10 CFR 820.27 - Answer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Answer. 820.27 Section 820.27 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY... Final Notice of Violation with regard to which respondent has any knowledge, information or belief. Where respondent has no knowledge, information or belief of a particular factual allegation and so...

10 CFR 820.27 - Answer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Answer. 820.27 Section 820.27 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY... Final Notice of Violation with regard to which respondent has any knowledge, information or belief. Where respondent has no knowledge, information or belief of a particular factual allegation and so...

10 CFR 820.27 - Answer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Answer. 820.27 Section 820.27 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY... Final Notice of Violation with regard to which respondent has any knowledge, information or belief. Where respondent has no knowledge, information or belief of a particular factual allegation and so...

Enhancing Conceptual Knowledge of Energy in Biology with Incorrect Representations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wernecke, Ulrike; Schütte, Kerstin; Schwanewedel, Julia; Harms, Ute

2018-01-01

Energy is an important concept in all natural sciences, and a challenging one for school science education. Students' conceptual knowledge of energy is often low, and they entertain misconceptions. Educational research in science and mathematics suggests that learning through depictive representations and learning from errors, based on the theory…

Multimedia learning for increasing knowledge on energy efficiency and promotion of proenvironmental behavior: A study of undergraduate students in Costa Rica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walsh-Zuniga, Yoselyn

Promotion of energy efficiency practices among household has been employed in many interventions with a varying degree of success, mainly on developed countries. The purpose of the study is to promote and measure knowledge of proenvironmental behavior in undergraduate students in the Costa Rica Institute of Technology. The intervention used for this purpose provided personal and altruistic information about the impact of energy consumption activities in household. People's perceptions and attitudes about behaviors that contribute and mitigate climate change were also investigated. Participants were students from undergraduate programs who are also inhabitants of the residence hall provided by the institution. The participation consisted in two surveys and a learning module. Students responded a survey before and after exposure to a learning module. Surveys focused on identifying knowledge, attitudes and intentions. The learning module provided information about three hypothetical scenarios and corresponding energy consumption estimates for each one. Participants did not significantly improve their knowledge on energy efficiency topics and did not change perceptions about the topic of climate change. Yet for both, knowledge and perceptions, participants demonstrated an average knowledge on topics associated to climate change. In addition, participants did not use technical information to explain concepts and perceptions. Another important finding was that participants wrote their responses more third-person than in first person singular or plural, meaning that, excluding themselves from the solution and the problem. Results suggest that there is an average knowledge among participants about 2.5 out of 5 points that represent a start point to design more successful interventions that promote energy efficiency behaviors. A major recommendation to improve energy efficiency behaviors is to place a greater emphasis and awareness in personal consequences of the misuse of energy in household as part of future interventions. More studies based on real consumption data along with more engaging visualizations are highly encouraged.

Reasoning about Energy. An Activity Booklet for Middle and High School Science and Social Studies Students... and Their Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Rodney F., Ed.

This booklet is a collection of energy activities to be infused into existing science and social studies courses at the seventh and ninth grade levels. The activities were written for students at different levels of problem solving ability, emphasizing the learning and use of knowledge about energy. By using energy knowledge in these…

Storying energy consumption: Collective video storytelling in energy efficiency social marketing.

PubMed

Gordon, Ross; Waitt, Gordon; Cooper, Paul; Butler, Katherine

2018-05-01

Despite calls for more socio-technical research on energy, there is little practical advice to how narratives collected through qualitative research may be melded with technical knowledge from the physical sciences such as engineering and then applied in energy efficiency social action strategies. This is despite established knowledge in the environmental management literature about domestic energy use regarding the utility of social practice theory and narrative framings that socialise everyday consumption. Storytelling is positioned in this paper both as a focus for socio-technical energy research, and as one potential practical tool that can arguably enhance energy efficiency interventions. We draw upon the literature on everyday social practices, and storytelling, to present our framework called 'collective video storytelling' that combines scientific and lay knowledge about domestic energy use to offer a practical tool for energy efficiency management. Collective video storytelling is discussed in the context of Energy+Illawarra, a 3-year cross-disciplinary collaboration between social marketers, human geographers, and engineers to target energy behavioural change within older low-income households in regional NSW, Australia. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nutrition Education by a Registered Dietitian Improves Dietary Intake and Nutrition Knowledge of a NCAA Female Volleyball Team

PubMed Central

Valliant, Melinda W.; Pittman Emplaincourt, Heather; Wenzel, Rachel Kieckhaefer; Garner, Bethany Hilson

2012-01-01

Eleven female participants from a NCAA Division I volleyball team were evaluated for adequate energy and macronutrient intake during two off-seasons. Total energy and macronutrient intake were assessed by food records and results were compared against estimated needs using the Nelson equation. Dietary intervention was employed regarding the individual dietary needs of each athlete as well as a pre- and post-sports nutrition knowledge survey. Post dietary intervention, total energy, and macronutrient intake improved, as well as a significant improvement in sports nutrition knowledge (p < 0.001). Nutrition education is useful in improving dietary intake and nutrition knowledge of female athletes. PMID:22822449

Use of the Drawing-Writing Technique to Determine the Level of Knowledge of Pre-Service Teachers Regarding Renewable Energy Sources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kara, Filiz

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge of pre-service science teachers in Turkey regarding the different types of renewable energy sources, the methods used for obtaining energy from these sources, and the areas of use for these energy sources. Within the context of the study, the drawing-writing technique was used in order…

The Construction of Facts: Preconditions for Meaning in Teaching Energy in Swedish Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gyberg, Per; Lee, Francis

2010-01-01

This article investigates the mechanisms that govern the processes of inclusion and exclusion of knowledge. It draws on three cases from Swedish classrooms about how energy is created as an area of knowledge. We are interested in how knowledge is made valid and legitimate in a school context, and in defining and finding tools to identify…

Variables Associated with American High School Students' Knowledge of Environmental Issues Related to Energy and Pollution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gambro, John S.; Switzky, Harvey N.

1999-01-01

Student knowledge about environmental issues related to energy and pollution was analyzed in a national probability sample of high school seniors. Parental level of education, quantity of high school science courses, and gender were all significantly related to students' knowledge levels. Bias in favor of males remained even when the number of…

A Conceptual Change Model for Teaching Heat Energy, Heat Transfer and Insulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, C. K.

2014-01-01

This study examines the existing knowledge that pre-service elementary teachers (PSETs) have regarding heat energy, heat transfer and insulation. The PSETs' knowledge of heat energy was initially assessed by using an activity: determining which container would be best to keep hot water warm for the longest period of time. Results showed that PSETs…

Knowledge brokering on emissions modelling in Strategic Environmental Assessment of Estonian energy policy with special reference to the LEAP model

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

Kuldna, Piret, E-mail: piret.kuldna@seit.ee; Peterson, Kaja; Kuhi-Thalfeldt, Reeli

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) serves as a platform for bringing together researchers, policy developers and other stakeholders to evaluate and communicate significant environmental and socio-economic effects of policies, plans and programmes. Quantitative computer models can facilitate knowledge exchange between various parties that strive to use scientific findings to guide policy-making decisions. The process of facilitating knowledge generation and exchange, i.e. knowledge brokerage, has been increasingly explored, but there is not much evidence in the literature on how knowledge brokerage activities are used in full cycles of SEAs which employ quantitative models. We report on the SEA process of the nationalmore » energy plan with reflections on where and how the Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) model was used for knowledge brokerage on emissions modelling between researchers and policy developers. Our main suggestion is that applying a quantitative model not only in ex ante, but also ex post scenario modelling and associated impact assessment can facilitate systematic and inspiring knowledge exchange process on a policy problem and capacity building of participating actors. - Highlights: • We examine the knowledge brokering on emissions modelling between researchers and policy developers in a full cycle of SEA. • Knowledge exchange process can evolve at any modelling stage within SEA. • Ex post scenario modelling enables systematic knowledge exchange and learning on a policy problem.« less

Knowledge Sources and Opinions of Prospective Social Studies Teachers about Possible Risk and Benefit Analysis: Nuclear Energy and Power Stations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yazici, Hakki; Bulut, Ramazan; Yazici, Sibel

2016-01-01

In this study, it was aimed to determine the trust status of prospective social studies teachers regarding various knowledge sources related to nuclear energy and power stations regarded as a controversial socio-scientific issue and their perceptions on the possible risks and benefits of nuclear energy and power stations. Target population of the…

The Effect of Hands-on '"Energy-Saving House" Learning Activities on Elementary School Students' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Regarding Energy Saving and Carbon-Emissions Reduction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Lung-Sheng; Lin, Kuen-Yi; Guu, Yunn-Horng; Chang, Liang-Te; Lai, Chih-Chien

2013-01-01

Energy saving and carbon-emissions reduction (ESCER) are widely regarded as important issues for progress towards ensuring sustainable forms of economic development. This Taiwanese study focuses on the effects of a series of educational activities about ESCER on students' knowledge, attitudes and behavior. Sixty fifth-grade students from two…

Secondary School Teachers' Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Renewable Energy Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liarakou, Georgia; Gavrilakis, Costas; Flouri, Eleni

2009-04-01

Investigating knowledge, perceptions as well as attitudes of public that concern various aspects of environmental issues is of high importance for Environmental Education. An integrated understanding of these parameters can properly support the planning of Environmental Education curriculum and relevant educational materials. In this survey we investigated knowledge and attitudes of secondary school teachers in Greece towards renewable energy sources, particularly wind and solar energy systems. A questionnaire with both open and close questions was used as the main methodological instrument. Findings revealed that although teachers were informed about renewable energy sources and well disposed towards these sources, they hardly expressed clear positions regarding several issues about wind and solar energy technologies and farms. Moreover such themes are limited integrated in teaching either as extra curricular educational programs or through the curriculum. These findings cannot confirm that teachers could influence students' opinion towards renewable energy systems. Thus, authorities should invest more in Environmental Education and relevant Teachers' Education.

The Effects of the SUN Project on Teacher Knowledge and Self-Efficacy Regarding Biological Energy Transfer Are Significant and Long-Lasting: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Batiza, Ann Finney; Gruhl, Mary; Zhang, Bo; Harrington, Tom; Roberts, Marisa; LaFlamme, Donna; Haasch, Mary Anne; Knopp, Jonathan; Vogt, Gina; Goodsell, David; Hagedorn, Eric; Marcey, David; Hoelzer, Mark; Nelson, Dave

2013-01-01

Biological energy flow has been notoriously difficult to teach. Our approach to this topic relies on abiotic and biotic examples of the energy released by moving electrons in thermodynamically spontaneous reactions. A series of analogical model-building experiences was supported with common language and representations including manipulatives. These materials were designed to help learners understand why electrons move in a hydrogen explosion and hydrogen fuel cell, so they could ultimately understand the rationale for energy transfer in the mitochondrion and the chloroplast. High school biology teachers attended a 2-wk Students Understanding eNergy (SUN) workshop during a randomized controlled trial. These treatment group teachers then took hydrogen fuel cells, manipulatives, and other materials into their regular biology classrooms. In this paper, we report significant gains in teacher knowledge and self-efficacy regarding biological energy transfer in the treatment group versus randomized controls. Significant effects on treatment group teacher knowledge and self-efficacy were found not only post–SUN workshop but even 1 yr later. Teacher knowledge was measured with both a multiple-choice exam and a drawing with a written explanation. Teacher confidence in their ability to teach biological energy transfer was measured by a modified form of the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument, In-Service A. Professional development implications regarding this topic are discussed. PMID:23737635

The effects of the SUN project on teacher knowledge and self-efficacy regarding biological energy transfer are significant and long-lasting: results of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Batiza, Ann Finney; Gruhl, Mary; Zhang, Bo; Harrington, Tom; Roberts, Marisa; LaFlamme, Donna; Haasch, Mary Anne; Knopp, Jonathan; Vogt, Gina; Goodsell, David; Hagedorn, Eric; Marcey, David; Hoelzer, Mark; Nelson, Dave

2013-06-01

Biological energy flow has been notoriously difficult to teach. Our approach to this topic relies on abiotic and biotic examples of the energy released by moving electrons in thermodynamically spontaneous reactions. A series of analogical model-building experiences was supported with common language and representations including manipulatives. These materials were designed to help learners understand why electrons move in a hydrogen explosion and hydrogen fuel cell, so they could ultimately understand the rationale for energy transfer in the mitochondrion and the chloroplast. High school biology teachers attended a 2-wk Students Understanding eNergy (SUN) workshop during a randomized controlled trial. These treatment group teachers then took hydrogen fuel cells, manipulatives, and other materials into their regular biology classrooms. In this paper, we report significant gains in teacher knowledge and self-efficacy regarding biological energy transfer in the treatment group versus randomized controls. Significant effects on treatment group teacher knowledge and self-efficacy were found not only post-SUN workshop but even 1 yr later. Teacher knowledge was measured with both a multiple-choice exam and a drawing with a written explanation. Teacher confidence in their ability to teach biological energy transfer was measured by a modified form of the Science Teaching Efficacy Belief Instrument, In-Service A. Professional development implications regarding this topic are discussed.

Office of Nuclear Energy Knowledge Management Program Situational Analysis Report

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

Kimberlyn C. Mousseau

2011-12-01

Knowledge management (KM) has been a high priority for the Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) for the past several years. NE Programs are moving toward well-established knowledge management practices and a formal knowledge management program has been established. Knowledge management is being practiced to some level within each of the NE programs. Although it continues to evolve as NE programs evolve, a formal strategic plan that guides the implementation of KM has been developed. Despite the acceptance of KM within DOE NE, more work is necessary before the NE KM program can be considered fully successful.more » Per Dr. David J. Skyrme[1], an organization typically moves through the following evolutionary phases: (1) Ad-hoc - KM is being practiced to some level in some parts of the organization; (2) Formal - KM is established as a formal project or program; (3) Expanding - the use of KM as a discipline grows in practice across different parts of the organization; (4) Cohesive - there is a degree of coordination of KM; (5) Integrated - there are formal standards and approaches that give every individual access to most organizational knowledge through common interfaces; and (6) Embedded - KM is part-and-parcel of everyday tasks; it blends seamlessly into the background. According to the evolutionary phases, the NE KM program is operating at the two lower levels, Ad-hoc and Formal. Although KM is being practiced to some level, it is not being practiced in a consistent manner across the NE programs. To be fully successful, more emphasis must be placed on establishing KM standards and processes for collecting, organizing, sharing and accessing NE knowledge. Existing knowledge needs to be prioritized and gathered on a routine basis, its existence formally recorded in a knowledge inventory. Governance to ensure the quality of the knowledge being used must also be considered. For easy retrieval, knowledge must be organized according to a taxonomy that mimics nuclear energy programs. Technologies need to be established to make accessing the knowledge easier for the user. Finally, knowledge needs to be used as part of a well defined work process.« less

An approach to improving science knowledge about energy balance and nutrition among elementary- and middle-school students.

PubMed

Moreno, Nancy P; Denk, James P; Roberts, J Kyle; Tharp, Barbara Z; Bost, Michelle; Thomson, William A

2004-01-01

Unhealthy diets, lack of fitness, and obesity are serious problems in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control, Surgeon General, and Department of Health and Human Services are calling for action to address these problems. Scientists and educators at Baylor College of Medicine and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute teamed to produce an instructional unit, "Food and Fitness," and evaluated it with students in grades 3-7 in Houston, Texas. A field-test group (447 students) completed all unit activities under the guidance of their teachers. This group and a comparison group (343 students) completed pre and postassessments measuring knowledge of concepts covered in the unit. Outcomes indicate that the unit significantly increased students' knowledge and awareness of science concepts related to energy in living systems, metabolism, nutrients, and diet. Pre-assessment results suggest that most students understand concepts related to calories in food, exercise and energy use, and matching food intake to energy use. Students' prior knowledge was found to be much lower on topics related to healthy portion sizes, foods that supply the most energy, essential nutrients, what "diet" actually means, and the relationship between body size and basal metabolic rate.

Summaries of FY 1996 geosciences research

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

NONE

1996-12-01

The Geosciences Research Program is directed by the Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Office of Energy Research (OER) through its Office of Basic Energy Sciences (OBES). Activities in the Geosciences Research Program are directed toward building the long-term fundamental knowledge base necessary to provide for energy technologies of the future. Future energy technologies and their individual roles in satisfying the nations energy needs cannot be easily predicted. It is clear, however, that these future energy technologies will involve consumption of energy and mineral resources and generation of technological wastes. The earth is a source for energy and mineral resources and ismore » also the host for wastes generated by technological enterprise. Viable energy technologies for the future must contribute to a national energy enterprise that is efficient, economical, and environmentally sound. The Geosciences Research Program emphasizes research leading to fundamental knowledge of the processes that transport, modify, concentrate, and emplace (1) the energy and mineral resources of the earth and (2) the energy by-products of man.« less

The Impact of Comics on Knowledge, Attitude and Behavioural Intentions Related to Wind Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Lulu; Lin, Xiao

2016-01-01

This study compares two modes of visually presenting information about wind energy--one using photographs and the other using cartoons--on audience's knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions. In an online experiment, participants were randomly assigned to the two treatments. Results indicate no significant difference between the two groups…

Ninth Graders' Energy Balance Knowledge and Physical Activity Behavior: An Expectancy-Value Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Senlin; Chen, Ang

2012-01-01

Expectancy beliefs and task values are two essential motivators in physical education. This study was designed to identify the relation between the expectancy-value constructs (Eccles & Wigfield, 1995) and high school students' physical activity behavior as associated with their energy balance knowledge. High school students (N = 195) in two…

Leveraging Students' Knowledge to Adapt Science Curricula to Local Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minshew, Lana M.; Barber-Lester, Kelly J.; Derry, Sharon J.; Anderson, Janice L.

2017-01-01

Conceptions of ecological processes such as the flow of energy and cycling of matter in an ecosystem are increasingly important understandings in a rapidly changing world. This study utilizes a p-prims, or knowledge in pieces, lens to examine understandings and disconnections in students' conceptualizations of energy flow and matter cycling…

Energy-Water Nexus Knowledge Discovery Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhaduri, B. L.; Foster, I.; Chandola, V.; Chen, B.; Sanyal, J.; Allen, M.; McManamay, R.

2017-12-01

As demand for energy grows, the energy sector is experiencing increasing competition for water. With increasing population and changing environmental, socioeconomic scenarios, new technology and investment decisions must be made for optimized and sustainable energy-water resource management. This requires novel scientific insights into the complex interdependencies of energy-water infrastructures across multiple space and time scales. An integrated data driven modeling, analysis, and visualization capability is needed to understand, design, and develop efficient local and regional practices for the energy-water infrastructure components that can be guided with strategic (federal) policy decisions to ensure national energy resilience. To meet this need of the energy-water nexus (EWN) community, an Energy-Water Knowledge Discovery Framework (EWN-KDF) is being proposed to accomplish two objectives: Development of a robust data management and geovisual analytics platform that provides access to disparate and distributed physiographic, critical infrastructure, and socioeconomic data, along with emergent ad-hoc sensor data to provide a powerful toolkit of analysis algorithms and compute resources to empower user-guided data analysis and inquiries; and Demonstration of knowledge generation with selected illustrative use cases for the implications of climate variability for coupled land-water-energy systems through the application of state-of-the art data integration, analysis, and synthesis. Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), in partnership with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and researchers affiliated with the Center for International Earth Science Information Partnership (CIESIN) at Columbia University and State University of New York-Buffalo (SUNY), propose to develop this Energy-Water Knowledge Discovery Framework to generate new, critical insights regarding the complex dynamics of the EWN and its interactions with climate variability and change. An overarching objective of this project is to integrate impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability (IAV) science with emerging data science to meet the data analysis needs of the U.S. Department of Energy and partner federal agencies with respect to the EWN.

Environmental knowledge and attitudes and behaviours towards energy consumption.

PubMed

Paço, Arminda; Lavrador, Tânia

2017-07-15

Numerous investigations have arisen in order to study and characterise environmentally friendly consumer profiles, with some authors applying the relationship between knowledge, attitudes and behaviour to this end. The present research approach, based upon the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), seeks to verify the existence of relationships between knowledge and attitudes and between knowledge and environmental behaviour. In this instance, data collection involved a questionnaire aimed at assessing the overall environmental knowledge of respondents as well as their attitudes and behaviours regarding energy issues (savings, consumption, interest, use). The results pointed to the lack of relationship between knowledge and attitudes, and between knowledge and behaviour whilst the relationship between attitudes and behaviour proved to be only weak. The results also found that males, older students and those studying Engineering and the Social and Human Sciences are those reporting higher levels of environmental knowledge. However, when it comes to attitudes and behaviours, females seem to display more awareness around these issues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Current level and correlates of traditional cooking energy sources utilization in urban settings in the context of climate change and health, northwest Ethiopia: a case of Debre Markos town.

PubMed

Geremew, Kumlachew; Gedefaw, Molla; Dagnew, Zewdu; Jara, Dube

2014-01-01

Traditional biomass has been the major source of cooking energy for major segment of Ethiopian population for thousands of years. Cognizant of this energy poverty, the Government of Ethiopia has been spending huge sum of money to increase hydroelectric power generating stations. To assess current levels and correlates of traditional cooking energy sources utilization. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches on systematically selected 423 households for quantitative and purposively selected 20 people for qualitative parts. SPSS version 16 for windows was used to analyze the quantitative data. Logistic regression was fitted to assess possible associations and its strength was measured using odds ratio at 95% CI. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The study indicated that 95% of households still use traditional biomass for cooking. Those who were less knowledgeable about negative health and environmental effects of traditional cooking energy sources were seven and six times more likely to utilize them compared with those who were knowledgeable (AOR (95% CI) = 7.56 (1.635, 34.926), AOR (95% CI) = 6.68 (1.80, 24.385), resp.). The most outstanding finding of this study was that people use traditional energy for cooking mainly due to lack of the knowledge and their beliefs about food prepared using traditional energy. That means "...people still believe that food cooked with charcoal is believed to taste delicious than cooked with other means."  The majority of households use traditional biomass for cooking due to lack of knowledge and belief. Therefore, mechanisms should be designed to promote electric energy and to teach the public about health effects of traditional cooking energy source.

Dissipation of 'dark energy' by cortex in knowledge retrieval.

PubMed

Capolupo, Antonio; Freeman, Walter J; Vitiello, Giuseppe

2013-03-01

We have devised a thermodynamic model of cortical neurodynamics expressed at the classical level by neural networks and at the quantum level by dissipative quantum field theory. Our model is based on features in the spatial images of cortical activity newly revealed by high-density electrode arrays. We have incorporated the mechanism and necessity for so-called dark energy in knowledge retrieval. We have extended the model first using the Carnot cycle to define our measures for energy, entropy and temperature, and then using the Rankine cycle to incorporate criticality and phase transitions. We describe the dynamics of two interactive fields of neural activity that express knowledge, one at high and the other at low energy density, and the two operators that create and annihilate the fields. We postulate that the extremely high density of energy sequestered briefly in cortical activity patterns can account for the vividness, richness of associations, and emotional intensity of memories recalled by stimuli. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Public perception toward information and knowledge of nuclear power plant development; A Malaysian case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misnon, Fauzan Amin; Rahman, Irman Abd.; Hu, Yeoh Siong; Yasir, Muhamad Samudi

2018-04-01

Knowledge has been known as a key element in developing support and perception by the public towards any new policy by the government, including the development of nuclear energy. The success of the policy is mainly dependent on public support which is related to the perception cultivated by the knowledge that is already held by the people. A public survey was conducted between 14 March 2016 to 10 May 2016 focusing on the Malaysian public acceptance and perception towards the implementation of nuclear energy in Malaysia (n=1438). This research was aimed on the research question which is `Does the level of general knowledge and education regarding nuclear energy in Malaysia influence the acceptance and support of the people to develop nuclear technology?'. These finding suggest that open discourse is a must even at the initial stages of developing a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) program, which will touch on a few points that will assist to society's knowledge and understanding towards nuclear energy from the aspects of management, safety, radioactive waste, impact on economic competitiveness as well as the benefits and risks regarding the development of NPP. By increasing the knowledge regarding nuclear power and radioactive waste, perception towards the pros of NPP as well as the conviction towards its safety can be increased. It is suggested for the parties involved to use the latest approach of information technology as a way to provide the most effective medium of information dissemination to the public.

An Approach to Improving Science Knowledge About Energy Balance and Nutrition Among Elementary- and Middle-School Students

PubMed Central

Moreno, Nancy P.; Denk, James P.; Roberts, J. Kyle; Tharp, Barbara Z.; Bost, Michelle; Thomson, William A.

2004-01-01

Unhealthy diets, lack of fitness, and obesity are serious problems in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control, Surgeon General, and Department of Health and Human Services are calling for action to address these problems. Scientists and educators at Baylor College of Medicine and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute teamed to produce an instructional unit, “Food and Fitness,” and evaluated it with students in grades 3–7 in Houston, Texas. A field-test group (447 students) completed all unit activities under the guidance of their teachers. This group and a comparison group (343 students) completed pre and postassessments measuring knowledge of concepts covered in the unit. Outcomes indicate that the unit significantly increased students' knowledge and awareness of science concepts related to energy in living systems, metabolism, nutrients, and diet. Pre-assessment results suggest that most students understand concepts related to calories in food, exercise and energy use, and matching food intake to energy use. Students' prior knowledge was found to be much lower on topics related to healthy portion sizes, foods that supply the most energy, essential nutrients, what “diet” actually means, and the relationship between body size and basal metabolic rate. PMID:15257340

Warm Homes, Greener Living: Reducing Energy Poverty in Daniel McIntyre and St. Matthews through Energy Retrofits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulz, Kari

This research examines energy poverty in the Daniel McIntyre and St. Matthews (DMSM) neighbourhoods in the city of Winnipeg. Energy poverty, defined as households spending more than 6% of their income on energy expenditures, affects as many as 50% of households in DMSM. Energy poverty can be alleviated through energy retrofits for dwellings such as weather stripping; increasing insulation in exterior walls, the attic and basement; and installing a high-efficiency furnace. The recommendations include: establishing consistent housing and energy efficiency policies; increasing the flexibility of utility on-bill financing; levying the necessary capital for energy retrofits through municipal financing mechanisms; increasing the knowledge and capacity of local residents; increasing the knowledge and capacity of local contractors for sustainable design and construction; creating a provincial strategy to increase the energy efficiency of social housing; developing low-income energy efficiency programs for rental properties; and increasing access to renewable energy sources.

Identifying Content Knowledge for Teaching Energy: Examples from High School Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Amy D.; Scherr, Rachel E.; Goodhew, Lisa M.; Daane, Abigail R.; Gray, Kara E.; Aker, Leanna B.

2017-01-01

"Content knowledge for teaching" is the specialized content knowledge that teachers use in practice the content knowledge that serves them for tasks of teaching such as revoicing students' ideas, choosing an instructional activity to address a student misunderstanding, and evaluating student statements. We describe a methodology for…

Enhancing Energy Balance Education through Physical Education and Self-Monitoring Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Senlin; Zhu, Xihe; Kim, Youngwon; Welk, Gregory; Lanningham-Foster, Lorraine

2016-01-01

Schools are positioned to play a key role in nurturing students with knowledge and behaviours associated with healthful living. Our study examined the effects of an intervention on energy balance (EB) knowledge. Twelve 6th and 7th grade classrooms (n = 140) were assigned to receive either two standardised lessons on EB or a combined intervention…

75 FR 51986 - Agency Information Collection Extension; Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-24

... questionnaires to collect information on the respondents' knowledge of solar energy and energy efficiency and on installations of solar-energy and energy-efficiency equipment with which the respondents have been personally... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Agency Information Collection Extension; Correction AGENCY: U.S. Department...

Clean Energy Solutions Center: Assisting Countries with Clean Energy Policy

Science.gov Websites

Energy Solutions Center: Assisting Countries with Clean Energy Policy NREL helps developing countries and adapting to climate change impacts, developing countries are looking for clean energy solutions supports clean energy scale-up in the developing world are knowledge, capacity, and cost. The Clean Energy

Expedited Systems Engineering for Rapid Capability and Urgent Needs

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-31

rapid organizations start to differ from traditional ones, and there is a shift in energy , commitment, and knowledge. These findings are motivated by...123 C.7.1 Description: Integration of Modeling and Simulation , Software Design, and...differ from traditional ones, and there is a shift in energy , commitment, and knowledge. These findings are motivated by an analysis of effective

Assessing Learning Progression of Energy Concepts across Middle School Grades: The Knowledge Integration Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Hee-Sun; Liu, Ou Lydia

2010-01-01

We use a construct-based assessment approach to measure learning progression of energy concepts across physical, life, and earth science contexts in middle school grades. We model the knowledge integration construct in six levels in terms of the numbers of ideas and links used in student-generated explanations. For this study, we selected 10 items…

Discussion of future cooperative actions and closing remarks

Treesearch

Patricia L. Pettit

1996-01-01

The knowledge shared and the energy generated by this symposium should not be lost as we leave for our homes and our jobs. We have a great wealth of experience, knowledge, and energy assembled. How can we continue to communicate with each other, share information, involve others, and influence decision makers? The steering committee for this symposium in hopes of...

Investigation of Activation Cross Sections of the Proton Induced Nuclear Reactions on Natural Iron at Medium Energies

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

Ditroi, F.; Tarkanyi, F.; Csikai, J.

2005-05-24

Iron is one of the most important structural materials in every field of science, technology, industry, etc. Its application in a radiating environment requires the knowledge of accurate excitation functions for the possible reactions in question. By using the Thin Layer Activation technique (TLA) the knowledge of such data is also extremely important even in the case of relative measurements to design the irradiation (irradiation energy, beam intensity, duration) and also for radioactive safety estimations. The cross sections are frequently measured at low energies but there are unsatisfactory and unreliable data in the energy range above 40 MeV.

Investigation of Activation Cross Sections of the Proton Induced Nuclear Reactions on Natural Iron at Medium Energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ditrói, F.; Tárkányi, F.; Csikai, J.; Uddin, M. S.; Hagiwara, M.; Baba, M.

2005-05-01

Iron is one of the most important structural materials in every field of science, technology, industry, etc. Its application in a radiating environment requires the knowledge of accurate excitation functions for the possible reactions in question. By using the Thin Layer Activation technique (TLA) the knowledge of such data is also extremely important even in the case of relative measurements to design the irradiation (irradiation energy, beam intensity, duration) and also for radioactive safety estimations. The cross sections are frequently measured at low energies but there are unsatisfactory and unreliable data in the energy range above 40 MeV.

Exploration of student's creativity by integrating STEM knowledge into creative products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayasari, Tantri; Kadarohman, Asep; Rusdiana, Dadi; Kaniawati, Ida

2016-02-01

Creativity is an important capability that should be held to competitive standards in the 21st century in entering the era of information and knowledge. It requires a creative generation that is able to innovate to meet the challenges of an increasingly complex future. This study examines the student's creativity level by integrating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) knowledge to make creative products in renewable energy (solar energy). Total respondents in this study were 29 students who take applied science course. This research used qualitative and quantitative method (mixed methods), and used "4P" dimension of creativity to assess student's creativity level. The result showed a creative product is influenced by STEM knowledge that can support student's creativity while collaborating an application of knowledge, skills, and ability to solve daily problems associated with STEM.

Evaluation of the "Lose Your Excuse" public service advertising campaign for tweens to save energy.

PubMed

Bertrand, Jane T; Goldman, Patty; Zhivan, Natalia; Agyeman, Yaw; Barber, Erin

2011-10-01

This study evaluates the 2008-2009 "Lose your Excuse" public service advertising (PSA) campaign on energy efficiency targeting 8- to 12-year-olds, intended to increase knowledge, foster proactive attitudes, and change energy usage behaviors. Baseline and two follow-up surveys were conducted with online samples representative of the national population of households with kids with online access. Almost half (47%) of the tweens recognized at least one ad from the campaign. Ad recognition was positively associated with knowledge, proactive attitudes, and energy-saving behavior. Propensity score analysis confirmed a small but measurable and statistically significant effect on energy-saving behavior. The discussion section compares these results to public health campaigns in terms of ghost awareness, reach, and effect size.

Knowledge Transfer Project: Cultivating Smart Energy Solutions through Dynamic Peer-to-Peer Learning

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

As energy policy makers and professionals convene in the Oresund region for the 9th Annual Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM9), the global community is as united as ever around the common goal of accelerating the transition to global clean energy. Through sustained collective effort and thought leadership, CEM partners and stakeholders are systematically addressing the barriers to the widescale deployment of clean energy technologies. Pivotal to their progress is the efficient sharing and dissemination of knowledge. To address that need, the CEM-initiative International SmartGrid Action Network (ISGAN) launched the Knowledge Transfer Project (KTP) in March 2016 to capture, collect, and sharemore » knowledge about smart grid technologies among countries and key stakeholders. Building on ISGAN's experience with delivering deep-dive workshops, the KTP fosters meaningful international dialogue on smart grids with a focus on developing competence and building capacity. After a successful 2016 pilot project and two consecutive projects, each with a different focus and structure, the KTP has become an established practice that can support existing ISGAN or CEM initiatives. To accommodate different purposes, needs, and practical circumstances, ISGAN has adopted three basic models for delivering KTP workshops: Country-Centric, Multilateral, and Hybrid. This fact sheet describes each approach through case studies of workshops in Mexico, India, and Belgium, and invites new ideas and partners for future KTPs.« less

All-atom four-body knowledge-based statistical potential to distinguish native tertiary RNA structures from nonnative folds.

PubMed

Masso, Majid

2018-09-14

Scientific breakthroughs in recent decades have uncovered the capability of RNA molecules to fulfill a wide array of structural, functional, and regulatory roles in living cells, leading to a concomitantly significant increase in both the number and diversity of experimentally determined RNA three-dimensional (3D) structures. Atomic coordinates from a representative training set of solved RNA structures, displaying low sequence and structure similarity, facilitate derivation of knowledge-based energy functions. Here we develop an all-atom four-body statistical potential and evaluate its capacity to distinguish native RNA 3D structures from nonnative folds based on calculated free energy scores. Atomic four-body nearest-neighbors are objectively identified by their occurrence as tetrahedral vertices in the Delaunay tessellations of RNA structures, and rates of atomic quadruplet interactions expected by chance are obtained from a multinomial reference distribution. Our four-body energy function, referred to as RAMP (ribonucleic acids multibody potential), is subsequently derived by applying the inverted Boltzmann principle to the frequency data, yielding an energy score for each type of atomic quadruplet interaction. Several well-known benchmark datasets reveal that RAMP is comparable with, and often outperforms, existing knowledge- and physics-based energy functions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study detailing an RNA tertiary structure-based multibody statistical potential and its comparative evaluation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Energy: Options and Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Harry O.

This book is intended to provide basic information about energy. The first three chapters describe energy supply and demand, uses and sources, and common energy terms. The next two chapters explain environmental and biological effects of energy systems. Twelve chapters that follow outline past history and technological knowledge of the following…

FUTURE APPLICATIONS OF EXPERT SYSTEMS FOR THE EVALUATION OF ENERGY RESOURCES.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, Betty M.

1988-01-01

The loss of professional experience and expertise in the domain of the earth sciences may prove to be one of the most serious outcomes of the boom-and-bust cyclic nature of the volatile energy and mining industries. Promising new applications of powerful computer systems, known as 'expert systems' or 'knowledge-based systems', are predicted for use in the earth science. These systems have the potential capability to capture and preserve the invaluable knowledge bases essential to the evaluation of US energy and mineral resources.

FUTURE APPLICATIONS OF EXPERT SYSTEMS FOR THE EVALUATION OF ENERGY RESOURCES.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Miller, B.M.

1987-01-01

The loss of professional experience and expertise in the domain of the earth sciences may prove to be one of the most serious outcomes of the boom-and-bust cyclic nature of the volatile energy and mining industries. Promising new applications of powerful computer systems, known as 'expert systems' or 'knowledge-based systems', are predicted for use in the earth sciences. These systems have the potential capability to capture and preserve the invaluable knowledge bases essential to the evaluation of the Nation's energy and mineral resources.

Teaching physics using project-based engineering curriculum with a theme of alternative energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tasior, Bryan

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) provide a new set of science standards that, if adopted, shift the focus from content knowledge-based to skill-based education. Students will be expected to use science to investigate the natural world and solve problems using the engineering design process. The world also is facing an impending crisis related to climate, energy supply and use, and alternative energy development. Education has an opportunity to help provide the much needed paradigm shift from our current methods of providing the energy needs of society. The purpose of this research was to measure the effectiveness of a unit that accomplishes the following objectives: uses project-based learning to teach the engineering process and standards of the NGSS, addresses required content expectations of energy and electricity from the HSCE's, and provides students with scientific evidence behind issues (both environmental and social/economic) relating to the energy crisis and current dependence of fossil fuels as our primary energy source. The results of the research indicate that a physics unit can be designed to accomplish these objectives. The unit that was designed, implemented and reported here also shows that it was highly effective at improving students' science content knowledge, implementing the engineering design standards of the NGSS, while raising awareness, knowledge and motivations relating to climate and the energy crisis.

Collecting Solar Energy. Solar Energy Education Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, Alexander

This solar energy learning module for use with junior high school students offers a list of activities, a pre-post test, job titles, basic solar energy vocabulary, and diagrams of solar energy collectors and installations. The purpose is to familiarize students with applications of solar energy and titles of jobs where this knowledge could be…

Current Level and Correlates of Traditional Cooking Energy Sources Utilization in Urban Settings in the Context of Climate Change and Health, Northwest Ethiopia: A Case of Debre Markos Town

PubMed Central

Geremew, Kumlachew; Gedefaw, Molla; Dagnew, Zewdu; Jara, Dube

2014-01-01

Background. Traditional biomass has been the major source of cooking energy for major segment of Ethiopian population for thousands of years. Cognizant of this energy poverty, the Government of Ethiopia has been spending huge sum of money to increase hydroelectric power generating stations. Objective. To assess current levels and correlates of traditional cooking energy sources utilization. Methods. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted employing both quantitative and qualitative approaches on systematically selected 423 households for quantitative and purposively selected 20 people for qualitative parts. SPSS version 16 for windows was used to analyze the quantitative data. Logistic regression was fitted to assess possible associations and its strength was measured using odds ratio at 95% CI. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Result. The study indicated that 95% of households still use traditional biomass for cooking. Those who were less knowledgeable about negative health and environmental effects of traditional cooking energy sources were seven and six times more likely to utilize them compared with those who were knowledgeable (AOR (95% CI) = 7.56 (1.635, 34.926), AOR (95% CI) = 6.68 (1.80, 24.385), resp.). The most outstanding finding of this study was that people use traditional energy for cooking mainly due to lack of the knowledge and their beliefs about food prepared using traditional energy. That means “…people still believe that food cooked with charcoal is believed to taste delicious than cooked with other means.”  Conclusion. The majority of households use traditional biomass for cooking due to lack of knowledge and belief. Therefore, mechanisms should be designed to promote electric energy and to teach the public about health effects of traditional cooking energy source. PMID:24895591

Dissipation of ‘dark energy’ by cortex in knowledge retrieval

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capolupo, Antonio; Freeman, Walter J.; Vitiello, Giuseppe

2013-03-01

We have devised a thermodynamic model of cortical neurodynamics expressed at the classical level by neural networks and at the quantum level by dissipative quantum field theory. Our model is based on features in the spatial images of cortical activity newly revealed by high-density electrode arrays. We have incorporated the mechanism and necessity for so-called dark energy in knowledge retrieval. We have extended the model first using the Carnot cycle to define our measures for energy, entropy and temperature, and then using the Rankine cycle to incorporate criticality and phase transitions. We describe the dynamics of two interactive fields of neural activity that express knowledge, one at high and the other at low energy density, and the two operators that create and annihilate the fields. We postulate that the extremely high density of energy sequestered briefly in cortical activity patterns can account for the vividness, richness of associations, and emotional intensity of memories recalled by stimuli.

Phase II: Final Report. Northern New Mexico Energy Education Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New Mexico Highlands Univ., Las Vegas.

Objectives of the Northern New Mexico Energy Education Project were to: (1) improve teachers' knowledge of energy-related subject matter and energy-related educational materials; (2) develop continuing communication and cooperation between elementary and junior high staffs and the university on energy-related matters; and (3) provide follow-up…

Energy and Transportation Lessons for the Senior High Grades.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, Francis; Yoho, Devon

This guide presents five lessons designed to: create an awareness of the present energy situation and its relation to various aspects of transportation systems; provide knowledge of energy resources, choices, and alternative actions; develop critical thinking skills about energy and individual roles in the energy management process; encourage…

An Energy Environment Education Program for Grade 3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cannon, Esther; And Others

This curriculum guide contains 45 interdisciplinary energy and environmental education activities to help students apply knowledge of energy uses to energy conservation in the home and develop an awareness of their own social responsibilities for energy consumption. Each activity, designed to meet one of six objectives, includes: (1) statement of…

Energy Education in the Curriculum.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stubbs, M.

1985-01-01

This study showed that the coverage of energy varies considerably among secondary schools in Great Britain and that British students lack a clear knowledge of energy issues in general and nuclear energy in particular, are indifferent to conservation, and are reluctant to accept nuclear power. Energy education must be given greater emphasis.…

EMR-based medical knowledge representation and inference via Markov random fields and distributed representation learning.

PubMed

Zhao, Chao; Jiang, Jingchi; Guan, Yi; Guo, Xitong; He, Bin

2018-05-01

Electronic medical records (EMRs) contain medical knowledge that can be used for clinical decision support (CDS). Our objective is to develop a general system that can extract and represent knowledge contained in EMRs to support three CDS tasks-test recommendation, initial diagnosis, and treatment plan recommendation-given the condition of a patient. We extracted four kinds of medical entities from records and constructed an EMR-based medical knowledge network (EMKN), in which nodes are entities and edges reflect their co-occurrence in a record. Three bipartite subgraphs (bigraphs) were extracted from the EMKN, one to support each task. One part of the bigraph was the given condition (e.g., symptoms), and the other was the condition to be inferred (e.g., diseases). Each bigraph was regarded as a Markov random field (MRF) to support the inference. We proposed three graph-based energy functions and three likelihood-based energy functions. Two of these functions are based on knowledge representation learning and can provide distributed representations of medical entities. Two EMR datasets and three metrics were utilized to evaluate the performance. As a whole, the evaluation results indicate that the proposed system outperformed the baseline methods. The distributed representation of medical entities does reflect similarity relationships with respect to knowledge level. Combining EMKN and MRF is an effective approach for general medical knowledge representation and inference. Different tasks, however, require individually designed energy functions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Developing Learning Progression-Based Teacher Knowledge Measures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jin, Hui; Shin, HyoJeong; Johnson, Michele E.; Kim, JinHo; Anderson, Charles W.

2015-01-01

This study developed learning progression-based measures of science teachers' content knowledge (CK) and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The measures focus on an important topic in secondary science curriculum using scientific reasoning (i.e., tracing matter, tracing energy, and connecting scales) to explain plants gaining weight and…

The Effects of Earth Science Textbook Contents on High School Students' Knowledge of, Attitude toward, and Behavior of Energy Saving and Carbon Reduction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chao, Yu-Long; Chou, Ying-Chyi; Yen, Hsin-Yi; Chen, Shr-Jya

2017-01-01

As science textbooks are considered as one of the major source of climate change information of students, this study aims to examine the differences in energy saving and carbon reduction knowledge, attitude, and behavior between two groups of Taiwan's high school students using earth science textbooks of two different publishers. Some items of…

The Development of Veteran 9th-Grade Physics Teachers' Knowledge for Using Representations to Teach the Topics of Energy Transformation and Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Andrew

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore and identify the experiences that informed the development of three veteran (15+ years of teaching experience) 9th grade physics teachers' specialized knowledge, or PCK, for using representations to teach the topics of energy transformation and transfer. Through the lens of phenomenography, the study…

The Energy Problem and Social Education: Some Opportunities, Quandaries, and Goals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Rodney F.

This paper examines the need for energy education, discusses classroom opportunities and quandaries for teaching about energy, and provides some suggestions for social studies educators. Two recent studies show that there is a real need for energy education. First, the Education Commission of the United States surveyed the energy knowledge and…

Effect of the energy-environment simulator on achievement, attitudes, and behavior relative to energy-education concepts systematically replicated in higher education

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

Lees, J.R.

This study was a systematic replication of a study by Stagliano (1981). Additional hypotheses concerning pretest, student major, and student section variance were tested. Achievement in energy knowledge and conservation attitudes attained by (a) lecture-discussion enriched with the Energy-Environment Simulator and (b) lecture-discussion methods of instruction were measured. Energy knowledge was measured on the Energy Knowledge Assessment Test (EKAT), and attitudes were measured on the Youth Energy Survey (YES), the Lecture-discussion simulation (LDS) used a two hour out-of-class activity in debriefing. The population consisted of 142 college student volunteers randomly selected, and assigned to one of two groups of 71more » students for each treatment. Stagliano used three groups (n = 35), one group receiving an energy-game treatment. Both studies used the pretest-posttest true experimental design. The present study included 28 hypotheses, eight of which were found to be significant. Stagliano used 12 hypotheses, all of which were rejected. The present study hypothesized that students who received the LDS treatment would obtain significantly higher scores on the EKAT and the YES instruments. Results showed that significance was found (alpha level .05) on the EKAT and also found on the YES total subscale when covaried for effects of pretest, student major, and student section. When covarying the effects of pretest scores only, significance was found on the EKAT. All YES hypotheses were rejected.« less

Change in Teachers' Knowledge of Subject Matter: A 17-Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arzi, Hanna J.; White, Richard T.

2008-01-01

This longitudinal study explored change in teachers' knowledge of subjects they teach from preservice training through 17 years of professional experience. It followed secondary school science teachers in Australia, through sequences of individual interviews in which change in content knowledge (mainly energy-related) was probed primarily via…

Technical Assistance | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Multi-Wind Heat Smart Grid Project. Advancing Energy Solutions in Alaska NREL provides analysis mission to transfer knowledge and innovation to solve the nation's energy challenges. The goal of this transportation energy efficiency and reduce transportation energy costs State Technical Assistance-solar market

Real-life setting in data collection. The role of nutrition knowledge whilst selecting food products for weight management purposes in a supermarket environment.

PubMed

Saarela, Anna-Maria; Lapveteläinen, Anja T; Mykkänen, Hannu M; Kantanen, Teuvo T; Rissanen, Riitta L

2013-12-01

The aim was to explore the role of consumers' nutrition knowledge while selecting foods for weight management and the predominating food selection factors by combining quantitative and qualitative methodology in a real-life setting during two consecutive shopping tasks given in a supermarket. Thirty-six consumers were given a list of 11 products and asked to think-aloud while selecting (i) a product they usually buy and (ii) a product they use for weight management. After the consecutive shopping tasks, the subjects were interviewed and asked to answer a nutrition knowledge questionnaire. The subjects were categorized by the difference in the energy contents of their selections and the food selection criteria. The energy contents of the selections for weight management were reduced by 10-46%. Ten subjects with the greatest difference between the energy contents of their selections had higher level in nutrition knowledge and mentioned less nutritional issues during the selections than ten subjects with the smallest such differences. Taste was an important product selection criterion by the former group, while the latter focused primarily on price. Nutrition knowledge is interrelated with personal factors and selection goals. It is not necessarily utilized consistently when selecting food products. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Open Energy Info (OpenEI) (Fact Sheet)

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

Not Available

2010-12-01

The Open Energy Information (OpenEI.org) initiative is a free, open-source, knowledge-sharing platform. OpenEI was created to provide access to data, models, tools, and information that accelerate the transition to clean energy systems through informed decisions.

Promoting Students' Problem Solving Skills and Knowledge of STEM Concepts in a Data-Rich Learning Environment: Using Online Data as a Tool for Teaching about Renewable Energy Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thurmond, Brandi

2011-01-01

This study sought to compare a data-rich learning (DRL) environment that utilized online data as a tool for teaching about renewable energy technologies (RET) to a lecture-based learning environment to determine the impact of the learning environment on students' knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) concepts related…

The Interdisciplinary Study of Biofuels

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weyman, Philip D.

2009-01-01

From media news coverage to fluctuating gas prices, the topic of energy is hard to ignore. However, little connection often exists between energy use in our daily lives and the presentation of energy-related concepts in the science classroom. The concepts of energy production and consumption bring together knowledge from several science…

Renewable Energy Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daugherty, Michael K.; Carter, Vinson R.

2010-01-01

In many ways the field of renewable energy technology is being introduced to a society that has little knowledge or background with anything beyond traditional exhaustible forms of energy and power. Dotson (2009) noted that the real challenge is to inform and educate the citizenry of the renewable energy potential through the development of…

Assessing Multidimensional Energy Literacy of Secondary Students Using Contextualized Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Kuan-Li; Liu, Shiang-Yao; Chen, Po-Hsi

2015-01-01

Energy literacy is multidimensional, comprising broad content knowledge as well as affect and behavior. Our previous study has defined four core dimensions for the assessment framework, including energy concepts, reasoning on energy issues, low-carbon lifestyle, and civic responsibility for a sustainable society. The present study compiled a…

Energy-flux characterization of conical and space-time coupled wave packets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lotti, A.; Couairon, A.; Faccio, D.; Trapani, P. Di

2010-02-01

We introduce the concept of energy density flux as a characterization tool for the propagation of ultrashort laser pulses with spatiotemporal coupling. In contrast with calculations for the Poynting vector, those for energy density flux are derived in the local frame moving at the velocity of the envelope of the wave packet under examination and do not need knowledge of the magnetic field. We show that the energy flux defined from a paraxial propagation equation follows specific geometrical connections with the phase front of the optical wave packet, which demonstrates that the knowledge of the phase fronts amounts to the measurement of the energy flux. We perform a detailed numerical study of the energy density flux in the particular case of conical waves, with special attention paid to stationary-envelope conical waves (X or O waves). A full characterization of linear conical waves is given in terms of their energy flux. We extend the definition of this concept to the case of nonlinear propagation in Kerr media with nonlinear losses.

Third-Grade Students' Mental Models of Energy Expenditure during Exercise

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasco, Denis; Ennis, Catherine D.

2015-01-01

Background: Students' prior knowledge plays an important role in learning new knowledge. In physical education (PE) and physical activity settings, studies have confirmed the role of students' prior knowledge. According to Placek and Griffin, these studies demonstrate that: "our students are not empty balls waiting to be filled with knowledge…

Enabling Responsible Energy Decisions: What People Know, Want to Know, and Need to Know about Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

PytlikZillig, L. M.; Tomkins, A. J.; Harrington, J. A.

2012-12-01

As part of a broader regional effort focused on climate change education and rural communities, this paper focuses on a specific effort to understand effective approaches to two presumably complementary goals: The goal of increasing knowledge about climate change and climate science in a community, and the goal of having communities use climate change and climate science information when making decisions. In this paper, we explore the argument that people do not need or want to know about climate change, in order to make responsible and sustainable energy decisions. Furthermore, we hypothesize that involvement in making responsible and sustainable energy decisions will increase openness and readiness to process climate science information, and thus increase learning about climate change in subsequent exposures to such information. Support for these hypotheses would suggest that rather than encouraging education to enable action (including engagement in attempts to make responsible decisions), efforts should focus on encouraging actions first and education second. To investigate our hypotheses, we will analyze and report results from efforts to engage residents from a medium-sized Midwestern city to give input on future programs involving sustainable energy use. The engagement process (which will not be complete until after the AGU deadline) involves an online survey and an optional face-to-face discussion with city officials and experts in energy-related areas. The online survey includes brief information about current local energy programs, questions assessing knowledge of climate change, and an open-ended question asking what additional information residents need in order to make good decisions and recommendations concerning the energy programs. To examine support for our hypotheses, we will report (1) relationships between subjective and objective knowledge of climate science and willingness to attend the face-to-face discussion about the city's energy decisions and actual attendance at the event, (2) a content analysis of what residents say they want and need to know in order to make decisions and recommendations about the city's energy programs, and (3) pilot results from a comparison of learning from a reading about climate change presented prior to the event, after the event, or presented to those who were willing to attend the face-to-face event but did not attend. We will discuss the results in terms of their implications for the relationship between knowledge and behavior, versus change in knowledge and change in behavior.

