Agricultural Extension Messages Using Video on Portable Devices Increased Knowledge about Seed Selection, Storage and Handling among Smallholder Potato Farmers in Southwestern Uganda

PubMed Central

Van Campenhout, Bjorn; Vandevelde, Senne; Walukano, Wilberforce; Van Asten, Piet

2017-01-01

To feed a growing population, agricultural productivity needs to increase dramatically. Agricultural extension information, with its public, non-rival nature, is generally undersupplied, and public provision remains challenging. In this study, simple agricultural extension video messages, delivered through Android tablets, were tested in the field to determine if they increased farmers’ knowledge of recommended practices on (i) potato seed selection and (ii) seed storage and handling among a sample of potato farmers in southwestern Uganda. Using a field experiment with ex ante matching in a factorial design, it was established that showing agricultural extension videos significantly increased farmers’ knowledge. However, results suggested impact pathways that went beyond simply replicating what was shown in the video. Video messages may have triggered a process of abstraction, whereby farmers applied insights gained in one context to a different context. PMID:28122005

Art promoting mental health literacy and a positive attitude towards people with experience of mental illness.

PubMed

Koh, Eugen; Shrimpton, Bradley

2014-03-01

Exhibitions of art by people with experience of mental illness are increasingly being staged to improve awareness of mental health issues in the general community and to counter the stigma of mental illness. However, few exhibitions have incorporated research to ascertain their actual effectiveness. This paper reports the results of a study that considered the responses of 10,000 people after they viewed exhibitions of art produced by people with experience of mental illness. These works were selected from the Cunningham Dax Collection, one of the world's most extensive collection of artworks by people with experience of mental illness and/or psychological trauma. More than 90% of respondents agreed with three propositions that the exhibitions helped them: (1) gain a better understanding of mental illness; (2) gain a more sympathetic understanding of the suffering of people with mental illness; and (3) appreciate the ability and creativity of people with mental illness. The results suggest that exhibitions can successfully promote mental health literacy and contribute to positive attitudes towards people with experience of mental illness. This paper explores these findings and raises questions about how the presentation of artworks in an exhibition influences their effectiveness in mental health promotion.

The role of experience in night work: Lessons from two ergonomic studies.

PubMed

Pueyo, Valérie; Toupin, Cathy; Volkoff, Serge

2011-01-01

The purpose of this article is to analyze some connections between experience, health and work, especially in the field of night work. As a result of the baby boom, the proportion of elderly workers is steadily increasing, while at the same time many workers are reaching retirement age and being replaced by younger people. And, in the same time, there is an overall gradual increase in shift work and night work. To our knowledge, worker experience has not been extensively studied in this context. This was our focus in studying work activity in two very different situations, in a hospital and in a steel industry. In these two studies we observed that the experienced workers endeavor to plan ahead, especially at night. They do this to limit fatigue and to avoid emergencies and ensure that work is stress-free and as far as possible under control. But experience not only brings workers to plan ahead, it also enables them to do so, thanks to the resources it confers: gaining familiarity with tasks and acquiring the ability to identify critical situations, gaining knowledge about themselves and awareness of situations that cause difficulty; and gaining a better overview of the collective aspects of their work and of ways to share tasks or obtain assistance. They are able to undertake these strategies thanks to specific skills and capacities they have built along their professional career, which notably leads them to find the best trade-off between several goals, possibly contradictory. Such experience is especially valuable at night, when the worker is tired, and when there are fewer supervisors present. This experience can only be gained, however, if the work environment fosters its acquisition and provides an opportunity to make use of it, especially during the night shift and especially with respect to planning tasks ahead of time. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Flight test experience with pilot-induced-oscillation suppressor filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shafer, M. F.; Smith, R. E.; Stewart, J. F.; Bailey, R. E.

1983-01-01

Digital flight control systems are popular for their flexibility, reliability, and power; however, their use sometimes results in deficient handling qualities, including pilot-induced oscillation (PIO), which can require extensive redesign of the control system. When redesign is not immediately possible, temporary solutions, such as the PIO suppression (PIOS) filter developed for the Space Shuttle, have been proposed. To determine the effectiveness of such PIOS filters on more conventional, high-performance aircraft, three experiments were performed using the NASA F-8 digital fly-by-wire and USAF/Calspan NT-33 variable-stability aircraft. Two types of PIOS filters were evaluated, using high-gain, precision tasks (close formation, probe-and-drogue refueling, and precision touch-and-go landing) with a time delay or a first-order lag added to make the aircraft prone to PIO. Various configurations of the PIOS filter were evaluated in the flight programs, and most of the PIOS filter configurations reduced the occurrence of PIOs and improved the handling qualities of the PIO-prone aircraft. These experiments also confirmed the influence of high-gain tasks and excessive control system time delay in evoking pilot-induced oscillations.

Flight test experience with pilot-induced-oscillation suppression filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shafer, M. F.; Smith, R. E.; Stewart, J. F.; Bailey, R. E.

1984-01-01

Digital flight control systems are popular for their flexibility, reliability, and power; however, their use sometimes results in deficient handling qualities, including pilot-induced oscillation (PIO), which can require extensive redesign of the control system. When redesign is not immediately possible, temporary solutions, such as the PIO suppression (PIOS) filter developed for the Space Shuttle, have been proposed. To determine the effectiveness of such PIOS filters on more conventional, high-performance aircraft, three experiments were performed using the NASA F-8 digital fly-by-wire and USAF/Calspan NT-33 variable-stability aircraft. Two types of PIOS filters were evaluated, using high-gain, precision tasks (close formation, probe-and-drogue refueling, and precision touch-and-go landing) with a time delay or a first-order lag added to make the aircraft prone to PIO. Various configurations of the PIOS filter were evaluated in the flight programs, and most of the PIOS filter configurations reduced the occurrence of PIOs and improved the handling qualities of the PIO-prone aircraft. These experiments also confirmed the influence of high-gain tasks and excessive control system time delay in evoking pilot-induced oscillations.

Preliminary design of the redundant software experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Campbell, Roy; Deimel, Lionel; Eckhardt, Dave, Jr.; Kelly, John; Knight, John; Lauterbach, Linda; Lee, Larry; Mcallister, Dave; Mchugh, John

1985-01-01

The goal of the present experiment is to characterize the fault distributions of highly reliable software replicates, constructed using techniques and environments which are similar to those used in comtemporary industrial software facilities. The fault distributions and their effect on the reliability of fault tolerant configurations of the software will be determined through extensive life testing of the replicates against carefully constructed randomly generated test data. Each detected error will be carefully analyzed to provide insight in to their nature and cause. A direct objective is to develop techniques for reducing the intensity of coincident errors, thus increasing the reliability gain which can be achieved with fault tolerance. Data on the reliability gains realized, and the cost of the fault tolerant configurations can be used to design a companion experiment to determine the cost effectiveness of the fault tolerant strategy. Finally, the data and analysis produced by this experiment will be valuable to the software engineering community as a whole because it will provide a useful insight into the nature and cause of hard to find, subtle faults which escape standard software engineering validation techniques and thus persist far into the software life cycle.

Planning multiple movements within a fixed time limit: The cost of constrained time allocation in a visuo-motor task

PubMed Central

Zhang, Hang; Wu, Shih-Wei; Maloney, Laurence T.

2010-01-01

S.-W. Wu, M. F. Dal Martello, and L. T. Maloney (2009) evaluated subjects' performance in a visuo-motor task where subjects were asked to hit two targets in sequence within a fixed time limit. Hitting targets earned rewards and Wu et al. varied rewards associated with targets. They found that subjects failed to maximize expected gain; they failed to invest more time in the movement to the more valuable target. What could explain this lack of response to reward? We first considered the possibility that subjects require training in allocating time between two movements. In Experiment 1, we found that, after extensive training, subjects still failed: They did not vary time allocation with changes in payoff. However, their actual gains equaled or exceeded the expected gain of an ideal time allocator, indicating that constraining time itself has a cost for motor accuracy. In a second experiment, we found that movements made under externally imposed time limits were less accurate than movements made with the same timing freely selected by the mover. Constrained time allocation cost about 17% in expected gain. These results suggest that there is no single speed–accuracy tradeoff for movement in our task and that subjects pursued different motor strategies with distinct speed–accuracy tradeoffs in different conditions. PMID:20884550

Formal Verification of the AAMP-FV Microcode

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, Steven P.; Greve, David A.; Wilding, Matthew M.; Srivas, Mandayam

1999-01-01

This report describes the experiences of Collins Avionics & Communications and SRI International in formally specifying and verifying the microcode in a Rockwell proprietary microprocessor, the AAMP-FV, using the PVS verification system. This project built extensively on earlier experiences using PVS to verify the microcode in the AAMP5, a complex, pipelined microprocessor designed for use in avionics displays and global positioning systems. While the AAMP5 experiment demonstrated the technical feasibility of formal verification of microcode, the steep learning curve encountered left unanswered the question of whether it could be performed at reasonable cost. The AAMP-FV project was conducted to determine whether the experience gained on the AAMP5 project could be used to make formal verification of microcode cost effective for safety-critical and high volume devices.

Soybean canopy reflectance modeling data sets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ranson, K. J.; Biehl, L. L.; Daughtry, C. S. T.

1984-01-01

Numerous mathematical models of the interaction of radiation with vegetation canopies have been developed over the last two decades. However, data with which to exercise and validate these models are scarce. During three days in the summer of 1980, experiments are conducted with the objective of gaining insight about the effects of solar illumination and view angles on soybean canopy reflectance. In concert with these experiment, extensive measurements of the soybean canopies are obtained. This document is a compilation of the bidirectional reflectance factors, agronomic, characteristics, canopy geometry, and leaf, stem, and pod optical properties of the soybean canopies. These data sets should be suitable for use with most vegetation canopy reflectance models.

Mariner-Venus 1967

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

Detailed information on the spacecraft performance, mission operations, and tracking and data acquisition is presented for the Mariner Venus 1967 and Mariner Venus 1967 extension projects. Scientific and engineering results and conclusions are discussed, and include the scientific mission, encounter with Venus, observations near Earth, and cruise phase of the mission. Flight path analysis, spacecraft subsystems, and mission-related hardware and computer program development are covered. The scientific experiments carried by Mariner 5 were ultraviolet photometer, solar plasma probe, helium magnetometer, trapped radiation detector, S-band radio occultation, dual-frequency radio propagation, and celestial mechanics. The engineering experience gained by converting a space Mariner Mars 1964 spacecraft into one flown to Venus is also described.

Simulation of nap-of-the-Earth flight in helicopters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Condon, Gregory W.

1991-01-01

NASA-Ames along with the U.S. Army has conducted extensive simulation studies of rotorcraft in the nap-of-the-Earth (NOE) environment and has developed facility capabilities specifically designed for this flight regime. The experience gained to date in applying these facilities to the NOE flight regime are reported along with the results of specific experimental studies conducted to understand the influence of both motion and visual scene on the fidelity of NOE simulation. Included are comparisons of results from concurrent piloted simulation and flight research studies. The results of a recent simulation experiment to study simulator sickness in this flight regime is also discussed.

Deformation and annealing study of Nicraly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trela, D. M.; Ebert, L. J.

1975-01-01

Extensive experiments were carried out on the ODS alloy Nicraly, (an alloy prepared by mechanical alloying and consolidating a powder blend consisting of 16% chromium, 4% aluminum, 2-3% yttria, balance nickel), in efforts to develop methods of controlling the grain size and grain shape of the material. The experiments fell into two general categories: variations in the annealing parameters using the as-extruded material as it was received, and various thermomechanical processing schedules (various combinations of cold work and annealing). Success was achieved in gaining grain size and grain shape control by annealing of the as-extruded material. By proper selection of annealing temperature and cooling rates, the grain size of the as-received material was increased almost two orders of magnitude (from an average grain dimension of 0.023 mm to 1.668 mm) while the aspect ratio was increased by some 50% (from 20:1 to 30:1). No success was achieved in gaining significant control of the grain size and shape of the material by thermo-mechanical processing.

Remote Sensing of Complex Flows by Doppler Wind Lidar: Issues and Preliminary Recommendations

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

Clifton, Andrew; Boquet, Matthieu; Burin Des Roziers, Edward

Remote sensing of winds using lidar has become popular and useful in the wind energy industry. Extensive experience has been gained with using lidar for applications including land-based and offshore resource assessment, plant operations, and turbine control. Prepared by members of International Energy Agency Task 32, this report describes the state of the art in the use of Doppler wind lidar for resource assessment in complex flows. The report will be used as input for future recommended practices on this topic.

Impacts of Maximizing Tendencies on Experience-Based Decisions.

PubMed

Rim, Hye Bin

2017-06-01

Previous research on risky decisions has suggested that people tend to make different choices depending on whether they acquire the information from personally repeated experiences or from statistical summary descriptions. This phenomenon, called as a description-experience gap, was expected to be moderated by the individual difference in maximizing tendencies, a desire towards maximizing decisional outcome. Specifically, it was hypothesized that maximizers' willingness to engage in extensive information searching would lead maximizers to make experience-based decisions as payoff distributions were given explicitly. A total of 262 participants completed four decision problems. Results showed that maximizers, compared to non-maximizers, drew more samples before making a choice but reported lower confidence levels on both the accuracy of knowledge gained from experiences and the likelihood of satisfactory outcomes. Additionally, maximizers exhibited smaller description-experience gaps than non-maximizers as expected. The implications of the findings and unanswered questions for future research were discussed.

Experience gained with the Synroc demonstration plant at ANSTO and its relevance to plutonium immobilization

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

Jostsons, A.; Ridal, A.; Mercer, D.J.

1996-05-01

The Synroc Demonstration Plant (SDP) was designed and constructed at Lucas Heights to demonstrate the feasibility of Synroc production on a commercial scale (10 kg/hr) with simulated Purex liquid HLW. Since commissioning of the SDP in 1987, over 6000 kg of Synroc has been fabricated with a range of feeds and waste loadings. The SDP utilises uniaxial hot-pressing to consolidate Synroc. Pressureless sintering and hot-isostatic pressing have also been studied at smaller scales. The results of this extensive process development have been incorporated in a conceptual design for a radioactive plant to condition HLW from a reprocessing plant with amore » capacity to treat 800 tpa of spent LWR fuel. Synroic containing TRU, including Pu, and fission products has been fabricated and characterised in a glove-box facility and hot cells, respectively. The extensive experience in processing of Synroc over the past 15 years is summarised and its relevance to immobilization of surplus plutonium is discussed.« less

Maintaining space shuttle safety within an environment of change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greenfield, Michael A.

1999-09-01

In the 10 years since the Challenger accident, NASA has developed a set of stable and capable processes to prepare the Space Shuttle for safe launch and return. Capitalizing on the extensive experience gained from a string of over 50 successful flights, NASA today is changing the way it does business in an effort to reduce cost. A single Shuttle Flight Operations Contractor (SFOC) has been chosen to operate the Shuttle. The Government role will change from direct "oversight" to "insight" gained through understanding and measuring the contractor's processes. This paper describes the program management changes underway and the NASA Safety and Mission Assurance (S&MA) organization's philosophy, role, and methodology for pursuing this new approach. It describes how audit and surveillance will replace direct oversight and how meaningful performance metrics will be implemented.

Inelastic neutron scattering cross-section measurements on 7Li and 63,65Cu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nyman, Markus; Belloni, Francesca; Ichinkhorloo, Dagvadorj; Pirovano, Elisa; Plompen, Arjan; Rouki, Chariklia

2017-09-01

The γ-ray production cross section for the 477.6-keV transition in 7Li following inelastic neutron scattering has been measured from the reaction threshold up to 18 MeV. This cross section is interesting as a possible standard for other inelastic scattering measurements. The experiment was conducted at the Geel Electron LINear Accelerator (GELINA) pulsed white neutron source with the Gamma Array for Inelastic Neutron Scattering (GAINS) spectrometer. Previous measurements of this cross section are reviewed and compared with our results. Recently, this cross section has also been calculated using the continuum discretized coupled-channels (CDCC) method. Experiments for studying neutrinoless double-β decay (2β0ν) or other very rare processes require greatly reducing the background radiation level (both intrinsic and external). Copper is a common shielding and structural material, used extensively in experiments such as COBRA, CUORE, EXO, GERDA, and MAJORANA. Understanding the background contribution arising from neutron interactions in Cu is important when searching for very weak experimental signals. Neutron inelastic scattering on natCu was investigated with GAINS. The results are compared with previous experimental data and evaluated nuclear data libraries.

Elliptical superconducting RF cavities for FRIB energy upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ostroumov, P. N.; Contreras, C.; Plastun, A. S.; Rathke, J.; Schultheiss, T.; Taylor, A.; Wei, J.; Xu, M.; Xu, T.; Zhao, Q.; Gonin, I. V.; Khabiboulline, T.; Pischalnikov, Y.; Yakovlev, V. P.

2018-04-01

The multi-physics design of a five cell, βG = 0 . 61, 644 MHz superconducting elliptical cavity being developed for an energy upgrade in the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) is presented. The FRIB energy upgrade from 200 MeV/u to 400 MeV/u for heaviest uranium ions will increase the intensities of rare isotope beams by nearly an order of magnitude. After studying three different frequencies, 1288 MHz, 805 MHz, and 644 MHz, the 644 MHz cavity was shown to provide the highest energy gain per cavity for both uranium and protons. The FRIB upgrade will include 11 cryomodules containing 5 cavities each and installed in 80-meter available space in the tunnel. The cavity development included extensive multi-physics optimization, mechanical and engineering analysis. The development of a niobium cavity is complete and two cavities are being fabricated in industry. The detailed design of the cavity sub-systems such as fundamental power coupler and dynamic tuner are currently being pursued. In the overall design of the cavity and its sub-systems we extensively applied experience gained during the development of 650 MHz low-beta cavities at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL) for the Proton Improvement Plan (PIP) II.

Extension materials for meat-borne parasitic diseases in developing countries.

PubMed

Rimm, Mogens

2003-06-01

In support of a project on porcine cysticercosis in Tanzania, an educational video was prepared to inform the rural communities on the health risks and prevention of the parasitic disease. This paper describes the process involved in making the video, especially the importance of establishing a good understanding between veterinary public health officials and the video producer. Important steps in the process include determining the target audience, the film's core message, the construction of the "story", script development, the filming and editing activities, and, importantly, the development of strategies for production and use of the film as extension material. Suggestions on logistical and technical aspects of filming and viewing are also discussed. The experience gained in Tanzania will be of value to others planning similar projects elsewhere.

Comparative study of a learning fuzzy PID controller and a self-tuning controller.

PubMed

Kazemian, H B

2001-01-01

The self-organising fuzzy controller is an extension of the rule-based fuzzy controller with an additional learning capability. The self-organising fuzzy (SOF) is used as a master controller to readjust conventional PID gains at the actuator level during the system operation, copying the experience of a human operator. The application of the self-organising fuzzy PID (SOF-PID) controller to a 2-link non-linear revolute-joint robot-arm is studied using path tracking trajectories at the setpoint. For the purpose of comparison, the same experiments are repeated by using the self-tuning controller subject to the same data supplied at the setpoint. For the path tracking experiments, the output trajectories of the SOF-PID controller followed the specified path closer and smoother than the self-tuning controller.

Improving Disability Awareness among Extension Agents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahadevan, Lakshmi; Peterson, Rick L.; Grenwelge, Cheryl

2014-01-01

Increasing prevalence rates and legislative mandates imply that educators, parents, and Extension agents will need better tools and resources to meet the needs of special populations. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service addresses this issue by using e-learning tools. Extension agents can take advantage of these courses to gain critical…

Creating insight when the literature is absent: the circle of advisors.

PubMed

Batcheller, Joyce; Yoder-Wise, Patricia S

2011-01-01

When changes happen as rapidly as they do today, the literature is often absent. Although related literature may be available to substantiate a direction to take when faced with some issue to resolve, that literature may be vague in terms of its applicability within health care. The idea of a circle of advisors was instituted to gain insight from experts who had faced similar challenges and often had extensive networks of shared experiences. The use of a sequential dialog identified specific talents to be developed in a chief nurse executive enculturation program.

The Benefits of Multi-Year Research Experiences: Differences in Novice and Experienced Students’ Reported Gains from Undergraduate Research

PubMed Central

Thiry, Heather; Weston, Timothy J.; Laursen, Sandra L.; Hunter, Anne-Barrie

2012-01-01

This mixed-methods study explores differences in novice and experienced undergraduate students’ perceptions of their cognitive, personal, and professional gains from engaging in scientific research. The study was conducted in four different undergraduate research (UR) programs at two research-extensive universities; three of these programs had a focus on the biosciences. Seventy-three entry-level and experienced student researchers participated in in-depth, semi-structured interviews and completed the quantitative Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA) instrument. Interviews and surveys assessed students’ developmental outcomes from engaging in UR. Experienced students reported distinct personal, professional, and cognitive outcomes relative to their novice peers, including a more sophisticated understanding of the process of scientific research. Students also described the trajectories by which they developed not only the intellectual skills necessary to advance in science, but also the behaviors and temperament necessary to be a scientist. The findings suggest that students benefit from multi-year UR experiences. Implications for UR program design, advising practices, and funding structures are discussed. PMID:22949423

Preterm Infant Weight Gain is Increased by Massage Therapy and Exercise Via Different Underlying Mechanisms

PubMed Central

Diego, Miguel A.; Field, Tiffany; Hernandez-Reif, Maria

2014-01-01

Objective To compare the effects of massage therapy (moderate pressure stroking) and exercise (flexion and extension of limbs) on preterm infants’ weight gain and to explore potential underlying mechanisms for those effects. Methods Weight gain and parasympathetic nervous system activity were assessed in 30 preterm infants randomly assigned to a massage therapy group or to an exercise group. Infants received 10 minutes of moderate pressure massage or passive flexion and extension of the limbs 3 times per day for 5 days, and EKGs were collected during the first session to assess vagal activity. Results Both massage and exercise led to increased weight gain. However, while exercise was associated with increased calorie consumption, massage was related to increased vagal activity. Conclusion Taken together, these findings suggest that massage and exercise lead to increased preterm infant weight gain via different underlying mechanisms. PMID:24480603

"JOE's" Niche in the Extension Scholarship Movement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franz, Nancy K.; Stovall, Celvia E.

2012-01-01

Extension's sustainability is tied to relationships with academia. Now more than ever, Extension faculty and staff need to integrate their work into the aims of their university to gain credibility, relevance, and support. This requires Extension workers to more deeply and widely document and share the scholarship of their work with academics…

Theory of injection locking and rapid start-up of magnetrons, and effects of manufacturing errors in terahertz traveling wave tubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pengvanich, Phongphaeth

In this thesis, several contemporary issues on coherent radiation sources are examined. They include the fast startup and the injection locking of microwave magnetrons, and the effects of random manufacturing errors on phase and small signal gain of terahertz traveling wave amplifiers. In response to the rapid startup and low noise magnetron experiments performed at the University of Michigan that employed periodic azimuthal perturbations in the axial magnetic field, a systematic study of single particle orbits is performed for a crossed electric and periodic magnetic field. A parametric instability in the orbits, which brings a fraction of the electrons from the cathode toward the anode, is discovered. This offers an explanation of the rapid startup observed in the experiments. A phase-locking model has been constructed from circuit theory to qualitatively explain various regimes observed in kilowatt magnetron injection-locking experiments, which were performed at the University of Michigan. These experiments utilize two continuous-wave magnetrons; one functions as an oscillator and the other as a driver. Time and frequency domain solutions are developed from the model, allowing investigations into growth, saturation, and frequency response of the output. The model qualitatively recovers many of the phase-locking frequency characteristics observed in the experiments. Effects of frequency chirp and frequency perturbation on the phase and lockability have also been quantified. Development of traveling wave amplifier operating at terahertz is a subject of current interest. The small circuit size has prompted a statistical analysis of the effects of random fabrication errors on phase and small signal gain of these amplifiers. The small signal theory is treated with a continuum model in which the electron beam is monoenergetic. Circuit perturbations that vary randomly along the beam axis are introduced through the dimensionless Pierce parameters describing the beam-wave velocity mismatch (b), the gain parameter (C), and the cold tube circuit loss ( d). Our study shows that perturbation in b dominates the other two in terms of power gain and phase shift. Extensive data show that standard deviation of the output phase is linearly proportional to standard deviation of the individual perturbations in b, C and d.

Fall 2012 Graduate Engineering Internship Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ehrlich, Joshua

2013-01-01

In the fall of 2012, I participated in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Pathways Intern Employment Program at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. This was my second internship opportunity with NASA, a consecutive extension from a summer 2012 internship. During my four-month tenure, I gained valuable knowledge and extensive hands-on experience with payload design and testing as well as composite fabrication for repair design on future space vehicle structures. As a systems engineer, I supported the systems engineering and integration team with the testing of scientific payloads such as the Vegetable Production System (Veggie). Verification and validation (V&V) of the Veggie was carried out prior to qualification testing of the payload, which incorporated a lengthy process of confirming design requirements that were integrated through one or more validatjon methods: inspection, analysis, demonstration, and testing. Additionally, I provided assistance in verifying design requirements outlined in the V&V plan with the requirements outlined by the scientists in the Science Requirements Envelope Document (SRED). The purpose of the SRED was to define experiment requirements intended for the payload to meet and carry out.

Correcting the Normalized Gain for Guessing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, John; Stewart, Gay

2010-01-01

The normalized gain, "g", has been an important tool for the characterization of conceptual improvement in physics courses since its use in Hake's extensive study on conceptual learning in introductory physics. The normalized gain is calculated from the score on a pre-test administered before instruction and a post-test administered…

Comparing WTP values of different types of QALY gain elicited from the general public.

PubMed

Pennington, Mark; Baker, Rachel; Brouwer, Werner; Mason, Helen; Hansen, Dorte Gyrd; Robinson, Angela; Donaldson, Cam

2015-03-01

The appropriate thresholds for decisions on the cost-effectiveness of medical interventions remain controversial, especially in 'end-of-life' situations. Evidence of the values placed on different types of health gain by the general public is limited. Across nine European countries, 17,657 people were presented with different hypothetical health scenarios each involving a gain of one quality adjusted life year (QALY) and asked about their willingness to pay (WTP) for that gain. The questions included quality of life (QoL) enhancing and life extending health gains, and a scenario where respondents faced imminent, premature death. The mean WTP values for a one-QALY gain composed of QoL improvements were modest (PPP$11,000). When comparing QALY gains obtained in the near future, the valuation of life extension exceeded the valuation of QoL enhancing gains (mean WTP PPP$19,000 for a scenario in which a coma is avoided). The mean WTP values were higher still when respondents faced imminent, premature death (PPP$29,000). Evidence from the largest survey on the value of health gains by the general public indicated a higher value for life extending gains compared with QoL enhancing gains. A further modest premium may be indicated for life extension when facing imminent, premature death. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Why and How Textbooks Should Encourage Extensive Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Dale

2009-01-01

Extensive reading is believed to have considerable benefits for learners both in terms of learning gains and motivation and seems to be becoming ever more popular in the ELT world. So far, however, there seems to be almost no integration of extensive reading and textbooks. This article argues that textbooks should be encouraging extensive reading,…

[Limitations of insulin-dependent drugs in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus].

PubMed

Valerón, Pino Fuente; de Pablos-Velasco, Pedro L

2013-09-01

In this study, we review the efficacy and safety limitations of insulin-dependent oral antidiabetic agents. In terms of efficiency, the main drawback of metformin, sulfonylureas, gliptins and -to a lesser extent-glitazones is durability. No drug per se is able to maintain stable blood glucose control for years. Metformin, sulfonylureas and gliptins have demonstrated safety. Experience with the first two drug groups is more extensive. The main adverse effect of metformin is gastrointestinal discomfort. Major concerns related to the use of sulfonylureas are hypoglycemia and weight gain. The use of pioglitazone has been associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, edema, heart failure, weight gain, and distal bone fractures in postmenopausal women. The most common adverse reactions associated with glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists are gastrointestinal discomfort that sometimes leads to treatment discontinuation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Assessing Student Outcomes of Undergraduate Research with URSSA, the Undergraduate Student Self-Assessment Instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laursen, S. L.; Weston, T. J.; Thiry, H.

2012-12-01

URSSA is the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment, an online survey instrument for programs and departments to use in assessing the student outcomes of undergraduate research (UR). URSSA focuses on what students learn from their UR experience, rather than whether they liked it. The online questionnaire includes both multiple-choice and open-ended items that focus on students' gains from undergraduate research. These gains include skills, knowledge, deeper understanding of the intellectual and practical work of science, growth in confidence, changes in identity, and career preparation. Other items probe students' participation in important research-related activities that lead to these gains (e.g. giving presentations, having responsibility for a project). These activities, and the gains themselves, are based in research and thus constitute a core set of items. Using these items as a group helps to align a particular program assessment with research-demonstrated outcomes. Optional items may be used to probe particular features that are augment the research experience (e.g. field trips, career seminars, housing arrangements). The URSSA items are based on extensive, interview-based research and evaluation work on undergraduate research by our group and others. This grounding in research means that URSSA measures what we know to be important about the UR experience The items were tested with students, revised and re-tested. Data from a large pilot sample of over 500 students enabled statistical testing of the items' validity and reliability. Optional items about UR program elements were developed in consultation with UR program developers and leaders. The resulting instrument is flexible. Users begin with a set of core items, then customize their survey with optional items to probe students' experiences of specific program elements. The online instrument is free and easy to use, with numeric results available as raw data, summary statistics, cross-tabs, and graphs, and as raw, downloadable data. Finally, URSSA has high content validity based on its research grounding and rigorous development. We will present examples of how URSSA has been used in evaluations of UR programs. A multi-year evaluation of a university-based UR program shows that URSSA items are sensitive to differences in students' prior level of experience with research. For example, experienced student researchers reported greater gains than did their peers new to UR in understanding the process of research and in coming to see themselves as scientists. These differences are consistent with interview data that suggest a developmental progression of gains as students pursue research and gain confidence in their ability to contribute meaningfully. A second example comes from a multi-site evaluation of sites funded by the National Science Foundation's Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in Biology. This study acquired data from nearly 800 students at some 60 Bio REU sites in 2010 and 2011. Results reveal differences in gains among demographic groups, and the general strength of these well-planned programs relative to a comparison sample of UR programs that are not part of REU. Our presentation will demonstrate the evaluative use of URSSA and its potential applications to undergraduate research in the geosciences.

Empirical Questionnaire Methods for Fund-Raising Campaign Preparedness in Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Comley Adams, Catherine; Butler, Douglass A.

2017-01-01

Amid waning public financial support for Extension program offerings, highly strategic and professional fund-raising practices are necessary for gaining momentum among private philanthropists and closing the fiscal gap. University of Missouri Extension conducted a precampaign survey that invited feedback from stakeholders to inform Extension…

Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a new tool for neuroeconomic research

PubMed Central

Kopton, Isabella M.; Kenning, Peter

2014-01-01

Over the last decade, the application of neuroscience to economic research has gained in importance and the number of neuroeconomic studies has grown extensively. The most common method for these investigations is fMRI. However, fMRI has limitations (particularly concerning situational factors) that should be countered with other methods. This review elaborates on the use of functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) as a new and promising tool for investigating economic decision making both in field experiments and outside the laboratory. We describe results of studies investigating the reliability of prototype NIRS studies, as well as detailing experiments using conventional and stationary fNIRS devices to analyze this potential. This review article shows that further research using mobile fNIRS for studies on economic decision making outside the laboratory could be a fruitful avenue helping to develop the potential of a new method for field experiments outside the laboratory. PMID:25147517

Femtosecond Nonlinearities in Indium Gallium Arsenic Phosphide Diode Lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, Katherine Lavin

Semiconductor optical amplifiers are receiving increasing attention for possible applications to broadband optical communication and switching systems. In this thesis we report the results of an extensive experimental study of the ultrafast gain and refractive index nonlinearities in 1.5 μm InGaAsP laser diode amplifiers. The temporal resolution afforded by the femtosecond optical pulses used in these experiments allows us to study carrier interactions with other carriers as well as carrier interactions with the lattice. The 100-200 fs optical pulses used in the pump -probe experiments are generated by an Additive Pulse Modelocked color center laser. The measured group velocity dispersion in the diodes ranged from -0.6 to -0.95 mu m^{-1 }. Differences in the group velocity for TE - and TM-polarized pulses suggested that cross-polarized pump-probe pulses walk off from each other in the diode. This walk-off can diminish the time resolution of some experiments. A novel heterodyne pump-probe technique was developed to distinguish collinear, copolarized, pump and probe pulses that were nominally at the same wavelength. Comparing cross-polarized and copolarized pump-probe results yielded new information about the physical mechanisms responsible for nonlinear gain in the diodes. We observed a gain compression across the entire bandwidth of the diode, associated with carrier heating. The hot carrier distribution cooled back to the lattice temperature with a 0.6 to 1.0 ps time constant, depending on the device structure. In addition, we observed a 0.1 to 0.25 ps delay in onset of carrier heating. Large gain compression due to two photon absorption was also observed. A small portion of the nonlinear gain is attributed to spectral hole burning. Pulsewidth-dependent output saturation energies were explained by a rate equation model that included the effect of carrier heating. Measurements of pump-induced probe phase changes revealed index nonlinearities due to delayed carrier heating and an instantaneous electronic, or virtual process. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, Rm. 14-0551, Cambridge, MA 02139-4307. Ph. 617 -253-5668; Fax 617-253-1690.).

Experimental software engineering: Seventeen years of lessons in the SEL

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgarry, Frank E.

1992-01-01

Seven key principles developed by the Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) are described. For the past 17 years, the SEL has been experimentally analyzing the development of production software as varying techniques and methodologies are applied in this one environment. The SEL has collected, archived, and studied detailed measures from more than 100 flight dynamics projects, thereby gaining significant insight into the effectiveness of numerous software techniques, as well as extensive experience in the overall effectiveness of 'Experimental Software Engineering'. This experience has helped formulate follow-on studies in the SEL, and it has helped other software organizations better understand just what can be accomplished and what cannot be accomplished through experimentation.

New approaches to the restoration of shallow marginal peatlands.

PubMed

Grand-Clement, E; Anderson, K; Smith, D; Angus, M; Luscombe, D J; Gatis, N; Bray, L S; Brazier, R E

2015-09-15

Globally, the historic and recent exploitation of peatlands through management practices such as agricultural reclamation, peat harvesting or forestry, have caused extensive damage to these ecosystems. Their value is now increasingly recognised, and restoration and rehabilitation programmes are underway to improve some of the ecosystem services provided by peatlands: blocking drainage ditches in deep peat has been shown to improve the storage of water, decrease carbon losses in the long-term, and improve biodiversity. However, whilst the restoration process has benefitted from experience and technical advice gained from restoration of deep peatlands, shallow peatlands have received less attention in the literature, despite being extensive in both uplands and lowlands. Using the experience gained from the restoration of the shallow peatlands of Exmoor National Park (UK), and two test catchments in particular, this paper provides technical guidance which can be applied to the restoration of other shallow peatlands worldwide. Experience showed that integrating knowledge of the historical environment at the planning stage of restoration was essential, as it enabled the effective mitigation of any threat to archaeological features and sites. The use of bales, commonly employed in other upland ecosystems, was found to be problematic. Instead, 'leaky dams' or wood and peat combination dams were used, which are both more efficient at reducing and diverting the flow, and longer lasting than bale dams. Finally, an average restoration cost (£306 ha(-1)) for Exmoor, below the median national value across the whole of the UK, demonstrates the cost-effectiveness of these techniques. However, local differences in peat depth and ditch characteristics (i.e. length, depth and width) between sites affect both the feasibility and the cost of restoration. Overall, the restoration of shallow peatlands is shown to be technically viable; this paper provides a template for such process over analogous landscapes. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Bridging the Gap between Receptive and Productive Vocabulary Size through Extensive Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yamamoto, Yuka

2011-01-01

It is well established that extensive reading promotes the incidental learning of L1 and L2 receptive vocabulary; however, little is known about its effectiveness on productive gains in vocabulary knowledge. This paper investigates the extent to which extensive reading combined with writing tasks promotes productive vocabulary growth of Japanese…

In-Flight Thermal Performance of the Lidar In-Space Technology Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roettker, William

1995-01-01

The Lidar In-Space Technology Experiment (LITE) was developed at NASA s Langley Research Center to explore the applications of lidar operated from an orbital platform. As a technology demonstration experiment, LITE was developed to gain experience designing and building future operational orbiting lidar systems. Since LITE was the first lidar system to be flown in space, an important objective was to validate instrument design principles in such areas as thermal control, laser performance, instrument alignment and control, and autonomous operations. Thermal and structural analysis models of the instrument were developed during the design process to predict the behavior of the instrument during its mission. In order to validate those mathematical models, extensive engineering data was recorded during all phases of LITE's mission. This inflight engineering data was compared with preflight predictions and, when required, adjustments to the thermal and structural models were made to more accurately match the instrument s actual behavior. The results of this process for the thermal analysis and design of LITE are presented in this paper.

Hazard Control Extensions in a COTS Based Data Handling System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogel, Torsten; Rakers, Sven; Gronowski, Matthias; Schneegans, Joachim

2011-08-01

EML is an electromagnetic levitator for containerless processing of conductive samples on the International Space Station. This material sciences experiment is running in the European Drawer Rack (EDR) facility. The objective of this experiment is to gain insight into the parameters of liquid metal samples and their crystallisation processes without the influence of container walls. To this end the samples are electromagnetically positioned in a coil system and then heated up beyond their melting point in an ultraclean environment.The EML programme is currently under development by Astrium Space Transportation in Friedrichshafen and Bremen; jointly funded by ESA and DLR (on behalf of BMWi, contract 50WP0808). EML consists of four main modules listed in Table 1. The paper focuses mainly on the architecture and design of the ECM module and its contribution to a safe operation of the experiment. The ECM is a computer system that integrates the power supply to the EML experiment, control functions and video handling and compression features. Experiment control is performed by either telecommand or the execution of predefined experiment scripts.

26 CFR 1.412(b)-2 - Amortization of experience gains in connection with certain group deferred annuity contracts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Amortization of experience gains in connection..., Profit-Sharing, Stock Bonus Plans, Etc. § 1.412(b)-2 Amortization of experience gains in connection with certain group deferred annuity contracts. (a) Experience gain treatment. Dividends, rate credits, and...

Sudden Gains in Cognitive Therapy for Depression: A Replication and Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hardy, Gillian E.; Cahill, Jane; Stiles, William B.; Ispan, Caroline; Macaskill, Norman; Barkham, Michael

2005-01-01

Of 76 clients receiving 8-20 sessions of cognitive therapy (CT) in a joint university and a national health service clinic, 31 experienced sudden gains that appeared very similar to those first reported in clinical trials of CT by T. Z. Tang and R. J. DeRubeis (1999) and subsequently replicated in other studies. The sudden gains appeared less…

Contracting but not without caution: experience with outsourcing of health services in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

PubMed Central

Siddiqi, Sameen; Masud, Tayyeb Imran; Sabri, Belgacem

2006-01-01

The public sector in developing countries is increasingly contracting with the non-state sector to improve access, efficiency and quality of health services. We conducted a multicountry study to assess the range of health services contracted out, the process of contracting and its influencing factors in ten countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, the Syrian Arab Republic and Tunisia. Our results showed that Afghanistan, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan had experience with outsourcing of primary care services; Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia extensively contracted out hospital and ambulatory care services; while Bahrain, Morocco and the Syrian Arab Republic outsourced mainly non-clinical services. The interest of the non-state sector in contracting was to secure a regular source of revenue and gain enhanced recognition and credibility. While most countries promoted contracting with the private sector, the legal and bureaucratic support in countries varied with the duration of experience with contracting. The inherent risks evident in the contracting process were reliance on donor funds, limited number of providers in rural areas, parties with vested interests gaining control over the contracting process, as well as poor monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. Contracting provides the opportunity to have greater control over private providers in countries with poor regulatory capacity, and if used judiciously can improve health system performance. PMID:17143460

Contracting but not without caution: experience with outsourcing of health services in countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

PubMed

Siddiqi, Sameen; Masud, Tayyeb Imran; Sabri, Belgacem

2006-11-01

The public sector in developing countries is increasingly contracting with the non-state sector to improve access, efficiency and quality of health services. We conducted a multicountry study to assess the range of health services contracted out, the process of contracting and its influencing factors in ten countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, the Syrian Arab Republic and Tunisia. Our results showed that Afghanistan, Egypt, Islamic Republic of Iran and Pakistan had experience with outsourcing of primary care services; Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia extensively contracted out hospital and ambulatory care services; while Bahrain, Morocco and the Syrian Arab Republic outsourced mainly non-clinical services. The interest of the non-state sector in contracting was to secure a regular source of revenue and gain enhanced recognition and credibility. While most countries promoted contracting with the private sector, the legal and bureaucratic support in countries varied with the duration of experience with contracting. The inherent risks evident in the contracting process were reliance on donor funds, limited number of providers in rural areas, parties with vested interests gaining control over the contracting process, as well as poor monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. Contracting provides the opportunity to have greater control over private providers in countries with poor regulatory capacity, and if used judiciously can improve health system performance.

Enhancing the Capacity to Create Behavior Change: Extension Key Leaders' Opinions about Social Marketing and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warner, Laura A.

2014-01-01

Extension educators endeavor to create and measure outcomes beyond knowledge gain. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the role of social marketing as a method for creating behavior change within the University of Florida Extension system through key leader opinions. Additionally, the study sought to identify perceptions about…

A person trade-off study to estimate age-related weights for health gains in economic evaluation.

PubMed

Petrou, Stavros; Kandala, Ngianga-Bakwin; Robinson, Angela; Baker, Rachel

2013-10-01

An increasing body of literature is exploring whether the age of the recipient of health care should be a criterion in how health care resources are allocated. The existing literature is constrained both by the relatively small number of age comparison groups within preference-elicitation studies, and by a paucity of methodological robustness tests for order and framing effects and the reliability and transitivity of preferences that would strengthen confidence in the results. This paper reports the results of a study aimed at estimating granulated age-related weights for health gains across the age spectrum that can potentially inform health care decision-making. A sample of 2,500 participants recruited from the health care consumer panels of a social research company completed a person trade-off (or 'matching') study designed to estimate age-related weights for 5- and 10-year life extensions. The results are presented in terms of matrices for alternative age comparisons across the age spectrum. The results revealed a general, although not invariable, tendency to give more weight to health gains, expressed in terms of life extensions, in younger age groups. In over 85% of age comparisons, the person trade-off exercises revealed a preference for life extensions by the younger of the two age groups that were compared. This pattern held regardless of the method of aggregating responses across study participants. Moreover, the relative weight placed on life extensions by the younger of the two age groups was generally, although not invariably, found to increase as the age difference between the comparator age groups increased. Further analyses revealed that the highest mean relative weight placed on life extensions was estimated for 30-year-olds when the ratio of means method was used to aggregate person trade-off responses across study participants. The highest mean relative weight placed on life extensions was estimated for 10-year-olds for 5-year life extensions and for 30-year-olds for 10-year life extensions, when the median of individual ratios method was used to aggregate person trade-off responses across study participants. Methodological tests framed around alternative referents in the person trade-off questions and the stability of preferences had no discernible effects on the study results. This study has produced new evidence on age-related weights for health gains that can potentially inform health care decision-making.

Postnatal Weight Gain Modifies Severity and Functional Outcome of Oxygen-Induced Proliferative Retinopathy

PubMed Central

Stahl, Andreas; Chen, Jing; Sapieha, Przemyslaw; Seaward, Molly R.; Krah, Nathan M.; Dennison, Roberta J.; Favazza, Tara; Bucher, Felicitas; Löfqvist, Chatarina; Ong, Huy; Hellström, Ann; Chemtob, Sylvain; Akula, James D.; Smith, Lois E.H.

2010-01-01

In clinical studies, postnatal weight gain is strongly associated with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). However, animal studies are needed to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms of how postnatal weight gain affects the severity of ROP. In the present study, we identify nutritional supply as one potent parameter that affects the extent of retinopathy in mice with identical birth weights and the same genetic background. Wild-type pups with poor postnatal nutrition and poor weight gain (PWG) exhibit a remarkably prolonged phase of retinopathy compared to medium weight gain or extensive weight gain pups. A high (r2 = 0.83) parabolic association between postnatal weight gain and oxygen-induced retinopathy severity is observed, as is a significantly prolonged phase of proliferative retinopathy in PWG pups (20 days) compared with extensive weight gain pups (6 days). The extended retinopathy is concomitant with prolonged overexpression of retinal vascular endothelial growth factor in PWG pups. Importantly, PWG pups show low serum levels of nonfasting glucose, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor-1 as well as high levels of ghrelin in the early postoxygen-induced retinopathy phase, a combination indicative of poor metabolic supply. These differences translate into visual deficits in adult PWG mice, as demonstrated by impaired bipolar and proximal neuronal function. Together, these results provide evidence for a pathophysiological correlation between poor postnatal nutritional supply, slow weight gain, prolonged retinal vascular endothelial growth factor overexpression, protracted retinopathy, and reduced final visual outcome. PMID:21056995

Postnatal weight gain modifies severity and functional outcome of oxygen-induced proliferative retinopathy.

PubMed

Stahl, Andreas; Chen, Jing; Sapieha, Przemyslaw; Seaward, Molly R; Krah, Nathan M; Dennison, Roberta J; Favazza, Tara; Bucher, Felicitas; Löfqvist, Chatarina; Ong, Huy; Hellström, Ann; Chemtob, Sylvain; Akula, James D; Smith, Lois E H

2010-12-01

In clinical studies, postnatal weight gain is strongly associated with retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). However, animal studies are needed to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms of how postnatal weight gain affects the severity of ROP. In the present study, we identify nutritional supply as one potent parameter that affects the extent of retinopathy in mice with identical birth weights and the same genetic background. Wild-type pups with poor postnatal nutrition and poor weight gain (PWG) exhibit a remarkably prolonged phase of retinopathy compared to medium weight gain or extensive weight gain pups. A high (r(2) = 0.83) parabolic association between postnatal weight gain and oxygen-induced retinopathy severity is observed, as is a significantly prolonged phase of proliferative retinopathy in PWG pups (20 days) compared with extensive weight gain pups (6 days). The extended retinopathy is concomitant with prolonged overexpression of retinal vascular endothelial growth factor in PWG pups. Importantly, PWG pups show low serum levels of nonfasting glucose, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor-1 as well as high levels of ghrelin in the early postoxygen-induced retinopathy phase, a combination indicative of poor metabolic supply. These differences translate into visual deficits in adult PWG mice, as demonstrated by impaired bipolar and proximal neuronal function. Together, these results provide evidence for a pathophysiological correlation between poor postnatal nutritional supply, slow weight gain, prolonged retinal vascular endothelial growth factor overexpression, protracted retinopathy, and reduced final visual outcome.

Application of improved technology to a preprototype vapor compression distillation /VCD/ water recovery subsystem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, K. L.; Reysa, R. P.; Fricks, D. H.

1981-01-01

Vapor compression distillation (VCD) is considered the most efficient water recovery process for spacecraft application. This paper reports on a preprototype VCD which has undergone the most extensive operational and component development testing of any VCD subsystem to date. The component development effort was primarily aimed at eliminating corrosion and the need for lubrication, upgrading electronics, and substituting nonmetallics in key rotating components. The VCD evolution is documented by test results on specific design and/or materials changes. Innovations worthy of further investigation and additional testing are summarized for future VCD subsystem development reference. Conclusions on experience gained are presented.

Conducting Research from Small University Observatories: Investigating Exoplanet Candidates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreland, Kimberly D.

2018-01-01

Kepler has to date discovered 4,496 exoplanet candidates, but only half are confirmed, and only a handful are thought to be Earth sized and in the habitable zone. Planet verification often involves extensive follow-up observations, which are both time and resource intensive. The data set collected by Kepler is massive and will be studied for decades. University/small observatories, such as the one at Texas State University, are in a good position to assist with the exoplanet candidate verification process. By preforming extended monitoring campaigns, which are otherwise cost ineffective for larger observatories, students gain valuable research experience and contribute valuable data and results to the scientific community.

Mentoring interdisciplinary research teams for the study of sex and gender differences in health and disease.

PubMed

Miller, Virginia M; Bahn, Rebecca S

2013-09-01

Initiatives to hasten the translation of basic science discoveries to clinical care have necessitated the development of new approaches to interdisciplinary collaboration and training of future investigators. This has been nowhere more important than in the study of sex differences with implications for extension into areas of gender medicine. Clearly, gaining better understanding of the role that sex and gender play in health and disease is essential to the implementation of truly individualized medicine. This case report will describe our experiences in developing the Mayo Clinic Building Interdisciplinary Research Programs in Women's Health (BIRCWH) program, an interdisciplinary research and training program in women's health and sex and gender differences. We identify both our successes and the barriers we have encountered in order that others who are developing similar programs might benefit from our experiences.

Optimization of control gain by operator adjustment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kruse, W.; Rothbauer, G.

1973-01-01

An optimal gain was established by measuring errors at 5 discrete control gain settings in an experimental set-up consisting of a 2-dimensional, first-order pursuit tracking task performed by subjects (S's). No significant experience effect on optimum gain setting was found in the first experiment. During the second experiment, in which control gain was continuously adjustable, high experienced S's tended to reach the previously determined optimum gain quite accurately and quickly. Less experienced S's tended to select a marginally optimum gain either below or above the experimentally determined optimum depending on initial control gain setting, although mean settings of both groups were equal. This quick and simple method is recommended for selecting control gains for different control systems and forcing functions.

Promotoras as data collectors in a large study of physical activity in parks.

PubMed

Marsh, Terry; Derose, Kathryn Pitkin; Rios, Muriel; Cohen, Deborah

2015-05-01

There is a large literature on promotores' involvement in health promotion and a smaller literature on their roles in data collection, most often among predominantly Latino populations. But the extent to which promotores can be successful as the primary data collectors across racially/ethnically and socioeconomically diverse neighborhoods is less well documented. In a study of physical activity in 50 urban neighborhood parks, we found that a team of Spanish/English bilingual promotoras (female promotores) successfully implemented a direct observation protocol in all participant neighborhoods and achieved high interrater reliability (.80-.98). Overall, they were also effective in administering surveys to park users and residents across the racially/ethnically diverse neighborhoods. The promotoras brought to the project important language skills and cultural sensitivity, surveying experience, and familiarity with human subjects and confidentiality issues. Their extensive field experience gained over the course of a long-term collaborative effort helped improve survey and observation protocols. The promotoras reported gaining professional skills, which can strengthen their contributions to other projects. The promotoras were accustomed to being a source of information, and collecting rather than providing information was challenging for some and had to be addressed in order to avoid contamination across study groups. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

Linear-parameter-varying gain-scheduled control of aerospace systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barker, Jeffrey Michael

The dynamics of many aerospace systems vary significantly as a function of flight condition. Robust control provides methods of guaranteeing performance and stability goals across flight conditions. In mu-syntthesis, changes to the dynamical system are primarily treated as uncertainty. This method has been successfully applied to many control problems, and here is applied to flutter control. More recently, two techniques for generating robust gain-scheduled controller have been developed. Linear fractional transformation (LFT) gain-scheduled control is an extension of mu-synthesis in which the plant and controller are explicit functions of parameters measurable in real-time. This LFT gain-scheduled control technique is applied to the Benchmark Active Control Technology (BACT) wing, and compared with mu-synthesis control. Linear parameter-varying (LPV) gain-scheduled control is an extension of Hinfinity control to parameter varying systems. LPV gain-scheduled control directly incorporates bounds on the rate of change of the scheduling parameters, and often reduces conservatism inherent in LFT gain-scheduled control. Gain-scheduled LPV control of the BACT wing compares very favorably with the LFT controller. Gain-scheduled LPV controllers are generated for the lateral-directional and longitudinal axes of the Innovative Control Effectors (ICE) aircraft and implemented in nonlinear simulations and real-time piloted nonlinear simulations. Cooper-Harper and pilot-induced oscillation ratings were obtained for an initial design, a reference aircraft and a redesign. Piloted simulation results for the initial LPV gain-scheduled control of the ICE aircraft are compared with results for a conventional fighter aircraft in discrete pitch and roll angle tracking tasks. The results for the redesigned controller are significantly better than both the previous LPV controller and the conventional aircraft.

Moving into the paravisceral aorta using fenestrated and branched endografts.

PubMed

Farber, Mark A; Vallabhaneni, Raghuveer

2012-12-01

When one compares the potential advantages of endovascular aortic repair with respect to traditional open repair, it would seem logical that extension into the paravisceral aorta would be easily justified, given the complexity of open aortic repair and its associated complications. Eight years have transpired between trial initiation and Food and Drug Administration approval of the first fenestrated device in the United States for the treatment of juxtarenal aneurysms. While there are only a few centers in the United States with substantial experience performing fenestrated and branched endovascular aortic repair, there is a diverse experience outside the United States that has been gained over the past decade. It is through the experience of these centers that the technical and procedural complexities of complex endovascular aortic repair has been solved and provide the foundation that has allowed aortic specialists to move endovascular therapy into the paravisceral aorta with fenestrated and branched endovascular aortic repairs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Solar Variability and the Near-Earth Environment: Mining Enhanced Low Dose Rate Sensitivity Data From the Microelectronics and Photonics Test Bed Space Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turflinger, T.; Schmeichel, W.; Krieg, J.; Titus, J.; Campbell, A.; Reeves, M.; Marshall (P.); Hardage, Donna (Technical Monitor)

2004-01-01

This effort is a detailed analysis of existing microelectronics and photonics test bed satellite data from one experiment, the bipolar test board, looking to improve our understanding of the enhanced low dose rate sensitivity (ELDRS) phenomenon. Over the past several years, extensive total dose irradiations of bipolar devices have demonstrated that many of these devices exhibited ELDRS. In sensitive bipolar transistors, ELDRS produced enhanced degradation of base current, resulting in enhanced gain degradation at dose rates <0.1 rd(Si)/s compared to similar transistors irradiated at dose rates >1 rd(Si)/s. This Technical Publication provides updated information about the test devices, the in-flight experiment, and both flight-and ground-based observations. Flight data are presented for the past 5 yr of the mission. These data are compared to ground-based data taken on devices from the same date code lots. Information about temperature fluctuations, power shutdowns, and other variables encountered during the space flight are documented.

Use of liquid metals in nuclear and thermonuclear engineering, and in other innovative technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rachkov, V. I.; Arnol'dov, M. N.; Efanov, A. D.; Kalyakin, S. G.; Kozlov, F. A.; Loginov, N. I.; Orlov, Yu. I.; Sorokin, A. P.

2014-05-01

By now, a good deal of experience has been gained with using liquid metals as coolants in nuclear power installations; extensive knowledge has been gained about the physical, thermophysical, and physicochemical properties of these coolants; and the scientific principles and a set of methods and means for handling liquid metals as coolants for nuclear power installations have been elaborated. Prototype and commercialgrade sodium-cooled NPP power units have been developed, including the BOR-60, BN-350, and BN-600 power units (the Soviet Union); the Rapsodie, Phenix, and Superphenix power units (France), the EBR-II power unit (the United States); and the PFR power unit (the United Kingdom). In Russia, dedicated nuclear power installations have been constructed, including those with a lead-bismuth coolant for nuclear submarines and with sodium-potassium alloy for spacecraft (the Buk and Topol installations), which have no analogs around the world. Liquid metals (primarily lithium and its alloy with lead) hold promise for use in thermonuclear power engineering, where they can serve not only as a coolant, but also as tritium-producing medium. In this article, the physicochemical properties of liquid metal coolants, as well as practical experience gained from using them in nuclear and thermonuclear power engineering and in innovative technologies are considered, and the lines of further research works are formulated. New results obtained from investigations carried out on the Pb-Bi and Pb for the SVBR and BREST fast-neutron reactors (referred to henceforth as fast reactors) and for controlled accelerator systems are described.

Spring 2013 Graduate Engineering Internship Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ehrlich, Joshua

2013-01-01

In the spring of 2013, I participated in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Pathways Intern Employment Program at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. This was my final internship opportunity with NASA, a third consecutive extension from a summer 2012 internship. Since the start of my tenure here at KSC, I have gained an invaluable depth of engineering knowledge and extensive hands-on experience. These opportunities have granted me the ability to enhance my systems engineering approach in the field of payload design and testing as well as develop a strong foundation in the area of composite fabrication and testing for repair design on space vehicle structures. As a systems engineer, I supported the systems engineering and integration team with final acceptance testing of the Vegetable Production System, commonly referred to as Veggie. Verification and validation (V and V) of Veggie was carried out prior to qualification testing of the payload, which incorporated the process of confirming the system's design requirements dependent on one or more validation methods: inspection, analysis, demonstration, and testing.

Graduate Students Gain Hands-On PV Experience from NREL Researchers | News

Science.gov Websites

PV Experience (HOPE) Workshop, learning from top solar scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's | NREL Graduate Students Gain Hands-On PV Experience from NREL Researchers Graduate Students Gain Hands-On PV Experience from NREL Researchers August 10, 2017 Two students, one standing, one

Neurosciences research in space - Future directions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sulzman, Frank M.; Wolfe, James W.

1991-01-01

In order to gain a better understanding of the effects of long-duration space missions on the central nervous system, near-term research, to take place from 1990-1995, will be directed at investigating the acute effects of microgravity and the 'space adaptation syndrome'. These include experiments scheduled for the Spacelab Life Sciences 1 which is designed to evaluate changes in the visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems. An extensive series of experiments, collectively termed Microgravity Vestibular Investigations (MVI), is also planned for the IML-1 mission to be flown in 1992. The IML-2 mission will emphasize behavior and performance, biological rhythms, and further vestibular studies. Mid-term goals, projected to be achieved from 1995-2000, include the use of new technology such as magnetic recording techniques. Long-term goals are also discussed including studies dealing with neuronal plasticity and sensory substitution, augmentation, and robotic telepresence.

A course in constructing effective displays of data for pharmaceutical research personnel.

PubMed

Bradstreet, Thomas E; Nessly, Michael L; Short, Thomas H

2013-01-01

Interpreting data and communicating effectively through graphs and tables are requisite skills for statisticians and non-statisticians in the pharmaceutical industry. However, the quality of visual displays of data in the medical and pharmaceutical literature and at scientific conferences is severely lacking. We describe an interactive, workshop-driven, 2-day short course that we constructed for pharmaceutical research personnel to learn these skills. The examples in the course and the workshop datasets source from our professional experiences, the scientific literature, and the mass media. During the course, the participants are exposed to and gain hands-on experience with the principles of visual and graphical perception, design, and construction of both graphic and tabular displays of quantitative and qualitative information. After completing the course, with a critical eye, the participants are able to construct, revise, critique, and interpret graphic and tabular displays according to an extensive set of guidelines. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Importance of Supporting Inferences with Evidence: Learning Lessons from Huffman (2014) in the Hope of Providing Stronger Evidence for Extensive Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLean, Stuart

2016-01-01

Stuart McLean refers in this commentary to Jeffrey Huffman's article "Reading Rate Gains during a One-Semester Extensive Reading Course" (v26 n2 p17-33 Oct 2014) [See: EJ1044344], in which Huffman reports that extensive reading (ER) was an effective way to provide large amounts of comprehensible input to foreign language learners, but…

Benchmarking and performance analysis of the CM-2. [SIMD computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, David W.; Adams, George B., II

1988-01-01

A suite of benchmarking routines testing communication, basic arithmetic operations, and selected kernel algorithms written in LISP and PARIS was developed for the CM-2. Experiment runs are automated via a software framework that sequences individual tests, allowing for unattended overnight operation. Multiple measurements are made and treated statistically to generate well-characterized results from the noisy values given by cm:time. The results obtained provide a comparison with similar, but less extensive, testing done on a CM-1. Tests were chosen to aid the algorithmist in constructing fast, efficient, and correct code on the CM-2, as well as gain insight into what performance criteria are needed when evaluating parallel processing machines.

Using Audience Response Devices for Extension Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Koff, Jason P.

2013-01-01

Audience response devices (ARDs), or "clickers," have traditionally been used in the classroom to take attendance, provide testing of current knowledge and knowledge gain, and assist with review of course topics. The ARDs were used at a recent Extension conference, which provided an opportunity to test how well this tool worked. Though…

THE VALUE OF STEEP, GREEN ROOF TECHNOLOGY TO SUSTAINABLE COLD CLIMATE COMMUNITIES

EPA Science Inventory

With the knowledge gained from this preliminary study, we plan to built a modified extensive green roof product that addresses both the opportunities and limitations of current extensive manufactured green roof products. The results of our tests will be shared with building c...

