Partner-Specific Interpretation of Maintained Referential Precedents during Interactive Dialog

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown-Schmidt, Sarah

2009-01-01

In dialog settings, conversational partners converge on similar names for referents. These "lexically entrained" terms [Garrod, S., & Anderson, A. (1987). "Saying what you mean in dialog: A study in conceptual and semantic co-ordination." "Cognition, 27," 181-218] are part of the common ground between the particular individuals who established the…

Population Census of a Large Common Tern Colony with a Small Unmanned Aircraft

PubMed Central

Chabot, Dominique; Craik, Shawn R.; Bird, David M.

2015-01-01

Small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) may be useful for conducting high-precision, low-disturbance waterbird surveys, but limited data exist on their effectiveness. We evaluated the capacity of a small UAS to census a large (>6,000 nests) coastal Common tern (Sterna hirundo) colony of which ground surveys are particularly disruptive and time-consuming. We compared aerial photographic tern counts to ground nest counts in 45 plots (5-m radius) throughout the colony at three intervals over a nine-day period in order to identify sources of variation and establish a coefficient to estimate nest numbers from UAS surveys. We also compared a full colony ground count to full counts from two UAS surveys conducted the following day. Finally, we compared colony disturbance levels over the course of UAS flights to matched control periods. Linear regressions between aerial and ground counts in plots had very strong correlations in all three comparison periods (R 2 = 0.972–0.989, P < 0.001) and regression coefficients ranged from 0.928–0.977 terns/nest. Full colony aerial counts were 93.6% and 94.0%, respectively, of the ground count. Varying visibility of terns with ground cover, weather conditions and image quality, and changing nest attendance rates throughout incubation were likely sources of variation in aerial detection rates. Optimally timed UAS surveys of Common tern colonies following our method should yield population estimates in the 93–96% range of ground counts. Although the terns were initially disturbed by the UAS flying overhead, they rapidly habituated to it. Overall, we found no evidence of sustained disturbance to the colony by the UAS. We encourage colonial waterbird researchers and managers to consider taking advantage of this burgeoning technology. PMID:25874997

The effects of large-scale pumping and diversion on the water resources of Dane County, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hunt, Randall J.; Bradbury, Kenneth R.; Krohelski, James T.

2001-01-01

Throughout many parts of the U.S., there is growing concern over the effects of rapid urban growth and development on water resources. Ground- water and surface-water systems (which comprise the hydrologic system) are linked in much of Wisconsin, and ground water can be utilized both for drinking water and as a source of water for sustaining lakes, streams, springs, and wetlands. Ground water is important for surface-water systems because it commonly has greater dissolved solids and more acid-neutraliz- ing capacity than surface water or precipitation. The supplies of ground water are finite, however, and, in many cases ground water used for one purpose cannot be used for another. Moreover, ground-water use and withdrawal patterns may not be easy to alter once established. Thus, urban and rural planners are faced with decisions that balance the need for ground- water withdrawals while maintaining the quantity and quality of ground water for sustaining surface-water resources. Science-based information on the ground-water system and the connections to surface-water systems provides valuable insight for such decisions.

Soil response to skidder and dozer traffic as indicated by soil stress residuals

Treesearch

Brian Parkhurst; Mike Aust; Chad Bolding; Scott Barrett; Andrew Vinson; John Klepac; Emily Carter

2015-01-01

Ground-based timber harvesting systems are common throughout many regions of the United States. Machine movements during harvesting can negatively impact soils leading to increased erosion and soil compaction. This is especially true of skid trails that have been established to facilitate tree removals. Several techniques have the potential to reduce soil compaction...

Faculty Perspective on Competency Development in Higher Education: An International Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Velasco, Paloma Julia; Learreta, Begoña; Kober, Claudia; Tan, Irene

2014-01-01

The purpose of this research is to establish common ground on how faculty development should be instituted and the needs it should address on an international level, with its major focus being the development of competencies. A survey was developed and distributed to a sample of 764 university teaching professionals. Results show that 90% find…

Using photographic image analysis to assess ground cover: a case study of forest road cutbanks

Treesearch

Kevin C. Bold; Frederica Wood; Pamela J. Edwards; Karl W.J. Williard; Jon E. Schoonover

2010-01-01

Road prisms, including cutbanks, road surfaces, and fillslopes, can be important contributors of sediment to streams in forested watersheds. Following road construction, cutbanks and fillslopes are often seeded, mulched, and sometimes fertilized to limit erosion and sedimentation. Assessing the success of vegetation establishment on cutbanks and fillslopes is a common...

Model-Based Knowing: How Do Students Ground Their Understanding About Climate Systems in Agent-Based Computer Models?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markauskaite, Lina; Kelly, Nick; Jacobson, Michael J.

2017-12-01

This paper gives a grounded cognition account of model-based learning of complex scientific knowledge related to socio-scientific issues, such as climate change. It draws on the results from a study of high school students learning about the carbon cycle through computational agent-based models and investigates two questions: First, how do students ground their understanding about the phenomenon when they learn and solve problems with computer models? Second, what are common sources of mistakes in students' reasoning with computer models? Results show that students ground their understanding in computer models in five ways: direct observation, straight abstraction, generalisation, conceptualisation, and extension. Students also incorporate into their reasoning their knowledge and experiences that extend beyond phenomena represented in the models, such as attitudes about unsustainable carbon emission rates, human agency, external events, and the nature of computational models. The most common difficulties of the students relate to seeing the modelled scientific phenomenon and connecting results from the observations with other experiences and understandings about the phenomenon in the outside world. An important contribution of this study is the constructed coding scheme for establishing different ways of grounding, which helps to understand some challenges that students encounter when they learn about complex phenomena with agent-based computer models.

Location and site characteristics of the ambient ground-water-quality-monitoring network in West Virginia

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kozar, M.D.; Brown, D.P.

1995-01-01

Ground-water-quality-monitoring sites have been established in compliance with the 1991 West Virginia "Groundwater Protection Act." One of the provisions of the "Groundwater Protection Act" is to conduct ground-water sampling, data collection, analyses, and evaluation with sufficient frequency so as to ascertain the characteristics and quality of ground water and the sufficiency of the ground- water protection programs established pursuant to the act (Chapter 20 of the code of West Virginia, 1991, Article 5-M). Information for 26 monitoring sites (wells and springs) which comprise the Statewide ambient ground-water-quality-monitoring network is presented. Areas in which monitoring sites were needed were determined by the West Virginia Division of Environmental Protection, Office of Water Resources in consultation with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Initial sites were chosen on the basis of recent hydrogeologic investigations conducted by the USGS and from data stored in the USGS Ground Water Site Inventory database. Land use, aquifer setting, and areal coverage of the State are three of the more important criteria used in site selection. A field reconnaissance was conducted to locate and evaluate the adequacy of selected wells and springs. Descriptive information consisting of site, geologic, well construction, and aquifer-test data has been compiled. The 26 sites will be sampled periodically for iron, manganese, most common ions (for example, calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfate, chloride, bicarbonate), volatile and semivolatile organic compounds (for example, pesticides and industrial solvents), and fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus bacteria. Background information explaining ground-water systems and water quality within the State has been included.

On Evaluating Brain Tissue Classifiers without a Ground Truth

PubMed Central

Martin-Fernandez, Marcos; Ungar, Lida; Nakamura, Motoaki; Koo, Min-Seong; McCarley, Robert W.; Shenton, Martha E.

2009-01-01

In this paper, we present a set of techniques for the evaluation of brain tissue classifiers on a large data set of MR images of the head. Due to the difficulty of establishing a gold standard for this type of data, we focus our attention on methods which do not require a ground truth, but instead rely on a common agreement principle. Three different techniques are presented: the Williams’ index, a measure of common agreement; STAPLE, an Expectation Maximization algorithm which simultaneously estimates performance parameters and constructs an estimated reference standard; and Multidimensional Scaling, a visualization technique to explore similarity data. We apply these different evaluation methodologies to a set eleven different segmentation algorithms on forty MR images. We then validate our evaluation pipeline by building a ground truth based on human expert tracings. The evaluations with and without a ground truth are compared. Our findings show that comparing classifiers without a gold standard can provide a lot of interesting information. In particular, outliers can be easily detected, strongly consistent or highly variable techniques can be readily discriminated, and the overall similarity between different techniques can be assessed. On the other hand, we also find that some information present in the expert segmentations is not captured by the automatic classifiers, suggesting that common agreement alone may not be sufficient for a precise performance evaluation of brain tissue classifiers. PMID:17532646

9 CFR 416.2 - Establishment grounds and facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... ACT SANITATION § 416.2 Establishment grounds and facilities. (a) Grounds and pest control. The grounds... place a pest management program to prevent the harborage and breeding of pests on the grounds and within establishment facilities. Pest control substances used must be safe and effective under the conditions of use...

9 CFR 416.2 - Establishment grounds and facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... ACT SANITATION § 416.2 Establishment grounds and facilities. (a) Grounds and pest control. The grounds... place a pest management program to prevent the harborage and breeding of pests on the grounds and within establishment facilities. Pest control substances used must be safe and effective under the conditions of use...

9 CFR 416.2 - Establishment grounds and facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... ACT SANITATION § 416.2 Establishment grounds and facilities. (a) Grounds and pest control. The grounds... place a pest management program to prevent the harborage and breeding of pests on the grounds and within establishment facilities. Pest control substances used must be safe and effective under the conditions of use...

Attention and Working Memory Capacity: Insights from Blocking, Highlighting, and Knowledge Restructuring

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sewell, David K.; Lewandowsky, Stephan

2012-01-01

The concept of attention is central to theorizing in learning as well as in working memory. However, research to date has yet to establish how attention as construed in one domain maps onto the other. We investigate two manifestations of attention in category- and cue-learning to examine whether they might provide common ground between learning…

Recent trends in post-wildfire seeding in western US forests: costs and seed mixes

Treesearch

Donna L. Peppin; Peter Z. Fule; Carolyn Hull Sieg; Jan L. Beyers; Molly E. Hunter; Pete Robichaud

2011-01-01

Broadcast seeding is one of the most commonly used post-fire rehabilitation treatments to establish ground cover for erosion control and mitigation of non-native plant species invasions. Little quantitative information is available on overall trends of post-fire seeding expenditures and seed mixes used over time in forested ecosystems in the western USA. We reviewed...

AMS Ground Truth Measurements: Calibrations and Test Lines

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

Wasiolek, Piotr T.

2015-12-01

Airborne gamma spectrometry is one of the primary techniques used to define the extent of ground contamination after a radiological incident. Its usefulness was demonstrated extensively during the response to the Fukushima NPP accident in March-May 2011. To map ground contamination, a set of scintillation detectors is mounted on an airborne platform (airplane or helicopter) and flown over contaminated areas. The acquisition system collects spectral information together with the aircraft position and altitude every second. To provide useful information to decision makers, the count data, expressed in counts per second (cps), need to be converted to a terrestrial component ofmore » the exposure rate at 1 meter (m) above ground, or surface activity of the isotopes of concern. This is done using conversion coefficients derived from calibration flights. During a large-scale radiological event, multiple flights may be necessary and may require use of assets from different agencies. However, because production of a single, consistent map product depicting the ground contamination is the primary goal, it is critical to establish a common calibration line very early into the event. Such a line should be flown periodically in order to normalize data collected from different aerial acquisition systems and that are potentially flown at different flight altitudes and speeds. In order to verify and validate individual aerial systems, the calibration line needs to be characterized in terms of ground truth measurements This is especially important if the contamination is due to short-lived radionuclides. The process of establishing such a line, as well as necessary ground truth measurements, is described in this document.« less

AMS Ground Truth Measurements: Calibration and Test Lines

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

Wasiolek, P.

2013-11-01

Airborne gamma spectrometry is one of the primary techniques used to define the extent of ground contamination after a radiological incident. Its usefulness was demonstrated extensively during the response to the Fukushima nuclear power plant (NPP) accident in March-May 2011. To map ground contamination a set of scintillation detectors is mounted on an airborne platform (airplane or helicopter) and flown over contaminated areas. The acquisition system collects spectral information together with the aircraft position and altitude every second. To provide useful information to decision makers, the count rate data expressed in counts per second (cps) needs to be converted tomore » the terrestrial component of the exposure rate 1 m above ground, or surface activity of isotopes of concern. This is done using conversion coefficients derived from calibration flights. During a large scale radiological event, multiple flights may be necessary and may require use of assets from different agencies. However, as the production of a single, consistent map product depicting the ground contamination is the primary goal, it is critical to establish very early into the event a common calibration line. Such a line should be flown periodically in order to normalize data collected from different aerial acquisition systems and potentially flown at different flight altitudes and speeds. In order to verify and validate individual aerial systems, the calibration line needs to be characterized in terms of ground truth measurements. This is especially important if the contamination is due to short-lived radionuclides. The process of establishing such a line, as well as necessary ground truth measurements, is described in this document.« less

Clonal expansion and seedling recruitment of Oregon grape (Berberis nervosa) in Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) forests: Comparisons with salal (Gaultheria shallon)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Huffman, David W.; Tappeiner, John C.

1997-01-01

Seedling regeneration and morphology of Oregon grape (Berberis nervosa Pursh) and salal (Gaultheria shallon Pursh) were studied in thinned and unthinned Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) stands in the central Coast Range, Oregon. Above- and below-ground growth of both species were significantly and negatively correlated with stand density. Oregon grape appears to have less potential for vegetative spread than does salal. It produced two to three times fewer rhizome extensions, and rhizome extensions were only half as long as those of salal. Oregon grape seedlings were common in areas of moss ground cover among patches of the two species. Salal seedlings were restricted to decaying logs. Seedling densities of Oregon grape in thinned stands were more than six times those in unthinned stands. For Oregon grape, understory establishment is accomplished by seedling establishment and recruitment of new genets. In contrast, salal maintains itself in forest understories primarily through vegetative growth, since its seedling establishment is restricted mainly to decayed wood. Continual recruitment of new aerial stems or ramets enables Oregon grape to maintain a dense cover once it is established in the understory.

A world without Roe: how different would it be?

PubMed

Glendon, M A

1989-01-01

In anticipation of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Webster v. Reproductive Health Services (3 Jul 1989), this issue of the Hastings Center Report includes articles by Glendon, M. Mahowald, and N. Rhoden under the unifying title "Abortion: searching for common ground." Each author acknowledges the polarization of public and political opinion after the Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, and seeks to establish a common ground in the abortion debate upon which a regulatory structure could be built. Glendon, author of the monograph Abortion and Divorce in Western Law: American Failures, European Challenges (Harvard; 1987), describes Roe as the most permissive abortion law in the industrializled West. She suggests that the United States might look to European laws as models where experience has shown that political compromise is possible when regulating abortion in countries where public opinion on the issue is deeply divided.

Common ground: the HealthWeb project as a model for Internet collaboration.

PubMed Central

Redman, P M; Kelly, J A; Albright, E D; Anderson, P F; Mulder, C; Schnell, E H

1997-01-01

The establishment of the HealthWeb project by twelve health sciences libraries provides a collaborative means of organizing and enhancing access to Internet resources for the international health sciences community. The project is based on the idea that the Internet is common ground for all libraries and that through collaboration a more comprehensive, robust, and long-lasting information product can be maintained. The participants include more than seventy librarians from the health sciences libraries of the Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC), an academic consortium of twelve major research universities. The Greater Midwest Region of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine serves as a cosponsor. HealthWeb is an information resource that provides access to evaluated, annotated Internet resources via the World Wide Web. The project vision as well as the progress reported on its implementation may serve as a model for other collaborative Internet projects. PMID:9431420

Pesticides in Ground Water of Central and Western Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ator, Scott W.; Reyes, Betzaida

2008-01-01

Selected pesticides and degradates (products of pesticide degradation) are detectable in ground water in many parts of central and western Maryland, although concentrations are generally less than 0.1 micrograms per liter. Ground-water samples collected recently (1994-2003) from 72 wells in areas of Maryland underlain by consolidated carbonate, crystalline, or siliciclastic aquifers (areas north and west of the Fall Line) were analyzed for selected pesticides and degradates. Pesticides were typically detected in mixtures of multiple compounds in ground water, and degradates were commonly detected, often at greater concentrations than their respective parent compounds. No pesticides were observed at concentrations greater than established standards for drinking water, and nearly all observed concentrations were below other health-based guidelines. Although such standards and guidelines are generally much greater than measured concentrations in ground water, they do not exist for many detected compounds (particularly degradates), or for mixtures of multiple compounds. The distribution of pesticides and degradates in ground water is related to application practices, as well as chemical and environmental factors that affect the fate and movement of individual compounds.

Marking Out a Disciplinary Common Ground: The Role of Chemical Pedagogy in Establishing the Doctrine of Affinity at the Heart of British Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Georgette

2008-01-01

This paper presents a case study that contributes to the current debate among historians of chemistry concerning the role and influence of pedagogy in science. Recently, Bernadette Bensaude-Vincent and her colleagues concluded that in nineteenth-century France, "textbooks played an important role in discipline building and in creating…

Memory and Common Ground Processes in Language Use.

PubMed

Brown-Schmidt, Sarah; Duff, Melissa C

2016-10-01

During communication, we form assumptions about what our communication partners know and believe. Information that is mutually known between the discourse partners-their common ground-serves as a backdrop for successful communication. Here we present an introduction to the focus of this topic, which is the role of memory in common ground and language use. Two types of questions emerge as central to understanding the relationship between memory and common ground, specifically questions having to do with the representation of common ground in memory, and the use of common ground during language processing. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Water-Quality Assessment of the Rio Grande Valley, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas--Surface-Water Quality, Shallow Ground-Water Quality, and Factors Affecting Water Quality in the Rincon Valley, South-Central New Mexico, 1994-95

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderholm, Scott K.

2002-01-01

As part of the National Water-Quality Assessment Program, surface-water and ground-water samples were collected in 1994 and 1995 for analysis of common constituents, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, trace elements, radioactivity, volatile organic compounds, and pesticides to characterize surface- water quality and shallow ground-water quality and to determine factors affecting water quality in the Rincon Valley, south-central New Mexico. Samples of surface water were collected from three sites on the Rio Grande and from sites on three agricultural drains in the Rincon Valley in January 1994 and 1995, April 1994, and October 1994. Ground-water samples were collected in late April and early May 1994 from 30 shallow wells that were installed during the investigation. Dissolved-solids concentrations in surface water ranged from 434 to 1,510 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Dissolved-solids concentrations were smallest in water from the Rio Grande below Caballo Dam and largest in the drains. Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations ranged from less than 0.05 to 3.3 mg/L as nitrogen, and ammonia concentrations ranged from less than 0.015 to 0.33 mg/L as nitrogen in surface-water samples. Trace-element concentrations in surface water were significantly smaller than the acute-fisheries standards. One or more pesticides were detected in 34 of 37 surface-water samples. DCPA (dacthal) and metolachlor were the most commonly detected pesticides. No standards have been established for the pesticides analyzed for in this study. Dissolved-solids concentrations in shallow ground water ranged from 481 to 3,630 mg/L. All but 2 of 30 samples exceeded the secondary maximum contaminant level for dissolved solids of 500 mg/L. Water from about 73 percent of the wells sampled exceeded the secondary maximum contaminant level of 250 mg/L for sulfate, and water from about 7 percent of the wells sampled exceeded the secondary maximum contaminant level of 250 mg/L for chloride. Nitrite plus nitrate concentrations ranged from less than 0.05 to 33 mg/L as nitrogen in shallow ground water. Water from about 17 percent of the well samples exceeded the maximum contaminant level of 10 mg/L as nitrogen for nitrite plus nitrate. Trace-element concentrations in shallow ground water generally were small (1 to 10 micrograms per liter). The proposed maximum contaminant level of 20 micrograms per liter for uranium was exceeded in about 13 percent of the samples. The secondary maximum contaminant level of 300 micrograms per liter for iron was exceeded in about 17 percent of the samples and of 50 micrograms per liter for manganese was exceeded in about 83 percent of the samples. Samples from about 23 percent of the wells exceeded the maximum contaminant level of 15 picocuries per liter for gross alpha activity. One or more pesticides were detected in water from 12 of 30 wells sampled. The pesticides or pesticide metabolites diazinon, metolachlor, napropamide, p,p'-DDE, and prometon were detected in one or more samples. Metolachlor and prometon were the most commonly detected pesticides. Health advisories for the pesticides detected in shallow ground water (no maximum contaminant levels have been established for the pesticides detected) are 10 to 300 times larger than the concentrations detected. Infiltration, evaporation, and transpiration of irrigation water are important factors affecting the concentrations of common constituents in shallow ground water in the Rincon Valley. Dissolution and precipitation of minerals and mixing of shallow ground water and inflow of ground water from adjacent areas also affect the composition of shallow ground water and water in the drains. Relatively large nitrite plus nitrate concentrations in several shallow ground-water samples indicate leaching of fertilizers in some areas of th

Seeking Common Ground: First-Year U.S. University Students' Experiences with Intercultural Interaction and Friendship in an On-Campus Residential Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaston, Michelle Elise

2017-01-01

The number of international students on U.S. campuses has increased more than 84 percent over the past decade (IIE, 2016). Although it has been well-established that interaction and friendship with local students is a key element for international student adjustment to a foreign university, few studies have grappled with how these intercultural…

Memory and Common Ground Processes in Language Use

PubMed Central

Brown-Schmidt, Sarah; Duff, Melissa C.

2018-01-01

During communication, we form assumptions about what our communication partners know and believe. Information that is mutually known between the discourse partners—their common ground—serves as a backdrop for successful communication. Here we present an introduction to the focus of this topic, which is the role of memory in common ground and language use. Two types of questions emerge as central to understanding the relationship between memory and common ground, specifically questions having to do with the representation of common ground in memory, and the use of common ground during language processing. PMID:27797165

[Is "mental health" part of the common good? The sociopolitical framework of psychiatric ethics and the responsibility of health-care elites].

PubMed

Bohlken, Eike

2014-07-01

Psychiatric work can only be that ethical as the framework of a health-care system allows. Thus, the responsibility of the health-care elites to establish a sociopolitical framework that suits psychiatric ethics is discussed on the basis of a theory of the common good and of a philosophical and normative elite theory. "Mental health" is demonstrated to be part of a basic sphere of the common good which cannot be denied to any member of a society. The final section discusses which specific duties can be derived for health-care elites on the ground of the aforementioned conception of "mental health" as a part of the common good. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Quantifying Airborne Allergen Levels Before and After Rain Events Using TRMM/GPM and Ground-Sampled Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stewart, Randy M.

2006-01-01

Allergies affect millions of Americans, increasing health risks and also increasing absenteeism and reducing productivity in the workplace. Outdoor allergens, such as airborne pollens and mold spores, commonly trigger respiratory distress symptoms, but rainfall reduces the quantity of allergens in the air (EPA, 2003). The current NASA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission provides accurate information related to rain events. These capabilities will be further enhanced with the future Global Precipitation Measurement mission. This report examines the effectiveness of combining these NASA resources with established ground-based allergen/spore sampling systems to better understand the benefits that rain provides in removing allergens and spores from the air.

Outbreaks of Salmonella infections attributed to beef --United States, 1973-2011.

PubMed

Laufer, A S; Grass, J; Holt, K; Whichard, J M; Griffin, P M; Gould, L H

2015-07-01

Non-typhoidal Salmonella is estimated to be the most common bacterial cause of foodborne illness in the United States, causing an estimated one million domestically acquired foodborne illnesses annually. Recent, large outbreaks have highlighted the importance of ground beef as an important source of multidrug-resistant Salmonella. We analysed the epidemiology of salmonellosis outbreaks that were attributed to beef in the United States reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 1973 to 2011. During 1973-2011, of the 1965 outbreaks of Salmonella where a food vehicle was implicated, 96 were attributed to beef, accounting for 3684 illnesses. We observed a shift in the type of beef implicated in salmonellosis outbreaks, from roast to ground beef. Delicatessen-style roast beef cooked in commercial processing establishments was the predominant type during the 1970s and early 1980s; regulations on cooking and processing essentially eliminated this problem by 1987. Ground beef emerged as an important vehicle in the 2000s; it was implicated in 17 (45%) of the 38 beef-attributed outbreaks reported during 2002-2011. Although this emergence was likely due in part to increased participation in CDC's PulseNet, which was established in 1996, and proactive decisions by the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, stronger measures are needed to decrease contamination of ground beef with Salmonella.

Outbreaks of Salmonella Infections Attributed to Beef – United States, 1973–2011

PubMed Central

Laufer, A.S.; Grass, J.; Holt, K.; Whichard, J.M.; Griffin, P.M.; Gould, L.H.

2015-01-01

Summary Nontyphoidal salmonella is estimated to be the most common bacterial cause of foodborne illness in the United States, causing an estimated one million domestically-acquired foodborne illnesses annually. Recent, large outbreaks have highlighted the importance of ground beef as an important source of multidrug resistant salmonella. We analysed the epidemiology of salmonellosis outbreaks that were attributed to beef in the United States reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from 1973 through 2011. During 1973–2011, of the 1965 outbreaks of salmonella where a food vehicle was implicated, 96 were attributed to beef, accounting for 3684 illnesses. We observed a shift in the type of beef implicated in salmonellosis outbreaks, from roast to ground beef. Delicatessen-style roast beef cooked in commercial processing establishments was the predominant type during the 1970s and early 1980s; regulations on cooking and processing essentially eliminated this problem by 1987. Ground beef emerged as an important vehicle in the 2000s; it was implicated in 17 (45%) of the 38 beef-attributed outbreaks reported during 2002–2011. Although this emergence was likely due in part to increased participation in CDC’s PulseNet, which was established in 1996, and proactive decisions by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, stronger measures are needed to decrease contamination of ground beef with salmonella. PMID:25427978

Injury risk associated with ground hardness in junior cricket.

PubMed

Twomey, Dara M; White, Peta E; Finch, Caroline F

2012-03-01

To establish if there is an association between ground hardness and injury risk in junior cricket. Nested case-series of players who played matches on specific grounds with objective ground hardness measures, within a prospective cohort study of junior community club cricket players. Monitoring of injuries and playing exposure occurred during 434 matches over the 2007/2008 playing season. Objective assessment of the hardness of 38 grounds was undertaken using a Clegg hammer at 13 sites on 19 different junior cricket grounds on the match eve across the season. Hardness readings were classified from unacceptably low (<30 g) to unacceptably high (>120 g) and two independent raters assessed the likelihood of each injury being related to ground hardness. Injuries sustained on tested grounds were related to the ground hardness measures. Overall, 31 match injuries were reported; 6.5% were rated as likely to be related to ground hardness, 16.1% as possibly related and 74.2% as unlikely to be related and 3.2% unknown. The two injuries likely to be related to ground hardness were sustained whilst diving to catch a ball resulting, in a graze/laceration from contact with hard ground. Overall, 31/38 (82%) ground assessments were rated as having 'unacceptably high' hardness and all others as 'high/normal' hardness. Only one injury occurred on an objectively tested ground. It remains unclear if ground hardness is a contributing factor to the most common injury mechanism of being struck by the ball, and needs to be confirmed in future larger-scale studies. Copyright © 2011 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monitoring and remediation of on-farm and off-farm ground current measured as step potential on a Wisconsin dairy farm: A case study.

PubMed

Stetzer, Dave; Leavitt, Adam M; Goeke, Charles L; Havas, Magda

2016-01-01

Ground current commonly referred to as "stray voltage" has been an issue on dairy farms since electricity was first brought to rural America. Equipment that generates high-frequency voltage transients on electrical wires combined with a multigrounded (electrical distribution) system and inadequate neutral returns all contribute to ground current. Despite decades of problems, we are no closer to resolving this issue, in part, due to three misconceptions that are addressed in this study. Misconception 1. The current standard of 1 V at cow contact is adequate to protect dairy cows; Misconception 2. Frequencies higher than 60 Hz do not need to be considered; and Misconception 3. All sources of ground current originate on the farm that has a ground current problem. This case study of a Wisconsin dairy farm documents, 1. how to establish permanent monitoring of ground current (step potential) on a dairy farm; 2. how to determine and remediate both on-farm and off-farm sources contributing to step potential; 3. which step-potential metrics relate to cow comfort and milk production; and 4. how these metrics relate to established standards. On-farm sources include lighting, variable speed frequency drives on motors, radio frequency identification system and off-farm sources are due to a poor primary neutral return on the utility side of the distribution system. A step-potential threshold of 1 V root mean square (RMS) at 60 Hz is inadequate to protect dairy cows as decreases of a few mV peak-peak at higher frequencies increases milk production, reduces milking time and improves cow comfort.

Freshwater wetlands: fertile grounds for the invasive Phragmites australis in a climate change context

PubMed Central

Tougas-Tellier, Marie-Andrée; Morin, Jean; Hatin, Daniel; Lavoie, Claude

2015-01-01

Climate change will likely affect flooding regimes, which have a large influence on the functioning of freshwater riparian wetlands. Low water levels predicted for several fluvial systems make wetlands especially vulnerable to the spread of invaders, such as the common reed (Phragmites australis), one of the most invasive species in North America. We developed a model to map the distribution of potential germination grounds of the common reed in freshwater wetlands of the St. Lawrence River (Québec, Canada) under current climate conditions and used this model to predict their future distribution under two climate change scenarios simulated for 2050. We gathered historical and recent (remote sensing) data on the distribution of common reed stands for model calibration and validation purposes, then determined the parameters controlling the species establishment by seed. A two-dimensional model and the identified parameters were used to simulate the current (2010) and future (2050) distribution of germination grounds. Common reed stands are not widespread along the St. Lawrence River (212 ha), but our model suggests that current climate conditions are already conducive to considerable further expansion (>16,000 ha). Climate change may also exacerbate the expansion, particularly if river water levels drop, which will expose large bare areas propitious to seed germination. This phenomenon may be particularly important in one sector of the river, where existing common reed stands could increase their areas by a factor of 100, potentially creating the most extensive reedbed complex in North America. After colonizing salt and brackishwater marshes, the common reed could considerably expand into the freshwater marshes of North America which cover several million hectares. The effects of common reed expansion on biodiversity are difficult to predict, but likely to be highly deleterious given the competitiveness of the invader and the biological richness of freshwater wetlands. PMID:26380675

78 FR 45104 - Model Manufactured Home Installation Standards: Ground Anchor Installations

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-26

... test methods for establishing working load design values of ground anchor assemblies used for new... anchor installations and establish standardized test methods to determine ground anchor performance and... currently no national test method for rating and certifying ground anchor assemblies in different soil...

Going global in physical therapist education: International Service-Learning in US-based programmes.

PubMed

Pechak, Celia; Thompson, Mary

2011-12-01

 Internationalization is expanding its presence in higher education in the United States. Reflecting this trend that includes incorporating global perspectives in the curricula, physical therapist education programmes increasingly offer international opportunities such as International Service-Learning (ISL) to their students. Service-learning, a teaching strategy that integrates community service with structured learning activities, has gained broad acceptance in health professions education including physical therapy, and is therefore the focus of this paper. The specific purposes of this paper were to identify and analyse the commonalities that existed among established ISL programmes within physical therapist education programmes in terms of structures and processes, and to consider its broader implications for physical therapist education.   A descriptive, exploratory study was performed using grounded theory. Snowball and purposive, theoretical sampling yielded 14 faculty members with experience in international service, international learning or ISL in physical therapist education programmes. Faculty were interviewed by phone. Interview transcriptions and course documents were analysed applying grounded theory methodology. Data from eight programmes which met the operational definition of established ISL were used to address the purposes of this paper.   Five phases of establishing an ISL programme were identified: development, design, implementation, evaluation, and enhancement. Although no single model exists for ISL in physical therapist education; commonalities in structures and processes were identified in each phase. However, attention to service objectives and outcomes is lacking.   While analysis revealed that each programme shared commonalities and demonstrated differences in structures and processes compared with the other programmes, the study demonstrated a general lack of focus on formal community outcomes which raises ethical concerns. Future research and dialogue is warranted to explore ethics and good practice in ISL and other global health initiatives in physical therapy. This study may facilitate reflections and creative solutions by individual faculty and the profession. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

78 FR 72006 - Establishment of Class D Airspace and Class E Airspace; Laguna AAF, AZ

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-02

... establishes Class D airspace and Class E airspace at Laguna Army Air Field (AAF), (Yuma Proving Ground), Yuma...) within a 3.5- mile radius of Laguna AAF (Yuma Proving Ground), Yuma, AZ; and Class E airspace extending... scope of that authority as it establishes controlled airspace at Laguna AAF, (Yuma Proving Ground), Yuma...

Interdisciplinary Common Ground: Techniques and Attentional Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arvidson, P. Sven

2014-01-01

Common ground in the interdisciplinary research process is the pivot from disciplinary to interdisciplinary perspective. As thinking moves from disciplinary to interdisciplinary, what is the shape or structure of attention, how does intellectual content transform in the attending process? Four common ground techniques--extension, redefinition,…

Hydrogeology and ground-water quality of Valley Forge National Historical Park, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sloto, Ronald A.; McManus, B. Craig

1996-01-01

Valley Forge National Historical Park is just southwest of the Commodore Semiconductor Group (CSG) National Priorities List (Superfund) Site, a source of volatile organic compounds (VOC's) in ground water. The 7.5-square-mile study area includes the part of the park in Lower Providence and West Norriton Townships in Montgomery County, Pa., and surrounding vicinity. The park is underlain by sedimentary rocks of the Upper Triassic age stockton Formation. A potentiometric-surface map constructed from water levels measured in 59 wells shows a cone of depression, approximately 0.5 mile in diameter, centered near the CSG Site. The cone of depression is caused by the pumping of six public supply wells. A ground-water divide between the cone of depression and Valley Forge National Historical Park provides a hydraulic barrier to the flow of ground water and contaminants from the CSG Site to the park. If pumping in the cone of depression was to cease, water levels would recover, and the ground-water divide would shift to the north. A hydraulic gradient between the CSG Site and the Schuylkill River would be established, causing contaminated ground water to flow to the park.Water samples were collected from 12 wells within the park boundary and 9 wells between the park boundary and the ground-water divide to the north of the park. All water samples were analyzed for physical properties (field determinations), nutrients, common ions, metals and other trace constituents, and VOC's. Water samples from the 12 wells inside the park boundary also were analyzed for pesticides. Concentrations of inorganic constituents in the water samples did not exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels. Very low concentrations of organic compounds were detected in some of the water samples. VOC's were detected in water from 76 percent of the wells sampled; the maximum concentration detected was 5.8 micrograms per liter of chloroform. The most commonly detected VOC was chloroform. The second most commonly detected compound was methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), which was detected in water from 24 percent of wells sampled. Several pesticides were detected in water samples collected from within the park boundaries.: chlordane, DDD, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor epoxide, and simazine. Concentrations of the detected pesticides were 0.1 micrograms per liter or less and did not exceed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant levels.

78 FR 11632 - Record of Decision for Land Acquisition and Airspace Establishment To Support Large-Scale Marine...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-19

... Establishment To Support Large-Scale Marine Air Ground Task Force Live- Fire and Maneuver Training at the Marine...), announces its decision to establish a large-scale Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) training facility at... through the Federal Aviation Administration the establishment and modification of military Special Use...

Results of Kirari optical communication demonstration experiments with NICT optical ground station (KODEN) aiming for future classical and quantum communications in space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toyoshima, Morio; Takenaka, Hideki; Shoji, Yozo; Takayama, Yoshihisa; Koyama, Yoshisada; Kunimori, Hiroo

2012-05-01

Bi-directional ground-to-satellite laser communication experiments were successfully performed between the optical ground station developed by the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT), located in Koganei City in suburban Tokyo, and a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite, the "Kirari" Optical Inter-orbit Communications Engineering Test Satellite (OICETS). The experiments were conducted in cooperation with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and called the Kirari Optical communication Demonstration Experiments with the NICT optical ground station (or KODEN). The ground-to-OICETS laser communication experiment was the first in-orbit demonstration involving the LEO satellite. The laser communication experiment was conducted since March 2006. The polarization characteristics of an artificial laser source in space, such as Stokes parameters, and the degree of polarization were measured through space-to-ground atmospheric transmission paths, which results contribute to the link estimation for quantum key distribution via space and provide the potential for enhancements in quantum cryptography on a global scale in the future. The Phase-5 experiment, international laser communications experiments were also successfully conducted with four optical ground stations located in the United States, Spain, Germany, and Japan from April 2009 to September 2009. The purpose of the Phase-5 experiment was to establish OICETS-to-ground laser communication links from the different optical ground stations and the statistical analyses such as the normalized power, scintillation index, probability density function, auto-covariance function, and power spectral density were performed. Thus the applicability of the satellite laser communications was demonstrated, aiming not only for geostationary earth orbit-LEO links but also for ground-to-LEO optical links. This paper presents the results of the KODEN experiments and mainly introduces the common analyses among the different optical ground stations.

Building on common ground to address biodiversity conflicts and foster collaboration in environmental management.

PubMed

Lecuyer, Lou; White, Rehema M; Schmook, Birgit; Calmé, Sophie

2018-08-15

Conservation biology faces critical challenges that require collaborative approaches, including novel strategies to support interactions among actors in biodiversity conflicts. The goals of this study were to investigate the concept of common ground across multiple issues and to explore its practical application for the support of environmental management. We conceptually defined common ground as the areas of relevance underlying the suite of issues expressed by people regarding environmental management in a particular context. We then empirically tested this in the Calakmul region of Mexico, where the complex socio-historical context and high biodiversity have created environmental management challenges that are now being addressed by a local, multi-stakeholder management board. We conducted 26 open interviews with members of the board and a further round of quantitative prioritisation of issues raised. Using a coding process designed to reveal common ground, we categorized the issues at four levels ranging from coarse to fine (themes, topics, sub-topics and perspectives). We then analysed two levels, topics (n = 14 issues) and sub-topics (n = 51 issues). To do so, we built common ground matrices to identify and analyze common ground among actors and across issues. First, cluster and non-metrical data analyses revealed the diversity of actor positions and the lack of consistent grouping among actors by occupational activity. This demonstrated that focusing on actors' differences might be misleading, and that actors' views were not closely aligned with their roles. Second, we located issues according to their levels of common ground and importance among actors. We showed that by not focusing on single issue conflicts, the identification of common ground across multiple issues can pinpoint synergies. We then proposed a framework for collaboration that prioritizes issues of high importance with greater common ground (e.g. sustainable resource use activities), to support the development of trust and norms of reciprocity among actors, strengthening the potential for future cooperation. By adopting this approach, environmental managers could support the initial stages of collaborative conservation strategies, engaging with other actors to seek common ground, avoid the creation of polarised groups and help effectively manage biodiversity conflicts. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Commonality of Ground Systems in Launch Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quinn, Shawn M.

2008-01-01

NASA is examining the utility of requiring a certain degree of commonality in both flight and ground systems in the Constellation Program. While the benefits of commonality seem obvious in terms of minimizing upfront development and long-term operations and maintenance costs, success in real, large-scale engineering systems used to support launch operations is relatively unknown. A broad literature review conducted for this paper did not yield a single paper specifically addressing the application of commonality for ground systems at any launch site in the United States or abroad. This paper provides a broad overview of the ground systems, captures historical and current application of commonality at the launch site, and offers suggestions for additional research to further develop commonality approaches.

Hydrologic considerations in defining isolated wetlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winter, T.C.; LaBaugh, J.W.

2003-01-01

Wetlands that are not connected by streams to other surface-water bodies are considered to be isolated. Although the definition is based on surface-water connections to other water bodies, isolated wetlands commonly are integral parts of extensive ground-water flow systems, and isolated wetlands can spill over their surface divides into adjacent surface-water bodies during periods of abundant precipitation and high water levels. Thus, characteristics of ground-water flow and atmospheric-water flow affect the isolation of wetlands. In general, the degree that isolated wetlands are connected through the ground-water system to other surface-water bodies depends to a large extent on the rate that ground water moves and the rate that hydrologic stresses can be transmitted through the ground-water system. Water that seeps from an isolated wetland into a gravel aquifer can travel many kilometers through the ground-water system in one year. In contrast, water that seeps from an isolated wetland into a clayey or silty substrate may travel less than one meter in one year. For wetlands that can spill over their surface watersheds during periods of wet climate conditions, their isolation is related to the height to a spill elevation above normal wetland water level and the recurrence interval of various magnitudes of precipitation. The concepts presented in this paper indicate that the entire hydrologic system needs to be considered in establishing a definition of hydrologic isolation.

Reading Researchers in Search of Common Ground: The Expert Study Revisited. 2nd Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flippo, Rona F., Ed.

2011-01-01

In "Reading Researchers in Search of Common Ground, Second Edition", Rona F. Flippo revisits her study, in which she set out to find common ground among experts in the much-fragmented field of reading research. The original edition, featuring contributions from participants in the study, commentary from additional distinguished literacy scholars…

Preschoolers Use Common Ground in Their Justificatory Reasoning with Peers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Köymen, Bahar; Mammen, Maria; Tomasello, Michael

2016-01-01

In the context of joint decision-making, we investigated whether preschoolers alter the informativeness of their justifications depending on the common ground that they share with their partner. Pairs of 3- and 5-year-olds (N = 146) were introduced to a novel animal with unique characteristics (e.g., eating rocks). In the common ground condition,…

Young Children's Understanding of Cultural Common Ground

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liebal, Kristin; Carpenter, Malinda; Tomasello, Michael

2013-01-01

Human social interaction depends on individuals identifying the common ground they have with others, based both on personally shared experiences and on cultural common ground that all members of the group share. We introduced 3- and 5-year-old children to a culturally well-known object and a novel object. An experimenter then entered and asked,…

Re-engineering Nascom's network management architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drake, Brian C.; Messent, David

1994-01-01

The development of Nascom systems for ground communications began in 1958 with Project Vanguard. The low-speed systems (rates less than 9.6 Kbs) were developed following existing standards; but, there were no comparable standards for high-speed systems. As a result, these systems were developed using custom protocols and custom hardware. Technology has made enormous strides since the ground support systems were implemented. Standards for computer equipment, software, and high-speed communications exist and the performance of current workstations exceeds that of the mainframes used in the development of the ground systems. Nascom is in the process of upgrading its ground support systems and providing additional services. The Message Switching System (MSS), Communications Address Processor (CAP), and Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (MDM) Automated Control System (MACS) are all examples of Nascom systems developed using standards such as, X-windows, Motif, and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). Also, the Earth Observing System (EOS) Communications (Ecom) project is stressing standards as an integral part of its network. The move towards standards has produced a reduction in development, maintenance, and interoperability costs, while providing operational quality improvement. The Facility and Resource Manager (FARM) project has been established to integrate the Nascom networks and systems into a common network management architecture. The maximization of standards and implementation of computer automation in the architecture will lead to continued cost reductions and increased operational efficiency. The first step has been to derive overall Nascom requirements and identify the functionality common to all the current management systems. The identification of these common functions will enable the reuse of processes in the management architecture and promote increased use of automation throughout the Nascom network. The MSS, CAP, MACS, and Ecom projects have indicated the potential value of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and standards through reduced cost and high quality. The FARM will allow the application of the lessons learned from these projects to all future Nascom systems.

On Fuzzy Sets and Rough Sets from the Perspective of Indiscernibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Mihir K.

The category theoretic approach of Obtułowicz to Pawlak's rough sets has been reintroduced in a somewhat modified form. A generalization is rendered to this approach that has been motivated by the notion of rough membership function. Thus, a link is established between rough sets and L-fuzzy sets for some special lattices. It is shown that a notion of indistinguishability lies at the root of vagueness. This observation in turn gives a common ground to the theories of rough sets and fuzzy sets.

Development of a Ground Water Data Portal for Interoperable Data Exchange within the U.S. National Ground Water Monitoring Network and Beyond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booth, N. L.; Brodaric, B.; Lucido, J. M.; Kuo, I.; Boisvert, E.; Cunningham, W. L.

2011-12-01

The need for a national groundwater monitoring network within the United States is profound and has been recognized by organizations outside government as a major data gap for managing ground-water resources. Our country's communities, industries, agriculture, energy production and critical ecosystems rely on water being available in adequate quantity and suitable quality. To meet this need the Subcommittee on Ground Water, established by the Federal Advisory Committee on Water Information, created a National Ground Water Monitoring Network (NGWMN) envisioned as a voluntary, integrated system of data collection, management and reporting that will provide the data needed to address present and future ground-water management questions raised by Congress, Federal, State and Tribal agencies and the public. The NGWMN Data Portal is the means by which policy makers, academics and the public will be able to access ground water data through one seamless web-based application from disparate data sources. Data systems in the United States exist at many organizational and geographic levels and differing vocabulary and data structures have prevented data sharing and reuse. The data portal will facilitate the retrieval of and access to groundwater data on an as-needed basis from multiple, dispersed data repositories allowing the data to continue to be housed and managed by the data provider while being accessible for the purposes of the national monitoring network. This work leverages Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) data exchange standards and information models. To advance these standards for supporting the exchange of ground water information, an OGC Interoperability Experiment was organized among international participants from government, academia and the private sector. The experiment focused on ground water data exchange across the U.S. / Canadian border. WaterML2.0, an evolving international standard for water observations, encodes ground water levels and is exchanged using the OGC Sensor Observation Service (SOS) standard. Ground Water Markup Language (GWML) encodes well log, lithology and construction information and is exchanged using the OGC Web Feature Service (WFS) standard. Within the NGWMN Data Portal, data exchange between distributed data provider repositories is achieved through the use of these web services and a central mediation hub, which performs both format (syntactic) and nomenclature (semantic) mediation, conforming heterogeneous inputs into common standards-based outputs. Through these common standards, interoperability between the U.S. NGWMN and Canada's Groundwater Information Network (GIN) is achieved, advancing a ground water virtual observatory across North America.

Nitrate and selected pesticides in ground water of the Mid-Atlantic region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ator, Scott W.; Ferrari, Matthew J.

1997-01-01

Data from more than 850 sites were compiled and analyzed to document the occurrence of nitrate and pesticides in ground water of the Mid-Atlantic region as part of the Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Only those data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey as part of regional networks between October 1985 and September 1996 (inclusive) were used in the analyses, and the data were examined to ensure analytical results are not biased toward sites at the same location or sites sampled multiple times during this period. Regional data are available for most of the Mid-Atlantic region but large spatial gaps in available data do exist. Nitrate was detected in nearly three-quarters of the samples for which it was analyzed, commonly at levels that suggest anthropogenic sources. Ten percent of samples contained nitrate at concentrations exceeding the Federal Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 milligrams per liter as nitrogen. Pesticide compounds (including atrazine, metolachlor, prometon, simazine, and desethylatrazine, an atrazine degradate) were detected in about half of the samples for which they were analyzed, but rarely at concentrations exceeding established MCL?s. The most commonly detected pesticide compounds were desethylatrazine and atrazine. The occurrence of nitrate and pesticides in ground water of the Mid-Atlantic region is related to land cover and rock type. Likely sources of nitrate and pesticides to ground water include agricultural and urban land-use practices; rock type affects the movement of these compounds into and through the ground-water system. Nitrate concentrations in the compiled data set are significantly higher in ground water in agricultural areas than in urban or forested areas, but concentrations in areas of row crops are statistically indistinguishable from those in areas of pastures. Detection frequencies of atrazine, desethylatrazine, and simazine are indistinguishable among urban areas, row crops, and pastures. Prometon was most commonly detected in ground water in urban areas. Ground-water samples from forested areas typically contained the lowest concentrations of nitrate and detection frequencies of pesticides. Concentrations of nitrate and detection frequencies of pesticides were significantly higher in samples from carbonate rocks than in those from any other rock type. Most areas of the Mid-Atlantic region that are underlain by carbonate rocks have been developed for agricultural or urban use and the solution channels that are typical of carbonate rocks allow for relatively rapid transport of surficial contaminants throughout the ground-water system. Nitrate concentrations in unconsolidated aquifers were among the lowest for all rock types, possibly because of denitrification in organic-rich subsoils and shallow sediments.

School Grounds Guide: A Pictured Guide for Identifying Common Organisms Found In and Around the School Ground.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bain, Rodney

Designed for quick, easy identification of some of the most commonly encountered organisms found in and around the school ground, this illustrated guide identifies by a picture and a short biological description the common animals and plants found in and around school lawns, house lawns, parks, fence rows, flower gardens, vacant lots, and…

78 FR 57545 - Proposed Establishment of Class D Airspace and Class E Airspace; Laguna AAF, AZ

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-19

... Air Field (AAF), (Yuma Proving Ground), Yuma, AZ. The establishment of an air traffic control tower... Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590; telephone (202) 366-9826... Proving Ground), Yuma, AZ, excluding R-2306E and R- 2307 when in effect; and Class E airspace extending...

Water-quality assessment of the Rio Grande Valley, Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas : shallow ground-water quality and land use in the Albuquerque area, central New Mexico, 1993

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderholm, Scott K.

1997-01-01

This report describes the quality of shallow ground water and the relations between land use and the quality of that shallow ground water in an urban area in and adjacent to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Water samples were collected from 24 shallow wells. Samples were analyzed for selected common constituents, nutrients, trace elements, radionuclides, volatile organic compounds, and pesticides. The study area, which is in the Albuquerque Basin in central New Mexico, was limited to the Rio Grande flood plain; depth to water in this area generally is less than 25 feet. The amount and composition of recharge to the shallow ground-water system are important factors that affect shallow ground-water composition in this area. Important sources of recharge that affect shallow ground-water quality in the area include infiltration of surface water, which is used in agricultural land-use areas to irrigate crops, and infiltration of septic-system effluent in residential areas. Agricultural land use represents about 28 percent of the area, and residential land use represents about 35 percent of the total study area. In most of the study area, agricultural land use is interspersed with residential land use and neither is the dominant land use in the area. Land use in the study area historically has been changing from agricultural to urban. The composition of shallow ground water in the study area varies considerably. The dissolved solids concentration in shallow ground water in the study area ranges from 272 to 1,650 milligrams per liter, although the relative percentages of selected cations and anions do not vary substantially. Calcium generally is the dominant cation and bicarbonate generally is the dominant anion. Concentrations of nutrients generally were less than 1 milligram per liter. The concentration of many trace elements in shallow ground water was below or slightly above 1 microgram per liter and there was little variation in the concentrations. Barium, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and uranium were the only trace elements analyzed for that had median concentrations greater than 5 micrograms per liter. Volatile organic compounds were detected in 5 of 24 samples. Cis-1,2-dichloroethene and 1,1-dichloroethane were the most commonly detected volatile organic compounds (detected in two samples each). Pesticides were detected in 8 of 24 samples. Prometon was the most commonly detected pesticide (detected in 5 of 24 samples). Concentrations of volatile organic compounds and pesticides detected were much smaller than any U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards that have been established. Infiltration of surface water and the evaporation or transpiration of this water, which partially is the result of past and present agricultural land use, seem to affect the concentrations of common constituents in shallow ground water in the study area. The small excess chloride in shallow ground water relative to surface water that has been affected by evaporation or transpiration could be due to mixing of shallow ground water with small amounts of precipitation/bulk deposition or septic-system effluent. Infiltration of septic-system effluent (residential land use) has affected the shallow ground-water composition in parts of the study area on the basis of the small dissolved oxygen concentrations, large dissolved organic carbon concentrations, and excess chloride. Despite the loading of nitrogen to the shallow ground-water system as the result of infiltration of septic-system effluent, the small nitrogen concentrations in shallow ground water probably are due to the small dissolved oxygen concentrations and relatively large dissolved organic carbon concentrations. The small concentrations and lack of variation of most trace elements indicate that land use has not substantially affected the concentration

Impacts of Myanmar's Democratic Transition on its Land Cover Dynamics.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biswas, S.

