-oriented volunteers and those that may produce extrinsically motivated self-oriented volunteers. In particular, we explore ways to socialize young people to help and ways to build a sense of community focused on particular issues. We also examine requirements for community service and other approaches that highlight self-oriented benefits that volunteers may obtain. Finally, we return to a focus on the importance of intrinsic motivation for promoting sustained involvement in volunteers, even as we acknowledge that volunteers who come with extrinsic or self-oriented reasons can still offer much to communities and can be satisfied when their activities match their motivations.

Inkjet Printing of Viscous Monodisperse Microdroplets by Laser-Induced Flow Focusing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delrot, Paul; Modestino, Miguel A.; Gallaire, François; Psaltis, Demetri; Moser, Christophe

2016-08-01

The on-demand generation of viscous microdroplets to print functional or biological materials remains challenging using conventional inkjet-printing methods, mainly due to aggregation and clogging issues. In an effort to overcome these limitations, we implement a jetting method to print viscous microdroplets by laser-induced shockwaves. We experimentally investigate the dependence of the jetting regimes and the droplet size on the laser-pulse energy and on the inks' physical properties. The range of printable liquids with our device is significantly extended compared to conventional inkjet printers's performances. In addition, the laser-induced flow-focusing phenomenon allows us to controllably generate viscous microdroplets up to 210 mPa s with a diameter smaller than the nozzle from which they originated (200 μ m ). Inks containing proteins are printed without altering their functional properties, thus demonstrating that this jetting technique is potentially suitable for bioprinting.

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

Archer, Daniel E.; Hornback, Donald Eric; Johnson, Jeffrey O.

This report summarizes the findings of a two year effort to systematically assess neutron and gamma backgrounds relevant to operational modeling and detection technology implementation. The first year effort focused on reviewing the origins of background sources and their impact on measured rates in operational scenarios of interest. The second year has focused on the assessment of detector and algorithm performance as they pertain to operational requirements against the various background sources and background levels.

Exploring Spatiotemporal Trends in Commercial Fishing Effort of an Abalone Fishing Zone: A GIS-Based Hotspot Model

PubMed Central

Jalali, M. Ali; Ierodiaconou, Daniel; Gorfine, Harry; Monk, Jacquomo; Rattray, Alex

2015-01-01

Assessing patterns of fisheries activity at a scale related to resource exploitation has received particular attention in recent times. However, acquiring data about the distribution and spatiotemporal allocation of catch and fishing effort in small scale benthic fisheries remains challenging. Here, we used GIS-based spatio-statistical models to investigate the footprint of commercial diving events on blacklip abalone (Haliotis rubra) stocks along the south-west coast of Victoria, Australia from 2008 to 2011. Using abalone catch data matched with GPS location we found catch per unit of fishing effort (CPUE) was not uniformly spatially and temporally distributed across the study area. Spatial autocorrelation and hotspot analysis revealed significant spatiotemporal clusters of CPUE (with distance thresholds of 100’s of meters) among years, indicating the presence of CPUE hotspots focused on specific reefs. Cumulative hotspot maps indicated that certain reef complexes were consistently targeted across years but with varying intensity, however often a relatively small proportion of the full reef extent was targeted. Integrating CPUE with remotely-sensed light detection and ranging (LiDAR) derived bathymetry data using generalized additive mixed model corroborated that fishing pressure primarily coincided with shallow, rugose and complex components of reef structures. This study demonstrates that a geospatial approach is efficient in detecting patterns and trends in commercial fishing effort and its association with seafloor characteristics. PMID:25992800

Improving practices in nanomedicine through near real-time pharmacokinetic analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magafia, Isidro B.

More than a decade into the development of gold nanoparticles, with multiple clinical trials underway, ongoing pre-clinical research continues towards better understanding in vivo interactions. The goal is treatment optimization through improved best practices. In an effort to collect information for healthcare providers enabling informed decisions in a relevant time frame, instrumentation for real-time plasma concentration (multi-wavelength photoplethysmography) and protocols for rapid elemental analysis (energy dispersive X-Ray fluorescence) of biopsied tumor tissue have been developed in a murine model. An initial analysis, designed to demonstrate the robust nature and utility of the techniques, revealed that area under the bioavailability curve (AUC) alone does not currently inform tumor accumulation with a high degree of accuracy (R2=0.56), marginally better than injected dose (R2=0.46). This finding suggests that the control of additional experimental and physiological variables (chosen through modeling efforts) may yield more predictable tumor accumulation. Subject core temperature, blood pressure, and tumor perfusion are evaluated relative to particle uptake in a murine tumor model. New research efforts are also focused on adjuvant therapies that are employed to modify circulation parameters, including the AUC, of nanorods and gold nanoshells. Preliminary studies demonstrated a greater than 300% increase in average AUC using a reticuloendothelial blockade agent versus control groups. Given a better understanding of the relative importance of the physiological factors that influence rates of tumor accumulation, a set of experimental best practices is presented. This dissertation outlines the experimental protocols conducted, and discusses the real-world needs discovered and how these needs became specifications of developed protocols.

Temperament and fracture in preschool-aged children.

PubMed

Ryckman, Kandace; Richmond, Sarah A; Anderson, Laura N; Birken, Catherine S; Parkin, Patricia C; Macarthur, Colin; Maguire, Jonathon L; Howard, Andrew W

2017-07-01

Approximately one-half of all children will sustain a fracture before adulthood. Understanding the factors that place a child at increased risk of fracture is necessary to inform effective injury prevention strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between temperament and fracture risk in preschool-aged children. Children aged 3 to 6 years who were diagnosed with a fracture were recruited from the Hospital for Sick Children Fracture Clinic. Using a retrospective case-control study design, the 148 cases were frequency-matched by age and sex to 426 controls from the TARGet Kids primary care paediatric cohort. The Childhood Behaviour Questionnaire, a 36-item caregiver response questionnaire was used to assess three of the following temperament factors: surgency (e.g., high activity level), negative affect (e.g., anger, fear, discomfort) and effortful control (e.g., attentional focusing). Unadjusted logistic models demonstrated no association between children with previous fracture and higher scores of surgency (unadjusted odds ratio [OR]=1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.84, 1.34), negative affect (unadjusted OR=1.15, 95% CI: 0.93, 1.42) or effortful control (unadjusted OR=0.80, 95% CI: 0.63, 1.03). Further, models adjusted for covariates also demonstrated no significant association with surgency (1.00, 95% CI: 0.78, 1.29), negative affect (1.09, 95% CI: 0.86, 1.37) and effortful control (0.80, 95% CI: 0.61, 1.05). None of the three main temperament types identified by the Childhood Behaviour Questionnaire were associated with an increase in fracture risk.

Future directions in physical activity intervention research: expanding our focus to sedentary behaviors, technology, and dissemination.

PubMed

Lewis, Beth A; Napolitano, Melissa A; Buman, Matthew P; Williams, David M; Nigg, Claudio R

2017-02-01

Despite the increased health risks of a sedentary lifestyle, only 49 % of American adults participate in physical activity (PA) at the recommended levels. In an effort to move the PA field forward, we briefly review three emerging areas of PA intervention research. First, new intervention research has focused on not only increasing PA but also on decreasing sedentary behavior. Researchers should utilize randomized controlled trials, common terminology, investigate which behaviors should replace sedentary behaviors, evaluate long-term outcomes, and focus across the lifespan. Second, technology has contributed to an increase in sedentary behavior but has also led to innovative PA interventions. PA technology research should focus on large randomized trials with evidence-based components, explore social networking and innovative apps, improve PA monitoring, consider the lifespan, and be grounded in theory. Finally, in an effort to maximize public health impact, dissemination efforts should address the RE-AIM model, health disparities, and intervention costs.

Future directions in physical activity intervention research: expanding our focus to sedentary behaviors, technology, and dissemination

PubMed Central

Napolitano, Melissa A.; Buman, Matthew P.; Williams, David M.; Nigg, Claudio R.

2016-01-01

Despite the increased health risks of a sedentary lifestyle, only 49 % of American adults participate in physical activity (PA) at the recommended levels. In an effort to move the PA field forward, we briefly review three emerging areas of PA intervention research. First, new intervention research has focused on not only increasing PA but also on decreasing sedentary behavior. Researchers should utilize randomized controlled trials, common terminology, investigate which behaviors should replace sedentary behaviors, evaluate long-term outcomes, and focus across the lifespan. Second, technology has contributed to an increase in sedentary behavior but has also led to innovative PA interventions. PA technology research should focus on large randomized trials with evidence-based components, explore social networking and innovative apps, improve PA monitoring, consider the lifespan, and be grounded in theory. Finally, in an effort to maximize public health impact, dissemination efforts should address the RE-AIM model, health disparities, and intervention costs. PMID:27722907

X-33/RLV Program Aerospike Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Substantial progress was made during the past year in support of the X-33/RLV program. X-33 activity was directed towards completing the remaining design work and building hardware to support test activities. RLV work focused on the nozzle ramp and powerpack technology tasks and on supporting vehicle configuration studies. On X-33, the design activity was completed to the detail level and the remainder of the drawings were released. Component fabrication and engine assembly activity was initiated, and the first two powerpacks and the GSE and STE needed to support powerpack testing were completed. Components fabrication is on track to support the first engine assembly schedule. Testing activity included powerpack testing and component development tests consisting of thrust cell single cell testing, CWI system spider testing, and EMA valve flow and vibration testing. Work performed for RLV was divided between engine system and technology development tasks. Engine system activity focused on developing the engine system configuration and supporting vehicle configuration studies. Also, engine requirements were developed, and engine performance analyses were conducted. In addition, processes were developed for implementing reliability, mass properties, and cost controls during design. Technology development efforts were divided between powerpack and nozzle ramp technology tasks. Powerpack technology activities were directed towards the development of a prototype powerpack and a ceramic turbine technology demonstrator (CTTD) test article which will allow testing of ceramic turbines and a close-coupled gas generator design. Nozzle technology efforts were focused on the selection of a composite nozzle supplier and on the fabrication and test of composite nozzle coupons.

Riding light in the minority communities and how K-12 students can shine in physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gueye, Paul

2010-03-01

The National Society of Black Physicists, along with the National Society of Hispanic Physicists, has been reaching out to the minority K-12 population by revolutionizing its Science Ambassador program under its Pre-College Program Committee. Since 2005, both societies have been providing unique interactive physics demonstrations to predominantly minority schools to expose them to the exciting world of physics. In a four year span, the population of targeted students went from 25 (2005) to 400 (2009). During the 2009 joint annual meeting, a Physics Day camp was introduced during which eight physics societies combined their efforts to reach to a larger group of students in a short time period. This initiative has now tackled the unique feature to expand nationally by reaching out to the members of all physics societies. While the world of optics has been an integral part of the demonstrations being performed on stage or at individual booths, physics concepts and its applications in medical physics (such as imaging or therapy) is the focus of the 2010 effort as part of LaserFest. This talk will review the impact of this program in the minority community and the importance of physics department at minority institutions in changing the conception of science in K-12 arenas.

An overview of antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis of HIV infection.

PubMed

McGowan, Ian

2014-06-01

Despite improvements in access to antiretroviral therapy and the use of simplified dosing regimens, HIV infection is still an important global public health problem. As a consequence, significant research efforts have been focused on the development of strategies to prevent the acquisition of HIV infection. These efforts have begun to produce results. The HPTN-052 study demonstrated the effectiveness of treating infected individuals as a means to prevent onward transmission of HIV infection. In addition, Phase 2B/3 studies have shown that the use of oral and topical antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can significantly reduce the acquisition of HIV infection in serodiscordant couples, young women in sub-Saharan Africa, men who have sex with men, and intravenous drug users. Despite these successes, challenges remain. Adherence to daily PrEP is variable, and some large studies have failed to demonstrate the effectiveness of PrEP in reducing HIV acquisition. Novel PrEP technologies, including sustained delivery intravaginal rings and long-acting injectable products, are being developed to try and circumvent adherence problems associated with daily PrEP regimens. The purpose of this article is to briefly summarize recent progress in the development of antiretroviral PrEP. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Operationalizing System Importance Measures for Assessing System of System Resilience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandrahasa, Rakshit

In recent times, there has been a shift in focus from component level to system level analysis and an increasing effort to understand and design resilience into the system. Several efforts have been carried out in creating metrics to analyse resilience. Understanding and implementing system resilience in complex System of Systems will help us in building safer and resilient systems. System Importance Measures (SIMs) was formulated to analyse System of System resilience and help in designing a resilient SoS. Here, we operationalize these System Importance Measures for designing a resilient SoS. We first look at the existing methodology to improve the visual representation of system resilience and its usability. We demonstrate this using our first case study with a Naval warfare SoS. We incorporate probability into the SIM formulation. We expand the existing SIMs to quantify the effects of disruptions and mitigation likelihoods. We built a second case study based on Air transportation networks and demonstrated our expanded metrics in both the case studies. SIM based analysis of SoS resilience provides us with two different analysis of resilience, with and without probability. Having an outlook on how the resilience changes with a probability of disruptions can aid the designer making informed choices on design changes and help in creating a resilient SoS.

Smart patch piezoceramic actuator issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, Steven F.; Denoyer, Keith K.; Yost, Brad

1993-01-01

The Phillips Laboratory is undertaking the challenge of finding new and innovative ways to integrate sensing, actuation, and the supporting control and power electronics into a compact self-contained unit to provide vibration suppression for a host structure. This self-contained unit is commonly referred to as a smart patch. The interfaces to the smart patch will be limited to standard spacecraft power and possibly a communications line. The effort to develop a smart patch involves both contractual and inhouse programs which are currently focused on miniaturization of the electronics associated with vibrational control using piezoceramic sensors and actuators. This paper is comprised of two distinct parts. The first part examines issues associated with bonding piezoceramic actuators to a host structure. Experimental data from several specimens with varying flexural stiffness are compared to predictions from two piezoelectric/substructure coupling models, the Blocked Force Model and the Uniform Strain Model with Perfect Bonding. The second part of the paper highlights a demonstration article smart patch created using the insights gained from inhouse efforts at the Phillips Laboratory. This demonstration article has self contained electronics on the same order of size as the actuator powered by a voltage differential of approximately 32 volts. This voltage is provided by four rechargeable 8 volt batteries.

Literature Review on the Effects of tDCS Coupled with Robotic Therapy in Post Stroke Upper Limb Rehabilitation

PubMed Central

Simonetti, Davide; Zollo, Loredana; Milighetti, Stefano; Miccinilli, Sandra; Bravi, Marco; Ranieri, Federico; Magrone, Giovanni; Guglielmelli, Eugenio; Di Lazzaro, Vincenzo; Sterzi, Silvia

2017-01-01

Today neurological diseases such as stroke represent one of the leading cause of long-term disability. Many research efforts have been focused on designing new and effective rehabilitation strategies. In particular, robotic treatment for upper limb stroke rehabilitation has received significant attention due to its ability to provide high-intensity and repetitive movement therapy with less effort than traditional methods. In addition, the development of non-invasive brain stimulation techniques such as transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) has also demonstrated the capability of modulating brain excitability thus increasing motor performance. The combination of these two methods is expected to enhance functional and motor recovery after stroke; to this purpose, the current trends in this research field are presented and discussed through an in-depth analysis of the state-of-the-art. The heterogeneity and the restricted number of collected studies make difficult to perform a systematic review. However, the literature analysis of the published data seems to demonstrate that the association of tDCS with robotic training has the same clinical gain derived from robotic therapy alone. Future studies should investigate combined approach tailored to the individual patient's characteristics, critically evaluating the brain areas to be targeted and the induced functional changes. PMID:28588467

Advanced helium magnetometer for space applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Slocum, Robert E.

1987-01-01

The goal of this effort was demonstration of the concepts for an advanced helium magnetometer which meets the demands of future NASA earth orbiting, interplanetary, solar, and interstellar missions. The technical effort focused on optical pumping of helium with tunable solid state lasers. We were able to demonstrate the concept of a laser pumped helium magnetometer with improved accuracy, low power, and sensitivity of the order of 1 pT. A number of technical approaches were investigated for building a solid state laser tunable to the helium absorption line at 1083 nm. The laser selected was an Nd-doped LNA crystal pumped by a diode laser. Two laboratory versions of the lanthanum neodymium hexa-aluminate (LNA) laser were fabricated and used to conduct optical pumping experiments in helium and demonstrate laser pumped magnetometer concepts for both the low field vector mode and the scalar mode of operation. A digital resonance spectrometer was designed and built in order to evaluate the helium resonance signals and observe scalar magnetometer operation. The results indicate that the laser pumped sensor in the VHM mode is 45 times more sensitive than a lamp pumped sensor for identical system noise levels. A study was made of typical laser pumped resonance signals in the conventional magnetic resonance mode. The laser pumped sensor was operated as a scalar magnetometer, and it is concluded that magnetometers with 1 pT sensitivity can be achieved with the use of laser pumping and stable laser pump sources.

Early investigational tubulin inhibitors as novel cancer therapeutics.

PubMed

Nepali, Kunal; Ojha, Ritu; Lee, Hsueh-Yun; Liou, Jing-Ping

2016-08-01

Microtubules represent one of the most logical and strategic molecular targets amongst the current targets for chemotherapy, alongside DNA. In the past decade, tubulin inhibitors as cancer therapeutics have been an area of focus due to the improved understanding and biological relevance of microtubules in cellular functions. Fueled by the objective of developing novel chemotherapeutics and with the aim of establishing the benefits of tubulin inhibition, several clinical trials have been conducted with others ongoing. At present, the antitubulin development pipeline contains an armful of agents under clinical investigation. This review focuses on novel tubulin inhibitors as cancer therapeutics. The article covers the agents which have completed the phase II studies along with the agents demonstrating promising results in phase I studies. Countless clinical trials evaluating the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of novel tubulin inhibitors highlights the scientific efforts being paid to establish their candidature as cancer therapeutics. Colchicine binding site inhibitors as vascular disrupting agents (VDAs) and new taxanes appear to be the most likely agents for future clinical interest. Numerous agents have demonstrated clinical benefits in terms of efficacy and survival in phase I and II studies. However conclusive benefits can only be ascertained on the basis of phase III studies.

Moving toward equitable, systemic science education reform: The synergy among science education and school-level reforms in an urban middle school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Mary Kathryn

The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the relationships among school-level and science education reform efforts and how, collectively, they contribute to the progress of equitable, systemic science education reform. A case study research design was employed to gather both qualitative and quantitative data between 1995 and 1999. The site of this study is a non-selective, urban middle school in a large district that participated in several reform efforts. These reforms include both efforts focused on school-level change and efforts focused on change in science teaching and learning. Its program incorporates aspects of several school-level reforms---from the underlying Paideia philosophy, to structural characteristics of middle schools, to site-based decision-making, to its status as a magnet school, to its participation as a professional development school. Further, the participation of all science teachers in the intensive, standards-based professional development offered by Ohio's systemic reform of mathematics and science created a critical mass of reform-oriented teachers who supported one another as they incorporated reform-based practices into their teaching. The interplay of the reform efforts has manifested in a high level of science achievement in comparison to the school's district. Addressing the third component of O'Day and Smith's model for systemic reform, the need for school-level change to enable implementation of curriculum frameworks and aligned policies, this study illustrates two important points. First, the high-quality teacher professional development increased teachers' capacity to change their practices by enhancing their knowledge of and skills in implementing standards-based teaching practices. Second, because of the synchrony among the school-level reforms and between the school-level and science education reforms, the context of Webster provided a supportive environment in which lasting changes in science teaching and learning were implemented. Science education reform efforts were mediated by the school's context to create an environment in which the reform practices could be implemented and sustained. Using Kahle's (1998) Equity Metric, this study demonstrates that the synergy of the policies and practices of school-level and science education reforms can contribute to the progress of equitable, systemic science education reform.

The Indirect Effect of Alcohol Use on GPA in First-Semester College Students: The Mediating Role of Academic Effort

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conway, James M.; DiPlacido, Joanne

2015-01-01

This study focused on first-semester college students, investigating (a) indirect effects of aggregate alcohol use on grade point average (GPA) through academic effort (skipping class and time on schoolwork) and (b) daily effects of alcohol use on reduced effort. Eighty students reported daily alcohol use and academic effort (skipping class and…

Large holographic 3D display for real-time computer-generated holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Häussler, R.; Leister, N.; Stolle, H.

2017-06-01

SeeReal's concept of real-time holography is based on Sub-Hologram encoding and tracked Viewing Windows. This solution leads to significant reduction of pixel count and computation effort compared to conventional holography concepts. Since the first presentation of the concept, improved full-color holographic displays were built with dedicated components. The hologram is encoded on a spatial light modulator that is a sandwich of a phase-modulating and an amplitude-modulating liquid-crystal display and that modulates amplitude and phase of light. Further components are based on holographic optical elements for light collimation and focusing which are exposed in photopolymer films. Camera photographs show that only the depth region on which the focus of the camera lens is set is in focus while the other depth regions are out of focus. These photographs demonstrate that the 3D scene is reconstructed in depth and that accommodation of the eye lenses is supported. Hence, the display is a solution to overcome the accommodationconvergence conflict that is inherent for stereoscopic 3D displays. The main components, progress and results of the holographic display with 300 mm x 200 mm active area are described. Furthermore, photographs of holographic reconstructed 3D scenes are shown.

Goal Based Testing: A Risk Informed Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Everline, Chester; Smith, Clayton; Distefano, Sal; Goldin, Natalie

2014-01-01

A process for life demonstration testing is developed, which can reduce the number of resources required by conventional sampling theory while still maintaining the same degree of rigor and confidence level. This process incorporates state-of-the-art probabilistic thinking and is consistent with existing NASA guidance documentation. This view of life testing changes the paradigm of testing a system for many hours to show confidence that a system will last for the required number of years to one that focuses efforts and resources on exploring how the system can fail at end-of-life and building confidence that the failure mechanisms are understood and well mitigated.

Affordable MMICs for Air Force systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kemerley, Robert T.; Fayette, Daniel F.

1991-05-01

The paper deals with a program directed at demonstrating affordable MMIC chips - the microwave/mm-wave monolithic integrated circuit (MIMIC) program. Focus is placed on experiments involving the growth and characterization of III-V materials, and the design, fabrication, and evaluation of ICs in the 1 to 60 GHz frequency range, as well as efforts related to the reliability testing, failure analysis, and generation of qualified manufacture's list procedures for GaAs MMICs and modules. Attributes associated with GaAs-technology devices, quality, reliability, and performance in select environments are discussed, including the dependence of these structures over temperature ranges, electrostatic discharge sensitivity, and susceptibility to environmental stresses.

Annotations on Artemisia.

PubMed

Gedo, John E

2013-10-01

To demonstrate the relevance of an artist's biography to the understanding of her creations, no instance is more persuasive than the career of the 17th-century Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi. Numerous scholars have attempted to correlate the nature of her subject matter with the more dramatic events of her picaresque private life. A psychoanalytic effort to make such a correlation needs to go beyond discrete incidents, to reconstruct her personality and its development. Artemisia's oeuvre is tightly focused on a fantasy system of sexual irrestibility, probably based on the interactions of this motherless child with a delinquent father. Hypotheses that the artist became a vengeful victim overtook her strength, resilience, and affability.

Inciting High-School interest in physics.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jiandi

2008-03-01

We report on our outreach effort on material-physics education program as one part of my NSF Career award project. This is a program incorporated with the NSF funded Physics Learning Center at FIU, focusing on the material physics enrichment both high school students and teachers. We particularly pay attention to minority students by taking the advantage of FIU's composition and location. The program offers a special/session-style workshop, demonstrations, research lab touring, as well as summer research activities. The goal is to enrich teacher's ability of instruction to their students and inspire students to pursue scientific careers. The detailed outreach activities will be discussed.

The Integrated Airport: Building a Successful NextGen Testbed

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

Frederick-Recascino, Christina; Sweigard, Doug; Lester, Wade

2009-02-18

This presentation will describe a unique public-private partnership - the Integrated Airport - that was created to engage in research and testing related to NextGen Technology deployment.  NextGen refers to the program that will be initiated to modernize the US National Airspace.  As with any major, multi-decade initiative, such as NextGen, integration of work efforts by multiple partners in the modernization is critical for success.  This talk will focus on the development of the consortium, how the consortium plans for NextGen initiatives, the series of technology demonstrations we have produced and plans for the future of NextGen testing and implementation. 

Operational benefits from the terminal configured vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reeder, J. P.; Schmitz, R. A.; Clark, L. V.

1979-01-01

The NASA Terminal Configured Vehicle is a flying laboratory used to conduct research and development on improved airborne systems (including avionics) and operational flight procedures, with particular emphasis on utilization in the terminal area environment. The objectives of this technology development activity, focused on conventional transport aircraft, are to develop and demonstrate improvements which can lead to increased airport and runway capacity, increased air traffic controller productivity, energy efficient terminal area operations, reduced weather minima with safety, and reduced community noise by use of appropriate procedures. This paper discusses some early results of this activity in addition to defining present efforts and future research plans.

Novel Therapeutics for Therapy-Related Acute Myeloid Leukemia: 2014.

PubMed

Feldman, Eric J

2015-06-01

Effective treatment options for adults with therapy-related AML continues to be an area of unmet need. Genetic and molecular changes within these leukemias confer resistance to standard chemotherapy regimens. Emerging developmental therapeutics in this area has focused on several approaches. These include; novel delivery of chemotherapy as well as newer DNA-damaging agents delivered through antibody-drug conjugates, increased use of hypomethylating agents, and molecularly-directed small molecules against specific mutations commonly occurring in secondary AML. Results of this efforts are encouraging, but to date, no clear improvements have been demonstrated in this most difficult to treat population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

HAN-Based Monopropellant Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reed, Brian

2002-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center is sponsoring efforts to develop technology for high-performance, high-density, low-freezing point, low-hazards monopropellant systems. The program is focused on a family of monopropellant formulations composed of an aqueous solution of hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) and a fuel component. HAN-based monopropellants offer significant mass and volume savings to small (less than 100 kg) satellite for orbit raising and on-orbit propulsion applications. The low-hazards characteristics of HAN-based monopropellants make them attractive for applications where ground processing costs are a significant concern. A 1-lbf thruster has been demonstrated to a 20-kg satellite orbit insertion duty cycle, using a formulation compatible with currently available catalysts. To achieve specific impulse levels above those of hydrazine, catalyst materials that can withstand the high-temperature, corrosive combustion environment of HAN-based monopropellants have to be developed. There also needs to be work done to characterize propellant properties, burning behavior, and material compatibility. NASA is coordinating their monopropellant efforts with those of the United States Air Force.

Upgrades to the TPSX Material Properties Database

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Squire, T. H.; Milos, F. S.; Partridge, Harry (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The TPSX Material Properties Database is a web-based tool that serves as a database for properties of advanced thermal protection materials. TPSX provides an easy user interface for retrieving material property information in a variety of forms, both graphical and text. The primary purpose and advantage of TPSX is to maintain a high quality source of often used thermal protection material properties in a convenient, easily accessible form, for distribution to government and aerospace industry communities. Last year a major upgrade to the TPSX web site was completed. This year, through the efforts of researchers at several NASA centers, the Office of the Chief Engineer awarded funds to update and expand the databases in TPSX. The FY01 effort focuses on updating correcting the Ames and Johnson thermal protection materials databases. In this session we will summarize the improvements made to the web site last year, report on the status of the on-going database updates, describe the planned upgrades for FY02 and FY03, and provide a demonstration of TPSX.

A residency clinic chronic condition management quality improvement project.

PubMed

Halverson, Larry W; Sontheimer, Dan; Duvall, Sharon

2007-02-01

Quality improvement in chronic disease management is a major agenda for improving health and reducing health care costs. A six-component chronic disease management model can help guide this effort. Several characteristics of the "new model" of family medicine described by the Future of Family Medicine (FFM) Project Leadership Committee are promulgated to foster practice changes that improve quality. Our objective was to implement and assess a quality improvement project guided by the components of a chronic disease management model and FFM new model characteristics. Diabetes was selected as a model chronic disease focus. Multiple practice changes were implemented. A mature electronic medical record facilitated data collection and measurement of quality improvement progress. Data from the diabetes registry demonstrates that our efforts have been effective. Significant improvement occurred in five out of six quality indicators. Multidisciplinary teamwork in a model residency practice guided by chronic disease management principles and the FFM new model characteristics can produce significant management improvements in one important chronic disease.

Preliminary Tritium Management Design Activities at ORNL

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

Harrison, Thomas J.; Felde, David K.; Logsdon, Randall J.

2016-09-01

Interest in salt-cooled and salt-fueled reactors has increased over the last decade (Forsberg et al. 2016). Several private companies and universities in the United States, as well as governments in other countries, are developing salt reactor designs and/or technology. Two primary issues for the development and deployment of many salt reactor concepts are (1) the prevention of tritium generation and (2) the management of tritium to prevent release to the environment. In 2016, the US Department of Energy (DOE) initiated a research project under the Advanced Reactor Technology Program to (1) experimentally assess the feasibility of proposed methods for tritiummore » mitigation and (2) to perform an engineering demonstration of the most promising methods. This document describes results from the first year’s efforts to define, design, and build an experimental apparatus to test potential methods for tritium management. These efforts are focused on producing a final design document as the basis for the apparatus and its scheduled completion consistent with available budget and approvals for facility use.« less

Experimental Results for Titan Aerobot Thermo-Mechanical Subsystem Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Jeffrey L.; Jones, J. A.; Kerzhanovich, V. V.; Lachenmeier, T.; Mahr, P.; Pauken, M.; Plett, G. A.; Smith, L.; VanLuvender, M. L.; Yavrouian, A. H.

