The Importance of Perceptual Experience in the Esthetic Appreciation of the Body

PubMed Central

Mele, Sonia; Cazzato, Valentina; Urgesi, Cosimo

2013-01-01

Several studies suggest that sociocultural models conveying extreme thinness as the widespread ideal of beauty exert an important influence on the perceptual and emotional representation of body image. The psychological mechanisms underlying such environmental influences, however, are unclear. Here, we utilized a perceptual adaptation paradigm to investigate how perceptual experience modulates body esthetic appreciation. We found that the liking judgments of round bodies increased or decreased after brief exposure to round or thin bodies, respectively. No change occurred in the liking judgments of thin bodies. The results suggest that perceptual experience may shape our esthetic appreciation to favor more familiar round body figures. Importantly, individuals with more deficits in interoceptive awareness were less prone to increase their liking ratings of round bodies after exposure, suggesting a specific risk factor for the susceptibility to the influence of the extreme thin vs. round body ideals of beauty portrayed by the media. PMID:24324689

Gradient Heating Facility in the Materials Science Double Rack (MSDR) on Spacelab-1 Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

The Space Shuttle was designed to carry large payloads into Earth orbit. One of the most important payloads is Spacelab. The Spacelab serves as a small but well-equipped laboratory in space to perform experiments in zero-gravity and make astronomical observations above the Earth's obscuring atmosphere. In this photograph, Payload Specialist, Ulf Merbold, is working at Gradient Heating Facility on the Materials Science Double Rack (MSDR) inside the science module in the Orbiter Columbia's payload bay during STS-9, Spacelab-1 mission. Spacelab-1, the joint ESA (European Space Agency)/NASA mission, was the first operational flight for the Spacelab, and demonstrated new instruments and methods for conducting experiments that are difficult or impossible in ground-based laboratories. This facility performed, in extremely low gravity, a wide variety of materials processing experiments in crystal growth, fluid physics, and metallurgy. The Marshall Space Flight Center had overall management responsibilities.

Rising sea levels will reduce extreme temperature variations in tide-dominated reef habitats

PubMed Central

Lowe, Ryan Joseph; Pivan, Xavier; Falter, James; Symonds, Graham; Gruber, Renee

2016-01-01

Temperatures within shallow reefs often differ substantially from those in the surrounding ocean; therefore, predicting future patterns of thermal stresses and bleaching at the scale of reefs depends on accurately predicting reef heat budgets. We present a new framework for quantifying how tidal and solar heating cycles interact with reef morphology to control diurnal temperature extremes within shallow, tidally forced reefs. Using data from northwestern Australia, we construct a heat budget model to investigate how frequency differences between the dominant lunar semidiurnal tide and diurnal solar cycle drive ~15-day modulations in diurnal temperature extremes. The model is extended to show how reefs with tidal amplitudes comparable to their depth, relative to mean sea level, tend to experience the largest temperature extremes globally. As a consequence, we reveal how even a modest sea level rise can substantially reduce temperature extremes within tide-dominated reefs, thereby partially offsetting the local effects of future ocean warming. PMID:27540589

LDEF active optical system components experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blue, M. D.

1992-01-01

A preliminary report on the Active Optical System Components Experiment is presented. This experiment contained 136 components in a six inch deep tray including lasers, infrared detectors and arrays, ultraviolet light detectors, light-emitting diodes, a light modulator, flash lamps, optical filters, glasses, and samples of surface finishes. Thermal, mechanical, and structural considerations leading to the design of the tray hardware are discussed. In general, changes in the retested component characteristics appear as much related to the passage of time as to the effects of the space environment, but organic materials, multilayer optical interference filters, and extreme-infrared reflectivity of black paints show unexpected changes.

Rabi oscillations in extreme ultraviolet ionization of atomic argon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flögel, Martin; Durá, Judith; Schütte, Bernd; Ivanov, Misha; Rouzée, Arnaud; Vrakking, Marc J. J.

2017-02-01

We demonstrate Rabi oscillations in nonlinear ionization of argon by an intense femtosecond extreme ultraviolet (XUV) laser field produced by high-harmonic generation. We monitor the formation of A r2 + as a function of the time delay between the XUV pulse and an additional near-infrared (NIR) femtosecond laser pulse, and show that the population of an A r+* intermediate resonance exhibits strong modulations both due to an NIR laser-induced Stark shift and XUV-induced Rabi cycling between the ground state of A r+ and the A r+* excited state. Our experiment represents a direct experimental observation of a Rabi-cycling process in the XUV regime.

Extreme and superextreme events in a loss-modulated CO2 laser: Nonlinear resonance route and precursors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonatto, Cristian; Endler, Antonio

2017-07-01

We investigate the occurrence of extreme and rare events, i.e., giant and rare light pulses, in a periodically modulated CO2 laser model. Due to nonlinear resonant processes, we show a scenario of interaction between chaotic bands of different orders, which may lead to the formation of extreme and rare events. We identify a crisis line in the modulation parameter space, and we show that, when the modulation amplitude increases, remaining in the vicinity of the crisis, some statistical properties of the laser pulses, such as the average and dispersion of amplitudes, do not change much, whereas the amplitude of extreme events grows enormously, giving rise to extreme events with much larger deviations than usually reported, with a significant probability of occurrence, i.e., with a long-tailed non-Gaussian distribution. We identify recurrent regular patterns, i.e., precursors, that anticipate the emergence of extreme and rare events, and we associate these regular patterns with unstable periodic orbits embedded in a chaotic attractor. We show that the precursors may or may not lead to the emergence of extreme events. Thus, we compute the probability of success or failure (false alarm) in the prediction of the extreme events, once a precursor is identified in the deterministic time series. We show that this probability depends on the accuracy with which the precursor is identified in the laser intensity time series.

Measurement of Oxygen A Band Line Parameters by Using Modulation Spectroscopy with Higher Harmonic Detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dharamsi, Amin

1999-01-01

Wavelength modulation spectroscopy is used to demonstrate that extremely weak absorption lines can be measured even when these lines suffer from interference from the wings of adjacent stronger lines. It is shown that the use of detection at several harmonics allows such interference to be examined clearly and conveniently. The results of experimental measurements on a weak magnetic dipole driven, spin-forbidden line in the oxygen A band, which experiences interference from the wings of a pair of adjacent lines towards the blue and red regions of line center, are presented. A comparison of the experimental results to theory is given.

STS-95 crew members participate in a SPACEHAB familiarization exercise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Inside the SPACECHAB training module, STS-95 Payload Specialist John Glenn, who is a senator from Ohio, tries on the mesh cap that he will wear on the mission to monitor and record brain waves during sleep. Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski, M.D., watches. Parazynski and Glenn are participating in SPACEHAB familiarization at the SPACEHAB Payload Processing Facility, Cape Canaveral. The mission, scheduled to launch Oct. 29, includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

KSC-98pc974

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-08-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside the SPACECHAB training module, STS-95 Payload Specialist John Glenn, who is a senator from Ohio, tries on the mesh cap that he will wear on the mission to monitor and record brain waves during sleep. Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski, M.D., watches. Parazynski and Glenn are participating in SPACEHAB familiarization at the SPACEHAB Payload Processing Facility, Cape Canaveral. The mission, scheduled to launch Oct. 29, includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

Method for reworkable packaging of high speed, low electrical parasitic power electronics modules through gate drive integration

DOEpatents

Passmore, Brandon; Cole, Zach; Whitaker, Bret; Barkley, Adam; McNutt, Ty; Lostetter, Alexander

2016-08-02

A multichip power module directly connecting the busboard to a printed-circuit board that is attached to the power substrate enabling extremely low loop inductance for extreme environments such as high temperature operation. Wire bond interconnections are taught from the power die directly to the busboard further enabling enable low parasitic interconnections. Integration of on-board high frequency bus capacitors provide extremely low loop inductance. An extreme environment gate driver board allows close physical proximity of gate driver and power stage to reduce overall volume and reduce impedance in the control circuit. Parallel spring-loaded pin gate driver PCB connections allows a reliable and reworkable power module to gate driver interconnections.

The Role of the NASA Global Hawk Link Module as an Information Nexus For Atmospheric Mapping Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, D. V.

2015-01-01

The Link Module described in this paper was developed for the NASA Uninhabited Aerial System (UAS) Global Hawk Pacific Mission (GloPAC) Airborne Science Campaign; four flights of 30 hour duration, supporting the Aura Validation Experiment (AVE). It was used again during the Genesis and Rapid Intensification Processes (GRIP) experiment, a NASA Earth Science field experiment to better understand how tropical storms form and develop into major hurricanes. In these missions, the Link Module negotiated all communication over the high bandwidth Ku satellite link, archived all the science data from onboard experiments in a spatially enabled database, routed command and control of the instruments from the Global Hawk Operations Center, and re-transmitted select data sets directly to experimenters control and analysis systems. The availability of aggregated information from collections of sensors, and remote control capabilities, in real-time, is revolutionizing the way Airborne Science is being conducted. The Link Module NG now being flown in support of the NASA Earth Venture missions, the Hurricane and Severe Storm Sentinel (HS3) mission, and Airborne Tropical Tropopause Experiment (A TTREX) mission, has advanced data fusion technologies that are further advancing the Scientific productivity, flexibility and robustness of these systems. On-the-fly traffic shaping has been developed to allow the high definition video, used for critical flight control segments, to dynamically allocate variable bandwidth on demand. Historically, the Link Module evolved from the instrument and communication interface controller used by NASA's Pathfinder and Pathfinder plus solar powered UAS's in the late 1990' s. It later was expanded for use in the AIRDAS four channel scanner flown on the NASA Altus UAS, and then again to a module in the AMS twelve channel multispectral scanner flying on the NASA (Predator-b) Ikhana UAS. The current system is the answer to the challenges imposed by extremely long duration UASs, with on-board multi-instrument (>= 12) Sensor Webs.

HOST payload for STS-95 being moved into SSPF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test (HOST) is checked out by technicians in the Space Shuttle Processing Facility. One of the payloads on the STS-95 mission, the HOST platform is carrying four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an earth orbiting environment. The STS-95 mission is scheduled to launch Oct. 29. It will carry three other payloads: the Spartan solar- observing deployable spacecraft, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

HOST payload for STS-95 being moved into SSPF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Workers watch as the Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test (HOST)is moved inside the Space Shuttle Processing Facility. The HOST platform, one of the payloads on the STS-95 mission, is carrying four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an earth orbiting environment. The STS-95 mission is scheduled to launch Oct. 29. It will carry three other payloads: the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

KSC-98pc1039

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-04

Workers watch as the Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test (HOST)is moved inside the Space Shuttle Processing Facility. The HOST platform, one of the payloads on the STS-95 mission, is carrying four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an earth orbiting environment. The STS-95 mission is scheduled to launch Oct. 29. It will carry three other payloads: the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1037

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-04

The Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test (HOST)is being raised to a workstand by technicians in the Space Shuttle Processing Facility. One of the payloads on the STS-95 mission, the HOST platform is carrying four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an earth orbiting environment. The STS-95 mission is scheduled to launch Oct. 29. It will carry three other payloads: the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1137

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test (HOST) is suspended above its work stand in the Space Station Processing Facility before moving it to its payload canister. The HOST platform is carrying four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an Earth-orbiting environment. The STS-95 mission is scheduled to launch Oct. 29. It will carry other payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH-3), and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1036

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test (HOST) is checked out by technicians in the Space Shuttle Processing Facility. One of the payloads on the STS-95 mission, the HOST platform is carrying four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an earth orbiting environment. The STS-95 mission is scheduled to launch Oct. 29. It will carry three other payloads: the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

HOST payload for STS-95 being moved into SSPF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

The HOST (the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test) payload is uncrated in the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF). HOST is scheduled to fly on the STS-95 mission, planned for launch on Oct. 29, 1998. The mission includes other research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Understanding the stability of surface nanobubbles.

PubMed

Wang, Shuo; Liu, Minghuan; Dong, Yaming

2013-05-08

Surface nanobubbles emerging at solid-liquid interfaces show extreme stability. In this paper, the stability of surface nanobubbles in degassed water is discussed and investigated by AFM. The result demonstrates that surface nanobubbles are kinetically stable and the liquid/gas interface is gas impermeable. The force modulation experiment further proves that there is a layer coating on nanobubbles. These critical properties suggest that surface nanobubbles may be stabilized by a layer which has a great diffusive resistance.

KSC-98pc975

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-08-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside the SPACEHAB training module, STS-95 Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski, M.D. (right), attaches sensors to the mesh cap worn by Payload Specialist John Glenn (back to camera). In the background is Ann Elliott, University of California, San Diego. Glenn will wear the cap on the mission to monitor and record brain waves during sleep. Parazynski and Glenn are participating in SPACEHAB familiarization at the SPACEHAB Payload Processing Facility, Cape Canaveral. The mission, scheduled to launch Oct. 29, includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

STS-95 Payload Specialist Duque arrives at KSC to participate in a SPACEHAB familiarization exercise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

STS-95 Payload Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, who represents the European Space Agency (ESA), waves after arriving in a T-38 jet aircraft at the Shuttle Landing Facility at KSC. He is joining other STS-95 crew members in a familiarization tour of the SPACEHAB module and the equipment that will fly with them on the Space Shuttle Discovery scheduled to launch Oct. 29, 1998. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar- observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Historical influence of irrigation on climate extremes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiery, Wim; Davin, Edouard L.; Lawrence, Dave; Hauser, Mathias; Seneviratne, Sonia I.

2016-04-01

Land irrigation is an essential practice sustaining global food production and many regional economies. During the last decades, irrigation amounts have been growing rapidly. Emerging scientific evidence indicates that land irrigation substantially affects mean climate conditions in different regions of the world. However, a thorough understanding of the impact of irrigation on extreme climatic conditions, such as heat waves, droughts or intense precipitation, is currently still lacking. In this context, we aim to assess the historical influence of irrigation on the occurrence of climate extremes. To this end, two simulations are conducted over the period 1910-2010 with a state-of-the-art global climate model (the Community Earth System Model, CESM): a control simulation including all major anthropogenic and natural external forcings except for irrigation and a second experiment with transient irrigation enabled. The two simulations are evaluated for their ability to represent (i) hot, dry and wet extremes using the HadEX2 and ERA-Interim datasets as a reference, and (ii) latent heat fluxes using LandFlux-EVAL. Assuming a linear combination of climatic responses to different forcings, the difference between both experiments approximates the influence of irrigation. We will analyse the impact of irrigation on a number of climate indices reflecting the intensity and duration of heat waves. Thereby, particular attention is given to the role of soil moisture changes in modulating climate extremes. Furthermore, the contribution of individual biogeophysical processes to the total impact of irrigation on hot extremes is quantified by application of a surface energy balance decomposition technique to the 90th and 99th percentile surface temperature changes.

Performance verification of the Gravity and Extreme Magnetism Small explorer (GEMS) x-ray polarimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Enoto, Teruaki; Black, J. Kevin; Kitaguchi, Takao; Hayato, Asami; Hill, Joanne E.; Jahoda, Keith; Tamagawa, Toru; Kaneko, Kenta; Takeuchi, Yoko; Yoshikawa, Akifumi; Marlowe, Hannah; Griffiths, Scott; Kaaret, Philip E.; Kenward, David; Khalid, Syed

2014-07-01

Polarimetry is a powerful tool for astrophysical observations that has yet to be exploited in the X-ray band. For satellite-borne and sounding rocket experiments, we have developed a photoelectric gas polarimeter to measure X-ray polarization in the 2-10 keV range utilizing a time projection chamber (TPC) and advanced micro-pattern gas electron multiplier (GEM) techniques. We carried out performance verification of a flight equivalent unit (1/4 model) which was planned to be launched on the NASA Gravity and Extreme Magnetism Small Explorer (GEMS) satellite. The test was performed at Brookhaven National Laboratory, National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) facility in April 2013. The polarimeter was irradiated with linearly-polarized monochromatic X-rays between 2.3 and 10.0 keV and scanned with a collimated beam at 5 different detector positions. After a systematic investigation of the detector response, a modulation factor >=35% above 4 keV was obtained with the expected polarization angle. At energies below 4 keV where the photoelectron track becomes short, diffusion in the region between the GEM and readout strips leaves an asymmetric photoelectron image. A correction method retrieves an expected modulation angle, and the expected modulation factor, ~20% at 2.7 keV. Folding the measured values of modulation through an instrument model gives sensitivity, parameterized by minimum detectable polarization (MDP), nearly identical to that assumed at the preliminary design review (PDR).

Designing and validation of a yoga-based intervention for obsessive compulsive disorder.

PubMed

Bhat, Shubha; Varambally, Shivarama; Karmani, Sneha; Govindaraj, Ramajayam; Gangadhar, B N

2016-06-01

Some yoga-based practices have been found to be useful for patients with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The authors could not find a validated yoga therapy module available for OCD. This study attempted to formulate a generic yoga-based intervention module for OCD. A yoga module was designed based on traditional and contemporary yoga literature. The module was sent to 10 yoga experts for content validation. The experts rated the usefulness of the practices on a scale of 1-5 (5 = extremely useful). The final version of the module was pilot-tested on patients with OCD (n = 17) for both feasibility and effect on symptoms. Eighty-eight per cent (22 out of 25) of the items in the initial module were retained, with modifications in the module as suggested by the experts along with patients' inputs and authors' experience. The module was found to be feasible and showed an improvement in symptoms of OCD on total Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) score (p = 0.001). A generic yoga therapy module for OCD was validated by experts in the field and found feasible to practice in patients. A decrease in the symptom scores was also found following yoga practice of 2 weeks. Further clinical validation is warranted to confirm efficacy.

Astronomical variation experiments with a Mars general circulation model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pollack, J. B.; Haberle, R. M.; Murphy, J. R.; Schaeffer, J.; Lee, H.

1992-01-01

In time scales of a hundred thousand to a million years, the eccentricity of Mars orbit varies in a quasi-periodic manner between extremes as large as 0.14 and as small as 0 and the tilt of its axis of rotation with respect to the orbit normal also varies quasi-periodically between extremes as large as 35 deg and as small as 15 deg. In addition, the orientation of the axis precesses on comparable time scales. These astronomical variations are much more extreme than those experienced by the Earth. These variations are thought to have strongly modulated the seasonal cycles of dust, carbon dioxide, and water. One manifestation of the induced quasiperiodic climate changes may be the layered terrain of the polar regions, with individual layers perhaps recording variations in the absolute and/or relative deposition rates of dust and water in the polar regions, most likely in association with the winter time deposition of carbon dioxide ice. In an attempt to understand the manner in which atmospheric temperatures and winds respond to the astronomical forcings, we have initiated a series of numerical experiments with the NASA/Ames general circulation model of the Martian Atmosphere.

The JEM-EUSO Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ricci, Marco; JEM-EUSO Collaboration

2016-05-01

The Extreme Universe Space Observatory on-board the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM-EUSO) of the International Space Station (ISS), is a space mission that aims to unveiling the nature and the origin of the Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs) and to address basic problems of fundamental physics at extreme energies. The instrument is designed to measure the arrival direction, the energy and, possibly, the nature of these particles. Basically, it consists of a wide Field of View (FoV) telescope, based on Fresnel lenses, that looks down from the ISS during night-time to detect UV photons (fluorescence and Cherenkov photons) emitted from air showers. An infrared camera and an atmosphere monitoring system improve the performance of the instrument. The program is proceeding in different steps. While the JEM-EUSO mission is being improved to allow the use of the new carrier Space-X Dragon, the project K-EUSO, a mirror-based telescope to be placed on the Russian module of the ISS, conceived as an improvement of the KLYPVE experiment already approved by the Russian Space Agency Roscosmos, modified with EUSO technology, is in the stage of final definition. Meanwhile, a program of test experiments, pathfinders of the main mission, has been developed: the first, EUSO-Balloon, successfully flew on board a stratospheric balloon in Canada to measure the fluorescence background from the top of the Atmosphere; a second, EUSO-TA on ground, is in operation at the Telescope Array site in Utah. Next steps include: a) Mini-EUSO, approved by Roscosmos and the Italian Space Agency ASI, a small, compact UV telescope to be installed inside the Russian Module of the ISS to measure the UV background from Earth and b) a long duration Super Pressure Balloon Flight (EUSO-SPB) to be flown from New Zealand to observe EAS (Extensive Air Showers) from stratospheric atmosphere altitudes. Scientific, technical and programmatic aspects of all these EUSO-like projects are described.

HOST payload for STS-95 being moved into SSPF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

The HOST (the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test) payload is moved into the high bay of the Space Station Processing Facility (SSPF). HOST is scheduled to fly on the STS- 95 mission, planned for launch on Oct. 29, 1998. The mission includes other research payloads such as the Spartan solar- observing deployable spacecraft, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

The impact of anthropogenic land use and land cover change on regional climate extremes.

PubMed

Findell, Kirsten L; Berg, Alexis; Gentine, Pierre; Krasting, John P; Lintner, Benjamin R; Malyshev, Sergey; Santanello, Joseph A; Shevliakova, Elena

2017-10-20

Land surface processes modulate the severity of heat waves, droughts, and other extreme events. However, models show contrasting effects of land surface changes on extreme temperatures. Here, we use an earth system model from the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory to investigate regional impacts of land use and land cover change on combined extremes of temperature and humidity, namely aridity and moist enthalpy, quantities central to human physiological experience of near-surface climate. The model's near-surface temperature response to deforestation is consistent with recent observations, and conversion of mid-latitude natural forests to cropland and pastures is accompanied by an increase in the occurrence of hot-dry summers from once-in-a-decade to every 2-3 years. In the tropics, long time-scale oceanic variability precludes determination of how much of a small, but significant, increase in moist enthalpy throughout the year stems from the model's novel representation of historical patterns of wood harvesting, shifting cultivation, and regrowth of secondary vegetation and how much is forced by internal variability within the tropical oceans.

HOST payload for STS-95 being moved into SSPF

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test (HOST)is being raised to a workstand by technicians in the Space Shuttle Processing Facility. One of the payloads on the STS-95 mission, the HOST platform is carrying four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an earth orbiting environment. The STS-95 mission is scheduled to launch Oct. 29. It will carry three other payloads: the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Stressor controllability modulates fear extinction in humans

PubMed Central

Hartley, Catherine A.; Gorun, Alyson; Reddan, Marianne C.; Ramirez, Franchesca; Phelps, Elizabeth A.

2014-01-01

Traumatic events are proposed to play a role in the development of anxiety disorders, however not all individuals exposed to extreme stress experience a pathological increase in fear. Recent studies in animal models suggest that the degree to which one is able to control an aversive experience is a critical factor determining its behavioral consequences. In this study, we examined whether stressor controllability modulates subsequent conditioned fear expression in humans. Participants were randomly assigned to an escapable stressor condition, a yoked inescapable stressor condition, or a control condition involving no stress exposure. One week later, all participants underwent fear conditioning, fear extinction, and a test of extinction retrieval the following day. Participants exposed to inescapable stress showed impaired fear extinction learning and increased fear expression the following day. In contrast, escapable stress improved fear extinction and prevented the spontaneous recovery of fear. Consistent with the bidirectional controllability effects previously reported in animal models, these results suggest that one's degree of control over aversive experiences may be an important factor influencing the development of psychological resilience or vulnerability in humans. PMID:24333646

STS-95 crew members participate in a SPACEHAB familiarization exercise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Inside the SPACEHAB training module, STS-95 Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski, M.D. (right), attaches sensors to the mesh cap worn by Payload Specialist John Glenn (back to camera). In the background is Ann Elliott, University of California, San Diego. Glenn will wear the cap on the mission to monitor and record brain waves during sleep. Parazynski and Glenn are participating in SPACEHAB familiarization at the SPACEHAB Payload Processing Facility, Cape Canaveral. The mission, scheduled to launch Oct. 29, includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar- observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

The origin of human complex diversity: Stochastic epistatic modules and the intrinsic compatibility between distributional robustness and phenotypic changeability.

PubMed

Ijichi, Shinji; Ijichi, Naomi; Ijichi, Yukina; Imamura, Chikako; Sameshima, Hisami; Kawaike, Yoichi; Morioka, Hirofumi

2018-01-01

The continuing prevalence of a highly heritable and hypo-reproductive extreme tail of a human neurobehavioral quantitative diversity suggests the possibility that the reproductive majority retains the genetic mechanism for the extremes. From the perspective of stochastic epistasis, the effect of an epistatic modifier variant can randomly vary in both phenotypic value and effect direction among the careers depending on the genetic individuality, and the modifier careers are ubiquitous in the population distribution. The neutrality of the mean genetic effect in the careers warrants the survival of the variant under selection pressures. Functionally or metabolically related modifier variants make an epistatic network module and dozens of modules may be involved in the phenotype. To assess the significance of stochastic epistasis, a simplified module-based model was employed. The individual repertoire of the modifier variants in a module also participates in the genetic individuality which determines the genetic contribution of each modifier in the career. Because the entire contribution of a module to the phenotypic outcome is consequently unpredictable in the model, the module effect represents the total contribution of the related modifiers as a stochastic unit in the simulations. As a result, the intrinsic compatibility between distributional robustness and quantitative changeability could mathematically be simulated using the model. The artificial normal distribution shape in large-sized simulations was preserved in each generation even if the lowest fitness tail was un-reproductive. The robustness of normality beyond generations is analogous to the real situations of human complex diversity including neurodevelopmental conditions. The repeated regeneration of the un-reproductive extreme tail may be inevitable for the reproductive majority's competence to survive and change, suggesting implications of the extremes for others. Further model-simulations to illustrate how the fitness of extreme individuals can be low through generations may be warranted to increase the credibility of this stochastic epistasis model.

A search for life on Earth from the Galileo spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sagan, C.; Thompson, W. R.; Carlson, R.; Gurnett, D.; Hord, C.

1993-01-01

In its December 1990 fly-by of Earth, the Galileo spacecraft found evidence of abundant gaseous oxygen, a widely distributed surface pigment with a sharp absorption edge in the red part of the visible spectrum, and atmospheric methane in extreme thermodynamic disequilibrium; together, these are strongly suggestive of life on Earth. Moreover, the presence of narrow-band, pulsed, amplitude-modulated radio transmission seems uniquely attributable to intelligence. These observations constitute a control experiment for the serach for extraterrestrial life by modern interplanetary spacecraft.

Discovery touches down after successful mission STS-95

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Orbiter Discovery smokes its tires as it touches down on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after a successful mission STS-95 lasting nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Discovery touches down after successful mission STS-95

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Orbiter Discovery startles a great white egret next to runway 33 as it touches down at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after a successful mission STS-95 lasting nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar- observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

A search for life on Earth from the Galileo spacecraft.

PubMed

Sagan, C; Thompson, W R; Carlson, R; Gurnett, D; Hord, C

1993-10-21

In its December 1990 fly-by of Earth, the Galileo spacecraft found evidence of abundant gaseous oxygen, a widely distributed surface pigment with a sharp absorption edge in the red part of the visible spectrum, and atmospheric methane in extreme thermodynamic disequilibrium; together, these are strongly suggestive of life on Earth. Moreover, the presence of narrow-band, pulsed, amplitude-modulated radio transmission seems uniquely attributable to intelligence. These observations constitute a control experiment for the serach for extraterrestrial life by modern interplanetary spacecraft.

Instrument Overview of the JEM-EUSO Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kajino, F.; Yamamoto, T.; Sakata, M.; Yamamoto, Y.; Sato, H.; Ebizuka, N.; Ebisuzaki, T.; Uehara, Y.; Ohmori, H.; Kawasaki, Y.;

A superconducting CW-LINAC for heavy ion acceleration at GSI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barth, Winfried; Aulenbacher, Kurt; Basten, Markus; Dziuba, Florian; Gettmann, Viktor; Miski-Oglu, Maksym; Podlech, Holger; Yaramyshev, Stepan

2017-03-01

Recently the Universal Linear Accelerator (UNILAC) serves as a powerful high duty factor (25%) heavy ion beam accelerator for the ambitious experiment program at GSI. Beam time availability for SHE (Super Heavy Element)-research will be decreased due to the limitation of the UNILAC providing Uranium beams with an extremely high peak current for FAIR simultaneously. To keep the GSI-SHE program competitive on a high level and even beyond, a standalone superconducting continuous wave (100% duty factor) LINAC in combination with the upgraded GSI High Charge State injector is envisaged. In preparation for this, the first LINAC section (financed by HIM and GSI) will be tested with beam in 2017, demonstrating the future experimental capabilities. Further on the construction of an extended cryo module comprising two shorter Crossbar-H cavities is foreseen to test until end of 2017. As a final R&D step towards an entire LINAC three advanced cryo modules, each comprising two CH cavities, should be built until 2019, serving for first user experiments at the Coulomb barrier.

Super-narrow, extremely high quality collective plasmon resonances at telecom wavelengths and their application in a hybrid graphene-plasmonic modulator.

PubMed

Thackray, Benjamin D; Thomas, Philip A; Auton, Gregory H; Rodriguez, Francisco J; Marshall, Owen P; Kravets, Vasyl G; Grigorenko, Alexander N

2015-05-13

We present extremely narrow collective plasmon resonances observed in gold nanostripe arrays fabricated on a thin gold film, with the spectral line full width at half-maximum (fwhm) as low as 5 nm and quality factors Q reaching 300, at important fiber-optic telecommunication wavelengths around 1.5 μm. Using these resonances, we demonstrate a hybrid graphene-plasmonic modulator with the modulation depth of 20% in reflection operated by gating of a single layer graphene, the largest measured so far.

Climate Change and Hydrological Extreme Events - Risks and Perspectives for Water Management in Bavaria and Québec

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ludwig, R.

2017-12-01

There is as yet no confirmed knowledge whether and how climate change contributes to the magnitude and frequency of hydrological extreme events and how regional water management could adapt to the corresponding risks. The ClimEx project (2015-2019) investigates the effects of climate change on the meteorological and hydrological extreme events and their implications for water management in Bavaria and Québec. High Performance Computing is employed to enable the complex simulations in a hydro-climatological model processing chain, resulting in a unique high-resolution and transient (1950-2100) dataset of climatological and meteorological forcing and hydrological response: (1) The climate module has developed a large ensemble of high resolution data (12km) of the CRCM5 RCM for Central Europe and North-Eastern North America, downscaled from 50 members of the CanESM2 GCM. The dataset is complemented by all available data from the Euro-CORDEX project to account for the assessment of both natural climate variability and climate change. The large ensemble with several thousand model years provides the potential to catch rare extreme events and thus improves the process understanding of extreme events with return periods of 1000+ years. (2) The hydrology module comprises process-based and spatially explicit model setups (e.g. WaSiM) for all major catchments in Bavaria and Southern Québec in high temporal (3h) and spatial (500m) resolution. The simulations form the basis for in depth analysis of hydrological extreme events based on the inputs from the large climate model dataset. The specific data situation enables to establish a new method for `virtual perfect prediction', which assesses climate change impacts on flood risk and water resources management by identifying patterns in the data which reveal preferential triggers of hydrological extreme events. The presentation will highlight first results from the analysis of the large scale ClimEx model ensemble, showing the current and future ratio of natural variability and climate change impacts on meteorological extreme events. Selected data from the ensemble is used to drive a hydrological model experiment to illustrate the capacity to better determine the recurrence periods of hydrological extreme events under conditions of climate change.

KSC-98pc977

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-08-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside the SPACEHAB training module, STS-95 Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski, M.D., helps adjust connections for the mesh cap and the Respiratory Inductance Plethysmograph (RIP) suit worn by Payload Specialist John Glenn, who is a senator from Ohio. The cap and suit, which Glenn will wear on the mission, are part of the equipment that will be used to seek to improve the quality of sleep for future astronauts. The STS-95 crew are participating in SPACEHAB familiarization at the SPACEHAB Payload Processing Facility, Cape Canaveral. The mission, scheduled to launch Oct. 29, includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

Flood Risk in the Danube basin under climate change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schröter, Kai; Wortmann, Michel; del Rocio Rivas Lopez, Maria; Liersch, Stefan; Viet Nguyen, Dung; Hardwick, Stephen; Hattermann, Fred

2017-04-01

The projected increase in temperature is expected to intensify the hydrological cycle, and thus more intense precipitation is likely to increase hydro-meteorological extremes and flood hazard. However to assess the future dynamics of hazard and impact induced by these changes it is necessary to consider extreme events and to take a spatially differentiated perspective. The Future Danube Model is a multi-hazard and risk model suite for the Danube region which has been developed in the OASIS project. The model comprises modules for estimating potential perils from heavy precipitation, heat-waves, floods, droughts, and damage risk considering hydro-climatic extremes under current and climate change conditions. Web-based open Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology allows customers to graphically analyze and overlay perils and other spatial information such as population density or assets exposed. The Future Danube Model combines modules for weather generation, hydrological and hydrodynamic processes, and supports risk assessment and adaptation planning support. This contribution analyses changes in flood hazard in the Danube basin and in flood risk for the German part of the Danube basin. As climate change input, different regionalized climate ensemble runs of the newest IPCC generation are used, the so-called Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). They are delivered by the CORDEX initiative (Coordinated Downscaling Experiments). The CORDEX data sample is extended using the statistical weather generator (IMAGE) in order to also consider extreme events. Two time slices are considered: near future 2020-2049 and far future 2050-2079. This data provides the input for the hydrological, hydraulic and flood loss model chain. Results for RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 indicate an increase in intensity and frequency of peak discharges and thus in flood hazard for many parts of the Danube basin.

KSC-98pc1139

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test (HOST), one of the payloads on the STS-95 mission, is placed inside its payload canister in the Space Station Processing Facility. The canister is 65 feet long, 18 feet wide and 18 feet, 7 inches high. The HOST platform is carrying four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an Earth-orbiting environment. The STS-95 mission is scheduled to launch Oct. 29. It will carry other payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH-3), and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1138

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test (HOST), one of the payloads on the STS-95 mission, is suspended above its payload canister in the Space Station Processing Facility. The canister is 65 feet long, 18 feet wide and 18 feet, 7 inches high. The HOST platform is carrying four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an Earth-orbiting environment. The STS-95 mission is scheduled to launch Oct. 29. It will carry other payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH-3), and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1136

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-23

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test Platform (HOST) is lifted off its work stand in the Space Station Processing Facility before moving it to its payload canister. One of the payloads on the STS-95 mission, the HOST platform is carrying four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an Earth-orbiting environment. The STS-95 mission is scheduled to launch Oct. 29. It will carry other payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH-3), and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

STS-95 crew members participate in a SPACEHAB familiarization exercise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

(Left to right) STS-95 Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, who represents the European Space Agency (ESA), Mission Commander Curtis Brown Jr., and Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson, Ph.D., chat during SPACEHAB familiarization at the SPACEHAB Payload Processing Facility, Cape Canaveral. The mission, scheduled to launch Oct. 29, includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

KSC-98pc1180

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-28

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At left, the payload canister for Space Shuttle Discovery is lifted from its canister movement vehicle to the top of the Rotating Service Structure on Launch Pad 39-B. Discovery (right), sitting atop the Mobile Launch Platform and next to the Fixed Service Structure, is scheduled for launch on Oct. 29, 1998, for the STS-95 mission. That mission includes the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH-3), the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

A Learning Theory for Reward-Modulated Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity with Application to Biofeedback

PubMed Central

Maass, Wolfgang

2008-01-01

Reward-modulated spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) has recently emerged as a candidate for a learning rule that could explain how behaviorally relevant adaptive changes in complex networks of spiking neurons could be achieved in a self-organizing manner through local synaptic plasticity. However, the capabilities and limitations of this learning rule could so far only be tested through computer simulations. This article provides tools for an analytic treatment of reward-modulated STDP, which allows us to predict under which conditions reward-modulated STDP will achieve a desired learning effect. These analytical results imply that neurons can learn through reward-modulated STDP to classify not only spatial but also temporal firing patterns of presynaptic neurons. They also can learn to respond to specific presynaptic firing patterns with particular spike patterns. Finally, the resulting learning theory predicts that even difficult credit-assignment problems, where it is very hard to tell which synaptic weights should be modified in order to increase the global reward for the system, can be solved in a self-organizing manner through reward-modulated STDP. This yields an explanation for a fundamental experimental result on biofeedback in monkeys by Fetz and Baker. In this experiment monkeys were rewarded for increasing the firing rate of a particular neuron in the cortex and were able to solve this extremely difficult credit assignment problem. Our model for this experiment relies on a combination of reward-modulated STDP with variable spontaneous firing activity. Hence it also provides a possible functional explanation for trial-to-trial variability, which is characteristic for cortical networks of neurons but has no analogue in currently existing artificial computing systems. In addition our model demonstrates that reward-modulated STDP can be applied to all synapses in a large recurrent neural network without endangering the stability of the network dynamics. PMID:18846203

[Pulse-modulated Electromagnetic Radiation of Extremely High Frequencies Protects Cellular DNA against Damaging Effect of Physico-Chemical Factors in vitro].

PubMed

Gapeyev, A B; Lukyanova, N A

2015-01-01

Using a comet assay technique, we investigated protective effects of. extremely high frequency electromagnetic radiation in combination with the damaging effect of X-ray irradiation, the effect of damaging agents hydrogen peroxide and methyl methanesulfonate on DNA in mouse whole blood leukocytes. It was shown that the preliminary exposure of the cells to low intensity pulse-modulated electromagnetic radiation (42.2 GHz, 0.1 mW/cm2, 20-min exposure, modulation frequencies of 1 and 16 Hz) caused protective effects decreasing the DNA damage by 20-45%. The efficacy of pulse-modulated electromagnetic radiation depended on the type of genotoxic agent and increased in a row methyl methanesulfonate--X-rays--hydrogen peroxide. Continuous electromagnetic radiation was ineffective. The mechanisms of protective effects may be connected with an induction of the adaptive response by nanomolar concentrations of reactive oxygen species formed by pulse-modulated electromagnetic radiation.

KSC-98pc976

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-08-21

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside the SPACEHAB training module, STS-95 Mission Specialist Scott Parazynski, M.D., helps with connections on the mesh cap worn by Payload Specialist John Glenn, who is a senator from Ohio. Glenn is also wearing the Respiratory Inductance Plethysmograph (RIP) suit he will wear on the mission to monitor respiration. The cap and suit are part of the equipment that will be used to seek to improve the quality of sleep for future astronauts. The STS-95 crew are participating in SPACEHAB familiarization at the SPACEHAB Payload Processing Facility, Cape Canaveral. The mission, scheduled to launch Oct. 29, includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

Extreme sub-threshold swing in tunnelling relays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

AbdelGhany, M.; Szkopek, T.

2014-01-01

We propose and analyze the theory of the tunnelling relay, a nanoscale active device in which tunnelling current is modulated by electromechanical actuation of a suspended membrane above a fixed electrode. The tunnelling current is modulated exponentially with vacuum gap length, permitting an extreme sub-threshold swing of ˜10 mV/decade breaking the thermionic limit. The predicted performance suggests that a significant reduction in dynamic energy consumption over conventional field effect transistors is physically achievable.

Solute-solvent contact by intermolecular cross relaxation. I. The nature of the water-hydrophobic interface.

PubMed

Nordstierna, Lars; Yushmanov, Pavel V; Furó, István

2006-08-21

Intermolecular cross-relaxation rates between solute and solvent were measured by {1H} 19F nuclear magnetic resonance experiments in aqueous molecular solutions of ammonium perfluoro-octanoate and sodium trifluoroacetate. The experiments performed at three different magnetic fields provide frequency-dependent cross-relaxation rates which demonstrate clearly the lack of extreme narrowing for nuclear spin relaxation by diffusionally modulated intermolecular interactions. Supplemented by suitable intramolecular cross-relaxation, longitudinal relaxation, and self-diffusion data, the obtained cross-relaxation rates are evaluated within the framework of recent relaxation models and provide information about the hydrophobic hydration. In particular, water dynamics around the trifluoromethyl group in ammonium perfluoro-octanoate are more retarded than that in the smaller trifluoroacetate.

Development of experimental techniques for the characterization of ultrashort photon pulses of extreme ultraviolet free-electron lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Düsterer, S.; Rehders, M.; Al-Shemmary, A.; Behrens, C.; Brenner, G.; Brovko, O.; DellAngela, M.; Drescher, M.; Faatz, B.; Feldhaus, J.; Frühling, U.; Gerasimova, N.; Gerken, N.; Gerth, C.; Golz, T.; Grebentsov, A.; Hass, E.; Honkavaara, K.; Kocharian, V.; Kurka, M.; Limberg, Th.; Mitzner, R.; Moshammer, R.; Plönjes, E.; Richter, M.; Rönsch-Schulenburg, J.; Rudenko, A.; Schlarb, H.; Schmidt, B.; Senftleben, A.; Schneidmiller, E. A.; Siemer, B.; Sorgenfrei, F.; Sorokin, A. A.; Stojanovic, N.; Tiedtke, K.; Treusch, R.; Vogt, M.; Wieland, M.; Wurth, W.; Wesch, S.; Yan, M.; Yurkov, M. V.; Zacharias, H.; Schreiber, S.

2014-12-01

One of the most challenging tasks for extreme ultraviolet, soft and hard x-ray free-electron laser photon diagnostics is the precise determination of the photon pulse duration, which is typically in the sub 100 fs range. Nine different methods, able to determine such ultrashort photon pulse durations, were compared experimentally at FLASH, the self-amplified spontaneous emission free-electron laser at DESY in Hamburg, in order to identify advantages and disadvantages of different methods. Radiation pulses at a wavelength of 13.5 and 24.0 nm together with the corresponding electron bunch duration were measured by indirect methods like analyzing spectral correlations, statistical fluctuations, and energy modulations of the electron bunch and also by direct methods like autocorrelation techniques, terahertz streaking, or reflectivity changes of solid state samples. In this paper, we present a comprehensive overview of the various techniques and a comparison of the individual experimental results. The information gained is of utmost importance for the future development of reliable pulse duration monitors indispensable for successful experiments with ultrashort extreme ultraviolet pulses.

Reward Circuitry Plasticity in Pain Perception and Modulation

PubMed Central

DosSantos, Marcos F.; Moura, Brenda de Souza; DaSilva, Alexandre F.

2017-01-01

Although pain is a widely known phenomenon and an important clinical symptom that occurs in numerous diseases, its mechanisms are still barely understood. Owing to the scarce information concerning its pathophysiology, particularly what is involved in the transition from an acute state to a chronic condition, pain treatment is frequently unsatisfactory, therefore contributing to the amplification of the chronic pain burden. In fact, pain is an extremely complex experience that demands the recruitment of an intricate set of central nervous system components. This includes cortical and subcortical areas involved in interpretation of the general characteristics of noxious stimuli. It also comprises neural circuits that process the motivational-affective dimension of pain. Hence, the reward circuitry represents a vital element for pain experience and modulation. This review article focuses on the interpretation of the extensive data available connecting the major components of the reward circuitry to pain suffering, including the nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, and the medial prefrontal cortex; with especial attention dedicated to the evaluation of neuroplastic changes affecting these structures found in chronic pain syndromes, such as migraine, trigeminal neuropathic pain, chronic back pain, and fibromyalgia. PMID:29209204

Development of a 150-GHz MMIC Module Prototype for Large-Scale CMB Radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kangaslahti, Pekka P.; Samoska, Lorene A.; Gaier, Todd C.; Soria, Mary M.; Lau, Judy M.; Sieth, Matthew M.; VanWinkle, Daniel; Tantawi, Sami

2011-01-01

HEMT-based receiver arrays with excellent noise and scalability are already starting to be manufactured at 100 GHz, but the advances in technology should make it possible to develop receiver modules with even greater operation frequency up to 200 GHz. A prototype heterodyne amplifier module has been developed for operation from 140 to 170 GHz using monolithic millimeter-wave integrated circuit (MMIC) low-noise InP high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) amplifiers. The compact, scalable module is centered on the 150-GHz atmospheric window using components known to operate well at these frequencies. Arrays equipped with hundreds of these modules can be optimized for many different astrophysical measurement techniques, including spectroscopy and interferometry. This module is a heterodyne receiver module that is extremely compact, and makes use of 35-nm InP HEMT technology, and which has been shown to have excellent noise temperatures when cooled cryogenically to 30 K. This reduction in system noise over prior art has been demonstrated in commercial mixers (uncooled) at frequencies of 160-180 GHz. The module is expected to achieve a system noise temperature of 60 K when cooled. An MMIC amplifier module has been designed to demonstrate the feasibility of expanding heterodyne amplifier technology to the 140 to 170-GHz frequency range for astronomical observations. The miniaturization of many standard components and the refinement of RF interconnect technology have cleared the way to mass-production of heterodyne amplifier receivers, making it a feasible technology for many large-population arrays. This work furthers the recent research efforts in compact coherent receiver modules, including the development of the Q/U Imaging ExperimenT (QUIET) modules centered at 40 and 90 GHz, and the production of heterodyne module prototypes at 90 GHz.

Compact turnkey focussing neutron guide system for inelastic scattering investigations

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

Brandl, G., E-mail: g.brandl@fz-juelich.de; Georgii, R.; Dunsiger, S. R.

2015-12-21

We demonstrate the performance of a compact neutron guide module which boosts the intensity in inelastic neutron scattering experiments by approximately a factor of 40. The module consists of two housings containing truly curved elliptic focussing guide elements, positioned before and after the sample. The advantage of the module lies in the ease with which it may be reproducibly mounted on a spectrometer within a few hours, on the same timescale as conventional sample environments. It is particularly well suited for samples with a volume of a few mm{sup 3}, thus enabling the investigation of materials which to date wouldmore » have been considered prohibitively small or samples exposed to extreme environments, where there are space constraints. We benchmark the excellent performance of the module by measurements of the structural and magnetic excitations in single crystals of model systems. In particular, we report the phonon dispersion in the simple element lead. We also determine the magnon dispersion in the spinel ZnCr{sub 2}Se{sub 4} (V = 12.5 mm{sup 3}), where strong magnetic diffuse scattering at low temperatures evolves into distinct helical order.« less

Coherent optical OFDM: theory and design.

PubMed

Shieh, W; Bao, H; Tang, Y

2008-01-21

Coherent optical OFDM (CO-OFDM) has recently been proposed and the proof-of-concept transmission experiments have shown its extreme robustness against chromatic dispersion and polarization mode dispersion. In this paper, we first review the theoretical fundamentals for CO-OFDM and its channel model in a 2x2 MIMO-OFDM representation. We then present various design choices for CO-OFDM systems and perform the nonlinearity analysis for RF-to-optical up-converter. We also show the receiver-based digital signal processing to mitigate self-phase-modulation (SPM) and Gordon-Mollenauer phase noise, which is equivalent to the midspan phase conjugation.

Apollo experience report: Command and service module communications subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lattier, E. E., Jr.

1974-01-01

The development of spacecraft communications hardware from design to operation is described. Programs, requirements, specifications, and design approaches for a variety of functions (such as voice, telemetry, television, and antennas) are reviewed. Equipment environmental problems such as vibration, extreme temperature variation, and zero gravity are discussed. A review of the development of managerial techniques used in refining the roles of prime and subcontractors is included. The hardware test program is described in detail as it progressed from breadboard design to manned flight system evaluations. Finally, a series of actions is recommended to managers of similar projects to facilitate administration.

STS-95 Space Shuttle Discovery rollout to Launch Pad 39B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Perched on the Mobile Launch Platform, in the early morning hours Space Shuttle Discovery approaches Launch Complex Pad 39B after a 6-hour, 4.2-mile trip from the Vehicle Assembly Building. At the launch pad, the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters will undergo final preparations for the launch, scheduled to lift off Oct. 29. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Multiple-Station Observation of Frequency Dependence and Polarization Characteristics of ELF/VLF waves generated via Ionospheric Modification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maxworth, A. S.; Golkowski, M.; Cohen, M.; Moore, R. C.

2014-12-01

Generation of Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) and Very Low Frequency (VLF) signals through ionospheric modification has been practiced for many years. Heating the lower ionosphere with high power HF waves allows for modulation of natural current systems. Our experiments were carried out at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) facility in Alaska, USA. In this experiment, the ionosphere was heated with a vertical amplitude modulating signal and the modulation frequency was changed sequentially within an array of 40 frequencies followed by a frequency ramp. The observed magnetic field amplitude and polarization of the generated ELF/VLF signals were analyzed for multiple sites and as a function of modulation frequency. Our three observation sites: Chistochina, Paxson and Paradise are located within 36km (azimuth 47.7°), 50.2km (azimuth -20°) and 99km (azimuth 80.3°) respectively. We show that the peak amplitudes observed as a function of frequency result from vertical resonance in the Earth-ionosphere waveguide and can be used to diagnose the D-region profile. Polarization analysis showed that out of the three sites Paxson shows the highest circularity in the magnetic field polarization, compared to Chistochina and Paradise which show highly linear polarizations. The experimental results were compared with a theoretical simulation model results and it was clear that in both cases, the modulated Hall current dominates the observed signals at Chistochina and Paradise sites and at Paxson there is an equal contribution from Hall and Pedersen currents. The Chistochina site shows the highest magnetic field amplitudes in both experimental and simulation environments. Depending upon the experimental and simulation observations at the three sites, a radiation pattern for the HAARP ionospheric heater can be mapped

Inhibition of Salmonella typhi growth using extremely low frequency electromagnetic (ELF-EM) waves at resonance frequency.

PubMed

Fadel, M A; Mohamed, S A; Abdelbacki, A M; El-Sharkawy, A H

2014-08-01

Typhoid is a serious disease difficult to be treated with conventional drugs. The aim of this study was to demonstrate a new method for the control of Salmonella typhi growth, through the interference with the bioelectric signals generated from the microbe during cell division by extremely low frequency electromagnetic waves (ELF-EMW-ELF-EM) at resonance frequency. Isolated Salmonella typhi was subjected to square amplitude modulated waves (QAMW) with different modulation frequencies from two generators with constant carrier frequency of 10 MHz, amplitude of 10 Vpp, modulating depth ± 2 Vpp and constant field strength of 200 V m(-1) at 37°C. Both the control and exposed samples were incubated at the same conditions during the experiment. The results showed that there was highly significant inhibition effect for Salm. typhi exposed to 0·8 Hz QAMW for a single exposure for 75 min. Dielectric relaxation, TEM and DNA results indicated highly significant changes in the molecular structure of the DNA and cellular membrane resulting from the exposure to the inhibiting EM waves. It was concluded that finding out the inhibiting resonance frequency of ELF-EM waves that deteriorates Salm. typhi growth will be promising method for the treatment of Salm. typhi infection either in vivo or in vitro. This new non-invasive technique for treatment of bacterial infections is of considerable interest for the use in medical and biotechnological applications. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

ClimEx - Climate change and hydrological extreme events - risks and perspectives for water management in Bavaria and Québec

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ludwig, Ralf; Baese, Frank; Braun, Marco; Brietzke, Gilbert; Brissette, Francois; Frigon, Anne; Giguère, Michel; Komischke, Holger; Kranzlmueller, Dieter; Leduc, Martin; Martel, Jean-Luc; Ricard, Simon; Schmid, Josef; von Trentini, Fabian; Turcotte, Richard; Weismueller, Jens; Willkofer, Florian; Wood, Raul

2017-04-01

The recent accumulation of extreme hydrological events in Bavaria and Québec has stimulated scientific and also societal interest. In addition to the challenges of an improved prediction of such situations and the implications for the associated risk management, there is, as yet, no confirmed knowledge whether and how climate change contributes to the magnitude and frequency of hydrological extreme events and how regional water management could adapt to the corresponding risks. The ClimEx project (2015-2019) investigates the effects of climate change on the meteorological and hydrological extreme events and their implications for water management in Bavaria and Québec. High Performance Computing is employed to enable the complex simulations in a hydro-climatological model processing chain, resulting in a unique high-resolution and transient (1950-2100) dataset of climatological and meteorological forcing and hydrological response: (1) The climate module has developed a large ensemble of high resolution data (12km) of the CRCM5 RCM for Central Europe and North-Eastern North America, downscaled from 50 members of the CanESM2 GCM. The dataset is complemented by all available data from the Euro-CORDEX project to account for the assessment of both natural climate variability and climate change. The large ensemble with several thousand model years provides the potential to catch rare extreme events and thus improves the process understanding of extreme events with return periods of 1000+ years. (2) The hydrology module comprises process-based and spatially explicit model setups (e.g. WaSiM) for all major catchments in Bavaria and Southern Québec in high temporal (3h) and spatial (500m) resolution. The simulations form the basis for in depth analysis of hydrological extreme events based on the inputs from the large climate model dataset. The specific data situation enables to establish a new method for 'virtual perfect prediction', which assesses climate change impacts on flood risk and water resources management by identifying patterns in the data which reveal preferential triggers of hydrological extreme events. The presentation will highlight first results from the analysis of the large scale ClimEx model ensemble, showing the current and future ratio of natural variability and climate change impacts on meteorological extreme events. Selected data from the ensemble is used to drive a hydrological model experiment to illustrate the capacity to better determine the recurrence periods of hydrological extreme events under conditions of climate change. [The authors acknowledge funding for the project from the Bavarian State Ministry for the Environment and Consumer Protection].