2016-12-01

Recently Myanmar transitioned from a closed economy, military government to market based economy and democracy. The impacts of the political and economic transition on its land cover can be described by characterizing the land cover dynamics during the transition period. Preliminary stratified sampling of forest conversions revealed that most changes from forest to non-forest are due to establishment of rubber plantations. Agricultural concessions are granted by the government to develop the agriculture sector and rubber is the most common plantation crop in Southern Myanmar. This study establishes a method to map and quantify the extent and age of rubber plantations in Thaton district of Myanmar using satellite remote sensing, GIS and ground data. The resultant rubber maps can be used to inform policy on land use planning, agriculture, forest and sustainable development.

Self-revegetation of disturbed ground in the deserts of Nevada and Washington

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

Rickard, W.H.; Sauer, R.H.

1982-01-01

Plant cover established without purposeful soil preparation or seeding was measured on ground disturbed by plowing in Washington and by aboveground nuclear explosions in Nevada. After a time lapse of three decades in Washington and two decades in Nevada, fewer species were self-established on the disturbed ground than the nearby undisturbed ground. Alien annual plants were the dominants on the disturbed ground. Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) dominated abandoned fields in Washington, and filaree (Erodium cicutarium) dominated disturbed ground in Nevada. Perennial grasses and shrubs appeared to be more successful as invaders in Nevada than in Washington. This distinction is attributed tomore » the superior competitive ability of cheatgrass in Washington.« less

Grouping puts figure-ground assignment in context by constraining propagation of edge-assignment

PubMed Central

Brooks, Joseph L.; Driver, Jon

2010-01-01

Figure-ground organization involves assignment of edges to a figural shape on one or the other side of each dividing edge. Established visual cues for edge-assignment primarily concern relatively local rather than contextual factors. Here we show that assignment for a locally-unbiased edge can be affected by assignment of a remote contextual edge that has its own locally-biased assignment. We find that such propagation of edge-assignment from the biased remote context occurs only when the biased and unbiased edges are grouped. This new principle, whereby grouping constrains propagation of figural edge-assignment, emerges from both subjective reports and from an objective short-term edge-matching task. It generalizes from moving displays involving grouping by common fate and collinearity, to static displays with grouping by similarity of edge-contrast polarity, or apparent occlusion. Our results identify a new contextual influence upon edge-assignment. They also identify a new mechanistic relation between grouping and figure-ground processes, whereby grouping between remote elements can constrain propagation of edge-assignment between those elements. PMID:20436200

Act reforming the Civil Code, 17 August 1989. [Selected provisions].

PubMed

1989-01-01

Ecuador's Act reforming the Civil Code, August 17, 1989, covers filiation, marriage, termination of marriage, the status of married women, marital property, marriage contracts, and parent-child relations. Filiation can now be established by being born to a couple living in a non-marital, stable, monogamous, and legally recognized relationship. Marriage is no longer defined as indissoluble and life-long. A marriage cannot be nullified after two years of its celebration or the time when the grounds for nullification were discovered except when the ground is incest or bigamy. There is a 300-day waiting period for remarriage after divorce when the woman does not prove she is not pregnant or her future husband does not certify that he will recognize as his any child to whom she gives birth. Grave injuries or a hostile attitude may individually provide grounds for divorce. Voluntary and unjustified abandonment for more than one year continuously is now grounds for divorce; abandonment lasting more than three years gives either party grounds for divorce. Language providing that a husband must protect his wife and the wife be obedient to her husband is replaced with language providing that marriage is based on the equality of rights and duties of both spouses. Language providing that the husband has a right to have the wife live with and follow him is replaced with language providing that the spouses shall establish their residence by common agreement. Either spouse, rather than just the husband, may now manage the community property; the marriage certificate is to specify which spouse will ordinarily manage the community property. Language providing that children owe more duty and respect to their father than their mother is now sex-neutral. Both parents, rather than just the father, now have the right and the duty to direct the children's education. Provisions of the Code relating to parental authority are amended to make them refer to both parents, rather than just the father.

Consumer Outcomes After Implementing CommonGround as an Approach to Shared Decision Making.

PubMed

Salyers, Michelle P; Fukui, Sadaaki; Bonfils, Kelsey A; Firmin, Ruth L; Luther, Lauren; Goscha, Rick; Rapp, Charles A; Holter, Mark C

2017-03-01

The authors examined consumer outcomes before and after implementing CommonGround, a computer-based shared decision-making program. Consumers with severe mental illness (N=167) were interviewed prior to implementation and 12 and 18 months later to assess changes in active treatment involvement, symptoms, and recovery-related attitudes. Providers also rated consumers on level of treatment involvement. Most consumers used CommonGround at least once (67%), but few used the program regularly. Mixed-effects regression analyses showed improvement in self-reported symptoms and recovery attitudes. Self-reported treatment involvement did not change; however, for a subset of consumers with the same providers over time (N=83), the providers rated consumers as more active in treatment. This study adds to the growing literature on tools to support shared decision making, showing the potential benefits of CommonGround for improving recovery outcomes. More work is needed to better engage consumers in CommonGround and to test the approach with more rigorous methods.

Containerless Processing on ISS: Ground Support Program for EML

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diefenbach, Angelika; Schneider, Stephan; Willnecker, Rainer

2012-01-01

EML is an electromagnetic levitation facility planned for the ISS aiming at processing and investigating liquid metals or semiconductors by using electromagnetic levitation technique under microgravity with reduced electromagnetic fields and convection conditions. Its diagnostics and processing methods allow to measure thermophysical properties in the liquid state over an extended temperature range and to investigate solidification phenomena in undercooled melts. The EML project is a common effort of The European Space Agency (ESA) and the German Space Agency DLR. The Microgravity User Support Centre MUSC at Cologne, Germany, has been assigned the responsibility for EML operations. For the EML experiment preparation an extensive scientific ground support program is established at MUSC, providing scientific and technical services in the preparation, performance and evaluation of the experiments. Its final output is the transcription of the scientific goals and requirements into validated facility control parameters for the experiment execution onboard the ISS.

Field Accuracy Test of Rpas Photogrammetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barry, P.; Coakley, R.

2013-08-01

Baseline Surveys Ltd is a company which specialises in the supply of accurate geospatial data, such as cadastral, topographic and engineering survey data to commercial and government bodies. Baseline Surveys Ltd invested in aerial drone photogrammetric technology and had a requirement to establish the spatial accuracy of the geographic data derived from our unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry before marketing our new aerial mapping service. Having supplied the construction industry with survey data for over 20 years, we felt that is was crucial for our clients to clearly understand the accuracy of our photogrammetry so they can safely make informed spatial decisions, within the known accuracy limitations of our data. This information would also inform us on how and where UAV photogrammetry can be utilised. What we wanted to find out was the actual accuracy that can be reliably achieved using a UAV to collect data under field conditions throughout a 2 Ha site. We flew a UAV over the test area in a "lawnmower track" pattern with an 80% front and 80% side overlap; we placed 45 ground markers as check points and surveyed them in using network Real Time Kinematic Global Positioning System (RTK GPS). We specifically designed the ground markers to meet our accuracy needs. We established 10 separate ground markers as control points and inputted these into our photo modelling software, Agisoft PhotoScan. The remaining GPS coordinated check point data were added later in ArcMap to the completed orthomosaic and digital elevation model so we could accurately compare the UAV photogrammetry XYZ data with the RTK GPS XYZ data at highly reliable common points. The accuracy we achieved throughout the 45 check points was 95% reliably within 41 mm horizontally and 68 mm vertically and with an 11.7 mm ground sample distance taken from a flight altitude above ground level of 90 m.The area covered by one image was 70.2 m × 46.4 m, which equals 0.325 Ha. This finding has shown that XYZ data derived from UAV photogrammetry has a similar practical accuracy to RTK GPS, which is commonly used for cadastral, topographic and engineering survey work. This means that UAV photogrammetry can, for the most part, replace GPS surveying as the main method of data capture for engineering projects, boundary mapping and topographical surveying. Aerial Photogrammetry, in conjunction with RTK GPS, can now be used for projects with a 1:200 map scale accuracy requirement.

Memory for conversation and the development of common ground.

PubMed

McKinley, Geoffrey L; Brown-Schmidt, Sarah; Benjamin, Aaron S

2017-11-01

Efficient conversation is guided by the mutual knowledge, or common ground, that interlocutors form as a conversation progresses. Characterized from the perspective of commonly used measures of memory, efficient conversation should be closely associated with item memory-what was said-and context memory-who said what to whom. However, few studies have explicitly probed memory to evaluate what type of information is maintained following a communicative exchange. The current study examined how item and context memory relate to the development of common ground over the course of a conversation, and how these forms of memory vary as a function of one's role in a conversation as speaker or listener. The process of developing common ground was positively related to both item and context memory. In addition, content that was spoken was remembered better than content that was heard. Our findings illustrate how memory assessments can complement language measures by revealing the impact that basic conversational processes have on memory for what has been discussed. By taking this approach, we show that not only does the process of forming common ground facilitate communication in the present, but it also promotes an enduring record of that event, facilitating conversation into the future.

49 CFR 236.2 - Grounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... circuit, except circuits which include any track rail and except the common return wires of single-wire, single-break, signal control circuits using a grounded common, and alternating current power distribution...

49 CFR 236.2 - Grounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... circuit, except circuits which include any track rail and except the common return wires of single-wire, single-break, signal control circuits using a grounded common, and alternating current power distribution...

49 CFR 236.2 - Grounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... circuit, except circuits which include any track rail and except the common return wires of single-wire, single-break, signal control circuits using a grounded common, and alternating current power distribution...

Glomerular disease: why is there a dearth of high quality clinical trials?

PubMed

Leaf, David E; Appel, Gerald B; Radhakrishnan, Jai

2010-08-01

There is a paucity of high quality clinical trials in glomerular disease, particularly in non-diabetic kidney disease. The aims of this review include quantifying the extent of this problem and exploring reasons for the scarcity of such trials in primary glomerular disease, with an emphasis on immunoglobulin A nephropathy, minimal change disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and membranous nephropathy in comparison with the more common diseases of diabetic nephropathy and lupus nephritis. Reasons for the dearth of high quality clinical trials in primary glomerular disease include (1) low prevalence of disease; (2) variability in clinical presentation; (3) variability in treatment response; (4) lack of consensus in definitions; (5) difficulty in recruiting patients; (6) high costs of randomized controlled trials; and (7) lack of collaborative efforts. To facilitate greater numbers of high quality clinical trials in glomerular disease, practice guidelines should establish common classification systems of disease and common clinical end points, industry and non-industry sponsored research should find common ground and work together toward advancing science, and national registries should be created to encourage collaborations across institutions and across nations.

A model of collaborative agency and common ground.

PubMed

Kuziemsky, Craig E; Cornett, Janet Alexandra

2013-01-01

As more healthcare delivery is provided via collaborative means there is a need to understand how to design information and communication technologies (ICTs) to support collaboration. Existing research has largely focused on individual aspects of ICT usage and not how they can support the coordination of collaborative activities. In order to understand how we can design ICTs to support collaboration we need to understand how agents, technologies, information and processes integrate while providing collaborative care delivery. Co-agency and common ground have both provided insight about the integration of different entities as part of collaboration practices. However there is still a lack of understanding about how to coordinate the integration of agents, processes and technologies to support collaboration. This paper combines co-agency and common ground to develop a model of collaborative agency and specific categories of common ground to facilitate its coordination.

The Charlotte (TM) intra-vehicular robot

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swaim, Patrick L.; Thompson, Clark J.; Campbell, Perry D.

1994-01-01

NASA has identified telerobotics and telescience as essential technologies to reduce the crew extra-vehicular activity (EVA) and intra-vehicular activity (IVA) workloads. Under this project, we are developing and flight testing a novel IVA robot to relieve the crew of tedious and routine tasks. Through ground telerobotic control of this robot, we will enable ground researchers to routinely interact with experiments in space. Our approach is to develop an IVA robot system incrementally by employing a series of flight tests with increasing complexity. This approach has the advantages of providing an early IVA capability that can assist the crew, demonstrate capabilities that ground researchers can be confident of in planning for future experiments, and allow incremental refinement of system capabilities and insertion of new technology. In parallel with this approach to flight testing, we seek to establish ground test beds, in which the requirements of payload experimenters can be further investigated. In 1993 we reviewed manifested SpaceHab experiments and defined IVA robot requirements to assist in their operation. We also examined previous IVA robot designs and assessed them against flight requirements. We rejected previous design concepts on the basis of threat to crew safety, operability, and maintainability. Based on this insight, we developed an entirely new concept for IVA robotics, the CHARLOTTE robot system. Ground based testing of a prototype version of the system has already proven its ability to perform most common tasks demanded of the crew, including operation of switches, buttons, knobs, dials, and performing video surveys of experiments and switch panels.

Parasitic Effects of Grounding Paths on Common-Mode EMI Filter's Performance in Power Electronics Systems

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

Wang, Shuo; Maillet, Yoann; Wang, Fei

2010-01-01

High-frequency common-mode (CM) electromagnetic-interference (EMI) noise is difficult to suppress in electronics systems. EMI filters are used to suppress CM noise, but their performance is greatly affected by the parasitic effects of the grounding paths. In this paper, the parasitic effects of the grounding paths on an EMI filter's performance are investigated in a motor-drive system. The effects of the mutual inductance between two grounding paths are explored. Guidelines for the grounding of CM EMI filters are derived. Simulations and experiments are finally carried out to verify the theoretical analysis.

Grouping puts figure-ground assignment in context by constraining propagation of edge assignment.

PubMed

Brooks, Joseph L; Brook, Joseph L; Driver, Jon

2010-05-01

Figure-ground organization involves the assignment of edges to a figural shape on one or the other side of each dividing edge. Established visual cues for edge assignment primarily concern relatively local rather than contextual factors. In the present article, we show that an assignment for a locally unbiased edge can be affected by an assignment of a remote contextual edge that has its own locally biased assignment. We find that such propagation of edge assignment from the biased remote context occurs only when the biased and unbiased edges are grouped. This new principle, whereby grouping constrains the propagation of figural edge assignment, emerges from both subjective reports and an objective short-term edge-matching task. It generalizes from moving displays involving grouping by common fate and collinearity, to static displays with grouping by similarity of edge-contrast polarity, or apparent occlusion. Our results identify a new contextual influence on edge assignment. They also identify a new mechanistic relation between grouping and figure-ground processes, whereby grouping between remote elements can constrain the propagation of edge assignment between those elements. Supplemental materials for this article may be downloaded from http://app.psychonomic-journals.org/content/supplemental.

Facility Systems, Ground Support Systems, and Ground Support Equipment General Design Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thaxton, Eric A.; Mathews, Roger E.

2014-01-01

This standard establishes requirements and guidance for design and fabrication of ground systems (GS) that includes: ground support equipment (GSE), ground support systems (GSS), and facility ground support systems (F GSS) to provide uniform methods and processes for design and development of robust, safe, reliable, maintainable, supportable, and cost-effective GS in support of space flight and institutional programs and projects.

Ground-state densities from the Rayleigh-Ritz variation principle and from density-functional theory.

PubMed

Kvaal, Simen; Helgaker, Trygve

2015-11-14

The relationship between the densities of ground-state wave functions (i.e., the minimizers of the Rayleigh-Ritz variation principle) and the ground-state densities in density-functional theory (i.e., the minimizers of the Hohenberg-Kohn variation principle) is studied within the framework of convex conjugation, in a generic setting covering molecular systems, solid-state systems, and more. Having introduced admissible density functionals as functionals that produce the exact ground-state energy for a given external potential by minimizing over densities in the Hohenberg-Kohn variation principle, necessary and sufficient conditions on such functionals are established to ensure that the Rayleigh-Ritz ground-state densities and the Hohenberg-Kohn ground-state densities are identical. We apply the results to molecular systems in the Born-Oppenheimer approximation. For any given potential v ∈ L(3/2)(ℝ(3)) + L(∞)(ℝ(3)), we establish a one-to-one correspondence between the mixed ground-state densities of the Rayleigh-Ritz variation principle and the mixed ground-state densities of the Hohenberg-Kohn variation principle when the Lieb density-matrix constrained-search universal density functional is taken as the admissible functional. A similar one-to-one correspondence is established between the pure ground-state densities of the Rayleigh-Ritz variation principle and the pure ground-state densities obtained using the Hohenberg-Kohn variation principle with the Levy-Lieb pure-state constrained-search functional. In other words, all physical ground-state densities (pure or mixed) are recovered with these functionals and no false densities (i.e., minimizing densities that are not physical) exist. The importance of topology (i.e., choice of Banach space of densities and potentials) is emphasized and illustrated. The relevance of these results for current-density-functional theory is examined.

Volatile organic compounds in ground water from rural private wells, 1986 to 1999

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moran, M.J.; Lapham, W.W.; Rowe, B.L.; Zogorski, J.S.

2004-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected or compiled data on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in samples of untreated ground water from 1,926 rural private wells during 1986 to 1999. At least one VOC was detected in 12 percent of samples from rural private wells. Individual VOCs were not commonly detected with the seven most frequently detected compounds found in only 1 to 5 percent of samples at or above a concentration of 0.2 microgram per liter (??g/l). An assessment level of 0.2 ??g/l was selected so that comparisons of detection frequencies between VOCs could be made. The seven most frequently detected VOCs were: trichloromethane, methyl tert-butyl ether, tetrachloroethene, dichlorodifluoromethane, methylbenzene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane. Solvents and trihalomethanes were the most frequently detected VOC groups in private wells. The distributions of detections of gasoline oxygenates and fumigants seemed to be related to the use patterns of compounds in these groups. Mixtures were a common mode of occurrence of VOCs with one-quarter of all samples with detections including two or more VOCs. The concentrations of most detected VOCs were relatively small and only 1.4 percent of samples had one or more VOC concentrations that exceeded a federally established drinking water standard or health criterion.

The use of grounded theory in studies of nurses and midwives' coping processes: a systematic literature search.

PubMed

Cheer, Karen; MacLaren, David; Tsey, Komla

2015-01-01

Researchers are increasingly using grounded theory methodologies to study the professional experience of nurses and midwives. To review common grounded theory characteristics and research design quality as described in grounded theory studies of coping strategies used by nurses and midwives. A systematic database search for 2005-2015 identified and assessed grounded theory characteristics from 16 studies. Study quality was assessed using a modified Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. Grounded theory was considered a methodology or a set of methods, able to be used within different nursing and midwifery contexts. Specific research requirements determined the common grounded theory characteristics used in different studies. Most researchers did not clarify their epistemological and theoretical perspectives. To improve research design and trustworthiness of grounded theory studies in nursing and midwifery, researchers need to state their theoretical stance and clearly articulate their use of grounded theory methodology and characteristics in research reporting.

Testing for Salmonella in raw meat and poultry products collected at federally inspected establishments in the United States, 1998 through 2000.

PubMed

Rose, Bonnie E; Hill, Walter E; Umholtz, Robert; Ransom, Gerri M; James, William O

2002-06-01

The Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued Pathogen Reduction; Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems; Final Rule (the PR/HACCP rule) on 25 July 1996. To verify that industry PR/HACCP systems are effective in controlling the contamination of raw meat and poultry products with human disease-causing bacteria, this rule sets product-specific Salmonella performance standards that must be met by slaughter establishments and establishments producing raw ground products. These performance standards are based on the prevalence of Salmonella as determined from the FSIS's nationwide microbial baseline studies and are expressed in terms of the maximum number of Salmonella-positive samples that are allowed in a given sample set. From 26 January 1998 through 31 December 2000, federal inspectors collected 98,204 samples and 1,502 completed sample sets for Salmonella analysis from large, small, and very small establishments that produced at least one of seven raw meat and poultry products: broilers, market hogs, cows and bulls, steers and heifers, ground beef, ground chicken, and ground turkey. Salmonella prevalence in most of the product categories was lower after the implementation of PR/HACCP than in pre-PR/HACCP baseline studies and surveys conducted by the FSIS. The results of 3 years of testing at establishments of all sizes combined show that >80% of the sample sets met the following Salmonella prevalence performance standards: 20.0% for broilers, 8.7% for market hogs, 2.7% for cows and bulls, 1.0% for steers and heifers, 7.5% for ground beef, 44.6% for ground chicken, and 49.9% for ground turkey. The decreased Salmonella prevalences may partly reflect industry improvements, such as improved process control, incorporation of antimicrobial interventions, and increased microbial-process control monitoring, in conjunction with PR/HACCP implementation.

46 CFR 183.376 - Grounded distribution systems (neutral grounded).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... must be only one connection to ground, regardless of the number of power sources. This ground connection must be at the switchboard or at the common ground plate, which must be accessible. (b) Each... generator switchboard and have the ground connection accessible for checking insulation resistance of the...

46 CFR 183.376 - Grounded distribution systems (neutral grounded).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... must be only one connection to ground, regardless of the number of power sources. This ground connection must be at the switchboard or at the common ground plate, which must be accessible. (b) Each... generator switchboard and have the ground connection accessible for checking insulation resistance of the...

14 CFR 139.329 - Pedestrians and ground vehicles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Pedestrians and ground vehicles. 139.329... OF AIRPORTS Operations § 139.329 Pedestrians and ground vehicles. In a manner authorized by the... pedestrians and ground vehicles necessary for airport operations; (b) Establish and implement procedures for...

76 FR 11297 - New Regional Ground Service for Parcels

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-01

... POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION [Docket No. CP2011-60; Order No. 679] New Regional Ground Service for... changes involve a new offering identified as Regional Ground service. This notice informs the public of... 3015.2.\\1\\ The proposed changes establish a new ``Regional Ground'' price category within the Parcel...

14 CFR 139.329 - Pedestrians and ground vehicles.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Pedestrians and ground vehicles. 139.329... OF AIRPORTS Operations § 139.329 Pedestrians and ground vehicles. In a manner authorized by the... pedestrians and ground vehicles necessary for airport operations; (b) Establish and implement procedures for...

Finding the Common Ground: A Comparison of Writing Expectations and Outcomes between the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills and the Common Core State Standards

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacoby, Pat; Vasinda, Sheri

2014-01-01

In the Winter 2013 edition of the "Texas Journal of Literacy Education," we announced that a special task force from the TALE board would be sharing the common ground among the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), Common Core State Standards (CCSS), and the College and Career Readiness Standards (CCRS). In that first edition, we…

IFSSH Flexor Tendon Committee report 2014: from the IFSSH Flexor Tendon Committee (Chairman: Jin Bo Tang).

PubMed

Tang, Jin Bo; Chang, James; Elliot, David; Lalonde, Donald H; Sandow, Michael; Vögelin, Esther

2014-01-01

Hand surgeons continue to search for the best surgical flexor tendon repair and treatment of the tendon sheaths and pulleys, and they are attempting to establish postoperative regimens that fit diverse clinical needs. It is the purpose of this report to present the current views, methods, and suggestions of six senior hand surgeons from six different countries - all experienced in tendon repair and reconstruction. Although certainly there is common ground, the report presents provocative views and approaches. The report reflects an update in the views of the committee. We hope that it is helpful to surgeons and therapists in treating flexor tendon injuries.

Letter to the editor: On plurality and authorship in science.

PubMed

Tang, Bor Luen

2018-01-01

Moffatt argues that the "plurality of distinct accounts of scientific authorship" necessitates caution in attempts to identify unethical authorship practices, and urges that considerations be given to establishing a "single consensus account of authorship." The revised International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) criteria do capture the essential features of authorship in terms of "intellectual contribution" and "responsibility and accountability," which would clearly demarcate academically legitimate authorship from the common misdemeanors of ghost writing and honorary authorship. However, plurality in the practice of science and credit-sharing culture at the ground would likely render universal adoption or compliance of a single consensus account of authorship untenable.

Metastatic pulmonary calcification: high-resolution computed tomography findings in 23 cases.

PubMed

Belém, Luciana Camara; Souza, Carolina A; Souza, Arthur Soares; Escuissato, Dante Luiz; Hochhegger, Bruno; Nobre, Luiz Felipe; Rodrigues, Rosana Souza; Gomes, Antônio Carlos Portugal; Silva, Claudio S; Guimarães, Marcos Duarte; Zanetti, Gláucia; Marchiori, Edson

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) findings in patients diagnosed with metastatic pulmonary calcification (MPC). We retrospectively reviewed the HRCT findings from 23 cases of MPC [14 men, 9 women; mean age, 54.3 (range, 26-89) years]. The patients were examined between 2000 and 2014 in nine tertiary hospitals in Brazil, Chile, and Canada. Diagnoses were established by histopathologic study in 18 patients and clinical-radiological correlation in 5 patients. Two chest radiologists analyzed the images and reached decisions by consensus. The predominant HRCT findings were centrilobular ground-glass nodules ( n = 14; 60.9%), consolidation with high attenuation ( n = 10; 43.5%), small dense nodules ( n = 9; 39.1%), peripheral reticular opacities associated with small calcified nodules ( n = 5; 21.7%), and ground-glass opacities without centrilobular ground-glass nodular opacity ( n = 5; 21.7%). Vascular calcification within the chest wall was found in four cases and pleural effusion was observed in five cases. The abnormalities were bilateral in 21 cases. MPC manifested with three main patterns on HRCT, most commonly centrilobular ground-glass nodules, often containing calcifications, followed by dense consolidation and small solid nodules, most of which were calcified. We also described another pattern of peripheral reticular opacities associated with small calcified nodules. These findings should suggest the diagnosis of MPC in the setting of hypercalcemia.

Evaluation of the recorded ground motions for the unusual earthquake of 13 August 2006 ( M w 5.3) in Michoacán México

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramírez-Gaytán, Alejandro; Jaimes, Miguel A.; Bandy, William L.; Huerfano, Victor M.; Salido-Ruiz, Ricardo A.

2015-10-01

The focal mechanism of the moderate earthquake of 13 August 2006 M w = 5.3, which occurred in the border coastal area between Michoacán and Colima, México, is unusual. As shown by the Global Centroid Moment Tensor (CMT) project and the Servicio Sismológico Nacional de Mexico (SSN), the thrust mechanism is striking almost perpendicularly to the majority of earthquakes occurring along the subduction zone of the Mexican Pacific continental margin which commonly strike nearly parallel to the trench. The purpose of this study is to analyze the observed ground motions of this particular event relative to those of the common events. First, we apply the H/V technique to verify that the stations involved in this study are nearly free of site effects. Then, we compare the observed ground motions with (i) three empirical ground motion prediction equations (GMPEs) appropriate for the region, (ii) ground motions of four real earthquakes with the common mechanism, and (iii) the Fourier spectrum of a selected common event.

Integrating intrinsic mobility into unmanned ground vehicle systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brosinsky, Chris A.; Penzes, Steven G.; Buehler, Martin G.; Steeves, Carl

2001-09-01

The ability of an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) to successfully move about in its environment is enabled by the synergistic combination of perception, control and platform (mobility and utility). Vast effort is being expended on the former technologies but little demonstrable evidence has been produced to indicate that the latter (mobility/utility) has been considered as an integral part of the UGV systems level capability; a concept commonly referred to as intrinsic mobility. While past work described the rationale for hybrid locomotion, this paper aims to demonstrate that integrating intrinsic mobility into a UGV systems mobility element or 'vehicle' will be a key contributor to the magnitude of autonomy that the system can achieve. This paper serves to provide compelling evidence that 1) intrinsic mobility improvements provided by hybrid locomotion configurations offer the best generic mobility, that 2) strict attention must be placed on the optimization of both utility (inherent vehicle capabilities) and mobility and that 3) the establishment of measures of performance for unmanned vehicle mobility is an unmet and latent need.

Evidence, Emotion and Eminence: A Qualitative and Evaluative Analysis of Doctors' Skills in Macroallocation.

PubMed

Gallagher, Siun; Little, Miles; Hooker, Claire

2018-03-24

In this analysis of the ethical dimensions of doctors' participation in macroallocation we set out to understand the skills they use, how they are acquired, and how they influence performance of the role. Using the principles of grounded moral analysis, we conducted a semi-structured interview study with Australian doctors engaged in macroallocation. We found that they performed expertise as argument, bringing together phronetic and rhetorical skills founded on communication, strategic thinking, finance, and health data. They had made significant, purposeful efforts to gain skills for the role. Our findings challenge common assumptions about doctors' preferences in argumentation, and reveal an unexpected commitment to practical reason. Using the ethics of Paul Ricoeur in our analysis enabled us to identify the moral meaning of doctors' skills and learning. We concluded that Ricoeur's ethics offers an empirically grounded matrix for ethical analysis of the doctor's role in macroallocation that may help to establish norms for procedure.

49 CFR 236.2 - Grounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., single-break, signal control circuits using a grounded common, and alternating current power distribution...) Alternating current power distribution circuits that are grounded in the interest of safety. ...

Lessons from BLAT.

PubMed

Clarke, W D

1980-01-01

As acronyms go, BLAT has little to commend it. It has been likened to the sort of expletive beloved by children's comics and can be roughly translated into Polish. The latter, with its allusion to a lady of the streets, is not totally inaccurate, as BLAT is at the service of the medical and health professions. BLAT actually stands for The British Life Assurance Trust, and it represents the coming together in 1966 of the British Medical Association and the British Life Offices, for the purpose of establishing a charitable trust to promote innovation in health and medical education. BMA requires no explanation; BLO is the professional organization of the companies who make up the life assurance industry in the UK. Health is the obvious common ground between the two parent bodies, with the facetious claiming that both have a common financial interest in keeping people alive: the one to maintain the patient list, the other to maintain the premium paying list.(1.)

Common liability to addiction and “gateway hypothesis”: Theoretical, empirical and evolutionary perspective

PubMed Central

Vanyukov, Michael M.; Tarter, Ralph E.; Kirillova, Galina P.; Kirisci, Levent; Reynolds, Maureen D.; Kreek, Mary Jeanne; Conway, Kevin P.; Maher, Brion S.; Iacono, William G.; Bierut, Laura; Neale, Michael C.; Clark, Duncan B.; Ridenour, Ty A.

2013-01-01

Background Two competing concepts address the development of involvement with psychoactive substances: the “gateway hypothesis” (GH) and common liability to addiction (CLA). Method The literature on theoretical foundations and empirical findings related to both concepts is reviewed. Results The data suggest that drug use initiation sequencing, the core GH element, is variable and opportunistic rather than uniform and developmentally deterministic. The association between risks for use of different substances, if any, can be more readily explained by common underpinnings than by specific staging. In contrast, the CLA concept is grounded in genetic theory and supported by data identifying common sources of variation in the risk for specific addictions. This commonality has identifiable neurobiological substrate and plausible evolutionary explanations. Conclusions Whereas the “gateway” hypothesis does not specify mechanistic connections between “stages”, and does not extend to the risks for addictions, the concept of common liability to addictions incorporates sequencing of drug use initiation as well as extends to related addictions and their severity, provides a parsimonious explanation of substance use and addiction co-occurrence, and establishes a theoretical and empirical foundation to research in etiology, quantitative risk and severity measurement, as well as targeted non-drug-specific prevention and early intervention. PMID:22261179

Contexts as Shared Commitments

PubMed Central

García-Carpintero, Manuel

2015-01-01

Contemporary semantics assumes two influential notions of context: one coming from Kaplan (1989), on which contexts are sets of predetermined parameters, and another originating in Stalnaker (1978), on which contexts are sets of propositions that are “common ground.” The latter is deservedly more popular, given its flexibility in accounting for context-dependent aspects of language beyond manifest indexicals, such as epistemic modals, predicates of taste, and so on and so forth; in fact, properly dealing with demonstratives (perhaps ultimately all indexicals) requires that further flexibility. Even if we acknowledge Lewis (1980)'s point that, in a sense, Kaplanian contexts already include common ground contexts, it is better to be clear and explicit about what contexts constitutively are. Now, Stalnaker (1978, 2002, 2014) defines context-as-common-ground as a set of propositions, but recent work shows that this is not an accurate conception. The paper explains why, and provides an alternative. The main reason is that several phenomena (presuppositional treatments of pejoratives and predicates of taste, forces other than assertion) require that the common ground includes non-doxastic attitudes such as appraisals, emotions, etc. Hence the common ground should not be taken to include merely contents (propositions), but those together with attitudes concerning them: shared commitments, as I will defend. PMID:26733087

Effects of local factors and climate on permafrost conditions and distribution in Beiluhe basin, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China.

PubMed

Yin, Guoan; Niu, Fujun; Lin, Zhanju; Luo, Jing; Liu, Minghao

2017-03-01

Beiluhe basin is underlain by warm and ice-rich permafrost, and covered by vegetation and soils characteristic of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. A field monitoring network was established to investigate permafrost conditions and to assess potential impacts of local factors and climate change. This paper describes the spatial variations in permafrost conditions from instrumented boreholes, controlling environmental factors, and recent thermal evolution of permafrost in the basin. The study area was divided into 10 ecotypes using satellite imagery based classification. The field investigations and cluster analysis of ground temperatures indicated that permafrost underlies most of the ground in swamp meadow, undisturbed alpine meadow, degrading alpine meadow, and desert alpine grassland, but is absent in other cover types. Permafrost-ecotope relations examined over a 2-year (2014-2016) period indicated that: (i) ground surface temperatures varied largely among ecotopes; (ii) annual mean ground temperatures ranged from -1.5 to 0°C in permafrost, indicating sensitive permafrost conditions; (iii) active-layer thicknesses ranged from 1.4m to 3.4m; (iv) ground ice content at the top of permafrost is high, but the active-layer soil is relatively dry. Long-term climate warming has driven thermal changes to permafrost, but ground surface characteristics and soil moisture content strongly influence the ground thermal state. These factors control local-scale spatial variations in permafrost conditions. The warm permafrost in the basin is commonly in thermal disequilibrium, and is sensitive to future climate change. Active-layer thicknesses have increased by at least 42cm and the mean annual ground temperatures have increased by up to 0.2°C in the past 10years over the basin. A permafrost distribution map was produced based on ecotypes, suggesting that permafrost underlies 64% of the study region. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dynamic factor analysis for estimating ground water arsenic trends.

PubMed

Kuo, Yi-Ming; Chang, Fi-John

2010-01-01

Drinking ground water containing high arsenic (As) concentrations has been associated with blackfoot disease and the occurrence of cancer along the southwestern coast of Taiwan. As a result, 28 ground water observation wells were installed to monitor the ground water quality in this area. Dynamic factor analysis (DFA) is used to identify common trends that represent unexplained variability in ground water As concentrations of decommissioned wells and to investigate whether explanatory variables (total organic carbon [TOC], As, alkalinity, ground water elevation, and rainfall) affect the temporal variation in ground water As concentration. The results of the DFA show that rainfall dilutes As concentration in areas under aquacultural and agricultural use. Different combinations of geochemical variables (As, alkalinity, and TOC) of nearby monitoring wells affected the As concentrations of the most decommissioned wells. Model performance was acceptable for 11 wells (coefficient of efficiency >0.50), which represents 52% (11/21) of the decommissioned wells. Based on DFA results, we infer that surface water recharge may be effective for diluting the As concentration, especially in the areas that are relatively far from the coastline. We demonstrate that DFA can effectively identify the important factors and common effects representing unexplained variability common to decommissioned wells on As variation in ground water and extrapolate information from existing monitoring wells to the nearby decommissioned wells.

Definition of boundary and initial conditions in the analysis of saturated ground-water flow systems - An introduction

USGS Publications Warehouse

Franke, O. Lehn; Reilly, Thomas E.; Bennett, Gordon D.

1987-01-01

Accurate definition of boundary and initial conditions is an essential part of conceptualizing and modeling ground-water flow systems. This report describes the properties of the seven most common boundary conditions encountered in ground-water systems and discusses major aspects of their application. It also discusses the significance and specification of initial conditions and evaluates some common errors in applying this concept to ground-water-system models. An appendix is included that discusses what the solution of a differential equation represents and how the solution relates to the boundary conditions defining the specific problem. This report considers only boundary conditions that apply to saturated ground-water systems.

78 FR 60238 - Proposed Modification and Establishment of Restricted Areas; Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-01

...; Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed..., within the existing restricted areas R-4001A and R- 4001B, at the U.S. Army's Aberdeen Proving Ground in... nonparticipating aircraft from a hazard to navigation in the Aberdeen Proving Ground airspace. DATES: Comments must...

Fostering Multilateral Involvement in Analog Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cromwell, Ronita L.

2015-01-01

International collaboration in space flight research is an effective means for conducting investigations and utilizing limited resources to the fullest extent. Through these multilateral collaborations mutual research questions can be investigated and resources contributed by each international partner to maximize the scientific benefits to all parties. Recently the international partners embraced this approach to initiate collaborations in ground-based space flight analog environments. In 2011, the International Analog Research Working Group was established, and later named the International Human Space Flight Analog Research Coordination Group (HANA). Among the goals of this working group are to 1) establish a framework to coordinate research campaigns, as appropriate, to minimize duplication of effort and enhance synergy; 2) define what analogs are best to use for collaborative interests; and 3) facilitate interaction between discipline experts in order to have the full benefit of international expertise. To accomplish these goals, HANA is currently engaged in developing international research campaigns in ground-based analogs. Plans are being made for an international solicitation for proposals to address research of common interest to all international partners. This solicitation with identify an analog environment that will best accommodate the types of investigations requested. Once selected, studies will be integrated into a campaign and implemented at the analog site. Through these combined efforts, research beneficial to all partners will be conducted efficiently to further address human risks of space exploration.

46 CFR 129.370 - Equipment grounding.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... and to a common ground by a conductor not normally carrying current. (b) Each metallic case of... grounding conductor must be sized to comply with section 250-95 of NEC (NFPA 70). (d) Each nonmetallic mast and topmast must have a lightning-ground conductor. ...

46 CFR 129.370 - Equipment grounding.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... and to a common ground by a conductor not normally carrying current. (b) Each metallic case of... grounding conductor must be sized to comply with section 250-95 of NEC (NFPA 70). (d) Each nonmetallic mast and topmast must have a lightning-ground conductor. ...

47 CFR 22.859 - Incumbent commercial aviation air-ground systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Incumbent commercial aviation air-ground systems. 22.859 Section 22.859 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service Commercial Aviation Air-Ground...

40 CFR Appendix Ix to Part 261 - Wastes Excluded Under §§ 260.20 and 260.22

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... delisting level established in Condition (1), or is at a level in the ground water or soil higher than the... violation of the delisting petition and a possible revocation of the decision. American Steel Cord... established in Condition (1), or is at a level in the ground water or soil higher than the health based level...

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex damage does not impair the development and use of common ground in social interaction: Implications for cognitive theory of mind

PubMed Central

Gupta, Rupa; Tranel, Daniel; Duff, Melissa C.

2011-01-01

During conversation, interactants draw on their shared communicative context and history (“common ground”) to help decide what to say next, tailoring utterances based on their knowledge of what the listener knows. The use of common ground draws on an understanding of the thoughts and feelings of others to create and update a model of what is known by the other person, employing cognitive processes such as theory of mind. We tested the hypothesis that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), a neural region involved in processing and interpreting social and emotional information, would be critical for the development and use of common ground. We studied seven patients with bilateral vmPFC damage and seven age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy comparison participants, each interacting with a familiar partner. Across 24 trials, participants verbally directed their partners how to arrange a set of 12 abstract tangram cards. Our hypothesis was not supported: the vmPFC and healthy comparison groups showed similar development and use of common ground, evident in reduction in time and words used to describe the cards, similar increases in the use of definite references (e.g., the horse), and comparable use of verbal play (playful language) in their interactions. These results argue against the idea that the vmPFC is critical for the development and use of common ground in social interaction. We propose that a cognitive and neuroanatomical bifurcation in theory of mind processes may explain this outcome. The vmPFC may be important for affective theory of mind (the ability to understand another’s feelings); however, the development and use of common ground in social interaction may place higher demands on the ability to understand another’s knowledge, or cognitive theory of mind, which may not require the vmPFC. PMID:22120006

78 FR 42723 - Airworthiness Directives; Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-17

... System (ESIS). If the common ground fails both navigations systems could fail simultaneously, which could... Display (PFD) and the Electronic Standby Instrument System (ESIS). If the common ground fails both navigations systems could fail simultaneously, which could result in loss of control. We are issuing this...

Peer Educators in Critical Campus Discourse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Voorhees, Rhondie; Petkas, Steven N.

2011-01-01

The Common Ground Multicultural Dialogue program in the Department of Resident Life at the University of Maryland is an innovative peer education program designed to teach skills for engagement through exploration of contemporary multicultural societal dilemmas. The Common Ground Dialogue Program was launched in 2000 to provide undergraduate…

Metrics for Nitrate Contamination of Ground Water at CAFO Land Application Site - Iowa Swine Study

EPA Science Inventory

Nitrate (NO3-) is the most common chemical contaminant found in ground water and there are increasing indications that agriculture contributes to this contamination. In the United States, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO) are a common agricultural practice. CAFO lea...

Database for estimating tree responses of walnut and other hardwoods to ground cover management practices

Treesearch

J.W. Van Sambeek

2010-01-01

The ground cover in plantings of walnut and other hardwoods can substantially affect tree growth and seed production. The number of alternative ground covers that have been suggested for establishment in tree plantings far exceeds the number that have already been tested with walnut and other temperate hardwoods. Knowing how other hardwood species respond to ground...

Distributed Common Ground System - Army Increment 2 (DCGS-A Inc 2)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

2016 Major Automated Information System Annual Report Distributed Common Ground System - Army Increment 2 ( DCGS -A Inc 2) Defense Acquisition...Management Information Retrieval (DAMIR) UNCLASSIFIED DCGS -A Inc 2 2016 MAR UNCLASSIFIED 2 Table of Contents Common Acronyms and Abbreviations...Determined TY - Then Year U.S.C- United States Code USD(AT&L) - Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, & Logistics DCGS -A Inc 2

Estimating grassland curing with remotely sensed data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaivaranont, Wasin; Evans, Jason P.; Liu, Yi Y.; Sharples, Jason J.

2018-06-01

Wildfire can become a catastrophic natural hazard, especially during dry summer seasons in Australia. Severity is influenced by various meteorological, geographical, and fuel characteristics. Modified Mark 4 McArthur's Grassland Fire Danger Index (GFDI) is a commonly used approach to determine the fire danger level in grassland ecosystems. The degree of curing (DOC, i.e. proportion of dead material) of the grass is one key ingredient in determining the fire danger. It is difficult to collect accurate DOC information in the field, and therefore ground-observed measurements are rather limited. In this study, we explore the possibility of whether adding satellite-observed data responding to vegetation water content (vegetation optical depth, VOD) will improve DOC prediction when compared with the existing satellite-observed data responding to DOC prediction models based on vegetation greenness (normalised difference vegetation index, NDVI). First, statistically significant relationships are established between selected ground-observed DOC and satellite-observed vegetation datasets (NDVI and VOD) with an r2 up to 0.67. DOC levels estimated using satellite observations were then evaluated using field measurements with an r2 of 0.44 to 0.55. Results suggest that VOD-based DOC estimation can reasonably reproduce ground-based observations in space and time and is comparable to the existing NDVI-based DOC estimation models.

Salmonella prevalence in bovine lymph nodes differs among feedyards.

PubMed

Haneklaus, Ashley N; Harris, Kerri B; Griffin, Davey B; Edrington, Thomas S; Lucia, Lisa M; Savell, Jeffrey W

2012-06-01

Lymphatic tissue, specifically lymph nodes, is commonly incorporated into ground beef products as a component of lean trimmings. Salmonella and other pathogenic bacteria have been identified in bovine lymph nodes, which may impact compliance with the Salmonella performance standards for ground beef established by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Although Salmonella prevalence has been examined among lymph nodes between animals, no data are currently available regarding feedyard origin of the cattle and Salmonella prevalence. Bovine lymph nodes (279 superficial cervical plus 28 iliofemoral = 307) were collected from beef carcasses at a commercial beef harvest and processing plant over a 3-month period and examined for the prevalence of Salmonella. Cattle processed were from seven feedyards (A through G). Salmonella prevalence was exceptionally low (0% of samples were positive ) in cattle from feedyard A and high (88.2%) in cattle from feedyard B. Prevalence in the remaining feedyards ranged widely: 40.0% in feedyard C, 4.0% in feedyard D, 24.0% in feedyard E, 42.9% in feedyard F, and 40.0% in feedyard G. These data indicate the range of differences in Salmonella prevalence among feedyards. Such information may be useful for developing interventions to reduce or eliminate Salmonella from bovine lymph nodes, which would assist in the reduction of Salmonella in ground beef.

Vibration response of buildings to rail transit groundborne vibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, James

2005-09-01

The FTA guidelines for detailed analysis and prediction of groundborne noise and vibration generated by rail transit systems are based on established empirical methods. The procedures for the measurement of vehicle/track system source strength and the attenuation of vibration as it propagates with distance through the ground are generally accepted practice at this time. However, characterization of the building response is open to debate, due in part to the wide array of building construction encountered adjacent to transit systems. Numerous measurements that have been obtained in a variety of building construction types are presented and preliminary conclusions are drawn regarding the responses of several common building types to rail transit groundborne vibration.

Free acquisition and dissemination of data through remote sensing. [Landsat program legal aspects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hosenball, S. N.

1976-01-01

Free acquisition and dissemination of data through remote sensing is discussed with reference to the Landsat program. The role of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the U.N. General Assembly's Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space has made recommendations on the expansion of existing ground stations and on the establishment of an experimental center for training in remote sensing. The working group for the legal subcommittee of the same U.N. committee indicates that there are common elements in the three drafts on remote sensing submitted to it: a call for international cooperation and the belief that remote sensing should be conducted for the benefit of all mankind.

Workshop on Advanced Technologies for Planetary Instruments, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Appleby, John F. (Editor)

1993-01-01

This meeting was conceived in response to new challenges facing NASA's robotic solar system exploration program. This volume contains papers presented at the Workshop on Advanced Technologies for Planetary Instruments on 28-30 Apr. 1993. This meeting was conceived in response to new challenges facing NASA's robotic solar system exploration program. Over the past several years, SDIO has sponsored a significant technology development program aimed, in part, at the production of instruments with these characteristics. This workshop provided an opportunity for specialists from the planetary science and DoD communities to establish contacts, to explore common technical ground in an open forum, and more specifically, to discuss the applicability of SDIO's technology base to planetary science instruments.

A Tale of Two Community Networks Program Centers: Operationalizing and Assessing CBPR Principles and Evaluating Partnership Outcomes.

PubMed

Arroyo-Johnson, Cassandra; Allen, Michele L; Colditz, Graham A; Hurtado, G Ali; Davey, Cynthia S; Sanders Thompson, Vetta L; Drake, Bettina F; Svetaz, Maria Veronica; Rosas-Lee, Maira; Goodman, Melody S

2015-01-01

Community Networks Program (CNP) centers are required to use a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach within their specific priority communities. Not all communities are the same and unique contextual factors and collaborators' priorities shape each CBPR partnership. There are also established CBPR and community engagement (CE) principles shown to lead to quality CBPR in any community. However, operationalizing and assessing CBPR principles and partnership outcomes to understand the conditions and processes in CBPR that lead to achieving program and project level goals is relatively new in the science of CBPR. We sought to describe the development of surveys on adherence to and implementation of CBPR/CE principles at two CNP centers and examine commonalities and differences in program-versus project-level CBPR evaluation. A case study about the development and application of CBPR/CE principles for the Missouri CNP, Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities, and Minnesota CNP, Padres Informados/Jovenes Preparados, surveys was conducted to compare project versus program operationalization of principles. Survey participant demographics were provided by CNP. Specific domains found in CBPR/CE principles were identified and organized under an existing framework to establish a common ground. Operational definitions and the number of survey items were provided for each domain by CNP. There are distinct differences in operational definitions of CBPR/CE principles at the program and project levels of evaluation. However, commonalities support further research to develop standards for CBPR evaluation across partnerships and at the program and project levels.

Fine-scale Patterns in Thaw Depth, Micro-relief, and Ground Cover on Non-sorted Circles and Small Patterned Ground Features Along a Climatic Gradient From Low to High Arctic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okie, J.; Gould, W. A.; González, G.

2006-12-01

Patterned ground is a ubiquitous feature in the Arctic and the related variation in microtopographic relief strongly affects biotic and abiotic patterns and processes. Patterned ground features are polygenic in origin and are often found superimposed in a complex pattern of multiple features. We investigated the relationship between thaw depth, micro-relief, the cover of vascular, bryophyte, cryptogamic crust and bare ground along transects traversing non-sorted circles and small non-sorted polygons at 8 research sites along a climatic gradient in bioclimatic subzones A-E in the North American Arctic. Non-sorted circles are the result of differential frost heave with circle centers typically showing greater heave during freezing than inter circle areas. Differential heave is a function of climate, soil texture, soil moisture, and vegetation cover. Differential heave and subsidence creates fine-scale gradients in microtopography that affect soil moisture, exposure to winds, and development of vegetation and soils. Non-sorted circles typically range from 20 to 200 cm in diameter and are most common in subzones C-E. Often superimposed on these features are the development of small non-sorted polygons 10-30 cm in diameter, and fine-scale desiccation cracking at a scale of less than 10 cm. These are most common in subzones A-C. We established three 20 m transects in zonal vegetation at each site. Thaw depth, micro-relief, and ground cover were measured at 10 cm intervals along each transect. Additionally, we measured vascular plant beta diversity in a set of 25 x 25 cm quadrates on 15 circles and 15 inter circles at each site. The resulting pattern of thaw depth and micro-relief is correlated with both summer temperatures and vegetation cover. The variability and degree of micro-relief decrease from the Low to the High Arctic. Non-sorted circle centers had deeper active layer than inter circle areas along the gradient. Thaw depths increase linearly with the degree of bare ground and nonlinearly with summer warmth. This unimodal pattern of shallower active layer at the warmest and coldest sites is due to the interaction of climate and the insulating vegetation layer. Greatest thaw depths are found on bare non-sorted circles in subzone C. Beta diversity is greatest in subzone D, where vegetated inter circle areas differ markedly from more barren non- sorted circles.

