On Improving CRISPR for Editing Plant Genes: Ribozyme-Mediated Guide RNA Production and Fluorescence-Based Technology for Isolating Transgene-Free Mutants Generated by CRISPR.

PubMed

He, Yubing; Wang, Rongchen; Dai, Xinhua; Zhao, Yunde

2017-01-01

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing technology has been used to successfully edit numerous genes in various organisms including plants. There are still two major challenges in using CRISPR/Cas9 technology for gene editing in plants. First, there are very limited choices of promoters that are suitable for in vivo production of single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs), which is complementary to the target sequence and which guides Cas9 to generate double-strand breaks at the target site. It is especially difficult to produce sgRNA molecules with temporal and spatial precision. Second, there is a lack of efficient methods for identifying plants that (1) contain heritable and stable mutations generated by CRISPR/Cas9, and (2) no longer harbor the CRISPR/Cas9 construct and other transgenes. In this chapter, we describe the development of a ribozyme-based strategy that enables the production of sgRNA molecules from any chosen promoter. More importantly, the ribozyme-based technology makes it feasible to produce sgRNAs with temporal and spatial precision, greatly expanding the scope and applications of CRISPR/Cas9 technology. We also developed a fluorescence-based technology that allows us to efficiently and reliably isolate Cas9-free stable Arabidopsis mutants. Thus, we provide effective protocols to overcome two important obstacles in using CRISPR/Cas9 for editing genes in plants. © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Polarization maintaining fiber magnetic sensor based on the digital phase generated carrier technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xueliang; Meng, Zhou; Hu, Zhengliang; Yang, Huayong; Song, Zhangqi; Hu, Yongming

2008-12-01

A polarization maintaining fiber (PMF) magnetic field sensor based on a digital phase generated carrier (PGC) technology is presented. A magnetic sensor constructed with two magnetostrictive strips attached on the sensing fiber is joined in the sensing arm of a fiber Michelson interferometer. The fiber optic interferometric system is made of all PMF, which inhibits the polarization-induced signal fading. The light source is a fiber laser which can be modulated directly. The PGC metnod is used to demodulate magnetic field signal avoiding phase induced interferometric signal fading, and ensure the sensing partto be all fiber structure. A fiber optic magnetic field sensor with appreciate size for the fiber optic hydrophone towed array is obtained, which can be used to sense the enviromental magnetic field along the sensing direction.This sensor is a good choice for the directional angle measurement through sensing the Earth magnetic field in the array shape measurement of a fiber optic hydrophone towed array.

Learning Technology through Three Generations of Technology Enhanced Distance Education Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Terry; Dron, Jon

2012-01-01

This paper updates earlier work in which we defined three generations of distance education pedagogy. We then describe emerging technologies that are most conducive to instructional designs that evolve with each generation. Finally we discuss matching the pedagogies with learning outcomes. (Contains 3 figures.)

Next-generation technologies and data analytical approaches for epigenomics.

PubMed

Mensaert, Klaas; Denil, Simon; Trooskens, Geert; Van Criekinge, Wim; Thas, Olivier; De Meyer, Tim

2014-04-01

Epigenetics refers to the collection of heritable features that modulate the genome-environment interaction without being encoded in the actual DNA sequence. While being mitotically and sometimes even meiotically transmitted, epigenetic traits often demonstrate extensive flexibility. This allows cells to acquire diverse gene expression patterns during differentiation, but also to adapt to a changing environment. However, epigenetic alterations are not always beneficial to the organism, as they are, for example, frequently identified in human diseases such as cancer. Accurate and cost-efficient genome-scale profiling of epigenetic features is thus of major importance to pinpoint these "epimutations," for example, to monitor the epigenetic impact of environmental exposure. Over the last decade, the field of epigenetics has been revolutionized by several innovative "epigenomics" technologies exactly addressing this need. In this review, we discuss and compare widely used next-generation methods to assess DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation, noncoding RNA expression, histone modifications, and nucleosome positioning. Although recent methods are typically based on "second-generation" sequencing, we also pay attention to still commonly used array- and PCR-based methods, and look forward to the additional advantages of single-molecule sequencing. As the current bottleneck in epigenomics research is the analysis rather than generation of data, the basic difficulties and problem-solving strategies regarding data preprocessing and statistical analysis are introduced for the different technologies. Finally, we also consider the complications associated with epigenomic studies of species with yet unsequenced genomes and possible solutions. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Need to Knowledge (NtK) Model: an evidence-based framework for generating technological innovations with socio-economic impacts.

PubMed

Flagg, Jennifer L; Lane, Joseph P; Lockett, Michelle M

2013-02-15

Traditional government policies suggest that upstream investment in scientific research is necessary and sufficient to generate technological innovations. The expected downstream beneficial socio-economic impacts are presumed to occur through non-government market mechanisms. However, there is little quantitative evidence for such a direct and formulaic relationship between public investment at the input end and marketplace benefits at the impact end. Instead, the literature demonstrates that the technological innovation process involves a complex interaction between multiple sectors, methods, and stakeholders. The authors theorize that accomplishing the full process of technological innovation in a deliberate and systematic manner requires an operational-level model encompassing three underlying methods, each designed to generate knowledge outputs in different states: scientific research generates conceptual discoveries; engineering development generates prototype inventions; and industrial production generates commercial innovations. Given the critical roles of engineering and business, the entire innovation process should continuously consider the practical requirements and constraints of the commercial marketplace.The Need to Knowledge (NtK) Model encompasses the activities required to successfully generate innovations, along with associated strategies for effectively communicating knowledge outputs in all three states to the various stakeholders involved. It is intentionally grounded in evidence drawn from academic analysis to facilitate objective and quantitative scrutiny, and industry best practices to enable practical application. The Need to Knowledge (NtK) Model offers a practical, market-oriented approach that avoids the gaps, constraints and inefficiencies inherent in undirected activities and disconnected sectors. The NtK Model is a means to realizing increased returns on public investments in those science and technology programs expressly intended to

Need to Knowledge (NtK) Model: an evidence-based framework for generating technological innovations with socio-economic impacts

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Traditional government policies suggest that upstream investment in scientific research is necessary and sufficient to generate technological innovations. The expected downstream beneficial socio-economic impacts are presumed to occur through non-government market mechanisms. However, there is little quantitative evidence for such a direct and formulaic relationship between public investment at the input end and marketplace benefits at the impact end. Instead, the literature demonstrates that the technological innovation process involves a complex interaction between multiple sectors, methods, and stakeholders. Discussion The authors theorize that accomplishing the full process of technological innovation in a deliberate and systematic manner requires an operational-level model encompassing three underlying methods, each designed to generate knowledge outputs in different states: scientific research generates conceptual discoveries; engineering development generates prototype inventions; and industrial production generates commercial innovations. Given the critical roles of engineering and business, the entire innovation process should continuously consider the practical requirements and constraints of the commercial marketplace. The Need to Knowledge (NtK) Model encompasses the activities required to successfully generate innovations, along with associated strategies for effectively communicating knowledge outputs in all three states to the various stakeholders involved. It is intentionally grounded in evidence drawn from academic analysis to facilitate objective and quantitative scrutiny, and industry best practices to enable practical application. Summary The Need to Knowledge (NtK) Model offers a practical, market-oriented approach that avoids the gaps, constraints and inefficiencies inherent in undirected activities and disconnected sectors. The NtK Model is a means to realizing increased returns on public investments in those science and technology

Transcriptome analysis of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) based on next-generation sequencing technology.

PubMed

Tanase, Koji; Nishitani, Chikako; Hirakawa, Hideki; Isobe, Sachiko; Tabata, Satoshi; Ohmiya, Akemi; Onozaki, Takashi

2012-07-02

Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.), in the family Caryophyllaceae, can be found in a wide range of colors and is a model system for studies of flower senescence. In addition, it is one of the most important flowers in the global floriculture industry. However, few genomics resources, such as sequences and markers are available for carnation or other members of the Caryophyllaceae. To increase our understanding of the genetic control of important characters in carnation, we generated an expressed sequence tag (EST) database for a carnation cultivar important in horticulture by high-throughput sequencing using 454 pyrosequencing technology. We constructed a normalized cDNA library and a 3'-UTR library of carnation, obtaining a total of 1,162,126 high-quality reads. These reads were assembled into 300,740 unigenes consisting of 37,844 contigs and 262,896 singlets. The contigs were searched against an Arabidopsis sequence database, and 61.8% (23,380) of them had at least one BLASTX hit. These contigs were also annotated with Gene Ontology (GO) and were found to cover a broad range of GO categories. Furthermore, we identified 17,362 potential simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in 14,291 of the unigenes. We focused on gene discovery in the areas of flower color and ethylene biosynthesis. Transcripts were identified for almost every gene involved in flower chlorophyll and carotenoid metabolism and in anthocyanin biosynthesis. Transcripts were also identified for every step in the ethylene biosynthesis pathway. We present the first large-scale sequence data set for carnation, generated using next-generation sequencing technology. The large EST database generated from these sequences is an informative resource for identifying genes involved in various biological processes in carnation and provides an EST resource for understanding the genetic diversity of this plant.

Transcriptome analysis of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) based on next-generation sequencing technology

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.), in the family Caryophyllaceae, can be found in a wide range of colors and is a model system for studies of flower senescence. In addition, it is one of the most important flowers in the global floriculture industry. However, few genomics resources, such as sequences and markers are available for carnation or other members of the Caryophyllaceae. To increase our understanding of the genetic control of important characters in carnation, we generated an expressed sequence tag (EST) database for a carnation cultivar important in horticulture by high-throughput sequencing using 454 pyrosequencing technology. Results We constructed a normalized cDNA library and a 3’-UTR library of carnation, obtaining a total of 1,162,126 high-quality reads. These reads were assembled into 300,740 unigenes consisting of 37,844 contigs and 262,896 singlets. The contigs were searched against an Arabidopsis sequence database, and 61.8% (23,380) of them had at least one BLASTX hit. These contigs were also annotated with Gene Ontology (GO) and were found to cover a broad range of GO categories. Furthermore, we identified 17,362 potential simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in 14,291 of the unigenes. We focused on gene discovery in the areas of flower color and ethylene biosynthesis. Transcripts were identified for almost every gene involved in flower chlorophyll and carotenoid metabolism and in anthocyanin biosynthesis. Transcripts were also identified for every step in the ethylene biosynthesis pathway. Conclusions We present the first large-scale sequence data set for carnation, generated using next-generation sequencing technology. The large EST database generated from these sequences is an informative resource for identifying genes involved in various biological processes in carnation and provides an EST resource for understanding the genetic diversity of this plant. PMID:22747974

Using the MCPLXS Generator for Technology Transfer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Arlene A.; Dean, Edwin B.

1987-01-01

The objective of this paper is to acquaint you with some of the approaches we are taking at Langley to incorporate escalations (or de-escalations) of technology when modeling futuristic systems. Since we have a short turnaround between the time we receive enough descriptive information to start estimating the project and when the estimate is needed (the "we-want-it-yesterday syndrome"), creativity is often necessary. There is not much time available for tool development. It is expedient to use existing tools in an adaptive manner to model the situation at hand. Specifically, this paper describes the use of the RCA PRICE MCPLXS Generator to incorporate technology transfer and technology escalation in estimates for advanced space systems such as Shuttle II and NASA advanced technology vehicles. It is assumed that the reader is familiar with the RCA PRICE family of models as well as the RCA PRICE utility programs such as SCPLX, PARAM, PARASYN, and the MCPLXS Generator.

Application of program generation technology in solving heat and flow problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Shui; Wu, Bangxian; Chen, Ningning

2007-05-01

Based on a new DIY concept for software development, an automatic program-generating technology attached on a software system called as Finite Element Program Generator (FEPG) provides a platform of developing programs, through which a scientific researcher can submit his special physico-mathematical problem to the system in a more direct and convenient way for solution. For solving flow and heat problems by using finite element method, the stabilization technologies and fraction-step methods are adopted to overcome the numerical difficulties caused mainly due to the dominated convection. A couple of benchmark problems are given in this paper as examples to illustrate the usage and the superiority of the automatic program generation technique, including the flow in a lid-driven cavity, the starting flow in a circular pipe, the natural convection in a square cavity, and the flow past a circular cylinder, etc. They are also shown as the verification of the algorithms.

Mask pattern generator employing EPL technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshioka, Nobuyuki; Yamabe, Masaki; Wakamiya, Wataru; Endo, Nobuhiro

2003-08-01

Mask cost is one of crucial issues in device fabrication, especially in SoC (System on a Chip) with small-volume production. The cost mainly depends on productivity of mask manufacturing tools such as mask writers and defect inspection tools. EPL (Electron Projection Lithography) has been developing as a high-throughput electron beam exposure technology that will succeed optical lithography. The application of EPL technology to mask writing will result in high productivity and contribute to decrease the mask cost. The concept of a mask pattern generator employing EPL technology is proposed in this paper. It is very similar to EPL technology used for pattern printing on a wafer. The mask patterns on the glass substrate are exposed by projecting the basic circuit patterns formed on the mother EPL mask. One example of the mother EPL mask is a stencil type made with 200-mm Si wafer. The basic circuit patterns are IP patterns and logical primitive patterns such as cell libraries (AND, OR, Inverter, Flip-Flop and etc.) to express the SoC device patterns. Since the SoC patterns are exposed with its collective units such as IP and logical primitive patterns by using this method, the high throughput will be expected comparing with conventional mask E-beam writers. In this paper, the mask pattern generator with the EPL technology is proposed. The concept, its advantages and issues to be solved are discussed.

WDM PONs based on colorless technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saliou, Fabienne; Simon, Gael; Chanclou, Philippe; Pizzinat, Anna; Lin, Huafeng; Zhou, Enyu; Xu, Zhiguang

2015-12-01

Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) Passive Optical Network (PON) is foreseen to be part of the Next Generation Passive Optical Networks. Business and mobile fronthaul networks already express the need to develop WDM PONs in the access segment. Fixed wavelength transceivers based on Coarse WDM are already available to respond to today's market needs but Dense WDM technologies will be needed and colorless technologies are essential to provide simple and cost-effective WDM PON systems. We propose in this paper to demonstrate the capabilities of a DWDM PON system prototype based on self-seeded RSOAs and designed to transmit CPRI over 60 km of fiber at 2.5 Gbit/s.

The NASA Next Generation Stirling Technology Program Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreiber, J. G.; Shaltens, R. K.; Wong, W. A.

2005-12-01

NASAs Science Mission Directorate is developing the next generation Stirling technology for future Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) for surface and deep space missions. The next generation Stirling convertor is one of two advanced power conversion technologies currently being developed for future NASA missions, and is capable of operating for both planetary atmospheres and deep space environments. The Stirling convertor (free-piston engine integrated with a linear alternator) produces about 90 We(ac) and has a specific power of about 90 We/kg. Operating conditions of Thot at 850 degree C and Trej at 90 degree C results in the Stirling convertor estimated efficiency of about 40 per cent. Using the next generation Stirling convertor in future RPS, the "system" specific power is estimated at 8 We/kg. The design lifetime is three years on the surface of Mars and fourteen years in deep space missions. Electrical power of about 160 We (BOM) is produced by two (2) free-piston Stirling convertors heated by two (2) General Purpose Heat Source (GPHS) modules. This development is being performed by Sunpower, Athens, OH with Pratt & Whitney, Rocketdyne, Canoga Park, CA under contract to Glenn Research Center (GRC), Cleveland, Ohio. GRC is guiding the independent testing and technology development for the next generation Stirling generator.

NASA's Next Generation Launch Technology Program - Strategy and Plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hueter, Uwe

2003-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration established a new program office, Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) Program Office, last year to pursue technologies for future space launch systems. NGLT will fund research in key technology areas such as propulsion, launch vehicles, operations and system analyses. NGLT is part of NASA s Integrated Space Technology Plan. The NGLT Program is sponsored by NASA s Office of Aerospace Technology and is part of the Space Launch Initiative theme that includes both NGLT and Orbital Space Plane. NGLT will focus on technology development to increase safety and reliability and reduce overall costs associated with building, flying and maintaining the nation s next-generations of space launch vehicles. These investments will be guided by systems engineering and analysis with a focus on the needs of National customers.

Pulsed corona generation using a diode-based pulsed power generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pemen, A. J. M.; Grekhov, I. V.; van Heesch, E. J. M.; Yan, K.; Nair, S. A.; Korotkov, S. V.

2003-10-01

Pulsed plasma techniques serve a wide range of unconventional processes, such as gas and water processing, hydrogen production, and nanotechnology. Extending research on promising applications, such as pulsed corona processing, depends to a great extent on the availability of reliable, efficient and repetitive high-voltage pulsed power technology. Heavy-duty opening switches are the most critical components in high-voltage pulsed power systems with inductive energy storage. At the Ioffe Institute, an unconventional switching mechanism has been found, based on the fast recovery process in a diode. This article discusses the application of such a "drift-step-recovery-diode" for pulsed corona plasma generation. The principle of the diode-based nanosecond high-voltage generator will be discussed. The generator will be coupled to a corona reactor via a transmission-line transformer. The advantages of this concept, such as easy voltage transformation, load matching, switch protection and easy coupling with a dc bias voltage, will be discussed. The developed circuit is tested at both a resistive load and various corona reactors. Methods to optimize the energy transfer to a corona reactor have been evaluated. The impedance matching between the pulse generator and corona reactor can be significantly improved by using a dc bias voltage. At good matching, the corona energy increases and less energy reflects back to the generator. Matching can also be slightly improved by increasing the temperature in the corona reactor. More effective is to reduce the reactor pressure.

Studies on Effective Utilization of SOFC Exhaust Heat Using Thermoelectric Power Generation Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terayama, Takeshi; Nagata, Susumu; Tanaka, Yohei; Momma, Akihiko; Kato, Tohru; Kunii, Masaru; Yamamoto, Atsushi

2013-07-01

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are being researched around the world. In Japan, a compact SOFC system with rated alternative current (AC) power of 700 W has become available on the market, since the base load electricity demand for a standard home is said to be less than 700 W AC. To improve the generating efficiency of SOFC systems in the 700-W class, we focused on thermoelectric generation (TEG) technology, since there are a lot of temperature gradients in the system. Analysis based on simulations indicated the possibility of introducing thermoelectric generation at the air preheater, steam generator, and exhaust outlet. Among these options, incorporating a TEG heat exchanger comprising multiple CoSb3/SiGe-based TEG modules into the air preheater had potential to produce additional output of 37.5 W and an improvement in generating efficiency from 46% to 48.5%. Furthermore, by introducing thermoelectric generation at the other two locations, an increase in maximum output of more than 50 W and generating efficiency of 50% can be anticipated.

Technology Needs for the Next Generation of NASA Science Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, David J.

2013-01-01

In-Space propulsion technologies relevant to Mars presentation is for the 14.03 Emerging Technologies for Mars Exploration panel. The talk will address propulsion technology needs for future Mars science missions, and will address electric propulsion, Earth entry vehicles, light weight propellant tanks, and the Mars ascent vehicle. The second panel presentation is Technology Needs for the Next Generation of NASA Science Missions. This talk is for 14.02 Technology Needs for the Next Generation of NASA Science Missions panel. The talk will summarize the technology needs identified in the NAC's Planetary Science Decadal Survey, and will set the stage for the talks for the 4 other panelist.

IVHM for the 3rd Generation RLV Program: Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kahle, Bill

2000-01-01

The objective behind the Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) project is to develop and integrate the technologies which can provide a continuous, intelligent, and adaptive health state of a vehicle and use this information to improve safety and reduce costs of operations. Technological areas discussed include: developing, validating, and transfering next generation IVHM technologies to near term industry and government reusable launch systems; focus NASA on the next generation and highly advanced sensor and software technologies; and validating IVHM systems engineering design process for future programs.

Teacher education in the generative virtual classroom: developing learning theories through a web-delivered, technology-and-science education context

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaverien, Lynette

2003-12-01

This paper reports the use of a research-based, web-delivered, technology-and-science education context (the Generative Virtual Classroom) in which student-teachers can develop their ability to recognize, describe, analyse and theorize learning. Addressing well-recognized concerns about narrowly conceived, anachronistic and ineffective technology-and-science education, this e-learning environment aims to use advanced technologies for learning, to bring about larger scale improvement in classroom practice than has so far been effected by direct intervention through teacher education. Student-teachers' short, intensive engagement with the Generative Virtual Classroom during their practice teaching is examined. Findings affirm the worth of this research-based e-learning system for teacher education and the power of a biologically based, generative theory to make sense of the learning that occurred.

Corrugated Textile based Triboelectric Generator for Wearable Energy Harvesting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, A. Young; Lee, Chang Jun; Park, Jiwon; Kim, Dogyun; Kim, Youn Tae

2017-03-01

Triboelectric energy harvesting has been applied to various fields, from large-scale power generation to small electronics. Triboelectric energy is generated when certain materials come into frictional contact, e.g., static electricity from rubbing a shoe on a carpet. In particular, textile-based triboelectric energy-harvesting technologies are one of the most promising approaches because they are not only flexible, light, and comfortable but also wearable. Most previous textile-based triboelectric generators (TEGs) generate energy by vertically pressing and rubbing something. However, we propose a corrugated textile-based triboelectric generator (CT-TEG) that can generate energy by stretching. Moreover, the CT-TEG is sewn into a corrugated structure that contains an effective air gap without additional spacers. The resulting CT-TEG can generate considerable energy from various deformations, not only by pressing and rubbing but also by stretching. The maximum output performances of the CT-TEG can reach up to 28.13 V and 2.71 μA with stretching and releasing motions. Additionally, we demonstrate the generation of sufficient energy from various activities of a human body to power about 54 LEDs. These results demonstrate the potential application of CT-TEGs for self-powered systems.

Airframe Technology Development for Next Generation Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glass, David E.

2004-01-01

The Airframe subproject within NASA's Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) program has the responsibility to develop airframe technology for both rocket and airbreathing vehicles for access to space. The Airframe sub-project pushes the state-of-the-art in airframe technology for low-cost, reliable, and safe space transportation. Both low and medium technology readiness level (TRL) activities are being pursued. The key technical areas being addressed include design and integration, hot and integrated structures, cryogenic tanks, and thermal protection systems. Each of the technologies in these areas are discussed in this paper.

Facilitating Student-Generated Content Using Web 2.0 Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Eunbae

2011-01-01

Web 2.0 technologies have created a trend of user-generated content by supporting media production, collaboration, communication, and dissemination. User-generated content is translated into student-generated content (SGC) in education. SGC engages learners in an authentic project that fosters students' autonomy, creativity, and real-world…

Approaches for controlling air pollutants and their environmental impacts generated from coal-based electricity generation in China.

PubMed

Xu, Changqing; Hong, Jinglan; Ren, Yixin; Wang, Qingsong; Yuan, Xueliang

2015-08-01

This study aims at qualifying air pollutants and environmental impacts generated from coal-based power plants and providing useful information for decision makers on the management of coal-based power plants in China. Results showed that approximately 9.03, 54.95, 62.08, and 12.12% of the national carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter emissions, respectively, in 2011were generated from coal-based electricity generation. The air pollutants were mainly generated from east China because of the well-developed economy and energy-intensive industries in the region. Coal-washing technology can simply and significantly reduce the environmental burden because of the relativity low content of coal gangue and sulfur in washed coal. Optimizing the efficiency of raw materials and energy consumption is additional key factor to reduce the potential environmental impacts. In addition, improving the efficiency of air pollutants (e.g., dust, mercury, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides) control system and implementing the strict requirements on air pollutants for power plants are important ways for reducing the potential environmental impacts of coal-based electricity generation in China.

Corrugated Textile based Triboelectric Generator for Wearable Energy Harvesting

PubMed Central

Choi, A Young; Lee, Chang Jun; Park, Jiwon; Kim, Dogyun; Kim, Youn Tae

2017-01-01

Triboelectric energy harvesting has been applied to various fields, from large-scale power generation to small electronics. Triboelectric energy is generated when certain materials come into frictional contact, e.g., static electricity from rubbing a shoe on a carpet. In particular, textile-based triboelectric energy-harvesting technologies are one of the most promising approaches because they are not only flexible, light, and comfortable but also wearable. Most previous textile-based triboelectric generators (TEGs) generate energy by vertically pressing and rubbing something. However, we propose a corrugated textile-based triboelectric generator (CT-TEG) that can generate energy by stretching. Moreover, the CT-TEG is sewn into a corrugated structure that contains an effective air gap without additional spacers. The resulting CT-TEG can generate considerable energy from various deformations, not only by pressing and rubbing but also by stretching. The maximum output performances of the CT-TEG can reach up to 28.13 V and 2.71 μA with stretching and releasing motions. Additionally, we demonstrate the generation of sufficient energy from various activities of a human body to power about 54 LEDs. These results demonstrate the potential application of CT-TEGs for self-powered systems. PMID:28349928

An ontology model for nursing narratives with natural language generation technology.

PubMed

Min, Yul Ha; Park, Hyeoun-Ae; Jeon, Eunjoo; Lee, Joo Yun; Jo, Soo Jung

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop an ontology model to generate nursing narratives as natural as human language from the entity-attribute-value triplets of a detailed clinical model using natural language generation technology. The model was based on the types of information and documentation time of the information along the nursing process. The typesof information are data characterizing the patient status, inferences made by the nurse from the patient data, and nursing actions selected by the nurse to change the patient status. This information was linked to the nursing process based on the time of documentation. We describe a case study illustrating the application of this model in an acute-care setting. The proposed model provides a strategy for designing an electronic nursing record system.

Distributed Generation Energy Technology Capital Costs | Energy Analysis |

Science.gov Websites

Technology Capital Costs Transparent Cost Database Button The following charts indicate recent capital cost charts provide a compilation of available national-level cost data from a variety of sources. Costs in distributed generation data used within these charts. If you are seeking utility-scale technology capital cost

Climate regulation enhances the value of second generation biofuel technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hertel, T. W.; Steinbuks, J.; Tyner, W.

2014-12-01

Commercial scale implementation of second generation (2G) biofuels has long been 'just over the horizon - perhaps a decade away'. However, with recent innovations, and higher oil prices, we appear to be on the verge of finally seeing commercial scale implementations of cellulosic to liquid fuel conversion technologies. Interest in this technology derives from many quarters. Environmentalists see this as a way of reducing our carbon footprint, however, absent a global market for carbon emissions, private firms will not factor this into their investment decisions. Those interested in poverty and nutrition see this as a channel for lessening the biofuels' impact on food prices. But what is 2G technology worth to society? How valuable are prospective improvements in this technology? And how are these valuations affected by future uncertainties, including climate regulation, climate change impacts, and energy prices? This paper addresses all of these questions. We employ FABLE, a dynamic optimization model for the world's land resources which characterizes the optimal long run path for protected natural lands, managed forests, crop and livestock land use, energy extraction and biofuels over the period 2005-2105. By running this model twice for each future state of the world - once with 2G biofuels technology available and once without - we measure the contribution of the technology to global welfare. Given the uncertainty in how these technologies are likely to evolve, we consider a range cost estimates - from optimistic to pessimistic. In addition to technological uncertainty, there is great uncertainty in the conditions characterizing our baseline for the 21st century. For each of the 2G technology scenarios, we therefore also consider a range of outcomes for key drivers of global land use, including: population, income, oil prices, climate change impacts and climate regulation. We find that the social valuation of 2G technologies depends critically on climate change

Safe Life Propulsion Design Technologies (3rd Generation Propulsion Research and Technology)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellis, Rod

2000-01-01

The tasks outlined in this viewgraph presentation on safe life propulsion design technologies (third generation propulsion research and technology) include the following: (1) Ceramic matrix composite (CMC) life prediction methods; (2) Life prediction methods for ultra high temperature polymer matrix composites for reusable launch vehicle (RLV) airframe and engine application; (3) Enabling design and life prediction technology for cost effective large-scale utilization of MMCs and innovative metallic material concepts; (4) Probabilistic analysis methods for brittle materials and structures; (5) Damage assessment in CMC propulsion components using nondestructive characterization techniques; and (6) High temperature structural seals for RLV applications.

Automatic summary generating technology of vegetable traceability for information sharing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhenxuan, Zhang; Minjing, Peng

2017-06-01

In order to solve problems of excessive data entries and consequent high costs for data collection in vegetable traceablility for farmers in traceability applications, the automatic summary generating technology of vegetable traceability for information sharing was proposed. The proposed technology is an effective way for farmers to share real-time vegetable planting information in social networking platforms to enhance their brands and obtain more customers. In this research, the influencing factors in the vegetable traceablility for customers were analyzed to establish the sub-indicators and target indicators and propose a computing model based on the collected parameter values of the planted vegetables and standard legal systems on food safety. The proposed standard parameter model involves five steps: accessing database, establishing target indicators, establishing sub-indicators, establishing standard reference model and computing scores of indicators. On the basis of establishing and optimizing the standards of food safety and traceability system, this proposed technology could be accepted by more and more farmers and customers.

Next-generation cellulosic ethanol technologies and their contribution to a sustainable Africa

PubMed Central

van Zyl, W. H.; Chimphango, A. F. A.; den Haan, R.; Görgens, J. F.; Chirwa, P. W. C.

2011-01-01

The world is currently heavily dependent on oil, especially in the transport sector. However, rising oil prices, concern about environmental impact and supply instability are among the factors that have led to greater interest in renewable fuel and green chemistry alternatives. Lignocellulose is the only foreseeable renewable feedstock for sustainable production of transport fuels. The main technological impediment to more widespread utilization of lignocellulose for production of fuels and chemicals in the past has been the lack of low-cost technologies to overcome the recalcitrance of its structure. Both biological and thermochemical second-generation conversion technologies are currently coming online for the commercial production of cellulosic ethanol concomitantly with heat and electricity production. The latest advances in biological conversion of lignocellulosics to ethanol with a focus on consolidated bioprocessing are highlighted. Furthermore, integration of cellulosic ethanol production into existing bio-based industries also using thermochemical processes to optimize energy balances is discussed. Biofuels have played a pivotal yet suboptimal role in supplementing Africa's energy requirements in the past. Capitalizing on sub-Saharan Africa's total biomass potential and using second-generation technologies merit a fresh look at the potential role of bioethanol production towards developing a sustainable Africa while addressing food security, human needs and local wealth creation. PMID:22482027

A technology path to tactical agent-based modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

James, Alex; Hanratty, Timothy P.

2017-05-01

Wargaming is a process of thinking through and visualizing events that could occur during a possible course of action. Over the past 200 years, wargaming has matured into a set of formalized processes. One area of growing interest is the application of agent-based modeling. Agent-based modeling and its additional supporting technologies has potential to introduce a third-generation wargaming capability to the Army, creating a positive overmatch decision-making capability. In its simplest form, agent-based modeling is a computational technique that helps the modeler understand and simulate how the "whole of a system" responds to change over time. It provides a decentralized method of looking at situations where individual agents are instantiated within an environment, interact with each other, and empowered to make their own decisions. However, this technology is not without its own risks and limitations. This paper explores a technology roadmap, identifying research topics that could realize agent-based modeling within a tactical wargaming context.

Next Generation Antibody Therapeutics Using Bispecific Antibody Technology.

PubMed

Igawa, Tomoyuki

2017-01-01

Nearly fifty monoclonal antibodies have been approved to date, and the market for monoclonal antibodies is expected to continue to grow. Since global competition in the field of antibody therapeutics is intense, we need to establish novel antibody engineering technologies to provide true benefit for patients, with differentiated product values. Bispecific antibodies are among the next generation of antibody therapeutics that can bind to two different target antigens by the two arms of immunoglobulin G (IgG) molecule, and are thus believed to be applicable to various therapeutic needs. Until recently, large scale manufacturing of human IgG bispecific antibody was impossible. We have established a technology, named asymmetric re-engineering technology (ART)-Ig, to enable large scale manufacturing of bispecific antibodies. Three examples of next generation antibody therapeutics using ART-Ig technology are described. Recent updates on bispecific antibodies against factor IXa and factor X for the treatment of hemophilia A, bispecific antibodies against a tumor specific antigen and T cell surface marker CD3 for cancer immunotherapy, and bispecific antibodies against two different epitopes of soluble antigen with pH-dependent binding property for the elimination of soluble antigen from plasma are also described.

Learning Generation: Fostering Innovation with Tomorrow's Teachers and Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aust, Ronald; Newberry, Brian; O'Brien, Joseph; Thomas, Jennifer

2005-01-01

We discuss the context, conception, implementation, and research used to refine and evaluate a systemic model for fostering technology integration in teacher education. The Learning Generation model identifies conditions where innovations for using technology emerge in small group dialogues. The model uses a multifaceted implementation with…

An Evaluation of Wind Turbine Technology at Peterson Air Force Base

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-01

by the wind speed. Darrieus turbines are ordinarily inexpensive and are used for electricity generation and irrigation. One advantage to a...AN EVALUATION OF WIND TURBINE TECHNOLOGY...02 AN EVALUATION OF WIND TURBINE TECHNOLOGY AT PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE THESIS Presented to the Faculty Department of

Applying Sensor-Based Technology to Improve Construction Safety Management.

PubMed

Zhang, Mingyuan; Cao, Tianzhuo; Zhao, Xuefeng

2017-08-11

Construction sites are dynamic and complicated systems. The movement and interaction of people, goods and energy make construction safety management extremely difficult. Due to the ever-increasing amount of information, traditional construction safety management has operated under difficult circumstances. As an effective way to collect, identify and process information, sensor-based technology is deemed to provide new generation of methods for advancing construction safety management. It makes the real-time construction safety management with high efficiency and accuracy a reality and provides a solid foundation for facilitating its modernization, and informatization. Nowadays, various sensor-based technologies have been adopted for construction safety management, including locating sensor-based technology, vision-based sensing and wireless sensor networks. This paper provides a systematic and comprehensive review of previous studies in this field to acknowledge useful findings, identify the research gaps and point out future research directions.

ACES: An Enabling Technology for Next Generation Space Transportation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crocker, Andrew M.; Wuerl, Adam M.; Andrews, Jason E.; Andrews, Dana G.

2004-02-01

Andrews Space has developed the ``Alchemist'' Air Collection and Enrichment System (ACES), a dual-mode propulsion system that enables safe, economical launch systems that take off and land horizontally. Alchemist generates liquid oxygen through separation of atmospheric air using the refrigeration capacity of liquid hydrogen. The key benefit of Alchemist is that it minimizes vehicle takeoff weight. All internal and NASA-funded activities have shown that ACES, previously proposed for hypersonic combined cycle RLVs, is a higher payoff, lower-risk technology if LOX generation is performed while the vehicle cruises subsonically. Andrews Space has developed the Alchemist concept from a small system study to viable Next Generation launch system technology, conducting not only feasibility studies but also related hardware tests, and it has planned a detailed risk reduction program which employs an experienced, proven contractor team. Andrews also has participated in preliminary studies of an evolvable Next Generation vehicle architecture-enabled by Alchemist ACES-which could meet civil, military, and commercial space requirements within two decades.

Integration of problem-based learning and innovative technology into a self-care course.

PubMed

McFalls, Marsha

2013-08-12

To assess the integration of problem-based learning and technology into a self-care course. Problem-based learning (PBL) activities were developed and implemented in place of lectures in a self-care course. Students used technology, such as computer-generated virtual patients and iPads, during the PBL sessions. Students' scores on post-case quizzes were higher than on pre-case quizzes used to assess baseline knowledge. Student satisfaction with problem-based learning and the use of technology in the course remained consistent throughout the semester. Integrating problem-based learning and technology into a self-care course enabled students to become active learners.

Advanced Coal-Based Power Generations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robson, F. L.

1982-01-01

Advanced power-generation systems using coal-derived fuels are evaluated in two-volume report. Report considers fuel cells, combined gas- and steam-turbine cycles, and magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) energy conversion. Presents technological status of each type of system and analyzes performance of each operating on medium-Btu fuel gas, either delivered via pipeline to powerplant or generated by coal-gasification process at plantsite.

Applying Sensor-Based Technology to Improve Construction Safety Management

PubMed Central

Zhang, Mingyuan; Cao, Tianzhuo; Zhao, Xuefeng

2017-01-01

Construction sites are dynamic and complicated systems. The movement and interaction of people, goods and energy make construction safety management extremely difficult. Due to the ever-increasing amount of information, traditional construction safety management has operated under difficult circumstances. As an effective way to collect, identify and process information, sensor-based technology is deemed to provide new generation of methods for advancing construction safety management. It makes the real-time construction safety management with high efficiency and accuracy a reality and provides a solid foundation for facilitating its modernization, and informatization. Nowadays, various sensor-based technologies have been adopted for construction safety management, including locating sensor-based technology, vision-based sensing and wireless sensor networks. This paper provides a systematic and comprehensive review of previous studies in this field to acknowledge useful findings, identify the research gaps and point out future research directions. PMID:28800061

Stable passive optical clock generation in SOA-based fiber lasers.

PubMed

Wang, Jing-Yun; Lin, Kuei-Huei; Chen, Hou-Ren

2015-02-15

Stable optical pulse trains are obtained from 1.3-μm and 1.5-μm semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA)-based fiber lasers using passive optical technology. The waveforms depend on SOA currents, and the repetition rates can be tuned by varying the relative length of sub-cavities. The output pulse trains of these SOA-based fiber lasers are stable against intracavity polarization adjustment and environmental perturbation. The optical clock generation is explained in terms of mode competition, self-synchronization, and SOA saturation. Without resorting to any active modulation circuits or devices, the technology used here is simple and may find various applications in the future.

NASA Fixed Wing Project: Green Technologies for Future Aircraft Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DelRosario, Ruben

2014-01-01

The NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Fixed Wing (FW) Project addresses the comprehensive challenge of enabling revolutionary energy efficiency improvements in subsonic transport aircraft combined with dramatic reductions in harmful emissions and perceived noise to facilitate sustained growth of the air transportation system. Advances in multidisciplinary technologies and the development of unconventional aircraft systems offer the potential to achieve these improvements. The presentation will highlight the FW Project vision of revolutionary systems and technologies needed to achieve the challenging goals of aviation. Specifically, the primary focus of the FW Project is on the N+3 generation that is, vehicles that are three generations beyond the current state of the art, requiring mature technology solutions in the 2025-30 timeframe.

Router Agent Technology for Policy-Based Network Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chow, Edward T.; Sudhir, Gurusham; Chang, Hsin-Ping; James, Mark; Liu, Yih-Chiao J.; Chiang, Winston

2011-01-01

This innovation can be run as a standalone network application on any computer in a networked environment. This design can be configured to control one or more routers (one instance per router), and can also be configured to listen to a policy server over the network to receive new policies based on the policy- based network management technology. The Router Agent Technology transforms the received policies into suitable Access Control List syntax for the routers it is configured to control. It commits the newly generated access control lists to the routers and provides feedback regarding any errors that were faced. The innovation also automatically generates a time-stamped log file regarding all updates to the router it is configured to control. This technology, once installed on a local network computer and started, is autonomous because it has the capability to keep listening to new policies from the policy server, transforming those policies to router-compliant access lists, and committing those access lists to a specified interface on the specified router on the network with any error feedback regarding commitment process. The stand-alone application is named RouterAgent and is currently realized as a fully functional (version 1) implementation for the Windows operating system and for CISCO routers.

Generation of Murine Monoclonal Antibodies by Hybridoma Technology.

PubMed

Holzlöhner, Pamela; Hanack, Katja

2017-01-02

Monoclonal antibodies are universal binding molecules and are widely used in biomedicine and research. Nevertheless, the generation of these binding molecules is time-consuming and laborious due to the complicated handling and lack of alternatives. The aim of this protocol is to provide one standard method for the generation of monoclonal antibodies using hybridoma technology. This technology combines two steps. Step 1 is an appropriate immunization of the animal and step 2 is the fusion of B lymphocytes with immortal myeloma cells in order to generate hybrids possessing both parental functions, such as the production of antibody molecules and immortality. The generated hybridoma cells were then recloned and diluted to obtain stable monoclonal cell cultures secreting the desired monoclonal antibody in the culture supernatant. The supernatants were tested in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) for antigen specificity. After the selection of appropriate cell clones, the cells were transferred to mass cultivation in order to produce the desired antibody molecule in large amounts. The purification of the antibodies is routinely performed by affinity chromatography. After purification, the antibody molecule can be characterized and validated for the final test application. The whole process takes 8 to 12 months of development, and there is a high risk that the antibody will not work in the desired test system.

Environmental life cycle assessment of methanol and electricity co-production system based on coal gasification technology.

PubMed

Śliwińska, Anna; Burchart-Korol, Dorota; Smoliński, Adam

2017-01-01

This paper presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) of greenhouse gas emissions generated through methanol and electricity co-production system based on coal gasification technology. The analysis focuses on polygeneration technologies from which two products are produced, and thus, issues related to an allocation procedure for LCA are addressed in this paper. In the LCA, two methods were used: a 'system expansion' method based on two approaches, the 'avoided burdens approach' and 'direct system enlargement' methods and an 'allocation' method involving proportional partitioning based on physical relationships in a technological process. Cause-effect relationships in the analysed production process were identified, allowing for the identification of allocation factors. The 'system expansion' method involved expanding the analysis to include five additional variants of electricity production technologies in Poland (alternative technologies). This method revealed environmental consequences of implementation for the analysed technologies. It was found that the LCA of polygeneration technologies based on the 'system expansion' method generated a more complete source of information on environmental consequences than the 'allocation' method. The analysis shows that alternative technologies chosen for generating LCA results are crucial. Life cycle assessment was performed for the analysed, reference and variant alternative technologies. Comparative analysis was performed between the analysed technologies of methanol and electricity co-production from coal gasification as well as a reference technology of methanol production from the natural gas reforming process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Toward DNA-based Security Circuitry: First Step - Random Number Generation.

PubMed

Bogard, Christy M; Arazi, Benjamin; Rouchka, Eric C

2008-08-10

DNA-based circuit design is an area of research in which traditional silicon-based technologies are replaced by naturally occurring phenomena taken from biochemistry and molecular biology. Our team investigates the implications of DNA-based circuit design in serving security applications. As an initial step we develop a random number generation circuitry. A novel prototype schema employs solid-phase synthesis of oligonucleotides for random construction of DNA sequences. Temporary storage and retrieval is achieved through plasmid vectors.

Model-based quality assessment and base-calling for second-generation sequencing data.

PubMed

Bravo, Héctor Corrada; Irizarry, Rafael A

2010-09-01

Second-generation sequencing (sec-gen) technology can sequence millions of short fragments of DNA in parallel, making it capable of assembling complex genomes for a small fraction of the price and time of previous technologies. In fact, a recently formed international consortium, the 1000 Genomes Project, plans to fully sequence the genomes of approximately 1200 people. The prospect of comparative analysis at the sequence level of a large number of samples across multiple populations may be achieved within the next five years. These data present unprecedented challenges in statistical analysis. For instance, analysis operates on millions of short nucleotide sequences, or reads-strings of A,C,G, or T's, between 30 and 100 characters long-which are the result of complex processing of noisy continuous fluorescence intensity measurements known as base-calling. The complexity of the base-calling discretization process results in reads of widely varying quality within and across sequence samples. This variation in processing quality results in infrequent but systematic errors that we have found to mislead downstream analysis of the discretized sequence read data. For instance, a central goal of the 1000 Genomes Project is to quantify across-sample variation at the single nucleotide level. At this resolution, small error rates in sequencing prove significant, especially for rare variants. Sec-gen sequencing is a relatively new technology for which potential biases and sources of obscuring variation are not yet fully understood. Therefore, modeling and quantifying the uncertainty inherent in the generation of sequence reads is of utmost importance. In this article, we present a simple model to capture uncertainty arising in the base-calling procedure of the Illumina/Solexa GA platform. Model parameters have a straightforward interpretation in terms of the chemistry of base-calling allowing for informative and easily interpretable metrics that capture the variability in

Strategic Planning Tools for Large-Scale Technology-Based Assessments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koomen, Marten; Zoanetti, Nathan

2018-01-01

Education systems are increasingly being called upon to implement new technology-based assessment systems that generate efficiencies, better meet changing stakeholder expectations, or fulfil new assessment purposes. These assessment systems require coordinated organisational effort to implement and can be expensive in time, skill and other…

Integration of Problem-based Learning and Innovative Technology Into a Self-Care Course

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Objective. To assess the integration of problem-based learning and technology into a self-care course. Design. Problem-based learning (PBL) activities were developed and implemented in place of lectures in a self-care course. Students used technology, such as computer-generated virtual patients and iPads, during the PBL sessions. Assessments. Students’ scores on post-case quizzes were higher than on pre-case quizzes used to assess baseline knowledge. Student satisfaction with problem-based learning and the use of technology in the course remained consistent throughout the semester. Conclusion. Integrating problem-based learning and technology into a self-care course enabled students to become active learners. PMID:23966730

New Generation Flask Sampling Technology Final Report

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

Smith, James R.

Scientists are turning their focus to the Arctic, site of one of the strongest climate change signals. A new generation of technologies is required to function within that harsh environment, chart evolution of its trace gases and provide new kinds of information for models of the atmosphere. Our response to the solicitation tracks how global atmospheric monitoring was launched more than a half century ago; namely, acquisition of discrete samples of air by flask and subsequent analysis in the laboratory. AOS is proposing to develop a new generation of flask sampling technology. It will enable the new Arctic programs tomore » begin with objective high density sampling of the atmosphere by UAS. The Phase I program will build the prototype flask technology and show that it can acquire and store mol fractions of CH4 and CO2 and value of δ13C with good fidelity. A CAD model will be produced for the entire platform including a package with 100 flasks and the airframe with auto-pilot, electronic propulsion and ground-to-air communications. A mobile flask analysis station will be prototyped in Phase I and designed to final form in Phase II. It expends very small sample per analysis and will interface directly to the flask package integrated permanently into the UAS fuselage. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: • The New Generation Flask Sampling Technology able to provide a hundred or more samples of air per UAS mission. • A mobile analysis station expending far less sample than the existing ones and small enough to be stationed at the remote sites of Arctic operations. • A new form of validation for continuous trace gas observations from all platforms including the small UAS. • Further demonstration to potential customers of the AOS capabilities to invent, build, deploy and exploit entire platforms for observations of Earth’s atmosphere and ocean. Key Words: Flask Sampler, Mobile Analysis Station, Trace Gas, CO2, CH4, δC13, UAS, Baseline Airborne

Developing next-generation telehealth tools and technologies: patients, systems, and data perspectives.

PubMed

Ackerman, Michael J; Filart, Rosemarie; Burgess, Lawrence P; Lee, Insup; Poropatich, Ronald K

2010-01-01

The major goals of telemedicine today are to develop next-generation telehealth tools and technologies to enhance healthcare delivery to medically underserved populations using telecommunication technology, to increase access to medical specialty services while decreasing healthcare costs, and to provide training of healthcare providers, clinical trainees, and students in health-related fields. Key drivers for these tools and technologies are the need and interest to collaborate among telehealth stakeholders, including patients, patient communities, research funders, researchers, healthcare services providers, professional societies, industry, healthcare management/economists, and healthcare policy makers. In the development, marketing, adoption, and implementation of these tools and technologies, communication, training, cultural sensitivity, and end-user customization are critical pieces to the process. Next-generation tools and technologies are vehicles toward personalized medicine, extending the telemedicine model to include cell phones and Internet-based telecommunications tools for remote and home health management with video assessment, remote bedside monitoring, and patient-specific care tools with event logs, patient electronic profile, and physician note-writing capability. Telehealth is ultimately a system of systems in scale and complexity. To cover the full spectrum of dynamic and evolving needs of end-users, we must appreciate system complexity as telehealth moves toward increasing functionality, integration, interoperability, outreach, and quality of service. Toward that end, our group addressed three overarching questions: (1) What are the high-impact topics? (2) What are the barriers to progress? and (3) What roles can the National Institutes of Health and its various institutes and centers play in fostering the future development of telehealth?

Income generation for women with renewable energy technologies

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

Stone, L.

1996-10-01

70% of the world`s poor are women. The poverty that is especially hard hitting for rural women throughout the world has many causes. The lack of access to education, credit and new technologies make it almost impossible for women to earn an income. Yet, when women earn an income, it not only improves their lives, but also improves the lives of their children and their communities. Solar energy technologies, along with access to credit, can help rural women improve the quality of their lives through income generating enterprises. The technologies discussed are solar cooking, solar food drying, solar blenders, andmore » photovoltaics.« less

Experimental nonlocality-based randomness generation with nonprojective measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gómez, S.; Mattar, A.; Gómez, E. S.; Cavalcanti, D.; Farías, O. Jiménez; Acín, A.; Lima, G.