2006-01-01

This paper describes experimental results from a development program focused in maturing Titan aerobot technology in the areas of mechanical and thermal subsystems. Results from four key activities are described: first, a cryogenic balloon materials development program involving coupon and cylinder tests and culminating in the fabrication and testing of an inflated 4.6 m long prototype blimp at 93 K; second, a combined lab experiment and numerical simulation effort to assess potential problems resulting from radioisotope thermal generator waste heat generation near an inflated blimp; third, an aerial deployment and inflation development program consisting of laboratory and helicopter drop tests on a near full scale (11 m long) prototype blimp; and fourth, a proof of concept experiment demonstrating the viability of using a mechanically steerable high gain antenna on a floating blimp to perform direct to Earth telecommunications from Titan. The paper provides details on all of these successful activities and discusses their impact on the overall effort to produce mature systems technology for future Titan aerobot missions.

Continuous Czochralski growth. Development of advanced Czochralski growth process to produce low cost 150 kg silicon ingots from a single crucible for technology readiness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The improvement of growth rates using radiation shielding and investigation of the crucible melt interaction for improved yields were emphasized. Growth runs were performed from both 15 and 16 inch diameter crucibles, producing 30 and 37 kg ingots respectively. Efforts to increase the growth rate of 150 mm diameter ingots were limited by temperature instabilities believed to be caused by undesirable thermal convections in the larger melts. The radiation shield improved the growth rate somewhat, but the thermal instability was still evident, leading to nonround ingots and loss of dislocation-free structure. A 38 kg crystal was grown to demonstrate the feasibility of producing 150 kg with four growth cycles. After the grower construction phase, the Hamco microprocessor control system was interfaced to the growth facility, including the sensor for automatic control of seeding temperature, and the sensor for automatic shouldering. Efforts focused upon optimization of the seeding, necking, and shoulder growth automation programs.

Vision-based aircraft guidance

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menon, P. K.

1993-01-01

Early research on the development of machine vision algorithms to serve as pilot aids in aircraft flight operations is discussed. The research is useful for synthesizing new cockpit instrumentation that can enhance flight safety and efficiency. With the present work as the basis, future research will produce low-cost instrument by integrating a conventional TV camera together with off-the=shelf digitizing hardware for flight test verification. Initial focus of the research will be on developing pilot aids for clear-night operations. Latter part of the research will examine synthetic vision issues for poor visibility flight operations. Both research efforts will contribute towards the high-speed civil transport aircraft program. It is anticipated that the research reported here will also produce pilot aids for conducting helicopter flight operations during emergency search and rescue. The primary emphasis of the present research effort is on near-term, flight demonstrable technologies. This report discusses pilot aids for night landing and takeoff and synthetic vision as an aid to low visibility landing.

A longitudinal experimental study comparing the effectiveness of happiness-enhancing strategies in Anglo Americans and Asian Americans.

PubMed

Boehm, Julia K; Lyubomirsky, Sonja; Sheldon, Kennon M

2011-11-01

Growing evidence suggests that well-being interventions can be effective. However, it is unclear whether happiness-increasing practices are equally effective for individuals from different cultural backgrounds. To investigate this question, Anglo Americans and predominantly foreign-born Asian Americans were randomly assigned to express optimism, convey gratitude, or list their past experiences (control group). Multilevel analyses indicated that participants in the optimism and gratitude conditions reported enhanced life satisfaction relative to those in the control condition. However, Anglo Americans in the treatment conditions demonstrated larger increases in life satisfaction relative to Asian Americans, while both cultural groups in the control condition showed the least improvement. These results are consistent with the idea that the value individualist cultures place on self-improvement and personal agency bolsters the efforts of Anglo Americans to become more satisfied, whereas collectivist cultures' de-emphasis of self-focus and individual goals interferes with the efforts of Asian Americans to pursue enhanced well-being.

Uncovering the Pathogenic Landscape of Helminth (Opisthorchis viverrini) Infections: A Cross-Sectional Study on Contributions of Physical and Social Environment and Healthcare Interventions.

PubMed

Ong, Xueyuan; Wang, Yi-Chen; Sithithaworn, Paiboon; Namsanor, Jutamas; Taylor, David; Laithavewat, Luxana

2016-12-01

Helminth infections have proven recalcitrant to control by chemotherapy in many parts of Southeast Asia and indeed farther afield. This study isolates and examines the influence of different aspects of the physical and social environment, and uneven intervention effort contributing to the pathogenic landscape of human Opisthorchis viverrini infections. A cross-sectional survey, involving 632 participants, was conducted in four villages in northeast Thailand to examine the impact on prevalence and parasite burden of the reservoir dam environment, socio-economic, demographic, and behavioral factors, and health center intervention efforts. Formalin-ether concentration technique was used for diagnoses, and multivariate models were used for analyses. The importance attributed to O. viverrini infections varied among health centers in the four study villages. Villages where O. viverrini infections were not prioritized by the health centers as the healthcare focus were at a higher risk of infection (prevalence) with odds ratio (risk factor) of 5.73 (3.32-10.27) and p-value < 0.01. Priority of healthcare focus, however, did not appear to influence behavior, as the consumption of raw fish, the main source of O. viverrini infections in the study area, was 11.4% higher in villages that prioritized O. viverrini infections than those that did not (p-value = 0.01). Landscape variation, notably proximity to reservoir, affects vulnerability of local population to infection. Infection intensity was higher in population located closer to the reservoir with risk ratio of 2.09 (1.12-4.02) and p-value < 0.01. Patterns of infection intensities among humans were found to match fish infection intensity, where higher infection intensities were associated with fish obtained from the reservoir waterbody type (p-value = 0.023). This study demonstrated the importance of environmental influence and healthcare focus as risk factors of infections in addition to the socio-economic, demographic, and behavioral factors commonly explored in existing studies. The reservoir was identified as a crucial source to target for opisthorchiasis intervention efforts and the need to consider infection intensity in disease control efforts was highlighted. The holistic approach in this study, which underscores the close relationship between the environment, animals, and humans in development of human infections or diseases, is an important contribution to the framework of One Health approach, where consideration of helminth diseases has largely been overlooked.

An Example for Integrated Gas Turbine Engine Testing and Analysis Using Modeling and Simulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

USAF Academy in a joint test and analysis effort of the F109 turbofan engine. This process uses a swirl investigation as a vehicle to exercise and...test and analysis effort of the F109 turbofan engine. This process uses a swirl investigation as a vehicle to exercise and demonstrate the approach...test and analysis effort of the F109 turbofan engine, an effort which uses a swirl investigation as a vehicle to exercise and demonstrate the

Overview of High-Resolution Nondestructive Inspection of the Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) Spray-on-Foam Insulation (SOFI) and Acreage Heat tiles using Focused, Synthetic and Holographical Millimeter Wave Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kharkovsky, S.; Case, J. T.; Zoughi, R.; Hepburn, Frank L.

2006-01-01

Space Shuttle Columbia's catastrophic failure has been attributed to a piece of spray-on-foam insulation (SOFI) that was dislodged from the external tank (ET) and struck the leading edge of the left wing. A piece of SOFI was also dislodged in the recent Space Shuttle Discovery's flight. From immediately after the Columbia accident, microwave and millimeter wave nondestructive testing methods were considered as potential effective inspection tools for evaluating the integrity of the SOFI. To this end and as a result of these efforts, both real-focused, synthetic focusing and holographical techniques, at a wide range of frequencies covering 24 GHz to 150 GHz, have been developed for this purpose. Images of various complex SOFI panels with a wide range of embedded anomalies (representing real potential defects) have been produced using these techniques, including relatively small anomalies located near complex structural features representative of the external tank. These real-focused and 3D holographical images have effectively demonstrated the utility of these methods for SOFI inspection as being viable, robust, repeatable, simple, portable and relatively inexpensive (tens of $K as opposed to hundreds of $K). In addition, the potential viability of these methods for inspecting acreage heat tiles have has been demonstrated. This paper presents an overview of these activities, representative images of these panels using all of the imaging techniques used and a discussion of the practical attributes of these inspection methods.

Combatting Prejudice: Understanding Media Prejudice Toward Muslims and Advocacy Organizations’ Efforts to Combat It

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

civil society, focusing on civil society groups that may be responsible for promoting stereotypes. The thesis suggests that Orientalism and efforts...reach wider audiences to effect change based on intergroup contact theory, which promotes interaction among different groups . Second, advocacy...the reasons behind American media’s promotion of prejudice in civil society, focusing on civil society groups that may be responsible for promoting

A pilot investigation of the Motivation Behaviors Checklist (MBC): An observational rating scale of effort towards testing for baseline sports-concussion assessment.

PubMed

Rabinowitz, Amanda R; Merritt, Victoria; Arnett, Peter A

2016-08-01

Baseline neuropsychological testing is commonly used in the management of sports-related concussion. However, underperformance due to poor effort could lead to invalid conclusions regarding postconcussion cognitive decline. We designed the Motivation Behaviors Checklist (MBC) as an observational rating scale to assess effort towards baseline neuropsychological testing. Here we present preliminary data in support of its reliability and validity. MBC items were generated based on the consensus of a panel of graduate students, undergraduates, and a clinical neuropsychologist who conduct neuropsychological evaluations for a sports concussion management program. A total of 261 college athletes were administered a standard neuropsychological test battery in addition to the MBC. A subset of evaluations (n= 101) was videotape and viewed by a second rater. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to refine the scale, and reliability and validity were evaluated. EFA revealed that the MBC items represent four latent factors-Complaints, Poor Focus, Psychomotor Agitation, and Impulsivity. Reliability analyses demonstrated that the MBC has good inter-rater reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = .767) and internal consistency (α = .839). The construct validity of the MBC is supported by large correlations with examiners' ratings of effort (ρ = -.623) and medium-sized relationships with cognitive performance and self-ratings of effort (|ρ| between .263 and .345). Discriminant validity was supported by nonsignificant correlations with measures of depression and postconcussion symptoms (ρ = .056 and .082, respectively). These findings provide preliminary evidence that the MBC could be a useful adjunct to baseline neuropsychological evaluations for sports-concussion management.

Recent Developments in the Design, Capabilities and Autonomous Operations of a Lightweight Surface Manipulation System and Test-bed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorsey, John T.; Jones, Thomas C.; Doggett, W. R.; Brady, Jeffrey S.; Berry, Felecia C.; Ganoe, George G.; Anderson, Eric; King, Bruce D.; Mercer, David C.

2011-01-01

The first generation of a versatile high performance device for performing payload handling and assembly operations on planetary surfaces, the Lightweight Surface Manipulation System (LSMS), has been designed and built. Over the course of its development, conventional crane type payload handling configurations and operations have been successfully demonstrated and the range of motion, types of operations and the versatility greatly expanded. This enhanced set of 1st generation LSMS hardware is now serving as a laboratory test-bed allowing the continuing development of end effectors, operational techniques and remotely controlled and automated operations. This paper describes the most recent LSMS and test-bed development activities, that have focused on two major efforts. The first effort was to complete a preliminary design of the 2nd generation LSMS that has the capability for limited mobility and can reposition itself between lander decks, mobility chassis, and fixed base locations. A major portion of this effort involved conducting a study to establish the feasibility of, and define, the specifications for a lightweight cable-drive waist joint. The second effort was to continue expanding the versatility and autonomy of large planetary surface manipulators using the 1st generation LSMS as a test-bed. This has been accomplished by increasing manipulator capabilities and efficiencies through both design changes and tool and end effector development. A software development effort has expanded the operational capabilities of the LSMS test-bed to include; autonomous operations based on stored paths, use of a vision system for target acquisition and tracking, and remote command and control over a communications bridge.

Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 United States Department of Energy

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

Singh, Mohit; Grape, Ulrik

2014-07-29

The purpose of this project was for Seeo to deliver the first ever large-scale or grid-scale prototype of a new class of advanced lithium-ion rechargeable batteries. The technology combines unprecedented energy density, lifetime, safety, and cost. The goal was to demonstrate Seeo’s entirely new class of lithium-based batteries based on Seeo’s proprietary nanostructured polymer electrolyte. This technology can enable the widespread deployment in Smart Grid applications and was demonstrated through the development and testing of a 10 kilowatt-hour (kWh) prototype battery system. This development effort, supported by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) enabled Seeo to pursue and validatemore » the transformational performance advantages of its technology for use in grid-tied energy storage applications. The focus of this project and Seeo’s goal as demonstrated through the efforts made under this project is to address the utility market needs for energy storage systems applications, especially for residential and commercial customers tied to solar photovoltaic installations. In addition to grid energy storage opportunities Seeo’s technology has been tested with automotive drive cycles and is seen as equally applicable for battery packs for electric vehicles. The goals of the project were outlined and achieved through a series of specific tasks, which encompassed materials development, scaling up of cells, demonstrating the performance of the cells, designing, building and demonstrating a pack prototype, and providing an economic and environmental assessment. Nearly all of the tasks were achieved over the duration of the program, with only the full demonstration of the battery system and a complete economic and environmental analysis not able to be fully completed. A timeline over the duration of the program is shown in figure 1.« less

How our changing research arena can inspire innovative environmental research in developing countries (Alexander von Humboldt Medal Lecture)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouma, Johan

2017-04-01

Alexander von Humboldt was a true pioneer by engagingly articulating an ecosystem-wide vision on environmental issues and research, connecting and moving beyond disciplinary boundaries. Focusing here on soil science as an important discipline within the geosciences, the work of our group has acted in the spirit of this approach by focusing on interdisciplinary systems research in different developing countries in close interaction with stakeholders, based on soil processes in a dynamic landscape context. But recent developments of internet and social media are drastically changing relations between science and society all over the world. Scientists have to continuously struggle to keep their "societal license to research". Researchers in so-called developed countries would be well advised to communicate lessons learned to scientists in developing countries allowing them to leapfrog and avoid making time- consuming mistakes adhering to yesterday's practices. Specifically, attention should be paid to: (i) more continuing interaction with stakeholders when planning and executing research. This takes time that should be allocated in research projects. ; (ii) the quality of a limited number of key papers rather than on the total number of published and cited scientific papers, when judging researchers; (iii) defining new research on the basis of proven inadequacy of existing techniques and methods, realizing that "new" is not necessarily "better" and that available research methods and procedures can solve many current environmental problems; (iv) showing the value of the scientific approach that does not articulate: "yet another opinion" but is essential to face the major environmental challenges of the 21th century. (v) demonstrate the crucial importance of interdisciplinary ecosystem research and innovation when addressing the seventeen UN Sustainable Developments Goals (SDG's) that are attractive now as a focus for the scientific effort in land-related research. (vi) demonstrate the relevance of seperate disciplines in the interdisciplinary effort investigating SDG's by including results of baseline studies that omit or highly generalize input of that particular discipline and (vi) improve communication with stakeholders and policy makers applying psychological insights gained in modern communication theory.

Exercise Sensing and Pose Recovery Inference Tool (ESPRIT) - A Compact Stereo-based Motion Capture Solution For Exercise Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Mun Wai

2015-01-01

Crew exercise is important during long-duration space flight not only for maintaining health and fitness but also for preventing adverse health problems, such as losses in muscle strength and bone density. Monitoring crew exercise via motion capture and kinematic analysis aids understanding of the effects of microgravity on exercise and helps ensure that exercise prescriptions are effective. Intelligent Automation, Inc., has developed ESPRIT to monitor exercise activities, detect body markers, extract image features, and recover three-dimensional (3D) kinematic body poses. The system relies on prior knowledge and modeling of the human body and on advanced statistical inference techniques to achieve robust and accurate motion capture. In Phase I, the company demonstrated motion capture of several exercises, including walking, curling, and dead lifting. Phase II efforts focused on enhancing algorithms and delivering an ESPRIT prototype for testing and demonstration.

Use of Nonequilibrium Work Methods to Compute Free Energy Differences Between Molecular Mechanical and Quantum Mechanical Representations of Molecular Systems.

PubMed

Hudson, Phillip S; Woodcock, H Lee; Boresch, Stefan

2015-12-03

Carrying out free energy simulations (FES) using quantum mechanical (QM) Hamiltonians remains an attractive, albeit elusive goal. Renewed efforts in this area have focused on using "indirect" thermodynamic cycles to connect "low level" simulation results to "high level" free energies. The main obstacle to computing converged free energy results between molecular mechanical (MM) and QM (ΔA(MM→QM)), as recently demonstrated by us and others, is differences in the so-called "stiff" degrees of freedom (e.g., bond stretching) between the respective energy surfaces. Herein, we demonstrate that this problem can be efficiently circumvented using nonequilibrium work (NEW) techniques, i.e., Jarzynski's and Crooks' equations. Initial applications of computing ΔA(NEW)(MM→QM), for blocked amino acids alanine and serine as well as to generate butane's potentials of mean force via the indirect QM/MM FES method, showed marked improvement over traditional FES approaches.

Multipurpose Wetlands Phase II/III: final design and ongoing research investigations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Babbitt, Bruce; Beard, Daniel P.; Hancock, Lawrence F.

1994-01-01

The Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD), the Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), and the National Biological Survey (NBS), in consultation with other governmental agencies, the academic community, and environmental groups, are involved in a cooperative wetlands research and demonstration effort. This report reflects progress through the first 3 years of a 5-year program. The goal of the Multipurpose Wetlands Research and Demonstration Project is to evaluate and expand the use of reclaimed water and contaminated ground water through the incorporation of multipurpose constructed wetlands into EMWD's total water resources management program. The focus of the wetlands is the development of design, construction, and operation criteria that will provide a cost-effective and innovative alternative for managing water resources and provide other public benefits in arid areas. The program also recognizes the fact that naturally-occurring wetlands, both coastal and inland, have been disappearing at an alarming rate.

Trimodal Therapy: Combining Hyperthermia with Repurposed Bexarotene and Ultrasound for Treating Liver Cancer.

PubMed

Misra, Santosh K; Ghoshal, Goutam; Gartia, Manas R; Wu, Zhe; De, Arun K; Ye, Mao; Bromfield, Corinne R; Williams, Emery M; Singh, Kuldeep; Tangella, Krishnarao V; Rund, Laurie; Schulten, Klaus; Schook, Lawrence B; Ray, Partha S; Burdette, Everette C; Pan, Dipanjan

2015-11-24

Repurposing of existing cancer drugs to overcome their physical limitations, such as insolubility, represents an attractive strategy to achieve enhanced therapeutic efficacy and broaden the range of clinical applications. Such an approach also promises to offer substantial cost savings in drug development efforts. Here we repurposed FDA-approved topical agent bexarotene (Targretin), currently in limited use for cutaneous manifestations of T-cell lymphomas, and re-engineer it for use in solid tumor applications by forming self-assembling nanobubbles. Physico-chemical characterization studies of the novel prodrug nanobubbles demonstrated their stability, enhanced target cell internalization capability, and highly controlled release profile in response to application of focused ultrasound energy. Using an in vitro model of hepatocellular carcinoma and an in vivo large animal model of liver ablation, we demonstrate the effectiveness of bexarotene prodrug nanobubbles when used in conjunction with catheter-based ultrasound, thereby highlighting the therapeutic promise of this trimodal approach.

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

Libkind, M.; Bertolini, L.; Duffy, P.

As part of the research and development effort for a 4th generation light source, we have designed a 4-meter long Free-Electron Laser (FEL) undulator. The undulator will be installed at the Accelerator Test Facility (ATF) at Brookhaven National Laboratory to conduct a Self-Amplified Spontaneous Emission (SASE) demonstration. The demonstration is called VISA, which stands for "Visible to Infrared SASE Amplifier." The undulator consists of 440 permanent dipole magnets per meter which are supported and aligned on a precision strongback. Focusing and defocusing permanent quadrupole magnets are also supported by the strongback. Each of the 4 one-meter sections of undulator aremore » kinematically supported and housed within the vacuum vessel. The undulator and the vacuum vessel are supported independently to eliminate undulator misalignment during vacuum pump-down of the vessel. We describe the design requirements and features of the undulator, vacuum vessel and support system.« less

Tri-modal Therapy: Combining Hyperthermia with Repurposed Bexarotene and Ultrasound for Treating Liver Cancer

PubMed Central

Misra, Santosh K.; Ghoshal, Goutam; Bromfield, Corinne R.; Williams, Emery M.; Singh, Kuldeep; Tangella, Krishnarao V.; Rund, Laurie; Schulten, Klaus; Schook, Lawrence B.; Ray, Partha S.; Burdette, Everette C.; Pan, Dipanjan

2016-01-01

Repurposing of existing cancer drugs to overcome their physical limitations, such as insolubility, represents an attractive strategy to achieve enhanced therapeutic efficacy and broaden the range of clinical applications. Such an approach also promises to offer substantial cost savings in drug development efforts. Here we use repurposed FDA-approved topical agent bexarotene (Targretin™), currently in limited use for cutaneous manifestations of T-cell lymphomas, and re-engineer it for use in solid tumor applications by forming self-assembling nanobubbles. Physicochemical characterization studies of the novel prodrug nanobubbles demonstrated their stability, enhanced target cell-internalization capability and highly controlled release profile in response to application of focused ultrasound energy. Using an in vitro model of hepatocellular carcinoma and an in vivo large animal model of liver ablation, we demonstrate the effectiveness of bexarotene prodrug nanobubbles when used in conjunction with catheter-based ultrasound, thereby highlighting the therapeutic promise of this trimodal approach. PMID:26435333

Critical look at physics identity: An operationalized framework for examining race and physics identity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyater-Adams, Simone; Fracchiolla, Claudia; Finkelstein, Noah; Hinko, Kathleen

2018-06-01

Studies on physics identity are appearing more frequently and often responding to increased awareness of the underrepresentation of students of color in physics. In our broader research, we focus our efforts on understanding how racial identity and physics identity are negotiated throughout the experiences of Black physicists. In this paper, we present a Critical Physics Identity framework that can be used to examine racialized physics identity and demonstrate the utility of this framework by analyzing interviews with four physicists. Our framework draws from prior constructs of physics identity and racialized identity and provides operational definitions of six interacting dimensions. In this paper, we present the operationalized constructs, demonstrate how we use these constructs to code narrative data, as well as outline three methods of analysis that may be applied to study systems and structures and their influences on the experiences of Black students.

The relation of appraisal, coping efforts, and acuteness of trauma to PTS symptoms among former political prisoners.

PubMed

Kanninen, Katri; Punamäki, Raija-Leena; Qouta, Samir

2002-06-01

We examined how trauma-specific appraisals and coping efforts mediate between traumatic experiences, acuteness of trauma, and length of imprisonment and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTS) among 103 Palestinian former political prisoners. The findings provide support for both direct and mediated models of trauma. The acuteness of trauma (time since release), appraisal of prison experience as harmful and involving loss, and use of both emotion- and problem-focused coping efforts were associated with high levels of PTS symptoms. Torture and ill-treatment had a direct association with intrusion, and recent release from prison with avoidance symptoms. Acuteness of trauma turned out to be important in the coping and symptom association: emotion-focused coping was associated with a low level of PTS symptoms in the long run, whereas problem-focused coping was associated with a low level of PTS symptoms in the short run.

ENHANCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSING PREGNANT AND PARENTING WOMEN: FOCUS ON MATERNAL REFLECTIVE FUNCTIONING AND MOTHER-CHILD RELATIONSHIP

PubMed Central

PAJULO, MARJUKKA; SUCHMAN, NANCY; KALLAND, MIRJAM; MAYES, LINDA

2009-01-01

Substance abuse during early motherhood has become a significant problem and has led to accelerated efforts to develop specific treatment facilities for these mothers and children. Despite the often intensive treatment efforts in residential settings, there is surprisingly little evidence of their efficacy for enhancing the quality of caregiving. The situation of these mother-child pairs is exceptionally complex and multilevel, and has to be taken into account in the content and structuring of treatment. Intensive work in the “here and now” focusing on the mother-child relationship from pregnancy onwards in an effort to enhance maternal reflective capacity and mindedness is considered a key element for better treatment prognosis, in terms of both abstinence and quality of parenting. Pioneering work with such a focus is described in this article. PMID:20119507

Smart Pavement Monitoring System

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-05-01

This report describes the efforts undertaken to develop a novel self-powered strain sensor for continuous structural health monitoring of pavement systems under the Federal Highway Administration. Efforts focused on designing and testing a sensing sy...

The Purchasing Power of Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenthal, Amy; Mavrolas, Pamela; Rusmore, Barbara; Liquori, Toni

2017-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: School Food Focus (Focus) developed the Focus Midwest project on the premise that school food professionals (SFPs) could work together to minimize effort and maximize potential to find new or improved products to serve. Focus designed this project as an experiment to explore how and to what extent this collaborative approach…

Californium interrogation prompt neutron (CIPN) instrument for non-destructive assay of spent nuclear fuel – design concept and experimental demonstration

DOE PAGES

Henzlova, Daniela; Menlove, Howard Olsen; Rael, Carlos D.; ...

2015-10-09

Our paper presents results of the first experimental demonstration of the Californium Interrogation Prompt Neutron (CIPN) instrument developed within a multi-year effort launched by the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative Spent Fuel Project of the United States Department of Energy. The goals of this project focused on developing viable non-destructive assay techniques with capabilities to improve an independent verification of spent fuel assembly characteristics. For this purpose, the CIPN instrument combines active and passive neutron interrogation, along with passive gamma-ray measurements, to provide three independent observables. We describe the initial feasibility demonstration of the CIPN instrument, which involved measurements of fourmore » pressurized-water-reactor spent fuel assemblies with different levels of burnup and two initial enrichments. The measurements were performed at the Post-Irradiation Examination Facility at the Korea Atomic Energy Institute in the Republic of Korea. The key aim of the demonstration was to evaluate CIPN instrument performance under realistic deployment conditions, with the focus on a detailed assessment of systematic uncertainties that are best evaluated experimentally. The measurements revealed good positioning reproducibility, as well as a high degree of insensitivity of the CIPN instrument's response to irregularities in a radial burnup profile. Systematic uncertainty of individual CIPN instrument signals due to assembly rotation was found to be <4.5%, even for assemblies with fairly extreme gradients in the radial burnup profile. Lastly, these features suggest that the CIPN instrument is capable of providing a good representation of assembly average characteristics, independent of assembly orientation in the instrument.« less

Californium interrogation prompt neutron (CIPN) instrument for non-destructive assay of spent nuclear fuel – design concept and experimental demonstration

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

Henzlova, Daniela; Menlove, Howard Olsen; Rael, Carlos D.

Our paper presents results of the first experimental demonstration of the Californium Interrogation Prompt Neutron (CIPN) instrument developed within a multi-year effort launched by the Next Generation Safeguards Initiative Spent Fuel Project of the United States Department of Energy. The goals of this project focused on developing viable non-destructive assay techniques with capabilities to improve an independent verification of spent fuel assembly characteristics. For this purpose, the CIPN instrument combines active and passive neutron interrogation, along with passive gamma-ray measurements, to provide three independent observables. We describe the initial feasibility demonstration of the CIPN instrument, which involved measurements of fourmore » pressurized-water-reactor spent fuel assemblies with different levels of burnup and two initial enrichments. The measurements were performed at the Post-Irradiation Examination Facility at the Korea Atomic Energy Institute in the Republic of Korea. The key aim of the demonstration was to evaluate CIPN instrument performance under realistic deployment conditions, with the focus on a detailed assessment of systematic uncertainties that are best evaluated experimentally. The measurements revealed good positioning reproducibility, as well as a high degree of insensitivity of the CIPN instrument's response to irregularities in a radial burnup profile. Systematic uncertainty of individual CIPN instrument signals due to assembly rotation was found to be <4.5%, even for assemblies with fairly extreme gradients in the radial burnup profile. Lastly, these features suggest that the CIPN instrument is capable of providing a good representation of assembly average characteristics, independent of assembly orientation in the instrument.« less

Mapping the bycatch seascape: multispecies and multi-scale spatial patterns of fisheries bycatch.

PubMed

Lewison, Rebecca L; Soykan, Candan U; Franklin, Janet

2009-06-01

Fisheries bycatch is a worldwide conservation issue. Despite a growing awareness of bycatch problems in particular ocean regions, there have been few efforts to identify spatial patterns in bycatch events. Furthermore, many studies of fisheries bycatch have been myopic, focusing on a single species or a single region. Using a range of analytical approaches to identify spatial patterns in bycatch data, we demonstrate the utility and applications of area and point pattern analyses to single and multispecies bycatch seascapes of pelagic longline fisheries in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. We find clear evidence of spatial clustering within bycatch species in both ocean basins, both in terms of the underlying pattern of the locations of bycatch events relative to fishing locations and for areas of high bycatch rates. Furthermore, we find significant spatial overlap in the pattern of bycatch across species relative to the spatial distribution in fishing effort and target catch. These results point to the importance of considering spatial patterns of both single and multispecies bycatch to meet the ultimate goal of reducing bycatch encounters. These analyses also highlight the importance of considering bycatch relative to target catch as a way of identifying areas where fishing effort reduction may help to reduce multispecies bycatch with minimal impact on target catch.

Capabilities Development for Transient Testing of Advanced Nuclear Fuels at TREAT

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

Woolstenhulme, N. E.; Baker, C. C.; Bess, J. D.