Growth Modulation in Achondroplasia.

PubMed

McClure, Philip K; Kilinc, Eray; Birch, John G

2017-09-01

Achondroplasia is the most common skeletal dysplasia with a rate of nearly 1/10,000. The development of lower extremity deformity is well documented, and various modes of correction have been reported. There are no reports on the use of growth modulation to correct angular deformity in achondroplasia. Medical Records from 1985 to 2015 were reviewed for the diagnosis of achondroplasia and growth modulation procedures. Patients who had been treated for angular deformity of the legs by growth modulation were identified. A detailed analysis of their medical record and preoperative and final lower extremity radiographs was completed. Four patients underwent growth modulation procedures, all to correct existing varus deformity of the legs. Three of the 4 patients underwent bilateral distal femoral and proximal tibial growth modulation. The remaining patient underwent tibial correction only. Two of the 4 patients had a combined proximal fibular epiphysiodesis. All limbs had some improvement of alignment; however, 1 patient went on to bilateral osteotomies. Only 1 limb corrected to a neutral axis with growth modulation alone at last follow-up, initial implantation was done before 5 years of age. Growth modulation is an effective means for deformity correction in the setting of achondroplasia. However implantation may need to be done earlier than would be typical for patients without achondroplasia. Osteotomy may still be required after growth modulation for incomplete correction.

Optical Peaking Enhancement in High-Speed Ring Modulators

PubMed Central

Müller, J.; Merget, F.; Azadeh, S. Sharif; Hauck, J.; García, S. Romero; Shen, B.; Witzens, J.

2014-01-01

Ring resonator modulators (RRM) combine extreme compactness, low power consumption and wavelength division multiplexing functionality, making them a frontrunner for addressing the scalability requirements of short distance optical links. To extend data rates beyond the classically assumed bandwidth capability, we derive and experimentally verify closed form equations of the electro-optic response and asymmetric side band generation resulting from inherent transient time dynamics and leverage these to significantly improve device performance. An equivalent circuit description with a commonly used peaking amplifier model allows straightforward assessment of the effect on existing communication system architectures. A small signal analytical expression of peaking in the electro-optic response of RRMs is derived and used to extend the electro-optic bandwidth of the device above 40 GHz as well as to open eye diagrams penalized by intersymbol interference at 32, 40 and 44 Gbps. Predicted peaking and asymmetric side band generation are in excellent agreement with experiments. PMID:25209255

A CCD experimental platform for large telescope in Antarctica based on FPGA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Yuhua; Qi, Yongjun

2014-07-01

The CCD , as a detector , is one of the important components of astronomical telescopes. For a large telescope in Antarctica, a set of CCD detector system with large size, high sensitivity and low noise is indispensable. Because of the extremely low temperatures and unattended, system maintenance and software and hardware upgrade become hard problems. This paper introduces a general CCD controller experiment platform, using Field programmable gate array FPGA, which is, in fact, a large-scale field reconfigurable array. Taking the advantage of convenience to modify the system, construction of driving circuit, digital signal processing module, network communication interface, control algorithm validation, and remote reconfigurable module may realize. With the concept of integrated hardware and software, the paper discusses the key technology of building scientific CCD system suitable for the special work environment in Antarctica, focusing on the method of remote reconfiguration for controller via network and then offering a feasible hardware and software solution.

Using MD simulations to calculate how solvents modulate solubility

PubMed Central

Liu, Shuai; Cao, Shannon; Hoang, Kevin; Young, Kayla L.; Paluch, Andrew S.; Mobley, David L.

2016-01-01

Here, our interest is in predicting solubility in general, and we focus particularly on predicting how the solubility of particular solutes is modulated by the solvent environment. Solubility in general is extremely important, both for theoretical reasons – it provides an important probe of the balance between solute-solute and solute-solvent interactions – and for more practical reasons, such as how to control the solubility of a given solute via modulation of its environment, as in process chemistry and separations. Here, we study how the change of solvent affects the solubility of a given compound. That is, we calculate relative solubilities. We use MD simulations to calculate relative solubility and compare our calculated values with experiment as well as with results from several other methods, SMD and UNIFAC, the latter of which is commonly used in chemical engineering design. We find that straightforward solubility calculations based on molecular simulations using a general small-molecule force field outperform SMD and UNIFAC both in terms of accuracy and coverage of the relevant chemical space. PMID:26878198

View of Hadley-Apennine area, looking north, photographed by Apollo 15

NASA Image and Video Library

1971-08-25

S71-44667 (31 July-2 Aug. 1971) --- An oblique view of the Hadley-Apennine area, looking north, as photographed by the Fairchild metric camera in the Scientific Instrumentation Module (SIM) bay of the Apollo 15 Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit. Hadley Rille meanders through the lower center of the picture. The Apennine Mountains are at lower right. The Apollo 15 Lunar Module (LM) touchdown point is on the east side of the "chicken beak" of Hadley Rille. The Caucasus Mountains are at upper right. The dark mare area at the extreme upper right is a portion of the Sea of Serenity. The Marsh of Decay is at lower left. The large crater near the horizon is Aristillus, which is about 55 kilometers (34.18 statute miles) in diameter. The crater just to the south of Aristillus is Autolycus, which is about 40 kilometers (25 statute miles) in diameter. The crater Cassini is barely visible on the horizon at upper right. The three-inch mapping camera was one of eight lunar orbital science experiments mounted in the SIM bay.

A MASSive Laboratory Tour. An Interactive Mass Spectrometry Outreach Activity for Children

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jungmann, Julia H.; Mascini, Nadine E.; Kiss, Andras; Smith, Donald F.; Klinkert, Ivo; Eijkel, Gert B.; Duursma, Marc C.; Cillero Pastor, Berta; Chughtai, Kamila; Chughtai, Sanaullah; Heeren, Ron M. A.

2013-07-01

It is imperative to fascinate young children at an early stage in their education for the analytical sciences. The exposure of the public to mass spectrometry presently increases rapidly through the common media. Outreach activities can take advantage of this exposure and employ mass spectrometry as an exquisite example of an analytical science in which children can be fascinated. The presented teaching modules introduce children to mass spectrometry and give them the opportunity to experience a modern research laboratory. The modules are highly adaptable and can be applied to young children from the age of 6 to 14 y. In an interactive tour, the students explore three major scientific concepts related to mass spectrometry; the building blocks of matter, charged particle manipulation by electrostatic fields, and analyte identification by mass analysis. Also, the students carry out a mass spectrometry experiment and learn to interpret the resulting mass spectra. The multistage, inquiry-based tour contains flexible methods, which teach the students current-day research techniques and possible applications to real research topics. Besides the scientific concepts, laboratory safety and hygiene are stressed and the students are enthused for the analytical sciences by participating in "hands-on" work. The presented modules have repeatedly been successfully employed during laboratory open days. They are also found to be extremely suitable for (early) high school science classes during laboratory visit-focused field trips.

Gradient cuts and extremal edges in relative depth and figure-ground perception.

PubMed

Ghose, Tandra; Palmer, Stephen E

2016-02-01

Extremal edges (EEs) are borders consisting of luminance gradients along the projected edge of a partly self-occluding curved surface (e.g., a cylinder), with equiluminant contours (ELCs) that run approximately parallel to that edge. Gradient cuts (GCs) are similar luminance gradients with ELCs that intersect (are "cut" by) an edge that could be due to occlusion. EEs are strongly biased toward being seen as closer/figural surfaces (Palmer & Ghose, Psychological Science, 19(1), 77-83, 2008). Do GCs produce a complementary bias toward being seen as ground? Experiment 1 shows that, with EEs on the opposite side, GCs produce a ground bias that increases with increasing ELC angles between ELCs and the shared edge. Experiment 2 shows that, with flat surfaces on the opposite side, GCs do not produce a ground bias, suggesting that more than one factor may be operating. We suggest that two partially dissociable factors may operate for curved surfaces-ELC angle and 3-D surface convexity-that reinforce each other in the figural cues of EEs but compete with each other in GCs. Moreover, this figural bias is modulated by the presence of EEs and GCs, as specified by the ELC angle between ELCs and the shared contour.

Prefrontal/accumbal catecholamine system processes high motivational salience

PubMed Central

Puglisi-Allegra, Stefano; Ventura, Rossella

2012-01-01

Motivational salience regulates the strength of goal seeking, the amount of risk taken, and the energy invested from mild to extreme. Highly motivational experiences promote highly persistent memories. Although this phenomenon is adaptive in normal conditions, experiences with extremely high levels of motivational salience can promote development of memories that can be re-experienced intrusively for long time resulting in maladaptive outcomes. Neural mechanisms mediating motivational salience attribution are, therefore, very important for individual and species survival and for well-being. However, these neural mechanisms could be implicated in attribution of abnormal motivational salience to different stimuli leading to maladaptive compulsive seeking or avoidance. We have offered the first evidence that prefrontal cortical norepinephrine (NE) transmission is a necessary condition for motivational salience attribution to highly salient stimuli, through modulation of dopamine (DA) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a brain area involved in all motivated behaviors. Moreover, we have shown that prefrontal-accumbal catecholamine (CA) system determines approach or avoidance responses to both reward- and aversion-related stimuli only when the salience of the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) is high enough to induce sustained CA activation, thus affirming that this system processes motivational salience attribution selectively to highly salient events. PMID:22754514

Millimeter wave experiment for ATS-F

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, J. S.; Parisky, R. N.; Shapiro, S. S.

1973-01-01

A detailed description of spaceborne equipment is provided. The equipment consists of two transmitters radiating signals at 20 and 30 GHz from either U.S. coverage horn antennas or a narrow beam parabolic antenna. Three modes of operation are provided: a continuous wave mode, a multitone mode in which nine spectral lines having 180 MHz separation and spaced symmetrically about each carrier, and a communications mode in which communications signals from the main spacecraft transponder are modulated on the two carriers. Detailed performance attained in the flight/prototype model of the equipment is presented both under laboratory conditions and under environmental extremes. Provisions made for ensuring reliability in space operation are described. Also described the bench test equipment developed for use with the experiment, and a summary of the new technology is included.

Distributed Motor Controller (DMC) for Operation in Extreme Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKinney, Colin M.; Yager, Jeremy A.; Mojarradi, Mohammad M.; Some, Rafi; Sirota, Allen; Kopf, Ted; Stern, Ryan; Hunter, Don

2012-01-01

This paper presents an extreme environment capable Distributed Motor Controller (DMC) module suitable for operation with a distributed architecture of future spacecraft systems. This motor controller is designed to be a bus-based electronics module capable of operating a single Brushless DC motor in extreme space environments: temperature (-120 C to +85 C required, -180 C to +100 C stretch goal); radiation (>;20K required, >;100KRad stretch goal); >;360 cycles of operation. Achieving this objective will result in a scalable modular configuration for motor control with enhanced reliability that will greatly lower cost during the design, fabrication and ATLO phases of future missions. Within the heart of the DMC lies a pair of cold-capable Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) that enable its miniaturization and operation in extreme environments. The ASICs are fabricated in the IBM 0.5 micron Silicon Germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS process and are comprised of Analog circuitry to provide telemetry information, sensor interface, and health and status of DMC. The FPGA contains logic to provide motor control, status monitoring and spacecraft interface. The testing and characterization of these ASICs have yielded excellent functionality in cold temperatures (-135 C). The DMC module has demonstrated successful operation of a motor at temperature.

Looking for Life in Extreme Environments on Earth and Beyond: Professional Development Workshop for Educators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Droppo, R.; Pratt, L.; Suchecki, P. C.

2010-08-01

The Looking for Life in Extreme Environments workshop held at Indiana University Bloomington in July of 2009 was the first in a series of workshops for high-school teachers that are currently in development. The workshops' modules are based on the research of faculty members in the Departments of Geological Sciences, Biology, and Astronomy, the School of Education, and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University Bloomington; the modules use lessons from Exploring Deep-Subsurface Life. Earth Analogues for Possible Life on Mars: Lessons and Activities, curricular materials that were produced and edited by Lisa Pratt and Ruth Droppo and published by NASA in 2008. Exploring Deep-Subsurface Life is a workbook, a DVD (with closed-captioning), and a CD with the lessons in digital text format for adaptation to classroom needs and printing. Each lesson includes the National Education Standards that apply to the materials. The workbook's lessons are written with three considerations: Life Domains, Cellular Metabolism, and Extreme Environments and Microbes. Students are challenged to build, draw, measure, discuss, and participate in laboratory processes and experiments that help them understand and describe microbes and their environments. In the Capstone, the students write a grant proposal based on the three lessons' analogues. The DVD is collection of videotaped interviews with scientists in laboratories at Michigan State, Princeton, and Indiana University, who are working on water and gas samples they collected from deep gold mines in South Africa and the Canadian Arctic. The interview materials and some animated graphics are compiled into four video pieces that support and compliment the accompanying workbook lessons and activities, and offer students insight into the excitement of scientific discovery.

Women live longer than men even during severe famines and epidemics

PubMed Central

Zarulli, Virginia; Barthold Jones, Julia A.; Oksuzyan, Anna; Lindahl-Jacobsen, Rune; Christensen, Kaare; Vaupel, James W.

2018-01-01

Women in almost all modern populations live longer than men. Research to date provides evidence for both biological and social factors influencing this gender gap. Conditions when both men and women experience extremely high levels of mortality risk are unexplored sources of information. We investigate the survival of both sexes in seven populations under extreme conditions from famines, epidemics, and slavery. Women survived better than men: In all populations, they had lower mortality across almost all ages, and, with the exception of one slave population, they lived longer on average than men. Gender differences in infant mortality contributed the most to the gender gap in life expectancy, indicating that newborn girls were able to survive extreme mortality hazards better than newborn boys. Our results confirm the ubiquity of a female survival advantage even when mortality is extraordinarily high. The hypothesis that the survival advantage of women has fundamental biological underpinnings is supported by the fact that under very harsh conditions females survive better than males even at infant ages when behavioral and social differences may be minimal or favor males. Our findings also indicate that the female advantage differs across environments and is modulated by social factors. PMID:29311321

Deep brain stimulation of the ventral striatal area for poststroke pain syndrome: a magnetoencephalography study.

PubMed

Gopalakrishnan, Raghavan; Burgess, Richard C; Malone, Donald A; Lempka, Scott F; Gale, John T; Floden, Darlene P; Baker, Kenneth B; Machado, Andre G

2018-06-01

Poststroke pain syndrome (PSPS) is an often intractable disorder characterized by hemiparesis associated with unrelenting chronic pain. Although traditional analgesics have largely failed, integrative approaches targeting affective-cognitive spheres have started to show promise. Recently, we demonstrated that deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the ventral striatal area significantly improved the affective sphere of pain in patients with PSPS. In the present study, we examined whether electrophysiological correlates of pain anticipation were modulated by DBS that could serve as signatures of treatment effects. We recorded event-related fields (ERFs) of pain anticipation using magnetoencephalography (MEG) in 10 patients with PSPS preoperatively and postoperatively in DBS OFF and ON states. Simple visual cues evoked anticipation as patients awaited a painful (PS) or nonpainful stimulus (NPS) to the nonaffected or affected extremity. Preoperatively, ERFs showed no difference between PS and NPS anticipation to the affected extremity, possibly due to loss of salience in a network saturated by pain experience. DBS significantly modulated the early N1, consistent with improvements in affective networks involving restoration of salience and discrimination capacity. Additionally, DBS suppressed the posterior P2 (aberrant anticipatory anxiety) while enhancing the anterior N1 (cognitive and emotional regulation) in responders. DBS-induced changes in ERFs could potentially serve as signatures for clinical outcomes. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We examined the electrophysiological correlates of pain affect in poststroke pain patients who underwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting the ventral striatal area under a randomized, controlled trial. DBS significantly modulated early event-related components, particularly N1 and P2, measured with magnetoencephalography during a pain anticipatory task, compared with baseline and the DBS-OFF condition, pointing to possible mechanisms of action. DBS-induced changes in event-related fields could potentially serve as biomarkers for clinical outcomes.

Enhancement of Photon Number Reflected by the Relativistic Flying Mirror

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

Kando, M.; Pirozhkov, A. S.; Kawase, K.

2009-12-04

Laser light reflection by a relativistically moving electron density modulation (flying mirror) in a wake wave generated in a plasma by a high intensity laser pulse is investigated experimentally. A counterpropagating laser pulse is reflected and upshifted in frequency with a multiplication factor of 37-66, corresponding to the extreme ultraviolet wavelength. The demonstrated flying mirror reflectivity (from 3x10{sup -6} to 2x10{sup -5}, and from 1.3x10{sup -4} to 0.6x10{sup -3}, for the photon number and pulse energy, respectively) is close to the theoretical estimate for the parameters of the experiment.

STS-95 crew members take part in the CEIT for their mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

During Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT), STS-95 crew members watch a monitor displaying the Spartan payload above as it is maneuvered on a stand. The CEIT gives astronauts an opportunity for a hands-on look at the payloads and equipment with which they will be working on orbit. The launch of the STS-95 mission is scheduled for Oct. 29, 1998. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Evaluation of restraint system concepts for the Japanese Experiment Module flight demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sampaio, Carlos E.; Fleming, Terence F.; Stuart, Mark A.; Backemeyer, Lynn A.

1995-01-01

The current International Space Station configuration includes a Japanese Experiment Module which relies on a large manipulator and a smaller dexterous manipulator to operate outside the pressurized environment of the experiment module. The module's flight demonstration is a payload that will be mounted in the aft flight deck on STS-87 to evaluate a prototype of the dexterous manipulator. Since the payload operations entail two 8-hour scenarios on consecutive days, adequate operator restraint at the workstation will be critical to the perceived success or failure of the payload. Simulations in reduced gravity environment on the KC-135A were the only way to evaluate the restraint systems and workstation configuration. Two astronaut and two non-astronaut operators evaluated the Advanced Lower Body Extremities Restraint Test and a foot loop restraint system by performing representative tasks at the workstation in each of the two restraint systems; at the end of each flight they gave their impressions of each system and the workstation. Results indicated that access to the workstation switch panels was difficult and manipulation of the hand controllers forced operators too low for optimal viewing of the aft flight deck monitors. The workstation panel should be angled for better visibility, and infrequently used switches should be on the aft flight deck panel. Pitch angle and placement of the hand controllers should optimize the operator's eye position with respect to the monitors. The lower body restraint was preferred over the foot loops because it allowed operators to maintain a more relaxed posture during long-duration tasks, its height adjustability allowed better viewing of aft flight deck monitors, and it provided better restraint for reacting forces imparted on the operator at the workstation. The foot loops provide adequate restraint for the flight demonstration tasks identified. Since results will impact the design of the workstation, both restraints should be flown and used during operation of the flight demonstration payload to evaluate the effect of restraint during long-duration tasks.

Features of anti-inflammatory effects of modulated extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation.

PubMed

Gapeyev, Andrew B; Mikhailik, Elena N; Chemeris, Nikolay K

2009-09-01

Using a model of acute zymosan-induced paw edema in NMRI mice, we test the hypothesis that anti-inflammatory effects of extremely high-frequency electromagnetic radiation (EHF EMR) can be essentially modified by application of pulse modulation with certain frequencies. It has been revealed that a single exposure of animals to continuous EHF EMR for 20 min reduced the exudative edema of inflamed paw on average by 19% at intensities of 0.1-0.7 mW/cm(2) and frequencies from the range of 42.2-42.6 GHz. At fixed effective carrier frequency of 42.2 GHz, the anti-inflammatory effect of EHF EMR did not depend on modulation frequencies, that is, application of different modulation frequencies from the range of 0.03-100 Hz did not lead to considerable changes in the effect level. On the contrary, at "ineffective" carrier frequencies of 43.0 and 61.22 GHz, the use of modulation frequencies of 0.07-0.1 and 20-30 Hz has allowed us to restore the effect up to a maximal level. The results obtained show the critical dependence of anti-inflammatory action of low-intensity EHF EMR on carrier and modulation frequencies. Within the framework of this study, the possibility of changing the level of expected biological effect of modulated EMR by a special selection of combination of carrier and modulation frequencies is confirmed.

Development and recent results from the Subaru coronagraphic extreme adaptive optics system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jovanovic, N.; Guyon, O.; Martinache, F.; Clergeon, C.; Singh, G.; Kudo, T.; Newman, K.; Kuhn, J.; Serabyn, E.; Norris, B.; Tuthill, P.; Stewart, P.; Huby, E.; Perrin, G.; Lacour, S.; Vievard, S.; Murakami, N.; Fumika, O.; Minowa, Y.; Hayano, Y.; White, J.; Lai, O.; Marchis, F.; Duchene, G.; Kotani, T.; Woillez, J.

2014-07-01

The Subaru Coronagraphic Extreme Adaptive Optics (SCExAO) instrument is one of a handful of extreme adaptive optics systems set to come online in 2014. The extreme adaptive optics correction is realized by a combination of precise wavefront sensing via a non-modulated pyramid wavefront sensor and a 2000 element deformable mirror. This system has recently begun on-sky commissioning and was operated in closed loop for several minutes at a time with a loop speed of 800 Hz, on ~150 modes. Further suppression of quasi-static speckles is possible via a process called "speckle nulling" which can create a dark hole in a portion of the frame allowing for an enhancement in contrast, and has been successfully tested on-sky. In addition to the wavefront correction there are a suite of coronagraphs on board to null out the host star which include the phase induced amplitude apodization (PIAA), the vector vortex, 8 octant phase mask, 4 quadrant phase mask and shaped pupil versions which operate in the NIR (y-K bands). The PIAA and vector vortex will allow for high contrast imaging down to an angular separation of 1 λ/D to be reached; a factor of 3 closer in than other extreme AO systems. Making use of the left over visible light not used by the wavefront sensor is VAMPIRES and FIRST. These modules are based on aperture masking interferometry and allow for sub-diffraction limited imaging with moderate contrasts of ~100-1000:1. Both modules have undergone initial testing on-sky and are set to be fully commissioned by the end of 2014.

Asymmetric Dichoptic Masking in Visual Cortex of Amblyopic Macaque Monkeys

PubMed Central

Shooner, Christopher; Hallum, Luke E.; García-Marín, Virginia; Kiorpes, Lynne

2017-01-01

In amblyopia, abnormal visual experience leads to an extreme form of eye dominance, in which vision through the nondominant eye is degraded. A key aspect of this disorder is perceptual suppression: the image seen by the stronger eye often dominates during binocular viewing, blocking the image of the weaker eye from reaching awareness. Interocular suppression is the focus of ongoing work aimed at understanding and treating amblyopia, yet its physiological basis remains unknown. We measured binocular interactions in visual cortex of anesthetized amblyopic monkeys (female Macaca nemestrina), using 96-channel “Utah” arrays to record from populations of neurons in V1 and V2. In an experiment reported recently (Hallum et al., 2017), we found that reduced excitatory input from the amblyopic eye (AE) revealed a form of balanced binocular suppression that is unaltered in amblyopia. Here, we report on the modulation of the gain of excitatory signals from the AE by signals from its dominant fellow eye (FE). Using a dichoptic masking technique, we found that AE responses to grating stimuli were attenuated by the presentation of a noise mask to the FE, as in a normal control animal. Responses to FE stimuli, by contrast, could not be masked from the AE. We conclude that a weakened ability of the amblyopic eye to modulate cortical response gain creates an imbalance of suppression that favors the dominant eye. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In amblyopia, vision in one eye is impaired as a result of abnormal early visual experience. Behavioral observations in humans with amblyopia suggest that much of their visual loss is due to active suppression of their amblyopic eye. Here we describe experiments in which we studied binocular interactions in macaques with experimentally induced amblyopia. In normal monkeys, the gain of neuronal response to stimulation of one eye is modulated by contrast in the other eye, but in monkeys with amblyopia the balance of gain modulation is altered so that the weaker, amblyopic eye has little effect while the stronger fellow eye has a strong effect. This asymmetric suppression may be a key component of the perceptual losses in amblyopia. PMID:28760867

Asymmetric Dichoptic Masking in Visual Cortex of Amblyopic Macaque Monkeys.

PubMed

Shooner, Christopher; Hallum, Luke E; Kumbhani, Romesh D; García-Marín, Virginia; Kelly, Jenna G; Majaj, Najib J; Movshon, J Anthony; Kiorpes, Lynne

2017-09-06

In amblyopia, abnormal visual experience leads to an extreme form of eye dominance, in which vision through the nondominant eye is degraded. A key aspect of this disorder is perceptual suppression: the image seen by the stronger eye often dominates during binocular viewing, blocking the image of the weaker eye from reaching awareness. Interocular suppression is the focus of ongoing work aimed at understanding and treating amblyopia, yet its physiological basis remains unknown. We measured binocular interactions in visual cortex of anesthetized amblyopic monkeys (female Macaca nemestrina ), using 96-channel "Utah" arrays to record from populations of neurons in V1 and V2. In an experiment reported recently (Hallum et al., 2017), we found that reduced excitatory input from the amblyopic eye (AE) revealed a form of balanced binocular suppression that is unaltered in amblyopia. Here, we report on the modulation of the gain of excitatory signals from the AE by signals from its dominant fellow eye (FE). Using a dichoptic masking technique, we found that AE responses to grating stimuli were attenuated by the presentation of a noise mask to the FE, as in a normal control animal. Responses to FE stimuli, by contrast, could not be masked from the AE. We conclude that a weakened ability of the amblyopic eye to modulate cortical response gain creates an imbalance of suppression that favors the dominant eye. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In amblyopia, vision in one eye is impaired as a result of abnormal early visual experience. Behavioral observations in humans with amblyopia suggest that much of their visual loss is due to active suppression of their amblyopic eye. Here we describe experiments in which we studied binocular interactions in macaques with experimentally induced amblyopia. In normal monkeys, the gain of neuronal response to stimulation of one eye is modulated by contrast in the other eye, but in monkeys with amblyopia the balance of gain modulation is altered so that the weaker, amblyopic eye has little effect while the stronger fellow eye has a strong effect. This asymmetric suppression may be a key component of the perceptual losses in amblyopia. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/378734-08$15.00/0.

Designing of deployment sequence for braking and drift systems in atmosphere of Mars and Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vorontsov, Victor

2006-07-01

Analysis of project development and space research using contact method, namely, by means of automatic descent modules and balloons shows that designing formation of entry, descent and landing (EDL) sequence and operation in the atmosphere are of great importance. This process starts at the very beginning of designing, has undergone a lot of iterations and influences processing of normal operation results. Along with designing of descent module systems, including systems of braking in the atmosphere, designing of flight operation sequence and trajectories of motion in the atmosphere is performed. As the entire operation sequence and transfer from one phase to another was correctly chosen, the probability of experiment success on the whole and efficiency of application of various systems vary. By now the most extensive experience of Russian specialists in research of terrestrial planets has been gained with the help of automatic interplanetary stations “Mars”, “Venera”, “Vega” which had descent modules and drifting in the atmosphere balloons. Particular interest and complicity of formation of EDL and drift sequence in the atmosphere of these planets arise from radically different operation conditions, in particular, strongly rarefied atmosphere of the one planet and extremely dense atmosphere of another. Consequently, this determines the choice of braking systems and their parameters and method of EDL consequence formation. At the same time there are general fundamental methods and designed research techniques that allowed taking general technical approach to designing of EDL and drift sequence in the atmosphere.

Can animal habitat use patterns influence their vulnerability to extreme climate events? An estuarine sportfish case study.

PubMed

Boucek, Ross E; Heithaus, Michael R; Santos, Rolando; Stevens, Philip; Rehage, Jennifer S

2017-10-01

Global climate forecasts predict changes in the frequency and intensity of extreme climate events (ECEs). The capacity for specific habitat patches within a landscape to modulate stressors from extreme climate events, and animal distribution throughout habitat matrices during events, could influence the degree of population level effects following the passage of ECEs. Here, we ask (i) does the intensity of stressors of an ECE vary across a landscape? And (ii) Do habitat use patterns of a mobile species influence their vulnerability to ECEs? Specifically, we measured how extreme cold spells might interact with temporal variability in habitat use to affect populations of a tropical, estuarine-dependent large-bodied fish Common Snook, within Everglades National Park estuaries (FL US). We examined temperature variation across the estuary during cold disturbances with different degrees of severity, including an extreme cold spell. Second, we quantified Snook distribution patterns when the passage of ECEs is most likely to occur from 2012 to 2016 using passive acoustic tracking. Our results revealed spatial heterogeneity in the intensity of temperature declines during cold disturbances, with some habitats being consistently 3-5°C colder than others. Surprisingly, Snook distributions during periods of greatest risk to experience an extreme cold event varied among years. During the winters of 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 a greater proportion of Snook occurred in the colder habitats, while the winters of 2012-2013 and 2015-2016 featured more Snook observed in the warmest habitats. This study shows that Snook habitat use patterns could influence vulnerability to extreme cold events, however, whether Snook habitat use increases or decreases their vulnerability to disturbance depends on the year, creating temporally dynamic vulnerability. Faunal global change research should address the spatially explicit nature of extreme climate events and animal habitat use patterns to identify potential mechanisms that may influence population effects following these disturbances. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Chirped laser dispersion spectroscopy using a directly modulated quantum cascade laser

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

Hangauer, Andreas, E-mail: hangauer@princeton.edu; Nikodem, Michal; Wysocki, Gerard, E-mail: gwysocki@princeton.edu

2013-11-04

Chirped laser dispersion spectroscopy (CLaDS) utilizing direct modulation of a quantum cascade laser (QCL) is presented. By controlling the laser bias nearly single- and dual-sideband CLaDS operation can be realized in an extremely simplified optical setup with no external optical modulators. Capability of direct single-sideband modulation is a unique feature of QCLs that exhibit a low linewidth enhancement factor. The developed analytical model shows excellent agreement with the experimental, directly modulated CLaDS spectra. This method overcomes major technical limitations of mid-infrared CLaDS systems by allowing significantly higher modulation frequencies and eliminating optical fringes introduced by external modulators.

Enhanced old-new recognition and source memory for faces of cooperators and defectors in a social-dilemma game.

PubMed

Bell, Raoul; Buchner, Axel; Musch, Jochen

2010-12-01

A popular assumption in evolutionary psychology is that the human mind comprises specialized cognitive modules for social exchange, including a module that serves to enhance memory for faces of cheaters. In the present study, participants played a trust game with computerized opponents, who either defected or cooperated. In a control condition, no interaction took place. In a surprise memory test, old-new recognition for faces and source memory for the associated cooperative or non-cooperative behavior were assessed. A multinomial model was used to measure old-new discrimination, source memory, and guessing biases separately. Inconsistent with the assumption of a memory mechanism that focuses exclusively on cheating, the present study showed enhanced old-new discrimination and source memory for both cooperators and defectors. Rarity of the behavior strategies within the experiment modulated source memory, but only when the differences in base rates were extreme. The findings can be attributed to a mechanism that focuses on exchange-relevant information and flexibly adapts to take into account the relative significance of this information in the encoding context, which may be more beneficial than focusing exclusively on cheaters. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Partnership between English Language Learners and a Team of Rocket Scientists: EPO for the NASA SDO Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buhr, S. M.; McCaffrey, M. S.; Eparvier, F.; Murillo, M.

2008-05-01

Recent immigrant high school students were successfully engaged in learning about Sun-Earth connections through a partnership with the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) project. The students were enrolled in a pilot course as part of the Math, Engineering and Science Achievement (MESA) program. The English Language Learner (ELL) students doubled their achievement on a pre- and post- assessment on the content of the course. Students learned scientific content and vocabulary in English with support in Spanish, attended field trips, hosted scientist speakers, built antenna and deployed space weather monitors as part of the Stanford SOLAR project, and gave final presentations in English, showcasing their new computer skills. Teachers who taught the students in other courses noted gains in the students' willingness to use English in class and noted gains in math skills. The course has been broken into modules for use in shorter after-school environments, or for use by EVE scientists who are outside of the Boulder area. Video footage of "The Making of a Satellite", and "All About EVE" is completed for use in the kits. Other EVE EPO includes upcoming professional development for teachers and content workshops for journalists.

First Materials Science Research Rack Capabilities and Design Features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaefer, D.; King, R.; Cobb, S.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The first Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR-1) will accommodate dual Experiment Modules (EM's) and provide simultaneous on-orbit processing operations capability. The first international Materials Science Experiment Module for the MSRR-1 is an international cooperative research activity between NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and the European Space Agency's (ESA) European Space Research and Technology Center. (ESTEC). This International Standard Payload Rack (ISPR) will contain the Materials Science Laboratory (MSL) developed by ESA as an Experiment Module. The MSL Experiment Module will accommodate several on-orbit exchangeable experiment-specific Module Inserts. Module Inserts currently planned are a Quench Module Insert, Low Gradient Furnace, Solidification with Quench Furnace, and Diffusion Module Insert. The second Experiment Module for the MSRR-1 configuration is a commercial device supplied by MSFC's Space Products Department (SPD). It includes capabilities for vapor transport processes and liquid metal sintering. This Experiment Module will be replaced on-orbit with other NASA Materials Science EMs.

Amplitude modulation of quantum-ion-acoustic wavepackets in electron-positron-ion plasmas: Modulational instability, envelope modes, extreme wavesa)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Ata-ur-; Kerr, Michael Mc; El-Taibany, Wael F.; Kourakis, Ioannis; Qamar, A.

2015-02-01

A semirelativistic fluid model is employed to describe the nonlinear amplitude modulation of low-frequency (ionic scale) electrostatic waves in an unmagnetized electron-positron-ion plasma. Electrons and positrons are assumed to be degenerated and inertialess, whereas ions are warm and classical. A multiscale perturbation method is used to derive a nonlinear Schrödinger equation for the envelope amplitude, based on which the occurrence of modulational instability is investigated in detail. Various types of localized ion acoustic excitations are shown to exist, in the form of either bright type envelope solitons (envelope pulses) or dark-type envelope solitons (voids, holes). The plasma configurational parameters (namely, the relativistic degeneracy parameter, the positron concentration, and the ionic temperature) are shown to affect the conditions for modulational instability significantly, in fact modifying the associated threshold as well as the instability growth rate. In particular, the relativistic degeneracy parameter leads to an enhancement of the modulational instability mechanism. Furthermore, the effect of different relevant plasma parameters on the characteristics (amplitude, width) of these envelope solitary structures is also presented in detail. Finally, the occurrence of extreme amplitude excitation (rogue waves) is also discussed briefly. Our results aim at elucidating the formation and dynamics of nonlinear electrostatic excitations in superdense astrophysical regimes.

Learning new gait patterns: Exploratory muscle activity during motor learning is not predicted by motor modules

PubMed Central

Ranganathan, Rajiv; Krishnan, Chandramouli; Dhaher, Yasin Y.; Rymer, William Z.

2018-01-01

The motor module hypothesis in motor control proposes that the nervous system can simplify the problem of controlling a large number of muscles in human movement by grouping muscles into a smaller number of modules. Here, we tested one prediction of the modular organization hypothesis by examining whether there is preferential exploration along these motor modules during the learning of a new gait pattern. Healthy college-aged participants learned a new gait pattern which required increased hip and knee flexion during the swing phase while walking in a lower-extremity robot (Lokomat). The new gait pattern was displayed as a foot trajectory in the sagittal plane and participants attempted to match their foot trajectory to this template. We recorded EMG from 8 lower-extremity muscles and we extracted motor modules during both baseline walking and target-tracking using non-negative matrix factorization (NMF). Results showed increased trajectory variability in the first block of learning, indicating that participants were engaged in exploratory behavior. Critically, when we examined the muscle activity during this exploratory phase, we found that the composition of motor modules changed significantly within the first few strides of attempting the new gait pattern. The lack of persistence of the motor modules under even short time scales suggests that motor modules extracted during locomotion may be more indicative of correlated muscle activity induced by the task constraints of walking, rather than reflecting a modular control strategy. PMID:26916510

Women live longer than men even during severe famines and epidemics.

PubMed

Zarulli, Virginia; Barthold Jones, Julia A; Oksuzyan, Anna; Lindahl-Jacobsen, Rune; Christensen, Kaare; Vaupel, James W

2018-01-23

Women in almost all modern populations live longer than men. Research to date provides evidence for both biological and social factors influencing this gender gap. Conditions when both men and women experience extremely high levels of mortality risk are unexplored sources of information. We investigate the survival of both sexes in seven populations under extreme conditions from famines, epidemics, and slavery. Women survived better than men: In all populations, they had lower mortality across almost all ages, and, with the exception of one slave population, they lived longer on average than men. Gender differences in infant mortality contributed the most to the gender gap in life expectancy, indicating that newborn girls were able to survive extreme mortality hazards better than newborn boys. Our results confirm the ubiquity of a female survival advantage even when mortality is extraordinarily high. The hypothesis that the survival advantage of women has fundamental biological underpinnings is supported by the fact that under very harsh conditions females survive better than males even at infant ages when behavioral and social differences may be minimal or favor males. Our findings also indicate that the female advantage differs across environments and is modulated by social factors. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Building 9 ISS mock-ups and trainers

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-08-02

Photographic documentation showing the bldg. 9 ISS module mock-ups and trainers. Views include: various overall views of the configuration of the ISS module trainers on the floor of bldg. 9 (08445-46, 08449-51, 08458-61, 08464-65, 08469, 08471, 08476); various portions of the mock-ups (08447-48, 08470); views of the Node 2, Experiment Module and Logistics Module (08452); Node 2 (08453, 08466); Destiny and Node 2 (08454); Destiny, Unity and Airlock (08455); Zarya, Service Module and shuttle mock-ups (08456); Logistics Module and Experiment Module (08457, 08468); various views of Columbia, Node 2 and Destiny (08462-63); Columbus, Node 2, Experiment Module and Logistics Module (08467); U.S. Laboratory module (08472); Logistics Module (08473); module layout (08474); Logistics Module and Experiment Module (08475).

KSC-98pc1133

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft is placed inside the payload canister in the Multi-Payload Processing Facility at KSC. Spartan is one of the payloads for the STS-95 mission, scheduled to launch Oct. 29. Spartan is a solar physics spacecraft designed to perform remote sensing of the hot outer layers of the sun's atmosphere or corona. The objective of the observations is to investigate the mechanisms causing the heating of the solar corona and the acceleration of the solar wind which originates in the corona. Other research payloads include the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1132

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft is suspended above the payload canister in the Multi-Payload Processing Facility at KSC. Spartan is one of the payloads for the STS-95 mission, scheduled to launch Oct. 29. Spartan is a solar physics spacecraft designed to perform remote sensing of the hot outer layers of the sun's atmosphere or corona. The objective of the observations is to investigate the mechanisms causing the heating of the solar corona and the acceleration of the solar wind which originates in the corona. Other research payloads include the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

ksc-98pc-1671

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-10-29

Crowds of thousands line the grassy shoulders of the parkways at Kennedy Space Center to view the launch of STS-95. Extra attention has been drawn to the mission due to the addition to the crew of John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio. STS-95 is Glenn's second flight into space after 36 years; he was one of the original Project Mercury astronauts and flew his first mission in February 1962. The STS-95 mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as a SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

Time-diagnostics for improved dynamics experiments at XUV FELs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drescher, Markus; Frühling, Ulrike; Krikunova, Maria; Maltezopoulos, Theophilos; Wieland, Marek

2010-10-01

Significantly structured and fluctuating temporal profiles of pulses from self-amplified spontaneous emission free electron lasers as well as their unstable timing require time diagnostics on a single-shot basis. The duration and structure of extreme-ultraviolet (XUV) pulses from the Free Electron Laser (FEL) in Hamburg (FLASH) are becoming accessible using a variation of the streak camera principle, where photoemitted electrons are energetically streaked in the electric field component of a terahertz electromagnetic wave. The timing with respect to an independently generated laser pulse can be measured in an XUV/laser cross-correlator, based on a non-collinear superposition of both pulses on a solid state surface and detection of XUV-induced modulations of its reflectivity for visible light. Sorting of data according to the measured timing dramatically improves the temporal resolution of an experiment sampling the relaxation of transient electronic states in xenon after linear- as well as nonlinear excitation with intense XUV pulses from FLASH.

Electron-proton spectrometer: Summary for critical design review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1972-01-01

The electron-proton spectrometer (EPS) is mounted external to the Skylab module complex on the command service module. It is designed to make a 2 pi omni-directional measurement of electrons and protons which result from solar flares or enhancement of the radiation belts. The EPS data will provide accurate radiation dose information so that uncertain Relative biological effectiveness factors are eliminated by measuring the external particle spectra. Astronaut radiation safety, therefore, can be ensured, as the EPS data can be used to correct or qualify radiation dose measurements recorded by other radiation measuring instrumentation within the Skylab module complex. The EPS has the capability of measuring and extremely wide dynamic radiation dose rate range, approaching 10 to the 7th power. Simultaneously the EPS has the capability to process data from extremely high radiation fields such as might be encountered in the wake of an intense solar flare.

Experiment module concepts study. Volume 1: Management summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1970-01-01

The minimum number of standardized (common) module concepts that will satisfy the experiment program for manned space stations at least cost is investigated. The module interfaces with other elements such as the space shuttle, ground stations, and the experiments themselves are defined. The total experiment module program resource and test requirements are also considered. The minimum number of common module concepts that will satisfy the program at least cost is found to be three, plus a propulsion slice and certain experiment-peculiar integration hardware. The experiment modules rely on the space station for operational, maintenance, and logistic support. They are compatible with both expendable and shuttle launch vehicles, and with servicing by shuttle, tug, or directly from the space station. A total experiment module program cost of approximately $2319M under the study assumptions is indicated. This total is made up of $838M for experiment module development and production, $806M for experiment equipment, and $675M for interface hardware, experiment integration, launch and flight operations, and program management and support.

Identification of extreme precipitation threat across midlatitude regions based on short-wave circulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shih-Yu; Davies, Robert E.; Gillies, Robert R.

2013-10-01

most severe thunderstorms, producing extreme precipitation, occur over subtropical and midlatitude regions. Atmospheric conditions conducive to organized, intense thunderstorms commonly involve the coupling of a low-level jet (LLJ) with a synoptic short wave. The midlatitude synoptic activity is frequently modulated by the circumglobal teleconnection (CGT), in which meridional gradients of the jet stream act as a guide for short Rossby waves. Previous research has linked extreme precipitation events with either the CGT or the LLJ but has not linked the two circulation features together. In this study, a circulation-based index was developed by combining (a) the degree of the CGT and LLJ coupling, (b) the extent to which this CGT-LLJ coupling connects to regional precipitation and (c) the spatial correspondence with the CGT (short wave) trending pattern over the recent 32 years (1979-2010). Four modern-era global reanalyses, in conjunction with four gridded precipitation data sets, were utilized to minimize spurious trends. The results are suggestive of a link between the CGT/LLJ trends and several recent extreme precipitation events, including those leading to the 2008 Midwest flood in U.S., the 2011 tornado outbreaks in southeastern U.S., the 2010 Queensland flood in northeastern Australia, and to the opposite side the 2012 central U.S. drought. Moreover, an analysis of three Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 models from the historical experiments points to the role of greenhouse gases in forming the CGT trends during the warm season.

Exploration of the aftermath of a large collision in an extreme debris disk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moor, Attila; Abraham, Peter; Cataldi, Gianni; Kospal, Agnes; Pal, Andras; Vida, Krisztian

2018-05-01

Warm debris disks with extremely high fractional luminosities are exceptional, rare systems. Not explainable by steady-state evolutionary models, these extreme debris disks are believed to stem from a recent large collision of planetary embryos in the terrestrial zone. Our team recently discovered a new extreme debris disk around TYC 4209-1322-1, whose WISE W1/W2 band photometry showed a significant brightening probably related to a giant collision in the inner disk. In Cycle 13 we monitor the system by Spitzer, revealing a fading trend with an e-folding time of 1500 days with hints for a quasi-periodic modulation and a possible second smaller amplitude collision event. Here we propose to continue the monitoring campaign until the end of Cycle 14 to explore the evolution of the current long fading trend and of the second collision, and characterize the hinted modulation. Thanks to a better sampled Spitzer light curve and the unique opportunity that NASA's TESS satellite will obtain high-precision optical photometry in the same period, a new dimension will be opened in Cycle 14 in the study of one of the most spectacular extreme debris disk, scrutinizing for the first time the possible influence of stellar activity on a debris disk.

Intelligent Data Transfer for Multiple Sensor Networks over a Broad Temperature Range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krasowski, Michael (Inventor)

2018-01-01

A sensor network may be configured to operate in extreme temperature environments. A sensor may be configured to generate a frequency carrier, and transmit the frequency carrier to a node. The node may be configured to amplitude modulate the frequency carrier, and transmit the amplitude modulated frequency carrier to a receiver.

National Training Course. Emergency Medical Technician. Paramedic. Instructor's Lesson Plans. Module X. Medical Emergencies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (DOT), Washington, DC.

This instructor's lesson plan guide on medical emergencies is one of fifteen modules designed for use in the training of emergency medical technicians (paramedics). Ten units of study are presented: (1) diabetic emergencies; (2) anaphylactic reactions; (3) exposure to environmental extremes; (4) alcoholism and drug abuse; (5) poisoning and…

Art Concept - Apollo VIII - Command Module (CM) - Re-Entry Orientation

NASA Image and Video Library

1968-01-01

S68-55292 (August 1968) --- A North American Rockwell Corporation artist's concept depicting the Apollo Command Module (CM), oriented in a blunt-end-forward attitude, re-entering Earth's atmosphere after returning from a lunar landing mission. Note the change in color caused by the extremely high temperatures encountered upon re-entry.

The Influence of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (mjo) on Extreme Rainfall Over the Central and Southern Peruvian Andes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heidinger, H.; Jones, C.; Carvalho, L. V.

2015-12-01

Extreme rainfall is important for the Andean region because of the large contribution of these events to the seasonal totals and consequent impacts on water resources for agriculture, water consumption, industry and hydropower generation, as well as the occurrence of floods and landslides. Over Central and Southern Peruvian Andes (CSPA), rainfall exceeding the 90th percentile contributed between 44 to 100% to the total Nov-Mar 1979-2010 rainfall. Additionally, precipitation from a large majority of stations in the CSPA exhibits statistically significant spectral peaks on intraseasonal time-scales (20 to 70 days). The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is the most important intraseasonal mode of atmospheric circulation and moist convection in the tropics and the occurrence of extreme weather events worldwide. Mechanisms explaining the relationships between the MJO and precipitation in the Peruvian Andes have not been properly described yet. The present study examines the relationships between the activity and phases of the MJO and the occurrence of extreme rainfall over the CSPA. We found that the frequency of extreme rainfall events increase in the CSPA when the MJO is active. MJO phases 5, 6 and 7 contribute to the overall occurrence of extreme rainfall events over the CSPA. However, how the MJO phases modulate extreme rainfall depends on the location of the stations. For instance, extreme precipitation (above the 90th percentile) in stations in the Amazon basin are slightly more sensitive to phases 2, 3 and 4; the frequency of extremes in stations in the Pacific basin increases in phases 5, 6 and 7 whereas phase 2, 3 and 7 modulates extreme precipitation in stations in the Titicaca basin. Greater variability among stations is observed when using the 95th and 99th percentiles to identify extremes. Among the main mechanisms that explain the increase in extreme rainfall events in the Peruvian Andes is the intensification of the easterly moisture flux anomalies, which are favored during certain phases of the MJO. Here dynamical mechanisms linking the MJO to the occurrence of extreme rainfall in stations in the Peruvian Andes are investigated using composites of integrated moisture flux and geopotential height anomalies.

Application of random coherence order selection in gradient-enhanced multidimensional NMR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostock, Mark J.; Nietlispach, Daniel

2016-03-01

Development of multidimensional NMR is essential to many applications, for example in high resolution structural studies of biomolecules. Multidimensional techniques enable separation of NMR signals over several dimensions, improving signal resolution, whilst also allowing identification of new connectivities. However, these advantages come at a significant cost. The Fourier transform theorem requires acquisition of a grid of regularly spaced points to satisfy the Nyquist criterion, while frequency discrimination and acquisition of a pure phase spectrum require acquisition of both quadrature components for each time point in every indirect (non-acquisition) dimension, adding a factor of 2 N -1 to the number of free- induction decays which must be acquired, where N is the number of dimensions. Compressed sensing (CS) ℓ 1-norm minimisation in combination with non-uniform sampling (NUS) has been shown to be extremely successful in overcoming the Nyquist criterion. Previously, maximum entropy reconstruction has also been used to overcome the limitation of frequency discrimination, processing data acquired with only one quadrature component at a given time interval, known as random phase detection (RPD), allowing a factor of two reduction in the number of points for each indirect dimension (Maciejewski et al. 2011 PNAS 108 16640). However, whilst this approach can be easily applied in situations where the quadrature components are acquired as amplitude modulated data, the same principle is not easily extended to phase modulated (P-/N-type) experiments where data is acquired in the form exp (iωt) or exp (-iωt), and which make up many of the multidimensional experiments used in modern NMR. Here we demonstrate a modification of the CS ℓ 1-norm approach to allow random coherence order selection (RCS) for phase modulated experiments; we generalise the nomenclature for RCS and RPD as random quadrature detection (RQD). With this method, the power of RQD can be extended to the full suite of experiments available to modern NMR spectroscopy, allowing resolution enhancements for all indirect dimensions; alone or in combination with NUS, RQD can be used to improve experimental resolution, or shorten experiment times, of considerable benefit to the challenging applications undertaken by modern NMR.

Plasma optical modulators for intense lasers

PubMed Central

Yu, Lu-Le; Zhao, Yao; Qian, Lie-Jia; Chen, Min; Weng, Su-Ming; Sheng, Zheng-Ming; Jaroszynski, D. A.; Mori, W. B.; Zhang, Jie

2016-01-01

Optical modulators can have high modulation speed and broad bandwidth, while being compact. However, these optical modulators usually work for low-intensity light beams. Here we present an ultrafast, plasma-based optical modulator, which can directly modulate high-power lasers with intensity up to 1016 W cm−2 to produce an extremely broad spectrum with a fractional bandwidth over 100%, extending to the mid-infrared regime in the low-frequency side. This concept relies on two co-propagating laser pulses in a sub-millimetre-scale underdense plasma, where a drive laser pulse first excites an electron plasma wave in its wake while a following carrier laser pulse is modulated by the plasma wave. The laser and plasma parameters suitable for the modulator to work are based on numerical simulations. PMID:27283369

A Prostate Fossa Contouring Instructional Module: Implementation and Evaluation.

PubMed

Gunther, Jillian R; Liauw, Stanley L; Choi, Seungtaek; Mohamed, Abdallah S R; Thaker, Nikhil G; Fuller, Clifton D; Stepaniak, Christopher J; Das, Prajnan; Golden, Daniel W

2016-07-01

Radiation oncology trainees frequently learn to contour through clinical experience and lectures. A hands-on contouring module was developed to teach delineation of the postoperative prostate clinical target volume (CTV) and improve contouring accuracy. Medical students independently contoured a prostate fossa CTV before and after receiving educational materials and live instruction detailing the RTOG approach to contouring this CTV. Metrics for volume overlap and surface distance (Dice similarity coefficient, Hausdorff distance (HD), and mean distance) determined discordance between student and consensus contours. An evaluation assessed perception of session efficacy (1 = "not at all" to 5 = "extremely"; reported as median[interquartile range]). Non-parametric statistical tests were used. Twenty-four students at two institutions completed the module, and 21 completed the evaluation (88% response). The content was rated as "quite" important (4[3.5-5]). The module improved comfort contouring a prostate fossa (pre 1[1-2] vs. post 4[3-4], p<.01), ability to find references (pre 2[1-3] vs. post 4[3.5-4], p<0.01), knowledge of CT prostate/pelvis anatomy (pre 2[1.5-3] vs. post 3[3-4], p<.01), and ability to use contouring software tools (pre 2[2-3.5] vs. post 3[3-4], p=.01). After intervention, mean DSC increased (0.29 to 0.68, p<0.01) and HD and mean distance both decreased, respectively (42.8 to 30.0, p<.01; 11.5 to 1.9, p<.01). A hands-on module to teach CTV delineation to medical students was developed and implemented. Student and expert contours exhibited near "excellent agreement" (as defined in the literature) after intervention. Additional modules to teach target delineation to all educational levels can be developed using this model. Copyright © 2016 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Framework for Final Drive Simultaneous Failure Diagnosis Based on Fuzzy Entropy and Sparse Bayesian Extreme Learning Machine

PubMed Central

Ye, Qing; Pan, Hao; Liu, Changhua

2015-01-01

This research proposes a novel framework of final drive simultaneous failure diagnosis containing feature extraction, training paired diagnostic models, generating decision threshold, and recognizing simultaneous failure modes. In feature extraction module, adopt wavelet package transform and fuzzy entropy to reduce noise interference and extract representative features of failure mode. Use single failure sample to construct probability classifiers based on paired sparse Bayesian extreme learning machine which is trained only by single failure modes and have high generalization and sparsity of sparse Bayesian learning approach. To generate optimal decision threshold which can convert probability output obtained from classifiers into final simultaneous failure modes, this research proposes using samples containing both single and simultaneous failure modes and Grid search method which is superior to traditional techniques in global optimization. Compared with other frequently used diagnostic approaches based on support vector machine and probability neural networks, experiment results based on F 1-measure value verify that the diagnostic accuracy and efficiency of the proposed framework which are crucial for simultaneous failure diagnosis are superior to the existing approach. PMID:25722717

A review of the progression and future implications of brain-computer interface therapies for restoration of distal upper extremity motor function after stroke

PubMed Central

Remsik, Alexander; Young, Brittany; Vermilyea, Rebecca; Kiekoefer, Laura; Abrams, Jessica; Elmore, Samantha Evander; Schultz, Paige; Nair, Veena; Edwards, Dorothy; Williams, Justin; Prabhakaran, Vivek

2016-01-01

Stroke is a leading cause of acquired disability resulting in distal upper extremity functional motor impairment. Stroke mortality rates continue to decline with advances in healthcare and medical technology. This has led to an increased demand for advanced, personalized rehabilitation. Survivors often experience some level of spontaneous recovery shortly after their stroke event; yet reach a functional plateau after which there is exiguous motor recovery. Nevertheless, studies have demonstrated the potential for recovery beyond this plateau. Non-traditional neurorehabilitation techniques, such as those incorporating the brain-computer interface (BCI), are being investigated for rehabilitation. BCIs may offer a gateway to the brain’s plasticity and revolutionize how humans interact with the world. Non-invasive BCIs work by closing the proprioceptive feedback loop with real-time, multi-sensory feedback allowing for volitional modulation of brain signals to assist hand function. BCI technology potentially promotes neuroplasticity and Hebbian-based motor recovery by rewarding cortical activity associated with sensory-motor rhythms through use with a variety of self-guided and assistive modalities. PMID:27112213

Experiment module concepts study. Volume 3: Module and subsystem design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunter, J. R.; Chiarappa, D. J.