2018-04-01

We report on an optical setup generating more than one bit of randomness from one entangled bit (i.e., a maximally entangled state of two qubits). The amount of randomness is certified through the observation of Bell nonlocal correlations. To attain this result we implemented a high-purity entanglement source and a nonprojective three-outcome measurement. Our implementation achieves a gain of 27% of randomness as compared with the standard methods using projective measurements. Additionally, we estimate the amount of randomness certified in a one-sided device-independent scenario, through the observation of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen steering. Our results prove that nonprojective quantum measurements allow extending the limits for nonlocality-based certified randomness generation using current technology.

Generational affinities and discourses of difference: a case study of highly skilled information technology workers.

PubMed

McMullin, Julie Ann; Duerden Comeau, Tammy; Jovic, Emily

2007-06-01

Sociologists theorizing the concept of 'generation' have traditionally looked to birth cohorts sharing major social upheavals such as war or decolonization to explain issues of generational solidarity and identity affiliation. More recently, theorists have drawn attention to the cultural elements where generations are thought to be formed through affinities with music or other types of popular culture during the 'coming of age' stage of life. In this paper, we ask whether developments in computer technology, which have both productive and cultural components, provide a basis for generational formation and identity and whether generational discourse is invoked to create cultures of difference in the workplace. Qualitative data from a sample of Information Technology workers show that these professionals mobilize 'generational' discourse and draw upon notions of 'generational affinity' with computing technology (e.g. the fact that people of different ages were immersed to varying degrees in different computing technologies) in explaining the youthful profile of IT workers and employees' differing levels of technological expertise.

Assess and Predict Automatic Generation Control Performances for Thermal Power Generation Units Based on Modeling Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Yan; Yang, Zijiang; Gao, Song; Liu, Jinbiao

2018-02-01

Automatic generation control(AGC) is a key technology to maintain real time power generation and load balance, and to ensure the quality of power supply. Power grids require each power generation unit to have a satisfactory AGC performance, being specified in two detailed rules. The two rules provide a set of indices to measure the AGC performance of power generation unit. However, the commonly-used method to calculate these indices is based on particular data samples from AGC responses and will lead to incorrect results in practice. This paper proposes a new method to estimate the AGC performance indices via system identification techniques. In addition, a nonlinear regression model between performance indices and load command is built in order to predict the AGC performance indices. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated through industrial case studies.

Modeling technology innovation: how science, engineering, and industry methods can combine to generate beneficial socioeconomic impacts.

PubMed

Stone, Vathsala I; Lane, Joseph P

2012-05-16

Government-sponsored science, technology, and innovation (STI) programs support the socioeconomic aspects of public policies, in addition to expanding the knowledge base. For example, beneficial healthcare services and devices are expected to result from investments in research and development (R&D) programs, which assume a causal link to commercial innovation. Such programs are increasingly held accountable for evidence of impact-that is, innovative goods and services resulting from R&D activity. However, the absence of comprehensive models and metrics skews evidence gathering toward bibliometrics about research outputs (published discoveries), with less focus on transfer metrics about development outputs (patented prototypes) and almost none on econometrics related to production outputs (commercial innovations). This disparity is particularly problematic for the expressed intent of such programs, as most measurable socioeconomic benefits result from the last category of outputs. This paper proposes a conceptual framework integrating all three knowledge-generating methods into a logic model, useful for planning, obtaining, and measuring the intended beneficial impacts through the implementation of knowledge in practice. Additionally, the integration of the Context-Input-Process-Product (CIPP) model of evaluation proactively builds relevance into STI policies and programs while sustaining rigor. The resulting logic model framework explicitly traces the progress of knowledge from inputs, following it through the three knowledge-generating processes and their respective knowledge outputs (discovery, invention, innovation), as it generates the intended socio-beneficial impacts. It is a hybrid model for generating technology-based innovations, where best practices in new product development merge with a widely accepted knowledge-translation approach. Given the emphasis on evidence-based practice in the medical and health fields and "bench to bedside" expectations for

Modeling technology innovation: How science, engineering, and industry methods can combine to generate beneficial socioeconomic impacts

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Government-sponsored science, technology, and innovation (STI) programs support the socioeconomic aspects of public policies, in addition to expanding the knowledge base. For example, beneficial healthcare services and devices are expected to result from investments in research and development (R&D) programs, which assume a causal link to commercial innovation. Such programs are increasingly held accountable for evidence of impact—that is, innovative goods and services resulting from R&D activity. However, the absence of comprehensive models and metrics skews evidence gathering toward bibliometrics about research outputs (published discoveries), with less focus on transfer metrics about development outputs (patented prototypes) and almost none on econometrics related to production outputs (commercial innovations). This disparity is particularly problematic for the expressed intent of such programs, as most measurable socioeconomic benefits result from the last category of outputs. Methods This paper proposes a conceptual framework integrating all three knowledge-generating methods into a logic model, useful for planning, obtaining, and measuring the intended beneficial impacts through the implementation of knowledge in practice. Additionally, the integration of the Context-Input-Process-Product (CIPP) model of evaluation proactively builds relevance into STI policies and programs while sustaining rigor. Results The resulting logic model framework explicitly traces the progress of knowledge from inputs, following it through the three knowledge-generating processes and their respective knowledge outputs (discovery, invention, innovation), as it generates the intended socio-beneficial impacts. It is a hybrid model for generating technology-based innovations, where best practices in new product development merge with a widely accepted knowledge-translation approach. Given the emphasis on evidence-based practice in the medical and health fields and �

Generational Learning Style Preferences Based on Computer-Based Healthcare Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, Michaelle H.

2016-01-01

Purpose. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to determine the degree of perceived differences for auditory, visual and kinesthetic learning styles of Traditionalist, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennial generational healthcare workers participating in technology-assisted healthcare training. Methodology. This mixed-method research…

FY04 Engineering Technology Reports Technology Base

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

Sharpe, R M

2005-01-27

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Engineering Directorate has two primary discretionary avenues for its investment in technologies: the Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) program and the ''Tech Base'' program. This volume summarizes progress on the projects funded for technology-base efforts in FY2004. The Engineering Technical Reports exemplify Engineering's more than 50-year history of researching and developing (LDRD), and reducing to practice (technology-base) the engineering technologies needed to support the Laboratory's missions. Engineering has been a partner in every major program and project at the Laboratory throughout its existence, and has prepared for this role with a skilled workforce and technicalmore » resources. This accomplishment is well summarized by Engineering's mission: ''Enable program success today and ensure the Laboratory's vitality tomorrow''. LDRD is the vehicle for creating those technologies and competencies that are cutting edge. These require a significant level of research or contain some unknown that needs to be fully understood. Tech Base is used to apply those technologies, or adapt them to a Laboratory need. The term commonly used for Tech Base projects is ''reduction to practice''. Tech Base projects effect the natural transition to reduction-to-practice of scientific or engineering methods that are well understood and established. They represent discipline-oriented, core competency activities that are multi-programmatic in application, nature, and scope. The objectives of technology-base funding include: (1) the development and enhancement of tools and processes to provide Engineering support capability, such as code maintenance and improved fabrication methods; (2) support of Engineering science and technology infrastructure, such as the installation or integration of a new capability; (3) support for technical and administrative leadership through our technology Centers; and (4) the initial

Material design and engineering of next-generation flow-battery technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Minjoon; Ryu, Jaechan; Wang, Wei; Cho, Jaephil

2017-01-01

Spatial separation of the electrolyte and electrode is the main characteristic of flow-battery technologies, which liberates them from the constraints of overall energy content and the energy/power ratio. The concept of a flowing electrolyte not only presents a cost-effective approach for large-scale energy storage, but has also recently been used to develop a wide range of new hybrid energy storage and conversion systems. The advent of flow-based lithium-ion, organic redox-active materials, metal-air cells and photoelectrochemical batteries promises new opportunities for advanced electrical energy-storage technologies. In this Review, we present a critical overview of recent progress in conventional aqueous redox-flow batteries and next-generation flow batteries, highlighting the latest innovative alternative materials. We outline their technical feasibility for use in long-term and large-scale electrical energy-storage devices, as well as the limitations that need to be overcome, providing our view of promising future research directions in the field of redox-flow batteries.

Terahertz wireless communications based on photonics technologies.

PubMed

Nagatsuma, Tadao; Horiguchi, Shogo; Minamikata, Yusuke; Yoshimizu, Yasuyuki; Hisatake, Shintaro; Kuwano, Shigeru; Yoshimoto, Naoto; Terada, Jun; Takahashi, Hiroyuki

2013-10-07

There has been an increasing interest in the application of terahertz (THz) waves to broadband wireless communications. In particular, use of frequencies above 275 GHz is one of the strong concerns among radio scientists and engineers, because these frequency bands have not yet been allocated at specific active services, and there is a possibility to employ extremely large bandwidths for ultra-broadband wireless communications. Introduction of photonics technologies for signal generation, modulation and detection is effective not only to enhance the bandwidth and/or the data rate, but also to combine fiber-optic (wired) and wireless networks. This paper reviews recent progress in THz wireless communications using telecom-based photonics technologies towards 100 Gbit/s.

Summary assessment of solar thermal parabolic dish technology for electrical power generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Penda, P. L.; Fujita, T.; Lucas, J. W.

1985-01-01

An assessment is provided of solar thermal parabolic dish technology for electrical power generation. The assessment is based on the development program undertaken by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy and covers the period from the initiation of the program in 1976 through mid-1984. The program was founded on developing components and subsystems that are integrated into parabolic dish power modules for test and evaluation. The status of the project is summarized in terms of results obtained through testing of modules, and the implications of these findings are assessed in terms of techno-economic projections and market potential. The techno-economic projections are based on continuation of an evolutionary technological development program and are related to the accomplishments of the program as of mid-1984. The accomplishments of the development effort are summarized for each major subsystem including concentrators, receivers, and engines. The ramifications of these accomplishments are assessed in the context of developmental objectives and strategies.

Raster Scan Computer Image Generation (CIG) System Based On Refresh Memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dichter, W.; Doris, K.; Conkling, C.

1982-06-01

A full color, Computer Image Generation (CIG) raster visual system has been developed which provides a high level of training sophistication by utilizing advanced semiconductor technology and innovative hardware and firmware techniques. Double buffered refresh memory and efficient algorithms eliminate the problem of conventional raster line ordering by allowing the generated image to be stored in a random fashion. Modular design techniques and simplified architecture provide significant advantages in reduced system cost, standardization of parts, and high reliability. The major system components are a general purpose computer to perform interfacing and data base functions; a geometric processor to define the instantaneous scene image; a display generator to convert the image to a video signal; an illumination control unit which provides final image processing; and a CRT monitor for display of the completed image. Additional optional enhancements include texture generators, increased edge and occultation capability, curved surface shading, and data base extensions.

Introduction and comparison of next-generation mobile wireless technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaidi, Syed R.; Hussain, Shahab; Ali, M. A.; Sana, Ajaz; Saddawi, Samir; Carranza, Aparicio

2010-01-01

Mobile networks and services have gone further than voice-only communication services and are rapidly developing towards data-centric services. Emerging mobile data services are expected to see the same explosive growth in demand that Internet and wireless voice services have seen in recent years. To support such a rapid increase in traffic, active users, and advanced multimedia services implied by this growth rate along with the diverse quality of service (QoS) and rate requirements set by these services, mobile operator need to rapidly transition to a simple and cost-effective, flat, all IP-network. This has accelerated the development and deployment of new wireless broadband access technologies including fourth-generation (4G) mobile WiMAX and cellular Long-Term Evolution (LTE). Mobile WiMAX and LTE are two different (but not necessarily competing) technologies that will eventually be used to achieve data speeds of up to 100 Mbps. Speeds that are fast enough to potentially replace wired broadband connections with wireless. This paper introduces both of these next generation technologies and then compares them in the end.

NASA Project Develops Next-Generation Low-Emissions Combustor Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Chi-Ming; Chang, Clarence T.; Herbon, John T.; Kramer, Stephen K.

2013-01-01

NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) Project is working with industry to develop the fuel flexible combustor technologies for a new generation of low-emissions engine targeted for the 2020 timeframe. These new combustors will reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to half of current state-of-the-art (SOA) combustors, while simultaneously reducing noise and fuel burn. The purpose of the low NOx fuel-flexible combustor research is to advance the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and Integration Readiness Level (IRL) of a low NOx, fuel flexible combustor to the point where it can be integrated in the next generation of aircraft. To reduce project risk and optimize research benefit NASA chose to found two Phase 1 contracts. The first Phase 1 contracts went to engine manufactures and were awarded to: General Electric Company, and Pratt & Whitney Company. The second Phase 1 contracts went to fuel injector manufactures Goodrich Corporation, Parker Hannifin Corporation, and Woodward Fuel System Technology. In 2012, two sector combustors were tested at NASA's ASCR. The results indicated 75% NOx emission reduction below the 2004 CAEP/6 regulation level.

Distributed Generation Energy Technology Operations and Maintenance Costs |

Science.gov Websites

Costs Distributed Generation Energy Technology Operations and Maintenance Costs Transparent Cost Database Button The following charts indicate recent operations and maintenance (O&M) cost estimates available national-level cost data from a variety of sources. Costs in your specific location will vary. The

DNA based random key generation and management for OTP encryption.

PubMed

Zhang, Yunpeng; Liu, Xin; Sun, Manhui

2017-09-01

One-time pad (OTP) is a principle of key generation applied to the stream ciphering method which offers total privacy. The OTP encryption scheme has proved to be unbreakable in theory, but difficult to realize in practical applications. Because OTP encryption specially requires the absolute randomness of the key, its development has suffered from dense constraints. DNA cryptography is a new and promising technology in the field of information security. DNA chromosomes storing capabilities can be used as one-time pad structures with pseudo-random number generation and indexing in order to encrypt the plaintext messages. In this paper, we present a feasible solution to the OTP symmetric key generation and transmission problem with DNA at the molecular level. Through recombinant DNA technology, by using only sender-receiver known restriction enzymes to combine the secure key represented by DNA sequence and the T vector, we generate the DNA bio-hiding secure key and then place the recombinant plasmid in implanted bacteria for secure key transmission. The designed bio experiments and simulation results show that the security of the transmission of the key is further improved and the environmental requirements of key transmission are reduced. Analysis has demonstrated that the proposed DNA-based random key generation and management solutions are marked by high security and usability. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Evaluation of grid generation technologies from an applied perspective

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hufford, Gary S.; Harrand, Vincent J.; Patel, Bhavin C.; Mitchell, Curtis R.

1995-01-01

An analysis of the grid generation process from the point of view of an applied CFD engineer is given. Issues addressed include geometric modeling, structured grid generation, unstructured grid generation, hybrid grid generation and use of virtual parts libraries in large parametric analysis projects. The analysis is geared towards comparing the effective turn around time for specific grid generation and CFD projects. The conclusion was made that a single grid generation methodology is not universally suited for all CFD applications due to both limitations in grid generation and flow solver technology. A new geometric modeling and grid generation tool, CFD-GEOM, is introduced to effectively integrate the geometric modeling process to the various grid generation methodologies including structured, unstructured, and hybrid procedures. The full integration of the geometric modeling and grid generation allows implementation of extremely efficient updating procedures, a necessary requirement for large parametric analysis projects. The concept of using virtual parts libraries in conjunction with hybrid grids for large parametric analysis projects is also introduced to improve the efficiency of the applied CFD engineer.

Method to implement the CCD timing generator based on FPGA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Binhua; Song, Qian; He, Chun; Jin, Jianhui; He, Lin

2010-07-01

With the advance of the PFPA technology, the design methodology of digital systems is changing. In recent years we develop a method to implement the CCD timing generator based on FPGA and VHDL. This paper presents the principles and implementation skills of the method. Taking a developed camera as an example, we introduce the structure, input and output clocks/signals of a timing generator implemented in the camera. The generator is composed of a top module and a bottom module. The bottom one is made up of 4 sub-modules which correspond to 4 different operation modes. The modules are implemented by 5 VHDL programs. Frame charts of the architecture of these programs are shown in the paper. We also describe implementation steps of the timing generator in Quartus II, and the interconnections between the generator and a Nios soft core processor which is the controller of this generator. Some test results are presented in the end.

Renewable generation technology choice and policies in a competitive electricity supply industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Ashok

Renewable energy generation technologies have lower externality costs but higher private costs than fossil fuel-based generation. As a result, the choice of renewables in the future generation mix could be affected by the industry's future market-oriented structure because market objectives based on private value judgments may conflict with social policy objectives toward better environmental quality. This research assesses how renewable energy generation choices would be affected in a restructured electricity generation market. A multi-period linear programming-based model (Resource Planning Model) is used to characterize today's electricity supply market in the United States. The model simulates long-range (2000-2020) generation capacity planning and operation decisions under alternative market paradigms. Price-sensitive demand is used to simulate customer preferences in the market. Dynamically changing costs for renewables and a two-step load duration curve are used. A Reference Case represents the benchmark for a socially-optimal diffusion of renewables and a basis for comparing outcomes under alternative market structures. It internalizes externality costs associated with emissions of sulfur dioxide (SOsb2), nitrous oxides (NOsbx), and carbon dioxide (COsb2). A Competitive Case represents a market with many generation suppliers and decision-making based on private costs. Finally, a Market Power Case models the extreme case of market power: monopoly. The results suggest that the share of renewables would decrease (and emissions would increase) considerably in both the Competitive and the Market Power Cases with respect to the Reference Case. The reduction is greater in the Market Power Case due to pricing decisions under existing supply capability. The research evaluates the following environmental policy options that could overcome market failures in achieving an appropriate level of renewable generation: COsb2 emissions tax, SOsb2 emissions cap, renewable

Impact of the proposed energy tax on nuclear electric generating technologies

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

Edmunds, T.A.; Lamont, A.D.; Pasternak, A.D.

1993-05-01

The President`s new economic initiatives include an energy tax that will affect the costs of power from most electric generating technologies. The tax on nuclear power could be applied in a number of different ways at several different points in the fuel cycle. These different approaches could have different effects on the generation costs and benefits of advanced reactors. The Office of Nuclear Energy has developed models for assessing the costs and benefits of advanced reactor cycles which must be updated to take into account the impacts of the proposed tax. This report has been prepared to assess the spectrummore » of impacts of the energy tax on nuclear power and can be used in updating the Office`s economic models. This study was conducted in the following steps. First, the most authoritative statement of the proposed tax available at this time was obtained. Then the impacts of the proposed tax on the costs of nuclear and fossil fueled generation were compared. Finally several other possible approaches to taxing nuclear energy were evaluated. The cost impact on several advanced nuclear technologies and a current light water technology were computed. Finally, the rationale for the energy tax as applied to various electric generating methods was examined.« less

Micromotor-based energy generation.

PubMed

Singh, Virendra V; Soto, Fernando; Kaufmann, Kevin; Wang, Joseph

2015-06-01

A micromotor-based strategy for energy generation, utilizing the conversion of liquid-phase hydrogen to usable hydrogen gas (H2), is described. The new motion-based H2-generation concept relies on the movement of Pt-black/Ti Janus microparticle motors in a solution of sodium borohydride (NaBH4) fuel. This is the first report of using NaBH4 for powering micromotors. The autonomous motion of these catalytic micromotors, as well as their bubble generation, leads to enhanced mixing and transport of NaBH4 towards the Pt-black catalytic surface (compared to static microparticles or films), and hence to a substantially faster rate of H2 production. The practical utility of these micromotors is illustrated by powering a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell car by an on-board motion-based hydrogen and oxygen generation. The new micromotor approach paves the way for the development of efficient on-site energy generation for powering external devices or meeting growing demands on the energy grid. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Mind the Gap: Technology, Millennial Leadership and the Cross-Generational Workforce

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Adam

2011-01-01

It comes as no surprise that different generations respond to and utilise emerging technology in vastly different ways. However as more Millennials take on leadership positions within academic libraries, their attitudes towards and uses of technology may bring conflicting expectations for leadership to the forefront. What are the generational…

Generational Differences in Technology Adoption in Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosario, Victoria C.

2012-01-01

This research study investigated the technological perceptions and expectations of community college students, faculty, administrators, and Information Technology (IT) staff. The theoretical framework is based upon two assumptions on the process of technological innovation: it can be explained by diffusion of adoption theory, and by studying the…

Fragment-based lead generation: identification of seed fragments by a highly efficient fragment screening technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neumann, Lars; Ritscher, Allegra; Müller, Gerhard; Hafenbradl, Doris

2009-08-01

For the detection of the precise and unambiguous binding of fragments to a specific binding site on the target protein, we have developed a novel reporter displacement binding assay technology. The application of this technology for the fragment screening as well as the fragment evolution process with a specific modelling based design strategy is demonstrated for inhibitors of the protein kinase p38alpha. In a fragment screening approach seed fragments were identified which were then used to build compounds from the deep-pocket towards the hinge binding area of the protein kinase p38alpha based on a modelling approach. BIRB796 was used as a blueprint for the alignment of the fragments. The fragment evolution of these deep-pocket binding fragments towards the fully optimized inhibitor BIRB796 included the modulation of the residence time as well as the affinity. The goal of our study was to evaluate the robustness and efficiency of our novel fragment screening technology at high fragment concentrations, compare the screening data with biochemical activity data and to demonstrate the evolution of the hit fragments with fast kinetics, into slow kinetic inhibitors in an in silico approach.

Microhydraulic transducer technology for actuation and power generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagood, Nesbitt W.; Roberts, David C.; Saggere, Laxminarayana; Breuer, Kenneth S.; Chen, Kuo-Shen; Carretero, Jorge A.; Li, Hanqing; Mlcak, Richard; Pulitzer, Seward W.; Schmidt, Martin A.; Spearing, S. Mark; Su, Yu-Hsuan

2000-06-01

The paper introduces a novel transducer technology, called the solid-state micro-hydraulic transducer, currently under development at MIT. The new technology is enabled through integration of micromachining technology, piezoelectrics, and microhydraulic concepts. These micro-hydraulic transducers are capable of bi-directional electromechanical energy conversion, i.e., they can operate as both an actuator that supplies high mechanical force in response to electrical input and an energy generator that transduces electrical energy from mechanical energy in the environment. These transducers are capable of transducing energy at very high specific power output in the order of 1 kW/kg, and thus, they have the potential to enable many novel applications. The concept, the design, and the potential applications of the transducers are presented. Present efforts towards the development of these transducers, and the challenges involved therein, are also discussed.

Next Generation Life Support Project: Development of Advanced Technologies for Human Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barta, Daniel J.

2012-01-01

Next Generation Life Support (NGLS) is one of several technology development projects sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration s Game Changing Development Program. NGLS is developing life support technologies (including water recovery, and space suit life support technologies) needed for humans to live and work productively in space. NGLS has three project tasks: Variable Oxygen Regulator (VOR), Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) swing bed, and Alternative Water Processing. The selected technologies within each of these areas are focused on increasing affordability, reliability, and vehicle self sufficiency while decreasing mass and enabling long duration exploration. The RCA and VOR tasks are directed at key technology needs for the Portable Life Support System (PLSS) for an Exploration Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU), with focus on prototyping and integrated testing. The focus of the Rapid Cycle Amine (RCA) swing-bed ventilation task is to provide integrated carbon dioxide removal and humidity control that can be regenerated in real time during an EVA. The Variable Oxygen Regulator technology will significantly increase the number of pressure settings available to the space suit. Current spacesuit pressure regulators are limited to only two settings while the adjustability of the advanced regulator will be nearly continuous. The Alternative Water Processor efforts will result in the development of a system capable of recycling wastewater from sources expected in future exploration missions, including hygiene and laundry water, based on natural biological processes and membrane-based post treatment. The technologies will support a capability-driven architecture for extending human presence beyond low Earth orbit to potential destinations such as the Moon, near Earth asteroids and Mars.

Aptamer-Based Multiplexed Proteomic Technology for Biomarker Discovery

PubMed Central

Gold, Larry; Ayers, Deborah; Bertino, Jennifer; Bock, Christopher; Bock, Ashley; Brody, Edward N.; Carter, Jeff; Dalby, Andrew B.; Eaton, Bruce E.; Fitzwater, Tim; Flather, Dylan; Forbes, Ashley; Foreman, Trudi; Fowler, Cate; Gawande, Bharat; Goss, Meredith; Gunn, Magda; Gupta, Shashi; Halladay, Dennis; Heil, Jim; Heilig, Joe; Hicke, Brian; Husar, Gregory; Janjic, Nebojsa; Jarvis, Thale; Jennings, Susan; Katilius, Evaldas; Keeney, Tracy R.; Kim, Nancy; Koch, Tad H.; Kraemer, Stephan; Kroiss, Luke; Le, Ngan; Levine, Daniel; Lindsey, Wes; Lollo, Bridget; Mayfield, Wes; Mehan, Mike; Mehler, Robert; Nelson, Sally K.; Nelson, Michele; Nieuwlandt, Dan; Nikrad, Malti; Ochsner, Urs; Ostroff, Rachel M.; Otis, Matt; Parker, Thomas; Pietrasiewicz, Steve; Resnicow, Daniel I.; Rohloff, John; Sanders, Glenn; Sattin, Sarah; Schneider, Daniel; Singer, Britta; Stanton, Martin; Sterkel, Alana; Stewart, Alex; Stratford, Suzanne; Vaught, Jonathan D.; Vrkljan, Mike; Walker, Jeffrey J.; Watrobka, Mike; Waugh, Sheela; Weiss, Allison; Wilcox, Sheri K.; Wolfson, Alexey; Wolk, Steven K.; Zhang, Chi; Zichi, Dom

2010-01-01

Background The interrogation of proteomes (“proteomics”) in a highly multiplexed and efficient manner remains a coveted and challenging goal in biology and medicine. Methodology/Principal Findings We present a new aptamer-based proteomic technology for biomarker discovery capable of simultaneously measuring thousands of proteins from small sample volumes (15 µL of serum or plasma). Our current assay measures 813 proteins with low limits of detection (1 pM median), 7 logs of overall dynamic range (∼100 fM–1 µM), and 5% median coefficient of variation. This technology is enabled by a new generation of aptamers that contain chemically modified nucleotides, which greatly expand the physicochemical diversity of the large randomized nucleic acid libraries from which the aptamers are selected. Proteins in complex matrices such as plasma are measured with a process that transforms a signature of protein concentrations into a corresponding signature of DNA aptamer concentrations, which is quantified on a DNA microarray. Our assay takes advantage of the dual nature of aptamers as both folded protein-binding entities with defined shapes and unique nucleotide sequences recognizable by specific hybridization probes. To demonstrate the utility of our proteomics biomarker discovery technology, we applied it to a clinical study of chronic kidney disease (CKD). We identified two well known CKD biomarkers as well as an additional 58 potential CKD biomarkers. These results demonstrate the potential utility of our technology to rapidly discover unique protein signatures characteristic of various disease states. Conclusions/Significance We describe a versatile and powerful tool that allows large-scale comparison of proteome profiles among discrete populations. This unbiased and highly multiplexed search engine will enable the discovery of novel biomarkers in a manner that is unencumbered by our incomplete knowledge of biology, thereby helping to advance the next generation of

Aptamer-based multiplexed proteomic technology for biomarker discovery.

PubMed

Gold, Larry; Ayers, Deborah; Bertino, Jennifer; Bock, Christopher; Bock, Ashley; Brody, Edward N; Carter, Jeff; Dalby, Andrew B; Eaton, Bruce E; Fitzwater, Tim; Flather, Dylan; Forbes, Ashley; Foreman, Trudi; Fowler, Cate; Gawande, Bharat; Goss, Meredith; Gunn, Magda; Gupta, Shashi; Halladay, Dennis; Heil, Jim; Heilig, Joe; Hicke, Brian; Husar, Gregory; Janjic, Nebojsa; Jarvis, Thale; Jennings, Susan; Katilius, Evaldas; Keeney, Tracy R; Kim, Nancy; Koch, Tad H; Kraemer, Stephan; Kroiss, Luke; Le, Ngan; Levine, Daniel; Lindsey, Wes; Lollo, Bridget; Mayfield, Wes; Mehan, Mike; Mehler, Robert; Nelson, Sally K; Nelson, Michele; Nieuwlandt, Dan; Nikrad, Malti; Ochsner, Urs; Ostroff, Rachel M; Otis, Matt; Parker, Thomas; Pietrasiewicz, Steve; Resnicow, Daniel I; Rohloff, John; Sanders, Glenn; Sattin, Sarah; Schneider, Daniel; Singer, Britta; Stanton, Martin; Sterkel, Alana; Stewart, Alex; Stratford, Suzanne; Vaught, Jonathan D; Vrkljan, Mike; Walker, Jeffrey J; Watrobka, Mike; Waugh, Sheela; Weiss, Allison; Wilcox, Sheri K; Wolfson, Alexey; Wolk, Steven K; Zhang, Chi; Zichi, Dom

2010-12-07

The interrogation of proteomes ("proteomics") in a highly multiplexed and efficient manner remains a coveted and challenging goal in biology and medicine. We present a new aptamer-based proteomic technology for biomarker discovery capable of simultaneously measuring thousands of proteins from small sample volumes (15 µL of serum or plasma). Our current assay measures 813 proteins with low limits of detection (1 pM median), 7 logs of overall dynamic range (~100 fM-1 µM), and 5% median coefficient of variation. This technology is enabled by a new generation of aptamers that contain chemically modified nucleotides, which greatly expand the physicochemical diversity of the large randomized nucleic acid libraries from which the aptamers are selected. Proteins in complex matrices such as plasma are measured with a process that transforms a signature of protein concentrations into a corresponding signature of DNA aptamer concentrations, which is quantified on a DNA microarray. Our assay takes advantage of the dual nature of aptamers as both folded protein-binding entities with defined shapes and unique nucleotide sequences recognizable by specific hybridization probes. To demonstrate the utility of our proteomics biomarker discovery technology, we applied it to a clinical study of chronic kidney disease (CKD). We identified two well known CKD biomarkers as well as an additional 58 potential CKD biomarkers. These results demonstrate the potential utility of our technology to rapidly discover unique protein signatures characteristic of various disease states. We describe a versatile and powerful tool that allows large-scale comparison of proteome profiles among discrete populations. This unbiased and highly multiplexed search engine will enable the discovery of novel biomarkers in a manner that is unencumbered by our incomplete knowledge of biology, thereby helping to advance the next generation of evidence-based medicine.

Software framework for prognostic health monitoring of ocean-based power generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bowren, Mark

On August 5, 2010 the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has designated the Center for Ocean Energy Technology (COET) at Florida Atlantic University (FAU) as a national center for ocean energy research and development of prototypes for open-ocean power generation. Maintenance on ocean-based machinery can be very costly. To avoid unnecessary maintenance it is necessary to monitor the condition of each machine in order to predict problems. This kind of prognostic health monitoring (PHM) requires a condition-based maintenance (CBM) system that supports diagnostic and prognostic analysis of large amounts of data. Research in this field led to the creation of ISO13374 and the development of a standard open-architecture for machine condition monitoring. This thesis explores an implementation of such a system for ocean-based machinery using this framework and current open-standard technologies.

New Technology for Microfabrication and Testing of a Thermoelectric Device for Generating Mobile Electrical Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prasad, Narasimha S.; Taylor, Patrick J.; Trivedi, Sudhir B.; Kutcher, Susan

2012-01-01

Thermoelectric (TE) power generation is an increasingly important power generation technology. Major advantages include: no moving parts, low-weight, modularity, covertness/silence, high power density, low amortized cost, and long service life with minimum or no required maintenance. Despite low efficiency of power generation, there are many specialized needs for electrical power that TE technologies can uniquely and successfully address. Recent advances in thermoelectric materials technology have rekindled acute interest in thermoelectric power generation. We have developed single crystalline n- and p- type PbTe crystals and are also, developing PbTe bulk nanocomposites using PbTe nano powders and emerging filed assisted sintering technology (FAST). We will discuss the materials requirements for efficient thermoelectric power generation using waste heat at intermediate temperature range (6500 to 8500 K). We will present our recent results on production of n- and p- type PbTe crystals and their thermoelectric characterization. Relative characteristics and performance of PbTe bulk single crystals and nano composites for thermoelectric power generation will be discussed.

Smart Home Technologies: Insights into Generation-Specific Acceptance Motives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaul, Sylvia; Ziefle, Martina

In this research we examine the generation specific acceptance motives of eHealth technologies in order to assess the likelihood of success for these new technologies. 280 participants (14 - 92 years of age) volunteered to participate in a survey, in which using motives and barriers toward smart home technologies were explored. The scenario envisaged was the use of a medical stent implemented into the body, which monitors automatically the health status and which is able to remotely communicate with the doctor. Participants were asked to evaluate the pros and cons of the usage of this technology, their acceptance motives and potential utilization barriers. In order to understand the complex nature of acceptance, personal variables (age, technical expertise, health status), individual's cognitive concepts toward ageing as well as perceived usefulness were related. Outcomes show that trust, believe in the reliability of technology, privacy and security as well as intimacy facets are essential for acceptance and should be considered in order to proactively design a successful rollout of smart home technologies.

Next generation of spaceborne rain radars: science rationales and technology status

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Im, Eastwood; Durden, Stephen L.; Kakar, Ramesh K.; Kummerow, Christian D.; Smith, Eric A.

2003-04-01

Global rainfall is the primary distributor of latent heat through atmospheric circulation. This important atmospheric parameter can only be measured reliably from space. The on-going Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) is the first space based mission dedicated to advance our understanding of tropical precipitation patterns and their implications on global climate and its change. The Precipitation Radar (PR) aboard the satellite is the first radar ever flown in space and has provided exciting, new data on the 3-D rain structures for a variety of scientific applications. The continuous success of TRMM has led to new development of the next generation of spaceborne satellites and sensors for global rainfall and hydrological parameter measurements. From science and cost efficiency prospective, these new sensing instruments are expected to provide enhanced capabilities and reduced consumption on the spacecraft resources. At NASA, the Earth Science Enterprise has strengthened its investment on instrument technologies to help achieving these two main goals and to obtain the best science values from the new earth science instruments. It is with this spirit that a notional instrument concept, using a dual-frequency rain radar with a deployable 5-meter electronically-scanned membrane antenna and real-time digital signal processing, is developed. This new system, the Second Generation Precipitation Radar (PR-2), has the potential of offering greatly enhanced performance accuracy while using only a fraction of the mass of the current TRMM PR. During the last two years, several of the technology items associated with this notional instrument have also been prototyped. In this paper, the science rationales, the instrument design concept, and the technology status for the PR-2 notional system will be presented.

The first FDA marketing authorizations of next-generation sequencing technology and tests: challenges, solutions and impact for future assays.

PubMed

Bijwaard, Karen; Dickey, Jennifer S; Kelm, Kellie; Težak, Živana

2015-01-01

The rapid emergence and clinical translation of novel high-throughput sequencing technologies created a need to clarify the regulatory pathway for the evaluation and authorization of these unique technologies. Recently, the US FDA authorized for marketing four next generation sequencing (NGS)-based diagnostic devices which consisted of two heritable disease-specific assays, library preparation reagents and a NGS platform that are intended for human germline targeted sequencing from whole blood. These first authorizations can serve as a case study in how different types of NGS-based technology are reviewed by the FDA. In this manuscript we describe challenges associated with the evaluation of these novel technologies and provide an overview of what was reviewed. Besides making validated NGS-based devices available for in vitro diagnostic use, these first authorizations create a regulatory path for similar future instruments and assays.

Computer-Based Arithmetic Test Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trocchi, Robert F.

1973-01-01

The computer can be a welcome partner in the instructional process, but only if there is man-machine interaction. Man should not compromise system design because of available hardware; the computer must fit the system design for the result to represent an acceptable solution to instructional technology. The Arithmetic Test Generator system fits…

Application of Next-generation Sequencing Technology in Forensic Science

PubMed Central

Yang, Yaran; Xie, Bingbing; Yan, Jiangwei

2014-01-01

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, with its high-throughput capacity and low cost, has developed rapidly in recent years and become an important analytical tool for many genomics researchers. New opportunities in the research domain of the forensic studies emerge by harnessing the power of NGS technology, which can be applied to simultaneously analyzing multiple loci of forensic interest in different genetic contexts, such as autosomes, mitochondrial and sex chromosomes. Furthermore, NGS technology can also have potential applications in many other aspects of research. These include DNA database construction, ancestry and phenotypic inference, monozygotic twin studies, body fluid and species identification, and forensic animal, plant and microbiological analyses. Here we review the application of NGS technology in the field of forensic science with the aim of providing a reference for future forensics studies and practice. PMID:25462152

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT: BIOQUELL, INC. CLARIS C HYDROGEN PEROXIDE GAS GENERATOR

EPA Science Inventory

The Environmental Technology Verification report discusses the technology and performance of the Clarus C Hydrogen Peroxide Gas Generator, a biological decontamination device manufactured by BIOQUELL, Inc. The unit was tested by evaluating its ability to decontaminate seven types...

Maize transformation technology development for commercial event generation.

PubMed

Que, Qiudeng; Elumalai, Sivamani; Li, Xianggan; Zhong, Heng; Nalapalli, Samson; Schweiner, Michael; Fei, Xiaoyin; Nuccio, Michael; Kelliher, Timothy; Gu, Weining; Chen, Zhongying; Chilton, Mary-Dell M

2014-01-01

Maize is an important food and feed crop in many countries. It is also one of the most important target crops for the application of biotechnology. Currently, there are more biotech traits available on the market in maize than in any other crop. Generation of transgenic events is a crucial step in the development of biotech traits. For commercial applications, a high throughput transformation system producing a large number of high quality events in an elite genetic background is highly desirable. There has been tremendous progress in Agrobacterium-mediated maize transformation since the publication of the Ishida et al. (1996) paper and the technology has been widely adopted for transgenic event production by many labs around the world. We will review general efforts in establishing efficient maize transformation technologies useful for transgenic event production in trait research and development. The review will also discuss transformation systems used for generating commercial maize trait events currently on the market. As the number of traits is increasing steadily and two or more modes of action are used to control key pests, new tools are needed to efficiently transform vectors containing multiple trait genes. We will review general guidelines for assembling binary vectors for commercial transformation. Approaches to increase transformation efficiency and gene expression of large gene stack vectors will be discussed. Finally, recent studies of targeted genome modification and transgene insertion using different site-directed nuclease technologies will be reviewed.

Maize transformation technology development for commercial event generation

PubMed Central

Que, Qiudeng; Elumalai, Sivamani; Li, Xianggan; Zhong, Heng; Nalapalli, Samson; Schweiner, Michael; Fei, Xiaoyin; Nuccio, Michael; Kelliher, Timothy; Gu, Weining; Chen, Zhongying; Chilton, Mary-Dell M.

2014-01-01

Maize is an important food and feed crop in many countries. It is also one of the most important target crops for the application of biotechnology. Currently, there are more biotech traits available on the market in maize than in any other crop. Generation of transgenic events is a crucial step in the development of biotech traits. For commercial applications, a high throughput transformation system producing a large number of high quality events in an elite genetic background is highly desirable. There has been tremendous progress in Agrobacterium-mediated maize transformation since the publication of the Ishida et al. (1996) paper and the technology has been widely adopted for transgenic event production by many labs around the world. We will review general efforts in establishing efficient maize transformation technologies useful for transgenic event production in trait research and development. The review will also discuss transformation systems used for generating commercial maize trait events currently on the market. As the number of traits is increasing steadily and two or more modes of action are used to control key pests, new tools are needed to efficiently transform vectors containing multiple trait genes. We will review general guidelines for assembling binary vectors for commercial transformation. Approaches to increase transformation efficiency and gene expression of large gene stack vectors will be discussed. Finally, recent studies of targeted genome modification and transgene insertion using different site-directed nuclease technologies will be reviewed. PMID:25140170

Soviet steam generator technology: fossil fuel and nuclear power plants. [Glossary included

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

Rosengaus, J.

1987-01-01

In the Soviet Union, particular operational requirements, coupled with a centralized planning system adopted in the 1920s, have led to a current technology which differs in significant ways from its counterparts elsewhere in the would and particularly in the United States. However, the monograph has a broader value in that it traces the development of steam generators in response to the industrial requirements of a major nation dealing with the global energy situation. Specifically, it shows how Soviet steam generator technology evolved as a result of changing industrial requirements, fuel availability, and national fuel utilization policy. The monograph begins withmore » a brief technical introduction focusing on steam-turbine power plants, and includes a discussion of the Soviet Union's regional power supply (GRES) networks and heat and power plant (TETs) systems. TETs may be described as large central co-generating stations which, in addition to electricity, provide heat in the form of steam and hot water. Plants of this type are a common feature of the USSR today. The adoption of these cogeneration units as a matter of national policy has had a central influence on Soviet steam generator technology which can be traced throughout the monograph. The six chapters contain: a short history of steam generators in the USSR; steam generator design and manufacture in the USSR; boiler and furnace assemblies for fossil fuel-fired power stations; auxiliary components; steam generators in nuclear power plants; and the current status of the Soviet steam generator industry. Chapters have been abstracted separately. A glossary is included containing abbreviations and acronyms of USSR organizations. 26 references.« less

Perfect match? Generation Y as change agents for information communication technology implementation in healthcare.

PubMed

Yee, Kwang Chien; Miils, Erin; Airey, Caroline

2008-01-01

The current healthcare delivery model will not meet future healthcare demands. The only sustainable healthcare future is one that best leverages advances in technology to improve productivity and efficiency. Information communication technology (ICT) has, therefore, been touted as the panacea of future healthcare challenges. Many ICT projects in healthcare, however, fail to deliver on their promises to transform the healthcare system. From a technologist's perspective, this is often due to the lack of socio-technical consideration. From a socio-cultural perspective, however, there is often strong inertia to change. While the utilisation of user-centred design principles will generate a new wave of enthusiasm among technologists, this has to be matched with socio-cultural changes within the healthcare system. Generation Y healthcare workers might be the socio-cultural factor required, in combination with new technology, to transform the healthcare system. Generation Y has generated significant technology-driven changes in many other industries. The socio-cultural understanding of generation Y healthcare workers is essential to guide the design and implementation of ICT solutions for a sustainable healthcare future. This paper presents the initial analysis of our qualitative study which aims to generate in-depth conceptual insights of generation Y healthcare workers and their view of ICT in healthcare. Our results show that generation Y healthcare workers might assist future ICT implementation in healthcare. This paper, however, argues that significant changes to the current healthcare organisation will be required in order to unleash the full potential of generation Y workers and ICT implementation. Finally, this paper presents some strategies to empower generation Y workers as change agents for a sustainable future healthcare system.

A rule-based software test data generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deason, William H.; Brown, David B.; Chang, Kai-Hsiung; Cross, James H., II

1991-01-01

Rule-based software test data generation is proposed as an alternative to either path/predicate analysis or random data generation. A prototype rule-based test data generator for Ada programs is constructed and compared to a random test data generator. Four Ada procedures are used in the comparison. Approximately 2000 rule-based test cases and 100,000 randomly generated test cases are automatically generated and executed. The success of the two methods is compared using standard coverage metrics. Simple statistical tests showing that even the primitive rule-based test data generation prototype is significantly better than random data generation are performed. This result demonstrates that rule-based test data generation is feasible and shows great promise in assisting test engineers, especially when the rule base is developed further.

Occupational therapy students' technological skills: Are 'generation Y' ready for 21st century practice?

PubMed

Hills, Caroline; Ryan, Susan; Smith, Derek R; Warren-Forward, Helen; Levett-Jones, Tracy; Lapkin, Samuel

2016-12-01

Technology is becoming increasingly integral to the practice of occupational therapists and part of the everyday lives of clients. 'Generation Y' are purported to be naturally technologically skilled as they have grown up in the digital age. The aim of this study was to explore one cohort of 'Generation Y' occupational therapy students' skills and confidence in the use of technologies relevant to contemporary practice. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect data from a cohort of 274 students enrolled in an Australian undergraduate occupational therapy programme. A total of 173 (63%) students returned the survey. Those born prior to 1982 were removed from the data. This left 155 (56%) 'Generation Y' participants. Not all participants reported to be skilled in everyday technologies although most reported to be skilled in word, Internet and mobile technologies. Many reported a lack of skills in Web 2.0 (collaboration and sharing) technologies, creating and using media and gaming, as well as a lack of confidence in technologies relevant to practice, including assistive technology, specialist devices, specialist software and gaming. Overall, the results suggested that this group of 'Generation Y' students were not universally skilled in all areas of technology relevant to practice but appear to be skilled in technologies they use regularly. Recommendations are therefore made with view to integrating social networking, gaming, media sharing and assistive technology into undergraduate programmes to ensure that graduates have the requisite skills and confidence required for current and future practice. © 2016 Occupational Therapy Australia.

{sup 99m}Tc generators for clinical use based on zirconium molybdate gel and (n, gamma) produced {sup 99}Mo: Indian experience in the development and deployment of indigenous technology and processing facilities

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

Saraswathy, P.; Dey, A.C.; Sarkar, S.K.

The Indian pursuit of gel generator technology for {sup 99m}Tc was driven mainly by three considerations, namely, (i) well-established and ease of reliable production of (n, gamma)-based {sup 99}Mo in several tens of GBq quantities in the research reactors in Trombay/Mumbai, India, (ii) need for relatively low-cost alternate technology to replace the solvent (MEK) extraction generator system in use in India since 1970s and (iii) minimize dependency on weekly import of fission-produced {sup 99}Mo raw material required for alumina column generator. Extensive investigations on process standardisation for zirconium molybdate gel (ZMG) led to a steady progress, achieved both in termsmore » of process technology and final performance of {sup 99m}Tc gel generators. The {sup 99m}Tc final product purity from the Indian gel system was comparable to that obtained from the gold-standard alumina column generators. Based on the feasibility established for reliable small-scale production, as well as satisfactory clinical experience with a number of gel generators used in collaborating hospital radiopharmacies, full-fledged mechanised processing facilities for handling up to 150 g of ZMG were set up. The indigenous design and development included setting up of shielded plant facilities with pneumatic-driven as well as manual controls and special gadgets such as, microwave heating of the zirconium molybdate cake, dispenser for gel granules, loading of gel columns into pre-assembled generator housing etc. Formal review of the safety features was carried out by the regulatory body and stage-wise clearance for processing low and medium level {sup 99}Mo activity was granted. Starting from around 70 GBq {sup 99}Mo handling, the processing facilities have since been successfully operated at a level of 740 GBq {sup 99}Mo, twice a month. In all 18 batches of gel have been processed and 156 generators produced. The individual generator capacity was 15 to 30 GBq with an elution yield of

FPGA Implementation of Metastability-Based True Random Number Generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hata, Hisashi; Ichikawa, Shuichi

True random number generators (TRNGs) are important as a basis for computer security. Though there are some TRNGs composed of analog circuit, the use of digital circuits is desired for the application of TRNGs to logic LSIs. Some of the digital TRNGs utilize jitter in free-running ring oscillators as a source of entropy, which consume large power. Another type of TRNG exploits the metastability of a latch to generate entropy. Although this kind of TRNG has been mostly implemented with full-custom LSI technology, this study presents an implementation based on common FPGA technology. Our TRNG is comprised of logic gates only, and can be integrated in any kind of logic LSI. The RS latch in our TRNG is implemented as a hard-macro to guarantee the quality of randomness by minimizing the signal skew and load imbalance of internal nodes. To improve the quality and throughput, the output of 64-256 latches are XOR'ed. The derived design was verified on a Xilinx Virtex-4 FPGA (XC4VFX20), and passed NIST statistical test suite without post-processing. Our TRNG with 256 latches occupies 580 slices, while achieving 12.5Mbps throughput.

MuffinInfo: HTML5-Based Statistics Extractor from Next-Generation Sequencing Data.