Testing Extension Services through AKAP Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

De Rosa, Marcello; Bartoli, Luca; La Rocca, Giuseppe

2014-01-01

Purpose: The aim of the paper is to analyse the attitude of Italian farms in gaining access to agricultural extension services (AES). Design/methodology/approach: The ways Italian farms use AES are described through the AKAP (Awareness, Knowledge, Adoption, Product) sequence. This article investigated the AKAP sequence by submitting a…

Beyond pain: modeling decision-making deficits in chronic pain

PubMed Central

Hess, Leonardo Emanuel; Haimovici, Ariel; Muñoz, Miguel Angel; Montoya, Pedro

2014-01-01

Risky decision-making seems to be markedly disrupted in patients with chronic pain, probably due to the high cost that impose pain and negative mood on executive control functions. Patients’ behavioral performance on decision-making tasks such as the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is characterized by selecting cards more frequently from disadvantageous than from advantageous decks, and by switching often between competing responses in comparison with healthy controls (HCs). In the present study, we developed a simple heuristic model to simulate individuals’ choice behavior by varying the level of decision randomness and the importance given to gains and losses. The findings revealed that the model was able to differentiate the behavioral performance of patients with chronic pain and HCs at the group, as well as at the individual level. The best fit of the model in patients with chronic pain was yielded when decisions were not based on previous choices and when gains were considered more relevant than losses. By contrast, the best account of the available data in HCs was obtained when decisions were based on previous experiences and losses loomed larger than gains. In conclusion, our model seems to provide useful information to measure each individual participant extensively, and to deal with the data on a participant-by-participant basis. PMID:25136301

Beyond pain: modeling decision-making deficits in chronic pain.

PubMed

Hess, Leonardo Emanuel; Haimovici, Ariel; Muñoz, Miguel Angel; Montoya, Pedro

2014-01-01

Risky decision-making seems to be markedly disrupted in patients with chronic pain, probably due to the high cost that impose pain and negative mood on executive control functions. Patients' behavioral performance on decision-making tasks such as the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is characterized by selecting cards more frequently from disadvantageous than from advantageous decks, and by switching often between competing responses in comparison with healthy controls (HCs). In the present study, we developed a simple heuristic model to simulate individuals' choice behavior by varying the level of decision randomness and the importance given to gains and losses. The findings revealed that the model was able to differentiate the behavioral performance of patients with chronic pain and HCs at the group, as well as at the individual level. The best fit of the model in patients with chronic pain was yielded when decisions were not based on previous choices and when gains were considered more relevant than losses. By contrast, the best account of the available data in HCs was obtained when decisions were based on previous experiences and losses loomed larger than gains. In conclusion, our model seems to provide useful information to measure each individual participant extensively, and to deal with the data on a participant-by-participant basis.

"Kiss Your Brain": A Closer Look at Flourishing Literacy Gains in Impoverished Elementary Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booker, Keonya C.; Invernizzi, Marcia A.; McCormick, Montana

2007-01-01

This study uses a qualitative methodology to explore the instructional reading practices of high achieving/low-income elementary schools. Extensive interviews and observations were conducted to examine the nature of literacy gains on a statewide reading assessment from fall to spring. Detailed cases studies of four exceptional schools are…

Theoretical parametric study of the relative advantages of winglets and wing-tip extensions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heyson, H. H.; Riebe, G. D.; Fulton, C. L.

1977-01-01

It was found that for identical increases in bending moment, a winglet provides a greater gain in induced efficiency than a tip extension. Winglet toe-in angle allows design trades between efficiency and root moment. A winglet showed the greatest benefit when the wing loads were heavy near the tip. Washout diminished the benefit of either tip modification, and the gain in induced efficiency became a function of lift coefficient; heavy wing loadings obtained the greatest benefit from a winglet, and low speed performance was enhanced even more than cruise performance. Both induced efficiency and bending moment increased with winglet length and outward cant. The benefit of a winglet relative to a tip extension was greatest for a nearly vertical winglet. Root bending moment was proportional to the minimum weight of bending material required in the wing; it is a valid index of the impact of tip modifications on a new wing design.

Theoretical Parametric Study of the Relative Advantages of Winglets and Wing-Tip Extensions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heyson, H. H.; Riebe, G. D.; Fulton, C. L.

1977-01-01

For identical increases in bending moment, a winglet provides a greater gain in induced efficiency than tip extension. Winglet toe angle allows design trades between efficiency and root moment. A winglet shows the greatest benefit when the wing loads are heavy near the tip. Washout diminishes the benefit of either tip modification, and the gain in induced efficiency becomes a function of lift coefficient; thus, heavy wing loadings obtain the greatest benefit from a winglet, and low-speed performance is enhanced even more than cruise performance. Both induced efficiency and bending moment increase with winglet length and outward cant. The benefit of a winglet relative to a tip extension is greatest for a nearly vertical winglet. Root bending moment is proportional to the minimum weight of bending material required in the wing; thus, it is a valid index of the impact of tip modifications on a new wing design.

Acute aquatic treadmill exercise improves gait and pain in people with knee osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Roper, Jaimie A; Bressel, Eadric; Tillman, Mark D

2013-03-01

To examine the acute effects of aquatic and land treadmill exercise on gait kinematics as well as the level of disease-specific and movement-related pain for individuals with osteoarthritis. Quasi-experimental crossover design. Biomechanics laboratory. Participants (N=14; age, 43-64y) diagnosed with osteoarthritis at the knee (n=12), osteoarthritis at the knee and ankle (n=1), or osteoarthritis at the knee and hip (n=1). Participants performed 3 exercise sessions separated by at least 24 hours in 1 week for each mode of exercise (aquatic treadmill and land treadmill). Gait kinematics and pain were measured before and after each intervention. The angular velocity gain score during stance for left knee extension was improved by 38% after aquatic treadmill exercise (P=.004). Similarly, during swing, the gain scores for angular velocity were also greater for left knee internal rotation and extension by 65% and 20%, respectively (P=.004, P=.008, respectively). During stance, the joint angle gain score for left hip flexion was 7.23% greater after land exercise (P=.007). During swing, the angular velocity gain score for right hip extension was significantly greater for aquatic exercise by 28% (P=.01). Only the joint angle gain score for left ankle abduction during stance was significantly higher after land exercise (4.72%, P=.003). No other joint angle gain scores for either stance or swing were significantly different for either condition (P=.06-.96). Perceived pain was 100% greater after land than aquatic treadmill exercise (P=.02). Step rate and step length were not different between conditions (P=.31-.92). An acute training period on an aquatic treadmill positively influenced joint angular velocity and arthritis-related joint pain. Acute aquatic treadmill exercise may be useful as a conservative treatment to improve angular speed of the lower-extremity joints and pain related to osteoarthritis. Copyright © 2013 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Extensive BMI Gain in Puberty is Associated with Lower Increments in Bone Mineral Density in Estonian Boys with Overweight and Obesity: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study.

PubMed

Mengel, Eva; Tillmann, Vallo; Remmel, Liina; Kool, Pille; Purge, Priit; Lätt, Evelin; Jürimäe, Jaak

2017-08-01

The aim of this 3-year prospective study was to examine changes in bone mineral characteristics during pubertal maturation in boys with different BMI values at the beginning of puberty and with different BMI increments during puberty. 26 boys with overweight and obesity (OWB) and 29 normal weight boys (NWB) were studied yearly for 3 years from the age of 11 years to measure the changes in different bone mineral characteristics. The OWB group was further divided into two subgroups according to extensive or non-extensive BMI increment during 3-year period. OWB had higher (P < 0.01) baseline total body (TB) bone mineral density (BMD), TB bone mineral content (BMC), TB BMC for height, lumbar spine (LS) BMD, and LS BMC compared to NWB. Throughout the study period, OWB gained more TB BMD (P = 0.0001), TB BMC (P = 0.0048), TB BMC for height (P = 0.0124), LS BMD (P = 0.0029), and LS BMC (P = 0.0022) compared to NWB. Also during the study period, TB BMD (P = 0.0065), TB BMC (P = 0.0141), TB BMC for height (P = 0.0199), LS BMD (P = 0.0066), LS apparent volumetric BMD (BMAD) (P = 0.0075), and LS BMC (P = 0.017) increased significantly less in those OWB whose BMI increased more extensively. Extensive BMI gain is associated with lower increments in bone mineral characteristics in boys with overweight and obesity. Unfavorable increment in total body fat mass and percentage during pubertal years could be one reason for that.

Drupal Done Right

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coombs, Karen

2009-01-01

Drupal is a PHP-and MySQL-based system for managing web sites, developed in 2000 and released in 2001 under the open GNU General Public License (GPL). It is modular, extensible, and scalable. In recent years, Drupal has gained a huge following within libraries as a content management system (CMS). Probably the best-known extension of Drupal in the…

EXTENSION ADMINISTRATION AND STATE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS--A CASE STUDY OF THE 71ST MISSOURI GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

KYD, STIRLING

TO GAIN UNDERSTANDING OF MISSOURI'S LEGISLATIVE PROCESS AND AID ADMINISTRATORS OF THE EXTENSION DIVISION, THE AUTHOR INVESTIGATED THE 71ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY. HE READ PUBLICATIONS, INTERVIEWED LOBBYISTS, AND CONDUCTED OPEN ENDED DEPTH INTERVIEWS WITH LEGISLATORS SELECTED TO COMPRISE THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ASSEMBLY. HIS DISSERTATION PRESENTS THE…

Are Intelligence Tests Measurement Invariant over Time? Investigating the Nature of the Flynn Effect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wicherts, Jelte M.; Dolan, Conor V.; Hessen, David J.; Oosterveld, Paul; van Baal, G. Caroline M.; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Span, Mark M.

2004-01-01

The gains of scores on standardized intelligence tests (i.e., Flynn effect) have been the subject of extensive debate concerning their nature, causes, and implications. The aim of the present study is to investigate whether five intelligence tests are measurement invariant with respect to cohort. Measurement invariance implies that gains over the…

Transition Program: The Challenges Faced by Special Needs Students in Gaining Work Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alias, Aliza

2014-01-01

Transition program for special needs students is known to open opportunities for students with learning disabilities to gain work experience in actual work environment. The program provides training activities and also an opportunity to go for internship to gain work experience. Therefore, this study is to identify the challenges faced by special…

Information gains from cosmological probes

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

Grandis, S.; Seehars, S.; Refregier, A.

In light of the growing number of cosmological observations, it is important to develop versatile tools to quantify the constraining power and consistency of cosmological probes. Originally motivated from information theory, we use the relative entropy to compute the information gained by Bayesian updates in units of bits. This measure quantifies both the improvement in precision and the 'surprise', i.e. the tension arising from shifts in central values. Our starting point is a WMAP9 prior which we update with observations of the distance ladder, supernovae (SNe), baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO), and weak lensing as well as the 2015 Planck release.more » We consider the parameters of the flat ΛCDM concordance model and some of its extensions which include curvature and Dark Energy equation of state parameter w . We find that, relative to WMAP9 and within these model spaces, the probes that have provided the greatest gains are Planck (10 bits), followed by BAO surveys (5.1 bits) and SNe experiments (3.1 bits). The other cosmological probes, including weak lensing (1.7 bits) and (H{sub 0}) measures (1.7 bits), have contributed information but at a lower level. Furthermore, we do not find any significant surprise when updating the constraints of WMAP9 with any of the other experiments, meaning that they are consistent with WMAP9. However, when we choose Planck15 as the prior, we find that, accounting for the full multi-dimensionality of the parameter space, the weak lensing measurements of CFHTLenS produce a large surprise of 4.4 bits which is statistically significant at the 8 σ level. We discuss how the relative entropy provides a versatile and robust framework to compare cosmological probes in the context of current and future surveys.« less

System study of a diode-pumped solid-state-laser driver for inertial fusion energy

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

Orth, C.D.; Payne, S.A.

The present a conceptual design of a diode-pumped solid-state-laser (DPSSL) driver for an inertial fusion energy (IFE) power plant based on the maximized cost of electricity (COE) as determined in a comprehensive systems study. This study contained extensive detail for all significant DPSSL physics and costs, plus published scaling relationships for the costs of the target chamber and the balance of plant (BOP). Our DPSSL design offers low development cost because it is modular, can be fully tested functionally at reduced scale, and is based on mature solid-state-laser technology. Most of the parameter values that we used are being verifiedmore » by experiments now in progress. Future experiments will address the few issues that remain. As a consequence, the economic and technical risk of our DPSSL driver concept is becoming rather low. Baseline performance at 1 GW{sub e} using a new gain medium [Yb{sup 3+}-doped Sr{sub 5}(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}F or Yb:S-FAP] includes a product of laser efficiency and target gain of {eta}G = 7, and a COE of 8.6 cents/kW{center_dot}h, although values of {eta}G {ge} 11 and COEs {le}6.6 cents/kW{center_dot}h are possible at double the assumed target gain of 76 at 3.7 MJ. We present a summary of our results, discuss why other more-common types of laser media do not perform as well as Yb:S-FAP, and present a simple model that shows where DPSSL development should proceed to reduce projected COEs.« less

Product Assurance for Spaceflight Hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monroe, Mike

1995-01-01

This report contains information about the tasks I have completed and the valuable experience I have gained at NASA. The report is divided into two different sections followed by a program summary sheet. The first section describes the two reports I have completed for the Office of Mission Assurance (OMA). I describe the approach and the resources and facilities used to complete each report. The second section describes my experience working in the Receipt Inspection/Quality Assurance Lab (RI/QA). The first report described is a Product Assurance Plan for the Gas Permeable Polymer Materials (GPPM) mission. The purpose of the Product Assurance Plan is to define the various requirements which are to be met through completion of the GPPM mission. The GPPM experiment is a space payload which will be flown in the shuttle's SPACEHAB module. The experiment will use microgravity to enable production of complex polymeric gas permeable materials. The second report described in the first section is a Fracture Analysis for the Mir Environmental Effects Payload (MEEP). The Fracture Analysis report is a summary of the fracture control classifications for all structural elements of the MEEP. The MEEP hardware consists of four experiment carriers, each of which contains an experiment container holding a passive experiment. The MEEP hardware will be attached to the cargo bay of the space shuttle. It will be transferred by Extravehicular Activity and mounted on the Mir space station. The second section of this report describes my experiences in the RVQA lab. I listed the different equipment I used at the lab and their functions. I described the extensive inspection process that must be completed for spaceflight hardware. Included, at the end of this section, are pictures of most of the equipment used in the lab. There is a summary sheet located at the end of this report. It briefly describes the valuable experience I have gained at NASA this summer and what I will be able to take with me as I return to college. I briefly discuss the experiences I mentioned in the previous three paragraphs along with training classes I attended and courses I completed at the Learning Lab.

Generation of Superponderomotive Electrons in Multipicosecond Interactions of Kilojoule Laser Beams with Solid-Density Plasmas.

PubMed

Sorokovikova, A; Arefiev, A V; McGuffey, C; Qiao, B; Robinson, A P L; Wei, M S; McLean, H S; Beg, F N

2016-04-15

The interaction of a multipicosecond, kilojoule laser pulse with a surface of a solid target has been shown to produce electrons with energies far beyond the free-electron ponderomotive limit m_{e}c^{2}a_{0}^{2}/2. Particle-in-cell simulations indicate that an increase in the pulse duration from 1 to 10 ps leads to the formation of a low-density shelf (about 10% of the critical density). The shelf extends over 100  μm toward the vacuum side, with a nonstationary potential barrier forming in that area. Electrons reflected from the barrier gain superponderomotive energy from the potential. Some electrons experience an even greater energy gain due to ponderomotive acceleration when their "dephasing rate" R=γ-p_{x}/m_{e}c drops well below unity, thus increasing acceleration by a factor of 1/R. Both 1D and 2D simulations indicate that these mechanisms are responsible for the generation of extensive thermal distributions with T_{e}>10  MeV and a high-energy cutoff of hundreds of MeV.

The future of terrestrial mammals in the Mediterranean basin under climate change

PubMed Central

Maiorano, Luigi; Falcucci, Alessandra; Zimmermann, Niklaus E.; Psomas, Achilleas; Pottier, Julien; Baisero, Daniele; Rondinini, Carlo; Guisan, Antoine; Boitani, Luigi

2011-01-01

The Mediterranean basin is considered a hotspot of biological diversity with a long history of modification of natural ecosystems by human activities, and is one of the regions that will face extensive changes in climate. For 181 terrestrial mammals (68% of all Mediterranean mammals), we used an ensemble forecasting approach to model the future (approx. 2100) potential distribution under climate change considering five climate change model outputs for two climate scenarios. Overall, a substantial number of Mediterranean mammals will be severely threatened by future climate change, particularly endemic species. Moreover, we found important changes in potential species richness owing to climate change, with some areas (e.g. montane region in central Italy) gaining species, while most of the region will be losing species (mainly Spain and North Africa). Existing protected areas (PAs) will probably be strongly influenced by climate change, with most PAs in Africa, the Middle East and Spain losing a substantial number of species, and those PAs gaining species (e.g. central Italy and southern France) will experience a substantial shift in species composition. PMID:21844047

Development of Regulatory Documents for Creation (Upgrade) of Physical Protection Systems under the Russian/American MPC&A Program

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

Izmaylov, Alexandr V.; Babkin, Vladimir; Kurov, Valeriy

2009-10-07

The development of new or the upgrade of existing physical protection systems (PPS) for nuclear facilities involves a multi-step and multidimensional process. The process consists of conceptual design, design, and commissioning stages. The activities associated with each of these stages are governed by Russian government and agency regulations. To ensure a uniform approach to development or upgrading of PPS at Russian nuclear facilities, the development of a range of regulatory and methodological documents is necessary. Some issues of PPS development are covered by the regulatory documents developed by Rosatom, as well as other Russian agencies with nuclear facilities under theirmore » control. This regulatory development has been accomplished as part of the U.S.-Russian MPC&A cooperation or independently by the Russian Federation. While regulatory coverage is extensive, there are a number of issues such as vulnerability analysis, effectiveness assessment, upgrading PPS, and protection of information systems for PPS that require additional regulations be developed. This paper reports on the status of regulatory coverage for PPS development or upgrade, and outlines a new approach to regulatory document development. It describes the evolutionary process of regulatory development through experience gained in the design, development and implementation of PPS as well as experience gained through the cooperative efforts of Russian and U.S. experts involved the development of MPC&A regulations.« less

Measuring Agricultural Paradigmatic Preferences: The Redevelopment of an Instrument to Determine Individual and Collective Preferences--A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanagorski, Laura; Murphrey, Theresa Pesl; Lawver, David E.; Baker, Matt; Lindner. James R.

2013-01-01

Sustainable agriculture is an area that is gaining momentum. Extension agents are expected to teach production methods that include sustainable agriculture, yet little is known regarding how Extension agents feel about this agricultural paradigm. The research reported here sought to further develop an instrument that could quantitatively measure…

A Case Study of Extensive Reading with an Unmotivated L2 Reader

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ro, Eunseok

2013-01-01

Extensive reading is gaining credibility as an effective way of boosting students' affect especially in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) context where access to a second language (L2) input is minimal. This study uses a pattern-matching, single case study research design to examine an adult reader's motivation and anxiety shifts towards…

Use of Interactive Electronic Audience Response Tools (Clickers) to Evaluate Knowledge Gained in Extension Programming

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gunn, Patrick; Loy, Dan

2015-01-01

Effectively measuring short-term impact, particularly a change in knowledge resulting from Extension programming, can prove to be challenging. Clicker-based technology, when used properly, is one alternative that may allow educators to better evaluate this aspect of the logic model. While the potential interface between clicker technology and…

Reading Rate Gains during a One-Semester Extensive Reading Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huffman, Jeffrey

2014-01-01

Extensive reading (ER) is an effective way to provide large amounts of comprehensible input to foreign language learners, but many teachers and administrators remain unconvinced, and it has been argued that there is still insufficient evidence to support the claims that have been made regarding its benefits. Few studies have looked at ER's effect…

Patient-stated preferences regarding volume-related risk mitigation strategies for hemodialysis.

PubMed

Flythe, Jennifer E; Mangione, Thomas W; Brunelli, Steven M; Curhan, Gary C

2014-08-07

Larger weight gain and higher ultrafiltration rates have been associated with poorer outcomes among patients on dialysis. Dietary restrictions reduce fluid-related risk; however, adherence is challenging. Alternative fluid mitigation strategies include treatment time extension, more frequent dialysis, adjunct peritoneal dialysis, and wearable ultrafiltration devices. No data regarding patient preferences for fluid management exist. A survey was designed, tested, and administered to assess patient-stated preferences regarding fluid mitigation. A written survey concerning fluid-related symptoms, patient and treatment characteristics, and fluid management preferences was developed. The cross-sectional survey was completed by 600 patients on hemodialysis at 18 geographically diverse ambulatory facilities. Comparisons of patient willingness to engage in volume mitigation strategies across fluid symptom burden, dietary restriction experience, and patient characteristics were performed. Final analyses included 588 surveys. Overall, if allowed to liberalize fluid intake, 44.6% of patients were willing to extend treatment time by 15 minutes. Willingness to extend treatment time was incrementally less for longer treatment extensions; 12.2% of patients were willing to add a fourth weekly treatment session, and 13.5% of patients were willing to participate in nocturnal dialysis three nights per week. Patients more bothered by their fluid restrictions (versus less bothered) were more willing to engage in fluid mitigation strategies. Demographic characteristics and symptoms, such as cramping and dyspnea, were not consistently associated with willingness to engage in the proposed strategies. More than 25% of patients were unsure of their dry weights and typical interdialytic weight gains. Patients were generally averse to treatment time extension>15 minutes. Patients more bothered (versus less bothered) by their prescribed fluid restrictions were more willing to engage in volume mitigation strategies. Additional study of patient-stated preferences in hemodialysis treatment practices is needed to guide patient care and identify deficiencies in patient treatment and disease-related knowledge. Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Nephrology.

A requirements specification for a software design support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noonan, Robert E.

1988-01-01

Most existing software design systems (SDSS) support the use of only a single design methodology. A good SDSS should support a wide variety of design methods and languages including structured design, object-oriented design, and finite state machines. It might seem that a multiparadigm SDSS would be expensive in both time and money to construct. However, it is proposed that instead an extensible SDSS that directly implements only minimal database and graphical facilities be constructed. In particular, it should not directly implement tools to faciliate language definition and analysis. It is believed that such a system could be rapidly developed and put into limited production use, with the experience gained used to refine and evolve the systems over time.

You plan, you test and then it happens: Lessons learned from the Schneider warehouse tornado recovery.

PubMed

Marotz, William T

2017-12-01

This paper is about the experience gained and lessons learned while dealing with the long-term recovery of Schneider's Port Logistics Division following extensive damage to three warehouse/ office facilities in Savannah, GA on 25th April, 2015. This paper will provide insight into how the initial assessments were handled, how the skill sets needed by the response teams were determined, and what further actions were triggered as more detailed information was received and assessed by the leadership team. This paper will also provide information as to how closely the company followed its existing contingency and disaster recovery plans, as well as where those plans fell short and where it was necessary to make adjustments as the recovery progressed.

Possibilities of the ErgoScope high fidelity work simulator in skill assessment, skill development and vocational aptitude tests of physically disabled persons.

PubMed

Izsó, Lajos; Székely, Ildikó; Dános, László

2015-01-01

The aim of this paper - based on the extensive experiences of the authors gained by using one particular work simulator - is to present some promising possibilities of the application of this (and any other similar) work simulator in the field of skill assessment, skill development and vocational aptitude tests of physically disabled persons. During skill assessment and development, as parts of the therapy, the focus is on the disabled functions. During vocational aptitude tests, however, the focus is already on the functions that remained intact and therefore can be the basis of returning to work. Some factual examples are provided to realize the proposed possibilities in practice.

Insights on STEM Careers

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

Wendelberger, Joanne Roth

2014-11-05

This presentation will provide career advice for individuals seeking to go beyond just having a job to building a successful career in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Careful planning can be used to turn a job into a springboard for professional advancement and personal satisfaction. Topics to be addressed include setting priorities, understanding career ladders, making tough choices, overcoming stereotypes and assumptions by others, networking, developing a professional identify, and balancing a career with family and other personal responsibilities. Insights on the transition from individual technical work to leadership will also be provided. The author will drawmore » upon experiences gained in academic, industrial, and government laboratory settings, as well as extensive professional service and community involvement.« less

Does prior psychotherapy experience affect the course of cognitive-behavioural group therapy for social anxiety disorder?

PubMed

Delsignore, Aba

2008-08-01

To examine whether and how different patterns of psychotherapy history (no prior therapy, successful therapy experience, and unsuccessful therapy experience) affect the outcome of future treatment among patients undergoing cognitive-behavioural group therapy for social anxiety disorder. Fifty-seven patients with varying histories of psychotherapy participating in cognitive-behavioural group treatment for social anxiety disorder were included in the study. Symptom severity (including anxiety, depression, self-efficacy, and global symptom severity) was assessed at pre- and posttreatment. A therapist-rated measure of patient therapy engagement was included as a process variable. First-time therapy patients showed more favourable pretreatment variables and achieved greater benefit from group therapy. Among patients with unsuccessful therapy experience, substantial gains were attained by those who were able to actively engage in the therapy process. Patients rating previous therapies as successful could benefit the least and tended to stagnate. Possible explanations for group differences and clinical implications are discussed. Prior psychotherapy experience affects the course of cognitive-behavioural group therapy in patients with social phobias. While patients with negative therapy experience may need extensive support in being and remaining actively engaged, those rating previous therapies as successful should be assessed very carefully and may benefit from a major focus on relational aspects.

Temperature measurement reliability and validity with thermocouple extension leads or changing lead temperature.

PubMed

Jutte, Lisa S; Long, Blaine C; Knight, Kenneth L

2010-01-01

Thermocouples' leads are often too short, necessitating the use of an extension lead. To determine if temperature measures were influenced by extension-lead use or lead temperature changes. Descriptive laboratory study. Laboratory. Experiment 1: 10 IT-21 thermocouples and 5 extension leads. Experiment 2: 5 IT-21 and PT-6 thermocouples. In experiment 1, temperature data were collected on 10 IT-21 thermocouples in a stable water bath with and without extension leads. In experiment 2, temperature data were collected on 5 IT-21 and PT-6 thermocouples in a stable water bath before, during, and after ice-pack application to extension leads. In experiment 1, extension leads did not influence IT-21 validity (P  =  .45) or reliability (P  =  .10). In experiment 2, postapplication IT-21 temperatures were greater than preapplication and application measures (P < .05). Extension leads had no influence on temperature measures. Ice application to leads may increase measurement error.

A comparative study of the constitutive models for silicon carbide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Jow-Lian; Dwivedi, Sunil; Gupta, Yogendra

2001-06-01

Most of the constitutive models for polycrystalline silicon carbide were developed and evaluated using data from either normal plate impact or Hopkinson bar experiments. At ISP, extensive efforts have been made to gain detailed insight into the shocked state of the silicon carbide (SiC) using innovative experimental methods, viz., lateral stress measurements, in-material unloading measurements, and combined compression shear experiments. The data obtained from these experiments provide some unique information for both developing and evaluating material models. In this study, these data for SiC were first used to evaluate some of the existing models to identify their strength and possible deficiencies. Motivated by both the results of this comparative study and the experimental observations, an improved phenomenological model was developed. The model incorporates pressure dependence of strength, rate sensitivity, damage evolution under both tension and compression, pressure confinement effect on damage evolution, stiffness degradation due to damage, and pressure dependence of stiffness. The model developments are able to capture most of the material features observed experimentally, but more work is needed to better match the experimental data quantitatively.

Surface Inspection Machine Infrared (SIMIR). Final CRADA report

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

Powell, G.L.; Neu, J.T.; Beecroft, M.

This Cooperative Research and Development Agreement was a one year effort to make the surface inspection machine based on diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy (Surface Inspection Machine-Infrared, SIMIR), being developed by Surface Optics Corporation, perform to its highest potential as a practical, portable surface inspection machine. The design function of the SIMIR is to inspect metal surfaces for cleanliness (stains). The system is also capable of evaluating graphite-resin systems for cure and heat damage, and for measuring the effects of moisture exposure on lithium hydride, corrosion on uranium metal, and the constituents of and contamination on wood, paper, and fabrics. Overmore » the period of the CRADA, extensive experience with the use of the SIMIR for surface cleanliness measurements have been achieved through collaborations with NASA and the Army. The SIMIR was made available to the AMTEX CRADA for Finish on Yarn where it made a very significant contribution. The SIMIR was the foundation of a Forest Products CRADA that was developed over the time interval of this CRADA. Surface Optics Corporation and the SIMIR have been introduced to the chemical spectroscopy on-line analysis market and have made staffing additions and arrangements for international marketing of the SIMIR as an on-line surface inspection device. LMES has been introduced to a wide range of aerospace applications, the research and fabrication skills of Surface Optics Corporation, has gained extensive experience in the areas of surface cleanliness from collaborations with NASA and the Army, and an extensive introduction to the textile and forest products industries. The SIMIR, marketed as the SOC-400, has filled an important new technology need in the DOE-DP Enhanced Surveillance Program with instruments delivered to or on order by LMES, LANL, LLNL, and Pantex, where extensive collaborations are underway to implement and improve this technology.« less

Effects of adding a virtual reality environment to different modes of treadmill walking.

PubMed

Sloot, L H; van der Krogt, M M; Harlaar, J

2014-03-01

Differences in gait between overground and treadmill walking are suggested to result from imposed treadmill speed and lack of visual flow. To counteract this effect, feedback-controlled treadmills that allow the subject to control the belt speed along with an immersive virtual reality (VR) have recently been developed. We studied the effect of adding a VR during both fixed speed (FS) and self-paced (SP) treadmill walking. Nineteen subjects walked on a dual-belt instrumented treadmill with a simple endless road projected on a 180° circular screen. A main effect of VR was found for hip flexion offset, peak hip extension, peak knee extension moment, knee flexion moment gain and ankle power during push off. A consistent interaction effect between VR and treadmill mode was found for 12 out of 30 parameters, although the differences were small and did not exceed 50% of the within subject stride variance. At FS, the VR seemed to slightly improve the walking pattern towards overground walking, with for example a 6.5mm increase in stride length. At SP, gait became slightly more cautious by adding a VR, with a 9.1mm decrease in stride length. Irrespective of treadmill mode, subjects rated walking with the VR as more similar to overground walking. In the context of clinical gait analysis, the effects of VR are too small to be relevant and are outweighed by the gains of adding a VR, such as a more stimulating experience and possibility of augmenting it by real-time feedback. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mousetrap: An integrated, open-source mouse-tracking package.

PubMed

Kieslich, Pascal J; Henninger, Felix

2017-10-01

Mouse-tracking - the analysis of mouse movements in computerized experiments - is becoming increasingly popular in the cognitive sciences. Mouse movements are taken as an indicator of commitment to or conflict between choice options during the decision process. Using mouse-tracking, researchers have gained insight into the temporal development of cognitive processes across a growing number of psychological domains. In the current article, we present software that offers easy and convenient means of recording and analyzing mouse movements in computerized laboratory experiments. In particular, we introduce and demonstrate the mousetrap plugin that adds mouse-tracking to OpenSesame, a popular general-purpose graphical experiment builder. By integrating with this existing experimental software, mousetrap allows for the creation of mouse-tracking studies through a graphical interface, without requiring programming skills. Thus, researchers can benefit from the core features of a validated software package and the many extensions available for it (e.g., the integration with auxiliary hardware such as eye-tracking, or the support of interactive experiments). In addition, the recorded data can be imported directly into the statistical programming language R using the mousetrap package, which greatly facilitates analysis. Mousetrap is cross-platform, open-source and available free of charge from https://github.com/pascalkieslich/mousetrap-os .

Spacelab

NASA Image and Video Library

1985-07-01

While instruments on the pallets in the payload bay observed the universe, biological experiments were performed in the middeck of the Shuttle Orbiter Challenger. Studying life processes in a microgravity environment can shed new light on the functioning of biological systems on Earth. These investigations can also help us understand how living organisms react to prolonged weightlessness. One such experiment was the vitamin D metabolites and bone demineralization experiment. This investigation measured the vitamin D metabolite levels of crew members to gain information on the cause of bone demineralization and mineral imbalance that occur during prolonged spaceflight as well as on Earth. Research into the biochemical nature of vitamin D has shown that the D-metabolites play a major role in regulating the body's calcium and phosphorus levels. One major function of the most biologically active vitamin D metabolite is to regulate the amount of calcium absorbed from the diet and taken out of bones. This investigation had two phases. The first was the developmental phase, which included extensive testing before flight, and the second, or final phase, involved the postflight analysis of the crew's blood samples. This photograph shows astronaut Story Musgrave in the middeck of the Shuttle Orbiter Challenger, attending to the blood samples he collected from crew members for the experiment.

On the Bayesian Treed Multivariate Gaussian Process with Linear Model of Coregionalization

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

Konomi, Bledar A.; Karagiannis, Georgios; Lin, Guang

2015-02-01

The Bayesian treed Gaussian process (BTGP) has gained popularity in recent years because it provides a straightforward mechanism for modeling non-stationary data and can alleviate computational demands by fitting models to less data. The extension of BTGP to the multivariate setting requires us to model the cross-covariance and to propose efficient algorithms that can deal with trans-dimensional MCMC moves. In this paper we extend the cross-covariance of the Bayesian treed multivariate Gaussian process (BTMGP) to that of linear model of Coregionalization (LMC) cross-covariances. Different strategies have been developed to improve the MCMC mixing and invert smaller matrices in the Bayesianmore » inference. Moreover, we compare the proposed BTMGP with existing multiple BTGP and BTMGP in test cases and multiphase flow computer experiment in a full scale regenerator of a carbon capture unit. The use of the BTMGP with LMC cross-covariance helped to predict the computer experiments relatively better than existing competitors. The proposed model has a wide variety of applications, such as computer experiments and environmental data. In the case of computer experiments we also develop an adaptive sampling strategy for the BTMGP with LMC cross-covariance function.« less

Effectiveness of addiction science presentations to treatment professionals, using a modified Solomon study design.

PubMed

Erickson, Carlton K; Wilcox, Richard E; Miller, Gary W; Littlefield, John H; Lawson, Kenneth A

2003-01-01

Knowledge of addiction research findings is critical for healthcare professionals who treat addicted patients. However, there is little information available about the instructional effectiveness of lecture-slide presentations in changing knowledge vs. beliefs of such professionals. A modified Solomon four-group experimental design was used to assess the instructional effectiveness (knowledge gain vs. belief changes) of three-hour addiction science workshops presented to health-care professionals by neurobiologically-trained academic researchers. Effectiveness of the workshops was assessed by a 28-item questionnaire on participant versus control group knowledge/beliefs on addiction. Six-month follow-up questionnaires measured "retention" of knowledge and belief changes. The workshop participants showed significant knowledge gain and belief changes, whereas the two control groups showed no change in knowledge or beliefs. After six months, knowledge gains decreased, but were still higher than pre-test scores. In contrast, belief changes on three subscales persisted over six months in 40 to 52 percent of the subjects. These results illustrate a successful continuing education model by which academic researchers who are skilled teachers present a three-hour lecture-slide workshop with extensive question-and-answer sessions on addictions. We conclude that motivated health-care professionals can experience important knowledge gains and belief changes by participating in such workshops. In contrast to the transient retention of knowledge, belief changes persisted surprisingly well for at least six months in about half the subjects. These results suggest that long-term changes in the professional orientation of these health-care workers are possible.

Improving Healthy Living Youth Development Program Outreach in Extension: Lessons Learned from the 4-H Health Rocks! Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kumaran, Muthusami; Fogarty, Kate; Fung, Whitney M.; Terminello, Amanda

2015-01-01

This article discusses a qualitative evaluation of the Florida 4-H Health Rocks! program aimed at youth alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use prevention. A questionnaire was distributed to Extension professionals across Florida to gain insight into the strengths and barriers they faced with programming. Programmatic strengths included targeting a…

Effective nursing care of adolescents with anorexia nervosa: a consumer perspective.

PubMed

Zugai, Joel; Stein-Parbury, Jane; Roche, Michael

2013-07-01

To establish how nurses ensure weight gain and a positive inpatient experience for the treatment of adolescents with anorexia nervosa by considering consumer perspectives. Consumer perspective literature indicates approval and dissatisfaction with certain aspects of the inpatient experience, and there is a limited understanding of what consumers perceive to be effective nursing practice. The design of this study was qualitative, the data being interpreted with a thematic analysis. This study sought the perspectives of eight (n = 8) recovered consumers through semi-structured interviews. Nurses were considered highly influential over the inpatient experience. The findings of this study are characterised by three overall themes regarding nursing practice: (1) ensuring weight gain, (2) maintaining a therapeutic milieu, and (3) the nursing relationship. Consumers have clear perspectives of how nurses effectively ensure weight gain and how nurses ensure a positive inpatient experience. The quality of relationships between consumers and nurses had implications for both weight gain and the perceived quality of the inpatient experience. By relying on the strength of positive, thoughtful and well-timed interactions, nurses may contribute to productive physical outcomes and a positive inpatient experience. Consumers indicated that motivation to adhere to care was derived from strong relationships with nurses. Ensuring both weight gain and a positive experience involves achieving a productive 'balance of restrictions'. Consumers also valued nurses that created a comfortable and productive environment. This study indicates that the process of weight gain may be enhanced when accompanied by a process of therapeutic engagement. Therapeutic alliance may be an effective way for nurses to ensure weight gain and an enhanced inpatient experience. Therapeutically beneficial relationships may enhance treatment and possibly enhance outcomes for consumers. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

An Analysis of Alternatives for Gaining Capacity So as to Maintain Access to the University of California. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.5.06

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, C. Judson

2006-01-01

This paper analyzes the need for providing additional undergraduate enrollment capacity at the University of California (UC) and of alternatives for gaining such capacity at UC and, by extension, other public research universities. In addition to the creation of new campuses, other approaches are capable of giving significant additional capacity…

The RUDY study: using digital technologies to enable a research partnership

PubMed Central

Teare, Harriet J A; Hogg, Joanna; Kaye, Jane; Luqmani, Raashid; Rush, Elaine; Turner, Alison; Watts, Laura; Williams, Melanie; Javaid, M Kassim

2017-01-01

Patients have extensive experience of their disease that can enhance the design and execution of research leading to significant innovations and efficiencies in the research process. The research community on the whole have been slow to adopt practices that enable patients to become active partners in research. Digital technologies are providing the means to do this more easily and so are increasingly being used to interact with patients and involve them in the design and execution of research. The RUDY (Rare UK Diseases of bone, joints and blood vessels) study’s pioneering approach applies a custom-developed electronic platform where patients can contribute information over time about their disease experience, lifestyle and clinical history. This is combined with a state-of-the-art Dynamic Consent model and a commitment to patient-driven research, to further our understanding of rare diseases. This paper describes the RUDY study and the benefits that have been gained from adopting this partnership approach to research. PMID:28443622

Precision analysis of the photomultiplier response to ultra low signals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Degtiarenko, Pavel

2017-11-01

A new computational model for the description of the photon detector response functions measured in conditions of low light is presented, together with examples of the observed photomultiplier signal amplitude distributions, successfully described using the parameterized model equation. In extension to the previously known approximations, the new model describes the underlying discrete statistical behavior of the photoelectron cascade multiplication processes in photon detectors with complex non-uniform gain structure of the first dynode. Important features of the model include the ability to represent the true single-photoelectron spectra from different photomultipliers with a variety of parameterized shapes, reflecting the variability in the design and in the individual parameters of the detectors. The new software tool is available for evaluation of the detectors' performance, response, and efficiency parameters that may be used in various applications including the ultra low background experiments such as the searches for Dark Matter and rare decays, underground neutrino studies, optimizing operations of the Cherenkov light detectors, help in the detector selection procedures, and in the experiment simulations.

Physics of Colloids in Space-2 (PCS-2)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sankaran, Subramanian; Gasser, Urs; Manley, Suliana; Valentine, Megan; Prasad, Vikram; Rudhardt, Daniel; Bailey, Arthur; Dinsmore, Anthony; Segre, Phil; Doherty, Michael P.

2001-01-01

The Physics of Colloids-2 (PCS-2) experiment is aimed at investigating the basic physical properties of several types of colloidal suspensions. The three broad classes of colloidal systems of interest are binary colloids, colloid-polymer mixtures, and fractal gels. The objective is to understand their phase behavior as well as the kinetics of the phase transitions in the absence of gravity. The nucleation, growth, and morphology characteristics of the crystals and gels that form would be studied using confocal microscopy. These will be observed directly with excellent time resolution, and therefore extensive information about the different phases and their growth mechanisms will be gained. With the laser tweezers, it will be possible to measure the strength of these structures and to modify them in a controlled way, and the spectrophotometer will provide the possibility to probe their optical properties. We believe that this experiment will provide the basis for future 'colloid engineering' in which complicated structures with novel properties (e.g., photonic crystals) will be grown by controlled self-assembly.

Image Acquisition in Real Time

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

In 1995, Carlos Jorquera left NASA s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to focus on erasing the growing void between high-performance cameras and the requisite software to capture and process the resulting digital images. Since his departure from NASA, Jorquera s efforts have not only satisfied the private industry's cravings for faster, more flexible, and more favorable software applications, but have blossomed into a successful entrepreneurship that is making its mark with improvements in fields such as medicine, weather forecasting, and X-ray inspection. Formerly a JPL engineer who constructed imaging systems for spacecraft and ground-based astronomy projects, Jorquera is the founder and president of the three-person firm, Boulder Imaging Inc., based in Louisville, Colorado. Joining Jorquera to round out the Boulder Imaging staff are Chief Operations Engineer Susan Downey, who also gained experience at JPL working on space-bound projects including Galileo and the Hubble Space Telescope, and Vice President of Engineering and Machine Vision Specialist Jie Zhu Kulbida, who has extensive industrial and research and development experience within the private sector.

Shifting foundations: the mechanical cell wall and development.

PubMed

Braybrook, Siobhan A; Jönsson, Henrik

2016-02-01

The cell wall has long been acknowledged as an important physical mediator of growth in plants. Recent experimental and modelling work has brought the importance of cell wall mechanics into the forefront again. These data have challenged existing dogmas that relate cell wall structure to cell/organ growth, that uncouple elasticity from extensibility, and those which treat the cell wall as a passive and non-stressed material. Within this review we describe experiments and models which have changed the ways in which we view the mechanical cell wall, leading to new hypotheses and research avenues. It has become increasingly apparent that while we often wish to simplify our systems, we now require more complex multi-scale experiments and models in order to gain further insight into growth mechanics. We are currently experiencing an exciting and challenging shift in the foundations of our understanding of cell wall mechanics in growth and development. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Information gains from cosmic microwave background experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seehars, Sebastian; Amara, Adam; Refregier, Alexandre; Paranjape, Aseem; Akeret, Joël

2014-07-01

To shed light on the fundamental problems posed by dark energy and dark matter, a large number of experiments have been performed and combined to constrain cosmological models. We propose a novel way of quantifying the information gained by updates on the parameter constraints from a series of experiments which can either complement earlier measurements or replace them. For this purpose, we use the Kullback-Leibler divergence or relative entropy from information theory to measure differences in the posterior distributions in model parameter space from a pair of experiments. We apply this formalism to a historical series of cosmic microwave background experiments ranging from Boomerang to WMAP, SPT, and Planck. Considering different combinations of these experiments, we thus estimate the information gain in units of bits and distinguish contributions from the reduction of statistical errors and the "surprise" corresponding to a significant shift of the parameters' central values. For this experiment series, we find individual relative entropy gains ranging from about 1 to 30 bits. In some cases, e.g. when comparing WMAP and Planck results, we find that the gains are dominated by the surprise rather than by improvements in statistical precision. We discuss how this technique provides a useful tool for both quantifying the constraining power of data from cosmological probes and detecting the tensions between experiments.

Open-label extension studies: do they provide meaningful information on the safety of new drugs?

PubMed

Day, Richard O; Williams, Kenneth M

2007-01-01

The number of open-label extension studies being performed has increased enormously in recent years. Often it is difficult to differentiate between these extension studies and the double-blind, controlled studies that preceded them. If undertaken primarily to gather more patient-years of exposure to the new drug in order to understand and gain confidence in its safety profile, open-label extension studies can play a useful and legitimate role in drug development and therapeutics. However, this can only occur if the open-label extension study is designed, executed, analysed and reported competently. Most of the value accrued in open-label extension studies is gained from a refinement in the perception of the expected incidence of adverse effects that have most likely already been identified as part of the preclinical and clinical trial programme. We still have to rely heavily on post-marketing safety surveillance systems to alert us to type B (unpredictable) adverse reactions because open-label extension studies are unlikely to provide useful information about these types of often serious and relatively rare adverse reactions. Random allocation into test and control groups is needed to produce precise incidence data on pharmacologically expected, or type A, adverse effects. Some increased confidence about incidence rates might result from the open-label extension study; however, as these studies are essentially uncontrolled and biased, the data are not of great value. Other benefits have been proposed to be gained from open-label extension studies. These include ongoing access to an effective but otherwise unobtainable medicine by the volunteers who participated in the phase III pivotal trials. However, there are unappreciated ethical issues about the appropriateness of enrolling patients whose response to previous treatment is uncertain, largely because treatment allocation in the preceding randomised, double-blind, controlled trial has not been revealed at the time of entry into the open-label extension study. Negative aspects of open-label extension studies revolve around their use as a marketing tool, as they build a market for the drug and generate pressure for subsidised access to the drug from consumers and their physicians. Consumers, institutions where these studies are conducted and research ethics committees need to be convinced of the motives, as well as the quality, of the open-label extension study and its execution before supporting such studies. Open-label extension studies do have a legitimate but limited place in the clinical development of new medicines. The negative perceptions about these studies have arisen because of perversion of acceptable rationales for this type of study and a failure to recognise (or disclose) the limitations resulting from the inherent weaknesses in their design. Increased human exposure to a new medicine under reasonably controlled circumstances to increase confidence in the safety of the medicine is an acceptable rationale for an open-label extension study, and a useful activity to increase the knowledge of the safety profile of a new medicine. However, this goal is increasingly being achieved by means other than open-label extension studies.

The effect of dietary betaine in Eimeria acervulina-infected chicks.

PubMed

Matthews, J O; Southern, L L

2000-01-01

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary betaine in broiler chicks with either chronic (CHR; 2.5 x 10(5) sporulated oocysts on Day 1, 4, 7, and 10) or acute (ACT; 1.0 x 10(6) sporulated oocysts on Day 1) Eimeria acervulina infections. Three hundred (Experiment 1) or 600 (Experiment 2), 4-d-old male chicks were used in the 14-d experiments. In both experiments, a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments was used: two levels of betaine (0 or 0.075%) and three levels of coccidiosis infection (uninfected, CHR, or ACT). Each treatment was replicated five (Experiment 1) or 10 (Experiment 2) times with 10 chicks per replicate. In Experiment 1, the ACT infection decreased (P < 0.01) average daily gain and gain:feed, and the CHR infection decreased (P < 0.02) average daily gain. The ACT and CHR infections decreased (P < 0.06) Day 7 plasma carotenoids and Day 14 plasma total protein, and the ACT infection also decreased (P < 0.06) Day 7 plasma total protein. Average daily gain and Day 7 plasma total protein were increased in CHR chicks fed betaine but were decreased in uninfected chicks fed betaine (CHR x betaine; P < 0.09). Chicks fed betaine had decreased (P < 0.06) Day 7 plasma carotenoids. In Experiment 2 the CHR and ACT infections decreased (P < 0.01) average daily gain, average daily feed intake, grain:feed ratio, Days 7 and 14 plasma carotenoids, and Day 7 plasma total protein. Chicks fed betaine had increased (P < 0.07) average daily gains, gain:feed ratios, and lesion scores. Day 14 plasma carotenoids and plasma total protein were decreased in uninfected chicks fed betaine but were increased in CHR chicks fed betaine (CHR x betaine; P < 0.04); plasma carotenoids also were increased in ACT chicks fed betaine (ACT x betaine; P < 0.05). Betaine did not consistently affect growth performance, plasma constituents, or lesion score in CHR or ACT coccidiosis-infected chicks.

The Many Faces of Study Abroad: An Update on the Research on L2 Gains Emerged during a Study Abroad Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Llanes, Angels

2011-01-01

This article offers a critical review of the existing literature on gains in a second language (L2) as a result of a study abroad (SA) experience. The aim of this article is (a) to provide an updated overview of the empirical evidence of L2 gains emerging during an SA experience in order to know what the current situation is, and (b) to identify…

Cluster-based query expansion using external collections in medical information retrieval.

PubMed

Oh, Heung-Seon; Jung, Yuchul

2015-12-01

Utilizing external collections to improve retrieval performance is challenging research because various test collections are created for different purposes. Improving medical information retrieval has also gained much attention as various types of medical documents have become available to researchers ever since they started storing them in machine processable formats. In this paper, we propose an effective method of utilizing external collections based on the pseudo relevance feedback approach. Our method incorporates the structure of external collections in estimating individual components in the final feedback model. Extensive experiments on three medical collections (TREC CDS, CLEF eHealth, and OHSUMED) were performed, and the results were compared with a representative expansion approach utilizing the external collections to show the superiority of our method. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Near Real-Time Processing of Proteomics Data Using Hadoop.

PubMed

Hillman, Chris; Ahmad, Yasmeen; Whitehorn, Mark; Cobley, Andy

2014-03-01

This article presents a near real-time processing solution using MapReduce and Hadoop. The solution is aimed at some of the data management and processing challenges facing the life sciences community. Research into genes and their product proteins generates huge volumes of data that must be extensively preprocessed before any biological insight can be gained. In order to carry out this processing in a timely manner, we have investigated the use of techniques from the big data field. These are applied specifically to process data resulting from mass spectrometers in the course of proteomic experiments. Here we present methods of handling the raw data in Hadoop, and then we investigate a process for preprocessing the data using Java code and the MapReduce framework to identify 2D and 3D peaks.

Weight gain and smoking: perceptions and experiences of obese quitline participants.

PubMed

Bush, Terry; Hsu, Clarissa; Levine, Michele D; Magnusson, Brooke; Miles, Lyndsay

2014-11-27

Weight gain that commonly accompanies smoking cessation can undermine a person's attempt to quit and increase the risk for metabolic disorders. Research indicates that obese smokers have more weight concerns and gain more weight after quitting than non-obese smokers, yet little is known about possible reasons for these outcomes. We sought to gain an understanding of obese smokers' experiences of quitting and their attitudes and beliefs about the association between smoking and weight gain. In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with obese smokers who called a state tobacco quitline. Interviewers elicited discussion of obese smokers' thoughts about smoking, the effects of quitting on change in weight, challenges they faced with quitting, and how quitlines might better serve their needs. Participants (n = 29) discussed their fear of gaining weight after quitting, their beliefs about smoking and their weight and significant experiences related to quitting. Participants' awareness of weight gain associated with quitting was based on prior experience or observation of others who quit. Most viewed cessation as their primary goal and discussed other challenges as being more important than their weight, such as managing stress or coping with a chronic health condition. Although weight gain was viewed as less important than quitting, many talked about changes they had made to mitigate the anticipated weight gain. Weight gain is a concern for obese smokers interested in quitting. Understanding the relative importance of body weight and other challenges related to smoking cessation can help tailor interventions for the specific group of smokers who are obese and interested in smoking cessation.

Louisiana Extension Educators' Perceptions of the Benefit and Relevance of Participating in an International Extension Experience toward Their Career

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClure, Carli; Danjean, Shelli; Bunch, J. C.; Machtmes, Krisanna; Kotrlik, Joe W.

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess Extension educators' perceptions of the benefit and relevance of an international Extension experience (IEE) toward their career. It was concluded that almost two-thirds of Extension educators perceive that participation in an IEE is beneficial and relevant to their careers. Further, Extension educators…

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

Leigh, Christi D.; Hansen, Francis D.

This report summarizes the state of salt repository science, reviews many of the technical issues pertaining to disposal of heat-generating nuclear waste in salt, and proposes several avenues for future science-based activities to further the technical basis for disposal in salt. There are extensive salt formations in the forty-eight contiguous states, and many of them may be worthy of consideration for nuclear waste disposal. The United States has extensive experience in salt repository sciences, including an operating facility for disposal of transuranic wastes. The scientific background for salt disposal including laboratory and field tests at ambient and elevated temperature, principlesmore » of salt behavior, potential for fracture damage and its mitigation, seal systems, chemical conditions, advanced modeling capabilities and near-future developments, performance assessment processes, and international collaboration are all discussed. The discussion of salt disposal issues is brought current, including a summary of recent international workshops dedicated to high-level waste disposal in salt. Lessons learned from Sandia National Laboratories' experience on the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant and the Yucca Mountain Project as well as related salt experience with the Strategic Petroleum Reserve are applied in this assessment. Disposal of heat-generating nuclear waste in a suitable salt formation is attractive because the material is essentially impermeable, self-sealing, and thermally conductive. Conditions are chemically beneficial, and a significant experience base exists in understanding this environment. Within the period of institutional control, overburden pressure will seal fractures and provide a repository setting that limits radionuclide movement. A salt repository could potentially achieve total containment, with no releases to the environment in undisturbed scenarios for as long as the region is geologically stable. Much of the experience gained from United States repository development, such as seal system design, coupled process simulation, and application of performance assessment methodology, helps define a clear strategy for a heat-generating nuclear waste repository in salt.« less

[The efficiency of the application of the modern computed technologies in the clinical practice and the prospects for the further use of the biomechanical 3D-models in forensic medicine].

PubMed

Makarov, I Yu; Svetlakov, A V; Sotin, A V; Shigeev, S V; Gusarov, A A; Smirenin, S A; Emelin, V V; Stragis, V B; Fetisov, V A

2018-01-01

To-day, the computer-assisted 3D-technologies for the mathematical simulation of the engineering facilities are extensively used for the purpose of technical calculations in all branches of industry and building. The positive experience gained with the application of the 3D-models finds wide application in the joined investigations on the topical problems of the prosthetic and surgical treatment of bones, teeth, joints, cardiac valves, blood vessels, etc. The objective of the present study was the analysis of the positive experience with the involvement of the specialists in the design and practical application of 3D-models for the solution of problems facing the medical prosthetics and the management of various pathological conditions. Another objective was to discuss the possible prospects for the interdisciplinary collaboration in these fields with a view to improving the quality of expert conclusions in the framework of forensic medical and criminalistics examinations. The data readily available from the official domestic and foreign Internet resources were used for the purpose of the study. The analysis of the published data has demonstrated the obvious advantages of the application of the mathematical 3D-models and the biomechanical studies for the solution of the concrete medico-biological problems. The currently available positive experience gained due to the participation of domestic specialists in biomechanics in the solution of the specific clinical problems gives hope that their collaboration between themselves and with the forensic medical experts will open up the promising prospects for the further investigations of the issues of common interest.

The Benefits of Residential Fieldwork for School Science: Insights from a five-year initiative for inner-city students in the UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amos, Ruth; Reiss, Michael

2012-03-01

There is considerable international interest in the value of residential fieldwork for school students. In the UK, pressures on curriculum time, rising costs and heightened concern over students' safety are curtailing residential experiences. Collaboration between several key fieldwork providers across the UK created an extensive programme of residential courses for 11-14-year-olds in London schools from 2004 to 2008. Some 33,000 students from 849 schools took part. This paper draws on the evaluation of the programme that gathered questionnaire, interview and observational data from 2,706 participating students, 70 teachers and 869 parents/carers from 46 schools, mainly in deprived areas of the city. Our findings revealed that students' collaborative skills improved and interpersonal relationships were strengthened and taken back to school. Gains were strongest in social and affective domains, together with behavioural improvements for some students. Individual cognitive gains were revealed more convincingly during face-to-face interviews, rather than through survey items. Students from socially deprived backgrounds benefitted from exposure to learning environments which promoted authentic practical inquiry. Over the 5-year programme, combined physical adventure and real-world experiences proved to be popular with students and their teachers, and opened up opportunities for learning and doing science in ways not often accessible in urban school environments. Further programmes have been implemented in other parts of the UK as a result of the London experience, which build upon the provision of mixed curriculum-adventure course design. The popularity and apparent success of these combination courses suggest that providers need to consider the value of developing similar programmes in the future.

The Brazilian Experience with Agroecological Extension: A Critical Analysis of Reform in a Pluralistic Extension System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diesel, Vivien; Miná Dias, Marcelo

2016-01-01

Purpose: To analyze the Brazilian experience in designing and implementing a recent extension policy reform based on agroecology, and reflect on its wider theoretical implications for extension reform literature. Design/methodology/approach: Using a critical public analysis we characterize the evolution of Brazilian federal extension policy…

Tidal extension and sea-level rise: recommendations for a research agenda

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ensign, Scott H.; Noe, Gregory

2018-01-01

Sea-level rise is pushing freshwater tides upstream into formerly non-tidal rivers. This tidal extension may increase the area of tidal freshwater ecosystems and offset loss of ecosystem functions due to salinization downstream. Without considering how gains in ecosystem functions could offset losses, landscape-scale assessments of ecosystem functions may be biased toward worst-case scenarios of loss. To stimulate research on this concept, we address three fundamental questions about tidal extension: Where will tidal extension be most evident, and can we measure it? What ecosystem functions are influenced by tidal extension, and how can we measure them? How do watershed processes, climate change, and tidal extension interact to affect ecosystem functions? Our preliminary answers lead to recommendations that will advance tidal extension research, enable better predictions of the impacts of sea-level rise, and help balance the landscape-scale benefits of ecosystem function with costs of response.

Parts-Per-Billion Mass Measurement Accuracy Achieved through the Combination of Multiple Linear Regression and Automatic Gain Control in a Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometer

PubMed Central

Williams, D. Keith; Muddiman, David C.

2008-01-01

Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry has the ability to achieve unprecedented mass measurement accuracy (MMA); MMA is one of the most significant attributes of mass spectrometric measurements as it affords extraordinary molecular specificity. However, due to space-charge effects, the achievable MMA significantly depends on the total number of ions trapped in the ICR cell for a particular measurement. Even through the use of automatic gain control (AGC), the total ion population is not constant between spectra. Multiple linear regression calibration in conjunction with AGC is utilized in these experiments to formally account for the differences in total ion population in the ICR cell between the external calibration spectra and experimental spectra. This ability allows for the extension of dynamic range of the instrument while allowing mean MMA values to remain less than 1 ppm. In addition, multiple linear regression calibration is used to account for both differences in total ion population in the ICR cell as well as relative ion abundance of a given species, which also affords mean MMA values at the parts-per-billion level. PMID:17539605

Compact lasing system at 13.5-nm to ground state of LiIII at 2Hz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goltsov, A. Y.; Korobkin, D.; Nam, C. H.; Suckewer, Szymon

1997-11-01

The recent results of the demonstration of the lasing action at 13.5 nm in transition to ground state of LiIII at 2 Hz repetition rate using two lasers is being presented in this paper. A gain length of GL approximately equals 5.5 was measured in the 5 mm long, 0.3 mm diameter, LiF microcapillary using a 50 mJ, 250 fsec UV laser beam. The initial plasma was created in the microcapillary by a low power, relatively long pulse Nd/YAG laser. In order to shed light on observed unusually high efficiency of the ionization of the atoms in microcapillaries, the subpicosecond UV laser beam transmissions through the plasma in microcapillaries were measured. Strong dependence of the beam transmission on the delay time between inial plasma formation with the Nd/YAG laser and the sub-picosecond UV laser was recorded. The final part of the paper discusses some necessary conditions for an extension of the present results towards the shorter wavelength lasers with an emphasis on the presently conducted experiments at Princeton University for the generation gain at 4.8 nm in BV.

A quantitative study of a physics-first pilot program

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

Pasero, Spencer Lee; /Northern Illinois U.

Hundreds of high schools around the United States have inverted the traditional core sequence of high school science courses, putting physics first, followed by chemistry, and then biology. A quarter-century of theory, opinion, and anecdote are available, but the literature lacks empirical evidence of the effects of the program. The current study was designed to investigate the effects of the program on science achievement gain, growth in attitude toward science, and growth in understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge. One hundred eighty-five honor students participated in this quasi-experiment, self-selecting into either the traditional or inverted sequence. Students took themore » Explore test as freshmen, and the Plan test as sophomores. Gain scores were calculated for the composite scores and for the science and mathematics subscale scores. A two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) on course sequence and cohort showed significantly greater composite score gains by students taking the inverted sequence. Participants were administered surveys measuring attitude toward science and understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge twice per year. A multilevel growth model, compared across program groups, did not show any significant effect of the inverted sequence on either attitude or understanding of the nature of scientific knowledge. The sole significant parameter showed a decline in student attitude independent of course sequence toward science over the first two years of high school. The results of this study support the theory that moving physics to the front of the science sequence can improve achievement. The importance of the composite gain score on tests vertically aligned with the high-stakes ACT is discussed, and several ideas for extensions of the current study are offered.« less

Effects of Response Task and Accessory Stimuli on Redundancy Gain: Tests of the Hemispheric Coactivation Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Jeff; Van Nes, Fenna

2007-01-01

Two experiments tested predictions of the hemispheric coactivation model for redundancy gain (J. O. Miller, 2004). Simple reaction time was measured in divided attention tasks with visual stimuli presented to the left or right of fixation or redundantly to both sides. Experiment 1 tested the prediction that redundancy gain--the decrease in…

Making Work-Based Learning Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cahill, Charlotte

2016-01-01

Americans seeking employment often face a conundrum: relevant work experience is a prerequisite for many jobs, but it is difficult to gain the required experience without being in the workplace. Work-based learning--activities that occur in workplaces through which youth and adults gain the knowledge, skills, and experience needed for entry or…

Flexibility in Postgraduate Medical Training in the Netherlands.