2016-09-01

The TREAT facility is a unique capability at the Idaho National Laboratory currently being prepared for resumption of nuclear transient testing. Accordingly, designs for several transient irradiation tests are being pursued to enable development of advanced nuclear fuels and materials. In addition to the reactor itself, the foundation for TREAT’s capabilities also include a suite of irradiation vehicles and supporting infrastructure to provide the desired specimen boundary conditions while supporting a variety of instrumentation needs. The challenge of creating these vehicles, especially since many of the modern data needs were not historically addressed in TREAT experiment vehicles, has necessitated amore » sizeable engineering effort. This effort is currently underway and maturing rapidly. This paper summarizes the status, future plans, and rationale for TREAT experiment vehicle capabilities. Much of the current progress is focused around understanding and demonstrating the behavior of fuel design with enhanced accident tolerance in water-cooled reactors. Additionally, several related efforts are underway to facilitate transient testing in liquid sodium, inert gas, and steam environments. This paper discusses why such a variety of capabilities are needed, outlines plans to accomplish them, and describes the relationship between transient data needs and the irradiation hardware that will support the gathering of this information.« less

Micromachined microfluidic chemiluminescent system for explosives detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Yoon; Neikirk, Dean P.; Anslyn, Eric V.

2007-04-01

Results will be reported from efforts to develop a self-contained micromachined microfluidic detection system for the presence of specific target analytes under the US Office of Naval Research Counter IED Basic Research Program. Our efforts include improving/optimizing a dedicated micromachined sensor array with integrated photodetectors and the synthesis of chemiluminescent receptors for nitramine residues. Our strategy for developing chemiluminescent synthetic receptors is to use quenched peroxyoxalate chemiluminescence; the presence of the target analyte would then trigger chemiluminescence. Preliminary results are encouraging as we have been able to measure large photo-currents from the reaction. We have also fabricated and demonstrated the feasibility of integrating photodiodes within an array of micromachined silicon pyramidal cavities. One particular advantage of such approach over a conventional planar photodiode would be its collection efficiency without the use of external optical components. Unlike the case of a normal photodetector coupled to a focused or collimated light source, the photodetector for such a purpose must couple to an emitting source that is approximately hemispherical; hence, using the full sidewalls of the bead's confining cavity as the detector allows the entire structure to act as its own integrating sphere. At the present time, our efforts are concentrating on improving the signal-to-noise ratio by reducing the leakage current by optimizing the fabrication sequence and the design.

IVGEN Post Flight Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcquillen, John; Brown, Dan; Hussey, Sam; Zoldak, John

2014-01-01

The Intravenous Fluid Generation (IVGEN) Experiment was a technology demonstration experiment that purified ISS potable water, mixed it with salt, and transferred it through a sterilizing filter. On-orbit performance was verified as appropriate and two 1.5 l bags of normal saline solution were returned to earth for post-flight testing by a FDA certified laboratory for compliance with United States Pharmacopiea (USP) standards. Salt concentration deviated from required values and an analysis identified probable causes. Current efforts are focused on Total Organic Content (TOC) testing, and shelf life.The Intravenous Fluid Generation (IVGEN) Experiment demonstrated the purification of ISS potable water, the mixing of the purified water with sodium chloride, and sterilization of the solution via membrane filtration. On-orbit performance was monitored where feasible and two 1.5-liter bags of normal saline solution were returned to earth for post-flight testing by a FDA-registered laboratory for compliance with United States Pharmacopeia (USP)standards [1]. Current efforts have been focused on challenge testing with identified [2] impurities (total organic-carbon), and shelf life testing. The challenge testing flowed known concentrations of contaminants through the IVGEN deionizing cartridge and membrane filters to test their effectiveness. One finding was that the filters and DI-resin themselves contribute to the contaminant load during initial startup, suggesting that the first 100 ml of fluid be discarded. Shelf life testing is ongoing and involves periodic testing of stored DI cartridges and membrane filters that are capped and sealed in hermetic packages. The testing is conducted at six month intervals measuring conductivity and endotoxins in the effluent. Currently, the packaging technique has been successfully demonstrated for one year of storage testing. The USP standards specifies that the TOC be conducted at point of generation as opposed to point of consumption. Samples were generated and shipped to an FDA facility however, testing determined that the samples failed the TOC specification with most likely due to leaching from the sample container. Shelf life testing is examining packaging techniques and periodic testing of samples of DI cartridges that are capped and sealed in hermetic packages. Periodic testing of the purified water output will be conducted at six month intervals.

Proliferation: Threat and Response

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-11-01

primary agent, the Defense Technology capabilities also contribute to ongoing efforts to Security Administration ( DTSA ). These efforts are focus and...Special Weapons Agency Organization DTSA Defense Technology Security BW Biological Weapons Administration BWC Biological and Toxin Weapons EPCI Enhanced

Quality assurance of the gene ontology using abstraction networks.

PubMed

Ochs, Christopher; Perl, Yehoshua; Halper, Michael; Geller, James; Lomax, Jane

2016-06-01

The gene ontology (GO) is used extensively in the field of genomics. Like other large and complex ontologies, quality assurance (QA) efforts for GO's content can be laborious and time consuming. Abstraction networks (AbNs) are summarization networks that reveal and highlight high-level structural and hierarchical aggregation patterns in an ontology. They have been shown to successfully support QA work in the context of various ontologies. Two kinds of AbNs, called the area taxonomy and the partial-area taxonomy, are developed for GO hierarchies and derived specifically for the biological process (BP) hierarchy. Within this framework, several QA heuristics, based on the identification of groups of anomalous terms which exhibit certain taxonomy-defined characteristics, are introduced. Such groups are expected to have higher error rates when compared to other terms. Thus, by focusing QA efforts on anomalous terms one would expect to find relatively more erroneous content. By automatically identifying these potential problem areas within an ontology, time and effort will be saved during manual reviews of GO's content. BP is used as a testbed, with samples of three kinds of anomalous BP terms chosen for a taxonomy-based QA review. Additional heuristics for QA are demonstrated. From the results of this QA effort, it is observed that different kinds of inconsistencies in the modeling of GO can be exposed with the use of the proposed heuristics. For comparison, the results of QA work on a sample of terms chosen from GO's general population are presented.

Goal striving strategies and effort mobilization: When implementation intentions reduce effort-related cardiac activity during task performance.

PubMed

Freydefont, Laure; Gollwitzer, Peter M; Oettingen, Gabriele

2016-09-01

Two experiments investigate the influence of goal and implementation intentions on effort mobilization during task performance. Although numerous studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of setting goals and making plans on performance, the effects of goals and plans on effort-related cardiac activity and especially the cardiac preejection period (PEP) during goal striving have not yet been addressed. According to the Motivational Intensity Theory, participants should increase effort mobilization proportionally to task difficulty as long as success is possible and justified. Forming goals and making plans should allow for reduced effort mobilization when participants perform an easy task. However, when the task is difficult, goals and plans should differ in their effect on effort mobilization. Participants who set goals should disengage, whereas participants who made if-then plans should stay in the field showing high effort mobilization during task performance. As expected, using an easy task in Experiment 1, we observed a lower cardiac PEP in both the implementation intention and the goal intention condition than in the control condition. In Experiment 2, we varied task difficulty and demonstrated that while participants with a mere goal intention disengaged from difficult tasks, participants with an implementation intention increased effort mobilization proportionally with task difficulty. These findings demonstrate the influence of goal striving strategies (i.e., mere goals vs. if-then plans) on effort mobilization during task performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genius Sand: A Miniature Kill Vehicle Technology to Support Boost Phase Intercepts and Midcourse Engagements

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

Ledebuhr, A.G.; Ng, L.C.; Kordas, J.F.

2002-06-30

This paper summarizes Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL) approach to a proposed Technology Demonstration program for the development of a new class of miniature kill vehicles (MKVs), that they have termed Genius Sand (GS). These miniaturized kinetic kill vehicles offer new capabilities for boost phase intercept (BPI) missions, as well as midcourse intercepts and the defeat of advanced countermeasures. The specific GS MKV properties will depend on the choice of mission application and system architecture, as well as the level of coordinated or autonomous operations in these missions. In general the GS MKVs will mass from between 1 to 5more » kilograms and have several hundred meters per second of {Delta}v and be capable of several g's of acceleration. Based on the results of their previous study effort, they believe that it is feasible to develop and integrate the required technologies into a fully functional GS MKV prototype within the scope of a three-year development effort. They will discuss some of the system architecture trades and applicable technologies that can be applied in an operational MKV system, as a guide to focus any technology demonstration program. They will present the results of a preliminary 6DOF analysis to determine the minimum capabilities of an MKV system. They also will discuss a preliminary design configuration of a 2 kg GS MKV that has between 300-500 m/s of {Delta}v and has at least 2-g's of acceleration capability. They believe a successful GS MKV development effort will require not only a comprehensive component miniaturization program, but a rapid hardware prototyping process, and the ability to utilize high fidelity ground testing methodologies.« less

Three Dimensional Numerical Simulation of Rocket-based Combined-cycle Engine Response During Mode Transition Events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, Jack R.; McRae, D. Scott; Bond, Ryan B.; Steffan, Christopher (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

The GTX program at NASA Glenn Research Center is designed to develop a launch vehicle concept based on rocket-based combined-cycle (RBCC) propulsion. Experimental testing, cycle analysis, and computational fluid dynamics modeling have all demonstrated the viability of the GTX concept, yet significant technical issues and challenges still remain. Our research effort develops a unique capability for dynamic CFD simulation of complete high-speed propulsion devices and focuses this technology toward analysis of the GTX response during critical mode transition events. Our principal attention is focused on Mode 1/Mode 2 operation, in which initial rocket propulsion is transitioned into thermal-throat ramjet propulsion. A critical element of the GTX concept is the use of an Independent Ramjet Stream (IRS) cycle to provide propulsion at Mach numbers less than 3. In the IRS cycle, rocket thrust is initially used for primary power, and the hot rocket plume is used as a flame-holding mechanism for hydrogen fuel injected into the secondary air stream. A critical aspect is the establishment of a thermal throat in the secondary stream through the combination of area reduction effects and combustion-induced heat release. This is a necessity to enable the power-down of the rocket and the eventual shift to ramjet mode. Our focus in this first year of the grant has been in three areas, each progressing directly toward the key initial goal of simulating thermal throat formation during the IRS cycle: CFD algorithm development; simulation of Mode 1 experiments conducted at Glenn's Rig 1 facility; and IRS cycle simulations. The remainder of this report discusses each of these efforts in detail and presents a plan of work for the next year.

Consumer Involvement in Evaluation and Quality Assurance Efforts: Review of Current Efforts in the Field of Developmental Disabilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashline, Melissa

This review of the professional and programmatic literature in the field of developmental disabilities focuses on ways in which individuals with developmental disabilities and their families are becoming increasingly involved in program evaluation and quality assurance efforts. Three major movements are having an impact on this activity: state and…

Literacy Education and Social Change Efforts in Pre-Communist China: The Mass Education Movement 1922-1949.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paulston, Rolland G.

Socioeconomic development in China between the two world wars included an extensive mass education effort by reform-minded young Chinese. Focusing on adult literacy and rural reconstruction, Chinese educators employed various strategies to stimulate and assist self-help efforts in Chinese villages. Paramount among these educational techniques were…

Advances in regional crop yield estimation over the United States using satellite remote sensing data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, D. M.; Dorn, M. F.; Crawford, C.

2015-12-01

Since the dawn of earth observation imagery, particularly from systems like Landsat and the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer, there has been an overarching desire to regionally estimate crop production remotely. Research efforts integrating space-based imagery into yield models to achieve this need have indeed paralleled these systems through the years, yet development of a truly useful crop production monitoring system has been arguably mediocre in coming. As a result, relatively few organizations have yet to operationalize the concept, and this is most acute in regions of the globe where there are not even alternative sources of crop production data being collected. However, the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has continued to push for this type of data source as a means to complement its long-standing, traditional crop production survey efforts which are financially costly to the government and create undue respondent burden on farmers. Corn and soybeans, the two largest field crops in the United States, have been the focus of satellite-based production monitoring by NASS for the past decade. Data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) has been seen as the most pragmatic input source for modeling yields primarily based on its daily revisit capabilities and reasonable ground sample resolution. The research methods presented here will be broad but provides a summary of what is useful and adoptable with satellite imagery in terms of crop yield estimation. Corn and soybeans will be of particular focus but other major staple crops like wheat and rice will also be presented. NASS will demonstrate that while MODIS provides a slew of vegetation related products, the traditional normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) is still ideal. Results using land surface temperature products, also generated from MODIS, will also be shown. Beyond the MODIS data itself, NASS research has also focused efforts on understanding a variety of data mining and modeling options and results strongly lean toward solutions of ensemble decision trees like Cubist and Random Forest. Those comparisons of what are seen as best will be also be shown. And finally, important model refinements accounting for temporal and spatial trends have also been considered and results will be presented.

Outcomes and impact of community-based rehabilitation programmes in Chinese communities.

PubMed

Chung, Eva Y; Packer, Tanya L

2017-04-01

To identify the most common and most valued outcomes of community-based rehabilitation (CBR) in Chinese communities and to map these to the CBR evaluation framework. A multiple, embedded case study design was used. Four CBR programmes in China met the criteria for inclusion and participated. Data collection, via participant "story telling", followed the procedures of the most significant change technique (MSC) over a period for five months. Content analysis with thematic coding was used to detect the common significant changes described in "top-rated" stories and in the entire pool of stories. Meta-analysis using the CBR framework was carried out to enrich the understanding of programme outcomes. A total of 101 stories were collected in the two rounds of story collection from the four programmes. Aggregated results demonstrated that, across all programmes, 78.21% of stories focused on changes in people with disabilities, 9.9% described aspects of programme development, 8.91% reported on outcomes related to CBR workers, and only 2.97% were focused on advocacy. When mapped against the elements of the CBR framework the MSCs among these four programmes were (1) psychosocial changes, (2) increased family participation and (3) improved physical functioning. CBR practice in Chinese communities remains orientated towards an approach of functional rehabilitation rather than community-based inclusive development. Implications for rehabilitation Community-based rehabilitation is a strategy for community-based inclusive development. Commonly reported significant outcomes of community-based rehabilitation programmes in China focus on changes in psychosocial and physical status of people with disabilities and family participation. Community-based rehabilitation in China continues to focus on traditional rehabilitation. New efforts and directions are needed to also include goals of equity and community inclusion. Further efforts to promote the use of CBR guideline with the goal of facilitating inclusion and equal participation are strongly recommended.

Co-creating healthful eating behaviors with very young children: The impact of information overload on primary caregivers.

PubMed

Norton, Julie L; Raciti, Maria M

2017-01-01

Primary caregivers of very young children are subject to excessive and often disparate information regarding the instilling of healthful eating behaviors. Our study focuses on the integration of the operant resources of primary caregivers (i.e., their knowledge and modeling skills) and that of their very young children (i.e., their self-regulation of energy intake and food preferences) to co-create healthful eating behaviors as a measure to curb overweight and obesity in adulthood. Our two-stage qualitative study makes original contributions demonstrating that primary caregivers' efforts to co-create healthful eating behaviors with their very young children are adversely affected by information overload.

Review of perinatal partner-focused smoking cessation interventions.

PubMed

Duckworth, Adrienne L; Chertok, Ilana R Azulay

2012-01-01

One of the primary barriers to smoking cessation among pregnant women who smoke is having a partner who smokes. Prenatal tobacco exposure has been demonstrated to negatively affect infant health outcomes. Many smoking cessation interventions have been targeted at women who smoke in pregnancy, although research has indicated that one of the main barriers to cessation is lack of partner support. The family systems theory frames prenatal smoking cessation interventions in an inclusive manner for the woman and her partner. The aim of this article is to review smoking cessation intervention studies for partners of pregnant women. Efforts to promote smoking cessation among pregnant women should be inclusive of partners, recognizing that partners influence maternal prenatal health behaviors.

Therapeutic Inertia and Treatment Intensification.

PubMed

Josiah Willock, Robina; Miller, Joseph B; Mohyi, Michelle; Abuzaanona, Ahmed; Muminovic, Meri; Levy, Phillip D

2018-01-29

This review aims to emphasize how therapeutic inertia, the failure of clinicians to intensify treatment when blood pressure rises or remains above therapeutic goals, contributes to suboptimal blood pressure control in hypertensive populations. Studies reveal that the therapeutic inertia is quite common and contributes to suboptimal blood pressure control. Quality improvement programs and standardized approaches to support antihypertensive treatment intensification are ways to combat therapeutic inertia. Furthermore, programs that utilize non-physician medical professionals such as pharmacists and nurses demonstrate promise in mitigating the effects of this important problem. Therapeutic inertia impedes antihypertensive management and requires a broad effort to reduce its effects. There is an ongoing need for renewed focus and research in this area to improve hypertension control.

The Integrated Airport: Building a Successful NextGen Testbed

ScienceCinema

Frederick-Recascino, Christina; Sweigard, Doug; Lester, Wade

2018-01-24

This presentation will describe a unique public-private partnership - the Integrated Airport - that was created to engage in research and testing related to NextGen Technology deployment.  NextGen refers to the program that will be initiated to modernize the US National Airspace.  As with any major, multi-decade initiative, such as NextGen, integration of work efforts by multiple partners in the modernization is critical for success.  This talk will focus on the development of the consortium, how the consortium plans for NextGen initiatives, the series of technology demonstrations we have produced and plans for the future of NextGen testing and implementation. 

The Decent Care Movement: Subsidiarity, Pragmatic Solidarity, and Cross-Cultural Resonance.

PubMed

Niforatos, Joshua D

2016-02-01

Decent Care is the World Health Organization and The Ford Foundation's joint effort to articulate a healthcare paradigm that makes a patient's voice equal to the voice of the healthcare provider. In this article, the six tenants of Decent Care are outlined with particular emphasis on subsidiarity. Liberation theology's preferential option for the poor maxim is presented and compared with other major world religions to demonstrate the cross-cultural focus of "decency." The power of this paradigm is in its emphasis and proclamation of human flourishing in a healthcare setting, generally speaking, and more specifically, human flourishing in the presence of affliction from chronic disease or dying cross-culturally.

Demonstration of Spacecraft Fire Safety Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruff, Gary A.; Urban, David L.

2012-01-01

During the Constellation Program, the development of spacecraft fire safety technologies were focused on the immediate questions related to the atmosphere of the habitable volume and implementation of fire detection, suppression, and postfire clean-up systems into the vehicle architectures. One of the difficulties encountered during the trade studies for these systems was the frequent lack of data regarding the performance of a technology, such as a water mist fire suppression system or an optically-based combustion product monitor. Even though a spacecraft fire safety technology development project was being funded, there was insufficient time and funding to address all the issues as they were identified. At the conclusion of the Constellation Program, these knowledge gaps formed the basis for a project proposed to the Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Program. This project, subsequently funded by the AES Program and in operation since October 2011, has as its cornerstone the development of an experiment to be conducted on an ISS resupply vehicle, such as the European Space Agency (ESA) Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) or Orbital Science s Cygnus vehicle after it leaves the ISS and before it enters the atmosphere. The technology development efforts being conducted in this project include continued quantification of low- and partial-gravity maximum oxygen concentrations of spacecraft-relevant materials, development and verification of sensors for fire detection and post-fire monitoring, development of standards for sizing and selecting spacecraft fire suppression systems, and demonstration of post-fire cleanup strategies. The major technology development efforts are identified in this paper but its primary purpose is to describe the spacecraft fire safety demonstration being planned for the reentry vehicle.

Quality and safety in medical care: what does the future hold?

PubMed

Liang, Bryan A; Mackey, Tim

2011-11-01

The rapid changes in health care policy, embracing quality and safety mandates, have culminated in programs and initiatives under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. To review the context of, and anticipated quality and patient safety mandates for, delivery systems, incentives under health care reform, and models for future accountability for outcomes of care. Assessment of the provisions of Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, other reform efforts, and reform initiatives focusing on future quality and safety provisions for health care providers. Health care reform and other efforts focus on consumerism in the context of price. Quality and safety efforts will be structured using financial incentives, best-practices research, and new delivery models that focus on reaching benchmarks while reducing costs. In addition, patient experience will be a key component of reimbursement, and a move toward "retail" approaches directed at the individual patient may supplant traditional "wholesale" efforts at attracting employers. Quality and safety have always been of prime importance in medicine. However, in the future, under health care reform and associated initiatives, a shift in the paradigm of medicine will integrate quality and safety measurement with financial incentives and a new emphasis on consumerism.

Methodologies for estimating advisory curve speeds on Oregon highways.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-01-01

This report reviews an Oregon research effort to evaluate the identification and marking of advisory speeds on Oregon : highways. In particular, this research effort focused on the implications of modified advisory speed thresholds and : identificati...

Lessons from a Broad-based ACA Outreach Effort: Promises and Pitfalls.

PubMed

Gurley-Calvez, Tami; Hembree, Jessica; Mosley, Jane; LaPierre, Tracey; Aslam, Misbah; Jones, Emily V; Zimmerman, Mary

2017-01-01

The Marketplace Coverage Initiative (MCI) sought to expand awareness and ACA Marketplace enrollment in the greater Kansas City Area. The MCI was evaluated through interviews, surveys, and focus groups. Two main findings are particularly relevant for future Marketplace enrollment efforts. First, the link between contacting someone and actual enrollment is tenuous as follow-up is challenging. Outreach efforts that only track contacts, such as appointments and email addresses, lack information needed to assess enrollment. Linking outreach activities to enrollment outcomes leads us to a dramatically different conclusion about using big data and campaign-style tactics than evaluations of similar techniques such as that pioneered by Enroll America in 11 states. Second, there is a large chasm between the knowledge levels of the uninsured and the decisions they face on the Marketplace. Based on these findings, outreach efforts were redesigned for the 2014 open enrollment period to focus on smaller, community-driven projects.

Science responses to IUCN Red Listing.

PubMed

Jarić, Ivan; Roberts, David L; Gessner, Jörn; Solow, Andrew R; Courchamp, Franck

2017-01-01

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is often advocated as a tool to assist decision-making in conservation investment and research focus. It is frequently suggested that research efforts should prioritize species in higher threat categories and those that are Data Deficient (DD). We assessed the linkage between IUCN listing and research effort in DD and Critically Endangered (CR) species, two groups generally advocated as research priorities. The analysis of the change in the research output following species classification indicated a listing effect in DD species, while such effect was observed in only a minority of CR species groups. DD species, while chronically understudied, seem to be recognized as research priorities, while research effort for endangered species appears to be driven by various factors other than the IUCN listing. Optimized conservation research focus would require international science planning efforts, harmonized through international mechanisms and promoted by financial and other incentives.

NASA HPCC Technology for Aerospace Analysis and Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schulbach, Catherine H.

1999-01-01

The Computational Aerosciences (CAS) Project is part of NASA's High Performance Computing and Communications Program. Its primary goal is to accelerate the availability of high-performance computing technology to the US aerospace community-thus providing the US aerospace community with key tools necessary to reduce design cycle times and increase fidelity in order to improve safety, efficiency and capability of future aerospace vehicles. A complementary goal is to hasten the emergence of a viable commercial market within the aerospace community for the advantage of the domestic computer hardware and software industry. The CAS Project selects representative aerospace problems (especially design) and uses them to focus efforts on advancing aerospace algorithms and applications, systems software, and computing machinery to demonstrate vast improvements in system performance and capability over the life of the program. Recent demonstrations have served to assess the benefits of possible performance improvements while reducing the risk of adopting high-performance computing technology. This talk will discuss past accomplishments in providing technology to the aerospace community, present efforts, and future goals. For example, the times to do full combustor and compressor simulations (of aircraft engines) have been reduced by factors of 320:1 and 400:1 respectively. While this has enabled new capabilities in engine simulation, the goal of an overnight, dynamic, multi-disciplinary, 3-dimensional simulation of an aircraft engine is still years away and will require new generations of high-end technology.

Educational transformation in upper-division physics: The Science Education Initiative model, outcomes, and lessons learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chasteen, Stephanie V.; Wilcox, Bethany; Caballero, Marcos D.; Perkins, Katherine K.; Pollock, Steven J.; Wieman, Carl E.

2015-12-01

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Upper Division Physics Courses.] In response to the need for a scalable, institutionally supported model of educational change, the Science Education Initiative (SEI) was created as an experiment in transforming course materials and faculty practices at two institutions—University of Colorado Boulder (CU) and University of British Columbia. We find that this departmentally focused model of change, which includes an explicit focus on course transformation as supported by a discipline-based postdoctoral education specialist, was generally effective in impacting courses and faculty across the institution. In CU's Department of Physics, the SEI effort focused primarily on upper-division courses, creating high-quality course materials, approaches, and assessments, and demonstrating an impact on student learning. We argue that the SEI implementation in the CU Physics Department, as compared to that in other departments, achieved more extensive impacts on specific course materials, and high-quality assessments, due to guidance by the physics education research group—but with more limited impact on the departmental faculty as a whole. We review the process and progress of the SEI Physics at CU and reflect on lessons learned in the CU Physics Department in particular. These results are useful in considering both institutional and faculty-led models of change and course transformation.

A retrospective analysis of funding and focus in US advanced fission innovation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdulla, A.; Ford, M. J.; Morgan, M. G.; Victor, D. G.

2017-08-01

Deep decarbonization of the global energy system will require large investments in energy innovation and the deployment of new technologies. While many studies have focused on the expenditure that will be needed, here we focus on how government has spent public sector resources on innovation for a key carbon-free technology: advanced nuclear. We focus on nuclear power because it has been contributing almost 20% of total US electric generation, and because the US program in this area has historically been the world’s leading effort. Using extensive data acquired through the Freedom of Information Act, we reconstruct the budget history of the Department of Energy’s program to develop advanced, non-light water nuclear reactors. Our analysis shows that—despite spending 2 billion since the late 1990s—no advanced design is ready for deployment. Even if the program had been well designed, it still would have been insufficient to demonstrate even one non-light water technology. It has violated much of the wisdom about the effective execution of innovative programs: annual funding varies fourfold, priorities are ephemeral, incumbent technologies and fuels are prized over innovation, and infrastructure spending consumes half the budget. Absent substantial changes, the possibility of US-designed advanced reactors playing a role in decarbonization by mid-century is low.

Virginia Demonstration Project Encouraging Middle School Students in Pursuing STEM Careers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachman, Jane T.; Kota, Dena H.; Kota, Aaron J.

2011-01-01

Encouraging students at all grade levels to consider pursuing a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields i s a national focus. In 2005, the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), a Department of Defense laboratory located in Da hlgren, Virginia, began work on the Virginia Demonstration Project (VDP) with the goal of increasing more student interest in STEM educatio n and pursuing STEM careers. This goal continues as the program enters its sixth year. This project has been successful through the partici pation of NSWCDD's scientists and engineers who are trained as mentor s to work in local middle school classrooms throughout the school year, As an extension of the in-class activities, several STEM summer aca demies have been conducted at NSWCDD, These academies are supported by the Navy through the VDP and the STEM Learning Module Project. These projects are part of more extensive outreach efforts offered by the National Defense Education Program (NDEP), sponsored by the Director, Defense Research and Engineering. The focus of this paper is on the types of activities conducted at the summer academy, an overview of the academy planning process, and recommendations to help support a nati onal plan of integrating modeling and simulation-based engineering and science into all grade levels. based upon the lessons learned

U.S.-MEXICO TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER; BILATERAL TECHNICAL EXCHANGES FOR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE BORDER REGION

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

Jimenez, Richard, D., Dr.

2007-10-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) maintains a strong commitment to transfer the results of its science and technology programs to the private sector. The intent is to apply innovative and sometimes advanced technologies to address needs while simultaneously stimulating new commercial business opportunities. Such focused “technology transfer” was evident in the late 1990s as the results of DOE investments in environmental management technology development led to new tools for characterizing and remediating contaminated sites as well as handling and minimizing the generation of hazardous wastes. The Department’s Office of Environmental Management was attempting to reduce the cost, accelerate themore » schedule, and improve the efficacy of clean-up efforts in the nuclear weapons complex. It recognized that resulting technologies had broader world market applications and that their commercialization would further reduce costs and facilitate deployment of improved technology at DOE sites. DOE’s Albuquerque Operations Office (now part of the National Nuclear Security Administration) began in 1995 to build the foundation for a technology exchange program with Mexico. Initial sponsorship for this work was provided by the Department’s Office of Environmental Management. As part of this effort, Applied Sciences Laboratory, Inc. (ASL) was contracted by the DOE Albuquerque office to identify Mexico’s priority environmental management needs, identify and evaluate DOE-sponsored technologies as potential solutions for those needs, and coordinate these opportunities with decision makers from Mexico’s federal government. That work led to an improved understanding of many key environmental challenges that Mexico faces and the many opportunities to apply DOE’s technologies to help resolve them. The above results constituted, in large part, the foundation for an initial DOE-funded program to apply the Department’s technology base to help address some of Mexico’s challenging environmental issues. The results also brought focus to the potential contributions that DOE’s science and technology could make for solving the many difficult, multi-generational problems faced by hundreds of bi-national communities along the 2,000-mile shared border of the United States and Mexico. Efforts to address these U.S.-Mexico border issues were initially sponsored by the DOE’s Albuquerque and Carlsbad offices. In subsequent years, the U.S. Congress directed appropriations to DOE’s Carlsbad office to address public health, safety and security issues prevalent within U.S.-Mexico border communities. With ASL’s assistance, DOE’s Albuquerque office developed contacts and formed partnerships with interested U.S and Mexican government, academic, and commercial organizations. Border industries, industrial effluents, and public health conditions were evaluated and documented. Relevant technologies were then matched to environmental problem sets along the border. Several technologies that were identified and subsequently supported by this effort are now operational in a number of U.S.-Mexico border communities, several communities within Mexico’s interior states, and in other parts of Latin America. As a result, some serious public health threats within these communities caused by exposure to toxic airborne pollutants have been reduced. During this time, DOE’s Carlsbad office hosted a bilateral conference to establish a cross-border consensus on what should be done on the basis of these earlier investigative efforts. Participating border region stakeholders set an agenda for technical collaborations. This agenda was supported by several Members of Congress who provided appropriations and directed DOE’s Carlsbad office to initiate technology demonstration projects. During the following two years, more than 12 private-sector and DOE-sponsored technologies were demonstrated in partnership with numerous border community stakeholders. All technologies were well received and their effectiveness at addressing health, safety and security issues was successfully demonstrated. Several of these technologies, including those noted above and demonstrated under this effort, are now operational. Furthermore, a number of public and national security issues unique to the U.S.-Mexico border were brought to the attention of the federal government and are now being addressed, largely through the efforts of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Program results demonstrated the value and effectiveness of the program’s process for technology exchanges. Opportunities now exist to transition the program from its successful initial stage to one where it can more effectively address a broader spectrum of multi-disciplinary problems that impact millions of U.S. and Mexican citizens. Substantial benefits would accrue to both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border were the two countries to continue this collaboration.« less

Adult mortality probability and nest predation rates explain parental effort in warming eggs with consequences for embryonic development time

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martin, Thomas E.; Oteyza, Juan C.; Boyce, Andy J.; Lloyd, Penn; Ton, Riccardo

2015-01-01

Parental behavior and effort vary extensively among species. Life-history theory suggests that age-specific mortality could cause this interspecific variation, but past tests have focused on fecundity as the measure of parental effort. Fecundity can cause costs of reproduction that confuse whether mortality is the cause or the consequence of parental effort. We focus on a trait, parental allocation of time and effort in warming embryos, that varies widely among species of diverse taxa and is not tied to fecundity. We conducted studies on songbirds of four continents and show that time spent warming eggs varies widely among species and latitudes and is not correlated with clutch size. Adult and offspring (nest) mortality explained most of the interspecific variation in time and effort that parents spend warming eggs, measured by average egg temperatures. Parental effort in warming eggs is important because embryonic temperature can influence embryonic development period and hence exposure time to predation risk. We show through correlative evidence and experimental swapping of embryos between species that parentally induced egg temperatures cause interspecific variation in embryonic development period. The strong association of age-specific mortality with parental effort in warming eggs and the subsequent effects on embryonic development time are unique results that can advance understanding of broad geographic patterns of life-history variation.