PubMed

Alic, Andy S; Blanquer, Ignacio

2016-09-01

Usually, the information known a priori about a newly sequenced organism is limited. Even resequencing the same organism can generate unpredictable output. We introduce MuffinInfo, a FastQ/Fasta/SAM information extractor implemented in HTML5 capable of offering insights into next-generation sequencing (NGS) data. Our new tool can run on any software or hardware environment, in command line or graphically, and in browser or standalone. It presents information such as average length, base distribution, quality scores distribution, k-mer histogram, and homopolymers analysis. MuffinInfo improves upon the existing extractors by adding the ability to save and then reload the results obtained after a run as a navigable file (also supporting saving pictures of the charts), by supporting custom statistics implemented by the user, and by offering user-adjustable parameters involved in the processing, all in one software. At the moment, the extractor works with all base space technologies such as Illumina, Roche, Ion Torrent, Pacific Biosciences, and Oxford Nanopore. Owing to HTML5, our software demonstrates the readiness of web technologies for mild intensive tasks encountered in bioinformatics.

Next-Generation Performance-Based Regulation: Emphasizing Utility Performance to Unleash Power Sector Innovation

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

Logan, Jeffrey S; Zinaman, Owen R; Littell, David

Performance-based regulation (PBR) enables regulators to reform hundred-year-old regulatory structures to unleash innovations within 21st century power systems. An old regulatory paradigm built to ensure safe and reliable electricity at reasonable prices from capital-intensive electricity monopolies is now adjusting to a new century of disruptive technological advances that change the way utilities make money and what value customers expect from their own electricity company. Advanced technologies are driving change in power sectors around the globe. Innovative technologies are transforming the way electricity is generated, delivered, and consumed. These emerging technology drivers include renewable generation, distributed energy resources such as distributedmore » generation and energy storage, demand-side management measures such as demand-response, electric vehicles, and smart grid technologies and energy efficiency (EE). PBR enables regulators to recognize the value that electric utilities bring to customers by enabling these advanced technologies and integrating smart solutions into the utility grid and utility operations. These changes in the electric energy system and customer capacities means that there is an increasing interest in motivating regulated entities in other areas beyond traditional cost-of-service performance regulation. This report addresses best practices gleaned from more than two decades of PBR in practice, and analyzes how those best practices and lessons can be used to design innovative PBR programs. Readers looking for an introduction to PBR may want to focus on Chapters 1-5. Chapters 6 and 7 contain more detail for those interested in the intricate workings of PBR or particularly innovative PBR.« less

Multi-Core Processors: An Enabling Technology for Embedded Distributed Model-Based Control (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-01

generation of process partitioning, a thread pipelining becomes possible. In this paper we briefly summarize the requirements and trends for FADEC based... FADEC environment, presenting a hypothetical realization of an example application. Finally we discuss the application of Time-Triggered...based control applications of the future. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Gas turbine, FADEC , Multi-core processing technology, disturbed based control

Development of Composite Technologies for the European Next Generation Launcher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fatemi, Javad; van der Bas, Finn

2014-06-01

In the frame of the European Space Agency's Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (FLPP), in conjunction with national Research and Technology programs, Dutch Space has undertaken the development of composite technologies for application in the Europe's next generation launcher, Ariane 6. The efforts have focused on development of a Carbon Fibre Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) Engine Thrust Frame (ETF) for the upper-stage of Ariane6 launcher. These new technologies are expected to improve performance and to lower cost of development and exploitation of the launcher. Although the first targeted application is the thrust frame, the developed technologies are set to be generic in the sense that they can be applied to other structures of the launcher, e.g. inter-stage structures.This paper addresses the design, analysis, manufacturing and testing activities related to the composite technology developments.

Aerosciences, Aero-Propulsion and Flight Mechanics Technology Development for NASA's Next Generation Launch Technology Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cockrell, Charles E., Jr.

2003-01-01

The Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) program, Vehicle Systems Research and Technology (VSR&T) project is pursuing technology advancements in aerothermodynamics, aeropropulsion and flight mechanics to enable development of future reusable launch vehicle (RLV) systems. The current design trade space includes rocket-propelled, hypersonic airbreathing and hybrid systems in two-stage and single-stage configurations. Aerothermodynamics technologies include experimental and computational databases to evaluate stage separation of two-stage vehicles as well as computational and trajectory simulation tools for this problem. Additionally, advancements in high-fidelity computational tools and measurement techniques are being pursued along with the study of flow physics phenomena, such as boundary-layer transition. Aero-propulsion technology development includes scramjet flowpath development and integration, with a current emphasis on hypervelocity (Mach 10 and above) operation, as well as the study of aero-propulsive interactions and the impact on overall vehicle performance. Flight mechanics technology development is focused on advanced guidance, navigation and control (GN&C) algorithms and adaptive flight control systems for both rocket-propelled and airbreathing vehicles.

The Generation-X X-ray Observatory Vision Mission and Technology Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Figueroa-Feliciano, Enectali

2004-01-01

The new frontier in astrophysics is the study of the birth and evolution of the first stars, galaxies and black holes in the early Universe. X-ray astronomy opens a window into these objects by studying the emission from black holes, supernova explosions and the gamma-ray burst afterglows of massive stars. However, such objects are beyond the grasp of current or near-future observatories. X-ray imaging and spectroscopy of such distant objects will require an X-ray telescope with large collecting area and high angular resolution. Our team has conceived the Generation-X Vision Mission based on an X-ray observatory with 100 sq m collecting area at 1 keV (1000 times larger than Chandra) and 0.1 arcsecond angular resolution (several times better than Chandra and 50 times better than the Constellation-X resolution goal). Such an observatory would be capable of detecting the earliest black holes and galaxies in the Universe, and will also study extremes of density, gravity, magnetic fields, and kinetic energy which cannot be created in laboratories. NASA has selected the Generation-X mission for study under its Vision Mission Program. We describe the studies being performed to develop the mission concept and define candidate technologies and performance requirements for Generation-X. The baseline Generation-X mission involves four 8m diameter X-ray telescopes operating at Sun-Earth L2. We trade against an alternate concept of a single 26m diameter telescope with focal plane instruments on a separate spacecraft. A telescope of this size will require either robotic or human-assisted in-flight assembly. The required effective area implies that extremely lightweight grazing incidence X-ray optics must be developed. To achieve the required aerial density of at least 100 times lower than in Chandra, we will study 0.1mm thick mirrors which have active on-orbit figure control. We discuss the suite of required detectors, including a large FOV high angular resolution imager, a

Realistic terrain visualization based on 3D virtual world technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Fengru; Lin, Hui; Chen, Bin; Xiao, Cai

2009-09-01

The rapid advances in information technologies, e.g., network, graphics processing, and virtual world, have provided challenges and opportunities for new capabilities in information systems, Internet applications, and virtual geographic environments, especially geographic visualization and collaboration. In order to achieve meaningful geographic capabilities, we need to explore and understand how these technologies can be used to construct virtual geographic environments to help to engage geographic research. The generation of three-dimensional (3D) terrain plays an important part in geographical visualization, computer simulation, and virtual geographic environment applications. The paper introduces concepts and technologies of virtual worlds and virtual geographic environments, explores integration of realistic terrain and other geographic objects and phenomena of natural geographic environment based on SL/OpenSim virtual world technologies. Realistic 3D terrain visualization is a foundation of construction of a mirror world or a sand box model of the earth landscape and geographic environment. The capabilities of interaction and collaboration on geographic information are discussed as well. Further virtual geographic applications can be developed based on the foundation work of realistic terrain visualization in virtual environments.

Realistic terrain visualization based on 3D virtual world technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Fengru; Lin, Hui; Chen, Bin; Xiao, Cai

2010-11-01

The rapid advances in information technologies, e.g., network, graphics processing, and virtual world, have provided challenges and opportunities for new capabilities in information systems, Internet applications, and virtual geographic environments, especially geographic visualization and collaboration. In order to achieve meaningful geographic capabilities, we need to explore and understand how these technologies can be used to construct virtual geographic environments to help to engage geographic research. The generation of three-dimensional (3D) terrain plays an important part in geographical visualization, computer simulation, and virtual geographic environment applications. The paper introduces concepts and technologies of virtual worlds and virtual geographic environments, explores integration of realistic terrain and other geographic objects and phenomena of natural geographic environment based on SL/OpenSim virtual world technologies. Realistic 3D terrain visualization is a foundation of construction of a mirror world or a sand box model of the earth landscape and geographic environment. The capabilities of interaction and collaboration on geographic information are discussed as well. Further virtual geographic applications can be developed based on the foundation work of realistic terrain visualization in virtual environments.

Next Generation Multimedia Distributed Data Base Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pendleton, Stuart E.

1997-01-01

The paradigm of client/server computing is changing. The model of a server running a monolithic application and supporting clients at the desktop is giving way to a different model that blurs the line between client and server. We are on the verge of plunging into the next generation of computing technology--distributed object-oriented computing. This is not only a change in requirements but a change in opportunities, and requires a new way of thinking for Information System (IS) developers. The information system demands caused by global competition are requiring even more access to decision making tools. Simply, object-oriented technology has been developed to supersede the current design process of information systems which is not capable of handling next generation multimedia.

Molecular electronics: The technology of sixth generation computers

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

Jarvis, M.T.; Miller, R.K.

1987-01-01

In February 1986, Japan began the 6th Generation project. At the 1987 Economic Summit in Venice, Prime Minister Yashuhiro Makasone opened the project to world collaboration. A project director suggests that the 6th Generation ''may just be a turning point for human society.'' The major rationale for building molecular electronic devices is to achieve advances in computational densities and speeds. Proposed chromophore chains for molecular-scale chips, for example, could be spaced closer than today's silicone elements by a factor of almost 100. This book describes the research and proposed designs for molecular electronic devices and computers. It examines specific potentialmore » applications and the relationship to molecular electronics to silicon technology and presents the first published survey of experts on research issues, applications, and forecast of future developments and also includes market forecast. An interesting suggestion of the survey is that the chemical industry may become a significant factor in the computer industry as the sixth generation unfolds.« less

Development of Reading Comprehension Skills among Students with Intellectual Disabilities Using Technologically-Based Reading Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macklin, Ella M.

2016-01-01

This research paper reported the results from research conducted regarding technologically-based reading comprehension programs for students who have intellectual disabilities. It provided evidence-based research and theoretical bases for learning (i.e. Zone of Generativity, Constructivism, Self-Efficacy) on the issue of these students not being…

Educating next-generation civil engineers about smart structures technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yunfeng

2005-05-01

The implementation of smart structures technology in the design, construction and maintenance of civil and mechanical systems have been shown beneficial to the performance enhancement, operating efficiency and reliability of structural systems. However, most of today's engineering students are unaware of the remarkable properties of smart sensors and many applications of smart structures technology. It is thus desirable to prepare the future engineers of the society for the cutting-edge technologies in smart structures, for which they may see broad application in their generation. Pioneering work in incorporating smart structures technologies into civil engineering curriculum has been done by the writer at Lehigh University and is described in this paper. In particular, a graduate-level course entitled "Smart Structural Systems" has been taught in the Spring Semester of Year 2004 at Lehigh University. To better convey the course material to students, a smart structures test-bed, which is used not only to showcase various technological aspects of a smart structural system but also offer students an opportunity to gain hands-on experience by doing experiments has been under development at Lehigh University. The hands-on experience that could be developed with the smart structures test-bed is believed being essential for students to have a good understanding and mastering of the smart structures technologies.

Implicit prosody mining based on the human eye image capture technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Pei-pei; Liu, Feng

2013-08-01

The technology of eye tracker has become the main methods of analyzing the recognition issues in human-computer interaction. Human eye image capture is the key problem of the eye tracking. Based on further research, a new human-computer interaction method introduced to enrich the form of speech synthetic. We propose a method of Implicit Prosody mining based on the human eye image capture technology to extract the parameters from the image of human eyes when reading, control and drive prosody generation in speech synthesis, and establish prosodic model with high simulation accuracy. Duration model is key issues for prosody generation. For the duration model, this paper put forward a new idea for obtaining gaze duration of eyes when reading based on the eye image capture technology, and synchronous controlling this duration and pronunciation duration in speech synthesis. The movement of human eyes during reading is a comprehensive multi-factor interactive process, such as gaze, twitching and backsight. Therefore, how to extract the appropriate information from the image of human eyes need to be considered and the gaze regularity of eyes need to be obtained as references of modeling. Based on the analysis of current three kinds of eye movement control model and the characteristics of the Implicit Prosody reading, relative independence between speech processing system of text and eye movement control system was discussed. It was proved that under the same text familiarity condition, gaze duration of eyes when reading and internal voice pronunciation duration are synchronous. The eye gaze duration model based on the Chinese language level prosodic structure was presented to change previous methods of machine learning and probability forecasting, obtain readers' real internal reading rhythm and to synthesize voice with personalized rhythm. This research will enrich human-computer interactive form, and will be practical significance and application prospect in terms of

Technology CAD for integrated circuit fabrication technology development and technology transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saha, Samar

2003-07-01

In this paper systematic simulation-based methodologies for integrated circuit (IC) manufacturing technology development and technology transfer are presented. In technology development, technology computer-aided design (TCAD) tools are used to optimize the device and process parameters to develop a new generation of IC manufacturing technology by reverse engineering from the target product specifications. While in technology transfer to manufacturing co-location, TCAD is used for process centering with respect to high-volume manufacturing equipment of the target manufacturing equipment of the target manufacturing facility. A quantitative model is developed to demonstrate the potential benefits of the simulation-based methodology in reducing the cycle time and cost of typical technology development and technology transfer projects over the traditional practices. The strategy for predictive simulation to improve the effectiveness of a TCAD-based project, is also discussed.

Analysis of plant microbe interactions in the era of next generation sequencing technologies

PubMed Central

Knief, Claudia

2014-01-01

Next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have impressively accelerated research in biological science during the last years by enabling the production of large volumes of sequence data to a drastically lower price per base, compared to traditional sequencing methods. The recent and ongoing developments in the field allow addressing research questions in plant-microbe biology that were not conceivable just a few years ago. The present review provides an overview of NGS technologies and their usefulness for the analysis of microorganisms that live in association with plants. Possible limitations of the different sequencing systems, in particular sources of errors and bias, are critically discussed and methods are disclosed that help to overcome these shortcomings. A focus will be on the application of NGS methods in metagenomic studies, including the analysis of microbial communities by amplicon sequencing, which can be considered as a targeted metagenomic approach. Different applications of NGS technologies are exemplified by selected research articles that address the biology of the plant associated microbiota to demonstrate the worth of the new methods. PMID:24904612

Maturation of enabling technologies for the next generation reignitable cryogenic upper stage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, Mark

Following the ESA decision in November 2008, a pre-development phase (Phase 1) of a future evolution of the Ariane 5 launcher (named Ariane 5 Midlife Evolution, A5ME) was started under Astrium Prime leadership. This upgraded version of the Ariane 5 launcher is based on an enhanced performance Upper Stage including the cryogenic re-ignitable VINCI engine. Thanks to this reignition capability, this new Upper Stage shall be "versatile" in the sense that it shall fulfil customer needs on a broader spectrum of orbits than the "standard" orbits (i.e. Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits, GTO) typically used for commercial telecommunications satellites. In order to meet the challenges of versatility, new technologies are currently being investigated. These technologies are mainly related -but not limited-to propellant management during the extended coasting phases with the related heat transfer into the tanks and the required multiple engine re-ignitions. Within the frame of the ESA Future Launchers Preparatory Programme (Period 2 Slice 1), the Cryogenic Upper Stage Technology project (CUST) aims to mature critical technologies to such a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) that they can be integrated into the baseline A5ME Upper Stage development schedule. In addition to A5ME application, these technologies can also be used on the future next generation European launcher. This paper shows the down-selection process implemented to identify the most crucial enabling technologies for a future versatile Upper Stage and gives a description of each technology finally selected for maturation in the frame of CUST. These include -amongst others-a Sandwich Common Bulkhead for the propellant tank, an external thermal insulation kit and various propellant management devices for the coasting phase. The paper also gives an overview on the related development and maturation plan including the tests to be conducted, as well as first results of the maturation activities themselves.

Modeling Long-term Creep Performance for Welded Nickel-base Superalloy Structures for Power Generation Systems

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

Shen, Chen; Gupta, Vipul; Huang, Shenyan

The goal of this project is to model long-term creep performance for nickel-base superalloy weldments in high temperature power generation systems. The project uses physics-based modeling methodologies and algorithms for predicting alloy properties in heterogeneous material structures. The modeling methodology will be demonstrated on a gas turbine combustor liner weldment of Haynes 282 precipitate-strengthened nickel-base superalloy. The major developments are: (1) microstructure-property relationships under creep conditions and microstructure characterization (2) modeling inhomogeneous microstructure in superalloy weld (3) modeling mesoscale plastic deformation in superalloy weld and (4) a constitutive creep model that accounts for weld and base metal microstructure and theirmore » long term evolution. The developed modeling technology is aimed to provide a more efficient and accurate assessment of a material’s long-term performance compared with current testing and extrapolation methods. This modeling technology will also accelerate development and qualification of new materials in advanced power generation systems. This document is a final technical report for the project, covering efforts conducted from October 2014 to December 2016.« less

Life cycle design metrics for energy generation technologies: Method, data, and case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, Joyce; Lee, Seung-Jin; Elter, John; Boussu, Jeff; Boman, Sarah

A method to assist in the rapid preparation of Life Cycle Assessments of emerging energy generation technologies is presented and applied to distributed proton exchange membrane fuel cell systems. The method develops life cycle environmental design metrics and allows variations in hardware materials, transportation scenarios, assembly energy use, operating performance and consumables, and fuels and fuel production scenarios to be modeled and comparisons to competing systems to be made. Data and results are based on publicly available U.S. Life Cycle Assessment data sources and are formulated to allow the environmental impact weighting scheme to be specified. A case study evaluates improvements in efficiency and in materials recycling and compares distributed proton exchange membrane fuel cell systems to other distributed generation options. The results reveal the importance of sensitivity analysis and system efficiency in interpreting case studies.

ARE660 Wind Generator: Low Wind Speed Technology for Small Turbine Development

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

Robert W. Preus; DOE Project Officer - Keith Bennett

2008-04-23

This project is for the design of a wind turbine that can generate most or all of the net energy required for homes and small businesses in moderately windy areas. The purpose is to expand the current market for residential wind generators by providing cost effective power in a lower wind regime than current technology has made available, as well as reduce noise and improve reliability and safety. Robert W. Preus’ experience designing and/or maintaining residential wind generators of many configurations helped identify the need for an improved experience of safety for the consumer. Current small wind products have unreliablemore » or no method of stopping the wind generator in fault or high wind conditions. Consumers and their neighbors do not want to hear their wind generators. In addition, with current technology, only sites with unusually high wind speeds provide payback times that are acceptable for the on-grid user. Abundant Renewable Energy’s (ARE) basic original concept for the ARE660 was a combination of a stall controlled variable speed small wind generator and automatic fail safe furling for shutdown. The stall control for a small wind generator is not novel, but has not been developed for a variable speed application with a permanent magnet alternator (PMA). The fail safe furling approach for shutdown has not been used to our knowledge.« less

Computer 3D site model generation based on aerial images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheltov, Sergey Y.; Blokhinov, Yuri B.; Stepanov, Alexander A.; Skryabin, Sergei V.; Sibiriakov, Alexandre V.

1997-07-01

The technology for 3D model design of real world scenes and its photorealistic rendering are current topics of investigation. Development of such technology is very attractive to implement in vast varieties of applications: military mission planning, crew training, civil engineering, architecture, virtual reality entertainments--just a few were mentioned. 3D photorealistic models of urban areas are often discussed now as upgrade from existing 2D geographic information systems. Possibility of site model generation with small details depends on two main factors: available source dataset and computer power resources. In this paper PC based technology is presented, so the scenes of middle resolution (scale of 1:1000) be constructed. Types of datasets are the gray level aerial stereo pairs of photographs (scale of 1:14000) and true color on ground photographs of buildings (scale ca.1:1000). True color terrestrial photographs are also necessary for photorealistic rendering, that in high extent improves human perception of the scene.

NASA's Advanced Propulsion Technology Activities for Third Generation Fully Reusable Launch Vehicle Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hueter, Uwe

2000-01-01

NASA's Office of Aeronautics and Space Transportation Technology (OASTT) established the following three major goals, referred to as "The Three Pillars for Success": Global Civil Aviation, Revolutionary Technology Leaps, and Access to Space. The Advanced Space Transportation Program Office (ASTP) at the NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. focuses on future space transportation technologies under the "Access to Space" pillar. The Propulsion Projects within ASTP under the investment area of Spaceliner100, focus on the earth-to-orbit (ETO) third generation reusable launch vehicle technologies. The goals of Spaceliner 100 is to reduce cost by a factor of 100 and improve safety by a factor of 10,000 over current conditions. The ETO Propulsion Projects in ASTP, are actively developing combination/combined-cycle propulsion technologies that utilized airbreathing propulsion during a major portion of the trajectory. System integration, components, materials and advanced rocket technologies are also being pursued. Over the last several years, one of the main thrusts has been to develop rocket-based combined cycle (RBCC) technologies. The focus has been on conducting ground tests of several engine designs to establish the RBCC flowpaths performance. Flowpath testing of three different RBCC engine designs is progressing. Additionally, vehicle system studies are being conducted to assess potential operational space access vehicles utilizing combined-cycle propulsion systems. The design, manufacturing, and ground testing of a scale flight-type engine are planned. The first flight demonstration of an airbreathing combined cycle propulsion system is envisioned around 2005. The paper will describe the advanced propulsion technologies that are being being developed under the ETO activities in the ASTP program. Progress, findings, and future activities for the propulsion technologies will be discussed.

An Indoor Positioning-Based Mobile Payment System Using Bluetooth Low Energy Technology

PubMed Central

Winata, Doni

2018-01-01

The development of information technology has paved the way for faster and more convenient payment process flows and new methodology for the design and implementation of next generation payment systems. The growth of smartphone usage nowadays has fostered a new and popular mobile payment environment. Most of the current generation smartphones support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to communicate with nearby BLE-enabled devices. It is plausible to construct an Over-the-Air BLE-based mobile payment system as one of the payment methods for people living in modern societies. In this paper, a secure indoor positioning-based mobile payment authentication protocol with BLE technology and the corresponding mobile payment system design are proposed. The proposed protocol consists of three phases: initialization phase, session key construction phase, and authentication phase. When a customer moves toward the POS counter area, the proposed mobile payment system will automatically detect the position of the customer to confirm whether the customer is ready for the checkout process. Once the system has identified the customer is standing within the payment-enabled area, the payment system will invoke authentication process between POS and the customer’s smartphone through BLE communication channel to generate a secure session key and establish an authenticated communication session to perform the payment transaction accordingly. A prototype is implemented to assess the performance of the proposed design for mobile payment system. In addition, security analysis is conducted to evaluate the security strength of the proposed protocol. PMID:29587399

An Indoor Positioning-Based Mobile Payment System Using Bluetooth Low Energy Technology.

PubMed

Yohan, Alexander; Lo, Nai-Wei; Winata, Doni

2018-03-25

The development of information technology has paved the way for faster and more convenient payment process flows and new methodology for the design and implementation of next generation payment systems. The growth of smartphone usage nowadays has fostered a new and popular mobile payment environment. Most of the current generation smartphones support Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to communicate with nearby BLE-enabled devices. It is plausible to construct an Over-the-Air BLE-based mobile payment system as one of the payment methods for people living in modern societies. In this paper, a secure indoor positioning-based mobile payment authentication protocol with BLE technology and the corresponding mobile payment system design are proposed. The proposed protocol consists of three phases: initialization phase, session key construction phase, and authentication phase. When a customer moves toward the POS counter area, the proposed mobile payment system will automatically detect the position of the customer to confirm whether the customer is ready for the checkout process. Once the system has identified the customer is standing within the payment-enabled area, the payment system will invoke authentication process between POS and the customer's smartphone through BLE communication channel to generate a secure session key and establish an authenticated communication session to perform the payment transaction accordingly. A prototype is implemented to assess the performance of the proposed design for mobile payment system. In addition, security analysis is conducted to evaluate the security strength of the proposed protocol.

Slow Dynamics Model of Compressed Air Energy Storage and Battery Storage Technologies for Automatic Generation Control

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

Krishnan, Venkat; Das, Trishna

Increasing variable generation penetration and the consequent increase in short-term variability makes energy storage technologies look attractive, especially in the ancillary market for providing frequency regulation services. This paper presents slow dynamics model for compressed air energy storage and battery storage technologies that can be used in automatic generation control studies to assess the system frequency response and quantify the benefits from storage technologies in providing regulation service. The paper also represents the slow dynamics model of the power system integrated with storage technologies in a complete state space form. The storage technologies have been integrated to the IEEE 24more » bus system with single area, and a comparative study of various solution strategies including transmission enhancement and combustion turbine have been performed in terms of generation cycling and frequency response performance metrics.« less

Center for development technology and program in technology and human affairs. [emphasizing technology-based networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, M. D.

1974-01-01

The role of technology in nontraditional higher education with particular emphasis on technology-based networks is analyzed nontraditional programs, institutions, and consortia are briefly reviewed. Nontraditional programs which utilize technology are studied. Technology-based networks are surveyed and analyzed with regard to kinds of students, learning locations, technology utilization, interinstitutional relationships, cost aspects, problems, and future outlook.

Development of ITM oxygen technology for integration in IGCC and other advanced power generation

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

Armstrong, Phillip A.

2015-03-31

Ion Transport Membrane (ITM) technology is based on the oxygen-ion-conducting properties of certain mixed-metal oxide ceramic materials that can separate oxygen from an oxygen-containing gas, such as air, under a suitable driving force. The “ITM Oxygen” air separation system that results from the use of such ceramic membranes produces a hot, pure oxygen stream and a hot, pressurized, oxygen-depleted stream from which significant amounts of energy can be extracted. Accordingly, the technology integrates well with other high-temperature processes, including power generation. Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., the Recipient, in conjunction with a dozen subcontractors, developed ITM Oxygen technology under thismore » five-phase Cooperative Agreement from the laboratory bench scale to implementation in a pilot plant capable of producing power and 100 tons per day (TPD) of purified oxygen. A commercial-scale membrane module manufacturing facility (the “CerFab”), sized to support a conceptual 2000 TPD ITM Oxygen Development Facility (ODF), was also established and operated under this Agreement. In the course of this work, the team developed prototype ceramic production processes and a robust planar ceramic membrane architecture based on a novel ceramic compound capable of high oxygen fluxes. The concept and feasibility of the technology was thoroughly established through laboratory pilot-scale operations testing commercial-scale membrane modules run under industrial operating conditions with compelling lifetime and reliability performance that supported further scale-up. Auxiliary systems, including contaminant mitigation, process controls, heat exchange, turbo-machinery, combustion, and membrane pressure vessels were extensively investigated and developed. The Recipient and subcontractors developed efficient process cycles that co-produce oxygen and power based on compact, low-cost ITMs. Process economics assessments show significant benefits relative to state

NASA's Vision for Potential Energy Reduction from Future Generations of Propulsion Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haller, Bill

2015-01-01

Through a robust partnership with the aviation industry, over the past 50 years NASA programs have helped foster advances in propulsion technology that enabled substantial reductions in fuel consumption for commercial transports. Emerging global trends and continuing environmental concerns are creating challenges that will very likely transform the face of aviation over the next 20-40 years. In recognition of this development, NASA Aeronautics has established a set of Research Thrusts that will help define the future direction of the agency's research technology efforts. Two of these thrusts, Ultra-Efficient Commercial Vehicles and Transition to Low-Carbon Propulsion, serve as cornerstones for the Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) project. The AATT project is exploring and developing high-payoff technologies and concepts that are key to continued improvement in energy efficiency and environmental compatibility for future generations of fixed-wing, subsonic transports. The AATT project is primarily focused on the N+3 timeframe, or 3 generations from current technology levels. As should be expected, many of the propulsion system architectures technologies envisioned for N+3 vary significantly from todays engines. The use of batteries in a hybrid-electric configuration or deploying multiple fans distributed across the airframe to enable higher bypass ratios are just two examples of potential advances that could enable substantial energy reductions over current propulsion systems.

Transcriptome sequencing of lentil based on second-generation technology permits large-scale unigene assembly and SSR marker discovery.

PubMed

Kaur, Sukhjiwan; Cogan, Noel O I; Pembleton, Luke W; Shinozuka, Maiko; Savin, Keith W; Materne, Michael; Forster, John W

2011-05-25

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is a cool-season grain legume which provides a rich source of protein for human consumption. In terms of genomic resources, lentil is relatively underdeveloped, in comparison to other Fabaceae species, with limited available data. There is hence a significant need to enhance such resources in order to identify novel genes and alleles for molecular breeding to increase crop productivity and quality. Tissue-specific cDNA samples from six distinct lentil genotypes were sequenced using Roche 454 GS-FLX Titanium technology, generating c. 1.38 × 106 expressed sequence tags (ESTs). De novo assembly generated a total of 15,354 contigs and 68,715 singletons. The complete unigene set was sequence-analysed against genome drafts of the model legume species Medicago truncatula and Arabidopsis thaliana to identify 12,639, and 7,476 unique matches, respectively. When compared to the genome of Glycine max, a total of 20,419 unique hits were observed corresponding to c. 31% of the known gene space. A total of 25,592 lentil unigenes were subsequently annoated from GenBank. Simple sequence repeat (SSR)-containing ESTs were identified from consensus sequences and a total of 2,393 primer pairs were designed. A subset of 192 EST-SSR markers was screened for validation across a panel 12 cultivated lentil genotypes and one wild relative species. A total of 166 primer pairs obtained successful amplification, of which 47.5% detected genetic polymorphism. A substantial collection of ESTs has been developed from sequence analysis of lentil genotypes using second-generation technology, permitting unigene definition across a broad range of functional categories. As well as providing resources for functional genomics studies, the unigene set has permitted significant enhancement of the number of publicly-available molecular genetic markers as tools for improvement of this species.

IRON-PEROXYMONOSULFATE: A NOVEL SULFATE RADICAL BASED ADVANCED OXIDATION TECHNOLOGY FOR DEGRADATION OF PCBS

EPA Science Inventory

This study investigates the degradation of recalcitrant polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) using sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation technologies. Sulfate radicals are generated through coupling of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) with iron (Fe(II), Fe(III)). Sulfate radicals have very ...

The Effect of Scaffolding Students' Context-Generating Cognitive Activity in Technology-Enhanced Case-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Demetriadis, S. N.; Papadopoulos, P. M.; Stamelos, I. G.; Fischer, F.

2008-01-01

This study investigates the hypothesis that students' learning and problem-solving performance in ill-structured domains can be improved, if elaborative question prompts are used to activate students' context-generating cognitive processes, during case study. Two groups of students used a web-based learning environment to criss-cross and study…

GRC Supporting Technology for NASA's Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schreiber, Jeffrey G.; Thieme, Lanny G.

2008-01-01

From 1999 to 2006, the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) supported a NASA project to develop a high-efficiency, nominal 110-We Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG110) for potential use on NASA missions. Lockheed Martin was selected as the System Integration Contractor for the SRG110, under contract to the Department of Energy (DOE). The potential applications included deep space missions, and Mars rovers. The project was redirected in 2006 to make use of the Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC) that was being developed by Sunpower, Inc. under contract to GRC, which would reduce the mass of the generator and increase the power output. This change would approximately double the specific power and result in the Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator (ASRG). The SRG110 supporting technology effort at GRC was replanned to support the integration of the Sunpower convertor and the ASRG. This paper describes the ASRG supporting technology effort at GRC and provides details of the contributions in some of the key areas. The GRC tasks include convertor extended-operation testing in air and in thermal vacuum environments, heater head life assessment, materials studies, permanent magnet characterization and aging tests, structural dynamics testing, electromagnetic interference and electromagnetic compatibility characterization, evaluation of organic materials, reliability studies, and analysis to support controller development.

Building the Knowledge Base to Support the Automatic Animation Generation of Chinese Traditional Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Gongjin; Bai, Weijing; Yin, Meifang; Zhang, Songmao

We present a practice of applying the Semantic Web technologies in the domain of Chinese traditional architecture. A knowledge base consisting of one ontology and four rule bases is built to support the automatic generation of animations that demonstrate the construction of various Chinese timber structures based on the user's input. Different Semantic Web formalisms are used, e.g., OWL DL, SWRL and Jess, to capture the domain knowledge, including the wooden components needed for a given building, construction sequence, and the 3D size and position of every piece of wood. Our experience in exploiting the current Semantic Web technologies in real-world application systems indicates their prominent advantages (such as the reasoning facilities and modeling tools) as well as the limitations (such as low efficiency).

Impedance-based cellular assay technologies: recent advances, future promise.

PubMed

McGuinness, Ryan

2007-10-01

Cell-based assays are continuing to grow in importance in the drug discovery workflow. Their early introduction holds the promise of limiting attrition in the later, more costly phases of the process. This article reviews recent advances in the development of impedance technologies for label-free cell-based assays. These systems are capable of monitoring endogenous receptor activation, and thus generate more physiologically relevant measures of pharmacological endpoints. Primary cells can be investigated as well, thus producing disease relevant information. Label-free assays significantly decrease assay development efforts and avoid many complications inherent in recombinant readout systems. Impedance-based systems have great potential to advance the utility of cell-based assays as they are applied to drug discovery and pharmacology.

Comparison of next generation sequencing technologies for transcriptome characterization

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background We have developed a simulation approach to help determine the optimal mixture of sequencing methods for most complete and cost effective transcriptome sequencing. We compared simulation results for traditional capillary sequencing with "Next Generation" (NG) ultra high-throughput technologies. The simulation model was parameterized using mappings of 130,000 cDNA sequence reads to the Arabidopsis genome (NCBI Accession SRA008180.19). We also generated 454-GS20 sequences and de novo assemblies for the basal eudicot California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) and the magnoliid avocado (Persea americana) using a variety of methods for cDNA synthesis. Results The Arabidopsis reads tagged more than 15,000 genes, including new splice variants and extended UTR regions. Of the total 134,791 reads (13.8 MB), 119,518 (88.7%) mapped exactly to known exons, while 1,117 (0.8%) mapped to introns, 11,524 (8.6%) spanned annotated intron/exon boundaries, and 3,066 (2.3%) extended beyond the end of annotated UTRs. Sequence-based inference of relative gene expression levels correlated significantly with microarray data. As expected, NG sequencing of normalized libraries tagged more genes than non-normalized libraries, although non-normalized libraries yielded more full-length cDNA sequences. The Arabidopsis data were used to simulate additional rounds of NG and traditional EST sequencing, and various combinations of each. Our simulations suggest a combination of FLX and Solexa sequencing for optimal transcriptome coverage at modest cost. We have also developed ESTcalc http://fgp.huck.psu.edu/NG_Sims/ngsim.pl, an online webtool, which allows users to explore the results of this study by specifying individualized costs and sequencing characteristics. Conclusion NG sequencing technologies are a highly flexible set of platforms that can be scaled to suit different project goals. In terms of sequence coverage alone, the NG sequencing is a dramatic advance over capillary-based

Comparing microarrays and next-generation sequencing technologies for microbial ecology research.

PubMed

Roh, Seong Woon; Abell, Guy C J; Kim, Kyoung-Ho; Nam, Young-Do; Bae, Jin-Woo

2010-06-01

Recent advances in molecular biology have resulted in the application of DNA microarrays and next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies to the field of microbial ecology. This review aims to examine the strengths and weaknesses of each of the methodologies, including depth and ease of analysis, throughput and cost-effectiveness. It also intends to highlight the optimal application of each of the individual technologies toward the study of a particular environment and identify potential synergies between the two main technologies, whereby both sample number and coverage can be maximized. We suggest that the efficient use of microarray and NGS technologies will allow researchers to advance the field of microbial ecology, and importantly, improve our understanding of the role of microorganisms in their various environments.

Mars base technology program overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chu, Chneg-Chih; Hayati, Samad A.; Udomkesmalee, Suraphol

2005-01-01

In this paper, we present an overview of the current technology portfolio for Mars Base Technology Program. Brief descriptions of the awarded technologies and the high-priority areas in both NRAs are provided to show the current focus of MTP. We also present the approach that MTP uses to evaluate technology maturity for each of the technology tasks.

Comparison of life cycle carbon dioxide emissions and embodied energy in four renewable electricity generation technologies in New Zealand.

PubMed

Rule, Bridget M; Worth, Zeb J; Boyle, Carol A

2009-08-15

In order to make the best choice between renewable energy technologies, it is important to be able to compare these technologies on the basis of their sustainability, which may include a variety of social, environmental, and economic indicators. This study examined the comparative sustainability of four renewable electricity technologies in terms of their life cycle CO2 emissions and embodied energy, from construction to decommissioning and including maintenance (periodic component replacement plus machinery use), using life cycle analysis. The models developed were based on case studies of power plants in New Zealand, comprising geothermal, large-scale hydroelectric, tidal (a proposed scheme), and wind-farm electricity generation. The comparative results showed that tidal power generation was associated with 1.8 g of CO2/kWh, wind with 3.0 g of CO2/kWh, hydroelectric with 4.6 g of CO2/kWh, and geothermal with 5.6 g of CO2/kWh (not including fugitive emissions), and that tidal power generation was associated with 42.3 kJ/kWh, wind with 70.2 kJ/kWh, hydroelectric with 55.0 kJ/kWh, and geothermal with 94.6 kJ/kWh. Other environmental indicators, as well as social and economic indicators, should be applied to gain a complete picture of the technologies studied.

Review of the evolution of display technologies for next-generation aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tchon, Joseph L.; Barnidge, Tracy J.

2015-05-01

Advancements in electronic display technologies have provided many benefits for military avionics. The modernization of legacy tanker transport aircraft along with the development of next-generation platforms, such as the KC-46 aerial refueling tanker, offers a timeline of the evolution of avionics display approaches. The adaptation of advanced flight displays from the Boeing 787 for the KC-46 flight deck also provides examples of how avionics display solutions may be leveraged across commercial and military flight decks to realize greater situational awareness and improve overall mission effectiveness. This paper provides a review of the display technology advancements that have led to today's advanced avionics displays for the next-generation KC-46 tanker aircraft. In particular, progress in display operating modes, backlighting, packaging, and ruggedization will be discussed along with display certification considerations across military and civilian platforms.

Early stage hot spot analysis through standard cell base random pattern generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Joong-Won; Song, Jaewan; Kim, Jeong-Lim; Park, Seongyul; Yang, Seung-Hune; Lee, Sooryong; Kang, Hokyu; Madkour, Kareem; ElManhawy, Wael; Lee, SeungJo; Kwan, Joe

2017-04-01

Due to limited availability of DRC clean patterns during the process and RET recipe development, OPC recipes are not tested with high pattern coverage. Various kinds of pattern can help OPC engineer to detect sensitive patterns to lithographic effects. Random pattern generation is needed to secure robust OPC recipe. However, simple random patterns without considering real product layout style can't cover patterning hotspot in production levels. It is not effective to use them for OPC optimization thus it is important to generate random patterns similar to real product patterns. This paper presents a strategy for generating random patterns based on design architecture information and preventing hotspot in early process development stage through a tool called Layout Schema Generator (LSG). Using LSG, we generate standard cell based on random patterns reflecting real design cell structure - fin pitch, gate pitch and cell height. The output standard cells from LSG are applied to an analysis methodology to assess their hotspot severity by assigning a score according to their optical image parameters - NILS, MEEF, %PV band and thus potential hotspots can be defined by determining their ranking. This flow is demonstrated on Samsung 7nm technology optimizing OPC recipe and early enough in the process avoiding using problematic patterns.

Novel Space-based Solar Power Technologies and Architectures for Earth and Beyond

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howell, Joe T.; Fikes, John C.; O'Neill, Mark J.

2005-01-01

Research, development and studies of novel space-based solar power systems, technologies and architectures for Earth and beyond are needed to reduce the cost of clean electrical power for terrestrial use and to provide a stepping stone for providing an abundance of power in space, i.e., manufacturing facilities, tourist facilities, delivery of power between objects in space, and between space and surface sites. The architectures, technologies and systems needed for space to Earth applications may also be used for in-space applications. Advances in key technologies, i.e., power generation, power management and distribution, power beaming and conversion of beamed power are needed to achieve the objectives of both terrestrial and extraterrestrial applications. Power beaming or wireless power transmission (WPT) can involve lasers or microwaves along with the associated power interfaces. Microwave and laser transmission techniques have been studied with several promising approaches to safe and efficient WPT identified. These investigations have included microwave phased array transmitters, as well as laser transmission and associated optics. There is a need to produce "proof-of-concept" validation of critical WPT technologies for both the near-term, as well as far-term applications. Investments may be harvested in near-term beam safe demonstrations of commercial WPT applications. Receiving sites (users) include ground-based stations for terrestrial electrical power, orbital sites to provide power for satellites and other platforms, future space elevator systems, space vehicle propulsion, and space to surface sites. This paper briefly discusses achieving a promising approach to the solar power generation and beamed power conversion. The approach is based on a unique high-power solar concentrator array called Stretched Lens Array (SLA) for both solar power generation and beamed power conversion. Since both versions (solar and laser) of SLA use many identical components

Time Series Analysis of Technology Trends based on the Internet Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Shin-Ichi; Shirai, Yasuyuki; Hiyane, Kazuo; Kumeno, Fumihiro; Inujima, Hiroshi; Yamauchi, Noriyoshi

Information technology is increasingly important in recent years for the development of our society. IT has brought many changes to everything in our society with incredible speed. Hence, when we investigate R & D themes or plan business strategies in IT, we must understand overall situation around the target technology area besides technology itself. Especially it is crucial to understand overall situation as time series to know what will happen in the near future in the target area. For this purpose, we developed a method to generate Multiple-phased trend maps automatically based on the Internet content. Furthermore, we introduced quantitative indicators to analyze near future possible changes. According to the evaluation of this method we got successful and interesting results.

Potential Occupational Exposures and Health Risks Associated with Biomass-Based Power Generation.

PubMed

Rohr, Annette C; Campleman, Sharan L; Long, Christopher M; Peterson, Michael K; Weatherstone, Susan; Quick, Will; Lewis, Ari

2015-07-22

Biomass is increasingly being used for power generation; however, assessment of potential occupational health and safety (OH&S) concerns related to usage of biomass fuels in combustion-based generation remains limited. We reviewed the available literature on known and potential OH&S issues associated with biomass-based fuel usage for electricity generation at the utility scale. We considered three potential exposure scenarios--pre-combustion exposure to material associated with the fuel, exposure to combustion products, and post-combustion exposure to ash and residues. Testing of dust, fungal and bacterial levels at two power stations was also undertaken. Results indicated that dust concentrations within biomass plants can be extremely variable, with peak levels in some areas exceeding occupational exposure limits for wood dust and general inhalable dust. Fungal spore types, identified as common environmental species, were higher than in outdoor air. Our review suggests that pre-combustion risks, including bioaerosols and biogenic organics, should be considered further. Combustion and post-combustion risks appear similar to current fossil-based combustion. In light of limited available information, additional studies at power plants utilizing a variety of technologies and biomass fuels are recommended.

Potential Occupational Exposures and Health Risks Associated with Biomass-Based Power Generation

PubMed Central

Rohr, Annette C.; Campleman, Sharan L.; Long, Christopher M.; Peterson, Michael K.; Weatherstone, Susan; Quick, Will; Lewis, Ari

2015-01-01

Biomass is increasingly being used for power generation; however, assessment of potential occupational health and safety (OH&S) concerns related to usage of biomass fuels in combustion-based generation remains limited. We reviewed the available literature on known and potential OH&S issues associated with biomass-based fuel usage for electricity generation at the utility scale. We considered three potential exposure scenarios—pre-combustion exposure to material associated with the fuel, exposure to combustion products, and post-combustion exposure to ash and residues. Testing of dust, fungal and bacterial levels at two power stations was also undertaken. Results indicated that dust concentrations within biomass plants can be extremely variable, with peak levels in some areas exceeding occupational exposure limits for wood dust and general inhalable dust. Fungal spore types, identified as common environmental species, were higher than in outdoor air. Our review suggests that pre-combustion risks, including bioaerosols and biogenic organics, should be considered further. Combustion and post-combustion risks appear similar to current fossil-based combustion. In light of limited available information, additional studies at power plants utilizing a variety of technologies and biomass fuels are recommended. PMID:26206568

Net Generation of Youth: A Case Study of Students in a Technology-Based Youth Development Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

James, Coran

2013-01-01

The purpose of this interpretive study was to understand how students made sense of their experiences in a technology-based youth development program. This study was framed by James P. Connell and Michelle A. Gambone's, Community Action Framework for Youth Development, conceptual model for understanding youth development that identifies the…

NASA Fixed Wing Project: Green Technologies for Future Aircraft Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Del Rosario, Ruben; Koudelka, John M.; Wahls, Rich; Madavan, Nateri

2014-01-01

Commercial aviation relies almost entirely on subsonic fixed wing aircraft to constantly move people and goods from one place to another across the globe. While air travel is an effective means of transportation providing an unmatched combination of speed and range, future subsonic aircraft must improve substantially to meet efficiency and environmental targets.The NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Fixed Wing (FW) Project addresses the comprehensive challenge of enabling revolutionary energy efficiency improvements in subsonic transport aircraft combined with dramatic reductions in harmful emissions and perceived noise to facilitate sustained growth of the air transportation system. Advanced technologies and the development of unconventional aircraft systems offer the potential to achieve these improvements. Multidisciplinary advances are required in aerodynamic efficiency to reduce drag, structural efficiency to reduce aircraft empty weight, and propulsive and thermal efficiency to reduce thrust-specific energy consumption (TSEC) for overall system benefit. Additionally, advances are required to reduce perceived noise without adversely affecting drag, weight, or TSEC, and to reduce harmful emissions without adversely affecting energy efficiency or noise.The paper will highlight the Fixed Wing project vision of revolutionary systems and technologies needed to achieve these challenging goals. Specifically, the primary focus of the FW Project is on the N+3 generation; that is, vehicles that are three generations beyond the current state of the art, requiring mature technology solutions in the 2025-30 timeframe

Using Semantic Web technologies for the generation of domain-specific templates to support clinical study metadata standards.

PubMed

Jiang, Guoqian; Evans, Julie; Endle, Cory M; Solbrig, Harold R; Chute, Christopher G

2016-01-01

The Biomedical Research Integrated Domain Group (BRIDG) model is a formal domain analysis model for protocol-driven biomedical research, and serves as a semantic foundation for application and message development in the standards developing organizations (SDOs). The increasing sophistication and complexity of the BRIDG model requires new approaches to the management and utilization of the underlying semantics to harmonize domain-specific standards. The objective of this study is to develop and evaluate a Semantic Web-based approach that integrates the BRIDG model with ISO 21090 data types to generate domain-specific templates to support clinical study metadata standards development. We developed a template generation and visualization system based on an open source Resource Description Framework (RDF) store backend, a SmartGWT-based web user interface, and a "mind map" based tool for the visualization of generated domain-specific templates. We also developed a RESTful Web Service informed by the Clinical Information Modeling Initiative (CIMI) reference model for access to the generated domain-specific templates. A preliminary usability study is performed and all reviewers (n = 3) had very positive responses for the evaluation questions in terms of the usability and the capability of meeting the system requirements (with the average score of 4.6). Semantic Web technologies provide a scalable infrastructure and have great potential to enable computable semantic interoperability of models in the intersection of health care and clinical research.

Prospects of third-generation femtosecond laser technology in biological spectromicroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fattahi, Hanieh; Fattahi, Zohreh; Ghorbani, Asghar

2018-05-01

The next generation of biological imaging modalities will be a movement towards super-resolution, label-free approaches to realize subcellular images in a nonperturbative, non-invasive manner and towards new detection metrologies to reach a higher sensitivity and dynamic range. In this paper, we discuss how the third generation femtosecond laser technology in combination with the already existing concepts in time-resolved spectroscopy could fulfill the requirements of these exciting prospects. The expected enhanced specificity and sensitivity of the envisioned super-resolution microscope could lead us to a better understanding of the inter- and intra-cellular molecular transport and DNA-protein interaction.

GaN-Based Detector Enabling Technology for Next Generation Ultraviolet Planetary Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aslam, S.; Gronoff, G.; Hewagama, T.; Janz, S.; Kotecki, C.