PubMed

Hoff, Reinier G; Frenkel, Joost; Imhof, Saskia M; Ten Cate, Olle

2018-03-01

Postgraduate medical training in the Netherlands has become increasingly individualized. In this article, the authors describe current practices for three residency programs at the University Medical Center Utrecht: anesthesiology, pediatrics, and ophthalmology. These programs are diverse yet share characteristics allowing for individualized residency training. New residents enter each program throughout the year, avoiding a large simultaneous influx of inexperienced doctors. The usual duration of each is five years. However, the actual duration of rotations or of the program as a whole can be reduced because of residents' previous medical experience or demonstration of early mastery of relevant competencies. If necessary, the duration of training can also increase.Although working hours are already restricted by the European Working Time Directive, most residents choose to train on a part-time basis. The length of their program then is extended proportionally. The extension period added for those residents training part-time can be used to develop specific competencies, complete an elective rotation or research, or explore a focus area. If the resident meets all training objectives before the extension period is completed, the program director can choose to shorten the program length. Recently, entrustable professional activities have been introduced to strengthen workplace-based assessment. The effects on program duration have yet to be demonstrated.Flexible postgraduate training is feasible. Although improving work-life balance for residents is a necessity, attention must be paid to ensuring that they gain the necessary experience and competencies and maintain continuity of care to ensure that high-quality patient care is provided.

Simulation of Martian surface-atmosphere interaction in a space-simulator: Technical considerations and feasibility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moehlmann, D.; Kochan, H.

1992-01-01

The Space Simulator of the German Aerospace Research Establishment at Cologne, formerly used for testing satellites, is now, since 1987, the central unit within the research sub-program 'Comet-Simulation' (KOSI). The KOSI team has investigated physical processes relevant to comets and their surfaces. As a byproduct we gained experience in sample-handling under simulated space conditions. In broadening the scope of the research activities of the DLR Institute of Space Simulation an extension to 'Laboratory-Planetology' is planned. Following the KOSI-experiments a Mars Surface-Simulation with realistic minerals and surface soil in a suited environment (temperature, pressure, and CO2-atmosphere) is foreseen as the next step. Here, our main interest is centered on thermophysical properties of the Martian surface and energy transport (and related gas transport) through the surface. These laboratory simulation activities can be related to space missions as typical pre-mission and during-the-mission support of the experiments design and operations (simulation in parallel). Post mission experiments for confirmation and interpretation of results are of great value. The physical dimensions of the Space Simulator (cylinder of about 2.5 m diameter and 5 m length) allows for testing and qualification of experimental hardware under realistic Martian conditions.

Spacelab

NASA Image and Video Library

1995-07-01

While instruments on the pallets in the payload bay observed the universe, biological experiments were performed in the middeck of the Shuttle Orbiter Challenger. Studying life processes in a microgravity environment can shed new light on the functioning of biological systems on Earth. These investigations can also help us understand how living organisms react to prolonged weightlessness. One such experiment was the vitamin D metabolites and bone demineralization experiment. This investigation measured the vitamin d metabolite levels of crew members to gain information on the cause of bone demineralization and mineral imbalance that occur during prolonged spaceflight as well as on Earth. Research into the biochemical nature of vitamin D has shown that the D-metabolites play a major role in regulating the body's calcium and phosphorus levels. One major function of the most biologically active vitamin D metabolite is to regulate the amount of calcium absorbed from the diet and taken out of bones. This investigation had two phases. The first was the developmental phase, which included extensive testing before flight, and the second, or final phase, involved the postflight analysis of the crew's blood samples. This photograph shows a blood draw test kit and centrifuge used for the experiment aboard the Spacelab-2. Marshall Space Flight Center had management responsibilities of all Spacelab missions.

Mechanical Design and Development of TES Bolometer Detector Arrays for the Advanced ACTPol Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ward, Jonathan T.; Austermann, Jason; Beall, James A.; Choi, Steve K.; Crowley, Kevin T.; Devlin, Mark J.; Duff, Shannon M.; Gallardo, Patricio M.; Henderson, Shawn W.; Ho, Shuay-Pwu Patty;

Mechanical designs and development of TES bolometer detector arrays for the Advanced ACTPol experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Jonathan T.; Austermann, Jason; Beall, James A.; Choi, Steve K.; Crowley, Kevin T.; Devlin, Mark J.; Duff, Shannon M.; Gallardo, Patricio A.; Henderson, Shawn W.; Ho, Shuay-Pwu Patty; Hilton, Gene; Hubmayr, Johannes; Khavari, Niloufar; Klein, Jeffrey; Koopman, Brian J.; Li, Dale; McMahon, Jeffrey; Mumby, Grace; Nati, Federico; Niemack, Michael D.; Page, Lyman A.; Salatino, Maria; Schillaci, Alessandro; Schmitt, Benjamin L.; Simon, Sara M.; Staggs, Suzanne T.; Thornton, Robert; Ullom, Joel N.; Vavagiakis, Eve M.; Wollack, Edward J.

2016-07-01

The next generation Advanced ACTPol (AdvACT) experiment is currently underway and will consist of four Transition Edge Sensor (TES) bolometer arrays, with three operating together, totaling 5800 detectors on the sky. Building on experience gained with the ACTPol detector arrays, AdvACT will utilize various new technologies, including 150 mm detector wafers equipped with multichroic pixels, allowing for a more densely packed focal plane. Each set of detectors includes a feedhorn array of stacked silicon wafers which form a spline profile leading to each pixel. This is then followed by a waveguide interface plate, detector wafer, back short cavity plate, and backshort cap. Each array is housed in a custom designed structure manufactured from high purity copper and then gold plated. In addition to the detector array assembly, the array package also encloses cryogenic readout electronics. We present the full mechanical design of the AdvACT high frequency (HF) detector array package along with a detailed look at the detector array stack assemblies. This experiment will also make use of extensive hardware and software previously developed for ACT, which will be modified to incorporate the new AdvACT instruments. Therefore, we discuss the integration of all AdvACT arrays with pre-existing ACTPol infrastructure.

Feedback-Assisted Extension of the Tokamak Operating Space to Low Safety Factor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanson, J. M.

2013-10-01

Recent DIII-D experiments have demonstrated stable operation at very low edge safety factor, q95 <~ 2 through the use of magnetic feedback to control the n = 1 resistive wall mode (RWM) instability. The performance of tokamak fusion devices may benefit from increased plasma current, and thus, decreased q. However, disruptive stability limits are commonly encountered in experiments at qedge ~ 2 (limited plasmas) and q95 ~ 2 (diverted plasmas), limiting exploration of low q regimes. In the recent DIII-D experiments, the impact and control of key disruptive instabilities was studied. Locked n = 1 modes with exponential growth times on the order of the wall eddy current decay timescale τw preceded disruptions at q95 = 2 . The instabilities have a poloidal structure that is consistent with VALEN simulations of the RWM mode structure at q95 = 2 . Applying proportional gain magnetic feedback control of the n = 1 mode resulted in stabilized operation with q95 reaching 1.9, and an extension of the discharge lifetime for > 100τw . Loss of feedback control was accompanied by power supply saturation, followed by a rapidly growing n = 1 mode and disruption. Comparisons of the feedback dynamics with VALEN simulations will be presented. The DIII-D results complement and will be discussed alongside recent RFX-MOD demonstrations of RWM control using magnetic feedback in limited tokamak discharges with qedge < 2. These results call attention to the utility of magnetic feedback in significantly extending the tokamak operational space and potentially opening a new route to economical fusion power production. Supported by the US Department of Energy under DE-FG02-04ER54761 and DE-FC02-04ER54698.

University education and nuclear criticality safety professionals

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

Wilson, R.E.; Stachowiak, R.V.; Knief, R.A.

1996-12-31

The problem of developing a productive criticality safety specialist at a nuclear fuel facility has long been with us. The normal practice is to hire a recent undergraduate or graduate degree recipient and invest at least a decade in on-the-job training. In the early 1980s, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) developed a model intern program in an attempt to speed up the process. The program involved working at assigned projects for extended periods at a working critical mass laboratory, a methods development group, and a fuel cycle facility. This never gained support as it involved extended time away frommore » the job. At the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site, the training method is currently the traditional one involving extensive experience. The flaw is that the criticality safety staff turnover has been such that few individuals continue for the decade some consider necessary for maturity in the discipline. To maintain quality evaluations and controls as well as interpretation decisions, extensive group review is used. This has proved costly to the site and professionally unsatisfying to the current staff. The site contractor has proposed a training program to remedy the basic problem.« less

Overcoming hurdles in translating visual search research between the lab and the field.

PubMed

Clark, Kait; Cain, Matthew S; Adamo, Stephen H; Mitroff, Stephen R

2012-01-01

Research in visual search can be vital to improving performance in careers such as radiology and airport security screening. In these applied, or "field," searches, accuracy is critical, and misses are potentially fatal; however, despite the importance of performing optimally, radiological and airport security searches are nevertheless flawed. Extensive basic research in visual search has revealed cognitive mechanisms responsible for successful visual search as well as a variety of factors that tend to inhibit or improve performance. Ideally, the knowledge gained from such laboratory-based research could be directly applied to field searches, but several obstacles stand in the way of straightforward translation; the tightly controlled visual searches performed in the lab can be drastically different from field searches. For example, they can differ in terms of the nature of the stimuli, the environment in which the search is taking place, and the experience and characteristics of the searchers themselves. The goal of this chapter is to discuss these differences and how they can present hurdles to translating lab-based research to field-based searches. Specifically, most search tasks in the lab entail searching for only one target per trial, and the targets occur relatively frequently, but field searches may contain an unknown and unlimited number of targets, and the occurrence of targets can be rare. Additionally, participants in lab-based search experiments often perform under neutral conditions and have no formal training or experience in search tasks; conversely, career searchers may be influenced by the motivation to perform well or anxiety about missing a target, and they have undergone formal training and accumulated significant experience searching. This chapter discusses recent work that has investigated the impacts of these differences to determine how each factor can influence search performance. Knowledge gained from the scientific exploration of search can be applied to field searches but only when considering and controlling for the differences between lab and field.

Low-index-metamaterial for gain enhancement of planar terahertz antenna

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

Zhang, Qing-Le; Si, Li-Ming, E-mail: lms@bit.edu.cn; Lv, Xin

2014-03-15

We theoretically present a high gain planar antenna at terahertz (THz) frequencies by combing a conventional log-periodic antenna (LPA) with a low-index-metamaterial (LIM, |n| < 1). The LIM is realized by properly designing a fishnet metamaterial using full-wave finite-element simulation. Owing to the impedance matching, the LIM can be placed seamlessly on the substrate of the LPA without noticeable reflection. The effectiveness of using LIM for antenna gain enhancement is confirmed by comparing the antenna performance with and without LIM, where significantly improved half-power beam-width (3-dB beam-width) and more than 4 dB gain enhancement are seen within a certain frequencymore » range. The presented LIM-enhanced planar THz antenna is compact, flat, low profile, and high gain, which has extensive applications in THz systems, including communications, radar, and spectroscopy.« less

Structural Changes and Proapoptotic Peroxidase Activity of Cardiolipin-Bound Mitochondrial Cytochrome c

PubMed Central

Mandal, Abhishek; Hoop, Cody L.; DeLucia, Maria; Kodali, Ravindra; Kagan, Valerian E.; Ahn, Jinwoo; van der Wel, Patrick C.A.

2015-01-01

The cellular process of intrinsic apoptosis relies on the peroxidation of mitochondrial lipids as a critical molecular signal. Lipid peroxidation is connected to increases in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, but there is also a required role for mitochondrial cytochrome c (cyt-c). In apoptotic mitochondria, cyt-c gains a new function as a lipid peroxidase that catalyzes the reactive oxygen species-mediated chemical modification of the mitochondrial lipid cardiolipin (CL). This peroxidase activity is caused by a conformational change in the protein, resulting from interactions between cyt-c and CL. The nature of the conformational change and how it causes this gain-of-function remain uncertain. Via a combination of functional, structural, and biophysical experiments we investigate the structure and peroxidase activity of cyt-c in its membrane-bound state. We reconstituted cyt-c with CL-containing lipid vesicles, and determined the increase in peroxidase activity resulting from membrane binding. We combined these assays of CL-induced proapoptotic activity with structural and dynamic studies of the membrane-bound protein via solid-state NMR and optical spectroscopy. Multidimensional magic angle spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR of uniformly 13C,15N-labeled protein was used to detect site-specific conformational changes in oxidized and reduced horse heart cyt-c bound to CL-containing lipid bilayers. MAS NMR and Fourier transform infrared measurements show that the peripherally membrane-bound cyt-c experiences significant dynamics, but also retains most or all of its secondary structure. Moreover, in two-dimensional and three-dimensional MAS NMR spectra the CL-bound cyt-c displays a spectral resolution, and thus structural homogeneity, that is inconsistent with extensive membrane-induced unfolding. Cyt-c is found to interact primarily with the membrane interface, without significantly disrupting the lipid bilayer. Thus, membrane binding results in cyt-c gaining the increased peroxidase activity that represents its pivotal proapoptotic function, but we do not observe evidence for large-scale unfolding or penetration into the membrane core. PMID:26536264

Life after unsuccessful IVF treatment in an assisted reproduction unit: a qualitative analysis of gains through loss among Chinese persons in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Lee, Geok Ling; Hui Choi, W H; Chan, Celia H Y; Chan, Cecilia L W; Ng, Ernest H Y

2009-08-01

Previous studies examining experiences of infertility focused mainly on the aspect of loss but neglected the possible gains realized through surviving the experience of infertility. The success rate of IVF remains relatively low, and we used the strengths perspective to examine adjustment after unsuccessful treatment. This study aims to provide an in-depth description of the gains perceived by Chinese men and women and how they re-constructed their lives after unsuccessful IVF treatment. Four couples and another six women who experienced unsuccessful IVF treatment were recruited from an assisted reproduction clinic. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, using a grounded theory constructivist approach. Of the 10 women and 4 men interviewed, 9 remained childless, 3 had adopted a child and 2 had conceived naturally. They reported gains on a personal level, interpersonal level and transpersonal level through surviving the experience of infertility. All, regardless of the eventual outcome, reported at least one form of personal gain: in personality or knowledge gain. Interpersonal gains were perceived in relationships with their spouses, children, parents, friends, colleagues and fellow IVF service users. More than half of them reported spiritual growth and a change in identity through integrating their experiences and offering help to others. Despite the small sample size, this study makes a significant contribution by suggesting that while negative feelings provoked by the failure to conceive should be acknowledged, people in this situation should also be enabled to consolidate their negative experiences of IVF constructively, helping them to move on with their lives.

7 Principles for Effective Work-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cahill, Charlotte

2016-01-01

Americans seeking employment often face a conundrum: relevant work experience is a prerequisite for many jobs, but it is difficult to gain the required experience without being in the workplace. Work-based learning--activities that occur in workplaces through which youth and adults gain the knowledge, skills, and experience needed for entry or…

Studies on the feeding of cupric sulfate pentahydrate, cupric citrate, and copper oxychloride to broiler chickens.

PubMed

Ewing, H P; Pesti, G M; Bakalli, R I; Menten, J F

1998-03-01

Male commercial broiler strain chickens were fed either a control diet (based on corn and soybean meal) or the control diet supplemented with cupric sulfate pentahydrate, copper oxychloride, or cupric citrate in two experiments conducted in floor pens. In Experiment 1, feeding copper at 125 mg/kg diet for 42 d significantly increased broiler growth; and the response from cupric citrate was significantly better than either cupric sulfate or copper oxychloride. In Experiment 2, the inclusion of copper from cupric citrate was reduced to 63 mg/kg and the length of the experiment was increased to 56 d. Cupric sulfate pentahydrate and copper oxychloride treatments increased weight gain by 4.9% and cupric citrate increased weight gain by 9.1%. The feed conversion ratios (grams of feed:grams of gain of live birds) in the birds fed copper were not significantly different from those fed the basal diet (P > 0.05) unless corrections were made for the weights of the dead birds; the adjusted feed conversion ratios (grams of feed:grams of gain of live birds + grams of gain of mortalities) for the copper-treated birds in Experiments 1 and 2 were 5.2 and 7.6% lower, respectively, than the ratios of birds fed the basal diets. Plasma copper levels increased in supplemented chicks by 35% in Experiment 1 and 24% in Experiment 2. Liver copper levels in both experiments were increased by 26% with copper supplementation. Mortality was not affected by dietary treatment in either experiment (P > 0.05).

Undergraduate research experiences support science career decisions and active learning.

PubMed

Lopatto, David

2007-01-01

The present study examined the reliability of student evaluations of summer undergraduate research experiences using the SURE (Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences) and a follow-up survey disseminated 9 mo later. The survey further examines the hypothesis that undergraduate research enhances the educational experience of science undergraduates, attracts and retains talented students to careers in science, and acts as a pathway for minority students into science careers. Undergraduates participated in an online survey on the benefits of undergraduate research experiences. Participants indicated gains on 20 potential benefits and reported on career plans. Most of the participants began or continued to plan for postgraduate education in the sciences. A small group of students who discontinued their plans for postgraduate science education reported significantly lower gains than continuing students. Women and men reported similar levels of benefits and similar patterns of career plans. Undergraduate researchers from underrepresented groups reported higher learning gains than comparison students. The results replicated previously reported data from this survey. The follow-up survey indicated that students reported gains in independence, intrinsic motivation to learn, and active participation in courses taken after the summer undergraduate research experience.

Eccentric Training and Static Stretching Improve Hamstring Flexibility of High School Males

PubMed Central

Bandy, William D.

2004-01-01

Objective: To determine if the flexibility of high-school-aged males would improve after a 6-week eccentric exercise program. In addition, the changes in hamstring flexibility that occurred after the eccentric program were compared with a 6-week program of static stretching and with a control group (no stretching). Design and Setting: We used a test-retest control group design in a laboratory setting. Subjects were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 groups: eccentric training, static stretching, or control. Subjects: A total of 69 subjects, with a mean age of 16.45 ± 0.96 years and with limited hamstring flexibility (defined as 20° loss of knee extension measured with the thigh held at 90° of hip flexion) were recruited for this study. Measurements: Hamstring flexibility was measured using the passive 90/90 test before and after the 6-week program. Results: Differences were significant for test and for the test-by-group interaction. Follow-up analysis indicated significant differences between the control group (gain = 1.67°) and both the eccentric-training (gain = 12.79°) and static-stretching (gain = 12.05°) groups. No difference was found between the eccentric and static-stretching groups. Conclusions: The gains achieved in range of motion of knee extension (indicating improvement in hamstring flexibility) with eccentric training were equal to those made by statically stretching the hamstring muscles. PMID:15496995

Eccentric Training and Static Stretching Improve Hamstring Flexibility of High School Males.

PubMed

Nelson, Russell T; Bandy, William D

2004-09-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the flexibility of high-school-aged males would improve after a 6-week eccentric exercise program. In addition, the changes in hamstring flexibility that occurred after the eccentric program were compared with a 6-week program of static stretching and with a control group (no stretching). DESIGN AND SETTING: We used a test-retest control group design in a laboratory setting. Subjects were assigned randomly to 1 of 3 groups: eccentric training, static stretching, or control. SUBJECTS: A total of 69 subjects, with a mean age of 16.45 +/- 0.96 years and with limited hamstring flexibility (defined as 20 degrees loss of knee extension measured with the thigh held at 90 degrees of hip flexion) were recruited for this study. MEASUREMENTS: Hamstring flexibility was measured using the passive 90/90 test before and after the 6-week program. RESULTS: Differences were significant for test and for the test-by-group interaction. Follow-up analysis indicated significant differences between the control group (gain = 1.67 degrees ) and both the eccentric-training (gain = 12.79 degrees ) and static-stretching (gain = 12.05 degrees ) groups. No difference was found between the eccentric and static-stretching groups. CONCLUSIONS: The gains achieved in range of motion of knee extension (indicating improvement in hamstring flexibility) with eccentric training were equal to those made by statically stretching the hamstring muscles.

Extensive Gains and Losses of Olfactory Receptor Genes in Mammalian Evolution

PubMed Central

Niimura, Yoshihito; Nei, Masatoshi

2007-01-01

Odor perception in mammals is mediated by a large multigene family of olfactory receptor (OR) genes. The number of OR genes varies extensively among different species of mammals, and most species have a substantial number of pseudogenes. To gain some insight into the evolutionary dynamics of mammalian OR genes, we identified the entire set of OR genes in platypuses, opossums, cows, dogs, rats, and macaques and studied the evolutionary change of the genes together with those of humans and mice. We found that platypuses and primates have <400 functional OR genes while the other species have 800–1,200 functional OR genes. We then estimated the numbers of gains and losses of OR genes for each branch of the phylogenetic tree of mammals. This analysis showed that (i) gene expansion occurred in the placental lineage each time after it diverged from monotremes and from marsupials and (ii) hundreds of gains and losses of OR genes have occurred in an order-specific manner, making the gene repertoires highly variable among different orders. It appears that the number of OR genes is determined primarily by the functional requirement for each species, but once the number reaches the required level, it fluctuates by random duplication and deletion of genes. This fluctuation seems to have been aided by the stochastic nature of OR gene expression. PMID:17684554

Two different mechanisms support selective attention at different phases of training.

PubMed

Itthipuripat, Sirawaj; Cha, Kexin; Byers, Anna; Serences, John T

2017-06-01

Selective attention supports the prioritized processing of relevant sensory information to facilitate goal-directed behavior. Studies in human subjects demonstrate that attentional gain of cortical responses can sufficiently account for attention-related improvements in behavior. On the other hand, studies using highly trained nonhuman primates suggest that reductions in neural noise can better explain attentional facilitation of behavior. Given the importance of selective information processing in nearly all domains of cognition, we sought to reconcile these competing accounts by testing the hypothesis that extensive behavioral training alters the neural mechanisms that support selective attention. We tested this hypothesis using electroencephalography (EEG) to measure stimulus-evoked visual responses from human subjects while they performed a selective spatial attention task over the course of ~1 month. Early in training, spatial attention led to an increase in the gain of stimulus-evoked visual responses. Gain was apparent within ~100 ms of stimulus onset, and a quantitative model based on signal detection theory (SDT) successfully linked the magnitude of this gain modulation to attention-related improvements in behavior. However, after extensive training, this early attentional gain was eliminated even though there were still substantial attention-related improvements in behavior. Accordingly, the SDT-based model required noise reduction to account for the link between the stimulus-evoked visual responses and attentional modulations of behavior. These findings suggest that training can lead to fundamental changes in the way attention alters the early cortical responses that support selective information processing. Moreover, these data facilitate the translation of results across different species and across experimental procedures that employ different behavioral training regimes.

Two different mechanisms support selective attention at different phases of training

PubMed Central

Cha, Kexin; Byers, Anna; Serences, John T.

2017-01-01

Selective attention supports the prioritized processing of relevant sensory information to facilitate goal-directed behavior. Studies in human subjects demonstrate that attentional gain of cortical responses can sufficiently account for attention-related improvements in behavior. On the other hand, studies using highly trained nonhuman primates suggest that reductions in neural noise can better explain attentional facilitation of behavior. Given the importance of selective information processing in nearly all domains of cognition, we sought to reconcile these competing accounts by testing the hypothesis that extensive behavioral training alters the neural mechanisms that support selective attention. We tested this hypothesis using electroencephalography (EEG) to measure stimulus-evoked visual responses from human subjects while they performed a selective spatial attention task over the course of ~1 month. Early in training, spatial attention led to an increase in the gain of stimulus-evoked visual responses. Gain was apparent within ~100 ms of stimulus onset, and a quantitative model based on signal detection theory (SDT) successfully linked the magnitude of this gain modulation to attention-related improvements in behavior. However, after extensive training, this early attentional gain was eliminated even though there were still substantial attention-related improvements in behavior. Accordingly, the SDT-based model required noise reduction to account for the link between the stimulus-evoked visual responses and attentional modulations of behavior. These findings suggest that training can lead to fundamental changes in the way attention alters the early cortical responses that support selective information processing. Moreover, these data facilitate the translation of results across different species and across experimental procedures that employ different behavioral training regimes. PMID:28654635

The Extent of Genome Flux and Its Role in the Differentiation of Bacterial Lineages

PubMed Central

Nowell, Reuben W.; Green, Sarah; Laue, Bridget E.; Sharp, Paul M.

2014-01-01

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) and gene loss are key processes in bacterial evolution. However, the role of gene gain and loss in the emergence and maintenance of ecologically differentiated bacterial populations remains an open question. Here, we use whole-genome sequence data to quantify gene gain and loss for 27 lineages of the plant-associated bacterium Pseudomonas syringae. We apply an extensive error-control procedure that accounts for errors in draft genome data and greatly improves the accuracy of patterns of gene occurrence among these genomes. We demonstrate a history of extensive genome fluctuation for this species and show that individual lineages could have acquired thousands of genes in the same period in which a 1% amino acid divergence accrues in the core genome. Elucidating the dynamics of genome fluctuation reveals the rapid turnover of gained genes, such that the majority of recently gained genes are quickly lost. Despite high observed rates of fluctuation, a phylogeny inferred from patterns of gene occurrence is similar to a phylogeny based on amino acid replacements within the core genome. Furthermore, the core genome phylogeny suggests that P. syringae should be considered a number of distinct species, with levels of divergence at least equivalent to those between recognized bacterial species. Gained genes are transferred from a variety of sources, reflecting the depth and diversity of the potential gene pool available via HGT. Overall, our results provide further insights into the evolutionary dynamics of genome fluctuation and implicate HGT as a major factor contributing to the diversification of P. syringae lineages. PMID:24923323

Reliability Demonstration Approach for Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ha, CHuong; Zampino, Edward; Penswick, Barry; Spronz, Michael

2010-01-01

Developed for future space missions as a high-efficiency power system, the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG) has a design life requirement of 14 yr in space following a potential storage of 3 yr after fueling. In general, the demonstration of long-life dynamic systems remains difficult in part due to the perception that the wearout of moving parts cannot be minimized, and associated failures are unpredictable. This paper shows a combination of systematic analytical methods, extensive experience gained from technology development, and well-planned tests can be used to ensure a high level reliability of ASRG. With this approach, all potential risks from each life phase of the system are evaluated and the mitigation adequately addressed. This paper also provides a summary of important test results obtained to date for ASRG and the planned effort for system-level extended operation.

Development of moored oceanographic spectroradiometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Booth, Charles R.; Mitchell, B. Greg; Holm-Hansen, O.

1987-01-01

Biospherical Instruments has successfully completed a NASA sponsored SBIR (Small Business Innovational Research Program) project to develop spectroradiometers capable of being deployed in the ocean for long periods of time. The completion of this project adds a valuable tool for the calibration of future spaceborne ocean color sensors and enables oceanographers to extend remote sensing optical techniques beyond the intermittent coverage of spaceborne sensors. Highlights of the project include two moorings totalling 8 months generating extensive sets of optical, biological, and physical data sets in the ocean off La Jolla, California, and a 70 day operational deployment of the resulting commercial product by the ONR and NASA sponsored BIOWATT program. Based on experience gained in these moorings, Biospherical Instruments has developed a new line of spectroradiometers designed to support the oceanographic remote sensing missions of NASA, the Navy, and various oceanographers.

SSME to RS-25: Challenges of Adapting a Heritage Engine to a New Vehicle Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ballard, Richard O.

2015-01-01

A key constituent of the NASA Space Launch System (SLS) architecture is the RS-25 engine, also known as the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME). This engine was selected largely due to the maturity and extensive experience gained through 30-plus years of service. However, while the RS-25 is a highly mature system, simply unbolting it from the Space Shuttle and mounting it on the new SLS vehicle is not a "plug-and-play" operation. In addition to numerous technical integration and operational details, there were also hardware upgrades needed. While the magnitude of effort is less than that needed to develop a new clean-sheet engine system, this paper describes some of the expected and unexpected challenges encountered to date on the path to the first flight of SLS.

Evaluation of performance of select fusion experiments and projected reactors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miley, G. H.

1978-01-01

The performance of NASA Lewis fusion experiments (SUMMA and Bumpy Torus) is compared with other experiments and that necessary for a power reactor. Key parameters cited are gain (fusion power/input power) and the time average fusion power, both of which may be more significant for real fusion reactors than the commonly used Lawson parameter. The NASA devices are over 10 orders of magnitude below the required powerplant values in both gain and time average power. The best experiments elsewhere are also as much as 4 to 5 orders of magnitude low. However, the NASA experiments compare favorably with other alternate approaches that have received less funding than the mainline experiments. The steady-state character and efficiency of plasma heating are strong advantages of the NASA approach. The problem, though, is to move ahead to experiments of sufficient size to advance in gain and average power parameters.

The excess choice effect: The role of outcome valence and counterfactual thinking.

PubMed

Hafner, Rebecca J; White, Mathew P; Handley, Simon J

2016-02-01

Contrary to economic theory, psychological research has demonstrated increased choice can undermine satisfaction. When and why this 'excess choice effect' (ECE) occurs remains unclear. Building on theories of counterfactual thinking we argue the ECE is more likely to occur when people experience counterfactual thought or emotion and that a key trigger is a negative versus positive task outcome. Participants either selected a drink (Experiment 1) or chocolate (Experiment 2) from a limited (6) versus extensive (24) selection (Experiment 1) or were given no choice versus extensive (24) choice (Experiment 2). In both experiments, however, the choice was illusory: Half the participants tasted a 'good' flavour, half a 'bad' flavour. As predicted, extensive choice was only detrimental to satisfaction when participants tasted the 'bad' drink or chocolate, and this was mediated by the experience of counterfactual thought (Experiment 1) or emotion (Experiment 2). When outcomes were positive, participants were similarly satisfied with limited versus extensive and no choice versus extensive choice. Implications for our theoretical understanding of the ECE and for the construction of choice architectures aimed at promoting individual satisfaction and well-being are discussed. © 2015 The British Psychological Society.

Risk preferences and aging: The “Certainty Effect” in older adults’ decision making

PubMed Central

Mather, Mara; Mazar, Nina; Gorlick, Marissa A.; Lighthall, Nichole R.; Burgeno, Jessica; Schoeke, Andrej; Ariely, Dan

2013-01-01

A prevalent stereotype is that people become less risk taking and more cautious as they get older. However, in laboratory studies, findings are mixed and often reveal no age differences. In the current series of experiments, we examined whether age differences in risk seeking are more likely to emerge when choices include a certain option (a sure gain or a sure loss). In four experiments, we found that age differences in risk preferences only emerged when participants were offered a choice between a risky and a certain gamble but not when offered two risky gambles. In particular, Experiments 1 and 2 included only gambles about potential gains. Here, compared with younger adults, older adults preferred a certain gain over a chance to win a larger gain and thus, exhibited more risk aversion in the domain of gains. But in Experiments 3 and 4, when offered the chance to take a small sure loss rather than risking a larger loss, older adults exhibited more risk seeking in the domain of losses than younger adults. Both their greater preference for sure gains and greater avoidance of sure losses suggest that older adults weigh certainty more heavily than younger adults. Experiment 4 also indicates that older adults focus more on positive emotions than younger adults do when considering their options and that this emotional shift can at least partially account for age differences in how much people are swayed by certainty in their choices. PMID:23066800

Precision analysis of the photomultiplier response to ultra low signals

DOE PAGES

Degtiarenko, Pavel

2017-08-05

Here, a new computational model for the description of the photon detector response functions measured in conditions of low light is presented, together with examples of the observed photomultiplier signal amplitude distributions, successfully described using the parameterized model equation. In extension to the previously known approximations, the new model describes the underlying discrete statistical behavior of the photoelectron cascade multiplication processes in photon detectors with complex non-uniform gain structure of the first dynode. Important features of the model include the ability to represent the true single-photoelectron spectra from different photomultipliers with a variety of parameterized shapes, reflecting the variability inmore » the design and in the individual parameters of the detectors. The new software tool is available for evaluation of the detectors’ performance, response, and efficiency parameters that may be used in various applications including the ultra low background experiments such as the searches for Dark Matter and rare decays, underground neutrino studies, optimizing operations of the Cherenkov light detectors, help in the detector selection procedures, and in the experiment simulations.« less

Biomarkers and their dependence on well-reported antibodies.

PubMed

Voskuil, Jan

2015-11-01

Jan Voskuil is the Chief Scientific Officer at antibody manufacturer Everest Biotech in Oxfordshire, UK. After specializing in prokaryotic cell biology through his PhD program in Amsterdam, The Netherlands and a postdoctorate position at Stanford (CA, USA), he switched to the science of neurodegenerative diseases at Oxford, UK through postdoctorate positions at Dunn School of Pathology and at MRC and through a leading position at the Alzheimer drug discovery company Synaptica. He subsequently gained experience in a Good Laboratory Practice-regulatory environment in contract research organization companies both in Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire, validating assays in Flow Cytometry and ELISA platforms and writing standard operating procedures. His extensive experience with generating and characterizing monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies in combination with accrued knowledge on most immunoassays in academic and commercial environments made him the ideal candidate to take charge in putting Everest Biotech on the global map by ever raising the quality and size of its catalog and by delivery of adequate technical support. As a result, Everest antibodies are currently part of most globally well-known catalogs, and its products are increasingly recognized as useful alternatives to unfit monoclonal antibodies.

Optimization of Robotic Spray Painting process Parameters using Taguchi Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chidhambara, K. V.; Latha Shankar, B.; Vijaykumar

2018-02-01

Automated spray painting process is gaining interest in industry and research recently due to extensive application of spray painting in automobile industries. Automating spray painting process has advantages of improved quality, productivity, reduced labor, clean environment and particularly cost effectiveness. This study investigates the performance characteristics of an industrial robot Fanuc 250ib for an automated painting process using statistical tool Taguchi’s Design of Experiment technique. The experiment is designed using Taguchi’s L25 orthogonal array by considering three factors and five levels for each factor. The objective of this work is to explore the major control parameters and to optimize the same for the improved quality of the paint coating measured in terms of Dry Film thickness(DFT), which also results in reduced rejection. Further Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) is performed to know the influence of individual factors on DFT. It is observed that shaping air and paint flow are the most influencing parameters. Multiple regression model is formulated for estimating predicted values of DFT. Confirmation test is then conducted and comparison results show that error is within acceptable level.

Our school's Earth and Space Sciences Club: 12 years promoting interdisciplinary explorations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margarida Maria, Ana; Pereira, Hélder

2017-04-01

During the past 12 years, we have been engaging secondary level science students (15 to 18 years old) in the extracurricular activities of our school's Earth and Space Sciences Club, providing them with some of the skills needed to excel in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM). Our approach includes the use of authentic scientific data, project based learning, and inquiry-centred activities that go beyond the models and theories present in secondary level textbooks. Moreover, the activities and projects carried out, being eminently practical, also function as an extension of the curriculum and frequently enable the demonstration of the applicability of several concepts taught in the classroom in real life situations. The tasks carried out during these activities and research projects often require the combination of two or more subjects, promoting an interdisciplinary approach to learning. Outside of the traditional classroom settings, through interdisciplinary explorations, students also gain hands-on experience doing real science. Thereby, during this time, we have been able to promote meaningful and lasting experiences and spark students' interest in a wide diversity of topics.

Oral history of Florence Downs; the early years.

PubMed

Fairman, J; Mahon, M M

2001-01-01

Florence Downs is a well-recognized nursing leader, educator, editor, and scholar who helped shape nursing as an intellectual discipline, and wrote extensively about the importance of links between research and practice. Through the use of oral history data garnered over 15 hours of interviews, we constructed a narrative that describes some of Downs' formative experiences. Oral history is used to place the "stories" of an individual into a social and cultural context, in this case, the development of the profession of nursing. From the interviews, several strands emerged that defined Downs' extended career, including the importance of developing a community of scholars both in and outside of nursing, the dangers of parochialism, and the necessity of a perspective on life that melded a keen sense of humor. Factors that affected Downs' style and choice, especially her mother, and her educational experiences, were revealed. From the interviews we gained a sense of how Downs constructed her conceptual universe of nursing, as well as the language and political effectiveness to overcome barriers confronting the intellectual growth of nursing mounted by other nursing leaders as well as traditional academic disciplines.

ISS Training Best Practices and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barshi, Immanuel; Dempsey, Donna L.

2017-01-01

Training our crew members for long duration exploration-class missions (LDEM) will have to be qualitatively and quantitatively different from current training practices. However, there is much to be learned from the extensive experience NASA has gained in training crew members for missions on board the International Space Station (ISS). Furthermore, the operational experience on board the ISS provides valuable feedback concerning training effectiveness. Keeping in mind the vast differences between current ISS crew training and training for LDEM, the needs of future crew members, and the demands of future missions, this ongoing study seeks to document current training practices and lessons learned. The goal of the study is to provide input to the design of future crew training that takes as much advantage as possible of what has already been learned and avoids as much as possible past inefficiencies. Results from this study will be presented upon its completion. By researching established training principles, examining future needs, and by using current practices in spaceflight training as test beds, this research project is mitigating program risks and generating templates and requirements to meet future training needs.

ISS Training Best Practices and Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dempsey, Donna L.; Barshi, Immanuel

2018-01-01

Training our crew members for long-duration Deep Space Transport (DST) missions will have to be qualitatively and quantitatively different from current training practices. However, there is much to be learned from the extensive experience NASA has gained in training crew members for missions on board the International Space Station (ISS). Furthermore, the operational experience on board the ISS provides valuable feedback concerning training effectiveness. Keeping in mind the vast differences between current ISS crew training and training for DST missions, the needs of future crew members, and the demands of future missions, this ongoing study seeks to document current training practices and lessons learned. The goal of the study is to provide input to the design of future crew training that takes as much advantage as possible of what has already been learned and avoids as much as possible past inefficiencies. Results from this study will be presented upon its completion. By researching established training principles, examining future needs, and by using current practices in spaceflight training as test beds, this research project is mitigating program risks and generating templates and requirements to meet future training needs.

Determination of the Potential Benefit of Time-Frequency Gain Manipulation

PubMed Central

Anzalone, Michael C.; Calandruccio, Lauren; Doherty, Karen A.; Carney, Laurel H.

2008-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the maximum benefit provided by a time-frequency gain-manipulation algorithm for noise-reduction (NR) based on an ideal detector of speech energy. The amount of detected energy necessary to show benefit using this type of NR algorithm was examined, as well as the necessary speed and frequency resolution of the gain manipulation. Design NR was performed using time-frequency gain manipulation, wherein the gains of individual frequency bands depended on the absence or presence of speech energy within each band. Three different experiments were performed: (1) NR using ideal detectors, (2) NR with nonideal detectors, and (3) NR with ideal detectors and different processing speeds and frequency resolutions. All experiments were performed using the Hearing-in-Noise test (HINT). A total of 6 listeners with normal hearing and 14 listeners with hearing loss were tested. Results HINT thresholds improved for all listeners with NR based on the ideal detectors used in Experiment I. The nonideal detectors of Experiment II required detection of at least 90% of the speech energy before an improvement was seen in HINT thresholds. The results of Experiment III demonstrated that relatively high temporal resolution (<100 msec) was required by the NR algorithm to improve HINT thresholds. Conclusions The results indicated that a single-microphone NR system based on time-frequency gain manipulation improved the HINT thresholds of listeners. However, to obtain benefit in speech intelligibility, the detectors used in such a strategy were required to detect an unrealistically high percentage of the speech energy and to perform the gain manipulations on a fast temporal basis. PMID:16957499

A testbed for architecture and fidelity trade studies in the Bayesian decision-level fusion of ATR products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erickson, Kyle J.; Ross, Timothy D.

2007-04-01

Decision-level fusion is an appealing extension to automatic/assisted target recognition (ATR) as it is a low-bandwidth technique bolstered by a strong theoretical foundation that requires no modification of the source algorithms. Despite the relative simplicity of decision-level fusion, there are many options for fusion application and fusion algorithm specifications. This paper describes a tool that allows trade studies and optimizations across these many options, by feeding an actual fusion algorithm via models of the system environment. Models and fusion algorithms can be specified and then exercised many times, with accumulated results used to compute performance metrics such as probability of correct identification. Performance differences between the best of the contributing sources and the fused result constitute examples of "gain." The tool, constructed as part of the Fusion for Identifying Targets Experiment (FITE) within the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Sensors Directorate ATR Thrust, finds its main use in examining the relationships among conditions affecting the target, prior information, fusion algorithm complexity, and fusion gain. ATR as an unsolved problem provides the main challenges to fusion in its high cost and relative scarcity of training data, its variability in application, the inability to produce truly random samples, and its sensitivity to context. This paper summarizes the mathematics underlying decision-level fusion in the ATR domain and describes a MATLAB-based architecture for exploring the trade space thus defined. Specific dimensions within this trade space are delineated, providing the raw material necessary to define experiments suitable for multi-look and multi-sensor ATR systems.

Fixed gain and adaptive techniques for rotorcraft vibration control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roy, R. H.; Saberi, H. A.; Walker, R. A.

1985-01-01

The results of an analysis effort performed to demonstrate the feasibility of employing approximate dynamical models and frequency shaped cost functional control law desgin techniques for helicopter vibration suppression are presented. Both fixed gain and adaptive control designs based on linear second order dynamical models were implemented in a detailed Rotor Systems Research Aircraft (RSRA) simulation to validate these active vibration suppression control laws. Approximate models of fuselage flexibility were included in the RSRA simulation in order to more accurately characterize the structural dynamics. The results for both the fixed gain and adaptive approaches are promising and provide a foundation for pursuing further validation in more extensive simulation studies and in wind tunnel and/or flight tests.

Experiences of Supporting People with Down Syndrome and Alzheimer's Disease in Aged Care and Family Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carling-Jenkins, Rachel; Torr, Jennifer; Iacono, Teresa; Bigby, Christine

2012-01-01

Background: Research addressing the experiences of families of adults with Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease in seeking diagnosis and gaining support is limited. The aim of this study was to gain a greater understanding of these processes by exploring the experiences of families and carers in supporting people with Down syndrome and…

Conventional Arms Transfers

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-01

TITLE (Include Security Classification) 12. PERSONAL AUHO(S 13a. TYPE OF REPORT 913b. TIME COVERE’ 6 14. DATE OF REPORT (Year, Month, Day) 15. PAGE...minimal experience at production and production management , there are opportunities through licensing and offset agreements to accelerate the assimilation...article. Simultaneously. the nation gains additional technological experience in the field and experier.ne in management of the projects. Israel gained

A course-based research experience: how benefits change with increased investment in instructional time.

PubMed

Shaffer, Christopher D; Alvarez, Consuelo J; Bednarski, April E; Dunbar, David; Goodman, Anya L; Reinke, Catherine; Rosenwald, Anne G; Wolyniak, Michael J; Bailey, Cheryl; Barnard, Daron; Bazinet, Christopher; Beach, Dale L; Bedard, James E J; Bhalla, Satish; Braverman, John; Burg, Martin; Chandrasekaran, Vidya; Chung, Hui-Min; Clase, Kari; Dejong, Randall J; Diangelo, Justin R; Du, Chunguang; Eckdahl, Todd T; Eisler, Heather; Emerson, Julia A; Frary, Amy; Frohlich, Donald; Gosser, Yuying; Govind, Shubha; Haberman, Adam; Hark, Amy T; Hauser, Charles; Hoogewerf, Arlene; Hoopes, Laura L M; Howell, Carina E; Johnson, Diana; Jones, Christopher J; Kadlec, Lisa; Kaehler, Marian; Silver Key, S Catherine; Kleinschmit, Adam; Kokan, Nighat P; Kopp, Olga; Kuleck, Gary; Leatherman, Judith; Lopilato, Jane; Mackinnon, Christy; Martinez-Cruzado, Juan Carlos; McNeil, Gerard; Mel, Stephanie; Mistry, Hemlata; Nagengast, Alexis; Overvoorde, Paul; Paetkau, Don W; Parrish, Susan; Peterson, Celeste N; Preuss, Mary; Reed, Laura K; Revie, Dennis; Robic, Srebrenka; Roecklein-Canfield, Jennifer; Rubin, Michael R; Saville, Kenneth; Schroeder, Stephanie; Sharif, Karim; Shaw, Mary; Skuse, Gary; Smith, Christopher D; Smith, Mary A; Smith, Sheryl T; Spana, Eric; Spratt, Mary; Sreenivasan, Aparna; Stamm, Joyce; Szauter, Paul; Thompson, Jeffrey S; Wawersik, Matthew; Youngblom, James; Zhou, Leming; Mardis, Elaine R; Buhler, Jeremy; Leung, Wilson; Lopatto, David; Elgin, Sarah C R

2014-01-01

There is widespread agreement that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs should provide undergraduates with research experience. Practical issues and limited resources, however, make this a challenge. We have developed a bioinformatics project that provides a course-based research experience for students at a diverse group of schools and offers the opportunity to tailor this experience to local curriculum and institution-specific student needs. We assessed both attitude and knowledge gains, looking for insights into how students respond given this wide range of curricular and institutional variables. While different approaches all appear to result in learning gains, we find that a significant investment of course time is required to enable students to show gains commensurate to a summer research experience. An alumni survey revealed that time spent on a research project is also a significant factor in the value former students assign to the experience one or more years later. We conclude: 1) implementation of a bioinformatics project within the biology curriculum provides a mechanism for successfully engaging large numbers of students in undergraduate research; 2) benefits to students are achievable at a wide variety of academic institutions; and 3) successful implementation of course-based research experiences requires significant investment of instructional time for students to gain full benefit.

A Course-Based Research Experience: How Benefits Change with Increased Investment in Instructional Time

PubMed Central

Shaffer, Christopher D.; Alvarez, Consuelo J.; Bednarski, April E.; Dunbar, David; Goodman, Anya L.; Reinke, Catherine; Rosenwald, Anne G.; Wolyniak, Michael J.; Bailey, Cheryl; Barnard, Daron; Bazinet, Christopher; Beach, Dale L.; Bedard, James E. J.; Bhalla, Satish; Braverman, John; Burg, Martin; Chandrasekaran, Vidya; Chung, Hui-Min; Clase, Kari; DeJong, Randall J.; DiAngelo, Justin R.; Du, Chunguang; Eckdahl, Todd T.; Eisler, Heather; Emerson, Julia A.; Frary, Amy; Frohlich, Donald; Gosser, Yuying; Govind, Shubha; Haberman, Adam; Hark, Amy T.; Hauser, Charles; Hoogewerf, Arlene; Hoopes, Laura L. M.; Howell, Carina E.; Johnson, Diana; Jones, Christopher J.; Kadlec, Lisa; Kaehler, Marian; Silver Key, S. Catherine; Kleinschmit, Adam; Kokan, Nighat P.; Kopp, Olga; Kuleck, Gary; Leatherman, Judith; Lopilato, Jane; MacKinnon, Christy; Martinez-Cruzado, Juan Carlos; McNeil, Gerard; Mel, Stephanie; Mistry, Hemlata; Nagengast, Alexis; Overvoorde, Paul; Paetkau, Don W.; Parrish, Susan; Peterson, Celeste N.; Preuss, Mary; Reed, Laura K.; Revie, Dennis; Robic, Srebrenka; Roecklein-Canfield, Jennifer; Rubin, Michael R.; Saville, Kenneth; Schroeder, Stephanie; Sharif, Karim; Shaw, Mary; Skuse, Gary; Smith, Christopher D.; Smith, Mary A.; Smith, Sheryl T.; Spana, Eric; Spratt, Mary; Sreenivasan, Aparna; Stamm, Joyce; Szauter, Paul; Thompson, Jeffrey S.; Wawersik, Matthew; Youngblom, James; Zhou, Leming; Mardis, Elaine R.; Buhler, Jeremy; Leung, Wilson; Lopatto, David; Elgin, Sarah C. R.

2014-01-01

There is widespread agreement that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs should provide undergraduates with research experience. Practical issues and limited resources, however, make this a challenge. We have developed a bioinformatics project that provides a course-based research experience for students at a diverse group of schools and offers the opportunity to tailor this experience to local curriculum and institution-specific student needs. We assessed both attitude and knowledge gains, looking for insights into how students respond given this wide range of curricular and institutional variables. While different approaches all appear to result in learning gains, we find that a significant investment of course time is required to enable students to show gains commensurate to a summer research experience. An alumni survey revealed that time spent on a research project is also a significant factor in the value former students assign to the experience one or more years later. We conclude: 1) implementation of a bioinformatics project within the biology curriculum provides a mechanism for successfully engaging large numbers of students in undergraduate research; 2) benefits to students are achievable at a wide variety of academic institutions; and 3) successful implementation of course-based research experiences requires significant investment of instructional time for students to gain full benefit. PMID:24591510

Inertia compensation control of a one-degree-of-freedom exoskeleton for lower-limb assistance: initial experiments.

PubMed

Aguirre-Ollinger, Gabriel; Colgate, J Edward; Peshkin, Michael A; Goswami, Ambarish

2012-01-01

A new method of lower-limb exoskeleton control aimed at improving the agility of leg-swing motion is presented. In the absence of control, an exoskeleton's mechanism usually hinders agility by adding mechanical impedance to the legs. The uncompensated inertia of the exoskeleton will reduce the natural frequency of leg swing, probably leading to lower step frequency during walking as well as increased metabolic energy consumption. The proposed controller emulates inertia compensation by adding a feedback loop consisting of low-pass filtered angular acceleration multiplied by a negative gain. This gain simulates negative inertia in the low-frequency range. The resulting controller combines two assistive effects: increasing the natural frequency of the lower limbs and performing net work per swing cycle. The controller was tested on a statically mounted exoskeleton that assists knee flexion and extension. Subjects performed movement sequences, first unassisted and then using the exoskeleton, in the context of a computer-based task resembling a race. In the exoskeleton's baseline state, the frequency of leg swing and the mean angular velocity were consistently reduced. The addition of inertia compensation enabled subjects to recover their normal frequency and increase their selected angular velocity. The work performed by the exoskeleton was evidenced by catch trials in the protocol.

Algorithms for accelerated convergence of adaptive PCA.

PubMed

Chatterjee, C; Kang, Z; Roychowdhury, V P

2000-01-01

We derive and discuss new adaptive algorithms for principal component analysis (PCA) that are shown to converge faster than the traditional PCA algorithms due to Oja, Sanger, and Xu. It is well known that traditional PCA algorithms that are derived by using gradient descent on an objective function are slow to converge. Furthermore, the convergence of these algorithms depends on appropriate choices of the gain sequences. Since online applications demand faster convergence and an automatic selection of gains, we present new adaptive algorithms to solve these problems. We first present an unconstrained objective function, which can be minimized to obtain the principal components. We derive adaptive algorithms from this objective function by using: 1) gradient descent; 2) steepest descent; 3) conjugate direction; and 4) Newton-Raphson methods. Although gradient descent produces Xu's LMSER algorithm, the steepest descent, conjugate direction, and Newton-Raphson methods produce new adaptive algorithms for PCA. We also provide a discussion on the landscape of the objective function, and present a global convergence proof of the adaptive gradient descent PCA algorithm using stochastic approximation theory. Extensive experiments with stationary and nonstationary multidimensional Gaussian sequences show faster convergence of the new algorithms over the traditional gradient descent methods.We also compare the steepest descent adaptive algorithm with state-of-the-art methods on stationary and nonstationary sequences.

Seal Technology Development for Advanced Component for Airbreathing Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, Philip H.

2008-01-01

Key aspects of the design of sealing systems for On Rotor Combustion/Wave Rotor (ORC/WR) systems were addressed. ORC/WR systems generally fit within a broad class of pressure gain Constant Volume Combustors (CVCs) or Pulse Detonation Combustors (PDCs) which are currently being considered for use in many classes of turbine engines for dramatic efficiency improvement. Technology readiness level of this ORC/WR approaches are presently at 2.0. The results of detailed modeling of an ORC/WR system as applied to a regional jet engine application were shown to capture a high degree of pressure gain capabilities. The results of engine cycle analysis indicated the level of specific fuel consumption (SFC) benefits to be 17 percent. The potential losses in pressure gain due to leakage were found to be closely coupled to the wave processes at the rotor endpoints of the ORC/WR system. Extensive investigation into the sealing approaches is reported. Sensitivity studies show that SFC gains of 10 percent remain available even when pressure gain levels are highly penalized. This indicates ORC/WR systems to have a high degree of tolerance to rotor leakage effects but also emphasizes their importance. An engine demonstration of an ORC/WR system is seen as key to progressing the TRL of this technology. An industrial engine was judged to be a highly advantageous platform for demonstration of a first generation ORC/WR system. Prior to such a demonstration, the existing NASA pressure exchanger wave rotor rig was identified as an opportunity to apply both expanded analytical modeling capabilities developed within this program and to identify and fix identified leakage issues existing within this rig. Extensive leakage analysis of the rig was performed and a detailed design of additional sealing strategies for this rig was generated.

Calibration of cathode strip gains in multiwire drift chambers of the GlueX experiment

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

Berdnikov, V. V.; Somov, S. V.; Pentchev, L.

A technique for calibrating cathode strip gains in multiwire drift chambers of the GlueX experiment is described. The accuracy of the technique is estimated based on Monte Carlo generated data with known gain coefficients in the strip signal channels. One of the four detector sections has been calibrated using cosmic rays. Results of drift chamber calibration on the accelerator beam upon inclusion in the GlueX experimental setup are presented.

Farmer Experience of Pluralistic Agricultural Extension, Malawi

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chowa, Clodina; Garforth, Chris; Cardey, Sarah

2013-01-01

Purpose: Malawi's current extension policy supports pluralism and advocates responsiveness to farmer demand. We investigate whether smallholder farmers' experience supports the assumption that access to multiple service providers leads to extension and advisory services that respond to the needs of farmers. Design/methodology/approach: Within a…

Experimental knee joint pain during strength training and muscle strength gain in healthy subjects: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Sørensen, T J; Langberg, H; Hodges, P W; Bliddal, H; Henriksen, M

2012-01-01

Knee joint pain and reduced quadriceps strength are cardinal symptoms in many knee pathologies. In people with painful knee pathologies, quadriceps exercise reduces pain, improves physical function, and increases muscle strength. A general assumption is that pain compromises muscle function and thus may prevent effective rehabilitation. This study evaluated the effects of experimental knee joint pain during quadriceps strength training on muscle strength gain in healthy individuals. Twenty-seven healthy untrained volunteers participated in a randomized controlled trial of quadriceps strengthening (3 times per week for 8 weeks). Participants were randomized to perform resistance training either during pain induced by injections of painful hypertonic saline (pain group, n = 13) or during a nonpainful control condition with injection of isotonic saline (control group, n = 14) into the infrapatellar fat pad. The primary outcome measure was change in maximal isokinetic muscle strength in knee extension/flexion (60, 120, and 180 degrees/second). The group who exercised with pain had a significantly larger improvement in isokinetic muscle strength at all angular velocities of knee extension compared to the control group. In knee flexion there were improvements in isokinetic muscle strength in both groups with no between-group differences. Experimental knee joint pain improved the training-induced gain in muscle strength following 8 weeks of quadriceps training. It remains to be studied whether knee joint pain has a positive effect on strength gain in patients with knee pathology. Copyright © 2012 by the American College of Rheumatology.

A solid-state amorphous selenium avalanche technology for low photon flux imaging applications

PubMed Central

Wronski, M. M.; Zhao, W.; Reznik, A.; Tanioka, K.; DeCrescenzo, G.; Rowlands, J. A.

2010-01-01

Purpose: The feasibility of a practical solid-state technology for low photon flux imaging applications was investigated. The technology is based on an amorphous selenium photoreceptor with a voltage-controlled avalanche multiplication gain. If this photoreceptor can provide sufficient internal gain, it will be useful for an extensive range of diagnostic imaging systems. Methods: The avalanche photoreceptor under investigation is referred to as HARP-DRL. This is a novel concept in which a high-gain avalanche rushing photoconductor (HARP) is integrated with a distributed resistance layer (DRL) and sandwiched between two electrodes. The avalanche gain and leakage current characteristics of this photoreceptor were measured. Results: HARP-DRL has been found to sustain very high electric field strengths without electrical breakdown. It has shown avalanche multiplication gains as high as 104 and a very low leakage current (≤20 pA∕mm2). Conclusions: This is the first experimental demonstration of a solid-state amorphous photoreceptor which provides sufficient internal avalanche gain for photon counting and photon starved imaging applications. PMID:20964217

Dimer with gain and loss: Integrability and {P}{T}-symmetry restoration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barashenkov, I. V.; Pelinovsky, D. E.; Dubard, P.

2015-08-01

A {P}{T}-symmetric nonlinear Schrödinger dimer is a two-site discrete nonlinear Schrödinger equation with one site losing and the other one gaining energy at the same rate. In this paper, two four-parameter families of cubic {P}{T}-symmetric dimers are constructed as gain-loss extensions of their conservative, Hamiltonian, counterparts. We prove that all these damped-driven equations define completely integrable Hamiltonian systems. The second aim of our study is to identify nonlinearities that give rise to the spontaneous {P}{T}-symmetry restoration. When the symmetry of the underlying linear dimer is broken and an unstable small perturbation starts to grow, the nonlinear coupling of the required type will divert an increasingly large percentage of energy from the gaining to the losing site. As a result, the exponential growth will be saturated and all trajectories remain trapped in a finite part of the phase space regardless of the value of the gain-loss coefficient.

Wisdom within: unlocking the potential of big data for nursing regulators.

PubMed

Blumer, L; Giblin, C; Lemermeyer, G; Kwan, J A

2017-03-01

This paper explores the potential for incorporating big data in nursing regulators' decision-making and policy development. Big data, commonly described as the extensive volume of information that individuals and agencies generate daily, is a concept familiar to the business community but is only beginning to be explored by the public sector. Using insights gained from a recent research project, the College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta, in Canada is creating an organizational culture of data-driven decision-making throughout its regulatory and professional functions. The goal is to enable the organization to respond quickly and profoundly to nursing issues in a rapidly changing healthcare environment. The evidence includes a review of the Learning from Experience: Improving the Process of Internationally Educated Nurses' Applications for Registration (LFE) research project (2011-2016), combined with a literature review on data-driven decision-making within nursing and healthcare settings, and the incorporation of big data in the private and public sectors, primarily in North America. This paper discusses experience and, more broadly, how data can enhance the rigour and integrity of nursing and health policy. Nursing regulatory bodies have access to extensive data, and the opportunity to use these data to inform decision-making and policy development by investing in how it is captured, analysed and incorporated into decision-making processes. Understanding and using big data is a critical part of developing relevant, sound and credible policy. Rigorous collection and analysis of big data supports the integrity of the evidence used by nurse regulators in developing nursing and health policy. © 2016 International Council of Nurses.

D-Cluster Converter Foil for Laser-Accelerated Deuteron Beams: Towards Deuteron-Beam-Driven Fast Ignition

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

Miley, George H.

Fast Ignition (FI) uses Petawatt laser generated particle beam pulse to ignite a small volume called a pre-compressed Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) target, and is the favored method to achieve the high energy gain per target burn needed for an attractive ICF power plant. Ion beams such as protons, deuterons or heavier carbon ions are especially appealing for FI as they have relative straight trajectory, and easier to focus on the fuel capsule. But current experiments have encountered problems with the 'converter-foil' which is irradiated by the Petawatt laser to produce the ion beams. The problems include depletion of themore » available ions in the convertor foils, and poor energy efficiency (ion beam energy/ input laser energy). We proposed to develop a volumetrically-loaded ultra-high-density deuteron deuterium cluster material as the basis for converter-foil for deuteron beam generation. The deuterons will fuse with the ICF DT while they slow down, providing an extra 'bonus' energy gain in addition to heating the hot spot. Also, due to the volumetric loading, the foil will provide sufficient energetic deuteron beam flux for 'hot spot' ignition, while avoiding the depletion problem encountered by current proton-driven FI foils. After extensive comparative studies, in Phase I, high purity PdO/Pd/PdO foils were selected for the high packing fraction D-Cluster converter foils. An optimized loading process has been developed to increase the cluster packing fraction in this type of foil. As a result, the packing fraction has been increased from 0.1% to 10% - meeting the original Phase I goal and representing a significant progress towards the beam intensities needed for both FI and pulsed neutron applications. Fast Ignition provides a promising approach to achieve high energy gain target performance needed for commercial Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF). This is now a realistic goal for near term in view of the anticipated ICF target burn at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) in CA within a year. This will usher in the technology development Phase of ICF after years of research aimed at achieving breakeven experiment. Methods to achieve the high energy gain needed for a competitive power plant will then be a key developmental issue, and our D-cluster target for Fast Ignition (FI) is expected to meet that need.« less

Reducing Heat Gains and Cooling Loads Through Roof Structure Configurations of A House in Medan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handayani Lubis, Irma; Donny Koerniawan, Mochamad

2018-05-01

Heat gains and heat losses through building surfaces are the main factors that determine the building’s cooling and heating loads. Roof as a building surface that has the most exposed area to the sun, contribute most of heat gains in the building. Therefore, the amount of solar heat gains on the roofs need to be minimized by roof structure configurations. This research aims to discover the optimization of roof structure configurations (coating material, structure material, inclination, overhang, and insulation) as one of passive design strategies that reduce heat gains and cooling loads of a house in Medan. The result showed that case four, white-painted metal roof combined with 45° roof pitched, 1.5m overhang, and addition of insulation, indicates the minimum heat gains production and the less cooling loads during clear sky day but not in the overcast sky condition. In conclusion, heat gains and cooling loads of a house in Medan could be diminished during clear sky day by the addition of roof coating with high reflectance low solar absorbtance, the slope roof, the extension of wider veranda, and the addition of insulation in the roof structure.