Going to Scale with High-Quality Early Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christina, Rachel; Nicholson-Goodman, JoVictoria

2005-01-01

This report is an initial effort to describe efforts of a number of states that are seeking to create statewide systems of high-quality pre-kindergarten services, as well as some of the progress they have made in doing so. Focusing on the efforts of a sample of eight U.S. states, it examines the policy choices that states have made when…

Pre- and post-harvest interventions to reduce pathogen contamination in the U.S. beef industry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Significant effort has been targeted at reducing the risk of pathogens in U.S. beef products since the mid-1990s. These efforts were focused on E. coli O157:H7 after it was declared an adulterant in ground beef or its components. Initial efforts were composed primarily of post-harvest interventions ...

An Exploratory Analysis of the Navy Personnel Support Delivery Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

technology-competent generation. Our efforts are focused on providing a quantitative effort to understanding past trends in Personnel Support Detachment (PSD... quantitative effort to understanding past trends in Personnel Support Detachment (PSD) and Customer Service Desk (CSD) transactions that may aid manpower...56 xiv THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK xv LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Final Dataset Column Names and Descriptions

Conflicting Orientations to Patient Advocacy in Long-Term Care.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Litwin, Howard; And Others

1984-01-01

Analyzed national survey data on nursing home ombudsman programs to document three alternative formulations of advocacy: (1) individualized/developmentally focused; (2) individualized/patients' rights-focused, and (3) facility/patients' rights-focused. Programmatic efforts will be required to address disparities in conceptions of appropriate…

Magnetic field sensing with nitrogen-vacancy color centers in diamond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pham, Linh My

In recent years, the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center has emerged as a promising magnetic sensor capable of measuring magnetic fields with high sensitivity and spatial resolution under ambient conditions. This combination of characteristics allows NV magnetometers to probe magnetic structures and systems that were previously inaccessible with alternative magnetic sensing technologies This dissertation presents and discusses a number of the initial efforts to demonstrate and improve NV magnetometry. In particular, a wide-field CCD based NV magnetic field imager capable of micron-scale spatial resolution is demonstrated; and magnetic field alignment, preferential NV orientation, and multipulse dynamical decoupling techniques are explored for enhancing magnetic sensitivity. The further application of dynamical decoupling control sequences as a spectral probe to extract information about the dynamics of the NV spin environment is also discussed; such information may be useful for determining optimal diamond sample parameters for different applications. Finally, several proposed and recently demonstrated applications which take advantage of NV magnetometers' sensitivity and spatial resolution at room temperature are presented, with particular focus on bio-magnetic field imaging.

Osteoimmune Mechanisms of Segmental Bone Fracture Healing and Therapy

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

to civilians. Despite efforts involving allografts , surgery and fixators, intramedullary nailing and invasive plate fixing to heal segmental...efforts are focused on: tissue engineering approaches aimed at developing osteoconductive scaffolds, better quality synthetic bone grafts, and use of

Near-Source Modeling Updates: Building Downwash & Near-Road

EPA Science Inventory

The presentation describes recent research efforts in near-source model development focusing on building downwash and near-road barriers. The building downwash section summarizes a recent wind tunnel study, ongoing computational fluid dynamics simulations and efforts to improve ...

Quantifying Safety Performance of Driveways on State Highways

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-08-01

This report documents a research effort to quantify the safety performance of driveways in the State of Oregon. In : particular, this research effort focuses on driveways located adjacent to principal arterial state highways with urban or : rural des...

Increasing Diversity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weaver, Richard D.; Wood, Douglas

1996-01-01

Educators in dentistry and osteopathy discuss efforts within their fields to diversify clinical education. Dental school changes focus on curriculum reform, closer education-care delivery relationship, patient centeredness, comprehensive care experiences, and patient care as a distinct mission of dental education. Efforts in osteopathy emphasize…

Functionalized nanoparticle probes for protein detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Do Hyun; Lee, Jae-Seung

2015-05-01

In this Review, we discuss representative studies of recent advances in the development of nanoparticle-based protein detection methods, with a focus on the properties and functionalization of nanoparticle probes, as well as their use in detection schemes. We have focused on functionalized nanoparticle probes because they offer a number of advantages over conventional assays and because their use for detecting protein targets for diagnostic purposed has been demonstrated. In this report, we discuss nanoparticle probes classified by material type (gold, silver, silica, semiconductor, carbon, and virus) and surface functionality (antibody, aptamer, and DNA), which play a critical role in enhancing the sensitivity, selectivity, and efficiency of the detection systems. In particular, the synergistic function of each component of the nanoparticle probe is emphasized in terms of specific chemical and physical properties. This research area is in its early stages with many milestones to reach before nanoparticle probes are successfully applied in the field; however, the substantial ongoing efforts of researchers underline the great promise offered by nanoparticlebased probes for future applications. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Development of the dense plasma focus for short-pulse applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, N.; Blasco, M.; Breeding, K.; Constantino, D.; DeYoung, A.; DiPuccio, V.; Friedman, J.; Gall, B.; Gardner, S.; Gatling, J.; Hagen, E. C.; Luttman, A.; Meehan, B. T.; Misch, M.; Molnar, S.; Morgan, G.; O'Brien, R.; Robbins, L.; Rundberg, R.; Sipe, N.; Welch, D. R.; Yuan, V.

2017-01-01

The dense plasma focus (DPF) has long been considered a compact source for pulsed neutrons and has traditionally been optimized for the total neutron yield. In this paper, we describe the efforts to optimize the DPF for short-pulse applications by introducing a reentrant cathode at the end of the coaxial plasma gun. The resulting neutron pulse widths are reduced by an average of 21 ±9 % from the traditional long-drift DPF design. Pulse widths and yields achieved from deuterium-tritium fusion at 2 MA are 61.8 ±30.7 ns FWHM and 1.84 ±0.49 ×1012 neutrons per shot. Simulations were conducted concurrently to elucidate the DPF operation and confirm the role of the reentrant cathode. A hybrid fluid-kinetic particle-in-cell modeling capability demonstrates correct sheath velocities, plasma instabilities, and fusion yield rates. Consistent with previous findings that the DPF is dominated by beam-target fusion from superthermal ions, we estimate that the thermonuclear contribution is at the 1% level.

Production of recombinant allergens in plants.

PubMed

Schmidt, Georg; Gadermaier, Gabriele; Pertl, Heidi; Siegert, Marc; Oksman-Caldentey, Kirsi-Marja; Ritala, Anneli; Himly, Martin; Obermeyer, Gerhard; Ferreira, Fatima

2008-10-01

A large percentage of allergenic proteins are of plant origin. Hence, plant-based expression systems are considered ideal for the recombinant production of certain allergens. First attempts to establish production of plant-derived allergens in plants focused on transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana infected with recombinant viral vectors. Accordingly, allergens from birch and mugwort pollen, as well as from apple have been expressed in plants. Production of house dust mite allergens has been achieved by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of tobacco plants. Beside the use of plants as production systems, other approaches have focused on the development of edible vaccines expressing allergens or epitopes thereof, which bypasses the need of allergen purification. The potential of this approach has been convincingly demonstrated for transgenic rice seeds expressing seven dominant human T cell epitopes derived from Japanese cedar pollen allergens. Parallel to efforts in developing recombinant-based diagnostic and therapeutic reagents, different gene-silencing approaches have been used to decrease the expression of allergenic proteins in allergen sources. In this way hypoallergenic ryegrass, soybean, rice, apple, and tomato were developed.

Direct2Experts: a pilot national network to demonstrate interoperability among research-networking platforms

PubMed Central

Barnett, William; Conlon, Mike; Eichmann, David; Kibbe, Warren; Falk-Krzesinski, Holly; Halaas, Michael; Johnson, Layne; Meeks, Eric; Mitchell, Donald; Schleyer, Titus; Stallings, Sarah; Warden, Michael; Kahlon, Maninder

2011-01-01

Research-networking tools use data-mining and social networking to enable expertise discovery, matchmaking and collaboration, which are important facets of team science and translational research. Several commercial and academic platforms have been built, and many institutions have deployed these products to help their investigators find local collaborators. Recent studies, though, have shown the growing importance of multiuniversity teams in science. Unfortunately, the lack of a standard data-exchange model and resistance of universities to share information about their faculty have presented barriers to forming an institutionally supported national network. This case report describes an initiative, which, in only 6 months, achieved interoperability among seven major research-networking products at 28 universities by taking an approach that focused on addressing institutional concerns and encouraging their participation. With this necessary groundwork in place, the second phase of this effort can begin, which will expand the network's functionality and focus on the end users. PMID:22037890

Mucosal adjuvants and long-term memory development with special focus on CTA1-DD and other ADP-ribosylating toxins.

PubMed

Lycke, N; Bemark, M

2010-11-01

The ultimate goal for vaccination is to stimulate protective immunological memory. Protection against infectious diseases not only relies on the magnitude of the humoral immune response, but more importantly on the quality and longevity of it. Adjuvants are critical components of most non-living vaccines. Although little attention has been given to qualitative aspects of the choice of vaccine adjuvant, emerging data demonstrate that this function may be central to vaccine efficacy. In this review we describe efforts to understand more about how adjuvants influence qualitative aspects of memory development. We describe recent advances in understanding how vaccines induce long-lived plasma and memory B cells, and focus our presentation on the germinal center reaction. As mucosal vaccination requires powerful adjuvants, we have devoted much attention to the adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-ribosylating cholera toxin and the CTA1-DD adjuvants as examples of how mucosal adjuvants can influence induction of long-term memory.

Association between Early Marriage and Intimate Partner Violence in India: A Focus on Youth from Bihar and Rajasthan

PubMed Central

Speizer, Ilene S.; Pearson, Erin

2013-01-01

The relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and early marriage is explored using the 2005-2006 India National Family Health Survey (NFHS-3). The NFHS-3 collected data from a representative sample of women and men in India with a large enough sample size to have a representative sample at the state level. The focus is on youth from Bihar and Rajasthan, two states with high IPV and early marriage. Multivariate logistic regression analyses demonstrate that women ages 20-24 who married before age eighteen, the legal age at marriage in India, are more likely to have ever experienced IPV in their lifetime and recently experienced IPV (in the last 12 months) than their counterparts who married later. The results were significant in Rajasthan but not in Bihar. To reduce IPV, targeted efforts must be made to decrease the proportion of India’s girls who are married under the legal age of marriage. PMID:20587462

How the nursing profession can contribute to sustainable development goals.

PubMed

Benton, David; Shaffer, Franklin

2016-11-01

As of 1 January 2016, the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) became the focus of global efforts on a wide range of development agenda. The SDGs have subsumed the work of the UN millennium development goals (MDGs), so it is timely to reflect on the contribution made by nurses and midwives, so that we can optimise the profession's contribution to the 17 SDGs. This article reports the results of a scientometrics analysis of the published literature related to the MDGs and SDGs indexed in CINAHL, which identified the underlying themes addressed by nurses and midwives. It shows how analysis demonstrates that although nursing was slow to engage with the MDG agenda, it has made some progress in contributing to SDG scholarship. So far this contribution has been narrowly focused, but the profession could contribute to all 17 of the SDG goals. Routine updates of the analysis described here could help monitor progress, identify gaps in nursing's contributions to the goals, and provide further impetus to its engagement in this major global policy initiative.

Testing and Modeling of the Mars Atmospheric Processing Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muscatello, Anthony; Hintze, Paul; Meier, Anne; Petersen, Elspeth M.; Bayliss, Jon; Gomez Cano, Ricardo; Formoso, Rene; Shah, Malay; Berg, Jared; Vu, Bruce;

Communicative interactions involving plants: information, evolution, and ecology.

PubMed

Mescher, Mark C; Pearse, Ian S

2016-08-01

The role of information obtained via sensory cues and signals in mediating the interactions of organisms with their biotic and abiotic environments has been a major focus of work on sensory and behavioral ecology. Information-mediated interactions also have important implications for broader ecological patterns emerging at the community and ecosystem levels that are only now beginning to be explored. Given the extent to which plants dominate the sensory landscapes of terrestrial ecosystems, information-mediated interactions involving plants should be a major focus of efforts to elucidate these broader patterns. Here we explore how such efforts might be enhanced by a clear understanding of information itself-a central and potentially unifying concept in biology that has nevertheless been the subject of considerable confusion-and of its relationship to adaptive evolution and ecology. We suggest that information-mediated interactions should be a key focus of efforts to more fully integrate evolutionary biology and ecology. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating the Potential of Tributary Restoration to Increase the Overall Survival of Salmon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budy, P.; Schaller, H.

2006-12-01

Stream restoration has become a major focus of conservation efforts with millions of dollars spent each year on efforts aimed at recovering imperiled species; however, for animals with complex life-history strategies, this reliance on stream restoration for increasing overall survival requires that several key assumptions be met. We addressed fundamental uncertainties of the current focus on tributary restoration for recovery of endangered Snake River spring/summer Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha): 1) is there potential for improving habitat in tributary streams, 2) what magnitude of early survival improvement can be expected based on stream restoration, and 3) will incremental increases in early survival be sufficient to ensure viability of the populations that compose the Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU)? We combined simple mechanistic habitat models, population viability measures, and categorical filters to quantify the potential for increasing total life-cycle survival (TLCS) across all 32 populations (ESU), based on increases to early freshwater survival, predicted to occur in response to restored tributary condition. A wide gap remains between how much survival improvement is needed, versus what is likely to occur under tributary restoration; tributary restoration has the potential to increase survival to the necessary minimum for only four populations in the ESU while the remaining populations (84%) still fall far below the survival needed for future viability. In addition, across the ESU; on average, a 171% increase in TLCS is necessary, whereas only ~106% appears possible. A recovery strategy for these salmon that relies largely on tributary restoration, to mitigate for known mortality imposed at other life stages (e.g., migration through hydropower dams) is risky and has a low probability of success. For animals with complex life cycles and exhibiting long migrations, stream restoration efforts may be ineffective and misplaced, if the targeted life stage is not limiting or unresponsive, and/or if there is little potential for increasing survival overall. We demonstrate both an approach for, and the importance of, completing a comprehensive a prior evaluation of restoration potential, such that scarce resources can be allocated to efforts with the greatest potential and the least amount of risk.

Driving Circuitry for Focused Ultrasound Noninvasive Surgery and Drug Delivery Applications

PubMed Central

El-Desouki, Munir M.; Hynynen, Kullervo

2011-01-01

Recent works on focused ultrasound (FUS) have shown great promise for cancer therapy. Researchers are continuously trying to improve system performance, which is resulting in an increased complexity that is more apparent when using multi-element phased array systems. This has led to significant efforts to reduce system size and cost by relying on system integration. Although ideas from other fields such as microwave antenna phased arrays can be adopted in FUS, the application requirements differ significantly since the frequency range used in FUS is much lower. In this paper, we review recent efforts to design efficient power monitoring, phase shifting and output driving techniques used specifically for high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). PMID:22346589

Driving circuitry for focused ultrasound noninvasive surgery and drug delivery applications.

PubMed

El-Desouki, Munir M; Hynynen, Kullervo

2011-01-01

Recent works on focused ultrasound (FUS) have shown great promise for cancer therapy. Researchers are continuously trying to improve system performance, which is resulting in an increased complexity that is more apparent when using multi-element phased array systems. This has led to significant efforts to reduce system size and cost by relying on system integration. Although ideas from other fields such as microwave antenna phased arrays can be adopted in FUS, the application requirements differ significantly since the frequency range used in FUS is much lower. In this paper, we review recent efforts to design efficient power monitoring, phase shifting and output driving techniques used specifically for high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).

Social and spatial relationships driving landowner attitudes towards aquatic conservation in a Piedmont-Blue Ridge landscape.

PubMed

Chambers, Samuel N; Baldwin, Robert F; Baldwin, Elizabeth Dennis; Bridges, William C; Fouch, Nakisha

2017-04-01

More than half of land in the U.S. is privately owned and covers most of known endangered species habitat. An understanding of private landowners' attitudes towards conservation may help to bridge the science-practice gap in regards to conservation initiatives. Aquatic biodiversity is particularly imperiled; in the United States headwaters and isolated wetlands receive little protection through regulations, becoming a focus of conservation planning. In an effort to assess how landowners view such efforts, a 27-question mixed methods survey was mailed to 409 landowners in the Blue Ridge and Piedmont ecoregions of South Carolina with wetland areas and where land was owned by a family or individual, not a corporation. We received 70 completed surveys and analyzed the results using an encapsulated mixed methods approach that analyzed both scaled and qualitative questions. The combined results gave a more contextual understanding of conservation on private lands in the study area. In this article we present a history of private land conservation and surveying landowners in understanding conservation potential. This demonstrates a need for a more comprehensive method needed in conservation planning. We then show our use of an integrated methodology, using quantitative and qualitative questions, to measure landowners' interest in conserving land. Through classification and spatial analysis, our study demonstrated that aquatic areas and wildlife are valued by and show influence on landowners' decisions. We also found that distance from protected area has a positive correlation to the willingness to protect aquatic areas. Landowners showed concern for threats of pollution from runoff and siltation. Disinterest in conservation seemed prevalent throughout many of the respondents' answers. These results suggest a relation to geographic distance and that the attitudes are more related near each other and specific places in the landscape. We conclude that any successful implementation of aquatic conservation initiatives must include focused outreach and communicating the benefits for society and landowners for building capacity for landscape-scale cooperation.

Multi-jurisdictional environmental impact assessment: Canadian experiences

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

Fitzpatrick, Patricia, E-mail: p.fitzpatrick@uwinnipeg.c; Sinclair, A. John, E-mail: Jsincla@ms.umanitoba.c

This research examines complexities surrounding environmental impact assessment (EIA) in a multi-jurisdictional environment, with a specific focus on opportunities for public participation. With almost universal adoption of EIA, projects are increasingly subject to more than one assessment process. Thus there is demand to facilitate inter-jurisdictional coordination of EIAs. Canada has growing expertise with multijuristictional EIA that serves to illustrate the costs and opportunities associated with three different approaches to coordination: standardization, harmonization and substitution. Findings suggest that, although fraught with issues, harmonization is the most realistic approach for coordinating efforts. Harmonization has the potential to minimize duplication, avoid process uncertaintymore » and increase efficiency and effectiveness in EIA. Furthermore, the analysis demonstrates that a bilateral agreement between jurisdictions is the best approach to harmonization, so long as negotiation of the agreement includes opportunities for meaningful participation, and implementation includes activities designed to communicate the assessment responsibilities of each jurisdiction, activities and schedules to the public. The experience of participants of different coordinated EIAs in Canada serves as counsel for on-going and future efforts to facilitate inter-jurisdictional coordination.« less

The Role of Narratives in Sociohydrological Models of Flood Behaviors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leong, Ching

2018-04-01

While current efforts to model sociohydrologic phenomena provide crucial insight, critics argue that these do not fully reflect the complexity one observes empirically in the real world. The policy sciences, with its focus on the interaction between human agency and the institutions that constrain public choice, can complement such efforts by providing a narrative approach. This paper demonstrates this complementarity by investigating the idea of resilience in a community response to floods. Using the quantitative Q methodology, we trace the dynamics of a common sociohydrologic hypothesis—the "memory effect" and how it decreases vulnerability and, more crucially, the instances when such memory effects do not obtain. Our analysis of a floodprone maladaptive community in Assam, India, finds four distinct narrative types: the Hardened Preparer, the Engineer, Discontent, and the Pessimist. This paper put forward an explicitly sociohydrological conception of resilience which takes into account the role of sociological indicators such as narrative types and perceptions. Such contextual understandings and narrative types can form the basis of generic resilience indicators which complement the anticipated outcomes of sociohydrologic models generally.

Case study of open-source enterprise resource planning implementation in a small business

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olson, David L.; Staley, Jesse

2012-02-01

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have been recognised as offering great benefit to some organisations, although they are expensive and problematic to implement. The cost and risk make well-developed proprietorial systems unaffordable to small businesses. Open-source software (OSS) has become a viable means of producing ERP system products. The question this paper addresses is the feasibility of OSS ERP systems for small businesses. A case is reported involving two efforts to implement freely distributed ERP software products in a small US make-to-order engineering firm. The case emphasises the potential of freely distributed ERP systems, as well as some of the hurdles involved in their implementation. The paper briefly reviews highlights of OSS ERP systems, with the primary focus on reporting the case experiences for efforts to implement ERPLite software and xTuple software. While both systems worked from a technical perspective, both failed due to economic factors. While these economic conditions led to imperfect results, the case demonstrates the feasibility of OSS ERP for small businesses. Both experiences are evaluated in terms of risk dimension.

Jim Starnes' Contributions to Residual Strength Analysis Methods for Metallic Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, Richard D.; Rose, Cheryl A.; Harris, Charles E.

2005-01-01

A summary of advances in residual strength analyses methods for metallic structures that were realized under the leadership of Dr. James H. Starnes, Jr., is presented. The majority of research led by Dr. Starnes in this area was conducted in the 1990's under the NASA Airframe Structural Integrity Program (NASIP). Dr. Starnes, respectfully referred to herein as Jim, had a passion for studying complex response phenomena and dedicated a significant amount of research effort toward advancing damage tolerance and residual strength analysis methods for metallic structures. Jim's efforts were focused on understanding damage propagation in built-up fuselage structure with widespread fatigue damage, with the goal of ensuring safety in the aging international commercial transport fleet. Jim's major contributions in this research area were in identifying the effects of combined internal pressure and mechanical loads, and geometric nonlinearity, on the response of built-up structures with damage. Analytical and experimental technical results are presented to demonstrate the breadth and rigor of the research conducted in this technical area. Technical results presented herein are drawn exclusively from papers where Jim was a co-author.

Improving outcomes in cancer diagnosis, prevention and control: barriers, facilitators and the need for health literacy in Ibadan Nigeria.

PubMed

Adedimeji, Adebola A; Lounsbury, David; Popoola, Oluwafemi; Asuzu, Chioma; Lawal, Akinmayowa; Oladoyin, V; Crifase, Cassandra; Agalliu, Ilir; Shankar, Viswanathan; Adebiyi, Akindele

2017-10-01

Cancers constitute a significant public health problem in Nigeria. Breast, cervix and prostate cancers are leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Changing diets, lifestyles, HIV/AIDS and macro-structural factors contribute to cancer morbidity and mortality. Poor health information linking cancer risk to individual behaviors, environmental pollutants and structural barriers undermine prevention/control efforts. Studies suggest increasing health literacy and empowering individuals to take preventive action will improve outcomes and mitigate impact on a weak health system. We obtained qualitative data from 80 men, women, and young adults in 11 focus groups to assess beliefs, risk-perceptions, preventive behaviors and perceptions of barriers and facilitators to cancer control in Ibadan, Nigeria and conducted thematic analysis. Participants demonstrated awareness of cancers and mentioned several risk factors related to individual behaviors and the environment. Nonetheless, myths and misconceptions as well as micro, meso and macro level barriers impede prevention and control efforts. Developing and implementing comprehensive context-relevant health literacy interventions in community settings are urgently needed.Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Antiretroviral drug regimens to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV: a review of scientific, program, and policy advances for sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Chi, Benjamin H; Stringer, Jeffrey S A; Moodley, Dhayendre

2013-06-01

Considerable advances have been made in the effort to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) in sub-Saharan Africa. Clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of antiretroviral regimens to interrupt HIV transmission through the antenatal, intrapartum, and postnatal periods. Scientific discoveries have been rapidly translated into health policy, bolstered by substantial investment in health infrastructure capable of delivering increasingly complex services. A new scientific agenda is also emerging, one that is focused on the challenges of effective and sustainable program implementation. Finally, global campaigns to "virtually eliminate" pediatric HIV and dramatically reduce HIV-related maternal mortality have mobilized new resources and renewed political will. Each of these developments marks a major step in regional PMTCT efforts; their convergence signals a time of rapid progress in the field, characterized by an increased interdependency between clinical research, program implementation, and policy. In this review, we take stock of recent advances across each of these areas, highlighting the challenges--and opportunities--of improving health services for HIV-infected mothers and their children across the region.

Concordium 2016: Data and Knowledge Transforming Health.

PubMed

Devine, Beth

2017-04-20

Concordium 2016 celebrated the potential for data and knowledge to transform health. Through a series of plenaries, presentations, workshops and demonstrations, the conference highlighted projects among four themes: effectiveness and outcomes research, health care analytics and operations, public and population health, and quality improvement. The eight papers that comprise this special issue of eGEMs provide exemplars of solutions to the Big Data problems faced in today's healthcare environment. Several of the papers contain elements of multiple overlapping themes. We integrate these into five overlapping themes: telehealth, user-centered design/usability, clinic workflow, patient-centered care, and population health management through prediction modeling and risk adjustment. The effort to leverage all types of Big Data to improve health and healthcare is a monumental effort that will require the work of numerous stakeholders, and one that will unfold incrementally over time. This collection of eight papers reflects the current state of the art. Concordium 2017 will take a different form, inviting a small set of leaders in the field to focus on the next round of exciting and provocative research currently underway to improve the nation's health.

Practical Use of Computationally Frugal Model Analysis Methods

DOE PAGES

Hill, Mary C.; Kavetski, Dmitri; Clark, Martyn; ...

2015-03-21

Computationally frugal methods of model analysis can provide substantial benefits when developing models of groundwater and other environmental systems. Model analysis includes ways to evaluate model adequacy and to perform sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. Frugal methods typically require 10s of parallelizable model runs; their convenience allows for other uses of the computational effort. We suggest that model analysis be posed as a set of questions used to organize methods that range from frugal to expensive (requiring 10,000 model runs or more). This encourages focus on method utility, even when methods have starkly different theoretical backgrounds. We note that many frugalmore » methods are more useful when unrealistic process-model nonlinearities are reduced. Inexpensive diagnostics are identified for determining when frugal methods are advantageous. Examples from the literature are used to demonstrate local methods and the diagnostics. We suggest that the greater use of computationally frugal model analysis methods would allow questions such as those posed in this work to be addressed more routinely, allowing the environmental sciences community to obtain greater scientific insight from the many ongoing and future modeling efforts« less

Identify and Quantify the Mechanistic Sources of Sensor Performance Variation Between Individual Sensors SN1 and SN2

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

Diaz, Aaron A.; Baldwin, David L.; Cinson, Anthony D.

2014-08-06

This Technical Letter Report satisfies the M3AR-14PN2301022 milestone, and is focused on identifying and quantifying the mechanistic sources of sensor performance variation between individual 22-element, linear phased-array sensor prototypes, SN1 and SN2. This effort constitutes an iterative evolution that supports the longer term goal of producing and demonstrating a pre-manufacturing prototype ultrasonic probe that possesses the fundamental performance characteristics necessary to enable the development of a high-temperature sodium-cooled fast reactor inspection system. The scope of the work for this portion of the PNNL effort conducted in FY14 includes performing a comparative evaluation and assessment of the performance characteristics of themore » SN1 and SN2 22 element PA-UT probes manufactured at PNNL. Key transducer performance parameters, such as sound field dimensions, resolution capabilities, frequency response, and bandwidth are used as a metric for the comparative evaluation and assessment of the SN1 and SN2 engineering test units.« less

Targeting cysteine proteases in trypanosomatid disease drug discovery.

