Experimental Demonstration of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Steering Game Based on the All-Versus-Nothing Proof

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Kai; Xu, Jin-Shi; Ye, Xiang-Jun; Wu, Yu-Chun; Chen, Jing-Ling; Li, Chuan-Feng; Guo, Guang-Can

2014-10-01

Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) steering, a generalization of the original concept of "steering" proposed by Schrödinger, describes the ability of one system to nonlocally affect another system's states through local measurements. Some experimental efforts to test EPR steering in terms of inequalities have been made, which usually require many measurement settings. Analogy to the "all-versus-nothing" (AVN) proof of Bell's theorem without inequalities, testing steerability without inequalities would be more strong and require less resources. Moreover, the practical meaning of steering implies that it should also be possible to store the state information on the side to be steered, a result that has not yet been experimentally demonstrated. Using a recent AVN criterion for two-qubit entangled states, we experimentally implement a practical steering game using quantum memory. Furthermore, we develop a theoretical method to deal with the noise and finite measurement statistics within the AVN framework and apply it to analyze the experimental data. Our results clearly show the facilitation of the AVN criterion for testing steerability and provide a particularly strong perspective for understanding EPR steering.

Effects of Counselor Facilitative Level on Client Suggestibility

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Harry B.; Rowe, Wayne

1977-01-01

University students (N=48) were individually tested for suggestibility in one of three conditions. Results indicated subjects of higher rated experimenters would demonstrate more suggestibility than subjects of lower rated experimenters. Results did not indicate that subject interaction with lower rated experimenters would elicit less…

Passive Magnetic Bearing With Ferrofluid Stabilization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jansen, Ralph; DiRusso, Eliseo

1996-01-01

A new class of magnetic bearings is shown to exist analytically and is demonstrated experimentally. The class of magnetic bearings utilize a ferrofluid/solid magnet interaction to stabilize the axial degree of freedom of a permanent magnet radial bearing. Twenty six permanent magnet bearing designs and twenty two ferrofluid stabilizer designs are evaluated. Two types of radial bearing designs are tested to determine their force and stiffness utilizing two methods. The first method is based on the use of frequency measurements to determine stiffness by utilizing an analytical model. The second method consisted of loading the system and measuring displacement in order to measure stiffness. Two ferrofluid stabilizers are tested and force displacement curves are measured. Two experimental test fixtures are designed and constructed in order to conduct the stiffness testing. Polynomial models of the data are generated and used to design the bearing prototype. The prototype was constructed and tested and shown to be stable. Further testing shows the possibility of using this technology for vibration isolation. The project successfully demonstrated the viability of the passive magnetic bearing with ferrofluid stabilization both experimentally and analytically.

Friction testing of a new ligature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantel, Alison R.

Objective. To determine if American Orthodontics' (AO) new, experimental ligature demonstrates less friction in vitro when compared to four other ligatures on the market. Methods. Four brackets were mounted on a custom metal fixture allowing an 0.018-in stainless steel wire attached to an opposite fixture with one bracket to be passively centered in the bracket slot. The wire was ligated to the bracket using one of five types of ligatures including the low friction test ligatures (AO), conventional ligatures (AO), Sili-Ties(TM) Silicone Infused Ties (GAC), SynergyRTM Low-Friction Ligatures (RMO), and SuperSlick ligatures (TP Orthodontics). Resistance to sliding was measured over a 7 mm sliding distance using a universal testing machine (Instron) with a 50 Newton load cell and a crosshead speed of 5 mm/min. The initial resistance to sliding (static) was determined by the peak force needed to initiate movement and the kinetic resistance to sliding was taken as the force at 5 mm of wire/bracket sliding. Fifteen unique tests were run for each ligature group in both dry and wet (saliva soaked for 24 hours with one drop prior to testing) conditions. Results. In the dry state, the SuperSlick ligature demonstrated more static friction than all of the other ligatures, while SuperSlick and Sili-Ties demonstrated more kinetic friction than the AO conventional, AO experimental and Synergy ligatures. In the wet condition, SuperSlick and the AO experimental ligature demonstrated the least static friction, followed by the AO conventional and Sili-Ties. The most static friction was observed with the Synergy ligatures. In the wet condition, the SuperSlick, AO experimental and AO conventional exhibited less kinetic friction than the Sili-Ties and Synergy ligatures. Conclusions. AO's experimental ligature exhibits less friction in the wet state than conventional ligatures, Sili-Ties and Synergy and is comparable to the SuperSlick ligature. These preliminary results suggest that the AO experimental ligature and the SuperSlick ligature create less friction, but direct conclusions regarding in vivo performance cannot be made and randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to determine if these ligatures have clinical significance in treatment efficiency.

The Experimental State of Mind in Elicitation: Illustrations from Tonal Fieldwork

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Kristine M.

2014-01-01

This paper illustrates how an "experimental state of mind", i.e. principles of experimental design, can inform hypothesis generation and testing in structured fieldwork elicitation. The application of these principles is demonstrated with case studies in toneme discovery. Pike's classic toneme discovery procedure is shown to be a special…

Experimental aerodynamic and acoustic model testing of the Variable Cycle Engine (VCE) testbed coannular exhaust nozzle system: Comprehensive data report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nelson, D. P.; Morris, P. M.

1980-01-01

The component detail design drawings of the one sixth scale model of the variable cycle engine testbed demonstrator exhaust syatem tested are presented. Also provided are the basic acoustic and aerodynamic data acquired during the experimental model tests. The model drawings, an index to the acoustic data, an index to the aerodynamic data, tabulated and graphical acoustic data, and the tabulated aerodynamic data and graphs are discussed.

Partitioning Tracer Test for Detection, Estimation, and Remediation Performance Assessment of Subsurface Nonaqueous Phase Liquids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, Minquan; Delshad, Mojdeh; Dwarakanath, Varadarajan; McKinney, Daene C.; Pope, Gary A.; Sepehrnoori, Kamy; Tilburg, Charles E.; Jackson, Richard E.

1995-05-01

In this paper we present a partitioning interwell tracer test (PITT) technique for the detection, estimation, and remediation performance assessment of the subsurface contaminated by nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). We demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique by examples of experimental and simulation results. The experimental results are from partitioning tracer experiments in columns packed with Ottawa sand. Both the method of moments and inverse modeling techniques for estimating NAPL saturation in the sand packs are demonstrated. In the simulation examples we use UTCHEM, a comprehensive three-dimensional, chemical flood compositional simulator developed at the University of Texas, to simulate a hypothetical two-dimensional aquifer with properties similar to the Borden site contaminated by tetrachloroethylene (PCE), and we show how partitioning interwell tracer tests can be used to estimate the amount of PCE contaminant before remedial action and as the remediation process proceeds. Tracer tests results from different stages of remediation are compared to determine the quantity of PCE removed and the amount remaining. Both the experimental (small-scale) and simulation (large-scale) results demonstrate that PITT can be used as an innovative and effective technique to detect and estimate the amount of residual NAPL and for remediation performance assessment in subsurface formations.

Partitioning tracer test for detection, estimation, and remediation performance assessment of subsurface nonaqueous phase liquids

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

Jin, M.; Delshad, M.; Dwarakanath, V.

1995-05-01

In this paper we present a partitioning interwell tracer test (PITT) technique for the detection, estimation, and remediation performance assessment of the subsurface contaminated by nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPLs). We demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique by examples of experimental and simulation results. The experimental results are from partitioning tracer experiments in columns packed with Ottawa sand. Both the method of moments and inverse modeling techniques for estimating NAPL saturation in the sand packs are demonstrated. In the simulation examples we use UTCHEM, a comprehensive three-dimensional, chemical flood compositional simulator developed at the University of Texas, to simulate a hypotheticalmore » two-dimensional aquifer with properties similar to the Borden site contaminated by tetrachloroethylene (PCE), and we show how partitioning interwell tracer tests can be used to estimate the amount of PCE contaminant before remedial action and as the remediation process proceeds. Tracer test results from different stages of remediation are compared to determine the quantity of PCE removed and the amount remaining. Both the experimental (small-scale) and simulation (large-scale) results demonstrate that PITT can be used as an innovative and effective technique to detect and estimate the amount of residual NAPL and for remediation performance assessment in subsurface formations. 43 refs., 10 figs., 1 tab.« less

Low cost solar array project production process and equipment task. A Module Experimental Process System Development Unit (MEPSDU)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Technical readiness for the production of photovoltaic modules using single crystal silicon dendritic web sheet material is demonstrated by: (1) selection, design and implementation of solar cell and photovoltaic module process sequence in a Module Experimental Process System Development Unit; (2) demonstration runs; (3) passing of acceptance and qualification tests; and (4) achievement of a cost effective module.

Cognitive Stimulation of Elderly Residents in Social Protection Centers in Cartagena, 2014.

PubMed

Melguizo Herrera, Estela; Bertel De La Hoz, Anyel; Paternina Osorio, Diego; Felfle Fuentes, Yurani; Porto Osorio, Leidy

To determine the effectiveness of a program of cognitive stimulation of the elderly residents in Social Protection Centers in Cartagena, 2014. Quasi-experimental study with pre and post tests in control and experimental groups. A sample of 37 elderly residents in Social Protection Centers participated: 23 in the experimental group and 14 in the control group. A survey and a mental evaluation test (Pfeiffer) were applied. The experimental group participated in 10 sessions of cognitive stimulation. The paired t-test showed statistically significant differences in the Pfeiffer test, pre and post intervention, compared to the experimental group (P=.0005). The unpaired t-test showed statistically significant differences in Pfeiffer test results to the experimental and control groups (P=.0450). The analysis of the main components showed that more interrelated variables were: age, diseases, number of errors and test results; which were grouped around the disease variable, with a negative association. The intervention demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in cognitive functionality of the elderly. Nursing can lead this type of intervention. It should be studied further to strengthen and clarify these results. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

End-to-End Demonstrator of the Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE) 30: Power Conversion and Ion Engine Operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hrbud, Ivana; VanDyke, Melissa; Houts, Mike; Goodfellow, Keith; Schafer, Charles (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE) test series addresses Phase 1 Space Fission Systems issues in particular non-nuclear testing and system integration issues leading to the testing and non-nuclear demonstration of a 400-kW fully integrated flight unit. The first part of the SAFE 30 test series demonstrated operation of the simulated nuclear core and heat pipe system. Experimental data acquired in a number of different test scenarios will validate existing computational models, demonstrated system flexibility (fast start-ups, multiple start-ups/shut downs), simulate predictable failure modes and operating environments. The objective of the second part is to demonstrate an integrated propulsion system consisting of a core, conversion system and a thruster where the system converts thermal heat into jet power. This end-to-end system demonstration sets a precedent for ground testing of nuclear electric propulsion systems. The paper describes the SAFE 30 end-to-end system demonstration and its subsystems.

An End-To-End Test of A Simulated Nuclear Electric Propulsion System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VanDyke, Melissa; Hrbud, Ivana; Goddfellow, Keith; Rodgers, Stephen L. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Safe Affordable Fission Engine (SAFE) test series addresses Phase I Space Fission Systems issues in it particular non-nuclear testing and system integration issues leading to the testing and non-nuclear demonstration of a 400-kW fully integrated flight unit. The first part of the SAFE 30 test series demonstrated operation of the simulated nuclear core and heat pipe system. Experimental data acquired in a number of different test scenarios will validate existing computational models, demonstrated system flexibility (fast start-ups, multiple start-ups/shut downs), simulate predictable failure modes and operating environments. The objective of the second part is to demonstrate an integrated propulsion system consisting of a core, conversion system and a thruster where the system converts thermal heat into jet power. This end-to-end system demonstration sets a precedent for ground testing of nuclear electric propulsion systems. The paper describes the SAFE 30 end-to-end system demonstration and its subsystems.

Experimental Demonstration of Frequency Regulation by Commercial Buildings – Part I: Modeling and Hierarchical Control Design

DOE PAGES

Vrettos, Evangelos; Kara, Emre C.; MacDonald, Jason; ...

2016-11-15

Here, this paper is the first part of a two-part series in which we present results from one of the first worldwide experimental demonstrations of frequency regulation in a commercial building test facility. We demonstrate that commercial buildings can track a frequency regulation signal with high accuracy and minimal occupant discomfort in a realistic environment. In addition, we show that buildings can determine the reserve capacity and baseline power a priori, and identify the optimal tradeoff between frequency regulation and energy efficiency.

The trigger card system for the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, William; Anderson, John; Howe, Mark; Meijer, Sam; Wilkerson, John; Majorana Collaboration

2014-09-01

The aim of the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR is to demonstrate the feasibility of providing low enough background levels to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay (0 νββ) in an array of germanium detectors enriched to 87% in 76Ge. Currently, it is unknown if this decay process occurs; however, observation of such a decay process would show that lepton number is violated, confirm that neutrinos are Majorana particles, and yield information on the absolute mass scale of the neutrino. With current experimental results indicating a half-life greater than 2 x 1025 years for this decay, the minimization of background events is of critical importance. Utilizing time correlation, coincidence testing is able to reject multi-detector events that may otherwise be mistaken for 0 νββ when viewed independently. Here, we present both the hardware and software of the trigger card system, which provides a common clock to all digitizers and the muon veto system, thereby enabling the rejection of background events through coincidence testing. Current experimental results demonstrate the accuracy of the distributed clock to be within two clock pulses (20 ns) across all system components. A test system is used to validate the data acquisition system. The aim of the MAJORANA DEMONSTRATOR is to demonstrate the feasibility of providing low enough background levels to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay (0 νββ) in an array of germanium detectors enriched to 87% in 76Ge. Currently, it is unknown if this decay process occurs; however, observation of such a decay process would show that lepton number is violated, confirm that neutrinos are Majorana particles, and yield information on the absolute mass scale of the neutrino. With current experimental results indicating a half-life greater than 2 x 1025 years for this decay, the minimization of background events is of critical importance. Utilizing time correlation, coincidence testing is able to reject multi-detector events that may otherwise be mistaken for 0 νββ when viewed independently. Here, we present both the hardware and software of the trigger card system, which provides a common clock to all digitizers and the muon veto system, thereby enabling the rejection of background events through coincidence testing. Current experimental results demonstrate the accuracy of the distributed clock to be within two clock pulses (20 ns) across all system components. A test system is used to validate the data acquisition system. We acknowledge support from the Office of Nuclear Physics in the DOE Office of Science, the Particle Astrophysics and REU Programs of the NSF, and the Sanford Underground Research Laboratory.

Test Program Seeks to Lower School Heating Costs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Business Affairs, 1980

1980-01-01

As part of the second year of its Schoolhouse Energy Efficiency Demonstration (SEED) program, Tenneco, Inc. recently began a test of experimental window insulation material in three of the schools audited last year. (Author/MLF)

Eclipse program F-106 aircraft in flight, front view

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

Shot of the QF-106 aircraft in flight with the landing gear deployed. In 1997 and 1998, the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California, supported and hosted a Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. project called Eclipse, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a reusable tow-launch vehicle concept. The project goal was to successfully tow, inflight, a modified QF-106 delta-wing aircraft with an Air Force C-141A transport aircraft. This would demonstrate the possibility of towing and launching an actual launch vehicle from behind a tow plane. Dryden was the responsible test organization and had flight safety responsibility for the Eclipse project. Dryden provided engineering, instrumentation, simulation, modification, maintenance, range support, and research pilots for the test program. The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards, California, supplied the C-141A transport aircraft and crew and configured the aircraft as needed for the tests. The AFFTC also provided the concept and detail design and analysis as well as hardware for the tow system and QF-106 modifications. Dryden performed the modifications to convert the QF-106 drone into the piloted EXD-01 (Eclipse eXperimental Demonstrator-01) experimental aircraft. Kelly Space & Technology hoped to use the results gleaned from the tow test in developing a series of low-cost, reusable launch vehicles. These tests demonstrated the validity of towing a delta-wing aircraft having high wing loading, validated the tow simulation model, and demonstrated various operational procedures, such as ground processing of in-flight maneuvers and emergency abort scenarios.

Description of Liquid Nitrogen Experimental Test Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jurns, John M.; Jacobs, Richard E.; Saiyed, Naseem H.

1991-01-01

The Liquid Nitrogen Test Facility is a unique test facility for ground-based liquid nitrogen experimentation. The test rig consists of an insulated tank of approximately 12.5 cubic ft in volume, which is supplied with liquid nitrogen from a 300 gal dewar via a vacuum jacketed piping system. The test tank is fitted with pressure and temperature measuring instrumentation, and with two view ports which allow visual observation of test conditions. To demonstrate the capabilities of the facility, the initial test program is briefly described. The objective of the test program is to measure the condensation rate by injecting liquid nitrogen as a subcooled spray into the ullage of a tank 50 percent full of liquid nitrogen at saturated conditions. The condensation rate of the nitrogen vapor on the subcooled spray can be analytically modeled, and results validated and corrected by experimentally measuring the vapor condensation on liquid sprays.

Description of liquid nitrogen experimental test facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jurns, J. M.; Jacobs, R. E.; Saiyed, N. H.

1992-01-01

The Liquid Nitrogen Test Facility is a unique test facility for ground-based liquid nitrogen experimentation. The test rig consists of an insulated tank of approximately 12.5 cubic ft in volume, which is supplied with liquid nitrogen from a 300 gal dewar via a vacuum jacketed piping system. The test tank is fitted with pressure and temperature measuring instrumentation, and with two view ports which allow visual observation of test conditions. To demonstrate the capabilities of the facility, the initial test program is briefly described. The objective of the test program is to measure the condensation rate by injecting liquid nitrogen as a subcooled spray into the ullage of a tank 50 percent full of liquid nitrogen at saturated conditions. The condensation rate of the nitrogen vapor on the subcooled spray can be analytically modeled, and results validated and corrected by experimentally measuring the vapor condensation on liquid sprays.

Model Test of the Aerospace Laser Propulsion Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ageichik, Alexander A.; Egorov, Maxim S.; Ostapenko, Svetlana V.; Rezunkov, Yuri A.; Safronov, Alexander L.; Stepanov, Vladimir V.

2005-04-01

One of the main results of the experimental and theoretical investigations made under the ISTC Project ♯ 1801 is the original design of Aerospace Laser Propulsion Engine (ASLPE) developed. The designed characteristics of the ASLPE flight model are experimentally approved, including the test experiments with a solid propellant. The obtained momentum coupling coefficient is rather high and comparable one with respect to the coefficient obtained by other researchers. Moreover, it is experimentally demonstrated that the thrust characteristics of the ASLPE flight model does not depend on angular aberrations of the beam coming onto the beam concentrator of the model with the incident angle of 0.01 radian. The experiments also demonstrated that successful launching of the vehicle with the ASLPE under the laser characteristics is possible also if the vehicle mass will be decreased and the thermal blooming effect will be eliminated.

Correlation and evaluation of inplane stability characteristics for an advanced bearingless main rotor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weller, W. H.

1983-01-01

A program of experimental and analytical research was performed to demonstrate the degree of correlation achieved between measured and computed rotor inplane stability characteristics. The experimental data were obtained from hover and wind tunnel tests of a scaled bearingless main rotor model. Both isolated rotor and free-hub conditions were tested. Test parameters included blade built-in cone and sweep angles; rotor inplane structural stiffness and damping; pitch link stiffness and location; and fuselage damping, inertia, and natural frequency. Analytical results for many test conditions were obtained. In addition, the analytical and experimental results were examined to ascertain the effects of the test parameters on rotor ground and air resonance stability. The results from this program are presented herein in tabular and graphical form.

Experimental Results From a 2kW Brayton Power Conversion Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hervol, David; Mason, Lee; Birchenough, Arthur

2003-01-01

This paper presents experimental test results from operation of a 2 kWe Brayton power conversion unit. The Brayton converter was developed for a solar dynamic power system flight experiment planned for the Mir Space Station in 1997. The flight experiment was cancelled, but the converter was tested at Glenn Research Center as part of the Solar Dynamic Ground Test Demonstration system which included a solar concentrator, heat receiver, and space radiator. In preparation for the current testing, the heat receiver was removed and replaced with an electrical resistance heater, simulating the thermal input of a steady-state nuclear source. The converter was operated over a full range of thermal input power levels and rotor speeds to generate an overall performance map. The converter unit will serve as the centerpiece of a Nuclear Electric Propulsion Testbed at Glenn. Future potential uses for the Testbed include high voltage electrical controller development, integrated electric thruster testing and advanced radiator demonstration testing to help guide high power Brayton technology development for Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP).

Design and Testing of CO 2 Compression Using Supersonic Shock Wave Technology

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

Koopman, Aaron

This report summarizes work performed by Ramgen and subcontractors in pursuit of the design and construction of a 10 MW supersonic CO2 compressor and supporting facility. The compressor will demonstrate application of Ramgen’s supersonic compression technology at an industrial scale using CO2 in a closed-loop. The report includes details of early feasibility studies, CFD validation and comparison to experimental data, static test experimental results, compressor and facility design and analyses, and development of aerodynamic tools. A summary of Ramgen's ISC Engine program activity is also included. This program will demonstrate the adaptation of Ramgen's supersonic compression and advanced vortex combustionmore » technology to result in a highly efficient and cost effective alternative to traditional gas turbine engines. The build out of a 1.5 MW test facility to support the engine and associated subcomponent test program is summarized.« less

Geographic profiling applied to testing models of bumble-bee foraging.

PubMed

Raine, Nigel E; Rossmo, D Kim; Le Comber, Steven C

2009-03-06

Geographic profiling (GP) was originally developed as a statistical tool to help police forces prioritize lists of suspects in investigations of serial crimes. GP uses the location of related crime sites to make inferences about where the offender is most likely to live, and has been extremely successful in criminology. Here, we show how GP is applicable to experimental studies of animal foraging, using the bumble-bee Bombus terrestris. GP techniques enable us to simplify complex patterns of spatial data down to a small number of parameters (2-3) for rigorous hypothesis testing. Combining computer model simulations and experimental observation of foraging bumble-bees, we demonstrate that GP can be used to discriminate between foraging patterns resulting from (i) different hypothetical foraging algorithms and (ii) different food item (flower) densities. We also demonstrate that combining experimental and simulated data can be used to elucidate animal foraging strategies: specifically that the foraging patterns of real bumble-bees can be reliably discriminated from three out of nine hypothetical foraging algorithms. We suggest that experimental systems, like foraging bees, could be used to test and refine GP model predictions, and that GP offers a useful technique to analyse spatial animal behaviour data in both the laboratory and field.

Evaluation of boron-epoxy-reinforced titanium tubular truss for application to a space shuttle booster thrust structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corvelli, N.; Carri, R.

1972-01-01

Results of a study to demonstrate the applicability of boron-epoxy-composite-reinforced titanium tubular members to a space shuttle booster thrust structure are presented and discussed. The experimental results include local buckling of all-composite and composite-reinforced-metal cylinders with low values of diameter-thickness ratio, static tests on composite-to-metal bonded step joints, and a test to failure of a boron-epoxy-reinforced titanium demonstration truss. The demonstration truss failed at 118 percent of design ultimate load. Test results and analysis for all specimens and the truss are compared. Comparing an all-titanium design and a boron-epoxy-reinforced-titanium (75 percent B-E and 25 percent Ti) design for application to the space shuttle booster thrust structure indicates that the latter would weigh approximately 24 percent less. Experimental data on the local buckling strength of cylinders with a diameter-thickness ratio of approximately 50 are needed to insure that undue conservatism is not used in future designs.

Experimental demonstration of the control of flexible structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaechter, D. B.; Eldred, D. B.

1984-01-01

The Large Space Structure Technology Flexible Beam Experiment employs a pinned-free flexible beam to demonstrate such required methods as dynamic and adaptive control, as well as various control law design approaches and hardware requirements. An attempt is made to define the mechanization difficulties that may inhere in flexible structures. Attention is presently given to analytical work performed in support of the test facility's development, the final design's specifications, the control laws' synthesis, and experimental results obtained.

Hyper-X Research Vehicle (HXRV) Experimental Aerodynamics Test Program Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, Scott D.; Woods, William C.; Engelund, Walter C.

2000-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the experimental aerodynamics test program to ensure mission success for the autonomous flight of the Hyper-X Research Vehicle (HXRV). The HXRV is a 12-ft long, 2700 lb lifting body technology demonstrator designed to flight demonstrate for the first time a fully airframe integrated scramjet propulsion system. Three flights are currently planned, two at Mach 7 and one at Mach 10, beginning in the fall of 2000. The research vehicles will be boosted to the prescribed scramjet engine test point where they will separate from the booster, stabilize. and initiate engine test. Following 5+ seconds of powered flight and 15 seconds of cowl-open tares, the cowl will close and the vehicle will fly a controlled deceleration trajectory which includes numerous control doublets for in-flight aerodynamic parameter identification. This paper reviews the preflight testing activities, wind tunnel models, test rationale. risk reduction activities, and sample results from wind tunnel tests supporting the flight trajectory of the HXRV from hypersonic engine test point through subsonic flight termination.

Hyper-X Research Vehicle (HXRV) Experimental Aerodynamics Test Program Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, Scott D.; Woods, William C.; Engelund, Walter C.

2000-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the experimental aerodynamics test program to ensure mission success for the autonomous flight of the Hyper-X Research Vehicle (HXRV). The HXRV is a 12-ft long, 2700 lb lifting body technology demonstrator designed to flight demonstrate for the first time a fully airframe integrated scramjet propulsion system. Three flights are currently planned, two at Mach 7 and one at Mach 10, beginning in the fall of 2000. The research vehicles will be boosted to the prescribed scramjet engine test point where they will separate from the booster, stabilize, and initiate engine test. Following 5+ seconds of powered flight and 15 seconds of cow-open tares, the cowl will close and the vehicle will fly a controlled deceleration trajectory which includes numerous control doublets for in-flight aerodynamic parameter identification. This paper reviews the preflight testing activities, wind tunnel models, test rationale, risk reduction activities, and sample results from wind tunnel tests supporting the flight trajectory of the HXRV from hypersonic engine test point through subsonic flight termination.

Development of a biaxial compression device for biological samples: preliminary experimental results for a closed cell foam.

PubMed

Little, J P; Tevelen, G; Adam, C J; Evans, J H; Pearcy, M J

2009-07-01

Biological tissues are subjected to complex loading states in vivo and in order to define constitutive equations that effectively simulate their mechanical behaviour under these loads, it is necessary to obtain data on the tissue's response to multiaxial loading. Single axis and shear testing of biological tissues is often carried out, but biaxial testing is less common. We sought to design and commission a biaxial compression testing device, capable of obtaining repeatable data for biological samples. The apparatus comprised a sealed stainless steel pressure vessel specifically designed such that a state of hydrostatic compression could be created on the test specimen while simultaneously unloading the sample along one axis with an equilibrating tensile pressure. Thus a state of equibiaxial compression was created perpendicular to the long axis of a rectangular sample. For the purpose of calibration and commissioning of the vessel, rectangular samples of closed cell ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam were tested. Each sample was subjected to repeated loading, and nine separate biaxial experiments were carried out to a maximum pressure of 204 kPa (30 psi), with a relaxation time of two hours between them. Calibration testing demonstrated the force applied to the samples had a maximum error of 0.026 N (0.423% of maximum applied force). Under repeated loading, the foam sample demonstrated lower stiffness during the first load cycle. Following this cycle, an increased stiffness, repeatable response was observed with successive loading. While the experimental protocol was developed for EVA foam, preliminary results on this material suggest that this device may be capable of providing test data for biological tissue samples. The load response of the foam was characteristic of closed cell foams, with consolidation during the early loading cycles, then a repeatable load-displacement response upon repeated loading. The repeatability of the test results demonstrated the ability of the test device to provide reproducible test data and the low experimental error in the force demonstrated the reliability of the test data.

Effect of load eccentricity on the buckling of thin-walled laminated C-columns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wysmulski, Pawel; Teter, Andrzej; Debski, Hubert

2018-01-01

The study investigates the behaviour of short, thin-walled laminated C-columns under eccentric compression. The tested columns are simple-supported. The effect of load inaccuracy on the critical and post-critical (local buckling) states is examined. A numerical analysis by the finite element method and experimental tests on a test stand are performed. The samples were produced from a carbon-epoxy prepreg by the autoclave technique. The experimental tests rest on the assumption that compressive loads are 1.5 higher than the theoretical critical force. Numerical modelling is performed using the commercial software package ABAQUS®. The critical load is determined by solving an eigen problem using the Subspace algorithm. The experimental critical loads are determined based on post-buckling paths. The numerical and experimental results show high agreement, thus demonstrating a significant effect of load inaccuracy on the critical load corresponding to the column's local buckling.

Selective removal of organics for water reclamation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Oliver J.; Hitchens, G. Duncan; Kaba, Lamine; Verostko, Charles E.

1990-01-01

Electrooxidation is a means of removing organic solutes directly from waste waters without the use of chemical expendables. The feasibility of the concept for oxidation of organic impurities common to urine, shower waters and space habitat humidity condensates was demonstrated. Electrooxidation of urine and waste water ersatz was experimentally demonstrated. The electrooxidation principle, reaction kinetics, efficiency, power, size, experimental test results and water reclamation applications are described. Process operating potentials and the use of anodic oxidation potentials that are sufficiently low to avoid oxygen formation and chloride oxidation are also described. The design of a novel electrochemical system that incorporates a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyte is presented based on parametric test data and current fuel cell technology.

Development and flight test of an experimental maneuver autopilot for a highly maneuverable aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duke, Eugene L.; Jones, Frank P.; Roncoli, Ralph B.

1986-01-01

This report presents the development of an experimental flight test maneuver autopilot (FTMAP) for a highly maneuverable aircraft. The essence of this technique is the application of an autopilot to provide precise control during required flight test maneuvers. This newly developed flight test technique is being applied at the Dryden Flight Research Facility of NASA Ames Research Center. The FTMAP is designed to increase the quantity and quality of data obtained in test flight. The technique was developed and demonstrated on the highly maneuverable aircraft technology (HiMAT) vehicle. This report describes the HiMAT vehicle systems, maneuver requirements, FTMAP development process, and flight results.

LAPR: An experimental aircraft pushbroom scanner

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wharton, S. W.; Irons, J. I.; Heugel, F.

1980-01-01

A three band Linear Array Pushbroom Radiometer (LAPR) was built and flown on an experimental basis by NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center. The functional characteristics of the instrument and the methods used to preprocess the data, including radiometric correction, are described. The radiometric sensitivity of the instrument was tested and compared to that of the Thematic Mapper and the Multispectral Scanner. The radiometric correction procedure was evaluated quantitatively, using laboratory testing, and qualitatively, via visual examination of the LAPR test flight imagery. Although effective radiometric correction could not yet be demonstrated via laboratory testing, radiometric distortion did not preclude the visual interpretation or parallel piped classification of the test imagery.

Masten Xombie for Testing of JPL Spacecraft-Landing Algorithm

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-08-12

A Xombie technology demonstrator from Masten Space Systems, Mojave, Calif., ascends from its pad at Mojave Air and Space Port on a test for NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The vehicle is a vertical-takeoff, vertical-landing experimental rocket.

Cryogenic nitrogen as a transonic wind-tunnel test gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adcock, J. B.; Kilgore, R. A.; Ray, E. J.

1975-01-01

The test gas for the Langley Pilot Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel is nitrogen. Results from analytical and experimental studies that have verified cryogenic nitrogen as an acceptable test gas are reviewed. Real-gas isentropic and normal-shock flow solutions for nitrogen are compared to the ideal diatomic gas solutions. Experimental data demonstrate that for temperatures above the liquefaction boundaries there are no significant real-gas effects on two-dimensional airfoil pressure distributions. Results of studies to determine the minimum operating temperatures while avoiding appreciable effects due to liquefaction are included.

Experimental Demonstration of Frequency Regulation by Commercial Buildings – Part II: Results and Performance Evaluation

DOE PAGES

Vrettos, Evangelos; Kara, Emre Can; MacDonald, Jason; ...

2016-11-15

This paper is the second part of a two-part series presenting the results from an experimental demonstration of frequency regulation in a commercial building test facility. We developed relevant building models and designed a hierarchical controller for reserve scheduling, building climate control and frequency regulation in Part I. In Part II, we introduce the communication architecture and experiment settings, and present extensive experimental results under frequency regulation. More specifically, we compute the day-ahead reserve capacity of the test facility under different assumptions and conditions. Furthermore, we demonstrate the ability of model predictive control to satisfy comfort constraints under frequency regulation,more » and show that fan speed control can track the fast-moving RegD signal of the Pennsylvania, Jersey, and Maryland Power Market (PJM) very accurately. In addition, we discuss potential effects of frequency regulation on building operation (e.g., increase in energy consumption, oscillations in supply air temperature, and effect on chiller cycling), and provide suggestions for real-world implementation projects. Our results show that hierarchical control is appropriate for frequency regulation from commercial buildings.« less

Juvenile Diversion: An Experimental Analysis of Effectiveness.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Severy, Lawrence J.; Whitaker, J. Michael

1982-01-01

The desirability of combining tests of theory with evaluations of treatment modalities is argued in an investigation of the effectiveness of a juvenile diversion program. Using a true experimental design (with randomization), recidivism analyses dependent on court record data failed to demonstrate the relative superiority of any of three treatment…

Eclipse program C-141A aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This photograph shows the Air Force C-141A that was used in the Eclipse project as a tow vehicle. In 1997 and 1998, the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California, supported and hosted a Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. project called Eclipse, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a reusable tow-launch vehicle concept. The project goal was to successfully tow, inflight, a modified QF-106 delta-wing aircraft with an Air Force C-141A transport aircraft. This would demonstrate the possibility of towing and launching an actual launch vehicle from behind a tow plane. Dryden was the responsible test organization and had flight safety responsibility for the Eclipse project. Dryden provided engineering, instrumentation, simulation, modification, maintenance, range support, and research pilots for the test program. The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards, California, supplied the C-141A transport aircraft and crew and configured the aircraft as needed for the tests. The AFFTC also provided the concept and detail design and analysis as well as hardware for the tow system and QF-106 modifications. Dryden performed the modifications to convert the QF-106 drone into the piloted EXD-01 (Eclipse eXperimental Demonstrator-01) experimental aircraft. Kelly Space & Technology hoped to use the results gleaned from the tow test in developing a series of low-cost, reusable launch vehicles. These tests demonstrated the validity of towing a delta-wing aircraft having high wind loading, validated the tow simulation model, and demonstrated various operational procedures, such as ground processing of in-flight maneuvers and emergency abort scenarios.

Eclipse program QF-106 aircraft in flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This photo shows one of the QF-106s used in the Eclipse project in flight. In 1997 and 1998, the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California, supported and hosted a Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. project called Eclipse, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a reusable tow-launch vehicle concept. The project goal was to successfully tow, inflight, a modified QF-106 delta-wing aircraft with an Air Force C-141A transport aircraft. This would demonstrate the possibility of towing and launching an actual launch vehicle from behind a tow plane. Dryden was the responsible test organization and had flight safety responsibility for the Eclipse project. Dryden provided engineering, instrumentation, simulation, modification, maintenance, range support, and research pilots for the test program. The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards, California, supplied the C-141A transport aircraft and crew and configured the aircraft as needed for the tests. The AFFTC also provided the concept and detail design and analysis as well as hardware for the tow system and QF-106 modifications. Dryden performed the modifications to convert the QF-106 drone into the piloted EXD-01 (Eclipse eXperimental Demonstrator-01) experimental aircraft. Kelly Space & Technology hoped to use the results gleaned from the tow test in developing a series of low-cost, reusable launch vehicles. These tests demonstrated the validity of towing a delta-wing aircraft having high wing loading, validated the tow simulation model, and demonstrated various operational procedures, such as ground processing of in-flight maneuvers and emergency abort scenarios.

ASTAR Flight Test: Overview and Spacing Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roper, Roy D.; Koch, Michael R.

2016-01-01

The purpose of the NASA Langley Airborne Spacing for Terminal Arrival Routes (ASTAR) research aboard the Boeing ecoDemonstrator aircraft was to demonstrate the use of NASA's ASTAR algorithm using contemporary tools of the Federal Aviation Administration's Next Generation Air Transportation System (NEXTGEN). EcoDemonstrator is a Boeing test program which utilizes advanced experimental equipment to accelerate the science of aerospace and environmentally friendly technologies. The ASTAR Flight Test provided a proof-of-concept flight demonstration that exercised an algorithmic-based application in an actual aircraft. The test aircraft conducted Interval Management operations to provide time-based spacing off a target aircraft in non-simulator wind conditions. Work was conducted as a joint effort between NASA and Boeing to integrate ASTAR in a Boeing supplied B787 test aircraft while using a T-38 aircraft as the target. This demonstration was also used to identify operational risks to future flight trials for the NASA Air Traffic Management Technology Demonstration expected in 2017.

[Cancer nursing care education programs: the effectiveness of different teaching methods].

PubMed

Cheng, Yun-Ju; Kao, Yu-Hsiu

2012-10-01

In-service education affects the quality of cancer care directly. Using classroom teaching to deliver in-service education is often ineffective due to participants' large workload and shift requirements. This study evaluated the learning effectiveness of different teaching methods in the dimensions of knowledge, attitude, and learning satisfaction. This study used a quasi-experimental study design. Participants were cancer ward nurses working at one medical center in northern Taiwan. Participants were divided into an experimental group and control group. The experimental group took an e-learning course and the control group took a standard classroom course using the same basic course material. Researchers evaluated the learning efficacy of each group using a questionnaire based on the quality of cancer nursing care learning effectiveness scale. All participants answered the questionnaire once before and once after completing the course. (1) Post-test "knowledge" scores for both groups were significantly higher than pre-test scores for both groups. Post-test "attitude" scores were significantly higher for the control group, while the experimental group reported no significant change. (2) after a covariance analysis of the pre-test scores for both groups, the post-test score for the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group in the knowledge dimension. Post-test scores did not differ significantly from pre-test scores for either group in the attitude dimension. (3) Post-test satisfaction scores between the two groups did not differ significantly with regard to teaching methods. The e-learning method, however, was demonstrated as more flexible than the classroom teaching method. Study results demonstrate the importance of employing a variety of teaching methods to instruct clinical nursing staff. We suggest that both classroom teaching and e-learning instruction methods be used to enhance the quality of cancer nursing care education programs. We also encourage that interactivity between student and instructor be incorporated into e-learning course designs to enhance effectiveness.

Central Tire Inflation: Demonstration Tests in the South

Treesearch

R.B. Rummer; C. Ashmore; D.L. Sirois; C.L. Rawlins

1990-01-01

Tests of prototype Central Tire Inflation (CT11 systems were conducted to quantify CT1 performance, road wear, and truck vibration. The CT1 systems were tested in both experimental and operational settings. Changes in the road surface that occurred during the tests could not be statistically attributed to reduced tire pressure. Vibration at the seat base, however,...

76 FR 81991 - National Spectrum Sharing Research Experimentation, Validation, Verification, Demonstration and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-29

... non-federal community, including the academic, commercial, and public safety sectors, to implement a..., Verification, Demonstration and Trials: Technical Workshop II on Coordinating Federal Government/Private Sector Spectrum Innovation Testing Needs AGENCY: The National Coordination Office (NCO) for Networking and...

Vibration and noise analysis of a gear transmission system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choy, F. K.; Qian, W.; Zakrajsek, J. J.; Oswald, F. B.

1993-01-01

This paper presents a comprehensive procedure to predict both the vibration and noise generated by a gear transmission system under normal operating conditions. The gearbox vibrations were obtained from both numerical simulation and experimental studies using a gear noise test rig. In addition, the noise generated by the gearbox vibrations was recorded during the experimental testing. A numerical method was used to develop linear relationships between the gearbox vibration and the generated noise. The hypercoherence function is introduced to correlate the nonlinear relationship between the fundamental noise frequency and its harmonics. A numerical procedure was developed using both the linear and nonlinear relationships generated from the experimental data to predict noise resulting from the gearbox vibrations. The application of this methodology is demonstrated by comparing the numerical and experimental results from the gear noise test rig.

Metallurgical characterization of experimental Ag-based soldering alloys.

PubMed

Ntasi, Argyro; Al Jabbari, Youssef S; Silikas, Nick; Al Taweel, Sara M; Zinelis, Spiros

2014-10-01

To characterize microstructure, hardness and thermal properties of experimental Ag-based soldering alloys for dental applications. Ag12Ga (AgGa) and Ag10Ga5Sn (AgGaSn) were fabricated by induction melting. Six samples were prepared for each alloy and microstructure, hardness and their melting range were determined by, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Vickers hardness testing and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Both alloys demonstrated a gross dendritic microstructure while according to XRD results both materials consisted predominately of a Ag-rich face centered cubic phase The hardness of AgGa (61 ± 2) was statistically lower than that of AgGaSn (84 ± 2) while the alloys tested showed similar melting range of 627-762 °C for AgGa and 631-756 °C for AgGaSn. The experimental alloys tested demonstrated similar microstructures and melting ranges. Ga and Sn might be used as alternative to Cu and Zn to modify the selected properties of Ag based soldering alloys.

Metallurgical characterization of experimental Ag-based soldering alloys

PubMed Central

Ntasi, Argyro; Al Jabbari, Youssef S.; Silikas, Nick; Al Taweel, Sara M.; Zinelis, Spiros

2014-01-01

Aim To characterize microstructure, hardness and thermal properties of experimental Ag-based soldering alloys for dental applications. Materials and methods Ag12Ga (AgGa) and Ag10Ga5Sn (AgGaSn) were fabricated by induction melting. Six samples were prepared for each alloy and microstructure, hardness and their melting range were determined by, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) microanalysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Vickers hardness testing and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Results Both alloys demonstrated a gross dendritic microstructure while according to XRD results both materials consisted predominately of a Ag-rich face centered cubic phase The hardness of AgGa (61 ± 2) was statistically lower than that of AgGaSn (84 ± 2) while the alloys tested showed similar melting range of 627–762 °C for AgGa and 631–756 °C for AgGaSn. Conclusion The experimental alloys tested demonstrated similar microstructures and melting ranges. Ga and Sn might be used as alternative to Cu and Zn to modify the selected properties of Ag based soldering alloys. PMID:25382945

Social learning across species: horses (Equus caballus) learn from humans by observation.

PubMed

Schuetz, Aurelia; Farmer, Kate; Krueger, Konstanze

2017-05-01

This study examines whether horses can learn by observing humans, given that they identify individual humans and orientate on the focus of human attention. We tested 24 horses aged between 3 and 12. Twelve horses were tested on whether they would learn to open a feeding apparatus by observing a familiar person. The other 12 were controls and received exactly the same experimental procedure, but without a demonstration of how to operate the apparatus. More horses from the group with demonstration (8/12) reached the learning criterion of opening the feeder twenty times consecutively than horses from the control group (2/12), and younger horses seemed to reach the criterion more quickly. Horses not reaching the learning criteria approached the human experimenters more often than those that did. The results demonstrate that horses learn socially across species, in this case from humans.

Observation of Wakefield Suppression in a Photonic-Band-Gap Accelerator Structure

DOE PAGES

Simakov, Evgenya I.; Arsenyev, Sergey A.; Buechler, Cynthia E.; ...

2016-02-10

We report experimental observation of higher order mode (HOM) wakefield suppression in a room-temperature traveling-wave photonic band gap (PBG) accelerating structure at 11.700 GHz. It has been long recognized that PBG structures have potential for reducing long-range wakefields in accelerators. The first ever demonstration of acceleration in a room-temperature PBG structure was conducted in 2005. Since then, the importance of PBG accelerator research has been recognized by many institutions. However, the full experimental characterization of the wakefield spectrum and demonstration of wakefield suppression when the accelerating structure is excited by an electron beam has not been performed to date. Wemore » conducted an experiment at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) test facility and observed wakefields excited by a single high charge electron bunch when it passes through a PBG accelerator structure. Lastly, excellent HOM suppression properties of the PBG accelerator were demonstrated in the beam test.« less

Social learning in nest-building birds watching live-streaming video demonstrators.

PubMed

Guillette, Lauren M; Healy, Susan D

2018-02-13

Determining the role that social learning plays in construction behaviours, such as nest building or tool manufacture, could be improved if more experimental control could be gained over the exact public information that is provided by the demonstrator, to the observing individual. Using video playback allows the experimenter to choose what information is provided, but will only be useful in determining the role of social learning if observers attend to, and learn from, videos in a manner that is similar to live demonstration. The goal of the current experiment was to test whether live-streamed video presentations of nest building by zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata would lead observers to copy the material choice demonstrated to them. Here, males that had not previously built a nest were given an initial preference test between materials of two colours. Those observers then watched live-stream footage of a familiar demonstrator building a nest with material of the colour that the observer did not prefer. After this experience, observers were given the chance to build a nest with materials of the two colours. Although two-thirds of the observer males preferred material of the demonstrated colour after viewing the demonstrator build a nest with material of that colour more than they had previously, their preference for the demonstrated material was not as strong as that of observers that had viewed live demonstrator builders in a previous experiment. Our results suggest researchers should proceed with caution before using video demonstration in tests of social learning. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

ED14-0338-081

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-11-06

Initial flight-testing of the ACTE followed extensive wind tunnel experiments. For the first phase of ACTE flights, the experimental control surfaces were locked at a specified setting. Varied flap settings on subsequent tests are now demonstrating the capability of the flexible surfaces under actual flight conditions.

Groundwater arsenic remediation using zerovalent iron: Batch and column tests

EPA Science Inventory

Recently, increasing efforts have been made to explore the applicability and limitations of zerovalent iron (Fe0) for the treatment of arsenicbearing groundwater and wastewater. The experimental batch and column tests have demonstrated that arsenate and arsenite are removed effec...

Electrooxidation of organics in waste water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hitchens, G. D.; Murphy, Oliver J.; Kaba, Lamine; Verostko, Charles E.

1990-01-01

Electrooxidation is a means of removing organic solutes directly from waste waters without the use of chemical expendables. Research sponsored by NASA is currently being pursued to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept for oxidation of organic impurities common to urine, shower waters and space-habitat humidity condensates. Electrooxidation of urine and waste water ersatz was experimentally demonstrated. This paper discusses the electrooxidation principle, reaction kinetics, efficiency, power, size, experimental test results and water-reclamation applications. Process operating potentials and the use of anodic oxidation potentials that are sufficiently low to avoid oxygen formation and chloride oxidation are described. The design of an electrochemical system that incorporates a membrane-based electrolyte based on parametric test data and current fuel-cell technology is presented.

Theory of mind in dogs?: examining method and concept.

PubMed

Horowitz, Alexandra

2011-12-01

In line with other research, Udell, Dorey, and Wynne's (in press) finding that dogs and wolves pass on some trials of a putative theory-of-mind test and fail on others is as informative about the methods and concepts of the research as about the subjects. This commentary expands on these points. The intertrial differences in the target article demonstrate how critical the choice of cues is in experimental design; the intersubject-group differences demonstrate how life histories can interact with experimental design. Even the best-designed theory-of-mind tests have intractable logical problems. Finally, these and previous research results call for the introduction of an intermediate stage of ability, a rudimentary theory of mind, to describe subjects' performance.

Development and Testing of an Experimental Mobile Instructional Facility for Applied Courses in Engineering Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kleine, Louis W.

The experimental pilot project was conducted to determine whether students who take the laboratory phase of an engineering technology applied electricity course in a mobile laboratory at branch schools demonstrate proficiency comparable to students who take the applied electricity course in permanent facilities at the parent institution. The…

The (Spatial) Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition.

PubMed

Gudde, Harmen B; Griffiths, Debra; Coventry, Kenny R

2018-02-19

The memory game paradigm is a behavioral procedure to explore the relationship between language, spatial memory, and object knowledge. Using two different versions of the paradigm, spatial language use and memory for object location are tested under different, experimentally manipulated conditions. This allows us to tease apart proposed models explaining the influence of object knowledge on spatial language (e.g., spatial demonstratives), and spatial memory, as well as understanding the parameters that affect demonstrative choice and spatial memory more broadly. Key to the development of the method was the need to collect data on language use (e.g., spatial demonstratives: "this/that") and spatial memory data under strictly controlled conditions, while retaining a degree of ecological validity. The language version (section 3.1) of the memory game tests how conditions affect language use. Participants refer verbally to objects placed at different locations (e.g., using spatial demonstratives: "this/that red circle"). Different parameters can be experimentally manipulated: the distance from the participant, the position of a conspecific, and for example whether the participant owns, knows, or sees the object while referring to it. The same parameters can be manipulated in the memory version of the memory game (section 3.2). This version tests the effects of the different conditions on object-location memory. Following object placement, participants get 10 seconds to memorize the object's location. After the object and location cues are removed, participants verbally direct the experimenter to move a stick to indicate where the object was. The difference between the memorized and the actual location shows the direction and strength of the memory error, allowing comparisons between the influences of the respective parameters.

Experimental system for the control of surgically induced infections

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

The results are presented of the development tests performed on the experimental system for the control of surgically induced infections. Tests were performed on the portable clean room to demonstrate assembly, collapsability, portability and storage. Collapsing, relocating and storing within the surgery room can be accomplished in 12 minutes. The storage envelope dimensions are 1.64 m x 4.24 m x 2.62 m high. The disassembly transfer to another room, and reassembly were demonstrated. The laminar air flow velocity profile within the enclosure was measured. In the undisturbed area of the enclosure the air flow met the Federal Standard 209a requirements of 27.45 meters per minute + or - 6.10 meters per minute. Smoke tests with simulated surgery equipment and personnel in the enclosure did not indicate any detrimental air flow patterns. It is concluded that the system as designed will perform the functions required for its intended use.

Three-Dimensional Simulation of Traveling-Wave Tube Cold-Test Characteristics Using CST MICROWAVE STUDIO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chevalier, Christine T.; Herrmann, Kimberly A.; Kory, Carol L.; Wilson, Jeffrey D.; Cross, Andrew W.; Santana , Samuel

2003-01-01

The electromagnetic field simulation software package CST MICROWAVE STUDIO (MWS) was used to compute the cold-test parameters - frequency-phase dispersion, on-axis impedance, and attenuation - for a traveling-wave tube (TWT) slow-wave circuit. The results were compared to experimental data, as well as to results from MAFIA, another three-dimensional simulation code from CST currently used at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). The strong agreement between cold-test parameters simulated with MWS and those measured experimentally demonstrates the potential of this code to reduce the time and cost of TWT development.

WET-NZ Multi-Mode Wave Energy Converter Advancement Project

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

Kopf, Steven

2013-10-15

The overall objective of the project was to verify the ocean wavelength functionality of the WET-NZ through targeted hydrodynamic testing at wave tank scale and controlled open sea deployment of a 1/2 scale (1:2) experimental device. This objective was accomplished through a series of tasks designed to achieve four specific goals: Wave Tank Testing to Characterize Hydrodynamic Characteristics;  Open-Sea Testing of a New 1:2 Scale Experimental Model;  Synthesis and Analysis to Demonstrate and Confirm TRL5/6 Status;  Market Impact & Competitor Analysis, Business Plan and Commercialization Strategy.

F-106 tow cable attachment and release mechanism for Eclipse program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

View of the tow cable attachment and release mechanism forward of the cockpit on the QF-106 Eclipse aircraft. This mechanism held and then released the Vectran rope used to tow the QF-106 behind an Air Force C-141A. In 1997 and 1998, the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California, supported and hosted a Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. project called Eclipse, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a reusable tow-launch vehicle concept. The project goal was to successfully tow, inflight, a modified QF-106 delta-wing aircraft with an Air Force C-141A transport aircraft. This would demonstrate the possibility of towing and launching an actual launch vehicle from behind a tow plane. Dryden was the responsible test organization and had flight safety responsibility for the Eclipse project. Dryden provided engineering, instrumentation, simulation, modification, maintenance, range support, and research pilots for the test program. The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards, California, supplied the C-141A transport aircraft and crew and configured the aircraft as needed for the tests. The AFFTC also provided the concept and detail design and analysis as well as hardware for the tow system and QF-106 modifications. Dryden performed the modifications to convert the QF-106 drone into the piloted EXD-01 (Eclipse eXperimental Demonstrator-01) experimental aircraft. Kelly Space & Technology hoped to use the results gleaned from the tow test in developing a series of low-cost, reusable launch vehicles. These tests demonstrated the validity of towing a delta-wing aircraft having high wing loading, validated the tow simulation model, and demonstrated various operational procedures, such as ground processing of in-flight maneuvers and emergency abort scenarios.

Closeup of QF-106 release hook for Eclipse program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

View of the release hook on the QF-106 that allowed the pilot to release the tow rope extending from the C-141A tow plane in the Eclipse project. In 1997 and 1998, the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California, supported and hosted a Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. project called Eclipse, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a reusable tow-launch vehicle concept. The project goal was to successfully tow, inflight, a modified QF-106 delta-wing aircraft with an Air Force C-141A transport aircraft. This would demonstrate the possibility of towing and launching an actual launch vehicle from behind a tow plane. Dryden was the responsible test organization and had flight safety responsibility for the Eclipse project. Dryden provided engineering, instrumentation, simulation, modification, maintenance, range support, and research pilots for the test program. The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards, California, supplied the C-141A transport aircraft and crew and configured the aircraft as needed for the tests. The AFFTC also provided the concept and detail design and analysis as well as hardware for the tow system and QF-106 modifications. Dryden performed the modifications to convert the QF-106 drone into the piloted EXD-01 (Eclipse eXperimental Demonstrator-01) experimental aircraft. Kelly Space & Technology hoped to use the results gleaned from the tow test in developing a series of low-cost, reusable launch vehicles. These tests demonstrated the validity of towing a delta-wing aircraft having high wing loading, validated the tow simulation model, and demonstrated various operational procedures, such as ground processing of in-flight maneuvers and emergency abort scenarios.

Eclipse program C-141A aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This photograph shows the Air Force C-141A that was used in the Eclipse project as a tow vehicle. The project used a QF-106 interceptor aircraft to simulate a future orbiter, which would be towed to a high altitude and released to fire its own engines and carry a payload into space. In 1997 and 1998, the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California, supported and hosted a Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. project called Eclipse, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a reusable tow-launch vehicle concept. The project goal was to successfully tow, inflight, a modified QF-106 delta-wing aircraft with an Air Force C-141A transport aircraft. This would demonstrate the possibility of towing and launching an actual launch vehicle from behind a tow plane. Dryden was the responsible test organization and had flight safety responsibility for the Eclipse project. Dryden provided engineering, instrumentation, simulation, modification, maintenance, range support, and research pilots for the test program. The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards, California, supplied the C-141A transport aircraft and crew and configured the aircraft as needed for the tests. The AFFTC also provided the concept and detail design and analysis as well as hardware for the tow system and QF-106 modifications. Dryden performed the modifications to convert the QF-106 drone into the piloted EXD-01 (Eclipse eXperimental Demonstrator-01) experimental aircraft. Kelly Space & Technology hoped to use the results gleaned from the tow test in developing a series of low-cost, reusable launch vehicles. These tests demonstrated the validity of towing a delta-wing aircraft having high wing loading, validated the tow simulation model, and demonstrated various operational procedures, such as ground processing of in-flight maneuvers and emergency abort scenarios.

Carbon Nanotubes' Effect on Mitochondrial Oxygen Flux Dynamics: Polarography Experimental Study and Machine Learning Models using Star Graph Trace Invariants of Raman Spectra.

PubMed

González-Durruthy, Michael; Monserrat, Jose M; Rasulev, Bakhtiyor; Casañola-Martín, Gerardo M; Barreiro Sorrivas, José María; Paraíso-Medina, Sergio; Maojo, Víctor; González-Díaz, Humberto; Pazos, Alejandro; Munteanu, Cristian R

2017-11-11

This study presents the impact of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on mitochondrial oxygen mass flux ( J m ) under three experimental conditions. New experimental results and a new methodology are reported for the first time and they are based on CNT Raman spectra star graph transform (spectral moments) and perturbation theory. The experimental measures of J m showed that no tested CNT family can inhibit the oxygen consumption profiles of mitochondria. The best model for the prediction of J m for other CNTs was provided by random forest using eight features, obtaining test R-squared ( R ²) of 0.863 and test root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.0461. The results demonstrate the capability of encoding CNT information into spectral moments of the Raman star graphs (SG) transform with a potential applicability as predictive tools in nanotechnology and material risk assessments.

The flaws and human harms of animal experimentation.

PubMed

Akhtar, Aysha

2015-10-01

Nonhuman animal ("animal") experimentation is typically defended by arguments that it is reliable, that animals provide sufficiently good models of human biology and diseases to yield relevant information, and that, consequently, its use provides major human health benefits. I demonstrate that a growing body of scientific literature critically assessing the validity of animal experimentation generally (and animal modeling specifically) raises important concerns about its reliability and predictive value for human outcomes and for understanding human physiology. The unreliability of animal experimentation across a wide range of areas undermines scientific arguments in favor of the practice. Additionally, I show how animal experimentation often significantly harms humans through misleading safety studies, potential abandonment of effective therapeutics, and direction of resources away from more effective testing methods. The resulting evidence suggests that the collective harms and costs to humans from animal experimentation outweigh potential benefits and that resources would be better invested in developing human-based testing methods.

Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) Landing Parachute Demonstrator (LPD) Drop Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shreves, Christopher M.

2011-01-01

The Landing Parachute Demonstrator (LPD) was conceived as a low-cost, rapidly-developed means of providing soft landing for the Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) crew module (CM). Its experimental main parachute cluster deployment technique and off-the-shelf hardware necessitated a full-scale drop test prior to the MLAS mission in order to reduce overall mission risk. This test was successfully conducted at Wallops Flight Facility on March 6, 2009, with all vehicle and parachute systems functioning as planned. The results of the drop test successfully qualified the LPD system for the MLAS flight test. This document captures the design, concept of operations and results of the drop test.