76 FR 61762 - Rule 19a-1 Extension; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-05

... made on a statement made pursuant to section 19(a) or in the first report to [[Page 61763..., shareholders might receive a false impression of fund gains. Based on a review of filings made with the...

77 FR 59403 - Determination That ENDURON (methyclothiazide) Tablets and Six Other Drug Products Were Not...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-27

... not have to repeat the extensive clinical testing otherwise necessary to gain approval of a new drug... Corporation, phosphate) 1850 K St. NW., Injection, 50 mg/ suite 650, vial. Washington, DC 20006. FDA has...

2D Doppler backscattering using synthetic aperture microwave imaging of MAST edge plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, D. A.; Brunner, K. J.; Freethy, S. J.; Huang, B. K.; Shevchenko, V. F.; Vann, R. G. L.

2016-02-01

Doppler backscattering (DBS) is already established as a powerful diagnostic; its extension to 2D enables imaging of turbulence characteristics from an extended region of the cut-off surface. The Synthetic Aperture Microwave Imaging (SAMI) diagnostic has conducted proof-of-principle 2D DBS experiments of MAST edge plasma. SAMI actively probes the plasma edge using a wide (±40° vertical and horizontal) and tuneable (10-34.5 GHz) beam. The Doppler backscattered signal is digitised in vector form using an array of eight Vivaldi PCB antennas. This allows the receiving array to be focused in any direction within the field of view simultaneously to an angular range of 6-24° FWHM at 10-34.5 GHz. This capability is unique to SAMI and is a novel way of conducting DBS experiments. In this paper the feasibility of conducting 2D DBS experiments is explored. Initial observations of phenomena previously measured by conventional DBS experiments are presented; such as momentum injection from neutral beams and an abrupt change in power and turbulence velocity coinciding with the onset of H-mode. In addition, being able to carry out 2D DBS imaging allows a measurement of magnetic pitch angle to be made; preliminary results are presented. Capabilities gained through steering a beam using a phased array and the limitations of this technique are discussed.

Take-Home Experiments in Undergraduate Fluid Mechanics Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cimbala, John

2007-11-01

Hands-on take-home experiments, assigned as homework, are useful as supplements to traditional in-class demonstrations and laboratories. Students borrow the equipment from the department's equipment room, and perform the experiment either at home or in the student lounge or student shop work area. Advantages include: (1) easy implementation, especially for large classes, (2) low cost and easy duplication of multiple units, (3) no loss of lecture time since the take-home experiment is self-contained with all necessary instructions, and (4) negligible increase in student or teaching assistant work load since the experiment is assigned as a homework problem in place of a traditional pen and paper problem. As an example, a pump flow take-home experiment was developed, implemented, and assessed in our introductory junior-level fluid mechanics course at Penn State. The experimental apparatus consists of a bucket, tape measure, submersible aquarium pump, tubing, measuring cup, and extension cord. We put together twenty sets at a total cost of less than 20 dollars per set. Students connect the tube to the pump outlet, submerge the pump in water, and measure the volume flow rate produced at various outflow elevations. They record and plot volume flow rate as a function of outlet elevation, and compare with predictions based on the manufacturer's pump performance curve (head versus volume flow rate) and flow losses. The homework assignment includes an online pre-test and post-test to assess the change in students' understanding of the principles of pump performance. The results of the assessment support a significant learning gain following the completion of the take-home experiment.

An extended ASLD trading system to enhance portfolio management.

PubMed

Hung, Kei-Keung; Cheung, Yiu-Ming; Xu, Lei

2003-01-01

An adaptive supervised learning decision (ASLD) trading system has been presented by Xu and Cheung (1997) to optimize the expected returns of investment without considering risks. In this paper, we propose an extension of the ASLD system (EASLD), which combines the ASLD with a portfolio optimization scheme to take a balance between the expected returns and risks. This new system not only keeps the learning adaptability of the ASLD, but also dynamically controls the risk in pursuit of great profits by diversifying the capital to a time-varying portfolio of N assets. Consequently, it is shown that: 1) the EASLD system gives the investment risk much smaller than the ASLD one; and 2) more returns are gained through the EASLD system in comparison with the two individual portfolio optimization schemes that statically determine the portfolio weights without adaptive learning. We have justified these two issues by the experiments.

Migration of the CERN IT Data Centre Support System to ServiceNow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alvarez Alonso, R.; Arneodo, G.; Barring, O.; Bonfillou, E.; Coelho dos Santos, M.; Dore, V.; Lefebure, V.; Fedorko, I.; Grossir, A.; Hefferman, J.; Mendez Lorenzo, P.; Moller, M.; Pera Mira, O.; Salter, W.; Trevisani, F.; Toteva, Z.

2014-06-01

The large potential and flexibility of the ServiceNow infrastructure based on "best practises" methods is allowing the migration of some of the ticketing systems traditionally used for the monitoring of the servers and services available at the CERN IT Computer Centre. This migration enables the standardization and globalization of the ticketing and control systems implementing a generic system extensible to other departments and users. One of the activities of the Service Management project together with the Computing Facilities group has been the migration of the ITCM structure based on Remedy to ServiceNow within the context of one of the ITIL processes called Event Management. The experience gained during the first months of operation has been instrumental towards the migration to ServiceNow of other service monitoring systems and databases. The usage of this structure is also extended to the service tracking at the Wigner Centre in Budapest.

Hypertension and orthostatic hypotension in applicants for spaceflight training and spacecrews: a review of medical standards.

PubMed

Fuchs, H S

1983-01-01

The inauguration of NASA of the position of Payload Specialists for SHUTTLE-SPACELAB flights has broken the tradition of restrictive medical physical standards in several ways: by reducing physical requirements and extensive training; by permitting the selection of older individuals and women; by selecting individuals who may fly only one or several missions and do not spend an entire career in space activities. Experience with Payload Specialists to be gained during the forthcoming SPACELAB missions, observing man in spaceflight step by step on an incremental basis, will provide valuable data for modifying the medical standards for Payload Specialists, Space Station Technicians, and Space Support Personnel who perform routine work rather than peculiar tasks. Such revisions necessarily include a modification of traditional blood pressure standards. In this paper I review the history and evolution of these standards in aeronautics and astronautics.

76 FR 66723 - Food Safety Modernization Act Domestic and Foreign Facility Reinspections, Recall, and Importer...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-27

...The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is extending the comment period to November 30, 2011, for the notice entitled, ``Food Safety Modernization Act Domestic and Foreign Facility Reinspections, Recall, and Importer Reinspection User Fee Rates for Fiscal Year 2012'' that appeared in the Federal Register of August 1, 2011 (76 FR 45820). In that document, FDA announced the establishment of a docket to obtain comments that would be considered in establishing the fee rates for fiscal year (FY) 2013. In particular, the Agency provided the current FY 2012 fees and requested public comments to the document and intends to consider such comments, as well as experience and additional data gained in implementing these fees in FY 2012, in establishing the fee rates for FY 2013. The Agency is taking this action in response to requests for an extension to allow interested persons additional time to submit comments.

Facile preparation of heparinized polysulfone membrane assisted by polydopamine/polyethyleneimine co-deposition for simultaneous LDL selectivity and biocompatibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Liwei; Fang, Fei; Liu, Yang; Li, Jing; Huang, Xiaojun

2016-11-01

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) gains worldwide attention for decades as the key risk factor to atherosclerosis that progressively deteriorating into cardiovascular diseases. Until recent years, LDL-apheresis comes to be extensively used as a direct and efficient LDL removal method, with LDL adsorption materials particularly important. In this paper, a new strategy based on the co-deposition of polydopamine (PDA) with polyethylenimine (PEI) onto polysulfone (PSf) membranes, then subsequent heparinization by amino-carbonyl reactions, to achieve LDL selectivity and simultaneous biocompatibility, is proposed. Surface properties of modified PSf membranes are characterized by ATR-FTIR, XPS, FESEM, Zeta potential and WCA measurements. LDL adsorption ability is investigated by ELISA, while blood biocompatibility is evaluated by platelet adhesion experiments. Results suggest that heparin-modified PSf membranes show high selectivity for LDL removal and fine biocompatibility in contact with plasma, as excellent potential materials for LDL-apheresis.

Thermal design concept for a high resolution UV spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caruso, P.; Stipandic, E.

1979-01-01

The thermal design concept described has been developed for the High Resolution UV Spectrometer/Polarimeter to be flown on the Solar Maximum Mission. Based on experience gained from a similar Orbiting Solar Observatory mission payload, it has been recognized that initial protection of the optical elements, contamination control, reduction of scattered light, tight bulk temperature, and gradient constraints are key elements that must be accommodated in any thermal control concept for this class of instrument. Salient features of the design include: (1) a telescope door providing contamination protection of an aplanatic Gregorian telescope; (2) a rastering system for the secondary mirror; (3) a unique solar heat absorbing device; (4) heat pipes and special radiators; (5) heaters for active temperature control and optics contamination protection; and (6) high precision platinum resistance thermometers. Viability of the design concept has been established by extensive thermal analysis and some subsystem testing. A summary of analytical and test results is included.

Sub-Selective Quantization for Learning Binary Codes in Large-Scale Image Search.

PubMed

Li, Yeqing; Liu, Wei; Huang, Junzhou

2018-06-01

Recently with the explosive growth of visual content on the Internet, large-scale image search has attracted intensive attention. It has been shown that mapping high-dimensional image descriptors to compact binary codes can lead to considerable efficiency gains in both storage and performing similarity computation of images. However, most existing methods still suffer from expensive training devoted to large-scale binary code learning. To address this issue, we propose a sub-selection based matrix manipulation algorithm, which can significantly reduce the computational cost of code learning. As case studies, we apply the sub-selection algorithm to several popular quantization techniques including cases using linear and nonlinear mappings. Crucially, we can justify the resulting sub-selective quantization by proving its theoretic properties. Extensive experiments are carried out on three image benchmarks with up to one million samples, corroborating the efficacy of the sub-selective quantization method in terms of image retrieval.

Space-Time Dynamics of Soil Moisture and Temperature: Scale issues

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mohanty, Binayak P.; Miller, Douglas A.; Th.vanGenuchten, M.

2003-01-01

The goal of this project is to gain further understanding of soil moisture/temperature dynamics at different spatio-temporal scales and physical controls/parameters.We created a comprehensive GIS database, which has been accessed extensively by NASA Land Surface Hydrology investigators (and others), is located at the following URL: http://www.essc.psu.edu/nasalsh. For soil moisture field experiments such as SGP97, SGP99, SMEX02, and SMEX03, cartographic products were designed for multiple applications, both pre- and post-mission. Premission applications included flight line planning and field operations logistics, as well as general insight into the extent and distribution of soil, vegetation, and topographic properties for the study areas. The cartographic products were created from original spatial information resources that were imported into Adobe Illustrator, where the maps were created and PDF versions were made for distribution and download.

Religion in Motion: Continuities and Symbolic Affinities in Religion and Sport.

PubMed

Fernández, Oscar; Cachán-Cruz, Roberto

2017-12-01

One of the major transformations in religion in contemporary societies has been the decline of church institutions and their reconstruction within a diverse network of associations, therapies, markets and other unconventional spiritual services. Based on extensive ethnographic fieldwork on religious behaviours and dynamics in sports contexts, and taking the similarities between sport and religion as the point of departure, this paper analyses, reflects on and theorises about the symbolic affinities of these two contemporary social institutions. The results show that symbolism converges in the religious element, tending to improve aspects related to sports ethics and establishing affective experiences among participants, with positive results for their physical and mental wellbeing. The findings indicate that a symbolic analysis of the various facets of sport is a useful approach for gaining a better understanding of this phenomenon, since besides being biological, diseases are also cultural and social, and thus, disease, religion and ritual are emotionally related.

Uav-Based Crops Classification with Joint Features from Orthoimage and Dsm Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, B.; Shi, Y.; Duan, Y.; Wu, W.

2018-04-01

Accurate crops classification remains a challenging task due to the same crop with different spectra and different crops with same spectrum phenomenon. Recently, UAV-based remote sensing approach gains popularity not only for its high spatial and temporal resolution, but also for its ability to obtain spectraand spatial data at the same time. This paper focus on how to take full advantages of spatial and spectrum features to improve crops classification accuracy, based on an UAV platform equipped with a general digital camera. Texture and spatial features extracted from the RGB orthoimage and the digital surface model of the monitoring area are analysed and integrated within a SVM classification framework. Extensive experiences results indicate that the overall classification accuracy is drastically improved from 72.9 % to 94.5 % when the spatial features are combined together, which verified the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.

Development of theoretical models of integrated millimeter wave antennas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yngvesson, K. Sigfrid; Schaubert, Daniel H.

1991-01-01

Extensive radiation patterns for Linear Tapered Slot Antenna (LTSA) Single Elements are presented. The directivity of LTSA elements is predicted correctly by taking the cross polarized pattern into account. A moment method program predicts radiation patterns for air LTSAs with excellent agreement with experimental data. A moment method program was also developed for the task LTSA Array Modeling. Computations performed with this program are in excellent agreement with published results for dipole and monopole arrays, and with waveguide simulator experiments, for more complicated structures. Empirical modeling of LTSA arrays demonstrated that the maximum theoretical element gain can be obtained. Formulations were also developed for calculating the aperture efficiency of LTSA arrays used in reflector systems. It was shown that LTSA arrays used in multibeam systems have a considerable advantage in terms of higher packing density, compared with waveguide feeds. Conversion loss of 10 dB was demonstrated at 35 GHz.

Hypertension and orthostatic hypotension in applicants for spaceflight training and spacecrews: A review of medical standards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, Heinz S.

The inauguration of NASA of the position of Payload Specialists for SHUTTLE-SPACELAB flights has broken the tradition of restrictive medical physical standards in several ways: by reducing physical requirements and extensive training; by permitting the selection of older individuals and women; by selecting individuals who may fly only one or several missions and do not spend an entire career in space activities. Experience with Payload Specialists to be gained during the forthcoming SPACELAB missions, observing man in spaceflight step by step on an incremental basis, will provide valuable data for modifying the medical standards for Payload Specialists, Space Station Technicians, and Space Support Personnel who perform routine work rather than peculiar tasks. Such revisions necessarily include a modification of traditional blood pressure standards. In this paper I review the history and evolution of these standards in aeronautics and astronautics.

Learning in Out-of-Class Experiences: The Importance of Professional Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hund, Alycia M.; Bueno, Daisy

2015-01-01

Our goal was to document professional skills and attitudes gained via out-of-class teaching and research experiences during the undergraduate years. Qualitative analysis of reflection papers revealed that students noted gains in professional skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills, and intrapersonal skills. Importantly, students also…

Fast Realistic MRI Simulations Based on Generalized Multi-Pool Exchange Tissue Model.

PubMed

Liu, Fang; Velikina, Julia V; Block, Walter F; Kijowski, Richard; Samsonov, Alexey A

2017-02-01

We present MRiLab, a new comprehensive simulator for large-scale realistic MRI simulations on a regular PC equipped with a modern graphical processing unit (GPU). MRiLab combines realistic tissue modeling with numerical virtualization of an MRI system and scanning experiment to enable assessment of a broad range of MRI approaches including advanced quantitative MRI methods inferring microstructure on a sub-voxel level. A flexible representation of tissue microstructure is achieved in MRiLab by employing the generalized tissue model with multiple exchanging water and macromolecular proton pools rather than a system of independent proton isochromats typically used in previous simulators. The computational power needed for simulation of the biologically relevant tissue models in large 3D objects is gained using parallelized execution on GPU. Three simulated and one actual MRI experiments were performed to demonstrate the ability of the new simulator to accommodate a wide variety of voxel composition scenarios and demonstrate detrimental effects of simplified treatment of tissue micro-organization adapted in previous simulators. GPU execution allowed  ∼ 200× improvement in computational speed over standard CPU. As a cross-platform, open-source, extensible environment for customizing virtual MRI experiments, MRiLab streamlines the development of new MRI methods, especially those aiming to infer quantitatively tissue composition and microstructure.

Experiences with using information and communication technology to build a multi-municipal support network for informal carers.

PubMed

Torp, Steffen; Bing-Jonsson, Pia C; Hanson, Elizabeth

2013-09-01

This multi-municipal intervention study explored whether informal carers of frail older people and disabled children living at home made use of information and communication technology (ICT) to gain knowledge about caring and to form informal support networks, thereby improving their health. Seventy-nine informal carers accessed web-based information about caring and an e-based discussion forum via their personal computers. They were able to maintain contact with each other using a web camera and via normal group meetings. After the first 12 months, 17 informal carers participated in focus group interviews and completed a short questionnaire. Four staff members were also interviewed. Participant carers who had prior experiences with a similar ICT-based support network reported greater satisfaction and more extensive use of the network than did participants with no such prior experience. It seems that infrequent usage of the service may be explained by too few other carers to identify with and inappropriate recruitment procedures. Nevertheless, carers of disabled children reported that the intervention had resulted in improved services across the participant municipalities. To achieve optimal effects of an ICT-based support network due attention must be given to recruitment processes and social environment building for which care practitioners require training and support.

Fast Realistic MRI Simulations Based on Generalized Multi-Pool Exchange Tissue Model

PubMed Central

Velikina, Julia V.; Block, Walter F.; Kijowski, Richard; Samsonov, Alexey A.

2017-01-01

We present MRiLab, a new comprehensive simulator for large-scale realistic MRI simulations on a regular PC equipped with a modern graphical processing unit (GPU). MRiLab combines realistic tissue modeling with numerical virtualization of an MRI system and scanning experiment to enable assessment of a broad range of MRI approaches including advanced quantitative MRI methods inferring microstructure on a sub-voxel level. A flexibl representation of tissue microstructure is achieved in MRiLab by employing the generalized tissue model with multiple exchanging water and macromolecular proton pools rather than a system of independent proton isochromats typically used in previous simulators. The computational power needed for simulation of the biologically relevant tissue models in large 3D objects is gained using parallelized execution on GPU. Three simulated and one actual MRI experiments were performed to demonstrate the ability of the new simulator to accommodate a wide variety of voxel composition scenarios and demonstrate detrimental effects of simplifie treatment of tissue micro-organization adapted in previous simulators. GPU execution allowed ∼200× improvement in computational speed over standard CPU. As a cross-platform, open-source, extensible environment for customizing virtual MRI experiments, MRiLab streamlines the development of new MRI methods, especially those aiming to infer quantitatively tissue composition and microstructure. PMID:28113746

Minority University System Engineering: A Small Satellite Design Experience Held at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory During the Summer of 1996

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ordaz, Miguel Angel

1997-01-01

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in conjunction with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), North Carolina A&T and California State University of Los Angeles participated during the summer of 1996 in a prototype program known as Minority University Systems Engineering (MUSE). The program consisted of a ten week internship at JPL for students and professors of the three universities. The purpose of MUSE as set forth in the MUSE program review August 5, 1996 was for the participants to gain experience in the following areas: 1) Gain experience in a multi-disciplinary project; 2) Gain experience working in a culturally diverse atmosphere; 3) Provide field experience for students to reinforce book learning; and 4) Streamline the design process in two areas: make it more financially feasible; and make it faster.

Combined influence of vergence and eye position on three-dimensional vestibulo-ocular reflex in the monkey.

PubMed

Misslisch, H; Hess, B J M

2002-11-01

This study examined two kinematical features of the rotational vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) of the monkey in near vision. First, is there an effect of eye position on the axes of eye rotation during yaw, pitch and roll head rotations when the eyes are converged to fixate near targets? Second, do the three-dimensional positions of the left and right eye during yaw and roll head rotations obey the binocular extension of Listing's law (L2), showing eye position planes that rotate temporally by a quarter as far as the angle of horizontal vergence? Animals fixated near visual targets requiring 17 or 8.5 degrees vergence and placed at straight ahead, 20 degrees up, down, left, or right during yaw, pitch, and roll head rotations at 1 Hz. The 17 degrees vergence experiments were performed both with and without a structured visual background, the 8.5 degrees vergence experiments with a visual background only. A 40 degrees horizontal change in eye position never influenced the axis of eye rotation produced by the VOR during pitch head rotation. Eye position did not affect the VOR eye rotation axes, which stayed aligned with the yaw and roll head rotation axes, when torsional gain was high. If torsional gain was low, eccentric eye positions produced yaw and roll VOR eye rotation axes that tilted somewhat in the directions predicted by Listing's law, i.e., with or opposite to gaze during yaw or roll. These findings were seen in both visual conditions and in both vergence experiments. During yaw and roll head rotations with a 40 degrees vertical change in gaze, torsional eye position followed on average the prediction of L2: the left eye showed counterclockwise (ex-) torsion in down gaze and clockwise (in-) torsion in up gaze and vice versa for the right eye. In other words, the left and right eye's position plane rotated temporally by about a quarter of the horizontal vergence angle. Our results indicate that torsional gain is the central mechanism by which the brain adjusts the retinal image stabilizing function of the VOR both in far and near vision and the three dimensional eye positions during yaw and roll head rotations in near vision follow on average the predictions of L2, a kinematic pattern that is maintained by the saccadic/quick phase system.

Adaptive multibeam phased array design for a Spacelab experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noji, T. T.; Fass, S.; Fuoco, A. M.; Wang, C. D.

1977-01-01

The parametric tradeoff analyses and design for an Adaptive Multibeam Phased Array (AMPA) for a Spacelab experiment are described. This AMPA Experiment System was designed with particular emphasis to maximize channel capacity and minimize implementation and cost impacts for future austere maritime and aeronautical users, operating with a low gain hemispherical coverage antenna element, low effective radiated power, and low antenna gain-to-system noise temperature ratio.

Neuroplasticity as a function of second language learning: anatomical changes in the human brain.

PubMed

Li, Ping; Legault, Jennifer; Litcofsky, Kaitlyn A

2014-09-01

The brain has an extraordinary ability to functionally and physically change or reconfigure its structure in response to environmental stimulus, cognitive demand, or behavioral experience. This property, known as neuroplasticity, has been examined extensively in many domains. But how does neuroplasticity occur in the brain as a function of an individual's experience with a second language? It is not until recently that we have gained some understanding of this question by examining the anatomical changes as well as functional neural patterns that are induced by the learning and use of multiple languages. In this article we review emerging evidence regarding how structural neuroplasticity occurs in the brain as a result of one's bilingual experience. Our review aims at identifying the processes and mechanisms that drive experience-dependent anatomical changes, and integrating structural imaging evidence with current knowledge of functional neural plasticity of language and other cognitive skills. The evidence reviewed so far portrays a picture that is highly consistent with structural neuroplasticity observed for other domains: second language experience-induced brain changes, including increased gray matter (GM) density and white matter (WM) integrity, can be found in children, young adults, and the elderly; can occur rapidly with short-term language learning or training; and are sensitive to age, age of acquisition, proficiency or performance level, language-specific characteristics, and individual differences. We conclude with a theoretical perspective on neuroplasticity in language and bilingualism, and point to future directions for research. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-Institutional, Multidisciplinary Study of the Impact of Course-Based Research Experiences.

PubMed

Mader, Catherine M; Beck, Christopher W; Grillo, Wendy H; Hollowell, Gail P; Hennington, Bettye S; Staub, Nancy L; Delesalle, Veronique A; Lello, Denise; Merritt, Robert B; Griffin, Gerald D; Bradford, Chastity; Mao, Jinghe; Blumer, Lawrence S; White, Sandra L

2017-01-01

Numerous national reports have called for reforming laboratory courses so that all students experience the research process. In response, many course-based research experiences (CREs) have been developed and implemented. Research on the impact of these CREs suggests that student benefits can be similar to those of traditional apprentice-model research experiences. However, most assessments of CREs have been in individual courses at individual institutions or across institutions using the same CRE model. Furthermore, which structures and components of CREs result in the greatest student gains is unknown. We explored the impact of different CRE models in different contexts on student self-reported gains in understanding, skills, and professional development using the Classroom Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) survey. Our analysis included 49 courses developed and taught at seven diverse institutions. Overall, students reported greater gains for all benefits when compared with the reported national means for the Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE). Two aspects of these CREs were associated with greater student gains: 1) CREs that were the focus of the entire course or that more fully integrated modules within a traditional laboratory and 2) CREs that had a higher degree of student input and results that were unknown to both students and faculty.

Worldwide dispersion and deposition of radionuclides produced in atmospheric tests.

PubMed

Bennett, Burton G

2002-05-01

Radionuclides produced in atmospheric nuclear tests were widely dispersed in the global environment. From the many measurements of the concentrations in air and the deposition amounts, much was learned of atmospheric circulation and environmental processes. Based on these results and the reported fission and total yields of individual tests, it has been possible to devise an empirical model of the movement and residence times of particles in the various atmospheric regions. This model, applied to all atmospheric weapons tests, allows extensive calculations of air concentrations and deposition amounts for the entire range of radionuclides produced throughout the testing period. Especially for the shorter-lived fission radionuclides, for which measurement results at the time of the tests are less extensive, a more complete picture of levels and isotope ratios can be obtained, forming a basis for improved dose estimations. The contributions to worldwide fallout can be inferred from individual tests, from tests at specific sites, or by specific countries. Progress was also made in understanding the global hydrological and carbon cycles from the tritium and 14C measurements. A review of the global measurements and modeling results is presented in this paper. In the future, if injections of materials into the atmosphere occur, their anticipated motions and fates can be predicted from the knowledge gained from the fallout experience.

Pairing broadband noise with cortical stimulation induces extensive suppression of ascending sensory activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markovitz, Craig D.; Hogan, Patrick S.; Wesen, Kyle A.; Lim, Hubert H.

2015-04-01

Objective. The corticofugal system can alter coding along the ascending sensory pathway. Within the auditory system, electrical stimulation of the auditory cortex (AC) paired with a pure tone can cause egocentric shifts in the tuning of auditory neurons, making them more sensitive to the pure tone frequency. Since tinnitus has been linked with hyperactivity across auditory neurons, we sought to develop a new neuromodulation approach that could suppress a wide range of neurons rather than enhance specific frequency-tuned neurons. Approach. We performed experiments in the guinea pig to assess the effects of cortical stimulation paired with broadband noise (PN-Stim) on ascending auditory activity within the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus (CNIC), a widely studied region for AC stimulation paradigms. Main results. All eight stimulated AC subregions induced extensive suppression of activity across the CNIC that was not possible with noise stimulation alone. This suppression built up over time and remained after the PN-Stim paradigm. Significance. We propose that the corticofugal system is designed to decrease the brain’s input gain to irrelevant stimuli and PN-Stim is able to artificially amplify this effect to suppress neural firing across the auditory system. The PN-Stim concept may have potential for treating tinnitus and other neurological disorders.

Target weight achievement and ultrafiltration rate thresholds: potential patient implications.

PubMed

Flythe, Jennifer E; Assimon, Magdalene M; Overman, Robert A

2017-06-02

Higher ultrafiltration (UF) rates and extracellular hypo- and hypervolemia are associated with adverse outcomes among maintenance hemodialysis patients. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently considered UF rate and target weight achievement measures for ESRD Quality Incentive Program inclusion. The dual measures were intended to promote balance between too aggressive and too conservative fluid removal. The National Quality Forum endorsed the UF rate measure but not the target weight measure. We examined the proposed target weight measure and quantified weight gains if UF rate thresholds were applied without treatment time (TT) extension or interdialytic weight gain (IDWG) reduction. Data were taken from the 2012 database of a large dialysis organization. Analyses considered 152,196 United States hemodialysis patients. We described monthly patient and dialysis facility target weight achievement patterns and examined differences in patient characteristics across target weight achievement status and differences in facilities across target weight measure scores. We computed the cumulative, theoretical 1-month fluid-related weight gain that would occur if UF rates were capped at 13 mL/h/kg without concurrent TT extension or IDWG reduction. Target weight achievement patterns were stable over the year. Patients who did not achieve target weight (post-dialysis weight ≥ 1 kg above or below target weight) tended to be younger, black and dialyze via catheter, and had shorter dialysis vintage, greater body weight, higher UF rate and more missed treatments compared with patients who achieved target weight. Facilities had, on average, 27.1 ± 9.7% of patients with average post-dialysis weight ≥ 1 kg above or below the prescribed target weight. In adjusted analyses, facilities located in the midwest and south and facilities with higher proportions of black and Hispanic patients and higher proportions of patients with shorter TTs were more likely to have unfavorable facility target weight measure scores. Without TT extension or IDWG reduction, UF rate threshold (13 mL/h/kg) implementation led to an average theoretical 1-month, fluid-related weight gain of 1.4 ± 3.0 kg. Target weight achievement patterns vary across clinical subgroups. Implementation of a maximum UF rate threshold without adequate attention to extracellular volume status may lead to fluid-related weight gain.

Stochastic Gain in Population Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Traulsen, Arne; Röhl, Torsten; Schuster, Heinz Georg

2004-07-01

We introduce an extension of the usual replicator dynamics to adaptive learning rates. We show that a population with a dynamic learning rate can gain an increased average payoff in transient phases and can also exploit external noise, leading the system away from the Nash equilibrium, in a resonancelike fashion. The payoff versus noise curve resembles the signal to noise ratio curve in stochastic resonance. Seen in this broad context, we introduce another mechanism that exploits fluctuations in order to improve properties of the system. Such a mechanism could be of particular interest in economic systems.

Physical properties of immiscible polymers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, J. Milton

1987-01-01

The demixing of immiscible polymers in low gravity is discussed. Applications of knowledge gained in this research will provide a better understanding of the role of phase segregation in determining the properties of polymer blends made from immiscible polymers. Knowledge will also be gained regarding the purification of biological materials by partitioning between the two liquid phases formed by solution of the polymers polyethylene glycol and dextran in water. Testing of new apparatus for space flight, extension of affinity phase partitioning, refinement of polymer chemistry, and demixing of isopycnic polymer phases in a one gravity environment are discussed.

The Valley without Birds.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Breslin, Patrick

1988-01-01

Describes cooperative campaign by central Chilean farmers to reduce use of dangerous chemicals. Describes cooperative's rural extension program targeting misuse of pesticides. Describes concern of chemical danger to local and foreign consumers. Cooperative's effort described as balancing short-term economic gains with long-term health and…

Impact of mechanical shear on Listeria monocytogenes survival on surfaces

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Microbial inactivation using high temperatures is well known process and has contributed significantly toward food safety and shelf life extension for the food industry. Mechanical high pressure (hydrostatic) treatment is also gaining interest in food processing applications for achieving microbial...

The relative persuasiveness of gain-framed versus loss-Framed HIV testing message: evidence from a field experiment in northwest Ethiopia.

PubMed

Bekalu, Mesfin Awoke; Eggermont, Steven

2014-01-01

This study assessed the relative advantages of gain- versus loss-framed messages for promoting HIV testing among a sample of urban and rural residents in northwest Ethiopia. The authors randomly assigned 394 participants to read gain-framed (n = 196) or loss-framed (n = 198) HIV testing message prepared in a form of brochure. Experience with HIV testing, concern about and information needs on HIV/AIDS, and urbanity versus rurality significantly moderated the effects of framing on intention to test for HIV. A gain-frame advantage was found among urbanites, participants with high experience with HIV testing, and those with high concern about and information needs on HIV/AIDS, suggesting a more likely construal of HIV testing as a prevention behavior among these individuals. In contrast, a loss-frame advantage was found among ruralites and participants with low concern about and information needs on HIV/AIDS, suggesting a more likely construal of HIV testing as a detection behavior among such individuals. Moreover, gain- and loss-framing led to similar outcomes among individuals with low levels of experience with HIV testing, with a slight advantage for the loss-framed message. All of the framing effects obtained were of small to medium size.

Gain- and Loss-Related Brain Activation Are Associated with Information Search Differences in Risky Gambles: An fMRI and Eye-Tracking Study.

PubMed

Häusler, Alexander Niklas; Oroz Artigas, Sergio; Trautner, Peter; Weber, Bernd

2016-01-01

People differ in the way they approach and handle choices with unsure outcomes. In this study, we demonstrate that individual differences in the neural processing of gains and losses relates to attentional differences in the way individuals search for information in gambles. Fifty subjects participated in two independent experiments. Participants first completed an fMRI experiment involving financial gains and losses. Subsequently, they performed an eye-tracking experiment on binary choices between risky gambles, each displaying monetary outcomes and their respective probabilities. We find that individual differences in gain and loss processing relate to attention distribution. Individuals with a stronger reaction to gains in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex paid more attention to monetary amounts, while a stronger reaction in the ventral striatum to losses was correlated with an increased attention to probabilities. Reaction in the posterior cingulate cortex to losses was also found to correlate with an increased attention to probabilities. Our data show that individual differences in brain activity and differences in information search processes are closely linked.

Gain- and Loss-Related Brain Activation Are Associated with Information Search Differences in Risky Gambles: An fMRI and Eye-Tracking Study

PubMed Central

Trautner, Peter

2016-01-01

Abstract People differ in the way they approach and handle choices with unsure outcomes. In this study, we demonstrate that individual differences in the neural processing of gains and losses relates to attentional differences in the way individuals search for information in gambles. Fifty subjects participated in two independent experiments. Participants first completed an fMRI experiment involving financial gains and losses. Subsequently, they performed an eye-tracking experiment on binary choices between risky gambles, each displaying monetary outcomes and their respective probabilities. We find that individual differences in gain and loss processing relate to attention distribution. Individuals with a stronger reaction to gains in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex paid more attention to monetary amounts, while a stronger reaction in the ventral striatum to losses was correlated with an increased attention to probabilities. Reaction in the posterior cingulate cortex to losses was also found to correlate with an increased attention to probabilities. Our data show that individual differences in brain activity and differences in information search processes are closely linked. PMID:27679814

Meteorological factors in Earth-satellite propagation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levis, C. A.; Taylor, R. C.; Leonard, R.; Lin, K. T.; Pigon, B.; Weller, A.

1982-01-01

Using the COMSTAR D/4 28.56 GHz beacon as a source, a differential gain experiment was performed by connecting a 5-meter paraboloidal antenna and a 0.6-meter paraboloidal antenna alternately to the same receiver. Substantial differential gain changes were observed during some, but not all, rain events. A site-diversity experiment was implemented which consists of two 28.56 GHz radiometers separated by 9 km. The look-angle corresponds to that of the D/4 beacon, and data were obtained with one radiometer during several weeks of concurrent beacon operation to verify the system calibration. A theoretical study of the effect of scattering from a nonuniform rain distribution along the path is under way to aid in interpreting the results of this experiment. An improved empirical site diversity-gain model was derived from data in the literature relating to 34 diversity experiments. Work on the experiment control and data acquisition system is continuing with a view toward future experiments.

Device Modeling for Split-Off Band Detectors

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-18

gain is 0.2 for a detector with 30 emitters. Unlike in quantum well infrared photodetectors QWIPs , the noise gain in split-off detectors is less...than the photocurrent gain. In QWIPs , the noise is introduced at the injection contact and then experi- ences the same gain as the photocurrent. Thus...for a QWIP , the total noise or photocurrent gain g=g1 /N, 15 where g1 is the single layer gain and N is the number of layers. However, for the split-off

Quantifying Information Gain from Dynamic Downscaling Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Y.; Peters-Lidard, C. D.

2015-12-01

Dynamic climate downscaling experiments are designed to produce information at higher spatial and temporal resolutions. Such additional information is generated from the low-resolution initial and boundary conditions via the predictive power of the physical laws. However, errors and uncertainties in the initial and boundary conditions can be propagated and even amplified to the downscaled simulations. Additionally, the limit of predictability in nonlinear dynamical systems will also damper the information gain, even if the initial and boundary conditions were error-free. Thus it is critical to quantitatively define and measure the amount of information increase from dynamic downscaling experiments, to better understand and appreciate their potentials and limitations. We present a scheme to objectively measure the information gain from such experiments. The scheme is based on information theory, and we argue that if a downscaling experiment is to exhibit value, it has to produce more information than what can be simply inferred from information sources already available. These information sources include the initial and boundary conditions, the coarse resolution model in which the higher-resolution models are embedded, and the same set of physical laws. These existing information sources define an "information threshold" as a function of the spatial and temporal resolution, and this threshold serves as a benchmark to quantify the information gain from the downscaling experiments, or any other approaches. For a downscaling experiment to shown any value, the information has to be above this threshold. A recent NASA-supported downscaling experiment is used as an example to illustrate the application of this scheme.

The Effects of Framing Grades on Student Learning and Preferences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bies-Hernandez, Nicole J.

2012-01-01

Two experiments examined whether framing effects, in terms of losses and gains, can be extended to student learning and grading preferences. In Experiment 1, participants rated psychology course syllabi to investigate preferences for differently framed grading systems: a loss versus gain grading system. The results showed a clear framing effect…

Learning Experiences and Gains from Continuing Professional Education and Their Applicability to Work for Japanese Government Officials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noda, Ayaka; Kim, Mikyong Minsun

2014-01-01

This study aims to understand the perceived learning experiences and gains for Japanese government officials from US and Japanese graduate and professional schools, and how applicable their continuing professional education (CPE) is to professional performance. Interview participants were drawn from long-term overseas and domestic fellowship…

Effect of Time on Perceived Gains from an Undergraduate Research Program

PubMed Central

Adedokun, Omolola A.; Parker, Loran C.; Childress, Amy; Burgess, Wilella; Adams, Robin; Agnew, Christopher R.; Leary, James; Knapp, Deborah; Shields, Cleveland; Lelievre, Sophie; Teegarden, Dorothy

2014-01-01

The current study examines the trajectories of student perceived gains as a result of time spent in an undergraduate research experience (URE). Data for the study come from a survey administered at three points over a 1-yr period: before participation in the program, at the end of a Summer segment of research, and at the end of the year. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to examine the effect of time on perceived gains in student research skills, research confidence, and understanding of research processes. The results suggest that the students experienced different gains/benefits at developmentally different stages of their UREs. Participants reported gains in fewer areas at the end of the Summer segment compared with the end of the yearlong experience, thus supporting the notion that longer UREs offer students more benefit. PMID:24591512

Amphibious Landing Operations in World War II: Personal Experience in Applying and Developing Doctrine

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-21

the forefront of the Army’s effort to gain experience planning and conducting amphibious landings was Lucian K . Truscott, Jr, a Cavalry officer by...Landing Operations, Lucian K . Truscott, Jr., Operation Torch, Operation Husky, 3rd Infantry Division, World War II 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17...gain experience planning and conducting amphibious landings was Lucian K . Truscott, Jr., a Cavalry officer by training. Following his assignment to

Effects of musicality and motivational orientation on auditory category learning: a test of a regulatory-fit hypothesis.

PubMed

McAuley, J Devin; Henry, Molly J; Wedd, Alan; Pleskac, Timothy J; Cesario, Joseph

2012-02-01

Two experiments investigated the effects of musicality and motivational orientation on auditory category learning. In both experiments, participants learned to classify tone stimuli that varied in frequency and duration according to an initially unknown disjunctive rule; feedback involved gaining points for correct responses (a gains reward structure) or losing points for incorrect responses (a losses reward structure). For Experiment 1, participants were told at the start that musicians typically outperform nonmusicians on the task, and then they were asked to identify themselves as either a "musician" or a "nonmusician." For Experiment 2, participants were given either a promotion focus prime (a performance-based opportunity to gain entry into a raffle) or a prevention focus prime (a performance-based criterion that needed to be maintained to avoid losing an entry into a raffle) at the start of the experiment. Consistent with a regulatory-fit hypothesis, self-identified musicians and promotion-primed participants given a gains reward structure made more correct tone classifications and were more likely to discover the optimal disjunctive rule than were musicians and promotion-primed participants experiencing losses. Reward structure (gains vs. losses) had inconsistent effects on the performance of nonmusicians, and a weaker regulatory-fit effect was found for the prevention focus prime. Overall, the findings from this study demonstrate a regulatory-fit effect in the domain of auditory category learning and show that motivational orientation may contribute to musician performance advantages in auditory perception.

Ethical objections against including life-extension costs in cost-effectiveness analysis: a consistent approach.

PubMed

Gandjour, Afschin; Müller, Dirk

2014-10-01

One of the major ethical concerns regarding cost-effectiveness analysis in health care has been the inclusion of life-extension costs ("it is cheaper to let people die"). For this reason, many analysts have opted to rule out life-extension costs from the analysis. However, surprisingly little has been written in the health economics literature regarding this ethical concern and the resulting practice. The purpose of this work was to present a framework and potential solution for ethical objections against life-extension costs. This work found three levels of ethical concern: (i) with respect to all life-extension costs (disease-related and -unrelated); (ii) with respect to disease-unrelated costs only; and (iii) regarding disease-unrelated costs plus disease-related costs not influenced by the intervention. Excluding all life-extension costs for ethical reasons would require-for reasons of consistency-a simultaneous exclusion of savings from reducing morbidity. At the other extreme, excluding only disease-unrelated life-extension costs for ethical reasons would require-again for reasons of consistency-the exclusion of health gains due to treatment of unrelated diseases. Therefore, addressing ethical concerns regarding the inclusion of life-extension costs necessitates fundamental changes in the calculation of cost effectiveness.

Designing Skin Cancer Prevention Messages: Should We Emphasize Gains or Losses? Message Framing, Risk Type, and Prior Experience.

PubMed

Lee, Moon J; Kang, Hannah

2018-05-01

To test whether message framing (ie, gain vs. loss) and risk type (ie, health vs appearance risk) in skin cancer prevention messages interact with one's prior experience. Two experiments with a 2 (message framing: gain vs loss) × 2 (risk type: health vs appearance risk) factorial design were conducted. The participants were given a URL to the experiment website via e-mail. On the first page of the website, the participants were told that they would be asked to evaluate a skin cancer print public service announcement (PSA): Online experiments. A total of 397 individuals participated (236 for experiment 1 and 161 for experiment 2). Apparatus: Four versions of the skin cancer print PSAs were developed. Four PSAs were identical except for the 2 manipulated components: message framing and risk type. Measures were adopted from Cho and Boster (message framing), Jones and Leary and Kiene et al. (risk type), De Vries, Mesters, van't Riet, Willems, and Reubsaet and Knight, Kirincich, Farmer, and Hood (prior experience), and Hammond, Fong, Zanna, Thrasher, and Borland and Hoffner and Ye (behavioral intent). General linear models were used to test hypotheses. Three-way interactions among message framing, risk type, and prior experience were found: When the intent of the message was to encourage sunscreen use, the effects of message framing and risk type were shown to be the exact opposite directions from when the intent was to discourage indoor/outdoor tanning. To discourage tanning among those with prior experience, messages emphasizing losses in terms of one's health will work better. For those with no prior experience, messages emphasizing potential appearance losses will work better for discouraging tanning while messages emphasizing gains like improving appearance will do a better job in encouraging sunscreen use.

Are consonant intervals music to their ears? Spontaneous acoustic preferences in a nonhuman primate.

PubMed

McDermott, Josh; Hauser, Marc

2004-12-01

Humans find some sounds more pleasing than others; such preferences may underlie our enjoyment of music. To gain insight into the evolutionary origins of these preferences, we explored whether they are present in other animals. We designed a novel method to measure the spontaneous sound preferences of cotton-top tamarins, a species that has been extensively tested for other perceptual abilities. Animals were placed in a V-shaped maze, and their position within the maze controlled their auditory environment. One sound was played when they were in one branch of the maze, and a different sound for the opposite branch; no food was delivered during testing. We used the proportion of time spent in each branch as a measure of preference. The first two experiments were designed as tests of our method. In Experiment 1, we used loud and soft white noise as stimuli; all animals spent most of their time on the side with soft noise. In Experiment 2, tamarins spent more time on the side playing species-specific feeding chirps than on the side playing species-specific distress calls. Together, these two experiments suggest that the method is effective, providing a spontaneous measure of preference. In Experiment 3, however, subjects showed no preference for consonant over dissonant intervals. Finally, tamarins showed no preference in Experiment 4 for a screeching sound (comparable to fingernails on a blackboard) over amplitude-matched white noise. In contrast, humans showed clear preferences for the consonant intervals of Experiment 3 and the white noise of Experiment 4 using the same stimuli and a similar method. We conclude that tamarins' preferences differ qualitatively from those of humans. The preferences that support our capacity for music may, therefore, be unique among the primates, and could be music-specific adaptations.

Building Interdisciplinary Research and Communication Skills in the Agricultural and Climate Sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson-Maynard, J.; Borrelli, K.; Wolf, K.; Bernacchi, L.; Eigenbrode, S.; Daley Laursen, D.

2015-12-01

Preparing scientists and educators to create and promote practical science-based agricultural approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation is a main focus of the Regional Approaches to Climate Change (REACCH) project. Social, political and environmental complexities and interactions require that future scientists work across disciplines rather than having isolated knowledge of one specific subject area. Additionally, it is important for graduate students earning M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in agriculture and climate sciences to be able to communicate scientific findings effectively to non-scientific audiences. Unfortunately, university graduate curricula rarely adequately prepare students with these important skills. REACCH recognizes the need for graduate students to have thorough exposure to other disciplines and to be able to communicate information for outreach and education purposes. These priorities have been incorporated into graduate training within the REACCH project. The interdisciplinary nature of the project and its sophisticated digital infrastructure provide graduate students multiple opportunities to gain these experiences. The project includes over 30 graduate students from 20 different disciplines and research foci including agronomy, biogeochemistry, soil quality, conservation tillage, hydrology, pest and beneficial organisms, economics, modeling, remote sensing, science education and climate science. Professional develop workshops were developed and held during annual project meetings to enhance student training. The "Toolbox" survey (http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/toolbox/) was used to achieve effective interdisciplinary communication. Interdisciplinary extension and education projects were required to allow students to gain experience with collaboration and working with stakeholder groups. Results of student surveys and rubrics developed to gauge success in interdisciplinary research and communication may provide a helpful starting point for future projects involving graduate student training.

76 FR 18743 - Commission Information Collection Activities (FERC-603); Comment Request; Extension

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-05

... FERC-603 ``Critical Energy Infrastructure Information'' (OMB No. 1902-0197) is used by the Commission to implement procedures for gaining access to critical energy infrastructure information (CEII) that... information about ``existing or proposed critical infrastructure that (i) relates to the production...

78 FR 63228 - Determination That Potassium Citrate, 10 Milliequivalents/Packet and 20 Milliequivalents/Packet...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-23

... approved. ANDA applicants do not have to repeat the extensive clinical testing otherwise necessary to gain... mEq/packet and 20 mEq/packet, is the subject of NDA 19-647, held by Nova-K LLC, and initially...

Finding Useful Questions: On Bayesian Diagnosticity, Probability, Impact, and Information Gain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nelson, Jonathan D.

2005-01-01

Several norms for how people should assess a question's usefulness have been proposed, notably Bayesian diagnosticity, information gain (mutual information), Kullback-Liebler distance, probability gain (error minimization), and impact (absolute change). Several probabilistic models of previous experiments on categorization, covariation assessment,…

Invention and Gain Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weber, Robert J.; Dixon, Stacey

1989-01-01

Gain analysis is applied to the invention of the sewing needle as well as different sewing implements and modes of sewing. The analysis includes a two-subject experiment. To validate the generality of gain heuristics and underlying switching processes, the invention of the assembly line is also analyzed. (TJH)

Global power balance on high density field reversed configurations for use in magnetized target fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Renneke, Richard M.

Field Reversed Configuration plasmas (FRCs) have been created in the Field Reversed Experiment-Liner (FRX-L) with density 2--6 x 10 22 m-3, total temperature 300--400 eV, and lifetime on the order of 10 micros. This thesis investigates global energy balance on high-density FRCs for the first time. The zero-dimensional approach to global energy balance developed by Rej and Tuszewski (Phys. Fluids 27, p. 1514, 1984) is utilized here. From the shots analyzed with this method, it is clear that energy loss from these FRCs is dominated by particle and thermal (collisional) losses. The percentage of radiative losses versus total loss is an order of magnitude lower than previous FRC experiments. This is reasonable for high density based on empirical scaling from the extensive database of tokamak plasma experiments. Ohmic dissipation, which heats plasma when trapped magnetic field decays to create electric field, is an important source of heating for the plasma. Ohmic heating shows a correlation with increasing the effective Lundquist number (S*). Empirical evidence suggest S* can be increased by lowering the density, which does not achieve the goals of FRX-L. A better way to improve ohmic heating is to trap more poloidal flux. This dissertation shows that FRX-L follows a semi-empirical scaling law which predicts plasma temperature gains for larger poloidal flux. Flux (tauφ) and particle (tauN) lifetimes for these FRCs were typically shorter than 10 micros. Approximately 1/3 of the particle and flux lifetimes for these FRCs did not scale with the usual tauN ≈ tauφ scaling of low-density FRCs, but instead showed tauN ≥ tau φ. However, scatter in the data indicates that the average performance of FRCs on FRX-L yields the typical (for FRCs) relationship tau N ≈ tauφ. Fusion energy gain Q was extrapolated for the shots analyzed in this study using a zero-dimensional scaling code with liner effects. The predicted Q is below the desired value of 0.1 (Schoenberg et al., LA-UR-98-2413, 1998). The situation predicted to lead to Q = 0.1 requires a larger plasma pressure than shown in the present data. This can be accomplished by increasing the plasma density (through larger fill pressure) and maintaining temperature with increased flux trapping. Larger Q and other benefits could be realized by raising the plasma pressure for future FRX-L shots. The innovation inherent in this work performed by the author is the extension of the global power balance model to include a time history of the plasma discharge. This extension required rigorous checking of the power balance model using internal density profiles provided by the multichord interferometer. Typical orders of the parameters calculated by the model are ˜500 MW total loss power, ˜100 MW ohmic heating power, and ˜200 MW total compression (input) power. Radiation was never measured above 5 MW, which is why it was deemed insignificant. It should be noted that these numbers are merely estimates and vary widely between shots.

A Prototype Two-tier Mentoring Program for Undergraduate Summer Interns from Minority-Serving Institutions at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gens, R.; Prakash, A.; Ozbay, G.; Sriharan, S.; Balazs, M. S.; Chittambakkam, A.; Starkenburg, D. P.; Waigl, C.; Cook, S.; Ferguson, A.; Foster, K.; Jones, E.; Kluge, A.; Stilson, K.

2013-12-01

The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) is partnering with Delaware State University, Virginia State University, Elizabeth City State University, Bethune-Cookman University, and Morgan State University on a U.S. Department of Agriculture - National Institute for Food and Agriculture funded grant for ';Enhancing Geographic Information System Education and Delivery through Collaboration: Curricula Design, Faculty, Staff, and Student Training and Development, and Extension Services'. As a part of this grant, in summer 2013, UAF hosted a week long workshop followed by an intense two week undergraduate internship program. Six undergraduate students from partnering Universities worked with UAF graduate students as their direct mentors. This cohort of undergraduate mentees and graduate student mentors were in-turn counseled by the two UAF principal investigators who served as ';super-mentors'. The role of each person in the two-tier mentoring system was well defined. The super-mentors ensured that there was consistency in the way the internship was setup and resources were allocated. They also ensured that there were no technical glitches in the research projects and that there was healthy communication and interaction among participants. Mentors worked with the mentees ahead of time in outlining a project that aligned with the mentees research interest, provided basic reading material to the interns to get oriented, prepared the datasets required to start the project, and guided the undergraduates throughout the internship. Undergraduates gained hands-on experience in geospatial data collection and application of tools in their projects related to mapping geomorphology, landcover, geothermal sites, fires, and meteorological conditions. Further, they shared their research results and experiences with a broad university-wide audience at the end of the internship period. All participants met at lunch-time for a daily science talk from external speakers. The program offered a rich and gratifying experience for all participants. Undergraduate students got a sneak-peek into a career in higher academia before stepping into graduate school. Graduate students gained mentoring experience, and also learned the importance of good time management and setting clear expectations.

Effect of production system on mineral retention within serially slaughtered cattle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Data from 3 serial harvest experiments were utilized to calculate mineral (Ca, P, Mg, K, and S) retention in cattle. Experiment 1 evaluated 3 rates of gain during a growing period (grazing wheat pasture at a high or low rate of gain and grazing dormant native range) followed by a common finishing d...

A Study of Pacific Islander Scholarship Football Players and Their Institutional Experience in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morita, Monica K.

2013-01-01

This study applies the theories of social and cultural capital and introduces athletic capital in order to gain an understanding of Polynesian scholarship football players and their experiences at an institution of higher education. Additionally, theories of student identity development and student-athlete development are also utilized to gain a…

Gaining a Child: Comparing the Experiences of Biological Parents, Adoptive Parents, and Stepparents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ceballo, Rosario; Lansford, Jennifer E.; Abbey, Antonia; Stewart, Abigail J.

2004-01-01

This study compares the experience of gaining a child through birth, adoption, or marriage, extending the focus of investigation beyond biological parenthood and the transition made by first-time parents. Using a subsample from the National Survey of Families and Households N=204, we compared reasons for having children, parental well-being,…

Self-Perceived Gains in Communication and Critical Thinking Skills: Are There Disciplinary Differences? AIR 1998 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Guihua; Long, Shawna; Simpson, Mary Ellen

This study sought to identify similarities and differences influencing students' self-perceived gains in communication and critical thinking skills. The study examined students' background characteristics and general college experiences, as well as their experiences in their major field of study. Structural equation modeling was used to examine…

Comparative Analysis of Nursing Students' Perspectives toward Avatar Learning Modality: Gain Pre-Clinical Experience via Self-Paced Cognitive Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Commendador, Kathleen; Chi, Robert

2013-01-01

This study was undertaken to better understand the nature of nursing students' perspectives toward simulative learning modality for gaining pre-clinical experience via self-paced cognitive tool--Avatar. Findings indicates that participants engaged in synchronous Avatar learning environment had higher levels of appreciation toward Avatar learning…

Transactional problem content in cost discounting: parallel effects for probability and delay.

PubMed

Jones, Stephen; Oaksford, Mike

2011-05-01

Four experiments investigated the effects of transactional content on temporal and probabilistic discounting of costs. Kusev, van Schaik, Ayton, Dent, and Chater (2009) have shown that content other than gambles can alter decision-making behavior even when associated value and probabilities are held constant. Transactions were hypothesized to lead to similar effects because the cost to a purchaser always has a linked gain, the purchased commodity. Gain amount has opposite effects on delay and probabilistic discounting (e.g., Benzion, Rapoport, & Yagil, 1989; Green, Myerson, & Ostaszewski, 1999), a finding that is not consistent with descriptive decision theory (Kahneman & Tversky, 1979; Loewenstein & Prelec, 1992). However, little or no effect on discounting has been observed for losses or costs. Experiment 1, using transactions, showed parallel effects for temporal and probabilistic discounting: Smaller amounts were discounted more than large amounts. As the cost rises, people value the commodity more, and they consequently discount less. Experiment 2 ruled out a possible methodological cause for this effect. Experiment 3 replicated Experiment 1. Experiment 4, using gambles, showed no effect for temporal discounting, because of the absence of the linked gain, but the same effect for probabilistic discounting, because prospects implicitly introduce a linked gain (Green et al., 1999; Prelec & Loewenstein, 1991). As found by Kusev et al. (2009), these findings are not consistent with decision theory and suggest closer attention should be paid to the effects of content on decision making.

SIGI: An Interactive Aid to Career Decision Making.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katz, Martin R.

1980-01-01

The System of Interactive Guidance and Information (SIGI) helps students make informed and rational career decisions. Interacting with a computer, students examine values, identify and explore options, gain and interpret relevant information, master strategies for decision making, and formulate plans of action. Extensively field-tested, SIGI has…

Determinants of Computer Utilization by Extension Personnel: A Structural Equations Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sivakumar, Paramasivan Sethuraman; Parasar, Bibudha; Das, Raghu Nath; Anantharaman, Mathevanpillai

2014-01-01

Purpose: Information technology (IT) has tremendous potential for fostering grassroots development and the Indian government has created various capital-intensive computer networks to promote agricultural development. However, research studies have shown that information technology investments are not always translated into productivity gains due…

Are Birds Smarter Than Mathematicians? Pigeons (Columba livia) Perform Optimally on a Version of the Monty Hall Dilemma

PubMed Central

Herbranson, Walter T.; Schroeder, Julia

2011-01-01

The “Monty Hall Dilemma” (MHD) is a well known probability puzzle in which a player tries to guess which of three doors conceals a desirable prize. After an initial choice is made, one of the remaining doors is opened, revealing no prize. The player is then given the option of staying with their initial guess or switching to the other unopened door. Most people opt to stay with their initial guess, despite the fact that switching doubles the probability of winning. A series of experiments investigated whether pigeons (Columba livia), like most humans, would fail to maximize their expected winnings in a version of the MHD. Birds completed multiple trials of a standard MHD, with the three response keys in an operant chamber serving as the three doors and access to mixed grain as the prize. Across experiments, the probability of gaining reinforcement for switching and staying was manipulated, and birds adjusted their probability of switching and staying to approximate the optimal strategy. Replication of the procedure with human participants showed that humans failed to adopt optimal strategies, even with extensive training. PMID:20175592

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Inpatients with Psychosis (the REACH Study): Protocol for Treatment Development and Pilot Testing

PubMed Central

Gaudiano, Brandon A.; Davis, Carter H.; Epstein-Lubow, Gary; Johnson, Jennifer E.; Mueser, Kim T.; Miller, Ivan W.

2017-01-01

Patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders frequently require treatment at inpatient hospitals during periods of acute illness for crisis management and stabilization. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a “third wave” cognitive-behavioral intervention that employs innovative mindfulness-based strategies, has shown initial efficacy in randomized controlled trials for improving acute and post-discharge outcomes in patients with psychosis when studied in acute-care psychiatric hospitals in the U.S. However, the intervention has not been widely adopted in its current form because of its use of an individual-only format and delivery by doctoral-level research therapists with extensive prior experience using ACT. The aim of the Researching the Effectiveness of Acceptance-based Coping during Hospitalization (REACH) Study is to adapt a promising acute-care psychosocial treatment for inpatients with psychosis, and to pilot test its effectiveness in a routine inpatient setting. More specifically, we describe our plans to: (a) further develop and refine the treatment and training protocols, (b) conduct an open trial and make further modifications based on the experience gained, and (c) conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial in preparation for a future fully-powered clinical trial testing the effectiveness of ACT. PMID:28475123

Rotating plasma structures in the cross-field discharge of Hall thrusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazouffre, Stephane; Grimaud, Lou; Tsikata, Sedina; Matyash, Konstantin

2016-09-01

Rotating plasma structures, also termed rotating spokes, are observed in various types of low-pressure discharges with crossed electric and magnetic field configurations, such as Penning sources, magnetron discharges, negative ion sources and Hall thrusters. Such structures correspond to large-scale high-density plasma blocks that rotate in the E×B drift direction with a typical frequency on the order of a few kHz. Although such structures have been extensively studied in many communities, the mechanism at their origin and their role in electron transport across the magnetic field remain unknown. Here, we will present insights into the nature of spokes, gained from a combination of experiments and advanced particle-in-cell numerical simulations that aim at better understanding the physics and the impact of rotating plasma structures in the ExB discharge of the Hall thruster. As rotating spokes appear in the ionization region of such thrusters, and are therefore difficult to probe with diagnostics, experiments have been performed with a wall-less Hall thruster. In this configuration, the entire plasma discharge is pushed outside the dielectric cavity, through which the gas is injected, using the combination of specific magnetic field topology with appropriate anode geometry.

Human Decisions in Moral Dilemmas are Largely Described by Utilitarianism: Virtual Car Driving Study Provides Guidelines for Autonomous Driving Vehicles.