PubMed

Ferreira, Leonardo G; Andricopulo, Adriano D

2017-12-01

Chagas disease and human African trypanosomiasis are endemic conditions in Latin America and Africa, respectively, for which no effective and safe therapy is available. Efforts in drug discovery have focused on several enzymes from these protozoans, among which cysteine proteases have been validated as molecular targets for pharmacological intervention. These enzymes are expressed during the entire life cycle of trypanosomatid parasites and are essential to many biological processes, including infectivity to the human host. As a result of advances in the knowledge of the structural aspects of cysteine proteases and their role in disease physiopathology, inhibition of these enzymes by small molecules has been demonstrated to be a worthwhile approach to trypanosomatid drug research. This review provides an update on drug discovery strategies targeting the cysteine peptidases cruzain from Trypanosoma cruzi and rhodesain and cathepsin B from Trypanosoma brucei. Given that current chemotherapy for Chagas disease and human African trypanosomiasis has several drawbacks, cysteine proteases will continue to be actively pursued as valuable molecular targets in trypanosomatid disease drug discovery efforts. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Evaluating safety and operations of high-speed signalized intersections.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-03-01

This Final Report reviews a research effort to evaluate the safety and operations of high-speed intersections in the State of : Oregon. In particular, this research effort focuses on four-leg, signalized intersections with speed limits of 45 mph or :...

Evaluating safety and operation of high-speed intersections.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-03-01

This Final Report reviews a research effort to evaluate the safety and operations of high-speed intersections in the State of : Oregon. In particular, this research effort focuses on four-leg, signalized intersections with speed limits of 45 mph or :...

Identifying Ecosystem Services of Rivers and Streams Through Content Analysis

EPA Science Inventory

While much ecosystem services research focuses on analysis such as mapping and/or valuation, fewer research efforts are directed toward in-depth understanding of the specific ecological quantities people value. Ecosystem service monitoring and analysis efforts and communications ...

Altering Pace Control and Pace Regulation: Attentional Focus Effects during Running.

PubMed

Brick, Noel E; Campbell, Mark J; Metcalfe, Richard S; Mair, Jacqueline L; Macintyre, Tadhg E

2016-05-01

To date, there are no published studies directly comparing self-controlled (SC) and externally controlled (EC) pace endurance tasks. However, previous research suggests pace control may impact on cognitive strategy use and effort perceptions. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the effects of manipulating perception of pace control on attentional focus, physiological, and psychological outcomes during running. The secondary aim was to determine the reproducibility of self-paced running performance when regulated by effort perceptions. Twenty experienced endurance runners completed four 3-km time trials on a treadmill. Subjects completed two SC pace trials, one perceived exertion clamped (PE) trial, and one EC pace time trial. PE and EC were completed in a counterbalanced order. Pacing strategy for EC and perceived exertion instructions for PE replicated the subjects' fastest SC time trial. Subjects reported a greater focus on cognitive strategies such as relaxing and optimizing running action during EC than during SC. The mean HR was 2% lower during EC than that during SC despite an identical pacing strategy. Perceived exertion did not differ between the three conditions. However, increased internal sensory monitoring coincided with elevated effort perceptions in some subjects during EC and a 10% slower completion time for PE (13.0 ± 1.6 min) than that for SC (11.8 ± 1.2 min). Altering pace control and pace regulation impacted on attentional focus. External control over pacing may facilitate performance, particularly when runners engage attentional strategies conducive to improved running efficiency. However, regulating pace based on effort perceptions alone may result in excessive monitoring of bodily sensations and a slower running speed. Accordingly, attentional focus interventions may prove beneficial for some athletes to adopt task-appropriate attentional strategies to optimize performance.

Satellite Technology Demonstration; Executive Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Federation of Rocky Mountain States, Inc., Denver, CO.

The Federation of Rocky Mountain States and the Satellite Technology Demonstration project (STD) have collaborated in an effort to provide low cost information delivery to rural areas of the Rockies. Though the goals and the financial support of this joint effort were initially confused, sites have now been selected, the communications technology…

A multi-criteria approach to camera motion design for volume data animation.

PubMed

Hsu, Wei-Hsien; Zhang, Yubo; Ma, Kwan-Liu

2013-12-01

We present an integrated camera motion design and path generation system for building volume data animations. Creating animations is an essential task in presenting complex scientific visualizations. Existing visualization systems use an established animation function based on keyframes selected by the user. This approach is limited in providing the optimal in-between views of the data. Alternatively, computer graphics and virtual reality camera motion planning is frequently focused on collision free movement in a virtual walkthrough. For semi-transparent, fuzzy, or blobby volume data the collision free objective becomes insufficient. Here, we provide a set of essential criteria focused on computing camera paths to establish effective animations of volume data. Our dynamic multi-criteria solver coupled with a force-directed routing algorithm enables rapid generation of camera paths. Once users review the resulting animation and evaluate the camera motion, they are able to determine how each criterion impacts path generation. In this paper, we demonstrate how incorporating this animation approach with an interactive volume visualization system reduces the effort in creating context-aware and coherent animations. This frees the user to focus on visualization tasks with the objective of gaining additional insight from the volume data.

Uncovering the Pathogenic Landscape of Helminth (Opisthorchis viverrini) Infections: A Cross-Sectional Study on Contributions of Physical and Social Environment and Healthcare Interventions

PubMed Central

Ong, Xueyuan; Sithithaworn, Paiboon; Namsanor, Jutamas; Taylor, David; Laithavewat, Luxana

2016-01-01

Background Helminth infections have proven recalcitrant to control by chemotherapy in many parts of Southeast Asia and indeed farther afield. This study isolates and examines the influence of different aspects of the physical and social environment, and uneven intervention effort contributing to the pathogenic landscape of human Opisthorchis viverrini infections. Methodology A cross-sectional survey, involving 632 participants, was conducted in four villages in northeast Thailand to examine the impact on prevalence and parasite burden of the reservoir dam environment, socio-economic, demographic, and behavioral factors, and health center intervention efforts. Formalin-ether concentration technique was used for diagnoses, and multivariate models were used for analyses. Principal Findings The importance attributed to O. viverrini infections varied among health centers in the four study villages. Villages where O. viverrini infections were not prioritized by the health centers as the healthcare focus were at a higher risk of infection (prevalence) with odds ratio (risk factor) of 5.73 (3.32–10.27) and p-value < 0.01. Priority of healthcare focus, however, did not appear to influence behavior, as the consumption of raw fish, the main source of O. viverrini infections in the study area, was 11.4% higher in villages that prioritized O. viverrini infections than those that did not (p-value = 0.01). Landscape variation, notably proximity to reservoir, affects vulnerability of local population to infection. Infection intensity was higher in population located closer to the reservoir with risk ratio of 2.09 (1.12–4.02) and p-value < 0.01. Patterns of infection intensities among humans were found to match fish infection intensity, where higher infection intensities were associated with fish obtained from the reservoir waterbody type (p-value = 0.023). Conclusions/Significance This study demonstrated the importance of environmental influence and healthcare focus as risk factors of infections in addition to the socio-economic, demographic, and behavioral factors commonly explored in existing studies. The reservoir was identified as a crucial source to target for opisthorchiasis intervention efforts and the need to consider infection intensity in disease control efforts was highlighted. The holistic approach in this study, which underscores the close relationship between the environment, animals, and humans in development of human infections or diseases, is an important contribution to the framework of One Health approach, where consideration of helminth diseases has largely been overlooked. PMID:27926938

Mitigation of methane emissions in cities: How new measurements and partnerships can contribute to emissions reduction strategies

DOE PAGES

Hopkins, Francesca M.; Ehleringer, James R.; Bush, Susan E.; ...

2016-09-10

Cities generate 70% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, a fraction that is grow-ing with global urbanization. While cities play an important role in climate change mitigation, there has been little focus on reducing urban methane (CH4) emissions. Here, we develop a conceptual framework for CH 4 mitigation in cities by describing emission processes, the role of measurements, and a need for new institutional partnerships. Urban CH 4 emissions are likely to grow with expanding use of natural gas and organic waste disposal systems in growing population centers; however, we currently lack the ability to quantify this increase. We also lackmore » systematic knowledge of the relative contribution of these distinct source sectors on emissions. We present new observations from four North American cities to demonstrate that CH4 emissions vary in magnitude and sector from city to city and hence require different mitigation strategies. Detections of fugitive emissions from these systems suggest that current mitiga- tion approaches are absent or ineffective. These findings illustrate that tackling urban CH 4 emissions will require research efforts to identify mitigation targets, develop and implement new mitigation strategies, and monitor atmospheric CH 4 levels to ensure the success of mitigation efforts. This research will require a variety of techniques to achieve these objectives and should be deployed in cities globally. In conclusion, we suggest that metropolitan scale partnerships may effectively coordinate systematic measurements and actions focused on emission reduction goals.« less

Couple-level Motivations to Test for HIV for Gay Men in Relationships

PubMed Central

Beougher, Sean C.; Bircher, Anja E.; Chakravarty, Deepalika; Darbes, Lynae A.; Gómez Mandic, Carmen; Neilands, Torsten B.; Garcia, Carla C.; Hoff, Colleen C.

2015-01-01

Previous studies of HIV testing among gay men describe the motivations, facilitators and barriers, behaviors, and demographic characteristics of individuals who test. What little research focuses on HIV testing among gay men in relationships shows that they do not test regularly or, in some cases, at all – their motivations to test have not been investigated. With so little data on HIV testing for this population, and the continued privileging of individually-focused approaches, gay men in relationships fall into a blind spot of research and prevention efforts. This study examined motivations to test for HIV using qualitative data from both partners in 20 gay male couples. Analysis revealed that the partners’ motivations were either event-related (e.g., participants testing the beginning of their relationship or HIV-negative participants in an HIV-discordant relationship testing after risky episode with their discordant primary partner) or partner-related (e.g., participants testing in response to a request or suggestion to test from their primary partner or participants testing out of concern for their primary partner’s health and wellbeing). These data provide insight into relationship-oriented motivations to test for HIV for gay men in relationships and, in doing so, demonstrates their commitment to their primary partner and relationship. These motivations can be leveraged to increase HIV testing among gay men in relationships, a population that tests less often than single gay men, yet, until recently, has been underserved by prevention efforts. PMID:25550145

Environmental control medical support team

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crump, William J.; Kilgore, Melvin V., Jr.

1988-01-01

The activities conducted in support of the Environmental Control and Life Support Team during December 7, 1987 through September 30, 1988 are summarized. The majority of the ongoing support has focused on the ECLSS area. Through a series of initial meetings with the ECLSS team and technical literature review, an initial list of critical topics was developed. Subtasks were then identified or additional related tasks received as action items from the ECLSS group meetings. Although most of the efforts focused on providing MSFC personnel with information regarding specific questions and problems related to ECLSS issues, other efforts regarding identifying an ECLSS Medical Support Team and constructing data bases of technical information were also initiated and completed. The specific tasks are as follows: (1) Provide support to the mechanical design and integration of test systems as related to microbiological concerns; (2) Assist with design of Human Subjects Test Protocols; (3) Interpretation and recommendations pertaining to air/water quality requirements; (4) Assist in determining the design specifications required as related to the Technical Demonstration Program; (5) Develop a data base of all microorganisms recovered from previous subsystem testing; (6) Estimates of health risk of individual microbes to test subjects; (7) Assist with setting limits for safety of test subjects; (8) Health monitoring of test subjects; (9) Assist in the preparation of test plans; (10) Assist in the development of a QA/QC program to assure the validity, accuracy and precision of the analyses; and (11) Assist in developing test plans required for future man in the loop testing.

Mitigation of methane emissions in cities: How new measurements and partnerships can contribute to emissions reduction strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopkins, Francesca M.; Ehleringer, James R.; Bush, Susan E.; Duren, Riley M.; Miller, Charles E.; Lai, Chun-Ta; Hsu, Ying-Kuang; Carranza, Valerie; Randerson, James T.

2016-09-01

Cities generate 70% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, a fraction that is growing with global urbanization. While cities play an important role in climate change mitigation, there has been little focus on reducing urban methane (CH4) emissions. Here, we develop a conceptual framework for CH4 mitigation in cities by describing emission processes, the role of measurements, and a need for new institutional partnerships. Urban CH4 emissions are likely to grow with expanding use of natural gas and organic waste disposal systems in growing population centers; however, we currently lack the ability to quantify this increase. We also lack systematic knowledge of the relative contribution of these distinct source sectors on emissions. We present new observations from four North American cities to demonstrate that CH4 emissions vary in magnitude and sector from city to city and hence require different mitigation strategies. Detections of fugitive emissions from these systems suggest that current mitigation approaches are absent or ineffective. These findings illustrate that tackling urban CH4 emissions will require research efforts to identify mitigation targets, develop and implement new mitigation strategies, and monitor atmospheric CH4 levels to ensure the success of mitigation efforts. This research will require a variety of techniques to achieve these objectives and should be deployed in cities globally. We suggest that metropolitan scale partnerships may effectively coordinate systematic measurements and actions focused on emission reduction goals.

Mitigation of methane emissions in cities: How new measurements and partnerships can contribute to emissions reduction strategies

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

Hopkins, Francesca M.; Ehleringer, James R.; Bush, Susan E.

Cities generate 70% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, a fraction that is grow-ing with global urbanization. While cities play an important role in climate change mitigation, there has been little focus on reducing urban methane (CH4) emissions. Here, we develop a conceptual framework for CH 4 mitigation in cities by describing emission processes, the role of measurements, and a need for new institutional partnerships. Urban CH 4 emissions are likely to grow with expanding use of natural gas and organic waste disposal systems in growing population centers; however, we currently lack the ability to quantify this increase. We also lackmore » systematic knowledge of the relative contribution of these distinct source sectors on emissions. We present new observations from four North American cities to demonstrate that CH4 emissions vary in magnitude and sector from city to city and hence require different mitigation strategies. Detections of fugitive emissions from these systems suggest that current mitiga- tion approaches are absent or ineffective. These findings illustrate that tackling urban CH 4 emissions will require research efforts to identify mitigation targets, develop and implement new mitigation strategies, and monitor atmospheric CH 4 levels to ensure the success of mitigation efforts. This research will require a variety of techniques to achieve these objectives and should be deployed in cities globally. In conclusion, we suggest that metropolitan scale partnerships may effectively coordinate systematic measurements and actions focused on emission reduction goals.« less

Use of ceramics in point-focus solar receivers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smoak, R. H.; Kudirka, A. A.

1981-01-01

One of the research and development efforts in the Solar Thermal Energy Systems Project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory has been focused on application of ceramic components for advanced point-focus solar receivers. The impetus for this effort is a need for high efficiency, low cost solar receivers which operate in a temperature regime where use of metal components is impractical. The current status of the work on evaluation of ceramic components at JPL and elsewhere is outlined and areas where lack of knowledge is currently slowing application of ceramics are discussed. Future developments of ceramic processing technology and reliability assurance methodology should open up applications for the point-focus solar concentrator system in fuels and chemicals production, in thermochemical energy transport and storage, in detoxification of hazardous materials and in high temperature process heat as well as for electric power generation.

Addressing Hate Crimes: Six Initiatives That Are Enhancing the Efforts of Criminal Justice Practitioners. Hate Crimes Series. Bureau of Justice Assistance Monograph.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wessler, Stephen

This publication focuses on initiatives that are designed to address hate crimes by enhancing efforts of the criminal justice system. After discussing the pivotal role of law enforcement in this effort, the paper describes six Bureau of Justice Assistance-funded initiatives, which include: the International Association of Chiefs of Police Summit:…

Content analysis to document publicly valued ecosystem services of rivers and streams

EPA Science Inventory

While much ecosystem services research focuses on analysis such as mapping and/or valuation, fewer research efforts are directed toward in-depth understanding of the specific ecological quantities people value. Ecosystem service monitoring and analysis efforts and communications ...

Perceptions of HIV/STI prevention among young adults in Sweden who travel abroad: a qualitative study with focus group and individual interviews.

PubMed

Qvarnström, Anna; Oscarsson, Marie G

2014-09-01

Young adults are at risk for HIV/STIs because they generally have an active sex life with multiple sexual partners; moreover, they use condoms to a lesser extent. Travelling increases sexually risky behaviour, and among both women and men, sexual contacts abroad are common. Better knowledge of how young adults experience prevention efforts prior to travelling, and what they prefer, is important when planning prevention efforts to this group. Experiences of and attitudes towards prevention efforts against HIV/STI among young adults in Sweden who have travelled abroad were investigated. We conducted 12 focus-group interviews and four individual interviews with young adults (20-29 years) who had travelled abroad within the last 12 months. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using thematic content analysis. Results were discussed from a salutogenic perspective. Only a few had any experience of prevention efforts against HIV/STIs. The majority welcomed the idea of prevention efforts prior to travelling and would have welcomed more, preferably short reminders or links to reliable websites, or someone professional to discuss the issue with. Most of the young adults would use the Internet to search for information. They proposed the possibility of reaching young adults through social media, and the importance of better basic knowledge in school. It is difficult to reach young adults before their trips abroad. Prevention efforts on HIV/STI must therefore focus on the use of established forums. Setting the foundation for a positive attitude towards condom use is needed during school years. Even social media, where there is the possibility for dialogue, should be used as an information source.

Community Stakeholders' Perceptions of Major Factors Influencing Childhood Obesity, the Feasibility of Programs Addressing Childhood Obesity, and Persisting Gaps.

PubMed

Ganter, Claudia; Aftosmes-Tobio, Alyssa; Chuang, Emmeline; Blaine, Rachel E; Land, Thomas; Davison, Kirsten K

2016-04-01

Prior research has identified numerous factors contributing to increased rates of childhood obesity. However, few studies have focused explicitly on the experience of community stakeholders in low-income communities. This study sought to capture the perspectives of these on-the-ground experts regarding major factors contributing to childhood obesity as well as gaps in current prevention and control efforts. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 39 stakeholders from different community sectors (e.g., healthcare providers, childcare providers, teachers). Data were drawn from the Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration project, a multi-level, multi-sector intervention designed to reduce childhood obesity being implemented in two low-income communities in Massachusetts. Interviews were conducted at baseline, transcribed, coded using grounded theory approach, and analyzed in NVivo 10.0. The vast majority of stakeholders had recently participated in obesity prevention strategies, and nearly all of them identified gaps in prevention efforts either within their organizations or in the broader community. In addition to factors previously identified in the literature, several themes emerged including the need to change policies to increase physical activity during school, offer healthier snacks in schools and afterschool programs, and increase communication and collaboration within the community in prevention efforts. Community stakeholders can impact the success of interventions by bridging the gap between science and lived experience. The results of this study can guide future research by highlighting the importance of including stakeholders' frontline experiences with target populations, and using information on identified gaps to augment intervention planning efforts.

Establishment of a Bioenergy-Focused Microalgae Strain Collection Using Rapid, High-Throughput Methodologies: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report

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

Pienkos, Philip T.

2013-11-01

This project is part of the overall effort by and among NREL, Colorado State University, University of Colorado, and Colorado School of Mines known as the Colorado Center for Biorefining and Biofuels. This is part of a larger statewide effort provided for in House Bill 06-1322, establishing a Colorado Collaboratory that envisions these four institutions working together as part of the state'senergy plan. This individual project with Colorado School of Mines is the first of many envisioned in this overall effort. The project focuses on development of high throughput procedures aimed at rapidly isolating and purifying novel microalgal strains (specificallymore » green alga and diatoms) from water samples obtained from unique aquatic environments.« less

Experiences on p-Version Time-Discontinuous Galerkin's Method for Nonlinear Heat Transfer Analysis and Sensitivity Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hou, Gene

2004-01-01

The focus of this research is on the development of analysis and sensitivity analysis equations for nonlinear, transient heat transfer problems modeled by p-version, time discontinuous finite element approximation. The resulting matrix equation of the state equation is simply in the form ofA(x)x = c, representing a single step, time marching scheme. The Newton-Raphson's method is used to solve the nonlinear equation. Examples are first provided to demonstrate the accuracy characteristics of the resultant finite element approximation. A direct differentiation approach is then used to compute the thermal sensitivities of a nonlinear heat transfer problem. The report shows that only minimal coding effort is required to enhance the analysis code with the sensitivity analysis capability.

Algorithmic design for 3D printing at building scale

DOE PAGES

Guerguis, Maged; Eikevik, Leif; Obendorf, Andrew; ...

2017-01-01

Here, this paper addresses the use of algorithmic design paired with additive manufacturing and their potential impact on architectural design and fabrication of a full-sized building, as demonstrated with the AMIE project. AMIE (Additive Manufacturing and Integrated Energy) was collaboration to 3d print a building and vehicle. Both the car and building were designed to generate, store and share energy in an effort to reduce or eliminate reliability on the power grid. This paper is intended to outline our methodology in successfully designing for these innovative strategies, with a focus on the use of computational design tools as a catalystmore » for design optimization, integrated project delivery, rapid prototyping and fabrication of building elements using additive manufacturing.« less

An animal welfare perspective on animal testing of GMO crops.

PubMed

Kolar, Roman; Rusche, Brigitte

2008-01-01

The public discussion on the introduction of agro-genetic engineering focuses mainly on economical, ecological and human health aspects. The fact is neglected that laboratory animals must suffer before either humans or the environment are affected. However, numerous animal experiments are conducted for toxicity testing and authorisation of genetically modified plants in the European Union. These are ethically questionable, because death and suffering of the animals for purely commercial purposes are accepted. Therefore, recent political initiatives to further increase animal testing for GMO crops must be regarded highly critically. Based on concrete examples this article demonstrates that animal experiments, on principle, cannot provide the expected protection of users and consumers despite all efforts to standardise, optimise or extend them.

Algorithmic design for 3D printing at building scale

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

Guerguis, Maged; Eikevik, Leif; Obendorf, Andrew

Here, this paper addresses the use of algorithmic design paired with additive manufacturing and their potential impact on architectural design and fabrication of a full-sized building, as demonstrated with the AMIE project. AMIE (Additive Manufacturing and Integrated Energy) was collaboration to 3d print a building and vehicle. Both the car and building were designed to generate, store and share energy in an effort to reduce or eliminate reliability on the power grid. This paper is intended to outline our methodology in successfully designing for these innovative strategies, with a focus on the use of computational design tools as a catalystmore » for design optimization, integrated project delivery, rapid prototyping and fabrication of building elements using additive manufacturing.« less

Measurement science and manufacturing science research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, D. Howard

1987-01-01

The research program of Semiconductor Research Corp. is managed as three overlapping areas: Manufacturing Sciences, Design Sciences and Microstructure Sciences. A total of 40 universities are participating in the performance of over 200 research tasks. The goals and direction of Manufacturing Sciences research became more clearly focused through the efforts of the Manufacturing Sciences Committee of the SRC Technical Advisory Board (TAB). The mission of the SRC Manufacturing Research is the quantification, control, and understanding of semiconductor manufacturing process necessary to achieve a predictable and profitable product output in the competitive environment of the next decade. The 1994 integrated circuit factory must demonstrate a three level hierarchy of control: (1) operation control, (2) process control, and (3) process design. These levels of control are briefly discussed.

Documentation requirements for Applications Systems Verification and Transfer projects (ASVTs)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suchy, J. T.

1977-01-01

NASA's Application Systems Verification and Transfer Projects (ASVTs) are deliberate efforts to facilitate the transfer of applications of NASA-developed space technology to users such as federal agencies, state and local governments, regional planning groups, public service institutions, and private industry. This study focused on the role of documentation in facilitating technology transfer both to primary users identified during project planning and to others with similar information needs. It was understood that documentation can be used effectively when it is combined with informal (primarily verbal) communication within each user community and with other formal techniques such as organized demonstrations and training programs. Documentation examples from eight ASVT projects and one potential project were examined to give scope to the investigation.

An expanding universe of small proteins.

PubMed

Hobbs, Errett C; Fontaine, Fanette; Yin, Xuefeng; Storz, Gisela

2011-04-01

Historically, small proteins (sproteins) of less than 50 amino acids, in their final processed forms or genetically encoded as such, have been understudied. However, both serendipity and more recent focused efforts have led to the identification of a number of new sproteins in both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Increasing evidence demonstrates that sproteins participate in a wide array of cellular processes and exhibit great diversity in their mechanisms of action, yet general principles of sprotein function are emerging. This review highlights examples of sproteins that participate in cell signaling, act as antibiotics and toxins, and serve as structural proteins. We also describe roles for sproteins in detecting and altering membrane features, acting as chaperones, and regulating the functions of larger proteins. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Composite Dry Structure Cost Improvement Approach

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nettles, Alan; Nettles, Mindy

2015-01-01

This effort demonstrates that by focusing only on properties of relevance, composite interstage and shroud structures can be placed on the Space Launch System vehicle that simultaneously reduces cost, improves reliability, and maximizes performance, thus providing the Advanced Development Group with a new methodology of how to utilize composites to reduce weight for composite structures on launch vehicles. Interstage and shroud structures were chosen since both of these structures are simple in configuration and do not experience extreme environments (such as cryogenic or hot gas temperatures) and should represent a good starting point for flying composites on a 'man-rated' vehicle. They are used as an example only. The project involves using polymer matrix composites for launch vehicle structures, and the logic and rationale behind the proposed new methodology.

Evaluating the promise of recombinant transmissible vaccines

PubMed Central

Basinski, Andrew J.; Varrelman, Tanner J.; Smithson, Mark W.; May, Ryan H.; Remien, Christopher H.; Nuismer, Scott L.

2018-01-01

Transmissible vaccines have the potential to revolutionize infectious disease control by reducing the vaccination effort required to protect a population against a disease. Recent efforts to develop transmissible vaccines focus on recombinant transmissible vaccine designs (RTVs) because they pose reduced risk if intra-host evolution causes the vaccine to revert to its vector form. However, the shared antigenicity of the vaccine and vector may confer vaccine-immunity to hosts infected with the vector, thwarting the ability of the vaccine to spread through the population. We build a mathematical model to test whether a RTV can facilitate disease management in instances where reversion is likely to introduce the vector into the population or when the vector organism is already established in the host population, and the vector and vaccine share perfect cross-immunity. Our results show that a RTV can autonomously eradicate a pathogen, or protect a population from pathogen invasion, when cross-immunity between vaccine and vector is absent. If cross-immunity between vaccine and vector exists, however, our results show that a RTV can substantially reduce the vaccination effort necessary to control or eradicate a pathogen only when continuously augmented with direct manual vaccination. These results demonstrate that estimating the extent of cross-immunity between vector and vaccine is a critical step in RTV design, and that herpesvirus vectors showing facile reinfection and weak cross-immunity are promising. PMID:29279283

Activated Carbon-Supported Palladized Iron Nanoparticles: Applications to Contaminated Site Remediation

EPA Science Inventory

This chapter describes the potential of nanotechnology to provide new solutions to managing and cleaning our contaminated water and soil and improving the performance of conventional technologies used in cleanup efforts. Our initial efforts have been focused on key pollutants of ...

Positive Action Programmes in the Fields of Education, Training, Retraining, Employment, and Promotion for Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michel, Andree

1987-01-01

Reviews efforts by individual governments in the European Economic Community to improve the rights of women in the workplace. Focuses on the objectives of these efforts, and concludes by evaluating strengths and weaknesses of these programs. (BSR)

Evaluating safety and operation of high-speed signalized intersections : final report, March 2010.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-03-01

This Final Report reviews a research effort to evaluate the safety and operations of high-speed intersections in the State of : Oregon. In particular, this research effort focuses on four-leg, signalized intersections with speed limits of 45 mph or :...

Dynamics of soil microbial communities in agroecosystems managed for biofuel production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Elevated atmospheric CO2 concentrations and their link to global climate change are stimulating efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and increase use of alternative energy sources. Initial efforts to incorporate significant amounts of cellulosic ethanol into transportation fuels are focused ...

State Efforts to Reform Schools: Treading between a Regulatory Swamp and an English Garden.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timar, Thomas B.; Kirp, David L.

1988-01-01

The educational reform strategies of Texas, California, and South Carolina are examined as they relate to reform outcomes. The current effort toward educational excellence must shift its focus from regulation and compliance monitoring to mobilization of institutional capacity. (SLD)

Balancing Act

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haman, Lynne

2010-01-01

Too often the professional development provided for teachers of mathematics is a short-term, one-shot effort. Today's shrinking budgets, increasing class sizes, and growing demands on teachers' time present further challenges. For the past six years, staff development efforts in the author's district have focused on language arts with little…

Reforming Again: Now Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marx, Ronald W.

2014-01-01

Background: Educational reform responds to local and national pressures to improve educational outcomes, and reform efforts cycle as similar pressures recur. Currently, reform efforts focus on teachers, even though confidence in a host of American social institutions is dropping. One of the most widespread reforms regarding teachers is the…

[Effects of nurses' perception of servant leadership on leader effectiveness, satisfaction and additional effort: focused on the mediating effects of leader trust and value congruence].

PubMed

Han, Sang Sook; Kim, Nam Eun

2012-02-01

This study was done to examine the effects of nurses' perception of servant leadership on leader effectiveness, satisfaction and promoting additional effort. The focus was the mediating effects of leader trust and value congruence. Data were collected from 361 RN-BSN students and nurses participating in nationally attended in-service training programs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural analysis with SPSS 17.0 windows program and Amos 7.0. Direct effects of nurses' perception of servant leadership were negative, but mediating effects of trust and value congruency were positively correlated with leader effectiveness, satisfaction and additional effort, that is servant leadership should be effective through mediating factors. The study results indicate that if the middle managers of nurses can build leader trust and value congruency between nurses through servant leadership, leader effectiveness, satisfaction and additional effort on the part of the nurses could result in a positive change in the long term.

Wellness in the healing ministry.