1970-01-01

The final common module set exhibiting wide commonality is described. The set consists of three types of modules: one free flying module and two modules that operate attached to the space station. The common module designs provide for the experiment program as defined. The feasibility, economy, and practicality of these modules hinges on factors that do not affect the approach or results of the commonality process, but are important to the validity of the common module concepts. Implementation of the total experiment program requires thirteen common modules: five CM-1, five CM-3, and three CM-4 modules.

On the Fracture Toughness and Crack Growth Resistance of Bio-Inspired Thermal Spray Hybrid Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Resnick, Michael Murray

Surface exploration of the Moon and Asteroids can provide important information to scientists regarding the origins of the solar-system and life . Small robots and sensor modules can enable low-cost surface exploration. In the near future, they are the main machines providing these answers. Advanced in electronics, sensors and actuators enable ever smaller platforms, with compromising functionality. However similar advances haven't taken place for power supplies and thermal control system. The lunar south pole has temperatures in the range of -100 to -150 °C. Similarly, asteroid surfaces can encounter temperatures of -150 °C. Most electronics and batteries do not work below -40 °C. An effective thermal control system is critical towards making small robots and sensors module for extreme environments feasible. In this work, the feasibility of using thermochemical storage materials as a possible thermal control solution is analyzed for small robots and sensor modules for lunar and asteroid surface environments. The presented technology will focus on using resources that is readily generated as waste product aboard a spacecraft or is available off-world through In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). In this work, a sensor module for extreme environment has been designed and prototyped. Our intention is to have a network of tens or hundreds of sensor modules that can communicate and interact with each other while also gathering science data. The design contains environmental sensors like temperature sensors and IMU (containing accelerometer, gyro and magnetometer) to gather data. The sensor module would nominally contain an electrical heater and insulation. The thermal heating effect provided by this active heater is compared with the proposed technology that utilizes thermochemical storage chemicals. Our results show that a thermochemical storage-based thermal control system is feasible for use in extreme temperatures. A performance increase of 80% is predicted for the sensor modules on the asteroid Eros using thermochemical based storage system. At laboratory level, a performance increase of 8 to 9 % is observed at ambient temperatures of -32°C and -40 °C.

Increasing water cycle extremes in California and relation to ENSO cycle under global warming

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

Yoon, Jin -Ho; Wang, S. -Y. Simon; Gillies, Robert R.

California has experienced its most severe drought in recorded history since the winter of 2013-2014. The long duration of drought has stressed statewide water resources and the economy, while fueling an extraordinary increase in wildfires. The effects of global warming on the regional climate include a hotter and drier climate, as well as earlier snowmelt, both of which exacerbate drought conditions. However, connections between a changing climate and how climate oscillations modulate regional water cycle extremes are not well understood. Here we analyze large-ensemble simulations of future climate change in California using the Community Earth System Model version 1 (CESM1)more » and multiple climate models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5). Both intense drought and excessive flooding are projected to increase by at least 50% toward the end of the 21st century. Furthermore, the projected increase in water cycle extremes is associated with tighter relation to El Niño and Southern Oscillation (ENSO), particularly extreme El Niño and La Niña events, which modulates California’s climate not only through its warm and cold phases, but also ENSO’s precursor patterns.« less

Increasing water cycle extremes in California and relation to ENSO cycle under global warming

DOE PAGES

Yoon, Jin -Ho; Wang, S. -Y. Simon; Gillies, Robert R.; ...

2015-10-21

California has experienced its most severe drought in recorded history since the winter of 2013-2014. The long duration of drought has stressed statewide water resources and the economy, while fueling an extraordinary increase in wildfires. The effects of global warming on the regional climate include a hotter and drier climate, as well as earlier snowmelt, both of which exacerbate drought conditions. However, connections between a changing climate and how climate oscillations modulate regional water cycle extremes are not well understood. Here we analyze large-ensemble simulations of future climate change in California using the Community Earth System Model version 1 (CESM1)more » and multiple climate models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5). Both intense drought and excessive flooding are projected to increase by at least 50% toward the end of the 21st century. Furthermore, the projected increase in water cycle extremes is associated with tighter relation to El Niño and Southern Oscillation (ENSO), particularly extreme El Niño and La Niña events, which modulates California’s climate not only through its warm and cold phases, but also ENSO’s precursor patterns.« less

Wavelength-modulation spectroscopy near 1.4 µm for measurements of H2O and temperature in high-pressure and -temperature gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goldenstein, C. S.; Spearrin, R. M.; Schultz, I. A.; Jeffries, J. B.; Hanson, R. K.

2014-05-01

The development, validation and demonstration of a two-color tunable diode laser (TDL) absorption sensor for measurements of temperature and H2O in high-pressure and high-temperature gases are presented. This sensor uses first-harmonic-normalized wavelength-modulation spectroscopy with second-harmonic detection (WMS-2f/1f) to account for non-absorbing transmission losses and emission encountered in harsh, high-pressure environments. Two telecommunications-grade TDLs were used to probe H2O absorption transitions near 1391.7 and 1469.3 nm. The lasers were frequency-multiplexed and modulated at 160 and 200 kHz to enable a measurement bandwidth up to 30 kHz along a single line-of-sight. In addition, accurate measurements are enabled at extreme conditions via an experimentally derived spectroscopic database. This sensor was validated under low-absorbance (<0.05) conditions in shock-heated H2O-N2 mixtures at temperatures and pressures from 700 to 2400 K and 2 to 25 atm. There, this sensor recovered the known temperature and H2O mole fraction with a nominal accuracy of 2.8% and 4.7% RMS, respectively. Lastly, this sensor resolved expected transients with high bandwidth and high precision in a reactive shock tube experiment and a pulse detonation combustor.

Compact 3D printed module for fluorescence and label-free imaging using evanescent excitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, Vikas; Gupta, Shalini; Elangovan, Ravikrishnan

2018-01-01

Total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy is widely used for selective excitation and high-resolution imaging of fluorophores, and more recently label-free nanosized objects, with high vertical confinement near a liquid-solid interface. Traditionally, high numerical aperture objectives (>1.4) are used to simultaneously generate evanescent waves and collect fluorescence emission signals which limits their use to small area imaging (<0.1 mm2). Objective-based TIRFs are also expensive as they require dichroic mirrors and efficient notch filters to prevent specular reflection within the objective lenses. We have developed a compact 3D module called cTIRF that can generate evanescent waves in microscope glass slides via a planar waveguide illumination. The module can be attached as a fixture to any existing optical microscope, converting it into a TIRF and enabling high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) fluorescence imaging using any magnification objective. As the incidence optics is perpendicular to the detector, label-free evanescent scattering-based imaging of submicron objects can also be performed without using emission filters. SNR is significantly enhanced in this case as compared to cTIRF alone, as seen through our model experiments performed on latex beads and mammalian cells. Extreme flexibility and the low cost of our approach makes it scalable for limited resource settings.

Design of a Single Channel Modulated Wideband Converter for Wideband Spectrum Sensing: Theory, Architecture and Hardware Implementation

PubMed Central

Liu, Weisong; Huang, Zhitao; Wang, Xiang; Sun, Weichao

2017-01-01

In a cognitive radio sensor network (CRSN), wideband spectrum sensing devices which aims to effectively exploit temporarily vacant spectrum intervals as soon as possible are of great importance. However, the challenge of increasingly high signal frequency and wide bandwidth requires an extremely high sampling rate which may exceed today’s best analog-to-digital converters (ADCs) front-end bandwidth. Recently, the newly proposed architecture called modulated wideband converter (MWC), is an attractive analog compressed sensing technique that can highly reduce the sampling rate. However, the MWC has high hardware complexity owing to its parallel channel structure especially when the number of signals increases. In this paper, we propose a single channel modulated wideband converter (SCMWC) scheme for spectrum sensing of band-limited wide-sense stationary (WSS) signals. With one antenna or sensor, this scheme can save not only sampling rate but also hardware complexity. We then present a new, SCMWC based, single node CR prototype System, on which the spectrum sensing algorithm was tested. Experiments on our hardware prototype show that the proposed architecture leads to successful spectrum sensing. And the total sampling rate as well as hardware size is only one channel’s consumption of MWC. PMID:28471410

Role of point defects and HfO2/TiN interface stoichiometry on effective work function modulation in ultra-scaled complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pandey, R. K.; Sathiyanarayanan, Rajesh; Kwon, Unoh; Narayanan, Vijay; Murali, K. V. R. M.

2013-07-01

We investigate the physical properties of a portion of the gate stack of an ultra-scaled complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device. The effects of point defects, such as oxygen vacancy, oxygen, and aluminum interstitials at the HfO2/TiN interface, on the effective work function of TiN are explored using density functional theory. We compute the diffusion barriers of such point defects in the bulk TiN and across the HfO2/TiN interface. Diffusion of these point defects across the HfO2/TiN interface occurs during the device integration process. This results in variation of the effective work function and hence in the threshold voltage variation in the devices. Further, we simulate the effects of varying the HfO2/TiN interface stoichiometry on the effective work function modulation in these extremely-scaled CMOS devices. Our results show that the interface rich in nitrogen gives higher effective work function, whereas the interface rich in titanium gives lower effective work function, compared to a stoichiometric HfO2/TiN interface. This theoretical prediction is confirmed by the experiment, demonstrating over 700 meV modulation in the effective work function.

Effects of Extremely Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields on Neurogenesis and Cognitive Behavior in an Experimental Model of Hippocampal Injury

PubMed Central

Sakhaie, Mohammad Hassan; Pourheydar, Bagher; Majd, Zahra; Atefimanesh, Pezhman

2017-01-01

Exposure to extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields may induce constant modulation in neuronal plasticity. In recent years, tremendous efforts have been made to design a suitable strategy for enhancing adult neurogenesis, which seems to be deterred due to brain senescence and several neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we evaluated the effects of ELF-EMF on neurogenesis and memory, following treatment with trimethyltin chloride (TMT) as a neurotoxicant. The mice in all groups (n = 56) were injected with BrdU during the experiment for seven consecutive days to label newborn cells. Spatial memory was assessed by the Morris water maze (MWM) test. By the end of the experiment, neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation were assessed in the hippocampus, using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Based on the findings, exposure to ELF-EMF enhanced spatial learning and memory in the MWM test. ELF-EMF exposure significantly enhanced the number of BrdU+ and NeuN+ cells in the dentate gyrus of adult mice (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, resp.). Western blot analysis revealed significant upregulation of NeuroD2 in ELF-EMF-exposed mice compared to the TMT-treated group (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that ELF-EMF might have clinical implications for the improvement of neurodegenerative processes and could help develop a novel therapeutic approach in regenerative medicine. PMID:29259353

A Partnership between English Language Learners and a Team of Rocket Scientists: EPO for the NASA SDO Extreme-Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buhr, S. M.; Eparvier, F.; McCaffrey, M.; Murillo, M.

2007-12-01

Recent immigrant high school students were successfully engaged in learning about Sun-Earth connections through a partnership with the NASA SDO Extreme-Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE) project. The students were enrolled in a pilot course as part of the Math, Engineering and Science Achievement MESA) program. For many of the students, this was the only science option available to them due to language limitations. The English Language Learner (ELL) students doubled their achievement on a pre- and post-assessment on the content of the course. Students learned scientific content and vocabulary in English with support in Spanish, attended field trips, hosted scientist speakers, built and deployed space weather monitors as part of the Stanford SOLAR project, and gave final presentations in English, showcasing their new computer skills. Teachers who taught the students in other courses noted gains in the students' willingness to use English in class and noted gains in math skills. The MESA-EVE course won recognition as a Colorado MESA Program of Excellence and is being offered again in 2007-08. The course has been broken into modules for use in shorter after-school environments, or for use by EVE scientists who are outside of the Boulder area. Other EVE EPO includes professional development for teachers and content workshops for journalists.

Japanese Experiment Module arrival

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-29

The Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module arrives at the Space Station Processing Facility. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

Japanese Experiment Module arrival

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-29

The Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module arrives at the Space Station Processing Facility for uncrating. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

Comparison of neuromuscular abnormalities between upper and lower extremities in hemiparetic stroke.

PubMed

Mirbagheri, M M; AliBiglou, L; Thajchayapong, M; Lilaonitkul, T; Rymer, W Z

2006-01-01

We studied the neuromuscular mechanical properties of the elbow and ankle joints in chronic, hemiparetic stroke patients and healthy subjects. System identification techniques were used to characterize the mechanical abnormalities of these joints and to identify the contribution of intrinsic and reflex stiffness to these abnormalities. Modulation of intrinsic and reflex stiffness with the joint angle was studied by applying PRBS perturbations to the joint at different joint angles. The experiments were performed for both spastic (stroke) and contralateral (control) sides of stroke patients and one side of healthy (normal) subjects. We found reflex stiffness gain (GR) was significantly larger in the stroke than the control side for both elbow and ankle joints. GR was also strongly position dependent in both joints. However, the modulation of GR with position was slightly different in two joints. GR was also larger in the control than the normal joints but the differences were significant only for the ankle joint. Intrinsic stiffness gain (K) was also significantly larger in the stroke than the control joint at elbow extended positions and at ankle dorsiflexed positions. Modulation of K with the ankle angle was similar for stroke, control and normal groups. In contrast, the position dependency of the elbow was different. K was larger in the control than normal ankle whereas it was lower in the control than normal elbow. However, the differences were not significant for any joint. The findings demonstrate that both reflex and intrinsic stiffness gain increase abnormally in both upper and lower extremities. However, the major contribution of intrinsic and reflex stiffness to the abnormalities is at the end of ROM and at the middle ROM, respectively. The results also demonstrate that the neuromuscular properties of the contralateral limb are not normal suggesting that it may not be used as a suitable control at least for the ankle study.

Japanese Experiment Module arrival

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-29

Several components for delivery to the International Space Station sit in test stands inside the Space Station Processing Facility highbay. To the right, from back to front, are the Japanese Experiment Module, the Raffaello multi-purpose logistics module, and the European Space Agency's Columbus scientific research module. To the left in front is the starboard truss segment S5. Behind it is the test stand that will hold the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

Advanced properties of extended plasmas for efficient high-order harmonic generation

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

Ganeev, R. A.; Physics Department, Voronezh State University, Voronezh 394006; Suzuki, M.

We demonstrate the advanced properties of extended plasma plumes (5 mm) for efficient harmonic generation of laser radiation compared with the short lengths of plasmas (∼0.3–0.5 mm) used in previous studies. The harmonic conversion efficiency quadratically increased with the growth of plasma length. The studies of this process along the whole extreme ultraviolet range using the long plasma jets produced on various metal surfaces, particularly including the resonance-enhanced laser frequency conversion and two-color pump, are presented. Such plasmas could be used for the quasi-phase matching experiments by proper modulation of the spatial characteristics of extended ablating area and formation of separated plasmamore » jets.« less

Lightweight ZERODUR®: Optimized athermal performance for Space Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hull, Anthony; Westerhoff, Thomas

2018-01-01

ZERODUR’s extreme homogeneity and low CTE make it a strong candidate for ultrastable space telescopes. It’s excellent thermal match to CFRP supports stability and cost-effective solutions. Since the response to thermal transients is small, a spaceborne telescope using ZERODUR has reduced requirements for the implementation and validation of complex heater networks. We will describe the use of ZERODUR in a current NASA Probe Mission Study, CETUS (Cosmic Evolution Through Ultraviolet Spectroscopy), where the1.5m WFOV telescope operates at an L2 Halo Orbit, and with solar view factor is modulated by pointing requirements that extend between sun angles of 85 degrees and 135 degrees. Discussion will include recent experience on material characteristics, and new facilities for lightweight mirrors at SCHOTT.

STS-95 crew members take part in the CEIT for their mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

During a break in the Crew Equipment Interface Test, Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio, greets Bobby Miranda. Miranda was a NASA photographer for Glenn's first flight on Friendship 7, February 1962. CEIT gives astronauts an opportunity for a hands-on look at the payloads and equipment with which they will be working on orbit. The launch of the STS- 95 mission is scheduled for Oct. 29, 1998, on the Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Superwide-angle coverage code-multiplexed optical scanner.

PubMed

Riza, Nabeel A; Arain, Muzammil A

2004-05-01

A superwide-angle coverage code-multiplexed optical scanner is presented that has the potential to provide 4 pi-sr coverage. As a proof-of-concept experiment, an angular scan range of 288 degrees for six randomly distributed beams is demonstrated. The proposed scanner achieves its superwide coverage by exploiting a combination of phase-encoded transmission and reflection holography within an in-line hologram recording-retrieval geometry. The basic scanner unit consists of one phase-only digital mode spatial light modulator for code entry (i.e., beam scan control) and a holographic material from which we obtained what we believe is the first-of-a-kind extremely wide coverage, low component count, high speed (e.g., microsecond domain), and large aperture (e.g., > 1-cm diameter) scanner.

KSC-98pc1131

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft is lifted from its work stand to move it to a payload canister in the Multi-Payload Processing Facility at KSC. Spartan is one of the payloads for the STS-95 mission, scheduled to launch Oct. 29. Spartan is a solar physics spacecraft designed to perform remote sensing of the hot outer layers of the sun's atmosphere or corona. The objective of the observations is to investigate the mechanisms causing the heating of the solar corona and the acceleration of the solar wind which originates in the corona. Other research payloads include the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1026

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-02

During a break in the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) at KSC, Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio, poses for a photo with Georgett Styers, United Space Alliance receiving scheduler, NASA Supply Logistics Depot, Cape Canaveral, Fla. The CEIT gives astronauts an opportunity for a hands-on look at the payloads and equipment with which they will be working on orbit. The launch of the STS-95 mission is scheduled for Oct. 29, 1998, on the Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1008

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-02

(Left to right) STS-95 Payload Specialists John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio, and Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan, talk with Kiki Chaput, trainer, United Space Alliance-Houston, during the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) for their mission. The CEIT gives astronauts an opportunity for a hands-on look at the payloads on whcih they will be working on orbit. The launch of the STS-95 mission, aboard Space Shuttle Discovery, is scheduled for Oct. 29, 1998. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

Revised upper limb module for spinal muscular atrophy: Development of a new module.

PubMed

Mazzone, Elena S; Mayhew, Anna; Montes, Jacqueline; Ramsey, Danielle; Fanelli, Lavinia; Young, Sally Dunaway; Salazar, Rachel; De Sanctis, Roberto; Pasternak, Amy; Glanzman, Allan; Coratti, Giorgia; Civitello, Matthew; Forcina, Nicola; Gee, Richard; Duong, Tina; Pane, Marika; Scoto, Mariacristina; Pera, Maria Carmela; Messina, Sonia; Tennekoon, Gihan; Day, John W; Darras, Basil T; De Vivo, Darryl C; Finkel, Richard; Muntoni, Francesco; Mercuri, Eugenio

2017-06-01

There is a growing need for a robust clinical measure to assess upper limb motor function in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), as the available scales lack sensitivity at the extremes of the clinical spectrum. We report the development of the Revised Upper Limb Module (RULM), an assessment specifically designed for upper limb function in SMA patients. An international panel with specific neuromuscular expertise performed a thorough review of scales currently available to assess upper limb function in SMA. This review facilitated a revision of the existing upper limb function scales to make a more robust clinical scale. Multiple revisions of the scale included statistical analysis and captured clinically relevant changes to fulfill requirements by regulators and advocacy groups. The resulting RULM scale shows good reliability and validity, making it a suitable tool to assess upper extremity function in the SMA population for multi-center clinical research. Muscle Nerve 55: 869-874, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Microlaser-based displays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bergstedt, Robert; Fink, Charles G.; Flint, Graham W.; Hargis, David E.; Peppler, Philipp W.

1997-07-01

Laser Power Corporation has developed a new type of projection display, based upon microlaser technology and a novel scan architecture, which provides the foundation for bright, extremely high resolution images. A review of projection technologies is presented along with the limitations of each and the difficulties they experience in trying to generate high resolution imagery. The design of the microlaser based projector is discussed along with the advantage of this technology. High power red, green, and blue microlasers have been designed and developed specifically for use in projection displays. These sources, in combination with high resolution, high contrast modulator, produce a 24 bit color gamut, capable of supporting the full range of real world colors. The new scan architecture, which reduces the modulation rate and scan speeds required, is described. This scan architecture, along with the inherent brightness of the laser provides the fundamentals necessary to produce a 5120 by 4096 resolution display. The brightness and color uniformity of the display is excellent, allowing for tiling of the displays with far fewer artifacts than those in a traditionally tiled display. Applications for the display include simulators, command and control centers, and electronic cinema.

Radiative heat transfer in the extreme near field.

PubMed

Kim, Kyeongtae; Song, Bai; Fernández-Hurtado, Víctor; Lee, Woochul; Jeong, Wonho; Cui, Longji; Thompson, Dakotah; Feist, Johannes; Reid, M T Homer; García-Vidal, Francisco J; Cuevas, Juan Carlos; Meyhofer, Edgar; Reddy, Pramod

2015-12-17

Radiative transfer of energy at the nanometre length scale is of great importance to a variety of technologies including heat-assisted magnetic recording, near-field thermophotovoltaics and lithography. Although experimental advances have enabled elucidation of near-field radiative heat transfer in gaps as small as 20-30 nanometres (refs 4-6), quantitative analysis in the extreme near field (less than 10 nanometres) has been greatly limited by experimental challenges. Moreover, the results of pioneering measurements differed from theoretical predictions by orders of magnitude. Here we use custom-fabricated scanning probes with embedded thermocouples, in conjunction with new microdevices capable of periodic temperature modulation, to measure radiative heat transfer down to gaps as small as two nanometres. For our experiments we deposited suitably chosen metal or dielectric layers on the scanning probes and microdevices, enabling direct study of extreme near-field radiation between silica-silica, silicon nitride-silicon nitride and gold-gold surfaces to reveal marked, gap-size-dependent enhancements of radiative heat transfer. Furthermore, our state-of-the-art calculations of radiative heat transfer, performed within the theoretical framework of fluctuational electrodynamics, are in excellent agreement with our experimental results, providing unambiguous evidence that confirms the validity of this theory for modelling radiative heat transfer in gaps as small as a few nanometres. This work lays the foundations required for the rational design of novel technologies that leverage nanoscale radiative heat transfer.

Electro-optical phenomena based on ionic liquids in an optofluidic waveguide.

PubMed

He, Xiaodong; Shao, Qunfeng; Cao, Pengfei; Kong, Weijie; Sun, Jiqian; Zhang, Xiaoping; Deng, Youquan

2015-03-07

An optofluidic waveguide with a simple two-terminal electrode geometry, when filled with an ionic liquid (IL), forms a lateral electric double-layer capacitor under a direct current (DC) electric field, which allows the realization of an extremely high carrier density in the vicinity of the electrode surface and terminals to modulate optical transmission at room temperature under low voltage operation (0 to 4 V). The unique electro-optical phenomenon of ILs was investigated at three wavelengths (663, 1330 and 1530 nm) using two waveguide geometries. Strong electro-optical modulations with different efficiencies were observed at the two near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths, while no detectable modulation was observed at 663 nm. The first waveguide geometry was used to investigate the position-dependent modulation along the waveguide; the strongest modulation was observed in the vicinity of the electrode terminal. The modulation phase is associated with the applied voltage polarity, which increases in the vicinity of the negative electrode and decreases at the positive electrode. The second waveguide geometry was used to improve the modulation efficiency. Meanwhile, the electro-optical modulations of seven ILs were compared at an applied voltage ranging from ±2 V to ±3.5 V. The results reveal that the modulation amplitude and response speed increase with increasing applied voltage, as well as the electrical conductivity of ILs. Despite the fact that the response speed isn't fast due to the high ionic density of ILs, the modulation amplitude can reach up to 6.0 dB when a higher voltage (U = ±3.5 V) is applied for the IL [Emim][BF4]. Finally, the physical explanation of the phenomenon was discussed. The effect of the change in IL structure on the electro-optical phenomena was investigated in another new experiment. The results reveal that the electro-optical phenomenon is probably caused mainly by the change in carrier concentration (ion redistribution near charged electrodes), which induces the enhancement and suppression of NIR optical absorption (contributed by C-H and N-H groups) in the vicinity of the negative electrode and positive electrode, respectively.

Attention and multisensory modulation argue against total encapsulation.

PubMed

de Haas, Benjamin; Schwarzkopf, Dietrich Samuel; Rees, Geraint

2016-01-01

Firestone & Scholl (F&S) postulate that vision proceeds without any direct interference from cognition. We argue that this view is extreme and not in line with the available evidence. Specifically, we discuss two well-established counterexamples: Attention directly affects core aspects of visual processing, and multisensory modulations of vision originate on multiple levels, some of which are unlikely to fall "within perception."

3 EXPOSE Missions - overview and lessons learned

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabbow, E.; Willnekcer, R.; Reitz, G.; Aman, A.; Bman, B.; Cman, C.

2011-10-01

The International Space Station ISS provides a variety of external research platforms for experiments aiming at the utilization of space parameters like vacuum, temperature oscillation and in particular extraterrestrial short wavelength UV and ionizing radiation which cannot be simulated accurately in the laboratory. Three Missions, two past and one upcoming, will be presented. A family of astrobiological experimental ESA facilities called "EXPOSE" were and will be accommodated on these outside exposure platforms: on one of the external balconies of the European Columbus Module (EXPOSE-E) and on the URM-D platform on the Russian Zvezda Module (EXPOSE-R and EXPOSE-R2). Exobiological and radiation experiments, exposing chemical, biological and dosimetric samples to the harsh space environment are - and will be - accommodated on these facilities to increase our knowledge on the origin, evolution and distribution of life, on Earth and possibly beyond. The biological experiments investigate resistance and adaptation of organisms like bacteria, Achaea, fungi, lichens, plant seeds and small animals like mosquito larvae to extreme environmental conditions and underlying mechanisms like DNA repair. The organic chemical experiments analyse chemical reactions triggered by the extraterrestrial environment, especially short wavelength UV radiation, to better understand prebiotic chemistry. The facility is optimized to allow exposure of biological specimen and material samples under a variety of conditions, using optical filter systems. Environmental parameters like temperature and radiation are regularly recorded and down linked by telemetry. Two long term missions named according to their facility - EXPOSE-E and EXPOSE-R - are completed and a third mission is planned and currently prepared. Operations of all three missions including sample accommodation are performed by DLR. An overview of the two completed missions will be given including lessons learned as well as an outlook and short introduction to the next mission, EXPSOE-R2

Experiences with integral microelectronics on smart structures for space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nye, Ted; Casteel, Scott; Navarro, Sergio A.; Kraml, Bob

1995-05-01

One feature of a smart structure implies that some computational and signal processing capability can be performed at a local level, perhaps integral to the controlled structure. This requires electronics with a minimal mechanical influence regarding structural stiffening, heat dissipation, weight, and electrical interface connectivity. The Advanced Controls Technology Experiment II (ACTEX II) space-flight experiments implemented such a local control electronics scheme by utilizing composite smart members with integral processing electronics. These microelectronics, tested to MIL-STD-883B levels, were fabricated with conventional thick film on ceramic multichip module techniques. Kovar housings and aluminum-kapton multilayer insulation was used to protect against harsh space radiation and thermal environments. Development and acceptance testing showed the electronics design was extremely robust, operating in vacuum and at temperature range with minimal gain variations occurring just above room temperatures. Four electronics modules, used for the flight hardware configuration, were connected by a RS-485 2 Mbit per second serial data bus. The data bus was controlled by Actel field programmable gate arrays arranged in a single master, four slave configuration. An Intel 80C196KD microprocessor was chosen as the digital compensator in each controller. It was used to apply a series of selectable biquad filters, implemented via Delta Transforms. Instability in any compensator was expected to appear as large amplitude oscillations in the deployed structure. Thus, over-vibration detection circuitry with automatic output isolation was incorporated into the design. This was not used however, since during experiment integration and test, intentionally induced compensator instabilities resulted in benign mechanical oscillation symptoms. Not too surprisingly, it was determined that instabilities were most detectable by large temperature increases in the electronics, typically noticeable within minutes of unstable operation.

Observations of the effect of lower hybrid waves on ELM behaviour in EAST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, R.; Xu, G. S.; Liang, Y.; Wang, H. Q.; Zhou, C.; Liu, A. D.; Wang, L.; Qian, J. P.; Gan, K. F.; Yang, J. H.; Duan, Y. M.; Li, Y. L.; Ding, S. Y.; Wu, X. Q.; Yan, N.; Chen, L.; Shao, L. M.; Zhang, W.; Hu, G. H.; Zhao, N.; Liu, S. C.; Kong, D. F.; Gong, X. Z.

2015-03-01

Dedicated experiments focusing on the influence of lower hybrid waves (LHWs) on edge-localized modes (ELMs) were first performed during the 2012 experimental campaign of EAST, via modulating the input power of LHWs in the high-confinement-mode (H-mode) plasma mainly sustained by ion cyclotron resonant heating. Natural ELMs are effectively mitigated (ELM frequency increases, while its intensity decreases dramatically) as the LHW is applied, observed over a fairly wide range of plasma current or edge safety factor. By scanning the modulation frequency (fm) of LHW injected power in a target plasma dominated by the so-called small ELMs, we conclude that large ELMs with markedly larger amplitudes and lower frequencies are reproduced at low modulation frequencies (fm < 100 Hz). Analysis of the evolution of edge extreme ultraviolet radiation signals further indicates that plasma fluctuations at the pedestal region indistinctively respond to rapid modulation (fm ⩾ 100 Hz) of LHW injected power. This is proposed as the mechanism responsible for the observed fm dependence of the mitigation effect induced by LHWs on large ELMs. In addition, a critical threshold of LHW input power PLHW is estimated as PLHWthr≃800 kW , beyond which the impact of applied LHWs on ELM behaviours can be achieved. Finally, Langmuir probe measurements suggest that, rather than the concentration of free energy into a narrowband quasi-coherent precursor commonly observed growing until the ELM crash, the continuous development of broadband turbulence during the ELM-absent phase with the application of LHWs might contribute to the avoidance of ELM crashes. These results present new insights into existing experiments, and also provide some foundations and references for the next-step research about exploring in more depth and improving this new attractive method to effectively control the ELM-induced very large transient heat and particle flux.

Japanese Experiment Module arrival

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-29

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility, workers monitor progress as a huge crane is used to remove the top of the crate carrying the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

Japanese Experiment Module arrival

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-29

Inside the Space Station Processing Facility, the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module is revealed after the top of the crate is removed. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

Air pollution or global warming: Attribution of extreme precipitation changes in eastern China—Comments on "Trends of extreme precipitation in Eastern China and their possible causes"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuan

2015-10-01

The recent study "Trends of Extreme Precipitation in Eastern China and Their Possible Causes" attributed the observed decrease/increase of light/heavy precipitation in eastern China to global warming rather than the regional aerosol effects. However, there exist compelling evidence from previous long-term observations and numerical modeling studies, suggesting that anthropogenic pollution is closely linked to the recent changes in precipitation intensity because of considerably modulated cloud physical properties by aerosols in eastern China. Clearly, a quantitative assessment of the aerosol and greenhouse effects on the regional scale is required to identify the primary cause for the extreme precipitation changes.

Extremely Painful Multifocal Acquired Predominant Axonal Sensorimotor Neuropathy of the Upper Limb.

PubMed

Lieba-Samal, Doris; van Eijk, Jeroen J J; van Rosmalen, Marieke H J; van Balken, Irene M F; Verrips, Aad; Mostert, Jop; Pillen, Sigrid; van Alfen, Nens

2018-06-01

The differential diagnosis of upper extremity mononeuritis multiplex includes neuralgic amyotrophy, vasculitic neuropathy, and Lewis-Sumner syndrome. We describe 3 patients initially suspected of neuralgic amyotrophy, who had an extremely painful, protracted, progressive disease course, not fitting one of these established diagnoses. Nerve ultrasonography showed focal caliber changes of the roots, plexus, and limb nerves. Electromyography showed predominant multifocal axonopathy. Ongoing autoimmune neuropathy was suspected. Steroid treatment provided temporary relief, and intravenous immunoglobulin A sustained pain decrease and functional improvement. These patients appear to have extremely painful axonal inflammatory neuropathy, with a good response to immune-modulating treatment. © 2017 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

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

Granhus, B.; Heid, S.

Den norske statsoljeselskap a.s. (Statoil) which is a major Norwegian oil company has used a mainframe (VM/CMS) based occupational health information system (OHIS) since 1991. The system is distributed among 11 offshore platforms, two refineries and three office centers. It contains medical (25000) workplace (1500) and 6500 material safety data sheet (MSDS) records. The paper deals with the experiences and challenges met during the development of this system and a new client/server based version for Windows{reg_sign}. In 1992 the Norwegian Data Inspectorate introduced new legislation setting extremely strict standards for data protection and privacy. This demanded new solutions not yetmore » utilized for systems of this scale. The solution implements a fully encrypted data flow between the user of the medical modules, while the non sensitive data from the other modules are not encrypted. This involves the use of a special {open_quotes}smart-card{close_quotes} containing the user privileges as well as the encryption key. The system will combine the advantages of a local system together with the integration force of a centralized system. The new system was operational by February 1996. The paper also summarizes the experiences we have had with our OHIS, areas of good and bad cost/benefit, development pitfalls, and which factors are most important for customer satisfaction. This is very important because of the ever increasing demand for efficiency together with company reorganization and changing technology.« less

Development of Japanese experiment module remote manipulator system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matsueda, Tatsuo; Kuwao, Fumihiro; Motohasi, Shoichi; Okamura, Ryo

1994-01-01

National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) is developing the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), as its contribution to the International Space Station. The JEM consists of the pressurized module (PM), the exposed facility (EF), the experiment logistics module pressurized section (ELM-PS), the experiment logistics module exposed section (ELM-ES) and the Remote Manipulator System (RMS). The JEMRMS services for the JEM EF, which is a space experiment platform, consists of the Main Arm (MA), the Small Fine Arm (SFA) and the RMS console. The MA handles the JEM EF payloads, the SFA and the JEM element, such as ELM-ES.

Generation of ultra-wideband triplet pulses based on four-wave mixing and phase-to-intensity modulation conversion.

PubMed

Li, Wei; Wang, Li Xian; Hofmann, Werner; Zhu, Ning Hua; Bimberg, Dieter

2012-08-27

We propose and demonstrate a novel scheme to generate ultra-wideband (UWB) triplet pulses based on four-wave mixing and phase-to-intensity modulation conversion. First a phase-modulated Gaussian doublet pulse is generated by four-wave mixing in a highly nonlinear fiber. Then an UWB triplet pulse is generated by generating the first-order derivative of the phase-modulated Gaussian doublet pulse using an optical filter serving as a frequency discriminator. By locating the optical signal at the linear slope of the optical filter, the phase modulated Gaussian doublet pulse is converted to an intensity-modulated UWB triplet pulse which well satisfies the Federal Communications Commission spectral mask requirements, even in the extremely power-restricted global positioning system band.

KSC-98pc1185

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-30

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside the Payload Changeout Room (PCR) in the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) at Launch Pad 39-B, technicians in clean suits move the payloads for mission STS-95 to the payload bay of Space Shuttle Discovery. At the top of the RSS is the Spacehab module; below it are the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test Platform (HOST), and the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH-3). The PCR is an environmentally controlled facility with seals around the mating surface that fit against the orbiter or payload canister and permit the payload bay or canister doors to be opened and cargo removed without exposing it to outside air and contaminants. Payloads are installed vertically in the orbiter using the extendable payload ground handling mechanism. Fixed and extendable work platforms provide work access in the PCR. The SPACEHAB single module involves experiments on space flight and the aging process. Spartan is a solar physics spacecraft designed to perform remote sensing of the hot outer layers of the sun's atmosphere or corona. HOST carries four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an Earth-orbiting environment. IEH-3 comprises several experiments that will study the Jovian planetary system, hot stars, planetary and reflection nebulae, other stellar objects and their environments through remote observation of EUV/FUV emissions; study spacecraft interactions, Shuttle glow, thruster firings, and contamination; and measure the solar constant and identify variations in the value during a solar cycle. Mission STS-95 is scheduled to launch Oct. 29, 1998

Investigation of ELF/VLF waves created by a "beat-wave" HF ionospheric heating at high latitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shumilov, Oleg; Tereshchenko, Evgeniy; Kasatkina, Elena; Gomonov, Alexandr

2015-04-01

The generation of extremely low frequency (ELF, 3-3000 Hz) and very low frequency (VLF, 3-30 kHz) electromagnetic waves by modulated ionospheric high frequency (HF, 2-30 MHz) heating is one of the main directions of ionospheric modification experiments. In this work, we present observations of ELF waves generated during a "beat-wave" heating experiments at the EISCAT heating facility. ELF waves were registered with the ELF receiver located at Lovozero (68 N, 35 E), 660 km east from the EISCAT Tromso heating facility (69.6 N, 19.2 E). Frequency shifts between the generated beat-wave and received ELF waves were detected in all sessions. It is shown that the amplitudes of ELF waves depend on the auroral electrojet current strength. Our results showing a strong dependence of ELF signal intensities on the substorm development seem to support the conclusion that electrojet currents may affect the BW generation of ELF/VLF waves.

Insights from a Modular Interdisciplinary Laboratory Course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouvier-Brown, N. C.; Carmona, V.

2016-12-01

A laboratory curriculum is naturally oriented towards "hands on" and problem-based learning. An earth science course, like chemical ecology, has the additional advantage of interdisciplinary education. Our Chemical Ecology course at Loyola Marymount University was structured as a small modular workshop. Students first gained hands-on experience with each analytical technique in the laboratory. The class then discussed these first datasets, delved into lecture topics, and tweaked their experimental procedures. Lastly, students were given time to design and execute their own experiments and present their findings. Three-to-four class periods were allotted for each laboratory topic. Detailed information and student reflections will be presented from the Spectroscopy module. Students used the Folin-Ciocalteau reagent method to extract the phenolic content of vegetation and/or soils. Because phenols are produced by plants for defense, this spectroscopic laboratory activity provided insight on allelopathy using analytical chemistry. Students were extremely engaged and learned not only the lab theory and technique, but also its application to our local ecology.

Extreme-Environment Silicon-Carbide (SiC) Wireless Sensor Suite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Jie

2015-01-01

Phase II objectives: Develop an integrated silicon-carbide wireless sensor suite capable of in situ measurements of critical characteristics of NTP engine; Compose silicon-carbide wireless sensor suite of: Extreme-environment sensors center, Dedicated high-temperature (450 deg C) silicon-carbide electronics that provide power and signal conditioning capabilities as well as radio frequency modulation and wireless data transmission capabilities center, An onboard energy harvesting system as a power source.

Tying Variability in Summertime North American Extreme Weather Regimes to the Boreal Summer Intraseasonal Oscillation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jenney, A. M.; Randall, D. A.

2017-12-01

Tropical intraseasonal oscillations are known to be a source of extratropical variability. We show that subseasonal variability in observed North American epidemiologically significant regional extreme weather regimes is teleconnected to the boreal summer intraseasonal oscillation (BSISO)—a complex tropical weather system that is active during the northern summer and has a 30-50 day timescale. The dynamics of the teleconnection are examined. We also find that interannual variability of the tropical mean-state can modulate the teleconnection. Our results suggest that the BSISO may enable subseasonal to seasonal predictions of North American summertime weather extremes.

[Right extremities pain caused by a malacia lesion in the left putamen:a resting functional magnetic resonance imaging of the marginal division of the human brain].

PubMed

Chen, Zhi-Ye; Ma, Lin

2014-04-01

To explore the role of marginal division of the human brain in the pain modulation. Resting functional magnetic resonance imaging was applied in a patient with right extremities pain caused by a malacia lesion in the left putamen and in 8 healthy volunteers. Marginal division was defined using manual drawing on structure images, and was applied to the computation of fuctional connectivity maps. The functional connectivities in the left marginal division showed an evident decrease in the patient when compared with healthy controls. These connectivities were mainly located in the bilateral head of caudate nucleus, putamen, and left globus pallidus. The marginal division may be involved in the pain modulation.

Metal modulation epitaxy growth for extremely high hole concentrations above 1019 cm-3 in GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namkoong, Gon; Trybus, Elaissa; Lee, Kyung Keun; Moseley, Michael; Doolittle, W. Alan; Look, David C.

2008-10-01

The free hole carriers in GaN have been limited to concentrations in the low 1018cm-3 range due to the deep activation energy, lower solubility, and compensation from defects, therefore, limiting doping efficiency to about 1%. Herein, we report an enhanced doping efficiency up to ˜10% in GaN by a periodic doping, metal modulation epitaxy growth technique. The hole concentrations grown by periodically modulating Ga atoms and Mg dopants were over ˜1.5×1019cm-3.

Evaluating sub-seasonal skill in probabilistic forecasts of Atmospheric Rivers and associated extreme events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subramanian, A. C.; Lavers, D.; Matsueda, M.; Shukla, S.; Cayan, D. R.; Ralph, M.

2017-12-01

Atmospheric rivers (ARs) - elongated plumes of intense moisture transport - are a primary source of hydrological extremes, water resources and impactful weather along the West Coast of North America and Europe. There is strong demand in the water management, societal infrastructure and humanitarian sectors for reliable sub-seasonal forecasts, particularly of extreme events, such as floods and droughts so that actions to mitigate disastrous impacts can be taken with sufficient lead-time. Many recent studies have shown that ARs in the Pacific and the Atlantic are modulated by large-scale modes of climate variability. Leveraging the improved understanding of how these large-scale climate modes modulate the ARs in these two basins, we use the state-of-the-art multi-model forecast systems such as the North American Multi-Model Ensemble (NMME) and the Subseasonal-to-Seasonal (S2S) database to help inform and assess the probabilistic prediction of ARs and related extreme weather events over the North American and European West Coasts. We will present results from evaluating probabilistic forecasts of extreme precipitation and AR activity at the sub-seasonal scale. In particular, results from the comparison of two winters (2015-16 and 2016-17) will be shown, winters which defied canonical El Niño teleconnection patterns over North America and Europe. We further extend this study to analyze probabilistic forecast skill of AR events in these two basins and the variability in forecast skill during certain regimes of large-scale climate modes.

Ultra-low power, Zeno effect based optical modulation in a degenerate V-system with a tapered nano fiber in atomic vapor.

PubMed

Salit, K; Salit, M; Krishnamurthy, Subramanian; Wang, Y; Kumar, P; Shahriar, M S

2011-11-07

We demonstrate an ultra-low light level optical modulator using a tapered nano fiber embedded in a hot rubidium vapor. The control and signal beams are co-propagating but orthogonally polarized, leading to a degenerate V-system involving coherent superpositions of Zeeman sublevels. The modulation is due primarily to the quantum Zeno effect for the signal beam induced by the control beam. For a control power of 40 nW and a signal power of 100 pW, we observe near 100% modulation. The ultra-low power level needed for the modulation is due to a combination of the Zeno effect and the extreme field localization in the evanescent field around the taper.

JEM Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-02

In the Space Station Processing Facility, the JEM Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section is lowered onto a scale for weight and center-of-gravity measurements. The module will then be moved to a work stand. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

A Stand-Alone Demography and Landscape Structure Module for Earth System Models: Integration with Inventory Data from Temperate and Boreal Forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, L.; Basso, B.; Hinckley, E. L. S.; Robertson, G. P.; Matson, P. A.

2014-12-01

In the coming century, the proportion of total rainfall that falls in heavy storm events is expected to increase in many areas, especially in the US Midwest, a major agricultural region. These changes in rainfall patterns may have consequences for hydrologic flow and nutrient losses, especially in agricultural soils, with potentially negative consequences for receiving ground- and surface waters. We used a tracer experiment to examine how more extreme rainfall patterns may affect the movement of water and solutes through an agricultural soil profile in the upper Midwest, and to what extent tillage may moderate these effects. Two rainfall patterns were created with 5m x 5m rainout shelters at the Kellogg Biological Station LTER site in replicated plots with either conventional tillage or no-till management. Control rainfall treatments received water 3x per week, and extreme rainfall treatments received the same total amount of water but once every two weeks, to simulate less frequent but larger storms. In April 2015, potassium bromide (KBr) was added as a conservative tracer of water flow to all plots, and Br- concentrations in soil water at 1.2m depth were measured weekly from April through July. Soil water Br- concentrations increased and peaked more quickly under the extreme rainfall treatment, suggesting increased infiltration and solute transfer to depth compared to soils exposed to control rainfall patterns. Soil water Br- also increased and peaked more quickly in no-till than in conventional tillage treatments, indicating differences in flow paths between management systems. Soil moisture measured every 15 minutes at 10, 40, and 100cm depths corroborates tracer experiment results: rainfall events simulated in extreme rainfall treatments led to large increases in deep soil moisture, while the smaller rainfall events simulated under control conditions did not. Deep soil moisture in no-till treatments also increased sooner after water application as compared to in conventional soils. Our results suggest that exposure to more extreme rainfall patterns will likely increase infiltration depth and nutrient losses in agricultural soils. In particular, soils under no-till management, which leads to development of preferential flow paths, may be particularly vulnerable to vertical nutrient losses.

Rogue Waves and Extreme Events in Optics - Challenges and Questions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudley, John; Lacourt, Pierre-Ambroise; Genty, Goery; Dias, Frederic; Akhmediev, Nail

2010-05-01

A central challenge in understanding extreme events in physics is to develop rigorous models linking the complex generation dynamics and the associated statistical behavior. Quantitative studies of extreme phenomena, however, are often hampered in two ways: (i) the intrinsic scarcity of the events under study and (ii) the fact that such events often appear in environments where measurements are difficult. A particular case of interest concerns the infamous oceanic rogue waves that have been associated with many catastrophic maritime disasters. Studying rogue waves under controlled conditions is problematic, and the phenomenon remains a subject of intensive research. On the other hand, there are many qualitative and quantitative links between wave propagation in optics and in hydrodynamics, and it is thus natural to consider to what degree (if any) insights from studying instability phenomena in optics can be applied to other systems. In this context, significant experiments were reported by Solli et al. in late 2007 ["Optical rogue waves," Nature 450, 1054 (2007)], where a wavelength-to-time detection technique allowed the direct characterization of shot-to-shot instabilities in the extreme nonlinear optical spectral broadening process of supercontinuum generation. Specifically, although the process of supercontinuum generation is well-known to exhibit fluctuations in both the time and frequency domains, Solli et al. have shown that these fluctuations contain a small number of statistically-rare "rogue" events associated with a greatly enhanced spectral bandwidth and the generation of localized temporal solitons with greatly increased intensity. Crucially, because these experiments were performed in a regime where modulation instability (MI) plays a key role in the dynamics, an analogy was drawn with hydrodynamic rogue waves, whose origin and dynamics has also been discussed in terms of MI or, as it often referred to in hydrodynamics, the Benjamin-Feir instability. The analogy between the appearance of localized structures in optics and the rogue waves on the ocean's surface is both intriguing and attractive, as it opens up possibilities to explore the extreme value dynamics in a convenient benchtop optical environment. In addition to the proposed links with solitons suggested by Solli et al., other recent studies motivated from an optical context have experimentally demonstrated links with nonlinear breather propagation. The purpose of this paper will be to discuss these results that have been obtained in optics, and to consider possible similarities and differences with oceanic rogue wave counterparts.

STS-95 Space Shuttle Discovery rollout to Launch Pad 39B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

As daylight creeps over the horizon, STS-95 Space Shuttle Discovery, on the Mobile Launch Platform, arrives at Launch Complex Pad 39B after a 4.2-mile trip taking approximately 6 hours. At the left is the 'white room,' attached to the orbiter access arm. The white room is an environmental chamber that mates with the orbiter and holds six persons. At the launch pad, the orbiter, external tank and solid rocket boosters will undergo final preparations for the launch, scheduled to lift off Oct. 29. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar- observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

STS-95 crew members take part in the CEIT for their mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

STS-95 Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr. (left) and Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr. (right) display a newspaper published at the time of Glenn's first flight in Friendship 7, February 1962. Brown and Glenn were participating in Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) for their mission. The CEIT gives astronauts an opportunity for a hands-on look at the payloads on which they will be working on orbit. The launch of the STS-95 mission, aboard Space Shuttle Discovery, is scheduled for Oct. 29, 1998. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

STS-95 crew members take part in the CEIT for their mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

During a break in the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT), Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr.(left), senator from Ohio, greets Bobby Miranda. Miranda was a NASA photographer for Glenn's first flight on Friendship 7, February 1962. In the background is Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski. The CEIT gives astronauts an opportunity for a hands-on look at the payloads and equipment with which they will be working on orbit. The launch of the STS- 95 mission is scheduled for Oct. 29, 1998, on the Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

STS-95 Mission Specialist Stephen Robinson suits up for launch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

STS-95 Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson gives a thumbs up as he dons his flight suit in the Operations and Checkout Building with the help of suit tech George Brittingham (lower right). The final fitting takes place prior to the crew walkout and transport to Launch Pad 39B. Targeted for launch at 2 p.m. EST on Oct. 29, the mission is expected to last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and return to KSC at 11:49 a.m. EST on Nov. 7. The STS-95 mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

KSC-98pc1179

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-28

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At left, the payload canister for Space Shuttle Discovery is lifted from its canister movement vehicle to the top of the Rotating Service Structure on Launch Pad 39-B. Discovery (right), sitting atop the Mobile Launch Platform and next to the Fixed Service Structure (FSS), is scheduled for launch on Oct. 29, 1998, for the STS-95 mission. That mission includes the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH-3), the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process. At the top of the FSS can be seen the 80-foot lightning mast . The 4-foot-high lightning rod on top helps prevent lightning current from passing directly through the Space Shuttle and the structures on the pad

KSC-98pc1558

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

After leaving the Crew Transport Vehicle, members of the mission STS-95 crew (foreground) take a close look at the orbiter Discovery that carried them for nine days and 3.6 million miles. From left, they are Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; and Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr. The STS-95 crew completed a successful mission, landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility at 12:04 p.m. EST, after 9 days in space, traveling 3.6 million miles. The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98PC1017

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-02

During the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT) in the payload bay of Discovery, STS-95 Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson (right) checks a cable that can be used to close a hatch on the orbiter. Looking over his shoulder are Mission Specialist Pedro Duque (center), of the European Space Agency, and Keith Johnson (left), United Space Alliance-Houston. The CEIT gives astronauts an opportunity for a hands-on look at the payloads and equipment they will be using on orbit. The launch of the STS-95 mission, aboard Space Shuttle Discovery, is scheduled for Oct. 29, 1998. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1022

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-02

During a break in the Crew Equipment Interface Test (CEIT), Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio, autographs a photo for Mathew and Alexandria Taraboletti. Standing behind them are their parents, Mark Taraboletti, an engineer with United Space Alliance (USA), and Eva Taraboletti, an orbiter integrity clerk with USA. The CEIT gives astronauts an opportunity for a hands-on look at the payloads and equipment with which they will be working on orbit. The launch of the STS-95 mission is scheduled for Oct. 29, 1998, on the Space Shuttle Discovery. The mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

STS-95 Mission Specialist Pedro Duque suits up for launch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

STS-95 Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, with the European Space Agency, is helped with his flight suit by suit tech Tommy McDonald in the Operations and Checkout Building. The final fitting takes place prior to the crew walkout and transport to Launch Pad 39B. Targeted for launch at 2 p.m. EST on Oct. 29, the mission is expected to last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and return to KSC at 11:49 a.m. EST on Nov. 7. The STS-95 mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

The use of piezosurgery as an alternative method of minimally invasive surgery in the authors’ experience

PubMed Central

Rahnama, Mansur; Czajkowski, Leszek; Grasza, Joanna; Wallner, Jan

2013-01-01

Piezosurgery is a relatively new technique of bone surgery that is recently gaining popularity in implantology, periodontics and oral surgery. The piezosurgery device produces specific ultrasound frequency modulation (22 000–35 000 Hz). The unit provides extreme precision and safety as well as micrometric cutting, thus allowing one to selectively section the mineralized bone structures. Moreover, the device causes less bleeding during and after the operation and the healing process is shorter. Due to the aforementioned advantages, an ultrasound device could be utilized in a wide range of surgical procedures, e.g. impacted tooth extraction, elevation of the Schneiderian membrane, bone splitting or expansion of the ridge, preparing bone bed and bone sampling, and corticotomy, not to menton cystectomy. PMID:24501602

Numerical investigations with WRF about atmospheric features leading to heavy precipitation and flood events over the Central Andes' complex topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamuriano, Marcelo; Brönnimann, Stefan

2017-04-01

It's known that some extremes such as heavy rainfalls, flood events, heatwaves and droughts depend largely on the atmospheric circulation and local features. Bolivia is no exception and while the large scale dynamics over the Amazon has been largely investigated, the local features driven by the Andes Cordillera and the Altiplano is still poorly documented. New insights on the regional atmospheric dynamics preceding heavy precipitation and flood events over the complex topography of the Andes-Amazon interface are added through numerical investigations of several case events: flash flood episodes over La Paz city and the extreme 2014 flood in south-western Amazon basin. Large scale atmospheric water transport is dynamically downscaled in order to take into account the complex topography forcing and local features as modulators of these events. For this purpose, a series of high resolution numerical experiments with the WRF-ARW model is conducted using various global datasets and parameterizations. While several mechanisms have been suggested to explain the dynamics of these episodes, they have not been tested yet through numerical modelling experiments. The simulations captures realistically the local water transport and the terrain influence over atmospheric circulation, even though the precipitation intensity is in general unrealistic. Nevertheless, the results show that Dynamical Downscaling over the tropical Andes' complex terrain provides useful meteorological data for a variety of studies and contributes to a better understanding of physical processes involved in the configuration of these events.