Tissue Integration of a Volume-Stable Collagen Matrix in an Experimental Soft Tissue Augmentation Model.

PubMed

Ferrantino, Luca; Bosshardt, Dieter; Nevins, Myron; Santoro, Giacomo; Simion, Massimo; Kim, David

Reducing the need for a connective tissue graft by using an efficacious biomaterial is an important task for dental professionals and patients. This experimental study aimed to test the soft tissue response to a volume-stable new collagen matrix. The device demonstrated good stability during six different time points ranging from 0 to 90 days of healing with no alteration of the wound-healing processes. The 90-day histologic specimen demonstrates eventual replacement of most of the matrix with new connective tissue fibers.

A class of nonideal solutions. 2: Application to experimental data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zeleznik, F. J.; Donovan, L. F.

1983-01-01

Functions for the representation of the thermodynamic properties of nonideal solutions were applied to the experimental data for several highly nonideal solutions. The test solutions were selected to cover both electrolyte behavior. The results imply that the functions are fully capable of representing the experimental data within their accuracy over the whole composition range and demonstrate that many nonideal solutions can be regarded as members of the defined class of nonideal solutions.

Corrosion Assessment of Steel Bars Used in Reinforced Concrete Structures by Means of Eddy Current Testing

PubMed Central

de Alcantara, Naasson P.; da Silva, Felipe M.; Guimarães, Mateus T.; Pereira, Matheus D.

2015-01-01

This paper presents a theoretical and experimental study on the use of Eddy Current Testing (ECT) to evaluate corrosion processes in steel bars used in reinforced concrete structures. The paper presents the mathematical basis of the ECT sensor built by the authors; followed by a finite element analysis. The results obtained in the simulations are compared with those obtained in experimental tests performed by the authors. Effective resistances and inductances; voltage drops and phase angles of wound coil are calculated using both; simulated and experimental data; and demonstrate a strong correlation. The production of samples of corroded steel bars; by using an impressed current technique is also presented. The authors performed experimental tests in the laboratory using handmade sensors; and the corroded samples. In the tests four gauges; with five levels of loss-of-mass references for each one were used. The results are analyzed in the light of the loss-of-mass and show a strong linear behavior for the analyzed parameters. The conclusions emphasize the feasibility of the proposed technique and highlight opportunities for future works. PMID:26712754

Experimental Supersonic Combustion Research at NASA Langley

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, R. Clayton; Capriotti, Diego P.; Guy, R. Wayne

1998-01-01

Experimental supersonic combustion research related to hypersonic airbreathing propulsion has been actively underway at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) since the mid-1960's. This research involved experimental investigations of fuel injection, mixing, and combustion in supersonic flows and numerous tests of scramjet engine flowpaths in LaRC test facilities simulating flight from Mach 4 to 8. Out of this research effort has come scramjet combustor design methodologies, ground test techniques, and data analysis procedures. These technologies have progressed steadily in support of the National Aero-Space Plane (NASP) program and the current Hyper-X flight demonstration program. During NASP nearly 2500 tests of 15 scramjet engine models were conducted in LaRC facilities. In addition, research supporting the engine flowpath design investigated ways to enhance mixing, improve and apply nonintrusive diagnostics, and address facility operation. Tests of scramjet combustor operation at conditions simulating hypersonic flight at Mach numbers up to 17 also have been performed in an expansion tube pulse facility. This paper presents a review of the LaRC experimental supersonic combustion research efforts since the late 1980's, during the NASP program, and into the Hyper-X Program.

Corrosion Assessment of Steel Bars Used in Reinforced Concrete Structures by Means of Eddy Current Testing.

PubMed

de Alcantara, Naasson P; da Silva, Felipe M; Guimarães, Mateus T; Pereira, Matheus D

2015-12-24

This paper presents a theoretical and experimental study on the use of Eddy Current Testing (ECT) to evaluate corrosion processes in steel bars used in reinforced concrete structures. The paper presents the mathematical basis of the ECT sensor built by the authors; followed by a finite element analysis. The results obtained in the simulations are compared with those obtained in experimental tests performed by the authors. Effective resistances and inductances; voltage drops and phase angles of wound coil are calculated using both; simulated and experimental data; and demonstrate a strong correlation. The production of samples of corroded steel bars; by using an impressed current technique is also presented. The authors performed experimental tests in the laboratory using handmade sensors; and the corroded samples. In the tests four gauges; with five levels of loss-of-mass references for each one were used. The results are analyzed in the light of the loss-of-mass and show a strong linear behavior for the analyzed parameters. The conclusions emphasize the feasibility of the proposed technique and highlight opportunities for future works.

Experimental eavesdropping attack against Ekert's protocol based on Wigner's inequality

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

Bovino, F. A.; Colla, A. M.; Castagnoli, G.

2003-09-01

We experimentally implemented an eavesdropping attack against the Ekert protocol for quantum key distribution based on the Wigner inequality. We demonstrate a serious lack of security of this protocol when the eavesdropper gains total control of the source. In addition we tested a modified Wigner inequality which should guarantee a secure quantum key distribution.

Simulation of router action on a lathe to test the cutting tool performance in edge-trimming of graphite/epoxy composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramulu, M.; Rogers, E.

1994-04-01

The predominant machining application with graphite/epoxy composite materials in aerospace industry is peripheral trimming. The computer numerically controlled (CNC) high speed routers required to do edge trimming work are generally scheduled for production work in industry and are not available for extensive cutter testing. Therefore, an experimental method of simulating the conditions of periphery trim using a lathe is developed in this paper. The validity of the test technique will be demonstrated by conducting carbide tool wear tests under dry cutting conditions. The experimental results will be analyzed to characterize the wear behavior of carbide cutting tools in machining the composite materials.

Fail Safe, High Temperature Magnetic Bearings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Minihan, Thomas; Palazzolo, Alan; Kim, Yeonkyu; Lei, Shu-Liang; Kenny, Andrew; Na, Uhn Joo; Tucker, Randy; Preuss, Jason; Hunt, Andrew; Carter, Bart;

Summary of Rocketdyne Engine A5 Rocket Based Combined Cycle Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ketchum. A.; Emanuel, Mark; Cramer, John

1998-01-01

Rocketdyne Propulsion and Power (RPP) has completed a highly successful experimental test program of an advanced rocket based combined cycle (RBCC) propulsion system. The test program was conducted as part of the Advanced Reusable Technology program directed by NASA-MSFC to demonstrate technologies for low-cost access to space. Testing was conducted in the new GASL Flight Acceleration Simulation Test (FAST) facility at sea level (Mach 0), Mach 3.0 - 4.0, and vacuum flight conditions. Significant achievements obtained during the test program include 1) demonstration of engine operation in air-augmented rocket mode (AAR), ramjet mode and rocket mode and 2) smooth transition from AAR to ramjet mode operation. Testing in the fourth mode (scramjet) is scheduled for November 1998.

A comparison of between- and within-subjects imitation designs.

PubMed

Kressley, Regina A; Knopf, Monika

2006-12-01

Two experimental methods, which have dominated the study of declarative memory in preverbal children with imitation tasks, namely the deferred imitation and elicited imitation paradigm, differ in the amount of physical contact with test stimuli afforded infants prior to a test for long-term recall. The current study assessed effects of pre- and post-demonstration contact with test stimuli on deferred imitation of novel, single-step unrelated actions with multiple objects by 8(1/2)- and 10(1/2)-month-old infants (N=50). The rate of target action completion after a delay remained consistent at both ages across different conditions of prior contact with test stimuli. This study shows that a within-subjects baseline appraisal is valid within certain experimental parameters and offers a more economical alternative. The results show furthermore that different experimental designs utilized to assess deferred imitation are highly comparable for the first year despite differences in determining baseline.

Effects of Subject Self-Esteem, Test Performance Feedback, and Counselor Attractiveness on Influence in Counseling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sell, John M.

1974-01-01

Counselor attractiveness, subject self-esteem, and subject receipt of test performance feedback were manipulated in a counseling analogue experiment. The results demonstrated no relationship between the independent variables and counselor influence, although the experimental induction of attractiveness was successful. Implications for a theory of…

Experimental investigation of defect criticality in FRP laminate composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joyce, Peter James

1999-11-01

This work examines the defect criticality of fiber reinforced polymer Composites. The objective is to determine the sensitivity of the finished composite to various process-induced defects. This work focuses on two different classes of process-induced defects; (1) fiber waviness in high performance carbon-fiber reinforced unidirectional composites and (2) void volume in low cost glass-fabric reinforced composites. The role of fiber waviness in the compressive response of unidirectional composites has been studied by a number of other investigators. Because of difficulties associated with producing real composites with varying levels of fiber waviness, most experimental studies of fiber waviness have evaluated composites with artificially induced fiber waviness. Furthermore, most experimental studies have been concentrated on the effects of out-of-plane fiber waviness. The objective of this work is to evaluate the effects of in-plane fiber waviness naturally occurring in autoclave consolidated thermoplastic laminates. The first phase of this project involved the development of a simple technique for measuring the resulting fiber waviness levels. An experimental investigation of the compression strength reduction in composites with in-plane fiber waviness followed. The experimental program included carbon-fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites manufactured from prepreg tape by hand layup, and carbon-fiber and glass-fiber reinforced composites manufactured from an experimental powder towpreg by filament winding and autoclave consolidation. The compression specimens exhibited kink band failure in the prepreg composite and varying amounts of longitudinal splitting and kink banding in the towpreg composites. The compression test results demonstrated the same trend as predicted by microbudding theory but the overall quantitative correlation was poor. The second thrust of this research evaluated void effects in resin transfer molded composites. Much of the existing literature in this area has focused on composites with unidirectional fiber reinforcement. In this program, the influence of void volume on the mechanical behavior of RTM composites with plain weave reinforcement was investigated. The experimental program demonstrated that the effects of void volume are negligible in terms of the fiber dominated properties. Interlaminar shear strength tests on the other hand demonstrated a linear dependence on void volume in the range tested.

Experimental investigation of elastic mode control on a model of a transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abramovitz, M.; Heimbaugh, R. M.; Nomura, J. K.; Pearson, R. M.; Shirley, W. A.; Stringham, R. H.; Tescher, E. L.; Zoock, I. E.

1981-01-01

A 4.5 percent DC-10 derivative flexible model with active controls is fabricated, developed, and tested to investigate the ability to suppress flutter and reduce gust loads with active controlled surfaces. The model is analyzed and tested in both semispan and complete model configuration. Analytical methods are refined and control laws are developed and successfully tested on both versions of the model. A 15 to 25 percent increase in flutter speed due to the active system is demonstrated. The capability of an active control system to significantly reduce wing bending moments due to turbulence is demonstrated. Good correlation is obtained between test and analytical prediction.

Engine-Scale Combustor Rig Designed, Fabricated, and Tested for Combustion Instability Control Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeLaat, John C.; Breisacher, Kevin J.

2000-01-01

Low-emission combustor designs are prone to combustor instabilities. Because active control of these instabilities may allow future combustors to meet both stringent emissions and performance requirements, an experimental combustor rig was developed for investigating methods of actively suppressing combustion instabilities. The experimental rig has features similar to a real engine combustor and exhibits instabilities representative of those in aircraft gas turbine engines. Experimental testing in the spring of 1999 demonstrated that the rig can be tuned to closely represent an instability observed in engine tests. Future plans are to develop and demonstrate combustion instability control using this experimental combustor rig. The NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field is leading the Combustion Instability Control program to investigate methods for actively suppressing combustion instabilities. Under this program, a single-nozzle, liquid-fueled research combustor rig was designed, fabricated, and tested. The rig has many of the complexities of a real engine combustor, including an actual fuel nozzle and swirler, dilution cooling, and an effusion-cooled liner. Prior to designing the experimental rig, a survey of aircraft engine combustion instability experience identified an instability observed in a prototype engine as a suitable candidate for replication. The frequency of the instability was 525 Hz, with an amplitude of approximately 1.5-psi peak-to-peak at a burner pressure of 200 psia. The single-nozzle experimental combustor rig was designed to preserve subcomponent lengths, cross sectional area distribution, flow distribution, pressure-drop distribution, temperature distribution, and other factors previously found to be determinants of burner acoustic frequencies, mode shapes, gain, and damping. Analytical models were used to predict the acoustic resonances of both the engine combustor and proposed experiment. The analysis confirmed that the test rig configuration and engine configuration had similar longitudinal acoustic characteristics, increasing the likelihood that the engine instability would be replicated in the rig. Parametric analytical studies were performed to understand the influence of geometry and condition variations and to establish a combustion test plan. Cold-flow experiments verified that the design values of area and flow distributions were obtained. Combustion test results established the existence of a longitudinal combustion instability in the 500-Hz range with a measured amplitude approximating that observed in the engine. Modifications to the rig configuration during testing also showed the potential for injector independence. The research combustor rig was developed in partnership with Pratt & Whitney of West Palm Beach, Florida, and United Technologies Research Center of East Hartford, Connecticut. Experimental testing of the combustor rig took place at United Technologies Research Center.

Testability of evolutionary game dynamics based on experimental economics data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yijia; Chen, Xiaojie; Wang, Zhijian

In order to better understand the dynamic processes of a real game system, we need an appropriate dynamics model, so to evaluate the validity of a model is not a trivial task. Here, we demonstrate an approach, considering the dynamical macroscope patterns of angular momentum and speed as the measurement variables, to evaluate the validity of various dynamics models. Using the data in real time Rock-Paper-Scissors (RPS) games experiments, we obtain the experimental dynamic patterns, and then derive the related theoretical dynamic patterns from a series of typical dynamics models respectively. By testing the goodness-of-fit between the experimental and theoretical patterns, the validity of the models can be evaluated. One of the results in our study case is that, among all the nonparametric models tested, the best-known Replicator dynamics model performs almost worst, while the Projection dynamics model performs best. Besides providing new empirical macroscope patterns of social dynamics, we demonstrate that the approach can be an effective and rigorous tool to test game dynamics models. Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (SSEYI2014Z) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants No. 61503062).

Eclipse project QF-106 and C-141A climbs out under tow on first tethered flight December 20, 1997

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

TOW LAUNCH DEMONSTRATION - The Kelly Space & Technology (KST)/USAF/NASA Eclipse project's modified QF-106 climbs out under tow by a USAF C-141A on the project's first tethered flight on December 20, 1997. The successful 18-minute-long flight reached an altitude of 10,000 feet. NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, hosted the project, providing engineering and facility support as well as the project pilot. In 1997 and 1998, the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California, supported and hosted a Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. project called Eclipse, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a reusable tow-launch vehicle concept. The project goal was to successfully tow, inflight, a modified QF-106 delta-wing aircraft with an Air Force C-141A transport aircraft. This would demonstrate the possibility of towing and launching an actual launch vehicle from behind a tow plane. Dryden was the responsible test organization and had flight safety responsibility for the Eclipse project. Dryden provided engineering, instrumentation, simulation, modification, maintenance, range support, and research pilots for the test program. The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards, California, supplied the C-141A transport aircraft and crew and configured the aircraft as needed for the tests. The AFFTC also provided the concept and detail design and analysis as well as hardware for the tow system and QF-106 modifications. Dryden performed the modifications to convert the QF-106 drone into the piloted EXD-01 (Eclipse eXperimental Demonstrator-01) experimental aircraft. Kelly Space & Technology hoped to use the results gleaned from the tow test in developing a series of low-cost, reusable launch vehicles. These tests demonstrated the validity of towing a delta-wing aircraft having high wing loading, validated the tow simulation model, and demonstrated various operational procedures, such as ground processing of in-flight maneuvers and emergency abort scenarios.

Nonlinear analysis of concrete beams strengthened by date palm fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouzouaid, Samia; Kriker, Abdelouahed

2017-02-01

The behaviour of concrete beams strengthened with date palm fibers was studied by Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis using ANSYS software. Five beams that were experimentally tested in a previous research were considered. The results obtained from the ANSYS finite element analysis are compared with the experimental data for the five beams with different amounts of fibres, ranging from 0.2% to 0.5% by a step equal to 0.1% and with a fibre length of 0.04 m. The results obtained by FEA showed good agreement with those obtained by the experimental program. This research demonstrates the ability of FEA in predicting the behaviour of beams strengthened with Date Palm fibers. It will help researchers in studying beams with different configurations without the need to go through the lengthy experimental testing programs.

Characterizing optical polishing pitch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varshneya, Rupal; DeGroote, Jessica E.; Gregg, Leslie L.; Jacobs, Stephen D.

2003-05-01

Characterization data for five experimental optical polishing pitch products were compared to those for corresponding standard commercial optical polishing pitches. The experimental pitches were tested for three physical properties: hardness, viscosity at 90°C, and softening point. A Shore A Durometer test was used to measure hardness. Viscosity data were collected using a Stony Brook Scientific falling needle viscometer. Softening point was determined using the ASTM D3104-97 method. Results demonstrate that the softest and the hardest batches of the experimental grades of optical pitch are comparable to the industry-accepted standards, while the other grades of pitch are not. The experimental methodology followed in this research may allow opticians to rapidly compare different brands of pitch to help identify batch-to-batch differences and control pitch quality before use.

Characterizing optical polishing pitch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varshneya, Rupal

2003-05-01

Characterization data for five experimental optical polishing pitch products were compared to those for corresponding standard commercial optical polishing pitches. The experimental pitches were tested for three physical properties: hardness, viscosity at 90°C, and softening point. A Shore A Durometerl test was used to measure hardness. Viscosity data were collected using a Stony Brook Scientific' falling needle viscometer. Softening point was determined using the ASTM D3104-97 method. Results demonstrate that the softest and the hardest batches of the experimental grades of optical pitch are comparable to the industry-accepted standards, while the other grades of pitch are not. The experimental methodology followed in this research may allow opticians to rapidly compare different brands of pitch to help identify batch- to- batch differences and control pitch quality before use.

Relativity, anomalies and objectivity loophole in recent tests of local realism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bednorz, Adam

2017-11-01

Local realism is in conflict with special quantum Bell-type models. Recently, several experiments have demonstrated violation of local realism if we trust their setup assuming special relativity valid. In this paper we question the assumption of relativity, point out not commented anomalies and show that the experiments have not closed objectivity loophole because clonability of the result has not been demonstrated. We propose several improvements in further experimental tests of local realism make the violation more convincing.

Micromechanical model for protein materials: From macromolecules to macroscopic fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puglisi, G.; De Tommasi, D.; Pantano, M. F.; Pugno, N. M.; Saccomandi, G.

2017-10-01

We propose a model for the mechanical behavior of protein materials. Based on a limited number of experimental macromolecular parameters (persistence and contour length) we obtain the macroscopic behavior of keratin fibers (human, cow, and rabbit hair), taking into account the damage and residual stretches effects that are fundamental in many functions of life. We also show the capability of our approach to describe the main dissipation and permanent strain effects observed in the more complex spider silk fibers. The comparison between our results and the data obtained experimentally from cyclic tests demonstrates that our model is robust and is able to reproduce with a remarkable accuracy the experimental behavior of all protein materials we tested.

Design and operating experience on the US Department of Energy experimental Mod-0 100-kW wind turbine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glasgow, J. C.; Birchenough, A. G.

1978-01-01

The experimental wind turbine was designed and fabricated to assess technology requirements and engineering problems of large wind turbines. The machine has demonstrated successful operation in all of its design modes and served as a prototype developmental test bed for the Mod-0A operational wind turbines which are currently used on utility networks. The mechanical and control system are described as they evolved in operational tests and some of the experience with various systems in the downwind rotor configurations are elaborated.

Polarization-insensitive techniques for optical signal processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salem, Reza

2006-12-01

This thesis investigates polarization-insensitive methods for optical signal processing. Two signal processing techniques are studied: clock recovery based on two-photon absorption in silicon and demultiplexing based on cross-phase modulation in highly nonlinear fiber. The clock recovery system is tested at an 80 Gb/s data rate for both back-to-back and transmission experiments. The demultiplexer is tested at a 160 Gb/s data rate in a back-to-back experiment. We experimentally demonstrate methods for eliminating polarization dependence in both systems. Our experimental results are confirmed by theoretical and numerical analysis.

Flatworm models in pharmacological research: the importance of compound stability testing.

PubMed

Stalmans, Sofie; Willems, Maxime; Adriaens, Els; Remon, Jean-Paul; D'Hondt, Matthias; De Spiegeleer, Bart

2014-10-01

Flatworms possess adult pluripotent stem cells, which make them extraordinary experimental model organisms to assess in vivo the undesirable effects of substances on stem cells. Currently, quality practices, implying evaluation of the stability of the test compound under the proposed experimental conditions, are uncommon in this research field. Nevertheless, performing a stability study during the rational design of in vivo assay protocols will result in more reliable assay results. To illustrate the influence of the stability of the test substance on the final experimental outcome, we performed a short-term International Conference on Harmonization (ICH)-based stability study of cyclophosphamide in the culture medium, to which a marine flatworm model Macrostomum lignano is exposed. Using a validated U(H)PLC method, it was demonstrated that the cyclophosphamide concentration in the culture medium at 20°C is lowered to 80% of the initial concentration after 21days. The multiwell plates, flatworms and diatoms, as well as light exposure, did not influence significantly the cyclophosphamide concentration in the medium. The results of the stability study have practical implications on the experimental set-up of the carcinogenicity assay like the frequency of medium renewal. This case study demonstrates the benefits of applying appropriate quality guidelines already during fundamental research increasing the credibility of the results. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quiet Clean Short-haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE). Under-The-Wing (UTW) engine boilerplate nacelle test report, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The design and testing of high bypass geared turbofan engines with nacelles forming the propulsion systems for short haul passenger aircraft are considered. The test results demonstrate the technology required for externally blown flap aircraft for introduction into passenger service in the 1980's. The equipment tested is described along with the test facility and instrumentation. A chronological history of the test and a summary of results are given.

Demonstration of a High-Order Mode Input Coupler for a 220-GHz Confocal Gyrotron Traveling Wave Tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Xiaotong; Fu, Wenjie; Yan, Yang

2018-02-01

A design of high-order mode input coupler for 220-GHz confocal gyrotron travelling wave tube is proposed, simulated, and demonstrated by experimental tests. This input coupler is designed to excite confocal TE 06 mode from rectangle waveguide TE 10 mode over a broadband frequency range. Simulation results predict that the optimized conversion loss is about 2.72 dB with a mode purity excess of 99%. Considering of the gyrotron interaction theory, an effective bandwidth of 5 GHz is obtained, in which the beam-wave coupling efficiency is higher than half of maximum. The field pattern under low power demonstrates that TE 06 mode is successfully excited in confocal waveguide at 220 GHz. Cold test results from the vector network analyzer perform good agreements with simulation results. Both simulation and experimental results illustrate that the reflection at input port S11 is sensitive to the perpendicular separation of two mirrors. It provides an engineering possibility for estimating the assembly precision.

Experimental testing of prototype face gears for helicopter transmissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Handschuh, R.; Lewicki, D.; Bossler, R.

1992-01-01

An experimental program to test the feasibility of using face gears in a high-speed and high-power environment was conducted. Four face gear sets were tested, two sets at a time, in a closed-loop test stand at pinion rotational speeds to 19,100 rpm and to 271 kW. The test gear sets were one-half scale of the helicopter design gear set. Testing the gears at one-eighth power, the test gear set had slightly increased bending and compressive stresses when compared to the full scale design. The tests were performed in the LeRC spiral bevel gear test facility. All four sets of gears successfully ran at 100 percent of design torque and speed for 30 million pinion cycles, and two sets successfully ran at 200 percent of torque for an additional 30 million pinion cycles. The results, although limited, demonstrated the feasibility of using face gears for high-speed, high-load applications.

Quiet Clean Short-haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE) Over The Wing (OTW) design report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The design, fabrication, and testing of two experimental high bypass geared turbofan engines and propulsion systems for short haul passenger aircraft are described. The propulsion technology required for future externally blown flap aircraft with engines located both under the wing and over the wing is demonstrated. Composite structures and digital engine controls are among the topics included.

Experimental and numerical characterisation of the elasto-plastic properties of bovine trabecular bone and a trabecular bone analogue.

PubMed

Kelly, Nicola; McGarry, J Patrick

2012-05-01

The inelastic pressure dependent compressive behaviour of bovine trabecular bone is investigated through experimental and computational analysis. Two loading configurations are implemented, uniaxial and confined compression, providing two distinct loading paths in the von Mises-pressure stress plane. Experimental results reveal distinctive yielding followed by a constant nominal stress plateau for both uniaxial and confined compression. Computational simulation of the experimental tests using the Drucker-Prager and Mohr-Coulomb plasticity models fails to capture the confined compression behaviour of trabecular bone. The high pressure developed during confined compression does not result in plastic deformation using these formulations, and a near elastic response is computed. In contrast, the crushable foam plasticity models provide accurate simulation of the confined compression tests, with distinctive yield and plateau behaviour being predicted. The elliptical yield surfaces of the crushable foam formulations in the von Mises-pressure stress plane accurately characterise the plastic behaviour of trabecular bone. Results reveal that the hydrostatic yield stress is equal to the uniaxial yield stress for trabecular bone, demonstrating the importance of accurate characterisation and simulation of the pressure dependent plasticity. It is also demonstrated in this study that a commercially available trabecular bone analogue material, cellular rigid polyurethane foam, exhibits similar pressure dependent yield behaviour, despite having a lower stiffness and strength than trabecular bone. This study provides a novel insight into the pressure dependent yield behaviour of trabecular bone, demonstrating the inadequacy of uniaxial testing alone. For the first time, crushable foam plasticity formulations are implemented for trabecular bone. The enhanced understanding of the inelastic behaviour of trabecular bone established in this study will allow for more realistic simulation of orthopaedic device implantation and failure. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

X-33 Experimental Aeroheating at Mach 6 Using Phosphor Thermography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horvath, Thomas J.; Berry, Scott A.; Hollis, Brian R.; Liechty, Derek S.; Hamilton, H. Harris, II; Merski, N. Ronald

1999-01-01

The goal of the NASA Reusable Launch Vehicle (RLV) technology program is to mature and demonstrate essential, cost effective technologies for next generation launch systems. The X-33 flight vehicle presently being developed by Lockheed Martin is an experimental Single Stage to Orbit (SSTO) demonstrator that seeks to validate critical technologies and insure applicability to a full scale RLV. As with the design of any hypersonic vehicle, the aeroheating environment is an important issue and one of the key technologies being demonstrated on X-33 is an advanced metallic Thermal Protection System (TPS). As part of the development of this TPS system, the X-33 aeroheating environment is being defined through conceptual analysis, ground based testing, and computational fluid dynamics. This report provides an overview of the hypersonic aeroheating wind tunnel program conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center in support of the ground based testing activities. Global surface heat transfer images, surface streamline patterns, and shock shapes were measured on 0.013 scale (10-in.) ceramic models of the proposed X-33 configuration in Mach 6 air. The test parametrics include angles of attack from -5 to 40 degs, unit Reynolds numbers from 1x106 to 8x106/ft, and body flap deflections of 0, 10, and 20 deg. Experimental and computational results indicate the presence of shock/shock interactions that produced localized heating on the deflected flaps and boundary layer transition on the canted fins. Comparisons of the experimental data to laminar and turbulent predictions were performed. Laminar windward heating data from the wind tunnel was extrapolated to flight surface temperatures and generally compared to within 50 deg F of flight prediction along the centerline. When coupled with the phosphor technique, this rapid extrapolation method would serve as an invaluable TPS design tool.

Using non-contact therapeutic touch to manage post-surgical pain in the elderly.

PubMed

McCormack, Guy L

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of non-contact therapeutic touch on post-surgical pain in an elderly population receiving occupational therapy in an acute care hospital unit in the United States. Ninety participants were randomly assigned to three groups (experimental, control and placebo) using a three-group experimental pre-test-post-test design and a randomized clinical trial. The experimental group received the non-contact touch intervention, the control group received routine care and the placebo group received the sound of a metronome set at a steady slow pace. Objective measures included the Memorial Pain Scale, the Tellegen Absorption Scale, the Health Attribution Scale and measures of pulse rate and pupil size, which were performed as repeated measures. In the experimental group, 22 out of 30 (73%) demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in pain intensity scores from pre-test to post-test (t [7] = 7.24, p < 0.01) and were better able to participate in occupations. Further research is recommended to replicate this study. 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

18 CFR Appendix A to Part 1302 - Federal Financial Assistance to Which These Regulations Apply

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Federal Financial Assistance to Which These Regulations Apply A Appendix A to Part 1302 Conservation of Power and Water... a cooperative program utilizing test-demonstration farms to test experimental fertilizers developed...

18 CFR Appendix A to Part 1302 - Federal Financial Assistance to Which These Regulations Apply

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Federal Financial Assistance to Which These Regulations Apply A Appendix A to Part 1302 Conservation of Power and Water... a cooperative program utilizing test-demonstration farms to test experimental fertilizers developed...

18 CFR Appendix A to Part 1302 - Federal Financial Assistance to Which These Regulations Apply

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 2 2013-04-01 2012-04-01 true Federal Financial Assistance to Which These Regulations Apply A Appendix A to Part 1302 Conservation of Power and Water... a cooperative program utilizing test-demonstration farms to test experimental fertilizers developed...

The Evaluation of the National Long Term Care Demonstration: Final Report. Executive Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., Plainsboro, NJ.

This report describes the evaluation of the National Long-Term Care (Channeling) Demonstration, a rigorous test of comprehensive case management of community care as a way of containing long-term care costs for the impaired elderly while providing adequate care to those in need. The evaluation process is presented as an experimental design with…

Achieving high-density states through shock-wave loading of precompressed samples

PubMed Central

Jeanloz, Raymond; Celliers, Peter M.; Collins, Gilbert W.; Eggert, Jon H.; Lee, Kanani K. M.; McWilliams, R. Stewart; Brygoo, Stéphanie; Loubeyre, Paul

2007-01-01

Materials can be experimentally characterized to terapascal pressures by sending a laser-induced shock wave through a sample that is precompressed inside a diamond-anvil cell. This combination of static and dynamic compression methods has been experimentally demonstrated and ultimately provides access to the 10- to 100-TPa (0.1–1 Gbar) pressure range that is relevant to planetary science, testing first-principles theories of condensed matter, and experimentally studying a new regime of chemical bonding. PMID:17494771

Masonry Vaults Subjected To Horizontal Loads: Experimental and Numerical Investigations to Evaluate the Effectiveness of A GFRM Reinforcement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gattesco, Natalino; Boem, Ingrid

2017-10-01

The paper investigates the effectiveness of a modern reinforcement technique based on a Glass Fiber-Reinforced Mortar (GFRM) for the enhancement of the performances of existing masonry vaults subjected to horizontal seismic actions. In fact, the authors recently evidenced, through numerical simulations, that the typical simplified loading patterns generally adopted in the literature for the experimental tests, based on concentrated vertical loads at 1/4 of the span, are not reliable for such a purpose, due to an unrealistic stress distribution. Thus, experimental quasi-static cyclic tests on full-scale masonry vaults based on a specific setup, designed to apply a horizontal load pattern proportional to the mass, were performed. Three samples were tested: an unreinforced vault, a vault reinforced at the extrados and a vault reinforced at the intrados. The experimental results demonstrated the technique effectiveness in both strength and ductility. Moreover, numerical simulations were performed by adopting a simplified FE, smear-crack model, evidencing the good reliability of the prediction by comparison with the experimental results.

The effects of reminiscence on depressive symptoms and mood status of older institutionalized adults in Taiwan.

PubMed

Wang, Jing-Jy

2005-01-01

This study examined the effects of reminiscence on depressive symptoms and mood status of elderly people residing in long-term care facilities. A longitudinal quasi-experimental design was conducted, using two equivalent groups for pre-post test and purposive sampling. Each subject was administered pre- and post- tests at a 4 month interval, but subjects in the experimental group underwent weekly individual reminiscence therapy. Geriatric Depression Scale short form (GDS-SF) and Apparent Emotion Rating Scale (AER) were used as study instruments. Forty-eight subjects completed the study, with 25 in the experimental group and 23 in the control group. The experimental findings indicated that the experimental group demonstrated fewer depressive symptoms (p < 0.05) and better mood status (p = 0.05) on the post-test comparing to the control group. These warranted that reminiscence therapy is a recommended therapy for older people who reside in care facilities. It can provide a basis for planning geriatric care in community to promote the well being and quality of life of older people.

Aniracetam reverses memory impairment in rats.

PubMed

Martin, J R; Moreau, J L; Jenck, F

1995-02-01

The pyrrolidinone derivative aniracetam given orally immediately after acquisition of an inhibitory avoidance response reproducibly ameliorated scopolamine-induced amnesia in female rats in an extensive series of test sessions conducted over a 1-year period. In a dose-response experiment it was demonstrated that 50 mg kg-1 was the lowest oral dose of aniracetam to significantly ameliorate scopolamine-induced amnesia. Combined results from these numerous test sessions demonstrated that 50 mg kg-1 aniracetam administered to scopolamine-treated rats resulted in 53% of the animals exhibiting correct passive avoidance responding in the retention evaluation versus 9% of the scopolamine-treated rats given vehicle (in comparison, 64% of the rats injected with vehicle rather than scopolamine in this experimental situation exhibited correct responding in the retention test). There was minimal variation in this pattern of results over the successive 1-month blocks constituting the complete experimental period. Thus, the nootropic compound aniracetam replicably exhibited memory enhancing effects in this animal model of reduced cholinergic function.

Generalized fluctuation-dissipation theorem as a test of the Markovianity of a system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willareth, Lucian; Sokolov, Igor M.; Roichman, Yael; Lindner, Benjamin

2017-04-01

We study how well a generalized fluctuation-dissipation theorem (GFDT) is suited to test whether a stochastic system is not Markovian. To this end, we simulate a stochastic non-equilibrium model of the mechanosensory hair bundle from the inner ear organ and analyze its spontaneous activity and response to external stimulation. We demonstrate that this two-dimensional Markovian system indeed obeys the GFDT, as long as i) the averaging ensemble is sufficiently large and ii) finite-size effects in estimating the conjugated variable and its susceptibility can be neglected. Furthermore, we test the GFDT also by looking only at a one-dimensional projection of the system, the experimentally accessible position variable. This reduced system is certainly non-Markovian and the GFDT is somewhat violated but not as drastically as for the equilibrium fluctuation-dissipation theorem. We explore suitable measures to quantify the violation of the theorem and demonstrate that for a set of limited experimental data it might be difficult to decide whether the system is Markovian or not.

Application of fiber grating-based acoustic sensor in progressive failure testing of e-glass/vinylester curve composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azmi, Asrul Izam; Raju, Raju; Peng, Gang-Ding

2012-02-01

This paper reports an application of phase shifted fiber Bragg grating (PS-FBG) intensity-type acoustic sensor in a continuous and in-situ failure testing of an E-glass/vinylester top hat stiffener (THS). The narrow transmission channel of the PS-FBG is highly sensitive to small perturbation, hence suitable to be used in an effective acoustic emission (AE) assessment technique. The progressive failure of THS was tested under transverse loading to experimentally simulate the actual loading in practice. Our experimental tests have demonstrated, in good agreement with the commercial piezoelectric sensors, that the important failures information of the THS was successfully recorded by the simple intensity-type PS-FBG sensor.

Trypanosoma cruzi in the opossum Didelphis marsupialis: an indirect fluorescent antibody test for the diagnosis and follow-up of natural and experimental infections.

PubMed

Jansen, A M; Moriearty, P L; Castro, B G; Deane, M P

1985-01-01

The use of an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) performed in a "sandwich" technique has demonstrated: (i) the usefulness of the test for the diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the opossum Didelphis marsupialis; (ii) the existence of differences in the serological response of the opossum, that were related to the parasite strain and were clearly evident during the follow-up of experimental infections in laboratory born specimens; (iii) that, despite a good correlation between serological and parasitological examinations, IFAT was the most sensitive diagnostic test used, followed by xenodiagnosis; and, (iv) that in general, the opossum D. marsupialis seems to be a good responder to T. cruzi antigens.

Long microwave delay fiber-optic link for radar testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newberg, I. L.; Gee, C. M.; Thurmond, G. D.; Yen, H. W.

1990-05-01

A long fiberoptic delay line is used as a radar repeater to improve radar testing capabilities. The first known generation of 152 microsec delayed ideal target at X-band (10 GHz) frequencies having the phase stability and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) needed for testing modern high-resolution Doppler radars is demonstrated with a 31.6-km experimental externally modulated fiberoptic link with a distributed-feedback (DFB) laser. The test application, link configuration, and link testing are discussed.

Evaluation of the efficacy of Hylotelephium purpureum gel in the treatment of experimental periodontitis

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaofeng; Wang, Wei; Li, Wei; Niu, Zhiduo; Wang, Qing; Zhang, Dianwen; Li, Hui; Wang, Jincheng

2018-01-01

Local drug delivery systems have been proposed for the treatment of periodontitis, and Hylotelephium purpureum may be a suitable agent for use in such a system. The present study aimed to formulate a Hylotelephium purpureum gel (HPG) and evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity and antinociceptive effects of Hylotelephium purpureum and to assess the duration of action and efficacy of HPG in the treatment of experimental periodontitis in a KM mouse model. First, an acute toxicity study was performed, and secondly, xylene-induced mouse-ear edema, acetic acid-induced mouse peritoneal capillary permeability and carrageenan-induced hind-paw edema tests were used to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of the gel. The acetic acid-induced writhing response and hot-plate tests were used to evaluate the antinociceptive activity. The therapeutic effects of HPG in experimental periodontitis were evaluated and minimum inhibitory concentration of the gel was determined. The results showed that intragastrically administration of 80 ml/kg of HPG produced no toxic effects. There were statistically significant changes in gingival indexes and sulcus bleeding indexes in the high-dose HPG-treated group. The serum levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase were significantly heightened, while the level of malondialdehyde was decreased. HPG exhibited 32.7% inhibition of edema, and altered the peritoneal capillary permeability in mice. The gel had relatively good bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects. It also exhibited antinociceptive activity, as demonstrated by the acetic acid-induced writhing response test and hot-plate test. In summary, the present study demonstrates that HPG is effective in the treatment of experimental periodontitis. PMID:29541459

Effects of Project, Inquiry and Lecture-Demonstration Teaching Methods on Senior Secondary Students' Achievement in Separation of Mixtures Practical Test

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sola, Agboola Omowunmi; Ojo, Oloyede Ezekiel

2007-01-01

This study assessed and compared the relative effectiveness of three methods for teaching and conducting experiments in separation of mixtures in chemistry. A pre-test, post-test experimental design with a control group was used. Two hundred and thirty three randomly selected Senior Secondary School I (SSS I) chemistry students were drawn from…

Development and Evaluation of Sensor Concepts for Ageless Aerospace Vehicles: Report 4 - Phase 1 Implementation of the Concept Demonstrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abbott, David; Batten, Adam; Carpenter, David; Dunlop, John; Edwards, Graeme; Farmer, Tony; Gaffney, Bruce; Hedley, Mark; Hoschke, Nigel; Isaacs, Peter;

AMPA experimental communications systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beckerman, D.; Fass, S.; Keon, T.; Sielman, P.

1982-01-01

The program was conducted to demonstrate the satellite communication advantages of Adaptive Phased Array Technology. A laboratory based experiment was designed and implemented to demonstrate a low earth orbit satellite communications system. Using a 32 element, L-band phased array augmented with 4 sets of weights (2 for reception and 2 for transmission) a high speed digital processing system and operating against multiple user terminals and interferers, the AMPA system demonstrated: communications with austere user terminals, frequency reuse, communications in the face of interference, and geolocation. The program and experiment objectives are described, the system hardware and software/firmware are defined, and the test performed and the resultant test data are presented.

Design of a rapid magnetic microfluidic mixer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballard, Matthew; Owen, Drew; Mills, Zachary Grant; Hanasoge, Srinivas; Hesketh, Peter; Alexeev, Alexander

2015-11-01

Using three-dimensional simulations and experiments, we demonstrate rapid mixing of fluid streams in a microchannel using orbiting magnetic microbeads. We use a lattice Boltzmann model coupled to a Brownian dynamics model to perform numerical simulations that study in depth the effect of system parameters such as channel configuration and fluid and bead velocities. We use our findings to aid the design of an experimental micromixer. Using this experimental device, we demonstrate rapid microfluidic mixing over a compact channel length, and validate our numerical simulation results. Finally, we use numerical simulations to study the physical mechanisms leading to microfluidic mixing in our system. Our findings demonstrate a promising method of rapid microfluidic mixing over a short distance, with applications in lab-on-a-chip sample testing.

Experimental characterization of an adaptive aileron: lab tests and FE correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amendola, Gianluca; Dimino, Ignazio; Amoroso, Francesco; Pecora, Rosario

2016-04-01

Like any other technology, morphing has to demonstrate system level performance benefits prior to implementation onto a real aircraft. The current status of morphing structures research efforts (as the ones, sponsored by the European Union) involves the design of several subsystems which have to be individually tested in order to consolidate their general performance in view of the final integration into a flyable device. This requires a fundamental understanding of the interaction between aerodynamic, structure and control systems. Important worldwide research collaborations were born in order to exchange acquired experience and better investigate innovative technologies devoted to morphing structures. The "Adaptive Aileron" project represents a joint cooperation between Canadian and Italian research centers and leading industries. In this framework, an overview of the design, manufacturing and testing of a variable camber aileron for a regional aircraft is presented. The key enabling technology for the presented morphing aileron is the actuation structural system, integrating a suitable motor and a load-bearing architecture. The paper describes the lab test campaign of the developed device. The implementation of a distributed actuation system fulfills the actual tendency of the aeronautical research to move toward the use of electrical power to supply non-propulsive systems. The aileron design features are validated by targeted experimental tests, demonstrating both its adaptive capability and robustness under operative loads and its dynamic behavior for further aeroelastic analyses. The experimental results show a satisfactory correlation with the numerical expectations thus validating the followed design approach.

Beyond False Beliefs: The Development and Psychometric Evaluation of the Perceptions of Children's Theory of Mind Measure--Experimental Version (PCToMM-E)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchins, Tiffany L.; Bonazinga, Laura A.; Prelock, Patricia A.; Taylor, Rebecca S.

2008-01-01

The Perceptions of Children's Theory of Mind Measure (Experimental version; PCToMM-E) is an informant measure designed to tap children's theory of mind competence. Study one evaluated the measure when completed by primary caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder. Scores demonstrated high test-retest reliability and correlated with…

Utilizing Lab Tests to Predict Asphalt Concrete Overlay Performance

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-12-01

A series of five experimental projects and three demonstration projects were constructed to better understand the performance of pavement overlays using various levels of asphalt binder replacement (ABR) from reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), recycle...

Experimental quiet engine program aerodynamic performance of fan A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giffin, R. G.; Parker, D. E.; Dunbar, L. W.

1971-01-01

The aerodynamic component test results are presented of fan A, one of two high-bypass-ratio, 1160 feet per second single-stage fans, which was designed and tested as part of the NASA Experimental Quiet Engine Program. This fan was designed to deliver a bypass pressure ratio of 1.50 with an adiabatic efficiency of 86.5% at a total fan flow of 950 lb/sec. It was tested with and without inlet flow distortion. A bypass total-pressure ratio of 1.52 and an adiabatic efficiency of 88.3% at a total fan flow of 962 lb/sec were actually achieved. An operating margin of 12.4% was demonstrated at design speed.

Increasing the statistical significance of entanglement detection in experiments.

PubMed

Jungnitsch, Bastian; Niekamp, Sönke; Kleinmann, Matthias; Gühne, Otfried; Lu, He; Gao, Wei-Bo; Chen, Yu-Ao; Chen, Zeng-Bing; Pan, Jian-Wei

2010-05-28

Entanglement is often verified by a violation of an inequality like a Bell inequality or an entanglement witness. Considerable effort has been devoted to the optimization of such inequalities in order to obtain a high violation. We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that such an optimization does not necessarily lead to a better entanglement test, if the statistical error is taken into account. Theoretically, we show for different error models that reducing the violation of an inequality can improve the significance. Experimentally, we observe this phenomenon in a four-photon experiment, testing the Mermin and Ardehali inequality for different levels of noise. Furthermore, we provide a way to develop entanglement tests with high statistical significance.

A Module Experimental Process System Development Unit (MEPSDU)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Subsequent to the design review, a series of tests was conducted on simulated modules to demonstrate that all environmental specifications (wind loading, hailstone impact, thermal cycling, and humidity cycling) are satisfied by the design. All tests, except hailstone impact, were successfully completed. The assembly sequence was simplified by virtue of eliminating the frame components and assembly steps. Performance was improved by reducing the module edge border required to accommodate the frame of the preliminary design module. An ultrasonic rolling spot bonding technique was selected for use in the machine to perform the aluminum interconnect to cell metallization electrical joints required in the MEPSDU module configuration. This selection was based on extensive experimental tests and economic analyses.

Measuring and Advancing Experimental Design Ability in an Introductory Course without Altering Existing Lab Curriculum.

PubMed

Shanks, Ryan A; Robertson, Chuck L; Haygood, Christian S; Herdliksa, Anna M; Herdliska, Heather R; Lloyd, Steven A

2017-01-01

Introductory biology courses provide an important opportunity to prepare students for future courses, yet existing cookbook labs, although important in their own way, fail to provide many of the advantages of semester-long research experiences. Engaging, authentic research experiences aid biology students in meeting many learning goals. Therefore, overlaying a research experience onto the existing lab structure allows faculty to overcome barriers involving curricular change. Here we propose a working model for this overlay design in an introductory biology course and detail a means to conduct this lab with minimal increases in student and faculty workloads. Furthermore, we conducted exploratory factor analysis of the Experimental Design Ability Test (EDAT) and uncovered two latent factors which provide valid means to assess this overlay model's ability to increase advanced experimental design abilities. In a pre-test/post-test design, we demonstrate significant increases in both basic and advanced experimental design abilities in an experimental and comparison group. We measured significantly higher gains in advanced experimental design understanding in students in the experimental group. We believe this overlay model and EDAT factor analysis contribute a novel means to conduct and assess the effectiveness of authentic research experiences in an introductory course without major changes to the course curriculum and with minimal increases in faculty and student workloads.

Acoustic-Structure Interaction in Rocket Engines: Validation Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, R. Benjamin; Joji, Scott S.; Parks, Russel A.; Brown, Andrew M.

2009-01-01

While analyzing a rocket engine component, it is often necessary to account for any effects that adjacent fluids (e.g., liquid fuels or oxidizers) might have on the structural dynamics of the component. To better characterize the fully coupled fluid-structure system responses, an analytical approach that models the system as a coupled expansion of rigid wall acoustic modes and in vacuo structural modes has been proposed. The present work seeks to experimentally validate this approach. To experimentally observe well-coupled system modes, the test article and fluid cavities are designed such that the uncoupled structural frequencies are comparable to the uncoupled acoustic frequencies. The test measures the natural frequencies, mode shapes, and forced response of cylindrical test articles in contact with fluid-filled cylindrical and/or annular cavities. The test article is excited with a stinger and the fluid-loaded response is acquired using a laser-doppler vibrometer. The experimentally determined fluid-loaded natural frequencies are compared directly to the results of the analytical model. Due to the geometric configuration of the test article, the analytical model is found to be valid for natural modes with circumferential wave numbers greater than four. In the case of these modes, the natural frequencies predicted by the analytical model demonstrate excellent agreement with the experimentally determined natural frequencies.

Eclipse project QF-106 and C-141A takeoff on first tethered flight December 20, 1997

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

TOW ROPE TAKEOFF - The Kelly Space & Technology (KST)/USAF Eclipse project's modified QF-106 and a USAF C-141A takeoff for the project's first tethered flight on December 20, 1997. The successful 18-minute-long flight reached an altitude of 10,000 feet. NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, hosted the project, providing engineering and facility support as well as the project pilot. In 1997 and 1998, the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California, supported and hosted a Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. project called Eclipse, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a reusable tow-launch vehicle concept. The project goal was to successfully tow, inflight, a modified QF-106 delta-wing aircraft with an Air Force C-141A transport aircraft. This would demonstrate the possibility of towing and launching an actual launch vehicle from behind a tow plane. Dryden was the responsible test organization and had flight safety responsibility for the Eclipse project. Dryden provided engineering, instrumentation, simulation, modification, maintenance, range support, and research pilots for the test program. The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards, California, supplied the C-141A transport aircraft and crew and configured the aircraft as needed for the tests. The AFFTC also provided the concept and detail design and analysis as well as hardware for the tow system and QF-106 modifications. Dryden performed the modifications to convert the QF-106 drone into the piloted EXD-01 (Eclipse eXperimental Demonstrator-01) experimental aircraft. Kelly Space & Technology hoped to use the results gleaned from the tow test in developing a series of low-cost, reusable launch vehicles. These tests demonstrated the validity of towing a delta-wing aircraft having high wing loading, validated the tow simulation model, and demonstrated various operational procedures, such as ground processing of in-flight maneuvers and emergency abort scenarios.

Eclipse project closeup of QF-106 under tow on takeoff on first flight December 20, 1997

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

OFF THE GROUND - The Kelly Space & Technology (KST)/USAF/NASA Eclipse project's modified QF-106 lifts off under tow on the project's first tethered flight on December 20, 1997. The successful 18-minute-long flight reached an altitude of 10,000 feet. NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, hosted the project, providing engineering and facility support as well as the project pilot. In 1997 and 1998, the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California, supported and hosted a Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. project called Eclipse, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a reusable tow-launch vehicle concept. The project goal was to successfully tow, inflight, a modified QF-106 delta-wing aircraft with an Air Force C-141A transport aircraft. This would demonstrate the possibility of towing and launching an actual launch vehicle from behind a tow plane. Dryden was the responsible test organization and had flight safety responsibility for the Eclipse project. Dryden provided engineering, instrumentation, simulation, modification, maintenance, range support, and research pilots for the test program. The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards, California, supplied the C-141A transport aircraft and crew and configured the aircraft as needed for the tests. The AFFTC also provided the concept and detail design and analysis as well as hardware for the tow system and QF-106 modifications. Dryden performed the modifications to convert the QF-106 drone into the piloted EXD-01 (Eclipse eXperimental Demonstrator-01) experimental aircraft. Kelly Space & Technology hoped to use the results gleaned from the tow test in developing a series of low-cost, reusable launch vehicles. These tests demonstrated the validity of towing a delta-wing aircraft having high wing loading, validated the tow simulation model, and demonstrated various operational procedures, such as ground processing of in-flight maneuvers and emergency abort scenarios.

Eclipse project closeup of QF-106 under tow on first tethered flight December 20, 1997

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

The Kelly Space and Technology (KST)/USAF/NASA Eclipse project's modified QF-106 is shown under tow on the project's first tethered flight on December 20, 1997. The successful 18-minute-long flight reached an altitude of 10,000 feet. NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California, is hosting the project, providing engineering and facility support as well as the project pilot, Mark Stucky. In 1997 and 1998, the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards, California, supported and hosted a Kelly Space & Technology, Inc. project called Eclipse, which sought to demonstrate the feasibility of a reusable tow-launch vehicle concept. The project goal was to successfully tow, inflight, a modified QF-106 delta-wing aircraft with an Air Force C-141A transport aircraft. This would demonstrate the possibility of towing and launching an actual launch vehicle from behind a tow plane. Dryden was the responsible test organization and had flight safety responsibility for the Eclipse project. Dryden provided engineering, instrumentation, simulation, modification, maintenance, range support, and research pilots for the test program. The Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC), Edwards, California, supplied the C-141A transport aircraft and crew and configured the aircraft as needed for the tests. The AFFTC also provided the concept and detail design and analysis as well as hardware for the tow system and QF-106 modifications. Dryden performed the modifications to convert the QF-106 drone into the piloted EXD-01 (Eclipse eXperimental Demonstrator-01) experimental aircraft. Kelly Space & Technology hoped to use the results gleaned from the tow test in developing a series of low-cost, reusable launch vehicles. These tests demonstrated the validity of towing a delta-wing aircraft having high wing loading, validated the tow simulation model, and demonstrated various operational procedures, such as ground processing of in-flight maneuvers and emergency abort scenarios.

Thermal Performance of a Cryogenic Fluid Management Cubesat Mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

2013-01-01

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

A new scenario-based approach to damage detection using operational modal parameter estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, J. B.; Brincker, R.; López-Aenlle, M.; Overgaard, C. F.; Kloborg, K.

2017-09-01

In this paper a vibration-based damage localization and quantification method, based on natural frequencies and mode shapes, is presented. The proposed technique is inspired by a damage assessment methodology based solely on the sensitivity of mass-normalized experimental determined mode shapes. The present method differs by being based on modal data extracted by means of Operational Modal Analysis (OMA) combined with a reasonable Finite Element (FE) representation of the test structure and implemented in a scenario-based framework. Besides a review of the basic methodology this paper addresses fundamental theoretical as well as practical considerations which are crucial to the applicability of a given vibration-based damage assessment configuration. Lastly, the technique is demonstrated on an experimental test case using automated OMA. Both the numerical study as well as the experimental test case presented in this paper are restricted to perturbations concerning mass change.

Carrying capacity in a heterogeneous environment with habitat connectivity.

PubMed

Zhang, Bo; Kula, Alex; Mack, Keenan M L; Zhai, Lu; Ryce, Arrix L; Ni, Wei-Ming; DeAngelis, Donald L; Van Dyken, J David

2017-09-01

A large body of theory predicts that populations diffusing in heterogeneous environments reach higher total size than if non-diffusing, and, paradoxically, higher size than in a corresponding homogeneous environment. However, this theory and its assumptions have not been rigorously tested. Here, we extended previous theory to include exploitable resources, proving qualitatively novel results, which we tested experimentally using spatially diffusing laboratory populations of yeast. Consistent with previous theory, we predicted and experimentally observed that spatial diffusion increased total equilibrium population abundance in heterogeneous environments, with the effect size depending on the relationship between r and K. Refuting previous theory, however, we discovered that homogeneously distributed resources support higher total carrying capacity than heterogeneously distributed resources, even with species diffusion. Our results provide rigorous experimental tests of new and old theory, demonstrating how the traditional notion of carrying capacity is ambiguous for populations diffusing in spatially heterogeneous environments. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Carrying capacity in a heterogeneous environment with habitat connectivity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhang, Bo; Kula, Alex; Mack, Keenan M.L.; Zhai, Lu; Ryce, Arrix L.; Ni, Wei-Ming; DeAngelis, Donald L.; Van Dyken, J. David

2017-01-01

A large body of theory predicts that populations diffusing in heterogeneous environments reach higher total size than if non-diffusing, and, paradoxically, higher size than in a corresponding homogeneous environment. However, this theory and its assumptions have not been rigorously tested. Here, we extended previous theory to include exploitable resources, proving qualitatively novel results, which we tested experimentally using spatially diffusing laboratory populations of yeast. Consistent with previous theory, we predicted and experimentally observed that spatial diffusion increased total equilibrium population abundance in heterogeneous environments, with the effect size depending on the relationship between r and K. Refuting previous theory, however, we discovered that homogeneously distributed resources support higher total carrying capacity than heterogeneously distributed resources, even with species diffusion. Our results provide rigorous experimental tests of new and old theory, demonstrating how the traditional notion of carrying capacity is ambiguous for populations diffusing in spatially heterogeneous environments.

North Carolina State Supported Early Childhood Demonstration Centers' First Annual Evaluation 1969-70.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Learning Inst. of North Carolina, Durham.

The results of an evaluative study made of the 1969-70 North Carolina statewide kindergarten program for five-year-olds are presented. The subjects of the study were 317 children in eight early childhood demonstration centers (Experimental Group) and 52 children who did not attend kindergarten (Control Group). A pre-post test evaluation design was…

UAV Research, Operations, and Flight Test at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cosentino, Gary B.

2009-01-01

This slide presentation reviews some of the projects that have extended NASA Dryden's capabilities in designing, testing, and using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV's). Some of the UAV's have been for Science and experimental applications, some have been for flight research and demonstration purposes, and some have been small UAV's for other customers.

Streamlined design and self reliant hardware for active control of precision space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hyland, David C.; King, James A.; Phillips, Douglas J.

1994-01-01

Precision space structures may require active vibration control to satisfy critical performance requirements relating to line-of-sight pointing accuracy and the maintenance of precise, internal alignments. In order for vibration control concepts to become operational, it is necessary that their benefits be practically demonstrated in large scale ground-based experiments. A unique opportunity to carry out such demonstrations on a wide variety of experimental testbeds was provided by the NASA Control-Structure Integration (CSI) Guest Investigator (GI) Program. This report surveys the experimental results achieved by the Harris Corporation GI team on both Phases 1 and 2 of the program and provides a detailed description of Phase 2 activities. The Phase 1 results illustrated the effectiveness of active vibration control for space structures and demonstrated a systematic methodology for control design, implementation test. In Phase 2, this methodology was significantly streamlined to yield an on-site, single session design/test capability. Moreover, the Phase 2 research on adaptive neural control techniques made significant progress toward fully automated, self-reliant space structure control systems. As a further thrust toward productized, self-contained vibration control systems, the Harris Phase II activity concluded with experimental demonstration of new vibration isolation hardware suitable for a wide range of space-flight and ground-based commercial applications.The CSI GI Program Phase 1 activity was conducted under contract NASA1-18872, and the Phase 2 activity was conducted under NASA1-19372.

A study of the impact of collaborative learning on student learning of major concepts in a microbiology laboratory exercise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumgarten, Kristyne A.