PubMed

Faulhaber, Anja K; Dittmer, Anke; Blind, Felix; Wächter, Maximilian A; Timm, Silja; Sütfeld, Leon R; Stephan, Achim; Pipa, Gordon; König, Peter

2018-01-22

Ethical thought experiments such as the trolley dilemma have been investigated extensively in the past, showing that humans act in utilitarian ways, trying to cause as little overall damage as possible. These trolley dilemmas have gained renewed attention over the past few years, especially due to the necessity of implementing moral decisions in autonomous driving vehicles (ADVs). We conducted a set of experiments in which participants experienced modified trolley dilemmas as drivers in virtual reality environments. Participants had to make decisions between driving in one of two lanes where different obstacles came into view. Eventually, the participants had to decide which of the objects they would crash into. Obstacles included a variety of human-like avatars of different ages and group sizes. Furthermore, the influence of sidewalks as potential safe harbors and a condition implicating self-sacrifice were tested. Results showed that participants, in general, decided in a utilitarian manner, sparing the highest number of avatars possible with a limited influence by the other variables. Derived from these findings, which are in line with the utilitarian approach in moral decision making, it will be argued for an obligatory ethics setting implemented in ADVs.

Bibliographic Data in Astronomy: Experience with the IBVS Reference List Revision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holl, A.

2015-04-01

Literature has to be both visible and accessible. What is not on the web is almost non-existent. Let's turn this adage around: are our present bibliographies complete? Where are the blind spots? Are there resources missing from the web, or not readily accessible? The author shares his experience gained during the extensive revision of old reference lists from the Information Bulletin on Variable Stars (IBVS). ADS contains about twenty-five thousand references from IBVS issues between 1961 and 2013. There are some more references in journals, unidentifiable by ADS. Some are incomplete or inaccurate, and the rest is mostly old and obscure. But however old or obscure it is, it must contain important information, because it is cited. Old observatory publications, and aged gray literature in general, is just in the process of being cleared off from library shelves. It is not only the literature of the past we need to discuss — there are challenges for the present and the future: these include new forms of publications that are hard to render into bibcodes, data and data products, and items that are not strictly data or literature, like VOEvents and nanopublications.

Digital pathology: DICOM-conform draft, testbed, and first results.

PubMed

Zwönitzer, Ralf; Kalinski, Thomas; Hofmann, Harald; Roessner, Albert; Bernarding, Johannes

2007-09-01

Hospital information systems are state of the art nowadays. Therefore, Digital Pathology, also labelled as Virtual Microscopy, has gained increased attention. Triggered by radiology, standardized information models and workflows were world-wide defined based on DICOM. However, DICOM-conform integration of Digital Pathology into existing clinical information systems imposes new problems requiring specific solutions concerning the huge amount of data as well as the special structure of the data to be managed, transferred, and stored. We implemented a testbed to realize and evaluate the workflow of digitized slides from acquisition to archiving. The experiences led to the draft of a DICOM-conform information model that accounted for extensions, definitions, and technical requirements necessary to integrate digital pathology in a hospital-wide DICOM environment. Slides were digitized, compressed, and could be viewed remotely. Real-time transfer of the huge amount of data was optimized using streaming techniques. Compared to a recent discussion in the DICOM Working Group for Digital Pathology (WG26) our experiences led to a preference of a JPEG2000/JPIP-based streaming of the whole slide image. The results showed that digital pathology is feasible but strong efforts by users and vendors are still necessary to integrate Digital Pathology into existing information systems.

Are birds smarter than mathematicians? Pigeons (Columba livia) perform optimally on a version of the Monty Hall Dilemma.

PubMed

Herbranson, Walter T; Schroeder, Julia

2010-02-01

The "Monty Hall Dilemma" (MHD) is a well known probability puzzle in which a player tries to guess which of three doors conceals a desirable prize. After an initial choice is made, one of the remaining doors is opened, revealing no prize. The player is then given the option of staying with their initial guess or switching to the other unopened door. Most people opt to stay with their initial guess, despite the fact that switching doubles the probability of winning. A series of experiments investigated whether pigeons (Columba livia), like most humans, would fail to maximize their expected winnings in a version of the MHD. Birds completed multiple trials of a standard MHD, with the three response keys in an operant chamber serving as the three doors and access to mixed grain as the prize. Across experiments, the probability of gaining reinforcement for switching and staying was manipulated, and birds adjusted their probability of switching and staying to approximate the optimal strategy. Replication of the procedure with human participants showed that humans failed to adopt optimal strategies, even with extensive training.

Factors Influencing Career Experiences of Selected Chinese Faculty Employed at an American Research Extensive University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooksey, Yan Zhang; Cole, Bryan R.

2012-01-01

Whereas research related to the experience of faculty of color is increasing, few attentions have been focused on Chinese faculty's career experience in the US. This study examined career experiences of 16 Chinese faculty members across different disciplines, ranks and genders at a studied research extensive university in Texas, US. The study used…

Multi-Institutional, Multidisciplinary Study of the Impact of Course-Based Research Experiences†

PubMed Central

Mader, Catherine M.; Beck, Christopher W.; Grillo, Wendy H.; Hollowell, Gail P.; Hennington, Bettye S.; Staub, Nancy L.; Delesalle, Veronique A.; Lello, Denise; Merritt, Robert B.; Griffin, Gerald D.; Bradford, Chastity; Mao, Jinghe; Blumer, Lawrence S.; White, Sandra L.

2017-01-01

Numerous national reports have called for reforming laboratory courses so that all students experience the research process. In response, many course-based research experiences (CREs) have been developed and implemented. Research on the impact of these CREs suggests that student benefits can be similar to those of traditional apprentice-model research experiences. However, most assessments of CREs have been in individual courses at individual institutions or across institutions using the same CRE model. Furthermore, which structures and components of CREs result in the greatest student gains is unknown. We explored the impact of different CRE models in different contexts on student self-reported gains in understanding, skills, and professional development using the Classroom Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) survey. Our analysis included 49 courses developed and taught at seven diverse institutions. Overall, students reported greater gains for all benefits when compared with the reported national means for the Survey of Undergraduate Research Experiences (SURE). Two aspects of these CREs were associated with greater student gains: 1) CREs that were the focus of the entire course or that more fully integrated modules within a traditional laboratory and 2) CREs that had a higher degree of student input and results that were unknown to both students and faculty. PMID:28861141

A Research-Based Science Teacher Education Program for a Competitive Tomorrow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clary, R. M.; Hamil, B.; Beard, D. J.; Chevalier, D.; Dunne, J.; Saebo, S.

2009-12-01

A united commitment between the College of Education and the College of Arts and Sciences at Mississippi State University, in partnership with local high-need school districts, has the goal of increasing the number of highly qualified science teachers through authentic science research experiences. The departments of Geosciences, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Physics offer undergraduate pre-service teachers laboratory experiences in science research laboratories, including 1) paleontological investigations of Cretaceous environments, 2) NMR studies of the conformation of tachykinin peptides, 3) FHA domains as regulators of cell signaling in plants, 4) intermediate energy nuclear physics studies, and 5) computational studies of cyclic ketene acetals. Coordinated by the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, these research experiences involve extensive laboratory training in which the pre-teacher participants matriculate through a superior education curriculum prior to administrating their individual classrooms. Participants gain valuable experience in 1) performing literature searches and reviews; 2) planning research projects; 3) recording data; 4) presenting laboratory results effectively; and 5) writing professional scientific manuscripts. The research experience is available to pre-service teachers who are science education majors with a declared second major in a science (i.e., geology, biology, physics, or chemistry). Students are employed part-time in various science university laboratories, with work schedules arranged around their individual course loads. While the focus of this endeavor is upon undergraduate pre-service teachers, the researchers also target practicing science teachers from the local high-need school districts. A summer workshop provides practicing science teachers with a summative laboratory experience in several scientific disciplines. Practicing teachers also are provided lesson plans and ideas to transform their classrooms into active-learning environments which focus upon authentic research. Although in its first year, this program has resulted in several requests from workshop participants for additional information and researcher engagement for individual classrooms. The pre-service teachers are highly engaged, and some participants have presented research at peer-reviewed professional conferences. The goals for the enrolled pre-service and practicing teachers include the development of critical thinking problem-solving skills, and an increase in motivation and excitement for science teaching. The extensive science research background and enthusiasm should translate directly into Mississippi’s high-need science classrooms, and increase the number of K-12 students interested in STEM education as a major.

An extension of incidental teaching procedures to reading instruction for autistic children.

PubMed Central

McGee, G G; Krantz, P J; McClannahan, L E

1986-01-01

In an extension of incidental teaching procedures to reading instruction, two autistic children acquired functional sight-word reading skills in the context of a play activity. Children gained access to preferred toys by selecting the label of the toy in tasks requiring increasingly complex visual discriminations. In addition to demonstrating rapid acquisition of 5-choice discriminations, they showed comprehension on probes requiring reading skills to locate toys stored in labeled boxes. Also examined was postteaching transfer across stimulus materials and response modalities. Implications are that extensions of incidental teaching to new response classes may produce the same benefits documented in communication training, in terms of producing generalization concurrent with skill acquisition in the course of child-preferred activities. PMID:3733586

I owe you: age-related similarities and differences in associative memory for gains and losses.

PubMed

Castel, Alan D; Friedman, Michael C; McGillivray, Shannon; Flores, Cynthia C; Murayama, Kou; Kerr, Tyson; Drolet, Aimee

2016-09-01

Older adults often experience associative memory impairments but can sometimes remember important information. The current experiments investigate potential age-related similarities and differences associate memory for gains and losses. Younger and older participants were presented with faces and associated dollar amounts, which indicated how much money the person "owed" the participant, and were later given a cued recall test for the dollar amount. Experiment 1 examined face-dollar amount pairs while Experiment 2 included negative dollar amounts to examine both gains and losses. While younger adults recalled more information relative to older adults, both groups were more accurate in recalling the correct value associated with high-value faces compared to lower-value faces and remembered gist-information about the values. However, negative values (losses) did not have a strong impact on recall among older adults versus younger adults, illustrating important associative memory differences between younger and older adults.

The Use of a Gain Monitoring System in the G0 Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nakos, Melissa T.

2001-11-01

The main goal of the G0 experiment is to find the contributions of the three light quark flavors to the electromagnetic properties of the nucleon by comparing the electromagnetic and neutral weak form factors, measured through the observation of parity-violating asymmetries in elastic electron-nucleon scattering. The experiment will measure the time of flight and the momentum transfer of protons (at forward scattering angles) and electrons (at backward scattering angles). The detectors used in this experiment are plastic scintillators placed in the focal plane of a magnetic spectrometer such that the momentum transfer is directly measured. A gain monitoring system has been designed to track the timing and gain of the photomultiplier tubes at the end of each scintillator. The system is made of a pulsed ultraviolet laser, pure silica fiber optic cables, and a masking system to mimic a real event.

I Owe You: Age-Related Similarities and Differences in Associative Memory for Gains and Losses

PubMed Central

Castel, Alan D.; Friedman, Michael C.; McGillivray, Shannon; Flores, Cynthia C.; Murayama, Kou; Kerr, Tyson; Drolet, Aimee

2016-01-01

Older adults often experience associative memory impairments but can sometimes remember important information. The current experiments investigate potential age-related similarities and differences associate memory for gains and losses. Younger and older participants were presented with faces and associated dollar amounts, which indicated how much money the person “owed” the participant, and were later given a cued recall test for the dollar amount. Experiment 1 examined face-dollar amount pairs while Experiment 2 included negative dollar amounts to examine both gains and losses. While younger adults recalled more information relative to older adults, both groups were more accurate in recalling the correct value associated with high value faces compared to lower value faces and remembered gist-information about the values. However, negative values (losses) did not have a strong impact on recall among older adults versus younger adults, illustrating important associative memory differences between younger and older adults. PMID:26847137

Moving beyond the function of the health behaviour: the effect of message frame on behavioural decision-making.

PubMed

Bartels, Roger D; Kelly, Kristina M; Rothman, Alexander J

2010-09-01

Health messages that provide gain- or loss-framed arguments have a differential impact on behavioural decision-making (Rothman & Salovey, 1997). Typically, gain-framed messages more effectively promote preventive health behaviours, which maintain health and minimise the risk of a health problem, whereas loss-framed messages more effectively promote detection behaviours, which involve the risk of finding a health problem. Two experiments tested the thesis that the risk implications of the behaviour are an important determinant of the persuasive impact of gain- and loss-framed appeals. Results revealed that when the risk associated with a health behaviour (either a prevention behaviour in Experiment 1 or a detection behaviour in Experiment 2) was low, participants responded more favourably to gain-framed messages. However, when the risk associated with the health behaviour (either prevention or detection) was high, participants responded more favourably to loss-framed messages. Discussion focuses on the importance of taking into account how individuals construe a behaviour when constructing framed appeals.

F-8C adaptive flight control extensions. [for maximum likelihood estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stein, G.; Hartmann, G. L.

1977-01-01

An adaptive concept which combines gain-scheduled control laws with explicit maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) identification to provide the scheduling values is described. The MLE algorithm was improved by incorporating attitude data, estimating gust statistics for setting filter gains, and improving parameter tracking during changing flight conditions. A lateral MLE algorithm was designed to improve true air speed and angle of attack estimates during lateral maneuvers. Relationships between the pitch axis sensors inherent in the MLE design were examined and used for sensor failure detection. Design details and simulation performance are presented for each of the three areas investigated.

Organization of the Optical Society of America Photonic Science Topical Meeting Series. Volume 14. Photorefractive Materials Effects, and Devices Held in Beverly, Massachusetts on 29-31 July 1991

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

STUDENT CENTER the photorefractive effect in cadmium sulfide. The maximum gain coefficient measured is 0.3 cm-1 at 633 nm. The r:00 am-8:00 am BREAKFAST...OK, 74354, Tel: 918-542 1801 00 00- 00 Abstract NWe report the first observation of the photorefractive effect in Cadmium sulfide. The maximum gain...the exception of GaP [1] none of these materials can be used in the wavelength range of 600-700 nm. Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) has been extensively

Floating production platforms and their applications in the development of oil and gas fields in the South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Dagang; Chen, Yongjun; Zhang, Tianyu

2014-03-01

This paper studies the current available options for floating production platforms in developing deepwater oil fields and the potential development models of future oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea. A detailed review of current deepwater platforms worldwide was performed through the examples of industry projects, and the pros and cons of each platform are discussed. Four types of platforms are currently used for the deepwater development: tension leg platform, Spar, semi-submersible platform, and the floating production system offloading. Among these, the TLP and Spar can be used for dry tree applications, and have gained popularity in recent years. The dry tree application enables the extension of the drilling application for fixed platforms into floating systems, and greatly reduces the cost and complexity of the subsea operation. Newly built wet tree semi-submersible production platforms for ultra deepwater are also getting their application, mainly due to the much needed payload for deepwater making the conversion of the old drilling semi-submersible platforms impossible. These platforms have been used in different fields around the world for different environments; each has its own advantages and disadvantages. There are many challenges with the successful use of these floating platforms. A lot of lessons have been learned and extensive experience accumulated through the many project applications. Key technologies are being reviewed for the successful use of floating platforms for field development, and potential future development needs are being discussed. Some of the technologies and experience of platform applications can be well used for the development of the South China Sea oil and gas field.

iHOPerator: user-scripting a personalized bioinformatics Web, starting with the iHOP website

PubMed Central

Good, Benjamin M; Kawas, Edward A; Kuo, Byron Yu-Lin; Wilkinson, Mark D

2006-01-01

Background User-scripts are programs stored in Web browsers that can manipulate the content of websites prior to display in the browser. They provide a novel mechanism by which users can conveniently gain increased control over the content and the display of the information presented to them on the Web. As the Web is the primary medium by which scientists retrieve biological information, any improvements in the mechanisms that govern the utility or accessibility of this information may have profound effects. GreaseMonkey is a Mozilla Firefox extension that facilitates the development and deployment of user-scripts for the Firefox web-browser. We utilize this to enhance the content and the presentation of the iHOP (information Hyperlinked Over Proteins) website. Results The iHOPerator is a GreaseMonkey user-script that augments the gene-centred pages on iHOP by providing a compact, configurable visualization of the defining information for each gene and by enabling additional data, such as biochemical pathway diagrams, to be collected automatically from third party resources and displayed in the same browsing context. Conclusion This open-source script provides an extension to the iHOP website, demonstrating how user-scripts can personalize and enhance the Web browsing experience in a relevant biological setting. The novel, user-driven controls over the content and the display of Web resources made possible by user-scripts, such as the iHOPerator, herald the beginning of a transition from a resource-centric to a user-centric Web experience. We believe that this transition is a necessary step in the development of Web technology that will eventually result in profound improvements in the way life scientists interact with information. PMID:17173692

Energy Scaling of Nanosecond Gain-Switched Cr2+:ZnSe Lasers

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

outcoupler or absorption from the lightly-doped active ions. Additionally, the edges of the crystals are cut at the Brewster angle , which raises...experiments we used Brewster cut Cr:ZnSe gain elements with a chromium concentration of 8x1018 cm-3. Under Cr:Tm:Ho:YAG pumping, the first Cr:ZnSe laser...the energy scaling of nanosecond gain-switched Cr:ZnSe lasers is optimization of the gain medium. In this study we used Brewster cut Cr:ZnSe gain

What Experiences Help Students Become Scientists? A Comparative Study of Research and Other Sources of Personal and Professional Gains for STEM Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiry, Heather; Laursen, Sandra L.; Hunter, Anne-Barrie

2011-01-01

In this study of curricular and co-curricular learning in STEM disciplines at four liberal arts colleges, comparative analysis of 62 interviews with graduating seniors demonstrates that out-of-class experiences fostered many intellectual, personal, and professional gains. Undergraduate research, in particular, helped to shape science identities…

Mineral retention of growing and finishing beef cattle across different production systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Calcium, P, Mg, K, and S retention in carcass, offal, and viscera were measured in 2 beef cattle experiments. Experiment 1 used 30 steers (245 kg of BW; SE = 4 kg) wintered at 3 levels of gain: grazing wheat pasture at a (1) high or (2) low rate of gain or (3) grazing dormant native range, and all w...

How to make loss aversion disappear and reverse: tests of the decision by sampling origin of loss aversion.

PubMed

Walasek, Lukasz; Stewart, Neil

2015-02-01

One of the most robust empirical findings in the behavioral sciences is loss aversion--the finding that losses loom larger than gains. We offer a new psychological explanation of the origins of loss aversion in which loss aversion emerges from differences in the distribution of gains and losses people experience. In 4 experiments, we tested this proposition by manipulating the range of gains and losses that individuals saw during the process of eliciting their loss aversion. We were able to find loss aversion, loss neutrality, and even the reverse of loss aversion.

Increasing Depth of Self Perception in Children through a Course in Psychology: A Feasibility Study of a Teacher Training Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Barbara Ellis

1974-01-01

Tests the hypothesis that teachers can learn about and use a psychological curriculum without extensive prior study of psychology, and that students will show gain in depth of self-perception and higher levels of psychological maturity. (Author/RP)

Female Aggression and Violence: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Penelope E.

2012-01-01

Aggression and violence among adolescent females has received extension attention throughout the nation. Girls often employ relationally aggressive behaviors to resolve conflict, which often leads to physical aggression. The purpose of this study was to examine a girl fight from multiple perspectives to gain a better understanding of the causes…

Building Internal Motivation for Worker Competency Certifications: A Critique and Proposal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fertig, Jason; Zeitz, Gerald; Blau, Gary

2009-01-01

Though not extensively researched, third-party employee competency certifications are increasingly important to organizations. Certifications are double-edged: they may serve to reduce transaction costs, enhance performance, and foster employee development; but they can also be used as "credentials" to gain prestige, rewards, or influence. The…

Enhancing Online Education Using Collaboration Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ge, Shuzhi Sam; Tok, Meng Yong

2003-01-01

With the advances in Internet technologies, online education is fast gaining ground as an extension to traditional education. Webcast allows lectures conducted on campus to be viewed by students located at remote sites by streaming the audio and video content over Internet Protocol (IP) networks. However when used alone, webcast does not provide…

Second Annual Career Guidance Institute: Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schenck, Norma Elaine

The document reports on the organization and implementation plans for Indiana's Second Annual Career Guidance Institute and the sound/slide programs developed on six career cluster areas. An extensive evaluation analyzes the Institute in light of its objectives, offers insights gained on career opportunities, gives changes in attitude regarding…

Participation in a Year-Long CURE Embedded into Major Core Genetics and Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory Courses Results in Gains in Foundational Biological Concepts and Experimental Design Skills by Novice Undergraduate Researchers†

PubMed Central

Peteroy-Kelly, Marcy A.; Marcello, Matthew R.; Crispo, Erika; Buraei, Zafir; Strahs, Daniel; Isaacson, Marisa; Jaworski, Leslie; Lopatto, David; Zuzga, David

2017-01-01

This two-year study describes the assessment of student learning gains arising from participation in a year-long curriculum consisting of a classroom undergraduate research experience (CURE) embedded into second-year, major core Genetics and Cellular and Molecular Biology (CMB) laboratory courses. For the first course in our CURE, students used micro-array or RNAseq analyses to identify genes important for environmental stress responses by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The students were tasked with creating overexpressing mutants of their genes and designing their own original experiments to investigate the functions of those genes using the overexpression and null mutants in the second CURE course. In order to evaluate student learning gains, we employed three validated concept inventories in a pretest/posttest format and compared gains on the posttest versus the pretest with student laboratory final grades. Our results demonstrated that there was a significant correlation between students earning lower grades in the Genetics laboratory for both years of this study and gains on the Genetics Concept Assessment (GCA). We also demonstrated a correlation between students earning lower grades in the Genetics laboratory and gains on the Introductory Molecular and Cell Biology Assessment (IMCA) for year 1 of the study. Students furthermore demonstrated significant gains in identifying the variable properties of experimental subjects when assessed using the Rubric for Experimental (RED) design tool. Results from the administration of the CURE survey support these findings. Our results suggest that a year-long CURE enables lower performing students to experience greater gains in their foundational skills for success in the STEM disciplines. PMID:28904646

Participation in a Year-Long CURE Embedded into Major Core Genetics and Cellular and Molecular Biology Laboratory Courses Results in Gains in Foundational Biological Concepts and Experimental Design Skills by Novice Undergraduate Researchers.

PubMed

Peteroy-Kelly, Marcy A; Marcello, Matthew R; Crispo, Erika; Buraei, Zafir; Strahs, Daniel; Isaacson, Marisa; Jaworski, Leslie; Lopatto, David; Zuzga, David

2017-01-01

This two-year study describes the assessment of student learning gains arising from participation in a year-long curriculum consisting of a classroom undergraduate research experience (CURE) embedded into second-year, major core Genetics and Cellular and Molecular Biology (CMB) laboratory courses. For the first course in our CURE, students used micro-array or RNAseq analyses to identify genes important for environmental stress responses by Saccharomyces cerevisiae . The students were tasked with creating overexpressing mutants of their genes and designing their own original experiments to investigate the functions of those genes using the overexpression and null mutants in the second CURE course. In order to evaluate student learning gains, we employed three validated concept inventories in a pretest/posttest format and compared gains on the posttest versus the pretest with student laboratory final grades. Our results demonstrated that there was a significant correlation between students earning lower grades in the Genetics laboratory for both years of this study and gains on the Genetics Concept Assessment (GCA). We also demonstrated a correlation between students earning lower grades in the Genetics laboratory and gains on the Introductory Molecular and Cell Biology Assessment (IMCA) for year 1 of the study. Students furthermore demonstrated significant gains in identifying the variable properties of experimental subjects when assessed using the Rubric for Experimental (RED) design tool. Results from the administration of the CURE survey support these findings. Our results suggest that a year-long CURE enables lower performing students to experience greater gains in their foundational skills for success in the STEM disciplines.

The Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine Shelter Program

PubMed Central

Bushby, Philip; Woodruff, Kimberly; Shivley, Jake

2015-01-01

Simple Summary First initiated in 1995 to provide veterinary students with spay/neuter experience, the shelter program at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine has grown to be comprehensive in nature incorporating spay/neuter, basic wellness care, diagnostics, medical management, disease control, shelter management and biosecurity. Junior veterinary students spend five days in shelters; senior veterinary students spend 2-weeks visiting shelters in mobile veterinary units. The program has three primary components: spay/neuter, shelter medical days and Animals in Focus. Student gain significant hands-on experience and evaluations of the program by students are overwhelmingly positive. Abstract The shelter program at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine provides veterinary students with extensive experience in shelter animal care including spay/neuter, basic wellness care, diagnostics, medical management, disease control, shelter management and biosecurity. Students spend five days at shelters in the junior year of the curriculum and two weeks working on mobile veterinary units in their senior year. The program helps meet accreditation standards of the American Veterinary Medical Association’s Council on Education that require students to have hands-on experience and is in keeping with recommendations from the North American Veterinary Medical Education Consortium. The program responds, in part, to the challenge from the Pew Study on Future Directions for Veterinary Medicine that argued that veterinary students do not graduate with the level of knowledge and skills that is commensurate with the number of years of professional education. PMID:26479234

Dynamics of genome size evolution in birds and mammals.

PubMed

Kapusta, Aurélie; Suh, Alexander; Feschotte, Cédric

2017-02-21

Genome size in mammals and birds shows remarkably little interspecific variation compared with other taxa. However, genome sequencing has revealed that many mammal and bird lineages have experienced differential rates of transposable element (TE) accumulation, which would be predicted to cause substantial variation in genome size between species. Thus, we hypothesize that there has been covariation between the amount of DNA gained by transposition and lost by deletion during mammal and avian evolution, resulting in genome size equilibrium. To test this model, we develop computational methods to quantify the amount of DNA gained by TE expansion and lost by deletion over the last 100 My in the lineages of 10 species of eutherian mammals and 24 species of birds. The results reveal extensive variation in the amount of DNA gained via lineage-specific transposition, but that DNA loss counteracted this expansion to various extents across lineages. Our analysis of the rate and size spectrum of deletion events implies that DNA removal in both mammals and birds has proceeded mostly through large segmental deletions (>10 kb). These findings support a unified "accordion" model of genome size evolution in eukaryotes whereby DNA loss counteracting TE expansion is a major determinant of genome size. Furthermore, we propose that extensive DNA loss, and not necessarily a dearth of TE activity, has been the primary force maintaining the greater genomic compaction of flying birds and bats relative to their flightless relatives.

Effect of Spaceflight on Vestibulo-Ocular Reflexes (VORS) During Angular Head Motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tomko, David L.; Clifford, James O.; Hargens, Alan R. (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

Vestibulo-ocular reflexes (VORs) stabilize the eyes during head motion. During Earth-horizontal (E-H) pitch or roll rotations, canal and otolith stimuli occur together. In Earth-vertical (E-V) pitch or roll rotations, only canal signals occur. In cats and squirrel monkeys, pitch/roll VOR gains during E-H motion have been shown to be larger than during E-V motion, implying that otolith modulation plays a role in producing angular VORs (aVORs). The present experiments replicated this experiment in rhesus monkeys, and examined how spaceflight affected AVOR gain. During yaw, pitch and roll (0.5 - 1.0 Hz, 40-50 deg/s pk) motion, 3-d eye movements were recorded in four Rhesus monkeys using scleral search coils. Mean E-H and E-V pitch VOR gains were 0.85 and 0.71. Torsional VOR gains during E-H and E-V were 0.47 and 0.39. Gains are more compensatory during E-H pitch or roll. Two of the four monkeys flew for 11 days on the COSMOS 2229 Biosatellite. E-H pitch VOR gains were attenuated immediately (72 hrs) post-flight, with similar values to pre-flight E-V pitch gains. Horizontal yaw VOR gains were similar pre- and post-flight.

Can LENR Energy Gains Exceed 1000?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagel, David J.

2011-03-01

Energy gain is defined as the energy realized from reactions divided by the energy required to produce those reactions. Low Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR) have already been measured to significantly exceed the energy gain of 10 projected from ITER,possibly 15 years from now. Electrochemical experiments using the Pd-D system have shown energy gains exceeding 10. Gas phase experiments with the Ni-H system were reported to yield energy gains of over 100. Neither of these reports has been adequately verified or reproduced. However, the question in the title still deserves consideration. If, as thought by many, it is possible to trigger nuclear reactions that yield MeV energies with chemical energies of the order of eV, then the most optimistic expectation is that LENR gains could approach one million. Hence, the very tentative answer to the question above is yes. However, if LENR could be initiated with some energy cost, and then continue to ``burn,'' very high energy gains might be realized. Consider a match and a pile of dry logs. The phenomenon termed ``heat after death'' will be examined to see if it might be the initial evidence for nuclear ``burning.''

Firm Efficiency and Returns-to-Scale in the Honey Bee Pollination Services Industry.

PubMed

Jones Ritten, Chian; Peck, Dannele; Ehmke, Mariah; Patalee, M A Buddhika

2018-04-03

While the demand for pollination services have been increasing, continued declines in honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), colonies have put the cropping sector and the broader health of agro-ecosystems at risk. Economic factors may play a role in dwindling honey bee colony supply in the United States, but have not been extensively studied. Using data envelopment analysis (DEA), we measure technical efficiency, returns to scale, and factors influencing the efficiency of those apiaries in the northern Rocky Mountain region participating in the pollination services market. We find that, although over 25% of apiaries are technically efficient, many experience either increasing or decreasing returns to scale. Smaller apiaries (under 80 colonies) experience increasing returns to scale, but a lack of available financing may hinder them from achieving economically sustainable colony levels. Larger apiaries (over 1,000 colonies) experience decreasing returns to scale. Those beekeepers may have economic incentivizes to decrease colony numbers. Using a double bootstrap method, we find that apiary location and off-farm employment influence apiary technical efficiency. Apiaries in Wyoming are found to be more efficient than those in Utah or Montana. Further, engagement in off-farm employment increases an apiary's technical efficiency. The combined effects of efficiency gains through off-farm employment and diseconomies of scale may explain, in part, the historical decline in honey bee numbers.

Major results from the first plasma campaign of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator

DOE PAGES

Wolf, R. C.; Ali, A.; Alonso, A.; ...

2017-07-27

Here, after completing the main construction phase of Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) and successfully commissioning the device, first plasma operation started at the end of 2015. Integral commissioning of plasma start-up and operation using electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and an extensive set of plasma diagnostics have been completed, allowing initial physics studies during the first operational campaign. Both in helium and hydrogen, plasma breakdown was easily achieved. Gaining experience with plasma vessel conditioning, discharge lengths could be extended gradually. Eventually, discharges lasted up to 6 s, reaching an injected energy of 4 MJ, which is twice the limit originally agreedmore » for the limiter configuration employed during the first operational campaign. At power levels of 4 MW central electron densities reached 3 × 10 19 m –3, central electron temperatures reached values of 7 keV and ion temperatures reached just above 2 keV. Important physics studies during this first operational phase include a first assessment of power balance and energy confinement, ECRH power deposition experiments, 2nd harmonic O-mode ECRH using multi-pass absorption, and current drive experiments using electron cyclotron current drive. As in many plasma discharges the electron temperature exceeds the ion temperature significantly, these plasmas are governed by core electron root confinement showing a strong positive electric field in the plasma centre.« less

Major results from the first plasma campaign of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, R. C.; Ali, A.; Alonso, A.; Baldzuhn, J.; Beidler, C.; Beurskens, M.; Biedermann, C.; Bosch, H.-S.; Bozhenkov, S.; Brakel, R.; Dinklage, A.; Feng, Y.; Fuchert, G.; Geiger, J.; Grulke, O.; Helander, P.; Hirsch, M.; Höfel, U.; Jakubowski, M.; Knauer, J.; Kocsis, G.; König, R.; Kornejew, P.; Krämer-Flecken, A.; Krychowiak, M.; Landreman, M.; Langenberg, A.; Laqua, H. P.; Lazerson, S.; Maaßberg, H.; Marsen, S.; Marushchenko, M.; Moseev, D.; Niemann, H.; Pablant, N.; Pasch, E.; Rahbarnia, K.; Schlisio, G.; Stange, T.; Pedersen, T. Sunn; Svensson, J.; Szepesi, T.; Trimino Mora, H.; Turkin, Y.; Wauters, T.; Weir, G.; Wenzel, U.; Windisch, T.; Wurden, G.; Zhang, D.; Abramovic, I.; Äkäslompolo, S.; Aleynikov, P.; Aleynikova, K.; Alzbutas, R.; Anda, G.; Andreeva, T.; Ascasibar, E.; Assmann, J.; Baek, S.-G.; Banduch, M.; Barbui, T.; Barlak, M.; Baumann, K.; Behr, W.; Benndorf, A.; Bertuch, O.; Biel, W.; Birus, D.; Blackwell, B.; Blanco, E.; Blatzheim, M.; Bluhm, T.; Böckenhoff, D.; Bolgert, P.; Borchardt, M.; Borsuk, V.; Boscary, J.; Böttger, L.-G.; Brand, H.; Brandt, Ch.; Bräuer, T.; Braune, H.; Brezinsek, S.; Brunner, K.-J.; Brünner, B.; Burhenn, R.; Buttenschön, B.; Bykov, V.; Calvo, I.; Cannas, B.; Cappa, A.; Carls, A.; Carraro, L.; Carvalho, B.; Castejon, F.; Charl, A.; Chernyshev, F.; Cianciosa, M.; Citarella, R.; Ciupiński, Ł.; Claps, G.; Cole, M.; Cole, M. J.; Cordella, F.; Cseh, G.; Czarnecka, A.; Czermak, A.; Czerski, K.; Czerwinski, M.; Czymek, G.; da Molin, A.; da Silva, A.; Dammertz, G.; Danielson, J.; de la Pena, A.; Degenkolbe, S.; Denner, P.; Dhard, D. P.; Dostal, M.; Drevlak, M.; Drewelow, P.; Drews, Ph.; Dudek, A.; Dundulis, G.; Durodie, F.; van Eeten, P.; Effenberg, F.; Ehrke, G.; Endler, M.; Ennis, D.; Erckmann, E.; Esteban, H.; Estrada, T.; Fahrenkamp, N.; Feist, J.-H.; Fellinger, J.; Fernandes, H.; Fietz, W. H.; Figacz, W.; Fontdecaba, J.; Ford, O.; Fornal, T.; Frerichs, H.; Freund, A.; Führer, M.; Funaba, T.; Galkowski, A.; Gantenbein, G.; Gao, Y.; García Regaña, J.; Garcia-Munoz, M.; Gates, D.; Gawlik, G.; Geiger, B.; Giannella, V.; Gierse, N.; Gogoleva, A.; Goncalves, B.; Goriaev, A.; Gradic, D.; Grahl, M.; Green, J.; Grosman, A.; Grote, H.; Gruca, M.; Guerard, C.; Haiduk, L.; Han, X.; Harberts, F.; Harris, J. H.; Hartfuß, H.-J.; Hartmann, D.; Hathiramani, D.; Hein, B.; Heinemann, B.; Heitzenroeder, P.; Henneberg, S.; Hennig, C.; Hernandez Sanchez, J.; Hidalgo, C.; Hölbe, H.; Hollfeld, K. P.; Hölting, A.; Höschen, D.; Houry, M.; Howard, J.; Huang, X.; Huber, M.; Huber, V.; Hunger, H.; Ida, K.; Ilkei, T.; Illy, S.; Israeli, B.; Ivanov, A.; Jablonski, S.; Jagielski, J.; Jelonnek, J.; Jenzsch, H.; Junghans, P.; Kacmarczyk, J.; Kaliatka, T.; Kallmeyer, J.-P.; Kamionka, U.; Karalevicius, R.; Kasahara, H.; Kasparek, W.; Kenmochi, N.; Keunecke, M.; Khilchenko, A.; Kinna, D.; Kleiber, R.; Klinger, T.; Knaup, M.; Kobarg, Th.; Köchl, F.; Kolesnichenko, Y.; Könies, A.; Köppen, M.; Koshurinov, J.; Koslowski, R.; Köster, F.; Koziol, R.; Krämer, M.; Krampitz, R.; Kraszewsk, P.; Krawczyk, N.; Kremeyer, T.; Krings, Th.; Krom, J.; Krzesinski, G.; Ksiazek, I.; Kubkowska, M.; Kühner, G.; Kurki-Suonio, T.; Kwak, S.; Lang, R.; Langish, S.; Laqua, H.; Laube, R.; Lechte, C.; Lennartz, M.; Leonhardt, W.; Lewerentz, L.; Liang, Y.; Linsmeier, Ch.; Liu, S.; Lobsien, J.-F.; Loesser, D.; Loizu Cisquella, J.; Lore, J.; Lorenz, A.; Losert, M.; Lubyako, L.; Lücke, A.; Lumsdaine, A.; Lutsenko, V.; Majano-Brown, J.; Marchuk, O.; Mardenfeld, M.; Marek, P.; Massidda, S.; Masuzaki, S.; Maurer, D.; McCarthy, K.; McNeely, P.; Meier, A.; Mellein, D.; Mendelevitch, B.; Mertens, Ph.; Mikkelsen, D.; Mishchenko, O.; Missal, B.; Mittelstaedt, J.; Mizuuchi, T.; Mollen, A.; Moncada, V.; Mönnich, T.; Morizaki, T.; Munk, R.; Murakami, S.; Musielok, F.; Náfrádi, G.; Nagel, M.; Naujoks, D.; Neilson, H.; Neubauer, O.; Neuner, U.; Ngo, T.; Nocentini, R.; Nührenberg, C.; Nührenberg, J.; Obermayer, S.; Offermanns, G.; Ogawa, K.; Ongena, J.; Oosterbeek, J. W.; Orozco, G.; Otte, M.; Pacios Rodriguez, L.; Pan, W.; Panadero, N.; Panadero Alvarez, N.; Panin, A.; Papenfuß, D.; Paqay, S.; Pavone, A.; Pawelec, E.; Pelka, G.; Peng, X.; Perseo, V.; Peterson, B.; Pieper, A.; Pilopp, D.; Pingel, S.; Pisano, F.; Plaum, B.; Plunk, G.; Povilaitis, M.; Preinhaelter, J.; Proll, J.; Puiatti, M.-E.; Sitjes, A. Puig; Purps, F.; Rack, M.; Récsei, S.; Reiman, A.; Reiter, D.; Remppel, F.; Renard, S.; Riedl, R.; Riemann, J.; Rimkevicius, S.; Riße, K.; Rodatos, A.; Röhlinger, H.; Romé, M.; Rong, P.; Roscher, H.-J.; Roth, B.; Rudischhauser, L.; Rummel, K.; Rummel, T.; Runov, A.; Rust, N.; Ryc, L.; Ryosuke, S.; Sakamoto, R.; Samartsev, A.; Sanchez, M.; Sano, F.; Satake, S.; Satheeswaran, G.; Schacht, J.; Schauer, F.; Scherer, T.; Schlaich, A.; Schlüter, K.-H.; Schmitt, J.; Schmitz, H.; Schmitz, O.; Schmuck, S.; Schneider, M.; Schneider, W.; Scholz, M.; Scholz, P.; Schrittwieser, R.; Schröder, M.; Schröder, T.; Schroeder, R.; Schumacher, H.; Schweer, B.; Shanahan, B.; Shikhovtsev, I. V.; Sibilia, M.; Sinha, P.; Sipliä, S.; Skodzik, J.; Slaby, C.; Smith, H.; Spiess, W.; Spong, D. A.; Spring, A.; Stadler, R.; Standley, B.; Stephey, L.; Stoneking, M.; Stridde, U.; Sulek, Z.; Surko, C.; Suzuki, Y.; Szabó, V.; Szabolics, T.; Szökefalvi-Nagy, Z.; Tamura, N.; Terra, A.; Terry, J.; Thomas, J.; Thomsen, H.; Thumm, M.; von Thun, C. P.; Timmermann, D.; Titus, P.; Toi, K.; Travere, J. M.; Traverso, P.; Tretter, J.; Tsuchiya, H.; Tsujimura, T.; Tulipán, S.; Turnyanskiy, M.; Unterberg, B.; Urban, J.; Urbonavicius, E.; Vakulchyk, I.; Valet, S.; van Millingen, B.; Vela, L.; Velasco, J.-L.; Vergote, M.; Vervier, M.; Vianello, N.; Viebke, H.; Vilbrandt, R.; Vorkörper, A.; Wadle, S.; Wagner, F.; Wang, E.; Wang, N.; Warmer, F.; Wegener, L.; Weggen, J.; Wei, Y.; Wendorf, J.; Werner, A.; Wiegel, B.; Wilde, F.; Winkler, E.; Winters, V.; Wolf, S.; Wolowski, J.; Wright, A.; Xanthopoulos, P.; Yamada, H.; Yamada, I.; Yasuhara, R.; Yokoyama, M.; Zajac, J.; Zarnstorff, M.; Zeitler, A.; Zhang, H.; Zhu, J.; Zilker, M.; Zimbal, A.; Zocco, A.; Zoletnik, S.; Zuin, M.

2017-10-01

After completing the main construction phase of Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) and successfully commissioning the device, first plasma operation started at the end of 2015. Integral commissioning of plasma start-up and operation using electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and an extensive set of plasma diagnostics have been completed, allowing initial physics studies during the first operational campaign. Both in helium and hydrogen, plasma breakdown was easily achieved. Gaining experience with plasma vessel conditioning, discharge lengths could be extended gradually. Eventually, discharges lasted up to 6 s, reaching an injected energy of 4 MJ, which is twice the limit originally agreed for the limiter configuration employed during the first operational campaign. At power levels of 4 MW central electron densities reached 3  ×  1019 m-3, central electron temperatures reached values of 7 keV and ion temperatures reached just above 2 keV. Important physics studies during this first operational phase include a first assessment of power balance and energy confinement, ECRH power deposition experiments, 2nd harmonic O-mode ECRH using multi-pass absorption, and current drive experiments using electron cyclotron current drive. As in many plasma discharges the electron temperature exceeds the ion temperature significantly, these plasmas are governed by core electron root confinement showing a strong positive electric field in the plasma centre.

Major results from the first plasma campaign of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator

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

Wolf, R. C.; Ali, A.; Alonso, A.

Here, after completing the main construction phase of Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) and successfully commissioning the device, first plasma operation started at the end of 2015. Integral commissioning of plasma start-up and operation using electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and an extensive set of plasma diagnostics have been completed, allowing initial physics studies during the first operational campaign. Both in helium and hydrogen, plasma breakdown was easily achieved. Gaining experience with plasma vessel conditioning, discharge lengths could be extended gradually. Eventually, discharges lasted up to 6 s, reaching an injected energy of 4 MJ, which is twice the limit originally agreedmore » for the limiter configuration employed during the first operational campaign. At power levels of 4 MW central electron densities reached 3 × 10 19 m –3, central electron temperatures reached values of 7 keV and ion temperatures reached just above 2 keV. Important physics studies during this first operational phase include a first assessment of power balance and energy confinement, ECRH power deposition experiments, 2nd harmonic O-mode ECRH using multi-pass absorption, and current drive experiments using electron cyclotron current drive. As in many plasma discharges the electron temperature exceeds the ion temperature significantly, these plasmas are governed by core electron root confinement showing a strong positive electric field in the plasma centre.« less

Generalizing Word Lattice Translation

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-02-01

demonstrate substantial gains for Chinese-English and Arabic -English translation. Keywords: word lattice translation, phrase-based and hierarchical...introduce in reordering models. Our experiments evaluating the approach demonstrate substantial gains for Chinese-English and Arabic -English translation. 15...gains for Chinese-English and Arabic -English translation. 1 Introduction When Brown and colleagues introduced statistical machine translation in the

Sudden Gains in Cognitive Therapy of Depression and Depression Relapse/Recurrence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Tony Z.; DeRubeis, Robert J.; Hollon, Steven D.; Amsterdam, Jay; Shelton, Richard

2007-01-01

Cognitive therapy (CT) may have significant advantages over antidepressants in preventing depression relapses. Many CT patients experience sudden gains: large symptom improvement in 1 between-session interval. Past studies have associated CT sudden gains with in-session cognitive changes but not with life events. This study examined sudden gains…

International Research Results and Accomplishments From the International Space Station - A New Compilation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruttley, Tara; Robinson, Julie A.; Tate-Brown, Judy; Perkins, Nekisha; Cohen, Luchino; Marcil, Isabelle; Heppener, Marc; Hatton, Jason; Tasaki, Kazuyuki; Umemura, Sayaka;

7 CFR 3430.33 - Selection of reviewers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH, EDUCATION... and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields taking into account the following factors: (1) Level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, and extension experience of...

Living without Boys: A Retrospective Analysis of the Benefits and Skills Gained at All-Female Camps

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whittington, Anja; Garst, Barry A.; Gagnon, Ryan J.; Baughman, Sarah

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes of all-female camp experiences on women's lives. Using a retrospective approach, this study collected qualitative data from 131 women to examine the benefits of all-female camp experiences, to analyze the skills they gained at camp, and to understand how they apply these skills to their…

Experience gained from treating facial injuries due to civil unrest

PubMed Central

Whitlock, R I H

1981-01-01

During the past 10 years of civil unrest in Northern Ireland a wide variety of facial injuries have been treated at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. The causes and nature of these injuries are described and the experience gained in their management is reviewed. Imagesp[35]-ap[42]-aFig. 1Fig. 3Fig. 4Fig. 5Fig. 6Fig. 7 PMID:7247260

Six-Month Market Exclusivity Extensions To Promote Research Offer Substantial Returns For Many Drug Makers.

PubMed

Kesselheim, Aaron S; Rome, Benjamin N; Sarpatwari, Ameet; Avorn, Jerry

2017-02-01

To incentivize pharmaceutical manufacturers to invest in areas of unmet medical need, policy makers frequently propose extending the market exclusivity period of desired drugs. Some such proposals are modeled after the pediatric exclusivity patent extension program, which since 1997 has provided six additional months of market exclusivity for drugs studied in children. The most recent proposal would encourage rare disease research by providing six months of extended exclusivity for any existing drug that is granted subsequent FDA approval for a new rare disease indication. Yet the economic impact of such proposals is rarely addressed. We found that for the thirteen FDA-approved drugs that gained supplemental approval for a rare disease indication from 2005 through 2010, the median projected cost of clinical trials leading to approval was $29.8 million. If the exclusivity extension had been in place, the median discounted financial gain to manufacturers would have been $94.6 million. Median net returns would have been $82.4 million, with higher returns for drugs with higher annual sales. Extending market exclusivity would provide substantial compensation to many manufacturers, particularly for top-selling products, far in excess of the cost of conducting these trials. Alternative strategies to incentivize the study of approved drugs for rare diseases may offer similar benefits at a lower cost. Project HOPE—The People-to-People Health Foundation, Inc.

Disruption, control and coping: responses of and to the person with dementia in hospital.

PubMed

Porock, Davina; Clissett, Philip; Harwood, Rowan H; Gladman, John R F

2015-01-01

This qualitative study aimed to gain insight into the experience of hospitalisation from the perspectives of the older person with dementia, their family care-giver and other patients sharing the ward (co-patients). Non-participant observation of care on 11 acute hospital wards was supplemented by 39 semi-structured interviews with 35 family care-givers and four co-patients following discharge. Constant comparative analysis produced the core problem facing all those involved: disruption from normal routine meaning that the experience of hospitalisation was disrupted by the presence and behaviour of the person with dementia. Disruption adversely affected the person with dementia, triggering constructive, disengaged, distressed and neutral behaviours. Using Kitwood's model of person-centred care, these behaviours were interpreted as attempts by the person with dementia at gaining a sense of control over the unfamiliar environment and experience. Family care-givers' lives and experiences both inside and outside the hospital were disrupted by the hospitalisation. They too attempted to gain a sense of control over the experience and to give a sense of control to the patient, co-patients and staff. Co-patients experienced disruption from sharing space with the person with dementia and were left feeling vulnerable and sometimes afraid. They too attempted to gain a sense of control over their situation and give some control by helping the person with dementia, the family care-giver and the staff.

Positive aspects of caregiving in schizophrenia: A review

PubMed Central

Kulhara, Parmanand; Kate, Natasha; Grover, Sandeep; Nehra, Ritu

2012-01-01

Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness which is associated with significant consequences for both the patients and their relatives. Due to chronicity of the illness, the relatives of patients of schizophrenia have to bear the main brunt of the illness. Studies across the world have evaluated various aspects of caregiving and caregivers such as burden, coping, quality of life, social support, expressed emotions, and psychological morbidity. In general the research has looked at caregiving as a negative phenomenon, however, now it is increasingly recognised that caregiving is not only associated with negative consequences only, also experience subjective gains and satisfaction. This review focus on the conceptual issues, instruments available to assess the positive aspects of caregiving and the various correlates of positive aspects of caregiving reported in relation to schizophrenia. The positive aspect of caregiving has been variously measured as positive caregiving experience, caregiving satisfaction, caregiving gains and finding meaning through caregiving scale and positive aspects of caregiving experience. Studies suggests that caregivers of patients with schizophrenia and psychotic disorders experience caregiving gains (in the form of becoming more sensitive to persons with disabilities, clarity about their priorities in life and a greater sense of inner strength), experience good aspects of relationship with the patient, do have personal positive experiences. Some of the studies suggest that those who experience greater negative caregiving experience also do experience positive caregiving experience. PMID:24175167

Two-Stage Categorization in Brand Extension Evaluation: Electrophysiological Time Course Evidence

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiaoyi

2014-01-01

A brand name can be considered a mental category. Similarity-based categorization theory has been used to explain how consumers judge a new product as a member of a known brand, a process called brand extension evaluation. This study was an event-related potential study conducted in two experiments. The study found a two-stage categorization process reflected by the P2 and N400 components in brand extension evaluation. In experiment 1, a prime–probe paradigm was presented in a pair consisting of a brand name and a product name in three conditions, i.e., in-category extension, similar-category extension, and out-of-category extension. Although the task was unrelated to brand extension evaluation, P2 distinguished out-of-category extensions from similar-category and in-category ones, and N400 distinguished similar-category extensions from in-category ones. In experiment 2, a prime–probe paradigm with a related task was used, in which product names included subcategory and major-category product names. The N400 elicited by subcategory products was more significantly negative than that elicited by major-category products, with no salient difference in P2. We speculated that P2 could reflect the early low-level and similarity-based processing in the first stage, whereas N400 could reflect the late analytic and category-based processing in the second stage. PMID:25438152

Hash Bit Selection for Nearest Neighbor Search.

PubMed

Xianglong Liu; Junfeng He; Shih-Fu Chang

2017-11-01

To overcome the barrier of storage and computation when dealing with gigantic-scale data sets, compact hashing has been studied extensively to approximate the nearest neighbor search. Despite the recent advances, critical design issues remain open in how to select the right features, hashing algorithms, and/or parameter settings. In this paper, we address these by posing an optimal hash bit selection problem, in which an optimal subset of hash bits are selected from a pool of candidate bits generated by different features, algorithms, or parameters. Inspired by the optimization criteria used in existing hashing algorithms, we adopt the bit reliability and their complementarity as the selection criteria that can be carefully tailored for hashing performance in different tasks. Then, the bit selection solution is discovered by finding the best tradeoff between search accuracy and time using a modified dynamic programming method. To further reduce the computational complexity, we employ the pairwise relationship among hash bits to approximate the high-order independence property, and formulate it as an efficient quadratic programming method that is theoretically equivalent to the normalized dominant set problem in a vertex- and edge-weighted graph. Extensive large-scale experiments have been conducted under several important application scenarios of hash techniques, where our bit selection framework can achieve superior performance over both the naive selection methods and the state-of-the-art hashing algorithms, with significant accuracy gains ranging from 10% to 50%, relatively.

Genomics Portals: integrative web-platform for mining genomics data.

PubMed

Shinde, Kaustubh; Phatak, Mukta; Johannes, Freudenberg M; Chen, Jing; Li, Qian; Vineet, Joshi K; Hu, Zhen; Ghosh, Krishnendu; Meller, Jaroslaw; Medvedovic, Mario

2010-01-13

A large amount of experimental data generated by modern high-throughput technologies is available through various public repositories. Our knowledge about molecular interaction networks, functional biological pathways and transcriptional regulatory modules is rapidly expanding, and is being organized in lists of functionally related genes. Jointly, these two sources of information hold a tremendous potential for gaining new insights into functioning of living systems. Genomics Portals platform integrates access to an extensive knowledge base and a large database of human, mouse, and rat genomics data with basic analytical visualization tools. It provides the context for analyzing and interpreting new experimental data and the tool for effective mining of a large number of publicly available genomics datasets stored in the back-end databases. The uniqueness of this platform lies in the volume and the diversity of genomics data that can be accessed and analyzed (gene expression, ChIP-chip, ChIP-seq, epigenomics, computationally predicted binding sites, etc), and the integration with an extensive knowledge base that can be used in such analysis. The integrated access to primary genomics data, functional knowledge and analytical tools makes Genomics Portals platform a unique tool for interpreting results of new genomics experiments and for mining the vast amount of data stored in the Genomics Portals backend databases. Genomics Portals can be accessed and used freely at http://GenomicsPortals.org.

Genomics Portals: integrative web-platform for mining genomics data

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background A large amount of experimental data generated by modern high-throughput technologies is available through various public repositories. Our knowledge about molecular interaction networks, functional biological pathways and transcriptional regulatory modules is rapidly expanding, and is being organized in lists of functionally related genes. Jointly, these two sources of information hold a tremendous potential for gaining new insights into functioning of living systems. Results Genomics Portals platform integrates access to an extensive knowledge base and a large database of human, mouse, and rat genomics data with basic analytical visualization tools. It provides the context for analyzing and interpreting new experimental data and the tool for effective mining of a large number of publicly available genomics datasets stored in the back-end databases. The uniqueness of this platform lies in the volume and the diversity of genomics data that can be accessed and analyzed (gene expression, ChIP-chip, ChIP-seq, epigenomics, computationally predicted binding sites, etc), and the integration with an extensive knowledge base that can be used in such analysis. Conclusion The integrated access to primary genomics data, functional knowledge and analytical tools makes Genomics Portals platform a unique tool for interpreting results of new genomics experiments and for mining the vast amount of data stored in the Genomics Portals backend databases. Genomics Portals can be accessed and used freely at http://GenomicsPortals.org. PMID:20070909

Experience in non-conventional wastewater treatment techniques used in the Czech Republic.

PubMed

Felberova, L; Kucera, J; Mlejnska, E

2007-01-01

Among the most common non-conventional wastewater treatment techniques used in the Czech Republic are waste stabilisation ponds (WSP), subsurface horizontal flow constructed wetlands (CW) and vertical flow groundfilters (GF). These extensive systems can be advantageously used for treatment of waters coming from sewerages where the ballast weighting commonly makes more than half of dry-weather flow. The monitoring was focused at 14 different extensive systems. Organics removal efficiencies were favourable (CW-82%; GF-88%); in the case of WSP only 57% due to the algal bloom. Total nitrogen removal efficiencies were 43 and 47% for WSP and GF; in the case of CW only 32% due to often occurring anaerobic conditions in filter beds. Total phosphorus removal efficiencies were 37, 35 and 22% for WSP, GF and CW, respectively. Often occurring problems are the ice-blockage of surface aerators at WSP during wintertimes, the pond duckweed-cover or the algal bloom at WSP during summers; a gradual colmatage of filter systems; and the oxygen deficiency in beds of subsurface horizontal flow constructed wetlands. Czech legal regulations do not allow treated wastewater disposal into underground waters. There is only an exception for individual family houses. Up to now, knowledge gained by monitoring of a village (which uses the infiltration upon a permission issued according to earlier legal regulations) have not shown an unacceptable groundwater quality deterioration into the infiltration areas.

First upper limits on the radar cross section of cosmic-ray induced extensive air showers

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

Abbasi, R. U.; Abe, M.; Abou Bakr Othman, M.

TARA (Telescope Array Radar) is a cosmic ray radar detection experiment colocated with Telescope Array, the conventional surface scintillation detector (SD) and fluorescence telescope detector (FD) near Delta, Utah, U.S.A. Furthermore, the TARA detector combines a 40 kW, 54.1 MHz VHF transmitter and high-gain transmitting antenna which broadcasts the radar carrier over the SD array and within the FD field of view, towards a 250 MS/s DAQ receiver. TARA has been collecting data since 2013 with the primary goal of observing the radar signatures of extensive air showers (EAS). Simulations indicate that echoes are expected to be short in durationmore » (~10 µs) and exhibit rapidly changing frequency, with rates on the order 1 MHz/µs. The EAS radar cross-section (RCS) is currently unknown although it is the subject of over 70 years of speculation. One novel signal search technique is described in which the expected radar echo of a particular air shower is used as a matched filter template and compared to waveforms obtained by triggering the radar DAQ using the Telescope Array fluorescence detector. No evidence for the scattering of radio frequency radiation by EAS is obtained to date. Finally, we report the first quantitative RCS upper limits using EAS that triggered the Telescope Array Fluorescence Detector.« less

First upper limits on the radar cross section of cosmic-ray induced extensive air showers

DOE PAGES

Abbasi, R. U.; Abe, M.; Abou Bakr Othman, M.; ...

2016-11-19

TARA (Telescope Array Radar) is a cosmic ray radar detection experiment colocated with Telescope Array, the conventional surface scintillation detector (SD) and fluorescence telescope detector (FD) near Delta, Utah, U.S.A. Furthermore, the TARA detector combines a 40 kW, 54.1 MHz VHF transmitter and high-gain transmitting antenna which broadcasts the radar carrier over the SD array and within the FD field of view, towards a 250 MS/s DAQ receiver. TARA has been collecting data since 2013 with the primary goal of observing the radar signatures of extensive air showers (EAS). Simulations indicate that echoes are expected to be short in durationmore » (~10 µs) and exhibit rapidly changing frequency, with rates on the order 1 MHz/µs. The EAS radar cross-section (RCS) is currently unknown although it is the subject of over 70 years of speculation. One novel signal search technique is described in which the expected radar echo of a particular air shower is used as a matched filter template and compared to waveforms obtained by triggering the radar DAQ using the Telescope Array fluorescence detector. No evidence for the scattering of radio frequency radiation by EAS is obtained to date. Finally, we report the first quantitative RCS upper limits using EAS that triggered the Telescope Array Fluorescence Detector.« less

Nova Upgrade: A proposed ICF facility to demonstrate ignition and gain, revision 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1992-07-01

The present objective of the national Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) Program is to determine the scientific feasibility of compressing and heating a small mass of mixed deuterium and tritium (DT) to conditions at which fusion occurs and significant energy is released. The potential applications of ICF will be determined by the resulting fusion energy yield (amount of energy produced) and gain (ratio of energy released to energy required to heat and compress the DT fuel). Important defense and civilian applications, including weapons physics, weapons effects simulation, and ultimately the generation of electric power will become possible if yields of 100 to 1,000 MJ and gains exceeding approximately 50 can be achieved. Once ignition and propagating bum producing modest gain (2 to 10) at moderate drive energy (1 to 2 MJ) has been achieved, the extension to high gain (greater than 50) is straightforward. Therefore, the demonstration of ignition and modest gain is the final step in establishing the scientific feasibility of ICF. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) proposes the Nova Upgrade Facility to achieve this demonstration by the end of the decade. This facility would be constructed within the existing Nova building at LLNL for a total cost of approximately $400 M over the proposed FY 1995-1999 construction period. This report discusses this facility.

Resolved discrepancies between visible spontaneous Raman cross-section and direct near-infrared Raman gain measurements in TeO2-based glasses.

PubMed

Rivero, Clara; Stegeman, Robert; Couzi, Michel; Talaga, David; Cardinal, Thierry; Richardson, Kathleen; Stegeman, George

2005-06-13

Disagreements on the Raman gain response of different tellurite-based glasses, measured at different wavelengths, have been recently reported in the literature. In order to resolve this controversy, a multi-wavelength Raman cross-section experiment was conducted on two different TeO2-based glass samples. The estimated Raman gain response of the material shows good agreement with the directly-measured Raman gain data at 1064 nm, after correction for the dispersion and wavelength-dependence of the Raman gain process.

How to Make Loss Aversion Disappear and Reverse: Tests of the Decision by Sampling Origin of Loss Aversion

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

One of the most robust empirical findings in the behavioral sciences is loss aversion—the finding that losses loom larger than gains. We offer a new psychological explanation of the origins of loss aversion in which loss aversion emerges from differences in the distribution of gains and losses people experience. In 4 experiments, we tested this proposition by manipulating the range of gains and losses that individuals saw during the process of eliciting their loss aversion. We were able to find loss aversion, loss neutrality, and even the reverse of loss aversion. PMID:25485606

Methods of Achieving and Maintaining Physical Fitness for Prolonged Space Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olree, Harry D. (Principal Investigator); Corbin, Bob; Penrod, James; Smith, Carroll

1969-01-01

This final summary report covers the five experiments that were conducted over a 24-month period beginning May 1, 1967 and ending April 30, 1969. Experiment I revealed that running and riding a bicycle ergometer produced similar gains in physical fitness variables. In Experiment I the subjects exercising at a 180 heart rate made a greater improvement in physical fitness than did those exercising a t a 140 or 160 heart rate. In Experiment II the subjects who exercised sixty minutes per day made greater gains on specified components of physical fitness than did those who exercised twenty or forty minutes per day, twelve times per week made greater gains on specified components of physical fitness than did those who exercised three or six times per week. In Experiment V, it was found that subjects could maintain a moderate level of fitness by exercising at a pulse rate of 160 beats per minute for twenty-minute periods three times per week, that subjects who "overtrained" by exercising twice daily to near exhaustion increased in fitness and that those subjects who discontinued training decreased in fitness.