2012-01-01

The ternary alloy AlN-GaN-InN system provides several distinct advantages for the development of UV detectors for future planetary missions. First, (InN), (GaN) and (AlN) have direct bandgaps 0.8, 3.4 and 6.2 eV, respectively, with corresponding wavelength cutoffs of 1550 nm, 365 nm and 200 nm. Since they are miscible with each other, these nitrides form complete series of indium gallium nitride (In(sub l-x)Ga(sub x)N) and aluminum gallium nitride (Al(sub l-x)Ga(sub x)N) alloys thus allowing the development of detectors with a wavelength cut-off anywhere in this range. For the 2S0-365 nm spectral wavelength range AlGaN detectors can be designed to give a 1000x solar radiation rejection at cut-off wavelength of 325 nm, than can be achieved with Si based detectors. For tailored wavelength cut-offs in the 365-4S0 nm range, InGaN based detectors can be fabricated, which still give 20-40x better solar radiation rejection than Si based detectors. This reduced need for blocking filters greatly increases the Detective Quantum efficiency (DQE) and simplifies the instrument's optical systems. Second, the wide direct bandgap reduces the thermally generated dark current to levels allowing many observations to be performed at room temperature. Third, compared to narrow bandgap materials, wide bandgap semiconductors are significantly more radiation tolerant. Finally, with the use of an (AI, In)GaN array, the overall system cost is reduced by eliminating stringent Si CCD cooling systems. Compared to silicon, GaN based detectors have superior QE based on a direct bandgap and longer absorption lengths in the UV.

Semantic attributes based texture generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, Huifang; Gan, Yanhai; Qi, Lin; Dong, Junyu; Madessa, Amanuel Hirpa

2018-04-01

Semantic attributes are commonly used for texture description. They can be used to describe the information of a texture, such as patterns, textons, distributions, brightness, and so on. Generally speaking, semantic attributes are more concrete descriptors than perceptual features. Therefore, it is practical to generate texture images from semantic attributes. In this paper, we propose to generate high-quality texture images from semantic attributes. Over the last two decades, several works have been done on texture synthesis and generation. Most of them focusing on example-based texture synthesis and procedural texture generation. Semantic attributes based texture generation still deserves more devotion. Gan et al. proposed a useful joint model for perception driven texture generation. However, perceptual features are nonobjective spatial statistics used by humans to distinguish different textures in pre-attentive situations. To give more describing information about texture appearance, semantic attributes which are more in line with human description habits are desired. In this paper, we use sigmoid cross entropy loss in an auxiliary model to provide enough information for a generator. Consequently, the discriminator is released from the relatively intractable mission of figuring out the joint distribution of condition vectors and samples. To demonstrate the validity of our method, we compare our method to Gan et al.'s method on generating textures by designing experiments on PTD and DTD. All experimental results show that our model can generate textures from semantic attributes.

Use and Perception of Technology: Sex and Generational Differences in a Community Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Volkom, Michele; Stapley, Janice C.; Malter, Johnna

2013-01-01

A community sample of 431 adults (175 men and 256 women) ages 18 to 91 across three generations (young adults, adults, and older adults) were recruited for the current study. Participants completed a demographic and technology use questionnaire that ascertained their attitudes toward, and use of, various types of technology--such as cellular…

A novel method for energy harvesting simulation based on scenario generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhe; Li, Taoshen; Xiao, Nan; Ye, Jin; Wu, Min

2018-06-01

Energy harvesting network (EHN) is a new form of computer networks. It converts ambient energy into usable electric energy and supply the electrical energy as a primary or secondary power source to the communication devices. However, most of the EHN uses the analytical probability distribution function to describe the energy harvesting process, which cannot accurately identify the actual situation for the lack of authenticity. We propose an EHN simulation method based on scenario generation in this paper. Firstly, instead of setting a probability distribution in advance, it uses optimal scenario reduction technology to generate representative scenarios in single period based on the historical data of the harvested energy. Secondly, it uses homogeneous simulated annealing algorithm to generate optimal daily energy harvesting scenario sequences to get a more accurate simulation of the random characteristics of the energy harvesting network. Then taking the actual wind power data as an example, the accuracy and stability of the method are verified by comparing with the real data. Finally, we cite an instance to optimize the network throughput, which indicate the feasibility and effectiveness of the method we proposed from the optimal solution and data analysis in energy harvesting simulation.

Hydrogel-based encapsulation of biological, functional tissue: fundamentals, technologies and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimmermann, H.; Ehrhart, F.; Zimmermann, D.; Müller, K.; Katsen-Globa, A.; Behringer, M.; Feilen, P. J.; Gessner, P.; Zimmermann, G.; Shirley, S. G.; Weber, M. M.; Metze, J.; Zimmermann, U.

2007-12-01

Replacing dysfunctional endocrine cells or tissues (e.g. islets, parathyroid tissue) by functional, foreign material without using immunosuppressives could soon become reality. Immunological reactions are avoided by encapsulating cells/tissues in hydrogel (e.g. alginate) microcapsules, preventing interaction of the enclosed material with the host’s immune system while permitting the unhindered passage of nutrients, oxygen and secreted therapeutic factors. Detailed investigations of the physical, physico-chemical and immunological parameters of alginate-based microcapsules have led recently to the development of a novel class of cell-entrapping microcapsules that meet the demands of biocompatibility, long-term integrity and function. This together with the development of ‘good medical practice’ microfluidic chip technology and of advanced cryopreservation technology for generation and storage of immunoisolated transplants will bring cell-based therapy to clinics and the market.

Diversity and Inclusion in Information Technology from an Age Perspective: Motivating and Managing Information Technology Professionals across Multiple Generations in the Workforce

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kenan-Smalls, Yottie Marie

2011-01-01

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate diversity and inclusion from an age perspective among information technology (IT) professionals that were categorized as 4 different generations in the workforce today: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y. At the same time, this study sought to examine motivational…

Contributions from space technology to central power generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dicks, J. B., Jr.

1972-01-01

The central power crisis, and the present and relatively near-time contributions that aerospace technology is making to help solve this crisis are discussed. The principal emphasis is placed on the prospects of aerospace derived magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) large scale power generation. The strides that the Soviet Union is making in this field with the startup of the new U-25 plant near Moscow, having a total power capability of 75 MW, are reviewed. A much smaller program in the U.S. is outlined, and prospects of future benefits are discussed.

A Third Generation Water Bath Based Blackbody Source

PubMed Central

Fowler, Joel B.

1995-01-01

A third generation water bath based black-body source has been designed and constructed in the Radiometric Physics Division at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD. The goal of this work was to design a large aperture blackbody source with improved temporal stability and reproducibility compared with earlier designs, as well as improved ease of use. These blackbody sources operate in the 278 K to 353 K range with water temperature combined standard uncertainties of 3.5 mK to 7.8 mK. The calculated emissivity of these sources is 0.9997 with a relative standard uncertainty of 0.0003. With a 50 mm limiting aperture at the cavity; entrance, the emissivity increases to 0.99997. PMID:29151763

Next Generation Astronomical Data Processing using Big Data Technologies from the Apache Software Foundation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattmann, Chris

2014-04-01

In this era of exascale instruments for astronomy we must naturally develop next generation capabilities for the unprecedented data volume and velocity that will arrive due to the veracity of these ground-based sensor and observatories. Integrating scientific algorithms stewarded by scientific groups unobtrusively and rapidly; intelligently selecting data movement technologies; making use of cloud computing for storage and processing; and automatically extracting text and metadata and science from any type of file are all needed capabilities in this exciting time. Our group at NASA JPL has promoted the use of open source data management technologies available from the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) in pursuit of constructing next generation data management and processing systems for astronomical instruments including the Expanded Very Large Array (EVLA) in Socorro, NM and the Atacama Large Milimetre/Sub Milimetre Array (ALMA); as well as for the KAT-7 project led by SKA South Africa as a precursor to the full MeerKAT telescope. In addition we are funded currently by the National Science Foundation in the US to work with MIT Haystack Observatory and the University of Cambridge in the UK to construct a Radio Array of Portable Interferometric Devices (RAPID) that will undoubtedly draw from the rich technology advances underway. NASA JPL is investing in a strategic initiative for Big Data that is pulling in these capabilities and technologies for astronomical instruments and also for Earth science remote sensing. In this talk I will describe the above collaborative efforts underway and point to solutions in open source from the Apache Software Foundation that can be deployed and used today and that are already bringing our teams and projects benefits. I will describe how others can take advantage of our experience and point towards future application and contribution of these tools.

Starter/generator testing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anon

1994-10-01

Sundstrand Aerospace and GE Aircraft Engines have studied the switched reluctance machine for use as an integral starter/generator for future aircraft engines. They have conducted an initial, low-power testing of the starter/generator, which is based on power inverters using IGBT-technology semiconductors, to verify its feasibility in the externally mounted version of the integral starter/generator. This preliminary testing of the 250-kW starter/generator reveals favorable results.

Navigating the Rapids: The Development of Regulated Next-Generation Sequencing-Based Clinical Trial Assays and Companion Diagnostics

PubMed Central

Pant, Saumya; Weiner, Russell; Marton, Matthew J.

2014-01-01

Over the past decade, next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has experienced meteoric growth in the aspects of platform, technology, and supporting bioinformatics development allowing its widespread and rapid uptake in research settings. More recently, NGS-based genomic data have been exploited to better understand disease development and patient characteristics that influence response to a given therapeutic intervention. Cancer, as a disease characterized by and driven by the tumor genetic landscape, is particularly amenable to NGS-based diagnostic (Dx) approaches. NGS-based technologies are particularly well suited to studying cancer disease development, progression and emergence of resistance, all key factors in the development of next-generation cancer Dxs. Yet, to achieve the promise of NGS-based patient treatment, drug developers will need to overcome a number of operational, technical, regulatory, and strategic challenges. Here, we provide a succinct overview of the state of the clinical NGS field in terms of the available clinically targeted platforms and sequencing technologies. We discuss the various operational and practical aspects of clinical NGS testing that will facilitate or limit the uptake of such assays in routine clinical care. We examine the current strategies for analytical validation and Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approval of NGS-based assays and ongoing efforts to standardize clinical NGS and build quality control standards for the same. The rapidly evolving companion diagnostic (CDx) landscape for NGS-based assays will be reviewed, highlighting the key areas of concern and suggesting strategies to mitigate risk. The review will conclude with a series of strategic questions that face drug developers and a discussion of the likely future course of NGS-based CDx development efforts. PMID:24860780

Mucosal Vaccine Development Based on Liposome Technology

PubMed Central

Norling, Karin; Bally, Marta; Höök, Fredrik

2016-01-01

Immune protection against infectious diseases is most effective if located at the portal of entry of the pathogen. Hence, there is an increasing demand for vaccine formulations that can induce strong protective immunity following oral, respiratory, or genital tract administration. At present, only few mucosal vaccines are found on the market, but recent technological advancements and a better understanding of the principles that govern priming of mucosal immune responses have contributed to a more optimistic view on the future of mucosal vaccines. Compared to live attenuated vaccines, subcomponent vaccines, most often protein-based, are considered safer, more stable, and less complicated to manufacture, but they require the addition of nontoxic and clinically safe adjuvants to be effective. In addition, another limiting factor is the large antigen dose that usually is required for mucosal vaccines. Therefore, the combination of mucosal adjuvants with the recent progress in nanoparticle technology provides an attractive solution to these problems. In particular, the liposome technology is ideal for combining protein antigen and adjuvant into an effective mucosal vaccine. Here, we describe and discuss recent progress in nanoparticle formulations using various types of liposomes that convey strong promise for the successful development of the next generation of mucosal vaccines. PMID:28127567

Geometry Laboratory (GEOLAB) surface modeling and grid generation technology and services

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerr, Patricia A.; Smith, Robert E.; Posenau, Mary-Anne K.

1995-01-01

The facilities and services of the GEOmetry LABoratory (GEOLAB) at the NASA Langley Research Center are described. Included in this description are the laboratory functions, the surface modeling and grid generation technologies used in the laboratory, and examples of the tasks performed in the laboratory.

MINE WASTE TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM PREVENTION OF ACID MINE DRAINAGE GENERATION FROM OPEN-PIT HIGHWALLS

EPA Science Inventory

This document summarizes the results of Mine Waste Technology Program Activity III, Project 26, Prevention of Acid Mine Drainage Generation from Open-Pit Highwalls. The intent of this project was to obtain performance data on the ability of four technologies to prevent the gener...

School-Based Technology Use Planning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cradler, John

1994-01-01

Describes how to conduct systematic planning for technology use. The components of an effective technology use plan, derived from a comprehensive study of school-based technology, are given. Planning development, implementation, and evaluation steps are provided. Ten planning resource books are listed. (Contains five references.) (KRN)

Neural network based control of Doubly Fed Induction Generator in wind power generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbade, Swati A.; Kasliwal, Prabha

2012-07-01

To complement the other types of pollution-free generation wind energy is a viable option. Previously wind turbines were operated at constant speed. The evolution of technology related to wind systems industry leaded to the development of a generation of variable speed wind turbines that present many advantages compared to the fixed speed wind turbines. In this paper the phasor model of DFIG is used. This paper presents a study of a doubly fed induction generator driven by a wind turbine connected to the grid, and controlled by artificial neural network ANN controller. The behaviour of the system is shown with PI control, and then as controlled by ANN. The effectiveness of the artificial neural network controller is compared to that of a PI controller. The SIMULINK/MATLAB simulation for Doubly Fed Induction Generator and corresponding results and waveforms are displayed.

Oil-Free Turbomachinery Technologies for Long-Life, Maintenance-Free Power Generation Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dellacorte, Christopher

2013-01-01

Turbines have long been used to convert thermal energy to shaft work for power generation. Conventional turbines rely upon oil-lubricated rotor supports (bearings, seals, etc.) to achieve low wear, high efficiency and reliability. Emerging Oil-Free technologies such as gas foil bearings and magnetic bearings offer a path for reduced weight and complexity and truly maintenance free systems. Oil-Free gas turbines, using gaseous and liquid fuels are commercially available in power outputs to at least 250kWe and are gaining acceptance for remote power generation where maintenance is a challenge. Closed Brayton Cycle (CBC) turbines are an approach to power generation that is well suited for long life space missions. In these systems, a recirculating gas is heated by nuclear, solar or other heat energy source then fed into a high-speed turbine that drives an electrical generator. For closed cycle systems such as these, the working fluid also passes through the bearing compartments thus serving as a lubricant and bearing coolant. Compliant surface foil gas bearings are well suited for the rotor support systems of these advanced turbines. Foil bearings develop a thin hydrodynamic gas film that separates the rotating shaft from the bearing preventing wear. During start-up and shut down when speeds are low, rubbing occurs. Solid lubricants are used to reduce starting torque and minimize wear. Other emerging technologies such as magnetic bearings can also contribute to robust and reliable Oil-Free turbomachinery. In this presentation, Oil-Free technologies for advanced rotor support systems will be reviewed as will the integration and development processes recommended for implementation.

CRISPR-Based Technologies and the Future of Food Science.

PubMed

Selle, Kurt; Barrangou, Rodolphe

2015-11-01

The on-going CRISPR craze is focused on the use of Cas9-based technologies for genome editing applications in eukaryotes, with high potential for translational medicine and next-generation gene therapy. Nevertheless, CRISPR-Cas systems actually provide adaptive immunity in bacteria, and have much promise for various applications in food bacteria that include high-resolution typing of pathogens, vaccination of starter cultures against phages, and the genesis of programmable and specific antibiotics that can selectively modulate bacterial population composition. Indeed, the molecular machinery from these DNA-encoded, RNA-mediated, DNA-targeting systems can be harnessed in native hosts, or repurposed in engineered systems for a plethora of applications that can be implemented in all organisms relevant to the food chain, including agricultural crops trait-enhancement, livestock breeding, and fermentation-based manufacturing, and for the genesis of next-generation food products with enhanced quality and health-promoting functionalities. CRISPR-based applications are now poised to revolutionize many fields within food science, from farm to fork. In this review, we describe CRISPR-Cas systems and highlight their potential for the development of enhanced foods. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

The next generation CdTe technology- Substrate foil based solar cells

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

Ferekides, Chris

The main objective of this project was the development of one of the most promising Photovoltaic (PV) materials CdTe into a versatile, cost effective, and high throughput technology, by demonstrating substrate devices on foil substrates using high throughput fabrication conditions. The typical CdTe cell is of the superstrate configuration where the solar cell is fabricated on a glass superstrate by the sequential deposition of a TCO, n-type heterojunction partner, p-CdTe absorber, and back contact. Large glass modules are heavy and present significant challenges during manufacturing (uniform heating, etc.). If a substrate CdTe cell could be developed (the main goal ofmore » this project) a roll-to-toll high throughput technology could be developed.« less

Engineering the next generation of clinical deep brain stimulation technology.

PubMed

McIntyre, Cameron C; Chaturvedi, Ashutosh; Shamir, Reuben R; Lempka, Scott F

2015-01-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has evolved into a powerful clinical therapy for a range of neurological disorders, but even with impressive clinical growth, DBS technology has been relatively stagnant over its history. However, enhanced collaborations between neural engineers, neuroscientists, physicists, neurologists, and neurosurgeons are beginning to address some of the limitations of current DBS technology. These interactions have helped to develop novel ideas for the next generation of clinical DBS systems. This review attempts collate some of that progress with two goals in mind. First, provide a general description of current clinical DBS practices, geared toward educating biomedical engineers and computer scientists on a field that needs their expertise and attention. Second, describe some of the technological developments that are currently underway in surgical targeting, stimulation parameter selection, stimulation protocols, and stimulation hardware that are being directly evaluated for near term clinical application. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Life Cycle analysis data and results for geothermal and other electricity generation technologies

DOE Data Explorer

Sullivan, John

2013-06-04

Life cycle analysis (LCA) is an environmental assessment method that quantifies the environmental performance of a product system over its entire lifetime, from cradle to grave. Based on a set of relevant metrics, the method is aptly suited for comparing the environmental performance of competing products systems. This file contains LCA data and results for electric power production including geothermal power. The LCA for electric power has been broken down into two life cycle stages, namely plant and fuel cycles. Relevant metrics include the energy ratio and greenhouse gas (GHG) ratios, where the former is the ratio of system input energy to total lifetime electrical energy out and the latter is the ratio of the sum of all incurred greenhouse gases (in CO2 equivalents) divided by the same energy output. Specific information included herein are material to power (MPR) ratios for a range of power technologies for conventional thermoelectric, renewables (including three geothermal power technologies), and coproduced natural gas/geothermal power. For the geothermal power scenarios, the MPRs include the casing, cement, diesel, and water requirements for drilling wells and topside piping. Also included herein are energy and GHG ratios for plant and fuel cycle stages for the range of considered electricity generating technologies. Some of this information are MPR data extracted directly from the literature or from models (eg. ICARUS – a subset of ASPEN models) and others (energy and GHG ratios) are results calculated using GREET models and MPR data. MPR data for wells included herein were based on the Argonne well materials model and GETEM well count results.

Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program for Middle School-Aged Female Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hanna

2016-01-01

This study investigates the effects of an intensive 1-week Inquiry-Based Science and Technology Enrichment Program (InSTEP) designed for middle school-aged female students. InSTEP uses a guided/open inquiry approach that is deepened and redefined as eight sciences and engineering practices in the Next Generation Science Standards, which aimed at…

Using Games-Based eLearning Technologies in Overcoming Difficulties in Teaching Information Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Connolly, Thomas; Stanfield, Mark

2006-01-01

The contributions of this research center on two major areas: delineation of a new model of distance education in which the authors identify three generations of eLearning; and examination of how eLearning and games-based eLearning technologies can be used to enrich the Information Systems (IS) learning experiences of students with different…

Making sense of mobile- and web-based wellness information technology: cross-generational study.

PubMed

Kutz, Daniel; Shankar, Kalpana; Connelly, Kay

2013-05-14

A recent trend in personal health and wellness management is the development of computerized applications or information and communication technologies (ICTs) that support behavioral change, aid the management of chronic conditions, or help an individual manage their wellness and engage in a healthier lifestyle. To understand how individuals across 3 generations (young, middle-aged, and older) think about the design and use of collaborative health and wellness management technologies and what roles these could take in their lives. Face-to-face semistructured interviews, paper prototype systems, and video skits were used to assess how individuals from 3 age cohorts (young: 18-25 years; middle-aged: 35-50 years; and older: ≥65 years) conceptualize the role that health and wellness computing could take in their lives. A total of 21 participants in the 3 age cohorts took part (young: n=7; middle-aged: n=7; and older: n=7). Young adults expected to be able to actively manage the presentation of their health-related information. Middle-aged adults had more nuanced expectations that reflect their engagement with work and other life activities. Older adults questioned the sharing of health information with a larger audience, although they saw the value in 1-way sharing between family members or providing aggregated information. Our findings inform our suggestions for improving the design of future collaborative health and wellness applications that target specific age groups. We recommend that collaborative ICT health applications targeting young adults should integrate with existing social networking sites, whereas those targeting middle-aged and older adults should support small social networks that rely on intimate personal relationships. Systems that target middle-aged adults should support episodic needs, such as time-sensitive, perhaps intermittent, goal setting. They should also have a low barrier to entry, allowing individuals who do not normally engage with the

Making Sense of Mobile- and Web-Based Wellness Information Technology: Cross-Generational Study

PubMed Central

Shankar, Kalpana; Connelly, Kay

2013-01-01

Background A recent trend in personal health and wellness management is the development of computerized applications or information and communication technologies (ICTs) that support behavioral change, aid the management of chronic conditions, or help an individual manage their wellness and engage in a healthier lifestyle. Objective To understand how individuals across 3 generations (young, middle-aged, and older) think about the design and use of collaborative health and wellness management technologies and what roles these could take in their lives. Methods Face-to-face semistructured interviews, paper prototype systems, and video skits were used to assess how individuals from 3 age cohorts (young: 18-25 years; middle-aged: 35-50 years; and older: ≥65 years) conceptualize the role that health and wellness computing could take in their lives. Results A total of 21 participants in the 3 age cohorts took part (young: n=7; middle-aged: n=7; and older: n=7). Young adults expected to be able to actively manage the presentation of their health-related information. Middle-aged adults had more nuanced expectations that reflect their engagement with work and other life activities. Older adults questioned the sharing of health information with a larger audience, although they saw the value in 1-way sharing between family members or providing aggregated information. Conclusions Our findings inform our suggestions for improving the design of future collaborative health and wellness applications that target specific age groups. We recommend that collaborative ICT health applications targeting young adults should integrate with existing social networking sites, whereas those targeting middle-aged and older adults should support small social networks that rely on intimate personal relationships. Systems that target middle-aged adults should support episodic needs, such as time-sensitive, perhaps intermittent, goal setting. They should also have a low barrier to entry, allowing

Self-Powered Wearable Electronics Based on Moisture Enabled Electricity Generation.

PubMed

Shen, Daozhi; Xiao, Ming; Zou, Guisheng; Liu, Lei; Duley, Walter W; Zhou, Y Norman

2018-05-01

Most state-of-the-art electronic wearable sensors are powered by batteries that require regular charging and eventual replacement, which would cause environmental issues and complex management problems. Here, a device concept is reported that can break this paradigm in ambient moisture monitoring-a new class of simple sensors themselves can generate moisture-dependent voltage that can be used to determine the ambient humidity level directly. It is demonstrated that a moisture-driven electrical generator, based on the diffusive flow of water in titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanowire networks, can yield an output power density of up to 4 µW cm -2 when exposed to a highly moist environment. This performance is two orders of magnitude better than that reported for carbon-black generators. The output voltage is strongly dependent on humidity of ambient environment. As a big breakthrough, this new type of device is successfully used as self-powered wearable human-breathing monitors and touch pads, which is not achievable by any existing moisture-induced-electricity technology. The availability of high-output self-powered electrical generators will facilitate the design and application of a wide range of new innovative flexible electronic devices. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

New-generation radiofrequency technology.

PubMed

Krueger, Nils; Sadick, Neil S

2013-01-01

Radiofrequency (RF) technology has become a standard treatment in aesthetic medicine with many indications due to its versatility, efficacy, and safety. It is used worldwide for cellulite reduction; acne scar revision; and treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids, rosacea, and inflammatory acne in all skin types. However, the most common indication for RF technology is the nonablative tightening of tissue to improve skin laxity and reduce wrinkles. Radiofrequency devices are classified as unipolar, bipolar, or multipolar depending on the number of electrodes used. Additional modalities include fractional RF; sublative RF; phase-controlled RF; and combination RF therapies that apply light, massage, or pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMFs). This article reviews studies and case series on these devices. Radiofrequency technology for aesthetic medicine has seen rapid advancements since it was used for skin tightening in 2003. Future developments will continue to keep RF technology at the forefront of the dermatologist's armamentarium for skin tightening and rejuvenation.

SCALS: a fourth-generation study of assisted living technologies in their organisational, social, political and policy context.

PubMed

Greenhalgh, Trisha; Shaw, Sara; Wherton, Joe; Hughes, Gemma; Lynch, Jenni; A'Court, Christine; Hinder, Sue; Fahy, Nick; Byrne, Emma; Finlayson, Alexander; Sorell, Tom; Procter, Rob; Stones, Rob

2016-02-15

Research to date into assisted living technologies broadly consists of 3 generations: technical design, experimental trials and qualitative studies of the patient experience. We describe a fourth-generation paradigm: studies of assisted living technologies in their organisational, social, political and policy context. Fourth-generation studies are necessarily organic and emergent; they view technology as part of a dynamic, networked and potentially unstable system. They use co-design methods to generate and stabilise local solutions, taking account of context. SCALS (Studies in Co-creating Assisted Living Solutions) consists (currently) of 5 organisational case studies, each an English health or social care organisation striving to introduce technology-supported services to support independent living in people with health and/or social care needs. Treating these cases as complex systems, we seek to explore interdependencies, emergence and conflict. We employ a co-design approach informed by the principles of action research to help participating organisations establish, refine and evaluate their service. To that end, we are conducting in-depth ethnographic studies of people's experience of assisted living technologies (micro level), embedded in evolving organisational case studies that use interviews, ethnography and document analysis (meso level), and exploring the wider national and international context for assisted living technologies and policy (macro level). Data will be analysed using a sociotechnical framework developed from structuration theory. Research ethics approval for the first 4 case studies has been granted. An important outcome will be lessons learned from individual co-design case studies. We will document the studies' credibility and rigour, and assess the transferability of findings to other settings while also recognising unique aspects of the contexts in which they were generated. Academic outputs will include a cross-case analysis and

SCALS: a fourth-generation study of assisted living technologies in their organisational, social, political and policy context

PubMed Central

Greenhalgh, Trisha; Shaw, Sara; Wherton, Joe; Hughes, Gemma; Lynch, Jenni; A'Court, Christine; Hinder, Sue; Fahy, Nick; Byrne, Emma; Finlayson, Alexander; Sorell, Tom; Procter, Rob; Stones, Rob

2016-01-01

Introduction Research to date into assisted living technologies broadly consists of 3 generations: technical design, experimental trials and qualitative studies of the patient experience. We describe a fourth-generation paradigm: studies of assisted living technologies in their organisational, social, political and policy context. Fourth-generation studies are necessarily organic and emergent; they view technology as part of a dynamic, networked and potentially unstable system. They use co-design methods to generate and stabilise local solutions, taking account of context. Methods and analysis SCALS (Studies in Co-creating Assisted Living Solutions) consists (currently) of 5 organisational case studies, each an English health or social care organisation striving to introduce technology-supported services to support independent living in people with health and/or social care needs. Treating these cases as complex systems, we seek to explore interdependencies, emergence and conflict. We employ a co-design approach informed by the principles of action research to help participating organisations establish, refine and evaluate their service. To that end, we are conducting in-depth ethnographic studies of people's experience of assisted living technologies (micro level), embedded in evolving organisational case studies that use interviews, ethnography and document analysis (meso level), and exploring the wider national and international context for assisted living technologies and policy (macro level). Data will be analysed using a sociotechnical framework developed from structuration theory. Ethics and dissemination Research ethics approval for the first 4 case studies has been granted. An important outcome will be lessons learned from individual co-design case studies. We will document the studies’ credibility and rigour, and assess the transferability of findings to other settings while also recognising unique aspects of the contexts in which they were generated

New Generation Lidar Technology and Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spinhirne, James D.

1999-01-01

Lidar has been a tool for atmospheric research for several decades. Until recently routine operational use of lidar was not known. Problems have involved a lack of appropriate technology rather than a lack of applications. Within the last few years, lidar based on a new generation of solid state lasers and detectors have changed the situation. Operational applications for cloud and aerosol research applications are now well established. In these research applications, the direct height profiling capability of lidar is typically an adjunct to other types of sensing, both passive and active. Compact eye safe lidar with the sensitivity for ground based monitoring of all significant cloud and aerosol structure and the reliability to operate full time for several years is now in routine use. The approach is known as micro pulse lidar (MPL). For MPL the laser pulse repetition rate is in the kilohertz range and the pulse energies are in the micro-Joule range. The low pulse energy permits the systems to be eye safe and reliable with solid state lasers. A number of MPL systems have been deployed since 1992 at atmospheric research sites at a variety of global locations. Accurate monitoring of cloud and aerosol vertical distribution is a critical measurement for atmospheric radiation. An airborne application of lidar cloud and aerosol profiling is retrievals of parameters from combined lidar and passive sensing involving visible, infrared and microwave frequencies. A lidar based on a large pulse, solid state diode pumped ND:YAG laser has been deployed on the NASA ER-2 high altitude research aircraft along with multi-spectral visible/IR and microwave imaging radiometers since 1993. The system has shown high reliability in an extensive series of experimental projects for cloud remote sensing. The retrieval of cirrus radiation parameters is an effective application for combined lidar and passive sensing. An approved NASA mission will soon begin long term lidar observation of

A New Targeted CFTR Mutation Panel Based on Next-Generation Sequencing Technology.

PubMed

Lucarelli, Marco; Porcaro, Luigi; Biffignandi, Alice; Costantino, Lucy; Giannone, Valentina; Alberti, Luisella; Bruno, Sabina Maria; Corbetta, Carlo; Torresani, Erminio; Colombo, Carla; Seia, Manuela

2017-09-01

Searching for mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR) is a key step in the diagnosis of and neonatal and carrier screening for cystic fibrosis (CF), and it has implications for prognosis and personalized therapy. The large number of mutations and genetic and phenotypic variability make this search a complex task. Herein, we developed, validated, and tested a laboratory assay for an extended search for mutations in CFTR using a next-generation sequencing-based method, with a panel of 188 CFTR mutations customized for the Italian population. Overall, 1426 dried blood spots from neonatal screening, 402 genomic DNA samples from various origins, and 1138 genomic DNA samples from patients with CF were analyzed. The assay showed excellent analytical and diagnostic operative characteristics. We identified and experimentally validated 159 (of 188) CFTR mutations. The assay achieved detection rates of 95.0% and 95.6% in two large-scale case series of CF patients from central and northern Italy, respectively. These detection rates are among the highest reported so far with a genetic test for CF based on a mutation panel. This assay appears to be well suited for diagnostics, neonatal and carrier screening, and assisted reproduction, and it represents a considerable advantage in CF genetic counseling. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Investigative Pathology and the Association for Molecular Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

2017 Annual Technology Baseline

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

Cole, Wesley J; Hand, M. M; Eberle, Annika

Consistent cost and performance data for various electricity generation technologies can be difficult to find and may change frequently for certain technologies. With the Annual Technology Baseline (ATB), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory annually provides an organized and centralized set of such cost and performance data. The ATB uses the best information from the Department of Energy national laboratories' renewable energy analysts as well as information from the Energy Information Administration for fuel-based technologies. The ATB has been reviewed by experts and it includes the following electricity generation technologies: land-based wind, offshore wind, utility-scale solar photovoltaics (PV), commercial-scale solar PV,more » residential-scale solar PV, concentrating solar power, geothermal power, hydropower, coal, natural gas, nuclear, and conventional biopower. This webinar presentation introduces the 2017 ATB.« less

Consumptive Water Use from Electricity Generation in the Southwest under Alternative Climate, Technology, and Policy Futures.

PubMed

Talati, Shuchi; Zhai, Haibo; Kyle, G Page; Morgan, M Granger; Patel, Pralit; Liu, Lu

2016-11-15

This research assesses climate, technological, and policy impacts on consumptive water use from electricity generation in the Southwest over a planning horizon of nearly a century. We employed an integrated modeling framework taking into account feedbacks between climate change, air temperature and humidity, and consequent power plant water requirements. These direct impacts of climate change on water consumption by 2095 differ with technology improvements, cooling systems, and policy constraints, ranging from a 3-7% increase over scenarios that do not incorporate ambient air impacts. Upon additional factors being changed that alter electricity generation, water consumption increases by up to 8% over the reference scenario by 2095. With high penetration of wet recirculating cooling, consumptive water required for low-carbon electricity generation via fossil fuels will likely exacerbate regional water pressure as droughts become more common and population increases. Adaptation strategies to lower water use include the use of advanced cooling technologies and greater dependence on solar and wind. Water consumption may be reduced by 50% in 2095 from the reference, requiring an increase in dry cooling shares to 35-40%. Alternatively, the same reduction could be achieved through photovoltaic and wind power generation constituting 60% of the grid, consistent with an increase of over 250% in technology learning rates.

A field-emission based vacuum device for the generation of THz waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Ming-Chieh

2005-03-01

Terahertz waves have been used to characterize the electronic, vibrational and compositional properties of solid, liquid and gas phase materials during the past decade. More and more applications in imaging science and technology call for the well development of THz wave sources. Amplification and generation of a high frequency electromagnetic wave are a common interest of field emission based devices. In the present work, we propose a vacuum electronic device based on field emission mechanism for the generation of THz waves. To verify our thinking and designs, the cold tests and the hot tests have been studied via the simulation tools, SUPERFISH and MAGIC. In the hot tests, two types of electron emission mechanisms are considered. One is the field emission and the other is the explosive emission. The preliminary design of the device is carried out and tested by the numerical simulations. The simulation results show that an electronic efficiency up to 4% can be achieved without employing any magnetic circuits.

Green technology for conversion of renewable hydrocarbon based on plasma-catalytic approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fedirchyk, Igor; Nedybaliuk, Oleg; Chernyak, Valeriy; Demchina, Valentina

2016-09-01

The ability to convert renewable biomass into fuels and chemicals is one of the most important steps on our path to green technology and sustainable development. However, the complex composition of biomass poses a major problem for established conversion technologies. The high temperature of thermochemical biomass conversion often leads to the appearance of undesirable byproducts and waste. The catalytic conversion has reduced yield and feedstock range. Plasma-catalytic reforming technology opens a new path for biomass conversion by replacing feedstock-specific catalysts with free radicals generated in the plasma. We studied the plasma-catalytic conversion of several renewable hydrocarbons using the air plasma created by rotating gliding discharge. We found that plasma-catalytic hydrocarbon conversion can be conducted at significantly lower temperatures (500 K) than during the thermochemical ( 1000 K) and catalytic (800 K) conversion. By using gas chromatography, we determined conversion products and found that conversion efficiency of plasma-catalytic conversion reaches over 85%. We used obtained data to determine the energy yield of hydrogen in case of plasma-catalytic reforming of ethanol and compared it with other plasma-based hydrogen-generating systems.

Tribal recommendations for designing culturally appropriate technology-based sexual health interventions targeting Native youth in the Pacific Northwest.

PubMed

Craig Rushing, Stephanie; Stephens, David

2012-01-01

Media technologies, including the Internet, cell phones, and video games, offer new avenues to reach Native youth on sensitive health topics. Project Red Talon, a sexually transmitted disease (STD)/HIV prevention project that serves the 43 federally recognized tribes in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, used community-based participatory research methods in partnership with the Northwest tribes to review existing technology-based interventions and generate recommendations for designing interventions that reflect the culture, needs, and organizational capacities of participating tribes and Native youth. These findings are now being used to guide the development of technology-based health interventions targeting American Indian/Alaska Native teens and young adults.

Current advances in the generation of human iPS cells: implications in cell-based regenerative medicine.

PubMed

Revilla, Ana; González, Clara; Iriondo, Amaia; Fernández, Bárbara; Prieto, Cristina; Marín, Carlos; Liste, Isabel

2016-11-01

Over the last few years, the generation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from human somatic cells has proved to be one of the most potentially useful discoveries in regenerative medicine. iPSCs are becoming an invaluable tool to study the pathology of different diseases and for drug screening. However, several limitations still affect the possibility of applying iPS cell-based technology in therapeutic prospects. Most strategies for iPSCs generation are based on gene delivery via retroviral or lentiviral vectors, which integrate into the host's cell genome, causing a remarkable risk of insertional mutagenesis and oncogenic transformation. To avoid such risks, significant advances have been made with non-integrative reprogramming strategies. On the other hand, although many different kinds of somatic cells have been employed to generate iPSCs, there is still no consensus about the ideal type of cell to be reprogrammed. In this review we present the recent advances in the generation of human iPSCs, discussing their advantages and limitations in terms of safety and efficiency. We also present a selection of somatic cell sources, considering their capability to be reprogrammed and tissue accessibility. From a translational medicine perspective, these two topics will provide evidence to elucidate the most suitable combination of reprogramming strategy and cell source to be applied in each human iPSC-based therapy. The wide variety of diseases this technology could treat opens a hopeful future for regenerative medicine. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

High-efficiency photovoltaic technology including thermoelectric generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisac, Miguel; Villasevil, Francesc X.; López, Antonio M.

2014-04-01

Nowadays, photovoltaic solar energy is a clean and reliable source for producing electric power. Most photovoltaic systems have been designed and built up for use in applications with low power requirements. The efficiency of solar cells is quite low, obtaining best results in monocrystalline silicon structures, with an efficiency of about 18%. When temperature rises, photovoltaic cell efficiency decreases, given that the short-circuit current is slightly increased, and the open-circuit voltage, fill factor and power output are reduced. To ensure that this does not affect performance, this paper describes how to interconnect photovoltaic and thermoelectric technology into a single structure. The temperature gradient in the solar panel is used to supply thermoelectric cells, which generate electricity, achieving a positive contribution to the total balance of the complete system.

Distributed MIMO chaotic radar based on wavelength-division multiplexing technology.

PubMed

Yao, Tingfeng; Zhu, Dan; Ben, De; Pan, Shilong

2015-04-15

A distributed multiple-input multiple-output chaotic radar based on wavelength-division multiplexing technology (WDM) is proposed and demonstrated. The wideband quasi-orthogonal chaotic signals generated by different optoelectronic oscillators (OEOs) are emitted by separated antennas to gain spatial diversity against the fluctuation of a target's radar cross section and enhance the detection capability. The received signals collected by the receive antennas and the reference signals from the OEOs are delivered to the central station for joint processing by exploiting WDM technology. The centralized signal processing avoids precise time synchronization of the distributed system and greatly simplifies the remote units, which improves the localization accuracy of the entire system. A proof-of-concept experiment for two-dimensional localization of a metal target is demonstrated. The maximum position error is less than 6.5 cm.

Trial application of reliability technology to emergency diesel generators at the Trojan Nuclear Power Plant

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

Wong, S.M.; Boccio, J.L.; Karimian, S.

1986-01-01

In this paper, a trial application of reliability technology to the emergency diesel generator system at the Trojan Nuclear Power Plant is presented. An approach for formulating a reliability program plan for this system is being developed. The trial application has shown that a reliability program process, using risk- and reliability-based techniques, can be interwoven into current plant operational activities to help in controlling, analyzing, and predicting faults that can challenge safety systems. With the cooperation of the utility, Portland General Electric Co., this reliability program can eventually be implemented at Trojan to track its effectiveness.

Applications and Case Studies of the Next-Generation Sequencing Technologies in Food, Nutrition and Agriculture.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Next-generation sequencing technologies are able to produce high-throughput short sequence reads in a cost-effective fashion. The emergence of these technologies has not only facilitated genome sequencing but also changed the landscape of life sciences. Here I survey their major applications ranging...

Reconciling technology and humanistic care: Lessons from the next generation of physicians.

PubMed

Simpkin, Arabella L; Dinardo, Perry B; Pine, Elizabeth; Gaufberg, Elizabeth

2017-04-01

There is concern among physicians that the rising use of technology in medicine may have a negative impact on compassionate patient-centered care. This study explores medical student attitudes and ideas about technology in medicine in order to consider ways to achieve symbiosis between technology use and the delivery of humanistic, patient-centered care. This qualitative study uses data from 138 essays written by medical students in the United States and Canada responding to the prompt "Using a real life experience, describe how technology played a role, either negatively or positively, in the delivery of humanistic patient care." Data were analyzed for themes about technology and the impact on humanistic patient care. Seven themes emerged from the medical students' essays: Patient Perspective; Life-Giving versus Life-Prolonging; Boundaries between Human and Technology; Distancing versus Presence; Adapting to Change; Tools to Enhance Care; and Definitions of Technology. Listening to medical students lends insight into ways to integrate technology into the healthcare environment, to ensure that physicians' ability to deliver compassionate care is enhanced, not hindered. Utilizing perceptions of the next generation of physicians, educational and developmental strategies are proposed to ensure the successful integration of technology with humanistic patient-centered care.

The Role of Semantics in Next-Generation Online Virtual World-Based Retail Store

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Geetika; Anantaram, C.; Ghosh, Hiranmay

Online virtual environments are increasingly becoming popular for entrepreneurship. While interactions are primarily between avatars, some interactions could occur through intelligent chatbots. Such interactions require connecting to backend business applications to obtain information, carry out real-world transactions etc. In this paper, we focus on integrating business application systems with virtual worlds. We discuss the probable features of a next-generation online virtual world-based retail store and the technologies involved in realizing the features of such a store. In particular, we examine the role of semantics in integrating popular virtual worlds with business applications to provide natural language based interactions.

The 1980 Large space systems technology. Volume 2: Base technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kopriver, F., III (Compiler)

1981-01-01

Technology pertinent to large antenna systems, technology related to large space platform systems, and base technology applicable to both antenna and platform systems are discussed. Design studies, structural testing results, and theoretical applications are presented with accompanying validation data. A total systems approach including controls, platforms, and antennas is presented as a cohesive, programmatic plan for large space systems.

Technology-Based Classroom Assessments: Alternatives to Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salend, Spencer J.

2009-01-01

Although many teachers are using new technologies to differentiate instruction and administer tests, educators are also employing a range of technology-based resources and strategies to implement a variety of classroom assessments as alternatives to standardized and teacher-made testing. Technology-based classroom assessments focus on the use of…

Next-Generation Technologies for Multiomics Approaches Including Interactome Sequencing

PubMed Central

Ohashi, Hiroyuki; Miyamoto-Sato, Etsuko

2015-01-01

The development of high-speed analytical techniques such as next-generation sequencing and microarrays allows high-throughput analysis of biological information at a low cost. These techniques contribute to medical and bioscience advancements and provide new avenues for scientific research. Here, we outline a variety of new innovative techniques and discuss their use in omics research (e.g., genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics, and interactomics). We also discuss the possible applications of these methods, including an interactome sequencing technology that we developed, in future medical and life science research. PMID:25649523

MOSAIK: a hash-based algorithm for accurate next-generation sequencing short-read mapping.

PubMed

Lee, Wan-Ping; Stromberg, Michael P; Ward, Alistair; Stewart, Chip; Garrison, Erik P; Marth, Gabor T

2014-01-01

MOSAIK is a stable, sensitive and open-source program for mapping second and third-generation sequencing reads to a reference genome. Uniquely among current mapping tools, MOSAIK can align reads generated by all the major sequencing technologies, including Illumina, Applied Biosystems SOLiD, Roche 454, Ion Torrent and Pacific BioSciences SMRT. Indeed, MOSAIK was the only aligner to provide consistent mappings for all the generated data (sequencing technologies, low-coverage and exome) in the 1000 Genomes Project. To provide highly accurate alignments, MOSAIK employs a hash clustering strategy coupled with the Smith-Waterman algorithm. This method is well-suited to capture mismatches as well as short insertions and deletions. To support the growing interest in larger structural variant (SV) discovery, MOSAIK provides explicit support for handling known-sequence SVs, e.g. mobile element insertions (MEIs) as well as generating outputs tailored to aid in SV discovery. All variant discovery benefits from an accurate description of the read placement confidence. To this end, MOSAIK uses a neural-network based training scheme to provide well-calibrated mapping quality scores, demonstrated by a correlation coefficient between MOSAIK assigned and actual mapping qualities greater than 0.98. In order to ensure that studies of any genome are supported, a training pipeline is provided to ensure optimal mapping quality scores for the genome under investigation. MOSAIK is multi-threaded, open source, and incorporated into our command and pipeline launcher system GKNO (http://gkno.me).

MOSAIK: A Hash-Based Algorithm for Accurate Next-Generation Sequencing Short-Read Mapping

PubMed Central

Lee, Wan-Ping; Stromberg, Michael P.; Ward, Alistair; Stewart, Chip; Garrison, Erik P.; Marth, Gabor T.

2014-01-01

MOSAIK is a stable, sensitive and open-source program for mapping second and third-generation sequencing reads to a reference genome. Uniquely among current mapping tools, MOSAIK can align reads generated by all the major sequencing technologies, including Illumina, Applied Biosystems SOLiD, Roche 454, Ion Torrent and Pacific BioSciences SMRT. Indeed, MOSAIK was the only aligner to provide consistent mappings for all the generated data (sequencing technologies, low-coverage and exome) in the 1000 Genomes Project. To provide highly accurate alignments, MOSAIK employs a hash clustering strategy coupled with the Smith-Waterman algorithm. This method is well-suited to capture mismatches as well as short insertions and deletions. To support the growing interest in larger structural variant (SV) discovery, MOSAIK provides explicit support for handling known-sequence SVs, e.g. mobile element insertions (MEIs) as well as generating outputs tailored to aid in SV discovery. All variant discovery benefits from an accurate description of the read placement confidence. To this end, MOSAIK uses a neural-network based training scheme to provide well-calibrated mapping quality scores, demonstrated by a correlation coefficient between MOSAIK assigned and actual mapping qualities greater than 0.98. In order to ensure that studies of any genome are supported, a training pipeline is provided to ensure optimal mapping quality scores for the genome under investigation. MOSAIK is multi-threaded, open source, and incorporated into our command and pipeline launcher system GKNO (http://gkno.me). PMID:24599324

A NASA study of the impact of technology on future carrier based tactical aircraft - Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, S. B., III

1992-01-01

This paper examines the impact of technology on future carrier based tactical aircraft. The results were used in the Center for Naval Analysis Future Carrier Study. The NASA Team designed three classes of aircraft ('Fighter', 'Attack', and 'Multimission') with two different technology levels. The Multimission aircraft were further analyzed by examining the penalty on the aircraft for both catapult launch/arrested landing recovery (Cat/trap) and short take-off/vertical landing (STOVL). The study showed the so-called STOVL penalty was reduced by engine technology and the next generation Strike Fighter will pay more penalty for Cat/trap than for STOVL capability.

A knowledge-base generating hierarchical fuzzy-neural controller.

PubMed

Kandadai, R M; Tien, J M

1997-01-01

We present an innovative fuzzy-neural architecture that is able to automatically generate a knowledge base, in an extractable form, for use in hierarchical knowledge-based controllers. The knowledge base is in the form of a linguistic rule base appropriate for a fuzzy inference system. First, we modify Berenji and Khedkar's (1992) GARIC architecture to enable it to automatically generate a knowledge base; a pseudosupervised learning scheme using reinforcement learning and error backpropagation is employed. Next, we further extend this architecture to a hierarchical controller that is able to generate its own knowledge base. Example applications are provided to underscore its viability.

Consumptive Water Use from Electricity Generation in the Southwest under Alternative Climate, Technology, and Policy Futures

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

Talati, Shuchi; Zhai, Haibo; Kyle, G. Page

This research assesses climate, technological, and policy impacts on consumptive water use from electricity generation in the Southwest over a planning horizon of nearly a century. We employed an integrated modeling framework taking into account feedbacks between climate change, air temperature and humidity, and consequent power plant water requirements. These direct impacts of climate change on water consumption by 2095 differ with technology improvements, cooling systems, and policy constraints, ranging from a 3–7% increase over scenarios that do not incorporate ambient air impacts. Upon additional factors being changed that alter electricity generation, water consumption increases by up to 8% overmore » the reference scenario by 2095. With high penetration of wet recirculating cooling, consumptive water required for low-carbon electricity generation via fossil fuels will likely exacerbate regional water pressure as droughts become more common and population increases. Adaptation strategies to lower water use include the use of advanced cooling technologies and greater dependence on solar and wind. Water consumption may be reduced by 50% in 2095 from the reference, requiring an increase in dry cooling shares to 35–40%. Alternatively, the same reduction could be achieved through photovoltaic and wind power generation constituting 60% of the grid, consistent with an increase of over 250% in technology learning rates.« less

Autonomously Generating Operations Sequences for a Mars Rover Using Artificial Intelligence-Based Planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherwood, R.; Mutz, D.; Estlin, T.; Chien, S.; Backes, P.; Norris, J.; Tran, D.; Cooper, B.; Rabideau, G.; Mishkin, A.; Maxwell, S.