PubMed

Burke, B K

1993-09-01

Wellness has gained a foothold in most healthcare delivery systems because of its focus: Keeping people well is the ultimate goal of a healthcare system. Three generations of wellness models have evolved over the past 16 years. First-generation wellness efforts focus on reducing health risks. Hospitals have developed programs and services to improve customers' and employees' health status. And corporations are lowering health risks by offering employees worksite fitness centers, cholesterol and other screenings, and smoking-cessation programs. Second-generation wellness efforts link wellness to benefits. Hospitals and corporations have implemented health incentive programs, structured to reward people for maintaining low ranges in their controllable health risk factors. Third-generation wellness efforts show that connectedness can improve health. Such efforts emphasize the importance of spiritual and emotional well-being as an inextricable part of physical health and healing. Today prayer and support groups, guided imagery, and prayerful meditation are becoming more mainstream. Such wellness approaches encourage persons to think and care for themselves more holistically.

Xenon Acquisition Strategies for High-Power Electric Propulsion NASA Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Herman, Daniel A.; Unfried, Kenneth G.

2015-01-01

Solar electric propulsion (SEP) has been used for station-keeping of geostationary communications satellites since the 1980s. Solar electric propulsion has also benefitted from success on NASA Science Missions such as Deep Space One and Dawn. The xenon propellant loads for these applications have been in the 100s of kilograms range. Recent studies performed for NASA's Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) have demonstrated that SEP is critically enabling for both near-term and future exploration architectures. The high payoff for both human and science exploration missions and technology investment from NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) are providing the necessary convergence and impetus for a 30-kilowatt-class SEP mission. Multiple 30-50- kilowatt Solar Electric Propulsion Technology Demonstration Mission (SEP TDM) concepts have been developed based on the maturing electric propulsion and solar array technologies by STMD with recent efforts focusing on an Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM). Xenon is the optimal propellant for the existing state-of-the-art electric propulsion systems considering efficiency, storability, and contamination potential. NASA mission concepts developed and those proposed by contracted efforts for the 30-kilowatt-class demonstration have a range of xenon propellant loads from 100s of kilograms up to 10,000 kilograms. This paper examines the status of the xenon industry worldwide, including historical xenon supply and pricing. The paper will provide updated information on the xenon market relative to previous papers that discussed xenon production relative to NASA mission needs. The paper will discuss the various approaches for acquiring on the order of 10 metric tons of xenon propellant to support potential near-term NASA missions. Finally, the paper will discuss acquisitions strategies for larger NASA missions requiring 100s of metric tons of xenon will be discussed.

Pathway — Using a State-of-the-Art Digital Video Database for Research and Development in Teacher Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adrian, Brian; Zollman, Dean; Stevens, Scott

2006-02-01

To demonstrate how state-of-the-art video databases can address issues related to the lack of preparation of many physics teachers, we have created the prototype Physics Teaching Web Advisory (Pathway). Pathway's Synthetic Interviews and related video materials are beginning to provide pre-service and out-of-field in-service teachers with much-needed professional development and well-prepared teachers with new perspectives on teaching physics. The prototype was limited to a demonstration of the systems. Now, with an additional grant we will extend the system and conduct research and evaluation on its effectiveness. This project will provide virtual expert help on issues of pedagogy and content. In particular, the system will convey, by example and explanation, contemporary ideas about the teaching of physics and applications of physics education research. The research effort will focus on the value of contemporary technology to address the continuing education of teachers who are teaching in a field in which they have not been trained.

The development and validation of the Dieting Intentions Scale (DIS).

PubMed

Cruwys, Tegan; Platow, Michael J; Rieger, Elizabeth; Byrne, Don G

2013-03-01

This article presents information on the psychometric properties of the Dieting Intentions Scale (DIS), a new scale of dieting that predicts future behavioral efforts to lose weight. We begin by reviewing recent research indicating theoretical and empirical problems with traditional approaches to measuring dieting. The DIS addresses several of these problems by (a) focusing on naturalistic dieting behavior and (b) being future-oriented. Four validation studies are presented with a total of 741 participants. We demonstrate that the DIS has predictive utility for dieting behaviors and is positively correlated with other measures related to eating, weight, and shape. Furthermore, the DIS demonstrates discriminant validity by not being related to constructs such as self-esteem and social desirability. The DIS also has high internal consistency, with a 1-factor solution replicated with confirmatory factor analysis. The potential uses of the scale in both research and clinical settings are considered. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Re-evaluation of Yellowstone grizzly bear population dynamics not supported by empirical data: response to Doak & Cutler

USGS Publications Warehouse

van Manen, Frank T.; Ebinger, Michael R.; Haroldson, Mark A.; Harris, Richard B.; Higgs, Megan D.; Cherry, Steve; White, Gary C.; Schwartz, Charles C.

2014-01-01

Doak and Cutler critiqued methods used by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) to estimate grizzly bear population size and trend in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Here, we focus on the premise, implementation, and interpretation of simulations they used to support their arguments. They argued that population increases documented by IGBST based on females with cubs-of-the-year were an artifact of increased search effort. However, we demonstrate their simulations were neither reflective of the true observation process nor did their results provide statistical support for their conclusion. They further argued that survival and reproductive senescence should be incorporated into population projections, but we demonstrate their choice of extreme mortality risk beyond age 20 and incompatible baseline fecundity led to erroneous conclusions. The conclusions of Doak and Cutler are unsubstantiated when placed within the context of a thorough understanding of the data, study system, and previous research findings and publications.

Under-Track CFD-Based Shape Optimization for a Low-Boom Demonstrator Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wintzer, Mathias; Ordaz, Irian; Fenbert, James W.

2015-01-01

The detailed outer mold line shaping of a Mach 1.6, demonstrator-sized low-boom concept is presented. Cruise trim is incorporated a priori as part of the shaping objective, using an equivalent-area-based approach. Design work is performed using a gradient-driven optimization framework that incorporates a three-dimensional, nonlinear flow solver, a parametric geometry modeler, and sensitivities derived using the adjoint method. The shaping effort is focused on reducing the under-track sonic boom level using an inverse design approach, while simultaneously satisfying the trim requirement. Conceptual-level geometric constraints are incorporated in the optimization process, including the internal layout of fuel tanks, landing gear, engine, and crew station. Details of the model parameterization and design process are documented for both flow-through and powered states, and the performance of these optimized vehicles presented in terms of inviscid L/D, trim state, pressures in the near-field and at the ground, and predicted sonic boom loudness.

The Earth System (ES-DOC) Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenslade, Mark; Murphy, Sylvia; Treshansky, Allyn; DeLuca, Cecilia; Guilyardi, Eric; Denvil, Sebastien

2014-05-01

ESSI1.3 New Paradigms, Modelling, and International Collaboration Strategies for Earth System Sciences Earth System Documentation (ES-DOC) is an international project supplying tools & services in support of earth system documentation creation, analysis and dissemination. It is nurturing a sustainable standards based documentation eco-system that aims to become an integral part of the next generation of exa-scale dataset archives. ES-DOC leverages open source software and places end-user narratives at the heart of all it does. ES-DOC has initially focused upon nurturing the Earth System Model (ESM) documentation eco-system. Within this context ES-DOC leverages emerging documentation standards and supports the following projects: Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5); Dynamical Core Model Inter-comparison Project (DCMIP); National Climate Predictions and Projections Platforms Quantitative Evaluation of Downscaling Workshop. This presentation will introduce the project to a wider audience and demonstrate the range of tools and services currently available for use. It will also demonstrate how international collaborative efforts are essential to the success of ES-DOC.

Immersion Condensation on Oil-Infused Heterogeneous Surfaces for Enhanced Heat Transfer

PubMed Central

Xiao, Rong; Miljkovic, Nenad; Enright, Ryan; Wang, Evelyn N.

2013-01-01

Enhancing condensation heat transfer is important for broad applications from power generation to water harvesting systems. Significant efforts have focused on easy removal of the condensate, yet the other desired properties of low contact angles and high nucleation densities for high heat transfer performance have been typically neglected. In this work, we demonstrate immersion condensation on oil-infused micro and nanostructured surfaces with heterogeneous coatings, where water droplets nucleate immersed within the oil. The combination of surface energy heterogeneity, reduced oil-water interfacial energy, and surface structuring enabled drastically increased nucleation densities while maintaining easy condensate removal and low contact angles. Accordingly, on oil-infused heterogeneous nanostructured copper oxide surfaces, we demonstrated approximately 100% increase in heat transfer coefficient compared to state-of-the-art dropwise condensation surfaces in the presence of non-condensable gases. This work offers a distinct approach utilizing surface chemistry and structuring together with liquid-infusion for enhanced condensation heat transfer. PMID:23759735

Evaluation of Advanced Polymers for Additive Manufacturing

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

Rios, Orlando; Carter, William G.; Kutchko, Cindy

The goal of this Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) technical collaboration project between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and PPG Industries, Inc. (PPG) was to evaluate the feasibility of using conventional coatings chemistry and technology to build up material layer-by-layer. The PPG-ORNL study successfully demonstrated that polymeric coatings formulations may overcome many limitations of common thermoplastics used in additive manufacturing (AM), allow lightweight nozzle design for material deposition, and increase build rate. The materials effort focused on layer-by-layer deposition of coatings with each layer fusing together. The combination of materials and deposition results in an additively manufactured build that has sufficientmore » mechanical properties to bear the load of additional layers, yet is capable of bonding across the z-layers to improve build direction strength. The formulation properties were tuned to enable a novel, high-throughput deposition method that is highly scalable, compatible with high loading of reinforcing fillers, and inherently low-cost.« less

The GLOBE Carbon Project: Integrating the Science of Carbon Cycling and Climate Change into K-12 Classrooms.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ollinger, S. V.; Silverberg, S.; Albrechtova, J.; Freuder, R.; Gengarelly, L.; Martin, M.; Randolph, G.; Schloss, A.

2007-12-01

The global carbon cycle is a key regulator of the Earth's climate and is central to the normal function of ecological systems. Because rising atmospheric CO2 is the principal cause of climate change, understanding how ecosystems cycle and store carbon has become an extremely important issue. In recent years, the growing importance of the carbon cycle has brought it to the forefront of both science and environmental policy. The need for better scientific understanding has led to establishment of numerous research programs, such as the North American Carbon Program (NACP), which seeks to understand controls on carbon cycling under present and future conditions. Parallel efforts are greatly needed to integrate state-of-the-art science on the carbon cycle and its importance to climate with education and outreach efforts that help prepare society to make sound decisions on energy use, carbon management and climate change adaptation. Here, we present a new effort that joins carbon cycle scientists with the International GLOBE Education program to develop carbon cycle activities for K-12 classrooms. The GLOBE Carbon Cycle project is focused on bringing cutting edge research and research techniques in the field of terrestrial ecosystem carbon cycling into the classroom. Students will collect data about their school field site through existing protocols of phenology, land cover and soils as well as new protocols focused on leaf traits, and ecosystem growth and change. They will also participate in classroom activities to understand carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems, these will include plant- a-plant experiments, hands-on demonstrations of various concepts, and analysis of collected data. In addition to the traditional GLOBE experience, students will have the opportunity to integrate their data with emerging and expanding technologies including global and local carbon cycle models and remote sensing toolkits. This program design will allow students to explore research questions from local to global scales with both present and future environmental conditions.

Building STEM Opportunities for All

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Sharon J.; Peters-Burton, Erin; Ford, Michael

2015-01-01

In response to a report from the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, President Obama issued a challenge to the U.S. education system to create more than 1,000 new STEM-focused schools, including 200 high schools. Inclusive STEM-focused high schools--which focus their efforts on females, minorities, and students who are…

Development and Execution of Autonomous Procedures Onboard the International Space Station to Support the Next Phase of Human Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beisert, Susan; Rodriggs, Michael; Moreno, Francisco; Korth, David; Gibson, Stephen; Lee, Young H.; Eagles, Donald E.

2013-01-01

Now that major assembly of the International Space Station (ISS) is complete, NASA's focus has turned to using this high fidelity in-space research testbed to not only advance fundamental science research, but also demonstrate and mature technologies and develop operational concepts that will enable future human exploration missions beyond low Earth orbit. The ISS as a Testbed for Analog Research (ISTAR) project was established to reduce risks for manned missions to exploration destinations by utilizing ISS as a high fidelity micro-g laboratory to demonstrate technologies, operations concepts, and techniques associated with crew autonomous operations. One of these focus areas is the development and execution of ISS Testbed for Analog Research (ISTAR) autonomous flight crew procedures intended to increase crew autonomy that will be required for long duration human exploration missions. Due to increasing communications delays and reduced logistics resupply, autonomous procedures are expected to help reduce crew reliance on the ground flight control team, increase crew performance, and enable the crew to become more subject-matter experts on both the exploration space vehicle systems and the scientific investigation operations that will be conducted on a long duration human space exploration mission. These tests make use of previous or ongoing projects tested in ground analogs such as Research and Technology Studies (RATS) and NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO). Since the latter half of 2012, selected non-critical ISS systems crew procedures have been used to develop techniques for building ISTAR autonomous procedures, and ISS flight crews have successfully executed them without flight controller involvement. Although the main focus has been preparing for exploration, the ISS has been a beneficiary of this synergistic effort and is considering modifying additional standard ISS procedures that may increase crew efficiency, reduce operational costs, and raise the amount of crew time available for scientific research. The next phase of autonomous procedure development is expected to include payload science and human research investigations. Additionally, ISS International Partners have expressed interest in participating in this effort. The recently approved one-year crew expedition starting in 2015, consisting of one Russian and one U.S. Operating Segment (USOS) crewmember, will be used not only for long duration human research investigations but also for the testing of exploration operations concepts, including crew autonomy.

Prevention of sexually transmitted HIV infections through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief: a history of achievements and lessons learned.

PubMed

Ryan, Caroline A; Conly, Shanti R; Stanton, David L; Hasen, Nina S

2012-08-15

HIV prevention in the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) began when both data on HIV prevalence and the toolbox of interventions for prevention of sexual transmission were relatively limited. PEPFAR's early focus was on scaling-up information, education, and communication programs that included messaging on abstinence for youth and faithfulness primarily through nongovernmental organizations, including faith-based organizations. Additional activities included condom promotion, distribution, and social marketing. In epidemics concentrated within key populations, PEPFAR's prevention efforts focused on a minimum package of services including outreach, information, education, and communication programs, STI treatment (where appropriate), and condom promotion and distribution. As more epidemiological data became available and with experience gleaned in these early efforts, the need for tailored and flexible approaches became evident. The next iteration of prevention efforts still emphasized behavioral interventions, but incorporated a sharper focus on key epidemic drivers, especially multiple partners; a data-driven emphasis on high transmission areas and populations, including prevention with people living with HIV; and a more strategic and coordinated approach at the national level. Recently, the paradigm for prevention efforts has shifted yet again. Evidence that biomedical interventions such as male circumcision, treatment for prevention of vertical and horizontal transmission, and treatment itself could lead to declines in incidence has refocused PEPFAR's prevention portfolio. New guidance on sexually transmitted HIV focuses on combination prevention, emphasizing biomedical, behavioral and structural approaches. Landmark speeches by the President and the Secretary of State and new ambitious targets for PEPFAR point toward a new goal: an AIDS-free generation.

RISK ASSESSMENT FOR MANUFACTURED NANOPARTICLES USED IN CONSUMER PRODUCTS (RAMNUC)

EPA Science Inventory

Most recent scientific efforts have focused on examining toxicities of manufactured nano-particles (MNPs) only in source materials. By not evaluating MNPs at the point of exposure, these efforts fail to address the relevant question of whether or not consumer-product-derived M...

Student Effort and Performance over the Semester

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krohn, Gregory A.; O'Connor, Catherine M.

2005-01-01

The authors extend the standard education production function and student time allocation analysis to focus on the interactions between student effort and performance over the semester. The purged instrumental variable technique is used to obtain consistent estimators of the structural parameters of the model using data from intermediate…

Harnessing Vehicle Automation for Public Mobility -- An Overview of Ongoing Efforts

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

Young, Stanley E.

This presentation takes a look at the efforts to harness automated vehicle technology for public transport. The European CityMobil2 is the leading demonstration project in which automated shuttles were, or are planned to be, demonstrated in several cities and regions. The presentation provides a brief overview of the demonstrations at Oristano, Italy (July 2014), LaRochelle, France (Dec 2014), Lausanne, Switzerland (Apr 2015), Vantaa, Finland (July 2015), and Trikala, Greece (Sept 2015). In addition to technology exposition, the objectives included generating a legal framework for operation in each location and gaging the reaction of the public to unmanned shuttles, both ofmore » which were successfully achieved. Several such demonstrations are planned throughout the world, including efforts in North America in conjunction with the GoMentum Station in California. These early demonstration with low-speed automated shuttles provide a glimpse of the possible with a fully automated fleet of driverless vehicle providing a public transit service.« less

Identifying factors relevant in the assessment of return-to-work efforts in employees on long-term sickness absence due to chronic low back pain: a focus group study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Efforts undertaken during the return to work (RTW) process need to be sufficient to prevent unnecessary applications for disability benefits. The purpose of this study was to identify factors relevant to RTW Effort Sufficiency (RTW-ES) in cases of sick-listed employees with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods Using focus groups consisting of Labor Experts (LE's) working at the Dutch Social Insurance Institute, arguments and underlying grounds relevant to the assessment of RTW-ES were investigated. Factors were collected and categorized using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF model). Results Two focus groups yielded 19 factors, of which 12 are categorized in the ICF model under activities (e.g. functional capacity) and in the personal (e.g. age, tenure) and environmental domain (e.g. employer-employee relationship). The remaining 7 factors are categorized under intervention, job accommodation and measures. Conclusions This focus group study shows that 19 factors may be relevant to RTW-ES in sick-listed employees with CLBP. Providing these results to professionals assessing RTW-ES might contribute to a more transparent and systematic approach. Considering the importance of the quality of the RTW process, optimizing the RTW-ES assessment is essential. PMID:22272831

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

Del Bianco, M.; Wiehagen, J.

This project evaluated the effectiveness and affordability of integrating retrofit insulated panels into a re-siding project. The Partnership for Home Innovation (PHI) teamed with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Albany Housing Authority (AHA), and the New York State Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) administered by Albany Community Action Partnership to demonstrate an energy retrofit and siding upgrade on a two-story, seven unit, multifamily building in Albany New York (CZ 5). The project focused on accomplishing three goals - doubling the existing wall thermal resistance (from approximately R-13 to a weighted average of R-27), reduction of buildingmore » air leakage, and completion of the retrofit within a budget where the additional cost for upgrading wall's thermal resistance is equal to the cost of the standard re-siding effort (i.e., the total cost of the energy efficient re-siding scope of work is not more than double the cost of the standard re-siding effort). Lessons learned from the project strongly indicate that the retrofit panel technology can be installed using common installation practices and with minimal training. Other lessons learned include limitation on the use of standard air sealing materials during cold weather installations and the need to develop better installation guidance for trades working with the level of tolerances that may be present in the existing structure. This technology demonstration showed that exterior retrofit panels provide a viable and reasonable option for the siding trades to increase market opportunities and achieve synergistic benefits for aesthetic upgrades to a building's exterior.« less

Summary of the National Demonstration Project and Recommendations for the Patient-Centered Medical Home

PubMed Central

Crabtree, Benjamin F.; Nutting, Paul A.; Miller, William L.; Stange, Kurt C.; Stewart, Elizabeth E.; Jaén, Carlos Roberto

2010-01-01

This article summarizes findings from the National Demonstration Project (NDP) and makes recommendations for policy makers and those implementing patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) based on these findings and an understanding of diverse efforts to transform primary care. The NDP was launched in June 2006 as the first national test of a particular PCMH model in a diverse sample of 36 family practices, randomized to facilitated or self-directed groups. An independent evaluation team used a multimethod evaluation strategy, analyzing data from direct observation, depth interviews, e-mail streams, medical record audits, and patient and clinical staff surveys. Peer-reviewed manuscripts from the NDP provide answers to 4 key questions: (1) Can the NDP model be built? (2) What does it take to build the NDP model? (3) Does the NDP model make a difference in quality of care? and (4) Can the NDP model be widely disseminated? We find that although it is feasible to transform independent practices into the NDP conceptualization of a PCMH, this transformation requires tremendous effort and motivation, and benefits from external support. Most practices will need additional resources for this magnitude of transformation. Recommendations focus on the need for the PCMH model to continue to evolve, for delivery system reform, and for sufficient resources for implementing personal and practice development plans. In the meantime, we find that much can be done before larger health system reform. PMID:20530397

Parents' views on engaging families of middle school students in obesity prevention and control in a multiethnic population.

PubMed

Cowgill, Burton O; Chung, Paul J; Thompson, Lindsey R; Elijah, Jacinta; Lamb, Sheila; Garcia, Vanessa P; Bastani, Roshan

2014-04-04

Overweight and obesity remain significant public health risks for youth in the United States, particularly among racial/ethnic minority groups. Efforts at obesity prevention and control have targeted youth and family members in diverse settings. Although involving parents in obesity prevention programs for youth may improve the potential of these programs, less is known about parents' preferred methods of engagement, especially among racial/ethnic minority parents and parents whose primary language is not English. In this qualitative study, parents of middle-school-aged children were asked how best to engage their children in obesity prevention and control efforts. We recruited 38 parents whose children attended Los Angeles middle schools to participate in focus groups. Two English-language focus groups with 14 parents of different racial/ethnic backgrounds and 2 Spanish language groups with 24 Latino parents were conducted from 2010 through 2011. We analyzed focus group transcripts by using content analysis using inductive and deductive techniques. Findings from focus groups confirmed that parents want to help their children avoid obesity but feel constrained in their ability to take action. Participants identified an overarching desire to become better parents as a potential incentive to engage in obesity prevention efforts. Parents advocated for family-focused approaches in obesity prevention programs, including family sports leagues and cooking classes. Most findings were consistent between language groups, but parents in the Spanish language groups cited language-related barriers. The development and testing of simple programs that are sustainable, community-based, and family-focused may empower families to address obesity prevention and control.

The Animadora Project: Identifying factors related to the promotion of physical activity among Mexican Americans with diabetes

PubMed Central

Ingram, Maia; Ruis, Maricruz; Mayorga, Maria Theresa; Rosales, Cecilia

2015-01-01

Purpose There is a dearth of information about factors related to physical activity among Mexican Americans with diabetes. Self efficacy and social support are associated with physical activity, however little is known about their role within different cultural groups. Design Focus groups were used to identify factors that motivate walking. Setting Two Mexican American communities located in Tucson, Arizona. Subjects Individuals who attended diabetes education. Intervention A community-based provider organized walking groups with people who previously attended diabetes classes. Walkers participated in focus groups exploring themes related to their experience. Measures Self efficacy, social support, and collective efficacy. Grounded theory was used to analyze focus group results using two rounds of analysis; the first identifying references to self efficacy and social support and the second adding collective efficacy as a theoretical basis for walking. Results Among 43 eligible participants, 20 participated in focus groups. Social support was expressed as commitment and companionship. Walkers demonstrated a high level of self efficacy for walking. Development of group identity/social cohesion was also a motivator to walk. Collective efficacy emerged as an applicable theoretical model encompassing these themes and their interrelationship. Conclusion Collective efficacy, or the belief that the group can improve their lives through collective effort, is a viable theoretical construct in the development of physical activity interventions targeting Mexican Americans with diabetes. PMID:19601479

Department of Defense high power laser program guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muller, Clifford H.

1994-06-01

The DoD investment of nominally $200 million per year is focused on four high power laser (HPL) concepts: Space-Based Laser (SBL), a Ballistic Missile Defense Organization effort that addresses boost-phase intercept for Theater Missile Defense and National Missile Defense; Airborne Laser (ABL), an Air Force effort that addresses boost-phase intercept for Theater Missile Defense; Ground-Based Laser (GBL), an Air Force effort addressing space control; and Anti-Ship Missile Defense (ASMD), a Navy effort addressing ship-based defense. Each organization is also supporting technology development with the goal of achieving less expensive, brighter, and lighter high power laser systems. These activities represent the building blocks of the DoD program to exploit the compelling characteristics of the high power laser. Even though DoD's HPL program are focused and moderately strong, additional emphasis in a few technical areas could help reduce risk in these programs. In addition, a number of options are available for continuing to use the High-Energy Laser System Test Facility (HELSTF) at White Sands Missile Range. This report provides a brief overview and guidance for the five efforts which comprise the DoD HPL program (SBL, ABL, GBL, ASMD, HELSTF).

Social Connectedness and Perceived Listening Effort in Adult Cochlear Implant Users: A Grounded Theory to Establish Content Validity for a New Patient-Reported Outcome Measure.

PubMed

Hughes, Sarah E; Hutchings, Hayley A; Rapport, Frances L; McMahon, Catherine M; Boisvert, Isabelle

2018-02-08

Individuals with hearing loss often report a need for increased effort when listening, particularly in challenging acoustic environments. Despite audiologists' recognition of the impact of listening effort on individuals' quality of life, there are currently no standardized clinical measures of listening effort, including patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). To generate items and content for a new PROM, this qualitative study explored the perceptions, understanding, and experiences of listening effort in adults with severe-profound sensorineural hearing loss before and after cochlear implantation. Three focus groups (1 to 3) were conducted. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 17 participants from a cochlear implant (CI) center in the United Kingdom. The participants included adults (n = 15, mean age = 64.1 years, range 42 to 84 years) with acquired severe-profound sensorineural hearing loss who satisfied the UK's national candidacy criteria for cochlear implantation and their normal-hearing significant others (n = 2). Participants were CI candidates who used hearing aids (HAs) and were awaiting CI surgery or CI recipients who used a unilateral CI or a CI and contralateral HA (CI + HA). Data from a pilot focus group conducted with 2 CI recipients were included in the analysis. The data, verbatim transcripts of the focus group proceedings, were analyzed qualitatively using constructivist grounded theory (GT) methodology. A GT of listening effort in cochlear implantation was developed from participants' accounts. The participants provided rich, nuanced descriptions of the complex and multidimensional nature of their listening effort. Interpreting and integrating these descriptions through GT methodology, listening effort was described as the mental energy required to attend to and process the auditory signal, as well as the effort required to adapt to, and compensate for, a hearing loss. Analyses also suggested that listening effort for most participants was motivated by a need to maintain a sense of social connectedness (i.e., the subjective awareness of being in touch with one's social world). Before implantation, low social connectedness in the presence of high listening effort encouraged self-alienating behaviors and resulted in social isolation with adverse effects for participant's well-being and quality of life. A CI moderated but did not remove the requirement for listening effort. Listening effort, in combination with the improved auditory signal supplied by the CI, enabled most participants to listen and communicate more effectively. These participants reported a restored sense of social connectedness and an acceptance of the continued need for listening effort. Social connectedness, effort-reward balance, and listening effort as a multidimensional phenomenon were the core constructs identified as important to participants' experiences and understanding of listening effort. The study's findings suggest: (1) perceived listening effort is related to social and psychological factors and (2) these factors may influence how individuals with hearing loss report on the actual cognitive processing demands of listening. These findings provide evidence in support of the Framework for Understanding Effortful Listening a heuristic that describes listening effort as a function of both motivation and demands on cognitive capacity. This GT will inform item development and establish the content validity for a new PROM for measuring listening effort.

Affordable Flight Demonstration of the GTX Air-Breathing SSTO Vehicle Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krivanek, Thomas M.; Roche, Joseph M.; Riehl, John P.; Kosareo, Daniel N.

2002-01-01

The rocket based combined cycle (RBCC) powered single-stage-to-orbit (SSTO) reusable launch vehicle has the potential to significantly reduce the total cost per pound for orbital payload missions. To validate overall system performance, a flight demonstration must be performed. This paper presents an overview of the first phase of a flight demonstration program for the GTX SSTO vehicle concept. Phase 1 will validate the propulsion performance of the vehicle configuration over the supersonic and hypersonic airbreathing portions of the trajectory. The focus and goal of Phase 1 is to demonstrate the integration and performance of the propulsion system flowpath with the vehicle aerodynamics over the air-breathing trajectory. This demonstrator vehicle will have dual mode ramjet/scramjets, which include the inlet, combustor, and nozzle with geometrically scaled aerodynamic surface outer mold lines (OML) defining the forebody, boundary layer diverter, wings, and tail. The primary objective of this study is to demonstrate propulsion system performance and operability including the ram to scram transition, as well as to validate vehicle aerodynamics and propulsion airframe integration. To minimize overall risk and development cost the effort will incorporate proven materials, use existing turbomachinery in the propellant delivery systems, launch from an existing unmanned remote launch facility, and use basic vehicle recovery techniques to minimize control and landing requirements. A second phase would demonstrate propulsion performance across all critical portions of a space launch trajectory (lift off through transition to all-rocket) integrated with flight-like vehicle systems.

Midwest Transportation Consortium annual progress report : October 2002.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-10-01

From the Director: For the past three years, the Midwest Transportation Consortium (MTC) has focused its efforts in : supporting the development and use of asset management systems in transportation. The MTCs main : focus is on human capital devel...