High Penetration of Renewable Energy in the Transportation Sector: Scenarios, Barriers, and Enablers; Preprint

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

Vimmerstedt, L.; Brown, A.; Heath, G.

2012-06-01

Transportation accounts for 71% of U.S. petroleum use and 33% of its greenhouse gases emissions. Pathways toward reduced greenhouse gas emissions and petroleum dependence in the transportation sector have been analyzed in considerable detail, but with some limitations. To add to this knowledge, the U.S. Department of Energy has launched a study focused on underexplored greenhouse-gas-abatement and oil-savings opportunities related to transportation. This Transportation Energy Futures study analyzes specific issues and associated key questions to strengthen the existing knowledge base and help cultivate partnerships among federal agencies, state and local governments, and industry.

SAAFEC: Predicting the Effect of Single Point Mutations on Protein Folding Free Energy Using a Knowledge-Modified MM/PBSA Approach.

PubMed

Getov, Ivan; Petukh, Marharyta; Alexov, Emil

2016-04-07

Folding free energy is an important biophysical characteristic of proteins that reflects the overall stability of the 3D structure of macromolecules. Changes in the amino acid sequence, naturally occurring or made in vitro, may affect the stability of the corresponding protein and thus could be associated with disease. Several approaches that predict the changes of the folding free energy caused by mutations have been proposed, but there is no method that is clearly superior to the others. The optimal goal is not only to accurately predict the folding free energy changes, but also to characterize the structural changes induced by mutations and the physical nature of the predicted folding free energy changes. Here we report a new method to predict the Single Amino Acid Folding free Energy Changes (SAAFEC) based on a knowledge-modified Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann (MM/PBSA) approach. The method is comprised of two main components: a MM/PBSA component and a set of knowledge based terms delivered from a statistical study of the biophysical characteristics of proteins. The predictor utilizes a multiple linear regression model with weighted coefficients of various terms optimized against a set of experimental data. The aforementioned approach yields a correlation coefficient of 0.65 when benchmarked against 983 cases from 42 proteins in the ProTherm database. the webserver can be accessed via http://compbio.clemson.edu/SAAFEC/.

Misconceptions and biases in German students' perception of multiple energy sources: implications for science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Roh Pin

2016-04-01

Misconceptions and biases in energy perception could influence people's support for developments integral to the success of restructuring a nation's energy system. Science education, in equipping young adults with the cognitive skills and knowledge necessary to navigate in the confusing energy environment, could play a key role in paving the way for informed decision-making. This study examined German students' knowledge of the contribution of diverse energy sources to their nation's energy mix as well as their affective energy responses so as to identify implications for science education. Specifically, the study investigated whether and to what extent students hold mistaken beliefs about the role of multiple energy sources in their nation's energy mix, and assessed how misconceptions could act as self-generated reference points to underpin support/resistance of proposed developments. An in-depth analysis of spontaneous affective associations with five key energy sources also enabled the identification of underlying concerns driving people's energy responses and facilitated an examination of how affective perception, in acting as a heuristic, could lead to biases in energy judgment and decision-making. Finally, subgroup analysis differentiated by education and gender supported insights into a 'two culture' effect on energy perception and the challenge it poses to science education.

New and Retrofitted Facilities for Energy Conservation. Information Series No. 152.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kowle, Carol P.

One of a series of sixteen knowledge transformation papers, this paper presents an overview of considerations and methods for accomplishing energy conservation in the schools. First, the National Energy Act of 1978 is outlined with special attention to the school and hospital energy conservation grant program. In the next section on energy…

Energy and Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hecht, Eugene

2007-01-01

When Feynman wrote, "It is important to realize that in physics today, we have no knowledge of what energy is," he was recognizing that although we have expressions for various forms of energy from kinetic to elastic, we seem to have no idea of what the all-encompassing notion of "energy" "is": This paper addresses that issue offering a definition…

Perceptions and Knowledge of Caffeinated Energy Drinks: Results of Focus Groups With Canadian Youth.

PubMed

McCrory, Cassondra; White, Christine M; Bowman, Carolyn; Fenton, Nancy; Reid, Jessica L; Hammond, David

2017-04-01

To examine use, knowledge, and perceptions of caffeinated energy drinks (CEDs) among youth. Qualitative research using focus group discussions (n = 4). Two Canadian cities (Toronto and Montreal). Youth aged 12-18 years (n = 41). Perceived definitions of CEDs, reasons for use, knowledge of health effects, use with alcohol, marketing perceptions, and use and understanding of cautionary statements on packaging. Data were analyzed using a modified grounded-theory approach. Youth identified CEDs as products that provide energy and contain caffeine and sugar. Compared with mainstream CED brands and energy shots, youth were less likely to perceive Gatorade, Coca-Cola, and a Starbucks beverage as energy drinks, despite some ambiguity. The majority of participants believed that CEDs, including mixed with alcohol, were not necessarily harmful in moderation and that marketing was targeted toward older youth and young adults. Awareness of cautionary statements on CEDs was low; cautionary statements were perceived as difficult to find and read owing to the design and small font. Findings suggest a need to increase public education regarding the potential risks of CED consumption, including enhancements to the mandated cautionary statements, with greater attention to the impact of CED marketing on youth. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Energy-Water Nexus Knowledge Discovery Framework, Experts’ Meeting Report

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

Bhaduri, Budhendra L.; Simon, AJ; Allen, Melissa R.

Energy and water generation and delivery systems are inherently interconnected. With worldwide demandfor energy growing, the energy sector is experiencing increasing competition for water. With increasingpopulation and changing environmental, socioeconomic, and demographic scenarios, new technology andinvestment decisions must be made for optimized and sustainable energy-water resource management. These decisions require novel scientific insights into the complex interdependencies of energy-water infrastructures across multiple space and time scales.

Transforming Educational Knowledge through Making Explicit the Embodied Knowledge of Educators for the Public Good

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Delong, Jacqueline; Whitehead, Jack

2011-01-01

This paper focuses on making explicit the embodied knowledge of educators using a living theory methodology and inciting the social imagination to create educational research for the public good. Using evidence from international contexts, the meanings of the energy-flowing values that educators use to explain their educational influences in their…

Students Teach Pupils Environmental Issues and Renewable Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friman, H.; Banner, I.; Tuchin, B. S.; Einav, Y.

2018-05-01

Technological advances and accessibility to information on the internet have opened a new channel of pupils that are being taught by students throughout the country. Students, full of motivation and a will to learn and teach, have understood that this way is good for them – enabling them to profit from a side job and take advantage of the knowledge they have accumulated in their degree. Holon Institute of Technology (“HIT”) developed a new program at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. The Renewable Energy program gives the students technical and practical aspects of energy use (technology and methodology of the study) and energy efficiency. The program also deals with minimizing the environmental impacts of energy use, as well as with energy economy and environmental policy. The entrance of students to the field of teaching pupils while still in their studies brings many advantages, such as: fresh knowledge, motivation to teach, and innovative, out of the ordinary methods that arouse interest in the pupils and intrigue them.

Energy and water quality management systems for water utility's operations: a review.

PubMed

Cherchi, Carla; Badruzzaman, Mohammad; Oppenheimer, Joan; Bros, Christopher M; Jacangelo, Joseph G

2015-04-15

Holistic management of water and energy resources is critical for water utilities facing increasing energy prices, water supply shortage and stringent regulatory requirements. In the early 1990s, the concept of an integrated Energy and Water Quality Management System (EWQMS) was developed as an operational optimization framework for solving water quality, water supply and energy management problems simultaneously. Approximately twenty water utilities have implemented an EWQMS by interfacing commercial or in-house software optimization programs with existing control systems. For utilities with an installed EWQMS, operating cost savings of 8-15% have been reported due to higher use of cheaper tariff periods and better operating efficiencies, resulting in the reduction in energy consumption of ∼6-9%. This review provides the current state-of-knowledge on EWQMS typical structural features and operational strategies and benefits and drawbacks are analyzed. The review also highlights the challenges encountered during installation and implementation of EWQMS and identifies the knowledge gaps that should motivate new research efforts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantitative Mapping of Reflected and Emitted Energy Patterns Over a City

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luvall, J.; Rickman, D.; Quattrochi, D.; Estes, M.; Arnold, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

There are major variations in energy flux within and across the region of a large city. These variations have impacts in disparate areas, such as human health, environmental monitoring and mitigation, and energy consumption. Knowledge of the variations also has utility to urban and regional planners, and climate modelers. The authors have developed a system which permits robust measurement of both the magnitude of the energy flux variation and the absolute value of energy flux over regions of the size of large cites. The technique uses properly acquired and processed multispectral imagery with bands in the visible, near-IR and thermal portions of the electromagnetic spectrum. With proper knowledge of the atmosphere and geometries of acquisition it is possible to compute the energy budget for individual pixels. The reality of this technique is demonstrated using data acquired over Salt Lake City, Utah. The deficiencies in the results emphasize the critical nature of various design and engineering features usually ignored in airborne and satellite imaging systems.

Effects of an energy balance educational intervention and the COPE cognitive behavioral therapy intervention for Division I U.S. Air Force Academy female athletes.

PubMed

Buffington, Brenda C; Melnyk, Bernadette M; Morales, Shelly; Lords, Amanda; Zupan, Michael R

2016-04-01

Female athletes struggle harder than male athletes to lose body fat and maintain a leaner physique. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an educational and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-based intervention on knowledge, body composition, anxiety, stress, and nutritional intake. A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 153 female athletes from the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA). Participants were assigned to one of three groups: (a) a combined energy balance and CBT-based intervention (E1); (b) a CBT-based intervention alone (E2); and (c) a control group (C). Main outcomes included a DXA scan for body composition, a knowledge test, the GAD-7 for anxiety, the brief inventory of perceived stress (BIPS) for stress, and a 24-h food recall. Significant improvement on knowledge of energy balance occurred in all three groups E1 (p < .001), E2, and C (p < .05). Significant reductions in percentage of body fat occurred in E1 (p < .001) and E2 (p < .05). There also were significant reductions in the percent of fat consumed by E1 (p < .05) and saturated fat consumed by both E1 and E2 (p < .05). The control group only demonstrated a significant increase in stress as measured by the BIPS (p < .05). A combined energy balance and CBT-based intervention improves knowledge and body fat. The importance to assess knowledge, anxiety, stress, nutrition intake, and percentage of body fat in female athletes and to deliver evidence-based interventions to improve their health outcomes. ©2016 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

IEA EBC annex 53: Total energy use in buildings—Analysis and evaluation methods

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

Yoshino, Hiroshi; Hong, Tianzhen; Nord, Natasa

One of the most significant barriers to achieving deep building energy efficiency is a lack of knowledge about the factors determining energy use. In fact, there is often a significant discrepancy between designed and real energy use in buildings, which is poorly understood but are believed to have more to do with the role of human behavior than building design. Building energy use is mainly influenced by six factors: climate, building envelope, building services and energy systems, building operation and maintenance, occupants’ activities and behavior, and indoor environmental quality. In the past, much research focused on the first three factors.more » However, the next three human-related factors can have an influence as significant as the first three. Annex 53 employed an interdisciplinary approach, integrating building science, architectural engineering, computer modeling and simulation, and social and behavioral science to develop and apply methods to analyze and evaluate the real energy use in buildings considering the six influencing factors. Finally, outcomes from Annex 53 improved understanding and strengthen knowledge regarding the robust prediction of total energy use in buildings, enabling reliable quantitative assessment of energy-savings measures, policies, and techniques.« less

IEA EBC annex 53: Total energy use in buildings—Analysis and evaluation methods

DOE PAGES

Yoshino, Hiroshi; Hong, Tianzhen; Nord, Natasa

2017-07-18

One of the most significant barriers to achieving deep building energy efficiency is a lack of knowledge about the factors determining energy use. In fact, there is often a significant discrepancy between designed and real energy use in buildings, which is poorly understood but are believed to have more to do with the role of human behavior than building design. Building energy use is mainly influenced by six factors: climate, building envelope, building services and energy systems, building operation and maintenance, occupants’ activities and behavior, and indoor environmental quality. In the past, much research focused on the first three factors.more » However, the next three human-related factors can have an influence as significant as the first three. Annex 53 employed an interdisciplinary approach, integrating building science, architectural engineering, computer modeling and simulation, and social and behavioral science to develop and apply methods to analyze and evaluate the real energy use in buildings considering the six influencing factors. Finally, outcomes from Annex 53 improved understanding and strengthen knowledge regarding the robust prediction of total energy use in buildings, enabling reliable quantitative assessment of energy-savings measures, policies, and techniques.« less

Misconceptions and Biases in German Students' Perception of Multiple Energy Sources: Implications for Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Roh Pin

2016-01-01

Misconceptions and biases in energy perception could influence people's support for developments integral to the success of restructuring a nation's energy system. Science education, in equipping young adults with the cognitive skills and knowledge necessary to navigate in the confusing energy environment, could play a key role in paving the way…

Design of an assessment to probe teachers' content knowledge for teaching: An example from energy in high school physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Etkina, Eugenia; Gitomer, Drew; Iaconangelo, Charles; Phelps, Geoffrey; Seeley, Lane; Vokos, Stamatis

2018-06-01

Research into teacher learning and practice over the last three decades shows that the teachers of a specific subject need to possess knowledge that is different from the knowledge of other content experts. Yet this specialized version of content knowledge that teachers need to plan instruction, respond to student ideas, and assess student understanding in real time is a theoretically elusive construct. It is crucial for the fields of precollege teacher preparation, teacher professional education, and postsecondary faculty professional development to (a) clarify the construct that underlies this specialized content knowledge, (b) operationalize it in some domain, (c) measure it in both static contexts and as it is enacted in the classroom, and (d) correlate its presence with "richness" of classroom instruction and its effect on student learning. This paper documents a piece of a multiyear, multi-institutional effort to investigate points (a)-(d) in the domain of energy in the first high school physics course. In particular, we describe the framework that we developed to clarify content knowledge for teaching in the context of high school energy learning. We then outline the process through which we developed, tested, and refined a "paper-and-pencil" assessment administered on a computer and discuss the substantive and psychometric features of several items based on a field test of the final form of the assessment. We choose to discuss these items for a dual purpose: to illustrate the application of our general framework and to present performance findings from a sample of 362 practicing high school teachers of physics.

The integration of quantitative information with an intelligent decision support system for residential energy retrofits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Yunjeong

The purpose of this research is to support the development of an intelligent Decision Support System (DSS) by integrating quantitative information with expert knowledge in order to facilitate effective retrofit decision-making. To achieve this goal, the Energy Retrofit Decision Process Framework is analyzed. Expert system shell software, a retrofit measure cost database, and energy simulation software are needed for developing the DSS; Exsys Corvid, the NREM database and BEopt were chosen for implementing an integration model. This integration model demonstrates the holistic function of a residential energy retrofit system for existing homes, by providing a prioritized list of retrofit measures with cost information, energy simulation and expert advice. The users, such as homeowners and energy auditors, can acquire all of the necessary retrofit information from this unified system without having to explore several separate systems. The integration model plays the role of a prototype for the finalized intelligent decision support system. It implements all of the necessary functions for the finalized DSS, including integration of the database, energy simulation and expert knowledge.

Automation of energy demand forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siddique, Sanzad

Automation of energy demand forecasting saves time and effort by searching automatically for an appropriate model in a candidate model space without manual intervention. This thesis introduces a search-based approach that improves the performance of the model searching process for econometrics models. Further improvements in the accuracy of the energy demand forecasting are achieved by integrating nonlinear transformations within the models. This thesis introduces machine learning techniques that are capable of modeling such nonlinearity. Algorithms for learning domain knowledge from time series data using the machine learning methods are also presented. The novel search based approach and the machine learning models are tested with synthetic data as well as with natural gas and electricity demand signals. Experimental results show that the model searching technique is capable of finding an appropriate forecasting model. Further experimental results demonstrate an improved forecasting accuracy achieved by using the novel machine learning techniques introduced in this thesis. This thesis presents an analysis of how the machine learning techniques learn domain knowledge. The learned domain knowledge is used to improve the forecast accuracy.

A knowledge-based control system for air-scour optimisation in membrane bioreactors.

PubMed

Ferrero, G; Monclús, H; Sancho, L; Garrido, J M; Comas, J; Rodríguez-Roda, I

2011-01-01

Although membrane bioreactors (MBRs) technology is still a growing sector, its progressive implementation all over the world, together with great technical achievements, has allowed it to reach a mature degree, just comparable to other more conventional wastewater treatment technologies. With current energy requirements around 0.6-1.1 kWh/m3 of treated wastewater and investment costs similar to conventional treatment plants, main market niche for MBRs can be areas with very high restrictive discharge limits, where treatment plants have to be compact or where water reuse is necessary. Operational costs are higher than for conventional treatments; consequently there is still a need and possibilities for energy saving and optimisation. This paper presents the development of a knowledge-based decision support system (DSS) for the integrated operation and remote control of the biological and physical (filtration and backwashing or relaxation) processes in MBRs. The core of the DSS is a knowledge-based control module for air-scour consumption automation and energy consumption minimisation.

The Extragalactic Background Light and the Gamma-ray Opacity of the Universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dwek, Eli; Krennrich, Frank

2012-01-01

The extragalactic background light (EBL) is one of the fundamental observational quantities in cosmology. All energy releases from resolved and unresolved extragalactic sources, and the light from any truly diffuse background, excluding the cosmic microwave background (CMB), contribute to its intensity and spectral energy distribution. It therefore plays a crucial role in cosmological tests for the formation and evolution of stellar objects and galaxies, and for setting limits on exotic energy releases in the universe. The EBL also plays an important role in the propagation of very high energy gamma-rays which are attenuated en route to Earth by pair producing gamma-gamma interactions with the EBL and CMB. The EBL affects the spectrum of the sources, predominantly blazars, in the approx 10 GeV to 10 TeV energy regime. Knowledge of the EBL intensity and spectrum will allow the determination of the intrinsic blazar spectrum in a crucial energy regime that can be used to test particle acceleration mechanisms and VHE gamma-ray production models. Conversely, knowledge of the intrinsic gamma-ray spectrum and the detection of blazars at increasingly higher redshifts will set strong limits on the EBL and its evolution. This paper reviews the latest developments in the determination of the EBL and its impact on the current understanding of the origin and production mechanisms of gamma-rays in blazars, and on energy releases in the universe. The review concludes with a summary and future directions in Cherenkov Telescope Array techniques and in infrared ground-based and space observatories that will greatly improve our knowledge of the EBL and the origin and production of very high energy gamma-rays.

Public acceptance of nuclear power among Malaysian students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muhamad Pauzi, Anas; Saad, Juniza Md; Arif Abu Bakar, Asyraf; Hannan Damahuri, Abdul; Syukri, Nur Syamim Mohd

2018-01-01

Malaysian government’s aim to include nuclear energy for electricity generation has triggered various reactions from all especially the public. The objective of this study is to have a better understanding on the knowledge, sources of information of nuclear power and sources of energy chosen by Malaysian in 20 years’ time. Besides that, we want to examine the level of acceptance and perception of Malaysian towards nuclear energy and we want to identify the correlation between public perceptions with the acceptance towards nuclear power in Malaysia, and also to study the differences between perception and acceptance of nuclear power with gender and educational level. For this research methodology, the research questions are given orally or through paper-pencil and also social networking site such as Facebook or through electronic media application such as WhatsApp and Google docs. The data were analysed using a SPSS version 22.0 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Results showed that more than 50% of the respondents have the knowledge of nuclear energy. A part of from that, only 39 % are confident government can afford to build NPP in Malaysia and 41 % disagree nuclear energy is the best option for future energy. From analysis using SPSS 22 we estimate negative perception will give a negative acceptance in term of support towards the use of nuclear energy in power generation in Malaysia. There are also slight correlation that the higher the level of education of Malaysian, the more negative the perception of Malaysian in accepting nuclear energy as source of power in Malaysia. Therefore in shaping a positive acceptance of NPP in Malaysia, the authorities need to educate the people with the knowledge of nuclear in order to overcome the negative perception towards nuclear power.

Building Energy Consumption Pattern Analysis of Detached Housing for the Policy Decision Simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Jiyoun; Lee, Seung-Eon

2018-03-01

The Korean government announced its plan to raise the previous reduction goal of greenhouse gas emission from buildings by 26.9% until 2020 on July 2015. Therefore, policies regarding efficiency in the building energy are implemented fast, but the level of building owners and market understanding is low in general, and the government service system which supports decision making for implementing low-energy buildings has not been provided yet. The purpose of this study is to present the design direction for establishing user customized building energy database to perform a role to provide autonomous ecosystem of low-energy buildings. In order to reduce energy consumption in buildings, it is necessary to carry out the energy performance analysis based on the characteristics of target building. By analysing about 20-thousand cases of the amount of housing energy consumption in Korea, this study suggested the real energy consumption pattern by building types. Also, the energy performance of a building could be determined by energy consumption, but previous building energy consumption analysis programs required expert knowledge and experience in program usage, so it was difficult for normal building users to use such programs. Therefore, a measure to provide proper default using the level of data which general users with no expert knowledge regarding building energy could enter easily was suggested in this study.

Geant4 Predictions of Energy Spectra in Typical Space Radiation Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sabra, M. S.; Barghouty, A. F.

2014-01-01

Accurate knowledge of energy spectra inside spacecraft is important for protecting astronauts as well as sensitive electronics from the harmful effects of space radiation. Such knowledge allows one to confidently map the radiation environment inside the vehicle. The purpose of this talk is to present preliminary calculations for energy spectra inside a spherical shell shielding and behind a slab in typical space radiation environment using the 3D Monte-Carlo transport code Geant4. We have simulated proton and iron isotropic sources and beams impinging on Aluminum and Gallium arsenide (GaAs) targets at energies of 0.2, 0.6, 1, and 10 GeV/u. If time permits, other radiation sources and beams (_, C, O) and targets (C, Si, Ge, water) will be presented. The results are compared to ground-based measurements where available.

Knowledge Framework Implementation with Multiple Architectures - 13090

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

Upadhyay, H.; Lagos, L.; Quintero, W.

2013-07-01

Multiple kinds of knowledge management systems are operational in public and private enterprises, large and small organizations with a variety of business models that make the design, implementation and operation of integrated knowledge systems very difficult. In recent days, there has been a sweeping advancement in the information technology area, leading to the development of sophisticated frameworks and architectures. These platforms need to be used for the development of integrated knowledge management systems which provides a common platform for sharing knowledge across the enterprise, thereby reducing the operational inefficiencies and delivering cost savings. This paper discusses the knowledge framework andmore » architecture that can be used for the system development and its application to real life need of nuclear industry. A case study of deactivation and decommissioning (D and D) is discussed with the Knowledge Management Information Tool platform and framework. D and D work is a high priority activity across the Department of Energy (DOE) complex. Subject matter specialists (SMS) associated with DOE sites, the Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG) and the D and D community have gained extensive knowledge and experience over the years in the cleanup of the legacy waste from the Manhattan Project. To prevent the D and D knowledge and expertise from being lost over time from the evolving and aging workforce, DOE and the Applied Research Center (ARC) at Florida International University (FIU) proposed to capture and maintain this valuable information in a universally available and easily usable system. (authors)« less

Energy Conservation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Land, Amy A.

This selection of class activities involves a sequence of 10 class sessions. The goal of the collection is to aid students in learning the concepts of energy conservation and to put this knowledge into practice. Attention is also given to the development of alternate energy sources. Each lesson includes an activity title, motivational hints,…

A Portfolio of Energy Ideas: Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Richard C., Ed.

Presented are 10 science energy education units designed to help students learn how to turn science questions and problems about energy into experiments. Each unit focuses on subject-matter knowledge and on the logic and strategy of scientific problem solving. These teacher-oriented materials include an overview of each unit, background…

Exploring Solar Power at Zion-Benton High

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kasper, Rick

1978-01-01

Developed to provide students with actual hands-on experience in constructing energy-efficient homes and to increase the community's and students' knowledge of solar power as an alternate source of energy, a building trades program at a high school in Zion, Illinois has its students building single-family solar energy homes. (BM)

Facilities Recycling for Energy Conservation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fredrickson, John H.

Conservation of energy is within the control and very much within the responsibility of educators. Schools are among the greatest "wasters" of energy in the nation today. Principals must become more knowledgeable about their buildings than they have been in the past. Indepth inspections of the school facilities will identify the most flagrant…

Nuclear Energy Assessment Battery. Form C.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Showers, Dennis Edward

This publication consists of a nuclear energy assessment battery for secondary level students. The test contains 44 multiple choice items and is organized into four major sections. Parts include: (1) a knowledge scale; (2) attitudes toward nuclear energy; (3) a behaviors and intentions scale; and (4) an anxiety scale. Directions are provided for…

The Effectiveness of Teaching Aids for Elementary Students' Renewable Energy Learning and an Analysis of Their Energy Attitude Formation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chou, Ying-Chyi; Yen, Hsin-Yi; Yen, Hong-Wei; Chao, Yu-Long; Huang, Ying-Hsiu

2015-01-01

As an examination of the influences of a renewable energy teaching activity employing teaching aids on elementary students' knowledge of, attitude toward, and behavior of energy saving and carbon reduction, this study designed a teaching experiment in which experimental group was subjected to the teaching with four teaching aids for students to…

North Dakota Industrial Arts Teachers Handbook. Energy/Power Curriculum Guide, Level I.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mugan, Don

This handbook provides teachers with support material to more fully implement the North Dakota Energy and Power Curriculum Guide, Level I. It first presents the body of knowledge for Energy/Power Technology as taken from the curriculum guide. The guide is then addressed unit by unit, topic by topic. These seven units are covered: Energy/Power…

Assessing Secondary School Students' Understanding of the Relevance of Energy in Their Daily Lives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lay, Yoon-Fah; Khoo, Chwee-Hoon; Treagust, David F.; Chandrasegaran, A. L.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the levels of energy literacy among 276 Form 2 (Grade 8) Malaysian students as no similar study has been previously conducted in the country, as well as the contribution of students' energy-related knowledge and attitudes on their energy-related behaviors. This was a non-experimental quantitative…

The safe use of surgical energy devices by surgeons may be overestimated.

PubMed

Ha, Ally; Richards, Carly; Criman, Erik; Piaggione, Jillian; Yheulon, Christopher; Lim, Robert

2018-03-01

Surgical energy injuries are an underappreciated phenomenon. Improper use of surgical energy or poor attention to patient safety can result in operating room fires, tissue injuries, and interferences with other electronic devices, while rare complications can be devastatingly severe. Despite this, there is no current standard requirement for educating surgeons on the safe use of energy-based devices or evaluation of electrosurgery (ES) education in residency training, credentialing, or practice. The study aimed to assess the current baseline knowledge of surgeons and surgical trainees with regards to ES across varying experiences at a tertiary level care center. Surgeons and surgical trainees from seven surgical specialties (General Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Orthopedic Surgery, Urology, and Otorhinolaryngology) at a tertiary level care hospital were tested. Testing included an evaluation regarding their background training and experiences with ES-related adverse events and a 15 multiple-choice-question exam testing critical knowledge of ES. A total of 134 surveys were sent out with 72 responses (53.7%). The mean quiz score was 51.5 ± 15.5% (passing score was 80%). Of staff surgeons, 33/65 (50.8%) completed the survey with mean and median scores of 54.9 and 53.3%, respectively (range 33.3-86.7%). Of surgical trainees, 39/69 (56.5%) completed the survey with mean and median scores of 48.6 and 46.7%, respectively (range 13.3-80.0%). There were no statistically significant differences based on training status (p = 0.08), previous training (p = 0.24), number of cases (p = 0.06), or specialty (p = 0.689). Surgeons and surgical trainees both have a significant knowledge gap in the safe and effective use of surgical energy devices, regardless of surgical specialty and despite what they feel was adequate training. The knowledge gap is not improved with experience. A formal surgical energy education program should be a requirement for residency training or credentialing.

Energy Efficiency and Universal Design in Home Renovations - A Comparative Review.

PubMed

Kapedani, Ermal; Herssens, Jasmien; Verbeeck, Griet

2016-01-01

Policy and societal objectives indicate a large need for housing renovations that both accommodate lifelong living and significantly increase energy efficiency. However, these two areas of research are not yet examined in conjunction and this paper hypothesizes this as a missed opportunity to create better renovation concepts. The paper outlines a comparative review on research in Energy Efficiency and Universal Design in order to find the similarities and differences in both depth and breadth of knowledge. Scientific literature in the two fields reveals a disparate depth of knowledge in areas of theory, research approach, and degree of implementation in society. Universal Design and Energy Efficiency are part of a trajectory of expanding scope towards greater sustainability and, although social urgency has been a driver of the research intensity and approach in both fields, in energy efficiency there is an engineering, problem solving approach while Universal Design has a more sociological, user-focused one. These different approaches are reflected in the way home owners in Energy Efficiency research are viewed as consumers and decision makers whose drivers are studied, while Universal Design treats home owners as informants in the design process and studies their needs. There is an inherent difficulty in directly merging Universal Design and Energy Efficiency at a conceptual level because Energy Efficiency is understood as a set of measures, i.e. a product, while Universal Design is part of a (design) process. The conceptual difference is apparent in their implementation as well. Internationally energy efficiency in housing has been largely imposed through legislation, while legislation directly mandating Universal Design is either non-existent or it has an explicit focus on accessibility. However, Energy Efficiency and Universal Design can be complementary concepts and, even though it is more complex than expected, the combination offers possibilities to advance knowledge in both fields.

A survey of energy drink and alcohol mixed with energy drink consumption.

PubMed

Magnezi, Racheli; Bergman, Lisa Carroll; Grinvald-Fogel, Haya; Cohen, Herman Avner

2015-01-01

Energy drink consumption among youth is increasing despite recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics to eliminate consumption by youth. This study provides information on consumption of energy drinks and alcohol mixed with energy drinks (AmED) in a sample of Israeli youth and how consumer knowledge about the risks affects consumption rates. The study was conducted in three Tel Aviv public schools, with a total enrollment of 1,253 students in grades 8 through 12. Among them, 802 students completed a 49-item questionnaire about energy drink and AmED consumption, for a 64 % response rate Non-responders included 451 students who were absent or refused to participate. All students in the same school were administered the questionnaire on the same day. Energy drinks are popular among youth (84.2 % have ever drunk). More tenth through twelfth grade students consumed energy drinks than eighth and ninth grade students. Students who began drinking in elementary school (36.8 %) are at elevated risk for current energy drink (P < .001) and AmED (P = .002) use. Knowledge about amounts consumed and recommended allowances is associated with less consumption (OR 1.925; 95 %CI 1.18-3.14). The association between current AmED consumption and drinking ED at a young age is important. Boys and those who start drinking early have a greater risk of both ED and AmED consumption. The characteristics of early drinkers can help increase awareness of potential at-risk youth, such as junior and senior high school students with less educated or single parents. Risks posed by early use on later energy drink and AmED consumption are concerning. We suggest that parents should limit accessibility. Increased knowledge about acceptable and actual amounts of caffeine in a single product might decrease consumption.

Induced innovation, energy prices, and the environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popp, David Clifford

The process of developing new technologies is a central question for economic theory as well as for public policy in many areas. For example, the development of cleaner, more efficient energy technologies will play an important role in reducing the threat of global warming. To study how technology evolves over time, this dissertation uses patent data on energy innovations from 1970 to 1991 to examine the impact of energy prices on energy-efficient innovations. Before this can be done, however, information on supply-side factors which influence innovation is also needed. In the case of innovation, supply-side factors are the usefulness of the existing base of scientific knowledge. Patent citations are used for this purpose. Subsequent citations to patents granted each year since 1970 are used to show that the returns to research and development (R&D) fall over time for most of the technologies studied. These estimates are then combined with data on demand-side factors, such as energy prices, to estimate a model of induced innovation in energy technologies. Both energy prices and the supply of knowledge are found to have strongly significant positive effects on innovation. Next, the Yale Technology Concordance (YTC), which maps patents to the industries in which they are used, is employed to construct a stock of energy-related knowledge for 14 energy intensive industries. The effect of changes in this stock on energy consumption in these industries is estimated. On average, the present value of energy savings resulting from a new patent is eight million dollars, with the maximum savings coming about five years after the initial patent application. Finally, the results of each regression are combined to simulate the impact of a ten percent energy tax. Initially, simple factor substitution due to the price change has the largest effect. However, because of the cumulative nature of R&D, induced innovation has a much larger effect than factor substitution in the long run. The evidence in this dissertation suggests that prices play an important role in influencing technological change, and that policy-makers can use this to their advantage in designing appropriate environmental policies.

Learning About Energy Resources Through Student Created Video Documentaries in the University Science Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wade, P.; Courtney, A.

2010-12-01

Students enrolled in an undergraduate non-science majors’ Energy Perspectives course created 10-15 minute video documentaries on topics related to Energy Resources and the Environment. Video project topics included wave, biodiesel, clean coal, hydro, solar and “off-the-grid” energy technologies. No student had any prior experience with creating video projects. Students had Liberal Arts academic backgrounds that included Anthropology, Theater Arts, International Studies, English and Early Childhood Education. Students were required to: 1) select a topic, 2) conduct research, 3) write a narrative, 4) construct a project storyboard, 5) shoot or acquire video and photos (from legal sources), 6) record the narrative, and 7) construct the video documentary. This study describes the instructional approach of using student created video documentaries as projects in an undergraduate non-science majors’ science course. Two knowledge survey instruments were used for assessment purposes. Each instrument was administered Pre-, Mid- and Post course. One survey focused on the skills necessary to research and produce video documentaries. Results showed students acquired enhanced technology skills especially with regard to research techniques, writing skills and video editing. The second survey assessed students’ content knowledge acquired from each documentary. Results indicated students’ increased their content knowledge of energy resource topics. Students reported very favorable evaluations concerning their experience with creating “Ken Burns” video project documentaries.

A survey of Existing V&V, UQ and M&S Data and Knowledge Bases in Support of the Nuclear Energy - Knowledge base for Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NE-KAMS)

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

Hyung Lee; Rich Johnson, Ph.D.; Kimberlyn C. Moussesau

2011-12-01

The Nuclear Energy - Knowledge base for Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NE-KAMS) is being developed at the Idaho National Laboratory in conjunction with Bettis Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, Argonne National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Utah State University and others. The objective of this consortium is to establish a comprehensive knowledge base to provide Verification and Validation (V&V) and Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) and other resources for advanced modeling and simulation (M&S) in nuclear reactor design and analysis. NE-KAMS will become a valuable resource for the nuclear industry, the national laboratories, the U.S. NRC and the public to help ensure themore » safe operation of existing and future nuclear reactors. A survey and evaluation of the state-of-the-art of existing V&V and M&S databases, including the Department of Energy and commercial databases, has been performed to ensure that the NE-KAMS effort will not be duplicating existing resources and capabilities and to assess the scope of the effort required to develop and implement NE-KAMS. The survey and evaluation have indeed highlighted the unique set of value-added functionality and services that NE-KAMS will provide to its users. Additionally, the survey has helped develop a better understanding of the architecture and functionality of these data and knowledge bases that can be used to leverage the development of NE-KAMS.« less

Structure and properties of visible-light absorbing homodisperse nanoparticle

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

Benedict, Jason

Broadly, the scientific progress from this award focused in two main areas: developing time-resolved X-ray diffraction methods and the synthesis and characterization of molecular systems relevant to solar energy harvesting. The knowledge of photo–induced non–equilibrium states is central to our understanding of processes involved in solar–energy capture. More specifically, knowledge of the geometry changes on excitation and their relation to lifetimes and variation with adsorption of chromophores on the substrates is of importance for the design of molecular devices used in light capture.

Integrating developed and developing world knowledge into global discussions and strategies for sustainability. 1. Science and technology.

PubMed

Mihelcic, James R; Zimmerman, Julie B; Ramaswami, Anu

2007-05-15

Sustainable development in both the developed and developing world has the common fundamental themes of advancing economic and social prosperity while protecting and restoring natural systems. While many recent efforts have been undertaken to transfer knowledge from the developed to the developing world to achieve a more sustainable future, indigenous knowledge that often originates in developing nations also can contribute significantly to this global dialogue. Selected case studies are presented to describe important knowledge, methodologies, techniques, principles, and practices for sustainable development emerging from developing countries in two critical challenge areas to sustainability: water and energy. These, with additional analysis and quantification, can be adapted and expanded for transfer throughout the developed and developing world in advancing sustainability. A common theme in all of the case studies presented is the integration of natural processes and material flows into the anthropogenic system. Some of these techniques, originating in rural settings, have recently been adapted for use in cities, which is especially important as the global trend of urban population growth accelerates. Innovations in science and technology, specifically applied to two critical issues of today, water and energy, are expected to fundamentally shift the type and efficiency of energy and materials utilized to advance prosperity while protecting and restoring natural systems.

Development and validation of an energy-balance knowledge test for fourth- and fifth-grade students.

PubMed

Chen, Senlin; Zhu, Xihe; Kang, Minsoo

2017-05-01

A valid test measuring children's energy-balance (EB) knowledge is lacking in research. This study developed and validated the energy-balance knowledge test (EBKT) for fourth and fifth grade students. The original EBKT contained 25 items but was reduced to 23 items based on pilot result and intensive expert panel discussion. De-identified data were collected from 468 fourth and fifth grade students enrolled in four schools to examine the psychometric properties of the EBKT items. The Rasch model analysis was conducted using the Winstep 3.65.0 software. Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis flagged 1 item (item #4) functioning differently between boys and girls, which was deleted. The final 22-item EBKT showed desirable model-data fit indices. The items had large variability ranging from -3.58 logit (item #10, the easiest) to 1.70 logit (item #3, the hardest). The average person ability on the test was 0.28 logit (SD = .78). Additional analyses supported known-group difference validity of the EBKT scores in capturing gender- and grade-based ability differences. The test was overall valid but could be further improved by expanding test items to discern various ability levels. For lack of a better test, researchers and practitioners may use the EBKT to assess fourth- and fifth-grade students' EB knowledge.

Calibration of high-dynamic-range, finite-resolution x-ray pulse-height spectrometers for extracting electron energy distribution data from the PFRC-2 device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swanson, C.; Jandovitz, P.; Cohen, S. A.

2017-10-01

Knowledge of the full x-ray energy distribution function (XEDF) emitted from a plasma over a large dynamic range of energies can yield valuable insights about the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) of that plasma and the dynamic processes that create them. X-ray pulse height detectors such as Amptek's X-123 Fast SDD with Silicon Nitride window can detect x-rays in the range of 200eV to 100s of keV. However, extracting EEDF from this measurement requires precise knowledge of the detector's response function. This response function, including the energy scale calibration, the window transmission function, and the resolution function, can be measured directly. We describe measurements of this function from x-rays from a mono-energetic electron beam in a purpose-built gas-target x-ray tube. Large-Z effects such as line radiation, nuclear charge screening, and polarizational Bremsstrahlung are discussed.

Knowledge, attitudes and practices toward energy drinks among adolescents in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Musaiger, Abdulrahman; Zagzoog, Nisreen

2013-11-27

The objective of this study is to explore the knowledge, attitudes and intake of energy drinks among adolescents in Saudi Arabia. A multi-stage stratified sampling procedure was carried out to select 1061 school children aged 12-19 years, from Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. A short self-reported questionnaire was administrated in order to collect the data. Of adolescents in the study, 45% drank energy drinks (71.3% males and 35.9% females; P<0.001). Advertisements were the main source of information on energy drinks (43%). The major reasons for consuming energy drinks were taste and flavour (58%), to 'try them' (51.9%) and 'to get energy' (43%), albeit with significant differences between genders (P<0.001). About half of the adolescents did not know the ingredients of these drinks, and 49% did not know that they contain caffeine (P-values <0.006 and <0.001 between genders, respectively). The greater majority (67%) considered energy drinks to be soft drinks. The study indicates the need for Saudi adolescents to be warned on the over-consumption of energy drinks. The study brings to attention the need for educational programmes related to increasing awareness in the community of the health effects related to high consumption of energy drinks.

EnergySmart Schools National Financing Roundtable II—Key Outcomes

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

None

2009-11-01

As a follow-up to the release of its Guide to Financing EnergySmart Schools, the the National Financing Roundtable brought together individuals with diverse knowledge of school building programs and projects to discuss financing issues and options that build upon those described in the first Guide to Financing EnergySmart Schools.

Teaching Energy Using an Integrated Science Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poggi, Valeria; Miceli, Cristina; Testa, Italo

2017-01-01

Despite its relevance to all scientific domains, the debate surrounding the teaching of energy is still open. The main point remains the problems students have in understanding some aspects of the energy concept and in applying their knowledge to the comprehension of natural phenomena. In this paper, we present a research-based interdisciplinary…

The relationship between health-related knowledge and sugar-sweetened beverage intake among US adults.

PubMed

Park, Sohyun; Onufrak, Stephen; Sherry, Bettylou; Blanck, Heidi M

2014-07-01

Because there is limited information on associations between health-related knowledge and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake, our cross-sectional study examined this question using the 2010 HealthStyles Survey data for 3,926 adults (aged ≥18 years). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios and 95% CIs for drinking SSBs ≥2 times per day. About 31% of adults consumed SSBs ≥1 time per day, with 20% doing so ≥2 times per day. About eight of 10 adults agreed that drinking SSBs can contribute to weight gain, yet, eight of 10 adults in this study did not know the actual kilocalorie content of a 24-oz fountain soda. After controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education level, annual household income, and geographic region, the odds for drinking SSBs ≥2 times per day were significantly higher among adults who neither agreed nor disagreed (ie, were neutral) that drinking SSBs can contribute to weight gain (odds ratio 1.61, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.25 vs agree); however, knowledge about the energy content of regular soda was not associated with SSB intake. Our finding that knowledge about the adverse effects of SSB intake is significantly associated with SSB intake among adults suggests that health education regarding the potential contribution of excess energy intake from SSBs to weight gain could contribute to lowered consumption and lower rates of obesity. Although knowledge about the kilocalorie content of regular soda was unrelated to SSB intake, health education on the kilocalorie content of SSBs may still be beneficial because most adults did not know the actual kilocalorie content of SSBs. Longitudinal studies are needed to explore associations between knowledge about energy provided by SSBs and SSB intake. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The Relationship between Health-Related Knowledge and Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Intake among US Adults

PubMed Central

Park, Sohyun; Onufrak, Stephen; Sherry, Bettylou; Blanck, Heidi M.

2015-01-01

Because there is limited information on associations between health-related knowledge and sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake, our cross-sectional study examined this question using the 2010 HealthStyles Survey data for 3,926 adults (aged ≥18 years). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the adjusted odds ratios and 95% CIs for drinking SSBs ≥2 times per day. About 31% of adults consumed SSBs ≥1 time per day, with 20% doing so ≥2 times per day. About eight of 10 adults agreed that drinking SSBs can contribute to weight gain, yet, eight of 10 adults in this study did not know the actual kilocalorie content of a 24-oz fountain soda. After controlling for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education level, annual household income, and geographic region, the odds for drinking SSBs ≥2 times per day were significantly higher among adults who neither agreed nor disagreed (ie, were neutral) that drinking SSBs can contribute to weight gain (odds ratio 1.61, 95% CI 1.15 to 2.25 vs agree); however, knowledge about the energy content of regular soda was not associated with SSB intake. Our finding that knowledge about the adverse effects of SSB intake is significantly associated with SSB intake among adults suggests that health education regarding the potential contribution of excess energy intake from SSBs to weight gain could contribute to lowered consumption and lower rates of obesity. Although knowledge about the kilocalorie content of regular soda was unrelated to SSB intake, health education on the kilocalorie content of SSBs may still be beneficial because most adults did not know the actual kilocalorie content of SSBs. Longitudinal studies are needed to explore associations between knowledge about energy provided by SSBs and SSB intake. PMID:24360502

An assessment of research and development leadership in ocean energy technologies

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

Bruch, V.L.

1994-04-01

Japan is clearly the leader in ocean energy technologies. The United Kingdom also has had many ocean energy research projects, but unlike Japan, most of the British projects have not progressed from the feasibility study stage to the demonstration stage. Federally funded ocean energy research in the US was stopped because it was perceived the technologies could not compete with conventional sources of fuel. Despite the probable small market for ocean energy technologies, the short sighted viewpoint of the US government regarding funding of these technologies may be harmful to US economic competitiveness. The technologies may have important uses inmore » other applications, such as offshore construction and oil and gas drilling. Discontinuing the research and development of these technologies may cause the US to lose knowledge and miss market opportunities. If the US wishes to maintain its knowledge base and a market presence for ocean energy technologies, it may wish to consider entering into a cooperative agreement with Japan and/or the United Kingdom. Cooperative agreements are beneficial not only for technology transfer but also for cost-sharing.« less

NRV web knowledge base on low-energy nuclear physics

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

Karpov, V., E-mail: karpov@jinr.ru; Denikin, A. S.; Alekseev, A. P.

Principles underlying the organization and operation of the NRV web knowledge base on low-energy nuclear physics (http://nrv.jinr.ru) are described. This base includes a vast body of digitized experimental data on the properties of nuclei and on cross sections for nuclear reactions that is combined with a wide set of interconnected computer programs for simulating complex nuclear dynamics, which work directly in the browser of a remote user. Also, the current situation in the realms of application of network information technologies in nuclear physics is surveyed. The potential of the NRV knowledge base is illustrated in detail by applying it tomore » the example of an analysis of the fusion of nuclei that is followed by the decay of the excited compound nucleus formed.« less

Healing, Mental Energy in the Physics Classroom: Energy Conceptions and Trust in Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Grade 10-12 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Svedholm, Annika M.; Lindeman, Marjaana

2013-01-01

Lay conceptions of energy often conflict with scientific knowledge, hinder science learning and scientific literacy, and provide a basis for ungrounded beliefs. In a sample of Finnish upper secondary school students, energy was attributed with features of living and animate beings and thought of as a mental property. These ontologically confused…

30 CFR 250.1506 - How often must I train my employees?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Section 250.1506 Mineral Resources BUREAU OF OCEAN ENERGY MANAGEMENT, REGULATION, AND ENFORCEMENT... the knowledge and skills that employees need to perform their assigned well control, deepwater well... periodic training and verification of well control, deepwater well control, or production safety knowledge...

Physical activity and body functionality: implications for obesity prevention and treatment.

PubMed

Tremblay, Angelo; Therrien, Fanny

2006-02-01

Physical activity promotes metabolic adaptations that improve body functionality and contribute to the prevention of some diseases. With respect to energy and fat balance, physical activity facilitates the equilibrium between energy intake and expenditure as well as between fat intake and fat oxidation. When combined with a healthy diet that favors satiety with a reduced energy intake, exercise can induce a substantial mass loss in obese individuals. However, even the impact of an exemplary lifestyle does not seem to have the potential to decrease body mass in obese individuals down to the mass range of lean people. Up to now, we have not been able to induce mass changes exceeding 12%-15% initial body mass in obese male subjects under tolerable exercise and dietary habits, and this moderate success was accompanied by modifications in appetite and energy expenditure susceptible to compromise subsequent mass stability. As described in this paper, many environmental factors can influence energy balance and the ability to lose body fat in response to a healthy diet and (or) physical activity program. Particular attention is given to preliminary data obtained in our laboratory that suggest that knowledge-based work does not favor the same potential mass reducing effects as physical work. In fact, the acute effects of knowledge-based work suggest that this work modality may be rather susceptible to promote a more pronounced positive energy balance compared with what we may expect from a sedentary relaxing activity. This is problematic for obesity prevention in the future since knowledge-based work now represents the main working modality in a context of modernity.

The Relationship of Science Knowledge, Attitude and Decision Making on Socio-Scientific Issues: The Case Study of Students' Debates on a Nuclear Power Plant in Korea

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jho, Hunkoog; Yoon, Hye-Gyoung; Kim, Mijung

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of students' understanding of science knowledge, attitude and decision making on socio-scientific issues (SSI), especially on the issues of nuclear energy in Korea. SSI-focused instructions were developed to encourage students to understand and reflect on knowledge, attitude and…

Materials for Photovoltaic Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimova-Malinovska, Doriana

Energy priorities are changing nowadays. As mankind will probably have to face energy crisis, factors such as energy independence, energy security, stability of energy supply and the variety of energy sources become much more vital these days. Photovoltaics is exceptional compared to other renewable sources of energy due to its wide opportunity to gain energetic and environmental benefits. An overview of the present state of knowledge of the materials aspects of photovoltaic cells will be given, and new semiconductor materials, including nanomaterials, with potential for application in photovoltaic devices will be identified.

POLLUTION CONTROL GUIDANCE FOR GEOTHERMAL ENERGY DEVELOPMENT

EPA Science Inventory

This report summarizes the EPA regulatory approach toward geothermal energy development. The state of knowledge is described with respect to the constituents of geothermal effluents and emissions, including water, air, solid wastes, and noise. Pollutant effects are discussed. Pol...

Renewable energy.

PubMed

Destouni, Georgia; Frank, Harry

2010-01-01

The Energy Committee of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has in a series of projects gathered information and knowledge on renewable energy from various sources, both within and outside the academic world. In this article, we synthesize and summarize some of the main points on renewable energy from the various Energy Committee projects and the Committee's Energy 2050 symposium, regarding energy from water and wind, bioenergy, and solar energy. We further summarize the Energy Committee's scenario estimates of future renewable energy contributions to the global energy system, and other presentations given at the Energy 2050 symposium. In general, international coordination and investment in energy research and development is crucial to enable future reliance on renewable energy sources with minimal fossil fuel use.

The prediction of crystal structure by merging knowledge methods with first principles quantum mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ceder, Gerbrand

2007-03-01

The prediction of structure is a key problem in computational materials science that forms the platform on which rational materials design can be performed. Finding structure by traditional optimization methods on quantum mechanical energy models is not possible due to the complexity and high dimensionality of the coordinate space. An unusual, but efficient solution to this problem can be obtained by merging ideas from heuristic and ab initio methods: In the same way that scientist build empirical rules by observation of experimental trends, we have developed machine learning approaches that extract knowledge from a large set of experimental information and a database of over 15,000 first principles computations, and used these to rapidly direct accurate quantum mechanical techniques to the lowest energy crystal structure of a material. Knowledge is captured in a Bayesian probability network that relates the probability to find a particular crystal structure at a given composition to structure and energy information at other compositions. We show that this approach is highly efficient in finding the ground states of binary metallic alloys and can be easily generalized to more complex systems.

Sustainable NREL: From Integration to Innovation

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

2015-09-01

NREL's sustainability practices are integrated throughout the laboratory and are essential to our mission to develop clean energy and energy efficiency technologies and practices, advance related science and engineering, and provide knowledge and innovations to integrate energy systems at all scales. Sustainability initiatives are integrated through our campus, our staff, and our environment allowing NREL to provide leadership in modeling a sustainability energy future for companies, organizations, governments, and communities.