2001-07-01

This article discusses a proof-of-concept prototype for ground-based automatic generation of validated rover command sequences from high-level science and engineering activities. This prototype is based on ASPEN, the Automated Scheduling and Planning Environment. This artificial intelligence (AI)-based planning and scheduling system will automatically generate a command sequence that will execute within resource constraints and satisfy flight rules. An automated planning and scheduling system encodes rover design knowledge and uses search and reasoning techniques to automatically generate low-level command sequences while respecting rover operability constraints, science and engineering preferences, environmental predictions, and also adhering to hard temporal constraints. This prototype planning system has been field-tested using the Rocky 7 rover at JPL and will be field-tested on more complex rovers to prove its effectiveness before transferring the technology to flight operations for an upcoming NASA mission. Enabling goal-driven commanding of planetary rovers greatly reduces the requirements for highly skilled rover engineering personnel. This in turn greatly reduces mission operations costs. In addition, goal-driven commanding permits a faster response to changes in rover state (e.g., faults) or science discoveries by removing the time-consuming manual sequence validation process, allowing rapid "what-if" analyses, and thus reducing overall cycle times.

Study of Collaborative Management for Transportation Construction Project Based on BIM Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jianhua, Liu; Genchuan, Luo; Daiquan, Liu; Wenlei, Li; Bowen, Feng

2018-03-01

Abstract. Building Information Modeling(BIM) is a building modeling technology based on the relevant information data of the construction project. It is an advanced technology and management concept, which is widely used in the whole life cycle process of planning, design, construction and operation. Based on BIM technology, transportation construction project collaborative management can have better communication through authenticity simulation and architectural visualization and can obtain the basic and real-time information such as project schedule, engineering quality, cost and environmental impact etc. The main services of highway construction management are integrated on the unified BIM platform for collaborative management to realize information intercommunication and exchange, to change the isolated situation of information in the past, and improve the level of information management. The final BIM model is integrated not only for the information management of project and the integration of preliminary documents and design drawings, but also for the automatic generation of completion data and final accounts, which covers the whole life cycle of traffic construction projects and lays a good foundation for smart highway construction.

Next Generation Life Support (NGLS): High Performance EVA Glove (HPEG) Technology Development Element

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walsh, Sarah; Barta, Daniel; Stephan, Ryan; Gaddis, Stephen

2015-01-01

The overall objective is to develop advanced gloves for extra vehicular activity (EVA) for future human space exploration missions and generate corresponding standards by which progress may be quantitatively assessed. The glove prototypes that result from the successful completion of this technology development activity will be delivered to NASA's Human Exploration Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD) and ultimately to be included in an integrated test with the next generation spacesuit currently under development.

Has Technology Become a Need? A Qualitative Study Exploring Three Generational Cohorts' Perception of Technology in Regards to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunmore, Denisia

2013-01-01

For the first time in the history of America, there are four different generations living, working and learning together in a society that is more technologically advanced than ever before. However, could it be that technology has become a need? The primary purpose of this qualitative case study was to utilize Maslow's hierarchy of needs as the…

An 8-GW long-pulse generator based on Tesla transformer and pulse forming network

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

Su, Jiancang; Zhang, Xibo; Li, Rui

A long-pulse generator TPG700L based on a Tesla transformer and a series pulse forming network (PFN) is constructed to generate intense electron beams for the purpose of high power microwave (HPM) generation. The TPG700L mainly consists of a 12-stage PFN, a built-in Tesla transformer in a pulse forming line, a three-electrode gas switch, a transmission line with a trigger, and a load. The Tesla transformer and the compact PFN are the key technologies for the development of the TPG700L. This generator can output electrical pulses with a width as long as 200 ns at a level of 8 GW andmore » a repetition rate of 50 Hz. When used to drive a relative backward wave oscillator for HPM generation, the electrical pulse width is about 100 ns on a voltage level of 520 kV. Factors affecting the pulse waveform of the TPG700L are also discussed. At present, the TPG700L performs well for long-pulse HPM generation in our laboratory.« less

An 8-GW long-pulse generator based on Tesla transformer and pulse forming network.

PubMed

Su, Jiancang; Zhang, Xibo; Li, Rui; Zhao, Liang; Sun, Xu; Wang, Limin; Zeng, Bo; Cheng, Jie; Wang, Ying; Peng, Jianchang; Song, Xiaoxin

2014-06-01

A long-pulse generator TPG700L based on a Tesla transformer and a series pulse forming network (PFN) is constructed to generate intense electron beams for the purpose of high power microwave (HPM) generation. The TPG700L mainly consists of a 12-stage PFN, a built-in Tesla transformer in a pulse forming line, a three-electrode gas switch, a transmission line with a trigger, and a load. The Tesla transformer and the compact PFN are the key technologies for the development of the TPG700L. This generator can output electrical pulses with a width as long as 200 ns at a level of 8 GW and a repetition rate of 50 Hz. When used to drive a relative backward wave oscillator for HPM generation, the electrical pulse width is about 100 ns on a voltage level of 520 kV. Factors affecting the pulse waveform of the TPG700L are also discussed. At present, the TPG700L performs well for long-pulse HPM generation in our laboratory.

Advanced photovoltaic power system technology for lunar base applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brinker, David J.; Flood, Dennis J.

1992-09-01

The development of an advanced photovoltaic power system that would have application for a manned lunar base is currently planned under the Surface Power element of Pathfinder. Significant mass savings over state-of-the-art photovoltaic/battery systems are possible with the use of advanced lightweight solar arrays coupled with regenerative fuel cell storage. The solar blanket, using either ultrathin GaAs or amorphous silicon solar cells, would be integrated with a reduced-g structure. Regenerative fuel cells with high-pressure gas storage in filament-wound tanks are planned for energy storage. An advanced PV/RFC power system is a leading candidate for a manned lunar base as it offers a tremendous weight advantage over state-of-the-art photovoltaic/battery systems and is comparable in mass to other advanced power generation technologies.

BEAT: A Web-Based Boolean Expression Fault-Based Test Case Generation Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, T. Y.; Grant, D. D.; Lau, M. F.; Ng, S. P.; Vasa, V. R.

2006-01-01

BEAT is a Web-based system that generates fault-based test cases from Boolean expressions. It is based on the integration of our several fault-based test case selection strategies. The generated test cases are considered to be fault-based, because they are aiming at the detection of particular faults. For example, when the Boolean expression is in…

[Advances in peroxide-based decontaminating technologies].

PubMed

Xi, Hai-ling; Zhao, San-ping; Zhou, Wen

2013-05-01

With the boosting demand for eco-friendly decontaminants, great achievements in peroxide-based decontaminating technologies have been made in recent years. These technologies have been applied in countering chemical/biological terrorist attacks, dealing with chemical/biological disasters and destructing environmental pollutants. Recent research advances in alpha-nucleophilic/oxidative reaction mechanisms of peroxide-based decontamination against chemical warfare agents were reviewed, and some classical peroxide-based decontaminants such as aqueous decontaminating solution, decontaminating foam, decontaminating emulsions, decontaminating gels, decontaminating vapors, and some newly developed decontaminating media (e.g., peroxide-based self-decontaminating materials and heterogeneous nano-catalytic decontamination systems) were introduced. However, currently available peroxide-based decontaminants still have some deficiencies. For example, their decontamination efficiencies are not as high as those of chlorine-containing decontaminants, and some peroxide-based decontaminants show relatively poor effect against certain agents. More study on the mechanisms of peroxide-based decontaminants and the interfacial interactions in heterogeneous decontamination media is suggested. New catalysts, multifunctional surfactants, self-decontaminating materials and corrosion preventing technologies should be developed before peroxide-based decontaminants really become true "green" decontaminants.

NASA's aeronautics research and technology base

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

NASA's research technology base in aeronautics is assessed in terms of: (1) US aeronautical technology needs and requirements in the future; (2) objectives of the aeronautics program; (3) magnitude and scope of the program; and (4) research and technology performed by NASA and other research organizations.

Advanced Applications of Next-Generation Sequencing Technologies to Orchid Biology.

PubMed

Yeh, Chuan-Ming; Liu, Zhong-Jian; Tsai, Wen-Chieh

2018-01-01

Next-generation sequencing technologies are revolutionizing biology by permitting, transcriptome sequencing, whole-genome sequencing and resequencing, and genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism profiling. Orchid research has benefited from this breakthrough, and a few orchid genomes are now available; new biological questions can be approached and new breeding strategies can be designed. The first part of this review describes the unique features of orchid biology. The second part provides an overview of the current next-generation sequencing platforms, many of which are already used in plant laboratories. The third part summarizes the state of orchid transcriptome and genome sequencing and illustrates current achievements. The genetic sequences currently obtained will not only provide a broad scope for the study of orchid biology, but also serves as a starting point for uncovering the mystery of orchid evolution.

Fiber Sensor Systems Based on Fiber Laser and Microwave Photonic Technologies

PubMed Central

Fu, Hongyan; Chen, Daru; Cai, Zhiping

2012-01-01

Fiber-optic sensors, especially fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors are very attractive due to their numerous advantages over traditional sensors, such as light weight, high sensitivity, cost-effectiveness, immunity to electromagnetic interference, ease of multiplexing and so on. Therefore, fiber-optic sensors have been intensively studied during the last several decades. Nowadays, with the development of novel fiber technology, more and more newly invented fiber technologies bring better and superior performance to fiber-optic sensing networks. In this paper, the applications of some advanced photonic technologies including fiber lasers and microwave photonic technologies for fiber sensing applications are reviewed. FBG interrogations based on several kinds of fiber lasers, especially the novel Fourier domain mode locking fiber laser, have been introduced; for the application of microwave photonic technology, examples of microwave photonic filtering utilized as a FBG sensing interrogator and microwave signal generation acting as a transversal loading sensor have been given. Both theoretical analysis and experimental demonstrations have been carried out. The comparison of these advanced photonic technologies for the applications of fiber sensing is carried out and important issues related to the applications have been addressed and the suitable and potential application examples have also been discussed in this paper. PMID:22778591

Generational Influences in Academic Emergency Medicine: Teaching and Learning, Mentoring, and Technology (Part I)

PubMed Central

Mohr, Nicholas M.; Moreno-Walton, Lisa; Mills, Angela M.; Brunett, Patrick H.; Promes, Susan B.

2010-01-01

For the first time in history, four generations are working together – Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation Xers, and Millennials. Members of each generation carry with them a unique perspective of the world and interact differently with those around them. Through a review of the literature and consensus by modified Delphi methodology of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Aging and Generational Issues Task Force, the authors have developed this two-part series to address generational issues present in academic emergency medicine (EM). Understanding generational characteristics and mitigating strategies can help address some common issues encountered in academic EM. Through recognition of the unique characteristics of each of the generations with respect to teaching and learning, mentoring, and technology, academicians have the opportunity to strategically optimize interactions with one another. PMID:21314779

COMPREHENSIVE STANDARDS: THE POWER GENERATION CASE

EPA Science Inventory

This study presents an illustrative data base of material quantities and environmental effluents in the fuel cycles for alternative technologies of thermally generated power. The entire fuel cycle for each of the alternative ten technologies is outlined for a representative power...

Systems Engineering Approach to Technology Integration for NASA's 2nd Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Dale; Smith, Charles; Thomas, Leann; Kittredge, Sheryl

2002-01-01

The overall goal of the 2nd Generation RLV Program is to substantially reduce technical and business risks associated with developing a new class of reusable launch vehicles. NASA's specific goals are to improve the safety of a 2nd-generation system by 2 orders of magnitude - equivalent to a crew risk of 1-in-10,000 missions - and decrease the cost tenfold, to approximately $1,000 per pound of payload launched. Architecture definition is being conducted in parallel with the maturating of key technologies specifically identified to improve safety and reliability, while reducing operational costs. An architecture broadly includes an Earth-to-orbit reusable launch vehicle, on-orbit transfer vehicles and upper stages, mission planning, ground and flight operations, and support infrastructure, both on the ground and in orbit. The systems engineering approach ensures that the technologies developed - such as lightweight structures, long-life rocket engines, reliable crew escape, and robust thermal protection systems - will synergistically integrate into the optimum vehicle. To best direct technology development decisions, analytical models are employed to accurately predict the benefits of each technology toward potential space transportation architectures as well as the risks associated with each technology. Rigorous systems analysis provides the foundation for assessing progress toward safety and cost goals. The systems engineering review process factors in comprehensive budget estimates, detailed project schedules, and business and performance plans, against the goals of safety, reliability, and cost, in addition to overall technical feasibility. This approach forms the basis for investment decisions in the 2nd Generation RLV Program's risk-reduction activities. Through this process, NASA will continually refine its specialized needs and identify where Defense and commercial requirements overlap those of civil missions.

Systems Engineering Approach to Technology Integration for NASA's 2nd Generation Reusable Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Dale; Smith, Charles; Thomas, Leann; Kittredge, Sheryl

2002-01-01

The overall goal of the 2nd Generation RLV Program is to substantially reduce technical and business risks associated with developing a new class of reusable launch vehicles. NASA's specific goals are to improve the safety of a 2nd generation system by 2 orders of magnitude - equivalent to a crew risk of 1-in-10,000 missions - and decrease the cost tenfold, to approximately $1,000 per pound of payload launched. Architecture definition is being conducted in parallel with the maturating of key technologies specifically identified to improve safety and reliability, while reducing operational costs. An architecture broadly includes an Earth-to-orbit reusable launch vehicle, on-orbit transfer vehicles and upper stages, mission planning, ground and flight operations, and support infrastructure, both on the ground and in orbit. The systems engineering approach ensures that the technologies developed - such as lightweight structures, long-life rocket engines, reliable crew escape, and robust thermal protection systems - will synergistically integrate into the optimum vehicle. To best direct technology development decisions, analytical models are employed to accurately predict the benefits of each technology toward potential space transportation architectures as well as the risks associated with each technology. Rigorous systems analysis provides the foundation for assessing progress toward safety and cost goals. The systems engineering review process factors in comprehensive budget estimates, detailed project schedules, and business and performance plans, against the goals of safety, reliability, and cost, in addition to overall technical feasibility. This approach forms the basis for investment decisions in the 2nd Generation RLV Program's risk-reduction activities. Through this process, NASA will continually refine its specialized needs and identify where Defense and commercial requirements overlap those of civil missions.

Overview of Probe-based Storage Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Lei; Yang, Ci Hui; Wen, Jing; Gong, Si Di; Peng, Yuan Xiu

2016-07-01

The current world is in the age of big data where the total amount of global digital data is growing up at an incredible rate. This indeed necessitates a drastic enhancement on the capacity of conventional data storage devices that are, however, suffering from their respective physical drawbacks. Under this circumstance, it is essential to aggressively explore and develop alternative promising mass storage devices, leading to the presence of probe-based storage devices. In this paper, the physical principles and the current status of several different probe storage devices, including thermo-mechanical probe memory, magnetic probe memory, ferroelectric probe memory, and phase-change probe memory, are reviewed in details, as well as their respective merits and weakness. This paper provides an overview of the emerging probe memories potentially for next generation storage device so as to motivate the exploration of more innovative technologies to push forward the development of the probe storage devices.

Overview of Probe-based Storage Technologies.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Yang, Ci Hui; Wen, Jing; Gong, Si Di; Peng, Yuan Xiu

2016-12-01

The current world is in the age of big data where the total amount of global digital data is growing up at an incredible rate. This indeed necessitates a drastic enhancement on the capacity of conventional data storage devices that are, however, suffering from their respective physical drawbacks. Under this circumstance, it is essential to aggressively explore and develop alternative promising mass storage devices, leading to the presence of probe-based storage devices. In this paper, the physical principles and the current status of several different probe storage devices, including thermo-mechanical probe memory, magnetic probe memory, ferroelectric probe memory, and phase-change probe memory, are reviewed in details, as well as their respective merits and weakness. This paper provides an overview of the emerging probe memories potentially for next generation storage device so as to motivate the exploration of more innovative technologies to push forward the development of the probe storage devices.

Sequence Data for Clostridium autoethanogenum using Three Generations of Sequencing Technologies

DOE PAGES

Utturkar, Sagar M.; Klingeman, Dawn Marie; Bruno-Barcena, José M.; ...

2015-04-14

During the past decade, DNA sequencing output has been mostly dominated by the second generation sequencing platforms which are characterized by low cost, high throughput and shorter read lengths for example, Illumina. The emergence and development of so called third generation sequencing platforms such as PacBio has permitted exceptionally long reads (over 20 kb) to be generated. Due to read length increases, algorithm improvements and hybrid assembly approaches, the concept of one chromosome, one contig and automated finishing of microbial genomes is now a realistic and achievable task for many microbial laboratories. In this paper, we describe high quality sequencemore » datasets which span three generations of sequencing technologies, containing six types of data from four NGS platforms and originating from a single microorganism, Clostridium autoethanogenum. The dataset reported here will be useful for the scientific community to evaluate upcoming NGS platforms, enabling comparison of existing and novel bioinformatics approaches and will encourage interest in the development of innovative experimental and computational methods for NGS data.« less

Using Psychometric Technology in Educational Assessment: The Case of a Schema-Based Isomorphic Approach to the Automatic Generation of Quantitative Reasoning Items

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arendasy, Martin; Sommer, Markus

2007-01-01

This article deals with the investigation of the psychometric quality and constructs validity of algebra word problems generated by means of a schema-based version of the automatic min-max approach. Based on review of the research literature in algebra word problem solving and automatic item generation this new approach is introduced as a…

DietPal: A Web-Based Dietary Menu-Generating and Management System

PubMed Central

Abdullah, Siti Norulhuda; Shahar, Suzana; Abdul-Hamid, Helmi; Khairudin, Nurkahirizan; Yusoff, Mohamed; Ghazali, Rafidah; Mohd-Yusoff, Nooraini; Shafii, Nik Shanita; Abdul-Manaf, Zaharah

2004-01-01

Background Attempts in current health care practice to make health care more accessible, effective, and efficient through the use of information technology could include implementation of computer-based dietary menu generation. While several of such systems already exist, their focus is mainly to assist healthy individuals calculate their calorie intake and to help monitor the selection of menus based upon a prespecified calorie value. Although these prove to be helpful in some ways, they are not suitable for monitoring, planning, and managing patients' dietary needs and requirements. This paper presents a Web-based application that simulates the process of menu suggestions according to a standard practice employed by dietitians. Objective To model the workflow of dietitians and to develop, based on this workflow, a Web-based system for dietary menu generation and management. The system is aimed to be used by dietitians or by medical professionals of health centers in rural areas where there are no designated qualified dietitians. Methods First, a user-needs study was conducted among dietitians in Malaysia. The first survey of 93 dietitians (with 52 responding) was an assessment of information needed for dietary management and evaluation of compliance towards a dietary regime. The second study consisted of ethnographic observation and semi-structured interviews with 14 dietitians in order to identify the workflow of a menu-suggestion process. We subsequently designed and developed a Web-based dietary menu generation and management system called DietPal. DietPal has the capability of automatically calculating the nutrient and calorie intake of each patient based on the dietary recall as well as generating suitable diet and menu plans according to the calorie and nutrient requirement of the patient, calculated from anthropometric measurements. The system also allows reusing stored or predefined menus for other patients with similar health and nutrient requirements

DietPal: a Web-based dietary menu-generating and management system.

PubMed

Noah, Shahrul A; Abdullah, Siti Norulhuda; Shahar, Suzana; Abdul-Hamid, Helmi; Khairudin, Nurkahirizan; Yusoff, Mohamed; Ghazali, Rafidah; Mohd-Yusoff, Nooraini; Shafii, Nik Shanita; Abdul-Manaf, Zaharah

2004-01-30

Attempts in current health care practice to make health care more accessible, effective, and efficient through the use of information technology could include implementation of computer-based dietary menu generation. While several of such systems already exist, their focus is mainly to assist healthy individuals calculate their calorie intake and to help monitor the selection of menus based upon a prespecified calorie value. Although these prove to be helpful in some ways, they are not suitable for monitoring, planning, and managing patients' dietary needs and requirements. This paper presents a Web-based application that simulates the process of menu suggestions according to a standard practice employed by dietitians. To model the workflow of dietitians and to develop, based on this workflow, a Web-based system for dietary menu generation and management. The system is aimed to be used by dietitians or by medical professionals of health centers in rural areas where there are no designated qualified dietitians. First, a user-needs study was conducted among dietitians in Malaysia. The first survey of 93 dietitians (with 52 responding) was an assessment of information needed for dietary management and evaluation of compliance towards a dietary regime. The second study consisted of ethnographic observation and semi-structured interviews with 14 dietitians in order to identify the workflow of a menu-suggestion process. We subsequently designed and developed a Web-based dietary menu generation and management system called DietPal. DietPal has the capability of automatically calculating the nutrient and calorie intake of each patient based on the dietary recall as well as generating suitable diet and menu plans according to the calorie and nutrient requirement of the patient, calculated from anthropometric measurements. The system also allows reusing stored or predefined menus for other patients with similar health and nutrient requirements. We modeled the workflow of

Group-based variant calling leveraging next-generation supercomputing for large-scale whole-genome sequencing studies.

PubMed

Standish, Kristopher A; Carland, Tristan M; Lockwood, Glenn K; Pfeiffer, Wayne; Tatineni, Mahidhar; Huang, C Chris; Lamberth, Sarah; Cherkas, Yauheniya; Brodmerkel, Carrie; Jaeger, Ed; Smith, Lance; Rajagopal, Gunaretnam; Curran, Mark E; Schork, Nicholas J

2015-09-22

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have become much more efficient, allowing whole human genomes to be sequenced faster and cheaper than ever before. However, processing the raw sequence reads associated with NGS technologies requires care and sophistication in order to draw compelling inferences about phenotypic consequences of variation in human genomes. It has been shown that different approaches to variant calling from NGS data can lead to different conclusions. Ensuring appropriate accuracy and quality in variant calling can come at a computational cost. We describe our experience implementing and evaluating a group-based approach to calling variants on large numbers of whole human genomes. We explore the influence of many factors that may impact the accuracy and efficiency of group-based variant calling, including group size, the biogeographical backgrounds of the individuals who have been sequenced, and the computing environment used. We make efficient use of the Gordon supercomputer cluster at the San Diego Supercomputer Center by incorporating job-packing and parallelization considerations into our workflow while calling variants on 437 whole human genomes generated as part of large association study. We ultimately find that our workflow resulted in high-quality variant calls in a computationally efficient manner. We argue that studies like ours should motivate further investigations combining hardware-oriented advances in computing systems with algorithmic developments to tackle emerging 'big data' problems in biomedical research brought on by the expansion of NGS technologies.

Natural Gas Based Electricity Production and Low Carbon Technology Options

EPA Science Inventory

Concerns regarding air quality, global climate change, and the national energy security impacts of the intensive use of fossil fuels and their environmental impacts in the power generation sector have raised interest in alternative low carbon electricity generation technology and...

Complex of technologies and prototype systems for eco-friendly shutdown of the power-generating, process, capacitive, and transport equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smorodin, A. I.; Red'kin, V. V.; Frolov, Y. D.; Korobkov, A. A.; Kemaev, O. V.; Kulik, M. V.; Shabalin, O. V.

2015-07-01

A set of technologies and prototype systems for eco-friendly shutdown of the power-generating, process, capacitive, and transport equipment is offered. The following technologies are regarded as core technologies for the complex: cryogenic technology nitrogen for displacement of hydrogen from the cooling circuit of turbine generators, cryo blasting of the power units by dioxide granules, preservation of the shutdown power units by dehydrated air, and dismantling and severing of equipment and structural materials of power units. Four prototype systems for eco-friendly shutdown of the power units may be built on the basis of selected technologies: Multimode nitrogen cryogenic system with four subsystems, cryo blasting system with CO2 granules for thermal-mechanical and electrical equipment of power units, and compressionless air-drainage systems for drying and storage of the shutdown power units and cryo-gas system for general severing of the steam-turbine power units. Results of the research and pilot and demonstration tests of the operational units of the considered technological systems allow applying the proposed technologies and systems in the prototype systems for shutdown of the power-generating, process, capacitive, and transport equipment.

Study on the generation technology of Li brocade pattern mutant genes based on the AI and Java technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Yuping; Zhang, Qi

2018-04-01

In the information environment, digital and information processing to Li brocade patterns reveals an important means of Li ethnic style and inheriting the national culture. Adobe Illustrator CS3 and Java language were used in the paper to make "variation" processing to Li brocade patterns, and generate "Li brocade pattern mutant genes". The generation of pattern mutant genes includes color mutation, shape mutation, adding and missing transform, and twisted transform, etc. Research shows that Li brocade pattern mutant genes can be generated by using the Adobe Illustrator CS3 and the image processing tools of Java language edit, etc.

Future reticle demand and next-generation lithography technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behringer, Uwe F. W.; Ehrlich, Christian; Fortange, Olaf

1999-04-01

Mask technology has often been considered an enabling for semiconductor fabrication. But today photomasks have evolved to a bottle neck in the every increasing integration process of semiconductor circuits. Regarding to the 1997 SIA roadmap there are very stringent requirements for mask making. Even with the momentary weak Asian market the worldwide demand for reticles will continue to grow. The anticipation of larger reticles has been discussed over years. What ever the reason for the need of larger reticles, the move to the 230 mm X 230 mm reticle size will provide size will provide unique challenges to both the mask equipment manufacturers and mask fabricator. Next Generation Lithography together with their mask techniques are in development and try to come into the market.

An intervention fidelity framework for technology-based behavioral interventions.

PubMed

Devito Dabbs, Annette; Song, Mi-Kyung; Hawkins, Robert; Aubrecht, Jill; Kovach, Karen; Terhorst, Lauren; Connolly, Mary; McNulty, Mary; Callan, Judith

2011-01-01

Despite the proliferation of health technologies, descriptions of the unique considerations and practical guidance for evaluating the intervention fidelity of technology-based behavioral interventions are lacking. The aims of this study were to (a) discuss how technology-based behavioral interventions challenge conventions about how intervention fidelity is conceptualized and evaluated, (b) propose an intervention fidelity framework that may be more appropriate for technology-based behavioral interventions, and (c) present a plan for operationalizing each concept in the framework using the intervention fidelity monitoring plan for Pocket PATH (Personal Assistant for Tracking Health), a mobile health technology designed to promote self-care behaviors after lung transplantation, as an exemplar. The literature related to intervention fidelity and technology acceptance was used to identify the issues that are unique to the fidelity of technology-based behavioral interventions and thus important to include in a proposed intervention fidelity framework. An intervention fidelity monitoring plan for technology-based behavioral interventions was developed as an example. The intervention fidelity monitoring plan was deemed feasible and practical to implement and showed utility in operationalizing the concepts such as assessing interventionists' delivery and participants' acceptance of the technology-based behavioral intervention. The framework has the potential to guide the development of implementation fidelity monitoring tools for other technology-based behavioral interventions. Further application and testing of this framework will allow for a better understanding of the role that technology acceptance plays in the adoption and enactment of the behaviors that technology-based behavioral interventions are intended to promote.

Enabling technologies for millimeter-wave radio-over-fiber systems in next generation heterogeneous mobile access networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Junwen; Yu, Jianjun; Wang, Jing; Xu, Mu; Cheng, Lin; Lu, Feng; Shen, Shuyi; Yan, Yan; Cho, Hyunwoo; Guidotti, Daniel; Chang, Gee-kung

2017-01-01

Fifth-generation (5G) wireless access network promises to support higher access data rate with more than 1,000 times capacity with respect to current long-term evolution (LTE) systems. New radio-access-technologies (RATs) based on higher carrier frequencies to millimeter-wave (MMW) radio-over-fiber, and carrier-aggregation (CA) using multi-band resources are intensively studied to support the high data rate access and effectively use of frequency resources in heterogeneous mobile network (Het-Net). In this paper, we investigate several enabling technologies for MMW RoF systems in 5G Het-Net. Efficient mobile fronthaul (MFH) solutions for 5G centralized radio access network (C-RAN) and beyond are proposed, analyzed and experimentally demonstrated based on the analog scheme. Digital predistortion based on memory polynomial for analog MFH linearization are presented with improved EVM performances and receiver sensitivity. We also propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel inter-/intra- RAT CA scheme for 5G Het- Net. The real-time standard 4G-LTE signal is carrier-aggregated with three broadband 60GHz MMW signals based on proposed optical-domain band-mapping method. RATs based on new waveforms have also been studied here to achieve higher spectral-efficiency (SE) in asynchronous environments. Full-duplex asynchronous quasi-gapless carrier aggregation scheme for MMW ROF inter-/intra-RAT based on the FBMC is also presented with 4G-LTE signals. Compared with OFDM-based signals with large guard-bands, FBMC achieves higher spectral-efficiency with better EVM performance at less received power and smaller guard-bands.

Living technology: exploiting life's principles in technology.

PubMed

Bedau, Mark A; McCaskill, John S; Packard, Norman H; Rasmussen, Steen

2010-01-01

The concept of living technology-that is, technology that is based on the powerful core features of life-is explained and illustrated with examples from artificial life software, reconfigurable and evolvable hardware, autonomously self-reproducing robots, chemical protocells, and hybrid electronic-chemical systems. We define primary (secondary) living technology according as key material components and core systems are not (are) derived from living organisms. Primary living technology is currently emerging, distinctive, and potentially powerful, motivating this review. We trace living technology's connections with artificial life (soft, hard, and wet), synthetic biology (top-down and bottom-up), and the convergence of nano-, bio-, information, and cognitive (NBIC) technologies. We end with a brief look at the social and ethical questions generated by the prospect of living technology.

Space Technology Game Changing Development- Next Generation Life Support: Spacecraft Oxygen Recovery (SCOR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abney, Morgan; Barta, Daniel

2015-01-01

The Next Generation Life Support Spacecraft Oxygen Recovery (SCOR) project element is dedicated to developing technology that enables oxygen recovery from metabolically produced carbon dioxide in space habitats. The state-of-the-art system on the International Space Station uses Sabatier technology to recover (is) approximately 50% oxygen from carbon dioxide. The remaining oxygen required for crew respiration is supplied from Earth. For long duration manned missions beyond low-Earth orbit, resupply of oxygen becomes economically and logistically prohibitive. To mitigate these challenges, the SCOR project element is targeting development of technology to increase the recovery of oxygen to 75% or more, thereby reducing the total oxygen resupply required for future missions.

Skyrmion-based high-frequency signal generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Shijiang; Zhang, Yue; Shen, Maokang; Ou-Yang, Jun; Yan, Baiqian; Yang, Xiaofei; Chen, Shi; Zhu, Benpeng; You, Long

2017-03-01

Many concepts for skyrmion-based devices have been proposed, and most of their possible applications are based on the motion of skyrmions driven by a dc current in an area with a constricted geometry. However, skyrmion motion driven by a pulsed current has not been investigated so far. In this work, we propose a skyrmion-based high-frequency signal generator based on the pulsed-current-driven circular motion of skyrmions in a square-shaped film by micromagnetic simulation. The results indicate that skyrmions can move in a closed curve with central symmetry. The trajectory and cycle period can be adjusted by tuning the size of the film, the current density, the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction constant, and the local in-plane magnetic anisotropy. The period can be tuned from several nanoseconds to tens of nanoseconds, which offers the possibility to prepare high-frequency signal generator based on skyrmions.

DNA fingerprinting, DNA barcoding, and next generation sequencing technology in plants.

PubMed

Sucher, Nikolaus J; Hennell, James R; Carles, Maria C

2012-01-01

DNA fingerprinting of plants has become an invaluable tool in forensic, scientific, and industrial laboratories all over the world. PCR has become part of virtually every variation of the plethora of approaches used for DNA fingerprinting today. DNA sequencing is increasingly used either in combination with or as a replacement for traditional DNA fingerprinting techniques. A prime example is the use of short, standardized regions of the genome as taxon barcodes for biological identification of plants. Rapid advances in "next generation sequencing" (NGS) technology are driving down the cost of sequencing and bringing large-scale sequencing projects into the reach of individual investigators. We present an overview of recent publications that demonstrate the use of "NGS" technology for DNA fingerprinting and DNA barcoding applications.

An Ontology-Based Approach to Incorporate User-Generated Geo-Content Into Sdi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, D.-P.; Lemmens, R.

2011-08-01

The Web is changing the way people share and communicate information because of emergence of various Web technologies, which enable people to contribute information on the Web. User-Generated Geo-Content (UGGC) is a potential resource of geographic information. Due to the different production methods, UGGC often cannot fit in geographic information model. There is a semantic gap between UGGC and formal geographic information. To integrate UGGC into geographic information, this study conducts an ontology-based process to bridge this semantic gap. This ontology-based process includes five steps: Collection, Extraction, Formalization, Mapping, and Deployment. In addition, this study implements this process on Twitter messages, which is relevant to Japan Earthquake disaster. By using this process, we extract disaster relief information from Twitter messages, and develop a knowledge base for GeoSPARQL queries in disaster relief information.

What drives technology-based distractions? A structural equation model on social-psychological factors of technology-based driver distraction engagement.

PubMed

Chen, Huei-Yen Winnie; Donmez, Birsen

2016-06-01

With the proliferation of new mobile and in-vehicle technologies, understanding the motivations behind a driver's voluntary engagement with such technologies is crucial from a safety perspective, yet is complex. Previous literature either surveyed a large number of distractions that may be diverse, or too focuses on one particular activity, such as cell phone use. Further, earlier studies about social-psychological factors underlying driver distraction tend to focus on one or two factors in-depth, and those that examine a more comprehensive set of factors are often limited in their analyses methods. The present work considers a wide array of social-psychological factors within a structural equation model to predict their influence on a focused set of technology-based distractions. A better understanding of these facilitators can enhance the design of distraction mitigation strategies. We analysed survey responses about three technology-based driver distractions: holding phone conversations, manually interacting with cell phones, and adjusting the settings of in-vehicle technology, as well as responses on five social-psychological factors: attitude, descriptive norm, injunctive norm, technology inclination, and a risk/sensation seeking personality. Using data collected from 525 drivers (ages: 18-80), a structural equation model was built to analyse these social-psychological factors as latent variables influencing self-reported engagement in these three technology-based distractions. Self-reported engagement in technology-based distractions was found to be largely influenced by attitudes about the distractions. Personality and social norms also played a significant role, but technology inclination did not. A closer look at two age groups (18-30 and 30+) showed that the effect of social norms, especially of injunctive norm (i.e., perceived approvals), was less prominent in the 30+ age group, while personality remained a significant predictor for the 30+ age group but

Technology Literacy and the MySpace Generation: They're Not Asking Permission

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLester, Susan

2007-01-01

As open source and other participatory Web venues become the norm in the new century, educators will be facing an even more overwhelming technology learning curve. A new digital divide is in the future--one that is largely generational. At its heart will be the fundamental questions of what "school" really means and whether digital immigrants can…

Reconfigurable generation and measurement of mutually unbiased bases for time-bin qudits

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

Lukens, Joseph M.; Islam, Nurul T.; Lim, Charles Ci Wen

Here, we propose a method for implementing mutually unbiased generation and measurement of time-bin qudits using a cascade of electro-optic phase modulator–coded fiber Bragg grating pairs. Our approach requires only a single spatial mode and can switch rapidly between basis choices. We obtain explicit solutions for dimensions d = 2, 3, and 4 that realize all d + 1 possible mutually unbiased bases and analyze the performance of our approach in quantum key distribution. Given its practicality and compatibility with current technology, our approach provides a promising springboard for scalable processing of high-dimensional time-bin states.

Reconfigurable generation and measurement of mutually unbiased bases for time-bin qudits

DOE PAGES

Lukens, Joseph M.; Islam, Nurul T.; Lim, Charles Ci Wen; ...

2018-03-12

Here, we propose a method for implementing mutually unbiased generation and measurement of time-bin qudits using a cascade of electro-optic phase modulator–coded fiber Bragg grating pairs. Our approach requires only a single spatial mode and can switch rapidly between basis choices. We obtain explicit solutions for dimensions d = 2, 3, and 4 that realize all d + 1 possible mutually unbiased bases and analyze the performance of our approach in quantum key distribution. Given its practicality and compatibility with current technology, our approach provides a promising springboard for scalable processing of high-dimensional time-bin states.

Reconfigurable generation and measurement of mutually unbiased bases for time-bin qudits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukens, Joseph M.; Islam, Nurul T.; Lim, Charles Ci Wen; Gauthier, Daniel J.

2018-03-01

We propose a method for implementing mutually unbiased generation and measurement of time-bin qudits using a cascade of electro-optic phase modulator-coded fiber Bragg grating pairs. Our approach requires only a single spatial mode and can switch rapidly between basis choices. We obtain explicit solutions for dimensions d = 2, 3, and 4 that realize all d + 1 possible mutually unbiased bases and analyze the performance of our approach in quantum key distribution. Given its practicality and compatibility with current technology, our approach provides a promising springboard for scalable processing of high-dimensional time-bin states.

Internet-based computer technology on radiotherapy.

PubMed

Chow, James C L

2017-01-01

Recent rapid development of Internet-based computer technologies has made possible many novel applications in radiation dose delivery. However, translational speed of applying these new technologies in radiotherapy could hardly catch up due to the complex commissioning process and quality assurance protocol. Implementing novel Internet-based technology in radiotherapy requires corresponding design of algorithm and infrastructure of the application, set up of related clinical policies, purchase and development of software and hardware, computer programming and debugging, and national to international collaboration. Although such implementation processes are time consuming, some recent computer advancements in the radiation dose delivery are still noticeable. In this review, we will present the background and concept of some recent Internet-based computer technologies such as cloud computing, big data processing and machine learning, followed by their potential applications in radiotherapy, such as treatment planning and dose delivery. We will also discuss the current progress of these applications and their impacts on radiotherapy. We will explore and evaluate the expected benefits and challenges in implementation as well.

Biomolecule Sequencer: Next-Generation DNA Sequencing Technology for In-Flight Environmental Monitoring, Research, and Beyond

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, David J.; Burton, Aaron; Castro-Wallace, Sarah; John, Kristen; Stahl, Sarah E.; Dworkin, Jason Peter; Lupisella, Mark L.

2016-01-01

On the International Space Station (ISS), technologies capable of rapid microbial identification and disease diagnostics are not currently available. NASA still relies upon sample return for comprehensive, molecular-based sample characterization. Next-generation DNA sequencing is a powerful approach for identifying microorganisms in air, water, and surfaces onboard spacecraft. The Biomolecule Sequencer payload, manifested to SpaceX-9 and scheduled on the Increment 4748 research plan (June 2016), will assess the functionality of a commercially-available next-generation DNA sequencer in the microgravity environment of ISS. The MinION device from Oxford Nanopore Technologies (Oxford, UK) measures picoamp changes in electrical current dependent on nucleotide sequences of the DNA strand migrating through nanopores in the system. The hardware is exceptionally small (9.5 x 3.2 x 1.6 cm), lightweight (120 grams), and powered only by a USB connection. For the ISS technology demonstration, the Biomolecule Sequencer will be powered by a Microsoft Surface Pro3. Ground-prepared samples containing lambda bacteriophage, Escherichia coli, and mouse genomic DNA, will be launched and stored frozen on the ISS until experiment initiation. Immediately prior to sequencing, a crew member will collect and thaw frozen DNA samples, connect the sequencer to the Surface Pro3, inject thawed samples into a MinION flow cell, and initiate sequencing. At the completion of the sequencing run, data will be downlinked for ground analysis. Identical, synchronous ground controls will be used for data comparisons to determine sequencer functionality, run-time sequence, current dynamics, and overall accuracy. We will present our latest results from the ISS flight experiment the first time DNA has ever been sequenced in space and discuss the many potential applications of the Biomolecule Sequencer for environmental monitoring, medical diagnostics, higher fidelity and more adaptable Space Biology Human

Space Communications and Data Systems Technologies for Next Generation Earth Science Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bauer, Robert A.; Reinhart, Richard C.; Hilderman, Don R.; Paulsen, Phillip E.

2003-01-01

The next generation of Earth observing satellites and sensor networks will face challenges in supporting robust high rate communications links from the increasingly sophisticated onboard instruments. Emerging applications will need data rates forecast to be in the 100's to 1000's of Mbps. As mission designers seek smaller spacecraft, challenges exist in reducing the size and power requirements while increasing the capacity of the spacecraft's communications technologies. To meet these challenges, this work looks at three areas of selected space communications and data services technologies, specifically in the development of reflectarray antennas, demonstration of space Internet concepts, and measurement of atmospheric propagation effects on Ka-band signal transmitted from LEO.

Hydrogen-based power generation from bioethanol steam reforming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tasnadi-Asztalos, Zs.; Cormos, C. C.; Agachi, P. S.

2015-12-01

This paper is evaluating two power generation concepts based on hydrogen produced from bioethanol steam reforming at industrial scale without and with carbon capture. The power generation from bioethanol conversion is based on two important steps: hydrogen production from bioethanol catalytic steam reforming and electricity generation using a hydrogen-fuelled gas turbine. As carbon capture method to be assessed in hydrogen-based power generation from bioethanol steam reforming, the gas-liquid absorption using methyl-di-ethanol-amine (MDEA) was used. Bioethanol is a renewable energy carrier mainly produced from biomass fermentation. Steam reforming of bioethanol (SRE) provides a promising method for hydrogen and power production from renewable resources. SRE is performed at high temperatures (e.g. 800-900°C) to reduce the reforming by-products (e.g. ethane, ethene). The power generation from hydrogen was done with M701G2 gas turbine (334 MW net power output). Hydrogen was obtained through catalytic steam reforming of bioethanol without and with carbon capture. For the evaluated plant concepts the following key performance indicators were assessed: fuel consumption, gross and net power outputs, net electrical efficiency, ancillary consumptions, carbon capture rate, specific CO2 emission etc. As the results show, the power generation based on bioethanol conversion has high energy efficiency and low carbon footprint.

Design Study: Rocket Based MHD Generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This report addresses the technical feasibility and design of a rocket based MHD generator using a sub-scale LOx/RP rocket motor. The design study was constrained by assuming the generator must function within the performance and structural limits of an existing magnet and by assuming realistic limits on (1) the axial electric field, (2) the Hall parameter, (3) current density, and (4) heat flux (given the criteria of heat sink operation). The major results of the work are summarized as follows: (1) A Faraday type of generator with rectangular cross section is designed to operate with a combustor pressure of 300 psi. Based on a magnetic field strength of 1.5 Tesla, the electrical power output from this generator is estimated to be 54.2 KW with potassium seed (weight fraction 3.74%) and 92 KW with cesium seed (weight fraction 9.66%). The former corresponds to a enthalpy extraction ratio of 2.36% while that for the latter is 4.16%; (2) A conceptual design of the Faraday MHD channel is proposed, based on a maximum operating time of 10 to 15 seconds. This concept utilizes a phenolic back wall for inserting the electrodes and inter-electrode insulators. Copper electrode and aluminum oxide insulator are suggested for this channel; and (3) A testing configuration for the sub-scale rocket based MHD system is proposed. An estimate of performance of an ideal rocket based MHD accelerator is performed. With a current density constraint of 5 Amps/cm(exp 2) and a conductivity of 30 Siemens/m, the push power density can be 250, 431, and 750 MW/m(sup 3) when the induced voltage uB have values of 5, 10, and 15 KV/m, respectively.

A Trustworthy Key Generation Prototype Based on DDR3 PUF for Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Liu, Wenchao; Zhang, Zhenhua; Li, Miaoxin; Liu, Zhenglin

2014-01-01

Secret key leakage in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is a high security risk especially when sensor nodes are deployed in hostile environment and physically accessible to attackers. With nowadays semi/fully-invasive attack techniques attackers can directly derive the cryptographic key from non-volatile memory (NVM) storage. Physically Unclonable Function (PUF) is a promising technology to resist node capture attacks, and it also provides a low cost and tamper-resistant key provisioning solution. In this paper, we designed a PUF based on double-data-rate SDRAM Type 3 (DDR3) memory by exploring its memory decay characteristics. We also described a prototype of 128-bit key generation based on DDR3 PUF with integrated fuzzy extractor. Due to the wide adoption of DDR3 memory in WSN, our proposed DDR3 PUF technology with high security levels and no required hardware changes is suitable for a wide range of WSN applications. PMID:24984058

Three Generations of Distance Education Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Terry; Dron, Jon

2011-01-01

This paper defines and examines three generations of distance education pedagogy. Unlike earlier classifications of distance education based on the technology used, this analysis focuses on the pedagogy that defines the learning experiences encapsulated in the learning design. The three generations of cognitive-behaviourist, social constructivist,…

Miniaturization Technologies for Efficient Single-Cell Library Preparation for Next-Generation Sequencing.

PubMed

Mora-Castilla, Sergio; To, Cuong; Vaezeslami, Soheila; Morey, Robert; Srinivasan, Srimeenakshi; Dumdie, Jennifer N; Cook-Andersen, Heidi; Jenkins, Joby; Laurent, Louise C

2016-08-01

As the cost of next-generation sequencing has decreased, library preparation costs have become a more significant proportion of the total cost, especially for high-throughput applications such as single-cell RNA profiling. Here, we have applied novel technologies to scale down reaction volumes for library preparation. Our system consisted of in vitro differentiated human embryonic stem cells representing two stages of pancreatic differentiation, for which we prepared multiple biological and technical replicates. We used the Fluidigm (San Francisco, CA) C1 single-cell Autoprep System for single-cell complementary DNA (cDNA) generation and an enzyme-based tagmentation system (Nextera XT; Illumina, San Diego, CA) with a nanoliter liquid handler (mosquito HTS; TTP Labtech, Royston, UK) for library preparation, reducing the reaction volume down to 2 µL and using as little as 20 pg of input cDNA. The resulting sequencing data were bioinformatically analyzed and correlated among the different library reaction volumes. Our results showed that decreasing the reaction volume did not interfere with the quality or the reproducibility of the sequencing data, and the transcriptional data from the scaled-down libraries allowed us to distinguish between single cells. Thus, we have developed a process to enable efficient and cost-effective high-throughput single-cell transcriptome sequencing. © 2016 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Genetically-Based Biologic Technologies. Biology and Human Welfare.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, William V.; McInerney, Joseph D.

The purpose of this six-part booklet is to review the current status of genetically-based biologic technologies and to suggest how information about these technologies can be inserted into existing educational programs. Topic areas included in the six parts are: (1) genetically-based technologies in the curriculum; (2) genetic technologies…

40 CFR 125.3 - Technology-based treatment requirements in permits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Technology-based treatment... Criteria and Standards for Imposing Technology-Based Treatment Requirements Under Sections 301(b) and 402 of the Act § 125.3 Technology-based treatment requirements in permits. (a) General. Technology-based...

Capacitance-Based Frequency Adjustment of Micro Piezoelectric Vibration Generator

PubMed Central

Mao, Xinhua; He, Qing; Li, Hong; Chu, Dongliang

2014-01-01

Micro piezoelectric vibration generator has a wide application in the field of microelectronics. Its natural frequency is unchanged after being manufactured. However, resonance cannot occur when the natural frequencies of a piezoelectric generator and the source of vibration frequency are not consistent. Output voltage of the piezoelectric generator will sharply decline. It cannot normally supply power for electronic devices. In order to make the natural frequency of the generator approach the frequency of vibration source, the capacitance FM technology is adopted in this paper. Different capacitance FM schemes are designed by different locations of the adjustment layer. The corresponding capacitance FM models have been established. Characteristic and effect of the capacitance FM have been simulated by the FM model. Experimental results show that the natural frequency of the generator could vary from 46.5 Hz to 42.4 Hz when the bypass capacitance value increases from 0 nF to 30 nF. The natural frequency of a piezoelectric vibration generator could be continuously adjusted by this method. PMID:25133237

Communication Technologies Preferred by School Based Administrators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weir, Paul

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the communication technologies preferred by school based administrators. This study surveyed and interviewed 96 school based administrators in a mid-sized suburban school system. The data show that individual emails, email lists, and cell phone technologies had the highest percentage effectiveness ratings…

Development of new stem cell-based technologies for carnivore reproduction research.