This study investigated the possible relationship between collaborative learning strategies and the learning of core concepts. This study examined the differences between two groups of nursing students enrolled in an introductory microbiology laboratory course. The control group consisted of students enrolled in sections taught in the traditional method. The experimental group consisted of those students enrolled in the sections using collaborative learning strategies. The groups were assessed on their degrees of learning core concepts using a pre-test/post-test method. Scores from the groups' laboratory reports were also analyzed. There was no difference in the two group's pre-test scores. The post-test scores of the experimental group averaged 11 points higher than the scores of the control group. The lab report scores of the experimental group averaged 15 points higher than those scores of the control group. The data generated from this study demonstrated that collaborative learning strategies can be used to increase students learning of core concepts in microbiology labs.

Effect of coordination movement using the PNF pattern underwater on the balance and gait of stroke patients

PubMed Central

Kim, Kyoung; Lee, Dong-Kyu; Jung, Sang-In

2015-01-01

[Purpose] To investigate the effect of coordination movement using the Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation pattern underwater on the balance and gait of stroke patients. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty stroke patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group that performed coordination movement using the Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation pattern underwater and a control group (n =10 each). Both the groups underwent neurodevelopmental treatment, and the experimental group performed coordination movement using the Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation pattern underwater. Balance was measured using the Berg Balance Scale and Functional Reach Test, and gait was measured using the 10-Meter Walk Test and Timed Up and Go Test. To compare in-group data before and after the intervention, paired t-test was used. Independent t-test was used to compare differences in the results of the Berg Balance Scale, Functional Reach Test, 10-Meter Walk Test, and Timed Up and Go Test before and after the intervention between the groups. [Results] Comparison within the groups showed significant differences in the results of the Berg Balance Scale, Functional Reach Test, 10-Meter Walk Test, and Timed Up and Go Test before and after the experimental intervention. On comparison between the groups, there were greater improvements in the scores of the Berg Balance Scale, Functional Reach Test, 10-Meter Walk Test, and Timed Up and Go Test in the experimental group. [Conclusion] The findings demonstrate that coordination movement using the Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation pattern under water has a significant effect on the balance and gait of stroke patients. PMID:26834335

Accelerated testing of module-level power electronics for long-term reliability

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

Flicker, Jack David; Tamizhmani, Govindasamy; Moorthy, Mathan Kumar

This work has applied a suite of long-term-reliability accelerated tests to a variety of module-level power electronics (MLPE) devices (such as microinverters and optimizers) from five different manufacturers. This dataset is one of the first (only the paper by Parker et al. entitled “Dominant factors affecting reliability of alternating current photovoltaic modules,” in Proc. 42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf., 2015, is reported for reliability testing in the literature), as well as the largest, experimental sets in public literature, both in the sample size (five manufacturers including both dc/dc and dc/ac units and 20 units for each test) and the numbermore » of experiments (six different experimental test conditions) for MLPE devices. The accelerated stress tests (thermal cycling test per IEC 61215 profile, damp heat test per IEC 61215 profile, and static temperature tests at 100 and 125 °C) were performed under powered and unpowered conditions. The first independent long-term experimental data regarding damp heat and grid transient testing, as well as the longest term (>9 month) testing of MLPE units reported in the literature for thermal cycling and high-temperature operating life, are included in these experiments. Additionally, this work is the first to show in situ power measurements, as well as periodic efficiency measurements over a series of experimental tests, demonstrating whether certain tests result in long-term degradation or immediate catastrophic failures. Lastly, the result of this testing highlights the performance of MLPE units under the application of several accelerated environmental stressors.« less

Accelerated testing of module-level power electronics for long-term reliability

DOE PAGES

Flicker, Jack David; Tamizhmani, Govindasamy; Moorthy, Mathan Kumar; ...

2016-11-10

This work has applied a suite of long-term-reliability accelerated tests to a variety of module-level power electronics (MLPE) devices (such as microinverters and optimizers) from five different manufacturers. This dataset is one of the first (only the paper by Parker et al. entitled “Dominant factors affecting reliability of alternating current photovoltaic modules,” in Proc. 42nd IEEE Photovoltaic Spec. Conf., 2015, is reported for reliability testing in the literature), as well as the largest, experimental sets in public literature, both in the sample size (five manufacturers including both dc/dc and dc/ac units and 20 units for each test) and the numbermore » of experiments (six different experimental test conditions) for MLPE devices. The accelerated stress tests (thermal cycling test per IEC 61215 profile, damp heat test per IEC 61215 profile, and static temperature tests at 100 and 125 °C) were performed under powered and unpowered conditions. The first independent long-term experimental data regarding damp heat and grid transient testing, as well as the longest term (>9 month) testing of MLPE units reported in the literature for thermal cycling and high-temperature operating life, are included in these experiments. Additionally, this work is the first to show in situ power measurements, as well as periodic efficiency measurements over a series of experimental tests, demonstrating whether certain tests result in long-term degradation or immediate catastrophic failures. Lastly, the result of this testing highlights the performance of MLPE units under the application of several accelerated environmental stressors.« less

Effect of play therapy on behavioral problems of maladjusted preschool children.

PubMed

Jafari, Niloufar; Mohammadi, Mohammad Reza; Khanbani, Mehdi; Farid, Saeedeh; Chiti, Parisa

2011-01-01

The present research was conducted to study the effect of play therapy on reducing behavioral problems of children with oppositional defiant disorder. Using multistage cluster sampling, regions 6, 7, and 8 in Tehran were selected. Among kindergartens of these areas, 3 kindergartens which were supported by the welfare organization were randomly selected. Of all the pre-school children of these 3 kindergartens, 40 children who could have behavioral disorder, according to their teachers and parents, were carefully tested. Of them, 16 children who showed severe symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder, were selected via the results obtained from the child symptom inventory questionnaire (CSI-4), teacher's form, and a researcher-made self-control checklist, Then, the subjects were randomly divided into one control and one experimental group. This research is quasi-experimental, and is conducted using pre-test, post-test, and control group. Values of the calculated F for oppositional defiant disorder in control group and experimental group was meaningful after fixing the effect of pre-test (P<0/001). Therefore, a meaningful difference existed between the means of post-test scores of disobedience disorder in the experimental and control groups through the fixed effect of the pre-test effect. Comparison of adjusted means of the 2 groups showed that the mean of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in experimental group was lower than control group. Therefore, applying play therapy reduced severity of ADHD in those children in experimental group compared to those in control group who did not receive such instructions. Results of this research demonstrates that children's disobedience can be reduced by play therapy.

7 CFR 250.13 - Distribution and control of donated foods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... agency to bona fide experimental or testing agencies, or for use in workshops, or for demonstrations or...) and at least one of the following is true: (i) Such other persons are common beneficiaries with the...

7 CFR 250.13 - Distribution and control of donated foods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... agency to bona fide experimental or testing agencies, or for use in workshops, or for demonstrations or...) and at least one of the following is true: (i) Such other persons are common beneficiaries with the...

7 CFR 250.13 - Distribution and control of donated foods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... agency to bona fide experimental or testing agencies, or for use in workshops, or for demonstrations or...) and at least one of the following is true: (i) Such other persons are common beneficiaries with the...

7 CFR 250.13 - Distribution and control of donated foods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... agency to bona fide experimental or testing agencies, or for use in workshops, or for demonstrations or...) and at least one of the following is true: (i) Such other persons are common beneficiaries with the...

7 CFR 250.13 - Distribution and control of donated foods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... provided by USDA on commodity survey memoranda. The USDA commodity file cost shall be defined as the cost... agency to bona fide experimental or testing agencies, or for use in workshops, or for demonstrations or...

Real-time discrete suboptimal control for systems with input and state delays: Experimental tests on a dehydration process.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Guerrero, Liliam; Santos-Sánchez, Omar-Jacobo; Cervantes-Escorcia, Nicolás; Romero, Hugo

2017-11-01

This article presents a suboptimal control strategy with finite horizon for affine nonlinear discrete systems with both state and input delays. The Dynamic Programming Approach is used to obtain the suboptimal control sequence, but in order to avoid the computation of the Bellman functional, a numerical approximation of this function is proposed in every step. The feasibility of our proposal is demonstrated via an experimental test on a dehydration process and the obtained results show a good performance and behavior of this process. Then in order to demonstrate the benefits of using this kind of control strategy, the results are compared with a non optimal control strategy, particularly with respect to results produced by an industrial Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) Honeywell controller, which is tuned using the Ziegler-Nichols method. Copyright © 2017 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contact thermal shock test of ceramics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, W. P.; Emery, A. F.

1992-01-01

A novel quantitative thermal shock test of ceramics is described. The technique employs contact between a metal-cooling rod and hot disk-shaped specimen. In contrast with traditional techniques, the well-defined thermal boundary condition allows for accurate analyses of heat transfer, stress, and fracture. Uniform equibiaxial tensile stresses are induced in the center of the test specimen. Transient specimen temperature and acoustic emission are monitored continuously during the thermal stress cycle. The technique is demonstrated with soda-lime glass specimens. Experimental results are compared with theoretical predictions based on a finite-element method thermal stress analysis combined with a statistical model of fracture. Material strength parameters are determined using concentric ring flexure tests. Good agreement is found between experimental results and theoretical predictions of failure probability as a function of time and initial specimen temperature.

Parallel In Vivo DNA Assembly by Recombination: Experimental Demonstration and Theoretical Approaches

PubMed Central

Shi, Zhenyu; Wedd, Anthony G.; Gras, Sally L.

2013-01-01

The development of synthetic biology requires rapid batch construction of large gene networks from combinations of smaller units. Despite the availability of computational predictions for well-characterized enzymes, the optimization of most synthetic biology projects requires combinational constructions and tests. A new building-brick-style parallel DNA assembly framework for simple and flexible batch construction is presented here. It is based on robust recombination steps and allows a variety of DNA assembly techniques to be organized for complex constructions (with or without scars). The assembly of five DNA fragments into a host genome was performed as an experimental demonstration. PMID:23468883

Simulation to Flight Test for a UAV Controls Testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Motter, Mark A.; Logan, Michael J.; French, Michael L.; Guerreiro, Nelson M.

2006-01-01

The NASA Flying Controls Testbed (FLiC) is a relatively small and inexpensive unmanned aerial vehicle developed specifically to test highly experimental flight control approaches. The most recent version of the FLiC is configured with 16 independent aileron segments, supports the implementation of C-coded experimental controllers, and is capable of fully autonomous flight from takeoff roll to landing, including flight test maneuvers. The test vehicle is basically a modified Army target drone, AN/FQM-117B, developed as part of a collaboration between the Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) at Fort Eustis, Virginia and NASA Langley Research Center. Several vehicles have been constructed and collectively have flown over 600 successful test flights, including a fully autonomous demonstration at the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) UAV Demo 2005. Simulations based on wind tunnel data are being used to further develop advanced controllers for implementation and flight test.

Effect of simulation on knowledge of advanced cardiac life support, knowledge retention, and confidence of nursing students in Jordan.

PubMed

Tawalbeh, Loai I; Tubaishat, Ahmad

2014-01-01

This study examined the effect of simulation on nursing students' knowledge of advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), knowledge retention, and confidence in applying ACLS skills. An experimental, randomized controlled (pretest-posttest) design was used. The experimental group (n = 40) attended an ACLS simulation scenario, a 4-hour PowerPoint presentation, and demonstration on a static manikin, whereas the control group (n = 42) attended the PowerPoint presentation and a demonstration only. A paired t test indicated that posttest mean knowledge of ACLS and confidence was higher in both groups. The experimental group showed higher knowledge of ACLS and higher confidence in applying ACLS, compared with the control group. Traditional training involving PowerPoint presentation and demonstration on a static manikin is an effective teaching strategy; however, simulation is significantly more effective than traditional training in helping to improve nursing students' knowledge acquisition, knowledge retention, and confidence about ACLS. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Establishment and Maintenance of Socially Learned Conditioned Reinforcement in Young Children: Elimination of the Role of Adults and View of Peers' Faces

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zrinzo, Michelle; Greer, R. Douglas

2013-01-01

Prior research has demonstrated the establishment of reinforcers for learning and maintenance with young children as a function of social learning where a peer and an adult experimenter were present. The presence of an adult experimenter was eliminated in the present study to test if the effect produced in the prior studies would occur with only…

Satellite Communications for Aeronautics Applications: Technology Development and Demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerczewski, Robert J.; Hoder, Douglas J.; Zakrajsek, Robert J.

2001-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is performing research and development to improve the safety and increase the capacity of the National Airspace System (NAS). Improved communications, especially to and from the aircraft flight deck, has been identified as an essential enabling technology for future improvements to the air traffic management system and aviation safety. NASA's Glenn Research Center is engaged in research and development of satellite communications technologies for aeronautical applications. A mobile aero terminal has been developed for use with Ku band commercial communications satellites. This experimental terminal will be used in mobile ground and air-based tests and demonstrations during 2000-2004. This paper will describe the basic operational parameters of the Ku Band aero terminal, the communications architecture it is intended to demonstrate, and the key technology issues being addressed in the tests and demonstrations. The design of the Ku Band aero terminal and associated ground testbed, planned tests and demonstrations, and results to date will be presented.

Pathway Towards Fluency: Using 'disaggregate instruction' to promote science literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Bryan A.; Ryoo, Kihyun; Rodriguez, Jamie

2010-07-01

This study examines the impact of Disaggregate Instruction on students' science learning. Disaggregate Instruction is the idea that science teaching and learning can be separated into conceptual and discursive components. Using randomly assigned experimental and control groups, 49 fifth-grade students received web-based science lessons on photosynthesis using our experimental approach. We supplemented quantitative statistical comparisons of students' performance on pre- and post-test questions (multiple choice and short answer) with a qualitative analysis of students' post-test interviews. The results revealed that students in the experimental group outscored their control group counterparts across all measures. In addition, students taught using the experimental method demonstrated an improved ability to write using scientific language as well as an improved ability to provide oral explanations using scientific language. This study has important implications for how science educators can prepare teachers to teach diverse student populations.

Excitation spectra of liquid iron up to superhigh temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fomin, Yu D.; Ryzhov, V. N.; Tsiok, E. N.; Brazhkin, V. V.

2017-08-01

Investigation of excitation spectra of liquids is one of the hot test topics nowadays. In particular, recent experimental works showed that liquid metals can demonstrate transverse excitations and positive sound dispersion. However, the theoretical description of these experimental observations is still missing. Here we report a molecular dynamics study of excitation spectra of liquid iron. We compare the results with available experimental data to justify the method. After that we perform calculations for high temperatures to find the location of the Frenkel line introduced in our previous works.

Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networks (DTN): Testing and Demonstration for Lunar Surface Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2009-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the testing of the Delay/Disruption Tolerant Network (DTN) designed for use with Lunar Surface applications. This is being done through the DTN experimental Network (DEN), that permit access and testing by other NASA centers, DTN team members and protocol developers. The objective of this work is to demonstrate DTN for high return applications in lunar scenarios, provide DEN connectivity with analogs of Constellation elements, emulators, and other resources from DTN Team Members, serve as a wireless communications staging ground for remote analog excursions and enable testing of detailed communication scenarios and evaluation of network performance. Three scenarios for DTN on the Lunar surface are reviewed: Motion imagery, Voice and sensor telemetry, and Navigation telemetry.

Proof test methodology for composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, Edward M.; Bell, David K.

1992-01-01

The special requirements for proof test of composites are identified based on the underlying failure process of composites. Two proof test methods are developed to eliminate the inevitable weak fiber sites without also causing flaw clustering which weakens the post-proof-test composite. Significant reliability enhancement by these proof test methods has been experimentally demonstrated for composite strength and composite life in tension. This basic proof test methodology is relevant to the certification and acceptance of critical composite structures. It can also be applied to the manufacturing process development to achieve zero-reject for very large composite structures.

Core Dynamics Analysis for Reactivity Insertion and Loss of Coolant Flow Tests Using the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takamatsu, Kuniyoshi; Nakagawa, Shigeaki; Takeda, Tetsuaki

Safety demonstration tests using the High Temperature Engineering Test Reactor (HTTR) are in progress to verify its inherent safety features and improve the safety technology and design methodology for High-temperature Gas-cooled Reactors (HTGRs). The reactivity insertion test is one of the safety demonstration tests for the HTTR. This test simulates the rapid increase in the reactor power by withdrawing the control rod without operating the reactor power control system. In addition, the loss of coolant flow tests has been conducted to simulate the rapid decrease in the reactor power by tripping one, two or all out of three gas circulators. The experimental results have revealed the inherent safety features of HTGRs, such as the negative reactivity feedback effect. The numerical analysis code, which was named-ACCORD-, was developed to analyze the reactor dynamics including the flow behavior in the HTTR core. We have modified this code to use a model with four parallel channels and twenty temperature coefficients. Furthermore, we added another analytical model of the core for calculating the heat conduction between the fuel channels and the core in the case of the loss of coolant flow tests. This paper describes the validation results for the newly developed code using the experimental results. Moreover, the effect of the model is formulated quantitatively with our proposed equation. Finally, the pre-analytical result of the loss of coolant flow test by tripping all gas circulators is also discussed.

Cross-protection between experimental anti-leptospirosis bacterins

PubMed Central

Dib, Cristina Corsi; Gonçales, Amane Paldês; de Morais, Zenaide Maria; de Souza, Gisele Oliveira; Miraglia, Fabiana; Abreu, Patricia Antonia Estima; Vasconcellos, Silvio Arruda

2014-01-01

We investigated the existence of cross-protection between two anti-leptospirosis monovalent experimental bacterins produced with two strains of Leptospira serogroup Pomona: Fromm strain of serovar Kennewicky, isolated from pigs in the United States, and strain GR6 of serovar Pomona isolated from pigs in Brazil. Both were added of aluminum hydroxide as an adjuvant. Experimental bacterins were tested with the hamster potency test in order to assess protection provided against the disease and against the establishment of kidney infection. Controls were polyvalent commercial vaccine produced with Leptospira strains isolated outside Brazil, which included a representative of Pomona serovar, or Sorensen solution added of aluminum hydroxide adjuvant. The challenge was performed with cross-strains of serogroup Pomona tested in accordance with international standards established for the potency test. After 21 days of the challenge, survivors were killed to evaluate the condition of Leptospira renal carrier. Experimental bacterins protected hamsters against homologous and heterologous strains, demonstrating the existence of cross-protection. The commercial vaccine protected the hamsters challenged with both strains, but there was a high proportion of animals diagnosed as renal carriers when the challenge was performed with strain GR6, isolated from pigs in Brazil. PMID:25477946

Lean Mixture Engines Testing and Evaluation Program : Volume 3. Appendices.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-01-01

This report is aimed at defining analytically and demonstrating experimentally the potential of the 'lean-burn concept.' Fuel consumption and emissions data are obtained on the engine dynamometer for the baseline engine, and two lean-burn configurati...

Precast, Prestressed Concrete Bent Caps : Volume 2, Design Recommendations and Design Examples

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-04-01

Recommendations for design of pretensioned bent caps are developed based on the findings of full-scale experimental tests of bent cap subassemblages. Companion examples are provided to demonstrate implementation of the design recommendations. First, ...

Experimental clean combustor program, phase 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gleason, C. C.; Rogers, D. W.; Bahr, D. W.

1976-01-01

The primary objectives of this three-phase program are to develop technology for the design of advanced combustors with significantly lower pollutant emission levels than those of current combustors, and to demonstrate these pollutant emission reductions in CF6-50C engine tests. The purpose of the Phase 2 Program was to further develop the two most promising concepts identified in the Phase 1 Program, the double annular combustor and the radial/axial staged combustor, and to design a combustor and breadboard fuel splitter control for CF6-50 engine demonstration testing in the Phase 3 Program. Noise measurement and alternate fuels addendums to the basic program were conducted to obtain additional experimental data. Twenty-one full annular and fifty-two sector combustor configurations were evaluated. Both combustor types demonstrated the capability for significantly reducing pollutant emission levels. The most promising results were obtained with the double annular combustor. Rig test results corrected to CF-50C engine conditions produced EPA emission parameters for CO, HC, and NOX of 3.4, 0.4, and 4.5 respectively. These levels represent CO, HC, and NOX reductions of 69, 90, and 42 percent respectively from current combustor emission levels. The combustor also met smoke emission level requirements and development engine performance and installation requirements.

Experimental and Analytical Evaluation of a Composite Honeycomb Deployable Energy Absorber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, Karen E.; Kellas, Sotiris; Horta, Lucas G.; Annett, Martin S.; Polanco, Michael A.; Littell, Justin D.; Fasanella, Edwin L.

2011-01-01

In 2006, the NASA Subsonic Rotary Wing Aeronautics Program sponsored the experimental and analytical evaluation of an externally deployable composite honeycomb structure that is designed to attenuate impact energy during helicopter crashes. The concept, which is designated the Deployable Energy Absorber (DEA), utilizes an expandable Kevlar honeycomb structure to dissipate kinetic energy through crushing. The DEA incorporates a unique flexible hinge design that allows the honeycomb to be packaged and stowed flat until needed for deployment. A variety of deployment options such as linear, radial, and/or hybrid methods can be used. Experimental evaluation of the DEA utilized a building block approach that included material characterization testing of its constituent, Kevlar -129 fabric/epoxy, and flexural testing of single hexagonal cells. In addition, the energy attenuation capabilities of the DEA were demonstrated through multi-cell component dynamic crush tests, and vertical drop tests of a composite fuselage section, retrofitted with DEA blocks, onto concrete, water, and soft soil. During each stage of the DEA evaluation process, finite element models of the test articles were developed and simulations were performed using the explicit, nonlinear transient dynamic finite element code, LS-DYNA. This report documents the results of the experimental evaluation that was conducted to assess the energy absorption capabilities of the DEA.

The Utilization of Navy People-Related RDT&E (Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation): Fiscal Year 1983.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

emostraion. Tese eserch ool wee deignted and experimental demonstrations wre successfully con- for demonstrations. These research tools wre designated ...Topics 4.02 Instructional Systems Design Methodology Instructional Systems Development and Effectiveness Evaluation .................................... 1...6 53 0 0 67w Report Page 10.07 Human Performance Variables/Factors 10.08 Man-Machine Design Methodology Computer Assisted Methods for Human

Controls-structures interaction guest investigator program: Overview and phase 1 experimental results and future plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith-Taylor, Rudeen; Tanner, Sharon E.

1993-01-01

The NASA Controls-Structures Interaction (CSI) Guest Investigator program is described in terms of its support of the development of CSI technologies. The program is based on the introduction of CSI researchers from industry and academia to available test facilities for experimental validation of technologies and methods. Phase 1 experimental results are reviewed with attention given to their use of the Mini-MAST test facility and the facility for the Advance Control Evaluation of Structures. Experiments were conducted regarding the following topics: collocated/noncollocated controllers, nonlinear math modeling, controller design, passive/active suspension systems design, and system identification and fault isolation. The results demonstrate that significantly enhanced performance from the control techniques can be achieved by integrating knowledge of the structural dynamics under consideration into the approaches.

Design and operating experience on the U.S. Department of Energy Experimental Mod-O 100 kW Wind Turbine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glasgow, J. C.; Birchenough, A. G.

1978-01-01

The Mod-O 100 kW Experimental Wind Turbine was designed and fabricated by NASA, as part of the Federal Wind Energy Program, to assess technology requirements and engineering problems of large wind turbines. The machine became operational in October 1975 and has demonstrated successful operation in all of its design modes. During the course of its operations the machine has generated a wealth of experimental data and has served as a prototype developmental test bed for the Mod-OA operational wind turbines which are currently used on utility networks. This paper describes the mechanical and control systems as they evolved in operational tests and describes some of the experience with various systems in the downwind rotor configuration.

Effect of Selectively Etched Ferroelectric Thin-Film Layer on the Performance of a Tunable Bandpass Filter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Subramanyam, Guru; Vignesparamoorthy, Sivaruban; Mueller, Carl; VanKeuls, Fred; Warner, Joseph; Miranda, Felix A.

2001-01-01

The main purpose of this work is to study the effect of a selectively etched ferroelectric thin film layer on the performance of an electrically tunable filter. An X-band tunable filter was designed, fabricated and tested on a selectively etched Barium Strontium Titanate (BSTO) ferroelectric thin film layer. Tunable filters with varying lengths of BSTO thin-film in the input and output coupling gaps were modeled, as well as experimentally tested. Experimental results showed that filters with coupling gaps partially filled with BSTO maintained frequency tunability and improved the insertion loss by approx. 2dB. To the best of our knowledge, these results represent the first experimental demonstration of the advantages of selective etching in the performance of thin film ferroelectric-based tunable microwave components.

ANALYSIS OF MATERIALS IN AN EXPERIMENTAL TESTING PIPE SYSTEM FOR AN INHIBITOR OF MUSSEL KILL

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

Daniel P. Molloy

2003-06-04

A comprehensive series of 16 laboratory experiments demonstrated that the presence of vinyl tubing within a recirculating pipe system was responsible for lowering zebra mussel kill following treatment with the bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens. All vinyl tubing was replaced in all testing units with silicone tubing, and high mussel kill (>95%) was then obtained.

Beyond the bucket: testing the effect of experimental design on rate and sequence of decay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabbott, Sarah; Murdock, Duncan; Purnell, Mark

2016-04-01

Experimental decay has revealed the potential for profound biases in our interpretations of exceptionally preserved fossils, with non-random sequences of character loss distorting the position of fossil taxa in phylogenetic trees. By characterising these sequences we can rewind this distortion and make better-informed interpretations of the affinity of enigmatic fossil taxa. Equally, rate of character loss is crucial for estimating the preservation potential of phylogentically informative characters, and revealing the mechanisms of preservation themselves. However, experimental decay has been criticised for poorly modeling 'real' conditions, and dismissed as unsophisticated 'bucket science'. Here we test the effect of a differing experimental parameters on the rate and sequence of decay. By doing so, we can test the assumption that the results of decay experiments are applicable to informing interpretations of exceptionally preserved fossils from diverse preservational settings. The results of our experiments demonstrate the validity of using the sequence of character loss as a phylogenetic tool, and sheds light on the extent to which environment must be considered before making decay-informed interpretations, or reconstructing taphonomic pathways. With careful consideration of experimental design, driven by testable hypotheses, decay experiments are robust and informative - experimental taphonomy needn't kick the bucket just yet.

Experimental quiet engine program aerodynamic performance of Fan B

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giffin, R. G.; Parker, D. E.; Dunbar, L. W.

1972-01-01

This report presents the aerodynamic component test results of Fan B, one of two high-bypass-ratio, 1160 feet per second (353.6 m/sec) single-stage fans, which was designed and tested as part of the NASA Experimental Quiet Engine Program. The fan was designed to deliver a bypass pressure ratio of 1.50 with an adiabatic efficiency of 87.0% at a total fan flow of 950 lb/sec (430.9 kg/sec). It was tested with and without inlet distortion. A bypass total pressure ratio of 1.52 and an adiabatic efficiency of 86.9% at a total fan flow of 966 lb/sec (438.2 kg/sec) were actually achieved. An operating margin of 19.5% was demonstrated at design speed.

Failure monitoring of E-glass/vinylester composites using fiber grating acoustic sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azmi, A. I.; Raju; Peng, G. D.

2013-06-01

This paper reports an application of an optical fiber sensor in a continuous and in situ failure testing of an E-glass/vinylester top hat stiffener (THS). The sensor head was constructed from a compact phase-shifted fiber Bragg grating (PS-FBG). The narrow transmission channel of the PS-FBG is highly sensitive to small perturbation, hence suitable to be used in acoustic emission (AE) assessment technique. The progressive failure of THS was tested under transverse loading to experimentally simulate the actual loading in practice. Our experimental tests have demonstrated, in good agreement with the commercial piezoelectric sensors, that the important failures information of the THS was successfully recorded by the simple intensity-type PS-FBG sensor.

Experimental and computational surface and flow-field results for an all-body hypersonic aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lockman, William K.; Lawrence, Scott L.; Cleary, Joseph W.

1990-01-01

The objective of the present investigation is to establish a benchmark experimental data base for a generic hypersonic vehicle shape for validation and/or calibration of advanced computational fluid dynamics computer codes. This paper includes results from the comprehensive test program conducted in the NASA/Ames 3.5-foot Hypersonic Wind Tunnel for a generic all-body hypersonic aircraft model. Experimental and computational results on flow visualization, surface pressures, surface convective heat transfer, and pitot-pressure flow-field surveys are presented. Comparisons of the experimental results with computational results from an upwind parabolized Navier-Stokes code developed at Ames demonstrate the capabilities of this code.

An analytical and experimental evaluation of shadow shields and their support members

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stochl, R. J.; Boyle, R. J.

1972-01-01

Experimental tests were performed on a model shadow shield thermal protection system to examine the effect of certain configuration variables. The experimental results were used to verify the ability of an analytical program to predict the shadow shield performance including the shield-support interaction. In general, the analysis (assuming diffuse surfaces) agreed well with the experimental support temperature profiles. The agreement for the shield profiles was not as good. The results demonstrated: (1) shadow shields can be effective in reducing the heat transfer into cryogenic propellant tanks, and (2) the conductive heat transfer through supports can be reduced by selective surface coatings.

Experimental test of entangled histories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cotler, Jordan; Duan, Lu-Ming; Hou, Pan-Yu; Wilczek, Frank; Xu, Da; Yin, Zhang-Qi; Zu, Chong

2017-12-01

Entangled histories arise when a system partially decoheres in such a way that its past cannot be described by a sequence of states, but rather a superposition of sequences of states. Such entangled histories have not been previously observed. We propose and demonstrate the first experimental scheme to create entangled history states of the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) type. In our experiment, the polarization states of a single photon at three different times are prepared as a GHZ entangled history state. We define a GHZ functional which attains a maximum value 1 on the ideal GHZ entangled history state and is bounded above by 1 / 16 for any three-time history state lacking tripartite entanglement. We have measured the GHZ functional on a state we have prepared experimentally, yielding a value of 0 . 656 ± 0 . 005, clearly demonstrating the contribution of entangled histories.

Experimental Lithium-Ion Battery Developed for Demonstration at the 2007 NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS) Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, William R.; Baldwin, Richard S.

2010-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) Electrochemistry Branch designed and built five lithium-ion battery packs for demonstration in spacesuit simulators as a part of the 2007 Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS) activity at Cinder Lake, Arizona. The experimental batteries incorporated advanced, NASA-developed electrolytes and included internal protection against over-current, overdischarge and over-temperature. The 500-g experimental batteries were designed to deliver a constant power of 22 W for 2.5 hr with a minimum voltage of 13 V. When discharged at the maximum expected power output of 38.5 W, the batteries operated for 103 min of discharge time, achieving a specific energy of 130 Wh/kg. This report summarizes design details and safety considerations. Results for field trials and laboratory testing are summarized.

Multi-Evaporator Miniature Loop Heat Pipe for Small Spacecraft Thermal Control. Part 2; Validation Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ku, Jentung; Ottenstein, Laura; Douglas, Donya; Hoang, Triem

2010-01-01

Under NASA s New Millennium Program Space Technology 8 (ST 8) Project, Goddard Space Fight Center has conducted a Thermal Loop experiment to advance the maturity of the Thermal Loop technology from proof of concept to prototype demonstration in a relevant environment , i.e. from a technology readiness level (TRL) of 3 to a level of 6. The thermal Loop is an advanced thermal control system consisting of a miniature loop heat pipe (MLHP) with multiple evaporators and multiple condensers designed for future small system applications requiring low mass, low power, and compactness. The MLHP retains all features of state-of-the-art loop heat pipes (LHPs) and offers additional advantages to enhance the functionality, performance, versatility, and reliability of the system. An MLHP breadboard was built and tested in the laboratory and thermal vacuum environments for the TRL 4 and TRL 5 validations, respectively, and an MLHP proto-flight unit was built and tested in a thermal vacuum chamber for the TRL 6 validation. In addition, an analytical model was developed to simulate the steady state and transient behaviors of the MLHP during various validation tests. The MLHP demonstrated excellent performance during experimental tests and the analytical model predictions agreed very well with experimental data. All success criteria at various TRLs were met. Hence, the Thermal Loop technology has reached a TRL of 6. This paper presents the validation results, both experimental and analytical, of such a technology development effort.

Ion Propulsion Development Projects in US: Space Electric Rocket Test I to Deep Space 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sovey, James S.; Rawlin, Vincent K.; Patterson, Michael J.

2001-01-01

The historical background and characteristics of the experimental flights of ion propulsion systems and the major ground-based technology demonstrations are reviewed. The results of the first successful ion engine flight in 1964, Space Electric Rocket Test (SERT) I, which demonstrated ion beam neutralization, are discussed along with the extended operation of SERT II starting in 1970. These results together with the technologies employed on the early cesium engine flights, the applications technology satellite series, and the ground-test demonstrations, have provided the evolutionary path for the development of xenon ion thruster component technologies, control systems, and power circuit implementations. In the 1997-1999 period, the communication satellite flights using ion engine systems and the Deep Space 1 flight confirmed that these auxiliary and primary propulsion systems have advanced to a high level of flight readiness.

Using missing ordinal patterns to detect nonlinearity in time series data.

PubMed

Kulp, Christopher W; Zunino, Luciano; Osborne, Thomas; Zawadzki, Brianna

2017-08-01

The number of missing ordinal patterns (NMP) is the number of ordinal patterns that do not appear in a series after it has been symbolized using the Bandt and Pompe methodology. In this paper, the NMP is demonstrated as a test for nonlinearity using a surrogate framework in order to see if the NMP for a series is statistically different from the NMP of iterative amplitude adjusted Fourier transform (IAAFT) surrogates. It is found that the NMP works well as a test statistic for nonlinearity, even in the cases of very short time series. Both model and experimental time series are used to demonstrate the efficacy of the NMP as a test for nonlinearity.

Measuring and Advancing Experimental Design Ability in an Introductory Course without Altering Existing Lab Curriculum†

PubMed Central

Shanks, Ryan A.; Robertson, Chuck L.; Haygood, Christian S.; Herdliksa, Anna M.; Herdliska, Heather R.; Lloyd, Steven A.

2017-01-01

Introductory biology courses provide an important opportunity to prepare students for future courses, yet existing cookbook labs, although important in their own way, fail to provide many of the advantages of semester-long research experiences. Engaging, authentic research experiences aid biology students in meeting many learning goals. Therefore, overlaying a research experience onto the existing lab structure allows faculty to overcome barriers involving curricular change. Here we propose a working model for this overlay design in an introductory biology course and detail a means to conduct this lab with minimal increases in student and faculty workloads. Furthermore, we conducted exploratory factor analysis of the Experimental Design Ability Test (EDAT) and uncovered two latent factors which provide valid means to assess this overlay model’s ability to increase advanced experimental design abilities. In a pre-test/post-test design, we demonstrate significant increases in both basic and advanced experimental design abilities in an experimental and comparison group. We measured significantly higher gains in advanced experimental design understanding in students in the experimental group. We believe this overlay model and EDAT factor analysis contribute a novel means to conduct and assess the effectiveness of authentic research experiences in an introductory course without major changes to the course curriculum and with minimal increases in faculty and student workloads. PMID:28904647

A Comparison of Tensile Bond Strength Between Low Translucency and High Translucency Lithium Disilicate Ceramics Using Two Different Resin Cements

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-01

that strengthen the porcelain and limit crack propagation (Apel & colleauges, 2008). Research on lithium-disilicate was first presented to the American...properties. This experimental ceramic showed no cracks with increasing wear cycles and demonstrated less wear upon opposing tooth structure than the...other all-ceramic materials tested (Etman, 2009). Etman concluded that the experimental lithium disilicate showed the highest resistance to crack

Stochastic modeling of experimental chaotic time series.

PubMed

Stemler, Thomas; Werner, Johannes P; Benner, Hartmut; Just, Wolfram

2007-01-26

Methods developed recently to obtain stochastic models of low-dimensional chaotic systems are tested in electronic circuit experiments. We demonstrate that reliable drift and diffusion coefficients can be obtained even when no excessive time scale separation occurs. Crisis induced intermittent motion can be described in terms of a stochastic model showing tunneling which is dominated by state space dependent diffusion. Analytical solutions of the corresponding Fokker-Planck equation are in excellent agreement with experimental data.

Effect of levels of inquiry model of science teaching on scientific literacy domain attitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Achmad, Maulana; Suhandi, Andi

2017-05-01

The aim of this research was to obtain an overview of the increase scientific literacy attitudes domain in high school students as the effects of the Levels of Inquiry (LOI) model of science teaching. This research using a quasi-experimental methods and randomizedpretest-posttest control group design. The subject of this research was students of grade X in a senior high school in Purwakarta and it consists of two classes who were divided into experimental class (30 students) and control class (30 students). While experimental class was taught LOIand control class was taught Interactive Lecture Demonstration (ILD). Data were collected using an attitude scale scientific literacy test which is based on the Likert scale. Data were analyzed using normality test, homogeneity test, and t-test to the value of N-gain attitude of scientific literacy scale test. The result of percentage average N-gain experimental class and control are 49 and 31 that classified into medium improvement category. Based on the results of hypothesis testing on the N-gain value obtained by the Sig.(One-tailed) 0.000 < 0.050, it means that H1 was accepted. The results showed that scientific literacy domain attitude of students who got learning by LOI is higher than students who got learning by ILD. It can be concluded that the effect of LOI is better to improve scientific literacy domain attitudes significantly.

Lean Mixture Engines Testing and Evaluation Program : Volume 2. Comprehensive Discussion.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-11-01

This report is aimed at defining analytically and demonstrating experimentally the potential of the 'lean-burn concept.' Fuel consumption and emissions data are obtained on the engine dynamometer for the baseline engine, and two lean-burn configurati...

Lean Mixture Engines Testing and Evaluation Program : Volume 1. Executive Summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1975-01-01

This report is aimed at defining analytically and demonstrating experimentally the potential of the 'lean-burn concept'. Fuel consumption and emissions data are obtained on the engine dynamometer for the baseline engine, and two lean-burn configurati...

Computational analysis in support of the SSTO flowpath test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duncan, Beverly S.; Trefny, Charles J.

1994-10-01

A synergistic approach of combining computational methods and experimental measurements is used in the analysis of a hypersonic inlet. There are four major focal points within this study which examine the boundary layer growth on a compression ramp upstream of the cowl lip of a scramjet inlet. Initially, the boundary layer growth on the NASP Concept Demonstrator Engine (CDE) is examined. The follow-up study determines the optimum diverter height required by the SSTO Flowpath test to best duplicate the CDE results. These flow field computations are then compared to the experimental measurements and the mass average Mach number is determined for this inlet.

Computational Analysis in Support of the SSTO Flowpath Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, Beverly S.; Trefny, Charles J.

1994-01-01

A synergistic approach of combining computational methods and experimental measurements is used in the analysis of a hypersonic inlet. There are four major focal points within this study which examine the boundary layer growth on a compression ramp upstream of the cowl lip of a scramjet inlet. Initially, the boundary layer growth on the NASP Concept Demonstrator Engine (CDE) is examined. The follow-up study determines the optimum diverter height required by the SSTO Flowpath test to best duplicate the CDE results. These flow field computations are then compared to the experimental measurements and the mass average Mach number is determined for this inlet.

Physics architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konopleva, Nelly

2017-03-01

Fundamental physical theory axiomatics is closely connected with methods of experimental measurements. The difference between the theories using global and local symmetries is explained. It is shown that symmetry group localization leads not only to the change of the relativity principle, but to the fundamental modification of experimental programs testing physical theory predictions. It is noticed that any fundamental physical theory must be consistent with the measurement procedures employed for its testing. These ideas are illustrated by events of my biography connected with Yang-Mills theory transformation from an ordinary phenomenological model to a fundamental physical theory based on local symmetry principles like the Einsteinian General Relativity. Baldin position in this situation is demonstrated.

Effect of Play Therapy on Behavioral Problems of Maladjusted Preschool Children

PubMed Central

Mohammadi, Mohammad Reza; Khanbani, Mehdi; Farid, Saeedeh; Chiti, Parisa

2011-01-01

Objective The present research was conducted to study the effect of play therapy on reducing behavioral problems of children with oppositional defiant disorder. Method Using multistage cluster sampling, regions 6, 7, and 8 in Tehran were selected. Among kindergartens of these areas, 3 kindergartens which were supported by the welfare organization were randomly selected. Of all the pre-school children of these 3 kindergartens, 40 children who could have behavioral disorder, according to their teachers and parents, were carefully tested. Of them, 16 children who showed severe symptoms of oppositional defiant disorder, were selected via the results obtained from the child symptom inventory questionnaire (CSI-4), teacher's form, and a researcher-made self-control checklist, Then, the subjects were randomly divided into one control and one experimental group. This research is quasi-experimental, and is conducted using pre-test, post-test, and control group. Results Values of the calculated F for oppositional defiant disorder in control group and experimental group was meaningful after fixing the effect of pre-test (P<0/001). Therefore, a meaningful difference existed between the means of post-test scores of disobedience disorder in the experimental and control groups through the fixed effect of the pre-test effect. Comparison of adjusted means of the 2 groups showed that the mean of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in experimental group was lower than control group. Therefore, applying play therapy reduced severity of ADHD in those children in experimental group compared to those in control group who did not receive such instructions. Conclusion Results of this research demonstrates that children's disobedience can be reduced by play therapy. PMID:22952519

Laser absorption phenomena in flowing gas devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, P. K.; Otis, J. H.

1976-01-01

A theoretical and experimental investigation is presented of inverse Bremsstrahlung absorption of CW CO2 laser radiation in flowing gases seeded with alkali metals. In order to motivate this development, some simple models are described of several space missions which could use laser powered rocket vehicles. Design considerations are given for a test call to be used with a welding laser, using a diamond window for admission of laser radiation at power levels in excess of 10 kW. A detailed analysis of absorption conditions in the test cell is included. The experimental apparatus and test setup are described and the results of experiments presented. Injection of alkali seedant and steady state absorption of the laser radiation were successfully demonstrated, but problems with the durability of the diamond windows at higher powers prevented operation of the test cell as an effective laser powered thruster.

In-silico experiments of zebrafish behaviour: modeling swimming in three dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mwaffo, Violet; Butail, Sachit; Porfiri, Maurizio

2017-01-01

Zebrafish is fast becoming a species of choice in biomedical research for the investigation of functional and dysfunctional processes coupled with their genetic and pharmacological modulation. As with mammals, experimentation with zebrafish constitutes a complicated ethical issue that calls for the exploration of alternative testing methods to reduce the number of subjects, refine experimental designs, and replace live animals. Inspired by the demonstrated advantages of computational studies in other life science domains, we establish an authentic data-driven modelling framework to simulate zebrafish swimming in three dimensions. The model encapsulates burst-and-coast swimming style, speed modulation, and wall interaction, laying the foundations for in-silico experiments of zebrafish behaviour. Through computational studies, we demonstrate the ability of the model to replicate common ethological observables such as speed and spatial preference, and anticipate experimental observations on the correlation between tank dimensions on zebrafish behaviour. Reaching to other experimental paradigms, our framework is expected to contribute to a reduction in animal use and suffering.

Preliminary Design of Winged Experimental Rocket by University Consortium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wakita, Masashi; Yonemoto, Koichi; Akiyama, Tomoki; Aso, Shigeru; Kohsetsu, Yuji; Nagata, Harunori

The project of Winged Experimental Rocket described here is a proposal by the alliance of universities (University Consortium) expanding and integrating the research activities of reusable space transportation system performed by individual universities, and is the proposal that aims at flight proof of the results of advanced research conducted by the universities and JAXA using the university-centered experimental launch systems. This paper verifies the validity of the winged experimental rocket by surveying the technical issues that should be demonstrated and by estimating the airframe scale, weight and finally the total cost. The development schedule of this project was set to five years, where two airframes of different scales will be developed to minimize the risks. A 1.5-meter-long airframe will be first manufactured and conduct flight tests in the third year to verify the design issues. Then, a 2.5-meter-long airframe will be finally developed and conduct a complete flight demonstration of various research issues in the fifth year.

Validation of the thermal challenge problem using Bayesian Belief Networks.

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

McFarland, John; Swiler, Laura Painton

The thermal challenge problem has been developed at Sandia National Laboratories as a testbed for demonstrating various types of validation approaches and prediction methods. This report discusses one particular methodology to assess the validity of a computational model given experimental data. This methodology is based on Bayesian Belief Networks (BBNs) and can incorporate uncertainty in experimental measurements, in physical quantities, and model uncertainties. The approach uses the prior and posterior distributions of model output to compute a validation metric based on Bayesian hypothesis testing (a Bayes' factor). This report discusses various aspects of the BBN, specifically in the context ofmore » the thermal challenge problem. A BBN is developed for a given set of experimental data in a particular experimental configuration. The development of the BBN and the method for ''solving'' the BBN to develop the posterior distribution of model output through Monte Carlo Markov Chain sampling is discussed in detail. The use of the BBN to compute a Bayes' factor is demonstrated.« less

In-silico experiments of zebrafish behaviour: modeling swimming in three dimensions

PubMed Central

Mwaffo, Violet; Butail, Sachit; Porfiri, Maurizio

2017-01-01

Zebrafish is fast becoming a species of choice in biomedical research for the investigation of functional and dysfunctional processes coupled with their genetic and pharmacological modulation. As with mammals, experimentation with zebrafish constitutes a complicated ethical issue that calls for the exploration of alternative testing methods to reduce the number of subjects, refine experimental designs, and replace live animals. Inspired by the demonstrated advantages of computational studies in other life science domains, we establish an authentic data-driven modelling framework to simulate zebrafish swimming in three dimensions. The model encapsulates burst-and-coast swimming style, speed modulation, and wall interaction, laying the foundations for in-silico experiments of zebrafish behaviour. Through computational studies, we demonstrate the ability of the model to replicate common ethological observables such as speed and spatial preference, and anticipate experimental observations on the correlation between tank dimensions on zebrafish behaviour. Reaching to other experimental paradigms, our framework is expected to contribute to a reduction in animal use and suffering. PMID:28071731

Neural control of magnetic suspension systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gray, W. Steven

1993-01-01

The purpose of this research program is to design, build and test (in cooperation with NASA personnel from the NASA Langley Research Center) neural controllers for two different small air-gap magnetic suspension systems. The general objective of the program is to study neural network architectures for the purpose of control in an experimental setting and to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept. The specific objectives of the research program are: (1) to demonstrate through simulation and experimentation the feasibility of using neural controllers to stabilize a nonlinear magnetic suspension system; (2) to investigate through simulation and experimentation the performance of neural controllers designs under various types of parametric and nonparametric uncertainty; (3) to investigate through simulation and experimentation various types of neural architectures for real-time control with respect to performance and complexity; and (4) to benchmark in an experimental setting the performance of neural controllers against other types of existing linear and nonlinear compensator designs. To date, the first one-dimensional, small air-gap magnetic suspension system has been built, tested and delivered to the NASA Langley Research Center. The device is currently being stabilized with a digital linear phase-lead controller. The neural controller hardware is under construction. Two different neural network paradigms are under consideration, one based on hidden layer feedforward networks trained via back propagation and one based on using Gaussian radial basis functions trained by analytical methods related to stability conditions. Some advanced nonlinear control algorithms using feedback linearization and sliding mode control are in simulation studies.

Loss-of-flow-without-scram tests in Experimental Breeder Reactor-II and comparison with pretest predictions

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

Chang, L.K.; Mohr, D.; Planchon, H.P.

This article discusses a series of successful loss-of-flow-without-scram tests conducted in Experimental Breeder Reactor-II (EBR-II), a metal-fueled, sodium-cooled fast reactor. These May 1985 tests demonstrated the capability of the EBR to reduce reactor power passively during a loss of flow and to maintain reactor temperatures within bounds without any reliance on an active safety system. The tests were run from reduced power to ensure that temperatures could be maintained well below the fuel-clad eutectic temperature. Good agreement was found between selected test data and pretest predictions made with the EBR-II system analysis code NATDEMO and the hot channel analysis codemore » HOTCHAN. The article also discusses safety assessments of the tests as well as modifications required on the EBR-II reactor safety system for conducting required on the EBR-II reactor safety system for the conducting the tests.« less

Formulation of an experimental substructure model using a Craig-Bampton based transmission simulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kammer, Daniel C.; Allen, Mathew S.; Mayes, Randy L.

2015-12-01

Experimental-analytical substructuring is attractive when there is motivation to replace one or more system subcomponents with an experimental model. This experimentally derived substructure can then be coupled to finite element models of the rest of the structure to predict the system response. The transmission simulator method couples a fixture to the component of interest during a vibration test in order to improve the experimental model for the component. The transmission simulator is then subtracted from the tested system to produce the experimental component. The method reduces ill-conditioning by imposing a least squares fit of constraints between substructure modal coordinates to connect substructures, instead of directly connecting physical interface degrees of freedom. This paper presents an alternative means of deriving the experimental substructure model, in which a Craig-Bampton representation of the transmission simulator is created and subtracted from the experimental measurements. The corresponding modal basis of the transmission simulator is described by the fixed-interface modes, rather than free modes that were used in the original approach. These modes do a better job of representing the shape of the transmission simulator as it responds within the experimental system, leading to more accurate results using fewer modes. The new approach is demonstrated using a simple finite element model based example with a redundant interface.

Learning to apply models of materials while explaining their properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karpin, Tiia; Juuti, Kalle; Lavonen, Jari

2014-09-01

Background:Applying structural models is important to chemistry education at the upper secondary level, but it is considered one of the most difficult topics to learn. Purpose:This study analyses to what extent in designed lessons students learned to apply structural models in explaining the properties and behaviours of various materials. Sample:An experimental group is 27 Finnish upper secondary school students and control group included 18 students from the same school. Design and methods:In quasi-experimental setting, students were guided through predict, observe, explain activities in four practical work situations. It was intended that the structural models would encourage students to learn how to identify and apply appropriate models when predicting and explaining situations. The lessons, organised over a one-week period, began with a teacher's demonstration and continued with student experiments in which they described the properties and behaviours of six household products representing three different materials. Results:Most students in the experimental group learned to apply the models correctly, as demonstrated by post-test scores that were significantly higher than pre-test scores. The control group showed no significant difference between pre- and post-test scores. Conclusions:The findings indicate that the intervention where students engage in predict, observe, explain activities while several materials and models are confronted at the same time, had a positive effect on learning outcomes.

X-34 Experimental Aeroheating at Mach 6 and 10

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berry, Scott A.; Horvath, Thomas J.; DiFulvio, Michael; Glass, Christopher; Merski, N. Ronald

1998-01-01

Critical technologies are being developed to support the goals of the NASA Office of Aeronautics and Space Transportation Technology Access to Space initiative for next-generation reusable space transportation systems. From the perspective of aerothermodynamic performance throughout the flight trajectory, the Reusable Launch Vehicle program incorporates conceptual analysis, ground-based testing, and computational fluid dynamics to provide flyable suborbital flight demonstrator vehicles. This report provides an overview of the hypersonic aeroheating wind tunnel test program conducted at the NASA Langley Research Center in support of one of these vehicles, the X-34 small reusable technology demonstrator program. Global surface heat transfer images, surface streamline patterns, and shock shapes were measured on 0.0153- and 0.0183-scale models of proposed X-34 flight vehicles at Mach 6 and 10 in air. The primary parametrics that were investigated include angles-of-attack from 0 to 35 deg. and freestream unit Reynolds numbers from 0.5 to 8 million per foot (which was sufficient to produce laminar, transitional, and turbulent heating data), both with and without control surface deflections. Comparisons of the experimental data to computational predictions are included, along with a discussion of the implications of some of the experimental flow features for the flight vehicle.

Experimental evidence for action imitation in killer whales (Orcinus orca).

PubMed

Abramson, José Z; Hernández-Lloreda, Victoria; Call, Josep; Colmenares, Fernando

2013-01-01

Comparative experimental studies of imitative learning have focused mainly on primates and birds. However, cetaceans are promising candidates to display imitative learning as they have evolved in socioecological settings that have selected for large brains, complex sociality, and coordinated predatory tactics. Here we tested imitative learning in killer whales, Orcinus orca. We used a 'do-as-other-does' paradigm in which 3 subjects witnessed a conspecific demonstrator's performance that included 15 familiar and 4 novel behaviours. The three subjects (1) learned the copy command signal 'Do that' very quickly, that is, 20 trials on average; (2) copied 100 % of the demonstrator's familiar and novel actions; (3) achieved full matches in the first attempt for 8-13 familiar behaviours (out of 15) and for the 2 novel behaviours (out of 2) in one subject; and (4) took no longer than 8 trials to accurately copy any familiar behaviour, and no longer than 16 trials to copy any novel behaviour. This study provides experimental evidence for body imitation, including production imitation, in killer whales that is comparable to that observed in dolphins tested under similar conditions. These findings suggest that imitative learning may underpin some of the group-specific traditions reported in killer whales in the field.

Development and demonstration of a flutter-suppression system using active controls. [wind tunnel tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandford, M. C.; Abel, I.; Gray, D. L.

1975-01-01

The application of active control technology to suppress flutter was demonstrated successfully in the transonic dynamics tunnel with a delta-wing model. The model was a simplified version of a proposed supersonic transport wing design. An active flutter suppression method based on an aerodynamic energy criterion was verified by using three different control laws. The first two control laws utilized both leading-edge and trailing-edge active control surfaces, whereas the third control law required only a single trailing-edge active control surface. At a Mach number of 0.9 the experimental results demonstrated increases in the flutter dynamic pressure from 12.5 percent to 30 percent with active controls. Analytical methods were developed to predict both open-loop and closed-loop stability, and the results agreed reasonably well with the experimental results.

Comparative Actions of Barbiturates Studied by Pollen Grain Germination.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kordan, Herbert A.; Mumford, Pauline M.

1979-01-01

Describes a simple experimental system whereby the comparative actions of long, medium, and short-acting barbiturates can be demonstrated in a relatively short period of time under optical microscopy using pollen grains as the biological test or assay system. (Author/HM)

Organic molecule fluorescence as an experimental test-bed for quantum jumps in thermodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Browne, Cormac; Farrow, Tristan; Dahlsten, Oscar C. O.; Taylor, Robert A.; Vlatko, Vedral

2017-08-01

We demonstrate with an experiment how molecules are a natural test bed for probing fundamental quantum thermodynamics. Single-molecule spectroscopy has undergone transformative change in the past decade with the advent of techniques permitting individual molecules to be distinguished and probed. We demonstrate that the quantum Jarzynski equality for heat is satisfied in this set-up by considering the time-resolved emission spectrum of organic molecules as arising from quantum jumps between states. This relates the heat dissipated into the environment to the free energy difference between the initial and final state. We demonstrate also how utilizing the quantum Jarzynski equality allows for the detection of energy shifts within a molecule, beyond the relative shift.

Organic molecule fluorescence as an experimental test-bed for quantum jumps in thermodynamics.

PubMed

Browne, Cormac; Farrow, Tristan; Dahlsten, Oscar C O; Taylor, Robert A; Vlatko, Vedral

2017-08-01

We demonstrate with an experiment how molecules are a natural test bed for probing fundamental quantum thermodynamics. Single-molecule spectroscopy has undergone transformative change in the past decade with the advent of techniques permitting individual molecules to be distinguished and probed. We demonstrate that the quantum Jarzynski equality for heat is satisfied in this set-up by considering the time-resolved emission spectrum of organic molecules as arising from quantum jumps between states. This relates the heat dissipated into the environment to the free energy difference between the initial and final state. We demonstrate also how utilizing the quantum Jarzynski equality allows for the detection of energy shifts within a molecule, beyond the relative shift.

Analytical and Experimental Evaluation of Digital Control Systems for the Semi-Span Super-Sonic Transport (S4T) Wind Tunnel Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wieseman, Carol D.; Christhilf, David; Perry, Boyd, III

2012-01-01

An important objective of the Semi-Span Super-Sonic Transport (S4T) wind tunnel model program was the demonstration of Flutter Suppression (FS), Gust Load Alleviation (GLA), and Ride Quality Enhancement (RQE). It was critical to evaluate the stability and robustness of these control laws analytically before testing them and experimentally while testing them to ensure safety of the model and the wind tunnel. MATLAB based software was applied to evaluate the performance of closed-loop systems in terms of stability and robustness. Existing software tools were extended to use analytical representations of the S4T and the control laws to analyze and evaluate the control laws prior to testing. Lessons were learned about the complex windtunnel model and experimental testing. The open-loop flutter boundary was determined from the closed-loop systems. A MATLAB/Simulink Simulation developed under the program is available for future work to improve the CPE process. This paper is one of a series of that comprise a special session, which summarizes the S4T wind-tunnel program.

Active implantable medical device EMI assessment for wireless power transfer operating in LF and HF bands.

PubMed

Hikage, Takashi; Nojima, Toshio; Fujimoto, Hiroshi

2016-06-21

The electromagnetic interference (EMI) imposed on active implantable medical devices by wireless power transfer systems (WPTSs) is discussed based upon results of in vitro experiments. The purpose of this study is to present comprehensive EMI test results gathered from implantable-cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators exposed to the electromagnetic field generated by several WPTSs operating in low-frequency (70 kHz-460 kHz) and high-frequency (6.78 MHz) bands. The constructed in vitro experimental test system based upon an Irnich's flat torso phantom was applied. EMI test experiments are conducted on 14 types of WPTSs including Qi-compliant system and EV-charging WPT system mounted on current production EVs. In addition, a numerical simulation model for active implantable medical device (AIMD) EMI estimation based on the experimental test system is newly proposed. The experimental results demonstrate the risk of WPTSs emitting intermittent signal to affect the correct behavior of AIMDs when operating at very short distances. The proposed numerical simulation model is applicable to obtain basically the EMI characteristics of various types of WPTSs.