Multifamily Energy Auditor Job/Task Analysis and Report: September 2013

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

Owens, C. M.

The development of job/task analyses (JTAs) is one of three components of the Guidelines for Home Energy Professionals project and will allow industry to develop training resources, quality assurance protocols, accredited training programs, and professional certifications. The Multifamily Energy Auditor JTA identifies and catalogs all of the tasks performed by multifamily energy auditors, as well as the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to perform the identified tasks.

Energy fluxes estimation in a juniper tree area of the Donana biological reserve through TSEB method and Landsat-5TM imagery

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Energy fluxes computing (actual evapotranspiration, net radiation, sensible heat and soil heat flux) are essential to improve the knowledge of the hydrological cycle, especially in natural vegetation covers. In this paper we present the first results of the energy fluxes modeling by means of the TSE...

Effects of an Informal Energy Exhibit on Knowledge and Attitudes of Fourth- and Fifth-Grade Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goodman, David Wayne

2009-01-01

This dissertation addresses the growing need for renewable energy education by looking at the design, development, and implementation of an informal energy education exhibit that was developed for placement into a regional science museum, school, and community center. This study examined several research questions related to the concept that an…

The Design and Evaluation of a Front-End User Interface for Energy Researchers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borgman, Christine L.; And Others

1989-01-01

Reports on the Online Access to Knowledge (OAK) Project, which developed software to support end user access to a Department of Energy database based on the skill levels and needs of energy researchers. The discussion covers issues in development, evaluation, and the study of user behavior in designing an interface tailored to a special…

Evaluation of the "Lose Your Excuse" Public Service Advertising Campaign for Tweens to Save Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertrand, Jane T.; Goldman, Patty; Zhivan, Natalia; Agyeman, Yaw; Barber, Erin

2011-01-01

This study evaluates the 2008-2009 "Lose your Excuse" public service advertising (PSA) campaign on energy efficiency targeting 8- to 12-year-olds, intended to increase knowledge, foster proactive attitudes, and change energy usage behaviors. Baseline and two follow-up surveys were conducted with online samples representative of the national…

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices toward Energy Drinks among Adolescents in Saudi Arabia

PubMed Central

Musaiger, Abdulrahman O.; Zagzoog, Nisreen

2014-01-01

The objective of this study is to explore the knowledge, attitudes and intake of energy drinks among adolescents in Saudi Arabia. A multi-stage stratified sampling procedure was carried out to select 1061 school children aged 12–19 years, from Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. A short self-reported questionnaire was administrated in order to collect the data. Of adolescents in the study, 45% drank energy drinks (71.3% males and 35.9% females; P<0.001). Advertisements were the main source of information on energy drinks (43%). The major reasons for consuming energy drinks were taste and flavour (58%), to ‘try them’ (51.9%) and ‘to get energy’ (43%), albeit with significant differences between genders (P<0.001). About half of the adolescents did not know the ingredients of these drinks, and 49% did not know that they contain caffeine (P-values <0.006 and <0.001 between genders, respectively). The greater majority (67%) considered energy drinks to be soft drinks. The study indicates the need for Saudi adolescents to be warned on the over-consumption of energy drinks. The study brings to attention the need for educational programmes related to increasing awareness in the community of the health effects related to high consumption of energy drinks. PMID:24576364

Explaining the effects of a point-of-purchase nutrition-information intervention in university canteens: a structural equation modelling analysis

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The importance of canteen meals in the diet of many university students makes the provision of simple point-of-purchase (POP) nutrition information in university canteens a potentially effective way to promote healthier diets in an important group of young adults. However, modifications to environments such as the posting of POP nutrition information in canteens may not cause an immediate change in meal choices and nutrient intakes. The present study aimed at understanding the process by which the POP nutrition information achieved its effects on the meal choice and energy intake, and whether the information was more effective in changing the meal choice of subgroups of university canteen customers. Methods The POP nutrition-information intervention used a one-group pretest-posttest design. A sample of 224 customers of two university canteens completed the baseline and 6-months follow-up surveys. A multi-group structural equation modelling analysis was used to test mediation effects of individual difference variables (liking, understanding and use of the information, subjective knowledge and attitude) on the energy intake from canteen meals, moderated by the objective nutrition knowledge and motivation to change diet. Results Significant relations were identified between liking of the information and its use on one hand and a positive effect in attitude towards healthy canteen meals on the other hand. Motivation to change diet and sufficient objective nutrition knowledge were required to maintain a recommended energy intake from canteen meals or to lead to a decrease in energy intake. Participants with greater objective nutrition knowledge had a greater understanding of the POP nutrition information which also resulted in a more effective use of the information. Conclusions The results suggest that nutrition-information interventions may be more effective when using nutrition information that is generally liked by the target population in combination with an educational intervention to increase objective nutrition knowledge. Trial registration NCT01249508 PMID:22967195

Explaining the effects of a point-of-purchase nutrition-information intervention in university canteens: a structural equation modelling analysis.

PubMed

Hoefkens, Christine; Pieniak, Zuzanna; Van Camp, John; Verbeke, Wim

2012-09-11

The importance of canteen meals in the diet of many university students makes the provision of simple point-of-purchase (POP) nutrition information in university canteens a potentially effective way to promote healthier diets in an important group of young adults. However, modifications to environments such as the posting of POP nutrition information in canteens may not cause an immediate change in meal choices and nutrient intakes. The present study aimed at understanding the process by which the POP nutrition information achieved its effects on the meal choice and energy intake, and whether the information was more effective in changing the meal choice of subgroups of university canteen customers. The POP nutrition-information intervention used a one-group pretest-posttest design. A sample of 224 customers of two university canteens completed the baseline and 6-months follow-up surveys. A multi-group structural equation modelling analysis was used to test mediation effects of individual difference variables (liking, understanding and use of the information, subjective knowledge and attitude) on the energy intake from canteen meals, moderated by the objective nutrition knowledge and motivation to change diet. Significant relations were identified between liking of the information and its use on one hand and a positive effect in attitude towards healthy canteen meals on the other hand. Motivation to change diet and sufficient objective nutrition knowledge were required to maintain a recommended energy intake from canteen meals or to lead to a decrease in energy intake. Participants with greater objective nutrition knowledge had a greater understanding of the POP nutrition information which also resulted in a more effective use of the information. The results suggest that nutrition-information interventions may be more effective when using nutrition information that is generally liked by the target population in combination with an educational intervention to increase objective nutrition knowledge.

Research on Knowledge-Based Optimization Method of Indoor Location Based on Low Energy Bluetooth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, C.; Li, G.; Deng, Y.; Wang, T.; Kang, Z.

2017-09-01

With the rapid development of LBS (Location-based Service), the demand for commercialization of indoor location has been increasing, but its technology is not perfect. Currently, the accuracy of indoor location, the complexity of the algorithm, and the cost of positioning are hard to be simultaneously considered and it is still restricting the determination and application of mainstream positioning technology. Therefore, this paper proposes a method of knowledge-based optimization of indoor location based on low energy Bluetooth. The main steps include: 1) The establishment and application of a priori and posterior knowledge base. 2) Primary selection of signal source. 3) Elimination of positioning gross error. 4) Accumulation of positioning knowledge. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can eliminate the signal source of outliers and improve the accuracy of single point positioning in the simulation data. The proposed scheme is a dynamic knowledge accumulation rather than a single positioning process. The scheme adopts cheap equipment and provides a new idea for the theory and method of indoor positioning. Moreover, the performance of the high accuracy positioning results in the simulation data shows that the scheme has a certain application value in the commercial promotion.

Black guillemot ecology in relation to tidal stream energy generation: An evaluation of current knowledge and information gaps.

PubMed

Johnston, Daniel T; Furness, Robert W; Robbins, Alexandra M C; Tyler, Glen; Taggart, Mark A; Masden, Elizabeth A

2018-03-01

The black guillemot Cepphus grylle has been identified as a species likely to interact with marine renewable energy devices, specifically tidal turbines, with the potential to experience negative impacts. This likelihood is primarily based on the species being a diving seabird, and an inshore, benthic forager often associating with tidal streams. These behavioural properties may bring them into contact with turbine blades, or make them susceptible to alterations to tidal current speed, and/or changes in benthic habitat structure. We examine the knowledge currently available to assess the potential impacts of tidal stream turbines on black guillemot ecology, highlight knowledge gaps and make recommendations for future research. The key ecological aspects investigated include: foraging movements, diving behaviour, seasonal distribution, other sources of disturbance and colony recovery. Relating to foraging behaviour, between studies there is heterogeneity in black guillemot habitat use in relation to season, tide, diurnal cycles, and bathymetry. Currently, there is also little knowledge regarding the benthic habitats associated with foraging. With respect to diving behaviour, there is currently no available research regarding how black guillemots orientate and manoeuvre within the water column. Black guillemots are considered to be a non-migratory species, however little is known about their winter foraging range and habitat. The effect of human disturbance on breeding habitat and the metapopulation responses to potential mortalities are unknown. It is clear further understanding of black guillemot foraging habitat and behaviour is needed to provide renewable energy developers with the knowledge to sustainably locate tidal turbines and mitigate their impacts. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Linkages from DOE's Solar Photovoltaic R&D to Commercial Renewable Power from Solar Energy

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

Ruegg, Rosalie; Thomas, Patrick

2011-04-01

DOE's Solar Photovoltaic R&D Subprogram promotes the development of cost-effective systems for directly converting solar energy into electricity for residential, commercial, and industrial applications. This study was commissioned to assess the extent to which the knowledge outputs of R&D funded by the DOE Solar PV subprogram are linked to downstream developments in commercial renewable power. A second purpose was to identify spillovers of the resulting knowledge to other areas of application. A third purpose was to lend support to a parallel benefit-cost study by contributing evidence of attribution of benefits to DOE.

Physics and psychophysics of color reproduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giorgianni, Edward J.

1991-08-01

The successful design of a color-imaging system requires knowledge of the factors used to produce and control color. This knowledge can be derived, in part, from measurements of the physical properties of the imaging system. Color itself, however, is a perceptual response and cannot be directly measured. Though the visual process begins with physics, as radiant energy reaching the eyes, it is in the mind of the observer that the stimuli produced from this radiant energy are interpreted and organized to form meaningful perceptions, including the perception of color. A comprehensive understanding of color reproduction, therefore, requires not only a knowledge of the physical properties of color-imaging systems but also an understanding of the physics, psychophysics, and psychology of the human observer. The human visual process is quite complex; in many ways the physical properties of color-imaging systems are easier to understand.

East Europe Report, Economic and Industrial Affairs.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-18

Possibilities of Domestic Reserves"] [Text] It is public knowledge that we must be frugal with energy. The price increases of raw materials and the...dissemination of the skills required in order to harness our acquired store of theoretical knowledge in practical settings. 3. The reform has initiated a...flight and is an enthusiast whose professional knowledge is among the highest. 90 About ROMBAC, With Love Midway in my notes of the discussion I had

Secondary School Teachers' Knowledge and Attitudes towards Renewable Energy Sources

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liarakou, Georgia; Gavrilakis, Costas; Flouri, Eleni

2009-01-01

Investigating knowledge, perceptions as well as attitudes of the public that concern various aspects of environmental issues is of high importance for Environmental Education. An integrated understanding of these parameters can properly support the planning of Environmental Education curriculum and relevant educational materials. In this survey we…

Assessing Our Ability to Design and Plan Green Energy Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vanderburg, Willem H.

2011-01-01

In earlier days, craftspersons sustained by the experiences of countless generations embodied in a tradition were able to create extraordinarily appropriate artifacts. Today, these traditions have largely disappeared to make way for knowledge infrastructures whose "components" are the bodies of knowledge created, advanced, and applied by…

10 CFR 1046.15 - Training and qualification for security skills and knowledge.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Training and qualification for security skills and... SECURITY INTERESTS Protective Force Personnel § 1046.15 Training and qualification for security skills and... and Qualification for Security Skills and Knowledge,” to this subpart. The DOE contractor shall...

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

The Benchmarks of Global Clean Energy Manufacturing will help policymakers and industry gain deeper understanding of global manufacturing of clean energy technologies. Increased knowledge of the product supply chains can inform decisions related to manufacturing facilities for extracting and processing raw materials, making the array of required subcomponents, and assembling and shipping the final product. This brochure summarized key findings from the analysis and includes important figures from the report. The report was prepared by the Clean Energy Manufacturing Analysis Center (CEMAC) analysts at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Evaluating Realized Impacts of DOE/EERE R&D Programs. Standard impact evaluation method

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

Ruegg, Rosalie; O'Connor, Alan C.; Loomis, Ross J.

2014-08-01

This document provides guidance for evaluators who conduct impact assessments of research and development (R&D) programs for the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). It is also targeted at EERE program staff responsible for initiating and managing commissioned impact studies. The guide specifies how to estimate economic benefits and costs, energy saved and installed or generated, environmental impacts, energy security impacts, and knowledge impacts of R&D investments in advanced energy technologies.

Improving the Usability of Integrated Assessment for Adaptation Practice: Insights from the U.S. Southeast Energy Sector

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

de Bremond, Ariane; Preston, Benjamin; Rice, Jennie S.

2014-10-01

Energy systems comprise a key sector of the U.S. economy, and one that has been identified as potentially vulnerable to the effects of climate variability and change. However, understanding of adaptation processes in energy companies and private entities more broadly is limited. It is unclear, for example, the extent to which energy companies are well-served by existing knowledge and tools emerging from the impacts, adaptation and vulnerability (IAV) and integrated assessment modeling (IAM) communities and/or what experiments, analyses, and model results have practical utility for informing adaptation in the energy sector. As part of a regional IAM development project, wemore » investigated available evidence of adaptation processes in the energy sector, with a particular emphasis on the U.S. Southeast and Gulf Coast region. A mixed methods approach of literature review and semi-structured interviews with key informants from energy utilities was used to compare existing knowledge from the IAV community with that of regional stakeholders. That comparison revealed that much of the IAV literature on the energy sector is climate-centric and therefore disconnected from the more integrated decision-making processes and institutional perspectives of energy utilities. Increasing the relevance of research and assessment for the energy sector will necessitate a greater investment in integrated assessment and modeling efforts that respond to practical decision-making needs as well as greater collaboration between energy utilities and researchers in the design, execution, and communication of those efforts.« less

Descriptive study of important energy-conservation content for industrial arts in North Carolina and potential constraints to implementation of the content

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

Johnson, C.D.

The purpose of this study was to determine the important energy-conservation content for industrial arts in North Carolina. The continuing purpose was to identify constraints to implementation of the identified important content. Fifty-three energy-conservation-content items were identified from the literature. This content was rated on importance by seven industrial arts/energy-conservation specialists in North Carolina. An analysis of the specialists scores resulted in the identification of the 20 most important energy-conservation-content items for industrial arts in North Carolina. Identification of possible constraints to the implementation of the important content was accomplished by surveying the certified industrial arts teachers in North Carolina.more » On the survey, teachers rated each content item in relation to their instructional practices, knowledge level, and perception of content appropriateness. Almost 67% of the industrial arts teachers in North Carolina responded to the survey. The study revealed that overall, industrial arts teachers believed energy conservation was moderately to highly appropriate for industrial arts. Knowledge of energy conservation was at a comparatively lower level, and was considered a possible constraint to content implementation. Although energy-conservation instructional practices were at a low level, 88% of the teachers in the survey sample included at least one of the energy-conservation-content items in their curriculum.« less

Rural Energy Options Analysis Training Development and Implementation at NREL

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

Gilman, P.

2005-01-01

NREL has developed a rural energy options analysis training program for rural energy decision makers that provides knowledge, skills and tools for the evaluation of technologies, including renewables, for rural energy applications. Through the Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP), NREL has refined materials for the program and developed a module that offers hands-on training in the preparation of data for options analysis using HOMER, NREL's micropower optimization model. NREL has used the materials for training in Brazil, the Maldives, Mexico, and Sri Lanka.

A Method for the Calculation of Lattice Energies of Complex Crystals with Application to the Oxides of Molybdenum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chaney, William S.

1961-01-01

A theoretical study has been made of molybdenum dioxide and molybdenum trioxide in order to extend the knowledge of factors Involved in the oxidation of molybdenum. New methods were developed for calculating the lattice energies based on electrostatic valence theory, and the coulombic, polarization, Van der Waals, and repulsion energie's were calculated. The crystal structure was examined and structure details were correlated with lattice energy.

Dietary intake and nutrition-related knowledge in a sample of Lebanese adolescents of contrasting socioeconomic status.

PubMed

Nabhani-Zeidan, Maya; Naja, Farah; Nasreddine, Lara

2011-06-01

Socioeconomic status (SES) is postulated to be a major predictor of dietary intake and nutrition-related knowledge in adults. To date, very few studies have addressed this effect among adolescents. To explore differences in nutrient intake and nutrition-related knowledge among adolescents of contrasting SES in Lebanon. In a cross-sectional survey, 209 males and females, aged 17 to 19 years, were recruited from a private university with high tuition and a free public university in Beirut. The participants completed a multicomponent, self-administered questionnaire that inquired about demographic characteristics and nutrition-related knowledge. Three nonconsecutive 24-hour dietary recalls were obtained through interviews. Energy-adjusted means of dietary intake and age-adjusted nutrition-related knowledge were compared between groups using a general linear model. Adolescents in the high-SES group consumed more vegetables, meats, and fats and oils (p < .05). Energy and nutrient intake analysis showed that adolescents in the high-SES group consumed significantly higher amounts of calories, protein, fat, vitamin A, vitamin C, and iron (p < .001) and significantly lower amounts of carbohydrates (p < .05). Nutritional knowledge, although high among all participants, was higher in the high-SES group (p < .05). Although both groups showed good nutrition-related knowledge, SES significantly affected dietary intake in a sample of Lebanese adolescents. This warrants consideration of other factors, such as cost and environment, that may modulate eating behavior among adolescents from different socioeconomic strata.

Students' Socioscientific Reasoning and Decision-Making on Energy-Related Issues--Development of a Measurement Instrument

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sakschewski, Mark; Eggert, Sabina; Schneider, Susanne; Bögeholz, Susanne

2014-01-01

The concept of energy is one key component of science education curricula worldwide. While it is still being taught in many science classrooms from a mainly conceptual knowledge perspective, the need to frame the concept of energy as a socioscientific issue and implement it in the context of citizenship education and education for sustainable…

Energy, Economics, and the Environment: Case Studies and Teaching Activities for Middle School.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Indiana State Dept. of Education, Indianapolis. Center for School Improvement and Performance.

Educators are faced with the task of teaching students to be responsible stewards of the world's natural resources. This curriculum focuses on three interrelated topics in this area: energy, economics, and the environment. The goal of this book is to: (1) teach students basic knowledge and concepts about energy, the environment, and economics; (2)…

Energy in Perspective: An Orientation Conference for Educators. Proceedings of a Conference (Tempe, Arizona, June 7-11, 1976).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKlveen, John W., Ed.

The conference goal was to provide educators with knowledge and motivation about energy in order to establish an awareness of it in their classrooms. Speakers were from universities, research laboratories, utilities, government agencies, and private businesses. Coal, gas and oil, geothermal and solar sources of energy in Arizona were each…

Locating landmarks on high-dimensional free energy surfaces

PubMed Central

Chen, Ming; Yu, Tang-Qing; Tuckerman, Mark E.

2015-01-01

Coarse graining of complex systems possessing many degrees of freedom can often be a useful approach for analyzing and understanding key features of these systems in terms of just a few variables. The relevant energy landscape in a coarse-grained description is the free energy surface as a function of the coarse-grained variables, which, despite the dimensional reduction, can still be an object of high dimension. Consequently, navigating and exploring this high-dimensional free energy surface is a nontrivial task. In this paper, we use techniques from multiscale modeling, stochastic optimization, and machine learning to devise a strategy for locating minima and saddle points (termed “landmarks”) on a high-dimensional free energy surface “on the fly” and without requiring prior knowledge of or an explicit form for the surface. In addition, we propose a compact graph representation of the landmarks and connections between them, and we show that the graph nodes can be subsequently analyzed and clustered based on key attributes that elucidate important properties of the system. Finally, we show that knowledge of landmark locations allows for the efficient determination of their relative free energies via enhanced sampling techniques. PMID:25737545

Energy intake misreporting among children and adolescents: a literature review.

PubMed

Forrestal, Sarah G

2011-04-01

While adults' energy intake misreporting is a well-documented phenomenon, relatively little is known about the nature and extent of misreporting among children and adolescents. Children's and adolescents' dietary reporting patterns are likely to be distinct because of their ongoing cognitive and social development. These developmental differences present unique challenges to aspects of dietary reporting, such as food knowledge, portion size estimation and response editing. This review of 28 articles describes energy intake misreporting among children and adolescents. Like adults, children and adolescents tended to underreport energy, with the largest biases observed with food records. Even when mean reported energy intake was close to its expected value, approximately half of all individuals were classified as misreporters, and overreporting appeared to be more common than it is among adults. Associations between numerous characteristics and misreporting were explored in the literature, with the most consistent findings for age and adiposity. Two predictors for adults, gender and social desirability, were not consistent factors among children and adolescents. The review concludes by highlighting knowledge gaps and recommendations for future research and practice. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

From eV to EeV: Neutrino cross sections across energy scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Formaggio, J. A.; Zeller, G. P.

2012-07-01

Since its original postulation by Wolfgang Pauli in 1930, the neutrino has played a prominent role in our understanding of nuclear and particle physics. In the intervening 80 years, scientists have detected and measured neutrinos from a variety of sources, both man made and natural. Underlying all of these observations, and any inferences we may have made from them, is an understanding of how neutrinos interact with matter. Knowledge of neutrino interaction cross sections is an important and necessary ingredient in any neutrino measurement. With the advent of new precision experiments, the demands on our understanding of neutrino interactions is becoming even greater. The purpose of this article is to survey our current knowledge of neutrino cross sections across all known energy scales: from the very lowest energies to the highest that we hope to observe. The article covers a wide range of neutrino interactions including coherent scattering, neutrino capture, inverse beta decay, low-energy nuclear interactions, quasielastic scattering, resonant pion production, kaon production, deep inelastic scattering, and ultrahigh energy interactions. Strong emphasis is placed on experimental data whenever such measurements are available.

Thermochemical energy storage: Proceedings from the International Seminar on hermochemical Energy Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wettermark, G.

1980-10-01

Energy storage problems are explored. Tomorrow's energy sources will provide a continuous flow of energy. Matching supply and demand will necessitate a wide range of storage capabilities. For storing heat thermochemical and economic solutions may take advantage of the various options inherent in this kind of storage, namely heat pumping, transport of heat and direct conversion to other desired forms of energy such as electricity and mechanical work. There is a need to regularly summarize the knowledge and research in the field of thermochemical energy storage in different parts of the world.

Strategies for innovative energy-based nursing practice: the Healing Touch program.

PubMed

Kelley, Mari

2002-01-01

The purpose of this article is to share professional knowledge, practice, and educational opportunities related to energy-based nursing in order to broaden and improve the delivery of health care services. The holistic, theory-based approach places a patient's perceived needs first, and cares for the human body as well as the spirit. Energy medicine is an intricate part of the patient's expectation for health care. Watson's transpersonal-caring-healing model is explored (Watson, 1999). This model expands the view of the person to one that embodies energy that is comprised of spirit, a universal mind, and consciousness. The North American Nurses Diagnosis Association (NANDA) recognizes energy therapy as an intervention representing a specific theory: human energy field theory (HEFT). This therapy is related to the approved nursing diagnosis of energy field disturbance 1.8 (NANDA, 1995/1996). Healing touch (HT) is an energy-based therapeutic approach to healing that emphasizes caring for the whole person based on the HEFT. It is used in the nursing profession to influence changes in the human energy system; HT affects physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health. The nursing process is evident throughout the curriculum. Nurse researchers report positive patients outcomes. The holistic nursing concept of energetic healing returns nurse professionals to the essence of nursing. Spinal cord injury (SCI) nurses will benefit by increasing their knowledge and awareness of energy therapy to increase patient satisfaction and improve outcomes for persons with SCI.

Role of large scale energy systems models in R and D planning

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

Lamontagne, J.

1980-11-01

Long-term energy policy deals with the problem of finite supplies of convenient energy sources becoming more costly as they are depleted. The development of alternative technologies to provide new sources of energy and extend the lives of current ones is an attractive option available to government. Thus, one aspect of long-term energy policy involves investment in R and D. The importance of the problems addressed by R and D to the future of society (especially with regard to energy) dictates adoption of a cogent approach to resource allocation and to the designation of priorities for R and D. It ismore » hoped that energy systems models when properly used can provide useful inputs to this process. The influence of model results on energy policy makers who are not knowledgable about flaws or uncertainties in the models, errors in assumptions in model inputs which can result in faulty forecasts, the overall usefulness of energy system models, and model limitations are discussed. It is suggested that the large scale energy systems models currently used for assessing a broad spectrum of policy issues need to be replaced with reasonably simple models capable of dealing with uncertainty in a straightforward manner, and their methodologies and the meaning of their results should be transparent, especially to those removed from the modeling process. Energy models should be clearly related to specific issues. Methodologies should be clearly related to specific decisions, and should allow adjustments to be easily made for alternative assumptions and for additional knowledge gained during the evolution of the energy system. (LCL)« less

Evaluating Technology Transfer and Diffusion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bozeman, Barry; And Others

1988-01-01

Four articles discuss the evaluation of technology transfer and diffusion: (1) "Technology Transfer at the U.S. National Laboratories: A Framework for Evaluation"; (2) "Application of Social Psychological and Evaluation Research: Lessons from Energy Information Programs"; (3) "Technology and Knowledge Transfer in Energy R and D Laboratories: An…

Ecology of an Eel Grass Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etri, Lawrence

1978-01-01

Analyzing a square meter of a Zostera community on Long Island's South Shore, this article illustrates the relationship between primary energy producer and primary and secondary energy consumer populations within the Zostera community. Specific plant-animal relationships based upon knowledge of estuarine environments are discussed. (JC)

WASTE-TO-RESOURCE: NOVEL MEMBRANE SYSTEMS FOR SAFE AND SUSTAINABLE BRINE MANAGEMENT

EPA Science Inventory

Decentralized waste-to-reuse systems will be optimized to maximize resource and energy recovery and minimize chemicals and energy use. This research will enhance fundamental knowledge on simultaneous heat and mass transport through membranes, lower process costs, and furthe...

Biomass Yield and Carbohydrate Composition in Sugarcane and Energy Cane

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sugarcane and energy cane are important crops for sugar and bio-ethanol production. A better understanding their carbohydrate composition and concentrations in addition to biomass yields can improve knowledge in biomass processing and utilization. There were two objectives for this study. The first ...

System Architecture Development for Energy and Water Infrastructure Data Management and Geovisual Analytics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berres, A.; Karthik, R.; Nugent, P.; Sorokine, A.; Myers, A.; Pang, H.

2017-12-01

Building an integrated data infrastructure that can meet the needs of a sustainable energy-water resource management requires a robust data management and geovisual analytics platform, capable of cross-domain scientific discovery and knowledge generation. Such a platform can facilitate the investigation of diverse complex research and policy questions for emerging priorities in Energy-Water Nexus (EWN) science areas. Using advanced data analytics, machine learning techniques, multi-dimensional statistical tools, and interactive geovisualization components, such a multi-layered federated platform is being developed, the Energy-Water Nexus Knowledge Discovery Framework (EWN-KDF). This platform utilizes several enterprise-grade software design concepts and standards such as extensible service-oriented architecture, open standard protocols, event-driven programming model, enterprise service bus, and adaptive user interfaces to provide a strategic value to the integrative computational and data infrastructure. EWN-KDF is built on the Compute and Data Environment for Science (CADES) environment in Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Improving Students' Knowledge and Values in Physical Education through "Physical Best" Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leonetti, Melissa; Zhu, Xihe; Chen, Senlin

2017-01-01

This study examined the effects of using "Physical Best" lessons to promote adolescent energy balance knowledge and task values. Seventh graders (N = 90) were randomly assigned to the experiment and the comparison groups. The experiment group took 10 selected "Physical Best" lessons, while the comparison experienced 10 district…

What Do Students Learn by Playing an Online Simulation Game?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franciosi, Stephan J.; Mehring, Jeffrey

2015-01-01

Studies suggest that simulations and games not only improve target language skills, but they can also support knowledge creation regarding a broader variety of topics. Thus, we wanted to explore how playing an online simulation game affected knowledge of energy supply and its relationship to environmental and economic factors among learners of…

Determination of the state-of-charge in leadacid batteries by means of a reference cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Armenta, C.

A knowledge of the state-of-charge of any battery is an essential requirement for system energy management and for battery life extension. In photovoltaic power plants and stand-alone photovoltaic installations, a knowledge of the state-of-charge helps one to predict remaining energy, to determine time remaining before battery turndown, and to avoid failures during operation. A reliable method of predicting the state-of-charge will allow reduced installation costs because less reserve capacity is needed to guarantee a reliable energy supply. We propose an on-line method based on simple electrical measurements combined with a new electrolyte agitation technique which avoids systematic control of the battery state-of-charge. The method is very accurate and reduces the standard error in the state-of-charge prediction.

Working group report on advanced high-voltage high-power and energy-storage space systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cohen, H. A.; Cooke, D. L.; Evans, R. W.; Hastings, D.; Jongeward, G.; Laframboise, J. G.; Mahaffey, D.; Mcintyre, B.; Pfizer, K. A.; Purvis, C.

1986-01-01

Space systems in the future will probably include high-voltage, high-power energy-storage and -production systems. Two such technologies are high-voltage ac and dc systems and high-power electrodynamic tethers. The working group identified several plasma interaction phenomena that will occur in the operation of these power systems. The working group felt that building an understanding of these critical interaction issues meant that several gaps in our knowledge had to be filled, and that certain aspects of dc power systems have become fairly well understood. Examples of these current collection are in quiescent plasmas and snap over effects. However, high-voltage dc and almost all ac phenomena are, at best, inadequately understood. In addition, there is major uncertainty in the knowledge of coupling between plasmas and large scale current flows in space plasmas. These gaps in the knowledge are addressed.

A data management life-cycle

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferderer, David A.

2001-01-01

Documented, reliable, and accessible data and information are essential building blocks supporting scientific research and applications that enhance society's knowledge base (fig. 1). The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a leading provider of science data, information, and knowledge, is uniquely positioned to integrate science and natural resource information to address societal needs. The USGS Central Energy Resources Team (USGS-CERT) provides critical information and knowledge on the quantity, quality, and distribution of the Nation's and the world's oil, gas, and coal resources. By using a life-cycle model, the USGS-CERT Data Management Project is developing an integrated data management system to (1) promote access to energy data and information, (2) increase data documentation, and (3) streamline product delivery to the public, scientists, and decision makers. The project incorporates web-based technology, data cataloging systems, data processing routines, and metadata documentation tools to improve data access, enhance data consistency, and increase office efficiency

Knowledge service decision making in business incubators based on the supernetwork model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Liming; Zhang, Haihong; Wu, Wenqing

2017-08-01

As valuable resources for incubating firms, knowledge resources have received gradually increasing attention from all types of business incubators, and business incubators use a variety of knowledge services to stimulate rapid growth in incubating firms. Based on previous research, we generalize the knowledge transfer and knowledge networking services of two main forms of knowledge services and further divide knowledge transfer services into knowledge depth services and knowledge breadth services. Then, we construct the business incubators' knowledge supernetwork model, describe the evolution mechanism among heterogeneous agents and utilize a simulation to explore the performance variance of different business incubators' knowledge services. The simulation results show that knowledge stock increases faster when business incubators are able to provide knowledge services to more incubating firms and that the degree of discrepancy in the knowledge stock increases during the process of knowledge growth. Further, knowledge transfer services lead to greater differences in the knowledge structure, while knowledge networking services lead to smaller differences. Regarding the two types of knowledge transfer services, knowledge depth services are more conducive to knowledge growth than knowledge breadth services, but knowledge depth services lead to greater gaps in knowledge stocks and greater differences in knowledge structures. Overall, it is optimal for business incubators to select a single knowledge service or portfolio strategy based on the amount of time and energy expended on the two types of knowledge services.

Monthly Variations of Low-Energy Ballistic Transfers to Lunar Halo Orbits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, Jeffrey S.

2010-01-01

The characteristics of low-energy transfers between the Earth and Moon vary from one month to the next largely due to the Earth's and Moon's non-circular, non-coplanar orbits in the solar system. This paper characterizes those monthly variations as it explores the trade space of low-energy lunar transfers across many months. Mission designers may use knowledge of these variations to swiftly design desirable low-energy lunar transfers in any given month.

Atomic and molecular physics in the gas phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toburen, L. H.

1990-09-01

The spatial and temporal distributions of energy deposition by high-linear-energy-transfer radiation play an important role in the subsequent chemical and biological processes leading to radiation damage. Because the spatial structures of energy deposition events are of the same dimensions as molecular structures in the mammalian cell, direct measurements of energy deposition distributions appropriate to radiation biology are infeasible. This has led to the development of models of energy transport based on a knowledge of atomic and molecular interactions process that enable one to simulate energy transfer on an atomic scale. Such models require a detailed understanding of the interactions of ions and electrons with biologically relevant material. During the past 20 years there has been a great deal of progress in our understanding of these interactions; much of it coming from studies in the gas phase. These studies provide information on the systematics of interaction cross sections leading to a knowledge of the regions of energy deposition where molecular and phase effects are important and that guide developments in appropriate theory. In this report studies of the doubly differential cross sections, crucial to the development of stochastic energy deposition calculations and track structure simulation, will be reviewed. Areas of understanding are discussed and directions for future work addressed. Particular attention is given to experimental and theoretical findings that have changed the traditional view of secondary electron production for charged particle interactions with atomic and molecular targets.

Promoting Students' Problem Solving Skills and Knowledge of STEM Concepts in a Data-Rich Learning Environment: Using Online Data as a Tool for Teaching about Renewable Energy Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thurmond, Brandi

This study sought to compare a data-rich learning (DRL) environment that utilized online data as a tool for teaching about renewable energy technologies (RET) to a lecture-based learning environment to determine the impact of the learning environment on students' knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) concepts related to renewable energy technologies and students' problem solving skills. Two purposefully selected Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science teachers were included in the study. Each teacher taught one class about RET in a lecture-based environment (control) and another class in a DRL environment (treatment), for a total of four classes of students (n=128). This study utilized a quasi-experimental, pretest/posttest, control-group design. The initial hypothesis that the treatment group would have a significant gain in knowledge of STEM concepts related to RET and be better able to solve problems when compared to the control group was not supported by the data. Although students in the DRL environment had a significant gain in knowledge after instruction, posttest score comparisons of the control and treatment groups revealed no significant differences between the groups. Further, no significant differences were noted in students' problem solving abilities as measured by scores on a problem-based activity and self-reported abilities on a reflective questionnaire. This suggests that the DRL environment is at least as effective as the lecture-based learning environment in teaching AP Environmental Science students about RET and fostering the development of problem solving skills. As this was a small scale study, further research is needed to provide information about effectiveness of DRL environments in promoting students' knowledge of STEM concepts and problem-solving skills.

System diagnostics using qualitative analysis and component functional classification

DOEpatents

Reifman, J.; Wei, T.Y.C.

1993-11-23

A method for detecting and identifying faulty component candidates during off-normal operations of nuclear power plants involves the qualitative analysis of macroscopic imbalances in the conservation equations of mass, energy and momentum in thermal-hydraulic control volumes associated with one or more plant components and the functional classification of components. The qualitative analysis of mass and energy is performed through the associated equations of state, while imbalances in momentum are obtained by tracking mass flow rates which are incorporated into a first knowledge base. The plant components are functionally classified, according to their type, as sources or sinks of mass, energy and momentum, depending upon which of the three balance equations is most strongly affected by a faulty component which is incorporated into a second knowledge base. Information describing the connections among the components of the system forms a third knowledge base. The method is particularly adapted for use in a diagnostic expert system to detect and identify faulty component candidates in the presence of component failures and is not limited to use in a nuclear power plant, but may be used with virtually any type of thermal-hydraulic operating system. 5 figures.

System diagnostics using qualitative analysis and component functional classification

DOEpatents

Reifman, Jaques; Wei, Thomas Y. C.

1993-01-01

A method for detecting and identifying faulty component candidates during off-normal operations of nuclear power plants involves the qualitative analysis of macroscopic imbalances in the conservation equations of mass, energy and momentum in thermal-hydraulic control volumes associated with one or more plant components and the functional classification of components. The qualitative analysis of mass and energy is performed through the associated equations of state, while imbalances in momentum are obtained by tracking mass flow rates which are incorporated into a first knowledge base. The plant components are functionally classified, according to their type, as sources or sinks of mass, energy and momentum, depending upon which of the three balance equations is most strongly affected by a faulty component which is incorporated into a second knowledge base. Information describing the connections among the components of the system forms a third knowledge base. The method is particularly adapted for use in a diagnostic expert system to detect and identify faulty component candidates in the presence of component failures and is not limited to use in a nuclear power plant, but may be used with virtually any type of thermal-hydraulic operating system.

Effects of Locus of Control on Behavioral Intention and Learning Performance of Energy Knowledge in Game-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Jie Chi; Lin, Yi Lung; Liu, Yi-Chun

2017-01-01

Game-based learning has been gradually adopted in energy education as an effective learning tool because digital games have the potential to increase energy literacy and encourage behavior change. However, not every learner can benefit from this support. There is a need to examine how human factors affect learners' reactions to digital games for…

The Effects of the SUN Project on Teacher Knowledge and Self-Efficacy regarding Biological Energy Transfer Are Significant and Long-Lasting: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Batiza, Ann Finney; Gruhl, Mary; Zhang, Bo; Harrington, Tom; Roberts, Marisa; LaFlamme, Donna; Haasch, Mary Anne; Knopp, Jonathan; Vogt, Gina; Goodsell, David; Hagedorn, Eric; Marcey, David; Hoelzer, Mark; Nelson, Dave

2013-01-01

Biological energy flow has been notoriously difficult to teach. Our approach to this topic relies on abiotic and biotic examples of the energy released by moving electrons in thermodynamically spontaneous reactions. A series of analogical model-building experiences was supported with common language and representations including manipulatives.…

Energy Levels of Hydrogen and Deuterium

National Institute of Standards and Technology Data Gateway

SRD 142 NIST Energy Levels of Hydrogen and Deuterium (Web, free access)   This database provides theoretical values of energy levels of hydrogen and deuterium for principle quantum numbers n = 1 to 200 and all allowed orbital angular momenta l and total angular momenta j. The values are based on current knowledge of the revelant theoretical contributions including relativistic, quantum electrodynamic, recoil, and nuclear size effects.

Chapter 8: Estimating net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wood energy use; Issues and the current state of knowledge

Treesearch

Prakash Nepal; Kenneth E. Skog

2014-01-01

Use of woody biomass from sustainably managed sources to produce energy is considered an important strategy to mitigate climate change because the resource is renewable (biomass regrowth on land recaptures emitted carbon dioxide (CO2) due to biomass burning) and can substitute for fossil-fuel-based energy such as coal and natural gas. However,...

Blueprint for Success: An Energy Education Unit Management Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Energy Education Development Project, Reston, VA.

This energy education unit contains activities and classroom management strategies that emphasize cooperative learning and peer teaching. The activities are designed to develop students' science, math, language arts, and social studies skills and knowledge. Students' critical thinking, leadership, and problem solving skills will be enhanced as…

10 CFR 9.25 - Initial disclosure determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Initial disclosure determination. 9.25 Section 9.25 Energy... correct to the best of his or her knowledge and belief. The certification requirement may be waived by the..., as amended at 70 FR 34306, June 14, 2005] ...

10 CFR 9.25 - Initial disclosure determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Initial disclosure determination. 9.25 Section 9.25 Energy... correct to the best of his or her knowledge and belief. The certification requirement may be waived by the..., as amended at 70 FR 34306, June 14, 2005] ...

10 CFR 9.25 - Initial disclosure determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Initial disclosure determination. 9.25 Section 9.25 Energy... correct to the best of his or her knowledge and belief. The certification requirement may be waived by the..., as amended at 70 FR 34306, June 14, 2005] ...

10 CFR 9.25 - Initial disclosure determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Initial disclosure determination. 9.25 Section 9.25 Energy... correct to the best of his or her knowledge and belief. The certification requirement may be waived by the..., as amended at 70 FR 34306, June 14, 2005] ...

10 CFR 9.25 - Initial disclosure determination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Initial disclosure determination. 9.25 Section 9.25 Energy... correct to the best of his or her knowledge and belief. The certification requirement may be waived by the..., as amended at 70 FR 34306, June 14, 2005] ...

Energy Activities for Junior High Social Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnesota State Energy Agency, St. Paul.

The document contains seven learning activities for junior high students on the energy situation. Objectives are to help students gain understanding and knowledge about the relationships between humans and their social and physical environments; solve problems and clarify issues; examine personal beliefs and values; and recognize the relationships…

The Trojan Horse Method in nuclear astrophysics

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

Spitaleri, C., E-mail: spitaleri@lns.infn.it; Mukhamedzhanov, A. M.; Blokhintsev, L. D.

2011-12-15

The study of energy production and nucleosynthesis in stars requires an increasingly precise knowledge of the nuclear reaction rates at the energies of interest. To overcome the experimental difficulties arising from the small cross sections at those energies and from the presence of the electron screening, the Trojan Horse Method has been introduced. The method provides a valid alternative path to measure unscreened low-energy cross sections of reactions between charged particles, and to retrieve information on the electron screening potential when ultra-low energy direct measurements are available.

Haselden/RNL - Research Support Facility Documentary

ScienceCinema

Haselden, Byron; Baker, Jeff; Glover, Bill; von Luhrte, Rich; Randock, Craig; Andary, John; Macey, Philip; Okada, David

2017-12-12

The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Research Support Facility (RSF) on the campus of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is positioned to be one of the most energy efficient buildings in the world. It will demonstrate NREL's role in moving advanced technologies and transferring knowledge into commercial applications. Because 19 percent of the country's energy is used by commercial buildings, DOE plans to make this facility a showcase for energy efficiency. DOE hopes the design of the RSF will be replicated by the building industry and help reduce the nation's energy consumption by changing the way commercial buildings are designed and built.

ISPE: A knowledge-based system for fluidization studies

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

Reddy, S.

1991-01-01

Chemical engineers use mathematical simulators to design, model, optimize and refine various engineering plants/processes. This procedure requires the following steps: (1) preparation of an input data file according to the format required by the target simulator; (2) excecuting the simulation; and (3) analyzing the results of the simulation to determine if all specified goals'' are satisfied. If the goals are not met, the input data file must be modified and the simulation repeated. This multistep process is continued until satisfactory results are obtained. This research was undertaken to develop a knowledge based system, IPSE (Intelligent Process Simulation Environment), that canmore » enhance the productivity of chemical engineers/modelers by serving as an intelligent assistant to perform a variety tasks related to process simulation. ASPEN, a widely used simulator by the US Department of Energy (DOE) at Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) was selected as the target process simulator in the project. IPSE, written in the C language, was developed using a number of knowledge-based programming paradigms: object-oriented knowledge representation that uses inheritance and methods, rulebased inferencing (includes processing and propagation of probabilistic information) and data-driven programming using demons. It was implemented using the knowledge based environment LASER. The relationship of IPSE with the user, ASPEN, LASER and the C language is shown in Figure 1.« less

Interdisciplinary research in climate and energy sciences

DOE PAGES

Xu, Xiaofeng; Goswami, Santonu; Gulledge, Jay; ...

2015-09-12

Due to the complex nature of climate change, interdisciplinary research approaches involving knowledge and skills from a broad range of disciplines have been adopted for studying changes in the climate system as well as strategies for mitigating climate change (i.e., greenhouse gas emissions reductions) and adapting to its impacts on society and natural systems. Harnessing of renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels is widely regarded as a long-term mitigation strategy that requires the synthesis of knowledge from engineering, technology, and natural and social sciences. In this study, we examine how the adoption of interdisciplinary approaches has evolved over timemore » and in different geographic regions. We conducted a comprehensive literature survey using an evaluation matrix of keywords, in combination with a word cloud analysis, to evaluate the spatiotemporal dynamics of scholarly discourse about interdisciplinary approaches to climate change and renewable energy research and development (R&D). Publications that discuss interdisciplinary approaches to climate change and renewable energy have substantially increased over the last 60 years; it appears, however, that the nature, timing, and focus of these publications vary across countries and through time. Over the most recent three decades, the country-level contribution to interdisciplinary research for climate change has become more evenly distributed, but this was not true for renewable energy research, which remained dominated by the United Sates and a few other major economies. The research topics have also evolved: Water resource management was emphasized from 1990s to 2000s, policy and adaptation were emphasized from the 2000s to 2010 – 2013, while vulnerability became prominent during the most recent years (2010 – 2013). Lastly, our analysis indicates that the rate of growth of interdisciplinary research for renewable energy lags behind that for climate change, possibly because knowledge emanating from climate change science has motivated the subsequent upswing in renewable energy R&D.« less

Gene-metabolite profile integration to understand the cause of spaceflight induced immunodeficiency.

PubMed

Chakraborty, Nabarun; Cheema, Amrita; Gautam, Aarti; Donohue, Duncan; Hoke, Allison; Conley, Carolynn; Jett, Marti; Hammamieh, Rasha

2018-01-01

Spaceflight presents a spectrum of stresses very different from those associated with terrestrial conditions. Our previous study (BMC Genom. 15 : 659, 2014) integrated the expressions of mRNAs, microRNAs, and proteins and results indicated that microgravity induces an immunosuppressive state that can facilitate opportunistic pathogenic attack. However, the existing data are not sufficient for elucidating the molecular drivers of the given immunosuppressed state. To meet this knowledge gap, we focused on the metabolite profile of spaceflown human cells. Independent studies have attributed cellular energy deficiency as a major cause of compromised immunity of the host, and metabolites that are closely associated with energy production could be a robust signature of atypical energy fluctuation. Our protocol involved inoculation of human endothelial cells in cell culture modules in spaceflight and on the ground concurrently. Ten days later, the cells in space and on the ground were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a ubiquitous membrane endotoxin of Gram-negative bacteria. Nucleic acids, proteins, and metabolites were collected 4 and 8 h post-LPS exposure. Untargeted profiling of metabolites was followed by targeted identification of amino acids and knowledge integration with gene expression profiles. Consistent with the past reports associating microgravity with increased energy expenditure, we identified several markers linked to energy deficiency, including various amino acids such as tryptophan, creatinine, dopamine, and glycine, and cofactors such as lactate and pyruvate. The present study revealed a molecular architecture linking energy metabolism and immunodeficiency in microgravity. The energy-deficient condition potentially cascaded into dysregulation of protein metabolism and impairment of host immunity. This project is limited by a small sample size. Although a strict statistical screening was carefully implemented, the present results further emphasize the need for additional studies with larger sample sizes. Validating this hypothesis using an in vivo model is essential to extend the knowledge towards identifying markers of diagnostic and therapeutic value.

A knowledge-based potential with an accurate description of local interactions improves discrimination between native and near-native protein conformations.

PubMed

Ferrada, Evandro; Vergara, Ismael A; Melo, Francisco

2007-01-01

The correct discrimination between native and near-native protein conformations is essential for achieving accurate computer-based protein structure prediction. However, this has proven to be a difficult task, since currently available physical energy functions, empirical potentials and statistical scoring functions are still limited in achieving this goal consistently. In this work, we assess and compare the ability of different full atom knowledge-based potentials to discriminate between native protein structures and near-native protein conformations generated by comparative modeling. Using a benchmark of 152 near-native protein models and their corresponding native structures that encompass several different folds, we demonstrate that the incorporation of close non-bonded pairwise atom terms improves the discriminating power of the empirical potentials. Since the direct and unbiased derivation of close non-bonded terms from current experimental data is not possible, we obtained and used those terms from the corresponding pseudo-energy functions of a non-local knowledge-based potential. It is shown that this methodology significantly improves the discrimination between native and near-native protein conformations, suggesting that a proper description of close non-bonded terms is important to achieve a more complete and accurate description of native protein conformations. Some external knowledge-based energy functions that are widely used in model assessment performed poorly, indicating that the benchmark of models and the specific discrimination task tested in this work constitutes a difficult challenge.

Extreme Conditions Modeling Workshop Report

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

Coe, R. G.; Neary, V. S.; Lawson, M. J.

2014-07-01

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) hosted the Wave Energy Converter (WEC) Extreme Conditions Modeling (ECM) Workshop in Albuquerque, NM on May 13th-14th, 2014. The objective of the workshop was to review the current state of knowledge on how to model WECs in extreme conditions (e.g. hurricanes and other large storms) and to suggest how U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and national laboratory resources could be used to improve ECM methods for the benefit of the wave energy industry.

Clean Energy Solutions Center and SE4All: Partnering to Support Country Actions

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

2016-05-01

Since 2012, the Clean Energy Solutions Center (Solutions Center) and Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) have partnered to deliver information, knowledge and expert assistance to policymakers and practitioners in countries actively working to achieve SE4All objectives. Through SE4All efforts, national governments are implementing integrated country actions to strategically transform their energy markets. This fact sheet details the Solutions Center and SE4All partnership and available areas of technical assistance.

Formative Assessment Pre-Test to Identify College Students' Prior Knowledge, Misconceptions and Learning Difficulties in Biology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazarowitz, Reuven; Lieb, Carl

2006-01-01

A formative assessment pretest was administered to undergraduate students at the beginning of a science course in order to find out their prior knowledge, misconceptions and learning difficulties on the topic of the human respiratory system and energy issues. Those findings could provide their instructors with the valuable information required in…

Planning and Teaching Report-Writing. PEN.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayes, Julie

Although an Australian educator had taught isolated aspects of functional grammar for a number of years, she felt that she had not put enough energy into building field (topic) knowledge. With the unit featured in this PEN Digest she aims to focus on building a quite extensive knowledge of the topic--snakes. According to the Digest, the educator…

Putting on a Green Carnival: Youth Taking Educated Action on Socioscientific Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Birmingham, Daniel; Barton, Angela Calabrese

2014-01-01

Socioscientific issues in connection to energy production, use or influence on climate change continue to be at the forefront of local, national, and global debates. The pressing nature of these issues requires citizens not only to understand relevant disciplinary knowledge but also to have the ability to use that knowledge to take action. This…

Improving Preservice Chemistry Teachers' Content Knowledge through Intervention Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeldon, Ruth

2017-01-01

The effect of intervention activities on the chemistry content knowledge of 92 preservice chemistry teachers (PSCT) was examined via a pre and post true/false with confidence level test focusing on ionisation energy values and the use of a common alternative conception (AC). Data were collected from three cohorts of PSCT each engaged in a one year…

An Investigation on the Elementary Teachers' Knowledge about Air Pollution Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yilmaz-Tuzun, Ozgul; Tuncer, Gaye Teksoz; Aydemir, Murat

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the elementary teachers' knowledge about air pollution. Ozone depletion, global warming, acid rain, and renewable energy were also addressed in this study to get holistic picture about air pollution. A total of 183 teachers from the 91 schools in Ankara participated to the study. The data obtained were…

A Portfolio of Energy Ideas: Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Richard C., Ed.

Ten units which focus on subject-matter knowledge about energy and on the logic and strategy of problem-solving within science are provided in this user's guide. Each unit includes: a detailed summary of unit problems and activities; recommended grade levels and subject areas; possible learner outcomes and general goals; teacher background…

Use of GIS-based Site-specific Nitrogen Management for Improving Energy Efficiency

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To our knowledge, geographical information system (GIS)-based site-specific nitrogen management (SSNM) techniques have not been used to assess agricultural energy costs and efficiency. This chapter uses SSNM case studies for corn (Zea mays L.) grown in Missouri and cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) gro...