Dichlorobenzene in ground water: Evidence for long-term persistence

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barber, L.B.

1988-01-01

Hydrologic and geochemical evidence were used to establish the long-term persistence of dichlorobenzene in ground water that has been contaminated from 50 years of rapid-infiltration sewage disposal. An extensive plume of dichlorobenzene extends more than 3,500 meters downgradient from the disposal beds, with concentrations of the combined isomers ranging from less than 0.01 to over 1.0 ??g/l. Based on estimates of maximum ground-water flow velocities, a minimum age of 20 years was established for the farthest downgradient zone of dichlorobenzene contamination. Branched-chained, alkylbenzenesulfonic acid surfactants, that were introduced into the ground water prior to 1966, occur along with dichlorobenzene in the downgradient part of the plume, further establish residence of the compounds in the aquifer for at least 20 years. Although dichlorobenzene can be biologically degraded under aerobic conditions, its persistence at this field site is attributed to the dynamics of the ground-water system. Denitrifying conditions, resulting from the degradation of organic compounds in the aquifer near the disposal beds, appear to have enhanced the persistence of dichlorobenzene, which is not degraded by anaerobic bacteria. Biological degradation of dichlorobenzene in the aerobic part of the plume downgradient from the source is probably limited by the paucity of a suitable organic-carbon substrate and the low concentrations of dissolved oxygen in the contaminated ground water.

2001 Bhuj, India, earthquake engineering seismoscope recordings and Eastern North America ground-motion attenuation relations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cramer, C.H.; Kumar, A.

2003-01-01

Engineering seismoscope data collected at distances less than 300 km for the M 7.7 Bhuj, India, mainshock are compatible with ground-motion attenuation in eastern North America (ENA). The mainshock ground-motion data have been corrected to a common geological site condition using the factors of Joyner and Boore (2000) and a classification scheme of Quaternary or Tertiary sediments or rock. We then compare these data to ENA ground-motion attenuation relations. Despite uncertainties in recording method, geological site corrections, common tectonic setting, and the amount of regional seismic attenuation, the corrected Bhuj dataset agrees with the collective predictions by ENA ground-motion attenuation relations within a factor of 2. This level of agreement is within the dataset uncertainties and the normal variance for recorded earthquake ground motions.

78 FR 58874 - Airworthiness Directives; PILATUS AIRCRAFT LTD. Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-25

... System (ESIS). If the common ground fails both navigations systems could fail simultaneously, which could... flight display (PFD) and the Electronic Standby Instrument System (ESIS). If the common ground fails both navigation systems could fail simultaneously. We are issuing this AD to prevent simultaneous failure of both...

Working Together Toward a Common Goal: A Grounded Theory of Nurse-Physician Collaboration.

PubMed

Fewster-Thuente, Lori

2015-01-01

Working together toward a common goal is an empirically derived theory that can guide education and practice to improve patient outcomes while saving money and lives. Grounded theory was used to explore nurses' and physicians' experiences with collaboration in order to understand the process intrinsically.

On Common Ground: Prominent Women Talk about Work & Family.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zuckerman, Diana, Ed.

This publication presents interviews with 11 prominent women, representing different backgrounds, philosophies, and life experiences, in which they speak about their own experiences with work and family issues. The introduction, "On Common Ground: Prominent Women Talk about Work & Family" (Diana Zuckerman), provides an overview. The 11 interviews…

Common Ground: A Way of Life, Not a Checkoff Item.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ledell, Marjorie A.

1996-01-01

The common ground process is an ongoing effort for inviting, scrutinizing, debating, and selecting ideas or making decisions about improving schools. Superintendents should assign a full-time communications person to executive staff, create a communications team, conduct a full-scale communications audit, listen better, urge the silent majority to…

"This Is Still a Work in Progress": Common Ground, Littleton, New Hampshire.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Mair; Walker, Pam

This site-visit report describes Common Ground, a program located in New Hampshire that supports 52 people with developmental disabilities, including some with severe and multiple impairments, in a broad range of individualized, integrated daytime activities, including supported and competitive employment, self-employment, volunteer work, and the…

Adjusting Conceptual Pacts in Three-Party Conversation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoon, Si On; Brown-Schmidt, Sarah

2014-01-01

During conversation, partners develop representations of jointly known information--the common ground--and use this knowledge to guide subsequent linguistic exchanges. Extensive research on 2-party conversation has offered key insights into this process, in particular, its partner-specificity: Common ground that is shared with 1 partner is not…

Photogrammetric point cloud compression for tactical networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madison, Andrew C.; Massaro, Richard D.; Wayant, Clayton D.; Anderson, John E.; Smith, Clint B.

2017-05-01

We report progress toward the development of a compression schema suitable for use in the Army's Common Operating Environment (COE) tactical network. The COE facilitates the dissemination of information across all Warfighter echelons through the establishment of data standards and networking methods that coordinate the readout and control of a multitude of sensors in a common operating environment. When integrated with a robust geospatial mapping functionality, the COE enables force tracking, remote surveillance, and heightened situational awareness to Soldiers at the tactical level. Our work establishes a point cloud compression algorithm through image-based deconstruction and photogrammetric reconstruction of three-dimensional (3D) data that is suitable for dissimination within the COE. An open source visualization toolkit was used to deconstruct 3D point cloud models based on ground mobile light detection and ranging (LiDAR) into a series of images and associated metadata that can be easily transmitted on a tactical network. Stereo photogrammetric reconstruction is then conducted on the received image stream to reveal the transmitted 3D model. The reported method boasts nominal compression ratios typically on the order of 250 while retaining tactical information and accurate georegistration. Our work advances the scope of persistent intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance through the development of 3D visualization and data compression techniques relevant to the tactical operations environment.

47 CFR 22.857 - Channel plan for commercial aviation air-ground systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Channel plan for commercial aviation air-ground systems. 22.857 Section 22.857 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service Commercial Aviation Air-Ground...

Comparing Management Approaches for Automatic Test Systems: A Strategic Missile Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-01

ground up, and is commonly conducted following five methods : ethnography , grounded theory , case study , phenomenological study , and biography...traditions frequently used (Creswell, 1998:5). The five traditions are biography, phenomenological study , grounded theory study , ethnography , and... Ethnography Biography Case Study Grounded Theory

Establishing a Network of faint DA white dwarfs as Spectrophotometric Standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Abhijit; Narayan, Gautham; Holberg, Jay; Matheson, Thomas; Olszewski, Edward; Stubbs, Christopher; Bohlin, Ralph; Sabbi, Elena; Deustua, Susana; Rest, Armin; Axelrod, Tim; MacKenty, John W.; Camarota, Larry; Gilliland, Ron

2015-08-01

Systematic uncertainties in photometric calibration are the dominant source of error in current type Ia supernova dark energy studies, as well as other forefront cosmology efforts, e.g. photo-redshift determinations for weak lensing mass tomography. Current and next-generation ground-based all-sky surveys require a network of calibration stars with 1) known SEDs (to properly and unambiguously take into account filter differences), and 2) that are on a common photometric zeropoint scale across the sky to sub-percent accuracy. We are using a combination of HST panchromatic photometry and ground based spectroscopy to establish such an essential network of faint primary photometric standards, exploiting the well-understood spectral energy distributions of DA white dwarf stars that are free from the complications of observing through the Earth's time-variable atmosphere. The Balmer features in the spectra are used to deduce the two parameters (temperature and log(g)) from which we model the spectral energy distribution (SED) from these stars which have pure hydrogen atmospheres. By comparing against panchromatic broadband HST photometry, and allowing for an achromatic zero-point adjustment and mild scaling of the interstellar reddening, we find that model prediction and observation agree to a few milli-mag. By combining the zero-point and reddening adjustments with the modeled SED, for each star we obtain the incident SED above the terrestrial atmosphere, thus establishing these objects as spectrophotometric standards. We are pursuing 23 objects between 16 and 19 mag spread over the sky uniformly around the equator and northern mid-latitudes, with plans to extend this to southern latitudes. This precision photometric heritage from HST will benefit essentially all existing and upcoming survey projects, and in prticular, directly addresses one of the current barriers to understanding the nature of dark energy.

46 CFR 183.372 - Equipment and conductor grounding.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Equipment and conductor grounding. 183.372 Section 183... conductor grounding. (a) All metallic enclosures and frames of electrical equipment must be permanently... equipment must be bonded together to a common ground by a normally non-current carrying conductor. Metallic...

46 CFR 120.372 - Equipment and conductor grounding.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Equipment and conductor grounding. 120.372 Section 120... INSTALLATION Power Sources and Distribution Systems § 120.372 Equipment and conductor grounding. (a) All... together to a common ground by a normally non-current carrying conductor. Metallic cases of instruments and...

46 CFR 183.372 - Equipment and conductor grounding.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 7 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Equipment and conductor grounding. 183.372 Section 183... conductor grounding. (a) All metallic enclosures and frames of electrical equipment must be permanently... equipment must be bonded together to a common ground by a normally non-current carrying conductor. Metallic...

46 CFR 120.372 - Equipment and conductor grounding.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Equipment and conductor grounding. 120.372 Section 120... INSTALLATION Power Sources and Distribution Systems § 120.372 Equipment and conductor grounding. (a) All... together to a common ground by a normally non-current carrying conductor. Metallic cases of instruments and...

A Game-Theoretic Model of Grounding for Referential Communication Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, William

2009-01-01

Conversational grounding theory proposes that language use is a form of rational joint action, by which dialog participants systematically and collaboratively add to their common ground of shared knowledge and beliefs. Following recent work applying "game theory" to pragmatics, this thesis develops a game-theoretic model of grounding that…

46 CFR 105.30-5 - Grounding of electrical equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Grounding of electrical equipment. 105.30-5 Section 105... VESSELS COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS DISPENSING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Electrical Requirements § 105.30-5 Grounding of electrical equipment. (a) All electrical equipment shall be grounded to the vessel's common...

46 CFR 105.30-5 - Grounding of electrical equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Grounding of electrical equipment. 105.30-5 Section 105... VESSELS COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS DISPENSING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Electrical Requirements § 105.30-5 Grounding of electrical equipment. (a) All electrical equipment shall be grounded to the vessel's common...

46 CFR 105.30-5 - Grounding of electrical equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Grounding of electrical equipment. 105.30-5 Section 105... VESSELS COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS DISPENSING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Electrical Requirements § 105.30-5 Grounding of electrical equipment. (a) All electrical equipment shall be grounded to the vessel's common...

46 CFR 105.30-5 - Grounding of electrical equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Grounding of electrical equipment. 105.30-5 Section 105... VESSELS COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS DISPENSING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Electrical Requirements § 105.30-5 Grounding of electrical equipment. (a) All electrical equipment shall be grounded to the vessel's common...

46 CFR 105.30-5 - Grounding of electrical equipment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Grounding of electrical equipment. 105.30-5 Section 105... VESSELS COMMERCIAL FISHING VESSELS DISPENSING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS Electrical Requirements § 105.30-5 Grounding of electrical equipment. (a) All electrical equipment shall be grounded to the vessel's common...

Supporting shared decision making beyond consumer-prescriber interactions: Initial development of the CommonGround fidelity scale

PubMed Central

Fukui, Sadaaki; Salyers, Michelle P.; Rapp, Charlie; Goscha, Rick; Young, Leslie; Mabry, Ally

2015-01-01

Shared decision-making has become a central tenet of recovery-oriented, person-centered mental health care, yet the practice is not always transferred to the routine psychiatric visit. Supporting the practice at the system level, beyond the interactions of consumers and medication prescribers, is needed for successful adoption of shared decision-making. CommonGround is a systemic approach, intended to be part of a larger integration of shared decision-making tools and practices at the system level. We discuss the organizational components that CommonGround uses to facilitate shared decision-making, and we present a fidelity scale to assess how well the system is being implemented. PMID:28090194

Defining Common Ground: A Grass Roots Model for University-Public School Collaboration.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Starlings, Cable; Dybdahl, Claudia S.

1994-01-01

A collaborative, grass-roots partnership focusing on students at risk for educational failure has been developed by the University of Alaska Anchorage and the Anchorage (Alaska) School District. The effort is distinguished by a perception of common ground, a minimal administrative and financial structure, and a high degree of commitment from…

Exploring the Common Ground of Rhetoric and Logic.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lamb, Catherine E.

In teaching the principles of rational discourse in advanced expository writing, it is necessary to clarify the similarities and differences between the logic and rhetoric of Aristotle and to identify a common ground between the two. The study of logic within rhetoric focuses on the inductive standards used to support two kinds of argument: the…

Common Ground of Two Paradigms: Incorporating Critical Theory into Current Art Therapy Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nolan, Emily

2013-01-01

Clinical art therapy and studio-based community art therapy represent two major paradigms in art therapy practice. This viewpoint explores how critical theory can be incorporated into both paradigms and result in common ground between them. Critical theory encompasses an understanding of oppression in psychological, social, and cultural contexts…

Common Grounds for Modelling Mathematics in Educational Software

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Neuper, Walther

2010-01-01

Two kinds of software, CAS and DGS, are starting to work towards mutual integration. This paper envisages common grounds for such integration based on principles of computer theorem proving (CTP). Presently, the CTP community seems to lack awareness as to which of their products' features might serve mathematics education from high-school to…

Facilitating Interdisciplinary Work: Using Quality Assessment to Create Common Ground

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oberg, Gunilla

2009-01-01

Newcomers often underestimate the challenges of interdisciplinary work and, as a rule, do not spend sufficient time to allow them to overcome differences and create common ground, which in turn leads to frustration, unresolved conflicts, and, in the worst case scenario, discontinued work. The key to successful collaboration is to facilitate the…

Common Ground for Action Software and Professional Development to Support Online Deliberation in Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Christelle, Andrea; Dillard, Kara N.; Lindaman, Kara

2018-01-01

The Common Ground for Action (CGA) online deliberation platform is a dynamic tool designed to encourage diverse group members to identify collective responses to deeply controversial or "wicked" public problems that have no simple solution. The program promotes authentic deliberation, while minimizing the tactics of horse-trading and…

The Development and Implementation of Ground Safety Requirements for Project Orion Abort Flight Testing - A Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirkpatrick, Paul D.; Williams, Jeffrey G.; Condzella, Bill R.

2008-01-01

A rigorous set of detailed ground safety requirements is required to make sure that ground support equipment (GSE) and associated planned ground operations are conducted safely. Detailed ground safety requirements supplement the GSE requirements already called out in NASA-STD-5005. This paper will describe the initial genesis of these ground safety requirements, the establishment and approval process and finally the implementation process for Project Orion. The future of the requirements will also be described. Problems and issues encountered and overcame will be discussed.

Selected Ground-Water Data for Yucca Mountain Region, Southern Nevada and Eastern California, Through December 1992

USGS Publications Warehouse

La Camera, Richard J.; Westenburg, Craig L.

1994-01-01

Tne U.S. Geological Survey. in support of the U.S. Department of Energy, Yucca Mountain Site- Characterization Project, collects, compiles, and summarizes water-resource data in the Yucca Mountain region. The data are collected to document the historical and current condition of ground-water resources, to detect and document changes in those resources through time, and to allow assessments of ground-water resources during investigations to determine the potential suitability of Yucca Mountain for storing high-level nuclear waste. Data on ground-water levels at 36 sites, ground- water discharge at 6 sites, ground-water quality at 19 sites, and ground-water withdrawals within Crater Fiat, Jackass Flats, Mercury Valley, and the Amargosa Desert are presented. Data on ground-water levels, discharges, and withdrawals collected by other agencies or as part of other programs are included to further indicate variations through time. A statistical summary of ground-water levels and median annual ground-water withdrawals in Jackass Flats is presented. The statistical summary includes the number of measurements, the maximum, minimum, and median water-level altitudes, and the average deviation of a11 water-level altitudes for selected baseline periods and for calendar year 1992. Data on ground-water quality are compared to established, proposed, or tentative primary and secondary drinking-water standards, and measures which exceeded those standards are listed for 18 sites. Detected organic compounds for which established, proposed, or tentative drinking-water standards exist also are listed.

47 CFR 22.880 - Information exchange.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service Commercial Aviation Air-Ground Systems § 22.880 Information exchange. (a) Prior notification. Public safety/CII licensees may notify a commercial aviation air-ground system...

47 CFR 22.882 - Designated entities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service Commercial Aviation Air-Ground Systems § 22.882 Designated entities. (a) Eligibility for small business provisions in the commercial Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service. (1) A small...

Modularity of a leaf moth-wing pattern and a versatile characteristic of the wing-pattern ground plan

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background One of the most intriguing questions in evolutionary developmental biology is how an insect acquires a mimicry pattern within its body parts. A striking example of pattern mimicry is found in the pattern diversity of moth and butterfly wings, which is thought to evolve from preexisting elements illustrated by the nymphalid ground plan (NGP). Previous studies demonstrated that individuality of the NGP facilitates the decoupling of associated common elements, leading to divergence. In contrast, recent studies on the concept of modularity have argued the importance of a combination of coupling and decoupling of the constituent elements. Here, we examine the modularity of a mimicry wing pattern in a moth and explore an evolvable characteristic of the NGP. Results This study examined the wings of the noctuid moth Oraesia excavata, which closely resemble leaves with a leaf venation pattern. Based on a comparative morphological procedure, we found that this leaf pattern was formed by the NGP common elements. Using geometric morphometrics combined with network analysis, we found that each of the modules in the leaf pattern integrates the constituent components of the leaf venation pattern (i.e., the main and lateral veins). Moreover, the detected modules were established by coupling different common elements and decoupling even a single element into different modules. The modules of the O. excavata wing pattern were associated with leaf mimicry, not with the individuality of the NGP common elements. For comparison, we also investigated the modularity of a nonmimetic pattern in the noctuid moth Thyas juno. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that the modules of the T. juno wing pattern regularly corresponded to the individuality of the NGP common elements, unlike those in the O. excavata wing pattern. Conclusions This study provides the first evidence for modularity in a leaf mimicry pattern. The results suggest that the evolution of this pattern involves coupling and decoupling processes to originate these modules, free from the individuality of the NGP system. We propose that this evolution has been facilitated by a versatile characteristic of the NGP, allowing the association of freely modifiable subordinate common elements to make modules. PMID:23890367

The National Scientific Balloon Facility. [balloon launching capabilities of ground facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kubara, R. S.

1974-01-01

The establishment and operation of the National Scientific Balloon Facility are discussed. The balloon launching capabilities are described. The ground support systems, communication facilities, and meteorological services are analyzed.

Tailoring reablement: A grounded theory study of establishing reablement in a community setting in Norway.

PubMed

Moe, Cathrine; Brinchmann, Berit Støre

2018-01-01

Reablement is an interprofessional, home-based rehabilitation service that aims to enable senior residents to cope with everyday life and to prevent functional impairments. Systematic accounts of what practitioners actually do when establishing reablement are lacking. This study aims to generate a grounded theory of practitioners' patterns of action when establishing reablement. The study is located in Norway, and grounded theory is the methodological approach. Data were collected from January 2014 to August 2016 through participant observations, focus group interviews and individual interviews. Informants are municipal healthcare employees in different organisational areas associated with the process of establishing reablement services (managers of conventional home care and representatives from the administration and service-provider offices). Altogether, 17 individuals are interviewed. The empirical data are analysed several times using open, selective and theoretical coding. The grounded theory, "tailoring reablement," includes three phases-replicating, adapting and establishing-and the strategies of collaborating, developing knowledge, habituating and filtering. The theory of tailoring reablement also includes the impact of the contextual factors. The study seeks to bridge the gap between research and practice. The theory of tailoring reablement emerges from an inductive approach and theorises participants' actions. The theory focuses on the phases from innovation to implementation. Establishing a new service model in a complex welfare setting requires a wide range of actors and agencies. Tailoring reablement also requires flexibility and professional autonomy. It is important to create terms and conditions for this within a stringent health and care service. The insights of this study have implications for practice development of reablement and can fit other public sector fields. © 2017 The Authors. Health and Social Care in the Community Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

End-of-Life Optical Property Predictions of White Conductive Thermal Control Coatings through Analysis of On-Orbit and Ground Based Testing Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hasegawa, Mark; Freese, Scott; Kauder, Lon; Triolo, Jack

2011-01-01

New system requirements pertaining to thermal optical properties and coating electrical properties are commonly specified on non-low earth orbit missions. An increasing number of projects are specifying coatings with a surface resistivity of less than lE-9 ohm/square to mitigate electrostatic charge buildup events over a range of operational temperatures. There are a limited number of coatings that. meet these electrical property requirements while having flight derived optical properties in representative environments. Goddard Space Flight Center Code 546, Contamination and Thermal Coatings Group has recently explored the variety of electrically conductive white coatings available through domestic vendors to evaluate properties to meet project requirements in a geostationary orbit. The lack of significant flight data in representative environments required the careful selection of samples in ground based tests to establish end of life thermal properties. Attention must be given to the origin and pedigree of samples used on past on-orbit experiments to insure that the present formulations for the materials are similar and will react in similar manner.

Making sense of 'gender': from global HIV/AIDS strategy to the local Cambodian ground.

PubMed

Aveling, Emma-Louise

2012-05-01

Interventions aiming to promote gender equality are a common feature of global HIV/AIDS policies. To develop effective interventions, it is important to understand how globally established concepts (e.g. 'gender') are (re)interpreted and legitimated locally. This paper examines what happens when the concept of 'gender' hits the local ground in the context of an internationally funded HIV/AIDS intervention in Cambodia. Interviews with participants reveal that 'gender' is itself understood to mean equal rights. Some elements of this concept are rejected as inapplicable in Khmer society, while others are hybridised with existing knowledges. The analysis demonstrates how relational, symbolic and material dimensions of the place into which HIV/AIDS programmes intervene shape not only what 'sense' participants make of new knowledge, but also their capacity to use it. Further, the paper argues that to achieve the desired health-enhancing outcomes, international health organisations must avoid essentialising local spaces as static and 'traditional'; rather, they must attend to and build on the ambiguities of existing knowledges and the changing dynamics of the places they enter. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

GPS net­work operations for the International GPS Geodynamics Service

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neilan, Ruth E.

1993-01-01

As GPS technology comes of age in the 1990’s, it is evident that an internationally sponsored GPS tracking system is called for to provide consistent, timely ground tracking data and data products to the geophysical community. The planning group for the International GPS Geodynamics Service (IGS), sponsored by the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), is addressing all elements of the end-to-end tracking system, ranging from data collection to data analysis and distribution of products (Mueller, 1992). Part of the planning process is to formulate how these various elements work together to create the common infrastructure needed to support a wide variety of GPS investigations. A key element for any permanent satellite tracking system is certainly the acquisition segment; the reliability and robustness of the ground network operations directly determine the fates and limitations of final products. The IGS planning group therefore included a committee tasked to develop and establish standards governing data acquisition and site-specific characteristics deemed necessary to ensure the collection of a high quality, continuous data set.

Using Grounded Theory Method to Capture and Analyze Health Care Experiences.

PubMed

Foley, Geraldine; Timonen, Virpi

2015-08-01

Grounded theory (GT) is an established qualitative research method, but few papers have encapsulated the benefits, limits, and basic tenets of doing GT research on user and provider experiences of health care services. GT can be used to guide the entire study method, or it can be applied at the data analysis stage only. We summarize key components of GT and common GT procedures used by qualitative researchers in health care research. We draw on our experience of conducting a GT study on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients' experiences of health care services. We discuss why some approaches in GT research may work better than others, particularly when the focus of study is hard-to-reach population groups. We highlight the flexibility of procedures in GT to build theory about how people engage with health care services. GT enables researchers to capture and understand health care experiences. GT methods are particularly valuable when the topic of interest has not previously been studied. GT can be applied to bring structure and rigor to the analysis of qualitative data. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Using Grounded Theory Method to Capture and Analyze Health Care Experiences

PubMed Central

Foley, Geraldine; Timonen, Virpi

2015-01-01

Objective Grounded theory (GT) is an established qualitative research method, but few papers have encapsulated the benefits, limits, and basic tenets of doing GT research on user and provider experiences of health care services. GT can be used to guide the entire study method, or it can be applied at the data analysis stage only. Methods We summarize key components of GT and common GT procedures used by qualitative researchers in health care research. We draw on our experience of conducting a GT study on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients’ experiences of health care services. Findings We discuss why some approaches in GT research may work better than others, particularly when the focus of study is hard-to-reach population groups. We highlight the flexibility of procedures in GT to build theory about how people engage with health care services. Conclusion GT enables researchers to capture and understand health care experiences. GT methods are particularly valuable when the topic of interest has not previously been studied. GT can be applied to bring structure and rigor to the analysis of qualitative data. PMID:25523315

Proposal for Ground Safety Review Coordination at ISS Launch Sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirkpatrick, Paul D.

2010-01-01

As the transportation of ISS payloads and cargo shifts from KSC to other launch sites, close coordination of ground safety review processes would be of benefit to all parties. The benefit would have the launch sites receiving consistent data that would require less effort to review while still meeting their needs. Until recently, ground safety focus for the ISS program has been almost exclusively for prelaunch processing at KSC/post-landing processing at KSC/DFRC Each launch site, used by the ISS Program, has a ground safety review process. Ground safety viewed as local prerogative. Up till now, ground processing has consisted of low risk/low hazard items; but this will not always be the case. Recent coordination issues associated with the ground safety review of ORU's to be processed at Tanegashima for HTV-2, illustrate that IP ground safety review processes are not well understood by the ISS community at large. Confusion for data providers (US only?). Lack of internal review process for data being submitted to launch sites can lead to inconsistent submittals. NCRs/HRs. Majority of IP ground safety requirements are based upon old KHB 1700.7 (now KNPR 8715.3, Chapter 20). Proposals include: Establish a ground safety working group as part of the MS&MAP. Search for efficiencies in requirements and data submittal processes. Document processes in NSTS 13830/SSP 30599. Each launch site report out its payload ground safety status at the F2F (Monthly's as required). Completions/due dates/NCRs/issues/changes. Establish internal processes for review of ground safety submittals.

How To Avoid Crossfire and Seek Common Ground: A Journey for the Sake of Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ledell, Marjorie

A democracy must tolerate many points of view without becoming divided. Therefore, public educators and the communities they serve are challenged to help students understand political and religious issues without proselytizing. This handbook provides guidelines for beginning the journey toward common ground, for moving from a climate of antagonism…

The Art of Common Ground: Emergence of a Complex Pragmatic Language Skill in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Marchena, Ashley; Eigsti, Inge-Marie

2016-01-01

Deficits in pragmatic language are central to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here we investigate common ground, a pragmatic language skill in which speakers adjust the contents of their speech based on their interlocutor's perceived knowledge, in adolescents with ASD and typical development (TD), using an experimental narrative paradigm.…

On the Spiritual Dimension of Education: Finding a Common Ground

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dayton, Eric

2016-01-01

Questions about the place of spirituality in publicly funded schools are made difficult in a multicultural secular society. I discuss the work of Paulus Geheeb and Rabindranath Tagore, two great 20th century educational innovators, to offer, by way of an argument from analogy with the social importance of moral education, a common ground for…

Potential Impact of Rainfall on the Air-Surface Exchange of Total Gaseous Mercury from Two Common Urban Ground Surfaces

EPA Science Inventory

The impact of rainfall on total gaseous mercury (TGM) flux from pavement and street dirt surfaces was investigated in an effort to determine the influence of wet weather events on mercury transport in urban watersheds. Street dirt and pavement are common urban ground surfaces tha...

Distal Communication by Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Evidence for Common Ground?

PubMed Central

Leavens, David A.; Reamer, Lisa A.; Mareno, Mary Catherine; Russell, Jamie L.; Wilson, Daniel; Schapiro, Steven J.; Hopkins, William D.

2015-01-01

van der Goot et al. (2014) proposed that distal, deictic communication indexed the appreciation of the psychological state of a common ground between a signaler and a receiver. In their study, great apes did not signal distally, which they construed as evidence for the human uniqueness of a sense of common ground. This study exposed 166 chimpanzees to food and an experimenter, at an angular displacement, to ask, “Do chimpanzees display distal communication?” Apes were categorized as (a) proximal or (b) distal signalers on each of four trials. The number of chimpanzees who communicated proximally did not statistically differ from the number who signaled distally. Therefore, contrary to the claim by van der Goot et al., apes do communicate distally. PMID:26292996

47 CFR 22.879 - Interference resolution procedures.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... communications on these systems are not safety related. (b) Interference analysis. Commercial aviation air-ground... Section 22.879 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service Commercial Aviation Air-Ground Systems § 22.879...

49 CFR 236.2 - Grounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., single-break, signal control circuits using a grounded common, and alternating current power distribution... TRANSPORTATION RULES, STANDARDS, AND INSTRUCTIONS GOVERNING THE INSTALLATION, INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR... General § 236.2 Grounds. Each circuit, the functioning of which affects the safety of train operations...

Integrated disaster relief logistics: a stepping stone towards viable civil-military networks?

PubMed

Tatham, Peter; Rietjens, Sebastiaan Bas

2016-01-01

The twenty-first century has seen a significant rise in all forms of disasters and this has resulted in military and humanitarian organisations becoming more frequently engaged in the provision of support to those affected. Achieving an efficient and effective logistic preparation and response is one of the key elements in mitigating the impact of such events, but the establishment of mechanisms to deliver an appropriately integrated civil-military approach remains elusive. Not least because of the high percentage of assistance budgets spent on logistics, this area is considered to represent fertile ground for developing improved processes and understanding. In practice, the demands placed on civilian and military logisticians are broadly similar, as is the solution space. Speaking a common language and using common concepts, it is argued, therefore, that the logistic profession should be in the vanguard of the development of an improved civil-military interface. © 2016 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2016.

Ground-water availability in part of the Borough of Carroll Valley, Adams County, Pennsylvania, and the establishment of a drought-monitor well

USGS Publications Warehouse

Low, Dennis J.; Conger, Randall W.

2002-01-01

Continued population growth in the Borough of Carroll Valley (Borough) coupled with the drought of 2001 have increased the demand for ground water in the Borough. This demand has led Borough officials to undertake an effort to evaluate the capability of the crystalline-bedrock aquifers to meet future, projected growth and to establish a drought-monitor well within and for the use of the Borough. As part of this effort, this report summarizes ground-water data available from selected sections within the Borough and provides geohydrologic information needed to evaluate ground-water availability and recharge sources within part of the Borough. The availability of ground water in the Borough is limited by the physical characteristics of the underlying bedrock, and its upland topographic setting. The crystalline rocks (metabasalt, metarhyolite, greenstone schist) that underlie most of the study area are among the lowest yielding aquifers in the Commonwealth. More than 25 percent of the wells drilled in the metabasalt, the largest bedrock aquifer in the study area, have driller reported yields less than 1.25 gallons per minute. Driller reports indicate also that water-producing zones are shallow and few in number. In general, 50 percent of the water-producing zones reported by drillers are penetrated at depths of 200 feet or less and 90 percent at depths of 370 feet or less. Borehole geophysical data indicate that most of the water-producing zones are at lithologic contacts, but such contacts are penetrated infrequently and commonly do not intersect areas of ground-water recharge. Single-well aquifer tests and slug tests indicate that the bedrock aquifers also do not readily transmit large amounts of water. The median hydraulic conductivity and transmissivity of the bedrock aquifers are 0.01 foot per dayand 2.75 feet squared per day, respectively. The crystalline and siliciclastic (Weverton and Loudoun Formations) bedrock aquifers are moderately to highly resistant to weathering, resulting in topographic highs coupled with steep, narrow valleys. This rugged topography results in extensive surface runoff, which limits infiltration and hence recharge to the shallow and deep ground-water systems. Streams that flow through the study area generally are small and ephemeral. Where perennial, the streams represent areas of ground-water discharge. Thickness of the overlying mantle (regolith or depth to bedrock) varies from 0 to more than 65 feet over short distances. In general, a thick regolith will store and transmit large quantities of water to the underlying bedrock aquifers. In the study area, however, there is no correlation between thick regolith and greater reported yields. Thus, it appears that the hydraulic connection between water-bearing fractures at depth and ground water stored in the regolith is poor, which further limits ground-water availability. Recharge to the bedrock aquifers from the approximately 46 inches of annual precipitation aver-ages about 13 inches per year, or 975 gallons per day per acre. During drought years, however, this recharge rate may average only 9 inches per year [675 gallons per day per acre]. Decreased recharge to the bedrock aquifers results in declining water levels and possibly dry wells, as well as reduced flows to streams and other surface-water bodies. Although the consumptive use of ground water by homeowners is minor (about 14 percent), the pumping of a well will change the natural flow paths of ground water and reduce the amount of water stored (at least temporarily) in the bedrock aquifers.

What was the groundwater quality before mining in a mineralized region? Lessons from the Questa Project

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nordstrom, D. Kirk

2008-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the New Mexico Environment Department and supported by Molycorp, Inc (currently Chevron Minerals), has completed a 5-year investigation (2001-2006) to determine the pre-mining ground-water quality at Molycorp's Questa molybdenum mine in northern New Mexico. Current mine-site ground waters are often contaminated with mine-waste leachates and no data exists on premining ground-water quality so that pre-mining conditions must be inferred. Ground-water quality undisturbed by mining is often worse than New Mexico standards and data are needed to help establish closure requirements. The key to determining pre-mining conditions was to study the hydrogeochemistry of a proximal natural analog site, the Straight Creek catchment. Main rock types exposed to weathering include a Tertiary andesite and the Tertiary Amalia tuff (rhyolitic composition), both hydrothermally altered to various degrees. Two types of ground water are common in mineralized areas, acidic ground waters in alluvial debris fans with pH 3-4 and bedrock ground waters with pH 6-8. Siderite, ferrihydrite, rhodochrosite, amorphous to microcrystalline Al(OH)3, calcite, gypsum, barite, and amorphous silica mineral solubilities control concentrations of Fe(II), Fe(III), Mn(II), Al, Ca, Ba, and SiO2, depending on pH and solution composition. Concentrations at low pH are governed by element abundance and mineral weathering rates. Concentrations of Zn and Cd range from detection up to about 10 and 0.05 mg/L, respectively, and are derived primarily from sphalerite dissolution. Concentrations of Ni and Co range from detection up to 1 and 0.4 mg/L, respectively, and are derived primarily from pyrite dissolution. Concentrations of Ca and SO4 are derived from secondary gypsum dissolution and weathering of calcite and pyrite. Metal:sulfate concentration ratios are relatively constant for acidic waters, suggesting consistent weathering rates, independent of catchment. These trends, combined with lithology, mineralogy, and mineral solubility controls, provide useful constraints on pre-mining ground-water quality for the mine site where the lithology is known.

Final Environmental Impact Statement Establishment and Operation of an Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Strike Capability Andersen Air Force Base, Guam

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

Mariana Fruit Bat Pup Recruitment at Pati Point Colony; • Brown Tree Snake Interdiction and Control; and • Adaptive Management and Ground Track...establishment of a mitigation monitoring plan and adaptive management program. FUTURE ACTIONS As discussed in the Final EIS, the Air Force recognizes that...would initiate modifications to aircraft ground tracks and profiles over sensitive areas through an adaptive management strategy. This adaptive

Transforming the "Valley of Death" into a "Valley of Opportunity"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jedlovec, Gary J.; Merceret, Francis J.; O'Brien, T. P.; Roeder, William P.; Huddleston, Lisa L.; Bauman, William H., III

2014-01-01

Transitioning technology from research to operations (23 R2O) is difficult. The problem's importance is exemplified in the literature and in every failed attempt to do so. Although the R2O gap is often called the "valley of death", a recent a Space Weather editorial called it a "Valley of Opportunity". There are significant opportunities for space weather organizations to learn from the terrestrial experience. Dedicated R2O organizations like those of the various NOAA testbeds and collaborative "proving ground" projects take common approaches to improving terrestrial weather forecasting through the early transition of research capabilities into the operational environment. Here we present experience-proven principles for the establishment and operation of similar space weather organizations, public or private. These principles were developed and currently being demonstrated by NASA at the Applied Meteorology Unit (AMU) and the Short-term Prediction Research and Transition (SPoRT) Center. The AMU was established in 1991 jointly by NASA, the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and the National Weather Service (NWS) to provide tools and techniques for improving weather support to the Space Shuttle Program (Madura et al., 2011). The primary customers were the USAF 45th Weather Squadron (45 WS) and the NWS Spaceflight Meteorology Group (SMG who provided the weather observing and forecast support for Shuttle operations). SPoRT was established in 2002 to transition NASA satellite and remote-sensing technology to the NWS. The continuing success of these organizations suggests the common principles guiding them may be valuable for similar endeavors in the space weather arena.

A Brush with Research: Teaching Grounded Theory in the Art and Design Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Compton, Mike; Barrett, Sean

2016-01-01

Grounded Theory is a systematic approach to social research that allows for new concepts and theories to emerge from gathered data, as opposed to relying on either established theory or personal conjecture to interpret social processes. Although Grounded Theory is a well-known method within social science literature, it is relatively unknown in…

Factors Contributing to Cognitive Absorption and Grounded Learning Effectiveness in a Competitive Business Marketing Simulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baker, David Scott; Underwood, James, III; Thakur, Ramendra

2017-01-01

This study aimed to establish a pedagogical positioning of a business marketing simulation as a grounded learning teaching tool and empirically assess the dimensions of cognitive absorption related to grounded learning effectiveness in an iterative business simulation environment. The method/design and sample consisted of a field study survey…

Constructing a Grounded Theory of E-Learning Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alonso-Díaz, Laura; Yuste-Tosina, Rocío

2015-01-01

This study traces the development of a grounded theory of assessment in e-learning environments, a field in need of research to establish the parameters of an assessment that is both reliable and worthy of higher learning accreditation. Using grounded theory as a research method, we studied an e-assessment model that does not require physical…

Challenges for deep space communications in the 1990s

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dumas, Larry N.; Hornstein, Robert M.

1991-01-01

The discussion of NASA's Deep Space Network (DSN) examines the evolving character of aerospace missions and the corresponding changes in the DSN architecture. Deep space missions are reviewed, and it is noted that the two 34-m and the 70-m antenna subnets of the DSN are heavily loaded and more use is expected. High operational workload and the challenge of network cross-support are the design drivers for a flexible DSN architecture configuration. Incorporated in the design are antenna arraying for aperture augmentation, beam-waveguide antennas for frequency agility, and connectivity with non-DSN sites for cross-support. Compatibility between spacecraft and ground-facility designs is important for establishing common international standards of communication and data-system specification.

47 CFR 22.881 - Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service subject to competitive bidding.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... competitive bidding. 22.881 Section 22.881 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service Commercial Aviation Air... exclusive initial applications for commercial Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service licenses are subject to...

47 CFR 22.873 - Construction requirements for commercial aviation air-ground systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Construction requirements for commercial aviation air-ground systems. 22.873 Section 22.873 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service Commercial...

Modernization of the Cassini Ground System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Razo, Gus; Fujii, Tammy J.

2014-01-01

The Cassini Spacecraft and its ground system have been operational for over 16 years. Modernization presents several challenges due to the personnel, processes, and tools already invested and embedded into the current ground system structure. Every mission's ground system has its own unique complexities and challenges, involving various organizational units. As any mission from its inception to its execution, schedules are always tight. This forces GDS engineers to implement a working ground system that is not necessarily fully optimized. Ground system challenges increase as technology evolves and cyber threats become more sophisticated. Cassini's main challenges were due to its ground system existing before many security requirements were levied on the multi-mission tools and networks. This caused a domino effect on Cassini GDS tools that relied on outdated technological features. In the aerospace industry reliable and established technology is preferred over innovative yet less proven technology. Loss of data for a spacecraft mission can be catastrophic; therefore, there is a reluctance to make changes and updates to the ground system. Nevertheless, all missions and associated teams face the need to modernize their processes and tools. Systems development methods from well-known system analysis and design principles can be applied to many missions' ground systems. Modernization should always be considered, but should be done in such a way that it does not affect flexibility nor interfere with established practices. Cassini has accomplished a secure and efficient ground data system through periodic updates. The obstacles faced while performing the modernization of the Cassini ground system will be outlined, as well as the advantages and challenges that were encountered.

Pooling the ground: understanding and coordination in collective sense making

PubMed Central

Rączaszek-Leonardi, Joanna; Dębska, Agnieszka; Sochanowicz, Adam

2014-01-01

Common ground is most often understood as the sum of mutually known beliefs, knowledge, and suppositions among the participants in a conversation. It explains why participants do not mention things that should be obvious to both. In some accounts of communication, reaching a mutual understanding, i.e., broadening the common ground, is posed as the ultimate goal of linguistic interactions. Yet, congruent with the more pragmatic views of linguistic behavior, in which language is treated as social coordination, understanding each other is not the purpose (or not the sole purpose) of linguistic interactions. This purpose is seen as at least twofold (e.g., Fusaroli et al., 2014): to maintain the systemic character of a conversing dyad and to organize it into a functional synergy in the face of tasks posed for a dyadic system as a whole. It seems that the notion of common ground is not sufficient to address the latter character of interaction. In situated communication, in which meaning is created in a distributed way in the very process of interaction, both common (sameness) and privileged (diversity) information must be pooled task-dependently across participants. In this paper, we analyze the definitions of common and privileged ground and propose a conceptual extension that may facilitate a theoretical account of agents that coordinate via linguistic communication. To illustrate the usefulness of this augmented framework, we apply it to one of the recurrent issues in psycholinguistic research, namely the problem of perspective-taking in dialog, and draw conclusions for the broader problem of audience design. PMID:25426087

A Tale of Two Community Networks Program Centers: Operationalizing and Assessing CBPR Principles and Evaluating Partnership Outcomes

PubMed Central

Arroyo-Johnson, Cassandra; Allen, Michele L.; Colditz, Graham A.; Hurtado, G. Ali; Davey, Cynthia S.; Sanders Thompson, Vetta L.; Drake, Bettina F.; Svetaz, Maria Veronica; Rosas-Lee, Maira; Goodman, Melody S.

2016-01-01

Background Community Networks Program (CNP) centers are required to use a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach within their specific priority communities. Not all communities are the same and unique contextual factors and collaborators’ priorities shape each CBPR partnership. There are also established CBPR and community engagement (CE) principles shown to lead to quality CBPR in any community. However, operationalizing and assessing CBPR principles and partnership outcomes to understand the conditions and processes in CBPR that lead to achieving program and project level goals is relatively new in the science of CBPR. Objectives We sought to describe the development of surveys on adherence to and implementation of CBPR/CE principles at two CNP centers and examine commonalities and differences in program- versus project-level CBPR evaluation. Methods A case study about the development and application of CBPR/CE principles for the Missouri CNP, Program for the Elimination of Cancer Disparities, and Minnesota CNP, Padres Informados/Jovenes Preparados, surveys was conducted to compare project versus program operationalization of principles. Survey participant demographics were provided by CNP. Specific domains found in CBPR/CE principles were identified and organized under an existing framework to establish a common ground. Operational definitions and the number of survey items were provided for each domain by CNP. Conclusion There are distinct differences in operational definitions of CBPR/CE principles at the program and project levels of evaluation. However, commonalities support further research to develop standards for CBPR evaluation across partnerships and at the program and project levels. PMID:26213405

Ground Rules for the Power Debate.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fainberg, Anthony

1980-01-01

A physicist argues for the establishment of ground rules in the current nuclear power debate so that vital policy decisions and discussions stay within the realm of rationality permitting useful and meaningful exchanges of information and data. (BT)

Exploring America's Communities: In Quest of Common Ground. A National Conversation on American Pluralism and Identity Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eisenberg, Diane U.; Labib, Nadya

This monograph documents the work of 41 participating community colleges in Exploring America's Communities (EAC): In Quest of Common Ground, a project stimulating a national conversation about American pluralism and identity, addressing such issues as what it means to be American, what brings us together and what divides us. Developed by the…

Advancing Global Citizens: Afterschool and Out-of-School Time as Common Ground for Civil Society

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schneider-Munoz, Andrew; Politz, Bonnie

2007-01-01

The key importance of after-school and out-of-school time in a democratic society is the experience of activities and programs providing a common ground that extends the play of childhood into leadership opportunities for youthful learning and exploration of the world. The authors hypothesize that by focusing civic attention on the developmental…

Feasibility of using ground-penetrating radar to quantify root mass in Florida's intensively managed pine plantations

Treesearch

John Butnor; Brian Roth; Kurt Johnsen

2005-01-01

Tree root systems are commonly evaluated via labor intensive, destructive, time-consuming excavations. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) can be used to detect and monitor roots if there is sufficient electromagnetic contrast with the surrounding soil matrix. This methodology is commonly used in civil engineering for non-destructive testing of concrete as well as road and...

Bridging Gaps in Common Ground: Speakers Design Their Gestures for Their Listeners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilliard, Caitlin; Cook, Susan Wagner

2016-01-01

Communication is shaped both by what we are trying to say and by whom we are saying it to. We examined whether and how shared information influences the gestures speakers produce along with their speech. Unlike prior work examining effects of common ground on speech and gesture, we examined a situation in which some speakers have the same amount…

Students as Meaning-Makers and the Quest for the Common School: A Micro-ethnography of a U.S. History Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keedy, John L.; Fleming, Tracie G.; Wheat, Deborah L.; Gentry, Rita B.

1998-01-01

Examines an Advanced Placement U.S. history classroom as a miniature common school to assess students' abilities to develop historically-grounded perspectives and engage in a moral debate. Finds that (1) students with little historical-grounding lacked an inclination toward a collective, ethical critique; and (2) exchange of historically-grounded…

A Passive EMI Filter with Access to the Ungrounded Motor Neutral Line-The Case that a General-Purpose Inverter is Directly Connected to a Three-Phase Grounded Voltage Source-

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doumoto, Takafumi; Akagi, Hirofumi

This paper proposes a small-sized passive EMI filter for the purpose of eliminating high-frequency shaft voltage and ground leakage current from an ac motor. The motor is driven by a general-purpose PWM inverter connected to a three-phase grounded voltage source. The passive EMI filter requires access to the ungrounded neutral point of the motor. This unique circuit configuration makes the common-mode inductor effective in reducing the high-frequency common-mode voltage generated by the PWM inverter with a carrier frequency of 15kHz. As a result, both high-frequency shaft voltage and ground leakage current can be eliminated very efficiently. However, the common-mode inductor may not play any role in reducing the low-frequency common-mode voltage generated by the diode rectifier, so that a low-frequency component still remains in the shaft voltage. Such a low-frequency shaft voltage may not produce any bad effect on motor bearings. The validity and effectiveness of the EMI filter is verified by experimental results obtained from a 200-V 5-kVA laboratory system.

Ground System Extensibility Considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, S. W.; Greene, E.

2017-12-01

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are jointly acquiring the next-generation civilian weather and environmental satellite system: the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS). The Joint Polar Satellite System will replace the afternoon orbit component and ground processing system of the current Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) managed by NOAA. The JPSS satellites will carry a suite of sensors designed to collect meteorological, oceanographic, climatological and geophysical observations of the Earth. The ground processing system for JPSS is known as the JPSS Common Ground System (JPSS CGS). Developed and maintained by Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services (IIS), the CGS is a multi-mission enterprise system serving NOAA, NASA and their national and international partners, such as NASA's Earth Observation System (EOS), NOAA's current POES, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's (JAXA) Global Change Observation Mission - Water (GCOM-W1), and DoD's Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). The CGS provides a wide range of support to a number of national and international missions, including command and control, mission management, data acquisition and routing, and environmental data processing and distribution. The current suite of CGS-supported missions has demonstrated the value of interagency and international partnerships to address global observation needs. With its established infrastructure and existing suite of missions, the CGS is extensible to a wider array of potential new missions. This paper will describe how the inherent scalability and extensibility of the CGS enables the addition of these new missions, with an eye on global enterprise needs in the 2020's and beyond.

Proceedings of the 1985 NASA Ames Research Center's Ground-Effects Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, Kerry (Editor)

1987-01-01

The purpose of the workshop was to discuss the current technology base for aerodynamic ground effects and to establish directions for further research of advanced, high performance aircraft designs, particularly those concepts utilizing powered lift systems; e.g., V/STOL, ASTOVL, and STOL aircraft. Fourteen papers were presented in the following areas: suckdown and fountain effects in hover; STOL ground vortex and hot gas ingestion; and vortex lift and jet flaps in ground effect. These subject areas were chosen with regard to current activities in the field of aircraft ground effects research.

Optimization Review: Ogallala Ground Water Contamination Superfund Site, Operable Unit 2 (Tip Top Cleaners), Ogallala, Nebraska

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Ogallala Ground Water Contamination Superfund site was identified in 1989 through municipal well sampling. Tetrachloroethene (PCE), a solvent commonly used in dry cleaner operations, was the primary ground water target chemical of concern (COC) that..

Intelligent Launch and Range Operations Virtual Test Bed (ILRO-VTB)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bardina, Jorge; Rajkumar, T.

2003-01-01

Intelligent Launch and Range Operations Virtual Test Bed (ILRO-VTB) is a real-time web-based command and control, communication, and intelligent simulation environment of ground-vehicle, launch and range operation activities. ILRO-VTB consists of a variety of simulation models combined with commercial and indigenous software developments (NASA Ames). It creates a hybrid software/hardware environment suitable for testing various integrated control system components of launch and range. The dynamic interactions of the integrated simulated control systems are not well understood. Insight into such systems can only be achieved through simulation/emulation. For that reason, NASA has established a VTB where we can learn the actual control and dynamics of designs for future space programs, including testing and performance evaluation. The current implementation of the VTB simulates the operations of a sub-orbital vehicle of mission, control, ground-vehicle engineering, launch and range operations. The present development of the test bed simulates the operations of Space Shuttle Vehicle (SSV) at NASA Kennedy Space Center. The test bed supports a wide variety of shuttle missions with ancillary modeling capabilities like weather forecasting, lightning tracker, toxic gas dispersion model, debris dispersion model, telemetry, trajectory modeling, ground operations, payload models and etc. To achieve the simulations, all models are linked using Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA). The test bed provides opportunities for government, universities, researchers and industries to do a real time of shuttle launch in cyber space.

Intelligent launch and range operations virtual testbed (ILRO-VTB)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardina, Jorge; Rajkumar, Thirumalainambi

2003-09-01

Intelligent Launch and Range Operations Virtual Test Bed (ILRO-VTB) is a real-time web-based command and control, communication, and intelligent simulation environment of ground-vehicle, launch and range operation activities. ILRO-VTB consists of a variety of simulation models combined with commercial and indigenous software developments (NASA Ames). It creates a hybrid software/hardware environment suitable for testing various integrated control system components of launch and range. The dynamic interactions of the integrated simulated control systems are not well understood. Insight into such systems can only be achieved through simulation/emulation. For that reason, NASA has established a VTB where we can learn the actual control and dynamics of designs for future space programs, including testing and performance evaluation. The current implementation of the VTB simulates the operations of a sub-orbital vehicle of mission, control, ground-vehicle engineering, launch and range operations. The present development of the test bed simulates the operations of Space Shuttle Vehicle (SSV) at NASA Kennedy Space Center. The test bed supports a wide variety of shuttle missions with ancillary modeling capabilities like weather forecasting, lightning tracker, toxic gas dispersion model, debris dispersion model, telemetry, trajectory modeling, ground operations, payload models and etc. To achieve the simulations, all models are linked using Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA). The test bed provides opportunities for government, universities, researchers and industries to do a real time of shuttle launch in cyber space.