Highlights of X-Stack ExM Deliverable Swift/T

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

Wozniak, Justin M.

Swift/T is a key success from the ExM: System support for extreme-scale, many-task applications1 X-Stack project, which proposed to use concurrent dataflow as an innovative programming model to exploit extreme parallelism in exascale computers. The Swift/T component of the project reimplemented the Swift language from scratch to allow applications that compose scientific modules together to be build and run on available petascale computers (Blue Gene, Cray). Swift/T does this via a new compiler and runtime that generates and executes the application as an MPI program. We assume that mission-critical emerging exascale applications will be composed as scalable applications using existingmore » software components, connected by data dependencies. Developers wrap native code fragments using a higherlevel language, then build composite applications to form a computational experiment. This exemplifies hierarchical concurrency: lower-level messaging libraries are used for fine-grained parallelism; highlevel control is used for inter-task coordination. These patterns are best expressed with dataflow, but static DAGs (i.e., other workflow languages) limit the applications that can be built; they do not provide the expressiveness of Swift, such as conditional execution, iteration, and recursive functions.« less

Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

The Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) pressure module is removed from its shipping crate and moved across the floor of the Space Station Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) to a work stand. A research laboratory, the pressurized module is the first element of the JEM, named 'Kibo' (Hope) to arrive at KSC. Japan's primary contribution to the International Space Station, the module will enhance unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts will conduct experiments. The JEM also includes an exposed facility or platform for space environment experiments, a robotic manipulator system, and two logistics modules. The various JEM components will be assembled in space over the course of three Shuttle missions.

Auditory sensitivity to spectral modulation phase reversal as a function of modulation depth

PubMed Central

Grose, John

2018-01-01

The present study evaluated auditory sensitivity to spectral modulation by determining the modulation depth required to detect modulation phase reversal. This approach may be preferable to spectral modulation detection with a spectrally flat standard, since listeners appear unable to perform the task based on the detection of temporal modulation. While phase reversal thresholds are often evaluated by holding modulation depth constant and adjusting modulation rate, holding rate constant and adjusting modulation depth supports rate-specific assessment of modulation processing. Stimuli were pink noise samples, filtered into seven octave-wide bands (0.125–8 kHz) and spectrally modulated in dB. Experiment 1 measured performance as a function of modulation depth to determine appropriate units for adaptive threshold estimation. Experiment 2 compared thresholds in dB for modulation detection with a flat standard and modulation phase reversal; results supported the idea that temporal cues were available at high rates for the former but not the latter. Experiment 3 evaluated spectral modulation phase reversal thresholds for modulation that was restricted to either one or two neighboring bands. Flanking bands of unmodulated noise had a larger detrimental effect on one-band than two-band targets. Thresholds for high-rate modulation improved with increasing carrier frequency up to 2 kHz, whereas low-rate modulation appeared more consistent across frequency, particularly in the two-band condition. Experiment 4 measured spectral weights for spectral modulation phase reversal detection and found higher weights for bands in the spectral center of the stimulus than for the lowest (0.125 kHz) or highest (8 kHz) band. Experiment 5 compared performance for highly practiced and relatively naïve listeners, and found weak evidence of a larger practice effect at high than low spectral modulation rates. These results provide preliminary data for a task that may provide a better estimate of sensitivity to spectral modulation than spectral modulation detection with a flat standard. PMID:29621338

Changes and Attribution of Extreme Precipitation in Climate Models: Subdaily and Daily Scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, W.; Villarini, G.; Scoccimarro, E.; Vecchi, G. A.

2017-12-01

Extreme precipitation events are responsible for numerous hazards, including flooding, soil erosion, and landslides. Because of their significant socio-economic impacts, the attribution and projection of these events is of crucial importance to improve our response, mitigation and adaptation strategies. Here we present results from our ongoing work.In terms of attribution, we use idealized experiments [pre-industrial control experiment (PI) and 1% per year increase (1%CO2) in atmospheric CO2] from ten general circulation models produced under the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and the fraction of attributable risk to examine the CO2 effects on extreme precipitation at the sub-daily and daily scales. We find that the increased CO2 concentration substantially increases the odds of the occurrence of sub-daily precipitation extremes compared to the daily scale in most areas of the world, with the exception of some regions in the sub-tropics, likely in relation to the subsidence of the Hadley Cell. These results point to the large role that atmospheric CO2 plays in extreme precipitation under an idealized framework. Furthermore, we investigate the changes in extreme precipitation events with the Community Earth System Model (CESM) climate experiments using the scenarios consistent with the 1.5°C and 2°C temperature targets. We find that the frequency of annual extreme precipitation at a global scale increases in both 1.5°C and 2°C scenarios until around 2070, after which the magnitudes of the trend become much weaker or even negative. Overall, the frequency of global annual extreme precipitation is similar between 1.5°C and 2°C for the period 2006-2035, and the changes in extreme precipitation in individual seasons are consistent with those for the entire year. The frequency of extreme precipitation in the 2°C experiments is higher than for the 1.5°C experiment after the late 2030s, particularly for the period 2071-2100.

Observation Platform for Dynamic Biomedical and Biotechnology Experiments Using the International Space Station (ISS) Light Microscopy Module (LMM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurk, Michael A. (Andy)

2015-01-01

Techshot, Inc., has developed an observation platform for the LMM on the ISS that will enable biomedical and biotechnology experiments. The LMM Dynamic Stage consists of an electronics module and the first two of a planned suite of experiment modules. Specimens and reagent solutions can be injected into a small, hollow microscope slide-the heart of the innovation-via a combination of small reservoirs, pumps, and valves. A life science experiment module allows investigators to load up to two different fluids for on-orbit, real-time image cytometry. Fluids can be changed to initiate a process, fix biological samples, or retrieve suspended cells. A colloid science experiment module conducts microparticle and nanoparticle tests for investigation of colloid self-assembly phenomena. This module includes a hollow glass slide and heating elements for the creation of a thermal gradient from one end of the slide to the other. The electronics module supports both experiment modules and contains a unique illuminator/condenser for bright and dark field and phase contrast illumination, power supplies for two piezoelectric pumps, and controller boards for pumps and valves. This observation platform safely contains internal fluids and will greatly accelerate the research and development (R&D) cycle of numerous experiments, products, and services aboard the ISS.

Students' Design of Experiments: An Inquiry Module on the Conduction of Heat

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatzikraniotis, E.; Kallery, M.; Molohidis, A.; Psillos, D.

2010-01-01

This article examines secondary students' design of experiments after engagement in an innovative and inquiry-oriented module on heat transfer. The module consists of an integration of hands-on experiments, simulated experiments and microscopic model simulations, includes a structured series of guided investigative tasks and was implemented for a…

Progress of plasma wakefield self-modulation experiments at FACET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adli, E.; Berglyd Olsen, V. K.; Lindstrøm, C. A.; Muggli, P.; Reimann, O.; Vieira, J. M.; Amorim, L. D.; Clarke, C. I.; Gessner, S. J.; Green, S. Z.; Hogan, M. J.; Litos, M. D.; O`Shea, B. D.; Yakimenko, V.; Clayton, C.; Marsh, K. A.; Mori, W. B.; Joshi, C.; Vafaei-Najafabadi, N.; Williams, O.

2016-09-01

Simulations and theory predict that long electron and positron beams may under favorable conditions self-modulate in plasmas. We report on the progress of experiments studying the self-modulation instability in plasma wakefield experiments at FACET. The experimental results obtained so far, while not being fully conclusive, appear to be consistent with the presence of the self-modulation instability.

KSC-07pd0635

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A flat bed truck hauls the container with the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section inside away from the Trident wharf. The logistics module is part of the Japanese Experiment Module. The logistics module is being transported to the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Japanese Experiment Module is composed of three segments and is known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd0632

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Trident wharf, workers help guide the container with the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section inside toward the dock. The logistics module is part of the Japanese Experiment Module. The logistics module will be transported to the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Japanese Experiment Module is composed of three segments and is known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

JEM Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-02

An overhead crane moves the JEM Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section above the floor of the Space Station Processing Facility to a scale for weight and center-of-gravity measurements. The module will then be moved to a work stand. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

JEM Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-02

In the Space Station Processing Facility, an overhead crane moves the JEM Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section toward a scale (at left) for weight and center-of-gravity measurements. The module will then be moved to a work stand. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

JEM Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-02

The JEM Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section is lifted from its shipping crate in the Space Station Processing Facility. The module will be moved to a scale for weight and center-of-gravity measurements and then to a work stand. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

JEM Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-02

In the Space Station Processing Facility, an overhead crane lifts the JEM Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section from its shipping container and moves it toward a scale for weight and center-of-gravity measurements. The module will then be moved to a work stand. The logistics module is one of the components of the Japanese Experiment Module or JEM, also known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo comprises six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007.

First Materials Science Research Facility Rack Capabilities and Design Features

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cobb, S.; Higgins, D.; Kitchens, L.; Curreri, Peter (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The first Materials Science Research Rack (MSRR-1) is the primary facility for U.S. sponsored materials science research on the International Space Station. MSRR-1 is contained in an International Standard Payload Rack (ISPR) equipped with the Active Rack Isolation System (ARIS) for the best possible microgravity environment. MSRR-1 will accommodate dual Experiment Modules and provide simultaneous on-orbit processing operations capability. The first Experiment Module for the MSRR-1, the Materials Science Laboratory (MSL), is an international cooperative activity between NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and the European Space Agency's (ESA) European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC). The MSL Experiment Module will accommodate several on-orbit exchangeable experiment-specific Module Inserts which provide distinct thermal processing capabilities. Module Inserts currently planned for the MSL are a Quench Module Insert, Low Gradient Furnace, and a Solidification with Quench Furnace. The second Experiment Module for the MSRR-1 configuration is a commercial device supplied by MSFC's Space Products Development (SPD) Group. Transparent furnace assemblies include capabilities for vapor transport processes and annealing of glass fiber preforms. This Experiment Module is replaceable on-orbit. This paper will describe facility capabilities, schedule to flight and research opportunities.

Allosteric Modulation of Chemoattractant Receptors

PubMed Central

Allegretti, Marcello; Cesta, Maria Candida; Locati, Massimo

2016-01-01

Chemoattractants control selective leukocyte homing via interactions with a dedicated family of related G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). Emerging evidence indicates that the signaling activity of these receptors, as for other GPCR, is influenced by allosteric modulators, which interact with the receptor in a binding site distinct from the binding site of the agonist and modulate the receptor signaling activity in response to the orthosteric ligand. Allosteric modulators have a number of potential advantages over orthosteric agonists/antagonists as therapeutic agents and offer unprecedented opportunities to identify extremely selective drug leads. Here, we resume evidence of allosterism in the context of chemoattractant receptors, discussing in particular its functional impact on functional selectivity and probe/concentration dependence of orthosteric ligands activities. PMID:27199992

Teleoperated Modular Robots for Lunar Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Globus, Al; Hornby, Greg; Larchev, Greg; Hancher, Matt; Cannon, Howard; Lohn, Jason

2004-01-01

Solar system exploration is currently carried out by special purpose robots exquisitely designed for the anticipated tasks. However, all contingencies for in situ resource utilization (ISRU), human habitat preparation, and exploration will be difficult to anticipate. Furthermore, developing the necessary special purpose mechanisms for deployment and other capabilities is difficult and error prone. For example, the Galileo high gain antenna never opened, severely restricting the quantity of data returned by the spacecraft. Also, deployment hardware is used only once. To address these problems, we are developing teleoperated modular robots for lunar missions, including operations in transit from Earth. Teleoperation of lunar systems from Earth involves a three second speed-of-light delay, but experiment suggests that interactive operations are feasible.' Modular robots typically consist of many identical modules that pass power and data between them and can be reconfigured for different tasks providing great flexibility, inherent redundancy and graceful degradation as modules fail. Our design features a number of different hub, link, and joint modules to simplify the individual modules, lower structure cost, and provide specialized capabilities. Modular robots are well suited for space applications because of their extreme flexibility, inherent redundancy, high-density packing, and opportunities for mass production. Simple structural modules can be manufactured from lunar regolith in situ using molds or directed solar sintering. Software to direct and control modular robots is difficult to develop. We have used genetic algorithms to evolve both the morphology and control system for walking modular robots3 We are currently using evolvable system technology to evolve controllers for modular robots in the ISS glove box. Development of lunar modular robots will require software and physical simulators, including regolith simulation, to enable design and test of robot software and hardware, particularly automation software. Ready access to these simulators could provide opportunities for contest-driven development ala RoboCup (http://www.robocup.org/). Licensing of module designs could provide opportunities in the toy market and for spin-off applications.

Role of the Atlantic Multidecadal Variability on extreme climate conditions over North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruprich-Robert, Yohan; Delworth, Thomas; Msadek, Rym; Castruccio, Frederic; Yeager, Stephen; Danabasoglu, Gokhan

2017-04-01

The Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV) is associated with marked modulations of climate anomalies observed over many areas of the globe like droughts, decline in sea ice or changes in the atmospheric circulation. However, the shortness of the historical observations compared to the AMV period ( 60-80yr) makes it difficult to show that the AMV is a direct driver of these variations. To isolate the AMV climate response, we use a suite of global coupled models from GFDL and NCAR, in which the North Atlantic sea surface temperatures are restored to the observed AMV pattern, while the other ocean basins are left fully coupled. In order to explore and robustly isolate the AMV impacts on extreme events, we use large ensemble simulations (between 30 and 100 members depending on the model) that are integrated for 10 years. We investigate the importance of model resolution by analyzing GFDL models that vary in their atmospheric resolution and we assess the robustness of the results by comparing them to similar experiments performed with the NCAR coupled model. Further, we investigate the influence of model surface temperature biases on the simulated AMV teleconnections using a flux-adjusted experiment based on a model configuration that corrects for momentum, enthalpy and freshwater fluxes. We focus in this presentation on the impact of the AMV on the occurrence of the North American heat waves. We find that the AMV modulates by about 30% the occurrence of heat waves over North Mexico and the South-West of USA, with more heat waves during a warm phase of the AMV. The main reason for such an increase is that, during a warm AMV phase, the anomalously warm sea surface temperature leads to an increase of the atmospheric convection over the tropical Atlantic, as well as to a an anomalous downward motion over North America. This atmospheric response to AMV inhibits the precipitation over there and drives a deficit of soil moisture. In the summer, the latent heat of evaporation usually cools the surface precluding strong surface temperature warming. But the lack of soil moisture allows less evaporation, which leads to positive surface temperature anomalies and an increase of the occurrence of heat waves. By comparing the results from all the model configurations, we highlight the importance of the representation of the soil moisture by the model on the modulation of heat waves by the AMV. We also stress the influence of model's mean state biases on the simulated AMV impacts.

The Microscope: I--Structure. Health Occupations Education Module.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA. Div. of Vocational Education.

This module on the structure of the microscope is one of 17 modules designed for individualized instruction in health occupations education programs at both the secondary and postsecondary levels. This module consists of an introduction to the module topic, a list of resources needed, and two learning experiences. Each learning experience contains…

Power-Stepped HF Cross Modulation Experiments at HAARP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greene, S.; Moore, R. C.; Langston, J. S.

2013-12-01

High frequency (HF) cross modulation experiments are a well established means for probing the HF-modified characteristics of the D-region ionosphere. In this paper, we apply experimental observations of HF cross-modulation to the related problem of ELF/VLF wave generation. HF cross-modulation measurements are used to evaluate the efficiency of ionospheric conductivity modulation during power-stepped modulated HF heating experiments. The results are compared to previously published dependencies of ELF/VLF wave amplitude on HF peak power. The experiments were performed during the March 2013 campaign at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) Observatory. HAARP was operated in a dual-beam transmission format: the first beam heated the ionosphere using sinusoidal amplitude modulation while the second beam broadcast a series of low-power probe pulses. The peak power of the modulating beam was incremented in 1-dB steps. We compare the minimum and maximum cross-modulation effect and the amplitude of the resulting cross-modulation waveform to the expected power-law dependence of ELF/VLF wave amplitude on HF power.

KSC-07pd0898

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility, Scott Higginbotham, payload manager for the International Space Station, stands in front of the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module. The module will be delivered to the space station on mission STS-123. Earlier, NASA and Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) officials welcomed the arrival of the logistics module. The module will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

Analyze the Role of a Teacher. Module. A Pre-Student Teaching Field Experience for Pre-Service Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Browning, Ruth A.

This module is designed to aid preservice teachers in their first student teaching experience. The module is composed of five learning experiences which enable participants to assess their feelings toward teaching by focusing on three module components: (1) getting to know the students; (2) analyzing the role and activities of a teacher; and (3)…

Some tests of flat plate photovoltaic module cell temperatures in simulated field conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffith, J. S.; Rathod, M. S.; Paslaski, J.

1981-01-01

The nominal operating cell temperature (NOCT) of solar photovoltaic (PV) modules is an important characteristic. Typically, the power output of a PV module decreases 0.5% per deg C rise in cell temperature. Several tests were run with artificial sun and wind to study the parametric dependencies of cell temperature on wind speed and direction and ambient temperature. It was found that the cell temperature is extremely sensitive to wind speed, moderately so to wind direction and rather insensitive to ambient temperature. Several suggestions are made to obtain data more typical of field conditions.

Mission Preparation Program for Exobiological Experiments in Earth Orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panitz, Corinna; Reitz, Guenther; Horneck, Gerda; Rabbow, Elke; Rettberg, Petra

The ESA facilities EXPOSE-R and EXPOSE-E on board of the the International Space Station ISS provide the technology for exposing chemical and biological samples in a controlled manner to outer space parameters, such as high vacuum, intense radiation of galactic and solar origin and microgravity. EXPOSE-E has been attached to the outer balcony of the European Columbus module of the ISS in Febraury 2008 and will stay for about 1 year in space, EXPOSE-R will be attached to the Russian Svezda module of the ISS in fall 2008. The EXPOSE facilities are a further step in the study of the Responses of Organisms to Space Environment (ROSE concortium). The results from the EXPOSE missions will give new insights into the survivability of terrestrial organisms in space and will contribute to the understanding of the organic chemistry processes in space, the biological adaptation strategies to extreme conditions, e.g. on early Earth and Mars, and the distribution of life beyond its planet of origin.To test the compatibility of the different biological and chemical systems and their adaptation to the opportunities and constraints of space conditions a profound ground support program has been developed. It resulted in several experiment verification tests EVTs and an experiment sequence test EST that were conducted in the carefully equipped and monitored planetary and space simulation facilities PSI of the Institute of Aerospace Medicine at DLR in Cologne, Germany. These ground based pre-flight studies allow the investigation of a much wider variety of samples and the selection of the most promising organisms for the flight experiment. The procedure and results of these EVT tests and EST will be presented. These results are an essential prerequisite for the success of the EXPOSE missions and have been done in parallel with the development and construction of the final hardware design of the facility. The results gained during the simulation experiments demonstrated mission preparation as a basic requirement for successful and significant results of every space flight experiment. Hence, the Mission preparation program that was performed in the context of the space missions EXPOSE-E and EXPOSE-R proofed the outstanding importance and accentuated need for ground based experiments.

A diode laser-based velocimeter providing point measurements in unseeded flows using modulated filtered Rayleigh scattering (MFRS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jagodzinski, Jeremy James

2007-12-01

The development to date of a diode-laser based velocimeter providing point-velocity-measurements in unseeded flows using molecular Rayleigh scattering is discussed. The velocimeter is based on modulated filtered Rayleigh scattering (MFRS), a novel variation of filtered Rayleigh scattering (FRS), utilizing modulated absorption spectroscopy techniques to detect a strong absorption of a relatively weak Rayleigh scattered signal. A rubidium (Rb) vapor filter is used to provide the relatively strong absorption; alkali metal vapors have a high optical depth at modest vapor pressures, and their narrow linewidth is ideally suited for high-resolution velocimetry. Semiconductor diode lasers are used to generate the relatively weak Rayleigh scattered signal; due to their compact, rugged construction diode lasers are ideally suited for the environmental extremes encountered in many experiments. The MFRS technique utilizes the frequency-tuning capability of diode lasers to implement a homodyne detection scheme using lock-in amplifiers. The optical frequency of the diode-based laser system used to interrogate the flow is rapidly modulated about a reference frequency in the D2-line of Rb. The frequency modulation is imposed on the Rayleigh scattered light that is collected from the probe volume in the flow under investigation. The collected frequency modulating Rayleigh scattered light is transmitted through a Rb vapor filter before being detected. The detected modulated absorption signal is fed to two lock-in amplifers synchronized with the modulation frequency of the source laser. High levels of background rejection are attained since the lock-ins are both frequency and phase selective. The two lock-in amplifiers extract different Fourier components of the detected modulated absorption signal, which are ratioed to provide an intensity normalized frequency dependent signal from a single detector. A Doppler frequency shift in the collected Rayleigh scattered light due to a change in the velocity of the flow under investigation results in a change in the detected modulated absorption signal. This change in the detected signal provides a quantifiable measure of the Doppler frequency shift, and hence the velocity in the probe volume, provided that the laser source exhibits acceptable levels of frequency stability (determined by the magnitude of the velocities being measured). An extended cavity diode laser (ECDL) in the Littrow configuration provides frequency tunable, relatively narrow-linewidth lasing for the MFRS velocimeter. Frequency stabilization of the ECDL is provided by a proportional-integral-differential (PID) controller based on an error signal in the reference arm of the experiment. The optical power of the Littrow laser source is amplified by an antireflection coated (AR coated) broad stripe diode laser. The single-mode, frequency-modulatable, frequency-stable O(50 mW) of optical power provided by this extended cavity diode laser master oscillator power amplifier (ECDL-MOPA) system provided sufficient scattering signal from a condensing jet of CO2 to implement the MFRS technique in the frequency-locked mode of operation.

Smart Materials and Structures-Smart Wing. Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-12-01

repeatable fashion when heat is applied. Therefore, once the pre-twist is successfully applied and the tube is installed in the model, heating the...modules were operated and calibrated online by the PSI 8400 Control System. Because the transducer modules are extremely sensitive to temperature, a...again substantiates that adaptive features tend to support each other, though not necessarily in a completely linear fashion , and essentially provide a

Recovery - Apollo Spacecraft (S/C)-017

NASA Image and Video Library

1967-11-09

S67-49423 (9 Nov. 1967) --- The Apollo Spacecraft 017 Command Module, with flotation collar still attached, is hoisted aboard the USS Bennington, prime recovery ship for the Apollo 4 (Spacecraft 017/Saturn 501) unmanned, Earth-orbital space mission. The Command Module splashed down at 3:37 p.m. (EST), Nov. 9, 1967, 934 nautical miles northwest of Honolulu, Hawaii, in the mid-Pacific Ocean. Note charred heat shield caused by extreme heat of reentry.

Double-sideband frequency scanning interferometry for long-distance dynamic absolute measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Di; Wang, Ran; Li, Guang-zuo; Wang, Ning; Zhang, Ke-shu; Wu, Yi-rong

2017-11-01

Absolute distance measurements can be achieved by frequency scanning interferometry which uses a tunable laser. The main drawback of this method is that it is extremely sensitive to the movement of targets. In addition, since this method is limited to the linearity of frequency scanning, it is commonly used for close measurements within tens of meters. In order to solve these problems, a double-sideband frequency scanning interferometry system is presented in the paper. It generates two opposite frequency scanning signals through a fixed frequency laser and a Mach-Zehnder modulator. And the system distinguishes the two interference fringe patterns corresponding to the two signals by IQ demodulation (i.e., quadrature detection) of the echo. According to the principle of double-sideband modulation, the two signals have the same characteristics. Therefore, the error caused by the target movement can be effectively eliminated, which is similar to dual-laser frequency scanned interferometry. In addition, this method avoids the contradiction between laser frequency stability and swept performance. The system can be applied to measure the distance of the order of kilometers, which profits from the good linearity of frequency scanning. In the experiment, a precision about 3 μm was achieved for a kilometer-level distance.

Validation of extremes within the Perfect-Predictor Experiment of the COST Action VALUE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hertig, Elke; Maraun, Douglas; Wibig, Joanna; Vrac, Mathieu; Soares, Pedro; Bartholy, Judith; Pongracz, Rita; Mares, Ileana; Gutierrez, Jose Manuel; Casanueva, Ana; Alzbutas, Robertas

2016-04-01

Extreme events are of widespread concern due to their damaging consequences on natural and anthropogenic systems. From science to applications the statistical attributes of rare and infrequent occurrence and low probability become connected with the socio-economic aspect of strong impact. Specific end-user needs regarding information about extreme events depend on the type of application, but as a joining element there is always the request for easily accessible climate change information with a clear description of their uncertainties and limitations. Within the Perfect-Predictor Experiment of the COST Action VALUE extreme indices modelled from a wide range of downscaling methods are compared to reference indices calculated from observational data. The experiment uses reference data from a selection of 86 weather stations representative of the different climates in Europe. Results are presented for temperature and precipitation extremes and include aspects of the marginal distribution as well as spell-length related aspects.

KSC-98pc1183

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-30

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Inside the Payload Changeout Room (PCR) in the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) at Launch Pad 39-B, technicians in clean suits and tethers prepare to move the payloads for mission STS-95 through the open doors of the payload bay (right) of Space Shuttle Discovery. At the top of the RSS is the Spacehab module; below it are the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test Platform (HOST), and International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH-3). The PCR is an environmentally controlled facility with seals around the mating surface that fit against the orbiter or payload canister and permit the payload bay or canister doors to be opened and cargo removed without exposing it to outside air and contaminants. Payloads are installed vertically in the orbiter using the extendable payload ground handling mechanism. Fixed and extendable work platforms provide work access in the PCR. The SPACEHAB single module involves experiments on space flight and the aging process. Spartan is a solar physics spacecraft designed to perform remote sensing of the hot outer layers of the sun's atmosphere or corona. HOST carries four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an Earth-orbiting environment. IEH-3 comprises several experiments that will study the Jovian planetary system, hot stars, planetary and reflection nebulae, other stellar objects and their environments through remote observation of EUV/FUV emissions; study spacecraft interactions, Shuttle glow, thruster firings, and contamination; and measure the solar constant and identify variations in the value during a solar cycle. Mission STS-95 is scheduled to launch Oct. 29, 1998

KSC-98pc1184

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-30

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER,FLA. -- Inside the Payload Changeout Room (PCR) in the Rotating Service Structure (RSS) at Launch Pad 39-B, technicians in clean suits and tethers prepare to move the payloads for mission STS-95 through the open doors of the payload bay (left) of Space Shuttle Discovery. At the top of the RSS is the Spacehab module; below it are the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test Platform (HOST), and the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH-3). The PCR is an environmentally controlled facility with seals around the mating surface that fit against the orbiter or payload canister and permit the payload bay or canister doors to be opened and cargo removed without exposing it to outside air and contaminants. Payloads are installed vertically in the orbiter using the extendable payload ground handling mechanism. Fixed and extendable work platforms provide work access in the PCR. The SPACEHAB single module involves experiments on space flight and the aging process. Spartan is a solar physics spacecraft designed to perform remote sensing of the hot outer layers of the sun's atmosphere or corona. HOST carries four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an Earth-orbiting environment. IEH-3 comprises several experiments that will study the Jovian planetary system, hot stars, planetary and reflection nebulae, other stellar objects and their environments through remote observation of EUV/FUV emissions; study spacecraft interactions, Shuttle glow, thruster firings, and contamination; and measure the solar constant and identify variations in the value during a solar cycle. Mission STS-95 is scheduled to launch Oct. 29, 1998

Module Fifteen: Special Topics; Basic Electricity and Electronics Individualized Learning System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bureau of Naval Personnel, Washington, DC.

The final module emphasizes utilizing the information learned in modules 1-14 to analyze and evaluate the power supply constructed in Module 0. The module contains the following narrative--power supply evaluation; experiment 1--resistance analysis of the half-wave and semiconductor power supply; experiment 2--voltage analysis of the half-wave and…

KSC-07pd0633

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Trident wharf, workers help guide the container with the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section inside toward a flat bed on the dock. The logistics module is part of the Japanese Experiment Module. The logistics module will be transported to the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Japanese Experiment Module is composed of three segments and is known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd0634

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Trident wharf, workers help guide the container with the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section inside onto a flat bed on the dock. The logistics module is part of the Japanese Experiment Module. The logistics module will be transported to the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Japanese Experiment Module is composed of three segments and is known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd0631

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Trident wharf, workers in the hold of a ship attach a crane to the shipping container with the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module. The ship brought the module from Yokohama, Japan. The logistics module will be offloaded and transported to the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Japanese Experiment Module is composed of three segments and is known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Extracting binaural information from simultaneous targets and distractors: Effects of amplitude modulation and asynchronous envelopes

PubMed Central

Stellmack, Mark A.; Byrne, Andrew J.; Viemeister, Neal F.

2010-01-01

When different components of a stimulus carry different binaural information, processing of binaural information in a target component is often affected. The present experiments examine whether such interference is affected by amplitude modulation and the relative phase of modulation of the target and distractors. In all experiments, listeners attempted to discriminate interaural time differences of a target stimulus in the presence of distractor stimuli with ITD=0. In Experiment 1, modulation of the distractors but not the target reduced interference between components. In Experiment 2, synthesized musical notes exhibited little binaural interference when there were slight asynchronies between different streams of notes (31 or 62 ms). The remaining experiments suggested that the reduction in binaural interference in the previous experiments was due neither to the complex spectra of the synthesized notes nor to greater detectability of the target in the presence of modulated distractors. These data suggest that this interference is reduced when components are modulated in ways that result in the target appearing briefly in isolation, not because of segregation cues. These data also suggest that modulation and asynchronies between modulators that might be encountered in real-world listening situations are adequate to reduce binaural interference to inconsequential levels. PMID:20815459

Officials welcome the arrival of the Japanese Experiment Module

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

In the Space Station Processing Facility, astronaut Takao Doi (left) and Commander Dominic Gorie pose in front of the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module, or JEM, that recently arrived at Kennedy. Doi and Gorie are crew members for mission STS-123 that will deliver the logistics module to the International Space Station. Earlier, NASA and Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) officials welcomed the arrival of the module. The new International Space Station component arrived at Kennedy March 12 to begin preparations for its future launch on mission STS-123. It will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module.

Space Experiment Module (SEM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brodell, Charles L.

1999-01-01

The Space Experiment Module (SEM) Program is an education initiative sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Shuttle Small Payloads Project. The program provides nationwide educational access to space for Kindergarten through University level students. The SEM program focuses on the science of zero-gravity and microgravity. Within the program, NASA provides small containers or "modules" for students to fly experiments on the Space Shuttle. The experiments are created, designed, built, and implemented by students with teacher and/or mentor guidance. Student experiment modules are flown in a "carrier" which resides in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle. The carrier supplies power to, and the means to control and collect data from each experiment.

KSC-07pd0902

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section of the Japanese Experiment Module sits on top of a stand in the Space Station Processing Facility. Earlier, NASA and Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) officials welcomed the arrival of the logistics module, which will be delivered to the space station on mission STS-123. The module will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-07pd0901

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After a welcoming ceremony for the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section of the Japanese Experiment Module, STS-123 Commander Dominic Gorie talks to the media. Earlier, NASA and Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) officials welcomed the arrival of the logistics module, which will be delivered to the space station on mission STS-123. The module will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-07pd0899

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility, Scott Higginbotham and Chuong Nguyen, payload manager and deputy payload manager respectively for the International Space Station, stand in front of the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module. Earlier, NASA and Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) officials welcomed the arrival of the logistics module. The module will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-07pd0626

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The ship carrying the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module arrives at the Trident wharf after departing from Yokohama, Japan, Feb. 7. The logistics module will be offloaded and transported to the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Japanese Experiment Module is composed of three segments and is known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd0628

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The ship carrying the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module arrives at the Trident wharf after departing from Yokohama, Japan, Feb. 7. The logistics module will be offloaded and transported to the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Japanese Experiment Module is composed of three segments and is known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd0627

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The ship carrying the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module arrives at the Trident wharf after departing from Yokohama, Japan, Feb. 7. The logistics module will be offloaded and transported to the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Japanese Experiment Module is composed of three segments and is known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KSC-07pd0629

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The ship carrying the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module is tied up at the Trident wharf after departing from Yokohama, Japan, Feb. 7. The logistics module will be offloaded and transported to the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Japanese Experiment Module is composed of three segments and is known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Officials welcome the arrival of the Japanese Experiment Module

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

In the Space Station Processing Facility, Scott Higginbotham, payload manager for the International Space Station, discusses the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), with Dr. Hidetaka Tanaka, the JEM Project Team resident manager at KSC for the Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA). Earlier, NASA and JAXA officials welcomed the arrival of the module. The new International Space Station component arrived at Kennedy March 12 to begin preparations for its future launch on mission STS-123. It will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module.

Miniaturized, High-Speed, Modulated X-Ray Source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gendreau, Keith; Arzoumanian, Zaven; Kenyon, Steve; Spartana, Nick

2013-01-01

A low-cost, miniature x-ray source has been developed that can be modulated in intensity from completely off to full intensity on nanosecond timescales. This modulated x-ray source (MXS) has no filaments and is extremely rugged. The energy level of the MXS is adjustable from 0 to more than 100 keV. It can be used as the core of many new devices, providing the first practical, arbitrarily time-variable source of x-rays. The high-speed switching capability and miniature size make possible many new technologies including x-ray-based communication, compact time-resolved x-ray diffraction, novel x-ray fluorescence instruments, and low- and precise-dose medical x-rays. To make x-rays, the usual method is to accelerate electrons into a target material held at a high potential. When the electrons stop in the target, x-rays are produced with a spectrum that is a function of the target material and the energy to which the electrons are accelerated. Most commonly, the electrons come from a hot filament. In the MXS, the electrons start off as optically driven photoelectrons. The modulation of the x-rays is then tied to the modulation of the light that drives the photoelectron source. Much of the recent development has consisted of creating a photoelectrically-driven electron source that is robust, low in cost, and offers high intensity. For robustness, metal photocathodes were adopted, including aluminum and magnesium. Ultraviolet light from 255- to 350-nm LEDs (light emitting diodes) stimulated the photoemissions from these photocathodes with an efficiency that is maximized at the low-wavelength end (255 nm) to a value of roughly 10(exp -4). The MXS units now have much higher brightness, are much smaller, and are made using a number of commercially available components, making them extremely inexpensive. In the latest MXS design, UV efficiency is addressed by using a high-gain electron multiplier. The photocathode is vapor-deposited onto the input cone of a Burle Magnum(TradeMark) multiplier. This system yields an extremely robust photon-driven electron source that can tolerate long, weeks or more, exposure to air with negligible degradation. The package is also small. When combined with the electron target, necessary vacuum fittings, and supporting components (but not including LED electronics or high-voltage sources), the entire modulated x-ray source weighs as little as 158 grams.

KSC-98pc1555

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

After nine days and 3.6 million miles in space, orbiter Discovery prepares to land on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after successfully completing mission STS-95. The STS-95 crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

Payload canister for Discovery is lifted in place for transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

At left, the payload canister for Space Shuttle Discovery is lifted from its canister movement vehicle to the top of the Rotating Service Structure on Launch Pad 39-B. Discovery (right), sitting atop the Mobile Launch Platform and next to the Fixed Service Structure (FSS), is scheduled for launch on Oct. 29, 1998, for the STS-95 mission. That mission includes the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH-3), the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the Spartan solar- observing deployable spacecraft, and the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process. At the top of the FSS can be seen the 80-foot lightning mast . The 4- foot-high lightning rod on top helps prevent lightning current from passing directly through the Space Shuttle and the structures on the pad.

Fast novel nonlinear optical NLC system with local response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iljin, Andrey; Residori, Stefania; Bortolozzo, Umberto

2017-06-01

Nonlinear optical performance of a novel liquid crystalline (LC) cell has been studied in two-wave mixing experiments revealing high diffraction efficiency within extremely wide intensity range, fast recording times and spatial resolution. Photo-induced modulation of the LC order parameter resulting from trans-cis isomerisation of dye molecules causes consequent changes of refractive indices of the medium (Light-Induced Order Modification, LIOM-mechanism) and is proved to be the main mechanism of optical nonlinearity. The proposed arrangement of the electric-field-stabilised homeotropic alignment hinders the LC director reorientation, prevents appearance of surface effects and ensures the optical cell quality. The LIOM-type nonlinearity, characterised with the substantially local nonlinear optical response, could also be extended for the recording of arbitrary phase profiles as requested in several applications for light-beam manipulation, recording of dynamic volume holograms and photonic lattices.

Spectators in the stands watch launch of STS-95 and Space Shuttle Discovery.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

These stands are filled with spectators watching and photographing the launch of STS-95. The viewing sites and roadways at Kennedy Space Center bulge with people and vehicles wanting to see Space Shuttle Discovery lift off. Extra attention has been drawn to the mission due to the addition to the crew of John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio. STS-95 is Glenn's second flight into space after 36 years; he was one of the original Project Mercury astronauts and flew his first mission in February 1962. The STS-95 mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as a SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

KSC-98dc1580

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

After a successful mission of nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles, the orbiter Discovery glides to Earth on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. The STS-95 mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process. The crew consisted of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA)

KSC-98pc1548

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

Orbiter Discovery touches down on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility after a successful mission of nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. The STS-95 crew consists of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, M.D., with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

Discovery touches down after successful mission STS-95

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

After nine days and 3.6 million miles in space, orbiter Discovery prepares to land on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after successfully completing mission STS-95. The STS-95 crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Advancement of the Wide-angle JEM-EUSO Optical System with Holographic and Fresnel Lenses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Takizawa, Y.; Adams, J.H.

2007-01-01

JEM-EUSO is a space mission to observe extremely high-energy cosmic rays, evolved from the previous design studies of EUSO. It is adjusted for the Japan Experiment Module (JEM) of the International Space Station (ISS). JEM-EUSO uses a wide-angle refractive telescope in near-ultraviolet wavelength region to observe from ISS the time-and-space-resolved atmospheric fluorescence images of the extensive air showers. The JEM-EUSO optics is re-designed after the ESA-Phase A studies to upgrade the light-collecting-power by using a new material CYTOP, and its overall light-collecting power is about 1.5 times higher than the ESA-Phase A baseline optics. We describe in this paper an optimized optics design that maximizes the sensitivity of JEM-EUSO, and the results of the optics manufacturing tests.

Discovery touches down after successful mission STS-95

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Orbiter Discovery lowers its nose wheel after touching down on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after successfully completing mission STS-95, lasting nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. The STS-95 crew is composed of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski, Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson, Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio, Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA), and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Discovery touches down after successful mission STS-95

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Orbiter Discovery touches down on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility after a successful mission of nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. The STS-95 crew consists of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, M.D., with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Discovery prepares to land after successful mission STS-95

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Orbiter Discovery prepares to land on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after successfully completing mission STS-95, lasting nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. The crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski, Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson, Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio, Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA), and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar- observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Discovery touches down after successful mission STS-95

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Orbiter Discovery touches down in a cloud of smoke on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after successfully completing mission STS-95, lasting nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. The crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski, Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson, Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio, Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA), and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar- observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Discovery touches down after successful mission STS-95

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

After a successful mission of nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles, the orbiter Discovery glides to Earth on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. The STS-95 mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process. The crew consisted of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA).

Characterizing differences in precipitation regimes of extreme wet and dry years: implications for climate change experiments.

PubMed

Knapp, Alan K; Hoover, David L; Wilcox, Kevin R; Avolio, Meghan L; Koerner, Sally E; La Pierre, Kimberly J; Loik, Michael E; Luo, Yiqi; Sala, Osvaldo E; Smith, Melinda D

2015-02-03

Climate change is intensifying the hydrologic cycle and is expected to increase the frequency of extreme wet and dry years. Beyond precipitation amount, extreme wet and dry years may differ in other ways, such as the number of precipitation events, event size, and the time between events. We assessed 1614 long-term (100 year) precipitation records from around the world to identify key attributes of precipitation regimes, besides amount, that distinguish statistically extreme wet from extreme dry years. In general, in regions where mean annual precipitation (MAP) exceeded 1000 mm, precipitation amounts in extreme wet and dry years differed from average years by ~40% and 30%, respectively. The magnitude of these deviations increased to >60% for dry years and to >150% for wet years in arid regions (MAP<500 mm). Extreme wet years were primarily distinguished from average and extreme dry years by the presence of multiple extreme (large) daily precipitation events (events >99th percentile of all events); these occurred twice as often in extreme wet years compared to average years. In contrast, these large precipitation events were rare in extreme dry years. Less important for distinguishing extreme wet from dry years were mean event size and frequency, or the number of dry days between events. However, extreme dry years were distinguished from average years by an increase in the number of dry days between events. These precipitation regime attributes consistently differed between extreme wet and dry years across 12 major terrestrial ecoregions from around the world, from deserts to the tropics. Thus, we recommend that climate change experiments and model simulations incorporate these differences in key precipitation regime attributes, as well as amount into treatments. This will allow experiments to more realistically simulate extreme precipitation years and more accurately assess the ecological consequences. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

KSC-07pd0636

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- A flat bed truck hauls the container with the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section inside away from the Trident wharf. The logistics module is part of the Japanese Experiment Module, known as Kibo. The logistics module is being transported to the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. Kibo consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Uses for lunar crawler transporters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaden, Richard A.

This article discusses state-of-the-art crawler transporters and expresses the need for additional research and development for lunar crawlers. The thrust of the paper illustrates how the basic crawler technology has progressed to a point where extremely large modules can be shop fabricated and move to some distant location at a considerable savings. Also, extremely heavy loads may be lifted by large crawler cranes and placed in designed locations. The Transi-Lift Crawler crane with its traveling counterweight is an attractive concept for lunar construction.

Identification of another module involved in the horizontal transfer of the Haemophilus genomic island ICEHin1056.

PubMed

Juhas, Mario; Dimopoulou, Ioanna; Robinson, Esther; Elamin, Abdel; Harding, Rosalind; Hood, Derek; Crook, Derrick

2013-09-01

A significant part of horizontal gene transfer is facilitated by genomic islands. Haemophilus influenzae genomic island ICEHin1056 is an archetype of a genomic island that accounts for pandemic spread of antibiotics resistance. ICEHin1056 has modular structure and harbors modules involved in type IV secretion and integration. Previous studies have shown that ICEHin1056 encodes a functional type IV secretion system; however, other modules have not been characterized yet. Here we show that the module on the 5' extremity of ICEHin1056 consists of 15 genes that are well conserved in a number of related genomic islands. Furthermore by disrupting six genes of the investigated module of ICEHin1056 by site-specific mutagenesis we demonstrate that in addition to type IV secretion system module, the investigated module is also important for the successful conjugal transfer of ICEHin1056 from donor to recipient cells. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Medical Terminology: Prefixes. Health Occupations Education Module.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA. Div. of Vocational Education.

This module on medical terminology (prefixes) is one of 17 modules designed for individualized instruction in health occupations education programs at both the secondary and postsecondary levels. This module consists of an introduction to prefixes, a list of resources needed, and three learning experiences. Each learning experience contains an…

Critical appraisal of volumetric-modulated arc therapy compared with electrons for the radiotherapy of cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma of lower extremities with bone sparing.

PubMed

Nicolini, G; Abraham, S; Fogliata, A; Jordaan, A; Clivio, A; Vanetti, E; Cozzi, L

2013-03-01

To evaluate the use of volumetric-modulated arc therapy [VMAT, RapidArc® (RA); Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA] for the treatment of cutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) of lower extremities with adequate target coverage and high bone sparing, and to compare VMAT with electron beam therapy. 10 patients were planned with either RA or electron beams. The dose was prescribed to 30 Gy, 10 fractions, to mean the planning target volume (PTV), and significant maximum dose to bone was limited to 30 Gy. Plans were designed for 6-MV photon beams for RA and 6 MeV for electrons. Dose distributions were computed with AcurosXB® (Varian Medical Systems) for photons and with a Monte Carlo algorithm for electrons. V(90%) was 97.3±1.2 for RA plans and 78.2±2.6 for electrons; similarly, V(107%) was 2.5±2.2 and 37.7±3.4, respectively. RA met coverage criteria. Concerning bone sparing, D(2%) was 29.6±1.1 for RA and 31.0±2.4 for electrons. Although acceptable for bone involvement, pronounced target coverage violations were obtained for electron plans. Monitor units were similar for electrons and RA, although for the latter they increased when superior bone sparing was imposed. Delivery times were 12.1±4.0 min for electrons and 4.8±1.3 min for the most modulated RA plans. High plan quality was shown for KS in the lower extremities using VMAT, and this might simplify their management in comparison with the more conventional usage of electrons, particularly in institutes with limited staff resources and heavy workloads. VMAT is also dosimetrically extremely advantageous in a typology of treatments where electron beam therapy is mainly considered to be effective owing to the limited penetration of the beams.

An Investigation of DC-DC Converter Power Density Using Si and SiC MOSFETS

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-07

submarine or small surface combatant, volumetric constraints quickly become extremely prohibitive. Dedicating generators for high power loads takes...thermal compounds were applied to the MOSFET-heat sink interface. For the Si APT26F120B2, MG Chemicals TC-450ML thermal epoxy was used to connect the... submarines , bus converter modules must be made optimally power dense in order to decrease volumetric requirements of the modules for a rated throughput

Undergraduate Laboratory Experiment Modules for Probing Gold Nanoparticle Interfacial Phenomena

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karunanayake, Akila G.; Gunatilake, Sameera R.; Ameer, Fathima S.; Gadogbe, Manuel; Smith, Laura; Mlsna, Deb; Zhang, Dongmao

2015-01-01

Three gold-nanoparticle (AuNP) undergraduate experiment modules that are focused on nanoparticles interfacial phenomena have been developed. Modules 1 and 2 explore the synthesis and characterization of AuNPs of different sizes but with the same total gold mass. These experiments enable students to determine how particle size affects the AuNP…

Space Experiment Module: A new low-cost capability for education payloads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldsmith, Theodore C.; Lewis, Ruthan

1995-01-01

The Space Experiment Module (SEM) concept is one of a number of education initiatives being pursued by the NASA Shuttle Small Payloads Project (SSPP) in an effort to increase educational access to space by means of Space Shuttle Small Payloads and associated activities. In the SEM concept, NASA will provide small containers ('modules') which can accommodate small zero-gravity experiments designed and constructed by students. A number, (nominally ten), of the modules will then be flown in an existing Get Away Special (GAS) carrier on the Shuttle for a flight of 5 to 10 days. In addition to the module container, the NASA carrier system will provide small amounts of electrical power and a computer system for controlling the operation of the experiments and recording experiment data. This paper describes the proposed SEM carrier system and program approach.

Comparison of the hedonic general Labeled Magnitude Scale with the hedonic 9-point scale.

PubMed

Kalva, Jaclyn J; Sims, Charles A; Puentes, Lorenzo A; Snyder, Derek J; Bartoshuk, Linda M

2014-02-01

The hedonic 9-point scale was designed to compare palatability among different food items; however, it has also been used occasionally to compare individuals and groups. Such comparisons can be invalid because scale labels (for example, "like extremely") can denote systematically different hedonic intensities across some groups. Addressing this problem, the hedonic general Labeled Magnitude Scale (gLMS) frames affective experience in terms of the strongest imaginable liking/disliking of any kind, which can yield valid group comparisons of food palatability provided extreme hedonic experiences are unrelated to food. For each scale, 200 panelists rated affect for remembered food products (including favorite and least favorite foods) and sampled foods; they also sampled taste stimuli (quinine, sucrose, NaCl, citric acid) and rated their intensity. Finally, subjects identified experiences representing the endpoints of the hedonic gLMS. Both scales were similar in their ability to detect within-subject hedonic differences across a range of food experiences, but group comparisons favored the hedonic gLMS. With the 9-point scale, extreme labels were strongly associated with extremes in food affect. In contrast, gLMS data showed that scale extremes referenced nonfood experiences. Perceived taste intensity significantly influenced differences in food liking/disliking (for example, those experiencing the most intense tastes, called supertasters, showed more extreme liking and disliking for their favorite and least favorite foods). Scales like the hedonic gLMS are suitable for across-group comparisons of food palatability. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

Evolving technologies for Space Station Freedom computer-based workstations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jensen, Dean G.; Rudisill, Marianne

1990-01-01

Viewgraphs on evolving technologies for Space Station Freedom computer-based workstations are presented. The human-computer computer software environment modules are described. The following topics are addressed: command and control workstation concept; cupola workstation concept; Japanese experiment module RMS workstation concept; remote devices controlled from workstations; orbital maneuvering vehicle free flyer; remote manipulator system; Japanese experiment module exposed facility; Japanese experiment module small fine arm; flight telerobotic servicer; human-computer interaction; and workstation/robotics related activities.

KSC-07pd0900

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- After a welcoming ceremony for the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section of the Japanese Experiment Module, astronaut Takao Doi (right) talks with Kumiko Tanabe, a public affairs representative of the Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency. The logistics module will be delivered to the space station on mission STS-123. Doi is a crew member on that mission.The module will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-07pd0897

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility, journalists and photographers ask Japanese astronaut Takao Doi about the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module, or JEM, that he will accompany on mission STS-123 to the International Space Station. Earlier, NASA and Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) officials welcomed the arrival of the logistics module. The logistics module will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

Officials welcome the arrival of the Japanese Experiment Module

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

In the Space Station Processing Facility, NASA and Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) officials welcome the arrival of the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module, or JEM, to the Kennedy Space Center. Seen here at right are JAXA representatives, including Japanese astronaut Takao Doi (center of front row), who is a crew member for mission STS-123 that will deliver the module to the space station. The new International Space Station component arrived at Kennedy March 12 to begin preparations for its future launch on mission STS-123. It will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module.

Modulation of Heavy Rainfall in the Middle East and North Africa by Madden-Julian Oscillation Using High Resolution Atmospheric General Circulation Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, L.; Stenchikov, G. L.; McCabe, M. F.; Bangalath, H. K.

2014-12-01

Recently, the modulation of subtropical rainfall by the dominant tropical intraseasonal signal of the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), has been explored through the discussion of the MJO-convection-induced Kelvin and Rossby wave related teleconnection patterns. Our study focuses on characterizing the modulation of heavy rainfall in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region by the MJO, using the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) global High Resolution Atmospheric Model (HIRAM) simulations (25-km; 1979-2012) and a combination of available atmospheric products from satellite, in-situ and reanalysis data. The observed Hadley Centre Global Sea Ice and Sea Surface Temperature (HadISST) and the simulated SST from GFDL's global coupled carbon-climate Earth System Models (ESM2M) are employed in HIRAM to investigate the sensitivity of the simulated heavy rainfall and MJO to SST. The future trend of the extreme rainfalls and their links to the MJO response to climate change are examined using HIRAM simulations of 2012-2050 with the RCP4.5 and RCP 8.5 scenarios to advance the possibility of characterization and forecasting of future extreme rainfall events in the MENA region.

A phenomenographic investigation into Information Literacy in nursing practice - preliminary findings and methodological issues.