Energy: A Cross-Curricular Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lalonde, Christine

This guide is based on the premise that lives (and lifestyles) revolve around the production, consumption, and conversion of energy. Yet for such an all-encompassing concept little accompanying factual knowledge exists at the grade-school level. The objectives (and the resulting activities and extensions) are focused on the needs of the upper…

Energy Balance Education in Schools: The Role of Student Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Senlin; Nam, Yoon Ho

2017-01-01

Obesity prevention and control have been identified as top public health priorities in modern societies. Sport and exercise science researchers from multiple perspectives (e.g. behavioral, pedagogical, psychological, and physiological) have been active contributors addressing this topic. This paper examines the importance of energy balance (EB)…

Environmental Action Energy Conservation. Teacher Resource Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1998

The environmental education curriculum called Environment ACTION is designed to empower students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make meaningful environmental changes. This module provides step-by-step instructions on how to explore the sources, production, uses, and environmental effects of energy in their schools and home. There are…

10 CFR 26.183 - Medical review officer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Medical review officer. 26.183 Section 26.183 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS Determining Fitness-for-Duty Policy Violations and Determining Fitness § 26.183 Medical review officer. (a) Qualifications. The MRO shall be knowledgeable of...

10 CFR 26.183 - Medical review officer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Medical review officer. 26.183 Section 26.183 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS Determining Fitness-for-Duty Policy Violations and Determining Fitness § 26.183 Medical review officer. (a) Qualifications. The MRO shall be knowledgeable of...

Measuring Knowledge Integration Learning of Energy Topics: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Ou Lydia; Ryoo, Kihyun; Linn, Marcia C.; Sato, Elissa; Svihla, Vanessa

2015-01-01

Although researchers call for inquiry learning in science, science assessments rarely capture the impact of inquiry instruction. This paper reports on the development and validation of assessments designed to measure middle-school students' progress in gaining integrated understanding of energy while studying an inquiry-oriented curriculum. The…

Energy Literacy and Agency of New Zealand Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aguirre-Bielschowsky, I.; Lawson, R.; Stephenson, J.; Todd, S.

2017-01-01

The development of energy literacy (knowledge, attitudes, and intended behaviour) and agency of New Zealand children (age 9-10) were investigated through thematic and exploratory statistical analyses of interviews (October 2011-April 2012) with 26 children, their parents and teachers, focus groups and photo elicitation. The children knew that…

Building Energy Monitoring and Analysis

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

Hong, Tianzhen; Feng, Wei; Lu, Alison

This project aimed to develop a standard methodology for building energy data definition, collection, presentation, and analysis; apply the developed methods to a standardized energy monitoring platform, including hardware and software, to collect and analyze building energy use data; and compile offline statistical data and online real-time data in both countries for fully understanding the current status of building energy use. This helps decode the driving forces behind the discrepancy of building energy use between the two countries; identify gaps and deficiencies of current building energy monitoring, data collection, and analysis; and create knowledge and tools to collect and analyzemore » good building energy data to provide valuable and actionable information for key stakeholders.« less

Energy Systems Training Programs and Certifications Survey White Paper

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

Cox, Daryl; Nimbalkar, Sachin U.; Wenning, Thomas J.

2017-02-01

Compressed air system, industrial refrigeration system, chilled water system, pump system, fan system, steam system, process heating system, and combined heat and power system are the major industrial energy systems. By helping enhance knowledge and skills of workforce, training and certification programs on these systems are essential to improve energy efficiency of manufacturing facilities. A literature survey of currently available training and certification programs on these systems was conducted.

Radio Studies of Coronal Holes.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-01

Withbroe (1978) has pointed out, "The transport of energy by thermal conduction into the transition zone is a primary coronal cooling mechanism." Thus, the...temperature and particle density gradients in the transition zone are of critical importance in understanding the energy balance of a coronal hole. The...coronal hole has been provided by Konp and Orrall (1977), but a quantitative understanding requires a detailed knowledge of the energy balance in the

Efficient conformational space exploration in ab initio protein folding simulation.

PubMed

Ullah, Ahammed; Ahmed, Nasif; Pappu, Subrata Dey; Shatabda, Swakkhar; Ullah, A Z M Dayem; Rahman, M Sohel

2015-08-01

Ab initio protein folding simulation largely depends on knowledge-based energy functions that are derived from known protein structures using statistical methods. These knowledge-based energy functions provide us with a good approximation of real protein energetics. However, these energy functions are not very informative for search algorithms and fail to distinguish the types of amino acid interactions that contribute largely to the energy function from those that do not. As a result, search algorithms frequently get trapped into the local minima. On the other hand, the hydrophobic-polar (HP) model considers hydrophobic interactions only. The simplified nature of HP energy function makes it limited only to a low-resolution model. In this paper, we present a strategy to derive a non-uniform scaled version of the real 20×20 pairwise energy function. The non-uniform scaling helps tackle the difficulty faced by a real energy function, whereas the integration of 20×20 pairwise information overcomes the limitations faced by the HP energy function. Here, we have applied a derived energy function with a genetic algorithm on discrete lattices. On a standard set of benchmark protein sequences, our approach significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art methods for similar models. Our approach has been able to explore regions of the conformational space which all the previous methods have failed to explore. Effectiveness of the derived energy function is presented by showing qualitative differences and similarities of the sampled structures to the native structures. Number of objective function evaluation in a single run of the algorithm is used as a comparison metric to demonstrate efficiency.

Energy behaviours of northern California Girl Scouts and their families

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

Boudet, H; Ardoin, NM; Flora, J

Climate change is likely the most critical societal challenge to the futures of today's children. Mitigation will require a concerted effort to change household energy behaviour electricity use, transportation and food consumption patterns. A first step to changing behaviour is to better understand current behaviour and its intrapersonal (knowledge and attitudes), interpersonal (norms, communication and behaviour) and contextual (demographics and geography) correlates. To date, our understanding of the energy behaviours of children is limited. To begin to fill this gap, we report the results of a survey on the electricity, transportation and food-related energy behaviours of 323 fourth- and fifth-grademore » girls and their parents in 31 Girl Scout troops in Northern California. Our findings show positive attitudes and perceived norms toward energy-saving behaviours among child and adult respondents, but low or moderate levels of knowledge, communication, and behaviour, particularly for behaviours that require adult assistance. Girls' choices about electricity behaviours appear to be governed by intrapersonal and interpersonal influences, while transportation behaviour is constrained by geographic context. Food-related behaviour, particularly meat consumption, was not readily modelled. Policy and education-related implications for future interventions aimed at enhancing children's energy-saving behaviours are discussed. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.« less

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

Wilkerson, Andrea M.; McCullough, Jeffrey J.

The Yuma Sector Border Patrol Area is a high flux lighting application in a high temperature environment, presenting a formidable challenge for light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This retrofit is an Energy Savings Performance Contract ENABLE project under the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Federal Energy Management Program. If high flux LED technology performs well in a region with high ambient temperature and solar radiation, it can perform well in most outdoor environments. The design process for the Yuma retrofit has already provided valuable knowledge to CBP and DOE. The LED lighting system selected for the retrofit is expected to reduce energymore » consumption 69% compared to the incumbent quartz metal halide (QMH) lighting system. If the LED lighting system is installed, GATEWAY will continue to document and disseminate information regarding the installation and long-term performance so that others may also gain valuable knowledge from the Yuma Sector Border Patrol Area lighting retrofit.« less

Measuring Knowledge Integration Learning of Energy Topics: A two-year longitudinal study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Ou Lydia; Ryoo, Kihyun; Linn, Marcia C.; Sato, Elissa; Svihla, Vanessa

2015-05-01

Although researchers call for inquiry learning in science, science assessments rarely capture the impact of inquiry instruction. This paper reports on the development and validation of assessments designed to measure middle-school students' progress in gaining integrated understanding of energy while studying an inquiry-oriented curriculum. The assessment development was guided by the knowledge integration framework. Over 2 years of implementation, more than 4,000 students from 4 schools participated in the study, including a cross-sectional and a longitudinal cohort. Results from item response modeling analyses revealed that: (a) the assessments demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties in terms of reliability and validity; (b) both the cross-sectional and longitudinal cohorts made progress on integrating their understanding energy concepts; and (c) among many factors (e.g. gender, grade, school, and home language) associated with students' science performance, unit implementation was the strongest predictor.

The Impact of a Geospatial Technology-Supported Energy Curriculum on Middle School Students' Science Achievement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulo, Violet; Bodzin, Alec

2013-02-01

Geospatial technologies are increasingly being integrated in science classrooms to foster learning. This study examined whether a Web-enhanced science inquiry curriculum supported by geospatial technologies promoted urban middle school students' understanding of energy concepts. The participants included one science teacher and 108 eighth-grade students classified in three ability level tracks. Data were gathered through pre/posttest content knowledge assessments, daily classroom observations, and daily reflective meetings with the teacher. Findings indicated a significant increase in the energy content knowledge for all the students. Effect sizes were large for all three ability level tracks, with the middle and low track classes having larger effect sizes than the upper track class. Learners in all three tracks were highly engaged with the curriculum. Curriculum effectiveness and practical issues involved with using geospatial technologies to support science learning are discussed.

EFFECT OF PROVIDING INFORMATION ON STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE AND CONCERNS ABOUT HYDRAULIC FRACKING

PubMed Central

Burger, Joanna; Nakata, Kimi; Liang, Laura; Pittfield, Taryn; Jeitner, Christian

2015-01-01

Governmental agencies, regulators, health professionals, and the public are faced with understanding and responding to new development practices and conditions in their local and regional environment. While hydraulic fracking (fracking) for shale gas has been practiced for over 50 years in some states, it is a relatively recent event in the northeastern United States. Providing environmental health information to the public about fracking requires understanding both the knowledge base and the perceptions of the public. The knowledge, perceptions, and concerns of college students about fracking were examined. Students were interviewed at Rutgers University in New Jersey, a state without any fracking, although fracking occurs in nearby Pennsylvania. Objectives were to determine (1) knowledge about fracking, (2) rating of concerns, (3) trusted information sources, (4) importance of fracking relative to other energy sources, and (5) the effect of a 15-min lecture and discussion on these aspects. On the second survey, students improved on their knowledge (except the components used for fracking), and their ratings changed for some concerns, perceived benefits, and trusted information sources. There was no change in support for further development of natural gas, but support for solar, wind, and wave energy decreased. Data suggest that students’ knowledge and perceptions change with exposure to information, but many of these changes were due to students using the Internet to look up information immediately after the initial survey and lecture. Class discussions indicated a general lack of trust for several information sources available on the Web. PMID:25965194

Effect of Providing Information on Students' Knowledge and Concerns about Hydraulic Fracking.

PubMed

Burger, Joanna; Nakata, Kimi; Liang, Laura; Pittfield, Taryn; Jeitner, Christian

2015-01-01

Governmental agencies, regulators, health professionals, and the public are faced with understanding and responding to new development practices and conditions in their local and regional environment. While hydraulic fracking (fracking) for shale gas has been practiced for over 50 years in some states, it is a relatively recent event in the northeastern United States. Providing environmental health information to the public about fracking requires understanding both the knowledge base and the perceptions of the public. The knowledge, perceptions, and concerns of college students about fracking were examined. Students were interviewed at Rutgers University in New Jersey, a state without any fracking, although fracking occurs in nearby Pennsylvania. Objectives were to determine (1) knowledge about fracking, (2) rating of concerns, (3) trusted information sources, (4) importance of fracking relative to other energy sources, and (5) the effect of a 15-min lecture and discussion on these aspects. On the second survey, students improved on their knowledge (except the components used for fracking), and their ratings changed for some concerns, perceived benefits, and trusted information sources. There was no change in support for further development of natural gas, but support for solar, wind, and wave energy decreased. Data suggest that students' knowledge and perceptions change with exposure to information, but many of these changes were due to students using the Internet to look up information immediately after the initial survey and lecture. Class discussions indicated a general lack of trust for several information sources available on the Web.

Contribution of adaptive thermogenesis to the hypothalamic regulation of energy balance.

PubMed

Lage, Ricardo; Fernø, Johan; Nogueiras, Rubén; Diéguez, Carlos; López, Miguel

2016-11-15

Obesity and its related disorders are among the most pervasive diseases in contemporary societies, and there is an urgent need for new therapies and preventive approaches. Given (i) our poor social capacity to correct unhealthy habits, and (ii) our evolutionarily genetic predisposition to store excess energy as fat, the current environment of caloric surplus makes the treatment of obesity extremely difficult. During the last few decades, an increasing number of methodological approaches have increased our knowledge of the neuroanatomical basis of the control of energy balance. Compelling evidence underlines the role of the hypothalamus as a homeostatic integrator of metabolic information and its ability to adjust energy balance. A greater understanding of the neural basis of the hypothalamic regulation of energy balance might indeed pave the way for new therapeutic targets. In this regard, it has been shown that several important peripheral signals, such as leptin, thyroid hormones, oestrogens and bone morphogenetic protein 8B, converge on common energy sensors, such as AMP-activated protein kinase to modulate sympathetic tone on brown adipose tissue. This knowledge may open new ways to counteract the chronic imbalance underlying obesity. Here, we review the current state of the art on the role of hypothalamus in the regulation of energy balance with particular focus on thermogenesis. © 2016 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

Fuzzy Linguistic Knowledge Based Behavior Extraction for Building Energy Management Systems

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

Dumidu Wijayasekara; Milos Manic

2013-08-01

Significant portion of world energy production is consumed by building Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) units. Thus along with occupant comfort, energy efficiency is also an important factor in HVAC control. Modern buildings use advanced Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) control schemes to realize these goals. However, since the performance of HVAC units is dependent on many criteria including uncertainties in weather, number of occupants, and thermal state, the performance of current state of the art systems are sub-optimal. Furthermore, because of the large number of sensors in buildings, and the high frequency of data collection, large amount ofmore » information is available. Therefore, important behavior of buildings that compromise energy efficiency or occupant comfort is difficult to identify. This paper presents an easy to use and understandable framework for identifying such behavior. The presented framework uses human understandable knowledge-base to extract important behavior of buildings and present it to users via a graphical user interface. The presented framework was tested on a building in the Pacific Northwest and was shown to be able to identify important behavior that relates to energy efficiency and occupant comfort.« less

Offshore Wind Energy Systems Engineering Curriculum Development

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

McGowan, Jon G.; Manwell, James F.; Lackner, Matthew A.

2012-12-31

Utility-scale electricity produced from offshore wind farms has the potential to contribute significantly to the energy production of the United States. In order for the U.S. to rapidly develop these abundant resources, knowledgeable scientists and engineers with sound understanding of offshore wind energy systems are critical. This report summarizes the development of an upper-level engineering course in "Offshore Wind Energy Systems Engineering." This course is designed to provide students with a comprehensive knowledge of both the technical challenges of offshore wind energy and the practical regulatory, permitting, and planning aspects of developing offshore wind farms in the U.S. This coursemore » was offered on a pilot basis in 2011 at the University of Massachusetts and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), TU Delft, and GL Garrad Hassan have reviewed its content. As summarized in this report, the course consists of 17 separate topic areas emphasizing appropriate engineering fundamentals as well as development, planning, and regulatory issues. In addition to the course summary, the report gives the details of a public Internet site where references and related course material can be obtained. This course will fill a pressing need for the education and training of the U.S. workforce in this critically important area. Fundamentally, this course will be unique due to two attributes: an emphasis on the engineering and technical aspects of offshore wind energy systems, and a focus on offshore wind energy issues specific to the United States.« less

Using Sustainable Development as a Competitive Strategy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spearman, Pat

Sustainable development reduces construction waste by 43%, generating 50% cost savings. Residential construction executives lacking adequate knowledge regarding the benefits of sustainable development practices are at a competitive disadvantage. Drawing from the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore knowledge acquisition within the bounds of sustainable residential construction. The purposive sample size of 11 executive decision makers fulfilled the sample size requirements and enabled the extraction of meaningful data. Participants were members of the National Home Builders Association and had experience of a minimum of 5 years in residential construction. The research question addressed how to improve knowledge acquisition relating to the cost benefits of building green homes and increase the adoption rate of sustainable development among residential builders. Data were collected via semistructured telephone interviews, field observation, and document analysis. Transcribed data were validated via respondent validation, coded into 5 initial categories aligned to the focus of the research, then reduced to 3 interlocking themes of environment, competitive advantage, and marketing. Recommendations include developing comprehensive public policies, horizontal and vertical communications networks, and green banks to capitalize sustainable development programs to improve the diffusion of green innovation as a competitive advantage strategy. Business leaders could benefit from this data by integrating sustainable development practices into their business processes. Sustainable development reduces operational costs, increases competitive advantage for builders, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Implications for social change increase energy independence through conservation and developing a legislative policy template for comprehensive energy strategies. A comprehensive energy strategy promotes economic development, technological gains in all business sectors within the energy industry, and reduces energy costs for consumers.

Haselden/RNL - Research Support Facility Documentary

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

Haselden, Byron; Baker, Jeff; Glover, Bill

2010-06-10

The US Department of Energy's (DOE) Research Support Facility (RSF) on the campus of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is positioned to be one of the most energy efficient buildings in the world. It will demonstrate NREL's role in moving advanced technologies and transferring knowledge into commercial applications. Because 19 percent of the country's energy is used by commercial buildings, DOE plans to make this facility a showcase for energy efficiency. DOE hopes the design of the RSF will be replicated by the building industry and help reduce the nation's energy consumption by changing the way commercial buildings are designedmore » and built.« less

Universal Features of Metastable State Energies in Cellular Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sangwoo; Wang, Yiliang; Hilgenfeldt, Sascha

2018-06-01

Mechanical equilibrium states of cellular matter are overwhelmingly metastable and separated from each other by topology changes. Using theory and simulations, it is shown that for a wide class of energy functionals in 2D, including those describing tissue cell layers, local energy differences between neighboring metastable states as well as global energy differences between initial states and ground states are governed by simple, universal relations. Knowledge of instantaneous length of an edge undergoing a T 1 transition is sufficient to predict local energy changes, while the initial edge length distribution yields a successful prediction for the global energy difference. An analytical understanding of the model parameters is provided.

The largest renewable, easily exploitable, and economically sustainable energy resource

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbate, Giancarlo; Saraceno, Eugenio

2018-02-01

Sun, the ultimate energy resource of our planet, transfers energy to the Earth at an average power of 23,000 TW. Earth surface can be regarded as a huge panel transforming solar energy into a more convenient mechanical form, the wind. Since millennia wind is recognized as an exploitable form of energy and it is common knowledge that the higher you go, the stronger the winds flow. To go high is difficult; however Bill Gates cites high wind among possible energy miracles in the near future. Public awareness of this possible miracle is still missing, but today's technology is ready for it.

Encoded physics knowledge in checking codes for nuclear cross section libraries at Los Alamos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parsons, D. Kent

2017-09-01

Checking procedures for processed nuclear data at Los Alamos are described. Both continuous energy and multi-group nuclear data are verified by locally developed checking codes which use basic physics knowledge and common-sense rules. A list of nuclear data problems which have been identified with help of these checking codes is also given.

A Cognitive Agent for Spectrum Monitoring and Informed Spectrum Access

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

electromagnetic environments (EMEs) to understand what spectrum bands are accessed, when those bands are accessed, and how much energy is...recall. The cognitive agent in this report uses the second approach. The knowledge domain of the cognitive agent is the electromagnetic spectrum. The...Knowledge DTV digital television EME electromagnetic environments FM frequency modulated RF radio frequency VHF very high frequency

Higher Order Thinking in an Online World: Toward a Theory of Web-Mediated Knowledge Synthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeSchryver, Michael

2014-01-01

Background/Context: The rapid pace of technological change, undergirded by near ubiquitous access to the web, is producing a new learning ecology--a new ecology of information, of knowledge, of reading, of teaching, and of thinking. This instant availability of digital resources frees both time and cognitive energy that may be used to facilitate…

From Instructional Systems Design to Managing the Life Cycle of Knowledge in Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salisbury, Mark

2008-01-01

This article describes a framework for managing the life cycle of knowledge in organizations. The framework emerges from years of work with the laboratories and facilities that are under the direction of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The article begins by describing the instructional systems design (ISD) process and how it is used to…

THE WIND ENERGY RESEARCH PROGRAM (WERP): DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A WIND TURBINE TO FACILITATE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH IN SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES

EPA Science Inventory

The United States currently generates a majority of its electrical power from finite natural resources: an unsustainable practice. The Wind Energy Research Program (WERP) seeks to expand knowledge and awareness of wind power while further decreasing the cost of implem...

Potential for Knowledge in Action? An Analysis of Korean Green Energy Related K3-12 Curriculum and Texts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gress, Douglas R.; Shin, Jungyeop

2017-01-01

While understanding green energy development and what drives it are important, there is increasing consensus that sustainability transitions concerning usage need to be viewed in terms of the place specific contexts, including education, that critically mold them. In order to "support" sustainability transitions, information and…

The Energy Crisis in the Public Schools; Alternative Solutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grossbach, Wilmar; Shaffer, William

One hundred and eighty school personnel held a workshop with representatives of the petroleum, natural gas, and electrical power industries. The objectives of the workshop were (1) to provide participants with a common body of knowledge and a common understanding of the energy crisis and its implications for the public schools, (2) to delineate…

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

Singledecker, Amalia

Lockout/tagout (LO/TO) is used to disable machinery or equipment and to control potentially hazardous energy while service or maintenance is being performed. This course is designed to introduce trainees to the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) procedure for the lockout and tagout of hazardous energy. Trainees will apply their knowledge in two exercises located at the end of the course manual.

Solar Village--Educational Initiative for Kids.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hugerat, Muhamad; Ilyian, Salman; Toren, Zehava; Anabosi, Fawzi

2003-01-01

Explains a model of a solar village in the context of the school which does not contribute to air pollution by using only solar energy. Suggests that pupils would be active participants in building systems and understanding the contact between the knowledge of the basic science of solar energy and the technology processes in daily life.…

Energy Conservation in Our Schools--A Practical Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewin, C. Edwin; Racich, Matthew J.

A practical approach designed to reduce energy waste by schools is to improve the knowledge and upgrade the skills of school building custodians. This paper discusses an operation and maintenance training program for custodians developed by the Will County (Illinois) educational service region. The major parts of the program consist of skill…

Large aspheric optics for high-power, high-energy laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geyl, Roland; Houbre, Francois

2001-12-01

SAGEM, within its REOSC high performance optics product line, has developed through the years a specific knowledge in large plano, spherical and aspherical optics for high energy or high power laser. This paper is aimed to illustrate the application of aspheric optics for such laser application with several examples of increasing optical surface complexity.

Data Products | Energy Analysis | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Project Finance Provides information on the Solar Access to Public Capital working group, Market Insights in the NSRDB Viewer. Open EI (Open Energy Information) OpenEI is a knowledge sharing online community efficiency. The Open PV Project A collaborative effort between government, industry, and the public to

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

Formaggio, J. A.; Zeller, G. P.

Since its original postulation by Wolfgang Pauli in 1930, the neutrino has played a prominent role in our understanding of nuclear and particle physics. In the intervening 80 years, scientists have detected and measured neutrinos from a variety of sources, both man-made and natural. Underlying all of these observations, and any inferences we may have made from them, is an understanding of how neutrinos interact with matter. Knowledge of neutrino interaction cross sections is an important and necessary ingredient in any neutrino measurement. With the advent of new precision experiments, the demands on our understanding of neutrino interactions is becomingmore » even greater. The purpose of this article is to survey our current knowledge of neutrino cross sections across all known energy scales: from the very lowest energies to the highest that we hope to observe. The article covers a wide range of neutrino interactions including coherent scattering, neutrino capture, inverse beta decay, low energy nuclear interactions, quasi-elastic scattering, resonant pion production, kaon production, deep inelastic scattering and ultra-high energy interactions. Strong emphasis is placed on experimental data whenever such measurements are available.« less

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

Gibson-Grant, Amy

Postwave tracking study for the Energy Efficiency Adult Campaign This study serves as measure of key metrics among the campaign’s target audience, homeowners age 25+. Key measures include: Awareness of messages relating to the broad issue; Recognition of the PSAs; Relevant attitudes, including interest, ease of taking energy efficient steps, and likelihood to act; Relevant knowledge, including knowledge of light bulb alternatives and energy efficient options; and Relevant behaviors, including specific energy-saving behaviors mentioned within the PSAs. Wave 1: May 27 – June 7, 2011 Wave 2: May 29 – June 8, 2012 Wave 3: May 29 – June 19,more » 2014 General market sample of adults 25+ who own their homes W1 sample: n = 704; W2: n=701; W3: n=806 Online Survey Panel Methodology Study was fielded by Lightspeed Research among their survey panel. Sample is US Census representative of US homeowners by race/ethnicity, income, age, region, and family status. At least 30% of respondents were required to have not updated major appliances in their home in the past 5 years (dishwasher, stove, refrigerator, washer, or dryer).« less

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

Sharp, M. Keith; Barnett, Russell

The objective of this project is to promote awareness and knowledge of active solar energy technologies by installing and monitoring the following demonstration systems in Kentucky: 1) Pool heating system, Churchill Park School, 2) Water heating and daylighting systems, Middletown and Aiken Road Elementary Schools, 3) Photovoltaic street light comparison, Louisville Metro, 4) up to 25 domestic water heating systems across Kentucky. These tasks will be supported by outreach activities, including a solar energy installer training workshop and a Kentucky Solar Energy Conference.

Wind for Schools Affiliate Programs: Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program (Fact Sheet)

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

Not Available

2009-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) Wind for Schools program is designed to raise awareness about the benefits of wind energy while simultaneously developing a wind energy knowledge base in future leaders of our communities, states, and nation. To accommodate the many stakeholders who are interested in the program, a Wind for Schools affiliate program has been implemented. This document describes the affiliate program and how interested schools may participate.

Boyd and the Past: A Look at the Utility of Ancient History in the Development of Modern Theories of Warfare

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-23

and his knowledge on how people make decisions, Boyd put together his magnum opus, a massive deck of acetate slides called “Patterns of Conflict” which...guided marathon briefings on his theories. Additionally, combining his study of history with his knowledge of energy management in air-to-air...sources of Boyd’s knowledge .13 As a result, there is a need to look critically at Boyd’s use of history in the development of his theories. There is

Menu labeling implementation in dine-in restaurants: the Public's knowledge, attitude and practices.

PubMed

Radwan, Hadia; Faroukh, Eman M; Obaid, Reyad Shaker

2017-01-01

The practice of menu labeling is gaining popularity worldwide as a potential policy to reduce energy intake as a means to decrease the prevalence of obesity. So the purpose of the present study is to identify the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of adults regarding the implementation of menu labeling in dine-in restaurants. A cross sectional survey included 2020 male or female adults (aged ≥ 18 years old) participants was collected from two cities in the United Arab Emirates(UAE). The participants filled a validated questionnaire in public places in two cities. A chi-squared test was conducted to compare responses for differences in proportions. Most participants were knowledgeable about energy requirements for moderately active men (60%) and women (59%), but underestimated energy requirements for inactive adults (34%). The majority of the respondents favored the requirement to post calorie information on menus of dine-in restaurants at the point of purchase (76%). About half the respondents (48%) were more likely to visit restaurants with labeled menus. The results from this study may form the basis for future strategies in mandating calorie labeling of restaurant menu items in UAE. Menu labeling may be a useful policy tool for promoting appropriate caloric consumption.

ISPE: A knowledge-based system for fluidization studies. 1990 Annual report

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

Reddy, S.

1991-01-01

Chemical engineers use mathematical simulators to design, model, optimize and refine various engineering plants/processes. This procedure requires the following steps: (1) preparation of an input data file according to the format required by the target simulator; (2) excecuting the simulation; and (3) analyzing the results of the simulation to determine if all ``specified goals`` are satisfied. If the goals are not met, the input data file must be modified and the simulation repeated. This multistep process is continued until satisfactory results are obtained. This research was undertaken to develop a knowledge based system, IPSE (Intelligent Process Simulation Environment), that canmore » enhance the productivity of chemical engineers/modelers by serving as an intelligent assistant to perform a variety tasks related to process simulation. ASPEN, a widely used simulator by the US Department of Energy (DOE) at Morgantown Energy Technology Center (METC) was selected as the target process simulator in the project. IPSE, written in the C language, was developed using a number of knowledge-based programming paradigms: object-oriented knowledge representation that uses inheritance and methods, rulebased inferencing (includes processing and propagation of probabilistic information) and data-driven programming using demons. It was implemented using the knowledge based environment LASER. The relationship of IPSE with the user, ASPEN, LASER and the C language is shown in Figure 1.« less

The CROPROTECT project and wider opportunities to improve farm productivity through web-based knowledge exchange.

PubMed

Bruce, Toby J A

2016-05-01

A key global 21st century challenge is to maximize agricultural production while minimizing use of resources such as land, water, and energy to meet rising demand for produce. To meet this challenge, while also adapting to climate change, agriculture will have to become more knowledge intensive and deploy smarter farming techniques. The intention of this study was to: (1) Highlight the opportunity for web-based knowledge exchange to increase farm productivity and thus contribute to achieving food and energy security, (2) Give some examples of online farming information services such as the "CROPROTECT" tool I am developing in the UK, the CABI "Plantwise" Knowledge Bank and the IRRI "Rice Doctor," and (3) Consider lessons learnt so far. There are huge opportunities to facilitate knowledge exchange through online systems for farmers and people who advise farmers. CROPROTECT is interacting with users to determine priorities in terms of the pests, weeds, and diseases covered and is providing key information to assist with their management. Knowledge is a critical input for farming systems. Crop protection in particular is becoming more difficult due to evolution of pest resistance and changes in legislation. Up to date information can be made rapidly available and shared online through websites and smartphone Apps. Agricultural extension no longer relies solely on physical meetings and printed documents. The capacity to share information via the Internet is tremendous with its potential to reach a wide audience in the farming community, to provide rapid updates and to interact more with the users. However, in an era of information deluge, accessing relevant information and ensuring reliability are essential considerations. There is also a need to bring science and farming communities together to turn information into relevant farming knowledge.

Influence of knowledge and beliefs on consumption of performance enhancing agents in north-western Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Al, Omar Mansour; Elshatarat, Rami Azmi

2017-01-01

Consumption of performance enhancing agents (PEAs) has a wide range of negative health consequences, but knowledge of these consequences among gym users of PEAs in Saudi Arabia is not well understood. Identify the knowledge, awareness, beliefs and attitudes of gym users about negative health consequences of using PEAs, and the relationship between these factors and use of these agents. Cross-sectional study. Five gyms in Madinah city, Saudi Arabia. Convenience sampling was used to recruit gym users. An electronic self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Level of knowledge about the negative health consequences of PEAs among gym users. About 70% of 316 participants had used one or more of PEAs over the last six months. Of those, about 68.4% used protein powder supplements and 48.1% used energy drinks. Participants who believed that protein powder supplements (c2=52.3, P < .01) and energy drinks (c2=35.2, P < .01) had health hazards used these agents less often than others during the six months preceding data collection. Participants who had less knowledge about the negative health consequences were more likely to use protein powder supplement (t=2.38, P=.018). On the other hand, those who were more knowledgeable about the negative health consequences of insulin, were more likely to use insulin (t=2.45, P=.015). Misuse of PEAs is widespread among gym users in Saudi Arabia. Improving the level of knowledge and awareness of possible serious health consequences would hopefully lead to reduced PEA consumption. The temporal sequence of cause and effect could not be determined in a cross sectional study. Convenience sampling in a single city limited the generalizability of the findings to all regions of Saudi Arabia.

D and D Knowledge Management Information Tool - 2012 - 12106

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

Upadhyay, H.; Lagos, L.; Quintero, W.

2012-07-01

Deactivation and decommissioning (D and D) work is a high priority activity across the Department of Energy (DOE) complex. Subject matter specialists (SMS) associated with the different ALARA (As-Low-As-Reasonably-Achievable) Centers, DOE sites, Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG) and the D and D community have gained extensive knowledge and experience over the years in the cleanup of the legacy waste from the Manhattan Project. To prevent the D and D knowledge and expertise from being lost over time from the evolving and aging workforce, DOE and the Applied Research Center (ARC) at Florida International University (FIU) proposed to capture and maintainmore » this valuable information in a universally available and easily usable system. D and D KM-IT provides single point access to all D and D related activities through its knowledge base. It is a community driven system. D and D KM-IT makes D and D knowledge available to the people who need it at the time they need it and in a readily usable format. It uses the World Wide Web as the primary source for content in addition to information collected from subject matter specialists and the D and D community. It brings information in real time through web based custom search processes and its dynamic knowledge repository. Future developments include developing a document library, providing D and D information access on mobile devices for the Technology module and Hotline, and coordinating multiple subject matter specialists to support the Hotline. The goal is to deploy a high-end sophisticated and secured system to serve as a single large knowledge base for all the D and D activities. The system consolidates a large amount of information available on the web and presents it to users in the simplest way possible. (authors)« less

SU-E-T-332: Dosimetric Impact of Photon Energy and Treatment Technique When Knowledge Based Auto-Planning Is Implemented in Radiotherapy of Localized Prostate Cancer

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

Liu, Z; Kennedy, A; Larsen, E

2015-06-15

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the dosimetric impact of the combination of photon energy and treatment technique on radiotherapy of localized prostate cancer when knowledge based planning was used. Methods: A total of 16 patients with localized prostate cancer were retrospectively retrieved from database and used for this study. For each patient, four types of treatment plans with different combinations of photon energy (6X and 10X) and treatment techniques (7-field IMRT and 2-arc VMAT) were created using a prostate DVH estimation model in RapidPlan™ and Eclipse treatment planning system (Varian Medical System). For any beam arrangement,more » DVH objectives and weighting priorities were generated based on the geometric relationship between the OAR and PTV. Photon optimization algorithm was used for plan optimization and AAA algorithm was used for final dose calculation. Plans were evaluated in terms of the pre-defined dosimetric endpoints for PTV, rectum, bladder, penile bulb, and femur heads. A Student’s paired t-test was used for statistical analysis and p > 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: For PTV, V95 was statistically similar among all four types of plans, though the mean dose of 10X plans was higher than that of 6X plans. VMAT plans showed higher heterogeneity index than IMRT plans. No statistically significant difference in dosimetry metrics was observed for rectum, bladder, and penile bulb among plan types. For left and right femur, VMAT plans had a higher mean dose than IMRT plans regardless of photon energy, whereas the maximum dose was similar. Conclusion: Overall, the dosimetric endpoints were similar regardless of photon energy and treatment techniques when knowledge based auto planning was used. Given the similarity in dosimetry metrics of rectum, bladder, and penile bulb, the genitourinary and gastrointestinal toxicities should be comparable among the selections of photon energy and treatment techniques.« less

Size reduction of submicron magnesium particles prepared by pulsed wire discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duy Hieu, Nguyen; Tokoi, Yoshinori; Tanaka, Kenta; Sasaki, Toru; Suzuki, Tsuneo; Nakayama, Tadachika; Suematsu, Hisayuki; Niihara, Koichi

2018-02-01

In this study, the submicron magnesium particle size was reduced by adjusting ambient gas pressure and input energy. The mean diameter of the prepared particles was determined from transmission electron microscopy images. The geometric mean particle diameter decreased with increasing relative energy, which was defined as the charging energy divided by the evaporation energy of a wire. By this method, Mg particles with a geometric mean diameter of 41.9 nm were prepared. To our knowledge, they are the smallest passivated Mg particles prepared by any method.

Co-existence of Fisheries and Marine Renewable Energy: The Spotlight on Fishers and Fishers' Knowledge (FK)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, M. S.; Ashley, M.; De Groot, J.; Rodwell, L.

2016-02-01

As an emerging industry, Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) is expected to play a major contributory role if the UK is to successfully reach it's desired target of renewable energy production by 2020. However, due to the competing objectives and priorities of MRE and other industries, for example fisheries, and in the delivering of conservation measures, the demand for space within our marine landscape is increasing, and interactions are inevitable. A semi structured interview was conducted with forty fishers across the UK to elicit further information on the challenges, barriers to progress and priority issues these fishers face in relation to MRE development. The questionnaire also included a fisher assessment of the mitigation agenda developed by de Groot et al. (2014) under the Natural Environment Research Council Marine Renewable Energy Knowledge Exchange Programme ( NERC MREKEP). Qualitative data were extracted and analysed using the text analysis software NVivo8. Fishers identified barriers to progress, and in order of the most important themes included; policy, consultation, trust, lack of knowledge, true representation of all fishers, science vs. fisher observation mismatch and timescales. Priority issues identified in order of importance were; displacement or loss of access, cable disturbance, timings of installation/repairs, effects on the seabed and specifically offshore windfarm (OWF) sitting. The consultation process caused discontent among all fishers interviewed. In relation to working towards a collaborative mitigation agenda, fishers highlighted issues of trust in relation to; trans-boundary management, data management and the consultation process. At all stages of the research, the response rate of the importance of gathering fishers' knowledge (FK) was high. Fishers underlined the importance of this data source in assessing the impacts of MRE on the sectors of the UK fleet. Thus, although at an early stage of development, an initial framework for the collection and application of FK is presented and further work on data needs highlighted.

Nature of Science and Science Content Learning. The Relation Between Students' Nature of Science Understanding and Their Learning About the Concept of Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michel, Hanno; Neumann, Irene

2016-12-01

Besides viewing knowledge about the nature of science (NOS) as important for its own value with respect to scientific literacy, an adequate understanding of NOS is expected to improve science content learning by fostering the ability to interrelate scientific concepts and, thus, coherently acquire scientific content knowledge. However, there is a lack of systematic investigations, which clarify the relations between NOS and science content learning. In this paper, we present the results of a study, conducted to investigate how NOS understanding relates to students' acquisition of a proper understanding of the concept of energy. A total of 82 sixth and seventh grade students received an instructional unit on energy, with 41 of them receiving generic NOS instruction beforehand. This NOS instruction, however, did not result in students having higher scores on the NOS instrument. Thus, correlational analyses were performed to investigate how students' NOS understanding prior to the energy unit related to their learning about science content. Results show that a more adequate understanding of NOS might relate to students' perspective on the concept of energy and might support them in understanding the nature of energy as a theoretical concept. Students with higher NOS understanding, for example, seemed to be more capable of learning how to relate the different energy forms to each other and to justify why they can be subsumed under the term of energy. Further, we found that NOS understanding may also be related to students' approach toward energy degradation—a concept that can be difficult for students to master—while it does not seem to have a substantive impact on students' learning gain regarding energy forms, transformation, or conservation.

The Westernization of Arab Pedagogies: Abu Dhabi Attempts to Move towards a Knowledge Economy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chrystall, Steve

2014-01-01

As the oil reserves in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are forecast to become depleted over the next 50 to 150 years, the emirate of Abu Dhabi has set a vision to develop a knowledge economy in order to develop alternative sources of revenue in areas such as tourism, alternative energy and innovative business enterprises. Reformation of its…

Nature of Science and Science Content Learning: The Relation between Students' Nature of Science Understanding and Their Learning about the Concept of Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michel, Hanno; Neumann, Irene

2016-01-01

Besides viewing knowledge about the nature of science (NOS) as important for its own value with respect to scientific literacy, an adequate understanding of NOS is expected to improve science content learning by fostering the ability to interrelate scientific concepts and, thus, coherently acquire scientific content knowledge. However, there is a…

Materials Requirements for Advanced Energy Systems - New Fuels. Volume 3: Materials Research Needs in Advanced Energy Systems Using New Fuels

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-07-01

elec- Materials se: trode materials and associ- operational ated conductors. 2.5.1 General. H" (02) Materials resources Technoeconomic analysis - None...Advanced Energy Systems Using New Fnels VIII Correlation and Analysis of Materials Requirements IX Research Recommendations and Priorities The authois...of government and industrial organizal ions who gave us the benefit of their knowledge and experience. iv VIII CORRELATION ANU ANALYSIS OF MATERIALS

School and the nuclear energy problems: Preliminary analysis of a questionnaire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conforto, A. M.; Danusso, L.; Signorini, C.

1986-11-01

The feelings of Italian secondary school and university students toward the utilization of nuclear energy were explored, questioning 600 students aged 16 to 24. The study was carried on in 85/86, that is before the Chernobyl accident. The results show a relatively low level of knowledge about natural and radiation phenomena, and a weak correlation between atomic war possibility which is feared, and the attitude towards the pacific uses of atomic energy.

Evaluation of a school-based diabetes education intervention, an extension of Program ENERGY

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conner, Matthew David

Background: The prevalence of both obesity and type 2 diabetes in the United States has increased over the past two decades and rates remain high. The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics estimates that 36% of adults and 17% of children and adolescents in the US are obese (CDC Adult Obesity, CDC Childhood Obesity). Being overweight or obese greatly increases one's risk of developing several chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. Approximately 8% of adults in the US have diabetes, type 2 diabetes accounts for 90-95% of these cases. Type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents is still rare, however clinical reports suggest an increase in the frequency of diagnosis (CDC Diabetes Fact Sheet, 2011). Results from the Diabetes Prevention Program show that the incidence of type 2 diabetes can be reduced through the adoption of a healthier lifestyle among high-risk individuals (DPP, 2002). Objectives: This classroom-based intervention included scientific coverage of energy balance, diabetes, diabetes prevention strategies, and diabetes management. Coverage of diabetes management topics were included in lesson content to further the students' understanding of the disease. Measurable short-term goals of the intervention included increases in: general diabetes knowledge, diabetes management knowledge, and awareness of type 2 diabetes prevention strategies. Methods: A total of 66 sixth grade students at Tavelli Elementary School in Fort Collins, CO completed the intervention. The program consisted of nine classroom-based lessons; students participated in one lesson every two weeks. The lessons were delivered from November of 2005 to May of 2006. Each bi-weekly lesson included a presentation and interactive group activities. Participants completed two diabetes knowledge questionnaires at baseline and post intervention. A diabetes survey developed by Program ENERGY measured general diabetes knowledge and awareness of type 2 diabetes prevention strategies. The second questionnaire, adapted from a survey developed for the Starr County Diabetes Education Study (Garcia et al, 2001), measured general diabetes and diabetes management knowledge. A comparison group, a total of 19 students, also completed both surveys during the study period. Results: Significant increases (p<0.05) were seen in the post-intervention study group in general diabetes knowledge, diabetes management knowledge, and awareness of diabetes prevention strategies, when compared to the baseline study group and comparison group.

Geothermal projects funded under the NER 300 programme - current state of development and knowledge gained

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shortall, Ruth; Uihlein, Andreas

2017-04-01

Introduction The NER 300 programme, managed by the European Commission is one of the largest funding programmes for innovative low-carbon energy demonstration projects. NER 300 is so called because it is funded from the sale of 300 million emission allowances from the new entrants' reserve (NER) set up for the third phase of the EU emissions trading system (ETS). The programme aims to successfully demonstrate environmentally safe carbon capture and storage (CCS) and innovative renewable energy (RES) technologies on a commercial scale with a view to scaling up production of low-carbon technologies in the EU. Consequently, it supports a wide range of CCS and RES technologies (bioenergy, concentrated solar power, photovoltaics, geothermal, wind, ocean, hydropower, and smart grids). Funded projects and the role of geothermal projects for the programme In total, about EUR 2.1 billion have been awarded through the programme's 2 calls for proposals (the first awarded in December 2012, the second in July 2014). The programme has awarded around EUR 70 million funding to 3 geothermal projects in Hungary, Croatia and France. The Croatian geothermal project will enter into operation during 2017 the Hungarian in 2018, and the French in 2020. Knowledge Sharing Knowledge sharing requirements are built into the legal basis of the programme as a critical tool to lower risks in bridging the transition to large-scale production of innovative renewable energy and CCS deployment. Projects have to submit annually to the European Commission relevant knowledge gained during that year in the implementation of their project. The relevant knowledge is aggregated and disseminated by the European Commission to industry, research, government, NGO and other interest groups and associations in order to provide a better understanding of the practical challenges that arise in the important step of scaling up technologies and operating them at commercial scale. The knowledge sharing of the NER 300 programme should lead to better planning and faster introduction of low carbon technologies in the future. Content of the presentation The presentation will introduce the geothermal projects that have been awarded funding (see Annex), including their state-of-play. Insights and knowledge gained from the projects that have entered into operation will be shown and discussed. Furthermore, the presentation will provide an overview of the NER 300 programme.

Physical Activity Energy Expenditure in Dutch Adolescents: Contribution of Active Transport to School, Physical Education, and Leisure Time Activities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slingerland, Menno; Borghouts, Lars B.; Hesselink, Matthijs K. C.

2012-01-01

Background: Detailed knowledge about physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) can guide the development of school interventions aimed at reducing overweight in adolescents. However, relevant components of PAEE have never been objectively quantified in this population. This study investigated the contribution of active transport to and from…

Regulation of Oil Biosynthesis in Algae

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-06

renewed interest in microalgae as potential feed stock for renewable fuels including high energy density aviation fuels. Microalgae accumulate large...mechanisms of TAG accumulation relevant to other microalgae and perhaps dedicated biofuel crop plants. Knowledge and understanding of algal model systems...energy density liquid fuels. Long Term Objectives. Under permissive conditions, i.e. nutrient deprivation, many microalgae accumulate oils (TAGs

Cognitively Central Actors and Their Personal Networks in an Energy Efficiency Training Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hytönen, Kaisa; Palonen, Tuire; Hakkarainen, Kai

2014-01-01

This article aims to examine cognitively central actors and their personal networks in the emerging field of energy efficiency. Cognitively central actors are frequently sought for professional advice by other actors and, therefore, they are positioned in the middle of a social network. They often are important knowledge resources, especially in…

An Introduction to Equilibrium Thermodynamics. A Rational Approach to Its Teaching. Part 2: Internal Energy, Entropy, and Temperature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Donald F.; Glasser, David

1991-01-01

An approach that may be used to introduce the fundamental ideas of thermodynamics using a mathematical background with the knowledge of the behavior of matter is described. The physical background, conservation of energy, predicting the behavior of a system, and solving problems are topics of discussion. (KR)

10 CFR 745.120 - Evaluation and disposition of applications and proposals for research to be conducted or...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY PROTECTION OF HUMAN SUBJECTS § 745.120 Evaluation and disposition of... will take into consideration the risks to the subjects, the adequacy of protection against these risks, the potential benefits of the research to the subjects and others, and the importance of the knowledge...

The Exploration-Exploitation Dilemma: A Multidisciplinary Framework

PubMed Central

Berger-Tal, Oded; Meron, Ehud; Saltz, David

2014-01-01

The trade-off between the need to obtain new knowledge and the need to use that knowledge to improve performance is one of the most basic trade-offs in nature, and optimal performance usually requires some balance between exploratory and exploitative behaviors. Researchers in many disciplines have been searching for the optimal solution to this dilemma. Here we present a novel model in which the exploration strategy itself is dynamic and varies with time in order to optimize a definite goal, such as the acquisition of energy, money, or prestige. Our model produced four very distinct phases: Knowledge establishment, Knowledge accumulation, Knowledge maintenance, and Knowledge exploitation, giving rise to a multidisciplinary framework that applies equally to humans, animals, and organizations. The framework can be used to explain a multitude of phenomena in various disciplines, such as the movement of animals in novel landscapes, the most efficient resource allocation for a start-up company, or the effects of old age on knowledge acquisition in humans. PMID:24756026

Scientific Benchmarks for Guiding Macromolecular Energy Function Improvement

PubMed Central

Leaver-Fay, Andrew; O’Meara, Matthew J.; Tyka, Mike; Jacak, Ron; Song, Yifan; Kellogg, Elizabeth H.; Thompson, James; Davis, Ian W.; Pache, Roland A.; Lyskov, Sergey; Gray, Jeffrey J.; Kortemme, Tanja; Richardson, Jane S.; Havranek, James J.; Snoeyink, Jack; Baker, David; Kuhlman, Brian

2013-01-01

Accurate energy functions are critical to macromolecular modeling and design. We describe new tools for identifying inaccuracies in energy functions and guiding their improvement, and illustrate the application of these tools to improvement of the Rosetta energy function. The feature analysis tool identifies discrepancies between structures deposited in the PDB and low energy structures generated by Rosetta; these likely arise from inaccuracies in the energy function. The optE tool optimizes the weights on the different components of the energy function by maximizing the recapitulation of a wide range of experimental observations. We use the tools to examine three proposed modifications to the Rosetta energy function: improving the unfolded state energy model (reference energies), using bicubic spline interpolation to generate knowledge based torisonal potentials, and incorporating the recently developed Dunbrack 2010 rotamer library (Shapovalov and Dunbrack, 2011). PMID:23422428

Energy conservation and efficiency in manufacturing: Employee decisions and actions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corson, Marla D.

Energy conservation and intensity reduction efforts are becoming increasingly more prevalent and ultimately necessary, especially for energy-intensive manufacturing companies in particular to stay in business. Typical actions are to change technology, and thus, realize an energy cost savings in overall utilities. However, in today's competitive market, with climate change and other environmental impacts as well, it is necessary for the cost of energy to be valued as a cost of making a product, and thus, managed at the same level as the cost of labor or materials. This research assessed human behavior at the individual and organizational levels both at work and at home that either prompted or prohibited employees from taking daily action to conserve energy or develop greater energy efficient practices. Ultimately, the questions began with questions regarding employee views and knowledge of energy at work and at home and what drives both behaviors toward conservation or efficiency. And, the contribution identifies the key drivers, barriers, and/or incentives that affect those behaviors. The results of this study show that the key driver and motivator for energy conservation both at home and work is cost savings. The study showed that to further motivate individuals to conserve energy at home and work, more knowledge of the impact their actions have or could have as well as tools would be needed. The most poinient aspect of the research was the level of importance placed on energy conservation and the desire to conserve. The feedback given to the open ended questions was quite impressive regarding what employees have done and continue to do particularly within their homes to conserve energy. These findings brought about final recommendations that were in fact not expected but could significantly influence an increase in energy conservation at work by leveraging the existing desire to conserve which is a key component to decision making.

Identifying productive resources in secondary school students' discourse about energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrer, Benedikt

A growing program of research in science education acknowledges the beginnings of disciplinary reasoning in students' ideas and seeks to inform instruction that responds productively to these disciplinary progenitors in the moment to foster their development into sophisticated scientific practice. This dissertation examines secondary school students' ideas about energy for progenitors of disciplinary knowledge and practice. Previously, researchers argued that students' ideas about energy were constrained by stable and coherent conceptual structures that conflicted with an assumed unified scientific conception and therefore needed to be replaced. These researchers did not attend to the productive elements in students' ideas about energy. To analyze the disciplinary substance in students' ideas, a theoretical perspective was developed that extends Hammer and colleagues' resources framework. This elaboration allows for the identification of disciplinary productive resources---i.e., appropriately activated declarative and procedural pieces of knowledge---in individual students' utterances as well as in the interactions of multiple learners engaged in group learning activities. Using this framework, original interview transcripts from one of the most influential studies of students' ideas about energy (Watts, 1983. Some alternative views of energy. Physics Education, 18/5, 213-217) were analyzed. Disciplinary productive resources regarding the ontology of energy, indicators for energy, and mechanistic reasoning about energy were found to be activated by interviewed students. These valuable aspects were not recognized by the original author. An interpretive analysis of video recorded student-centered discourse in rural Maine middle schools was carried out to find cases of resource activation in classroom discussions. Several cases of disciplinary productive resources regarding the nature of energy and its forms as well as the construction of a mechanistic energy story were identified and richly described. Like energy, resources are manifested in various ways. The results of this study imply the necessity of appropriate disciplinary training for teachers that enables them to recognize and productively respond to disciplinary progenitors of the energy concept in students' ideas.

