Evaluation of Fast-Time Wake Models Using Denver 2006 Field Experiment Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ahmad, Nash’at N.; Pruis, Matthew J.

2015-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration conducted a series of wake vortex field experiments at Denver in 2003, 2005, and 2006. This paper describes the lidar wake vortex measurements and associated meteorological data collected during the 2006 deployment, and includes results of recent reprocessing of the lidar data using a new wake vortex algorithm and estimates of the atmospheric turbulence using a new algorithm to estimate eddy dissipation rate from the lidar data. The configuration and set-up of the 2006 field experiment allowed out-of-ground effect vortices to be tracked in lateral transport further than any previous campaign and thereby provides an opportunity to study long-lived wake vortices in moderate to low crosswinds. An evaluation of NASA's fast-time wake vortex transport and decay models using the dataset shows similar performance as previous studies using other field data.

A Field Study Program in Analytical Chemistry for College Seniors.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langhus, D. L.; Flinchbaugh, D. A.

1986-01-01

Describes an elective field study program at Moravian College (Pennsylvania) in which seniors in analytical chemistry obtain first-hand experience at Bethlehem Steel Corporation. Discusses the program's planning phase, some method development projects done by students, experiences received in laboratory operations, and the evaluation of student…

Student Teachers' Team Teaching during Field Experiences: An Evaluation by Their Mentors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simons, Mathea; Baeten, Marlies

2016-01-01

Since collaboration within schools gains importance, teacher educators are looking for alternative models of field experience inspired by collaborative learning. Team teaching is such a model. This study explores two team teaching models (parallel and sequential teaching) by investigating the mentors' perspective. Semi-structured interviews were…

Development and Evaluation of an Online Air Quality Monitor (DIVEAIR2) for Diving Compressors

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

nonextreme levels. However, our experience with field testing has shown that the temperatures of work spaces commonly used for instrument setup and...so far. Nevertheless, one strategy for field use might be to allow the monitor to equilibrate to the ambient temperature near the compressor before...limit be subject to change, depending on experience with actual field testing. 4. Before any monitors are delivered to the Fleet for field use, we

Dewey's Concept of Experience for Inquiry-Based Landscape Drawing during Field Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tillmann, Alexander; Albrecht, Volker; Wunderlich, Jürgen

2017-01-01

The epistemological and educational philosophy of John Dewey is used as a theoretical basis to analyze processes of knowledge construction during geographical field studies. The experience of landscape drawing as a method of inquiry and a starting point for research-based learning is empirically evaluated. The basic drawing skills are acquired…

Rational Ignorance in Education: A Field Experiment in Student Plagiarism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dee, Thomas S.; Jacob, Brian A.

2012-01-01

Plagiarism appears to be a common problem among college students, yet there is little evidence on the effectiveness of interventions designed to minimize plagiarism. This study presents the results of a field experiment that evaluated the effects of a web-based educational tutorial in reducing plagiarism. We found that assignment to the treatment…

The Efficacy of Drama in Field Experience: A Qualitative Study Using MAXQDA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elaldi, Senel; Yerliyurt, Nazli Sila

2017-01-01

This study attempted to evaluate the views of senior preservice preschool teachers on the efficacy of drama activities in their field experience in terms of the effect of students' learning, socialization, individual or group work skills and school connectedness and also disclosed the suggestions of senior preservice preschool teachers for faculty…

FIELD EVALUATION OF A METHOD FOR ESTIMATING GASEOUS FLUXES FROM AREA SOURCES USING OPEN-PATH FOURIER TRANSFORM INFRARED

EPA Science Inventory

The paper describes preliminary results from a field experiment designed to evaluate a new approach to quantifying gaseous fugitive emissions from area air pollution sources. The new approach combines path-integrated concentration data acquired with any path-integrated optical re...

Experimental Investigation of Effectiveness of Magnetic Field on Food Freezing Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Toru; Takeuchi, Yuri; Masuda, Kazunori; Watanabe, Manabu; Shirakashi, Ryo; Fukuda, Yutaka; Tsuruta, Takaharu; Yamamoto, Kazutaka; Koga, Nobumitsu; Hiruma, Naoya; Ichioka, Jun; Takai, Kiyoshi

Recently, several food refrigeration equipments that utilize magnetic field have attracted much attention from food production companies, consumers and mass media. However, the effectiveness of the freezers is not scientifically examined. Therefore, the effectiveness should be clarified by experiments or theoretical considerations. In this study, the effect of weak magnetic field (about 0.0005 T) on freezing process of several kinds of foods was investigated by using a specially designed freezer facilitated with magnetic field generator. The investigation included the comparison of freezing curves, drip amount, physicochemical evaluations on color and texture, observation of microstructure, and sensory evaluation. From the results of the control experiments, it can be concluded that weak magnetic field around 0.0005 T provided no significant difference on temperature history during freezing and on the qualities of frozen foods, within our experimental conditions.

Results of nDOSE and HiDOSE Experiments for Dosimetric Evaluation During STS-134 Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pugliese, M.; Loffredo, F.; Quarto, M.; Roca, V.; Mattone, C.; Borla, O.; Zanini, A.

2014-07-01

HiDOSE (Heavy ion DOSimetry Experiment) and nDOSE (neutron DOSimetry Experiment) experiments conducted as a part of BIOKIS (Biokon in Space) payload were designed to measure the dose equivalent due to charged particles and to neutron field, on the entire energy range, during STS-134 mission. Given the complexity of the radiation field in space environment, dose measurements should be considered an asset of any space mission, and for this reason HiDOSE and nDOSE experiments represent an important contribution to the radiation environment assessment during this mission, a short duration flight. The results of these experiments, obtained using Thermo Luminescence Dosimeters (TLDs) to evaluate the charged particles dosimetry and neutron bubbles dosimeters and stack bismuth track dosimeters for neutron dosimetry, indicate that the dose equivalent rate due to space radiation exposure during the STS-134 mission is in accordance with the results obtained from long duration flights.

Students' Evaluation of Their English Language Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maizatulliza, M.; Kiely, R.

2017-01-01

In the field of English language teaching and learning, there is a long history of investigating students' performance while they are undergoing specific learning programmes. This research study, however, focused on students' evaluation of their English language learning experience after they have completed their programme. The data were gathered…

Evaluation of the Persistent Issues in History Laboratory for Virtual Field Experience (PIH-LVFE)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brush, Thomas; Saye, John; Kale, Ugur; Hur, Jung Won; Kohlmeier, Jada; Yerasimou, Theano; Guo, Lijiang; Symonette, Simone

2009-01-01

The Persistent Issues in History Laboratory for Virtual Field Experience (PIH-LVFE) combines a database of video cases of authentic classroom practices with multiple resources and tools to enable pre-service social studies teachers to virtually observe teachers implementing problem-based learning activities. In this paper, we present the results…

Innovative Field Experiences in Teacher Education: Student-Teachers and Mentors as Partners in Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baeten, Marlies; Simons, Mathea

2016-01-01

This study investigates team teaching between student teachers and mentors during student teachers' field experiences. A systematic literature search was conducted, which resulted into a narrative review. Three team teaching models could be distinguished: (1) the co-planning and co-evaluation model, (2) the assistant teaching model, and (3) the…

Using Norm-Based Appeals to Increase Response Rates in Evaluation Research: A Field Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Misra, Shalini; Stokols, Daniel; Marino, Anne Heberger

2012-01-01

A field experiment was conducted to test the effectiveness of norm-based persuasive messages for increasing response rates in online survey research. Participants in an interdisciplinary conference were asked to complete two successive postconference surveys and randomly assigned to one of two groups at each time point. The experimental group…

Microdamage healing in asphalt and asphalt concrete, Volume 2 : laboratory and field testing to assess and evaluate microdamage and microdamage healing

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-06-01

Volume 2 documents laboratory and field testing that provides the evidence that microdamage healing is real and measurable and that it has a significant impact on pavement performance. Part of the laboratory experiments to evaluate the impact of rest...

Experiments of multichannel least-square methods for sound field reproduction inside aircraft mock-up: Objective evaluations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gauthier, P.-A.; Camier, C.; Lebel, F.-A.; Pasco, Y.; Berry, A.; Langlois, J.; Verron, C.; Guastavino, C.

2016-08-01

Sound environment reproduction of various flight conditions in aircraft mock-ups is a valuable tool for the study, prediction, demonstration and jury testing of interior aircraft sound quality and annoyance. To provide a faithful reproduced sound environment, time, frequency and spatial characteristics should be preserved. Physical sound field reproduction methods for spatial sound reproduction are mandatory to immerse the listener's body in the proper sound fields so that localization cues are recreated at the listener's ears. Vehicle mock-ups pose specific problems for sound field reproduction. Confined spaces, needs for invisible sound sources and very specific acoustical environment make the use of open-loop sound field reproduction technologies such as wave field synthesis (based on free-field models of monopole sources) not ideal. In this paper, experiments in an aircraft mock-up with multichannel least-square methods and equalization are reported. The novelty is the actual implementation of sound field reproduction with 3180 transfer paths and trim panel reproduction sources in laboratory conditions with a synthetic target sound field. The paper presents objective evaluations of reproduced sound fields using various metrics as well as sound field extrapolation and sound field characterization.

Hemispheric Predominance Assessment of Phonology and Semantics: A Divided Visual Field Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cousin, Emilie; Peyrin, Carole; Baciu, Monica

2006-01-01

The aim of the present behavioural experiment was to evaluate the most lateralized among two phonological (phoneme vs. rhyme detection) and the most lateralized among two semantic ("living" vs. "edible" categorization) tasks, within the dominant hemisphere for language. The reason of addressing this question was a practical one: to evaluate the…

The Effect of Teacher-Family Communication on Student Engagement: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kraft, Matthew A.; Dougherty, Shaun M.

2013-01-01

In this study, we evaluate the efficacy of teacher communication with parents and students as a means of increasing student engagement. We estimate the causal effect of teacher communication by conducting a randomized field experiment in which sixth- and ninth-grade students were assigned to receive a daily phone call home and a text/written…

Situational Awareness Applied to Geology Field Mapping using Integration of Semantic Data and Visualization Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houser, P. I. Q.

2017-12-01

21st century earth science is data-intensive, characterized by heterogeneous, sometimes voluminous collections representing phenomena at different scales collected for different purposes and managed in disparate ways. However, much of the earth's surface still requires boots-on-the-ground, in-person fieldwork in order to detect the subtle variations from which humans can infer complex structures and patterns. Nevertheless, field experiences can and should be enabled and enhanced by a variety of emerging technologies. The goal of the proposed research project is to pilot test emerging data integration, semantic and visualization technologies for evaluation of their potential usefulness in the field sciences, particularly in the context of field geology. The proposed project will investigate new techniques for data management and integration enabled by semantic web technologies, along with new techniques for augmented reality that can operate on such integrated data to enable in situ visualization in the field. The research objectives include: Develop new technical infrastructure that applies target technologies to field geology; Test, evaluate, and assess the technical infrastructure in a pilot field site; Evaluate the capabilities of the systems for supporting and augmenting field science; and Assess the generality of the system for implementation in new and different types of field sites. Our hypothesis is that these technologies will enable what we call "field science situational awareness" - a cognitive state formerly attained only through long experience in the field - that is highly desirable but difficult to achieve in time- and resource-limited settings. Expected outcomes include elucidation of how, and in what ways, these technologies are beneficial in the field; enumeration of the steps and requirements to implement these systems; and cost/benefit analyses that evaluate under what conditions the investments of time and resources are advisable to construct such system.

Evaluation of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for the competitiveness analysis of selected indigenous cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) Bradyrhizobium strains from Kenya.

PubMed

Ndungu, Samuel Mathu; Messmer, Monika M; Ziegler, Dominik; Thuita, Moses; Vanlauwe, Bernard; Frossard, Emmanuel; Thonar, Cécile

2018-06-01

Cowpea N 2 fixation and yield can be enhanced by selecting competitive and efficient indigenous rhizobia. Strains from contrasting agro-ecologies of Kilifi and Mbeere (Kenya) were screened. Two pot experiments were established consisting of 13 Bradyrhizobium strains; experiment 1 (11 Mbeere + CBA + BK1 from Burkina Faso), experiment 2 (12 Kilifi + CBA). Symbiotic effectiveness was assessed (shoot biomass, SPAD index and N uptake). Nodule occupancy of 13 simultaneously co-inoculated strains in each experiment was analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) to assess competitiveness. Strains varied in effectiveness and competitiveness. The four most efficient strains were further evaluated in a field trial in Mbeere during the 2014 short rains. Strains from bacteroids of cowpea nodules from pot and field experiments were accurately identified as Bradyrhizobium by MALDI-TOF based on the SARAMIS™ database. In the field, abundant indigenous populations 7.10 × 10 3 rhizobia g -1 soil, outcompeted introduced strains. As revealed by MALDI-TOF, indigenous strains clustered into six distinct groups (I, II, III, IV, V and VI), group III were most abundant occupying 80% of nodules analyzed. MALDI-TOF was rapid, affordable and reliable to identify Bradyrhizobium strains directly from nodule suspensions in competition pot assays and in the field with abundant indigenous strains thus, its suitability for future competition assays. Evaluating strain competitiveness and then symbiotic efficacy is proposed in bioprospecting for potential cowpea inoculant strains.

A Field-Based Curriculum Model for Earth Science Teacher-Preparation Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dubois, David D.

1979-01-01

This study proposed a model set of cognitive-behavioral objectives for field-based teacher education programs for earth science teachers. It describes field experience integration into teacher education programs. The model is also applicable for evaluation of earth science teacher education programs. (RE)

Quasi-experimental evaluation without regression analysis.

PubMed

Rohrer, James E

2009-01-01

Evaluators of public health programs in field settings cannot always randomize subjects into experimental or control groups. By default, they may choose to employ the weakest study design available: the pretest, posttest approach without a comparison group. This essay argues that natural experiments involving comparison groups are within reach of public health program managers. Methods for analyzing natural experiments are discussed.

Widening Access through Openness in Higher Education in the Developing World: A Bourdieusian Field Analysis of Experiences from the National Open University of Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olakulehin, Felix Kayode; Singh, Gurmit

2013-01-01

Bourdieu has argued that higher education is a field that reproduces social inequality, thus complicating how openness widens access to higher education in the developing world. Drawing on the experiences of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), this paper critically analyses and evaluates the rationale, approach, difficulties,…

Bacterial Transport in Heterogeneous Porous Media: Laboratory and Field Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuller, M. E.

2001-12-01

A fully instrumented research site for examining field-scale bacterial transport has been established on the eastern shore of Virginia. Studies employing intact sediment cores from the South Oyster site have been performed to examine the effects of physical and chemical heterogeneity, to derive transport parameters, and to aid in the selection of bacterial strains for use in field experiments. A variety of innovative methods for tracking bacteria were developed and evaluated under both laboratory and field conditions, providing the tools to detect target cell concentrations in groundwater down to <20 cells/ml, and to perform real-time monitoring in the field. Comprehensive modeling efforts have provided a framework for the layout and instrumentation of the field site, and have aided in the design and interpretation of field-scale bacterial transport experiments. Field transport experiments were conducted in both aerobic and an anoxic flow cells to determine the effects of physical and chemical heterogeneity on field-scale bacterial transport. The results of this research not only contribute to the development of more effective bioremediation strategies, but also have implications for a better understanding of bacterial movement in the subsurface as it relates to public health microbiology and general microbial ecology.

In situ ozone data for evaluation of the laser absorption spectrometer ozone remote sensor: 1979 southeastern Virginia urban plume study summer field program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gregory, G. L.; Mcdougal, D. S.; Mathis, J. J., Jr.

1980-01-01

Ozone data from the 1979 Southeastern Virginia Urban Study (SEV-UPS) field program are presented. The SEV-UPS was conducted for evaluation of an ozone remote sensor, the Laser Absorption Spectrometer. During the measurement program, remote-sensor evaluation was in two areas; (1) determination of the remote sensor's accuracy, repeatability, and operational characteristics, and (2) demonstration of the application of remotely sensed ozone data in air-quality studies. Data from six experiments designed to provide in situ ozone data for evaluation of the sensor in area 1, above, are presented. Experiments consisted of overflights of a test area with the remote sensor aircraft while in situ measurements with a second aircraft and selected surface stations provided correlative ozone data within the viewing area of the remote sensor.

Electron beam injection during active experiments. I - Electromagnetic wave emissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winglee, R. M.; Kellogg, P. J.

1990-01-01

The wave emissions produced in Echo 7 experiment by active injections of electron beams were investigated to determine the properties of the electromagnetic and electrostatic fields for both the field-aligned and cross-field injection in such experiments and to evaluate the sources of free energy and relative efficiencies for the generation of the VLF and HF emissions. It is shown that, for typical beam energies in active experiments, electromagnetic effects do not substantially change the bulk properties of the beam, spacecraft charging, and plasma particle acceleration. Through simulations, beam-generated whistlers; fundamental z-mode and harmonic x-mode radiation; and electrostatic electron-cyclotron, upper-hybrid, Langmuir, and lower-hybrid waves were identified. The characteristics of the observed wave spectra were found to be sensitive to both the ratio of the electron plasma frequency to the cyclotron frequency and the angle of injection relative to the magnetic field.

Educational Field Trips for Disadvantaged Pupils in Nonpublic Schools. Evaluation of ESEA Title I Projects in New York City, 1967-68.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenthal, Harvey M.

This Elementary and Secondary Education Act Title I project was developed in order to provide educationally enriching experiences to New York City elementary school students in disadvantaged non-public schools by means of field trips to places of civic and cultural interest. The 182 schools chosen were in designated poverty areas. Evaluation of…

LABORATORY AND FIELD STUDIES TO EVALUATE RISKS TO LARVAL FISH FROM PHOTO-ACTIVATED TOXICITY OF PAHS

EPA Science Inventory

Hazard from photo-activation of PAHs has been well documented in aquatic organisms. Far less certain is the degree to which risk actually occurs in the field. This presentation outlines a series of laboratory and field experiments conducted to better understand the dosimetry and ...

International Collaboration Activities on Engineered Barrier Systems

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

Jove-Colon, Carlos F.

The Used Fuel Disposition Campaign (UFDC) within the DOE Fuel Cycle Technologies (FCT) program has been engaging in international collaborations between repository R&D programs for high-level waste (HLW) disposal to leverage on gathered knowledge and laboratory/field data of near- and far-field processes from experiments at underground research laboratories (URL). Heater test experiments at URLs provide a unique opportunity to mimetically study the thermal effects of heat-generating nuclear waste in subsurface repository environments. Various configurations of these experiments have been carried out at various URLs according to the disposal design concepts of the hosting country repository program. The FEBEX (Full-scale Engineeredmore » Barrier Experiment in Crystalline Host Rock) project is a large-scale heater test experiment originated by the Spanish radioactive waste management agency (Empresa Nacional de Residuos Radiactivos S.A. – ENRESA) at the Grimsel Test Site (GTS) URL in Switzerland. The project was subsequently managed by CIEMAT. FEBEX-DP is a concerted effort of various international partners working on the evaluation of sensor data and characterization of samples obtained during the course of this field test and subsequent dismantling. The main purpose of these field-scale experiments is to evaluate feasibility for creation of an engineered barrier system (EBS) with a horizontal configuration according to the Spanish concept of deep geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste in crystalline rock. Another key aspect of this project is to improve the knowledge of coupled processes such as thermal-hydro-mechanical (THM) and thermal-hydro-chemical (THC) operating in the near-field environment. The focus of these is on model development and validation of predictions through model implementation in computational tools to simulate coupled THM and THC processes.« less

Field cage studies and progressive evaluation of genetically-engineered mosquitoes.

PubMed

Facchinelli, Luca; Valerio, Laura; Ramsey, Janine M; Gould, Fred; Walsh, Rachael K; Bond, Guillermo; Robert, Michael A; Lloyd, Alun L; James, Anthony A; Alphey, Luke; Scott, Thomas W

2013-01-01

A genetically-engineered strain of the dengue mosquito vector Aedes aegypti, designated OX3604C, was evaluated in large outdoor cage trials for its potential to improve dengue prevention efforts by inducing population suppression. OX3604C is engineered with a repressible genetic construct that causes a female-specific flightless phenotype. Wild-type females that mate with homozygous OX3604C males will not produce reproductive female offspring. Weekly introductions of OX3604C males eliminated all three targeted Ae. aegypti populations after 10-20 weeks in a previous laboratory cage experiment. As part of the phased, progressive evaluation of this technology, we carried out an assessment in large outdoor field enclosures in dengue endemic southern Mexico. OX3604C males were introduced weekly into field cages containing stable target populations, initially at 10:1 ratios. Statistically significant target population decreases were detected in 4 of 5 treatment cages after 17 weeks, but none of the treatment populations were eliminated. Mating competitiveness experiments, carried out to explore the discrepancy between lab and field cage results revealed a maximum mating disadvantage of up 59.1% for OX3604C males, which accounted for a significant part of the 97% fitness cost predicted by a mathematical model to be necessary to produce the field cage results. Our results indicate that OX3604C may not be effective in large-scale releases. A strain with the same transgene that is not encumbered by a large mating disadvantage, however, could have improved prospects for dengue prevention. Insights from large outdoor cage experiments may provide an important part of the progressive, stepwise evaluation of genetically-engineered mosquitoes.

Field Cage Studies and Progressive Evaluation of Genetically-Engineered Mosquitoes

PubMed Central

Facchinelli, Luca; Valerio, Laura; Ramsey, Janine M.; Gould, Fred; Walsh, Rachael K.; Bond, Guillermo; Robert, Michael A.; Lloyd, Alun L.; James, Anthony A.; Alphey, Luke; Scott, Thomas W.

2013-01-01

Background A genetically-engineered strain of the dengue mosquito vector Aedes aegypti, designated OX3604C, was evaluated in large outdoor cage trials for its potential to improve dengue prevention efforts by inducing population suppression. OX3604C is engineered with a repressible genetic construct that causes a female-specific flightless phenotype. Wild-type females that mate with homozygous OX3604C males will not produce reproductive female offspring. Weekly introductions of OX3604C males eliminated all three targeted Ae. aegypti populations after 10–20 weeks in a previous laboratory cage experiment. As part of the phased, progressive evaluation of this technology, we carried out an assessment in large outdoor field enclosures in dengue endemic southern Mexico. Methodology/Principal Findings OX3604C males were introduced weekly into field cages containing stable target populations, initially at 10∶1 ratios. Statistically significant target population decreases were detected in 4 of 5 treatment cages after 17 weeks, but none of the treatment populations were eliminated. Mating competitiveness experiments, carried out to explore the discrepancy between lab and field cage results revealed a maximum mating disadvantage of up 59.1% for OX3604C males, which accounted for a significant part of the 97% fitness cost predicted by a mathematical model to be necessary to produce the field cage results. Conclusions/Significance Our results indicate that OX3604C may not be effective in large-scale releases. A strain with the same transgene that is not encumbered by a large mating disadvantage, however, could have improved prospects for dengue prevention. Insights from large outdoor cage experiments may provide an important part of the progressive, stepwise evaluation of genetically-engineered mosquitoes. PMID:23350003

Biofumigation with Brassica juncea, Raphanus sativus and Eruca sativa for the management of field populations of the potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida.

PubMed

Ngala, Bruno M; Haydock, Patrick P J; Woods, Simon; Back, Matthew A

2015-05-01

The viability of potato cyst nematode (PCN) populations (Globodera pallida) was evaluated in three field experiments using Brassica juncea, Raphanus sativus and Eruca sativa amendments. These species were summer cultivated and autumn incorporated in experiment 1; in experiment 2, overwintered brassicaceous cover crops were spring incorporated. Experiment 3 involved determination of effects of metconazole application on biomass/glucosinolate production by B. juncea and R. sativus and on PCN pre- and post-incorporation. Glucosinolate contents were determined before incorporation. Following cover crop incorporation, field plots were planted with susceptible potatoes to evaluate the biofumigation effects on PCN reproduction. In experiment 1, PCN population post-potato harvest was reduced (P = 0.03) in B. juncea-treated plots, while R. sativus prevented further multiplication, but in experiment 2 there were no significant effects on PCN reproduction. In experiment 3, B. juncea or R. sativus either untreated or treated with metconazole reduced PCN populations. Glucosinolate concentrations varied significantly between different plant regions and cultivation seasons. Metconazole application increased the sinigrin concentration in B. juncea tissues. Glucosinolate concentrations correlated positively with PCN mortality for summer-cultivated brassicaceous plants. The results demonstrated that B. juncea and R. sativus green manures can play an important role in PCN management, particularly if included in an integrated pest management scheme. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

MISR UAE Products

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2016-11-25

United Arab Emirates - Unified Aerosol Experiment (UAE 2 ) 2004 The United Arab Emirates-Unified Aerosol Experiment (UAE2) 2004 field campaign scheduled ... 2004 targets the coastal and desert regions of the United Arab Emirates. The main scientific goal is to evaluate and improve satellite ...

Evaluation of the Revised Lagrangian Particle Model GRAL Against Wind-Tunnel and Field Observations in the Presence of Obstacles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oettl, Dietmar

2015-05-01

A revised microscale flow field model has been implemented in the Lagrangian particle model Graz Lagrangian Model (GRAL) for computing flows around obstacles. It is based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations in three dimensions and the widely used standard turbulence model. Here we focus on evaluating the model regarding computed concentrations by use of a comprehensive wind-tunnel experiment with numerous combinations of building geometries, stack positions, and locations. In addition, two field experiments carried out in Denmark and in the U.S were used to evaluate the model. Further, two different formulations of the standard deviation of wind component fluctuations have also been investigated, but no clear picture could be drawn in this respect. Overall the model is able to capture several of the main features of pollutant dispersion around obstacles, but at least one future model improvement was identified for stack releases within the recirculation zone of buildings. Regulatory applications are the bread-and-butter of most GRAL users nowadays, requiring fast and robust modelling algorithms. Thus, a few simplifications have been introduced to decrease the computational time required. Although predicted concentrations for the two field experiments were found to be in good agreement with observations, shortcomings were identified regarding the extent of computed recirculation zones for the idealized wind-tunnel building geometries, with approaching flows perpendicular to building faces.

Engineering design criteria for an image intensifier/image converter camera

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharpsteen, J. T.; Lund, D. L.; Stoap, L. J.; Solheim, C. D.

1976-01-01

The design, display, and evaluation of an image intensifier/image converter camera which can be utilized in various requirements of spaceshuttle experiments are described. An image intensifier tube was utilized in combination with two brassboards as power supply and used for evaluation of night photography in the field. Pictures were obtained showing field details which would have been undistinguishable to the naked eye or to an ordinary camera.

Field investigation of high performance pavements in Virginia.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-01-01

This study evaluated 18 pavement sections located in high-traffic highways in Virginia to find a premium pavement design with a life span of 40 years or more using current and past field experience. The selected pavement sections were thought to perf...

Cross-Disciplinary Thermoregulation and Sweat Analysis Laboratory Experiences for Undergraduate Chemistry and Exercise Science Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mulligan, Gregory; Taylor, Nichole; Glen, Mary; Tomlin, Dona; Gaul, Catherine A.

2011-01-01

Cross-disciplinary (CD) learning experiences benefit student understanding of concepts and curriculum by offering opportunities to explore topics from the perspectives of alternate fields of study. This report involves a qualitative evaluation of CD health sciences undergraduate laboratory experiences in which concepts and students from two…

Photovoice as an Evaluation Tool for Student Learning on a Field Trip

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behrendt, Marc; Machtmes, Krisanna

2016-01-01

Background: Photovoice is one method that enables an educator to view an experience from a student's perspective. This study examined how teachers might use photovoice during an informal learning experience to understand the students' experiences and experiential gain. Design and methods: Participants in this study consisted of six students, three…

Sampling the Soils around a Residence Containing Lead-Based Paints: An X-Ray Fluorescence Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bachofer, Steven J.

2008-01-01

Sampling experiments utilizing field portable instruments are instructional since students collect data following regulatory protocols, evaluate it, and begin to recognize their civic responsibilities upon collecting useful data. A lead-in-soil experiment educated students on a prevalent exposure pathway. The experimental site was a pre-1950…

Rehabilitation of jointed Portland cement concrete pavements : SPS-6--initial evaluation and analysis

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-10-01

The Specific Pavement Studies 6 (SPS-6) experiment, "Rehabilitation of Jointed Portland Cement Concrete Pavements," was designed as a controlled field experiment that focuses on the study of specific rehabilitation design features of jointed plain co...

Technology, Accuracy and Scientific Thought in Field Camp: An Ethnographic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feig, Anthony D.

2010-01-01

An ethnographic study was conducted on an undergraduate field course to observe and document lived experiences of students. This paper evaluates one of several emergent themes: that of technology dependence, and how it informs students' understanding of scientific reality. In the field, students tried to arm themselves with as high a degree of…

Promoting Field Trip Confidence: Teachers Providing Insights for Pre-Service Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ateskan, Armagan; Lane, Jennie F.

2016-01-01

Pre-service teachers need experiences in practical matters as a part of field trip preparations programmes. For 14 years, a private, non-profit university in Turkey has involved pre-service teachers in field trip planning, implementation and evaluation. A programme assessment was conducted through a case study to examine the long-term effects of…

Using a new Geothermal Well Field as a Field Laboratory to Facilitate Comprehensive Knowledge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neumann, K.; Dowling, C. B.

2011-12-01

In Fall 2010, the faculty of the Department of Geological Sciences at Ball State University (BSU) took advantage of several recently drilled monitoring wells within BSU's newly constructed ground-source geothermal well field, currently the largest in the U.S., to create an undergraduate field laboratory for hydrogeological experiments. Using the Investigative Case-Based Learning approach, upper-level undergraduate students developed research projects that would assist BSU's Facilities in evaluating and maintaining the geothermal fields. The students designed original hypotheses and explored how to test them with the available equipment within one semester. They focused on observing and measuring the potential impact of the geothermal well field on groundwater temperature and flow direction using two shallow monitoring wells in gravel (~30 ft) and eight deeper monitoring wells in limestone (~70 ft). The results will be used for comparisons when the geothermal plant goes online in Fall 2011. Undergraduate and graduate students will perform experiments throughout this initial period and continue even after the geothermal field is activated. Through the use of different assessment tools, including peer evaluation, instructors' assessment and an assessment of understanding, we determined that twenty-five percent of the class gained full comprehensive understanding. These students were able to design new experiments by assessing their semester data, integrating their knowledge from previous classes, and synthesizing new hypotheses. The majority of the class was able to further expand their understanding of the scientific process, but not to the extent as the top students.

Getting out the Vote with Evaluative Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bhatti, Yosef; Dahlgaard, Jens Olav; Hansen, Jonas H.; Hansen, Kasper M.

2015-01-01

Democratic institutions often do not evaluate their instruments. By working closely with authorities, we developed a field experiment to examine an initiative to increase voter turnout among 18-year-olds that had not previously been evaluated. Particular attention was paid to developing an appropriate program theory and to designing the evaluation…

Educational Expectations in an Urban American Indian Community: A Phenomenological Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vertigan Swerdfiger, Jacqueline Ella

2017-01-01

This investigation uses narrative to explore the educational experiences and expectations of 10 urban, Midwestern United States American Indians. Results include insights into community-based evaluation, suggest an emerging field of Indigenous Educational Evaluation, and offers a model and suggestions that may help guide future evaluations of…

CATION TRANSPORT AND PARTITIONING DURING A FIELD TEST OF ELECTROOSMOSIS

EPA Science Inventory

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of soil properties, such as the cation exchange capacity and mineral content, on pH, soluble ion concentrations, and electrical conductivity during electroosmosis in a silty clay soil. The soil is composed mainly of quartz ...

Field experiments to evaluate host plant specificity of prospective agents of Onopordum acanthium in Bulgaria

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Scotch thistle, Onopordum acanthium, is an invasive alien weed in North America that originates from Europe. Previous field observations in Bulgaria have confirmed the presence of prospective biological control agents including Cassida rubiginosa, Chaetostomella cylindrica, Eublemma amoena, Larinus ...

Flight Simulator Evaluation of Display Media Devices for Synthetic Vision Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arthur, J. J., III; Williams, Steven P.; Prinzel, Lawrence J., III; Kramer, Lynda J.; Bailey, Randall E.

2004-01-01

The Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) Project of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) is striving to eliminate poor visibility as a causal factor in aircraft accidents as well as enhance operational capabilities of all aircraft. To accomplish these safety and capacity improvements, the SVS concept is designed to provide a clear view of the world around the aircraft through the display of computer-generated imagery derived from an onboard database of terrain, obstacle, and airport information. Display media devices with which to implement SVS technology that have been evaluated so far within the Project include fixed field of view head up displays and head down Primary Flight Displays with pilot-selectable field of view. A simulation experiment was conducted comparing these display devices to a fixed field of view, unlimited field of regard, full color Helmet-Mounted Display system. Subject pilots flew a visual circling maneuver in IMC at a terrain-challenged airport. The data collected for this experiment is compared to past SVS research studies.

Navy applications experience with small wind power systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, D.

1985-05-01

This report describes the experience gained and lesson learned from the ongoing field evaluations of seven small, 2-to 20-kW wind energy conversion systems (WECS) at Navy installations located in the Southern California desert, on San Nicolas Island, in California, and in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. The field tests show that the WECS's bearings and yaw slip-rings are prone to failure. The failures were attributed to the corrosive environment and poor design practices. Based upon the field tests, it is concluded that a reliable WECS must use a permanent magnet alternator without a gearbox and yaw slip-rings that are driven by a fixed pitch wind turbine rotor. The present state-of-the-art in small WECS technology, including environmental concerns, is reviewed. Also presented is how the technology is advancing to improve reliability and availability for effectively using wind power at Navy bases. The field evaluations are continuing on the small WECS in order to develop operation, maintenance, and reliability data.

Rhagoletis cerasi: Oviposition Reduction Effects of Oil Products

PubMed Central

Daniel, Claudia

2014-01-01

The European cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis cerasi (L.) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a highly destructive pest. Methods to control it are limited and alternatives are needed. Observations of cherry fruit flies suggest that females exert much effort to penetrate cherries at color change stage (from green to yellow) for oviposition. Therefore, the question arose as to whether a physical barrier on the fruit surface could reduce oviposition. The effects of different commercial horticultural oil products on R. cerasi oviposition were evaluated in a series of laboratory, semi-field and field experiments. In the laboratory experiments, the rate of successful oviposition on fruits treated with 0.25% v/v of the rapeseed oil product Telmion was significantly reduced by 90% compared to the untreated control. In semi-field experiments, deposits of 1% of rapeseed, mineral and paraffinic oil significantly reduced oviposition for up to 3 days. Semi-field experiments indicated that the oil products lose efficacy within 3 to 6 days after application due to degradation. Although treatments with the rapeseed oil product Telmion reduced infestation rates in an on-farm field experiment, the infested fruit clearly exceeded the level of market tolerance of 2%. Further research is needed to assess whether combinations of oil products, higher application rates and different formulations might improve field efficacy. PMID:26462686

Rhagoletis cerasi: Oviposition Reduction Effects of Oil Products.

PubMed

Daniel, Claudia

2014-04-16

The European cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis cerasi (L.) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a highly destructive pest. Methods to control it are limited and alternatives are needed. Observations of cherry fruit flies suggest that females exert much effort to penetrate cherries at color change stage (from green to yellow) for oviposition. Therefore, the question arose as to whether a physical barrier on the fruit surface could reduce oviposition. The effects of different commercial horticultural oil products on R. cerasi oviposition were evaluated in a series of laboratory, semi-field and field experiments. In the laboratory experiments, the rate of successful oviposition on fruits treated with 0.25% v/v of the rapeseed oil product Telmion was significantly reduced by 90% compared to the untreated control. In semi-field experiments, deposits of 1% of rapeseed, mineral and paraffinic oil significantly reduced oviposition for up to 3 days. Semi-field experiments indicated that the oil products lose efficacy within 3 to 6 days after application due to degradation. Although treatments with the rapeseed oil product Telmion reduced infestation rates in an on-farm field experiment, the infested fruit clearly exceeded the level of market tolerance of 2%. Further research is needed to assess whether combinations of oil products, higher application rates and different formulations might improve field efficacy.

Carrascolendas: Evaluation of a Spanish/English Educational Television Series Within Region XIII. Final Report. Evaluation Component.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Wart, Geraldine

This fourth year evaluation reports the effects and usage of "Carrascolendas," a children's television series in Spanish and English. Research was conducted in Texas schools and encompassed three phases: a field experiment to measure learning effects; attitudinal surveys among teachers, parents, and children; and a process evaluation of…

Photovoltaic system criteria documents. Volume 1: Guidelines for evaluating the management and operations planning of photovoltaic applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koenig, John C.; Billitti, Joseph W.; Tallon, John M.

1979-01-01

Guidelines are provided to the Field Centers for organization, scheduling, project and cost control, and performance in the areas of project management and operations planning for Photovoltaics Test and Applications. These guidelines may be used in organizing a T and A Project Team for system design/test, site construction and operation, and as the basis for evaluating T and A proposals. The attributes are described for project management and operations planning to be used by the Field Centers. Specifically, all project management and operational issues affecting costs, schedules and performance of photovoltaic systems are addressed. Photovoltaic tests and applications include residential, intermediate load center, central station, and stand-alone systems. The sub-categories of system maturity considered are: Initial System Evaluation Experiments (ISEE); System Readiness Experiments (SRE); and Commercial Readiness Demonstration Projects (CRDP).

Effect of magnetic field on the phase transition in a dusty plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaiswal, S.; Hall, T.; LeBlanc, S.; Mukherjee, R.; Thomas, E.

2017-11-01

The formation of a self-consistent crystalline structure is a well-known phenomenon in complex plasmas. In most experiments, the pressure and rf power are the main controlling parameters in determining the phase of the system. We have studied the effect of the externally applied magnetic field on the configuration of plasma crystals, suspended in the sheath of a radio-frequency discharge using the Magnetized Dusty Plasma Experiment device. Experiments are performed at a fixed pressure and rf power where a crystalline structure is formed within a confining ring. The magnetic field is then increased from 0 to 1.28 T. We report on the breakdown of the crystalline structure with the increasing magnetic field. The magnetic field affects the dynamics of the plasma particles and first leads to a rotation of the crystal. At a higher magnetic field, there is a radial variation (shear) in the angular velocity of the moving particles which we believe to lead to the melting of the crystal. This melting is confirmed by evaluating the variation of the pair correlation function as a function of magnetic field.

Samplers for evaluation and quantification of ultra-low volume space sprays

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A field study was conducted to investigate the suitability of sampling devices for quantification of spray deposition from ULV space sprays. Five different samplers were included in an experiment conducted in an open grassy field. Samplers included horizontally stretched stationary cotton ribbon at ...

Validation of design procedure and performance modeling of a heat and fluid transport field experiment in the unsaturated zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nir, A.; Doughty, C.; Tsang, C. F.

Validation methods which developed in the context of deterministic concepts of past generations often cannot be directly applied to environmental problems, which may be characterized by limited reproducibility of results and highly complex models. Instead, validation is interpreted here as a series of activities, including both theoretical and experimental tests, designed to enhance our confidence in the capability of a proposed model to describe some aspect of reality. We examine the validation process applied to a project concerned with heat and fluid transport in porous media, in which mathematical modeling, simulation, and results of field experiments are evaluated in order to determine the feasibility of a system for seasonal thermal energy storage in shallow unsaturated soils. Technical details of the field experiments are not included, but appear in previous publications. Validation activities are divided into three stages. The first stage, carried out prior to the field experiments, is concerned with modeling the relevant physical processes, optimization of the heat-exchanger configuration and the shape of the storage volume, and multi-year simulation. Subjects requiring further theoretical and experimental study are identified at this stage. The second stage encompasses the planning and evaluation of the initial field experiment. Simulations are made to determine the experimental time scale and optimal sensor locations. Soil thermal parameters and temperature boundary conditions are estimated using an inverse method. Then results of the experiment are compared with model predictions using different parameter values and modeling approximations. In the third stage, results of an experiment performed under different boundary conditions are compared to predictions made by the models developed in the second stage. Various aspects of this theoretical and experimental field study are described as examples of the verification and validation procedure. There is no attempt to validate a specific model, but several models of increasing complexity are compared with experimental results. The outcome is interpreted as a demonstration of the paradigm proposed by van der Heijde, 26 that different constituencies have different objectives for the validation process and therefore their acceptance criteria differ also.

29 CFR 1960.56 - Training of safety and health specialists.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., laboratory experiences, field study, and other formal learning experiences to prepare them to perform the... program development and implementation, as well as hazard recognition, evaluation and control, equipment... tasks. (b) Each agency shall implement career development programs for their occupational safety and...

[Formative evaluation: experience of the Catalonian family and community medicine teaching units].

PubMed

Ezquerra Lezcano, Matilde; Bundo Vidiella, Magda; Descarrega Queralt, Ramón; Martín Zurro, Amando; Fores García, Dolores; Fornells Vallès, Josep Maria

2010-04-01

The purpose of this article is to report on the experience in formative evaluation that was carried out in the Catalonian family and community medicine teaching units during the years 2001-2007. This formative evaluation project included the use of several evaluation tools such as, self-listening, video-recording, structured observation of clinical practice, cases by computer and simulated patients. Different resident intakes have participated in the development of the project, as well as their teaching unit tutors and coordinators. This accumulated experience has allowed it to progress into the field of formative evaluation, and to adapt and integrate the activities that were being carried out in a resident portfolio, which in our opinion is the best tool for the formative evaluation of the family medicine resident. Copyright 2009 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Constraints on Covariant Horava-Lifshitz Gravity from frame-dragging experiment

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

Radicella, Ninfa; Lambiase, Gaetano; Parisi, Luca

The effects of Horava-Lifshitz corrections to the gravito-magnetic field are analyzed. Solutions in the weak field, slow motion limit, referring to the motion of a satellite around the Earth are considered. The post-newtonian paradigm is used to evaluate constraints on the Horava-Lifshitz parameter space from current satellite and terrestrial experiments data. In particular, we focus on GRAVITY PROBE B, LAGEOS and the more recent LARES mission, as well as a forthcoming terrestrial project, GINGER.

Constraints on Covariant Horava-Lifshitz Gravity from frame-dragging experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radicella, Ninfa; Lambiase, Gaetano; Parisi, Luca; Vilasi, Gaetano

2014-12-01

The effects of Horava-Lifshitz corrections to the gravito-magnetic field are analyzed. Solutions in the weak field, slow motion limit, referring to the motion of a satellite around the Earth are considered. The post-newtonian paradigm is used to evaluate constraints on the Horava-Lifshitz parameter space from current satellite and terrestrial experiments data. In particular, we focus on GRAVITY PROBE B, LAGEOS and the more recent LARES mission, as well as a forthcoming terrestrial project, GINGER.

Presterilization Interviewing: An Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carey, Raymond G.

1976-01-01

The role of interviewing in diffusing possible harmful side effects of sterilization operations was evaluated in an acute general hospital. Two simultaneous field experiments were conducted with 50 vasectomy couples and 50 tubal-ligation couples. There were no significant differences between the interview and control groups. (Author)

45 CFR 63.2 - Eligibility for award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PLANNING AND EVALUATION General § 63.2 Eligibility for award. (a... research, pilot, evaluation, or demonstration project within the meaning of this section and § 63.1 shall... utilization studies; experiments; demonstrations; field investigations; statistical data collections or...

Field evaluations of leaf spot resistance and yield in peanut genotypes in the United States and Bolivia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Field experiments were conducted in 2002-2006 to characterize yield potential and disease resistance to Cercospora arachidicola (early leaf spot) and Cercosporidium personatum (late leaf spot) in the Bolivian peanut (Arachis hypogaea) cultivar, Bayo Grande, and breeding lines developed from crosses ...

Flowpath evaluation and reconnaissance by remote field Eddy current testing (FERRET)

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

Smoak, A.E.; Zollinger, W.T.

1993-12-31

This document describes the design and development of FERRET (Flowpath Evaluation and Reconnaisance by Remote-field Eddy current Testing). FERRET is a system for inspecting the steel pipes which carry cooling water to underground nuclear waste storage tanks. The FERRET system has been tested in a small scale cooling pipe mock-up, an improved full scale mock-up, and in flaw detection experiments. Early prototype designs of FERRET and the FERRET launcher (a device which inserts, moves, and retrieves probes from a piping system) as well as the field-ready design are discussed.

International Field Experiences Promote Professional Development for Sustainability Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hull, R. Bruce; Kimmel, Courtney; Robertson, David P.; Mortimer, Michael

2016-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to describe, explain and evaluate a graduate education program that provides international project experiences and builds competencies related to collaborative problem-solving, cultural capacity to work globally and sustainable development. Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative analysis of survey data from 28 students…

METALS (Minority Education Through Traveling and Learning in the Sciences) and the Value of Collaborative Field-centered Experiences in the Geosciences (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, L. D.

2013-12-01

METALS (Minority Education Through Traveling and Learning in the Sciences) is a field-based, geoscience diversity program developed by a collaborative venture among San Francisco State University, the University of Texas at El Paso, the University of New Orleans, and Purdue University. Since 2010, this program has created meaningful geoscience experiences for underrepresented minorities by engaging 30 high school students in experiential learning opportunities each year. During METALS field trips, the primarily urban students observe natural landforms, measure water quality, conduct beach profiles, and interpret stratigraphic and structural features in locations that have included southern Utah, southern Louisiana, central Wyoming, and northern California. In these geological settings participants are also able to focus on societally relevant, community-related issues. Results from program evaluation suggest that student participants view METALS as: (1) opening up new opportunities for field-based science not normally available to them, (2) engaging in a valuable science-based field experience, (3) an inspirational, but often physically challenging, undertaking that combines high-interest geology content with an exciting outdoor adventure, and (4) a unique social experience that brings together people from various parts of the United States. Further evaluation findings from the four summer trips completed thus far demonstrate that active learning opportunities through direct interaction with the environment is an effective way to engage students in geoscience-related learning. Students also seem to benefit from teaching strategies that include thoughtful reflection, journaling, and teamwork, and mentors are positive about engaging with these approaches. Participants appear motivated to explore geoscience topics further and often discuss having new insights and new perspectives leading to career choices in geosciences. Additionally, students who had a prior and similar fieldtrip experience that included outdoor expeditions and/or a geoscience focus, were able to utilize and build on those prior experiences during their participation in METALS.

Critical reflections on methodological challenge in arts and dementia evaluation and research.

PubMed

Gray, Karen; Evans, Simon Chester; Griffiths, Amanda; Schneider, Justine

2017-01-01

Methodological rigour, or its absence, is often a focus of concern for the emerging field of evaluation and research around arts and dementia. However, this paper suggests that critical attention should also be paid to the way in which individual perceptions, hidden assumptions and underlying social and political structures influence methodological work in the field. Such attention will be particularly important for addressing methodological challenges relating to contextual variability, ethics, value judgement and signification identified through a literature review on this topic. Understanding how, where and when evaluators and researchers experience such challenges may help to identify fruitful approaches for future evaluation.

Post-harvest field manipulations to conserve waste rice for waterfowl

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stafford, J.D.; Kaminski, R.M.; Reinecke, K.J.; Kurtz, M.E.; Manley, S.W.

2005-01-01

Rice seeds escaping collection by combines during harvest (hereafter, waste rice) provide quality forage for migrating and wintering waterfowl in the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) and other rice growing regions in the United States. Recent sample surveys across the MAV have revealed abundance of waste rice in fields declined an average of 71% between harvest and late autumn. Thus, we evaluated the ability of common post-harvest, field-management practices to conserve waste rice for waterfowl until early winter via controlled experiments in Mississippi rice test plots in 2001 and 2003 and analyses of data from MAV-wide surveys of waste rice in rice production fields in 2000-2002. Our experiments indicated test plots with burned rice stubble that were not flooded during autumn contained more waste rice than other treatments in 2001 (P?0.10). Waste-rice abundance in test plots did not differ among postharvest treatments in 2003 (P = 0.97). Our analyses of data from the MAV sample surveys did not detect differences in abundance of waste rice among fields burned, rolled, disked, or left in standing stubble post-harvest (P?0.04; Bonferroni corrected critical ( a= 0.017). Because results from test-plot experiments were inconclusive, we based our primary inference regarding best post-harvest treatments on patterns of rice abundance identified from the MAV surveys and previously documented environmental and agronomic benefits of managing harvested rice fields for wintering waterfowl. Therefore, we recommend leaving standing stubble in rice fields after harvest as a preliminary beneficial management practice. We suggest future research evaluate potential of postharvest practices to conserve waste rice for waterfowl and reduce straw in production rice fields managed for wintering waterfowl throughout the MAV.

Evaluation of fertility practices during roadside establishment in Mississippi to minimize nonpoint source pollutants.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-12-01

Runoff during the revegetation of roadsides can transport sediment and nutrients offsite, leading surface water quality reductions. Two field experiments were conducted near Starkville, MS in 2011 and 2012 to evaluate the influence of various N and P...

Rhizosphere microorganisms affected by soil solarization and cover cropping in Capsicum annuum and Phaseolus lunatus agroecosystems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of soil solarization or cover cropping on bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) and lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus, L.) rhizosphere microorganisms. In Experiment I, flat surface solarization (FSS), raised bed solarization (RBS), cowpea (Vigna unguiculat...

Validation of the Land-Surface Energy Budget and Planetary Boundary Layer for Several Intensive field Experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bosilovich, Michael G.; Schubert, Siegfried; Molod, Andrea; Houser, Paul R.

1999-01-01

Land-surface processes in a data assimilation system influence the lower troposphere and must be properly represented. With the recent incorporation of the Mosaic Land-surface Model (LSM) into the GEOS Data Assimilation System (DAS), the detailed land-surface processes require strict validation. While global data sources can identify large-scale systematic biases at the monthly timescale, the diurnal cycle is difficult to validate. Moreover, global data sets rarely include variables such as evaporation, sensible heat and soil water. Intensive field experiments, on the other hand, can provide high temporal resolution energy budget and vertical profile data for sufficiently long periods, without global coverage. Here, we evaluate the GEOS DAS against several intensive field experiments. The field experiments are First ISLSCP Field Experiment (FIFE, Kansas, summer 1987), Cabauw (as used in PILPS, Netherlands, summer 1987), Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM, Southern Great Plains, winter and summer 1998) and the Surface Heat Budget of the Arctic Ocean (SHEBA, Arctic ice sheet, winter and summer 1998). The sites provide complete surface energy budget data for periods of at least one year, and some periods of vertical profiles. This comparison provides a detailed validation of the Mosaic LSM within the GEOS DAS for a variety of climatologic and geographic conditions.

Forest litter crickets prefer higher substrate moisture for oviposition: Evidence from field and lab experiments

PubMed Central

Sperber, Carlos Frankl; Albeny-Simões, Daniel; Breaux, Jennifer Ann; Fianco, Marcos; Szinwelski, Neucir

2017-01-01

For insects, choosing a favorable oviposition site is a type of parental care, as far as it increases the fitness of its offspring. Niche theory predicts that crickets should show a bell-shaped oviposition response to substrate moisture. However, lab experiments with mole crickets showed a linear oviposition response to substrate moisture. Studies with the house cricket Acheta domesticus also showed a linear juvenile body growth response to water availability, thus adult ovipositing females should respond positively to substrate moisture. We used a field experiment to evaluate the relationship between oviposition preference and substrate moisture in forest litter-dwelling cricket species. We also evaluated oviposition responses to substrate moisture level in Ubiquepuella telytokous, the most abundant litter cricket species in our study area, using a laboratory study. We offered cotton substrate for oviposition which varied in substrate moisture level from zero (i.e., dry) to maximum water absorption capacity. We used two complementary metrics to evaluate oviposition preference: (i) presence or absence of eggs in each sampling unit as binary response variable, and (ii) number of eggs oviposited per sampling unit as count response variable. To test for non-linear responses, we adjusted generalized additive models (GAMM) with mixed effects. We found that both cricket oviposition probability and effort (i.e., number of eggs laid) increased linearly with substrate moisture in the field experiment, and for U. telytokous in the lab experiment. We discarded any non-linear responses. Our results demonstrate the importance of substrate moisture as an ecological niche dimension for litter crickets. This work bolsters knowledge of litter cricket life history association with moisture, and suggests that litter crickets may be particularly threatened by changes in climate that favor habitat drying. PMID:28977023

Forest litter crickets prefer higher substrate moisture for oviposition: Evidence from field and lab experiments.

PubMed

de Farias-Martins, Fernando; Sperber, Carlos Frankl; Albeny-Simões, Daniel; Breaux, Jennifer Ann; Fianco, Marcos; Szinwelski, Neucir

2017-01-01

For insects, choosing a favorable oviposition site is a type of parental care, as far as it increases the fitness of its offspring. Niche theory predicts that crickets should show a bell-shaped oviposition response to substrate moisture. However, lab experiments with mole crickets showed a linear oviposition response to substrate moisture. Studies with the house cricket Acheta domesticus also showed a linear juvenile body growth response to water availability, thus adult ovipositing females should respond positively to substrate moisture. We used a field experiment to evaluate the relationship between oviposition preference and substrate moisture in forest litter-dwelling cricket species. We also evaluated oviposition responses to substrate moisture level in Ubiquepuella telytokous, the most abundant litter cricket species in our study area, using a laboratory study. We offered cotton substrate for oviposition which varied in substrate moisture level from zero (i.e., dry) to maximum water absorption capacity. We used two complementary metrics to evaluate oviposition preference: (i) presence or absence of eggs in each sampling unit as binary response variable, and (ii) number of eggs oviposited per sampling unit as count response variable. To test for non-linear responses, we adjusted generalized additive models (GAMM) with mixed effects. We found that both cricket oviposition probability and effort (i.e., number of eggs laid) increased linearly with substrate moisture in the field experiment, and for U. telytokous in the lab experiment. We discarded any non-linear responses. Our results demonstrate the importance of substrate moisture as an ecological niche dimension for litter crickets. This work bolsters knowledge of litter cricket life history association with moisture, and suggests that litter crickets may be particularly threatened by changes in climate that favor habitat drying.

Learning when Serious: Psychophysiological Evaluation of a Technology-Enhanced Learning Game

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowley, Ben; Fantato, Martino; Jennett, Charlene; Ruskov, Martin; Ravaja, Niklas

2014-01-01

We report an evaluation study for a novel learning platform, motivated by the growing need for methods to do assessment of serious game efficacy. The study was a laboratory experiment combining evaluation methods from the fields of learning assessment and psychophysiology. 15 participants used the TARGET game platform for 25 minutes, while the…

Field Geophysics at SAGE: Strategies for Effective Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Braile, L. W.; Baldridge, W. S.; Jiracek, G. R.; Biehler, S.; Ferguson, J. F.; Pellerin, L.; McPhee, D. K.; Bedrosian, P. A.; Snelson, C. M.; Hasterok, D. P.