Turning an Extension Aide into an Extension Agent

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seevers, Brenda; Dormody, Thomas J.

2010-01-01

For any organization to remain sustainable, a renewable source of faculty and staff needs to be available. The Extension Internship Program for Juniors and Seniors in High School is a new tool for recruiting and developing new Extension agents. Students get "hands on" experience working in an Extension office and earn college credit…

Mobile Learning: A Framework and Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Motiwalla, Luvai F.

2007-01-01

Wireless data communications in form of Short Message Service (SMS) and Wireless Access Protocols (WAP) browsers have gained global popularity, yet, not much has been done to extend the usage of these devices in electronic learning (e-learning). This project explores the extension of e-learning into wireless/handheld (W/H) computing devices with…

Success for Minnesota: Success for All Schools in Minnesota Continue To Gain on MCA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Success for All Foundation, 2004

2004-01-01

Success for All is the most extensively researched of all comprehensive reform models for Title I elementary schools. It incorporates scientifically based principles of reading, cooperative learning, professional development, tutoring, and family support. Minnesota elementary schools using the Success for All reading program have once again made …

International Education for Spaceship Earth.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

King, David C.

This book is based on an extensive study conducted by the Foreign Policy Association for the United States Office of Education on needs and priorities in international education. To give students adequate preparation for today's world of constant and rapid change the schools must help them gain a global perspective of the world as a single system.…

Cook Like a Chef 1- and 4-Week Camp Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Condrasky, Margaret D.; Johnson, Glenda; Corr, Anne; Sharp, Julia L.

2015-01-01

Children participating in cooking classes gain confidence in their abilities to prepare food. If children are to make informed, healthy, food ingredient and cooking method choices, they need to be equipped with these necessary skills, as well as with nutrition competence. Extension programs that incorporate nutrition and hands-on cooking can…

Collaborative Research Seed Grants for Integrating Knowledges and Creating New Knowledge

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freitag, Amy

2015-01-01

Incorporating different ways of knowing in research and management has the potential to bring creativity to environmental problem-solving through integrating ways of knowing and innovation via co-producing knowledge. To gain these benefits, North Carolina Sea Grant Extension offers small annual grants called Fisheries Resource Grants to paired…

Repurposing Video Documentaries as Features of a Flipped-Classroom Approach to Community-Centered Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arbogast, Douglas; Eades, Daniel; Plein, L. Christopher

2017-01-01

Online and off-site educational programming is increasingly incorporated by Extension educators to reach their clientele. Models such as the flipped classroom combine online content and in-person learning, allowing clients to both gain information and build peer learning communities. We demonstrate how video documentaries used in traditional…

Predicting College Performance of American Indians: A Large-Sample Examination of the SAT

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shu, Siwen; Kuncel, Nathan R.; Sackett, Paul R.

2017-01-01

Extensive research has examined the validity and fairness of standardized tests in academic admissions. However, due to their underrepresentation in higher education, American Indians have gained much less attention in this research. In the present study, we examined for American Indian students (1) group differences on SAT scores, (2) the…

An Examination of Factors and Attitudes that Influence Reporting Fraudulent Claims in an Academic Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carmichael, Anna M.; Krueger, Lacy E.

2014-01-01

The study examined potential factors and attitudes associated with providing fraudulent academic claims. A total of 319 students completed an online survey which involved reading a vignette about an incomplete assignment. Participants reported whether they would contact their instructor to gain an extension, expressed their confidence in the…

Modern Written Arabic, Volume II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naja, A. Nashat; Snow, James A.

This second volume of Modern Written Arabic builds on the previous volume and is the second step designed to teach members of the Foreign Service to read the modern Arabic press. The student will gain recognitional mastery of an extensive set of vocabulary items and will be more intensively exposed to wider and more complex morphological and…

Campus Partnerships Improve Impact Documentation of Nutrition Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brinkman, Patricia

2015-01-01

Partnerships with other campus college units can provide ways of improving Extension's impact documentation. Nutrition programs have relied upon knowledge gained and people's self report of behavior change. Partnering with the College of Nursing, student nurses provided blood screenings during the pre and 6 month follow-up of a pilot heart risk…

Guba as a Vanguard of Naturalistic Inquiry: A Harbinger of the Future?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yoong, Suan

Egon G. Guba and Yvonna S. Lincoln were among the first to develop a set of extensive criteria for establishing naturalistic inquiry as a disciplined research methodology. The naturalistic paradigm--also called post-positivist, ethnographic, phenomenological, and qualitative--has gained acceptance as a legitimate alternative to the previously…

Exit Surveying of Interns: Demonstrating Impact on Young Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muscio, Cara

2011-01-01

Documenting impact is becoming increasingly important as funding becomes tighter for Extension programs. An exit survey for interns conducted via an online survey tool is an opportunity to collect information on knowledge and skill gains, as well as document changes in intentions and attitudes about future career paths. An exit survey conducted…

Performance of a junction termination extension avalanche photodiode for use with scintillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gramsch, E.; Pcheliakov, O.; Chistokhin, Igor B.

2008-11-01

An avalanche photodiode with a ring structure called junction termination extension (JTE) was built and tested. It has three diffused rings around the main junction to avoid early breakdown at the surface. The ITE rings have less doping than the main junction and can be built by well controlled single ion-implantation through a single mask. Avalanche photodiodes with two mm diameter active area have been have been built by implantation of boron with a dose of 2, 3, 4 and 5 × 1012 cm-2, followed by deep diffusion of the junction up to 14 μm. The dark current is strongly dependent on the implantation dose, decreasing with decreasing charge. For the APDs with implanted dose of 5 × 1012 cm-2 a gain of 8 is obtained at 1120 V. The energy resolution from a 137Cs source was measured to be 24.4% FWHM with a 2 × 2 × 2 mm3 BGO scintillator. We have also performed simulations of the gain and breakdown voltage that correlate well with the results.

Framing matters: Effects of framing on older adults’ exploratory decision-making

PubMed Central

Cooper, Jessica A.; Blanco, Nathaniel; Maddox, W. Todd

2016-01-01

We examined framing effects on exploratory decision-making. In Experiment 1 we tested older and younger adults in two decision-making tasks separated by one week, finding that older adults’ decision-making performance was preserved when maximizing gains, but declined when minimizing losses. Computational modeling indicates that younger adults in both conditions, and older adults in gains-maximization, utilized a decreasing threshold strategy (which is optimal), but older adults in losses were better fit by a fixed-probability model of exploration. In Experiment 2 we examined within-subjects behavior in older and younger adults in the same exploratory decision-making task, but without a time separation between tasks. We replicated the older adult disadvantage in loss-minimization from Experiment 1, and found that the older adult deficit was significantly reduced when the loss-minimization task immediately followed the gains-maximization task. We conclude that older adults’ performance in exploratory decision-making is hindered when framed as loss-minimization, but that this deficit is attenuated when older adults can first develop a strategy in a gains-framed task. PMID:27977218

Framing matters: Effects of framing on older adults' exploratory decision-making.

PubMed

Cooper, Jessica A; Blanco, Nathaniel J; Maddox, W Todd

2017-02-01

We examined framing effects on exploratory decision-making. In Experiment 1 we tested older and younger adults in two decision-making tasks separated by one week, finding that older adults' decision-making performance was preserved when maximizing gains, but it declined when minimizing losses. Computational modeling indicates that younger adults in both conditions, and older adults in gains maximization, utilized a decreasing threshold strategy (which is optimal), but older adults in losses were better fit by a fixed-probability model of exploration. In Experiment 2 we examined within-subject behavior in older and younger adults in the same exploratory decision-making task, but without a time separation between tasks. We replicated the older adult disadvantage in loss minimization from Experiment 1 and found that the older adult deficit was significantly reduced when the loss-minimization task immediately followed the gains-maximization task. We conclude that older adults' performance in exploratory decision-making is hindered when framed as loss minimization, but that this deficit is attenuated when older adults can first develop a strategy in a gains-framed task. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Faculty Members' Lived Experiences with Academic Quality in For-Profit On-Ground Gainful Employment Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Booton, Carol M.

2013-01-01

Academic quality in for-profit vocational (Gainful Employment) programs is a concern for all stakeholders. However, academic quality is not easily defined. The Department of Education's Gainful Employment Rule defines academic quality With a few easily measured metrics such as student retention and job placement rate, despite the fact that…

Cross-modal prediction changes the timing of conscious access during the motion-induced blindness.

PubMed

Chang, Acer Y C; Kanai, Ryota; Seth, Anil K

2015-01-01

Despite accumulating evidence that perceptual predictions influence perceptual content, the relations between these predictions and conscious contents remain unclear, especially for cross-modal predictions. We examined whether predictions of visual events by auditory cues can facilitate conscious access to the visual stimuli. We trained participants to learn associations between auditory cues and colour changes. We then asked whether congruency between auditory cues and target colours would speed access to consciousness. We did this by rendering a visual target subjectively invisible using motion-induced blindness and then gradually changing its colour while presenting congruent or incongruent auditory cues. Results showed that the visual target gained access to consciousness faster in congruent than in incongruent trials; control experiments excluded potentially confounding effects of attention and motor response. The expectation effect was gradually established over blocks suggesting a role for extensive training. Overall, our findings show that predictions learned through cross-modal training can facilitate conscious access to visual stimuli. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Halvorsen, T.

The next generation subsea developments will be facing a number of new challenges which have to be solved to maintain a cost-efficient solution for production of oil and gas: (1) Smaller fields, i.e. cost reduction through volume will no longer be valid. (2) Freedom in configuration of subsea development. The current idea of standardization will not be directly applicable for cost reduction. (3) Various water depth. The same technology should be applicable for both guideline- and guideline less water depth. (4) Development in new areas of the world where drilling rig deployable system is a must. (5) Various types ofmore » fluid processing may be required as an integral part of a subsea production system. The next generation subsea production system should be universal and applicable to any subsea field development. Kongsberg Offshore a.s. (KOS) have gained extensive experience in supplying standardized total subsea systems. The paper presents the approach taken by KOS to develop the next generation subsea system, and discussed the challenges associated with this.« less

Meeting the Challenge: The National Cancer Institute's Central Institutional Review Board for Multi-Site Research.

PubMed

Massett, Holly A; Hampp, Sharon L; Goldberg, Jacquelyn L; Mooney, Margaret; Parreco, Linda K; Minasian, Lori; Montello, Mike; Mishkin, Grace E; Davis, Catasha; Abrams, Jeffrey S

2018-03-10

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a new policy that requires a single institutional review board (IRB) of record be used for all protocols funded by the NIH that are carried out at more than one site in the United States, effective January 2018. This policy affects several hundred clinical trials opened annually across the NIH. Limited data exist to compare the use of a single IRB to that of multiple local IRBs, so some institutions are resistant to or distrustful of single IRBs. Since 2001, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has funded a central IRB (CIRB) that provides human patient reviews for its extensive national cancer clinical trials program. This paper presents data to show the adoption, efficiencies gained, and satisfaction of the CIRB among NCI trial networks and reviews key lessons gleaned from 16 years of experience that may be informative for others charged with implementation of the new NIH single-IRB policy.

Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials: Recommendations for Standardization, Production, and Usage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sibille, L.; Carpenter, P.; Schlagheck, R.; French, R. A.

2006-01-01

Experience gained during the Apollo program demonstrated the need for extensive testing of surface systems in relevant environments, including regolith materials similar to those encountered on the lunar surface. As NASA embarks on a return to the Moon, it is clear that the current lunar sample inventory is not only insufficient to support lunar surface technology and system development, but its scientific value is too great to be consumed by destructive studies. Every effort must be made to utilize standard simulant materials, which will allow developers to reduce the cost, development, and operational risks to surface systems. The Lunar Regolith Simulant Materials Workshop held in Huntsville, AL, on January 24 26, 2005, identified the need for widely accepted standard reference lunar simulant materials to perform research and development of technologies required for lunar operations. The workshop also established a need for a common, traceable, and repeatable process regarding the standardization, characterization, and distribution of lunar simulants. This document presents recommendations for the standardization, production and usage of lunar regolith simulant materials.

Combining Load and Motor Encoders to Compensate Nonlinear Disturbances for High Precision Tracking Control of Gear-Driven Gimbal

PubMed Central

Tang, Tao; Chen, Sisi; Huang, Xuanlin; Yang, Tao; Qi, Bo

2018-01-01

High-performance position control can be improved by the compensation of disturbances for a gear-driven control system. This paper presents a mode-free disturbance observer (DOB) based on sensor-fusion to reduce some errors related disturbances for a gear-driven gimbal. This DOB uses the rate deviation to detect disturbances for implementation of a high-gain compensator. In comparison with the angular position signal the rate deviation between load and motor can exhibits the disturbances exiting in the gear-driven gimbal quickly. Due to high bandwidth of the motor rate closed loop, the inverse model of the plant is not necessary to implement DOB. Besides, this DOB requires neither complex modeling of plant nor the use of additive sensors. Without rate sensors providing angular rate, the rate deviation is easily detected by encoders mounted on the side of motor and load, respectively. Extensive experiments are provided to demonstrate the benefits of the proposed algorithm. PMID:29498643

[Pediatric home ventilation--practical approach].

PubMed

Rath-Wacenovsky, Regina

2015-09-01

Out-of-hospital ventilation represents only a marginal area of paediatric therapeutic concepts. In Austria, the proportion of children to be supplied with invasive and non-invasive ventilation increases significantly, together with the challenges of caring for their long-term demands. Neuromuscular diseases accounted for almost the sole indication group. Premature and newborn infants with persistent respiratory failures are an increasing group, needing more extensive care due to additional comorbidities. Children with congenital disorder have often been tracheotomised in order to secure their airway, and non-invasive ventilation as a bridge- or long-term therapy gains in importance more and more. Usually, infants with primary or secondary CNS disorders suffer from respiratory complications and eventually from chronic respiratory insufficiencies during adolescence or young adulthood. Here, invasive or non-invasive ventilation can contribute both to a significant stabilisation of health status and also quality of life. Spirit of research, experience, appropriate support structures, and appropriate networking constitute the most relevant quality- and success criteria for home care.

Combining Load and Motor Encoders to Compensate Nonlinear Disturbances for High Precision Tracking Control of Gear-Driven Gimbal.

PubMed

Tang, Tao; Chen, Sisi; Huang, Xuanlin; Yang, Tao; Qi, Bo

2018-03-02

High-performance position control can be improved by the compensation of disturbances for a gear-driven control system. This paper presents a mode-free disturbance observer (DOB) based on sensor-fusion to reduce some errors related disturbances for a gear-driven gimbal. This DOB uses the rate deviation to detect disturbances for implementation of a high-gain compensator. In comparison with the angular position signal the rate deviation between load and motor can exhibits the disturbances exiting in the gear-driven gimbal quickly. Due to high bandwidth of the motor rate closed loop, the inverse model of the plant is not necessary to implement DOB. Besides, this DOB requires neither complex modeling of plant nor the use of additive sensors. Without rate sensors providing angular rate, the rate deviation is easily detected by encoders mounted on the side of motor and load, respectively. Extensive experiments are provided to demonstrate the benefits of the proposed algorithm.

Magnetic Measurements of Storage Ring Magnets for the APS Upgrade Project

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

Doose, C.; Dejus, R.; Jaski, M.

2017-06-01

Extensive prototyping of storage ring magnets is ongoing at the Advanced Photon Source (APS) in support of the APS Multi-Bend Achromat (MBA) upgrade project (APS-U) [1]. As part of the R&D activities four quadrupole magnets with slightly different geometries and pole tip materials, and one sextupole magnet with vanadium permendur (VP) pole tips were designed, built and tested. Magnets were measured individually using a rotating coil and a Hall probe for detailed mapping of the magnetic field. Magnets were then assembled and aligned relative to each other on a steel support plate and concrete plinth using precision machined surfaces tomore » gain experience with the alignment method chosen for the APS-U storage ring magnets. The required alignment of magnets on a common support structure is 30 μm rms. Measurements of magnetic field quality, strength and magnet alignment after subjecting the magnets and assemblies to different tests are presented.« less

Advancing Research on Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals in Breast Cancer: Expert Panel Recommendations

PubMed Central

Teitelbaum, Susan L.; Belpoggi, Fiorella; Reinlib, Les

2015-01-01

Breast cancer incidence continues to increase in the US and Europe, a reflection of the growing influence of environment factors that interact with personal genetics. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that over 85,000 endocrine disrupting chemicals are among the common daily exposures that could affect the risk of disease. The daunting tasks of identifying, characterizing, and elucidating the mechanisms of endocrine disrupting chemicals in breast cancer need to be addressed to produce a comprehensive model that will facilitate preventive strategies and public policy. An expert panel met to describe and bring attention to needs linking common environmental exposures, critical windows of exposure, and optimal times of assessment in investigating breast cancer risk. The group included investigators with extensive experience in the use of rodent models and in leading population studies and produced a set of recommendations for effective approaches to gaining insights into the environmental origins of breast cancer across the lifespan. PMID:25549947

Adaptation of a culturally relevant nutrition and physical activity program for low-income, Mexican-origin parents with young children.

PubMed

Kaiser, Lucia; Martinez, Judith; Horowitz, Marcel; Lamp, Catherine; Johns, Margaret; Espinoza, Dorina; Byrnes, Michele; Gomez, Mayra Muñoz; Aguilera, Alberto; de la Torre, Adela

2015-05-14

Latino children experience higher rates of obesity than do non-Latino white children. Family-centered nutrition interventions can slow the rate of weight gain in this population. Niños Sanos, Familia Sana (Healthy Children, Healthy Family) is a 5-year, community-based, participatory research study that targets rural Mexican-origin farmworker families with children aged 2 to 8 years in California's Central Valley. Adaptation of a culturally relevant obesity prevention program involved qualitative research to tailor key obesity prevention messages, pilot testing and implementation of key messages and activities at family nights, and continual modification to incorporate culturally innovative elements. Of the 238 families enrolled, 53% (125) attended the recommended minimum of 5 (of 10 possible) classes during the first year. A university and community partnership can guide development of a culturally tailored obesity prevention program that is suitable for reaching a high-risk Mexican-origin audience through cooperative extension and other public health programs.

Implementing ADM1 for plant-wide benchmark simulations in Matlab/Simulink.

PubMed

Rosen, C; Vrecko, D; Gernaey, K V; Pons, M N; Jeppsson, U

2006-01-01

The IWA Anaerobic Digestion Model No.1 (ADM1) was presented in 2002 and is expected to represent the state-of-the-art model within this field in the future. Due to its complexity the implementation of the model is not a simple task and several computational aspects need to be considered, in particular if the ADM1 is to be included in dynamic simulations of plant-wide or even integrated systems. In this paper, the experiences gained from a Matlab/Simulink implementation of ADM1 into the extended COST/IWA Benchmark Simulation Model (BSM2) are presented. Aspects related to system stiffness, model interfacing with the ASM family, mass balances, acid-base equilibrium and algebraic solvers for pH and other troublesome state variables, numerical solvers and simulation time are discussed. The main conclusion is that if implemented properly, the ADM1 will also produce high-quality results in dynamic plant-wide simulations including noise, discrete sub-systems, etc. without imposing any major restrictions due to extensive computational efforts.

Adaptation of a Culturally Relevant Nutrition and Physical Activity Program for Low-Income, Mexican-Origin Parents With Young Children

PubMed Central

Martinez, Judith; Horowitz, Marcel; Lamp, Catherine; Johns, Margaret; Espinoza, Dorina; Byrnes, Michele; Gomez, Mayra Muñoz; Aguilera, Alberto; de la Torre, Adela

2015-01-01

Latino children experience higher rates of obesity than do non-Latino white children. Family-centered nutrition interventions can slow the rate of weight gain in this population. Niños Sanos, Familia Sana (Healthy Children, Healthy Family) is a 5-year, community-based, participatory research study that targets rural Mexican-origin farmworker families with children aged 2 to 8 years in California’s Central Valley. Adaptation of a culturally relevant obesity prevention program involved qualitative research to tailor key obesity prevention messages, pilot testing and implementation of key messages and activities at family nights, and continual modification to incorporate culturally innovative elements. Of the 238 families enrolled, 53% (125) attended the recommended minimum of 5 (of 10 possible) classes during the first year. A university and community partnership can guide development of a culturally tailored obesity prevention program that is suitable for reaching a high-risk Mexican-origin audience through cooperative extension and other public health programs. PMID:25974142

Addressing the Challenges and Opportunities of the Polio Endgame: Lessons for the Future.

PubMed

Patel, Manish; Cochi, Stephen

2017-07-01

The Global Commission for the Certification of the Eradication of Poliomyelitis certified the eradication of type 2 poliovirus in September 2015, making type 2 poliovirus the first human pathogen to be eradicated since smallpox. The eradication of type 2 poliovirus, the absence of detection of type 3 poliovirus worldwide since November 2012, and cornering type 1 poliovirus to only a few geographic areas of 3 countries has enabled implementation of the endgame of polio eradication which calls for a phased withdrawal of oral polio vaccine beginning with the type 2 component, introduction of inactivated poliovirus vaccine, strengthening of routine immunization in countries with extensive polio resources, and initiating activities to transition polio resources, program experience, and lessons learned to other global health initiatives. This supplement focuses on efforts by global partners to successfully launch polio endgame activities to permanently secure and sustain the enormous gains of polio eradication forever. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

Musicianship enhances ipsilateral and contralateral efferent gain control to the cochlea.

PubMed

Bidelman, Gavin M; Schneider, Amy D; Heitzmann, Victoria R; Bhagat, Shaum P

2017-02-01

Human hearing sensitivity is easily compromised with overexposure to excessively loud sounds, leading to permanent hearing damage. Consequently, finding activities and/or experiential factors that distinguish "tender" from "tough" ears (i.e., acoustic vulnerability) would be important for identifying people at higher risk for hearing damage. To regulate sound transmission and protect the inner ear against acoustic trauma, the auditory system modulates gain control to the cochlea via biological feedback of the medial olivocochlear (MOC) efferents, a neuronal pathway linking the lower brainstem and cochlear outer hair cells. We hypothesized that a salient form of auditory experience shown to have pervasive neuroplastic benefits, namely musical training, might act to fortify hearing through tonic engagement of these reflexive pathways. By measuring MOC efferent feedback via otoacoustic emissions (cochlear emitted sounds), we show that dynamic ipsilateral and contralateral cochlear gain control is enhanced in musically-trained individuals. Across all participants, MOC strength was correlated with the years of listeners' training suggested that efferent gain control is experience dependent. Our data provide new evidence that intensive listening experience(s) (e.g., musicianship) can strengthen the ipsi/contralateral MOC efferent system and sound regulation to the inner ear. Implications for reducing acoustic vulnerability to damaging sounds are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A labelled discrete choice experiment adds realism to the choices presented: preferences for surveillance tests for Barrett esophagus

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Discrete choice experiments (DCEs) allow systematic assessment of preferences by asking respondents to choose between scenarios. We conducted a labelled discrete choice experiment with realistic choices to investigate patients' trade-offs between the expected health gains and the burden of testing in surveillance of Barrett esophagus (BE). Methods Fifteen choice scenarios were selected based on 2 attributes: 1) type of test (endoscopy and two less burdensome fictitious tests), 2) frequency of surveillance. Each test-frequency combination was associated with its own realistic decrease in risk of dying from esophageal adenocarcinoma. A conditional logit model was fitted. Results Of 297 eligible patients (155 BE and 142 with non-specific upper GI symptoms), 247 completed the questionnaire (84%). Patients preferred surveillance to no surveillance. Current surveillance schemes of once every 1–2 years were amongst the most preferred alternatives. Higher health gains were preferred over those with lower health gains, except when test frequencies exceeded once a year. For similar health gains, patients preferred video-capsule over saliva swab and least preferred endoscopy. Conclusion This first example of a labelled DCE using realistic scenarios in a healthcare context shows that such experiments are feasible. A comparison of labelled and unlabelled designs taking into account setting and research question is recommended. PMID:19454022

Maximizing output power of a low-gain laser system.

PubMed

Carroll, D L; Sentman, L H

1993-07-20

Rigrod theory was used to model outcoupled power from a low-gain laser with good accuracy. For a low-gain overtone cw HF chemical laser, Rigrod theory shows that a higher medium saturation yields a higher overall overtone efficiency, but does not necessarily yield a higher measurable power (power in the bucket). For low-absorption-scattering loss overtone mirrors and a 5% penalty in outcoupled power, the intracavity flux and hence the mirror loading may be reduced by more than a factor of 2 when the gain length is long enough to saturate the medium well. For the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign overtone laser that has an extensive database with well-characterized mirrors for which the Rigrod parameters g(0) and I(sat) were firmly established, the accuracy to which the reflectivities of high-reflectivity overtone mirrors can be deduced by using measured mirror transmissivities, measured outcoupled power, and Rigrod theory is approximatly ±0.07%. This method of accurately deducing mirror reflectivities may be applicable to other low-gain laser systems that use high-reflectivity mirrors at different wavelengths. The maximum overtone efficiency is estimated to be approximately 80%-100%.

Modern digital flight control system design for VTOL aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Broussard, J. R.; Berry, P. W.; Stengel, R. F.

1979-01-01

Methods for and results from the design and evaluation of a digital flight control system (DFCS) for a CH-47B helicopter are presented. The DFCS employed proportional-integral control logic to provide rapid, precise response to automatic or manual guidance commands while following conventional or spiral-descent approach paths. It contained altitude- and velocity-command modes, and it adapted to varying flight conditions through gain scheduling. Extensive use was made of linear systems analysis techniques. The DFCS was designed, using linear-optimal estimation and control theory, and the effects of gain scheduling are assessed by examination of closed-loop eigenvalues and time responses.

Sweet taste of saccharin induces weight gain without increasing caloric intake, not related to insulin-resistance in Wistar rats.

PubMed

Foletto, Kelly Carraro; Melo Batista, Bruna Aparecida; Neves, Alice Magagnin; de Matos Feijó, Fernanda; Ballard, Cíntia Reis; Marques Ribeiro, Maria Flávia; Bertoluci, Marcello Casaccia

2016-01-01

In a previous study, we showed that saccharin can induce weight gain when compared with sucrose in Wistar rats despite similar total caloric intake. We now question whether it could be due to the sweet taste of saccharin per se. We also aimed to address if this weight gain is associated with insulin-resistance and to increases in gut peptides such as leptin and PYY in the fasting state. In a 14 week experiment, 16 male Wistar rats received either saccharin-sweetened yogurt or non-sweetened yogurt daily in addition to chow and water ad lib. We measured daily food intake and weight gain weekly. At the end of the experiment, we evaluated fasting leptin, glucose, insulin, PYY and determined insulin resistance through HOMA-IR. Cumulative weight gain and food intake were evaluated through linear mixed models. Results showed that saccharin induced greater weight gain when compared with non-sweetened control (p = 0.027) despite a similar total caloric intake. There were no differences in HOMA-IR, fasting leptin or PYY levels between groups. We conclude that saccharin sweet taste can induce mild weight gain in Wistar rats without increasing total caloric intake. This weight gain was not related with insulin-resistance nor changes in fasting leptin or PYY in Wistar rats. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of replacing marine fish meal with catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) by-product protein hydrolyzate on the growth performance and diarrhoea incidence in weaned piglets.

PubMed

Thuy, Nguyen Thi; Ha, Nguyen Cong

2016-10-01

The present study consists of two experiments. In experiment 1, a total of 120 weaned piglets (Yorkshire × Landrace) (7.3 ± 1.9 kg) were allocated to five treatments, and four replications (pens) with six piglets/pen. In experiment 2, 40 male pigs (23.0 ± 2.2 kg) were allocated to five treatments and eight replications (individual pens). In both experiments, the control diet contained fish meal (FM) as the sole protein supplement (CPH0), while the experimental diets consisted of four different diets in which crude protein (CP) from FM in CPH0 was replaced by the CP from catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) by-product protein hydrolyzate (CPH) at four different levels: 100 % (CPH100), 75 % (CPH75), 50 % (CPH50) and 25 % (CPH25). The results in experiment 1 showed that the highest average daily gain (ADG) over the 5-week period after weaning was recorded for piglets on CPH100 (307 g/day), and the lowest for piglets fed CPH0 (287 g/day) (P < 0.01). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was lower in CPH100 (1.43 kg feed/kg gain) than in CPH0 (1.51 kg feed/kg gain) (P < 0.01). The piglets fed CPH100 were less affected by diarrhoea (6.55 %) than piglets fed the control diet CPH0 (17.3 %) after weaning, and faecal scores were also lower. In experiment 2, ADG was lowest in CPH0, and the cost/gain in pigs fed CPH100 was lowest in both weaning and growing pigs. In conclusion, it is possible to replace up to 100 % of the FM by CPH in diets for weaning and growing pigs, resulting in improved ADG and FCR, lower feed cost/gain as well as reduced diarrhoea incidence and improved faecal score.

ATLAS Distributed Computing Experience and Performance During the LHC Run-2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filipčič, A.; ATLAS Collaboration

2017-10-01

ATLAS Distributed Computing during LHC Run-1 was challenged by steadily increasing computing, storage and network requirements. In addition, the complexity of processing task workflows and their associated data management requirements led to a new paradigm in the ATLAS computing model for Run-2, accompanied by extensive evolution and redesign of the workflow and data management systems. The new systems were put into production at the end of 2014, and gained robustness and maturity during 2015 data taking. ProdSys2, the new request and task interface; JEDI, the dynamic job execution engine developed as an extension to PanDA; and Rucio, the new data management system, form the core of Run-2 ATLAS distributed computing engine. One of the big changes for Run-2 was the adoption of the Derivation Framework, which moves the chaotic CPU and data intensive part of the user analysis into the centrally organized train production, delivering derived AOD datasets to user groups for final analysis. The effectiveness of the new model was demonstrated through the delivery of analysis datasets to users just one week after data taking, by completing the calibration loop, Tier-0 processing and train production steps promptly. The great flexibility of the new system also makes it possible to execute part of the Tier-0 processing on the grid when Tier-0 resources experience a backlog during high data-taking periods. The introduction of the data lifetime model, where each dataset is assigned a finite lifetime (with extensions possible for frequently accessed data), was made possible by Rucio. Thanks to this the storage crises experienced in Run-1 have not reappeared during Run-2. In addition, the distinction between Tier-1 and Tier-2 disk storage, now largely artificial given the quality of Tier-2 resources and their networking, has been removed through the introduction of dynamic ATLAS clouds that group the storage endpoint nucleus and its close-by execution satellite sites. All stable ATLAS sites are now able to store unique or primary copies of the datasets. ATLAS Distributed Computing is further evolving to speed up request processing by introducing network awareness, using machine learning and optimisation of the latencies during the execution of the full chain of tasks. The Event Service, a new workflow and job execution engine, is designed around check-pointing at the level of event processing to use opportunistic resources more efficiently. ATLAS has been extensively exploring possibilities of using computing resources extending beyond conventional grid sites in the WLCG fabric to deliver as many computing cycles as possible and thereby enhance the significance of the Monte-Carlo samples to deliver better physics results. The exploitation of opportunistic resources was at an early stage throughout 2015, at the level of 10% of the total ATLAS computing power, but in the next few years it is expected to deliver much more. In addition, demonstrating the ability to use an opportunistic resource can lead to securing ATLAS allocations on the facility, hence the importance of this work goes beyond merely the initial CPU cycles gained. In this paper, we give an overview and compare the performance, development effort, flexibility and robustness of the various approaches.

Numerical investigation of deep-crust behavior under lithospheric extension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korchinski, Megan; Rey, Patrice F.; Mondy, Luke; Teyssier, Christian; Whitney, Donna L.

2018-02-01

What are the conditions under which lithospheric extension drives exhumation of the deep orogenic crust during the formation of gneiss domes? The mechanical link between extension of shallow crust and flow of deep crust is investigated using two-dimensional numerical experiments of lithospheric extension in which the crust is 60 km thick and the deep-crust viscosity and density parameter space is explored. Results indicate that the style of extension of the shallow crust and the path, magnitude, and rate of flow of deep crust are dynamically linked through the deep-crust viscosity, with density playing an important role in experiments with a high-viscosity deep crust. Three main groups of domes are defined based on their mechanisms of exhumation across the viscosity-density parameter space. In the first group (low-viscosity, low-density deep crust), domes develop by lateral and upward flow of the deep crust at km m.y-1 velocity rates (i.e. rate of experiment boundary extension). In this case, extension in the shallow crust is localized on a single interface, and the deep crust traverses the entire thickness of the crust to the Earth's near-surface in 5 m.y. This high exhuming power relies on the dynamic feedback between the flow of deep crust and the localization of extension in the shallow crust. The second group (intermediate-viscosity, low-density deep crust) has less exhuming power because the stronger deep crust flows less readily and instead accommodates more uniform extension, which imparts distributed extension to the shallow crust. The third group represents the upper limits of viscosity and density for the deep crust; in this case the low buoyancy of the deep crust results in localized thinning of the crust with large upward motion of the Moho and lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary. These numerical experiments test the exhuming power of the deep crust in the formation of extensional gneiss domes.

Extending the Fellegi-Sunter probabilistic record linkage method for approximate field comparators.

PubMed

DuVall, Scott L; Kerber, Richard A; Thomas, Alun

2010-02-01

Probabilistic record linkage is a method commonly used to determine whether demographic records refer to the same person. The Fellegi-Sunter method is a probabilistic approach that uses field weights based on log likelihood ratios to determine record similarity. This paper introduces an extension of the Fellegi-Sunter method that incorporates approximate field comparators in the calculation of field weights. The data warehouse of a large academic medical center was used as a case study. The approximate comparator extension was compared with the Fellegi-Sunter method in its ability to find duplicate records previously identified in the data warehouse using different demographic fields and matching cutoffs. The approximate comparator extension misclassified 25% fewer pairs and had a larger Welch's T statistic than the Fellegi-Sunter method for all field sets and matching cutoffs. The accuracy gain provided by the approximate comparator extension grew as less information was provided and as the matching cutoff increased. Given the ubiquity of linkage in both clinical and research settings, the incremental improvement of the extension has the potential to make a considerable impact.

GH treatment to final height produces similar height gains in patients with SHOX deficiency and Turner syndrome: results of a multicenter trial.

PubMed

Blum, Werner F; Ross, Judith L; Zimmermann, Alan G; Quigley, Charmian A; Child, Christopher J; Kalifa, Gabriel; Deal, Cheri; Drop, Stenvert L S; Rappold, Gudrun; Cutler, Gordon B

2013-08-01

Growth impairment in short stature homeobox-containing gene (SHOX) deficiency and Turner syndrome share a similar etiology. Because of the established effect of GH treatment on height in patients with Turner syndrome, we hypothesized that GH therapy would also stimulate growth in patients with SHOX deficiency. Our objectives were to evaluate long-term efficacy of GH treatment in short patients with SHOX deficiency and to compare the effect on final (adult) height (FH) in patients with SHOX deficiency and Turner syndrome. A prospective, multinational, open-label, randomized 3-arm study consisting of a 2-year control period and a subsequent extension period to FH. The treatment groups were 1) SHOX-D-C/GH (untreated during the control period, GH-treated during the extension), 2) SHOX-D-GH/GH, and 3) Turner-GH/GH (GH-treated during both study periods). Short-statured prepubertal patients with genetically confirmed SHOX deficiency (n = 49) or Turner syndrome (n = 24) who participated in the extension. Depending on the study arm, patients received a daily sc injection of 0.05 mg/kg recombinant human GH from start of the study or start of the extension until attainment of FH or study closure. Height SD score gain from start of GH treatment to FH was similar between the combined SHOX-deficient groups (n = 28, 1.34 ± 0.18 [least-squares mean ± SE]) and the Turner group (n = 19, 1.32 ± 0.22). In this FH population, 57% of the patients with SHOX deficiency and 32% of the patients with Turner syndrome achieved a FH greater than -2 SD score. GH treatment in short children with SHOX deficiency showed similar long-term efficacy as seen in girls with Turner syndrome.

Factors Influencing Student Gains from Undergraduate Research Experiences at a Hispanic-Serving Institution

PubMed Central

Daniels, Heather; Grineski, Sara E.; Collins, Timothy W.; Morales, Danielle X.; Morera, Osvaldo; Echegoyen, Lourdes

2016-01-01

Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) confer many benefits to students, including improved self-confidence, better communication skills, and an increased likelihood of pursuing science careers. Additionally, UREs may be particularly important for racial/ethnic minority students who are underrepresented in the science workforce. We examined factors hypothetically relevant to underrepresented minority student gains from UREs at a Hispanic-serving institution, such as mentoring quality, family income, being Latino/a, and caring for dependents. Data came from a 2013 survey of University of Texas at El Paso students engaged in 10 URE programs (n = 227). Using generalized linear models (GzLMs) and adjusting for known covariates, we found that students who reported receiving higher-quality mentorship, spending more hours caring for dependents, and receiving more programmatic resources experienced significantly greater gains from their URE in all three areas we examined (i.e., thinking and working like a scientist, personal gains, and gains in skills). In two of three areas, duration of the URE was positive and significant. Being Latino/a was positive and significant only in the model predicting personal gains. Across the three models, quality of mentorship was the most important correlate of gains. This suggests that providing training to faculty mentors involved in UREs may improve student outcomes and increase program efficacy. PMID:27521234

Anatomical knowledge gain through a clay-modeling exercise compared to live and video observations.

PubMed

Kooloos, Jan G M; Schepens-Franke, Annelieke N; Bergman, Esther M; Donders, Rogier A R T; Vorstenbosch, Marc A T M

2014-01-01

Clay modeling is increasingly used as a teaching method other than dissection. The haptic experience during clay modeling is supposed to correspond to the learning effect of manipulations during exercises in the dissection room involving tissues and organs. We questioned this assumption in two pretest-post-test experiments. In these experiments, the learning effects of clay modeling were compared to either live observations (Experiment I) or video observations (Experiment II) of the clay-modeling exercise. The effects of learning were measured with multiple choice questions, extended matching questions, and recognition of structures on illustrations of cross-sections. Analysis of covariance with pretest scores as the covariate was used to elaborate the results. Experiment I showed a significantly higher post-test score for the observers, whereas Experiment II showed a significantly higher post-test score for the clay modelers. This study shows that (1) students who perform clay-modeling exercises show less gain in anatomical knowledge than students who attentively observe the same exercise being carried out and (2) performing a clay-modeling exercise is better in anatomical knowledge gain compared to the study of a video of the recorded exercise. The most important learning effect seems to be the engagement in the exercise, focusing attention and stimulating time on task. © 2014 American Association of Anatomists.

Solar Pumped Solid State Lasers for Space Solar Power: Experimental Path

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fork, Richard L.; Carrington, Connie K.; Walker, Wesley W.; Cole, Spencer T.; Green, Jason J. A.; Laycock, Rustin L.

2003-01-01

We outline an experimentally based strategy designed to lead to solar pumped solid state laser oscillators useful for space solar power. Our method involves solar pumping a novel solid state gain element specifically designed to provide efficient conversion of sunlight in space to coherent laser light. Kilowatt and higher average power is sought from each gain element. Multiple such modular gain elements can be used to accumulate total average power of interest for power beaming in space, e.g., 100 kilowatts and more. Where desirable the high average power can also be produced as a train of pulses having high peak power (e.g., greater than 10(exp 10 watts). The modular nature of the basic gain element supports an experimental strategy in which the core technology can be validated by experiments on a single gain element. We propose to do this experimental validation both in terrestrial locations and also on a smaller scale in space. We describe a terrestrial experiment that includes diagnostics and the option of locating the laser beam path in vacuum environment. We describe a space based experiment designed to be compatible with the Japanese Experimental Module (JEM) on the International Space Station (ISS). We anticipate the gain elements will be based on low temperature (approx. 100 degrees Kelvin) operation of high thermal conductivity (k approx. 100 W/cm-K) diamond and sapphire (k approx. 4 W/cm-K). The basic gain element will be formed by sequences of thin alternating layers of diamond and Ti:sapphire with special attention given to the material interfaces. We anticipate this strategy will lead to a particularly simple, robust, and easily maintained low mass modelocked multi-element laser oscillator useful for space solar power.

Mechanism of the metallic metamaterials coupled to the gain material

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

Huang, Zhixiang; Droulias, Sotiris; Koschny, Thomas

2014-11-10

In this study, we present evidence of strong coupling between the gain material and the metallic metamaterials. It is of vital importance to understand the mechanism of the coupling of metamaterials with the gain medium. Using a four-level gain system, the numerical pump-probe experiments are performed in several configurations (split–ring resonators (SRRs), inverse SRRs and fishnets) of metamaterials, demonstrating reduction of the resonator damping in all cases and hence the possibility for loss compensation. We find that the differential transmittance ΔT/T can be negative in different SRR configurations, such as SRRs on the top of the gain substrate, gain inmore » the SRR gap and gain covering the SRR structure, while in the fishnet metamaterial with gain ΔT/T is positive.« less

Contributions of community psychology to rural advisory services: an analysis of Latin American rural extensionists' point of view.

PubMed

Landini, Fernando

2015-06-01

During the last decade, rural extension has received interest as being a key tool for rural development. Despite rural extension being affected by many psychosocial processes, psychology has made scarce contributions to it. An investigation was conducted with the aim of gaining knowledge of rural extensionists' expectations of psychology, as well as to contribute to shaping community psychologists' role in the context of rural extension . 652 extensionists from 12 Latin American countries were surveyed. The survey included closed socio-demographic questions as well as open ones addressing extension practice and psychologists' potential contributions. 90.6 % of surveyed extensionists considered psychology could help them improve their practice. Most mentioned areas of contribution go in line with community psychology, including managing farmers groups, facilitating participatory processes and training extensionists; while others, such as the expectation of changing farmers' mindset and increasing the adoption of external technologies, go against its principles. Thus, in some cases, extensionists' expectations could help generate an interesting interaction between community psychology and rural extension, while in others, they need to be put up for discussion. In brief, community psychology has the potential to contribute to rural extension, but it needs to acknowledge extension practice as an interesting area for intervention.

Impacts of Personal Experience: Informing Water Conservation Extension Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Pei-wen; Lamm, Alexa J.

2017-01-01

Extension educators have diligently educated the general public about water conservation. Incorporating audiences' personal experience into educational programming is recommended as an approach to effectively enhance audiences' adoption of water conservation practices. To ensure the impact on the audiences and environment, understanding the…

Electromagnetic versus electrical coupling of personal frequency modulation (FM) receivers to cochlear implant sound processors.

PubMed

Schafer, Erin C; Romine, Denise; Musgrave, Elizabeth; Momin, Sadaf; Huynh, Christy

2013-01-01

Previous research has suggested that electrically coupled frequency modulation (FM) systems substantially improved speech-recognition performance in noise in individuals with cochlear implants (CIs). However, there is limited evidence to support the use of electromagnetically coupled (neck loop) FM receivers with contemporary CI sound processors containing telecoils. The primary goal of this study was to compare speech-recognition performance in noise and subjective ratings of adolescents and adults using one of three contemporary CI sound processors coupled to electromagnetically and electrically coupled FM receivers from Oticon. A repeated-measures design was used to compare speech-recognition performance in noise and subjective ratings without and with the FM systems across three test sessions (Experiment 1) and to compare performance at different FM-gain settings (Experiment 2). Descriptive statistics were used in Experiment 3 to describe output differences measured through a CI sound processor. Experiment 1 included nine adolescents or adults with unilateral or bilateral Advanced Bionics Harmony (n = 3), Cochlear Nucleus 5 (n = 3), and MED-EL OPUS 2 (n = 3) CI sound processors. In Experiment 2, seven of the original nine participants were tested. In Experiment 3, electroacoustic output was measured from a Nucleus 5 sound processor when coupled to the electromagnetically coupled Oticon Arc neck loop and electrically coupled Oticon R2. In Experiment 1, participants completed a field trial with each FM receiver and three test sessions that included speech-recognition performance in noise and a subjective rating scale. In Experiment 2, participants were tested in three receiver-gain conditions. Results in both experiments were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance. Experiment 3 involved electroacoustic-test measures to determine the monitor-earphone output of the CI alone and CI coupled to the two FM receivers. The results in Experiment 1 suggested that both FM receivers provided significantly better speech-recognition performance in noise than the CI alone; however, the electromagnetically coupled receiver provided significantly better speech-recognition performance in noise and better ratings in some situations than the electrically coupled receiver when set to the same gain. In Experiment 2, the primary analysis suggested significantly better speech-recognition performance in noise for the neck-loop versus electrically coupled receiver, but a second analysis, using the best performance across gain settings for each device, revealed no significant differences between the two FM receivers. Experiment 3 revealed monitor-earphone output differences in the Nucleus 5 sound processor for the two FM receivers when set to the +8 setting used in Experiment 1 but equal output when the electrically coupled device was set to a +16 gain setting and the electromagnetically coupled device was set to the +8 gain setting. Individuals with contemporary sound processors may show more favorable speech-recognition performance in noise electromagnetically coupled FM systems (i.e., Oticon Arc), which is most likely related to the input processing and signal processing pathway within the CI sound processor for direct input versus telecoil input. Further research is warranted to replicate these findings with a larger sample size and to develop and validate a more objective approach to fitting FM systems to CI sound processors. American Academy of Audiology.

Enhanced 2/3 four-ary modulation code using soft-decision Viterbi decoding for four-level holographic data storage systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Gyuyeol; Choi, Sooyong

2017-09-01

An enhanced 2/3 four-ary modulation code using soft-decision Viterbi decoding is proposed for four-level holographic data storage systems. While the previous four-ary modulation codes focus on preventing maximum two-dimensional intersymbol interference patterns, the proposed four-ary modulation code aims at maximizing the coding gains for better bit error rate performances. For achieving significant coding gains from the four-ary modulation codes, we design a new 2/3 four-ary modulation code in order to enlarge the free distance on the trellis through extensive simulation. The free distance of the proposed four-ary modulation code is extended from 1.21 to 2.04 compared with that of the conventional four-ary modulation code. The simulation result shows that the proposed four-ary modulation code has more than 1 dB gains compared with the conventional four-ary modulation code.

The Comstar D/3 gain degradation experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, T. C.; Hodge, D. B.

1981-01-01

The results of gain degradation measurements using the Comstar D/3 19.04 GHz beacon are reported. This experiment utilized 0.6 and 5 m aperture antennas aligned along the same propagation path to examine propagation effects which are related to the antenna aperture size. Sample data for clear air, scintillation in clear air, and precipitation fading are presented. Distributions of the received signal levels and variances for both antennas are also presented.

Low- and High-Volume Water-Based Resistance Training Induces Similar Strength and Functional Capacity Improvements in Older Women: A Randomized Study.

PubMed

Reichert, Thaís; Delevatti, Rodrigo Sudatti; Prado, Alexandre Konig Garcia; Bagatini, Natália Carvalho; Simmer, Nicole Monticelli; Meinerz, Andressa Pellegrini; Barroso, Bruna Machado; Costa, Rochelle Rocha; Kanitz, Ana Carolina; Kruel, Luiz Fernando Martins

2018-03-27

Water-based resistance training (WRT) has been indicated to promote strength gains in elderly population. However, no study has compared different training strategies to identify the most efficient one. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of 3 WRT strategies on the strength and functional capacity of older women. In total, 36 women were randomly allocated to training groups: simple set of 30 seconds [1 × 30s; 66.41 (1.36) y; n = 12], multiple sets of 10 seconds [3 × 10s; 66.50 (1.43) y; n = 11], and simple set of 10 seconds [1 × 10s; 65.23 (1.09) y; n = 13]. Training lasted for 12 weeks. The maximal dynamic strength (in kilograms) and muscular endurance (number of repetitions) of knee extension, knee flexion, elbow flexion, and bench press, as well as functional capacity (number of repetitions), were evaluated. All types of training promoted similar gains in maximal dynamic strength of knee extension and flexion as well as elbow flexion. Only the 1 × 30s and 1 × 10s groups presented increments in bench press maximal strength. All 3 groups showed increases in muscular endurance in all exercises and functional capacity. WRT using long- or short-duration simple sets promotes the same gains in strength and functional capacity in older women as does WRT using multiple sets.

Mechanism for DNA transposons to generate introns on genomic scales

PubMed Central

Huff, Jason T.; Zilberman, Daniel; Roy, Scott W.

2017-01-01

Discovered four decades ago, the existence of introns was one of the most unexpected findings in molecular biology1. Introns are sequences interrupting genes that must be removed as part of mRNA production. Genome sequencing projects have documented that most eukaryotic genes contain at least one and frequently many introns2,3. Comparison of these genomes reveals a history of long evolutionary periods with little intron gain punctuated by episodes of rapid, extensive gain2,3. However, no detailed mechanism for such episodic intron generation has been empirically supported on a sufficient scale, despite several proposals4–8. Here we show how short non-autonomous DNA transposons independently generated hundreds to thousands of introns in the prasinophyte Micromonas pusilla and the pelagophyte Aureococcus anophagefferens. Each transposon carries one splice site. The other splice site is co-opted from gene sequence duplicated upon transposon insertion, allowing perfect splicing out of RNA. The distributions of sequences that can be co-opted are biased with respect to codons, and phasing of transposon-generated introns is similarly biased. These transposons insert between preexisting nucleosomes, so that multiple nearby insertions generate nucleosome-sized intervening segments. Thus, transposon insertion and sequence co-option may explain the intron phase biases2 and prevalence of nucleosome-sized exons9 observed in eukaryotes. Overall, the two independent examples of proliferating elements illustrate a general DNA transposon mechanism plausibly accounting for episodes of rapid, extensive intron gain during eukaryotic evolution2,3. PMID:27760113

Dynamics of genome size evolution in birds and mammals

PubMed Central

Feschotte, Cédric

2017-01-01

Genome size in mammals and birds shows remarkably little interspecific variation compared with other taxa. However, genome sequencing has revealed that many mammal and bird lineages have experienced differential rates of transposable element (TE) accumulation, which would be predicted to cause substantial variation in genome size between species. Thus, we hypothesize that there has been covariation between the amount of DNA gained by transposition and lost by deletion during mammal and avian evolution, resulting in genome size equilibrium. To test this model, we develop computational methods to quantify the amount of DNA gained by TE expansion and lost by deletion over the last 100 My in the lineages of 10 species of eutherian mammals and 24 species of birds. The results reveal extensive variation in the amount of DNA gained via lineage-specific transposition, but that DNA loss counteracted this expansion to various extents across lineages. Our analysis of the rate and size spectrum of deletion events implies that DNA removal in both mammals and birds has proceeded mostly through large segmental deletions (>10 kb). These findings support a unified “accordion” model of genome size evolution in eukaryotes whereby DNA loss counteracting TE expansion is a major determinant of genome size. Furthermore, we propose that extensive DNA loss, and not necessarily a dearth of TE activity, has been the primary force maintaining the greater genomic compaction of flying birds and bats relative to their flightless relatives. PMID:28179571

The Role of Internships in Raising Undergraduates' Awareness and Perception of Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grotta, Amy; McGrath, Daniel

2013-01-01

Extension does not often reach out to undergraduates at their home institutions. Doing so might help Extension reach new audiences; leverage scarce resources; provide meaningful, community-based work experience; and perhaps recruit another generation of Extension professionals. We surveyed students who had completed internships with Extension…

Effect of feeding different dietary levels of energy and protein on growth performance and immune status of Vanaraja chicken in the tropic.

PubMed

Perween, Shahla; Kumar, Kaushalendra; Chandramoni; Kumar, Sanjay; Singh, Pankaj Kumar; Kumar, Manoj; Dey, Amitava

2016-08-01

The present study was conducted to observe the effect of feeding dietary level of energy and protein on growth performance and immune status of Vanaraja chicken in the tropic. The experiment was conducted for 56 days on 540 1-day-old chicks, which were individually weighed and distributed into nine groups having 60 birds in each. Each group was further subdivided into triplicates having 20 birds in each. Nine different experimental rations were formulated with three levels of protein, viz., 17%, 19%, and 21%; each with three levels of energy (2600, 2800, and 3000 kcal metabolizable energy [ME]/kg), respectively. Group T8 serves as control fed with 21% protein and 2800 kcal energy as per Project Directorate of Poultry, Hyderabad given requirement. Feed consumption, live weight gain, body weight change, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated based on the amount of feed consumed every week. All the birds were vaccinated following standard protocol. The hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test have been performed to assess the immunity potential of birds due to dietary effect, and serum samples were subjected to HI test at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days of age. Finally, economics of broiler production was calculated on the cost of feed per kg live weight gain. This study revealed that the effect of feeding different levels of energy and protein on growth parameters such as body weight gain and FCR was found to be significantly higher (p<0.05) containing 19% and 21% crude protein with 3000 kcal ME/kg in Vanaraja birds. There was a gradual increase in antibody titer against New castle disease virus as the level of protein and energy increase. It is speculated that the better body weight gain corroborate health and antibody titer. Moreover, the better immune response recorded in the study might be due to better nutrient utilization and its extension toward the better immune response. Higher energy with medium protein diet positively reflects to obtain desirable performance economically. It was positive inclination toward ration containing high protein and energy which influence the immune response of Vanaraja birds to obtained desirable performance economically also.

Measured and perceived effects of computerized scientist mentors on student learning and motivation in science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowman, Catherine Dodds Dunham

Unease about declining U.S. science literacy and inquiry skills drives much innovation in science education, including the quest for authentic science experiences for students. One response is student-scientist partnerships (SSP), involving small numbers of students in scientific investigations with scientist mentors. Alternatively, science inquiry programs provide large numbers of students with opportunities to pursue their own investigations but without extensive access to experts, potentially limiting the possible cognitive and affective gains. This mixed methods study investigates whether it is possible to replicate some of SSPs' benefits on a larger scale through use of a computerized agent designed as a "virtual" scientist mentor. Middle school students (N=532) were randomly assigned to two versions of an agent (or to a control group) providing either content-only or content and interpersonal mentoring while they participated in a three-week curriculum. Results indicate that, on average, students gained in content knowledge but there was no statistically significant difference between the three conditions. In terms of motivation, students exhibited no change, on average, with no statistically significant difference between the three conditions. These data indicate that the treatment conditions neither facilitate nor inhibit student learning and motivation. Interviews with a subsample (n=70), however, suggest that students believe the agents facilitated their learning, eased the workload, provided a trusted source of information, and were enjoyable to use. Teachers reported that the agents provided alternative views of scientists and science, generated class discussion, and met the needs of high and low-achieving students. This difference between measured and perceived benefits may result from measures that were not sufficiently sensitive to capture differences. Alternatively, a more sophisticated agent might better replicate mentoring functions known to produce cognitive and affective gains. Even without established learning or motivational gains, practitioners may want to employ agents for their ability to provide reliable information, expanded perspectives on science and scientists, and a non-intimidating setting for students to ask questions. For computerized agent researchers, this study provides a first step in exploring the affordances and challenges of sustained use of agents in real school settings with the goal of improving science education.

Reversal of olanzapine-induced weight gain in a patient with schizophrenia by switching to asenapine: a case report.

PubMed

Okazaki, Kosuke; Yamamuro, Kazuhiko; Kishimoto, Toshifumi

2017-01-01

Antipsychotics are effective for treating schizophrenia, but atypical antipsychotics can cause several adverse side effects including weight gain, hyperprolactinemia, and extrapyramidal symptoms. Moreover, weight gain increases the risk of metabolic diseases. We treated a case of olanzapine-induced weight gain in a 41-year-old man with schizophrenia by switching his medication from olanzapine to asenapine. The weight gain improved after switching the medication, from 80.3 to 75.0 kg, a weight loss of 6.6%, and there was no significant worsening of psychological symptoms or other adverse effects. Asenapine might be effective for treating patients with schizophrenia who experience olanzapine-induced weight gain.

78 FR 15009 - Extension of Deadline; Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-08

... official version of this document is the document published in the Federal Register. Free Internet access... free, at 1- 800-877-8339. Accessible Format: Individuals with disabilities can obtain this document in... Document Format (PDF). To use PDF, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free at this site...

Photo stratification improves northwest timber volume estimates.

Treesearch

Colin D. MacLean

1972-01-01

Data from extensive timber inventories of 12 counties in western and central Washington were analyzed to test the relative efficiency of double sampling for stratification as a means of estimating total volume. Photo and field plots, when combined in a stratified sampling design, proved about twice as efficient as simple field sampling. Although some gains were made by...

Student Participation in the College Classroom: An Extended Multidisciplinary Literature Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rocca, Kelly A.

2010-01-01

The goal of this study was to integrate previous research conducted on student participation in the college classroom. Numerous studies have been completed on engaging students in classroom discussions, but no study has synthesized this information in the form of an extensive literature review. Here, previous research is pulled together to gain a…

How to Gather Information on Community Needs and Funding Sources. Resources for Rural Development Series: Handbook No. 1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cohen, John M.; Marshall, Terry

One of a series designed to aid community leaders, cooperative extension agents, local government officials, and others in their efforts to gain external resources needed to support local efforts in rural development, this handbook addresses three basic problem areas: gathering information on rural development needs of a community; locating…

An extension of the plant ontology project supporting wood anatomy and development research

Treesearch

Federic Lens; Laurel Cooper; Maria Alejandra Gandolfo; Andrew Groover; Pankaj Jaiswal; Barbara Lachenbruch; Rachel Spicer; Margaret E. Staton; Dennis W. Stevenson; Ramona L. Walls; Jill Wegrzyn

2012-01-01

A wealth of information on plant anatomy and morphology is available in the current and historical literature, and molecular biologists are producing massive amounts of transcriptome and genome data that can be used to gain better insights into the development, evolution, ecology, and physiological function of plant anatomical attributes. Integrating anatomical and...

Reading and Spelling Gains Following One Year of Orton-Gillingham Intervention in Singaporean Students with Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lim, Lois; Oei, Adam C.

2015-01-01

Despite the widespread use of Orton-Gillingham (OG) based approaches to dyslexia remediation, empirical support documenting its effectiveness is lacking. Recently, Chia and Houghton demonstrated the effectiveness of the OG approach for remediation of dyslexia in Singapore. As a conceptual replication and extension of that research, we report…

Temperament does not affect steer weight gains on extensively managed semiarid rangeland

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Between 2011 and 2013, a five category flight speed score (1=walk; 2=trot; 3=bolt; 4=jump; and 5=fall) was used to assess the temperament of 1643 yearling steers of mixed breeds following release from a hydraulic squeeze chute at the USDA-ARS Central Plains Experimental Range near Nunn, CO, USA. Sco...

Symbol Labelling Improves Advantageous Decision-Making on the Iowa Gambling Task in People with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dymond, Simon; Bailey, Rebecca; Willner, Paul; Parry, Rhonwen

2010-01-01

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities often have difficulties foregoing short-term loss for long-term gain. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) has been extensively adopted as a laboratory measure of this ability. In the present study, we undertook the first investigation with people with intellectual disabilities using a…

The World of Work through Children's Literature: An Integrated Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Butzow, Carol M.; Butzow, John W.

Centering around the theme of work, this book offers activity ideas based on children's literature from best-selling authors. Through learning extensions in the book, young readers in grades 1-6 will gain insight into a variety of occupations and work environments and, in a playful way, learn about the skills needed to succeed. The stories and…

Teacher-and Child-Managed Academic Activities in Preschool and Kindergarten and Their Influence on Children's Gains in Emergent Academic Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

de Haan, Annika K. E.; Elbers, Ed; Leseman, Paul P. M.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess whether children's development benefited from teacher-and child-managed academic activities in the preschool and kindergarten classroom. Extensive systematic observations during four half-days in preschool ("n"?=?8) and kindergarten ("n"?=?8) classrooms revealed that classrooms differed in…

The Community Health Worker. Working Guide. Guidelines for Training. Guidelines for Adaptation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

World Health Organization, Geneva (Switzerland).

This book is a revised and enlarged edition of "The Primary Health Worker," a standard teaching text and reference manual developed for community health workers and their trainers and supervisors. The new edition has been updated with practical knowledge gained during the extensive field use of the previous work. The book also incorporates new…

"Brain Gain Statt (instead of) Brain Drain": The Role of English in German Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hilgendorf, Suzanne K.

2005-01-01

Although there is extensive research on Anglicisms in the German language e.g. Carstensen, 1965; Carstensen, Busse & Schmude, 19936; Fink, 1970, 1980, 1995; Grlach, 2002, few studies look beyond lexical borrowing and structural impact to consider other aspects and dimensions of English-German contact in the Federal Republic of Germany. This…

A Smartphone Application for Landscape Plants: A Case Study and Guide to Developing a Decision-Making Application

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Gail; Purcell, Scott

2012-01-01

Smart phone applications are rapidly gaining popularity, and Extension programs are eager to use this teaching tool. But developing an application can be time intensive and costly. Students in environmental horticulture at the University of Florida teamed with the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ program to develop an application with an extensive…

The Legacy of "If Someone Hits You, You Better Hit Back"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Joseph Q.