PubMed

Travis, A J; Kim, Y; Meyers-Wallen, V

2009-07-01

New reproductive technologies based on stem cells offer several potential benefits to carnivore species. For example, development of lines of embryonic stem cells in cats and dogs would allow for the generation of transgenic animal models, which could be used to advance both veterinary and human health. Techniques such as spermatogonial stem cell transplantation (SSCT) and testis xenografting offer new approaches to propagate genetically valuable individual males, even if they should die before producing sperm. These techniques might therefore have application to the conservation of endangered species of carnivores, as well as to biomedical research. Recently, our laboratory has successfully performed SSCT in the dog, with a recipient dog producing sperm of donor genetic origin. Testis xenografting has been used to produce sperm from pre-pubertal testis tissue from both cats and ferrets. These early steps reinforce the need not only for research on stem cell technologies, but also for additional research into complementary technologies of assisted reproduction in carnivores, so that the widest array of research and clinical benefits can be realized.

Implementation of Technology-based Patient Engagement Strategies within Practice-based Research Networks.

PubMed

Careyva, Beth; Shaak, Kyle; Mills, Geoffrey; Johnson, Melanie; Goodrich, Samantha; Stello, Brian; Wallace, Lorraine S

2016-01-01

Technology-based patient engagement strategies (such as patient portals) are increasingly available, yet little is known about current use and barriers within practice-based research networks (PBRNs). PBRN directors have unique opportunities to inform the implementation of patient-facing technology and to translate these findings into practice. PBRN directors were queried regarding technology-based patient engagement strategies as part of the 2015 CAFM Educational Research Alliance (CERA) survey of PBRN directors. A total of 102 PBRN directors were identified via the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's registry; 54 of 96 eligible PBRN directors completed the survey, for a response rate of 56%. Use of technology-based patient engagement strategies within PBRNs was limited, with less than half of respondents reporting experience with the most frequently named tools (risk assessments/decision aids). Information technology (IT) support was the top barrier, followed by low rates of portal enrollment. For engaging participant practices, workload and practice leadership were cited as most important, with fewer respondents noting concerns about patient privacy. Given limited use of patient-facing technologies, PBRNs have an opportunity to clarify the optimal use of these strategies. Providing IT support and addressing clinician concerns regarding workload may facilitate the inclusion of innovative technologies in PBRNs. © Copyright 2016 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Solar thermoelectric generators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

The methods, the findings and the conclusions of a study for the design of a Solar Thermoelectric Generator (STG) intended for use as a power source for a spacecraft orbiting the planet Mercury are discussed. Several state-of-the-art thermoelectric technologies in the intended application were considered. The design of various STG configurations based on the thermoelectric technology selected from among the various technologies was examined in detail and a recommended STG design was derived. The performance characteristics of the selected STG technology and associated design were studied in detail as a function of the orbital characteristics of the STG in Mercury and throughout the orbit of Mercury around the sun.

Hydrogen-based power generation from bioethanol steam reforming

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

Tasnadi-Asztalos, Zs., E-mail: tazsolt@chem.ubbcluj.ro; Cormos, C. C., E-mail: cormos@chem.ubbcluj.ro; Agachi, P. S.

This paper is evaluating two power generation concepts based on hydrogen produced from bioethanol steam reforming at industrial scale without and with carbon capture. The power generation from bioethanol conversion is based on two important steps: hydrogen production from bioethanol catalytic steam reforming and electricity generation using a hydrogen-fuelled gas turbine. As carbon capture method to be assessed in hydrogen-based power generation from bioethanol steam reforming, the gas-liquid absorption using methyl-di-ethanol-amine (MDEA) was used. Bioethanol is a renewable energy carrier mainly produced from biomass fermentation. Steam reforming of bioethanol (SRE) provides a promising method for hydrogen and power production frommore » renewable resources. SRE is performed at high temperatures (e.g. 800-900°C) to reduce the reforming by-products (e.g. ethane, ethene). The power generation from hydrogen was done with M701G2 gas turbine (334 MW net power output). Hydrogen was obtained through catalytic steam reforming of bioethanol without and with carbon capture. For the evaluated plant concepts the following key performance indicators were assessed: fuel consumption, gross and net power outputs, net electrical efficiency, ancillary consumptions, carbon capture rate, specific CO{sub 2} emission etc. As the results show, the power generation based on bioethanol conversion has high energy efficiency and low carbon footprint.« less

Timing generator of scientific grade CCD camera and its implementation based on FPGA technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Si, Guoliang; Li, Yunfei; Guo, Yongfei

2010-10-01

The Timing Generator's functions of Scientific Grade CCD Camera is briefly presented: it generates various kinds of impulse sequence for the TDI-CCD, video processor and imaging data output, acting as the synchronous coordinator for time in the CCD imaging unit. The IL-E2TDI-CCD sensor produced by DALSA Co.Ltd. use in the Scientific Grade CCD Camera. Driving schedules of IL-E2 TDI-CCD sensor has been examined in detail, the timing generator has been designed for Scientific Grade CCD Camera. FPGA is chosen as the hardware design platform, schedule generator is described with VHDL. The designed generator has been successfully fulfilled function simulation with EDA software and fitted into XC2VP20-FF1152 (a kind of FPGA products made by XILINX). The experiments indicate that the new method improves the integrated level of the system. The Scientific Grade CCD camera system's high reliability, stability and low power supply are achieved. At the same time, the period of design and experiment is sharply shorted.

Earth abundant thin film technology for next generation photovoltaic modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alapatt, Githin Francis

With a cumulative generation capacity of over 100 GW, Photovoltaics (PV) technology is uniquely poised to become increasingly popular in the coming decades. Although, several breakthroughs have propelled PV technology, it accounts for only less than 1% of the energy produced worldwide. This aspect of the PV technology is primarily due to the somewhat high cost per watt, which is dependent on the efficiency of the PV cells as well as the cost of manufacturing and installing them. Currently, the efficiency of the PV conversion process is limited to about 25% for commercial terrestrial cells; improving this efficiency can increase the penetration of PV worldwide rapidly. A critical review of all possibilities pursued in the public domain reveals serious shortcomings and manufacturing issues. To make PV generated power a reality in every home, a Multi-Junction Multi-Terminal (MJMT) PV architecture can be employed combining silicon and another earth abundant material. However, forming electronic grade thin films of earth abundant materials is a non-trivial challenge; without solving this, it is impossible to increase the overall PV efficiency. Deposition of Copper (I) Oxide, an earth abundant semiconducting material, was conducted using an optimized Photo assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition process. X-Ray Diffraction, Ellipsometry, Transmission Electron Microscopy, and Profilometry revealed that the films composed of Cu2O of about 90 nm thickness and the grain size was as large as 600 nm. This result shows an improvement in material properties over previously grown thin films of Cu2O. Measurement of I-V characteristics of a diode structure composed of the Cu2O indicates an increase in On/Off ratio to 17,000 from the previous best value of 800. These results suggest that the electronic quality of the thin films deposited using our optimized process to be better than the results reported elsewhere. Using this optimized thin film forming technique, it is now possible to

Competitive technologies of third generation infrared photon detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogalski, A.

2006-03-01

Hitherto, two families of multielement infrared (IR) detectors are used for principal military and civilian infrared applications; one is used for scanning systems (first generation) and the other is used for staring systems (second generation). Third generation systems are being developed nowadays. In the common understanding, third generation IR systems provide enhanced capabilities like larger number of pixels, higher frame rates, better thermal resolution as well as multicolour functionality and other on-chip functions. In the paper, issues associated with the development and exploitation of materials used in fabrication of third generation infrared photon detectors are discussed. In this class of detectors two main competitors, HgCdTe photodiodes and quantum well IR photoconductors (QWIPs) are considered. The performance figures of merit of state-of-the-art HgCdTe and QWIP focal plane arrays (FPAs) are similar because the main limitations come from the readout circuits. However, the metallurgical issues of the epitaxial layers such as uniformity and number of defected elements are the serious problems in the case of long wavelength infrared (LWIR) and very LWIR (VLWIR) HgCdTe FPAs. It is predicted that superlattice based InAs/GaInSb system grown on GaSb substrate seems to be an attractive to HgCdTe with good spatial uniformity and an ability to span cutoff wavelength from 3 to 25 μm.

Renewable Electricity Futures Study. Volume 2: Renewable Electricity Generation and Storage Technologies

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

Augustine, C.; Bain, R.; Chapman, J.

2012-06-01

The Renewable Electricity Futures (RE Futures) Study investigated the challenges and impacts of achieving very high renewable electricity generation levels in the contiguous United States by 2050. The analysis focused on the sufficiency of the geographically diverse U.S. renewable resources to meet electricity demand over future decades, the hourly operational characteristics of the U.S. grid with high levels of variable wind and solar generation, and the potential implications of deploying high levels of renewables in the future. RE Futures focused on technical aspects of high penetration of renewable electricity; it did not focus on how to achieve such a futuremore » through policy or other measures. Given the inherent uncertainties involved with analyzing alternative long-term energy futures as well as the multiple pathways that might be taken to achieve higher levels of renewable electricity supply, RE Futures explored a range of scenarios to investigate and compare the impacts of renewable electricity penetration levels (30%-90%), future technology performance improvements, potential constraints to renewable electricity development, and future electricity demand growth assumptions. RE Futures was led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).« less

The Role of Technology-Based Scaffolding in Problem-Based Online Asynchronous Discussion

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ak, Serife

2016-01-01

This study examined the effects of technology-based scaffolds that were composed through the use of the seven-stage, problem-based learning strategy on knowledge construction in a problem-based online asynchronous discussion. In a quasi-experimental setting, 60 students in an undergraduate Instructional Technology and Material Design course were…

Virus-based piezoelectric energy generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Byung Yang; Zhang, Jinxing; Zueger, Chris; Chung, Woo-Jae; Yoo, So Young; Wang, Eddie; Meyer, Joel; Ramesh, Ramamoorthy; Lee, Seung-Wuk

2012-06-01

Piezoelectric materials can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, and piezoelectric devices made of a variety of inorganic materials and organic polymers have been demonstrated. However, synthesizing such materials often requires toxic starting compounds, harsh conditions and/or complex procedures. Previously, it was shown that hierarchically organized natural materials such as bones, collagen fibrils and peptide nanotubes can display piezoelectric properties. Here, we demonstrate that the piezoelectric and liquid-crystalline properties of M13 bacteriophage (phage) can be used to generate electrical energy. Using piezoresponse force microscopy, we characterize the structure-dependent piezoelectric properties of the phage at the molecular level. We then show that self-assembled thin films of phage can exhibit piezoelectric strengths of up to 7.8 pm V-1. We also demonstrate that it is possible to modulate the dipole strength of the phage, hence tuning the piezoelectric response, by genetically engineering the major coat proteins of the phage. Finally, we develop a phage-based piezoelectric generator that produces up to 6 nA of current and 400 mV of potential and use it to operate a liquid-crystal display. Because biotechnology techniques enable large-scale production of genetically modified phages, phage-based piezoelectric materials potentially offer a simple and environmentally friendly approach to piezoelectric energy generation.

Error Generation in CATS-Based Agents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callantine, Todd

2003-01-01

This research presents a methodology for generating errors from a model of nominally preferred correct operator activities, given a particular operational context, and maintaining an explicit link to the erroneous contextual information to support analyses. It uses the Crew Activity Tracking System (CATS) model as the basis for error generation. This report describes how the process works, and how it may be useful for supporting agent-based system safety analyses. The report presents results obtained by applying the error-generation process and discusses implementation issues. The research is supported by the System-Wide Accident Prevention Element of the NASA Aviation Safety Program.

A Plan for Advanced Guidance and Control Technology for 2nd Generation Reusable Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, John M.; Fogle, Frank (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Advanced guidance and control (AG&C) technologies are critical for meeting safety/reliability and cost requirements for the next generation of reusable launch vehicle (RLV). This becomes clear upon examining the number of expendable launch vehicle failures in the recent past where AG&C technologies would have saved a RLV with the same failure mode, the additional vehicle problems where this technology applies, and the costs associated with mission design with or without all these failure issues. The state-of-the-art in guidance and control technology, as well as in computing technology, is at the point where we can took to the possibility of being able to safely return a RLV in any situation where it can physically be recovered. This paper outlines reasons for AG&C, current technology efforts, and the additional work needed for making this goal a reality.

Automated lattice data generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayyar, Venkitesh; Hackett, Daniel C.; Jay, William I.; Neil, Ethan T.

2018-03-01

The process of generating ensembles of gauge configurations (and measuring various observables over them) can be tedious and error-prone when done "by hand". In practice, most of this procedure can be automated with the use of a workflow manager. We discuss how this automation can be accomplished using Taxi, a minimal Python-based workflow manager built for generating lattice data. We present a case study demonstrating this technology.

Lessons learned in the generation of biomedical research datasets using Semantic Open Data technologies.

PubMed

Legaz-García, María del Carmen; Miñarro-Giménez, José Antonio; Menárguez-Tortosa, Marcos; Fernández-Breis, Jesualdo Tomás

2015-01-01

Biomedical research usually requires combining large volumes of data from multiple heterogeneous sources. Such heterogeneity makes difficult not only the generation of research-oriented dataset but also its exploitation. In recent years, the Open Data paradigm has proposed new ways for making data available in ways that sharing and integration are facilitated. Open Data approaches may pursue the generation of content readable only by humans and by both humans and machines, which are the ones of interest in our work. The Semantic Web provides a natural technological space for data integration and exploitation and offers a range of technologies for generating not only Open Datasets but also Linked Datasets, that is, open datasets linked to other open datasets. According to the Berners-Lee's classification, each open dataset can be given a rating between one and five stars attending to can be given to each dataset. In the last years, we have developed and applied our SWIT tool, which automates the generation of semantic datasets from heterogeneous data sources. SWIT produces four stars datasets, given that fifth one can be obtained by being the dataset linked from external ones. In this paper, we describe how we have applied the tool in two projects related to health care records and orthology data, as well as the major lessons learned from such efforts.

Smartphone-Based Food Diagnostic Technologies: A Review.

PubMed

Rateni, Giovanni; Dario, Paolo; Cavallo, Filippo

2017-06-20

A new generation of mobile sensing approaches offers significant advantages over traditional platforms in terms of test speed, control, low cost, ease-of-operation, and data management, and requires minimal equipment and user involvement. The marriage of novel sensing technologies with cellphones enables the development of powerful lab-on-smartphone platforms for many important applications including medical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and food safety analysis. This paper reviews the recent advancements and developments in the field of smartphone-based food diagnostic technologies, with an emphasis on custom modules to enhance smartphone sensing capabilities. These devices typically comprise multiple components such as detectors, sample processors, disposable chips, batteries and software, which are integrated with a commercial smartphone. One of the most important aspects of developing these systems is the integration of these components onto a compact and lightweight platform that requires minimal power. To date, researchers have demonstrated several promising approaches employing various sensing techniques and device configurations. We aim to provide a systematic classification according to the detection strategy, providing a critical discussion of strengths and weaknesses. We have also extended the analysis to the food scanning devices that are increasingly populating the Internet of Things (IoT) market, demonstrating how this field is indeed promising, as the research outputs are quickly capitalized on new start-up companies.

Smartphone-Based Food Diagnostic Technologies: A Review

PubMed Central

Rateni, Giovanni; Dario, Paolo; Cavallo, Filippo

2017-01-01

A new generation of mobile sensing approaches offers significant advantages over traditional platforms in terms of test speed, control, low cost, ease-of-operation, and data management, and requires minimal equipment and user involvement. The marriage of novel sensing technologies with cellphones enables the development of powerful lab-on-smartphone platforms for many important applications including medical diagnosis, environmental monitoring, and food safety analysis. This paper reviews the recent advancements and developments in the field of smartphone-based food diagnostic technologies, with an emphasis on custom modules to enhance smartphone sensing capabilities. These devices typically comprise multiple components such as detectors, sample processors, disposable chips, batteries and software, which are integrated with a commercial smartphone. One of the most important aspects of developing these systems is the integration of these components onto a compact and lightweight platform that requires minimal power. To date, researchers have demonstrated several promising approaches employing various sensing techniques and device configurations. We aim to provide a systematic classification according to the detection strategy, providing a critical discussion of strengths and weaknesses. We have also extended the analysis to the food scanning devices that are increasingly populating the Internet of Things (IoT) market, demonstrating how this field is indeed promising, as the research outputs are quickly capitalized on new start-up companies. PMID:28632188

Photovoltaic solar array technology required for three wide scale generating systems for terrestrial applications: rooftop, solar farm, and satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berman, P. A.

1972-01-01

Three major options for wide-scale generation of photovoltaic energy for terrestrial use are considered: (1) rooftop array, (2) solar farm, and (3) satellite station. The rooftop array would use solar cell arrays on the roofs of residential or commercial buildings; the solar farm would consist of large ground-based arrays, probably in arid areas with high insolation; and the satellite station would consist of an orbiting solar array, many square kilometers in area. The technology advancement requirements necessary for each option are discussed, including cost reduction of solar cells and arrays, weight reduction, resistance to environmental factors, reliability, and fabrication capability, including the availability of raw materials. The majority of the technology advancement requirements are applicable to all three options, making possible a flexible basic approach regardless of the options that may eventually be chosen. No conclusions are drawn as to which option is most advantageous, since the feasibility of each option depends on the success achieved in the technology advancement requirements specified.

Technology base for microgravity horticulture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sauer, R. L.; Magnuson, J. W.; Scruby, R. R.; Scheld, H. W.

1987-01-01

Advanced microgravity plant biology research and life support system development for the spacecraft environment are critically hampered by the lack of a technology base. This inadequacy stems primarily from the fact that microgravity results in a lack of convective currents and phase separation as compared to the one gravity environment. A program plan is being initiated to develop this technology base. This program will provide an iterative flight development effort that will be closely integrated with both basic science investigations and advanced life support system development efforts incorporating biological processes. The critical considerations include optimum illumination methods, root aeration, root and shoot support, and heat rejection and gas exchange in the plant canopy.

Applications of aerospace technology in industry, a technology transfer profile: Contamination control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

The strong influence NASA-sponsored research has had on the development of solutions to difficult contamination problems is considered. The contamination control field is comprised of an industrial base, supplying the tools of control; a user base, adopting control techniques; and a technical base, expanding the concepts of control. Both formal and informal mechanisms used by NASA to communicate a variety of technical advances are reviewed and certain examples of the expansion of the user base through technology transfer are given. Issues related to transfer of NASA-generated contamination control technology are emphasized.

Model Based Analysis and Test Generation for Flight Software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pasareanu, Corina S.; Schumann, Johann M.; Mehlitz, Peter C.; Lowry, Mike R.; Karsai, Gabor; Nine, Harmon; Neema, Sandeep

2009-01-01

We describe a framework for model-based analysis and test case generation in the context of a heterogeneous model-based development paradigm that uses and combines Math- Works and UML 2.0 models and the associated code generation tools. This paradigm poses novel challenges to analysis and test case generation that, to the best of our knowledge, have not been addressed before. The framework is based on a common intermediate representation for different modeling formalisms and leverages and extends model checking and symbolic execution tools for model analysis and test case generation, respectively. We discuss the application of our framework to software models for a NASA flight mission.

Applications of aerospace technology in industry, a technology transfer profile: Fire safety

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kottenstette, J. P.; Freeman, J. E.; Heins, C. R.; Hildred, W. M.; Johnson, F. D.; Staskin, E. R.

1971-01-01

The fire safety field is considered as being composed of three parts: an industry, a technology base, and a user base. An overview of the field is presented, including a perspective on the magnitude of the national fire safety problem. Selected NASA contributions to the technology of fire safety are considered. Communication mechanisms, particularly conferences and publications, used by NASA to alert the community to new developments in the fire safety field, are reviewed. Several examples of nonaerospace applications of NASA-generated fire safety technology are also presented. Issues associated with attempts to transfer this technology from the space program to other sectors of the American economy are outlined.

Comparison of technology-based cooperative learning with technology-based individual learning in enhancing fundamental nursing proficiency.

PubMed

Lin, Zu-Chun

2013-05-01

The aim of nursing education is to prepare students with critical thinking, high interests in profession and high proficiency in patient care. Cooperative learning promotes team work and encourages knowledge building upon discussion. It has been viewed as one of the most powerful learning methods. Technology has been considered an influential tool in teaching and learning. It assists students in gathering more information to solve the problems and master skills better. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of technology-based cooperative learning with technology-based individual learning in nursing students' critical thinking in catheterization knowledge gaining, error discovering, skill acquisitions, and overall scores. This study used a pretest-posttest experimental design. Ninety-eight students were assigned randomly to one of two groups. Questionnaires and tests were collected at baseline and after completion of intervention. The results of this study showed that there was no significant difference in related catheterization skill performance. However, the remaining variables differed greatly between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS AND APPLICATIONS: This study's findings guide the researchers and instructors to use technology-based cooperative learning more appropriately. Future research should address the design of the course module and the availability of mobile devices to reach student-centered and learn on the move goals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neuroadaptive technology enables implicit cursor control based on medial prefrontal cortex activity.

PubMed

Zander, Thorsten O; Krol, Laurens R; Birbaumer, Niels P; Gramann, Klaus

2016-12-27

The effectiveness of today's human-machine interaction is limited by a communication bottleneck as operators are required to translate high-level concepts into a machine-mandated sequence of instructions. In contrast, we demonstrate effective, goal-oriented control of a computer system without any form of explicit communication from the human operator. Instead, the system generated the necessary input itself, based on real-time analysis of brain activity. Specific brain responses were evoked by violating the operators' expectations to varying degrees. The evoked brain activity demonstrated detectable differences reflecting congruency with or deviations from the operators' expectations. Real-time analysis of this activity was used to build a user model of those expectations, thus representing the optimal (expected) state as perceived by the operator. Based on this model, which was continuously updated, the computer automatically adapted itself to the expectations of its operator. Further analyses showed this evoked activity to originate from the medial prefrontal cortex and to exhibit a linear correspondence to the degree of expectation violation. These findings extend our understanding of human predictive coding and provide evidence that the information used to generate the user model is task-specific and reflects goal congruency. This paper demonstrates a form of interaction without any explicit input by the operator, enabling computer systems to become neuroadaptive, that is, to automatically adapt to specific aspects of their operator's mindset. Neuroadaptive technology significantly widens the communication bottleneck and has the potential to fundamentally change the way we interact with technology.

Precision medicine for cancer with next-generation functional diagnostics.

PubMed

Friedman, Adam A; Letai, Anthony; Fisher, David E; Flaherty, Keith T

2015-12-01

Precision medicine is about matching the right drugs to the right patients. Although this approach is technology agnostic, in cancer there is a tendency to make precision medicine synonymous with genomics. However, genome-based cancer therapeutic matching is limited by incomplete biological understanding of the relationship between phenotype and cancer genotype. This limitation can be addressed by functional testing of live patient tumour cells exposed to potential therapies. Recently, several 'next-generation' functional diagnostic technologies have been reported, including novel methods for tumour manipulation, molecularly precise assays of tumour responses and device-based in situ approaches; these address the limitations of the older generation of chemosensitivity tests. The promise of these new technologies suggests a future diagnostic strategy that integrates functional testing with next-generation sequencing and immunoprofiling to precisely match combination therapies to individual cancer patients.

How and Why Digital Generation Teachers Use Technology in the Classroom: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Lan; Worch, Eric; Zhou, YuChun; Aguiton, Rhonda

2015-01-01

While teachers' conservative attitude toward technology has been identified as a barrier to effective technology integration in classrooms, it is often optimistically assumed that this issue will resolve when the digital generation enters the teaching profession (Morris, 2012). Using a mixed methodology approach, this study aimed to examine the…

A review of technology-based interventions to maintain weight loss.

PubMed

Lee, Sohye; Lindquist, Ruth

2015-03-01

For many decades, healthcare providers and researchers have developed weight-loss interventions to help people achieve weight loss. Unfortunately, it is typical for people to lose weight quickly during the intervention period but then slowly regain weight until they return to their approximate baseline. Technology-based maintenance interventions are among the newest approaches to long-term weight loss. Several advantages make technology helpful for maintaining weight loss. The purpose of this article was to review and critique the randomized controlled trials of technology-based weight-loss maintenance interventions (WLMIs) for adults. A systematic search through electronic databases and a manual citation search were conducted. Limited numbers of controlled trials published since 2000 that included randomization, and technology-based WLMIs were identified. The characteristics of the eight studies were diverse. The average score of study design quality was moderate. The results of the effectiveness of technology-based WLMIs were mixed. Technology-based WLMIs are more likely to be effective than usual care but not more effective than personal contact. Based on the review, guidelines were established for the selection and potential success of technology-based WLMIs. The effectiveness of technology-based maintenance interventions for weight loss varied, and potential strategies and approaches are discussed to improve their effectiveness. Further studies are needed to better evaluate and refine the efficacy of technology-based WLMIs.

Brainstorming about next-generation computer-based documentation: an AMIA clinical working group survey.

PubMed

Johnson, Kevin B; Ravich, William J; Cowan, John A

2004-09-01

Computer-based software to record histories, physical exams, and progress or procedure notes, known as computer-based documentation (CBD) software, has been touted as an important addition to the electronic health record. The functionality of CBD systems has remained static over the past 30 years, which may have contributed to the limited adoption of these tools. Early users of this technology, who have tried multiple products, may have insight into important features to be considered in next-generation CBD systems. We conducted a cross-sectional, observational study of the clinical working group membership of the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA) to generate a set of features that might improve adoption of next-generation systems. The study was conducted online over a 4-month period; 57% of the working group members completed the survey. As anticipated, CBD tool use was higher (53%) in this population than in the US physician offices. The most common methods of data entry employed keyboard and mouse, with agreement that these modalities worked well. Many respondents had experience with pre-printed data collection forms before interacting with a CBD system. Respondents noted that CBD improved their ability to document large amounts of information, allowed timely sharing of information, enhanced patient care, and enhanced medical information with other clinicians (all P < 0.001). Respondents also noted some important but absent features in CBD, including the ability to add images, get help, and generate billing information. The latest generation of CBD systems is being used successfully by early adopters, who find that these tools confer many advantages over the approaches to documentation that they replaced. These users provide insights that may improve successive generations of CBD tools. Additional surveys of CBD non-users and failed adopters will be necessary to provide other useful insights that can address barriers to the adoption of CBD by less

Simulation-Based Rule Generation Considering Readability

PubMed Central

Yahagi, H.; Shimizu, S.; Ogata, T.; Hara, T.; Ota, J.

2015-01-01

Rule generation method is proposed for an aircraft control problem in an airport. Designing appropriate rules for motion coordination of taxiing aircraft in the airport is important, which is conducted by ground control. However, previous studies did not consider readability of rules, which is important because it should be operated and maintained by humans. Therefore, in this study, using the indicator of readability, we propose a method of rule generation based on parallel algorithm discovery and orchestration (PADO). By applying our proposed method to the aircraft control problem, the proposed algorithm can generate more readable and more robust rules and is found to be superior to previous methods. PMID:27347501

Competitive technologies for third generation infrared photon detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogalski, A.

2006-05-01

Hitherto, two families of multielement infrared (IR) detectors are used for principal military and civilian infrared applications; one is used for scanning systems (first generation) and the other is used for staring systems (second generation). Third generation systems are being developed nowadays. In the common understanding, third generation IR systems provide enhanced capabilities like larger number of pixels, higher frame rates, better thermal resolution as well as multicolor functionality and other on-chip functions. In the paper, issues associated with the development and exploitation of materials used in fabrication of third generation infrared photon detectors are discussed. In this class of detectors two main competitors, HgCdTe photodiodes and quantum well photoconductors are considered. The performance figures of merit of state-of-the-art HgCdTe and QWIP focal plane arrays (FPAs) are similar because the main limitations come from the readout circuits. The metallurgical issues of the epitaxial layers such as uniformity and number of defected elements are the serious problems in the case of long wavelength infrared (LWIR) and very LWIR (VLWIR) HgCdTe FPAs. It is predicted that superlattice based InAs/GaInSb system grown on GaSb substrate seems to be an attractive to HgCdTe with good spatial uniformity and an ability to span cutoff wavelength from 3 to 25 μm. In this context the material properties of type II superlattices are considered more in detail.

Best practices in Web-based courses: generational differences across undergraduate and graduate nursing students.

PubMed

Billings, Diane M; Skiba, Diane J; Connors, Helen R

2005-01-01

The demand for online courses is greatly increasing across all levels of the curriculum in higher education. With this change in teaching and learning strategies comes the need for quality control to determine best practices in online learning communities. This study examines the differences in student perceptions of the use of technology, educational practices, and outcomes between undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in Web-based courses. The multisite study uses the benchmarking process and the Flashlight Program Evaluating Educational Uses of the Web in Nursing survey instrument to study best practices and examine generational differences between the two groups of students. The outcomes of the study establish benchmarks for quality improvement in online learning. The results support the educational model for online learning and postulates about generational differences for future study.

Enriched Title-Based Keyword Index Generation Using dBase II.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajendran, P. P.

1986-01-01

Describes the use of a database management system (DBMS)--dBaseII--to create an enriched title-based keyword index for a collection of news items at the Renewable Energy Resources Information Center of the Asian Institute of Technology. The use of DBMSs in libraries in developing countries is emphasized. (Author/LRW)

Power efficient, clock gated multiplexer based full adder cell using 28 nm technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Ashutosh; Murgai, Shruti; Gulati, Anmol; Kumar, Pradeep

2016-03-01

Clock gating is a leading technique used for power saving. Full adders is one of the basic circuit that can be found in maximum VLSI circuits. In this paper clock gated multiplexer based full adder cell is implemented on 28 nm technology. We have designed a full adder cell using a multiplexer with a gated clock without degrading its performance of the cell. We have negative latch circuit for generating gated clock. This gated clock is used to control the multiplexer based full adder cell. The circuit has been synthesized on kintex FPGA through Xilinx ISE Design Suite 14.7 using 28 nm technology in Verilog HDL. The circuit has been simulated on Modelsim 10.3c. The design is verified using System Verilog on QuestaSim in UVM environment. The total power of the circuit has been reduced by 7.41% without degrading the performance of original circuit. The power has been calculated using XPower Analyzer tool of XILINX ISE DESIGN SUITE 14.3.

WEB-BASED DATABASE ON RENEWAL TECHNOLOGIES ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

As U.S. utilities continue to shore up their aging infrastructure, renewal needs now represent over 43% of annual expenditures compared to new construction for drinking water distribution and wastewater collection systems (Underground Construction [UC], 2016). An increased understanding of renewal options will ultimately assist drinking water utilities in reducing water loss and help wastewater utilities to address infiltration and inflow issues in a cost-effective manner. It will also help to extend the service lives of both drinking water and wastewater mains. This research effort involved collecting case studies on the use of various trenchless pipeline renewal methods and providing the information in an online searchable database. The overall objective was to further support technology transfer and information sharing regarding emerging and innovative renewal technologies for water and wastewater mains. The result of this research is a Web-based, searchable database that utility personnel can use to obtain technology performance and cost data, as well as case study references. The renewal case studies include: technologies used; the conditions under which the technology was implemented; costs; lessons learned; and utility contact information. The online database also features a data mining tool for automated review of the technologies selected and cost data. Based on a review of the case study results and industry data, several findings are presented on tren

Smart Energy Cryo-refrigerator Technology for the next generation Very Large Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spagna, Stefano

2018-01-01

We describe a “smart energy” cryocooler technology architecture for the next generation Very Large Array that makes use of multiple variable frequency cold heads driven from a single variable speed air cooled compressor. Preliminary experiments indicate that the compressor variable flow control, advanced diagnostics, and the cryo-refrigerator low vibration, provide a unique energy efficient capability for the very large number of antennas that will be employed in this array.

Virus-based piezoelectric energy generation.

PubMed

Lee, Byung Yang; Zhang, Jinxing; Zueger, Chris; Chung, Woo-Jae; Yoo, So Young; Wang, Eddie; Meyer, Joel; Ramesh, Ramamoorthy; Lee, Seung-Wuk

2012-05-13

Piezoelectric materials can convert mechanical energy into electrical energy, and piezoelectric devices made of a variety of inorganic materials and organic polymers have been demonstrated. However, synthesizing such materials often requires toxic starting compounds, harsh conditions and/or complex procedures. Previously, it was shown that hierarchically organized natural materials such as bones, collagen fibrils and peptide nanotubes can display piezoelectric properties. Here, we demonstrate that the piezoelectric and liquid-crystalline properties of M13 bacteriophage (phage) can be used to generate electrical energy. Using piezoresponse force microscopy, we characterize the structure-dependent piezoelectric properties of the phage at the molecular level. We then show that self-assembled thin films of phage can exhibit piezoelectric strengths of up to 7.8 pm V(-1). We also demonstrate that it is possible to modulate the dipole strength of the phage, hence tuning the piezoelectric response, by genetically engineering the major coat proteins of the phage. Finally, we develop a phage-based piezoelectric generator that produces up to 6 nA of current and 400 mV of potential and use it to operate a liquid-crystal display. Because biotechnology techniques enable large-scale production of genetically modified phages, phage-based piezoelectric materials potentially offer a simple and environmentally friendly approach to piezoelectric energy generation.

Next generation industrial biotechnology based on extremophilic bacteria.

PubMed

Chen, Guo-Qiang; Jiang, Xiao-Ran

2018-04-01

Industrial biotechnology aims to produce bulk chemicals including polymeric materials and biofuels based on bioprocessing sustainable agriculture products such as starch, fatty acids and/or cellulose. However, traditional bioprocesses require bioreactors made of stainless steel, complicated sterilization, difficult and expensive separation procedures as well as well-trained engineers that are able to conduct bioprocessing under sterile conditions, reducing the competitiveness of the bio-products. Amid the continuous low petroleum price, next generation industrial biotechnology (NGIB) allows bioprocessing to be conducted under unsterile (open) conditions using ceramic, cement or plastic bioreactors in a continuous way, it should be an energy, water and substrate saving technology with convenient operation procedure. NGIB also requires less capital investment and reduces demand on highly trained engineers. The foundation for the simplified NGIB is microorganisms that resist contaminations by other microbes, one of the examples is rapid growing halophilic bacteria inoculated under high salt concentration and alkali pH. They have been engineered to produce multiple products in various scales. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Review of Operational Water Consumption and Withdrawal Factors for Electricity Generating Technologies

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

Macknick, Jordan; Newmark, Robin; Heath, Garvin

2011-03-01

This report provides estimates of operational water withdrawal and water consumption factors for electricity generating technologies in the United States. Estimates of water factors were collected from published primary literature and were not modified except for unit conversions. The presented water factors may be useful in modeling and policy analyses where reliable power plant level data are not available.

Mobil/Badger to market zeolite-based cumene technology

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

Rotman, D.

1993-02-24

Badger (Cambridge, MA) and Mobil (Fairfax, VA) are ready to jointly license a new cumene technology that they say achieves higher yields and product purity than existing processes. The zeolite-based technology is scheduled to be introduced at next month's DeWitt Petrochemical Review in Houston. The Mobil/Badger technology aims to challenge the dominant position of UOP's (Des Plaines, IL) solid phosphoric acid (SPA) catalyst process - which accounts for 80%-90% of the world's cumene production. In addition, Monsanto/Kellogg's aluminum chloride-based technology has gained significant momentum since its introduction in the 1980s. And late last year, ABB Lummus Crest (Bloomfield, NJ) alsomore » began marketing a zeolite-based cumene technology. While all the technologies make cumene via the alkylation of benzene with propylene, the Mobil/Badger process uses a zeolite-containing catalyst designed by Mobil to selectively catalyze the benzene/propylene reaction, avoiding unwanted propylene oligomerization. Because the olefin reactions are so fast, says Frank A. Demers, Badger's v.p./technology development and marketing, other zeolite technologies are forced to use complex reactor arrangements to stop the propylene-propylene reactions. However, he says, Mobil has designed a catalyst that wants to react benzene with propylene to make cumene.'« less

Automated speech understanding: the next generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Picone, J.; Ebel, W. J.; Deshmukh, N.

1995-04-01

Modern speech understanding systems merge interdisciplinary technologies from Signal Processing, Pattern Recognition, Natural Language, and Linguistics into a unified statistical framework. These systems, which have applications in a wide range of signal processing problems, represent a revolution in Digital Signal Processing (DSP). Once a field dominated by vector-oriented processors and linear algebra-based mathematics, the current generation of DSP-based systems rely on sophisticated statistical models implemented using a complex software paradigm. Such systems are now capable of understanding continuous speech input for vocabularies of several thousand words in operational environments. The current generation of deployed systems, based on small vocabularies of isolated words, will soon be replaced by a new technology offering natural language access to vast information resources such as the Internet, and provide completely automated voice interfaces for mundane tasks such as travel planning and directory assistance.

Technology and Curriculum Standards: How Well Do Internet-Based Learning Games Support Common Core Standards for Mathematics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bingham, Teri; Ray, Jan

2013-01-01

In an effort to keep up with the new generation of digital learners, educators are integrating multiple forms of technology into their teaching, including online learning game applications. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which internet-based learning game applications selected by preservice teachers were aligned with the…

Next Generation Proton Beam Writing: A Platform Technology for Nanowire Integration

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

Final Report AOARD 09-4020 Next Generation Proton Beam Writing: a platform technology for Nanowire Integration JA van Kan1, AA Bettiol1, T...PBW with a finely focused 2 MeV beam was used to write holes in a matrix of thick PMMA . A G-G developer was used to develop the PMMA patterns. The...solution. The deposition speed was about 1 μm of plated Au in every 5 min. When a sufficient thickness of Au had been deposited, the PMMA around the

Developing the Next Generation Shell Buckling Design Factors and Technologies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hilburger, Mark W.

2012-01-01

NASA s Shell Buckling Knockdown Factor (SBKF) Project was established in the spring of 2007 by the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) in collaboration with the Constellation Program and Exploration Systems Mission Directorate. The SBKF project has the current goal of developing less-conservative, robust shell buckling design factors (a.k.a. knockdown factors) and design and analysis technologies for light-weight stiffened metallic launch vehicle (LV) structures. Preliminary design studies indicate that implementation of these new knockdown factors can enable significant reductions in mass and mass-growth in these vehicles and can help mitigate some of NASA s LV development and performance risks. In particular, it is expected that the results from this project will help reduce the reliance on testing, provide high-fidelity estimates of structural performance, reliability, robustness, and enable increased payload capability. The SBKF project objectives and approach used to develop and validate new design technologies are presented, and provide a glimpse into the future of design of the next generation of buckling-critical launch vehicle structures.

The Hebrewer: A Web-Based Inflection Generator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foster, James Q.; Harrell, Lane Foster; Raizen, Esther

2004-01-01

This paper reports on the grammatical and programmatical production aspects of the "Hebrewer," a cross-platform web-based reference work in the form of a Hebrew inflection generator. The Hebrewer, a Java applet/servlet combination, is currently capable of generating 2,500 nouns in full declension and 500 verbs in full conjugation,…

Next-generation air measurement technologies | Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This is a presentation at a workshop in Chicago on emerging air monitoring technologies, hosted by a local nonprofit. The audience is composed of a mixture of technical backgrounds. This presentation will be part of an opening panel and the goal is to give an overview of the state of science on emerging air sensor technology. This is a presentation at a workshop in Chicago on emerging air monitoring technologies, hosted by a local nonprofit. The audience is composed of a mixture of technical backgrounds. This presentation will be part of an opening panel and the goal is to give an overview of the state of science on emerging air sensor technology.

Renewable Electricity Futures Study. Volume 2. Renewable Electricity Generation and Storage Technologies

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

Augustine, Chad; Bain, Richard; Chapman, Jamie

2012-06-15

The Renewable Electricity Futures (RE Futures) Study investigated the challenges and impacts of achieving very high renewable electricity generation levels in the contiguous United States by 2050. The analysis focused on the sufficiency of the geographically diverse U.S. renewable resources to meet electricity demand over future decades, the hourly operational characteristics of the U.S. grid with high levels of variable wind and solar generation, and the potential implications of deploying high levels of renewables in the future. RE Futures focused on technical aspects of high penetration of renewable electricity; it did not focus on how to achieve such a futuremore » through policy or other measures. Given the inherent uncertainties involved with analyzing alternative long-term energy futures as well as the multiple pathways that might be taken to achieve higher levels of renewable electricity supply, RE Futures explored a range of scenarios to investigate and compare the impacts of renewable electricity penetration levels (30%–90%), future technology performance improvements, potential constraints to renewable electricity development, and future electricity demand growth assumptions. RE Futures was led by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Learn more at the RE Futures website. http://www.nrel.gov/analysis/re_futures/« less

Evaluation of generation 3 treatment technology for swine waste - A North Carolina's clean water management trust fund project - Technical environmental performance report

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This project evaluated and demonstrated the viability of a third generation manure treatment technology. The technology was developed as an alternative to the lagoon/spray field system typically used to treat the wastewater generated by swine farms in North Carolina. It separates solids and liquids ...

Optimal Test Design with Rule-Based Item Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geerlings, Hanneke; van der Linden, Wim J.; Glas, Cees A. W.

2013-01-01

Optimal test-design methods are applied to rule-based item generation. Three different cases of automated test design are presented: (a) test assembly from a pool of pregenerated, calibrated items; (b) test generation on the fly from a pool of calibrated item families; and (c) test generation on the fly directly from calibrated features defining…

A fast key generation method based on dynamic biometrics to secure wireless body sensor networks for p-health.

PubMed

Zhang, G H; Poon, Carmen C Y; Zhang, Y T

2010-01-01

Body sensor networks (BSNs) have emerged as a new technology for healthcare applications, but the security of communication in BSNs remains a formidable challenge yet to be resolved. The paper discusses the typical attacks faced by BSNs and proposes a fast biometric based approach to generate keys for ensuing confidentiality and authentication in BSN communications. The approach was tested on 900 segments of electrocardiogram. Each segment was 4 seconds long and used to generate a 128-bit key. The results of the study found that entropy of 96% of the keys were above 0.95 and 99% of the hamming distances calculated from any two keys were above 50 bits. Based on the randomness and distinctiveness of these keys, it is concluded that the fast biometric based approach has great potential to be used to secure communication in BSNs for health applications.

Technology Use and Learning Characteristics of Students in Higher Education: Do Generational Differences Exist?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lai, Kwok-Wing; Hong, Kian-Sam

2015-01-01

As digital technologies form an inextricable part of young people's everyday lives, some commentators claim that the current generation of learners think and learn differently from their predecessors. This study investigated the validity of this claim by surveying 799 undergraduate and 81 postgraduate students at a large research-intensive…

Estimating evaporative vapor generation from automobiles based on parking activities.

PubMed

Dong, Xinyi; Tschantz, Michael; Fu, Joshua S

2015-07-01

A new approach is proposed to quantify the evaporative vapor generation based on real parking activity data. As compared to the existing methods, two improvements are applied in this new approach to reduce the uncertainties: First, evaporative vapor generation from diurnal parking events is usually calculated based on estimated average parking duration for the whole fleet, while in this study, vapor generation rate is calculated based on parking activities distribution. Second, rather than using the daily temperature gradient, this study uses hourly temperature observations to derive the hourly incremental vapor generation rates. The parking distribution and hourly incremental vapor generation rates are then adopted with Wade-Reddy's equation to estimate the weighted average evaporative generation. We find that hourly incremental rates can better describe the temporal variations of vapor generation, and the weighted vapor generation rate is 5-8% less than calculation without considering parking activity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Natural Fit: Problem-based Learning and Technology Standards.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sage, Sara M.

2000-01-01

Discusses the use of problem-based learning to meet technology standards. Highlights include technology as a tool for locating and organizing information; the Wolf Wars problem for elementary and secondary school students that provides resources, including Web sites, for information; Web-based problems; and technology as assessment and as a…

Way to nanogrinding technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyashita, Masakazu

1990-11-01

Precision finishing process of hard and brittle material components such as single crystal silicon wafer and magnetic head consists of lapping and polishing which depend too much on skilled labor. This process is based on the traditional optical production technology and entirely different from the automated mass production technique in automobile production. Instead of traditional lapping and polishing, the nanogrinding is proposed as a new stock removal machining to generate optical surface on brittle materials. By this new technology, the damage free surface which is the same one produced by lapping and polishing can be obtained on brittle materials, and the free carvature can also be generated on brittle materials. This technology is based on the motion copying principle which is the same as in case of metal parts machining. The new nanogrinding technology is anticipated to be adapted as the machining technique suitable for automated mass production, because the stable machining on the level of optical production technique is expected to be obtained by the traditional lapping and polishing.

Wireless electricity (Power) transmission using solar based power satellite technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maqsood, M.; Nauman Nasir, M.

2013-06-01

In the near future due to extensive use of energy, limited supply of resources and the pollution in environment from present resources e.g. (wood, coal, fossil fuel) etc, alternative sources of energy and new ways to generate energy which are efficient, cost effective and produce minimum losses are of great concern. Wireless electricity (Power) transmission (WET) has become a focal point as research point of view and nowadays lies at top 10 future hot burning technologies that are under research these days. In this paper, we present the concept of transmitting power wirelessly to reduce transmission and distribution losses. The wired distribution losses are 70 - 75% efficient. We cannot imagine the world without electric power which is efficient, cost effective and produce minimum losses is of great concern. This paper tells us the benefits of using WET technology specially by using Solar based Power satellites (SBPS) and also focuses that how we make electric system cost effective, optimized and well organized. Moreover, attempts are made to highlight future issues so as to index some emerging solutions.

Fiber-Based, Double-Sided, Reduced Graphene Oxide Films for Efficient Solar Vapor Generation.

PubMed

Guo, Ankang; Ming, Xin; Fu, Yang; Wang, Gang; Wang, Xianbao

2017-09-06

Solar vapor generation is a promising and whole new branch of photothermal conversion for harvesting solar energy. Various materials and devices for solar thermal conversion were successively produced and reported for higher solar energy utilization in the past few years. Herein, a compact device of reduced graphene oxides (rGO) and paper fibers was designed and assembled for efficient solar steam generation under light illumination, and it consists of water supply pipelines (WSP), a thermal insulator (TI) and a double-sided absorbing film (DSF). Heat localization is enabled by the black DSF due to its broad absorption of sunlight. More importantly, the heat transfer, from the hot DSF to the cold base fluid (water), was suppressed by TI with a low thermal conductivity. Meanwhile, bulk water was continuously transported to the DSF by WSP through TI, which was driven by the surface energy and surface tension based on the capillary effect. The effects of reduction degrees of rGO on the photothermal conversion were explored, and the evaporation efficiency reached 89.2% under one sun with 60 mg rGO. This new microdevice provided a basic technical support for distillation, desalination, sewage treatment, and related technologies.

Stirling Convertor Technologies Being Developed for a Stirling Radioisotope Generator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thieme, Lanny G.

2003-01-01

The Department of Energy, Lockheed Martin, Stirling Technology Company (STC), and the NASA Glenn Research Center are developing a high-efficiency Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG) for NASA space science missions. The SRG is being developed for multimission use, including providing electric power for unmanned Mars rovers and deep space missions. On Mars, rovers with SRGs would be used for missions that might not be able to use photovoltaic power systems, such as exploration at high Martian latitudes and missions of long duration. The projected SRG system efficiency of 23 percent will reduce the required amount of radioisotope by a factor of 4 or more in comparison to currently used Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators. The Department of Energy recently named Lockheed Martin as the system integration contractor. Lockheed Martin has begun to develop the SRG engineering unit under contract to the Department of Energy, and has contract options to develop the qualification unit and the first flight units. The developers expect the SRG to produce about 114 Wdc at the beginning of mission, using two opposed Stirling convertors and two General Purpose Heat Source modules. STC previously developed the Stirling convertor under contract to the Department of Energy and is now providing further development as a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin. Glenn is conducting an in-house technology project to assist in developing the convertor for space qualification and mission implementation. A key milestone was recently reached with the accumulation of 12 000 hr of long-term aging on two types of neodymium-iron boron permanent magnets. These tests are characterizing any possible aging in the strength or demagnetization resistance of the magnets used in the linear alternator. Preparations are underway for a thermal/vacuum system demonstration and unattended operation during endurance testing of the 55-We Technology Demonstration Convertors. In addition, Glenn is developing a

Competitiveness of Second Generation Biofuel Feedstocks: Role of Technology and Policy (2010 JGI User Meeting)

ScienceCinema

Khanna, Madhu

2018-02-19

Madhu Khanna from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Energy Biosciences Institute on Competitiveness of Second Generation Biofuel Feedstocks: Role of Technology and Policy on March 25, 2010 at the 5th Annual DOE JGI User Meeting.