2011-12-01

SAGE (Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience) is a unique program of education and research in geophysical field methods for undergraduate and graduate students from any university and for professionals. The core program is held for 4 weeks each summer in New Mexico and for an additional week in the following academic year in San Diego for U.S. undergraduates supported by the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program. Since SAGE was initiated in 1983, 730 students have participated in the program. NSF REU funding for SAGE began in 1990 and 319 REU students have completed SAGE through 2011. The primary objectives of SAGE are to teach the major geophysical exploration methods (seismic, gravity, magnetics, electromagnetics); apply these methods to the solution of specific problems (environmental, archaeological, hydrologic, geologic structure and stratigraphy); gain experience in processing, modeling and interpretation of geophysical data; and integrate the geophysical models and interpretations with geology. Additional objectives of SAGE include conducting research on the Rio Grande rift of northern New Mexico, and providing information on geophysics careers and professional development experiences to SAGE participants. Successful education, field and research strategies that we have implemented over the years include: 1. learn by doing; 2. mix lecture/discussion, field work, data processing and analysis, modeling and interpretation, and presentation of results; 3. a two-tier team approach - method/technique oriented teams and interpretation/integration teams (where each team includes persons representing different methods), provides focus, in-depth study, opportunity for innovation, and promotes teamwork and a multi-disciplinary approach; 4. emphasis on presentations/reports - each team (and all team members) make presentation, each student completes a written report; 5. experiment design discussion - students help design field program and consider issues - safety, constraints, data quality/quantity, research objective, educational experience, survey parameters, why multidisciplinary?, etc.; 6. knowledge of multiple geophysical field methods (each student works with all methods); 7. information on geophysics careers and networking provided by industry visitors; 8. measures of success of the program include high rate of continuation to graduate school and careers in geophysics, support and feedback from industry participants and visitors, student evaluations at end of program, presentations at professional meetings, publications, and faculty evaluation of student work.

Field measurements of the linear and nonlinear shear moduli of cemented alluvium using dynamically loaded surface footings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Kwangsoo

In this dissertation, a research effort aimed at development and implementation of a direct field test method to evaluate the linear and nonlinear shear modulus of soil is presented. The field method utilizes a surface footing that is dynamically loaded horizontally. The test procedure involves applying static and dynamic loads to the surface footing and measuring the soil response beneath the loaded area using embedded geophones. A wide range in dynamic loads under a constant static load permits measurements of linear and nonlinear shear wave propagation from which shear moduli and associated shearing strains are evaluated. Shear wave velocities in the linear and nonlinear strain ranges are calculated from time delays in waveforms monitored by geophone pairs. Shear moduli are then obtained using the shear wave velocities and the mass density of a soil. Shear strains are determined using particle displacements calculated from particle velocities measured at the geophones by assuming a linear variation between geophone pairs. The field test method was validated by conducting an initial field experiment at sandy site in Austin, Texas. Then, field experiments were performed on cemented alluvium, a complex, hard-to-sample material. Three separate locations at Yucca Mountain, Nevada were tested. The tests successfully measured: (1) the effect of confining pressure on shear and compression moduli in the linear strain range and (2) the effect of strain on shear moduli at various states of stress in the field. The field measurements were first compared with empirical relationships for uncemented gravel. This comparison showed that the alluvium was clearly cemented. The field measurements were then compared to other independent measurements including laboratory resonant column tests and field seismic tests using the spectral-analysis-of-surface-waves method. The results from the field tests were generally in good agreement with the other independent test results, indicating that the proposed method has the ability to directly evaluate complex material like cemented alluvium in the field.

Alternative fumigants and grafting for tomato and double-cropped muskmelon production in Florida

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A field trial was conducted at the USDA, ARS Farm in Fort Pierce, FL in a field infested with root-knot nematodes (RKN) (Meloidogyne incognita), soil-borne pathogens, and weeds. A split plot experiment with four replications was used to evaluate rootstock/scion combinations in fumigated and herbicid...

Student Perceptions of Integrative Field Seminar: A Comparison of Three Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Helen; Myers, Dennis

2013-01-01

Student perceptions of 63 concentration year MSW students, grades, and faculty perceptions were examined to evaluate differences in educational outcomes and in learning experiences among a traditional classroom model, a mixed or hybrid model, and a webinar online model for delivery of integrative field seminars. No significant differences were…

Curriculum Outline for a General Oceanography Field Laboratory (Review Cycle-Annual).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schlenker, Richard M.

A curriculum guide, in outline form, for oceanography field laboratories is presented. Designed to complement and expand upon an oceanography lecture course, it provides a list of objectives related to student experiences in three areas: (1) operating oceanographic equipment; (2) gathering, manipulating, and evaluating data; and (3) writing formal…

Effect of surface application of ammonium thiosulfate on field-scale emissions of 1,3-dichloropropene

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil fumigation is important for food production but has the potential to discharge toxic chemicals into the environment, which may adversely affect human and ecosystem health. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of applying ammonium thiosulfate fertilizer to the soil surface pr...

Laboratory and Field Evaluations of Two Bacillus thuringiensis Formulations, Novodor and Raven, for Control of Cottonwood Leaf Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Treesearch

David R. Coyle; Joel D. McMillin; Steven C. Krause; Elwood R. Hart

2000-01-01

Laboratory and field experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of two Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner formulations, Novodor and Raven, for controlling cottonwood leaf beetle, Chrysomela scripta F. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). In laboratory bioassays, larvae or adults were added to petri dishes containing ...

Experience in Evaluating AAL Solutions in Living Labs

PubMed Central

Colomer, Juan Bautista Montalvá; Salvi, Dario; Cabrera-Umpierrez, Maria Fernanda; Arredondo, Maria Teresa; Abril, Patricia; Jimenez-Mixco, Viveca; García-Betances, Rebeca; Fioravanti, Alessio; Pastorino, Matteo; Cancela, Jorge; Medrano, Alejandro

2014-01-01

Ambient assisted living (AAL) is a complex field, where different technologies are integrated to offer solutions for the benefit of different stakeholders. Several evaluation techniques are commonly applied that tackle specific aspects of AAL; however, holistic evaluation approaches are lacking when addressing the needs of both developers and end-users. Living labs have been often used as real-life test and experimentation environments for co-designing AAL technologies and validating them with relevant stakeholders. During the last five years, we have been evaluating AAL systems and services in the framework of various research projects. This paper presents the lessons learned in this experience and proposes a set of harmonized guidelines to conduct evaluations in living labs. PMID:24763209

Effect of magnetic field on the phase transition in dusty plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaiswal, Surabhi; Thomas, Edward; Mukherjee, Rupak

2017-10-01

The formation of self-consistent crystalline structure is a well-known phenomenon in complex plasmas. In most experiments the pressure and rf power are the main controlling parameter in determining the phase of the system. We have studied the effect of externally applied magnetic field on the configuration of plasma crystals, suspended in the sheath of a radio-frequency discharge using the Magnetized Dusty Plasma Experiment (MDPX) device. Experiments are performed at a fixed pressure and rf power where a crystalline structure formed within the confining ring, but ramping the magnetic field up to 1.28 T. We report on the breakdown of the crystalline structure with increasing magnetic field. The magnetic field affects the dynamics of the plasma particles and first leads to a rotation of the crystal. At higher magnetic field, there is a radial variation (shear) in the angular velocity of the moving particles which we believe leads to the melting of the crystal. This melting is confirmed by evaluating the variation of the pair correlation function as a function of magnetic field. This work was supported by the US Dept. of Energy, DE - SC0010485.

Crop Model Improvement Reduces the Uncertainty of the Response to Temperature of Multi-Model Ensembles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maiorano, Andrea; Martre, Pierre; Asseng, Senthold; Ewert, Frank; Mueller, Christoph; Roetter, Reimund P.; Ruane, Alex C.; Semenov, Mikhail A.; Wallach, Daniel; Wang, Enli

2016-01-01

To improve climate change impact estimates and to quantify their uncertainty, multi-model ensembles (MMEs) have been suggested. Model improvements can improve the accuracy of simulations and reduce the uncertainty of climate change impact assessments. Furthermore, they can reduce the number of models needed in a MME. Herein, 15 wheat growth models of a larger MME were improved through re-parameterization and/or incorporating or modifying heat stress effects on phenology, leaf growth and senescence, biomass growth, and grain number and size using detailed field experimental data from the USDA Hot Serial Cereal experiment (calibration data set). Simulation results from before and after model improvement were then evaluated with independent field experiments from a CIMMYT worldwide field trial network (evaluation data set). Model improvements decreased the variation (10th to 90th model ensemble percentile range) of grain yields simulated by the MME on average by 39% in the calibration data set and by 26% in the independent evaluation data set for crops grown in mean seasonal temperatures greater than 24 C. MME mean squared error in simulating grain yield decreased by 37%. A reduction in MME uncertainty range by 27% increased MME prediction skills by 47%. Results suggest that the mean level of variation observed in field experiments and used as a benchmark can be reached with half the number of models in the MME. Improving crop models is therefore important to increase the certainty of model-based impact assessments and allow more practical, i.e. smaller MMEs to be used effectively.

Target Detection Using an AOTF Hyperspectral Imager

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cheng, L-J.; Mahoney, J.; Reyes, F.; Suiter, H.

1994-01-01

This paper reports results of a recent field experiment using a prototype system to evaluate the acousto-optic tunable filter polarimetric hyperspectral imaging technology for target detection applications.

Evaluation of weed control efficacy and crop safety of the new HPPD-inhibiting herbicide-QYR301.

PubMed

Wang, Hengzhi; Liu, Weitang; Zhao, Kongping; Yu, Hui; Zhang, Jia; Wang, Jinxin

2018-05-21

QYR301, 1,3-Dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid 4-[2-chloro-3-(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-ylmethyl)-4-methanesulfonyl-benzoyl]-2,5-dimethyl-2H-pyrazol-3-yl ester, is a novel HPPD-inhibiting herbicide and was evaluated to provide a reference for post-emergence (POST) application under greenhouse and field conditions. The crop safety (180 and 360 g active ingredient (a.i.) ha -1 treatments) experiment revealed that wheat, paddy, garlic and corn were the only four crops without injury at both examined herbicide rates. The weed control efficacy (60 and 120 g a.i. ha -1 ) experiment showed that QYR301 exhibited high efficacy against many weeds, especially weeds infesting paddy fields. Furthermore, it is interesting that both susceptible and multiple herbicide resistant Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. and Echinochloa phyllopogon (Stapf) Koss, two notorious weed species in paddy field, remained susceptible to QYR301. Further crop tolerance results indicated that 20 tested paddy hybrids displayed different levels of tolerance to QYR301, with the japonica paddy hybrids having more tolerance than indica paddy hybrids under greenhouse conditions. Results obtained from field experiments showed that QYR301 POST at 135 to 180 g a.i. ha -1 was recommended to provide satisfactory full-season control of E. crus-galli and Leptochloa chinensis (L.) Nees and to maximize rice yields. These findings indicate that QYR301 possesses great potential for the management of weeds in paddy fields.

Insurance: An Evaluation Report for the Occupational Exploration Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Altschuld, James W.; And Others

The evaluation report is one of seven produced for the Occupational Exploration Program (OEP), a series of simulated occupational experiences designed for junior high school students. Describing the pilot testing of the simulation dealing with the insurance field, the report contains sections describing the simulation context, evaluation…

An Evaluation of Project Learning Tree in British Columbia, 1980-81.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conry, Robert F.; Jeroski, Sharon F.

Evaluation of Project Learning Tree (PLT) involved a survey of PLT's utilization in British Columbia and the field experiment. The survey included participant observers' reports on PLT teacher training workshops, a mail survey of workshop participants, and telephone interviews with selected respondents. Two treatment conditions were effected at…

Evaluation of Database Coverage: A Comparison of Two Methodologies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tenopir, Carol

1982-01-01

Describes experiment which compared two techniques used for evaluating and comparing database coverage of a subject area, e.g., "bibliography" and "subject profile." Differences in time, cost, and results achieved are compared by applying techniques to field of volcanology using two databases, Geological Reference File and GeoArchive. Twenty…

Seed and Foliar Application of Amino Acids Improve Variables of Nitrogen Metabolism and Productivity in Soybean Crop.

PubMed

Teixeira, Walquíria F; Fagan, Evandro B; Soares, Luis H; Soares, Jérssica N; Reichardt, Klaus; Neto, Durval D

2018-01-01

The application of amino acids in crops has been a common practice in recent years, although most of the time they are associated with products based on algae extracts or on fermented animal or vegetable wastes. However, little is known about the isolated effect of amino acids on the development of crops. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of the application of isolated amino acids on the in some steps of the soybean nitrogen metabolism and on productivity. Experiments were carried out in a greenhouse and in the field with the application of the amino acids glutamate (Glu), phenylalanine (Phe), cysteine (Cys) and glycine (Gly) and as a set (Glu+Phe+Cys+Gly), as seed treatment (ST), as foliar application (FA) and both (ST+FA), at the V 4 growth stage. Evaluations consisted of nitrate reductase and urease activities, nitrate, ureide, total amino acids and total nitrogen content in leaves, and productivity. The application of Glu to leaves, Cys as ST and a mixture of Glu+Cys+Phe+Gly as ST+FA in the greenhouse experiment increased the total amino acids content. In the field experiment all treatments increased the amino acid content in leaves. At the V 6 stage in the field experiment, all modes of Gly application, Glu as ST and FA, Cys and Phe as ST+FA and Glu+Cys+Phe+Gly as FA increased the nitrate content in leaves. In the greenhouse, application of Cys and Phe as ST increased the production of soybean plants by at least 21%. The isolated application of Cys, Phe, Gly, Glu and the set of these amino acids as ST increased the productivity of soybean plants in the field experiment by at least 22%.

Seed and Foliar Application of Amino Acids Improve Variables of Nitrogen Metabolism and Productivity in Soybean Crop

PubMed Central

Teixeira, Walquíria F.; Fagan, Evandro B.; Soares, Luis H.; Soares, Jérssica N.; Reichardt, Klaus; Neto, Durval D.

2018-01-01

The application of amino acids in crops has been a common practice in recent years, although most of the time they are associated with products based on algae extracts or on fermented animal or vegetable wastes. However, little is known about the isolated effect of amino acids on the development of crops. Therefore, the objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of the application of isolated amino acids on the in some steps of the soybean nitrogen metabolism and on productivity. Experiments were carried out in a greenhouse and in the field with the application of the amino acids glutamate (Glu), phenylalanine (Phe), cysteine (Cys) and glycine (Gly) and as a set (Glu+Phe+Cys+Gly), as seed treatment (ST), as foliar application (FA) and both (ST+FA), at the V4 growth stage. Evaluations consisted of nitrate reductase and urease activities, nitrate, ureide, total amino acids and total nitrogen content in leaves, and productivity. The application of Glu to leaves, Cys as ST and a mixture of Glu+Cys+Phe+Gly as ST+FA in the greenhouse experiment increased the total amino acids content. In the field experiment all treatments increased the amino acid content in leaves. At the V6 stage in the field experiment, all modes of Gly application, Glu as ST and FA, Cys and Phe as ST+FA and Glu+Cys+Phe+Gly as FA increased the nitrate content in leaves. In the greenhouse, application of Cys and Phe as ST increased the production of soybean plants by at least 21%. The isolated application of Cys, Phe, Gly, Glu and the set of these amino acids as ST increased the productivity of soybean plants in the field experiment by at least 22%. PMID:29643860

Measuring Instructional Differentiation in a Large-Scale Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Ryan T.; Swanlund, Andrew; Miller, Shazia; Konstantopoulos, Spyros; Eno, Jared; van der Ploeg, Arie; Meyers, Coby

2014-01-01

This study operationalizes four measures of instructional differentiation: one for Grade 2 English language arts (ELA), one for Grade 2 mathematics, one for Grade 5 ELA, and one for Grade 5 mathematics. Our study evaluates their measurement properties of each measure in a large field experiment: the Indiana Diagnostic Assessment Tools Study, which…

Demonstration for Social Change: An Experiment in Local Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gittell, Marilyn; And Others

This evaluative history of New York City's recent experiments in public education documents three projects: Ocean Hill-Brownsville, IS 201, and Two Bridges. This study employs a process oriented and a qualitative methodology which relies most on field observation and participant-observers. The Institute study observed the new community boards,…

Web-Based Family Life Education: Spotlight on User Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doty, Jennifer; Doty, Matthew; Dwrokin, Jodi

2011-01-01

Family Life Education (FLE) websites can benefit from the field of user experience, which makes technology easy to use. A heuristic evaluation of five FLE sites was performed using Neilson's heuristics, guidelines for making sites user friendly. Greater site complexity resulted in more potential user problems. Sites most frequently had problems…

Evaluation of effects of fertilizers on narrow brown leaf spot in organic rice, 2010

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The experiment was established in a field of League soil (3% sand, 32% silt, and 64% clay) under organic management for many years at the Texas A&M University System's Agrilife Research and Extension Center, Beaumont. The experiment was conducted as a two factorial experimental design with five orga...

Improving the Quality of Experience Journals: Training Educational Psychology Students in Basic Qualitative Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds-Keefer, Laura

2010-01-01

This study evaluates the impact of teaching basic qualitative methodology to preservice teachers enrolled in an educational psychology course in the quality of observation journals. Preservice teachers enrolled in an educational psychology course requiring 45 hr of field experience were given qualitative methodological training as a part of the…

Time limited field of regard search

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flug, Eric; Maurer, Tana; Nguyen, Oanh-Tho

2005-05-01

Recent work by the US Army RDECOM CERDEC Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD) has led to the Time-Limited Search (TLS) model, which has given new formulations for the field of view (FOV) search times. The next step in the evaluation of the overall search model (ACQUIRE) is to apply these parameters to the field of regard (FOR) model. Human perception experiments were conducted using synthetic imagery developed at NVESD. The experiments were competitive player-on-player search tests with the intention of imposing realistic time constraints on the observers. FOR detection probabilities, search times, and false alarm data are analyzed and compared to predictions using both the TLS model and ACQUIRE.

Randomized field experiments for program planning, development, and evaluation: an illustrative bibliography.

PubMed

Boruch, R F; Mcsweeny, A J; Soderstrom, E J

1978-11-01

This bibliography lists references to over 300 field experiments undertaken in schools, hospitals, prisons, and other social settings, mainly in the U.S. The list is divided into 10 major categories corresponding to the type of program under examination. They include: criminal and civil justice programs, mental health, training and education, mass media, information collection, utilization, commerce and industry, welfare, health, and family planning. The main purpose of the bibliography is to provide evidence on feasibility and scope of randomized field tests, since despite their advantages, it is not always clear from managerial, political, and other constraints on research that they can be mounted. Dates of publications range from 1944 to 1978.

Estimating soil hydraulic parameters from transient flow experiments in a centrifuge using parameter optimization technique

USGS Publications Warehouse

Šimůnek, Jirka; Nimmo, John R.

2005-01-01

A modified version of the Hydrus software package that can directly or inversely simulate water flow in a transient centrifugal field is presented. The inverse solver for parameter estimation of the soil hydraulic parameters is then applied to multirotation transient flow experiments in a centrifuge. Using time‐variable water contents measured at a sequence of several rotation speeds, soil hydraulic properties were successfully estimated by numerical inversion of transient experiments. The inverse method was then evaluated by comparing estimated soil hydraulic properties with those determined independently using an equilibrium analysis. The optimized soil hydraulic properties compared well with those determined using equilibrium analysis and steady state experiment. Multirotation experiments in a centrifuge not only offer significant time savings by accelerating time but also provide significantly more information for the parameter estimation procedure compared to multistep outflow experiments in a gravitational field.

FIRE Arctic Clouds Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Curry, J. A.; Hobbs, P. V.; King, M. D.; Randall, D. A.; Minnis, P.; Issac, G. A.; Pinto, J. O.; Uttal, T.; Bucholtz, A.; Cripe, D. G.;

Development of a tactile display with 5 mm resolution using an array of magnetorheological fluid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishizuka, Hiroki; Miki, Norihisa

2017-06-01

In this study, we demonstrate the design and evaluation of a stiffness tactile display using a magnetorheological (MR) fluid. The tactile display is based on the change in mechanical properties under an external magnetic field. In the tactile display, the MR fluid is encapsulated in chambers of 3 mm diameter and arranged at intervals of 2 mm. Magnetic fields were spatially applied to the tactile display using neodymium magnets of 3.5 mm diameter. The design and spatial magnetic field application enable the tactile display to present stiff dots of 5 mm resolution. We confirmed that the tactile display can present a spatial stiff dot and its pattern on the surface by compression experiments. Sensory evaluation revealed that the users were able to perceive the approximate position of the stiff dots. From the experiments, the tactile display has potential as a palpation tactile display and requires improvement to present various types of tissues.

Evaluating the Healthy Start program. Design development to evaluative assessment.

PubMed

Raykovich, K S; McCormick, M C; Howell, E M; Devaney, B L

1996-09-01

The national evaluation of the federally funded Healthy Start program involved translating a design for a process and outcomes evaluation and standard maternal and infant data set, both developed prior to the national evaluation contract award, into an evaluation design and client data collection protocol that could be used to evaluate 15 diverse grantees. This article discusses the experience of creating a process and outcomes evaluation design that was both substantively and methodologically appropriate given such issues as the diversity of grantees and their community-based intervention strategies; the process of accessing secondary data sources, including vital records; the quality of client level data submissions; and the need to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative approaches into the evaluation design. The relevance of this experience for the conduct of other field studies of public health interventions is discussed.

Runaway electron behavior in the Frascati Tokamak Upgrade (FTU)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popovic, Zana; Martin-Solis, Jose Ramon; Esposito, Basilio; Marocco, Daniele; Causa, Federica; Buratti, Paolo; Boncagni, Luca; Carnevale, Daniele; Gospodarczyk, Mateusz

2016-10-01

Several recent experiments in the FTU tokamak are dedicated to the study of runaway electrons (RE), both in the flattop and disruption phases of the discharge. Experiments have been carried out to evaluate the threshold electric field for RE generation during the flattop of ohmic discharges. The measured threshold electric field during RE electron generation and suppression experiments for a wide range of plasma parameters is found to be 2-5 times larger than predicted by the relativistic collisional theory, ER = nee3ln Λ/4 πɛ02 mec2, and is consistent with an increase of the critical field due to the RE synchrotron radiation. Runaway evolution has been numerically simulated using a test particle model including toroidal electric field acceleration, collisions and synchrotron radiation losses. Estimates of RE energy distribution are consistent with the measurements of two recently installed RE diagnostics: HXR-camera and RE Imaging and Spectroscopy (REIS) system. Supported by MINECO (Spain), Projects ENE2012-31753.

Surface pressure field mapping using luminescent coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mclachlan, B. G.; Kavandi, J. L.; Callis, J. B.; Gouterman, M.; Green, E.; Khalil, G.; Burns, D.

1993-01-01

In recent experiments we demonstrated the feasibility of using the oxygen dependence of luminescent molecules for surface pressure measurement in aerodynamic testing. This technique is based on the observation that for many luminescent molecules the light emitted increases as the oxygen partial pressure, and thus the air pressure, the molecules see decreases. In practice the surface to be observed is coated with an oxygen permeable polymer containing a luminescent molecule and illuminated with ultraviolet radiation. The airflow induced surface pressure field is seen as a luminescence intensity distribution which can be measured using quantitative video techniques. Computer processing converts the video data into a map of the surface pressure field. The experiments consisted of evaluating a trial luminescent coating in measuring the static surface pressure field over a two-dimensional NACA-0012 section model airfoil for Mach numbers ranging from 0.3 and 0.66. Comparison of the luminescent coating derived pressures were made to those obtained from conventional pressure taps. The method along with the experiment and its results will be described.

Control of common bunt of wheat under field conditions with the biofumigant fungus Muscodor albus.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the biological control potential of the fungus Muscodor albus, when applied as a seed treatment or an in furrow soil treatment, for control of common bunt (CB) of wheat caused by Tilletia caries. For seed treatments, dry rye grain culture of M. albus wa...

Evaluation of depleted uranium in the environment at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland and Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona. Final report

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

Kennedy, P.L.; Clements, W.H.; Myers, O.B.

1995-01-01

This report represents an evaluation of depleted uranium (DU) introduced into the environment at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds (APG), Maryland and Yuma Proving Grounds (YPG) Arizona. This was a cooperative project between the Environmental Sciences and Statistical Analyses Groups at LANL and with the Department of Fishery and Wildlife Biology at Colorado State University. The project represents a unique approach to assessing the environmental impact of DU in two dissimilar ecosystems. Ecological exposure models were created for each ecosystem and sensitivity/uncertainty analyses were conducted to identify exposure pathways which were most influential in the fate and transport of DU inmore » the environment. Research included field sampling, field exposure experiment, and laboratory experiments. The first section addresses DU at the APG site. Chapter topics include bioenergetics-based food web model; field exposure experiments; bioconcentration by phytoplankton and the toxicity of U to zooplankton; physical processes governing the desorption of uranium from sediment to water; transfer of uranium from sediment to benthic invertebrates; spead of adsorpion by benthic invertebrates; uptake of uranium by fish. The final section of the report addresses DU at the YPG site. Chapters include the following information: Du transport processes and pathway model; field studies of performance of exposure model; uptake and elimination rates for kangaroo rates; chemical toxicity in kangaroo rat kidneys.« less

Physics evaluation of compact tokamak ignition experiments

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

Uckan, N.A.; Houlberg, W.A.; Sheffield, J.

1985-01-01

At present, several approaches for compact, high-field tokamak ignition experiments are being considered. A comprehensive method for analyzing the potential physics operating regimes and plasma performance characteristics of such ignition experiments with O-D (analytic) and 1-1/2-D (WHIST) transport models is presented. The results from both calculations are in agreement and show that there are regimes in parameter space in which a class of small (R/sub o/ approx. 1-2 m), high-field (B/sub o/ approx. 8-13 T) tokamaks with aB/sub o/S/q/sub */ approx. 25 +- 5 and kappa = b/a approx. 1.6-2.0 appears ignitable for a reasonable range of transport assumptions. Consideringmore » both the density and beta limits, an evaluation of the performance is presented for various forms of chi/sub e/ and chi/sub i/, including degradation at high power and sawtooth activity. The prospects of ohmic ignition are also examined. 16 refs., 13 figs.« less

Development and evaluation of vision rehabilitation devices.

PubMed

Luo, Gang; Peli, Eli

2011-01-01

We have developed a range of vision rehabilitation devices and techniques for people with impaired vision due to either central vision loss or severely restricted peripheral visual field. We have conducted evaluation studies with patients to test the utilities of these techniques in an effort to document their advantages as well as their limitations. Here we describe our work on a visual field expander based on a head mounted display (HMD) for tunnel vision, a vision enhancement device for central vision loss, and a frequency domain JPEG/MPEG based image enhancement technique. All the evaluation studies included visual search paradigms that are suitable for conducting indoor controllable experiments.

Hydraulic characterization of aquifers by thermal response testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagner, Valentin; Blum, Philipp; Bayer, Peter

2014-05-01

Temperature as a major physical quantity of the subsurface, and naturally occurring thermal anomalies are recognized as promising passive tracers to characterize the subsurface. Accelerated by the increasing popularity of geothermal energy, also active thermal field experiments have gained interest in hydrogeology. Such experiments involve artificial local ground heating or cooling. Among these, the thermal response test (TRT) is one of the most established field investigation techniques in shallow geothermal applications. It is a common method to investigate important subsurface heat transport parameters to design sustainable ground-source heat pump (GSHP) systems. During the test, the borehole heat exchanger (BHE) is heated up with a defined amount of energy by circulating a heat carrier fluid. By comparing temperature change between BHE inlet and outlet, the ability of the BHE to transfer heat or cold to the ambient ground is assessed. However, standard interpretation does not provide any insight into the governing processes of in-situ heat transfer. We utilize a groundwater advection sensitive TRT evaluation approach based on the analytical moving line source equation. It is shown that the TRT as a classical geothermal field test can also be used as a hydrogeological field test. Our approach benefits from the fact that thermal properties, such as thermal conductivity, of natural aquifers typically are much less variable than hydraulic properties, such as hydraulic conductivity. It is possible to determine a relatively small hydraulic conductivity range with our TRT evaluation approach, given realistic ranges for thermal conductivity, volumetric heat capacity, thermal dispersivity and thermal borehole resistance. The method is successfully tested on a large-scale geothermal laboratory experiment (9 m × 6 m × 4.5 m) and with a commercially performed TRT in the field scale. The laboratory experiment consists of a layered artificial aquifer, which is penetrated by a short BHE. This BHE is used to record a groundwater influenced TRT dataset. The performed field TRT is measured at a BHE located in the Upper Rhine Valley in South-West Germany, which penetrates a 68 m thick gravel aquifer with significant horizontal groundwater flow. At both sites, the derived hydraulic conductivity ranges obtained from TRT evaluation are shown to be within the ranges obtained from classical hydrogeological methods such as sieve analysis and pumping tests. This confirms that the temperature signal recorded during thermal response tests can be employed as a thermal tracer and that the evaluation of such a signal can be applied to estimate aquifer hydraulic conductivities.

Passive Microwave Precipitation Retrieval Uncertainty Characterized based on Field Campaign Data over Complex Terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derin, Y.; Anagnostou, E. N.; Anagnostou, M.; Kalogiros, J. A.; Casella, D.; Marra, A. C.; Panegrossi, G.; Sanò, P.

2017-12-01

Difficulties in representation of high rainfall variability over mountainous areas using ground based sensors make satellite remote sensing techniques attractive for hydrologic studies over these regions. Even though satellite-based rainfall measurements are quasi global and available at high spatial resolution, these products have uncertainties that necessitate use of error characterization and correction procedures based upon more accurate in situ rainfall measurements. Such measurements can be obtained from field campaigns facilitated by research quality sensors such as locally deployed weather radar and in situ weather stations. This study uses such high quality and resolution rainfall estimates derived from dual-polarization X-band radar (XPOL) observations from three field experiments in Mid-Atlantic US East Coast (NASA IPHEX experiment), the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State (NASA OLYMPEX experiment), and the Mediterranean to characterize the error characteristics of multiple passive microwave (PMW) sensor retrievals. The study first conducts an independent error analysis of the XPOL radar reference rainfall fields against in situ rain gauges and disdrometer observations available by the field experiments. Then the study evaluates different PMW precipitation products using the XPOL datasets (GR) over the three aforementioned complex terrain study areas. We extracted matchups of PMW/GR rainfall based on a matching methodology that identifies GR volume scans coincident with PMW field-of-view sampling volumes, and scaled GR parameters to the satellite products' nominal spatial resolution. The following PMW precipitation retrieval algorithms are evaluated: the NASA Goddard PROFiling algorithm (GPROF), standard and climatology-based products (V 3, 4 and 5) from four PMW sensors (SSMIS, MHS, GMI, and AMSR2), and the precipitation products based on the algorithms Cloud Dynamics and Radiation Database (CDRD) for SSMIS and Passive microwave Neural network Precipitation Retrieval (PNPR) for AMSU/MHS, developed at ISAC-CNR within the EUMETSAT H-SAF. We will present error analysis results for the different PMW rainfall retrievals and discuss dependences on precipitation type, elevation and precipitation microphysics (derived from XPOL).

Wire Probe Antenna (WPT) and Electric Field Detector (EFD0 of Plasma Wave Experiment (PWE) aboard ARASE: Specifications and Evaluation results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuda, S.; Kasaba, Y.; Ishisaka, K.; Kasahara, Y.; Imachi, T.; Yagitani, S.; Kojima, H.; Kurita, S.; Shoji, M.; Hori, T.; Shinbori, A.; Teramoto, M.; Miyoshi, Y.; Nakagawa, T.; Takahashi, N.; Nishimura, Y.; Matsuoka, A.; Tsuchiya, F.; Kumamoto, A.; Nomura, R.

2017-12-01

This paper summarizes the specifications and the evaluation results of Wire Probe Antenna (WPT) and Electric Field Detector (EFD), which are the key parts of Plasma Wave Experiment (PWE) aboard the Arase satellite, in their initial operations and the beginning phase of the full observations. WPT consists of the two dipole antennas as electric field sensors with 32m tip-to-tip length, with a sphere probe (6 cm diameter) attached at each end of wires (length: 15-m). They are extended orthogonally in the spin plane which is roughly perpendicular to the Sun. It enables the PWE to measure the E-field from DC to 10 MHz. This system is almost compatible to the WPT of the Plasma Wave Investigation (PWI) aboard BepiColombo Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter, except the material of the spherical probe (ERG: Aluminium alloy, MMO: Titanium-alloy). This paper shows the extended length evaluated by the Lorentz force (spacecraft velocity x B-field) and the antenna impedance as the basic information of the E-field measurement capability of the PWE E-field receivers, with the evaluation for the possible degradation of the probe surface coated by TiAlN as BepiColombo. EFD is the 2-channel low frequency electric receiver as a part of EWO (EFD/WFC/OFA), for the measurement of 2ch electric field in the spin-plane with the sampling rate of 512 Hz (dynamic range: +-200 mV/m, +-3 V/m) and the 4ch spacecraft potential with the sampling rate of 128 Hz (dynamic range: +-100 V), respectively, with the bias control capability fed to the WPT probes. The electric field in DC - 232Hz provides the capability to detect (1) the fundamental information of the plasma dynamics and accelerations and (2) the characteristics of MHD and ion waves with their Poynting vectors with the data measured by MGF and PWE/WFC-B connected to PWE/SCM. The spacecraft potential provides the electron density information with UHR frequency. This paper also introduces the data sets and their calibration status.

Evaluation of a lake whitefish bioenergetics model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madenjian, Charles P.; O'Connor, Daniel V.; Pothoven, Steven A.; Schneeberger, Philip J.; Rediske, Richard R.; O'Keefe, James P.; Bergstedt, Roger A.; Argyle, Ray L.; Brandt, Stephen B.

2006-01-01

We evaluated the Wisconsin bioenergetics model for lake whitefish Coregonus clupeaformis in the laboratory and in the field. For the laboratory evaluation, lake whitefish were fed rainbow smelt Osmerus mordax in four laboratory tanks during a 133-d experiment. Based on a comparison of bioenergetics model predictions of lake whitefish food consumption and growth with observed consumption and growth, we concluded that the bioenergetics model furnished significantly biased estimates of both food consumption and growth. On average, the model overestimated consumption by 61% and underestimated growth by 16%. The source of the bias was probably an overestimation of the respiration rate. We therefore adjusted the respiration component of the bioenergetics model to obtain a good fit of the model to the observed consumption and growth in our laboratory tanks. Based on the adjusted model, predictions of food consumption over the 133-d period fell within 5% of observed consumption in three of the four tanks and within 9% of observed consumption in the remaining tank. We used polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as a tracer to evaluate model performance in the field. Based on our laboratory experiment, the efficiency with which lake whitefish retained PCBs from their food (I?) was estimated at 0.45. We applied the bioenergetics model to Lake Michigan lake whitefish and then used PCB determinations of both lake whitefish and their prey from Lake Michigan to estimate p in the field. Application of the original model to Lake Michigan lake whitefish yielded a field estimate of 0.28, implying that the original formulation of the model overestimated consumption in Lake Michigan by 61%. Application of the bioenergetics model with the adjusted respiration component resulted in a field I? estimate of 0.56, implying that this revised model underestimated consumption by 20%.

Evaluation of a chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) bioenergetics model

USGS Publications Warehouse

Madenjian, Charles P.; O'Connor, Daniel V.; Chernyak, Sergei M.; Rediske, Richard R.; O'Keefe, James P.

2004-01-01

We evaluated the Wisconsin bioenergetics model for chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in both the laboratory and the field. Chinook salmon in laboratory tanks were fed alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus), the predominant food of chinook salmon in Lake Michigan. Food consumption and growth by chinook salmon during the experiment were measured. To estimate the efficiency with which chinook salmon retain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from their food in the laboratory, PCB concentrations of the alewife and of the chinook salmon at both the beginning and end of the experiment were determined. Based on our laboratory evaluation, the bioenergetics model was furnishing unbiased estimates of food consumption by chinook salmon. Additionally, from the laboratory experiment, we calculated that chinook salmon retained 75% of the PCBs contained within their food. In an earlier study, assimilation rate of PCBs to chinook salmon from their food in Lake Michigan was estimated at 53%, thereby suggesting that the model was substantially overestimating food consumption by chinook salmon in Lake Michigan. However, we concluded that field performance of the model could not be accurately assessed because PCB assimilation efficiency is dependent on feeding rate, and feeding rate of chinook salmon was likely much lower in our laboratory tanks than in Lake Michigan.

The importance of aerodynamics for prosthetic limb design used by competitive cyclists with an amputation: An introduction.

PubMed

Dyer, Bryce

2015-06-01

This study introduces the importance of the aerodynamics to prosthetic limb design for athletes with either a lower-limb or upper-limb amputation. The study comprises two elements: 1) An initial experiment investigating the stability of outdoor velodrome-based field tests, and 2) An experiment evaluating the application of outdoor velodrome aerodynamic field tests to detect small-scale changes in aerodynamic drag respective of prosthetic limb componentry changes. An outdoor field-testing method is used to detect small and repeatable changes in the aerodynamic drag of an able-bodied cyclist. These changes were made at levels typical of alterations in prosthetic componentry. The field-based test method of assessment is used at a smaller level of resolution than previously reported. With a carefully applied protocol, the field test method proved to be statistically stable. The results of the field test experiments demonstrate a noticeable change in overall athlete performance. Aerodynamic refinement of artificial limbs is worthwhile for athletes looking to maximise their competitive performance. A field-testing method illustrates the importance of the aerodynamic optimisation of prosthetic limb components. The field-testing protocol undertaken in this study gives an accessible and affordable means of doing so by prosthetists and sports engineers. Using simple and accessible field-testing methods, this exploratory experiment demonstrates how small changes to riders' equipment, consummate of the scale of a small change in prosthetics componentry, can affect the performance of an athlete. Prosthetists should consider such opportunities for performance enhancement when possible. © The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics 2014.

Adapting Science Materials for the Blind, Report of an Evaluation Planning Conference.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thier, Herbert D.; And Others

Persons from the field of science education and persons who had extensive experience working with visually handicapped children were brought together to establish some baselines and beginning ideas of approaches to the evaluation of a laboratory - centered science program (Science Curriculum Improvement Study) as it is being used with visually…

Alternative Placements in Initial Teacher Education: An Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Purdy, Noel; Gibson, Ken

2008-01-01

The paper evaluates a programme of short alternative placements for final-year B.Ed. students in Northern Ireland, which aims to broaden student teachers' experience and develop their transferable skills. The alternative placement programme is set first in an international context of evolving pre-service field placements and then set in a local…

Incidence and impact of damage to and mortality trends of Florida's timber, 1987

Treesearch

Elizabeth A. Brantley; Clair Redmond; Michael Thompson

1994-01-01

This southeastern forest experiment station, headquartered in Asheville, NC, periodically inventories and evaluates forest resources in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The southern region, Forest Health Staff unit, provides training, field support, and evaluation of the data on forest insects, diseases, and other damaging agents.

A Study of the Effects of Microteaching Experiences Upon the Classroom Behavior of Social Studies Student Teachers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Limbacher, Philip C.

The hypotheses of this field study, conducted in connection with the Teaching Techniques Laboratory at the University of Illinois, were that student teachers who had participated in a supervised, laboratory, microteaching experience would: 1) receive more favorable pupil evaluations of an initial and final teaching effort on the Teacher…

Evaluation of post-wildfire runoff and erosion on semiarid ecological sites

Treesearch

Ginger B. Paige; Jeffry J. Stone; D. Phillip Guertin

2005-01-01

Field studies are being conducted to quantify runoff and erosion rates following wildfires in semiarid rangelands. Rainfall simulator experiments were conducted on two grassland sites and one oak woodland site in Southern Arizona immediately following wildfires in 2002 and 2003. The experiments applied a range of rainfall intensities between 50 and 180 mm/h....

Modeling crop residue burning experiments to evaluate smoke emissions and plume transport

Treesearch

Luxi Zhou; Kirk R. Baker; Sergey L. Napelenok; George Pouliot; Robert Elleman; Susan M. O' Neill; Shawn P. Urbanski; David C. Wong

2018-01-01

Crop residue burning is a common land management practice that results in emissions of a variety of pollutants with negative health impacts. Modeling systems are used to estimate air quality impacts of crop residue burning to support retrospective regulatory assessments and also for forecasting purposes. Ground and airborne measurements from a recent field experiment...

Resistance to extinction of human evaluative conditioning using a between-subjects design.

PubMed

Baeyens, F; Díaz, E; Ruiz, G

2005-02-01

Two experiments were conducted to examine whether the resistance to extinction obtained in evaluative conditioning (EC) studies implies that EC is a qualitatively distinct form of classical conditioning (Baeyens, Eelen, & Crombez, 1995 a) or whether it is the result of an nonassociative artefact ( Field & Davey, 1997 , 1998 , 1999 ). Both experiments included between-subjects control groups in addition to standard within-subjects control conditions. In Experiment 1, only verbal ratings were measured in order to evaluate the effect of postacquisition CS-only exposures on EC whereas in Experiment 2, verbal ratings and postextinction priming effects were measured. The results showed that the EC effects are demonstrable in a between-subjects design and that the extinction procedure did not have any influence on the acquired evaluative value of CSs regardless of whether the verbal ratings or the priming effects were used as dependent variables. The present results provide evidence that EC is resistant to extinction and suggest an interpretation of EC as a qualitatively distinct form of associative learning.

Evaluating indoor exposure modeling alternatives for LCA: A case study in the vehicle repair industry

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

Demou, Evangelia; Hellweg, Stefanie; Wilson, Michael P.

2009-05-01

We evaluated three exposure models with data obtained from measurements among workers who use"aerosol" solvent products in the vehicle repair industry and with field experiments using these products to simulate the same exposure conditions. The three exposure models were the: 1) homogeneously-mixed-one-box model, 2) multi-zone model, and 3) eddy-diffusion model. Temporally differentiated real-time breathing zone volatile organic compound (VOC) concentration measurements, integrated far-field area samples, and simulated experiments were used in estimating parameters, such as emission rates, diffusivity, and near-field dimensions. We assessed differences in model input requirements and their efficacy for predictive modeling. The One-box model was not ablemore » to resemble the temporal profile of exposure concentrations, but it performed well concerning time-weighted exposure over extended time periods. However, this model required an adjustment for spatial concentration gradients. Multi-zone models and diffusion-models may solve this problem. However, we found that the reliable use of both these models requires extensive field data to appropriately define pivotal parameters such as diffusivity or near-field dimensions. We conclude that it is difficult to apply these models for predicting VOC exposures in the workplace. However, for comparative exposure scenarios in life-cycle assessment they may be useful.« less

Science Notes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

School Science Review, 1985

1985-01-01

Presents 23 experiments, activities, field projects and computer programs in the biological and physical sciences. Instructional procedures, experimental designs, materials, and background information are suggested. Topics include fluid mechanics, electricity, crystals, arthropods, limpets, acid neutralization, and software evaluation. (ML)

Utilisation of the magnetic sensor in a smartphone for facile magnetostatics experiment: magnetic field due to electrical current in straight and loop wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Septianto, R. D.; Suhendra, D.; Iskandar, F.

2017-01-01

This paper reports on the result of a research into the utilisation of a smartphone for the study of magnetostatics on the basis of experiments. The use of such a device gives great measurement result and thus it can replace magnetic sensor tools that are relatively expensive. For the best experimental result, firstly the position of the magnetic sensor in the smartphone has to be considered by way of value mapping of a magnetic field due to permanent magnet. The magnetostatics experiment investigated in this research was the measurement of magnetic field due to electrical currents in two shapes of wire, straight and looped. The current flow, the distance between the observation point and the wire, and the diameter of the loop were the variable parameters investigated to test the smartphone’s capabilities as a measurement tool. To evaluate the experimental results, the measured data were compared with theoretical values that were calculated by using both an analytical and a numerical approach. According to the experiment results, the measured data had good agreement with the results from the analytical and the numerical approach. This means that the use of the magnetic sensor in a smartphone in physics experiments is viable, especially for magnetic field measurement.

A nearshore processes field experiment at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, U.S.A.

USGS Publications Warehouse

List, Jeffrey H.; Warner, John C.; Thieler, E. Robert; Haas, Kevin; Voulgaris, George; McNinch, Jesse E.; Brodie, Katherine L.; Rosati, Julie D.; Wang, Ping; Roberts, Tiffany M.

2011-01-01

A month-long field experiment focused on the nearshore hydrodynamics of Diamond Shoals adjacent to Cape Hatteras Point, North Carolina, was conducted in February 2010. The objectives of this multi-institutional experiment were to test hypotheses related to Diamond Shoals as a sink in the regional sediment budget and to provide data for evaluating numerical models. The experiment included in-situ instrumentation for measuring waves and currents; a video camera system for measuring surface currents at a nearshore transect; a radar system for measuring regional surface currents over Diamond Shoals and the adjacent coast; a vehicle-based scanning lidar and radar system for mapping beach topography, nearshore wave breaking intensity, bathymetry (through wave celerity inversion), and wave direction; and an amphibious vehicle system for surveying single-beam bathymetry. Preliminary results from wave and current measurements suggest that shoal-building processes were active during the experiment.

Imaging of Subsurface Corrosion Using Gradient-Field Pulsed Eddy Current Probes with Uniform Field Excitation

PubMed Central

Ren, Shuting; Yan, Bei; Zainal Abidin, Ilham Mukriz; Wang, Yi

2017-01-01

A corrosive environment leaves in-service conductive structures prone to subsurface corrosion which poses a severe threat to the structural integrity. It is indispensable to detect and quantitatively evaluate subsurface corrosion via non-destructive evaluation techniques. Although the gradient-field pulsed eddy current technique (GPEC) has been found to be superior in the evaluation of corrosion in conductors, it suffers from a technical drawback resulting from the non-uniform field excited by the conventional pancake coil. In light of this, a new GPEC probe with uniform field excitation for the imaging of subsurface corrosion is proposed in this paper. The excited uniform field makes the GPEC signal correspond only to the field perturbation due to the presence of subsurface corrosion, which benefits the corrosion profiling and sizing. A 3D analytical model of GPEC is established to analyze the characteristics of the uniform field induced within a conductor. Following this, experiments regarding the imaging of subsurface corrosion via GPEC have been carried out. It has been found from the results that the proposed GPEC probe with uniform field excitation not only applies to the imaging of subsurface corrosion in conductive structures, but provides high-sensitivity imaging results regarding the corrosion profile and opening size. PMID:28758985

Imaging of Subsurface Corrosion Using Gradient-Field Pulsed Eddy Current Probes with Uniform Field Excitation.

PubMed

Li, Yong; Ren, Shuting; Yan, Bei; Zainal Abidin, Ilham Mukriz; Wang, Yi

2017-07-31

A corrosive environment leaves in-service conductive structures prone to subsurface corrosion which poses a severe threat to the structural integrity. It is indispensable to detect and quantitatively evaluate subsurface corrosion via non-destructive evaluation techniques. Although the gradient-field pulsed eddy current technique (GPEC) has been found to be superior in the evaluation of corrosion in conductors, it suffers from a technical drawback resulting from the non-uniform field excited by the conventional pancake coil. In light of this, a new GPEC probe with uniform field excitation for the imaging of subsurface corrosion is proposed in this paper. The excited uniform field makes the GPEC signal correspond only to the field perturbation due to the presence of subsurface corrosion, which benefits the corrosion profiling and sizing. A 3D analytical model of GPEC is established to analyze the characteristics of the uniform field induced within a conductor. Following this, experiments regarding the imaging of subsurface corrosion via GPEC have been carried out. It has been found from the results that the proposed GPEC probe with uniform field excitation not only applies to the imaging of subsurface corrosion in conductive structures, but provides high-sensitivity imaging results regarding the corrosion profile and opening size.

Evaluation of a Multi-Decadal Simulation of Stratospheric Ozone by Comparison with Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Douglass, Anne R.; Stolarski, Richard S.; Steenrod, Steven; Pawson, Steven

2003-01-01

One key application of atmospheric chemistry and transport models is prediction of the response of ozone and other constituents to various natural and anthropogenic perturbations. These include changes in composition, such as the previous rise and recent decline in emission of man-made chlorofluorcarbons, changes in aerosol loading due to volcanic eruption, and changes in solar forcing. Comparisons of hindcast model results for the past few decades with observations are a key element of model evaluation and provide a sense of the reliability of model predictions. The 25 year data set from Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometers is a cornerstone of such model evaluation. Here we report evaluation of three-dimensional multi-decadal simulation of stratospheric composition. Meteorological fields for this off-line calculation are taken from a 50 year simulation of a general circulation model. Model fields are compared with observations from TOMS and also with observations from the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE), Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS), Cryogenic Limb Array Etalon Spectrometer (CLAES), and the Halogen Occultation Experiment (HALOE). This overall evaluation will emphasize the spatial, seasonal, and interannual variability of the simulation compared with observed atmospheric variability.

Management of Social Incentives in Air Force Technical Training: A Field Experiment. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakel, Milton D.; And Others

The report is a study of the utility of social reinforcement for improving Air Force training. It was conducted through a field evaluation of social incentive instructional systems which would serve to improve student motivation, classroom performance, and attitudes. The participants included a total of 300 trainees from two Air Force bases; 25…

On magnetic field strength effect on velocity and turbulence characterization using Phase-Contrast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PC-MRI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van de Moortele, Pierre-Francois; Amili, Omid; Coletti, Filippo; Toloui, Mostafa

2017-11-01

Cardiovascular flows are predominantly laminar. Nevertheless, transient and even turbulent flows have been observed in the vicinity of the heart (e.g. valves, ascending aorta, valvular/vascular stenosis). Effective in-vivo hemodynamic-based diagnostics in these sites require both high-resolution velocity measurements (especially in the near-vessel wall regions) and accurate evaluation of blood flow turbulence level (e.g. in terms of TKE). In addition to phase contrast (PC), appropriately designed PC-MRI sequences provide intravoxel incoherent motion encoding, a unique tool for simultaneous, non-invasive evaluation of velocity 3D vector fields and Reynolds stresses in cardiovascular flows in vivo. However, limited spatial and temporal resolution of PC-MRI result in inaccuracies in the estimation of hemodynamics (e.g. WSS) and of flow turbulence characteristics. This study aims to assess whether SNR gains at higher magnetic field could overcome these limits, providing more accurate velocity and turbulence characterization at higher spatial resolution. Experiments are conducted on MR Scanners at 3 and 7 Tesla with a U-bent pipe flow shaped phantom. 3D velocity fields, Reynolds stresses and TKE are analyzed and compared to a reference PIV experiments.

Environmental evaluation of coexistence of denitrifying anaerobic methane-oxidizing archaea and bacteria in a paddy field.

PubMed

Ding, Jing; Fu, Liang; Ding, Zhao-Wei; Lu, Yong-Ze; Cheng, Shuk H; Zeng, Raymond J

2016-01-01

The nitrate-dependent denitrifying anaerobic methane oxidation (DAMO) process, which is metabolized together by anaerobic methanotrophic archaea and NC10 phylum bacteria, is expected to be important for the global carbon and nitrogen cycles. However, there are little studies about the existence of this process and the functional microbes in environments. Therefore, the coexistence of DAMO archaea and bacteria in a paddy field was evaluated in this study. Next-generation sequencing showed that the two orders, Methanosarcinales and Nitrospirales, to which DAMO archaea and DAMO bacteria belong, were detected in the four soil samples. Then the in vitro experiments demonstrated both of nitrite- and nitrate-dependent DAMO activities, which confirmed the coexistence of DAMO archaea and DAMO bacteria. It was the first report about the coexistence of DAMO archaea and bacteria in a paddy field. Furthermore, anammox bacteria were detected in two of the four samples. The in vitro experiments did not show anammox activity in the initial period but showed low anammox activity after 20 days' enrichment. These results implicated that anammox bacteria may coexist with DAMO microorganisms in this field, but at a very low percentage.

Ion mobility based on column leaching of South African gold tailings dam with chemometric evaluation.

PubMed

Cukrowska, Ewa M; Govender, Koovila; Viljoen, Morris

2004-07-01

New column leaching experiments were designed and used as an alternative rapid screening approach to element mobility assessment. In these experiments, field-moist material was treated with an extracting solution to assess the effects of acidification on element mobility in mine tailings. The main advantage of this version of column leaching experiments with partitioned segments is that they give quick information on current element mobility in conditions closely simulating field conditions to compare with common unrepresentative air-dried, sieved samples used for column leaching experiments. Layers from the tailings dump material were sampled and packed into columns. The design of columns allows extracting leachates from each layer. The extracting solutions used were natural (pH 6.8) and acidified (pH 4.2) rainwater. Metals and anions were determined in the leachates. The concentrations of metals (Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Al, Cr, Ni, Co, Zn, and Cu) in sample leachates were determined using ICP OES. The most important anions (NO3-, Cl-, and SO4(2)-) were determined using the closed system izotacophoresis ITP analyser. The chemical analytical data from tailings leaching and physico-chemical data from field measurements (including pH, conductivity, redox potential, temperature) were used for chemometric evaluation of element mobility. Principal factor analysis (PFA) was used to evaluate ions mobility from different layers of tailings dump arising from varied pH and redox conditions. It was found that the results from the partitioned column leaching illustrate much better complex processes of metals mobility from tailings dump than the total column. The chemometric data analysis (PFA) proofed the differences in the various layers leachability that are arising from physico-chemical processes due to chemical composition of tailings dump deposit. Copyright 2004 Elsevier Ltd.

The SQUIRE Guidelines: an evaluation from the field, 5 years post release.

PubMed

Davies, Louise; Batalden, Paul; Davidoff, Frank; Stevens, David; Ogrinc, Greg

2015-12-01

The Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRE) Guidelines were published in 2008 to increase the completeness, precision and accuracy of published reports of systematic efforts to improve the quality, value and safety of healthcare. Since that time, the field has expanded. We asked people from the field to evaluate the Guidelines, a novel approach to a first step in revision. Evaluative design using focus groups and semi-structured interviews with 29 end users and an advisory group of 18 thinkers in the field. Sampling of end users was purposive to achieve variation in work setting, geographic location, area of expertise, manuscript writing experience, healthcare improvement and research experience. Study participants reported that SQUIRE was useful in planning a healthcare improvement project, but not as helpful during writing because of redundancies, uncertainty about what was important to include and lack of clarity in items. The concept "planning the study of the intervention" (item 10) was hard for many participants to understand. Participants varied in their interpretation of the meaning of item 10b "the concept of the mechanism by which changes were expected to occur". Participants disagreed about whether iterations of an intervention should be reported. Level of experience in writing, knowledge of the science of improvement and the evolving meaning of some terms in the field are hypothesised as the reasons for these findings. The original SQUIRE Guidelines help with planning healthcare improvement work, but are perceived as complicated and unclear during writing. Key goals of the revision will be to clarify items where conflict was identified and outline the key components necessary for complete reporting of improvement work. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Designs of Empirical Evaluations of Nonexperimental Methods in Field Settings.

PubMed

Wong, Vivian C; Steiner, Peter M

2018-01-01

Over the last three decades, a research design has emerged to evaluate the performance of nonexperimental (NE) designs and design features in field settings. It is called the within-study comparison (WSC) approach or the design replication study. In the traditional WSC design, treatment effects from a randomized experiment are compared to those produced by an NE approach that shares the same target population. The nonexperiment may be a quasi-experimental design, such as a regression-discontinuity or an interrupted time-series design, or an observational study approach that includes matching methods, standard regression adjustments, and difference-in-differences methods. The goals of the WSC are to determine whether the nonexperiment can replicate results from a randomized experiment (which provides the causal benchmark estimate), and the contexts and conditions under which these methods work in practice. This article presents a coherent theory of the design and implementation of WSCs for evaluating NE methods. It introduces and identifies the multiple purposes of WSCs, required design components, common threats to validity, design variants, and causal estimands of interest in WSCs. It highlights two general approaches for empirical evaluations of methods in field settings, WSC designs with independent and dependent benchmark and NE arms. This article highlights advantages and disadvantages for each approach, and conditions and contexts under which each approach is optimal for addressing methodological questions.