PubMed

Forster, Marc

2013-10-01

Information Literacy is essential to 'evidence-based practice'; without the ability to locate evidence, evidence-based practice is rendered extremely difficult if not impossible. There is currently little evidence to show how Information Literacy is experienced by nurses or what its parameters are within evidence-based practice and therefore whether Information Literacy educational interventions are actually promoting the correct knowledge and skills. Using phenomenographic interviews the author will attempt to discover how nurses experience Information Literacy. Insights from the findings will be used to map out its parameters and to put forward a theoretical model for a course or module to develop it effectively. This article presents preliminary findings, including 7 draft categories of description of how Information Literacy is experienced in nursing. This pilot study indicates that the complete findings may be of significant potential value in the promotion and development of Information Literacy education in nursing. It is argued that such insights into how nurses actually experience the phenomenon of Information Literacy can be used to develop potentially more effective, research-based, educational interventions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

SMOKE: Characterization of Smoke Particulate for Spacecraft Fire Detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Urban, D. L.; Mulholland, G.; Yuan, Z. G.; Yang, J.; Cleary, T.

2001-01-01

'Smoke' is a flight definition investigation whose purpose is to characterize the smoke particulate from microgravity smoke sources to enable improved design of future space-craft smoke detectors. In the earliest missions (Mercury, Gemini and Apollo), the crew quarters were so cramped that it was considered reasonable that the astronauts would rapidly detect any fire. The Skylab module, however, included approximately 30 UV-sensing fire detectors. The Space Shuttle Orbiter has nine particle-ionization smoke detectors in the mid-deck and flight deck. The detectors for the US segments of the International Space Station (ISS) are laser-diode, forward-scattering, smoke detectors. Current plans for the ISS call for two detectors in the open area of the module, and detectors in racks that have cooling air-flow. Due to the complete absence of microgravity data, all three of these detector systems were designed based upon 1-g test data and experience. As planned mission durations and complexity increase and the volume of spacecraft increases, the need for and importance of effective, crew-independent, fire detection will grow significantly, necessitating more research into microgravity fire phenomena. In 1997 the Comparative Soot Diagnostics Experiment (CSD) flew in the Orbiter Middeck as a Glovebox payload. The CSD experiment was designed to produce small quantities of smoke from several sources to obtain particulate samples and to determine the response of the ISS and Orbiter smoke detectors to these sources. Marked differences in the performance of the detectors compared to their behavior in 1-g were observed. In extreme cases, the detector used in the orbiter was completely blind to easily visible smoke from sources that were readily detected in 1-g. It is hypothesized but as yet unverified that this performance difference was due to enhanced growth of liquid smoke droplets in low-g. These CSD results clearly demonstrate that spacecraft smoke detector design cannot be based on 1-g experience.

The design and development of a rectangular, shingle-type photovoltaic module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shepard, N. F., Jr.

A shingle-type photovoltaic module has been designed and developed to meet the requirements of specifications for residential applications. The module is ideally suited for installation directly to the sheathing of a sloping, south-facing roof of a residential, industrial, or commercial building. The design requirements are examined, taking into account also module safety requirements. Aspects of module design and analysis are discussed, giving attention to installation details, solar cells and electrical circuit design, the encapsulation system, substrate lamination, and the module-to-module interconnecting cable. Details of module assembly experience and test and outdoor exposure experience are also considered.

The design and development of a rectangular, shingle-type photovoltaic module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shepard, N. F., Jr.

1982-01-01

A shingle-type photovoltaic module has been designed and developed to meet the requirements of specifications for residential applications. The module is ideally suited for installation directly to the sheathing of a sloping, south-facing roof of a residential, industrial, or commercial building. The design requirements are examined, taking into account also module safety requirements. Aspects of module design and analysis are discussed, giving attention to installation details, solar cells and electrical circuit design, the encapsulation system, substrate lamination, and the module-to-module interconnecting cable. Details of module assembly experience and test and outdoor exposure experience are also considered.

Report from the MASER 9 Microgravity Rocket Flight in March 2002

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larsson, B.; Löth, K.; Lundin, M.

2002-01-01

The MASER 9 launch is planned for March 2002 and this rocket will carry 3 ESA financed experiment modules, performing in total 5 experiments. This paper will report on the flight results of this mission. The MASER 9 vehicle is propelled by a 2-stage solid fuel rocket motor, which give the 340 kg payload an apogee of about 250 Km and 6 minutes 10 seconds of microgravity. SSC and its sub-contractors will carry out the MASER 9 mission for the European Space Agency (ESA). The CIS-6 Experiment module is developed by Fokker Space and NLR. The Lymphosig, Thyrosig and the three Modular Space Bioreactor experiments are accommodated together in one module. Dr Cogoli, ETH, Zürich, Schweiz, will perform the Lymphocyte experiment. Prof. Ambesi from University of Udine in Italy will investigate Thyroid cells. Dr Cogoli, A.Bader, LEBAO, Hannover, Germany and Prof. Ambesi, will use the Modular Bioreactor for Medically Relevant Organ-like Structures in order to investigate Chondrocytes, Blood Vessel Tissue and Thyroid Cell Clusters. The ITEL experiment, of P. Colinet MRC, ULB, Belgium, is dedicated to investigate Interfacial Turbulence in Evaporating Liquids. The development of this module is a co-operation between SSC and Lambda-X, where Lambda-X is responsible for the development of the opto-mechanic core of the experiment and SSC is responsible for the overall module layout, the electronics, software and remaining mechanics. The Cyrène-2 experiment of Prof. Delhaye and Dr Lebaigue from CEA in Grenoble, is dedicated to investigate "Convective Boiling and Condensation of Ammonia in Microgravity". The development of this module is a co- operation where CNES Toulouse together with CEA Grenoble is responsible for the experiment unit and SSC is responsible for the overall module layout, the electronics, software and remaining mechanics. Included in the payload are also the Maser Service Module (MASM), a TV-link module and a recovery system. The Service Module features 2x5 Mbit/s telemetry, integrated Rate Control System and fibre-optic gyros. A newly developed Digital Video System will also be flight-tested for the first time

KSC-07pd0630

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-03-13

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- At the Trident wharf, the shipping container with the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module is ready for lifting out of the hold of the ship that brought it from Yokohama, Japan. The logistics module will be offloaded and transported to the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. The Japanese Experiment Module is composed of three segments and is known as Kibo, which means "hope" in Japanese. Kibo consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. Kibo is Japan's first human space facility and its primary contribution to the station. Kibo will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment in which astronauts can conduct science experiments. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The first of those three missions, STS-123, will carry the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, targeted for launch in 2007. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata (left) works with a tray extended from inside the Pressurized Module, or PM, part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). The PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-09-24

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata (left) works with a tray extended from inside the Pressurized Module, or PM, part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). The PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata looks over the Pressurized Module, or PM, part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). The PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-09-24

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata looks over the Pressurized Module, or PM, part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). The PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, technicians on the floor watch as a tray is extended from inside the Pressurized Module, or PM, part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). The PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-09-24

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, technicians on the floor watch as a tray is extended from inside the Pressurized Module, or PM, part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). The PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata (right) works with a tray extended from inside the Pressurized Module, or PM, part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). The PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-09-24

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata (right) works with a tray extended from inside the Pressurized Module, or PM, part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). The PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions.

Making Comparisons: Ratios. Topical Module for Use in a Mathematics Laboratory Setting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersen, Lyle; And Others

The objectives of this module on making comparisons and ratios include using ratios to compare sets of objects and expressing ratios as decimals or fractions in lowest terms. The module provides six experiments. An envelope of manipulatives accompanies each of the first three experiments. The fourth experiment requires a multispeed bicycle. The…

Stuttering adults' lack of pre-speech auditory modulation normalizes when speaking with delayed auditory feedback.

PubMed

Daliri, Ayoub; Max, Ludo

2018-02-01

Auditory modulation during speech movement planning is limited in adults who stutter (AWS), but the functional relevance of the phenomenon itself remains unknown. We investigated for AWS and adults who do not stutter (AWNS) (a) a potential relationship between pre-speech auditory modulation and auditory feedback contributions to speech motor learning and (b) the effect on pre-speech auditory modulation of real-time versus delayed auditory feedback. Experiment I used a sensorimotor adaptation paradigm to estimate auditory-motor speech learning. Using acoustic speech recordings, we quantified subjects' formant frequency adjustments across trials when continually exposed to formant-shifted auditory feedback. In Experiment II, we used electroencephalography to determine the same subjects' extent of pre-speech auditory modulation (reductions in auditory evoked potential N1 amplitude) when probe tones were delivered prior to speaking versus not speaking. To manipulate subjects' ability to monitor real-time feedback, we included speaking conditions with non-altered auditory feedback (NAF) and delayed auditory feedback (DAF). Experiment I showed that auditory-motor learning was limited for AWS versus AWNS, and the extent of learning was negatively correlated with stuttering frequency. Experiment II yielded several key findings: (a) our prior finding of limited pre-speech auditory modulation in AWS was replicated; (b) DAF caused a decrease in auditory modulation for most AWNS but an increase for most AWS; and (c) for AWS, the amount of auditory modulation when speaking with DAF was positively correlated with stuttering frequency. Lastly, AWNS showed no correlation between pre-speech auditory modulation (Experiment II) and extent of auditory-motor learning (Experiment I) whereas AWS showed a negative correlation between these measures. Thus, findings suggest that AWS show deficits in both pre-speech auditory modulation and auditory-motor learning; however, limited pre-speech modulation is not directly related to limited auditory-motor adaptation; and in AWS, DAF paradoxically tends to normalize their otherwise limited pre-speech auditory modulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (center) joins others for a tour. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (center) joins others for a tour. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

Hourly storm characteristics along the U.S. West Coast: Role of atmospheric rivers in extreme precipitation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lamjiri, Maryam A.; Dettinger, Michael; Ralph, F. Martin; Guan, B.

2017-01-01

Gridded hourly precipitation observations over the conterminous U.S., from 1948 to 2002, are analyzed to determine climatological characteristics of storm precipitation totals. Despite generally lower hourly intensities, precipitation totals along the U.S. West Coast (USWC) are comparable to those in southeast U.S. (SEUS). Storm durations, more so than hourly intensities, strongly modulate precipitation-total variability over the USWC, where the correlation coefficients between storm durations and storm totals range from 0.7 to 0.9. Atmospheric rivers (ARs) contribute 30–50% of annual precipitation on the USWC and make such large contributions to extreme storms that 60–100% of the most extreme storms, i.e., storms with precipitation-total return intervals longer than 2 years, are associated with ARs. These extreme storm totals are more strongly tied to storm durations than to storm hourly or average intensities, emphasizing the importance of AR persistence to extreme storms on the USWC.

Increasing water cycle extremes in California and in relation to ENSO cycle under global warming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoon, Jin-Ho; Wang, S.-Y. Simon; Gillies, Robert R.; Kravitz, Ben; Hipps, Lawrence; Rasch, Philip J.

2015-10-01

Since the winter of 2013-2014, California has experienced its most severe drought in recorded history, causing statewide water stress, severe economic loss and an extraordinary increase in wildfires. Identifying the effects of global warming on regional water cycle extremes, such as the ongoing drought in California, remains a challenge. Here we analyse large-ensemble and multi-model simulations that project the future of water cycle extremes in California as well as to understand those associations that pertain to changing climate oscillations under global warming. Both intense drought and excessive flooding are projected to increase by at least 50% towards the end of the twenty-first century; this projected increase in water cycle extremes is associated with a strengthened relation to El Niño and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO)--in particular, extreme El Niño and La Niña events that modulate California's climate not only through its warm and cold phases but also its precursor patterns.

Increasing water cycle extremes in California and in relation to ENSO cycle under global warming.

PubMed

Yoon, Jin-Ho; Wang, S-Y Simon; Gillies, Robert R; Kravitz, Ben; Hipps, Lawrence; Rasch, Philip J

2015-10-21

Since the winter of 2013-2014, California has experienced its most severe drought in recorded history, causing statewide water stress, severe economic loss and an extraordinary increase in wildfires. Identifying the effects of global warming on regional water cycle extremes, such as the ongoing drought in California, remains a challenge. Here we analyse large-ensemble and multi-model simulations that project the future of water cycle extremes in California as well as to understand those associations that pertain to changing climate oscillations under global warming. Both intense drought and excessive flooding are projected to increase by at least 50% towards the end of the twenty-first century; this projected increase in water cycle extremes is associated with a strengthened relation to El Niño and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO)--in particular, extreme El Niño and La Niña events that modulate California's climate not only through its warm and cold phases but also its precursor patterns.

Increasing water cycle extremes in California and in relation to ENSO cycle under global warming

PubMed Central

Yoon, Jin-Ho; Wang, S-Y Simon; Gillies, Robert R.; Kravitz, Ben; Hipps, Lawrence; Rasch, Philip J.

2015-01-01

Since the winter of 2013–2014, California has experienced its most severe drought in recorded history, causing statewide water stress, severe economic loss and an extraordinary increase in wildfires. Identifying the effects of global warming on regional water cycle extremes, such as the ongoing drought in California, remains a challenge. Here we analyse large-ensemble and multi-model simulations that project the future of water cycle extremes in California as well as to understand those associations that pertain to changing climate oscillations under global warming. Both intense drought and excessive flooding are projected to increase by at least 50% towards the end of the twenty-first century; this projected increase in water cycle extremes is associated with a strengthened relation to El Niño and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO)—in particular, extreme El Niño and La Niña events that modulate California's climate not only through its warm and cold phases but also its precursor patterns. PMID:26487088

The Design of a Chemical Virtual Instrument Based on LabVIEW for Determining Temperatures and Pressures.

PubMed

Wang, Wen-Bin; Li, Jang-Yuan; Wu, Qi-Jun

2007-01-01

A LabVIEW-based self-constructed chemical virtual instrument (VI) has been developed for determining temperatures and pressures. It can be put together easily and quickly by selecting hardware modules, such as the PCI-DAQ card or serial port method, different kinds of sensors, signal-conditioning circuits or finished chemical instruments, and software modules such as data acquisition, saving, proceeding. The VI system provides individual and extremely flexible solutions for automatic measurements in physical chemistry research.

The Design of a Chemical Virtual Instrument Based on LabVIEW for Determining Temperatures and Pressures

PubMed Central

Wang, Wen-Bin; Li, Jang-Yuan; Wu, Qi-Jun

2007-01-01

A LabVIEW-based self-constructed chemical virtual instrument (VI) has been developed for determining temperatures and pressures. It can be put together easily and quickly by selecting hardware modules, such as the PCI-DAQ card or serial port method, different kinds of sensors, signal-conditioning circuits or finished chemical instruments, and software modules such as data acquisition, saving, proceeding. The VI system provides individual and extremely flexible solutions for automatic measurements in physical chemistry research. PMID:17671611

Design and practice of a comprehensively functional integrated management information system for major construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yuling; Wang, Xiaoping; Zhu, Yuhui; Fei, Lanlan

2017-08-01

This paper introduces a Comprehensively Functional Integrated Management Information System designed for the Optical Engineering Major by the College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, which combines the functions of teaching, students learning, educational assessment and management. The system consists of 5 modules, major overview, online curriculum, experiment teaching management, graduation project management and teaching quality feedback. The major overview module introduces the development history, training program, curriculums and experiment syllabus and teaching achievements of optical engineering major in Zhejiang University. The Management Information System is convenient for students to learn in a mobile and personalized way. The online curriculum module makes it very easy for teachers to setup a website for new curriculums. On the website, teachers can help students on their problems about the curriculums in time and collect their homework online. The experiment teaching management module and the graduation project management module enables the students to fulfill their experiment process and graduation thesis under the help of their supervisors. Before students take an experiment in the lab, they must pass the pre-experiment quiz on the corresponding module. After the experiment, students need to submit the experiment report to the web server. Moreover, the module contains experiment process video recordings, which are very helpful to improve the effect of the experiment education. The management of the entire process of a student's graduation program, including the project selection, mid-term inspection, progress report of every two weeks, final thesis, et al, is completed by the graduation project management module. The teaching quality feedback module is not only helpful for teachers to know whether the education effect of curriculum is good or not, but also helpful for the administrators of the college to know whether the design of syllabus is reasonable or not. The Management Information System changes the management object from the education results to the entire education processes. And it improves the efficiency of the management. It provides an effective method to promote curriculum construction management by supervision and evaluation, which improves students' learning outcomes and the quality of curriculums. As a result, it promotes the quality system of education obviously.

Obtaining Training Stations. Module Number 3. Work Experience Program Modules. Coordination Techniques Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmalle, Bonnie

This self-instructional module, one of 16 on techniques for coordinating work experience programs, provides preservice and inservice educational materials for teacher-coordinators supervising on the job training. The three goals stated for this module are (1) to know the types of information needed to obtain an appropriate training station, (2) to…

Federal and State Employment Laws. Module Number 11. Work Experience Program Modules. Coordination Techniques Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kidney, John

This self-instructional module, the eleventh in a series of 16 on techniques for coordinating work experience programs, deals with federal and state employment laws. Addressed in the module are federal and state employment laws pertaining to minimum wage for student learners, minimum wage for full-time students, unemployment insurance, child labor…

A novel reverse-osmosis wash water recycle system for manned space stations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, R. J.; Babcock, W. C.; Barss, R. P.; Andrews, T. A.; Lachapelle, E. D.

1984-01-01

The preliminary development of a wash water recycle system utilizing an inside-skinned hollow-fiber membrane is described. This module configuration is based on tube-side feed and is highly resistant to fouling with a minimum of pretreatment. During an ongoing research program for NASA, these modules were operated on actual wash waters with no significant fouling for a period of 40 days. Due to the tube-side-feed flow in these hollow-fiber membranes, the fibers themselves become the pressure vessels, allowing the development of extremely lightweight membrane modules. During the NASA research program, a pre-prototype membrane module capable of processing 6 gallons per day of wash water at 97 percent recovery was developed that can be dry-stored and that weighs 120 g.

RWater - A Novel Cyber-enabled Data-driven Educational Tool for Interpreting and Modeling Hydrologic Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajib, M. A.; Merwade, V.; Zhao, L.; Song, C.

2014-12-01

Explaining the complex cause-and-effect relationships in hydrologic cycle can often be challenging in a classroom with the use of traditional teaching approaches. With the availability of observed rainfall, streamflow and other hydrology data on the internet, it is possible to provide the necessary tools to students to explore these relationships and enhance their learning experience. From this perspective, a new online educational tool, called RWater, is developed using Purdue University's HUBzero technology. RWater's unique features include: (i) its accessibility including the R software from any java supported web browser; (ii) no installation of any software on user's computer; (iii) all the work and resulting data are stored in user's working directory on RWater server; and (iv) no prior programming experience with R software is necessary. In its current version, RWater can dynamically extract streamflow data from any USGS gaging station without any need for post-processing for use in the educational modules. By following data-driven modules, students can write small scripts in R and thereby create visualizations to identify the effect of rainfall distribution and watershed characteristics on runoff generation, investigate the impacts of landuse and climate change on streamflow, and explore the changes in extreme hydrologic events in actual locations. Each module contains relevant definitions, instructions on data extraction and coding, as well as conceptual questions based on the possible analyses which the students would perform. In order to assess its suitability in classroom implementation, and to evaluate users' perception over its utility, the current version of RWater has been tested with three different groups: (i) high school students, (ii) middle and high school teachers; and (iii) upper undergraduate/graduate students. The survey results from these trials suggest that the RWater has potential to improve students' understanding on various relationships in hydrologic cycle, leading towards effective dissemination of hydrology education ranging from K-12 to the graduate level. RWater is a publicly available for use at: https://mygeohub.org/tools/rwater.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The container with the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)’s pressurized module is inside the Space Station Processing Facility. The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) developed the laboratory at the Tsukuba Space Center near Tokyo. The Pressurized Module is the first element of the JEM, named "Kibo" (Hope), to be delivered to KSC. The JEM is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. The JEM also includes an exposed facility (platform) for space environment experiments, a robotic manipulator system, and two logistics modules. The various JEM components will be assembled in space over the course of three Shuttle missions.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The container with the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)’s pressurized module is inside the Space Station Processing Facility. The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) developed the laboratory at the Tsukuba Space Center near Tokyo. The Pressurized Module is the first element of the JEM, named "Kibo" (Hope), to be delivered to KSC. The JEM is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. The JEM also includes an exposed facility (platform) for space environment experiments, a robotic manipulator system, and two logistics modules. The various JEM components will be assembled in space over the course of three Shuttle missions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The truck transporting the Pressurized Module of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) to KSC’s Space Station Processing Facility arrives on Center. The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) developed the laboratory at the Tsukuba Space Center near Tokyo. The Pressurized Module is the first element of the JEM, named "Kibo" (Hope), to be delivered to KSC. The JEM is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. The JEM also includes an exposed facility (platform) for space environment experiments, a robotic manipulator system, and two logistics modules. The various JEM components will be assembled in space over the course of three Shuttle missions.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - The truck transporting the Pressurized Module of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) to KSC’s Space Station Processing Facility arrives on Center. The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) developed the laboratory at the Tsukuba Space Center near Tokyo. The Pressurized Module is the first element of the JEM, named "Kibo" (Hope), to be delivered to KSC. The JEM is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. The JEM also includes an exposed facility (platform) for space environment experiments, a robotic manipulator system, and two logistics modules. The various JEM components will be assembled in space over the course of three Shuttle missions.

Variability of Extreme Precipitation Events in Tijuana, Mexico During ENSO Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavazos, T.; Rivas, D.

2007-05-01

We present the variability of daily precipitation extremes (top 10 percecnt) in Tijuana, Mexico during 1950-2000. Interannual rainfall variability is significantly modulated by El Nino/Southern Oscillation. The interannual precipitation variability exhibits a large change with a relatively wet period and more variability during 1976- 2000. The wettest years and the largest frequency of daily extremes occurred after 1976-1977, with 6 out of 8 wet years characterized by El Nino episodes and 2 by neutral conditions. However, more than half of the daily extremes during 1950-2000 occurred in non-ENSO years, evidencing that neutral conditions also contribute significantly to extreme climatic variability in the region. Extreme events that occur in neutral (strong El Nino) conditions are associated with a pineapple express and a neutral PNA (negative TNH) teleconnection pattern that links an anomalous tropical convective forcing west (east) of the date line with a strong subtropical jet over the study area. At regional scale, both types of extremes are characterized by a trough in the subtropical jet over California/Baja California, which is further intensified by thermal interaction with an anomalous warm California Current off Baja California, low-level moisture advection from the subtropical warm sea-surface region, intense convective activity over the study area and extreme rainfall from southern California to Baja California.

Apollo 15 30-day failure and anomaly listing report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

The significant anomalies that occurred during the Apollo 15 mission are discussed. The five major areas are command and service modules, lunar module, scientific instrument module experiments, Apollo lunar surface experiment package and associated equipment, and government furnished equipment.

Beta receptor-mediated modulation of the late positive potential in humans.

PubMed

de Rover, Mischa; Brown, Stephen B R E; Boot, Nathalie; Hajcak, Greg; van Noorden, Martijn S; van der Wee, Nic J A; Nieuwenhuis, Sander

2012-02-01

Electrophysiological studies have identified a scalp potential, the late positive potential (LPP), which is modulated by the emotional intensity of observed stimuli. Previous work has shown that the LPP reflects the modulation of activity in extrastriate visual cortical structures, but little is known about the source of that modulation. The present study investigated whether beta-adrenergic receptors are involved in the generation of the LPP. We used a genetic individual differences approach (experiment 1) and a pharmacological manipulation (experiment 2) to test the hypothesis that the LPP is modulated by the activation of β-adrenergic receptors. In experiment 1, we found that LPP amplitude depends on allelic variation in the β1-receptor gene polymorphism. In experiment 2, we found that LPP amplitude was modulated by the β-blocker propranolol in a direction dependent on subjects' level of trait anxiety: In participants with lower trait anxiety, propranolol led to a (nonsignificant) decrease in the LPP modulation; in participants with higher trait anxiety, propranolol increased the emotion-related LPP modulation. These results provide initial support for the hypothesis that the LPP reflects the downstream effects, in visual cortical areas, of β-receptor-mediated activation of the amygdala.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (left) accompanies Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (third from left) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (left) accompanies Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (third from left) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

Results from the First Beam-Induced Reconstructed Tracks in the LHCb Vertex Locator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodrigues, E.

2010-04-01

LHCb is a dedicated experiment at the LHC to study CP violation and rare b decays. The vertex locator (VELO) is a silicon strip detector designed to measure precisely the production and decay vertices of B-mesons. The detector is positioned at 8 mm of the LHC beams and will operate in an extremely harsh radiation environment. The VELO consists of two retractable detector halves with 21 silicon micro-strip tracking modules each. A module is composed of two n+-on-n 300 μm thick half disc sensors with R and Φ micro-strip geometry. The detectors are operated in vacuum and a bi-phase CO2 cooling system is used. The full system has been operated since June 2008 and its commissioning experience will be reported. During the LHC synchronization tests in August and September 2008, and June 2009 the LHCb detectors measured secondary particles produced by the interaction of the LHC primary beam on a beam dump. About 50,000 tracks were reconstructed in the VELO and they were used to derive the relative timing alignment between the sensors and for the first evaluation of the spatial alignment. Using this track sample the VELO has been aligned to an accuracy of 5 μm. A single hit resolution of 10 μm was obtained at the smallest pitch for tracks of perpendicular incidence. The design and the main components of the detector system are introduced. The commissioning of the detector is reported and the talk will focus on the results obtained using the first beam-induced reconstructed tracks.

ksc-98pc-1585

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-10-29

Amid the thousands of spectators watching the launch of STS-95 are Insurance Commissioner Bill Nelson (second from left, pointing) and Heavyweight Boxing Champion Evander Holyfield (next to him). A former U.S. representative, Nelson flew as a crew member on STS 61-C in January 1986. The STS-95 mission, which lifted off at 2:19:34 p.m. EST on Oct. 29, includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as a SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process. Extra attention has been drawn to the mission due to the addition to the crew of John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio. STS-95 is Glenn's second flight into space after 36 years; he was one of the original Project Mercury astronauts and flew his first mission in February 1962

Stephen K. Robinson arrives at KSC for the STS-95 launch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

STS-95 Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson, arrives at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a T-38 jet as part of final preparations for launch. The STS-95 mission, targeted for liftoff at 2 p.m. on Oct. 29, includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process. The mission is expected to last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and return to KSC on Nov. 7. The other STS-95 crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski, Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio, Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA), and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA).

KSC-98pc1553

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

Orbiter Discovery prepares to land on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after successfully completing mission STS-95, lasting nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. The crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, M.D., with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1560

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

STS-95 Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, M.D. (center), with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), poses for a photograph with NASDA President Isao Uchida (left). Behind her at the right is a representative of the European Space Agency (ESA). Mukai was one of a crew of seven aboard orbiter Discovery, which landed at KSC at 12:04 p.m. EST, after a successful mission spanning nine days and 3.6 million miles. The other crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialists Stephen K. Robinson; Scott E. Parazynski and Pedro Duque of Spain, with the European Space Agency; and Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio. The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1562

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- Seen from across the creek bordering runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility, orbiter Discovery touches down after a successful mission of nine days and 3.6 million miles. Flying above it (left) is the Shuttle Training Aircraft. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. The STS-95 crew consists of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1559

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

Charles Precourt, chief of the Astronaut office in Houston, and Daniel Goldin, NASA administrator, welcome back to Earth Senator John H. Glenn Jr., from a successful mission STS-95 aboard orbiter Discovery. Glenn served as payload specialist, one of a crew of seven that included Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialists Stephen K. Robinson, Scott E. Parazynski and Pedro Duque of Spain, with the European Space Agency; and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, M.D., with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). They landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility at 12:04 p.m. EST, after 9 days in space, traveling 3.6 million miles. The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1551

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

Orbiter Discovery prepares to land on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after successfully completing mission STS-95, lasting nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. The crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, M.D., with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1549

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

Orbiter Discovery startles a great white egret (below) next to runway 33 as it touches down at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after successfully completing mission STS-95, lasting nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. The crew consists of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, M.D., with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1565

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

The Shuttle Training Aircraft (top) seems to chase orbiter Discovery as it touches down at the Shuttle Landing Facility after a successful mission of nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. In the background, right, is the Vehicle Assembly Building. The STS-95 crew consists of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1552

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

Orbiter Discovery touches down in a cloud of smoke on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after successfully completing mission STS-95, lasting nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. The crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, M.D., with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1550

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

Orbiter Discovery smokes its tires as it touches down on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after successfully completing mission STS-95, lasting nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. The crew consists of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai,M.D., with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1561

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

STS-95 Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain (center), with the European Space Agency, poses with two high-ranking Spanish military officers. Duque was one of a crew of seven aboard orbiter Discovery which landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility at 12:04 p.m. EST after a successful mission spanning nine days and 3.6 million miles. The other STS-95 crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialists Stephen K. Robinson and Scott E. Parazynski; and Payload Specialists Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), and John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio and one of the original seven Project Mercury astronauts. The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan-201 solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as a SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1554

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

Orbiter Discovery lowers its nose wheel after touching down on runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. Discovery returns to Earth with its crew of seven after successfully completing mission STS-95, lasting nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. The STS-95 crew consists of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, M.D., with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1563

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

Viewed across the creek bordering runway 33, orbiter Discovery touches down at the Shuttle Landing Facility after a successful mission of nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. In the background, right, is the Vehicle Assembly Building. The STS-95 crew consists of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1564

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-07

Viewed across the creek bordering runway 33, orbiter Discovery prepares to touch down at the Shuttle Landing Facility after a successful mission of nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. Flying above it is the Shuttle Training Aircraft. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. In the background, right, is the Vehicle Assembly Building. The STS-95 crew consists of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-98pc1579

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-08

At the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Air Station, STS-95 Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio and one of the original seven Project Mercury astronauts, poses with his wife Annie before their return flight to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The STS-95 mission ended with landing at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility at 12:04 p.m. EST on Nov. 7. The STS-95 crew also includes Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan-201 solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as a SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

OCIS: 15 years' experience with patient-centered computing.

PubMed

Enterline, J P; Lenhard, R E; Blum, B I; Majidi, F M; Stuart, G J

1994-01-01

In the mid-1970s, the medical and administrative staff of the Oncology Center at Johns Hopkins Hospital recognized a need for a computer-based clinical decision-support system that organized patients' information according to the care continuum, rather than as a series of event-specific data. This is especially important in cancer patients, because of the long periods in which they receive complex medical treatment and the enormous amounts of data generated by extremely ill patients with multiple interrelated diseases. During development of the Oncology Clinical Information System (OCIS), it became apparent that administrative services, research systems, ancillary functions (such as drug and blood product ordering), and financial processes should be integrated with the basic patient-oriented database. With the structured approach used in applications development, new modules were added as the need for additional functions arose. The system has since been moved to a modern network environment with the capacity for client-server processing.

Guided post-acceleration of laser-driven ions by a miniature modular structure

PubMed Central

Kar, Satyabrata; Ahmed, Hamad; Prasad, Rajendra; Cerchez, Mirela; Brauckmann, Stephanie; Aurand, Bastian; Cantono, Giada; Hadjisolomou, Prokopis; Lewis, Ciaran L. S.; Macchi, Andrea; Nersisyan, Gagik; Robinson, Alexander P. L.; Schroer, Anna M.; Swantusch, Marco; Zepf, Matt; Willi, Oswald; Borghesi, Marco

2016-01-01

All-optical approaches to particle acceleration are currently attracting a significant research effort internationally. Although characterized by exceptional transverse and longitudinal emittance, laser-driven ion beams currently have limitations in terms of peak ion energy, bandwidth of the energy spectrum and beam divergence. Here we introduce the concept of a versatile, miniature linear accelerating module, which, by employing laser-excited electromagnetic pulses directed along a helical path surrounding the laser-accelerated ion beams, addresses these shortcomings simultaneously. In a proof-of-principle experiment on a university-scale system, we demonstrate post-acceleration of laser-driven protons from a flat foil at a rate of 0.5 GeV m−1, already beyond what can be sustained by conventional accelerator technologies, with dynamic beam collimation and energy selection. These results open up new opportunities for the development of extremely compact and cost-effective ion accelerators for both established and innovative applications. PMID:27089200

Infectious microbial diseases and host defense responses in Sydney rock oysters

PubMed Central

Raftos, David A.; Kuchel, Rhiannon; Aladaileh, Saleem; Butt, Daniel

2014-01-01

Aquaculture has long been seen as a sustainable solution to some of the world's growing food shortages. However, experience over the past 50 years indicates that infectious diseases caused by viruses, bacteria, and eukaryotes limit the productivity of aquaculture. In extreme cases, these types of infectious agents threaten the viability of entire aquaculture industries. This article describes the threats from infectious diseases in aquaculture and then focuses on one example (QX disease in Sydney rock oysters) as a case study. QX appears to be typical of many emerging diseases in aquaculture, particularly because environmental factors seem to play a crucial role in disease outbreaks. Evidence is presented that modulation of a generic subcellular stress response pathway in oysters is responsible for both resistance and susceptibility to infectious microbes. Understanding and being able to manipulate this pathway may be the key to sustainable aquaculture. PMID:24795701

Precourt and Goldin welcome Glenn back to Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Charles Precourt, chief of the Astronaut office in Houston, and Daniel Goldin, NASA administrator, welcome back to Earth Senator John H. Glenn Jr., from a successful mission STS-95 aboard orbiter Discovery. Glenn served as payload specialist, one of a crew of seven that included Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialists Stephen K. Robinson, Scott E. Parazynski and Pedro Duque of Spain, with the European Space Agency; and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, M.D., with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). They landed at the Shuttle Landing Facility at 12:04 p.m. EST, after 9 days in space, traveling 3.6 million miles. The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off successfully

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Space Shuttle Discovery clears Launch Pad 39B at 2:19 p.m. EST Oct. 29 as it lifts off on mission STS-95. Making his second voyage into space after 36 years is Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio. Other crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, (M.D., Ph.D.), with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson, Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, representing the European Space Agency (ESA), and Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski. The STS-95 mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process. Discovery is expected to return to KSC at 11:49 a.m. EST on Nov. 7.

Space Shuttle Discovery lifts off successfully

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Tree branches on the Space Coast frame Space Shuttle Discovery's liftoff from Launch Pad 39B at 2:19 p.m. EST Oct. 29 on mission STS-95. Making his second voyage into space after 36 years is Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio. Other crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, (M.D., Ph.D.), with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson, Mission Specialist Pedro Duque of Spain, representing the European Space Agency (ESA), and Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski. The STS-95 mission includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process. Discovery is expected to return to KSC at 11:49 a.m. EST on Nov. 7.

What makes an art expert? Emotion and evaluation in art appreciation.

PubMed

Leder, Helmut; Gerger, Gernot; Brieber, David; Schwarz, Norbert

2014-01-01

Why do some people like negative, or even disgusting and provocative artworks? Art expertise, believed to influence the interplay among cognitive and emotional processing underlying aesthetic experience, could be the answer. We studied how art expertise modulates the effect of positive-and negative-valenced artworks on aesthetic and emotional responses, measured with self-reports and facial electromyography (EMG). Unsurprisingly, emotionally-valenced art evoked coherent valence as well as corrugator supercilii and zygamoticus major activations. However, compared to non-experts, experts showed attenuated reactions, with less extreme valence ratings and corrugator supercilii activations and they liked negative art more. This pattern was also observed for a control set of International Affective Picture System (IAPS) pictures suggesting that art experts show general processing differences for visual stimuli. Thus, much in line with the Kantian notion that an aesthetic stance is emotionally distanced, art experts exhibited a distinct pattern of attenuated emotional responses.

Discovery prepares to land after successful mission STS-95

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Seen from across the creek bordering runway 33 at the Shuttle Landing Facility, orbiter Discovery touches down after a successful mission of nine days and 3.6 million miles. Flying above it (left) is the Shuttle Training Aircraft. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. The STS-95 crew consists of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Pedro Duque arrives at KSC for the STS-95 launch

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

STS-95 Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA), arrives at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility aboard a T-38 jet as part of final preparations for launch. The STS-95 mission, targeted for liftoff at 2 p.m. on Oct. 29, includes research payloads such as the Spartan solar- observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process. The mission is expected to last 8 days, 21 hours and 49 minutes, and return to KSC on Nov. 7. The other STS-95 crew members are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr., Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski, Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson, Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio, and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA).

Discovery prepares to land after successful mission STS-95

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

Viewed across the creek bordering runway 33, orbiter Discovery touches down at the Shuttle Landing Facility after a successful mission of nearly nine days and 3.6 million miles. Main gear touchdown was at 12:04 p.m. EST, landing on orbit 135. In the background, right, is the Vehicle Assembly Building. The STS-95 crew consists of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., senator from Ohio; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA); and Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA). The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as the SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process.

Freely Suspended Two-Dimensional Electron Gases.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blick, Robert; Monzon, Franklin; Roukes, Michael; Wegscheider, Werner; Stern, Frank

1998-03-01

We present a new technique that has allowed us to build the first freely suspended two-dimensional electron gas devices from AlGaAs/GaAs/AlAs heterostructures. This technique is based upon specially MBE grown structures that include a sacrificial layer. In order to design the MBE layer sequence, the conduction band lineup for these samples was modelled numerically. The overall focus of this work is to provide a new approach for studies of the quantum mechanical properties of nanomachined structures. Our current experiments are directed toward use of these techniques for research on very high frequency nanomechanical resonators. The high mobility 2DEG system provides a unique approach to realizing wideband, extremely sensitive displacement detection, using the piezoelectric properties of GaAs to modulate a suspended nanometer-scale HEMT. This approach offers promise for sensitive displacement detectors with sub-nanometer resolution and bandwidths into the microwave range.

Divided attention modulates semantic activation: evidence from a nonletter-level prime task.

PubMed

Otsuka, Sachio; Kawaguchi, Jun

2007-12-01

Research has recently shown that semantic activation is modulated in proportion to the amount of attention required for letter-level processing of the prime (the attention modulation hypothesis; Smith, Bentin, & Spalek, 2001). In this study, we examined this hypothesis with an auditory divided-attention task. Participants were asked to decide whether the pitch of a probe tone presented with the prime word was higher or lower than the basic tone presented with the fixation cross. Their target task was lexical decision to the target word. Experiment 1 showed that semantic priming was modulated by the amount of attentional resources. Moreover, in Experiment 2, this modulation was also found in a situation that eliminated the possibility of participants' response strategies. Yet, Experiment 3 showed repetition priming to be unaffected. These results support an amended attention modulation hypothesis in which modulation is not limited to letter-level processing.

Extreme Experiences and Asking the Unaskable: An Interview with Ted Sizer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minton, Elaine

1996-01-01

The renowned educational reformer talks about how memorable, "extreme" learning experiences have shaped his views on education; how to create collegial support; the things that have given him satisfaction; his father's influence on him; the irrepressible optimism of teenagers; taking advantage of serendipitous events; and how questioning…

PHASE QUANTIZATION STUDY OF SPATIAL LIGHT MODULATOR FOR EXTREME HIGH-CONTRAST IMAGING

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

Dou, Jiangpei; Ren, Deqing, E-mail: jpdou@niaot.ac.cn, E-mail: jiangpeidou@gmail.com

2016-11-20

Direct imaging of exoplanets by reflected starlight is extremely challenging due to the large luminosity ratio to the primary star. Wave-front control is a critical technique to attenuate the speckle noise in order to achieve an extremely high contrast. We present a phase quantization study of a spatial light modulator (SLM) for wave-front control to meet the contrast requirement of detection of a terrestrial planet in the habitable zone of a solar-type star. We perform the numerical simulation by employing the SLM with different phase accuracy and actuator numbers, which are related to the achievable contrast. We use an optimizationmore » algorithm to solve the quantization problems that is matched to the controllable phase step of the SLM. Two optical configurations are discussed with the SLM located before and after the coronagraph focal plane mask. The simulation result has constrained the specification for SLM phase accuracy in the above two optical configurations, which gives us a phase accuracy of 0.4/1000 and 1/1000 waves to achieve a contrast of 10{sup -10}. Finally, we have demonstrated that an SLM with more actuators can deliver a competitive contrast performance on the order of 10{sup -10} in comparison to that by using a deformable mirror.« less

Coupled large-eddy simulation and morphodynamics of a large-scale river under extreme flood conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khosronejad, Ali; Sotiropoulos, Fotis; Stony Brook University Team

2016-11-01

We present a coupled flow and morphodynamic simulations of extreme flooding in 3 km long and 300 m wide reach of the Mississippi River in Minnesota, which includes three islands and hydraulic structures. We employ the large-eddy simulation (LES) and bed-morphodynamic modules of the VFS-Geophysics model to investigate the flow and bed evolution of the river during a 500 year flood. The coupling of the two modules is carried out via a fluid-structure interaction approach using a nested domain approach to enhance the resolution of bridge scour predictions. The geometrical data of the river, islands and structures are obtained from LiDAR, sub-aqueous sonar and in-situ surveying to construct a digital map of the river bathymetry. Our simulation results for the bed evolution of the river reveal complex sediment dynamics near the hydraulic structures. The numerically captured scour depth near some of the structures reach a maximum of about 10 m. The data-driven simulation strategy we present in this work exemplifies a practical simulation-based-engineering-approach to investigate the resilience of infrastructures to extreme flood events in intricate field-scale riverine systems. This work was funded by a Grant from Minnesota Dept. of Transportation.

Phase Quantization Study of Spatial Light Modulator for Extreme High-contrast Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dou, Jiangpei; Ren, Deqing

2016-11-01

Direct imaging of exoplanets by reflected starlight is extremely challenging due to the large luminosity ratio to the primary star. Wave-front control is a critical technique to attenuate the speckle noise in order to achieve an extremely high contrast. We present a phase quantization study of a spatial light modulator (SLM) for wave-front control to meet the contrast requirement of detection of a terrestrial planet in the habitable zone of a solar-type star. We perform the numerical simulation by employing the SLM with different phase accuracy and actuator numbers, which are related to the achievable contrast. We use an optimization algorithm to solve the quantization problems that is matched to the controllable phase step of the SLM. Two optical configurations are discussed with the SLM located before and after the coronagraph focal plane mask. The simulation result has constrained the specification for SLM phase accuracy in the above two optical configurations, which gives us a phase accuracy of 0.4/1000 and 1/1000 waves to achieve a contrast of 10-10. Finally, we have demonstrated that an SLM with more actuators can deliver a competitive contrast performance on the order of 10-10 in comparison to that by using a deformable mirror.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, dressed in blue protective clothing (at right), looks at the inside of the Pressurized Module, or PM, part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), along with technicians. The PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-09-24

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, dressed in blue protective clothing (at right), looks at the inside of the Pressurized Module, or PM, part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), along with technicians. The PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata (top left) and technicians watch as a tray is extended from inside the Pressurized Module, or PM, part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). The PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-09-24

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata (top left) and technicians watch as a tray is extended from inside the Pressurized Module, or PM, part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM). The PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata (left) releases a tray extended from inside the Pressurized Module, or PM, that he was working with. Part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), the PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions. The JEM/PM is in the Space Station Processing Facility.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-09-24

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata (left) releases a tray extended from inside the Pressurized Module, or PM, that he was working with. Part of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), the PM provides a shirt-sleeve environment in which astronauts on the International Space Station can conduct microgravity experiments. There are a total of 23 racks, including 10 experiment racks, inside the PM providing a power supply, communications, air conditioning, hardware cooling, water control and experiment support functions. The JEM/PM is in the Space Station Processing Facility.

Heterodimer Autorepression Loop: A Robust and Flexible Pulse-Generating Genetic Module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lannoo, B.; Carlon, E.; Lefranc, M.

2016-07-01

We investigate the dynamics of the heterodimer autorepression loop (HAL), a small genetic module in which a protein A acts as an autorepressor and binds to a second protein B to form an A B dimer. For suitable values of the rate constants, the HAL produces pulses of A alternating with pulses of B . By means of analytical and numerical calculations, we show that the duration of A pulses is extremely robust against variation of the rate constants while the duration of the B pulses can be flexibly adjusted. The HAL is thus a minimal genetic module generating robust pulses with a tunable duration, an interesting property for cellular signaling.

RCRA, Superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: CERCLA and EPCRA release reporting requirements (CERCLA section 103 and EPCRA section 304)

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

NONE

1998-06-01

The release reporting requirements set out in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA) enable federal, state, and local authorities to effectively prepare for and respond to chemical accidents. This module reviews the regulations found at 40 CFR Part 302 promulgated pursuant to CERCLA section 103, and the regulations found at 40 CFR section 355.40 promulgated pursuant to EPCRA section 304. The goal of this module is to explain the notification requirements triggered by releases of CERCLA hazardous substances and EPCRA-designated extremely hazardous substances (EHSs).

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over the Medial Prefrontal Cortex and Left Primary Motor Cortex (mPFC-lPMC) Affects Subjective Beauty but Not Ugliness

PubMed Central

Nakamura, Koyo; Kawabata, Hideaki

2015-01-01

Neuroaesthetics has been searching for the neural bases of the subjective experience of beauty. It has been demonstrated that neural activities in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the left primary motor cortex (lPMC) correlate with the subjective experience of beauty. Although beauty and ugliness seem to be semantically and conceptually opposite, it is still unknown whether these two evaluations represent extreme opposites in unitary or bivariate dimensions. In this study, we applied transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to examine whether non-invasive brain stimulation modulates two types of esthetic evaluation; evaluating beauty and ugliness. Participants rated the subjective beauty and ugliness of abstract paintings before and after the application of tDCS. Application of cathodal tDCS over the mPFC with anode electrode over the lPMC, which induced temporal inhibition of neural excitability of the mPFC, led to a decrease in beauty ratings but not ugliness ratings. There were no changes in ratings of both beauty and ugliness when applying anodal tDCS or sham stimulation over the mPFC. Results from our experiment indicate that the mPFC and the lPMC have a causal role in generating the subjective experience of beauty, with beauty and ugliness evaluations constituting two distinct dimensions. PMID:26696865

Industrial application experiment series

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bluhm, S. A.

1980-01-01

The deployment of parabolic dish systems into the industrial sector for the purpose of providing users, suppliers, sponsors, and developers with a realistic assessment of system feasibility in selected near-term industrial applications will be accomplished initially through the industrial module experiment and later through additional experiments involving thermal, electric, and combined thermal and electrical systems. The approach is to progress through steps, from single module to multi-module systems, from thermal-only applications to more complex combined thermal and electric applications. The experience of other solar thermal experiments, particularly those involving parabolic dish hardware, will be utilized to the fullest extent possible in experiment planning and implementation.

To Create Space on Earth: The Space Environment Simulation Laboratory and Project Apollo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walters, Lori C.

2003-01-01

Few undertakings in the history of humanity can compare to the great technological achievement known as Project Apollo. Among those who witnessed Armstrong#s flickering television image were thousands of people who had directly contributed to this historic moment. Amongst those in this vast anonymous cadre were the personnel of the Space Environment Simulation Laboratory (SESL) at the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) in Houston, Texas. SESL houses two large thermal-vacuum chambers with solar simulation capabilities. At a time when NASA engineers had a limited understanding of the effects of extremes of space on hardware and crews, SESL was designed to literally create the conditions of space on Earth. With interior dimensions of 90 feet in height and a 55-foot diameter, Chamber A dwarfed the Apollo command/service module (CSM) it was constructed to test. The chamber#s vacuum pumping capacity of 1 x 10(exp -6) torr can simulate an altitude greater than 130 miles above the Earth. A "lunar plane" capable of rotating a 150,000-pound test vehicle 180 deg replicates the revolution of a craft in space. To reproduce the temperature extremes of space, interior chamber walls cool to -280F as two banks of carbon arc modules simulate the unfiltered solar light/heat of the Sun. With capabilities similar to that of Chamber A, early Chamber B tests included the Gemini modular maneuvering unit, Apollo EVA mobility unit and the lunar module. Since Gemini astronaut Charles Bassett first ventured into the chamber in 1966, Chamber B has assisted astronauts in testing hardware and preparing them for work in the harsh extremes of space.

High-fidelity numerical modeling of the Upper Mississippi River under extreme flood condition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khosronejad, Ali; Le, Trung; DeWall, Petra; Bartelt, Nicole; Woldeamlak, Solomon; Yang, Xiaolei; Sotiropoulos, Fotis

2016-12-01

We present data-driven numerical simulations of extreme flooding in a large-scale river coupling coherent-structure resolving hydrodynamics with bed morphodynamics under live-bed conditions. The study area is a ∼ 3.2 km long and ∼ 300 m wide reach of the Upper Mississippi River, near Minneapolis MN, which contains several natural islands and man-made hydraulic structures. We employ the large-eddy simulation (LES) and bed-morphodynamic modules of the Virtual Flow Simulator (VFS-Rivers) model, a recently developed in-house code, to investigate the flow and bed evolution of the river during a 100-year flood event. The coupling of the two modules is carried out via a fluid-structure interaction approach using a nested domain approach to enhance the resolution of bridge scour predictions. We integrate data from airborne Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), sub-aqueous sonar apparatus on-board a boat and in-situ laser scanners to construct a digital elevation model of the river bathymetry and surrounding flood plain, including islands and bridge piers. A field campaign under base-flow condition is also carried out to collect mean flow measurements via Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) to validate the hydrodynamic module of the VFS-Rivers model. Our simulation results for the bed evolution of the river under the 100-year flood reveal complex sediment transport dynamics near the bridge piers consisting of both scour and refilling events due to the continuous passage of sand dunes. We find that the scour depth near the bridge piers can reach to a maximum of ∼ 9 m. The data-driven simulation strategy we present in this work exemplifies a practical simulation-based-engineering-approach to investigate the resilience of infrastructures to extreme flood events in intricate field-scale riverine systems.

KSC-98pc1186

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-09-30

The open doors of the payload bay on Space Shuttle Discovery await the transfer of four of the payloads on mission STS-95: the SPACEHAB single module, Spartan, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbiting Systems Test Platform (HOST), and the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH-3). At the top of bay are the airlock (used for depressurization and repressurization during extravehicular activity and transfer to Mir) and the tunnel adapter (enables the flight crew members to transfer from the pressurized middeck crew compartment to Spacelab's pressurized shirt-sleeve environment). SPACEHAB involves experiments on space flight and the aging process. Spartan is a solar physics spacecraft designed to perform remote sensing of the hot outer layers of the sun's atmosphere or corona. HOST carries four experiments to validate components planned for installation during the third Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission and to evaluate new technologies in an Earth-orbiting environment. IEH-3 comprises several experiments that will study the Jovian planetary system, hot stars, planetary and reflection nebulae, other stellar objects and their environments through remote observation of EUV/FUV emissions; study spacecraft interactions, Shuttle glow, thruster firings, and contamination; and measure the solar constant and identify variations in the value during a solar cycle. Discovery is scheduled to launch on Oct. 29, 1998

C-terminal activating and inhibitory domains determine the transactivation potential of BSAP (Pax-5), Pax-2 and Pax-8.

PubMed Central

Dörfler, P; Busslinger, M

1996-01-01

Pax-5 encodes the transcription factor BSAP which plays an essential role in early B cell development and midbrain patterning. In this study we have analysed the structural requirements for transcriptional activation by BSAP. In vitro mutagenesis and transient transfection experiments indicate that the C-terminal serine/threonine/proline-rich region of BSAP contains a potent transactivation domain of 55 amino acids which is active from promoter and enhancer positions. This transactivation domain was found to be inactivated by a naturally occurring frameshift mutation in one PAX-5 allele of the acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line REH. The function of the transactivation domain is negatively regulated by adjacent sequences from the extreme C-terminus. The activating and inhibitory domains function together as an independent regulatory module in different cell types as shown by fusion to the GAL4 DNA binding domain. The same arrangement of positively and negatively acting sequences has been conserved in the mammalian Pax-2 and Pax-8, the zebrafish Pax-b as well as the sea urchin Pax-258 proteins. These data demonstrate that the transcriptional competence of a subfamily of Pax proteins is determined by a C-terminal regulatory module composed of activating and inhibitory sequences. Images PMID:8617244

Complete low-cost implementation of a teleoperated control system for a humanoid robot.

PubMed

Cela, Andrés; Yebes, J Javier; Arroyo, Roberto; Bergasa, Luis M; Barea, Rafael; López, Elena

2013-01-24

Humanoid robotics is a field of a great research interest nowadays. This work implements a low-cost teleoperated system to control a humanoid robot, as a first step for further development and study of human motion and walking. A human suit is built, consisting of 8 sensors, 6 resistive linear potentiometers on the lower extremities and 2 digital accelerometers for the arms. The goal is to replicate the suit movements in a small humanoid robot. The data from the sensors is wirelessly transmitted via two ZigBee RF configurable modules installed on each device: the robot and the suit. Replicating the suit movements requires a robot stability control module to prevent falling down while executing different actions involving knees flexion. This is carried out via a feedback control system with an accelerometer placed on the robot's back. The measurement from this sensor is filtered using Kalman. In addition, a two input fuzzy algorithm controlling five servo motors regulates the robot balance. The humanoid robot is controlled by a medium capacity processor and a low computational cost is achieved for executing the different algorithms. Both hardware and software of the system are based on open platforms. The successful experiments carried out validate the implementation of the proposed teleoperated system.

