Improving physician-patient communication about cancer pain with a tailored education-coaching intervention.

PubMed

Street, Richard L; Slee, Christina; Kalauokalani, Donna K; Dean, Dionne Evans; Tancredi, Daniel J; Kravitz, Richard L

2010-07-01

This study examined the effect of a theoretically grounded, tailored education-coaching intervention to help patients more effectively discuss their pain-related questions, concerns, and preferences with physicians. Grounded in social-cognitive and communication theory, a tailored education-coaching (TEC) intervention was developed to help patients learn pain management and communication skills. In a RCT, 148 cancer patients agreed to have their consultations audio-recorded and were assigned to the intervention or a control group. The recordings were used to code for patients' questions, acts of assertiveness, and expressed concerns and to rate the quality of physicians' communication. Patients in the TEC group discussed their pain concerns more than did patients in the control group. More active patients also had more baseline pain and interacted with physicians using participatory decision-making. Ratings of physicians' information about pain were higher when patients talked more about their pain concerns. The study demonstrates the efficacy of a theoretically grounded, coaching intervention to help cancer patients talk about pain control. Coaching interventions can be effective resources for helping cancer patients communicate about their pain concerns if they are theoretically grounded, can be integrated within clinical routines, and lead to improve health outcomes. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Early Ground Control Station Configurations for Interacting with a UAS Traffic Management (UTM) System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dao, Arik-Quang V.; Martin, Lynne; Mohlenbrink, Christoph; Bienert, Nancy; Wolte, Cynthia; Gomez, Ashley; Claudatos, Lauren; Mercer, Joey

2017-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to report on a human factors evaluation of ground control station design concepts for interacting with an unmanned traffic management system. The data collected for this paper comes from recent field tests for NASA's Unmanned Traffic Management (UTM) project, and covers the following topics; workload, situation awareness, as well as flight crew communication, coordination, and procedures. The goal of this evaluation was to determine if the various software implementations for interacting with the UTM system can be described and classified into design concepts to provide guidance for the development of future UTM interfaces. We begin with a brief description of NASA's UTM project, followed by a description of the test range configuration related to a second development phase. We identified (post hoc) two classes in which the ground control stations could be grouped. This grouping was based on level of display integration. The analysis was exploratory and informal. It was conducted to compare ground stations across those two classes and against the aforementioned topics. Herein, we discuss the results.

Veg-03 Ground Harvest

NASA Image and Video Library

2016-12-05

Inside the Veggie flight laboratory in the Space Station Processing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Matthew Romeyn, a NASA Pathways intern from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, harvests a portion of the 'Outredgeous' red romaine lettuce from the Veg-03 ground control unit. The purpose of the ground Veggie system is to provide a control group to compare against the lettuce grown in orbit on the International Space Station. Veg-03 will continue NASA’s deep space plant growth research to benefit the Earth and the agency’s journey to Mars.

Influence of hard vs. soft ground surfaces on bone accretion in prepubertal footballers.

PubMed

Carmona, M Plaza-; Vicente-Rodriguez, G; Martín-García, M; Burillo, P; Felipe, J L; Mata, E; Casajús, J A; Gallardo, L; Ara, I

2014-01-01

Information regarding osteogenic effects of physical activity performed on different playing surfaces is scarce. A total of 42 children (9.2±0.2 years, Tanner stages I-II) participated in this study. 14 were playing on artificial turf soft ground (SG), 14 on a natural non-grass hard ground (HG) and 14 were assigned to the sedentary control group (C). Whole body and hip scans (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry), anthropometric variables (weight and height) and physical fitness (VO2max) were determined in all participants. Bone mineral content (BMC) values were higher in the SG group compared to the C group at the legs (209.75±5.11 g vs. 187.42±5.14 g, respectively), pelvis (122.72±4.27 g vs. 98.58±4.29 g respectively) and whole-body level (1 126.1±22.81 g vs. 1 035.34±22.92 g, respectively). The hard ground (HG) group also showed higher values in the majority of BMC variables compared to the C group. Additionally, bone mineral density (BMD) was significantly higher at all sites of the hip in both active groups compared to control (P<0.05). No differences between HG and SG were found. In summary, similar bone mass accretion is obtained by prepubescent footballers independently of the surface on which they practice football. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Ground scratching and preferred leg use in domestic chicks: changes in motor control in the first two weeks post-hatching.