Active implantable medical device EMI assessment for wireless power transfer operating in LF and HF bands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hikage, Takashi; Nojima, Toshio; Fujimoto, Hiroshi

2016-06-01

The electromagnetic interference (EMI) imposed on active implantable medical devices by wireless power transfer systems (WPTSs) is discussed based upon results of in vitro experiments. The purpose of this study is to present comprehensive EMI test results gathered from implantable-cardiac pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators exposed to the electromagnetic field generated by several WPTSs operating in low-frequency (70 kHz-460 kHz) and high-frequency (6.78 MHz) bands. The constructed in vitro experimental test system based upon an Irnich’s flat torso phantom was applied. EMI test experiments are conducted on 14 types of WPTSs including Qi-compliant system and EV-charging WPT system mounted on current production EVs. In addition, a numerical simulation model for active implantable medical device (AIMD) EMI estimation based on the experimental test system is newly proposed. The experimental results demonstrate the risk of WPTSs emitting intermittent signal to affect the correct behavior of AIMDs when operating at very short distances. The proposed numerical simulation model is applicable to obtain basically the EMI characteristics of various types of WPTSs.

GD SDR Automatic Gain Control Characterization Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nappier, Jennifer M.; Briones, Janette C.

2013-01-01

The General Dynamics (GD) S-Band software defined radio (SDR) in the Space Communications and Navigation (SCAN) Testbed on the International Space Station (ISS) will provide experimenters an opportunity to develop and demonstrate experimental waveforms in space. The GD SDR platform and initial waveform were characterized on the ground before launch and the data will be compared to the data that will be collected during on-orbit operations. A desired function of the SDR is to estimate the received signal to noise ratio (SNR), which would enable experimenters to better determine on-orbit link conditions. The GD SDR does not have an SNR estimator, but it does have an analog and a digital automatic gain control (AGC). The AGCs can be used to estimate the SDR input power which can be converted into a SNR. Tests were conducted to characterize the AGC response to changes in SDR input power and temperature. This purpose of this paper is to describe the tests that were conducted, discuss the results showi ng how the AGCs relate to the SDR input power, and provide recommendations for AGC testing and characterization.

GD SDR Automatic Gain Control Characterization Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nappier, Jennifer M.; Briones, Janette C.

2013-01-01

The General Dynamics (GD) S-Band software defined radio (SDR) in the Space Communications and Navigation (SCAN) Testbed on the International Space Station (ISS) will provide experimenters an opportunity to develop and demonstrate experimental waveforms in space. The GD SDR platform and initial waveform were characterized on the ground before launch and the data will be compared to the data that will be collected during on-orbit operations. A desired function of the SDR is to estimate the received signal to noise ratio (SNR), which would enable experimenters to better determine on-orbit link conditions. The GD SDR does not have an SNR estimator, but it does have an analog and a digital automatic gain control (AGC). The AGCs can be used to estimate the SDR input power which can be converted into a SNR. Tests were conducted to characterize the AGC response to changes in SDR input power and temperature. This purpose of this paper is to describe the tests that were conducted, discuss the results showing how the AGCs relate to the SDR input power, and provide recommendations for AGC testing and characterization.

On a problematic procedure to manipulate response biases in recognition experiments: the case of "implied" base rates.

PubMed

Bröder, Arndt; Malejka, Simone

2017-07-01

The experimental manipulation of response biases in recognition-memory tests is an important means for testing recognition models and for estimating their parameters. The textbook manipulations for binary-response formats either vary the payoff scheme or the base rate of targets in the recognition test, with the latter being the more frequently applied procedure. However, some published studies reverted to implying different base rates by instruction rather than actually changing them. Aside from unnecessarily deceiving participants, this procedure may lead to cognitive conflicts that prompt response strategies unknown to the experimenter. To test our objection, implied base rates were compared to actual base rates in a recognition experiment followed by a post-experimental interview to assess participants' response strategies. The behavioural data show that recognition-memory performance was estimated to be lower in the implied base-rate condition. The interview data demonstrate that participants used various second-order response strategies that jeopardise the interpretability of the recognition data. We thus advice researchers against substituting actual base rates with implied base rates.

QCL spectroscopy combined with the least squares method for substance analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samsonov, D. A.; Tabalina, A. S.; Fufurin, I. L.

2017-11-01

The article briefly describes distinctive features of quantum cascade lasers (QCL). It also describes an experimental set-up for acquiring mid-infrared absorption spectra using QCL. The paper demonstrates experimental results in the form of normed spectra. We tested the application of the least squares method for spectrum analysis. We used this method for substance identification and extraction of concentration data. We compare the results with more common methods of absorption spectroscopy. Eventually, we prove the feasibility of using this simple method for quantitative and qualitative analysis of experimental data acquired with QCL.

A Surrogate Approach to the Experimental Optimization of Multielement Airfoils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otto, John C.; Landman, Drew; Patera, Anthony T.

1996-01-01

The incorporation of experimental test data into the optimization process is accomplished through the use of Bayesian-validated surrogates. In the surrogate approach, a surrogate for the experiment (e.g., a response surface) serves in the optimization process. The validation step of the framework provides a qualitative assessment of the surrogate quality, and bounds the surrogate-for-experiment error on designs "near" surrogate-predicted optimal designs. The utility of the framework is demonstrated through its application to the experimental selection of the trailing edge ap position to achieve a design lift coefficient for a three-element airfoil.

Correlation between spermatogenesis disorders and rat testes CYP2E1 mRNA contents under experimental alcoholism or type I diabetes.

PubMed

Shayakhmetova, Ganna M; Bondarenko, Larysa B; Matvienko, Anatoliy V; Kovalenko, Valentina M

2014-09-01

The aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between spermatogenesis disorders and CYP2E1 mRNA contents in testes of rats with experimental alcoholism or type I diabetes. Two pathological states characterized by CYP2E1 induction were simulated on Wistar male rats: experimental alcoholism and type I diabetes. As controls for each state, equal number of animals (of the same age and weight) were used. Morphological evaluation of rat testes was carried out. The spermatogenic epithelium state was estimated by four points system. CYP2E1 mRNA expression was rated by method of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Pearson correlation coefficients were used for describing relationships between variables. The presence of alcoholism and diabetes-mediated quantitative and qualitative changes in male rat spermatogenic epithelium in comparison with norm has been demonstrated. The increased levels of testes CYP2E1 have been fixed simultaneously. CYP2E1 mRNA content negatively strongly correlated with spermatogenic index value (r=-0.99; P<0.001) and positively strongly correlated with epithelium desquamation occurrence (r=0.99; P<0.001) in testes of rats with chronic alcoholism. The strong correlation between CYP2E1 mRNA content and number of spermatogonia (r=0.99; P<0.001) and "windows" occurrence (r=0.96; P<0.001) has been fixed in diabetic rats testes. Present investigation has demonstrated that the testicular failure following chronic ethanol consumption and diabetes type I in male rats accompanied CYP2E1 mRNA over-expression in testes. The correlation between the levels of CYP2E1 mRNA in testes and spermatogenesis disorders allow supposing the involvement of CYP2E1 into the non-specific pathogenetic mechanisms of male infertility under above-mentioned pathologies. Copyright © 2014 Medical University of Bialystok. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

Developments in new aircraft tire tread materials. [fatigue life of elastomeric materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yager, T. J.; Mccarty, J. L.; Riccitiello, S. R.; Golub, M. A.

1976-01-01

Comparative laboratory and field tests were conducted on experimental and state-of-the-art aircraft tire tread materials in a program aimed at seeking new elastomeric materials which would provide improved aircraft tire tread wear, traction, and blowout resistance in the interests of operational safety and economy. The experimental stock was formulated of natural rubber and amorphous vinyl polybutadiene to provide high thermal-oxidative resistance, a characteristic pursued on the premise that thermal oxidation is involved both in the normal abrasion or wear of tire treads and probably in the chain of events leading to blowout failures. Results from the tests demonstrate that the experimental stock provided better heat buildup (hysteresis) and fatigue properties, at least equal wet and dry traction, and greater wear resistance than the state-of-the-art stock.

Behaviors of printed circuit boards due to microwave supported curing process of coating materials.

PubMed

Bremerkamp, Felix; Nowottnick, Mathias; Seehase, Dirk; Bui, Trinh Dung

2012-01-01

The Application of a microwave supported curing process for coatings in the field of electronic industry poses a challenge. Here the implementation of this technology is represented. Within the scope of the investigation special PCB Test Layouts were designed and the polymer curing process examined by the method of dielectric analysis. Furthermore the coupling of microwave radiation with conductive PCB structures was analyzed experimentally by means of special test boards. The formation of standing waves and regular heating distribution along the conductive wires on the PCB could be observed. The experimental results were compared with numerical simulation. In this context the numerical analysis of microwave PCB interaction led to important findings concerning wave propagation on wired PCB. The final valuation demonstrated a substantial similarity between numerical simulations and experimental results.

Endogenous Opioid Antagonism in Physiological Experimental Pain Models: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Werner, Mads U.; Pereira, Manuel P.; Andersen, Lars Peter H.; Dahl, Jørgen B.

2015-01-01

Opioid antagonists are pharmacological tools applied as an indirect measure to detect activation of the endogenous opioid system (EOS) in experimental pain models. The objective of this systematic review was to examine the effect of mu-opioid-receptor (MOR) antagonists in placebo-controlled, double-blind studies using ʻinhibitoryʼ or ʻsensitizingʼ, physiological test paradigms in healthy human subjects. The databases PubMed and Embase were searched according to predefined criteria. Out of a total of 2,142 records, 63 studies (1,477 subjects [male/female ratio = 1.5]) were considered relevant. Twenty-five studies utilized ʻinhibitoryʼ test paradigms (ITP) and 38 studies utilized ʻsensitizingʼ test paradigms (STP). The ITP-studies were characterized as conditioning modulation models (22 studies) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation models (rTMS; 3 studies), and, the STP-studies as secondary hyperalgesia models (6 studies), ʻpainʼ models (25 studies), summation models (2 studies), nociceptive reflex models (3 studies) and miscellaneous models (2 studies). A consistent reversal of analgesia by a MOR-antagonist was demonstrated in 10 of the 25 ITP-studies, including stress-induced analgesia and rTMS. In the remaining 14 conditioning modulation studies either absence of effects or ambiguous effects by MOR-antagonists, were observed. In the STP-studies, no effect of the opioid-blockade could be demonstrated in 5 out of 6 secondary hyperalgesia studies. The direction of MOR-antagonist dependent effects upon pain ratings, threshold assessments and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP), did not appear consistent in 28 out of 32 ʻpainʼ model studies. In conclusion, only in 2 experimental human pain models, i.e., stress-induced analgesia and rTMS, administration of MOR-antagonist demonstrated a consistent effect, presumably mediated by an EOS-dependent mechanisms of analgesia and hyperalgesia. PMID:26029906

ANIMAL COGNITION. Comment on "Number-space mapping in the newborn chick resembles humans' mental number line".

PubMed

Mangalam, Madhur; Karve, Shraddha Madhav

2015-06-26

Rugani et al. (Reports, 30 January 3015, p. 534) tested 3-day-old domestic chicks using an innovative experimental setup and demonstrate the presence of the mental number line. We raise concerns regarding this conclusion by highlighting the possible loopholes in the experimental design and the data analysis procedures. We further suggest auxiliary experiments that can substantiate the authors' claim. Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Procedures to increase some aspects of creativity.

PubMed Central

Glover, J; Gary, A L

1976-01-01

Instructions reinforcement (team points), and practice were applied to four behaviorally defined creative behaviors of eight fourth- and fifth-grade students. All four aspects (number of different responses, fluency; number of verb forms, flexibility; number of words per response, elaboration; and statistical infrequency of response forms, originality) were demonstrated to be under experimental control. The procedures also raised students' scores on Torrance's tests of creativity. Application of the experimental procedures may well be practical for classroom teachers. PMID:943391

Procedures to increase some aspects of creativity.

PubMed

Glover, J; Gary, A L

1976-01-01

Instructions reinforcement (team points), and practice were applied to four behaviorally defined creative behaviors of eight fourth- and fifth-grade students. All four aspects (number of different responses, fluency; number of verb forms, flexibility; number of words per response, elaboration; and statistical infrequency of response forms, originality) were demonstrated to be under experimental control. The procedures also raised students' scores on Torrance's tests of creativity. Application of the experimental procedures may well be practical for classroom teachers.

Experimental cold-flow evaluation of a ram air cooled plug nozzle concept for afterburning turbojet engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Straight, D. M.; Harrington, D. E.

1973-01-01

A concept for plug nozzles cooled by inlet ram air is presented. Experimental data obtained with a small scale model, 21.59-cm (8.5-in.) diameter, in a static altitude facility demonstrated high thrust performance and excellent pumping characteristics. Tests were made at nozzle pressure ratios simulating supersonic cruise and takeoff conditions. Effect of plug size, outer shroud length, and varying amounts of secondary flow were investigated.

Experimental ladder proof of Hardy's nonlocality for high-dimensional quantum systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Lixiang; Zhang, Wuhong; Wu, Ziwen; Wang, Jikang; Fickler, Robert; Karimi, Ebrahim

2017-08-01

Recent years have witnessed a rapidly growing interest in high-dimensional quantum entanglement for fundamental studies as well as towards novel applications. Therefore, the ability to verify entanglement between physical qudits, d -dimensional quantum systems, is of crucial importance. To show nonclassicality, Hardy's paradox represents "the best version of Bell's theorem" without using inequalities. However, so far it has only been tested experimentally for bidimensional vector spaces. Here, we formulate a theoretical framework to demonstrate the ladder proof of Hardy's paradox for arbitrary high-dimensional systems. Furthermore, we experimentally demonstrate the ladder proof by taking advantage of the orbital angular momentum of high-dimensionally entangled photon pairs. We perform the ladder proof of Hardy's paradox for dimensions 3 and 4, both with the ladder up to the third step. Our paper paves the way towards a deeper understanding of the nature of high-dimensionally entangled quantum states and may find applications in quantum information science.

Test Methodology Development for Experimental Structural Assessment of ASC Planar Spring Material for Long-Term Durability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yun, Gunjin; Abdullah, A. B. M.; Binienda, Wieslaw; Krause, David L.; Kalluri, Sreeramesh

2014-01-01

A vibration-based testing methodology has been developed that will assess fatigue behavior of the metallic material of construction for the Advanced Stirling Convertor displacer (planar) spring component. To minimize the testing duration, the test setup is designed for base-excitation of a multiplespecimen arrangement, driven in a high-frequency resonant mode; this allows completion of fatigue testing in an accelerated period. A high performance electro-dynamic exciter (shaker) is used to generate harmonic oscillation of cantilever beam specimens, which are clasped on the shaker armature with specially-designed clamp fixtures. The shaker operates in closed-loop control with dynamic specimen response feedback provided by a scanning laser vibrometer. A test coordinator function synchronizes the shaker controller and the laser vibrometer to complete the closed-loop scheme. The test coordinator also monitors structural health of the test specimens throughout the test period, recognizing any change in specimen dynamic behavior. As this may be due to fatigue crack initiation, the test coordinator terminates test progression and then acquires test data in an orderly manner. Design of the specimen and fixture geometry was completed by finite element analysis such that peak stress does not occur at the clamping fixture attachment points. Experimental stress evaluation was conducted to verify the specimen stress predictions. A successful application of the experimental methodology was demonstrated by validation tests with carbon steel specimens subjected to fully-reversed bending stress; high-cycle fatigue failures were induced in such specimens using higher-than-prototypical stresses

Investigation of a catalytic gas generator for the Space Shuttle APU. [hydrazine Auxiliary Propulsion Unit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Emmons, D. L.; Huxtable, D. D.; Blevins, D. R.

1974-01-01

An investigation was conducted to establish the capability of a monopropellant hydrazine catalytic gas generator to meet the requirements specified for the Space Shuttle APU. Detailed analytical and experimental studies were conducted on potential problem areas including long-term nitriding effects on materials, design variables affecting catalyst life, vehicle vibration effects, and catalyst oxidation/contamination. A full-scale gas generator, designed to operate at a chamber pressure of 750 psia and a flow rate of 0.36 lbm/sec, was fabricated and subjected to three separate life test series. The objective of the first test series was to demonstrate the capability of the gas generator to successfully complete 20 simulated Space Shuttle missions in steady-state operation. The gas generator was then refurbished and subjected to a second series of tests to demonstrate the pulse-mode capability of the gas generator during 20 simulated missions. The third series of tests was conducted with a refurbished reactor to further demonstrate pulse-mode capability with a modified catalyst bed.

Scaling Analysis Techniques to Establish Experimental Infrastructure for Component, Subsystem, and Integrated System Testing

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

Sabharwall, Piyush; O'Brien, James E.; McKellar, Michael G.

2015-03-01

Hybrid energy system research has the potential to expand the application for nuclear reactor technology beyond electricity. The purpose of this research is to reduce both technical and economic risks associated with energy systems of the future. Nuclear hybrid energy systems (NHES) mitigate the variability of renewable energy sources, provide opportunities to produce revenue from different product streams, and avoid capital inefficiencies by matching electrical output to demand by using excess generation capacity for other purposes when it is available. An essential step in the commercialization and deployment of this advanced technology is scaled testing to demonstrate integrated dynamic performancemore » of advanced systems and components when risks cannot be mitigated adequately by analysis or simulation. Further testing in a prototypical environment is needed for validation and higher confidence. This research supports the development of advanced nuclear reactor technology and NHES, and their adaptation to commercial industrial applications that will potentially advance U.S. energy security, economy, and reliability and further reduce carbon emissions. Experimental infrastructure development for testing and feasibility studies of coupled systems can similarly support other projects having similar developmental needs and can generate data required for validation of models in thermal energy storage and transport, energy, and conversion process development. Experiments performed in the Systems Integration Laboratory will acquire performance data, identify scalability issues, and quantify technology gaps and needs for various hybrid or other energy systems. This report discusses detailed scaling (component and integrated system) and heat transfer figures of merit that will establish the experimental infrastructure for component, subsystem, and integrated system testing to advance the technology readiness of components and systems to the level required for commercial application and demonstration under NHES.« less

Numerical modelling of underwater detonation of non-ideal condensed-phase explosives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoch, Stefan; Nikiforakis, Nikolaos

2015-01-01

The interest in underwater detonation tests originated from the military, since the expansion and subsequent collapse of the explosive bubble can cause considerable damage to surrounding structures or vessels. In military applications, the explosive is typically represented as a pre-burned material under high pressure, a reasonable assumption due to the short reaction zone lengths, and complete detonation of the unreacted explosive. Hence, numerical simulations of underwater detonation tests have been primarily concerned with the prediction of target loading and the damage incurred rather than the accurate modelling of the underwater detonation process. The mining industry in contrast has adopted the underwater detonation test as a means to experimentally characterise the energy output of their highly non-ideal explosives depending on explosive type and charge configuration. This characterisation requires a good understanding of how the charge shape, pond topography, charge depth, and additional charge confinement affect the energy release, some of which can be successfully quantified with the support of accurate numerical simulations. In this work, we propose a numerical framework which is able to capture the non-ideal explosive behaviour and in addition is capable of capturing both length scales: the reaction zone and the pond domain. The length scale problem is overcome with adaptive mesh refinement, which, along with the explosive model, is validated against experimental data of various TNT underwater detonations. The variety of detonation and bubble behaviour observed in non-ideal detonations is demonstrated in a parameter study over the reactivity of TNT. A representative underwater mining test containing an ammonium-nitrate fuel-oil ratestick charge is carried out to demonstrate that the presented method can be readily applied alongside experimental underwater detonation tests.

Design, development, and evaluation of an MRI-guided SMA spring-actuated neurosurgical robot

PubMed Central

Ho, Mingyen; Kim, Yeongjin; Cheng, Shing Shin; Gullapalli, Rao; Desai, Jaydev P.

2015-01-01

In this paper, we present our work on the development of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatible Minimally Invasive Neurosurgical Intracranial Robot (MINIR) comprising of shape memory alloy (SMA) spring actuators and tendon-sheath mechanism. We present the detailed modeling and analysis along with experimental results of the characterization of SMA spring actuators. Furthermore, to demonstrate image-feedback control, we used the images obtained from a camera to control the motion of the robot so that eventually continuous MR images could be used in the future to control the robot motion. Since the image tracking algorithm may fail in some situations, we also developed a temperature feedback control scheme which served as a backup controller for the robot. Experimental results demonstrated that both image feedback and temperature feedback can be used to control the motion of MINIR. A series of MRI compatibility tests were performed on the robot and the experimental results demonstrated that the robot is MRI compatible and no significant visual image distortion was observed in the MR images during robot operation. PMID:26622075

[Effectiveness of enneagram group counseling for self-identification and depression in nursing college students].

PubMed

Lee, Jeong Seop; Yoon, Jeong Ah; Do, Keong Jin

2013-10-01

The purpose of this study was to examine effects of enneagram group counseling program on self-identification and depression in nursing college students. Three groups, categorized by how the students solve their conflicts, were selected to identify changes from the program. A quasi-experimental study with a non-equivalent control group and pre posttest design was used. Participants were assigned to the experimental group (n=30) or control group (n=33). The experimental group participated in enneagram group counseling program for 38 hours through eight sessions covering four different topics. Collected data were analyzed using Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, t-test, and Wilcoxon signed rank test. Total self-identity score for the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group. However, there was no significant difference between the two groups for depression scores. The Assertive and Compliant groups demonstrated significant change in self-identification while the Withdrawn groups did not reveal any change. Results indicate that the enneagram group counseling program is very effective in establishing positive self-identification for nursing college students who face developmental crisis and stressful situations. It is also expected that this program would be useful to enhance the students' confidence through a deeper understanding and acceptance of themselves.

Analytical and experimental investigation of flutter suppression by piezoelectric actuation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heeg, Jennifer

1993-01-01

The objective of this research was to analytically and experimentally study the capabilities of piezoelectric plate actuators for suppressing flutter. Piezoelectric materials are characterized by their ability to produce voltage when subjected to a mechanical strain. The converse piezoelectric effect can be utilized to actuate a structure by applying a voltage. For this investigation, a two-degree-of-freedom wind tunnel model was designed, analyzed, and tested. The model consisted of a rigid wing and a flexible mount system that permitted a translational and a rotational degree of freedom. The model was designed such that flutter was encountered within the testing envelope of the wind tunnel. Actuators made of piezoelectric material were affixed to leaf springs of the mount system. Command signals, applied to the piezoelectric actuators, exerted control over the damping and stiffness properties. A mathematical aeroservoelastic model was constructed by using finite element methods, laminated plate theory, and aeroelastic analysis tools. Plant characteristics were determined from this model and verified by open loop experimental tests. A flutter suppression control law was designed and implemented on a digital control computer. Closed loop flutter testing was conducted. The experimental results represent the first time that adaptive materials have been used to actively suppress flutter. They demonstrate that small, carefully placed actuating plates can be used effectively to control aeroelastic response.

Nanosecond pulsed laser micromachining for experimental fatigue life study of Ti-3Al-2.5V tubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yaomin; Gupta, Mool C.; Taylor, Robert E.; Lei, Charles; Stone, William; Spidel, Tom; Yu, Michael; Williams, Reanne

2009-01-01

Defects on external surface of in-service hydraulic tubes can reduce total life cycles for operation. Evaluation of fatigue life of the tubes with damage is thus critical for safety reasons. A methodology of generating defects in the Ti-3Al-2.5V tube—a widely used pipeline in hydraulic systems of aircrafts—using nanosecond pulsed laser for experimental fatigue life study is described in this paper. Straight tubes of five different sizes were laser micromachined to generate notches of given length and depths on the outside surface. Approaches were developed to precisely control the notch dimensions. The laser-notched tubes were tested with cyclic internal impulse pressure and fatigue life was measured. The laser notches and fatigue cracks were characterized after the test. It is concluded that laser micromachining generated consistent notches, and the influence of notch depth on fatigue life of the tube is significant. Based on the experimental test results, the relationship between the fatigue life of the Ti-3Al-2.5V tube and the notch depth was revealed. The research demonstrated that laser micromachining is applicable for experimental fatigue life study of titanium tubes. The presented test data are useful for estimating the damage limits of the titanium tubes in service environment and for further theoretical studies.

A Turbine-powered UAV Controls Testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Motter, Mark A.; High, James W.; Guerreiro, Nelson M.; Chambers, Ryan S.; Howard, Keith D.

2007-01-01

The latest version of the NASA Flying Controls Testbed (FLiC) integrates commercial-off-the-shelf components including airframe, autopilot, and a small turbine engine to provide a low cost experimental flight controls testbed capable of sustained speeds up to 200 mph. The series of flight tests leading up to the demonstrated performance of the vehicle in sustained, autopiloted 200 mph flight at NASA Wallops Flight Facility's UAV runway in August 2006 will be described. Earlier versions of the FLiC were based on a modified Army target drone, AN/FQM-117B, developed as part of a collaboration between the Aviation Applied Technology Directorate at Fort Eustis, Virginia and NASA Langley Research Center. The newer turbine powered platform (J-FLiC) builds on the successes using the relatively smaller, slower and less expensive unmanned aerial vehicle developed specifically to test highly experimental flight control approaches with the implementation of C-coded experimental controllers. Tracking video was taken during the test flights at Wallops and will be available for presentation at the conference. Analysis of flight data from both remotely piloted and autopiloted flights will be presented. Candidate experimental controllers for implementation will be discussed. It is anticipated that flight testing will resume in Spring 2007 and those results will be included, if possible.

Older Adults' Memory for Verbally Presented Medical Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bankoff, Sarah M.; Sandberg, Elisabeth Hollister

2012-01-01

Previous research demonstrates that patients typically have difficulty remembering information presented during healthcare consultations. This study examined how older adults learn and remember verbally presented medical information. Healthy older adults were tested for recall in experimental and field settings. Participants viewed a five-minute…

46 CFR 162.060-26 - Land-based testing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

.... (iv) The manufacturer of the BWMS must demonstrate by using mathematical modeling, computational fluid dynamics modeling, and/or by calculations, that any downscaling will not affect the ultimate functioning... mathematical and computational fluid dynamics modeling) must be clearly identified in the Experimental Design...

46 CFR 162.060-26 - Land-based testing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

.... (iv) The manufacturer of the BWMS must demonstrate by using mathematical modeling, computational fluid dynamics modeling, and/or by calculations, that any downscaling will not affect the ultimate functioning... mathematical and computational fluid dynamics modeling) must be clearly identified in the Experimental Design...

46 CFR 162.060-26 - Land-based testing requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

.... (iv) The manufacturer of the BWMS must demonstrate by using mathematical modeling, computational fluid dynamics modeling, and/or by calculations, that any downscaling will not affect the ultimate functioning... mathematical and computational fluid dynamics modeling) must be clearly identified in the Experimental Design...

Determination of the thermal stability of fluids by tensimetry - Instrumentation and procedure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmick, Larry S.; Jones, William R., Jr.

1990-01-01

A computerized tensimeter and experimental procedure for determination of the thermal decomposition temperature (T sub d) of perfluoro alkylethers were developed and tested. Both the apparatus and the procedure are described in detail. Results of testing with bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and trimethylolpropane triheptanoate demonstrate that the reciprocal of the decomposition temperature is a linear function of the logarithm of the gas volume/heated liquid volume ratio. The T sub d obtained for each compound at a gas volume/heated liquid volume ration of one was similar to the value previously reported using an isoteniscope technique. Results of testing with a polymer of hexafluoropropylene oxide demonstrate that this instrument and procedure can be used to determine the T sub d of perfluoro alkylethers.

Determination of the thermal stability of perfluoroalkylethers by tensimetry: Instrumentation and Procedure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helmick, Larry S.; Jones, William R., Jr.

1989-01-01

A computerized tensimeter and experimental procedure for determination of the thermal decomposition temperature (T sub d) of perfluoro alkylethers were developed and tested. Both the apparatus and the procedure are described in detail. Results of testing with bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and trimethylolpropane triheptanoate demonstrate that the reciprocal of the decomposition temperature is a linear function of the logarithm of the gas volume/heated liquid volume ratio. The T sub d obtained for each compound at a gas volume/heated liquid volume ration of one was similar to the value previously reported using an isoteniscope technique. Results of testing with a polymer of hexafluoropropylene oxide demonstrate that this instrument and procedure can be used to determine the T sub d of perfluoroalkylethers.

Multimode laser beam analyzer instrument using electrically programmable optics.

PubMed

Marraccini, Philip J; Riza, Nabeel A

2011-12-01

Presented is a novel design of a multimode laser beam analyzer using a digital micromirror device (DMD) and an electronically controlled variable focus lens (ECVFL) that serve as the digital and analog agile optics, respectively. The proposed analyzer is a broadband laser characterization instrument that uses the agile optics to smartly direct light to the required point photodetectors to enable beam measurements of minimum beam waist size, minimum waist location, divergence, and the beam propagation parameter M(2). Experimental results successfully demonstrate these measurements for a 500 mW multimode test laser beam with a wavelength of 532 nm. The minimum beam waist, divergence, and M(2) experimental results for the test laser are found to be 257.61 μm, 2.103 mrad, 1.600 and 326.67 μm, 2.682 mrad, 2.587 for the vertical and horizontal directions, respectively. These measurements are compared to a traditional scan method and the results of the beam waist are found to be within error tolerance of the demonstrated instrument.

Experimental evolution of a sexually selected display in yeast

PubMed Central

Rogers, David W.; Greig, Duncan

2008-01-01

The fundamental principle underlying sexual selection theory is that an allele conferring an advantage in the competition for mates will spread through a population. Remarkably, this has never been demonstrated empirically. We have developed an experimental system using yeast for testing genetic models of sexual selection. Yeast signal to potential partners by producing an attractive pheromone; stronger signallers are preferred as mates. We tested the effect of high and low levels of sexual selection on the evolution of a gene determining the strength of this signal. Under high sexual selection, an allele encoding a stronger signal was able to invade a population of weak signallers, and we observed a corresponding increase in the amount of pheromone produced. By contrast, the strong signalling allele failed to invade under low sexual selection. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, the spread of a sexually selected allele through a population, confirming the central assumption of sexual selection theory. Our yeast system is a powerful tool for investigating the genetics of sexual selection. PMID:18842545

Active vibration absorber for CSI evolutionary model: Design and experimental results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bruner, Anne M.; Belvin, W. Keith; Horta, Lucas G.; Juang, Jer-Nan

1991-01-01

The development of control of large flexible structures technology must include practical demonstration to aid in the understanding and characterization of controlled structures in space. To support this effort, a testbed facility was developed to study practical implementation of new control technologies under realistic conditions. The design is discussed of a second order, acceleration feedback controller which acts as an active vibration absorber. This controller provides guaranteed stability margins for collocated sensor/actuator pairs in the absence of sensor/actuator dynamics and computational time delay. The primary performance objective considered is damping augmentation of the first nine structural modes. Comparison of experimental and predicted closed loop damping is presented, including test and simulation time histories for open and closed loop cases. Although the simulation and test results are not in full agreement, robustness of this design under model uncertainty is demonstrated. The basic advantage of this second order controller design is that the stability of the controller is model independent.

Experimental demonstration of deep frequency modulation interferometry.

PubMed

Isleif, Katharina-Sophie; Gerberding, Oliver; Schwarze, Thomas S; Mehmet, Moritz; Heinzel, Gerhard; Cervantes, Felipe Guzmán

2016-01-25

Experiments for space and ground-based gravitational wave detectors often require a large dynamic range interferometric position readout of test masses with 1 pm/√Hz precision over long time scales. Heterodyne interferometer schemes that achieve such precisions are available, but they require complex optical set-ups, limiting their scalability for multiple channels. This article presents the first experimental results on deep frequency modulation interferometry, a new technique that combines sinusoidal laser frequency modulation in unequal arm length interferometers with a non-linear fit algorithm. We have tested the technique in a Michelson and a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer topology, respectively, demonstrated continuous phase tracking of a moving mirror and achieved a performance equivalent to a displacement sensitivity of 250 pm/Hz at 1 mHz between the phase measurements of two photodetectors monitoring the same optical signal. By performing time series fitting of the extracted interference signals, we measured that the linearity of the laser frequency modulation is on the order of 2% for the laser source used.

Experimental pain in the groin may refer into the lower abdomen: Implications to clinical assessments.

PubMed

Drew, M K; Palsson, T S; Hirata, R P; Izumi, M; Lovell, G; Welvaert, M; Chiarelli, P; Osmotherly, P G; Graven-Nielsen, T

2017-10-01

To investigate the effects of experimental adductor pain on the pain referral pattern, mechanical sensitivity and muscle activity during common clinical tests. Repeated-measures design. In two separate sessions, 15 healthy males received a hypertonic (painful) and isotonic (control) saline injection to either the adductor longus (AL) tendon to produce experimental groin pain or into the rectus femoris (RF) tendon as a painful control. Pain intensity was recorded on a visual analogue scale (VAS) with pain distribution indicated on body maps. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) were assessed bilaterally in the groin area. Electromyography (EMG) of relevant muscles was recorded during six provocation tests. PPT and EMG assessment were measured before, during and after experimental pain. Hypertonic saline induced higher VAS scores than isotonic saline (p<0.001), and a local pain distribution in 80% of participants. A proximal pain referral to the lower abdominal region in 33% (AL) and 7% (RF) of participants. Experimental pain (AL and RF) did not significantly alter PPT values or the EMG amplitude in groin or trunk muscles during provocation tests when forces were matched with baseline. This study demonstrates that AL tendon pain was distributed locally in the majority of participants but may refer to the lower abdomen. Experimental adductor pain did not significantly alter the mechanical sensitivity or muscle activity patterns. Copyright © 2017 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Failure to Confirm the Macrophage Electrophoretic Mobility Test in Cancer

PubMed Central

Forrester, J. A.; Dando, P. M.; Smith, W. J.; Turberville, C.

1977-01-01

A series of patients with a variety of histopathologically confirmed cancers have been examined using the MOD-MEM test as described by Pritchard et al. (1973). Despite the closest possible adherence to the experimental protocols recommended by these authors, no positive reactions to the test were observed in this series: neither were we able to demonstrate the release of a “macrophage-slowing factor” by a panel of normal donors when challenged with tubercle PPD. We conclude that the test has no present application to the diagnosis of cancer.

Experimental validation of an integrated controls-structures design methodology for a class of flexible space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maghami, Peiman G.; Gupta, Sandeep; Elliott, Kenny B.; Joshi, Suresh M.; Walz, Joseph E.

1994-01-01

This paper describes the first experimental validation of an optimization-based integrated controls-structures design methodology for a class of flexible space structures. The Controls-Structures-Interaction (CSI) Evolutionary Model, a laboratory test bed at Langley, is redesigned based on the integrated design methodology with two different dissipative control strategies. The redesigned structure is fabricated, assembled in the laboratory, and experimentally compared with the original test structure. Design guides are proposed and used in the integrated design process to ensure that the resulting structure can be fabricated. Experimental results indicate that the integrated design requires greater than 60 percent less average control power (by thruster actuators) than the conventional control-optimized design while maintaining the required line-of-sight performance, thereby confirming the analytical findings about the superiority of the integrated design methodology. Amenability of the integrated design structure to other control strategies is considered and evaluated analytically and experimentally. This work also demonstrates the capabilities of the Langley-developed design tool CSI DESIGN which provides a unified environment for structural and control design.

Nondestructive analysis and development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moslehy, Faissal A.

1993-01-01

This final report summarizes the achievements of project #4 of the NASA/UCF Cooperative Agreement from January 1990 to December 1992. The objectives of this project are to review NASA's NDE program at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and recommend means for enhancing the present testing capabilities through the use of improved or new technologies. During the period of the project, extensive development of a reliable nondestructive, non-contact vibration technique to determine and quantify the bond condition of the thermal protection system (TPS) tiles of the Space Shuttle Orbiter was undertaken. Experimental modal analysis (EMA) is used as a non-destructive technique for the evaluation of Space Shuttle thermal protection system (TPS) tile bond integrity. Finite element (FE) models for tile systems were developed and were used to generate their vibration characteristics (i.e. natural frequencies and mode shapes). Various TPS tile assembly configurations as well as different bond conditions were analyzed. Results of finite element analyses demonstrated a drop in natural frequencies and a change in mode shapes which correlate with both size and location of disbond. Results of experimental testing of tile panels correlated with FE results and demonstrated the feasibility of EMA as a viable technique for tile bond verification. Finally, testing performed on the Space Shuttle Columbia using a laser doppler velocimeter demonstrated the application of EMA, when combined with FE modeling, as a non-contact, non-destructive bond evaluation technique.

Stereochemical analysis of (+)-limonene using theoretical and experimental NMR and chiroptical data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinscheid, F.; Reinscheid, U. M.

2016-02-01

Using limonene as test molecule, the success and the limitations of three chiroptical methods (optical rotatory dispersion (ORD), electronic and vibrational circular dichroism, ECD and VCD) could be demonstrated. At quite low levels of theory (mpw1pw91/cc-pvdz, IEFPCM (integral equation formalism polarizable continuum model)) the experimental ORD values differ by less than 10 units from the calculated values. The modelling in the condensed phase still represents a challenge so that experimental NMR data were used to test for aggregation and solvent-solute interactions. After establishing a reasonable structural model, only the ECD spectra prediction showed a decisive dependence on the basis set: only augmented (in the case of Dunning's basis sets) or diffuse (in the case of Pople's basis sets) basis sets predicted the position and shape of the ECD bands correctly. Based on these result we propose a procedure to assign the absolute configuration (AC) of an unknown compound using the comparison between experimental and calculated chiroptical data.

A microprocessor-based table lookup approach for magnetic bearing linearization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Groom, N. J.; Miller, J. B.

1981-01-01

An approach for producing a linear transfer characteristic between force command and force output of a magnetic bearing actuator without flux biasing is presented. The approach is microprocessor based and uses a table lookup to generate drive signals for the magnetic bearing power driver. An experimental test setup used to demonstrate the feasibility of the approach is described, and test results are presented. The test setup contains bearing elements similar to those used in a laboratory model annular momentum control device.

Experimental investigation of connection performance for prefabricated timber beam

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesmana, C.; Suhendi, S.

2017-06-01

This paper presents an investigation of connection performance for a simple supported prefabricated timber beams using Meranti hardwood (Shorea sp.). The good connection is crucial for the proper functioning of the timber structures. The adequate connection condition should be assured to achieve the requirement capacity design and performance of the system. The property of material was tested according to [1]. The proposed design of bolted connections has been evaluated through experimental investigation and compared to the simple supported beam without connection. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed connection design although the ultimate load of the beam with connection is only half of the beam without connection. The test results obtained the purposed connection should be improved.

Angular velocity estimation from measurement vectors of star tracker.

PubMed

Liu, Hai-bo; Yang, Jun-cai; Yi, Wen-jun; Wang, Jiong-qi; Yang, Jian-kun; Li, Xiu-jian; Tan, Ji-chun

2012-06-01

In most spacecraft, there is a need to know the craft's angular rate. Approaches with least squares and an adaptive Kalman filter are proposed for estimating the angular rate directly from the star tracker measurements. In these approaches, only knowledge of the vector measurements and sampling interval is required. The designed adaptive Kalman filter can filter out noise without information of the dynamic model and inertia dyadic. To verify the proposed estimation approaches, simulations based on the orbit data of the challenging minisatellite payload (CHAMP) satellite and experimental tests with night-sky observation are performed. Both the simulations and experimental testing results have demonstrated that the proposed approach performs well in terms of accuracy, robustness, and performance.

Very Low Thrust Gaseous Oxygen-hydrogen Rocket Engine Ignition Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bjorklund, Roy A.

1983-01-01

An experimental program was performed to determine the minimum energy per spark for reliable and repeatable ignition of gaseous oxygen (GO2) and gaseous hydrogen (GH2) in very low thrust 0.44 to 2.22-N (0.10 to 0.50-lb sub f) rocket engines or spacecraft and satellite attitude control systems (ACS) application. Initially, the testing was conducted at ambient conditions, with the results subsequently verified under vacuum conditions. An experimental breadboard electrical exciter that delivered 0.2 to 0.3 mj per spark was developed and demonstrated by repeated ignitions of a 2.22-N (0.50-lb sub f) thruster in a vacuum chamber with test durations up to 30 min.

Experimental contextuality in classical light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Tao; Zeng, Qiang; Song, Xinbing; Zhang, Xiangdong

2017-03-01

The Klyachko, Can, Binicioglu, and Shumovsky (KCBS) inequality is an important contextuality inequality in three-level system, which has been demonstrated experimentally by using quantum states. Using the path and polarization degrees of freedom of classical optics fields, we have constructed the classical trit (cetrit), tested the KCBS inequality and its geometrical form (Wright’s inequality) in this work. The projection measurement has been implemented, the clear violations of the KCBS inequality and its geometrical form have been observed. This means that the contextuality inequality, which is commonly used in test of the conflict between quantum theory and noncontextual realism, may be used as a quantitative tool in classical optical coherence to describe correlation characteristics of the classical fields.

Quantum control and quantum tomography on neutral atom qudits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sosa Martinez, Hector

Neutral atom systems are an appealing platform for the development and testing of quantum control and measurement techniques. This dissertation presents experimental investigations of control and measurement tools using as a testbed the 16-dimensional hyperfine manifold associated with the electronic ground state of cesium atoms. On the control side, we present an experimental realization of a protocol to implement robust unitary transformations in the presence of static and dynamic perturbations. We also present an experimental realization of inhomogeneous quantum control. Specifically, we demonstrate our ability to perform two different unitary transformations on atoms that see different light shifts from an optical addressing field. On the measurement side, we present experimental realizations of quantum state and process tomography. The state tomography project encompasses a comprehensive evaluation of several measurement strategies and state estimation algorithms. Our experimental results show that in the presence of experimental imperfections, there is a clear tradeoff between accuracy, efficiency and robustness in the reconstruction. The process tomography project involves an experimental demonstration of efficient reconstruction by using a set of intelligent probe states. Experimental results show that we are able to reconstruct unitary maps in Hilbert spaces with dimension ranging from d=4 to d=16. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a unitary process in d=16 is successfully reconstructed in the laboratory.

Experimental pretesting of public health campaigns: a case study.

PubMed

Whittingham, Jill; Ruiter, Robert A C; Zimbile, Filippo; Kok, Gerjo

2008-01-01

The aim of the present study is to demonstrate the merits of evaluating new public health campaign materials in the developmental phase using an experimental design. This is referred to as experimental pretesting. In practice, most new materials are tested only after they have been distributed using nonexperimental or quasiexperimental designs. In cases where materials are pretested prior to distribution, pretesting is usually done using qualitative research methods such as focus groups. Although these methods are useful, they cannot reliably predict the effectiveness of new campaign materials in a developmental phase. Therefore, we suggest when pretesting new materials, not only qualitative research methods but also experimental research methods must be used. The present study discusses an experimental pretest study of new campaign materials intended for distribution in a national sexually transmitted infection (STI) AIDS prevention campaign in the Netherlands. The campaign material tested was the storyline of a planned television commercial on safe sex. A storyboard that consisted of drawings and text was presented to members of the target population, namely, students between the ages of 14 and 16 enrolled in vocational schools. Results showed positive effects on targeted determinants of safe sexual behavior. The advantages, practical implications, and limitations of experimental pretesting are discussed.

Neural and Behavioral Evidence for the Role of Mental Simulation in Meaning in Life

PubMed Central

Waytz, Adam; Hershfield, Hal E; Tamir, Diana I

2014-01-01

Mental simulation, the process of self-projection into alternate temporal, spatial, social, or hypothetical realities is a distinctively human capacity. Numerous lines of research also suggest that the tendency for mental simulation is associated with enhanced meaning. The present research tests this association specifically examining the relationship between two forms of simulation (temporal and spatial) and meaning in life. Study 1 uses neuroimaging to demonstrate that enhanced connectivity in the medial temporal lobe network, a subnetwork of the brain’s default network implicated in prospection and retrospection, correlates with self-reported meaning in life. Study 2 demonstrates that experimentally inducing people to think about the past or future versus the present enhances self-reported meaning in life, through the generation of more meaningful events. Study 3 demonstrates that experimentally inducing people to think specifically versus generally about the past or future enhances self-reported meaning in life. Study 4 turns to spatial simulation to demonstrate that experimentally inducing people to think specifically about an alternate spatial location (from the present) increases meaning derived from this simulation compared to thinking generally about another location or specifically about one’s present location. Study 5 demonstrates that experimentally inducing people to think about an alternate spatial location versus one’s present location enhances meaning in life, through meaning derived from this simulation. Study 6 demonstrates that simply asking people to imagine completing a measure of meaning in life in an alternate location compared to asking them to do so in their present location enhances reports of meaning. This research sheds light on an important determinant of meaning in life and suggests that undirected mental simulation benefits psychological well-being. PMID:25603379

Durability testing at one atmosphere of advanced catalysts and catalyst supports for automotive gas turbine engine combustors, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heck, R. M.; Chang, M.; Hess, H.; Carrubba, R.

1977-01-01

The durability of catalysts and catalyst supports in a combustion environment was experimentally demonstrated. A test of 1000 hours duration was completed with two catalysts, using diesel fuel and operating at catalytically supported thermal combustion conditions. The performance of the catalysts was determined by monitoring emissions throughout the test, and by examining the physical condition of the catalyst core at the conclusion of the test. The test catalysts proved to be capable of low emissions operation after 1000 hours diesel aging, with no apparent physical degradation of the catalyst support.

Fiber-wireless integrated mobile backhaul network based on a hybrid millimeter-wave and free-space-optics architecture with an adaptive diversity combining technique.

PubMed

Zhang, Junwen; Wang, Jing; Xu, Yuming; Xu, Mu; Lu, Feng; Cheng, Lin; Yu, Jianjun; Chang, Gee-Kung

2016-05-01

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel fiber-wireless integrated mobile backhaul network based on a hybrid millimeter-wave (MMW) and free-space-optics (FSO) architecture using an adaptive combining technique. Both 60 GHz MMW and FSO links are demonstrated and fully integrated with optical fibers in a scalable and cost-effective backhaul system setup. Joint signal processing with an adaptive diversity combining technique (ADCT) is utilized at the receiver side based on a maximum ratio combining algorithm. Mobile backhaul transportation of 4-Gb/s 16 quadrature amplitude modulation frequency-division multiplexing (QAM-OFDM) data is experimentally demonstrated and tested under various weather conditions synthesized in the lab. Performance improvement in terms of reduced error vector magnitude (EVM) and enhanced link reliability are validated under fog, rain, and turbulence conditions.

A plane mirror experiment inspired by a comic strip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lúcio Prados Ribeiro, Jair

2016-01-01

A comic strip about a plane mirror was used in a high school optics test, and it was perceived that a large portion of the students believed that the mirror should be larger than the object so the virtual image could be entirely visible. Inspired on the comic strip, an experimental demonstration with flat mirrors was developed, in order to readdress this topic learning. Students were encouraged to create their own investigation of the phenomenon with a simple instrumental apparatus and also suggest different experimental approaches.

Strain and Structure Heterogeneity in MoS2 Atomic Layers Grown by Chemical Vapour Deposition

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-18

substrate and material. To better explain the experimental results and estimate the strain transferred to MoS2 layer under such tensile tests, a 3D... ACS Nano 7, 7126 7131 (2013). 29. He, K., Poole, C., Mak, K. F. & Shan, J. Experimental demonstration of continuous electronic structure tuning via...transition as it is thinned down from multi layer to monolayer, producing a significant enhancement of photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield as a result of the

Hawking radiation in an electromagnetic waveguide?

PubMed

Schützhold, Ralf; Unruh, William G

2005-07-15

It is demonstrated that the propagation of electromagnetic waves in an appropriately designed waveguide is (for large wavelengths) analogous to that within a curved space-time--such as around a black hole. As electromagnetic radiation (e.g., microwaves) can be controlled, amplified, and detected (with present-day technology) much easier than sound, for example, we propose a setup for the experimental verification of the Hawking effect. Apart from experimentally testing this striking prediction, this would facilitate the investigation of the trans-Planckian problem.

Comparison of real-life accidental falls in older people with experimental falls in middle-aged test subjects.

PubMed

Kangas, M; Vikman, I; Nyberg, L; Korpelainen, R; Lindblom, J; Jämsä, T

2012-03-01

Falling is a common accident among older people. Automatic fall detectors are one method of improving security. However, in most cases, fall detectors are designed and tested with data from experimental falls in younger people. This study is one of the first to provide fall-related acceleration data obtained from real-life falls. Wireless sensors were used to collect acceleration data during a six-month test period in older people. Data from five events representing forward falls, a sideways fall, a backwards fall, and a fall out of bed were collected and compared with experimental falls performed by middle-aged test subjects. The signals from real-life falls had similar features to those from intentional falls. Real-life forward, sideways and backward falls all showed a pre impact phase and an impact phase that were in keeping with the model that was based on experimental falls. In addition, the fall out of bed had a similar acceleration profile as the experimental falls of the same type. However, there were differences in the parameters that were used for the detection of the fall phases. The beginning of the fall was detected in all of the real-life falls starting from a standing posture, whereas the high pre impact velocity was not. In some real-life falls, multiple impacts suggested protective actions. In conclusion, this study demonstrated similarities between real-life falls of older people and experimental falls of middle-aged subjects. However, some fall characteristics detected from experimental falls were not detectable in acceleration signals from corresponding heterogeneous real-life falls. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Conceptual Study on Hypersonic Turbojet Experimental Vehicle (HYTEX)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taguchi, Hideyuki; Murakami, Akira; Sato, Tetsuya; Tsuchiya, Takeshi

Pre-cooled turbojet engines have been investigated aiming at realization of reusable space transportation systems and hypersonic airplanes. Evaluation methods of these engine performances have been established based on ground tests. There are some plans on the demonstration of hypersonic propulsion systems. JAXA focused on hypersonic propulsion systems as a key technology of hypersonic transport airplane. Demonstrations of Mach 5 class hypersonic technologies are stated as a development target at 2025 in the long term vision. In this study, systems analyses of hypersonic turbojet experiment (HYTEX) with Mach 5 flight capability is performed. Aerodynamic coefficients are obtained by CFD analyses and wind tunnel tests. Small Pre-cooled turbojet is fabricated and tested using liquid hydrogen as fuel. As a result, characteristics of the baseline vehicle shape is clarified, . and effects of pre-cooling are confirmed at the firing test.

Water vapor diffusion membranes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holland, F. F., Jr.; Smith, J. K.

1974-01-01

The program is reported, which was designed to define the membrane technology of the vapor diffusion water recovery process and to test this technology using commercially available or experimental membranes. One membrane was selected, on the basis of the defined technology, and was subjected to a 30-day demonstration trial.

Dual demodulation interferometer with two-wave mixing in GaAs photorefractive crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhenzhen, Zhang; Zhongqing, Jia; Guangrong, Ji; Qiwu, Wang

2018-07-01

A dual demodulation interferometer with two-wave mixing (TWM) in the GaAs photorefractive crystal (PRC) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The GaAs PRC has tiny temperature change under high voltage thus not requiring thermoelectric cooler (TEC) to stabilize the temperature, and adaptive to low frequency fluctuation below 200 Hz. The system is an unbalanced TWM interferometer, which could demodulate the phase change both space variation and wavelength shift induced by strain. Two demodulation modes' formulas are provided in theory respectively. Experimental results have been tested and compared with theoretical analysis, demonstrating that it is a practical and flexible system for detection of mechanical vibration or structure health monitoring (SHM) in engineering by selecting different demodulation mode.

Testing for entanglement with periodic coarse graining

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tasca, D. S.; Rudnicki, Łukasz; Aspden, R. S.; Padgett, M. J.; Souto Ribeiro, P. H.; Walborn, S. P.

2018-04-01

Continuous-variable systems find valuable applications in quantum information processing. To deal with an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space, one in general has to handle large numbers of discretized measurements in tasks such as entanglement detection. Here we employ the continuous transverse spatial variables of photon pairs to experimentally demonstrate entanglement criteria based on a periodic structure of coarse-grained measurements. The periodization of the measurements allows an efficient evaluation of entanglement using spatial masks acting as mode analyzers over the entire transverse field distribution of the photons and without the need to reconstruct the probability densities of the conjugate continuous variables. Our experimental results demonstrate the utility of the derived criteria with a success rate in entanglement detection of ˜60 % relative to 7344 studied cases.

Experimental demonstration of a 5th harmonic mm-wave frequency multiplying vacuum tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toufexis, Filippos; Tantawi, Sami G.; Jensen, Aaron; Dolgashev, Valery A.; Haase, Andrew; Fazio, Michael V.; Borchard, Philipp

2017-06-01

We report the experimental demonstration of a 5th harmonic mm-wave frequency multiplying vacuum electronic device, which uses an over-moded spherical sector output cavity. In this device, a pencil electron beam is helically deflected in a transverse deflecting cavity before entering the output cavity. No magnetic field is required to focus or guide the beam. We built and tested a proof-of-principle device with an output frequency of 57.12 GHz. The measured peak power was 52.67 W at the 5th harmonic of the drive frequency. Power at the 4th, 6th, and 7th harmonics was 33.28 dB lower than that at the 5th harmonic.

Experimental demonstration of a 5th harmonic mm-wave frequency multiplying vacuum tube

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

Toufexis, Filippos; Tantawi, Sami G.; Jensen, Aaron

Here, we report the experimental demonstration of a 5th harmonic mm-wave frequency multiplying vacuum electronic device, which uses an over-moded spherical sector output cavity. In this device, a pencil electron beam is helically deflected in a transverse deflecting cavity before entering the output cavity. No magnetic field is required to focus or guide the beam. We built and tested a proof-of-principle device with an output frequency of 57.12 GHz. The measured peak power was 52.67 W at the 5th harmonic of the drive frequency. Power at the 4th, 6th, and 7th harmonics was 33.28 dB lower than that at themore » 5th harmonic.« less

Experimental demonstration of a 5th harmonic mm-wave frequency multiplying vacuum tube

DOE PAGES

Toufexis, Filippos; Tantawi, Sami G.; Jensen, Aaron; ...

2017-06-26

Here, we report the experimental demonstration of a 5th harmonic mm-wave frequency multiplying vacuum electronic device, which uses an over-moded spherical sector output cavity. In this device, a pencil electron beam is helically deflected in a transverse deflecting cavity before entering the output cavity. No magnetic field is required to focus or guide the beam. We built and tested a proof-of-principle device with an output frequency of 57.12 GHz. The measured peak power was 52.67 W at the 5th harmonic of the drive frequency. Power at the 4th, 6th, and 7th harmonics was 33.28 dB lower than that at themore » 5th harmonic.« less

A Theoretical Investigation of Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel (COPV) Mechanics Applied to NASA Full Scale Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thesken, John C.; Murthy, Pappu L. N.; Phoenix, S. L.; Greene, N.; Palko, Joseph L.; Eldridge, Jeffrey; Sutter, James; Saulsberry, R.; Beeson, H.

2009-01-01

A theoretical investigation of the factors controlling the stress rupture life of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) continues. Kevlar (DuPont) fiber overwrapped tanks are of particular concern due to their long usage and the poorly understood stress rupture process in Kevlar filaments. Existing long term data show that the rupture process is a function of stress, temperature and time. However due to the presence of a load sharing liner, the manufacturing induced residual stresses and the complex mechanical response, the state of actual fiber stress in flight hardware and test articles is not clearly known. This paper is a companion to a previously reported experimental investigation and develops a theoretical framework necessary to design full-scale pathfinder experiments and accurately interpret the experimentally observed deformation and failure mechanisms leading up to static burst in COPVs. The fundamental mechanical response of COPVs is described using linear elasticity and thin shell theory and discussed in comparison to existing experimental observations. These comparisons reveal discrepancies between physical data and the current analytical results and suggest that the vessel s residual stress state and the spatial stress distribution as a function of pressure may be completely different from predictions based upon existing linear elastic analyses. The 3D elasticity of transversely isotropic spherical shells demonstrates that an overly compliant transverse stiffness relative to membrane stiffness can account for some of this by shifting a thin shell problem well into the realm of thick shell response. The use of calibration procedures are demonstrated as calibrated thin shell model results and finite element results are shown to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The successes reported here have lead to continuing work with full scale testing of larger NASA COPV hardware.

The Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Experiment Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israel, Dave

2017-01-01

This paper elaborates on the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Experiment Program, which will engage in a number of pre-determined experiments and also call upon a wide variety of experimenters to test new laser communications technology and techniques, and to gather valuable data. LCRD is a joint project between NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL). LCRD will test the functionality in various settings and scenarios of optical communications links from a GEO payload to ground stations in Southern California and Hawaii over a two-year period following launch in 2019. The LCRD investigator team will execute numerous experiments to test critical aspects of laser communications activities over real links and systems, collecting data on the effects of atmospheric turbulence and weather on performance and communications availability. LCRD will also incorporate emulations of target scenarios, including direct-to-Earth (DTE) links from user spacecraft and optical relay providers supporting user spacecraft. To supplement and expand upon the results of these experiments, the project also includes a Guest Experimenters Program, which encourages individuals and groups from government agencies, academia and industry to propose diverse experiment ideas.