Complete Low-Cost Implementation of a Teleoperated Control System for a Humanoid Robot

PubMed Central

Cela, Andrés; Yebes, J. Javier; Arroyo, Roberto; Bergasa, Luis M.; Barea, Rafael; López, Elena

2013-01-01

Humanoid robotics is a field of a great research interest nowadays. This work implements a low-cost teleoperated system to control a humanoid robot, as a first step for further development and study of human motion and walking. A human suit is built, consisting of 8 sensors, 6 resistive linear potentiometers on the lower extremities and 2 digital accelerometers for the arms. The goal is to replicate the suit movements in a small humanoid robot. The data from the sensors is wirelessly transmitted via two ZigBee RF configurable modules installed on each device: the robot and the suit. Replicating the suit movements requires a robot stability control module to prevent falling down while executing different actions involving knees flexion. This is carried out via a feedback control system with an accelerometer placed on the robot's back. The measurement from this sensor is filtered using Kalman. In addition, a two input fuzzy algorithm controlling five servo motors regulates the robot balance. The humanoid robot is controlled by a medium capacity processor and a low computational cost is achieved for executing the different algorithms. Both hardware and software of the system are based on open platforms. The successful experiments carried out validate the implementation of the proposed teleoperated system. PMID:23348029

ELF/VLF Waves Generated by an Artificially-Modulated Auroral Electrojet Above the HAARP HF Transmitter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, R. C.; Inan, U. S.; Bell, T. F.

2004-12-01

Naturally-forming, global-scale currents, such as the polar electrojet current and the mid-latitude dynamo, have been used as current sources to generate electromagnetic waves in the Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) and Very Low Frequency (VLF) bands since the 1970's. While many short-duration experiments have been performed, no continuous multi-week campaign data sets have been published providing reliable statistics for ELF/VLF wave generation. In this paper, we summarize the experimental data resulting from multiple ELF/VLF wave generation campaigns conducted at the High-frequency Active Auroral Research Project (HAARP) HF transmitter in Gakona, Alaska. For one 14-day period in March, 2002, and one 24-day period in November, 2002, the HAARP HF transmitter broadcast ELF/VLF wave generation sequences for 10 hours per day, between 0400 and 1400 UT. Five different modulation frequencies broadcast separately using two HF carrier frequencies are examined at receivers located 36, 44, 147, and 155 km from the HAARP facility. Additionally, a continuous 24-hour transmission period is analyzed to compare day-time wave generation to night-time wave generation. Lastly, a power-ramping scheme was employed to investigate possible thresholding effects at the wave-generating altitude. Wave generation statistics are presented along with source-region property calculations performed using a simple model.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility can be seen the U.S. Node 2 (at left) and the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)’s Pressurized Module (at right). The Italian-built Node 2, the second of three Space Station connecting modules, attaches to the end of the U.S. Lab and will provide attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, later, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. It will provide the primary docking location for the Shuttle when a pressurized mating adapter is attached to Node 2. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS. Node 2 is the designated payload for mission STS-120. No orbiter or launch date has been determined yet. The Pressurized Module is the first element of the JEM to be delivered to KSC. The JEM is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. The JEM also includes an exposed facility (platform) for space environment experiments, a robotic manipulator system, and two logistics modules. The various JEM components will be assembled in space over the course of three Shuttle missions.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-08-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility can be seen the U.S. Node 2 (at left) and the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)’s Pressurized Module (at right). The Italian-built Node 2, the second of three Space Station connecting modules, attaches to the end of the U.S. Lab and will provide attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, later, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. It will provide the primary docking location for the Shuttle when a pressurized mating adapter is attached to Node 2. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS. Node 2 is the designated payload for mission STS-120. No orbiter or launch date has been determined yet. The Pressurized Module is the first element of the JEM to be delivered to KSC. The JEM is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. The JEM also includes an exposed facility (platform) for space environment experiments, a robotic manipulator system, and two logistics modules. The various JEM components will be assembled in space over the course of three Shuttle missions.

Snow-atmosphere coupling and its impact on temperature variability and extremes over North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diro, G. T.; Sushama, L.; Huziy, O.

2018-04-01

The impact of snow-atmosphere coupling on climate variability and extremes over North America is investigated using modeling experiments with the fifth generation Canadian Regional Climate Model (CRCM5). To this end, two CRCM5 simulations driven by ERA-Interim reanalysis for the 1981-2010 period are performed, where snow cover and depth are prescribed (uncoupled) in one simulation while they evolve interactively (coupled) during model integration in the second one. Results indicate systematic influence of snow cover and snow depth variability on the inter-annual variability of soil and air temperatures during winter and spring seasons. Inter-annual variability of air temperature is larger in the coupled simulation, with snow cover and depth variability accounting for 40-60% of winter temperature variability over the Mid-west, Northern Great Plains and over the Canadian Prairies. The contribution of snow variability reaches even more than 70% during spring and the regions of high snow-temperature coupling extend north of the boreal forests. The dominant process contributing to the snow-atmosphere coupling is the albedo effect in winter, while the hydrological effect controls the coupling in spring. Snow cover/depth variability at different locations is also found to affect extremes. For instance, variability of cold-spell characteristics is sensitive to snow cover/depth variation over the Mid-west and Northern Great Plains, whereas, warm-spell variability is sensitive to snow variation primarily in regions with climatologically extensive snow cover such as northeast Canada and the Rockies. Furthermore, snow-atmosphere interactions appear to have contributed to enhancing the number of cold spell days during the 2002 spring, which is the coldest recorded during the study period, by over 50%, over western North America. Additional results also provide useful information on the importance of the interactions of snow with large-scale mode of variability in modulating temperature extreme characteristics.

Self-Recovery Experiments in Extreme Environments Using a Field Programmable Transistor Array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoica, Adrian; Keymeulen, Didier; Arslan, Tughrul; Duong, Vu; Zebulum, Ricardo; Ferguson, Ian; Guo, Xin

2004-01-01

Temperature and radiation tolerant electronics, as well as long life survivability are key capabilities required for future NASA missions. Current approaches to electronics for extreme environments focus on component level robustness and hardening. However, current technology can only ensure very limited lifetime in extreme environments. This paper describes novel experiments that allow adaptive in-situ circuit redesign/reconfiguration during operation in extreme temperature and radiation environments. This technology would complement material/device advancements and increase the mission capability to survive harsh environments. The approach is demonstrated on a mixed-signal programmable chip (FPTA-2), which recovers functionality for temperatures until 28 C and with total radiation dose up to 250kRad.

Expose : procedure and results of the joint experiment verification tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panitz, C.; Rettberg, P.; Horneck, G.; Rabbow, E.; Baglioni, P.

The International Space Station will carry the EXPOSE facility accommodated at the universal workplace URM-D located outside the Russian Service Module. The launch will be affected in 2005 and it is planned to stay in space for 1.5 years. The tray like structure will accomodate 2 chemical and 6 biological PI-experiments or experiment systems of the ROSE (Response of Organisms to Space Environment) consortium. EXPOSE will support long-term in situ studies of microbes in artificial meteorites, as well as of microbial communities from special ecological niches, such as endolithic and evaporitic ecosystems. The either vented or sealed experiment pockets will be covered by an optical filter system to control intensity and spectral range of solar UV irradiation. Control of sun exposure will be achieved by the use of individual shutters. To test the compatibility of the different biological systems and their adaptation to the opportunities and constraints of space conditions a profound ground support program has been developed. The procedure and first results of this joint Experiment Verification Tests (EVT) will be presented. The results will be essential for the success of the EXPOSE mission and have been done in parallel with the development and construction of the final hardware design of the facility. The results of the mission will contribute to the understanding of the organic chemistry processes in space, the biological adaptation strategies to extreme conditions, e.g. on early Earth and Mars, and the distribution of life beyond its planet of origin.

Water System Adaptation to Hydrological Changes: Module 1, Introduction to Water System Adaptation

EPA Science Inventory

Contemporary water management requires resilience, the ability to meet ever increasing water needs, and capacity to adapt to abrupt or transient changes in water quality and availability. For this purpose, effective adaptation to extreme hydrological events (e.g. intense storms, ...

"The Effect of Alternative Representations of Lake Temperatures and Ice on WRF Regional Climate Simulations"

EPA Science Inventory

Lakes can play a significant role in regional climate, modulating inland extremes in temperature and enhancing precipitation. Representing these effects becomes more important as regional climate modeling (RCM) efforts focus on simulating smaller scales. When using the Weathe...

Sleeve reaction chamber system

DOEpatents

Northrup, M Allen [Berkeley, CA; Beeman, Barton V [San Mateo, CA; Benett, William J [Livermore, CA; Hadley, Dean R [Manteca, CA; Landre, Phoebe [Livermore, CA; Lehew, Stacy L [Livermore, CA; Krulevitch, Peter A [Pleasanton, CA

2009-08-25

A chemical reaction chamber system that combines devices such as doped polysilicon for heating, bulk silicon for convective cooling, and thermoelectric (TE) coolers to augment the heating and cooling rates of the reaction chamber or chambers. In addition the system includes non-silicon-based reaction chambers such as any high thermal conductivity material used in combination with a thermoelectric cooling mechanism (i.e., Peltier device). The heat contained in the thermally conductive part of the system can be used/reused to heat the device, thereby conserving energy and expediting the heating/cooling rates. The system combines a micromachined silicon reaction chamber, for example, with an additional module/device for augmented heating/cooling using the Peltier effect. This additional module is particularly useful in extreme environments (very hot or extremely cold) where augmented heating/cooling would be useful to speed up the thermal cycling rates. The chemical reaction chamber system has various applications for synthesis or processing of organic, inorganic, or biochemical reactions, including the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and/or other DNA reactions, such as the ligase chain reaction.

Evaluation and application of a fast module in a PLC based interlock and control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaera-Sanz, M.

2009-08-01

The LHC Beam Interlock system requires a controller performing a simple matrix function to collect the different beam dump requests. To satisfy the expected safety level of the Interlock, the system should be robust and reliable. The PLC is a promising candidate to fulfil both aspects but too slow to meet the expected response time which is of the order of μseconds. Siemens has introduced a ``so called'' fast module (FM352-5 Boolean Processor). It provides independent and extremely fast control of a process within a larger control system using an onboard processor, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), to execute code in parallel which results in extremely fast scan times. It is interesting to investigate its features and to evaluate it as a possible candidate for the beam interlock system. This paper publishes the results of this study. As well, this paper could be useful for other applications requiring fast processing using a PLC.

KSC-07pd0903

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- The Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) sits on top of a stand in the Space Station Processing Facility. Earlier, NASA and Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) officials welcomed the arrival of the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section of the JEM, which will be delivered to the space station on mission STS-123. The JEM will fly on mission STS-124. The module will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

Experiment module concepts study. Volume 5 book 1, appendix A: Shuttle only task

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1970-01-01

Results of a preliminary investigation of the effect on the candidate experiment program implementation of experiment module operations in the absence of an orbiting space station and with the availability of the space shuttle orbiter vehicle only are presented. The fundamental hardware elements for shuttle-only operation of the program are: (1) integrated common experiment modules CM-1, CM-3, and CM-4, together with the propulsion slice; (2) support modules capable of supplying on-orbit crew life support, power, data management, and other services normally provided by a space station; (3) dormancy kits to enable normally attached modules to remain in orbit while shuttle returns to earth; and (4) shuttle orbiter. Preliminary cost estimates for 30 day on-orbit and 5 day on-orbit capabilities for a four year implementation period are $4.2 billion and $2.1 billion, respectively.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (second from left) accompanies Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (fourth from left) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (second from left) accompanies Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (fourth from left) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

Rapid changes in gene expression direct rapid shifts in intestinal form and function in the Burmese python after feeding.

PubMed

Andrew, Audra L; Card, Daren C; Ruggiero, Robert P; Schield, Drew R; Adams, Richard H; Pollock, David D; Secor, Stephen M; Castoe, Todd A

2015-05-01

Snakes provide a unique and valuable model system for studying the extremes of physiological remodeling because of the ability of some species to rapidly upregulate organ form and function upon feeding. The predominant model species used to study such extreme responses has been the Burmese python because of the extreme nature of postfeeding response in this species. We analyzed the Burmese python intestine across a time series, before, during, and after feeding to understand the patterns and timing of changes in gene expression and their relationship to changes in intestinal form and function upon feeding. Our results indicate that >2,000 genes show significant changes in expression in the small intestine following feeding, including genes involved in intestinal morphology and function (e.g., hydrolases, microvillus proteins, trafficking and transport proteins), as well as genes involved in cell division and apoptosis. Extensive changes in gene expression occur surprisingly rapidly, within the first 6 h of feeding, coincide with changes in intestinal morphology, and effectively return to prefeeding levels within 10 days. Collectively, our results provide an unprecedented portrait of parallel changes in gene expression and intestinal morphology and physiology on a scale that is extreme both in the magnitude of changes, as well as in the incredibly short time frame of these changes, with up- and downregulation of expression and function occurring in the span of 10 days. Our results also identify conserved vertebrate signaling pathways that modulate these responses, which may suggest pathways for therapeutic modulation of intestinal function in humans. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Upper extremity rehabilitation of stroke: facilitation of corticospinal excitability using virtual mirror paradigm.

PubMed

Kang, Youn Joo; Park, Hae Kyung; Kim, Hyun Jung; Lim, Taeo; Ku, Jeonghun; Cho, Sangwoo; Kim, Sun I; Park, Eun Sook

2012-10-04

Several experimental studies in stroke patients suggest that mirror therapy and various virtual reality programs facilitate motor rehabilitation. However, the underlying mechanisms for these therapeutic effects have not been previously described. We attempted to delineate the changes in corticospinal excitability when individuals were asked to exercise their upper extremity using a real mirror and virtual mirror. Moreover, we attempted to delineate the role of visual modulation within the virtual environment that affected corticospinal excitability in healthy subjects and stroke patients. A total of 18 healthy subjects and 18 hemiplegic patients were enrolled into the study. Motor evoked potential (MEP)s from transcranial magnetic stimulation were recorded in the flexor carpi radialis of the non-dominant or affected upper extremity using three different conditions: (A) relaxation; (B) real mirror; and (C) virtual mirror. Moreover, we compared the MEPs from the virtual mirror paradigm using continuous visual feedback or intermittent visual feedback. The rates of amplitude increment and latency decrement of MEPs in both groups were higher during the virtual mirror task than during the real mirror. In healthy subjects and stroke patients, the virtual mirror task with intermittent visual feedback significantly facilitated corticospinal excitability of MEPs compared with continuous visual feedback. Corticospinal excitability was facilitated to a greater extent in the virtual mirror paradigm than in the real mirror and in intermittent visual feedback than in the continuous visual feedback, in both groups. This provides neurophysiological evidence supporting the application of the virtual mirror paradigm using various visual modulation technologies to upper extremity rehabilitation in stroke patients.

Upper extremity rehabilitation of stroke: Facilitation of corticospinal excitability using virtual mirror paradigm

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Several experimental studies in stroke patients suggest that mirror therapy and various virtual reality programs facilitate motor rehabilitation. However, the underlying mechanisms for these therapeutic effects have not been previously described. Objectives We attempted to delineate the changes in corticospinal excitability when individuals were asked to exercise their upper extremity using a real mirror and virtual mirror. Moreover, we attempted to delineate the role of visual modulation within the virtual environment that affected corticospinal excitability in healthy subjects and stroke patients. Methods A total of 18 healthy subjects and 18 hemiplegic patients were enrolled into the study. Motor evoked potential (MEP)s from transcranial magnetic stimulation were recorded in the flexor carpi radialis of the non-dominant or affected upper extremity using three different conditions: (A) relaxation; (B) real mirror; and (C) virtual mirror. Moreover, we compared the MEPs from the virtual mirror paradigm using continuous visual feedback or intermittent visual feedback. Results The rates of amplitude increment and latency decrement of MEPs in both groups were higher during the virtual mirror task than during the real mirror. In healthy subjects and stroke patients, the virtual mirror task with intermittent visual feedback significantly facilitated corticospinal excitability of MEPs compared with continuous visual feedback. Conclusion Corticospinal excitability was facilitated to a greater extent in the virtual mirror paradigm than in the real mirror and in intermittent visual feedback than in the continuous visual feedback, in both groups. This provides neurophysiological evidence supporting the application of the virtual mirror paradigm using various visual modulation technologies to upper extremity rehabilitation in stroke patients. PMID:23035951

Maintenance on the Advanced Colloids Experiment Module

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-04-16

iss055e035366 (April 16, 2018) --- NASA astronaut Ricky Arnold performs maintenance on the Advanced Colloids Experiment Module located inside the Light Microscopy Module which is a modified commercial, highly flexible, state-of-the-art light imaging microscope facility that provides researchers with powerful diagnostic hardware and software in microgravity.

Apollo experience report: Lunar module instrumentation subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Obrien, D. E., III; Woodfill, J. R., IV

1972-01-01

The design concepts and philosophies of the lunar module instrumentation subsystem are discussed along with manufacturing and systems integration. The experience gained from the program is discussed, and recommendations are made for making the subsystem more compatible and flexible in system usage. Characteristics of lunar module caution and warning circuits are presented.

Pushing precipitation to the extremes in distributed experiments: Recommendations for simulating wet and dry years

USGS Publications Warehouse

Knapp, Alan K.; Avolio, Meghan L.; Beier, Claus; Carroll, Charles J.W.; Collins, Scott L.; Dukes, Jeffrey S.; Fraser, Lauchlan H.; Griffin-Nolan, Robert J.; Hoover, David L.; Jentsch, Anke; Loik, Michael E.; Phillips, Richard P.; Post, Alison K.; Sala, Osvaldo E.; Slette, Ingrid J.; Yahdjian, Laura; Smith, Melinda D.

2017-01-01

Intensification of the global hydrological cycle, ranging from larger individual precipitation events to more extreme multiyear droughts, has the potential to cause widespread alterations in ecosystem structure and function. With evidence that the incidence of extreme precipitation years (defined statistically from historical precipitation records) is increasing, there is a clear need to identify ecosystems that are most vulnerable to these changes and understand why some ecosystems are more sensitive to extremes than others. To date, opportunistic studies of naturally occurring extreme precipitation years, combined with results from a relatively small number of experiments, have provided limited mechanistic understanding of differences in ecosystem sensitivity, suggesting that new approaches are needed. Coordinated distributed experiments (CDEs) arrayed across multiple ecosystem types and focused on water can enhance our understanding of differential ecosystem sensitivity to precipitation extremes, but there are many design challenges to overcome (e.g., cost, comparability, standardization). Here, we evaluate contemporary experimental approaches for manipulating precipitation under field conditions to inform the design of ‘Drought-Net’, a relatively low-cost CDE that simulates extreme precipitation years. A common method for imposing both dry and wet years is to alter each ambient precipitation event. We endorse this approach for imposing extreme precipitation years because it simultaneously alters other precipitation characteristics (i.e., event size) consistent with natural precipitation patterns. However, we do not advocate applying identical treatment levels at all sites – a common approach to standardization in CDEs. This is because precipitation variability varies >fivefold globally resulting in a wide range of ecosystem-specific thresholds for defining extreme precipitation years. For CDEs focused on precipitation extremes, treatments should be based on each site's past climatic characteristics. This approach, though not often used by ecologists, allows ecological responses to be directly compared across disparate ecosystems and climates, facilitating process-level understanding of ecosystem sensitivity to precipitation extremes.

Pushing precipitation to the extremes in distributed experiments: recommendations for simulating wet and dry years.

PubMed

Knapp, Alan K; Avolio, Meghan L; Beier, Claus; Carroll, Charles J W; Collins, Scott L; Dukes, Jeffrey S; Fraser, Lauchlan H; Griffin-Nolan, Robert J; Hoover, David L; Jentsch, Anke; Loik, Michael E; Phillips, Richard P; Post, Alison K; Sala, Osvaldo E; Slette, Ingrid J; Yahdjian, Laura; Smith, Melinda D

2017-05-01

Intensification of the global hydrological cycle, ranging from larger individual precipitation events to more extreme multiyear droughts, has the potential to cause widespread alterations in ecosystem structure and function. With evidence that the incidence of extreme precipitation years (defined statistically from historical precipitation records) is increasing, there is a clear need to identify ecosystems that are most vulnerable to these changes and understand why some ecosystems are more sensitive to extremes than others. To date, opportunistic studies of naturally occurring extreme precipitation years, combined with results from a relatively small number of experiments, have provided limited mechanistic understanding of differences in ecosystem sensitivity, suggesting that new approaches are needed. Coordinated distributed experiments (CDEs) arrayed across multiple ecosystem types and focused on water can enhance our understanding of differential ecosystem sensitivity to precipitation extremes, but there are many design challenges to overcome (e.g., cost, comparability, standardization). Here, we evaluate contemporary experimental approaches for manipulating precipitation under field conditions to inform the design of 'Drought-Net', a relatively low-cost CDE that simulates extreme precipitation years. A common method for imposing both dry and wet years is to alter each ambient precipitation event. We endorse this approach for imposing extreme precipitation years because it simultaneously alters other precipitation characteristics (i.e., event size) consistent with natural precipitation patterns. However, we do not advocate applying identical treatment levels at all sites - a common approach to standardization in CDEs. This is because precipitation variability varies >fivefold globally resulting in a wide range of ecosystem-specific thresholds for defining extreme precipitation years. For CDEs focused on precipitation extremes, treatments should be based on each site's past climatic characteristics. This approach, though not often used by ecologists, allows ecological responses to be directly compared across disparate ecosystems and climates, facilitating process-level understanding of ecosystem sensitivity to precipitation extremes. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

High-temperature Y267 EPDM elastomer: field and laboratory experiences, August 1981

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

Hirasuna, A.R.; Friese, G.J.; Stephens, C.A.

1982-03-01

Experiences which indicate the superiority of Y267 EPDM elastomer for high-temperature brines and other environments uses are summarized. Its good processing qualities, extremely good thermochemical stability, extremely good mechanical properties, its low-cost constituents, and its good performance in hydrocarbons are described in some case histories. (MCW)

Upper extremity interaction with a helicopter side airbag: injury criteria for dynamic hyperextension of the female elbow joint.

PubMed

Duma, Stefan M; Hansen, Gail A; Kennedy, Eric A; Rath, Amber L; McNally, Craig; Kemper, Andrew R; Smith, Eric P; Brolinson, P Gunnar; Stitzel, Joel D; Davis, Martin B; Bass, Cameron R; Brozoski, Frederick T; McEntire, B Joseph; Alem, Nabih M; Crowley, John S

2004-11-01

This paper describes a three part analysis to characterize the interaction between the female upper extremity and a helicopter cockpit side airbag system and to develop dynamic hyperextension injury criteria for the female elbow joint. Part I involved a series of 10 experiments with an original Army Black Hawk helicopter side airbag. A 5(th) percentile female Hybrid III instrumented upper extremity was used to demonstrate side airbag upper extremity loading. Two out of the 10 tests resulted in high elbow bending moments of 128 Nm and 144 Nm. Part II included dynamic hyperextension tests on 24 female cadaver elbow joints. The energy source was a drop tower utilizing a three-point bending configuration to apply elbow bending moments matching the previously conducted side airbag tests. Post-test necropsy showed that 16 of the 24 elbow joint tests resulted in injuries. Injury severity ranged from minor cartilage damage to more moderate joint dislocations and severe transverse fractures of the distal humerus. Peak elbow bending moments ranged from 42.4 Nm to 146.3 Nm. Peak bending moment proved to be a significant indicator of any elbow injury (p = 0.02) as well as elbow joint dislocation (p = 0.01). Logistic regression analyses were used to develop single and multiple variate injury risk functions. Using peak moment data for the entire test population, a 50% risk of obtaining any elbow injury was found at 56 Nm while a 50% risk of sustaining an elbow joint dislocation was found at 93 Nm for the female population. These results indicate that the peak elbow bending moments achieved in Part I are associated with a greater than 90% risk for elbow injury. Subsequently, the airbag was re-designed in an effort to mitigate this as well as the other upper extremity injury risks. Part III assessed the redesigned side airbag module to ensure injury risks had been reduced prior to implementing the new system. To facilitate this, 12 redesigned side airbag deployments were conducted using the same procedures as Part I. Results indicate that the re-designed side airbag has effectively mitigated elbow injury risks induced by the original side airbag design. It is anticipated that this study will provide researchers with additional injury criteria for assessing upper extremity injury risk caused by both military and automotive side airbag deployments.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Members of the STS-114 crew take a look at the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) pressure module in the Space Station Processing Facility. A research laboratory, the pressurized module is the first element of the JEM, named "Kibo" (Hope), to be delivered to KSC. The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) developed the laboratory at the Tsukuba Space Center near Tokyo and is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. The JEM also includes an exposed facility (platform) for space environment experiments, a robotic manipulator system, and two logistics modules. The various JEM components will be assembled in space over the course of three Shuttle missions.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-09

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Members of the STS-114 crew take a look at the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) pressure module in the Space Station Processing Facility. A research laboratory, the pressurized module is the first element of the JEM, named "Kibo" (Hope), to be delivered to KSC. The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) developed the laboratory at the Tsukuba Space Center near Tokyo and is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. The JEM also includes an exposed facility (platform) for space environment experiments, a robotic manipulator system, and two logistics modules. The various JEM components will be assembled in space over the course of three Shuttle missions.

Detection and rate discrimination of amplitude modulation in electrical hearing.

PubMed

Chatterjee, Monita; Oberzut, Cherish

2011-09-01

Three experiments were designed to examine temporal envelope processing by cochlear implant (CI) listeners. In experiment 1, the hypothesis that listeners' modulation sensitivity would in part determine their ability to discriminate between temporal modulation rates was examined. Temporal modulation transfer functions (TMTFs) obtained in an amplitude modulation detection (AMD) task were compared to threshold functions obtained in an amplitude modulation rate discrimination (AMRD) task. Statistically significant nonlinear correlations were observed between the two measures. In experiment 2, results of loudness-balancing showed small increases in the loudness of modulated over unmodulated stimuli beyond a modulation depth of 16%. Results of experiment 3 indicated small but statistically significant effects of level-roving on the overall gain of the TMTF, but no impact of level-roving on the average shape of the TMTF across subjects. This suggested that level-roving simply increased the task difficulty for most listeners, but did not indicate increased use of intensity cues under more challenging conditions. Data obtained with one subject, however, suggested that the most sensitive listeners may derive some benefit from intensity cues in these tasks. Overall, results indicated that intensity cues did not play an important role in temporal envelope processing by the average CI listener. © 2011 Acoustical Society of America

The dichotomous response of flood and storm extremes to rising global temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, A.; Wasko, C.

2017-12-01

Rising temperature have resulted in increases in short-duration rainfall extremes across the world. Additionally it has been shown (doi:10.1038/ngeo2456) that storms will intensify, causing derived flood peaks to rise even more. This leads us to speculate that flood peaks will increase as a result, complying with the storyline presented in past IPCC reports. This talk, however, shows that changes in flood extremes are much more complex. Using global data on extreme flow events, the study conclusively shows that while the very extreme floods may be rising as a result of storm intensification, the more frequent flood events are decreasing in magnitude. The study argues that changes in the magnitude of floods are a function of changes in storm patterns and as well as pre-storm or antecedent conditions. It goes on to show that while changes in storms dominate for the most extreme events and over smaller, more urbanised catchments, changes in pre-storm conditions are the driving factor in modulating flood peaks in large rural catchments. The study concludes by providing recommendations on how future flood design should proceed, arguing that current practices (or using a design storm to estimate floods) are flawed and need changing.

Experiment module concepts study. Volume 2: Experiments and mission operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macdonald, J. M.

1970-01-01

The baseline experiment program is concerned with future space experiments and cover the scientific disciplines of astronomy, space physics, space biology, biomedicine and biotechnology, earth applications, materials science, and advanced technology. The experiments within each discipline are grouped into functional program elements according to experiments that support a particular area of research or investigation and experiments that impose similar or related demand on space station support systems. The experiment requirements on module subsystems, experiment operating modes and time profiles, and the role of the astronaut are discussed. Launch and rendezvous with the space station, disposal, and on-orbit operations are delineated. The operational interfaces between module and other system elements are presented and include space station and logistic system interfaces. Preliminary launch and on-orbit environmental criteria and requirements are discussed, and experiment equipment weights by functional program elements are tabulated.

Pre-Activity Modulation of Lower Extremity Muscles Within Different Types and Heights of Deep Jump

PubMed Central

Mrdakovic, Vladimir; Ilic, Dusko B.; Jankovic, Nenad; Rajkovic, Zeljko; Stefanovic, Djordje

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine modulation of pre- activity related to different types and heights of deep jump. Sixteen male soccer players without experience in deep jumps training (the national competition; 15.0 ± 0.5yrs; weight 61.9 ± 6.1kg; height 1.77 ± 0.07m), who participated in the study, performed three types of deep jump (bounce landing, counter landing, and bounce drop jump) from three different heights (40cm, 60cm, and 80cm). Surface EMG device (1000Hz) was used to estimate muscle activity (maximal amplitude of EMG - AmaxEMG; integral EMG signal - iEMG) of five muscles (mm.gastrocnemii, m.soleus, m.tibialis anterior, m.vastus lateralis) within 150ms before touchdown. All the muscles, except m. gastrocnemius medialis, showed systematic increase in pre-activity when platform height was raised. For most of the lower extremity muscles, the most significant differences were between values of pre-activity obtained for 40 cm and 80 cm platforms. While the amount of muscle pre-activity in deep jumps from the heights above and beneath the optimal one did not differ significantly from that generated in deep jumps from the optimal drop height of 60 cm, the patterns of muscle pre-activity obtained for the heights above the optimal one did differ from those obtained for the optimal drop height. That suggests that deep jumps from the heights above the optimal one do not seem to be an adequate exercise for adjusting muscle activity for the impact. Muscle pre-activity in bounce drop jumps differed significantly from that in counter landing and bounce landing respectively, which should indicate that a higher amount of pre-activity generated during bounce drop jumps was used for performing take-offs. As this study included the subjects who were not familiar with deep jumps training, the prospective studies should reveal the results of athletes with previous experience. Key pointsHeight factor proved to be more relevant for the change in pre-activation level compared to the drop jump type factor.There is evident qualitative difference in pattern of pre-activation from lower and higher drop heights, compared to pattern of pre-activation obtained from optimal drop height.Drop jumps from the heights above the optimal one are not adequate for nicely preparing muscle activity for the impact. PMID:24149460

A WRF/Chem sensitivity study using ensemble modelling for a high ozone episode in Slovenia and the Northern Adriatic area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Žabkar, Rahela; Koračin, Darko; Rakovec, Jože

2013-10-01

A high ozone (O3) concentrations episode during a heat wave event in the Northeastern Mediterranean was investigated using the WRF/Chem model. To understand the major model uncertainties and errors as well as the impacts of model inputs on the model accuracy, an ensemble modelling experiment was conducted. The 51-member ensemble was designed by varying model physics parameterization options (PBL schemes with different surface layer and land-surface modules, and radiation schemes); chemical initial and boundary conditions; anthropogenic and biogenic emission inputs; and model domain setup and resolution. The main impacts of the geographical and emission characteristics of three distinct regions (suburban Mediterranean, continental urban, and continental rural) on the model accuracy and O3 predictions were investigated. In spite of the large ensemble set size, the model generally failed to simulate the extremes; however, as expected from probabilistic forecasting the ensemble spread improved results with respect to extremes compared to the reference run. Noticeable model nighttime overestimations at the Mediterranean and some urban and rural sites can be explained by too strong simulated winds, which reduce the impact of dry deposition and O3 titration in the near surface layers during the nighttime. Another possible explanation could be inaccuracies in the chemical mechanisms, which are suggested also by model insensitivity to variations in the nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions. Major impact factors for underestimations of the daytime O3 maxima at the Mediterranean and some rural sites include overestimation of the PBL depths, a lack of information on forest fires, too strong surface winds, and also possible inaccuracies in biogenic emissions. This numerical experiment with the ensemble runs also provided guidance on an optimum model setup and input data.

Evidence for sterile neutrinos which could be part of dark matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caldwell, David O.

2007-11-01

Limitations on neutrino contribution to dark matter do not apply to the type of sterile neutrino needed to understand solar neutrino flux modulation. These neutrinos couple to active neutrinos via a transition magnetic moment, and if there is any mixing, it is extremely small, avoiding all constraints. The sterile neutrinos result from a Resonant-Spin-Flavor Precession in the convection zone of the Sun, subdominant to the LMA MSW effect, which is at a smaller solar radius. Solar neutrino fluxes measured by the Cl, Ga and Super-Kamiokande (SK) experiments reveal modulations at frequencies related to solar rotation rates. Since the solar magnetic field in the convection zone changes with solar cycle, a rotation frequency seen in GALLEX data would not appear in GNO data. An analysis lumping these data together shows the same frequency not significantly, whereas GALLEX data shows it at the 99.9% CL, using more of the experimental information. Use of insufficient information is a problem in the SK analysis, which sees at low significance the same 3 frequencies (one of rotation and two of related r-modes) we find even at the 99.9% CL when more experimental information is used. SNO looked unsuccessfully for one of these r-mode peaks, but SK data shows this very episodic process had died out before SNO turned on. The statistically significant flux modulation frequencies we observe are all associated with known solar frequencies, attesting to the existence of a sterile neutrino which could aid in understanding small-scale structure, and which might have heavier siblings playing an even larger role in dark matter.

Hydrologic Response to Climatic and Vegetation Change in an Extreme Alpine Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Livneh, B.; Badger, A.; Molotch, N. P.; Bueno de Mesquita, C.; Suding, K.

2016-12-01

Mountain hydrology and ecology are uniquely sensitive to climate change. This presentation will examine how changes in climate have altered land cover and hydrology in the Green Lakes Valley, an alpine catchment for which approximately 80% of the annual precipitation ( 950 mm/yr) falls as snow. In these environments vegetation has two way interaction with hydrology: its distribution is driven by patterns of snowpack and water availability while it functions to modulate hydrologic responses by alterating land-atmosphere interaction. Long-term climate trends indicate warming, earlier snowmelt, and longer snow-free growing seasons. High-resolution aerial photography from 1972 and 2008 identified vegetation encroachment as shrubs and trees have increased in vigor and density in the tundra, while herbaceous tundra plants have colonized high-elevation bare ground. To understand modulations to physical hydrology from climate and biophysical responses, we apply a 20-m resolution fully-distributed hydrologic model. Through the use of observed meteorology (radiation, humidity, temperature and precipitation) an hourly climatology was created. Realizations from a stochastic ensemble of this climatology together with trends from long-term observations are used to characterize historical hydrologic response and project future changes. Through temperature and precipitation change experiments, alterations to the annual water cycle are presented—indicating the importance of annual snowpack evolution on both the surface and sub-surface hydrology, particularly through seasonal water storage. Probabilistic land cover change scenarios are developed that project how further vegetation encroachment modulates surface water fluxes and sediment yields. Lastly, the context of these results are compared with hydrometeorological research from other differing alpine and ecological regions.

Critical appraisal of volumetric-modulated arc therapy compared with electrons for the radiotherapy of cutaneous Kaposi’s sarcoma of lower extremities with bone sparing

PubMed Central

Abraham, S; Fogliata, A; Jordaan, A; Clivio, A; Vanetti, E; Cozzi, L

2013-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the use of volumetric-modulated arc therapy [VMAT, RapidArc® (RA); Varian Medical Systems, Palo Alto, CA] for the treatment of cutaneous Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) of lower extremities with adequate target coverage and high bone sparing, and to compare VMAT with electron beam therapy. Methods: 10 patients were planned with either RA or electron beams. The dose was prescribed to 30 Gy, 10 fractions, to mean the planning target volume (PTV), and significant maximum dose to bone was limited to 30 Gy. Plans were designed for 6-MV photon beams for RA and 6 MeV for electrons. Dose distributions were computed with AcurosXB® (Varian Medical Systems) for photons and with a Monte Carlo algorithm for electrons. Results: V90% was 97.3±1.2 for RA plans and 78.2±2.6 for electrons; similarly, V107% was 2.5±2.2 and 37.7±3.4, respectively. RA met coverage criteria. Concerning bone sparing, D2% was 29.6±1.1 for RA and 31.0±2.4 for electrons. Although acceptable for bone involvement, pronounced target coverage violations were obtained for electron plans. Monitor units were similar for electrons and RA, although for the latter they increased when superior bone sparing was imposed. Delivery times were 12.1±4.0 min for electrons and 4.8±1.3 min for the most modulated RA plans. Conclusion: High plan quality was shown for KS in the lower extremities using VMAT, and this might simplify their management in comparison with the more conventional usage of electrons, particularly in institutes with limited staff resources and heavy workloads. Advances in knowledge: VMAT is also dosimetrically extremely advantageous in a typology of treatments where electron beam therapy is mainly considered to be effective owing to the limited penetration of the beams. PMID:23392192

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Port Canaveral, the Pressurized Module of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) is lifted out of the ship’s cargo hold. The container transport ship carrying JEM departed May 2 from Yokohama Harbor in Japan for the voyage to the United States. The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) developed the laboratory at the Tsukuba Space Center near Tokyo. The Pressurized Module is the first element of the JEM, named "Kibo" (Hope), to be delivered to KSC. The JEM is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. The JEM also includes an exposed facility (platform) for space environment experiments, a robotic manipulator system, and two logistics modules. The various JEM components will be assembled in space over the course of three Shuttle missions.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Port Canaveral, the Pressurized Module of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) is lifted out of the ship’s cargo hold. The container transport ship carrying JEM departed May 2 from Yokohama Harbor in Japan for the voyage to the United States. The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) developed the laboratory at the Tsukuba Space Center near Tokyo. The Pressurized Module is the first element of the JEM, named "Kibo" (Hope), to be delivered to KSC. The JEM is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. The JEM also includes an exposed facility (platform) for space environment experiments, a robotic manipulator system, and two logistics modules. The various JEM components will be assembled in space over the course of three Shuttle missions.

Testing the concept of a modulation filter bank: the audibility of component modulation and detection of phase change in three-component modulators.

PubMed

Sek, Aleksander; Moore, Brian C J

2003-05-01

Two experiments were performed to test the concept that the auditory system contains a "modulation filter bank" (MFB). Experiment 1 examined the ability to "hear out" the modulation frequency of the central component of a three-component modulator applied to a 4-kHz sinusoidal carrier. On each trial, three modulated stimuli were presented. The modulator of the first stimulus contained three components. Within a run the frequencies of the outer two components were fixed and the frequency of the central ("target") component was drawn randomly from one of five values. The modulators of second and third stimuli contained one component. One had a frequency equal to that of the target and the other had a frequency randomly selected from one of the other possible values. Subjects indicated whether the target corresponded to the second or third stimulus. Scores were around 80% correct when the components in the three-component modulator were widely spaced and when the frequencies of the target and comparison differed sufficiently. Experiment 2 examined the ability to hear a change in the relative phase of the components in a three-component modulator with harmonically spaced components, using a 31FC task. The frequency of the central component, f(c), was either 50 or 100 Hz. Scores were 80%-90% correct when the component spacing was < or = 0.5 f(c), but decreased markedly for greater spacings. Performance was only slightly impaired by randomizing the overall modulation depth from one stimulus to the next. The results of both experiments are broadly consistent with what would be expected from a MFB with a Q value of 1 or slightly less.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - An overview of the Space Station Processing Facility shows workstands and ISS elements. The most recent additions are the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)’s pressurized module and the Italian-built Node 2. The pressurized module is the first element of the JEM, Japan’s primary contribution to the Space Station, to be delivered to KSC. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional shirt-sleeve environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. Node 2 will be installed on the end of the U.S. Lab and provides attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, later, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. It will provide the primary docking location for the Shuttle when a pressurized mating adapter is attached to Node 2. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - An overview of the Space Station Processing Facility shows workstands and ISS elements. The most recent additions are the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)’s pressurized module and the Italian-built Node 2. The pressurized module is the first element of the JEM, Japan’s primary contribution to the Space Station, to be delivered to KSC. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional shirt-sleeve environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. Node 2 will be installed on the end of the U.S. Lab and provides attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, later, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. It will provide the primary docking location for the Shuttle when a pressurized mating adapter is attached to Node 2. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A view of the Space Station Processing Facility shows workstands and ISS elements. The most recent additions are the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)’s pressurized module and the Italian-built Node 2. The pressurized module is the first element of the JEM, Japan’s primary contribution to the Space Station, to be delivered to KSC. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional shirt-sleeve environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. Node 2 will be installed on the end of the U.S. Lab and provides attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, later, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. It will provide the primary docking location for the Shuttle when a pressurized mating adapter is attached to Node 2. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-06

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - A view of the Space Station Processing Facility shows workstands and ISS elements. The most recent additions are the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)’s pressurized module and the Italian-built Node 2. The pressurized module is the first element of the JEM, Japan’s primary contribution to the Space Station, to be delivered to KSC. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional shirt-sleeve environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. Node 2 will be installed on the end of the U.S. Lab and provides attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, later, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. It will provide the primary docking location for the Shuttle when a pressurized mating adapter is attached to Node 2. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS.

Managing the risks of extreme events and disasters to advance climate change adaptation. Special report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)

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

Field, C.B.; Barros, V.; Stocker, T.F.

2012-07-01

This Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) has been jointly coordinated by Working Groups I (WGI) and II (WGII) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The report focuses on the relationship between climate change and extreme weather and climate events, the impacts of such events, and the strategies to manage the associated risks. This Special Report, in particular, contributes to frame the challenge of dealing with extreme weather and climate events as an issue in decision making under uncertainty, analyzing response in the context of risk management.more » The report consists of nine chapters, covering risk management; observed and projected changes in extreme weather and climate events; exposure and vulnerability to as well as losses resulting from such events; adaptation options from the local to the international scale; the role of sustainable development in modulating risks; and insights from specific case studies. (LN)« less

Public perceptions of climate change and extreme weather events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruine de Bruin, W.; Dessai, S.; Morgan, G.; Taylor, A.; Wong-Parodi, G.

2013-12-01

Climate experts face a serious communication challenge. Public debate about climate change continues, even though at the same time people seem to complain about extreme weather events becoming increasingly common. As compared to the abstract concept of ';climate change,' (changes in) extreme weather events are indeed easier to perceive, more vivid, and personally relevant. Public perception research in different countries has suggested that people commonly expect that climate change will lead to increases in temperature, and that unseasonably warm weather is likely to be interpreted as evidence of climate change. However, relatively little is known about whether public concerns about climate change may also be driven by changes in other types of extreme weather events, such as exceptional amounts of precipitation or flooding. We therefore examined how perceptions of and personal experiences with changes in these specific weather events are related to public concerns about climate change. In this presentation, we will discuss findings from two large public perception surveys conducted in flood-prone Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (US) and with a national sample in the UK, where extreme flooding has recently occurred across the country. Participants completed questions about their perceptions of and experiences with specific extreme weather events, and their beliefs about climate change. We then conducted linear regressions to predict individual differences in climate-change beliefs, using perceptions of and experiences with specific extreme weather events as predictors, while controlling for demographic characteristics. The US study found that people (a) perceive flood chances to be increasing over the decades, (b) believe climate change to play a role in increases in future flood chances, and (c) would interpret future increases in flooding as evidence for climate change. The UK study found that (a) UK residents are more likely to perceive increases in ';wet' events such as flooding and heavy rainfall than in ';hot' events such as heatwaves, (b) perceptions of these ';wet' weather events are more strongly associated with climate-change beliefs than were extremely ';hot' weather events, and (c) personal experiences with the negative consequences of specific extreme weather events are associated with stronger climate-change beliefs. Hence, which specific weather events people interpret as evidence of climate change may depend on their personal perceptions and experiences - which may not involve the temperature increases that are commonly the focus of climate-change communications. Overall, these findings suggest that climate experts should consider focusing their public communications on extreme weather events that are relevant to their intended audience. We will discuss strategies for designing and evaluating communications about climate change and adaptation.

Hydrological and hydroclimatic regimes in the Ouergha watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Msatef, Karim; Benaabidate, Lahcen; Bouignane, Aziz

2018-05-01

This work consists in studying the hydrological and hydroclimatic regime of the Ouergha watershed and frequency analysis of extreme flows and extreme rainfall for peak estimation and return periods, in order to prevention and forecasting against risks (flood...). Hydrological regime analysis showed a regime of the rain type, characterized by rainfed abundance with very high winter flows, so strong floods. The annual module and the different coefficients show hydroclimatic fluctuations in relation to a semihumid climate. The water balance has highlighted the importance of the volumes of water conveyed upstream than downstream, thus confirming the morphometric parameters of watershed and the lithological nature. Frequency study of flows and extreme rainfall showed that these flows governed by dissymmetrical laws based on methods Gumbel, GEV, Gamma and Log Pearson III.

Advanced Experiments in Nuclear Science, Volume I: Advanced Nuclear Physics and Chemistry Experiments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duggan, Jerome L.; And Others

The experiments in this manual represent state-of-the-art techniques which should be within the budgetary constraints of a college physics or chemistry department. There are fourteen experiments divided into five modules. The modules are on X-ray fluorescence, charged particle detection, neutron activation analysis, X-ray attenuation, and…

Self-Mixing Thin-Slice Solid-State Laser Metrology

PubMed Central

Otsuka, Kenju

2011-01-01

This paper reviews the dynamic effect of thin-slice solid-state lasers subjected to frequency-shifted optical feedback, which led to the discovery of the self-mixing modulation effect, and its applications to quantum-noise-limited versatile laser metrology systems with extreme optical sensitivity. PMID:22319406

Growth of Acousto-Optic Crystals for Applications in Infrared Region of Spectrum

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-04-30

Acousto - optic (AO) modulators, deflectors, filters offer convenience, reliability, compact size and fast speed in regulation of optical beams. So far...extremely low acousto - optic figure of merit, which automatically results in high requirements on driving electric power and poor diffraction efficiency. It

View of Cosmic Ray Experiment near the Apollo 15 Lunar Module

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-04-21

AS16-107-17442 (22 April 1972) --- A close-up view of the Apollo 16 Cosmic Ray Detector (CRD) experiment deployed at the +Y strut of the Lunar Module (LM). The crewmembers moved it to this position from near the deployment site of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) because, in the words of astronaut John W. Young, commander, "The panels were getting a little warm." Note that the LM did not skid upon landing, as evidenced by the landing contact probe's folded back (neatly) position and the lack of skid marks. While astronauts Young, and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

Teaching Experimental Methods: A Framework for Hands-On Modules

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doherty, David

2011-01-01

Experiments provide a simple and engaging framework for familiarizing students with the process of quantitative social research. In this article, I illustrate how experiments can be used in the classroom environment by describing a module that was implemented in four high school classrooms. The module familiarized students with how the scientific…

Lonchakov holds Space Science P/L Kristallizator Module-1 experiment hardware in the SM during Joint Operations

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-10-15

ISS017-E-018411 (15 Oct. 2008) --- Russian Federal Space Agency cosmonaut Yury Lonchakov, Expedition 18 flight engineer, looks over a procedures checklist while holding Space Science P/L Crystallizer Module-1 experiment hardware in the Zvezda Service Module of the International Space Station.

Coherent modulation of stimulus colour can affect visually induced self-motion perception.

PubMed

Nakamura, Shinji; Seno, Takeharu; Ito, Hiroyuki; Sunaga, Shoji

2010-01-01

The effects of dynamic colour modulation on vection were investigated to examine whether perceived variation of illumination affects self-motion perception. Participants observed expanding optic flow which simulated their forward self-motion. Onset latency, accumulated duration, and estimated magnitude of the self-motion were measured as indices of vection strength. Colour of the dots in the visual stimulus was modulated between white and red (experiment 1), white and grey (experiment 2), and grey and red (experiment 3). The results indicated that coherent colour oscillation in the visual stimulus significantly suppressed the strength of vection, whereas incoherent or static colour modulation did not affect vection. There was no effect of the types of the colour modulation; both achromatic and chromatic modulations turned out to be effective in inhibiting self-motion perception. Moreover, in a situation where the simulated direction of a spotlight was manipulated dynamically, vection strength was also suppressed (experiment 4). These results suggest that observer's perception of illumination is critical for self-motion perception, and rapid variation of perceived illumination would impair the reliabilities of visual information in determining self-motion.

An Interprofessional Web-Based Resource for Health Professions Preceptors

PubMed Central

McLeod, Elizabeth; Kwong, Mona; Tidball, Glynnis; Collins, John; Neufeld, Lois; Drynan, Donna

2012-01-01

Objective. To develop a Web-based preceptor education resource for healthcare professionals and evaluate its usefulness. Methods. Using an open source platform, 8 online modules called “E-tips for Practice Education” (E-tips) were developed that focused on topics identified relevant across healthcare disciplines. A cross-sectional survey design was used to evaluate the online resource. Ninety preceptors from 10 health disciplines affiliated with the University of British Columbia evaluated the E-tips. Results. The modules were well received by preceptors, with all participants indicating that they would recommend these modules to their colleagues, over 80% indicating the modules were very to extremely applicable, and over 60% indicating that E-tips had increased their confidence in their ability to teach. Conclusion. Participants reported E-tips to be highly applicable to their teaching role as preceptors. Given their multidisciplinary focus, these modules address a shared language and ideas about clinical teaching among those working in multi-disciplinary settings. PMID:23193332

Individual Battery-Power Control for a Battery Energy Storage System Using a Modular Multilevel Cascade Converter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamagishi, Tsukasa; Maharjan, Laxman; Akagi, Hirofumi

This paper focuses on a battery energy storage system that can be installed in a 6.6-kV power distribution system. This system comprises a combination of a modular multilevel cascade converter based on single-star bridge-cells (MMCC-SSBC) and multiple battery modules. Each battery module is connected to the dc side of each bridge-cell, where the battery modules are galvanically isolated from each other. Three-phase multilevel line-to-line voltages with extremely low voltage steps on the ac side of the converter help in solving problems related to line harmonic currents and electromagnetic interference (EMI) issues. This paper proposes a control method that allows each bridge-cell to independently adjust the battery power flowing into or out of each battery module. A three-phase energy storage system using nine nickel-metal-hydride (NiMH) battery modules, each rated at 72V and 5.5Ah, is designed, constructed, and tested to verify the viability and effectiveness of the proposed control method.

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

Sun, Xingshu; Silverman, Timothy J.; Zhou, Zhiguang

For commercial one-sun solar modules, up to 80% of the incoming sunlight may be dissipated as heat, potentially raising the temperature 20-30 °C higher than the ambient. In the long term, extreme self-heating erodes efficiency and shortens lifetime, thereby dramatically reducing the total energy output. Therefore, it is critically important to develop effective and practical (and preferably passive) cooling methods to reduce operating temperature of photovoltaic (PV) modules. In this paper, we explore two fundamental (but often overlooked) origins of PV self-heating, namely, sub-bandgap absorption and imperfect thermal radiation. The analysis suggests that we redesign the optical properties of themore » solar module to eliminate parasitic absorption (selective-spectral cooling) and enhance thermal emission (radiative cooling). Comprehensive opto-electro-thermal simulation shows that the proposed techniques would cool one-sun terrestrial solar modules up to 10 °C. As a result, this self-cooling would substantially extend the lifetime for solar modules, with corresponding increase in energy yields and reduced levelized cost of electricity.« less

An electromagnetic modulator based on electrically controllable metamaterial analogue to electromagnetically induced transparency.

PubMed

Fan, Yuancheng; Qiao, Tong; Zhang, Fuli; Fu, Quanhong; Dong, Jiajia; Kong, Botao; Li, Hongqiang

2017-01-16

Electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) is a promising technology for the enhancement of light-matter interactions, and recent demonstrations of the EIT analogue realized in artificial micro-structured medium have remarkably reduced the extreme requirement for experimental observation of EIT spectrum. In this paper, we propose to electrically control the EIT-like spectrum in a metamaterial as an electromagnetic modulator. A diode acting as a tunable resistor is loaded in the gap of paired wires to inductively tune the magnetic resonance, which induces remarkable modulation on the EIT-like spectrum through the metamaterial sample. The experimental measurements confirmed that the prediction of electromagnetic modulation in three narrow bands on the EIT-like spectrum, and a modulation contrast of up to 31 dB was achieved on the transmission through the metamaterial. Our results may facilitate the study on active/dynamical technology in translational metamaterials, which connect extraordinary manipulations on the flow of light in metamaterials, e.g., the exotic EIT, and practical applications in industry.