The Nuclear Energy Knowledge and Validation Center Summary of Activities Conducted in FY16

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

Gougar, Hans David

The Nuclear Energy Knowledge and Validation Center (NEKVaC) is a new initiative by the Department of Energy (DOE) and Idaho National Laboratory (INL) to coordinate and focus the resources and expertise that exist with the DOE toward solving issues in modern nuclear code validation and knowledge management. In time, code owners, users, and developers will view the NEKVaC as a partner and essential resource for acquiring the best practices and latest techniques for validating codes, providing guidance in planning and executing experiments, facilitating access to and maximizing the usefulness of existing data, and preserving knowledge for continual use by nuclearmore » professionals and organizations for their own validation needs. The scope of the NEKVaC covers many interrelated activities that will need to be cultivated carefully in the near term and managed properly once the NEKVaC is fully functional. Three areas comprise the principal mission: (1) identify and prioritize projects that extend the field of validation science and its application to modern codes, (2) develop and disseminate best practices and guidelines for high-fidelity multiphysics/multiscale analysis code development and associated experiment design, and (3) define protocols for data acquisition and knowledge preservation and provide a portal for access to databases currently scattered among numerous organizations. These mission areas, while each having a unique focus, are interdependent and complementary. Likewise, all activities supported by the NEKVaC, both near term and long term, must possess elements supporting all three areas. This cross cutting nature is essential to ensuring that activities and supporting personnel do not become “stove piped” (i.e., focused a specific function that the activity itself becomes the objective rather than achieving the larger vision). This report begins with a description of the mission areas; specifically, the role played by each major committee and the types of activities for which they are responsible. It then lists and describes the proposed near term tasks upon which future efforts can build.« less

Knowledge of appropriate foods and beverages needed for weight loss and diet of patients in an Obesity Clinic.

PubMed

Kaufer-Horwitz, M; Villa, M; Pedraza, J; Domínguez-García, J; Vázquez-Velázquez, V; Méndez, J P; García-García, E

2015-01-01

Knowledge does not automatically translate into behaviour change. This study examined the relationship between knowledge of appropriate foods and beverages needed for weight loss and the diet of patients seeking weight management. A cross-sectional study of 104 consecutive first-time patients (55 women and 49 men) seeking weight management, with a mean age of 37.3 ± 11.8 years and a BMI of 44.9 ± 9.4 kg/m(2), was carried out; 67.3% of these patients had a BMI of 40 kg/m(2) or greater. Patients were told to design a detailed weight-loss diet that they would recommend to a person with the same characteristics (recommended diet or RD) as themselves and asked whether the RD was similar to their own. Consumed diet (CD) was assessed by a different dietitian through a 24-h diet recall. Estimated energy requirement (EER), energy content of RD and CD and number of fruit, vegetable, cereal and sweetened-beverage portions were calculated. Statistical differences were assessed through the Pearson's correlation and the Wilcoxon's rank-sum tests. RD and CD were 1104 ± 243 and 1976 ± 708 kcal for women and 1254 ± 287 and 2743 ± 1244 kcal for men, with statistical differences for both genders (P<0.001). Energy content of the RD was lower than the EER in men and women (P<0.001); CD was lower than the EER in women (P=0.033). Number of fruit/vegetable portions was lower in CD than in the RD in women (P<0.001), whereas cereal and sweetened-beverage portions were higher in CD than in the RD in both genders (P<0.001). RD was not followed by 46.1% of the patients. Patients with obesity seeking care have knowledge of the appropriate dietary strategies needed for weight loss, but do not translate it into practice. Treatment approaches should include tools that help patients to implement their nutrition knowledge.

Data Center Energy Practitioner (DCEP) Program

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

Traber, Kim; Salim, Munther; Sartor, Dale A.

2016-02-02

The main objective for the DCEP program is to raise the standards of those involved in energy assessments of data centers to accelerate energy savings. The program is driven by the fact that significant knowledge, training, and skills are required to perform accurate energy assessments. The program will raise the confidence level in energy assessments in data centers. For those who pass the exam, the program will recognize them as Data Center Energy Practitioners (DCEPs) by issuing a certificate. Hardware req.: PC, MAC; Software Req.: Windows; Related/Auxiliary software--MS Office; Type of files: executable modules, user guide; Documentation: e-user manual; Documentation:more » http://www.1.eere.energy.gov/industry/datacenters/ 12/10/15-New Documentation URL: https://datacenters.lbl.gov/dcep« less

Examining the Effect of Enactment of a Geospatial Curriculum on Students' Geospatial Thinking and Reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bodzin, Alec M.; Fu, Qiong; Kulo, Violet; Peffer, Tamara

2014-08-01

A potential method for teaching geospatial thinking and reasoning (GTR) is through geospatially enabled learning technologies. We developed an energy resources geospatial curriculum that included learning activities with geographic information systems and virtual globes. This study investigated how 13 urban middle school teachers implemented and varied the enactment of the curriculum with their students and investigated which teacher- and student-level factors accounted for students' GTR posttest achievement. Data included biweekly implementation surveys from teachers and energy resources content and GTR pre- and posttest achievement measures from 1,049 students. Students significantly increased both their energy resources content knowledge and their GTR skills related to energy resources at the end of the curriculum enactment. Both multiple regression and hierarchical linear modeling found that students' initial GTR abilities and gain in energy content knowledge were significantly explanatory variables for their geospatial achievement at the end of curriculum enactment, p < .001. Teacher enactment factors, including adherence to implementing the critical components of the curriculum or the number of years the teachers had taught the curriculum, did not have significant effects on students' geospatial posttest achievement. The findings from this study provide support that learning with geospatially enabled learning technologies can support GTR with urban middle-level learners.

Measurements and usage of cross sections of various (n,xn) threshold reactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chudoba, P.; Vrzalová, J.; Svoboda, O.; Krása, A.; Kugler, A.; Majerle, M.; Suchopár, M.; Wagner, V.

2017-03-01

Current trend in nuclear reactor physics is a transition from technologies using thermal neutrons to technologies utilizing fast neutrons. Unfortunately focus was put mainly on the thermal neutrons for a long time and lead to very good knowledge about this low energy region, but very scarce coverage of the high energy region. This means that there is a gap in the knowledge of excitation functions for higher energies. This gap spreads from 20 MeV up to 1 GeV and higher. This is exactly the energy region needed for description of advanced nuclear systems such as accelerator driven systems (ADS). Our group from Nuclear Physics Institute (NPI) of the CAS is a member of an international collaboration Energy & Transmutation of Radioactive Waste (E&T RAW). This collaboration focuses on ADS for many years. In order to measure neutron field within ADS models it is necessary to know excitation functions of reactions used to monitor the neutron field. In many cases there are almost no experimental data for suitable reactions. Worse and quite common case is that there are no data at all. Therefore we are also focusing on measurements of these data in order to fill the databases as well as to allow further improvements of codes for nuclear data calculations.

Renewable Energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ditterich, Barbara

2010-05-01

The purpose of this project was to expose middle school students to a variety of alternative energy sources with a variety of practical applications. It was part of an Austria-wide IMST-project (IMST stands for innovation makes students strong). As part of this exposure, several classes of about 80 students visited a number of locations for alternative energy resources, including a hydroelectric site, a biological energy plant, a wind turbine manufacturing plant, a water purification station as well as others others. A short film was made to document the project in order that non-participants in the class could also gain knowledge on alternative energy. The three minute film will be shown at the poster.

Extreme Events and Energy Providers: Science and Innovation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yiou, P.; Vautard, R.

2012-04-01

Most socio-economic regulations related to the resilience to climate extremes, from infrastructure or network design to insurance premiums, are based on a present-day climate with an assumption of stationarity. Climate extremes (heat waves, cold spells, droughts, storms and wind stilling) affect in particular energy production, supply, demand and security in several ways. While national, European or international projects have generated vast amounts of climate projections for the 21st century, their practical use in long-term planning remains limited. Estimating probabilistic diagnostics of energy user relevant variables from those multi-model projections will help the energy sector to elaborate medium to long-term plans, and will allow the assessment of climate risks associated to those plans. The project "Extreme Events for Energy Providers" (E3P) aims at filling a gap between climate science and its practical use in the energy sector and creating in turn favourable conditions for new business opportunities. The value chain ranges from addressing research questions directly related to energy-significant climate extremes to providing innovative tools of information and decision making (including methodologies, best practices and software) and climate science training for the energy sector, with a focus on extreme events. Those tools will integrate the scientific knowledge that is developed by scientific communities, and translate it into a usable probabilistic framework. The project will deliver projection tools assessing the probabilities of future energy-relevant climate extremes at a range of spatial scales varying from pan-European to local scales. The E3P project is funded by the Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC Climate). We will present the mechanisms of interactions between academic partners, SMEs and industrial partners for this project. Those mechanisms are elementary bricks of a climate service.

A NEW QUANTUM MECHANICAL THEORY OF EVOLUTION OF UNIVERSE AND LIFE

PubMed Central

Nigam, M C

1990-01-01

Based upon the principles of ancient science of Life, which admits both consciousness and matter, a new Quantum Mechanical theory of evolution of universe and life is propounded. The theory advocates: Right from the time, the evolution of universe takes place, life also starts evolving energies and ethereal – consciousness (subtler and real) in anti-electrons, as the complimentary partners. The material body acquires electrons for cordoning of atomic nuclei and displaying its manifestation, in the three spatial dimensions in scale of time. The ethereal consciousness acquires anti electrons for gaining necessary energy for superimposing itself over any of the manifested bodies of equivalent electronic energy and deriving the bliss of materialization. The theory is based upon the solid foundation of the ancient science (ethereal consciousness) laid down by the ancient seekers of knowledge like Kapila and Caraka who interpret many of the riddles of modern science on the frontiers of various disciplines of knowledge. PMID:22556513

Basic hydraulic principles of open-channel flow

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jobson, Harvey E.; Froehlich, David C.

1988-01-01

The three basic principles of open-channel-flow analysis--the conservation of mass, energy, and momentum--are derived, explained, and applied to solve problems of open-channel flow. These principles are introduced at a level that can be comprehended by a person with an understanding of the principles of physics and mechanics equivalent to that presented in the first college level course of the subject. The reader is assumed to have a working knowledge of algebra and plane geometry as well as some knowledge of calculus. Once the principles have been derived, a number of example applications are presented that illustrate the computation of flow through culverts and bridges, and over structures, such as dams and weirs. Because resistance to flow is a major obstacle to the successful application of the energy principle to open-channel flow, procedures are outlined for the rational selection of flow resistance coefficients. The principle of specific energy is shown to be useful in the prediction of water-surface profiles both in the qualitative and quantitative sense. (USGS)

An application of data mining in district heating substations for improving energy performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Puning; Zhou, Zhigang; Chen, Xin; Liu, Jing

2017-11-01

Automatic meter reading system is capable of collecting and storing a huge number of district heating (DH) data. However, the data obtained are rarely fully utilized. Data mining is a promising technology to discover potential interesting knowledge from vast data. This paper applies data mining methods to analyse the massive data for improving energy performance of DH substation. The technical approach contains three steps: data selection, cluster analysis and association rule mining (ARM). Two-heating-season data of a substation are used for case study. Cluster analysis identifies six distinct heating patterns based on the primary heat of the substation. ARM reveals that secondary pressure difference and secondary flow rate have a strong correlation. Using the discovered rules, a fault occurring in remote flow meter installed at secondary network is detected accurately. The application demonstrates that data mining techniques can effectively extrapolate potential useful knowledge to better understand substation operation strategies and improve substation energy performance.

Representing energy efficiency diagnosis strategies in cognitive work analysis.

PubMed

Hilliard, Antony; Jamieson, Greg A

2017-03-01

This article describes challenges encountered in applying Jens Rasmussen's Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) framework to the practice of energy efficiency Monitoring & Targeting (M&T). Eight theoretic issues encountered in the analysis are described with respect to Rasmussen's work and the modeling solutions we adopted. We grappled with how to usefully apply Work Domain Analysis (WDA) to analyze categories of domains with secondary purposes and no ideal grain of decomposition. This difficulty encouraged us to pursue Control Task (ConTA) and Strategies (StrA) analysis, which are under-explored as bases for interface design. In ConTA we found M&T was best represented by two interlinked work functions; one controlling energy, the other maintaining knowledge representations. From StrA, we identified a popular representation-dependent strategy and inferred information required to diagnose faults in system performance and knowledge representation. This article presents and discusses excerpts from our analysis, and outlines their application to diagnosis support tools. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pacific Northwest Laboratory annual report for 1991 to the DOE Office of Energy Research

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

Park, J.F.

1992-09-01

This report summarizes progress in OHER biological research and general life sciences research programs conducted conducted at PNL in FLY 1991. The research develops the knowledge and scientific principles necessary to identify, understand, and anticipate the long- term health consequences of energy-related radiation and chemicals. Our continuing emphasis is to decrease the uncertainty of health risk estimates from existing and newly developed energy-related technologies through an increased understanding of the ways in which radiation and chemicals cause biological damage.

Battery Cell Thermal Runaway Calorimeter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Darcy, Eric

2017-01-01

We currently have several methods for determining total energy output of an 18650 lithium ion cell. We do not, however, have a good method for determining the fraction of energy that dissipates via conduction through the cell can vs. the energy that is released in the form of ejecta. Knowledge of this fraction informs the design of our models, battery packs, and storage devices; (a) No longer need to assume cell stays together in modeling (b) Increase efficiency of TR mitigation (c) Shave off excess protection.

The Power of Edutainment: Alliance for Climate Education's Assembly Presentation: Impact on Student Knowledge, Attitude and Behavior

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lappe, M. D.

2011-12-01

The Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) is a national nonprofit that delivers an in-school multi-media assembly presentation to high school students about climate science and solutions. In two years of operation, ACE has reached 870,000 students in over 1400 schools. Throughout spring 2011 and fall 2012, the Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) will survey approximately 2000 high school students in 100 classrooms at 20 schools before and after its assembly to assess impact on knowledge, attitude and behavior related to global warming and climate science. The survey instrument has been designed in partnership with experts at the Yale School of the Environment and Stanford University's Precourt Energy Center. The knowledge section of the survey queries students' factual understanding of basic climate science. The behavior section asks students about basic climate-related habits related to waste, transportation and energy consumption. The attitude section is comprised of a 15-question subset of the national survey reported in Global Warming's Six Americas. Preliminary results from approximately 200 pre and post-presentation surveys suggest that after viewing the ACE Assembly, climate friendly behaviors increase slightly; correct answers to climate knowledge questions increase by 8%; and attitudes shift away from "Disengaged, Doubtful and Dismissive" toward "Alarmed, Concerned and Cautious."

[The history, ingredients and effects of energy drinks].

PubMed

Grósz, Andor; Szatmári, Akos

2008-11-23

The market and the degree of the consumption of energy drinks is increasing every year, but only a few have global knowledge of their ingredients and actual physiological effects. Furthermore, the number of available publications that really go into the details in this topic is also rather poor. After a short historical introduction, this article reviews the contents of energy drinks, lists a few products distributed in Hungary and abroad as a comparison, and provides information on their physical and mental effects on the human body. In the end of the article the authors word the limitations of energy drink consumption.

Wood energy for residential heating in Alaska: current conditions, attitudes, and expected use

Treesearch

David L. Nicholls; Allen M. Brackley; Valerie Barber

2010-01-01

This study considered three aspects of residential wood energy use in Alaska: current conditions and fuel consumption, knowledge and attitudes, and future use and conditions. We found that heating oil was the primary fuel for home heating in southeast and interior Alaska, whereas natural gas was used most often in south-central Alaska (Anchorage). Firewood heating...

International Approaches to Renewable Energy Education--A Faculty Professional Development Case Study with Recommended Practices for STEM Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walz, Kenneth A.; Slowinski, Mary; Alfano, Kathleen

2016-01-01

Calls for increased international competency in U.S. college graduates and the global nature of the renewable energy industry require an exploration of how to incorporate a global perspective in STEM curricula, and how to best develop faculty providing them with global knowledge and skills necessary to update and improve existing teaching…

Is Energy Conservation Education Effective? An Evaluation of the Powersave Schools Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DiMatteo, Julie; Radnitz, Cynthia; Zibulsky, Jamie; Brown, Jeffrey; Deleasa, Courtney; Jacobs, Stephanie

2014-01-01

To strengthen energy conservation knowledge and behaviors in youth, the PowerSave Schools Program (PSP) instructs students using hands-on projects. However, there is a lack of empirical support for the PSP. The present study is the first to use a repeated measures design to assess its effectiveness in two school districts. In District 1, there was…

Tweeting as a Tool for Learning Science: The Credibility of Student-Produced Knowledge Content in Educational Contexts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swensen, Kaja Vembe; Silseth, Kenneth; Krange, Ingeborg

2014-01-01

In this paper, we will present and discuss data from a research project called MIRACLE, in which high school students learned about energy and energy transformation in a technology-rich learning environment. This learning environment spanned across a classroom, a science center, and an online platform specially designed to support coherence across…

Assessing Extension's Ability to Promote Family Forests as a Woody Biomass Feedstock in the Northeast United States

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Germain, Rene' H.; Ghosh, Chandrani

2013-01-01

The study reported here surveyed Extension educators' awareness and knowledge of woody biomass energy and assessed their desire and ability to reach out to family forest owners-a critical feedstock source. The results indicate Extension educators are aware of the potential of woody biomass to serve as a renewable source of energy. Respondents…

SIP Shear Walls: Cyclic Performance of High-Aspect-Ratio Segments and Perforated Walls

Treesearch

Vladimir Kochkin; Douglas R. Rammer; Kevin Kauffman; Thomas Wiliamson; Robert J. Ross

2015-01-01

Increasing stringency of energy codes and the growing market demand for more energy efficient buildings gives structural insulated panel (SIP) construction an opportunity to increase its use in commercial and residential buildings. However, shear wall aspect ratio limitations and lack of knowledge on how to design SIPs with window and door openings are barriers to the...

The Trojan Horse method for nuclear astrophysics: Recent results on resonance reactions

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

Cognata, M. La; Pizzone, R. G.; Spitaleri, C.

Nuclear astrophysics aims to measure nuclear-reaction cross sections of astrophysical interest to be included into models to study stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis. Low energies, < 1 MeV or even < 10 keV, are requested for this is the window where these processes are more effective. Two effects have prevented to achieve a satisfactory knowledge of the relevant nuclear processes, namely, the Coulomb barrier exponentially suppressing the cross section and the presence of atomic electrons. These difficulties have triggered theoretical and experimental investigations to extend our knowledge down to astrophysical energies. For instance, indirect techniques such as the Trojan Horse Methodmore » have been devised yielding new cutting-edge results. In particular, I will focus on the application of this indirect method to resonance reactions. Resonances might dramatically enhance the astrophysical S(E)-factor so, when they occur right at astrophysical energies, their measurement is crucial to pin down the astrophysical scenario. Unknown or unpredicted resonances might introduce large systematic errors in nucleosynthesis models. These considerations apply to low-energy resonances and to sub-threshold resonances as well, as they may produce sizable modifications of the S-factor due to, for instance, destructive interference with another resonance.« less

Can we build a more efficient airplane? Using applied questions to teach physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhatia, Aatish

2014-03-01

For students and for the science-interested public, applied questions can serve as a hook to learn introductory physics. Can we radically improve the energy efficiency of modern day aircraft? Are solar planes like the Solar Impulse the future of travel? How do migratory birds like the alpine swift fly nonstop for nearly seven months? Using examples from aeronautical engineering and biology, I'll discuss how undergraduate physics can shed light on these questions about transport, and place fundamental constraints on the flight properties of flying machines, whether birds or planes. Education research has shown that learners are likely to forget vast content knowledge unless they get to apply this knowledge to novel and unfamiliar situations. By applying physics to real-life problems, students can learn to build and apply quantitative models, making use of skills such as order of magnitude estimates, dimensional analysis, and reasoning about uncertainty. This applied skillset allows students to transfer their knowledge outside the classroom, and helps build connections between traditionally distinct content areas. I'll also describe the results of an education experiment at Rutgers University where my colleagues and I redesigned a 100+ student introductory physics course for social science and humanities majors to address applied questions such as evaluating the energy cost of transport, and asking whether the United States could obtain all its energy from renewable sources.

A Systematic Review of Athletes’ and Coaches’ Nutrition Knowledge and Reflections on the Quality of Current Nutrition Knowledge Measures

PubMed Central

Trakman, Gina L.; Forsyth, Adrienne; Devlin, Brooke L.; Belski, Regina

2016-01-01

Context: Nutrition knowledge can influence dietary choices and impact on athletic performance. Valid and reliable measures are needed to assess the nutrition knowledge of athletes and coaches. Objectives: (1) To systematically review the published literature on nutrition knowledge of adult athletes and coaches and (2) to assess the quality of measures used to assess nutrition knowledge. Data Sources: MEDLINE, CINAHL, SPORTDiscuss, Web of Science, and SCOPUS. Study Selection: 36 studies that provided a quantitative measure of nutrition knowledge and described the measurement tool that was used were included. Data extraction: Participant description, questionnaire description, results (mean correct and responses to individual items), study quality, and questionnaire quality. Data synthesis: All studies were of neutral quality. Tools used to measure knowledge did not consider health literacy, were outdated with regards to consensus recommendations, and lacked appropriate and adequate validation. The current status of nutrition knowledge in athletes and coaches is difficult to ascertain. Gaps in knowledge also remain unclear, but it is likely that energy density, the need for supplementation, and the role of protein are frequently misunderstood. Conclusions: Previous reports of nutrition knowledge need to be interpreted with caution. A new, universal, up-to-date, validated measure of general and sports nutrition knowledge is required to allow for assessment of nutrition knowledge. PMID:27649242

Cyber physical systems based on cloud computing and internet of things for energy efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suciu, George; Butca, Cristina; Suciu, Victor; Cretu, Alexandru; Fratu, Octavian

2016-12-01

Cyber Physical Systems (CPS) and energy efficiency play a major role in the context of industry expansion. Management practices for improving efficiency in the field of energy consumption became a priority of many major industries who are inefficient in terms of exploitation costs. The effort of adopting energy management means in an organization is quite challenging due to the lack of resources and expertise. One major problem consists in the lack of knowledge for energy management and practices. This paper aims to present authors' concept in creating a Cyber Physical Energy System (CPES) that will change organizations' way of consuming energy, by making them aware of their use. The presented concept will consider the security of the whole system and the easy integration with the existing electric network infrastructure.

Students' Socioscientific Reasoning and Decision-making on Energy-related Issues—Development of a measurement instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakschewski, Mark; Eggert, Sabina; Schneider, Susanne; Bögeholz, Susanne

2014-09-01

The concept of energy is one key component of science education curricula worldwide. While it is still being taught in many science classrooms from a mainly conceptual knowledge perspective, the need to frame the concept of energy as a socioscientific issue and implement it in the context of citizenship education and education for sustainable development, is getting more and more explicit. As we will be faced with limited fossil fuels and the consequences of global climate change in the future, students have to be supported in becoming literate citizens who are able to reach informed energy-related decisions. In this article, we focus on students' reasoning and decision-making processes about socioscientific energy-related issues. In more detail, we developed a paper-and-pencil measurement instrument to assess secondary school students' competencies in this domain. The functioning of the measurement instrument was analysed with a sample of 850 students from grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 using item response theory. Findings show that the measurement instrument functions in terms of reliability and validity. Concerning student ability, elaborate reasoning and decision-making was characterised by the use of trade-offs and the ability to weigh arguments and to reflect on the structure of reasoning and decision-making processes. The developed measurement instrument provides a complement for existing test instruments on conceptual knowledge about the concept of energy. It aims to contribute to a change in teaching about energy, especially in physics education in the sense of education for sustainable development.

Forget about data, deliver results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, Roland

2015-12-01

High-energy astrophysics space missions have pioneered and demonstrated the power of legacy data sets for generating new discoveries, especially when analysed in ways original researchers could not have anticipated. The only way to ensure that the data of present observatories can be effectively used in the future is to allow users to perform on-the-fly data analysis to produce straightforwardly scientific results for any sky position, time and energy intervals without requiring mission specific software or detailed instrumental knowledge. Providing a straightforward interface to complex data and data analysis makes the data and the process of generating science results available to the public and higher education and promotes the visibility of the investment in science to the society. This is a fundamental step to transmit the values of science and to evolve towards a knowledge society.

Students' Attitudes to Information in the Press: Critical Reading of a Newspaper Article With Scientific Content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliveras, B.; Márquez, C.; Sanmartí, N.

2014-08-01

This research analyses what happens when a critical reading activity based on a press article dealing with an energy-related problem is implemented with two groups of students of 13-14 years old and 16-17 years old in the same school (a total of 117 students). Specifically, the research analyses the students' profiles from the standpoint of their attitudes to the information given in the news story and the use they make of it when writing an argumentative text. It also analyses the difficulties the students have when it comes to applying their knowledge about energy in a real-life context. Lastly, some strategies are suggested for helping students to critically analyse the scientific content of a newspaper article. Three reader profiles were identified (the credulous reader, the ideological reader and the critical reader). No significant differences were found in reading profiles in terms of age or scientific knowledge. The findings show that the activity helped to link science learning in school with facts relating to an actual context, particularly in the case of students with more science knowledge.

Energy Auditor and Quality Control Inspector Competency Model

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

Head, Heather R.; Kurnik, Charles W.; Schroeder, Derek

The Energy Auditor (EA) and Quality Control Inspector (QCI) Competency model was developed to identify the soft skills, foundational competencies and define the levels of Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) required to successfully perform the tasks defined in the EA and QCI Job Task Analysis (JTAs), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) used the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Competency Model Clearinghouse resources to develop a QCI and EA Competency Model. To keep the QCI and EA competency model consistent with other construction and energy management competency models, DOE and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory used the existing 'Residential Constructionmore » Competency Model' and the 'Advanced Commercial Building Competency Model' where appropriate.« less

Requirements for Simulating Space Radiation With Particle Accelerators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schimmerling, W.; Wilson, J. W.; Cucinotta, F.; Kim, M-H Y.

2004-01-01

Interplanetary space radiation consists of fully ionized nuclei of atomic elements with high energy for which only the few lowest energy ions can be stopped in shielding materials. The health risk from exposure to these ions and their secondary radiations generated in the materials of spacecraft and planetary surface enclosures is a major limiting factor in the management of space radiation risk. Accurate risk prediction depends on a knowledge of basic radiobiological mechanisms and how they are modified in the living tissues of a whole organism. To a large extent, this knowledge is not currently available. It is best developed at ground-based laboratories, using particle accelerator beams to simulate the components of space radiation. Different particles, in different energy regions, are required to study different biological effects, including beams of argon and iron nuclei in the energy range 600 to several thousand MeV/nucleon and carbon beams in the energy range of approximately 100 MeV/nucleon to approximately 1000 MeV/nucleon. Three facilities, one each in the United States, in Germany and in Japan, currently have the partial capability to satisfy these constraints. A facility has been proposed using the Brookhaven National Laboratory Booster Synchrotron in the United States; in conjunction with other on-site accelerators, it will be able to provide the full range of heavy ion beams and energies required. International cooperation in the use of these facilities is essential to the development of a safe international space program.

Understanding the physical dynamics and ecological interactions in tidal stream energy environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fraser, Shaun; Williamson, Benjamin J.; Nikora, Vladimir; Scott, Beth E.

2017-04-01

Tidal stream energy devices are intended to operate in energetic physical environments characterised by high flows and extreme turbulence. These environments are often of ecological importance to a range of marine species. Understanding the physical dynamics and ecological interactions at fine scales in such sites is essential for device/array design and to understand environmental impacts. However, investigating fine scale characteristics requires high resolution field measurements which are difficult to attain and interpret, with data often confounded by interference related to turbulence. Consequently, field observations in tidal stream energy environments are limited and require the development of specialised analysis methods and so significant knowledge gaps are still present. The seabed mounted FLOWBEC platform is addressing these knowledge gaps using upward facing instruments to collect information from around marine energy infrastructure. Multifrequency and multibeam echosounder data provide detailed information on the distribution and interactions of biological targets, such as fish and diving seabirds, while simultaneously recording the scales and intensity of turbulence. Novel processing methodologies and instrument integration techniques have been developed which combine different data types and successfully separates signal from noise to reveal new evidence about the behaviour of mobile species and the structure of turbulence at all speeds of the tide and throughout the water column. Multiple platform deployments in the presence and absence of marine energy infrastructure reveal the natural characteristics of high energy sites, and enable the interpretation of the physical and biological impacts of tidal stream devices. These methods and results are relevant to the design and consenting of marine renewable energy technologies, and provide novel information on the use of turbulence for foraging opportunities in high energy sites by mobile species.

Small Molecules-Big Data.

PubMed

Császár, Attila G; Furtenbacher, Tibor; Árendás, Péter

2016-11-17

Quantum mechanics builds large-scale graphs (networks): the vertices are the discrete energy levels the quantum system possesses, and the edges are the (quantum-mechanically allowed) transitions. Parts of the complete quantum mechanical networks can be probed experimentally via high-resolution, energy-resolved spectroscopic techniques. The complete rovibronic line list information for a given molecule can only be obtained through sophisticated quantum-chemical computations. Experiments as well as computations yield what we call spectroscopic networks (SN). First-principles SNs of even small, three to five atomic molecules can be huge, qualifying for the big data description. Besides helping to interpret high-resolution spectra, the network-theoretical view offers several ideas for improving the accuracy and robustness of the increasingly important information systems containing line-by-line spectroscopic data. For example, the smallest number of measurements necessary to perform to obtain the complete list of energy levels is given by the minimum-weight spanning tree of the SN and network clustering studies may call attention to "weakest links" of a spectroscopic database. A present-day application of spectroscopic networks is within the MARVEL (Measured Active Rotational-Vibrational Energy Levels) approach, whereby the transitions information on a measured SN is turned into experimental energy levels via a weighted linear least-squares refinement. MARVEL has been used successfully for 15 molecules and allowed to validate most of the transitions measured and come up with energy levels with well-defined and realistic uncertainties. Accurate knowledge of the energy levels with computed transition intensities allows the realistic prediction of spectra under many different circumstances, e.g., for widely different temperatures. Detailed knowledge of the energy level structure of a molecule coming from a MARVEL analysis is important for a considerable number of modeling efforts in chemistry, physics, and engineering.

The Fisheries and Marine Renewable Energy Working Group: creating an agenda for improved co-existence.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, M. S.; De Groot, J.; Ashley, M.; Rodwell, L.

2014-12-01

As an emerging industry, Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) is expected to play a major contributory role if the UK is to successfully reach its desired target of renewable energy production by 2020. However, due to the competing objectives and priorities of MRE and other industries, for example fisheries, and in the delivering of conservation measures, the demand for space within our marine landscape is increasing, and interactions are inevitable. In order to promote better understanding of the challenges in resolving interactions between these industries, a Fisheries and Marine Renewable Energy Working Group was set up under the Natural Environment Research Council Marine Renewable Energy Knowledge Exchange Programme (NERC MREKEP). The Working Group carried out an initial scoping survey in order to summarise recent and current research activities and identify key issues and topics in the fields of fisheries and MRE interactions. Mixed stakeholder groups discussed four primary topics: priority issues; barriers to progress; problem mitigation; and thoughts on the consultation process. Points of discussion were categorized into themes to aid analysis and protocol development. These themes were: culture, community and economy; legislation and rights; data and information; and collaboration and communication. Subsequent invited stakeholder and expert panel workshops were held to facilitate knowledge exchange between fisheries and development of MRE in order to identify priority research issues, knowledge gaps and collaboration needs. Four group sessions identified: practical steps to aid interaction between industries; barriers, opportunities and solutions; an agenda for action, timescales and partners; and action points carried forward by each stakeholder group. This Working Group, guided under the MREKEP banner, is the first of its kind in the UK, bringing together individuals from a nationally diverse group of academics, regulators, policy makers and representatives from fisheries, MRE sectors and conservation bodies. Therefore, it has the potential, for the first time, to develop effective guidelines and protocols for both mitigation and assessment of displacement of fishing effort, for the entire life cycle of MRE projects.

Certifying Industrial Energy Efficiency Performance: AligningManagement, Measurement, and Practice to Create Market Value

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

McKane, Aimee; Scheihing, Paul; Williams, Robert

2007-07-01

More than fifteen years after the launch of programs in theU.K. and U.S., industry still offers one of the largest opportunities forenergy savings worldwide. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimatesthe savings potential from cost-optimization of industrial motor-drivensystems alone at 7 percent of global electricity use. The U.S. Departmentof Energy (USDOE) Industrial Technologies Program estimates 7 percentsavings potential in total US industrial energy use through theapplication of proven best practice. Simple paybacks for these types ofprojects are frequently two years or less. The technology required toachieve these savings is widely available; the technical skills requiredto identify energy saving opportunities are knownmore » and transferable.Although programs like USDOE's Best Practices have been highlysuccessful, most plants, as supported by 2002 MECS data, remain eitherunaware or unmotivated to improve their energy efficiency--as evidencedby the 98 percent of US industrial facilities reporting to MECS say thatthey lack a full-time energy manager. With the renewed interest in energyefficiency worldwide and the emergence of carbon trading and newfinancial instruments such as white certificates1, there is a need tointroduce greater transparency into the way that industrial facilitiesidentify, develop, and document energy efficiency projects. Historically,industrial energy efficiency projects have been developed by plantengineers, frequently with assistance from consultants and/or supplierswith highly specialized technical skills. Under this scenario,implementation of energy efficiency improvements is dependent onindividuals. These individuals typically include "champions" within anindustrial facility or corporation, working in cooperation withconsultants or suppliers who have substantial knowledge based on years ofexperience. This approach is not easily understood by others without thisspecialized technical knowledge, penetrates the market fairly slowly, andhas no assurance of persistence, since champions may leave the company orbe reassigned after project completion.This paper presents an alternatescenario that builds on the body of expert knowledge concerning energymanagement best practices and the experience of industrial champions toengage industry in continuous energy efficiency improvement at thefacility rather than the individual level. Under this scenario,standardized methodologies for applying and validating energy managementbest practices in industrial facilities will be developed through aconsensus process involving both plant personnel and specializedconsultants and suppliers. The resulting protocols will describe aprocess or framework for conducting an energy savings assessment andverifying the results that will be transparent to policymakers, managers,and the financial community, and validated by a third-party organization.Additionally, a global dialogue is being initiated by the United NationsIndustrial Development Organization (UNIDO) concerning the development ofan international industrial energy management standard that would be ISOcompatible. The proposed scenario will combine the resulting standardwith the best practice protocols for specific energy systems (i.e.,steam, process heating, compressed air, pumping systems, etc.) to formthe foundation of a third party, performance-based certification programfor the overall industrial facility that is compatible with existingmanagement systems, including ISO 9001:2000, 14001:2004 and 6 Sigma. Thelong term goal of this voluntary, industry designed certification programis to develop a transparent, globally accepted system for validatingenergy efficiency projects and management practices. This system wouldcreate a verified record of energy savings with potential market valuethat could be recognized among sectors and countries.« less

Non-Lethal Weapons: Opportunities for R&D

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-12-01

from a technology watch to active NLW R&D. The knowledge gained in blunt trauma, operational medicine, directed energy and the human response to... from these sources are very high , the duration of the pulse is very short. As a result, the total amount of energy deposited in a particular time is...recommended that DRDC change from the position it took in 1996 to maintain only a

Mission Driven Science at Argonne

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

Thackery, Michael; Wang, Michael; Young, Linda

2012-07-05

Mission driven science at Argonne means applying science and scientific knowledge to a physical and "real world" environment. Examples include testing a theoretical model through the use of formal science or solving a practical problem through the use of natural science. At the laboratory, our materials scientists are leading the way in producing energy solutions today that could help reduce and remove the energy crisis of tomorrow.

A Comparative Study of the Impact of Students' Feelings regarding the Use of Nuclear Energy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maharaj-Sharma, Rawatee

2011-01-01

This article presents the results of a comparative study of two groups of learners--group 1 (25 non-science students) and group 2 (25 A-level physics students). It explores the extent to which their feelings and emotions in conjunction with their knowledge about nuclear energy impacts and influences their views and feelings about the use of…

Interstellar Communication Channel Based on a Biological Universal

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weber, Arthur L.; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

Cellular biosynthesis starts with sugar substrates and continues energetically downhill to yield amino acid, rapid, and nucleotide products. To understand the energetics of these processes, we calculated the energy for biosynthesis from sugars of E. cali's amino acids, nucleotides, and lipids. We found that the biosynthesis of amino acids and lipids from sugar substrates proceeds by redox disproportionation. of sugar carbon with a favorable energy of about -11 kcal/mole of carbon. Overall, redox disproportion of sugar carbon accounted for 84% and 96% (ATP only 6% and 1%) of the total biosynthetic energy of amino acids and lipids (the major cellular constituents). Next, we calculated for all 48 possible 3-carbon substrates the energy of maximal disproportionation to carbon dioxide and methane. We found no other carbon substrates than matched sugars in biosynthetic energy, efficiency, and simplicity. From this, we concluded that sugars are the optimal biosynthetic substrate. Since this conclusion is based on universal properties of carbon chemistry, other carbon-based life throughout the Universe would also use optimal sugar substrates. Furthermore, this rather obvious universal role of sugars as the optimal biosubstrate would probably be common knowledge of technological civilizations throughout the Universe. Since the elemental building block of all sugars is formaldehyde, the common knowledge that sugars are the universal optimal biosubstrate could reasonably lead to the selection of a line(s) in the microwave spectrum of formaldehyde as a frequency for interstellar communication.

Assessing the state of knowledge of utility-scale wind energy development and operation on non-volant terrestrial and marine wildlife

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lovich, Jeffrey E.; Ennen, Joshua R.

2013-01-01

A great deal has been published in the scientific literature regarding the effects of wind energy development and operation on volant (flying) wildlife including birds and bats, although knowledge of how to mitigate negative impacts is still imperfect. We reviewed the peer-reviewed scientific literature for information on the known and potential effects of utility-scale wind energy development and operation (USWEDO) on terrestrial and marine non-volant wildlife and found that very little has been published on the topic. Following a similar review for solar energy we identified known and potential effects due to construction and eventual decommissioning of wind energy facilities. Many of the effects are similar and include direct mortality, environmental impacts of destruction and modification of habitat including impacts of roads, and offsite impacts related to construction material acquisition, processing and transportation. Known and potential effects due to operation and maintenance of facilities include habitat fragmentation and barriers to gene flow, as well as effects due to noise, vibration and shadow flicker, electromagnetic field generation, macro- and micro-climate change, predator attraction, and increased fire risk. The scarcity of before-after-control-impact studies hinders the ability to rigorously quantify the effects of USWEDO on non-volant wildlife. We conclude that more empirical data are currently needed to fully assess the impact of USWEDO on non-volant wildlife.

Understanding the physics and chemistry of reaction mechanisms from atomic contributions: a reaction force perspective.

PubMed

Vöhringer-Martinez, Esteban; Toro-Labbé, Alejandro

2012-07-12

Studying chemical reactions involves the knowledge of the reaction mechanism. Despite activation barriers describing the kinetics or reaction energies reflecting thermodynamic aspects, identifying the underlying physics and chemistry along the reaction path contributes essentially to the overall understanding of reaction mechanisms, especially for catalysis. In the past years the reaction force has evolved as a valuable tool to discern between structural changes and electrons' rearrangement in chemical reactions. It provides a framework to analyze chemical reactions and additionally a rational partition of activation and reaction energies. Here, we propose to separate these energies further in atomic contributions, which will shed new insights in the underlying reaction mechanism. As first case studies we analyze two intramolecular proton transfer reactions. Despite the atom based separation of activation barriers and reaction energies, we also assign the participation of each atom in structural changes or electrons' rearrangement along the intrinsic reaction coordinate. These participations allow us to identify the role of each atom in the two reactions and therfore the underlying chemistry. The knowledge of the reaction chemistry immediately leads us to suggest replacements with other atom types that would facilitate certain processes in the reaction. The characterization of the contribution of each atom to the reaction energetics, additionally, identifies the reactive center of a molecular system that unites the main atoms contributing to the potential energy change along the reaction path.

Awareness of chronic disease diagnosis amongst family members is associated with healthy dietary knowledge but not behaviour amongst Inuit in Arctic Canada.

PubMed

Pakseresht, M; Mead, E; Gittelsohn, J; Roache, C; Sharma, S

2010-10-01

The extent to which awareness of chronic disease (CD) diagnosis affects one's healthy food knowledge, self-efficacy and intentions or healthy dietary and physical activity (PA) behaviours remains unexplored among Inuit in Canada. A food frequency questionnaire and an adult impact questionnaire were used in a cross-sectional study to collect self-reported data on daily energy and nutrient intake, PA and the diagnosis of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and cancer amongst adult Inuit and their family members. Associations between awareness of personal and family CD status and healthy food knowledge, self-efficacy and intentions, percentage of energy consumed from non-nutrient-dense foods and PA were assessed via ordinal logistic regression. Of the 266 participants, those who self-reported CD for both themselves and their relative(s) were more likely to have high healthy food knowledge [odds ratio (OR)=2.45] than those who did not. Reporting hypertension and heart disease amongst only relatives increased the likelihood of high knowledge (OR=5.20) and intentions (OR=5.10) for healthy eating. Heart disease in both participants and their relatives was associated with high levels of PA (OR=12.24). However, there were no associations when only participants (but not their relatives) reported having CD. A joint effect between a high level of education and awareness of CD was positively related to high food knowledge (OR=38.93). An inverse association between awareness of CD and unhealthy eating was not observed. Awareness of a relative having a CD was a more important factor in increasing knowledge and, to a lesser degree, self-efficacy or intentions to eat healthy than participants' awareness of personal CD. However, awareness was not associated with lower non-nutrient-dense food intake. © 2010 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2010 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Nuclear Energy Knowledge and Validation Center (NEKVaC) Needs Workshop Summary Report

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

Gougar, Hans

2015-02-01

The Department of Energy (DOE) has made significant progress developing simulation tools to predict the behavior of nuclear systems with greater accuracy and of increasing our capability to predict the behavior of these systems outside of the standard range of applications. These analytical tools require a more complex array of validation tests to accurately simulate the physics and multiple length and time scales. Results from modern simulations will allow experiment designers to narrow the range of conditions needed to bound system behavior and to optimize the deployment of instrumentation to limit the breadth and cost of the campaign. Modern validation,more » verification and uncertainty quantification (VVUQ) techniques enable analysts to extract information from experiments in a systematic manner and provide the users with a quantified uncertainty estimate. Unfortunately, the capability to perform experiments that would enable taking full advantage of the formalisms of these modern codes has progressed relatively little (with some notable exceptions in fuels and thermal-hydraulics); the majority of the experimental data available today is the "historic" data accumulated over the last decades of nuclear systems R&D. A validated code-model is a tool for users. An unvalidated code-model is useful for code developers to gain understanding, publish research results, attract funding, etc. As nuclear analysis codes have become more sophisticated, so have the measurement and validation methods and the challenges that confront them. A successful yet cost-effective validation effort requires expertise possessed only by a few, resources possessed only by the well-capitalized (or a willing collective), and a clear, well-defined objective (validating a code that is developed to satisfy the need(s) of an actual user). To that end, the Idaho National Laboratory established the Nuclear Energy Knowledge and Validation Center to address the challenges of modern code validation and to manage the knowledge from past, current, and future experimental campaigns. By pulling together the best minds involved in code development, experiment design, and validation to establish and disseminate best practices and new techniques, the Nuclear Energy Knowledge and Validation Center (NEKVaC or the ‘Center’) will be a resource for industry, DOE Programs, and academia validation efforts.« less

Geothermal projects funded under the NER 300 programme - current state of development and knowledge gained

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uihlein, Andreas; Salto Saura, Lourdes; Sigfusson, Bergur; Lichtenvort, Kerstin; Gagliardi, Filippo

2015-04-01

Introduction The NER 300 programme, managed by the European Commission is one of the largest funding programmes for innovative low-carbon energy demonstration projects. NER 300 is so called because it is funded from the sale of 300 million emission allowances from the new entrants' reserve (NER) set up for the third phase of the EU emissions trading system (ETS). The programme aims to successfully demonstrate environmentally safe carbon capture and storage (CCS) and innovative renewable energy (RES) technologies on a commercial scale with a view to scaling up production of low-carbon technologies in the EU. Consequently, it supports a wide range of CCS and RES technologies (bioenergy, concentrated solar power, photovoltaics, geothermal, wind, ocean, hydropower, and smart grids). Funded projects and the role of geothermal projects for the programme In total, about EUR 2.1 billion have been awarded to 39 projects through the programme's 2 calls for proposals (the first awarded in December 2012, the second in July 2014). The programme has awarded around 70 mEUR funding to 3 geothermal projects in Hungary, Croatia and France (see Annex). The Hungarian geothermal project awarded funding under the first call will enter into operation at the end of 2015 and the rest are expected to start in 2016 (HR) and in 2018 (FR), respectively. Knowledge Sharing Knowledge sharing requirements are built into the legal basis of the programme as a critical tool to lower risks in bridging the transition to large-scale production of innovative renewable energy and CCS deployment. Projects have to submit annually to the European Commission relevant knowledge gained during that year in the implementation of their project. The relevant knowledge is aggregated and disseminated by the European Commission to industry, research, government, NGO and other interest groups and associations in order to provide a better understanding of the practical challenges that arise in the important step of scaling up technologies and operating them at commercial scale. The knowledge sharing of the NER 300 programme should lead to better planning and faster introduction of low carbon technologies in the future. Content of the presentation The presentation will introduce the geothermal projects that have been awarded funding, including their state-of-play. Insights and knowledge gained from the projects that have entered into operation will be shown and discussed. Furthermore, the presentation will provide an overview of the NER 300 programme.

Spectroscopy of 13C above the α threshold with α +9Be reactions at low energies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lombardo, I.; Dell'Aquila, D.; Spadaccini, G.; Verde, G.; Vigilante, M.

2018-03-01

In this work we reinvestigate the spectroscopy of 13C at excitation energies larger than the α emission threshold (Ex>10.648 MeV ) by means of a comprehensive R -matrix fit of experimental data concerning α +9Be collisions at low energies. Owing to the analysis of many reaction channels in a broad energy range, we improved the current knowledge on the level scheme of 13C, by contributing to remove uncertain Jπ assignments for several states. Some tentative speculations on the existence of molecular bands associated to cluster structures in this nucleus are also discussed.

[A brief introduction to life energy cultivation strategies in traditional Chinese medicine].

PubMed

Maa, Suh-Hwa

2010-04-01

The knowledge embraced within the broad field of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) represents an important part of our common human heritage, as it incorporates time-tested and viable health promotion approaches applicable to everyone, regardless of ethnicity and geographic location. TCM emphasizes the importance of increased self-consciousness, which, once achieved, becomes regular aspect of daily life. Cultivating life energies in order to prevent and treat disease lies at the heart of TCM. This paper provides a brief introduction to TCM life energy cultivation strategies for nurse reference.

Energy-efficient electric motors study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1981-03-01

A survey conducted of purchasers of integral horsepower polyphase motors measured current knowledge of and awareness of energy efficient motors, decision making criteria, information sources, purchase and usage patterns, and related factors. The data obtained were used for the electric motor market penetration analysis. Additionally, a telephone survey was made. The study also provides analyses of distribution channels, commercialization constraints, and the impacts of government programs and rising energy prices. Study findings, conclusions, and recommendations are presented. Sample questionnaires and copies of letters to respondents are presented in appendices as well as descriptions of the methods used.

Energy.

PubMed

Chambers, David W

2012-01-01

Energy is the capacity to do the things we are capable of and desire to accomplish. Most often this is thought of in terms of PEP--personal energy potential--a reservoir of individual vivacity and zest for work. Like a battery, energy can be conceived of as a resource that is alternatively used and replenished. Transitions between activities, variety of tasks, and choices of what to spend energy on are part of energy management. Energy capacity can be thought of at four levels: (a) so little that harm is caused and extraordinary steps are needed for recovery, (b) a deficit that slightly impairs performance but will recover naturally, (c) the typical range of functioning, and (d) a surplus that may or may not be useful and requires continual investment to maintain. "Flow" is the experience of optimal energy use when challenges balance capacity as a result of imposing order on our environment. There are other energy resources in addition to personal vim. Effective work design reduces demands on energy. Money, office design, and knowledge are excellent substitutes for personal energy.

Clean Cookstove Research Fact Sheet

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is helping to support the development of international cookstove standards, conducting research on emissions and energy efficiency of cleaner cookstoves and improving our knowledge of the health effects from exposure to cookstove emissions.

Study of Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okuyama, Masaaki; Umemiya, Hiromichi; Shibuya, Ikuko; Haga, Eiji

Yamagata University 'Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES)' is the experimental system which has been running since 1982. From the results for along terms of experiments, we obtain many important knowledge. This paper presents the accomplishments for 16 years and the characteristics of thermal energy storage in thermal energy storage well. The conclusions show as follows. 1)In recent years, the thermal recovery factor of warm energy storage well becomes almost constant at about 60%. 2) The thermal recovery factor of cool energy storage well increases gradually and becomes at about 15%. 3) Since the ferric colloidal dam is formed in aquifer, thermal recovery factor increase year after year. 4) Back wash can remove clogging for ferric colloidal dam. 5) The apparent thermal diffusivity decrease gradually due to ferric colloidal dam.

Energy planning and energy efficiency assistance

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

Markel, L.

1995-12-31

Electrotek is an engineering services company specializing in energy-related programs. Clients are most utilities, large energy users, and the U.S. Electric Power Research Institute. Electrotek has directed energy projects for the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Department of Energy in Poland and other countries of Central Europe. The objective is to assist the host country organizations to identify and implement appropriate energy efficiency and pollution reduction technologies, to transfer technical and organizational knowledge, so that further implementations are market-driven, without needed continuing foreign investment. Electrotek has worked with the Silesian Power Distribution Company to design an energymore » efficiency program for industrial customers that has proven to be profitable for the company and for its customers. The program has both saved energy and costs, and reduced pollution. The program is expanding to include additional customers, without needing more funding from the U.S. government.« less

Development of a Suite of Analytical Tools for Energy and Water Infrastructure Knowledge Discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morton, A.; Piburn, J.; Stewart, R.; Chandola, V.

2017-12-01

Energy and water generation and delivery systems are inherently interconnected. With demand for energy growing, the energy sector is experiencing increasing competition for water. With increasing population and changing environmental, socioeconomic, and demographic scenarios, new technology and investment decisions must be made for optimized and sustainable energy-water resource management. This also requires novel scientific insights into the complex interdependencies of energy-water infrastructures across multiple space and time scales. To address this need, we've developed a suite of analytical tools to support an integrated data driven modeling, analysis, and visualization capability for understanding, designing, and developing efficient local and regional practices related to the energy-water nexus. This work reviews the analytical capabilities available along with a series of case studies designed to demonstrate the potential of these tools for illuminating energy-water nexus solutions and supporting strategic (federal) policy decisions.