The Laser Communications Relay Demonstration Experiment Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israel, David J.; Edwards, Bernard L.; Moores, John D.; Piazzolla, Sabino; Merritt, Scott

2017-01-01

This paper elaborates on the Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Experiment Program, which will engage in a number of pre-determined experiments and also call upon a wide variety of experimenters to test new laser communications technology and techniques, and to gather valuable data. LCRD is a joint project between NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL). LCRD will test the functionality in various settings and scenarios of optical communications links from a GEO (Geosynchronous Earth Orbit) payload to ground stations in Southern California and Hawaii over a two-year period following launch in 2019. The LCRD investigator team will execute numerous experiments to test critical aspects of laser communications activities over real links and systems, collecting data on the effects of atmospheric turbulence and weather on performance and communications availability. LCRD will also incorporate emulations of target scenarios, including direct-to-Earth (DTE) links from user spacecraft and optical relay providers supporting user spacecraft. To supplement and expand upon the results of these experiments, the project also includes a Guest Experimenters Program, which encourages individuals and groups from government agencies, academia and industry to propose diverse experiment ideas.

Duct flow nonuniformities study for space shuttle main engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thoenes, J.

1985-01-01

To improve the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) design and for future use in the development of generation rocket engines, a combined experimental/analytical study was undertaken with the goals of first, establishing an experimental data base for the flow conditions in the SSME high pressure fuel turbopump (HPFTP) hot gas manifold (HGM) and, second, setting up a computer model of the SSME HGM flow field. Using the test data to verify the computer model it should be possible in the future to computationally scan contemplated advanced design configurations and limit costly testing to the most promising design. The effort of establishing and using the computer model is detailed. The comparison of computational results and experimental data observed clearly demonstrate that computational fluid mechanics (CFD) techniques can be used successfully to predict the gross features of three dimensional fluid flow through configurations as intricate as the SSME turbopump hot gas manifold.

Towards optimal experimental tests on the reality of the quantum state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knee, George C.

2017-02-01

The Barrett-Cavalcanti-Lal-Maroney (BCLM) argument stands as the most effective means of demonstrating the reality of the quantum state. Its advantages include being derived from very few assumptions, and a robustness to experimental error. Finding the best way to implement the argument experimentally is an open problem, however, and involves cleverly choosing sets of states and measurements. I show that techniques from convex optimisation theory can be leveraged to numerically search for these sets, which then form a recipe for experiments that allow for the strongest statements about the ontology of the wavefunction to be made. The optimisation approach presented is versatile, efficient and can take account of the finite errors present in any real experiment. I find significantly improved low-cardinality sets which are guaranteed partially optimal for a BCLM test in low Hilbert space dimension. I further show that mixed states can be more optimal than pure states.

Evaluation of substrate noise suppression method to mitigate crosstalk among trough-silicon vias

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Araga, Yuuki; Kikuchi, Katsuya; Aoyagi, Masahiro

2018-04-01

Substrate noise from a single through-silicon via (TSV) and the noise attenuation by a substrate tap and a guard ring are clarified. A CMOS test vehicle is designed, and 6-µm-diameter TSVs are manufactured on a 20-µm-thick silicon substrate by the via-last method. An on-chip waveform-capturing circuitry is embedded in the test vehicle to capture transient waveforms of substrate noise. The embedded waveform-capturing circuitry demonstrates small and local noise propagation. Experimental results show increased substrate noise level induced by TSVs and the effectiveness of the substrate tap and guard ring for mitigating the crosstalk among TSVs. An analytical model to explain substrate noise propagation is developed to validate experimental results. Results obtained using the substrate model with a multilayer mesh shows good consistency with experimental results, indicating that the model can be used for examination of noise suppression methods.

Response of Composite Fuselage Sandwich Side Panels Subjected to Internal Pressure and Axial Tension

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rouse, Marshall; Ambur, Damodar R.; Dopker, Bernard; Shah, Bharat

1998-01-01

The results from an experimental and analytical study of two composite sandwich fuselage side panels for a transport aircraft are presented. Each panel has two window cutouts and three frames and utilizes a distinctly different structural concept. These panels have been evaluated with internal pressure loads that generate biaxial tension loading conditions. Design limit load and design ultimate load tests have been performed on both panels. One of the sandwich panels was tested with the middle frame removed to demonstrate the suitability of this two-frame design for supporting the prescribed biaxial loading conditions with twice the initial frame spacing of 20 inches. A damage tolerance study was conducted on the two-frame panel by cutting a notch in the panel that originates at the edge of a cutout and extends in the panel hoop direction through the window-belt area. This panel with a notch was tested in a combined-load condition to demonstrate the structural damage tolerance at the design limit load condition. Both the sandwich panel designs successfully satisfied all desired load requirements in the experimental part of the study, and experimental results from the two-frame panel with and without damage are fully explained by the analytical results. The results of this study suggest that there is potential for using sandwich structural concepts with greater than the usual 20-in. wide frame spacing to further reduce aircraft fuselage structural weight.

Development and Certification of Station Development Test Objective (SDTO) Experiment # 15012-U, "Near RealTime Water Quality Monitoring Demonstration for ISS Biocides Using Colorimetric Solid Phase Extraction (CSPE)"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gazda, Daniel B.; Nolan, Daniel J.; Rutz, Jeffrey A.; Shcultz, John R.; Siperko, Lorraine M.; Porter, Marc D,; Lipert, Robert J.; Limardo, Jose G.; McCoy, J. Torin

2009-01-01

Scientists and engineers from the Wyle Integrated Science and Engineering Group are working with researchers at the University of Utah and Iowa State University to develop and certify an experimental water quality monitoring kit based on Colorimetric Solid Phase Extraction (CSPE). The kit will be launched as a Station Development Test Objective (SDTO) experiment and evaluated on the International Space Station (ISS) to determine the acceptability of CSPE technology for routine inflight water quality monitoring. Iodine and silver, the biocides used in the US and Russian on-orbit water systems, will serve as test analytes for the technology evaluation. This manuscript provides an overview of the CSPE SDTO experiment and details the development and certification of the experimental water quality monitoring kit. Initial results from reagent and standard solution stability testing and environmental testing performed on the kit hardware are also reported.

Evaluation and Analysis of F-16XL Wind Tunnel Data From Static and Dynamic Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Sungwan; Murphy, Patrick C.; Klein, Vladislav

2004-01-01

A series of wind tunnel tests were conducted in the NASA Langley Research Center as part of an ongoing effort to develop and test mathematical models for aircraft rigid-body aerodynamics in nonlinear unsteady flight regimes. Analysis of measurement accuracy, especially for nonlinear dynamic systems that may exhibit complicated behaviors, is an essential component of this ongoing effort. In this report, tools for harmonic analysis of dynamic data and assessing measurement accuracy are presented. A linear aerodynamic model is assumed that is appropriate for conventional forced-oscillation experiments, although more general models can be used with these tools. Application of the tools to experimental data is demonstrated and results indicate the levels of uncertainty in output measurements that can arise from experimental setup, calibration procedures, mechanical limitations, and input errors.

Nonlinear acoustics experimental characterization of microstructure evolution in Inconel 617

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Xiaochu; Liu, Yang; Lissenden, Cliff J.

2014-02-01

Inconel 617 is a candidate material for the intermediate heat exchanger in a very high temperature reactor for the next generation nuclear power plant. This application will require the material to withstand fatigue-ratcheting interaction at temperatures up to 950°C. Therefore nondestructive evaluation and structural health monitoring are important capabilities. Acoustic nonlinearity (which is quantified in terms of a material parameter, the acoustic nonlinearity parameter, β) has been proven to be sensitive to microstructural changes in material. This research develops a robust experimental procedure to track the evolution of damage precursors in laboratory tested Inconel 617 specimens using ultrasonic bulk waves. The results from the acoustic non-linear tests are compared with stereoscope surface damage results. Therefore, the relationship between acoustic nonlinearity and microstructural evaluation can be clearly demonstrated for the specimens tested.

Catalytic ignition of hydrogen and oxygen propellants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zurawski, Robert L.; Green, James M.

1988-01-01

An experimental program was conducted to evaluate the catalytic ignition of gaseous hydrogen and oxygen propellants. Shell 405 granular catalyst and a monolithic sponge catalyst were tested. Mixture ratio, mass flow rate, propellant temperature, and back pressure were varied parametrically in testing to determine the operational limits of the catalytic igniter. The test results show that the gaseous hydrogen and oxygen propellant combination can be ignited catalytically using Shell 405 catalyst over a wide range of mixture ratios, mass flow rates, and propellant injection temperatures. These operating conditions must be optimized to ensure reliable ignition for an extended period of time. A cyclic life of nearly 2000, 2 sec pulses at nominal operating conditions was demonstrated with the catalytic igniter. The results of the experimental program and the established operational limits for a catalytic igniter using the Shell 405 catalysts are presented.

Catalytic ignition of hydrogen and oxygen propellants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zurawski, Robert L.; Green, James M.

1988-01-01

An experimental program was conducted to evaluate the catalytic ignition of gaseous hydrogen and oxygen propellants. Shell 405 granular catalyst and a monolithic sponge catalyst were tested. Mixture ratio, mass flow rate, propellant temperature, and back pressure were varied parametrically in testing to determine the operational limits of the catalytic igniter. The test results show that the gaseous hydrogen and oxygen propellant combination can be ignited catalytically using Shell 405 catalyst over a wide range of mixture ratios, mass flow rates, and propellant injection temperatures. These operating conditions must be optimized to ensure reliable ignition for an extended period of time. A cyclic life of nearly 2000, 2 sec pulses at nominal operating conditions was demonstrated with the catalytic igniter. The results of the experimental program and the established operational limits for a catalytic igniter using the Shell 405 catalyst are presented.

Experimental study on natural circulation precooling of cryogenic pump system with gas phase inlet reflux configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, G. B.; Zhong, Y. K.; Zheng, X. L.; Li, Q. F.; Xie, X. M.; Gan, Z. H.; Huang, Y. H.; Tang, K.; Kong, B.; Qiu, L. M.

2003-12-01

A novel gas-phase inlet configuration in the natural circulation system instead of the liquid-phase inlet is introduced to cool down a cryogenic pump system from room temperature to cryogenic temperatures, effectively. The experimental apparatus is illustrated and test process is described. Heat transfer and pressure drop data during the cool-down process are recorded and portrayed. By contrast with liquid-phase inlet configuration, experimental results demonstrate that the natural circulation with the gas-phase inlet configuration is an easier and more controllable way to cool down the pump system and maintain it at cryogenic temperatures.

Risk as Feelings in the Effect of Patient Outcomes on Physicians' Subsequent Treatment Decisions: A Randomized Trial and Manipulation Validation

PubMed Central

Hemmerich, Joshua A; Elstein, Arthur S; Schwarze, Margaret L; Moliski, Elizabeth G; Dale, William

2013-01-01

The present study tested predictions derived from the Risk as Feelings hypothesis about the effects of prior patients' negative treatment outcomes on physicians' subsequent treatment decisions. Two experiments at The University of Chicago, U.S.A., utilized a computer simulation of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patient with enhanced realism to present participants with one of three experimental conditions: AAA rupture causing a watchful waiting death (WWD), perioperative death (PD), or a successful operation (SO), as well as the statistical treatment guidelines for AAA. Experiment 1 tested effects of these simulated outcomes on (n=76) laboratory participants' (university student sample) self-reported emotions, and their ratings of valence and arousal of the AAA rupture simulation and other emotion inducing picture stimuli. Experiment 2 tested two hypotheses: 1) that experiencing a patient WWD in the practice trial's experimental condition would lead physicians to choose surgery earlier, and 2) experiencing a patient PD would lead physicians to choose surgery later with the next patient. Experiment 2 presented (n=132) physicians (surgeons and geriatricians) with the same experimental manipulation and a second simulated AAA patient. Physicians then chose to either go to surgery or continue watchful waiting. The results of Experiment 1 demonstrated that the WWD experimental condition significantly increased anxiety, and was rated similarly to other negative and arousing pictures. The results of Experiment 2 demonstrated that, after controlling for demographics, baseline anxiety, intolerance for uncertainty, risk attitudes, and the influence of simulation characteristics, the WWD experimental condition significantly expedited decisions to choose surgery for the next patient. The results support the Risk as Feelings hypothesis on physicians' treatment decisions in a realistic AAA patient computer simulation. Bad outcomes affected emotions and decisions, even with statistical AAA rupture risk guidance present. These results suggest that bad patient outcomes cause physicians to experience anxiety and regret that influences their subsequent treatment decision-making for the next patient. PMID:22571890

Risk as feelings in the effect of patient outcomes on physicians' future treatment decisions: a randomized trial and manipulation validation.

PubMed

Hemmerich, Joshua A; Elstein, Arthur S; Schwarze, Margaret L; Moliski, Elizabeth Ghini; Dale, William

2012-07-01

The present study tested predictions derived from the Risk as Feelings hypothesis about the effects of prior patients' negative treatment outcomes on physicians' subsequent treatment decisions. Two experiments at The University of Chicago, U.S.A., utilized a computer simulation of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patient with enhanced realism to present participants with one of three experimental conditions: AAA rupture causing a watchful waiting death (WWD), perioperative death (PD), or a successful operation (SO), as well as the statistical treatment guidelines for AAA. Experiment 1 tested effects of these simulated outcomes on (n = 76) laboratory participants' (university student sample) self-reported emotions, and their ratings of valence and arousal of the AAA rupture simulation and other emotion-inducing picture stimuli. Experiment 2 tested two hypotheses: 1) that experiencing a patient WWD in the practice trial's experimental condition would lead physicians to choose surgery earlier, and 2) experiencing a patient PD would lead physicians to choose surgery later with the next patient. Experiment 2 presented (n = 132) physicians (surgeons and geriatricians) with the same experimental manipulation and a second simulated AAA patient. Physicians then chose to either go to surgery or continue watchful waiting. The results of Experiment 1 demonstrated that the WWD experimental condition significantly increased anxiety, and was rated similarly to other negative and arousing pictures. The results of Experiment 2 demonstrated that, after controlling for demographics, baseline anxiety, intolerance for uncertainty, risk attitudes, and the influence of simulation characteristics, the WWD experimental condition significantly expedited decisions to choose surgery for the next patient. The results support the Risk as Feelings hypothesis on physicians' treatment decisions in a realistic AAA patient computer simulation. Bad outcomes affected emotions and decisions, even with statistical AAA rupture risk guidance present. These results suggest that bad patient outcomes cause physicians to experience anxiety and regret that influences their subsequent treatment decision-making for the next patient. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Artificial intelligence in process control: Knowledge base for the shuttle ECS model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stiffler, A. Kent

1989-01-01

The general operation of KATE, an artificial intelligence controller, is outlined. A shuttle environmental control system (ECS) demonstration system for KATE is explained. The knowledge base model for this system is derived. An experimental test procedure is given to verify parameters in the model.

Traditional Labs + New Questions = Improved Student Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rezba, Richard J.; And Others

1992-01-01

Presents three typical lab activities involving the breathing rate of fish, the behavior of electromagnets, and tests for water hardness to demonstrate how labs can be modified to teach process skills. Discusses how basic concepts about experimentation are developed and ways of generating and improving science experiments. Includes a laboratory…

A Combustion Model for the TWA 800 Center-Wing Fuel Tank Explosion

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

Baer, M.R.; Gross, R.J.

1998-10-02

In support of the National Transportation Safety Board investigation of the TWA Flight 800 accident, a combined experimental/computational effort was conducted that focused on quarter-scale testing and simulation of the fuel-air explosion in the Boeing 747 center wing fuel tank. This report summarizes the modeling approach used at Sandia National Laboratories. In this approach approximations are introduced that capture the essential physics associated with turbulent flame propagation in multiple compartment fuel tanks. This model efficiently defines the pressure loading conditions during a jet-fuel air explosion in a fuel tank confinement. Modeling calculations compare favorably with a variety of experimental quarter-scalemore » tests conducted in rigid confinement. The modeling describes well the overpressure history in several geometry configurations. Upon demonstrating a reasonable comparison to experimental observations, a parametric study of eight possible ignition sources is then discussed. Model calculations demonstrate that different loading conditions arise as the location of the ignition event is varied. By comparing the inferred damage and calculated impulses to that seen in the recovered tank, it maybe possible to reduce the number of likely sources. A possible extension of this work to better define tank damage includes coupling the combustion model as a pressure loading routine for structural failure analysis.« less

Using Microwave and Macroscopic Samples of Dielectric Solids to Study the Photonic Properties of Disordered Photonic Bandgap Materials

PubMed Central

Hashemizad, Seyed Reza; Tsitrin, Sam; Yadak, Polin; He, Yingquan; Cuneo, Daniel; Williamson, Eric Paul; Liner, Devin; Man, Weining

2014-01-01

Recently, disordered photonic materials have been suggested as an alternative to periodic crystals for the formation of a complete photonic bandgap (PBG). In this article we will describe the methods for constructing and characterizing macroscopic disordered photonic structures using microwaves. The microwave regime offers the most convenient experimental sample size to build and test PBG media. Easily manipulated dielectric lattice components extend flexibility in building various 2D structures on top of pre-printed plastic templates. Once built, the structures could be quickly modified with point and line defects to make freeform waveguides and filters. Testing is done using a widely available Vector Network Analyzer and pairs of microwave horn antennas. Due to the scale invariance property of electromagnetic fields, the results we obtained in the microwave region can be directly applied to infrared and optical regions. Our approach is simple but delivers exciting new insight into the nature of light and disordered matter interaction. Our representative results include the first experimental demonstration of the existence of a complete and isotropic PBG in a two-dimensional (2D) hyperuniform disordered dielectric structure. Additionally we demonstrate experimentally the ability of this novel photonic structure to guide electromagnetic waves (EM) through freeform waveguides of arbitrary shape. PMID:25285416

Development of a full-scale transmission testing procedure to evaluate advanced lubricants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewicki, David G.; Decker, Harry J.; Shimski, John T.

1992-01-01

Experimental tests were performed on the OH-58A helicopter main rotor transmission in the NASA Lewis 500-hp Helicopter Transmission Test Stand. The testing was part of a joint Navy/NASA/Army lubrication program. The objective of the program was to develop a separate lubricant for gearboxes and demonstrate an improved performance in life and load-carrying capacity. The goal of the experiments was to develop a testing procedure to fail certain transmission components using a MIL-L-23699 base reference oil, then run identical tests with improved lubricants and demonstrate performance. The tests were directed at failing components that the Navy has had problems with due to marginal lubrication. These failures included mast shaft bearing micropitting, sun gear and planet bearing fatigue, and spiral bevel gear scoring. A variety of tests were performed and over 900 hours of total run time accumulated for these tests. Some success was achieved in developing a testing procedure to produce sun gear and planet bearing fatigue failures. Only marginal success was achieved in producing mast shaft bearing micropitting and spiral bevel gear scoring.

Inducer Hydrodynamic Forces in a Cavitating Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skelley, Stephen E.

2004-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center has developed and demonstrated a measurement device for sensing and resolving the hydrodynamic loads on fluid machinery. The device - a derivative of the six-component wind tunnel balance - senses the forces and moments on the rotating device through a weakened shaft section instrumented with a series of strain gauges. This rotating balance was designed to directly measure the steady and unsteady hydrodynamic loads on an inducer, thereby defining the amplitude and frequency content associated with operating in various cavitation modes. The rotating balance was calibrated statically using a dead-weight load system in order to generate the 6 x 12 calibration matrix later used to convert measured voltages to engineering units. Structural modeling suggested that the rotating assembly first bending mode would be significantly reduced with the balance s inclusion. This reduction in structural stiffness was later confirmed experimentally with a hammer-impact test. This effect, coupled with the relatively large damping associated with the rotating balance waterproofing material, limited the device s bandwidth to approximately 50 Hertz Other pre-test validations included sensing the test article rotating assembly built-in imbalance for two configurations and directly measuring the assembly mass and buoyancy while submerged under water. Both tests matched predictions and confirmed the device s sensitivity while stationary and rotating. The rotating balance was then demonstrated in a water test of a full-scale Space Shuttle Main Engine high-pressure liquid oxygen pump inducer. Experimental data was collected a scaled operating conditions at three flow coefficients across a range of cavitation numbers for the single inducer geometry and radial clearance. Two distinct cavitation modes were observed symmetric tip vortex cavitation and alternate-blade cavitation. Although previous experimental tests on the same inducer demonstrated two additional cavitation modes at lower inlet pressures, these conditions proved unreachable with the rotating balance installed due to the intense dynamic environment. The sensed radial load was less influenced by flow coefficient than by cavitation number or cavitation mode although the flow coefficient range was relatively narrow. Transition from symmetric tip vortex to alternate-blade cavitation corresponded to changes in both radial load magnitude and radial load orientation relative to the inducer. Sensed moments indicated that the effective load center moved downstream during this change in cavitation mode. An occurrence of "higher+rdex cavitation" was also detected in both the stationary pressures and the rotating balance data although the frequency of the phenomena was well above the reliable bandwidth of the rotating balance. In summary the experimental tests proved both the concept and device s capability despite the limitations and confirmed that hydrodynamically-induced forces and moments develop in response to the unbalanced pressure field, which is, in turn, a product of the cavitation environment.

Optical testing using the transport-of-intensity equation.

PubMed

Dorrer, C; Zuegel, J D

2007-06-11

The transport-of-intensity equation links the intensity and phase of an optical source to the longitudinal variation of its intensity in the presence of Fresnel diffraction. This equation can be used to provide a simple, accurate spatial-phase measurement for optical testing of flat surfaces. The properties of this approach are derived. The experimental demonstration is performed by quantifying the surface variations induced by the magnetorheological finishing process on laser rods.

WEDGE ABSORBERS FOR MUON COOLING WITH A TEST BEAM AT MICE

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

Neuffer, David; Acosta, J.; Summers, D.

2016-10-18

Emittance exchange mediated by wedge absorbers is required for longitudinal ionization cooling and for final transverse emittance minimization for a muon collider. A wedge absorber within the MICE beam line could serve as a demonstration of the type of emittance exchange needed for 6-D cooling, including the configurations needed for muon colliders. Parameters for this test are explored in simulation and possible experimental configurations with simulated results are presented.

General aviation crash safety program at Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomson, R. G.

1976-01-01

The purpose of the crash safety program is to support development of the technology to define and demonstrate new structural concepts for improved crash safety and occupant survivability in general aviation aircraft. The program involves three basic areas of research: full-scale crash simulation testing, nonlinear structural analyses necessary to predict failure modes and collapse mechanisms of the vehicle, and evaluation of energy absorption concepts for specific component design. Both analytical and experimental methods are being used to develop expertise in these areas. Analyses include both simplified procedures for estimating energy absorption capabilities and more complex computer programs for analysis of general airframe response. Full-scale tests of typical structures as well as tests on structural components are being used to verify the analyses and to demonstrate improved design concepts.

The 2010 Field Demonstration of the Solar Carbothermal Reduction of Regolith to Produce Oxygen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gustafson, R. J.; White, B. C.; Fidler, M. J.; Muscatello, Anthony C.

2010-01-01

The Moon and other space exploration destinations are comprised of a variety of oxygen-bearing minerals, providing a virtually unlimited quantity of raw material which can be processed to produce oxygen. One attractive method to extract oxygen from the regolith is the carbothermal reduction process, which is not sensitive to variations in the mineral composition of the regolith. It also creates other valuable resources within the processed regolith, such as iron and silicon metals. Using funding from NASA, ORBITEC recently built and tested the Carbothermal Regolith Reduction Module to process lunar regolith simulants using concentrated solar energy. This paper summarizes the experimental test results obtained during a demonstration of the system at a lunar analog test site on the Mauna Kea volcano on Hawaii in February 2010.

Engineering platform and experimental protocol for design and evaluation of a neurally-controlled powered transfemoral prosthesis.

PubMed

Zhang, Fan; Liu, Ming; Harper, Stephen; Lee, Michael; Huang, He

2014-07-22

To enable intuitive operation of powered artificial legs, an interface between user and prosthesis that can recognize the user's movement intent is desired. A novel neural-machine interface (NMI) based on neuromuscular-mechanical fusion developed in our previous study has demonstrated a great potential to accurately identify the intended movement of transfemoral amputees. However, this interface has not yet been integrated with a powered prosthetic leg for true neural control. This study aimed to report (1) a flexible platform to implement and optimize neural control of powered lower limb prosthesis and (2) an experimental setup and protocol to evaluate neural prosthesis control on patients with lower limb amputations. First a platform based on a PC and a visual programming environment were developed to implement the prosthesis control algorithms, including NMI training algorithm, NMI online testing algorithm, and intrinsic control algorithm. To demonstrate the function of this platform, in this study the NMI based on neuromuscular-mechanical fusion was hierarchically integrated with intrinsic control of a prototypical transfemoral prosthesis. One patient with a unilateral transfemoral amputation was recruited to evaluate our implemented neural controller when performing activities, such as standing, level-ground walking, ramp ascent, and ramp descent continuously in the laboratory. A novel experimental setup and protocol were developed in order to test the new prosthesis control safely and efficiently. The presented proof-of-concept platform and experimental setup and protocol could aid the future development and application of neurally-controlled powered artificial legs.

CFD Simulations of the Supersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (SIAD) Ballistic Range Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brock, Joseph; Stern, Eric; Wilder, Michael

2017-01-01

A series of ballistic range tests were performed on a scaled model of the Supersonic Flight Demonstration Test (SFDT) intended to test the Supersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (SIAD) geometry. The purpose of these experiments were to provide aerodynamic coefficients of the vehicle to aid in mission and vehicle design. The experimental data spans the moderate Mach number range, $3.8-2.0$, with a total angle of attack ($alpha_T$) range, $10o-20o$. These conditions are intended to span the Mach-$alpha$ space for the majority of the SFDT experiment. In an effort to validate the predictive capabilities of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) for free-flight aerodynamic behavior, numerical simulations of the ballistic range experiment are performed using the unstructured finite volume Navier-Stokes solver, US3D. Comparisons to raw vehicle attitude, and post-processed aerodynamic coefficients are made between simulated results and experimental data. The resulting comparisons for both raw model attitude and derived aerodynamic coefficients show good agreement with experimental results. Additionally, near body pressure field values for each trajectory simulated are investigated. Extracted surface and wake pressure data gives further insights into dynamic flow coupling leading to a potential mechanism for dynamic instability.

Regression rate study of porous axial-injection, endburning hybrid fuel grains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hitt, Matthew A.

This experimental and theoretical work examines the effects of gaseous oxidizer flow rates and pressure on the regression rates of porous fuels for hybrid rocket applications. Testing was conducted using polyethylene as the porous fuel and both gaseous oxygen and nitrous oxide as the oxidizer. Nominal test articles were tested using 200, 100, 50, and 15 micron fuel pore sizes. Pressures tested ranged from atmospheric to 1160 kPa for the gaseous oxygen tests and from 207 kPa to 1054 kPa for the nitrous oxide tests, and oxidizer injection velocities ranged from 35 m/s to 80 m/s for the gaseous oxygen tests and from 7.5 m/s to 16.8 m/s for the nitrous oxide tests. Regression rates were determined using pretest and posttest length measurements of the solid fuel. Experimental results demonstrated that the regression rate of the porous axial-injection, end-burning hybrid was a function of the chamber pressure, as opposed to the oxidizer mass flux typical in conventional hybrids. Regression rates ranged from approximately 0.75 mm/s at atmospheric pressure to 8.89 mm/s at 1160 kPa for the gaseous oxygen tests and 0.21 mm/s at 207 kPa to 1.44 mm/s at 1054 kPa for the nitrous oxide tests. The analytical model was developed based on a standard ablative model modified to include oxidizer flow through the grain. The heat transfer from the flame was primarily modeled using an empirically determined flame coefficient that included all heat transfer mechanisms in one term. An exploratory flame model based on the Granular Diffusion Flame model used for solid rocket motors was also adapted for comparison with the empirical flame coefficient. This model was then evaluated quantitatively using the experimental results of the gaseous oxygen tests as well as qualitatively using the experimental results of the nitrous oxide tests. The model showed agreement with the experimental results indicating it has potential for giving insight into the flame structure in this motor configuration. Results from the model suggested that both kinetic and diffusion processes could be relevant to the combustion depending on the chamber pressure.

Nonlinear Reduced-Order Simulation Using An Experimentally Guided Modal Basis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rizzi, Stephen A.; Przekop, Adam

2012-01-01

A procedure is developed for using nonlinear experimental response data to guide the modal basis selection in a nonlinear reduced-order simulation. The procedure entails using nonlinear acceleration response data to first identify proper orthogonal modes. Special consideration is given to cases in which some of the desired response data is unavailable. Bases consisting of linear normal modes are then selected to best represent the experimentally determined transverse proper orthogonal modes and either experimentally determined inplane proper orthogonal modes or the special case of numerically computed in-plane companions. The bases are subsequently used in nonlinear modal reduction and dynamic response simulations. The experimental data used in this work is simulated to allow some practical considerations, such as the availability of in-plane response data and non-idealized test conditions, to be explored. Comparisons of the nonlinear reduced-order simulations are made with the surrogate experimental data to demonstrate the effectiveness of the approach.

Experimental Validation of an Integrated Controls-Structures Design Methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maghami, Peiman G.; Gupta, Sandeep; Elliot, Kenny B.; Walz, Joseph E.

1996-01-01

The first experimental validation of an integrated controls-structures design methodology for a class of large order, flexible space structures is described. Integrated redesign of the controls-structures-interaction evolutionary model, a laboratory testbed at NASA Langley, was described earlier. The redesigned structure was fabricated, assembled in the laboratory, and experimentally tested against the original structure. Experimental results indicate that the structure redesigned using the integrated design methodology requires significantly less average control power than the nominal structure with control-optimized designs, while maintaining the required line-of-sight pointing performance. Thus, the superiority of the integrated design methodology over the conventional design approach is experimentally demonstrated. Furthermore, amenability of the integrated design structure to other control strategies is evaluated, both analytically and experimentally. Using Linear-Quadratic-Guassian optimal dissipative controllers, it is observed that the redesigned structure leads to significantly improved performance with alternate controllers as well.

Conducting Closed Habitation Experiments: Experience from the Lunar Mars Life Support Test Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barta, Daniel J.; Edeen, Marybeth A.; Henninger, Donald L.

2004-01-01

The Lunar-Mars Life Support Test Project (LMLSTP) was conducted from 1995 through 1997 at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration s (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) to demonstrate increasingly longer duration operation of integrated, closed-loop life support systems that employed biological and physicochemical techniques for water recycling, waste processing, air revitalization, thermal control, and food production. An analog environment for long-duration human space travel, the conditions of isolation and confinement also enabled studies of human factors, medical sciences (both physiology and psychology) and crew training. Four tests were conducted, Phases I, II, IIa and III, with durations of 15, 30,60 and 91 days, respectively. The first phase focused on biological air regeneration, using wheat to generate enough oxygen for one experimental subject. The systems demonstrated in the later phases were increasingly complex and interdependent, and provided life support for four crew members. The tests were conducted using two human-rated, atmospherically-closed test chambers, the Variable Pressure Growth Chamber (VPGC) and the Integrated Life Support Systems Test Facility (ILSSTF). Systems included test articles (the life support hardware under evaluation), human accommodations (living quarters, kitchen, exercise equipment, etc.) and facility systems (emergency matrix system, power, cooling, etc.). The test team was managed by a lead engineer and a test director, and included test article engineers responsible for specific systems, subsystems or test articles, test conductors, facility engineers, chamber operators and engineering technicians, medical and safety officers, and science experimenters. A crew selection committee, comprised of psychologists, engineers and managers involved in the test, evaluated male and female volunteers who applied to be test subjects. Selection was based on the skills mix anticipated for each particular test, and utilized information from psychological and medical testing, data on the knowledge, experience and skills of the applicants, and team building exercises. The design, development, buildup and operation of test hardware and documentation followed the established NASA processes and requirements for test buildup and operation.

Conducting Closed Habitation Experiments: Experience from the Lunar Mars Life Support Test Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barta, Daniel J.; Edeen, Marybeth A.; Henninger, Donald L.

2006-01-01

The Lunar-Mars Life Support Test Project (LMLSTP) was conducted from 1995 through 1997 at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration s (NASA) Johnson Space Center (JSC) to demonstrate increasingly longer duration operation of integrated, closed-loop life support systems that employed biological and physicochemical techniques for water recycling, waste processing, air revitalization, thermal control, and food production. An analog environment for long-duration human space travel, the conditions of isolation and confinement also enabled studies of human factors, medical sciences (both physiology and psychology) and crew training. Four tests were conducted, Phases I, II, IIa and III, with durations of 15, 30, 60 and 91 days, respectively. The first phase focused on biological air regeneration, using wheat to generate enough oxygen for one experimental subject. The systems demonstrated in the later phases were increasingly complex and interdependent, and provided life support for four crew members. The tests were conducted using two human-rated, atmospherically-closed test chambers, the Variable Pressure Growth Chamber (VPGC) and the Integrated Life Support Systems Test Facility (ILSSTF). Systems included test articles (the life support hardware under evaluation), human accommodations (living quarters, kitchen, exercise equipment, etc.) and facility systems (emergency matrix system, power, cooling, etc.). The test team was managed by a lead engineer and a test director, and included test article engineers responsible for specific systems, subsystems or test articles, test conductors, facility engineers, chamber operators and engineering technicians, medical and safety officers, and science experimenters. A crew selection committee, comprised of psychologists, engineers and managers involved in the test, evaluated male and female volunteers who applied to be test subjects. Selection was based on the skills mix anticipated for each particular test, and utilized information from psychological and medical testing, data on the knowledge, experience and skills of the applicants, and team building exercises. The design, development, buildup and operation of test hardware and documentation followed the established NASA processes and requirements for test buildup and operation.

Motivation and performance in physical education: an experimental test.

PubMed

Moreno, Juan A; González-Cutre, David; Martín-Albo, José; Cervelló, Eduardo

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyse, experimentally, the relationships between motivation and performance in a lateral movement test in physical education. The study group consisted of 363 students (227 boys and 136 girls), aged between 12 and 16, who were randomly divided into three groups: an experimental group in which an incremental ability belief was induced, another experimental group in which an entity ability belief was induced, and a control group where there was no intervention. Measurements were made of situational intrinsic motivation, perceived competence in executing the task and performance. The results revealed that the incremental group reported higher scores on the situational intrinsic motivation scale. The entity group demonstrated better performance in the first test attempt than the incremental group but, in the second attempt, the performance was similar in the different groups. Perhaps the initial differences in performance disappeared because the incremental group counted on improving in the second attempt. These results are discussed in relation to the intensity with which the teacher conveys information relating to incremental ability belief of the pupil to increase intrinsic motivation and performance. Key pointsThe incremental group showed more situational intrinsic motivation.The entity group showed higher performance in the first test attempt, but significant differences disappeared in the second attempt.It seems that this incremental belief and greater intrinsic motivation made the students trust they would improve their performance in the second attempt at the lateral movement test.

Formulation of an experimental substructure model using a Craig-Bampton based transmission simulator

DOE PAGES

Kammer, Daniel C.; Allen, Matthew S.; Mayes, Randall L.

2015-09-26

An experimental–analytical substructuring is attractive when there is motivation to replace one or more system subcomponents with an experimental model. This experimentally derived substructure can then be coupled to finite element models of the rest of the structure to predict the system response. The transmission simulator method couples a fixture to the component of interest during a vibration test in order to improve the experimental model for the component. The transmission simulator is then subtracted from the tested system to produce the experimental component. This method reduces ill-conditioning by imposing a least squares fit of constraints between substructure modal coordinatesmore » to connect substructures, instead of directly connecting physical interface degrees of freedom. This paper presents an alternative means of deriving the experimental substructure model, in which a Craig–Bampton representation of the transmission simulator is created and subtracted from the experimental measurements. The corresponding modal basis of the transmission simulator is described by the fixed-interface modes, rather than free modes that were used in the original approach. Moreover, these modes do a better job of representing the shape of the transmission simulator as it responds within the experimental system, leading to more accurate results using fewer modes. The new approach is demonstrated using a simple finite element model based example with a redundant interface.« less

Formulation of an experimental substructure model using a Craig-Bampton based transmission simulator

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

Kammer, Daniel C.; Allen, Matthew S.; Mayes, Randall L.

An experimental–analytical substructuring is attractive when there is motivation to replace one or more system subcomponents with an experimental model. This experimentally derived substructure can then be coupled to finite element models of the rest of the structure to predict the system response. The transmission simulator method couples a fixture to the component of interest during a vibration test in order to improve the experimental model for the component. The transmission simulator is then subtracted from the tested system to produce the experimental component. This method reduces ill-conditioning by imposing a least squares fit of constraints between substructure modal coordinatesmore » to connect substructures, instead of directly connecting physical interface degrees of freedom. This paper presents an alternative means of deriving the experimental substructure model, in which a Craig–Bampton representation of the transmission simulator is created and subtracted from the experimental measurements. The corresponding modal basis of the transmission simulator is described by the fixed-interface modes, rather than free modes that were used in the original approach. Moreover, these modes do a better job of representing the shape of the transmission simulator as it responds within the experimental system, leading to more accurate results using fewer modes. The new approach is demonstrated using a simple finite element model based example with a redundant interface.« less

Low speed and angle of attack effects on sonic and near-sonic inlets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hickcox, T. E.; Lawrence, R. L.; Syberg, J.; Wiley, D. R.

1975-01-01

Tests of the Quiet, Clean Short-Haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE) were conducted to determine the effects of forward velocity and angle of attack on sonic and near-sonic inlet aerodynamic performance penalties and acoustic suppression characteristics. The tests demonstrate that translating centerbody and radial vane sonic inlets, and QCSEE high throat Mach number inlets, can be designed to operate effectively at forward speed and moderate angle of attack with good performance and noise suppression capability. The test equipment and procedures used in conducting the evaluation are described. Results of the tests are presented in tabular form.

Small, low-cost, expendable turbojet engine. 1: Design, fabrication, and preliminary testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dengler, R. P.; Macioce, L. E.

1976-01-01

A small experimental axial-flow turbojet engine in the 2,669-Newton (600-lbf) thrust class was designed, fabricated, and tested to demonstrate the feasibility of several low-cost concepts. Design simplicity was stressed in order to reduce the number of components and machining operations. Four engines were built and tested for a total of 157 hours. Engine testing was conducted at both sea-level static and simulated flight conditions for engine speeds as high as 38,000 rpm and turbine-inlet temperatures as high as 1,255 K (1,800 F).

Immunohistopathologic demonstration of deleterious effects on growing rat testes of radiofrequency waves emitted from conventional Wi-Fi devices.

PubMed

Atasoy, Halil I; Gunal, Mehmet Y; Atasoy, Pinar; Elgun, Serenay; Bugdayci, Guler

2013-04-01

To investigate effects on rat testes of radiofrequency radiation emitted from indoor Wi-Fi Internet access devices using 802.11.g wireless standards. Ten Wistar albino male rats were divided into experimental and control groups, with five rats per group. Standard wireless gateways communicating at 2.437 GHz were used as radiofrequency wave sources. The experimental group was exposed to radiofrequency energy for 24 h a day for 20 weeks. The rats were sacrificed at the end of the study. Intracardiac blood was sampled for serum 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels. Testes were removed and examined histologically and immunohistochemically. Testis tissues were analyzed for malondialdehyde levels and prooxidant-antioxidant enzyme activities. We observed significant increases in serum 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine levels and 8-hydroxyguanosine staining in the testes of the experimental group indicating DNA damage due to exposure (p < 0.05). We also found decreased levels of catalase and glutathione peroxidase activity in the experimental group, which may have been due to radiofrequency effects on enzyme activity (p < 0.05). These findings raise questions about the safety of radiofrequency exposure from Wi-Fi Internet access devices for growing organisms of reproductive age, with a potential effect on both fertility and the integrity of germ cells. Copyright © 2012 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental investigation of an RNA sequence space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Youn-Hyung; Dsouza, Lisa; Fox, George E.

1993-01-01

Modern rRNAs are the historic consequence of an ongoing evolutionary exploration of a sequence space. These extant sequences belong to a special subset of the sequence space that is comprised only of those primary sequences that can validly perform the biological function(s) required of the particular RNA. If it were possible to readily identify all such valid sequences, stochastic predictions could be made about the relative likelihood of various evolutionary pathways available to an RNA. Herein an experimental system which can assess whether a particular sequence is likely to have validity as a eubacterial 5S rRNA is described. A total of ten naturally occurring, and hence known to be valid, sequences and two point mutants of unknown validity were used to test the usefulness of the approach. Nine of the ten valid sequences tested positive whereas both mutants tested as clearly defective. The tenth valid sequence gave results that would be interpreted as reflecting a borderline status were the answer not known. These results demonstrate that it is possible to experimentally determine which sequences in local regions of the sequence space are potentially valid 5S rRNAs.

An experimental investigation of rubbing interaction in labyrinth seals at cryogenic temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dolan, F. X.; Kennedy, F. E.; Schulson, E. M.

1985-01-01

An experimental program was carried out to address issues related to the observed cracking of the titanium knife edges on the labyrinth seals of the high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) in the Space Shuttle main engine (SSME). Thermal shock experiments were carried out using a jet specimen with geometry similar to the knife edge geometry. These tests demonstrate that cracking of the titanium alloy is possible in a situation involving repeated thermal cycles over a wide temperature range, as might be realized during a rub in the liquid hydrogen fuel pump. High speed rub interaction tests were conducted using a representative knife edge and seal geometry over a broad range of interaction rates. Alternative materials were also experimentally evaluated. These tests provide information which can be used to design improved labyrinth seals for the HPFP of the SSME. In particular, plasma-sprayed aluminum-graphite was found to be significantly better than aluminum alloy seals used at present from the standpoint of rub performance. Ion nitriding of the titanium alloy knife edges was also found to improve rub performance compared with the untreated baseline knife edge material.

Generalized three-dimensional simulation of ferruled coupled-cavity traveling-wave-tube dispersion and impedance characteristics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maruschek, Joseph W.; Kory, Carol L.; Wilson, Jeffrey D.

1993-01-01

The frequency-phase dispersion and Pierce on-axis interaction impedance of a ferruled, coupled-cavity, traveling-wave tube (TWT), slow-wave circuit were calculated using the three-dimensional simulation code Micro-SOS. The utilization of the code to reduce costly and time-consuming experimental cold tests is demonstrated by the accuracy achieved in calculating these parameters. A generalized input file was developed so that ferruled coupled-cavity TWT slow-wave circuits of arbitrary dimensions could be easily modeled. The practicality of the generalized input file was tested by applying it to the ferruled coupled-cavity slow-wave circuit of the Hughes Aircraft Company model 961HA TWT and by comparing the results with experimental results.

Fabrication of a superhydrophobic polyurethane foam and its application for continuous oil removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hai-Dong; Gu, Bin; Yuan, Wei-Feng; He, Qi

2018-02-01

A new polyurethane foam with superhydrophobicity and excellent lipophilicity is presented and demonstrated experimentally in this work. The superhydrophobic foam is synthesized by dip coating the polyurethane foam with a mixture solution of silicone resine and silicon dioxide nanoparticles. Its superhydrophobic and oleophilic capacity is characterized and verified via the SEM images, the water contact angle measurement, the adsorption tests and recyclability tests for water and some typical oils. Combining with the vacuum assisted oil-water separation technology (VAST), continuous recovery of oil spill at the lab scale is realized on the new superhydrophobic foam. Moreover, the break through pressure for water penetrating through the superhydrophobic foam is determined experimentally and referred as the maximum operation pressure in the VAST.

Advanced Gear Alloys for Ultra High Strength Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Tony; Krantz, Timothy; Sebastian, Jason

2011-01-01

Single tooth bending fatigue (STBF) test data of UHS Ferrium C61 and C64 alloys are presented in comparison with historical test data of conventional gear steels (9310 and Pyrowear 53) with comparable statistical analysis methods. Pitting and scoring tests of C61 and C64 are works in progress. Boeing statistical analysis of STBF test data for the four gear steels (C61, C64, 9310 and Pyrowear 53) indicates that the UHS grades exhibit increases in fatigue strength in the low cycle fatigue (LCF) regime. In the high cycle fatigue (HCF) regime, the UHS steels exhibit better mean fatigue strength endurance limit behavior (particularly as compared to Pyrowear 53). However, due to considerable scatter in the UHS test data, the anticipated overall benefits of the UHS grades in bending fatigue have not been fully demonstrated. Based on all the test data and on Boeing s analysis, C61 has been selected by Boeing as the gear steel for the final ERDS demonstrator test gearboxes. In terms of potential follow-up work, detailed physics-based, micromechanical analysis and modeling of the fatigue data would allow for a better understanding of the causes of the experimental scatter, and of the transition from high-stress LCF (surface-dominated) to low-stress HCF (subsurface-dominated) fatigue failure. Additional STBF test data and failure analysis work, particularly in the HCF regime and around the endurance limit stress, could allow for better statistical confidence and could reduce the observed effects of experimental test scatter. Finally, the need for further optimization of the residual compressive stress profiles of the UHS steels (resulting from carburization and peening) is noted, particularly for the case of the higher hardness C64 material.

An innovative iterative thresholding algorithm for tumour segmentation and volumetric quantification on SPECT images: Monte Carlo-based methodology and validation.

PubMed

Pacilio, M; Basile, C; Shcherbinin, S; Caselli, F; Ventroni, G; Aragno, D; Mango, L; Santini, E

2011-06-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging play an important role in the segmentation of functioning parts of organs or tumours, but an accurate and reproducible delineation is still a challenging task. In this work, an innovative iterative thresholding method for tumour segmentation has been proposed and implemented for a SPECT system. This method, which is based on experimental threshold-volume calibrations, implements also the recovery coefficients (RC) of the imaging system, so it has been called recovering iterative thresholding method (RIThM). The possibility to employ Monte Carlo (MC) simulations for system calibration was also investigated. The RIThM is an iterative algorithm coded using MATLAB: after an initial rough estimate of the volume of interest, the following calculations are repeated: (i) the corresponding source-to-background ratio (SBR) is measured and corrected by means of the RC curve; (ii) the threshold corresponding to the amended SBR value and the volume estimate is then found using threshold-volume data; (iii) new volume estimate is obtained by image thresholding. The process goes on until convergence. The RIThM was implemented for an Infinia Hawkeye 4 (GE Healthcare) SPECT/CT system, using a Jaszczak phantom and several test objects. Two MC codes were tested to simulate the calibration images: SIMIND and SimSet. For validation, test images consisting of hot spheres and some anatomical structures of the Zubal head phantom were simulated with SIMIND code. Additional test objects (flasks and vials) were also imaged experimentally. Finally, the RIThM was applied to evaluate three cases of brain metastases and two cases of high grade gliomas. Comparing experimental thresholds and those obtained by MC simulations, a maximum difference of about 4% was found, within the errors (+/- 2% and +/- 5%, for volumes > or = 5 ml or < 5 ml, respectively). Also for the RC data, the comparison showed differences (up to 8%) within the assigned error (+/- 6%). ANOVA test demonstrated that the calibration results (in terms of thresholds or RCs at various volumes) obtained by MC simulations were indistinguishable from those obtained experimentally. The accuracy in volume determination for the simulated hot spheres was between -9% and 15% in the range 4-270 ml, whereas for volumes less than 4 ml (in the range 1-3 ml) the difference increased abruptly reaching values greater than 100%. For the Zubal head phantom, errors ranged between 9% and 18%. For the experimental test images, the accuracy level was within +/- 10%, for volumes in the range 20-110 ml. The preliminary test of application on patients evidenced the suitability of the method in a clinical setting. The MC-guided delineation of tumor volume may reduce the acquisition time required for the experimental calibration. Analysis of images of several simulated and experimental test objects, Zubal head phantom and clinical cases demonstrated the robustness, suitability, accuracy, and speed of the proposed method. Nevertheless, studies concerning tumors of irregular shape and/or nonuniform distribution of the background activity are still in progress.

Experimental investigation of the crashworthiness of scaled composite sailplane fuselages

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kampf, Karl-Peter; Crawley, Edward F.; Hansman, R. John, Jr.

1989-01-01

The crash dynamics and energy absorption of composite sailplane fuselage segments undergoing nose-down impact were investigated. More than 10 quarter-scale structurally similar test articles, typical of high-performance sailplane designs, were tested. Fuselages segments were fabricated of combinations of fiberglass, graphite, Kevlar, and Spectra fabric materials. Quasistatic and dynamic tests were conducted. The quasistatic tests were found to replicate the strain history and failure modes observed in the dynamic tests. Failure modes of the quarter-scale model were qualitatively compared with full-scale crash evidence and quantitatively compared with current design criteria. By combining material and structural improvements, substantial increases in crashworthiness were demonstrated.

Toward high-energy-density, high-efficiency, and moderate-temperature chip-scale thermophotovoltaics

PubMed Central

Chan, Walker R.; Bermel, Peter; Pilawa-Podgurski, Robert C. N.; Marton, Christopher H.; Jensen, Klavs F.; Senkevich, Jay J.; Joannopoulos, John D.; Soljačić, Marin; Celanovic, Ivan

2013-01-01

The challenging problem of ultra-high-energy-density, high-efficiency, and small-scale portable power generation is addressed here using a distinctive thermophotovoltaic energy conversion mechanism and chip-based system design, which we name the microthermophotovoltaic (μTPV) generator. The approach is predicted to be capable of up to 32% efficient heat-to-electricity conversion within a millimeter-scale form factor. Although considerable technological barriers need to be overcome to reach full performance, we have performed a robust experimental demonstration that validates the theoretical framework and the key system components. Even with a much-simplified μTPV system design with theoretical efficiency prediction of 2.7%, we experimentally demonstrate 2.5% efficiency. The μTPV experimental system that was built and tested comprises a silicon propane microcombustor, an integrated high-temperature photonic crystal selective thermal emitter, four 0.55-eV GaInAsSb thermophotovoltaic diodes, and an ultra-high-efficiency maximum power-point tracking power electronics converter. The system was demonstrated to operate up to 800 °C (silicon microcombustor temperature) with an input thermal power of 13.7 W, generating 344 mW of electric power over a 1-cm2 area. PMID:23440220

PDB-NMA of a protein homodimer reproduces distinct experimental motility asymmetry.

PubMed

Tirion, Monique M; Ben-Avraham, Daniel

2018-01-16

We have extended our analytically derived PDB-NMA formulation, Atomic Torsional Modal Analysis or ATMAN (Tirion and ben-Avraham 2015 Phys. Rev. E 91 032712), to include protein dimers using mixed internal and Cartesian coordinates. A test case on a 1.3 [Formula: see text] resolution model of a small homodimer, ActVA-ORF6, consisting of two 112-residue subunits identically folded in a compact 50 [Formula: see text] sphere, reproduces the distinct experimental Debye-Waller motility asymmetry for the two chains, demonstrating that structure sensitively selects vibrational signatures. The vibrational analysis of this PDB entry, together with biochemical and crystallographic data, demonstrates the cooperative nature of the dimeric interaction of the two subunits and suggests a mechanical model for subunit interconversion during the catalytic cycle.

High-Energy Activation Simulation Coupling TENDL and SPACS with FISPACT-II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleming, Michael; Sublet, Jean-Christophe; Gilbert, Mark

2018-06-01

To address the needs of activation-transmutation simulation in incident-particle fields with energies above a few hundred MeV, the FISPACT-II code has been extended to splice TENDL standard ENDF-6 nuclear data with extended nuclear data forms. The JENDL-2007/HE and HEAD-2009 libraries were processed for FISPACT-II and used to demonstrate the capabilities of the new code version. Tests of the libraries and comparisons against both experimental yield data and the most recent intra-nuclear cascade model results demonstrate that there is need for improved nuclear data libraries up to and above 1 GeV. Simulations on lead targets show that important radionuclides, such as 148Gd, can vary by more than an order of magnitude where more advanced models find agreement within the experimental uncertainties.

PDB-NMA of a protein homodimer reproduces distinct experimental motility asymmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tirion, Monique M.; ben-Avraham, Daniel

2018-03-01

We have extended our analytically derived PDB-NMA formulation, Atomic Torsional Modal Analysis or ATMAN (Tirion and ben-Avraham 2015 Phys. Rev. E 91 032712), to include protein dimers using mixed internal and Cartesian coordinates. A test case on a 1.3 {\\mathringA} resolution model of a small homodimer, ActVA-ORF6, consisting of two 112-residue subunits identically folded in a compact 50 {\\mathringA} sphere, reproduces the distinct experimental Debye-Waller motility asymmetry for the two chains, demonstrating that structure sensitively selects vibrational signatures. The vibrational analysis of this PDB entry, together with biochemical and crystallographic data, demonstrates the cooperative nature of the dimeric interaction of the two subunits and suggests a mechanical model for subunit interconversion during the catalytic cycle.

Older Adults can Learn to Learn New Motor Skills

PubMed Central

Seidler, Rachael D.

2007-01-01

Many studies have demonstrated that aging is associated with declines in skill acquisition. In the current study, we tested whether older adults could acquire general, transferable knowledge about skill learning processes. Older adult participants learned five different motor tasks. Two older adult control groups performed the same number of trials, but learned only one task. The experimental group exhibited faster learning than that seen in the control groups. These data demonstrate that older adults can learn to learn new motor skills. PMID:17602760

An overview of the EASE/ACCESS space construction demonstration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levin, George M.; Ross, Jerry L.; Spring, Sherwood C.

1988-01-01

Consideration is given to the development of the Experimental Assembly of Structures in EVA/Assembly Concept for Construction of Erectable Space Structures (EASE/ACCESS) space construction demonstration, which was performed during Space Shuttle mission 61-B. The mission equipment is described and illustrated and the EASE/ACCESS mission management structure is outlined. Simulations of the assembly and disassembly in the NASA neutral buoyancy simulators were used to test the mission plans. In addition, EVA training and crew performance for the mission are discussed.

Development of an Accelerated Test Method for the Determination of Susceptibility to Atmospheric Corrosion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ambrose, John R.

1991-01-01

The theoretical rationale is presented for use of a repetitive cyclic current reversal voltammetric technique for characterization of localized corrosion processes, including atmospheric corrosion. Applicability of this proposed experimental protocol is applied to characterization of susceptibility to crevice and pitting corrosion, atmospheric corrosion and stress corrosion cracking. Criteria upon which relative susceptibility is based were determined and tested using two iron based alloys commonly in use at NASA-Kennedy; A36 (a low carbon steel) and 4130 (a low alloy steel). Practicality of the procedure was demonstrated by measuring changes in anodic polarization behavior during high frequency current reversal cycles of 25 cycles per second with 1 mA/sq cm current density amplitude in solutions containing Cl anions. The results demonstrated that, due to excessive polarization which affects conductivity of barrier corrosion product layers, A36 was less resistant to atmospheric corrosion than its 4130 counterpart; behavior which was also demonstrated during exposure tests.

Using Virtual Testing for Characterization of Composite Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harrington, Joseph

Composite materials are finally providing uses hitherto reserved for metals in structural systems applications -- airframes and engine containment systems, wraps for repair and rehabilitation, and ballistic/blast mitigation systems. They have high strength-to-weight ratios, are durable and resistant to environmental effects, have high impact strength, and can be manufactured in a variety of shapes. Generalized constitutive models are being developed to accurately model composite systems so they can be used in implicit and explicit finite element analysis. These models require extensive characterization of the composite material as input. The particular constitutive model of interest for this research is a three-dimensional orthotropic elasto-plastic composite material model that requires a total of 12 experimental stress-strain curves, yield stresses, and Young's Modulus and Poisson's ratio in the material directions as input. Sometimes it is not possible to carry out reliable experimental tests needed to characterize the composite material. One solution is using virtual testing to fill the gaps in available experimental data. A Virtual Testing Software System (VTSS) has been developed to address the need for a less restrictive method to characterize a three-dimensional orthotropic composite material. The system takes in the material properties of the constituents and completes all 12 of the necessary characterization tests using finite element (FE) models. Verification and validation test cases demonstrate the capabilities of the VTSS.

Contractor's STTR Phase I Final Report- Experimental Analysis and Model Development of Pyrolysis/Combustion of Coal/Biomass in a Bench Scale Spouted Bed Reactor

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

Baird, Benjamin; Loebick, Codruta; Roychoudhury, Subir

During Phase I both experimental evaluation and computational validation of an advanced Spouted Bed Reactor (SBR) approach for biomass and coal combustion was completed. All Phase I objectives were met and some exceeded. Comprehensive insight on SBR operation was achieved via design, fabrication, and testing of a small demonstration unit with pulverized coal and biomass as feedstock at University of Connecticut (UCONN). A scale-up and optimization tool for the next generation of coal and biomass co-firing for reducing GHG emissions was also developed. The predictive model was implemented with DOE’s MFIX computational model and was observed to accurately mimic evenmore » unsteady behavior. An updated Spouted Bed Reactor was fabricated, based on model feedback, and experimentally displayed near ideal behavior. This predictive capability based upon first principles and experimental correlation allows realistic simulation of mixed fuel combustion in these newly proposed power boiler designs. Compared to a conventional fluidized bed the SBR facilitates good mixing of coal and biomass, with relative insensitivity to particle size and densities, resulting in improved combustion efficiency. Experimental data with mixed coal and biomass fuels demonstrated complete oxidation at temperatures as low as 500ºC. This avoids NOx formation and residual carbon in the waste ash. Operation at stoichiometric conditions without requiring cooling or sintering of the carrier was also observed. Oxygen-blown operation were tested and indicated good performance. This highlighted the possibility of operating the SBR at a wide range of conditions suitable for power generation and partial oxidation byproducts. It also supports the possibility of implementing chemical looping (for readily capturing CO 2 and SO x).« less

Experimental Analysis and Model Development of Pyrolysis/Combustion of Coal/Biomass in a Bench Scale Spouted Bed Reactor.