Scaffolding High School Students' Divergent Idea Generation in a Computer-Mediated Design and Technology Learning Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeo, Tiong-Meng; Quek, Choon-Lang

2014-01-01

This comparative study investigates how two groups of design and technology students generated ideas in an asynchronous computer-mediated communication setting. The generated ideas were design ideas in the form of sketches. Each group comprised five students who were all 15 years of age. All the students were from the same secondary school but…

The Reliability of Randomly Generated Math Curriculum-Based Measurements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strait, Gerald G.; Smith, Bradley H.; Pender, Carolyn; Malone, Patrick S.; Roberts, Jarod; Hall, John D.

2015-01-01

"Curriculum-Based Measurement" (CBM) is a direct method of academic assessment used to screen and evaluate students' skills and monitor their responses to academic instruction and intervention. Interventioncentral.org offers a math worksheet generator at no cost that creates randomly generated "math curriculum-based measures"…

Microelectrode-based technology for the detection of low levels of bacteria

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Tom D.; Hitchens, G. D.; Mishra, S. K.; Pierson, D. L.

1992-01-01

A microelectrode-based electrochemical detection method was used for quantitation of bacteria in water samples. The redox mediator, benzoquinone, was used to accept electrons from the bacterial metabolic pathway to create a flow of electrons by reducing the mediator. Electrochemical monitoring electrodes detected the reduced mediator as it diffused out of the cells and produced a small electrical current. By using a combination of microelectrodes and monitoring instrumentation, the cumulative current generated by a particular bacterial population could be monitored. Using commercially available components, an electrochemical detection system was assembled and tested to evaluate its potential as an emerging technology for rapid detection and quantitation of bacteria in water samples.

Classification Framework for ICT-Based Learning Technologies for Disabled People

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hersh, Marion

2017-01-01

The paper presents the first systematic approach to the classification of inclusive information and communication technologies (ICT)-based learning technologies and ICT-based learning technologies for disabled people which covers both assistive and general learning technologies, is valid for all disabled people and considers the full range of…

Supervised Learning Based Hypothesis Generation from Biomedical Literature.

PubMed

Sang, Shengtian; Yang, Zhihao; Li, Zongyao; Lin, Hongfei

2015-01-01

Nowadays, the amount of biomedical literatures is growing at an explosive speed, and there is much useful knowledge undiscovered in this literature. Researchers can form biomedical hypotheses through mining these works. In this paper, we propose a supervised learning based approach to generate hypotheses from biomedical literature. This approach splits the traditional processing of hypothesis generation with classic ABC model into AB model and BC model which are constructed with supervised learning method. Compared with the concept cooccurrence and grammar engineering-based approaches like SemRep, machine learning based models usually can achieve better performance in information extraction (IE) from texts. Then through combining the two models, the approach reconstructs the ABC model and generates biomedical hypotheses from literature. The experimental results on the three classic Swanson hypotheses show that our approach outperforms SemRep system.

Science and Technology as Social Relations: Towards a Philosophy of Technology for Liberal Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Klaus-Henning

1997-01-01

Raises the question of the philosophical base of a liberal technology education, assuming that it cannot be provided simply by an engineer's perspective. Suggests a series of questions for reconstructing the cultural meaning of technology and a structural model that shows how meaning is generated through a variety of social relationships;…

Women and Computer Based Technologies: A Feminist Perspective.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morritt, Hope

The use of computer based technologies by professional women in education is examined through a feminist standpoint theory in this paper. The theory is grounded in eight claims which form the basis of the conceptual framework for the study. The experiences of nine women participants with computer based technologies were categorized using three…

Bicubic uniform B-spline wavefront fitting technology applied in computer-generated holograms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Hui; Sun, Jun-qiang; Chen, Guo-jie

2006-02-01

This paper presented a bicubic uniform B-spline wavefront fitting technology to figure out the analytical expression for object wavefront used in Computer-Generated Holograms (CGHs). In many cases, to decrease the difficulty of optical processing, off-axis CGHs rather than complex aspherical surface elements are used in modern advanced military optical systems. In order to design and fabricate off-axis CGH, we have to fit out the analytical expression for object wavefront. Zernike Polynomial is competent for fitting wavefront of centrosymmetric optical systems, but not for axisymmetrical optical systems. Although adopting high-degree polynomials fitting method would achieve higher fitting precision in all fitting nodes, the greatest shortcoming of this method is that any departure from the fitting nodes would result in great fitting error, which is so-called pulsation phenomenon. Furthermore, high-degree polynomials fitting method would increase the calculation time in coding computer-generated hologram and solving basic equation. Basing on the basis function of cubic uniform B-spline and the character mesh of bicubic uniform B-spline wavefront, bicubic uniform B-spline wavefront are described as the product of a series of matrices. Employing standard MATLAB routines, four kinds of different analytical expressions for object wavefront are fitted out by bicubic uniform B-spline as well as high-degree polynomials. Calculation results indicate that, compared with high-degree polynomials, bicubic uniform B-spline is a more competitive method to fit out the analytical expression for object wavefront used in off-axis CGH, for its higher fitting precision and C2 continuity.

Next Generation Launch Technology Program Lessons Learned

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cook, Stephen; Tyson, Richard

2005-01-01

In November 2002, NASA revised its Integrated Space Transportation Plan (ISTP) to evolve the Space Launch Initiative (SLI) to serve as a theme for two emerging programs. The first of these, the Orbital Space Plane (OSP), was intended to provide crew-escape and crew-transfer functions for the ISS. The second, the NGLT Program, developed technologies needed for safe, routine space access for scientific exploration, commerce, and national defense. The NGLT Program was comprised of 12 projects, ranging from fundamental high-temperature materials research to full-scale engine system developments (turbine and rocket) to scramjet flight test. The Program included technology advancement activities with a broad range of objectives, ultimate applications/timeframes, and technology maturity levels. An over-arching Systems Engineering and Analysis (SE&A) approach was employed to focus technology advancements according to a common set of requirements. Investments were categorized into three segments of technology maturation: propulsion technologies, launch systems technologies, and SE&A.

[Research Progress in Technology of Using Soil Micro-organisms to Generate Electricity and Its Potential Applications].

PubMed

Deng, Huan; Xue, Hong-jing; Jiang, Yun-bin; Zhong, Wen-hui

2015-10-01

Microbial fuel cells ( microbial fuel cells, MFCs) are devices in which micro-organisms convert chemical energy into electrical power. Soil has electrogenic bacteria and organic substrates, thus can generate electrical current in MFCs. Soil MFCs can be operated and applied to real-time and continuously monitor soil pollution, remove soil pollutants and to reduce methane emitted from flooded rice paddy, without energy consumption and the application of chemical reagents to the soil. Instead, the operation of soil MFCs generates small amount of electrical power. Therefore, soil MFCs are useful in the development of environment-friendly technology for monitoring and remediating soil pollution, which have potential value for applications in the domain of environmental science and engineering. However, much of advanced technology hasn't been applied into soil MFCs since the studies on soil MFCs was not started until recently. This paper summarized the research progress in related to soil MFCs combining with the frontier of MFCs technology, and brought forward the possible direction in studies on soil MFCs.

CNES developments of key detection technologies to prepare next generation focal planes for high resolution Earth observation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Materne, A.; Virmontois, C.; Bardoux, A.; Gimenez, T.; Biffi, J. M.; Laubier, D.; Delvit, J. M.

2014-10-01

This paper describes the activities managed by CNES (French National Space Agency) for the development of focal planes for next generation of optical high resolution Earth observation satellites, in low sun-synchronous orbit. CNES has launched a new programme named OTOS, to increase the level of readiness (TRL) of several key technologies for high resolution Earth observation satellites. The OTOS programme includes several actions in the field of detection and focal planes: a new generation of CCD and CMOS image sensors, updated analog front-end electronics and analog-to-digital converters. The main features that must be achieved on focal planes for high resolution Earth Observation, are: readout speed, signal to noise ratio at low light level, anti-blooming efficiency, geometric stability, MTF and line of sight stability. The next steps targeted are presented in comparison to the in-flight measured performance of the PLEIADES satellites launched in 2011 and 2012. The high resolution panchromatic channel is still based upon Backside illuminated (BSI) CCDs operated in Time Delay Integration (TDI). For the multispectral channel, the main evolution consists in moving to TDI mode and the competition is open with the concurrent development of a CCD solution versus a CMOS solution. New CCDs will be based upon several process blocks under evaluation on the e2v 6 inches BSI wafer manufacturing line. The OTOS strategy for CMOS image sensors investigates on one hand custom TDI solutions within a similar approach to CCDs, and, on the other hand, investigates ways to take advantage of existing performance of off-the-shelf 2D arrays CMOS image sensors. We present the characterization results obtained from test vehicles designed for custom TDI operation on several CIS technologies and results obtained before and after radiation on snapshot 2D arrays from the CMOSIS CMV family.

Nuclear Power’s Role in Generating Electricity

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-01

and Without EPAct Incentives 9 2-1. Historical Volatility in Fuel Prices 20 2-2. Carbon Dioxide Emissions of Base-Load Technologies for Generating...options using that fuel would operate at their maximum capacity factor.CBO 20 NUCLEAR POWER’S ROLE IN GENERATING ELECTRICITY CBOFigure 2-1. Historical ... Volatility in Fuel Prices (Percentage change) Source: Congressional Budget Office based on data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA

Generators and automated generator systems for production and on-line injections of pet radiopharmaceuticals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shimchuk, G.; Shimchuk, Gr; Pakhomov, G.; Avalishvili, G.; Zavrazhnov, G.; Polonsky-Byslaev, I.; Fedotov, A.; Polozov, P.

2017-01-01

One of the prospective directions of PET development is using generator positron radiating nuclides [1,2]. Introduction of this technology is financially promising, since it does not require expensive special accelerator and radiochemical laboratory in the medical institution, which considerably reduces costs of PET diagnostics and makes it available to more patients. POZITOM-PRO RPC LLC developed and produced an 82Sr-82Rb generator, an automated injection system, designed for automatic and fully-controlled injections of 82RbCl produced by this generator, automated radiopharmaceutical synthesis units based on generated 68Ga produced using a domestically-manufactured 68Ge-68Ga generator for preparing two pharmaceuticals: Ga-68-DOTA-TATE and Vascular Ga-68.

Non-contact plant growth measurement method and system based on ubiquitous sensor network technologies.

PubMed

Suk, Jinweon; Kim, Seokhoon; Ryoo, Intae

2011-01-01

This paper proposes a non-contact plant growth measurement system using infrared sensors based on the ubiquitous sensor network (USN) technology. The proposed system measures plant growth parameters such as the stem radius of plants using real-time non-contact methods, and generates diameter, cross-sectional area and thickening form of plant stems using this measured data. Non-contact sensors have been used not to cause any damage to plants during measurement of the growth parameters. Once the growth parameters are measured, they are transmitted to a remote server using the sensor network technology and analyzed in the application program server. The analyzed data are then provided for administrators and a group of interested users. The proposed plant growth measurement system has been designed and implemented using fixed-type and rotary-type infrared sensor based measurement methods and devices. Finally, the system performance is compared and verified with the measurement data that have been obtained by practical field experiments.

A Biological Basis for Generative Learning in Technology-and-Science Part I: A Theory of Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaverien, Lynette; Cosgrove, Mark

1999-01-01

Describes a theory of learning in which the brain is seen as a Darwinian machine. Argues that the generative heuristic underlying Darwinism offers considerable value for technology and science education. Contains 33 references. (Author/WRM)

Mine Waste Technology Program. In Situ Source Control Of Acid Generation Using Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria

EPA Science Inventory

This report summarizes the results of the Mine Waste Technology Program (MWTP) Activity III, Project 3, In Situ Source Control of Acid Generation Using Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and jointly administered by EPA and the U.S....

Preserving Differential Privacy in Degree-Correlation based Graph Generation

PubMed Central

Wang, Yue; Wu, Xintao

2014-01-01

Enabling accurate analysis of social network data while preserving differential privacy has been challenging since graph features such as cluster coefficient often have high sensitivity, which is different from traditional aggregate functions (e.g., count and sum) on tabular data. In this paper, we study the problem of enforcing edge differential privacy in graph generation. The idea is to enforce differential privacy on graph model parameters learned from the original network and then generate the graphs for releasing using the graph model with the private parameters. In particular, we develop a differential privacy preserving graph generator based on the dK-graph generation model. We first derive from the original graph various parameters (i.e., degree correlations) used in the dK-graph model, then enforce edge differential privacy on the learned parameters, and finally use the dK-graph model with the perturbed parameters to generate graphs. For the 2K-graph model, we enforce the edge differential privacy by calibrating noise based on the smooth sensitivity, rather than the global sensitivity. By doing this, we achieve the strict differential privacy guarantee with smaller magnitude noise. We conduct experiments on four real networks and compare the performance of our private dK-graph models with the stochastic Kronecker graph generation model in terms of utility and privacy tradeoff. Empirical evaluations show the developed private dK-graph generation models significantly outperform the approach based on the stochastic Kronecker generation model. PMID:24723987

Next Generation Sequencing Technologies: The Doorway to the Unexplored Genomics of Non-Model Plants

PubMed Central

Unamba, Chibuikem I. N.; Nag, Akshay; Sharma, Ram K.

2015-01-01

Non-model plants i.e., the species which have one or all of the characters such as long life cycle, difficulty to grow in the laboratory or poor fecundity, have been schemed out of sequencing projects earlier, due to high running cost of Sanger sequencing. Consequently, the information about their genomics and key biological processes are inadequate. However, the advent of fast and cost effective next generation sequencing (NGS) platforms in the recent past has enabled the unearthing of certain characteristic gene structures unique to these species. It has also aided in gaining insight about mechanisms underlying processes of gene expression and secondary metabolism as well as facilitated development of genomic resources for diversity characterization, evolutionary analysis and marker assisted breeding even without prior availability of genomic sequence information. In this review we explore how different Next Gen Sequencing platforms, as well as recent advances in NGS based high throughput genotyping technologies are rewarding efforts on de-novo whole genome/transcriptome sequencing, development of genome wide sequence based markers resources for improvement of non-model crops that are less costly than phenotyping. PMID:26734016

Intra-generational Redistribution under Public Pension Planning Based on Generation-based Funding Scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banjo, Daisuke; Tamura, Hiroyuki; Murata, Tadahiko

In this paper, we propose a method of determining the pension in the generation-based funding scheme. In this proposal, we include two types of pensions in the scheme. One is the payment-amount related pension and the other is the payment-frequency related pension. We set the ratio of the total amount of payment-amount related pension to the total amount of both pensions, and simulate income gaps and the relationship between contributions and benefits for each individual when the proposed method is applied.

Disaster management: using Internet-based technology.

PubMed

Dimitruk, Paul

2007-01-01

Disasters impose operational challenges and substantial financial burdens on hospitals. Internet-based disaster management technology can help. This technology should: Capture, analyze, and track relevant data. Be available 24/7. Guide decision makers in setting up an incident command center and monitor the completion of jobs by ICC role. Provide assistance in areas that hospitals are not used to dealing with, e.g., chemical or bio-terror agents.

Environmental Impacts of Renewable Electricity Generation Technologies: A Life Cycle Perspective

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

Heath, Garvin

2016-01-13

All energy systems impact the environment. Much has been learned about these environmental impacts from decades of research. Through systematic reviews, meta-analysis and original research, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory has been building knowledge about environmental impacts of both renewable and conventional electricity generation technologies. Evidence for greenhouse gas emissions, water and land use will be reviewed mostly from the perspective of life cycle assessment. Impacts from oil and natural gas systems will be highlighted. Areas of uncertainty and challenge will be discussed as suggestions for future research, as well as career opportunities in this field.

FOREWORD: 7th Symposium on Vacuum-based Science and Technology (SVBST2013)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulbiński, W.

2014-11-01

These are the proceedings of the 7th Symposium on Vacuum based Science and Technology organized in Kołobrzeg (PL) on November 19-21, 2013 by the Institute of Technology and Education, Koszalin University of Technology and the Clausius Tower Society under auspices of the Polish Vacuum Society (PTP) and the German Vacuum Society (DVG) and in collaboration with the BalticNet PlasmaTec and the Society of Vacuum Coaters (SVC). It was accompanied by the 12-th Annual Meeting of the German Vacuum Society. The mission of the Symposium is to provide a forum for presentation and exchange of expertise and research results in the field of vacuum and plasma science. After already six successful meetings organized alternately in Poland and Germany our goal is to continue and foster cooperation within the vacuum and plasma science community. This year, the Rudolf-Jaeckel Prize, awarded by the DVG for outstanding achievements in the field of vacuum based sciences, was presented to Dr Ute Bergner, president of the VACOM Vakuum Komponenten & Messtechnik GmbH and a member of our community. The full-day course organized in the framework of the Educational Program by the Society of Vacuum Coaters (SVC) and entitled: An Introduction to Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Processes was held on November 18, 2013 as a satellite event of the Symposium. The instructor was Prof. Ismat Shah from Delaware University (US). The Clausius Session, already traditionally organized during the Symposium was addressed this year to young generation. We invited our young colleagues to attend a series of educational lectures reporting on achievements in graphene science, scanning probe microscopy and plasma science. Lectures were given by: Prof. Jacek Baranowski from the Institute of Electronic Materials Technology in Warsaw, Prof. Teodor Gotszalk from the Wroclaw University of Technology and Prof. Holger Kersten from the Christian Albrechts University in Kiel. The Symposium was accompanied by an industry

Zinc-finger nucleases-based genome engineering to generate isogenic human cell lines.

PubMed

Dreyer, Anne-Kathrin; Cathomen, Toni

2012-01-01

Customized zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) have developed into a promising technology to precisely alter mammalian genomes for biomedical research, biotechnology, or human gene therapy. In the context of synthetic biology, the targeted integration of a transgene or reporter cassette into a "neutral site" of the human genome, such as the AAVS1 locus, permits the generation of isogenic human cell lines with two major advantages over standard genetic manipulation techniques: minimal integration site-dependent effects on the transgene and, vice versa, no functional perturbation of the host-cell transcriptome. Here we describe in detail how ZFNs can be employed to target integration of a transgene cassette into the AAVS1 locus and how to characterize the targeted cells by PCR-based genotyping.

Interactive web-based mapping: bridging technology and data for health

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The Community Health Information System (CHIS) online mapping system was first launched in 1998. Its overarching goal was to provide researchers, residents and organizations access to health related data reflecting the overall health and well-being of their communities within the Greater Houston area. In September 2009, initial planning and development began for the next generation of CHIS. The overarching goal for the new version remained to make health data easily accessible for a wide variety of research audiences. However, in the new version we specifically sought to make the CHIS truly interactive and give the user more control over data selection and reporting. Results In July 2011, a beta version of the next-generation of the application was launched. This next-generation is also a web based interactive mapping tool comprised of two distinct portals: the Breast Health Portal and Project Safety Net. Both are accessed via a Google mapping interface. Geographic coverage for the portals is currently an 8 county region centered on Harris County, Texas. Data accessed by the application include Census 2000, Census 2010 (underway), cancer incidence from the Texas Cancer Registry (TX Dept. of State Health Services), death data from Texas Vital Statistics, clinic locations for free and low-cost health services, along with service lists, hours of operation, payment options and languages spoken, uninsured and poverty data. Conclusions The system features query on the fly technology, which means the data is not generated until the query is provided to the system. This allows users to interact in real-time with the databases and generate customized reports and maps. To the author's knowledge, the Breast Health Portal and Project Safety Net are the first local-scale interactive online mapping interfaces for public health data which allow users to control the data generated. For example, users may generate breast cancer incidence rates by Census tract, in real

Interactive web-based mapping: bridging technology and data for health.

PubMed

Highfield, Linda; Arthasarnprasit, Jutas; Ottenweller, Cecelia A; Dasprez, Arnaud

2011-12-23

The Community Health Information System (CHIS) online mapping system was first launched in 1998. Its overarching goal was to provide researchers, residents and organizations access to health related data reflecting the overall health and well-being of their communities within the Greater Houston area. In September 2009, initial planning and development began for the next generation of CHIS. The overarching goal for the new version remained to make health data easily accessible for a wide variety of research audiences. However, in the new version we specifically sought to make the CHIS truly interactive and give the user more control over data selection and reporting. In July 2011, a beta version of the next-generation of the application was launched. This next-generation is also a web based interactive mapping tool comprised of two distinct portals: the Breast Health Portal and Project Safety Net. Both are accessed via a Google mapping interface. Geographic coverage for the portals is currently an 8 county region centered on Harris County, Texas. Data accessed by the application include Census 2000, Census 2010 (underway), cancer incidence from the Texas Cancer Registry (TX Dept. of State Health Services), death data from Texas Vital Statistics, clinic locations for free and low-cost health services, along with service lists, hours of operation, payment options and languages spoken, uninsured and poverty data. The system features query on the fly technology, which means the data is not generated until the query is provided to the system. This allows users to interact in real-time with the databases and generate customized reports and maps. To the author's knowledge, the Breast Health Portal and Project Safety Net are the first local-scale interactive online mapping interfaces for public health data which allow users to control the data generated. For example, users may generate breast cancer incidence rates by Census tract, in real time, for women aged 40

Oxygen Generation Assembly Technology Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bagdigian, Robert; Cloud, Dale

1999-01-01

Hamilton Standard Space Systems International (HSSI) is under contract to NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) to develop an Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) for the International Space Station (ISS). The International Space Station Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) electrolyzes potable water from the Water Recovery System (WRS) to provide gaseous oxygen to the Space Station module atmosphere. The OGA produces oxygen for metabolic consumption by crew and biological specimens. The OGA also replenishes oxygen lost by experiment ingestion, airlock depressurization, CO2 venting, and leakage. As a byproduct, gaseous hydrogen is generated. The hydrogen will be supplied at a specified pressure range above ambient to support future utilization. Initially, the hydrogen will be vented overboard to space vacuum. This paper describes the OGA integration into the ISS Node 3. It details the development history supporting the design and describes the OGA System characteristics and its physical layout.

The history and advances of reversible terminators used in new generations of sequencing technology.

PubMed

Chen, Fei; Dong, Mengxing; Ge, Meng; Zhu, Lingxiang; Ren, Lufeng; Liu, Guocheng; Mu, Rong

2013-02-01

DNA sequencing using reversible terminators, as one sequencing by synthesis strategy, has garnered a great deal of interest due to its popular application in the second-generation high-throughput DNA sequencing technology. In this review, we provided its history of development, classification, and working mechanism of this technology. We also outlined the screening strategies for DNA polymerases to accommodate the reversible terminators as substrates during polymerization; particularly, we introduced the "REAP" method developed by us. At the end of this review, we discussed current limitations of this approach and provided potential solutions to extend its application. Copyright © 2013. Production and hosting by Elsevier Ltd.

Hospital-based health technology assessment: developments to date.

PubMed

Gagnon, Marie-Pierre

2014-09-01

Health technology assessment (HTA) uses a multidisciplinary approach to answer relevant questions regarding the safety, efficacy, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of health technologies. There is growing interest in implementing HTA methods at the hospital level because it could facilitate decision-making regarding acquisition, implementation or discontinuation of technologies or interventions within the hospital. First, this article provides an overview of current international experiences and knowledge of hospital-based HTA. Then, it presents the different types of hospital-based HTA, providing examples of each of these models, as well as their strengths and limitations. Finally, it proposes a set of emerging issues that could help inform decision-makers who consider implementing hospital-based HTA, or other stakeholders interested in the field.

A Study on the Optimal Generation Mix Based on Portfolio Theory with Considering the Basic Condition for Power Supply

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Moritoshi; Zhou, Yicheng

This paper presents a novel method to analyze the optimal generation mix based on portfolio theory with considering the basic condition for power supply, which means that electricity generation corresponds with load curve. The optimization of portfolio is integrated with the calculation of a capacity factor of each generation in order to satisfy the basic condition for power supply. Besides, each generation is considered to be an asset, and risks of the generation asset both in its operation period and construction period are considered. Environmental measures are evaluated through restriction of CO2 emissions, which are indicated by CO2 price. Numerical examples show the optimal generation mix according to risks such as the deviation of capacity factor of nuclear power or restriction of CO2 emissions, the possibility of introduction of clean coal technology (IGCC, CCS) or renewable energy, and so on. The results of this work will be possibly applied as setting the target of the generation mix for the future according to prospects of risks of each generation and restrictions of CO2 emissions.

Energy-Efficient Next-Generation Passive Optical Networks Based on Sleep Mode and Heuristic Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zulai, Luis G. T.; Durand, Fábio R.; Abrão, Taufik

2015-05-01

In this article, an energy-efficiency mechanism for next-generation passive optical networks is investigated through heuristic particle swarm optimization. Ten-gigabit Ethernet-wavelength division multiplexing optical code division multiplexing-passive optical network next-generation passive optical networks are based on the use of a legacy 10-gigabit Ethernet-passive optical network with the advantage of using only an en/decoder pair of optical code division multiplexing technology, thus eliminating the en/decoder at each optical network unit. The proposed joint mechanism is based on the sleep-mode power-saving scheme for a 10-gigabit Ethernet-passive optical network, combined with a power control procedure aiming to adjust the transmitted power of the active optical network units while maximizing the overall energy-efficiency network. The particle swarm optimization based power control algorithm establishes the optimal transmitted power in each optical network unit according to the network pre-defined quality of service requirements. The objective is controlling the power consumption of the optical network unit according to the traffic demand by adjusting its transmitter power in an attempt to maximize the number of transmitted bits with minimum energy consumption, achieving maximal system energy efficiency. Numerical results have revealed that it is possible to save 75% of energy consumption with the proposed particle swarm optimization based sleep-mode energy-efficiency mechanism compared to 55% energy savings when just a sleeping-mode-based mechanism is deployed.

GPGPU-based explicit finite element computations for applications in biomechanics: the performance of material models, element technologies, and hardware generations.

PubMed

Strbac, V; Pierce, D M; Vander Sloten, J; Famaey, N

2017-12-01

Finite element (FE) simulations are increasingly valuable in assessing and improving the performance of biomedical devices and procedures. Due to high computational demands such simulations may become difficult or even infeasible, especially when considering nearly incompressible and anisotropic material models prevalent in analyses of soft tissues. Implementations of GPGPU-based explicit FEs predominantly cover isotropic materials, e.g. the neo-Hookean model. To elucidate the computational expense of anisotropic materials, we implement the Gasser-Ogden-Holzapfel dispersed, fiber-reinforced model and compare solution times against the neo-Hookean model. Implementations of GPGPU-based explicit FEs conventionally rely on single-point (under) integration. To elucidate the expense of full and selective-reduced integration (more reliable) we implement both and compare corresponding solution times against those generated using underintegration. To better understand the advancement of hardware, we compare results generated using representative Nvidia GPGPUs from three recent generations: Fermi (C2075), Kepler (K20c), and Maxwell (GTX980). We explore scaling by solving the same boundary value problem (an extension-inflation test on a segment of human aorta) with progressively larger FE meshes. Our results demonstrate substantial improvements in simulation speeds relative to two benchmark FE codes (up to 300[Formula: see text] while maintaining accuracy), and thus open many avenues to novel applications in biomechanics and medicine.

Study on development system of increasing gearbox for high-performance wind-power generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Hongbin; Yan, Kejun; Zhao, Junyu

2005-12-01

Based on the analysis of the development potentiality of wind-power generator and domestic manufacture of its key parts in China, an independent development system of the Increasing Gearbox for High-performance Wind-power Generator (IGHPWG) was introduced. The main elements of the system were studied, including the procedure design, design analysis system, manufacturing technology and detecting system, and the relative important technologies were analyzed such as mixed optimal joint transmission structure of the first planetary drive with two grade parallel axle drive based on equal strength, tooth root round cutting technology before milling hard tooth surface, high-precise tooth grinding technology, heat treatment optimal technology and complex surface technique, and rig test and detection technique of IGHPWG. The development conception was advanced the data share and quality assurance system through all the elements of the development system. The increasing Gearboxes for 600KW and 1MW Wind-power Generator have been successfully developed through the application of the development system.

Array-based Hierarchical Mesh Generation in Parallel

DOE PAGES

Ray, Navamita; Grindeanu, Iulian; Zhao, Xinglin; ...

2015-11-03

In this paper, we describe an array-based hierarchical mesh generation capability through uniform refinement of unstructured meshes for efficient solution of PDE's using finite element methods and multigrid solvers. A multi-degree, multi-dimensional and multi-level framework is designed to generate the nested hierarchies from an initial mesh that can be used for a number of purposes such as multi-level methods to generating large meshes. The capability is developed under the parallel mesh framework “Mesh Oriented dAtaBase” a.k.a MOAB. We describe the underlying data structures and algorithms to generate such hierarchies and present numerical results for computational efficiency and mesh quality. Inmore » conclusion, we also present results to demonstrate the applicability of the developed capability to a multigrid finite-element solver.« less

Next-generation Sequencing-based genomic profiling: Fostering innovation in cancer care?

PubMed

Fernandes, Gustavo S; Marques, Daniel F; Girardi, Daniel M; Braghiroli, Maria Ignez F; Coudry, Renata A; Meireles, Sibele I; Katz, Artur; Hoff, Paulo M

2017-10-01

With the development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, DNA sequencing has been increasingly utilized in clinical practice. Our goal was to investigate the impact of genomic evaluation on treatment decisions for heavily pretreated patients with metastatic cancer. We analyzed metastatic cancer patients from a single institution whose cancers had progressed after all available standard-of-care therapies and whose tumors underwent next-generation sequencing analysis. We determined the percentage of patients who received any therapy directed by the test, and its efficacy. From July 2013 to December 2015, 185 consecutive patients were tested using a commercially available next-generation sequencing-based test, and 157 patients were eligible. Sixty-six patients (42.0%) were female, and 91 (58.0%) were male. The mean age at diagnosis was 52.2 years, and the mean number of pre-test lines of systemic treatment was 2.7. One hundred and seventy-seven patients (95.6%) had at least one identified gene alteration. Twenty-four patients (15.2%) underwent systemic treatment directed by the test result. Of these, one patient had a complete response, four (16.7%) had partial responses, two (8.3%) had stable disease, and 17 (70.8%) had disease progression as the best result. The median progression-free survival time with matched therapy was 1.6 months, and the median overall survival was 10 months. We identified a high prevalence of gene alterations using an next-generation sequencing test. Although some benefit was associated with the matched therapy, most of the patients had disease progression as the best response, indicating the limited biological potential and unclear clinical relevance of this practice.

VERIFICATION TESTING OF WET-WEATHER FLOW TECHNOLOGIES

EPA Science Inventory

As part of the USEPA's ETV Program, the Wet-Weather Flow (WWF) Technologies Pilot Program verifies the performance of commercial-ready technologies by generating quality-assured data using test protocols developed with broad-based stakeholder input. The availability of a credible...

Imaging quality analysis of computer-generated holograms using the point-based method and slice-based method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhen; Chen, Siqing; Zheng, Huadong; Sun, Tao; Yu, Yingjie; Gao, Hongyue; Asundi, Anand K.

2017-06-01

Computer holography has made a notably progress in recent years. The point-based method and slice-based method are chief calculation algorithms for generating holograms in holographic display. Although both two methods are validated numerically and optically, the differences of the imaging quality of these methods have not been specifically analyzed. In this paper, we analyze the imaging quality of computer-generated phase holograms generated by point-based Fresnel zone plates (PB-FZP), point-based Fresnel diffraction algorithm (PB-FDA) and slice-based Fresnel diffraction algorithm (SB-FDA). The calculation formula and hologram generation with three methods are demonstrated. In order to suppress the speckle noise, sequential phase-only holograms are generated in our work. The results of reconstructed images numerically and experimentally are also exhibited. By comparing the imaging quality, the merits and drawbacks with three methods are analyzed. Conclusions are given by us finally.

Space-based laser-driven MHD generator: Feasibility study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, S. H.

1986-01-01

The feasibility of a laser-driven MHD generator, as a candidate receiver for a space-based laser power transmission system, was investigated. On the basis of reasonable parameters obtained in the literature, a model of the laser-driven MHD generator was developed with the assumptions of a steady, turbulent, two-dimensional flow. These assumptions were based on the continuous and steady generation of plasmas by the exposure of the continuous wave laser beam thus inducing a steady back pressure that enables the medium to flow steadily. The model considered here took the turbulent nature of plasmas into account in the two-dimensional geometry of the generator. For these conditions with the plasma parameters defining the thermal conductivity, viscosity, electrical conductivity for the plasma flow, a generator efficiency of 53.3% was calculated. If turbulent effects and nonequilibrium ionization are taken into account, the efficiency is 43.2%. The study shows that the laser-driven MHD system has potential as a laser power receiver for space applications because of its high energy conversion efficiency, high energy density and relatively simple mechanism as compared to other energy conversion cycles.

MEMS-Based Power Generation Techniques for Implantable Biosensing Applications

PubMed Central

Lueke, Jonathan; Moussa, Walied A.

2011-01-01

Implantable biosensing is attractive for both medical monitoring and diagnostic applications. It is possible to monitor phenomena such as physical loads on joints or implants, vital signs, or osseointegration in vivo and in real time. Microelectromechanical (MEMS)-based generation techniques can allow for the autonomous operation of implantable biosensors by generating electrical power to replace or supplement existing battery-based power systems. By supplementing existing battery-based power systems for implantable biosensors, the operational lifetime of the sensor is increased. In addition, the potential for a greater amount of available power allows additional components to be added to the biosensing module, such as computational and wireless and components, improving functionality and performance of the biosensor. Photovoltaic, thermovoltaic, micro fuel cell, electrostatic, electromagnetic, and piezoelectric based generation schemes are evaluated in this paper for applicability for implantable biosensing. MEMS-based generation techniques that harvest ambient energy, such as vibration, are much better suited for implantable biosensing applications than fuel-based approaches, producing up to milliwatts of electrical power. High power density MEMS-based approaches, such as piezoelectric and electromagnetic schemes, allow for supplemental and replacement power schemes for biosensing applications to improve device capabilities and performance. In addition, this may allow for the biosensor to be further miniaturized, reducing the need for relatively large batteries with respect to device size. This would cause the implanted biosensor to be less invasive, increasing the quality of care received by the patient. PMID:22319362

MEMS-based power generation techniques for implantable biosensing applications.

PubMed

Lueke, Jonathan; Moussa, Walied A

2011-01-01

Implantable biosensing is attractive for both medical monitoring and diagnostic applications. It is possible to monitor phenomena such as physical loads on joints or implants, vital signs, or osseointegration in vivo and in real time. Microelectromechanical (MEMS)-based generation techniques can allow for the autonomous operation of implantable biosensors by generating electrical power to replace or supplement existing battery-based power systems. By supplementing existing battery-based power systems for implantable biosensors, the operational lifetime of the sensor is increased. In addition, the potential for a greater amount of available power allows additional components to be added to the biosensing module, such as computational and wireless and components, improving functionality and performance of the biosensor. Photovoltaic, thermovoltaic, micro fuel cell, electrostatic, electromagnetic, and piezoelectric based generation schemes are evaluated in this paper for applicability for implantable biosensing. MEMS-based generation techniques that harvest ambient energy, such as vibration, are much better suited for implantable biosensing applications than fuel-based approaches, producing up to milliwatts of electrical power. High power density MEMS-based approaches, such as piezoelectric and electromagnetic schemes, allow for supplemental and replacement power schemes for biosensing applications to improve device capabilities and performance. In addition, this may allow for the biosensor to be further miniaturized, reducing the need for relatively large batteries with respect to device size. This would cause the implanted biosensor to be less invasive, increasing the quality of care received by the patient.

STEM-Based Computational Modeling for Technology Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clark, Aaron C.; Ernst, Jeremy V.

2008-01-01

According to professionals in education, change is an ever-present and evolving process. With transformation in education at both state and national levels, technology education must determine a position in this climate of change. This paper reflects the views on the future of technology education based on an ongoing research project. The purpose…

The importance of knowledge-based technology.

PubMed

Cipriano, Pamela F

2012-01-01

Nurse executives are responsible for a workforce that can provide safer and more efficient care in a complex sociotechnical environment. National quality priorities rely on technologies to provide data collection, share information, and leverage analytic capabilities to interpret findings and inform approaches to care that will achieve better outcomes. As a key steward for quality, the nurse executive exercises leadership to provide the infrastructure to build and manage nursing knowledge and instill accountability for following evidence-based practices. These actions contribute to a learning health system where new knowledge is captured as a by-product of care delivery enabled by knowledge-based electronic systems. The learning health system also relies on rigorous scientific evidence embedded into practice at the point of care. The nurse executive optimizes use of knowledge-based technologies, integrated throughout the organization, that have the capacity to help transform health care.

Virtual Space Exploration: Let's Use Web-Based Computer Game Technology to Boost IYA 2009 Public Interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hussey, K.; Doronila, P.; Kulikov, A.; Lane, K.; Upchurch, P.; Howard, J.; Harvey, S.; Woodmansee, L.

2008-09-01

With the recent releases of both Google's "Sky" and Microsoft's "WorldWide Telescope" and the large and increasing popularity of video games, the time is now for using these tools, and those crafted at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, to engage the public in astronomy like never before. This presentation will use "Cassini at Saturn Interactive Explorer " (CASSIE) to demonstrate the power of web-based video-game engine technology in providing the public a "first-person" look at space exploration. The concept of virtual space exploration is to allow the public to "see" objects in space as if they were either riding aboard or "flying" next to an ESA/NASA spacecraft. Using this technology, people are able to immediately "look" in any direction from their virtual location in space and "zoom-in" at will. Users can position themselves near Saturn's moons and observe the Cassini Spacecraft's "encounters" as they happened. Whenever real data for their "view" exists it is incorporated into the scene. Where data is missing, a high-fidelity simulation of the view is generated to fill in the scene. The observer can also change the time of observation into the past or future. Our approach is to utilize and extend the Unity 3d game development tool, currently in use by the computer gaming industry, along with JPL mission specific telemetry and instrument data to build our virtual explorer. The potential of the application of game technology for the development of educational curricula and public engagement are huge. We believe this technology can revolutionize the way the general public and the planetary science community views ESA/NASA missions and provides an educational context that is attractive to the younger generation. This technology is currently under development and application at JPL to assist our missions in viewing their data, communicating with the public and visualizing future mission plans. Real-time demonstrations of CASSIE and other applications in development

Navigation studies based on the ubiquitous positioning technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Lei; Mi, Weijie; Wang, Defeng

2007-11-01

This paper summarized the nowadays positioning technologies, such as absolute positioning methods and relative positioning methods, indoor positioning and outdoor positioning, active positioning and passive positioning. Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) technologies were introduced as the omnipresent out-door positioning technologies, including GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and BD-1/2. After analysis of the shortcomings of GNSS, indoor positioning technologies were discussed and compared, including A-GPS, Cellular network, Infrared, Electromagnetism, Computer Vision Cognition, Embedded Pressure Sensor, Ultrasonic, RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification), Bluetooth, WLAN etc.. Then the concept and characteristics of Ubiquitous Positioning was proposed. After the ubiquitous positioning technologies contrast and selection followed by system engineering methodology, a navigation system model based on Incorporate Indoor-Outdoor Positioning Solution was proposed. And this model was simulated in the Galileo Demonstration for World Expo Shanghai project. In the conclusion, the prospects of ubiquitous positioning based navigation were shown, especially to satisfy the public location information acquiring requirement.

Mobile-Based Dictionary of Information and Communication Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liando, O. E. S.; Mewengkang, A.; Kaseger, D.; Sangkop, F. I.; Rantung, V. P.; Rorimpandey, G. C.

2018-02-01

This study aims to design and build mobile-based dictionary of information and communication technology applications to provide access to information in the form of glossary of terms in the context of information and communication technologies. Applications built in this study using the Android platform, with SQLite database model. This research uses prototype model development method which covers the stages of communication, Quick Plan, Quick Design Modeling, Construction of Prototype, Deployment Delivery & Feedback, and Full System Transformation. The design of this application is designed in such a way as to facilitate the user in the process of learning and understanding the new terms or vocabularies encountered in the world of information and communication technology. Mobile-based dictionary of Information And Communication Technology applications that have been built can be an alternative to learning literature. In its simplest form, this application is able to meet the need for a comprehensive and accurate dictionary of Information And Communication Technology function.

Technical assessment of discarded tires gasification as alternative technology for electricity generation.

PubMed

Machin, Einara Blanco; Pedroso, Daniel Travieso; de Carvalho, João Andrade

2017-10-01

Concern about contamination associated with the disposal of tires has led to the search for technologies to reuse discarded tires, which include the use of Tire Derived Fuel (TDF) as fuel in advanced thermal-conversion processes, this allows the energy use of these wastes at affordable costs and reduces the environmental impact on scrap tires disposal. A theoretical assessment of the technical viability of TDF gasification for electric and thermal power generation, from the producer gas combustion in an internal combustion engine and in a gas turbine, was performed. The combustion of producer gas derived from the gasification of TDF in an internal combustion engine driving a generator (ICE-G) appears as the more efficient route for electricity generation when compared with the efficiency obtained with the use of gas turbine (GT-G). A higher global efficiency, considering the electric and thermal generation efficiency can be expected with the use of TDF producer gas in GT-G, where is expected an overall efficiency of 77.49%. The assessment shows that is possible produces up to 7.67MJ and 10.62MJ of electric and thermal energy per kilogram of TDF gasified using an ICE-G and up to 6.06MJ and 13.03MJ of electric and thermal energy respectively per kilogram of gasified TDF using a GT-G. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Computational fluid dynamics for propulsion technology: Geometric grid visualization in CFD-based propulsion technology research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ziebarth, John P.; Meyer, Doug

1992-01-01

The coordination is examined of necessary resources, facilities, and special personnel to provide technical integration activities in the area of computational fluid dynamics applied to propulsion technology. Involved is the coordination of CFD activities between government, industry, and universities. Current geometry modeling, grid generation, and graphical methods are established to use in the analysis of CFD design methodologies.

Knowledge management impact of information technology Web 2.0/3.0. The case study of agent software technology usability in knowledge management system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sołtysik-Piorunkiewicz, Anna

2015-02-01

How we can measure the impact of internet technology Web 2.0/3.0 for knowledge management? How we can use the Web 2.0/3.0 technologies for generating, evaluating, sharing, organizing knowledge in knowledge-based organization? How we can evaluate it from user-centered perspective? Article aims to provide a method for evaluate the usability of web technologies to support knowledge management in knowledge-based organizations of the various stages of the cycle knowledge management, taking into account: generating knowledge, evaluating knowledge, sharing knowledge, etc. for the modern Internet technologies based on the example of agent technologies. The method focuses on five areas of evaluation: GUI, functional structure, the way of content publication, organizational aspect, technological aspect. The method is based on the proposed indicators relating respectively to assess specific areas of evaluation, taking into account the individual characteristics of the scoring. Each of the features identified in the evaluation is judged first point wise, then this score is subject to verification and clarification by means of appropriate indicators of a given feature. The article proposes appropriate indicators to measure the impact of Web 2.0/3.0 technologies for knowledge management and verification them in an example of agent technology usability in knowledge management system.

Technology-Enhanced Formative Assessment: A Research-Based Pedagogy for Teaching Science with Classroom Response Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beatty, Ian D.; Gerace, William J.

2009-01-01

"Classroom response systems" (CRSs) are a promising instructional technology, but most literature on CRS use fails to distinguish between technology and pedagogy, to define and justify a pedagogical perspective, or to discriminate between pedagogies. "Technology-enhanced formative assessment" (TEFA) is our pedagogy for CRS-based science…

Bridging the Gap: Use of Spaceflight Technologies for Earth-Based Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brinley, Alaina; Vidlak, Carissa; Davis, Jeffrey R.

2012-01-01

Spaceflight is colloquially deemed, the final frontier, or the last area which humans have not yet explored in great depth. While this is true, there are still many regions on Earth that remain isolated from the urban, socially and electronically connected world. Because travelling to space requires a great deal of foresight, engineers are required to think creatively in order to invent technologies that are durable enough to withstand the rigors of the unique and often treacherous environment of outer space. The innovations that are a result of spaceflight designs can often be applied to life on Earth, particularly in the rural, isolated communities found throughout the world. The NASA Human Health and Performance Center (NHHPC) is a collaborative, virtual forum that connects businesses, non-profit organizations, academia, and government agencies to allow for better distribution of ideas and technology between these entities (http://www.nasa.gov/offices/NHHPC). There are many technologies that have been developed for spaceflight that can be readily applied to rural communities on Earth. For example, water filtration systems designed for spaceflight must be robust and easily repaired; therefore, a system with these qualifications may be used in rural areas on Earth. This particular initiative seeks to connect established, non-profit organizations working in isolated communities throughout the world with NASA technologies devised for spaceflight. These technologies could include water purification systems, solar power generators, or telemedicine techniques. Applying innovative, spaceflight technologies to isolated communities on Earth provides greater benefits from the same research dollars, thus fulfilling the Space Life Science motto at Johnson Space Center: Exploring Space and Enhancing Life. This paper will discuss this NHHPC global outreach initiative and give examples based on the recent work of the organization.

Technology-based suicide prevention: current applications and future directions.

PubMed

Luxton, David D; June, Jennifer D; Kinn, Julie T

2011-01-01

This review reports on current and emerging technologies for suicide prevention. Technology-based programs discussed include interactive educational and social networking Web sites, e-mail outreach, and programs that use mobile devices and texting. We describe innovative applications such as virtual worlds, gaming, and text analysis that are currently being developed and applied to suicide prevention and outreach programs. We also discuss the benefits and limitations of technology-based applications and discuss future directions for their use.

Advanced Development Projects for Constellation From The Next Generation Launch Technology Program Elements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huebner, Lawrence D.; Saiyed, Naseem H.; Swith, Marion Shayne

2005-01-01

When United States President George W. Bush announced the Vision for Space Exploration in January 2004, twelve propulsion and launch system projects were being pursued in the Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) Program. These projects underwent a review for near-term relevance to the Vision. Subsequently, five projects were chosen as advanced development projects by NASA s Exploration Systems Mission Directorate (ESMD). These five projects were Auxiliary Propulsion, Integrated Powerhead Demonstrator, Propulsion Technology and Integration, Vehicle Subsystems, and Constellation University Institutes. Recently, an NGLT effort in Vehicle Structures was identified as a gap technology that was executed via the Advanced Development Projects Office within ESMD. For all of these advanced development projects, there is an emphasis on producing specific, near-term technical deliverables related to space transportation that constitute a subset of the promised NGLT capabilities. The purpose of this paper is to provide a brief description of the relevancy review process and provide a status of the aforementioned projects. For each project, the background, objectives, significant technical accomplishments, and future plans will be discussed. In contrast to many of the current ESMD activities, these areas are providing hardware and testing to further develop relevant technologies in support of the Vision for Space Exploration.

Osmosis-Based Pressure Generation: Dynamics and Application

PubMed Central

Li, Suyi; Billeh, Yazan N.; Wang, K. W.; Mayer, Michael

2014-01-01

This paper describes osmotically-driven pressure generation in a membrane-bound compartment while taking into account volume expansion, solute dilution, surface area to volume ratio, membrane hydraulic permeability, and changes in osmotic gradient, bulk modulus, and degree of membrane fouling. The emphasis lies on the dynamics of pressure generation; these dynamics have not previously been described in detail. Experimental results are compared to and supported by numerical simulations, which we make accessible as an open source tool. This approach reveals unintuitive results about the quantitative dependence of the speed of pressure generation on the relevant and interdependent parameters that will be encountered in most osmotically-driven pressure generators. For instance, restricting the volume expansion of a compartment allows it to generate its first 5 kPa of pressure seven times faster than without a restraint. In addition, this dynamics study shows that plants are near-ideal osmotic pressure generators, as they are composed of many small compartments with large surface area to volume ratios and strong cell wall reinforcements. Finally, we demonstrate two applications of an osmosis-based pressure generator: actuation of a soft robot and continuous volume delivery over long periods of time. Both applications do not need an external power source but rather take advantage of the energy released upon watering the pressure generators. PMID:24614529

Data-Base Software For Tracking Technological Developments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aliberti, James A.; Wright, Simon; Monteith, Steve K.