2006-01-01

Adults condemn violence but teach children to fight back. The message that aggression is legitimate causes grave harm to untold numbers of children and youth in our violent culture. Children are literally losing their lives trying to gain "respect" and preserve their "dignity." The author draws on extensive direct professional work with violent…

Cell culture adaptation mutations in foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype A capsid proteins: implications for receptor interactions

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this study we describe the adaptive changes fixed on the capsid of several foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype A strains during propagation in cell monolayers. Viruses passaged extensively in three cell lines (BHK-21, LFBK and IB-RS-2), consistently gained several positively charged amino acids...

Distinct Trajectories of Massive Recent Gene Gains and Losses in Populations of a Microbial Eukaryotic Pathogen

PubMed Central

Hartmann, Fanny E.; Croll, Daniel

2017-01-01

Abstract Differences in gene content are a significant source of variability within species and have an impact on phenotypic traits. However, little is known about the mechanisms responsible for the most recent gene gains and losses. We screened the genomes of 123 worldwide isolates of the major pathogen of wheat Zymoseptoria tritici for robust evidence of gene copy number variation. Based on orthology relationships in three closely related fungi, we identified 599 gene gains and 1,024 gene losses that have not yet reached fixation within the focal species. Our analyses of gene gains and losses segregating in populations showed that gene copy number variation arose preferentially in subtelomeres and in proximity to transposable elements. Recently lost genes were enriched in virulence factors and secondary metabolite gene clusters. In contrast, recently gained genes encoded mostly secreted protein lacking a conserved domain. We analyzed the frequency spectrum at loci segregating a gene presence–absence polymorphism in four worldwide populations. Recent gene losses showed a significant excess in low-frequency variants compared with genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism, which is indicative of strong negative selection against gene losses. Recent gene gains were either under weak negative selection or neutral. We found evidence for strong divergent selection among populations at individual loci segregating a gene presence–absence polymorphism. Hence, gene gains and losses likely contributed to local adaptation. Our study shows that microbial eukaryotes harbor extensive copy number variation within populations and that functional differences among recently gained and lost genes led to distinct evolutionary trajectories. PMID:28981698

An Extended Normalization Model of Attention Accounts for Feature-Based Attentional Enhancement of Both Response and Coherence Gain

PubMed Central

Krishna, B. Suresh; Treue, Stefan

2016-01-01

Paying attention to a sensory feature improves its perception and impairs that of others. Recent work has shown that a Normalization Model of Attention (NMoA) can account for a wide range of physiological findings and the influence of different attentional manipulations on visual performance. A key prediction of the NMoA is that attention to a visual feature like an orientation or a motion direction will increase the response of neurons preferring the attended feature (response gain) rather than increase the sensory input strength of the attended stimulus (input gain). This effect of feature-based attention on neuronal responses should translate to similar patterns of improvement in behavioral performance, with psychometric functions showing response gain rather than input gain when attention is directed to the task-relevant feature. In contrast, we report here that when human subjects are cued to attend to one of two motion directions in a transparent motion display, attentional effects manifest as a combination of input and response gain. Further, the impact on input gain is greater when attention is directed towards a narrow range of motion directions than when it is directed towards a broad range. These results are captured by an extended NMoA, which either includes a stimulus-independent attentional contribution to normalization or utilizes direction-tuned normalization. The proposed extensions are consistent with the feature-similarity gain model of attention and the attentional modulation in extrastriate area MT, where neuronal responses are enhanced and suppressed by attention to preferred and non-preferred motion directions respectively. PMID:27977679

Raising awareness of assistive technology in older adults through a community-based, cooperative extension program.

PubMed

Sellers, Debra M; Markham, Melinda Stafford

2012-01-01

The Fashion an Easier Lifestyle with Assistive Technology (FELAT) curriculum was developed as a needs-based, community educational program provided through a state Cooperative Extension Service. The overall goal for participants was to raise awareness of assistive technology. Program evaluation included a postassessment and subsequent interview to determine short-term knowledge gain and longer term behavior change. The sample consisted of mainly older, married females. The FELAT program was effective at raising awareness and increasing knowledge of assistive technology, and for many participants, the program acted as a catalyst for planning to or taking action related to assistive technology.

The Extensive Air Shower Experiment Kascade-Grande

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Donghwa; Apel, W. D.; Arteaga, J. C.; Badea, F.; Bekk, K.; Bertaina, M.; Blümer, J.; Bozdog, H.; Brancus, I. M.; Brüggemann, M.; Buchholz, P.; Cantoni, E.; Chiavassa, A.; Cossavella, F.; Daumiller, K.; de Souza, V.; di Pierro, F.; Doll, P.; Engel, R.; Engler, J.; Finger, M.; Fuhrmann, D.; Ghia, P. L.; Gils, H. J.; Glasstetter, R.; Grupen, C.; Haungs, A.; Heck, D.; Hörandel, J. R.; Huege, T.; Isar, P. G.; Kampert, K.-H.; Kickelbick, D.; Klages, H. O.; Kolotaev, Y.; Łuczak, P.; Mathes, H. J.; Mayer, H. J.; Milke, J.; Mitrica, B.; Morello, C.; Navarra, G.; Nehls, S.; Oehlschläger, J.; Ostapchenko, S.; Over, S.; Petcu, M.; Pierog, T.; Rebel, H.; Roth, M.; Schatz, G.; Schieler, H.; Schröder, F.; Sima, O.; Stümpert, M.; Toma, G.; Trinchero, G. C.; Ulrich, H.; van Buren, J.; Walkowiak, W.; Weindl, A.; Wochele, J.; Wommer, M.; Zabierowski, J.

The extensive air shower experiment KASCADE-Grande (KArlsruhe Shower Core and Array DEtector and Grande array) is located on site of the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe in Germany. The original KASCADE experiment consisted of a densely packed scintillator array with unshielded and shielded detectors for the measurement of the electromagnetic and muonic shower component independently, as well as muon tracking devices and a hadron calorimeter. The Grande array as an extension of KASCADE consists of 37 scintillation detector stations covering an area of 700×700 m2. The main goal for the combined measurements of KASCADE and Grande is the investigation of the energy spectrum and composition of primary cosmic rays in the energy range of 1016 to 1018 eV. In this paper an overview of the KASCADE-Grande experiment and recent results will be presented.

Reading apps for children: Readability from the design perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammed, Wasan Abdulwahab; Husni, Husniza

2017-10-01

Electronic reading for young children opens new avenues especially with the advance of modern reading devices. The readability of mobile learning applications has received extensive attention by the designers and developers. The reason for such concern is due to its importance in determining usability related issues especially in the design context for children. In many cases, children find it difficult to interact with mobile reading apps. This is because apps for reading and for entertainment require different features. As such, this study sets out three objectives: 1) to evaluate five reading apps for young children from design perspectives; 2) to examine the readability for current existing mobile apps for reading and 3) to propose and evaluate mobile apps UI guideline for readability. Readability indices, observation and interview were conducted on 6 - 8 years old students. The obtained result showed that certain reading apps provide better reading experience for children than others. Some of the reasons are mostly related to the design characteristics embedded within the app. In addition, the use of animation was found to stimulate children reading experience as it is believed to offer the interactivity elements to gain their interest and willingness to read. These findings are believed to provide the recommendations and insights for designers of reading apps for children.

Markstein Numbers of Negatively-Stretched Premixed Flames: Microgravity Measurements and Computations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ibarreta, Alfonso F.; Driscoll, James F.; Feikema, Douglas A.; Salzman, Jack (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The effect of flame stretch, composed of strain and curvature, plays a major role in the propagation of turbulent premixed flames. Although all forms of stretch (positive and negative) are present in turbulent conditions, little research has been focused on the stretch due to curvature. The present study quantifies the Markstein number (which characterizes the sensitivity of the flame propagation speed to the imposed stretch rate) for an inwardly-propagating flame (IPF). This flame is of interest because it is negatively stretched, and is subjected to curvature effects alone, without the competing effects of strain. In an extension of our previous work, microgravity experiments were run using a vortex-flame interaction to create a pocket of reactants surrounded by an IPF. Computations using the RUN-1DL code of Rogg were also performed in order to explain the measurements. It was found that the Markstein number of an inwardly-propagating flame, for both the microgravity experiment and the computations, is significantly larger than that of an outwardly-propagating flame. Further insight was gained by running the computations for the simplified (hypothetical) cases of one step chemistry, unity Lewis number, and negligible heat release. Results provide additional evidence that the Markstein numbers associated with strain and curvature have different values.

Cosmological constant implementing Mach principle in general relativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Namavarian, Nadereh; Farhoudi, Mehrdad

2016-10-01

We consider the fact that noticing on the operational meaning of the physical concepts played an impetus role in the appearance of general relativity (GR). Thus, we have paid more attention to the operational definition of the gravitational coupling constant in this theory as a dimensional constant which is gained through an experiment. However, as all available experiments just provide the value of this constant locally, this coupling constant can operationally be meaningful only in a local area. Regarding this point, to obtain an extension of GR for the large scale, we replace it by a conformal invariant model and then, reduce this model to a theory for the cosmological scale via breaking down the conformal symmetry through singling out a specific conformal frame which is characterized by the large scale characteristics of the universe. Finally, we come to the same field equations that historically were proposed by Einstein for the cosmological scale (GR plus the cosmological constant) as the result of his endeavor for making GR consistent with the Mach principle. However, we declare that the obtained field equations in this alternative approach do not carry the problem of the field equations proposed by Einstein for being consistent with Mach's principle (i.e., the existence of de Sitter solution), and can also be considered compatible with this principle in the Sciama view.

Fluid Dynamics of a High Aspect-Ratio Jet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Munro, Scott E.; Ahuja, K. K.

2003-01-01

Circulation control wings are a type of pneumatic high-lift device that have been extensively researched as to their aerodynamic benefits. However, there has been little research into the possible airframe noise reduction benefits of a circulation control wing. The key element of noise is the jet noise associated with the jet sheet emitted from the blowing slot. High aspect-ratio jet acoustic results (aspect-ratios from 100 to 3,000) from a related study showed that the jet noise of this type of jet was proportional to the slot height to the 3/2 power and slot width to the 1/2 power. Fluid dynamic experiments were performed in the present study on the high aspect-ratio nozzle to gain understanding of the flow characteristics in an effort to relate the acoustic results to flow parameters. Single hot-wire experiments indicated that the jet exhaust from the high aspect-ratio nozzle was similar to a 2-d turbulent jet. Two-wire space-correlation measurements were performed to attempt to find a relationship between the slot height of the jet and the length-scale of the flow noise generating turbulence structure. The turbulent eddy convection velocity was also calculated, and was found to vary with the local centerline velocity, and also as a function of the frequency of the eddy.

Heritability, covariation and natural selection on 24 traits of common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) from a field experiment.

PubMed

Johnson, M T J; Agrawal, A A; Maron, J L; Salminen, J-P

2009-06-01

This study explored genetic variation and co-variation in multiple functional plant traits. Our goal was to characterize selection, heritabilities and genetic correlations among different types of traits to gain insight into the evolutionary ecology of plant populations and their interactions with insect herbivores. In a field experiment, we detected significant heritable variation for each of 24 traits of Oenothera biennis and extensive genetic covariance among traits. Traits with diverse functions formed several distinct groups that exhibited positive genetic covariation with each other. Genetic variation in life-history traits and secondary chemistry together explained a large proportion of variation in herbivory (r(2) = 0.73). At the same time, selection acted on lifetime biomass, life-history traits and two secondary compounds of O. biennis, explaining over 95% of the variation in relative fitness among genotypes. The combination of genetic covariances and directional selection acting on multiple traits suggests that adaptive evolution of particular traits is constrained, and that correlated evolution of groups of traits will occur, which is expected to drive the evolution of increased herbivore susceptibility. As a whole, our study indicates that an examination of genetic variation and covariation among many different types of traits can provide greater insight into the evolutionary ecology of plant populations and plant-herbivore interactions.

The Experiential Learning Initiative: A Student-Scientist Partnership for Urban Youth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marshall, B. J.; Birdin, V. E.; Butler, J.

2001-05-01

The Experiential Learning Initiative is a student-scientist partnership initiated during the doctoral program of the author. Essential to the partnership were the cooperative relationships between the teaching and administrative staffs of Bellwood, IL School District 88 and the Michigan State University Department of Entomology. The use of insects, geophysical visualization activities, and extensive fieldwork by the students served as the foundation for non-traditional learning experiences. The university science partner worked with students in an after-school program several days each month. During these sessions, students were given opportunities to experience science as an on-going process based on personal curiosity and creativity. Through their personal investigations in laboratory, field, and field station situations, the students constructed knowledge of Earth processes and ecological interactions. Each academic year of the partnership was brought to closure with a capstone event that included travel to a major university or working field station for a week of on-site investigation, expanded exposure to practicing scientists, and residential living in a scientific community. All students presented posters about a topic of their own areas of interest at the end of the week and again upon return to their schools. The results of this partnership have included strong gains in both personal confidence among the students and in test scores from standardized state tests.

Popular theatre and nonformal education in the Third World: Five strands of experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kidd, Ross

1985-09-01

Popular theatre is gaining increasing attention in the Third World as a tool for popular education and community organizing. It finds expression in a number of forms including drama, music dance, puppetry and poetry and is performed for — and often by — ordinary peasants and workers. Popular theatre is used as a means of bringing people together, building confidence and solidarity, stimulating discussion, exploring alternative options for action, and building a collective commitment to change: starting with people's urgent concerns and issues, it encourages reflection on these issues and possible strategies for change. Popular theatre, however, is not a unified discipline. It is used by different groups for different interests, ranging from a technocratic, message-oriented `domestication theatre' at one end of the spectrum to a process of consciousness-raising, organization-building and struggle at the other end. Five main strands of popular theatre can be distinguished: (a) the struggle for national liberation; (b) mass education and rural extension; (c) community or participatory development; (d) `conscientization' or popular education; and (e) popular education and organizing. At its best, popular theatre is not an isolated performance or a cathartic experience, but part of an ongoing process of education and organizing, aimed at overcoming oppression and dependence, and at securing basic rights.

Estimating learning outcomes from pre- and posttest student self-assessments: a longitudinal study.

PubMed

Schiekirka, Sarah; Reinhardt, Deborah; Beißbarth, Tim; Anders, Sven; Pukrop, Tobias; Raupach, Tobias

2013-03-01

Learning outcome is an important measure for overall teaching quality and should be addressed by comprehensive evaluation tools. The authors evaluated the validity of a novel evaluation tool based on student self-assessments, which may help identify specific strengths and weaknesses of a particular course. In 2011, the authors asked 145 fourth-year students at Göttingen Medical School to self-assess their knowledge on 33 specific learning objectives in a pretest and posttest as part of a cardiorespiratory module. The authors compared performance gain calculated from self-assessments with performance gain derived from formative examinations that were closely matched to these 33 learning objectives. Eighty-three students (57.2%) completed the assessment. There was good agreement between performance gain derived from subjective data and performance gain derived from objective examinations (Pearson r=0.78; P<.0001) on the group level. The association between the two measures was much weaker when data were analyzed on the individual level. Further analysis determined a quality cutoff for performance gain derived from aggregated student self-assessments. When using this cutoff, the evaluation tool was highly sensitive in identifying specific learning objectives with favorable or suboptimal objective performance gains. The tool is easy to implement, takes initial performance levels into account, and does not require extensive pre-post testing. By providing valid estimates of actual performance gain obtained during a teaching module, it may assist medical teachers in identifying strengths and weaknesses of a particular course on the level of specific learning objectives.

Performance Benefits Associated with Context-Dependent Arm Pointing Adaptation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seidler, R. D.; Bloomberg, J. J.; Stelmach, George E.

2000-01-01

Our previous work has demonstrated that head orientation can be used as a contextual cue to switch between mUltiple adaptive states. Subjects were assigned to one of three groups: the head orientation group tilted the head towards the right shoulder when drawing under a 0.5 gain of display and towards the left shoulder when drawing under a 1.5 gain of display; the target orientation group had the home & target positions rotated counterclockwise when drawing under the 0.5 gain and clockwise for the l.5 gain; the arm posture group changed the elbow angle of the arm they were not drawing with from full flexion to full extension with 0.5 and l.5 gain display changes. The head orientation cue was effectively associated with the multiple gains, in comparison to the control conditions. The purpose of the current investigation was to determine whether this context-dependent adaptation results in any savings in terms of performance measures such as movement duration and movement smoothness when subjects switch between multiple adaptive states. Subjects in the head adaptation group demonstrated reduced movement duration and increased movement smoothness (measured via normalized j erk scores) in comparison to the two control groups when switching between the 0.5 and 1.5 gain. of display. This work has demonstrated not only that subjects can acquire context-dependent adaptation, but also that it results in a significant savings of performance upon transfer between adaptive states

A new approach to assess student perceptions of gains from an REU program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houser, C.; Cahill, A. T.; Lemmons, K.

2013-12-01

Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) programs are designed to recruit students to science and engineering research careers by allowing the students to conduct research with faculty mentors. The success of REU programs is commonly assessed based on student perceptions of gains using a simple Likert scale. Because students tend to be positive about all aspects of their research experience, the results of the Likert scale tend to be meaningless. An alternative assessment technique, similar to Q-analysis, is used to assess the perceived outcomes of an international REU program hosted by Texas A&M University. Students were required to sort commonly identified REU outcomes into a normal distribution, from most agree to least agree, based on what they perceive as their personal gains from the program. Factor analysis reveals 3 groups of students who believe that they gained field and analytical skills (Group 1), greater competence in research and self-confidence (Group 2), and an improved understanding of the scientific method (Group 3). Student perceptions appear to depend on whether the student had previous research experience through classes and/or as a research assistant at their home institution. A comparison to a similar sort of REU outcomes by the faculty mentors suggests that there is a slight disconnect in the perceived gains by the students between the student participants and the faculty mentors.

The Ethics of Biosafety Considerations in Gain-of-Function Research Resulting in the Creation of Potential Pandemic Pathogens

PubMed Central

Lipsitch, Marc; Levinson, Meira

2015-01-01

This paper proposes an ethical framework for evaluating biosafety risks of gain-of-function (GOF) experiments that create novel strains of influenza expected to be virulent and transmissible in humans, so-called potential pandemic pathogens (PPP). Such research raises ethical concerns because of the risk that accidental release from a laboratory could lead to extensive or even global spread of a virulent pathogen. Biomedical research ethics has focused largely on human subjects research, while biosafety concerns about accidental infections, seen largely as a problem of occupational health, have been ignored. GOF/PPP research is an example of a small but important class of research where biosafety risks threaten public health, well beyond the small number of persons conducting the research. We argue that bioethical principles that ordinarily apply only to human subjects research should also apply to research that threatens public health, even if, as in GOF/PPP studies, the research involves no human subjects. Specifically we highlight the Nuremberg Code’s requirements of “fruitful results for the good of society, unprocurable by other methods,” and proportionality of risk and humanitarian benefit, as broad ethical principles that recur in later documents on research ethics and should also apply to certain types of research not involving human subjects. We address several potential objections to this view, and conclude with recommendations for bringing these ethical considerations into policy development. PMID:26320212

Rethinking hyporheic flow and transient storage to advance understanding of stream-catchment connections

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bencala, K.E.; Gooseff, M.N.; Kimball, B.A.

2011-01-01

Although surface water and groundwater are increasingly referred to as one resource, there remain environmental and ecosystem needs to study the 10 m to 1 km reach scale as one hydrologic system. Streams gain and lose water over a range of spatial and temporal scales. Large spatial scales (kilometers) have traditionally been recognized and studied as river-aquifer connections. Over the last 25 years hyporheic exchange flows (1-10 m) have been studied extensively. Often a transient storage model has been used to quantify the physical solute transport setting in which biogeochemical processes occur. At the longer 10 m to 1 km scale of stream reaches it is now clear that streams which gain water overall can coincidentally lose water to the subsurface. At this scale, the amounts of water transferred are not necessarily significant but the exchanges can, however, influence solute transport. The interpretation of seemingly straightforward questions about water, contaminant, and nutrient fluxes into and along a stream can be confounded by flow losses which are too small to be apparent in stream gauging and along flow paths too long to be detected in tracer experiments. We suggest basic hydrologic approaches, e.g., measurement of flow along the channel, surface and subsurface solute sampling, and routine measurements of the water table that, in our opinion, can be used to extend simple exchange concepts from the hyporheic exchange scale to a scale of stream-catchment connection. Copyright 2011 by the American Geophysical Union.

Developing Effective Extension Agents: Experience Concerns.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goddu, Roland

This paper is a description of the requirements placed on persons selected to fill the role of extension agents for the purpose of penetrating an educational environment, installing change in an educational organization, and completing tasks as a resource outside of the education establishment. These experience concerns are summarized by…

Floral Sonication is an Innate Behaviour in Bumblebees that can be Fine-Tuned with Experience in Manipulating Flowers.

PubMed

Morgan, Tan; Whitehorn, Penelope; Lye, Gillian C; Vallejo-Marín, Mario

Bumblebees demonstrate an extensive capacity for learning complex motor skills to maximise exploitation of floral rewards. This ability is well studied in nectar collection but its role in pollen foraging is less well understood. Floral sonication is used by bees to extract pollen from some plant species with anthers which must be vibrated (buzzed) to release pollen. Pollen removal is determined by sonication characteristics including frequency and amplitude, and thus the ability to optimise sonication should allow bees to maximise the pollen collection. We investigated the ability of the buff-tailed bumblebee ( Bombus terrestris ) to modify the frequency and amplitude of their buzzes with increasing experience manipulating flowers of the buzz-pollinated plant Solanum rostratum . We analysed flight and feeding vibrations generated by naïve workers across feeding bouts. Feeding buzzes were of a higher frequency and a lower amplitude than flight buzzes. Both flight and feeding buzzes had reduced amplitudes with increasing number of foraging trips. However, the frequency of their feeding buzzes was reduced significantly more than their flight buzzes as bumblebee workers gained experience manipulating flowers. These results suggest that bumblebees are able to modify the characteristics of their buzzes with experience manipulating buzz-pollinated flowers. We discuss our findings in the context of bumblebee learning, and the current understanding of the optimal sonication characteristics for releasing pollen in buzz-pollinated species. Our results present a tantalising insight into the potential role of learning in floral sonication, paving the way for future research in this area.

Mechanical properties of lunar regolith and lunar soil simulant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Perkins, Steven W.

1989-01-01

Through the Surveyor 3 and 7, and Apollo 11-17 missions a knowledge of the mechanical properties of Lunar regolith were gained. These properties, including material cohesion, friction, in-situ density, grain-size distribution and shape, and porosity, were determined by indirect means of trenching, penetration, and vane shear testing. Several of these properties were shown to be significantly different from those of terrestrial soils, such as an interlocking cohesion and tensile strength formed in the absence of moisture and particle cementation. To characterize the strength and deformation properties of Lunar regolith experiments have been conducted on a lunar soil simulant at various initial densities, fabric arrangements, and composition. These experiments included conventional triaxial compression and extension, direct tension, and combined tension-shear. Experiments have been conducted at low levels of effective confining stress. External conditions such as membrane induced confining stresses, end platten friction and material self weight have been shown to have a dramatic effect on the strength properties at low levels of confining stress. The solution has been to treat these external conditions and the specimen as a full-fledged boundary value problem rather than the idealized elemental cube of mechanics. Centrifuge modeling allows for the study of Lunar soil-structure interaction problems. In recent years centrifuge modeling has become an important tool for modeling processes that are dominated by gravity and for verifying analysis procedures and studying deformation and failure modes. Centrifuge modeling is well established for terrestrial enginering and applies equally as well to Lunar engineering. A brief review of the experiments is presented in graphic and outline form.

Heavy inertial particles in turbulent flows gain energy slowly but lose it rapidly.

PubMed

Bhatnagar, Akshay; Gupta, Anupam; Mitra, Dhrubaditya; Pandit, Rahul

2018-03-01

We present an extensive numerical study of the time irreversibility of the dynamics of heavy inertial particles in three-dimensional, statistically homogeneous, and isotropic turbulent flows. We show that the probability density function (PDF) of the increment, W(τ), of a particle's energy over a time scale τ is non-Gaussian, and skewed toward negative values. This implies that, on average, particles gain energy over a period of time that is longer than the duration over which they lose energy. We call this slow gain and fast loss. We find that the third moment of W(τ) scales as τ^{3} for small values of τ. We show that the PDF of power-input p is negatively skewed too; we use this skewness Ir as a measure of the time irreversibility and we demonstrate that it increases sharply with the Stokes number St for small St; this increase slows down at St≃1. Furthermore, we obtain the PDFs of t^{+} and t^{-}, the times over which p has, respectively, positive or negative signs, i.e., the particle gains or loses energy. We obtain from these PDFs a direct and natural quantification of the slow gain and fast loss of the energy of the particles, because these PDFs possess exponential tails from which we infer the characteristic loss and gain times t_{loss} and t_{gain}, respectively, and we obtain t_{loss}

Broadband Scattering from Sand and Sand/Mud Sediments with Extensive Environmental Characterization

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-30

experiment , extensive envi- ronmental characterization was also performed to support data/model comparisons for both experimental efforts. The site...mechanisms, potentially addressing questions left unresolved from the previous sediment acoustics experiments , SAX99 and SAX04. This work was also to provide...environmental characterization to support the analysis of data collected during the Target and Reverberation Experiment in 2013 (TREX13) as well as

Binocular combination of luminance profiles

PubMed Central

Ding, Jian; Levi, Dennis M.

2017-01-01

We develop and test a new two-dimensional model for binocular combination of the two eyes' luminance profiles. For first-order stimuli, the model assumes that one eye's luminance profile first goes through a luminance compressor, receives gain-control and gain-enhancement from the other eye, and then linearly combines the other eye's output profile. For second-order stimuli, rectification is added in the signal path of the model before the binocular combination site. Both the total contrast and luminance energies, weighted sums over both the space and spatial-frequency domains, were used in the interocular gain-control, while only the total contrast energy was used in the interocular gain-enhancement. To challenge the model, we performed a binocular brightness matching experiment over a large range of background and target luminances. The target stimulus was a dichoptic disc with a sharp edge that has an increment or decrement luminance from its background. The disk's interocular luminance ratio varied from trial to trial. To refine the model we tested three luminance compressors, five nested binocular combination models (including the Ding–Sperling and the DSKL models), and examined the presence or absence of total luminance energy in the model. We found that (1) installing a luminance compressor, either a logarithmic luminance function or luminance gain-control, (2) including both contrast and luminance energies, and (3) adding interocular gain-enhancement (the DSKL model) to a combined model significantly improved its performance. The combined model provides a systematic account of binocular luminance summation over a large range of luminance input levels. It gives a unified explanation of Fechner's paradox observed on a dark background, and a winner-take-all phenomenon observed on a light background. To further test the model, we conducted two additional experiments: luminance summation of discs with asymmetric contour information (Experiment 2), similar to Levelt (1965) and binocular combination of second-order contrast-modulated gratings (Experiment 3). We used the model obtained in Experiment 1 to predict the results of Experiments 2 and 3 and the results of our previous studies. Model simulations further refined the contrast space weight and contrast sensitivity functions that are installed in the model, and provide a reasonable account for rebalancing of imbalanced binocular vision by reducing the mean luminance in the dominant eye. PMID:29098293

Measurement of basic characteristics and gain uniformity of a triple GEM detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patra, Rajendra Nath; Singaraju, Rama N.; Biswas, Saikat; Ahammed, Zubayer; Nayak, Tapan K.; Viyogi, Yogendra P.

2017-08-01

Large area Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detectors have been the preferred choice for tracking devices in major nuclear and particle physics experiments. Uniformity over surface of the detector in terms of gain, energy resolution and efficiency is crucial for the optimum performance of these detectors. In the present work, detailed performance study of a 10×10 cm2 triple GEM detector operated using Ar and CO2 gas mixtures in proportions of 70:30 and 90:10, has been made by making a voltage scan of the efficiency with 106Ru-Rh β-source and cosmic rays. The gain and energy resolution of the detector were studied using the X-ray spectrum of 55Fe source. The uniformity of the detector has been investigated by dividing the detector in 7×7 zones and measuring the gain and energy resolution at the centre of each zone. The variations of the gain and energy resolution have been found to be 8.8% and 6.7%, respectively. These studies are essential to characterise GEM detectors before their final use in the experiments.

Isolation and characterization of chromosome-gain and increase-in-ploidy mutants in yeast.

PubMed

Chan, C S; Botstein, D

1993-11-01

We have developed a colony papillation assay for monitoring the copy number of genetically marked chromosomes II and III in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The unique feature of this assay is that it allows detection of a gain of the marked chromosomes even if there is a gain of the entire set of chromosomes (increase-in-ploidy). This assay was used to screen for chromosome-gain or increase-in-ploidy mutants. Five complementation groups have been defined for recessive mutations that confer an increase-in-ploidy (ipl) phenotype, which, in each case, cosegregates with a temperature-sensitive growth phenotype. Four new alleles of CDC31, which is required for spindle pole body duplication, were also recovered from this screen. Temperature-shift experiments with ipl1 cells show that they suffer severe nondisjunction at 37 degrees. Similar experiments with ipl2 cells show that they gain entire sets of chromosomes and become arrested as unbudded cells at 37 degrees. Molecular cloning and genetic mapping show that IPL1 is a newly identified gene, whereas IPL2 is allelic to BEM2, which is required for normal bud growth.

Greater Strength Gains after Training with Accentuated Eccentric than Traditional Isoinertial Loads in Already Strength-Trained Men

PubMed Central

Walker, Simon; Blazevich, Anthony J.; Haff, G. Gregory; Tufano, James J.; Newton, Robert U.; Häkkinen, Keijo

2016-01-01

As training experience increases it becomes more challenging to induce further neuromuscular adaptation. Consequently, strength trainers seek alternative training methods in order to further increase strength and muscle mass. One method is to utilize accentuated eccentric loading, which applies a greater external load during the eccentric phase of the lift as compared to the concentric phase. Based upon this practice, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 10 weeks of accentuated eccentric loading vs. traditional isoinertial resistance training in strength-trained men. Young (22 ± 3 years, 177 ± 6 cm, 76 ± 10 kg, n = 28) strength-trained men (2.6 ± 2.2 years experience) were allocated to concentric-eccentric resistance training in the form of accentuated eccentric load (eccentric load = concentric load + 40%) or traditional resistance training, while the control group continued their normal unsupervised training program. Both intervention groups performed three sets of 6-RM (session 1) and three sets of 10-RM (session 2) bilateral leg press and unilateral knee extension exercises per week. Maximum force production was measured by unilateral isometric (110° knee angle) and isokinetic (concentric and eccentric 30°.s−1) knee extension tests, and work capacity was measured by a knee extension repetition-to-failure test. Muscle mass was assessed using panoramic ultrasonography and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Surface electromyogram amplitude normalized to maximum M-wave and the twitch interpolation technique were used to examine maximal muscle activation. After training, maximum isometric torque increased significantly more in the accentuated eccentric load group than control (18 ± 10 vs. 1 ± 5%, p < 0.01), which was accompanied by an increase in voluntary activation (3.5 ± 5%, p < 0.05). Isokinetic eccentric torque increased significantly after accentuated eccentric load training only (10 ± 9%, p < 0.05), whereas concentric torque increased equally in both the accentuated eccentric load (10 ± 9%, p < 0.01) and traditional (9 ± 6%, p < 0.01) resistance training groups; however, the increase in the accentuated eccentric load group was significantly greater (p < 0.05) than control (1 ± 7%). Knee extension repetition-to-failure improved in the accentuated eccentric load group only (28%, p < 0.05). Similar increases in muscle mass occurred in both intervention groups. In summary, accentuated eccentric load training led to greater increases in maximum force production, work capacity and muscle activation, but not muscle hypertrophy, in strength-trained individuals. PMID:27199764

Becoming a registered nurse: the nurse extern experience.

PubMed

Starr, Kimberly; Conley, Virginia M

2006-01-01

Little is known about the perceptions of nursing students externing in newly developed hospital-based programs that focus on socialization and transition to the registered nurse (RN) role rather than on institutional recruitment and retention goals. This qualitative study explored student nurse externs' expectations, experiences, and benefits of participation in a student-focused externship program. Externs wanted to gain experience with skills and learn what it was like to be an RN. Goals were met or exceeded by becoming comfortable in the externship role, growing in skill performance and confidence, and becoming members of the healthcare team. The experience fostered growth from the novice to advanced beginner level of nursing practice. Externs saw the program participation as a valuable way to gain experience and learn what it was like to be an RN.

Tolerable hearing aid delays. V. Estimation of limits for open canal fittings.

PubMed

Stone, Michael A; Moore, Brian C J; Meisenbacher, Katrin; Derleth, Ralph P

2008-08-01

Open canal fittings are a popular alternative to close-fitting earmolds for use with patients whose low-frequency hearing is near normal. Open canal fittings reduce the occlusion effect but also provide little attenuation of external air-borne sounds. The wearer therefore receives a mixture of air-borne sound and amplified but delayed sound through the hearing aid. To explore systematically the effect of the mixing, we simulated with varying degrees of complexity the effects of both a hearing loss and a high-quality hearing aid programmed to compensate for that loss, and used normal-hearing participants to assess the processing. The off-line processing was intended to simulate the percept of listening to the speech of a single (external) talker. The effect of introducing a delay on a subjective measure of speech quality (disturbance rating on a scale from 1 to 7, 7 being maximal disturbance) was assessed using both a constant gain and a gain that varied across frequency. In three experiments we assessed the effects of different amounts of delay, maximum aid gain and rate of change of gain with frequency. The simulated hearing aids were chosen to be appropriate for typical mild to moderate high-frequency losses starting at 1 or 2 kHz. Two of the experiments used simulations of linear hearing aids, whereas the third used fast-acting multichannel wide-dynamic-range compression and a simulation of loudness recruitment. In one experiment, a condition was included in which spectral ripples produced by comb-filtering were partially removed using a digital filter. For linear hearing aids, disturbance increased progressively with increasing delay and with decreasing rate of change of gain; the effect of amount of gain was small when the gain varied across frequency. The effect of reducing spectral ripples was also small. When the simulation of dynamic processes was included (experiment 3), the pattern with delay remained similar, but disturbance increased with increasing gain. It is argued that this is mainly due to disturbance increasing with increasing simulated hearing loss, probably because of the dynamic processing involved in the hearing aid and recruitment simulation. A disturbance rating of 3 may be considered as just acceptable. This rating was reached for delays of about 5 and 6 msec, for simulated hearing losses starting at 2 and 1 kHz, respectively. The perceptual effect of reducing the spectral ripples produced by comb-filtering was small; the effect was greatest when the hearing aid gain was small and when the hearing loss started at a low frequency.

The Extension Storyteller: Using Stories to Enhance Meaning and Catalyze Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franz, Nancy

2016-01-01

Many cultures share and pass on norms through storytelling. Extension as a culture also creates and shares stories to pass on history, provide information about Extension work and experiences, and develop the organization. However, Extension as a culture less frequently uses storytelling to enhance meaning and catalyze related change. This article…

Dietary choline requirement of juvenile hybrid striped bass.

PubMed

Griffin, M E; Wilson, K A; White, M R; Brown, P B

1994-09-01

Two experiments were conducted to estimate the dietary choline requirement and to determine the effects of dietary choline on liver lipid deposition in juvenile hybrid striped bass (Monrone saxatilis x M. chrysops). Experimental diets contained 0.73 g total sulfur amino acids/100 g diet (0.47 g methionine + 0.26 g cyst(e)ine/100 g diet), thus meeting, but not exceeding, the requirement. Graded levels of choline bitartrate in Experiment 1 and choline chloride in Experiment 2 were added to the basal diet, resulting in eight dietary treatments in each experiment. Dietary treatments were 0, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, 6000 and 8000 mg choline/kg dry diet. Diets were fed for 12 and 10 wk in Experiments 1 and 2, respectively. Dietary choline concentrations significantly affected weight gain, feed efficiency, survival and total liver lipid concentrations in each experiment. Weight gain and feed efficiency were greatest in fish fed 500 mg choline/kg dry diet as choline bitartrate. Total liver lipid concentrations were variable but tended to be lowest in fish fed diets containing at least 2000 mg choline/kg diet. Survival was significantly lower in the group of fish fed 8000 mg choline/kg diet supplied by choline bitartrate. Weight gain and feed efficiency were greatest and total liver lipid concentration was lowest in groups of fish fed at least 500 mg choline/kg diet as choline chloride; survival was unaffected by dietary treatment. Therefore, choline chloride seems to be a better source of dietary choline than choline bitartrate and 500 mg choline/kg diet is adequate for maximum weight gain and prevention of increased liver lipid concentration in juvenile hybrid striped bass.

Use of Dynamic Distortion to Predict and Alleviate Loss of Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klyde, David; Liang, Chi-Ying; Alvarez, Daniel

2011-01-01

This research has developed and evaluated the specific concepts, termed Smart-Cue and Smart-Gain, to alleviate aircraft loss of control that results from unfavorable pilot/vehicle system interactions, including pilot-induced oscillations (PIOs). Unfavorable pilot/ vehicle-system interactions have long been an aviation safety problem. While the effective aircraft dynamic properties involved in these events have been extensively studied and understood, similar scrutiny has not been paid to the many aspects of the primary manual control system that converts the pilot control inputs to motions of the control surfaces. The purpose of the Smart-Cue and Smart-Gain developments is to redress this neglect, and to develop and validate remedial manual control systems.

Assessing Learning outside the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tutt, Betty R.; McCarthy, Sherry

2006-01-01

In "The Other Curriculum: Out-of-Class Experiences Associated with Student Learning and Personal Development," George Kuh (1995) cites numerous benefits associated with a college education, including gains in knowledge, autonomy, social maturation, and personal acceptance; modest gains in verbal and quantitative skills, cognitive…

Theory and Simulation of Gain-Guided Noncollinear Modes in Chirped Quasi-Phase-Matched Optical Parametric Amplifiers

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

Charbonneau-Lefort, Mathieu; Afeyan, Bedros; Fejer, Martin

Chirped quasi-phase-matched (QPM) gratings offer essentially constant gain over wide bandwidths, making them promising candidates for short-pulse optical parametric amplifiers. However, experiments have shown that high-gain non-collinear processes exist in spite of the dephasing caused by the non-uniformity of the QPM grating and compete with the desired collinear broadband gain of the amplifier. In this paper, these non-collinear gain-guided modes are investigated numerically and analytically in a model that includes longitudinal non-uniformity of the phase-matching profile, lateral localization of the pump beam and non-collinear propagation of the interacting waves.

Cyber-workstation for computational neuroscience.

PubMed

Digiovanna, Jack; Rattanatamrong, Prapaporn; Zhao, Ming; Mahmoudi, Babak; Hermer, Linda; Figueiredo, Renato; Principe, Jose C; Fortes, Jose; Sanchez, Justin C

2010-01-01

A Cyber-Workstation (CW) to study in vivo, real-time interactions between computational models and large-scale brain subsystems during behavioral experiments has been designed and implemented. The design philosophy seeks to directly link the in vivo neurophysiology laboratory with scalable computing resources to enable more sophisticated computational neuroscience investigation. The architecture designed here allows scientists to develop new models and integrate them with existing models (e.g. recursive least-squares regressor) by specifying appropriate connections in a block-diagram. Then, adaptive middleware transparently implements these user specifications using the full power of remote grid-computing hardware. In effect, the middleware deploys an on-demand and flexible neuroscience research test-bed to provide the neurophysiology laboratory extensive computational power from an outside source. The CW consolidates distributed software and hardware resources to support time-critical and/or resource-demanding computing during data collection from behaving animals. This power and flexibility is important as experimental and theoretical neuroscience evolves based on insights gained from data-intensive experiments, new technologies and engineering methodologies. This paper describes briefly the computational infrastructure and its most relevant components. Each component is discussed within a systematic process of setting up an in vivo, neuroscience experiment. Furthermore, a co-adaptive brain machine interface is implemented on the CW to illustrate how this integrated computational and experimental platform can be used to study systems neurophysiology and learning in a behavior task. We believe this implementation is also the first remote execution and adaptation of a brain-machine interface.

Evolution of the Virtualized HPC Infrastructure of Novosibirsk Scientific Center

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adakin, A.; Anisenkov, A.; Belov, S.; Chubarov, D.; Kalyuzhny, V.; Kaplin, V.; Korol, A.; Kuchin, N.; Lomakin, S.; Nikultsev, V.; Skovpen, K.; Sukharev, A.; Zaytsev, A.

2012-12-01

Novosibirsk Scientific Center (NSC), also known worldwide as Akademgorodok, is one of the largest Russian scientific centers hosting Novosibirsk State University (NSU) and more than 35 research organizations of the Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences including Budker Institute of Nuclear Physics (BINP), Institute of Computational Technologies, and Institute of Computational Mathematics and Mathematical Geophysics (ICM&MG). Since each institute has specific requirements on the architecture of computing farms involved in its research field, currently we've got several computing facilities hosted by NSC institutes, each optimized for a particular set of tasks, of which the largest are the NSU Supercomputer Center, Siberian Supercomputer Center (ICM&MG), and a Grid Computing Facility of BINP. A dedicated optical network with the initial bandwidth of 10 Gb/s connecting these three facilities was built in order to make it possible to share the computing resources among the research communities, thus increasing the efficiency of operating the existing computing facilities and offering a common platform for building the computing infrastructure for future scientific projects. Unification of the computing infrastructure is achieved by extensive use of virtualization technology based on XEN and KVM platforms. This contribution gives a thorough review of the present status and future development prospects for the NSC virtualized computing infrastructure and the experience gained while using it for running production data analysis jobs related to HEP experiments being carried out at BINP, especially the KEDR detector experiment at the VEPP-4M electron-positron collider.

Cyber-Workstation for Computational Neuroscience

PubMed Central

DiGiovanna, Jack; Rattanatamrong, Prapaporn; Zhao, Ming; Mahmoudi, Babak; Hermer, Linda; Figueiredo, Renato; Principe, Jose C.; Fortes, Jose; Sanchez, Justin C.

2009-01-01

A Cyber-Workstation (CW) to study in vivo, real-time interactions between computational models and large-scale brain subsystems during behavioral experiments has been designed and implemented. The design philosophy seeks to directly link the in vivo neurophysiology laboratory with scalable computing resources to enable more sophisticated computational neuroscience investigation. The architecture designed here allows scientists to develop new models and integrate them with existing models (e.g. recursive least-squares regressor) by specifying appropriate connections in a block-diagram. Then, adaptive middleware transparently implements these user specifications using the full power of remote grid-computing hardware. In effect, the middleware deploys an on-demand and flexible neuroscience research test-bed to provide the neurophysiology laboratory extensive computational power from an outside source. The CW consolidates distributed software and hardware resources to support time-critical and/or resource-demanding computing during data collection from behaving animals. This power and flexibility is important as experimental and theoretical neuroscience evolves based on insights gained from data-intensive experiments, new technologies and engineering methodologies. This paper describes briefly the computational infrastructure and its most relevant components. Each component is discussed within a systematic process of setting up an in vivo, neuroscience experiment. Furthermore, a co-adaptive brain machine interface is implemented on the CW to illustrate how this integrated computational and experimental platform can be used to study systems neurophysiology and learning in a behavior task. We believe this implementation is also the first remote execution and adaptation of a brain-machine interface. PMID:20126436

The Protective Value of Hardiness on Military Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

such as the death of service member colleagues and combat experi- ences. Extensive military experience may play a larger role in the development of...related stres - sors, such as number of deployments, combat experience, and exposure to death or serious injury of military colleagues and nonmilitary...predictor of PTSD. Although it is impor- tant to acknowledge that extensive military ser- vice may play a role in the development of PTSD, it is

Experimental and theoretical studies of active control of resistive wall mode growth in the EXTRAP T2R reversed-field pinch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drake, J. R.; Brunsell, P. R.; Yadikin, D.; Cecconello, M.; Malmberg, J. A.; Gregoratto, D.; Paccagnella, R.; Bolzonella, T.; Manduchi, G.; Marrelli, L.; Ortolani, S.; Spizzo, G.; Zanca, P.; Bondeson, A.; Liu, Y. Q.

2005-07-01

Active feedback control of resistive wall modes (RWMs) has been demonstrated in the EXTRAP T2R reversed-field pinch experiment. The control system includes a sensor consisting of an array of magnetic coils (measuring mode harmonics) and an actuator consisting of a saddle coil array (producing control harmonics). Closed-loop (feedback) experiments using a digital controller based on a real time Fourier transform of sensor data have been studied for cases where the feedback gain was constant and real for all harmonics (corresponding to an intelligent-shell) and cases where the feedback gain could be set for selected harmonics, with both real and complex values (targeted harmonics). The growth of the dominant RWMs can be reduced by feedback for both the intelligent-shell and targeted-harmonic control systems. Because the number of toroidal positions of the saddle coils in the array is half the number of the sensors, it is predicted and observed experimentally that the control harmonic spectrum has sidebands. Individual unstable harmonics can be controlled with real gains. However if there are two unstable mode harmonics coupled by the sideband effect, control is much less effective with real gains. According to the theory, complex gains give better results for (slowly) rotating RWMs, and experiments support this prediction. In addition, open loop experiments have been used to observe the effects of resonant field errors applied to unstable, marginally stable and robustly stable modes. The observed effects of field errors are consistent with the thin-wall model, where mode growth is proportional to the resonant field error amplitude and the wall penetration time for that mode harmonic.

Effects of lipid sources, lysophospholipids and organic acids in maize-based broiler diets on nutrient balance, liver concentration of fat-soluble vitamins, jejunal microbiota and performance.

PubMed

Polycarpo, G V; Burbarelli, M F C; CarÃo, A C P; Merseguel, C E B; Dadalt, J C; Maganha, S R L; Sousa, R L M; Cruz-Polycarpo, V C; Albuquerque, R

2016-12-01

Three experiments with a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement were conducted to evaluate maize-based diets for broilers containing different lipid sources [soybean oil (S) or beef tallow (T)] supplemented with or without lysophospholipids and organic acids on nutrient balance (Experiment I, evaluation period of 10-14 d), on liver concentration of fat-soluble vitamins, on jejunal microbiota (Experiment II, sampling at d 14) and on performance (Experiment III, accumulated periods of 1-14, 1-21 and 1-42 d). A total of 1344 male chicks were used. In each experiment, the birds were allotted in a completely randomised design with 8 replications. The lysophospholipids were mainly composed of lysolecithins and the organic acids blend was constituted by lactic (40%), acetic (7%) and butyric acids (1%). An interaction between lipid sources and lysophospholipids was observed on faecal apparent digestibility of lipid (ADL), which improved with lysophospholipids addition in T diets. Broilers fed on S had higher ADL and faecal apparent digestibility of nitrogen-corrected gross energy (ADGE N ). It was not possible to demonstrate a significant treatment effect on the liver concentration of vitamins A and E, even with the differences in fatty acid profile between S and T. Enterobacteria values were below the detection threshold. Lysophospholipid supplementation reduced gram-positive cocci in T-fed birds. S diets promoted lower total anaerobe counts compared with T diets, independent of additives. S diets increased BW gain and feed:gain ratio in all evaluation periods. Lysophospholipids and organic acids improved feed:gain ratio at 1-21 d in T diets. Furthermore, main effects were observed for lysophospholipids and organic acids at 1-42 d, which increased BW gain and improved feed:gain ratio, respectively. No positive interactions between additives were found.

Gain and losses in THz quantum cascade laser with metal-metal waveguide.

PubMed

Martl, Michael; Darmo, Juraj; Deutsch, Christoph; Brandstetter, Martin; Andrews, Aaron Maxwell; Klang, Pavel; Strasser, Gottfried; Unterrainer, Karl

2011-01-17

Coupling of broadband terahertz pulses into metal-metal terahertz quantum cascade lasers is presented. Mode matched terahertz transients are generated on the quantum cascade laser facet of subwavelength dimension. This method provides a full overlap of optical mode and active laser medium. A longitudinal optical-phonon depletion based active region design is investigated in a coupled cavity configuration. Modulation experiments reveal spectral gain and (broadband) losses. The observed gain shows high dynamic behavior when switching from loss to gain around threshold and is clamped at total laser losses.

Research of energy characteristics of power amplifier containing KNFS Nd:phosphate glass slabs and MIRO Silver foil reflectors at the “Luch” facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belov, I. A.; Bel'kov, S. A.; Voronich, I. N.; Garanin, S. G.; Derkach, V. N.; Koshechkin, S. V.; Lysov, M. I.; Markov, S. S.; Savkin, S. V.

2016-09-01

The amplifier elements upgrade at the “Luch” laser facility was carried out. Measurements showed that the upgrade of the amplifier elements resulted in the amplifier's small signal gain coefficient K0 increase from 12.9% to 14.3% depending on the capacitor charging voltage; the linear gain coefficient increase was about g0 ≈ (6-8)%. Full-scale laser experiments at the facility showed the power amplifier gain coefficient increase consistent with active medium gain coefficient measurement results.

Early rapid weight gain and subsequent overweight and obesity in middle childhood in Peru.

PubMed

Penny, Mary E; Jimenez, M Michelle; Marin, R Margot

2016-01-01

Rapid postnatal weight gain is associated with risk of overweight and obesity, but it's unclear whether this holds in populations exposed to concurrent obesogenic risk factors and for children who have been extensively breastfed. This study investigates whether an increase in weight for age from birth to 1 year (infancy) and from 1 to 5 years (early childhood) predicts overweight and obesity, and waist circumference at 8 years, using data from a longitudinal cohort study in Peru. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) models were constructed for overweight and obesity, obesity alone and waist circumference at 8 years versus rapid weight gain in infancy, and early childhood including adjusted models to account for confounders. Rapid weight gain in both periods was associated with double the risk of overweight and obesity, obesity alone at 8 years and increased waist circumference even after controlling for maternal BMI and education level, sex of child, height-for-age at 8 years, consumption of "fast food" and number of days of active exercise. The association was significant, with some differences, for children in both rural and urban environments. Rapid weight gain in infancy and in early childhood in Peru is associated with overweight and obesity at age 8 years even when considering other determinants of childhood obesity.

Podocyte-Specific VEGF-A Gain of Function Induces Nodular Glomerulosclerosis in eNOS Null Mice

PubMed Central

Veron, Delma; Aggarwal, Pardeep K.; Velazquez, Heino; Kashgarian, Michael; Moeckel, Gilbert

2014-01-01

VEGF-A and nitric oxide are essential for glomerular filtration barrier homeostasis and are dysregulated in diabetic nephropathy. Here, we examined the effect of excess podocyte VEGF-A on the renal phenotype of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) knockout mice. Podocyte-specific VEGF164 gain of function in eNOS−/− mice resulted in nodular glomerulosclerosis, mesangiolysis, microaneurysms, and arteriolar hyalinosis associated with massive proteinuria and renal failure in the absence of diabetic milieu or hypertension. In contrast, podocyte-specific VEGF164 gain of function in wild-type mice resulted in less pronounced albuminuria and increased creatinine clearance. Transmission electron microscopy revealed glomerular basement membrane thickening and podocyte effacement in eNOS−/− mice with podocyte-specific VEGF164 gain of function. Furthermore, glomerular nodules overexpressed collagen IV and laminin extensively. Biotin-switch and proximity ligation assays demonstrated that podocyte-specific VEGF164 gain of function decreased glomerular S-nitrosylation of laminin in eNOS−/− mice. In addition, treatment with VEGF-A decreased S-nitrosylated laminin in cultured podocytes. Collectively, these data indicate that excess glomerular VEGF-A and eNOS deficiency is necessary and sufficient to induce Kimmelstiel-Wilson–like nodular glomerulosclerosis in mice through a process that involves deposition of laminin and collagen IV and de-nitrosylation of laminin. PMID:24578128

[Disasters and emergency situations: what have we learned from the past to prepare for the future?].

PubMed

Peleg, Kobi

2010-07-01

Israel has gained extensive experience in the mass casuaLty field, especially from dealing with terrorism events. This special issue of "Harefuah" includes articles that describe and analyze several aspects and approaches related to mass casualty event (MCE) preparedness and response strategies, based on Israel's experience. Feigenberg reports that Magen David Adom (MDA) was able to evacuate all urgent injuries during an MCE from the site to a hospital in 28 minutes, on average. Of the MCE casualties, 71% were evacuated directly to level 1 trauma centers. Rafalowski notes that the ability of MDA to implement organizational and operational Learning processes close to the time of the incident, as well as their modular operational approach, which allows flexibility in responding to simultaneous events, are probably among the reasons that have helped MDA reach a high Level of success in dealing with MCEs. Analysis of terrorism injury data demonstrates that these injuries, suffered by both children and adults, are characterized by increased complexity, with higher severity, higher in-patient mortality rates, and significantly greater use of precious hospital resources such as intensive care, operating rooms, CT, and days of hospitalization. Extensive experience dealing with MCEs has brought managerial insights to the entire health system, for instance in the hospitalization system and clinical management of injuries. In her article, Adini defines five major components for assessing the Israeli health system in emergencies. Shasha's article discusses the principles of hospital preparedness while working under fire. The importance of this subject has in recent years helped bring a more academic approach to emergency and disaster management in the world and in Israel, as enacted at Tel Aviv University's Multidisciplinary Master's Program in Emergency and Disaster Management, and also in other universities that focus on specific disciplines. In summary, achieving improvement requires continuous focus on preparedness, integration of new technologies, routine debriefings, and developing new coping strategies, education, training, and drills. These should all be part of daily preparedness routines. Only in this way can a high quality level of preparedness be maintained over time.

Punish the Perpetrator or Compensate the Victim? Gain vs. Loss Context Modulate Third-Party Altruistic Behaviors.

PubMed

Liu, Yingjie; Li, Lin; Zheng, Li; Guo, Xiuyan

2017-01-01

Third-party punishment and third-party compensation are primary responses to observed norms violations. Previous studies mostly investigated these behaviors in gain rather than loss context, and few study made direct comparison between these two behaviors. We conducted three experiments to investigate third-party punishment and third-party compensation in the gain and loss context. Participants observed two persons playing Dictator Game to share an amount of gain or loss, and the proposer would propose unfair distribution sometimes. In Study 1A, participants should decide whether they wanted to punish proposer. In Study 1B, participants decided to compensate the recipient or to do nothing. This two experiments explored how gain and loss contexts might affect the willingness to altruistically punish a perpetrator, or to compensate a victim of unfairness. Results suggested that both third-party punishment and compensation were stronger in the loss context. Study 2 directly compare third-party punishment and third-party compensation in the both contexts, by allowing participants choosing between punishment, compensation and keeping. Participants chose compensation more often than punishment in the loss context, and chose more punishments in the gain context. Empathic concern partly explained between-context differences of altruistic compensation and punishment. Our findings provide insights on modulating effect of context on third-party altruistic decisions.

System safety checklist Skylab program report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcnail, E. M.

1974-01-01

Design criteria statement applicable to a wide variety of flight systems, experiments and other payloads, associated ground support equipment and facility support systems are presented. The document reflects a composite of experience gained throughout the aerospace industry prior to Skylab and additional experience gained during the Skylab Program. It has been prepared to provide current and future program organizations with a broad source of safety-related design criteria and to suggest methods for systematic and progressive application of the criteria beginning with preliminary development of design requirements and specifications. Recognizing the users obligation to shape the checklist to his particular needs, a summary of the historical background, rationale, objectives, development and implementation approach, and benefits based on Skylab experience has been included.

Bone mineral measurement, experiment M078. [space flight effects on human bone composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rambaut, P. C.; Vogel, J. M.; Ullmann, J.; Brown, S.; Kolb, F., III

1973-01-01

Measurement tests revealed few deviations from baseline bone mineral measurements after 56 days in a Skylab-type environment. No mineral change was observed in the right radius. One individual, however, showed a possible mineral loss in the left os calcis and another gained mineral in the right ulna. The cause of the gain is unclear but may be attributable to the heavy exercise routines engaged in by the crewmember in question. Equipment problems were identified during the experiment and rectified.

Shigella gets captured to gain entry.

PubMed

McCormick, Beth A

2011-06-16

The type III secretion system-dependent epithelial invasion and dissemination of Shigella is stimulated by ATP released through hemichannels. Romero et al. (2011) show that prior to epithelial contact, Shigella is captured by nanometer-thin micropodial extensions at a distance from the cell surface, in a process involving ATP and connexin-mediated signaling. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Real-Time Implementation of a Color Sorting System

Treesearch

Srikathyanyani Srikanteswara; Qiang Lu; William King; Thomas Drayer; Richard Conners; D. Earl Kline; Philip A. Araman

1997-01-01

Wood edge glued panels are used extensively in the furniture and cabinetry industries. They are used to make doors, tops, and sides of solid wood furniture and cabinets. Since lightly stained furniture and cabinets are gaining in popularity, there is an increasing demand to color sort the parts used to make these edge glued panels. The goal of the sorting processing is...

Health Checks in Primary Care for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities: How Extensive Should They Be?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chauhan, U.; Kontopantelis, E.; Campbell, S.; Jarrett, H.; Lester, H.

2010-01-01

Background: Routine health checks have gained prominence as a way of detecting unmet need in primary care for adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) and general practitioners are being incentivised in the UK to carry out health checks for many conditions through an incentivisation scheme known as the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF).…

Peer Tutoring in Reading: The Effects of Role and Organization on Two Dimensions of Self-Esteem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, David; Topping, Keith; Thurston, Allen

2010-01-01

Background: Paired reading (PR) is an application of peer tutoring. It has been extensively researched, and its efficacy across a range of outcomes has been established. Benefits include improvements in key reading skills, and also in affective aspects of learning. Several studies have shown gains in self-esteem, although measurement methods have…

Second Language Vocabulary Learning through Extensive Reading with Audio Support: How Do Frequency and Distribution of Occurrence Affect Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Webb, Stuart; Chang, Anna C-S.

2015-01-01

This study investigated (1) the extent of vocabulary learning through reading and listening to 10 graded readers, and (2) the relationship between vocabulary gain and the frequency and distribution of occurrence of 100 target words in the graded readers. The experimental design expanded on earlier studies that have typically examined incidental…

Micro coring apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Collins, David; Brooks, Marshall; Chen, Paul; Dwelle, Paul; Fischer, Ben

1989-01-01

A micro-coring apparatus for lunar exploration applications, that is compatible with the other components of the Walking Mobile Platform, was designed. The primary purpose of core sampling is to gain an understanding of the geological composition and properties of the prescribed environment. This procedure has been used extensively for Earth studies and in limited applications during lunar explorations. The corer is described and analyzed for effectiveness.

Freeing the Language Learner: The How and Why of a More Powerful Vocabulary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hughey, Jane B.; Wormuth, Deanna R.

College and university students in English as a second language classes need to acquire an active and fairly extensive vocabulary rather quickly. Methods of learning such as analysis and memorization of word lists, word building, and dictionary use can be combined with methods of gaining vocabulary by becoming familiar with it and using it in…

On Legal Authority, Crisis of Legitimacy and Schooling in the Writings of Max Weber.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenhardt, Gero

In an attempt to gain a better perspective on the relationship between education and the modern state, this paper reopens the theoretical debate on the key role of formal rationality in Max Weber's interpretation of the capitalist economy and the modern bureaucratic state. Against the background of an extensive review of the development and the…

Stopping electric field extension in a modified nanostructure based on SOI technology - A comprehensive numerical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anvarifard, Mohammad K.; Orouji, Ali A.

2017-11-01

This article has related a particular knowledge in order to reduce short channel effects (SCEs) in nano-devices based on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) MOSFETs. The device under study has been designed in 22 nm node technology with embedding Si3N4 extra oxide as a stopping layer of electric field and a useful heatsink for transferring generated heat. Two important subjects (DC characteristics and RF characteristics) have been investigated, simultaneously. Stopping electric field extension and enhancement of channel thermal conduction are introduced as an entrance gateway for this work so that improve the electrical characteristics, eventually. The inserted extra oxide made by the Si3N4 material has a vital impact on the modification of the electrical and thermal features in the proposed device. An immense comparison between the proposed SOI and conventional SOI showed that the proposed structure has higher electrical and thermal proficiency than the conventional structure in terms of main parameters such as short channel effects (SCEs), leakage current, floating body effect (FBE), self-heating effect (SHE), voltage gain, ratio of On-current to Off- current, transconductance, output conductance, minimum noise figure and power gain.

Some Notes on Wideband Feedback Amplifiers

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Fitch, V.