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

Baird, Benjamin; Loebick, Codruta; Roychoudhury, Subir

During Phase I both experimental evaluation and computational validation of an advanced Spouted Bed Reactor (SBR) approach for biomass and coal combustion was completed. All Phase I objectives were met and some exceeded. Comprehensive insight on SBR operation was achieved via design, fabrication, and testing of a small demonstration unit with pulverized coal and biomass as feedstock at University of Connecticut (UCONN). A scale-up and optimization tool for the next generation of coal and biomass co-firing for reducing GHG emissions was also developed. The predictive model was implemented with DOE’s MFIX computational model and was observed to accurately mimic evenmore » unsteady behavior. An updated Spouted Bed Reactor was fabricated, based on model feedback, and experimentally displayed near ideal behavior. This predictive capability based upon first principles and experimental correlation allows realistic simulation of mixed fuel combustion in these newly proposed power boiler designs. Compared to a conventional fluidized bed the SBR facilitates good mixing of coal and biomass, with relative insensitivity to particle size and densities, resulting in improved combustion efficiency. Experimental data with mixed coal and biomass fuels demonstrated complete oxidation at temperatures as low as 500C. This avoids NOx formation and residual carbon in the waste ash. Operation at stoichiometric conditions without requiring cooling or sintering of the carrier was also observed. Oxygen-blown operation were tested and indicated good performance. This highlighted the possibility of operating the SBR at a wide range of conditions suitable for power generation and partial oxidation byproducts. It also supports the possibility of implementing chemical looping (for readily capturing CO2 and SOx).« less

Do Choice Experiments Generate Reliable Willingness to Pay Estimates Theory and Experimental Evidence

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

make a series of choices over sets of goods which vary in terms of the levels of their attributes and their costs. The results of these surveys...results motivated the development of the theoretical model reported in Part II, followed by a second experiment (reported in Part III) to test the...deviations from truthful preference revelation in each choice mechanism. The results demonstrate that of the four choice mechanisms tested , only the repeated

Effect of salt on the response of birds to sucrose

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rogers, J.G.; Maller, O.

1973-01-01

The preference of male red-winged blackbirds for solutions of sucrose and sucrose with 0.03 M sodium chloride was tested, using a two-bottle choice test. Preliminary experiments demonstrated that the birds were indifferent to 0.03 M NaCl in water. Both control and experimental animals exhibited indifference to the solutions at the lowest concentration and aversion at the highest. The data suggest that the added sodium chloride makes the sucrose stimulus more discriminable.

Characterization of Regular Wave, Irregular Wave, and Large-Amplitude Wave Group Kinematics in an Experimental Basin

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

seakeeping was the transient wave technique, developed analytically by Davis and Zarnick (1964). At the David Taylor Model Basin, Davis and Zarnick, and...Gersten and Johnson (1969) applied the transient wave technique to regular wave model experiments for heave and pitch, at zero forward speed. These...tests demonstrated a potential reduction by an order of magnitude of the total necessary testing time. The transient wave technique was also applied to

La coherence conceptuelle d'etudiants collegiaux en mecanique Newtonienne et en metrologie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Periard, Martin

This thesis evaluates the coherence of the conceptual network demonstrated by college students in life and applied sciences. This evaluation was based on the analysis of Burt tables issuing from multiple choice questionnaires, on the creation and careful examination of a novel tool, the matrix of specific discrimination coefficients, which will be described in the main text, and on the qualitative analysis of actual laboratory work of students doing an experimentation. At the completion of this project, four research axis have been explored. (1) What is the conceptual coherence demonstrated in Newtonian mechanics? (2) Is the mastery of uncertainty quantification related to the development of logical thinking or to mathematical competency? (3) What is the conceptual coherence demonstrated in the quantification of experimental uncertainty? (4) What are the concrete procedures utilized by students to quantify experimental uncertainty in a semi-directed laboratory context? The main conclusions that emerged from each axis of research can be summerized as follow. (1) The most prevalent erroneous conceptions are not solidly set in a rigid conceptual network. For example, a student successful in a question about Newton's third law (the most difficult subject of the Force Concept Inventory) is just slightly more likely to succeed in another related question than the other participants. Many pairs of questions displays a negative specific discrimination coefficient demonstrating a weak conceptual coherence in pre-test and a somewhat ameliorated conceptual coherence in post-test. (2) If a small proportion of students has demonstrated marked deficiencies in questions related with control of variable and in those related to the relationship between the graphical display of experimental data and a mathematical model, the majority of students can be considered as adequately mastering those subjects. However, almost every student demonstrated a lack of mastery of concepts underlying the quantification of experimental uncertainty and the propagation of uncertainty (heretofore referred to as metrology). No statistically significant correlation has been observed between the three main topics suggesting that they are largely independent cognitive abilities. Burt table has demonstrated a greater degree of conceptual coherence between control of variables questions than suggested by Pearson correlation coefficients. Equivalent question in the topic of metrology did not permit to demonstrate a clear conceptual coherence. (3) Analysis of a questionnaire entirely devoted to metrology has shown erroneous conceptions caused by prior learning (didactical obstacles), erroneous conceptions based on intuitive models and a lack of global comprehension of metrological concepts although some appear to be almost acquired. (4) When doing real experiments in semi-directed laboratory, students demonstrated the same difficulty identified in the questionnaire of 3) which could interpreted as corroborating previously obtained results. However, many unanticipated behaviors related to measurement were observed that could not have been anticipated solely by analyzing answers in the multiple-choice questionnaire. Interviews immediately following each semi-directed laboratory permitted the participants to detail certain aspects of their metrological methodology. Most notably, the use of repeated measurement strategies, their "spontaneous" strategies to quantify uncertainty, and their explanation of numerical estimates of reading uncertainties. Overall, uncertainty propagation algorithms were adequately employed. Many erroneous metrological conceptions seem to resist strongly to be modified by learning. Among others, assignation of the resolution of a digital scale as the uncertainty value and the lack of stacking strategies to diminish uncertainty. The conception that a numerical value cannot be more precise than the tolerance of an instrument seems firmly set. Key words. Burt tables, conceptual coherence, experimental uncertainty, laboratories, metrology, Newtonian mechanics, uncertainty propagation.

Developing a Suitable Model for Water Uptake for Biodegradable Polymers Using Small Training Sets.

PubMed

Valenzuela, Loreto M; Knight, Doyle D; Kohn, Joachim

2016-01-01

Prediction of the dynamic properties of water uptake across polymer libraries can accelerate polymer selection for a specific application. We first built semiempirical models using Artificial Neural Networks and all water uptake data, as individual input. These models give very good correlations (R (2) > 0.78 for test set) but very low accuracy on cross-validation sets (less than 19% of experimental points within experimental error). Instead, using consolidated parameters like equilibrium water uptake a good model is obtained (R (2) = 0.78 for test set), with accurate predictions for 50% of tested polymers. The semiempirical model was applied to the 56-polymer library of L-tyrosine-derived polyarylates, identifying groups of polymers that are likely to satisfy design criteria for water uptake. This research demonstrates that a surrogate modeling effort can reduce the number of polymers that must be synthesized and characterized to identify an appropriate polymer that meets certain performance criteria.

Assessing noninferiority in a three-arm trial using the Bayesian approach.

PubMed

Ghosh, Pulak; Nathoo, Farouk; Gönen, Mithat; Tiwari, Ram C

2011-07-10

Non-inferiority trials, which aim to demonstrate that a test product is not worse than a competitor by more than a pre-specified small amount, are of great importance to the pharmaceutical community. As a result, methodology for designing and analyzing such trials is required, and developing new methods for such analysis is an important area of statistical research. The three-arm trial consists of a placebo, a reference and an experimental treatment, and simultaneously tests the superiority of the reference over the placebo along with comparing this reference to an experimental treatment. In this paper, we consider the analysis of non-inferiority trials using Bayesian methods which incorporate both parametric as well as semi-parametric models. The resulting testing approach is both flexible and robust. The benefit of the proposed Bayesian methods is assessed via simulation, based on a study examining home-based blood pressure interventions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quantum violation of an instrumental test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaves, Rafael; Carvacho, Gonzalo; Agresti, Iris; Di Giulio, Valerio; Aolita, Leandro; Giacomini, Sandro; Sciarrino, Fabio

2018-03-01

Inferring causal relations from experimental observations is of primal importance in science. Instrumental tests provide an essential tool for that aim, as they allow one to estimate causal dependencies even in the presence of unobserved common causes. In view of Bell's theorem, which implies that quantum mechanics is incompatible with our most basic notions of causality, it is of utmost importance to understand whether and how paradigmatic causal tools obtained in a classical setting can be carried over to the quantum realm. Here we show that quantum effects imply radically different predictions in the instrumental scenario. Among other results, we show that an instrumental test can be violated by entangled quantum states. Furthermore, we demonstrate such violation using a photonic set-up with active feed-forward of information, thus providing an experimental proof of this new form of non-classical behaviour. Our findings have fundamental implications in causal inference and may also lead to new applications of quantum technologies.

Seismic performance of recycled concrete-filled square steel tube columns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zongping; Jing, Chenggui; Xu, Jinjun; Zhang, Xianggang

2017-01-01

An experimental study on the seismic performance of recycled concrete-filled square steel tube (RCFST) columns is carried out. Six specimens were designed and tested under constant axial compression and cyclic lateral loading. Two parameters, replacement percentage of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) and axial compression level, were considered in the test. Based on the experimental data, the hysteretic loops, skeleton curves, ductility, energy dissipation capacity and stiffness degradation of RCFST columns were analyzed. The test results indicate that the failure modes of RCFST columns are the local buckling of the steel tube at the bottom of the columns, and the hysteretic loops are full and their shapes are similar to normal CFST columns. Furthermore, the ductility coefficient of all specimens are close to 3.0, and the equivalent viscous damping coefficient corresponding to the ultimate lateral load ranges from 0.323 to 0.360, which demonstrates that RCFST columns exhibit remarkable seismic performance.

Adaptive x-ray threat detection using sequential hypotheses testing with fan-beam experimental data (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thamvichai, Ratchaneekorn; Huang, Liang-Chih; Ashok, Amit; Gong, Qian; Coccarelli, David; Greenberg, Joel A.; Gehm, Michael E.; Neifeld, Mark A.

2017-05-01

We employ an adaptive measurement system, based on sequential hypotheses testing (SHT) framework, for detecting material-based threats using experimental data acquired on an X-ray experimental testbed system. This testbed employs 45-degree fan-beam geometry and 15 views over a 180-degree span to generate energy sensitive X-ray projection data. Using this testbed system, we acquire multiple view projection data for 200 bags. We consider an adaptive measurement design where the X-ray projection measurements are acquired in a sequential manner and the adaptation occurs through the choice of the optimal "next" source/view system parameter. Our analysis of such an adaptive measurement design using the experimental data demonstrates a 3x-7x reduction in the probability of error relative to a static measurement design. Here the static measurement design refers to the operational system baseline that corresponds to a sequential measurement using all the available sources/views. We also show that by using adaptive measurements it is possible to reduce the number of sources/views by nearly 50% compared a system that relies on static measurements.

Experimental entanglement distillation of two-qubit mixed states under local operations.

PubMed

Wang, Zhi-Wei; Zhou, Xiang-Fa; Huang, Yun-Feng; Zhang, Yong-Sheng; Ren, Xi-Feng; Guo, Guang-Can

2006-06-09

We experimentally demonstrate optimal entanglement distillation from two forms of two-qubit mixed states under local filtering operations according to the constructive method introduced by [F. Verstraete, Phys. Rev. A 64, 010101(R) (2001)10.1103/PhysRevA.64.010101]. In principle, our setup can be easily applied to distilling entanglement from arbitrary two-qubit partially mixed states. We also test the violation of the Clauser-Horne-Shinmony-Holt inequality for the distilled state from the first form of mixed state to show its "hidden nonlocality."

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

Scaglione, John M; Montgomery, Rose; Bevard, Bruce Balkcom

This test plan describes the experimental work to be implemented by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) to characterize high burnup (HBU) spent nuclear fuel (SNF) in conjunction with the High Burnup Dry Storage Cask Research and Development Project and serves to coordinate and integrate the multi-year experimental program to collect and develop data regarding the continued storage and eventual transport of HBU (i.e., >45 GWd/MTU) SNF. The work scope involves the development, performance, technical integration, and oversight of measurements and collection of relevant data, guided by analyses and demonstration of need.

Predator-prey Encounter Rates in Turbulent Environments: Consequences of Inertia Effects and Finite Sizes

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

Pecseli, H. L.; Trulsen, J.

2009-10-08

Experimental as well as theoretical studies have demonstrated that turbulence can play an important role for the biosphere in marine environments, in particular also by affecting prey-predator encounter rates. Reference models for the encounter rates rely on simplifying assumptions of predators and prey being described as point particles moving passively with the local flow velocity. Based on simple arguments that can be tested experimentally we propose corrections for the standard expression for the encounter rates, where now finite sizes and Stokes drag effects are included.

Adaptive Filtration of Physiological Artifacts in EEG Signals in Humans Using Empirical Mode Decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grubov, V. V.; Runnova, A. E.; Hramov, A. E.

2018-05-01

A new method for adaptive filtration of experimental EEG signals in humans and for removal of different physiological artifacts has been proposed. The algorithm of the method includes empirical mode decomposition of EEG, determination of the number of empirical modes that are considered, analysis of the empirical modes and search for modes that contains artifacts, removal of these modes, and reconstruction of the EEG signal. The method was tested on experimental human EEG signals and demonstrated high efficiency in the removal of different types of physiological EEG artifacts.

Local hidden-variable model for a recent experimental test of quantum nonlocality and local contextuality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Cour, Brian R.

2017-07-01

An experiment has recently been performed to demonstrate quantum nonlocality by establishing contextuality in one of a pair of photons encoding four qubits; however, low detection efficiencies and use of the fair-sampling hypothesis leave these results open to possible criticism due to the detection loophole. In this Letter, a physically motivated local hidden-variable model is considered as a possible mechanism for explaining the experimentally observed results. The model, though not intrinsically contextual, acquires this quality upon post-selection of coincident detections.

Tailoring the Statistical Experimental Design Process for LVC Experiments

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

incredibly large test space, it is important to point out that Gray is presenting a simple case to demonstrate the application of an experimental...weapon’s effectiveness. Gray defines k1 = 4 factors in the whole plot and k2 = 3 factors in the sub plot with f1 and f2 as the number of factors...aliased with interaction terms in the whole plot and sub plot respectively. Gray uses the notation 2k1−f1 × 2k2−f2 [?] to represent the fractional

An Exploration of Desktop Virtual Reality and Visual Processing Skills in a Technical Training Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ausburn, Lynna J.; Ausburn, Floyd B.; Kroutter, Paul

2010-01-01

Virtual reality (VR) technology has demonstrated effectiveness in a variety of technical learning situations, yet little is known about its differential effects on learners with different levels of visual processing skill. This small-scale exploratory study tested VR through quasi-experimental methodology and a theoretical/conceptual framework…

Introducing Science Experiments to Rote-Learning Classes in Pakistani Middle Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pell, Anthony William; Iqbal, Hafiz Muhammad; Sohail, Shahida

2010-01-01

A mixed-methods sequential research design has been used to test the effect of introducing teacher science demonstrations to a traditional book-learning sample of 384 Grade 7 boys and girls from five schools in Lahore, Pakistan. In the quasi-experimental quantitative study, the eight classes of comparable ability were designated either…

Integration of Video-Based Demonstrations to Prepare Students for the Organic Chemistry Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nadelson, Louis S.; Scaggs, Jonathan; Sheffield, Colin; McDougal, Owen M.

2015-01-01

Consistent, high-quality introductions to organic chemistry laboratory techniques effectively and efficiently support student learning in the organic chemistry laboratory. In this work, we developed and deployed a series of instructional videos to communicate core laboratory techniques and concepts. Using a quasi-experimental design, we tested the…

The Induction of Emergent Relations in Children with Severe Cognitive and Language Delays

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howarth, Matthew

2012-01-01

In three experiments I sought to experimentally test a source of emergent relations defined as transitivity by Stimulus Equivalence theory or as combinatorial entailment in Relational Frame Theory. In Experiment I, the participants were 4 children diagnosed with autism who also demonstrated significant cognitive and language delays, who were…

No Sex Differences in Spatial Location Memory for Abstract Designs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rahman, Qazi; Bakare, Monsurat; Serinsu, Ceydan

2011-01-01

Previous research has demonstrated a female advantage, albeit imperfectly, on tests of object location memory where object identity information is readily available. However, spatial and visual elements are often confounded in the experimental tasks used. Here spatial and visual memory performance was compared in 30 men and 30 women by presenting…

The Development and Demonstration of Multiple Regression Models for Operant Conditioning Questions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fanning, Fred; Newman, Isadore

Based on the assumption that inferential statistics can make the operant conditioner more sensitive to possible significant relationships, regressions models were developed to test the statistical significance between slopes and Y intercepts of the experimental and control group subjects. These results were then compared to the traditional operant…

Cultivating Common Ground: Integrating Standards-Based Visual Arts, Math and Literacy in High-Poverty Urban Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunnington, Marisol; Kantrowitz, Andrea; Harnett, Susanne; Hill-Ries, Aline

2014-01-01

The "Framing Student Success: Connecting Rigorous Visual Arts, Math and Literacy Learning" experimental demonstration project was designed to develop and test an instructional program integrating high-quality, standards-based instruction in the visual arts, math, and literacy. Developed and implemented by arts-in-education organization…

Evaluation of Anti-Candida Activity of Vitis vinifera L. Seed Extracts Obtained from Wine and Table Cultivars

PubMed Central

Santamaria, Anna Rita; D'Auria, Felicia Diodata; Innocenti, Marzia; Gabrielli, Elena; Panella, Simona; Antonacci, Donato; Palamara, Anna Teresa; Vecchiarelli, Anna

2014-01-01

For the first time, grape seed extracts (GSEs), obtained from wine and table cultivars of Vitis vinifera L., cultured in experimental fields of Lazio and Puglia regions of Italy and grown in different agronomic conditions, have been tested on 43 Candida species strains. We demonstrated a significant correlation between the content of the flavan-3-ols in GSEs extracts, with a polymerization degree ≥4, and anti-Candida activity. Moreover, we demonstrated that GSEs, obtained from plants cultured with reduced irrigation, showed a content of polymeric flavan-3-ols >250 mg/g with geometric mean MIC values between 5.7 and 20.2 mg/L against Candida albicans reference strains. GSE, showing 573 mg/g of polymeric flavan-3-ols, has been tested in an experimental murine model of vaginal candidiasis by using noninvasive in vivo imaging technique. The results pointed out a significant inhibition of Candida albicans load 5 days after challenge. These findings indicate that GSEs with high content of polymeric flavan-3-ols can be used in mucosal infection as vaginal candidiasis. PMID:24864227

Experimental Demonstration and Circuitry for a Very Compact Coil-Only Pulse Echo EMAT

PubMed Central

Rueter, Dirk

2017-01-01

This experimental study demonstrates for the first time a solid-state circuitry and design for a simple compact copper coil (without an additional bulky permanent magnet or bulky electromagnet) as a contactless electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) for pulse echo operation at MHz frequencies. A pulsed ultrasound emission into a metallic test object is electromagnetically excited by an intense MHz burst at up to 500 A through the 0.15 mm filaments of the transducer. Immediately thereafter, a smoother and quasi “DC-like” current of 100 A is applied for about 1 ms and allows an echo detection. The ultrasonic pulse echo operation for a simple, compact, non-contacting copper coil is new. Application scenarios for compact transducer techniques include very narrow and hostile environments, in which, e.g., quickly moving metal parts must be tested with only one, non-contacting ultrasound shot. The small transducer coil can be operated remotely with a cable connection, separate from the much bulkier supply circuitry. Several options for more technical and fundamental progress are discussed. PMID:28441722

Development of moving spars for active aeroelastic structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amprikidis, Michael; Cooper, Jonathan E.

2003-08-01

This paper describes a research program investigating the development of "moving spars" to enable active aeroelastic control of aerospace structures. A number of different concepts have been considered as part of the EU funded Active Aeroelastic Aircraft Structures (3AS) project that enable the control of the bending and torsional stiffness of aircraft wings through changes in the internal aircraft structure. The aeroelastic behaviour, in particular static deflections, can be controlled as desired through changes in the position, orientation and stiffness of the spars. The concept described in this paper is based upon translational movement of the spars. This will result in changes in the torsional stiffness and shear centre position whilst leaving the bending stiffness unaffected. An analytical study of the aeroelastic behaviour demonstrates the benefits of using such an approach. An experimental investigation involving construction and bench testing of the concepts was undertaken to demonstrate its feasibility. Finally, a wind tunnel test of simple wing models constructed using these concepts was performed. The simulated and experimental results show that it is possible to control the wind twist in practice.

Experimental results for a prototype 3-D acoustic imaging system using an ultra-sparse planar array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Impagliazzo, John M.; Chiang, Alice M.; Broadstone, Steven R.

2002-11-01

A handheld high resolution sonar has been under development to provide Navy Divers with a 3-D acoustic imaging system for mine reconnaissance. An ultra-sparse planar array, consisting of 121 1 mm x1 mm, 2 MHz elements, was fabricated to provide 3-D acoustic images. The array was 10 cm x10 cm. A full array at this frequency with elements at half-wavelength spacing would consist of 16384 elements. The first phase of testing of the planar array was completed in September 2001 with the characterization of the array in the NUWC Acoustic Test Facility (ATF). The center frequency was 2 MHz with a 667 kHz bandwidth. A system-level technology demonstration will be conducted in July 2002 with a real-time beamformer and near real-time 3-D imaging software. The demonstration phase consists of imaging simple targets at a range of 3 m in the ATF. Experimental results obtained will be reported on. [Work supported by the Defense Applied Research Project Agency, Advance Technology Office, Dr. Theo Kooij, Program Manager.

Single Axis Flywheel IPACS @1300W, 0.8 N-m

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jansen, Ralph; Kenny, Barbara; Kascak, Peter; Dever, Tim; Santiago, Walter

2005-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center is developing flywheels for space systems. A single axis laboratory version of an integrated power and attitude control (IPACs) system has been experimentally demonstrated. This is a significant step on the road to a flight qualified three axes IPACS system. The presentation outlines the flywheel development process at NASA GRC, the experimental hardware and approach, the IPACS control algorithm that was formulated and the results of the test program and then proposes a direction for future work. GRC has made progress on flywheel module design in terms of specific energy density and capability through a design and test program resulting in three flywheel module designs. Two of the flywheels are used in the 1D-IPACS experiment with loads and power sources to simulate a satellite power system. The system response is measured in three power modes: charge, discharge, and charge reduction while simultaneously producing a net output torque which could be used for attitude control. Finally, recommendations are made for steps that should be taken to evolve from this laboratory demonstration to a flight like system.

NiTi Alloy Negator Springs for Long-Stroke Constant-Force Shape Memory Actuators: Modeling, Simulation and Testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spaggiari, Andrea; Dragoni, Eugenio; Tuissi, Ausonio

2014-07-01

This work aims at the experimental characterization and modeling validation of shape memory alloy (SMA) Negator springs. According to the classic engineering books on springs, a Negator spring is a spiral spring made of strip of metal wound on the flat with an inherent curvature such that, in repose, each coil wraps tightly on its inner neighbor. The main feature of a Negator springs is the nearly constant force displacement behavior in the unwinding of the strip. Moreover the stroke is very long, theoretically infinite, as it depends only on the length of the initial strip. A Negator spring made in SMA is built and experimentally tested to demonstrate the feasibility of this actuator. The shape memory Negator spring behavior can be modeled with an analytical procedure, which is in good agreement with the experimental test and can be used for design purposes. In both cases, the material is modeled as elastic in austenitic range, while an exponential continuum law is used to describe the martensitic behavior. The experimental results confirms the applicability of this kind of geometry to the shape memory alloy actuators, and the analytical model is confirmed to be a powerful design tool to dimension and predict the spring behavior both in martensitic and austenitic range.

An experimental and theoretical analysis of a foil-air bearing rotor system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonello, P.; Hassan, M. F. Bin

2018-01-01

Although there is considerable research on the experimental testing of foil-air bearing (FAB) rotor systems, only a small fraction has been correlated with simulations from a full nonlinear model that links the rotor, air film and foil domains, due to modelling complexity and computational burden. An approach for the simultaneous solution of the three domains as a coupled dynamical system, introduced by the first author and adopted by independent researchers, has recently demonstrated its capability to address this problem. This paper uses this approach, with further developments, in an experimental and theoretical study of a FAB-rotor test rig. The test rig is described in detail, including issues with its commissioning. The theoretical analysis uses a recently introduced modal-based bump foil model that accounts for interaction between the bumps and their inertia. The imposition of pressure constraints on the air film is found to delay the predicted onset of instability speed. The results lend experimental validation to a recent theoretically-based claim that the Gümbel condition may not be appropriate for a practical single-pad FAB. The satisfactory prediction of the salient features of the measured nonlinear behavior shows that the air film is indeed highly influential on the response, in contrast to an earlier finding.

Feasibility study on phyto-remediation techniques for soil contaminated by the Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear power plant accident

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

Yuu Ishimori; Akihiro Sakoda; Mina Yamada

2013-07-01

Tottori University and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency carried out jointly the feasibility study on phyto-remediation techniques, which apply to soil contaminated by the TEPCO's Fukushima Dai-ichi NPP accident. This paper illustrates the results from experimental investigations. Experimental investigations include both water-culture tests and field tests. Several plants, mainly halophytes that can specifically absorb more Na than K, and others like sunflower demonstrated for other domestic large-scale tests, were water-cultured and examined for screening. Easily cultivated and harvested plants without harmful effects on subsequent cultivation were also considered. New Zealand spinach was selected as a candidate for demonstrations in fields.more » The field tests were carried out at two sites of different agricultural types in Minami-soma, Fukushima prefecture. Concentration of {sup 137}Cs in soil is about 4.5 Bq/g-dry as the average of 10 cm depth. The aims of the field tests are to confirm absorption ability and environmental adaptation of the test plants and to document the cost and performance of projects. In conclusion, the absorption of {sup 137}Cs activity per unit area (Bq/m{sup 2}) by New Zealand spinach could be approximately 0.5%. To achieve an effective result in removal of {sup 137}Cs from soil in around a decade, it is required to find the plant which has ten or more times higher absorption capacity than New Zealand spinach. From the consistency of both results in water-culture and field tests, the water-culture test can be valid for screening. In addition, applicable sites will be limited to fields which are too steep or too narrow to use mechanical diggers, and which are free from any restrictions to enter. (authors)« less

Wave velocity characteristic for Kenaf natural fibre under impact damage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaleha, M.; Mahzan, S.; Fitri, Muhamad; Kamarudin, K. A.; Eliza, Y.; Tobi, A. L. Mohd

2017-01-01

This paper aims to determining the wave velocity characteristics for kenaf fibre reinforced composite (KFC) and it includes both experimental and simulation results. Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) sensor were proposed to be positioned to corresponding locations on the panel. In order to demonstrate the wave velocity, an impacts was introduced onto the panel. It is based on a classical sensor triangulation methodology, combines with experimental strain wave velocity analysis. Then the simulation was designed to replicate panel used in the experimental impacts test. This simulation was carried out using ABAQUS. It was shown that the wave velocity propagates faster in the finite element simulation. Although the experimental strain wave velocity and finite element simulation results do not match exactly, the shape of both waves is similar.

Experimental assessment of advanced Stirling component concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ziph, B.

1985-01-01

The results of an experimental assessment of some advanced Stirling engine component concepts are presented. High performance piston rings, reciprocating oil scrapers and heat pipes with getters and with mechanical couplings were tested. The tests yielded the following results: (1) Bonded, split, pumping piston rings, in preliminary testing, proved a promising concept, exhibiting low leakage and friction losses. Solid piston rings proved impractical in view of their sensitivity to the operating temperature; (2) A babbit oil scraper in a compliant housing performed well in atmospheric endurance testing. In pressurized tests the scraper did not perform well as a containment seal. The latter tests suggest modifications which may adapt Ti successfully to that application; and (3) Heat pipe endurance tests indicated the adequacy of simple, inexpensive fabrication and filling procedures. Getters were provided to increase the tolerance of the heat pipes to the presence of air and commercially available couplings were demonstrated to be suitable for heat pipe application. In addition to the above tests, the program also included a design effort for a split shaft applicable to a swashplate driven engine with a pressurized crank-case. The design is aimed, and does accomplish, an increase in component life to more than 10,000 hours.

A Cancer Gene Selection Algorithm Based on the K-S Test and CFS.

PubMed

Su, Qiang; Wang, Yina; Jiang, Xiaobing; Chen, Fuxue; Lu, Wen-Cong

2017-01-01

To address the challenging problem of selecting distinguished genes from cancer gene expression datasets, this paper presents a gene subset selection algorithm based on the Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test and correlation-based feature selection (CFS) principles. The algorithm selects distinguished genes first using the K-S test, and then, it uses CFS to select genes from those selected by the K-S test. We adopted support vector machines (SVM) as the classification tool and used the criteria of accuracy to evaluate the performance of the classifiers on the selected gene subsets. This approach compared the proposed gene subset selection algorithm with the K-S test, CFS, minimum-redundancy maximum-relevancy (mRMR), and ReliefF algorithms. The average experimental results of the aforementioned gene selection algorithms for 5 gene expression datasets demonstrate that, based on accuracy, the performance of the new K-S and CFS-based algorithm is better than those of the K-S test, CFS, mRMR, and ReliefF algorithms. The experimental results show that the K-S test-CFS gene selection algorithm is a very effective and promising approach compared to the K-S test, CFS, mRMR, and ReliefF algorithms.

Discontinuous Fiber-reinforced Composites above Critical Length

PubMed Central

Petersen, R.C.

2014-01-01

Micromechanical physics of critical fiber length, describing a minimum filament distance for resin impregnation and stress transfer, has not yet been applied in dental science. As a test of the hypothesis that 9-micron-diameter, 3-mm-long quartz fibers would increase mechanical strength over particulate-filled composites, photocure-resin-pre-impregnated discontinuous reinforcement was incorporated at 35 wt% into 3M Corporation Z100, Kerr Corporation HerculiteXRV, and an experimental photocure paste with increased radiopaque particulate. Fully articulated four-point bend testing per ASTM C 1161-94 for advanced ceramics and Izod impact testing according to a modified unnotched ASTM D 256-00 specification were then performed. All photocure-fiber-reinforced composites demonstrated significant improvements over particulate-filled compounds (p < 0.001) for flexural strength, modulus, work of fracture, strain at maximum load, and Izod toughness, with one exception for the moduli of Z100 and the experimental reinforced paste. The results indicate that inclusion of pre-impregnated fibers above the critical aspect ratio yields major advancements regarding the mechanical properties tested. PMID:15790745

Testing quantum gravity through dumb holes

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

Pourhassan, Behnam, E-mail: b.pourhassan@du.ac.ir; Faizal, Mir, E-mail: f2mir@uwaterloo.ca; Irving K. Barber School of Arts and Sciences, University of British Columbia - Okanagan, Kelowna, BC V1V 1V7

We propose a method to test the effects of quantum fluctuations on black holes by analyzing the effects of thermal fluctuations on dumb holes, the analogs for black holes. The proposal is based on the Jacobson formalism, where the Einstein field equations are viewed as thermodynamical relations, and so the quantum fluctuations are generated from the thermal fluctuations. It is well known that all approaches to quantum gravity generate logarithmic corrections to the entropy of a black hole and the coefficient of this term varies according to the different approaches to the quantum gravity. It is possible to demonstrate thatmore » such logarithmic terms are also generated from thermal fluctuations in dumb holes. In this paper, we claim that it is possible to experimentally test such corrections for dumb holes, and also obtain the correct coefficient for them. This fact can then be used to predict the effects of quantum fluctuations on realistic black holes, and so it can also be used, in principle, to experimentally test the different approaches to quantum gravity.« less

[Action-oriented versus state-oriented reactions to experimenter-induced failures].

PubMed

Brunstein, J C

1989-01-01

The present study assessed different effects of action-oriented versus state-oriented styles of coping with failure on achievement-related performance and cognition. In a learned helplessness experiment, students were exposed to an academic failure situation and were then tested on a series of problem-solving tasks, either immediately after the pretreatment or after a delay of 24 hours. Performance and cognitive concomitants were measured during both experimental periods. Results demonstrated that action orientation was associated with self-immunizing cognitions during helplessness training. Action-oriented participants improved their performance level even after repeated failure feedbacks. Moreover, action-oriented students assigned to the delayed test condition responded with increased striving for success and showed performance increments, even in comparison with control subjects. In contrast, state-oriented participants developed symptoms of helplessness and showed impaired performance during failure inductions. In later tests on problem-solving tasks, state-oriented groups responded with increased fear of failure. Independent of immediate or delayed test conditions, they soon lapsed into new performance decrements.

Experimental temporal quantum steering

PubMed Central

Bartkiewicz, Karol; Černoch, Antonín; Lemr, Karel; Miranowicz, Adam; Nori, Franco

2016-01-01

Temporal steering is a form of temporal correlation between the initial and final state of a quantum system. It is a temporal analogue of the famous Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (spatial) steering. We demonstrate, by measuring the photon polarization, that temporal steering allows two parties to verify if they have been interacting with the same particle, even if they have no information about what happened with the particle in between the measurements. This is the first experimental study of temporal steering. We also performed experimental tests, based on the violation of temporal steering inequalities, of the security of two quantum key distribution protocols against individual attacks. Thus, these results can lead to applications for secure quantum communications and quantum engineering. PMID:27901121

Income Mobility Breeds Tolerance for Income Inequality: Cross-National and Experimental Evidence.

PubMed

Shariff, Azim F; Wiwad, Dylan; Aknin, Lara B

2016-05-01

American politicians often justify income inequality by referencing the opportunities people have to move between economic stations. Though past research has shown associations between income mobility and resistance to wealth redistribution policies, no experimental work has tested whether perceptions of mobility influence tolerance for inequality. In this article, we present a cross-national comparison showing that income mobility is associated with tolerance for inequality and experimental work demonstrating that perceptions of higher mobility directly affect attitudes toward inequality. We find support for both the prospect of upward mobility and the view that peoples' economic station is the product of their own efforts, as mediating mechanisms. © The Author(s) 2016.

Fold or hold: experimental evolution in vitro

PubMed Central

Collins, S; Rambaut, A; Bridgett, S J

2013-01-01

We introduce a system for experimental evolution consisting of populations of short oligonucleotides (Oli populations) evolving in a modified quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). It is tractable at the genetic, genomic, phenotypic and fitness levels. The Oli system uses DNA hairpins designed to form structures that self-prime under defined conditions. Selection acts on the phenotype of self-priming, after which differences in fitness are amplified and quantified using qPCR. We outline the methodological and bioinformatics tools for the Oli system here and demonstrate that it can be used as a conventional experimental evolution model system by test-driving it in an experiment investigating adaptive evolution under different rates of environmental change. PMID:24003997

Experimental and numerical characterization of the sound pressure in standing wave acoustic levitators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stindt, A.; Andrade, M. A. B.; Albrecht, M.; Adamowski, J. C.; Panne, U.; Riedel, J.

2014-01-01

A novel method for predictions of the sound pressure distribution in acoustic levitators is based on a matrix representation of the Rayleigh integral. This method allows for a fast calculation of the acoustic field within the resonator. To make sure that the underlying assumptions and simplifications are justified, this approach was tested by a direct comparison to experimental data. The experimental sound pressure distributions were recorded by high spatially resolved frequency selective microphone scanning. To emphasize the general applicability of the two approaches, the comparative studies were conducted for four different resonator geometries. In all cases, the results show an excellent agreement, demonstrating the accuracy of the matrix method.

Vitamin B6 prevents cognitive impairment in experimental pneumococcal meningitis.

PubMed

Barichello, Tatiana; Generoso, Jaqueline S; Simões, Lutiana R; Ceretta, Renan A; Dominguini, Diogo; Ferrari, Pâmela; Gubert, Carolina; Jornada, Luciano K; Budni, Josiane; Kapczinski, Flávio; Quevedo, João

2014-10-01

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the relevant cause of bacterial meningitis, with a high-mortality rate and long-term neurological sequelae, affecting up to 50% of survivors. Pneumococcal compounds are pro-inflammatory mediators that induce an innate immune response and tryptophan degradation through the kynurenine pathway. Vitamin B6 acts as a cofactor at the active sites of enzymes that catalyze a great number of reactions involved in the metabolism of tryptophan, preventing the accumulation of neurotoxic intermediates. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of vitamin B6 on memory and on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the brain of adult Wistar rats subjected to pneumococcal meningitis. The animals received either 10 µL of artificial cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) or an equivalent volume of S. pneumoniae suspension. The animals were divided into four groups: control, control treated with vitamin B6, meningitis, and meningitis treated with vitamin B6. Ten days after induction, the animals were subjected to behavioral tests: open-field task and step-down inhibitory avoidance task. In the open-field task, there was a significant reduction in both crossing and rearing in the control group, control/B6 group, and meningitis/B6 group compared with the training session, demonstrating habituation memory. However, the meningitis group showed no difference in motor and exploratory activity between training and test sessions, demonstrating memory impairment. In the step-down inhibitory avoidance task, there was a difference between training and test sessions in the control group, control/B6 group, and meningitis/B6 group, demonstrating aversive memory. In the meningitis group, there was no difference between training and test sessions, demonstrating impairment of aversive memory. In the hippocampus, BDNF expression decreased in the meningitis group when compared to the control group; however, adjuvant treatment with vitamin B6 increased BDNF expression in the meningitis group. Thus, vitamin B6 attenuated the memory impairment in animals subjected to pneumococcal meningitis. © 2014 by the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine.

Tone-assisted time delay interferometry on GRACE Follow-On

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Francis, Samuel P.; Shaddock, Daniel A.; Sutton, Andrew J.; de Vine, Glenn; Ware, Brent; Spero, Robert E.; Klipstein, William M.; McKenzie, Kirk

2015-07-01

We have demonstrated the viability of using the Laser Ranging Interferometer on the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Follow-On (GRACE-FO) space mission to test key aspects of the interspacecraft interferometry proposed for detecting gravitational waves. The Laser Ranging Interferometer on GRACE-FO will be the first demonstration of interspacecraft interferometry. GRACE-FO shares many similarities with proposed space-based gravitational wave detectors based on the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) concept. Given these similarities, GRACE-FO provides a unique opportunity to test novel interspacecraft interferometry techniques that a LISA-like mission will use. The LISA Experience from GRACE-FO Optical Payload (LEGOP) is a project developing tests of arm locking and time delay interferometry (TDI), two frequency stabilization techniques, that could be performed on GRACE-FO. In the proposed LEGOP TDI demonstration one GRACE-FO spacecraft will have a free-running laser while the laser on the other spacecraft will be locked to a cavity. It is proposed that two one-way interspacecraft phase measurements will be combined with an appropriate delay in order to produce a round-trip, dual one-way ranging (DOWR) measurement independent of the frequency noise of the free-running laser. This paper describes simulated and experimental tests of a tone-assisted TDI ranging (TDIR) technique that uses a least-squares fitting algorithm and fractional-delay interpolation to find and implement the delays needed to form the DOWR TDI combination. The simulation verifies tone-assisted TDIR works under GRACE-FO conditions. Using simulated GRACE-FO signals the tone-assisted TDIR algorithm estimates the time-varying interspacecraft range with a rms error of ±0.2 m , suppressing the free-running laser frequency noise by 8 orders of magnitude. The experimental results demonstrate the practicability of the technique, measuring the delay at the 6 ns level in the presence of a significant displacement signal.

Aerothermodynamic Testing of the Crew Exploration Vehicle in the LaRC 20-Inch Mach 6 and 31-Inch Mach 10 Tunnels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berger, Karen T.

2008-01-01

An experimental wind tunnel program is being conducted in support of a NASA wide effort to develop a Space Shuttle replacement and to support the Agency s long term objective of returning to the Moon and Mars. This report documents experimental measurements made on several scaled ceramic heat transfer models of the proposed Crew Exploration Vehicle Crew Module. The experimental data highlighted in this test report are to be used to assess numerical tools that will be used to generate the flight aerothermodynamic database. Global heat transfer images and heat transfer distributions were obtained over a range of freestream Reynolds numbers and angles of attack with the phosphor thermography technique. Heat transfer data were measured on the forebody and afterbody and were used to infer the heating on the vehicle as well as the boundary layer state on the forebody surface. Several model support configurations were assessed to minimize potential support interference. In addition, the ability of the global phosphor thermography method to provide quantitative heating measurements in the low temperature environment of the capsule base region was assessed. While naturally fully developed turbulent levels were not obtained on the forebody, the use of boundary layer trips generated fully developed turbulent flow. Laminar and turbulent computational results were shown to be in good agreement with the data. Backshell testing demonstrated the ability to obtain data in the low temperature region as well as demonstrating the lack of significant model support hardware influence on heating.

HuMOVE: a low-invasive wearable monitoring platform in sexual medicine.

PubMed

Ciuti, Gastone; Nardi, Matteo; Valdastri, Pietro; Menciassi, Arianna; Basile Fasolo, Ciro; Dario, Paolo

2014-10-01

To investigate an accelerometer-based wearable system, named Human Movement (HuMOVE) platform, designed to enable quantitative and continuous measurement of sexual performance with minimal invasiveness and inconvenience for users. Design, implementation, and development of HuMOVE, a wearable platform equipped with an accelerometer sensor for monitoring inertial parameters for sexual performance assessment and diagnosis, were performed. The system enables quantitative measurement of movement parameters during sexual intercourse, meeting the requirements of wearability, data storage, sampling rate, and interfacing methods, which are fundamental for human sexual intercourse performance analysis. HuMOVE was validated through characterization using a controlled experimental test bench and evaluated in a human model during simulated sexual intercourse conditions. HuMOVE demonstrated to be a robust and quantitative monitoring platform and a reliable candidate for sexual performance evaluation and diagnosis. Characterization analysis on the controlled experimental test bench demonstrated an accurate correlation between the HuMOVE system and data from a reference displacement sensor. Experimental tests in the human model during simulated intercourse conditions confirmed the accuracy of the sexual performance evaluation platform and the effectiveness of the selected and derived parameters. The obtained outcomes also established the project expectations in terms of usability and comfort, evidenced by the questionnaires that highlighted the low invasiveness and acceptance of the device. To the best of our knowledge, HuMOVE platform is the first device for human sexual performance analysis compatible with sexual intercourse; the system has the potential to be a helpful tool for physicians to accurately classify sexual disorders, such as premature or delayed ejaculation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Theory, design, and experimental verification of a reflectionless bianisotropic Huygens' metasurface for wide-angle refraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Michael; Abdo-Sánchez, Elena; Epstein, Ariel; Eleftheriades, George V.

2018-03-01

Huygens' metasurfaces are electrically thin devices which allow arbitrary field transformations. Beam refraction is among the first demonstrations of realized metasurfaces. As previously shown for extreme-angle refraction, control over only the electric impedance and magnetic admittance of the Huygens' metasurface proved insufficient to produce the desired reflectionless field transformation. To maintain zero reflections for wide refraction angles, magnetoelectric coupling between the electric and magnetic response of the metasurface, leading to bianisotropy, can be introduced. In this paper, we report the theory, design, and experimental characterization of a reflectionless bianisotropic metasurface for extreme-angle refraction of a normally incident plane wave towards 71.8° at 20 GHz. The theory and design of three-layer asymmetric bianisotropic unit cells are discussed. The realized printed circuit board structure was tested via full-wave simulations as well as experimental characterization. To experimentally verify the prototype, two setups were used. A quasi-optical experiment was conducted to assess the specular reflections of the metasurface, while a far-field antenna measurement characterized its refraction nature. The measurements verify that the fabricated metasurface has negligible reflections and the majority of the scattered power is refracted to the desired Floquet mode. This provides an experimental demonstration of a reflectionless wide-angle refracting metasurface using a bianisotropic Huygens' metasurface at microwave frequencies.

Crack-Detection Experiments on Simulated Turbine Engine Disks in NASA Glenn Research Center's Rotordynamics Laboratory

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woike, Mark R.; Abdul-Aziz, Ali

2010-01-01

The development of new health-monitoring techniques requires the use of theoretical and experimental tools to allow new concepts to be demonstrated and validated prior to use on more complicated and expensive engine hardware. In order to meet this need, significant upgrades were made to NASA Glenn Research Center s Rotordynamics Laboratory and a series of tests were conducted on simulated turbine engine disks as a means of demonstrating potential crack-detection techniques. The Rotordynamics Laboratory consists of a high-precision spin rig that can rotate subscale engine disks at speeds up to 12,000 rpm. The crack-detection experiment involved introducing a notch on a subscale engine disk and measuring its vibration response using externally mounted blade-tip-clearance sensors as the disk was operated at speeds up to 12 000 rpm. Testing was accomplished on both a clean baseline disk and a disk with an artificial crack: a 50.8-mm- (2-in.-) long introduced notch. The disk s vibration responses were compared and evaluated against theoretical models to investigate how successful the technique was in detecting cracks. This paper presents the capabilities of the Rotordynamics Laboratory, the baseline theory and experimental setup for the crack-detection experiments, and the associated results from the latest test campaign.

Videotaped Feedback Method to Enhance Learning in Preclinical Operative Dentistry: An Experimental Study.

PubMed

Shah, Dipali Yogesh; Dadpe, Ashwini Manish; Kalra, Dheeraj Deepak; Garcha, Vikram P

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to investigate if a videotaped feedback method enhanced teaching and learning outcomes in a preclinical operative laboratory setting for novice learners. In 2013, 60 dental students at a dental school in India were randomly assigned to two groups: control (n=30) and experimental (n=30). The control group prepared a Class II tooth preparation for amalgam after receiving a video demonstration of the exercise. The experimental group received the same video demonstration as the control group, but they also participated in a discussion and analysis of the control groups' videotaped performance and then performed the same exercise. The self-evaluation scores (SS) and examiner evaluation scores (ES) of the two groups were compared using the unpaired t-test. The experimental group also used a five-point Likert scale to rate each item on the feedback form. The means of SS (13.65±2.43) and ES (14.75±1.97) of the experimental group were statistically higher than the means of SS (11.55±2.09) and ES (11.60±1.82) of the control group. Most students in the experimental group perceived that this technique enhanced their learning experience. Within the limits of this study, the videotaped feedback using both ideal and non-ideal examples enhanced the students' performance.

Process simulation and experimental validation of Hot Metal Gas Forming with new press hardening steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, A.; Reuther, F.; Neumann, S.; Albert, A.; Landgrebe, D.

2017-09-01

One field in the work of the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology IWU in Chemnitz is industry applied research in Hot Metal Gas Forming, combined with press hardening in one process step. In this paper the results of investigations on new press hardening steels from SSAB AB (Docol®1800 Bor and Docol®2000 Bor) are presented. Hot tensile tests recorded by the project partner (University of West Bohemia, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering) were used to create a material model for thermo-mechanical forming simulations. For this purpose the provided raw data were converted into flow curve approximations of the real stress-real strain-curves for both materials and afterwards integrated in a LS-DYNA simulation model of Hot Metal Gas Forming with all relevant boundary conditions and sub-stages. Preliminary experimental tests were carried out using a tool at room temperature to permit evaluation of the forming behaviour of Docol 1800 Bor and Docol 2000 Bor tubes as well as validation of the simulation model. Using this demonstrator geometry (outer diameter 57 mm, tube length 300 mm, wall thickness 1.5 mm), the intention was to perform a series of tests with different furnace temperatures (from 870 °C to 1035 °C), maximum internal pressures (up to 67 MPa) and pressure build-up rates (up to 40 MPa/s) to evaluate the formability of Docol 1800 Bor and Docol 2000 Bor. Selected demonstrator parts produced in that way were subsequently analysed by wall thickness and hardness measurements. The tests were carried out using the completely modernized Dunkes/AP&T HS3-1500 hydroforming press at the Fraunhofer IWU. In summary, creating a consistent simulation model with all relevant sub-stages was successfully established in LS-DYNA. The computation results show a high correlation with the experimental data regarding the thinning behaviour. The Hot Metal Gas Forming of the demonstrator geometry was successfully established as well. Different hardness values could be achieved depending on the furnace temperatures and the investigated material. Hardness up to 620 HV could be measured on the component with a complete martensitic structure.

A physically-based continuum damage mechanics model for numerical prediction of damage growth in laminated composite plates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Kevin Vaughan

Rapid growth in use of composite materials in structural applications drives the need for a more detailed understanding of damage tolerant and damage resistant design. Current analytical techniques provide sufficient understanding and predictive capabilities for application in preliminary design, but current numerical models applicable to composites are few and far between and their development into well tested, rigorous material models is currently one of the most challenging fields in composite materials. The present work focuses on the development, implementation, and verification of a plane-stress continuum damage mechanics based model for composite materials. A physical treatment of damage growth based on the extensive body of experimental literature on the subject is combined with the mathematical rigour of a continuum damage mechanics description to form the foundation of the model. The model has been implemented in the LS-DYNA3D commercial finite element hydrocode and the results of the application of the model are shown to be physically meaningful and accurate. Furthermore it is demonstrated that the material characterization parameters can be extracted from the results of standard test methodologies for which a large body of published data already exists for many materials. Two case studies are undertaken to verify the model by comparison with measured experimental data. The first series of analyses demonstrate the ability of the model to predict the extent and growth of damage in T800/3900-2 carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) plates subjected to normal impacts over a range of impact energy levels. The predicted force-time and force-displacement response of the panels compare well with experimental measurements. The damage growth and stiffness reduction properties of the T800/3900-2 CFRP are derived using published data from a variety of sources without the need for parametric studies. To further demonstrate the physical nature of the model, a IM6/937 CFRP with a more brittle matrix system than 3900-2 is also analysed. Results of analyses performed under the same impact conditions do not compare as well quantitatively with measurements but the results are still promising and qualitative differences between the T800/3900-2 and IM6/937 are accurately captured. Finally, to further demonstrate the capability of the model, the response of a notched CFRP plate under quasi-static tensile loading is simulated and compared to experimental measurements. Of particular significance is the fact that the experimental test modelled in this case is uniquely suited to the characterization of the strain softening phenomenon observed in FRP laminates. Results of this virtual experiment compare very favourably with the measured damage growth and force-displacement curves.

Intercontinental telehealth coaching of therapists to improve verbalizations by children with autism.

PubMed

Barkaia, Ana; Stokes, Trevor F; Mikiashvili, Tamar

2017-07-01

This study examined the effects of intercontinental telehealth coaching on the mastery of therapists' skills and improvements in verbalizations by children with autism, testing whether telehealth can be a solution for underserved communities in developing countries such as Georgia-Sakartvelo in Eastern Europe. Three therapists delivering and three children with autism receiving early-intervention services from the nongovernmental organization Children of Georgia in Tbilisi participated. Experimenters provided coaching from Virginia, USA to therapists in Georgia-Sakartvelo. Observers in Georgia-Sakartvelo and in Virginia conducted the behavioral observations. We used inexpensive communications technology to provide the coaching and a multiple-baseline design across participants to evaluate the effects of the intervention. Therapists demonstrated improvements in two classes of behaviors: correct command sequences and positive consequences. The children demonstrated improvements with echoics and mands. The study demonstrated that telehealth can be a good model for delivering early-intervention services to children with autism in underserved and distant regions of the world. © 2017 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.

Flexural properties of three kinds of experimental fiber-reinforced composite posts.

PubMed

Kim, Mi-Joo; Jung, Won-Chang; Oh, Seunghan; Hattori, Masayuki; Yoshinari, Masao; Kawada, Eiji; Oda, Yutaka; Bae, Ji-Myung

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the flexural properties of three kinds of experimental fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) posts and to evaluate their potential use as posts. Experimental FRC posts were fabricated with glass, aramid, and UHMWP fibers. Commercial FRC posts were used for comparison. A three-point bending test was performed at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. Experimental glass fiber posts showed significantly higher flexural strengths and moduli than aramid and UHMWP posts. Experimental UHMWP posts demonstrated superior toughness to the commercial posts. The glass fiber posts displayed stiff, strong and brittle features, while the UHMWP posts were flexible, weak and ductile. The flexural properties of the aramid posts fell between those of the glass and UHMWP posts. In conclusion, the glass fiber posts proved excellent in flexural strengths and moduli. However, the superior toughness of UHMWP fibers suggests the possibility of their use as posts in combination with glass fibers.

Performance mapping of the STM4-120 kinematic Stirling engine using a statistical design of experiments method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, M. A.; Rawlinson, K. S.

A kinetic Stirling cycle engine, the Stirling Thermal Motors (STM) STM4-120, was tested at the Sandia National Laboratories Engine Test Facility (ETF) from March 1989-August 1992. Sandia is interested in determining this engine's potential for solar-thermal-electric applications. The last round of testing was conducted from July-August 1992 using Sandia-designed gas-fired heat pipe evaporators as the heat input system to the engine. The STM4-120 was performance mapped over a range of sodium vapor temperatures, cooling water temperatures, and cycle pressures. The resulting shaft power output levels ranged from 5-9 kW. The engine demonstrated high conversion efficiency (24-31%) even though the power output level was less than 40% of the rated output of 25 kW. The engine had been previously derated from 25 kW to 10 kW shaft power due to mechanical limitations that were identified by STM during parallel testing at their facility in Ann Arbor, MI. A statistical method was used to design the experiment, to choose the experimental points, and to generate correlation equations describing the engine performance given the operating parameters. The testing was truncated due to a failure of the heat pipe system caused by entrainment of liquid sodium in the condenser section of the heat pipes. Enough data was gathered to generate the correlations and to demonstrate the experimental technique. The correlation is accurate in the experimental space and is simple enough for use in hand calculations and spreadsheet-based system models. Use of this method can simplify the construction of accurate performance and economic models of systems in which the engine is a component. The purpose of this paper is to present the method used to design the experiments and to analyze the performance data.

[The battery of tests for behavioral phenotyping of aging animals in the experiment].

PubMed

Gorina, Ya V; Komleva, Yu K; Lopatina, O L; Volkova, V V; Chernykh, A I; Shabalova, A A; Semenchukov, A A; Olovyannikova, R Ya; Salmina, A B

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study was to develop a battery of tests to study social and cognitive impairments for behavioral phenotyping of aging experimental animals with physiological neurodegeneration. Object of the study were outbred CD1 mice in the following groups: 1st group - 12-month old male mice (physiological aging); 2nd group - 2-month old male mice (control group). Social recognition test, elevated plus maze test (EPM), open field test, light-dark box test, and Fear conditioning protocol were used to estimate the neurological status of experimental animals. We found that aging male mice in a contrast to young ones have demonstrated lower social interest to female mice in the social recognition task. EPM and light-dark box tests showed increased level of anxiety in the group of aged mice comparing to the control group. Fear conditioning protocol revealed impairment of associative learning and memory in the group of aged mice, particularly, fear memory consolidation was dramatically suppressed. Analysis of behavioral factors, social interactions and anxiety level in the experimental mice has confirmed age-related neurodegeneration in the 1st group. We found that the most informative approach to identifying neurological impairments in aging mice (social interaction deficit, limitation of interests, increased level of anxiety) should be based on the open field test light-dark box test, and Fear conditioning protocol. Such combination allows obtaining new data on behavioral alterations in the age-associated of neurodegeneration and to develop novel therapeutic strategies for the treatment of age-related brain pathology.

SPES-2, AP600 intergral system test S01007 2 inch CL to core make-up tank pressure balance line break

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

Bacchiani, M.; Medich, C.; Rigamonti, M.

1995-09-01

The SPES-2 is a full height, full pressure experimental test facility reproducing the Westinghouse AP600 reactor with a scaling factor of 1/395. The experimental plant, designed and operated by SIET in Piacenza, consists of a full simulation of the AP600 primary core cooling system including all the passive and active safety systems. In 1992, Westinghouse, in cooperation with ENEL (Ente Nazionale per l` Energia Elettrica), ENEA (Enter per le numove Technlogie, l` Energia e l` Ambient), Siet (Societa Informazioni Esperienze Termoidraulich) and ANSALDO developed an experimental program to test the integrated behaviour of the AP600 passive safety systems. The SPES-2more » test matrix, concluded in November 1994, has examined the AP600 passive safety system response for a range of small break LOCAs at different locations on the primary system and on the passive system lines; single steam generator tube ruptures with passive and active safety systems and a main steam line break transient to demonstrate the boration capability of passive safety systems for rapid cooldown. Each of the tests has provided detailed experimental results for verification of the capability of the analysis methods to predict the integrated passive safety system behaviour. Cold and hot shakedown tests have been performed on the facility to check the characteristics of the plant before starting the experimental campaign. The paper first presents a description of the SPES-2 test facility then the main results of S01007 test {open_quotes}2{close_quotes} Cold Leg (CL) to Core Make-up Tank (CMT) pressure balance line break{close_quotes} are reported and compared with predictions performed using RELAP5/mod3/80 obtained by ANSALDO through agreement with U.S.N.R.C. (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission). The SPES-2 nodalization and all the calculations here presented were performed by ANSALDO and sponsored by ENEL as a part of pre-test predictions for SPES-2.« less

Dissociations of the number and precision of visual short-term memory representations in change detection.

PubMed

Xie, Weizhen; Zhang, Weiwei

2017-11-01

The present study dissociated the number (i.e., quantity) and precision (i.e., quality) of visual short-term memory (STM) representations in change detection using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and experimental manipulations. Across three experiments, participants performed both recognition and recall tests of visual STM using the change-detection task and the continuous color-wheel recall task, respectively. Experiment 1 demonstrated that the estimates of the number and precision of visual STM representations based on the ROC model of change-detection performance were robustly correlated with the corresponding estimates based on the mixture model of continuous-recall performance. Experiments 2 and 3 showed that the experimental manipulation of mnemonic precision using white-noise masking and the experimental manipulation of the number of encoded STM representations using consolidation masking produced selective effects on the corresponding measures of mnemonic precision and the number of encoded STM representations, respectively, in both change-detection and continuous-recall tasks. Altogether, using the individual-differences (Experiment 1) and experimental dissociation (Experiment 2 and 3) approaches, the present study demonstrated the some-or-none nature of visual STM representations across recall and recognition.