Evaluation Methods for Assessing Users’ Psychological Experiences of Web-Based Psychosocial Interventions: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Howson, Moira; Ritchie, Linda; Carter, Philip D; Parry, David Tudor; Koziol-McLain, Jane

2016-01-01

Background The use of Web-based interventions to deliver mental health and behavior change programs is increasingly popular. They are cost-effective, accessible, and generally effective. Often these interventions concern psychologically sensitive and challenging issues, such as depression or anxiety. The process by which a person receives and experiences therapy is important to understanding therapeutic process and outcomes. While the experience of the patient or client in traditional face-to-face therapy has been evaluated in a number of ways, there appeared to be a gap in the evaluation of patient experiences of therapeutic interventions delivered online. Evaluation of Web-based artifacts has focused either on evaluation of experience from a computer Web-design perspective through usability testing or on evaluation of treatment effectiveness. Neither of these methods focuses on the psychological experience of the person while engaged in the therapeutic process. Objective This study aimed to investigate what methods, if any, have been used to evaluate the in situ psychological experience of users of Web-based self-help psychosocial interventions. Methods A systematic literature review was undertaken of interdisciplinary databases with a focus on health and computer sciences. Studies that met a predetermined search protocol were included. Results Among 21 studies identified that examined psychological experience of the user, only 1 study collected user experience in situ. The most common method of understanding users’ experience was through semistructured interviews conducted posttreatment or questionnaires administrated at the end of an intervention session. The questionnaires were usually based on standardized tools used to assess user experience with traditional face-to-face treatment. Conclusions There is a lack of methods specified in the literature to evaluate the interface between Web-based mental health or behavior change artifacts and users. Main limitations in the research were the nascency of the topic and cross-disciplinary nature of the field. There is a need to develop and deliver methods of understanding users’ psychological experiences while using an intervention. PMID:27363519

Enhancing Diversity In The Geosciences; Intensive Field Experience In USA And Mexico For Middle And High School Teachers Serving Large Hispanic Populations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leal-Bautista, R. M.; Kitts, K. B.; Velazquez Oliman, G.; Perry, E. C.

2008-12-01

To encourage Hispanic participation and enrolment in the geosciences and ultimately enhance diversity within the discipline, we recruited ten middle and high school science teachers serving large Hispanic populations (60-97%) for a paid three-week field experience supported by an NSF Opportunities for Enhancing Diversity in the Geosciences grant. In 2006, the field experiences focused on volcanic events and the water problems of the Central part of Mexico. In 2008, the field experiences focused on karstic and hydrogeological conditions of the Yucatan Peninsula. In addition to the geological aspects of the fieldwork experience, the trip to Mexico exposed the teachers to a social environment outside of their community where they interacted with a diverse group of scientists from the Universidad National Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Centro de Investigacion Cientifica de Yucatan (CICY) and Centro Nacional de Desastres (CENAPRED). A key part of this project was the encounter between American and Mexican teachers that included a day of presentations, panel discussion and some class-room activities. Direct interaction between the cooperating teachers and the American and Mexican geoscientists provided actual scientific research experiences to educate and to help dispel misconceptions the teachers themselves may have had about who geoscientists really are and what they do. Teachers of the 2006 group produced educational materials from their field experiences and presented these materials at professional conferences. We measured the efficacy of these activities quantitatively via pre- and post-tests assessing confidence levels, preconceptions and biases, NIU staff observations of participants in their home institutions, and evaluations of participants' field books and pedagogical materials. We present these data here and identify specific activities that are both effective and efficient in changing teacher behaviours and attitudes enabling them to better connect with their Hispanic students in their Geoscience classrooms. Post experience activities of the 2008 group will build on these results.

Effects of agricultural management on productivity, soil quality and climate change mitigation - evaluations within the EU Project (FP 7) CATCH-C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiegel, Heide; Schlatter, Norman; Haslmayr, Hans-Peter; Baumgarten, Andreas; ten Berge, Hein

2014-05-01

Soils are the main basis for the production of food and feed. Furthermore, the production of biomass for energy and material use is becoming increasingly important. Goals for an optimal management of agricultural soils are, on the one hand, the maintenance or improvement of soil quality and, on the other hand, high productivity and climate change mitigation (reduction of GHG emissions and C sequestration). Thus, the EU project CATCH-C aims to evaluate current management practices concerning these three goals based on indicators derived from long-term field experiments of the project partners and from literature data. A maximum of 72 indicators for productivity, soil quality and the potential for carbon storage in the soil and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions were selected by the project partners. As indicators for productivity, crop yields are determined in almost all field trials. The content of soil organic carbon (SOC) is an indicator for chemical, physical and biological soil quality and was analysed in the topsoil in all field trials. Less data exist for SOC contents in the subsoil. An important physical soil quality indicator is the bulk density, however, it is not determined in all field trials of the project partners. Therefore, information on SOC stocks, with relevance to carbon storage and climate change mitigation, is not available in all field experiments. Other physical indicators, such as penetration resistance, runoff coefficient and soil losses are evaluated. Essential biological indicators are microbial biomass and the number and weight of earthworms, which have been tested in several field trials. The evaluation of all these indicators will help to select "best management practices" and to address trade-offs and synergies for all indicators under consideration of major European farm type zones. CATCH-C is funded within the 7th Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration, Theme 2 - Biotechnologies, Agriculture & Food. (Grant Agreement N° 289782).

Catalog of Wargaming and Military Simulation Models

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

and newly developed software models. This system currently (and will in the near term) supports battle force architecture design and evaluation...aborted air refuelings, or replacement aircraft. PLANNED IMPROVEMENTS AND MODIFICATIONS: Completion of model. INPUT: Input fields are required to...vehicle mobility evaluation model). PROPONENT: Mobility Systems Division, Geotechnical Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station

Evaluation of insecticides for protecting southwestern ponderosa pines from attack by engraver beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

Treesearch

Tom E. DeGomez; Christopher J. Hayes; John A. Anhold; Joel D. McMillin; Karen M. Clancy; Paul P. Bosu

2006-01-01

Insecticides that might protect pine trees from attack by engraver beetles (Ips spp.) have not been rigorously tested in the southwestern United States. We conducted two field experiments to evaluate the efficacy of several currently and potentially labeled preventative insecticides for protecting high-value ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa...

Ceratapion basicorne (Illiger) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): laboratory and open field trials to assess its specificity as biocontrol agent of Centaurea solstitialis (Asteraceae: Cardueae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Prospective biological control agents generally must be demonstrated to not pose risks to non-target plants. Laboratory experiments evaluating host plant specificity are the most common method of evaluating such risk; however, they are constrained by limitations of space and number of replicates, gi...

DIRECT operational field test evaluation natural use study. Part 3, Evaluation of driver behavior and measurement of effectiveness of DIRECT communications technologies based on vehicle tracking around incidents

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-08-01

Vehicle tracking systems were installed on all DIRECT vehicles to help investigate the : relationships between the drivers actual travel experiences and their opinions about the : systems they used. The purpose of this report is to look more caref...

Taking Science Online: Evaluating Presence and Immersion through a Laboratory Experience in a Virtual Learning Environment for Entomology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Annetta, Leonard; Klesath, Marta; Meyer, John

2009-01-01

A 3-D virtual field trip was integrated into an online college entomology course and developed as a trial for the possible incorporation of future virtual environments to supplement online higher education laboratories. This article provides an explanation of the rationale behind creating the virtual experience, the Bug Farm; the method and…

Evaluating the Study Abroad Experience Using the Framework of Rotter's Social Learning Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLeod, Mark; Carter, Vince; Nowicki, Steve; Tottenham, Dana; Wainwright, Philip; Wyner, Dana

2015-01-01

The goal of most if not all study abroad programs is to provide students with a set of life experiences that will broaden their perspectives and expectations and have a positive impact on the way they live and think. Over the past decade, the education abroad field has experienced tremendous growth, diversification and complexity. This expansion…

Evaluating sensitivity of complex electrical methods for monitoring CO2 intrusion into a shallow groundwater system and associated geochemical transformations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dafflon, B.; Wu, Y.; Hubbard, S. S.; Birkholzer, J. T.; Daley, T. M.; Pugh, J. D.; Peterson, J.; Trautz, R. C.

2011-12-01

A risk factor of CO2 storage in deep geological formations includes its potential to leak into shallow formations and impact groundwater geochemistry and quality. In particular, CO2 decreases groundwater pH, which can potentially mobilize naturally occurring trace metals and ions commonly absorbed to or contained in sediments. Here, geophysical studies (primarily complex electrical method) are being carried out at both laboratory and field scales to evaluate the sensitivity of geophysical methods for monitoring dissolved CO2 distribution and geochemical transformations that may impact water quality. Our research is performed in association with a field test that is exploring the effects of dissolved CO2 intrusion on groundwater geochemistry. Laboratory experiments using site sediments (silica sand and some fraction of clay minerals) and groundwater were initially conducted under field relevant CO2 partial pressures (pCO2). A significant pH drop was observed with inline sensors with concurrent changes in fluid conductivity caused by CO2 dissolution. Electrical resistivity and electrical phase responses correlated well with the CO2 dissolution process at various pCO2. Specifically, resistivity decreased initially at low pCO2 condition resulting from CO2 dissolution followed by a slight rebound because of the transition of bicarbonate into non-dissociated carbonic acid at lower pH slightly reducing the total concentration of dissociated species. Continuous electrical phase decreases were also observed, which are interpreted to be driven by the decrease of surface charge density (due to the decrease of pH, which approaches the PZC of the sediments). In general, laboratory experiments revealed the sensitivity of electrical signals to CO2 intrusion into groundwater formations and can be used to guide field data interpretation. Cross well complex electrical data are currently being collected periodically throughout a field experiment involving the controlled release of dissolved CO2 into groundwater. The objective of the geophysical cross well monitoring effort is to evaluate the sensitivity of complex electrical methods to dissolved CO2 at the field scale. Here, we report on the ability to translate laboratory-based petrophysical information from lab to field scales, and on the potential of field complex electrical methods for remotely monitoring CO2-induced geochemical transformations.

Evaluation of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria on the growth and grain yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) cropped in northern Iran.

PubMed

Bakhshandeh, E; Rahimian, H; Pirdashti, H; Nematzadeh, G A

2015-11-01

This study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of four phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) on the growth and yield of rice under different soil conditions. Bacterial strains were Rahnella aquatillis (KM977991), Enterobacter sp. (KM977992), Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas putida. These studies were conducted on different rice cultivars ('Shiroodi', 'Tarom' and 'Tarom Hashemi') in both pot and field experiments. Measurements started from transplanting and continued throughout the growing season in field experiments. Single PSB inoculations in field trials increased grain yield, biological yield, total number of stems hill(-1) , number of panicles hill(-1) and plant height by 8·50-26·9%, 12·4-30·9%, 20·3-38·7%, 22·1-36·1% and 0·85-3·35% in experiment 1, by 7·74-14·7%, 4·22-12·6%, 6·67-16·7%, 4·0-15·4% and 3·15-4·20% in experiment 2 and by 23·4-37%, 16·1-36·4%, 30·2-39·1%, 28·8-34% and 2·11-4·55% in experiment 3, respectively, compared to the control. Our results indicate that the application of triple super phosphate together with PSB inoculations resulted in reducing the use of chemical fertilizers (about 67%) and increasing fertilizer use efficiency. This study clearly indicates that these PSBs can be used as biofertilizers in ecological rice agricultural systems. To the best of our knowledge, this is first report on the association of Rahnella aquatilis with rice and also the application of a mathematical model to evaluate the effect of PSBs on rice growth. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

User Experience Evaluations in Rehabilitation Video Games for Children: A Systematic Mapping of the Literature.

PubMed

Rico-Olarte, Carolina; López, Diego M; Blobel, Bernd; Kepplinger, Sara

2017-01-01

In recent years, the interest in user experience (UX) evaluation methods for assessing technology solutions, especially in health systems for children with special needs like cognitive disabilities, has increased. Conduct a systematic mapping study to provide an overview in the field of UX evaluations in rehabilitation video games for children. The definition of research questions, the search for primary studies and the extraction of those studies by inclusion and exclusion criteria lead to the mapping of primary papers according to a classification scheme. Main findings from this study include the detection of the target population of the selected studies, the recognition of two different ways of evaluating UX: (i) user evaluation and (ii) system evaluation, and UX measurements and devices used. This systematic mapping specifies the research gaps identified for future research works in the area.

Using natural Chinese zeolite to remove ammonium from rainfall runoff following urea fertilization of a paddy rice field.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao-Ling; Qiao, Bin; Li, Song-Min; Li, Jian-Sheng

2016-03-01

The potential of natural Chinese zeolite to remove ammonium from rainfall runoff following urea applications to a paddy rice field is assessed in this study. Laboratory batch kinetic and isotherm experiments were carried out first to investigate the ammonium adsorption capacity of the natural zeolite. Field experiments using zeolite adsorption barriers installed at drain outlets in a paddy rice field were also carried out during natural rainfall events to evaluate the barrier's dynamic removal capacity of ammonium. The results demonstrate that the adsorption kinetics are accurately described by the Elovich model, with a coefficient of determination (R (2)) ranging from 0.9705 to 0.9709, whereas the adsorption isotherm results indicate that the Langmuir-Freundlich model provides the best fit (R (2) = 0.992) for the equilibrium data. The field experiments show that both the flow rate and the barrier volume are important controls on ammonium removal from rainfall runoff. A low flow rate leads to a higher ammonium removal efficiency at the beginning of the tests, while a high flow rate leads to a higher quantity of ammonium adsorbed over the entire runoff process.

Combining sprinkling experiments and superconducting gravimetry in the field: a qualitative approach to identify dominant infiltration patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reich, Marvin; Mikolaj, Michal; Blume, Theresa; Güntner, Andreas

2017-04-01

Hydrological process research at the plot to catchment scale commonly involves invasive field methods, leading to a large amount of point data. A promising alternative, which gained increasing interest in the hydrological community over the last years, is gravimetry. The combination of its non-invasive and integrative nature opens up new possibilities to approach hydrological process research. In this study we combine a field-scale sprinkling experiment with continuous superconducting gravity (SG) measurements. The experimental design consists of 8 sprinkler units, arranged symmetrically within a radius of about ten meters around an iGrav (SG) in a field enclosure. The gravity signal of the infiltrating sprinkling water is analyzed using a simple 3D water mass distribution model. We first conducted a number of virtual sprinkling experiments resulting in different idealized infiltration patterns and determined the pattern specific gravity response. In a next step we determined which combination of idealized infiltration patterns was able to reproduce the gravity response of our real-world experiment at the Wettzell Observatory (Germany). This process hypothesis is then evaluated with measured point-scale soil moisture responses and the results of the time-lapse electric resistivity survey which was carried out during the sprinkling experiment. This study demonstrates that a controlled sprinkling experiment around a gravimeter in combination with a simple infiltration model is sufficient to identify subsurface flow patterns and thus the dominant infiltration processes. As gravimeters become more portable and can actually be deployed in the field, their combination with sprinkling experiments as shown here constitutes a promising possibility to investigate hydrological processes in a non-invasive way.

MSFC Skylab student project report. [selected space experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The Skylab Student Project some 4000 students submitted experiments from which twenty-five national winners were selected. Of these, eleven required special flight hardware, eight were allowed to obtain data using hardware available for professional investigations, and the remaining six were affiliated with researchers in alternate fields, since their proposals could not be accommodated due to complexity or similar incompatibility. The background of the project is elaborated and experiment performance results and evaluations are touched upon.

Assessment of Habitat Suitability Is Affected by Plant-Soil Feedback: Comparison of Field and Garden Experiment.

PubMed

Hemrová, Lucie; Knappová, Jana; Münzbergová, Zuzana

2016-01-01

Field translocation experiments (i.e., the introduction of seeds or seedlings of different species into different localities) are commonly used to study habitat associations of species, as well as factors limiting species distributions and local abundances. Species planted or sown in sites where they naturally occur are expected to perform better or equally well compared to sites at which they do not occur or are rare. This, however, contrasts with the predictions of the Janzen-Connell hypothesis and commonly reported intraspecific negative plant-soil feedback. The few previous studies indicating poorer performance of plants at sites where they naturally occur did not explore the mechanisms behind this pattern. In this study, we used field translocation experiments established using both seeds and seedlings to study the determinants of local abundance of four dominant species in grasslands. To explore the possible effects of intraspecific negative plant-soil feedback on our results, we tested the effect of local species abundance on the performance of the plants in the field experiment. In addition, we set up a garden experiment to explore the intensity of intraspecific as well as interspecific feedback between the dominants used in the experiment. In some cases, the distribution and local abundances of the species were partly driven by habitat conditions at the sites, and species performed better at their own sites. However, the prevailing pattern was that the local dominants performed worse at sites where they naturally occur than at any other sites. Moreover, the success of plants in the field experiment was lower in the case of higher intraspecific abundance prior to experimental setup. In the garden feedback experiment, two of the species performed significantly worse in soils conditioned by their species than in soils conditioned by the other species. In addition, the performance of the plants was significantly correlated between the two experiments, suggesting that plant-soil feedback is a likely explanation of the patterns observed in the field. All of the results indicate that intraspecific negative plant-soil feedback, either biotic or abiotic, may be a key factor determining the performance of the plants in our field translocation experiment. The possible effects of negative feedback should thus be considered when evaluating results of translocation experiments in future studies.

Assessment of Habitat Suitability Is Affected by Plant-Soil Feedback: Comparison of Field and Garden Experiment

PubMed Central

Hemrová, Lucie; Knappová, Jana; Münzbergová, Zuzana

2016-01-01

Background Field translocation experiments (i.e., the introduction of seeds or seedlings of different species into different localities) are commonly used to study habitat associations of species, as well as factors limiting species distributions and local abundances. Species planted or sown in sites where they naturally occur are expected to perform better or equally well compared to sites at which they do not occur or are rare. This, however, contrasts with the predictions of the Janzen-Connell hypothesis and commonly reported intraspecific negative plant-soil feedback. The few previous studies indicating poorer performance of plants at sites where they naturally occur did not explore the mechanisms behind this pattern. Aims and Methods In this study, we used field translocation experiments established using both seeds and seedlings to study the determinants of local abundance of four dominant species in grasslands. To explore the possible effects of intraspecific negative plant-soil feedback on our results, we tested the effect of local species abundance on the performance of the plants in the field experiment. In addition, we set up a garden experiment to explore the intensity of intraspecific as well as interspecific feedback between the dominants used in the experiment. Key Results In some cases, the distribution and local abundances of the species were partly driven by habitat conditions at the sites, and species performed better at their own sites. However, the prevailing pattern was that the local dominants performed worse at sites where they naturally occur than at any other sites. Moreover, the success of plants in the field experiment was lower in the case of higher intraspecific abundance prior to experimental setup. In the garden feedback experiment, two of the species performed significantly worse in soils conditioned by their species than in soils conditioned by the other species. In addition, the performance of the plants was significantly correlated between the two experiments, suggesting that plant-soil feedback is a likely explanation of the patterns observed in the field. Conclusions All of the results indicate that intraspecific negative plant-soil feedback, either biotic or abiotic, may be a key factor determining the performance of the plants in our field translocation experiment. The possible effects of negative feedback should thus be considered when evaluating results of translocation experiments in future studies. PMID:27336400

Participatory evaluation (I)--sharing lessons from fieldwork in Asia.

PubMed

Crishna, B

2007-05-01

There is a need to study methodologies for evaluating social development projects. Traditional methods of evaluation are often not able to capture or measure the 'spirit of change' in people, which is the very essence of human development. Using participatory methodologies is a positive way to ensure that evaluations encourage an understanding of the value of critical analysis among service providers and other stakeholders. Participatory evaluation provides a systematic process of learning through experiences. Practical experiences of conducting a number of evaluation studies in social development projects have led the author to develop four basic principles of participatory evaluation strategies. This has been further conceptualized through an extensive literature search. The article develops and shares these principles through descriptions of field experiences in Asia. The article illustrates that the role of any evaluation remains a learning process, one which promotes a climate of reflection and self-assessment. It shows how using participatory methods can create this environment of learning. However, one needs to keep in mind that participatory evaluation takes time, and that the role and calibre of the facilitator are crucial. Participatory evaluation methods have been recommended for social development projects to ensure that stakeholders remain in control of their own lives and decisions.

Results from field tests of the one-dimensional Time-Encoded Imaging System.

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

Marleau, Peter; Brennan, James S.; Brubaker, Erik

2014-09-01

A series of field experiments were undertaken to evaluate the performance of the one dimensional time encoded imaging system. The significant detection of a Cf252 fission radiation source was demonstrated at a stand-off of 100 meters. Extrapolations to different quantities of plutonium equivalent at different distances are made. Hardware modifications to the system for follow on work are suggested.

Automated Detection of Solar Loops by the Oriented Connectivity Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Jong Kwan; Newman, Timothy S.; Gary, G. Allen

2004-01-01

An automated technique to segment solar coronal loops from intensity images of the Sun s corona is introduced. It exploits physical characteristics of the solar magnetic field to enable robust extraction from noisy images. The technique is a constructive curve detection approach, constrained by collections of estimates of the magnetic fields orientation. Its effectiveness is evaluated through experiments on synthetic and real coronal images.

Results from an 8 Joule RMF-FRC Plasma Translation Experiment for Space Propulsion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hill, Carrie; Uchizono, Nolan; Holmes, Michael

2017-10-01

Field-Reversed Configuration (FRC) thrusters are attractive for advanced in-space propulsion technology as their projected performance, low specific mass, and propellant flexibility offer significant benefits over state-of-the art thrusters. A benchtop experiment to evaluate FRC thruster behavior using a Rotating Magnetic Field (RMF) formation method was constructed at the Air Force Research Laboratory. This experiment generated an RMF-FRC in a conical geometry and accelerated the plasma into a field-free drift region, using 8 J of input energy. Downstream plasma probes in a time-of-flight array measured the exhaust contents of the plasma plume. Results from this diagnostic demonstrated that the ejected mass and ion exit velocities fell short of the desired specific impulse and momentum. Two high-speed cameras were installed to diagnose the gross plasma behavior from two perspectives. Results from these images are presented here. These images show that the plasma generated in the formation region for several different operating conditions was highly non-uniform and did not form a stable closed-field topology that is expected from RMF-FRC plasmas.

Microstrip resonators for electron paramagnetic resonance experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torrezan, A. C.; Mayer Alegre, T. P.; Medeiros-Ribeiro, G.

2009-07-01

In this article we evaluate the performance of an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) setup using a microstrip resonator (MR). The design and characterization of the resonator are described and parameters of importance to EPR and spin manipulation are examined, including cavity quality factor, filling factor, and microwave magnetic field in the sample region. Simulated microwave electric and magnetic field distributions in the resonator are also presented and compared with qualitative measurements of the field distribution obtained by a perturbation technique. Based on EPR experiments carried out with a standard marker at room temperature and a MR resonating at 8.17 GHz, the minimum detectable number of spins was found to be 5×1010 spins/GHz1/2 despite the low MR unloaded quality factor Q0=60. The functionality of the EPR setup was further evaluated at low temperature, where the spin resonance of Cr dopants present in a GaAs wafer was detected at 2.3 K. The design and characterization of a more versatile MR targeting an improved EPR sensitivity and featuring an integrated biasing circuit for the study of samples that require an electrical contact are also discussed.

Evanescent Field Based Photoacoustics: Optical Property Evaluation at Surfaces

PubMed Central

Goldschmidt, Benjamin S.; Rudy, Anna M.; Nowak, Charissa A.; Tsay, Yowting; Whiteside, Paul J. D.; Hunt, Heather K.

2016-01-01

Here, we present a protocol to estimate material and surface optical properties using the photoacoustic effect combined with total internal reflection. Optical property evaluation of thin films and the surfaces of bulk materials is an important step in understanding new optical material systems and their applications. The method presented can estimate thickness, refractive index, and use absorptive properties of materials for detection. This metrology system uses evanescent field-based photoacoustics (EFPA), a field of research based upon the interaction of an evanescent field with the photoacoustic effect. This interaction and its resulting family of techniques allow the technique to probe optical properties within a few hundred nanometers of the sample surface. This optical near field allows for the highly accurate estimation of material properties on the same scale as the field itself such as refractive index and film thickness. With the use of EFPA and its sub techniques such as total internal reflection photoacoustic spectroscopy (TIRPAS) and optical tunneling photoacoustic spectroscopy (OTPAS), it is possible to evaluate a material at the nanoscale in a consolidated instrument without the need for many instruments and experiments that may be cost prohibitive. PMID:27500652

Beyond Portfolios: Looking at Students' Projects as Teaching and Evaluation Devices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sokolik, Maggi; Tillyer, Anthea

1992-01-01

Based on classroom experience, this article discusses the advantages of research project writing rather than "portfolio" writing. Projects are more focused and can prepare students for study in their field. (eight references) (KM)

Photovoltaic module reliability improvement through application testing and failure analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dumas, L. N.; Shumka, A.

1982-01-01

During the first four years of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Photovoltatic Program, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Low-Cost Solar Array (LSA) Project purchased about 400 kW of photovoltaic modules for test and experiments. In order to identify, report, and analyze test and operational problems with the Block Procurement modules, a problem/failure reporting and analysis system was implemented by the LSA Project with the main purpose of providing manufacturers with feedback from test and field experience needed for the improvement of product performance and reliability. A description of the more significant types of failures is presented, taking into account interconnects, cracked cells, dielectric breakdown, delamination, and corrosion. Current design practices and reliability evaluations are also discussed. The conducted evaluation indicates that current module designs incorporate damage-resistant and fault-tolerant features which address field failure mechanisms observed to date.

Evaluation of the Effects of Iron Oxides on Soil Reducing Conditions and Methane Generation in Cambodian Wetland Rice Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weaver, M.; Benner, S.; Fendorf, S.; Sampson, M.; Leng, M.

2007-12-01

Atmospheric concentrations of methane have been steadily increasing over the last 100 years, which has given rise to research of wetland rice fields, recently identified as a major anthropomorphic source of methane. Establishment of experimental soil pots, cultivating an aromatic early variety rice strain in the Kean Svay District of Cambodia, have recently been carried out to evaluate methods to minimize methane release by promoting redox buffering by iron oxides. In the first series of experiments, iron oxides were added to the soils and the rate of change in reducing conditions and methanogenesis onset was monitored. In the second series of experiments, plots are subject to periodic drying cycles to promote rejuvenation of buffering iron oxides. Initial results indicate a delay in the onset of methanogenesis, and overall methane generation, in plots where initial iron oxides concentrations are elevated.

Analyses in Support of the WFIRST Supernova Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rubin, David; Aldering, Greg Scott; Charles, Baltay; Barbary, Kyle H.; Currie, Miles; Deustua, Susana E.; Fagrelius, Parker; Dosovitz Fox, Ori; Fruchter, Andrew S.; Law, David R.; Perlmutter, Saul; Pontoppidan, Klaus; Rabinowitz, David L.; Sako, Masao

2017-01-01

The Wide-Field Infrared Survey Telescope (WFIRST) is a future optical-NIR space telescope with science spanning astrophysics and cosmology. The combination of wide-field IR imaging and optical-NIR integral-field spectroscopy enables a SN cosmology experiment with excellent systematics control. The Science Definition Team (SDT) presented a first concept of such a survey with 2700 SNe to z=1.7. We make several key improvements to the SDT analysis, including a significantly improved exposure-time calculator, evaluations of host-galaxy background light, supernova typing simulations, all combined with spectrophotometric cosmology analysis built on a Bayesian hierarchal model. Our work will be useful for deriving accurate cosmological forecasts, optimizing the survey, and the evaluation of calibration, resolution, and stability requirements.

Evaluation of non-intrusive flow measurement techniques for a re-entry flight experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miles, R. B.; Santavicca, D. A.; Zimmermann, M.

1983-01-01

This study evaluates various non-intrusive techniques for the measurement of the flow field on the windward side of the Space Shuttle orbiter or a similar reentry vehicle. Included are linear (Rayleigh, Raman, Mie, Laser Doppler Velocimetry, Resonant Doppler Velocimetry) and nonlinear (Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman, Laser-Induced Fluorescence) light scattering, electron-beam fluorescence, thermal emission, and mass spectroscopy. Flow-field properties were taken from a nonequilibrium flow model by Shinn, Moss, and Simmonds at the NASA Langley Research Center. Conclusions are, when possible, based on quantitative scaling of known laboratory results to the conditions projected. Detailed discussion with researchers in the field contributed further to these conclusions and provided valuable insights regarding the experimental feasibility of each of the techniques.

Hemispheric asymmetries of a motor memory in a recognition test after learning a movement sequence.

PubMed

Leinen, Peter; Panzer, Stefan; Shea, Charles H

2016-11-01

Two experiments utilizing a spatial-temporal movement sequence were designed to determine if the memory of the sequence is lateralized in the left or right hemisphere. In Experiment 1, dominant right-handers were randomly assigned to one of two acquisition groups: a left-hand starter and a right-hand starter group. After an acquisition phase, reaction time (RT) was measured in a recognition test by providing the learned sequential pattern in the left or right visual half-field for 150ms. In a retention test and two transfer tests the dominant coordinate system for sequence production was evaluated. In Experiment 2 dominant left-handers and dominant right-handers had to acquire the sequence with their dominant limb. The results of Experiment 1 indicated that RT was significantly shorter when the acquired sequence was provided in the right visual field during the recognition test. The same results occurred in Experiment 2 for dominant right-handers and left-handers. These results indicated a right visual field left hemisphere advantage in the recognition test for the practiced stimulus for dominant left and right-handers, when the task was practiced with the dominant limb. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Role of Forethought and Serendipity in Designing a Successful Hydrogeological Research Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shapiro, A. M.; Hsieh, P. A.

2008-12-01

Designing and implementing a successful hydrogeologic field research observatory requires careful planning among a multidisciplinary group of research scientists. In addition, a small team of research coordinators needs to assume responsibility for smoothly integrating the multidisciplinary experimental program and promoting the explanation of results across discipline boundaries. A narrow interpretation of success at these hydrogeologic observatories can be viewed as the completion of the field-based experiments and the reporting of results for the field site under investigation. This alone is no small task, given the financial and human resources that are needed to develop and maintain field infrastructure, as well as developing, maintaining, and sharing data and interpretive results. Despite careful planning, however, unexpected or serendipitous results can occur. Such serendipitous results can lead to new understanding and revision of original hypotheses. To fully evaluate such serendipitous results, the field program must collect a broad range of scientifically robust data-beyond what is needed to examine the original hypotheses. In characterizing ground water flow and chemical transport in fractured crystalline rock in the Mirror Lake watershed in central New Hampshire, unexpected effects of scale were observed for hydraulic conductivity and matrix diffusion. Contrary to existing theory, hydraulic conductivity at the site did not increase with scale, whereas the effective coefficient of matrix diffusion was found to increase with scale. These results came to light only after examination of extensive data from carefully designed hydraulic and chemical transport experiments. Experiments were conducted on rock cores, individual fractures and volumes of fractured rock over physical dimensions from meters to kilometers. The interpretation of this data yielded new insight into the effect of scale on chemical transport and hydraulic conductivity of fractured rock. Subsequent evaluation of experiments conducted at other fractured rock sites have showed similarities in hydraulic and chemical transport responses, allowing broader conclusions to be reached concerning geologic controls on ground water flow and chemical transport in fractured rock aquifers.

Evaluation of a Mesoscale Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling System with Observations from the 1980 Great Plains Mesoscale Tracer Field Experiment. Part I: Datasets and Meteorological Simulations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moran, Michael D.; Pielke, Roger A.

1996-03-01

The Colorado State University mesoscale atmospheric dispersion (MAD) numerical modeling system, which consists of a prognostic mesoscale meteorological model coupled to a mesoscale Lagrangian particle dispersion model, has been used to simulate the transport and diffusion of a perfluorocarbon tracer-gas cloud for one afternoon surface release during the July 1980 Great Plains mesoscale tracer field experiment. Ground-level concentration (GLC) measurements taken along arcs of samplers 100 and 600 km downwind of the release site at Norman, Oklahoma, up to three days after the tracer release were available for comparison. Quantitative measures of a number of significant dispersion characteristics obtained from analysis of the observed tracer cloud's moving GLC `footprint' have been used to evaluate the modeling system's skill in simulating this MAD case.MAD is more dependent upon the spatial and temporal structure of the transport wind field than is short-range atmospheric dispersion. For the Great Plains mesoscale tracer experiment, the observations suggest that the Great Plains nocturnal low-level jet played an important role in transporting and deforming the tracer cloud. A suite of ten two- and three-dimensional numerical meteorological experiments was devised to investigate the relative contributions of topography, other surface inhomogeneities, atmospheric baroclinicity, synoptic-scale flow evolution, and meteorological model initialization time to the structure and evolution of the low-level mesoscale flow field and thus to MAD. Results from the ten mesoscale meteorological simulations are compared in this part of the paper. The predicted wind fields display significant differences, which give rise in turn to significant differences in predicted low-level transport. The presence of an oscillatory ageostrophic component in the observed synoptic low-level winds for this case is shown to complicate initialization of the meteorological model considerably and is the likely cause of directional errors in the predicted mean tracer transport. A companion paper describes the results from the associated dispersion simulations.

Investigation of remote sensing techniques of measuring soil moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newton, R. W. (Principal Investigator); Blanchard, A. J.; Nieber, J. L.; Lascano, R.; Tsang, L.; Vanbavel, C. H. M.

1981-01-01

Major activities described include development and evaluation of theoretical models that describe both active and passive microwave sensing of soil moisture, the evaluation of these models for their applicability, the execution of a controlled field experiment during which passive microwave measurements were acquired to validate these models, and evaluation of previously acquired aircraft microwave measurements. The development of a root zone soil water and soil temperature profile model and the calibration and evaluation of gamma ray attenuation probes for measuring soil moisture profiles are considered. The analysis of spatial variability of soil information as related to remote sensing is discussed as well as the implementation of an instrumented field site for acquisition of soil moisture and meteorologic information for use in validating the soil water profile and soil temperature profile models.

Research training of students in minority and international settings: lessons learned from cancer epidemiology education in special populations.

PubMed

Soliman, Amr S; Mullan, Patricia B; Chamberlain, Robert M

2010-06-01

This article describes the development and evaluation of an NCI-sponsored short-term summer cancer research education program. The study questions examined: the feasibility of conducting a cancer education program in special populations at multiple US and international field sites for masters students; the merit and worth that students and faculty attribute to the program; and students' scholarly and cancer-related career outcomes. Developing a new curriculum, increasing the pool of mentors, utilizing and increasing the number of field sites, and program dissemination were also evaluated. Evidence of the program's success included students' completion of field experiences at multiple sites and their subsequent 70% project-related publication rate, with 79% of trainees reporting themselves as likely to pursue future cancer-related careers. Evaluation-guided future plans for the program include implementing faculty development to further enhance the program outcomes.

The Effects of In-Nature and Virtual-Nature Field Trip Experiences On Proenvironmental Attitudes and Behaviors, And Environmental Knowledge Of Middle School Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferderbar, Catherine A.

To develop sustainable solutions to remediate the complex ecological problems of earth's soil, water, and air degradation requires the talents and skills of knowledgeable, motivated people (UNESCO, 1977; UNESCO, 2010). Researchers historically emphasized that time spent in outdoor, nature activities (Wells & Lekies, 2006), particularly with an adult mentor (Chawla & Cushing, 2007), promotes environmental knowledge and nature-relatedness, precursors to environmental literacy. Research has also demonstrated that technology is integral to the lives of youth, who spend 7:38 hours daily (Rideout, et al., 2010), engaged in electronics. Educators would benefit from knowing if in-nature and virtual-nature field trip experiences provide comparable levels of knowledge and connectedness, to nurture student proenvironmentalism. To investigate field trip phenomena, the researcher studied the impact of virtual-nature and in-nature experiences during which students analyzed water quality along Midwestern rivers. The quasi-experimental, mixed method convergent parallel design with a purposeful sample (n=131) of middle school students from two Midwestern K-8 schools, utilized scientist participant observer field records and narrative response, written assessment aligned to field trip content to evaluate knowledge acquisition. To gain insight into student environmental dispositions, participant observers recorded student comments and behaviors throughout field trips. A survey, administered Pre-Treatment, Post-Treatment 1 and Post-Treatment 2, focused on family water-related behaviors and student perceptions of the need for local government water protection. The findings demonstrated both field trips increased content knowledge significantly, with large effect size. Content knowledge gain from one experience transferred to and was augmented by the second experience. Skill gain (technical and observational) varied by type of field trip and did not transfer. Technical skill was often paired with critical thinking/reasoning. Survey results demonstrated that the virtual-nature, in-nature order evinced a greater proenvironmental attitude and behavioral change. The initial experience provided greater proenvironmental impact, regardless of order. Several students exhibited a Connection to Life Experience that reinforced their nature-relatedness during either field trip. These findings inform best practices associated with environmental education. The implications include teacher-practitioner collaboration with IT personnel, naturalists, hydrologists, zoological and botanical experts, to design local, site-based virtual-nature and in-nature (or hybrid) field trips to nurture environmental literacy goals.

High Voltage Design Considerations for the Electrostatic Septum for the Mu2e Beam Resonant

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

Alvarez, Matthew L.; Jensen, C.; Morris, D.

aTwo electrostatic septa (ESS) are being designed for the slow extraction of 8GeV proton beam for the Mu2e experiment at Fermilab. Special attention is given to the high voltage components that affect the performance of the septa. The components under consideration are the high voltage (HV) feedthrough, cathode standoff (CS), and clearing electrode ceramic standoffs (CECS). Previous experience with similar HV systems at Fermilab was used to define the evaluation criteria of the design of the high voltage components. Using electric field simulation software, high E-field intensities on the components and integrated field strength along the surface of the dielectricmore » material were minimized. Here we discuss the limitations found and improvements made based on those studies.« less

Active experiments in the ionosphere and variations of geophysical and meteorological parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sivokon, Vladimir; Cherneva, Nina; Shevtsov, Boris

Energy distribution in ionospheric-magnetospheric relations, as one of the possible external climatological factors, may be traced on the basis of the analysis of natural geophysical phenomena such as ionosphere artificial radio radiation and magnetic storms. Development of magnetic disturbances is, to some extent, associated with current variations in electrojet. In its turn, some technologies are known which may affect electrojet and its characteristics. The method, developed by the authors, is based on a complex comparison of different geophysical fields and allows us to determine the degree of active experiment effect on energy change in ionospheric-magnetospheric relations and to evaluate on this basis the degree of active experiment effect on climate in the ionosphere. Within the framework of RAS Presidium Program Project “Determination of climate-forming characteristic changes on the basis of monitoring of geophysical field variations”, investigations have been carried out, which showed the possibility of ionosphere modification effect on the energy of magnetospheric-ionospheric relations. Evaluation of possible climate changes considering ionospheric-magnetospheric relations has not been previously discussed.

Effects of Field of View and Visual Complexity on Virtual Reality Training Effectiveness for a Visual Scanning Task

DOE PAGES

Ragan, Eric D.; Bowman, Doug A.; Kopper, Regis; ...

2015-02-13

Virtual reality training systems are commonly used in a variety of domains, and it is important to understand how the realism of a training simulation influences training effectiveness. The paper presents a framework for evaluating the effects of virtual reality fidelity based on an analysis of a simulation’s display, interaction, and scenario components. Following this framework, we conducted a controlled experiment to test the effects of fidelity on training effectiveness for a visual scanning task. The experiment varied the levels of field of view and visual realism during a training phase and then evaluated scanning performance with the simulator’s highestmore » level of fidelity. To assess scanning performance, we measured target detection and adherence to a prescribed strategy. The results show that both field of view and visual realism significantly affected target detection during training; higher field of view led to better performance and higher visual realism worsened performance. Additionally, the level of visual realism during training significantly affected learning of the prescribed visual scanning strategy, providing evidence that high visual realism was important for learning the technique. The results also demonstrate that task performance during training was not always a sufficient measure of mastery of an instructed technique. That is, if learning a prescribed strategy or skill is the goal of a training exercise, performance in a simulation may not be an appropriate indicator of effectiveness outside of training—evaluation in a more realistic setting may be necessary.« less

The Nature and Variability of Ensemble Sensitivity Fields that Diagnose Severe Convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ancell, B. C.

2017-12-01

Ensemble sensitivity analysis (ESA) is a statistical technique that uses information from an ensemble of forecasts to reveal relationships between chosen forecast metrics and the larger atmospheric state at various forecast times. A number of studies have employed ESA from the perspectives of dynamical interpretation, observation targeting, and ensemble subsetting toward improved probabilistic prediction of high-impact events, mostly at synoptic scales. We tested ESA using convective forecast metrics at the 2016 HWT Spring Forecast Experiment to understand the utility of convective ensemble sensitivity fields in improving forecasts of severe convection and its individual hazards. The main purpose of this evaluation was to understand the temporal coherence and general characteristics of convective sensitivity fields toward future use in improving ensemble predictability within an operational framework.The magnitude and coverage of simulated reflectivity, updraft helicity, and surface wind speed were used as response functions, and the sensitivity of these functions to winds, temperatures, geopotential heights, and dew points at different atmospheric levels and at different forecast times were evaluated on a daily basis throughout the HWT Spring Forecast experiment. These sensitivities were calculated within the Texas Tech real-time ensemble system, which possesses 42 members that run twice daily to 48-hr forecast time. Here we summarize both the findings regarding the nature of the sensitivity fields and the evaluation of the participants that reflects their opinions of the utility of operational ESA. The future direction of ESA for operational use will also be discussed.

Camelina sativa, an oilseed at the nexus between model system and commercial crop.

PubMed

Malik, Meghna R; Tang, Jihong; Sharma, Nirmala; Burkitt, Claire; Ji, Yuanyuan; Mykytyshyn, Marie; Bohmert-Tatarev, Karen; Peoples, Oliver; Snell, Kristi D

2018-06-07

The rapid assessment of metabolic engineering strategies in plants is aided by crops that provide simple, high throughput transformation systems, a sequenced genome, and the ability to evaluate the resulting plants in field trials. Camelina sativa provides all of these attributes in a robust oilseed platform. The ability to perform field evaluation of Camelina is a useful, and in some studies essential benefit that allows researchers to evaluate how traits perform outside the strictly controlled conditions of a greenhouse. In the field the plants are subjected to higher light intensities, seasonal diurnal variations in temperature and light, competition for nutrients, and watering regimes dictated by natural weather patterns, all which may affect trait performance. There are difficulties associated with the use of Camelina. The current genetic resources available for Camelina pale in comparison to those developed for the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana; however, the sequence similarity of the Arabidopsis and Camelina genomes often allows the use of Arabidopsis as a reference when additional information is needed. Camelina's genome, an allohexaploid, is more complex than other model crops, but the diploid inheritance of its three subgenomes is straightforward. The need to navigate three copies of each gene in genome editing or mutagenesis experiments adds some complexity but also provides advantages for gene dosage experiments. The ability to quickly engineer Camelina with novel traits, advance generations, and bulk up homozygous lines for small-scale field tests in less than a year, in our opinion, far outweighs the complexities associated with the crop.

Image Quality Assessment of High-Resolution Satellite Images with Mtf-Based Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Z.; Luo, Z.; Zhang, Y.; Guo, F.; He, L.

2018-04-01

A Modulation Transfer Function (MTF)-based fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was proposed in this paper for the purpose of evaluating high-resolution satellite image quality. To establish the factor set, two MTF features and seven radiant features were extracted from the knife-edge region of image patch, which included Nyquist, MTF0.5, entropy, peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), average difference, edge intensity, average gradient, contrast and ground spatial distance (GSD). After analyzing the statistical distribution of above features, a fuzzy evaluation threshold table and fuzzy evaluation membership functions was established. The experiments for comprehensive quality assessment of different natural and artificial objects was done with GF2 image patches. The results showed that the calibration field image has the highest quality scores. The water image has closest image quality to the calibration field, quality of building image is a little poor than water image, but much higher than farmland image. In order to test the influence of different features on quality evaluation, the experiment with different weights were tested on GF2 and SPOT7 images. The results showed that different weights correspond different evaluating effectiveness. In the case of setting up the weights of edge features and GSD, the image quality of GF2 is better than SPOT7. However, when setting MTF and PSNR as main factor, the image quality of SPOT7 is better than GF2.

Extremely low frequency (ELF) stray magnetic fields of laboratory equipment: a possible co-exposure conducting experiments on cell cultures.

PubMed

Gresits, Iván; Necz, Péter Pál; Jánossy, Gábor; Thuróczy, György

2015-09-01

Measurements of extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic fields were conducted in the environment of commercial laboratory equipment in order to evaluate the possible co-exposure during the experimental processes on cell cultures. Three types of device were evaluated: a cell culture CO2 incubator, a thermostatic water bath and a laboratory shaker table. These devices usually have electric motors, heating wires and electronic control systems, therefore may expose the cell cultures to undesirable ELF stray magnetic fields. Spatial distributions of magnetic field time domain signal waveform and frequency spectral analysis (FFT) were processed. Long- and short-term variation of stray magnetic field was also evaluated under normal use of investigated laboratory devices. The results show that the equipment under test may add a considerable ELF magnetic field to the ambient environmental magnetic field or to the intentional exposure to ELF, RF or other physical/chemical agents. The maximum stray magnetic fields were higher than 3 µT, 20 µT and 75 µT in the CO2 incubator, in water bath and on the laboratory shaker table, respectively, with high variation of spatial distribution and time domain. Our investigation emphasizes possible confounding factors conducting cell culture studies related to low-level ELF-EMF exposure due to the existing stray magnetic fields in the ambient environment of laboratory equipment.

Lead in rice: analysis of baseline lead levels in market and field collected rice grains.

PubMed

Norton, Gareth J; Williams, Paul N; Adomako, Eureka E; Price, Adam H; Zhu, Yongguan; Zhao, Fang-Jie; McGrath, Steve; Deacon, Claire M; Villada, Antia; Sommella, Alessia; Lu, Ying; Ming, Lei; De Silva, P Mangala C S; Brammer, Hugh; Dasgupta, Tapash; Islam, M Rafiqul; Meharg, Andrew A

2014-07-01

In a large scale survey of rice grains from markets (13 countries) and fields (6 countries), a total of 1578 rice grain samples were analysed for lead. From the market collected samples, only 0.6% of the samples exceeded the Chinese and EU limit of 0.2 μg g(-1) lead in rice (when excluding samples collected from known contaminated/mine impacted regions). When evaluating the rice grain samples against the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) provisional total tolerable intake (PTTI) values for children and pregnant women, it was found that only people consuming large quantities of rice were at risk of exceeding the PTTI from rice alone. Furthermore, 6 field experiments were conducted to evaluate the proportion of the variation in lead concentration in rice grains due to genetics. A total of 4 of the 6 field experiments had significant differences between genotypes, but when the genotypes common across all six field sites were assessed, only 4% of the variation was explained by genotype, with 9.5% and 11% of the variation explained by the environment and genotype by environment interaction respectively. Further work is needed to identify the sources of lead contamination in rice, with detailed information obtained on the locations and environments where the rice is sampled, so that specific risk assessments can be performed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Application of an ultraminiature thermal neutron monitor for irradiation field study of accelerator-based neutron capture therapy

PubMed Central

Ishikawa, Masayori; Tanaka, Kenichi; Endo, Satrou; Hoshi, Masaharu

2015-01-01

Abstract Phantom experiments to evaluate thermal neutron flux distribution were performed using the Scintillator with Optical Fiber (SOF) detector, which was developed as a thermal neutron monitor during boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) irradiation. Compared with the gold wire activation method and Monte Carlo N-particle (MCNP) calculations, it was confirmed that the SOF detector is capable of measuring thermal neutron flux as low as 105 n/cm2/s with sufficient accuracy. The SOF detector will be useful for phantom experiments with BNCT neutron fields from low-current accelerator-based neutron sources. PMID:25589504

Evaluating subsoiling and herbaceous weed control on shortleaf pine planted in retired farm land

Treesearch

John D. Kushla

2010-01-01

In March 2005, shortleaf pine was planted on retired fields of the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station in Holly Springs. The objectives were to evaluate subsoiling and herbaceous weed control on first year seedling stocking, survival, and size. First year seedling measurements were made on stocking, survival, and size. Only results for first year...

A Capsule-Type Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer for Fast Screening of External Corrosion in Nonmagnetic Pipes.

PubMed

Li, Yong; Cai, Rui; Yan, Bei; Zainal Abidin, Ilham Mukriz; Jing, Haoqing; Wang, Yi

2018-05-28

For fuel transmission and structural strengthening, small-diameter pipes of nonmagnetic materials are extensively adopted in engineering fields including aerospace, energy, transportation, etc. However, the hostile and corrosive environment leaves them vulnerable to external corrosion which poses a severe threat to structural integrity of pipes. Therefore, it is imperative to nondestructively detect and evaluate the external corrosion in nonmagnetic pipes. In light of this, a capsule-type Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer (EMAT) for in-situ nondestructive evaluation of nonmagnetic pipes and fast screening of external corrosion is proposed in this paper. A 3D hybrid model for efficient prediction of responses from the proposed transducer to external corrosion is established. Closed-form expressions of field quantities of electromagnetics and EMAT signals are formulated. Simulations based on the hybrid model indicate feasibility of the proposed transducer in detection and evaluation of external corrosion in nonmagnetic pipes. In parallel, experiments with the fabricated transducer have been carried out. Experimental results are supportive of the conclusion drawn from simulations. The investigation via simulations and experiments implies that the proposed capsule-type EMAT is capable of fast screening of external corrosion, which is beneficial to the in-situ nondestructive evaluation of small-diameter nonmagnetic pipes.

Multi-mode evaluation of power-maximizing cross-flow turbine controllers

DOE PAGES

Forbush, Dominic; Cavagnaro, Robert J.; Donegan, James; ...

2017-09-21

A general method for predicting and evaluating the performance of three candidate cross-flow turbine power-maximizing controllers is presented in this paper using low-order dynamic simulation, scaled laboratory experiments, and full-scale field testing. For each testing mode and candidate controller, performance metrics quantifying energy capture (ability of a controller to maximize power), variation in torque and rotation rate (related to drive train fatigue), and variation in thrust loads (related to structural fatigue) are quantified for two purposes. First, for metrics that could be evaluated across all testing modes, we considered the accuracy with which simulation or laboratory experiments could predict performancemore » at full scale. Second, we explored the utility of these metrics to contrast candidate controller performance. For these turbines and set of candidate controllers, energy capture was found to only differentiate controller performance in simulation, while the other explored metrics were able to predict performance of the full-scale turbine in the field with various degrees of success. Finally, effects of scale between laboratory and full-scale testing are considered, along with recommendations for future improvements to dynamic simulations and controller evaluation.« less

Multi-mode evaluation of power-maximizing cross-flow turbine controllers

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

Forbush, Dominic; Cavagnaro, Robert J.; Donegan, James

A general method for predicting and evaluating the performance of three candidate cross-flow turbine power-maximizing controllers is presented in this paper using low-order dynamic simulation, scaled laboratory experiments, and full-scale field testing. For each testing mode and candidate controller, performance metrics quantifying energy capture (ability of a controller to maximize power), variation in torque and rotation rate (related to drive train fatigue), and variation in thrust loads (related to structural fatigue) are quantified for two purposes. First, for metrics that could be evaluated across all testing modes, we considered the accuracy with which simulation or laboratory experiments could predict performancemore » at full scale. Second, we explored the utility of these metrics to contrast candidate controller performance. For these turbines and set of candidate controllers, energy capture was found to only differentiate controller performance in simulation, while the other explored metrics were able to predict performance of the full-scale turbine in the field with various degrees of success. Finally, effects of scale between laboratory and full-scale testing are considered, along with recommendations for future improvements to dynamic simulations and controller evaluation.« less

Influence of long-term used herbicides on resistance development in Apera spica-venti L. to sulfonylureas.

PubMed

Adamczewski, K; Kierzek, R; Matysiak, K

2009-01-01

Sulfonylurea herbicides are widely used for grass and broadleaf weed control in winter cereals in Poland developed resistance, especially in Silky bent grass (Apera spica-venti). The aim of the study was to evaluate the possibility of resistance increase after six years used of some herbicide for control of A. spica-venti in winter cereals monoculture. The field experiments were conducted in Agricultural Experimental Station at Winna Gora. During six years the herbicides: chlorsulfuron, sulfosulfuron, iodosulfuron and isoproturon were applied. In fourth, fifth and sixth years A. spica-venti seed from the experiment was collected and used in greenhouse experiment. The obtained results indicated that after six years usage of the herbicides resistance of A. spica-venti to sulfonylurea herbicides were found. Results obtained in field condition were confirmed in greenhouse experiment. Resistance process was found also on untreated plots. It was indicated that resistance is transferred also by pollen.

The Field Trip as a Positive Experience for the Learning Disabled.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cox, Charles C., III

1993-01-01

Describes a 12-year program in which learning-disabled students visit an ice cream making company in Providence, RI. Provides instructional objectives and procedures for the activity. Includes suggestions for postactivity discussion and student evaluation. (CFR)

Evaluating drywells for stormwater management and enhanced aquifer recharge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Drywells are increasingly used for stormwater management and enhanced aquifer recharge, but only limited research has quantitatively determined drywell performance. Numerical and field experiments were therefore conducted to improve our understanding and ability to characterize drywell behavior. I...

New Approach for Environmental Monitoring and Plant Observation Using a Light-Field Camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schima, Robert; Mollenhauer, Hannes; Grenzdörffer, Görres; Merbach, Ines; Lausch, Angela; Dietrich, Peter; Bumberger, Jan

2015-04-01

The aim of gaining a better understanding of ecosystems and the processes in nature accentuates the need for observing exactly these processes with a higher temporal and spatial resolution. In the field of environmental monitoring, an inexpensive and field applicable imaging technique to derive three-dimensional information about plants and vegetation would represent a decisive contribution to the understanding of the interactions and dynamics of ecosystems. This is particularly true for the monitoring of plant growth and the frequently mentioned lack of morphological information about the plants, e.g. plant height, vegetation canopy, leaf position or leaf arrangement. Therefore, an innovative and inexpensive light-field (plenoptic) camera, the Lytro LF, and a stereo vision system, based on two industrial cameras, were tested and evaluated as possible measurement tools for the given monitoring purpose. In this instance, the usage of a light field camera offers the promising opportunity of providing three-dimensional information without any additional requirements during the field measurements based on one single shot, which represents a substantial methodological improvement in the area of environmental research and monitoring. Since the Lytro LF was designed as a daily-life consumer camera, it does not support depth or distance estimation or rather an external triggering by default. Therefore, different technical modifications and a calibration routine had to be figured out during the preliminary study. As a result, the used light-field camera was proven suitable as a depth and distance measurement tool with a measuring range of approximately one meter. Consequently, this confirms the assumption that a light field camera holds the potential of being a promising measurement tool for environmental monitoring purposes, especially with regard to a low methodological effort in field. Within the framework of the Global Change Experimental Facility Project, founded by the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, and its large-scaled field experiments to investigate the influence of the climate change on different forms of land utilization, both techniques were installed and evaluated in a long-term experiment on a pilot-scaled maize field in late 2014. Based on this, it was possible to show the growth of the plants in dependence of time, showing a good accordance to the measurements, which were carried out by hand on a weekly basis. In addition, the experiment has shown that the light-field vision approach is applicable for the monitoring of the crop growth under field conditions, although it is limited to close range applications. Since this work was intended as a proof of concept, further research is recommended, especially with respect to the automation and evaluation of data processing. Altogether, this study is addressed to researchers as an elementary groundwork to improve the usage of the introduced light field imaging technique for the monitoring of plant growth dynamics and the three-dimensional modeling of plants under field conditions.