Typhoon generated surface gravity waves measured by NOMAD-type buoys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, Clarence O., III

This study examines wind-generated ocean surface waves as measured by NOMAD-type buoys during the ONR-sponsored Impact of Typhoons on the Ocean in the Pacific (ITOP) field experiment in 2010. 1-D measurements from two new Extreme Air-Sea Interaction (EASI) NOMAD-type buoys were validated against measurements from established Air-Sea Interaction Spar (ASIS) buoys. Also, during ITOP, 3 drifting Miniature Wave Buoys, a wave measuring marine radar on the R/V Roger Revelle, and several overpasses of JASON-1 (C- and Ku-band) and -2 (Ku-band) satellite altimeters were within 100 km of either EASI buoy. These additional measurements were compared against both EASI buoys. Findings are in line with previous wave parameter inter-comparisons. A corroborated measurement of mean wave direction and direction at the peak of the spectrum from the EASI buoy is presented. Consequently, this study is the first published account of directional wave information which has been successfully gathered from a buoy with a 6 m NOMAD-type hull. This result may be applied to improve operational coverage of wave direction. In addition, details for giving a consistent estimate of sea surface elevation from buoys using strapped down accelerometers are given. This was found to be particularly important for accurate measurement of extreme waves. These technical studies established a high level of confidence in the ITOP wave measurements. Detailed frequency-direction spectra were analyzed. Structures in the wave field were described during the close passages of 4 major tropical cyclones (TC) including: severe tropical storm Dianmu, Typhoon Fanapi, Super Typhoon Megi, and Typhoon Chaba. In addition, significant swell was measured from a distant 5th TC, Typhoon Malakas. Changes in storm direction and intensity are found to have a profound impact on the wave field. Measurements of extreme waves were explored. More extreme waves were measured during TCs which coincided with times of increased wave steepness. The largest extreme waves, which are more impressive than the Draupner (aka Newyears) wave in terms of normalized wave height, were found to occur under circumstances which support the theory of modulation instability. It is suggested that swell and wind sea, as generated by complex TCs winds, may merge and/or couple in such a way to produce sea-states which are unstable. The largest extreme wave, which was over 21 m high, appears to have occurred under such circumstances. However, the development of unstable seas, and the possible connection between the occurrence of extreme waves and unstable seas, has yet to be confirmed.

Modulation of Kekulé adatom ordering due to strain in graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González-Árraga, L.; Guinea, F.; San-Jose, P.

2018-04-01

Intervalley scattering of carriers in graphene at "top" adatoms may give rise to a hidden Kekulé ordering pattern in the adatom positions. This ordering is the result of a rapid modulation in the electron-mediated interaction between adatoms at the wave vector K -K' , which has been shown experimentally and theoretically to dominate their spatial distribution. Here we show that the adatom interaction is extremely sensitive to strain in the supporting graphene, which leads to a characteristic spatial modulation of the Kekulé order as a function of adatom distance. Our results suggest that the spatial distributions of adatoms could provide a way to measure the type and magnitude of strain in graphene and the associated pseudogauge field with high accuracy.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (right) explains recovery and reconstruction efforts of Columbia to the Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (center, foreground) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (right) explains recovery and reconstruction efforts of Columbia to the Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (center, foreground) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (right) explains recovery and reconstruction efforts of Columbia to the Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (third from left) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (right) explains recovery and reconstruction efforts of Columbia to the Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (third from left) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (left) explains recovery and reconstruction efforts of Columbia to the Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (second from left) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (left) explains recovery and reconstruction efforts of Columbia to the Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (second from left) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (right) explains recovery and reconstruction efforts of Columbia to the Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (second from left) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (right) explains recovery and reconstruction efforts of Columbia to the Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (second from left) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (left) is welcomed to KSC by Center Director Roy Bridges Jr. (right). Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module. His visit includes a tour of the Columbia Debris Hangar.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (left) is welcomed to KSC by Center Director Roy Bridges Jr. (right). Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module. His visit includes a tour of the Columbia Debris Hangar.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-120 Mission Specialists Piers Sellers and Michael Foreman look at the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module located in the Space Station Processing Facility. Known as Kibo, the JEM consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The STS-120 mission will deliver the second of three Station connecting modules, Node 2, which attaches to the end of U.S. Lab. It will provide attach locations for the JEM, European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and later Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules. The addition of Node 2 will complete the U.S. core of the International Space Station.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-07-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - STS-120 Mission Specialists Piers Sellers and Michael Foreman look at the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module located in the Space Station Processing Facility. Known as Kibo, the JEM consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The STS-120 mission will deliver the second of three Station connecting modules, Node 2, which attaches to the end of U.S. Lab. It will provide attach locations for the JEM, European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and later Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules. The addition of Node 2 will complete the U.S. core of the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, STS-120 Mission Specialist Piers Sellers looks over the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module. Known as Kibo, the JEM consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The STS-120 mission will deliver the second of three Station connecting modules, Node 2, which attaches to the end of U.S. Lab. It will provide attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and later Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules. The addition of Node 2 will complete the U.S. core of the International Space Station.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-07-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, STS-120 Mission Specialist Piers Sellers looks over the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module. Known as Kibo, the JEM consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The STS-120 mission will deliver the second of three Station connecting modules, Node 2, which attaches to the end of U.S. Lab. It will provide attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and later Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules. The addition of Node 2 will complete the U.S. core of the International Space Station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, STS-120 Mission Specialist Michael Foreman looks over the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module. Known as Kibo, the JEM consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The STS-120 mission will deliver the second of three Station connecting modules, Node 2, which attaches to the end of U.S. Lab. It will provide attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and later Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules. The addition of Node 2 will complete the U.S. core of the International Space Station.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-07-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, STS-120 Mission Specialist Michael Foreman looks over the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) Pressurized Module. Known as Kibo, the JEM consists of six components: two research facilities -- the Pressurized Module and Exposed Facility; a Logistics Module attached to each of them; a Remote Manipulator System; and an Inter-Orbit Communication System unit. Kibo also has a scientific airlock through which experiments are transferred and exposed to the external environment of space. The various components of JEM will be assembled in space over the course of three Space Shuttle missions. The STS-120 mission will deliver the second of three Station connecting modules, Node 2, which attaches to the end of U.S. Lab. It will provide attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and later Multi-Purpose Logistics Modules. The addition of Node 2 will complete the U.S. core of the International Space Station.

Electric motor-transformer aggregate in hermetic objects of transport vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zabora, Igor

2017-10-01

The construction and features of operation for new electrical unit - electric motor-transformer aggregate (DTA) are considered. Induction motors are intended for operation in hermetic plants with extreme conditions surrounding gas, steam-to-gas and liquid environment at a high temperature (to several hundred of degrees). Main objective of spent researches is the substantiation of possibility reliable and effective electric power transform with electric machine means directly in hermetic objects with extreme conditions environment by means of new DTA. The principle and job analysis of new disk induction motors of block-module type are observed.

On the Path to SunShot - The Role of Advancements in Solar Photovoltaic Efficiency, Reliability, and Costs

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

Woodhouse, Michael; Jones-Albertus, Rebecca; Feldman, David

2016-05-01

Although tremendous progress has been made in reducing the cost of PV systems, additional LCOE reductions of 40%–50% between 2015 and 2020 will be required to reach the SunShot Initiative’s targets (see Woodhouse et al. 2016). Understanding the tradeoffs between installed prices and other PV system characteristics—such as module efficiency, module degradation rate, and system lifetime—are vital. For example, with 29%-efficient modules and high reliability (a 50-year lifetime and a 0.2%/year module degradation rate), a residential PV system could achieve the SunShot LCOE goal with modules priced at almost $1.20/W. But change the lifetime to 10 years and the degradationmore » rate to 2%/year, and the system would need those very high-efficiency modules at zero cost to achieve the same LCOE. Although these examples are extreme, they serve to illustrate the wide range of technological combinations that could help drive PV toward the LCOE goals. SunShot’s PV roadmaps illustrate specific potential pathways to the target cost reductions.« less

A discrete method for modal analysis of overhead line conductor bundles

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

Migdalovici, M.A.; Sireteanu, T.D.; Albrecht, A.A.

The paper presents a mathematical model and a semi-analytical procedure to calculate the vibration modes and eigenfrequencies of single or bundled conductors with spacers which are needed for evaluation of the wind induced vibration of conductors and for optimization of spacer-dampers placement. The method consists in decomposition of conductors in modules and the expansion by polynomial series of unknown displacements on each module. A complete system of polynomials are deduced for this by Legendre polynomials. Each module is considered either boundary conditions at the extremity of the module or the continuity conditions between the modules and also a number ofmore » projections of module equilibrium equation on the polynomials from the expansion series of unknown displacement. The global system of the eigenmodes and eigenfrequencies is of the matrix form: A X + {omega}{sup 2} M X = 0. The theoretical considerations are exemplified on one conductor and on bundle of two conductors with spacers. From this, a method for forced vibration calculus of a single or bundled conductors is also presented.« less

Ultra-high modulation depth exceeding 2,400% in optically controlled topological surface plasmons

PubMed Central

Sim, Sangwan; Jang, Houk; Koirala, Nikesh; Brahlek, Matthew; Moon, Jisoo; Sung, Ji Ho; Park, Jun; Cha, Soonyoung; Oh, Seongshik; Jo, Moon-Ho; Ahn, Jong-Hyun; Choi, Hyunyong

2015-01-01

Modulating light via coherent charge oscillations in solids is the subject of intense research topics in opto-plasmonics. Although a variety of methods are proposed to increase such modulation efficiency, one central challenge is to achieve a high modulation depth (defined by a ratio of extinction with/without light) under small photon-flux injection, which becomes a fundamental trade-off issue both in metals and semiconductors. Here, by fabricating simple micro-ribbon arrays of topological insulator Bi2Se3, we report an unprecedentedly large modulation depth of 2,400% at 1.5 THz with very low optical fluence of 45 μJ cm−2. This was possible, first because the extinction spectrum is nearly zero due to the Fano-like plasmon–phonon-destructive interference, thereby contributing an extremely small denominator to the extinction ratio. Second, the numerator of the extinction ratio is markedly increased due to the photoinduced formation of massive two-dimensional electron gas below the topological surface states, which is another contributor to the ultra-high modulation depth. PMID:26514372

Acoustic containerless experiment system: A non-contact surface tension measurement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elleman, D. D.; Wang, T. G.; Barmatz, M.

1988-01-01

The Acoustic Containerless Experiment System (ACES) was flown on STS 41-B in February 1984 and was scheduled to be reflown in 1986. The primary experiment that was to be conducted with the ACES module was the containerless melting and processing of a fluoride glass sample. A second experiment that was to be conducted was the verification of a non-contact surface tension measurement technique using the molten glass sample. The ACES module consisted of a three-axis acoustic positioning module that was inside an electric furnace capable of heating the system above the melting temperature of the sample. The acoustic module is able to hold the sample with acoustic forces in the center of the chamber and, in addition, has the capability of applying a modulating force on the sample along one axis of the chamber so that the molten sample or liquid drop could be driven into one of its normal oscillation modes. The acoustic module could also be adjusted so that it could place a torque on the molten drop and cause the drop to rotate. In the ACES, a modulating frequency was applied to the drop and swept through a range of frequencies that would include the n = 2 mode. A maximum amplitude of the drop oscillation would indicate when resonance was reached and from that data the surface tension could be calculated. For large viscosity samples, a second technique for measuring surface tension was developed. The results of the ACES experiment and some of the problems encountered during the actual flight of the experiment will be discussed.

Interactive web-based learning modules prior to general medicine advanced pharmacy practice experiences.

PubMed

Isaacs, Alex N; Walton, Alison M; Nisly, Sarah A

2015-04-25

To implement and evaluate interactive web-based learning modules prior to advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) on inpatient general medicine. Three clinical web-based learning modules were developed for use prior to APPEs in 4 health care systems. The aim of the interactive modules was to strengthen baseline clinical knowledge before the APPE to enable the application of learned material through the delivery of patient care. For the primary endpoint, postassessment scores increased overall and for each individual module compared to preassessment scores. Postassessment scores were similar among the health care systems. The survey demonstrated positive student perceptions of this learning experience. Prior to inpatient general medicine APPEs, web-based learning enabled the standardization and assessment of baseline student knowledge across 4 health care systems.

KSC-07pd0893

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility, astronaut Takao Doi (left) and Commander Dominic Gorie pose in front of the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module, or JEM, that recently arrived at Kennedy. Doi and Gorie are crew members for mission STS-123 that will deliver the logistics module to the International Space Station. Earlier, NASA and Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) officials welcomed the arrival of the module. The new International Space Station component arrived at Kennedy March 12 to begin preparations for its future launch on mission STS-123. It will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

KSC-07pd0894

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility, astronaut Takao Doi (left) and Commander Dominic Gorie pose in front of the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module, or JEM, that recently arrived at Kennedy. Doi and Gorie are crew members for mission STS-123 that will deliver the logistics module to the International Space Station. Earlier, NASA and Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) officials welcomed the arrival of the module. The new International Space Station component arrived at Kennedy March 12 to begin preparations for its future launch on mission STS-123. It will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

Power-Stepped HF Cross-Modulation Experiments: Simulations and Experimental Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greene, S.; Moore, R. C.

2014-12-01

High frequency (HF) cross modulation experiments are a well established means for probing the HF-modified characteristics of the D-region ionosphere. The interaction between the heating wave and the probing pulse depends on the ambient and modified conditions of the D-region ionosphere. Cross-modulation observations are employed as a measure of the HF-modified refractive index. We employ an optimized version of Fejer's method that we developed during previous experiments. Experiments were performed in March 2013 at the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) observatory in Gakona, Alaska. During these experiments, the power of the HF heating signal incrementally increased in order to determine the dependence of cross-modulation on HF power. We found that a simple power law relationship does not hold at high power levels, similar to previous ELF/VLF wave generation experiments. In this paper, we critically compare these experimental observations with the predictions of a numerical ionospheric HF heating model and demonstrate close agreement.

Commercial Experiment Transporter: COMET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wessling, Francis C.; Robinson, Michael; Martinez, Ramiro S.; Gallimore, Thomas; Combs, Nick

1994-09-01

A launch system consisting of ground-support equipment, a four-stage rocket, a service module, a recovery system and a recovery site, and an orbital operations center is being assembled. The system is designed to launch 818 kg (1800 lb) to a 552-km (300-n.mi.) low earth orbit at a 40-deg inclination. Experiment space exists in both the service module and the recovery system. The service module provides space for 68 kg (150 lb) of experiments plus telemetry services, attitude control, and power and uses no consumables to maintain attitude. Consequently, the service module can maintain orbit attitude for years. Power of 400 W is supplied by solar cells and batteries for both experiment operation and housekeeping. The recovery system houses an experiment carrier for 136 kg (300 lb) of experiments, a retro rocket, a heat shield, and a parachute. An orbital operations control center provides tracking, telemetry, and commanding for the satellite. The payloads are also briefly described. The first launch was scheduled for 1995.

Phase modulation in horizontal metal-insulator-silicon-insulator-metal plasmonic waveguides.

PubMed

Zhu, Shiyang; Lo, G Q; Kwong, D L

2013-04-08

An extremely compact Si phase modulator is proposed and validated, which relies on effective modulation of the real part of modal index of horizontal metal-insulator-Si-insulator-metal plasmonic waveguides by a voltage applied between the metal cover and the Si core. Proof-of-concept devices are fabricated on silicon-on-insulator substrates using standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology using copper as the metal and thermal silicon dioxide as the insulator. A modulator with a 1-μm-long phase shifter inserted in an asymmetric Si Mach-Zehnder interferometer exhibits 9-dB extinction ratio under a 6-V/10-kHz voltage swing. Numerical simulations suggest that high speed and low driving voltage could be achieved by shortening the distance between the Si core and the n(+)-contact and by using a high-κ dielectric as the insulator, respectively.

Zero gravity tissue-culture laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, J. E.; Montgomery, P. O., Jr.; Paul, J. S.

1972-01-01

Hardware was developed for performing experiments to detect the effects that zero gravity may have on living human cells. The hardware is composed of a timelapse camera that photographs the activity of cell specimens and an experiment module in which a variety of living-cell experiments can be performed using interchangeable modules. The experiment is scheduled for the first manned Skylab mission.

Medical applications of shortwave FM radar: remote monitoring of cardiac and respiratory motion.

PubMed

Mostov, K; Liptsen, E; Boutchko, R

2010-03-01

This article introduces the use of low power continuous wave frequency modulated radar for medical applications, specifically for remote monitoring of vital signs in patients. Gigahertz frequency radar measures the electromagnetic wave signal reflected from the surface of a human body and from tissue boundaries. Time series analysis of the measured signal provides simultaneous information on range, size, and reflective properties of multiple targets in the field of view of the radar. This information is used to extract the respiratory and cardiac rates of the patient in real time. The results from several preliminary human subject experiments are provided. The heart and respiration rate frequencies extracted from the radar signal match those measured independently for all the experiments, including a case when additional targets are simultaneously resolved in the field of view and a case when only the patient's extremity is visible to the radar antennas. Micropower continuous wave FM radar is a reliable, robust, inexpensive, and harmless tool for real-time monitoring of the cardiac and respiratory rates. Additionally, it opens a range of new and exciting opportunities in diagnostic and critical care medicine. Differences between the presented approach and other types of radars used for biomedical applications are discussed.

Body dissatisfaction and attentional bias to thin bodies.

PubMed

Glauert, Rebecca; Rhodes, Gillian; Fink, Bernhard; Grammer, Karl

2010-01-01

Evidence for attentional biases to weight- and shape-related information in women with eating concerns is inconclusive. We investigated whether body dissatisfaction is associated with an attentional bias toward thin bodies using a modified dot probe task. In three studies, we found that undergraduate females were faster to discriminate the direction of an arrow cue when it appeared in the location previously occupied by a thin than a fat body. This attentional bias toward thin bodies was found using extreme stimuli (thin and fat bodies) presented for 500 ms (Experiment 1), extreme stimuli presented for 150 ms (Experiment 2), and less extreme stimuli that were equated for perceived extremity, presented for 150 ms (Experiment 3). When the stimuli were equated on perceptual extremity, the more dissatisfied a woman was with her body, and the larger her own BMI, the less of an attentional bias she showed toward thin bodies. Our results indicate that women have an attentional bias to thin bodies, which appears to be automatic. Contrary to prediction, this bias was weaker in women with greater BMI and body dissatisfaction. This result offers no support for the view that selective attention to thin bodies is causally related to body dissatisfaction.

Subtropical air masses over eastern Canada: Their links to extreme precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gyakum, John; Wood, Alice; Milrad, Shawn; Atallah, Eyad

2017-04-01

We investigate extremely warm, moist air masses with an analysis of 850-hPa equivalent potential temperature (θe) extremes at Montreal, Quebec. The utility of using this metric is that it represents the thermodynamic property of air that ascends during a precipitation event. We produce an analysis of the 40 most extreme cases of positive θe, 10 for each season, based upon standardized anomalies from the 33-year climatology. The analysis shows the cases to be characterized by air masses with distinct subtropical traits for all seasons: reduced static stability, anomalously high precipitable water, and anomalously elevated dynamic tropopause heights. Persistent, slow moving upper- and lower-level features were essential in the build up of high- θe air encompassing much of eastern Canada. The trajectory analysis also showed anticyclonic curvature to all paths in all seasons, implying that the subtropical anticyclone is crucial in the transport of high- θe air. These atmospheric rivers during the winter are characterized by trajectories from the subtropical North Atlantic, and over the Gulf Stream current, northward into Montreal. In contrast, the summer anticyclonic trajectories are primarily continental, traveling from Texas north-northeastward into the Great Lakes, and then eastward into Montreal. The role of the air mass in modulating the strength of a precipitation event is addressed with an analysis of the expression, P = RD, where P is the total precipitation, and R is the precipitation rate, averaged through the duration, D, of the event. Though appearing simple, this expression includes R, (assumed to be same as condensation, with an efficiency of 1), which may be expressed as the product of vertical motion and the change of saturation mixing ratio following a moist adiabat, through the troposphere. This expression for R includes the essential ingredients of lift, air mass temperature, and static stability (implicit in vertical motion). We use this expression for precipitation rate to study the extreme precipitation events in Montreal that are associated with these same cases of extreme warm, moist air masses, and their physical impacts on the precipitation rate. Implications of this air mass modulation on precipitation rate are discussed in the context of longer-term global climate change.

Side-channel Analysis of Subscriber Identity Modules

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-01

with fuming nitric acid or a similar caustic chemical. Once the die is bare, the problem of extreme miniaturization can be mitigated with the use of...laboratory. Had this possibility been considered earlier, less time would have been spent attempting to work around the probe limitations. 5.3 Future

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (right) looks at the newly arrived Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)/pressurized module. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of JEM.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (right) looks at the newly arrived Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)/pressurized module. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of JEM.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (left) looks at the newly arrived Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)/pressurized module. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of JEM.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (left) looks at the newly arrived Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)/pressurized module. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of JEM.

Synchronized conductivity modulation to realize broadband lossless magnetic-free non-reciprocity.

PubMed

Dinc, Tolga; Tymchenko, Mykhailo; Nagulu, Aravind; Sounas, Dimitrios; Alu, Andrea; Krishnaswamy, Harish

2017-10-06

Recent research has explored the spatiotemporal modulation of permittivity to break Lorentz reciprocity in a manner compatible with integrated-circuit fabrication. However, permittivity modulation is inherently weak and accompanied by loss due to carrier injection, particularly at higher frequencies, resulting in large insertion loss, size, and/or narrow operation bandwidths. Here, we show that the presence of absorption in an integrated electronic circuit may be counter-intuitively used to our advantage to realize a new generation of magnet-free non-reciprocal components. We exploit the fact that conductivity in semiconductors provides a modulation index several orders of magnitude larger than permittivity. While directly associated with loss in static systems, we show that properly synchronized conductivity modulation enables loss-free, compact and extremely broadband non-reciprocity. We apply these concepts to obtain a wide range of responses, from isolation to gyration and circulation, and verify our findings by realizing a millimeter-wave (25 GHz) circulator fully integrated in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology.Optical non-reciprocity achieved through refractive index modulation can have its challenges and limitations. Here, Dinc et al. introduce the concept of non-reciprocity based on synchronized spatio-temporal modulation of conductivity to achieve different types of non-reciprocal functionality.

Coherent population trapping with polarization modulation

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

Yun, Peter, E-mail: enxue.yun@obspm.fr; Guérandel, Stéphane; Clercq, Emeric de

Coherent population trapping (CPT) is extensively studied for future vapor cell clocks of high frequency stability. In the constructive polarization modulation CPT scheme, a bichromatic laser field with polarization and phase synchronously modulated is applied on an atomic medium. A high contrast CPT signal is observed in this so-called double-modulation configuration, due to the fact that the atomic population does not leak to the extreme Zeeman states, and that the two CPT dark states, which are produced successively by the alternate polarizations, add constructively. Here, we experimentally investigate CPT signal dynamics first in the usual configuration, a single circular polarization.more » The double-modulation scheme is then addressed in both cases: one pulse Rabi interaction and two pulses Ramsey interaction. The impact and the optimization of the experimental parameters involved in the time sequence are reviewed. We show that a simple seven-level model explains the experimental observations. The double-modulation scheme yields a high contrast similar to the one of other high contrast configurations like push-pull optical pumping or crossed linear polarization scheme, with a setup allowing a higher compactness. The constructive polarization modulation is attractive for atomic clock, atomic magnetometer, and high precision spectroscopy applications.« less

Low frequency piezoresonance defined dynamic control of terahertz wave propagation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dutta, Moumita; Betal, Soutik; Peralta, Xomalin G.; Bhalla, Amar S.; Guo, Ruyan

2016-11-01

Phase modulators are one of the key components of many applications in electromagnetic and opto-electric wave propagations. Phase-shifters play an integral role in communications, imaging and in coherent material excitations. In order to realize the terahertz (THz) electromagnetic spectrum as a fully-functional bandwidth, the development of a family of efficient THz phase modulators is needed. Although there have been quite a few attempts to implement THz phase modulators based on quantum-well structures, liquid crystals, or meta-materials, significantly improved sensitivity and dynamic control for phase modulation, as we believe can be enabled by piezoelectric-resonance devices, is yet to be investigated. In this article we provide an experimental demonstration of phase modulation of THz beam by operating a ferroelectric single crystal LiNbO3 film device at the piezo-resonance. The piezo-resonance, excited by an external a.c. electric field, develops a coupling between electromagnetic and lattice-wave and this coupling governs the wave propagation of the incident THz beam by modulating its phase transfer function. We report the understanding developed in this work can facilitate the design and fabrication of a family of resonance-defined highly sensitive and extremely low energy sub-millimeter wave sensors and modulators.

Low frequency piezoresonance defined dynamic control of terahertz wave propagation.

PubMed

Dutta, Moumita; Betal, Soutik; Peralta, Xomalin G; Bhalla, Amar S; Guo, Ruyan

2016-11-30

Phase modulators are one of the key components of many applications in electromagnetic and opto-electric wave propagations. Phase-shifters play an integral role in communications, imaging and in coherent material excitations. In order to realize the terahertz (THz) electromagnetic spectrum as a fully-functional bandwidth, the development of a family of efficient THz phase modulators is needed. Although there have been quite a few attempts to implement THz phase modulators based on quantum-well structures, liquid crystals, or meta-materials, significantly improved sensitivity and dynamic control for phase modulation, as we believe can be enabled by piezoelectric-resonance devices, is yet to be investigated. In this article we provide an experimental demonstration of phase modulation of THz beam by operating a ferroelectric single crystal LiNbO 3 film device at the piezo-resonance. The piezo-resonance, excited by an external a.c. electric field, develops a coupling between electromagnetic and lattice-wave and this coupling governs the wave propagation of the incident THz beam by modulating its phase transfer function. We report the understanding developed in this work can facilitate the design and fabrication of a family of resonance-defined highly sensitive and extremely low energy sub-millimeter wave sensors and modulators.

Teaching Concepts to Young Children Through Cultural Cooking Experiences. Bilingual/Bicultural Child Development Associate Pilot Project: Module XIV.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Teresa R.

This Child Development Associate (CDA) module, the fourteenth in a series of 16, suggests ways concepts can be taught by involving preschool children in carefully planned classroom cooking activities. Designed for bilingual/bicultural preschool teacher trainees, the module provides tips on food preparation as a learning experience. Required…

Provide for Student Safety. Second Edition. Module E-5 of Category E--Instructional Management. Professional Teacher Education Module Series

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. National Center for Research in Vocational Education.

One in a series of 127 performance-based teacher education learning packages focusing on specific professional competencies of vocational teachers, this learning module deals with providing for student safety. It consists of four learning experiences. Covered in the individual learning experiences are the following topics: providing for student…

The Student Experience of a Collaborative E-Learning University Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biasutti, Michele

2011-01-01

The aim of this paper is to present a picture of student experience of a collaborative e-learning module in an asynchronous e-learning environment. A distance learning module on music education worth five credit points for a bachelor online degree for primary school educating teachers was assessed using a self-evaluation questionnaire that…

Employ Simulation Techniques. Second Edition. Module C-5 of Category C--Instructional Execution. Professional Teacher Education Module Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. National Center for Research in Vocational Education.

One of a series of performance-based teacher education learning packages focusing upon specific professional competencies of vocational teachers, this learning module deals with employing simulation techniques. It consists of an introduction and four learning experiences. Covered in the first learning experience are various types of simulation…

Teleconnection, Regime Shift, and Predictability of Climate Extremes: A Case Study for the Russian Heat Wave and Pakistan Flood in Summer 2010

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lau, W. K.; Reale, O.; Kim, K.

2011-01-01

In this talk, we present observational evidence showing that the two major extremes events of the summer of 2010, i.e., the Russian heat wave and the Pakistan flood were physically connected. We find that the Pakistan flood was contributed by a series of unusually heavy rain events over the upper Indus River Basin in July-August. The rainfall regimes shifted from an episodic heavy rain regime in mid-to-late July to a steady heavy rain regime in August. An atmospheric Rossby wave associated with the development of the Russian heat wave was instrumental in spurring the episodic rain events , drawing moisture from the Bay of Bengal and the northern Arabian Sea. The steady rain regime was maintained primarily by monsoon moisture surges from the deep tropics. From experiments with the GEOS-5 forecast system, we assess the predictability of the heavy rain events associated with the Pakistan flood. Preliminary results indicate that there are significantly higher skills in the rainfall forecasts during the episodic heavy rain events in July, compared to the steady rain period in early to mid-August. The change in rainfall predictability may be related to scale interactions between the extratropics and the tropics resulting in a modulation of rainfall predictability by the circulation regimes.

Development of synchrotron X-ray micro-tomography under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature.

PubMed

Álvarez-Murga, M; Perrillat, J P; Le Godec, Y; Bergame, F; Philippe, J; King, A; Guignot, N; Mezouar, M; Hodeau, J L

2017-01-01

X-ray tomography is a non-destructive three-dimensional imaging/microanalysis technique selective to a wide range of properties such as density, chemical composition, chemical states and crystallographic structure with extremely high sensitivity and spatial resolution. Here the development of in situ high-pressure high-temperature micro-tomography using a rotating module for the Paris-Edinburgh cell combined with synchrotron radiation is described. By rotating the sample chamber by 360°, the limited angular aperture of ordinary high-pressure cells is surmounted. Such a non-destructive high-resolution probe provides three-dimensional insight on the morphological and structural evolution of crystalline as well as amorphous phases during high pressure and temperature treatment. To demonstrate the potentials of this new experimental technique the compression behavior of a basalt glass is investigated by X-ray absorption tomography, and diffraction/scattering tomography imaging of the structural changes during the polymerization of C 60 molecules under pressure is performed. Small size and weight of the loading frame and rotating module means that this apparatus is portable, and can be readily installed on most synchrotron facilities to take advantage of the diversity of three-dimensional imaging techniques available at beamlines. This experimental breakthrough should open new ways for in situ imaging of materials under extreme pressure-temperature-stress conditions, impacting diverse areas in physics, chemistry, geology or materials sciences.

Passepartout Sherpa - A low-cost, reusable transportation system into the stratosphere for small experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taraba, M.; Fauland, H.; Turetschek, T.; Stumptner, W.; Kudielka, V.; Scheer, D.; Sattler, B.; Fritz, A.; Stingl, B.; Fuchs, H.; Gubo, B.; Hettrich, S.; Hirtl, A.; Unger, E.; Soucek, A.; Frischauf, N.; Grömer, G.

2014-12-01

The Passepartout sounding balloon transportation system for low-mass (< 1200 g) experiments or hardware for validation to an altitude of 35 km is described. We present the general flight configuration, set-up of the flight control system, environmental and position sensors, power system, buoyancy considerations as well as the ground control infrastructure including recovery operations. In the telemetry and command module the integrated airborne computer is able to control the experiment, transmit telemetry and environmental data and allows for a duplex communication to a control centre for tele-commanding. The experiment module is mounted below the telemetry and command module and can either work as a standalone system or be controlled by the airborne computer. This spacing between experiment- and control unit allows for a high flexibility in the experiment design. After a parachute landing, the on-board satellite based recovery subsystems allow for a rapid tracking and recovery of the telemetry and command module and the experiment. We discuss flight data and lessons learned from two representative flights with research payloads.

Officials welcome the arrival of the Japanese Experiment Module

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

In the Space Station Processing Facility, NASA and Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) officials welcome the arrival of the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module, or JEM, to the Kennedy Space Center. At the podium is Russ Romanella, director of International Space Station and Spacecraft Processing. Seated at right are Bill Parsons, director of Kennedy Space Center; Dr. Kichiro Imagawa, project manager of the JEM Development Project Team for JAXA; Melanie Saunders, associate manager of the International Space Station Program at Johnson Space Center; and Dominic Gorie, commander on mission STS-123 that will deliver the module to the space station. The new International Space Station component arrived at Kennedy March 12 to begin preparations for its future launch on mission STS-123. It will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module.

Determination of optimum mounting configurations for flat-plate photovoltaic modules based on a structured field experiment and simulated results from PVFORM, a photovoltaic system performance model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menicucci, D. F.

1986-01-01

The performance of a photovoltaic (PV) system is affected by its mounting configuration. The optimal configuration is unclear because of lack of experience and data. Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque (SNLA), has conducted a controlled field experiment to compare four types of the most common module mounting. The data from the experiment were used to verify the accuracy of PVFORM, a new computer program that simulates PV performance. PVFORM was then used to simulate the performance of identical PV modules on different mounting configurations at 10 sites throughout the US. This report describes the module mounting configurations, the experimental methods used, the specialized statistical techniques used in the analysis, and the final results of the effort. The module mounting configurations are rank ordered at each site according to their annual and seasonal energy production performance, and each is briefly discussed in terms of its advantages and disadvantages in various applications.

Officials welcome the arrival of the Japanese Experiment Module

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

In the Space Station Processing Facility, NASA and Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) officials welcome the arrival of the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module, or JEM, to the Kennedy Space Center. At the podium is Bill Parsons, director of Kennedy Space Center. Seated at right are Russ Romanella, director of International Space Station and Spacecraft Processing; Dr. Kichiro Imagawa, project manager of the JEM Development Project Team for JAXA; Melanie Saunders, associate manager of the International Space Station Program at Johnson Space Center; and Dominic Gorie, commander on mission STS-123 that will deliver the module to the space station. The new International Space Station component arrived at Kennedy March 12 to begin preparations for its future launch on mission STS-123. It will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module.

Behavioral research in pigeons with ARENA: An automated remote environmental navigation apparatus

PubMed Central

Leising, Kenneth J.; Garlick, Dennis; Parenteau, Michael; Blaisdell, Aaron P.

2009-01-01

Three experiments established the effectiveness of an Automated Remote Environmental Navigation Apparatus (ARENA) developed in our lab to study behavioral processes in pigeons. The technology utilizes one or more wireless modules, each capable of presenting colored lights as visual stimuli to signal reward and of detecting subject peck responses. In Experiment 1, subjects were instrumentally shaped to peck at a single ARENA module following an unsuccessful autoshaping procedure. In Experiment 2, pigeons were trained with a simultaneous discrimination procedure during which two modules were illuminated different colors; pecks to one color (S+) were reinforced while pecks to the other color (S−) were not. Pigeons learned to preferentially peck the module displaying the S+. In Experiment 3, two modules were lit the same color concurrently from a set of six colors in a conditional discrimination task. For three of the colors pecks to the module in one location (e.g., upper quadrant) were reinforced while for the remaining colors pecks at the other module (e.g., lower quadrant) were reinforced. After learning this discrimination, the color-reinforced location assignments were reversed. Pigeons successfully acquired the reversal. ARENA is an automated system for open-field studies and a more ecologically valid alternative to the touchscreen. PMID:19429204

Embodied Cognition and Empathy in Miguel De Cervantes's "El Celoso Extremeño"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carrera, Elena

2014-01-01

This article examines the portrayal of cognitive experience in the published version of Miguel de Cervantes's short story "El celoso extremeño" (1613), drawing both on recent studies of empathy and current debates about the inseparability of cognition and emotion. It considers how cognitive experience is marked by particular bodily…

Extremely pulsatile flow around a surface-mounted hemisphere: synergistic experiments and simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carr, Ian A.; Beratlis, Nikolaos; Balaras, Elias; Plesniak, Michael W.

2017-11-01

Extremely pulsatile flow (where the amplitude of oscillation pulsation is of the same order as the mean flow) over a three-dimensional, surface-mounted bluff body gives rise a wealth of fluid dynamics phenomena. In this study, we extend our previous experimental work on extremely pulsatile flow around a surface-mounted hemisphere by performing a complementary direct numerical simulation. Results from the experiment and simulation will be presented and compared. After establishing the agreement between experiment and simulation, we will examine the morphology and dynamics of the vortex structures in the wake of the hemisphere, and the effects of extreme pulsatility. The dynamics of the arch-type recirculation vortex is of primary interest, in particular its upstream propagation due to self-induced velocity in the direction opposite to the freestream during deceleration. In addition to the velocity field, the surface pressure field throughout the pulsatile cycle will be presented. These synergistic experiments and simulations provide a detailed view into the complex flow fields associated with pulsatile flow over a surface-mounted hemisphere. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Number CBET-1236351 and the GW Center for Biomimetics and Bioinspired Engineering.

Desvenlafaxine

MedlinePlus

... or staying asleep, diarrhea, anxiety, extreme tiredness, unusual dreams, or sweating. Tell your doctor if you experience ... of appetite dry mouth dizziness extreme tiredness unusual dreams yawning sweating uncontrollable shaking of a part of ...

Design and Characterization of Hand Module for Whole-Arm Rehabilitation Following Stroke

PubMed Central

Masia, L.; Krebs, Hermano Igo; Cappa, P.; Hogan, N.

2009-01-01

In 1991, a novel robot named MIT-MANUS was introduced as a test bed to study the potential of using robots to assist in and quantify the neurorehabilitation of motor function. It introduced a new modality of therapy, offering a highly backdrivable experience with a soft and stable feel for the user. MIT-MANUS proved an excellent fit for shoulder and elbow rehabilitation in stroke patients, showing a reduction of impairment in clinical trials with well over 300 stroke patients. The greatest impairment reduction was observed in the group of muscles exercised. This suggests a need for additional robots to rehabilitate other target areas of the body. Previous work has expanded the planar MIT-MANUS to include an antigravity robot for shoulder and elbow, and a wrist robot. In this paper we present the “missing link”: a hand robot. It consists of a single-degree-of-freedom (DOF) mechanism in a novel statorless configuration, which enables rehabilitation of grasping. The system uses the kinematic configuration of a double crank and slider where the members are linked to stator and rotor; a free base motor, i.e., a motor having two rotors that are free to rotate instead of a fixed stator and a single rotatable rotor (dual-rotor statorless motor). A cylindrical structure, made of six panels and driven by the relative rotation of the rotors, is able to increase its radius linearly, moving or guiding the hand of the patients during grasping. This module completes our development of robots for the upper extremity, yielding for the first time a whole-arm rehabilitation experience. In this paper, we will discuss in detail the design and characterization of the device. PMID:20228969

Extreme weather events and infectious disease outbreaks.

PubMed

McMichael, Anthony J

2015-01-01

Human-driven climatic changes will fundamentally influence patterns of human health, including infectious disease clusters and epidemics following extreme weather events. Extreme weather events are projected to increase further with the advance of human-driven climate change. Both recent and historical experiences indicate that infectious disease outbreaks very often follow extreme weather events, as microbes, vectors and reservoir animal hosts exploit the disrupted social and environmental conditions of extreme weather events. This review article examines infectious disease risks associated with extreme weather events; it draws on recent experiences including Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 2010 Pakistan mega-floods, and historical examples from previous centuries of epidemics and 'pestilence' associated with extreme weather disasters and climatic changes. A fuller understanding of climatic change, the precursors and triggers of extreme weather events and health consequences is needed in order to anticipate and respond to the infectious disease risks associated with human-driven climate change. Post-event risks to human health can be constrained, nonetheless, by reducing background rates of persistent infection, preparatory action such as coordinated disease surveillance and vaccination coverage, and strengthened disaster response. In the face of changing climate and weather conditions, it is critically important to think in ecological terms about the determinants of health, disease and death in human populations.

Utilizing Problem-Based Learning in Qualitative Analysis Lab Experiments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hicks, Randall W.; Bevsek, Holly M.

2012-01-01

A series of qualitative analysis (QA) laboratory experiments utilizing a problem-based learning (PBL) module has been designed and implemented. The module guided students through the experiments under the guise of cleaning up a potentially contaminated water site as employees of an environmental chemistry laboratory. The main goal was the…

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (second from left) explains recovery and reconstruction efforts of Columbia to the Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (fourth from left) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach (second from left) explains recovery and reconstruction efforts of Columbia to the Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto (fourth from left) and others visiting the Columbia Debris Hangar. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of the newest Space Station module, the Japanese Experiment Module/pressurized module.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto points to other Space Station elements. Behind him is the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)/pressurized module. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of JEM.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-12

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, Executive Director of NASDA Koji Yamamoto points to other Space Station elements. Behind him is the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM)/pressurized module. Mr. Yamamoto is at KSC for a welcome ceremony involving the arrival of JEM.

KSC-07pd0895

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility, Scott Higginbotham, payload manager for the International Space Station, discusses the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), with Dr. Hidetaka Tanaka, the JEM Project Team resident manager at KSC for the Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA). Earlier, NASA and JAXA officials welcomed the arrival of the module. The new International Space Station component arrived at Kennedy March 12 to begin preparations for its future launch on mission STS-123. It will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

Readout electronics for CBM-TOF super module quality evaluation based on 10 Gbps ethernet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, D.; Cao, P.; Huang, X.; Zheng, J.; Wang, Q.; Li, B.; Li, J.; Liu, S.; An, Q.

2017-07-01

The Compressed Baryonic Matter-Time of Flight (CBM-TOF) wall uses high performance of Multi-gap Resistive Plate Chambers (MRPC) assembled in super modules to identify charged particles with high channel density and high measurement precision at high event rate. Electronics meet the challenge for reading data out from a super module at high speed of about 6 Gbps in real time. In this paper, the readout electronics for CBM-TOF super module quality evaluation is proposed based on 10 Gigabit Ethernet. The digitized TOF data from one super module will be concentrated at the front-end electronics residing on the side of the super module and transmitted to an extreme speed readout module (XSRM) housed in the backend crate through the PCI Express (PCIe) protocol via optic channels. Eventually, the XSRM transmits data to the data acquisition (DAQ) system through four 10 Gbps Ethernet ports in real time. This readout structure has advantages of high performance and expansibility. Furthermore, it is easy to operate. Test results on the prototype show that the overall data readout performance for each XSRM can reach up to 28.8 Gbps, which means XSRM can meet the requirement of reading data out from 4 super modules with 1280 channels in real time.

Apollo 12 Mission image - View of part of the deployed Apollo Lunar Surface Experiment Package (ALSEP)

NASA Image and Video Library

1969-11-19

AS12-47-6918 (19 Nov. 1969) --- Astronaut Alan L. Bean, lunar module pilot, took this photograph of three of the components of the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) which was deployed on the moon during the first Apollo 12 extravehicular activity (EVA). The Passive Seismic Experiment (PSE) is in the center foreground. The largest object is the Central Station; and the white object on legs is the Suprathermal Ion Detector Experiment (SIDE). A portion of the shadow of astronaut Charles Conrad Jr., commander, can be seen at the left center edge of the picture. Astronaut Richard F. Gordon Jr., command module pilot, remained with the Apollo 12 Command and Service Modules (CSM) in lunar orbit while Conrad and Bean descended in the Lunar Module (LM) to explore the moon.

Partial view of the deployed Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package

NASA Image and Video Library

1972-04-21

AS16-113-18347 (21 April 1972) --- A partial view of the Apollo 16 Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package (ALSEP) in deployed configuration on the lunar surface as photographed during the mission's first extravehicular activity (EVA), on April 21, 1972. The Passive Seismic Experiment (PSE) is in the foreground center; Central Station (C/S) is in center background, with the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) to the left. One of the anchor flags for the Active Seismic Experiment (ASE) is at right. While astronauts John W. Young, commander; and Charles M. Duke Jr., lunar module pilot; descended in the Apollo 16 Lunar Module (LM) "Orion" to explore the Descartes highlands landing site on the moon, astronaut Thomas K. Mattingly II, command module pilot, remained with the Command and Service Modules (CSM) "Casper" in lunar orbit.

Monthly modulation in dark matter direct-detection experiments

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

Britto, Vivian; Meyers, Joel, E-mail: vivian.britto@mail.utoronto.ca, E-mail: jmeyers@cita.utoronto.ca

2015-11-01

The signals in dark matter direct-detection experiments should exhibit modulation signatures due to the Earth's motion with respect to the Galactic dark matter halo. The annual and daily modulations, due to the Earth's revolution about the Sun and rotation about its own axis, have been explored previously. Monthly modulation is another such feature present in direct detection signals, and provides a nearly model-independent method of distinguishing dark matter signal events from background. We study here monthly modulations in detail for both WIMP and WISP dark matter searches, examining both the effect of the motion of the Earth about the Earth-Moonmore » barycenter and the gravitational focusing due to the Moon. For WIMP searches, we calculate the monthly modulation of the count rate and show the effects are too small to be observed in the foreseeable future. For WISP dark matter experiments, we show that the photons generated by WISP to photon conversion have frequencies which undergo a monthly modulating shift which is detectable with current technology and which cannot in general be neglected in high resolution WISP searches.« less

Impact of Convection on Surface Fluxes Observed During LASP/DYNAMO 2011

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

20  Figure 8.  FFM maneuver used in the LASP/DYNAMO experiment (from Wang et al. 2013...Atmosphere Response Experiment DYNAMO Dynamics of Madden-Julian Oscillation EM electro-magnetic EO electro-optical FFM flight-level flux mapping FVS...level flux mapping ( FFM ) modules. Convection modules consisted of dropsonde cloud survey or radar convective element maneuver. Dropsonde modules

Peaked signals from dark matter velocity structures in direct detection experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, Rafael F.; Weiner, Neal

2010-06-01

In direct dark matter detection experiments, conventional elastic scattering of WIMPs results in exponentially falling recoil spectra. In contrast, theories of WIMPs with excited states can lead to nuclear recoil spectra that peak at finite recoil energies ER. The peaks of such signals are typically fairly broad, with ΔER/Epeak ~ 1. We show that in the presence of dark matter structures with low velocity dispersion, such as streams or clumps, peaks from up-scattering can become extremely narrow with FWHM of a few keV only. This differs dramatically from the conventionally expected WIMP spectrum and would, once detected, open the possibility to measure the dark matter velocity structure with high accuracy. As an intriguing example, we confront the observed cluster of 3 events near 42 keV from the CRESST commissioning run with this scenario. Inelastic dark matter particles with a wide range of parameters are capable of producing such a narrow peak. We calculate the possible signals at other experiments, and find that such particles could also give rise to the signal at DAMA, although not from the same stream. Over some range of parameters, a signal would be visible at xenon experiments. We show that such dark matter peaks are a very clear signal and can be easily disentangled from potential backgrounds, both terrestrial or due to WIMP down-scattering, by an enhanced annual modulation in both the amplitude of the signal and its spectral shape.

Importance of envelope modulations during consonants and vowels in segmentally interrupted sentencesa)

PubMed Central

Fogerty, Daniel

2014-01-01

The present study investigated the importance of overall segment amplitude and intrinsic segment amplitude modulation of consonants and vowels to sentence intelligibility. Sentences were processed according to three conditions that replaced consonant or vowel segments with noise matched to the long-term average speech spectrum. Segments were replaced with (1) low-level noise that distorted the overall sentence envelope, (2) segment-level noise that restored the overall syllabic amplitude modulation of the sentence, and (3) segment-modulated noise that further restored faster temporal envelope modulations during the vowel. Results from the first experiment demonstrated an incremental benefit with increasing resolution of the vowel temporal envelope. However, amplitude modulations of replaced consonant segments had a comparatively minimal effect on overall sentence intelligibility scores. A second experiment selectively noise-masked preserved vowel segments in order to equate overall performance of consonant-replaced sentences to that of the vowel-replaced sentences. Results demonstrated no significant effect of restoring consonant modulations during the interrupting noise when existing vowel cues were degraded. A third experiment demonstrated greater perceived sentence continuity with the preservation or addition of vowel envelope modulations. Overall, results support previous investigations demonstrating the importance of vowel envelope modulations to the intelligibility of interrupted sentences. PMID:24606291

Wavefront reconstruction from non-modulated pyramid wavefront sensor data using a singular value type expansion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutterer, Victoria; Ramlau, Ronny

2018-03-01

The new generation of extremely large telescopes includes adaptive optics systems to correct for atmospheric blurring. In this paper, we present a new method of wavefront reconstruction from non-modulated pyramid wavefront sensor data. The approach is based on a simplified sensor model represented as the finite Hilbert transform of the incoming phase. Due to the non-compactness of the finite Hilbert transform operator the classical theory for singular systems is not applicable. Nevertheless, we can express the Moore-Penrose inverse as a singular value type expansion with weighted Chebychev polynomials.

Vector rogue waves and baseband modulation instability in the defocusing regime.

PubMed

Baronio, Fabio; Conforti, Matteo; Degasperis, Antonio; Lombardo, Sara; Onorato, Miguel; Wabnitz, Stefan

2014-07-18

We report and discuss analytical solutions of the vector nonlinear Schrödinger equation that describe rogue waves in the defocusing regime. This family of solutions includes bright-dark and dark-dark rogue waves. The link between modulational instability (MI) and rogue waves is displayed by showing that only a peculiar kind of MI, namely baseband MI, can sustain rogue-wave formation. The existence of vector rogue waves in the defocusing regime is expected to be a crucial progress in explaining extreme waves in a variety of physical scenarios described by multicomponent systems, from oceanography to optics and plasma physics.

Chaos for cardiac arrhythmias through a one-dimensional modulation equation for alternans

PubMed Central

Dai, Shu; Schaeffer, David G.

2010-01-01

Instabilities in cardiac dynamics have been widely investigated in recent years. One facet of this work has studied chaotic behavior, especially possible correlations with fatal arrhythmias. Previously chaotic behavior was observed in various models, specifically in the breakup of spiral and scroll waves. In this paper we study cardiac dynamics and find spatiotemporal chaotic behavior through the Echebarria–Karma modulation equation for alternans in one dimension. Although extreme parameter values are required to produce chaos in this model, it seems significant mathematically that chaos may occur by a different mechanism from previous observations. PMID:20590327

Bond order potential module for LAMMPS

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

2012-09-11

pair_bop is a module for performing energy calculations using the Bond Order Potential (BOP) for use in the parallel molecular dynamics code LAMMPS. The bop pair style computes BOP based upon quantum mechanical incorporating both sigma and pi bondings. By analytically deriving the BOP pair bop from quantum mechanical theory its transferability to different phases can approach that of quantum mechanical methods. This potential is extremely effective at modeling 111-V and II-VI compounds such as GaAs and CdTe. This potential is similar to the original BOP developed by Pettifor and later updated by Murdock et al. and Ward et al.

Low-loss adiabatically-tapered high-contrast gratings for slow-wave modulators on SOI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sciancalepore, Corrado; Hassan, Karim; Ferrotti, Thomas; Harduin, Julie; Duprez, Hélène; Menezo, Sylvie; Ben Bakir, Badhise

2015-02-01

In this communication, we report about the design, fabrication, and testing of Silicon-based photonic integrated circuits (Si-PICs) including low-loss flat-band slow-light high-contrast-gratings (HCGs) waveguides at 1.31 μm. The light slowdown is achieved in 300-nm-thick silicon-on-insulator (SOI) rib waveguides by patterning adiabatically-tapered highcontrast gratings, capable of providing slow-light propagation with extremely low optical losses, back-scattering, and Fabry-Pérot noise. In detail, the one-dimensional (1-D) grating architecture is capable to provide band-edge group indices ng ~ 25, characterized by overall propagation losses equivalent to those of the index-like propagation regime (~ 1-2 dB/cm). Such photonic band-edge slow-light regime at low propagation losses is made possible by the adiabatic apodization of such 1-D HCGs, thus resulting in a win-win approach where light slow-down regime is reached without additional optical losses penalty. As well as that, a tailored apodization optimized via genetic algorithms allows the flattening of slow-light regime over the wavelength window of interest, therefore suiting well needs for group index stability for modulation purposes and non-linear effects generation. In conclusion, such architectures provide key features suitable for power-efficient high-speed modulators in silicon as well as an extremely low-loss building block for non-linear optics (NLO) which is now available in the Si photonics toolbox.

Negative Emotion Does Not Modulate Rapid Feature Integration Effects

PubMed Central

Trübutschek, Darinka; Egner, Tobias

2012-01-01

Emotional arousal at encoding is known to facilitate later memory recall. In the present study, we asked whether this emotion-modulation of episodic memory is also evident at very short time scales, as measured by “feature integration effects,” the moment-by-moment binding of relevant stimulus and response features in episodic memory. This question was motivated by recent findings that negative emotion appears to potentiate first-order trial sequence effects in classic conflict tasks, which has been attributed to emotion-modulation of conflict-driven cognitive control processes. However, these effects could equally well have been carried by emotion-modulation of mnemonic feature binding processes, which were perfectly confounded with putative control processes in these studies. In the present experiments, we tried to shed light on this question by testing explicitly whether feature integration processes, assessed in isolation of conflict–control, are in fact susceptible to negative emotion-modulation. For this purpose, we adopted a standard protocol for assessing the rapid binding of stimulus and response features in episodic memory (Experiment 1) and paired it with the presentation of either neutral or fearful background face stimuli, shown either at encoding only (Experiment 2), or at both encoding and retrieval (Experiment 3). Whereas reliable feature integration effects were observed in all three experiments, no evidence for emotion-modulation of these effects was detected, in spite of significant effects of emotion on response times. These findings suggest that rapid feature integration of foreground stimulus and response features is not subject to modulation by negative emotional background stimuli and further suggest that previous reports of emotion-modulated trial–transition effects are likely attributable to the effects of emotion on cognitive control processes. PMID:22509172

Attitudes towards suicide following an undergraduate suicide prevention module: experience of medical students in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Yousuf, S; Beh, P S L; Wong, P W C

2013-10-01

To explore qualitative and quantitative changes in attitudes and experiences of medical students following a special study suicide prevention module. Pilot study. The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. A 2-week intensive special studies module was delivered to third- and fourth-year medical students in June 2011. The module was elective and involved several modes of teaching. All students filled the Chinese Attitude toward Suicide Questionnaire before and after the course. They also provided written feedback about the module experience. Three students participated in in-depth interviews. In all, 22 students aged 20 to 23 years enrolled in the special studies module; 15 (68%) of whom were male and only one was married. Positive trends were noted in attitudes towards suicide following the participation in the special studies module, namely, reduced negative appraisal of suicide, reduced stigmatisation of the phenomena, and increased sensitivity to suicide-related facts. Feedback of the students suggested inclusion of this module into the main medical curriculum, increased confidence in dealing with issues related to suicide, and appreciation of skills focusing on interviewing in patients. Overall the module was well received by medical students. A suicide prevention training module seems to have been valued by students and lead to positive attitudes towards understanding suicide. Adopting this initiative as a suicide prevention strategy warrants further exploration.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Port Canaveral, the Pressurized Module of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) is lifted out of the ship’s cargo hold. It will be loaded onto the truck bed in the background for transfer to KSC’s Space Station Processing Facility. The container transport ship carrying JEM departed May 2 from Yokohama Harbor in Japan for the voyage to the United States. The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) developed the laboratory at the Tsukuba Space Center near Tokyo. The Pressurized Module is the first element of the JEM, named "Kibo" (Hope), to be delivered to KSC. The JEM is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. The JEM also includes an exposed facility (platform) for space environment experiments, a robotic manipulator system, and two logistics modules. The various JEM components will be assembled in space over the course of three Shuttle missions.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-06-04

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - At Port Canaveral, the Pressurized Module of the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) is lifted out of the ship’s cargo hold. It will be loaded onto the truck bed in the background for transfer to KSC’s Space Station Processing Facility. The container transport ship carrying JEM departed May 2 from Yokohama Harbor in Japan for the voyage to the United States. The National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) developed the laboratory at the Tsukuba Space Center near Tokyo. The Pressurized Module is the first element of the JEM, named "Kibo" (Hope), to be delivered to KSC. The JEM is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. The JEM also includes an exposed facility (platform) for space environment experiments, a robotic manipulator system, and two logistics modules. The various JEM components will be assembled in space over the course of three Shuttle missions.