Narrow-Front Loop Migration in a Population of the Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus, as Revealed by Satellite Telemetry

PubMed Central

Willemoes, Mikkel; Strandberg, Roine; Klaassen, Raymond H. G.; Tøttrup, Anders P.; Vardanis, Yannis; Howey, Paul W.; Thorup, Kasper; Wikelski, Martin; Alerstam, Thomas

2014-01-01

Narrow migration corridors known in diurnal, social migrants such as raptors, storks and geese are thought to be caused by topographical leading line effects in combination with learning detailed routes across generations. Here, we document narrow-front migration in a nocturnal, solitary migrant, the common cuckoo Cuculus canorus, using satellite telemetry. We tracked the migration of adult cuckoos from the breeding grounds in southern Scandinavia (n = 8), to wintering sites in south-western Central Africa (n = 6) and back to the breeding grounds (n = 3). Migration patterns were very complex; in addition to the breeding and wintering sites, six different stopover sites were identified during the 16,000 km annual route that formed a large-scale clockwise loop. Despite this complexity, individuals showed surprisingly similar migration patterns, with very little variation between routes. We compared observed tracks with simulated routes based on vector orientation (with and without effects of barriers on orientation and survival). Observed distances between routes were often significantly smaller than expected if the routes were established on the basis of an innate vector orientation programme. Average distance between individuals in eastern Sahel after having migrated more than 5,000 km for example, was merely 164 km. This implies that more sophisticated inherent guiding mechanisms, possibly involving elements of intermediate goal area navigation or more elaborate external cues, are necessary to explain the complex narrow-front migration pattern observed for the cuckoos in this study. PMID:24421890

16. 'EXCELLENT NEW PARADE GROUND BEST SINCE POST ESTABLISHED. STARTED ...

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

16. 'EXCELLENT NEW PARADE GROUND BEST SINCE POST ESTABLISHED. STARTED BY COL. RALPH PARKER, FINISHED BY COL. TROUPE MILLER, PRESIDIO OF MONTEREY CALIFORNIA.' No date, probably ca. 1936. No signature, photographer probably Anton C. Heidrick. This panoramic view looks east over Soldier Field to the Bay, from the cannons at the west end. Original hand tinted silver gelatin print measures 90.4 cm by 20.2 cm, flush mounted on mat board. - Presidio of Monterey, Soldier Field, Monterey, Monterey County, CA

Satellite-Relayed Intercontinental Quantum Network.

PubMed

Liao, Sheng-Kai; Cai, Wen-Qi; Handsteiner, Johannes; Liu, Bo; Yin, Juan; Zhang, Liang; Rauch, Dominik; Fink, Matthias; Ren, Ji-Gang; Liu, Wei-Yue; Li, Yang; Shen, Qi; Cao, Yuan; Li, Feng-Zhi; Wang, Jian-Feng; Huang, Yong-Mei; Deng, Lei; Xi, Tao; Ma, Lu; Hu, Tai; Li, Li; Liu, Nai-Le; Koidl, Franz; Wang, Peiyuan; Chen, Yu-Ao; Wang, Xiang-Bin; Steindorfer, Michael; Kirchner, Georg; Lu, Chao-Yang; Shu, Rong; Ursin, Rupert; Scheidl, Thomas; Peng, Cheng-Zhi; Wang, Jian-Yu; Zeilinger, Anton; Pan, Jian-Wei

2018-01-19

We perform decoy-state quantum key distribution between a low-Earth-orbit satellite and multiple ground stations located in Xinglong, Nanshan, and Graz, which establish satellite-to-ground secure keys with ∼kHz rate per passage of the satellite Micius over a ground station. The satellite thus establishes a secure key between itself and, say, Xinglong, and another key between itself and, say, Graz. Then, upon request from the ground command, Micius acts as a trusted relay. It performs bitwise exclusive or operations between the two keys and relays the result to one of the ground stations. That way, a secret key is created between China and Europe at locations separated by 7600 km on Earth. These keys are then used for intercontinental quantum-secured communication. This was, on the one hand, the transmission of images in a one-time pad configuration from China to Austria as well as from Austria to China. Also, a video conference was performed between the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which also included a 280 km optical ground connection between Xinglong and Beijing. Our work clearly confirms the Micius satellite as a robust platform for quantum key distribution with different ground stations on Earth, and points towards an efficient solution for an ultralong-distance global quantum network.

Satellite-Relayed Intercontinental Quantum Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Sheng-Kai; Cai, Wen-Qi; Handsteiner, Johannes; Liu, Bo; Yin, Juan; Zhang, Liang; Rauch, Dominik; Fink, Matthias; Ren, Ji-Gang; Liu, Wei-Yue; Li, Yang; Shen, Qi; Cao, Yuan; Li, Feng-Zhi; Wang, Jian-Feng; Huang, Yong-Mei; Deng, Lei; Xi, Tao; Ma, Lu; Hu, Tai; Li, Li; Liu, Nai-Le; Koidl, Franz; Wang, Peiyuan; Chen, Yu-Ao; Wang, Xiang-Bin; Steindorfer, Michael; Kirchner, Georg; Lu, Chao-Yang; Shu, Rong; Ursin, Rupert; Scheidl, Thomas; Peng, Cheng-Zhi; Wang, Jian-Yu; Zeilinger, Anton; Pan, Jian-Wei

2018-01-01

We perform decoy-state quantum key distribution between a low-Earth-orbit satellite and multiple ground stations located in Xinglong, Nanshan, and Graz, which establish satellite-to-ground secure keys with ˜kHz rate per passage of the satellite Micius over a ground station. The satellite thus establishes a secure key between itself and, say, Xinglong, and another key between itself and, say, Graz. Then, upon request from the ground command, Micius acts as a trusted relay. It performs bitwise exclusive or operations between the two keys and relays the result to one of the ground stations. That way, a secret key is created between China and Europe at locations separated by 7600 km on Earth. These keys are then used for intercontinental quantum-secured communication. This was, on the one hand, the transmission of images in a one-time pad configuration from China to Austria as well as from Austria to China. Also, a video conference was performed between the Austrian Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which also included a 280 km optical ground connection between Xinglong and Beijing. Our work clearly confirms the Micius satellite as a robust platform for quantum key distribution with different ground stations on Earth, and points towards an efficient solution for an ultralong-distance global quantum network.

Safety policy and requirements for payloads using the space transportation system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1989-01-01

The safety policy and requirements are established applicable to the Space Transportation System (STS) payloads and their ground support equipment (GSE). The requirements are intended to protect flight and ground personnel, the STS, other payloads, GSE, the general public, public-private property, and the environment from payload-related hazards. The technical and system safety requirements applicable to STS payloads (including payload-provided ground and flight supports systems) during ground and flight operations are contained.

Conversational Grounding in Younger and Older Adults: The Effect of Partner Visibility and Referent Abstractness in Task-Oriented Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lysander, Katya; Horton, William S.

2012-01-01

Many communicative situations present interlocutors with the opportunity to use multiple modalities to establish shared perspectives on conversational referents, a process known as grounding. In the current study, we use a card-matching task to examine how conversational grounding in younger and older adults is influenced both by direct visual…

Empirical methods for assessing meaningful neuropsychological change following epilepsy surgery.

PubMed

Sawrie, S M; Chelune, G J; Naugle, R I; Lüders, H O

1996-11-01

Traditional methods for assessing the neurocognitive effects of epilepsy surgery are confounded by practice effects, test-retest reliability issues, and regression to the mean. This study employs 2 methods for assessing individual change that allow direct comparison of changes across both individuals and test measures. Fifty-one medically intractable epilepsy patients completed a comprehensive neuropsychological battery twice, approximately 8 months apart, prior to any invasive monitoring or surgical intervention. First, a Reliable Change (RC) index score was computed for each test score to take into account the reliability of that measure, and a cutoff score was empirically derived to establish the limits of statistically reliable change. These indices were subsequently adjusted for expected practice effects. The second approach used a regression technique to establish "change norms" along a common metric that models both expected practice effects and regression to the mean. The RC index scores provide the clinician with a statistical means of determining whether a patient's retest performance is "significantly" changed from baseline. The regression norms for change allow the clinician to evaluate the magnitude of a given patient's change on 1 or more variables along a common metric that takes into account the reliability and stability of each test measure. Case data illustrate how these methods provide an empirically grounded means for evaluating neurocognitive outcomes following medical interventions such as epilepsy surgery.

GROUND WATER ISSUE - PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS OF PUMP-AND-TREAT REMEDIATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

One of the most commonly used ground-water remediation technologies is to pump contaminated water to the surface for treatment. Evaluating the effectiveness of pump-and-treat remediations at Superfund sites is an issue identified by the Regional Superfund Ground Water Forum as a ...

Analysis of Historical Materiel Return Program (MRP) Credits at the 1st Marine Logistics Group Reparable Issue Point (RIP)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-05

45  2.  Ground Common vs. Low Density and Excess (FTE) vs. Carcass ( FTA ...47  a.  Ground Common vs. Low Density ............................. 47  b.  Excess (FTE) vs. Carcass ( FTA ...48  Figure 16.  Excess (FTE) and Carcass ( FTA ) Dollar Amounts and Percentages . 49  Figure 17.  MRP

Framework for a ground-water quality monitoring and assessment program for California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Belitz, Kenneth; Dubrovsky, Neil M.; Burow, Karen; Jurgens, Bryant C.; John, Tyler

2003-01-01

The State of California uses more ground water than any other State in the Nation. With a population of over 30 million people, an agricultural economy based on intensive irrigation, large urban industrial areas, and naturally elevated concentrations of some trace elements, there is a wide range of contaminant sources that have the potential to contaminate ground water and limit its beneficial uses. In response to the many-and different-potential sources of ground-water contamination, the State of California has evolved an extensive set of rules and programs to protect ground-water quality, and agencies to implement the rules and programs. These programs have in common a focus on compliance with regulations governing chemical use and (or) ground-water quality. Although appropriate for, and successful at, their specific missions, these programs do not at present provide a comprehensive view of ground-water quality in the State of California. In October 2001, The California Assembly passed a bill, AB 599, establishing the Ground-Water- Quality Monitoring Act of 2001.' The goal of AB 599 is to improve Statewide comprehensive ground-water monitoring and increase availability of information about ground-water quality to the public. AB 599 requires the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), in collaboration with an interagency task force (ITF) and a public advisory committee (PAC), to develop a plan for a comprehensive ground-water monitoring program. AB 599 specifies that the comprehensive program should be capable of assessing each ground-water basin in the State through direct and other statistically reliable sampling approaches, and that the program should integrate existing monitoring programs and design new program elements, as necessary. AB 599 also stresses the importance of prioritizing ground-water basins that provide drinking water. The United States Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the SWRCB, and in coordination with the ITF and PAC, has developed a framework for a comprehensive ground-water-quality monitoring and assessment program for California. The proposed framework relies extensively on previous work conducted by the USGS through its National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) program. In particular, the NAWQA program defines three types of ground-water assessment: (1) status, the assessment of the current quality of the ground-water resource; (2) trends, the detection of changes in water quality, and (3) understanding, assessing the human and natural factors that affect ground-water quality. A Statewide, comprehensive ground-water quality-monitoring and assessment program is most efficiently accomplished by applying uniform and consistent study-design and data-collection protocols to the entire State. At the same time, a comprehensive program should be relevant at a variety of scales, and therefore needs to retain flexibility to address regional and local issues. Consequently, many of the program components include a predominant element that will be consistently applied in all basins, and a secondary element that may be applied in specific basins where local conditions warrant attention.

47 CFR 22.877 - Unacceptable interference to Part 90 non-cellular 800 MHz licensees from commercial aviation air...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...-cellular 800 MHz licensees from commercial aviation air-ground systems. 22.877 Section 22.877 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service Commercial Aviation Air-Ground Systems § 22.877 Unacceptable interference...

49 CFR 234.213 - Grounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... current power distribution circuits that are grounded in the interest of safety; and common return wires... Maintenance Standards § 234.213 Grounds. Each circuit that affects the proper functioning of a highway-rail... permit a current flow of 75 percent or more of the release value of any relay or electromagnetic device...

International Aerospace and Ground Conference on Lightning and Static Electricity (8th): Lightning Technology Roundup, held at Fort Worth, Texas on 21-23 June 1983.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-01

fighter aircraft. The entire test bed is from testing of a representative digital supported above the ground plane by non - control system(s)l e.g... control and Increased systems Integration a. Raw data must be collected and Introduce new requirements for protection, experimental setups and An accurate...presented, several possible solutions to the grounding prob! - are suggested. All rely on establishing initial ground contact through a controlled non -zero

EPA'S GROUND WATER TECHNICAL SUPPORT CENTER

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose and the services provided by EPA's Ground Water Technical Support Center (GWTSC) will be presented. In 1987 the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, Regional Waste Management Offices, and ORD established the Technical Support Project (TSP)

The purpos...

Passenger Acceptance of Alignments with Frequent Curves in Maglev or Other Very-High-Speed Ground Systems

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-10-31

Proposed high-speed ground transportation systems, such as Maglev, may have motion characteristics : affecting passenger comfort which set them apart from anything previously experienced. Operating at : aircraft speeds along rights-of-way established...

Developing Your School Grounds: A Planning Primer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clearing, 1998

1998-01-01

Describes the planning steps and other practical considerations to establish successful trails, outdoor classrooms, or other environmental education improvements on school grounds. Steps include determining needs and methods for promoting projects, resources, site assessment, property lines, safety, and maintenance. Possible projects described…

U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service testing for Salmonella in selected raw meat and poultry products in the United States, 1998 through 2003: analysis of set results.

PubMed

Naugle, Alecia Larew; Barlow, Kristina E; Eblen, Denise R; Teter, Vanessa; Umholtz, Robert

2006-11-01

The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) tests sets of samples of selected raw meat and poultry products for Salmonella to ensure that federally inspected establishments meet performance standards defined in the pathogen reduction-hazard analysis and critical control point system (PR-HACCP) final rule. In the present report, sample set results are described and associations between set failure and set and establishment characteristics are identified for 4,607 sample sets collected from 1998 through 2003. Sample sets were obtained from seven product classes: broiler chicken carcasses (n = 1,010), cow and bull carcasses (n = 240), market hog carcasses (n = 560), steer and heifer carcasses (n = 123), ground beef (n = 2,527), ground chicken (n = 31), and ground turkey (n = 116). Of these 4,607 sample sets, 92% (4,255) were collected as part of random testing efforts (A sets), and 93% (4,166) passed. However, the percentage of positive samples relative to the maximum number of positive results allowable in a set increased over time for broilers but decreased or stayed the same for the other product classes. Three factors associated with set failure were identified: establishment size, product class, and year. Set failures were more likely early in the testing program (relative to 2003). Small and very small establishments were more likely to fail than large ones. Set failure was less likely in ground beef than in other product classes. Despite an overall decline in set failures through 2003, these results highlight the need for continued vigilance to reduce Salmonella contamination in broiler chicken and continued implementation of programs designed to assist small and very small establishments with PR-HACCP compliance issues.

Ground-water quality in selected areas of Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hindall, S.M.

1979-01-01

Analysis of 2,071 ground-water samples from 970 wells throughout Wisconsin indicate large variations in ground-water quality. Ground water in Wisconsin is generally suitable for most uses, but in some areas concentrations of chemical constituents exceed recommended drinking-water standards. Iron, manganese, and nitrate commonly exceed recommended drinking-water standards and dissolved solids, sulfate, heavy metals, and phenolic materials may present local problems. (USGS)

Discourse comprehension in autism spectrum disorder: Effects of working memory load and common ground.

PubMed

Schuh, Jillian M; Eigsti, Inge-Marie; Mirman, Daniel

2016-12-01

Pragmatic language impairments are nearly universal in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Discourse requires that we monitor information that is shared or mutually known, called "common ground." While many studies have examined the role of Theory of Mind (ToM) in such impairments, few have examined working memory (WM). Common ground impairments in ASD could reflect limitations in both WM and ToM. This study explored common ground use in youth ages 8-17 years with high-functioning ASD (n = 13) and typical development (n = 22); groups did not differ on age, gender, IQ, or standardized language. We tracked participants' eye movements while they performed a discourse task in which some information was known only to the participant (e.g., was privileged; a manipulation of ToM). In addition, the amount of privileged information varied (a manipulation of WM). All participants were slower to fixate the target when considering privileged information, and this effect was greatest during high WM load trials. Further, the ASD group was more likely to fixate competing (non-target) shapes. Predictors of fixation patterns included ASD symptomatology, language ability, ToM, and WM. Groups did not differ in ToM. Individuals with better WM fixated the target more rapidly, suggesting an association between WM capacity and efficient discourse. In addition to ToM knowledge, WM capacity constrains common ground representation and impacts pragmatic skills in ASD. Social impairments in ASD are thus associated with WM capacity, such that deficits in domain-general, nonsocial processes such as WM exert an influence during complex social interactions. Autism Res 2016, 9: 1340-1352. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Common ground for biodiversity and ecosystem services: the “partial protection” challenge

PubMed Central

Faith, Daniel P

2012-01-01

New global initiatives require clarity about similarities and differences between biodiversity and ecosystem services. One argument is that ecosystem services capture utilitarian values, while biodiversity captures intrinsic values. However, the concept of biodiversity equally emerges from anthropogenic use values. Measures of biodiversity indicate broad option values, and so provide different information about future uses and benefits. Such differences nevertheless can be the basis for “common ground” for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Systematic conservation planning and related frameworks acknowledge such differences through effective trade-offs and synergies among different values of society. The early work on regional biodiversity trade-offs includes a little-explored aspect that could enhance this common ground. Regional planning here takes into account the “partial protection” of biodiversity provided by some land uses. Common-ground will be promoted by better integrating the ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation offered by ecosystems at the “natural end of the spectrum” with the partial protection and other benefits/services provided by more intensively-transformed places. PMID:24358821

9 CFR 416.2 - Establishment grounds and facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... about an establishment must be maintained to prevent conditions that could lead to insanitary conditions... entrance of vermin, such as flies, rats, and mice. (4) Rooms or compartments in which edible product is...

Prevalence of Salmonella in 11 Spices Offered for Sale from Retail Establishments and in Imported Shipments Offered for Entry to the United States.

PubMed

Zhang, Guodong; Hu, Lijun; Pouillot, Régis; Tatavarthy, Aparna; Doren, Jane M Van; Kleinmeier, Daria; Ziobro, George C; Melka, David; Wang, Hua; Brown, Eric W; Strain, Errol; Bunning, Vincent K; Musser, Steven M; Hammack, Thomas S

2017-10-04

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration conducted a survey to evaluate Salmonella prevalence and aerobic plate counts in packaged (dried) spices offered for sale at retail establishments in the United States. The study included 7,250 retail samples of 11 spice types that were collected during November 2013 to September 2014 and October 2014 to March 2015. No Salmonella-positive samples (based on analysis of 125 g) were found among retail samples of cumin seed (whole or ground), sesame seed (whole, not roasted or toasted, and not black), and white pepper (ground or cracked), for prevalence estimates of 0.00% with 95% Clopper and Pearson's confidence intervals of 0.00 to 0.67%, 0.00 to 0.70%, and 0.00 to 0.63%, respectively. Salmonella prevalence estimates (confidence intervals) for the other eight spice types were 0.19% (0.0048 to 1.1%) for basil leaf (whole, ground, crushed, or flakes), 0.24% (0.049 to 0.69%) for black pepper (whole, ground, or cracked), 0.56% (0.11 to 1.6%) for coriander seed (ground), 0.19% (0.0049 to 1.1%) for curry powder (ground mixture of spices), 0.49% (0.10 to 1.4%) for dehydrated garlic (powder, granules, or flakes), 0.15% (0.0038 to 0.83%) for oregano leaf (whole, ground, crushed, or flakes), 0.25% (0.03 to 0.88%) for paprika (ground or cracked), and 0.64% (0.17 to 1.6%) for red pepper (hot red pepper, e.g., chili, cayenne; ground, cracked, crushed, or flakes). Salmonella isolates were serotyped, and genomes were sequenced. Samples of these same 11 spice types were also examined from shipments of imported spices offered for entry to the United States from 1 October 2011 to 30 September 2015. Salmonella prevalence estimates (based on analysis of two 375-g composite samples) for shipments of imported spices were 1.7 to 18%. The Salmonella prevalence estimates for spices offered for sale at retail establishments for all of the spice types except dehydrated garlic and basil were significantly lower than estimates for shipments of imported spice offered for entry.

Distal Communication by Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): Evidence for Common Ground?

PubMed

Leavens, David A; Reamer, Lisa A; Mareno, Mary Catherine; Russell, Jamie L; Wilson, Daniel; Schapiro, Steven J; Hopkins, William D

2015-01-01

van der Goot et al. (2014) proposed that distal, deictic communication indexed the appreciation of the psychological state of a common ground between a signaler and a receiver. In their study, great apes did not signal distally, which they construed as evidence for the human uniqueness of a sense of common ground. This study exposed 166 chimpanzees to food and an experimenter, at an angular displacement, to ask, "Do chimpanzees display distal communication?" Apes were categorized as (a) proximal or (b) distal signalers on each of four trials. The number of chimpanzees who communicated proximally did not statistically differ from the number who signaled distally. Therefore, contrary to the claim by van der Goot et al., apes do communicate distally. © 2015 The Authors. Child Development © 2015 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Design and Development of an Equipotential Voltage Reference (Grounding) System for a Low-Cost Rapid-Development Modular Spacecraft Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lukash, James A.; Daley, Earl

2011-01-01

This work describes the design and development effort to adapt rapid-development space hardware by creating a ground system using solutions of low complexity, mass, & cost. The Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) spacecraft is based on the modular common spacecraft bus architecture developed at NASA Ames Research Center. The challenge was building upon the existing modular common bus design and development work and improving the LADEE spacecraft design by adding an Equipotential Voltage Reference (EVeR) system, commonly referred to as a ground system. This would aid LADEE in meeting Electromagnetic Environmental Effects (E3) requirements, thereby making the spacecraft more compatible with itself and its space environment. The methods used to adapt existing hardware are presented, including provisions which may be used on future spacecraft.

GROUND-WATER MODEL TESTING: SYSTEMATIC EVALUATION AND TESTING OF CODE FUNCTIONALITY AND PERFORMANCE

EPA Science Inventory

Effective use of ground-water simulation codes as management decision tools requires the establishment of their functionality, performance characteristics, and applicability to the problem at hand. This is accomplished through application of a systematic code-testing protocol and...

Nesting songbirds assess spatial heterogeneity of predatory chipmunks by eavesdropping on their vocalizations.

PubMed

Emmering, Quinn C; Schmidt, Kenneth A

2011-11-01

1. Information benefits organisms living in a heterogeneous world by reducing uncertainty associated with decision making. For breeding passerines, information reliably associated with nest failure, such as predator activity, can be used to adjust breeding decisions leading to higher reproductive success. 2. Predator vocalizations may provide a source of current information for songbirds to assess spatial heterogeneity in risk that enables them to make appropriate nest-site and territory placement decisions. 3. To determine whether ground-nesting passerines eavesdrop on a common nest predator, the eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus), we conducted a playback experiment to create spatial heterogeneity in perceived predation risk. We established three types of playback plots broadcasting: (i) chipmunk vocalizations (increased risk), (ii) frog calls (procedural control) and (iii) no playback (silent control). We conducted point counts from plot centres to compare bird activity among treatments and measured the distance of two ground-nesting species' nests, ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) and veery (Catharus fuscescens), from playback stations. 4. Ground-nesting birds significantly reduced their activities up to 30 m from plot centres in response to playbacks of chipmunk calls suggesting an adjustment of territory placement or a reduction of overt behaviours (e.g. singing frequency). In contrast, less vulnerable canopy-nesting species showed no effect across experimental plots. Correspondingly, veeries and ovenbirds nested significantly further from chipmunk playback stations relative to control stations. Interestingly, the magnitude of this response was more than twice as high in ovenbirds than in veeries. 5. Our findings indicate that some breeding passerines may eavesdrop on predator communication, providing an explanation for how some birds assess spatial heterogeneity in predation risk to make breeding site decisions. Thus, heterospecific eavesdropping may be a common feature of predator-prey interactions that allows birds to avoid nest predators in space and provide greater stability to predator-prey dynamics. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2011 British Ecological Society.

Common Ground: Education & the Military Meeting the Needs of Students. The Report of the NASBE Study Group on Education and the Military

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Association of State Boards of Education, 2010

2010-01-01

Community, higher education, and business partnerships are often touted as critical links to helping students graduate from high school and making sure that they are college- and career-ready when they do. Now a panel of state board of education members from across the country has found common ground for partnerships with the country's single…

A common ground in clinical discussion groups: Intersubjective resonance and implicit operational theories.

PubMed

Bernardi, Ricardo

2017-10-01

Clinical discussion groups based on the Three-Level Model for Observing Patient Transformations (3-LM) enable us to reflect on the clinical common ground shared by psychoanalysts who have different theoretical frameworks. The very existence of this common ground is controversial. While analysts such as Wallerstein support it, others, like Green, think it is just a myth. In their 2005 controversy Wallerstein and Green proposed an observation procedure that might clarify this matter. This procedure bears great similarity to the one used by clinical discussion groups that apply the 3-LM. The study of numerous theoretically heterogeneous groups that use this model shows that communication is possible in crucial areas. We may thus conclude that a partial and dynamic common ground exists. At a phenomenological level, certain fragments of material produce a shared resonance that enriches clinical understanding for the whole group. Communication is also possible with regard to the conceptualization of patient changes, although some controversial issues persist at this level. Finally, at the level of theoretical explanations, divergences concerning abstract theories do not prevent a fertile interaction among 'in vivo' personal implicit theories. The latter give rise to the actual operational frameworks underlying participants' approach to clinical problems. Copyright © 2017 Institute of Psychoanalysis.

Guidelines for Coding and Entering Ground-Water Data into the Ground-Water Site Inventory Data Base, Version 4.6, U.S. Geological Survey, Washington Water Science Center

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

collected, code both. Code Type of Analysis Code Type of Analysis A Physical properties I Common ions/trace elements B Common ions J Sanitary analysis and...1) A ground-water site is coded as if it is a single point, not a geographic area or property . (2) Latitude and longitude should be determined at a...terrace from an adjacent upland on one side, and a lowland coast or valley on the other. Due to the effects of erosion, the terrace surface may not be as

First-Time Migration in Juvenile Common Cuckoos Documented by Satellite Tracking

PubMed Central

Willemoes, Mikkel; Thomson, Robert L.; Tolvanen, Jere; Rutila, Jarkko; Samaš, Peter; Strandberg, Roine; Grim, Tomáš; Fossøy, Frode; Stokke, Bård Gunnar; Thorup, Kasper

2016-01-01

Being an obligate parasite, juvenile common cuckoos Cuculus canorus are thought to reach their African wintering grounds from Palearctic breeding grounds without guidance from experienced conspecifics but this has not been documented. We used satellite tracking to study naïve migrating common cuckoos. Juvenile cuckoos left breeding sites in Finland moving slowly and less consistently directed than adult cuckoos. Migration of the juveniles (N = 5) was initiated later than adults (N = 20), was directed toward the southwest–significantly different from the initial southeast direction of adults–and included strikingly long Baltic Sea crossings (N = 3). After initial migration of juvenile cuckoos toward Poland, the migration direction changed and proceeded due south, directly toward the winter grounds, as revealed by a single tag transmitting until arrival in Northwest Angola where northern adult cuckoos regularly winter. Compared to adults, the juvenile travelled straighter and faster, potentially correcting for wind drift along the route. That both migration route and timing differed from adults indicates that juvenile cuckoos are able to reach proper wintering grounds independently, guided only by their innate migration programme. PMID:28005960

Superfund record of decision (EPA Region 3): Stanley Kessler Superfund Site, King of Prussia, PA, September 1994

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

Not Available

1994-09-29

This decision document presents the final selected remedial action for the Stanley Kessler Superfund Site (the Site). The selected remedy for the Site will restore contaminated ground water to its beneficial use by cleaning up the ground water to background levels as established by EPA or the appropriate Maximum Contaminant Levels or non-zero Maximum Contaminant Level Goals established under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act whichever is more stringent. The selected remedy is the only planned action for the Site.

Metrics for Nitrate Contamination of Ground Water at CAFO Land Application Site - Arkansas Dairy Study

EPA Science Inventory

Nitrate is the most common chemical contaminant found in ground water. Recent research by U.S. EPA has shown that land application of manure can cause nitrate contamination of ground water above the maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) of 10 mg NO3-N/ L at significant depths. This...

Pragmatics in acquisition.

PubMed

Clark, Eve V

2014-07-01

Recent research has highlighted several areas where pragmatics plays a central role in the process of acquiring a first language. In talking with their children, adults display their uses of language in each context, and offer extensive feedback on form, meaning, and usage, within their conversational exchanges. These interactions depend critically on joint attention, physical co-presence, and conversational co-presence - essential factors that help children assign meanings, establish reference, and add to common ground. For young children, getting their meaning across also depends on realizing language is conventional, that words contrast in meaning, and that they need to observe Grice's cooperative principle in conversation. Adults make use of the same pragmatic principles as they solicit repairs to what children say, and thereby offer feedback on both what the language is and how to use it.

Avoiding common pitfalls in qualitative data collection and transcription.

PubMed

Easton, K L; McComish, J F; Greenberg, R

2000-09-01

The subjective nature of qualitative research necessitates scrupulous scientific methods to ensure valid results. Although qualitative methods such as grounded theory, phenomenology, and ethnography yield rich data, consumers of research need to be able to trust the findings reported in such studies. Researchers are responsible for establishing the trustworthiness of qualitative research through a variety of ways. Specific challenges faced in the field can seriously threaten the dependability of the data. However, by minimizing potential errors that can occur when doing fieldwork, researchers can increase the trustworthiness of the study. The purpose of this article is to present three of the pitfalls that can occur in qualitative research during data collection and transcription: equipment failure, environmental hazards, and transcription errors. Specific strategies to minimize the risk for avoidable errors will be discussed.

Emerging New Physics with Major Implications for Energy Technology, Biology, and Medicine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mallove, Eugene F.

2003-03-01

In the past 15 years, reproducible experiments and prototype technological devices have emerged that may revolutionize much of physics and chemistry(despite the common perception that modern physics is on very solid ground and is nearing a "Theory of Everything"). This new physics has flourished despite very strong opposition by the entrenched foundational paradigms within physics and chemistry ( not to forget vested financial interests within academia). In fact, beginning with "cold fusion" (more generically low-energy nuclear reactions, LENR), one of the most important discoveries of the late 20th Century has been the irrefutable proof of the failure of the physics establishment to deal ethically and appropriately with potential and real paradigm shifts, when its "sacred writ" ( i.e. Its textbooks) -- are threatened with the need for massive revision.

North American migratory bird management issues

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilson, M.H.; Ryan, D.A.

1995-01-01

As human population and industry have grown in North America, land-use practices have greatly altered the landscape. As a result of this changed landscape, several migratory bird populations have declined in recent years. For waterbirds, there have been several milestones: the 1986 North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) and the 1989 North American Wetlands Conservation Act. As a result, the United States and Canada have established 12 habitat and 2 species joint ventures. The primary emphasis of waterfowl management in Canada-U.S. has been land purchase and lease, wetland restoration, and coordination of harvest rates. Because of its different biological and cultural context, Mexico has established other conservation priorities. Mexico has had a long-standing concern to conserve its biodiversity and, in addition, conservation of Mexican resources goes hand in hand with human community development. Unlike Canada-U.S., wetland conservation projects in'Mexico include information gathering, environmental education, and management planning for its 32 priority wetlands. For migratory landbirds' scientists attribute declines in several migrant populations to forest fragmentation on the breeding grounds, deforestation on the wintering grounds, pesticide poisoning, or the cumulative effects of habitat changes. In 1990, the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Program, commonly known as Partners in Flight-Aves de las Americas-was initiated. The next step that is being proposed is the formation of a habitat conservation plan for landbirds modeled after the NAWMP. Management of migratory birds requires a strong international approach in order to coordinate actions for the benefit of migratory birds, their habitats, and the uses they provide.

Regenerative Fuel Cell Power Systems for Lunar and Martian Surface Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guzik, Monica C.; Jakupca, Ian J.; Gilligan, Ryan P.; Bennett, William R.; Smith, Phillip J.; Fincannon, James

2017-01-01

This paper presents the preliminary results of a recent National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) study funded under the Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Modular Power Systems (AMPS) project. This study evaluated multiple surface locations on both the Moon and Mars, with the goal of establishing a common approach towards technology development and system design for surface power systems that use Regenerative Fuel Cell (RFC) energy storage methods. One RFC design may not be applicable to all surface locations; however, AMPS seeks to find a unified architecture, or series of architectures, that leverages a single development approach to answer the technology need for RFC systems. Early system trades were performed to select the most effective fuel cell and electrolyzer architectures based on current state-of-the-art technology, whereas later trades will establish a detailed system design to enable a near-term ground (non-flight) demonstration. This paper focuses on the initial trade studies, presents the selected fuel cell and electrolyzer architectures for follow-on system design studies, and suggests areas for further technology investment.

Remote Sensing of Soil Moisture Using Airborne Hyperspectral Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

the relationship between reflec- tance and soil moisture where there is ground cover and ascertain the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ( NDVI ...in those areas. This could establish a minimum NDVI for ground cover that would allow for estimation of soil moisture. Alternatively, they could

Nevada Test and Training Range Depleted Uranium Target Disposal Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-01

to establish the probability and scope of such transport. Long-Term Fate of Depleted Uranium at Aberdeen and Yuma Proving Grounds Phase II: Human...1990. Long-Term Fate of Depleted Uranium at Aberdeen and Yuma Proving Grounds Final Report, Phase 1: Geochemical Transport and Modeling. Los...of Depleted Uranium at Aberdeen and Yuma Proving Grounds , Phase II: Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessments. Los Alamos National Laboratory

Retrieving the ground state of spin glasses using thermal noise: Performance of quantum annealing at finite temperatures.

PubMed

Nishimura, Kohji; Nishimori, Hidetoshi; Ochoa, Andrew J; Katzgraber, Helmut G

2016-09-01

We study the problem to infer the ground state of a spin-glass Hamiltonian using data from another Hamiltonian with interactions disturbed by noise from the original Hamiltonian, motivated by the ground-state inference in quantum annealing on a noisy device. It is shown that the average Hamming distance between the inferred spin configuration and the true ground state is minimized when the temperature of the noisy system is kept at a finite value, and not at zero temperature. We present a spin-glass generalization of a well-established result that the ground state of a purely ferromagnetic Hamiltonian is best inferred at a finite temperature in the sense of smallest Hamming distance when the original ferromagnetic interactions are disturbed by noise. We use the numerical transfer-matrix method to establish the existence of an optimal finite temperature in one- and two-dimensional systems. Our numerical results are supported by mean-field calculations, which give an explicit expression of the optimal temperature to infer the spin-glass ground state as a function of variances of the distributions of the original interactions and the noise. The mean-field prediction is in qualitative agreement with numerical data. Implications on postprocessing of quantum annealing on a noisy device are discussed.

Arsenic in ground water of the United States: occurrence and geochemistry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Welch, Alan H.; Westjohn, D.B.; Helsel, Dennis R.; Wanty, Richard B.

2000-01-01

Concentrations of naturally occurring arsenic in ground water vary regionally due to a combination of climate and geology. Although slightly less than half of 30,000 arsenic analyses of ground water in the United States were 1 μg/L, about 10% exceeded 10 μg/L. At a broad regional scale, arsenic concentrations exceeding 10 μg/L appear to be more frequently observed in the western United States than in the eastern half. Arsenic concentrations in ground water of the Appalachian Highlands and the Atlantic Plain generally are very low ( 1 μg/L). Concentrations are somewhat greater in the Interior Plains and the Rocky Mountain System. Investigations of ground water in New England, Michigan, Minnesota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin within the last decade suggest that arsenic concentrations exceeding 10 μg/L are more widespread and common than previously recognized.Arsenic release from iron oxide appears to be the most common cause of widespread arsenic concentrations exceeding 10 μg/L in ground water. This can occur in response to different geochemical conditions, including release of arsenic to ground water through reaction of iron oxide with either natural or anthropogenic (i.e., petroleum products) organic carbon. Iron oxide also can release arsenic to alkaline ground water, such as that found in some felsic volcanic rocks and alkaline aquifers of the western United States. Sulfide minerals are both a source and sink for arsenic. Geothermal water and high evaporation rates also are associated with arsenic concentrations 10g/L in ground and surface water, particularly in the west.Arsenic release from iron oxide appears to be the most common cause of widespread arsenic concentrations exceeding 10 µg/L a ground water. This can occur in response to different geochemical conditions, including release of arsenic to ground water through reaction of iron oxide with either natural or anthropogenic (i.e., petroleum products) organic carbon. Iron oxide also can release arsenic to alkaline ground water, such as that found in some felsic volcanic rocks and alkaline aquifers of the Western United States. Sulfide minerals are both a source and sink for arsenic. Geothermal water and high evaporation rates also are associated with arsenic concentrations ≥ 10g/L in ground and surface water, particularly in the west.

Comparison of Airborne and Ground-Based Function Allocation Concepts for NextGen Using Human-In-The-Loop Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wing, David J.; Prevot, Thomas; Murdoch, Jennifer L.; Cabrall, Christopher D.; Homola, Jeffrey R.; Martin, Lynne H.; Mercer, Joey S.; Hoadley, Sherwood T.; Wilson, Sara R.; Hubbs, Clay E.;

Water-quality conditions at selected landfills in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, 1986-92

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ferrell, G.M.; Smith, D.G.

1995-01-01

Water-quality conditions at five municipal landfills in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, were studied during 1986-92. Analytical results of water samples from monitoring wells and streams at and near the landfills were used to evaluate effects of leachate on surface and ground water. Ground-water levels at monitoring wells were used to determine directions of ground-water flow at the landfills. Data from previous studies were used for analysis of temporal trends in selected water-quality properties and chemical constituents. Effects of leachate, such as large biochemical- and chemical-oxygen demands, generally were evident in small streams originating within the landfills, whereas effects of leachate generally were not evident in most of the larger streams. In larger streams, surface-water quality upstream and downstream from most of the landfills was similar. However, the chemical quality of water in Irwin Creek appears to have been affected by the Statesville Road landfill. Concentrations of several constituents indicative of leachate were larger in samples collected from Irwin Creek downstream from the Statesville Road landfill than in samples collected from Irwin Creek upstream from the landfill. The effect of leachate on ground-water quality generally was largest in water from wells adjacent to waste-disposal cells. Concentrations of most constituents considered indicative of leachate generally were smaller with increasing distance from waste-disposal cells. Water samples from offsite wells generally indicated no effect or very small effects of leachate. Action levels designated by the Mecklenburg County Engineering Department and maximum contaminant levels established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency were exceeded in some samples from the landfills. Ground-water samples exceeded action levels and maximum contaminant levels more commonly than surface-water samples. Iron and manganese were the constituents that most commonly exceeded action levels in water samples from the landfills. Synthetic organic compounds were detected more commonly and in larger concentrations in ground-water samples than in surface-water samples. Concentrations of synthetic organic compounds detected in water samples from monitoring sites at the landfills generally were much less than maximum contaminant levels. However, concentrations of some chlorinated organic compounds exceeded maximum contaminant levels in samples from several monitoring wells at the Harrisburg Road and York Road landfills. Trend analysis indicated statistically significant temporal changes in concentrations of selected water-quality constituents and properties at some of the monitoring sites. Trends detected for the Holbrooks Road and Statesville Road landfills generally indicated an improvement in water quality and a decrease in effects of leachate at most monitoring sites at these landfills from 1979 to 1992. Water-quality trends detected for monitoring sites at the Harrisburg Road and York Road landfills, the largest landfills in the study, differed in magnitude and direction. Upward trends generally were detected for sites near recently closed waste-disposal cells, whereas downward trends generally were detected for sites near older waste-disposal cells. Temporal trends in water quality generally reflected changes in degradation processes associated with the aging of landfill wastes.

A conceptual framework for quality assessment and management of biodiversity data.

PubMed

Veiga, Allan Koch; Saraiva, Antonio Mauro; Chapman, Arthur David; Morris, Paul John; Gendreau, Christian; Schigel, Dmitry; Robertson, Tim James

2017-01-01

The increasing availability of digitized biodiversity data worldwide, provided by an increasing number of institutions and researchers, and the growing use of those data for a variety of purposes have raised concerns related to the "fitness for use" of such data and the impact of data quality (DQ) on the outcomes of analyses, reports, and decisions. A consistent approach to assess and manage data quality is currently critical for biodiversity data users. However, achieving this goal has been particularly challenging because of idiosyncrasies inherent in the concept of quality. DQ assessment and management cannot be performed if we have not clearly established the quality needs from a data user's standpoint. This paper defines a formal conceptual framework to support the biodiversity informatics community allowing for the description of the meaning of "fitness for use" from a data user's perspective in a common and standardized manner. This proposed framework defines nine concepts organized into three classes: DQ Needs, DQ Solutions and DQ Report. The framework is intended to formalize human thinking into well-defined components to make it possible to share and reuse concepts of DQ needs, solutions and reports in a common way among user communities. With this framework, we establish a common ground for the collaborative development of solutions for DQ assessment and management based on data fitness for use principles. To validate the framework, we present a proof of concept based on a case study at the Museum of Comparative Zoology of Harvard University. In future work, we will use the framework to engage the biodiversity informatics community to formalize and share DQ profiles related to DQ needs across the community.

One common way - The strategic and methodological influence on environmental planning across Europe

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

Jiricka, Alexandra, E-mail: alexandra.jiricka@boku.ac.a; Proebstl, Ulrike, E-mail: ulrike.proebstl@boku.ac.a

In the last decades the European Union exerted influence on precautionary environmental planning by the establishment of several Directives. The most relevant were the Habitat-Directive, the EIA-Directive, the SEA-Directive and the Water Framework Directive. Comparing these EU policies in the area of environmental precaution it becomes obvious that there is a lot of common ground. Thus, the conclusion seems likely that the European Union, in doing so, has intended to establish general planning concepts through introducing several methodological steps indicated by the regulations. The goal of this article is firstly to point out, which are the common planning principles, convertedmore » by methodological elements and secondly examine the consideration of these planning concepts by the implementation and application in the member states. In this context it is analysed whether the connections and divergences between the directives lead to significant differences in the implementation process. To this aim the directives are shortly introduced and significant steps of the processes regulated by them are outlined. In the second steps the national legal implementation in the Alpine states and its consequences for the practical application are discussed. The results show a heterogeneous application of the EU principles. Within the comparative view on the four directives influence and causalities between the national implementation and the practical application were identified, which can be simplified as four types. Since a coherent strategic and methodological concept for improving environmental precaution planning from part of the EU is noticeable, more unity and comparability within the implementation is desirable, particularly in areas with comparable habitats such as the alpine space. Beyond this the trade-off between the directives poses an important task for the future.« less

Establishment and persistence of common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) in disturbed soil as a function of an urban-rural macro-environment

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

ZISKA, L. H.; GEORGE, K.; FRENZ, D. A.

2006-09-28

No data are available on whether rising carbon dioxide concentration [CO 2] or increased air temperature can alter the establishment and persistence of common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) within a plant community following soil disturbance. To determine ragweed longevity, we exposed disturbed soil with a common seed bank population to an in situ temperature and [CO 2] gradient along an urban-rural transect beginning in early 2002. No other consistent differences in meteorological variables (e.g. wind speed, humidity, PAR, tropospheric ozone) as a function of urbanization were documented over the course of the study (2002-2005). Above-ground measurements of biomass over thismore » period demonstrated that ragweed along the transect responded to urban induced increases in [CO 2]/temperature with peak biomass being observed at this location by the end of 2003. However, by the Fall of 2004, and continuing through 2005, urban ragweed populations had dwindled to a few plants. The temporal decline in ragweed populations was not associated with increased disease, herbivory or auto-allelopathy, but was part of a demographic reduction in the total number of annual plant species observed for the urban location. In a separate experiment, we showed that such a demographic shift is consistent with CO 2/temperature induced increases in biomass and litter accumulation, with a subsequent reduction in germination / survival of annual plant species. Overall, these data indicate that [CO 2]/temperature differences associated with urbanization may increase initial ragweed productivity and pollen production, but suggest that long-term, multi-year persistence of ragweed in the urban macro-environment may be dependent on other factors.« less

A conceptual framework for quality assessment and management of biodiversity data

PubMed Central

Saraiva, Antonio Mauro; Chapman, Arthur David; Morris, Paul John; Gendreau, Christian; Schigel, Dmitry; Robertson, Tim James

2017-01-01

The increasing availability of digitized biodiversity data worldwide, provided by an increasing number of institutions and researchers, and the growing use of those data for a variety of purposes have raised concerns related to the "fitness for use" of such data and the impact of data quality (DQ) on the outcomes of analyses, reports, and decisions. A consistent approach to assess and manage data quality is currently critical for biodiversity data users. However, achieving this goal has been particularly challenging because of idiosyncrasies inherent in the concept of quality. DQ assessment and management cannot be performed if we have not clearly established the quality needs from a data user’s standpoint. This paper defines a formal conceptual framework to support the biodiversity informatics community allowing for the description of the meaning of "fitness for use" from a data user’s perspective in a common and standardized manner. This proposed framework defines nine concepts organized into three classes: DQ Needs, DQ Solutions and DQ Report. The framework is intended to formalize human thinking into well-defined components to make it possible to share and reuse concepts of DQ needs, solutions and reports in a common way among user communities. With this framework, we establish a common ground for the collaborative development of solutions for DQ assessment and management based on data fitness for use principles. To validate the framework, we present a proof of concept based on a case study at the Museum of Comparative Zoology of Harvard University. In future work, we will use the framework to engage the biodiversity informatics community to formalize and share DQ profiles related to DQ needs across the community. PMID:28658288

The 1987 Ground Vortex Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Margason, Richard J. (Editor)

1988-01-01

The purpose of this workshop was to discuss the current understanding of the ground vortex phenomena and their effects on aircraft, and to establish directions for further research on advanced, high-performance aircraft designs, particularly those concepts utilizing powered-lift systems; e.g., V/STOL. ASTOVL, and STOL aircraft.

Greening Montessori School Grounds by Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, Robin; Cosco, Nilda

2013-01-01

Robin Moore and Nilda Cosco view the Montessori approach to the prepared environment as overlapping their understanding of the naturalization of school grounds. As they present the possibilities for a naturalized setting to overcome sedentary lifestyles and maximize learning in the outdoors, they establish necessary components for success:…

STOL aircraft transient ground effects. Part 1: Fundamental analytical study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldhammer, M. I.; Crowder, J. P.; Smyth, D. N.

1975-01-01

The first phases of a fundamental analytical study of STOL ground effects were presented. Ground effects were studied in two dimensions to establish the importance of nonlinear effects, to examine transient aspects of ascent and descent near the ground, and to study the modelling of the jet impingement on the ground. Powered lift system effects were treated using the jet-flap analogy. The status of a three-dimensional jet-wing ground effect method was presented. It was shown, for two-dimensional unblown airfoils, that the transient effects are small and are primarily due to airfoil/freestream/ground orientation rather than to unsteady effects. The three-dimensional study showed phenomena similar to the two-dimensional results. For unblown wings, the wing/freestream/ground orientation effects were shown to be of the same order of magnitude as for unblown airfoils. This may be used to study the nonplanar, nonlinear, jet-wing ground effect.

Slit Effect of Common Ground Patterns in Affecting Cross-Talk Noise between Two Parallel Signal Traces on Printed Circuit Boards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maeno, Tsuyoshi; Sakurai, Yukihiko; Unou, Takanori; Ichikawa, Kouji; Fujiwara, Osamu

It is well-known that electromagnetic (EM) disturbances in vehicle-mounted radios are mainly caused by conducted noise currents flowing through wiring-harnesses from vehicle-mounted printed circuit boards (PCBs) with common ground patterns with slits. To evaluate the noise current outflows from the PCBs of this kind, we previously measured noise current outflows from four types of simple three-layer PCBs having two perpendicular signal traces and different ground patterns with/without slits, and showed that slits on a ground pattern allow conducted noise currents to flow out from PCBs, while the levels for the symmetric slits ground type are smaller compared to the case for two asymmetric slits ground types. In the present study, to further investigate the above finding, we fabricated six types of simple two-layer PCBs having two parallel signal traces and different ground patterns with/without slits, and measured the cross-talk noise between the traces. As a result, we found that the ground patterns with the slits perpendicular to the traces increase the cross-talk noise levels, which are larger by 19-42 dB than those for the ground pattern with no slits, while the ground patterns with the slits in parallel with the traces can suppress the noise levels, which are slightly smaller by 2.5-4.5 dB compared to the case for the no-slit ground pattern. These results were confirmed by the FDTD simulation, and were also qualitatively explained from an equivalent bridge circuit model we previously proposed.

Forest habitat associations of the golden-mantled ground squirrel: Implications for fuels management

Treesearch

Katharine R. Shick; Dean E. Pearson; Leonard F. Ruggiero

2006-01-01

Golden-mantled ground squirrels are commonly associated with high-elevation habitats near or above upper timberline. This species also occurs in fire-adapted, low-elevation forests that are targeted for forest health restoration (FHR) treatments intended to remove encroaching understory trees and thin overstory trees. Hence, the golden-mantled ground squirrel...

Zebra mussel beds: an effective feeding ground for Ponto-Caspian gobies or suitable shelter for their prey?