AGR-1 Thermocouple Data Analysis

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

Jeff Einerson

2012-05-01

This report documents an effort to analyze measured and simulated data obtained in the Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) fuel irradiation test program conducted in the INL's Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) to support the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) R&D program. The work follows up on a previous study (Pham and Einerson, 2010), in which statistical analysis methods were applied for AGR-1 thermocouple data qualification. The present work exercises the idea that, while recognizing uncertainties inherent in physics and thermal simulations of the AGR-1 test, results of the numerical simulations can be used in combination with the statistical analysis methods tomore » further improve qualification of measured data. Additionally, the combined analysis of measured and simulation data can generate insights about simulation model uncertainty that can be useful for model improvement. This report also describes an experimental control procedure to maintain fuel target temperature in the future AGR tests using regression relationships that include simulation results. The report is organized into four chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the AGR Fuel Development and Qualification program, AGR-1 test configuration and test procedure, overview of AGR-1 measured data, and overview of physics and thermal simulation, including modeling assumptions and uncertainties. A brief summary of statistical analysis methods developed in (Pham and Einerson 2010) for AGR-1 measured data qualification within NGNP Data Management and Analysis System (NDMAS) is also included for completeness. Chapters 2-3 describe and discuss cases, in which the combined use of experimental and simulation data is realized. A set of issues associated with measurement and modeling uncertainties resulted from the combined analysis are identified. This includes demonstration that such a combined analysis led to important insights for reducing uncertainty in presentation of AGR-1 measured data (Chapter 2) and interpretation of simulation results (Chapter 3). The statistics-based simulation-aided experimental control procedure described for the future AGR tests is developed and demonstrated in Chapter 4. The procedure for controlling the target fuel temperature (capsule peak or average) is based on regression functions of thermocouple readings and other relevant parameters and accounting for possible changes in both physical and thermal conditions and in instrument performance.« less

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

Jamieson, Kevin; Davis, IV, Warren L.

Active learning methods automatically adapt data collection by selecting the most informative samples in order to accelerate machine learning. Because of this, real-world testing and comparing active learning algorithms requires collecting new datasets (adaptively), rather than simply applying algorithms to benchmark datasets, as is the norm in (passive) machine learning research. To facilitate the development, testing and deployment of active learning for real applications, we have built an open-source software system for large-scale active learning research and experimentation. The system, called NEXT, provides a unique platform for realworld, reproducible active learning research. This paper details the challenges of building themore » system and demonstrates its capabilities with several experiments. The results show how experimentation can help expose strengths and weaknesses of active learning algorithms, in sometimes unexpected and enlightening ways.« less

Understanding biomaterial-tissue interface quality: combined in vitro evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gasik, Michael

2017-12-01

One of the greatest challenges in the development of new medical products and devices remains in providing maximal patient safety, efficacy and suitability for the purpose. A 'good quality' of the tissue-implant interface is one of the most critical factors for the success of the implant integration. In this paper this challenge is being discussed from the point of view of basic stimuli combination to experimental testing. The focus is in particular on bacterial effects on tissue-implant interaction (for different materials). The demonstration of the experimental evaluation of the tissue-implant interface is for dental abutment with mucosal contact. This shows that testing of the interface quality could be the most relevant in controlled conditions, which mimic as possible the clinical applications, but consider variables being under the control of the evaluator.

Physical phenomena in mercury ion thrusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilbur, P. J.

1979-01-01

Experimental tests results demonstrating that reductions in screen grid thickness enhance the performance of ion thruster grids are presented. Shaping of the screen hole cross section is shown on the other hand not to affect performance substantially. The effect of the magnetic field in the vicinity of the hollow cathode on cathode performance is studied and test results are presented that show reductions in keeper voltages of a few volts can be realized by judicious applications of fields on the order of 100 gauss. The plasma downstream of a SERT 2 thruster operating without high voltage is studied. A model describing electron escape from the thruster under these conditions is discussed. A model defining the performance of the baffle aperture of an ion thruster is refined and experimental verification of the model is undertaken.

An experimental study of wall adaptation and interference assessment using Cauchy integral formula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murthy, A. V.

1991-01-01

This paper summarizes the results of an experimental study of combined wall adaptation and residual interference assessment using the Cauchy integral formula. The experiments were conducted on a supercritical airfoil model in the Langley 0.3-m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel solid flexible wall test section. The ratio of model chord to test section height was about 0.7. The method worked satisfactorily in reducing the blockage interference and demonstrated the primary requirement for correcting for the blockage effects at high model incidences to correctly determine high lift characteristics. The studies show that the method has potential for reducing the residual interference to considerably low levels. However, corrections to blockage and upwash velocities gradients may still be required for the final adapted wall shapes.

Fuel alcohol production from agricultural lignocellulosic feedstocks

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

Farina, G.E.; Barrier, J.W.; Forsythe, M.L.

1988-01-01

A two-stage, low-temperature, ambient pressure, acid hydrolysis process that utilizes separate unit operations to convert hemicellulose and cellulose in agricultural residues and crops to fermentable sugars is being developed and tested. Based on the results of the bench-scale tests, an acid hydrolysis experimental plant to demonstrate the concepts of low-temperature acid hydrolysis on a much larger scale was built. Plant tests using corn stover have been conducted for more that a year and conversion efficiences have equaled those achieved in the laboratory. Laboratory tests to determine the potential for low-temperature acid hydrolysis of other feedstocks - including red clover, alfalfa,more » kobe lespedeza, winter rape, and rye grass - are being conducted. Where applicable, process modifications to include extraction before or after hydrolysis also are being studied. This paper describes the experimental plant and process, results obtained in the plant, results of alternative feedstocks testing in the laboratory, and a plan for an integrated system that will produce other fuels, feed, and food from crops grown on marginal land.« less

Anomalous Transport in Single-Well Push-Pull Tracer Tests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, K.; Zhan, H.

2016-12-01

Single-Well Push-Pull (SWPP) tracer test was conducted to estimate the hydraulic and transport properties in a fractured aquifer at Newark basin. A common phenomenon observed for a set of SWPP tests with different incubation time is the heavy tailing of breakthrough curve (BTC) in pumping phase. A novel model with fractional-in-time and (or) -space was developed to interpret the anomalous transport behavior in SWPP tests. The fractal models, including fractional-in-time, fractional-in-space and fractional-in-time-and-space, were solved in radial coordinate using implicit Euler method. A semi-analytical solution of the mobile-immobile (MIM) model was derived as well for comparison purpose. It is found that the fractional-in-space and fractional-in-time-and-space models match the experimental data well. The BTC of the MIM model drops slower than that of the fractional-in-space model at the beginning of pumping and drops much faster at late time. The best match of fractional-in-space model with the experimental data demonstrates that the non-local transport in space plays an important role in SWPP tests conducted in fractured aquifers.

Test One to Test Many: A Unified Approach to Quantum Benchmarks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Ge; Chiribella, Giulio

2018-04-01

Quantum benchmarks are routinely used to validate the experimental demonstration of quantum information protocols. Many relevant protocols, however, involve an infinite set of input states, of which only a finite subset can be used to test the quality of the implementation. This is a problem, because the benchmark for the finitely many states used in the test can be higher than the original benchmark calculated for infinitely many states. This situation arises in the teleportation and storage of coherent states, for which the benchmark of 50% fidelity is commonly used in experiments, although finite sets of coherent states normally lead to higher benchmarks. Here, we show that the average fidelity over all coherent states can be indirectly probed with a single setup, requiring only two-mode squeezing, a 50-50 beam splitter, and homodyne detection. Our setup enables a rigorous experimental validation of quantum teleportation, storage, amplification, attenuation, and purification of noisy coherent states. More generally, we prove that every quantum benchmark can be tested by preparing a single entangled state and measuring a single observable.

A Very Compact, High Speed and Rugged Acousto-Optic Tunable Filter for Wavelength Division Demultiplexing in Fiber Optic Communication Networks. Phase 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-06-30

Novel concepts of near-collinear/collinear acousto - optic interactions have been investigated during this SBIR Phase I program. As a result, several...new acousto - optic tunable filters have been built and tested. The program is highlighted by: (1) Design, fabrication and experimental demonstration of...a novel TeO2 near-collinear acousto - optic tunable filter has been designed, fabricated and tested. The device exhibits a 1.29 nm spectral resolution

Development of Supersonic Vehicle for Demonstration of a Precooled Turbojet Engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sawai, Shujiro; Fujita, Kazuhisa; Kobayashi, Hiroaki; Sakai, Shin'ichiro; Bando, Nobutaka; Kadooka, Shouhei; Tsuboi, Nobuyuki; Miyaji, Koji; Uchiyama, Taku; Hashimoto, Tatsuaki

JAXA is developing Mach 5 hypersonic turbojet engine technology that can be applied in a future hypersonic transport. Now, Jet Engine Technology Research Center of JAXA conducts the experimental study using a 1 / 10 scale-model engine. In parallel to engine development activities, a new supersonic flight-testing vehicle for the hypersonic turbojet engine is under development since 2004. In this paper, the system configuration of the flight-testing vehicle is outlined and development status is reported.

Combined-load stress-strain relationship for advanced fiber composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamis, C. C.; Sullivan, T. L.

1975-01-01

It was demonstrated experimentally that only one test specimen is required to determine the combined-load stress-strain relationships of a given fiber composite system. These relationships were determined using a thin angle-plied laminate tube and subjecting it to a number of combined-loading conditions. The measured data obtained are compared with theoretical predictions. Some important considerations associated with such a test are identified, and the significance of combined-load stress-strain relationships in certain practical designs are discussed.

Development, fabrication and evaluation of composite thermal engine insulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

Foil enclosure configurations of 10 variations were fabricated and evaluated. A discussion of the thermal protection system panel design includes: (1) description of 3DSX/foil concept, (2) design environment, (3) material selection, (4) fabrication enclosure, (5) structural design, (6) thermal sizing, and (7) weight analysis. The structural design study includes foil evaluation, venting pressure loads, thermomechanical behavior, and enclosure venting (burst) pressure tests. Results of experimental demonstrations of performance and reuse capabilities are given for both thermal and acoustic testing.

Satellite power system (SPS) concept definition study. Volume 3: Experimental verification definition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanley, G. M.

1980-01-01

An evolutionary Satellite Power Systems development plan was prepared. Planning analysis was directed toward the evolution of a scenario that met the stated objectives, was technically possible and economically attractive, and took into account constraining considerations, such as requirements for very large scale end-to-end demonstration in a compressed time frame, the relative cost/technical merits of ground testing versus space testing, and the need for large mass flow capability to low Earth orbit and geosynchronous orbit at reasonable cost per pound.

Experimental design and analysis of JND test on coded image/video

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Joe Yuchieh; Jin, Lina; Hu, Sudeng; Katsavounidis, Ioannis; Li, Zhi; Aaron, Anne; Kuo, C.-C. Jay

2015-09-01

The visual Just-Noticeable-Difference (JND) metric is characterized by the detectable minimum amount of two visual stimuli. Conducting the subjective JND test is a labor-intensive task. In this work, we present a novel interactive method in performing the visual JND test on compressed image/video. JND has been used to enhance perceptual visual quality in the context of image/video compression. Given a set of coding parameters, a JND test is designed to determine the distinguishable quality level against a reference image/video, which is called the anchor. The JND metric can be used to save coding bitrates by exploiting the special characteristics of the human visual system. The proposed JND test is conducted using a binary-forced choice, which is often adopted to discriminate the difference in perception in a psychophysical experiment. The assessors are asked to compare coded image/video pairs and determine whether they are of the same quality or not. A bisection procedure is designed to find the JND locations so as to reduce the required number of comparisons over a wide range of bitrates. We will demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed JND test, report experimental results on the image and video JND tests.

Dietary α-eleostearic acid ameliorates experimental inflammatory bowel disease in mice by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ.

PubMed

Lewis, Stephanie N; Brannan, Lera; Guri, Amir J; Lu, Pinyi; Hontecillas, Raquel; Bassaganya-Riera, Josep; Bevan, David R

2011-01-01

Treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are modestly effective and associated with side effects from prolonged use. As there is no known cure for IBD, alternative therapeutic options are needed. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) has been identified as a potential target for novel therapeutics against IBD. For this project, compounds were screened to identify naturally occurring PPARγ agonists as a means to identify novel anti-inflammatory therapeutics for experimental assessment of efficacy. Here we provide complementary computational and experimental methods to efficiently screen for PPARγ agonists and demonstrate amelioration of experimental IBD in mice, respectively. Computational docking as part of virtual screening (VS) was used to test binding between a total of eighty-one compounds and PPARγ. The test compounds included known agonists, known inactive compounds, derivatives and stereoisomers of known agonists with unknown activity, and conjugated trienes. The compound identified through VS as possessing the most favorable docked pose was used as the test compound for experimental work. With our combined methods, we have identified α-eleostearic acid (ESA) as a natural PPARγ agonist. Results of ligand-binding assays complemented the screening prediction. In addition, ESA decreased macrophage infiltration and significantly impeded the progression of IBD-related phenotypes through both PPARγ-dependent and -independent mechanisms in mice with experimental IBD. This study serves as the first significant step toward a large-scale VS protocol for natural PPARγ agonist screening that includes a massively diverse ligand library and structures that represent multiple known target pharmacophores.

Dietary α-Eleostearic Acid Ameliorates Experimental Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Mice by Activating Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ

PubMed Central

Lewis, Stephanie N.; Brannan, Lera; Guri, Amir J.; Lu, Pinyi; Hontecillas, Raquel; Bassaganya-Riera, Josep; Bevan, David R.

2011-01-01

Background Treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are modestly effective and associated with side effects from prolonged use. As there is no known cure for IBD, alternative therapeutic options are needed. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPARγ) has been identified as a potential target for novel therapeutics against IBD. For this project, compounds were screened to identify naturally occurring PPARγ agonists as a means to identify novel anti-inflammatory therapeutics for experimental assessment of efficacy. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we provide complementary computational and experimental methods to efficiently screen for PPARγ agonists and demonstrate amelioration of experimental IBD in mice, respectively. Computational docking as part of virtual screening (VS) was used to test binding between a total of eighty-one compounds and PPARγ. The test compounds included known agonists, known inactive compounds, derivatives and stereoisomers of known agonists with unknown activity, and conjugated trienes. The compound identified through VS as possessing the most favorable docked pose was used as the test compound for experimental work. With our combined methods, we have identified α-eleostearic acid (ESA) as a natural PPARγ agonist. Results of ligand-binding assays complemented the screening prediction. In addition, ESA decreased macrophage infiltration and significantly impeded the progression of IBD-related phenotypes through both PPARγ-dependent and –independent mechanisms in mice with experimental IBD. Conclusions/Significance This study serves as the first significant step toward a large-scale VS protocol for natural PPARγ agonist screening that includes a massively diverse ligand library and structures that represent multiple known target pharmacophores. PMID:21904603

Titanium Aluminide Scramjet Inlet Flap Subelement Benchmark Tested

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krause, David L.; Draper, Susan L.

2005-01-01

A subelement-level ultimate strength test was completed successfully at the NASA Glenn Research Center (http://www.nasa.gov/glenn/) on a large gamma titanium aluminide (TiAl) inlet flap demonstration piece. The test subjected the part to prototypical stress conditions by using unique fixtures that allowed both loading and support points to be located remote to the part itself (see the photograph). The resulting configuration produced shear, moment, and the consequent stress topology proportional to the design point. The test was conducted at room temperature, a harsh condition for the material because of reduced available ductility. Still, the peak experimental load-carrying capability exceeded original predictions.

Expanded operational capabilities of the Langley Mach 7 Scramjet test facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, S. R.; Guy, R. W.

1983-01-01

An experimental research program conducted to expand the operational capabilities of the NASA Langley Mach 7 Scramjet Test Facility is described. Previous scramjet testing in this facility was limited to a single simulated flight condition of Mach 6.9 at an altitude of 115,300 ft. The arc heater research demonstrates the potential of the facility for scramjet testing at simulated flight conditions from Mach 4 (at altitudes from 77,000 to 114,000 ft) to Mach 7 (at latitudes from 108,000 to 149,000 ft). Arc heater electrical characteristics, operational problems, measurements of nitrogen oxide contaminants, and total-temperature profiles are discussed.

The evaluation of the National Long Term Care Demonstration. 1. An overview of the channeling demonstration and its evaluation.

PubMed

Carcagno, G J; Kemper, P

1988-04-01

The channeling demonstration sought to substitute community care for nursing home care to reduce long-term care costs and improve the quality of life of elderly clients and the family members and friends who care for them. Two interventions were tested, each in five sites; both had comprehensive case management at their core. One model added a small amount of additional funding for direct community services to fill the gaps in the existing system; the other substantially expanded coverage of community services regardless of categorical eligibility under existing programs. The demonstration was evaluated using a randomized experimental design to test the effects of channeling on use of community care, nursing homes, hospitals, and informal caregiving, and on measures of the quality of life of clients and their informal caregivers. Data were obtained from interviews with clients and informal caregivers; service use and cost records came from Medicare, Medicaid, channeling, and providers; and death records for an 18-month follow-up period were examined.

Design and Analysis of Outer Mold Line Close-outs for the Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) Flight Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woods-Vedeler, Jessica A.; Knutson, Jeffrey R.; Schuster, David M.; Tyler, Erik D.

2010-01-01

In 2007, the NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD) chartered the NASA Engineering Safety Center (NESC) to demonstrate an alternate launch abort concept as risk mitigation for the Orion project's baseline "tower" design. On July 8, 2009, a full scale, passive aerodynamically stabilized Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) pad abort demonstrator was successfully launched from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Wallops Flight Facility. Aerodynamic close-outs were required to cover openings on the MLAS fairing to prevent aerodynamic flow-through and to maintain the MLAS OML surface shape. Two-ply duct tape covers were designed to meet these needs. The duct tape used was a high strength fiber reinforced duct tape with a rubberized adhesive that demonstrated 4.6 lb/in adhesion strength to the unpainted fiberglass fairing. Adhesion strength was observed to increase as a function of time. The covers were analyzed and experimentally tested to demonstrate their ability to maintain integrity under anticipated vehicle ascent pressure loads and to not impede firing of the drogue chute mortars. Testing included vacuum testing and a mortar fire test. Tape covers were layed-up on thin Teflon sheets to facilitate installation on the vehicle. Custom cut foam insulation board was used to fill mortar hole and separation joint cavities and provide support to the applied tape covers. Flight test results showed that the tape covers remained adhered during flight.

Experimental test of genuine multipartite nonlocality under the no-signalling principle

PubMed Central

Zhang, Chao; Zhang, Cheng-Jie; Huang, Yun-Feng; Hou, Zhi-Bo; Liu, Bi-Heng; Li, Chuan-Feng; Guo, Guang-Can

2016-01-01

Genuine multipartite nonlocality (GMN) has been recognized as the strongest form of multipartite quantum correlation. However, there exist states that cannot violate the Svetlichny inequality derived from the standard definition of GMN, even though they possess GMN properties. The reason is that the standard definition of GMN allows correlations that permit signalling among parties, which is inconsistent with an operational definition. Here, for the first time, we present an experimental test of GMN in the no-signalling scenario, with a three-photon pure state |ψs〉 and a noisy W state. The experimental results show that these states cannot violate the Svetlichny inequality. However, our results also demonstrate that they do violate a new inequality derived from the definition of GMN based on the no-signalling principle, i.e., these states can exhibit GMN under the requirement of no-signalling. Our results will be useful for the study and applications of GMN in quantum communications and quantum computation. PMID:27996055

Aeroservoelastic and Structural Dynamics Research on Smart Structures Conducted at NASA Langley Research Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McGowan, Anna-Maria Rivas; Wilkie, W. Keats; Moses, Robert W.; Lake, Renee C.; Florance, Jennifer Pinkerton; Wieseman, Carol D.; Reaves, Mercedes C.; Taleghani, Barmac K.; Mirick, Paul H.; Wilbur, Mathew L.

1997-01-01

An overview of smart structures research currently underway at the NASA Langley Research Center in the areas of aeroservoelasticity and structural dynamics is presented. Analytical and experimental results, plans, potential technology pay-offs, and challenges are discussed. The goal of this research is to develop the enabling technologies to actively and passively control aircraft and rotorcraft vibration and loads using smart devices. These enabling technologies and related research efforts include developing experimentally-validated finite element and aeroservoelastic modeling techniques; conducting bench experimental tests to assess feasibility and understand system trade-offs; and conducting large-scale wind tunnel tests to demonstrate system performance. The key aeroservoelastic applications of this research include: active twist control of rotor blades using interdigitated electrode piezoelectric composites and active control of flutter, and gust and buffeting responses using discrete piezoelectric patches. In addition, NASA Langley is an active participant in the DARPA/Air Force Research Laboratory/NASA/Northrop Grumman Smart Wing program which is assessing aerodynamic performance benefits using smart materials.

Analysis of Nonplanar Wing-tip-mounted Lifting Surfaces on Low-speed Airplanes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vandam, C. P.; Roskam, J.

1983-01-01

Nonplanar wing tip mounted lifting surfaces reduce lift induced drag substantially. Winglets, which are small, nearly vertical, winglike surfaces, are an example of these devices. To achieve reduction in lift induced drag, winglets produce significant side forces. Consequently, these surfaces can seriously affect airplane lateral directional aerodynamic characteristics. Therefore, the effects of nonplanar wing tip mounted surfaces on the lateral directional stability and control of low speed general aviation airplanes were studied. The study consists of a theoretical and an experimental, in flight investigation. The experimental investigation involves flight tests of winglets on an agricultural airplane. Results of these tests demonstrate the significant influence of winglets on airplane lateral directional aerodynamic characteristics. It is shown that good correlations exist between experimental data and theoretically predicted results. In addition, a lifting surface method was used to perform a parametric study of the effects of various winglet parameters on lateral directional stability derivatives of general aviation type wings.

Experimentally testing and assessing the predictive power of species assembly rules for tropical canopy ants

PubMed Central

Fayle, Tom M; Eggleton, Paul; Manica, Andrea; Yusah, Kalsum M; Foster, William A

2015-01-01

Understanding how species assemble into communities is a key goal in ecology. However, assembly rules are rarely tested experimentally, and their ability to shape real communities is poorly known. We surveyed a diverse community of epiphyte-dwelling ants and found that similar-sized species co-occurred less often than expected. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that invasion was discouraged by the presence of similarly sized resident species. The size difference for which invasion was less likely was the same as that for which wild species exhibited reduced co-occurrence. Finally we explored whether our experimentally derived assembly rules could simulate realistic communities. Communities simulated using size-based species assembly exhibited diversities closer to wild communities than those simulated using size-independent assembly, with results being sensitive to the combination of rules employed. Hence, species segregation in the wild can be driven by competitive species assembly, and this process is sufficient to generate observed species abundance distributions for tropical epiphyte-dwelling ants. PMID:25622647

Experimental Demonstration of Adaptive Infrared Multispectral Imaging Using Plasmonic Filter Array (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-10

AFRL-RX-WP-JA-2017-0189 EXPERIMENTAL DEMONSTRATION OF ADAPTIVE INFRARED MULTISPECTRAL IMAGING USING PLASMONIC FILTER ARRAY...March 2016 – 23 May 2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE EXPERIMENTAL DEMONSTRATION OF ADAPTIVE INFRARED MULTISPECTRAL IMAGING USING PLASMONIC FILTER ARRAY...experimental demonstration of adaptive multispectral imagery using fabricated plasmonic spectral filter arrays and proposed target detection scenarios

A Investigation of the Conceptual Changes Resulting from the Use of Demonstrations in College Physics.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gattis, Kenneth William

1995-01-01

The purpose was to investigate the acquisition and retrieval of physics concepts introduced to college physics students by classroom demonstrations. Three experimental groups of calculus-based physics classes were presented lessons on three different topics during the semester. The lessons, which were planned to deliver identical concepts and examples, were preceded by a short quiz and were followed by an identical posttest. One treatment group received "enhanced" demonstration lessons, which included a brief period of peer discussion prior to the demonstration lesson. The second treatment group received typical demonstration lessons, and the control group received traditional lectures. Both demonstration groups were found to have higher conceptual gains than the control group on the topic of force and motion, which featured an air track demonstration. No differences were found on the topic of conservation of energy. On the topic of angular momentum, the demonstration groups tended to have higher prediction gains and the control group had higher explanation gains. No differences were found between the gains of the two demonstration groups. Student interview responses recorded one to two weeks after the experimental lessons indicated that the lesson containing a "stool and dumbbell" demonstration in the treatment groups was more memorable than the corresponding angular momentum lesson seen by the control group. Demonstration group students who made conceptual gains on the quizzes were found to give more complete responses to problems; yet they used language that was similar to that used by demonstration group students making no gains. In recalling experimental lessons, the demonstration group students gave responses that were more complete and used more everyday language than the control group students. It was concluded that demonstrations may assist students on certain topics by (1) helping to make concepts more believable; (2) helping to explain concepts that have key spatial and temporal relationships; and (3) providing especially vivid visual images and physical examples that are useful in making analogies to other examples and generalizing to more abstract concepts. Further study is needed to test the hypothesis that demonstrations tend to enrich students' verbal descriptions of physics concepts and examples.

Neuron recycling for learning the alphabetic principles.

PubMed

Scliar-Cabral, Leonor

2014-01-01

The main purpose of this paper is to discuss an approach to the phonic method of learning-teaching early literacy development, namely that the visual neurons must be recycled to recognize the small differences among pertinent letter features. In addition to the challenge of segmenting the speech chain and the syllable for learning the alphabetic principles, neuroscience has demonstrated another major challenge: neurons in mammals are programmed to process visual signals symmetrically. In order to develop early literacy, visual neurons must be recycled to overcome this initial programming together with phonological awareness, expanding it with the ability to delimit words, including clitics, as well as assigning stress to words. To achieve this goal, Scliar's Early Literacy Development System was proposed and tested. Sixteen subjects (10 girls and 6 boys) comprised the experimental group (mean age 6.02 years), and 16 subjects (7 girls and 9 boys) formed the control group (mean age 6.10 years). The research instruments were a psychosociolinguistic questionnaire to reveal the subjects' profile and a post-test battery of tests. At the beginning of the experiment, the experimental group was submitted to an intervention program based on Scliar's Early Literacy Development System. One of the tests is discussed in this paper, the grapheme-phoneme test: subjects had to read aloud a pseudoword with 4 graphemes, signaled by the experimenter and designed to assess the subject's ability to convert a grapheme into its correspondent phoneme. The average value for the test group was 25.0 correct answers (SD = 11.4); the control group had an average of 14.3 correct answers (SD = 10.6): The difference was significant. The experimental results validate Scliar's Early Literacy Development System and indicate the need to redesign early literacy development methods. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Gold glyconanoparticles as new tools in antiadhesive therapy.

PubMed

Rojo, Javier; Díaz, Vicente; de la Fuente, Jesús M; Segura, Inmaculada; Barrientos, Africa G; Riese, Hans H; Bernad, Antonio; Penadés, Soledad

2004-03-05

Gold glyconanoparticles (GNPs) have been prepared as new multivalent tools that mimic glycosphingolipids on the cell surface. GNPs are highly soluble under physiological conditions, stable against enzymatic degradation and nontoxic. Thereby GNPs open up a novel promising multivalent platform for biological applications. It has recently been demonstrated that specific tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens (glycosphingolipids and glycoproteins) are involved in the initial step of tumor spreading. A mouse melanoma model was selected to test glyconanoparticles as possible inhibitors of experimental lung metastasis. A carbohydrate-carbohydrate interaction is proposed as the first recognition step for this process. Glyconanoparticles presenting lactose (lacto-GNPs) have been used successfully to significantly reduce the progression of experimental metastasis. This result shows for the first time a clear biological effect of lacto-GNPs, demonstrating the potential application of this glyconanotechnology in biological processes.

Quantum State Tomography via Reduced Density Matrices.

PubMed

Xin, Tao; Lu, Dawei; Klassen, Joel; Yu, Nengkun; Ji, Zhengfeng; Chen, Jianxin; Ma, Xian; Long, Guilu; Zeng, Bei; Laflamme, Raymond

2017-01-13

Quantum state tomography via local measurements is an efficient tool for characterizing quantum states. However, it requires that the original global state be uniquely determined (UD) by its local reduced density matrices (RDMs). In this work, we demonstrate for the first time a class of states that are UD by their RDMs under the assumption that the global state is pure, but fail to be UD in the absence of that assumption. This discovery allows us to classify quantum states according to their UD properties, with the requirement that each class be treated distinctly in the practice of simplifying quantum state tomography. Additionally, we experimentally test the feasibility and stability of performing quantum state tomography via the measurement of local RDMs for each class. These theoretical and experimental results demonstrate the advantages and possible pitfalls of quantum state tomography with local measurements.

Testing neoclassical and turbulent effects on poloidal rotation in the core of DIII-D

DOE PAGES

Chrystal, Colin; Burrell, Keith H.; Grierson, Brian A.; ...

2014-07-09

Experimental tests of ion poloidal rotation theories have been performed on DIII-D using a novel impurity poloidal rotation diagnostic. These tests show significant disagreements with theoretical predictions in various conditions, including L-mode plasmas with internal transport barriers (ITB), H-mode plasmas, and QH-mode plasmas. The theories tested include standard neoclassical theory, turbulence driven Reynolds stress, and fast-ion friction on the thermal ions. Poloidal rotation is observed to spin up at the formation of an ITB and makes a significant contribution to the measurement of themore » $$\\vec{E}$$ × $$\\vec{B}$$ shear that forms the ITB. In ITB cases, neoclassical theory agrees quantitatively with the experimental measurements only in the steep gradient region. Significant quantitative disagreement with neoclassical predictions is seen in the cores of ITB, QH-, and H-mode plasmas, demonstrating that neoclassical theory is an incomplete description of poloidal rotation. The addition of turbulence driven Reynolds stress does not remedy this disagreement; linear stability calculations and Doppler backscattering measurements show that disagreement increases as turbulence levels decline. Furthermore, the effect of fast-ion friction, by itself, does not lead to improved agreement; in QH-mode plasmas, neoclassical predictions are closest to experimental results in plasmas with the largest fast ion friction. Finally, predictions from a new model that combines all three effects show somewhat better agreement in the H-mode case, but discrepancies well outside the experimental error bars remain.« less

An analytical and experimental study to investigate flutter suppression via piezoelectric actuation. M.S. Thesis - George Washington Univ., 1991

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heeg, Jennifer

1991-01-01

The objective was to analytically and experimentally study the capabilities of adaptive material plate actuators for suppressing flutter. The validity of analytical modeling techniques for piezoelectric materials was also investigated. Piezoelectrics are materials which are characterized by their ability to produce voltage when subjected to a mechanical strain. The converse piezoelectric effect can be utilized to actuate a structure by applying a voltage. For this investigation, a two degree of freedom wind tunnel model was designed, analyzed, and tested. The model consisted of a rigid airfoil and a flexible mount system which permitted a translational and a rotational degree of freedom. It was designed such that flutter was encounted within the testing envelope of the wind tunnel. Actuators, made of piezoelectric material were affixed to leaf springs of the mount system. Each degree of freedom was controlled by a separate leaf spring. Command signals, applied to the piezoelectric actuators, exerted control over the damping and stiffness properties. A mathematical aeroservoelastic model was constructed using finite element methods, laminated plate theory, and aeroelastic analysis tools. Plant characteristics were determined from this model and verified by open loop experimental tests. A flutter suppression control law was designed and implemented on a digital control computer. Closed loop flutter testing was conducted. The experimental results represent the first time that adaptive materials have been used to actively suppress flutter. It demonstrates that small, carefully placed actuating plates can be used effectively to control aeroelastic response.

Transmissible gastroenteritis virus: plaques and a plaque neutralization test.

PubMed Central

Thomas, F C; Dulac, G C

1976-01-01

A plaquing system and plaque neutralization test in porcine thyroid cells were used to study different transmissible gastroenteritis isolates and hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus. Among transmissible gastroenteritis virus isolates, plaque size varied considerably and mixed size ranges sometimes occurred. The most recently isolated viruses produced smaller plaques than the laboratory viruses or hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus. All transmissible gastroenteritis virus isolates reacted in the plaque neutralization test with a transmissible gastroenteritis virus antiserum which showed no activity against hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus. Plaque neutralization results both from experimentally infected pigs and following a field outbreak demonstrated the reliability of this test and its greater sensitivity than the conventional tube test. Images Fig. 1. PMID:187296

Effects of space environment on composites: An analytical study of critical experimental parameters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gupta, A.; Carroll, W. F.; Moacanin, J.

1979-01-01

A generalized methodology currently employed at JPL, was used to develop an analytical model for effects of high-energy electrons and interactions between electron and ultraviolet effects. Chemical kinetic concepts were applied in defining quantifiable parameters; the need for determining short-lived transient species and their concentration was demonstrated. The results demonstrates a systematic and cost-effective means of addressing the issues and show qualitative and quantitative, applicable relationships between space radiation and simulation parameters. An equally important result is identification of critical initial experiments necessary to further clarify the relationships. Topics discussed include facility and test design; rastered vs. diffuse continuous e-beam; valid acceleration level; simultaneous vs. sequential exposure to different types of radiation; and interruption of test continuity.

Wide range operation of advanced low NOx aircraft gas turbine combustors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, P. B.; Fiorito, R. J.; Butze, H. F.

1978-01-01

The paper summarizes the results of an experimental test rig program designed to define and demonstrates techniques which would allow the jet-induced circulation and vortex air blast combustors to operate stably with acceptable emissions at simulated engine idle without compromise to the low NOx emissions under the high-altitude supersonic cruise condition. The discussion focuses on the test results of the key combustor modifications for both the simulated engine idle and cruise conditions. Several range-augmentation techniques are demonstrated that allow the lean-reaction premixed aircraft gas turbine combustor to operate with low NOx emissons at engine cruise and acceptable CO and UHC levels at engine idle. These techniques involve several combinations, including variable geometry and fuel switching designs.

Slicing of Silicon into Sheet Material. Silicon Sheet Growth Development for the Large Area Silicon Sheet Task of the Low Cost Solar Array Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleming, J. R.; Holden, S. C.; Wolfson, R. G.

1979-01-01

The use of multiblade slurry sawing to produce silicon wafers from ingots was investigated. The commercially available state of the art process was improved by 20% in terms of area of silicon wafers produced from an ingot. The process was improved 34% on an experimental basis. Economic analyses presented show that further improvements are necessary to approach the desired wafer costs, mostly reduction in expendable materials costs. Tests which indicate that such reduction is possible are included, although demonstration of such reduction was not completed. A new, large capacity saw was designed and tested. Performance comparable with current equipment (in terms of number of wafers/cm) was demonstrated.

Using a handbook to improve nurses' continence care.

PubMed

Williams, K; Roe, B; Sindhu, F

Nursing care should be based on sound research evidence with demonstrated clinical effectiveness. Dissemination of this research evidence is, therefore, of paramount importance. A study using focus groups was undertaken during 1993-1994 to evaluate the dissemination of a clinical handbook for continence care to qualified nurses, in relation to reported nursing practice in care of the elderly wards/units in one health authority. A total of 124 nurses participated in the study and 98 variables were included. Improvements were recorded in nurses' responses between the pre-test and post-test for 84 (86 per cent) variables in the experimental group and 58 (59 per cent) in the control group. This demonstrates the positive value of the clinical handbook as a method of disseminating research evidence.

Test plan for formulation and evaluation of grouted waste forms with shine process wastes

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

Ebert, W. L.; Jerden, J. L.

2015-09-01

The objective of this experimental project is to demonstrate that waste streams generated during the production of Mo99 by the SHINE Medical Technologies (SHINE) process can be immobilized in cement-based grouted waste forms having physical, chemical, and radiological stabilities that meet regulatory requirements for handling, storage, transport, and disposal.

NASA Composite Cryotank Technology Project Game Changing Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fikes, John

2015-01-01

The fundamental goal of this project was to provide new and innovative cryotank technologies that enable human space exploration to destinations beyond low earth orbit such as the moon, near-earth asteroids, and Mars. The goal ... to mature technologies in preparation for potential system level flight demonstrations through significant ground-based testing and/or laboratory experimentation

Correlating off-axis tension tests to shear modulus of wood-based panels

Treesearch

Edmond P. Saliklis; Robert H. Falk

2000-01-01

The weakness of existing relationships correlating off-axis modulus of elasticity E q to shear modulus G 12 for wood composite panels is demonstrated through presentation of extensive experimental data. A new relationship is proposed that performs better than existing equations found in the literature. This relationship can be manipulated to calculate the shear modulus...

Testing a Violence-Prevention Intervention for Incarcerated Women Using a Randomized Control Trial

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kubiak, Sheryl Pimlott; Kim, Woo Jong; Fedock, Gina; Bybee, Deborah

2015-01-01

Objective: Beyond Violence (BV), a new prevention program for women with assaultive offenses, demonstrated feasibility in previous studies. This study's purpose is to assess the efficacy of BV using a randomized control trial. Method: Eligible women were randomly assigned to treatment as usual (TAU) and the experimental condition (BV). Measures of…

Learning Auditory Discrimination with Computer-Assisted Instruction: A Comparison of Two Different Performance Objectives.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steinhaus, Kurt A.

A 12-week study of two groups of 14 college freshmen music majors was conducted to determine which group demonstrated greater achievement in learning auditory discrimination using computer-assisted instruction (CAI). The method employed was a pre-/post-test experimental design using subjects randomly assigned to a control group or an experimental…

High Speed Trimaran (HST) Seatrain Experiments, Model 5714

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

Marine Highway 1 Historical Seatrains 1 Objectives 2 Hull &: Model Description 4 Data Acquisition and Instrumentation 7 Carriage II - Deep ...Operational Demonstration Measurement System 10 Experimental Procedures 10 Carriage II - Deep Water Basin Test 10 Calm Water Resistance 11... Deep Water Basin Analysis 17 Calm Water Resistance 17 Longitudinal Flow Through The Propeller Plane 18 Body Forces & Moments 18

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

Kwan, T.J.T.; Snell, C.M.

The authors have demonstrated through computer simulations that self-biasing the target can effectively control the ion column which causes radial pinching of the electron beam, resulting in the growth of spot size on target. This method has the unique features in simplicity and non-intrusiveness in its implementation into radiographic systems. The concept is being actively explored experimentally at the Integrated Test Stand (ITS).

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF HIGH LEVELS OF SO2 REMOVAL IN ATMOSPHERIC-PRESSURE FUIDIZED-BED COMBUSTORS

EPA Science Inventory

The report describes tests conducted in an atmospheric-pressure-fluidized-bed combustor (FBC) with a cross-section of 1 x 1.6 m) to demonstrate high levels of S02 removal when burning a high-sulfur coal and feeding limestone sorbent for S02 removal. The goal was to achieve 90-plu...

North Carolina State Supported Early Childhood Demonstration Centers. Second Annual Evaluation: 1970-1971.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Learning Inst. of North Carolina, Durham.

The second year of a state supported early childhood education program was evaluated, using a pre-post evaluation design involving experimental and control groups. An Early Childhood Assessment Battery was administered to 720 five-year-olds enrolled in the kindergarten program by their teachers. The control group (178) were tested locally. Results…

On the Constitutive Response Characterization for Composite Materials Via Data-Driven Design Optimization

Treesearch

John G. Michopoulos; John G. Hermanson; Athanasios lliopoulos; Samuel Lambrakos; Tomonari Furukawa

2011-01-01

In the present paper we focus on demonstrating the use of design optimization for the constitutive characterization of anisotropic material systems such as polymer matrix composites, with or without damage. All approaches are based on the availability of experimental data originating from mechatronic material testing systems that can expose specimens to...

Final construction and testing of an experimental sprinkler/groundwater treatment system for proposed use by the village of Utica, Nebraska.

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

NONE

2005-06-17

The testing described above demonstrates that the experimental sprinkler designed by Argonne could be successfully, and safely, used by the Village of Utica for irrigation of the town's playing fields, using contaminated (by carbon tetrachloride) groundwater from the shallow aquifer beneath the town. Routine operation of the sprinkler within the range of parameters identified by the testing program would effectively reduce carbon tetrachloride concentrations in the discharged spray reaching the ground to levels below the MCL (5 {micro}g/l). CCC/USDA and Argonne propose to test use of the experimental sprinkler by the Village of Utica during the next (Summer 2001) growingmore » season, under Argonne supervision. Water will be supplied from the well to the sprinkler drive unit using a temporary, flexible (high-pressure hose) connection. Argonne will provide training to Village staff in the setup and use of the sprinkler, and will conduct periodic monitoring (proposed biweekly, initially) of the watering operations and sampling and analysis of the spray discharge from the unit, to ensure that the specified groundwater cleanup performance of the sprinkler system (to carbon tetrachloride values <5 {micro}g/L) is maintained. If testing of the sprinkler in this manner proves successful during 2001, CCC/USDA will seek to permanently transfer ownership and operation responsibilities for the sprinkler to the Utica Village Board.« less

Toward a new methodological paradigm for testing theories of health behavior and health behavior change.

PubMed

Noar, Seth M; Mehrotra, Purnima

2011-03-01

Traditional theory testing commonly applies cross-sectional (and occasionally longitudinal) survey research to test health behavior theory. Since such correlational research cannot demonstrate causality, a number of researchers have called for the increased use of experimental methods for theory testing. We introduce the multi-methodological theory-testing (MMTT) framework for testing health behavior theory. The MMTT framework introduces a set of principles that broaden the perspective of how we view evidence for health behavior theory. It suggests that while correlational survey research designs represent one method of testing theory, the weaknesses of this approach demand that complementary approaches be applied. Such approaches include randomized lab and field experiments, mediation analysis of theory-based interventions, and meta-analysis. These alternative approaches to theory testing can demonstrate causality in a much more robust way than is possible with correlational survey research methods. Such approaches should thus be increasingly applied in order to more completely and rigorously test health behavior theory. Greater application of research derived from the MMTT may lead researchers to refine and modify theory and ultimately make theory more valuable to practitioners. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Fresnel Zone Light Field Spectral Imager

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-23

Marciniak Member AFIT-ENP-MS-17-M-095 Abstract This thesis provides a computational model and the first experimental demonstration of a Fresnel zone...Fresnel propagation. It was validated experimentally and provides excellent demonstration of system capabilities. The experimentally demonstrated system...in the measured light fields, they did not degrade the system’s performance. Experimental demonstration also showed the capability to resolve between

A Theoretical Investigation of Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessel (COPV) Mechanics Applied to NASA Full Scale Tests

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greene, N.; Thesken, J. C.; Murthy, P. L. N.; Phoenix, S. L.; Palko, J.; Eldridge, J.; Sutter, J.; Saulsberry, R.; Beeson, H.

2006-01-01

A theoretical investigation of the factors controlling the stress rupture life of the National Aeronautics and Space Agency's (NASA) composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) continues. Kevlar(TradeMark) fiber overwrapped tanks are of particular concern due to their long usage and the poorly understood stress rupture process in Kevlar(TradeMark) filaments. Existing long term data show that the rupture process is a function of stress, temperature and time. However, due to the presence of a load sharing liner, the manufacturing induced residual stresses and the complex mechanical response, the state of actual fiber stress in flight hardware and test articles is not clearly known. This paper is a companion to the experimental investigation reported in [1] and develops a theoretical framework necessary to design full-scale pathfinder experiments and accurately interpret the experimentally observed deformation and failure mechanisms leading up to static burst in COPVs. The fundamental mechanical response of COPVs is described using linear elasticity and thin shell theory and discussed in comparison to existing experimental observations. These comparisons reveal discrepancies between physical data and the current analytical results and suggest that the vessel's residual stress state and the spatial stress distribution as a function of pressure may be completely different from predictions based upon existing linear elastic analyses. The 3D elasticity of transversely isotropic spherical shells demonstrates that an overly compliant transverse stiffness relative to membrane stiffness can account for some of this by shifting a thin shell problem well into the realm of thick shell response. The use of calibration procedures are demonstrated as calibrated thin shell model results and finite element results are shown to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The successes reported here have lead to continuing work with full scale testing of larger NASA COPV hardware.

Robust hypothesis tests for detecting statistical evidence of two-dimensional and three-dimensional interactions in single-molecule measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calderon, Christopher P.; Weiss, Lucien E.; Moerner, W. E.

2014-05-01

Experimental advances have improved the two- (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) spatial resolution that can be extracted from in vivo single-molecule measurements. This enables researchers to quantitatively infer the magnitude and directionality of forces experienced by biomolecules in their native environment. Situations where such force information is relevant range from mitosis to directed transport of protein cargo along cytoskeletal structures. Models commonly applied to quantify single-molecule dynamics assume that effective forces and velocity in the x ,y (or x ,y,z) directions are statistically independent, but this assumption is physically unrealistic in many situations. We present a hypothesis testing approach capable of determining if there is evidence of statistical dependence between positional coordinates in experimentally measured trajectories; if the hypothesis of independence between spatial coordinates is rejected, then a new model accounting for 2D (3D) interactions can and should be considered. Our hypothesis testing technique is robust, meaning it can detect interactions, even if the noise statistics are not well captured by the model. The approach is demonstrated on control simulations and on experimental data (directed transport of intraflagellar transport protein 88 homolog in the primary cilium).

Failure analysis on false call probe pins of microprocessor test equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, L. W.; Ong, N. R.; Mohamad, I. S. B.; Alcain, J. B.; Retnasamy, V.

2017-09-01

A study has been conducted to investigate failure analysis on probe pins of test modules for microprocessor. The `health condition' of the probe pin is determined by the resistance value. A test module of 5V power supplied from Arduino UNO with "Four-wire Ohm measurement" method is implemented in this study to measure the resistance of the probe pins of a microprocessor. The probe pins from a scrapped computer motherboard is used as the test sample in this study. The functionality of the test module was validated with the pre-measurement experiment via VEE Pro software. Lastly, the experimental work have demonstrated that the implemented test module have the capability to identify the probe pin's `health condition' based on the measured resistance value.

Comparison of virtual patient simulation with mannequin-based simulation for improving clinical performances in assessing and managing clinical deterioration: randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Liaw, Sok Ying; Chan, Sally Wai-Chi; Chen, Fun-Gee; Hooi, Shing Chuan; Siau, Chiang

2014-09-17

Virtual patient simulation has grown substantially in health care education. A virtual patient simulation was developed as a refresher training course to reinforce nursing clinical performance in assessing and managing deteriorating patients. The objective of this study was to describe the development of the virtual patient simulation and evaluate its efficacy, by comparing with a conventional mannequin-based simulation, for improving the nursing students' performances in assessing and managing patients with clinical deterioration. A randomized controlled study was conducted with 57 third-year nursing students who were recruited through email. After a baseline evaluation of all participants' clinical performance in a simulated environment, the experimental group received a 2-hour fully automated virtual patient simulation while the control group received 2-hour facilitator-led mannequin-based simulation training. All participants were then re-tested one day (first posttest) and 2.5 months (second posttest) after the intervention. The participants from the experimental group completed a survey to evaluate their learning experiences with the newly developed virtual patient simulation. Compared to their baseline scores, both experimental and control groups demonstrated significant improvements (P<.001) in first and second post-test scores. While the experimental group had significantly lower (P<.05) second post-test scores compared with the first post-test scores, no significant difference (P=.94) was found between these two scores for the control group. The scores between groups did not differ significantly over time (P=.17). The virtual patient simulation was rated positively. A virtual patient simulation for a refreshing training course on assessing and managing clinical deterioration was developed. Although the randomized controlled study did not show that the virtual patient simulation was superior to mannequin-based simulation, both simulations have demonstrated to be effective refresher learning strategies for improving nursing students' clinical performance. Given the greater resource requirements of mannequin-based simulation, the virtual patient simulation provides a more promising alternative learning strategy to mitigate the decay of clinical performance over time.

Lithium-ion Battery Demonstration for the 2007 NASA Desert Research and Technology Studies (Desert RATS) Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bennett, William; Baldwin, Richard

2007-01-01

The NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) Electrochemistry Branch designed and produced five lithium-ion battery packs for demonstration in a portable life support system (PLSS) on spacesuit simulators. The experimental batteries incorporated advanced, NASA-developed electrolytes and included internal protection against over-current, over-discharge and over-temperature. The 500-gram batteries were designed to deliver a constant power of 38 watts over 103 minutes of discharge time (130 Wh/kg). Battery design details are described and field and laboratory test results are summarized.

Experimental Blind Quantum Computing for a Classical Client.

PubMed

Huang, He-Liang; Zhao, Qi; Ma, Xiongfeng; Liu, Chang; Su, Zu-En; Wang, Xi-Lin; Li, Li; Liu, Nai-Le; Sanders, Barry C; Lu, Chao-Yang; Pan, Jian-Wei

2017-08-04

To date, blind quantum computing demonstrations require clients to have weak quantum devices. Here we implement a proof-of-principle experiment for completely classical clients. Via classically interacting with two quantum servers that share entanglement, the client accomplishes the task of having the number 15 factorized by servers who are denied information about the computation itself. This concealment is accompanied by a verification protocol that tests servers' honesty and correctness. Our demonstration shows the feasibility of completely classical clients and thus is a key milestone towards secure cloud quantum computing.

Experimental Blind Quantum Computing for a Classical Client

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, He-Liang; Zhao, Qi; Ma, Xiongfeng; Liu, Chang; Su, Zu-En; Wang, Xi-Lin; Li, Li; Liu, Nai-Le; Sanders, Barry C.; Lu, Chao-Yang; Pan, Jian-Wei

2017-08-01

To date, blind quantum computing demonstrations require clients to have weak quantum devices. Here we implement a proof-of-principle experiment for completely classical clients. Via classically interacting with two quantum servers that share entanglement, the client accomplishes the task of having the number 15 factorized by servers who are denied information about the computation itself. This concealment is accompanied by a verification protocol that tests servers' honesty and correctness. Our demonstration shows the feasibility of completely classical clients and thus is a key milestone towards secure cloud quantum computing.

Co-registration of ultrasound and frequency-domain photoacoustic radar images and image improvement for tumor detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dovlo, Edem; Lashkari, Bahman; Choi, Sung soo Sean; Mandelis, Andreas

2015-03-01

This paper demonstrates the co-registration of ultrasound (US) and frequency domain photoacoustic radar (FD-PAR) images with significant image improvement from applying image normalization, filtering and amplification techniques. Achieving PA imaging functionality on a commercial Ultrasound instrument could accelerate clinical acceptance and use. Experimental results presented demonstrate live animal testing and show enhancements in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast and spatial resolution. The co-registered image produced from the US and phase PA images, provides more information than both images independently.

Experimental Searches for Exotic Short-Range Forces Using Mechanical Oscillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weisman, Evan

Experimental searches for forces beyond gravity and electromagnetism at short range have attracted a great deal of attention over the last decade. In this thesis I describe the test mass development for two new experiments searching for forces below 1 mm. Both modify a previous experiment that used 1 kHz mechanical oscillators as test masses with a stiff conducting shield between them to suppress backgrounds, a promising technique for probing exceptionally small distances at the limit of instrumental thermal noise. To further reduce thermal noise, one experiment will use plated silicon test masses at cryogenic temperatures. The other experiment, which searches for spin-dependent interactions, will apply the spin-polarizable material Dy3Fe5O 12 to the test mass surfaces. This material exhibits orbital compensation of the magnetism associated with its intrinsic electron spin, minimizing magnetic backgrounds. Several plated silicon test mass prototypes were fabricated using photolithography (useful in both experiments), and spin-dependent materials were synthesized with a simple chemical recipe. Both silicon and spin-dependent test masses demonstrate the mechanical and magnetic properties necessary for sensitive experiments. I also describe sensitivity calculations of another proposed spin-dependent experiment, based on a modified search for the electron electric dipole moment, which show unprecedented sensitivity to exotic monopole-dipole forces. Inspired by a finite element model, a study attempting to maximize detector quality factor versus geometry is also presented, with experimental results so far not explained by the model.

Reducing cancer screening disparities in medicare beneficiaries through cancer patient navigation.

PubMed

Braun, Kathryn L; Thomas, William L; Domingo, Jermy-Leigh B; Allison, Amanda L; Ponce, Avette; Haunani Kamakana, P; Brazzel, Sandra S; Emmett Aluli, N; Tsark, JoAnn U

2015-02-01

Significant racial disparities in cancer mortality are seen between Medicare beneficiaries. A randomized controlled trial tested the use of lay navigators (care managers) to increase cancer screening of Asian and Pacific Islander Medicare beneficiaries. The study setting was Moloka'i General Hospital on the island of Moloka'i, Hawai'i, which was one of six sites participating in the Cancer Prevention and Treatment Demonstration sponsored by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Between 2006 and 2009, 488 Medicare beneficiaries (45% Hawaiian, 35% Filipino, 11% Japanese, 8% other) were randomized to have a navigator help them access cancer screening services (experimental condition, n = 242) or cancer education (control condition, n = 246). Self-reported data on screening participation were collected at baseline and exit from the study, and differences were tested using chi-square. Groups were similar in demographic characteristics and baseline screening prevalence of breast, cervical, prostate, and colorectal cancers. At study exit, 57.0% of women in the experimental arm and 36.4% of controls had had a Papanicolaou test in the past 24 months (P = .001), 61.7% of women in the experimental arm and 42.4% of controls had had a mammogram in the past 12 months (P = .003), 54.4% of men in the experimental arm and 36.0% of controls had had a prostate-specific antigen test in the past 12 months (P = .008), and 43.0% of both sexes in the experimental arm and 27.2% of controls had had a flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy in the past 5 years (P < .001). Findings suggest that navigation services can increase cancer screening in Medicare beneficiaries in groups with significant disparities. © 2015, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2015, The American Geriatrics Society.

Effects of a common transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) protocol on motor evoked potentials found to be highly variable within individuals over 9 testing sessions.

PubMed

Horvath, Jared Cooney; Vogrin, Simon J; Carter, Olivia; Cook, Mark J; Forte, Jason D

2016-09-01

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) uses a weak electric current to modulate neuronal activity. A neurophysiologic outcome measure to demonstrate reliable tDCS modulation at the group level is transcranial magnetic stimulation engendered motor evoked potentials (MEPs). Here, we conduct a study testing the reliability of individual MEP response patterns following a common tDCS protocol. Fourteen participants (7m/7f) each underwent nine randomized sessions of 1 mA, 10 min tDCS (3 anode; 3 cathode; 3 sham) delivered using an M1/orbito-frontal electrode montage (sessions separated by an average of ~5.5 days). Fifteen MEPs were obtained prior to, immediately following and in 5 min intervals for 30 min following tDCS. TMS was delivered at 130 % resting motor threshold using neuronavigation to ensure consistent coil localization. A number of non-experimental variables were collected during each session. At the individual level, considerable variability was seen among different testing sessions. No participant demonstrated an excitatory response ≥20 % to all three anodal sessions, and no participant demonstrated an inhibitory response ≥20 % to all three cathodal sessions. Intra-class correlation revealed poor anodal and cathodal test-retest reliability [anode: ICC(2,1) = 0.062; cathode: ICC(2,1) = 0.055] and moderate sham test-retest reliability [ICC(2,1) = 0.433]. Results also revealed no significant effect of tDCS at the group level. Using this common protocol, we found the effects of tDCS on MEP amplitudes to be highly variable at the individual level. In addition, no significant effects of tDCS on MEP amplitude were found at the group level. Future studies should consider utilizing a more strict experimental protocol to potentially account for intra-individual response variations.

An Adaptive Instability Suppression Controls Method for Aircraft Gas Turbine Engine Combustors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kopasakis, George; DeLaat, John C.; Chang, Clarence T.

2008-01-01

An adaptive controls method for instability suppression in gas turbine engine combustors has been developed and successfully tested with a realistic aircraft engine combustor rig. This testing was part of a program that demonstrated, for the first time, successful active combustor instability control in an aircraft gas turbine engine-like environment. The controls method is called Adaptive Sliding Phasor Averaged Control. Testing of the control method has been conducted in an experimental rig with different configurations designed to simulate combustors with instabilities of about 530 and 315 Hz. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of this method in suppressing combustor instabilities. In addition, a dramatic improvement in suppression of the instability was achieved by focusing control on the second harmonic of the instability. This is believed to be due to a phenomena discovered and reported earlier, the so called Intra-Harmonic Coupling. These results may have implications for future research in combustor instability control.

Experimental investigation of reinforced bonded joints for composite laminates.

PubMed

Bisagni, Chiara; Furfari, Domenico; Pacchione, Marco

2018-02-01

An experimental study has been carried out to investigate the behaviour of co-bonded carbon fibre reinforced plastics joints with a novel design incorporating a through the thickness local reinforcement. Different specimens were manufactured to investigate static and fatigue behaviour, as well as delamination size after impact and damage tolerance characteristics. The mechanical performances of the specimens with local reinforcement, consisting of the insertion of spiked thin metal sheets between co-bonded laminates, were compared with those ones obtained from specimens with purely co-bonded joints. This novel design demonstrated by tests that damage progression under cycling load results significantly delayed by the reinforcements. A significant number of experimental results were obtained that can be used to define preliminary design guidelines.