Where do students struggle in the field? Computer-aided evaluation of mapping errors from an undergraduate Field Geology summer course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, K. A.; Petrie, G.

2014-12-01

Extended field-based summer courses provide an invaluable field experience for undergraduate majors in the geosciences. These courses often utilize the construction of geological maps and structural cross sections as the primary pedagogical tool to teach basic map orientation, rock identification and structural interpretation. However, advances in the usability and ubiquity of Geographic Information Systems in these courses presents new opportunities to evaluate student work. In particular, computer-based quantification of systematic mapping errors elucidates the factors influencing student success in the field. We present a case example from a mapping exercise conducted in a summer Field Geology course at a popular field location near Dillon, Montana. We use a computer algorithm to automatically compare the placement and attribution of unit contacts with spatial variables including topographic slope, aspect, bedding attitude, ground cover and distance from starting location. We compliment analyses with anecdotal and survey data that suggest both physical factors (e.g. steep topographic slope) as well as structural nuance (e.g. low angle bedding) may dominate student frustration, particularly in courses with a high student to instructor ratio. We propose mechanisms to improve student experience by allowing students to practice skills with orientation games and broadening student background with tangential lessons (e.g. on colluvial transport processes). As well, we suggest low-cost ways to decrease the student to instructor ratio by supporting returning undergraduates from previous years or staging mapping over smaller areas. Future applications of this analysis might include a rapid and objective system for evaluation of student maps (including point-data, such as attitude measurements) and quantification of temporal trends in student work as class sizes, pedagogical approaches or environmental variables change. Long-term goals include understanding and characterizing stochasticity in geological mapping beyond the undergraduate classroom, and better quantifying uncertainty in published map products.

Ultra Wideband (UWB) Synchronous Impulse Reconstruction (SIRE) Radar Upgrade Assessment Field Experiment

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

Evaluating Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Fields ’, OET Bulletin 65, August 1997. 2. DA Pamphlet...wide range of frequencies, there is no single value for the Maximum Permissible Exposure (MPE). As recommended, the FCC MPE, reference 1, to...power accumulated in a 6-min period. The FCC defines general population/uncontrolled exposures as situations in which the general public may be

Radiation measurement platform for balloon flights based on the TriTel silicon detector telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zabori, Balazs; Hirn, Attila; Pazmandi, Tamas; Apathy, Istvan; Szanto, Peter; Deme, Sandor

Several measurements have been performed on the cosmic radiation field from the surface of the Earth up to the maximum altitudes of research airplanes. However the cosmic radiation field is not well known between 15 km and 30 km. Our experiment idea based on to study the radiation environment in the stratosphere. The main technical goals of our experiment were to test at first time the TriTel 3D silicon detector telescope system for future ISS missons and to develop a balloon technology platform for advanced cosmic radiation and dosimetric measurements. The main scientific goals were to give an assessment of the cosmic radiation field at the altitude of the BEXUS balloons, to use the TriTel system to determine dosimetric and radiation quantities during the ballon flight and to intercompare the TriTel and Pille results to provide a correction factor definition method for the Pille ISS measurements. To fulfil the scientific and technological objectives several different dosimeter systems were included in the experiment: an advanced version of the TriTel silicon detector telescope, Geiger-Müller counters, Pille passive thermoluminescent dosimeters and Solid State Nuclear Track Detectors. The experiment was built by students from Hungarian universities and flew on board the BEXUS stratospheric balloon in Northern Sweden (from ESRANGE Space Center). The float altitude was approximately 28.6 km and the total flight time was about 4 hours. The active instruments measured in real time and the ground team received the collected data continuously during the mission. The main technical goals were received since the operation of the TriTel experienced no failures and the experiment worked as it expected. This paper presents the scientific goals and results. From the TriTel measurements the deposited energy spectra, the Linear Energy Transfer spectra, the average quality factor of the cosmic radiation as well as the absorbed dose and the dose equivalent were determined for the three axis. TriTel data evaluation and error estimations were studied in details. The evaluated deposited energy spectra measured with the improved TriTel instrument were compared with the count rates measured with the GM counters to calibrate them for dose rate in the cosmic radiation field at the altitude of the stratospheric balloons. From the SSNTD results the contribution of thermal neutrons was determined. In the frame of the TriTel and Pille intercomparison a correction factor calculation method was determined for future ISS data evaluation. The results will be used in the future scientific data evaluation in case of the ISS measurements. As a future outlook a short overview will be given about planned rocket radiation experiments.

Evaluating Dense 3d Reconstruction Software Packages for Oblique Monitoring of Crop Canopy Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brocks, S.; Bareth, G.

2016-06-01

Crop Surface Models (CSMs) are 2.5D raster surfaces representing absolute plant canopy height. Using multiple CMSs generated from data acquired at multiple time steps, a crop surface monitoring is enabled. This makes it possible to monitor crop growth over time and can be used for monitoring in-field crop growth variability which is useful in the context of high-throughput phenotyping. This study aims to evaluate several software packages for dense 3D reconstruction from multiple overlapping RGB images on field and plot-scale. A summer barley field experiment located at the Campus Klein-Altendorf of University of Bonn was observed by acquiring stereo images from an oblique angle using consumer-grade smart cameras. Two such cameras were mounted at an elevation of 10 m and acquired images for a period of two months during the growing period of 2014. The field experiment consisted of nine barley cultivars that were cultivated in multiple repetitions and nitrogen treatments. Manual plant height measurements were carried out at four dates during the observation period. The software packages Agisoft PhotoScan, VisualSfM with CMVS/PMVS2 and SURE are investigated. The point clouds are georeferenced through a set of ground control points. Where adequate results are reached, a statistical analysis is performed.

Acceptance criteria for urban dispersion model evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanna, Steven; Chang, Joseph

2012-05-01

The authors suggested acceptance criteria for rural dispersion models' performance measures in this journal in 2004. The current paper suggests modified values of acceptance criteria for urban applications and tests them with tracer data from four urban field experiments. For the arc-maximum concentrations, the fractional bias should have a magnitude <0.67 (i.e., the relative mean bias is less than a factor of 2); the normalized mean-square error should be <6 (i.e., the random scatter is less than about 2.4 times the mean); and the fraction of predictions that are within a factor of two of the observations (FAC2) should be >0.3. For all data paired in space, for which a threshold concentration must always be defined, the normalized absolute difference should be <0.50, when the threshold is three times the instrument's limit of quantification (LOQ). An overall criterion is then applied that the total set of acceptance criteria should be satisfied in at least half of the field experiments. These acceptance criteria are applied to evaluations of the US Department of Defense's Joint Effects Model (JEM) with tracer data from US urban field experiments in Salt Lake City (U2000), Oklahoma City (JU2003), and Manhattan (MSG05 and MID05). JEM includes the SCIPUFF dispersion model with the urban canopy option and the urban dispersion model (UDM) option. In each set of evaluations, three or four likely options are tested for meteorological inputs (e.g., a local building top wind speed, the closest National Weather Service airport observations, or outputs from numerical weather prediction models). It is found that, due to large natural variability in the urban data, there is not a large difference between the performance measures for the two model options and the three or four meteorological input options. The more detailed UDM and the state-of-the-art numerical weather models do provide a slight improvement over the other options. The proposed urban dispersion model acceptance criteria are satisfied at over half of the field experiments.

Polarization analysis for magnetic field imaging at RADEN in J-PARC/MLF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinohara, Takenao; Hiroi, Kosuke; Su, Yuhua; Kai, Tetsuya; Nakatani, Takeshi; Oikawa, Kenichi; Segawa, Mariko; Hayashida, Hirotoshi; Parker, Joseph D.; Matsumoto, Yoshihiro; Zhang, Shuoyuan; Kiyanagi, Yoshiaki

2017-06-01

Polarized neutron imaging is an attractive method for visualizing magnetic fields in a bulk object or in free space. In this technique polarization of neutrons transmitted through a sample is analyzed position by position to produce an image of the polarization distribution. In particular, the combination of three-dimensional spin analysis and the use of a pulsed neutron beam is very effective for the quantitative evaluation of both field strength and direction by means of the analysis of the wavelength dependent polarization vector. Recently a new imaging instrument “RADEN” has been constructed at the beam line of BL22 of the Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility (MLF) at J-PARC, which is dedicated to energy-resolved neutron imaging experiments. We have designed a polarization analysis apparatus for magnetic field imaging at the RADEN instrument and have evaluated its performance.

Potential effect of fiddler crabs on organic matter distribution: A combined laboratory and field experimental approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Natálio, Luís F.; Pardo, Juan C. F.; Machado, Glauco B. O.; Fortuna, Monique D.; Gallo, Deborah G.; Costa, Tânia M.

2017-01-01

Bioturbators play a key role in estuarine environments by modifying the availability of soil elements, which in turn may affect other organisms. Despite the importance of bioturbators, few studies have combined both field and laboratory experiments to explore the effects of bioturbators on estuarine soils. Herein, we assessed the bioturbation potential of fiddler crabs Leptuca leptodactyla and Leptuca uruguayensis in laboratory and field experiments, respectively. We evaluated whether the presence of fiddler crabs resulted in vertical transport of sediment, thereby altering organic matter (OM) distribution. Under laboratory conditions, the burrowing activity by L. leptodactyla increased the OM content in sediment surface. In the long-term field experiment with areas of inclusion and exclusion of L. uruguayensis, we did not observe influence of this fiddler crab in the vertical distribution of OM. Based on our results, we suggest that small fiddler crabs, such as the species used in these experiments, are potentially capable of alter their environment by transporting sediment and OM but such effects may be masked by environmental drivers and spatial heterogeneity under natural conditions. This phenomenon may be related to the small size of these species, which affects how much sediment is transported, along with the way OM interacts with biogeochemical and physical processes. Therefore, the net effect of these burrowing organisms is likely to be the result of a complex interaction with other environmental factors. In this sense, we highlight the importance of performing simultaneous field and laboratory experiments in order to better understanding the role of burrowing animals as bioturbators.

Field versus laboratory experiments to evaluate the fate of azoxystrobin in an amended vineyard soil.

PubMed

Herrero-Hernández, E; Marín-Benito, J M; Andrades, M S; Sánchez-Martín, M J; Rodríguez-Cruz, M S

2015-11-01

This study reports the effect that adding spent mushroom substrate (SMS) to a representative vineyard soil from La Rioja region (Spain) has on the behaviour of azoxystrobin in two different environmental scenarios. Field dissipation experiments were conducted on experimental plots amended at rates of 50 and 150 t ha(-1), and similar dissipation experiments were simultaneously conducted in the laboratory to identify differences under controlled conditions. Azoxystrobin dissipation followed biphasic kinetics in both scenarios, although the initial dissipation phase was much faster in the field than in the laboratory experiments, and the half-life (DT50) values obtained in the two experiments were 0.34-46.3 days and 89.2-148 days, respectively. Fungicide residues in the soil profile increased in the SMS amended soil and they were much higher in the top two layers (0-20 cm) than in deeper layers. The persistence of fungicide in the soil profile is consistent with changes in azoxystrobin adsorption by unamended and amended soils over time. Changes in the dehydrogenase activity (DHA) of soils under different treatments assayed in the field and in the laboratory indicated that SMS and the fungicide had a stimulatory effect on soil DHA. The results reveal that the laboratory studies usually reported in the literature to explain the fate of pesticides in amended soils are insufficient to explain azoxystrobin behaviour under real conditions. Field studies are necessary to set up efficient applications of SMS and fungicide, with a view to preventing the possible risk of water contamination. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating drywells for stormwater management and enhanced aquifer recharge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Drywells are increasingly used for stormwater management and enhanced aquifer recharge, but only limited research has quantitatively determined the performance of drywells. Numerical and field scale experiments were, therefore, conducted to improve our understanding and ability to characterize the d...

Development, field testing, and implementation of improved bridge parapet designs.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-03-01

A total of 22 test parapets was constructed as part of this project to evaluate different approaches to address : premature cracking. The experiments included the use of deeper saw cuts through glass fiber reinforced polymer : (GFRP) reinforcement or...

Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System for Violations (CICAS-V) : Database Structure

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-07-01

This report documents the process required for data exchange between a conductor of a field operational test (FOT) and an independent evaluator based on the experience of the Cooperative Intersection Collision Avoidance System for Violations (CICAS-V...

Direct, Operational Field Test Evaluation, Human Factors

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-08-01

IN THIS EXPERIMENT, 32 LICENSED DRIVERS (16 YOUNG, 16 OLD) DROVE ON AN EXPRESSWAY. ON EACH TRIAL (96 PER SUBJECT), 1 TO 3 TRAFFIC MESSAGES CONTAINING 6 TO 14 ITEMS WERE PRESENTED. (L-94 EASTBOUND AT SOUTHFIELD FREEWAY, CONTINUING CONSTRUCTION, RIGHT ...

Evaluating drywells for stormwater management and enhanced aquifer recharge

EPA Science Inventory

Drywells are increasingly used for stormwater management and enhanced aquifer recharge, but only limited research has quantitatively determined drywells' performance. Numerical and field scale experiments were conducted to characterize the drywell behavior. HYDRUS (2D/3D) was mod...

Ground robotic measurement of aeolian processes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Models of aeolian processes rely on accurate measurements of the rates of sediment transport by wind, and careful evaluation of the environmental controls of these processes. Existing field approaches typically require intensive, event-based experiments involving dense arrays of instruments. These d...

Timesharing performance as an indicator of pilot mental workload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casper, Patricia A.; Kantowitz, Barry H.; Sorkin, Robert D.

1988-01-01

Attentional deficits (workloads) were evaluated in a timesharing task. The results from this and other experiments were incorporated into an expert system designed to provide workload metric selection advice to non-experts in the field interested in operator workload.

Seismic, high wind, tornado, and probabilistic risk assessments of the High Flux Isotope Reactor

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

Harris, S.P.; Stover, R.L.; Hashimoto, P.S.

1989-01-01

Natural phenomena analyses were performed on the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) Deterministic and probabilistic evaluations were made to determine the risks resulting from earthquakes, high winds, and tornadoes. Analytic methods in conjunction with field evaluations and an earthquake experience data base evaluation methods were used to provide more realistic results in a shorter amount of time. Plant modifications completed in preparation for HFIR restart and potential future enhancements are discussed. 5 figs.

A Gradient-Field Pulsed Eddy Current Probe for Evaluation of Hidden Material Degradation in Conductive Structures Based on Lift-Off Invariance

PubMed Central

Li, Yong; Jing, Haoqing; Zainal Abidin, Ilham Mukriz; Yan, Bei

2017-01-01

Coated conductive structures are widely adopted in such engineering fields as aerospace, nuclear energy, etc. The hostile and corrosive environment leaves in-service coated conductive structures vulnerable to Hidden Material Degradation (HMD) occurring under the protection coating. It is highly demanded that HMD can be non-intrusively assessed using non-destructive evaluation techniques. In light of the advantages of Gradient-field Pulsed Eddy Current technique (GPEC) over other non-destructive evaluation methods in corrosion evaluation, in this paper the GPEC probe for quantitative evaluation of HMD is intensively investigated. Closed-form expressions of GPEC responses to HMD are formulated via analytical modeling. The Lift-off Invariance (LOI) in GPEC signals, which makes the HMD evaluation immune to the variation in thickness of the protection coating, is introduced and analyzed through simulations involving HMD with variable depths and conductivities. A fast inverse method employing magnitude and time of the LOI point in GPEC signals for simultaneously evaluating the conductivity and thickness of HMD region is proposed, and subsequently verified by finite element modeling and experiments. It has been found from the results that along with the proposed inverse method the GPEC probe is applicable to evaluation of HMD in coated conductive structures without much loss in accuracy. PMID:28441328

A Gradient-Field Pulsed Eddy Current Probe for Evaluation of Hidden Material Degradation in Conductive Structures Based on Lift-Off Invariance.

PubMed

Li, Yong; Jing, Haoqing; Zainal Abidin, Ilham Mukriz; Yan, Bei

2017-04-25

Coated conductive structures are widely adopted in such engineering fields as aerospace, nuclear energy, etc. The hostile and corrosive environment leaves in-service coated conductive structures vulnerable to Hidden Material Degradation (HMD) occurring under the protection coating. It is highly demanded that HMD can be non-intrusively assessed using non-destructive evaluation techniques. In light of the advantages of Gradient-field Pulsed Eddy Current technique (GPEC) over other non-destructive evaluation methods in corrosion evaluation, in this paper the GPEC probe for quantitative evaluation of HMD is intensively investigated. Closed-form expressions of GPEC responses to HMD are formulated via analytical modeling. The Lift-off Invariance (LOI) in GPEC signals, which makes the HMD evaluation immune to the variation in thickness of the protection coating, is introduced and analyzed through simulations involving HMD with variable depths and conductivities. A fast inverse method employing magnitude and time of the LOI point in GPEC signals for simultaneously evaluating the conductivity and thickness of HMD region is proposed, and subsequently verified by finite element modeling and experiments. It has been found from the results that along with the proposed inverse method the GPEC probe is applicable to evaluation of HMD in coated conductive structures without much loss in accuracy.

Women in Development: A.I.D.'s Experience, 1973-1985. Vol. 1 Synthesis Paper. A.I.D. Program Evaluation Report No. 18.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carloni, Alice Stewart

Based on desk reviews and/or field studies of 102 projects related to women, this report synthesizes the results of A.I.D. experience since 1973 in targeting women in development (WID) activities. The major finding is that mainstream projects that ensure women's participation in accordance with their roles within the project's baseline situation…

Multisensory integration and the concert experience: An overview of how visual stimuli can affect what we hear

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hyde, Jerald R.

2004-05-01

It is clear to those who ``listen'' to concert halls and evaluate their degree of acoustical success that it is quite difficult to separate the acoustical response at a given seat from the multi-modal perception of the whole event. Objective concert hall data have been collected for the purpose of finding a link with their related subjective evaluation and ultimately with the architectural correlates which produce the sound field. This exercise, while important, tends to miss the point that a concert or opera event utilizes all the senses of which the sound field and visual stimuli are both major contributors to the experience. Objective acoustical factors point to visual input as being significant in the perception of ``acoustical intimacy'' and with the perception of loudness versus distance in large halls. This paper will review the evidence of visual input as a factor in what we ``hear'' and introduce concepts of perceptual constancy, distance perception, static and dynamic visual stimuli, and the general process of the psychology of the integrated experience. A survey of acousticians on their opinions about the auditory-visual aspects of the concert hall experience will be presented. [Work supported in part from the Veneklasen Research Foundation and Veneklasen Associates.

Field experiments using SPEAR: a speech control system for UGVs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chhatpar, Siddharth R.; Blanco, Chris; Czerniak, Jeffrey; Hoffman, Orin; Juneja, Amit; Pruthi, Tarun; Liu, Dongqing; Karlsen, Robert; Brown, Jonathan

2009-05-01

This paper reports on a Field Experiment carried out by the Human Research and Engineering Directorate at Ft. Benning to evaluate the efficacy of using speech to control an Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) concurrently with a handcontroller. The SPEAR system, developed by Think-A-Move, provides speech-control of UGVs. The system picks up user-speech in the ear canal with an in-ear microphone. This property allows it to work efficiently in high-noise environments, where traditional speech systems, employing external microphones, fail. It has been integrated with an iRobot PackBot 510 with EOD kit. The integrated system allows the hand-controller to be supplemented with speech for concurrent control. At Ft. Benning, the integrated system was tested by soldiers from the Officer Candidate School. The Experiment had dual focus: 1) Quantitative measurement of the time taken to complete each station and the cognitive load on users; 2) Qualitative evaluation of ease-of-use and ergonomics through soldier-feedback. Also of significant benefit to Think-A-Move was soldier-feedback on the speech-command vocabulary employed: What spoken commands are intuitive, and how the commands should be executed, e.g., limited-motion vs. unlimited-motion commands. Overall results from the Experiment are reported in the paper.

Evaluation of a micro-scale wind model's performance over realistic building clusters using wind tunnel experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ning; Du, Yunsong; Miao, Shiguang; Fang, Xiaoyi

2016-08-01

The simulation performance over complex building clusters of a wind simulation model (Wind Information Field Fast Analysis model, WIFFA) in a micro-scale air pollutant dispersion model system (Urban Microscale Air Pollution dispersion Simulation model, UMAPS) is evaluated using various wind tunnel experimental data including the CEDVAL (Compilation of Experimental Data for Validation of Micro-Scale Dispersion Models) wind tunnel experiment data and the NJU-FZ experiment data (Nanjing University-Fang Zhuang neighborhood wind tunnel experiment data). The results show that the wind model can reproduce the vortexes triggered by urban buildings well, and the flow patterns in urban street canyons and building clusters can also be represented. Due to the complex shapes of buildings and their distributions, the simulation deviations/discrepancies from the measurements are usually caused by the simplification of the building shapes and the determination of the key zone sizes. The computational efficiencies of different cases are also discussed in this paper. The model has a high computational efficiency compared to traditional numerical models that solve the Navier-Stokes equations, and can produce very high-resolution (1-5 m) wind fields of a complex neighborhood scale urban building canopy (~ 1 km ×1 km) in less than 3 min when run on a personal computer.

Stories from the Arctic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cain, Michelle

2016-04-01

I will discuss my experience co-ordinating a range of communication activities for a multi-university research programme called Methane in the Arctic: Measurements and Modelling. The project included ground- and aircraft-based fieldwork in the European Arctic, as well as computer modelling. Our communication activities included: our own field blog (www.arcticmethane.wordpress.com), which was syndicated to the Scientific American Expeditions blog; writing articles for other blogs with a wider audience than our own; use of twitter; and podcasting our field work. The grand finale to our communications work was a live event at a science festival, in which we took the audience along with us on a recreated research flight, complete with a life-size mock up of a section of our research aircraft. I will discuss my experiences of these forms of communication, and give an evaluation of their successes and failures.

Comparison of collectors of airborne spray drift. Experiments in a wind tunnel and field measurements.

PubMed

Arvidsson, Tommy; Bergström, Lars; Kreuger, Jenny

2011-06-01

In this study, the collecting efficiency of different samplers of airborne drift was compared both in wind tunnel and in field experiments. The aim was to select an appropriate sampler for collecting airborne spray drift under field conditions. The wind tunnel study examined three static samplers and one dynamic sampler. The dynamic sampler had the highest overall collecting efficiency. Among the static samplers, the pipe cleaner collector had the highest efficiency. These two samplers were selected for evaluation in the subsequent field study. Results from 29 individual field experiments showed that the pipe cleaner collector on average had a 10% lower collecting efficiency than the dynamic sampler. However, the deposits on the pipe cleaners generally were highest at the 0.5 m level, and for the dynamic sampler at the 1 m level. It was concluded from the wind tunnel part of the study that the amount of drift collected on the static collectors had a more strongly positive correlation with increasing wind speed compared with the dynamic sampler. In the field study, the difference in efficiency between the two types of collector was fairly small. As the difference in collecting efficiency between the different types of sampler was small, the dynamic sampler was selected for further measurements of airborne drift under field conditions owing to its more well-defined collecting area. This study of collecting efficiency of airborne spray drift of static and dynamic samplers under field conditions contributes to increasing knowledge in this field of research. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Local technicians in long-term research projects: evaluation of 25 years experience in an active tropical research station.

PubMed

Hurtado, Johanna; Clark, David B

2011-12-01

Most field ecology is conceived and financed by scientists from urban areas but is actually carried out in rural areas. Field staff can either be imported from urban areas or recruited from local residents. We evaluated the advantages and disadvantages of involving rural residents as local technicians over a 25- year period at active field research site in Costa Rica. We defined "local technicians" as local residents with no university education who acquired significant experience in field data collection, data management and/or laboratory work. We analyzed the experiences of incorporating these technicians into field research in developing countries from the points of view of scientist and of the local technicians themselves. Primary data were written responses from to a standardized survey of 19 senior scientists and Ph.D. students,and results from standardized personal interviews with 22 local technicians. Researchers highlighted the advantages of highly-skilled technicians with minimal staff turnover, as well as the technicians' knowledge of local ecological conditions. Local technicians considered the primary advantages of their jobs to be opportunities for continuing education training in science as well as cultural enrichment through interactions with people of different cultures. The main challenges identified by researchers were the lack of long-term funding for projects and extended training required for local technicians. Local technicians can be of great benefit to research projects by providing high-quality data collection at reasonable costs with low staff turnover. Over the last 25 years the research model at the field station we studied has evolved to the point that most long-term projects now depend heavily on local technicians. This model of involving local technicians in long-term research has multiple benefits for the researchers, the technicians and the local community, and could be adapted to a variety of settings in rural areas of developing countries.

Learning from truth: youth participation in field marketing techniques to counter tobacco advertising.

PubMed

Eisenberg, Merrill; Ringwalt, Chris; Driscoll, David; Vallee, Manuel; Gullette, Gregory

2004-01-01

In 2000, the American Legacy Foundation (Legacy) launched truth, a national, multi-medium tobacco control social marketing campaign targeting youth age 12-17. This paper provides a brief description of one aspect of that campaign, the truth tour, and compares and contrasts the truth tour with commercial field marketing approaches used by the tobacco industry. The methods used for the tour's process evaluation are also described, and two important lessons learned about using field marketing techniques and using youth to implement field marketing techniques in social marketing campaigns are discussed. Social marketing campaigns that target youth may want to launch field marketing activities. The truth tour experience can inform the development of those efforts.

Emissions of PCDD and PCDF from combustion of forest fuels and sugarcane: a comparison between field measurements and simulations in a laboratory burn facility.

PubMed

Black, R R; Meyer, C P; Touati, A; Gullett, B K; Fiedler, H; Mueller, J F

2011-05-01

Release of PCDD and PCDF from biomass combustion such as forest and agricultural crop fires has been nominated as an important source for these chemicals despite minimal characterisation. Available emission factors that have been experimentally determined in laboratory and field experiments vary by several orders of magnitude from <0.5 μg TEQ (t fuel consumed)(-1) to >100 μg TEQ (t fuel consumed)(-1). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of experimental methods on the emission factor. A portable field sampler was used to measure PCDD/PCDF emissions from forest fires and the same fuel when burnt over a brick hearth to eliminate potential soil effects. A laboratory burn facility was used to sample emissions from the same fuels. There was very good agreement in emission factors to air (EF(Air)) for forest fuel (Duke Forest, NC) of 0.52 (range: 0.40-0.79), 0.59 (range: 0.18-1.2) and 0.75 (range: 0.27-1.2) μg TEQ(WHO2005) (t fuel consumed)(-1) for the in-field, over a brick hearth, and burn facility experiments, respectively. Similarly, experiments with sugarcane showed very good agreement with EF(Air) of 1.1 (range: 0.40-2.2), 1.5 (range: 0.84-2.2) and 1.7 (range: 0.34-4.4) μg TEQ (t fuel consumed)(-1) for in-field, over a brick hearth, open field and burn facility experiments respectively. Field sampling and laboratory simulations were in good agreement, and no significant changes in emissions of PCDD/PCDF could be attributed to fuel storage and transport to laboratory test facilities. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ResearchMaps.org for integrating and planning research.

PubMed

Matiasz, Nicholas J; Wood, Justin; Doshi, Pranay; Speier, William; Beckemeyer, Barry; Wang, Wei; Hsu, William; Silva, Alcino J

2018-01-01

To plan experiments, a biologist needs to evaluate a growing set of empirical findings and hypothetical assertions from diverse fields that use increasingly complex techniques. To address this problem, we operationalized principles (e.g., convergence and consistency) that biologists use to test causal relations and evaluate experimental evidence. With the framework we derived, we then created a free, open-source web application that allows biologists to create research maps, graph-based representations of empirical evidence and hypothetical assertions found in research articles, reviews, and other sources. With our ResearchMaps web application, biologists can systematically reason through the research that is most important to them, as well as evaluate and plan experiments with a breadth and precision that are unlikely without such a tool.

ResearchMaps.org for integrating and planning research

PubMed Central

Speier, William; Beckemeyer, Barry; Wang, Wei; Hsu, William; Silva, Alcino J.

2018-01-01

To plan experiments, a biologist needs to evaluate a growing set of empirical findings and hypothetical assertions from diverse fields that use increasingly complex techniques. To address this problem, we operationalized principles (e.g., convergence and consistency) that biologists use to test causal relations and evaluate experimental evidence. With the framework we derived, we then created a free, open-source web application that allows biologists to create research maps, graph-based representations of empirical evidence and hypothetical assertions found in research articles, reviews, and other sources. With our ResearchMaps web application, biologists can systematically reason through the research that is most important to them, as well as evaluate and plan experiments with a breadth and precision that are unlikely without such a tool. PMID:29723213

Changes in microbiological composition of soils and soil contamination with drug-resistant bacteria caused by the use of sewage sludge in nature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanczyk-Mazanek, Ewa; Pasonl, Lukasz; Kepa, Urszula

2017-11-01

This study evaluated the effect of the use of sewage sludge in nature on biological soil parameters. The study was conducted is field experiment environment (small beds). The sandy soil was fertilized with sewage sludge dried naturally (in heaps) and in solar drying facilities. The fertilization was based on the doses of sewage sludge and manure with the amounts of 10, 20, 30 and 40 Mg/ha. The experiment duration was 3 years. The sanitary status of the soils fertilized with the sludge and manure was evaluated (coliform index, Clostridium perfrinens). Furthermore, the content of pathogenic bacteria was evaluated, with determination of its resistance to first-line antibiotics.

The 1980-81 AFOSR-HTTM (Heat Transfer and Turbulence Mechanics)-Stanford Conference on Complex Turbulent Flows: Comparison of Computation and Experiment. Volume 2. Taxonomies, Reporters’ Summaries, Evaluation, and Conclusions

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-09-01

247-1 Moffett Field, CA 94035li W. Kordulla "NASA-Ames Research Center Mail Stop 202A-1 "Moffett Field, CA 94035 -. E. Krause Aerodynamiaches Inatitut...University Stanford, CA 94305 Wolfgang Rodi SFB 80 Universitat Karlsruhe Kaiserstrasse 12 D-75 Karlsruhe 1, W. Germany Robert Rogallo NASA-Ames Research Cntr

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

Ragan, Eric D.; Bowman, Doug A.; Kopper, Regis

Virtual reality training systems are commonly used in a variety of domains, and it is important to understand how the realism of a training simulation influences training effectiveness. The paper presents a framework for evaluating the effects of virtual reality fidelity based on an analysis of a simulation’s display, interaction, and scenario components. Following this framework, we conducted a controlled experiment to test the effects of fidelity on training effectiveness for a visual scanning task. The experiment varied the levels of field of view and visual realism during a training phase and then evaluated scanning performance with the simulator’s highestmore » level of fidelity. To assess scanning performance, we measured target detection and adherence to a prescribed strategy. The results show that both field of view and visual realism significantly affected target detection during training; higher field of view led to better performance and higher visual realism worsened performance. Additionally, the level of visual realism during training significantly affected learning of the prescribed visual scanning strategy, providing evidence that high visual realism was important for learning the technique. The results also demonstrate that task performance during training was not always a sufficient measure of mastery of an instructed technique. That is, if learning a prescribed strategy or skill is the goal of a training exercise, performance in a simulation may not be an appropriate indicator of effectiveness outside of training—evaluation in a more realistic setting may be necessary.« less

Infant titi monkey behavior in the open field test and the effect of early adversity

PubMed Central

Larke, Rebecca H.; Toubiana, Alice; Lindsay, Katrina A.; Mendoza, Sally P.; Bales, Karen L.

2017-01-01

The open field test is commonly used to measure anxiety-related behavior and exploration in rodents. Here, we used it as a standardized novel environment in which to evaluate the behavioral response of infant titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus), to determine the effect of presence of individual family members, and to assess how adverse early experience alters infant behavior. Infants were tested in the open field for 5 days at ages 4 and 6 months in four successive 5 min trials on each day. A transport cage, which was situated on one side of the open field, was either empty (non-social control) or contained the father, mother, or sibling. Infant locomotor, vocalization, and exploratory behavior were quantified. Results indicated that age, sex, social condition, and early experience all had significant effects on infant behavior. Specifically, infants were generally more exploratory at 6 months and male infants were more exploratory than females. Infants distinguished between social and non-social conditions but made few behavioral distinctions between the attachment figure and other individuals. Infants which had adverse early life experience demonstrated greater emotional and physical independence, suggesting that early adversity led to resiliency in the novel environment. PMID:28605039

Field_ac: a research project on ocean modelling in coastal areas. The experience in the Catalan Sea.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grifoll, Manel; Pallarès, Elena; Tolosana-Delgado, Raimon; Fernandez, Juan; Lopez, Jaime; Mosso, Cesar; Hermosilla, Fernando; Espino, Manuel; Sanchez-Arcilla, Agustín

2013-04-01

The EU founded Field_ac project has investigated during the last three years methods and strategies for improving operational services in coastal areas. The objective has been to generate added value for shelf and regional scale predictions from GMES Marine Core Services. In this sense the experience in the Catalan Sea site has allowed to combine high-resolution numerical modeling tools nested into regional GMES services, data from intensive field campaigns or local observational networks and remote sensing products. Multi-scale coupled models have been implemented to evaluate different temporal and spatial scales of the dominant physical processes related with waves, currents, continental/river discharges or sediment transport. In this sense the experience of the Field_ac project in the Catalan Sea has permit to "connect" GMES marine core service results to the coastal (local) anthropogenic forcing (e.g. causes of morphodynamic evolution and ecosystem degradation) and will support a knowledge-based assessment of decisions in the coastal zone. This will contribute to the implementation of EU directives (e.g., the Water Framework Directive for water quality at beaches near harbour entrances or the Risk or Flood Directives for waves and sea-level at beach/river-mouth scales).

Evaluation of a bar-code system to detect unaccompanied baggage

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1988-02-01

The objective of the Unaccompanied Baggage Detection System (UBDS) Project has : been to gain field experience with a system designed to identify passengers who : check baggage for a flight and subsequently fail to board that flight. In the first : p...

Evaluation of performance and maximum length of continuous decks in bridges : part 2.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2012-08-01

Field experimental measurements and analytical studies showed that the link-slab reinforcement : experiences almost no axial load due to thermal and gravity loading. One of the fundamental : reasons for the low loads in the link-slab reinforcement is...

Evaluation of cotton responses to fomesafen-based treatments applied preemergence

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fomesafen provides effective control of glyphosate resistant Palmer amaranth in cotton. However, cotton seedling injury is possible when fomesafen applied pre-emergence (PRE). Therefore, greenhouse and field experiments were conducted at Athens GA and six locations in Alabama and Georgia, respecti...

Evaluation of commercial products for personal protection against mosquitoes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Human landing catch studies were conducted in a semi-field setting to determine the efficacy of seven commercial products used for personal protection against mosquitoes. Experiments were conducted in two empty, insecticide free, greenhouse compartments, in Israel, with either 1500 Aedes albopictus...

Improving the conspicuity of trailblazing signs for incident management.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-03-01

This report represents efforts to design and evaluate a new sign design for emergency route trailblazing in a two-part series. : Study was an off-road field experiment conducted to determine the best sign color combination, letter stroke width, and l...

Scale-up considerations for surface collecting agent assisted in-situ burn crude oil spill response experiments in the Arctic: Laboratory to field-scale investigations.

PubMed

Bullock, Robin J; Aggarwal, Srijan; Perkins, Robert A; Schnabel, William

2017-04-01

In the event of a marine oil spill in the Arctic, government agencies, industry, and the public have a stake in the successful implementation of oil spill response. Because large spills are rare events, oil spill response techniques are often evaluated with laboratory and meso-scale experiments. The experiments must yield scalable information sufficient to understand the operability and effectiveness of a response technique under actual field conditions. Since in-situ burning augmented with surface collecting agents ("herders") is one of the few viable response options in ice infested waters, a series of oil spill response experiments were conducted in Fairbanks, Alaska, in 2014 and 2015 to evaluate the use of herders to assist in-situ burning and the role of experimental scale. This study compares burn efficiency and herder application for three experimental designs for in-situ burning of Alaska North Slope crude oil in cold, fresh waters with ∼10% ice cover. The experiments were conducted in three project-specific constructed venues with varying scales (surface areas of approximately 0.09 square meters, 9 square meters and 8100 square meters). The results from the herder assisted in-situ burn experiments performed at these three different scales showed good experimental scale correlation and no negative impact due to the presence of ice cover on burn efficiency. Experimental conclusions are predominantly associated with application of the herder material and usability for a given experiment scale to make response decisions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ab initio molecular dynamics in a finite homogeneous electric field.

PubMed

Umari, P; Pasquarello, Alfredo

2002-10-07

We treat homogeneous electric fields within density functional calculations with periodic boundary conditions. A nonlocal energy functional depending on the applied field is used within an ab initio molecular dynamics scheme. The reliability of the method is demonstrated in the case of bulk MgO for the Born effective charges, and the high- and low-frequency dielectric constants. We evaluate the static dielectric constant by performing a damped molecular dynamics in an electric field and avoiding the calculation of the dynamical matrix. Application of this method to vitreous silica shows good agreement with experiment and illustrates its potential for systems of large size.

Residual stress characterization of steel TIG welds by neutron diffraction and by residual magnetic stray field mappings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stegemann, Robert; Cabeza, Sandra; Lyamkin, Viktor; Bruno, Giovanni; Pittner, Andreas; Wimpory, Robert; Boin, Mirko; Kreutzbruck, Marc

2017-03-01

The residual stress distribution of tungsten inert gas welded S235JRC+C plates was determined by means of neutron diffraction (ND). Large longitudinal residual stresses with maxima around 600 MPa were found. With these results as reference, the evaluation of residual stress with high spatial resolution GMR (giant magneto resistance) sensors was discussed. The experiments performed indicate a correlation between changes in residual stresses (ND) and the normal component of local residual magnetic stray fields (GMR). Spatial variations in the magnetic field strength perpendicular to the welds are in the order of the magnetic field of the earth.

Walking simulator for evaluation of ophthalmic devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barabas, James; Woods, Russell L.; Peli, Eli

2005-03-01

Simulating mobility tasks in a virtual environment reduces risk for research subjects, and allows for improved experimental control and measurement. We are currently using a simulated shopping mall environment (where subjects walk on a treadmill in front of a large projected video display) to evaluate a number of ophthalmic devices developed at the Schepens Eye Research Institute for people with vision impairment, particularly visual field defects. We have conducted experiments to study subject's perception of "safe passing distance" when walking towards stationary obstacles. The subject's binary responses about potential collisions are analyzed by fitting a psychometric function, which gives an estimate of the subject's perceived safe passing distance, and the variability of subject responses. The system also enables simulations of visual field defects using head and eye tracking, enabling better understanding of the impact of visual field loss. Technical infrastructure for our simulated walking environment includes a custom eye and head tracking system, a gait feedback system to adjust treadmill speed, and a handheld 3-D pointing device. Images are generated by a graphics workstation, which contains a model with photographs of storefronts from an actual shopping mall, where concurrent validation experiments are being conducted.

Microstrip resonators for electron paramagnetic resonance experiments.

PubMed

Torrezan, A C; Mayer Alegre, T P; Medeiros-Ribeiro, G

2009-07-01

In this article we evaluate the performance of an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) setup using a microstrip resonator (MR). The design and characterization of the resonator are described and parameters of importance to EPR and spin manipulation are examined, including cavity quality factor, filling factor, and microwave magnetic field in the sample region. Simulated microwave electric and magnetic field distributions in the resonator are also presented and compared with qualitative measurements of the field distribution obtained by a perturbation technique. Based on EPR experiments carried out with a standard marker at room temperature and a MR resonating at 8.17 GHz, the minimum detectable number of spins was found to be 5 x 10(10) spins/GHz(1/2) despite the low MR unloaded quality factor Q0=60. The functionality of the EPR setup was further evaluated at low temperature, where the spin resonance of Cr dopants present in a GaAs wafer was detected at 2.3 K. The design and characterization of a more versatile MR targeting an improved EPR sensitivity and featuring an integrated biasing circuit for the study of samples that require an electrical contact are also discussed.

Evaluating Experience-Based Geologic Field Instruction: Lessons Learned from A Large-Scale Eye-Tracking Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarduno, J. A.; Walders, K.; Bono, R. K.; Pelz, J.; Jacobs, R.

2015-12-01

A course centered on experience-based learning in field geology has been offered ten times at the University of Rochester. The centerpiece of the course is a 10-day field excursion to California featuring a broad cross-section of the geology of the state, from the San Andreas Fault to Death Valley. Here we describe results from a large-scale eye-tracking experiment aimed at understanding how experts and novices acquire visual geologic information. One ultimate goal of the project is to determine whether expert gaze patterns can be quantified to improve the instruction of beginning geology students. Another goal is to determine if aspects of the field experience can be transferred to the classroom/laboratory. Accordingly, ultra-high resolution segmented panoramic images have been collected at key sites visited during the field excursion. We have found that strict controls are needed in the field to obtain meaningful data; this often involves behavior atypical of geologists (e.g. limiting the field of view prior to data collection and placing time limits on scene viewing). Nevertheless some general conclusions can be made from a select data set. After an initial quick search, experts tend to exhibit scanning behavior that appears to support hypothesis testing. Novice fixations appear to define a scattered search pattern and/or one distracted by geologic noise in a scene. Noise sources include modern erosion features and vegetation. One way to quantify noise is through the use of saliency maps. With the caveat that our expert data set is small, our preliminary analysis suggests that experts tend to exhibit top-down behavior (indicating hypothesis driven responses) whereas novices show bottom-up gaze patterns, influenced by more salient features in a scene. We will present examples and discuss how these observations might be used to improve instruction.

Computer Simulation and Field Experiment for Downlink Multiuser MIMO in Mobile WiMAX System.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, Kazuhiro; Nagahashi, Takaharu; Akiyama, Takuya; Matsue, Hideaki; Uekado, Kunio; Namera, Takakazu; Fukui, Hiroshi; Nanamatsu, Satoshi

2015-01-01

The transmission performance for a downlink mobile WiMAX system with multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) systems in a computer simulation and field experiment is described. In computer simulation, a MU-MIMO transmission system can be realized by using the block diagonalization (BD) algorithm, and each user can receive signals without any signal interference from other users. The bit error rate (BER) performance and channel capacity in accordance with modulation schemes and the number of streams were simulated in a spatially correlated multipath fading environment. Furthermore, we propose a method for evaluating the transmission performance for this downlink mobile WiMAX system in this environment by using the computer simulation. In the field experiment, the received power and downlink throughput in the UDP layer were measured on an experimental mobile WiMAX system developed in Azumino City in Japan. In comparison with the simulated and experimented results, the measured maximum throughput performance in the downlink had almost the same performance as the simulated throughput. It was confirmed that the experimental mobile WiMAX system for MU-MIMO transmission successfully increased the total channel capacity of the system.

Computer Simulation and Field Experiment for Downlink Multiuser MIMO in Mobile WiMAX System

PubMed Central

Yamaguchi, Kazuhiro; Nagahashi, Takaharu; Akiyama, Takuya; Matsue, Hideaki; Uekado, Kunio; Namera, Takakazu; Fukui, Hiroshi; Nanamatsu, Satoshi

2015-01-01

The transmission performance for a downlink mobile WiMAX system with multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) systems in a computer simulation and field experiment is described. In computer simulation, a MU-MIMO transmission system can be realized by using the block diagonalization (BD) algorithm, and each user can receive signals without any signal interference from other users. The bit error rate (BER) performance and channel capacity in accordance with modulation schemes and the number of streams were simulated in a spatially correlated multipath fading environment. Furthermore, we propose a method for evaluating the transmission performance for this downlink mobile WiMAX system in this environment by using the computer simulation. In the field experiment, the received power and downlink throughput in the UDP layer were measured on an experimental mobile WiMAX system developed in Azumino City in Japan. In comparison with the simulated and experimented results, the measured maximum throughput performance in the downlink had almost the same performance as the simulated throughput. It was confirmed that the experimental mobile WiMAX system for MU-MIMO transmission successfully increased the total channel capacity of the system. PMID:26421311

Stem carbohydrate dynamics and expression of genes involved in fructan accumulation and remobilization during grain growth in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes with contrasting tolerance to water stress.

PubMed

Yáñez, Alejandra; Tapia, Gerardo; Guerra, Fernando; Del Pozo, Alejandro

2017-01-01

The genetic and physiological mechanisms underlying the relationship between water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and water stress tolerance are scarcely known. This study aimed to evaluate the main WSC in stems, and the expression of genes involved in fructan metabolism in wheat genotypes growing in a glasshouse with water stress (WS; 50% field capacity from heading) and full irrigation (FI; 100% field capacity). Eight wheat genotypes (five tolerant and three susceptible to water stress) were evaluated initially (experiment 1) and the two most contrasting genotypes in terms of WSC accumulation were evaluated in a subsequent experiment (experiment 2). Maximum accumulation of WSC occurred 10-20 days after anthesis. Under WS, the stress-tolerant genotype exhibited higher concentrations of WSC, glucose, fructose and fructan in the stems, compared to FI. In addition, the stress-tolerant genotype exhibited higher up-regulation of the fructan 1-fructosyltransferase B (1-FFTB) and fructan 1-exohydrolase w2 (1-FEHw2) genes, whereas the susceptible cultivar presented an up-regulation of the fructan 6-fructosyltransferase (6-SFT) and fructan 1-exohydrolase w3 (1-FEHw3) genes. Our results indicated clear differences in the pattern of WSC accumulation and the expression of genes regulating fructan metabolism between the tolerant and susceptible genotypes under WS.

Stem carbohydrate dynamics and expression of genes involved in fructan accumulation and remobilization during grain growth in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genotypes with contrasting tolerance to water stress

PubMed Central

Yáñez, Alejandra; Tapia, Gerardo; Guerra, Fernando

2017-01-01

The genetic and physiological mechanisms underlying the relationship between water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and water stress tolerance are scarcely known. This study aimed to evaluate the main WSC in stems, and the expression of genes involved in fructan metabolism in wheat genotypes growing in a glasshouse with water stress (WS; 50% field capacity from heading) and full irrigation (FI; 100% field capacity). Eight wheat genotypes (five tolerant and three susceptible to water stress) were evaluated initially (experiment 1) and the two most contrasting genotypes in terms of WSC accumulation were evaluated in a subsequent experiment (experiment 2). Maximum accumulation of WSC occurred 10–20 days after anthesis. Under WS, the stress-tolerant genotype exhibited higher concentrations of WSC, glucose, fructose and fructan in the stems, compared to FI. In addition, the stress-tolerant genotype exhibited higher up-regulation of the fructan 1-fructosyltransferase B (1-FFTB) and fructan 1-exohydrolase w2 (1-FEHw2) genes, whereas the susceptible cultivar presented an up-regulation of the fructan 6-fructosyltransferase (6-SFT) and fructan 1-exohydrolase w3 (1-FEHw3) genes. Our results indicated clear differences in the pattern of WSC accumulation and the expression of genes regulating fructan metabolism between the tolerant and susceptible genotypes under WS. PMID:28552955

Accuracy evaluation of optical distortion calibration by digital image correlation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Zeren; Zhang, Qingchuan; Su, Yong; Wu, Shangquan

2017-11-01

Due to its convenience of operation, the camera calibration algorithm, which is based on the plane template, is widely used in image measurement, computer vision and other fields. How to select a suitable distortion model is always a problem to be solved. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an experimental evaluation of the accuracy of camera distortion calibrations. This paper presents an experimental method for evaluating camera distortion calibration accuracy, which is easy to implement, has high precision, and is suitable for a variety of commonly used lens. First, we use the digital image correlation method to calculate the in-plane rigid body displacement field of an image displayed on a liquid crystal display before and after translation, as captured with a camera. Next, we use a calibration board to calibrate the camera to obtain calibration parameters which are used to correct calculation points of the image before and after deformation. The displacement field before and after correction is compared to analyze the distortion calibration results. Experiments were carried out to evaluate the performance of two commonly used industrial camera lenses for four commonly used distortion models.

COMMENT: Comment on 'Evaluation of the local value of the Earth gravity field in the context of the new definition of the kilogram'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Svitlov, S. M.

2010-06-01

A recent paper (Baumann et al 2009 Metrologia 46 178-86) presents a method to evaluate the free-fall acceleration at a desired point in space, as required for the watt balance experiment. The claimed uncertainty of their absolute gravity measurements is supported by two bilateral comparisons using two absolute gravimeters of the same type. This comment discusses the case where absolute gravity measurements are traceable to a key comparison reference value. Such an approach produces a more complete uncertainty budget and reduces the risk of the results of different watt balance experiments not being compatible.

A New Look to Nuclear Data

DOE PAGES

McCutchan, E. A.; Brown, D. A.; Sonzogni, A. A.

2017-03-30

Databases of evaluated nuclear data form a cornerstone on which we build academic nuclear structure physics, reaction physics, astrophysics, and many applied nuclear technologies. In basic research, nuclear data are essential for selecting, designing and conducting experiments, and for the development and testing of theoretical models to understand the fundamental properties of atomic nuclei. Likewise, the applied fields of nuclear power, homeland security, stockpile stewardship and nuclear medicine, all have deep roots requiring evaluated nuclear data. Each of these fields requires rapid and easy access to up-to-date, comprehensive and reliable databases. The DOE-funded US Nuclear Data Program is a specificmore » and coordinated effort tasked to compile, evaluate and disseminate nuclear structure and reaction data such that it can be used by the world-wide nuclear physics community.« less

A New Look to Nuclear Data

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

McCutchan, E. A.; Brown, D. A.; Sonzogni, A. A.

Databases of evaluated nuclear data form a cornerstone on which we build academic nuclear structure physics, reaction physics, astrophysics, and many applied nuclear technologies. In basic research, nuclear data are essential for selecting, designing and conducting experiments, and for the development and testing of theoretical models to understand the fundamental properties of atomic nuclei. Likewise, the applied fields of nuclear power, homeland security, stockpile stewardship and nuclear medicine, all have deep roots requiring evaluated nuclear data. Each of these fields requires rapid and easy access to up-to-date, comprehensive and reliable databases. The DOE-funded US Nuclear Data Program is a specificmore » and coordinated effort tasked to compile, evaluate and disseminate nuclear structure and reaction data such that it can be used by the world-wide nuclear physics community.« less

Effect of semen preparation on casa motility results in cryopreserved bull spermatozoa.

PubMed

Contri, Alberto; Valorz, Claudio; Faustini, Massimo; Wegher, Laura; Carluccio, Augusto

2010-08-01

Computer-assisted sperm analyzers (CASA) have become the standard tool for evaluating sperm motility and kinetic patterns because they provide objective data for thousands of sperm tracks. However, these devices are not ready-to-use and standardization of analytical practices is a fundamental requirement. In this study, we evaluated the effects of some settings, such as frame rate and frames per field, chamber and time of analysis, and samples preparations, including thawing temperature, sperm sample concentration, and media used for dilution, on the kinetic results of bovine frozen-thawed semen using a CASA. In Experiment 1, the frame rate (30-60 frame/s) significantly affected motility parameters, whereas the number of frames per field (30 or 45) did not seem to affect sperm kinetics. In Experiment 2, the thawing protocol affects sperm motility and kinetic parameters. Sperm sample concentration significantly limited the opportunity to perform the analysis and the kinetic results. A concentration of 100 and 50 x 10(6) sperm/mL limited the device's ability to perform the analysis or gave wrong results, whereas 5, 10, 20, and 30 x 10(6) sperm/mL concentrations allowed the analysis to be performed, but with different results (Experiment 3). The medium used for the dilution of the sample, which is fundamental for a correct sperm head detection, affects sperm motility results (Experiment 4). In this study, Makler and Leja chambers were used to perform the semen analysis with CASA devices. The chamber used significantly affected motility results (Experiment 5). The time between chamber loading and analysis affected sperm velocities, regardless of chamber used. Based on results recorded in this study, we propose that the CASA evaluation of motility of bovine frozen-thawed semen using Hamilton-Thorne IVOS 12.3 should be performed using a frame rate of 60 frame/s and 30 frames per field. Semen should be diluted at least at 20 x 10(6) sperm/mL using PBS. Furthermore, it is necessary to consider the type of chamber used and perform the analysis within 1 or 2 min, regardless of the chamber used. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Screening of melon genotypes for resistance to vegetable leafminer and your phenotypic correlations with colorimetry.

PubMed

Oliveira, Frederico I C DE; Fiege, Leonardo B C; Celin, Elaine F; Innecco, Renato; Nunes, Glauber H S; Aragão, Fernando A S DE

2017-01-01

Melon is one of the most important vegetable crops in the world. With short cycle in a system of phased planting, phytosanitary control is compromised, and a great volume of agricultural chemicals is used to control vegetable leafminer. Genetic control is an ideal alternative to avoid the damage caused by this insect. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate Cucumis accessions in regard to resistance to leafminer and correlate the variables analyzed. Fifty-four accessions and four commercial hybrids of melon were tested. The study was divided into two experiments: with and with no choice. The following characteristics were evaluated: with choice, in field - subjective score based on the infestation and the number of mines per leaf; and with no choice, in cage - number of mines per leaf, chlorophyll content, and leaf colorimetry. The results showed variability among the accessions and some genotypes showed favorable results for resistance in both experiments. There was correlation between the two variables in the experiment in the field. The accessions CNPH 11-282, CNPH 06-1047, and CNPH 11-1077 are the most recommended for future breeding programs with aim on introgression of resistance to vegetable leafminer in melon.

Estimating the Variance of Design Parameters

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hedberg, E. C.; Hedges, L. V.; Kuyper, A. M.

2015-01-01

Randomized experiments are generally considered to provide the strongest basis for causal inferences about cause and effect. Consequently randomized field trials have been increasingly used to evaluate the effects of education interventions, products, and services. Populations of interest in education are often hierarchically structured (such as…

Qualitative Methods in Field Research: An Indonesian Experience in Community Based Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lysack, Catherine L.; Krefting, Laura

1994-01-01

Cross-cultural evaluation of a community-based rehabilitation project in Indonesia used three methods: focus groups, questionnaires, and key informant interviews. A continuous cyclical approach to data collection and concern for cultural sensitivity increased the rigor of the research. (SK)

Field Assessment of A Variable-rate Aerial Application System

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Several experiments were conducted to evaluate the system response of a variable-rate aerial application controller to changing flow rates. The research is collaboration between the USDA, ARS, APTRU and Houma Avionics, USA, manufacturer of a widely used flow controller designed for agricultural airc...

Evaluation of an alternative method for hiring air traffic control specialists with prior military experience.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1992-01-01

This study was conducted to assess an FAA program to hire former military air traffic control specialists to enter ATC field training directly without first attending the Academy screening program. Selection of military controllers was based on meeti...

FIELD EVALUATION OF THE IN-SITU TREATMENTS TO REDUCE SOIL LEAD BIOAVAILABILITY: CONCLUSIONS

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation summarizes the conclusion of the technical issues associated with the Pb bioavailability experiment which IINERT has been conducting and further to illustrate that although bioavailability is a simple concept, its measurement and the implementation of the measur...

Evolution of Cuphea PSR23 under cultivation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A series of experiments carried out under controlled environments and field conditions (2002-2008) evaluated populations of the potential oilseed crop PSR23, a selection from a cross between two wild Cuphea species (C. viscosissima and C. lanceolata) for indicators of evolution under cultivation and...

Evaluation of a genome-scale in silico metabolic model for Geobacter metallireducens by using proteomic data from a field biostimulation experiment.