Variable photosynthetic units, energy transfer and light-induced evolution of hydrogen in algae and bacteria.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaffron, H.

1971-01-01

The present state of knowledge regarding the truly photochemical reactions in photosynthesis is considered. Nine-tenths of the available knowledge is of a biochemical nature. Questions regarding the activities of the chlorophyll system are examined. The simplest photochemical response observed in living hydrogen-adapted algal cells is the release of molecular hydrogen, which continues even after all other known natural reactions have been eliminated either by heating or the action of poisons.

D and D knowledge management information tool - a web based system developed to share D and D knowledge worldwide

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

Lagos, L.; Upadhyay, H.; Shoffner, P.

2013-07-01

Deactivation and decommissioning (D and D) work is a high risk and technically challenging enterprise within the U.S. Department of Energy complex. During the past three decades, the DOE's Office of Environmental Management has been in charge of carrying out one of the largest environmental restoration efforts in the world: the cleanup of the Manhattan Project legacy. In today's corporate world, worker experiences and knowledge that have developed over time represent a valuable corporate asset. The ever-dynamic workplace, coupled with an aging workforce, presents corporations with the ongoing challenge of preserving work-related experiences and knowledge for cross-generational knowledge transfer tomore » the future workforce [5]. To prevent the D and D knowledge base and expertise from being lost over time, the DOE and the Applied Research Center at Florida International University (FIU) have developed the web-based Knowledge Management Information Tool (KM-IT) to capture and maintain this valuable information in a universally available and easily accessible and usable system. The D and D KM-IT was developed in collaboration with DOE Headquarters (HQ), the Energy Facility Contractors Group (EFCOG), and the ALARA [as low as reasonably achievable] Centers at Savannah River Sites to preserve the D and D information generated and collected by the D and D community. This is an open secured system that can be accessed from https://www.dndkm.org over the web and through mobile devices at https://m.dndkm.org. This knowledge system serves as a centralized repository and provides a common interface for D and D-related activities. It also improves efficiency by reducing the need to rediscover knowledge and promotes the reuse of existing knowledge. It is a community-driven system that facilitates the gathering, analyzing, storing, and sharing of knowledge and information within the D and D community. It assists the DOE D and D community in identifying potential solutions to their problem areas by using the vast resources and knowledge base available throughout the global D and D community. The D and D KM-IT offers a mechanism to the global D and D community for searching relevant D and D information and is focused on providing a single point of access into the collective knowledge base of the D and D community within and outside of the DOE. Collecting information from subject matter specialists, it builds a knowledge repository for future reference archiving Lessons Learned, Best Practices, ALARA reports, and other relevant documents and maintains a secured collaboration platform for the global D and D community to share knowledge. With the dynamic nature and evolution of the D and D knowledge base due to multiple factors such as changes in the workforce, new technologies and methodologies, economics, and regulations, the D and D KM-IT is being developed in a phased and modular fashion. (authors)« less

Invisible work of using and monitoring knowledge by parents (end-users) of children with chronic conditions.

PubMed

Lagosky, Stephanie; Bartlett, Doreen; Shaw, Lynn

2016-01-01

Parents who care for young children with chronic conditions are knowledge users. Their efforts, time, and energy to source, consider and monitor information add to the 'invisible' work of parents in making decisions about care, school transitions, and interventions. Little is known or understood about the work of parents as knowledge users. To understand the knowledge use patterns and how these patterns may be monitored in parents caring for their young children with cerebral palsy (CP). An embedded case study methodology was used. In-depth qualitative interviews and visual mapping were employed to collect and analyze data based on the experiences of three mothers of young children with CP. Knowledge use in parents caring for their young children with CP is multi-factorial, complex and temporal. Findings resulted in a provisional model elaborating on the ways knowledge is used by parents and how it may be monitored. The visual mapping of pathways and actions of parents as end users makes the processes of knowledge use more visible and open to be valued as well as appreciated by others. The provisional model has implications for knowledge mobilization as a strategy in childhood rehabilitation and the facilitation of knowledge use in the lives of families with children with chronic health conditions.

A methodology for probabilistic assessment of solar thermal power plants yield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Peruchena, Carlos M.; Lara-Faneho, Vicente; Ramírez, Lourdes; Zarzalejo, Luis F.; Silva, Manuel; Bermejo, Diego; Gastón, Martín; Moreno, Sara; Pulgar, Jesús; Pavon, Manuel; Macías, Sergio; Valenzuela, Rita X.

2017-06-01

A detailed knowledge of the solar resource is a critical point to perform an economic feasibility analysis of Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants. This knowledge must include its magnitude (how much solar energy is available at an area of interest over a long time period), and its variability over time. In particular, DNI inter-annual variations may be large, increasing the return of investment risk in CSP plant projects. This risk is typically evaluated by means of the simulation of the energy delivered by the CSP plant during years with low solar irradiation, which are typically characterized by annual solar radiation datasets with high probability of exceedance of their annual DNI values. In this context, this paper proposes the use meteorological years representative of a given probability of exceedance of annual DNI in order to realistically assess the inter-annual variability of energy yields. The performance of this approach is evaluated in the location of Burns station (University of Oregon Solar Radiation Monitoring Laboratory), where a 34-year (from 1980 to 2013) measured data set of solar irradiance and temperature is available.

A Technology-Enhanced Unit of Modeling Static Electricity: Integrating scientific explanations and everyday observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Ji; Linn, Marcia C.

2011-08-01

What trajectories do students follow as they connect their observations of electrostatic phenomena to atomic-level visualizations? We designed an electrostatics unit, using the knowledge integration framework to help students link observations and scientific ideas. We analyze how learners integrate ideas about charges, charged particles, energy, and observable events. We compare learning enactments in a typical school and a magnet school in the USA. We use pre-tests, post-tests, embedded notes, and delayed post-tests to capture the trajectories of students' knowledge integration. We analyze how visualizations help students grapple with abstract electrostatics concepts such as induction. We find that overall students gain more sophisticated ideas. They can interpret dynamic, interactive visualizations, and connect charge- and particle-based explanations to interpret observable events. Students continue to have difficulty in applying the energy-based explanation.

Effect of electromagnetic waves on human reproduction.

PubMed

Wdowiak, Artur; Mazurek, Paweł A; Wdowiak, Anita; Bojar, Iwona

2017-03-31

Electromagnetic radiation (EMR) emitting from the natural environment, as well as from the use of industrial and everyday appliances, constantly influence the human body. The effect of this type of energy on living tissues may exert various effects on their functioning, although the mechanisms conditioning this phenomenon have not been fully explained. It may be expected that the interactions between electromagnetic radiation and the living organism would depend on the amount and parameters of the transmitted energy and type of tissue exposed. Electromagnetic waves exert an influence on human reproduction by affecting the male and female reproductive systems, the developing embryo, and subsequently, the foetus. Knowledge concerning this problem is still being expanded; however, all the conditionings of human reproduction still remain unknown. The study presents the current state of knowledge concerning the problem, based on the latest scientific reports.

Nutritional behaviour and beliefs of ski-mountaineers: a semi-quantitative and qualitative study.

PubMed

Praz, Caroline; Granges, Mélanie; Burtin, Céline; Kayser, Bengt

2015-01-01

Endurance athletes are advised to optimize nutrition prior to races. Little is known about actual athletes' beliefs, knowledge and nutritional behaviour. We monitored nutritional behaviour of amateur ski-mountaineering athletes during 4 days prior to a major competition to compare it with official recommendations and with the athletes' beliefs. Participants to the two routes of the 'Patrouille des Glaciers' were recruited (A, 26 km, ascent 1881 m, descent 2341 m, max altitude 3160 m; Z, 53 km, ascent 3994 m, descent 4090 m, max altitude 3650 m). Dietary intake diaries of 40 athletes (21 A, 19 Z) were analysed for energy, carbohydrate, fat, protein and liquid; ten were interviewed about their pre-race nutritional beliefs and behaviour. Despite belief that pre-race carbohydrate, energy and fluid intake should be increased, energy consumption was 2416 ± 696 (mean ± SD) kcal · day(-1), 83 ± 17% of recommended intake, carbohydrate intake was only 46 ± 13% of minimal recommended (10 g · kg(-1) · day(-1)) and fluid intake only 2.7 ± 1.0 l · day(-1). Our sample of endurance athletes did not comply with pre-race nutritional recommendations despite elementary knowledge and belief to be compliant. In these athletes a clear and reflective nutritional strategy was lacking. This suggests a potential for improving knowledge and compliance with recommendations. Alternatively, some recommendations may be unrealistic.

Implementing interactive decision support: A case for combining cyberinfrastructure, data fusion, and social process to mobilize scientific knowledge in sustainability problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierce, S. A.

2014-12-01

Geosciences are becoming increasingly data intensive, particularly in relation to sustainability problems, which are multi-dimensional, weakly structured and characterized by high levels of uncertainty. In the case of complex resource management problems, the challenge is to extract meaningful information from data and make sense of it. Simultaneously, scientific knowledge alone is insufficient to change practice. Creating tools, and group decision support processes for end users to interact with data are key challenges to transforming science-based information into actionable knowledge. The ENCOMPASS project began as a multi-year case study in the Atacama Desert of Chile to design and implement a knowledge transfer model for energy-water-mining conflicts in the region. ENCOMPASS combines the use of cyberinfrastructure (CI), automated data collection, interactive interfaces for dynamic decision support, and participatory modelling to support social learning. A pilot version of the ENCOMPASS CI uses open source systems and serves as a structure to integrate and store multiple forms of data and knowledge, such as DEM, meteorological, water quality, geomicrobiological, energy demand, and groundwater models. In the case study, informatics and data fusion needs related to scientific uncertainty around deep groundwater flowpaths and energy-water connections. Users may upload data from field sites with handheld devices or desktops. Once uploaded, data assets are accessible for a variety of uses. To address multi-attributed decision problems in the Atacama region a standalone application with touch-enabled interfaces was created to improve real-time interactions with datasets by groups. The tool was used to merge datasets from the ENCOMPASS CI to support exploration among alternatives and build shared understanding among stakeholders. To date, the project has increased technical capacity among stakeholders, resulted in the creation of both for-profit and non-profit entities, enabled cross-sector collaboration with mining-indigenous stakeholders, and produced an interactive application for group decision support. ENCOMPASS leverages advances in computational tools to deliver data and models for group decision support applied to sustainability science problems.

New Mexico statewide geothermal energy program. Final technical report

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

Icerman, L.; Parker, S.K.

1988-04-01

This report summarizes the results of geothermal energy resource assessment work conducted by the New Mexico Statewide Geothermal Energy Program during the period September 7, 1984, through February 29, 1988, under the sponsorship of the US Dept. of Energy and the State of New Mexico Research and Development Institute. The research program was administered by the New Mexico Research and Development Institute and was conducted by professional staff members at New Mexico State University and Lightning Dock Geothermal, Inc. The report is divided into four chapters, which correspond to the principal tasks delineated in the above grant. This work extendsmore » the knowledge of the geothermal energy resource base in southern New Mexico with the potential for commercial applications.« less

Survey of Recipients of WAP Services Assessment of Household Budget and Energy Behaviors Pre to Post Weatherization DOE

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

Tonn, Bruce Edward; Rose, Erin M.; Hawkins, Beth A.

This report presents results from the national survey of weatherization recipients. This research was one component of the retrospective and Recovery Act evaluations of the U.S. Department of Energy s Weatherization Assistance Program. Survey respondents were randomly selected from a nationally representative sample of weatherization recipients. The respondents and a comparison group were surveyed just prior to receiving their energy audits and then again approximately 18 months post-weatherization. This report focuses on budget issues faced by WAP households pre- and post-weatherization, whether household energy behaviors changed from pre- to post, the effectiveness of approaches to client energy education, and usemore » and knowledge about thermostats.« less

Industrial waste exchange: a mechanism for saving energy and money

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

Gaines, L.L.

1983-01-01

Although considerable savings of both energy and money are possible through waste exchange, several major impediments limit the number of actual exchanges that take place. These impediments include the lack of economical separation technology, the small quantities of material available at each site, restrictive or uncertain regulation, and lack of knowledge on the part of potential waste users. None of these barriers is insurmountable if appropriate action is taken.

12  mJ Yb:YAG/Cr:YAG microchip laser.

PubMed

Guo, Xiaoyang; Tokita, Shigeki; Kawanaka, Junji

2018-02-01

We have developed a quasi-continuous wave diode end-pumped cryogenically cooled Yb:YAG/Cr:YAG passively Q-switched microchip laser. A maximum energy of 12.1 mJ with 3.7 MW of peak power was obtained. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest energy and peak power obtained by an Yb:YAG/Cr:YAG microchip laser so far.

Tritium

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

fusion energy -production processes of the particular type of reactor using a lithium (Li) blanket or related alloys such as the Pb-17Li eutectic. As such, tritium breeding is intimately connected with energy production, thermal management, radioactivity management, materials properties, and mechanical structures of any plausible future large-scale fusion power reactor. JASON is asked to examine the current state of scientific knowledge and engineering practice on the physical and chemical bases for large-scale tritium

A framework for assessing the uncertainty in wave energy delivery to targeted subsurface formations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karve, Pranav M.; Kallivokas, Loukas F.; Manuel, Lance

2016-02-01

Stress wave stimulation of geological formations has potential applications in petroleum engineering, hydro-geology, and environmental engineering. The stimulation can be applied using wave sources whose spatio-temporal characteristics are designed to focus the emitted wave energy into the target region. Typically, the design process involves numerical simulations of the underlying wave physics, and assumes a perfect knowledge of the material properties and the overall geometry of the geostructure. In practice, however, precise knowledge of the properties of the geological formations is elusive, and quantification of the reliability of a deterministic approach is crucial for evaluating the technical and economical feasibility of the design. In this article, we discuss a methodology that could be used to quantify the uncertainty in the wave energy delivery. We formulate the wave propagation problem for a two-dimensional, layered, isotropic, elastic solid truncated using hybrid perfectly-matched-layers (PMLs), and containing a target elastic or poroelastic inclusion. We define a wave motion metric to quantify the amount of the delivered wave energy. We, then, treat the material properties of the layers as random variables, and perform a first-order uncertainty analysis of the formation to compute the probabilities of failure to achieve threshold values of the motion metric. We illustrate the uncertainty quantification procedure using synthetic data.

Free-Energy-Based Protein Design: Re-Engineering Cellular Retinoic Acid Binding Protein II Assisted by the Moveable-Type Approach.

PubMed

Zhong, Haizhen A; Santos, Elizabeth M; Vasileiou, Chrysoula; Zheng, Zheng; Geiger, James H; Borhan, Babak; Merz, Kenneth M

2018-03-14

How to fine-tune the binding free energy of a small-molecule to a receptor site by altering the amino acid residue composition is a key question in protein engineering. Indeed, the ultimate solution to this problem, to chemical accuracy (±1 kcal/mol), will result in profound and wide-ranging applications in protein design. Numerous tools have been developed to address this question using knowledge-based models to more computationally intensive molecular dynamics simulations-based free energy calculations, but while some success has been achieved there remains room for improvement in terms of overall accuracy and in the speed of the methodology. Here we report a fast, knowledge-based movable-type (MT)-based approach to estimate the absolute and relative free energy of binding as influenced by mutations in a small-molecule binding site in a protein. We retrospectively validate our approach using mutagenesis data for retinoic acid binding to the Cellular Retinoic Acid Binding Protein II (CRABPII) system and then make prospective predictions that are borne out experimentally. The overall performance of our approach is supported by its success in identifying mutants that show high or even sub-nano-molar binding affinities of retinoic acid to the CRABPII system.

Review of high energy hadron-nucleus data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lissauer, D.

1987-01-01

In this review we will summarize new data on hardron-nucleus interactions. The possibility that quark-gluon plasma may be created in heavy ion collisions has led to renewed interest in hadron-nucleus collisions. In particular one hopes that understanding the energy loss of hadrons in h-A collissions will allow us to estimate the optimum energy in AA collisions in order to achieve maximum baryon and/or maximum energy density. This will allow us to choose the optimal experimental environment in the search for quark-gluon plasma. This review will thus omit many interesting results from hadron-nucleus collisions, such as the A dependence of lepton pair production, EMC effect and others. We will focus our attention on the following: (i) Estimating the rate of energy loss of the incident hadron as it propagates through the target. (ii) Determining where the enmergy is deposited in central hadron-nucleus collisions. It is clear that there is no direct or unique method of extrapolating our knowledge of h-A collisions to predict what will happen in AA-collisions. The knowledge and understanding of pp and pA collisions is, however, a useful and necessary guide to what one can expect in AA collisions. In this review we will concentrate on three experimental approaches to the study of h-A collisions. In Section 1 we will discuss the present status of pA → p + X inclusive measurements. In Section 2 measurements from visual detectors, in this case results from the 30″ hybrid spectrometer, which allows investigations of global event properties will be presented. In Section 3 data using 2π calorimeters, where one can trigger and measure transverse energy and energy flow over a given rapidity region, will be discussed. The conclusions will be given in Section 4.

Sampling saddle points on a free energy surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samanta, Amit; Chen, Ming; Yu, Tang-Qing; Tuckerman, Mark; E, Weinan

2014-04-01

Many problems in biology, chemistry, and materials science require knowledge of saddle points on free energy surfaces. These saddle points act as transition states and are the bottlenecks for transitions of the system between different metastable states. For simple systems in which the free energy depends on a few variables, the free energy surface can be precomputed, and saddle points can then be found using existing techniques. For complex systems, where the free energy depends on many degrees of freedom, this is not feasible. In this paper, we develop an algorithm for finding the saddle points on a high-dimensional free energy surface "on-the-fly" without requiring a priori knowledge the free energy function itself. This is done by using the general strategy of the heterogeneous multi-scale method by applying a macro-scale solver, here the gentlest ascent dynamics algorithm, with the needed force and Hessian values computed on-the-fly using a micro-scale model such as molecular dynamics. The algorithm is capable of dealing with problems involving many coarse-grained variables. The utility of the algorithm is illustrated by studying the saddle points associated with (a) the isomerization transition of the alanine dipeptide using two coarse-grained variables, specifically the Ramachandran dihedral angles, and (b) the beta-hairpin structure of the alanine decamer using 20 coarse-grained variables, specifically the full set of Ramachandran angle pairs associated with each residue. For the alanine decamer, we obtain a detailed network showing the connectivity of the minima obtained and the saddle-point structures that connect them, which provides a way to visualize the gross features of the high-dimensional surface.

2017 Publications Demonstrate Advancements in Wind Energy Research

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

In 2017, wind energy experts at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) made significant strides to advance wind energy. Many of these achievements were presented in articles published in scientific and engineering journals and technical reports that detailed research accomplishments in new and progressing wind energy technologies. During fiscal year 2017, NREL wind energy thought leaders shared knowledge and insights through 45 journal articles and 25 technical reports, benefiting academic and national-lab research communities; industry stakeholders; and local, state, and federal decision makers. Such publications serve as important outreach, informing the public of how NREL wind research, analysis, and deploymentmore » activities complement advanced energy growth in the United States and around the world. The publications also illustrate some of the noteworthy outcomes of U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and Laboratory Directed Research and Development funding, as well as funding and facilities leveraged through strategic partnerships and other collaborations.« less

Economics of internal and external energy storage in solar power plant operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manvi, R.; Fujita, T.

1977-01-01

A simple approach is formulated to investigate the effect of energy storage on the bus-bar electrical energy cost of solar thermal power plants. Economic analysis based on this approach does not require detailed definition of a specific storage system. A wide spectrum of storage system candidates ranging from hot water to superconducting magnets can be studied based on total investment and a rough knowledge of energy in and out efficiencies. Preliminary analysis indicates that internal energy storage (thermal) schemes offer better opportunities for energy cost reduction than external energy storage (nonthermal) schemes for solar applications. Based on data and assumptions used in JPL evaluation studies, differential energy costs due to storage are presented for a 100 MWe solar power plant by varying the energy capacity. The simple approach presented in this paper provides useful insight regarding the operation of energy storage in solar power plant applications, while also indicating a range of design parameters where storage can be cost effective.

Division of energy biosciences: Annual report and summaries of FY 1995 activities

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

NONE

1996-04-01

The mission of the Division of Energy Biosciences is to support research that advances the fundamental knowledge necessary for the future development of biotechnologies related to the Department of Energy`s mission. The departmental civilian objectives include effective and efficient energy production, energy conservation, environmental restoration, and waste management. The Energy Biosciences program emphasizes research in the microbiological and plant sciences, as these understudied areas offer numerous scientific opportunities to dramatically influence environmentally sensible energy production and conservation. The research supported is focused on the basic mechanisms affecting plant productivity, conversion of biomass and other organic materials into fuels and chemicalsmore » by microbial systems, and the ability of biological systems to replace energy-intensive or pollutant-producing processes. The Division also addresses the increasing number of new opportunities arising at the interface of biology with other basic energy-related sciences such as biosynthesis of novel materials and the influence of soil organisms on geological processes.« less

What Hansel and Gretel’s Trail Teach Us about Knowledge Management

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

Wayne Simpson; Troy Hiltbrand

Background At Idaho National Laboratory (INL), we are on the cusp of a significant era of change. INL is the lead Department of Energy Nuclear Research and Development Laboratory, focused on finding innovative solutions to the nation’s energy challenges. Not only has the Laboratory grown at an unprecedented rate over the last five years, but also has a significant segment of its workforce that is ready for retirement. Over the next 10 years, it is anticipated that upwards of 60% of the current workforce at INL will be eligible for retirement. Since the Laboratory is highly dependent on the intellectualmore » capabilities of its scientists and engineers and their efforts to ensure the future of the nation’s energy portfolio, this attrition of resources has the potential of seriously impacting the ability of the Laboratory to sustain itself and the growth that it has achieved in the past years. Similar to Germany in the early nineteenth century, we face the challenge of our self-identity and must find a way to solidify our legacy to propel us into the future. Approach As the Brothers Grimm set out to collect their fairy tales, they focused on gathering information from the people that were most knowledgeable in the subject. For them, it was the peasants, with their rich knowledge of the region’s sub-culture of folk lore that was passed down from generation to generation around the evening fire. As we look to capture this tacit knowledge, it is requisite that we also seek this information from those individuals that are most versed in it. In our case, it is the scientists and researchers who have dedicated their lives to providing the nation with nuclear energy. This information comes in many forms, both digital and non-digital. Some of this information still resides in the minds of these scientists and researchers who are close to retirement, or who have already retired. Once the information has been collected, it has to be sorted through to identify where the “shining stones” can be found. The quantity of this information makes it improbable for an individual or set of individuals to sort through it and pick out those ideas which are most important. To accomplish both the step of information capture and classification, modern advancements in technology give us the tools that we need to successfully capture this tacit knowledge. To assist in this process, we have evaluated multiple tools and methods that will help us to unlock the power of tacit knowledge. Tools The first challenge that stands in the way of success is the capture of information. More than 50 years of nuclear research is captured in log books, microfiche, and other non-digital formats. To transform this information from its current form into a format that can “shine,” requires a number of different tools. These tools fall into three major categories: Information Capture, Content Retrieval, and Information Classification. Information Capture The first step is to capture the information from a myriad of sources. With knowledge existing in multiple formats, this step requires multiple approaches to be successful. Some of the sources that require consideration include handwritten documents, typed documents, microfiche, images, audio and video feeds, and electronic images. To make this step feasible for a large body of knowledge requires automation.« less

Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program: Green Earth Enhanced with Inquiry and Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hanna

2011-12-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of a guided inquiry integrated with technology, in terms of female middle-school students' attitudes toward science/scientists and content knowledge regarding selective science concepts (e.g., Greenhouse Effect, Air/Water Quality, Alternative Energy, and Human Health). Thirty-five female students who were entering eighth grade attended an intensive, 1-week Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program which used a main theme, "Green Earth Enhanced with Inquiry and Technology." We used pre- and post-attitude surveys, pre- and post-science content knowledge tests, and selective interviews to collect data and measure changes in students' attitudes and content knowledge. The study results indicated that at the post-intervention measures, participants significantly improved their attitudes toward science and science-related careers and increased their content knowledge of selected science concepts ( p < .05).

10 CFR 205.302 - Contents of application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY OIL ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES AND SANCTIONS Electric Power System Permits and Reports... applicant's present and prospective electric power supply system. Applicant must explain why the proposed... knowledge of the matters set forth therein. ...

EPA Response to BOSC Report on ORD Research Programs

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Air, Climate, and Energy research program is structured to provide research results that address EPA priorities and mandates, meet partners’ needs, fill knowledge gaps, and complement broader efforts across the federal government.

Do we Need a Sociology of Energy Development?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papatheodorou, Photini; Spathopoulos, Fivos

2016-04-01

The presentation discusses the need of developing a new area of scientific study, namely the "Sociology of Energy Development". It presents our knowledge gaps, regarding the reaction of societies towards energy projects. The presentation proposes that the first steps will be to study the "ethnography" of the energy companies and acquire a clear understanding of their specific cultures. In particular, the presentation argues for a need to raise meaningful questions about the values and attitudes of energy companies in areas such as environmental awareness; gender; cultural differences and other issues of conflict. It will also propose that a new conceptual framework is developed for the specific analysis of the relationship between society and energy companies, in the fields of public perception and trust. Finally, the presentation will conclude with an exploration of key principles, which may guide the development of new ethical practices in the field of energy.

Summaries of FY 1994 geosciences research

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

Not Available

1994-12-01

The Geosciences Research Program is directed by the Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Office of Energy Research (OER) through its Office of Basic Energy Sciences (OBES). Activities in the Geosciences Research Program are directed toward the long-term fundamental knowledge of the processes that transport, modify, concentrate, and emplace (1) the energy and mineral resources of the earth and (2) the energy byproducts of man. The Program is divided into five broad categories: Geophysics and earth dynamics; Geochemistry; Energy resource recognition, evaluation, and utilization; Hydrogeology and exogeochemistry; and Solar-terrestrial interactions. The summaries in this document, prepared by the investigators, describe the scopemore » of the individual programs in these main areas and their subdivisions including earth dynamics, properties of earth materials, rock mechanics, underground imaging, rock-fluid interactions, continental scientific drilling, geochemical transport, solar/atmospheric physics, and modeling, with emphasis on the interdisciplinary areas.« less

RETScreen Plus Software Tutorial

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ganoe, Rene D.; Stackhouse, Paul W., Jr.; DeYoung, Russell J.

2014-01-01

Greater emphasis is being placed on reducing both the carbon footprint and energy cost of buildings. A building's energy usage depends upon many factors one of the most important is the local weather and climate conditions to which it's electrical, heating and air conditioning systems must respond. Incorporating renewable energy systems, including solar systems, to supplement energy supplies and increase energy efficiency is important to saving costs and reducing emissions. Also retrofitting technologies to buildings requires knowledge of building performance in its current state, potential future climate state, projection of potential savings with capital investment, and then monitoring the performance once the improvements are made. RETScreen Plus is a performance analysis software module that supplies the needed functions of monitoring current building performance, targeting projected energy efficiency improvements and verifying improvements once completed. This tutorial defines the functions of RETScreen Plus as well as outlines the general procedure for monitoring and reporting building energy performance.

Prospects and applicability of wave energy for South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavidas, George; Venugopal, Vengatesan

2018-03-01

Renewable energy offers significant opportunities for electricity diversification. South Africa belongs to the group of developing nations and encompasses a lot of potential for renewable energy developments. Currently, the majority of its electricity production originates from fossil fuels; however, incorporation of clean coal technologies will aid in reaching the assigned targets. This study offers a long-term wave power quantification analysis with a numerical wave model. The investigation includes long-term resource assessment in the region, variability, seasonal and monthly wave energy content. Locations with high-energy content but low variability pose an opportunity that can contribute in the alleviation of energy poverty. Application of wave converters depends on the combination of complex terms. The study presents resource levels and the joint distributions, which indicate suitability for converter selection. Depending on the region of interest, these characteristics change. Thus, this resource assessment adds knowledge on wave power and optimal consideration for wave energy applicability.

Students' communication, argumentation and knowledge in a citizens' conference on global warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albe, Virginie; Gombert, Marie-José

2012-09-01

An empirical study on 12th-grade students' engagement on a global warming debate as a citizens' conference is reported. Within the design-based research methodology, an interdisciplinary teaching sequence integrating an initiation to non-violent communication was developed. Students' debates were analyzed according to three dimensions: communication, argumentation, and knowledge. Students regulated their oral contributions to the debate by identifying judgments in their discussions. Rhetorical processes developed by students were mainly related to the identity of debate protagonists with interest attributions, authority, and positions. Students' arguments also relied on empirical data. The students' knowledge focused on energy choices, economic, political, and science development issues. Implications for socioscientific issues integration in class are discussed.

Study of the Effects on Student Knowledge and Perceptions of Activities Related to Submetering the 6th Grade Wing of a Middle School, to Displaying the Carbon Footprint, and to Efforts to Reduce Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peck, Rick

2009-01-01

The purpose of the study was to determine the effects upon student knowledge and perceptions regarding greenhouse gas emissions as a result of an intervention relying upon the submetering the 6th grade wing of a Middle School, displaying the information regarding electrical consumption and carbon footprint, and reducing the electrical consumption…

[Level of knowledge on food and nutrition among groups of pupils of the last class of secondary schools].

PubMed

Wojtaś, Malwina; Kołłajtis-Dołowy, Anna

2012-01-01

Common nutritional faults affect health of many Poles. Health state of Poles is worse than most of Europeans and is not improving. Nutritional behaviors of young people are caused by limited nutritional knowledge learned during consecutive stages of school education. Nutritional education is considered less important, theoretical knowledge and practice is not correlated and teacher's knowledge is limited. The aim of this study was to study different school programs and to assess the level of nutritional knowledge among selected pupils of last classes of secondary school in Warsaw. The study was conducted in November 2008 on 210 students with the specific author's questionnaire. There is wide nutritional educational program in schools starting from kindergarten through schools of different levels. The nutritional education program is not consistent likely due to dispersion of material among different subjects. In nutritional knowledge tests none of the pupil reached 75% of maximum points and half of them did not reach 50%. Pupils did not know what is their energetic requirement (answers differ from 100 kcal/day to 10000 kcal/day). They were unable to determine the caloric of oil (only 1/3 knows that it is the most caloric product). More than half of pupils answered that sugar is the most caloric product. The knowledge of vitamin and minerals content is completely not known to pupils. Most of pupils were unable to correctly indicate two products which are the sources of vitamin C (approximately 60%), vitamin A (almost 75%) and iron (over 60%). Pupils have more information on protein sources. Surprisingly it was easier for them to indicate products which are not a good source of valuable proteins than the good source of proteins. Pupils did not know what is recommended frequency of milk, fish, vegetables and plant oil consumption. Results indicate that the core curriculum of education is proper but students had little knowledge of nutrition. The majority of respondents (95%) did not received half of the available points, and nobody scored very good result. It has been found that there is insufficient knowledge of products energy values and energy daily requirements for teenagers, sources of nutrients, as well as basic nutritional guidelines.

Thermodynamic Diagrams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaston, Scot

1999-02-01

Thermodynamic data such as equilibrium constants, standard cell potentials, molar enthalpies of formation, and standard entropies of substances can be a very useful basis for an organized presentation of knowledge in diverse areas of applied chemistry. Thermodynamic data can become particularly useful when incorporated into thermodynamic diagrams that are designed to be easy to recall, to serve as a basis for reconstructing previous knowledge, and to determine whether reactions can occur exergonically or only with the help of an external energy source. Few students in our chemistry-based courses would want to acquire the depth of knowledge or rigor of professional thermodynamicists. But they should nevertheless learn how to make good use of thermodynamic data in their professional occupations that span the chemical, biological, environmental, and medical laboratory fields. This article discusses examples of three thermodynamic diagrams that have been developed for this purpose. They are the thermodynamic energy account (TEA), the total entropy scale, and the thermodynamic scale diagrams. These diagrams help in the teaching and learning of thermodynamics by bringing the imagination into the process of developing a better understanding of abstract thermodynamic functions, and by allowing the reader to keep track of specialist thermodynamic discourses in the literature.

Towards an understanding of the molecular regulation of carbon allocation in diatoms: the interaction of energy and carbon allocation.

PubMed

Wagner, Heiko; Jakob, Torsten; Fanesi, Andrea; Wilhelm, Christian

2017-09-05

In microalgae, the photosynthesis-driven CO 2 assimilation delivers cell building blocks that are used in different biosynthetic pathways. Little is known about how the cell regulates the subsequent carbon allocation to, for example, cell growth or for storage. However, knowledge about these regulatory mechanisms is of high biotechnological and ecological importance. In diatoms, the situation becomes even more complex because, as a consequence of their secondary endosymbiotic origin, the compartmentation of the pathways for the primary metabolic routes is different from green algae. Therefore, the mechanisms to manipulate the carbon allocation pattern cannot be adopted from the green lineage. This review describes the general pathways of cellular energy distribution from light absorption towards the final allocation of carbon into macromolecules and summarizes the current knowledge of diatom-specific allocation patterns. We further describe the (limited) knowledge of regulatory mechanisms of carbon partitioning between lipids, carbohydrates and proteins in diatoms. We present solutions to overcome the problems that hinder the identification of regulatory elements of carbon metabolism.This article is part of the themed issue 'The peculiar carbon metabolism in diatoms'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Rural outreach in Maine: A research-driven professional development teacher community

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wittmann, Michael

2016-03-01

In the Maine Physical Sciences Partnership (MainePSP), researchers at the University of Maine have joined together with the state's Department of Education, non-profits, and teachers in multiple school districts to create a dynamic and growing community dedicated to improving K12 education of the physical sciences. Through ongoing efforts to introduce and adapt instructional materials, guided by education research and research-guided professional development, we have built a community responsive to student and teacher needs. This work has fed back into the university setting, where teachers are playing a role in graduate courses taken by our Master of Science in Teaching students. In this talk, I will focus on the role of education research in the partnership, showing how we use research in professional development, the development of assessments, and the analysis of the resulting data. I will describe two projects, one to understand how teachers' content knowledge affects the development of items assessing knowledge of acceleration, the other to see how teachers use their content knowledge of systems and energy to make pedagogical choices based on students' incorrect ideas about conservation of energy. Sponsored in part by NSF Grants MSP-0962805, DRL-1222580, and DUE-1340033.

Applications of the Trojan Horse method in nuclear astrophysics

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

Spitaleri, Claudio, E-mail: spitaleri@lns.infn.it

2015-02-24

The study of the energy production in stars and related nucleosyntesis processes requires increasingly precise knowledge of the nuclear reaction cross section and reaction rates at interaction energy. In order to overcome the experimental difficulties, arising from small cross-sections involved in charge particle induced reactions at astrophysical energies, and from the presence of electron screening, it was necessary to introduce indirect methods. Trough these methods it is possible to measure cross sections at very small energies and retrieve information on electron screening effect when ultra-low energy direct measurements are available. The Trojan Horse Method (THM) represents the indirect technique tomore » determine the bare nucleus astrophysical S-factor for reactions between charged particles at astrophysical energies. The basic theory of the THM is discussed in the case of non-resonant.« less

Biofuels from food processing wastes.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhanying; O'Hara, Ian M; Mundree, Sagadevan; Gao, Baoyu; Ball, Andrew S; Zhu, Nanwen; Bai, Zhihui; Jin, Bo

2016-04-01

Food processing industry generates substantial high organic wastes along with high energy uses. The recovery of food processing wastes as renewable energy sources represents a sustainable option for the substitution of fossil energy, contributing to the transition of food sector towards a low-carbon economy. This article reviews the latest research progress on biofuel production using food processing wastes. While extensive work on laboratory and pilot-scale biosystems for energy production has been reported, this work presents a review of advances in metabolic pathways, key technical issues and bioengineering outcomes in biofuel production from food processing wastes. Research challenges and further prospects associated with the knowledge advances and technology development of biofuel production are discussed. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A Survey of Methods for Analyzing and Improving GPU Energy Efficiency

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

Mittal, Sparsh; Vetter, Jeffrey S

2014-01-01

Recent years have witnessed a phenomenal growth in the computational capabilities and applications of GPUs. However, this trend has also led to dramatic increase in their power consumption. This paper surveys research works on analyzing and improving energy efficiency of GPUs. It also provides a classification of these techniques on the basis of their main research idea. Further, it attempts to synthesize research works which compare energy efficiency of GPUs with other computing systems, e.g. FPGAs and CPUs. The aim of this survey is to provide researchers with knowledge of state-of-the-art in GPU power management and motivate them to architectmore » highly energy-efficient GPUs of tomorrow.« less

Renewable energy and occupational health and safety research directions: a white paper from the Energy Summit, Denver Colorado, April 11-13, 2011.

PubMed

Mulloy, Karen B; Sumner, Steven A; Rose, Cecile; Conway, George A; Reynolds, Stephen J; Davidson, Margaret E; Heidel, Donna S; Layde, Peter M

2013-11-01

Renewable energy production may offer advantages to human health by way of less pollution and fewer climate-change associated ill-health effects. Limited data suggests that renewable energy will also offer benefits to workers in the form of reduced occupational injury, illness and deaths. However, studies of worker safety and health in the industry are limited. The Mountain and Plains Education and Research Center (MAP ERC) Energy Summit held in April 2011 explored issues concerning worker health and safety in the renewable energy industry. The limited information on hazards of working in the renewable energy industry emphasizes the need for further research. Two basic approaches to guiding both prevention and future research should include: (1) applying lessons learned from other fields of occupational safety and health, particularly the extractive energy industry; and (2) utilizing knowledge of occupational hazards of specific materials and processes used in the renewable energy industry. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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

Not Available

The goals and accomplishments of the Energy Division of Oak Ridge National Laboratory are described in this annual progress report for Fiscal Year (FY) 1988. The Energy Division is a multidisciplinary research organization committed to (1) increasing the knowledge and understanding of the way society makes choices in energy use and energy-using technologies, (2) improving society's understanding of the environmental implications of changes in energy technology, and (3) improving and developing new energy-efficient technologies. The Energy Division's programmatic activities focus on four major areas: (1) analysis and assessment, (2) transportation and decision systems research, (3) technology research and development formore » improving the efficiency of energy and end-use technologies, and (4) electric power systems. The Division's total expenditures in FY 1988 were $44.3 million. The work is supported by the US Department of Energy, US Department of Defense, many other federal agencies, and some private organizations. Disciplines of the 139 staff members include engineering, social sciences, physical and life sciences, and mathematics and statistics.« less

An empirical analysis of financial development and energy demand: establishing the role of globalization.

PubMed

Saud, Shah; Danish; Chen, Songsheng

2018-06-14

The rapid mode of globalization is experienced in the last few years. The acceleration in globalization expands economic activities through a share of knowledge and transfer of technology which influence energy demand. So, the objective of this empirical work is to explore the impact of financial development on energy demand incorporating globalization. The empirical finding is based on autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound testing approach from 1980 to 2016 in case of China. Overall, we infer that financial development increases energy demand in China. Furthermore, the finding shows that globalization has a negative and significant impact on energy demand. The additional determinants, such as economic growth, and urbanization stimulate energy consumption. Besides, energy consumption granger cause financial development in the long-run path. Similarly, unidirectional causality is detected between globalization and energy consumption. The result gives direction to policymakers to preserve as well as to enhance efficient energy consumption and sustain economic growth in China with acceleration in globalization.

The interaction of amylin with other hormones in the control of eating.

PubMed

Lutz, T A

2013-02-01

Twenty years of research established amylin as an important control of energy homeostasis. Amylin controls nutrient and energy fluxes by reducing energy intake, by modulating nutrient utilization via an inhibition of postprandial glucagon secretion and by increasing energy disposal via a prevention of compensatory decreases of energy expenditure in weight reduced individuals. Like many other gastrointestinal hormones, amylin is secreted in response to meals and it reduces eating by promoting meal-ending satiation. Not surprisingly, amylin interacts with many of these hormones to control eating. These interactions seem to occur at different levels because amylin seems to mediate the eating inhibitory effect of some of these gastrointestinal hormones, and the combination of some of these hormones seems to lead to a stronger reduction in eating than single hormones alone. Amylin's effect on eating is thought to be mediated by a stimulation of specific amylin receptors in the area postrema. Secondary brain sites that were defined to mediate amylin action - and hence potential additional sites of interaction with other hormones - include the nucleus of the solitary tract, the lateral parabrachial nucleus, the lateral hypothalamic area and other hypothalamic nuclei. The focus of this review is to summarize the current knowledge of amylin interactions in the control of eating. In most cases, these interactions have only been studied at a descriptive rather than a mechanistic level and despite the clear knowledge on primary sites of amylin action, the interaction sites between amylin and other hormones are often unknown. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Distinguishing complex ideas about climate change: knowledge integration vs. specific guidance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vitale, Jonathan M.; McBride, Elizabeth; Linn, Marcia C.

2016-06-01

We compared two forms of automated guidance to support students' understanding of climate change in an online inquiry science unit. For specific guidance, we directly communicated ideas that were missing or misrepresented in student responses. For knowledge integration guidance, we provided hints or suggestions to motivate learners to analyze features of their response and seek more information. We guided both student-constructed energy flow diagrams and short essays at total of five times across an approximately week-long curriculum unit. Our results indicate that while specific guidance typically produced larger accuracy gains on responses within the curriculum unit, knowledge integration guidance produced stronger outcomes on a novel essay at posttest. Closer analysis revealed an association between the time spent revisiting a visualization and posttest scores on this summary essay, only for those students in the knowledge integration condition. We discuss how these gains in knowledge integration extend laboratory results related to 'desirable difficulties' and show how autonomous inquiry can be fostered through automated guidance.

2011 NDIA Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy/DoD Workshop

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-12

the Government to rectify industrial base shortfalls • Synergy of technical and business objectives focused on long- term economic viability and...Earth Materials May Switch From a Net Exporter to a Net Importer Shifting Economics Of Rare Earth Materials Advanced Research Projects Agency • Energy...scale for success – Immature technology and business – Lack of knowledge and patience to do business with government, which is a small customer • DoD

Fission fragment charge and mass distributions in 239Pu(n, f ) in the adiabatic nuclear energy density functional theory

DOE PAGES

Regnier, D.; Dubray, N.; Schunck, N.; ...

2016-05-13

Here, accurate knowledge of fission fragment yields is an essential ingredient of numerous applications ranging from the formation of elements in the r process to fuel cycle optimization for nuclear energy. The need for a predictive theory applicable where no data are available, together with the variety of potential applications, is an incentive to develop a fully microscopic approach to fission dynamics.

Survey of socio-economic and contextual factors of households׳ energy consumption

PubMed Central

Jridi, Omar; Nouri, Fethi Zouheir

2015-01-01

We present a set of data relating to the investigation of the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG). The census is done on a sample of 3000 electrified households. The questionnaire is divided into three main sections: household socioeconomic status, contextual characteristics related to their housing and technical characteristics of equipments used. The objective of this survey is to achieve a reliable and detailed knowledge on the behavior of household energy consumption, particularly for energy saving behavior. This objective has recently been the subject of a research article Jridi et al. (2015) [2]. PMID:26568974

Pacific Northwest Laboratory Annual Report for 1992 to the DOE Office of Energy Research

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

Kreml, S.A.; Park, J.F.

1993-06-01

This report summarizes progress in OHER biological research and general life sciences research programs conducted at PNL in FY 1992. The research develops the knowledge and fundamental principles necessary to identify, understand, and anticipate the long-term health consequences of energy-related radiation and chemicals. Our continuing emphasis is to decrease the uncertainty of health risk estimates from energy-related technologies through an increase understanding of the ways in which radiation and chemicals cause biological damage. Descriptors of individual research projects as detailed in this report one separately abstracted and indexed for the database.

Ocean Wave Energy Regimes of the Circumpolar Coastal Zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atkinson, D. E.

2004-12-01

Ocean wave activity is a major enviromental forcing agent of the ice-rich sediments that comprise large sections of the arctic coastal margins. While it is instructive to possess information about the wind regimes in these regions, direct application to geomorphological and engineering needs requires knowledge of the resultant wave-energy regimes. Wave energy information has been calculated at the regional scale using adjusted reanalysis model windfield data. Calculations at this scale are not designed to account for local-scale coastline/bathymetric irregularities and variability. Results will be presented for the circumpolar zones specified by the Arctic Coastal Dynamics Project.

Survey of socio-economic and contextual factors of households׳ energy consumption.

PubMed

Jridi, Omar; Nouri, Fethi Zouheir

2015-12-01

We present a set of data relating to the investigation of the Tunisian Company of Electricity and Gas (STEG). The census is done on a sample of 3000 electrified households. The questionnaire is divided into three main sections: household socioeconomic status, contextual characteristics related to their housing and technical characteristics of equipments used. The objective of this survey is to achieve a reliable and detailed knowledge on the behavior of household energy consumption, particularly for energy saving behavior. This objective has recently been the subject of a research article Jridi et al. (2015) [2].

Achieving Regional Energy Efficiency Potential in the Northeast

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

De Angelo, Laura

With this grant, NEEP sought to accelerate the adoption of energy efficiency in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region through regional partnership projects that bring together leadership and staff from state and local government, utilities, industry, environmental and consumer groups, and other related interests to make efficiency visible and understood, reduce energy use in buildings, speed the adoption of high efficiency products, and advance knowledge and best practices. At the time of this grant, the NEEP region included the states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland.

Initial assessment of public perception and acceptance of Geothermal Energy applications in Çanakkale, NW Turkey.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sedat Çetiner, Ziya; Çekiç, Osman; Ertekin, Can; Bakırcı, Mesut

2016-04-01

Growing need of energy in global scale has resulted in increasing number of research and development of renewable energy technologies. Turkey, being very rich in the renewable energy resources, has recently paid special attention to accelerate utilization of these resources to reduce the carbon based energy cost. Among these, Geothermal Energy resources in the country, mainly utilized in district heating and balneological applications, has been shifted toward harvesting electric energy in the shed of recent incentives. While these developments are happening at the policy level, the knowledge and the perception of the public is important to shape the future policies and acceptance of such resources in daily life. In light of these developments, the aim of this study is to identify and analyze the public awareness and acceptance mechanisms for the successful deployment of future and ongoing geothermal investments in Çanakkale region of the Biga Peninsula using geological, social and economic constraints in a well-defined questionnaire. The study employed a mixed method to explore the public perception. Mixed method studies involve qualitative and quantitative techniques and intends to explore an issue in-depth. Thus a sequential explanatory design was used to gather the public's perception. Exploratory design involves a qualitative study followed by a design of a quantitative survey and analysis. The researchers, firs, interviewed 24 college students about their knowledge and perceptions of geothermal resources using a semi-structured interview protocol. The protocol comprised of 8 open ended questions. With the help of the literature and the qualitative survey results, an item database with 51 questions were constructed. The initial survey and the items then were sent to 5 experts. Following the expert review, the survey was given its final form and the item numbers were dropped to 34. Then this survey was applied to a group of 100 college students. The survey also include descriptive information, such as level of education, students' residence, gender, etc. İt is important to note that the participants of the study were college students. This group was selected intentionally to explore the subject in depth, with the assumption that the college students might have more information about the energy resources than the general public. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results provided that the students did not have enough knowledge about geothermal resources and their economic use in Turkey. The next steps will involve a factor analysis and expanding the survey to the general public. Some recommendations also included in the study to inform the public on the use of geothermal resources in energy sector.

Knowledge of and attitudes to sports drinks of adolescents living in South Wales, UK.

PubMed

Fairchild, R M; Broughton, D; Morgan, M Z

2017-06-23

Background The UK sports drinks market has a turnover in excess of £200 million. Adolescents consume 15.6% of total energy as free sugars, much higher than the recommended 5%. Sugar sweetened beverages, including sports drinks, account for 30% of total free sugar intake for those aged 11-18 years.Objective To investigate children's knowledge and attitudes surrounding sports drinks.Method One hundred and eighty-three self-complete questionnaires were distributed to four schools in South Wales. Children aged 12-14 were recruited to take part. Questions focussed on knowledge of who sports drinks are aimed at; the role of sports drinks in physical activity; and the possible detrimental effects to oral health. Recognition of brand logo and sports ambassadors and the relationship of knowledge to respondents' consumption of sports drinks were assessed.Results There was an 87% (160) response rate and 89.4% (143) claimed to drink sports drinks. 45.9% thought that sports drinks were aimed at everyone; approximately a third (50) viewed teenagers as the target group. Over two thirds recognised the brand logos, yet less than a third could identify brand ambassadors. About half were aware that dental erosion may result from consumption and approximately two thirds knew that they were linked to dental caries and energy provision. Despite this the majority claimed to drink them. As previously reported most of those drinking sports drinks did so because of the taste.Conclusion Whilst most of the respondents had some understanding of the detrimental effects on health the majority of them were drinking them regularly despite this knowledge. Work is therefore needed at a macro level, with soft drink manufacturers, to consider marketing and reformulation of products for adolescent consumers who appear to enjoy them.

Advanced Metering Implementations - A Perspective from Federal Sector

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

Eaarni, Shankar

2014-08-11

Federal mandate (EPACT 2005) requires that federal buildings install advanced electrical meters-meters capable of providing data at least daily and measuring the consumption of electricity at least hourly. This work presents selected advanced metering implementations to understand some of the existing practices related to data capture and to understand how the data is being translated into information and knowledge that can be used to improve building energy and operational performance to meet federal energy reduction mandates. This study highlights case studies to represent some of the various actions that are being taken based on the data that are being collectedmore » to improve overall energy performance of these buildings. Some of these actions include- individualized tenant billing and energy forecasting, benchmarking, identifying energy conservation measures, measurement and verification.« less

Harmonic Fourier beads method for studying rare events on rugged energy surfaces.

PubMed

Khavrutskii, Ilja V; Arora, Karunesh; Brooks, Charles L

2006-11-07

We present a robust, distributable method for computing minimum free energy paths of large molecular systems with rugged energy landscapes. The method, which we call harmonic Fourier beads (HFB), exploits the Fourier representation of a path in an appropriate coordinate space and proceeds iteratively by evolving a discrete set of harmonically restrained path points-beads-to generate positions for the next path. The HFB method does not require explicit knowledge of the free energy to locate the path. To compute the free energy profile along the final path we employ an umbrella sampling method in two generalized dimensions. The proposed HFB method is anticipated to aid the study of rare events in biomolecular systems. Its utility is demonstrated with an application to conformational isomerization of the alanine dipeptide in gas phase.

Determination of Gibbs energies of formation in aqueous solution using chemical engineering tools.

PubMed

Toure, Oumar; Dussap, Claude-Gilles

2016-08-01

Standard Gibbs energies of formation are of primary importance in the field of biothermodynamics. In the absence of any directly measured values, thermodynamic calculations are required to determine the missing data. For several biochemical species, this study shows that the knowledge of the standard Gibbs energy of formation of the pure compounds (in the gaseous, solid or liquid states) enables to determine the corresponding standard Gibbs energies of formation in aqueous solutions. To do so, using chemical engineering tools (thermodynamic tables and a model enabling to predict activity coefficients, solvation Gibbs energies and pKa data), it becomes possible to determine the partial chemical potential of neutral and charged components in real metabolic conditions, even in concentrated mixtures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-energy azimuthally polarized laser beam generation from an actively Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with c-cut YVO4 crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Jing; Zhang, Baofu; Jiao, Zhongxing; He, Guangyuan; Wang, Biao

2018-05-01

A high-energy, azimuthally polarized (AP) and actively Q-switched Nd:YAG laser is demonstrated. The thermal bipolar lensing effect in the Nd:YAG laser rod is used as a polarization discriminator, and a c-cut YVO4 crystal is inserted into the laser cavity to increase the mode-selecting ability of the cavity for AP mode. The laser generated AP pulses with maximum pulse energy as high as 4.2 mJ. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest pulse energy obtained from an actively Q-switched AP laser. The pulse energy remained higher than 1 mJ over a wide range of repetition rates from 5 kHz to 25 kHz.