PubMed

Dharmaretnam, Meena; Vijitha, V; Priyadharshini, K; Jashini, T; Vathany, K

2002-10-01

Lateralisation of a variety of visual functions: food discrimination, fear response, copulation, and performance of topographical and other tasks, such as olfactory and auditory functions, have been described in the domestic chick, Gallus gallus domesticus. A bias to left hemisphere control on day 8 and to the right on day 11 has also been demonstrated in the domestic chick. In this study we show that motor control as to foot preference in initiating a scratching bout and a tape-removing task is lateralised in both adults and chicks. There was a preference for the right leg to initiate a bout of ground scratching in both male and female adult birds. Second, foot preference is also affected by the changes in shifts of bias on day 8 and day 11. The right leg preference in initiating a ground scratching bout observed on day 5 is reversed to a left leg preference on day 8. This then reverts to the right leg preference after day 11. Hence it is postulated that the hemisphere that is not activated due to the bias of age controls the first leg to be used in initiating routine movements such as ground scratching. For the tape-removing task the right leg was used to remove a tape adhered to the beak of the chick for the trained group on day 8; but there was no preference in the naive group. Similarly, on day 11 a left foot bias was observed for the trained group and right foot bias for the naive group. To remove a tape the activated hemisphere on days of bias is used; whereas in a novel situation the foot use is reversed. Thus, footedness is affected by age, type of task, and changing hemispheric dominance.

DoD Comprehensive Military Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Smart Device Ground Control Station Threat Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-01

design , imple- mentation, and test evaluation were interviewed to evaluate the existing gaps in the DoD processes for cybersecurity. This group exposed...such as antenna design and signal reception have made satellite communication networks a viable solution for smart devices on the battlefield...DoD Comprehensive Military Unmanned AERIAL VEHICLE SMART DEVICE GROUND CONTROL STATION THREAT MODEL  Image designed by Diane Fleischer Report

Mineralization and growth of cultured embryonic skeletal tissue in microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klement, B. J.; Spooner, B. S.

1999-01-01

Microgravity provides a unique environment in which to study normal and pathological phenomenon. Very few studies have been done to examine the effects of microgravity on developing skeletal tissue such as growth plate formation and maintenance, elongation of bone primordia, or the mineralization of growth plate cartilage. Embryonic mouse premetatarsal triads were cultured on three space shuttle flights to study cartilage growth, differentiation, and mineralization, in a microgravity environment. The premetatarsal triads that were cultured in microgravity all formed cartilage rods and grew in length. However, the premetatarsal cartilage rods cultured in microgravity grew less in length than the ground control cartilage rods. Terminal chondrocyte differentiation also occurred during culture in microgravity, as well as in the ground controls, and the matrix around the hypertrophied chondrocytes was capable of mineralizing in both groups. The same percentage of premetatarsals mineralized in the microgravity cultures as mineralized in the ground control cultures. In addition, the sizes of the mineralized areas between the two groups were very similar. However, the amount of 45Ca incorporated into the mineralized areas was significantly lower in the microgravity cultures, suggesting that the composition or density of the mineralized regions was compromised in microgravity. There was no significant difference in the amount of 45Ca liberated from prelabeled explants in microgravity or in the ground controls.

Changes of pelvis control with subacute stroke: A comparison of body-weight- support treadmill training coupled virtual reality system and over-ground training.

PubMed

Mao, Yurong; Chen, Peiming; Li, Lifang; Li, Le; Huang, Dongfeng

2015-01-01

Gait recovery is very important to stroke survivors to regain their independence in activity of daily life. This study aimed to investigate the effects of virtual reality (VR) coupled body weight support treadmill training (BWSTT) on pelvic control at the early stage of stroke. Kinematic and kinetic changes of pelvic motion were evaluated by a 3D gait analysis system and were compared to the results from over-ground walking training. Twenty-four patients having unilateral hemiplegia with subacute stroke were recruited to a VR coupled BWSTT group (n= 12) and a conventional therapy (CT) group (n= 12). Both of the groups received training of 20-40 min/day, 5 days/week, for 3 weeks. The results showed the tilt of pelvis in sagittal plane improved significantly (P= 0.038) after treatment in the BWSTT+VR group, in terms of decreased amplitude of anterior peak (mean, from 10.99° to 6.25°), while there were no significant differences in the control group. The findings suggested that VR coupled BWSTT gait training could decrease anterior tilt of pelvis in early hemiparetic persons following a modest intervention dose, and the training may have advantages over conventional over-ground gait training and can assist the therapists in correcting abnormal gait pattern of stroke survivors.

Changes in jawbones of male patients with chronic renal failure on digital panoramic radiographs.