PubMed

Fang, Yilin; Wilkins, Michael J; Yabusaki, Steven B; Lipton, Mary S; Long, Philip E

2012-12-01

Accurately predicting the interactions between microbial metabolism and the physical subsurface environment is necessary to enhance subsurface energy development, soil and groundwater cleanup, and carbon management. This study was an initial attempt to confirm the metabolic functional roles within an in silico model using environmental proteomic data collected during field experiments. Shotgun global proteomics data collected during a subsurface biostimulation experiment were used to validate a genome-scale metabolic model of Geobacter metallireducens-specifically, the ability of the metabolic model to predict metal reduction, biomass yield, and growth rate under dynamic field conditions. The constraint-based in silico model of G. metallireducens relates an annotated genome sequence to the physiological functions with 697 reactions controlled by 747 enzyme-coding genes. Proteomic analysis showed that 180 of the 637 G. metallireducens proteins detected during the 2008 experiment were associated with specific metabolic reactions in the in silico model. When the field-calibrated Fe(III) terminal electron acceptor process reaction in a reactive transport model for the field experiments was replaced with the genome-scale model, the model predicted that the largest metabolic fluxes through the in silico model reactions generally correspond to the highest abundances of proteins that catalyze those reactions. Central metabolism predicted by the model agrees well with protein abundance profiles inferred from proteomic analysis. Model discrepancies with the proteomic data, such as the relatively low abundances of proteins associated with amino acid transport and metabolism, revealed pathways or flux constraints in the in silico model that could be updated to more accurately predict metabolic processes that occur in the subsurface environment.

Overview of the Bushland Evapotranspiration and Agricultural Remote sensing EXperiment 2008 (BEAREX08): A field experiment evaluating methods for quantifying ET at multiple scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evett, Steven R.; Kustas, William P.; Gowda, Prasanna H.; Anderson, Martha C.; Prueger, John H.; Howell, Terry A.

2012-12-01

In 2008, scientists from seven federal and state institutions worked together to investigate temporal and spatial variations of evapotranspiration (ET) and surface energy balance in a semi-arid irrigated and dryland agricultural region of the Southern High Plains in the Texas Panhandle. This Bushland Evapotranspiration and Agricultural Remote sensing EXperiment 2008 (BEAREX08) involved determination of micrometeorological fluxes (surface energy balance) in four weighing lysimeter fields (each 4.7 ha) containing irrigated and dryland cotton and in nearby bare soil, wheat stubble and rangeland fields using nine eddy covariance stations, three large aperture scintillometers, and three Bowen ratio systems. In coordination with satellite overpasses, flux and remote sensing aircraft flew transects over the surrounding fields and region encompassing an area contributing fluxes from 10 to 30 km upwind of the USDA-ARS lysimeter site. Tethered balloon soundings were conducted over the irrigated fields to investigate the effect of advection on local boundary layer development. Local ET was measured using four large weighing lysimeters, while field scale estimates were made by soil water balance with a network of neutron probe profile water sites and from the stationary flux systems. Aircraft and satellite imagery were obtained at different spatial and temporal resolutions. Plot-scale experiments dealt with row orientation and crop height effects on spatial and temporal patterns of soil surface temperature, soil water content, soil heat flux, evaporation from soil in the interrow, plant transpiration and canopy and soil radiation fluxes. The BEAREX08 field experiment was unique in its assessment of ET fluxes over a broad range in spatial scales; comparing direct and indirect methods at local scales with remote sensing based methods and models using aircraft and satellite imagery at local to regional scales, and comparing mass balance-based ET ground truth with eddy covariance and remote sensing-based methods. Here we present an overview of the experiment and a summary of preliminary findings described in this special issue of AWR. Our understanding of the role of advection in the measurement and modeling of ET is advanced by these papers integrating measurements and model estimates.

Fate of Volatile Organic Compounds in Constructed Wastewater Treatment Wetlands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keefe, S.H.; Barber, L.B.; Runkel, R.L.; Ryan, J.N.

2004-01-01

The fate of volatile organic compounds was evaluated in a wastewater-dependent constructed wetland near Phoenix, AZ, using field measurements and solute transport modeling. Numerically based volatilization rates were determined using inverse modeling techniques and hydraulic parameters established by sodium bromide tracer experiments. Theoretical volatilization rates were calculated from the two-film method incorporating physicochemical properties and environmental conditions. Additional analyses were conducted using graphically determined volatilization rates based on field measurements. Transport (with first-order removal) simulations were performed using a range of volatilization rates and were evaluated with respect to field concentrations. The inverse and two-film reactive transport simulations demonstrated excellent agreement with measured concentrations for 1,4-dichlorobenzene, tetrachloroethene, dichloromethane, and trichloromethane and fair agreement for dibromochloromethane, bromo-dichloromethane, and toluene. Wetland removal efficiencies from inlet to outlet ranged from 63% to 87% for target compounds.

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

Redi, M.H.; Mynick, H.E.; Suewattana, M.

Hamiltonian coordinate, guiding-center code calculations of the confinement of suprathermal ions in quasi-axisymmetric stellarator (QAS) designs have been carried out to evaluate the attractiveness of compact configurations which are optimized for ballooning stability. A new stellarator particle-following code is used to predict ion loss rates and particle confinement for thermal and neutral beam ions in a small experiment with R = 145 cm, B = 1-2 T and for alpha particles in a reactor-size device. In contrast to tokamaks, it is found that high edge poloidal flux has limited value in improving ion confinement in QAS, since collisional pitch-angle scatteringmore » drives ions into ripple wells and stochastic field regions, where they are quickly lost. The necessity for reduced stellarator ripple fields is emphasized. The high neutral beam ion loss predicted for these configurations suggests that more interesting physics could be explored with an experiment of less constrained size and magnetic field geometry.« less

Earth Radiation Budget Experiment scanner radiometric calibration results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Robert B., III; Gibson, M. A.; Thomas, Susan; Meekins, Jeffrey L.; Mahan, J. R.

1990-01-01

The Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) scanning radiometers are producing measurements of the incoming solar, earth/atmosphere-reflected solar, and earth/atmosphere-emitted radiation fields with measurement precisions and absolute accuracies, approaching 1 percent. ERBE uses thermistor bolometers as the detection elements in the narrow-field-of-view scanning radiometers. The scanning radiometers can sense radiation in the shortwave, longwave, and total broadband spectral regions of 0.2 to 5.0, 5.0 to 50.0, and 0.2 to 50.0 micrometers, respectively. Detailed models of the radiometers' response functions were developed in order to design the most suitable calibration techniques. These models guided the design of in-flight calibration procedures as well as the development and characterization of a vacuum-calibration chamber and the blackbody source which provided the absolute basis upon which the total and longwave radiometers were characterized. The flight calibration instrumentation for the narror-field-of-view scanning radiometers is presented and evaluated.

GeoPad and GeoPocket: Information Technology for Field Science Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knoop, P. A.; van der Pluijm, B.

2006-12-01

Over the past four years we have successfully incorporated and evaluated the use of field-based Information Technology (IT) in introductory through senior-level field courses offered at the University of Michigan's Camp Davis Geology Field Station, near Jackson, WY. The use of GeoPads (field-durable Tablet PCs) and GeoPockets (field-durable Pocket PCs) -- both equipped with GIS, GPS, wireless networking, electronic notebook and other pertinent software -- have significantly enhanced our field exercises and excursions, for both students and instructors. We have focused on three main applications: (1) Mapping facilitating the development of spatial reasoning skills via powerful, intuitive capabilities for in-the-field data entry, visualization, analysis, and interpretation in both 2-D and 3-D representations; (2) Field-Trips enriching the overall experience by providing in-the-field access to a broad, relevant collection of supplemental materials, such as papers, figures, maps, photos, thin section images, etc.; and, (3) Field-Based Exercises enhancing the learning opportunities afforded by field-based exercises by supporting data analysis and interpretation, while still in the context in which the data was gathered. This IT-based approach to field education utilizes standard, off-the-shelf hardware and software, and provides students with experience using tools that are increasingly relevant to their future academic or professional careers. Furthermore, this approach is generally applicable to education and research in many traditionally non-IT-savvy science domains, in addition to geology, such as archeology, biology, sociology, and natural resources.

Examples of Information Technology in Field-based Educational Settings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knoop, P.; van der Pluijm, B.; Dey, E.; Burn, H.

2007-12-01

Over the last five years we have utilized ruggedized Tablet PCs and Pocket PCs in a variety of summer field courses at our Camp Davis Rocky Mountain Field Station, near Jackson, WY, as well as during departmental field trips. The courses involved range from upper-level field geology to lower-level introductory geology, as well as a mid-level environmental science course. During this period we gained a lot of experience with how to integrate information technology in field courses and field trips, as we experimented with a range of hardware and software combinations as well as different teaching approaches, some more successful than others. During much of this time we have also collaborated with external educational researchers to help us assess and understand the impact of this evolving approach to field-based instruction. Presented here are some example cases of how information technology can be used in the field for educational purposes, such as mapping projects in field courses, as a digital field notebook and reference library on field trips, and to support a mobile classroom while students are dispersed among vehicles or across a field area. We also present results from the educational evaluation of this work, which indicate that students see information technology as an important tool for their work, rather than as a novelty, and that it provides them with important visualization capabilities to enhance their understand that are not available with traditional paper mapping techniques.

Preparing Future Geoscientists at the Critical High School-to-College Junction: Project METALS and the Value of Engaging Diverse Institutions to Serve Underrepresented Students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, L. D.; Maygarden, D.; Serpa, L. F.

2015-12-01

Since 2010, the Minority Education Through Traveling and Learning in the Sciences (METALS) program, a collaboration among San Francisco State Univ., the Univ. of Texas at El Paso, the Univ. of New Orleans, and Purdue Univ., has created meaningful, field-based geoscience experiences for underrepresented minority high school students. METALS activities promote excitement about geoscience in field settings and foster mutual respect and trust among participants of different backgrounds and ethnicities. These gains are strengthened by the collective knowledge of the university partners and by faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, scientists, and science teachers who guide the field trips and who are committed to encouraging diversity in the geosciences. Through the student experiences it provides, METALS has helped shape and shift student attitudes and orientation toward geoscience, during and beyond their field experience, just as these students are poised at the critical juncture from high school to college. A review of the METALS findings and summative evaluation shows a distinct pattern of high to moderately high impact on most students in the various cohorts of the program. METALS, overall, was perceived by participants as a program that: (1) opens up opportunities for individuals who might not typically be able to experience science in outdoor settings; (2) offers high-interest geology content in field contexts, along with social and environmental connections; (3) promotes excitement about geology while encouraging the development of mutual respect, interdependence, and trust among individuals of different ethnicities; (4) influences the academic choices of students, in particular their choice of major and course selection in college. Summative data show that multiple aspects of this program were highly effective. Cross-university collaborations create a dynamic forum and a high-impact opportunity for students from different backgrounds to meet and develop friendships. Such collaborations also expose students to a network of professionals and mentors who can help them navigate career and educational paths. Taken as a whole, the results of the program and our evaluations suggest that the multi-university character of METALS is particularly beneficial for both students and mentors.

A molecular-field approximation for quantum crystals. Ph.D. Thesis; [considering ground state properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danilowicz, R.

1973-01-01

Ground-state properties of quantum crystals have received considerable attention from both theorists and experimentalists. The theoretical results have varied widely with the Monte Carlo calculations being the most successful. The molecular field approximation yields ground-state properties which agree closely with the Monte Carlo results. This approach evaluates the dynamical behavior of each pair of molecules in the molecular field of the other N-2 molecules. In addition to predicting ground-state properties that agree well with experiment, this approach yields data on the relative importance of interactions of different nearest neighbor pairs.

'Own-Label' Versus Branded Commercial Dental Resin Composite Materials: Mechanical And Physical Property Comparisons.

PubMed

Shaw, Kathryn; Martins, Ricardo; Hadis, Mohammed Abdul; Burke, Trevor; Palin, William

2016-09-01

A majority of dental materials are manufactured by companies who have experience in the field. However, a number of "own label" materials have become available, principally marketed by distributors and other companies with little or no experience in the field. These materials are attractive because of their reduced cost, but they may have no research on which clinicians might base their potential performance. It is therefore the purpose of this work to compare the performance of different batches of a number of "own-label" dental materials with a similar number from manufacturers with experience in the field, using a variety of laboratory test regimes which include filler determination, degree of conversion, flexural strength and flexural modulus, in order to evaluate key material properties. The results indicated that own-label dental resin composites produced similar results to materials from established companies in terms of flexural strength characteristics and degree of conversion. However, a greater batch-to-batch variation in several mechanical and physical properties of the own-label materials was noted. Copyright© 2016 Dennis Barber Ltd.

Late diagenetic indicators of buried oil and gas: II, Direct detection experiment at Cement and Garza oil fields, Oklahoma and Texas, using enhanced LANDSAT I and II images

USGS Publications Warehouse

Donovan, Terrence J.; Termain, Patricia A.; Henry, Mitchell E.

1979-01-01

The Cement oil field, Oklahoma, was a test site for an experiment designed to evaluate LANDSAT's capability to detect an alteration zone in surface rocks caused by hydrocarbon microseepage. Loss of iron and impregnation of sandstone by carbonate cements and replacement of gypsum by calcite are the major alteration phenomena at Cement. The bedrock alterations are partially masked by unaltered overlying beds, thick soils, and dense natural and cultivated vegetation. Interpreters biased by detailed ground truth were able to map the alteration zone subjectively using a magnified, filtered, and sinusoidally stretched LANDSAT composite image; other interpreters, unbiased by ground truth data, could not duplicate that interpretation. Similar techniques were applied at a secondary test site (Garza oil field, Texas), where similar alterations in surface rocks occur. Enhanced LANDSAT images resolved the alteration zone to a biased interpreter and some individual altered outcrops could be mapped using higher resolution SKYLAB color and conventional black and white aerial photographs suggesting repeat experiments with LANDSAT C and D.

Description and effects of sequential behavior practice in teacher education.

PubMed

Sharpe, T; Lounsbery, M; Bahls, V

1997-09-01

This study examined the effects of a sequential behavior feedback protocol on the practice-teaching experiences of undergraduate teacher trainees. The performance competencies of teacher trainees were analyzed using an alternative opportunities for appropriate action measure. Data support the added utility of sequential (Sharpe, 1997a, 1997b) behavior analysis information in systematic observation approaches to teacher education. One field-based undergraduate practicum using sequential behavior (i.e., field systems analysis) principles was monitored. Summarized are the key elements of the (a) classroom instruction provided as a precursor to the practice teaching experience, (b) practice teaching experience, and (c) field systems observation tool used for evaluation and feedback, including multiple-baseline data (N = 4) to support this approach to teacher education. Results point to (a) the strong relationship between sequential behavior feedback and the positive change in four preservice teachers' day-to-day teaching practices in challenging situational contexts, and (b) the relationship between changes in teacher practices and positive changes in the behavioral practices of gymnasium pupils. Sequential behavior feedback was also socially validated by the undergraduate participants and Professional Development School teacher supervisors in the study.

Using molecular genetics to identify immature specimens of the weevil Ceratapion basicorne (Coleoptera, Apionidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate host plant specificity of the yellow starthistle rosette weevil, Ceratapion basicorne. Larvae infesting plants were preserved in 99% ethanol. Adult specimens of C. basicorne and four closely related species were identified using conventional morphologic...

REDUCING CHILDREN'S RISK TO SOIL LEAD: SUMMARY OF A FIELD EXPERIMENT TO REDUCE SOIL LEAD BIOAVAILABILITY

EPA Science Inventory

Reducing risks associated with Pb in soil has typically been accomplished by soil removal, covering, or dilution by mixing with uncontaminated soil. EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) and DuPont Corporation established a collaborative effort to evaluation...

Characteristics of Outstanding Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eldar, Eitan; Talmor, Rachel

2006-01-01

This paper describes the characteristics of student teachers who were evaluated as outstanding during their teacher education studies. Outstanding students were selected after 2 years of field experiences based on their teaching abilities and academic achievements. Data were collected at three points of time: before they commenced their studies at…

7 CFR 3403.10 - Proposal review.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAM Submission and Evaluation of Proposals § 3403.10 Proposal.... USDA is under no obligation to fund any proposal or any specific number of proposals in a given topic... are uniquely qualified by training and experience in their respective fields to render expert advice...

Experiences of using mobile technologies and virtual field tours in Physical Geography: implications for hydrology education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kingston, D. G.; Eastwood, W. J.; Jones, P. I.; Johnson, R.; Marshall, S.; Hannah, D. M.

2012-05-01

Education in hydrology is changing rapidly due to diversification of students, emergent major scientific and practical challenges that our discipline must engage with, shifting pedagogic ideas and higher education environments, the need for students to develop new discipline specific and transferrable skills, and the advent of innovative technologies for learning and teaching. This paper focuses on new technologies in the context of learning and teaching in Physical Geography and reflects on the implications of our experiences for education in hydrology. We evaluate the experience of designing and trialling novel mobile technology-based field exercises and a virtual field tour for a Year 1 undergraduate Physical Geography module at a UK university. The new exercises are based on using and obtaining spatial data, operation of meteorological equipment (explained using an interactive DVD), and include introductions to global positioning systems (GPS) and geographical information systems (GIS). The technology and exercises were well received in a pilot study and subsequent rolling-out to the full student cohort (∼150 students). A statistically significant improvement in marks was observed following the redesign. Although the students enjoyed using mobile technology, the increased interactivity and opportunity for peer learning were considered to be the primary benefits by students. This is reinforced further by student preference for the new interactive virtual field tour over the previous "show-and-tell" field exercise. Despite the new exercises having many advantages, exercise development was not trivial due to the high start-up costs, the need for provision of sufficient technical support and the relative difficulty of making year-to-year changes (to the virtual field tour in particular). Our experiences are highly relevant to the implementation of novel learning and teaching technologies in hydrology education.

Simulation studies for the evaluation of health information technologies: experiences and results.

PubMed

Ammenwerth, Elske; Hackl, Werner O; Binzer, Kristine; Christoffersen, Tue E H; Jensen, Sanne; Lawton, Kitta; Skjoet, Peter; Nohr, Christian

It is essential for new health information technologies (IT) to undergo rigorous evaluations to ensure they are effective and safe for use in real-world situations. However, evaluation of new health IT is challenging, as field studies are often not feasible when the technology being evaluated is not sufficiently mature. Laboratory-based evaluations have also been shown to have insufficient external validity. Simulation studies seem to be a way to bridge this gap. The aim of this study was to evaluate, using a simulation methodology, the impact of a new prototype of an electronic medication management system on the appropriateness of prescriptions and drug-related activities, including laboratory test ordering or medication changes. This article presents the results of a controlled simulation study with 50 simulation runs, including ten doctors and five simulation patients, and discusses experiences and lessons learnt while conducting the study. Although the new electronic medication management system showed tendencies to improve medication safety when compared with the standard system, this tendency was not significant. Altogether, five distinct situations were identified where the new medication management system did help to improve medication safety. This simulation study provided a good compromise between internal validity and external validity. However, several challenges need to be addressed when undertaking simulation evaluations including: preparation of adequate test cases; training of participants before using unfamiliar applications; consideration of time, effort and costs of conducting the simulation; technical maturity of the evaluated system; and allowing adequate preparation of simulation scenarios and simulation setting. Simulation studies are an interesting but time-consuming approach, which can be used to evaluate newly developed health IT systems, particularly those systems that are not yet sufficiently mature to undergo field evaluation studies.

Ten years later: Evaluation of the effectiveness of 12.5% amitraz against a field population of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus using field studies, artificial infestation (Stall tests) and adult immersion tests.

PubMed

Maciel, Willian Giquelin; Lopes, Welber Daniel Zanetti; Cruz, Breno Cayeiro; Gomes, Lucas Vinicius Costa; Teixeira, Weslen Fabrício Pires; Buzzulini, Carolina; Bichuette, Murilo Abud; Campos, Gabriel Pimentel; Felippelli, Gustavo; Soares, Vando Edésio; de Oliveira, Gilson Pereira; da Costa, Alvimar José

2015-12-15

Using field trials, artificial infestations (Stall tests) and in vitro adult immersion tests, the present study evaluated the acaricidal efficacy of 12.5% amitraz administered via whole body spraying against a Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus population that did not have any contact with chemical products belonging to this acaricide family for 10 years (approximately 40 generations). Two natural infestation trials, two artificial infestation trials (Stall tests) and two adult immersion tests were performed in two different stages in 2005 and 2015. Between 2002 and 2015, the bovine herd of this property was formed by approximately 450 animals from the Simmental breed that were divided into nine paddocks formed by Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. For the natural infestation experiments in 2005 and 2015, we selected nearly 70 animals naturally infested with ticks from the same herd that belonged to the "São Paulo" farm located in São José do Rio Pardo, São Paulo, Brazil. Field studies were performed in the same paddock (9). To evaluate anti-R. (B.) microplus activity in the artificially infested cattle (Stall tests) and adult immersion tests, two experiments of each methodology were performed at CPPAR (the Center of Research in Animal Health located on the FCAV/UNESP campus in Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil) in 2005 and 2015. R. (B.) microplus used in the artificial infestation, and adult immersion test experiments were obtained from paddocks 1-9 in 2005 and 2015 from the commercial farm where the field studies were performed. Based on the obtained results, it was possible to conclude that amitraz use in rotation with pyrethroids every 28 days for three consecutive years (2002-2004) previous to the beginning of the first trial (2005) was sufficient to generate a R. (B.) microplus strain resistant to amitraz. Moreover, using field trials, artificial infestations (Stall tests) and adult immersion tests, we verified that 40 generations of the tick species with no contact to the aforementioned compound (amitraz) were not sufficient to revert or modify the efficacy/resistance of amitraz for this analyzed R. (B.) microplus strain. The reversion of amitraz efficacy values in R. (B.) microplus may only occur when resistance of the field strain is incipient. Alternatively, the differences in the results may be due to differences in the Rhipicephalus spp. species between current study locations. Therefore, future studies must be performed to prove this hypothesis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Espresso coffee residues as a nitrogen amendment for small-scale vegetable production.

PubMed

Cruz, Soraia; Marques dos Santos Cordovil, Cláudia S C

2015-12-01

Espresso coffee grounds constitute a residue which is produced daily in considerable amounts, and is often pointed out as being potentially interesting for plant nutrition. Two experiments (incubations and field experiments) were carried out to evaluate the potential nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) supply for carrot (Daucus carota L.), spinach (Spinacea oleracea L.) and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) nutrition. Immobilisation of nitrogen and phosphorus was detected in all the incubations and, in the field experiments, germination and yield growth were decreased by the presence of espresso coffee grounds, in general for all the species studied. The study showed an inhibition of N and P mineralisation and a reduction of plant germination and growth. Further research is required to determine whether this is related to the immobilising capacity of the residue or possibly due to the presence of caffeine. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Considering Student Voices: Examining the Experiences of Underrepresented Students in Intervention Programs

PubMed Central

Gibau, Gina Sanchez

2015-01-01

Qualitative studies that examine the experiences of underrepresented minority students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields are comparatively few. This study explores the self-reported experiences of underrepresented graduate students in the biomedical sciences of a large, midwestern, urban university. Document analysis of interview transcripts from program evaluations capture firsthand accounts of student experiences and reveal the need for a critical examination of current intervention programs designed to reverse the trend of underrepresentation in the biomedical sciences. Findings point to themes aligned around the benefits and challenges of program components, issues of social adjustment, the utility of supportive relationships, and environmental impacts. PMID:26163562

Extrafoveal Video Extension for an Immersive Viewing Experience.

PubMed

Turban, Laura; Urban, Fabrice; Guillotel, Philippe

2016-02-11

Between the recent popularity of virtual reality (VR) and the development of 3D, immersion has become an integral part of entertainment concepts. Head-mounted Display (HMD) devices are often used to afford users a feeling of immersion in the environment. Another technique is to project additional material surrounding the viewer, as is achieved using cave systems. As a continuation of this technique, it could be interesting to extend surrounding projection to current television or cinema screens. The idea would be to entirely fill the viewer's field of vision, thus providing them with a more complete feeling of being in the scene and part of the story. The appropriate content can be captured using large field of view (FoV) technology, using a rig of cameras for 110 to 360 capture, or created using computergenerated images. The FoV is, however, rather limited in its use for existing (legacy) content, achieving between 36 to 90 degrees () field, depending on the distance from the screen. This paper seeks to improve this FoV limitation by proposing computer vision techniques to extend such legacy content to the peripheral (extrafoveal) vision without changing the original creative intent or damaging the viewer's experience. A new methodology is also proposed for performing user tests in order to evaluate the quality of the experience and confirm that the sense of immersion has been increased. This paper thus presents: i) an algorithm to spatially extend the video based on human vision characteristics, ii) its subjective results compared to state-of-the-art techniques, iii) the protocol required to evaluate the quality of the experience (QoE), and iv) the results of the user tests.

A guideline for analyzing circadian wheel-running behavior in rodents under different lighting conditions

PubMed Central

Jud, Corinne; Schmutz, Isabelle; Hampp, Gabriele; Oster, Henrik

2005-01-01

Most behavioral experiments within circadian research are based on the analysis of locomotor activity. This paper introduces scientists to chronobiology by explaining the basic terminology used within the field. Furthermore, it aims to assist in designing, carrying out, and evaluating wheel-running experiments with rodents, particularly mice. Since light is an easily applicable stimulus that provokes strong effects on clock phase, the paper focuses on the application of different lighting conditions. PMID:16136228

Timesharing performance as an indicator of pilot mental workload

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Casper, Patricia A.

1988-01-01

The research was performed in two simultaneous phases, each intended to identify and manipulate factors related to operator mental workload. The first phase concerned evaluation of attentional deficits (workloads) in a timesharing task. Work in the second phase involved incorporating the results from these and other experiments into an expert system designed to provide workload metric selection advice to nonexperts in the field interested in operator workload. The results of the experiments conducted are summarized.

Ar 3p photoelectron sideband spectra in two-color XUV + NIR laser fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minemoto, Shinichirou; Shimada, Hiroyuki; Komatsu, Kazma; Komatsubara, Wataru; Majima, Takuya; Mizuno, Tomoya; Owada, Shigeki; Sakai, Hirofumi; Togashi, Tadashi; Yoshida, Shintaro; Yabashi, Makina; Yagishita, Akira

2018-04-01

We performed photoelectron spectroscopy using femtosecond XUV pulses from a free-electron laser and femtosecond near-infrared pulses from a synchronized laser, and succeeded in measuring Ar 3p photoelectron sideband spectra due to the two-color above-threshold ionization. In our calculations of the first-order time-dependent perturbation theoretical model based on the strong field approximation, the photoelectron sideband spectra and their angular distributions are well reproduced by considering the timing jitter between the XUV and the NIR pulses, showing that the timing jitter in our experiments was distributed over the width of {1.0}+0.4-0.2 ps. The present approach can be used as a method to evaluate the timing jitter inevitable in FEL experiments.

The effects of in situ turbulence on the behavior of the predatory ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colin, S.; Bezio, N.; Costello, J.; Jaspers, C.; Gemmell, B.

2016-02-01

Most of our understanding of the feeding mechanics of the lobate ctenophore Mnemiopsis leidyi is based on laboratory experiments with artificially calm conditions because field conditions are seldom as calm as the laboratory. We conducted both laboratory experiments with artificial turbulence and in situ particle image velocimetry (PIV) analyses to evaluate the effects of natural turbulence on the feeding behavior of M. leidyi. We found that even the lowest levels of natural turbulence degraded the feeding current of M. leidyi beyond the tips of the oral lobes. However, both laboratory and field behavioral analyses indicate that M. leidyi alters its swimming behavior in turbulence and is capable of feeding under most turbulence conditions observed.

Field and microcosm experiments to evaluate the effects of agricultural Cu treatment on the density and genetic structure of microbial communities in two different soils.

PubMed

Ranjard, Lionel; Echairi, Abdelwahad; Nowak, Virginie; Lejon, David P H; Nouaïm, Rachida; Chaussod, Rémi

2006-11-01

The effects of Cu amendment on indigenous soil microorganisms were investigated in two soils, a calcareous silty clay (Ep) and a sandy soil (Au), by means of a 1-year field experiment and a two-month microcosm incubation. Cu was added as 'Bordeaux mixture' [CuSO(4), Ca(OH)(2)] at the standard rate used in viticulture (B1=16 kg Cu kg(-1) soil) and at a higher level of contamination (B3=48 kg Cu ha(-1) soil). More extractable Cu was observed in sandy soil (Au) than in silty soil (Ep). Furthermore, total Cu and Cu-EDTA declined with time in Au soil, whereas they remained stable in Ep soil. Quantitative modifications of the microflora were assessed by C-biomass measurements and qualitative modifications were assessed by the characterization of the genetic structure of bacterial and fungal communities from DNA directly extracted from the soil, using B- and F-ARISA (bacterial and fungal automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis). In the field study, no significant modifications were observed in C-biomass whereas microcosm incubation showed a decrease in B3 contamination only. ARISA fingerprinting showed slight but significant modifications of bacterial and fungal communities in field and microcosm incubation. These modifications were transient in all cases, suggesting a short-term effect of Cu stress. Microcosm experiments detected the microbial community modifications with greater precision in the short-term, while field experiments showed that the biological effects of Cu contamination may be overcome or hidden by pedo-climatic variations.

Evaluation of a Genome-Scale In Silico Metabolic Model for Geobacter metallireducens Using Proteomic Data from a Field Biostimulation Experiment

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

Fang, Yilin; Wilkins, Michael J.; Yabusaki, Steven B.

2012-12-12

Biomass and shotgun global proteomics data that reflected relative protein abundances from samples collected during the 2008 experiment at the U.S. Department of Energy Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge site in Rifle, Colorado, provided an unprecedented opportunity to validate a genome-scale metabolic model of Geobacter metallireducens and assess its performance with respect to prediction of metal reduction, biomass yield, and growth rate under dynamic field conditions. Reconstructed from annotated genomic sequence, biochemical, and physiological data, the constraint-based in silico model of G. metallireducens relates an annotated genome sequence to the physiological functions with 697 reactions controlled by 747 enzyme-coding genes.more » Proteomic analysis showed that 180 of the 637 G. metallireducens proteins detected during the 2008 experiment were associated with specific metabolic reactions in the in silico model. When the field-calibrated Fe(III) terminal electron acceptor process reaction in a reactive transport model for the field experiments was replaced with the genome-scale model, the model predicted that the largest metabolic fluxes through the in silico model reactions generally correspond to the highest abundances of proteins that catalyze those reactions. Central metabolism predicted by the model agrees well with protein abundance profiles inferred from proteomic analysis. Model discrepancies with the proteomic data, such as the relatively low fluxes through amino acid transport and metabolism, revealed pathways or flux constraints in the in silico model that could be updated to more accurately predict metabolic processes that occur in the subsurface environment.« less

Semi-classical approach to compute RABBITT traces in multi-dimensional complex field distributions.

PubMed

Lucchini, M; Ludwig, A; Kasmi, L; Gallmann, L; Keller, U

2015-04-06

We present a semi-classical model to calculate RABBITT (Reconstruction of Attosecond Beating By Interference of Two-photon Transitions) traces in the presence of a reference infrared field with a complex two-dimensional (2D) spatial distribution. The evolution of the electron spectra as a function of the pump-probe delay is evaluated starting from the solution of the classical equation of motion and incorporating the quantum phase acquired by the electron during the interaction with the infrared field. The total response to an attosecond pulse train is then evaluated by a coherent sum of the contributions generated by each individual attosecond pulse in the train. The flexibility of this model makes it possible to calculate spectrograms from non-trivial 2D field distributions. After confirming the validity of the model in a simple 1D case, we extend the discussion to describe the probe-induced phase in photo-emission experiments on an ideal metallic surface.

Daily GRACE gravity field solutions track major flood events in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gouweleeuw, Ben T.; Kvas, Andreas; Gruber, Christian; Gain, Animesh K.; Mayer-Gürr, Thorsten; Flechtner, Frank; Güntner, Andreas

2018-05-01

Two daily gravity field solutions based on observations from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission are evaluated against daily river runoff data for major flood events in the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta (GBD) in 2004 and 2007. The trends over periods of a few days of the daily GRACE data reflect temporal variations in daily river runoff during major flood events. This is especially true for the larger flood in 2007, which featured two distinct periods of critical flood level exceedance in the Brahmaputra River. This first hydrological evaluation of daily GRACE gravity field solutions based on a Kalman filter approach confirms their potential for gravity-based large-scale flood monitoring. This particularly applies to short-lived, high-volume floods, as they occur in the GBD with a 4-5-year return period. The release of daily GRACE gravity field solutions in near-real time may enable flood monitoring for large events.

The Geneva University Global Health and Human Rights Summer School: A 5-Year Intercultural Collaborative Experience

PubMed Central

Chastonay, Philippe; Mpinga, Emmanuel K.

2018-01-01

Education and training in human rights has been set as a priority by the United Nations. Health and human rights are closely related. Training professionals from various backgrounds in human rights might ultimately contribute to improve the health of individuals and communities. We present the 5 years’ experience with a 3-week residential Global Health and Human Rights Course developed at the University of Geneva and implemented with the support/participation of international organizations (IOs) and non-governmental organizations active in the health and human rights sector. Over the years, roughly 150 students from 43 nationalities, with many different educational backgrounds, attended the course. The male/female ratio was 1/5. The adopted educational approach was multifold and comprised lectures from academics and experts with field experience, group work, individual case studies, journal clubs, and site visits. Evaluation data show that site visits at IOs were highly appreciated as well as networking opportunities among students, with academics and experts with field experience. The variety of topics discussed was, at times, “too much”; yet, it allowed students to measure the extent of the challenges the field is facing. The adopted active learning approach facilitated the exchange of experiences among students and allowed them to get acquainted with different cultural sensitivities. The Global Health and Human Rights Summer-School of the University of Geneva allowed its participants, coming from all over the world, to identify challenges of the interlinked fields of health and human rights, reflect upon their underlying causes, and imagine possible solutions. Sharing our experience will hopefully help passionate educators around the world to develop similar programs. PMID:29868537

The Geneva University Global Health and Human Rights Summer School: A 5-Year Intercultural Collaborative Experience.

PubMed

Chastonay, Philippe; Mpinga, Emmanuel K

2018-01-01

Education and training in human rights has been set as a priority by the United Nations. Health and human rights are closely related. Training professionals from various backgrounds in human rights might ultimately contribute to improve the health of individuals and communities. We present the 5 years' experience with a 3-week residential Global Health and Human Rights Course developed at the University of Geneva and implemented with the support/participation of international organizations (IOs) and non-governmental organizations active in the health and human rights sector. Over the years, roughly 150 students from 43 nationalities, with many different educational backgrounds, attended the course. The male/female ratio was 1/5. The adopted educational approach was multifold and comprised lectures from academics and experts with field experience, group work, individual case studies, journal clubs, and site visits. Evaluation data show that site visits at IOs were highly appreciated as well as networking opportunities among students, with academics and experts with field experience. The variety of topics discussed was, at times, "too much"; yet, it allowed students to measure the extent of the challenges the field is facing. The adopted active learning approach facilitated the exchange of experiences among students and allowed them to get acquainted with different cultural sensitivities. The Global Health and Human Rights Summer-School of the University of Geneva allowed its participants, coming from all over the world, to identify challenges of the interlinked fields of health and human rights, reflect upon their underlying causes, and imagine possible solutions. Sharing our experience will hopefully help passionate educators around the world to develop similar programs.

Facilitating Participant Success: Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shipp, S. S.; Bruccoli, A.; Porter, M.; Meese, D.

2003-12-01

Through the NSF-funded Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic (TEA) Program K-12 science teachers participate as members of polar field projects. Objectives of the program include: immersing the science teacher in the experience of research; 2) leveraging the research experience of the teacher to better inform teaching practices; and 3) sharing the experience with the broader educational and general community. The polar field experience is an exciting opportunity accompanied by a daunting number of responsibilities. In addition to preparing for field research, TEA teachers bring their experience to colleagues, classrooms, and communities. Before going into the field, they give presentations, help plan how students can connect to the polar regions, and share the expedition with the public. In the field, the TEA teacher is a team member and educational liaison, responding to questions by e-mail, and posting e-journals describing the research experience. Upon return, the TEA again shares the experience broadly with the community. In addition, they work closely with 3 colleagues for 140 hours to bring the experience of research into classrooms. Formative evaluation of the TEA Program underscores the need to support teachers in accomplishing their responsibilities; this support is necessary to achieve program objectives. TEA teachers are responsible for sharing the science content of their research. While many broadcast the excitement of the experience, they may not have the scientific background to convey the content. This is due, in part, to many teachers having to be generalists in their classrooms. Shifting into the role of specialist can be challenging. In the year of preparation before the field experience, TEA teachers attend orientation, meet with their research teams for several days, and are encouraged to learn more about their science topic. Understanding builds through the field experience. It may take two or more years after the field work for the science content to solidify. This is illustrated by the changing emphasis of presentations. Presentations after the field season progress from being "experience" based to being "content" based as the teacher continues to develop understanding through interactions with researchers and teaching colleagues. The participants bring a wide array of skills to the program; rarely is one individual accomplished at every responsibility. Some participants are gifted speakers, others are talented writers, and others are exemplary mentors. The TEA Program has attempted to put into place support mechanisms to help build skills, and to leverage the strengths of the participants by providing opportunities for them to collaborate. Presentations are practiced within the TEA community before being presented at conferences. Classroom resources are identified, analyzed, and/or developed by teams of teachers in collaboration with curriculum writers at workshops. The mentoring requirement, considered the most challenging responsibility, is supported by bi-monthly conference calls that include several TEA teachers. Through these mechanisms, TEAs share successes, brainstorm solutions, and help each other with challenges. Facilitating the interaction and support of TEAs by each other is, perhaps, one of the strongest mechanisms for achieving success.

Development, validation and field evaluation of a quantitative real-time PCR able to differentiate between field Mycoplasma synoviae and the MS-H-live vaccine strain.

PubMed

Dijkman, R; Feberwee, A; Landman, W J M

2017-08-01

A quantitative PCR (qPCR) able to differentiate between field Mycoplasma synoviae and MS-H vaccine strain was developed, validated and evaluated. It was developed using nucleotide differences in the obg gene. Analytical specificity and sensitivity assessed using DNA from 194 M. synoviae field samples, three different batches of MS-H vaccine and from 43 samples representing four other avian Mycoplasma species proved to be 100%. The detection limit for field M. synoviae and MS-H vaccine strain was 10 2-3 and 10 2 colony-forming units PCR equivalents/g trachea mucus, respectively. The qPCR was able to detect both, field M. synoviae and MS-H vaccine strain in ratios of 1:100 determined both using spiked and field samples. One hundred and twenty samples from M. synoviae-infected non-vaccinated birds, 110 samples from M. synoviae-vaccinated birds from a bird experiment and 224 samples from M. synoviae negative (serology and PCR) birds were used to determine the relative sensitivity and specificity using a previously described M. synoviae PCR as reference. The relative sensitivity and specificity for field M. synoviae were 95.0% and 99.6%, respectively, and 94.6% and 100% for the MS-H-live vaccine, respectively. Field validation and confirmation by multi locus sequence typing revealed that the qPCR correctly distinguished between MS-H and field M. synoviae. Evaluation of the differentiating M. synoviae qPCR in three commercial flocks suggested transmission of MS-H-live vaccine from vaccinated to non-vaccinated flocks at the same farm. Furthermore, it showed evidence for the colonization with field M. synoviae in MS-H-vaccinated flocks.

Distinct regions of the hippocampus are associated with memory for different spatial locations.

PubMed

Jeye, Brittany M; MacEvoy, Sean P; Karanian, Jessica M; Slotnick, Scott D

2018-05-15

In the present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, we aimed to evaluate whether distinct regions of the hippocampus were associated with spatial memory for items presented in different locations of the visual field. In Experiment 1, during the study phase, participants viewed abstract shapes in the left or right visual field while maintaining central fixation. At test, old shapes were presented at fixation and participants classified each shape as previously in the "left" or "right" visual field followed by an "unsure"-"sure"-"very sure" confidence rating. Accurate spatial memory for shapes in the left visual field was isolated by contrasting accurate versus inaccurate spatial location responses. This contrast produced one hippocampal activation in which the interaction between item type and accuracy was significant. The analogous contrast for right visual field shapes did not produce activity in the hippocampus; however, the contrast of high confidence versus low confidence right-hits produced one hippocampal activation in which the interaction between item type and confidence was significant. In Experiment 2, the same paradigm was used but shapes were presented in each quadrant of the visual field during the study phase. Accurate memory for shapes in each quadrant, exclusively masked by accurate memory for shapes in the other quadrants, produced a distinct activation in the hippocampus. A multi-voxel pattern analysis (MVPA) of hippocampal activity revealed a significant correlation between behavioral spatial location accuracy and hippocampal MVPA accuracy across participants. The findings of both experiments indicate that distinct hippocampal regions are associated with memory for different visual field locations. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Investigation of the potential antimicrobial efficacy of sealants used in HVAC systems.

PubMed

Foarde, K K; VanOsdell, D W; Menetrez, M Y

2001-08-01

Recent experiments confirm field experience that duct cleaning alone may not provide adequate protection from regrowth of fungal contamination on fiberglass duct liner (FGDL). Current recommendations for remediation of fungally contaminated fiberglass duct materials specify complete removal of the materials. But removal of contaminated materials can be extremely expensive. Therefore, a common practice in the duct-cleaning industry is the postcleaning use of antimicrobial surface coatings with the implication that they may contain or limit regrowth. Little information is available on the efficacy of these treatments. This paper describes a study to evaluate whether three commercially available antimicrobial coatings, placed on a cleaned surface that 1 year previously had been actively growing microorganisms, would be able to prevent regrowth. The three coatings contained different active antimicrobial compounds. All three of the coatings were designed for use on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system components or interior surfaces of lined and unlined duct systems. Coating I was a polyacrylate copolymer containing zinc oxide and borates. Coating II was an acrylic coating containing decabromodiphenyl oxide and antimony trioxide. Coating III was an acrylic primer containing a phosphated quaternary amine complex. The study included field and laboratory assessments. The three treatments were evaluated in an uncontrolled field setting in an actual duct system. The laboratory study broadened the field study to include a range of humidities under controlled conditions. Both static and dynamic chamber laboratory experiments were performed. The results showed that two of the three antimicrobial coatings limited the regrowth of fungal contamination, at least in the short term (the 3-month time span of the study); the third did not. Before use in the field, testing of the efficacy of antimicrobial coatings under realistic use conditions is recommended because antimicrobials have different baseline activities and interact differently with the substrate that contains them and their local environment.

Not a load of rubbish: simulated field trials in large-scale containers.

PubMed

Hohmann, M; Stahl, A; Rudloff, J; Wittkop, B; Snowdon, R J

2016-09-01

Assessment of yield performance under fluctuating environmental conditions is a major aim of crop breeders. Unfortunately, results from controlled-environment evaluations of complex agronomic traits rarely translate to field performance. A major cause is that crops grown over their complete lifecycle in a greenhouse or growth chamber are generally constricted in their root growth, which influences their response to important abiotic constraints like water or nutrient availability. To overcome this poor transferability, we established a plant growth system comprising large refuse containers (120 L 'wheelie bins') that allow detailed phenotyping of small field-crop populations under semi-controlled growth conditions. Diverse winter oilseed rape cultivars were grown at field densities throughout the crop lifecycle, in different experiments over 2 years, to compare seed yields from individual containers to plot yields from multi-environment field trials. We found that we were able to predict yields in the field with high accuracy from container-grown plants. The container system proved suitable for detailed studies of stress response physiology and performance in pre-breeding populations. Investment in automated large-container systems may help breeders improve field transferability of greenhouse experiments, enabling screening of pre-breeding materials for abiotic stress response traits with a positive influence on yield. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation Method for Fieldlike-Torque Efficiency by Modulation of the Resonance Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Changsoo; Kim, Dongseuk; Chun, Byong Sun; Moon, Kyoung-Woong; Hwang, Chanyong

2018-05-01

The spin Hall effect has attracted a lot of interest in spintronics because it offers the possibility of a faster switching route with an electric current than with a spin-transfer-torque device. Recently, fieldlike spin-orbit torque has been shown to play an important role in the magnetization switching mechanism. However, there is no simple method for observing the fieldlike spin-orbit torque efficiency. We suggest a method for measuring fieldlike spin-orbit torque using a linear change in the resonance field in spectra of direct-current (dc)-tuned spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance. The fieldlike spin-orbit torque efficiency can be obtained in both a macrospin simulation and in experiments by simply subtracting the Oersted field from the shifted amount of resonance field. This method analyzes the effect of fieldlike torque using dc in a normal metal; therefore, only the dc resistivity and the dimensions of each layer are considered in estimating the fieldlike spin-torque efficiency. The evaluation of fieldlike-torque efficiency of a newly emerging material by modulation of the resonance field provides a shortcut in the development of an alternative magnetization switching device.

Agricultural Meteorology in China.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenberg, Norman J.

1982-03-01

During nearly five weeks in China (May-June 1981), the author visited scientific institutions and experiment stations engaged in agricultural meterology and climatology research and teaching. The facilities, studies, and research programs at each institution are described and the scientific work in these fields is evaluated. Agricultural meteorology and climatology are faced with some unique problems and opportunities in China and progress in these fields may be of critical importance to that nation in coming years. The author includes culinary notes and comments on protocol in China.

REDUCING CHILDREN'S RISK TO SOIL LEAD: SUMMARY OF A FIELD EXPERIMENT TO REDUCE SOIL LEAD BIOAVAILABILITY (ABSTRACT)

EPA Science Inventory

Reducing risks associated with Pb in soil has typically been accomplished by soil removal, covering, or dilution by mixing with uncontaminated soil. EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) and DuPont Corporation established a collaborative effort to evaluation...

Essays on Child Development in Developing Countries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Humpage, Sarah Davidson

2013-01-01

This dissertation presents the results of three field experiments implemented to evaluate the effectiveness of strategies to improve the health or education of children in developing countries. In Guatemala, community health workers at randomly selected clinics were given patient tracking lists to improve their ability to remind parents when their…

Evaluating Headline fungicide on alfalfa production and sensitivity of pathogens to pyraclostrobin

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Headline fungicide was recently registered for management of foliar diseases on alfalfa. The effect of disease control on yield, forage quality, and potential return on investment for fungicide application was determined for field experiments conducted at five locations in 2012, three in Wisconsin a...

Effect of phosphate treatments on sudden oak death in tanoak and Shreve's oak

Treesearch

Doug Schmidt; Matteo Garbelotto; Dave Chambers; Steve Tjosvold

2006-01-01

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of phosphonate chemical treatments for control of sudden oak death in tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) and Shreve's oak (Quercus parvula var. Shrevei). Native stands of mature trees were preventatively treated with Agrifos® systemic fungicide and...

BESTNET: Binational English & Spanish Telecommunications Network. Final FIPSE Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arias, Armando A., Jr.; Bellman, Beryl L.

The final evaluation of BESTNET (the Binational English and Spanish Telecommunications Network) is described. Undertaken as a collaborative effort to experiment with new telecommunications media in distance education and to attract Hispanic students into the science and engineering fields, the project involved the development of a number of…

Analysis of seasonal strain measurements in asphalt materials under accelerated pavement testing and comparing field performance and laboratory measured binder tension properties.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-06-01

Seasonal variation of measured pavement responses with temperature and its relationship to pavement performance has not been : thoroughly evaluated for ALF Experiments II and III. Such information may be used to improve instrumentation strategies in ...

Resource Characterization | Water Power | NREL

Science.gov Websites

characterization and assessment, NREL has extended its capabilities to the field of water power. NREL's team of , modeling, data analysis, and Geographic Information Systems. Many years of experience in wind assessment have enabled NREL to develop the skills and methodologies to evaluate the development potential of many

Reducing rice field algae and cyanobacteria abundance by altering phosphorus fertilizer applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In California’s water seeded rice systems algal/cyanobacterial biomass can be a problem during rice establishment. Algal/cyanobacterial growth may be stimulated by phosphorus (P) additions in freshwater habitats, so we set up experiments to evaluate the effects of fertilizer P management on algal/cy...

Improving Community-Based Youth Work: Evaluation of an Action Research Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VeLure Roholt, Ross; Rana, Sheetal

2011-01-01

Few formal post-secondary educational programs in the United States focus on youth work, thus youth workers often enter the field with diverse backgrounds and varying levels of experience working with youth. Drawing on mounting evidence that quality youth service requires skilled staff, professional-development opportunities have received…

Common bean and cowpea improvement in Angola

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

During 2014 and 2015, the Instituto de Investigação Agronómica (IIA) evaluated the performance of common bean (Phaselolus vulgaris L.) breeding lines and improved cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) varieties. The field experiments were planted in the lowlands at Mazozo and in the highlands at Chian...

The Influence of Three Mass Media Campaigns on Variables Related to Adolescent Cigarette Smoking: Results of a Field Experiment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauman, Karl E.; And Others

1991-01-01

Evaluates 3 1985-87 mass media campaigns designed to prevent smoking by adolescents, using data gathered by telephone contact with over 2,000 households. The campaigns had but a modest or indeterminate result. Radio proved as effective as television. (DM)

Methodological Foundations for the Empirical Evaluation of Non-Experimental Methods in Field Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Vivian C.; Steiner, Peter M.

2015-01-01

Across the disciplines of economics, political science, public policy, and now, education, the randomized controlled trial (RCT) is the preferred methodology for establishing causal inference about program impacts. But randomized experiments are not always feasible because of ethical, political, and/or practical considerations, so non-experimental…

Biological control products for aflatoxin prevention in Italy: Commercial field evaluation of atoxigenic A.flavus active ingredients

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Since 2003, non-compliant aflatoxin concentrations have been detected in maize produced in Italy. The most successful worldwide experiments in aflatoxin prevention resulted from distribution of atoxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus to displace aflatoxin-producers during crop development. The disp...

Promoting Education for Sustainability in a Vaishnava (Hindu) Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chauhan, Sheila; Rama das, Sita; Rita, Natalia; Haigh, Martin

2009-01-01

Education for a sustainable future aspires to increase pro-environmental behavior. This evaluates a project designed to help a British Vaishnava congregation reduce their ecological footprint by linking "Karma to Climate Change." It employs a tented educational experience fielded at major Hindu Festivals. Participants are guided through…

Fumigant distribution in forest nursery soils

Treesearch

Dong Wang; Stephen W. Fraedrich; Jennifer Juzwik; Kurt Spokas; Yi Zhang; William C. Koskinen

2006-01-01

Adequate concentration, exposure time and distribution uniformity of activated fumigant gases are prerequisites for successful soil fumigation. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate gas phase distributions of methyl isothiocyanate (MITC) and chloropicrin (CP) in two forest-tree nurseries. Concentrations of MITC and CP in soil air were measured from replicated...

Domestic Violence and Dependency Courts: The "Greenbook" Demonstration Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malik, Neena M.; Silverman, Jerry; Wang, Kathleen; Janczewski, Colleen

2008-01-01

This field study reports on a cross-site evaluation of dependency courts in communities receiving federal funding to implement the "Greenbook" initiative, a multisite demonstration for community improvement of coordinated responses to families victimized by domestic violence and child maltreatment. This article focuses on the dependency court,…

Solar parabolic dish technology evaluation report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucas, J. W.

1984-01-01

The activities of the JPL Solar Thermal Power Systems Parabolic Dish Project for FY 1983 are summarized. Included are discussions on designs of module development including concentrator, receiver, and power conversion subsystems together with a separate discussion of field tests, Small Community Experiment system development, and tests at the Parabolic Dish Test Site.

Comprehensive Field Test and Evaluation of an Electronic Signpost AVM System. Volume I. Test Results

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-08-01

The report covers the activities of Phase I which involved the installation and test of a HI3 AVM System in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the winter of 1976-1977. A summary report on all systems tested is Experiments on four different techniques...

Sorghum studies by the USDA "Ag Lab" in 2014

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant funding permitted a continuation of experiments to evaluate insect damage to low lignin lines of sorghum, which are also being examined for bioenergy production. Results for 2014 were similar to those found in 2012 and 2013 field tests at the Havana r...

Techniques for obtaining subjective response to vertical vibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clarke, M. J.; Oborne, D. J.

1975-01-01

Laboratory experiments were performed to validate the techniques used for obtaining ratings in the field surveys carried out by the University College of Swansea. In addition, attempts were made to evaluate the basic form of the human response to vibration. Some of the results obtained by different methods are described.

Integrated palmer amaranth management in glufosinate-resistant cotton

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Two separate three year field experiments were conducted to evaluate: 1) the role of soil-inversion, cover crops and herbicide regimes for Amaranthus palmeri between-row (BR) and within-row (WR) management in glufosinate-resistant cotton and 2) the role of soil inversion, cover crops and spring til...

Introgression lines of Triticum aestivum x Aegilops tauschii: Agronomic and nutritional value

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Eighty-five single homozygous substitution lines (SLs) of the Aegilops tauschii D genome in Chinese Spring (CS) hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) genetic background were evaluated for agronomic, phenotypic and ionome profiles during three years of field experiments. An augmented design with a r...

Experiment evaluates ocean models and data assimiliation in the Gulf Stream

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willems, Robert C.; Glenn, S. M.; Crowley, M. F.; Malanotte-Rizzoli, P.; Young, R. E.; Ezer, T.; Mellor, G. L.; Arango, H. G.; Robinson, A. R.; Lai, C.-C. A.

Using data sets of known quality as the basis for comparison, a recent experiment explored the Gulf Stream Region at 27°-47°N and 80°-50°W to assess the nowcast/forecast capability of specific ocean models and the impact of data assimilation. Scientists from five universities and the Naval Research Laboratory/Stennis Space Center participated in the Data Assimilation and Model Evaluation Experiment (DAMEÉ-GSR).DAMEÉ-GSR was based on case studies, each successively more complex, and was divided into three phases using case studies (data) from 1987 and 1988. Phase I evaluated models' forecast capability using common initial conditions and comparing model forecast fields with observational data at forecast time over a 2-week period. Phase II added data assimilation and assessed its impact on forecast capability, using the same case studies as in phase I, and phase III added a 2-month case study overlapping some periods in Phases I and II.

Toward Mixed Method Evaluations of Scientific Visualizations and Design Process as an Evaluation Tool.

PubMed

Jackson, Bret; Coffey, Dane; Thorson, Lauren; Schroeder, David; Ellingson, Arin M; Nuckley, David J; Keefe, Daniel F

2012-10-01

In this position paper we discuss successes and limitations of current evaluation strategies for scientific visualizations and argue for embracing a mixed methods strategy of evaluation. The most novel contribution of the approach that we advocate is a new emphasis on employing design processes as practiced in related fields (e.g., graphic design, illustration, architecture) as a formalized mode of evaluation for data visualizations. To motivate this position we describe a series of recent evaluations of scientific visualization interfaces and computer graphics strategies conducted within our research group. Complementing these more traditional evaluations our visualization research group also regularly employs sketching, critique, and other design methods that have been formalized over years of practice in design fields. Our experience has convinced us that these activities are invaluable, often providing much more detailed evaluative feedback about our visualization systems than that obtained via more traditional user studies and the like. We believe that if design-based evaluation methodologies (e.g., ideation, sketching, critique) can be taught and embraced within the visualization community then these may become one of the most effective future strategies for both formative and summative evaluations.

Toward Mixed Method Evaluations of Scientific Visualizations and Design Process as an Evaluation Tool

PubMed Central

Jackson, Bret; Coffey, Dane; Thorson, Lauren; Schroeder, David; Ellingson, Arin M.; Nuckley, David J.