National energy efficient driving system (NEEDS). Volume 2, Driver education program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-12-15

Studies were conducted to identify young driver deficiencies in knowledge, attitude, and performance with respect to fuel-efficiency. Five different programs of classroom-only and classroom/in-car instruction were administered experimentally to high ...

The Avian Proghrelin System

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To understand how the proghrelin system functions in regulating growth hormone release and food intake as well as defining its pleiotropic roles in such diverse physiological processes as energy homeostasis, gastrointestinal tract function and reproduction requires detailed knowledge of the structur...

Swinging into Pendulums with a Background.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barrow, Lloyd H.; Cook, Julie

1993-01-01

Explains reasons why students have misconceptions concerning pendulum swings. Presents a series of 10 pendulum task cards to provide middle-school students with a solid mental scaffolding upon which to build their knowledge of kinetic energy and pendulums. (PR)

Olfaction Under Metabolic Influences

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Recently published work and emerging research efforts have suggested that the olfactory system is intimately linked with the endocrine systems that regulate or modify energy balance. Although much attention has been focused on the parallels between taste transduction and neuroendocrine controls of digestion due to the novel discovery of taste receptors and molecular components shared by the tongue and gut, the equivalent body of knowledge that has accumulated for the olfactory system, has largely been overlooked. During regular cycles of food intake or disorders of endocrine function, olfaction is modulated in response to changing levels of various molecules, such as ghrelin, orexins, neuropeptide Y, insulin, leptin, and cholecystokinin. In view of the worldwide health concern regarding the rising incidence of diabetes, obesity, and related metabolic disorders, we present a comprehensive review that addresses the current knowledge of hormonal modulation of olfactory perception and how disruption of hormonal signaling in the olfactory system can affect energy homeostasis. PMID:22832483

Bioenergetics of Mammalian Sperm Capacitation

PubMed Central

Ferramosca, Alessandra; Zara, Vincenzo

2014-01-01

After ejaculation, the mammalian male gamete must undergo the capacitation process, which is a prerequisite for egg fertilization. The bioenergetics of sperm capacitation is poorly understood despite its fundamental role in sustaining the biochemical and molecular events occurring during gamete activation. Glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are the two major metabolic pathways producing ATP which is the primary source of energy for spermatozoa. Since recent data suggest that spermatozoa have the ability to use different metabolic substrates, the main aim of this work is to present a broad overview of the current knowledge on the energy-producing metabolic pathways operating inside sperm mitochondria during capacitation in different mammalian species. Metabolism of glucose and of other energetic substrates, such as pyruvate, lactate, and citrate, is critically analyzed. Such knowledge, besides its obvious importance for basic science, could eventually translate into the development of novel strategies for treatment of male infertility, artificial reproduction, and sperm selection methods. PMID:24791005

Bioenergetics of mammalian sperm capacitation.

PubMed

Ferramosca, Alessandra; Zara, Vincenzo

2014-01-01

After ejaculation, the mammalian male gamete must undergo the capacitation process, which is a prerequisite for egg fertilization. The bioenergetics of sperm capacitation is poorly understood despite its fundamental role in sustaining the biochemical and molecular events occurring during gamete activation. Glycolysis and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are the two major metabolic pathways producing ATP which is the primary source of energy for spermatozoa. Since recent data suggest that spermatozoa have the ability to use different metabolic substrates, the main aim of this work is to present a broad overview of the current knowledge on the energy-producing metabolic pathways operating inside sperm mitochondria during capacitation in different mammalian species. Metabolism of glucose and of other energetic substrates, such as pyruvate, lactate, and citrate, is critically analyzed. Such knowledge, besides its obvious importance for basic science, could eventually translate into the development of novel strategies for treatment of male infertility, artificial reproduction, and sperm selection methods.

Novel nonlinear knowledge-based mean force potentials based on machine learning.

PubMed

Dong, Qiwen; Zhou, Shuigeng

2011-01-01

The prediction of 3D structures of proteins from amino acid sequences is one of the most challenging problems in molecular biology. An essential task for solving this problem with coarse-grained models is to deduce effective interaction potentials. The development and evaluation of new energy functions is critical to accurately modeling the properties of biological macromolecules. Knowledge-based mean force potentials are derived from statistical analysis of proteins of known structures. Current knowledge-based potentials are almost in the form of weighted linear sum of interaction pairs. In this study, a class of novel nonlinear knowledge-based mean force potentials is presented. The potential parameters are obtained by nonlinear classifiers, instead of relative frequencies of interaction pairs against a reference state or linear classifiers. The support vector machine is used to derive the potential parameters on data sets that contain both native structures and decoy structures. Five knowledge-based mean force Boltzmann-based or linear potentials are introduced and their corresponding nonlinear potentials are implemented. They are the DIH potential (single-body residue-level Boltzmann-based potential), the DFIRE-SCM potential (two-body residue-level Boltzmann-based potential), the FS potential (two-body atom-level Boltzmann-based potential), the HR potential (two-body residue-level linear potential), and the T32S3 potential (two-body atom-level linear potential). Experiments are performed on well-established decoy sets, including the LKF data set, the CASP7 data set, and the Decoys “R”Us data set. The evaluation metrics include the energy Z score and the ability of each potential to discriminate native structures from a set of decoy structures. Experimental results show that all nonlinear potentials significantly outperform the corresponding Boltzmann-based or linear potentials, and the proposed discriminative framework is effective in developing knowledge-based mean force potentials. The nonlinear potentials can be widely used for ab initio protein structure prediction, model quality assessment, protein docking, and other challenging problems in computational biology.

Alternative considerations for environmental oversight training: Results from a needs assessment

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

Young, C.; Hensley, J.

1995-11-01

For staff to perform their jobs effectively and efficiently, they must be adequately trained. Well-trained staff are also more likely to be satisfied with their jobs and to remain with a given organization. In addition to hiring staff with relevant backgrounds and skills, critical steps in maintaining adequately trained staff are to analyze skill levels needed for the various tasks that personnel are required to perform and to provide training to improve staff s skill base. This first analysis is commonly referred to as a training needs assessment. Training needs are usually determined by defining the tasks required for amore » particular job and the associated knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to adequately accomplish these tasks. The Office of Northwestern Area Programs of the U.S. Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Office of Environmental Management (EM) oversees environmental remediation activities in the Chicago, Idaho, Oakland, and Richland Operations Offices. For this organization to effectively carry out its mission, its staff need to be as proficient as possible in the appropriate knowledge and skills. Therefore, a training needs assessment was conducted to determine staff`s level of knowledge and proficiency in various skills. The purpose of the assessment was to: (1) Examine the types of activities or tasks in which staff are involved, (2) Determine the skills needed to perform relevant tasks, and (3) Assess gaps in knowledge and skills for the tasks performed in order to suggest opportunities for skill development.« less

Development and feasibility of an evidence-informed self-management education program in pediatric concussion rehabilitation.

PubMed

Hunt, Anne W; De Feo, Luciano; Macintyre, Jennifer; Greenspoon, Dayna; Dick, Talia; Mah, Katherine; Paniccia, Melissa; Provvidenza, Christine; Reed, Nick

2016-08-17

Concussion is a considerable public health problem in youth. However, identifying, understanding and implementing best evidence informed recovery guidelines may be challenging for families given the vast amount of information available in the public domains (e.g. Internet). The objective of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate the feasibility of an evidence-informed self-management education program for concussion recovery in youth. Synthesis of best evidence, principles of knowledge translation and exchange, and expert opinion were integrated within a self-management program framework to develop a comprehensive curriculum. The program was implemented and evaluated in a children's rehabilitation hospital within a universal health care system. A retrospective secondary analysis of anonymous data from a program evaluation survey was used to evaluate program feasibility, to identify features of importance to program participants and to assess changes in participants' knowledge. The program, "Concussion & You" includes a comprehensive, evidence informed, population specific curriculum that teaches participants practical strategies for management of return to school and play, sleep, nutrition, relaxation and energy conservation. A 'wheel of health' is used to facilitate participants' self-management action plan. Results from eighty-seven participant surveys indicate that the program is feasible and participant knowledge increased in all areas of the program with the highest changes reported in knowledge about sleep hygiene, rest and energy conservation. Findings indicate that "Concussion & You" is a feasible program that is acceptable to youth and their families, and fills a health system service gap.

The effects of explicit visual cues in reading biological diagrams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Yun-Ping; Unsworth, Len; Wang, Kuo-Hua

2017-03-01

Drawing on cognitive theories, this study intends to investigate the effects of explicit visual cues which have been proposed as a critical factor in facilitating understanding of biological images. Three diagrams from Taiwanese textbooks with implicit visual cues, involving the concepts of biological classification systems, fish taxonomy, and energy pyramid, were selected as the reading materials for the control group and reformatted in tree structure or with additional arrows as the diagrams for the treatment group. A quasi-experiment with an online reading test was conducted to examine the effect of the different image conditions on reading comprehension of the two groups. In total, 192 Taiwanese participants from year 7 were assigned randomly into either control group or treatment group according to the pre-test of relevant prior knowledge. The results indicated that not all explicit visual cues were significantly efficient. Only the explicit tree-structured diagrams cued significantly the key concepts of qualitative class-inclusion, parallel relations, and fish taxonomy. Meanwhile the effect of indexical arrows was not significant. The inconsistent effect of tree structure and arrows might be related to the extent of image reformation in which the tree-structured diagrams had undergone radical change of knowledge representation; meanwhile, the arrows had not changed the diagram structure of energy pyramid. The factor of prior knowledge was essential in considering the influence of image design as the effect of diagrams was very different for low and high prior knowledge students. Implications are drawn for the importance of visual design in textbooks.

Empowering Pre-College Students To Engage In Climate Change Solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haine, D. B.

2014-12-01

Developing and implementing solutions to environmental challenges, such as climate change, depend upon the cultivation of STEM knowledge and skills among today's youth. Furthermore, STEM instruction enhances learning by providing tools to investigate and analyze environmental issues, making the issue real and tangible to students. That said, educators engaged in the climate literacy movement are aware that possession of knowledge about Earth's climate and the causes and consequences of climate change is not sufficient to empower individuals to contribute to solutions that promote a sustainable future. By framing the issue of climate change in the context of energy, by utilizing STEM instructional strategies and by showcasing scientists and others working on solutions to address climate change, the Climate Leadership and Energy Awareness Program (Climate LEAP) at the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill is cultivating a network of youth who are not only informed about society's use of energy and the implication for Earth's climate but also empowered to be part of the solution as society shifts to a low carbon economy. During this year-long science enrichment program, 9th-12thgraders learn about our fossil fuel based economy, meet scientists who are working to expand the use of renewable energy sources, and develop communication and leadership skills. Experienced educators with UNC's Institute for the Environment, the Morehead Planetarium and Science Center and the Alliance for Climate Education partner with scientists to implement Climate LEAP. In addition to increasing knowledge of climate science and of the solutions proposed to address climate change, program participants are invited to engage members of their community through implementation of a solutions-oriented community outreach project. Now in its fifth year, 168 students have completed Climate LEAP, with approximately 2/3 completing at least one community outreach project. A survey of program alumni indicated that 90% of respondents were motivated by the program to make at least one behavior change to conserve energy in their daily life. This session will include a description of the program evaluation plan, which includes assessment of student learning..

[A network of LIFE projects to promote the transfer and exchange of knowledge on environment and health].

PubMed

Cori, Liliana; Carducci, Annalaura; Donzelli, Gabriele; La Rocca, Cinzia; Bianchi, Fabrizio

2018-01-01

Eleven projects within the LIFE programme (through which the Directorate-General for Environment of the European Commission provides funding for projects aim at protecting environment and nature) addressing environmental-health-related issues have been involved in a collaborative network called KTE LIFE EnvHealth Network. The shared issues tackled by that projects are knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE). The objective of the LIFE programme is to support the implementation of the environmental legislation in the European Union, to provide new tools and knowledge that will help to better protect both the territory and the communities. Transferring knowledge to decision makers, at the appropriate and effective level, is therefore a central function of the projects. The Network promotes national and international networking, which intends to involve other projects, to provide methodological support, to make information and successful practices circulate, with the aim of multiplying the energies of each project involved.

Teaching energy using an integrated science approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poggi, Valeria; Miceli, Cristina; Testa, Italo

2017-01-01

Despite its relevance to all scientific domains, the debate surrounding the teaching of energy is still open. The main point remains the problems students have in understanding some aspects of the energy concept and in applying their knowledge to the comprehension of natural phenomena. In this paper, we present a research-based interdisciplinary approach to the teaching of energy in which the first and second laws of thermodynamics were used to interpret physical, chemical and biological processes. The contents of the three disciplines (physics, chemistry, biology) were reconstructed focusing on six basic aspects of energy (forms, transfer, transformation, conservation, degradation, and entropy) and using common teaching methodologies. The module was assessed with 39 secondary school students (aged 15-16) using a 30-question research instrument and a treatment/control group methodology. Analysis of students’ learning outcomes suggests a better understanding of the energy concept, supporting the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary approach in the teaching of energy in physics and science in general. Implications for the teaching of energy are briefly discussed.

Peak reduction for commercial buildings using energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chua, K. H.; Lim, Y. S.; Morris, S.

2017-11-01

Battery-based energy storage has emerged as a cost-effective solution for peak reduction due to the decrement of battery’s price. In this study, a battery-based energy storage system is developed and implemented to achieve an optimal peak reduction for commercial customers with the limited energy capacity of the energy storage. The energy storage system is formed by three bi-directional power converter rated at 5 kVA and a battery bank with capacity of 64 kWh. Three control algorithms, namely fixed-threshold, adaptive-threshold, and fuzzy-based control algorithms have been developed and implemented into the energy storage system in a campus building. The control algorithms are evaluated and compared under different load conditions. The overall experimental results show that the fuzzy-based controller is the most effective algorithm among the three controllers in peak reduction. The fuzzy-based control algorithm is capable of incorporating a priori qualitative knowledge and expertise about the load characteristic of the buildings as well as the useable energy without over-discharging the batteries.

Commercial Building Energy Asset Score

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

This software (Asset Scoring Tool) is designed to help building owners and managers to gain insight into the as-built efficiency of their buildings. It is a web tool where users can enter their building information and obtain an asset score report. The asset score report consists of modeled building energy use (by end use and by fuel type), building systems (envelope, lighting, heating, cooling, service hot water) evaluations, and recommended energy efficiency measures. The intended users are building owners and operators who have limited knowledge of building energy efficiency. The scoring tool collects minimum building data (~20 data entries) frommore » users and build a full-scale energy model using the inference functionalities from Facility Energy Decision System (FEDS). The scoring tool runs real-time building energy simulation using EnergyPlus and performs life-cycle cost analysis using FEDS. An API is also under development to allow the third-party applications to exchange data with the web service of the scoring tool.« less

Integrated knowledge translation: digging deeper, moving forward.

PubMed

Kothari, Anita; Wathen, C Nadine

2017-06-01

Integrated knowledge translation has risen in popularity as a solution to the underuse of research in policy and practice settings. It engages knowledge users-policymakers, practitioners, patients/consumers or their advocates, and members of the wider public-in mutually beneficial research that can involve the joint development of research questions, data collection, analysis and dissemination of findings. Knowledge that is co-produced has a better chance of being implemented. The purpose of this paper is to update developments in the field of integrated knowledge translation through a deeper analysis of the approach in practice-oriented and policy-oriented health research. We present collaborative models that fall outside the scope of integrated knowledge translation, but then explore consensus-based approaches and networks as alternate sites of knowledge co-production. We discuss the need to advance the field through the development, or use, of data collection and interpretation tools that creatively engage knowledge users in the research process. Most importantly, conceptually relevant outcomes need to be identified, including ones that focus on team transformation through the co-production of knowledge. We explore some of these challenges and benefits in detail to help researchers understand what integrated knowledge translation means, and whether the approach's potential added value is worth the investment of time, energy and other resources. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Elucidating Hyperconjugation from Electronegativity to Predict Drug Conformational Energy in a High Throughput Manner.

PubMed

Liu, Zhaomin; Pottel, Joshua; Shahamat, Moeed; Tomberg, Anna; Labute, Paul; Moitessier, Nicolas

2016-04-25

Computational chemists use structure-based drug design and molecular dynamics of drug/protein complexes which require an accurate description of the conformational space of drugs. Organic chemists use qualitative chemical principles such as the effect of electronegativity on hyperconjugation, the impact of steric clashes on stereochemical outcome of reactions, and the consequence of resonance on the shape of molecules to rationalize experimental observations. While computational chemists speak about electron densities and molecular orbitals, organic chemists speak about partial charges and localized molecular orbitals. Attempts to reconcile these two parallel approaches such as programs for natural bond orbitals and intrinsic atomic orbitals computing Lewis structures-like orbitals and reaction mechanism have appeared. In the past, we have shown that encoding and quantifying chemistry knowledge and qualitative principles can lead to predictive methods. In the same vein, we thought to understand the conformational behaviors of molecules and to encode this knowledge back into a molecular mechanics tool computing conformational potential energy and to develop an alternative to atom types and training of force fields on large sets of molecules. Herein, we describe a conceptually new approach to model torsion energies based on fundamental chemistry principles. To demonstrate our approach, torsional energy parameters were derived on-the-fly from atomic properties. When the torsional energy terms implemented in GAFF, Parm@Frosst, and MMFF94 were substituted by our method, the accuracy of these force fields to reproduce MP2-derived torsional energy profiles and their transferability to a variety of functional groups and drug fragments were overall improved. In addition, our method did not rely on atom types and consequently did not suffer from poor automated atom type assignments.

Summaries of physical research in the geosciences

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

Not Available

1990-10-01

The Department of Energy supports research in the geosciences in order to provide a sound foundation of fundamental knowledge in those areas of the geosciences which are germane to the Department of Energy's many missions. The Division of Engineering and Geosciences, part of the Office of Basic Energy Sciences of the Office of Energy Research, supports the Geosciences Research Program. The participants in this program include Department of Energy laboratories, industry, universities, and other governmental agencies. The summaries in this document, prepared by the investigators, briefly describe the scope of the individual programs. The Geosciences Research Program includes research inmore » geology, petrology, geophysics, geochemistry, solar physics, solar-terrestrial relationships, aeronomy, seismology, and natural resource modeling and analysis, including their various subdivisions and interdisciplinary areas. All such research is related either directly or indirectly to the Department of Energy's long-range technological needs.« less

Glucose as the Sole Metabolic Fuel: The Possible Influence of Formal Teaching on the Establishment of a Misconception about Energy-Yielding Metabolism among Students from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luz, Mauricio R. M. P.; de Oliveira, Gabriel Aguiar; de Sousa, Cristiane Ribeiro; Da Poian, Andrea T.

2008-01-01

Energy-yielding metabolism is an important biochemistry subject that is related to many daily experiences and health issues of students. An adequate knowledge of the general features of EYM is therefore important, both from an academic and social point of view. In a previous study, we have shown that high-school students present the misconception…

Hydrocarbons and the evolution of human culture.

PubMed

Hall, Charles; Tharakan, Pradeep; Hallock, John; Cleveland, Cutler; Jefferson, Michael

2003-11-20

Most of the progress in human culture has required the exploitation of energy resources. About 100 years ago, the major source of energy shifted from recent solar to fossil hydrocarbons, including liquid and gaseous petroleum. Technology has generally led to a greater use of hydrocarbon fuels for most human activities, making civilization vulnerable to decreases in supply. At this time our knowledge is not sufficient for us to choose between the different estimates of, for example, resources of conventional oil.

Feasibility of Nuclear Power on U.S. Military Installations. 2nd Revision

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

Small Modular Reactor , Military Installation Energy, Energy Assurance 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: a. REPORT I b. ABSTRACT U c. THIS PAGE i; 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT SAR 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 98 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON Knowledge Center/Rhea Stone 19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (Include area code) 703-824-2110 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8/98) Prescribed bv ANSI Sid 239.18 Contents Preliminary note: Development and commercial deployment of small modular reactors

Binding Free Energy Calculations for Lead Optimization: Assessment of Their Accuracy in an Industrial Drug Design Context.

PubMed

Homeyer, Nadine; Stoll, Friederike; Hillisch, Alexander; Gohlke, Holger

2014-08-12

Correctly ranking compounds according to their computed relative binding affinities will be of great value for decision making in the lead optimization phase of industrial drug discovery. However, the performance of existing computationally demanding binding free energy calculation methods in this context is largely unknown. We analyzed the performance of the molecular mechanics continuum solvent, the linear interaction energy (LIE), and the thermodynamic integration (TI) approach for three sets of compounds from industrial lead optimization projects. The data sets pose challenges typical for this early stage of drug discovery. None of the methods was sufficiently predictive when applied out of the box without considering these challenges. Detailed investigations of failures revealed critical points that are essential for good binding free energy predictions. When data set-specific features were considered accordingly, predictions valuable for lead optimization could be obtained for all approaches but LIE. Our findings lead to clear recommendations for when to use which of the above approaches. Our findings also stress the important role of expert knowledge in this process, not least for estimating the accuracy of prediction results by TI, using indicators such as the size and chemical structure of exchanged groups and the statistical error in the predictions. Such knowledge will be invaluable when it comes to the question which of the TI results can be trusted for decision making.

The Effect of an Energy Audit Service Learning Project on Student Perceptions of STEM Related Disciplines, Personal Behaviors/Actions towards the Environment, and Stewardship Skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gullo, Michael

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether or not service learning could be considered an alternative teaching method in an environmental science classroom. In particular, the results of this research show whether an energy audit service learning project influenced student environmental awareness (knowledge of environmental issues, problems, and solutions), student personal actions/behaviors towards the environment, student perceptions and attitudes of science related careers, and community partnerships. Haines (2010) defines service learning as “a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities” (p. 16). Moreover, service learning opportunities can encourage students to step out of their comfort zone and learn from hands-on experiences and apply knowledge obtained from lectures and classroom activities to real life situations. To add to the growing body of literature, the results of this study concluded that an energy audit service learning project did not have a measureable effect on student perceptions and attitudes of science related careers as compared to a more traditional teaching approach. However, the data from this study did indicate that an energy audit service learning project increased students personal actions/behaviors towards the environment more than a direct teaching approach.

[Living without atomic power? Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker as expert in the nuclear energy debate of the 1970's].

PubMed

Seefried, Elke

2014-01-01

Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker crossed the boundaries separating science, politics and the public sphere. In this he was led by the conviction that scientists in the modern 'technical age' are responsible for consequences resulting from their applied knowledge. Weizsäcker tried to introduce his knowledge into the policy process by advising politicians or by using the public sphere, thus applying pressure on politics. This was not only true for the 'Göttinger Erklärung' in 1957 but also for his engagement in the nuclear energy debate of the 1970s. Influenced by the 'Limits to Growth' discourse, Weizsäcker more and more gravitated towards an ecological world view and increasingly questioned material growth as well as a techno-scientific based understanding of progress. Weizsäcker thought about risks of the technical age in general and of the use of nuclear energy in particular. In the light of a growing fragmentation of scientific authority, Weizsäcker revealed uncertainty as he became fully aware that expertise cannot be based on scientific reason and cannot code the problems in terms of truth, but is inextricably linked with value spheres and contingencies. Nevertheless, his expertise was utilized as he encouraged parts of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) around Erhard Eppler to think about alternatives in energy policy.

Young adolescents' perceptions, patterns, and contexts of energy drink use. A focus group study.

PubMed

Costa, Beth M; Hayley, Alexa; Miller, Peter

2014-09-01

Caffeinated energy drinks (EDs) are purported to increase energy and improve performance, but have been associated with adverse health effects and death. EDs are popular among adolescents and young adults, yet little is known about their use among young adolescents. This study explored perceptions, patterns, and contexts of ED use in six focus groups with 40 adolescents aged 12-15 years from two regional Australian schools. A thematic analysis of the data was used to investigate knowledge about ED brands and content, ED use, reasons for ED use, physiological effects, and influences on ED use. Participants were familiar with EDs and most had used them at least once but had limited knowledge of ED ingredients, and some had difficulty differentiating them from soft and sports drinks. EDs were used as an alternative to other drinks, to provide energy, and in social contexts, and their use was associated with short-term physiological symptoms. Parents and advertising influenced participants' perceptions and use of EDs. These findings suggest young adolescents use EDs without knowing what they are drinking and how they are contributing to their personal risk of harm. The advertising, appeal, and use of EDs by adolescents appear to share similarities with alcohol and tobacco. Further research is needed to replicate and extend the current findings, informed by the lessons learned in alcohol research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advancing the hydrogen safety knowledge base

DOE PAGES

Weiner, S. C.

2014-08-29

The International Energy Agency's Hydrogen Implementing Agreement (IEA HIA) was established in 1977 to pursue collaborative hydrogen research and development and information exchange among its member countries. Information and knowledge dissemination is a key aspect of the work within IEA HIA tasks, and case studies, technical reports and presentations/publications often result from the collaborative efforts. The work conducted in hydrogen safety under Task 31 and its predecessor, Task 19, can positively impact the objectives of national programs even in cases for which a specific task report is not published. As a result, the interactions within Task 31 illustrate how technologymore » information and knowledge exchange among participating hydrogen safety experts serve the objectives intended by the IEA HIA.« less

Teacher Professional Development that Makes an Impact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borrego, H.; Ellins, K. K.

2012-12-01

Through four years of participation in the TeXas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution, an NSF-sponsored teacher professional development project, my knowledge of earth science and new pedagogical approaches has improved dramatically. In addition, I have received instructional materials, and learned how to access high quality online resources and use a variety of web-based tools. As a consequence, I have developed the confidence to use the TXESS model to deliver earth science professional development that makes an impact to other teachers in the Rio Grande Valley region of South Texas. In this session, I will share my experiences as an earth science professional development provider and describe how I have used my own learning to help both teachers and students become more earth science literate. Earth science test scores at the elementary and secondary level throughout South Texas are consistently low in comparison to other regional areas in the state. The majority of the teachers lack the content-knowledge, confidence, or experience to teach earth science. My background as teacher combined with the TXESS Revolution experience helped me to understand the needs of these teachers and to identify teaching resources that would be useful to them. Using educational resources provided by the TXESS Revolution I have offered professional development topics such as Energy, Geologic Time and Stratigraphy, Water and the Cryosphere, Plate Tectonics, and Climate to about 125 South Texas elementary and middle school teachers. These trainings have helped improve the content knowledge of South Texas teachers and given them tools that they can use to guide student learning through authentic scientific research. In addition to providing professional development to teachers, I have been recruited to serve as the representative of the Offshore Energy Center for South Texas. This curriculum complements the TXESS Revolution educational resources by expanding the Energy education. The partnership with Offshore Energy is financing the framework for developing more training. More than 15 school districts in South Texas will have the opportunity to participate in this program

Sarcopenia: A Major Challenge in Elderly Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease

PubMed Central

Domański, Maciej; Ciechanowski, Kazimierz

2012-01-01

Sarcopenia is a condition of multifaceted etiology arising in many elderly people. In patients with chronic kidney, the loss of muscle mass is much more intensive and the first signs of sarcopenia are observed in younger patients than it is expected. It is associated with the whole-body protein-energy deficiency called protein-energy wasting (PEW). It seems to be one of the major factors limiting patient's autonomy as well as decreasing the quality of life. If it cannot be treated with the simple methods requiring some knowledge and devotion, we will fail to save patients who die due to cardiovascular disease and infection, despite proper conduction of renal replacement therapy. Many factors influencing the risk of sarcopenia development have been evaluated in number of studies. Many studies also were conducted to assess the efficacy of different therapeutic strategies (diet, physical activity, hormones). Nevertheless, there is still no consensus on treatment the patients with PEW. Therefore, in the paper we present the reasons and pathophysiology of sarcopenia as an important element of protein energy wasting (PEW) in elderly patients suffering from chronic kidney disease. We also analyze possible options for treatment according to up-to-date knowledge. PMID:22536505

Investigation to reduce students’ misconception in energy material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wijayanti, M. D.; Raharjo, S. B.; Saputro, S.; Mulyani, S.

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study is to analyse the misconception of Teacher Candidate of Elementary School (PGSD) on energy materials. This research is expected to be a common misconception in teaching and learning activities. One solution to overcome misconceptions is by investigation. This study uses qualitative research. The subject of this research needs 35 students. Data analysis is done by comparing the observation and test results. The results of this study is the result of students learning outcomes through cycle I and cycle II. The first cycle is due to overweight misconceptions of 18.57% and cycle II of 35.71%. Misconception can be caused by a procedural negligence. Students of PGSD Are examined to show if they understood in a simple movement problem which needs a neverse proportionality concept, to find out a way to prevent misunderstanding. The examination may consist of the question of energy materials by different representation for each student. The conceptual knowledge of the students show incorrectness because they feel confused of existing knowledge they got in their daily lives. It can cause scientific misunderstanding. The declining in student misconceptions is caused by investigation process. Search and data collection are helpful in improving their thinking skills.

Intersection of argumentation and the use of multiple representations in the context of socioscientific issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namdar, Bahadir; Shen, Ji

2016-05-01

Using multiple representations and argumentation are two fundamental processes in science. With the advancements of information communication technologies, these two processes are blended more so than ever before. However, little is known about how these two processes interact with each other in student learning. Hence, we conducted a design-based study in order to distill the relationship between these two processes. Specifically, we designed a learning unit on nuclear energy and implemented it with a group of preservice middle school teachers. The participants used a web-based knowledge organization platform that incorporated three representational modes: textual, concept map, and pictorial. The participants organized their knowledge on nuclear energy by searching, sorting, clustering information through the use of these representational modes and argued about the nuclear energy issue. We found that the use of multiple representations and argumentation interacted with each other in a complex way. Based on our findings, we argue that the complexity can be unfolded in two aspects: (a) the use of multiple representations mediates argumentation in different forms and for different purposes; (b) the type of argumentation that leads to refinement of the use of multiple representations is often non-mediated and drawn from personal experience.

Analysis of Energy Industry Upgrading in Northeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiao-jing; Ji, Yu-liang; Guan, Bai-feng; Jing, Xin

2018-02-01

Promoting regional economic growth and realizing the transformation of the mode of economic growth are in industrial upgrading essence The product is a carrier that represents a series of links of production, management and marketing behind the enterprise, and is a comprehensive reflection of the knowledge and ability of a country or region. Based on the industrial spatial structure, this paper visualizes the industrial space in Northeast China from 2005 to 2015, analyzes the comparative advantages of the energy industry in Northeast China, and examines the status quo of the upgrade of the energy industry according to the industrial upgrading status. Based on the industrial spatial structure, Industry intensity in the industrial space, put forward the future direction of the energy industry upgrade and upgrade path.

Large-energy, narrow-bandwidth laser pulse at 1645 nm in a diode-pumped Er:YAG solid-state laser passively Q-switched by a monolayer graphene saturable absorber.

PubMed

Zhou, Rong; Tang, Pinghua; Chen, Yu; Chen, Shuqing; Zhao, Chujun; Zhang, Han; Wen, Shuangchun

2014-01-10

Nonlinear transmission parameters of monolayer graphene at 1645 nm were obtained. Based on the monolayer graphene saturable absorber, a 1532 nm LD pumped 1645 nm passively Q-switched Er:YAG laser was demonstrated. Under the pump power of 20.8 W, a 1645 nm Q-switched pulse with FWHM of 0.13 nm (without the use of etalon) and energy of 13.5 μJ per pulse can be obtained. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest pulse energy for graphene-based passively Q-switched Er:YAG laseroperating at 1645 nm, suggesting the potentials of graphene materials for high-energy solid-state laser applications.

Arc-evaporated carbon films: optical properties and electron mean free paths

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

Williams, M.W.; Arakawa, E.T.; Dolfini, S.M.

1984-01-01

This paper describes briefly a method which can be used to calculate inelastic mean free paths for electrons with energies in the range of interest for the interpretation of surface phenomena. This method requires a knowledge of the optical properties of the material for the photon energies associated with the oscillator strength of the valence electrons. However, in general it is easier to obtain accurate values of the required properties than it is to measure the electron attenuation lengths in the energy region of interest. This technique, demonstrated here for arc-evaporated carbon, can be used for any material for whichmore » the optical properties can be measured over essentially the whole energy range corresponding to the valence electron response.« less

Atmospheric Fluorescence Yield

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, James H., Jr.; Christl, M. J.; Fountain, W. F.; Gregory, J. C.; Martens, K.; Sokolsky, P.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Several existing and planned experiments estimate the energies of ultra-high energy cosmic rays from air showers using the atmospheric fluorescence from these showers. Accurate knowledge of the conversion from atmospheric fluorescence to energy loss by ionizing particles in the atmosphere is key to this technique. In this paper we discuss a small balloon-borne instrument to make the first in situ measurements versus altitude of the atmospheric fluorescence yield. The instrument can also be used in the lab to investigate the dependence of the fluorescence yield in air on temperature, pressure and the concentrations of other gases that present in the atmosphere. The results can be used to explore environmental effects on and improve the accuracy of cosmic ray energy measurements for existing ground-based experiments and future space-based experiments.

Investigation of Mechanism of Potential Aircraft Fuel Tank Vent Fires and Explosions Caused by Atmospheric Electricity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1961-01-01

The nature of the potential fuel tank vent fire and explosion hazard is discussed in relation to present vent exit design practice, available knowledge of atmospheric electricity as a source of ignition energy, and the vent system vapor space environment. Flammable mixtures and possible ignition sources may occur simultaneously as a rare phenomena according to existing knowledge. There is a need to extend the state of science in order to make possible vent design which is aimed specifically at minimizing fire and explosion hazards.

NASA Applied Sciences Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frederick, Martin

2006-01-01

This presentation highlights the NASA Applied Sciences Program. The goal of the program is to extend the results of scientific research and knowledge beyond the science community to contribute to NASA's partners' applications of national priority, such as agricultural efficiency, energy management and Homeland Security. Another purpose of the program's scientific research is to increase knowledge of the Earth-Sun system to enable improved predictions of climate, weather, and natural hazards. The program primarily optimizes benefits for citizens by contributing to partnering on applications that are used by state, local and tribal governments.

Consumption Behavior Analytics-Aided Energy Forecasting and Dispatch

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

Zhang, Yingchen; Yang, Rui; Jiang, Huaiguang

For decades, electricity customers have been treated as mere recipients of electricity in vertically integrated power systems. However, as customers have widely adopted distributed energy resources and other forms of customer participation in active dispatch (such as demand response) have taken shape, the value of mining knowledge from customer behavior patterns and using it for power system operation is increasing. Further, the variability of renewable energy resources has been considered a liability to the grid. However, electricity consumption has shown the same level of variability and uncertainty, and this is sometimes overlooked. This article investigates data analytics and forecasting methodsmore » to identify correlations between electricity consumption behavior and distributed photovoltaic (PV) output. The forecasting results feed into a predictive energy management system that optimizes energy consumption in the near future to balance customer demand and power system needs.« less

Class Energy Image Analysis for Video Sensor-Based Gait Recognition: A Review

PubMed Central

Lv, Zhuowen; Xing, Xianglei; Wang, Kejun; Guan, Donghai

2015-01-01

Gait is a unique perceptible biometric feature at larger distances, and the gait representation approach plays a key role in a video sensor-based gait recognition system. Class Energy Image is one of the most important gait representation methods based on appearance, which has received lots of attentions. In this paper, we reviewed the expressions and meanings of various Class Energy Image approaches, and analyzed the information in the Class Energy Images. Furthermore, the effectiveness and robustness of these approaches were compared on the benchmark gait databases. We outlined the research challenges and provided promising future directions for the field. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review that focuses on Class Energy Image. It can provide a useful reference in the literature of video sensor-based gait representation approach. PMID:25574935

Energy calibration of the fly's eye detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baltrusaitis, R. M.; Cassiday, G. L.; Cooper, R.; Elbert, J. W.; Gerhardy, P. R.; Ko, S.; Loh, E. C.; Mizumoto, Y.; Sokolsky, P.; Steck, D.

1985-01-01

The methods used to calibrate the Fly's eye detector to evaluate the energy of EAS are discussed. The energy of extensive air showers (EAS) as seen by the Fly's Eye detector are obtained from track length integrals of observed shower development curves. The energy of the parent cosmic ray primary is estimated by applying corrections to account for undetected energy in the muon, neutrino and hadronic channels. Absolute values for E depend upon the measurement of shower sizes N sub e(x). The following items are necessary to convert apparent optical brightness into intrinsical optical brightness: (1) an assessment of those factors responsible for light production by the relativistic electrons in an EAS and the transmission of light thru the atmosphere, (2) calibration of the optical detection system, and (3) a knowledge of the trajectory of the shower.

Nutritional Knowledge and Eating Behaviors of Female, Collegiate Swimmers

PubMed Central

Morris, Jennifer; Morris, Chad; Schaefer, Katharine

2009-01-01

Background Female athletes often have inadequate diets due to lack of nutritional knowledge and nutritional misconceptions. Poor nutrition may lead to an increased chance of developing the Female Athlete Triad, a trio of low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and low bone mass. Physical therapists, as part of a healthcare team, must be prepared to address nutritional issues, recognize signs and symptoms of the female athlete triad, and make the appropriate intervention or referral. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the nutritional knowledge of female collegiate swimmers and how effectively they apply their nutritional knowledge to their everyday eating habits. Methods Eighty-five female collegiate swimmers from six Michigan universities completed a nutritional knowledge questionnaire and a 24-hour food recall survey. Demographic, nutritional, and statistical data were analyzed. Results The mean score on nutritional knowledge test was 54.53/76 (71.75% correct). Mean total caloric intake of swimmers was 3229.10 calories per day. Ninety-five point nine percent did not meet the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for all three macronutrients. No difference in total mean survey score existed between the three collegiate divisions. Conclusion This study suggests that athletes lack knowledge of nutrition, healthy food choices, components of a well-balanced diet, and the implications of nutrition on performance. PMID:21509109

[Television and Internet as sources of women knowledge of tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and energy drinks impact on health].

PubMed

Strycharz-Dudziak, Małgorzata; Nakonieczna-Rudnicka, Marta; Bachanek, Teresa; Kobyłecka, Elżbieta

2014-01-01

Accessibility of the Internet allows obtaining information on different areas of life, including the impact of smoking, alcohol consumption and energy drinks on health. Environmental exposure to tobacco smoke and active smoking are a serious risk for women's health, especially for women in reproductive age and children at any time in their lives. Alcohol is a risk factor for the development of general diseases, and consumed by pregnant women has a toxic effect on the body of women and a child in the prenatal period. Due to the increased consumption of energy drinks containing among others nervous system stimulants and carbohydrates, their consumption should be a conscious choice of the consumers. Knowledge of the health risks resulting from the lifestyle can be a decisive factor for the implementation of health behaviour. The aim of the study was to determine the sources from which men and women acquire information concerning the effects of cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and energy drinks on health. The respondents interest in the above mentioned subjects was also evaluated. The survey study was carried out in a group of 160 persons (114 women and 46 men), aged 19-60 years, randomly selected from the patients presenting to the Department of Conservative Dentistry with Endodontics of the Medical University of Lublin. An author's questionnaire was prepared for this research. The data were analyzed statistically with the use of Pearson's X2 test. Statistically significant test values were those with p<0.05. The internet was a source of information about the impact of smoking cigarettes on health for 52.63% women and 56.52% men, about the alcohol effect on health for 57.02% women and 45.65% men, while about energy drinks for 61.40 % of women and 47.83% men. Differences between sex of the respondents and indicated source of information were not statistically significant. Obtaining information from television programmes on the impact of smoking on health reported 70.18% of women and 63.04% of men, about alcohol consumption - 66.67% women and 58.70% men respectively. There was no statistically significant correlation between sex of the respondents and obtaining information concerning cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption. Women showed significantly more frequently TV programmes as a source of information about energy drinks (61.40%) compared to males (43.48%) (X2 = 4.28, p <0.05). Interest in the subject of the impact of smoking, alcohol consumption and energy drinks on health was not dependent on sex of the respondents. Most women acquire knowledge about the effects of cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and energy drinks on health from TV programmes, although the internet is an increasingly important source of information in this respect.

Developing Community-Focused Solutions using a Food-Energy-Water Calculator, with Initial Application to Western Kansas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, M. C.; Pahwa, A.; Rogers, D.; Roundy, J. K.; Barron, R. W.

2017-12-01

Many agricultural areas are facing difficult circumstances. Kansas is one example, with problems that are typical. Past agricultural and hydrologic data document how irrigation in western Kansas has produced a multi-billion-dollar agricultural economy that is now threatened by pumping-induced declines in groundwater levels. Although reduced pumping could mitigate much of the threat and preserve much of Kansas' agricultural economy (albeit at a reduced level) in the long term, a primary disincentive for reducing pumping is the immediate economic impact of diminished irrigation. One alternative to continued unsustainable groundwater use is a water-energy tradeoff program that seeks to reduce pumping from the Ogallala aquifer to sustainable rates while maintaining local income levels. This program would allow development of the region's rich wind and solar energy resources in a way that focuses on local economic benefits, in exchange for water rights concessions from affected stakeholders. In considering this alternative, most citizens are currently unable to address a key question, "What could this mean for me?" Answering this question requires knowledge of agriculture, energy, water, economics, and drought probabilities, knowledge that is available at Kansas universities. This talk presents a joint University of Kansas - Kansas State University effort to address this need through development of the Food-Energy-Water Calculator. This talk will present the idea and discuss how the calculator would work. It is suggested that the framework created provides a powerful way to organize data and analysis results, and thus to seek solutions to difficult problems in many regions of the US and the world.

The Role of Interaction Patterns with Hybrid Electric Vehicle Eco-Features for Drivers' Eco-Driving Performance.

PubMed

Arend, Matthias G; Franke, Thomas

2017-03-01

The objective of the present research was to understand drivers' interaction patterns with hybrid electric vehicles' (HEV) eco-features (electric propulsion, regenerative braking, neutral mode) and their relationship to fuel efficiency and driver characteristics (technical system knowledge, eco-driving motivation). Eco-driving (driving behaviors performed to achieve higher fuel efficiency) has the potential to reduce CO 2 emissions caused by road vehicles. Eco-driving in HEVs is particularly challenging due to the systems' dynamic energy flows. As a result, drivers are likely to show diverse eco-driving behaviors, depending on factors like knowledge and motivation. The eco-features represent an interface for the control of the systems' energy flows. A sample of 121 HEV drivers who had constantly logged their fuel consumption prior to the study participated in an online questionnaire. Drivers' interaction patterns with the eco-features were related to fuel efficiency. A common factor was identified in an exploratory factor analysis, characterizing the intensity of actively dealing with electric energy, which was also related to fuel efficiency. Driver characteristics were not related to this factor, yet they were significant predictors of fuel efficiency. From the perspective of user-energy interaction, the relationship of the aggregated factor to fuel efficiency emphasizes the central role of drivers' perception of and interaction with energy conversions in determining HEV eco-driving success. To arrive at an in-depth understanding of drivers' eco-driving behaviors that can guide interface design, authors of future research should be concerned with the psychological processes that underlie drivers' interaction patterns with eco-features.

Expanding Metropolitan Highways : Implications for Air Quality and Energy Use

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-01-01

The purpose of this study, which was initiated by the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Executive Committee, was to review the current state of knowledge, evaluate the scientific evidence, and narrow the areas of disagreement about the impacts of h...

Cross-validation of resting metabolic rate prediction equations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background: Knowledge of the resting metabolic rate (RMR) is necessary for determining individual total energy requirements. Measurement of RMR is time consuming and requires specialized equipment. Prediction equations provide an easy method to estimate RMR; however, the accuracy of these equations...

Energy in perspective: an orientation conference for educators. [28 presentations

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

McKlveen, J.W.

An awareness of energy and the pertinent economic, environmental, and risk/benefit consideration must be presented to the public. A logical beginning point is in the classroom, through knowledgeable and motivated educators. Ms. Carolyn Warner, Superintendent of Public Instruction, State of Arizona, presented the first paper, Energy and the Educator. Papers on all aspects of energy were presented at the conference by experts from throughout the United States. The papers were: Energy Resources: World and U.S.A.; Coal Technology: Mining, Energy Generation, Wastes, and Environmental Considerations; Energy Conservation; Arizona's Energy Resources and Development; Gas and Oil: Natural Gas, S.N.G., Oil, Oil Shale,more » and Tar Sands; Geothermal Energy Perspective; Solar Energy; Solar Technology; Natural Radiation Environment; Fission Theory; Arizona's Palo Verde Nuclear Generation Complex; Gas Cooled Reactors, Liquid Metal Reactors and Alternatives; Radioactive Wastes: Disposal Alternatives; Reactor Safety; Nuclear Safeguards; Fusion Power; Genetic and Somatic Radiation Effects; Energy Economics; Religion, Philosophy, and Energy; Nuclear Studies in Fine Arts and Archeology; Nuclear Methods Applied to Agriculture and Food Preservation; Nuclear Methods in Criminology; Environmental Impact of Energy Generation; and Risk and Insurance Consideration--Energy for Tomorrow. The tours to energy installations conducted during the conference and demonstration related to energy are cited. (MCW)« less

Gut-Brain Glucose Signaling in Energy Homeostasis.

PubMed

Soty, Maud; Gautier-Stein, Amandine; Rajas, Fabienne; Mithieux, Gilles

2017-06-06

Intestinal gluconeogenesis is a recently identified function influencing energy homeostasis. Intestinal gluconeogenesis induced by specific nutrients releases glucose, which is sensed by the nervous system surrounding the portal vein. This initiates a signal positively influencing parameters involved in glucose control and energy management controlled by the brain. This knowledge has extended our vision of the gut-brain axis, classically ascribed to gastrointestinal hormones. Our work raises several questions relating to the conditions under which intestinal gluconeogenesis proceeds and may provide its metabolic benefits. It also leads to questions on the advantage conferred by its conservation through a process of natural selection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gut Microbiota in Obesity and Undernutrition123

PubMed Central

Groen, Albert K; Romijn, Johannes A; Nieuwdorp, Max

2016-01-01

Malnutrition is the result of an inadequate balance between energy intake and energy expenditure that ultimately leads to either obesity or undernutrition. Several factors are associated with the onset and preservation of malnutrition. One of these factors is the gut microbiota, which has been recognized as an important pathophysiologic factor in the development and sustainment of malnutrition. However, to our knowledge, the extent to which the microbiota influences malnutrition has yet to be elucidated. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms via which the gut microbiota may influence energy homeostasis in relation to malnutrition. In addition, we discuss potential therapeutic modalities to ameliorate obesity or undernutrition. PMID:28140325

Investigation of the fundamentals of low-energy nanosecond pulse ignition: Final CRADA Report

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

Wallner, Thomas; Scarcelli, Riccardo; Zhang, Anqi

A detailed investigation of the fundamentals of low-energy nanosecond pulse ignition was performed with the objective to overcome the barrier presented by limited knowledge and characterization of nonequilibrium plasma ignition for realistic internal combustion engine applications (be it in the automotive or power generation field) and shed light on the mechanisms which improve the performance of the advanced TPS ignition system compared to conventional state-of-the-art hardware. Three main tasks of the research included experimental evaluation on a single-cylinder automotive gasoline engine, experimental evaluation on a single-cylinder stationary natural gas engine and energy quantification using x-ray diagnostics.

CONTINUOUS-ENERGY MONTE CARLO METHODS FOR CALCULATING GENERALIZED RESPONSE SENSITIVITIES USING TSUNAMI-3D

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

Perfetti, Christopher M; Rearden, Bradley T

2014-01-01

This work introduces a new approach for calculating sensitivity coefficients for generalized neutronic responses to nuclear data uncertainties using continuous-energy Monte Carlo methods. The approach presented in this paper, known as the GEAR-MC method, allows for the calculation of generalized sensitivity coefficients for multiple responses in a single Monte Carlo calculation with no nuclear data perturbations or knowledge of nuclear covariance data. The theory behind the GEAR-MC method is presented here, and proof of principle is demonstrated by using the GEAR-MC method to calculate sensitivity coefficients for responses in several 3D, continuous-energy Monte Carlo applications.

Gut Microbiota in Obesity and Undernutrition.

PubMed

de Clercq, Nicolien C; Groen, Albert K; Romijn, Johannes A; Nieuwdorp, Max

2016-11-01

Malnutrition is the result of an inadequate balance between energy intake and energy expenditure that ultimately leads to either obesity or undernutrition. Several factors are associated with the onset and preservation of malnutrition. One of these factors is the gut microbiota, which has been recognized as an important pathophysiologic factor in the development and sustainment of malnutrition. However, to our knowledge, the extent to which the microbiota influences malnutrition has yet to be elucidated. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms via which the gut microbiota may influence energy homeostasis in relation to malnutrition. In addition, we discuss potential therapeutic modalities to ameliorate obesity or undernutrition. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Nuclear Symmetry Energy and the Breaking of the Isospin Symmetry: How Do They Reconcile with Each Other?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roca-Maza, X.; Colò, G.; Sagawa, H.

2018-05-01

We analyze and propose a solution to the apparent inconsistency between our current knowledge of the equation of state of asymmetric nuclear matter, the energy of the isobaric analog state (IAS) in a heavy nucleus such as 208Pb, and the isospin symmetry breaking forces in the nuclear medium. This is achieved by performing state-of-the-art Hartree-Fock plus random phase approximation calculations of the IAS that include all isospin symmetry breaking contributions. To this aim, we propose a new effective interaction that is successful in reproducing the IAS excitation energy without compromising other properties of finite nuclei.

High energy, single-polarized, single-transverse-mode, nanosecond pulses generated by a multi-stage Yb-doped photonic crystal fiber amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Xinglai; Zhang, Haitao; Hao, He; Li, Dan; Li, Qinghua; Yan, Ping; Gong, Mali

2015-06-01

We report the construction of a cascaded fiber amplifier where a 40-μm-core-diameter photonic crystal fiber is utilized in the main amplifier stage. Single-transverse-mode, linearly-polarized, 7.5 ns pulses with 1.5 mJ energy, 123 kW peak power and 10 nm spectral bandwidth centered at 1062 nm are generated. To our knowledge, the pulse energy we obtain is the highest from 40-μm-core-diameter photonic crystal fibers, and also the highest for long pulses (>1 ns) with linear polarization and single transverse mode.

Consumer Attitudes About Renewable Energy. Trends and Regional Differences

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

Bird, Lori; Sumner, Jenny

2011-04-01

The data in this report are taken from Natural Marketing Institute's (NMI's) Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability Consumer Trends Database. Created in 2002, the syndicated consumer database contains responses from 2,000 to 4,000 nationally representative U.S. adults (meaning the demographics of the sample are consistent with U.S. Census findings) each year. NMI used the database to analyze consumer attitudes and behavior related to renewable energy and to update previously conducted related research. Specifically, this report will explore consumer awareness, concerns, perceived benefits, knowledge of purchase options, and usage of renewable energy as well as provide regional comparisons and trends overmore » time.« less

Consumer Attitudes About Renewable Energy: Trends and Regional Differences

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

Natural Marketing Institute, Harleysville, Pennsylvania

The data in this report are taken from Natural Marketing Institute's (NMI's) Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability Consumer Trends Database. Created in 2002, the syndicated consumer database contains responses from 2,000 to 4,000 nationally representative U.S. adults (meaning the demographics of the sample are consistent with U.S. Census findings) each year. NMI used the database to analyze consumer attitudes and behavior related to renewable energy and to update previously conducted related research. Specifically, this report will explore consumer awareness, concerns, perceived benefits, knowledge of purchase options, and usage of renewable energy as well as provide regional comparisons and trends overmore » time.« less

Nuclear Symmetry Energy and the Breaking of the Isospin Symmetry: How Do They Reconcile with Each Other?