1949-03-16

The extension of the passband of wideband amplifiers is a highly important problem to the designer of electronic circuits. Throughout the electronics industry and in many research programs in physics and allied fields where extensive use is made of video amplifiers, the foremost requirement is a passband of maximum width. This is necessary if it is desired to achieve a more faithful reproduction of transient wave forms, a better time resolution in physical measurements, or perhaps just a wider band gain-frequency response to sine wave signals. The art of electronics is continually faced with this omnipresent amplifier problem. In particular, the instrumentation techniques of nuclear physics require amplifiers with short rise times, a high degree of gain stability, and a linear response to high signal levels. While the distributed amplifier may solve the problems of those seeking only a wide passband, the requirements of stability and linearity necessitate using feedback circuits. This paper considers feedback amplifiers from the standpoint of high-frequency performance. The circuit conditions for optimum steady-state (sinusoidal) and transient response are derived and practical circuits (both interstage and output) are presented which fulfill these conditions. In general, the results obtained may be applied to the low-frequency end.

Tomo3D 2.0--exploitation of advanced vector extensions (AVX) for 3D reconstruction.

PubMed

Agulleiro, Jose-Ignacio; Fernandez, Jose-Jesus

2015-02-01

Tomo3D is a program for fast tomographic reconstruction on multicore computers. Its high speed stems from code optimization, vectorization with Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE), multithreading and optimization of disk access. Recently, Advanced Vector eXtensions (AVX) have been introduced in the x86 processor architecture. Compared to SSE, AVX double the number of simultaneous operations, thus pointing to a potential twofold gain in speed. However, in practice, achieving this potential is extremely difficult. Here, we provide a technical description and an assessment of the optimizations included in Tomo3D to take advantage of AVX instructions. Tomo3D 2.0 allows huge reconstructions to be calculated in standard computers in a matter of minutes. Thus, it will be a valuable tool for electron tomography studies with increasing resolution needs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of stocking density on growth performance, carcass traits, and foot pad lesions of White Pekin ducks.

PubMed

Xie, M; Jiang, Y; Tang, J; Wen, Z G; Huang, W; Hou, S S

2014-07-01

Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of stocking density on growth performance, carcass yield, and foot pad lesions of White Pekin ducks from hatch to 14 d of age (experiment 1) and from 14 to 42 d of age (experiment 2), respectively. All ducks were reared in raised plastic wire-floor pens with a pen size of 30 m(2), and males and females were mixed at a ratio of 1:1 in each pen of both experiments. In experiment 1, a total of 10,200 ducks that were 1 d old were allotted to 20 pens according to the stocking densities of 13, 15, 17, 19, and 21 birds/m(2) (or 8.4, 9.7, 10.9, 11.9, and 13.0 kg of actually achieved BW/m(2)), respectively, with 4 replicates per treatment. In experiment 2, a total of 3,150 ducks that were 14 d old were allotted to 15 pens according to the stocking densities of 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 birds/m(2) (or 17.0, 20.3, 23.6, 26.9, and 29.9 kg of actually achieved BW/m(2)), respectively, with 3 replicates per treatment. The stocking density had significant effects on final BW and weight gain of starter and growing ducks (P < 0.05), but not on feed/gain and mortality in both periods (P > 0.05). The final BW and weight gain of starter and growing ducks all decreased with increasing density (P < 0.05). Final BW and weight gain of starter ducks were reduced significantly as stocking density increased from 17 to 21 birds/m(2) (P < 0.05). In addition, final BW and weight gain of growing ducks decreased significantly when stocking density was 9 birds/m(2) (P < 0.05). On the other hand, increasing stocking density did not markedly influence the carcass, breast meat, leg meat, abdominal fat, and foot pad lesions of growing ducks (P > 0.05). © 2014 Poultry Science Association Inc.

The Significance of Forest Monitoring Programmes: the Finnish Perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Merila, P.; Derome, J.; Lindgren, M.

2007-12-01

Finland has been participating in the ICP Forests programme (the International Co-operative Programme on the Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests) based on international agreements on the long- range transportation of air pollutants (LRTAP) and other associated monitoring programmes (e.g. Forest Focus, ICP Integrated Monitoring, ICP Vegetation) since 1985. The knowledge gained during the years has greatly increased our understanding of the overall condition of our forests and the factors affecting forest condition, the processes underlying forest ecosystem functioning, and the potential threats to our forests posed by human activities, both at home and abroad. The success of the monitoring activities in Finland is largely based on the experience gained during the early 1980's with our own national acidification project and, during the late 1980's and early 1990"s, in a number of regional monitoring projects. Finland's membership of the European Union (entry in 1996) has enabled us to further develop the infrastructure and coverage of both our extensive and intensive level networks. This broadening of our ecological understanding and development of international collaboration are now providing us with an invaluable basis for addressing the new monitoring challenges (biodiversity, climate change). The results gained in our monitoring activities clearly demonstrate the value of long-term monitoring programmes. The main results have been regularly reported both at the European (e.g. http://www.icp- forests.org/Reports.htm) and national level (e.g. http://www.metla.fi/julkaisut/workingpapers/2007/mwp045- en.htm). However, the datasets have not been intensively explored and exploited, and few of the important methodological and ecological findings have been published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. This has, understandably, not been the first priority of the international monitoring programmes. A number of the intensive forest monitoring plots in Finland have recently been included in LTER platforms, thus potentially increasing scientific collaboration between researchers across different governmental institutes and education bodies.

Environmental influences on young adult weight gain: evidence from a natural experiment.

PubMed

Kapinos, Kandice A; Yakusheva, Olga

2011-01-01

This study investigated the importance of environmental influences in explaining weight gain and related behaviors among freshman college students. We exploited a natural experiment that takes place on most college campuses in the United States--randomized dormitory assignments. We estimated the effects of living in dormitories with varying physical environment characteristics on weight gain and related behaviors (daily number of meals and snacks, weekly frequency of exercise) among randomly assigned freshman students. We found strong evidence linking weight and related behaviors to individual dormitories, as well as to specific characteristics of the dormitories. On average, students assigned to dormitories with on-site dining halls gained more weight and exhibited more behaviors consistent with weight gain during the freshman year as compared with students not assigned to such dormitories. Females in such dormitories weighed .85 kg (p = .03) more and exercised 1.43 (p < .01) times fewer; males consumed .22 (p = .02) more meals and .38 (p = .01) more snacks. For female students, closer proximity of the dormitory to a campus gym led to more frequent exercise (.54, p = .03), whereas living closer to central campus reduced exercise (-.97, p = .01). Using a natural experiment to deal with the potential endogeneity of the living environment, this study found that the physical environment affects both students' weight changes and weight-related behaviors. Copyright © 2011 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Context-dependent arm pointing adaptation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seidler, R. D.; Bloomberg, J. J.; Stelmach, G. E.

2001-01-01

We sought to determine the effectiveness of head posture as a contextual cue to facilitate adaptive transitions in manual control during visuomotor distortions. Subjects performed arm pointing movements by drawing on a digitizing tablet, with targets and movement trajectories displayed in real time on a computer monitor. Adaptation was induced by presenting the trajectories in an altered gain format on the monitor. The subjects were shown visual displays of their movements that corresponded to either 0.5 or 1.5 scaling of the movements made. Subjects were assigned to three groups: the head orientation group tilted the head towards the right shoulder when drawing under a 0.5 gain of display and towards the left shoulder when drawing under a 1.5 gain of display; the target orientation group had the home and target positions rotated counterclockwise when drawing under the 0.5 gain and clockwise for the 1.5 gain; the arm posture group changed the elbow angle of the arm they were not drawing with from full flexion to full extension with 0.5 and 1.5 gain display changes. To determine if contextual cues were associated with display alternations, the gain changes were returned to the standard (1.0) display. Aftereffects were assessed to determine the efficacy of the head orientation contextual cue compared to the two control cues. The head orientation cue was effectively associated with the multiple gains. The target orientation cue also demonstrated some effectiveness while the arm posture cue did not. The results demonstrate that contextual cues can be used to switch between multiple adaptive states. These data provide support for the idea that static head orientation information is a crucial component to the arm adaptation process. These data further define the functional linkage between head posture and arm pointing movements.

Context-Dependent Arm Pointing Adaptation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seidler, R. D.; Bloomberg, J. J.; Stelmach, G. E.

2000-01-01

We sought to determine the effectiveness of head posture as a contextual cue to facilitate adaptive transitions in manual control during visuomotor distortions. Subjects performed arm pointing movements by drawing on a digitizing tablet, with targets and movement trajectories displayed in real time on a computer monitor. Adaptation was induced by presenting the trajectories in an altered gain format on the monitor. The subjects were shown visual displays of their movements that corresponded to either 0.5 or 1.5 scaling of the movements made. Subjects were assigned to three groups: the head orientation group tilted the head towards the right shoulder when drawing under a 0.5 gain of display and towards the left shoulder when drawing under a 1.5 gain of display, the target orientation group had the home & target positions rotated counterclockwise when drawing under the 0.5 gain and clockwise for the 1.5 gain, the arm posture group changed the elbow angle of the arm they were not drawing with from full flexion to full extension with 0.5 and 1.5 gain display changes. To determine if contextual cues were associated with display alternations, the gain changes were returned to the standard (1.0) display. Aftereffects were assessed to determine the efficacy of the head orientation contextual cue. . compared to the two control cues. The head orientation cue was effectively associated with the multiple gains. The target orientation cue also demonstrated some effectiveness while the.arm posture cue did not. The results demonstrate that contextual cues can be used to switch between multiple adaptive states. These data provide support for the idea that static head orientation information is a crucial component to the arm adaptation process. These data further define the functional linkage between head posture and arm pointing movements.

Distinct Trajectories of Massive Recent Gene Gains and Losses in Populations of a Microbial Eukaryotic Pathogen.

PubMed

Hartmann, Fanny E; Croll, Daniel

2017-11-01

Differences in gene content are a significant source of variability within species and have an impact on phenotypic traits. However, little is known about the mechanisms responsible for the most recent gene gains and losses. We screened the genomes of 123 worldwide isolates of the major pathogen of wheat Zymoseptoria tritici for robust evidence of gene copy number variation. Based on orthology relationships in three closely related fungi, we identified 599 gene gains and 1,024 gene losses that have not yet reached fixation within the focal species. Our analyses of gene gains and losses segregating in populations showed that gene copy number variation arose preferentially in subtelomeres and in proximity to transposable elements. Recently lost genes were enriched in virulence factors and secondary metabolite gene clusters. In contrast, recently gained genes encoded mostly secreted protein lacking a conserved domain. We analyzed the frequency spectrum at loci segregating a gene presence-absence polymorphism in four worldwide populations. Recent gene losses showed a significant excess in low-frequency variants compared with genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism, which is indicative of strong negative selection against gene losses. Recent gene gains were either under weak negative selection or neutral. We found evidence for strong divergent selection among populations at individual loci segregating a gene presence-absence polymorphism. Hence, gene gains and losses likely contributed to local adaptation. Our study shows that microbial eukaryotes harbor extensive copy number variation within populations and that functional differences among recently gained and lost genes led to distinct evolutionary trajectories. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Weight gain in mice on a high caloric diet and chronically treated with omeprazole depends on sex and genetic background

PubMed Central

Tsao, Amy C.; Gillilland, Merritt G.; Merchant, Juanita L.

2016-01-01

The impact of omeprazole (OM), a widely used over-the-counter proton pump inhibitor, on weight gain has not been extensively explored. We examined what factors, e.g., diet composition, microbiota, genetic strain, and sex, might affect weight gain in mice fed a high caloric diet while on OM. Inbred C57BL/6J strain, a 50:50 hybrid (B6SJLF1/J) strain, and mice on a highly mixed genetic background were fed four diets: standard chow (STD, 6% fat), STD with 200 ppm OM (STD + O), a high-energy chow (HiE, 11% fat), and HiE chow with OM (HiE + O) for 17 wk. Metabolic analysis, body composition, and fecal microbiota composition were analyzed in C57BL/6J mice. Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed using mice on the mixed background. After 8 wk, female and male C57BL/6J mice on the HiE diets ate less, whereas males on the HiE diets compared with the STD diets gained weight. All diet treatments reduced energy expenditure in females but in males only those on the HiE + O diet. Gut microbiota composition differed in the C57BL/6J females but not the males. Hybrid B6SJLF1/J mice showed similar weight gain on all test diets. In contrast, mixed strain male mice fed a HiE + O diet gained ∼40% more weight than females on the same diet. In addition to increased weight gain, mixed genetic mice on the HiE + O diet cleared glucose normally but secreted more insulin. We concluded that sex and genetic background define weight gain and metabolic responses of mice on high caloric diets and OM. PMID:27810953

Clinical Benefit of Long-Term Adalimumab Treatment in Patients With Crohn's Disease Following Loss of Response or Intolerance to Infliximab: 96-Week Efficacy Data From GAIN/ADHERE Trials.

PubMed

Panaccione, Remo; Sandborn, William J; D'Haens, Geert; Wolf, Douglas C; Berg, Sofie; Maa, Jen-Fue; Petersson, Joel; Robinson, Anne M

2018-04-25

In the 4-week GAIN clinical trial, adalimumab was efficacious in inducing remission in patients with moderate to severe Crohn's disease (CD) who had prior loss of response/intolerance to infliximab. The efficacy and safety of adalimumab in these patients are reported here up to 96 weeks or for 3 years, respectively, in ADHERE open-label extension study. Patients who completed GAIN could enrol in ADHERE and receive open-label adalimumab 40 mg every other week. Efficacy variables included clinical response (Crohn's Disease Activity Index [CDAI] decrease from baseline ≥70/≥100 points [CR-70/CR-100]) and remission (CDAI<150), steroid discontinuation and fistula remission (absence of drainage). Data were reported using hybrid non-responder imputation (hNRI), last observation carried forward and as-observed analysis. Subgroup analyses were performed by randomised group in GAIN and by Week 4 efficacy in GAIN. Safety was also assessed. A total of 310 patients from GAIN enrolled in ADHERE. CR-70, CR-100 and remission rates at Week 96 were 39.0%, 35.5% and 26.5% (hNRI), respectively. Of the patients with CR-70 response or remission at Week 4 of GAIN, 45.5% and 44.4% (hNRI), respectively, maintained effect at Week 96. Steroid discontinuation and steroid-free remission rates increased from Week 12 to 96 in patients using corticosteroids at GAIN baseline. Long-term adalimumab maintenance therapy led to sustained clinical remission and response, and steroid discontinuation in a considerable proportion of patients with CD previously treated with infliximab. No new safety signals were observed in this patient population.

Liquid egg as an alternative protein source in calf milk replacers.

PubMed

Touchette, K J; O'Brien, M L; Coalson, J A

2003-08-01

The use of alternative proteins in milk replacer has been evaluated for their ability to decrease the cost of milk replacers without negatively impacting performance of the calf. Three studies were conducted to evaluate the performance of calves fed milk replacer utilizing liquid egg as an alternative protein and to determine the optimal concentration of liquid egg to include in milk replacers. Calves in trials 1 and 2 were assigned to a control diet of all milk protein replacer (MILK) or a diet formulated to contain 5% of the diet (13.5% of the protein) from liquid egg (5% EGG). Calves in trial 3 were assigned to one of four diets: the control (MILK) and 5% EGG diets fed in trials 1 and 2, or diets formulated to contain either 10 or 15% of the diet (27 or 40.5% of the protein) from liquid egg (10% EGG, 15% EGG). For all experiments, milk replacers were formulated to contain 20% protein, 20% fat and were fed at 454 g/d reconstituted to 12% DM. Production of the diets containing egg protein utilized breaker eggs that were pasteurized during manufacturing. Holstein bull calves (n = 44 for experiment 1, n = 38 for experiment 2, and n = 120 for experiment 3), were purchased from an area sale barn. Calves were housed in individual hutches with water available free choice starting on d 0. A commercially available calf starter was offered free choice beginning on d 7 for experiments 1 and 2 and on d 1 for experiment 3. Feed intake, scour scores, and antibiotic treatments were recorded daily. For experiment 1, calves fed 5% EGG had greater weight gains than calves fed MILK. No differences in average daily feed intake were observed. For experiment 2, weight gains tended to be lower with 5% EGG, whereas feed intakes and gain to feed ratios were similar between calves fed MILK or 5% EGG. For experiment 3, as the amount of egg in the diet increased, weight gain decreased in a linear fashion during the milk replacer feeding period, but the decrease in gain was significant only with the 15% EGG diet. These results indicate that egg is an effective alternative protein source to milk protein in calf milk replacers when fed at levels up to 10% of the diet in a conventional feeding program of 0.45 kg per head per day.

The impact of recombination on short-term selection gain in plant breeding experiments.

PubMed

McClosky, Benjamin; Tanksley, Steven D

2013-09-01

Recombination is a requirement for response to selection, but researchers still debate whether increasing recombination beyond normal levels will result in significant gains in short-term selection. We tested this hypothesis, in the context of plant breeding, through a series of simulation experiments comparing short-term selection response (≤20 cycles) between populations with normal levels of recombination and similar populations with unconstrained recombination (i.e., free recombination). We considered additive and epistatic models and examined a wide range of values for key design variables: selection cycles, QTL number, heritability, linkage phase, selection intensity and population size. With few exceptions, going from normal to unconstrained levels of recombination produced only modest gains in response to selection (≈11 % on average). We then asked how breeders might capture some of this theoretical gain by increasing recombination through either (1) extra rounds of mating or (2) selection of highly recombinant individuals via use of molecular markers/maps. All methods tested captured less than half of the potential gain, but our analysis indicates that the most effective method is to select for increased recombination and the trait simultaneously. This recommendation is based on evidence of a favorable interaction between trait selection and the impact of recombination on selection gains. Finally, we examined the relative contributions of the two components of meiotic recombination, chromosome assortment and crossing over, to short-term selection gain. Depending primarily on the presence of trait selection pressure, chromosome assortment alone accounted for 40-75 % of gain in response to short-term selection.

Different Signal Enhancement Pathways of Attention and Consciousness Underlie Perception in Humans.

PubMed

van Boxtel, Jeroen J A

2017-06-14

It is not yet known whether attention and consciousness operate through similar or largely different mechanisms. Visual processing mechanisms are routinely characterized by measuring contrast response functions (CRFs). In this report, behavioral CRFs were obtained in humans (both males and females) by measuring afterimage durations over the entire range of inducer stimulus contrasts to reveal visual mechanisms behind attention and consciousness. Deviations relative to the standard CRF, i.e., gain functions, describe the strength of signal enhancement, which were assessed for both changes due to attentional task and conscious perception. It was found that attention displayed a response-gain function, whereas consciousness displayed a contrast-gain function. Through model comparisons, which only included contrast-gain modulations, both contrast-gain and response-gain effects can be explained with a two-level normalization model, in which consciousness affects only the first level and attention affects only the second level. These results demonstrate that attention and consciousness can effectively show different gain functions because they operate through different signal enhancement mechanisms. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The relationship between attention and consciousness is still debated. Mapping contrast response functions (CRFs) has allowed (neuro)scientists to gain important insights into the mechanistic underpinnings of visual processing. Here, the influence of both attention and consciousness on these functions were measured and they displayed a strong dissociation. First, attention lowered CRFs, whereas consciousness raised them. Second, attention manifests itself as a response-gain function, whereas consciousness manifests itself as a contrast-gain function. Extensive model comparisons show that these results are best explained in a two-level normalization model in which consciousness affects only the first level, whereas attention affects only the second level. These findings show dissociations between both the computational mechanisms behind attention and consciousness and the perceptual consequences that they induce. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/375912-11$15.00/0.

Using school grounds for nature studies: An exploratory study of elementary teachers' experiences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willis, Tamra Lee

2001-06-01

The purpose of this study was to gain understanding of the experiences of elementary teachers who used school grounds to do nature studies. Following an inductive, naturalistic approach, the goal was to explore the phenomenon using words of teachers as guides to understanding. Interviews were conducted with a purposeful sampling of ten quality public school teachers in grades K--5 who were well-known for their schoolyard nature programs. Interview questions were focused by a theoretical framework of environmental cognition. Data were gathered about how teachers came to use the outdoors to teach and how they experienced teaching nature studies on the school grounds. A conceptual model of Quality Teachers of Schoolyard Nature Studies was delineated. The model consisted of three components: teacher past and present experiences with nature, teacher beliefs relevant to using the school grounds for nature studies, and teacher action efficacy pertaining to schoolyard nature programs. The model suggested a relationship between teachers' personal experiences' with nature and their beliefs about sharing nature with children. In addition, the model connected teachers' beliefs about schoolyard nature to their action efficacy, i.e. action behavior reflected through motivation and commitment. The participants shared many common experiences and beliefs. Most had extensive childhood experiences in nature and memories of adults who shared nature with them. They did not consider themselves nature experts, but felt they knew the basics of natural science from their own experiences outdoors and from working with children. The teachers' beliefs about schoolyard nature studies developed from several dimensions of their lives: experiences with nature, experiences teaching, and experiences with students. They were motivated to share nature with students on the school grounds by their beliefs that students would come to appreciate and understand nature, just as they had during their own experiences. In addition, they believed that schoolyard nature programs benefitted student learning and enjoyment of learning. The action efficacy of the teachers was influenced by their beliefs about schoolyard nature programs and beliefs in their own competence to overcome challenges and achieve goals. Implications for educational practice and further research were cited.

Courseware Design by College Students: The Educational Gains.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Or-Bach, Rachel

2000-01-01

Describes the experience gained during several years of teaching courses on CBT (computer-based training) design to undergraduate students with varying backgrounds and interests. Discusses the theoretical background for the potential benefits; preparation for lifelong learning; information technology literacy and teaching multimedia development; a…

Interdependent Utilities: How Social Ranking Affects Choice Behavior

PubMed Central

Bault, Nadège; Coricelli, Giorgio; Rustichini, Aldo

2008-01-01

Organization in hierarchical dominance structures is prevalent in animal societies, so a strong preference for higher positions in social ranking is likely to be an important motivation of human social and economic behavior. This preference is also likely to influence the way in which we evaluate our outcome and the outcome of others, and finally the way we choose. In our experiment participants choose among lotteries with different levels of risk, and can observe the choice that others have made. Results show that the relative weight of gains and losses is the opposite in the private and social domain. For private outcomes, experience and anticipation of losses loom larger than gains, whereas in the social domain, gains loom larger than losses, as indexed by subjective emotional evaluations and physiological responses. We propose a theoretical model (interdependent utilities), predicting the implication of this effect for choice behavior. The relatively larger weight assigned to social gains strongly affects choices, inducing complementary behavior: faced with a weaker competitor, participants adopt a more risky and dominant behavior. PMID:18941538

Bacterial chemoreceptors: high-performance signaling in networked arrays.

PubMed

Hazelbauer, Gerald L; Falke, Joseph J; Parkinson, John S

2008-01-01

Chemoreceptors are crucial components in the bacterial sensory systems that mediate chemotaxis. Chemotactic responses exhibit exquisite sensitivity, extensive dynamic range and precise adaptation. The mechanisms that mediate these high-performance functions involve not only actions of individual proteins but also interactions among clusters of components, localized in extensive patches of thousands of molecules. Recently, these patches have been imaged in native cells, important features of chemoreceptor structure and on-off switching have been identified, and new insights have been gained into the structural basis and functional consequences of higher order interactions among sensory components. These new data suggest multiple levels of molecular interactions, each of which contribute specific functional features and together create a sophisticated signaling device.

Bacterial chemoreceptors: high-performance signaling in networked arrays

PubMed Central

Hazelbauer, Gerald L.; Falke, Joseph J.; Parkinson, John S.

2010-01-01

Chemoreceptors are crucial components in the bacterial sensory systems that mediate chemotaxis. Chemotactic responses exhibit exquisite sensitivity, extensive dynamic range and precise adaptation. The mechanisms that mediate these high-performance functions involve not only actions of individual proteins but also interactions among clusters of components, localized in extensive patches of thousands of molecules. Recently, these patches have been imaged in native cells, important features of chemoreceptor structure and on–off switching have been identified, and new insights have been gained into the structural basis and functional consequences of higher order interactions among sensory components. These new data suggest multiple levels of molecular interactions, each of which contribute specific functional features and together create a sophisticated signaling device. PMID:18165013

Thomas Graham, Jr.: Preparing for the 1995 NPT Conference

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

NONE

1994-07-01

With attention increasingly focused on the critical nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) extension and review conference beginning in April 1995, Thomas Graham, Jr. plays a key role in negotiations to gain indefinite treaty extension during voting at the conference. He has been Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) general counsel since 1983, served as acting director from January to November 1992 and since November 23, 1992, has been acting deputy director. Among other assignments, he served as legal advisor to the US SALT II delegation and senior ACDA representative to the US Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces delegation in 1981-82. He was interviewedmore » May 26 by Jack Mendelsohn and Jon B. Wolfsthal.« less

Utilizing Audiovisual and Gain-Framed Messages to Attenuate Psychological Reactance Toward Weight Management Health Messages.

PubMed

Lee, Hyunmin; Cameron, Glen T

2017-01-01

Guided by the psychological reactance theory, this study predicted that gain-framed messages and audiovisual content could counteract state reactance and increase the persuasiveness of weight management health messages. Data from a 2 (message frame: gain/loss) × 2 (modality: audiovisual/text) × 2 (message repetition) within-subjects experiment (N = 82) indicated that in the context of weight management messages for college students, gain-framed messages indeed mitigate psychological reactance. Furthermore, the modality and the frame of the health message interacted in such a way that gain-framed messages in an audiovisual modality generated the highest motivations to comply with the recommendations in the persuasive health messages.

Performance of broilers fed on diets containing different amounts of chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) leaf meal.

PubMed

Sarmiento-Franco, L; McNab, J M; Pearson, R A; Belmar-Casso, R

2002-05-01

The performance and gut measurements of broilers fed on diets containing different amounts of chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) leaf meal (CLM) were examined in two experiments. In the first experiment, 60 Hubbard chickens (30 males and 30 females; 2 weeks old) were fed on five maize diets; these were formulated using 0, 150 (CLM150), 250 (CLM250) or 350 (CLM350) g CLM/kg, and the fifth diet contained soyabean. In the second experiment, 148 Ross male chicks, 1 day old, were fed on three isonitrogenous and isoenergetic maize-soyabean-based diets, which included 0 (control), 150 (C150) or 250 (C250) g CLM/kg. The diets were offered ad libitum for 2 or 3 weeks in the first and second experiments, respectively. Food intake, weight gain and the food:weight gain ratio were recorded. The weight of the gizzard and intestine and the weight and length of the caeca were also determined in the second experiment. In experiment 1, the birds fed on the maize-soyabean diet had a higher (p < 0.05) weight gain and final weight than birds fed on maize only or on the CLM150 diets. There were no differences for any of the variables studied between the birds fed on the maize-soyabean diet and those fed on the CLM250, nor between males and females. In the second experiment, weight gain, food intake and the food:weight gain ratio for birds fed on C250 were lower (p < 0.05) than those in birds fed on either the control or C150 diets. The weights of the gizzard and intestine were the lowest and the highest, respectively, in birds fed on C250 (p < 0.05). The length and weight of the caecum from birds fed on the control diet were lower (p < 0.05) than those of birds fed on either the C150 or C250 diets. The results from this study suggest that CLM may be included up to 150 g/kg in commercial diets without having an adverse effect on poultry performance, and may also be mixed with maize up to 250 g/kg to improve the performance of chickens fed on low-protein diets.

College-Aged Males Experience Attenuated Sweet and Salty Taste with Modest Weight Gain.

PubMed

Noel, Corinna A; Cassano, Patricia A; Dando, Robin

2017-10-01

Background: Human and animal studies report a blunted sense of taste in people who are overweight or obese, with heightened sensitivity also reported after weight loss. However, it is unknown if taste changes concurrently with weight gain. Objective: This study investigated the association of weight gain with changes in suprathreshold taste intensity perception in a free-living population of young adults. Methods: Taste response, anthropometric measures, and diet changes were assessed with a longitudinal study design in first-year college students 3 times throughout the academic year. At baseline, 93 participants (30 males, 63 females) were an average of 18 y old, with a body mass index (in kg/m 2 ) of 21.9. Sweet, umami, salty, sour, and bitter taste intensities were evaluated at 3 concentrations by using the general Labeled Magnitude Scale. Ordinary least-squares regression models assessed the association of weight gain and within-person taste change, adjusting for sex, race, and diet changes. Results: Participants gained an average of 3.9% in weight, ranging from -5.7% to +13.8%. With each 1% increase in body weight, males perceived sweet and salty as less intense, with taste responses decreasing by 11.0% (95% CI: -18.9%, -2.3%; P = 0.015) and 7.5% (95% CI: -13.1%, -1.5%; P = 0.015) from baseline, respectively. Meanwhile, females did not experience this decrement, and even perceived a 6.5% increase (95% CI: 2.6%, 10.5%; P = 0.007) in sour taste with similar amounts of weight gain. Changes in the consumption of meat and other umami-rich foods also negatively correlated with umami taste response (-39.1%; 95% CI: -56.3%, -15.0%; P = 0.004). Conclusions: A modest weight gain is associated with concurrent taste changes in the first year of college, especially in males who experience a decrement in sweet and salty taste. This suggests that young-adult males may be susceptible to taste loss when gaining weight. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Isolation and Characterization of Chromosome-Gain and Increase-in-Ploidy Mutants in Yeast

PubMed Central

Chan, CSM.; Botstein, D.

1993-01-01

We have developed a colony papillation assay for monitoring the copy number of genetically marked chromosomes II and III in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The unique feature of this assay is that it allows detection of a gain of the marked chromosomes even if there is a gain of the entire set of chromosomes (increase-in-ploidy). This assay was used to screen for chromosome-gain or increase-in-ploidy mutants. Five complementation groups have been defined for recessive mutations that confer an increase-in-ploidy (ipl) phenotype, which, in each case, cosegregates with a temperature-sensitive growth phenotype. Four new alleles of CDC31, which is required for spindle pole body duplication, were also recovered from this screen. Temperature-shift experiments with ipl1 cells show that they suffer severe nondisjunction at 37°. Similar experiments with ipl2 cells show that they gain entire sets of chromosomes and become arrested as unbudded cells at 37°. Molecular cloning and genetic mapping show that IPL1 is a newly identified gene, whereas IPL2 is allelic to BEM2, which is required for normal bud growth. PMID:8293973

Toward a Holistic View of Undergraduate Research Experiences: An Exploratory Study of Impact on Graduate/Postdoctoral Mentors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolan, Erin; Johnson, Deborah

2009-12-01

Involvement in research has become a fixture in undergraduate science education across the United States. Graduate and postdoctoral students are often called upon to mentor undergraduates at research universities, yet mentoring relationships in undergraduate—graduate/postdoctoral student dyads and undergraduate—graduate/postdoctoral student—faculty triads have been largely unexamined. Here, we present findings of an exploratory case study framed by relational theory that identifies the motives, gains, and challenges reported by graduate/postdoctoral students who mentored undergraduates in research. Graduate/postdoctoral mentors experienced a wide range of gains, including improved qualifications and career preparation, cognitive and socioemotional growth, improved teaching and communication skills, and greater enjoyment of their own apprenticeship experience. Notably, graduate/postdoctoral mentors reported twice as many gains as challenges, neither of which were limited by their motives for mentoring. Indeed, their motives were fairly narrow and immediate, focusing on how mentoring would serve as a means to an end, while the gains and challenges they reported indicated a longer-term vision of how mentoring influenced their personal, cognitive, and professional growth. We propose that understanding the impact of mentoring undergraduates on the education and training of graduate/postdoctoral students may uncover new ideas about the benefits reaped through undergraduate research experiences.

Broadband mixing of $${\\mathscr{P}}{\\mathscr{T}}$$-symmetric and $${\\mathscr{P}}{\\mathscr{T}}$$-broken phases in photonic heterostructures with a one-dimensional loss/gain bilayer

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

Özgün, Ege; Serebryannikov, Andriy E.; Ozbay, Ekmel

Combining loss and gain components in one photonic heterostructure opens a new route to efficient manipulation by radiation, transmission, absorption, and scattering of electromagnetic waves. Therefore, loss/gain structures enablingmore » $${\\mathscr{P}}{\\mathscr{T}}$$-symmetric and $${\\mathscr{P}}{\\mathscr{T}}$$-broken phases for eigenvalues have extensively been studied in the last decade. In particular, translation from one phase to another, which occurs at the critical point in the two-channel structures with one-dimensional loss/gain components, is often associated with one-way transmission. In this report, broadband mixing of the $${\\mathscr{P}}{\\mathscr{T}}$$-symmetric and $${\\mathscr{P}}{\\mathscr{T}}$$-broken phases for eigenvalues is theoretically demonstrated in heterostructures with four channels obtained by combining a one-dimensional loss/gain bilayer and one or two thin polarization-converting components (PCCs). The broadband phase mixing in the four-channel case is expected to yield advanced transmission and absorption regimes. Various configurations are analyzed, which are distinguished in symmetry properties and polarization conversion regime of PCCs. The conditions necessary for phase mixing are then discussed. The simplest two-component configurations with broadband mixing are found, as well as the more complex three-component configurations wherein symmetric and broken sets are not yet mixed and appear in the neighbouring frequency ranges. Peculiarities of eigenvalue behaviour are considered for different permittivity ranges of loss/gain medium, i.e., from epsilon-near-zero to high-epsilon regime.« less

Broadband mixing of [Formula: see text]-symmetric and [Formula: see text]-broken phases in photonic heterostructures with a one-dimensional loss/gain bilayer.

PubMed

Özgün, Ege; Serebryannikov, Andriy E; Ozbay, Ekmel; Soukoulis, Costas M

2017-11-14

Combining loss and gain components in one photonic heterostructure opens a new route to efficient manipulation by radiation, transmission, absorption, and scattering of electromagnetic waves. Therefore, loss/gain structures enabling [Formula: see text]-symmetric and [Formula: see text]-broken phases for eigenvalues have extensively been studied in the last decade. In particular, translation from one phase to another, which occurs at the critical point in the two-channel structures with one-dimensional loss/gain components, is often associated with one-way transmission. In this report, broadband mixing of the [Formula: see text]-symmetric and [Formula: see text]-broken phases for eigenvalues is theoretically demonstrated in heterostructures with four channels obtained by combining a one-dimensional loss/gain bilayer and one or two thin polarization-converting components (PCCs). The broadband phase mixing in the four-channel case is expected to yield advanced transmission and absorption regimes. Various configurations are analyzed, which are distinguished in symmetry properties and polarization conversion regime of PCCs. The conditions necessary for phase mixing are discussed. The simplest two-component configurations with broadband mixing are found, as well as the more complex three-component configurations wherein symmetric and broken sets are not yet mixed and appear in the neighbouring frequency ranges. Peculiarities of eigenvalue behaviour are considered for different permittivity ranges of loss/gain medium, i.e., from epsilon-near-zero to high-epsilon regime.

Broadband mixing of $${\\mathscr{P}}{\\mathscr{T}}$$-symmetric and $${\\mathscr{P}}{\\mathscr{T}}$$-broken phases in photonic heterostructures with a one-dimensional loss/gain bilayer

DOE PAGES

Özgün, Ege; Serebryannikov, Andriy E.; Ozbay, Ekmel; ...

2017-11-14

Combining loss and gain components in one photonic heterostructure opens a new route to efficient manipulation by radiation, transmission, absorption, and scattering of electromagnetic waves. Therefore, loss/gain structures enablingmore » $${\\mathscr{P}}{\\mathscr{T}}$$-symmetric and $${\\mathscr{P}}{\\mathscr{T}}$$-broken phases for eigenvalues have extensively been studied in the last decade. In particular, translation from one phase to another, which occurs at the critical point in the two-channel structures with one-dimensional loss/gain components, is often associated with one-way transmission. In this report, broadband mixing of the $${\\mathscr{P}}{\\mathscr{T}}$$-symmetric and $${\\mathscr{P}}{\\mathscr{T}}$$-broken phases for eigenvalues is theoretically demonstrated in heterostructures with four channels obtained by combining a one-dimensional loss/gain bilayer and one or two thin polarization-converting components (PCCs). The broadband phase mixing in the four-channel case is expected to yield advanced transmission and absorption regimes. Various configurations are analyzed, which are distinguished in symmetry properties and polarization conversion regime of PCCs. The conditions necessary for phase mixing are then discussed. The simplest two-component configurations with broadband mixing are found, as well as the more complex three-component configurations wherein symmetric and broken sets are not yet mixed and appear in the neighbouring frequency ranges. Peculiarities of eigenvalue behaviour are considered for different permittivity ranges of loss/gain medium, i.e., from epsilon-near-zero to high-epsilon regime.« less

Graphene array antenna for 5G applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sa'don, Siti Nor Hafizah; Kamarudin, Muhammad Ramlee; Ahmad, Fauzan; Jusoh, Muzammil; Majid, Huda A.

2017-02-01

Fifth generation (5G) needs to provide better coverage than the previous generation. However, high frequency and millimeter wave experience penetration loss, propagation loss and even more loss in energy for long distance. Hence, a graphene array antenna is proposed for high gain to cover a long distance communications since array antenna enables in providing more directive beams. The investigation is conducted on three types of substrates with gain achieved is more than 7 dBi. The gain obtained is good since it is comparable with other studies. In addition, these antennas consume small numbers of elements to achieve high gain.

Extension of nanoconfined DNA: Quantitative comparison between experiment and theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iarko, V.; Werner, E.; Nyberg, L. K.; Müller, V.; Fritzsche, J.; Ambjörnsson, T.; Beech, J. P.; Tegenfeldt, J. O.; Mehlig, K.; Westerlund, F.; Mehlig, B.

2015-12-01

The extension of DNA confined to nanochannels has been studied intensively and in detail. However, quantitative comparisons between experiments and model calculations are difficult because most theoretical predictions involve undetermined prefactors, and because the model parameters (contour length, Kuhn length, effective width) are difficult to compute reliably, leading to substantial uncertainties. Here we use a recent asymptotically exact theory for the DNA extension in the "extended de Gennes regime" that allows us to compare experimental results with theory. For this purpose, we performed experiments measuring the mean DNA extension and its standard deviation while varying the channel geometry, dye intercalation ratio, and ionic strength of the buffer. The experimental results agree very well with theory at high ionic strengths, indicating that the model parameters are reliable. At low ionic strengths, the agreement is less good. We discuss possible reasons. In principle, our approach allows us to measure the Kuhn length and the effective width of a single DNA molecule and more generally of semiflexible polymers in solution.

Gain-phase modulation in chirped-pulse amplification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yijie; Gao, Gan; Meng, Yuan; Fu, Xing; Gong, Mali

2017-10-01

The cross-modulation between the gain and chirped phase in chirped-pulse amplification (CPA) is theoretically and experimentally demonstrated. We propose a gain-phase coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equation (GPC-NLSE) for solving chirped-pulse propagation in a nonlinear gain medium involved in the gain-phase modulation (GPM) process. With the GPC-NLSE, the space-time-frequency-dependent gain, chirped phase, pulse, and spectrum evolutions can be precisely calculated. Moreover, a short-length high-gain Yb-doped fiber CPA experiment is presented in which a self-steepening distortion of the seed pulse is automatically compensated after amplification. This phenomenon can be explained by the GPM theory whereas conventional models cannot. The experimental results for the temporal and spectral intensities show excellent agreement with our theory. Our GPM theory paves the way for further investigations of the finer structures of the pulse and spectrum in CPA systems.

Use of Demonstration Gardens in Extension: Challenges and Benefits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Glen, Charlotte D.; Moore, Gary E.; Jayaratne, K. S. U.; Bradley, Lucy K.

2014-01-01

Extension agents' use of demonstration gardens was studied to determine how gardens are employed in horticultural programming, perceived benefits and challenges of using gardens for Extension programming, and desired competencies. Gardens are primarily used to enhance educational efforts by providing hands-on learning experiences. Greatest…

The Virtual Extension Annual Conference: Addressing Contemporary Professional Development Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Franz, Nancy K.; Brekke, Robin; Coates, Deb; Kress, Cathann; Hlas, Julie

2014-01-01

Extension systems are experimenting with new models for conducting professional development to enhance staff competence and other returns on professional development investments. The ISUEO virtual annual conference provides a successful flipped classroom model of asynchronous and synchronous learning events for conducting an Extension annual…

Energetic consequences of thermal and nonthermal food processing

PubMed Central

Carmody, Rachel N.; Weintraub, Gil S.; Wrangham, Richard W.

2011-01-01

Processing food extensively by thermal and nonthermal techniques is a unique and universal human practice. Food processing increases palatability and edibility and has been argued to increase energy gain. Although energy gain is a well-known effect from cooking starch-rich foods, the idea that cooking meat increases energy gain has never been tested. Moreover, the relative energetic advantages of cooking and nonthermal processing have not been assessed, whether for meat or starch-rich foods. Here, we describe a system for characterizing the energetic effects of cooking and nonthermal food processing. Using mice as a model, we show that cooking substantially increases the energy gained from meat, leading to elevations in body mass that are not attributable to differences in food intake or activity levels. The positive energetic effects of cooking were found to be superior to the effects of pounding in both meat and starch-rich tubers, a conclusion further supported by food preferences in fasted animals. Our results indicate significant contributions from cooking to both modern and ancestral human energy budgets. They also illuminate a weakness in current food labeling practices, which systematically overestimate the caloric potential of poorly processed foods. PMID:22065771

Working memory plasticity in old age: practice gain, transfer, and maintenance.

PubMed

Li, Shu-Chen; Schmiedek, Florian; Huxhold, Oliver; Röcke, Christina; Smith, Jacqui; Lindenberger, Ulman

2008-12-01

Adult age differences in cognitive plasticity have been studied less often in working memory than in episodic memory. The authors investigated the effects of extensive working memory practice on performance improvement, transfer, and short-term maintenance of practice gains and transfer effects. Adults age 20-30 years and 70-80 years practiced a spatial working memory task with 2 levels of processing demands across 45 days for about 15 min per day. In both age groups and relative to age-matched, no-contact control groups, we found (a) substantial performance gains on the practiced task, (b) near transfer to a more demanding spatial n-back task and to numerical n-back tasks, and (c) 3-month maintenance of practice gains and near transfer effects, with decrements relative to postpractice performance among older but not younger adults. No evidence was found for far transfer to complex span tasks. The authors discuss neuronal mechanisms underlying adult age differences and similarities in patterns of plasticity and conclude that the potential of deliberate working memory practice as a tool for improving cognition in old age merits further exploration. Copyright (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

Energetic consequences of thermal and nonthermal food processing.

PubMed

Carmody, Rachel N; Weintraub, Gil S; Wrangham, Richard W

2011-11-29

Processing food extensively by thermal and nonthermal techniques is a unique and universal human practice. Food processing increases palatability and edibility and has been argued to increase energy gain. Although energy gain is a well-known effect from cooking starch-rich foods, the idea that cooking meat increases energy gain has never been tested. Moreover, the relative energetic advantages of cooking and nonthermal processing have not been assessed, whether for meat or starch-rich foods. Here, we describe a system for characterizing the energetic effects of cooking and nonthermal food processing. Using mice as a model, we show that cooking substantially increases the energy gained from meat, leading to elevations in body mass that are not attributable to differences in food intake or activity levels. The positive energetic effects of cooking were found to be superior to the effects of pounding in both meat and starch-rich tubers, a conclusion further supported by food preferences in fasted animals. Our results indicate significant contributions from cooking to both modern and ancestral human energy budgets. They also illuminate a weakness in current food labeling practices, which systematically overestimate the caloric potential of poorly processed foods.

Optimizing Dynamical Network Structure for Pinning Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orouskhani, Yasin; Jalili, Mahdi; Yu, Xinghuo

2016-04-01

Controlling dynamics of a network from any initial state to a final desired state has many applications in different disciplines from engineering to biology and social sciences. In this work, we optimize the network structure for pinning control. The problem is formulated as four optimization tasks: i) optimizing the locations of driver nodes, ii) optimizing the feedback gains, iii) optimizing simultaneously the locations of driver nodes and feedback gains, and iv) optimizing the connection weights. A newly developed population-based optimization technique (cat swarm optimization) is used as the optimization method. In order to verify the methods, we use both real-world networks, and model scale-free and small-world networks. Extensive simulation results show that the optimal placement of driver nodes significantly outperforms heuristic methods including placing drivers based on various centrality measures (degree, betweenness, closeness and clustering coefficient). The pinning controllability is further improved by optimizing the feedback gains. We also show that one can significantly improve the controllability by optimizing the connection weights.

Theory of multiwave mixing within the superconducting kinetic-inductance traveling-wave amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erickson, R. P.; Pappas, D. P.

2017-03-01

We present a theory of parametric mixing within the coplanar waveguide (CPW) of a superconducting nonlinear kinetic-inductance traveling-wave (KIT) amplifier engineered with periodic dispersion loadings. This is done by first developing a metamaterial band theory of the dispersion-engineered KIT using a Floquet-Bloch construction and then applying it to the description of mixing of the nonlinear RF traveling waves. Our theory allows us to calculate signal gain versus signal frequency in the presence of a frequency stop gap, based solely on loading design. We present results for both three-wave mixing (3WM), with applied dc bias, and four-wave mixing (4WM), without dc. Our theory predicts an intrinsic and deterministic origin to undulations of 4WM signal gain with signal frequency, apart from extrinsic sources, such as impedance mismatch, and shows that such undulations are absent from 3WM signal gain achievable with dc. Our theory is extensible to amplifiers based on Josephson junctions in a lumped LC-ladder transmission line (TWPA).

Asymmetric underlap spacer layer enabled nanoscale double gate MOSFETs for design of ultra-wideband cascode amplifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roy, Debapriya; Biswas, Abhijit

2017-10-01

Using extensive numerical analysis we investigate effects of asymmetric sidewall spacers on various device parameters of 20-nm double gate MOSFETs associated with analog/RF applications. Our studies show that the device with underlap drain-side spacer length LED of 10 nm and source-side spacer length LES of 5 nm shows improvement in terms of the peak value of transconductance efficiency, voltage gain Av, unity-gain cut-off frequency fT and maximum frequency of oscillations fMAX by 8.6%, 51.7%, 5% and 10.3%, respectively compared to the symmetric 5 nm underlap spacer device with HfO2 spacer of dielectric constant k = 22. Additionally, a higher spacer dielectric constant increases the peak Av while decreasing both peak fT and fMAX. The detailed physical insight is exploited to design a cascode amplifier which yields an ultra-wide gain bandwidth of 2.48 THz at LED = 10 nm with a SiO2 spacer.

Benefits of walking and solo experiences in UK wild places.

PubMed

Freeman, Elizabeth; Akhurst, Jacqueline; Bannigan, Katrina; James, Hazel

2017-12-01

This paper examines human-nature interaction and how therapeutic this relationship is by investigating the efficacy of structured outdoor experience. Two walking and solo experience (WSEs) explored university students' (aged 20-43 years) perceptions of walking through and being with nature. The first was a 5-day journey (n = 4; 3 females and 1 male) and the second (n = 5; 3 females and 2 males) took place over two weekends, with a 2-week interval in-between. Pre- and post-experience interviews, journal writing, group discussions and a 9-month follow-up interviews were used to collect data and thematic analysis [Braun and Clarke (Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual Res Psychol 2006;3:77-101.)] was applied. Both WSEs were considered together during analysis, as well as comparisons made between the two, in order to evaluate implications for practice. Benefits of the WSE that contributed to a general sense of well-being were: (i) gaining a sense of freedom and escape; (ii) gaining a sense of awareness and sensitivity to one's environment and its influence (iii) gaining confidence in being able to cope and take action; (iv) gaining a sense of perspective on and appreciation for life. Furthermore, the meaning participants formed in relation to their environment before, during and after the WSE, and the activity within that environment, played a role in their sense of well-being and in their motivations to re-access nature in other places. Findings suggest that WSEs are a cost effective way to give rise to beneficial and durable experiences, but a more holistic approach to policy is needed. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Epilepsy, autism, and neurodevelopment: kindling a shared vulnerability?

PubMed

Gilby, Krista L; O'Brien, Terence J

2013-03-01

Epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) share many primary and comorbid symptoms. The degree of clinical overlap is believed to signify a 'spectrum of vulnerability' that arises out of an early common dysfunction in central nervous system development. However, research into the underlying, and potentially shared, etiopathological mechanisms is challenging given the extensive comorbidity profiles. Adding to the degree of difficulty is the frequently evolving recompartmentalization of diagnostic criteria within each disorder. This review discusses potential preclinical strategies that, through the use of animal models, are designed to gain insight into the biological basis of the overlap between epilepsy and autism and to foster a rapid clinical translation of the insights gained. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Job Superscheduler Architecture and Performance in Computational Grid Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shan, Hongzhang; Oliker, Leonid; Biswas, Rupak

2003-01-01

Computational grids hold great promise in utilizing geographically separated heterogeneous resources to solve large-scale complex scientific problems. However, a number of major technical hurdles, including distributed resource management and effective job scheduling, stand in the way of realizing these gains. In this paper, we propose a novel grid superscheduler architecture and three distributed job migration algorithms. We also model the critical interaction between the superscheduler and autonomous local schedulers. Extensive performance comparisons with ideal, central, and local schemes using real workloads from leading computational centers are conducted in a simulation environment. Additionally, synthetic workloads are used to perform a detailed sensitivity analysis of our superscheduler. Several key metrics demonstrate that substantial performance gains can be achieved via smart superscheduling in distributed computational grids.

Stability of chirped bright and dark soliton-like solutions of the cubic complex Ginzburg Landau equation with variable coefficients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Fang; Xiao, Yan

2006-12-01

We consider an inhomogeneous optical fiber system described by the generalized cubic complex Ginzburg-Landau (CGL) equation with varying dispersion, nonlinearity, gain (loss), nonlinear gain (absorption) and the effect of spectral limitation. Exact chirped bright and dark soliton-like solutions of the CGL equation were found by using a suitable ansatz. Furthermore, we analyze the features of the solitons and consider the problem of stability of these soliton-like solutions under finite initial perturbations. It is shown by extensive numerical simulations that both bright and dark soliton-like solutions are stable in an inhomogeneous fiber system. Finally, the interaction between two chirped bright and dark soliton-like pulses is investigated numerically.

Legacy Systems Upgrade for Software Risk Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-12-01

Nieto, T. R., Visual Basic 6: How to Program , Prentice Hall, Inc., 1999 Edson, David, Professional Development with Visio 2000: The...and the necessity for the program . Second, follow with a review of the enhancement algorithms and software extensions intended to add additional...taken prior to the programming . First, one must gain thorough understanding of the operation of VitéProject software and its interface with Visio

"In the Interest of the Colored Boys": Christopher J. Atkinson, William T. Coleman, and the Extension of Boys' Clubs Services to African-American Communities, 1906-1931

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savage, Carter Julian

2011-01-01

This paper details how African-American boys' club workers, their Clubs as well as their service to African-American youth, gained legitimacy within the Boys' Club Federation, now Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). Specifically, it illustrates what facilitated a predominantly urban, northeastern organization to begin opening Clubs for…

High-Frequency Amplification and Sound Quality in Listeners with Normal through Moderate Hearing Loss

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ricketts, Todd A.; Dittberner, Andrew B.; Johnson, Earl E.

2008-01-01

Purpose: One factor that has been shown to greatly affect sound quality is audible bandwidth. Provision of gain for frequencies above 4-6 kHz has not generally been supported for groups of hearing aid wearers. The purpose of this study was to determine if preference for bandwidth extension in hearing aid processed sounds was related to the…

Implementation of Block Scheduling in a Four-Year High School: A Literary Review and a Handbook for Administrators, Teachers and Parents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scroggins, Gary V.; Karr-Kidwell, PJ

High schools today face problems of culturally diverse student populations, diversity of student learning styles, and a growing public perception that high schools do not adequately prepare their graduates for either work or college. This paper offers an extensive review of literature on block scheduling as well as a handbook for gaining support…

Response to the Critique of the Huffman (2014) Article, "Reading Rate Gains during a One-Semester Extensive Reading Course"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huffman, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

In his critique of the Huffman (2014) article, McLean (2016) undertakes an important reflective exercise that is too often missing in the field of second language acquisition and in the social sciences in general: questioning whether the claims made by researchers are warranted by their results. In this article, Jeffrey Huffman says that McLean…

Recent activities in flame retardancy of wood-plastic composites at the Forest Products Laboratory

Treesearch

Robert H. White; Nicole M. Stark; Nadir Ayrilmis

2011-01-01

For a variety of reasons, wood-plastic composite (WPC) products are widely available for some building applications. In applications such as outdoor decking, WPCs have gained a significant share of the market. As an option to improve the efficient use of wood fiber, the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory (FPL), has an extensive research program on WPCs....

Pairwise comparisons and visual perceptions of equal area polygons.

PubMed

Adamic, P; Babiy, V; Janicki, R; Kakiashvili, T; Koczkodaj, W W; Tadeusiewicz, R

2009-02-01

The number of studies related to visual perception has been plentiful in recent years. Participants rated the areas of five randomly generated shapes of equal area, using a reference unit area that was displayed together with the shapes. Respondents were 179 university students from Canada and Poland. The average error estimated by respondents using the unit square was 25.75%. The error was substantially decreased to 5.51% when the shapes were compared to one another in pairs. This gain of 20.24% for this two-dimensional experiment was substantially better than the 11.78% gain reported in the previous one-dimensional experiments. This is the first statistically sound two-dimensional experiment demonstrating that pairwise comparisons improve accuracy.

Competing collinear and noncollinear interactions in chirped quasi-phase-matched optical parametric amplifiers

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

Charbonneau-Lefort, Mathieu; Afeyan, Bedros; Fejer, M. M.

Chirped quasi-phase-matched optical parametric amplifiers (chirped QPM OPAs) are investigated experimentally. The measured collinear gain is constant over a broad bandwidth, which makes these devices attractive candidates for use in femtosecond amplifier systems. The experiment also shows that chirped QPM OPAs support noncollinear gain-guided modes. These modes can dominate the desired collinear gain and generate intense parametric fluorescence. Finally, design guidelines to mitigate these parasitic processes are discussed.

Punish the Perpetrator or Compensate the Victim? Gain vs. Loss Context Modulate Third-Party Altruistic Behaviors

PubMed Central

Liu, Yingjie; Li, Lin; Zheng, Li; Guo, Xiuyan

2017-01-01

Third-party punishment and third-party compensation are primary responses to observed norms violations. Previous studies mostly investigated these behaviors in gain rather than loss context, and few study made direct comparison between these two behaviors. We conducted three experiments to investigate third-party punishment and third-party compensation in the gain and loss context. Participants observed two persons playing Dictator Game to share an amount of gain or loss, and the proposer would propose unfair distribution sometimes. In Study 1A, participants should decide whether they wanted to punish proposer. In Study 1B, participants decided to compensate the recipient or to do nothing. This two experiments explored how gain and loss contexts might affect the willingness to altruistically punish a perpetrator, or to compensate a victim of unfairness. Results suggested that both third-party punishment and compensation were stronger in the loss context. Study 2 directly compare third-party punishment and third-party compensation in the both contexts, by allowing participants choosing between punishment, compensation and keeping. Participants chose compensation more often than punishment in the loss context, and chose more punishments in the gain context. Empathic concern partly explained between-context differences of altruistic compensation and punishment. Our findings provide insights on modulating effect of context on third-party altruistic decisions. PMID:29234295

Survivor experience of a child sexual abuse prevention program: a pilot study.

PubMed

Barron, Ian G; Topping, Keith J

2013-09-01

Addressing gaps in the research, the current study assesses the impact of a community-based child sexual abuse prevention program on known survivor knowledge/skills, disclosures, and subjective experience. Methodologically, novel measures of program fidelity and implementation cost are applied. A pre- posttest wait-list control design was utilized with intervention (n = 10) and comparison groups (n = 10). Measures included a standardized knowledge/skill questionnaire, coding of disclosures, subjective experience questionnaires, in-depth interviews, video analysis of program adherence, and a measure of cost. Analysis involved nonparametric tests and thematic analysis of interview and video data. Cost was calculated for the group and per survivor. Survivors achieved significant gains in knowledge/skills, made further disclosures, and were positive about their program experience. No gains were identified in the control group. Costs were small. Future studies need to explore survivor experience of programs delivered in classrooms.

'It ain't what you do it's the way that you do it': lessons for health care from decommissioning of older people's services.

PubMed

Robinson, Suzanne; Glasby, Jon; Allen, Kerry

2013-11-01

Public sector organisations are facing one of the most difficult financial periods in history and local decision-makers are tasked with making tough rationing decisions. Withdrawing or limiting services is an emotive and complex task and something the National Health Service has always found difficult. Over time, local authorities have gained significant experience in the closure of care homes - an equally complex and controversial issue. Drawing on local knowledge and best practice examples, this article highlights lessons and themes identified by those decommissioning care home services. We believe that such lessons are relevant to those making disinvestment decisions across public sector services, including health-care. The study employed semi-structured interviews with 12 Directors of Adult Social Services who had been highlighted nationally as having extensive experience of home closures. Interviews were conducted over a 2-week period in March 2011. Results from the study found that having local policy guidance that is perceived as fair and reasonable was advocated by those involved in home closures. Many local policies had evolved over time and had often been developed following experiences of home closures (both good and bad). Decisions to close care home services require a combination of strong leadership, clear strategic goals, a fair decision-making process, strong evidence of the need for change and good communication, alongside wider stakeholder engagement and support. The current financial challenge means that public sector organisations need to make tough choices on investment and disinvestment decisions. Any such decisions need to be influenced by what we know constitutes best practice. Sharing lessons and experiences within and between sectors could well inform and develop decision-making practices. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Partial ASL extensions for stochastic programming.

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

Gay, David

2010-03-31

partially completed extensions for stochastic programming to the AMPL/solver interface library (ASL).modeling and experimenting with stochastic recourse problems. This software is not primarily for military applications

Evolutionary Genomics of Defense Systems in Archaea and Bacteria*

PubMed Central

Koonin, Eugene V.; Makarova, Kira S.; Wolf, Yuri I.

2018-01-01

Evolution of bacteria and archaea involves an incessant arms race against an enormous diversity of genetic parasites. Accordingly, a substantial fraction of the genes in most bacteria and archaea are dedicated to antiparasite defense. The functions of these defense systems follow several distinct strategies, including innate immunity; adaptive immunity; and dormancy induction, or programmed cell death. Recent comparative genomic studies taking advantage of the expanding database of microbial genomes and metagenomes, combined with direct experiments, resulted in the discovery of several previously unknown defense systems, including innate immunity centered on Argonaute proteins, bacteriophage exclusion, and new types of CRISPR-Cas systems of adaptive immunity. Some general principles of function and evolution of defense systems are starting to crystallize, in particular, extensive gain and loss of defense genes during the evolution of prokaryotes; formation of genomic defense islands; evolutionary connections between mobile genetic elements and defense, whereby genes of mobile elements are repeatedly recruited for defense functions; the partially selfish and addictive behavior of the defense systems; and coupling between immunity and dormancy induction/programmed cell death. PMID:28657885

Application of Pi Preform Composite Joints in Fabrication of NASA Composite Crew Module Demonstration Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Higgins, John E.; Pelham, Larry

2008-01-01

This paper will describe unique and extensive use of pre-woven and impregnated pi cross-sections in fabrication of a carbon composite demonstration structure for the Composite Crew Module (CCM) Program. The program is managed by the NASA Safety and Engineering Center with participants from ten NASA Centers and AFRL. Multiple aerospace contractors are participating in the design development, tooling and fabrication effort as well. The goal of the program is to develop an agency wide design team for composite habitable spacecraft. The specific goals for this development project are: a) To gain hands on experience in design, building and testing a composite crew module. b) To validate key assumptions by resolving composite spacecraft design details through fabrication and testing of hardware. This paper will focus on the design and fabrication issues supporting selection of the Lockheed Martin patented Pi pre-form to provide sound composite joints a numerous locations in the structure. This abstract is based on Preliminary Design data. The final design will continue to evolve through the fall of 2007 with fabrication mostly completed by conference date.

Ultrasonic Spot and Torsion Welding of Aluminum to Titanium Alloys: Process, Properties and Interfacial Microstructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balle, Frank; Magin, Jens

Hybrid lightweight structures shape the development of future vehicles in traffic engineering and the aerospace industry. For multi-material concepts made out of aluminum and titanium alloys, the ultrasonic welding technique is an alternative effective joining technology. The overlapped structures can be welded in the solid state, even without gas shielding. In this paper the conventional ultrasonic spot welding with longitudinal oscillation mode is compared to the recent ultrasonic torsion welding with a torsional mode at 20 kHz working frequency. For each technique the process parameters welding force, welding energy and oscillation amplitude were optimized for the hybrid joints using design of experiments. Relationships between the process parameters, mechanical properties and related welding zone should be understood. Central aspects of the research project are microscopic studies of the joining zone in cross section and extensive fracture surface analysis. Detailed electron microscopy and spectroscopy of the hybrid interface help to understand the interfacial formation during ultrasonic welding as well as to transfer the gained knowledge for further multi-metal joints.