2017-01-01

In this position paper we discuss successes and limitations of current evaluation strategies for scientific visualizations and argue for embracing a mixed methods strategy of evaluation. The most novel contribution of the approach that we advocate is a new emphasis on employing design processes as practiced in related fields (e.g., graphic design, illustration, architecture) as a formalized mode of evaluation for data visualizations. To motivate this position we describe a series of recent evaluations of scientific visualization interfaces and computer graphics strategies conducted within our research group. Complementing these more traditional evaluations our visualization research group also regularly employs sketching, critique, and other design methods that have been formalized over years of practice in design fields. Our experience has convinced us that these activities are invaluable, often providing much more detailed evaluative feedback about our visualization systems than that obtained via more traditional user studies and the like. We believe that if design-based evaluation methodologies (e.g., ideation, sketching, critique) can be taught and embraced within the visualization community then these may become one of the most effective future strategies for both formative and summative evaluations. PMID:28944349

A new tracer‐density criterion for heterogeneous porous media

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barth, Gilbert R.; Illangasekare, Tissa H.; Hill, Mary C.; Rajaram, Harihar

2001-01-01

Tracer experiments provide information about aquifer material properties vital for accurate site characterization. Unfortunately, density‐induced sinking can distort tracer movement, leading to an inaccurate assessment of material properties. Yet existing criteria for selecting appropriate tracer concentrations are based on analysis of homogeneous media instead of media with heterogeneities typical of field sites. This work introduces a hydraulic‐gradient correction for heterogeneous media and applies it to a criterion previously used to indicate density‐induced instabilities in homogeneous media. The modified criterion was tested using a series of two‐dimensional heterogeneous intermediate‐scale tracer experiments and data from several detailed field tracer tests. The intermediate‐scale experimental facility (10.0×1.2×0.06 m) included both homogeneous and heterogeneous (σln k2 = 1.22) zones. The field tracer tests were less heterogeneous (0.24 < σln k2 < 0.37), but measurements were sufficient to detect density‐induced sinking. Evaluation of the modified criterion using the experiments and field tests demonstrates that the new criterion appears to account for the change in density‐induced sinking due to heterogeneity. The criterion demonstrates the importance of accounting for heterogeneity to predict density‐induced sinking and differences in the onset of density‐induced sinking in two‐ and three‐dimensional systems.

Infant titi monkey behavior in the open field test and the effect of early adversity.

PubMed

Larke, Rebecca H; Toubiana, Alice; Lindsay, Katrina A; Mendoza, Sally P; Bales, Karen L

2017-09-01

The open field test is commonly used to measure anxiety-related behavior and exploration in rodents. Here, we used it as a standardized novel environment in which to evaluate the behavioral response of infant titi monkeys (Callicebus cupreus), to determine the effect of presence of individual family members, and to assess how adverse early experience alters infant behavior. Infants were tested in the open field for 5 days at ages 4 and 6 months in four successive 5 min trials on each day. A transport cage, which was situated on one side of the open field, was either empty (non-social control) or contained the father, mother, or sibling. Infant locomotor, vocalization, and exploratory behavior were quantified. Results indicated that age, sex, social condition, and early experience all had significant effects on infant behavior. Specifically, infants were generally more exploratory at 6 months and male infants were more exploratory than females. Infants distinguished between social and non-social conditions but made few behavioral distinctions between the attachment figure and other individuals. Infants which had adverse early life experience demonstrated greater emotional and physical independence, suggesting that early adversity led to resiliency in the novel environment. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hubert: Software for efficient analysis of in-situ nuclear forward scattering experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vrba, Vlastimil; Procházka, Vít; Smrčka, David; Miglierini, Marcel

2016-10-01

Combination of short data acquisition time and local investigation of a solid state through hyperfine parameters makes nuclear forward scattering (NFS) a unique experimental technique for investigation of fast processes. However, the total number of acquired NFS time spectra may be very high. Therefore an efficient way of the data evaluation is needed. In this paper we report the development of Hubert software package as a response to the rapidly developing field of in-situ NFS experiments. Hubert offers several useful features for data files processing and could significantly shorten the evaluation time by using a simple connection between the neighboring time spectra through their input and output parameter values.

Designing a Field Experience Tracking System in the Area of Special Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

He, Wu; Watson, Silvana

2014-01-01

Purpose: To improve the quality of field experience, support field experience cooperation and streamline field experience management, the purpose of this paper is to describe the experience in using Activity Theory to design and develop a web-based field experience tracking system for a special education program. Design/methodology/approach: The…

Census data quality--a user's view.

PubMed

Hawkes, W J

1986-01-01

"This paper presents the perspective of a major user of both decennial and economic [U.S.] census data. It illustrates how these data are used as a framework for commercial marketing research surveys that measure television audiences and sales of consumer goods through retail stores, drawing on Nielsen's own experience in data collection and evaluation. It reviews Nielsen's analyses of census data quality based, in part, on actual field evaluation of census results. Finally, it suggests ways that data quality might be evaluated and improved to enhance the usefulness of these census programs." excerpt

Experimental evaluation of the Battelle accelerated test design for the solar array at Mead, Nebraska

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frickland, P. O.; Repar, J.

1982-01-01

A previously developed test design for accelerated aging of photovoltaic modules was experimentally evaluated. The studies included a review of relevant field experience, environmental chamber cycling of full size modules, and electrical and physical evaluation of the effects of accelerated aging during and after the tests. The test results indicated that thermally induced fatigue of the interconnects was the primary mode of module failure as measured by normalized power output. No chemical change in the silicone encapsulant was detectable after 360 test cycles.

Electric field gradient in FeTiO3 by nuclear magnetic resonance and ab initio calculations.

PubMed

Procházka, V; Stěpánková, H; Chlan, V; Tuček, J; Cuda, J; Kouřil, K; Filip, J; Zbořil, R

2011-05-25

Temperature dependence of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of (47)Ti and (49)Ti in polycrystalline ilmenite FeTiO(3) was measured in the range from 5 to 300 K under an external magnetic field of 9.401 T. NMR spectra collected between 300 and 77 K exhibit a resolved quadrupole splitting. The electric field gradient (EFG) tensor was evaluated for Ti nuclei and the ratio of (47)Ti and (49)Ti nuclear quadrupole moments was refined during the fitting procedure. Below 77 K, the fine structure of quadrupole splitting disappears due to the enormous increase of anisotropy. As a counterpart, ab initio calculations were performed using full potential augmented plane waves + local orbitals. The calculated EFG tensors for Ti and Fe were compared to the experimental ones evaluated from NMR and the Mössbauer spectroscopy experiments.

How we launched a developmental student-as-teacher (SAT) program for all medical students.

PubMed

Blanco, Maria A; Maderer, Ann; Oriel, Amanda; Epstein, Scott K

2014-05-01

Teaching is a necessary skill for medical trainees and physicians. We designed and launched a developmental Student-as-Teacher program for all students, beginning with the class of 2016. A task force of faculty and students designed the program. The goal is to enable all students to acquire basic principles of teaching and learning at different stages in their four-year medical school career. Upon completion, students will achieve twenty-eight learning objectives grouped within four competency domains: (1) Adult and Practice-Based Learning; (2) Learning Environment; (3) Instructional Design and Performance; and, (4) Learner's Assessment and Evaluation. The program combines online learning modules and a field teaching experience. The entire class of 2016 (N = 200) completed the first online module. Students found the module effective, and 70% reported an increase in their level of knowledge. Although most students are expected to complete their field teaching experience in fourth year, twelve students completed their field experience in first year. Reported strengths of these experiences include reinforcement of their medical knowledge and improvement of their adult teaching skills. The program was successfully launched, and students are already experiencing the benefits of training in basic teaching skills in the first year of the program.

Emerging photovoltaic module technologies at PVUSA: A five-year assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Townsend, Tim

1995-04-01

The Photovoltaics for Utility Scale Applications (PVUSA) project tests two types of photovoltaic systems: new modules fielded as 20-kW emerging module technology (EMT) arrays, and more mature technologies fielded as 20- to 500-kW turnkey utility scale (US) systems. This report summarizes experiences of the PVUSA project in operating the first six 20-kW EMT photovoltaic systems. Five systems are installed at Davis, California, and one at Kihei, Hawaii. Products selected for testing and demonstration were judged to have potential for significant technical advancement or reduction in manufacturing cost. Features leading to selection of each system and findings over the average 5 years of operation are compared in the report. Factory product qualification test experiences along with field acceptance test results are documented. Evaluation includes a broad range of performance parameters, including long-term efficiency, seasonal generation patterns, and maintenance. While some of the arrays have operated as well as any commercial system, others have fared poorly. Throughout the procurement and operation of these precommercial PV modules, PVUSA has provided feedback to vendors, critical for product improvement. The data and evaluations in this report will be of further benefit to manufacturers and provide general comparative information on a variety of technologies to researchers in utilities, government, and industry alike.

Biodegradation of Chlorofluorocarbons in a Groundwater Plume using Compound Specific Carbon Isotope Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phillips, E.; Manna, J.; Horst, A.; Gilevska, T.; Sherwood Lollar, B.; Mack, E. E.; Seger, E.; Lutz, E. J.; Norcoss, S.; Morgan, S. E.; West, K. A.; Dworatzek, S.; Webb, J.

2017-12-01

Compound specific isotope analysis (CSIA) measures isotope ratios of organic hydrocarbons to monitor intrinsic bioremediation processes that can transform contaminants in field settings. The fraction of original contaminant remaining can be determined using the measured isotope ratio of the contaminant by an experimentally determined fractionation factor. In this study, two separate biotransformation experiments were performed in the Stable Isotope Laboratory at the University of Toronto using CSIA. In these two experiments, a mixed culture derived from a contaminated site was amended with trichlorotrifluoroethane (CFC-113), or trichlorofluoromethane (CFC-11), respectively. The concentrations and carbon isotope ratios of CFC-113, or CFC-11 were analyzed to calculate the fractionation factor for the transformation of each compound. Subsequently, groundwater samples from 9 wells at a historically contaminated site were collected and analyzed. The experimentally determined fractionation factors were then used to evaluate the extent of transformation that had occurred at the field site. In the laboratory studies, significant carbon isotope fractionation was observed for both CFC-113 and CFC-11 as biotransformation proceeded. This significant fractionation is beneficial when evaluating biotransformation at field sites as it can be clearly differentiated from the effects of other physical processes such as transport, or volatilization. Although there was significant variation in the carbon isotope values of CFC-113 between different well locations at the field site, these variations may be due to differences in source carbon isotope signatures. For CFC-11, much more significant isotopic variation was observed within the same well and between wells, showing trends consistent with in situ biotransformation. Results from this study demonstrate that CSIA can be successfully applied to evaluate the extent of transformation of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) at contaminated field sites, which has not been shown previously. This study also demonstrates that biotransformation may play a more significant role in the natural attenuation of CFCs than has previously been recognized.

Modeling crop residue burning experiments to evaluate smoke emissions and plume transport.

PubMed

Zhou, Luxi; Baker, Kirk R; Napelenok, Sergey L; Pouliot, George; Elleman, Robert; O'Neill, Susan M; Urbanski, Shawn P; Wong, David C

2018-06-15

Crop residue burning is a common land management practice that results in emissions of a variety of pollutants with negative health impacts. Modeling systems are used to estimate air quality impacts of crop residue burning to support retrospective regulatory assessments and also for forecasting purposes. Ground and airborne measurements from a recent field experiment in the Pacific Northwest focused on cropland residue burning was used to evaluate model performance in capturing surface and aloft impacts from the burning events. The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model was used to simulate multiple crop residue burns with 2 km grid spacing using field-specific information and also more general assumptions traditionally used to support National Emission Inventory based assessments. Field study specific information, which includes area burned, fuel consumption, and combustion completeness, resulted in increased biomass consumption by 123 tons (60% increase) on average compared to consumption estimated with default methods in the National Emission Inventory (NEI) process. Buoyancy heat flux, a key parameter for model predicted fire plume rise, estimated from fuel loading obtained from field measurements can be 30% to 200% more than when estimated using default field information. The increased buoyancy heat flux resulted in higher plume rise by 30% to 80%. This evaluation indicates that the regulatory air quality modeling system can replicate intensity and transport (horizontal and vertical) features for crop residue burning in this region when region-specific information is used to inform emissions and plume rise calculations. Further, previous vertical emissions allocation treatment of putting all cropland residue burning in the surface layer does not compare well with measured plume structure and these types of burns should be modeled more similarly to prescribed fires such that plume rise is based on an estimate of buoyancy. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Facilitated Diagnosis of Pneumothoraces in Newborn Mice Using X-ray Dark-Field Radiography.

PubMed

Hellbach, Katharina; Yaroshenko, Andre; Willer, Konstantin; Pritzke, Tina; Baumann, Alena; Hesse, Nina; Auweter, Sigrid; Reiser, Maximilian F; Eickelberg, Oliver; Pfeiffer, Franz; Hilgendorff, Anne; Meinel, Felix G

2016-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of x-ray dark-field imaging in projection radiography-based depiction of pneumothoraces in the neonatal murine lung, a potentially life-threatening medical condition that requires a timely and correct diagnosis. By the use of a unique preclinical model, 7-day-old C57Bl/6N mice received mechanical ventilation for 2 or 8 hours with oxygen-rich gas (FIO2 = 0.4; n = 24). Unventilated mice either spontaneously breathed oxygen-rich gas (FIO2 = 0.4) for 2 or 8 hours or room air (n = 22). At the end of the experiment, lungs were inflated with a standardized volume of air after a lethal dose of pentobarbital was administered to the pups. All lungs were imaged with a prototype grating-based small-animal scanner to acquire x-ray transmission and dark-field radiographs. Image contrast between the air-filled pleural space and lung tissue was quantified for both transmission and dark-field radiograms. After the independent expert's assessment, 2 blinded readers evaluated all dark-field and transmission images for the presence or absence of pneumothoraces. Contrast ratios, diagnostic accuracy, as well as reader's confidence and interreader agreement were recorded for both imaging modalities. Evaluation of both x-ray transmission and dark-field radiographs by independent experts revealed the development of a total of 10 pneumothoraces in 8 mice. Here, the contrast ratio between the air-filled pleural space of the pneumothoraces and the lung tissue was significantly higher in the dark field (8.4 ± 3.5) when compared with the transmission images (5.1 ± 2.8; P < 0.05). Accordingly, the readers' diagnostic confidence for the diagnosis of pneumothoraces was significantly higher for dark-field compared with transmission images (P = 0.001). Interreader agreement improved from moderate for the analysis of transmission images alone (κ = 0.41) to very good when analyzing dark-field images alone (κ = 0.90) or in combination with transmission images (κ = 0.88). Diagnostic accuracy significantly improved for the analysis of dark-field images alone (P = 0.04) or in combination with transmission images (P = 0.02), compared with the analysis of transmission radiographs only. The significant improvement in contrast ratios between lung parenchyma and free air in the dark-field images allows the facilitated detection of pneumothoraces in the newborn mouse. These preclinical experiments indicate the potential of the technique for future clinical applications.

Report of the third session of the West African Monsoon Experiment (WAMEX) scientific regional committee

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

After completion of the field phase of WAMEX, operations were assessed, further planning of data management activities was reviewed, and plans for the research and evaluation phase were coordinated. The WAMEX project was conducted concurrently with the first GARP Global Experiment. Impending data collection and processing activities are stressed in plans to promote the timely and complete analysis of the present situation. The advantages to be gained through international cooperation among scientists are emphasized.

The Efficacy of Group Decision Support Systems: A Field Experiment to Evaluate Impacts on Air Force Decision Makers

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

made several interesting observations as well. Gray, Vogel, and Beauclair developed an alternate method for determining which experiments were similar...organization" ( Beauclair , 1989), (1:329, 331). 2.7 Summary of Existing Research In the book Group Support Systems: New Perspectives," Alan Dennis and Brent...Computer TDY Temporary Duty USAF United States Air Force VIF Variance Inflation Factor P-2 Bibliography 1. Beauclair , Renee A. "An Experimental Study of

Mentoring Undergraduate Students in Estuarine Research Experiences: Different Strokes for Different Folks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moser, F. C.; Allen, M. R.; Montoya-Ospina, R. A.; Maldonado, P.; Barberena-Arias, M.; Olivo-Delgado, C.; Harris, L.; Pierson, J. J.; Alvarez, J. P.

2015-12-01

Here we consider how mentoring, both traditional and peer based, contributes to successful student outcomes in undergraduate research programs and we present several approaches to encourage positive mentor-mentee relationships. From several different research mentoring programs with undergraduates in Maryland and in Puerto Rico, we find that some mentoring techniques are universally useful, while others need to be tailored to a specific program and mentee population. Our programs differ in length, student composition, and student expectations, we find that success occurs across-the-board when mentors quickly establish rapport with their students and reach an early joint understanding of the program's requirements and the students' capabilities and needs through immersive orientations early in the program. Alternatively, mentors have to customize their approaches (e.g. simplify presentations of concepts, increase time for questions) when they encounter differences in student knowledge levels and cultural disconnects (e.g. language barriers, unfamiliarity with research labs and academia). Our current approach to improving and evaluating mentoring includes using a system of multiple mentor tiers (peer, near-peer, faculty, and program leaders), multiple qualitative and quantitative evaluations during the program, and post-research experience student outreach, all of which we believe improve student outcomes. Although we have measures of mentee success (e.g., presenting at national meetings, pursuing additional research experiences, applying to graduate school in marine science-related fields, etc.), we continue to look for additional short and long-term evaluation techniques that may help us to distinguish between the influence of mentoring and that of other program attributes (e.g. lab and field experiences, professional development seminars, ethics training, etc.) on student achievement.

Field evidence for the potential of Rhodobacter capsulatus as Biofertilizer for flooded rice.

PubMed

Gamal-Eldin, Hosny; Elbanna, Khaled

2011-02-01

In a previous study, we evaluated the effects of inoculating rice plants with the phototrophic purple nonsulfur bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus (Rc) on growth and yield of rice in pots and lysimeter experiments and the results obtained have been highly encouraging. In this study, we carried out two field experiments: one in the experimental farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, and the second in a farmer's field in Kafr El-sheikh, to assess the effects of Rc on growth and yield of rice in comparison and in combination with chemical nitrogen fertilizer (CNF) and farmyard manure. The results indicated that both biological and grain yields in all the Rc inoculated treatments were significantly higher than those in the uninoculated corresponding treatments in both fields. With regard to grain yield, the major factor for determining the effectiveness of any agricultural treatment, inoculation with Rc in combination with 50% of the recommended CNF rate gave a grain yield that was statistically equivalent to that obtained with 100% of the recommended CNF rate. These results provide a clear evidence for the potential of Rc as biofertilizer for flooded rice under field conditions.

Ellington Field: A Short History, 1917-1963

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlson, Erik D.

1999-01-01

My 1998 NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship comprised two separate assignments: one to study the history of Ellington Field, the other to evaluate the Johnson Space Center Oral History Project (JSCOHP). This final report gives a summary of my article-length history of Ellington Field, from it inception as a U.S. Army training base to its present commercial/private status. This final report also presents my assessment of the methodology, administration, and continuing value of the JSCOHP, which is a series of recorded interviews with former and long-time JSC employees begun in 1997 to capture the experience of key participants in the human space program.

Nursing students' conception of clinical skills training before and after their first clinical placement: A quantitative, evaluative study.

PubMed

Struksnes, Solveig; Engelien, Ragna Ingeborg

2016-01-01

Education institution and practice field have a joint responsibility with regard to facilitating a learning environment for the nursing students that provides learning outcomes in accordance with the National Curriculum. Using simulated patient situations is about ensuring a safe learning environment where mistakes are not putting real patients' lives in danger. To compare nursing students' experiences with a skills training situation immediately after the training and after their ten weeks clinical placement in nursing homes. Quantitative, cross-sectional and evaluative. Full- and part-time students in their first year of a Bachelor of Nursing degree. The students answered a questionnaire on two different occasions, immediately after skills training and after internship in a nursing home. Being a "patient" and a "nurse" in simulation was experienced as useful to clinical practice. Students with previous experience had a significantly higher perception of mastering the procedure after the internship, while unexperienced fellow students did not report any significant increase with regard to a sense of coping during their clinical practice. The findings raise questions if there are aspects with the education institution or the practice field that should be improved to help facilitate a better learning process for students without any previous experience. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multi-Scale Mass Transfer Processes Controlling Natural Attenuation and Engineered Remediation: An IFRC Focused on Hanford’s 300 Area Uranium Plume

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

Zachara, John M.; Bjornstad, Bruce N.; Christensen, John N.

2010-02-01

The Integrated Field-Scale Subsurface Research Challenge (IFRC) at the Hanford Site 300 Area uranium (U) plume addresses multi-scale mass transfer processes in a complex hydrogeologic setting where groundwater and riverwater interact. A series of forefront science questions on mass transfer are posed for research which relate to the effect of spatial heterogeneities; the importance of scale; coupled interactions between biogeochemical, hydrologic, and mass transfer processes; and measurements and approaches needed to characterize and model a mass-transfer dominated system. The project was initiated in February 2007, with CY 2007 and CY 2008 progress summarized in preceding reports. The site has 35more » instrumented wells, and an extensive monitoring system. It includes a deep borehole for microbiologic and biogeochemical research that sampled the entire thickness of the unconfined 300 A aquifer. Significant, impactful progress has been made in CY 2009 with completion of extensive laboratory measurements on field sediments, field hydrologic and geophysical characterization, four field experiments, and modeling. The laboratory characterization results are being subjected to geostatistical analyses to develop spatial heterogeneity models of U concentration and chemical, physical, and hydrologic properties needed for reactive transport modeling. The field experiments focused on: (1) physical characterization of the groundwater flow field during a period of stable hydrologic conditions in early spring, (2) comprehensive groundwater monitoring during spring to characterize the release of U(VI) from the lower vadose zone to the aquifer during water table rise and fall, (3) dynamic geophysical monitoring of salt-plume migration during summer, and (4) a U reactive tracer experiment (desorption) during the fall. Geophysical characterization of the well field was completed using the down-well Electrical Resistance Tomography (ERT) array, with results subjected to robust, geostatistically constrained inversion analyses. These measurements along with hydrologic characterization have yielded 3D distributions of hydraulic properties that have been incorporated into an updated and increasingly robust hydrologic model. Based on significant findings from the microbiologic characterization of deep borehole sediments in CY 2008, down-hole biogeochemistry studies were initiated where colonization substrates and spatially discrete water and gas samplers were deployed to select wells. The increasingly comprehensive field experimental results, along with the field and laboratory characterization, are leading to a new conceptual model of U(VI) flow and transport in the IFRC footprint and the 300 Area in general, and insights on the microbiological community and associated biogeochemical processes. A significant issue related to vertical flow in the IFRC wells was identified and evaluated during the spring and fall field experimental campaigns. Both upward and downward flows were observed in response to dynamic Columbia River stage. The vertical flows are caused by the interaction of pressure gradients with our heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity field. These impacts are being evaluated with additional modeling and field activities to facilitate interpretation and mitigation. The project moves into CY 2010 with ambitious plans for a drilling additional wells for the IFRC well field, additional experiments, and modeling. This research is part of the ERSP Hanford IFRC at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.« less

Tools and technologies needed for conducting planetary field geology while on EVA: Insights from the 2010 Desert RATS geologist crewmembers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Kelsey; Hurtado, José M.; Bleacher, Jacob E.; Brent Garry, W.; Bleisath, Scott; Buffington, Jesse; Rice, James W.

2013-10-01

The tools used by crews while on extravehicular activity during future missions to other bodies in the Solar System will be a combination of traditional geologic field tools (e.g. hammers, rakes, sample bags) and state-of-the-art technologies (e.g. high definition cameras, digital situational awareness devices, and new geologic tools). In the 2010 Desert Research and Technology Studies (RATS) field test, four crews, each consisting of an astronaut/engineer and field geologist, tested and evaluated various technologies during two weeks of simulated spacewalks in the San Francisco volcanic field, Arizona. These tools consisted of both Apollo-style field geology tools and modern technological equipment not used during the six Apollo lunar landings. The underlying exploration driver for this field test was to establish the protocols and technology needed for an eventual manned mission to an asteroid, the Moon, or Mars. The authors of this paper represent Desert RATS geologist crewmembers as well as two engineers who worked on technology development. Here we present an evaluation and assessment of these tools and technologies based on our first-hand experience of using them during the analog field test. We intend this to serve as a basis for continued development of technologies and protocols used for conducting planetary field geology as the Solar System exploration community moves forward into the next generation of planetary surface exploration.

Biotransformation of BTEX under anaerobic, denitrifying conditions: Field and laboratory observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbaro, J. R.; Barker, J. F.; Lemon, L. A.; Mayfield, C. I.

1992-11-01

Three natural-gradient injection experiments in the Borden aquifer (Ontario, Canada) (˜ 100-300 days in duration) and a 452-day laboratory microcosm experiment were performed to evaluate the biotransformation of BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and o-, m-, p-xylenes) derived from gasoline under anaerobic, denitrifying conditions. Both NO 3-- amended and unamended control (i.e. no NO 3- added) experiments were performed. In the unamended control injection experiment, toluene biotransformed between 1 and 5 m from the injection well. All other aromatic compounds were recalcitrant in this field experiment and all aromatic compounds were recalcitrant in unamended control microcosms. After an acclimatization period, toluene biotransformed relatively rapidly in the presence of NO 3- in both the laboratory and field to a residual level of ˜ 100 μg L -1. In the presence of NO 3- the xylene isomers and ethylbenzene biotransformed to a lesser degree. Benzene was recalcitrant in all experiments. The acetylene blockage technique was used to demonstrate that denitrifying bacteria were active in the presence of NO 3-. In the NO 3--amended injection experiments, little BTEX mass loss occurred beyond the 1-m multilevel-piezometer fence. However, NO 3- continued to decline downgradient, suggesting that other sources of carbon were being utilized by denitrifying bacteria in preference to residual BTEX. In addition to observations on mass loss, these experiments provided evidence of inhibition of BTEX biotransformation in the presence of acetylene, and competitive utilization between toluene, ethylbenzene and the xylene isomers. Given the recalcitrance of benzene and high thresholds of the compounds that did biotransform, the addition of NO 3- as an alternate electron acceptor would not be successful in this aquifer as a remedial measure.

Use of the Magnetic Field for Improving Gyroscopes’ Biases Estimation

PubMed Central

Munoz Diaz, Estefania; de Ponte Müller, Fabian; García Domínguez, Juan Jesús

2017-01-01

An accurate orientation is crucial to a satisfactory position in pedestrian navigation. The orientation estimation, however, is greatly affected by errors like the biases of gyroscopes. In order to minimize the error in the orientation, the biases of gyroscopes must be estimated and subtracted. In the state of the art it has been proposed, but not proved, that the estimation of the biases can be accomplished using magnetic field measurements. The objective of this work is to evaluate the effectiveness of using magnetic field measurements to estimate the biases of medium-cost micro-electromechanical sensors (MEMS) gyroscopes. We carry out the evaluation with experiments that cover both, quasi-error-free turn rate and magnetic measurements and medium-cost MEMS turn rate and magnetic measurements. The impact of different homogeneous magnetic field distributions and magnetically perturbed environments is analyzed. Additionally, the effect of the successful biases subtraction on the orientation and the estimated trajectory is detailed. Our results show that the use of magnetic field measurements is beneficial to the correct biases estimation. Further, we show that different magnetic field distributions affect differently the biases estimation process. Moreover, the biases are likewise correctly estimated under perturbed magnetic fields. However, for indoor and urban scenarios the biases estimation process is very slow. PMID:28398232

Taking transgenic rice drought screening to the field.

PubMed

Gaudin, Amélie C M; Henry, Amelia; Sparks, Adam H; Slamet-Loedin, Inez H

2013-01-01

Numerous transgenes have been reported to increase rice drought resistance, mostly in small-scale experiments under vegetative-stage drought stress, but few studies have included grain yield or field evaluations. Different definitions of drought resistance are currently in use for field-based and laboratory evaluations of transgenics, the former emphasizing plant responses that may not be linked to yield under drought. Although those fundamental studies use efficient protocols to uncover and validate gene functions, screening conditions differ greatly from field drought environments where the onset of drought stress symptoms is slow (2-3 weeks). Simplified screening methods, including severely stressed survival studies, are therefore not likely to identify transgenic events with better yield performance under drought in the target environment. As biosafety regulations are becoming established to allow field trials in some rice-producing countries, there is a need to develop relevant screening procedures that scale from preliminary event selection to greenhouse and field trials. Multilocation testing in a range of drought environments may reveal that different transgenes are necessary for different types of drought-prone field conditions. We describe here a pipeline to improve the selection efficiency and reproducibility of results across drought treatments and test the potential of transgenic rice for the development of drought-resistant material for agricultural purposes.

Evolution in Cloud Population Statistics of the MJO: From AMIE Field Observations to Global Cloud-Permiting Models

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

Zhang, Chidong

Motivated by the success of the AMIE/DYNAMO field campaign, which collected unprecedented observations of cloud and precipitation from the tropical Indian Ocean in Octber 2011 – March 2012, this project explored how such observations can be applied to assist the development of global cloud-permitting models through evaluating and correcting model biases in cloud statistics. The main accomplishment of this project were made in four categories: generating observational products for model evaluation, using AMIE/DYNAMO observations to validate global model simulations, using AMIE/DYNAMO observations in numerical studies of cloud-permitting models, and providing leadership in the field. Results from this project provide valuablemore » information for building a seamless bridge between DOE ASR program’s component on process level understanding of cloud processes in the tropics and RGCM focus on global variability and regional extremes. In particular, experience gained from this project would be directly applicable to evaluation and improvements of ACME, especially as it transitions to a non-hydrostatic variable resolution model.« less

Helicons in uniform fields. II. Poynting vector and angular momenta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stenzel, R. L.; Urrutia, J. M.

2018-03-01

The orbital and spin angular momenta of helicon modes have been determined quantitatively from laboratory experiments. The current density is obtained unambiguously from three dimensional magnetic field measurements. The only approximation made is to obtain the electric field from Hall Ohm's law which is usually the case for low frequency whistler modes. This allows the evaluation of the Poynting vector from which the angular momentum is obtained. Comparing two helicon modes (m = 0 and m = 1), one can separate the contribution of angular momentum of a rotating and non-rotating wave field. The orbital angular momentum is important to assess the wave-particle interaction by the transverse Doppler shift of rotating waves which has not been considered so far.

Evaluating the Impacts of Extreme Events on Ecological Processes Through the Lens of an Ice Storm Manipulation Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, J. L.; Rustad, L.; Driscoll, C. T.; Fahey, T.; Garlick, S.; Groffman, P.; Schaberg, P. G.

2016-12-01

It is increasingly evident that human-induced climate change is altering the prevalence and severity of extreme weather events. Ice storms are an example of a rare and typically localized extreme weather event that is difficult to predict and has impacts that are poorly understood. We used long-term data and a field manipulation experiment to evaluate how ice storms alter the structure, function, and composition of forest ecosystems. Plots established after a major ice storm in the Northeast in 1998 were re-sampled to evaluate longer-term (17 yr) responses of tree health, productivity, and species composition. Results indicate, that despite changes in herbaceous vegetation in the years immediately after the ice storm, the forest canopy recovered, albeit with some changes in composition, most notably a release of American Beech. An ice storm field manipulation experiment was used to evaluate mechanistic understanding of short term ecological responses. Water from a stream was sprayed above the forest canopy when air temperatures were below freezing, which was effective in simulating a natural ice storm. The experimental design consisted of three levels of ice thickness treatment with two replicates per treatment. The plots with the two more severe icing treatments experienced significant damage to the forest canopy, creating gaps. These plots also had large inputs of fine and coarse woody debris to the forest floor. The exposure to light and presence of brush piles in the more heavily damaged plots resulted in warming with increased spatial variability of soil temperature. Preliminary results from the early growing season have shown no significant changes in soil respiration or soil solution losses of nutrients despite significant forest canopy damage. Further monitoring will determine whether these trends continue in the future.

Late diagenetic indicators of buried oil and gas. 2: Direct detection experiment at Cement and Garza fields, Oklahoma and Texas, using enhanced LANDSAT 1 and 2 images

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donovan, T. J.; Termain, P. A.; Henry, M. E. (Principal Investigator)

1979-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The Cement oil field, Oklahoma, was a test site for an experiment designed to evaluate LANDSAT's capability to detect an alteration zone in surface rocks caused by hydrocarbon microseepage. Loss of iron and impregnation of sandstone by carbonate cements and replacement of gypsum by calcite were the major alteration phenomena at Cement. The bedrock alterations were partially masked by unaltered overlying beds, thick soils, and dense natural and cultivated vegetation. Interpreters, biased by detailed ground truth, were able to map the alteration zone subjectively using a magnified, filtered, and sinusoidally stretched LANDSAT composite image; other interpreters, unbiased by ground truth data, could not duplicate that interpretation.

From field schools and the lecture hall to online: Hands-on teaching based on the real science experience worldwide for MOOCs ?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huettmann, F.

2015-12-01

University-teaching is among the most difficult teaching tasks. That's because it involves to present front-line research schemes to students with complex backgrounds as a precious human resource of the future using, latest teaching styles, and many institutional fallacies to handle well. Here I present 15 years of experience from teaching in field schools, in the class room, and with pedagogical methods such as traditional top-down teaching, inquiry-based learning, eLearning, and flipped classrooms. I contrast those with teaching Massive Open Access Online Classes (MOOC) style. Here I review pros and cons of all these teaching methods and provide and outlook taking class evaluations, cost models and satisfaction of students, teachers, the university and the wider good into account.

A Numerical Simulation and Statistical Modeling of High Intensity Radiated Fields Experiment Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Laura J.

2004-01-01

Tests are conducted on a quad-redundant fault tolerant flight control computer to establish upset characteristics of an avionics system in an electromagnetic field. A numerical simulation and statistical model are described in this work to analyze the open loop experiment data collected in the reverberation chamber at NASA LaRC as a part of an effort to examine the effects of electromagnetic interference on fly-by-wire aircraft control systems. By comparing thousands of simulation and model outputs, the models that best describe the data are first identified and then a systematic statistical analysis is performed on the data. All of these efforts are combined which culminate in an extrapolation of values that are in turn used to support previous efforts used in evaluating the data.

Application of discrete solvent reaction field model with self-consistent atomic charges and atomic polarizabilities to calculate the χ(1) and χ(2) of organic molecular crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Shih-I.

2018-01-01

We use the discrete solvent reaction field model to evaluate the linear and second-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities of 3-methyl-4-nitropyridine-1-oxyde crystal. In this approach, crystal environment is created by supercell architecture. A self-consistent procedure is used to obtain charges and polarizabilities for environmental atoms. Impact of atomic polarizabilities on the properties of interest is highlighted. This approach is shown to give the second-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities within error bar of experiment as well as the linear optical susceptibilities in the same order as experiment. Similar quality of calculations are also applied to both 4-N,N-dimethylamino-3-acetamidonitrobenzene and 2-methyl-4-nitroaniline crystals.

[Introduction of a Clinical Research Experience Program in Hospital Practical Training for Pharmacy Students and Its Evaluation].

PubMed

Takahashi, Katsuyuki; Suda, Yasuki; Kawaguchi, Hiroshi; Nakamura, Yasutaka; Kawabata, Shiho; Kawakami, Noriko; Nishikawa, Takeshi; Nagayama, Katsuya

2015-01-01

Long-term clinical training based on a model core curriculum was conducted to nurture highly competent pharmacists in the clinical field. Pharmacists' responsibilities are expanding, and a system has been developed to help pharmacists gain accreditation, identify specialties, and improve their training. However, this system requires research competency. Therefore clinical research should be considered a part of clinical training to encourage high competency among pharmacists. Because the model core curriculum does not include a section on clinical research. Osaka City University Hospital introduced a hands-on clinical research experience program and evaluated its usefulness. A significant improvement in the level of knowledge and awareness of clinical research was seen among students who underwent the clinical research experience program. In addition, the level of student satisfaction was higher. These findings suggest that a clinical research experience program may be useful to nurture a greater awareness of clinical research and knowledge acquisition among pharmacists.

Time interval between cover crop termination and planting influences corn seedling disease, plant growth, and yield

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Experiments were established in controlled and field environment to evaluate the effect of time intervals between cereal rye cover crop termination and corn planting on corn seedling disease, corn growth, and grain yield in 2014 and 2015. Rye termination dates ranged from 25 days before planting (DB...

Teaching "Yes, And" … Improv in Sales Classes: Enhancing Student Adaptive Selling Skills, Sales Performance, and Teaching Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rocco, Richard A.; Whalen, D. Joel

2014-01-01

In an application of experiential learning, assessment, and career development, this article reports a field experiment of teaching sales students adaptive selling skills via an "Improvisational (Improv) Comedy" technique: "Yes, And." Students learn this well-established theatrical improv method via classroom lecture,…

Evaluating Teachers' Self-Perceptions of Their Knowledge and Practice after Participating in an Environmental Education Professional Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sondergeld, Toni A.; Milner, Andrea R.; Rop, Charles

2014-01-01

Building teachers' confidence in their understanding of nature and encouraging the use of field experiences with students are important factors in increasing environmental awareness in students. "A River Runs Through It (ARRT)" is an integrated environmental education professional development program, immersed practicing teachers in…

Efficacy of various application methods of fluensulfone for managing root-knot nematodes in vegetables

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Fluensulfone is a new nematicide in the flouroalkenyl chemical group. A field experiment was conducted in 2012 and 2013 to evaluate the efficacy of various application methods of fluensulfone for control of Meloidogyne spp. in cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Treatments of fluensulfone (3.0 kg a.i./ha) ...

Minute Pirate Bug (Orius Insidiosus Say) populations on transgenic and non-transgenic maize using different sampling techniques

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the populations of minute pirate bug [Orius insidiosus (Say)] using visual, sticky cards, and destructive sampling techniques in transgenic and non-transgenic maize in three locations in Nebraska (Mead, Clay Center, and Concord), United States of America,...

Avoiding unwanted vicinity effects with attract-and-kill tactics for harlequin bug, Murgantia histrionica (Hahn)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the development of an attract-and-kill approach for the management of harlequin bug (HB), Murgantia histrionica (Hahn), we evaluated attraction and retention of HB by pheromone-baited traps in the field. In release-recapture and on-farm experiments, traps combining collard plants with commercial ...

Reflectivity and Teaching Performance of Novice Teachers: Three Years of Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pultorak, Edward; Barnes, Debbie

2009-01-01

The purpose of this 3-year investigation was to determine if a relationship exists between teacher reflectivity and the classroom performance of novice teachers when final evaluations are aligned with national standards. This study included 98 novice teachers enrolled in their final field-based teaching experience. Participants reflected over two…

Implementing Observation Protocols: Lessons for K-12 Education from the Field of Early Childhood

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pianta, Robert C.

2012-01-01

This report draws from decades of experience using observation in early childhood education, which has implications for administrative decisions, evaluation practices, and policymaking in K-12. Early childhood education has long embraced the value of observing classrooms and teacher-child interactions. In early childhood education the features of…

The North End Boston.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connally, Nicole; And Others

Goals and objectives, student activities, and evaluations are contained in this guide for a one-day scavenger hunt through the North End of Boston. The culmination of a unit involving urban planning and land-use problems, the field trip is intended to give students first-hand experience with city life and a better understanding of urban issues…

Evaluation of fungicide rotations for management of Phytophthora fruit rot of watermelon, 2015

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The experiment was conducted at the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory farm in Charleston, SC. The soil was Yonges loamy fine sand. For the past 6 years, the field has been infested with Phytophthora capsici. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Five-week-old seedli...

Efficacy of heat treatment for disinfestation of concrete grain silos

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Field experiments were conducted in 2007 and 2008 to evaluate heat treatment for disinfestations of empty concrete elevator silos. A Mobile Heat Treatment Unit was used to introduce heat into silos to attain target conditions of 50°C for at least 6 h. Ventilated plastic containers with a capacity of...

Soil carbon changes: comparing flux monitoring and mass balance in a box lysimeter experiment.

Treesearch

S.M. Nay; B.T. Bormann

2000-01-01

Direct measures of soil-surface respiration are needed to evaluate belowground biological processes, forest productivity, and ecosystem responses to global change. Although infra-red gas analyzer {IRGA) methods track reference CO2 flows in lab studies, questions remain for extrapolating IRGA methods to field conditions. We constructed 10 box...

Sublethal effects of Imidacloprid on honey bee colony growth and activity at three sites in the U.S.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Field experiments in southern Arizona, central Arkansas and southern Mississippi were conducted to evaluate the effects of sublethal concentrations (0, 5, 20 and 100 ppb) of imidacloprid in sugar syrup on honey bee colony growth and activity. Response variables included discrete data from hive inspe...

Influence of liquid surface area on hydrogen sulfide oxidation during micro-aeration in dairy manure digesters

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The specific objectives of this study were to evaluate headspace aeration for reducing hydrogen sulfide levels in low cost plug flow digesters, and to characterize the relationship between the liquid surface area and hydrogen sulfide oxidation rates. Experiments with replicate field scale plug flow ...

Comparison of major biocontrol strains of non-aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus for the reduction of aflatoxins and cyclopiazonic acid in maize

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biological control of toxigenic Aspergillus flavus in maize through competitive displacement by non-aflatoxigenic strains was evaluated in a series of field studies. Four sets of experiments were conducted between 2007 to 2009 to assess the competitiveness of non-aflatoxigenic strains when challen...

Rainfall-induced release of microbes from manure: model development, parameter estimation, and uncertainty evaluation on small plots

EPA Science Inventory

A series of simulated rainfall run-off experiments with applications of different manure types (cattle solid pats, poultry dry litter, swine slurry) was conducted across four seasons on a field containing 36 plots (0.75 × 2 m each), resulting in 144 rainfall run-off events....

Lemongrass productivity oil content and composition as a function of nitrogen sulfur and harvest time

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Lemongrass [Cymbopogon flexuosus (Steud.) Wats, (syn. Andropogon nardus var. flexuosus Hack; A. flexuosus Nees)] is one of the most widely grown essential oil plants in the world. Field experiments were conducted at Verona and Poplarville, Mississippi, to evaluate the effects of N (0, 40, 80, and 16...

Implications of Small Samples for Generalization: Adjustments and Rules of Thumb

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tipton, Elizabeth; Hallberg, Kelly; Hedges, Larry V.; Chan, Wendy

2015-01-01

Policy-makers are frequently interested in understanding how effective a particular intervention may be for a specific (and often broad) population. In many fields, particularly education and social welfare, the ideal form of these evaluations is a large-scale randomized experiment. Recent research has highlighted that sites in these large-scale…

Irrigation and cultivar effects in no-till, cover crop, and conventional tillage systems in Arkansas Cotton.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This field experiment was conducted in association with a long term tillage study established in fall 2007 at the Judd Hill Foundation Research Farm in Northeast Arkansas to assess agronomic and environmental impacts of conservation tillage systems. In component studies in 2016 we evaluated performa...

Effects of integrated polyethylene and cover crop mulch, conservation tillage, and herbicide application on weed control, yield, and economic returns in watermelon

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The lack of conservation adoption in watermelon production reflects the lack of field practice recommendations addressing the challenges associated with producing vegetables in minimally disturbed cover crop residues. A three year watermelon experiment was established in fall 2013 to evaluate integr...

Integrated palmer amaranth management in glufosinate-resistant cotton: II. primary, secondary, and conservation tillage

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A three-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the role of inversion tillage, cover crops and spring tillage methods for Palmer amaranth between-row (BR) and within-row (WR) management in glufosinate-resistant cotton. Main plots were two inversion tillage systems: fall inversion tillage (IT...

Using Video Games to Understand Thermoregulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dibley, Jeremiah; Parish, Jamie

2007-01-01

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education, a research project was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of video games as inquiry-based learning experiences for the science classroom. As a result, the video game, "Creature Control: The Quest for Homeostasis" was developed and field-tested in select middle schools in the United States.…

The Ethics of Observing: Confronting the Harm of Experiential Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meisel, Joshua S.

2008-01-01

In this article I explore the ethical terrain of experiential learning activities drawing on my experiences leading college students on field trips into criminal justice settings. Though there are numerous educational benefits to adopting experiential learning activities, the rewards must be evaluated in light of the potential harms to nonstudent…

Full-field 3D deformation measurement: comparison between speckle phase and displacement evaluation.

PubMed

Khodadad, Davood; Singh, Alok Kumar; Pedrini, Giancarlo; Sjödahl, Mikael

2016-09-20

The objective of this paper is to describe a full-field deformation measurement method based on 3D speckle displacements. The deformation is evaluated from the slope of the speckle displacement function that connects the different reconstruction planes. For our experiment, a symmetrical arrangement with four illuminations parallel to the planes (x,z) and (y,z) was used. Four sets of speckle patterns were sequentially recorded by illuminating an object from the four directions, respectively. A single camera is used to record the holograms before and after deformations. Digital speckle photography is then used to calculate relative speckle displacements in each direction between two numerically propagated planes. The 3D speckle displacements vector is calculated as a combination of the speckle displacements from the holograms recorded in each illumination direction. Using the speckle displacements, problems associated with rigid body movements and phase wrapping are avoided. In our experiment, the procedure is shown to give the theoretical accuracy of 0.17 pixels yielding the accuracy of 2×10^-3 in the measurement of deformation gradients.

Production of sugarcane and tropical grasses as a renewable energy source. First quarterly report, June 1--August 31, 1977

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

Alexander, A.G.

Research was initiated on the intensive production of sugarcane and other tropical grasses as solar-dried forages. Greenhouse experiments designed to screen candidate clones and to evaluate growth curves were the first to get underway. Chemical growth control tests were also initiated. Plant materials at this stage consist of commercial sugarcane hybrids, progeny from the AES-UPR cane breeding program, Saccharum clones from the species officinarum, spontaneum, sinense, and robustum, Erianthus clones, a commercial tropical forage grass, napier grass, and forms of S. spontaneum plus Arundo donax growing wild in Puerto Rico. Initial stages of cane breeding and progeny selection for themore » high tonnage attribute were begun during August. Foliar tissue analyses for N, P, K, S, and Si were started together-with assays for acid invertase and other components of expanding stem tissue. The first field experiment was initiated during July at the semi-arid Lajas Substation. Four clones (three sugarcane hybrids plus napier grass var. Merker) are being evaluated incident to row spacing and harvest frequency in field-plots.« less

Two laboratory methods for the calibration of GPS speed meters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Yin; Sun, Qiao; Du, Lei; Yu, Mei; Bai, Jie

2015-01-01

The set-ups of two calibration systems are presented to investigate calibration methods of GPS speed meters. The GPS speed meter calibrated is a special type of high accuracy speed meter for vehicles which uses Doppler demodulation of GPS signals to calculate the measured speed of a moving target. Three experiments are performed: including simulated calibration, field-test signal replay calibration, and in-field test comparison with an optical speed meter. The experiments are conducted at specific speeds in the range of 40-180 km h-1 with the same GPS speed meter as the device under calibration. The evaluation of measurement results validates both methods for calibrating GPS speed meters. The relative deviations between the measurement results of the GPS-based high accuracy speed meter and those of the optical speed meter are analyzed, and the equivalent uncertainty of the comparison is evaluated. The comparison results justify the utilization of GPS speed meters as reference equipment if no fewer than seven satellites are available. This study contributes to the widespread use of GPS-based high accuracy speed meters as legal reference equipment in traffic speed metrology.

bioLights: light emitting wear for visualizing lower-limb muscle activity.

PubMed

Igarashi, Naoto; Suzuki, Kenji; Kawamoto, Hiroaki; Sankai, Yoshiyuki

2010-01-01

Analysis of muscle activity by electrophysiological techniques is commonly used to analyze biomechanics. Although the simultaneous and intuitive understanding of both muscle activity and body motion is important in various fields, it is difficult to realize. This paper proposes a novel technique for visualizing physiological signals related to muscle activity by means of surface electromyography. We developed a wearable light-emitting interface that indicates lower-limb muscle activity or muscular tension on the surface of the body in real time by displaying the shape of the activated muscle. The developed interface allows users to perceive muscle activity in an intuitive manner by relating the level of the muscle activity to the brightness level of the glowing interface placed on the corresponding muscle. In order to verify the advantage of the proposed method, a cognitive experiment was conducted to evaluate the system performance. We also conducted an evaluation experiment using the developed interface in conjunction with an exoskeleton robot, in order to investigate the possible applications of the developed interface in the field of neurorehabilitation.

To the Extremes! A Teacher Research Experience Program in the Polar Regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warburton, J.; Bartholow, S.

2014-12-01

PolarTREC-Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating, a teacher professional development program, began with the International Polar Year in 2004 and continues today in the United States. In 2007, the National Science Foundation designated PolarTREC as potentially transformative, meaning that the "research results often do not fit within established models or theories and may initially be unexpected or difficult to interpret; their transformative nature and utility might not be recognized until years later." PolarTREC brings U.S. K-12 educators and polar researchers together through an innovative teacher research experience model. Teachers spend three to six weeks in remote arctic and Antarctic field camps. Since 2007, over 100 teachers have been placed in field experiences throughout the Arctic and Antarctic and with half of them participating in field experiences in Antarctica. During their experience, teachers become research team members filling a variety of roles on the team. They also fulfil a unique role of public outreach officer, conducting live presentations about their field site and research as well as journaling, answering questions, and posting photos. Evaluation data collected over the past eight years on program participants shows that PolarTREC has clearly achieved it goals and strongly suggests programs that link teachers and researchers can have the potential to transform the nature of science education. By giving teachers the content knowledge, pedagogical tools, confidence, understanding of science in the broader society, and experiences with scientific inquiry, participating teachers are using authentic scientific research in their classrooms. Not surprisingly this has also led to increases in student interest and knowledge about the Polar Regions. In this presentation, we will highlight the best practices of teacher research experiences as well as discuss why it is vital to have teachers and researchers work together to communicate science to the broader public.

On Ex Situ NMR: Developing portable low-cost and/or single sided NMR/MRI

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

Demas, V; Herberg, J; Maxwell, R

2006-06-09

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) is of unsurpassed versatility in its ability to non-destructively probe for chemical identity. Portable, low-cost NMR sensors would enable on site identification of potentially hazardous substances, such as signatures from production of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapon agents, narcotics, explosives, toxins, and poisons. There exist however problems that need to be considered in the case of such sensors: (a) small-scale magnets produce inhomogeneous magnetic fields and therefore undesired Larmor frequency distributions that conceal much of the useful spectral information, and (b) sensitivity in most experiments decreases due to the inherently low and strongly inhomogeneous fieldsmore » associated with portable instruments. Our approach is to: (a) try to improve the field of low cost magnets either with hardware (e.g. magnet design and construction of ''shim coils'') or via special pulse sequences, where the field is ''effectively shimmed'' to appear homogeneous to the sample, and (b) to use microcoils to improve sensitivity and to allow focusing in smaller regions and therefore smaller static field variations. We have been working in setting up a table top, 2-Tesla permanent Halbach magnet system for tabletop NMR. The Spectrometer console is a Tecmag Apollo, controlled by a dell notebook. Currently an external linear chemagnetics rf amplifier is being used, though the power requirements for our system are quite low (a few Watts). The Magnetic Resonance lab in LLNL, has developed several types and sizes of microcoils, which have been proven to perform well for NMR experiments. We have evaluated an rf, 360 {micro}m O.D., microcoil probe that was built previously. We have finished mapping the magnetic field of the magnet. In the optimal position (in terms of field quality), the field inhomogeneity was at 17ppm. Preliminary fluorine spectra with a resolved two peak separation have now been obtained. For the field, as mapped, we have initial designs of first degree shimming, or gradient coils (linear correction to the field). We have calculated ''shim pulses'' to effectively shim the mapped field, for ideal gradient coils. These calculations will be repeated after the coils will be built and evaluated.« less

Experiences of using mobile technologies and virtual fieldtrips in Physical Geography: implications for hydrology education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kingston, D. G.; Eastwood, W. J.; Jones, P. I.; Johnson, R.; Marshall, S.; Hannah, D. M.

2011-12-01

Education in hydrology is changing rapidly due to diversification of students, emergent major scientific and practical challenges that our discipline must engage with, shifting pedagogic ideas and higher education environments, the need for students to develop new discipline specific and transferrable skills, and the advent of innovative technologies for learning and teaching. This paper focuses on new technologies in the context of learning and teaching in Physical Geography and reflects on the implications of our experiences for education in hydrology. We evaluate the experience of designing and trialling novel mobile technology-based field exercises and a virtual field trip for a Year 1 undergraduate Physical Geography module at a UK university. The new exercises are based on using and obtaining spatial data, operation of meteorological equipment (explained using an interactive DVD), and include introductions to global positioning systems (GPS) and geographical information systems (GIS). The technology and exercises were well received in a pilot study and subsequent rolling-out to the full student cohort (∼150 students). A statistically significant improvement in marks was observed following the redesign. Although the students enjoyed using mobile technology, the increased interactivity and opportunity for peer learning were considered to be the primary benefits by students. This is reinforced further by student preference for the new interactive virtual field trip over the previous "show-and-tell" field exercise. Despite the new exercises having many advantages, exercise development was not trivial due to the high start-up costs, the need for provision of sufficient technical support and the relative difficulty of making year-to-year changes (to the virtual field trip in particular). We believe our experiences are directly relevant to the implementation of such novel learning and teaching technologies in hydrology education.

Comparison of the ocean surface vector winds from atmospheric reanalysis and scatterometer-based wind products over the Nordic Seas and the northern North Atlantic and their application for ocean modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dukhovskoy, Dmitry S.; Bourassa, Mark A.; Petersen, Gudrún Nína; Steffen, John

2017-03-01

Ocean surface vector wind fields from reanalysis data sets and scatterometer-derived gridded products are analyzed over the Nordic Seas and the northern North Atlantic for the time period from 2000 to 2009. The data sets include the National Center for Environmental Prediction Reanalysis 2 (NCEPR2), Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), Arctic System Reanalysis (ASR), Cross-Calibrated Multiplatform (CCMP) wind product version 1.1 and recently released version 2.0, and QuikSCAT. The goal of the study is to assess discrepancies across the wind vector fields in the data sets and demonstrate possible implications of these differences for ocean modeling. Large-scale and mesoscale characteristics of winds are compared at interannual, seasonal, and synoptic timescales. A cyclone tracking methodology is developed and applied to the wind fields to compare cyclone characteristics in the data sets. Additionally, the winds are evaluated against observations collected from meteorological buoys deployed in the Iceland and Irminger Seas. The agreement among the wind fields is better for longer time and larger spatial scales. The discrepancies are clearly apparent for synoptic timescales and mesoscales. CCMP, ASR, and CFSR show the closest overall agreement with each other. Substantial biases are found in the NCEPR2 winds. Numerical sensitivity experiments are conducted with a coupled ice-ocean model forced by different wind fields. The experiments demonstrate differences in the net surface heat fluxes during storms. In the experiment forced by NCEPR2 winds, there are discrepancies in the large-scale wind-driven ocean dynamics compared to the other experiments.

Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in diagnosing hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Dalla Palma, L; Pozzi-Mucelli, R S

1992-02-01

The evaluation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is based upon ultrasonography (US) which has proved to have a high sensitivity and is also extremely useful in guiding the percutaneous needle biopsy. The main role of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is to supplement US in evaluating the extent of HCC. The Authors discuss the different techniques of examinations of the liver both for CT and MRI as far as the modalities of contrast enhancement, site of injection, and type of contrast agents are concerned. The differences between low field and high field magnets are also discussed. The main CT and MRI findings are illustrated, depending upon the technique of examination. Finally the role of these techniques is discussed. Based upon personal experience and the data in CT literature, and if performed with updated technology and intraarterial injection (lipiodol), CT is the method of choice in order to supplement US in the evaluation of HCC.