PubMed

Kobak, Jarosław; Poznańska, Małgorzata; Jermacz, Łukasz; Kakareko, Tomasz; Prądzynski, Daniel; Łodygowska, Małgorzata; Montowska, Karolina; Bącela-Spychalska, Karolina

2016-01-01

Aggregations of the Ponto-Caspian invasive zebra mussel ( Dreissena polymorpha ) constitute a suitable habitat for macroinvertebrates, considerably increasing their abundance and providing effective antipredator protection. Thus, the overall effect of a mussel bed on particular predator species may vary from positive to negative, depending on both prey density increase and predator ability to prey in a structurally complex habitat. Alien Ponto-Caspian goby fish are likely to be facilitated when introduced into new areas by zebra mussels, provided that they are capable of utilizing mussel beds as habitat and feeding grounds. We ran laboratory experiments to find which prey (chironomid larvae) densities (from ca. 500 to 2,000 individuals m -2 ) in a mussel bed make it a more beneficial feeding ground for the racer goby Babka gymnotrachelus (RG) and western tubenose goby Proterorhinus semilunaris (WTG) compared to sandy and stone substrata (containing the basic prey density of 500 ind. m -2 ). Moreover, we checked how food availability affects habitat selection by fish. Mussel beds became more suitable for fish than alternative mineral substrata when food abundance was at least two times higher (1,000 vs. 500 ind. m -2 ), regardless of fish size and species. WTG was associated with mussel beds regardless of its size and prey density, whereas RG switched to this habitat when it became a better feeding ground than alternative substrata. Larger RG exhibited a stronger affinity for mussels than small individuals. WTG fed more efficiently from a mussel bed at high food abundances than RG. A literature review has shown that increasing chironomid density, which in our study was sufficient to make a mussel habitat an attractive feeding ground for the gobies, is commonly observed in mussel beds in the field. Therefore, we conclude that zebra mussels may positively affect the alien goby species and are likely to facilitate their establishment in novel areas, contributing to an invasional meltdown in the Ponto-Caspian invasive community.

The View from the Trees: Nocturnal Bull Ants, Myrmecia midas, Use the Surrounding Panorama While Descending from Trees

PubMed Central

Freas, Cody A.; Wystrach, Antione; Narendra, Ajay; Cheng, Ken

2018-01-01

Solitary foraging ants commonly use visual cues from their environment for navigation. Foragers are known to store visual scenes from the surrounding panorama for later guidance to known resources and to return successfully back to the nest. Several ant species travel not only on the ground, but also climb trees to locate resources. The navigational information that guides animals back home during their descent, while their body is perpendicular to the ground, is largely unknown. Here, we investigate in a nocturnal ant, Myrmecia midas, whether foragers travelling down a tree use visual information to return home. These ants establish nests at the base of a tree on which they forage and in addition, they also forage on nearby trees. We collected foragers and placed them on the trunk of the nest tree or a foraging tree in multiple compass directions. Regardless of the displacement location, upon release ants immediately moved to the side of the trunk facing the nest during their descent. When ants were released on non-foraging trees near the nest, displaced foragers again travelled around the tree to the side facing the nest. All the displaced foragers reached the correct side of the tree well before reaching the ground. However, when the terrestrial cues around the tree were blocked, foragers were unable to orient correctly, suggesting that the surrounding panorama is critical to successful orientation on the tree. Through analysis of panoramic pictures, we show that views acquired at the base of the foraging tree nest can provide reliable nest-ward orientation up to 1.75 m above the ground. We discuss, how animals descending from trees compare their current scene to a memorised scene and report on the similarities in visually guided behaviour while navigating on the ground and descending from trees. PMID:29422880

The View from the Trees: Nocturnal Bull Ants, Myrmecia midas, Use the Surrounding Panorama While Descending from Trees.

PubMed

Freas, Cody A; Wystrach, Antione; Narendra, Ajay; Cheng, Ken

2018-01-01

Solitary foraging ants commonly use visual cues from their environment for navigation. Foragers are known to store visual scenes from the surrounding panorama for later guidance to known resources and to return successfully back to the nest. Several ant species travel not only on the ground, but also climb trees to locate resources. The navigational information that guides animals back home during their descent, while their body is perpendicular to the ground, is largely unknown. Here, we investigate in a nocturnal ant, Myrmecia midas , whether foragers travelling down a tree use visual information to return home. These ants establish nests at the base of a tree on which they forage and in addition, they also forage on nearby trees. We collected foragers and placed them on the trunk of the nest tree or a foraging tree in multiple compass directions. Regardless of the displacement location, upon release ants immediately moved to the side of the trunk facing the nest during their descent. When ants were released on non-foraging trees near the nest, displaced foragers again travelled around the tree to the side facing the nest. All the displaced foragers reached the correct side of the tree well before reaching the ground. However, when the terrestrial cues around the tree were blocked, foragers were unable to orient correctly, suggesting that the surrounding panorama is critical to successful orientation on the tree. Through analysis of panoramic pictures, we show that views acquired at the base of the foraging tree nest can provide reliable nest-ward orientation up to 1.75 m above the ground. We discuss, how animals descending from trees compare their current scene to a memorised scene and report on the similarities in visually guided behaviour while navigating on the ground and descending from trees.

Comparison of superficial digital flexor tendon loading on asphalt and sand in horses at the walk and trot.

PubMed

Crevier-Denoix, N; Ravary-Plumioën, B; Vergari, C; Camus, M; Holden-Douilly, L; Falala, S; Jerbi, H; Desquilbet, L; Chateau, H; Denoix, J-M; Pourcelot, P

2013-12-01

The incidence of superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) injuries is one of the highest of all equine musculoskeletal conditions. Horses with SDFT injuries commonly show no improvement of lameness on soft ground, unlike those suffering from distal bone or joint lesions. The aim of this study was to compare the SDFT loading in five horses at the walk and trot on asphalt and sand using a non-invasive ultrasonic tendon force measurement device. Three horses were equipped with the ultrasonic device, whereas the other two horses were equipped with the ultrasonic device and a dynamometric horseshoe (DHS); the DHS was used to calibrate the measured values of tendon speed of sound (SOS) converted to tendon force, while a previously established ground reaction force pattern was used to calibrate SOS measurements for the other three horses. Although the horses tended to be slower on S, maximal tendon force was higher on sand than on asphalt at the trot (+6%); there was no significant difference between the two surfaces at the walk. The duration of tendon loading was longer on S (+5%) and the area under the tendon force-time curve was larger on S (+10%) at both walk and trot. SDFT loading is significantly affected by the ground surface and the observed increase in SDFT loading on sand compared with asphalt is consistent with clinical observations in horses with SDFT injuries. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Living with the Choice: A Grounded Theory of Iraqi Refugee Resettlement to the U.S.

PubMed

Davenport, Lisa A

2017-04-01

Though the United States has become a place of increasing resettlement for refugees, particularly Iraqi refugees who have been forced to flee their homeland due to violence, persecution and civil unrest, little is known about Iraqi refugee resettlement in the United States, or the way in which resettlement impacts health and adjustment. A grounded theory study was conducted to develop a substantive theory of Iraqi refugee resettlement. Participants in the qualitative study included 29 Iraqi refugees and 2 community partners who participated in face-to face interviews. Data analysis and interpretation revealed fundamental concepts related to Iraqi refugee resettlement. Results of analysis showed that for Iraqis choosing to resettle here, the outcome is dichotomous: satisfaction or regret. The outcome is influenced by contextual factors as well as facilitating and hindering intervening conditions during the basic social process of resettlement transition. Each refugee's story is unique, yet all share common threads. This study allowed Iraqi refugees the opportunity to voice their personal experiences of resettling in America, and revealed life stories that inspire and illuminate a process that can guide health care delivery as they cope with the stresses of their journey. As a result, an in-depth storyline was established to explain the process of resettlement for Iraqi refugees. The development of this resettlement theory, grounded in Iraqi refugee experience, has the potential to guide nursing education, enhance the efficacy of practice, inform policy development and form the basis for research.

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

Kohler, Lars; Hadt, Ryan G.; Hayes, Dugan

In this paper we describe the synthesis of a new phenanthroline ligand, 2,9-di(2,4,6-tri-isopropyl-phenyl)-1,10-phenanthroline (bL2) and its use as the blocking ligand in the preparation of two new heteroleptic Cu(I)diimine complexes. Analysis of the CuHETPHEN single crystal structures shows a distinct distortion from an ideal tetrahedral geometry around the Cu(I) center, forced by the secondary phenanthroline ligand rotating to accommodate the isopropyl groups of bL2. The increased steric bulk of bL2 as compared to the more commonly used 2,9-dimesityl-1,10-phenanthroline blocking ligand prohibits intramolecular ligand–ligand interaction, which is unique among CuHETPHEN complexes. The ground state optical and redox properties of CuHETPHEN complexesmore » are responsive to the substitution on the blocking ligand even though the differences in structure are far removed from the Cu(I) center. Transient optical spectroscopy was used to understand the excited state kinetics in both coordinating and non-coordinating solvents following visible excitation. Substitution of the blocking phenanthroline ligand has a significant impact on the 3MLCT decay and can be used to increase the excited state lifetime by 50%. Electronic structure calculations established relationships between ground and excited state properties, and general entatic state concepts are discussed for copper photosensitizers. This work contributes to the growing library of CuHETPHEN complexes and broadens the fundamental understanding of their ground and excited state properties.« less

On the analysis of studies of choice

PubMed Central

Mullins, Eamonn; Agunwamba, Christian C.; Donohoe, Anthony J.

1982-01-01

In a review of 103 sets of data from 23 different studies of choice, Baum (1979) concluded that whereas undermatching was most commonly observed for responses, the time measure generally conformed to the matching relation. A reexamination of the evidence presented by Baum concludes that undermatching is the most commonly observed finding for both measures. Use of the coefficient of determination by both Baum (1979) and de Villiers (1977) for assessing when matching occurs is criticized on statistical grounds. An alternative to the loss-in-predictability criterion used by Baum (1979) is proposed. This alternative statistic has a simple operational meaning and is related to the usual F-ratio test. It can therefore be used as a formal test of the hypothesis that matching occurs. Baum (1979) also suggests that slope values of between .90 and 1.11 can be considered good approximations to matching. It is argued that the establishment of a fixed interval as a criterion for determining when matching occurs, is inappropriate. A confidence interval based on the data from any given experiment is suggested as a more useful method of assessment. PMID:16812271

A Software Defined Radio Based Airplane Communication Navigation Simulation System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, L.; Zhong, H. T.; Song, D.

2018-01-01

Radio communication and navigation system plays important role in ensuring the safety of civil airplane in flight. Function and performance should be tested before these systems are installed on-board. Conventionally, a set of transmitter and receiver are needed for each system, thus all the equipment occupy a lot of space and are high cost. In this paper, software defined radio technology is applied to design a common hardware communication and navigation ground simulation system, which can host multiple airplane systems with different operating frequency, such as HF, VHF, VOR, ILS, ADF, etc. We use a broadband analog frontend hardware platform, universal software radio peripheral (USRP), to transmit/receive signal of different frequency band. Software is compiled by LabVIEW on computer, which interfaces with USRP through Ethernet, and is responsible for communication and navigation signal processing and system control. An integrated testing system is established to perform functional test and performance verification of the simulation signal, which demonstrate the feasibility of our design. The system is a low-cost and common hardware platform for multiple airplane systems, which provide helpful reference for integrated avionics design.

Commercial Space with Technology Maturation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCleskey, Carey M.; Rhodes, Russell E.; Robinson, John W.

2013-01-01

To provide affordable space transportation we must be capable of using common fixed assets and the infrastructure for multiple purposes simultaneously. The Space Shuttle was operated for thirty years, but was not able to establish an effective continuous improvement program because of the high risk to the crew on every mission. An unmanned capability is needed to provide an acceptable risk to the primary mission. This paper is intended to present a case where a commercial space venture could share the large fixed cost of operating the infrastructure with the government while the government provides new advanced technology that is focused on reduced operating cost to the common launch transportation system. A conceivable commercial space venture could provide educational entertainment for the country's youth that would stimulate their interest in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through access at entertainment parks or the existing Space Visitor Centers. The paper uses this example to demonstrate how growing public-private space market demand will re-orient space transportation industry priorities in flight and ground system design and technology development, and how the infrastructure is used and shared.

Volcanic debris flows in developing countries - The extreme need for public education and awareness of debris-flow hazards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Major, J.J.; Schilling, S.P.; Pullinger, C.R.; ,

2003-01-01

In many developing countries, volcanic debris flows pose a significant societal risk owing to the distribution of dense populations that commonly live on or near a volcano. At many volcanoes, modest volume (up to 500,000 m 3) debris flows are relatively common (multiple times per century) and typically flow at least 5 km along established drainages. Owing to typical debris-flow velocities there is little time for authorities to provide effective warning of the occurrence of a debris flow to populations within 10 km of a source area. Therefore, people living, working, or recreating along channels that drain volcanoes must learn to recognize potentially hazardous conditions, be aware of the extent of debris-flow hazard zones, and be prepared to evacuate to safer ground when hazardous conditions develop rather than await official warnings or intervention. Debris-flow-modeling and hazard-assessment studies must be augmented with public education programs that emphasize recognizing conditions favorable for triggering landslides and debris flows if effective hazard mitigation is to succeed. ?? 2003 Millpress,.

Implementation science: a reappraisal of our journal mission and scope.

PubMed

Foy, Robbie; Sales, Anne; Wensing, Michel; Aarons, Gregory A; Flottorp, Signe; Kent, Bridie; Michie, Susan; O'Connor, Denise; Rogers, Anne; Sevdalis, Nick; Straus, Sharon; Wilson, Paul

2015-04-17

The implementation of research findings into healthcare practice has become increasingly recognised as a major priority for researchers, service providers, research funders and policymakers over the past decade. Nine years after its establishment, Implementation Science, an international online open access journal, currently publishes over 150 articles each year. This is fewer than 30% of those submitted for publication. The majority of manuscript rejections occur at the point of initial editorial screening, frequently because we judge them to fall outside of journal scope. There are a number of common reasons as to why manuscripts are rejected on grounds of scope. Furthermore, as the field of implementation research has evolved and our journal submissions have risen, we have, out of necessity, had to become more selective in what we publish. We have also expanded our scope, particularly around patient-mediated and population health interventions, and will monitor the impact of such changes. We hope this editorial on our evolving priorities and common reasons for rejection without peer review will help authors to better judge the relevance of their papers to Implementation Science.

Soil moisture mapping by ground and airborne microwave radiometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Poe, G.; Edgerton, A. T.

1972-01-01

Extensive ground-based and airborne investigations were undertaken in conjunction with laboratory dielectric measurements of soils and analytical modeling. Radiometric measurements were made in the vicinity of Phoenix, Arizona at observational wavelengths ranging from 0.81 to 21 cm. Ground experiments were conducted with a microwave field laboratory and airborne measurements were obtained from a CV-990 aircraft. Research activities were focused on establishing basic relationships between microwave emission and the distribution of moisture.

Ground Field-Based Hyperspectral Imaging: A Preliminary Study to Assess the Potential of Established Vegetation Indices to Infer Variation in Water-Use Efficiency.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelech, E. A.; McGrath, J.; Pederson, T.; Bernacchi, C.

2017-12-01

Increases in the global average temperature will consequently induce a higher occurrence of severe environmental conditions such as drought on arable land. To mitigate these threats, crops for fuel and food must be bred for higher water-use efficiencies (WUE). Defining genomic variation through high-throughput phenotypic analysis in field conditions has the potential to relieve the major bottleneck in linking desirable genetic traits to the associated phenotypic response. This can subsequently enable breeders to create new agricultural germplasm that supports the need for higher water-use efficient crops. From satellites to field-based aerial and ground sensors, the reflectance properties of vegetation measured by hyperspectral imaging is becoming a rapid high-throughput phenotyping technique. A variety of physiological traits can be inferred by regression analysis with leaf reflectance which is controlled by the properties and abundance of water, carbon, nitrogen and pigments. Although, given that the current established vegetation indices are designed to accentuate these properties from spectral reflectance, it becomes a challenge to infer relative measurements of WUE at a crop canopy scale without ground-truth data collection. This study aims to correlate established biomass and canopy-water-content indices with ground-truth data. Five bioenergy sorghum genotypes (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) that have differences in WUE and wild-type Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum var. Samsun) under irrigated and rainfed field conditions were examined. A linear regression analysis was conducted to determine if variation in canopy water content and biomass, driven by natural genotypic and artificial treatment influences, can be inferred using established vegetation indices. The results from this study will elucidate the ability of ground field-based hyperspectral imaging to assess variation in water content, biomass and water-use efficiency. This can lead to improved opportunities to select ideal genotypes for an increasing water-limited environment and to help parameterize and validate terrestrial vegetation models that require a better representation of genetic variation within crop species.

Surface-water, water-quality, and ground-water assessment of the Municipio of Comerio, Puerto Rico, 1997-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodríguez-Martínez, Jesús; Gómez-Gómez, Fernando; Santiago-Rivera, Luis; Oliveras-Feliciano, M. L.

2001-01-01

To meet the increasing need for a safe and adequate supply of water in the municipio of Comerio, an integrated surface-water, water-quality, and ground-water assessment of the area was conducted. The major results of this study and other important hydrologic and water-quality features were compiled in a Geographic Information System, and are presented in two 1:30,000-scale map plates to facilitate interpretation and use of the diverse water-resource data. Because the supply of safe drinking water was a critical issue during recent dry periods, the surface-water assessment portion of this study focused on analysis of low-flow characteristics in local streams and rivers. Low-flow characteristics were evaluated at one continuous-record gaging station based on graphical curve-fitting techniques and log-Pearson Type III frequency curves. Estimates of low-flow characteristics for 13 partial-record stations were generated using graphical-correlation techniques. Flow-duration characteristics for the continuous- and partial-record stations were estimated using the relation curves developed for the low-flow study. Stream low-flow statistics document the general hydrology under current land- and water-use conditions. A sanitary quality survey of streams utilized 24 sampling stations to evaluate about 84 miles of stream channels with drainage to or within the municipio of Comerio. River and stream samples for fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus analyses were collected on two occasions at base-flow conditions to evaluate the sanitary quality of streams. Bacteriological analyses indicate that about 27 miles of stream reaches within the municipio of Comerio may have fecal coliform bacteria concentrations above the water-quality goal established by the Puerto Rico Environmental Quality Board (Junta de Calidad Ambiental de Puerto Rico) for inland surface waters. Sources of fecal contamination may include illegal discharge of sewage to storm-water drains, malfunction of sanitary sewer ejectors, clogged and leaking sewage pipes, septic tank leakage, unfenced livestock, runoff from livestock pens, and seepage from pits containing animal wastes. Long-term fecal coliform data at two sampling stations on the Rio de la Plata indicate that since 1984, the geometric mean of five consecutive samples commonly has been at or below 2,000 colonies per 100 milliliters (established as the sanitary quality goal in Puerto Rico for Class SD type waters). At the sampling station upstream of Comerio, the geometric mean concentration has been near 500 colonies per 100 milliliters; downstream of the town of Comerio, the geometric mean concentration has been near 2,000 colonies per 100 milliliters concentration. The data at these stations also indicate that fecal coliform concentrations increase commonly above 2,000 colonies per 100 milliliters during storm-runoff events, ranging from 1,000 to 100,000 colonies per 100 milliliters at both stations. Geologic, topographic, soil, hydrogeologic, and streamflow data were used to divide the municipio of Comerio into five hydrogeologic terranes. The integrated database was then used to evaluate the ground-water development potential of each hydrogeologic terrane. Analysis suggests that areas with slopes greater than 15 degrees have relatively low ground-water development potential. Fractures may be important locally in enhancing the water-bearing properties in the hydrogeologic terranes containing igneous rocks. The integrated hydrogeologic approach used in this study can serve as an important tool for regulatory agencies of Puerto Rico and the municipio of Comerio to evaluate the ground-water resource development potential, examine ground- and surface-water interaction, and determine the effect of land-use practices on ground-water quantity and quality. Stream low-flow statistics document the general hydrology under current land and water uses. Low-flow characteristics may substantially change as a re

40 CFR 258.53 - Ground-water sampling and analysis requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... considering the number of samples in the background data base, the data distribution, and the range of the... the background data base, the data distribution, and the range of the concentration values for each... samples collected to establish ground-water quality data must be consistent with the appropriate...

40 CFR 258.53 - Ground-water sampling and analysis requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... considering the number of samples in the background data base, the data distribution, and the range of the... the background data base, the data distribution, and the range of the concentration values for each... samples collected to establish ground-water quality data must be consistent with the appropriate...

14 CFR 25.812 - Emergency lighting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... evacuee using the established escape route would normally make first contact with the ground. (2) At each non-overwing emergency exit not required by § 25.810(a) to have descent assist means the illumination... ground surface with the landing gear extended where an evacuee is likely to make first contact with the...

14 CFR 25.812 - Emergency lighting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... evacuee using the established escape route would normally make first contact with the ground. (2) At each non-overwing emergency exit not required by § 25.810(a) to have descent assist means the illumination... ground surface with the landing gear extended where an evacuee is likely to make first contact with the...

14 CFR 25.812 - Emergency lighting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... evacuee using the established escape route would normally make first contact with the ground. (2) At each non-overwing emergency exit not required by § 25.810(a) to have descent assist means the illumination... ground surface with the landing gear extended where an evacuee is likely to make first contact with the...

40 CFR 258.58 - Implementation of the corrective action program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES CRITERIA FOR MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE LANDFILLS Ground-Water Monitoring and Corrective...) Establish and implement a corrective action ground-water monitoring program that: (i) At a minimum, meet the requirements of an assessment monitoring program under § 258.55; (ii) Indicate the effectiveness of the...

40 CFR 258.58 - Implementation of the corrective action program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES CRITERIA FOR MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE LANDFILLS Ground-Water Monitoring and Corrective...) Establish and implement a corrective action ground-water monitoring program that: (i) At a minimum, meet the requirements of an assessment monitoring program under § 258.55; (ii) Indicate the effectiveness of the...

40 CFR 258.58 - Implementation of the corrective action program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (CONTINUED) SOLID WASTES CRITERIA FOR MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE LANDFILLS Ground-Water Monitoring and Corrective...) Establish and implement a corrective action ground-water monitoring program that: (i) At a minimum, meet the requirements of an assessment monitoring program under § 258.55; (ii) Indicate the effectiveness of the...

Historical review of tactical missile airframe developments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spearman, M. L.

1992-01-01

A comprehensive development history of missile airframe aerodynamics is presented, encompassing ground-, ground vehicle-, ship-, and air-launched categories of all ranges short of strategic. Emphasis is placed on the swift acceleration of missile configuration aerodynamics by German researchers in the course of the Second World War and by U.S. research establishments thereafter, often on the foundations laid by German workers. Examples are given of foundational airframe design criteria established by systematic researches undertaken in the 1950s, regarding L/D ratios, normal force and pitching moment characteristics, minimum drag forebodies and afterbodies, and canard and delta winged configuration aerodynamics.

The changes of lumbar muscle flexion-relaxation phenomenon due to antero-posteriorly slanted ground surfaces.

PubMed

Hu, Boyi; Ning, Xiaopeng; Dai, Fei; Almuhaidib, Ibrahim

2016-09-01

Uneven ground surface is a common occupational injury risk factor in industries such as agriculture, fishing, transportation and construction. Studies have shown that antero-posteriorly slanted ground surfaces could reduce spinal stability and increase the risk of falling. In this study, the influence of antero-posteriorly slanted ground surfaces on lumbar flexion-relaxation responses was investigated. Fourteen healthy participants performed sagittally symmetric and asymmetric trunk bending motions on one flat and two antero-posteriorly slanted surfaces (-15° (uphill facing) and 15° (downhill facing)), while lumbar muscle electromyography and trunk kinematics were recorded. Results showed that standing on a downhill facing slanted surface delays the onset of lumbar muscle flexion-relaxation phenomenon (FRP), while standing on an uphill facing ground causes lumbar muscle FRP to occur earlier. In addition, compared to symmetric bending, when performing asymmetric bending, FRP occurred earlier on the contralateral side of lumbar muscles and significantly smaller maximum lumbar flexion and trunk inclination angles were observed. Practitioner Summary: Uneven ground surface is a common risk factor among a number of industries. In this study, we investigated the influence of antero-posteriorly slanted ground surface on trunk biomechanics during trunk bending. Results showed the slanted surface alters the lumbar tissue load-sharing mechanism in both sagittally symmetric and asymmetric bending.

Assessing the cumulative environmental effects of marine renewable energy developments: Establishing common ground.

PubMed

Willsteed, Edward; Gill, Andrew B; Birchenough, Silvana N R; Jude, Simon

2017-01-15

Assessing and managing the cumulative impacts of human activities on the environment remains a major challenge to sustainable development. This challenge is highlighted by the worldwide expansion of marine renewable energy developments (MREDs) in areas already subject to multiple activities and climate change. Cumulative effects assessments in theory provide decision makers with adequate information about how the environment will respond to the incremental effects of licensed activities and are a legal requirement in many nations. In practise, however, such assessments are beset by uncertainties resulting in substantial delays during the licensing process that reduce MRED investor confidence and limit progress towards meeting climate change targets. In light of these targets and ambitions to manage the marine environment sustainably, reducing the uncertainty surrounding MRED effects and cumulative effects assessment are timely and vital. This review investigates the origins and evolution of cumulative effects assessment to identify why the multitude of approaches and pertinent research have emerged, and discusses key considerations and challenges relevant to assessing the cumulative effects of MREDs and other activities on ecosystems. The review recommends a shift away from the current reliance on disparate environmental impact assessments and limited strategic environmental assessments, and a move towards establishing a common system of coordinated data and research relative to ecologically meaningful areas, focussed on the needs of decision makers tasked with protecting and conserving marine ecosystems and services. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

GEARS: An Enterprise Architecture Based On Common Ground Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, S.

2014-12-01

Earth observation satellites collect a broad variety of data used in applications that range from weather forecasting to climate monitoring. Within NOAA the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS) supports these applications by operating satellites in both geosynchronous and polar orbits. Traditionally NESDIS has acquired and operated its satellites as stand-alone systems with their own command and control, mission management, processing, and distribution systems. As the volume, velocity, veracity, and variety of sensor data and products produced by these systems continues to increase, NESDIS is migrating to a new concept of operation in which it will operate and sustain the ground infrastructure as an integrated Enterprise. Based on a series of common ground services, the Ground Enterprise Architecture System (GEARS) approach promises greater agility, flexibility, and efficiency at reduced cost. This talk describes the new architecture and associated development activities, and presents the results of initial efforts to improve product processing and distribution.

A guide for using the transient ground-water flow model of the Death Valley regional ground-water flow system, Nevada and California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Blainey, Joan B.; Faunt, Claudia C.; Hill, Mary C.

2006-01-01

This report is a guide for executing numerical simulations with the transient ground-water flow model of the Death Valley regional ground-water flow system, Nevada and California using the U.S. Geological Survey modular finite-difference ground-water flow model, MODFLOW-2000. Model inputs, including observations of hydraulic head, discharge, and boundary flows, are summarized. Modification of the DVRFS transient ground-water model is discussed for two common uses of the Death Valley regional ground-water flow system model: predictive pumping scenarios that extend beyond the end of the model simulation period (1998), and model simulations with only steady-state conditions.

Complexity, Diversity and Management: Some Reflections on Folklore and Learning Leadership in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rayner, Stephen G.

2008-01-01

This article seeks to challenge a perceived mythology previously touched upon which is now widely established in the English educational system and is associated with what the author has elsewhere called the establishment model of educational policy. This establishment model is grounded in a "state learning theory." It reflects a set of…

Multilateral Research Opportunities in Ground Analogs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corbin, Barbara J.

2015-01-01

The global economy forces many nations to consider their national investments and make difficult decisions regarding their investment in future exploration. International collaboration provides an opportunity to leverage other nations' investments to meet common goals. The Humans In Space Community shares a common goal to enable safe, reliable, and productive human space exploration within and beyond Low Earth Orbit. Meeting this goal requires efficient use of limited resources and International capabilities. The International Space Station (ISS) is our primary platform to conduct microgravity research targeted at reducing human health and performance risks for exploration missions. Access to ISS resources, however, is becoming more and more constrained and will only be available through 2020 or 2024. NASA's Human Research Program (HRP) is actively pursuing methods to effectively utilize the ISS and appropriate ground analogs to understand and mitigate human health and performance risks prior to embarking on human exploration of deep space destinations. HRP developed a plan to use ground analogs of increasing fidelity to address questions related to exploration missions and is inviting International participation in these planned campaigns. Using established working groups and multilateral panels, the HRP is working with multiple Space Agencies to invite International participation in a series of 30- day missions that HRP will conduct in the US owned and operated Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) during 2016. In addition, the HRP is negotiating access to Antarctic stations (both US and non-US), the German :envihab and Russian NEK facilities. These facilities provide unique capabilities to address critical research questions requiring longer duration simulation or isolation. We are negotiating release of international research opportunities to ensure a multilateral approach to future analog research campaigns, hoping to begin multilateral campaigns in the latter facilities by 2017. Collaborative use of analog facilities and shared investment in the development of spaceflight countermeasures through multilateral campaigns or missions that leverage the global scientific community will focus high quality research and provide sufficient power to accelerate the development of countermeasures and drive sound recommendations for exploration missions. This panel will provide an overview of efforts to encourage and facilitate multilateral collaboration in analog missions or campaigns and describe the facilities currently under consideration to reach the common goal of enabling safe, reliable, and productive human space exploration.

46 CFR 169.680 - Installation of wiring for power and lighting circuits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... and lighting circuits. (a) Wiring must be run as high as practicable above the bilges. (b) Each cable...; and (2) Grounded at each end of the run to— (i) The metal hull; or (ii) The common ground required by paragraph (e) of this section on nonmetallic vessels. (h) In lieu of being grounded at each end of the run...

46 CFR 169.680 - Installation of wiring for power and lighting circuits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... and lighting circuits. (a) Wiring must be run as high as practicable above the bilges. (b) Each cable...; and (2) Grounded at each end of the run to— (i) The metal hull; or (ii) The common ground required by paragraph (e) of this section on nonmetallic vessels. (h) In lieu of being grounded at each end of the run...

46 CFR 169.680 - Installation of wiring for power and lighting circuits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... and lighting circuits. (a) Wiring must be run as high as practicable above the bilges. (b) Each cable...; and (2) Grounded at each end of the run to— (i) The metal hull; or (ii) The common ground required by paragraph (e) of this section on nonmetallic vessels. (h) In lieu of being grounded at each end of the run...

46 CFR 169.680 - Installation of wiring for power and lighting circuits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... and lighting circuits. (a) Wiring must be run as high as practicable above the bilges. (b) Each cable...; and (2) Grounded at each end of the run to— (i) The metal hull; or (ii) The common ground required by paragraph (e) of this section on nonmetallic vessels. (h) In lieu of being grounded at each end of the run...

46 CFR 169.680 - Installation of wiring for power and lighting circuits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... and lighting circuits. (a) Wiring must be run as high as practicable above the bilges. (b) Each cable...; and (2) Grounded at each end of the run to— (i) The metal hull; or (ii) The common ground required by paragraph (e) of this section on nonmetallic vessels. (h) In lieu of being grounded at each end of the run...

Autumn Leaves and Old Photographs: A Developmental Study of Metaphor Preferences. Technical Report No. 14.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silberstein, Lisa R.; And Others

A multiple choice Metaphor Preferences Test was administered to 138 preschool through college subjects to determine the role of a metaphor's ground in determining a metaphor's appeal, and to document the evolution of preferences for different types of grounds. Ground is the common property that links the two terms of a metaphor (topic and…

Escherichia coli O157:H7 Outbreak Associated with Restaurant Beef Grinding.

PubMed

Torso, Lauren M; Voorhees, Ronald E; Forest, Stephen A; Gordon, Andrew Z; Silvestri, Sharon A; Kissler, Bonnie; Schlackman, Jessica; Sandt, Carol H; Toma, Paul; Bachert, Joel; Mertz, Kristen J; Harrison, Lee H

2015-07-01

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a common cause of foodborne illness in the United States. Beef ground at establishments regulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service is routinely tested for E. coli O157:H7. Prior to December 2013, boxed beef product (wholesale cuts of beef, such as beef loin, packaged into bags and boxed for shipping) was not always tested for this pathogen. Downstream processors or retailers may grind the product; and, if the ground beef is not cooked to the recommended temperature, pathogens on the exterior of the beef introduced to the interior through grinding may survive. On 18 October 2013, the Allegheny County Health Department identified two E. coli O157:H7 cases, both of whom were food handlers at restaurant A, a restaurant that ground locally produced boxed beef for hamburgers on site. Case finding was conducted through public messaging, employee surveys, and disease surveillance. All potential cases were interviewed using a standard questionnaire. A confirmed case was defined as laboratory-confirmed E. coli O157:H7 with exposure to restaurant A. A probable case was defined as a patient with compatible symptoms and exposure to restaurant A but without laboratory confirmation. All human and food isolates were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis. The analysis identified 14 confirmed and 10 probable cases of E. coli; 18 nonintact ground beef samples tested positive for E. coli O157:H7. Nine confirmed cases were restaurant A employees. All confirmed cases recalled eating a restaurant A hamburger in the 10 days before illness onset; most cases reported consuming medium to rare hamburgers. Multiple pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis patterns were identified among both the human and ground beef isolates, and the patient isolates matched those found in ground beef samples. Restaurant A voluntarily closed for 1.5 days, changed beef suppliers, ceased grinding beef in-house, and has had no new cases since reopening.

An Overview of Potential Methods for Maintaining Training Area Environments in Arid and Semi-Arid Climates

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-04-01

Shrubs , Ground Covers, and Vines , Technical Manual 5-830-4 (June 1976). This manual provides guidelines and prescribes standard techniques to be used...in planting and the initial care required to successfully establish trees, shrubs , ground covers, and vines . Criteria for selecting materials are...their new location. The planting of trees, shrubs , ground covers, and vines should comply with approved landscape planting plans and should be based on

Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Sea-Based X-Band Radar (SBX) Placement and Operation, Adak, Alaska

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-08-03

Finding of No Significant Impact and the Environmental Assessment for Theater Missile Defense Ground- Based Radar Testing Program at Fort Devens ...2000 "* Record of Decision for Site Preparation Activities at the Missile Defense System Test Bed at Fort Greely, Alaska, 2001 "* Record of Decision...to Establish a Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Initial Defensive Operations Capability at Fort Greely, Alaska, 2003 These documents are available at the

47 CFR 22.861 - Emission limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service Commercial Aviation Air-Ground Systems § 22.861 Emission limitations. The rules in this section govern the spectral characteristics of emissions for commercial aviation systems...

A method for grounding grid corrosion rate prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Juan; Du, Jingyi

2017-06-01

Involved in a variety of factors, prediction of grounding grid corrosion complex, and uncertainty in the acquisition process, we propose a combination of EAHP (extended AHP) and fuzzy nearness degree of effective grounding grid corrosion rate prediction model. EAHP is used to establish judgment matrix and calculate the weight of each factors corrosion of grounding grid; different sample classification properties have different corrosion rate of contribution, and combining the principle of close to predict corrosion rate.The application result shows, the model can better capture data variation, thus to improve the validity of the model to get higher prediction precision.

Summary appraisals of the Nation's ground-water resources; Missouri Basin region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, O. James

1978-01-01

Comprehensive water-management planning in the Missouri Basin Region will require periodic or continuing inventory of precipitation, streamflow, surface-water storage, and ground water. Water demands for irrigation, industrial, public supply, and rural use are increasing rapidly. Reliance on ground-water supplies is increasing even though in many areas the ground water is still mostly undeveloped. Optimal use of water supplies will require the establishment of realistic goals and carefully conceived water-management plans, each of which will necessarily be based on an adequate baseline of hydrologic data and knowledge of the highly variable hydrologic systems in the region.

Fostering better policy adoption and inter-disciplinary communication in healthcare: A qualitative analysis of practicing physicians’ common interests

PubMed Central

Crowley-Matoka, Megan; Collins, Jeremy D.; Chrisman, Howard B.; Milad, Magdy P.; Vogelzang, Robert L.

2017-01-01

Purpose In response to limited physician adoption of various healthcare initiatives, we sought to propose and assess a novel approach to policy development where one first characterizes diverse physician groups’ common interests, using a medical student and constructivist grounded theory. Methods In 6 months, a medical student completed 36 semi-structured interviews with interventional radiologists, gynecologists, and vascular surgeons that were systematically analyzed according to constructivist grounded theory to identifying common themes. Common drivers of clinical decision making and professional values across 3 distinct specialty groups were derived from physicians’ descriptions of their clinical decision making, stories, and concerns. Results Common drivers of clinical decision making included patient preference/benefit, experience, reimbursement, busyness/volume, and referral networks. Common values included honesty, trustworthiness, loyalty, humble service, compassion and perseverance, and practical wisdom. Although personal gains were perceived as important interests, such values were easily sacrificed for the good of patients or other non-financial interests. This balance was largely dependent on the incentives and security provided by physicians’ environments. Conclusions Using a medical student interviewer and constructivist grounded theory is a feasible means of collecting rich qualitative data to guide policy development. Healthcare administrators and medical educators should consider incorporating this methodology early in policy development to anticipate how value differences between physician groups will influence their acceptance of policies and other broad healthcare initiatives. PMID:28235088

Establishing the Basis for a CIS (Computer Information Systems) Undergraduate Program: On Seeking the Body of Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Longenecker, Herbert E., Jr.; Babb, Jeffry; Waguespack, Leslie J.; Janicki, Thomas N.; Feinstein, David

2015-01-01

The evolution of computing education spans a spectrum from "computer science" ("CS") grounded in the theory of computing, to "information systems" ("IS"), grounded in the organizational application of data processing. This paper reports on a project focusing on a particular slice of that spectrum commonly…

76 FR 72967 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Form I-602; Extension of an Existing Information...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-28

...: 30-Day Notice of Information Collection Under Review; Form I- 602, Application by Refugee for Waiver...) Title of the Form/Collection: Application by Refugee for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability. (3) Agency... Application by Refugee for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability, Form I- 602, is necessary to establish...

45 CFR 503.24 - Grounds for closing a meeting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... COMMISSION OF THE UNITED STATES, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE RULES OF PRACTICE PRIVACY ACT AND GOVERNMENT IN THE SUNSHINE REGULATIONS Government in the Sunshine Regulations § 503.24 Grounds for closing a meeting. (a... withheld from the public in such a manner as to leave no discretion on the issue, or (ii) Establishes...

EPN Chemical ecology and new techniques for below ground sampling and analyses of volatile semiochemicals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

It is well established that herbivory induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) attract natural enemies of the herbivores. Utilizing this plant response has become a fundamental part of above ground IPM programs. We now know that also roots can release HIPVs and that these compounds attract beneficial organis...

Decay of wood and wood-based products above ground in buildings

Treesearch

Charles G. Carll; Terry L. Highley

1999-01-01

This paper is an overview of what we know about occurrence of wood decay above ground within buildings. It presents information concerning under what conditions decay may become established. In laboratory tests involving optimum moisture and temperature conditions for decay fungi, and direct contact with large quantities of specific well-developed decay...

Breaking new ground in the study and practice of alcohol brief interventions.

PubMed

Heather, Nick

2010-11-01

This article amplifies the decision to subtitle the INEBRIA2009 Conference 'Breaking New Ground'. The effectiveness of screening and brief intervention (SBI) for hazardous and harmful drinking is now well-established for primary health care and is promising for other medical settings. In addition, significant advances in the implementation of SBI are being made in various parts of the world. But, because of the need to establish efficacy and effectiveness, and perhaps too because of a preoccupation with meta-analysis of existing research findings, progress in other aspects of the theory and practice of SBI has been slower than ideal. There may also be a risk of complacency in the SBI field of study. For these reasons and others, the Conference Organizing Committee decided to focus the conference and invite presentations on a number of specific topics in the field of alcohol SBI and these are listed here followed by a discussion of other areas in which new ground needs to be broken.[Heather N. Breaking new ground in the study and practice of alcohol brief interventions. © 2010 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Dynamical response of the Galileo Galilei on the ground rotor to test the equivalence principle: Theory, simulation, and experiment. II. The rejection of common mode forces

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

Comandi, G.L.; Toncelli, R.; Chiofalo, M.L.

'Galileo Galilei on the ground' (GGG) is a fast rotating differential accelerometer designed to test the equivalence principle (EP). Its sensitivity to differential effects, such as the effect of an EP violation, depends crucially on the capability of the accelerometer to reject all effects acting in common mode. By applying the theoretical and simulation methods reported in Part I of this work, and tested therein against experimental data, we predict the occurrence of an enhanced common mode rejection of the GGG accelerometer. We demonstrate that the best rejection of common mode disturbances can be tuned in a controlled way bymore » varying the spin frequency of the GGG rotor.« less

Facility Systems, Ground Support Systems, and Ground Support Equipment General Design Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thaxton, Eric A.

2014-01-01

KSC-DE-512-SM establishes overall requirements and best design practices to be used at the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) for the development of ground systems (GS) in support of operations at launch, landing, and retrieval sites. These requirements apply to the design and development of hardware and software for ground support equipment (GSE), ground support systems (GSS), and facility ground support systems (F-GSS) used to support the KSC mission for transportation, receiving, handling, assembly, test, checkout, servicing, and launch of space vehicles and payloads and selected flight hardware items for retrieval. This standards manual supplements NASA-STD-5005 by including KSC-site-specific and local environment requirements. These requirements and practices are optional for equipment used at manufacturing, development, and test sites.

47 CFR 22.878 - Obligation to abate unacceptable interference.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

.... 22.878 Section 22.878 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service Commercial Aviation Air-Ground Systems § 22.878 Obligation to abate unacceptable interference. This section applies only to commercial...

47 CFR 22.863 - Frequency stability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Frequency stability. 22.863 Section 22.863 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service Commercial Aviation Air-Ground Systems § 22.863 Frequency stability. The...

Space-to-Ground: A Learning Doubleheader: 04/06/2018

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-04-05

The SpaceX Dragon arrives at the space station, more Lettuce leaves are growing onboard, and what do baseball and astronauts have in common? NASA's Space to Ground is your weekly update on what's happening aboard the International Space Station.

Collaboration and Conflict Resolution in Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melamed, James C.; Reiman, John W.

2000-01-01

Presents guidelines for resolving conflicts between educators and parents. Participants should seek different perspectives, not "truths," consider the common ground, define an effective problem-solving procedure, adopt ground rules for discussion, address issues, identify interests and positive intentions, develop options, select arrangements, and…

U.S. Food safety and Inspection Service testing for Salmonella in selected raw meat and poultry products in the United States, 1998 through 2003: an establishment-level analysis.

PubMed

Eblen, Denise R; Barlow, Kristina E; Naugle, Alecia Larew

2006-11-01

The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) pathogen reduction-hazard analysis critical control point systems final rule, published in 1996, established Salmonella performance standards for broiler chicken, cow and bull, market hog, and steer and heifer carcasses and for ground beef, chicken, and turkey meat. In 1998, the FSIS began testing to verify that establishments are meeting performance standards. Samples are collected in sets in which the number of samples is defined but varies according to product class. A sample set fails when the number of positive Salmonella samples exceeds the maximum number of positive samples allowed under the performance standard. Salmonella sample sets collected at 1,584 establishments from 1998 through 2003 were examined to identify factors associated with failure of one or more sets. Overall, 1,282 (80.9%) of establishments never had failed sets. In establishments that did experience set failure(s), generally the failed sets were collected early in the establishment testing history, with the exception of broiler establishments where failure(s) occurred both early and late in the course of testing. Small establishments were more likely to have experienced a set failure than were large or very small establishments, and broiler establishments were more likely to have failed than were ground beef, market hog, or steer-heifer establishments. Agency response to failed Salmonella sample sets in the form of in-depth verification reviews and related establishment-initiated corrective actions have likely contributed to declines in the number of establishments that failed sets. A focus on food safety measures in small establishments and broiler processing establishments should further reduce the number of sample sets that fail to meet the Salmonella performance standard.

Competence across Europe: Highest Common Factor or Lowest Common Denominator?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winterton, Jonathan

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to explore diversity in competence models across Europe and consider the extent to which there is sufficient common ground for a common European approach to underpin the European Qualifications Framework. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses a literature review and interviews with policy makers.…

Results and evaluation of the first study of organochlorine contaminants (PCDDs, PCDFs, PCBs and DDTs), heavy metals and metalloids in birds from Baja California, México.

PubMed

Jiménez, Begoña; Rodríguez-Estrella, Ricardo; Merino, Rubén; Gómez, Gema; Rivera, Laura; José González, María; Abad, Esteban; Rivera, Josep

2005-01-01

Organochlorine compounds (OCs) including polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (p-p'-DDE), heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu), and arsenic were measured in house sparrows (Passer domesticus) and common ground doves (Columbina passerina) from Baja California Sur, México. Concentrations of PCDD/Fs were low, with 21 pg/g for house sparrows, and 7.7 pg/g for common ground doves. Non-ortho-PCB concentrations in house sparrow and common ground doves were 58 and 254 pg/g, respectively, and are within the highest concentrations reported in species that are in the low levels of food webs. The major differences in organochlorine levels between species were found for ortho-PCBs and DDTs. ortho-PCB levels were higher in the seedeater species, whereas DDT levels were higher in the omnivorous species. Heavy metal levels were far below those associated with negative effects.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A GROUNDWATER RESEARCH DATA CENTER FOR VALIDATION OF SUBSURFACE FLOW AND TRANSPORT MODELS

EPA Science Inventory

The International Ground Water Modeling Center has established a Groundwater Research Data Center that provides information on datasets resulting from publicly funded field experiments and related bench studies in soil and groundwater pollution and distributes datasets for tes...

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A GROUNDWATER RESEARCH DATA CENTER FOR VALIDATION OF SUBSURFACE FLOW AND TRANSPORT MODELS

EPA Science Inventory

The International Ground Water Modeling Center has established a Groundwater Research Data Center which provides information on research datasets resulting from publicly funded field experiments regarding soil and groundwater pollution and related laboratory bench studies, and wh...

A Little Knowledge of Ground Motion: Explaining 3-D Physics-Based Modeling to Engineers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porter, K.

2014-12-01

Users of earthquake planning scenarios require the ground-motion map to be credible enough to justify costly planning efforts, but not all ground-motion maps are right for all uses. There are two common ways to create a map of ground motion for a hypothetical earthquake. One approach is to map the median shaking estimated by empirical attenuation relationships. The other uses 3-D physics-based modeling, in which one analyzes a mathematical model of the earth's crust near the fault rupture and calculates the generation and propagation of seismic waves from source to ground surface by first principles. The two approaches produce different-looking maps. The more-familiar median maps smooth out variability and correlation. Using them in a planning scenario can lead to a systematic underestimation of damage and loss, and could leave a community underprepared for realistic shaking. The 3-D maps show variability, including some very high values that can disconcert non-scientists. So when the USGS Science Application for Risk Reduction's (SAFRR) Haywired scenario project selected 3-D maps, it was necessary to explain to scenario users—especially engineers who often use median maps—the differences, advantages, and disadvantages of the two approaches. We used authority, empirical evidence, and theory to support our choice. We prefaced our explanation with SAFRR's policy of using the best available earth science, and cited the credentials of the maps' developers and the reputation of the journal in which they published the maps. We cited recorded examples from past earthquakes of extreme ground motions that are like those in the scenario map. We explained the maps on theoretical grounds as well, explaining well established causes of variability: directivity, basin effects, and source parameters. The largest mapped motions relate to potentially unfamiliar extreme-value theory, so we used analogies to human longevity and the average age of the oldest person in samples of varying sizes to illustrate extreme values to non-scientists. We explained the importance of nonlinearity in the relationship between shaking and loss. This was the second time SAFRR encountered skeptics of 3-D maps among scenario consumers, so a short manuscript was prepared that would serve similar uses in the future.

47 CFR 22.867 - Effective radiated power limits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Effective radiated power limits. 22.867 Section 22.867 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service Commercial Aviation Air-Ground Systems § 22.867...

Reconnaissance of the geology and ground-water resources in the Aurora area, St. Louis county, Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maclay, Robert W.

1966-01-01

Ground water from the unconsolidated deposits is hard and commonly contains large, undesirable amounts of iron and manganese. Water from the 'bedrock aquifers contains less iron and manganese than does water from the unconsolidated deposits.

14 CFR 77.23 - Standards for determining obstructions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... each additional nautical mile of distance from the airport up to a maximum of 500 feet. (3) A height... surfaces: (1) A height of 500 feet above ground level at the site of the object. (2) A height that is 200 feet above ground level or above the established airport elevation, whichever is higher, within 3...

14 CFR 77.23 - Standards for determining obstructions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... feet for each additional nautical mile of distance from the airport up to a maximum of 500 feet. (3) A... heights or surfaces: (1) A height of 500 feet above ground level at the site of the object. (2) A height that is 200 feet above ground level or above the established airport elevation, whichever is higher...

40 CFR 257.23 - Ground-water sampling and analysis requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... parameters shall be determined after considering the number of samples in the background data base, the data... considering the number of samples in the background data base, the data distribution, and the range of the... of § 257.22(a)(1). (f) The number of samples collected to establish ground-water quality data must be...

40 CFR 257.23 - Ground-water sampling and analysis requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... parameters shall be determined after considering the number of samples in the background data base, the data... considering the number of samples in the background data base, the data distribution, and the range of the... of § 257.22(a)(1). (f) The number of samples collected to establish ground-water quality data must be...

USE OF CONTINUOUS DATALOGGERS TO ASSESS THE TEMPORAL AND SPATIAL VARIATION OF GROUND WATER/SURFACE WATER INTERACTION BEFORE AND AFTER STREAM RESTORATION

EPA Science Inventory

Minebank Run is a degraded second-order flashy urban stream in Baltimore County which is slated to undergo restoration in August 2003 to re-establish geomorphic stability. We are currently conducting an intensive investigation of surface water/ground water interaction and nutrien...

Ground cover management in walnut and other hardwood plantings

Treesearch

J.W. Van Sambeek; H.E. Garrett

2004-01-01

Ground cover management in walnut plantings and established stands can include (1) manipulating the resident vegetation, (2) mechanical control, (3) chemical control, (4) mulching, (5) planting cover crops, or (6) interplanting woody nurse crops. Data from over 110 reports were used to compile a database that compared growth of black walnut and other hardwoods under...