PubMed

Roca-Maza, X; Colò, G; Sagawa, H

2018-05-18

We analyze and propose a solution to the apparent inconsistency between our current knowledge of the equation of state of asymmetric nuclear matter, the energy of the isobaric analog state (IAS) in a heavy nucleus such as ^{208}Pb, and the isospin symmetry breaking forces in the nuclear medium. This is achieved by performing state-of-the-art Hartree-Fock plus random phase approximation calculations of the IAS that include all isospin symmetry breaking contributions. To this aim, we propose a new effective interaction that is successful in reproducing the IAS excitation energy without compromising other properties of finite nuclei.

Comparison of the energy response of an ionization spectrometer for pions and protons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, W. V.; Verma, S. D.

1971-01-01

An ionization spectrometer consisting of a sandwich of iron absorbers and plastic scintillation counters was used to measure the energy of pions and protons in the interval 10 to 1000 GeV. For the limited energy interval of 10 to 40 GeV, pions and protons were identified by an air cerenkov counter. Interactions in carbon were studied in a multiplate cloud chamber placed between the cerenkov counter and the spectrometer. Knowledge of these interactions were used in conjunction with a Monte Carlo simulation of the cascade process to study differences in the response of the spectrometer to pions and protons.

Energy and scientific communication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Sanctis, E.

2013-06-01

Energy communication is a paradigmatic case of scientific communication. It is particularly important today, when the world is confronted with a number of immediate, urgent problems. Science communication has become a real duty and a big challenge for scientists. It serves to create and foster a climate of reciprocal knowledge and trust between science and society, and to establish a good level of interest and enthusiasm for research. For an effective communication it is important to establish an open dialogue with the audience, and a close collaboration among scientists and science communicators. An international collaboration in energy communication is appropriate to better support international and interdisciplinary research and projects.

Emission coefficients of low temperature thermal iron plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mościcki, T.; Hoffman, J.; Szymański, Z.

2004-03-01

Iron plasma appears during material processing with laser, electric are etc., and has considerable influence on the processing conditions. In this paper emission coefficients of low temperature thermal iron plasma at atmospheric pressure are presented. Net emission coefficients ɛ N have been calculated for pure iron plasma as well as for Fe-Ar and Fe-He plasma mixtures. To calculate the recombination radiation the knowledge of the Biberman factors ξ {fb/z}( T e, λ) is necessary and they have been calculated from the iron photo-ionization cross sections. The calculations allow estimation of energy losses, energy radiated by plasma plume and its comparison with the energy absorbed from laser beam.

Energy justice and U.S. energy policy: Case study applications exploring U.S. energy policy through an energy justice framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prehoda, Emily W.

This thesis presents three examples of U.S. energy policy and demonstrates how these policies violate the principles of energy justice. First, requiring only Federal agencies to obtain a percentage of energy production from renewables violates the distributive energy justice principle through a lack of a federal renewable energy policy which distributes the potential for unequal electrical grid failure to populations. Second, U.S. energy policy violates the procedural energy justice principle through inequitable participation and poor knowledge dissemination that, in some cases, contributes to stagnant renewable targets during the decision-making process and inequitable distribution of the benefits associated with renewable energy arguably resulting from differential representation of economic groups in policy decision making. Third, the United States' continued reliance on and subsidization of fossil fuel extraction and use, violates the prohibitive energy justice principle by causing physical harm to humans and the environment. Finally, a lack of federal renewable energy policy hinders comprehensive energy policy including diversifying the U.S. renewable energy portfolios. Considering energy policy through the framework of energy justice offers a means of evaluating existing policy and can improve future energy policy decision-making. Demanding energy justice ensures that all populations have equitable distribution, participation, and access to affordable, efficient, and clean energy technologies that contribute to obtaining basic needs.

Common uses and cited complications of energy in surgery.

PubMed

Sankaranarayanan, Ganesh; Resapu, Rajeswara R; Jones, Daniel B; Schwaitzberg, Steven; De, Suvranu

2013-09-01

Instruments that apply energy to cut, coagulate, and dissect tissue with minimal bleeding facilitate surgery. The improper use of energy devices may increase patient morbidity and mortality. The current article reviews various energy sources in terms of their common uses and safe practices. For the purpose of this review, a general search was conducted through NCBI, SpringerLink, and Google. Articles describing laparoscopic or minimally invasive surgeries using single or multiple energy sources are considered, as are articles comparing various commercial energy devices in laboratory settings. Keywords, such as laparoscopy, energy, laser, electrosurgery, monopolar, bipolar, harmonic, ultrasonic, cryosurgery, argon beam, laser, complications, and death were used in the search. A review of the literature shows that the performance of the energy devices depends upon the type of procedure. There is no consensus as to which device is optimal for a given procedure. The technical skill level of the surgeon and the knowledge about the devices are both important factors in deciding safe outcomes. As new energy devices enter the market increases, surgeons should be aware of their indicated use in laparoscopic, endoscopic, and open surgery.

Retrofitting a 1960s Split-Level, Cold-Climate Home

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

Puttagunta, Srikanth

2015-07-13

National programs such as Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® and numerous other utility air-sealing programs have made homeowners aware of the benefits of energy-efficiency retrofits. Yet these programs tend to focus only on the low-hanging fruit: they recommend air sealing the thermal envelope and ductwork where accessible, switching to efficient lighting and low-flow fixtures, and improving the efficiency of mechanical systems (though insufficient funds or lack of knowledge to implement these improvements commonly prevent the implementation of these higher cost upgrades). At the other end of the spectrum, various utilities across the country are encouraging deep energy retrofit programs. Althoughmore » deep energy retrofits typically seek 50% energy savings, they are often quite costly and are most applicable to gut-rehab projects. A significant potential for lowering energy use in existing homes lies between the lowhanging fruit and deep energy retrofit approaches—retrofits that save approximately 30% in energy compared to the pre-retrofit conditions. The energy-efficiency measures need to be nonintrusive so the retrofit projects can be accomplished in occupied homes.« less

Analysis of retarding field energy analyzer transmission by simulation of ion trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van de Ven, T. H. M.; de Meijere, C. A.; van der Horst, R. M.; van Kampen, M.; Banine, V. Y.; Beckers, J.

2018-04-01

Retarding field energy analyzers (RFEAs) are used routinely for the measurement of ion energy distribution functions. By contrast, their ability to measure ion flux densities has been considered unreliable because of lack of knowledge about the effective transmission of the RFEA grids. In this work, we simulate the ion trajectories through a three-gridded RFEA using the simulation software SIMION. Using idealized test cases, it is shown that at high ion energy (i.e., >100 eV) the transmission is equal to the optical transmission rather than the product of the individual grid transparencies. Below 20 eV, ion trajectories are strongly influenced by the electric fields in between the grids. In this region, grid alignment and ion focusing effects contribute to fluctuations in transmission with ion energy. Subsequently the model has been used to simulate the transmission and energy resolution of an experimental RFEA probe. Grid misalignments reduce the transmission fluctuations at low energy. The model predicts the minimum energy resolution, which has been confirmed experimentally by irradiating the probe with a beam of ions with a small energy bandwidth.

Editorial: Functional nanomaterials for energy applications

DOE PAGES

Devan, Rupesh S.; Ma, Yuan -Ron; Kim, Jin -Hyeok; ...

2015-02-16

In order to leap forward from the energy crisis issues and improve lifestyle, we all are looking positively toward nanomaterials or nanostructures. Thus, the exploration of new features of both typical and novel materials at the nanoscale level is playing important role in the development of innovative and improved energy technologies that have the capability of conserve/convert energy at large extend. By tailoring the surface morphology of materials in its nanoforms, the functional properties can be significantly adapted and specifically combined to produce highly potent multifunctional materials for conversion, storage, and consumption of energy in various forms. The papers selectedmore » for this special issue represent a good panel for addressing various energy applications including solar cell, fuel cells, nanofluid twisters, and gas sensors. Of course, the selected topic and the papers are not an exhaustive representation of the utilization of functional nanomaterials for energy applications. Nevertheless, they represent the rich and many-facet knowledge, which we have the pleasure of sharing with the readers.« less

Public opinion about energy: a literature review

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

Farhar, B.C.; Weis, P.; Unseld, C.T.

1979-06-01

A review and analysis of 115 surveys of the general population between 1973 and 1978 (before the Three Mile Island accident, sudden gasoline price increases, and spot gasoline shortages) are presented. The survey data are organized and analyzed according to a set of categories described in Chapter 2. The public's definition of the energy situation is the focus of Chapter 3. Chapter 4 describes public opinion concerning energy conservation pertaining to transportation and domestic energy use -- whether it is efficacious, how knowledgeable people are about conservation, whether they favor it, and whether they engage in it. Findings on themore » solar energy alternative are described in Chapter 5. Public opinion concerning more conventional sources of energy -- oil and natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy -- are discussed in Chapter 6. In Chapter 7, a summary of analytical findings by 10 major sociodemographic characteristics is presented. Chapter 8 describes analytical findings using various social-psychological variables. A summary is presented in Chapter 9.« less

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

Cort, Katherine A.; Hostick, Donna J.; Belzer, David B.

The purpose of this report is to compile information and conclusions gathered as part of three separate tasks undertaken as part of the overall project, “Modeling EERE Deployment Programs,” sponsored by the Planning, Analysis, and Evaluation office within the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The purpose of the project was to identify and characterize the modeling of deployment programs within the EERE Technology Development (TD) programs, address improvements to modeling in the near term, and note gaps in knowledge where future research is needed.

Positrons in the Galaxy: Their Births, Marriages and Deaths

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skinner, Gerald K.

2010-01-01

High energy (approximately GeV) positrons are seen within cosmic rays and observation of a narrow line at 511 keV shows that positrons are annihilating in the galaxy after slowing down to approximately keV energies or less. Our state of knowledge of the origin of these positrons, of the formation of positronium 'atoms', and of the circumstances of their annihilation or escape from the galaxy are reviewed and the question of whether the two phenomena are linked is discussed.

NAD+ metabolism and the control of energy homeostasis - a balancing act between mitochondria and the nucleus

PubMed Central

Cantó, Carles; Menzies, Keir; Auwerx, Johan

2015-01-01

NAD+ has emerged as a vital cofactor that can rewire metabolism, activate sirtuins and maintain mitochondrial fitness through mechanisms such as the mitochondrial unfolded protein response. This improved understanding of NAD+ metabolism revived interest in NAD+ boosting strategies to manage a wide spectrum of diseases, ranging from diabetes to cancer. In this review, we summarize how NAD+ metabolism links energy status with adaptive cellular and organismal responses and how this knowledge can be therapeutically exploited. PMID:26118927

The development of truncated inviscid turbulence and the FPU-problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ooms, G.; Boersma, B. J.

As is well known Fermi, Pasta and Ulam [1] studied the energy redistribution between the linear modes of a one-dimensional chain of particles connected via weakly nonlinear springs. To their surprise no apparent tendency to equipartition of energy was observed in their numerical experiments. Much more knowledge is now available about this problem (see, for instance, the recent book by Gallavotti [2] or the review by Cambell et al. [3] in the focus issue on the FPU-problem in the journal Chaos).

Reasoning about energy in qualitative simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fouche, Pierre; Kuipers, Benjamin J.

1992-01-01

While possible behaviors of a mechanism that are consistent with an incomplete state of knowledge can be predicted through qualitative modeling and simulation, spurious behaviors corresponding to no solution of any ordinary differential equation consistent with the model may be generated. The present method for energy-related reasoning eliminates an important source of spurious behaviors, as demonstrated by its application to a nonlinear, proportional-integral controlled. It is shown that such qualitative properties of such a system as stability and zero-offset control are captured by the simulation.

Toward Nexus Equation: A Conceptual and Mathematical Framework for Water- Energy-Food Nexus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abou Najm, Majdi; Higgins, Chad

2016-04-01

Water, energy, and agriculture are highly interdependent that attempts to achieve sustainability in any of those three domains will directly impact the others. These interdependencies, collectively known as the Water-Energy-Food Nexus, become more complex and more critical as the climate changes, the population grows, habits and lifestyles alternate, and the prices of water, energy, and food increase. However, and despite several attempts to incorporate the nexus, the global research community continues to focus on different subsets of the problem with limited holistic attempts to address the full problem. At best, interactions between two of the three domains were studied, often neglecting the impact of such interaction on the third domain. For example, agricultural researchers tracked water costs by applying concepts like virtual water or water footprint, or using large-scale system models to investigate food and water security, ignoring most often the corresponding energy footprint. Similarly, investigators quantified water-energy tradeoffs in the highly engineered, centralized systems of water and power management, paying no attention to water diversion from agriculture. Most nexus initiatives focused on reviews and data collection of existing knowledge and relevant facts, but unfortunately lacked a conceptual and mathematical framework that can integrate all the gathered knowledge and account for multiple interactions, feedbacks, or natural processes that occur across all three domains of the nexus. Here, we present an integrated conceptual and mathematical framework (roadmap) for the nexus. This framework is driven by spatiotemporal demands for water, energy, and food to be satisfied by resource management of the three domains, envisioned as a stepwise process, with each step requiring inputs from the three nexus domains and creating waste products. The efficiency of each step, combined with mass balances, create the linkages and feedback loops within the nexus. Such an approach allows for a compact, single representation of the 'nexus equation' that generally represents all interactions, material pathways, feedback loops and embedded resource echoes.

Connecting the sustainable development goals by their energy inter-linkages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCollum, David L.; Gomez Echeverri, Luis; Busch, Sebastian; Pachauri, Shonali; Parkinson, Simon; Rogelj, Joeri; Krey, Volker; Minx, Jan C.; Nilsson, Måns; Stevance, Anne-Sophie; Riahi, Keywan

2018-03-01

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide guide-posts to society as it attempts to respond to an array of pressing challenges. One of these challenges is energy; thus, the SDGs have become paramount for energy policy-making. Yet, while governments throughout the world have already declared the SDGs to be ‘integrated and indivisible’, there are still knowledge gaps surrounding how the interactions between the energy SDG targets and those of the non-energy-focused SDGs might play out in different contexts. In this review, we report on a large-scale assessment of the relevant energy literature, which we conducted to better our understanding of key energy-related interactions between SDGs, as well as their context-dependencies (relating to time, geography, governance, technology, and directionality). By (i) evaluating the nature and strength of the interactions identified, (ii) indicating the robustness of the evidence base, the agreement of that evidence, and our confidence in it, and (iii) highlighting critical areas where better understanding is needed or context dependencies should be considered, our review points to potential ways forward for both the policy making and scientific communities. First, we find that positive interactions between the SDGs outweigh the negative ones, both in number and magnitude. Second, of relevance for the scientific community, in order to fill knowledge gaps in critical areas, there is an urgent need for interdisciplinary research geared toward developing new data, scientific tools, and fresh perspectives. Third, of relevance for policy-making, wider efforts to promote policy coherence and integrated assessments are required to address potential policy spillovers across sectors, sustainability domains, and geographic and temporal boundaries. The task of conducting comprehensive science-to-policy assessments covering all SDGs, such as for the UN’s Global Sustainable Development Report, remains manageable pending the availability of systematic reviews focusing on a limited number of SDG dimensions in each case.

Importance of ligand reorganization free energy in protein-ligand binding-affinity prediction.

PubMed

Yang, Chao-Yie; Sun, Haiying; Chen, Jianyong; Nikolovska-Coleska, Zaneta; Wang, Shaomeng

2009-09-30

Accurate prediction of the binding affinities of small-molecule ligands to their biological targets is fundamental for structure-based drug design but remains a very challenging task. In this paper, we have performed computational studies to predict the binding models of 31 small-molecule Smac (the second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase) mimetics to their target, the XIAP (X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis) protein, and their binding affinities. Our results showed that computational docking was able to reliably predict the binding models, as confirmed by experimentally determined crystal structures of some Smac mimetics complexed with XIAP. However, all the computational methods we have tested, including an empirical scoring function, two knowledge-based scoring functions, and MM-GBSA (molecular mechanics and generalized Born surface area), yield poor to modest prediction for binding affinities. The linear correlation coefficient (r(2)) value between the predicted affinities and the experimentally determined affinities was found to be between 0.21 and 0.36. Inclusion of ensemble protein-ligand conformations obtained from molecular dynamic simulations did not significantly improve the prediction. However, major improvement was achieved when the free-energy change for ligands between their free- and bound-states, or "ligand-reorganization free energy", was included in the MM-GBSA calculation, and the r(2) value increased from 0.36 to 0.66. The prediction was validated using 10 additional Smac mimetics designed and evaluated by an independent group. This study demonstrates that ligand reorganization free energy plays an important role in the overall binding free energy between Smac mimetics and XIAP. This term should be evaluated for other ligand-protein systems and included in the development of new scoring functions. To our best knowledge, this is the first computational study to demonstrate the importance of ligand reorganization free energy for the prediction of protein-ligand binding free energy.

Updated energy budgets for neural computation in the neocortex and cerebellum

PubMed Central

Howarth, Clare; Gleeson, Padraig; Attwell, David

2012-01-01

The brain's energy supply determines its information processing power, and generates functional imaging signals. The energy use on the different subcellular processes underlying neural information processing has been estimated previously for the grey matter of the cerebral and cerebellar cortex. However, these estimates need reevaluating following recent work demonstrating that action potentials in mammalian neurons are much more energy efficient than was previously thought. Using this new knowledge, this paper provides revised estimates for the energy expenditure on neural computation in a simple model for the cerebral cortex and a detailed model of the cerebellar cortex. In cerebral cortex, most signaling energy (50%) is used on postsynaptic glutamate receptors, 21% is used on action potentials, 20% on resting potentials, 5% on presynaptic transmitter release, and 4% on transmitter recycling. In the cerebellar cortex, excitatory neurons use 75% and inhibitory neurons 25% of the signaling energy, and most energy is used on information processing by non-principal neurons: Purkinje cells use only 15% of the signaling energy. The majority of cerebellar signaling energy use is on the maintenance of resting potentials (54%) and postsynaptic receptors (22%), while action potentials account for only 17% of the signaling energy use. PMID:22434069

Health, Well-Being and Energy Poverty in Europe: A Comparative Study of 32 European Countries.

PubMed

Thomson, Harriet; Snell, Carolyn; Bouzarovski, Stefan

2017-05-31

Despite growing pan-European interest in and awareness of the wide-ranging health and well-being impacts of energy poverty-which is characterised by an inability to secure adequate levels of energy services in the home-the knowledge base is largely British-centric and dominated by single-country studies. In response, this paper investigates the relationship between energy poverty, health and well-being across 32 European countries, using 2012 data from the European Quality of Life Survey. We find an uneven concentration of energy poverty, poor health, and poor well-being across Europe, with Eastern and Central Europe worst affected. At the intersection of energy poverty and health, there is a higher incidence of poor health (both physical and mental) amongst the energy poor populations of most countries, compared to non-energy poor households. Interestingly, we find the largest disparities in health and well-being levels between energy poor and non-energy poor households occur within relatively equal societies, such as Sweden and Slovenia. As well as the unique challenges brought about by rapidly changing energy landscapes in these countries, we also suggest the relative deprivation theory and processes of social comparison hold some value in explaining these findings.

18 CFR 349.5 - Verification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Verification. 349.5 Section 349.5 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT... having knowledge thereof, which latter fact must affirmatively appear in the affidavit. Except under...

Environmental Concern, Social Capital and the Social Context of Tailpipe Emissions-Related Knowledge in Northern Climates

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-06-30

Approximately a quarter of all greenhouse gases originate from motor vehicle tailpipe emissions (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007). Along with reducing household energy usage, changes in transportation behavior would have the most dire...

Water, hydration, and health

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This review examines the current knowledge of water intake as it pertains to human health, including overall patterns of intake and some factors linked with intake, the complex mechanisms behind water homeostasis, and the effects of variation in water intake on health and energy intake, weight, huma...

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Project ReCharge: A STEM Based Energy Efficiency Curriculum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozarski Connolly, Catherine J.

This research evaluates the effectiveness of Project ReCharge, an energy efficiency, STEM curriculum designed for middle and high school students. The project includes a five-unit curriculum, and monthly professional development spanning a year. The project was implemented in ten schools over three years. Four areas were explored in the study including (1) changes to student content knowledge, (2) changes to student attitudes towards STEM subjects and careers, (3) changes to teacher self-efficacy and beliefs, and (4) changes to teacher content knowledge. A content test for teachers and students, the STEM Semantics Survey, and STEBI-A were used to collect data on 4123 students and 47 teachers. Data were collected in a quasi-experimental design utilizing parametric and nonparametric techniques. Analyses suggest student content knowledge increased significantly from pretest to posttest for all years (Pretest: M = 11.38, SD = 4.97, Posttest: M = 16.67, SD = 5.83, t = 45.05, p < 0.001, d = 0.98). Increases to student attitudes in STEM varied by year and grade, but overall increases were found in science (N = 2362, z = -2.618, p = 0.030, eta 2 = 0.002), and math attitudes (N = 2348, z = -2.280, p = 0.023, eta2 = 0.002). High school students tended to show more increased attitudes in more subject areas than middle school students. No changes to teacher self-efficacy and beliefs were found, and increases to teacher content knowledge only occurred in the third year (N = 22, x2 = 5.158; p = 0.076, eta2 = 0.319).

[The Big Data Game : On the Ludic Constitution of the Collaborative Production of Knowledge in High-Energy Physics at CERN].

PubMed

Dippel, Anne

2017-12-01

This article looks at how games and play contribute to the big data-driven production of knowledge in High-Energy Physics, with a particular focus on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), where the author has been conducting anthropological fieldwork since 2014. The ludic (playful) aspect of knowledge production is analyzed here in three different dimensions: the Symbolic, the Ontological, and the Epistemic. The first one points towards CERN as place where a cosmological game of probability is played with the help of Monte-Carlo simulations. The second one can be seen in the agonistic infrastructures of competing experimental collaborations. The third dimension unfolds in ludic platforms, such as online Challenges and citizen science games, which contribute to the development of machine learning algorithms, whose function is necessary in order to process the huge amount of data gathered from experimental events. Following Clifford Geertz, CERN itself is characterized as a site of deep play, a concept that contributes to understanding wider social and cultural orders through the analysis of ludic collective phenomena. The article also engages with Peter Galison's idea of the trading zone, proposing to comprehend it in the age of big data as a Playground. Thus the author hopes to contribute to a wider discussion in the historiographical and social study of science and technology, as well as in cultural anthropology, by recognizing the ludic in science as a central element of understanding collaborative knowledge production.

Welcoming speech from Dean Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, UMP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taha, Zahari

2012-09-01

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. It is with great pleasure that I welcome the participants of the International Conference of Mechanical Engineering Research 2011. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said 'Acquire knowledge and impart it to the people.' (Al Tirmidhi). The quest for knowledge has been from the beginning of time but knowledge only becomes valuable when it is disseminated and applied to benefit humankind. It is hoped that ICMER 2011 will be a platform to gather and disseminate the latest knowledge in mechanical engineering. Academicians, Scientist, Researchers and practitioners of mechanical engineering will be able to share and discuss new findings and applications of mechanical engineering. It is envisaged that the intellectual discourse will result in future collaborations between universities, research institutions and industry both locally and internationally. In particular it is expected that focus will be given to issues on environmental and energy sustainability. Researchers in the mechanical engineering faculty at UMP have a keen interest in technology to harness energy from the ocean. Lowering vehicle emissions has been a primary goal of researchers in the mechanical engineering faculty and the automotive engineering centre as well including developing vehicles using alternative fuels such as biodiesel and renewable sources such as solar driven electric vehicles. Finally I would like to congratulate the organizing committee for their tremendous efforts in organizing the conference. As I wrote this in the Holy Land of Makkah, I pray to Allah swt that the conference will be a success. Prof. Dr. Zahari Taha CEng, MIED, FASc Dean, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering Universiti Malaysia Pahang

Constraint methods that accelerate free-energy simulations of biomolecules.

PubMed

Perez, Alberto; MacCallum, Justin L; Coutsias, Evangelos A; Dill, Ken A

2015-12-28

Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of biomolecules are critical for generating narratives about biological mechanisms. The power of atomistic simulations is that these are physics-based methods that satisfy Boltzmann's law, so they can be used to compute populations, dynamics, and mechanisms. But physical simulations are computationally intensive and do not scale well to the sizes of many important biomolecules. One way to speed up physical simulations is by coarse-graining the potential function. Another way is to harness structural knowledge, often by imposing spring-like restraints. But harnessing external knowledge in physical simulations is problematic because knowledge, data, or hunches have errors, noise, and combinatoric uncertainties. Here, we review recent principled methods for imposing restraints to speed up physics-based molecular simulations that promise to scale to larger biomolecules and motions.

Hypervigilance to a Gluten-Free Diet and Decreased Quality of Life in Teenagers and Adults with Celiac Disease.

PubMed

Wolf, Randi L; Lebwohl, Benjamin; Lee, Anne R; Zybert, Patricia; Reilly, Norelle R; Cadenhead, Jennifer; Amengual, Chelsea; Green, Peter H R

2018-06-01

Avoidance of gluten is critical for individuals with celiac disease (CD), but there is also concern that "extreme vigilance" to a strict gluten-free diet may increase symptoms such as anxiety and fatigue, and therefore, lower quality of life (QOL). We examined the associations of QOL with energy levels and adherence to, and knowledge about, a gluten-free diet. This is a cross-sectional prospective study of 80 teenagers and adults, all with biopsy-confirmed CD, living in a major metropolitan area. QOL was assessed with CD-specific measures. Dietary vigilance was based on 24-h recalls and an interview. Knowledge was based on a food label quiz. Open-ended questions described facilitators and barriers to maintaining a gluten-free diet. The extremely vigilant adults in our sample had significantly lower QOL scores than their less vigilant counterparts [(mean (SD): 64.2 (16.0) vs 77.2 (12.2), p = 0.004]. Extreme vigilance was also associated with greater knowledge [5.7 (0.7) vs 5.1 (0.8), p = 0.035]. Adults with lower energy levels had significantly lower overall QOL scores than adults with higher energy levels [68.0 (13.6) vs 78.9 (13.0), p = 0.006]. Patterns were similar for teenagers. Cooking at home and using internet sites and apps were prevalent strategies used by the hypervigilant to maintain a strict gluten-free diet. Eating out was particularly problematic. There are potential negative consequences of hypervigilance to a strict gluten-free diet. Clinicians must consider the importance of concurrently promoting both dietary adherence and social and emotional well-being for individuals with CD.

Pathways: a school-based, randomized controlled trial for the prevention of obesity in American Indian schoolchildren

PubMed Central

Caballero, Benjamin; Clay, Theresa; Davis, Sally M.; Ethelbah, Becky; Rock, Bonnie Holy; Lohman, Timothy; Norman, James; Story, Mary; Stone, Elaine J.; Stephenson, Larry; Stevens, June

2016-01-01

Background Childhood obesity is a major public health problem in the United States, particularly among American Indian communities. Objective The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based, multicomponent intervention for reducing percentage body fat in American Indian schoolchildren. Design This study was a randomized, controlled, school-based trial involving 1704 children in 41 schools and was conducted over 3 consecutive years, from 3rd to 5th grades, in schools serving American Indian communities in Arizona, New Mexico, and South Dakota. The intervention had 4 components: 1) change in dietary intake, 2) increase in physical activity, 3) a classroom curriculum focused on healthy eating and lifestyle, and 4) a family-involvement program. The main outcome was percentage body fat; other outcomes included dietary intake, physical activity, and knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Results The intervention resulted in no significant reduction in percentage body fat. However, a significant reduction in the percentage of energy from fat was observed in the intervention schools. Total energy intake (by 24-h dietary recall) was significantly reduced in the intervention schools but energy intake (by direct observation) was not. Motion sensor data showed similar activity levels in both the intervention and control schools. Several components of knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors were also positively and significantly changed by the intervention. Conclusions These results document the feasibility of implementing a multicomponent program for obesity prevention in elementary schools serving American Indian communities. The program produced significant positive changes in fat intake and in food- and health-related knowledge and behaviors. More intense or longer interventions may be needed to significantly reduce adiposity in this population. PMID:14594792

Knowledge of diabetes mellitus among pregnant women in three districts of Nepal.

PubMed

Shrestha, S; Thapa, P; Saleh, F; Thapa, N; Stray, B Pedersen; Khanom, K

2013-09-01

Diabetes mellitus is an emerging health problem in developing world with the consumption of energy dense diet and inactive lifestyle. The problem of diabetes is further expanded due to ignorance and lack of knowledge. The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge of diabetes among pregnant women in three districts of Nepal. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in three districts in mountain, hilly and plain areas of Nepal. A total of 590 pregnant women were interviewed during the period of July 2009 to June 2010. A knowledge score system was applied. Poor score was <40%, average (40-60%) and good (>60%) of the total score. Statistical software SPSS 11.5 was used for data entry, data management and analysis. Out of 590 pregnant women, only 41% had heard about diabetes mellitus. Majority of the participants (75%) from age group >30 years had not heard about diabetes. Among the 241 with some knowledge, the knowledge score median percent(range) on the meaning, symptoms, risk factors, treatment, prevention, complications and overall knowledge were 50%(0-100), 25% (0-75), 20% (0-60), 20% (0-100), 25% (0-100), 20% (0-60) and 26% (0- 58) respectively. According to defined category, majority of those who ever heard about diabetes had poor knowledge (95%). Knowledge among literate women (p=.001), women residing in Kailali district (plain region) (p=.003) and those with positive family history of diabetes (p=.003) was found to be significant. As large proportions of Nepalese pregnant women do not have any knowledge or have poor knowledge regarding diabetes, extensive health education and health promotion programs are urgently recommended to prevent diabetes in Nepal.

Exploring Australian women's level of nutrition knowledge during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Bookari, Khlood; Yeatman, Heather; Williamson, Moira

2016-01-01

The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) for pregnancy provides a number of food- and nutrition-related recommendations to assist pregnant women in optimizing their dietary behavior. However, there are limited data demonstrating pregnant women's knowledge of the AGHE recommendations. This study investigated Australian pregnant women's knowledge of the AGHE and related dietary recommendations for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. The variations in nutrition knowledge were compared with demographic characteristics. A cross-sectional study assessed eight different nutrition knowledge domains and the demographic characteristics of pregnant women. Four hundred women across Australia completed a multidimensional online survey based on validated and existing measures. More than half of the pregnant women surveyed (65%) were not familiar with the AGHE recommendations. The basic recommendations to eat more fruit, vegetables, bread, and cereals but less meat were poorly understood. An in-depth investigation of knowledge of nutrition information revealed misconceptions in a range of areas, including standard serving size, nutrients content of certain foods, energy density of fat, and the importance of key nutrients in pregnancy. Univariate analysis revealed significant demographic variation in nutrition knowledge scores. Multiple regression analysis confirmed the significant independent effects on respondents' nutrition knowledge score (P<0.000) of the education level, income, age, stage of pregnancy, language, and having a health/nutrition qualification. The model indicated that independent variables explained 33% (adjusted R (2)) of the variance found between respondents' knowledge scores. Australian pregnant women's knowledge regarding AGHE for pregnancy and other key dietary recommendations is poor and varies significantly with their demographic profile. The setting of dietary guidelines is not sufficient to ensure improvement in their nutrition knowledge. It is essential that women receive support to achieve optimal and healthy diets during pregnancy.

Exploring Australian women’s level of nutrition knowledge during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Bookari, Khlood; Yeatman, Heather; Williamson, Moira

2016-01-01

Background The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating (AGHE) for pregnancy provides a number of food- and nutrition-related recommendations to assist pregnant women in optimizing their dietary behavior. However, there are limited data demonstrating pregnant women’s knowledge of the AGHE recommendations. This study investigated Australian pregnant women’s knowledge of the AGHE and related dietary recommendations for maintaining a healthy pregnancy. The variations in nutrition knowledge were compared with demographic characteristics. Methods A cross-sectional study assessed eight different nutrition knowledge domains and the demographic characteristics of pregnant women. Four hundred women across Australia completed a multidimensional online survey based on validated and existing measures. Results More than half of the pregnant women surveyed (65%) were not familiar with the AGHE recommendations. The basic recommendations to eat more fruit, vegetables, bread, and cereals but less meat were poorly understood. An in-depth investigation of knowledge of nutrition information revealed misconceptions in a range of areas, including standard serving size, nutrients content of certain foods, energy density of fat, and the importance of key nutrients in pregnancy. Univariate analysis revealed significant demographic variation in nutrition knowledge scores. Multiple regression analysis confirmed the significant independent effects on respondents’ nutrition knowledge score (P<0.000) of the education level, income, age, stage of pregnancy, language, and having a health/nutrition qualification. The model indicated that independent variables explained 33% (adjusted R2) of the variance found between respondents’ knowledge scores. Conclusion Australian pregnant women’s knowledge regarding AGHE for pregnancy and other key dietary recommendations is poor and varies significantly with their demographic profile. The setting of dietary guidelines is not sufficient to ensure improvement in their nutrition knowledge. It is essential that women receive support to achieve optimal and healthy diets during pregnancy. PMID:27574470

Diode end-pumped passively Q-switched Tm:YAP laser with 1.85-mJ pulse energy.

PubMed

Sebbag, Daniel; Korenfeld, Arik; Ben-Ami, Udi; Elooz, David; Shalom, Eran; Noach, Salman

2015-04-01

Passive Q switching of a Tm:YAP solid-state laser at 1935 nm with Cr:ZnSe and Cr:ZnS polycrystalline saturable absorbers is demonstrated for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. With Cr:ZnS, a maximum pulse energy of 1.85 mJ is obtained for a pulse duration of 35.8 ns, resulting in a peak power of 51.7 kW. With Cr:ZnSe, the achieved pulse energy of 1.55 mJ with a pulse duration of 42.2 ns leads to 36.7-kW peak power. These high pulse energies, together with the unique lasing wavelength at 1935 nm, make this laser a promising tool for biomedical and microsurgery applications.

Pacific Northwest Laboratory annual report for 1993 to the DOE Office of Energy Research. Part 1: Biomedical Sciences

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

Lumetta, C.C.; Park, J.F.

1994-03-01

This report summarizes FY 1993 progress in biological and general life sciences research programs conducted for the Department of Energy`s Office of Health and Environmental REsearch (OHER) at Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL). This research provides knowledge of fundamental principles necessary to identify, understand, and anticipate the long-term health consequences of exposure to energy-related radiation and chemicals. The Biological Research section contains reports of studies using laboratory animals, in vitro cell systems, and molecular biological systems. This research includes studies of the impact of radiation, radionuclides, and chemicals on biological responses at all levels of biological organization. The General Life Sciencesmore » Research section reports research conducted for the OHER human genome program.« less

SOURCES AND SINKS OF NEUTRALS AND PLASMA IN THE SATURNIAN MAGNETOSPHERE (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richardson, J. D.

2009-12-01

This talk will review current knowledge on the source and sinks of plasm and energy in Saturn's magnetosphere. Enceladus dominates the water group source, with most of the material escaping from the plume near the southern pole. The relatively low corotation energy in this region results in less energy being available to heat electrons. The electrons are too cold to ionize the neutrals and the inner magnetosphere is dominated by neutrals. In addition, Saturn's atmosphere is a large source of neutral H, the rings contribute O2, and Titan is a source whose magnitude is controversial. In the inner magnetosphere most particles and energy are removed as fast neutrals; transport is more important further out and may be dominated by fingers of inflow and outflow as at Jupiter.

Systematic Uncertainties in High-Energy Hadronic Interaction Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zha, M.; Knapp, J.; Ostapchenko, S.

2003-07-01

Hadronic interaction models for cosmic ray energies are uncertain since our knowledge of hadronic interactions is extrap olated from accelerator experiments at much lower energies. At present most high-energy models are based on Grib ov-Regge theory of multi-Pomeron exchange, which provides a theoretical framework to evaluate cross-sections and particle production. While experimental data constrain some of the model parameters, others are not well determined and are therefore a source of systematic uncertainties. In this paper we evaluate the variation of results obtained with the QGSJET model, when modifying parameters relating to three ma jor sources of uncertainty: the form of the parton structure function, the role of diffractive interactions, and the string hadronisation. Results on inelastic cross sections, on secondary particle production and on the air shower development are discussed.

EPSCoR Final Report

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

Holdmann, Gwen

2016-12-20

Alaska is considered a world leader in renewable energy and microgrid technologies. Our workplan started as an analysis of existing wind-diesel systems, many of which were not performing as designed. We aimed to analyze and understand the performance of existing wind-diesel systems, to establish a knowledge baseline from which to work towards improvement and maximizing renewable energy utilization. To accomplish this, we worked with the Alaska Energy Authority to develop a comprehensive database of wind system experience, including underlying climatic and socioeconomic characteristics, actual operating data, projected vs. actual capital and O&M costs, and a catalogue of catastrophic anomalies. Thismore » database formed the foundation for the rest of the research program, with the overarching goal of delivering low-cost, reliable, and sustainable energy to diesel microgrids.« less

Overview of Variable Renewable Energy Regulatory Issues: A Clean Energy Regulators Initiative Report

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

Miller, M.; Cox, S.

This CERI report aims to provide an introductory overview of key regulatory issues associated with the deployment of renewable energy -- particularly variable renewable energy (VRE) sources such wind and solar power. The report draws upon the research and experiences from various international contexts, and identifies key ideas that have emerged from the growing body of VRE deployment experience and regulatory knowledge. The report assumes basic familiarity with regulatory concepts, and although it is not written for a technical audience, directs the reader to further reading when available. VRE deployment generates various regulatory issues: substantive, procedural, and public interest issues,more » and the report aims to provide an empirical and technical grounding for all three types of questions as appropriate.« less

Software Support for Transiently Powered Computers

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

Van Der Woude, Joel Matthew

With the continued reduction in size and cost of computing, power becomes an increasingly heavy burden on system designers for embedded applications. While energy harvesting techniques are an increasingly desirable solution for many deeply embedded applications where size and lifetime are a priority, previous work has shown that energy harvesting provides insufficient power for long running computation. We present Ratchet, which to the authors knowledge is the first automatic, software-only checkpointing system for energy harvesting platforms. We show that Ratchet provides a means to extend computation across power cycles, consistent with those experienced by energy harvesting devices. We demonstrate themore » correctness of our system under frequent failures and show that it has an average overhead of 58.9% across a suite of benchmarks representative for embedded applications.« less

Energy crops on floodplains - flood risk or benefit?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosolova, Zdenka; Baylis, Adam; Rose, Steve

2010-05-01

Land use and land management on floodplains have increasingly come into focus, particularly in relation to their impact on flooding. To date, research and modelling has explored the impact of land use changes such as floodplain afforestation, changes to management of upland moorlands or re-establishment of wet meadows on floodplains. However, no such investigation has been carried out into the impact on floodplain flows of growing energy crops. In the UK, a strong emphasis is being given to promotion of renewable energy. Farmers are encouraged to plant energy crops such as Miscanthus or Short Rotation Crops (e.g. Willow) in suitable locations, which typically exclude farmland in Flood Zone 3 (i.e. areas likely to be flooded by an event with a 100-year return period). However, there is a lack of understanding as to what impact, if any, the dense character of these crops planted on floodplains might have on flooding. This gap in knowledge currently prevents energy crops from being planted in areas where they could provide high economic and environmental benefit, and even possibly contribute to flood mitigation. At present, no guidance or policy exists to advise whether allowing farmers to establish energy crop plantations in Flood Zone 3 could alter the existing flood risk. Consequently, if energy crops could provide a coupled benefit of renewable energy source and flood mitigation, this benefit is not being utilised. To help fill in this gap in knowledge, a short term project was carried out in order to investigate, using suitable hydraulic modelling, the possible scale of impact of growing energy crops on river and floodplain flows, flood depth and overall impact on flood risk locally as well as downstream. 2D hydraulic modelling using TUFLOW was deemed to be the most appropriate approach for these investigations. The methodology included gaining an understanding of the life cycle and planting regime of Miscanthus and Willow, review of current knowledge on the likely behaviour of mature energy crops when flooded, their likely hydraulic roughness and selection of suitable existing hydraulic models. This informed establishment of feasible modelling scenarios, which represent the plantations in terms of their size, location, orientation to flow and percentage cover on the floodplain. A baseline scenario was included to enable comparison of results. Two case studies were selected for this project; the River Severn at Uckinghall, in the Environment Agency's Midlands Region, and the River Isle at Ashford Mill, in South West Region. Additionally, a theoretical model was set up in order to help define scenarios which produced the biggest impacts, but excluding the effect of local subtleties that are different in each case study. This paper will demonstrate the methodology and the modelling approach adopted for this study. The outputs of the modelled scenarios (compared to baseline) will be presented in context of flood risk and flood mitigation, bearing in mind the assumptions and limitations that had to be introduced in order to carry out this project. The results will include changes to river flow, flow on the floodplain, flood depths, flood velocities and overall likely impact of the energy crops upstream and downstream of the plantations. Finally, the conclusions will discuss how the findings may be used to change guidance and practice regarding energy crops, and how such change could inform national policy in the UK.

Average Throughput Performance of Myopic Policy in Energy Harvesting Wireless Sensor Networks.

PubMed

Gul, Omer Melih; Demirekler, Mubeccel

2017-09-26

This paper considers a single-hop wireless sensor network where a fusion center collects data from M energy harvesting wireless sensors. The harvested energy is stored losslessly in an infinite-capacity battery at each sensor. In each time slot, the fusion center schedules K sensors for data transmission over K orthogonal channels. The fusion center does not have direct knowledge on the battery states of sensors, or the statistics of their energy harvesting processes. The fusion center only has information of the outcomes of previous transmission attempts. It is assumed that the sensors are data backlogged, there is no battery leakage and the communication is error-free. An energy harvesting sensor can transmit data to the fusion center whenever being scheduled only if it has enough energy for data transmission. We investigate average throughput of Round-Robin type myopic policy both analytically and numerically under an average reward (throughput) criterion. We show that Round-Robin type myopic policy achieves optimality for some class of energy harvesting processes although it is suboptimal for a broad class of energy harvesting processes.

Three electron beams from a laser-plasma wakefield accelerator and the energy apportioning question

PubMed Central

Yang, X.; Brunetti, E.; Gil, D. Reboredo; Welsh, G. H.; Li, F. Y.; Cipiccia, S.; Ersfeld, B.; Grant, D. W.; Grant, P. A.; Islam, M. R.; Tooley, M. P.; Vieux, G.; Wiggins, S. M.; Sheng, Z. M.; Jaroszynski, D. A.

2017-01-01

Laser-wakefield accelerators are compact devices capable of delivering ultra-short electron bunches with pC-level charge and MeV-GeV energy by exploiting the ultra-high electric fields arising from the interaction of intense laser pulses with plasma. We show experimentally and through numerical simulations that a high-energy electron beam is produced simultaneously with two stable lower-energy beams that are ejected in oblique and counter-propagating directions, typically carrying off 5–10% of the initial laser energy. A MeV, 10s nC oblique beam is ejected in a 30°–60° hollow cone, which is filled with more energetic electrons determined by the injection dynamics. A nC-level, 100s keV backward-directed beam is mainly produced at the leading edge of the plasma column. We discuss the apportioning of absorbed laser energy amongst the three beams. Knowledge of the distribution of laser energy and electron beam charge, which determine the overall efficiency, is important for various applications of laser-wakefield accelerators, including the development of staged high-energy accelerators. PMID:28281679

Design and Implementation of a Wireless Sensor and Actuator Network to Support the Intelligent Control of Efficient Energy Usage.

PubMed

Blanco, Jesús; García, Andrés; Morenas, Javier de Las

2018-06-09

Energy saving has become a major concern for the developed society of our days. This paper presents a Wireless Sensor and Actuator Network (WSAN) designed to provide support to an automatic intelligent system, based on the Internet of Things (IoT), which enables a responsible consumption of energy. The proposed overall system performs an efficient energetic management of devices, machines and processes, optimizing their operation to achieve a reduction in their overall energy usage at any given time. For this purpose, relevant data is collected from intelligent sensors, which are in-stalled at the required locations, as well as from the energy market through the Internet. This information is analysed to provide knowledge about energy utilization, and to improve efficiency. The system takes autonomous decisions automatically, based on the available information and the specific requirements in each case. The proposed system has been implanted and tested in a food factory. Results show a great optimization of energy efficiency and a substantial improvement on energy and costs savings.

Treatment of Electronic Energy Level Transition and Ionization Following the Particle-Based Chemistry Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liechty, Derek S.; Lewis, Mark

2010-01-01

A new method of treating electronic energy level transitions as well as linking ionization to electronic energy levels is proposed following the particle-based chemistry model of Bird. Although the use of electronic energy levels and ionization reactions in DSMC are not new ideas, the current method of selecting what level to transition to, how to reproduce transition rates, and the linking of the electronic energy levels to ionization are, to the author s knowledge, novel concepts. The resulting equilibrium temperatures are shown to remain constant, and the electronic energy level distributions are shown to reproduce the Boltzmann distribution. The electronic energy level transition rates and ionization rates due to electron impacts are shown to reproduce theoretical and measured rates. The rates due to heavy particle impacts, while not as favorable as the electron impact rates, compare favorably to values from the literature. Thus, these new extensions to the particle-based chemistry model of Bird provide an accurate method for predicting electronic energy level transition and ionization rates in gases.

Energy availabilities for state and local development: projected energy patterns for 1980 and 1985

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

Vogt, D. P.; Rice, P. L.; Pai, V. P.

1978-06-01

This report presents projections of the supply, demand, and net imports of seven fuel types and four final consuming sectors for BEAs, states, census regions, and the nation for 1980 and 1985. The data are formatted to present regional energy availability from primary extraction, as well as from regional transformation processes. As constructed, the tables depict energy balances between availability and use for each of the specific fuels. The objective of the program is to provide a consistent base of historic and projected energy information within a standard format. Such a framework should aid regional policymakers in their consideration ofmore » regional growth issues that may be influenced by the regional energy system. This basic data must be supplemented by region-specific information which only the local policy analyst can bring to bear in his assessment of the energy conditions which characterize each region. The energy data, coupled with specific knowledge of projected economic growth and employment patterns, can assist EDA in developing its grant-in-aid investment strategy.« less

Energetics of muscle contraction: further trials.

PubMed

Yamada, Kazuhiro

2017-01-01

Knowledge accumulated in the field of energetics of muscle contraction has been reviewed in this article. Active muscle converts chemical energy into heat and work. Therefore, measurements of heat production and mechanical work provide the framework for understanding the process of energy conversion in contraction. In the 1970s, precise comparison between energy output and the associated chemical reactions was performed. It has been found that the two do not match in several situations, resulting in an energy balance discrepancy. More recently, efforts in resolving these discrepancies in the energy balance have been made involving chemical analysis, phosphorus nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and microcalorimetry. Through reviewing the evidence from these studies, the energy balance discrepancy developed early during isometric contraction has become well understood on a quantitative basis. In this situation energy balance is established when we take into account the binding of Ca to sarcoplasmic proteins such as troponin and parvalbumin, and also the shift of cross-bridge states. On the other hand, the energy balance discrepancy observed during rapid shortening still remains to be clarified. The problem may be related to the essential mechanism of cross-bridge action.

Average Throughput Performance of Myopic Policy in Energy Harvesting Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Demirekler, Mubeccel

2017-01-01

This paper considers a single-hop wireless sensor network where a fusion center collects data from M energy harvesting wireless sensors. The harvested energy is stored losslessly in an infinite-capacity battery at each sensor. In each time slot, the fusion center schedules K sensors for data transmission over K orthogonal channels. The fusion center does not have direct knowledge on the battery states of sensors, or the statistics of their energy harvesting processes. The fusion center only has information of the outcomes of previous transmission attempts. It is assumed that the sensors are data backlogged, there is no battery leakage and the communication is error-free. An energy harvesting sensor can transmit data to the fusion center whenever being scheduled only if it has enough energy for data transmission. We investigate average throughput of Round-Robin type myopic policy both analytically and numerically under an average reward (throughput) criterion. We show that Round-Robin type myopic policy achieves optimality for some class of energy harvesting processes although it is suboptimal for a broad class of energy harvesting processes. PMID:28954420

Kinetic energy offsets for multicharged ions from an electron beam ion source.

PubMed

Kulkarni, D D; Ahl, C D; Shore, A M; Miller, A J; Harriss, J E; Sosolik, C E; Marler, J P

2017-08-01

Using a retarding field analyzer, we have measured offsets between the nominal and measured kinetic energy of multicharged ions extracted from an electron beam ion source (EBIS). By varying source parameters, a shift in ion kinetic energy was attributed to the trapping potential produced by the space charge of the electron beam within the EBIS. The space charge of the electron beam depends on its charge density, which in turn depends on the amount of negative charge (electron beam current) and its velocity (electron beam energy). The electron beam current and electron beam energy were both varied to obtain electron beams of varying space charge and these were related to the observed kinetic energy offsets for Ar 4+ and Ar 8+ ion beams. Knowledge of these offsets is important for studies that seek to utilize slow, i.e., low kinetic energy, multicharged ions to exploit their high potential energies for processes such as surface modification. In addition, we show that these offsets can be utilized to estimate the effective radius of the electron beam inside the trap.

Computation of Hemagglutinin Free Energy Difference by the Confinement Method

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Hemagglutinin (HA) mediates membrane fusion, a crucial step during influenza virus cell entry. How many HAs are needed for this process is still subject to debate. To aid in this discussion, the confinement free energy method was used to calculate the conformational free energy difference between the extended intermediate and postfusion state of HA. Special care was taken to comply with the general guidelines for free energy calculations, thereby obtaining convergence and demonstrating reliability of the results. The energy that one HA trimer contributes to fusion was found to be 34.2 ± 3.4kBT, similar to the known contributions from other fusion proteins. Although computationally expensive, the technique used is a promising tool for the further energetic characterization of fusion protein mechanisms. Knowledge of the energetic contributions per protein, and of conserved residues that are crucial for fusion, aids in the development of fusion inhibitors for antiviral drugs. PMID:29151344

Towards 3rd generation organic tandem solar cells with 20% efficiency: Accelerated discovery and rational design of carbon-based photovoltaic materials through massive distributed volunteer computing

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

Aspuru-Guzik, Alan

2016-11-04

Clean, affordable, and renewable energy sources are urgently needed to satisfy the 10s of terawatts (TW) energy need of human beings. Solar cells are one promising choice to replace traditional energy sources. Our broad efforts have expanded the knowledge of possible donor materials for organic photovoltaics, while increasing access of our results to the world through the Clean Energy Project database (www.molecularspace.org). Machine learning techniques, including Gaussian Processes have been used to calibrate frontier molecular orbital energies, and OPV bulk properties (open-circuit voltage, percent conversion efficiencies, and short-circuit current). This grant allowed us to delve into the solid-state properties ofmore » OPVs (charge-carrier dynamics). One particular example allowed us to predict charge-carrier dynamics and make predictions about future hydrogen-bonded materials.« less