Characterizing roots and water uptake in a ground cover rice production system.

PubMed

Li, Sen; Zuo, Qiang; Wang, Xiaoyu; Ma, Wenwen; Jin, Xinxin; Shi, Jianchu; Ben-Gal, Alon

2017-01-01

Water-saving ground cover rice production systems (GCRPS) are gaining popularity in many parts of the world. We aimed to describe the characteristics of root growth, morphology, distribution, and water uptake for a GCRPS. A traditional paddy rice production system (TPRPS) was compared with GCRPS in greenhouse and field experiments. In the greenhouse, GCRPS where root zone average soil water content was kept near saturation (GCRPSsat), field capacity (GCRPSfwc) and 80% field capacity (GCRPS80%), were evaluated. In a two-year field experiment, GCRPSsat and GCRPS80% were applied. Similar results were found in greenhouse and field experiments. Before mid-tillering the upper soil temperature was higher for GCRPS, leading to enhanced root dry weight, length, surface area, specific root length, and smaller diameter of roots but lower water uptake rate per root length compared to TPRPS. In subsequent growth stages, the reduced soil water content under GCRPS caused that the preponderance of root growth under GCRPSsat disappeared in comparison to TPRPS. Under other GCRPS treatments (GCRPSfwc and GCRPS80%), significant limitation on root growth, bigger root diameter and higher water uptake rate per root length were found. Discrepancies in soil water and temperature between TPRPS and GCRPS caused adjustments to root growth, morphology, distribution and function. Even though drought stress was inevitable after mid-tillering under GCRPS, especially GCRPS80%, similar or even enhanced root water uptake capacity in comparison to TPRPS might promote allocation of photosynthetic products to shoots and increase water productivity.

Magnetoreception and its trigeminal mediation in the homing pigeon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mora, Cordula V.; Davison, Michael; Martin Wild, J.; Walker, Michael M.

2004-11-01

Two conflicting hypotheses compete to explain how a homing pigeon can return to its loft over great distances. One proposes the use of atmospheric odours and the other the Earth's magnetic field in the `map' step of the `map and compass' hypothesis of pigeon homing. Although magnetic effects on pigeon orientation provide indirect evidence for a magnetic `map', numerous conditioning experiments have failed to demonstrate reproducible responses to magnetic fields by pigeons. This has led to suggestions that homing pigeons and other birds have no useful sensitivity to the Earth's magnetic field. Here we demonstrate that homing pigeons (Columba livia) can discriminate between the presence and absence of a magnetic anomaly in a conditioned choice experiment. This discrimination is impaired by attachment of a magnet to the cere, local anaesthesia of the upper beak area, and bilateral section of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve, but not of the olfactory nerve. These results suggest that magnetoreception (probably magnetite-based) occurs in the upper beak area of the pigeon. Traditional methods of rendering pigeons anosmic might therefore cause simultaneous impairment of magnetoreception so that future orientation experiments will require independent evaluation of the pigeon's magnetic and olfactory systems.

Field-driven mesoscale phase transition in polarized colloids in microgravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khusid, Boris; Elele, Ezinwa

2014-11-01

An unexpected phase transition in a polarized suspension was reported by Kumar, Khusid, Acrivos, PRL 95, 258301, 2005 and Agarwal, Yethiraj, PRL 102, 198301, 2009. Following the field application, particles aggregated head-to-tail into chains that bridged the interelectrode gap and then formed a cellular pattern, in which large-scale particle-free voids were enclosed by particle-rich thin walls. Surprisingly, the size of particle-free domains scales linearly with the gap thickness but is insensitive to the particle size and the field strength and frequency. Cellular structures were not observed in simulations of equilibrium in a polarized suspension (Richardi, Weis, J. Chem. Phys. 135, 124502, 2011; Almudallal, Saika-Voivod, PRE 84, 011402, 2011). Nonequilibrium simulations (Park, Saintillan, PRE 83, 041409, 2011) showed cellular-like structures but at a particle concentration much higher than in experiments. A requirement for precise matching of densities between particles and a fluid to avoid gravity effects limits terrestrial experiments to negatively polarized particles. We will present data on positively polarized non-buoyancy-matched particles and the development of experiments in the International Space Station needed to evaluate gravity contribution. Supported by NASA's Physical Science Research Program, NNX13AQ53G.

Development of a Closed-Loop Strap Down Attitude System for an Ultrahigh Altitude Flight Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Stephen A.; Fife, Mike; Brashear, Logan

1997-01-01

A low-cost attitude system has been developed for an ultrahigh altitude flight experiment. The experiment uses a remotely piloted sailplane, with the wings modified for flight at altitudes greater than 100,000 ft. Mission requirements deem it necessary to measure the aircraft pitch and bank angles with accuracy better than 1.0 deg and heading with accuracy better than 5.0 deg. Vehicle cost restrictions and gross weight limits make installing a commercial inertial navigation system unfeasible. Instead, a low-cost attitude system was developed using strap down components. Monte Carlo analyses verified that two vector measurements, magnetic field and velocity, are required to completely stabilize the error equations. In the estimating algorithm, body-axis observations of the airspeed vector and the magnetic field are compared against the inertial velocity vector and a magnetic-field reference model. Residuals are fed back to stabilize integration of rate gyros. The effectiveness of the estimating algorithm was demonstrated using data from the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center Systems Research Aircraft (SRA) flight tests. The algorithm was applied with good results to a maximum 10' pitch and bank angles. Effects of wind shears were evaluated and, for most cases, can be safely ignored.

Magnetoreception and its trigeminal mediation in the homing pigeon.

PubMed

Mora, Cordula V; Davison, Michael; Wild, J Martin; Walker, Michael M

2004-11-25

Two conflicting hypotheses compete to explain how a homing pigeon can return to its loft over great distances. One proposes the use of atmospheric odours and the other the Earth's magnetic field in the 'map' step of the 'map and compass' hypothesis of pigeon homing. Although magnetic effects on pigeon orientation provide indirect evidence for a magnetic 'map', numerous conditioning experiments have failed to demonstrate reproducible responses to magnetic fields by pigeons. This has led to suggestions that homing pigeons and other birds have no useful sensitivity to the Earth's magnetic field. Here we demonstrate that homing pigeons (Columba livia) can discriminate between the presence and absence of a magnetic anomaly in a conditioned choice experiment. This discrimination is impaired by attachment of a magnet to the cere, local anaesthesia of the upper beak area, and bilateral section of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve, but not of the olfactory nerve. These results suggest that magnetoreception (probably magnetite-based) occurs in the upper beak area of the pigeon. Traditional methods of rendering pigeons anosmic might therefore cause simultaneous impairment of magnetoreception so that future orientation experiments will require independent evaluation of the pigeon's magnetic and olfactory systems.

Calculation of Coherent Radiation from Ultra-short Electron Beams Using a Lienard-Wiechert Based Simulation Code

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

Flacco, A.; Fairchild, M.; Reiche, S.

2004-12-07

The coherent radiation emitted by electrons in high brightness beam-based experiments is important from the viewpoints of both radiation source development, and the understanding and diagnosing the basic physical processes important in beam manipulations at high intensity. While much theoretical work has been developed to aid in calculating aspects of this class of radiation, these methods do not often produce accurate information concerning the experimentally relevant aspects of the radiation. At UCLA, we are particularly interested in coherent synchrotron radiation and the related phenomena of coherent edge radiation, in the context of a fs-beam chicane compression experiment at the BNLmore » ATF. To analyze this and related problems, we have developed a program that acts as an extension to the Lienard-Wiechert-based 3D simulation code TREDI, termed FieldEye. This program allows the evaluation of electromagnetic fields in the time and frequency domain in an arbitrary 2D detector planar area. We discuss here the implementation of the FieldEye code, and give examples of results relevant to the case of the ATF chicane compressor experiment.« less

Marine Optical Characterizations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, Dennis K.

1996-01-01

The team's major emphasis during this reporting period has been focused on the completion of the operational versions of the Marine Optical Buoys (MOBY's). Other work areas consisted of designing and testing bio-optical instrumentation, evaluating several of the SeaWiFS bio-optical protocols, processing data collected during field experiments, and reprocessing several of the Marine Optical Characteristics Experiment (MOCE) 2 and 3 bio-optical data sets. The team conducted one trip to the operations site in Honolulu, Hawaii, making necessary preparations for future field experiments. Part of the team also traveled to Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Salinas, CA, and to American Holographic Co. Fitchburg MA, to assist with the fabrication of the next generation Marine Optical Buoys. Technical memoranda are being written to address the remote sensing reflectance, and instrument self-shading protocols. During the Ocean Color 96 meeting discussions with the Spanish on acquiring research vessel support during the MODIS validation period were conducted. A proposal will be generated towards this purpose for an experiment to be conducted off the North African coast during the summer of 1999.

Vacuum birefringence detection in all-optical scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ataman, Stefan

2018-06-01

In this paper we propose an all-optical vacuum birefringence experiment and evaluate its feasibility for various scenarios. Many petawatt-class lasers became operational and many more are expected to enter operation in the near future, therefore unprecedented electromagnetic fields (EL˜1014-1015 V/m and intensities IL˜1021-1023W/cm 2 ) will become available for experiments. In our proposal a petawatt-class laser disturbs the quantum vacuum and creates a delay in a counterpropagating probe laser beam. Placing this delayed beam in one arm of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI), allows the measurement of the vacuum refraction coefficient via a phase shift. Coherent as well as squeezed light are both considered and the minimum phase sensitivity evaluated. We show that using existing technology with some moderately optimistic assumptions, at least part of the discussed scenarios are feasible for a vacuum birefringence detection experiment.

Foliar and Seed Application of Amino Acids Affects the Antioxidant Metabolism of the Soybean Crop.

PubMed

Teixeira, Walquíria F; Fagan, Evandro B; Soares, Luís H; Umburanas, Renan C; Reichardt, Klaus; Neto, Durval D

2017-01-01

In recent years, the application of natural substances on crops has been intensified in order to increase the resistance and yield of the soybean crop. Among these products are included plant biostimulants that may contain algae extracts, amino acids, and plant regulators in their composition. However, there is little information on the isolated effect of each of these constituents. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of the application of isolated amino acids on the antioxidant metabolism of the soybean crop. Experiments were carried out in a greenhouse and in the field with the application of the amino acids glutamate, phenylalanine, cysteine, glycine in seed treatment, and foliar application at V 4 growth stage. Antioxidant metabolism constituents evaluated were superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, hydrogen peroxide content, proline, and lipid peroxidation. In addition, resistance enzymes as polyphenol oxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) were evaluated. In both experiments, the use of cysteine, only in seed treatment and in both seed treatment and foliar application increased the activity of the enzyme PAL and catalase. Also in both experiments, the use of phenylalanine increased the activity of the enzyme PAL when the application was carried out as foliar application or both in seed treatment and foliar application. In the field experiment, the application of glutamate led to an increase in the activity of the catalase and PAL enzymes for seed treatment and foliar application. The use of the set of amino acids was only efficient in foliar application, which led to a greater activity of the enzymes peroxidase, PAL, and polyphenol oxidase. The other enzymes as well as lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide presented different results according to the experiment. Therefore, glutamate, cysteine, phenylalanine, and glycine can act as signaling amino acids in soybean plants, since small doses are enough to increase the activity of the antioxidant enzymes.

[Empowerment of users and family members in mental health care and in evaluative/interventional research: a brief comparison between the Anglo-Saxon tradition and the Brazilian experience].

PubMed

Vasconcelos, Eduardo Mourão

2013-10-01

The scope of this article is to assess the main characteristics of the traditions and experiences of empowerment of users and family members in mental health treatment and services in Anglo-Saxon countries and in Brazil and the repercussions and strategies thereof in the field of evaluative and interventional research in mental health. Based on a brief bibliographical review of the literature, the aim is to compare how the empowerment tradition has developed in the two realities, based on the characteristics of the economic, political, social - and especially cultural - context. The review revealed how these contexts induce different perspectives on how to foster the autonomy and empowerment of users and family members in social policies and mental health, as well as their appropriation in the field of evaluative and interventional research. In Anglo-Saxon countries, this tradition has been vigorously promoted over the past four decades, and in Brazil the participative strategies emphasize mixed mechanisms - professionals, users and family members together - with the dominant presence of the professionals. The strategies in Brazil more directly designed for users and family members are recent and have been implemented from 2005 onwards.

Perceptual assessment of quality of urban soundscapes with combined noise sources and water sounds.

PubMed

Jeon, Jin Yong; Lee, Pyoung Jik; You, Jin; Kang, Jian

2010-03-01

In this study, urban soundscapes containing combined noise sources were evaluated through field surveys and laboratory experiments. The effect of water sounds on masking urban noises was then examined in order to enhance the soundscape perception. Field surveys in 16 urban spaces were conducted through soundwalking to evaluate the annoyance of combined noise sources. Synthesis curves were derived for the relationships between noise levels and the percentage of highly annoyed (%HA) and the percentage of annoyed (%A) for the combined noise sources. Qualitative analysis was also made using semantic scales for evaluating the quality of the soundscape, and it was shown that the perception of acoustic comfort and loudness was strongly related to the annoyance. A laboratory auditory experiment was then conducted in order to quantify the total annoyance caused by road traffic noise and four types of construction noise. It was shown that the annoyance ratings were related to the types of construction noise in combination with road traffic noise and the level of the road traffic noise. Finally, water sounds were determined to be the best sounds to use for enhancing the urban soundscape. The level of the water sounds should be similar to or not less than 3 dB below the level of the urban noises.

Experience of 16 years and its associated challenges in the Field Epidemiology Training Program in Korea.

PubMed

Lee, Moo-Sik; Kim, Eun-Young; Lee, Sang-Won

2017-01-01

The field epidemiologist system of South Korea, which employs public health doctors who are relatively more readily available, was created in 1999 to ensure a ready supply of experts for epidemiological investigations and enable an effective response for new and reemerging infectious diseases. However, the 2015 outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome revealed limitations in the existing systems of management of field epidemiologists and communicable diseases. The present study aims to evaluate data on current states, administrative reports, and other literature on the field epidemiologist system that has been in place in South Korea for 16 years since 1999 and to suggest appropriate future improvements in this system. By suggesting methods to evaluate the field epidemiologist system and training programs and by suggesting ways for the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct evaluations on its own, the present study provides supporting evidence for improvement of systems for training of experts in epidemiological investigations. Moreover, based on the findings, this study also suggests methods to systematically train experts in communicable diseases management and a sustainable system to establish the basis of and develop strategies for a systematic and phased management of field epidemiologist training programs. The present study suggests the possibility of establishing dedicated training facilities, revising the guidelines on training and improvement of the competency of public health experts, while not limiting the scope of application to communicable diseases.

Influence of electric field exposure on bone growth and fracture repair in rats

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

McClanahan, B.J.; Phillips, R.D.

1983-01-01

Rats were exposed to a 60-Hz electric field at an unperturbed field strength of 100 kV/m to determine its affect on bone growth and fracture repair. Exposure of immature male and female rats for 20 h/day for 30 days did not alter growth rate, cortical bone area, or medullary cavity area of the tibia. In another experiment, midfibular osteotomies were performed and the juvenile rats were exposed at 100 kV/m for 14 days. Evaluation by resistance to deformation and breaking strength indicated that fracture repair was not as advanced in the exposed animals as in the sham-exposed animals. In anothermore » experiment measurements of resistance to deformation were made in adult rats at 16, 20 and 26 days after osteotmy. Fracture repair was slower in exposed compared to control animals at day 20 and, to a lesser extent, at day 16, but not at day 26. 28 references, 6 tables.« less

Just a Collection of Recollections: Clinical Ethics Consultation and the Interplay of Evaluating Voices.

PubMed

Bartlett, Virginia L; Bliton, Mark J; Finder, Stuart G

2016-12-01

Despite increased attention to the question of how best to evaluate clinical ethics consultations and emphasis on external evaluation (Hastings Center Report, ASBH Quality Attestation Process), there has been little sustained focus on how we, as clinicians, make sense of and learn from our own experiences in the midst of any one consultation. Questions of how we evaluate the request for, unfolding of, and conclusion of any specific ethics consultation are often overlooked, along with the underlying question of whether it is possible to give an accurate account of clinical ethics consultants' experience as experienced by ethics consultants. Before the challenge of submitting one's accounts or case reports for review and evaluation from others (at one's local institution or in the broader field), there is an underlying challenge of understanding and evaluating our own accounts. To highlight this crucial and deeply challenging dimension of actual clinical ethics practice, we present an account of a complex consultation, explicitly constructed to engage the reader in the unfolding experience of the consultant by emphasizing the multiple perspectives unfolding within the consultant's experience. Written in script format, the three perspectives presented-prototypical clinically descriptive account; didactically reflective and self-evidentiary account often seen in journal presentations; highly self-critical reflective account emphasizing uncertainties inherent to clinical ethics practice-reflect different manners for responding to the ways actual clinical involvement in ethics consultation practice accentuates and refocuses the question of how to understand and evaluate our own work, as well as that of our colleagues.

Mineral solubility and free energy controls on microbial reaction kinetics: Application to contaminant transport in the subsurface

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

Taillefert, Martial; Van Cappellen, Philippe

Recent developments in the theoretical treatment of geomicrobial reaction processes have resulted in the formulation of kinetic models that directly link the rates of microbial respiration and growth to the corresponding thermodynamic driving forces. The overall objective of this project was to verify and calibrate these kinetic models for the microbial reduction of uranium(VI) in geochemical conditions that mimic as much as possible field conditions. The approach combined modeling of bacterial processes using new bioenergetic rate laws, laboratory experiments to determine the bioavailability of uranium during uranium bioreduction, evaluation of microbial growth yield under energy-limited conditions using bioreactor experiments, competitionmore » experiments between metabolic processes in environmentally relevant conditions, and model applications at the field scale. The new kinetic descriptions of microbial U(VI) and Fe(III) reduction should replace those currently used in reactive transport models that couple catabolic energy generation and growth of microbial populations to the rates of biogeochemical redox processes. The above work was carried out in collaboration between the groups of Taillefert (batch reactor experiments and reaction modeling) at Georgia Tech and Van Cappellen (retentostat experiments and reactive transport modeling) at University of Waterloo (Canada).« less

What can we learn from field experiments about the development of SOC and GHG emissions under different management practices?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spiegel, Heide; Lehtinen, Taru; Schlatter, Norman; Haslmayr, Hans-Peter; Baumgarten, Andreas; ten Berge, Hein

2015-04-01

Successful agricultural management practices are required to maintain or enhance soil quality; at the same time climate change mitigation is becoming increasingly important. Within the EU project CATCH-C we analysed the effects of different agricultural practices not only on crop productivity, but also on soil quality indicators (e.g. soil organic carbon (SOC)) and climate change (CC) mitigation indicators (e.g. CO2, CH4, N2O emissions). European data sets and associated literature, mainly from long-term experiments were evaluated. This evaluation of agricultural management practices was carried out comparing a set of improved ("best") and often applied ("current") management practices. Positive and negative effects occurred when best management practices are adopted. As expected, none of the investigated practices could comply with all objectives simultaneously, i.e. maintaining high yields, mitigating climate change and improving chemical, physical and biological soil quality. The studied soil management practices "non-inversion tillage", "organic fertilisation" (application of farm yard manure, slurry, compost) and "incorporation of crop residues" represent important management practices for farmers to increase SOC, thus improving soil quality. However, CO2 and, especially, N2O emissions may rise as well. The evaluation of CC mitigation is often limited by the lack of data from - preferably - continuous GHG emission measurements. Thus, more long-term field studies are needed to better assess the CO2, CH4 and, especially, N2O emissions following the above mentioned favorably rated MPs. Only if SOC and GHG emissions are measured in the same field experiments, it will be possible to compute overall balances of necessary CO2-C equivalent emissions. CATCH-C is funded within the 7th Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration, Theme 2 - Biotechnologies, Agriculture & Food. (Grant Agreement N° 289782).

Care for the chronically ill: Nursing home incentive payment experiment

PubMed Central

Weissert, William G.; Scanlon, William J.; Wan, Thomas T. H.; Skinner, Douglas E.

1983-01-01

Nursing home reinbursement systems which do not adjust payment levels to patient care needs lead to access problems for heavy-care patients. Unnecessarily long and costly hospital stays may result. A patient-based nursing home incentive reimbursement system has been designed and is being evaluated in a controlled field experiment in 36 California skilled nursing facilities. Incentives are paid for admitting heavy-care patients, meeting outcome goals on some patients, and discharging and maintaining some patients in the community. This article describes a nursing home reimbursement system which is intended to simultaneously mitigate problems of restricted access, inefficient use of beds, and nonoptimal care. It also discusses the approach to evaluating this broad social intervention by application of a controlled experimental design. PMID:10310528

Development of the Clinical Teaching Effectiveness Questionnaire in the United States.

PubMed

Wormley, Michelle E; Romney, Wendy; Greer, Anna E

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a valid measure for assessing clinical teaching effectiveness within the field of physical therapy. The Clinical Teaching Effectiveness Questionnaire (CTEQ) was developed via a 4-stage process, including (1) initial content development, (2) content analysis with 8 clinical instructors with over 5 years of clinical teaching experience, (3) pilot testing with 205 clinical instructors from 2 universities in the Northeast of the United States, and (4) psychometric evaluation, including principal component analysis. The scale development process resulted in a 30-item questionnaire with 4 sections that relate to clinical teaching: learning experiences, learning environment, communication, and evaluation. The CTEQ provides a preliminary valid measure for assessing clinical teaching effectiveness in physical therapy practice.

Estimation of Directional Stability Derivatives at Moderate Angles and Supersonic Speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaattari, George E.

1959-01-01

A study of some of the important aerodynamic factors affecting the directional stability of supersonic airplanes is presented. The mutual interference fields between the body, the lifting surfaces, and the stabilizing surfaces are analyzed in detail. Evaluation of these interference fields on an approximate theoretical basis leads to a method for predicting directional stability of supersonic airplanes. Body shape, wing position and plan form, vertical tail position and plan form, and ventral fins are taken into account. Estimates of the effects of these factors are in fair agreement with experiment.

[Cellular transplantation laboratory: a new field of action for nurses].

PubMed

Corradi, Maria Inês; da Silva, Sandra Honorato

2008-01-01

This article presents the experience of a nurse at a cellular transplantation laboratory. This laboratory goal is to isolate insulin producing cells for human transplantation. The nurse, as a member of an interdisciplinary team, took part in the planning of all work processes: working procedures and team training. The main activities under the nurse responsibilities include contamination control, on-the-job training and evaluation of the Quality of the procedures developed by the interdisciplinary team. Results have shown the effectiveness of the nurses' work in this new field.

Shuttle Experimental Radar for Geological Exploration (SERGE) project: Field work relating to the Shuttle Experimental Radar A (SIR-A) in Brazil (phase 2)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balieiro, M. G.; Martini, P. R.; Dossantos, J. R.; Demattos, J. T.

1984-01-01

The ground observations undertaken over the northern position of Minas Gerais State, and part of Distrito Federal from 7 to 12 December 1982, along the Space Shuttle 2 flying orbit 22 of November 1981 are described. Field data related mostly with lithology, geological structures and forest cover, and specific geomorphological and pedological aspects were collected. Ground data are applied to evaluate the SIR-A Experiment, developed in the Space Shuttle-2 mission for natural resources mapping and prospecting.

Teaching/learning principles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hankins, D. B.; Wake, W. H.

1981-01-01

The potential remote sensing user community is enormous, and the teaching and training tasks are even larger; however, some underlying principles may be synthesized and applied at all levels from elementary school children to sophisticated and knowledgeable adults. The basic rules applying to each of the six major elements of any training course and the underlying principle involved in each rule are summarized. The six identified major elements are: (1) field sites for problems and practice; (2) lectures and inside study; (3) learning materials and resources (the kit); (4) the field experience; (5) laboratory sessions; and (6) testing and evaluation.

#ClimateEdCommunity : Field Workshops Bring Together Teachers and Researchers to Make Meaning of Science and Classroom Integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartholow, S.; Warburton, J.; Wood, J. H.; Steiner, S. M.

2015-12-01

Seeing Understanding and Teaching: Climate Change in Denali is a four-day immersive teacher professional development course held in Denali National Park. Developed through three partner organizations, the course aims to develop teachers' skills for integrating climate change content into their classrooms. This presentation aims to share tangible best practices for linking researchers and teachers in the field, through four years of experience in program delivery and reported through a published external evaluation. This presentation will examine the key aspects of a successful connection between teachers, researchers, science, and classrooms: (1) Inclusion of teacher leaders, (2) dedicated program staff, (3) workshop community culture, and will expose barriers to this type of collaboration including (1) differences in learning style, (2) prior teaching experience, (3) existing/scaffolding understanding of climate change science, and (4) accessibility of enrollment and accommodations for the extended learning experience. Presentation Content Examples:Participants overwhelmingly value the deep commitment this course has to linking their field experience to the classroom attributing to the role of a teacher-leader; an expert science teacher with first-hand field research experience in the polar regions. The goal of including a teacher-leader is to enhance translatability between fieldwork and the classroom. Additionally, qualitative aspects of the report touches on the intangible successes of the workshop such as: (1) the creation of a non-judgmental learning atmosphere, (2) addressing accessibility to science learning tools in rural and under-served communities, (3) defining successful collaboration as making meaning together through exploratory questioning while in the field (4) discussed the social and cultural implications of climate change, and the difficulty of navigating these topics in educational and/or multicultural spaces. Next Steps? Create a #ClimateEdCommunity that is both teachers and researchers with teacher leaders as a catalyst for transcending our disparate disciplines and developing a community of learning, without judgment, and interpersonal connections.

Prospecting of popcorn hybrids for resistance to fall armyworm.

PubMed

Crubelati-Mulati, N C S; Scapim, C A; Albuquerque, F A; Amaral Junior, A T; Vivas, M; Rodovalho, M A

2014-08-26

The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, is the pest that causes the greatest economic losses for both common corn and popcorn crops, and the use of resistant plant genotypes is an important tool for integrated pest management. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the damage caused by S. frugiperda on single-cross popcorn hybrids under field conditions with natural infestation as well as to study the effect of 11 popcorn hybrids on the S. frugiperda life cycle under laboratory conditions. A completely randomized block design with 4 replicates was used for the field experiment, and a completely randomized design with 10 replicates was used for the laboratory experiment. In the field experiment, the damage caused by fall armyworm, grain yield, and popping expansion were quantified, and a diallel analysis was performed to select the best hybrids. For the laboratory experiment, caterpillars were obtained from laboratory cultures kept on an artificial diet and were fed with leaves from the 11 hybrids. Hybrids P7.0 x P9.4, P7.1 x P9.6, P7.2.0 x P9.3, P7.4.0 x P9.1 and P7.4.1 x P9.4 exhibited negative specific combining ability for injury by fall armyworm and positive specific combining ability for yield and popping expansion. In the laboratory experiment, the hybrids influenced the mean larval stage duration, mean larval mass, final larval mass, pupal stage duration, mean pupal mass, and adult longevity.

Dependence of wheat and rice respiration on tissue nitrogen and the corresponding net carbon fixation efficiency under different rates of nitrogen application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Wenjuan; Huang, Yao; Chen, Shutao; Zou, Jianwen; Zheng, Xunhua

2007-02-01

To quantitatively address the role of tissue N in crop respiration under various agricultural practices, and to consequently evaluate the impact of synthetic fertilizer N application on biomass production and respiration, and hence net carbon fixation efficiency ( E ncf), pot and field experiments were carried out for an annual rotation of a rice-wheat cropping system from 2001 to 2003. The treatments of the pot experiments included fertilizer N application, sowing date and planting density. Different rates of N application were tested in the field experiments. Static opaque chambers were used for sampling the gas. The respiration as CO2 emission was detected by a gas chromatograph. A successive biomass clipping method was employed to determine the crop autotrophic respiration coefficient ( R a). Results from the pot experiments revealed a linear relationship between R a and tissue N content as R a = 4.74N-1.45 ( R 2 = 0.85, P < 0.001). Measurements and calculations from the field experiments indicated that fertilizer N application promoted not only biomass production but also increased the respiration of crops. A further investigation showed that the increase of carbon loss in terms of respiration owing to fertilizer N application exceeded that of net carbon gain in terms of aboveground biomass when fertilizer N was applied over a certain rate. Consequently, the E ncf declined as the N application rate increased.

A field day of soil regulation methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kempter, Axel; Kempter, Carmen

2015-04-01

The subject Soil plays an important role in the school subject geography. In particular in the upper classes it is expected that the knowledge from the area of Soil can be also be applied in other subjects. Thus, e.g., an assessment of economy and agricultural development and developing potential requires the interweaving of natural- geographic and human-geographic factors. The treatment of the subject Soil requires the desegregation of the results of different fields like Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Accordingly the subject gives cause to professional-covering lessons and offers the opportunity for practical work as well as excursions. Beside the mediation of specialist knowledge and with the support of the methods and action competences, the independent learning and the practical work should have a special emphasis on the field excursion by using stimulating exercises oriented to solving problems and mastering the methods. This aim should be achieved by the interdisciplinary treatment of the subject Soil in the task-oriented learning process on the field day. The methods and experiments should be sensibly selected for both the temporal and material supply constraints. During the field day the pupils had to categorize soil texture, soil colour, soil profile, soil skeleton, lime content, ion exchanger (Soils filter materials), pH-Value, water retention capacity and evidence of different ions like e.g. Fe3+, Mg2+, Cl- and NO3-. The pupils worked on stations and evaluated the data to receive a general view of the ground at the end. According to numbers of locations, amount of time and group size, different procedures can be offered. There are groups of experts who carry out the same experiment at all locations and split for the evaluation in different groups or each group ran through all stations. The results were compared and discussed at the end.

Effect of sequence of insemination after simultaneous thawing of multiple semen straws on conception rate to timed AI in suckled multiparous Nelore cows.

PubMed

Oliveira, L Z; Arruda, R P; de Andrade, A F C; Santos, R M; Beletti, M E; Peres, R F G; Martins, J P N; de Lima, V F M Hossepian

2012-11-01

The objective was to determine the effect of sequence of insemination after simultaneous thawing of multiple 0.5 mL semen straws on conception rate in suckled multiparous Nelore cows. The effect of this thawing procedure on in vitro sperm characteristics was also evaluated. All cows (N = 944) received the same timed AI protocol. Ten straws (0.5 mL) of frozen semen from the same batch were simultaneously thawed at 36 °C, for a minimum of 30 sec. One straw per cow was used for timed AI. Frozen semen from three Angus bulls was used. Timed AI records included sequence of insemination (first to tenth) and time of semen removal from thawing bath. For laboratory analyses, the same semen batches used in the field experiment were evaluated. Ten frozen straws from the same batch were thawed simultaneously in a thawing unit identical to that used in the field experiment. The following sperm characteristics were analyzed: sperm motility parameters, sperm thermal resistance, plasma and acrosomal membrane integrity, lipid peroxidation, chromatin structure, and sperm morphometry. Based on logistic regression, there were no significant effects of breeding group, body condition score, AI technician, and sire on conception rate, but there was an interaction between sire and straw group (P = 0.002). Semen from only one bull had decreased (P < 0.05) field fertility for the group of straws associated with the longest interval from thawing to AI. However, the results of the laboratory experiment were unable to explain the findings of the field experiment. Sperm width:length ratio of morphometric analysis was the single sperm characteristic with a significant interaction between sire and straw group (P = 0.02). It was concluded that sequence of insemination after simultaneous thawing of 10 semen straws can differently affect conception rates at timed AI, depending on the sire used. Nevertheless, the effects of this thawing environment on in vitro sperm characteristics, remain to be further investigated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High dynamic range hyperspectral imaging for camouflage performance test and evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearce, D.; Feenan, J.

2016-10-01

This paper demonstrates the use of high dynamic range processing applied to the specific technique of hyper-spectral imaging with linescan spectrometers. The technique provides an improvement in signal to noise for reflectance estimation. This is demonstrated for field measurements of rural imagery collected from a ground-based linescan spectrometer of rural scenes. Once fully developed, the specific application is expected to improve the colour estimation approaches and consequently the test and evaluation accuracy of camouflage performance tests. Data are presented on both field and laboratory experiments that have been used to evaluate the improvements granted by the adoption of high dynamic range data acquisition in the field of hyperspectral imaging. High dynamic ranging imaging is well suited to the hyperspectral domain due to the large variation in solar irradiance across the visible and short wave infra-red (SWIR) spectrum coupled with the wavelength dependence of the nominal silicon detector response. Under field measurement conditions it is generally impractical to provide artificial illumination; consequently, an adaptation of the hyperspectral imaging and re ectance estimation process has been developed to accommodate the solar spectrum. This is shown to improve the signal to noise ratio for the re ectance estimation process of scene materials in the 400-500 nm and 700-900 nm regions.

Performance evaluation of heart sound cancellation in FPGA hardware implementation for electronic stethoscope.

PubMed

Chao, Chun-Tang; Maneetien, Nopadon; Wang, Chi-Jo; Chiou, Juing-Shian

2014-01-01

This paper presents the design and evaluation of the hardware circuit for electronic stethoscopes with heart sound cancellation capabilities using field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The adaptive line enhancer (ALE) was adopted as the filtering methodology to reduce heart sound attributes from the breath sounds obtained via the electronic stethoscope pickup. FPGAs were utilized to implement the ALE functions in hardware to achieve near real-time breath sound processing. We believe that such an implementation is unprecedented and crucial toward a truly useful, standalone medical device in outpatient clinic settings. The implementation evaluation with one Altera cyclone II-EP2C70F89 shows that the proposed ALE used 45% resources of the chip. Experiments with the proposed prototype were made using DE2-70 emulation board with recorded body signals obtained from online medical archives. Clear suppressions were observed in our experiments from both the frequency domain and time domain perspectives.

Engineering aspect of the Microwave Ionosphere Nonlinear Interaction Experiment (MINIX) with a sounding rocket

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagatomo, M.; Kaya, N.; Matsumoto, H.

1984-10-01

One type of problem arising in connection with an evaluation of the feasibility of the Solar Power Satellite (SPS) and the definition of suitable SPS designs is related to environmental issues. Questions exist, for instance, regarding the interaction between microwave power and the upper atmosphere. The present investigation is concerned with the Microwave Ionosphere Nonlinear Interaction Experiment (MINIX), which is a space plasma experiment originally devoted to the research of space plasma physics. MINIX is eventually to observe possible effects of a strong microwave field in the ionospheric environment. The scientific requirements of the MINIX are discussed, taking into account functional and experimental conditions. Attention is also given to rocket characteristics, experimental design, the payload, the inflight experiment configuration, and details concerning the conduction of the experiment.

Grain coarsening in two-dimensional phase-field models with an orientation field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korbuly, Bálint; Pusztai, Tamás; Henry, Hervé; Plapp, Mathis; Apel, Markus; Gránásy, László

2017-05-01

In the literature, contradictory results have been published regarding the form of the limiting (long-time) grain size distribution (LGSD) that characterizes the late stage grain coarsening in two-dimensional and quasi-two-dimensional polycrystalline systems. While experiments and the phase-field crystal (PFC) model (a simple dynamical density functional theory) indicate a log-normal distribution, other works including theoretical studies based on conventional phase-field simulations that rely on coarse grained fields, like the multi-phase-field (MPF) and orientation field (OF) models, yield significantly different distributions. In a recent work, we have shown that the coarse grained phase-field models (whether MPF or OF) yield very similar limiting size distributions that seem to differ from the theoretical predictions. Herein, we revisit this problem, and demonstrate in the case of OF models [R. Kobayashi, J. A. Warren, and W. C. Carter, Physica D 140, 141 (2000), 10.1016/S0167-2789(00)00023-3; H. Henry, J. Mellenthin, and M. Plapp, Phys. Rev. B 86, 054117 (2012), 10.1103/PhysRevB.86.054117] that an insufficient resolution of the small angle grain boundaries leads to a log-normal distribution close to those seen in the experiments and the molecular scale PFC simulations. Our paper indicates, furthermore, that the LGSD is critically sensitive to the details of the evaluation process, and raises the possibility that the differences among the LGSD results from different sources may originate from differences in the detection of small angle grain boundaries.

Improving the Canadian Precipitation Analysis Estimates through an Observing System Simulation Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbasnezhadi, K.; Rasmussen, P. F.; Stadnyk, T.

2014-12-01

To gain a better understanding of the spatiotemporal distribution of rainfall over the Churchill River basin, this study was undertaken. The research incorporates gridded precipitation data from the Canadian Precipitation Analysis (CaPA) system. CaPA has been developed by Environment Canada and provides near real-time precipitation estimates on a 10 km by 10 km grid over North America at a temporal resolution of 6 hours. The spatial fields are generated by combining forecasts from the Global Environmental Multiscale (GEM) model with precipitation observations from the network of synoptic weather stations. CaPA's skill is highly influenced by the number of weather stations in the region of interest as well as by the quality of the observations. In an attempt to evaluate the performance of CaPA as a function of the density of the weather station network, a dual-stage design algorithm to simulate CaPA is proposed which incorporates generated weather fields. More specifically, we are adopting a controlled design algorithm which is generally known as Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE). The advantage of using the experiment is that one can define reference precipitation fields assumed to represent the true state of rainfall over the region of interest. In the first stage of the defined OSSE, a coupled stochastic model of precipitation and temperature gridded fields is calibrated and validated. The performance of the generator is then validated by comparing model statistics with observed statistics and by using the generated samples as input to the WATFLOOD™ hydrologic model. In the second stage of the experiment, in order to account for the systematic error of station observations and GEM fields, representative errors are to be added to the reference field using by-products of CaPA's variographic analysis. These by-products explain the variance of station observations and background errors.

Simultaneous estimation of local-scale and flow path-scale dual-domain mass transfer parameters using geoelectrical monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Briggs, Martin A.; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Ong, John B.; Curtis, Gary P.; Lane, John W.

2013-01-01

Anomalous solute transport, modeled as rate-limited mass transfer, has an observable geoelectrical signature that can be exploited to infer the controlling parameters. Previous experiments indicate the combination of time-lapse geoelectrical and fluid conductivity measurements collected during ionic tracer experiments provides valuable insight into the exchange of solute between mobile and immobile porosity. Here, we use geoelectrical measurements to monitor tracer experiments at a former uranium mill tailings site in Naturita, Colorado. We use nonlinear regression to calibrate dual-domain mass transfer solute-transport models to field data. This method differs from previous approaches by calibrating the model simultaneously to observed fluid conductivity and geoelectrical tracer signals using two parameter scales: effective parameters for the flow path upgradient of the monitoring point and the parameters local to the monitoring point. We use regression statistics to rigorously evaluate the information content and sensitivity of fluid conductivity and geophysical data, demonstrating multiple scales of mass transfer parameters can simultaneously be estimated. Our results show, for the first time, field-scale spatial variability of mass transfer parameters (i.e., exchange-rate coefficient, porosity) between local and upgradient effective parameters; hence our approach provides insight into spatial variability and scaling behavior. Additional synthetic modeling is used to evaluate the scope of applicability of our approach, indicating greater range than earlier work using temporal moments and a Lagrangian-based Damköhler number. The introduced Eulerian-based Damköhler is useful for estimating tracer injection duration needed to evaluate mass transfer exchange rates that range over several orders of magnitude.

Evaluation of field performance of poplar clones using selected competition indices.

Treesearch

Chandler Brodie; D.S. DeBell

2004-01-01

Use of competition indices in the analysis of forestry experiments may improve detection and understanding of treatment effects, and thereby improve the application of results. In this paper, we compared the performance of eight indices in an analysis of a spacing trial of four Populus clones planted in pure and mixed clonal plots. Indices were...

Rainfall-induced release of microbes from manure: model development, parameter estimation, and uncertainty evaluation on small plots

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A series of simulated rainfall-runoff experiments with applications of different manure types (cattle solid pats, poultry dry litter, swine slurry) were conducted across four seasons on a field containing 36 plots (0.75 × 2 m each), resulting in 144 rainfall-runoff events. Simulating time-varying re...

Topographic Map and Compass Use. A Teaching Packet to Supplement the Student Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Michael

This teacher's manual is designed to supplement the student manual for a unit of study on topographic map and compass use. The beginning section of the manual discusses (1) teaching strategy and evaluation, (2) teaching time and facilities, (3) materials and equipment required, (4) suggested field experience, (5) setting up a compass competition,…

Investigating the Effects of Professional Practice Program on Teacher Education Students' Ability to Articulate Educational Philosophy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weshah, Hani A.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in pre-service student teachers' ability to articulate a philosophy education during the field experience. Educational philosophy change for the participants (77) was measured by using Jersin's scale. Evaluations of scores involved comparison of pre and post the training program. Descriptive…

The Core Competency Movement in Marriage and Family Therapy: Key Considerations from Other Disciplines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, John K.; Todahl, Jeff L.; Platt, Jason J.

2010-01-01

There is a growing movement to define competency within the field of marriage and family therapy (MFT), particularly with respect to the training of practitioners and the evaluation of clinical practice. Efforts to define competency, however, transcend the practice of MFT and much can be learned from the experiences of other disciplines.…

Cutleafgroundcherry (physalis angulata) density, biomass and seed production in peanut (arachis hypogaea L.) following regrowth due to inadequate control

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate herbicide and application timing on cutleaf groundcherry density, biomass, seed production, and crop yield in a peanut system. Treatments included: 1) a non-treated control; 2) hand pruning; 3) diclosulam applied preemergence (PRE) alone at 0.027 kg ai h...

Effects of Experimental Learning--Outcomes of an Empirical Study in the Vocational Field of Structural Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bünning, Frank

2013-01-01

Pedagogic approaches to TVET offer a limited range of teaching strategies which make use of experimental learning. Thus experiments were developed for teachers of structural engineering and timber processing technologies and were subject to empirical evaluation by a researcher at the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg and Kassel University.…

Zombies, Cyborgs, and other Labor Organizers: An Introduction to Representations of Adult Learning Theories and HRD in Popular Culture

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, Robin Redmon

2013-01-01

Too often, educators, researchers, and practitioners in the fields of adult education and human resource development rely on traditional curricular materials and an academic body of knowledge for teaching, evaluating, and training adults. This assumes a coherent body of prior knowledge, assumptions, worldviews, and experiences in their students…

Evaluating Intention to Use Remote Robotics Experimentation in Programming Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Pericles L.

2017-01-01

The Digital Agenda for Europe (2015) states that there will be 825,000 unfilled vacancies for Information and Communications Technology by 2020. This lack of IT professionals stems from the small number of students graduating in computer science. To retain more students in the field, teachers can use remote robotic experiments to explain difficult…

Evaluation of fungicide rotations and MELCAST for management of Phytophthora fruit rot of watermelon, 2014

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The experiment was conducted at the U.S. Vegetable Laboratory farm in Charleston, SC. The soil was Yonges loamy fine sand, and for the past 5 years, the field has been infested with Phytophthora capsici. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Four-week-old...

A Descriptive Study of Mandatory Continuing Professional Education in an Emerging Field: A Prospectus on the Counseling Profession. Executive Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sattem, Linda Lee

A study analyzed the continuing professional education (CPE) requirements, practices, policies, evaluation measures, and perception of impact on practice and participants in the counseling profession. Research was conducted in 22 states with at least 5 years experience with their counselor licensing legislation requiring CPE. Other states were…

Two keys for appraising forest fire fuels.

Treesearch

George R. Fahnestock

1970-01-01

This is an attempt to characterize forest fire fuels in a new way. The immediate purpose is to provide means for recognizing and tentatively evaluating, in the field, the fire spread potential and the crowning potential of fuels on the basis of readily observed characteristics without need for prior technical knowledge of vegetation or experience with fire. The medium...

Toward a Methodology for Evaluating the Impact of Technologies on Infantry Situation Awareness

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-10-01

enhanced free - play exercise was conducted to investigate the effect of the ISR on SA. Ten Air Field Defence Guards participated in two vignettes, loosely...post- experiment interview), this result again seems logical. The DQT and free - play methodology was able to successfully discriminate between baseline...8 3.1.6 Free - play Vignettes

Solar Parabolic Dish Annual Technology Evaluation Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

The activities of the JPL Solar Thermal Power Systems Parabolic Dish Project for FY 1982 are summarized. Included are discussions on designs of module development including their concentrator, receiver, and power conversion subsystems. Analyses and test results, along with progress on field tests, Small Community Experiment System development, and tests at the Parabolic Dish Test Site are also included.

Systematically Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Information Systems Capstone Course: Implications for Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gill, T. Grandon; Ritzhaupt, Albert D.

2013-01-01

The information systems capstone experience for undergraduate majors is a topic frequently discussed in academic circles within the field. Though very little consensus exists on this topic, there are core themes that emerge in the design, development, and delivery of the undergraduate capstone courses. Our analysis of prior literature reveals four…

Experiences of Two Multidisciplinary Team Members of Systemic Consultations in a Community Learning Disability Service

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Clair; Viljoen, Nina

2017-01-01

Background: Systemic approaches can be useful in working with people with learning disabilities and their network. The evidence base for these approaches within the field of learning disabilities, however, is currently limited. Materials and Methods: This article presents part of a service evaluation of systemic consultations in a Community…

First report of bacterial stem rot of ‘heirloom’ tomatoes caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. brasiliensis in Florida

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the spring of 2014, a field experiment was established to evaluate the growth of ‘heirloom’ tomato types in a vertical garden hydroponic system. During bloom, approximately 40% of the established plants of the variety ‘Black Prince’ were severely wilted with necrotic upper leaves. Stems of infe...

Effectiveness of microbial and chemical insecticides for supplemental control of bollworm on Bt and non-Bt cottons

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Laboratory and field experiments were conducted to determine the effectiveness of microbial and chemical insecticides for supplemental control of bollworm (Helicoverpa zea Boddie) on non-Bt (DP1441®) and Bt (DP1321®) cottons. Neonate and 3rd instar larvae survival were evaluated on leaf tissue treat...

Total phosphorus, zinc, copper, and manganese concentrations in cecil soil through ten years of poultry litter application

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Poultry litter (PL) is an inexpensive and effective source of plant nutrients. However, over application could result in phosphorus and heavy metal accumulation in soils. A field experiment evaluating PL application to a Cecil soil used for cotton and corn production has been maintained for 10 years...

Current challenges and future perspectives of plant and agricultural biotechnology.

PubMed

Moshelion, Menachem; Altman, Arie

2015-06-01

Advances in understanding plant biology, novel genetic resources, genome modification, and omics technologies generate new solutions for food security and novel biomaterials production under changing environmental conditions. New gene and germplasm candidates that are anticipated to lead to improved crop yields and other plant traits under stress have to pass long development phases based on trial and error using large-scale field evaluation. Therefore, quantitative, objective, and automated screening methods combined with decision-making algorithms are likely to have many advantages, enabling rapid screening of the most promising crop lines at an early stage followed by final mandatory field experiments. The combination of novel molecular tools, screening technologies, and economic evaluation should become the main goal of the plant biotechnological revolution in agriculture. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preliminary evaluation of the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan crop calendar shift algorithm for estimation of spring wheat development stage. [North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Minnesota

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phinney, D. E. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

An algorithm for estimating spectral crop calendar shifts of spring small grains was applied to 1978 spring wheat fields. The algorithm provides estimates of the date of peak spectral response by maximizing the cross correlation between a reference profile and the observed multitemporal pattern of Kauth-Thomas greenness for a field. A methodology was developed for estimation of crop development stage from the date of peak spectral response. Evaluation studies showed that the algorithm provided stable estimates with no geographical bias. Crop development stage estimates had a root mean square error near 10 days. The algorithm was recommended for comparative testing against other models which are candidates for use in AgRISTARS experiments.

Design and validation of a passive deposition sampler.

PubMed

Einstein, Stephanie A; Yu, Chang-Ho; Mainelis, Gediminas; Chen, Lung Chi; Weisel, Clifford P; Lioy, Paul J

2012-09-01

A new, passive particle deposition air sampler, called the Einstein-Lioy Deposition Sampler (ELDS), has been developed to fill a gap in passive sampling for near-field particle emissions. The sampler can be configured in several ways: with a protective hood for outdoor sampling, without a protective hood, and as a dust plate. In addition, there is an XRF-ready option that allows for direct sampling onto a filter-mounted XRF cartridge which can be used in conjunction with all configurations. A wind tunnel was designed and constructed to test the performance of different sampler configurations using a test dust with a known particle size distribution. The sampler configurations were also tested versus each other to evaluate whether or not the protective hood would affect the collected particle size distribution. A field study was conducted to test the sampler under actual environmental conditions and to evaluate its ability to collect samples for chemical analysis. Individual experiments for each configuration demonstrated precision of the sampler. The field experiment demonstrated the ability of the sampler to both collect mass and allow for the measurement of an environmental contaminant i.e. Cr(6+). The ELDS was demonstrated to be statistically not different for Hooded and Non-Hooded models, compared to each other and the test dust; thus, it can be used indoors and outdoors in a variety of configurations to suit the user's needs.

Humoral (immunological) responses in female albino rats during rotating magnetic field exposures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reid, K.; Falter, H.; Persinger, M. A.

1991-12-01

Experiments were designed to evaluate the primary and secondary humoral responses to a rotating magnetic field configuration, which is known to evoke significant biobehavioral changes. Ten days after inoculation with human serum albumin and 10 days before a booster, female rats were exposed to eigher a 0.5 Hz rotating magnetic field (RMF) or to room conditions (control). The lighting schedule was either continuous or involved a light-dark cycle (LD) of 12:12h. A third group of rats served as colony room controls. Group differences of low statistical significance were found when females were exposed to continuous lighting rather than the LD 12:12 light-dark cycle. However, the effects were considered trivial and not sufficient to explain the previously reported biobehavioral changes evoked by this field configuration.

Neutron assay in mixed radiation fields with a 6Li-loaded plastic scintillator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balmer, M. J. I.; Gamage, K. A. A.; Taylor, G. C.

2015-08-01

A novel technique for assay of thermal and fast neutrons in a 6Li-loaded plastic scintillator is presented. Existing capture-gated thermal neutron detection techniques were evaluated with the 6Li-loaded plastic scintillator studied in this work. Using simulations and experimental work, shortcomings in its performance were highlighted. As a result, it was proposed that by separating the combined fast and thermal neutron events from gamma events, using established pulse shape discrimination techniques, the thermal neutron events could then be assayed. Experiments were conducted at the National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, performing neutron assays with seven different neutron fields using the proposed technique. For each field, thermal and fast neutron content was estimated and were shown to corroborate with the seven synthesised fields.

Teaching community diagnosis to medical students: evaluation of a case study approach.

PubMed

Bair, C W

1980-01-01

A unique case study approach to training medical students in community diagnosis techniques was initiated at the Medical College of Ohio at Toledo. This paper describes the five elements of this teaching method: preliminary specification of target community and data base; group problem-solving requirement; specification of desired output; defined performance objectives; and regularly scheduled time for analysis. Experience with the case study method over two years was evaluated to identify specific strengths and weaknesses. The identified strengths include use of limited educational time to introduce community health problems, development of experience in a collegial team work setting, and specific awareness of the types of data useful to the analysis of community health service problems. Negative evaluations suggested that the method was not conducive to the development of skills in three areas: ability to establish the relative importance of health problems in communities; ability to identify an appropriate health system response to a community health problem from feasible alternatives; and ability to anticipate the community impact of health program modifications or improvements. Potential explanations for these deficiencies include: need for increased didactic support in the classroom for particular skill areas; need to establish a direct field experience in community diagnosis; inappropriateness of the data base used for evaluation of particular skills; and the probability that quantitative analysis, as used in this evaluation, may not be sufficient in and of itself to measure the outcome of a community diagnosis experience.

The Development of a Mobile Health Platform and Naturalistic Game Applications for Health Assessment, Intervention, and Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

in mild traumatic brain injuries (It is estimated that 20% of all combat troops will experience a concussion while deployed...combat   troops  will   experience  a   concussion  while   deployed)   increased  emphasis   has   rightly   been   placed   on   finding   ways...stemming  from  different  types   of   concussion .   Neither   testing   technique   is   as   readily   accessible   in   the   field   and

Developments in Sensitivity Methodologies and the Validation of Reactor Physics Calculations

DOE PAGES

Palmiotti, Giuseppe; Salvatores, Massimo

2012-01-01

The sensitivity methodologies have been a remarkable story when adopted in the reactor physics field. Sensitivity coefficients can be used for different objectives like uncertainty estimates, design optimization, determination of target accuracy requirements, adjustment of input parameters, and evaluations of the representativity of an experiment with respect to a reference design configuration. A review of the methods used is provided, and several examples illustrate the success of the methodology in reactor physics. A new application as the improvement of nuclear basic parameters using integral experiments is also described.

Using Time Evolution of the Bunch Structure to Extract the Muon Momentum Distribution in the Fermilab Muon g-2 Experiment

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

Wu, W.; Quinn, B.; Crnkovic, J. D.

Beam dynamics plays an important role in achieving the unprecedented precision on measurement of the muon anomalous magnetic moment in the Fermilab Muon g-2 Experiment. It needs to find the muon momentum distribution in the storage ring in order to evaluate the electric field correction to muon anomalous precession frequency. We will show how to use time evolution of the beam bunch structure to extract the muon momentum distribution by applying a fast rotation analysis on the decay electron signals.

Understanding on Soil Inorganic Carbon Transformation in North China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Guitong; Yang, Lifang; Zhang, Chenglei; Zhang, Hongjie

2015-04-01

Soil total carbon balance in long-term fertilization field experiments in North China Plain. Four long-term fertilization experiments (20-30 years) were investigated on SOC in 40 cm, calcium carbonate and active carbonate (AC) in 180 or 100 cm soil profile, δ13C values of SOC and δ13C and δ18O values of carbonate in soil profile, particle distribution of SOC and SIC in main soil layers, and ratios of pedogenic carbonate (PC) in SIC and C3-SOC in SOC. The most important conclusion is that fertilization of more than 20 years can produce detectable impact on pool size, profile distribution, ratio of active component and PC of SIC, which make it clear that SIC pool must be considered in the proper evaluation of the response of soil carbon balance to human activities in arid and semi-arid region. Land use impact on soil total carbon pool in Inner Mongolia. With the data of the second survey of soils in Inner Mongolia and the 58 soil profile data from Wu-lan-cha-bu-meng and Xi-lin-hao-te, combining with the 13C and 18O techniques, SIC density and stock in Inner Mongolia is estimated. The main conclusion is that soils in inner Mongolia have the same level of SOC and SIC, with the density in 100cm pedons of 8.97 kg•m-2 and 8.61 kg•m-2, respectively. Meanwhile, the significantly positive relationship between SOC and SIC in A layer indicates co-sequestration of SOC and SIC exist. Evaluation of the methods for measuring CA enzyme activity in soil. In laboratory, method in literature to measure CA activity in soil sample was repeated, and found it was not valid indeed. The failure could not attribute to the disturbance of common ions like NO3-, SO42-, Ca2+, and Mg2+. The adsorption of CA to soil material was testified as the main reason for that failure. A series of extractants were tested but no one can extract the adsorbed CA and be used in measuring CA activity in soil sample. Carbonate transformation in field with straw returned and biochar added. In 2009, a field experiment concerning soil carbonate transformation under straw return and biochar addition was carried out. It is designed as a long-term field experiment. In the experiment, Ca2+ and Mg2+ in soil solution of different depth and time, in situ soil pH, soil CO2 concentration, and microbial activity will be measured. The main propose of the experiment is to explore the relationship between the transformation of SOC and SIC. Meanwhile, it is one of important field experiment for biochar effects on crop production, soil processes, and environmental impact. These researches were funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC) under projects of 41171211,40771106, and 40303015.