1996-01-01

Technology Tracking System (TechTracS) computer program developed for use in storing and retrieving information on technology and related patent information developed under auspices of NASA Headquarters and NASA's field centers. Contents of data base include multiple scanned still images and quick-time movies as well as text. TechTracS includes word-processing, report-editing, chart-and-graph-editing, and search-editing subprograms. Extensive keyword searching capabilities enable rapid location of technologies, innovators, and companies. System performs routine functions automatically and serves multiple users.

A Review of Technology-Based Youth and Family-Focused Interventions

PubMed Central

Prinz, Ronald J.

2017-01-01

In the past 10 years, mental and behavioral health has seen a proliferation of technology-based interventions in the form of online and other computer-delivered programs. This paper focuses on technology-based treatment and preventive interventions aimed at benefitting children and adolescents via either involving the parents and families, or only the youth. The review considered only technology-based interventions that had at least one published study with a randomized controlled trial design. Questions being addressed included: (1) What are the technology-based interventions in the mental/behavioral health area that have been systematically evaluated in published studies? (2) What are the common and unique characteristics of these interventions and their application with respect to sample characteristics, target problems, and technology characteristics (platforms, structures, elements, and communication formats)? and (3) Which intervention approaches and strategies have accrued the greatest evidence? The review identified 30 technology-based psychosocial interventions for children and families, 19 of which were parent or family-focused (32 studies) and 11 of which were youth-focused (in 13 studies). For the parent/family-focused interventions, greatest promise was found in those that addressed either youth behavioral problems or depressive/anxious symptoms, as well as more general bolstering of parenting efficacy. The youth-focused interventions showed some promise in reducing depressive/ anxious symptoms. Advantages and disadvantages of the technology-based approaches were considered, and areas for future research and development were discussed. PMID:27787701

A Review of Technology-Based Youth and Family-Focused Interventions.

PubMed

MacDonell, Kathleen Watson; Prinz, Ronald J

2017-06-01

In the past 10 years, mental and behavioral health has seen a proliferation of technology-based interventions in the form of online and other computer-delivered programs. This paper focuses on technology-based treatment and preventive interventions aimed at benefitting children and adolescents via either involving the parents and families, or only the youth. The review considered only technology-based interventions that had at least one published study with a randomized controlled trial design. Questions being addressed included: (1) What are the technology-based interventions in the mental/behavioral health area that have been systematically evaluated in published studies? (2) What are the common and unique characteristics of these interventions and their application with respect to sample characteristics, target problems, and technology characteristics (platforms, structures, elements, and communication formats)? and (3) Which intervention approaches and strategies have accrued the greatest evidence? The review identified 30 technology-based psychosocial interventions for children and families, 19 of which were parent or family-focused (32 studies) and 11 of which were youth-focused (in 13 studies). For the parent/family-focused interventions, greatest promise was found in those that addressed either youth behavioral problems or depressive/anxious symptoms, as well as more general bolstering of parenting efficacy. The youth-focused interventions showed some promise in reducing depressive/anxious symptoms. Advantages and disadvantages of the technology-based approaches were considered, and areas for future research and development were discussed.

Advanced technologies in the ASI MLRO towards a new generation laser ranging system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Varghese, Thomas; Bianco, Giuseppe

1994-01-01

Matera Laser Ranging Observatory (MLRO) is a high performance, highly automated optical and astronomical observatory currently under design and development by AlliedSignal for the Italian Space Agency (ASI). It is projected to become operational at the Centro Geodesia Spaziale in Matera, Italy, in 1997. MLRO, based on a 1.5-meter astronomical quality telescope, will perform ranging to spacecraft in earthbound orbits, lunar reflectors, and specially equipped deep space missions. The primary emphasis during design is to incorporate state-of-the-art technologies to produce an intelligent, automated, high accuracy ranging system that will mimic the characteristic features of a fifth generation laser ranging system. The telescope has multiple ports and foci to support future experiments in the areas of laser communications, lidar, astrometry, etc. The key features providing state-of-the-art ranging performance include: a diode-pumped picosecond (50 ps) laser, high speed (3-5 GHz) optoelectronic detection and signal processing, and a high accuracy (6 ps) high resolution (less than 2 ps) time measurement capability. The above combination of technologies is expected to yield millimeter laser ranging precision and accuracy on targets up to 300,000 km, surpassing the best operational instrument performance to date by a factor of five or more. Distributed processing and control using a state-of-the-art computing environment provides the framework for efficient operation, system optimization, and diagnostics. A computationally intelligent environment permits optimal planning, scheduling, tracking, and data processing. It also supports remote access, monitor, and control for joint experiments with other observatories.

Can algae-based technologies be an affordable green process for biofuel production and wastewater remediation?

PubMed

Vo Hoang Nhat, P; Ngo, H H; Guo, W S; Chang, S W; Nguyen, D D; Nguyen, P D; Bui, X T; Zhang, X B; Guo, J B

2018-05-01

Algae is a well-known organism that its characteristic is prominent for biofuel production and wastewater remediation. This critical review aims to present the applicability of algae with in-depth discussion regarding three key aspects: (i) characterization of algae for its applications; (ii) the technical approaches and their strengths and drawbacks; and (iii) future perspectives of algae-based technologies. The process optimization and combinations with other chemical and biological processes have generated efficiency, in which bio-oil yield is up to 41.1%. Through life cycle assessment, algae bio-energy achieves high energy return than fossil fuel. Thus, the algae-based technologies can reasonably be considered as green approaches. Although selling price of algae bio-oil is still high (about $2 L -1 ) compared to fossil fuel's price of $1 L -1 , it is expected that the algae bio-oil's price will become acceptable in the next coming decades and potentially dominate 75% of the market. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prospects for the use of SMR and IGCC technologies for power generation in Poland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wyrwa, Artur; Suwała, Wojciech

2017-11-01

This study is a preliminary assessment of prospects for new power generation technologies that are of particular interest in Poland. We analysed the economic competitiveness of small size integrated gasification combined cycle units (IGCC) and small modular reactors (SMR). For comparison we used one of the most widely applied and universal metric i.e. Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE). The LCOE results were complemented with the results of energy-economic model TIMES-PL in order to analyse the economic viability of these technologies under operation regime of the entire power system. The results show that with techno-economic assumptions presented in the paper SMRs are more competitive option as compared to small IGCC units.

Signal amplification of microRNAs with modified strand displacement-based cycling probe technology.

PubMed

Jia, Huning; Bu, Ying; Zou, Bingjie; Wang, Jianping; Kumar, Shalen; Pitman, Janet L; Zhou, Guohua; Song, Qinxin

2016-10-24

Micro ribose nucleic acids (miRNAs) play an important role in biological processes such as cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. Therefore, miRNAs are potentially a powerful marker for monitoring cancer and diagnosis. Here, we present sensitive signal amplification for miRNAs based on modified cycling probe technology with strand displacement amplification. miRNA was captured by the template coupled with beads, and then the first cycle based on SDA was repeatedly extended to the nicking end, which was produced by the extension reaction of miRNA. The products generated by SDA are captured by a molecular beacon (MB), which is designed to initiate the second amplification cycle, with a similar principle to the cycling probe technology (CPT), which is based on repeated digestion of the DNA-RNA hybrid by the RNase H. After one sample enrichment and two steps of signal amplification, 0.1 pM of let-7a can be detected. The miRNA assay exhibits a great dynamic range of over 100 orders of magnitude and high specificity to clearly discriminate a single base difference in miRNA sequences. This isothermal amplification does not require any special temperature control instrument. The assay is also about signal amplification rather than template amplification, therefore minimising contamination issues. In addition, there is no need for the reverse transcription (RT) process. Thus the amplification is suitable for miRNA detection.

High Efficiency Turbine Generator for Instream Electric Power Production

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

Kelecy, Patrick M.

Concerns over global warming due to carbon emissions have spurred an interest in such renewable energy alternatives as hydroelectric, wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass. Of all of these, hydroelectric power offers perhaps the greatest potential for supplying a significant portion of our nation's energy needs. To realize this potential, however, this technology needs to expand beyond traditional dam based installations (for which there are relatively few suitable remaining sites) into the vast number of open flow installations potentially available in rivers, canals, tidal streams and open ocean sites. To help promote this expansion, this project focused on the development ofmore » an advanced, vertical axis, hydrokinetic power generator (HPG) technology for open flow applications. Two key features investigated for this were (1) an active blade pitch control system that provides independent control of the turbine blades, and (2) a low-profile, low-speed, high-torque electric generator suitable for direct coupling to the turbine (no gearbox). Both systems are based on a unique, disk-shape, high performance electromechanical design that is potentially low cost, compact, light-weight, and efficient. Blade actuator and generator designs were developed and optimized for this application. They were then incorporated into several HPG designs based on an optimized H-Darrieus turbine structure that was also developed. Three HPG sizes were explored (10kW, 25kW and 50kW) to assess scalability. For each size, two HPG versions were developed: one with the electric generator mounted above the turbine and one with it integrated into the turbine body. Each provided certain benefits and illustrated the versatility of this technology. Design and performance specifications were calculated and comparisons were made with commercial hydrokinetic turbine products. Based on these comparisons, this technology was smaller and significantly lighter (by up to 50%) in the higher power

Patterns of Innovation in Alzheimer's Disease Drug Development: A Strategic Assessment Based on Technological Maturity.

PubMed

Beierlein, Jennifer M; McNamee, Laura M; Walsh, Michael J; Ledley, Fred D

2015-08-01

This article examines the current status of translational science for Alzheimer's disease (AD) drug discovery by using an analytical model of technology maturation. Previous studies using this model have demonstrated that nascent scientific insights and inventions generate few successful leads or new products until achieving a requisite level of maturity. This article assessed whether recent failures and successes in AD research follow patterns of innovation observed in other sectors. The bibliometric-based Technology Innovation Maturation Evaluation model was used to quantify the characteristic S-curve of growth for AD-related technologies, including acetylcholinesterase, N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, B-amyloid, amyloid precursor protein, presenilin, amyloid precursor protein secretases, apolipoprotein E4, and transactive response DNA binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43). This model quantifies the accumulation of knowledge as a metric for technological maturity, and it identifies the point of initiation of an exponential growth stage and the point at which growth slows as the technology is established. In contrast to the long-established acetylcholinesterase and NMDA receptor technologies, we found that amyloid-related technologies reached the established point only after 2000, and that the more recent technologies (eg, TDP-43) have not yet approached this point. The first approvals for new molecular entities targeting acetylcholinesterase and the NMDA receptor occurred an average of 22 years after the respective technologies were established, with only memantine (which was phenotypically discovered) entering clinical trials before this point. In contrast, the 6 lead compounds targeting the formation of amyloid plaques that failed in Phase III trials between 2009 and 2014 all entered clinical trials before the respective target technologies were established. This analysis suggests that AD drug discovery has followed a predictable pattern of innovation in which

Operational Characteristics of an SCR-Based Pulse Generating Circuit

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-01

of OUTC can further be explained by the RC time constants involved in the charging and discharging of OUTC during each pulse . When the SCR is...CHARACTERISTICS OF AN SCR-BASED PULSE GENERATING CIRCUIT by Wing Chien Christopher Chang December 2014 Thesis Advisor: Gamani Karunasiri Co...COVERED December 20 14 Master ’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5. FUNDING NUMBERS OPERATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AN SCR-BASED PULSE GENERATING CIRCUIT 6

Effect of material constants on power output in piezoelectric vibration-based generators.

PubMed

Takeda, Hiroaki; Mihara, Kensuke; Yoshimura, Tomohiro; Hoshina, Takuya; Tsurumi, Takaaki

2011-09-01

A possible power output estimation based on material constants in piezoelectric vibration-based generators is proposed. A modified equivalent circuit model of the generator was built and was validated by the measurement results in the generator fabricated using potassium sodium niobate-based and lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics. Subsequently, generators with the same structure using other PZT-based and bismuth-layered structure ferroelectrics ceramics were fabricated and tested. The power outputs of these generators were expressed as a linear functions of the term composed of electromechanical coupling coefficients k(sys)(2) and mechanical quality factors Q*(m) of the generator. The relationship between device constants (k(sys)(2) and Q*(m)) and material constants (k(31)(2) and Q(m)) was clarified. Estimation of the power output using material constants is demonstrated and the appropriate piezoelectric material for the generator is suggested.

An evolution based biosensor receptor DNA sequence generation algorithm.

PubMed

Kim, Eungyeong; Lee, Malrey; Gatton, Thomas M; Lee, Jaewan; Zang, Yupeng

2010-01-01

A biosensor is composed of a bioreceptor, an associated recognition molecule, and a signal transducer that can selectively detect target substances for analysis. DNA based biosensors utilize receptor molecules that allow hybridization with the target analyte. However, most DNA biosensor research uses oligonucleotides as the target analytes and does not address the potential problems of real samples. The identification of recognition molecules suitable for real target analyte samples is an important step towards further development of DNA biosensors. This study examines the characteristics of DNA used as bioreceptors and proposes a hybrid evolution-based DNA sequence generating algorithm, based on DNA computing, to identify suitable DNA bioreceptor recognition molecules for stable hybridization with real target substances. The Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) approach is applied in the proposed algorithm to evaluate the safety and fitness of the generated DNA sequences. This approach improves efficiency and stability for enhanced and variable-length DNA sequence generation and allows extension to generation of variable-length DNA sequences with diverse receptor recognition requirements.

Immunoglobulin domain interface exchange as a platform technology for the generation of Fc heterodimers and bispecific antibodies.

PubMed

Skegro, Darko; Stutz, Cian; Ollier, Romain; Svensson, Emelie; Wassmann, Paul; Bourquin, Florence; Monney, Thierry; Gn, Sunitha; Blein, Stanislas

2017-06-09

Bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) are of significant importance to the development of novel antibody-based therapies, and heavy chain (Hc) heterodimers represent a major class of bispecific drug candidates. Current technologies for the generation of Hc heterodimers are suboptimal and often suffer from contamination by homodimers posing purification challenges. Here, we introduce a new technology based on biomimicry wherein the protein-protein interfaces of two different immunoglobulin (Ig) constant domain pairs are exchanged in part or fully to design new heterodimeric domains. The method can be applied across Igs to design Fc heterodimers and bsAbs. We investigated interfaces from human IgA CH3, IgD CH3, IgG1 CH3, IgM CH4, T-cell receptor (TCR) α/β, and TCR γ/δ constant domain pairs, and we found that they successfully drive human IgG1 CH3 or IgM CH4 heterodimerization to levels similar to or above those of reference methods. A comprehensive interface exchange between the TCR α/β constant domain pair and the IgG1 CH3 homodimer was evidenced by X-ray crystallography and used to engineer examples of bsAbs for cancer therapy. Parental antibody pairs were rapidly reformatted into scalable bsAbs that were free of homodimer traces by combining interface exchange, asymmetric Protein A binding, and the scFv × Fab format. In summary, we successfully built several new CH3- or CH4-based heterodimers that may prove useful for designing new bsAb-based therapeutics, and we anticipate that our approach could be broadly implemented across the Ig constant domain family. To our knowledge, CH4-based heterodimers have not been previously reported. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Wearable Electricity Generators Fabricated Utilizing Transparent Electronic Textiles Based on Polyester/Ag Nanowires/Graphene Core-Shell Nanocomposites.

PubMed

Wu, Chaoxing; Kim, Tae Whan; Li, Fushan; Guo, Tailiang

2016-07-26

The technological realization of wearable triboelectric generators is attractive because of their promising applications in wearable self-powered intelligent systems. However, the low electrical conductivity, the low electrical stability, and the low compatibility of current electronic textiles (e-textiles) and clothing restrict the comfortable and aesthetic integration of wearable generators into human clothing. Here, we present high-performance, transparent, smart e-textiles that employ commercial textiles coated with silver nanowire/graphene sheets fabricated by using a scalable, environmentally friendly, full-solution process. The smart e-textiles show superb and stable conduction of below 20 Ω/square as well as excellent flexibility, stretchability, foldability, and washability. In addition, wearable electricity-generating textiles, in which the e-textiles act as electrodes as well as wearable substrates, are presented. Because of the high compatibility of smart e-textiles and clothing, the electricity-generating textiles can be easily integrated into a glove to harvest the mechanical energy induced by the motion of the fingers. The effective output power generated by a single generator due to that motion reached as high as 7 nW/cm(2). The successful demonstration of the electricity-generating glove suggests a promising future for polyester/Ag nanowire/graphene core-shell nanocomposite-based smart e-textiles for real wearable electronic systems and self-powered clothing.

Economic evaluation of technology for a new generation biofuel production using wastes.

PubMed

Koutinas, Athanasios; Kanellaki, Maria; Bekatorou, Argyro; Kandylis, Panagiotis; Pissaridi, Katerina; Dima, Agapi; Boura, Konstantina; Lappa, Katerina; Tsafrakidou, Panagiota; Stergiou, Panagiota-Yiolanda; Foukis, Athanasios; Gkini, Olga A; Papamichael, Emmanuel M

2016-01-01

An economic evaluation of an integrated technology for industrial scale new generation biofuel production using whey, vinasse, and lignocellulosic biomass as raw materials is reported. Anaerobic packed-bed bioreactors were used for organic acids production using initially synthetic media and then wastes. Butyric, lactic and acetic acid were predominately produced from vinasse, whey, and cellulose, respectively. Mass balance was calculated for a 16,000L daily production capacity. Liquid-liquid extraction was applied for recovery of the organic acids using butanol-1 as an effective extraction solvent which serves also as the alcohol for the subsequent enzyme-catalyzed esterification. The investment needed for the installation of the factory was estimated to about 1.7million€ with depreciation excepted at about 3months. For cellulosics, the installation investment was estimated to be about 7-fold higher with depreciation at about 1.5years. The proposed technology is an alternative trend in biofuel production. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Synergy between scientific advancement and technological innovation, illustrated by a mechanism-based model characterizing sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibition.

PubMed

Zhang, Liping; Ng, Chee M; List, James F; Pfister, Marc

2010-09-01

Advances in experimental medicine and technological innovation during the past century have brought tremendous progress in modern medicine and generated an ever-increasing amount of data from bench and bedside. The desire to extend scientific knowledge motivates effective data integration. Technological innovation makes this possible, which in turn accelerates the advancement in science. This mutually beneficial interaction is illustrated by the development of an expanded mechanism-based model for understanding a novel mechanism, sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 SGLT2 inhibition for potential treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Feasibility of Smartphone Based Photogrammetric Point Clouds for the Generation of Accessibility Maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angelats, E.; Parés, M. E.; Kumar, P.

2018-05-01

Accessible cities with accessible services are an old claim of people with reduced mobility. But this demand is still far away of becoming a reality as lot of work is required to be done yet. First step towards accessible cities is to know about real situation of the cities and its pavement infrastructure. Detailed maps or databases on street slopes, access to sidewalks, mobility in public parks and gardens, etc. are required. In this paper, we propose to use smartphone based photogrammetric point clouds, as a starting point to create accessible maps or databases. This paper analyses the performance of these point clouds and the complexity of the image acquisition procedure required to obtain them. The paper proves, through two test cases, that smartphone technology is an economical and feasible solution to get the required information, which is quite often seek by city planners to generate accessible maps. The proposed approach paves the way to generate, in a near term, accessibility maps through the use of point clouds derived from crowdsourced smartphone imagery.

Modular design and implementation of field-programmable-gate-array-based Gaussian noise generator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yuan-Ping; Lee, Ta-Sung; Hwang, Jeng-Kuang

2016-05-01

The modular design of a Gaussian noise generator (GNG) based on field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technology was studied. A new range reduction architecture was included in a series of elementary function evaluation modules and was integrated into the GNG system. The approximation and quantisation errors for the square root module with a first polynomial approximation were high; therefore, we used the central limit theorem (CLT) to improve the noise quality. This resulted in an output rate of one sample per clock cycle. We subsequently applied Newton's method for the square root module, thus eliminating the need for the use of the CLT because applying the CLT resulted in an output rate of two samples per clock cycle (>200 million samples per second). Two statistical tests confirmed that our GNG is of high quality. Furthermore, the range reduction, which is used to solve a limited interval of the function approximation algorithms of the System Generator platform using Xilinx FPGAs, appeared to have a higher numerical accuracy, was operated at >350 MHz, and can be suitably applied for any function evaluation.

Malleable architecture generator for FPGA computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gokhale, Maya; Kaba, James; Marks, Aaron; Kim, Jang

1996-10-01

The malleable architecture generator (MARGE) is a tool set that translates high-level parallel C to configuration bit streams for field-programmable logic based computing systems. MARGE creates an application-specific instruction set and generates the custom hardware components required to perform exactly those computations specified by the C program. In contrast to traditional fixed-instruction processors, MARGE's dynamic instruction set creation provides for efficient use of hardware resources. MARGE processes intermediate code in which each operation is annotated by the bit lengths of the operands. Each basic block (sequence of straight line code) is mapped into a single custom instruction which contains all the operations and logic inherent in the block. A synthesis phase maps the operations comprising the instructions into register transfer level structural components and control logic which have been optimized to exploit functional parallelism and function unit reuse. As a final stage, commercial technology-specific tools are used to generate configuration bit streams for the desired target hardware. Technology- specific pre-placed, pre-routed macro blocks are utilized to implement as much of the hardware as possible. MARGE currently supports the Xilinx-based Splash-2 reconfigurable accelerator and National Semiconductor's CLAy-based parallel accelerator, MAPA. The MARGE approach has been demonstrated on systolic applications such as DNA sequence comparison.

ISRU-Based Robotic Construction Technologies For Lunar And Martian Infrastructures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khoshnevis, Behrokh; Carlson, Anders; Thangavelu, Madhu

2017-01-01

Economically viable and reliable building systems and tool sets are being sought, examined and tested for extraterrestrial infrastructure buildup. This project utilizes a unique architecture weaving the robotic building construction technology with designs for assisting rapid buildup of initial operational capability Lunar and Martian bases. The project intends to develop and test methodologies to construct certain crucial infrastructure elements in order to evaluate the merits, limitations and feasibility of adapting and using such technologies for extraterrestrial application. High priority infrastructure elements suggested by our NASA advisors to be considered include landing pads and aprons, roads, blast walls and shade walls, thermal and micrometeorite protection shields and dust-free platforms utilizing the well-known insitu resource utilization (ISRU) strategy. Current extraterrestrial settlement buildup philosophy holds that in order to minimize the materials needed to be flown in, at great transportation costs, strategies that maximize the use of locally available resources must be adopted. Tools and heavy equipment flown as cargo from Earth are proposed to build required infrastructure to support future missions and settlements on the Moon and Mars. Several unique systems including the Lunar Electric Rover, the unpressurized Chariot rover, the versatile light-weight crane and Tri-Athlete cargo transporter as well as the habitat module mockups and a new generation of spacesuits are undergoing coordinated tests at NASAs D-RATS. This project intends to draw up a detailed synergetic plan to utilize these maturing systems coupled with modern robotic fabrication technologies based primarily on 3D Printing, tailored for swift and reliable Lunar and Martian infrastructure development. This project also intends to increase astronaut safety, improve buildup performance, ameliorate dust interference and concerns, and reduce time-to-commission, all in an economic

Value analysis for advanced technology products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soulliere, Mark

2011-03-01

Technology by itself can be wondrous, but buyers of technology factor in the price they have to pay along with performance in their decisions. As a result, the ``best'' technology may not always win in the marketplace when ``good enough'' can be had at a lower price. Technology vendors often set pricing by ``cost plus margin,'' or by competitors' offerings. What if the product is new (or has yet to be invented)? Value pricing is a methodology to price products based on the value generated (e.g. money saved) by using one product vs. the next best technical alternative. Value analysis can often clarify what product attributes generate the most value. It can also assist in identifying market forces outside of the control of the technology vendor that also influence pricing. These principles are illustrated with examples.

Vortex Laser based on III-V semiconductor metasurface: direct generation of coherent Laguerre-Gauss modes carrying controlled orbital angular momentum

PubMed Central

Seghilani, Mohamed S.; Myara, Mikhael; Sellahi, Mohamed; Legratiet, Luc; Sagnes, Isabelle; Beaudoin, Grégoire; Lalanne, Philippe; Garnache, Arnaud

2016-01-01

The generation of a coherent state, supporting a large photon number, with controlled orbital-angular-momentum L = ħl (of charge l per photon) presents both fundamental and technological challenges: we demonstrate a surface-emitting laser, based on III-V semiconductor technology with an integrated metasurface, generating vortex-like coherent state in the Laguerre-Gauss basis. We use a first order phase perturbation to lift orbital degeneracy of wavefunctions, by introducing a weak anisotropy called here “orbital birefringence”, based on a dielectric metasurface. The azimuthal symmetry breakdown and non-linear laser dynamics create “orbital gain dichroism” allowing selecting vortex handedness. This coherent photonic device was characterized and studied, experimentally and theoretically. It exhibits a low divergence (<1°) diffraction limited beam, emitting 49 mW output power in the near-IR at λ ≃ 1 μm, a charge l = ±1, … ±4 (>50 dB vortex purity), and single frequency operation in a stable low noise regime (0.1% rms). Such high performance laser opens the path to widespread new photonic applications. PMID:27917885

Design keys for paper-based concentration gradient generators.

PubMed

Schaumburg, Federico; Urteaga, Raúl; Kler, Pablo A; Berli, Claudio L A

2018-08-03

The generation of concentration gradients is an essential operation for several analytical processes implemented on microfluidic paper-based analytical devices. The dynamic gradient formation is based on the transverse dispersion of chemical species across co-flowing streams. In paper channels, this transverse flux of molecules is dominated by mechanical dispersion, which is substantially different than molecular diffusion, which is the mechanism acting in conventional microchannels. Therefore, the design of gradient generators on paper requires strategies different from those used in traditional microfluidics. This work considers the foundations of transverse dispersion in porous substrates to investigate the optimal design of microfluidic paper-based concentration gradient generators (μPGGs) by computer simulations. A set of novel and versatile μPGGs were designed in the format of numerical prototypes, and virtual experiments were run to explore the ranges of operation and the overall performance of such devices. Then physical prototypes were fabricated and experimentally tested in our lab. Finally, some basic rules for the design of optimized μPGGs are proposed. Apart from improving the efficiency of mixers, diluters and μPGGs, the results of this investigation are relevant to attain highly controlled concentration fields on paper-based devices. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring crosstalk noise generated in the N-port router used in the WDM-based ONoC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhendong; Xie, Yiyuan; Song, Tingting; He, Chao; Li, Jiachao; Liu, Yong

2017-07-01

Compared with optical network-on-chip (ONoC) with single wavelength, ONoC adopting wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology possesses a very prominent advantage-higher bandwidth. Therefore, WDM-based ONoC has been considered one of the most promising ways to relieve the rapidly increasing traffic load in communication systems. A WDM-based router, as the core equipment of WDM-based ONoC, is influenced by crosstalk noise, especially the nonlinear crosstalk noise generated by the four-wave mixing effect. Thus, to explore the performance of the N-port nonblocking optical router using WDM, we propose a universal analytic model to analyze the transmission loss, crosstalk noise, optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR), and bit error ratio (BER). The research results show that crosstalk noise varies along with signals at different wavelengths in the same channel. For signals with the same wavelength, the noises generated in the different transmission paths are obviously different from each other. For research of transmission loss, OSNR, and BER, similar results can be obtained. Based on the eye diagrams, we can learn that crosstalk noise will cause signal distortion to a certain extent. With this model, capability of this kind of multiport optical router using WDM can be understood conveniently.

Model Based Document and Report Generation for Systems Engineering

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delp, Christopher; Lam, Doris; Fosse, Elyse; Lee, Cin-Young

2013-01-01

As Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) practices gain adoption, various approaches have been developed in order to simplify and automate the process of generating documents from models. Essentially, all of these techniques can be unified around the concept of producing different views of the model according to the needs of the intended audience. In this paper, we will describe a technique developed at JPL of applying SysML Viewpoints and Views to generate documents and reports. An architecture of model-based view and document generation will be presented, and the necessary extensions to SysML with associated rationale will be explained. A survey of examples will highlight a variety of views that can be generated, and will provide some insight into how collaboration and integration is enabled. We will also describe the basic architecture for the enterprise applications that support this approach.

Model based document and report generation for systems engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delp, C.; Lam, D.; Fosse, E.; Lee, Cin-Young

As Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) practices gain adoption, various approaches have been developed in order to simplify and automate the process of generating documents from models. Essentially, all of these techniques can be unified around the concept of producing different views of the model according to the needs of the intended audience. In this paper, we will describe a technique developed at JPL of applying SysML Viewpoints and Views to generate documents and reports. An architecture of model-based view and document generation will be presented, and the necessary extensions to SysML with associated rationale will be explained. A survey of examples will highlight a variety of views that can be generated, and will provide some insight into how collaboration and integration is enabled. We will also describe the basic architecture for the enterprise applications that support this approach.

A Research on the Generative Learning Model Supported by Context-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ulusoy, Fatma Merve; Onen, Aysem Seda

2014-01-01

This study is based on the generative learning model which involves context-based learning. Using the generative learning model, we taught the topic of Halogens. This topic is covered in the grade 10 chemistry curriculum using activities which are designed in accordance with the generative learning model supported by context-based learning. The…

Generation of expressed sequence tags for discovery of genes responsible for floral traits of Chrysanthemum morifolium by next-generation sequencing technology.

PubMed

Sasaki, Katsutomo; Mitsuda, Nobutaka; Nashima, Kenji; Kishimoto, Kyutaro; Katayose, Yuichi; Kanamori, Hiroyuki; Ohmiya, Akemi

2017-09-04

Chrysanthemum morifolium is one of the most economically valuable ornamental plants worldwide. Chrysanthemum is an allohexaploid plant with a large genome that is commercially propagated by vegetative reproduction. New cultivars with different floral traits, such as color, morphology, and scent, have been generated mainly by classical cross-breeding and mutation breeding. However, only limited genetic resources and their genome information are available for the generation of new floral traits. To obtain useful information about molecular bases for floral traits of chrysanthemums, we read expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of chrysanthemums by high-throughput sequencing using the 454 pyrosequencing technology. We constructed normalized cDNA libraries, consisting of full-length, 3'-UTR, and 5'-UTR cDNAs derived from various tissues of chrysanthemums. These libraries produced a total number of 3,772,677 high-quality reads, which were assembled into 213,204 contigs. By comparing the data obtained with those of full genome-sequenced species, we confirmed that our chrysanthemum contig set contained the majority of all expressed genes, which was sufficient for further molecular analysis in chrysanthemums. We confirmed that our chrysanthemum EST set (contigs) contained a number of contigs that encoded transcription factors and enzymes involved in pigment and aroma compound metabolism that was comparable to that of other species. This information can serve as an informative resource for identifying genes involved in various biological processes in chrysanthemums. Moreover, the findings of our study will contribute to a better understanding of the floral characteristics of chrysanthemums including the myriad cultivars at the molecular level.

Fiber-optic perimeter security system based on WDM technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polyakov, Alexandre V.

2017-10-01

Intelligent underground fiber optic perimeter security system is presented. Their structure, operation, software and hardware with neural networks elements are described. System allows not only to establish the fact of violation of the perimeter, but also to locate violations. This is achieved through the use of WDM-technology division spectral information channels. As used quasi-distributed optoelectronic recirculation system as a discrete sensor. The principle of operation is based on registration of the recirculation period change in the closed optoelectronic circuit at different wavelengths under microstrain exposed optical fiber. As a result microstrain fiber having additional power loss in a fiber optical propagating pulse, which causes a time delay as a result of switching moments of the threshold device. To separate the signals generated by intruder noise and interference, the signal analyzer is used, based on the principle of a neural network. The system detects walking, running or crawling intruder, as well as undermining attempts to register under the perimeter line. These alarm systems can be used to protect the perimeters of facilities such as airports, nuclear reactors, power plants, warehouses, and other extended territory.

Preliminary Investigation of Impact of Technological Impairment on Trajectory-Based Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sankararaman, Shankar; Roychoudhury, Indranil; Zhang, Xiaoge; Goebel, Kai

2017-01-01

The Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) incorporates collaborative air traffic management and Trajectory-Based Operations (TBO) in order to significantly increase the capacity, efficiency, and predictability of operations in the National Airspace System (NAS), without decreasing safety. This is enabled by airspace users and service providers sharing knowledge about operations that allows prediction of the complete 4D flight trajectory with as little uncertainty as possible. Additionally, new software and hardware technology is critical to reaching NextGen goals, especially with regard to TBO. What if the technologies that are critical for TBO were to be impaired or fail completely? Should there be a malfunction of a piece of the technology, it must be ensured that the whole system does not break down completely or suffer severe impairment. Instead, operations need to be maintained proportionally to the problem and safety needs to be ensured (graceful degradation). This paper proposes a systematic framework to investigate the vulnerability of TBO to technology disruption, and determine the impact of technological impairment on TBO. Two representative technologies are chosen for detailed investigation and the impact of their impairment on the degradation of TBO is illustrated using a weather-related scenario. XXXX There are several possible directions of future work. We believe it is desirable to develop methods to quantitatively assess the impact of technological disruption on TBO and to have the simulation tools to validate the impact. The availability of prognostics and health management methods could be leveraged to predict technological failure/disruption, thus predicting how TBO will be a ected, and possibly pro-actively mitigating the impact. It is important to develop large-scale scenarios where the e ect of technological impairment is prominent, and identify methods to quantitatively assess the extent of TBO degradation. An important goal of

Inside the Gap: Innovative Uses of Technology and Student Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mahoney-O'Neil, Maryellen

2010-01-01

The technological generation gap is a societal phenomenon that also reaches into school classrooms. Typically when the generation gap in technology is discussed it puts students on one side of the gap and teachers on the other, with a clear demarcation implied based on age and assumed experience. This assumption does not account for the emergence…

Multi-viewpoint Image Array Virtual Viewpoint Rapid Generation Algorithm Based on Image Layering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Lu; Piao, Yan

2018-04-01

The use of multi-view image array combined with virtual viewpoint generation technology to record 3D scene information in large scenes has become one of the key technologies for the development of integrated imaging. This paper presents a virtual viewpoint rendering method based on image layering algorithm. Firstly, the depth information of reference viewpoint image is quickly obtained. During this process, SAD is chosen as the similarity measure function. Then layer the reference image and calculate the parallax based on the depth information. Through the relative distance between the virtual viewpoint and the reference viewpoint, the image layers are weighted and panned. Finally the virtual viewpoint image is rendered layer by layer according to the distance between the image layers and the viewer. This method avoids the disadvantages of the algorithm DIBR, such as high-precision requirements of depth map and complex mapping operations. Experiments show that, this algorithm can achieve the synthesis of virtual viewpoints in any position within 2×2 viewpoints range, and the rendering speed is also very impressive. The average result proved that this method can get satisfactory image quality. The average SSIM value of the results relative to real viewpoint images can reaches 0.9525, the PSNR value can reaches 38.353 and the image histogram similarity can reaches 93.77%.

System technology analysis of aeroassisted orbital transfer vehicles: Moderate lift/drag (0.75-1.5). Volume 2: Supporting research and technology report, phase 1 and 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Technology payoffs of representative ground based (Phase 1) and space based (Phase 2) mid lift/drag ratio (L/D) aeroassisted orbit transfer vehicles (AOTV) were assessed and prioritized. The methodology employed to generate technology payoffs, the major payoffs identified, the urgency of the technology effort required, and the technology plans suggested are summarized for both study phases. Technology issues concerning aerodynamics, aerothermodynamics, thermal protection, propulsion, and guidance, navigation and control are addressed.

Space weather effects on ground based technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clark, T.

Space weather can affect a variety of forms of ground-based technology, usually as a result of either the direct effects of the varying geomagnetic field, or as a result of the induced electric field that accompanies such variations. Technologies affected directly by geomagnetic variations include magnetic measurements made d ringu geophysical surveys, and navigation relying on the geomagnetic field as a direction reference, a method that is particularly common in the surveying of well-bores in the oil industry. The most obvious technology affected by induced electric fields during magnetic storms is electric power transmission, where the example of the blackout in Quebec during the March 1989 magnetic storm is widely known. Additionally, space weather effects must be taken into account in the design of active cathodic protection systems on pipelines to protect them against corrosion. Long-distance telecommunication cables may also have to be designed to cope with space weather related effects. This paper reviews the effects of space weather in these different areas of ground-based technology, and provides examples of how mitigation against hazards may be achieved. (The paper does not include the effects of space weather on radio communication or satellite navigation systems).

A Review of LOX/Kerosene Combustion Instability in American and Russian Combustion Devices in Application to Next-Generation Launch Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rocker, Marvin; Nesman, Tomas E.; Hulka, James R.; Dougherty, N. Sam

2003-01-01

The Next-Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) project was introduced with its objectives. To meet the objectives, NASA has directed aerospace industry to perform advances and risk reduction of relevant technologies, including propulsion. Originally, the propulsion industry focused on producing both LOWLH2 and LOWkerosene flight engine technology demonstrators. These flight engine technology demonstrators were briefly reviewed. NASA recently redirected this focus to Lowkerosene only. Discussion of LOWkerosene combustion devices was and is prefaced by grave concerns about combustion instability. These concerns have prompted a review of LOWkerosene combustion instability in American and Russian combustion devices. In the review of the Russian propulsion industry's experience in eliminating LOWkerosene combustion instabilities, the history of principal Russian rocket scientists and their role in the development of LOXkerosene combustion devices is presented. The innovative methods implemented by the Russians of eliminations combustion instabilities in LOXkerosene combustion devices were reviewed. The successful elimination of these combustion instabilities has resulted in two generations of Russian-produced, high-performance LOWkerosene combustion devices.

CNV-CH: A Convex Hull Based Segmentation Approach to Detect Copy Number Variations (CNV) Using Next-Generation Sequencing Data

PubMed Central

De, Rajat K.

2015-01-01

Copy number variation (CNV) is a form of structural alteration in the mammalian DNA sequence, which are associated with many complex neurological diseases as well as cancer. The development of next generation sequencing (NGS) technology provides us a new dimension towards detection of genomic locations with copy number variations. Here we develop an algorithm for detecting CNVs, which is based on depth of coverage data generated by NGS technology. In this work, we have used a novel way to represent the read count data as a two dimensional geometrical point. A key aspect of detecting the regions with CNVs, is to devise a proper segmentation algorithm that will distinguish the genomic locations having a significant difference in read count data. We have designed a new segmentation approach in this context, using convex hull algorithm on the geometrical representation of read count data. To our knowledge, most algorithms have used a single distribution model of read count data, but here in our approach, we have considered the read count data to follow two different distribution models independently, which adds to the robustness of detection of CNVs. In addition, our algorithm calls CNVs based on the multiple sample analysis approach resulting in a low false discovery rate with high precision. PMID:26291322

CNV-CH: A Convex Hull Based Segmentation Approach to Detect Copy Number Variations (CNV) Using Next-Generation Sequencing Data.

PubMed

Sinha, Rituparna; Samaddar, Sandip; De, Rajat K

2015-01-01

Copy number variation (CNV) is a form of structural alteration in the mammalian DNA sequence, which are associated with many complex neurological diseases as well as cancer. The development of next generation sequencing (NGS) technology provides us a new dimension towards detection of genomic locations with copy number variations. Here we develop an algorithm for detecting CNVs, which is based on depth of coverage data generated by NGS technology. In this work, we have used a novel way to represent the read count data as a two dimensional geometrical point. A key aspect of detecting the regions with CNVs, is to devise a proper segmentation algorithm that will distinguish the genomic locations having a significant difference in read count data. We have designed a new segmentation approach in this context, using convex hull algorithm on the geometrical representation of read count data. To our knowledge, most algorithms have used a single distribution model of read count data, but here in our approach, we have considered the read count data to follow two different distribution models independently, which adds to the robustness of detection of CNVs. In addition, our algorithm calls CNVs based on the multiple sample analysis approach resulting in a low false discovery rate with high precision.

Astrium Technological Roadmaps for the Next Generation of Launchers Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larnac, Guy

2014-06-01

Main requirement on Ariane 6 are robustness, overall ownership cost and environmental impacts. To be able to meet these requirements it's mandatory to modify our usual way of working and to think the development and qualification of technologies differently. Airbus Defence and Space in the domain of materials, technologies and structures proposes a vision which address these points declined at different level:- Selection of key metallic and composite technologies to reduce drastically the cost of manufacturing,- Implementation of robust and economical way of assembly, promoting adhesive bonding and innovative technologies- Introducing virtual testing approach coupled with advanced methods and process simulation- Introduction of in-line monitoring to reduce cost of control- Implementation of the design for environment methodology with life cycle analysis to support the choice of technologies and materials- Development of EADS common materials to get benefice of aeronautic supply chain and communalitiesTo be efficient it seems evident and mandatory to develop all these approaches in an integrated and coordinated way. Advanced technologies and methodologies are supported by a strong network of collaboration enabling the integration of upstream ideas and concepts. This network is not only focused on low TRL level. Within EADS divisions intensive collaboration is deployed in order to get synergies. On the other side it's also mandatory for reliability and obsolescence issues to take care and master the supply chain.Additive layer manufacturing and thermoplastic based composite are directly concerned by this problematic. We present how, in the domain of materials and structures, aeronautic materials are considered first and how the mechanism of common qualification shared within EADS is now developed.This vision is being implemented within Airbus Defence and Space, described and reported through roadmaps. These roadmaps are the core of Airbus defence and Space strategies

Next Generation Air Measurement Technologies Fact Sheet

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is advancing lower cost and portable air measurement technology to enhance monitoring capabilities for complying with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. The technology is providing mobile and stationary real-time measurement capabilities.

Generation of an Aerothermal Data Base for the X33 Spacecraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, Cathy; Huynh, Loc

1998-01-01

The X-33 experimental program is a cooperative program between industry and NASA, managed by Lockheed-Martin Skunk Works to develop an experimental vehicle to demonstrate new technologies for a single-stage-to-orbit, fully reusable launch vehicle (RLV). One of the new technologies to be demonstrated is an advanced Thermal Protection System (TPS) being designed by BF Goodrich (formerly Rohr, Inc.) with support from NASA. The calculation of an aerothermal database is crucial to identifying the critical design environment data for the TPS. The NASA Ames X-33 team has generated such a database using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analyses, engineering analysis methods and various programs to compare and interpolate the results from the CFD and the engineering analyses. This database, along with a program used to query the database, is used extensively by several X-33 team members to help them in designing the X-33. This paper will describe the methods used to generate this database, the program used to query the database, and will show some of the aerothermal analysis results for the X-33 aircraft.

Designing the next generation of robotic controllers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldstein, David G.

1994-01-01

The use of scenario-based, object-oriented software engineering methodologies in the next generation of robotic controllers is discussed. The controllers are intended to supplant the decades old technology currently embraced by the manufacturing industry of the United States.

Next-generation mammalian genetics toward organism-level systems biology.

PubMed

Susaki, Etsuo A; Ukai, Hideki; Ueda, Hiroki R

2017-01-01

Organism-level systems biology in mammals aims to identify, analyze, control, and design molecular and cellular networks executing various biological functions in mammals. In particular, system-level identification and analysis of molecular and cellular networks can be accelerated by next-generation mammalian genetics. Mammalian genetics without crossing, where all production and phenotyping studies of genome-edited animals are completed within a single generation drastically reduce the time, space, and effort of conducting the systems research. Next-generation mammalian genetics is based on recent technological advancements in genome editing and developmental engineering. The process begins with introduction of double-strand breaks into genomic DNA by using site-specific endonucleases, which results in highly efficient genome editing in mammalian zygotes or embryonic stem cells. By using nuclease-mediated genome editing in zygotes, or ~100% embryonic stem cell-derived mouse technology, whole-body knock-out and knock-in mice can be produced within a single generation. These emerging technologies allow us to produce multiple knock-out or knock-in strains in high-throughput manner. In this review, we discuss the basic concepts and related technologies as well as current challenges and future opportunities for next-generation mammalian genetics in organism-level systems biology.

Using Digital Health Technology to Better Generate Evidence and Deliver Evidence-Based Care.

PubMed

Sharma, Abhinav; Harrington, Robert A; McClellan, Mark B; Turakhia, Mintu P; Eapen, Zubin J; Steinhubl, Steven; Mault, James R; Majmudar, Maulik D; Roessig, Lothar; Chandross, Karen J; Green, Eric M; Patel, Bakul; Hamer, Andrew; Olgin, Jeffrey; Rumsfeld, John S; Roe, Matthew T; Peterson, Eric D

2018-06-12

As we enter the information age of health care, digital health technologies offer significant opportunities to optimize both clinical care delivery and clinical research. Despite their potential, the use of such information technologies in clinical care and research faces major data quality, privacy, and regulatory concerns. In hopes of addressing both the promise and challenges facing digital health technologies in the transformation of health care, we convened a think tank meeting with academic, industry, and regulatory representatives in December 2016 in Washington, DC. In this paper, we summarize the proceedings of the think tank meeting and aim to delineate a framework for appropriately using digital health technologies in healthcare delivery and research. Copyright © 2018 American College of Cardiology Foundation. All rights reserved.

NASA/DARPA advanced communications technology satellite project for evaluation of telemedicine outreach using next-generation communications satellite technology: Mayo Foundation participation.

PubMed

Gilbert, B K; Mitchell, M P; Bengali, A R; Khandheria, B K

1999-08-01

To describe the development of telemedicine capabilities-application of remote consultation and diagnostic techniques-and to evaluate the feasibility and practicality of such clinical outreach to rural and underserved communities with limited telecommunications infrastructures. In 1992, Mayo Foundation (Rochester, Minn, Jacksonville, Fla, and Scottsdale, Ariz), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency collaborated to create a complex network of fiberoptic landlines, video recording systems, satellite terminals, and specially developed data translators linking Mayo sites with other locations in the continental United States on an on-demand basis. The purpose was to transmit data via the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) digital communications protocol over the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite. The links were intended to provide a conduit for transmission of data for patient-specific consultations between physicians, evaluation of medical imagery, and medical education for clinical staffs at remote sites. Low-data-rate (LDR) experiments went live late in 1993. Mayo Clinic Rochester successfully provided medical consultation and services to 2 small regional medical facilities. High-data-rate (HDR) experiments included studies of remote digital echocardiography, store-and-forward telemedicine, cardiac catheterization, and teleconsultation for congenital heart disease. These studies combined landline data transmission with use of the satellite. The complexity of the routing paths and network components, immaturity of available software, and inexperience with existing telecommunications caused significant study delays. These experiments demonstrated that next-generation satellite technology can provide batch and real-time imagery for telemedicine. The first-generation of the ATM and satellite network technology used in these experiments created several technical problems and inconveniences that should

Teaching Information Literacy to Generation Y.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manuel, Kate

2002-01-01

Discusses how to change library information literacy classes for Generation Y students (born after 1981) to accommodate their learning styles and preferences, based on experiences at California State University, Hayward. Topics include positive outlooks toward technology; orientation toward images, not linear text; low thresholds for boredom and…

Encouraging the next generation into land-based industries.

PubMed

Rowarth, Js

2008-12-01

Members of the Y-Generation (born between approximately 1978 and 1994) have expectations of careers, rewards and 'work-life balance' that are very different from those of previous generations. This paper discusses these differences, how the land-based industries can position in order to offer 'the career path of choice', and how doing so will be of benefit not only to employers but also to New Zealand.

ANN based Real-Time Estimation of Power Generation of Different PV Module Types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syafaruddin; Karatepe, Engin; Hiyama, Takashi

Distributed generation is expected to become more important in the future generation system. Utilities need to find solutions that help manage resources more efficiently. Effective smart grid solutions have been experienced by using real-time data to help refine and pinpoint inefficiencies for maintaining secure and reliable operating conditions. This paper proposes the application of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) for the real-time estimation of the maximum power generation of PV modules of different technologies. An intelligent technique is necessary required in this case due to the relationship between the maximum power of PV modules and the open circuit voltage and temperature is nonlinear and can't be easily expressed by an analytical expression for each technology. The proposed ANN method is using input signals of open circuit voltage and cell temperature instead of irradiance and ambient temperature to determine the estimated maximum power generation of PV modules. It is important for the utility to have the capability to perform this estimation for optimal operating points and diagnostic purposes that may be an early indicator of a need for maintenance and optimal energy management. The proposed method is accurately verified through a developed real-time simulator on the daily basis of irradiance and cell temperature changes.