Wave-Sediment Interaction in Muddy Environments: A Field Experiment

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

Geosciences project includes a field experiment on the Atchafalaya shelf, Louisiana, in Years 1 and 2 (2007-2008) and a data analysis and modeling effort in... analysis procedures. During the major field experiment effort in 2008 (Year 2), a total of 5 tripods were deployed at locations fronting the Atchafalaya...experiment effort. This final year of the project (2009, Year 3) has been focused upon data analysis and preparation of publications. APPROACH

Attracting the World: Institutional Initiatives' Effects on International Students' Decision to Enroll

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohman, Eric

2014-01-01

Community colleges have increased their efforts to attract international students, but little is known how these active efforts influence international students' decisions to attend a community college. This longitudinal study focuses on international students at one community college that embarked on an active international student recruitment…

The School Finance Reform Movement: Implications for School Business Administration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jordan, K. Forbis

In this speech, the author summarizes the economic and political issues relating to the current interest in school finance reform and discusses the research efforts of the National Educational Finance Project. He focuses on those efforts of direct relevance to school business administration -- cost differentials among educational programs,…

Standards Draw Heat in States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ujifusa, Andrew

2013-01-01

Opponents of the Common Core State Standards are ramping up legislative pressure and public relations efforts aimed at getting states to scale back--or even abandon--the high-profile initiative, even as implementation proceeds and tests aligned with the standards loom. Critics of the common core have focused recent lobbying and media efforts on…

Beyond the Ancestral Code: Towards a Model for Sociolinguistic Language Documentation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Childs, Tucker; Good, Jeff; Mitchell, Alice

2014-01-01

Most language documentation efforts focus on capturing lexico-grammatical information on individual languages. Comparatively little effort has been devoted to considering a language's sociolinguistic contexts. In parts of the world characterized by high degrees of multilingualism, questions surrounding the factors involved in language choice and…

From the Floor: Raising Child Care Salaries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitebook, Marcy; And Others

The comprehensive National Child Care Staffing Study confirmed that American children are in jeopardy because their teachers are poorly compensated and minimally trained. An increasing number of local and state efforts have begun to face this crisis head-on. This booklet reviews these efforts, focusing primarily on strategies for raising salaries.…

Content Area Textbooks. Reading Education Report No. 23.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armbruster, Bonnie B.; Anderson, Thomas H.

Focusing on what authors can do to facilitate learning from content area textbooks, this report labels authors as "considerate," providing text that readers can understand with a minimum of cognitive effort, or as "inconsiderate," creating text that requires a conscientious, highly skilled effort if readers are to comprehend…

Committed to Learn: Student Engagement and Care in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barnacle, Robyn; Dall'Alba, Gloria

2017-01-01

Efforts to evaluate and improve student engagement have been pervasive in higher education over recent years. Critics argue, however, that troubling affinities are evident between student engagement efforts and a neoliberal agenda which emphasises accountability through performativity. Neoliberalism manifests in policies that focus on the economic…

Socioeconomic Impact Assessment of the Automated Information Directory System (AIDS) at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1983-04-01

This report documents a series of data collection efforts carried out by Wilson Hill Associates, Inc., in support of UMTA's Impact Assessment Program. The focus of these efforts was the Automated Transit Information System (ATIS) deployment in the Te...

A Graduate Dean Looks at Fund Raising.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Robert E.

Perspectives on institutional fund raising or resource development are offered by a graduate dean. The focus is funding provided by individuals, foundations, and corporations. It is suggested that this effort must be a total institutional effort organized by professionals and best conducted by an a mixture of resource development professional,…

Advancing Equity in Illinois's ESSA Plan

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ostro, Ginger

2017-01-01

Advance Illinois is an independent, objective voice for a healthy public education system that prepares all students in Illinois for success in college, careers, and civic life. Advocacy efforts have focused on securing equitable funding for schools, Common Core State Standards, high-quality assessments, and teacher quality efforts. As advocates…

Assessment in the Service of Instruction.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schwartz, Judah L., Ed.; Garet, Michael S., Ed.

In an effort to examine issues raised by the effort to assess the performance of educational institutions, a project focusing on the social purposes and intellectual foundations of assessment practices in education was initiated. The primary goal of the project was to explore the possibility of developing new, more appropriate educational…

GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH NEWS #10: MULTIAGENCY, MULTINATIONAL GLOBAL CHANGE RESEARCH EFFORT IN THE UPPER SAN PEDRO BASIN

EPA Science Inventory

This edition reports on a multiagency, multinational global-change research effort that seeks to evaluate the consequences of natural and human-induced changes in semi-arid environments. The Semi-Arid Land-Surface-Atmosphere Program ("SALSA") is focused on the environmentally sen...

Attention Control, Memory Updating, and Emotion Regulation Temporarily Reduce the Capacity for Executive Control

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmeichel, Brandon J.

2007-01-01

This research tested the hypothesis that initial efforts at executive control temporarily undermine subsequent efforts at executive control. Four experiments revealed that controlling the focus of visual attention (Experiment 1), inhibiting predominant writing tendencies (Experiment 2), taking a working memory test (Experiment 3), or exaggerating…

K-12 Teacher Participation in Online Professional Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNamara, Catherine Louise

2010-01-01

Effectiveness in education is a national concern and reform efforts continue to be championed with the hope of stimulating improvement to more effectively meet the needs of all students. Many reform efforts include a focus on teacher professional development to strengthen teacher pedagogy and positively impact student achievement. Rapid expansion…

Bolstering the Community College Transfer Function. ERIC Digest.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Jim

Efforts have recently been undertaken to smooth the flow of students from community colleges to baccalaureate-granting institutions. Focusing on more than transfer of course credits, these efforts have involved multidimensional programs of cooperation with high schools and four-year institutions as well as programs which identify and assist…

Strengthening Cultural Sensitivity in Children's Disaster Mental Health Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heath, Melissa Allen; Nickerson, Amanda B.; Annandale, Neil; Kemple, Ana; Dean, Brenda

2009-01-01

During and following natural or man-made disasters, relief efforts have a long history of initially focusing on basic survival needs, then restoring community stability. Disaster mental health is a relatively new aspect of relief efforts, particularly in regard to children's needs. After reviewing objectives of major relief organizations and…

Components of Effortful Control and Their Relations to Children's Shyness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eggum-Wilkens, Natalie D.; Reichenberg, Ray E.; Eisenberg, Nancy; Spinrad, Tracy L.

2016-01-01

Relations between children's (n = 213) mother-reported effortful control components (attention focusing, attention shifting, inhibitory control at 42 months; activational control at 72 months) and mother-reported shyness trajectories across 42, 54, 72, and 84 months of age were examined. In growth models, shyness decreased. Inhibitory control and…

Online Communication Patterns of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kale, Ugur; Brush, Thomas; Bryant, Alison; Saye, John

2011-01-01

Preliminary efforts to examine teachers' online participation and depth of messages have tended to focus solely on message metrics (e.g., counting the number of messages). However, such efforts do not address online messages in relation to one another. Taking relations of messages into account is important as the messages are not individual online…

Training in Industrial Technology: A Collection of Essays.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatton, Michael J., Ed.

Prepared as part of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum's efforts to explore issues related to economic development and technology training, the three essays in this collection describe industrial training efforts at community colleges, focusing on partnerships with the private sector, programs targeted at women, and the use of…

Proximity Operations for the Robotic Boulder Capture Option for the Asteroid Redirect Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reeves, David M.; Naasz, Bo J.; Wright, Cinnamon A.; Pini, Alex J.

2014-01-01

In September of 2013, the Asteroid Robotic Redirect Mission (ARRM) Option B team was formed to expand on NASA's previous work on the robotic boulder capture option. While the original Option A concept focuses on capturing an entire smaller Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) using an inflatable bag capture mechanism, this design seeks to land on a larger NEA and retrieve a boulder off of its surface. The Option B team has developed a detailed and feasible mission concept that preserves many aspects of Option A's vehicle design while employing a fundamentally different technique for returning a significant quantity of asteroidal material to the Earth-Moon system. As part of this effort, a point of departure proximity operations concept was developed complete with a detailed timeline, as well as DeltaV and propellant allocations. Special attention was paid to the development of the approach strategy, terminal descent to the surface, controlled ascent with the captured boulder, and control during the Enhanced Gravity Tractor planetary defense demonstration. The concept of retrieving a boulder from the surface of an asteroid and demonstrating the Enhanced Gravity Tractor planetary defense technique is found to be feasible and within the proposed capabilities of the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV). While this point of departure concept initially focuses on a mission to Itokawa, the proximity operations design is also shown to be extensible to wide range of asteroids.

Strategic communication related to academic performance: Evidence from China.

PubMed

Zhao, Li; Chen, Lulu; He, Luwei; Heyman, Gail D

2017-09-01

We examined a range of forms of strategic communication relevant to academic performance among 151 seventh- and eleventh-grade adolescents in China. Participants were asked to rate the frequency of their engagement of strategic communication and to evaluate the possible motives for each strategy. The most commonly adopted strategy was to give a vague response about one's own performance, and the predominant motives for strategic communication were the desires to outcompete others, to be prosocial, and to be modest. Males were more likely than females to focus on gaining social approval, and eleventh graders were more likely than seventh graders to focus on being prosocial and modest when engaging in strategic communication. These findings provide insight into the development of strategic communication beyond Western culture. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Adolescents in the West often hide their effort to appear more competent or to gain social acceptance. Little is known about other communication strategies related to academic performance. Little is known about the development of these strategies in non-Western samples. What does this study add? We show that in China, as in Western cultures, children often engage in strategic communication. We demonstrate links between different forms of strategic communication and specific motives. We demonstrate that strategic communication can be motivated by outcompeting others, by being prosocial, and by being modest. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Solution-Focused Strategies for Effective Sexual Health Communication among African American Parents and Their Adolescents.

PubMed

Johnson, Sharon D; Williams, Sha-Lai

2015-11-01

The high rates of sexual risk behaviors, particularly among African American youths who may not be aware of their HIV status, provide indication that, unless prevention efforts are enhanced, this vulnerable group of youths will remain at greater risk for negative health status outcomes. Parents are important in efforts to reduce risk among youths and often have a willingness to be sexuality educators for their children; however, communication barriers often impede their ability to provide preventive sexual health knowledge to their youths. Social workers are often presented with opportunities to help parents develop effective sexual health communication skills in informal settings when formal interventions are not feasible. The present effort considers solution-focused strategies social workers can use to help parents overcome barriers and communicate more positively with their youths about sexual health.

Summary results of the DOE flywheel development effort

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olszewski, M.; Martin, J. F.

1984-11-01

The technology and applications evaluation task focuses on defining performance and cost requirements for flywheels in the various areas of application. To date the DOE program has focused on automotive applications. The composite materials effort entails the testing of new commercial composites to determine their engineering properties. The rotor and containment development work uses data from these program elements to design and fabricate flywheels. The flywheels are then tested at the Oak Ridge Flywheel Evaluation Laboratory and their performance is evaluated to indicate possible areas for improvement. Once a rotor has been fully developed it is transferred to the private sector.

Transforming Our SMEX Organization by Way of Innovation, Standardization, and Automation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madden, Maureen; Crouse, Pat; Carry, Everett; Esposito, timothy; Parker, Jeffrey; Bradley, David

2006-01-01

NASA's Small Explorer (SMEX) Flight Operations Team (FOT) is currently tackling the challenge of supporting ground operations for several satellites that have surpassed their designed lifetime and have a dwindling budget. At Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), these missions are presently being reengineered into a fleet-oriented ground system. When complete, this ground system will provide command and control of four SMEX missions, and will demonstrate fleet automation and control concepts as a pathfinder for additional mission integrations. A goal of this reengineering effort is to demonstrate new ground-system technologies that show promise of supporting longer mission lifecycles and simplifying component integration. In pursuit of this goal, the SMEX organization has had to examine standardization, innovation, and automation. A core technology being demonstrated in this effort is the GSFC Mission Services Evolution Center (GMSEC) architecture. The GMSEC architecture focuses on providing standard interfaces for ground system applications to promote application interoperability. Building around commercial Message Oriented Middleware and providing a common messaging standard allows GMSEC to provide the capabilities necessary to support integration of new software components into existing missions and increase the level of interaction within the system. For SMS, GMSEC has become the technology platform to transform flight operations with the innovation and automation necessary to reduce operational costs. The automation technologies supported in SMEX are built upon capabilities provided by the GMSEC architecture that allows the FOT to further reduce the involvement of the console, operator. Initially, SMEX is automating only routine operations, such as safety and health monitoring, basic commanding, and system recovery. The operational concepts being developed here will reduce the need for staffed passes and are a necessity for future fleet management. As this project continues to evolve, additional innovations beyond GMSEC and automation have, and will continue to be developed. The team developed techniques for migrating ground systems of existing on-orbit assets. The tools necessary to monitor and control software failures were integrated and tailored for operational environments. All this was done with a focus of extending fleet operations to mission beyond SMU. The result of this work is the foundation for a broader fleet-capable ground system that will include several missions supported by the Space Science Mission Operations Project.

Focus on cumulative emissions, global carbon budgets and the implications for climate mitigation targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damon Matthews, H.; Zickfeld, Kirsten; Knutti, Reto; Allen, Myles R.

2018-01-01

The Environmental Research Letters focus issue on ‘Cumulative Emissions, Global Carbon Budgets and the Implications for Climate Mitigation Targets’ was launched in 2015 to highlight the emerging science of the climate response to cumulative emissions, and how this can inform efforts to decrease emissions fast enough to avoid dangerous climate impacts. The 22 research articles published represent a fantastic snapshot of the state-or-the-art in this field, covering both the science and policy aspects of cumulative emissions and carbon budget research. In this Review and Synthesis, we summarize the findings published in this focus issue, outline some suggestions for ongoing research needs, and present our assessment of the implications of this research for ongoing efforts to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement.

Fuel Cell Buses in U.S. Transit Fleets: Current Status 2016

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

Eudy, Leslie; Post, Matthew; Jeffers, Matthew

This report, published annually, summarizes the progress of fuel cell electric bus development in the United States and discusses the achievements and challenges of introducing fuel cell propulsion in transit. The report provides a summary of results from evaluations performed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Funding for this effort is provided by the U.S. Department of Energy's Fuel Cell Technologies Office within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration. The 2016 summary results primarily focus on the most recent year for each demonstration, from August 2015 through Julymore » 2016. The results for these buses account for more than 550,000 miles traveled and 59,500 hours of fuel cell power system operation. The primary results presented in the report are from three demonstrations of two different fuel-cell-dominant bus designs: Zero Emission Bay Area Demonstration Group led by Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit) in California; American Fuel Cell Bus Project at SunLine Transit Agency in California; and American Fuel Cell Bus Project at the University of California at Irvine.« less

ARL participation in the C4ISR OTM experiment: integration and performance results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zong, Lei; O'Brien, Barry J.

2007-04-01

The Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR) On-The- Move (OTM) demonstration is an annual showcase of how innovative technologies can help modern troops increase their situational awareness (SA) in battlefield environments. To evaluate the effectiveness these new technologies have on the soldiers' abilities to gather situational information, the demonstration involves United States Army National Guard troops in realistic war game scenarios at an Army Reserve training ground. The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) was invited to participate in the event, with the objective demonstrating system-level integration of disparate technologies developed for gathering SA information in small unit combat operations. ARL provided expertise in Unattended Ground Sensing (UGS) technology, Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) technology, information processing and wireless mobile ad hoc communication. The ARL C4ISR system included a system of multimodal sensors (MMS), a trip wire imager, a man-portable robotic vehicle (PackBot), and low power sensor radios for communication between an ARL system and a hosting platoon vehicle. This paper will focus on the integration effort of bringing the multiple families of sensor assets together into a working system.

Harvesting energy from low-frequency excitations through alternate contacts between water and two dielectric materials.

PubMed

Yu, Jian; Ma, Enze; Ma, Tianwei

2017-12-07

Recent studies have demonstrated the benefits of water-dielectric interfaces in electrostatic energy harvesting. Most efforts have been focused on extracting the kinetic energy from the motions of water drops on hydrophobic surfaces, and thus, the resulting schemes inherently prefer cases where the water drops move at a high speed, or vibrate at a high frequency. Here we report a method for directly harvesting ambient mechanical energy as electric potential energy through water droplets by making alternate contacts with CYTOP and PTFE thin films. Because CYTOP and PTFE acquire significantly different surface charge densities during contact with water, such a difference can be utilized to effectively generate electricity. We demonstrate this concept using prototype devices fabricated on silicon substrates with a simple procedure. In the experiments conducted, a water drop of 400 μL alone could generate a peak open-circuit voltage of 42 V under a 0.25 Hz vibration. Under a 2.5 Hz vibration, the peak open-circuit voltage reached 115 V under an external bias of 8 V. The demonstrated efficiency is orders of magnitude higher than those of existing devices of similar dimensions.

Mission Systems Open Architecture Science and Technology (MOAST) program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Littlejohn, Kenneth; Rajabian-Schwart, Vahid; Kovach, Nicholas; Satterthwaite, Charles P.

2017-04-01

The Mission Systems Open Architecture Science and Technology (MOAST) program is an AFRL effort that is developing and demonstrating Open System Architecture (OSA) component prototypes, along with methods and tools, to strategically evolve current OSA standards and technical approaches, promote affordable capability evolution, reduce integration risk, and address emerging challenges [1]. Within the context of open architectures, the program is conducting advanced research and concept development in the following areas: (1) Evolution of standards; (2) Cyber-Resiliency; (3) Emerging Concepts and Technologies; (4) Risk Reduction Studies and Experimentation; and (5) Advanced Technology Demonstrations. Current research includes the development of methods, tools, and techniques to characterize the performance of OMS data interconnection methods for representative mission system applications. Of particular interest are the OMS Critical Abstraction Layer (CAL), the Avionics Service Bus (ASB), and the Bulk Data Transfer interconnects, as well as to develop and demonstrate cybersecurity countermeasures techniques to detect and mitigate cyberattacks against open architecture based mission systems and ensure continued mission operations. Focus is on cybersecurity techniques that augment traditional cybersecurity controls and those currently defined within the Open Mission System and UCI standards. AFRL is also developing code generation tools and simulation tools to support evaluation and experimentation of OSA-compliant implementations.

Interfaces and Integration of Medical Image Analysis Frameworks: Challenges and Opportunities.

PubMed

Covington, Kelsie; McCreedy, Evan S; Chen, Min; Carass, Aaron; Aucoin, Nicole; Landman, Bennett A

2010-05-25

Clinical research with medical imaging typically involves large-scale data analysis with interdependent software toolsets tied together in a processing workflow. Numerous, complementary platforms are available, but these are not readily compatible in terms of workflows or data formats. Both image scientists and clinical investigators could benefit from using the framework which is a most natural fit to the specific problem at hand, but pragmatic choices often dictate that a compromise platform is used for collaboration. Manual merging of platforms through carefully tuned scripts has been effective, but exceptionally time consuming and is not feasible for large-scale integration efforts. Hence, the benefits of innovation are constrained by platform dependence. Removing this constraint via integration of algorithms from one framework into another is the focus of this work. We propose and demonstrate a light-weight interface system to expose parameters across platforms and provide seamless integration. In this initial effort, we focus on four platforms Medical Image Analysis and Visualization (MIPAV), Java Image Science Toolkit (JIST), command line tools, and 3D Slicer. We explore three case studies: (1) providing a system for MIPAV to expose internal algorithms and utilize these algorithms within JIST, (2) exposing JIST modules through self-documenting command line interface for inclusion in scripting environments, and (3) detecting and using JIST modules in 3D Slicer. We review the challenges and opportunities for light-weight software integration both within development language (e.g., Java in MIPAV and JIST) and across languages (e.g., C/C++ in 3D Slicer and shell in command line tools).

Development of fault tolerant adaptive control laws for aerospace systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez Rocha, Andres E.

The main topic of this dissertation is the design, development and implementation of intelligent adaptive control techniques designed to maintain healthy performance of aerospace systems subjected to malfunctions, external parameter changes and/or unmodeled dynamics. The dissertation is focused on the development of novel adaptive control configurations that rely on non-linear functions that appear in the immune system of living organisms as main source of adaptation. One of the main goals of this dissertation is to demonstrate that these novel adaptive control architectures are able to improve overall performance and protect the system while reducing control effort and maintaining adequate operation outside bounds of nominal design. This research effort explores several phases, ranging from theoretical stability analysis, simulation and hardware implementation on different types of aerospace systems including spacecraft, aircraft and quadrotor vehicles. The results presented in this dissertation are focused on two main adaptivity approaches, the first one is intended for aerospace systems that do not attain large angles and use exact feedback linearization of Euler angle kinematics. A proof of stability is presented by means of the circle Criterion and Lyapunov's direct method. The second approach is intended for aerospace systems that can attain large attitude angles (e.g. space systems in gravity-less environments), the adaptation is incorporated on a baseline architecture that uses partial feedback linearization of quaternions kinematics. In this case, the closed loop stability was analyzed using Lyapunov's direct method and Barbalat's Lemma. It is expected that some results presented in this dissertation can contribute towards the validation and certification of direct adaptive controllers.

Successful strategies for the reduction of operating room turnover times in a tertiary care academic medical center.

PubMed

Kodali, Bhavani S; Kim, Dennie; Bleday, Ronald; Flanagan, Hugh; Urman, Richard D

2014-04-01

Turnover time (TOT) is one of the classic measures of operating room (OR) efficiency. There have been numerous efforts to reduce TOTs, sometimes through the employment of a process improvement framework. However, most examples of process improvement in the TOT focus primarily on operational changes to workflows and statistical significance. These examples of process improvement do not detail the complex organizational challenges associated with implementing, expanding, and sustaining change. TOT data for general and gastrointestinal surgery were collected retrospectively over a 26-mo period at a large multispecialty academic institution. We calculated mean and median TOTs. TOTs were excluded if the sequence of cases was changed or cases were canceled. Data were retrieved from the perioperative nursing data entry system. Using performance improvement strategies, we determined how various events and organizational factors created an environment that was receptive to change. This ultimately led to a sustained decrease in the OR TOT both in the general and gastrointestinal surgery ORs that were the focus of the study (44.8 min versus 48.6 min; P < 0.0001) and other subspecialties (49.3 min versus 53.0 min; P < 0.0001), demonstrating that the effect traveled outside the study area. There are obstacles, such as organizational culture and institutional inertia, that OR leaders, managers, and change agents commonly face. Awareness of the numerous variables that may support or impede a particular change effort can inform effective change implementation strategies that are "organizationally compatible." Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Crisis Resources for Emergency Workers (CREW II): results of a pilot study and simulation-based crisis resource management course for emergency medicine residents.

PubMed

Hicks, Christopher M; Kiss, Alex; Bandiera, Glen W; Denny, Christopher J

2012-11-01

Emergency department resuscitation requires the coordinated efforts of an interdisciplinary team. Aviation-based crisis resource management (CRM) training can improve safety and performance during complex events. We describe the development, piloting, and multilevel evaluation of "Crisis Resources for Emergency Workers" (CREW), a simulation-based CRM curriculum for emergency medicine (EM) residents. Curriculum development was informed by an a priori needs assessment survey. We constructed a 1-day course using simulated resuscitation scenarios paired with focused debriefing sessions. Attitudinal shifts regarding team behaviours were assessed using the Human Factors Attitude Survey (HFAS). A subset of 10 residents participated in standardized pre- and postcourse simulated resuscitation scenarios to quantify the effect of CREW training on our primary outcome of CRM performance. Pre/post scenarios were videotaped and scored by two blinded reviewers using a validated behavioural rating scale, the Ottawa CRM Global Rating Scale (GRS). Postcourse survey responses were highly favourable, with the majority of participants reporting that CREW training can reduce errors and improve patient safety. There was a nonsignificant trend toward improved team-based attitudes as assessed by the HFAS (p  =  0.210). Postcourse performance demonstrated a similar trend toward improved scores in all categories on the Ottawa GRS (p  =  0.16). EM residents find simulation-based CRM instruction to be useful, effective, and highly relevant to their practice. Trends toward improved performance and attitudes may have arisen because our study was underpowered to detect a difference. Future efforts should focus on interdisciplinary training and recruiting a larger sample size.

Mississippi Basin Carbon Project science plan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sundquist, E.T.; Stallard, R.F.; Bliss, N.B.; Markewich, H.W.; Harden, J.W.; Pavich, M.J.; Dean, M.D.

1998-01-01

Understanding the carbon cycle is one of the most difficult challenges facing scientists who study the global environment. Lack of understanding of global carbon cycling is perhaps best illustrated by our inability to balance the present-day global CO2 budget. The amount of CO2 produced by burning fossil fuels and by deforestation appears to exceed the amount accumulating in the atmosphere and oceans. The carbon needed to balance the CO2 budget (the so-called "missing" carbon) is probably absorbed by land plants and ultimately deposited in soils and sediments. Increasing evidence points toward the importance of these terrestrial processes in northern temperate latitudes. Thus, efforts to balance the global CO2 budget focus particular attention on terrestrial carbon uptake in our own North American "backyard."The USGS Mississippi Basin Carbon Project conducts research on the carbon budget in soils and sediments of the Mississippi River basin. The project focuses on the effects of land-use change on carbon storage and transport, nutrient cycles, and erosion and sedimentation throughout the Mississippi River Basin. Particular emphasis is placed on understanding the interactions among changes in erosion, sedimentation, and soil dynamics. The project includes spatial analysis of a wide variety of geographic data sets, estimation of whole-basin and sub-basin carbon and sediment budgets, development and implementation of terrestrial carbon-cycle models, and site-specific field studies of relevant processes. The USGS views this project as a "flagship" effort to demonstrate its capabilities to address the importance of the land surface to biogeochemical problems such as the global carbon budget.

The elderly on dialysis: some considerations in compliance.

PubMed

McKevitt, P M; Jones, J F; Lane, D A; Marion, R R

1990-10-01

Compliance with scheduled treatments, dietary and fluid restrictions, and multiple medications is an important component in the care and well-being of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. Given the rigorus and complex demands of dialysis, it is important to examine the issue of compliance, focusing on a large and ever-increasing segment of our patient population, the elderly. The ESRD literature reflects efforts to define and measure levels of compliance, identify factors that influence and predict compliance, and develop intervention strategies to improve adherence to treatment regimens. While limited attention has been focused specifically on the elderly, there are studies suggesting that age may be a factor associated with improved adherence and that social support may be a significant contributor to compliance in this patient group. In an effort to examine the current status and needs of the dialysis elderly, research is in progress at Chromalloy American Kidney Center, Washington University, which replicates a study of 5 years ago. Eighty-four patients age 60 and over, on dialysis for a minimum of 6 months, were identified. Sociodemographic, treatment, compliance, and functional capacity data were collected; additional mental and psychological testing was completed on patients willing and able to participate. Preliminary data suggest the current elderly population is larger and significantly older than that of 5 years ago. Other sociodemographic data indicate the population is increasingly female, black, and more socioeconomically disadvantaged. In regard to compliance, the vast majority of elderly demonstrate good compliance as measured by serum potassium, fair to good compliance with phosphorus, and fair to poor compliance with fluid restrictions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Challenging tradition in Nigeria.

PubMed

Supriya, K E

1991-01-01

In Nigeria since 1987, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NSNNM) has used traditional medial and traditional health care workers to curtail the practice of female circumcision. Other harmful traditions are being changed also, such as early marriage, taboos of pregnancy and childbirth, and scarification. 30,000 member of NANNM are involved in this effort to halt the harmful practices themselves and to change community opinion. The program involved national and state level workshops on harmful health consequences of traditional practices and instruction on how to conduct focus group discussions to assess women's beliefs and practices. The focus groups were found to be a particularly successful method of opening up discussion of taboo topics and expressing deep emotions. The response to the knowledge that circumcision was not necessary was rage and anger, which was channeled into advocacy roles or change in the practice. The result was the channeled into advocacy roles for change in the practice. The result was the development of books, leaflets and videos. One community group designed a dress with a decorative motif of tatoos and bodily cuts to symbolize circumcision and scarring. Plays and songs were written and performed. Artists provided models of female genitalia both before and after circumcision. The campaign has been successful in bringing this issue to the public attention in prominent ways, such a national television, health talk shows, and women;s magazines. One of the most important results of the effort has been the demonstration that culture and tradition can be changed from within, rather than from outside imposition of values and beliefs.

Fast Paced, Low Cost Projects at MSFC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson-Morgan, Lisa; Clinton, Raymond

2012-01-01

What does an orbiting microsatellite, a robotic lander and a ruggedized camera and telescope have in common? They are all fast paced, low cost projects managed by Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) teamed with successful industry partners. MSFC has long been synonymous with human space flight large propulsion programs, engineering acumen and risk intolerance. However, there is a growing portfolio/product line within MSFC that focuses on these smaller, fast paced projects. While launching anything into space is expensive, using a managed risk posture, holding to schedule and keeping costs low by stopping at egood enough f were key elements to their success. Risk is defined as the possibility of loss or failure per Merriam Webster. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) defines risk using procedural requirement 8705.4 and establishes eclasses f to discern the acceptable risk per a project. It states a Class D risk has a medium to significant risk of not achieving mission success. MSFC, along with industry partners, has created a niche in Class D efforts. How did the big, cautious MSFC succeed on these projects that embodied the antithesis of its heritage in human space flight? A key factor toward these successful projects was innovative industry partners such as Dynetics Corporation, University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAHuntsville), Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU APL), Teledyne Brown Engineering (TBE), Von Braun Center for Science and Innovation (VCSI), SAIC, and Jacobs. Fast Affordable Satellite Technology (FastSat HSV01) is a low earth orbit microsatellite that houses six instruments with the primary scientific objective of earth observation and technology demonstration. The team was comprised of Dynetics, UAHuntsvile, SAIC, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and VCSI with the United States Air Force Space Test Program as the customer. The team completed design, development, manufacturing, environmental test and integration in one year. FastSat HSV01 also deployed a Poly Picosatellite Orbital Deployer (PPOD) for a separate nano ]satellite class spacecraft (Cubesat: Nano Sail Demonstration) in partnership with Ames Research Center. The Robotic lunar lander is a MSFC JHU APL partnership that led to the development of a flexible architecture for landers to support robotic missions to a wide range of lunar and asteroid destinations. The team started with the goal of meeting NASA agency directives that led to the creation of a test bed focusing on GN&C and software to demonstrate the descent and landing on any airless body for the final 30 to 60 meters. The team created a complex technology demonstration as well as Guidance Control and Navigation (GN&C) algorithms providing autonomous control of the lander. The team uses a green propellant of 90% hydrogen peroxide and has completed 18 successful test flights. The International Space Station (ISS) SERVIR Environmental Research and Visualization System (ISERV) is a technology demonstration payload to assist the SERVIR project with environmental monitoring for disaster relief and humanitarian efforts. The ISERV project was a partnership with TBE. The ISERV payload consists of a commercial off the shelf camera, telescope, and MSFC developed power distribution box and interfaces on ISS with the Window Observational Research Facility in the US Lab. MSFC has identified three key areas that enabled the low cost mission success to include culture, partnering, and cost/schedule control. This paper will briefly discuss these three Class D efforts, FastSat HSV-01, the Robotic Lunar Lander and the ISERV camera system, the lessons learned, their successes and challenges.