Ground-Water Quality Data in the Santa Clara River Valley Study Unit, 2007: Results from the California GAMA Program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Montrella, Joseph; Belitz, Kenneth

2009-01-01

Ground-water quality in the approximately 460-square-mile Santa Clara River Valley study unit (SCRV) was investigated from April to June 2007 as part of the statewide Priority Basin project of the Ground-Water Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program. The GAMA Priority Basin project was developed in response to the Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in cooperation with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). The study was designed to provide a spatially unbiased assessment of the quality of raw ground water used for public water supplies within SCRV, and to facilitate a statistically consistent basis for comparing water quality throughout California. Fifty-seven ground-water samples were collected from 53 wells in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties. Forty-two wells were selected using a randomized grid-based method to provide statistical representation of the study area (grid wells). Eleven wells (understanding wells) were selected to further evaluate water chemistry in particular parts of the study area, and four depth-dependent ground-water samples were collected from one of the eleven understanding wells to help understand the relation between water chemistry and depth. The ground-water samples were analyzed for a large number of synthetic organic constituents (volatile organic compounds [VOC], pesticides and pesticide degradates, potential wastewater-indicator compounds, and pharmaceutical compounds), a constituent of special interest (perchlorate), naturally occurring inorganic constituents (nutrients, major and minor ions, and trace elements), radioactive constituents, and microbial constituents. Naturally occurring isotopes (tritium, carbon-13, carbon-14 [abundance], stable isotopes of hydrogen and oxygen in water, stable isotopes of nitrogen and oxygen in nitrate, chlorine-37, and bromine-81), and dissolved noble gases also were measured to help identify the source and age of the sampled ground water. Quality-control samples (blanks or replicates, or samples for matrix spikes) were collected from approximately 26 percent of the wells, and the analyses of these samples were used to evaluate the quality of the data for the ground-water samples. Assessment of the quality-control results showed that the quality of the environmental data was good, with low bias and low variability, and as a result, less than 0.1 percent of the analytes detected in ground-water samples were censored. This study did not attempt to evaluate the quality of water delivered to consumers; after withdrawal from the ground, water typically is treated, disinfected, and (or) blended with other waters to maintain acceptable water quality. Regulatory thresholds apply to treated water that is delivered (or, supplied) to the consumer, not to raw ground water. However, to provide some context for the results, concentrations of constituents measured in the raw ground water were compared with regulatory and non-regulatory thresholds established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and thresholds established for aesthetic concerns (secondary maximum contaminant levels, SMCL-CA) by CDPH. Most constituents that were detected in ground-water samples were reported at concentrations below their established health-based thresholds. VOCs, pesticides and pesticide degradates, and potential wastewater-indicator compounds were detected in about 33 percent or less of the 42 SCRV grid wells. Concentrations of all detected organic constituents were below established health-based thresholds. Perchlorate was detected in approximately 12 percent of the SCRV grid wells; all concentrations reported were below the NL-CA threshold. Additional constituents, including major ions, trace elements, and nutrients were collected at 26 wells (16 grid wells and 10 understanding wells) of the 53 wells sampled f

Assessment of concentrations of trace elements in ground water and soil at the Small-Arms Firing Range, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Landmeyer, J.E.

1994-01-01

Ground-water samples were collected from four shallow water-table aquifer observation wells beneath the Small-Arms Firing Range study area at Shaw Air Force Base. Water-chemistry analyses indicated that total lead concentrations in shallow ground water beneath the study area do not exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level established for lead in drinking water (0.05 milligrams per liter). All other trace element total concentrations in ground water beneath the study area were at or below the detection limit of the analytical methodology.

Polarized negative ions

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

Haeberli, W.

1981-04-01

This paper presents a survey of methods, commonly in use or under development, to produce beams of polarized negative ions for injection into accelerators. A short summary recalls how the hyperfine interaction is used to obtain nuclear polarization in beams of atoms. Atomic-beam sources for light ions are discussed. If the best presently known techniques are incorporated in all stages of the source, polarized H/sup -/ and D/sup -/ beams in excess of 10 ..mu..A can probably be achieved. Production of polarized ions from fast (keV) beams of polarized atoms is treated separately for atoms in the H(25) excited statemore » (Lamb-Shift source) and atoms in the H(1S) ground state. The negative ion beam from Lamb-Shift sources has reached a plateau just above 1 ..mu..A, but this beam current is adequate for many applications and the somewhat lower beam current is compensated by other desirable characteristics. Sources using fast polarized ground state atoms are in a stage of intense development. The next sections summarize production of polarized heavy ions by the atomic beam method, which is well established, and by optical pumping, which has recently been demonstrated to yield very large nuclear polarization. A short discussion of proposed ion sources for polarized /sup 3/He/sup -/ ions is followed by some concluding remarks.« less

Stochastic Ground Water Flow Simulation with a Fracture Zone Continuum Model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Langevin, C.D.

2003-01-01

A method is presented for incorporating the hydraulic effects of vertical fracture zones into two-dimensional cell-based continuum models of ground water flow and particle tracking. High hydraulic conductivity features are used in the model to represent fracture zones. For fracture zones that are not coincident with model rows or columns, an adjustment is required for the hydraulic conductivity value entered into the model cells to compensate for the longer flowpath through the model grid. A similar adjustment is also required for simulated travel times through model cells. A travel time error of less than 8% can occur for particles moving through fractures with certain orientations. The fracture zone continuum model uses stochastically generated fracture zone networks and Monte Carlo analysis to quantify uncertainties with simulated advective travel times. An approach is also presented for converting an equivalent continuum model into a fracture zone continuum model by establishing the contribution of matrix block transmissivity to the bulk transmissivity of the aquifer. The methods are used for a case study in west-central Florida to quantify advective travel times from a potential wetland rehydration site to a municipal supply wellfield. Uncertainties in advective travel times are assumed to result from the presence of vertical fracture zones, commonly observed on aerial photographs as photolineaments.

An algorithm for calculi segmentation on ureteroscopic images.

PubMed

Rosa, Benoît; Mozer, Pierre; Szewczyk, Jérôme

2011-03-01

The purpose of the study is to develop an algorithm for the segmentation of renal calculi on ureteroscopic images. In fact, renal calculi are common source of urological obstruction, and laser lithotripsy during ureteroscopy is a possible therapy. A laser-based system to sweep the calculus surface and vaporize it was developed to automate a very tedious manual task. The distal tip of the ureteroscope is directed using image guidance, and this operation is not possible without an efficient segmentation of renal calculi on the ureteroscopic images. We proposed and developed a region growing algorithm to segment renal calculi on ureteroscopic images. Using real video images to compute ground truth and compare our segmentation with a reference segmentation, we computed statistics on different image metrics, such as Precision, Recall, and Yasnoff Measure, for comparison with ground truth. The algorithm and its parameters were established for the most likely clinical scenarii. The segmentation results are encouraging: the developed algorithm was able to correctly detect more than 90% of the surface of the calculi, according to an expert observer. Implementation of an algorithm for the segmentation of calculi on ureteroscopic images is feasible. The next step is the integration of our algorithm in the command scheme of a motorized system to build a complete operating prototype.

Propagation of captive American kestrels

USGS Publications Warehouse

Porter, Ron; Wiemeyer, Stanley N.

1970-01-01

A colony of kestrels (Palco sparverius) was established at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in 1964 in connection with work on pesticides. The kestrels were acquired from the wild, both as nestlings and as full-grown birds, and were housed in several rows of outdoor pens. Each 50 x 20 ft pen was covered with wire netting and had its long sides in common with adjacent pens. During the first two reproductive seasons, untreated parent birds (dosed birds are not included in this paper) ate eggs and young. Cannibalism virtually ceased after the diet was changed from ground beef or horsemeat supplemented with liver, vitamins, and minerals to one containing a finely ground mixture of laboratory rodents, chicken heads, skinned chicken necks, and supplements; hatching success thereafter generally equalled that of a wild population. In 1967, 16 pairs of untreated hawks (3-year-old females) laid clutches averaging 4.9 eggs, hatched 88 percent of their eggs, and fledged 88 percent of their young. In 1968, 10 pairs of this group (4-year-old females) laid clutches averaging 4.9 eggs, hatched 51 percent of their eggs, and fledged 85 percent of their young. Nine yearling pairs (hatched in captivity) laid clutches in 1968 averaging 5.1 eggs, hatched 87 percent of their eggs, and fledged all of their young.

Nurses' experiences working with nursing students in a hospital: a phenomenological enquiry.

PubMed

Lapeña-Moñux, Yolanda Raquel; Cibanal-Juan, Luis; Orts-Cortés, M Isabel; Maciá-Soler, M Loreto; Palacios-Ceña, Domingo

2016-01-01

this paper explores the experiences of registered nurses working with Spanish nursing students within the hospital. a qualitative phenomenological approach was followed. Purposeful sampling was employed. Twenty-one registered nurses, from a public hospital located in Spain, were included in the study. Data were collected by means of unstructured and semi-structured interviews and were analysed using Giorgi's proposal. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research were followed. three main themes described the experience of registered nurses: "The nurse's relationship with nursing students"; most nurses emphasized the importance of the first contact with students and they considered students' attitude to be key. "Defining the role of the student in clinical practice"; it is necessary to unify the nurse's role and interventions to avoid misleading students and establish priorities in clinical practice. "Building bridges between clinical settings and the University"; the need to establish a common ground and connection between the university and hospital clinical settings was emphasized. Nurses felt that the training program should also be designed by the clinical settings themselves. understanding the meaning of nursing students with registered nurses might gain a deeper insight into their expectations.

Quasi-classical approaches to vibronic spectra revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karsten, Sven; Ivanov, Sergei D.; Bokarev, Sergey I.; Kühn, Oliver

2018-03-01

The framework to approach quasi-classical dynamics in the electronic ground state is well established and is based on the Kubo-transformed time correlation function (TCF), being the most classical-like quantum TCF. Here we discuss whether the choice of the Kubo-transformed TCF as a starting point for simulating vibronic spectra is as unambiguous as it is for vibrational ones. Employing imaginary-time path integral techniques in combination with the interaction representation allowed us to formulate a method for simulating vibronic spectra in the adiabatic regime that takes nuclear quantum effects and dynamics on multiple potential energy surfaces into account. Further, a generalized quantum TCF is proposed that contains many well-established TCFs, including the Kubo one, as particular cases. Importantly, it also provides a framework to construct new quantum TCFs. Applying the developed methodology to the generalized TCF leads to a plethora of simulation protocols, which are based on the well-known TCFs as well as on new ones. Their performance is investigated on 1D anharmonic model systems at finite temperatures. It is shown that the protocols based on the new TCFs may lead to superior results with respect to those based on the common ones. The strategies to find the optimal approach are discussed.

Estimating plant biomass for undergrowth species of northeastern Minnesota forest communities.

Treesearch

Lewis F. Ohmann; David F. Grigal; Lynn L. Rogers

1981-01-01

Biomass prediction equations were developed for some common ground cover plants from forest communities of northeastern Minnesota. The allometric function was used to predict biomass (dry weight) with ocular estimates of percent ground cover of the plant as the independent variable.

PLANT MULCH TO TREAT TCE IN GROUND WATER IN A PRB

EPA Science Inventory

In the past ten years, passive reactive barriers (PRBs) have found widespread application to treat chlorinated solvent contamination in ground water. The traditional PRB commonly uses granular zero-valent iron and/or iron alloys as filling materials for treatment of chlorinated ...

FIELD MEASUREMENT OF DISSOLVED OXYGEN: A COMPARISON OF METHODS

EPA Science Inventory

The ability to confidently measure the concentration of dissolved oxygen (D.O.) in ground water is a key aspect of remedial selection and assessment. Presented here is a comparison of the commonly practiced methods for determining D.O. concentrations in ground water, including c...

Synthesis, structure, and excited state kinetics of heteroleptic Cu(i) complexes with a new sterically demanding phenanthroline ligand

DOE PAGES

Kohler, Lars; Hadt, Ryan G.; Hayes, Dugan; ...

2017-09-25

In this paper we describe the synthesis of a new phenanthroline ligand, 2,9-di(2,4,6-tri-isopropyl-phenyl)-1,10-phenanthroline (bL2) and its use as the blocking ligand in the preparation of two new heteroleptic Cu(I)diimine complexes. Analysis of the CuHETPHEN single crystal structures shows a distinct distortion from an ideal tetrahedral geometry around the Cu(I) center, forced by the secondary phenanthroline ligand rotating to accommodate the isopropyl groups of bL2. The increased steric bulk of bL2 as compared to the more commonly used 2,9-dimesityl-1,10-phenanthroline blocking ligand prohibits intramolecular ligand–ligand interaction, which is unique among CuHETPHEN complexes. The ground state optical and redox properties of CuHETPHEN complexesmore » are responsive to the substitution on the blocking ligand even though the differences in structure are far removed from the Cu(I) center. Transient optical spectroscopy was used to understand the excited state kinetics in both coordinating and non-coordinating solvents following visible excitation. Substitution of the blocking phenanthroline ligand has a significant impact on the 3MLCT decay and can be used to increase the excited state lifetime by 50%. Electronic structure calculations established relationships between ground and excited state properties, and general entatic state concepts are discussed for copper photosensitizers. This work contributes to the growing library of CuHETPHEN complexes and broadens the fundamental understanding of their ground and excited state properties.« less

A systematic analysis of directional site effects at stations of the Italian Seismic Network to test the role of local topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pischiutta, Marta; Cianfarra, Paola; Salvini, Francesco; Cara, Fabrizio; Vannoli, Paola

2018-03-01

Directional site effects observed at seismological stations on pronounced relief are analyzed. We investigate the ground motion properties calculating horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios and horizontal polarization of both ambient vibrations and earthquake records using broadband seismograms of the Italian Seismic Network. We find that a subset of 47 stations with pronounced relief, results in a significant (>2) directional amplification of the horizontal component, with a well defined, site-specific direction of motion. However, the horizontal spectral response of sites is not uniform, varying from an isolated (resonant) frequency peak to a broadband amplification, interesting frequency bands as large as 1-10 Hz in many cases. Using the 47 selected stations, we have tried to establish a relation between directional amplification and topography geometry in a 2D-vision, when applicable, through a morphological analysis of the Digital Elevation Model using Geographic Information Systems. The procedure computes the parameters that characterize the geometry of topographic irregularities (size and slope), in combination with a principal component analysis that automatically yields the orientation of the elongated ridges. In seeking a relation between directional amplification and the surface morphology, we have found that it is impossible to fit the variety of observations with a resonant topography model as well as to identify common features in the ground motion behavior for stations with similar topography typologies. We conclude that, rather than the shape of the topography, local structural complexities and details of the near-surface structure must play a predominant role in controlling ground motion properties at sites with pronounced relief.

Developing effective sampling designs for monitoring natural resources in Alaskan national parks: an example using simulations and vegetation data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thompson, William L.; Miller, Amy E.; Mortenson, Dorothy C.; Woodward, Andrea

2011-01-01

Monitoring natural resources in Alaskan national parks is challenging because of their remoteness, limited accessibility, and high sampling costs. We describe an iterative, three-phased process for developing sampling designs based on our efforts to establish a vegetation monitoring program in southwest Alaska. In the first phase, we defined a sampling frame based on land ownership and specific vegetated habitats within the park boundaries and used Path Distance analysis tools to create a GIS layer that delineated portions of each park that could be feasibly accessed for ground sampling. In the second phase, we used simulations based on landcover maps to identify size and configuration of the ground sampling units (single plots or grids of plots) and to refine areas to be potentially sampled. In the third phase, we used a second set of simulations to estimate sample size and sampling frequency required to have a reasonable chance of detecting a minimum trend in vegetation cover for a specified time period and level of statistical confidence. Results of the first set of simulations indicated that a spatially balanced random sample of single plots from the most common landcover types yielded the most efficient sampling scheme. Results of the second set of simulations were compared with field data and indicated that we should be able to detect at least a 25% change in vegetation attributes over 31. years by sampling 8 or more plots per year every five years in focal landcover types. This approach would be especially useful in situations where ground sampling is restricted by access.

A systematic analysis of directional site effects at stations of the Italian seismic network to test the role of local topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pischiutta, Marta; Cianfarra, Paola; Salvini, Francesco; Cara, Fabrizio; Vannoli, Paola

2018-07-01

Directional site effects observed at seismological stations on pronounced relief are analysed. We investigate the ground motion properties calculating horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratios and horizontal polarization of both ambient vibrations and earthquake records using broad-band seismograms of the Italian seismic network. We find that a subset of 47 stations with pronounced relief results in a significant (>2) directional amplification of the horizontal component, with a well-defined, site-specific direction of motion. However, the horizontal spectral response of sites is not uniform, varying from an isolated (resonant) frequency peak to a broad-band amplification, interesting frequency bands as large as 1-10 Hz in many cases. Using 47 selected stations, we have tried to establish a relation between directional amplification and topography geometry in a 2-D vision, when applicable, through a morphological analysis of the digital elevation model using geographic information systems. The procedure computes the parameters that characterize the geometry of topographic irregularities (size and slope), in combination with a principal component analysis that automatically yields the orientation of the elongated ridges. In seeking a relation between directional amplification and the surface morphology, we have found that it is impossible to fit the variety of observations with a resonant topography model as well as to identify common features in the ground motion behaviour for stations with similar topography typologies. We conclude that, rather than the shape of the topography, local structural complexities and details of the near-surface structure must play a predominant role in controlling ground motion properties at sites with pronounced relief.

Prairie dogs increase fitness by killing interspecific competitors.

PubMed

Hoogland, John L; Brown, Charles R

2016-03-30

Interspecific competition commonly selects for divergence in ecology, morphology or physiology, but direct observation of interspecific competition under natural conditions is difficult. Herbivorous white-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys leucurus) employ an unusual strategy to reduce interspecific competition: they kill, but do not consume, herbivorous Wyoming ground squirrels (Urocitellus elegans) encountered in the prairie dog territories. Results from a 6-year study in Colorado, USA, revealed that interspecific killing of ground squirrels by prairie dogs was common, involving 47 different killers; 19 prairie dogs were serial killers in the same or consecutive years, and 30% of female prairie dogs killed at least one ground squirrel over their lifetimes. Females that killed ground squirrels had significantly higher annual and lifetime fitness than non-killers, probably because of decreased interspecific competition for vegetation. Our results document the first case of interspecific killing of competing individuals unrelated to predation (IK) among herbivorous mammals in the wild, and show that IK enhances fitness for animals living under natural conditions. © 2016 The Author(s).

Prairie dogs increase fitness by killing interspecific competitors

PubMed Central

Brown, Charles R.

2016-01-01

Interspecific competition commonly selects for divergence in ecology, morphology or physiology, but direct observation of interspecific competition under natural conditions is difficult. Herbivorous white-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys leucurus) employ an unusual strategy to reduce interspecific competition: they kill, but do not consume, herbivorous Wyoming ground squirrels (Urocitellus elegans) encountered in the prairie dog territories. Results from a 6-year study in Colorado, USA, revealed that interspecific killing of ground squirrels by prairie dogs was common, involving 47 different killers; 19 prairie dogs were serial killers in the same or consecutive years, and 30% of female prairie dogs killed at least one ground squirrel over their lifetimes. Females that killed ground squirrels had significantly higher annual and lifetime fitness than non-killers, probably because of decreased interspecific competition for vegetation. Our results document the first case of interspecific killing of competing individuals unrelated to predation (IK) among herbivorous mammals in the wild, and show that IK enhances fitness for animals living under natural conditions. PMID:27009223

Performance evaluation of automated segmentation software on optical coherence tomography volume data

PubMed Central

Tian, Jing; Varga, Boglarka; Tatrai, Erika; Fanni, Palya; Somfai, Gabor Mark; Smiddy, William E.

2016-01-01

Over the past two decades a significant number of OCT segmentation approaches have been proposed in the literature. Each methodology has been conceived for and/or evaluated using specific datasets that do not reflect the complexities of the majority of widely available retinal features observed in clinical settings. In addition, there does not exist an appropriate OCT dataset with ground truth that reflects the realities of everyday retinal features observed in clinical settings. While the need for unbiased performance evaluation of automated segmentation algorithms is obvious, the validation process of segmentation algorithms have been usually performed by comparing with manual labelings from each study and there has been a lack of common ground truth. Therefore, a performance comparison of different algorithms using the same ground truth has never been performed. This paper reviews research-oriented tools for automated segmentation of the retinal tissue on OCT images. It also evaluates and compares the performance of these software tools with a common ground truth. PMID:27159849

Observation of SO2 degassing at Stromboli volcano using a hyperspectral thermal infrared imager

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smekens, Jean-François; Gouhier, Mathieu

2018-05-01

Thermal infrared (TIR) imaging is a common tool for the monitoring of volcanic activity. Broadband cameras with increasing sampling frequency give great insight into the physical processes taking place during effusive and explosive event, while Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) methods provide high resolution spectral information used to assess the composition of volcanic gases but are often limited to a single point of interest. Continuing developments in detector technology have given rise to a new class of hyperspectral imagers combining the advantages of both approaches. In this work, we present the results of our observations of volcanic activity at Stromboli volcano with a ground-based imager, the Telops Hyper-Cam LW, when used to detect emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO2) produced at the vent, with data acquired at Stromboli volcano (Italy) in early October of 2015. We have developed an innovative technique based on a curve-fitting algorithm to quickly extract spectral information from high-resolution datasets, allowing fast and reliable identification of SO2. We show in particular that weak SO2 emissions, such as inter-eruptive gas puffing, can be easily detected using this technology, even with poor weather conditions during acquisition (e.g., high relative humidity, presence of fog and/or ash). Then, artificially reducing the spectral resolution of the instrument, we recreated a variety of commonly used multispectral configurations to examine the efficiency of four qualitative SO2 indicators based on simple Brightness Temperature Difference (BTD). Our results show that quickly changing conditions at the vent - including but not limited to the presence of summit fog - render the establishment of meaningful thresholds for BTD indicators difficult. Building on those results, we propose recommendations on the use of multispectral imaging for SO2 monitoring and routine measurements from ground-based instruments.

Protective ability of the standard U.S. Military Personal Armor System, Ground Troops (PASGT) fragmentation vest against common small arms projectiles.

PubMed

Roberts, G K; Bullian, M E

1993-08-01

This study analyzes the ballistic protection provided by the standard U.S. Military Personal Armor System, Ground Troops fragmentation vest against threats from handgun and shotgun projectiles. Damage assessment was conducted using 10% ordnance gelatin, a tissue simulant which has been proven to have a close correlation with living tissue. The standard fragmentation vest was shown to provide protection from commonly encountered handgun bullets and shotgun pellets, but not from shotgun slugs or center-fire rifle bullets.

75 FR 60808 - Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge, Chesterfield County, SC

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-01

... and native grasslands, establish native warm season grass demonstration areas, and eradicate non-native plants (e.g., fescue, love grass, and bamboo). We will also establish a seed nursery/orchard for native warm season grass and native ground cover and engage in native plant botanical research. We will...

Finding Common Ground with the Common Core

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moisan, Heidi

2015-01-01

This article examines the journey of museum educators at the Chicago History Museum in understanding the Common Core State Standards and implementing them in our work with the school audience. The process raised questions about our teaching philosophy and our responsibility to our audience. Working with colleagues inside and outside of our…

Numerical results for near surface time domain electromagnetic exploration: a full waveform approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, H.; Li, K.; Li, X., Sr.; Liu, Y., Sr.; Wen, J., Sr.

2015-12-01

Time domain or Transient electromagnetic (TEM) survey including types with airborne, semi-airborne and ground play important roles in applicants such as geological surveys, ground water/aquifer assess [Meju et al., 2000; Cox et al., 2010], metal ore exploration [Yang and Oldenburg, 2012], prediction of water bearing structures in tunnels [Xue et al., 2007; Sun et al., 2012], UXO exploration [Pasion et al., 2007; Gasperikova et al., 2009] etc. The common practice is introducing a current into a transmitting (Tx) loop and acquire the induced electromagnetic field after the current is cut off [Zhdanov and Keller, 1994]. The current waveforms are different depending on instruments. Rectangle is the most widely used excitation current source especially in ground TEM. Triangle and half sine are commonly used in airborne and semi-airborne TEM investigation. In most instruments, only the off time responses are acquired and used in later analysis and data inversion. Very few airborne instruments acquire the on time and off time responses together. Although these systems acquire the on time data, they usually do not use them in the interpretation.This abstract shows a novel full waveform time domain electromagnetic method and our recent modeling results. The benefits comes from our new algorithm in modeling full waveform time domain electromagnetic problems. We introduced the current density into the Maxwell's equation as the transmitting source. This approach allows arbitrary waveforms, such as triangle, half-sine, trapezoidal waves or scatter record from equipment, being used in modeling. Here, we simulate the establishing and induced diffusion process of the electromagnetic field in the earth. The traditional time domain electromagnetic with pure secondary fields can also be extracted from our modeling results. The real time responses excited by a loop source can be calculated using the algorithm. We analyze the full time gates responses of homogeneous half space and two layered models with half sine current waveform as examples. We find the on time responses are quite sensitive to resistivity or depth changes. The results show the potential use of full waveform responses in time domain electromagnetic surveys.

Recent field experiments with commercial satellite imagery direct downlink.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Anthony R; Amber, Samuel H

US Pacific Command's strategy includes assistance to United States government relief agencies and nongovernment organizations during humanitarian aid and disaster relief operations in the Asia-Pacific region. Situational awareness during these operations is enhanced by broad interagency access to unclassified commercial satellite imagery. The Remote Ground Terminal-a mobile satellite downlink ground station-has undergone several technology demonstrations and participated in an overseas deployment exercise focused on a natural disaster scenario. This ground station has received new commercial imagery within 20 minutes, hastening a normally days-long process. The Army Geospatial Center continues to manage technology development and product improvement for the Remote Ground Terminal. Furthermore, this ground station is now on a technology transition path into the Distributed Common Ground System-Army program of record.

PLANT MULCH TO TREAT TCE IN GROUND WATER IN A PRB (ABSTRACT ONLY)

EPA Science Inventory

In the past ten years, passive reactive barriers (PRBs) have found widespread application to treat chlorinated solvent contamination in ground water. The traditional PRB commonly uses granular zero-valent iron and/or iron alloys as filling materials for treatment of chlorinated ...

IDENTIFICATION OF SOURCES OF GROUND-WATER SALINIZA- TION USING GEOCHEMICAL TECHNIQUES

EPA Science Inventory

This report deals with salt-water sources that commonly mix and deteriorate fresh ground water. It reviews characteristics of salt-water sources and geochemical techniques that can be used to identify these sources after mixing has occurred. The report is designed to assist inves...

Finding common ground to achieve a "good death": family physicians working with substitute decision-makers of dying patients. A qualitative grounded theory study.

PubMed

Tan, Amy; Manca, Donna

2013-01-22

Substitute decision-makers are integral to the care of dying patients and make many healthcare decisions for patients. Unfortunately, conflict between physicians and surrogate decision-makers is not uncommon in end-of-life care and this could contribute to a "bad death" experience for the patient and family. We aim to describe Canadian family physicians' experiences of conflict with substitute decision-makers of dying patients to identify factors that may facilitate or hinder the end-of-life decision-making process. This insight will help determine how to best manage these complex situations, ultimately improving the overall care of dying patients. Grounded Theory methodology was used with semi-structured interviews of family physicians in Edmonton, Canada, who experienced conflict with substitute decision-makers of dying patients. Purposeful sampling included maximum variation and theoretical sampling strategies. Interviews were audio-taped, and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts, field notes and memos were coded using the constant-comparative method to identify key concepts until saturation was achieved and a theoretical framework emerged. Eleven family physicians with a range of 3 to 40 years in clinical practice participated.The family physicians expressed a desire to achieve a "good death" and described their role in positively influencing the experience of death.Finding Common Ground to Achieve a "Good Death" for the Patient emerged as an important process which includes 1) Building Mutual Trust and Rapport through identifying key players and delivering manageable amounts of information, 2) Understanding One Another through active listening and ultimately, and 3) Making Informed, Shared Decisions. Facilitators and barriers to achieving Common Ground were identified. Barriers were linked to conflict. The inability to resolve an overt conflict may lead to an impasse at any point. A process for Resolving an Impasse is described. A novel framework for developing Common Ground to manage conflicts during end-of-life decision-making discussions may assist in achieving a "good death". These results could aid in educating physicians, learners, and the public on how to achieve productive collaborative relationships during end-of-life decision-making for dying patients, and ultimately improve their deaths.

Ground roll attenuation using polarization analysis in the t-f-k domain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, C.; Wang, Y.

2017-07-01

S waves travel slower than P waves and have a lower dominant frequency. Therefore, applying common techniques such as time-frequency filtering and f-k filtering to separate S waves from ground roll is difficult because ground roll is also characterized by slow velocity and low frequency. In this study, we present a method for attenuating ground roll using a polarization filtering method based on the t-f-k transform. We describe the particle motion of the waves by complex vector signals. Each pair of frequency components, whose frequencies have the same absolute value but different signs, of the complex signal indicate an elliptical or linear motion. The polarization parameters of the elliptical or linear motion are explicitly related to the two Fourier coefficients. We then extend these concepts to the t-f-k domain and propose a polarization filtering method for ground roll attenuation based on the t-f-k transform. The proposed approach can define automatically the time-varying reject zones on the f-k panel at different times as a function of the reciprocal ellipticity. Four attributes, time, frequency, apparent velocity and polarization are used to identify and extract the ground roll simultaneously. Thus, the ground roll and body waves can be separated as long as they are dissimilar in one of these attributes. We compare our method with commonly used filtering techniques by applying the methods to synthetic and real seismic data. The results indicate that our method can attenuate ground roll while preserving body waves more effectively than the other methods.

Molecular study of worldwide distribution and diversity of soil animals

PubMed Central

Wu, Tiehang; Ayres, Edward; Bardgett, Richard D.; Wall, Diana H.; Garey, James R.

2011-01-01

The global distribution of soil animals and the relationship of below-ground biodiversity to above-ground biodiversity are not well understood. We examined 17,516 environmental 18S rRNA gene sequences representing 20 phyla of soil animals sampled from 11 locations covering a range of biomes and latitudes around the world. No globally cosmopolitan taxa were found and only 14 of 2,259 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) found were common to four or more locations. Half of those were circumpolar and may reflect higher connectivity among circumpolar locations compared with other locations in the study. Even when OTU assembly criteria were relaxed to approximate the family taxonomic level, only 34 OTUs were common to four or more locations. A comparison of our diversity and community structure data to environmental factors suggests that below-ground animal diversity may be inversely related to above-ground biodiversity. Our data suggest that greater soil inorganic N and lower pH could explain the low below-ground biodiversity found at locations of high above-ground biodiversity. Our locations could also be characterized as being dominated by microarthropods or dominated by nematodes. Locations dominated by arthropods were primarily forests with lower soil pH, root biomass, mean annual temperature, low soil inorganic N and higher C:N, litter and moisture compared with nematode-dominated locations, which were mostly grasslands. Overall, our data indicate that small soil animals have distinct biogeographical distributions and provide unique evidence of the link between above-ground and below-ground biodiversity at a global scale. PMID:22006309

A Grounded Theory for Regional Development through the IT Offshoring Industry with the Triple-Helix Involvment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villarreal de la Garza, Sonia

2011-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative grounded study was to explore the thoughts, experiences, and needs of potential clients and of the triple-helix members with the intention to establish a framework to support the development of the regional economy through the information technology (IT) and business processing outsourcing (BPO) offshoring industry.…

Contamination control plan for prelaunch operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Austin, J. D.

1983-01-01

A unified, systematic plan is presented for contamination control for space flight systems. Allowable contaminant quantities, or contamination budgets, are determined based on system performance margins and system-level allowable degradations. These contamination budgets are compared to contamination rates in ground environments to establish the controls required in each ground environment. The use of feedback from contamination monitoring and some contamination control procedures are discussed.

Effects of above- and below-ground competition from shrubs on photosynthesis, transpiration and growth in Quercus robur L

Treesearch

Anna M. Jensen; Magnus Lof; Emile S. Gardiner

2011-01-01

For a tree seedling to successfully establish in dense shrubbery, it must maintain function under heterogeneous resource availability. We evaluated leaf-level acclimation in photosynthetic capacity, seedling-level transpiration, and seedling morphology and growth to gain an understanding of the effects of above- and below-ground competition on Quercus robur seedlings....

A Grounded Theory Approach to the Development of a Framework for Researching Children's Decision-Making Skills within Design and Technology Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mettas, Alexandros; Norman, Eddie

2011-01-01

This paper discusses the establishment of a framework for researching children's decision-making skills in design and technology education through taking a grounded theory approach. Three data sources were used: (1) analysis of available literature; (2) curriculum analysis and interviews with teachers concerning their practice in relation to their…

Power Extension Package (PEP) system definition extension, orbital service module systems analysis study. Volume 5: PEP environmental specification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

This specification establishes the natural and induced environments to which the power extension package may be exposed during ground operations and space operations with the shuttle system. Space induced environments are applicable at the Orbiter attach point interface location. All probable environments are systematically listed according to each ground and mission phase.

Getting and maintaining attention in talk to young children.

PubMed

Estigarribia, Bruno; Clark, Eve V

2007-11-01

When two people talk about an object, they depend on joint attention, a prerequisite for setting up common ground in a conversational exchange. In this study, we analyze this process for parent and child, with data from 40 dyads, to show how adults initiate joint attention in talking to young children (mean ages 1;6 and 3;0). Adults first get their children's attention with a summons (e.g. Ready?, See this?), but cease using such forms once children give evidence of attending. Children signal their attention by looking at the target object, evidence used by the adults. Only at that point do adults begin to talk about the object. From then on, they use language and gesture to offer information about and maintain attention on the target. The techniques adults rely on are interactive: they establish joint attention and maintain it throughout the exchange.

Complexity matching in dyadic conversation.

PubMed

Abney, Drew H; Paxton, Alexandra; Dale, Rick; Kello, Christopher T

2014-12-01

Recent studies of dyadic interaction have examined phenomena of synchronization, entrainment, alignment, and convergence. All these forms of behavioral matching have been hypothesized to play a supportive role in establishing coordination and common ground between interlocutors. In the present study, evidence is found for a new kind of coordination termed complexity matching. Temporal dynamics in conversational speech signals were analyzed through time series of acoustic onset events. Timing in periods of acoustic energy was found to exhibit behavioral matching that reflects complementary timing in turn-taking. In addition, acoustic onset times were found to exhibit power law clustering across a range of timescales, and these power law functions were found to exhibit complexity matching that is distinct from behavioral matching. Complexity matching is discussed in terms of interactive alignment and other theoretical principles that lead to new hypotheses about information exchange in dyadic conversation and interaction in general. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Health Disparities and Health Equity: The Issue Is Justice

PubMed Central

Kumanyika, Shiriki; Fielding, Jonathan; LaVeist, Thomas; Borrell, Luisa N.; Manderscheid, Ron; Troutman, Adewale

2011-01-01

Eliminating health disparities is a Healthy People goal. Given the diverse and sometimes broad definitions of health disparities commonly used, a subcommittee convened by the Secretary's Advisory Committee for Healthy People 2020 proposed an operational definition for use in developing objectives and targets, determining resource allocation priorities, and assessing progress. Based on that subcommittee's work, we propose that health disparities are systematic, plausibly avoidable health differences adversely affecting socially disadvantaged groups; they may reflect social disadvantage, but causality need not be established. This definition, grounded in ethical and human rights principles, focuses on the subset of health differences reflecting social injustice, distinguishing health disparities from other health differences also warranting concerted attention, and from health differences in general. We explain the definition, its underlying concepts, the challenges it addresses, and the rationale for applying it to United States public health policy. PMID:21551385

Large High Resolution Displays for Co-Located Collaborative Sensemaking: Display Usage and Territoriality

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

Bradel, Lauren; Endert, Alexander; Koch, Kristen

2013-08-01

Large, high-resolution vertical displays carry the potential to increase the accuracy of collaborative sensemaking, given correctly designed visual analytics tools. From an exploratory user study using a fictional textual intelligence analysis task, we investigated how users interact with the display to construct spatial schemas and externalize information, as well as how they establish shared and private territories. We investigated the space management strategies of users partitioned by type of tool philosophy followed (visualization- or text-centric). We classified the types of territorial behavior exhibited in terms of how the users interacted with information on the display (integrated or independent workspaces). Next,more » we examined how territorial behavior impacted the common ground between the pairs of users. Finally, we offer design suggestions for building future co-located collaborative visual analytics tools specifically for use on large, high-resolution vertical displays.« less

Balancing theory and practicality: engaging non-ethicists in ethical decision making related to radiological protection.

PubMed

Martinez, Nicole; Wueste, Daniel

2016-12-01

This paper discusses an approach for engaging radiation protection professionals in the ethical aspects of decision-making, with discussion on how this approach fits in with the existing system of radiological protection. It explores finding common ground between ethical and scientific theory, how to present relevant moral theory in accessible language, and provides a practical framework for dealing with real-world problems. Although establishing the ethical theory behind the system of radiological protection is an important ongoing endeavour within the community, it is equally important to communicate this information in a way that is useful to non-ethicists. Discussion of both ethical theory and a useful strategy for applying the theory makes ethics more accessible to those working in the field by providing them with the knowledge and confidence to apply ethical principles in decisions and practice.

Assessing tolerance for wildlife: Clarifying relations between concepts and measures

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bruskotter, Jeremy T.; Singh, Ajay; Fulton, David C.; Slagle, Kristina

2015-01-01

Two parallel lines of inquiry, tolerance for and acceptance of wildlife populations, have arisen in the applied literature on wildlife conservation to assess probability of successfully establishing or increasing populations of controversial species. Neither of these lines is well grounded in social science theory, and diverse measures have been employed to assess tolerance, which inhibits comparability across studies. We empirically tested behavioral measures of tolerance against self-reports of previous policy-relevant behavior and behavioral intentions. Both composite behavioral measures were strongly correlated (r > .70) with two attitudinal measures of tolerance commonly employed in the literature. The strong correlation between attitudinal and behavioral measures suggests existing attitudinal measures represent valid, parsimonious measures of tolerance that may be useful when behavioral measures are too cumbersome or misreporting of behavior is anticipated. Our results demonstrate how behavioral measures of tolerance provide additional, useful information beyond general attitudinal measures.

Why we simulate negated information: a dynamic pragmatic account.

PubMed

Tian, Ye; Breheny, Richard; Ferguson, Heather J

2010-12-01

A well-established finding in the simulation literature is that participants simulate the positive argument of negation soon after reading a negative sentence, prior to simulating a scene consistent with the negated sentence (Kaup, Ludtke, & Zwaan, 2006; Kaup, Yaxley, Madden, Zwaan, & Ludtke, 2007). One interpretation of this finding is that negation requires two steps to process: first represent what is being negated then "reject" that in favour of a representation of a negation-consistent state of affairs (Kaup et al., 2007). In this paper we argue that this finding with negative sentences could be a by-product of the dynamic way that language is interpreted relative to a common ground and not the way that negation is represented. We present a study based on Kaup et al. (2007) that tests the competing accounts. Our results suggest that some negative sentences are not processed in two steps, but provide support for the alternative, dynamic account.

Alternative route to charge density wave formation in multiband systems

PubMed Central

Eiter, Hans-Martin; Lavagnini, Michela; Hackl, Rudi; Nowadnick, Elizabeth A.; Kemper, Alexander F.; Devereaux, Thomas P.; Chu, Jiun-Haw; Analytis, James G.; Fisher, Ian R.; Degiorgi, Leonardo

2013-01-01

Charge and spin density waves, periodic modulations of the electron, and magnetization densities, respectively, are among the most abundant and nontrivial low-temperature ordered phases in condensed matter. The ordering direction is widely believed to result from the Fermi surface topology. However, several recent studies indicate that this common view needs to be supplemented. Here, we show how an enhanced electron–lattice interaction can contribute to or even determine the selection of the ordering vector in the model charge density wave system ErTe3. Our joint experimental and theoretical study allows us to establish a relation between the selection rules of the electronic light scattering spectra and the enhanced electron–phonon coupling in the vicinity of band degeneracy points. This alternative proposal for charge density wave formation may be of general relevance for driving phase transitions into other broken-symmetry ground states, particularly in multiband systems, such as the iron-based superconductors. PMID:23248317

A study of model parameters associated with the urban climate using HCMM data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Infrared and visible data from the Heat Capacity Mapping Mission (HCMM) satellite were used to study the intensity of the urban heat island, commonly defined as the temperature difference between the center of the city and the surrounding suburban and rural regions, as a function of changes in the season and changes in meteorological conditions in order to derive various parameters which may be used in numerical models for urban climate. The analysis was focused on the city of St. Louis; and in situ data from St. Louis was combined with HCMM data in order to derive the various parameters. The HCMM data were mapped onto a Mercator projection map of the city and ground temperatures were established using data corrected for the effects of atmospheric absorption. The corrected and uncorrected HCMM data were compared to determine the magnitude of the error induced by atmospheric effects.

NASA/ESA CV-990 spacelab simulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

Due to interest in the application of simplified techniques used to conduct airborne science missions at NASA's Ames Research Center, a joint NASA/ESA endeavor was established to conduct an extensive Spacelab simulation using the NASA CV-990 airborne laboratory. The scientific payload was selected to perform studies in upper atmospheric physics and infrared astronomy with principal investigators from France, the Netherlands, England, and several groups from the United States. Communication links between the 'Spacelab' and a ground based mission operations center were limited consistent with Spacelab plans. The mission was successful and provided extensive data relevant to Spacelab objectives on overall management of a complex international payload; experiment preparation, testing, and integration; training for proxy operation in space; data handling; multiexperimenter use of common experimenter facilities (telescopes); multiexperiment operation by experiment operators; selection criteria for Spacelab experiment operators; and schedule requirements to prepare for such a Spacelab mission.

Guidelines for preparation of the 1996 state water quality assessments (305(b) reports)

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

NONE

1995-05-01

The Federal Water Polluton Control Act (PL92-500, commonly known as the Clean Water Act), establishes a process for States to use to develop information on the quality of the Nation`s water resources and to report this information to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Congress, and the citizens of this country. Each State must develop a program to monitor the quality of its surface and ground waters and prepare a report every 2 years describing the status of its water quality. EPA compiles the data from the State reports, summarizes them, and transmits the summaries to Congress alongmore » with an analysis of the status of water quality nationwide. This process, referred to as the 305(b) process, is an essential aspect of the Nation`s water pollution control effort.« less

Exploring the Legacies of Filmed Patient Narratives

PubMed Central

Robert, Glenn; Maben, Jill

2015-01-01

We trace the legacies of filmed patient narratives that were edited and screened to encourage engagement with a participatory quality improvement project in an acute hospital setting in England. Using Gabriel’s theory of “narrative contract,” we examine the initial success of the films in establishing common grounds for participatory project and later, and more varied, interpretations of the films. Over time, the films were interpreted by staff as either useful sources of learning by critical reflection, dubious (invalid or unreliable) representations of patient experience, or as “closed” items available as auditable evidence of completed quality improvement work. We find these interpretations of the films to be shaped by the effect of social distance, the differential outcomes of project work, and changing organizational agendas. We consider the wider conditions of patient narrative as a form of quality improvement knowledge with immediate potency and fragile or fluid legitimacy over time. PMID:25576480

DOT/NASA comparative assessment of Brayton engines for guideway vehicle and buses. Volume 1: Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The Department of Transportation requested that the NASA Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology evaluate and assess the potential of several types of gas turbine engines and fuels for the on-board power and propulsion of a future heavy-duty ground transportation system. The purpose of the investigation was threefold: (1) to provide a definition of the potential for turbine engines to minimize pollution, energy consumption, and noise; (2) to provide a useful means of comparison of the types of engine based on consistent assumptions and a common analytical approach; and (3) to provide a compendium of comparative performance data that would serve as the technical basis for future planning. Emphasis was on establishing comparison trends rather than on absolute values and a definitive engine selection. The primary value of this study is intended to be usefulness of the results to provide a quantitative basis for future judgement.

Acephate affects migratory orientation of the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vyas, N.B.; Kuenzel, W.J.; Hill, E.F.; Sauer, J.R.

1995-01-01

Migratory white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) were exposed to acephate (acetylphosphoramidothioic acid O,S-dimethyl ester), an organophosphorus pesticide, to determine its effects on migratory orientation and behavior. Birds were also exposed to polarizer sheets to determine the mechanism by which acephate may affect migratory orientation. Adult birds exposed to 256 ppm acephate a.i. were not able to establish a preferred migratory orientation and exhibited random activity. All juvenile treatment groups displayed a seasonally correct southward migratory orientation. We hypothesize that acephate may have produced aberrant migratory behavior by affecting the memory of the migratory route and wintering ground. This experiment reveals that an environmentally relevant concentration of a common organophosphorus pesticide can alter migratory orientation, but its effect is markedly different between adult and juvenile sparrows. Results suggest that the survival of free-flying adult passerine migrants may be compromised following organophosphorus pesticide exposure.

Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy of Persistent Leonid Trains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, Ray W.; Rossano, George S.; Chatelain, Mark A.; Lynch, David K.; Tessensohn, Ted K.; Abendroth, Eric; Kim, Daryl; Jenniskens, Peter; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The first infrared spectroscopy in the 3-13 micron region has been obtained of several persistent Leonid meteor trains with two different instrument types, one at a desert ground-based site and the other on-board a high-flying aircraft. The spectra exhibit common structures assigned to enhanced emissions of warm CH4, CO2, CO and H2O which may originate from heated trace air compounds or materials created in the wake of the meteor. This is the first time that any of these molecules has been observed in the spectra of persistent trains. Hence, the mid-IR observations offer a new perspective on the physical processes that occur in the path of the meteor at some time after the meteor itself has passed by. Continuum emission is observed also, but its origin has not yet been established. No 10 micron dust emission feature has been observed.

Alternative route to charge density wave formation in multiband systems.

PubMed

Eiter, Hans-Martin; Lavagnini, Michela; Hackl, Rudi; Nowadnick, Elizabeth A; Kemper, Alexander F; Devereaux, Thomas P; Chu, Jiun-Haw; Analytis, James G; Fisher, Ian R; Degiorgi, Leonardo

2013-01-02

Charge and spin density waves, periodic modulations of the electron, and magnetization densities, respectively, are among the most abundant and nontrivial low-temperature ordered phases in condensed matter. The ordering direction is widely believed to result from the Fermi surface topology. However, several recent studies indicate that this common view needs to be supplemented. Here, we show how an enhanced electron-lattice interaction can contribute to or even determine the selection of the ordering vector in the model charge density wave system ErTe(3). Our joint experimental and theoretical study allows us to establish a relation between the selection rules of the electronic light scattering spectra and the enhanced electron-phonon coupling in the vicinity of band degeneracy points. This alternative proposal for charge density wave formation may be of general relevance for driving phase transitions into other broken-symmetry ground states, particularly in multiband systems, such as the iron-based superconductors.

Augmenting a Ballet Dance Show Using the Dancer's Emotion: Conducting Joint Research in Dance and Computer Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clay, Alexis; Delord, Elric; Couture, Nadine; Domenger, Gaël

We describe the joint research that we conduct in gesture-based emotion recognition and virtual augmentation of a stage, bridging together the fields of computer science and dance. After establishing a common ground for dialogue, we could conduct a research process that equally benefits both fields. As computer scientists, dance is a perfect application case. Dancer's artistic creativity orient our research choices. As dancers, computer science provides new tools for creativity, and more importantly a new point of view that forces us to reconsider dance from its fundamentals. In this paper we hence describe our scientific work and its implications on dance. We provide an overview of our system to augment a ballet stage, taking a dancer's emotion into account. To illustrate our work in both fields, we describe three events that mixed dance, emotion recognition and augmented reality.

Age-related differences in communication and audience design.

PubMed

Horton, William S; Spieler, Daniel H

2007-06-01

This article reports an experiment examining the extent to which younger and older speakers engage in audience design, the process of adapting one's speech for particular addresses. Through an initial card-matching task, pairs of younger adults and pairs of older adults established common ground for sets of picture cards. Subsequently, the same individuals worked separately on a computer-based picture-description task that involved a novel partner-cuing paradigm. Younger speakers' descriptions to the familiar partner were shorter and were initiated more quickly than were descriptions to an unfamiliar partner. In addition, younger speakers' descriptions to the familiar partner exhibited a higher proportion of lexical overlap with previous descriptions than did descriptions to an unfamiliar partner. Older speakers showed no equivalent evidence for audience design, which may reflect difficulties with retrieving partner-specific information from memory during conversation. ((c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved).

Noise measurements of turboprop airplanes at different overflight elevations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mueller, K.

1990-01-01

In order to establish criteria for the regulation of propfan aircraft engine noise emissions, measurement tests of overhead flights of a METRO-3 and a FOKKER-50 aircraft were performed. The decibel levels captured by the ground car microphone are tabulated according to the height of the microphone from the ground as the recording vehicle followed the aircraft through the test flight patterns. Microphone heights of 1.5 and 10 meters from the ground are recorded and correlated to the flight altitudes of the aircraft, which ranged from 5182-6401 meters.

F-8C adaptive control law refinement and software development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartmann, G. L.; Stein, G.

1981-01-01

An explicit adaptive control algorithm based on maximum likelihood estimation of parameters was designed. To avoid iterative calculations, the algorithm uses parallel channels of Kalman filters operating at fixed locations in parameter space. This algorithm was implemented in NASA/DFRC's Remotely Augmented Vehicle (RAV) facility. Real-time sensor outputs (rate gyro, accelerometer, surface position) are telemetered to a ground computer which sends new gain values to an on-board system. Ground test data and flight records were used to establish design values of noise statistics and to verify the ground-based adaptive software.

How Emerging Technologies are Changing the Rules of Spacecraft Ground Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boland, Dillard; Steger, Warren; Weidow, David; Yakstis, Lou

1996-01-01

As part of its effort to develop the flight dynamics distributed system (FDDS), NASA established a program for the continual monitoring of the developments in computer and software technologies, and for assessing the significance of constructing and operating spacecraft ground data systems. In relation to this, technology trends in the computing industry are reviewed, exploring their significance for the spacecraft ground support industry. The technologies considered are: hardware; object computing; Internet; automation, and software development. The ways in which these technologies have affected the industry are considered.

Jung's equation of the ground of being with the ground of psyche.

PubMed

Dourley, John

2011-09-01

The paper amplifies Jung's psychology of ground associated with the culmination of the alchemical process in the unus mundus. It argues that Jung and Dorn identify the experience of the ground with the experience of divinity as the common originary source of individual and totality. It notes the monistic and pantheistic implications of the experience and goes on to amplify the experience through Eckhart's mediaeval mysticism of ground and Paul Tillich's modern philosophical/theological understanding of ground. It concludes that the Jung/Dorn psychological understanding of ground supersedes monotheistic consciousness. Their vision supports the emergence of a societal myth based on the identification of the ground as the source of all divinities and faith in them. This source currently urges a mythic consciousness that would surpass its past and current concretions and so alleviate the threat that monotheistic consciousness in any domain now poses to human survival. © 2011, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

Design of the Core Stage Inter-Tank Umbilical {CSITU) Compliance Mechanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Kurt R.

2013-01-01

Project Goals: a) Design the compliance mechanism for the CSITU system to a 30% level -3D models completed in Pro/Engineer -Relevant design analysis b) Must meet all system requirements and establish basis for proceeding with detailed design. Tasks to be completed: A design that meets requirements for the 30% design review, 01/16/2013. Umbilical arms provide commodities to the launch vehicle prior to T-0. Commodities can range anywhere from hydraulics, pneumatics, cryogenic, electrical, ECS, etc ... Umbilicals commonly employ truss structures to deliver commodities to vehicle. Common configurations include: -Tilt-up -Swing Arm -Hose Drape -Drop Arm Umbilical arms will be mounted to Mobile Launch Platform. SLS currently has 9 T-0 umbilical arms. The compliance refers to the ability of the umbilical to adjust to minor changes in vehicle location. The compliance mechanism refers to the mechanism on the ground support equipment {GSE) that compensates for these changes. For the CSITU, these minor changes, or vehicle excursions, can be up to +4 in. Excursions refer to movements of the vehicle caused by wind loads and thermal expansion. It is ideal to have significant vertical compliance so a passive secondary release mechanism may be implemented.