Studying Geology of Central Texas through Web-Based Virtual Field Trips

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, C.; Khan, S. D.; Wellner, J. S.

2007-12-01

Each year over 2500 students, mainly non-science majors, take introductory geology classes at the University of Houston. Optional field trips to Central Texas for these classes provide a unique learning opportunity for students to experience geologic concepts in a real world context. The field trips visit Enchanted Rock, Inks Lake, Bee Cave Road, Lion Mountain, and Slaughter Gap. Unfortunately, only around 10% of our students participate in these field trips. We are developing a web-based virtual field trip for Central Texas to provide an additional effective learning experience for students in these classes. The module for Enchanted Rock is complete and consists of linked geological maps, satellite imagery, digital elevation models, 3-D photography, digital video, and 3-D virtual reality visualizations. The ten virtual stops focus on different geologic process and are accompanied by questions and answers. To test the efficacy of the virtual field trip, we developed a quiz to measure student learning and a survey to evaluate the website. The quiz consists of 10 questions paralleling each stop and information on student attendance on the Central Texas field trip and/or the virtual field trip. From the survey, the average time spent on the website was 26 minutes, and overall the ratings of the virtual field trip were positive. Most noticeably students responded that the information on the website was relevant to their class and that the pictures, figures, and animations were essential to the website. Although high correlation coefficients between responses were expected for some questions (i.e., 0.89 for "The content or text of the website was clear" and "The information on the website was easy to read"), some correlations were less expected: 0.77 for "The number of test questions was appropriate" and "The information on the website was easy to read," and 0.70 for "The test questions reinforced the material presented on the website" and "The information on the website is relevant to my class." These virtual field trips provide an alternative for students who cannot attend the actual field trips. They also allow transfer students to experience these sites before attending upper level field trips, which often return to study these sites in more detail. These modules provide a valuable supplementary experience for all students, as they emphasize skills for which we are presently unable to provide sufficient practice in lecture, fieldtrips, or laboratory. Public access to the field trips is available at: http://geoinfo.geosc.uh.edu/VR/

Aerodynamic study of different cyclist positions: CFD analysis and full-scale wind-tunnel tests.

PubMed

Defraeye, Thijs; Blocken, Bert; Koninckx, Erwin; Hespel, Peter; Carmeliet, Jan

2010-05-07

Three different cyclist positions were evaluated with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and wind-tunnel experiments were used to provide reliable data to evaluate the accuracy of the CFD simulations. Specific features of this study are: (1) both steady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) and unsteady flow modelling, with more advanced turbulence modelling techniques (Large-Eddy Simulation - LES), were evaluated; (2) the boundary layer on the cyclist's surface was resolved entirely with low-Reynolds number modelling, instead of modelling it with wall functions; (3) apart from drag measurements, also surface pressure measurements on the cyclist's body were performed in the wind-tunnel experiment, which provided the basis for a more detailed evaluation of the predicted flow field by CFD. The results show that the simulated and measured drag areas differed about 11% (RANS) and 7% (LES), which is considered to be a close agreement in CFD studies. A fair agreement with wind-tunnel data was obtained for the predicted surface pressures, especially with LES. Despite the higher accuracy of LES, its much higher computational cost could make RANS more attractive for practical use in some situations. CFD is found to be a valuable tool to evaluate the drag of different cyclist positions and to investigate the influence of small adjustments in the cyclist's position. A strong advantage of CFD is that detailed flow field information is obtained, which cannot easily be obtained from wind-tunnel tests. This detailed information allows more insight in the causes of the drag force and provides better guidance for position improvements. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrologic evaluation of a hypothetical coal-mining site near Chrisney, Spencer County, Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zogorski, John S.; Ramey, Daniel S.; Lambert, Paul W.; Martin, Jeffrey D.; Warner, Robert E.

1980-01-01

was completed to improve the understanding of the kinds of information needed to make such assessments by: (a) reviewing the regulations to determine what hydrologic information is required; (b) preparing an example hydrologic assessment based on the regulations; and (c) using the experience gained in (a) and (b) to identify areas lacking or needing additional data to make the required assessment. Hydrologic data for the study area were obtained from published and unpublished reports, maps, aerial photographs, personal interviews with residents in the area of the hypothetical mine site, and discussions with experts in the field. Where data were unavailable, "synthetic" data were generated by extrapolation from proximate or similar watersheds and (or) by assumptions based on experience or theory. Some field data were collected to corroborate and augment information originating from all these sources.

Enhancing audiovisual experience with haptic feedback: a survey on HAV.

PubMed

Danieau, F; Lecuyer, A; Guillotel, P; Fleureau, J; Mollet, N; Christie, M

2013-01-01

Haptic technology has been widely employed in applications ranging from teleoperation and medical simulation to art and design, including entertainment, flight simulation, and virtual reality. Today there is a growing interest among researchers in integrating haptic feedback into audiovisual systems. A new medium emerges from this effort: haptic-audiovisual (HAV) content. This paper presents the techniques, formalisms, and key results pertinent to this medium. We first review the three main stages of the HAV workflow: the production, distribution, and rendering of haptic effects. We then highlight the pressing necessity for evaluation techniques in this context and discuss the key challenges in the field. By building on existing technologies and tackling the specific challenges of the enhancement of audiovisual experience with haptics, we believe the field presents exciting research perspectives whose financial and societal stakes are significant.

Field Testing of a Two-Micron DIAL System for Profiling Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Refaat, Tamer F.; Ismail, Syed; Koch, Grady J.; Diaz, Liza; Davis, Ken; Rubio, Manuel

2010-01-01

A 2-m DIAL system has been developed at NASA Langley Research Center through the NASA Instrument Incubator Program. The system utilizes a tunable 2-m pulsed laser and an IR phototransistor for the transmitter and the receiver, respectively. The system targets the CO2 absorption line R22 in the 2.05-m band. Field experiments were conducted at West Branch, Iowa, for evaluating the system for CO2 measurement by comparison with in-situ sensors. The CO2 in-situ sensors were located on the NOAA's WBI tower at 31, 99 and 379 m altitudes, besides the NOAA s aircraft was sampling at higher altitudes. Preliminary results demonstrated the capabilities of the DIAL system in profiling atmospheric CO2 using the 2-m wavelength. Results of these experiments will be presented and discussed.

Hazards in Motion: Development of Mobile Geofences for Use in Logging Safety

PubMed Central

Zimbelman, Eloise G.; Keefe, Robert F.; Strand, Eva K.; Kolden, Crystal A.; Wempe, Ann M.

2017-01-01

Logging is one of the most hazardous occupations in the United States. Real-time positioning that uses global navigation satellite system (GNSS) technology paired with radio frequency transmission (GNSS-RF) has the potential to reduce fatal and non-fatal accidents on logging operations through the use of geofences that define safe work areas. Until recently, most geofences have been static boundaries. The aim of this study was to evaluate factors affecting mobile geofence accuracy in order to determine whether virtual safety zones around moving ground workers or equipment are a viable option for improving situational awareness on active timber sales. We evaluated the effects of walking pace, transmission interval, geofence radius, and intersection angle on geofence alert delay using a replicated field experiment. Simulation was then used to validate field results and calculate the proportion of GNSS error bearings resulting in early alerts. The interaction of geofence radius and intersection angle affected safety geofence alert delay in the field experiment. The most inaccurate alerts were negative, representing early warning. The magnitude of this effect was largest at the greatest intersection angles. Simulation analysis supported these field results and also showed that larger GNSS error corresponded to greater variability in alert delay. Increasing intersection angle resulted in a larger proportion of directional GNSS error that triggered incorrect, early warnings. Because the accuracy of geofence alerts varied greatly depending on GNSS error and angle of approach, geofencing for occupational safety is most appropriate for general situational awareness unless real-time correction methods to improve accuracy or higher quality GNSS-RF transponders are used. PMID:28394303

TThe role of nitrogen availability in land-atmosphere interactions: a systematic evaluation of carbon-nitrogen coupling in a global land surface model using plot-level nitrogen fertilization experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, R. Q.; Goodale, C. L.; Bonan, G. B.; Mahowald, N. M.; Ricciuto, D. M.; Thornton, P. E.

2010-12-01

Recent research from global land surface models emphasizes the important role of nitrogen cycling on global climate, via its control on the terrestrial carbon balance. Despite the implications of nitrogen cycling on global climate predictions, the research community has not performed a systematic evaluation of nitrogen cycling in global models. Here, we present such an evaluation for one global land model, CLM-CN. In the evaluation we simulated 45 plot-scale nitrogen-fertilization experiments distributed across 33 temperate and boreal forest sites. Model predictions were evaluated against field observations by comparing the vegetation and soil carbon responses to the additional nitrogen. Aggregated across all experiments, the model predicted a larger vegetation carbon response and a smaller soil carbon response than observed; the responses partially offset each other, leading to a slightly larger total ecosystem carbon response than observed. However, the model-observation agreement improved for vegetation carbon when the sites with observed negative carbon responses to nitrogen were excluded, which may be because the model lacks mechanisms whereby nitrogen additions increase tree mortality. Among experiments, younger forests and boreal forests’ vegetation carbon responses were less than predicted and mature forests (> 40 years old) were greater than predicted. Specific to the CLM-CN, this study used a systematic evaluation to identify key areas to focus model development, especially soil carbon- nitrogen interactions and boreal forest nitrogen cycling. Applicable to the modeling community, this study demonstrates a standardized protocol for comparing carbon-nitrogen interactions among global land models.

Efficient vitrification of mouse embryos using the Kitasato Vitrification System as a novel vitrification device.

PubMed

Momozawa, Kenji; Matsuzawa, Atsushi; Tokunaga, Yukio; Abe, Shiori; Koyanagi, Yumi; Kurita, Miho; Nakano, Marina; Miyake, Takao

2017-04-24

Currently, the cryopreservation of embryos and oocytes is essential for assisted reproductive technology (ART) laboratories worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the Kitasato Vitrification System (KVS) as a vitrification device for the cryopreservation of mouse embryos to determine whether this novel device can be adapted to the field of ART. In Experiment 1, blastocysts were vitrified using the KVS. Vitrified blastocysts were warmed and subsequently cultured for 72 h. In Experiment 2, 2-cell-stage embryos were vitrified using the KVS, and vitrified embryos were warmed and subsequently cultured for 96 h. In Experiment 3, we evaluated the in vivo developmental potential of vitrified 2-cell-stage embryos using the KVS, and in Experiment 4, we evaluated the cooling and warming rates for these devices using a numerical simulation. In Experiment 1, there were no significant differences between the survival rates of the KVS and a control device. However, re-expanded (100%) and hatching (91.8%) rates were significantly higher for blastocysts vitrified using the KVS. In Experiment 2, there were no significant differences between the survival rates, or rates of development to the blastocyst stage, of vitrified and fresh embryos. In Experiment 3, after embryo transfer, 41% of the embryos developed into live offspring. In Experiment 4, the cooling and warming rates of the KVS were 683,000 and 612,000 °C/min, respectively, exceeding those of the control device. Our study clearly demonstrates that the KVS is a novel vitrification device for the cryopreservation of mouse embryos at the blastocyst and 2-cell stage.

LNG vapor barrier and obstacle evaluation: Wind-tunnel simulation of 1987 Falcon Spill Series. Final report, July 1987-February 1991

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

Shin, S.H.; Meroney, R.N.; Neff, D.E.

1991-03-01

Measurements of the behavior of simulated liquefied natural gas clouds dispersing over small-scale model placed in environmental wind tunnels permits evaluations of the fluid physics of dense cloud movement and dispersion in a controlled environment. A large data base on the interaction of simulated LNG plumes with the Falcon test configuration of vapor barrier fences and vortex generators was obtained. The purpose of the reported test program is to provide post-field-spill wind tunnel experiments to augment the LNG Vapor Fence Field Program data obtained during the Falcon Test Series in 1987. The goal of the program is to determine themore » probable response of a dense LNG Vapor cloud to vortex inducer obstacles and fences, examine the sensitivity of results to various scaling arguments which might augment limit, or extend the value of the field and wind-tunnel tests, and identify important details of the spill behavior which were not predicted during the pretest planning phase.« less

A field method using microcosms to evaluate transfer of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn from sewage sludge amended forest soils to Helix aspersa snails.

PubMed

Scheifler, R; Ben Brahim, M; Gomot-de Vaufleury, A; Carnus, J-M; Badot, P-M

2003-01-01

Juvenile Helix aspersa snails exposed in field microcosms were used to assess the transfer of Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn from forest soils amended with liquid and composted sewage sludge. Zn concentrations and contents were significantly higher in snails exposed to liquid and composted sludge after 5 and 7 weeks of exposure, when compared with control. Trends were less clear for the other metals. Present results show that Zn, among the cocktail of metallic trace elements (MTE) coming from sewage sludge disposal, represents the principal concern for food chain transfer and secondary poisoning risks. The microcosm design used in this experiment was well suited for relatively long-term (about 2 months) active biomonitoring with H. aspersa snails. The snails quickly indicated the variations of MTE concentrations in their immediate environment. Therefore, the present study provides a simple but efficient field tool to evaluate MTE bioavailability and transfer.

Evaluation of Turner relaxed state as a model of long-lived ion-trapping structures in plasma focus and Z-pinches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Auluck, S. K. H.

2011-03-01

Relatively long-lived spheroidal structures coincident with the neutron emission phase have been observed in frozen deuterium fiber Z-pinch and some plasma focus devices. Existence of energetic ion-trapping mechanism in plasma focus has also been inferred from experimental data. It has been conjectured that these are related phenomena. This paper applies Turner's theory [L. Turner, IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci. 14, 849 (1986)] of relaxation of a Hall magnetofluid to construct a model of these structures and ion-trapping mechanism. Turner's solution modified for a finite-length plasma is used to obtain expressions for the magnetic field, velocity, and equilibrium pressure fields and is shown to represent an entity which is simultaneously a fluid vortex, a force-free magnetic field, a confined finite-pressure plasma, a charged object, and a trapped energetic ion beam. Characteristic features expected from diagnostic experiments are evaluated and shown to resemble experimental observations.

Field Evaluation of Highly Insulating Windows in the Lab Homes: Winter Experiment

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

Parker, Graham B.; Widder, Sarah H.; Bauman, Nathan N.

2012-06-01

This field evaluation of highly insulating windows was undertaken in a matched pair of 'Lab Homes' located on the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) campus during the 2012 winter heating season. Improving the insulation and solar heat gain characteristics of a home's windows has the potential to significantly improve the home's building envelope and overall thermal performance by reducing heat loss (in the winter), and cooling loss and solar heat gain (in the summer) through the windows. A high quality installation and/or window retrofit will also minimize or reduce air leakage through the window cavity and thus also contribute tomore » reduced heat loss in the winter and cooling loss in the summer. These improvements all contribute to decreasing overall annual home energy use. Occupant comfort (non-quantifiable) can also be increased by minimizing or eliminating the cold 'draft' (temperature) many residents experience at or near window surfaces that are at a noticeably lower temperature than the room air temperature. Lastly, although not measured in this experiment, highly insulating windows (triple-pane in this experiment) also have the potential to significantly reduce the noise transmittance through windows compared to standard double-pane windows. The metered data taken in the Lab Homes and data analysis presented here represent 70 days of data taken during the 2012 heating season. As such, the savings from highly insulating windows in the experimental home (Lab Home B) compared to the standard double-pane clear glass windows in the baseline home (Lab Home A) are only a portion of the energy savings expected from a year-long experiment that would include a cooling season. The cooling season experiment will take place in the homes in the summer of 2012, and results of that experiment will be reported in a subsequent report available to all stakeholders.« less

The experience of Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) members.

PubMed

Ladebue, Amy C; Helfrich, Christian D; Gerdes, Zachary T; Fihn, Stephan D; Nelson, Karin M; Sayre, George G

2016-01-01

In April 2010, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) launched the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) initiative to implement a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model. Few evaluations have addressed the effects of PCMH on health care professionals' experiences. The aim of this study was to contribute to evaluation of the PACT initiative and the broader literature on PCMH by assessing respondents' experiences of implementing a PCMH model and becoming a teamlet. A retrospective qualitative analysis of open-text responses in a survey fielded to all VHA Primary Care personnel (VHA Primary Care physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse care managers, clinical associates, and administrative clerks) in May and June 2012 (approximately 2 years into the 5-year planned implementation of PACT) using deductive and inductive content analysis. The main measures were two open-response fields: "Is there anything else you would like us to relay to the VA leadership in Central Office?" and "Do you have any other comments or feedback on PACT?" The data consisted of free text responses of 3,868 survey participants who provided text for one or both of the open-response fields. Although respondents viewed PACT positively as a model and reported it improved relationships with patients and increased patient satisfaction, they described multiple barriers to achieving functioning teamlets and unintended consequences, including reduced time with patients, increased participant burnout, and decreased team efficacy because of low-performing team members. A central theme related to staffing being insufficient for the new model. Insufficient staffing of PCMH teams is a critical barrier to realizing the benefits of the new model. Frontline staff have concrete recommendations for other problems, such as using back-up teams to cover during absences, but that will require providing more opportunities for feedback from staff to be heard.

An anaerobic field injection experiment in a landfill leachate plume, Grindsted, Denmark: 2. Deduction of anaerobic (methanogenic, sulfate-, and Fe (III)-reducing) redox conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albrechtsen, Hans-JøRgen; Bjerg, Poul L.; Ludvigsen, Liselotte; Rügge, Kirsten; Christensen, Thomas H.

1999-04-01

Redox conditions may be environmental factors which affect the fate of the xenobiotic organic compounds. Therefore the redox conditions were characterized in an anaerobic, leachate-contaminated aquifer 15-60 m downgradient from the Grindsted Landfill, Denmark, where an field injection experiment was carried out. Furthermore, the stability of the redox conditions spatially and over time were investigated, and different approaches to deduce the redox conditions were evaluated. The redox conditions were evaluated in a set of 20 sediment and groundwater samples taken from locations adjacent to the sediment samples. Samples were investigated with respect to groundwater chemistry, including hydrogen and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and sediment geochemistry, and bioassays were performed. The groundwater chemistry, including redox sensitive species for a large number of samples, varied over time during the experimental period of 924 days owing to variations in the leachate from the landfill. However, no indication of change in the redox environment resulting from the field injection experiment or natural variation was observed in the individual sampling points. The methane, Fe(II), hydrogen, and VFA groundwater chemistry parameters strongly indicated a Fe(III)-reducing environment. This was further supported by the bioassays, although methane production and sulfate-reduction were also observed in a few samples close to the landfill. On the basis of the calculated carbon conversion, Fe(III) was the dominant electron acceptor in the region of the aquifer, which was investigated. Because of the complexity of a landfill leachate plume, several redox processes may occur simultaneously, and an array of methods must be applied for redox characterization in such multicomponent systems.

Quantitative evaluation of hepatic cytochrome P4501A transcript, protein, and catalytic activity in the striped sea bream (Lithognathus mormyrus).

PubMed

Tom, Moshe; Shmul, Merav; Shefer, Edna; Chen, Nir; Slor, Hanoch; Rinkevich, Baruch; Herut, Barak

2003-09-01

Hepatic cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) expression was partially characterized in the striped sea bream (Lithognathus mormyrus) from the Mediterranean coast of Israel as part of the process of establishing the CYP1A gene as an environmental biomarker. Reverse transcription-competitive polymerase chain reaction, competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) assay were used for evaluating transcript, protein, and catalytic activity levels, respectively, in absolute units. Highest elucidated transcript, protein, and catalytic activity levels were 0.264 +/- SD 0.084 fmol/microg total RNA, 0.88 +/- 0.52 pmol/microg total protein, and 1.11 +/- 0.52 pmol resorufin/min/microg total protein, respectively, and the lower levels were 0.009 +/- 0.007 fmol/microg total RNA, 0.17 +/- 0.08 pmol/microg total protein, and 0.11 +/- 0.06 pmol resorufin/min/microg total protein, respectively, demonstrating substantial induction potential. All alternate pairs of seven examined field samples, revealing a transcript-level ratio higher than 1.7, also demonstrated a significant difference between their transcript levels, indicating a potential to detect relatively small biomarker changes (1.7-fold) caused by environmental effects. Simultaneous triple measurements of transcript, protein, and catalytic activity were carried out in individuals from two field samples and during a 318-d decay experiment. Fish from the field samples revealed significant alternate bivariate correlation between transcript, protein, and enzymatic activity. Conflicting results were found when analyzing the decay experiment, in which both protein and catalytic activity levels decreased significantly to basal levels, in contrast to no significant change in transcript levels throughout the experiment. No significant difference was observed between males and females regarding the levels of CYP1A transcript, protein, and EROD.

Data assimilation and model evaluation experiment datasets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lai, Chung-Cheng A.; Qian, Wen; Glenn, Scott M.

1994-01-01

The Institute for Naval Oceanography, in cooperation with Naval Research Laboratories and universities, executed the Data Assimilation and Model Evaluation Experiment (DAMEE) for the Gulf Stream region during fiscal years 1991-1993. Enormous effort has gone into the preparation of several high-quality and consistent datasets for model initialization and verification. This paper describes the preparation process, the temporal and spatial scopes, the contents, the structure, etc., of these datasets. The goal of DAMEE and the need of data for the four phases of experiment are briefly stated. The preparation of DAMEE datasets consisted of a series of processes: (1) collection of observational data; (2) analysis and interpretation; (3) interpolation using the Optimum Thermal Interpolation System package; (4) quality control and re-analysis; and (5) data archiving and software documentation. The data products from these processes included a time series of 3D fields of temperature and salinity, 2D fields of surface dynamic height and mixed-layer depth, analysis of the Gulf Stream and rings system, and bathythermograph profiles. To date, these are the most detailed and high-quality data for mesoscale ocean modeling, data assimilation, and forecasting research. Feedback from ocean modeling groups who tested this data was incorporated into its refinement. Suggestions for DAMEE data usages include (1) ocean modeling and data assimilation studies, (2) diagnosis and theoretical studies, and (3) comparisons with locally detailed observations.

Field evaluation of the nematicide fluensulfone for control of the potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida.

PubMed

Norshie, Patrick M; Grove, Ivan G; Back, Matthew A

2016-10-01

Three field experiments evaluated the performance of the nematicide fluensulfone against the potato cyst nematode Globodera pallida in Shropshire, England. Experiments 1 and 2 showed reduced root infection and lowered multiplication of G. pallida following fluensulfone (Nimitz 15G(®) ) soil treatments at five rates (1.95, 3.00, 4.05 (full rate), 5.05 and 6.00 kg AI ha(-1) ) and Nimitz 480EC(®) at the full rate. Experiment 3 demonstrated a positive interaction between the full rate of Nimitz 15G and the potato variety Santé in the reduction of G. pallida. The fluensulfone treatments at the full rate had more consistent effects than the lower rates, and there were no greater effects for the treatments higher than this full rate. Generally, fluensulfone was less efficacious than oxamyl or fosthiazate, which suggests that the treatment may not be reliably integrated within shorter potato rotations. The data suggest that fluensulfone soil application could make a useful addition to the few available nematicide treatments for the control of G. pallida rather than be a substitute for these treatments.© 2016 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Bi-color near infrared thermoreflectometry: a method for true temperature field measurement.

PubMed

Sentenac, Thierry; Gilblas, Rémi; Hernandez, Daniel; Le Maoult, Yannick

2012-12-01

In a context of radiative temperature field measurement, this paper deals with an innovative method, called bicolor near infrared thermoreflectometry, for the measurement of true temperature fields without prior knowledge of the emissivity field of an opaque material. This method is achieved by a simultaneous measurement, in the near infrared spectral band, of the radiance temperature fields and of the emissivity fields measured indirectly by reflectometry. The theoretical framework of the method is introduced and the principle of the measurements at two wavelengths is detailed. The crucial features of the indirect measurement of emissivity are the measurement of bidirectional reflectivities in a single direction and the introduction of an unknown variable, called the "diffusion factor." Radiance temperature and bidirectional reflectivities are then merged into a bichromatic system based on Kirchhoff's laws. The assumption of the system, based on the invariance of the diffusion factor for two near wavelengths, and the value of the chosen wavelengths, are then discussed in relation to a database of several material properties. A thermoreflectometer prototype was developed, dimensioned, and evaluated. Experiments were carried out to outline its trueness in challenging cases. First, experiments were performed on a metallic sample with a high emissivity value. The bidirectional reflectivity was then measured from low signals. The results on erbium oxide demonstrate the power of the method with materials with high emissivity variations in near infrared spectral band.

Scaling methane oxidation: From laboratory incubation experiments to landfill cover field conditions

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

Abichou, Tarek, E-mail: abichou@eng.fsu.edu; Mahieu, Koenraad; Chanton, Jeff

2011-05-15

Evaluating field-scale methane oxidation in landfill cover soils using numerical models is gaining interest in the solid waste industry as research has made it clear that methane oxidation in the field is a complex function of climatic conditions, soil type, cover design, and incoming flux of landfill gas from the waste mass. Numerical models can account for these parameters as they change with time and space under field conditions. In this study, we developed temperature, and water content correction factors for methane oxidation parameters. We also introduced a possible correction to account for the different soil structure under field conditions.more » These parameters were defined in laboratory incubation experiments performed on homogenized soil specimens and were used to predict the actual methane oxidation rates to be expected under field conditions. Water content and temperature corrections factors were obtained for the methane oxidation rate parameter to be used when modeling methane oxidation in the field. To predict in situ measured rates of methane with the model it was necessary to set the half saturation constant of methane and oxygen, K{sub m}, to 5%, approximately five times larger than laboratory measured values. We hypothesize that this discrepancy reflects differences in soil structure between homogenized soil conditions in the lab and actual aggregated soil structure in the field. When all of these correction factors were re-introduced into the oxidation module of our model, it was able to reproduce surface emissions (as measured by static flux chambers) and percent oxidation (as measured by stable isotope techniques) within the range measured in the field.« less

Characterizing roots and water uptake in a ground cover rice production system

PubMed Central

Li, Sen; Zuo, Qiang; Wang, Xiaoyu; Ma, Wenwen; Jin, Xinxin; Shi, Jianchu; Ben-Gal, Alon

2017-01-01

Background and aims Water-saving ground cover rice production systems (GCRPS) are gaining popularity in many parts of the world. We aimed to describe the characteristics of root growth, morphology, distribution, and water uptake for a GCRPS. Methods A traditional paddy rice production system (TPRPS) was compared with GCRPS in greenhouse and field experiments. In the greenhouse, GCRPS where root zone average soil water content was kept near saturation (GCRPSsat), field capacity (GCRPSfwc) and 80% field capacity (GCRPS80%), were evaluated. In a two-year field experiment, GCRPSsat and GCRPS80% were applied. Results Similar results were found in greenhouse and field experiments. Before mid-tillering the upper soil temperature was higher for GCRPS, leading to enhanced root dry weight, length, surface area, specific root length, and smaller diameter of roots but lower water uptake rate per root length compared to TPRPS. In subsequent growth stages, the reduced soil water content under GCRPS caused that the preponderance of root growth under GCRPSsat disappeared in comparison to TPRPS. Under other GCRPS treatments (GCRPSfwc and GCRPS80%), significant limitation on root growth, bigger root diameter and higher water uptake rate per root length were found. Conclusions Discrepancies in soil water and temperature between TPRPS and GCRPS caused adjustments to root growth, morphology, distribution and function. Even though drought stress was inevitable after mid-tillering under GCRPS, especially GCRPS80%, similar or even enhanced root water uptake capacity in comparison to TPRPS might promote allocation of photosynthetic products to shoots and increase water productivity. PMID:28686687

Efficient pre-ionization by direct X-B mode conversion in VEST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jo, JongGab; Lee, H. Y.; Kim, S. C.; Kim, S. H.; An, Y. H.; Hwang, Y. S.

2017-01-01

Pre-ionization experiments with pure toroidal field have been carried out in VEST (Versatile Experiment Spherical Torus) to investigate the feasibility of direct XB mode conversion from perpendicular LFS (Low Field Side) injection for efficient pre-ionization. Pre-ionization plasmas are studied by measuring the electron density and temperature profiles with respect to microwave power and toroidal field strength, and 2D full wave cold plasma simulation using the COMSOL Multiphysics is performed for the comparison. It is experimentally figured out that exceeding the threshold microwave power (>3 kW), the parametric decay and localized collisional heating is observed near the UHR (Upper Hybrid Resonance), and the efficient XB mode conversion can be achieved in both short density scale length (Ln) and magnetic scale length (LB) region positioned at outboard and inboard sides, respectively. From the 2D full wave simulations, the reflection and tunneling of X-wave near the R-cutoff layer according to the measured electron density profiles are analyzed with electric field polarization and power flow. Threshold electric field and wave power density for parametric decay are evaluated at least more than 4.8 × 104 V/m and 100 W/cm2, respectively. This study shows that efficient pre-ionization schemes using direct XB mode conversion can be realized by considering the key factors such as Ln, LB, and transmitted wave power at the UHR. Application to Ohmic start-up experiment is carried out to confirm the effect of the pre-ionization schemes on tokamak plasma start-up in VEST.

Evaluating the Effects of Immersive Embodied Interaction on Cognition in Virtual Reality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parmar, Dhaval

Virtual reality is on its advent of becoming mainstream household technology, as technologies such as head-mounted displays, trackers, and interaction devices are becoming affordable and easily available. Virtual reality (VR) has immense potential in enhancing the fields of education and training, and its power can be used to spark interest and enthusiasm among learners. It is, therefore, imperative to evaluate the risks and benefits that immersive virtual reality poses to the field of education. Research suggests that learning is an embodied process. Learning depends on grounded aspects of the body including action, perception, and interactions with the environment. This research aims to study if immersive embodiment through the means of virtual reality facilitates embodied cognition. A pedagogical VR solution which takes advantage of embodied cognition can lead to enhanced learning benefits. Towards achieving this goal, this research presents a linear continuum for immersive embodied interaction within virtual reality. This research evaluates the effects of three levels of immersive embodied interactions on cognitive thinking, presence, usability, and satisfaction among users in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. Results from the presented experiments show that immersive virtual reality is greatly effective in knowledge acquisition and retention, and highly enhances user satisfaction, interest and enthusiasm. Users experience high levels of presence and are profoundly engaged in the learning activities within the immersive virtual environments. The studies presented in this research evaluate pedagogical VR software to train and motivate students in STEM education, and provide an empirical analysis comparing desktop VR (DVR), immersive VR (IVR), and immersive embodied VR (IEVR) conditions for learning. This research also proposes a fully immersive embodied interaction metaphor (IEIVR) for learning of computational concepts as a future direction, and presents the challenges faced in implementing the IEIVR metaphor due to extended periods of immersion. Results from the conducted studies help in formulating guidelines for virtual reality and education researchers working in STEM education and training, and for educators and curriculum developers seeking to improve student engagement in the STEM fields.

[Participation, knowledge production, and evaluative research: participation by different actors in a mental health study].

PubMed

Furtado, Juarez Pereira; Campos, Rosana Onocko

2008-11-01

This article reflects on the interrelations between participation, knowledge production, and public policy evaluation in light of issues from our own experience with evaluative research on a municipal network of Psychosocial Care Centers (CAPS) in Brazil. The article discusses the coordination of the complex process and the potentials and limits of partnerships for conducting qualitative evaluative studies in mental health with participation by different social actors. The authors conclude that qualitative evaluative research aligned with the perspective of including different points of view representing various segments is the best approach for understanding the numerous spin-offs from the implementation of services linked to the Brazilian psychiatric reform movement, given the inherent specificities of the mental health field.

Evaluating four gap-filling methods for eddy covariance measurements of evapotranspiration over hilly crop fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boudhina, Nissaf; Zitouna-Chebbi, Rim; Mekki, Insaf; Jacob, Frédéric; Ben Mechlia, Nétij; Masmoudi, Moncef; Prévot, Laurent

2018-06-01

Estimating evapotranspiration in hilly watersheds is paramount for managing water resources, especially in semiarid/subhumid regions. The eddy covariance (EC) technique allows continuous measurements of latent heat flux (LE). However, time series of EC measurements often experience large portions of missing data because of instrumental malfunctions or quality filtering. Existing gap-filling methods are questionable over hilly crop fields because of changes in airflow inclination and subsequent aerodynamic properties. We evaluated the performances of different gap-filling methods before and after tailoring to conditions of hilly crop fields. The tailoring consisted of splitting the LE time series beforehand on the basis of upslope and downslope winds. The experiment was setup within an agricultural hilly watershed in northeastern Tunisia. EC measurements were collected throughout the growth cycle of three wheat crops, two of them located in adjacent fields on opposite hillslopes, and the third one located in a flat field. We considered four gap-filling methods: the REddyProc method, the linear regression between LE and net radiation (Rn), the multi-linear regression of LE against the other energy fluxes, and the use of evaporative fraction (EF). Regardless of the method, the splitting of the LE time series did not impact the gap-filling rate, and it might improve the accuracies on LE retrievals in some cases. Regardless of the method, the obtained accuracies on LE estimates after gap filling were close to instrumental accuracies, and they were comparable to those reported in previous studies over flat and mountainous terrains. Overall, REddyProc was the most appropriate method, for both gap-filling rate and retrieval accuracy. Thus, it seems possible to conduct gap filling for LE time series collected over hilly crop fields, provided the LE time series are split beforehand on the basis of upslope-downslope winds. Future works should address consecutive vegetation growth cycles for a larger panel of conditions in terms of climate, vegetation, and water status.

Wavespace-Based Coherent Deconvolution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bahr, Christopher J.; Cattafesta, Louis N., III

2012-01-01

Array deconvolution is commonly used in aeroacoustic analysis to remove the influence of a microphone array's point spread function from a conventional beamforming map. Unfortunately, the majority of deconvolution algorithms assume that the acoustic sources in a measurement are incoherent, which can be problematic for some aeroacoustic phenomena with coherent, spatially-distributed characteristics. While several algorithms have been proposed to handle coherent sources, some are computationally intractable for many problems while others require restrictive assumptions about the source field. Newer generalized inverse techniques hold promise, but are still under investigation for general use. An alternate coherent deconvolution method is proposed based on a wavespace transformation of the array data. Wavespace analysis offers advantages over curved-wave array processing, such as providing an explicit shift-invariance in the convolution of the array sampling function with the acoustic wave field. However, usage of the wavespace transformation assumes the acoustic wave field is accurately approximated as a superposition of plane wave fields, regardless of true wavefront curvature. The wavespace technique leverages Fourier transforms to quickly evaluate a shift-invariant convolution. The method is derived for and applied to ideal incoherent and coherent plane wave fields to demonstrate its ability to determine magnitude and relative phase of multiple coherent sources. Multi-scale processing is explored as a means of accelerating solution convergence. A case with a spherical wave front is evaluated. Finally, a trailing edge noise experiment case is considered. Results show the method successfully deconvolves incoherent, partially-coherent, and coherent plane wave fields to a degree necessary for quantitative evaluation. Curved wave front cases warrant further investigation. A potential extension to nearfield beamforming is proposed.

Effects on Freshwater Organisms of Magnetic Fields Associated with Hydrokinetic Turbines

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

Cada, Glenn F; Bevelhimer, Mark S; Riemer, Kristina P

2011-07-01

Underwater cables will be used to transmit electricity between turbines in an array (interturbine cables), between the array and a submerged step-up transformer (if part of the design), and from the transformer or array to shore. All types of electrical transmitting cables (as well as the generator itself) will emit EMF into the surrounding water. The electric current will induce magnetic fields in the immediate vicinity, which may affect the behavior or viability of animals. Because direct electrical field emissions can be prevented by shielding and armoring, we focused our studies on the magnetic fields that are unavoidably induced bymore » electric current moving through a generator or transmission cable. These initial experiments were carried out to evaluate whether a static magnetic field, such as would be produced by a direct current (DC) transmitting cable, would affect the behavior of common freshwater fish and invertebrates.« less

Background field removal technique based on non-regularized variable kernels sophisticated harmonic artifact reduction for phase data for quantitative susceptibility mapping.

PubMed

Kan, Hirohito; Arai, Nobuyuki; Takizawa, Masahiro; Omori, Kazuyoshi; Kasai, Harumasa; Kunitomo, Hiroshi; Hirose, Yasujiro; Shibamoto, Yuta

2018-06-11

We developed a non-regularized, variable kernel, sophisticated harmonic artifact reduction for phase data (NR-VSHARP) method to accurately estimate local tissue fields without regularization for quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM). We then used a digital brain phantom to evaluate the accuracy of the NR-VSHARP method, and compared it with the VSHARP and iterative spherical mean value (iSMV) methods through in vivo human brain experiments. Our proposed NR-VSHARP method, which uses variable spherical mean value (SMV) kernels, minimizes L2 norms only within the volume of interest to reduce phase errors and save cortical information without regularization. In a numerical phantom study, relative local field and susceptibility map errors were determined using NR-VSHARP, VSHARP, and iSMV. Additionally, various background field elimination methods were used to image the human brain. In a numerical phantom study, the use of NR-VSHARP considerably reduced the relative local field and susceptibility map errors throughout a digital whole brain phantom, compared with VSHARP and iSMV. In the in vivo experiment, the NR-VSHARP-estimated local field could sufficiently achieve minimal boundary losses and phase error suppression throughout the brain. Moreover, the susceptibility map generated using NR-VSHARP minimized the occurrence of streaking artifacts caused by insufficient background field removal. Our proposed NR-VSHARP method yields minimal boundary losses and highly precise phase data. Our results suggest that this technique may facilitate high-quality QSM. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

National Institutes of Health Pathways to Prevention Workshop: Methods for Evaluating Natural Experiments in Obesity.

PubMed

Emmons, Karen M; Doubeni, Chyke A; Fernandez, Maria E; Miglioretti, Diana L; Samet, Jonathan M

2018-06-05

On 5 and 6 December 2017, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) convened the Pathways to Prevention Workshop: Methods for Evaluating Natural Experiments in Obesity to identify the status of methods for assessing natural experiments to reduce obesity, areas in which these methods could be improved, and research needs for advancing the field. This article considers findings from a systematic evidence review on methods for evaluating natural experiments in obesity, workshop presentations by experts and stakeholders, and public comment. Research gaps are identified, and recommendations related to 4 key issues are provided. Recommendations on population-based data sources and data integration include maximizing use and sharing of existing surveillance and research databases and ensuring significant effort to integrate and link databases. Recommendations on measurement include use of standardized and validated measures of obesity-related outcomes and exposures, systematic measurement of co-benefits and unintended consequences, and expanded use of validated technologies for measurement. Study design recommendations include improving guidance, documentation, and communication about methods used; increasing use of designs that minimize bias in natural experiments; and more carefully selecting control groups. Cross-cutting recommendations target activities that the NIH and other funders might undertake to improve the rigor of natural experiments in obesity, including training and collaboration on modeling and causal inference, promoting the importance of community engagement in the conduct of natural experiments, ensuring maintenance of relevant surveillance systems, and supporting extended follow-up assessments for exemplar natural experiments. To combat the significant public health threat posed by obesity, researchers should continue to take advantage of natural experiments. The recommendations in this report aim to strengthen evidence from such studies.

Gas Transport through Fractured Rock near the U20az Borehole, Pahute Mesa, Nevada.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rockhold, M.; Lowrey, J. D.; Kirkham, R.; Olsen, K.; Waichler, S.; White, M. D.; Wurstner White, S.

2017-12-01

Field experiments were performed in 2012-13 and 2016-17 at the U-20az testbed at the Nevada National Security Site to develop and evaluate capabilities for monitoring and modeling noble gas transport associated with underground nuclear explosions (UNE). Experiments were performed by injecting both chemical (CF2BR2, SF6) and radioactive (37Ar, 127Xe) gas species into the deep subsurface at this legacy UNE site and monitoring the breakthrough of the gases at different locations on or near the ground surface. Gas pressures were also monitored in both the chimney and at ground surface. Field experiments were modeled using the parallel, non-isothermal, two-phase flow and transport simulator, STOMP-GT. A site conceptual-numerical model was developed from a geologic framework model, and using a dual-porosity/permeability model for the constitutive relative permeability-saturation-capillary pressure relations of the fractured rock units. Comparisons of observed and simulated gas species concentrations show that diffusion is a highly effective transport mechanism under ambient conditions in the water-unsaturated fractured rock. Over-pressurization of the cavity during one of the field campaigns, and barometric pressure fluctuations are shown to result in enhanced gas transport by advection through fractures.

Removal of microbial pathogens in a sandy gravel aquifer under forced-gradient subsurface flow conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oudega, Thomas James; Derx, Julia; van Driezum, Inge; Cisneros, Anibal; Sommer, Regina; Kirschner, Alexander; Farnleitner, Andreas; Blaschke, Alfred Paul

2017-04-01

Subsurface media are being used around the world as a means to mitigate microbial contamination, but vary widely in their ability to remove pathogens. To help to provide accurate risk assessments of microbial contamination of groundwaters, and establish safe setback distances between receiving waters and disposal fields, this study aims to use aquifer tracer tests to evaluate the ability of subsurface media to attenuate these pathogens. The novelty of this work is the use of a variety of different tracer substances (e.g. phages, spores, microspheres, conservative tracers) together in field experiments. This will be done by means of injecting these substances under a forced gradient in a sandy gravel aquifer in Lobau, Austria. The extraction of the tracers will be monitored in a pumping well at a distrance of 50m downgradient. This will be able to provide us with insight to the characteristics of microbial transport and how the microorganisms react to the subsurface in the study site. Subsequent numerical modelling of the experiments can tell us more about quantification of subsurface processes such as attachment/detachment, inactivation and die-off of these substances. The first field experiment with conservative tracers (NaCl) has been carried out in December 2016, and subsequent tests are being planned for the next months.

Acoustic holography as a metrological tool for characterizing medical ultrasound sources and fields

PubMed Central

Sapozhnikov, Oleg A.; Tsysar, Sergey A.; Khokhlova, Vera A.; Kreider, Wayne

2015-01-01

Acoustic holography is a powerful technique for characterizing ultrasound sources and the fields they radiate, with the ability to quantify source vibrations and reduce the number of required measurements. These capabilities are increasingly appealing for meeting measurement standards in medical ultrasound; however, associated uncertainties have not been investigated systematically. Here errors associated with holographic representations of a linear, continuous-wave ultrasound field are studied. To facilitate the analysis, error metrics are defined explicitly, and a detailed description of a holography formulation based on the Rayleigh integral is provided. Errors are evaluated both for simulations of a typical therapeutic ultrasound source and for physical experiments with three different ultrasound sources. Simulated experiments explore sampling errors introduced by the use of a finite number of measurements, geometric uncertainties in the actual positions of acquired measurements, and uncertainties in the properties of the propagation medium. Results demonstrate the theoretical feasibility of keeping errors less than about 1%. Typical errors in physical experiments were somewhat larger, on the order of a few percent; comparison with simulations provides specific guidelines for improving the experimental implementation to reduce these errors. Overall, results suggest that holography can be implemented successfully as a metrological tool with small, quantifiable errors. PMID:26428789

A blended learning concept for an engineering course in the field of color representation and display technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vauderwange, Oliver; Wozniak, Peter; Javahiraly, Nicolas; Curticapean, Dan

2016-09-01

The Paper presents the design and development of a blended learning concept for an engineering course in the field of color representation and display technologies. A suitable learning environment is crucial for the success of the teaching scenario. A mixture of theoretical lectures and hands-on activities with practical applications and experiments, combined with the advantages of modern digital media is the main topic of the paper. Blended learning describes the didactical change of attendance periods and online periods. The e-learning environment for the online period is designed toward an easy access and interaction. Present digital media extends the established teaching scenarios and enables the presentation of videos, animations and augmented reality (AR). Visualizations are effective tools to impart learning contents with lasting effect. The preparation and evaluation of the theoretical lectures and the hands-on activities are stimulated and affects positively the attendance periods. The tasks and experiments require the students to work independently and to develop individual solution strategies. This engages and motivates the students, deepens the knowledge. The authors will present their experience with the implemented blended learning scenario in this field of optics and photonics. All aspects of the learning environment will be introduced.

Soil microbial C:N ratio is a robust indicator of soil productivity for paddy fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yong; Wu, Jinshui; Shen, Jianlin; Liu, Shoulong; Wang, Cong; Chen, Dan; Huang, Tieping; Zhang, Jiabao

2016-10-01

Maintaining good soil productivity in rice paddies is important for global food security. Numerous methods have been developed to evaluate paddy soil productivity (PSP), most based on soil physiochemical properties and relatively few on biological indices. Here, we used a long-term dataset from experiments on paddy fields at eight county sites and a short-term dataset from a single field experiment in southern China, and aimed at quantifying relationships between PSP and the ratios of carbon (C) to nutrients (N and P) in soil microbial biomass (SMB). In the long-term dataset, SMB variables generally showed stronger correlations with the relative PSP (rPSP) compared to soil chemical properties. Both correlation and variation partitioning analyses suggested that SMB N, P and C:N ratio were good predictors of rPSP. In the short-term dataset, we found a significant, negative correlation of annual rice yield with SMB C:N (r = -0.99), confirming SMB C:N as a robust indicator for PSP. In treatments of the short-term experiment, soil amendment with biochar lowered SMB C:N and improved PSP, while incorporation of rice straw increased SMB C:N and reduced PSP. We conclude that SMB C:N ratio does not only indicate PSP but also helps to identify management practices that improve PSP.

Evaluation of beam wobbling methods for heavy-ion radiotherapy.

PubMed

Yonai, Shunsuke; Kanematsu, Nobuyuki; Komori, Masataka; Kanai, Tatsuaki; Takei, Yuka; Takahashi, Osamu; Isobe, Yoshiharu; Tashiro, Mutsumi; Koikegami, Hajime; Tomita, Hideki

2008-03-01

The National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) has extensively studied carbon-ion radiotherapy at the Heavy-Ion Medical Accelerator in Chiba (HIMAC) with some positive outcomes, and has established its efficacy. Therefore, efforts to distribute the therapy to the general public should be made, for which it is essential to enable direct application of clinical and technological experiences obtained at NIRS. For widespread use, it is very important to reduce the cost through facility downsizing with minimal acceleration energy to deliver the HIMAC-equivalent clinical beams. For the beam delivery system, the requirement of miniaturization is translated to reduction in length while maintaining the clinically available field size and penetration range for range-modulated uniform broad beams of regular fields that are either circular or square for simplicity. In this paper, we evaluate the various wobbling methods including original improvements, especially for application to the compact facilities through the experimental and computational studies. The single-ring wobbling method used at HIMAC is the best one including a lot of experience at HIMAC but the residual range is a fatal problem in the case of a compact facility. On the other hand, uniform wobbling methods such as the spiral and zigzag wobbling methods are effective and suitable for a compact facility. Furthermore, these methods can be applied for treatment with passive range modulation including respiratory gated irradiation. In theory, the choice between the spiral and zigzag wobbling methods depends on the shape of the required irradiation field. However, we found that it is better to use the zigzag wobbling method with transformation of the wobbling pattern even when a circular uniform irradiation field is required, because it is difficult to maintain the stability of the wobbler magnet due to the rapid change of the wobbler current in the spiral wobbling method. The regulated wobbling method, which is our improvement, can well expand the uniform irradiation field and lead to reducing the power requirement of the wobbler magnets. Our evaluations showed that the regulated zigzag wobbling method is the most suitable method for use in currently designed compact carbon-therapy facilities.

FLOQSwab™: Optimisation of Procedures for the Recovery of Microbiological Samples from Surfaces

PubMed Central

Finazzi, Guido; Losio, Marina Nadia; Varisco, Giorgio

2016-01-01

The FLOQSwab™ is a specimen collection device worldwide recognised for its superior performance in the clinical diagnostics. The aim of this work was to evaluate FLOQSwab™ for the recovery of microbiological samples from surfaces compared to the traditional swab (rayon tipped swab) as per ISO 18593:2004 standard. The FLOQSwab™, thanks to its innovative manufacturing technology, allows improving the efficiency of recovery and release of analyte. The study has been divided into two experiments. In the first experiment the two swabs were evaluated for their capacity to recover and release the analyte (three different bacterial loads of Escherichia coli). In the second experiment, the two swabs were evaluated for their capacity to recover three different bacterial loads of E. coli from two different surface materials (stainless steel and polypropylene). In all experiments the flocked swab demonstrated a higher recovery rate compared to the traditional rayon tipped swab. The data obtained from this preliminary study demonstrated that the FLOQSwab™ could be a good food surfaces collection device, which improves the recovery of the analyte and thus produces accurate results. Based on the outcomes of the study, a larger field study is in progress using the FLOQSwab™ for samples collection to improve both environmental monitoring and the efficacy of the hygiene controls for food safety. PMID:27853708

A comparative analysis of user preference-based and existing knowledge management systems attributes in the aerospace industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varghese, Nishad G.

Knowledge management (KM) exists in various forms throughout organizations. Process documentation, training courses, and experience sharing are examples of KM activities performed daily. The goal of KM systems (KMS) is to provide a tool set which serves to standardize the creation, sharing, and acquisition of business critical information. Existing literature provides numerous examples of targeted evaluations of KMS, focusing on specific system attributes. This research serves to bridge the targeted evaluations with an industry-specific, holistic approach. The user preferences of aerospace employees in engineering and engineering-related fields were compared to profiles of existing aerospace KMS based on three attribute categories: technical features, system administration, and user experience. The results indicated there is a statistically significant difference between aerospace user preferences and existing profiles in the user experience attribute category, but no statistically significant difference in the technical features and system administration attribute categories. Additional analysis indicated in-house developed systems exhibit higher technical features and user experience ratings than commercial-off-the-self (COTS) systems.

[In-service training for pedagogical coordinators in school nutrition: the report of an experience].

PubMed

Santos, Ligia Amparo da Silva; Carvalho, Danilo Melo de Morais; Reis, Amélia Borba Costa; Ramos, Lilian Barbosa; de Freitas, Maria do Carmo Soares

2013-04-01

This article describes the experience of in-service training for pedagogical coordinators of the Brazilian School Nutrition Program (PNAE) developed by the Cooperation Center for Student Food and Nutrition of the Federal University of Bahia (CECANE-UFBA). Participant observation and analysis of data documented in films, group discussion summaries, procedural and final evaluations and field diaries are used. The formative experiences were in 2011, in two municipalities in Bahia and Sergipe states, involving 118 pedagogical coordinators from 79 municipalities in both states. It was revealed that the objective of raising awareness and guiding pedagogical coordinators for mainstreaming the theme of food and nutrition has been achieved. The educational proposal was evaluated by the coordinators as "dynamic," "productive" and "interactive," promoting the exchange of experiences among participants. Despite considering the theme relevant, the pedagogical coordinators do not have sufficient training about food and nutrition to back their teaching practices. It is considered that their training has some limitations on the impact in the fieldwork, as the knowledge acquired night be dissipated when the coordinators return to their workplace due to the lack of ongoing training.

Effects of chronic exposure to clothianidin on the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris

PubMed Central

Goulson, Dave

2017-01-01

Although neonicotinoids are targeted at insects, their predominant use as a seed dressing and their long persistence in soils mean that non-target soil organisms such as earthworms are likely to be chronically exposed to them. Chronic exposure may pose risks that are not evaluated in most toxicity tests. We experimentally tested the effect of field-realistic concentrations of a commonly used neonicotinoid, clothianidin, on mortality, weight gain, and food consumption to assess the impacts of chronic exposure over four months on fitness of L. terrestris individuals. We undertook three separate experiments, each with different exposure routes: treated soil only (experiment A), treated food and soil combined (experiment B) and treated food only (experiment C). Mortality was negatively affected by exposure from treated soil only with greatest mortality observed in the groups exposed to the two highest concentrations (20 ppb and 100 ppb), but no clear effect on mortality was found in the other two experiments. When clothianidin was present in the food, an anti-feedant effect was present in months one and two which subsequently disappeared; if this occurs in the field, it could result in reduced rates of decomposition of treated crop foliage. We found no significant effects of any treatment on worm body mass. We cannot rule out stronger adverse effects if worms come into close proximity to treated seeds, or if other aspects of fitness were examined. Overall, our data suggest that field-realistic exposure to clothianidin has a significant but temporary effect on food consumption and can have weak but significant impacts on mortality of L. terrestris. PMID:28413730

Evaluation of acibenzolar for the control of bacterial spot on bell pepper, 2012

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The experiment was conducted at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center’s North Central Agricultural Research Station located in Fremont, OH located on Rimer loamy fine sand soil, pH 6.1. On 29 Mar, the field was cultivated. On 5 Apr 2012, 7 lbs/A 14.3% granular boron, 300 lbs/A 0-0...

Evaluating a Model of School-Based Health and Social Services: An Interdisciplinary Community-University Collaboration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bronstein, Laura R.; Anderson, Elizabeth; Terwilliger, Susan H.; Sager, Kristen

2012-01-01

The purpose of this article is to share results of an exploratory qualitative research study designed to shed light on experiences of an interdisciplinary group of elementary school staff and graduate students in a school-based services project. A researcher conducted 20 interviews with staff and graduate students who represented the fields of…

Field studies of transport and dispersion of atmospheric tracers in nocturnal drainage flows

Treesearch

Paul H. Gudiksen; Gilbert J. Ferber; Malcolm M. Fowler; Wynn L. Eberhard; Michael A. Fosberg; William R. Knuth

1984-01-01

A series of tracer experiments were carried out as part of the Atmospheric Studies in Complex Terrain (ASCOT) program to evaluate pollutant transport and dispersion characteristics of nocturnal drainage flows within a valley in northern California. The results indicate that the degree of interaction of the drainage flows with the larger scale regional flows are...

Weed management and cotton yield under two row spacings, conventional and conservation tillage systems utilizing conventional, glufosinate-, and glyphosate-based weed management systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A field experiment was conducted in 2005 and 2006, to evaluate weed control in conventional, Liberty Link® (LL), and Roundup Ready® (RR) herbicide systems under standard [102 cm (40 inch)] and narrow [38 cm (15 inch)] row-spacings utilizing conventional and high-residue conservation tillage systems....

Fumigant distribution in forest nursery soil under water seal and plastic film after application of dazomet, metam-sodium and chloropicrin

Treesearch

Dong Wang; Stephen W. Fraedrich; Jennifer Juzwik; Kurt Spokas; Yi Zhang; William C. Koskinen

2006-01-01

Adequate concentration, exposure time and distribution uniformity of activated fumigant gases are prerequisites for successful soil fumigation. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate gas phase distributions of methyl isothiocyanate (MITC) and chloropicrin (CP) in two forest-tree nurseries. Concentrations of MITC and CP in soil air were measured from replicated...

Effects of Automobile Commute Characteristics on Affect and Job Candidate Evaluations: A Field Experiment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Rooy, David L.

2006-01-01

The current study assesses the effects of the commuting environment on affective states and hiring decisions. A total of 136 undergraduate females were randomly assigned to one of four conditions based on the length (10 km vs. 30 km) and level of congestion (low vs. high) during a commute. Multivariate analyses of variance indicate that affective…

Is a Web Survey as Effective as a Mail Survey? A Field Experiment Among Computer Users

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiernan, Nancy; Kiernan, Michaela; Oyler, Mary; Gilles, Carolyn

2005-01-01

With the exponential increase in Web access, program evaluators need to understand the methodological benefits and barriers of using the Web to collect survey data from program participants. In this experimental study, the authors examined whether a Web survey can be as effective as the more established mail survey on three measures of survey…