Cognitive effort: A neuroeconomic approach

PubMed Central

Braver, Todd S.

2015-01-01

Cognitive effort has been implicated in numerous theories regarding normal and aberrant behavior and the physiological response to engagement with demanding tasks. Yet, despite broad interest, no unifying, operational definition of cognitive effort itself has been proposed. Here, we argue that the most intuitive and epistemologically valuable treatment is in terms of effort-based decision-making, and advocate a neuroeconomics-focused research strategy. We first outline psychological and neuroscientific theories of cognitive effort. Then we describe the benefits of a neuroeconomic research strategy, highlighting how it affords greater inferential traction than do traditional markers of cognitive effort, including self-reports and physiologic markers of autonomic arousal. Finally, we sketch a future series of studies that can leverage the full potential of the neuroeconomic approach toward understanding the cognitive and neural mechanisms that give rise to phenomenal, subjective cognitive effort. PMID:25673005

48 CFR 52.219-16 - Liquidated Damages-Subcontracting Plan.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... following clause: Liquidated Damages—Subcontracting Plan (JAN 1999) (a) Failure to make a good faith effort... has failed to make such good faith effort, the Contracting Officer shall give the Contractor written notice specifying the failure and permitting the Contractor to demonstrate what good faith efforts have...

Engineering Stem Cells for Biomedical Applications

PubMed Central

Yin, Perry T.; Han, Edward

2018-01-01

Stem cells are characterized by a number of useful properties, including their ability to migrate, differentiate, and secrete a variety of therapeutic molecules such as immunomodulatory factors. As such, numerous pre-clinical and clinical studies have utilized stem cell-based therapies and demonstrated their tremendous potential for the treatment of various human diseases and disorders. Recently, efforts have focused on engineering stem cells in order to further enhance their innate abilities as well as to confer them with new functionalities, which can then be used in various biomedical applications. These engineered stem cells can take on a number of forms. For instance, engineered stem cells encompass the genetic modification of stem cells as well as the use of stem cells for gene delivery, nanoparticle loading and delivery, and even small molecule drug delivery. The present Review gives an in-depth account of the current status of engineered stem cells, including potential cell sources, the most common methods used to engineer stem cells, and the utilization of engineered stem cells in various biomedical applications, with a particular focus on tissue regeneration, the treatment of immunodeficiency diseases, and cancer. PMID:25772134

Emerging needle ablation technology in urology.

PubMed

Leveillee, Raymond J; Pease, Karli; Salas, Nelson

2014-01-01

Thermal ablation of urologic tumors in the form of freezing (cryoablation) and heating (radiofrequency ablation) have been utilized successfully to treat and ablate soft tissue tumors for over 15 years. Multiple studies have demonstrated efficacy nearing that of extirpative surgery for certain urologic conditions. There are technical limitations to their speed and safety profile because of the physical limits of thermal diffusion. Recently, there has been a desire to investigate other forms of energy in an effort to circumvent the limitations of cryoblation and radiofrequency ablation. This review will focus on three relatively new energy applications as they pertain to tissue ablation: microwave, irreversible electroporation, and water vapor. High-intensity-focused ultrasound nor interstitial lasers are discussed, as there have been no recently published updates. Needle and probe-based ablative treatments will continue to play an important role. As three-dimensional imaging workstations move from the advanced radiologic interventional suite to the operating room, surgeons will likely still play a pivotal role in the +-application of these probe ablative devices. It is essential that the surgeon understands the fundamentals of these devices in order to optimize their application.

Development of the dense plasma focus for short-pulse applications

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

Bennett, N.; Blasco, M.; Breeding, K.

The dense plasma focus (DPF) has long been considered a compact source for pulsed neutrons and has traditionally been optimized for the total neutron yield. Here, we describe the efforts to optimize the DPF for short-pulse applications by introducing a reentrant cathode at the end of the coaxial plasma gun. We reduced the resulting neutron pulse widths by an average of 21±921±9% from the traditional long-drift DPF design. Pulse widths and yields achieved from deuterium-tritium fusion at 2 MA are 61.8±30.761.8±30.7 ns FWHM and 1.84±0.49×10121.84±0.49×10 12 neutrons per shot. Simulations were conducted concurrently to elucidate the DPF operation and confirmmore » the role of the reentrant cathode. Furthermore, a hybrid fluid-kinetic particle-in-cell modeling capability demonstrates correct sheath velocities, plasma instabilities, and fusion yield rates. Consistent with previous findings that the DPF is dominated by beam-target fusion from superthermal ions, we estimate that the thermonuclear contribution is at the 1% level.« less

Production of recombinant allergens in plants

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

A large percentage of allergenic proteins are of plant origin. Hence, plant-based expression systems are considered ideal for the recombinant production of certain allergens. First attempts to establish production of plant-derived allergens in plants focused on transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana infected with recombinant viral vectors. Accordingly, allergens from birch and mugwort pollen, as well as from apple have been expressed in plants. Production of house dust mite allergens has been achieved by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of tobacco plants. Beside the use of plants as production systems, other approaches have focused on the development of edible vaccines expressing allergens or epitopes thereof, which bypasses the need of allergen purification. The potential of this approach has been convincingly demonstrated for transgenic rice seeds expressing seven dominant human T cell epitopes derived from Japanese cedar pollen allergens. Parallel to efforts in developing recombinant-based diagnostic and therapeutic reagents, different gene-silencing approaches have been used to decrease the expression of allergenic proteins in allergen sources. In this way hypoallergenic ryegrass, soybean, rice, apple, and tomato were developed. PMID:21258627

Active Fail-Safe Micro-Array Flow Control for Advanced Embedded Propulsion Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Bernhard H.; Mace, James L.; Mani, Mori

2009-01-01

The primary objective of this research effort was to develop and analytically demonstrate enhanced first generation active "fail-safe" hybrid flow-control techniques to simultaneously manage the boundary layer on the vehicle fore-body and to control the secondary flow generated within modern serpentine or embedded inlet S-duct configurations. The enhanced first-generation technique focused on both micro-vanes and micro-ramps highly-integrated with micro -jets to provide nonlinear augmentation for the "strength' or effectiveness of highly-integrated flow control systems. The study focused on the micro -jet mass flow ratio (Wjet/Waip) range from 0.10 to 0.30 percent and jet total pressure ratios (Pjet/Po) from 1.0 to 3.0. The engine bleed airflow range under study represents about a 10 fold decrease in micro -jet airflow than previously required. Therefore, by pre-conditioning, or injecting a very small amount of high-pressure jet flow into the vortex generated by the micro-vane and/or micro-ramp, active flow control is achieved and substantial augmentation of the controlling flow is realized.

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

Iyer, Gokul; Calvin, Katherine; Clarke, Leon

An important component of analyses of the Paris Agreement has been the assessment of comparability of countries’ nationally determined contributions (NDCs). These assessments have typically focused on a set of emissions or cost-based indicators1-8. At the same time, an increasing body of literature is articulating many possible linkages between mitigation and other national priorities, with a major focus on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)9-13. The importance of the SDGs raises a question about how their linkages to mitigation activities might influence comparability assessments. We explore this question using a global integrated assessment model14 and provide illustrations of the geographical distributionsmore » of the influence of the NDCs on broader sustainability goals. We demonstrate that the extent to which these distributions differ from the distribution of mitigation effort obtained using standard comparability metrics depends on the degree to which domestic mitigation actions affect broader sustainability goals domestically and/or internationally and whether these effects are synergistic or antagonistic. Our analysis provides a foundation for considering how comparability across the NDCs could be better understood in the larger context of sustainability.« less

Chemistry in CESM-SE: Evaluation, Performance and Optimization

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

Lamarque, Jean-Francois; Conley, Andrew; Vitt, Francis

2016-01-06

The purpose of the proposed work focused on development of chemistry representation within the Spectral Element (SE) dynamical core as implemented in the Community Earth System Model (CESM). More specifically, a main focus was on the ability of SE to accurately represent tracer transport. The proposed approach was to incrementally increase the complexity of the problem, starting from specified two-dimensional flow and tracers to simulations using specified dynamics and full chemistry. As demonstrated below, we have successfully studied all aspects of the proposed work, although only part of the work has been published in the refereed literature so far. Furthermore,more » because the SE dynamical core has been found to have several deficiencies that are still being investigated for solution, not all proposed tasks were finalized. In addition to the tests for SE performance, in an effort to decrease the computational burden of interactive chemistry, especially in the case of a large number of chemical species and chemical reactions, development on a faster chemical solver and implementation on GPUs has been implemented in CESM under the leadership of John Drake (U. Tennessee).« less

High-Power Lasers for Science and Society

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

Siders, C. W.; Haefner, C.

Since the first demonstration of the laser in 1960 by Theodore Maiman at Hughes Research Laboratories, the principal defining characteristic of lasers has been their ability to focus unprecedented powers of light in space, time, and frequency. High-power lasers have, over the ensuing five and a half decades, illuminated entirely new fields of scientific endeavor as well as made a profound impact on society. While the United States pioneered lasers and their early applications, we have been eclipsed in the past decade by highly effective national and international networks in both Europe and Asia, which have effectively focused their energies,more » efforts, and resources to achieve greater scientific and societal impact. This white paper calls for strategic investment which, by striking an appropriate balance between distributing our precious national funds and establishing centers of excellence, will ensure a broad pipeline of people and transformative ideas connecting our world-leading universities, defining flagship facilities stewarded by our national laboratories, and driving innovation across industry, to fully exploit the potential of high-power lasers.« less

Development of the dense plasma focus for short-pulse applications

DOE PAGES

Bennett, N.; Blasco, M.; Breeding, K.; ...

2017-01-05

The dense plasma focus (DPF) has long been considered a compact source for pulsed neutrons and has traditionally been optimized for the total neutron yield. Here, we describe the efforts to optimize the DPF for short-pulse applications by introducing a reentrant cathode at the end of the coaxial plasma gun. We reduced the resulting neutron pulse widths by an average of 21±921±9% from the traditional long-drift DPF design. Pulse widths and yields achieved from deuterium-tritium fusion at 2 MA are 61.8±30.761.8±30.7 ns FWHM and 1.84±0.49×10121.84±0.49×10 12 neutrons per shot. Simulations were conducted concurrently to elucidate the DPF operation and confirmmore » the role of the reentrant cathode. Furthermore, a hybrid fluid-kinetic particle-in-cell modeling capability demonstrates correct sheath velocities, plasma instabilities, and fusion yield rates. Consistent with previous findings that the DPF is dominated by beam-target fusion from superthermal ions, we estimate that the thermonuclear contribution is at the 1% level.« less

Parallel computing for automated model calibration

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

Burke, John S.; Danielson, Gary R.; Schulz, Douglas A.

2002-07-29

Natural resources model calibration is a significant burden on computing and staff resources in modeling efforts. Most assessments must consider multiple calibration objectives (for example magnitude and timing of stream flow peak). An automated calibration process that allows real time updating of data/models, allowing scientists to focus effort on improving models is needed. We are in the process of building a fully featured multi objective calibration tool capable of processing multiple models cheaply and efficiently using null cycle computing. Our parallel processing and calibration software routines have been generically, but our focus has been on natural resources model calibration. Somore » far, the natural resources models have been friendly to parallel calibration efforts in that they require no inter-process communication, only need a small amount of input data and only output a small amount of statistical information for each calibration run. A typical auto calibration run might involve running a model 10,000 times with a variety of input parameters and summary statistical output. In the past model calibration has been done against individual models for each data set. The individual model runs are relatively fast, ranging from seconds to minutes. The process was run on a single computer using a simple iterative process. We have completed two Auto Calibration prototypes and are currently designing a more feature rich tool. Our prototypes have focused on running the calibration in a distributed computing cross platform environment. They allow incorporation of?smart? calibration parameter generation (using artificial intelligence processing techniques). Null cycle computing similar to SETI@Home has also been a focus of our efforts. This paper details the design of the latest prototype and discusses our plans for the next revision of the software.« less

Development in High-Density Cobra Fiber Positioners for the Subaru Telescope's Prime Focus Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fisher, Charles D.; Braun, David F.; Kaluzny, Joel V.; Seiffert, Mic D.; Dekany, Richard G.; Ellis, Richard S.; Smith, Roger S.

2012-01-01

The Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) is a fiber fed multi-object spectrometer for the Subaru Telescope that will conduct a variety of targeted surveys for studies of dark energy, galaxy evolution, and galactic archaeology. The key to the instrument is a high density array of fiber positioners placed at the prime focus of the Subaru Telescope. The system, nicknamed "Cobra", will be capable of rapidly reconfiguring the array of 2394 optical fibers to the image positions of astronomical targets in the focal plane with high accuracy. The system uses 2394 individual "SCARA robot" mechanisms that are 7.7mm in diameter and use 2 piezo-electric rotary motors to individually position each of the optical fibers within its patrol region. Testing demonstrates that the Cobra positioner can be moved to within 5 micrometers of an astronomical target in 6 move iterations with a success rate of 95%. The Cobra system is a key aspect of PFS that will enable its unprecedented combination of high-multiplex factor and observing efficiency on the Subaru telescope. The requirements, design, and prototyping efforts for the fiber positioner system for the PFS are described here as are the plans for modular construction, assembly, integration, functional testing, and performance validation.

Math and Science Education. IDRA Focus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

IDRA Newsletter, 1996

1996-01-01

This newsletter focuses on efforts to make math and science more attractive, relevant, and accessible to students, especially limited-English-proficient, minority, economically disadvantaged, female, and at-risk students. "TAAS Math Performance" (Linda Cantu) outlines recent statewide results for the controversial Texas Assessment of…

Facilitating the inclusion of nonmarket values in Bureau of Land Management planning and project assessments—Final report

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huber, Chris; Richardson, Leslie

2016-11-23

Executive SummaryThis report summarizes the results of a series of field-based case studies conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to (1) evaluate the use of nonmarket values in Bureau of Land Management (BLM) planning and project assessments, (2) update existing technical resources for measuring those values, and (3) provide guidance to field staff on the use of nonmarket values. Four BLM pilot sites participated in this effort: Canyons of the Ancients National Monument in Colorado, Red Cliffs and Beaver Dam Wash National Conservation Areas in Utah, BLM’s Taos Field Office in New Mexico, and BLM's Tuscarora Field Office in Nevada. The focus of the case studies was on practical applications of nonmarket valuation. USGS worked directly with BLM field staff at the pilot sites to demonstrate the process of considering nonmarket values in BLM decisionmaking and document the questions, challenges, and opportunities that arise when tying economic language to projects.As part of this effort, a Web-based toolkit, available at https://my.usgs.gov/benefit-transfer/, was updated and expanded to help facilitate benefit transfers (that is, the use of existing economic data to quantify nonmarket values) and qualitative discussions of nonmarket values. A total of 53 new or overlooked nonmarket valuation studies comprising 494 nonmarket value estimates for various recreational activities and the preservation of threatened, endangered, and rare species were added to existing databases within this Benefit Transfer Toolkit. In addition, four meta-regression functions focused on hunting, wildlife viewing, fishing, and trail use recreation were developed and added to the Benefit Transfer Toolkit.Results of this effort demonstrate that there are two main roles for nonmarket valuation in BLM planning. The first is to improve the decisionmaking process by contributing to a more comprehensive comparison of economic benefits and cost when evaluating resource tradeoffs for National Environmental Policy Act analyses. The second is to use economic language and information on economic values, either qualitative or quantitative, to improve the ability to communicate the economic significance of the resources provided by BLM-managed lands. Findings also indicate that the use of existing economic data to quantify nonmarket values (that is, benefit transfer) poses unique challenges because of the scarcity of both resource data and existing valuation studies focused on resources and sites managed by BLM. This highlights the need for improvements in the collection of resource data at BLM sites, especially visitor use data, as well as an opportunity for BLM’s Socioeconomics Program to strategically identify priority areas, in terms of both resources and geographic locations, where primary valuation studies could be conducted and the results used for future benefit transfers. Finally, whereas qualitative discussions of nonmarket values do not facilitate the comparison of monetized values, they can provide a manageable next step forward in providing more comprehensive information on nonmarket values for BLM plans and project assessments. 

Designing and Instructing Hybrid Open Learning Spaces Model to Support Lifelong Learning Engagement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Caroline M.

2016-01-01

With a focus upon open and lifelong learning understanding, the real world delineation between formalized higher education graduate school efforts and professional career position lines may be suggested as being blurred. This case study offers an analysis of one university instructor's efforts towards developing hybrid learning spaces that…

Jump-Starting Educational Reform. Implementing British Columbia's Comprehensive School Act.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldman, Paul

An educational reform effort to implement a comprehensive school act in British Columbia (Canada) is analyzed with a focus on some sociotechnical and political aspects. An overview of the content, background, and implementation of the reform effort is followed by identification of seven contradictions inherent in the plan. Contradictions are as…

77 FR 7124 - Information Sharing With Agency Stakeholders; Public Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-10

... efforts to transform itself into a customer-focused, high-performing organization. In this context, USDA's... relationships. As part of a larger effort to enhance stakeholder communication, APHIS is hosting an open meeting... headquarters for support? Why? As we continue to look at ways to improve our processes and enhance customer...

Current status and ongoing conservation efforts for the federally endangered species Pityopsis ruthii

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pityopsis ruthii is an endangered species endemic to the Hiwassee and Ocoee rivers in Tennessee. Due to limited information regarding biology and genetics of P. ruthii, our research over the past 6 years have focused on conservation and recovery efforts. Using applied and molecular techniques, a bas...

The Need for Large-Scale, Longitudinal Empirical Studies in Middle Level Education Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mertens, Steven B.; Caskey, Micki M.; Flowers, Nancy

2016-01-01

This essay describes and discusses the ongoing need for large-scale, longitudinal, empirical research studies focused on middle grades education. After a statement of the problem and concerns, the essay describes and critiques several prior middle grades efforts and research studies. Recommendations for future research efforts to inform policy…

Global Education Comes to Russia in 1991.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tucker, Jan L.

This paper discusses the first international conference on the future of education in Russia held in Sochi, Russia, in September of 1991. The focus was on recent efforts that have been made by educators to develop global education in Russian schools. These efforts include a detailed project for the development of global education in Russia and…

Whooping crane recovery: Progress through research

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carpenter, J.W.; Smith, D.G.

1988-01-01

Cooperative efforts of the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Wood Buffalo National Park in Canada, and Patuxent Wildlife Research Center have established a captive flock of whooping cranes, and at least two additional wild populations. Efforts have focused on research, habitat protection, law enforcement, and conservation education programs.

Achieving excellence--creating customer passion.

PubMed

Scheuing, E E

1999-08-01

Customers are the lifeblood of any organization. Without them, it loses its meaning and purpose. Customers provide incentive, vitality, and growth. Serving them well requires a customer-focused culture and a customer-friendly system. It also requires unrelenting effort toward continuous improvement, but the rewards are well worth the effort: unflinching customer loyalty, sustainable growth, and impressive performance.

Development of a smart timber bridge girder with fiber optic sensors

Treesearch

James Wacker; Ursula Deza; Brent M. Phares; Terry J. Wipf

2010-01-01

Past timber bridge evaluation and maintenance efforts in the USA have principally focused on the internal integrity of timber components using various non-destructive evaluation tools to supplement visual inspection data. This project is part of a comprehensive effort to develop smart structure concepts for improving the long-term performance, maintenance, and...

Transverse vibration techniques : logs to structural systems

Treesearch

Robert J. Ross

2008-01-01

Transverse vibration as a nondestructive testing and evaluation technique was first examined in the early 1960s. Initial research and development efforts focused on clear wood, lumber, and laminated products. Out of those efforts, tools were developed that are used today to assess lumber properties. Recently, use of this technique has been investigated for evaluating a...

Perceived Physical Competence, Enjoyment and Effort in Same-Sex and Coeducational Physical Education Classes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyu, Minjeong; Gill, Diane L.

2011-01-01

Perceived competence is a key motivational determinant of physical activity behaviours in adolescents, and motivational determinants are influenced by the class environment. The purpose of this study was to investigate levels of perceived physical competence, enjoyment and effort in class, focusing on gender and class-type differences.…

Connecting Preservice Teacher Education to Diverse Communities: A Focus on Family Literacy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCaleb, Sudia Paloma

1998-01-01

Describes a teacher education program at the New College of California as an example of efforts to empower new teachers to meet the challenges of educating diverse students. Discusses the candidate intake process, the preprogram reading effort, community building, instructional strategies, and the family literacy program, which is integral to…

Using FAA's SAGE model to conduct global inventories and to assess route-specific variability in aviation fuel burn, emissions and costs

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-09-30

The focus on optimizing aircraft fuel efficiency : as well as interest in assessing aviation : emissions inventories to measure the efficacy of : efforts to limit or reduce aviation emissions : worldwide has spurred a number of efforts in : the U.S. ...

Teachers Unions as Partners, Not Adversaries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catone, Keith

2013-01-01

Chicago has long been one of the national epicenters for public school reform. In many ways the reform efforts of the past decade in the Windy City have served as the blueprint for the current focus of federal education priorities. In particular, federal policy for school turnaround and transformation takes clear cues from the efforts that current…

Genetic Relations between Effortful and Attentional Control and Symptoms of Psychopathology in Middle Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lemery-Chalfant, Kathryn; Doelger, Lisa; Goldsmith, H. Hill

2008-01-01

Elucidating the genetic and environmental aetiology of effortful control (mother and father reports at two time points), attentional control (observer reports), and their associations with internalizing and externalizing symptoms (mother and father reports) is the central focus of this paper. With a sample of twins in middle childhood…

A Meta-Analysis of Writing Instruction for Students in the Elementary Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Steve; McKeown, Debra; Kiuhara, Sharlene; Harris, Karen R.

2012-01-01

In an effort to identify effective instructional practices for teaching writing to elementary grade students, we conducted a meta-analysis of the writing intervention literature, focusing our efforts on true and quasi-experiments. We located 115 documents that included the statistics for computing an effect size (ES). We calculated an average…

Respiratory Patterns and Strategies during Feeding in Preterm Infants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vice, Frank L.; Gewolb, Ira H.

2008-01-01

Because patterns of integration of respiration into rhythmic suck-swallow efforts are highly variable, we examined the vagaries of respiratory efforts as they evolve from the first tentative attempts at integration through more complex rhythmic interactions, with a focus on several strategies in which breathing and suck-swallow are coordinated.…

Hearing Aid Selection and Evaluation for Pre-school Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tachiiri, Hajime

1996-01-01

Focuses upon the selection and fitting of hearing aids for young children in Japan. Explains fitting methods and their evaluation. Suggests that although most of the schools for the deaf are making serious efforts to establish binaural fitting and use of residual hearing, lack of professional training hinders those efforts. (AA)

The Role of Mentoring in Fostering Executive Function, Effort, and Academic Self-Concept

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meltzer, Lynn; Basho, Surina; Reddy, Ranjini; Kurkul, Katelyn

2015-01-01

This exploratory study examined the impact of an in-school intervention program that blends peer mentoring with executive function strategy instruction for at-risk learners. More specifically, the study focused on evaluating the effects of the SMARTS Executive Function and Mentoring intervention on students' strategy use, effort, academic…

Effect of Learning Activity on Students' Motivation, Physical Activity Levels and Effort/Persistence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gao, Zan; Lee, Amelia M.; Xiang, Ping; Kosma, Maria

2011-01-01

The type of learning activity offered in physical education may influence students' motivational beliefs, physical activity participation and effort/persistence in class. However, most empirical studies have focused on the individual level rather than on the learner-content interactions. Accordingly, the potential effects of learning activities on…

Middle Grades Reform: A Casebook for School Leaders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Filby, Nikola N., Ed.; And Others

The result of a collaborative effort to meet the needs of California educators in middle-grades reform, this volume provides access to the best ideas in research and practice, and support for local improvement efforts. The casebook format tells the strategies, problems, and diverse actions of educators focusing on the "how" of leading a…

Lessons learned from a health record bank start-up.

PubMed

Yasnoff, W A; Shortliffe, E H

2014-01-01

This article is part of a Focus Theme of METHODS of Information in Medicine on Health Record Banking. In late summer 2010, an organization was formed in greater Phoenix, Arizona (USA), to introduce a health record bank (HRB) in that community. The effort was initiated after market research and was aimed at engaging 200,000 individuals as members in the first year (5% of the population). It was also intended to evaluate a business model that was based on early adoption by consumers and physicians followed by additional revenue streams related to incremental services and secondary uses of clinical data, always with specific permission from individual members, each of whom controlled all access to his or her own data. To report on the details of the HRB experience in Phoenix, to describe the sources of problems that were experienced, and to identify lessons that need to be considered in future HRB ventures. We describe staffing for the HRB effort, the computational platform that was developed, the approach to marketing, the engagement of practicing physicians, and the governance model that was developed to guide the HRB design and implementation. Despite efforts to engage the physician community, limited consumer advertising, and a carefully considered financial strategy, the experiment failed due to insufficient enrollment of individual members. It was discontinued in April 2011. Although the major problem with this HRB project was undercapitalization, we believe this effort demonstrated that basic HRB accounts should be free for members and that physician engagement and participation are key elements in constructing an effective marketing channel. Local community governance is essential for trust, and the included population must be large enough to provide sufficient revenues to sustain the resource in the long term.

Airspace Technology Demonstration 2 (ATD-2) Phase 1 Concept of Use (ConUse)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jung, Yoon; Engelland, Shawn; Capps, Richard; Coppenbarger, Rich; Hooey, Becky; Sharma, Shivanjli; Stevens, Lindsay; Verma, Savita; Lohr, Gary; Chevalley, Eric;

Improving Existing EPO Efforts with Data Access through the National Virtual Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raddick, M. J.; Christian, C. A.; O'Mullane, W. J.

2005-05-01

The National Virtual Observatory (NVO) is developing tools to enable astronomy data to be shared seamlessly across the Internet. The goal of the NVO is to allow anyone on the Internet to access all astronomy data ever measured, with any instrument, in any wavelength. The NVO's research efforts focus on allowing scientists to access existing online data, adding value to each dataset by virtue of its connection to others. Similarly, the NVO's Education and Public Outreach (EPO) efforts focus on connecting existing projects with the our seamless access to real, modern astronomy data from thousands of research projects. We hope that this connection will provide countless opportunities to expand and enhance existing EPO projects. Some of the projects currently working with NVO are the CLEA labs at Gettysburg College, Project LITE at Boston University, and Adler Planetarium. In this poster, I will describe the current EPO efforts that incorporate the NVO's data access tools. I will also provide a tutorial for EPO developers, with practical suggestions on how to incorporate NVO tools into existing projects. I will also give contact information for further help.

Supersonic Aerodynamic Design Improvements of an Arrow-Wing HSCT Configuration Using Nonlinear Point Design Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Unger, Eric R.; Hager, James O.; Agrawal, Shreekant

1999-01-01

This paper is a discussion of the supersonic nonlinear point design optimization efforts at McDonnell Douglas Aerospace under the High-Speed Research (HSR) program. The baseline for these optimization efforts has been the M2.4-7A configuration which represents an arrow-wing technology for the High-Speed Civil Transport (HSCT). Optimization work on this configuration began in early 1994 and continued into 1996. Initial work focused on optimization of the wing camber and twist on a wing/body configuration and reductions of 3.5 drag counts (Euler) were realized. The next phase of the optimization effort included fuselage camber along with the wing and a drag reduction of 5.0 counts was achieved. Including the effects of the nacelles and diverters into the optimization problem became the next focus where a reduction of 6.6 counts (Euler W/B/N/D) was eventually realized. The final two phases of the effort included a large set of constraints designed to make the final optimized configuration more realistic and they were successful albeit with a loss of performance.

Collaborating across organizational boundaries to improve the quality of care.

PubMed

Plsek, P E

1997-04-01

The paradigm of modern quality management is in wide use in health care. Although much of the initial effort in health care has focused on improving service, administrative, and support processes, many organizations are also using these concepts to improve clinical care. The analysis of data on clinical outcomes has undoubtedly led to many local improvements, but such analysis is inevitably limited by three issues: small samples, lack of detailed knowledge of what others are doing, and paradigm paralysis. These issues can be partially overcome when multiple health care organizations work together on focused clinical quality improvement efforts. Through the use of multiorganizational collaborative groups, literature reviews, expert panels, best-practice conferences, multiorganizational databases, and bench-marking groups, organizations can effectively pool data and learn from the many natural experiments constantly underway in the health care community. This article outlines the key concepts behind such collaborative improvement efforts and describes pioneering work in the application of these techniques in health care. A better understanding and wider use of collaborative improvement efforts may lead to dramatic breakthroughs in clinical outcomes in the coming years.