Remotely Powered Reconfigurable Receiver for Extreme Sensing Platforms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheldon, Douglas J. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

Unmanned space programs are currently used to enable scientists to explore and research the furthest reaches of outer space. Systems and methods for low power communication devices in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed, describing a wide variety of low power communication devices capable of remotely collecting, processing, and transmitting data from outer space in order to further mankind's goal of exploring the cosmos. Many embodiments of the invention include a Flash-based FPGA, an energy-harvesting power supply module, a sensor module, and a radio module. By utilizing technologies that withstand the harsh environment of outer space, more reliable low power communication devices can be deployed, enhancing the quality and longevity of the low power communication devices, enabling more data to be gathered and aiding in the exploration of outer space.

Enhanced Tribocorrosion Performance of Cr/GLC Multilayered Films for Marine Protective Application.

PubMed

Li, Lei; Liu, Lin-Lin; Li, Xiaowei; Guo, Peng; Ke, Peiling; Wang, Aiying

2018-04-18

The corrosion and tribology are all closely related to the interface/surface of materials, which are extremely important for the mechanical components used in harsh marine environments. In this work, we fabricated Cr/graphite-like carbon (GLC) multilayered films with different modulation periods on the 316L stainless steels by direct current magnetron sputtering. Tribocorrosion tests in artificial seawater show that the tribocorrosion resistance of the Cr/GLC films is improved as the modulation period decreases from 1000 to 333 nm and then drastically drops with further decreasing to 250 nm. By taking a top-layer thickening strategy for the Cr/GLC film with 250 nm modulation period, the tribocorrosion performance is significantly enhanced. The corresponded mechanisms are discussed in terms of the film structure and electrochemical corrosion behavior.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Astronaut Soichi Noguchi (left), with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), points to data on the console during a Multi-Element Integrated Test (MEIT) of the U.S. Node 2 and the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) in the Space Station Processing Facility. The JEM, developed by NASDA, is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. Noguchi is assigned to mission STS-114 as a mission specialist. Node 2 provides attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, as well as European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, eventually, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-09-03

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Astronaut Soichi Noguchi (left), with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), points to data on the console during a Multi-Element Integrated Test (MEIT) of the U.S. Node 2 and the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) in the Space Station Processing Facility. The JEM, developed by NASDA, is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. Noguchi is assigned to mission STS-114 as a mission specialist. Node 2 provides attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, as well as European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, eventually, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, astronaut Soichi Noguchi (right), with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), stands inside the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) that is undergoing a Multi-Element Integrated Test (MEIT) with the U.S. Node 2. The JEM, developed by NASDA, is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. Noguchi is assigned to mission STS-114 as a mission specialist. Node 2 provides attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, as well as European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, eventually, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-09-03

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - In the Space Station Processing Facility, astronaut Soichi Noguchi (right), with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), stands inside the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) that is undergoing a Multi-Element Integrated Test (MEIT) with the U.S. Node 2. The JEM, developed by NASDA, is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. Noguchi is assigned to mission STS-114 as a mission specialist. Node 2 provides attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, as well as European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, eventually, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Astronaut Soichi Noguchi (left), with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), works at a console during a Multi-Element Integrated Test (MEIT) of the U.S. Node 2 and the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) in the Space Station Processing Facility. The JEM, developed by NASDA, is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. Noguchi is assigned to mission STS-114 as a mission specialist. Node 2 provides attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, as well as European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, eventually, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS.

NASA Image and Video Library

2003-09-03

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Astronaut Soichi Noguchi (left), with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), works at a console during a Multi-Element Integrated Test (MEIT) of the U.S. Node 2 and the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) in the Space Station Processing Facility. The JEM, developed by NASDA, is Japan's primary contribution to the Station. It will enhance the unique research capabilities of the orbiting complex by providing an additional environment for astronauts to conduct science experiments. Noguchi is assigned to mission STS-114 as a mission specialist. Node 2 provides attach locations for the Japanese laboratory, as well as European laboratory, the Centrifuge Accommodation Module and, eventually, Multipurpose Logistics Modules. Installation of the module will complete the U.S. Core of the ISS.

Phonological experience modulates voice discrimination: Evidence from functional brain networks analysis.

PubMed

Hu, Xueping; Wang, Xiangpeng; Gu, Yan; Luo, Pei; Yin, Shouhang; Wang, Lijun; Fu, Chao; Qiao, Lei; Du, Yi; Chen, Antao

2017-10-01

Numerous behavioral studies have found a modulation effect of phonological experience on voice discrimination. However, the neural substrates underpinning this phenomenon are poorly understood. Here we manipulated language familiarity to test the hypothesis that phonological experience affects voice discrimination via mediating the engagement of multiple perceptual and cognitive resources. The results showed that during voice discrimination, the activation of several prefrontal regions was modulated by language familiarity. More importantly, the same effect was observed concerning the functional connectivity from the fronto-parietal network to the voice-identity network (VIN), and from the default mode network to the VIN. Our findings indicate that phonological experience could bias the recruitment of cognitive control and information retrieval/comparison processes during voice discrimination. Therefore, the study unravels the neural substrates subserving the modulation effect of phonological experience on voice discrimination, and provides new insights into studying voice discrimination from the perspective of network interactions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Status of Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) activities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1991-01-01

The current status of the JEM activities are presented in graphic form. The JEM spacecraft configuration is presented. The JEM configuration consist of the Pressurized Module, the Exposed Facility, the Experiment Logistics Module which consist of a pressurized section and an exposed section; and the Remote Manipulator System. The master schedule of the space station is given. Also the development tests of the structure and mechanism, the electrical power system, the data management system, the thermal control system, the environment control system, the experiment support system, and the remote manipulator system are listed.

A periodic network of neurochemical modules in the inferior colliculus.

PubMed

Chernock, Michelle L; Larue, David T; Winer, Jeffery A

2004-02-01

A new organization has been found in shell nuclei of rat inferior colliculus. Chemically specific modules with a periodic distribution fill about half of layer 2 of external cortex and dorsal cortex. Modules contain clusters of small glutamic acid decarboxylase-positive neurons and large boutons at higher density than in other inferior colliculus subdivisions. The modules are also present in tissue stained for parvalbumin, cytochrome oxidase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase, and acetylcholinesterase. Six to seven bilaterally symmetrical modules extend from the caudal extremity of the external cortex of the inferior colliculus to its rostral pole. Modules are from approximately 800 to 2200 microm long and have areas between 5000 and 40,000 microm2. Modules alternate with immunonegative regions. Similar modules are found in inbred and outbred strains of rat, and in both males and females. They are absent in mouse, squirrel, cat, bat, macaque monkey, and barn owl. Modules are immunonegative for glycine, calbindin, serotonin, and choline acetyltransferase. The auditory cortex and ipsi- and contralateral inferior colliculi project to the external cortex. Somatic sensory influences from the dorsal column nuclei and spinal trigeminal nucleus are the primary ascending sensory input to the external cortex; ascending auditory input to layer 2 is sparse. If the immunopositive modular neurons receive this input, the external cortex could participate in spatial orientation and somatic motor control through its intrinsic and extrinsic projections.

Spatiotemporal characteristics of heat waves over China in regional climate simulations within the CORDEX-EA project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Pinya; Tang, Jianping; Sun, Xuguang; Liu, Jianyong; Juan, Fang

2018-03-01

Using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, this paper analyzes the spatiotemporal features of heat waves in 20-year regional climate simulations over East Asia, and investigates the capability of WRF to reproduce observational heat waves in China. Within the framework of the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX), the WRF model is driven by the ERA-Interim (ERAIN) reanalysis, and five continuous simulations are conducted from 1989 to 2008. Of these, four runs apply the interior spectral nudging (SN) technique with different wavenumbers, nudging variables and nudging coefficients. Model validations show that WRF can reasonably reproduce the spatiotemporal features of heat waves in China. Compared with the experiment without SN, the application of SN is effectie on improving the skill of the model in simulating both the spatial distributions and temporal variations of heat waves of different intensities. The WRF model shows advantages in reproducing the synoptic circulations with SN and therefore yields better representations for heat wave events. Besides, the SN method is able to preserve the variability of large-scale circulations quite well, which in turn adjusts the extreme temperature variability towards the observation. Among the four SN experiments, those with stronger nudging coefficients perform better in modulating both the spatial and temporal features of heat waves. In contrast, smaller nudging coefficients weaken the effects of SN on improving WRF's performances.

Effects of climate extremes on the terrestrial carbon cycle: concepts, processes and potential future impacts

PubMed Central

Frank, Dorothea; Reichstein, Markus; Bahn, Michael; Thonicke, Kirsten; Frank, David; Mahecha, Miguel D; Smith, Pete; van der Velde, Marijn; Vicca, Sara; Babst, Flurin; Beer, Christian; Buchmann, Nina; Canadell, Josep G; Ciais, Philippe; Cramer, Wolfgang; Ibrom, Andreas; Miglietta, Franco; Poulter, Ben; Rammig, Anja; Seneviratne, Sonia I; Walz, Ariane; Wattenbach, Martin; Zavala, Miguel A; Zscheischler, Jakob

2015-01-01

Extreme droughts, heat waves, frosts, precipitation, wind storms and other climate extremes may impact the structure, composition and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, and thus carbon cycling and its feedbacks to the climate system. Yet, the interconnected avenues through which climate extremes drive ecological and physiological processes and alter the carbon balance are poorly understood. Here, we review the literature on carbon cycle relevant responses of ecosystems to extreme climatic events. Given that impacts of climate extremes are considered disturbances, we assume the respective general disturbance-induced mechanisms and processes to also operate in an extreme context. The paucity of well-defined studies currently renders a quantitative meta-analysis impossible, but permits us to develop a deductive framework for identifying the main mechanisms (and coupling thereof) through which climate extremes may act on the carbon cycle. We find that ecosystem responses can exceed the duration of the climate impacts via lagged effects on the carbon cycle. The expected regional impacts of future climate extremes will depend on changes in the probability and severity of their occurrence, on the compound effects and timing of different climate extremes, and on the vulnerability of each land-cover type modulated by management. Although processes and sensitivities differ among biomes, based on expert opinion, we expect forests to exhibit the largest net effect of extremes due to their large carbon pools and fluxes, potentially large indirect and lagged impacts, and long recovery time to regain previous stocks. At the global scale, we presume that droughts have the strongest and most widespread effects on terrestrial carbon cycling. Comparing impacts of climate extremes identified via remote sensing vs. ground-based observational case studies reveals that many regions in the (sub-)tropics are understudied. Hence, regional investigations are needed to allow a global upscaling of the impacts of climate extremes on global carbon–climate feedbacks. PMID:25752680

Effects of climate extremes on the terrestrial carbon cycle: concepts, processes and potential future impacts.

PubMed

Frank, Dorothea; Reichstein, Markus; Bahn, Michael; Thonicke, Kirsten; Frank, David; Mahecha, Miguel D; Smith, Pete; van der Velde, Marijn; Vicca, Sara; Babst, Flurin; Beer, Christian; Buchmann, Nina; Canadell, Josep G; Ciais, Philippe; Cramer, Wolfgang; Ibrom, Andreas; Miglietta, Franco; Poulter, Ben; Rammig, Anja; Seneviratne, Sonia I; Walz, Ariane; Wattenbach, Martin; Zavala, Miguel A; Zscheischler, Jakob

2015-08-01

Extreme droughts, heat waves, frosts, precipitation, wind storms and other climate extremes may impact the structure, composition and functioning of terrestrial ecosystems, and thus carbon cycling and its feedbacks to the climate system. Yet, the interconnected avenues through which climate extremes drive ecological and physiological processes and alter the carbon balance are poorly understood. Here, we review the literature on carbon cycle relevant responses of ecosystems to extreme climatic events. Given that impacts of climate extremes are considered disturbances, we assume the respective general disturbance-induced mechanisms and processes to also operate in an extreme context. The paucity of well-defined studies currently renders a quantitative meta-analysis impossible, but permits us to develop a deductive framework for identifying the main mechanisms (and coupling thereof) through which climate extremes may act on the carbon cycle. We find that ecosystem responses can exceed the duration of the climate impacts via lagged effects on the carbon cycle. The expected regional impacts of future climate extremes will depend on changes in the probability and severity of their occurrence, on the compound effects and timing of different climate extremes, and on the vulnerability of each land-cover type modulated by management. Although processes and sensitivities differ among biomes, based on expert opinion, we expect forests to exhibit the largest net effect of extremes due to their large carbon pools and fluxes, potentially large indirect and lagged impacts, and long recovery time to regain previous stocks. At the global scale, we presume that droughts have the strongest and most widespread effects on terrestrial carbon cycling. Comparing impacts of climate extremes identified via remote sensing vs. ground-based observational case studies reveals that many regions in the (sub-)tropics are understudied. Hence, regional investigations are needed to allow a global upscaling of the impacts of climate extremes on global carbon-climate feedbacks. © 2015 The Authors. Global Change Biology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

76 FR 68297 - Airworthiness Directives; Agusta S.p.A. (Agusta) Model AB139 and AW139 Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-04

... card assemblies. Analysis of the in-flight emergencies identified salt water and extreme moisture as... and related connectors for corrosion. If there is corrosion on the connectors, this AD requires cleaning the connectors before further flight. If there is corrosion on a module, before further flight...

The Experiment of Modulated Toroidal Current on HT-7 and HT-6M Tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Jian-shan; P, Phillips; Luo, Jia-rong; Xu, Yu-hong; Zhao, Jun-yu; Zhang, Xian-mei; Wan, Bao-nian; Zhang, Shou-yin; Jie, Yin-xian; Wu, Zhen-wei; Hu, Li-qun; Liu, Sheng-xia; Shi, Yue-jiang; Li, Jian-gang; HT-6M; HT-7 Group

2003-02-01

The Experiments of Modulated Toroidal Current were done on the HT-6M tokamak and HT-7 superconducting tokamak. The toroidal current was modulated by programming the Ohmic heating field. Modulation of the plasma current has been used successfully to suppress MHD activity in discharges near the density limit where large MHD m = 2 tearing modes were suppressed by sufficiently large plasma current oscillations. The improved Ohmic confinement phase was observed during modulating toroidal current (MTC) on the Hefei Tokamak-6M (HT-6M) and Hefei superconducting Tokamak-7 (HT-7). A toroidal frequency-modulated current, induced by a modulated loop voltage, was added on the plasma equilibrium current. The ratio of A.C. amplitude of plasma current to the main plasma current ΔIp/Ip is about 12%-30%. The different formats of the frequency-modulated toroidal current were compared.

Photonic-Assisted mm-Wave and THz Wireless Transmission towards 100 Gbit/s Data Rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freire Hermelo, Maria; Chuenchom, Rattana; Rymanov, Vitaly; Kaiser, Thomas; Sheikh, Fawad; Czylwik, Andreas; Stöhr, Andreas

2017-09-01

This paper presents photonic-assisted 60 GHz mm-wave and 325 GHz system approaches that enable the transmission of spectral-efficient and high data rate signals over fiber and over air. First, we focus on generic channel characteristics within the mm-wave 60 GHz band and at the terahertz (THz) band around 325 GHz. Next, for generating the high data rate baseband signals, we present a technical solution for constructing an extreme bandwidth arbitrary waveform generator (AWG). We then report the development of a novel coherent photonic mixer (CPX) module for direct optic-to-RF conversion of extreme wideband optical signals, with a>5 dB higher conversion gain compared to conventional photodiodes. Finally, we experimentally demonstrate record spectral efficient wireless transmission for both bands. The achieved spectral efficiencies reach 10 bit/s/Hz for the 60 GHz band and 6 bit/s/Hz for the 325 GHz band. The maximum data rate transmitted at THz frequencies in the 325 GHz band is 59 Gbit/s using a 64-QAM-OFDM modulation format and a 10 GHz wide data signal.

Cladonia lichens on extensive green roofs: evapotranspiration, substrate temperature, and albedo.

PubMed

Heim, Amy; Lundholm, Jeremy

2013-01-01

Green roofs are constructed ecosystems that provide ecosystem services in urban environments. Shallow substrate green roofs subject the vegetation layer to desiccation and other environmental extremes, so researchers have evaluated a variety of stress-tolerant vegetation types for green roof applications. Lichens can be found in most terrestrial habitats.  They are able to survive extremely harsh conditions, including frequent cycles of desiccation and rehydration, nutrient-poor soil, fluctuating temperatures, and high UV intensities. Extensive green roofs (substrate depth <20cm) exhibit these harsh conditions, making lichens possible candidates for incorporation into the vegetation layer on extensive green roofs.  In a modular green roof system, we tested the effect of Cladonia lichens on substrate temperature, water loss, and albedo compared to a substrate-only control. Overall, the Cladonia modules had significantly cooler substrate temperatures during the summer and significantly warmer temperatures during the fall.  Additionally, the Cladonia modules lost significantly less water than the substrate-only control. This implies that they may be able to benefit neighboring vascular plant species by reducing water loss and maintaining favorable substrate temperatures.

Temperature regulates limb length in homeotherms by directly modulating cartilage growth

PubMed Central

Serrat, Maria A.; King, Donna; Lovejoy, C. Owen

2008-01-01

Allen's Rule documents a century-old biological observation that strong positive correlations exist among latitude, ambient temperature, and limb length in mammals. Although genetic selection for thermoregulatory adaptation is frequently presumed to be the primary basis of this phenomenon, important but frequently overlooked research has shown that appendage outgrowth is also markedly influenced by environmental temperature. Alteration of limb blood flow via vasoconstriction/vasodilation is the current default hypothesis for this growth plasticity, but here we show that tissue perfusion does not fully account for differences in extremity elongation in mice. We show that peripheral tissue temperature closely reflects housing temperature in vivo, and we demonstrate that chondrocyte proliferation and extracellular matrix volume strongly correlate with tissue temperature in metatarsals cultured without vasculature in vitro. Taken together, these data suggest that vasomotor changes likely modulate extremity growth indirectly, via their effects on appendage temperature, rather than vascular nutrient delivery. When combined with classic evolutionary theory, especially genetic assimilation, these results provide a potentially comprehensive explanation of Allen's Rule, and may substantially impact our understanding of phenotypic variation in living and extinct mammals, including humans. PMID:19047632

From Motion to Photons in 80 Microseconds: Towards Minimal Latency for Virtual and Augmented Reality.

PubMed

Lincoln, Peter; Blate, Alex; Singh, Montek; Whitted, Turner; State, Andrei; Lastra, Anselmo; Fuchs, Henry

2016-04-01

We describe an augmented reality, optical see-through display based on a DMD chip with an extremely fast (16 kHz) binary update rate. We combine the techniques of post-rendering 2-D offsets and just-in-time tracking updates with a novel modulation technique for turning binary pixels into perceived gray scale. These processing elements, implemented in an FPGA, are physically mounted along with the optical display elements in a head tracked rig through which users view synthetic imagery superimposed on their real environment. The combination of mechanical tracking at near-zero latency with reconfigurable display processing has given us a measured average of 80 µs of end-to-end latency (from head motion to change in photons from the display) and also a versatile test platform for extremely-low-latency display systems. We have used it to examine the trade-offs between image quality and cost (i.e. power and logical complexity) and have found that quality can be maintained with a fairly simple display modulation scheme.

Group Combustion Module (GCM) Installation

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-09-27

ISS049e011638 (09/27/2016) --- Expedition 49 crewmember Takuya Onishi of JAXA works on the setup of the Group Combustion Module (GCM) inside the Japanese Experiment Module. The GCM will be used to house the Group Combustion experiment from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to test a theory that fuel sprays change from partial to group combustion as flames spread across a cloud of droplets.

The Mediating Roles of Hostility and Dissociation in the Relationship Between Sexual Assault and Suicidal Thinking in College Students.

PubMed

Keefe, Kristy M; Hetzel-Riggin, Melanie D; Sunami, Naoyuki

2017-03-01

Sexual assault and suicide are two serious public health concerns. Research has documented the relationship between sexual assault and suicidal thinking and attempts; however, limited research explores the more multifaceted relationships between posttraumatic stress reactions and suicidal ideation in college students through unsuccessful modulation of emotion. The authors hypothesized a mediation model where the relationship between sexual assault and suicidal ideation is mediated by dissociation and hostility. In total, 1,677 undergraduate students were administered modified versions of the Traumatic Life Events Questionnaire (TLEQ), Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), and Peritraumatic Dissociative Experiences Questionnaire (PDEQ). The results revealed both significant partial but equal mediators of hostility and dissociation. However, a portion of the direct effect between sexual assault and suicidal ideation remained unaccounted for by indirect effects. The current model supports previous work on dialectical behavior therapy that says either side of the dialectic between extreme expression and suppression of hostility increases the likelihood of suicidal thinking after sexual assault. With sexual assault survivors, practitioners should use strategies that emphasize both anger expression and healthy avoidance as a way to modulate emotion to potentially reduce suicidal thoughts. Future research should focus on different gender models, additional possible mediators such as alcohol use and guilt, and different forms of sexual assault. Limitations of the correlational, cross-sectional methodology are discussed.

Combining Targeted Agents With Modern Radiotherapy in Soft Tissue Sarcomas

PubMed Central

Wong, Philip; Houghton, Peter; Kirsch, David G.; Finkelstein, Steven E.; Monjazeb, Arta M.; Xu-Welliver, Meng; Dicker, Adam P.; Ahmed, Mansoor; Vikram, Bhadrasain; Teicher, Beverly A.; Coleman, C. Norman; Machtay, Mitchell; Curran, Walter J.

2014-01-01

Improved understanding of soft-tissue sarcoma (STS) biology has led to better distinction and subtyping of these diseases with the hope of exploiting the molecular characteristics of each subtype to develop appropriately targeted treatment regimens. In the care of patients with extremity STS, adjunctive radiation therapy (RT) is used to facilitate limb and function, preserving surgeries while maintaining five-year local control above 85%. In contrast, for STS originating from nonextremity anatomical sites, the rate of local recurrence is much higher (five-year local control is approximately 50%) and a major cause of death and morbidity in these patients. Incorporating novel technological advancements to administer accurate RT in combination with novel radiosensitizing agents could potentially improve local control and overall survival. RT efficacy in STS can be increased by modulating biological pathways such as angiogenesis, cell cycle regulation, cell survival signaling, and cancer-host immune interactions. Previous experiences, advancements, ongoing research, and current clinical trials combining RT with agents modulating one or more of the above pathways are reviewed. The standard clinical management of patients with STS with pretreatment biopsy, neoadjuvant treatment, and primary surgery provides an opportune disease model for interrogating translational hypotheses. The purpose of this review is to outline a strategic vision for clinical translation of preclinical findings and to identify appropriate targeted agents to combine with radiotherapy in the treatment of STS from different sites and/or different histology subtypes. PMID:25326640

KSC-07pd0896

NASA Image and Video Library

2007-04-17

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- In the Space Station Processing Facility, NASA and Japanese Aerospace and Exploration Agency (JAXA) officials welcome the arrival of the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section for the Japanese Experiment Module, or JEM, to the Kennedy Space Center. At the podium is Dr. Kichiro Imagawa, project manager of the JEM Development Project Team for JAXA. Seated at right are Russ Romanella, director of International Space Station and Spacecraft Processing; Bill Parsons, director of Kennedy Space Center; Melanie Saunders, associate manager of the International Space Station Program at Johnson Space Center; and Dominic Gorie, commander on mission STS-123 that will deliver the module to the space station. The logistics module will serve as an on-orbit storage area for materials, tools and supplies. It can hold up to eight experiment racks and will attach to the top of another larger pressurized module. Photo credit: NASA/George Shelton

Periodically modulated dark states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Yingying; Zhang, Jun; Zhang, Wenxian

2018-04-01

Phenomena of electromagnetically induced transparency (PEIT) may be interpreted by the Autler-Townes Splitting (ATS), where the coupled states are split by the coupling laser field, or by the quantum destructive interference (QDI), where the atomic phases caused by the coupling laser and the probe laser field cancel. We propose modulated experiments to explore the PEIT in an alternative way by periodically modulating the coupling and the probe fields in a Λ-type three-level system initially in a dark state. Our analytical and numerical results rule out the ATS interpretation and show that the QDI interpretation is more appropriate for the modulated experiments. Interestingly, dark state persists in the double-modulation situation where control and probe fields never occur simultaneously, which is significant difference from the traditional dark state condition. The proposed experiments are readily implemented in atomic gases, artificial atoms in superconducting quantum devices, or three-level meta-atoms in meta-materials.

Remembering the best and worst of times: memories for extreme outcomes bias risky decisions.

PubMed

Madan, Christopher R; Ludvig, Elliot A; Spetch, Marcia L

2014-06-01

When making decisions on the basis of past experiences, people must rely on their memories. Human memory has many well-known biases, including the tendency to better remember highly salient events. We propose an extreme-outcome rule, whereby this memory bias leads people to overweight the largest gains and largest losses, leading to more risk seeking for relative gains than for relative losses. To test this rule, in two experiments, people repeatedly chose between fixed and risky options, where the risky option led equiprobably to more or less than did the fixed option. As was predicted, people were more risk seeking for relative gains than for relative losses. In subsequent memory tests, people tended to recall the extreme outcome first and also judged the extreme outcome as having occurred more frequently. Across individuals, risk preferences in the risky-choice task correlated with these memory biases. This extreme-outcome rule presents a novel mechanism through which memory influences decision making.

Detecting cheaters without thinking: testing the automaticity of the cheater detection module.

PubMed

Van Lier, Jens; Revlin, Russell; De Neys, Wim

2013-01-01

Evolutionary psychologists have suggested that our brain is composed of evolved mechanisms. One extensively studied mechanism is the cheater detection module. This module would make people very good at detecting cheaters in a social exchange. A vast amount of research has illustrated performance facilitation on social contract selection tasks. This facilitation is attributed to the alleged automatic and isolated operation of the module (i.e., independent of general cognitive capacity). This study, using the selection task, tested the critical automaticity assumption in three experiments. Experiments 1 and 2 established that performance on social contract versions did not depend on cognitive capacity or age. Experiment 3 showed that experimentally burdening cognitive resources with a secondary task had no impact on performance on the social contract version. However, in all experiments, performance on a non-social contract version did depend on available cognitive capacity. Overall, findings validate the automatic and effortless nature of social exchange reasoning.

Shrink-film microfluidic education modules: Complete devices within minutes.

PubMed

Nguyen, Diep; McLane, Jolie; Lew, Valerie; Pegan, Jonathan; Khine, Michelle

2011-06-01

As advances in microfluidics continue to make contributions to diagnostics and life sciences, broader awareness of this expanding field becomes necessary. By leveraging low-cost microfabrication techniques that require no capital equipment or infrastructure, simple, accessible, and effective educational modules can be made available for a broad range of educational needs from middle school demonstrations to college laboratory classes. These modules demonstrate key microfluidic concepts such as diffusion and separation as well as "laboratory on-chip" applications including chemical reactions and biological assays. These modules are intended to provide an interdisciplinary hands-on experience, including chip design, fabrication of functional devices, and experiments at the microscale. Consequently, students will be able to conceptualize physics at small scales, gain experience in computer-aided design and microfabrication, and perform experiments-all in the context of addressing real-world challenges by making their own lab-on-chip devices.

Nanofocusing of the free-space optical energy with plasmonic Tamm states.

PubMed

Niu, Linyu; Xiang, Yinxiao; Luo, Weiwei; Cai, Wei; Qi, Jiwei; Zhang, Xinzheng; Xu, Jingjun

2016-12-20

To achieve extreme electromagnetic enhancement, we propose a plasmonic Tamm states (PTSs) configuration based on the metal-insulator-metal Bragg reflector, which is realized by periodically modulating the width of the insulator. Both the thick (2D) and thin (3D) structures are discussed. Through optimization performed by the impedance-based transfer matrix method and the finite difference time domain method, we find that both the electric field and magnetic field intensities can be increased by three orders of magnitude. The field-enhancement inside the PTSs configuration is not limited to extremely sharp waveguide terminal, which can greatly reduce processing difficulties.

Weather extremes in very large, high-resolution ensembles: the weatherathome experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, M. R.; Rosier, S.; Massey, N.; Rye, C.; Bowery, A.; Miller, J.; Otto, F.; Jones, R.; Wilson, S.; Mote, P.; Stone, D. A.; Yamazaki, Y. H.; Carrington, D.

2011-12-01

Resolution and ensemble size are often seen as alternatives in climate modelling. Models with sufficient resolution to simulate many classes of extreme weather cannot normally be run often enough to assess the statistics of rare events, still less how these statistics may be changing. As a result, assessments of the impact of external forcing on regional climate extremes must be based either on statistical downscaling from relatively coarse-resolution models, or statistical extrapolation from 10-year to 100-year events. Under the weatherathome experiment, part of the climateprediction.net initiative, we have compiled the Met Office Regional Climate Model HadRM3P to run on personal computer volunteered by the general public at 25 and 50km resolution, embedded within the HadAM3P global atmosphere model. With a global network of about 50,000 volunteers, this allows us to run time-slice ensembles of essentially unlimited size, exploring the statistics of extreme weather under a range of scenarios for surface forcing and atmospheric composition, allowing for uncertainty in both boundary conditions and model parameters. Current experiments, developed with the support of Microsoft Research, focus on three regions, the Western USA, Europe and Southern Africa. We initially simulate the period 1959-2010 to establish which variables are realistically simulated by the model and on what scales. Our next experiments are focussing on the Event Attribution problem, exploring how the probability of various types of extreme weather would have been different over the recent past in a world unaffected by human influence, following the design of Pall et al (2011), but extended to a longer period and higher spatial resolution. We will present the first results of the unique, global, participatory experiment and discuss the implications for the attribution of recent weather events to anthropogenic influence on climate.

Mars-like soils in the Atacama Desert, Chile, and the dry limit of microbial life.

PubMed

Navarro-González, Rafael; Rainey, Fred A; Molina, Paola; Bagaley, Danielle R; Hollen, Becky J; de la Rosa, José; Small, Alanna M; Quinn, Richard C; Grunthaner, Frank J; Cáceres, Luis; Gomez-Silva, Benito; McKay, Christopher P

2003-11-07

The Viking missions showed the martian soil to be lifeless and depleted in organic material and indicated the presence of one or more reactive oxidants. Here we report the presence of Mars-like soils in the extreme arid region of the Atacama Desert. Samples from this region had organic species only at trace levels and extremely low levels of culturable bacteria. Two samples from the extreme arid region were tested for DNA and none was recovered. Incubation experiments, patterned after the Viking labeled-release experiment but with separate biological and nonbiological isomers, show active decomposition of organic species in these soils by nonbiological processes.

Buoyancy Effects in Fully-Modulated, Turbulent Diffusion Flames

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hermanson, J. C.; Johari, H.; Ghaem-Maghami, E.; Stocker, D. P.; Hegde, U. G.; Page, K. L.

2003-01-01

Pulsed combustion appears to have the potential to provide for rapid fuel/air mixing, compact and economical combustors, and reduced exhaust emissions. The objective of this experiment (PuFF, for Pulsed-Fully Flames) is to increase the fundamental understanding of the fuel/air mixing and combustion behavior of pulsed, turbulent diffusion flames by conducting experiments in microgravity. In this research the fuel jet is fully-modulated (i.e., completely shut off between pulses) by an externally controlled valve system. This gives rise to drastic modification of the combustion and flow characteristics of flames, leading to enhanced fuel/air mixing compared to acoustically excited or partially-modulated jets. Normal-gravity experiments suggest that the fully-modulated technique also has the potential for producing turbulent jet flames significantly more compact than steady flames with no increase in exhaust emissions. The technique also simplifies the combustion process by avoiding the acoustic forcing generally present in pulsed combustors. Fundamental issues addressed in this experiment include the impact of buoyancy on the structure and flame length, temperatures, radiation, and emissions of fully-modulated flames.

Japanese experiment module (JEM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kato, T.

1986-01-01

Japanese hardware elements studied during the definition phase of phase B are described. The hardware is called JEM (Japanese Experiment Module) and will be attached to the Space Station core. JEM consists of a pressurized module, an exposed facility, a scientific/equipment airlock, a local remote manipulator, and experimental logistic module. With all those hardware elements JEM will accommodate general scientific and technology development research (some of the elements are to utilize the advantage of the microgravity environment), and also accommodate control panels for the Space Station Mobile Remote Manipulator System and attached payloads.

Hurricane-induced Sediment Transport and Morphological Change in Jamaica Bay, New York

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, K.; Chen, Q. J.

2016-02-01

Jamaica Bay is located in Brooklyn and Queens, New York on the western end of the south shore of the Long Island land mass. It experienced a conversion of more than 60% of the vegetated salt-marsh islands to intertidal and subtidal mudflats. Hurricanes and nor'easters are among the important driving forces that reshape coastal landscape quickly and affect wetland sustainability. Wetland protection and restoration need a better understanding of hydrodynamics and sediment transport in this area, especially under extreme weather conditions. Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall along east coast on October 30, 2012, provides a critical opportunity for studying the impacts of hurricanes on sedimentation, erosion and morphological changes in Jamaica Bay and salt marsh islands. The Delft3D model suit was applied to model hydrodynamics and sediment transport in Jamaica Bay and salt marsh islands. Three domains were set up for nesting computation. The local domain covering the bay and salt marshes has a resolution of 10 m. The wave module was online coupled with the flow module. Vegetation effects were considered as a large number of rigid cylinders by a sub-module in Delft3D. Parameters in sediment transport and morphological change were carefully chosen and calibrated. Prior- and post-Sandy Surface Elevation Table (SET)/accretion data including mark horizon (short-term) and 137Cs and 210Pb (long-term) at salt marsh islands in Jamaica Bay were used for model validation. Model results indicate that waves played an important role in hurricane-induced morphological change in Jamaica Bay and wetlands. In addition, numerical experiments were carried out to investigate the impacts of hypothetic hurricanes. This study has been supported by the U.S. Geological Survey Hurricane Sandy Disaster Recovery Act Funds.

Medical Terminology: Suffixes. Health Occupations Education Module.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Temple Univ., Philadelphia, PA. Div. of Vocational Education.

This module on medical terminology (suffixes) is one of 17 modules designed for individualized instruction in health occupations education programs at both the secondary and postsecondary levels. This module consists of an introduction to the module topic, a list of resources needed, and three learning experiences. The first two learning…

Using experimental design modules for process characterization in manufacturing/materials processes laboratories

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ankenman, Bruce; Ermer, Donald; Clum, James A.

1994-01-01

Modules dealing with statistical experimental design (SED), process modeling and improvement, and response surface methods have been developed and tested in two laboratory courses. One course was a manufacturing processes course in Mechanical Engineering and the other course was a materials processing course in Materials Science and Engineering. Each module is used as an 'experiment' in the course with the intent that subsequent course experiments will use SED methods for analysis and interpretation of data. Evaluation of the modules' effectiveness has been done by both survey questionnaires and inclusion of the module methodology in course examination questions. Results of the evaluation have been very positive. Those evaluation results and details of the modules' content and implementation are presented. The modules represent an important component for updating laboratory instruction and to provide training in quality for improved engineering practice.

Gain Modulation in the Central Nervous System: Where Behavior, Neurophysiology, and Computation Meet

PubMed Central

SALINAS, EMILIO; SEJNOWSKI, TERRENCE J.

2010-01-01

Gain modulation is a nonlinear way in which neurons combine information from two (or more) sources, which may be of sensory, motor, or cognitive origin. Gain modulation is revealed when one input, the modulatory one, affects the gain or the sensitivity of the neuron to the other input, without modifying its selectivity or receptive field properties. This type of modulatory interaction is important for two reasons. First, it is an extremely widespread integration mechanism; it is found in a plethora of cortical areas and in some subcortical structures as well, and as a consequence it seems to play an important role in a striking variety of functions, including eye and limb movements, navigation, spatial perception, attentional processing, and object recognition. Second, there is a theoretical foundation indicating that gain-modulated neurons may serve as a basis for a general class of computations, namely, coordinate transformations and the generation of invariant responses, which indeed may underlie all the brain functions just mentioned. This article describes the relationships between computational models, the physiological properties of a variety of gain-modulated neurons, and some of the behavioral consequences of damage to gain-modulated neural representations. PMID:11597102

Sensitivity to Envelope Interaural Time Differences at High Modulation Rates

PubMed Central

Bleeck, Stefan; McAlpine, David

2015-01-01

Sensitivity to interaural time differences (ITDs) conveyed in the temporal fine structure of low-frequency tones and the modulated envelopes of high-frequency sounds are considered comparable, particularly for envelopes shaped to transmit similar fidelity of temporal information normally present for low-frequency sounds. Nevertheless, discrimination performance for envelope modulation rates above a few hundred Hertz is reported to be poor—to the point of discrimination thresholds being unattainable—compared with the much higher (>1,000 Hz) limit for low-frequency ITD sensitivity, suggesting the presence of a low-pass filter in the envelope domain. Further, performance for identical modulation rates appears to decline with increasing carrier frequency, supporting the view that the low-pass characteristics observed for envelope ITD processing is carrier-frequency dependent. Here, we assessed listeners’ sensitivity to ITDs conveyed in pure tones and in the modulated envelopes of high-frequency tones. ITD discrimination for the modulated high-frequency tones was measured as a function of both modulation rate and carrier frequency. Some well-trained listeners appear able to discriminate ITDs extremely well, even at modulation rates well beyond 500 Hz, for 4-kHz carriers. For one listener, thresholds were even obtained for a modulation rate of 800 Hz. The highest modulation rate for which thresholds could be obtained declined with increasing carrier frequency for all listeners. At 10 kHz, the highest modulation rate at which thresholds could be obtained was 600 Hz. The upper limit of sensitivity to ITDs conveyed in the envelope of high-frequency modulated sounds appears to be higher than previously considered. PMID:26721926

Low fidelity of CORDEX and their driving experiments indicates future climatic uncertainty over Himalayan watersheds of Indus basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasson, Shabeh ul; Böhner, Jürgen; Chishtie, Farrukh

2018-03-01

Assessment of future water availability from the Himalayan watersheds of Indus Basin (Jhelum, Kabul and upper Indus basin—UIB) is a growing concern for safeguarding the sustainable socioeconomic wellbeing downstream. This requires, before all, robust climate change information from the present-day state-of-the-art climate models. However, the robustness of climate change projections highly depends upon the fidelity of climate modeling experiments. Hence, this study assesses the fidelity of seven dynamically refined (0.44° ) experiments, performed under the framework of the coordinated regional climate downscaling experiment for South Asia (CX-SA), and additionally, their six coarse-resolution driving datasets participating in the coupled model intercomparison project phase 5 (CMIP5). We assess fidelity in terms of reproducibility of the observed climatology of temperature and precipitation, and the seasonality of the latter for the historical period (1971-2005). Based on the model fidelity results, we further assess the robustness or uncertainty of the far future climate (2061-2095), as projected under the extreme-end warming scenario of the representative concentration pathway (RCP) 8.5. Our results show that the CX-SA and their driving CMIP5 experiments consistently feature low fidelity in terms of the chosen skill metrics, suggesting substantial cold (6-10 ° C) and wet (up to 80%) biases and underestimation of observed precipitation seasonality. Surprisingly, the CX-SA are unable to outperform their driving datasets. Further, the biases of CX-SA and of their driving CMIP5 datasets are higher in magnitude than their projected changes under RCP8.5—and hence under less extreme RCPs—by the end of 21st century, indicating uncertain future climates for the Indus Basin watersheds. Higher inter-dataset disagreements of both CMIP5 and CX-SA for their simulated historical precipitation and for its projected changes reinforce uncertain future wet/dry conditions whereas the CMIP5 projected warming is less robust owing to higher historical period uncertainty. Interestingly, a better agreement among those CX-SA experiments that have been obtained through downscaling different CMIP5 experiments with the same regional climate model (RCM) indicates the RCMs' ability of modulating the influence of lateral boundary conditions over a large domain. These findings, instead of suggesting the usual skill-based identification of 'reasonable' global or regional low fidelity experiments, rather emphasize on a paradigm shift towards improving their fidelity by exploiting the potential of meso-to-local scale climate models—preferably of those that can solely resolve global-to-local scale climatic processes—in terms of microphysics, resolution and explicitly resolved convections. Additionally, an extensive monitoring of the nival regime within the Himalayan watersheds will reduce the observational uncertainty, allowing for a more robust fidelity assessment of the climate modeling experiments.

Optics-based approach to thermal management of photovoltaics: Selective-spectral and radiative cooling

DOE PAGES

Sun, Xingshu; Silverman, Timothy J.; Zhou, Zhiguang; ...

2017-01-20

For commercial one-sun solar modules, up to 80% of the incoming sunlight may be dissipated as heat, potentially raising the temperature 20-30 °C higher than the ambient. In the long term, extreme self-heating erodes efficiency and shortens lifetime, thereby dramatically reducing the total energy output. Therefore, it is critically important to develop effective and practical (and preferably passive) cooling methods to reduce operating temperature of photovoltaic (PV) modules. In this paper, we explore two fundamental (but often overlooked) origins of PV self-heating, namely, sub-bandgap absorption and imperfect thermal radiation. The analysis suggests that we redesign the optical properties of themore » solar module to eliminate parasitic absorption (selective-spectral cooling) and enhance thermal emission (radiative cooling). Comprehensive opto-electro-thermal simulation shows that the proposed techniques would cool one-sun terrestrial solar modules up to 10 °C. As a result, this self-cooling would substantially extend the lifetime for solar modules, with corresponding increase in energy yields and reduced levelized cost of electricity.« less

STS-3/OSS-1 Plasma Diagnostics Package (PDP) measurements of the temperature pressure and plasma

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shawhan, S. D.; Murphy, G.

1983-01-01

Designed to withstand the thermal extremes of the STS-3 mission through the use of heaters and thermal blankets, the plasma diagnostics package sat on the release/engagement mechanism on the OSS-1 payload pallet without a coldplate and was attached to the RMS for two extended periods. Plots show temperature versus mission elapsed time for two temperature sensors. Pressure in the range of 10 to the -3 power torr and 10 to the -7 power torr, measured 3 inches from the skin of the package is plotted against GMT during the mission. The most distinctive feature of the pressure profile is the modulation at the obit period. It was found that pressure peaks when the atmospheric gas is rammed into the cargo bay. Electric and magnetic noise spectra and time variability due to orbiter systems, UHF and S-band transmitter field strengths, and measurements of the ion spectra obtained both in the cargo bay and during experiments are plotted.

Demonstration of a near-IR line-referenced electro-optical laser frequency comb for precision radial velocity measurements in astronomy.

PubMed

Yi, X; Vahala, K; Li, J; Diddams, S; Ycas, G; Plavchan, P; Leifer, S; Sandhu, J; Vasisht, G; Chen, P; Gao, P; Gagne, J; Furlan, E; Bottom, M; Martin, E C; Fitzgerald, M P; Doppmann, G; Beichman, C

2016-01-27

An important technique for discovering and characterizing planets beyond our solar system relies upon measurement of weak Doppler shifts in the spectra of host stars induced by the influence of orbiting planets. A recent advance has been the introduction of optical frequency combs as frequency references. Frequency combs produce a series of equally spaced reference frequencies and they offer extreme accuracy and spectral grasp that can potentially revolutionize exoplanet detection. Here we demonstrate a laser frequency comb using an alternate comb generation method based on electro-optical modulation, with the comb centre wavelength stabilized to a molecular or atomic reference. In contrast to mode-locked combs, the line spacing is readily resolvable using typical astronomical grating spectrographs. Built using commercial off-the-shelf components, the instrument is relatively simple and reliable. Proof of concept experiments operated at near-infrared wavelengths were carried out at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility and the Keck-II telescope.

Demonstration of a near-IR line-referenced electro-optical laser frequency comb for precision radial velocity measurements in astronomy

PubMed Central

Yi, X.; Vahala, K.; Li, J.; Diddams, S.; Ycas, G.; Plavchan, P.; Leifer, S.; Sandhu, J.; Vasisht, G.; Chen, P.; Gao, P.; Gagne, J.; Furlan, E.; Bottom, M.; Martin, E. C.; Fitzgerald, M. P.; Doppmann, G.; Beichman, C.

2016-01-01

An important technique for discovering and characterizing planets beyond our solar system relies upon measurement of weak Doppler shifts in the spectra of host stars induced by the influence of orbiting planets. A recent advance has been the introduction of optical frequency combs as frequency references. Frequency combs produce a series of equally spaced reference frequencies and they offer extreme accuracy and spectral grasp that can potentially revolutionize exoplanet detection. Here we demonstrate a laser frequency comb using an alternate comb generation method based on electro-optical modulation, with the comb centre wavelength stabilized to a molecular or atomic reference. In contrast to mode-locked combs, the line spacing is readily resolvable using typical astronomical grating spectrographs. Built using commercial off-the-shelf components, the instrument is relatively simple and reliable. Proof of concept experiments operated at near-infrared wavelengths were carried out at the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility and the Keck-II telescope. PMID:26813804

Pyramidal Wavefront Sensor Demonstrator at INO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martin, Olivier; Véran, Jean-Pierre; Anctil, Geneviève; Bourqui, Pascal; Châteauneuf, François; Gauvin, Jonny; Goyette, Philippe; Lagacé, François; Turbide, Simon; Wang, Min

2014-08-01

Wavefront sensing is one of the key elements of an Adaptive Optics System. Although Shack-Hartmann WFS are the most commonly used whether for astronomical or biomedical applications, the high-sensitivity and large dynamic-range of the Pyramid-WFS (P-WFS) technology is promising and needs to be further investigated for proper justification in future Extremely Large Telescopes (ELT) applications. At INO, center for applied research in optics and technology transfer in Quebec City, Canada, we have recently set to develop a Pyramid wavefront sensor (P-WFS), an option for which no other research group in Canada had any experience. A first version had been built and tested in 2013 in collaboration with NRC-HIA Victoria. Here we present a second iteration of demonstrator with an extended spectral range, fast modulation capability and low-noise, fast-acquisition EMCCD sensor. The system has been designed with compactness and robustness in mind to allow on-sky testing at Mont Mégantic facility, in parallel with a Shack- Hartmann sensor so as to compare both options.

Modulation of red cell mass by neocytolysis in space and on Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rice, L.; Alfrey, C. P.

2000-01-01

Astronauts predictably experience anemia after return from space. Upon entering microgravity, the blood volume in the extremities pools centrally and plasma volume decreases, causing plethora and erythropoietin suppression. There ensues neocytolysis, selective hemolysis of the youngest circulating red cells, allowing rapid adaptation to the space environment but becoming maladaptive on re-entry to a gravitational field. The existence of this physiologic control process was confirmed in polycythemic high-altitude dwellers transported to sea level. Pathologic neocytolysis contributes to the anemia of renal failure. Understanding the process has implications for optimizing erythropoietin-dosing schedules and the therapy of other human disorders. Human and rodent models of neocytolysis are being created to help find out how interactions between endothelial cells, reticuloendothelial phagocytes and young erythrocytes are altered, and to shed light on the expression of surface adhesion molecules underlying this process. Thus, unraveling a problem for space travelers has uncovered a physiologic process controlling the red cell mass that can be applied to human disorders on Earth.

STS-95 Post Flight Presentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1998-01-01

The STS-95 flight crew, Cmdr. Curtis L. Brown, Pilot Steven W. Lindsey, Mission Specialists Scott E. Parazynski, Stephen K. Robinson, and Pedro Duque, and Payload Specialists Chiaki Mukai and John H. Glenn present a video mission over-view of their space flight. Images include prelaunch activities such as eating the traditional breakfast, crew suit-up, and the ride out to the launch pad. Also, included are various panoramic views of the shuttle on the pad. The crew can be seen being readied in the "whiteroom" for their mission. After the closing of the hatch and arm retraction, launch activities are shown including countdown, engine ignition, launch, and the separation of the Solid Rocket Boosters. The primary objectives, which include the conducting of a variety of science experiments in the pressurized SPACEHAB module, the deployment and retrieval of the Spartan free-flyer payload, and operations with the HST Orbiting Systems Test (HOST) and the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker (IEH) payloads are discussed in both the video and still photo presentation.

The BaBar Data Reconstruction Control System

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

Ceseracciu, A

2005-04-20

The BaBar experiment is characterized by extremely high luminosity and very large volume of data produced and stored, with increasing computing requirements each year. To fulfill these requirements a Control System has been designed and developed for the offline distributed data reconstruction system. The control system described in this paper provides the performance and flexibility needed to manage a large number of small computing farms, and takes full benefit of OO design. The infrastructure is well isolated from the processing layer, it is generic and flexible, based on a light framework providing message passing and cooperative multitasking. The system ismore » distributed in a hierarchical way: the top-level system is organized in farms, farms in services, and services in subservices or code modules. It provides a powerful Finite State Machine framework to describe custom processing models in a simple regular language. This paper describes the design and evolution of this control system, currently in use at SLAC and Padova on {approx}450 CPUs organized in 9 farms.« less

Analytical model for atomic resonant attosecond transient absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cariker, C.; Kjellson, T.; Lindroth, E.; Argenti, L.

2017-04-01

Recent advancements in ultrafast laser technology have made it possible to probe electron dynamics in highly excited atomic states that autoionize on a femtosecond timescale, thus giving insight into the dynamics of Auger decay and its interference with the continuum. These experiments provide a stringent test for time-resolved analytical models of autoionization. Here we present a finite-pulse, multi-photon perturbative model which is used in conjunction with ab-initio structure calculations to predict the attosecond transient absorption spectrum (ATAS) of an atom above the ionization threshold. We apply this model to compute the ATAS of argon in the vicinity of the 3s-1 4 p resonance as a function of the time delay between an extreme ultraviolet (XUV) and an infrared (IR) pulse, as well as of the angle between their polarization. We show that by modulating the parameters of the IR pulse it is possible to control the dipolar coupling between neighboring states and hence the lineshape of the 3s-1 4 p resonance. NSF Grant No. 1607588.

KSC-98pc1569

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-08

Members of the STS-95 crew participate in a media briefing at the Kennedy Space Center Press Site Auditorium before returning to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. From left to right, they are Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist and Payload Commander Stephen K. Robinson; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA); Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA); and Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio and one of the original seven Project Mercury astronauts. The STS-95 mission ended with landing at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility at 12:04 p.m. EST on Nov. 7. The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan-201 solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as a SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process

KSC-95dep19

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-11-08

Members of the STS-95 crew and their families prepare for their return flight to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, at the Skid Strip at Cape Canaveral Air Station. The STS-95 mission ended with landing at Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility at 12:04 p.m. EST on Nov. 7. The STS-95 crew consists of Mission Commander Curtis L. Brown Jr.; Pilot Steven W. Lindsey; Mission Specialist Scott E. Parazynski; Mission Specialist Stephen K. Robinson; Mission Specialist Pedro Duque, with the European Space Agency (ESA); Payload Specialist Chiaki Mukai, with the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA); and Payload Specialist John H. Glenn Jr., a senator from Ohio and one of the original seven Project Mercury astronauts. The mission included research payloads such as the Spartan-201 solar-observing deployable spacecraft, the Hubble Space Telescope Orbital Systems Test Platform, the International Extreme Ultraviolet Hitchhiker, as well as a SPACEHAB single module with experiments on space flight and the aging process