A tension insensitive PbS fiber temperature sensor based on Sagnac interferometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Xing-hu; Zhang, Jiang-peng; Yang, Kai-li; Dong, Yan-hua; Wen, Jian-xiang; Fu, Guang-wei; Bi, Wei-hong

2017-03-01

In this paper, a tension insensitive PbS fiber temperature sensor based on Sagnac interferometer is proposed and demonstrated. The sensing mechanism of tension and temperature is analyzed. The relationships between the interference spectrum, temperature and tension are analyzed, respectively. The experimental temperature range is 36—70 °C. The experimental results show that the interference spectrum is red shifted, and its sensitivity is 53.89 pm/°C. In tension experiment, the tension range is 0—1 400 μɛ. The experimental results show that there is no wavelength shift in the interference spectrum. The sensor is immune to tension cross-sensitivity compared with other sensors. It can be used for temperature testing in aerospace, chemistry and pharmacy.

Experimental investigation of reinforced bonded joints for composite laminates

PubMed Central

Bisagni, Chiara; Furfari, Domenico; Pacchione, Marco

2017-01-01

An experimental study has been carried out to investigate the behaviour of co-bonded carbon fibre reinforced plastics joints with a novel design incorporating a through the thickness local reinforcement. Different specimens were manufactured to investigate static and fatigue behaviour, as well as delamination size after impact and damage tolerance characteristics. The mechanical performances of the specimens with local reinforcement, consisting of the insertion of spiked thin metal sheets between co-bonded laminates, were compared with those ones obtained from specimens with purely co-bonded joints. This novel design demonstrated by tests that damage progression under cycling load results significantly delayed by the reinforcements. A significant number of experimental results were obtained that can be used to define preliminary design guidelines. PMID:29568127

Stringent and efficient assessment of boson-sampling devices.

PubMed

Tichy, Malte C; Mayer, Klaus; Buchleitner, Andreas; Mølmer, Klaus

2014-07-11

Boson sampling holds the potential to experimentally falsify the extended Church-Turing thesis. The computational hardness of boson sampling, however, complicates the certification that an experimental device yields correct results in the regime in which it outmatches classical computers. To certify a boson sampler, one needs to verify quantum predictions and rule out models that yield these predictions without true many-boson interference. We show that a semiclassical model for many-boson propagation reproduces coarse-grained observables that are proposed as witnesses of boson sampling. A test based on Fourier matrices is demonstrated to falsify physically plausible alternatives to coherent many-boson propagation.

An experimental investigation of free-tip response to a jet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Young, L. A.

1986-01-01

The aerodynamic response of passively oscillating tips appended to a model helicopter rotor was investigated during a whirl test. Tip responsiveness was found to meet free-tip rotor requirements. Experimental and analytical estimates of the free-tip aerodynamic spring, mechanical spring, and aerodynamic damping were calculated and compared. The free tips were analytically demonstrated to be operating outside the tip resonant response region at full-scale tip speeds. Further, tip resonance was shown to be independent of tip speed, given the assumption that the tip forcing frequency is linearly dependent upon the rotor rotational speed.

Quiet Clean Short-haul Experimental Engine (QCSEE)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willis, W. S.

1979-01-01

The design, fabrication, and testing of two experimental propulsion systems for powered lift transport aircraft are given. The under the wing (UTW) engine was intended for installation in an externally blown flap configuration and the over the wing (OTW) engine for use in an upper surface blowing aircraft. The UTW engine included variable pitch composite fan blades, main reduction gear, composite fan frame and nacelle, and a digital control system. The OTW engine included a fixed pitch fan, composite fan frame, boilerplate nacelle, and a full authority digital control. Many acoustic, pollution, performance, and weight goals were demonstrated.

Development of an integrated set of research facilities for the support of research flight test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Archie L.; Harney, Constance D.

1988-01-01

The Ames-Dryden Flight Research Facility (DFRF) serves as the site for high-risk flight research on many one-of-a-kind test vehicles like the X-29A advanced technology demonstrator, F-16 advanced fighter technology integration (AFTI), AFTI F-111 mission adaptive wing, and F-18 high-alpha research vehicle (HARV). Ames-Dryden is on a section of the historic Muroc Range. The facility is oriented toward the testing of high-performance aircraft, as shown by its part in the development of the X-series aircraft. Given the cost of research flight tests and the complexity of today's systems-driven aircraft, an integrated set of ground support experimental facilities is a necessity. In support of the research flight test of highly advanced test beds, the DFRF is developing a network of facilities to expedite the acquisition and distribution of flight research data to the researcher. The network consists of an array of experimental ground-based facilities and systems as nodes and the necessary telecommunications paths to pass research data and information between these facilities. This paper presents the status of the current network, an overview of current developments, and a prospectus on future major enhancements.

Loophole-free Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen experiment via quantum steering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wittmann, Bernhard; Ramelow, Sven; Steinlechner, Fabian; Langford, Nathan K.; Brunner, Nicolas; Wiseman, Howard M.; Ursin, Rupert; Zeilinger, Anton

2012-05-01

Tests of the predictions of quantum mechanics for entangled systems have provided increasing evidence against local realistic theories. However, there remains the crucial challenge of simultaneously closing all major loopholes—the locality, freedom-of-choice and detection loopholes—in a single experiment. An important sub-class of local realistic theories can be tested with the concept of ‘steering’. The term ‘steering’ was introduced by Schrödinger in 1935 for the fact that entanglement would seem to allow an experimenter to remotely steer the state of a distant system as in the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) argument. Einstein called this ‘spooky action at a distance’. EPR-steering has recently been rigorously formulated as a quantum information task opening it up to new experimental tests. Here, we present the first loophole-free demonstration of EPR-steering by violating three-setting quadratic steering inequality, tested with polarization-entangled photons shared between two distant laboratories. Our experiment demonstrates this effect while simultaneously closing all loopholes: both the locality loophole and a specific form of the freedom-of-choice loophole are closed by having a large separation of the parties and using fast quantum random number generators, and the fair-sampling loophole is closed by having high overall detection efficiency. Thereby, we exclude—for the first time loophole-free—an important class of local realistic theories considered by EPR. Besides its foundational importance, loophole-free steering also allows the distribution of quantum entanglement secure event in the presence of an untrusted party.

Characterization of Bond Strength of U-Mo Fuel Plates Using the Laser Shockwave Technique: Capabilities and Preliminary Results

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

J. A. Smith; D. L. Cottle; B. H. Rabin

2013-09-01

This report summarizes work conducted to-date on the implementation of new laser-based capabilities for characterization of bond strength in nuclear fuel plates, and presents preliminary results obtained from fresh fuel studies on as-fabricated monolithic fuel consisting of uranium-10 wt.% molybdenum alloys clad in 6061 aluminum by hot isostatic pressing. Characterization involves application of two complementary experimental methods, laser-shock testing and laser-ultrasonic imaging, collectively referred to as the Laser Shockwave Technique (LST), that allows the integrity, physical properties and interfacial bond strength in fuel plates to be evaluated. Example characterization results are provided, including measurement of layer thicknesses, elastic properties ofmore » the constituents, and the location and nature of generated debonds (including kissing bonds). LST provides spatially localized, non-contacting measurements with minimum specimen preparation, and is ideally suited for applications involving radioactive materials, including irradiated materials. The theoretical principles and experimental approaches employed in characterizing nuclear fuel plates are described, and preliminary bond strength measurement results are discussed, with emphasis on demonstrating the capabilities and limitations of these methods. These preliminary results demonstrate the ability to distinguish bond strength variations between different fuel plates. Although additional development work is necessary to validate and qualify the test methods, these results suggest LST is viable as a method to meet fuel qualification requirements to demonstrate acceptable bonding integrity.« less

Reduced-gravity environment hardware demonstrations of a prototype miniaturized flow cytometer and companion microfluidic mixing technology.

PubMed

Phipps, William S; Yin, Zhizhong; Bae, Candice; Sharpe, Julia Z; Bishara, Andrew M; Nelson, Emily S; Weaver, Aaron S; Brown, Daniel; McKay, Terri L; Griffin, DeVon; Chan, Eugene Y

2014-11-13

Until recently, astronaut blood samples were collected in-flight, transported to earth on the Space Shuttle, and analyzed in terrestrial laboratories. If humans are to travel beyond low Earth orbit, a transition towards space-ready, point-of-care (POC) testing is required. Such testing needs to be comprehensive, easy to perform in a reduced-gravity environment, and unaffected by the stresses of launch and spaceflight. Countless POC devices have been developed to mimic laboratory scale counterparts, but most have narrow applications and few have demonstrable use in an in-flight, reduced-gravity environment. In fact, demonstrations of biomedical diagnostics in reduced gravity are limited altogether, making component choice and certain logistical challenges difficult to approach when seeking to test new technology. To help fill the void, we are presenting a modular method for the construction and operation of a prototype blood diagnostic device and its associated parabolic flight test rig that meet the standards for flight-testing onboard a parabolic flight, reduced-gravity aircraft. The method first focuses on rig assembly for in-flight, reduced-gravity testing of a flow cytometer and a companion microfluidic mixing chip. Components are adaptable to other designs and some custom components, such as a microvolume sample loader and the micromixer may be of particular interest. The method then shifts focus to flight preparation, by offering guidelines and suggestions to prepare for a successful flight test with regard to user training, development of a standard operating procedure (SOP), and other issues. Finally, in-flight experimental procedures specific to our demonstrations are described.

Reduced-gravity Environment Hardware Demonstrations of a Prototype Miniaturized Flow Cytometer and Companion Microfluidic Mixing Technology

PubMed Central

Bae, Candice; Sharpe, Julia Z.; Bishara, Andrew M.; Nelson, Emily S.; Weaver, Aaron S.; Brown, Daniel; McKay, Terri L.; Griffin, DeVon; Chan, Eugene Y.

2014-01-01

Until recently, astronaut blood samples were collected in-flight, transported to earth on the Space Shuttle, and analyzed in terrestrial laboratories. If humans are to travel beyond low Earth orbit, a transition towards space-ready, point-of-care (POC) testing is required. Such testing needs to be comprehensive, easy to perform in a reduced-gravity environment, and unaffected by the stresses of launch and spaceflight. Countless POC devices have been developed to mimic laboratory scale counterparts, but most have narrow applications and few have demonstrable use in an in-flight, reduced-gravity environment. In fact, demonstrations of biomedical diagnostics in reduced gravity are limited altogether, making component choice and certain logistical challenges difficult to approach when seeking to test new technology. To help fill the void, we are presenting a modular method for the construction and operation of a prototype blood diagnostic device and its associated parabolic flight test rig that meet the standards for flight-testing onboard a parabolic flight, reduced-gravity aircraft. The method first focuses on rig assembly for in-flight, reduced-gravity testing of a flow cytometer and a companion microfluidic mixing chip. Components are adaptable to other designs and some custom components, such as a microvolume sample loader and the micromixer may be of particular interest. The method then shifts focus to flight preparation, by offering guidelines and suggestions to prepare for a successful flight test with regard to user training, development of a standard operating procedure (SOP), and other issues. Finally, in-flight experimental procedures specific to our demonstrations are described. PMID:25490614

Applications of Computational Methods for Dynamic Stability and Control Derivatives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, Lawrence L.; Spence, Angela M.

2004-01-01

Initial steps in the application o f a low-order panel method computational fluid dynamic (CFD) code to the calculation of aircraft dynamic stability and control (S&C) derivatives are documented. Several capabilities, unique to CFD but not unique to this particular demonstration, are identified and demonstrated in this paper. These unique capabilities complement conventional S&C techniques and they include the ability to: 1) perform maneuvers without the flow-kinematic restrictions and support interference commonly associated with experimental S&C facilities, 2) easily simulate advanced S&C testing techniques, 3) compute exact S&C derivatives with uncertainty propagation bounds, and 4) alter the flow physics associated with a particular testing technique from those observed in a wind or water tunnel test in order to isolate effects. Also presented are discussions about some computational issues associated with the simulation of S&C tests and selected results from numerous surface grid resolution studies performed during the course of the study.

Testing of a Miniature Loop Heat Pipe with Multiple Evaporators and Multiple Condensers for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nagano, Hosei; Ku, Jentung

2006-01-01

Thermal performance of a miniature loop heat pipe (MLHP) with two evaporators and two condensers is described. A comprehensive test program, including start-up, high power, low power, power cycle, and sink temperature cycle tests, has been executed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for potential space applications. Experimental data showed that the loop could start with heat loads as low as 2W. The loop operated stably with even and uneven evaporator heat loads, and even and uneven condenser sink temperatures. Heat load sharing between the two evaporators was also successfully demonstrated. The loop had a heat transport capability of l00W to 120W, and could recover from a dry-out by reducing the heat load to evaporators. Low power test results showed the loop could work stably for heat loads as low as 1 W to each evaporator. Excellent adaptability of the MLHP to rapid changes of evaporator power and sink temperature were also demonstrated.

Aeroservoelastic Wind-Tunnel Test of the SUGAR Truss Braced Wing Wind-Tunnel Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scott, Robert C.; Allen, Timothy J.; Funk, Christie J.; Castelluccio, Mark A.; Sexton, Bradley W.; Claggett, Scott; Dykman, John; Coulson, David A.; Bartels, Robert E.

2015-01-01

The Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research (SUGAR) Truss-Braced Wing (TBW) aeroservoelastic (ASE) wind-tunnel test was conducted in the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) and was completed in April, 2014. The primary goals of the test were to identify the open-loop flutter boundary and then demonstrate flutter suppression. A secondary goal was to demonstrate gust load alleviation (GLA). Open-loop flutter and limit cycle oscillation onset boundaries were identified for a range of Mach numbers and various angles of attack. Two sets of control laws were designed for the model and both sets of control laws were successful in suppressing flutter. Control laws optimized for GLA were not designed; however, the flutter suppression control laws were assessed using the TDT Airstream Oscillation System. This paper describes the experimental apparatus, procedures, and results of the TBW wind-tunnel test. Acquired system ID data used to generate ASE models is also discussed.2 study.

Improving oral health in low-income pregnant women with a nurse practitioner-directed oral care program.

PubMed

Cibulka, Nancy J; Forney, Sandra; Goodwin, Kathy; Lazaroff, Patricia; Sarabia, Rebecca

2011-05-01

To test the effectiveness of an advanced practice nurse model of care to improve oral health in low-income pregnant women. Pregnant women (n=170) were randomized to either control or experimental group in a hospital-based inner city clinic in the Midwest. Participants completed pretest and posttest questionnaires. Those in the experimental group participated in an educational session, received dental supplies, and were scheduled for an oral care appointment. Descriptive statistics, paired samples t-tests, and Pearson's chi-square test were used to analyze the data. Knowledge scores showed a small positive trend while favorable self-perception of oral health increased significantly in the experimental group. The experimental group demonstrated a significant increase in frequency of brushing and flossing teeth, marked reduction in intake of high sugar drinks, and reported more than twice as many visits for a dental check-up than the control group. Significant barriers to obtaining oral health services were identified. Because adverse pregnancy outcomes have been linked to periodontitis in numerous research studies, pregnant women must be educated about the importance of oral health and the necessity of a check-up. APNs are in an ideal position to educate women and assist them to obtain necessary oral health services. ©2011 The Author(s) Journal compilation ©2011 American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

Effect of Wii-intervention on balance of children with poor motor performance.

PubMed

Mombarg, Remo; Jelsma, Dorothee; Hartman, Esther

2013-09-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of training with the Wii-balance board on balance and balance-related skills of children with poor motor performance. Twenty-nine children (23 boys, 6 girls; aged 7-12 years) participated in this study and were randomly assigned to an experimental and control group. All children scored below the 16th percentile on a standardized test of motor ability and balance skills (Movement Assessment Battery for children (M-ABC-2)). Before and after a six-week Wii-intervention (M=8h, 22 min, SD=53 min), the balance skills of the experimental group and control group were measured with the M-ABC-2 and the Bruininks-Oseretsky test of motor proficiency (BOT-2). Both groups improved on all tests. The M-ABC-2 and the BOT-2 total balance-scores of the experimental group improved significantly from pre to post intervention, whereas those of the control group showed no significant progress. This resulted in significant interaction-effects, favoring the experimental children. No transfer-effects of the intervention on balance-related skills were demonstrated. Our findings showed that the Wii-balance board is an effective intervention for children with poor balance control. Further development and investigation of the intervention could be directed toward the implementation of the newly acquired balance-skills in daily life. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Dynamical Model Reveals Gene Co-Localizations in Nucleus

PubMed Central

Yao, Ye; Lin, Wei; Hennessy, Conor; Fraser, Peter; Feng, Jianfeng

2011-01-01

Co-localization of networks of genes in the nucleus is thought to play an important role in determining gene expression patterns. Based upon experimental data, we built a dynamical model to test whether pure diffusion could account for the observed co-localization of genes within a defined subnuclear region. A simple standard Brownian motion model in two and three dimensions shows that preferential co-localization is possible for co-regulated genes without any direct interaction, and suggests the occurrence may be due to a limitation in the number of available transcription factors. Experimental data of chromatin movements demonstrates that fractional rather than standard Brownian motion is more appropriate to model gene mobilizations, and we tested our dynamical model against recent static experimental data, using a sub-diffusion process by which the genes tend to colocalize more easily. Moreover, in order to compare our model with recently obtained experimental data, we studied the association level between genes and factors, and presented data supporting the validation of this dynamic model. As further applications of our model, we applied it to test against more biological observations. We found that increasing transcription factor number, rather than factory number and nucleus size, might be the reason for decreasing gene co-localization. In the scenario of frequency- or amplitude-modulation of transcription factors, our model predicted that frequency-modulation may increase the co-localization between its targeted genes. PMID:21760760

Time-Dependent Testing Evaluation and Modeling for Rubber Stopper Seal Performance.

PubMed

Zeng, Qingyu; Zhao, Xia

2018-01-01

Sufficient rubber stopper sealing performance throughout the entire sealed product life cycle is essential for maintaining container closure integrity in the parenteral packaging industry. However, prior publications have lacked systematic considerations for the time-dependent influence on sealing performance that results from the viscoelastic characteristics of the rubber stoppers. In this paper, we report results of an effort to study these effects by applying both compression stress relaxation testing and residual seal force testing for time-dependent experimental data collection. These experiments were followed by modeling fit calculations based on the Maxwell-Wiechert theory modified with the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts stretched exponential function, resulting in a nonlinear, time-dependent sealing force model. By employing both testing evaluations and modeling calculations, an in-depth understanding of the time-dependent effects on rubber stopper sealing force was developed. Both testing and modeling data show good consistency, demonstrating that the sealing force decays exponentially over time and eventually levels off because of the viscoelastic nature of the rubber stoppers. The nonlinearity of stress relaxation derives from the viscoelastic characteristics of the rubber stoppers coupled with the large stopper compression deformation into restrained geometry conditions. The modeling fit with capability to handle actual testing data can be employed as a tool to calculate the compression stress relaxation and residual seal force throughout the entire sealed product life cycle. In addition to being time-dependent, stress relaxation is also experimentally shown to be temperature-dependent. The present work provides a new, integrated methodology framework and some fresh insights to the parenteral packaging industry for practically and proactively considering, designing, setting up, controlling, and managing stopper sealing performance throughout the entire sealed product life cycle. LAY ABSTRACT: Historical publications in the parenteral packaging industry have lacked systematic considerations for the time-dependent influence on the sealing performance that results from effects of viscoelastic characteristic of the rubber stoppers. This study applied compression stress relaxation testing and residual seal force testing for time-dependent experimental data collection. These experiments were followed by modeling fit calculations based on the Maxwell-Wiechert theory modified with the Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts stretched exponential function, resulting in a nonlinear, time-dependent sealing force model. Experimental and modeling data show good consistency, demonstrating that sealing force decays exponentially over time and eventually levels off. The nonlinearity of stress relaxation derives from the viscoelastic characteristics of the rubber stoppers coupled with the large stopper compression deformation into restrained geometry conditions. In addition to being time-dependent stress relaxation, it is also experimentally shown to be temperature-dependent. The present work provides a new, integrated methodology framework and some fresh insights to the industry for practically and proactively considering, designing, setting up, controlling, and managing of the stopper sealing performance throughout the entire sealed product life cycle. © PDA, Inc. 2018.

Independent component analysis for the extraction of reliable protein signal profiles from MALDI-TOF mass spectra.

PubMed

Mantini, Dante; Petrucci, Francesca; Del Boccio, Piero; Pieragostino, Damiana; Di Nicola, Marta; Lugaresi, Alessandra; Federici, Giorgio; Sacchetta, Paolo; Di Ilio, Carmine; Urbani, Andrea

2008-01-01

Independent component analysis (ICA) is a signal processing technique that can be utilized to recover independent signals from a set of their linear mixtures. We propose ICA for the analysis of signals obtained from large proteomics investigations such as clinical multi-subject studies based on MALDI-TOF MS profiling. The method is validated on simulated and experimental data for demonstrating its capability of correctly extracting protein profiles from MALDI-TOF mass spectra. The comparison on peak detection with an open-source and two commercial methods shows its superior reliability in reducing the false discovery rate of protein peak masses. Moreover, the integration of ICA and statistical tests for detecting the differences in peak intensities between experimental groups allows to identify protein peaks that could be indicators of a diseased state. This data-driven approach demonstrates to be a promising tool for biomarker-discovery studies based on MALDI-TOF MS technology. The MATLAB implementation of the method described in the article and both simulated and experimental data are freely available at http://www.unich.it/proteomica/bioinf/.

Enhancing cancer patient well-being with a nonpharmacological, heritage-focused intervention.

PubMed

Thomson, Linda J; Ander, Erica E; Menon, Usha; Lanceley, Anne; Chatterjee, Helen J

2012-11-01

Nonpharmacological, arts-focused interventions in health care have demonstrated considerable improvements in cancer patient well-being, although there is a little clinically robust, empirical evidence to demonstrate the value of heritage-focused practices. This study examined the effectiveness of a novel, nonpharmacological, heritage-focused intervention with adult female inpatients receiving cancer treatment in oncology wards of a large, central London hospital. In the tactile experimental condition, participants handled and discussed a selection of museum objects with a facilitator, whereas in the visual control condition, participants discussed photographs of the same objects. Sessions were conducted on a one-to-one basis at patients' bedsides and lasted about half an hour. Quantitative measures of psychological well-being with proven reliability and validity were used in a pretest/post-test control group, quasi-experimental design. Levels of positive emotion, well-being, and happiness were significantly enhanced in the experimental condition compared with the control condition for both oncology and nononcology patients. Findings indicate a future role for heritage-focused practices in enhancing health care environments. Copyright © 2012 U.S. Cancer Pain Relief Committee. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A competitive complex formation mechanism underlies trichome patterning on Arabidopsis leaves

PubMed Central

Digiuni, Simona; Schellmann, Swen; Geier, Florian; Greese, Bettina; Pesch, Martina; Wester, Katja; Dartan, Burcu; Mach, Valerie; Srinivas, Bhylahalli Purushottam; Timmer, Jens; Fleck, Christian; Hulskamp, Martin

2008-01-01

Trichome patterning in Arabidopsis serves as a model system for de novo pattern formation in plants. It is thought to typify the theoretical activator–inhibitor mechanism, although this hypothesis has never been challenged by a combined experimental and theoretical approach. By integrating the key genetic and molecular data of the trichome patterning system, we developed a new theoretical model that allows the direct testing of the effect of experimental interventions and in the prediction of patterning phenotypes. We show experimentally that the trichome inhibitor TRIPTYCHON is transcriptionally activated by the known positive regulators GLABRA1 and GLABRA3. Further, we demonstrate by particle bombardment of protein fusions with GFP that TRIPTYCHON and CAPRICE but not GLABRA1 and GLABRA3 can move between cells. Finally, theoretical considerations suggest promoter swapping and basal overexpression experiments by means of which we are able to discriminate three biologically meaningful variants of the trichome patterning model. Our study demonstrates that the mutual interplay between theory and experiment can reveal a new level of understanding of how biochemical mechanisms can drive biological patterning processes. PMID:18766177

High-Temperature Structures, Adhesives, and Advanced Thermal Protection Materials for Next-Generation Aeroshell Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, Timothy J.; Congdon, William M.; Smeltzer, Stanley S.; Whitley, Karen S.

2005-01-01

The next generation of planetary exploration vehicles will rely heavily on robust aero-assist technologies, especially those that include aerocapture. This paper provides an overview of an ongoing development program, led by NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) and aimed at introducing high-temperature structures, adhesives, and advanced thermal protection system (TPS) materials into the aeroshell design process. The purpose of this work is to demonstrate TPS materials that can withstand the higher heating rates of NASA's next generation planetary missions, and to validate high-temperature structures and adhesives that can reduce required TPS thickness and total aeroshell mass, thus allowing for larger science payloads. The effort described consists of parallel work in several advanced aeroshell technology areas. The areas of work include high-temperature adhesives, high-temperature composite materials, advanced ablator (TPS) materials, sub-scale demonstration test articles, and aeroshell modeling and analysis. The status of screening test results for a broad selection of available higher-temperature adhesives is presented. It appears that at least one (and perhaps a few) adhesives have working temperatures ranging from 315-400 C (600-750 F), and are suitable for TPS-to-structure bondline temperatures that are significantly above the traditional allowable of 250 C (482 F). The status of mechanical testing of advanced high-temperature composite materials is also summarized. To date, these tests indicate the potential for good material performance at temperatures of at least 600 F. Application of these materials and adhesives to aeroshell systems that incorporate advanced TPS materials may reduce aeroshell TPS mass by 15% - 30%. A brief outline is given of work scheduled for completion in 2006 that will include fabrication and testing of large panels and subscale aeroshell test articles at the Solar-Tower Test Facility located at Kirtland AFB and operated by Sandia National Laboratories. These tests are designed to validate aeroshell manufacturability using advanced material systems, and to demonstrate the maintenance of bondline integrity at realistically high temperatures and heating rates. Finally, a status is given of ongoing aeroshell modeling and analysis efforts which will be used to correlate with experimental testing, and to provide a reliable means of extrapolating to performance under actual flight conditions. The modeling and analysis effort includes a parallel series of experimental tests to determine TSP thermal expansion and other mechanical properties which are required for input to the analysis models.

Experimental Durability Testing of 4H SiC JFET Integrated Circuit Technology at 727 C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spry, David; Neudeck, Phil; Chen, Liangyu; Chang, Carl; Lukco, Dorothy; Beheim, Glenn M

2016-01-01

We have reported SiC integrated circuits (IC's) with two levels of metal interconnect that have demonstrated prolonged operation for thousands of hours at their intended peak ambient operational temperature of 500 C [1, 2]. However, it is recognized that testing of semiconductor microelectronics at temperatures above their designed operating envelope is vital to qualification. Towards this end, we previously reported operation of a 4H-SiC JFET IC ring oscillator on an initial fast thermal ramp test through 727 C [3]. However, this thermal ramp was not ended until a peak temperature of 880 C (well beyond failure) was attained. Further experiments are necessary to better understand failure mechanisms and upper temperature limit of this extreme-temperature capable 4H-SiC IC technology. Here we report on additional experimental testing of custom-packaged 4H-SiC JFET IC devices at temperatures above 500 C. In one test, the temperature was ramped and then held at 727 C, and the devices were periodically measured until electrical failure was observed. A 4H-SiC JFET on this chip electrically functioned with little change for around 25 hours at 727 C before rapid increases in device resistance caused failure. In a second test, devices from our next generation 4H-SiC JFET ICs were ramped up and then held at 700 C (which is below the maximum deposition temperature of the dielectrics). Three ring oscillators functioned for 8 hours at this temperature before degradation. In a third experiment, an alternative die attach of gold paste and package lid was used, and logic circuit operation was demonstrated for 143.5 hours at 700 C.

Experimental Durability Testing of 4H SiC JFET Integrated Circuit Technology at 727 Degrees Centigrade

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spry, David J.; Neudeck, Philip G.; Chen, Liangyu; Chang, Carl W.; Lukco, Dorothy; Beheim, Glenn M.

2016-01-01

We have reported SiC integrated circuits (ICs) with two levels of metal interconnect that have demonstrated prolonged operation for thousands of hours at their intended peak ambient operational temperature of 500 degrees Centigrade. However, it is recognized that testing of semiconductor microelectronics at temperatures above their designed operating envelope is vital to qualification. Towards this end, we previously reported operation of a 4H-SiC JFET IC ring oscillator on an initial fast thermal ramp test through 727 degrees Centigrade. However, this thermal ramp was not ended until a peak temperature of 880 degrees Centigrade (well beyond failure) was attained. Further experiments are necessary to better understand failure mechanisms and upper temperature limit of this extreme-temperature capable 4H-SiC IC technology.Here we report on additional experimental testing of custom-packaged 4H-SiC JFET IC devices at temperatures above 500 degrees Centigrade. In one test, the temperature was ramped and then held at 727 degrees Centigrade, and the devices were periodically measured until electrical failure was observed. A 4H-SiC JFET on this chip electrically functioned with little change for around 25 hours at 727 degrees Centigrade before rapid increases in device resistance caused failure. In a second test, devices from our next generation 4H-SiC JFET ICs were ramped up and then held at 700 degrees Centigrade (which is below the maximum deposition temperature of the dielectrics). Three ring oscillators functioned for 8 hours at this temperature before degradation. In a third experiment, an alternative die attach of gold paste and package lid was used, and logic circuit operation was demonstrated for 143.5 hours at 700 degrees Centigrade.

Semantically enabled and statistically supported biological hypothesis testing with tissue microarray databases

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Although many biological databases are applying semantic web technologies, meaningful biological hypothesis testing cannot be easily achieved. Database-driven high throughput genomic hypothesis testing requires both of the capabilities of obtaining semantically relevant experimental data and of performing relevant statistical testing for the retrieved data. Tissue Microarray (TMA) data are semantically rich and contains many biologically important hypotheses waiting for high throughput conclusions. Methods An application-specific ontology was developed for managing TMA and DNA microarray databases by semantic web technologies. Data were represented as Resource Description Framework (RDF) according to the framework of the ontology. Applications for hypothesis testing (Xperanto-RDF) for TMA data were designed and implemented by (1) formulating the syntactic and semantic structures of the hypotheses derived from TMA experiments, (2) formulating SPARQLs to reflect the semantic structures of the hypotheses, and (3) performing statistical test with the result sets returned by the SPARQLs. Results When a user designs a hypothesis in Xperanto-RDF and submits it, the hypothesis can be tested against TMA experimental data stored in Xperanto-RDF. When we evaluated four previously validated hypotheses as an illustration, all the hypotheses were supported by Xperanto-RDF. Conclusions We demonstrated the utility of high throughput biological hypothesis testing. We believe that preliminary investigation before performing highly controlled experiment can be benefited. PMID:21342584

The same analysis approach: Practical protection against the pitfalls of novel neuroimaging analysis methods.

PubMed

Görgen, Kai; Hebart, Martin N; Allefeld, Carsten; Haynes, John-Dylan

2017-12-27

Standard neuroimaging data analysis based on traditional principles of experimental design, modelling, and statistical inference is increasingly complemented by novel analysis methods, driven e.g. by machine learning methods. While these novel approaches provide new insights into neuroimaging data, they often have unexpected properties, generating a growing literature on possible pitfalls. We propose to meet this challenge by adopting a habit of systematic testing of experimental design, analysis procedures, and statistical inference. Specifically, we suggest to apply the analysis method used for experimental data also to aspects of the experimental design, simulated confounds, simulated null data, and control data. We stress the importance of keeping the analysis method the same in main and test analyses, because only this way possible confounds and unexpected properties can be reliably detected and avoided. We describe and discuss this Same Analysis Approach in detail, and demonstrate it in two worked examples using multivariate decoding. With these examples, we reveal two sources of error: A mismatch between counterbalancing (crossover designs) and cross-validation which leads to systematic below-chance accuracies, and linear decoding of a nonlinear effect, a difference in variance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Experimental Evaluation of Inlet Distortion on an Ejector Powered Hybrid Wing Body at Take-off and Landing Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, Melissa B.; Shea, Patrick R.; Flamm, Jeffrey D.; Schuh, Michael; James, Kevin D.; Sexton, Matthew R.; Tompkins, Daniel M.; Beyar, Michael D.

2016-01-01

As part of the NASA Environmentally Responsible Aircraft project, an ultra high bypass ratio engine integration on a hybrid wing body demonstration was planned. The goal was to include engine and airframe integration concepts that reduced fuel consumption by at least 50% while still reducing noise 42 db cumulative on the ground. Since the engines would be mounted on the upper surface of the aft body of the aircraft, the inlets may be susceptible to vortex ingestion from the wing leading edge at high angles of attack and sideslip, and separated wing/body flow. Consequently, experimental and computational studies were conducted to collect flow surveys useful for characterizing engine operability. The wind tunnel tests were conducted at two NASA facilities, the 14- by 22-foot at NASA Langley and the 40- by 80-foot at NASA Ames Research Center. The test results included in this paper show that the distortion and pressure recovery levels were acceptable for engine operability. The CFD studies conducted to compare to experimental data showed excellent agreement for the angle of attacks examined, although failed to match the low speed experimental data at high sideslip angles.

Neuroanatomy education: The impact on perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge of an intensive course on general practice residents.

PubMed

Arantes, Mavilde; Barbosa, Joselina Maria; Ferreira, Maria Amélia

2017-09-01

General practitioners are responsible for the management of an increasing number of patients with neurological illness, and thus a solid education in neurosciences is a necessary component of their training. This study examines the effects of an intensive clinical neuroanatomy course on twenty general practice residents' perceptions, attitudes, and knowledge. A knowledge test was completed by the participants and by a control group at four different time points. The participants were asked to answer a questionnaire about their reasons for signing up for the course and their attitudes and perceptions toward the course experience. Experimental and control groups demonstrated identical mean baseline test scores. The experimental group significantly increased its test scores (plus 49.0% correct answers, a mean improvement of 120%) relative to controls after the educational intervention. There were no differences among scores from the evaluated time points after the educational intervention in the experimental group. In the control group, there were likewise no significant differences between the four evaluated time points. Most participants indicated that they signed up for the course to update/acquire knowledge and skills in the field of neurosciences, and also because they had difficulty in diagnosing and managing patients with neurological diseases. Participants' attitudes and perceptions toward the course experience were very positive. Most of the participants (n = 17; 85%) rated the course as "extremely useful," and 3 (15%) rated it as "very useful." This study provides evidence demonstrating the potential positive effect of neurosciences education to general practice residents. Anat Sci Educ 10: 465-474. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists. © 2017 American Association of Anatomists.

Highlights from a Mach 4 Experimental Demonstration of Inlet Mode Transition for Turbine-Based Combined Cycle Hypersonic Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foster, Lancert E.; Saunders, John D., Jr.; Sanders, Bobby W.; Weir, Lois J.

2012-01-01

NASA is focused on technologies for combined cycle, air-breathing propulsion systems to enable reusable launch systems for access to space. Turbine Based Combined Cycle (TBCC) propulsion systems offer specific impulse (Isp) improvements over rocket-based propulsion systems in the subsonic takeoff and return mission segments along with improved safety. Among the most critical TBCC enabling technologies are: 1) mode transition from the low speed propulsion system to the high speed propulsion system, 2) high Mach turbine engine development and 3) innovative turbine based combined cycle integration. To address these challenges, NASA initiated an experimental mode transition task including analytical methods to assess the state-of-the-art of propulsion system performance and design codes. One effort has been the Combined-Cycle Engine Large Scale Inlet Mode Transition Experiment (CCE-LIMX) which is a fully integrated TBCC propulsion system with flowpath sizing consistent with previous NASA and DoD proposed Hypersonic experimental flight test plans. This experiment was tested in the NASA GRC 10 by 10-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel (SWT) Facility. The goal of this activity is to address key hypersonic combined-cycle engine issues including: (1) dual integrated inlet operability and performance issues-unstart constraints, distortion constraints, bleed requirements, and controls, (2) mode-transition sequence elements caused by switching between the turbine and the ramjet/scramjet flowpaths (imposed variable geometry requirements), and (3) turbine engine transients (and associated time scales) during transition. Testing of the initial inlet and dynamic characterization phases were completed and smooth mode transition was demonstrated. A database focused on a Mach 4 transition speed with limited off-design elements was developed and will serve to guide future TBCC system studies and to validate higher level analyses.

Improvement of experimental testing and network training conditions with genome-wide microarrays for more accurate predictions of drug gene targets

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Genome-wide microarrays have been useful for predicting chemical-genetic interactions at the gene level. However, interpreting genome-wide microarray results can be overwhelming due to the vast output of gene expression data combined with off-target transcriptional responses many times induced by a drug treatment. This study demonstrates how experimental and computational methods can interact with each other, to arrive at more accurate predictions of drug-induced perturbations. We present a two-stage strategy that links microarray experimental testing and network training conditions to predict gene perturbations for a drug with a known mechanism of action in a well-studied organism. Results S. cerevisiae cells were treated with the antifungal, fluconazole, and expression profiling was conducted under different biological conditions using Affymetrix genome-wide microarrays. Transcripts were filtered with a formal network-based method, sparse simultaneous equation models and Lasso regression (SSEM-Lasso), under different network training conditions. Gene expression results were evaluated using both gene set and single gene target analyses, and the drug’s transcriptional effects were narrowed first by pathway and then by individual genes. Variables included: (i) Testing conditions – exposure time and concentration and (ii) Network training conditions – training compendium modifications. Two analyses of SSEM-Lasso output – gene set and single gene – were conducted to gain a better understanding of how SSEM-Lasso predicts perturbation targets. Conclusions This study demonstrates that genome-wide microarrays can be optimized using a two-stage strategy for a more in-depth understanding of how a cell manifests biological reactions to a drug treatment at the transcription level. Additionally, a more detailed understanding of how the statistical model, SSEM-Lasso, propagates perturbations through a network of gene regulatory interactions is achieved. PMID:24444313

Traumatic Neuroma in Continuity Injury Model in Rodents

PubMed Central

Kemp, Stephen William Peter; Khu, Kathleen Joy Ong Lopez; Kumar, Ranjan; Webb, Aubrey A.; Midha, Rajiv

2012-01-01

Abstract Traumatic neuroma in continuity (NIC) results in profound neurological deficits, and its management poses the most challenging problem to peripheral nerve surgeons today. The absence of a clinically relevant experimental model continues to handicap our ability to investigate ways of better diagnosis and treatment for these disabling injuries. Various injury techniques were tested on Lewis rat sciatic nerves. Optimal experimental injuries that consistently resulted in NIC combined both intense focal compression and traction forces. Nerves were harvested at 0, 5, 13, 21, and 65 days for histological examination. Skilled locomotion and ground reaction force (GRF) analysis were performed up to 9 weeks on the experimental (n=6) and crush-control injuries (n=5). Focal widening, disruption of endoneurium and perineurium with aberrant intra- and extrafascicular axonal regeneration and progressive fibrosis was consistently demonstrated in 14 of 14 nerves with refined experimental injuries. At 8 weeks, experimental animals displayed a significantly greater slip ratio in both skilled locomotor assessments, compared to nerve crush animals (p<0.01). GRFs of the crush- injured animals showed earlier improvement compared to the experimental animals, whose overall GRF patterns failed to recover as well as the crush group. We have demonstrated histological features and poor functional recovery consistent with NIC formation in a rat model. The injury mechanism employed combines traction and compression forces akin to the physical forces at play in clinical nerve injuries. This model may serve as a tool to help diagnose this injury earlier and to develop intervention strategies to improve patient outcomes. PMID:22011082

A novel multiple batch extraction test to assess contaminant mobilization from porous waste materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iden, S. C.; Durner, W.; Delay, M.; Frimmel, F. H.

2009-04-01

Contaminated porous materials, like soils, dredged sediments or waste materials must be tested before they can be used as filling materials in order to minimize the risk of groundwater pollution. We applied a multiple batch extraction test at varying liquid-to-solid (L/S) ratios to a demolition waste material and a municipal waste incineration product and investigated the release of chloride, sulphate, sodium, copper, chromium and dissolved organic carbon from both waste materials. The liquid phase test concentrations were used to estimate parameters of a relatively simple mass balance model accounting for equilibrium partitioning. The model parameters were estimated within a Bayesian framework by applying an efficient MCMC sampler and the uncertainties of the model parameters and model predictions were quantified. We tested isotherms of the linear, Freundlich and Langmuir type and selected the optimal isotherm model by use of the Deviance Information Criterion (DIC). Both the excellent fit to the experimental data and a comparison between the model-predicted and independently measured concentrations at the L/S ratios of 0.25 and 0.5 L/kg demonstrate the applicability of the model for almost all studied substances and both waste materials. We conclude that batch extraction tests at varying L/S ratios provide, at moderate experimental cost, a powerful complement to established test designs like column leaching or single batch extraction tests. The method constitutes an important tool in risk assessments, because concentrations at soil water contents representative for the field situation can be predicted from easier-to-obtain test concentrations at larger L/S ratios. This helps to circumvent the experimental difficulties of the soil saturation extract and eliminates the need to apply statistical approaches to predict such representative concentrations which have been shown to suffer dramatically from poor correlations.

Understanding biomaterial-tissue interface quality: combined in vitro evaluation

PubMed Central

Gasik, Michael

2017-01-01

Abstract One of the greatest challenges in the development of new medical products and devices remains in providing maximal patient safety, efficacy and suitability for the purpose. A ‘good quality’ of the tissue-implant interface is one of the most critical factors for the success of the implant integration. In this paper this challenge is being discussed from the point of view of basic stimuli combination to experimental testing. The focus is in particular on bacterial effects on tissue-implant interaction (for different materials). The demonstration of the experimental evaluation of the tissue-implant interface is for dental abutment with mucosal contact. This shows that testing of the interface quality could be the most relevant in controlled conditions, which mimic as possible the clinical applications, but consider variables being under the control of the evaluator. PMID:28970865

Through-the Thickness(R) braided composites for aircraft applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Richard T.

1992-01-01

Material and structural specimens of Through-the-Thickness(R) braided textile composites were tested in a variety of experiments. The results have demonstrated that the preform architecture provides significant payoffs in damage tolerance, delamination resistance, and attachment strength. This paper describes the braiding process, surveys the experimental data base, and illustrates the application of three dimensional braiding in aircraft structures.

Far from Home: An Experimental Evaluation of the Mother-Child Home Program in Bermuda.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scarr, Sandra; McCartney, Kathleen

1988-01-01

Effects of the Mother-Child Home Program (MCHP) were evaluated with a broad range of measures on cognition, social behavior, and emotion. Findings indicated that children in Bermuda scored above U.S. norms on cognitive tests and were functioning well in the preschool period. The MCHP had few demonstrable effects on any segment of the sample. (RH)

Volcanic Experimentation: Using Mentos and Soda to Teach Causal Research in a Marketing Research Class

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, Edwin; Stelling, Pete

2012-01-01

The reaction that occurs when Mentos are added to bottled soft drinks has become a staple demonstration in earth science courses to explain how volcanoes erupt. This paper presents how this engaging exercise can be used in a marketing research course to provide hands-on experience with problem formation, hypothesis testing, and causal research. A…

Small-scale characterisation of irradiated nuclear materials: Part II nanoindentation and micro-cantilever testing of ion irradiated nuclear materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Armstrong, D. E. J.; Hardie, C. D.; Gibson, J. S. K. L.; Bushby, A. J.; Edmondson, P. D.; Roberts, S. G.

2015-07-01

This paper demonstrates the ability of advanced micro-mechanical testing methods, based on FIB machined micro-cantilevers, to measure the mechanical properties of ion implanted layers without the influence of underlying unimplanted material. The first section describes a study of iron-12 wt% chromium alloy implanted with iron ions. It is shown that by careful cantilever design and finite element modelling that changes in yield stress after implantation can be measured even with the influence of a strong size effect. The second section describes a study of tungsten implanted with both tungsten ions and tungsten and helium ions using spherical and sharp nanoindentation, and micro-cantilevers. The spherical indentation allows yield properties and work hardening behaviour of the implanted layers to be measured. However the brittle nature of the implanted tungsten is only revealed when using micro-cantilevers. This demonstrates that when applying micro-mechanical methods to ion implanted layers care is needed to understand the nature of size effects, careful modelling of experimental procedure is required and multiple experimental techniques are needed to allow the maximum amount of mechanical behaviour information to be collected.

Explicit crystal host effects on excited state properties of linear polyacenes: towards a room-temperature maser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charlton, Robert; Bogatko, Stuart; Zuehlsdorff, Tim; Hine, Nicholas; Horsfield, Andrew; Haynes, Peter

Maser technology has been held back for decades by the impracticality of the operating conditions of traditional masing devices, such as cryogenic freezing and strong magnetic fields. Recently it has been experimentally demonstrated that pentacene in p-terphenyl can act as a viable solid-state room-temperature maser by exploiting the alignment of the low-lying singlet and triplet excited states of pentacene. To understand the operation of this device from first principles, an ab initio study of the excitonic properties of pentacene in p-terphenyl has been carried out using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT), implemented in the linear-scaling ONETEP software (www.onetep.org). In particular, we focus on the impact that the wider crystal has on the localised pentacene excitations by performing an explicit DFT treatment of the p-terphenyl environment. We demonstrate the importance of explicit crystal host effects in calculating the excitation energies of pentacene in p-terphenyl, providing important information for the operation of the maser. We then use this same approach to test the viability of other linear polyacenes as maser candidates as a screening step before experimental testing.

The potential role of lung epithelial cells and beta-defensins in experimental latent tuberculosis.

PubMed

Rivas-Santiago, B; Contreras, J C L; Sada, E; Hernández-Pando, R

2008-05-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a facultative intracellular pathogen capable of producing both progressive disease and latent infection. Latent infection is clinically asymptomatic and is manifested only by a positive tuberculin test or a chest radiograph that shows scars or calcified nodules indicative of resolved primary tuberculosis infection. In this study, we used a well-characterized model of latent tuberculosis infection in B6D2F1 mice to compare the production of beta-defensin-3 by infected bronchial epithelial cells and macrophages. We demonstrated by immunolectronmicroscopy that M. tuberculosis can actually infect epithelial cells and induce significant higher production of beta-defensin-3 associated to mycobacteria than infected macrophages. These results demonstrate that lung epithelium harbour mycobacteria during experimental chronic infection; being a possible reservoir of latent mycobacteria in vivo, beta-defensins might participate in bacilli killing or dormancy induction.

Ultrasound - Aided ejection in micro injection molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masato, D.; Sorgato, M.; Lucchetta, G.

2018-05-01

In this work, an ultrasound-aided ejection system was designed and tested for different polymers (PS, COC and POM) and mold topographies. The proposed solution aims at reducing the ejection friction by decreasing the adhesion component of the frictional force, which is controlled by the contact area developed during the filling stage of the injection molding process. The experimental results indicate a positive effect of ultrasound vibration on the friction force values, with a maximum reduction of 16. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the ultrasound effect is strictly related to both polymer selection and mold roughness. The combined effect on the ejection force of mold surface roughness, melt viscosity during filling and polymer elastic modulus at ejection was modeled to the experimental data, in order to demonstrate that the effect of ultrasound vibration on the ejection friction reduction is due to the heating of the contact interface and the consequent reduction of the polymer elastic modulus.

Experimental study of an adaptive elastic metamaterial controlled by electric circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, R.; Chen, Y. Y.; Barnhart, M. V.; Hu, G. K.; Sun, C. T.; Huang, G. L.

2016-01-01

The ability to control elastic wave propagation at a deep subwavelength scale makes locally resonant elastic metamaterials very relevant. A number of abilities have been demonstrated such as frequency filtering, wave guiding, and negative refraction. Unfortunately, few metamaterials develop into practical devices due to their lack of tunability for specific frequencies. With the help of multi-physics numerical modeling, experimental validation of an adaptive elastic metamaterial integrated with shunted piezoelectric patches has been performed in a deep subwavelength scale. The tunable bandgap capacity, as high as 45%, is physically realized by using both hardening and softening shunted circuits. It is also demonstrated that the effective mass density of the metamaterial can be fully tailored by adjusting parameters of the shunted electric circuits. Finally, to illustrate a practical application, transient wave propagation tests of the adaptive metamaterial subjected to impact loads are conducted to validate their tunable wave mitigation abilities in real-time.

Experimental demonstration of active vibration control for flexible structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phillips, Douglas J.; Hyland, David C.; Collins, Emmanuel G., Jr.

1990-01-01

Active vibration control of flexible structures for future space missions is addressed. Three experiments that successfully demonstrate control of flexible structures are described. The first is the pendulum experiment. The structure is a 5-m compound pendulum and was designed as an end-to-end test bed for a linear proof mass actuator and its supporting electronics. Experimental results are shown for a maximum-entropy/optimal-projection controller designed to achieve 5 percent damping in the first two pendulum modes. The second experiment was based upon the Harris Multi-Hex prototype experiment (MHPE) apparatus. This is a large optical reflector structure comprising a seven-panel array and supporting truss which typifies a number of generic characteristics of large space systems. The third experiment involved control design and implementation for the ACES structure at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. The authors conclude with some remarks on the lessons learned from conducting these experiments.

Adiabatic quantum-flux-parametron cell library adopting minimalist design

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

Takeuchi, Naoki, E-mail: takeuchi-naoki-kx@ynu.jp; Yamanashi, Yuki; Yoshikawa, Nobuyuki

We herein build an adiabatic quantum-flux-parametron (AQFP) cell library adopting minimalist design and a symmetric layout. In the proposed minimalist design, every logic cell is designed by arraying four types of building block cells: buffer, NOT, constant, and branch cells. Therefore, minimalist design enables us to effectively build and customize an AQFP cell library. The symmetric layout reduces unwanted parasitic magnetic coupling and ensures a large mutual inductance in an output transformer, which enables very long wiring between logic cells. We design and fabricate several logic circuits using the minimal AQFP cell library so as to test logic cells inmore » the library. Moreover, we experimentally investigate the maximum wiring length between logic cells. Finally, we present an experimental demonstration of an 8-bit carry look-ahead adder designed using the minimal AQFP cell library and demonstrate that the proposed cell library is sufficiently robust to realize large-scale digital circuits.« less

Adiabatic quantum-flux-parametron cell library adopting minimalist design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeuchi, Naoki; Yamanashi, Yuki; Yoshikawa, Nobuyuki

2015-05-01

We herein build an adiabatic quantum-flux-parametron (AQFP) cell library adopting minimalist design and a symmetric layout. In the proposed minimalist design, every logic cell is designed by arraying four types of building block cells: buffer, NOT, constant, and branch cells. Therefore, minimalist design enables us to effectively build and customize an AQFP cell library. The symmetric layout reduces unwanted parasitic magnetic coupling and ensures a large mutual inductance in an output transformer, which enables very long wiring between logic cells. We design and fabricate several logic circuits using the minimal AQFP cell library so as to test logic cells in the library. Moreover, we experimentally investigate the maximum wiring length between logic cells. Finally, we present an experimental demonstration of an 8-bit carry look-ahead adder designed using the minimal AQFP cell library and demonstrate that the proposed cell library is sufficiently robust to realize large-scale digital circuits.

Analysis and demonstration of vibration waveform reconstruction in distributed optical fiber vibration sensing system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Hui; Shan, Xuekang; Sun, Xiaohan

2017-10-01

A method for reconstructing the vibration waveform from the optical time-domain backscattering pulses in the distributed optical fiber sensing system (DOFSS) is proposed, which allows for extracting and recovering the external vibration signal from the tested pulses by analog signal processing, so that can obtain vibration location and waveform simultaneously. We establish the response model of DOFSS to the external vibration and analyze the effects of system parameters on the operational performance. The main parts of the DOFSS are optimized, including delay fiber length and wavelength, to improve the sensitivity of the system. The experimental system is set up and the vibration amplitudes and reconstructed waveforms are fit well with the original driving signal. The experimental results demonstrate that the performance of vibration waveform reconstruction is good with SNR of 15 dB whenever the external vibrations with different intensities and frequencies exert on the sensing fiber.

Improvement of patient return electrodes in electrosurgery by experimental investigations and numerical field calculations.

PubMed

Golombeck, M A; Dössel, O; Raiser, J

2003-09-01

Numerical field calculations and experimental investigations were performed to examine the heating of the surface of human skin during the application of a new electrode design for the patient return electrode. The new electrode is characterised by an equipotential ring around the central electrode pads. A multi-layer thigh model was used, to which the patient return electrode and the active electrode were connected. The simulation geometry and the dielectric tissue parameters were set according to the frequency of the current. The temperature rise at the skin surface due to the flow of current was evaluated using a two-step numerical solving procedure. The results were compared with experimental thermographical measurements that yielded a mean value of maximum temperature increase of 3.4 degrees C and a maximum of 4.5 degrees C in one test case. The calculated heating patterns agreed closely with the experimental results. However, the calculated mean value in ten different numerical models of the maximum temperature increase of 12.5 K (using a thermodynamic solver) exceeded the experimental value owing to neglect of heat transport by blood flow and also because of the injection of a higher test current, as in the clinical tests. The implementation of a simple worst-case formula that could significantly simplify the numerical process led to a substantial overestimation of the mean value of the maximum skin temperature of 22.4 K and showed only restricted applicability. The application of numerical methods confirmed the experimental assertions and led to a general understanding of the observed heating effects and hotspots. Furthermore, it was possible to demonstrate the beneficial effects of the new electrode design with an equipotential ring. These include a balanced heating pattern and the absence of hotspots.

The frequentist implications of optional stopping on Bayesian hypothesis tests.

PubMed

Sanborn, Adam N; Hills, Thomas T

2014-04-01

Null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) is the most commonly used statistical methodology in psychology. The probability of achieving a value as extreme or more extreme than the statistic obtained from the data is evaluated, and if it is low enough, the null hypothesis is rejected. However, because common experimental practice often clashes with the assumptions underlying NHST, these calculated probabilities are often incorrect. Most commonly, experimenters use tests that assume that sample sizes are fixed in advance of data collection but then use the data to determine when to stop; in the limit, experimenters can use data monitoring to guarantee that the null hypothesis will be rejected. Bayesian hypothesis testing (BHT) provides a solution to these ills because the stopping rule used is irrelevant to the calculation of a Bayes factor. In addition, there are strong mathematical guarantees on the frequentist properties of BHT that are comforting for researchers concerned that stopping rules could influence the Bayes factors produced. Here, we show that these guaranteed bounds have limited scope and often do not apply in psychological research. Specifically, we quantitatively demonstrate the impact of optional stopping on the resulting Bayes factors in two common situations: (1) when the truth is a combination of the hypotheses, such as in a heterogeneous population, and (2) when a hypothesis is composite-taking multiple parameter values-such as the alternative hypothesis in a t-test. We found that, for these situations, while the Bayesian interpretation remains correct regardless of the stopping rule used, the choice of stopping rule can, in some situations, greatly increase the chance of experimenters finding evidence in the direction they desire. We suggest ways to control these frequentist implications of stopping rules on BHT.

Titanium Alloys Thin Sheet Welding with the Use of Concentrated Solar Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pantelis, D. I.; Kazasidis, M.; Karakizis, P. N.

2017-12-01

The present study deals with the welding of titanium alloys thin sheets 1.3 mm thick, with the use of concentrated solar energy. The experimental part of the work took place at a medium size solar furnace at the installation of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, at Odeillo, in Southern France, where similar and dissimilar defect-free welds of titanium Grades 4 and 6 were achieved, in the butt joint configuration. After the determination of the appropriate welding conditions, the optimum welded structures were examined and characterized microstructurally, by means of light optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and microhardness testing. In addition, test pieces extracted from the weldments were tested under uniaxial tensile loading aiming to the estimation of the strength and the ductility of the joint. The analysis of the experimental results and the recorded data led to the basic concluding remarks which demonstrate increased hardness distribution inside the fusion area and severe loss of ductility, but adequate yield and tensile strength of the welds.

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

Barnhill, William C.; Gao, Hong; Kheireddin, Bassem

We have previously reported an oil-miscible phosphonium-organophosphate ionic liquid (IL) with an effective anti-wear (AW) functionality when added to a base oil by itself or combined with a conventional zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) for a synergistic effect. In this research, we investigated whether this synergy manifests in formulated engine oils. An experimental SAE 0W-16 engine oil was generated containing a combination of IL and ZDDP with equal phosphorus contribution. The prototype engine oil was first evaluated using tribological bench tests: AW performance in boundary lubrication (BL) and friction behavior (Stribeck curves) in elastohydrodynamic, mixed, and BL. In addition, the forthcoming standardmore » Sequence VIE engine dynamometer test was then conducted to demonstrate improved fuel economy. Results were benchmarked against those of another experimental engine oil with almost the same formulation except using ZDDP only without the IL (similar total phosphorus content). The IL-ZDDP formulation consistently outperforms the ZDDP-only formulation in friction reduction and wear protection, and results from the bench and engine tests are well correlated.« less

Experimental Results for Titan Aerobot Thermo-Mechanical Subsystem Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

2006-01-01

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

Performance Gains of Propellant Management Devices for Liquid Hydrogen Depots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartwig, Jason W.; McQuillen, John B.; Chato, David J.

2013-01-01

This paper presents background, experimental design, and preliminary experimental results for the liquid hydrogen bubble point tests conducted at the Cryogenic Components Cell 7 facility at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The purpose of the test series was to investigate the parameters that affect liquid acquisition device (LAD) performance in a liquid hydrogen (LH2) propellant tank, to mitigate risk in the final design of the LAD for the Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer Technology Demonstration Mission, and to provide insight into optimal LAD operation for future LH2 depots. Preliminary test results show an increase in performance and screen retention over the low reference LH2 bubble point value for a 325 2300 screen in three separate ways, thus improving fundamental LH2 LAD performance. By using a finer mesh screen, operating at a colder liquid temperature, and pressurizing with a noncondensible pressurant gas, a significant increase in margin is achieved in bubble point pressure for LH2 screen channel LADs.