Correlation of ground tests and analyses of a dynamically scaled Space Station model configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Javeed, Mehzad; Edighoffer, Harold H.; Mcgowan, Paul E.

1993-01-01

Verification of analytical models through correlation with ground test results of a complex space truss structure is demonstrated. A multi-component, dynamically scaled space station model configuration is the focus structure for this work. Previously established test/analysis correlation procedures are used to develop improved component analytical models. Integrated system analytical models, consisting of updated component analytical models, are compared with modal test results to establish the accuracy of system-level dynamic predictions. Design sensitivity model updating methods are shown to be effective for providing improved component analytical models. Also, the effects of component model accuracy and interface modeling fidelity on the accuracy of integrated model predictions is examined.

Pollutant levels in discarded fish species by Spanish trawlers operating in the Great Sole Bank and the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula.

PubMed

Antelo, Luis T; Ordóñez-Del Pazo, Tatiana; Lopes, Carla; Franco-Uría, Amaya; Pérez-Martín, Ricardo I; Alonso, Antonio A

2016-07-15

Organic and inorganic pollutant levels were determined for the most discarded species from trawlers operating in Great Sole and Spanish coastal fishing grounds. Results for heavy metals indicated that Cd can reach values higher than legal limits for some species and tissues, while Hg and Pb concentrations are below established values. No significant variation was noticed with fishing grounds, but both season influences in the case of Pb and interspecies variation for Hg and Cd have been detected. Valorization recommendations could be therefore established according to the levels found in the different species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bilateral amygdala damage impairs the acquisition and use of common ground in social interaction

PubMed Central

Gupta, Rupa; Duff, Melissa C.; Tranel, Daniel

2010-01-01

Objective The development of “common ground,” or mutual knowledge of shared information, is believed to require the ability to update a mental representation of another person’s thoughts and knowledge based on verbal information and nonverbal social and emotional signals, in order to facilitate economical communication. As in other forms of everyday social communication, the development of common ground likely requires the orchestration of multiple cognitive processes supported by various neural systems. Here, we investigate the contribution of the amygdala to these processes. Methods SM, a patient with complete, focal, bilateral amygdala damage and deficits in social and emotional processing, and five healthy comparison participants, each interacted with a familiar partner. We investigated the participants’ ability to develop and use referential labels across twenty-four dynamic, collaborative interactions. Participants verbally directed their partner how to arrange a set of 12 abstract tangrams while separated by a low barrier, allowing them to see each other but hiding their tangrams. Results In contrast to comparison participants, SM exhibited an impaired rate of learning across trials and did not show the typical simplification in the labels generated during the interactions. Detailed analyses of SM’s interactional discourse and social behavior suggested that she has impaired perspective-taking or what can be interpreted as deficient “theory of mind,” manifested in abnormal “language-in-use.” Conclusions These results support the conclusion that the amygdala, a structure critical for social and emotional processing, plays an important role in the acquisition and use of common ground and in social communication more broadly. PMID:21381821

Application of Artificial Thunderstorm Cells for the Investigation of Lightning Initiation Problems between a Thundercloud and the Ground

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Temnikov, A. G.; Chernensky, L. L.; Orlov, A. V.; Lysov, N. Y.; Zhuravkova, D. S.; Belova, O. S.; Gerastenok, T. K.

2017-12-01

The results of the experimental application of artificial thunderstorm cells of negative and positive polarities for the investigation of the lightning initiation problems between the thundercloud and the ground using model hydrometeor arrays are presented. Possible options of the initiation and development of a discharge between the charged cloud and the ground in the presence of model hydrometeors are established. It is experimentally shown that groups of large hydrometeors of various shapes significantly increase the probability of channel discharge initiation between the artificial thunderstorm cell and the ground, especially in the case of positive polarity of the cloud. The authors assume that large hail arrays in the thundercloud can initiate the preliminary breakdown stage in the lower part of the thundercloud or initiate and stimulate the propagation of positive lightning from its upper part. A significant effect of the shape of model hydrometeors and the way they are grouped on the processes of initiation and stimulation of the channel discharge propagation in the artificial thunderstorm cell of negative or positive polarity-ground gap is experimentally established. It is found that, in the case of negative polarity of a charged cloud, the group of conductive cylindrical hydrometeors connected by a dielectric string more effectively initiates the channel discharge between the artificial thunderstorm cell and the ground. In the case of positive polarity of the artificial thunderstorm cell, the best effect of the channel discharge initiation is achieved for model hydrometeors grouped together by the dielectric tape. The obtained results can be used in the development of the method for the directed artificial lightning initiation between the thundercloud and the ground.

Limnological characteristics of selected lakes in the Nebraska sandhills, U.S.A., and their relation to chemical characteristics of adjacent ground water

USGS Publications Warehouse

La Baugh, J.W.

1986-01-01

Limnological characteristics of Crane, Hackberry, Island and Roundup Lakes, and chemical characteristics of shallow ground water, within the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge, western Nebraska, were determined during a preliminary investigation of the interaction between lakes and ground water in this study area between 1980 and 1984. When ice cover was absent, the lakes were well-mixed vertically, regardless of season. Depth to which 1% of surface illumination penetrated was commonly less than 1m. Variability in light penetration, as measured by Secchidisk transparency, appeared to be unrelated to changes in algal biomass, even though algal biomass, measured as chlorophyll a, varied seasonally within a two-order-of-magnitude range. Blue-green algae were the most abundant phytoplankton; this condition occurred most often when the ratio of total nitrogen to total phosphorus in the lakes' water was less than 29. Although rotifers and copepod naupli commonly were the most abundant zooplankton in the lakes, cladocerans were dominant occasionally. Either sodium or calcium was the most abundant cation, and bicarbonate was the most abundant anion, in water from water-table wells and lakes sampled during the study. The second most abundant cation in the ground water was related to the location of the sampled well within the ground-water system. The lakes were a source of dissolved organic carbon seeping to ground water. Chemical and hydrologic data indicate there is interaction between lakes and ground water in the study area. ?? 1986.

[Review of digital ground object spectral library].

PubMed

Zhou, Xiao-Hu; Zhou, Ding-Wu

2009-06-01

A higher spectral resolution is the main direction of developing remote sensing technology, and it is quite important to set up the digital ground object reflectance spectral database library, one of fundamental research fields in remote sensing application. Remote sensing application has been increasingly relying on ground object spectral characteristics, and quantitative analysis has been developed to a new stage. The present article summarized and systematically introduced the research status quo and development trend of digital ground object reflectance spectral libraries at home and in the world in recent years. Introducing the spectral libraries has been established, including desertification spectral database library, plants spectral database library, geological spectral database library, soil spectral database library, minerals spectral database library, cloud spectral database library, snow spectral database library, the atmosphere spectral database library, rocks spectral database library, water spectral database library, meteorites spectral database library, moon rock spectral database library, and man-made materials spectral database library, mixture spectral database library, volatile compounds spectral database library, and liquids spectral database library. In the process of establishing spectral database libraries, there have been some problems, such as the lack of uniform national spectral database standard and uniform standards for the ground object features as well as the comparability between different databases. In addition, data sharing mechanism can not be carried out, etc. This article also put forward some suggestions on those problems.

Diseases of Ornamental and Shade Trees, Shrubs, Vines, and Ground Covers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nichols, Lester P.

This agriculture extension service publication from Pennsylvania State University covers the identification and control of common ornamental trees, shrubs, and ground cover diseases. The publication is divided into sections. The first section discusses the diseases of ornamental and shade trees, including general diseases and diseases of specific…

47 CFR 22.853 - Eligibility to hold interest in licenses limited to 3 MHz of spectrum.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... limited to 3 MHz of spectrum. 22.853 Section 22.853 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES PUBLIC MOBILE SERVICES Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service Commercial... commercial aviation Air-Ground Radiotelephone Service frequency bands (see § 22.857). Individuals and...

Setting analyst: A practical harvest planning technique

Treesearch

Olivier R.M. Halleux; W. Dale Greene

2001-01-01

Setting Analyst is an ArcView extension that facilitates practical harvest planning for ground-based systems. By modeling the travel patterns of ground-based machines, it compares different harvesting settings based on projected average skidding distance, logging costs, and site disturbance levels. Setting Analyst uses information commonly available to consulting...

Smartphone Application Enabling Global Graph Exploitation and Proactive Dissemination Service (DSPro) Integration (Revised Fiscal Year 2015)

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

interface. 15. SUBJECT TERMS smartphone, HDPT, global graph, DSPro, ozone widget framework, distributed common ground system, web service 16. SECURITY...Lee M. Lessons learned with a global graph and ozone widget framework (OWF) testbed. Aberdeen Proving Ground (MD): Army Research Laboratory (US); 2013

Perspectives on the Aetiology of ODD and CD: A Grounded Theory Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFarland, Patrick; Sanders, James; Hagen, Bradley

2016-01-01

Antisocial disorders, such as oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and conduct disorder (CD), are common reasons for youth to be seen for clinical intervention. The intent of this constructivist grounded theory study was to evaluate clinicians' perspectives on the aetiology of antisocial disorders. Six professionals from various professional…

Ground-Handling Forces on a 1/40-scale Model of the U. S. Airship "Akron."

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Silverstein, Abe; Gulick, B G

1937-01-01

This report presents the results of full-scale wind tunnel tests conducted to determine the ground-handling forces on a 1/40-scale model of the U. S. Airship "Akron." Ground-handling conditions were simulated by establishing a velocity gradient above a special ground board in the tunnel comparable with that encountered over a landing field. The tests were conducted at Reynolds numbers ranging from 5,000,000 to 19,000,000 at each of six angles of yaw between 0 degree and 180 degrees and at four heights of the model above the ground board. The ground-handling forces vary greatly with the angle of yaw and reach large values at appreciable angles of yaw. Small changes in height, pitch, or roll did not critically affect the forces on the model. In the range of Reynolds numbers tested, no significant variation of the forces with the scale was disclosed.

Ground-penetrating radar--A tool for mapping reservoirs and lakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Truman, C.C.; Asmussen, L.E.; Allison, H.D.

1991-01-01

Ground-penetrating radar was evaluated as a tool for mapping reservoir and lake bottoms and providing stage-storage information. An impulse radar was used on a 1.4-ha (3.5-acre) reservoir with 31 transects located 6.1 m (20 feet) apart. Depth of water and lateral extent of the lake bottom were accurately measured by ground-penetrating radar. A linear (positive) relationship existed between measured water depth and ground-penetrating radar-determined water depth (R2=0.989). Ground-penetrating radar data were used to create a contour map of the lake bottom. Relationships between water (contour) elevation and water surface area and volume were established. Ground-penetrating radar proved to be a useful tool for mapping lakes, detecting lake bottom variations, locating old stream channels, and determining water depths. The technology provides accurate, continuous profile data in a relatively short time compared to traditional surveying and depth-sounding techniques.

Building Common Ground for Environmental Flows using Traditional Techniques and Novel Engagement Approaches.

PubMed

Mott Lacroix, Kelly E; Xiu, Brittany C; Megdal, Sharon B

2016-04-01

Despite increased understanding of the science of environmental flows, identification and implementation of effective environmental flow policies remains elusive. Perhaps the greatest barrier to implementing flow policies is the framework for water management. An alternative management approach is needed when legal rights for environmental flows do not exist, or are ineffective at protecting ecosystems. The research presented here, conducted in the U.S. state of Arizona, provides an empirical example of engagement to promote social learning as an approach to finding ways to provide water for the environment where legal rights for environmental flows are inadequate. Based on our engagement process we propose that identifying and then building common ground require attention to the process of analyzing qualitative data and the methods for displaying complex information, two aspects not frequently discussed in the social learning or stakeholder engagement literature. The results and methods from this study can help communities develop an engagement process that will find and build common ground, increase stakeholder involvement, and identify innovative solutions to provide water for the environment that reflect the concerns of current water users.

The Influence of the Shape of Model Hydrometeors on the Formation of Discharge between an Artificial-Thunderstorm Cell and the Ground

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Temnikov, A. G.; Chernenskii, L. L.; Orlov, A. V.; Lysov, N. Yu.; Belova, O. S.; Gerastenok, T. K.; Zhuravkova, D. S.

2017-12-01

We have experimentally studied how arrays of model coarse hydrometeors influence the initiation and propagation of discharge between an artificial-thunderstorm cell of negative or positive polarity and the ground. It is established for the first time that the probability of initiation and stimulation of a channeled discharge between negatively or positively charged cloud and the ground significantly depends on the shape and size of coarse hydrometeors occurring near the thunderstorm cell boundaries. The obtained results can be used in developing methods for the artificial initiation of the cloud-ground type lightning of both polarities and targeted discharge of thunderstorm clouds.

Characterization of the Coupling Between Adjacent Finite Ground Coplanar (FGC) Waveguides

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ponchak, George E.; Katehi, Linda P. B.; Tentzeris, Emmanouil M.

1997-01-01

Coupling between adjacent Finite Ground Coplanar (FGC) waveguides as a function of the line geometry is presented for the first time. A two Dimension-Finite Difference Time Domain (2D-FDTD) analysis and measurements are used to show that the coupling decreases as the line to line separation and the grOUnd plane width increases. Furthermore, it is shown that for a given spacing between the center lines of two FGC lines, the coupling is lower if the ground plane width is smaller Lastly, electric field plots generated from the 2D-FDTD technique are presented which demonstrate a strong slotline mode is established in the coupled FGC line.

Ground state sign-changing solutions for fractional Kirchhoff equations in bounded domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Huxiao; Tang, Xianhua; Gao, Zu

2018-03-01

We study the existence of ground state sign-changing solutions for the fractional Kirchhoff problem. Under mild assumptions on the nonlinearity, by using some new analytical skills and the non-Nehari manifold method, we prove that the fractional Kirchhoff problem possesses a ground state sign-changing solution ub. Moreover, we show that the energy of ub is strictly larger than twice that of the ground state solutions of Nehari-type. Finally, we establish the convergence property of ub as the parameter b ↘ 0. Our results generalize some results obtained by Shuai [J. Differ. Equations 259, 1256 (2015)] and Tang and Cheng [J. Differ. Equations 261, 2384 (2016)].

Migratory patterns and population structure among breeding and wintering red-breasted mergansers (Mergus serrator) and common mergansers (M. merganser)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pearce, J.M.; McCracken, K.G.; Christensen, Thomas K.; Zhuravlev, Y.N.

2009-01-01

Philopatry has long been assumed to structure populations of waterfowl and other species of birds genetically, especially via maternally transmitted mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), yet other migratory behaviors and nesting ecology (use of ground vs. cavity sites) may also contribute to population genetic structure. We investigated the effects of migration and nesting ecology on the population genetic structure of two Holarctic waterfowl, the Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) and Common Merganser (M. merganser), using mtDNA control-region sequence data. Red-breasted Mergansers (a ground-nesting species) exhibited lower levels of population differentiation across their North American range, possibly as a result of post-Pleistocene range expansion and population growth. By contrast, Common Mergansers (a cavity-nesting species) breeding in western and eastern North America were strongly differentiated, as were continental groups in North America and Europe. Our hypothesis that population differentiation of breeding female Common Mergansers results from limited migration during non-breeding periods was not supported, in that equally heterogeneous mtDNA lineages were observed in males and females on several wintering areas. The interspecific differences in mtDNA patterns for these two closely related species may have resulted from factors related to nesting ecology (ground vs. cavity nesting) and responses to historical climate change.

Aerosol Remote Sensing from AERONET, the Ground-Based Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holben, Brent N.

2012-01-01

Atmospheric particles including mineral dust, biomass burning smoke, pollution from carbonaceous aerosols and sulfates, sea salt, impact air quality and climate. The Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) program, established in the early 1990s, is a federation of ground-based remote sensing aerosol networks of Sun/sky radiometers distributed around the world, which provides a long-term, continuous and readily accessible public domain database of aerosol optical (e.g., aerosol optical depth) and microphysical (e.g., aerosol volume size distribution) properties for aerosol characterization, validation of satellite retrievals, and synergism with Earth science databases. Climatological aerosol properties will be presented at key worldwide locations exhibiting discrete dominant aerosol types. Further, AERONET's temporary mesoscale network campaign (e.g., UAE2, TIGERZ, DRAGON-USA.) results that attempt to quantify spatial and temporal variability of aerosol properties, establish validation of ground-based aerosol retrievals using aircraft profile measurements, and measure aerosol properties on compatible spatial scales with satellite retrievals and aerosol transport models allowing for more robust validation will be discussed.

Operational considerations for the application of remotely sensed forest data from LANDSAT or other airborne platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, G. R.; Fethe, T. P.

1975-01-01

Research in the application of remotely sensed data from LANDSAT or other airborne platforms to the efficient management of a large timber based forest industry was divided into three phases: (1) establishment of a photo/ground sample correlation, (2) investigation of techniques for multi-spectral digital analysis, and (3) development of a semi-automated multi-level sampling system. To properly verify results, three distinct test areas were selected: (1) Jacksonville Mill Region, Lower Coastal Plain, Flatwoods, (2) Pensacola Mill Region, Middle Coastal Plain, and (3) Mississippi Mill Region, Middle Coastal Plain. The following conclusions were reached: (1) the probability of establishing an information base suitable for management requirements through a photo/ground double sampling procedure, alleviating the ground sampling effort, is encouraging, (2) known classification techniques must be investigated to ascertain the level of precision possible in separating the many densities involved, and (3) the multi-level approach must be related to an information system that is executable and feasible.

Common Ground with "A Common Faith": Dewey's Idea of the "Religious"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baurain, Bradley

2011-01-01

In "A Common Faith", Dewey rejects organized religion and belief in the supernatural, instead arguing for an authentically "religious" attitude which this interpretive essay analyzes in terms of four propositions: (1) Knowledge is unified. (2) Knowledge is democratic. (3) The pursuit of moral ideals requires moral faith. (4) The authority for…

78 FR 14635 - HACCP Plan Reassessment for Not-Ready-To-Eat Comminuted Poultry Products and Related Agency...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-07

... additional 45 days for establishments that produce not-ready-to-eat (NRTE) comminuted chicken or turkey... Agency intends to begin obtaining samples to determine the prevalence of Salmonella in NRTE comminuted... establishments producing NRTE ground or otherwise comminuted chicken and turkey products that they must reassess...

Use of models to map potential capture of surface water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leake, Stanley A.

2006-01-01

The effects of ground-water withdrawals on surface-water resources and riparian vegetation have become important considerations in water-availability studies. Ground water withdrawn by a well initially comes from storage around the well, but with time can eventually increase inflow to the aquifer and (or) decrease natural outflow from the aquifer. This increased inflow and decreased outflow is referred to as “capture.” For a given time, capture can be expressed as a fraction of withdrawal rate that is accounted for as increased rates of inflow and decreased rates of outflow. The time frames over which capture might occur at different locations commonly are not well understood by resource managers. A ground-water model, however, can be used to map potential capture for areas and times of interest. The maps can help managers visualize the possible timing of capture over large regions. The first step in the procedure to map potential capture is to run a ground-water model in steady-state mode without withdrawals to establish baseline total flow rates at all sources and sinks. The next step is to select a time frame and appropriate withdrawal rate for computing capture. For regional aquifers, time frames of decades to centuries may be appropriate. The model is then run repeatedly in transient mode, each run with one well in a different model cell in an area of interest. Differences in inflow and outflow rates from the baseline conditions for each model run are computed and saved. The differences in individual components are summed and divided by the withdrawal rate to obtain a single capture fraction for each cell. Values are contoured to depict capture fractions for the time of interest. Considerations in carrying out the analysis include use of realistic physical boundaries in the model, understanding the degree of linearity of the model, selection of an appropriate time frame and withdrawal rate, and minimizing error in the global mass balance of the model.

Georeferencing UAS Derivatives Through Point Cloud Registration with Archived Lidar Datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magtalas, M. S. L. Y.; Aves, J. C. L.; Blanco, A. C.

2016-10-01

Georeferencing gathered images is a common step before performing spatial analysis and other processes on acquired datasets using unmanned aerial systems (UAS). Methods of applying spatial information to aerial images or their derivatives is through onboard GPS (Global Positioning Systems) geotagging, or through tying of models through GCPs (Ground Control Points) acquired in the field. Currently, UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) derivatives are limited to meter-levels of accuracy when their generation is unaided with points of known position on the ground. The use of ground control points established using survey-grade GPS or GNSS receivers can greatly reduce model errors to centimeter levels. However, this comes with additional costs not only with instrument acquisition and survey operations, but also in actual time spent in the field. This study uses a workflow for cloud-based post-processing of UAS data in combination with already existing LiDAR data. The georeferencing of the UAV point cloud is executed using the Iterative Closest Point algorithm (ICP). It is applied through the open-source CloudCompare software (Girardeau-Montaut, 2006) on a `skeleton point cloud'. This skeleton point cloud consists of manually extracted features consistent on both LiDAR and UAV data. For this cloud, roads and buildings with minimal deviations given their differing dates of acquisition are considered consistent. Transformation parameters are computed for the skeleton cloud which could then be applied to the whole UAS dataset. In addition, a separate cloud consisting of non-vegetation features automatically derived using CANUPO classification algorithm (Brodu and Lague, 2012) was used to generate a separate set of parameters. Ground survey is done to validate the transformed cloud. An RMSE value of around 16 centimeters was found when comparing validation data to the models georeferenced using the CANUPO cloud and the manual skeleton cloud. Cloud-to-cloud distance computations of CANUPO and manual skeleton clouds were obtained with values for both equal to around 0.67 meters at 1.73 standard deviation.

A methodology to estimate representativeness of LAI station observation for validation: a case study with Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) in situ data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Baodong; Li, Jing; Liu, Qinhuo; Zeng, Yelu; Yin, Gaofei

2014-11-01

Leaf Area Index (LAI) is known as a key vegetation biophysical variable. To effectively use remote sensing LAI products in various disciplines, it is critical to understand the accuracy of them. The common method for the validation of LAI products is firstly establish the empirical relationship between the field data and high-resolution imagery, to derive LAI maps, then aggregate high-resolution LAI maps to match moderate-resolution LAI products. This method is just suited for the small region, and its frequencies of measurement are limited. Therefore, the continuous observing LAI datasets from ground station network are important for the validation of multi-temporal LAI products. However, due to the scale mismatch between the point observation in the ground station and the pixel observation, the direct comparison will bring the scale error. Thus it is needed to evaluate the representativeness of ground station measurement within pixel scale of products for the reasonable validation. In this paper, a case study with Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) in situ data was taken to introduce a methodology to estimate representativeness of LAI station observation for validating LAI products. We first analyzed the indicators to evaluate the observation representativeness, and then graded the station measurement data. Finally, the LAI measurement data which can represent the pixel scale was used to validate the MODIS, GLASS and GEOV1 LAI products. The result shows that the best agreement is reached between the GLASS and GEOV1, while the lowest uncertainty is achieved by GEOV1 followed by GLASS and MODIS. We conclude that the ground station measurement data can validate multi-temporal LAI products objectively based on the evaluation indicators of station observation representativeness, which can also improve the reliability for the validation of remote sensing products.

Making sense of grounded theory in medical education.

PubMed

Kennedy, Tara J T; Lingard, Lorelei A

2006-02-01

Grounded theory is a research methodology designed to develop, through collection and analysis of data that is primarily (but not exclusively) qualitative, a well-integrated set of concepts that provide a theoretical explanation of a social phenomenon. This paper aims to provide an introduction to key features of grounded theory methodology within the context of medical education research. In this paper we include a discussion of the origins of grounded theory, a description of key methodological processes, a comment on pitfalls encountered commonly in the application of grounded theory research, and a summary of the strengths of grounded theory methodology with illustrations from the medical education domain. The significant strengths of grounded theory that have resulted in its enduring prominence in qualitative research include its clearly articulated analytical process and its emphasis on the generation of pragmatic theory that is grounded in the data of experience. When applied properly and thoughtfully, grounded theory can address research questions of significant relevance to the domain of medical education.

Theoretical and methodological elements for integrating ethics as a foundation into the education of professional and design disciplines.

PubMed

d'Anjou, Philippe

2004-04-01

The paper addresses the integration of ethics into professional education related to the disciplines responsible for the conception and creation of the artificial (artefactual or technology). The ontological-epistemological paradigm of those disciplines is understood within the frame of the sciences of the artificial as established by Herbert Simon (1969). According to that paradigm, those sciences include disciplines not only related to the production of artefacts (technology), such as engineering, architecture, industrial design, etc, but also disciplines related to devised courses of action aimed at changing existing situations into preferred ones, like medicine, law, education, etc. They are centered on intentional action and at their core is the activity of design, which is their common foundation and attitude, or their common culture. The science of design becomes the broader foundational discipline for any professions engaged in the intentional transformation of the world. The main distinction between design disciplines and scientific ones rests on the object-project dichotomy. Indeed, contrary to Science that sees the world as an object to be observed, Design sees the world as a project and acts upon the world through projects, which are grounded in intentions, ends, and values. Design disciplines are meant to transform the world, or part of it, and are teleological. Being so, they are embodied in an act that is ethical and their ontology-epistemology must be addressed also through practical reason to resituate all professional disciplines according to their involved nature. The paper introduces theoretical, methodological, and ethical elements to establish a model that integrates ethics into the education of the professional disciplines, design-based disciplines, responsible for the creation of the artificial, artefactual or technological, world. The model is articulated around the notions of ethical engagement and responsibility through the act of design understood as action with intention situated in a project, common in all professional disciplines.

Remediation Technology for Contaminated Groundwater

EPA Science Inventory

Bioremediation is the most commonly selected technology for remediation of ground water at Superfund sites in the USA. The next most common technology is Chemical treatment, followed by Air Sparging, and followed by Permeable Reactive Barriers. This presentation reviews the the...

Bioaccumulation of metals in sediments, fish and plant from Tisza river (Serbia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Štrbac, Snežana; Gajica, Gordana; Kašanin-Grubin, Milica; Šajnović, Aleksandra; Vasić, Nebojša; Jovančićević, Branimir; Simonović, Predrag

2014-05-01

In the aquatic environments metals originate from various natural and anthropogenic sources. The purpose of the study was to assess the bioaccumulation level of metals in sediments fish and common reed at four different localities of the Tisza River stretch in Serbia. For purpose of this study concentrations of Al, As, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, Sr and Zn were determined in sediment, common reed (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. 1841) and four ecologically different fish species (piscivorous northern pike (Esox lucius L.), benthivorous sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus L.) silver bream (Brama brama L.), omnivorous common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)). Analysis of metals was carried out for liver, gills, brain, testicles and ovaries in fish and in the rhizome, stem and leaves of the common reed and sediment fraction <0,0063mm. The concentrations of metals have been assessed using the Inductively Coupled Plasma - optical emission spectrometry. Obtained results revealed that Al and Fe had the highest concentrations in sediment, fish and common reed samples. The research proved a strong positive correlation between the concentrations of all metals in the sediment, fish and common reed. The highest concentration of heavy metals was recorded in omnivorous common carp Cyprinus carpio, and organs that the most intensively accumulated the greatest number of them were liver and gills. Accumulated metals in the common reed were not distributed evenly, but there are target organs for bioaccumulation. Concentrations in below-ground organs were usually higher than above-ground organs, and the general decreasing trend of element content was rhizome>leaves>stems. Obtained results indicate that the location does not have impact to the level of bioaccumulation. On the basis of this research the under-ground organ (rhizome) of common reed, liver and gills and omnivorous fish species could be recommended as environmental indicators for the presence of metals during environmental monitoring.

Naval War College Review. Volume 67, Number 1, Winter 2014

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

squishier” terms, phrases, and concepts yielded by qualitative techniques, such as grounded theory , ethnography , case studies , or content analysis.43...variety of established, qualitative techniques (i.e., grounded theory , content analysis, and survey research ) to “triangulate” the game’s findings...mari- time research , regional studies , distance education, war gaming, and education/ programs at the operational level of war. each of these intricate

Common ground: An environmental ethic for Los Alamos National Laboratory

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

Menlove, F.L.

1991-01-01

Three predominant philosophies have characterized American business ethical thinking over the past several decades. The first phase is the ethics of self-interest'' which argues that maximizing self-interest coincidentally maximizes the common good. The second phase is legality ethics.'' Proponents argue that what is important is knowing the rules and following them scrupulously. The third phase might be called stake-holder ethics.'' A central tenant is that everyone affected by a decision has a moral hold on the decision maker. This paper will discuss one recent initiative of the Los Alamos National Laboratory to move beyond rules and regulations toward an environmentalmore » ethic that integrates the values of stakeholder ethics'' into the Laboratory's historical culture and value systems. These Common Ground Principles are described. 11 refs.« less

Gaining Ground in Understanding the Play-Literacy Relationship

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roskos, Kathleen A.; Christie, James F.

2013-01-01

Many in the field of early literacy development and learning believe strongly that play and literacy share common ground, but they have found the idea difficult to prove. While some primary research indicates a positive relationship, the impact of play seems to occur at different levels of development, which complicates how researchers view its…

Grounded Theory in Medical Education Research.

PubMed

Tavakol, Mohsen; Torabi, Sima; Akbar Zeinaloo, Ali

2006-12-01

The grounded theory method provides a systematic way to generate theoretical constructs or concepts that illuminate psychosocial processes common to individual who have a similar experience of the phenomenon under investigation. There has been an increase in the number of published research reports that use the grounded theory method. However, there has been less medical education research, which is based on the grounded theory tradition. The purpose of this paper is to introduce basic tenants of qualitative research paradigm with specific reference to ground theory. The paper aims to encourage readers to think how they might possibly use the grounded theory method in medical education research and to apply such a method to their own areas of interest. The important features of a grounded theory as well as its implications for medical education research are explored. Data collection and analysis are also discussed. It seems to be reasonable to incorporate knowledge of this kind in medical education research.

Challenges in combining different data sets during analysis when using grounded theory.

PubMed

Rintala, Tuula-Maria; Paavilainen, Eija; Astedt-Kurki, Päivi

2014-05-01

To describe the challenges in combining two data sets during grounded theory analysis. The use of grounded theory in nursing research is common. It is a suitable method for studying human action and interaction. It is recommended that many alternative sources of data are collected to create as rich a dataset as possible. Data from interviews with people with diabetes (n=19) and their family members (n=19). Combining two data sets. When using grounded theory, there are numerous challenges in collecting and managing data, especially for the novice researcher. One challenge is to combine different data sets during the analysis. There are many methodological textbooks about grounded theory but there is little written in the literature about combining different data sets. Discussion is needed on the management of data and the challenges of grounded theory. This article provides a means for combining different data sets in the grounded theory analysis process.

A Common Approach for the Certifying of International Space Station (ISS) Basic Hardware for Ground Safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kirkpatrick, Paul D.; Trinchero, Jean-Pierre

2005-01-01

In order to support the International Space Station, as well as any future long term human missions, vast amounts of logistical-type hardware is required to be processed through the various launch sites. This category consists of such hardware as spare parts, replacement items, and upgraded hardware. The category also includes samples for experiments and consumables. One attribute that all these items have is they are generally non-hazardous, at least to ground personnel. Even though the items are non-hazardous, launch site ground safety has a responsibility for the protection of personnel, the flight hardware, and launch site resources. In order to fulfill this responsibility, the safety organization must have knowledge of the hardware and its operations. Conversely, the hardware providers are entitled to a process that is commensurate with the hazard. Additionally, a common system should be in place that is flexible enough to account for the requirements at all launch sites, so that, the hardware provider need only complete one process for ground safety regardless of the launch site.

New developments in ground probing radar for Earth resource mapping and planetology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cattermole, P. J.; Junkin, G.; Finkelstein, M. I.; Kingsley, S. P.

1992-07-01

Ground probing radar is a well established technique for locating buried objects and has found application in resource mapping. The development of this technology for the Mars exploration programme has lead to lightweight systems with potential applications for investigating shallow geological structures on Earth, Mars and Venus. Recent advances in ground probing radar technology for planetary exploration include the development of single-antenna systems with improved beam focussing into the ground and a move to lower frequencies which considerably extends the depth penetration in dry ground. These systems are designed for mobility and could form the basis of autonomous mapping systems for terrestrial exploration. Such systems would be particularly valuable for water resource surveying in arid and semi-arid regions, where there is a need to have lightweight instrumentation that can be moved into sometimes inhospitable terrain.

NAWQA, National Water-Quality Assessment Program; Allegheny-Monongahela River Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

McAuley, Steven D.; Brown, Juliane B.; Sams, James I.

1997-01-01

Surface-water and ground-water quality and aquatic life can be significantly affected by the following principal issues identified in the Allegheny-Monongahela River Basin:Contaminants common to surface and under-ground coal mine discharge such as acidity, iron, aluminum, manganese, and sulfate.Volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), pesti-cides, and nutrients from increased urbanization.Runoff and loading of nutrients and pesticides to streams from nonpoint and point sources such as agricultural land uses.Radon in ground water.

Space vehicle field unit and ground station system

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

Judd, Stephen; Dallmann, Nicholas; Delapp, Jerry

A field unit and ground station may use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and share a common architecture, where differences in functionality are governed by software. The field units and ground stations may be easy to deploy, relatively inexpensive, and be relatively easy to operate. A novel file system may be used where datagrams of a file may be stored across multiple drives and/or devices. The datagrams may be received out of order and reassembled at the receiving device.

Space vehicle field unit and ground station system

DOEpatents

Judd, Stephen; Dallmann, Nicholas; Delapp, Jerry; Proicou, Michael; Seitz, Daniel; Michel, John; Enemark, Donald

2016-10-25

A field unit and ground station may use commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components and share a common architecture, where differences in functionality are governed by software. The field units and ground stations may be easy to deploy, relatively inexpensive, and be relatively easy to operate. A novel file system may be used where datagrams of a file may be stored across multiple drives and/or devices. The datagrams may be received out of order and reassembled at the receiving device.

Time Transfer by Laser Link - T2L2: An Opportunity to Calibrate RF Links

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-12-01

GNSS and TWSTFT , with an improvement of at least one order of magnitude as compared to the best calibrations performed so far (about 1 ns exactitude...frequency transfer systems like GPS or TWSTFT , and comparisons of cold atomic clocks at a level never reached before. Continuous comparison of T2L2 and...Station reattachment to local UTC Ground to Space Transfer : 30 Ground to Ground Transfer : 43 Common view TWSTFT GPS Laser ranging

A Hybrid Approach for Characterizing Linear and Nonlinear Electromagnetic Scattering: Theory and Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-01

axis at a 2-m height above the ground and the observation point is at a 1.7-m height along a radial line at ϕ = 30°. Ground properties: εr’ = 4...fields of a horizontal electric dipole as a function of range. The dipole is buried in the ground at a 10-cm depth and the observation point is at...would necessitate the evaluation of a triple integral. To expedite the matrix filling process, different common schemes are available in efficiently

Autonomous spacecraft maintenance study group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marshall, M. H.; Low, G. D.

1981-01-01

A plan to incorporate autonomous spacecraft maintenance (ASM) capabilities into Air Force spacecraft by 1989 is outlined. It includes the successful operation of the spacecraft without ground operator intervention for extended periods of time. Mechanisms, along with a fault tolerant data processing system (including a nonvolatile backup memory) and an autonomous navigation capability, are needed to replace the routine servicing that is presently performed by the ground system. The state of the art fault handling capabilities of various spacecraft and computers are described, and a set conceptual design requirements needed to achieve ASM is established. Implementations for near term technology development needed for an ASM proof of concept demonstration by 1985, and a research agenda addressing long range academic research for an advanced ASM system for 1990s are established.

Site specific probabilistic seismic hazard analysis at Dubai Creek on the west coast of UAE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shama, Ayman A.

2011-03-01

A probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) was conducted to establish the hazard spectra for a site located at Dubai Creek on the west coast of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The PSHA considered all the seismogenic sources that affect the site, including plate boundaries such as the Makran subduction zone, the Zagros fold-thrust region and the transition fault system between them; and local crustal faults in UAE. PSHA indicated that local faults dominate the hazard. The peak ground acceleration (PGA) for the 475-year return period spectrum is 0.17 g and 0.33 g for the 2,475-year return period spectrum. The hazard spectra are then employed to establish rock ground motions using the spectral matching technique.

LIDAR Point Cloud Data Extraction and Establishment of 3D Modeling of Buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yujuan; Li, Xiuhai; Wang, Qiang; Liu, Jiang; Liang, Xin; Li, Dan; Ni, Chundi; Liu, Yan

2018-01-01

This paper takes the method of Shepard’s to deal with the original LIDAR point clouds data, and generate regular grid data DSM, filters the ground point cloud and non ground point cloud through double least square method, and obtains the rules of DSM. By using region growing method for the segmentation of DSM rules, the removal of non building point cloud, obtaining the building point cloud information. Uses the Canny operator to extract the image segmentation is needed after the edges of the building, uses Hough transform line detection to extract the edges of buildings rules of operation based on the smooth and uniform. At last, uses E3De3 software to establish the 3D model of buildings.

The Common Core's Promises and Pitfalls from the Perspectives of Policy Entrepreneurs and Ground-Level Actors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kornhaber, Mindy L.; Barkauskas, Nikolaus J.; Griffith, Kelly M.; Sausner, Erica; Mahfouz, Julia

2017-01-01

The Common Core State Standards Initiative (Common Core) was spearheaded by policy entrepreneurs, unveiled nationally in 2010, and initially received strong support from leaders in state and federal government, philanthropic foundations, the business sector, and teacher unions. However, the reform came into the crosshairs of an ideologically wide…

The growth of railway ground vibration problems - A review.

PubMed

Connolly, David P; Marecki, Grzegorz P; Kouroussis, Georges; Thalassinakis, Ioannis; Woodward, Peter K

2016-10-15

Ground-borne noise and vibration from railway lines can cause human distress/annoyance, and also negatively affect real estate property values. Therefore this paper analyses a collection of technical ground-borne noise and vibration reports, detailing commercial vibration assessments undertaken at 1604 railway track sections, in 9 countries across the world. A wide range of rail projects are considered including light rail, tram lines, underground/tunnelled lines, freight, conventional rail and high speed rail. It documents the rise in ground-borne vibration problems and trends in the prediction industry, with the aim of informing the current research area. Firstly, the reports are analysed chronologically and it is found that railway vibration is a growing global concern, and as such, assessments have become more prevalent. International assessment metrics are benchmarked and it is found that velocity decibels (VdB), vibration dose value (VDV) and peak particle velocity (PPV) are the most commonly used methods of assessment. Furthermore, to predict vibration levels, the physical measurement of frequency transfer functions is preferential to numerical modelling. Results from the reports show that ground vibration limits are exceeded in 44% of assessments, and that ground-borne noise limits are exceeded in 31%. Moreover, mitigation measures were required on approximately 50% of projects, revealing that ground-borne noise and vibration is a widespread railroad engineering challenge. To solve these problems, the most commonly used abatement strategy is a modification of the railtrack structure (active mitigation), rather than the implementation of a more passive solution in the far-field. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Supporting Common Ground Development in the Operation Room through Information Display Systems

PubMed Central

Feng, Yuanyuan; Mentis, Helena M.

2016-01-01

Effective information sharing is crucial for clinical team coordination. Most information display systems have been designed to replace verbal communication. However, information may not be available for capture before a communication event and information needs often become clear and evident through an evolving discourse. Thus, to build tools to support clinical team in situ information sharing, we need a better understanding of how evolving information needs are identified and satisfied. In this study, we used sequential analysis techniques to explore the ways communication and information sharing events between an attending surgeon and a resident change throughout a laparoscopic surgery. We demonstrate how common ground is developed and maintained, and how information needs change through the efforts of grounding. From our findings, we suggest that the design for information display systems could encourage communication and support the articulation work that is necessary to accomplish the information sharing. PMID:28269936

Supporting Common Ground Development in the Operation Room through Information Display Systems.

PubMed

Feng, Yuanyuan; Mentis, Helena M

2016-01-01

Effective information sharing is crucial for clinical team coordination. Most information display systems have been designed to replace verbal communication. However, information may not be available for capture before a communication event and information needs often become clear and evident through an evolving discourse. Thus, to build tools to support clinical team in situ information sharing, we need a better understanding of how evolving information needs are identified and satisfied. In this study, we used sequential analysis techniques to explore the ways communication and information sharing events between an attending surgeon and a resident change throughout a laparoscopic surgery. We demonstrate how common ground is developed and maintained, and how information needs change through the efforts of grounding. From our findings, we suggest that the design for information display systems could encourage communication and support the articulation work that is necessary to accomplish the information sharing.

Technology, Data Bases and System Analysis for Space-to-Ground Optical Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lesh, James

1995-01-01

Optical communications is becoming an ever-increasingly important option for designers of space-to- ground communications links, whether it be for government or commercial applications. In this paper the technology being developed by NASA for use in space-to-ground optical communications is presented. Next, a program which is collecting a long term data base of atmospheric visibility statistics for optical propagation through the atmosphere will be described. Finally, a methodology for utilizing the statistics of the atmospheric data base in the analysis of space-to-ground links will be presented. This methodology takes into account the effects of station availability, is useful when comparing optical communications with microwave systems, and provides a rationale establishing the recommended link margin.

Calibration of ground-based microwave radiometers - Accuracy assessment and recommendations for network users

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pospichal, Bernhard; Küchler, Nils; Löhnert, Ulrich; Crewell, Susanne; Czekala, Harald; Güldner, Jürgen

2016-04-01

Ground-based microwave radiometers (MWR) are becoming widely used in atmospheric remote sensing and start to be routinely operated by national weather services and other institutions. However, common standards for calibration of these radiometers and a detailed knowledge about the error characteristics is needed, in order to assimilate the data into models. Intercomparisons of calibrations by different MWRs have rarely been done. Therefore, two calibration experiments in Lindenberg (2014) and Meckenheim (2015) were performed in the frame of TOPROF (Cost action ES1303) in order to assess uncertainties and differences between various instruments. In addition, a series of experiments were taken in Oklahoma in autumn 2014. The focus lay on the performance of the two main instrument types, which are currently used operationally. These are the MP-Profiler series by Radiometrics Corporation as well as the HATPRO series by Radiometer Physics GmbH (RPG). Both instrument types are operating in two frequency bands, one along the 22 GHz water vapour line, the other one at the lower wing of the 60 GHz oxygen absorption complex. The goal was to establish protocols for providing quality controlled (QC) MWR data and their uncertainties. To this end, standardized calibration procedures for MWR were developed and recommendations for radiometer users were compiled. We focus here mainly on data types, integration times and optimal settings for calibration intervals, both for absolute (liquid nitrogen, tipping curve) as well as relative (hot load, noise diode) calibrations. Besides the recommendations for ground-based MWR operators, we will present methods to determine the accuracy of the calibration as well as means for automatic data quality control. In addition, some results from the intercomparison of different radiometers will be discussed.

Pesticides in ground water: distribution, trends, and governing factors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barbash, Jack; Resek, Elizabeth A.

1997-01-01

A comprehensive review of published information on the distribution and behavior of pesticides and their transformation products in ground water indicates that pesticides from every chemical class have been detected in ground waters of the United States. Many of these compounds are commonly present at low concentrations in ground water beneath agricultural land. Little information is available on their occurrence beneath non-agricultural land, although the intensity of their use in such areas (on lawns, golf courses, rights of way, timberlands, etc.) is often comparable to, or greater than agricultural use. Information on pesticides in ground water is not sufficient to provide either a statistically representative view of pesticide occurrence in ground water across the United States, or an indication of long-term trends or changes in the severity or extent of this contamination over the past three decades. This is largely due to wide variations in analytical detection limits, well selection procedures, and other design features among studies conducted in different areas or at different times. Past approaches have not been well suited for distinguishing "point source" from "nonpoint source" pesticide contamination. Among the variety of natural and anthropogenic factors examined, those that appear to be most strongly associated with the intensity of pesticide contamination of ground water are the depth, construction and age of the sampled wells, the amount of recharge (by precipitation or irrigation), and the depth of tillage. Approaches commonly employed for predicting pesticide distributions in the subsurface--including computer simulations, indicator solutes (e.g., nitrate or tritium), and ground-water vulnerability assessments--generally provide unreliable predictions of pesticide occurrence in ground water. Such difficulties may arise largely from a general failure to account for the preferential transport of pesticides in the subsurface. Significant improvements in understanding and predicting the occurrence and fate of pesticides in ground water are likely to depend on: (1) greater coordination of ground-water sampling across the nation to ensure consistency of study design, and thus comparability of results; (2) more extensive analyses for pesticide transformation products during ground-water monitoring studies; (3) substantially enhanced communication among investigators conducting laboratory experiments, small-scale field studies and large-scale monitoring studies; and (4) more routine testing of predictions of pesticide behavior and ground-water vulnerability against actual field observations of pesticide occurrence in ground water

Effect of Radiation on Seed Germinating Ability Ofwild-Growing and Cultivated Plants, Sources of Bioactive Substances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shabanov, Aleksandr; Tirranen, Lyalya; Zykova, Irina; Bondarenko, Gennadiy

2016-07-01

In the above-ground parts of common chickweed (Stellaria media) the content of vitamin C was experimentally quantified, which (in terms of dry matter) was 81.55 mg/100 g; 133 mg/100 g and 161.76 mg/100 g depending on the growing site. 52 components were detected in the essential oil of the above-ground parts of common chickweed (Stellaria media). Chamazulene, neophytodien and phytol are the major components of whole oil. A wide range of elements was identified in the plants and seeds of common chickweed (Stellaria media), and in the seeds of carrots, parsley and lettuce. It was established that UV irradiation (lamp with a wavelength of 254 nm and 283 nm) of chickweed seeds (Stellaria media) for 15 sec. and 100 sec. in a microbiological box on a table at a distance from the object didn't affect their germinating ability. The germinating ability of the experimental seeds was identical to the control (no irradiation) seeds. With the help of an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer Renger 2 (Germany) at a voltage of 1.6 kV during 15 sec. the effect of "soft" radiation on the seed germinating ability of chickweed, carrot, parsley and lettuce seeds was studied.Under the effect of "soft" radiation during 15 sec. all the experimental chickweed seeds sprouted, like in the control. The germinating ability of the exposed lettuce seeds was 100% after one day, while only 45% of the exposed parsley seeds grew after 21 days. The exposed carrot seeds (70%) grew after 18 days. The effect of "hard" radiation on the germinating ability of common chickweed seeds was investigated using an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer S4 Pioneer (Germany) at a voltage of 60 kV for 15 sec and 100 sec. Under the effect of "hard" radiation and during 15 seconds of exposure, where the distance (L) from the focus of the X-ray tube to the seeds of chickweed was 20 mm, the germinating ability of the experimental chickweed seeds was 30 %. At a voltage of 60 kV and 100-second exposure the germinating ability of the experimental chickweed seeds was zero. Thus, the effect of the duration and dose of radiation on biological objects was determined.

Comparison of Ground-Based and Airborne Function Allocation Concepts for NextGen Using Human-In-The-Loop Simulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wing, David J.; Prevot, Thomas; Murdoch, Jennifer L.; Cabrall, Christopher D.; Homola, Jeffrey R.; Martin, Lynne H.; Mercer, Joey S.; Hoadley, Sherwood T.; Wilson, Sara R.; Hubbs, Clay E.;

Establishing Conventional Communication Systems: Is Common Knowledge Necessary?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barr, Dale J.

2004-01-01

How do communities establish shared communication systems? The Common Knowledge view assumes that symbolic conventions develop through the accumulation of common knowledge regarding communication practices among the members of a community. In contrast with this view, it is proposed that coordinated communication emerges a by-product of local…

Sail GTS ground system analysis: Avionics system engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawton, R. M.

1977-01-01

A comparison of two different concepts for the guidance, navigation and control test set signal ground system is presented. The first is a concept utilizing a ground plate to which crew station, avionics racks, electrical power distribution system, master electrical common connection assembly and marshall mated elements system grounds are connected by 4/0 welding cable. An alternate approach has an aluminum sheet interconnecting the signal ground reference points between the crew station and avionics racks. The comparison analysis quantifies the differences between the two concepts in terms of dc resistance, ac resistance and inductive reactance. These parameters are figures of merit for ground system conductors in that the system with the lowest impedance is the most effective in minimizing noise voltage. Although the welding cable system is probably adequate, the aluminum sheet system provides a higher probability of a successful system design.

A geographic data model for representing ground water systems.

PubMed

Strassberg, Gil; Maidment, David R; Jones, Norm L

2007-01-01

The Arc Hydro ground water data model is a geographic data model for representing spatial and temporal ground water information within a geographic information system (GIS). The data model is a standardized representation of ground water systems within a spatial database that provides a public domain template for GIS users to store, document, and analyze commonly used spatial and temporal ground water data sets. This paper describes the data model framework, a simplified version of the complete ground water data model that includes two-dimensional and three-dimensional (3D) object classes for representing aquifers, wells, and borehole data, and the 3D geospatial context in which these data exist. The framework data model also includes tabular objects for representing temporal information such as water levels and water quality samples that are related with spatial features.

Results of the application of seismic-reflection and electromagnetic techniques for near-surface hydrogeologic and environmental investigations at Fort Bragg, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Meyer, M.T.; Fine, J.M.

1997-01-01

As part of the U.S. Geological Survey's Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, Facilities Investigations at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, selected geophysical techniques were evaluated for their usefulness as assessment tools for determining subsurface geology, delineating the areal extent of potentially contaminated landfill sites, and locating buried objects and debris of potential environmental concern. Two shallow seismic-reflection techniques (compression and shear wave) and two electromagnetic techniques (ground-penetrating radar and terrain conductivity) were evaluated at several sites at the U.S. Army Base. The electromagnetic techniques also were tested for tolerance to cultural noise, such as nearby fences, vehicles, and power lines. For the terrain conductivity tests, two instruments were used--the EM31 and EM34, which have variable depths of exploration. The shallowest reflection event was 70 feet below land surface observed in common-depth point, stacked compression-wave data from 24- and 12-fold shallow-seismic-reflection surveys. Several reflection events consistent with clay-sand interfaces between 70 and 120 feet below land surface, along with basement-saprolite surfaces, were imaged in the 24-fold, common- depth-point stacked data. 12-fold, common-depth-point stacked data set contained considerably more noise than the 24-fold, common-depth-point data, due to reduced shot-to-receiver redundancy. Coherent stacked reflection events were not observed in the 24-fold, common-depth-point stacked shear-wave data because of the partial decoupling of the shear- wave generator from the ground. At one site, ground-penetrating radar effectively delineated a shallow, 2- to 5-foot thick sand unit bounded by thin (less than 1 foot) clay layers. The radar signal was completely attenuated where the overlying and underlying clay units thickened and the sand unit thinned. The pene- tration depth of the radar signal was less than 10 feet below land surface. A slight increase in electromagnetic conductivity across shallow sampling EM31 and EM34 profiles provided corroborative evidence of the shallow, thickening clay units. Plots of raw EM31 and EM34 data provided no direct interpretable information to delineate sand and clay units in the shallow subsurface. At two sites, the ground-penetrating radar effectively delineated the lateral continuity of surficial sand units 5 to 25 feet in thickness and the tops of their underlying clay units. The effective exploration depth of the ground-penetrating radar was limited by the proximity of clay units to the subsurface and their thickness. The ground-penetrating radar delineated the areal extent and depth of cover at a previously unrecognized extension of a trench-like landfill underlying a vehicle salvage yard. Attenuation of the radar signal beneath the landfill cover and the adjacent subsurface clays made these two mediums indistinguishable by ground-penetrating radar; however, EM31 data indicated that the electrical conductivity of the landfill was higher than the subsurface material adjacent to the landfill. The EM31 and EM34 conductivity surveys defined the areal extent of a landfill whose boundaries were inaccurately mapped, and also identified the locations of an old dumpsite and waste incinerator site at another landfill. A follow-up ground-penetrating radar survey of the abandoned dumpsite showed incongruities in some of the shallow radar reflections interpreted as buried refuse dispersed throughout the landfill. The ground-penetrating radar and EM31 effectively delineated a shallow buried fuel-oil tank. Of the three electromagnetic instruments, the ground-penetrating radar with the shielded 100-megahertz antenna was the least affected by cultural noise followed, in order, by the EM31 and EM34. The combination of terrain- conductivity and ground-penetrating radar for the site assessment of the landfill provided a powerful means to identify the areal extent of the landfill, potenti

A comparison of wood preservatives in posts in southern Mississippi : results from a half-decade of testing

Treesearch

Mike H. Freeman; Douglas Crawford; Patricia Lebow; James A. Brient

2005-01-01

Wood preservatives extend the useful service life of all wooden commodities used above ground and in ground contact, Over SO years ago, the USDA-Forest Products Lab established tests in a high decay and high termite hazard zone in southern Mississippi. During the last five decades, periodic reports have been issued by researchers located at the USDA-FPL, in Madison, WI...

Advances in Acoustic Landmine Detection

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-01

8] A. Petculescu and J. M. Sabatier, “ Feasibility study of an air - coupled acoustic sensor for measuring small vibrations, Proc. SPIE 17th...the acoustic-to-seismic (A/S) coupling of airborne sound into the ground for buried anti-personnel and anti-tank landmine detection is well established...113, pp.1333-1341 (2003)]. A sound source is used to insonify the ground surface. The airborne sound couples into the soil and excites the

Antlers on the Arctic Refuge: capturing multi-generational patterns of calving ground use from bones on the landscape.

PubMed

Miller, Joshua H; Druckenmiller, Patrick; Bahn, Volker

2013-05-22

Bone accumulations faithfully record historical ecological data on animal communities, and owing to millennial-scale bone survival on high-latitude landscapes, have exceptional potential for extending records on arctic ecosystems. For the Porcupine Caribou Herd, maintaining access to calving grounds on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR, Alaska) is a central management concern. However, variability in calving ground geography over the 30+ years of monitoring suggests establishing the impacts of climate change and potential petroleum development on future calving success could benefit from extended temporal perspectives. Using accumulations of female antlers (shed within days of calving) and neonatal skeletons, we test if caribou calving grounds develop measureable and characteristic bone accumulations and if skeletal data may be helpful in establishing a fuller, historically integrated understanding of landscape and habitat needs. Bone surveys of an important ANWR calving area reveal abundant shed antlers (reaching 10(3) km(-2)) and high proportional abundance of newborn skeletal individuals (up to 60% neonate). Openly vegetated riparian terraces, which compose less than 10 per cent of ANWR calving grounds, yield significantly higher antler concentrations than more abundant habitats traditionally viewed as primary calving terrain. Differences between habitats appear robust to potential differences in bone visibility. The distribution of antler weathering stages mirrors known multi-decadal calving histories and highlights portions of the antler accumulation that probably significantly extends records of calving activity. Death assemblages offer historically integrated ecological data valuable for the management and conservation of faunas across polar latitudes.

Ground correlation investigation of thruster spacecraft interactions to be measured on the IAPS flight test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Power, J. L.

1984-01-01

Preliminary ground correlation testing has been conducted with an 8 cm mercury ion thruster and diagnostic instrumentation replicating to a large extent the IAPS flight test hardware, configuration, and electrical grounding/isolation. Thruster efflux deposition retained at 25 C was measured and characterized. Thruster ion efflux was characterized with retarding potential analyzers. Thruster-generated plasma currents, the spacecraft common (SCC) potential, and ambient plasma properties were evaluated with a spacecraft potential probe (SPP). All the measured thruster/spacecraft interactions or their IAPS measurements depend critically on the SCC potential, which can be controlled by a neutralizer ground switch and by the SPP operation.

The Advanced Orbiting Systems Testbed Program: Results to date

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otranto, John F.; Newsome, Penny A.

1994-01-01

The Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) Recommendations for Packet Telemetry (PT) and Advanced Orbiting Systems (AOS) propose standard solutions to data handling problems common to many types of space missions. The Recommendations address only space/ground and space/space data handling systems. Goddard Space Flight Center's (GSFC's) AOS Testbed (AOST) Program was initiated to better understand the Recommendations and their impact on real-world systems, and to examine the extended domain of ground/ground data handling systems. The results and products of the Program will reduce the uncertainties associated with the development of operational space and ground systems that implement the Recommendations.

47 CFR 64.1704 - Frivolous disputes/penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 64.1704 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS RULES RELATING TO COMMON CARRIERS Implementation of Section 273(d)(5) of the... to the best of his knowledge, information and belief there is good ground to support the dispute and...

47 CFR 64.1704 - Frivolous disputes/penalties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 64.1704 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES (CONTINUED) MISCELLANEOUS RULES RELATING TO COMMON CARRIERS Implementation of Section 273(d)(5) of the... to the best of his knowledge, information and belief there is good ground to support the dispute and...

Antioxidant mechanism of milk mineral-high-affinity iron binding.

PubMed

Allen, K; Cornforth, D

2007-01-01

Milk mineral (MM), a by-product of whey processing, is an effective antioxidant in meat systems, but the antioxidant mechanism has not been established. MM has been postulated to chelate iron and prevent iron-catalysis of lipid oxidation. The objective of this research was to examine this putative mechanism. MM was compared to sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), calcium phosphate monobasic (CPM), and calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) to determine iron-binding capacity, sample solubility, and eluate soluble phosphorus after treating samples with a ferrous chloride standard. Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis was used to localize minerals on iron-treated MM particle surfaces. Histochemical staining for calcium was performed on raw and cooked ground beef samples with added MM. MM bound more iron per gram (P < 0.05) than the other compounds, and was much less soluble (P < 0.05) than either STPP or CPM. Mineral localization showed an even distribution of calcium, phosphorus, oxygen, and iron across the MM particle surface, directly demonstrating iron binding to MM particles. Unlike other common chelating agents, such as STPP and citrate, histochemical staining demonstrated that MM remained insoluble in ground beef, even after cooking. The ability of MM to bind iron and remain insoluble may enhance its antioxidant effect by removing iron ions from solution. However, MM particles must be small and well distributed in order to adequately bind iron throughout the food system.

Towards a common framework of grounded action cognition: Relating motor control, perception and cognition.

PubMed

Gentsch, Antje; Weber, Arne; Synofzik, Matthis; Vosgerau, Gottfried; Schütz-Bosbach, Simone

2016-01-01

The relation between motor control and action cognition - including action-related thoughts and action-related perception - has been subject to controversial discussions in the last three decades. During these decades, cognitive neuroscience has been increasingly confronted with a huge variety of different accounts trying to understand and explain the relation between these systems, their interdependencies and the mediating mechanisms by establishing notions such as "internal models", "simulation" or "shared representation". These accounts, however, include a large array of partly overlapping, partly contradictory theories using similar terms for different mechanisms and different terms for similar mechanisms. In the absence of a systematic work-up and comparison, this array of accounts and theories leads to confusion in the field, duplication of experimental work, and unconnected parallelism of theory formation within and between different disciplines. Here we provide a systematic comparison of current models and prospective theories that deal with the relation between cognition, perception and motor control mechanisms. In a second step, we propose "grounded action cognition" as a comprehensive metatheoretical framework which defines different hypothetical possibilities of the relations between these domains, offers systematic insights into current models and theories and last but not least may help to increase comparability of empirical research in the domain of action and action cognition. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gaze transfer in remote cooperation: is it always helpful to see what your partner is attending to?

PubMed

Müller, Romy; Helmert, Jens R; Pannasch, Sebastian; Velichkovsky, Boris M

2013-01-01

Establishing common ground in remote cooperation is challenging because nonverbal means of ambiguity resolution are limited. In such settings, information about a partner's gaze can support cooperative performance, but it is not yet clear whether and to what extent the abundance of information reflected in gaze comes at a cost. Specifically, in tasks that mainly rely on spatial referencing, gaze transfer might be distracting and leave the partner uncertain about the meaning of the gaze cursor. To examine this question, we let pairs of participants perform a joint puzzle task. One partner knew the solution and instructed the other partner's actions by (1) gaze, (2) speech, (3) gaze and speech, or (4) mouse and speech. Based on these instructions, the acting partner moved the pieces under conditions of high or low autonomy. Performance was better when using either gaze or mouse transfer compared to speech alone. However, in contrast to the mouse, gaze transfer induced uncertainty, evidenced in delayed responses to the cursor. Also, participants tried to resolve ambiguities by engaging in more verbal effort, formulating more explicit object descriptions and fewer deictic references. Thus, gaze transfer seems to increase uncertainty and ambiguity, thereby complicating grounding in this spatial referencing task. The results highlight the importance of closely examining task characteristics when considering gaze transfer as a means of support.

Spatial analysis of the trophic interactions between two juvenile fish species and their preys along a coastal-estuarine gradient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopp, Dorothée; Le Bris, Hervé; Grimaud, Lucille; Nérot, Caroline; Brind'Amour, Anik

2013-08-01

Coastal and estuarine systems provide nursery grounds for many marine fish species. Their productivity has been correlated with terrigeneous inputs entering the coastal-estuarine benthic food web, thereby favouring the establishment of fish juveniles. Studies in these ecosystems often describe the nursery as a single large habitat without verifying nor considering the presence of contiguous habitats. Our study aimed at identifying different habitats based on macrozoobenthic communities and morpho-sedimentary characteristics and assessing the trophic interactions between fish juveniles and their benthic preys within these habitats. It included 43 sampling sites covering 5 habitats in which we described taxonomically and quantitatively the invertebrates and fish communities with stable isotopes and gut contents. It suggested that the benthic common sole Solea solea displayed feeding plasticity at the population level, separating the juveniles (G0) from the older fish (G1) into different "feeding sub-populations". Size-based feeding plasticity was also observable in the spatial occupancy of that species in the studied bay. The demersal pouting, Trisopterus luscus, equally used the different habitats but displayed low feeding plasticity across and inside each habitat. Stable isotopes proved to be powerful tools to study the spatial distribution of trophic interactions in complex ecosystems like the bay of Vilaine and to define optimal habitats for fish that use the coastal-estuarine ecosystem as nursery grounds.

Finding common ground to achieve a “good death”: family physicians working with substitute decision-makers of dying patients. A qualitative grounded theory study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Substitute decision-makers are integral to the care of dying patients and make many healthcare decisions for patients. Unfortunately, conflict between physicians and surrogate decision-makers is not uncommon in end-of-life care and this could contribute to a “bad death” experience for the patient and family. We aim to describe Canadian family physicians’ experiences of conflict with substitute decision-makers of dying patients to identify factors that may facilitate or hinder the end-of-life decision-making process. This insight will help determine how to best manage these complex situations, ultimately improving the overall care of dying patients. Methods Grounded Theory methodology was used with semi-structured interviews of family physicians in Edmonton, Canada, who experienced conflict with substitute decision-makers of dying patients. Purposeful sampling included maximum variation and theoretical sampling strategies. Interviews were audio-taped, and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts, field notes and memos were coded using the constant-comparative method to identify key concepts until saturation was achieved and a theoretical framework emerged. Results Eleven family physicians with a range of 3 to 40 years in clinical practice participated. The family physicians expressed a desire to achieve a “good death” and described their role in positively influencing the experience of death. Finding Common Ground to Achieve a “Good Death” for the Patient emerged as an important process which includes 1) Building Mutual Trust and Rapport through identifying key players and delivering manageable amounts of information, 2) Understanding One Another through active listening and ultimately, and 3) Making Informed, Shared Decisions. Facilitators and barriers to achieving Common Ground were identified. Barriers were linked to conflict. The inability to resolve an overt conflict may lead to an impasse at any point. A process for Resolving an Impasse is described. Conclusions A novel framework for developing Common Ground to manage conflicts during end-of-life decision-making discussions may assist in achieving a “good death”. These results could aid in educating physicians, learners, and the public on how to achieve productive collaborative relationships during end-of-life decision-making for dying patients, and ultimately improve their deaths. PMID:23339822

Ground-Water Temperature, Noble Gas, and Carbon Isotope Data from the Espanola Basin, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Manning, Andrew H.

2009-01-01

Ground-water samples were collected from 56 locations throughout the Espanola Basin and analyzed for general chemistry (major ions and trace elements), carbon isotopes (delta 13C and 14C activity) in dissolved inorganic carbon, noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, and 3He/4He ratio), and tritium. Temperature profiles were measured at six locations in the southeastern part of the basin. Temperature profiles suggest that ground water generally becomes warmer with distance from the mountains and that most ground-water flow occurs at depths 50 years old, consistent with the 14C ages. Terrigenic He (Heterr) concentrations in ground water are high (log Delta Heterr of 2 to 5) throughout much of the basin. High Heterr concentrations are probably caused by in situ production in the Tesuque Formation from locally high concentrations of U-bearing minerals (Northeast zone only), or by upward diffusive/advective transport of crustal- and mantle-sourced He possibly enhanced by basement piercing faults, or by both. The 3He/4He ratio of Heterr (Rterr) is commonly high (Rterr/Ra of 0.3-2.0, where Ra is the 3He/4He ratio in air) suggesting that Espanola Basin ground water commonly contains mantle-sourced He. The 3He/4He ratio of Heterr is generally the highest in the western and southern parts of the basin, closest to the western border fault system and the Quaternary to Miocene volcanics of the Jemez Mountains and Cerros del Rio.

The pursuit of longevity - the bringer of peace to the middle East.

PubMed

Stambler, Ilia

2014-01-01

Despite the common apprehensions regarding the aging population, this work aims to argue, on both deontological and utilitarian moral grounds, that any increase in general life-expectancy will be beneficial for the Middle East, countering the common fears associated with this increase. A set of ethical arguments concerning increasing longevity is presented, from both the deontological and utilitarian perspective. A wide selection of economic, psychological, demographic and epidemiological literature and databases is analyzed to determine common correlates of extended longevity. On the deontological grounds, the value of extended longevity is derived from the value of life preservation, regardless of its term. On the utilitarian grounds, the value of extended longevity is demonstrated by its correlation with further human values, such as education level and intellectual activity, economic prosperity, equality, solidarity and peacefulness. With the common apprehensions of stagnation and scarcity due to life extension found wanting, the pursuit of longevity by the population can be seen as a cross-cultural and cross-generational good. Though the current study mainly refers to sources and data relevant to the Middle East, a similar pro-longevity argument can be also made for other cultural contexts. In view of its numerous benefits, normatively, the goal of longevity should be set clearly and openly by the society, and actively pursued, or at least discussed, in academia, the political system and broader public.

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods: Old Wine in New Bottles? On Understanding and Interpreting Educational Phenomena

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smeyers, Paul

2008-01-01

Generally educational research is grounded in the empirical traditions of the social sciences (commonly called quantitative and qualitative methods) and is as such distinguished from other forms of scholarship such as theoretical, conceptual or methodological essays, critiques of research traditions and practices and those studies grounded in the…

Guidelines for collection and field analysis of ground-water samples for selected unstable constituents

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wood, Warren W.

1976-01-01

The unstable nature of many chemical and physical constituents in ground water requires special collection procedures and field analysis immediately after collection. This report describes the techniques and equipment commonly used m the collection and field analysis of samples for pH, temperature, carbonate, bicarbonate, specific conductance, Eh, and dissolved oxygen.

Monitoring Production of Methane and Carbon Dioxide and Consumption of Oxygen at Spills of Gasoline at UST Release Sites

EPA Science Inventory

Methane is rarely measured at fuel spill sites, and most commonly the measurements are made on samples of ground water. Many ground water monitoring wells are intentionally screened across the water table. This was done to allow them to sample free product. However, if there is s...

Getting around the Impasse: A Grounded Approach to Teaching Ethics and Social Responsibility in International Business Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Marc T.; Lok, Peter

1999-01-01

Considers the dilemma of teaching ethics and social responsibility in international business courses with either an ethnocentric absolutist or an unengaged relativistic approach. Suggests a strategy that focuses on a grounded understanding of the elements, processes, and properties of capitalism that would serve as a common understanding upon…

USE OF COMPOUND-SPECIFIC STABLE CARBON ISOTOPE ANALYSES TO DEMONSTRATE NATURAL BIODEGRADATION OF MTBE IN GROUND WATER AT A GASOLINE RELEASE SITE

EPA Science Inventory

Methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) has been used as an additive in gasoline to enhance
octane rating and to improve combustion efficiency. It is also a commonly detected contaminant in both surface water and ground water systems. This study presents concentration and stable ...

Restructuring High Schools for All Students: Taking Inclusion to the Next Level.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jorgensen, Cheryl M.

The ten papers in this collection present practical examples of the inclusion of students with disabilities in restructured high schools. The papers are: (1) "Preparing the Ground for What Is To Come: A Rationale for Inclusive High Schools" (Susan Shapiro-Barnard); (2) "Equity and Excellence: Finding Common Ground between Inclusive Education and…

Ground and Space Radar Volume Matching and Comparison Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, Kenneth; Schwaller, Mathew

2010-01-01

This software enables easy comparison of ground- and space-based radar observations. The software was initially designed to compare ground radar reflectivity from operational, ground based Sand C-band meteorological radars with comparable measurements from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite s Precipitation Radar (PR) instrument. The software is also applicable to other ground-based and space-based radars. The ground and space radar volume matching and comparison software was developed in response to requirements defined by the Ground Validation System (GVS) of Goddard s Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) project. This software innovation is specifically concerned with simplifying the comparison of ground- and spacebased radar measurements for the purpose of GPM algorithm and data product validation. This software is unique in that it provides an operational environment to routinely create comparison products, and uses a direct geometric approach to derive common volumes of space- and ground-based radar data. In this approach, spatially coincident volumes are defined by the intersection of individual space-based Precipitation Radar rays with the each of the conical elevation sweeps of the ground radar. Thus, the resampled volume elements of the space and ground radar reflectivity can be directly compared to one another.

Ground System Harmonization Efforts at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Dan

2011-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the efforts made at Goddard Space Flight Center in harmonizing the ground systems to assist in collaboration in space ventures. The key elements of this effort are: (1) Moving to a Common Framework (2) Use of Consultative Committee for Space Data Systems (CCSDS) Standards (3) Collaboration Across NASA Centers (4) Collaboration Across Industry and other Space Organizations. These efforts are working to bring into harmony the GSFC systems with CCSDS standards to allow for common software, use of Commercial Off the Shelf Software and low risk development and operations and also to work toward harmonization with other NASA centers

The CommonGround Visual Paradigm for Biosurveillance

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

Livnat, Yarden; Jurrus, Elizabeth R.; Gundlapalli, Adi V.

2013-06-14

Biosurveillance is a critical area in the intelligence community for real-time detection of disease outbreaks. Identifying epidemics enables analysts to detect and monitor disease outbreaks that might be spread from natural causes or from possible biological warfare attacks. Containing these events and disseminating alerts requires the ability to rapidly find, classify and track harmful biological signatures. In this paper, we describe a novel visual paradigm to conduct biosurveillance using an Infectious Disease Weather Map. Our system provides a visual common ground in which users can view, explore and discover emerging concepts and correlations such as symptoms, syndromes, pathogens, and geographicmore » locations.« less

The reasons young children give to peers when explaining their judgments of moral and conventional rules.

PubMed

Mammen, Maria; Köymen, Bahar; Tomasello, Michael

2018-02-01

Moral justifications work, when they do, by invoking values that are shared in the common ground of the interlocutors. We asked 3- and 5-year-old peer dyads (N = 144) to identify and punish norm transgressors. In the moral condition, the transgressor violated a moral norm (e.g., by stealing); in the social rules condition, she/he violated a context-specific rule (e.g., by placing a yellow toy in a green box, instead of a yellow box). Children in both age groups justified their punishment in the social rules condition mostly by referring to the rule (e.g., "He must put yellow toys in the yellow box"). In contrast, in the moral condition they mostly justified their punishment by simply referring to the observed fact (e.g., "He stole"), seeing no need to state the norm involved (e.g., "He must not steal"), presumably because they assumed this as part of their moral common ground with their partner. These results suggest that preschoolers assume certain common ground moral values with their peers and use these in formulating explicit moral judgments and justifications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Soil Parameter Mapping and Ad Hoc Power Analysis to Increase Blocking Efficiency Prior to Establishing a Long-Term Field Experiment.

PubMed

Collins, Doug; Benedict, Chris; Bary, Andy; Cogger, Craig

2015-01-01

The spatial heterogeneity of soil and weed populations poses a challenge to researchers. Unlike aboveground variability, below-ground variability is more difficult to discern without a strategic soil sampling pattern. While blocking is commonly used to control environmental variation, this strategy is rarely informed by data about current soil conditions. Fifty georeferenced sites were located in a 0.65 ha area prior to establishing a long-term field experiment. Soil organic matter (OM) and weed seed bank populations were analyzed at each site and the spatial structure was modeled with semivariograms and interpolated with kriging to map the surface. These maps were used to formulate three strategic blocking patterns and the efficiency of each pattern was compared to a completely randomized design and a west to east model not informed by soil variability. Compared to OM, weeds were more variable across the landscape and had a shorter range of autocorrelation, and models to increase blocking efficiency resulted in less increase in power. Weeds and OM were not correlated, so no model examined improved power equally for both parameters. Compared to the west to east blocking pattern, the final blocking pattern chosen resulted in a 7-fold increase in power for OM and a 36% increase in power for weeds.

Ground effect on a self-propelled undulatory foil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Dong; Chao, Liming; Pan, Guang

2018-04-01

The unsteady ground effect on a self-propelled undulatory foil is numerically investigated in this paper. The situation can be widely found in nature especially for fish swimming near the ground. In this study, frequency varies from 0.1 Hz to 2 Hz and distance from the ground varies from 0.2 L to 1 L. Under most kinematics, the ground has a negative effect on the performance of the foil. The swimming velocity slows down, power spend increases and swimming economy reduces. The higher frequency can produce a larger negative effect. Only at the low frequencies f = 0.1 Hz, 0.25 Hz and 0.5 Hz with distance of 0.2 L the velocity can be enhanced by 18%, 6%, 0.8%, respectively. The lift production is found to be increased. The link between the performance and the wake dynamics is also established by studying the vortex structures.

Laser Ranging to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter: improved timing and orbits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, D.; Mcgarry, J.; Sun, X.; Torrence, M. H.; Skillman, D.; Hoffman, E.; Mazarico, E.; Rowlands, D. D.; Golder, J.; Barker, M. K.; Neumann, G. A.; Smith, D. E.; Zuber, M. T.

2013-12-01

The Laser ranging (LR) experiment to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) has been under operation for more than 4 years, since the launch of the spacecraft in June 2009. Led by NASA's Next Generation Satellite Laser Ranging(NGSLR) station at Greenbelt, Maryland, ten laser ranging stations over the world have been participating in the experiment and have collected over 3,200 hours of ranging data. These range measurements are used to monitor the behavior of the LRO clock and to generate orbital solutions for LRO. To achieve high-quality results in range, ground stations like NGSLR are using H-maser clocks to obtain a stable and continuous time baseline for the orbit solutions. An All-View GPS receiver was included at NGSLR since January 2013 which monitors the H-maser time against the master clock at the United State Naval Observatory (USNO) via the GPS satellites. NGSLR has successfully established nano-second level epoch time accuracy and 10-15 clock stability since then. Time transfer experiments using LRO as a common receiver have been verified in ground testing between NGSLR and MOBLAS7 via a ground terminal with a Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA)-like receiver at Greenbelt, Maryland. Two hour-long ground tests using a LOLA-like detector and two different ground targets yielded results consistent with each other, and those from the previous 10-minute test completed one year ago. Time transfer tests between NGSLR and MOBLAS7 via LRO are ongoing. More time transfer tests are being planned from NGSLR to McDonald Laser Ranging Station (MLRS) in Texas and later from NGSLR to European satellite laser ranging (SLR) stations. Upon the completion of these time transfer experiments, nanosecond-level epoch time accuracy will be brought to stations besides NGSLR, and such high precision of the ground time can contribute to the LRO precision orbit determination (POD) process. Presently, by using the high-resolution GRAIL gravity models, the LRO orbits determined from LR data alone have a total position error of 10 meters in average, and show the same quality as those generated using conventional radiometric tracking data. In these LR orbital solutions, a bias was adjusted to compensate both the ground and spacecraft clock characteristics. By taking advantage of the knowledge we have gained through LR of the long-term stability of the LRO clock, the spacecraft clock behavior is separated from the ground station clocks and modeled over a 10-month time span in our current POD process. Here we present the results from this new approach, and further improvements in the quality of the orbital reconstruction.

Reaching common ground: a patient-family-based conceptual framework of quality EOL care.

PubMed

Howell, Doris; Brazil, Kevin

2005-01-01

Improvement in the quality of end-of-life (EOL) care is a priority health care issue since serious deficiencies in quality of care have been reported across care settings. Increasing pressure is now focused on Canadian health care organizations to be accountable for the quality of palliative and EOL care delivered. Numerous domains of quality EOL care upon which to create accountability frameworks are now published, with some derived from the patient/family perspective. There is a need to reach common ground on the domains of quality EOL care valued by patients and families in order to develop consistent performance measures and set priorities for health care improvement. This paper describes a meta-synthesis study to develop a common conceptual framework of quality EOL care integrating attributes of quality valued by patients and their families.

Rare earth elements (REEs): effects on germination and growth of selected crop and native plant species.

PubMed

Thomas, Philippe J; Carpenter, David; Boutin, Céline; Allison, Jane E

2014-02-01

The phytotoxicity of rare earth elements (REEs) is still poorly understood. The exposure-response relationships of three native Canadian plant species (common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca L., showy ticktrefoil, Desmodium canadense (L.) DC. and switchgrass, Panicum virgatum L.) and two commonly used crop species (radish, Raphanus sativus L., and tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L.) to the REEs lanthanum (La), yttrium (Y) and cerium (Ce) were tested. In separate experiments, seven to eight doses of each element were added to the soil prior to sowing seeds. Effects of REE dose on germination were established through measures of total percent germination and speed of germination; effects on growth were established through determination of above ground biomass. Ce was also tested at two pH levels and plant tissue analysis was conducted on pooled samples. Effects on germination were mostly observed with Ce at low pH. However, effects on growth were more pronounced, with detectable inhibition concentrations causing 10% and 25% reductions in biomass for the two native forb species (A. syriaca and D. canadense) with all REEs and on all species tested with Ce in both soil pH treatments. Concentration of Ce in aboveground biomass was lower than root Ce content, and followed the dose-response trend. From values measured in natural soils around the world, our results continue to support the notion that REEs are of limited toxicity and not considered extremely hazardous to the environment. However, in areas where REE contamination is likely, the slow accumulation of these elements in the environment could become problematic. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

24 CFR 904.107 - Responsibilities of homebuyer.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... maintaining the common areas and property, including fixtures and equipment, in good condition and appearance... includes the work (labor and materials) of keeping the dwelling structure, grounds and equipment in good... common areas and property. (d) Inspections. A homebuyer shall agree to permit officials, employees, or...

The Advanced Course in Professional Selling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loe, Terry; Inks, Scott

2014-01-01

More universities are incorporating sales content into their curriculums, and although the introductory courses in professional sales have much common ground and guidance from numerous professional selling texts, instructors teaching the advanced selling course lack the guidance provided by common academic tools and materials. The resulting…

Lime helps establish crownvetch on coal-breaker refuse

Treesearch

Miroslaw M. Czapowskyj; Edward A. Sowa

1976-01-01

A study was begun in 1965 to determine the effect of lime fertilizer, and mulch on the establishment and growth of crownvetch crowns planted on anthracite coal-breaker refuse. After 7 years the lime application had by far the strongest effect. Both 2.5 and 5.0 tons per acre increased survival and ground cover manyfold, and both treatments were equally beneficial from...

How Do Writers Establish Research Niches? A Genre-Based Investigation into Management Researchers' Rhetorical Steps and Linguistic Mechanisms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Jason Miin-Hwa

2012-01-01

"Establishing a niche" often constitutes a crucial rhetorical move in research proposals and journal papers in various academic disciplines. Research proposals and reports submitted by novice writers may at times be rejected on grounds of their inability to demonstrate a need to carry out research in a suggested area. This genre-based…

Nature's Notebook Provides Phenology Observations for NASA Juniper Phenology and Pollen Transport Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Luval, J. C.; Crimmins, T. M.; Sprigg, W. A.; Levetin, E.; Huete, A.; Nickovic, S.; Prasad, A.; Vukovic, A.; VandeWater, P. K.; Budge, A. M.;

Relation of drainage problems to high ground-water levels, Coconut Grove area, Oahu, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Swain, L.A.; Huxel, C.J.

1971-01-01

Purpose and Scope In 1969, hydrologic data-collection sites were established in and around the Coconut Grove area for the purpose of measuring directly the relationship between rainfall, runoff, ground-water levels, the level of water in Kawainui Swamp and the canals, and tidal fluctuations. The primary objective was to identify the causes of the occurrence and persistence of flooding and to gain data on which to base recommendations for remedial action. The scope of the study included establishing and operating flow and stage-recording gages on the Swamp, Kawainui Canal, and the inner canal; periodic and repeated measurements of ground-water level in test borings throughout the residential area; collection and analysis of soil and construction borings made for engineering purposes; the assembly and analysis of all available data relating surface and subsurface flow conditions, and the development of conclusions as to the causes and means to alleviate the flooding. This report summarizes the information collected from October 1969 to June 1971, includes analysis of the data, and discusses the probable causes of flooding.

Satellite-to-ground quantum key distribution.

PubMed

Liao, Sheng-Kai; Cai, Wen-Qi; Liu, Wei-Yue; Zhang, Liang; Li, Yang; Ren, Ji-Gang; Yin, Juan; Shen, Qi; Cao, Yuan; Li, Zheng-Ping; Li, Feng-Zhi; Chen, Xia-Wei; Sun, Li-Hua; Jia, Jian-Jun; Wu, Jin-Cai; Jiang, Xiao-Jun; Wang, Jian-Feng; Huang, Yong-Mei; Wang, Qiang; Zhou, Yi-Lin; Deng, Lei; Xi, Tao; Ma, Lu; Hu, Tai; Zhang, Qiang; Chen, Yu-Ao; Liu, Nai-Le; Wang, Xiang-Bin; Zhu, Zhen-Cai; Lu, Chao-Yang; Shu, Rong; Peng, Cheng-Zhi; Wang, Jian-Yu; Pan, Jian-Wei

2017-09-07

Quantum key distribution (QKD) uses individual light quanta in quantum superposition states to guarantee unconditional communication security between distant parties. However, the distance over which QKD is achievable has been limited to a few hundred kilometres, owing to the channel loss that occurs when using optical fibres or terrestrial free space that exponentially reduces the photon transmission rate. Satellite-based QKD has the potential to help to establish a global-scale quantum network, owing to the negligible photon loss and decoherence experienced in empty space. Here we report the development and launch of a low-Earth-orbit satellite for implementing decoy-state QKD-a form of QKD that uses weak coherent pulses at high channel loss and is secure because photon-number-splitting eavesdropping can be detected. We achieve a kilohertz key rate from the satellite to the ground over a distance of up to 1,200 kilometres. This key rate is around 20 orders of magnitudes greater than that expected using an optical fibre of the same length. The establishment of a reliable and efficient space-to-ground link for quantum-state transmission paves the way to global-scale quantum networks.

Guide to North Dakota's ground-water resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Paulson, Q.F.

1983-01-01

Ground water, the water we pump from the Earth through wells or that which flows naturally from springs, is one of North Dakota's most valuable resources. More than 60 percent of the people living in the State use ground water for one purpose of another. It is the only source of water for thousands of farm families and their livestock. Almost all smaller cities and villages depend solely on groudn water as a source of supply. Increasingly, ground water is being used to irrigate crops and grasslands (fig. 1) during protracted dry spells so common in North Dakota. During recent years there has been a rapid development of rural water ditribution systems in which thousands of farms and rurals residences are connected via underground pipeline to a single water source, usually wells pumping ground water.

Appraisal of ground-water quality near wastewater-treatment facilities, Glacier National Park, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moreland, Joe A.; Wood, Wayne A.

1982-01-01

Water-level and water-quality data were collected from monitoring wells at wastewater-treatment facilities in Glacier National Park. Five additional shallow observation wells were installed at the Glacier Park Headquarters facility to monitor water quality in the shallow ground-water system.Water-level, water-quality, and geologic information indicate that some of the initial monitoring wells are not ideally located to sample ground water most likely to be affected by waste disposal at the sites. Small differences in chemical characteristics between samples from monitor wells indicate that effluent may be affecting ground-water quality but that impacts are not significant.Future monitoring of ground-water quality could be limited to selected wells most likely to be impacted by percolating effluent. Laboratory analyses for common ions could detect future impacts.

Five year ground exposure of composite materials used on the Bell Model 206L flight service evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, Donald J.

1989-01-01

Part of the results of a U.S. Army/NASA-Langley sponsored research program to establish the long term-term effects of realistic ground based exposure on advanced composite materials is presented. Residual strengths and moisture absorption as a function of exposure time and exposure location are reported for four different composite material systems that were exposed for five years on the North American Continent.

Extending the Ground Force Network: Aerial Layer Networking

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-25

Additionally aerial layer networks are envisioned to augment the Global Information Grid ( GIG ) access, which is currently provided by the surface...frequencies such as HF, VHF, and UHF. This enabled ground forces to establish tactical wide area networks (WAN) and permitted entry to the GIG ...PRC-117G. Both systems are unique in their overall mission sets, but both provide tactical users access to the WAN and GIG . Self-forming and self

Joint Winter Runway Friction Program Accomplishments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yager, Thomas J.; Wambold, James C.; Henry, John J.; Andresen, Arild; Bastian, Matthew

2002-01-01

The major program objectives are: (1) harmonize ground vehicle friction measurements to report consistent friction value or index for similar contaminated runway conditions, for example, compacted snow, and (2) establish reliable correlation between ground vehicle friction measurements and aircraft braking performance. Accomplishing these objectives would give airport operators better procedures for evaluating runway friction and maintaining acceptable operating conditions, providing pilots information to base go/no go decisions, and would contribute to reducing traction-related aircraft accidents.

[Recent fauna of ground-nesting birds in Transvolga steppes and its dynamics in the 20th century].

PubMed

Oparin, M L

2008-01-01

It is shown that the structure of the ground-nesting bird fauna in Transvolga steppes has changed during the 20th century. The complex of lark species characteristic of true and dry steppe has disappeared because of climate change and impact of economic activity (the establishment of windbreak and roadside forest strips), which has provided for a sharp increase in the abundance of corvid birds.

Small RNA Sequencing Reveals Dlk1-Dio3 Locus-Embedded MicroRNAs as Major Drivers of Ground-State Pluripotency.

PubMed

Moradi, Sharif; Sharifi-Zarchi, Ali; Ahmadi, Amirhossein; Mollamohammadi, Sepideh; Stubenvoll, Alexander; Günther, Stefan; Salekdeh, Ghasem Hosseini; Asgari, Sassan; Braun, Thomas; Baharvand, Hossein

2017-12-12

Ground-state pluripotency is a cell state in which pluripotency is established and maintained through efficient repression of endogenous differentiation pathways. Self-renewal and pluripotency of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are influenced by ESC-associated microRNAs (miRNAs). Here, we provide a comprehensive assessment of the "miRNome" of ESCs cultured under conditions favoring ground-state pluripotency. We found that ground-state ESCs express a distinct set of miRNAs compared with ESCs grown in serum. Interestingly, most "ground-state miRNAs" are encoded by an imprinted region on chromosome 12 within the Dlk1-Dio3 locus. Functional analysis revealed that ground-state miRNAs embedded in the Dlk1-Dio3 locus (miR-541-5p, miR-410-3p, and miR-381-3p) promoted pluripotency via inhibition of multi-lineage differentiation and stimulation of self-renewal. Overall, our results demonstrate that ground-state pluripotency is associated with a unique miRNA signature, which supports ground-state self-renewal by suppressing differentiation. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

QIPS: quantum information and quantum physics in space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmitt-Manderbach, Tobias; Scheidl, Thomas; Ursin, Rupert; Tiefenbacher, Felix; Weier, Henning; Fürst, Martin; Jennewein, T.; Perdigues, J.; Sodnik, Z.; Rarity, J.; Zeilinger, Anton; Weinfurter, Harald

2017-11-01

The aim of the QIPS project (financed by ESA) is to explore quantum phenomena and to demonstrate quantum communication over long distances. Based on the current state-of-the-art a first study investigating the feasibility of space based quantum communication has to establish goals for mid-term and long-term missions, but also has to test the feasibility of key issues in a long distance ground-to-ground experiment. We have therefore designed a proof-of-concept demonstration for establishing single photon links over a distance of 144 km between the Canary Islands of La Palma and Tenerife to evaluate main limitations for future space experiments. Here we report on the progress of this project and present first measurements of crucial parameters of the optical free space link.

NOAA's Joint Polar Satellite System's (JPSS) Proving Ground and Risk Reduction (PGRR) Program - Bringing JPSS Science into Support of Key NOAA Missions!

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sjoberg, W.; McWilliams, G.

2017-12-01

This presentation will focus on the continuity of the NOAA Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) Program's Proving Ground and Risk Reduction (PGRR) and key activities of the PGRR Initiatives. The PGRR Program was established in 2012, following the launch of the Suomi National Polar Partnership (SNPP) satellite. The JPSS Program Office has used two PGRR Project Proposals to establish an effective approach to managing its science and algorithm teams in order to focus on key NOAA missions. The presenter will provide details of the Initiatives and the processes used by the initiatives that have proven so successful. Details of the new 2017 PGRR Call-for-Proposals and the status of project selections will be discussed.

Motives for choosing and resigning from nursing by men and the definition of masculinity: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Kluczyńska, Urszula

2017-06-01

The aim of the study is to establish the main motives for choosing nursing by men in Poland and the results for leaving the profession. Nursing is a profession less frequently chosen by men. On average, one person in ten working in nursing is a man, but in Poland this percentage is especially low, amounting to 1·8%. Qualitative research with a grounded theory approach. Individual semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. The study included 17 licensed male nurses. Data were collected between January 2014-June 2015. The study revealed the most common motives for choosing nursing as declared by men: vocation, interest in medicine, accident and pragmatic motivation. The men for whom hegemonic masculinity constitutes the point of reference more frequently emphasize their interest in medicine and the pragmatic reasons for choosing nursing; they also more frequently try to gain managerial positions and higher income. The most common reason for men leaving the nursing profession was low income. Despite the common stereotype, men also choose nursing because of vocation and/or their willingness to help others, but they more frequently declare that chance was the direct reason for their choice of nursing, which helps reduce the dissonance associated with choosing a non-traditional male career path. Leaving the profession was associated with beliefs about its feminine dimension, but it seems that in Poland low income is a much more important reason for such a decision. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Field studies of the effect of chemical fertilizers on the quality of ground- and drainage waters

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

Kondratas, A.R.

1988-01-01

This article describes a field study of the effect of a variety of fertilizers--superphosphates, potassium chlorides, and ammonium nitrates--used in the cultivation of corn on the ground and runoff waters comprising a regional water resource. The experiment establishes that the fertilizers have a substantial effect on runoff waters--the formation of their chemical composition and mineralization--and a lesser effect on ground water. The study accounts for meteorological factors as well as dispersion behavior of the water in the soil and its eventual transport to the water resource and supply system. Conservation measures are indicated based on the results.

A national look at nitrate contamination of ground water

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nolan, Bernard T.; Ruddy, Barbara C.; Hitt, Kerie J.; Helsel, Dennis R.

1998-01-01

Knowing where and what type of risks to ground water exist can alert water-resource managers and private users of the need to protect water supplies. Although nitrate generally is not an adult public-health threat, ingestion in drinking water by infants can cause low oxygen levels in the blood, a potentially fatal condition (Spalding and Exner, 1993). For this reason, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established a drinking-water standard of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L) nitrate as nitrogen (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 1995). Nitrate concentrations in natural ground waters are usually less than 2 mg/L (Mueller and others, 1995).

Religion and Environmental Education: Building on Common Ground

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hitzhusen, Gregory E.

2006-01-01

Environmental educators are beginning to consider how to incorporate religious resources into their curricula. Common concerns about religion pose a challenge for integration, but these concerns are manageable. Reflection on the precursors of environmental citizenship behaviour provides a framework for considering some of the ways that religious…

Rupture Directivity Effect on Seismic Vulnerability of Reinforced Concrete Bridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirazian, Shadi; Nouri, Gholamreza; Ghayamghamian, Mohamadreza

2017-04-01

Earthquake catastrophes menace humans` lives and assets. Although earthquakes are inevitable, damage is not. To remedy this situation, significant amount of research is conducted in order to assess the performance of existent man-made structures, particularly infrastructures such as bridges which play a vital role in post earthquake services. The results can be used for assessing retrofit prioritization for structures and as a basis for economic loss estimations. The research presented here determines the vulnerability of a common typical two-span reinforced concrete bridge by generating fragility curves. Near-fault ground motions are different from ordinary ground motions, often containing strong coherent dynamic long-period pulses and permanent ground displacements. Here special attention is given to this type of ground motions, and their effects on the seismic behavior of structure are compared with ordinary motions. The results show near-fault ground motions exacerbate the seismic vulnerability of a bridge by about 68% in comparison with near-field ground motions. In other words, near-source ground motions with forward directivity effect are more dangerous.

Transport and Fate of Nutrients and Indicator Microorganisms at a Dairy Lagoon Water Application Site: An Assessment of Nutrient Management Plans

EPA Science Inventory

Nitrate is the most common chemical contaminant found in ground water. Recent research by U.S. EPA has shown that land application of manure can cause nitrate contamination of ground water above the maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) of 10 mg NO3-N/L at significant depths. This ...

Tracking contamination through ground beef production and identifying points of recontamination using a novel green fluorescent protein (GFP) expressing, E. coli O103, non-pathogenic surrogate

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Introduction: Commonly, ground beef processors conduct studies to model contaminant flow through their production systems using surrogate organisms. Typical surrogate organisms may not behave as Escherichia coli O157:H7 during grinding and are not easy to detect at very low levels. Purpose: Develop...

Ground System Survivability Overview

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-27

Avoidance Blast Mitigation Optimization Customer ILIR RDT&E Funding 5.0 % 0.5% GSS has a proven, technically proficient workforce that meets...Evaluation of Defensive-Aid Suites (ARMED) Common Automatic Fire Extinguishing System ( CAFES ) Transparent Armor Development Ground Combat Vehicle...Survey TRADOC (WFO, CNA, etc) Voice of the Customer Sy st em s En gi ne er in g Publish overarching MIL-STD, design guidelines, technical

ForestCrowns: a software tool for analyzing ground-based digital photographs of forest canopies

Treesearch

Matthew F. Winn; Sang-Mook Lee; Phillip A. Araman

2013-01-01

Canopy coverage is a key variable used to characterize forest structure. In addition, the light transmitted through the canopy is an important ecological indicator of plant and animal habitat and understory climate conditions. A common ground-based method used to document canopy coverage is to take digital photographs from below the canopy. To assist with analyzing...

Stochastic correlative firing for figure-ground segregation.

PubMed

Chen, Zhe

2005-03-01

Segregation of sensory inputs into separate objects is a central aspect of perception and arises in all sensory modalities. The figure-ground segregation problem requires identifying an object of interest in a complex scene, in many cases given binaural auditory or binocular visual observations. The computations required for visual and auditory figure-ground segregation share many common features and can be cast within a unified framework. Sensory perception can be viewed as a problem of optimizing information transmission. Here we suggest a stochastic correlative firing mechanism and an associative learning rule for figure-ground segregation in several classic sensory perception tasks, including the cocktail party problem in binaural hearing, binocular fusion of stereo images, and Gestalt grouping in motion perception.

A strategy for evaluating pathway analysis methods.

PubMed

Yu, Chenggang; Woo, Hyung Jun; Yu, Xueping; Oyama, Tatsuya; Wallqvist, Anders; Reifman, Jaques

2017-10-13

Researchers have previously developed a multitude of methods designed to identify biological pathways associated with specific clinical or experimental conditions of interest, with the aim of facilitating biological interpretation of high-throughput data. Before practically applying such pathway analysis (PA) methods, we must first evaluate their performance and reliability, using datasets where the pathways perturbed by the conditions of interest have been well characterized in advance. However, such 'ground truths' (or gold standards) are often unavailable. Furthermore, previous evaluation strategies that have focused on defining 'true answers' are unable to systematically and objectively assess PA methods under a wide range of conditions. In this work, we propose a novel strategy for evaluating PA methods independently of any gold standard, either established or assumed. The strategy involves the use of two mutually complementary metrics, recall and discrimination. Recall measures the consistency of the perturbed pathways identified by applying a particular analysis method to an original large dataset and those identified by the same method to a sub-dataset of the original dataset. In contrast, discrimination measures specificity-the degree to which the perturbed pathways identified by a particular method to a dataset from one experiment differ from those identifying by the same method to a dataset from a different experiment. We used these metrics and 24 datasets to evaluate six widely used PA methods. The results highlighted the common challenge in reliably identifying significant pathways from small datasets. Importantly, we confirmed the effectiveness of our proposed dual-metric strategy by showing that previous comparative studies corroborate the performance evaluations of the six methods obtained by our strategy. Unlike any previously proposed strategy for evaluating the performance of PA methods, our dual-metric strategy does not rely on any ground truth, either established or assumed, of the pathways perturbed by a specific clinical or experimental condition. As such, our strategy allows researchers to systematically and objectively evaluate pathway analysis methods by employing any number of datasets for a variety of conditions.

Characterization of Ground-Water Quality, Upper Republican Natural Resources District, Nebraska, 1998-2001

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frankforter, Jill D.; Chafin, Daniele T.

2004-01-01

Nearly all rural inhabitants and livestock in the Upper Republican Natural Resources District (URNRD) in southwestern Nebraska use ground water that can be affected by elevated nitrate concentrations. The development of ground-water irrigation in this area has increased the vulnerability of ground water to the introduction of fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals. In 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Upper Republican Natural Resources District, began a study to characterize the quality of ground water in the Upper Republican Natural Resources District area with respect to physical properties and concentrations of major ions, coliform bacteria, nitrate, and pesticides, and to assess the presence of nitrogen concentrations in the unsaturated zone. At selected well sites, the ground-water characterization also included tritium and nitrogen-isotope analyses to provide information about the approximate age of the ground water and potential sources of nitrogen detected in ground-water samples, respectively. In 1998, ground-water samples were collected from 101 randomly selected domestic-well sites. Of the 101 samples collected, 26 tested positive for total coliform bacteria, exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of zero colonies. In 1999, ground-water samples were collected from 31 of the 101 well sites, and 16 tested positive for coliform bacteria. Nitrates were detected in ground water from all domestic-well samples and from all but four of the irrigation-well samples collected from 1998 to 2001. Eight percent of the domestic-well samples and 3 percent of the irrigation-well samples had nitrate concentrations exceeding the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's MCL for drinking water of 10 milligrams per liter. Areas with nitrate concentrations exceeding 6 milligrams per liter, the URNRD's ground-water management-plan action level, were found predominantly in north-central Chase, western and south-central Dundy, and south-central Perkins Counties. Generally, these concentrations were detected in samples from wells located in upland areas with permeable soils and a high percentage of cropland. In 1999, 31 of the ground-water samples collected from irrigation wells were analyzed for pesticides, and 14 samples (45 percent) had detectable concentrations of at least one pesticide compound. In 2000, all of the 23 irrigation-well samples analyzed had one or more pesticides present at detectable concentrations. In 2001, 12 of 26 domestic-well samples (46 percent) had detectable concentrations. Although the analytical method used during the study was changed to increase the number of pesticides included in the analyses, the pesticides detected in the ground-water samples from domestic and irrigation wells were limited to the commonly used herbicide compounds acetochlor, alachlor, atrazine, metolachlor, prometon, propachlor, propazine, trifluralin, and the atrazine degradation product deethylatrazine. Of the compounds detected, only atrazine (3.0 micrograms per liter) and alachlor (2.0 micrograms per liter) have MCLs established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. None of the ground-water samples from the URNRD study area had concentrations that exceeded either MCL. Tritium age-dating analyses indicate water from about one-third of the sites entered the ground-water system prior to 1952. Because the increase in agricultural practices occurred during the 1950s and 1960s, it can be assumed that this water was not influenced by agricultural practices. Nitrogen-isotope speciation analyses for samples from three irrigation wells indicated that the source of nitrates in the ground water probably is synthetic fertilizer; however, the source at most irrigation wells probably is either naturally occurring or a mixture of water from various anthropogenic sources (such as synthetic fertilizer and animal waste).

Blue Ribbon Panel Report-BRP-Cancer Moonshot

Cancer.gov

The Blue Ribbon Panel Report outlines 10 recommendations to accelerate progress against cancer. The panel was established to ensure that the Cancer Moonshot's approaches are grounded in the best science.

14 CFR 25.25 - Weight limits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... weights corresponding to the airplane operating conditions (such as ramp, ground or water taxi, takeoff... conditions (such as zero fuel weight, center of gravity position and weight distribution) must be established...

14 CFR 25.25 - Weight limits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... weights corresponding to the airplane operating conditions (such as ramp, ground or water taxi, takeoff... conditions (such as zero fuel weight, center of gravity position and weight distribution) must be established...