PubMed

Dagistan, Saadettin; Miloglu, Ozkan; Caglayan, Fatma

2016-01-01

To compare the existence of gonial cortical bone thickness, antegonial index, mandibular canal bone resorption and gonial angle values and pathologies like ground-glass appearance in jawbones and brown tumor in male patients undergoing dialysis due to chronic renal failure and men from the healthy control group on panoramic radiographs. Panoramic radiographs were taken from 80 male individuals in total (40 normal and 40 dialysis patients). Values obtained from the right and left sides of the mandible were summed and their means were calculated. Gonial cortical thickness, antegonial index and gonial angle values were assessed with the Student's t-test, mandibular canal wall resorption with the Chi-square test, and pathologies such as ground-glass appearance and Brown tumor as "available" or "not available." Statistically significant differences were observed among the antegonial index (P < 0.001), gonial cortical bone thickness (P < 0.001), and gonial angle (P < 0.001) values of study and control groups. Besides, mandibular canal wall resorption (P < 0.001) was also statistically significant. In the study group, pathologies with ground-glass appearance were encountered in mandible, but no radiographic findings were observed similar to brown tumor. Compared to the control group, decreases were found in gonial cortical bone thicknesses, antegonial index values, mandibular canal wall resorption, and gonial angle values of the patients receiving dialysis treatment due to chronic renal failure. Although it is not statistically significant, pathology with ground-glass appearance was detected in a patient, but no pathologies like brown tumor were observed. These findings from patients with chronic renal failure must be evaluated in panoramic radiography.

Gait ground reaction force characteristics of low back pain patients with pronated foot and able-bodied individuals with and without foot pronation.

PubMed

Farahpour, Nader; Jafarnezhad, AmirAli; Damavandi, Mohsen; Bakhtiari, Abbas; Allard, Paul

2016-06-14

The link between gait parameters and foot abnormalities in association with low back pain is not well understood. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of excessive foot pronation as well as the association of LBP with excessive foot pronation on the GRF components during shod walking. Forty-five subjects were equally divided into a control group, a group of subjects with pronated feet only, and another group with pronated feet and LBP. Ground reaction forces were analyzed during shod walking. Foot pronation without low back pain was associated with increased lateral-medial ground reaction force, impulse, and time to peak of all reaction forces in heel contact phase (p<0.03). In low back pain patients with pronated foot, greater vertical reaction forces (p=0.001) and loading rate, and time to peak on propulsion force were observed compared to pronated foot without low back pain group. Impulse in posterior-anterior reaction force was smaller in the able-bodied group with normal foot than in the other groups (p<0.05). Positive peak of free moments of the LBP group was significantly greater than that in other groups (p<0.05). In conclusion, foot pronation alone was not associated with elevated vertical ground reaction forces. While, low back pain patients with foot pronation displayed higher vertical ground reaction force as well as higher loading rate. Present results reveal that gait ground reaction force components in low back pain patients with pronated foot may have clinical values on the prognosis and rehabilitation of mechanical LBP patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of a general aviation trainer on the stress of flight training.

PubMed

Melton, C E; McKenzie, J M; Kellin, J R; Hoffmann, S M; Saldivar, J T

1975-01-01

Sixteen students were given flight training according to a highly standardized and rigidly controlled 35-h syllabus. Eight of the group (TG) recieved 10 h of their training in a Link GAT-1 ground trainer and 25 h in a Cherokee 140B. the other eight (AG) recieved all of their training in the airplane. The resting heart rate (HR) of group TG was significantly lower when the ground trainer was to be used than was the resting HR of group AG on equivalent lessons. The difference disappeared when group TG was to fly the airpland. In flight, group AG'S HR was significantly higher than group TG's in the ground trainer. Again the difference disappeared when group TG flew the airpland. Physcial work, as indicated by O2 consumption, was greater in the airplane than in the ground trainer. Urine chemistry indicated only a few and inconsistent points of significant differece between the groups. However, pre- and post-flight differences showed highly significant differences for both TG and AG. Objective flight tests administered four times during the syllabus indicated insignigicant differences between TG and AG, likewise, a check pilot who did not know to which group a student belonged could not differentiate between groups TG and AG. It was concluded that 10 h training in the GAT-1 did not compromise the flying skill as judged by the check pilot.

Instruction of jump-landing technique using videotape feedback: altering lower extremity motion patterns.

PubMed

Oñate, James A; Guskiewicz, Kevin M; Marshall, Stephen W; Giuliani, Carol; Yu, Bing; Garrett, William E

2005-06-01

Anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention programs have used videotapes of jump-landing technique as a key instructional component to improve landing performance. All videotape feedback model groups will increase knee flexion angles at initial contact and overall knee flexion motion and decrease peak vertical ground reaction forces and peak proximal anterior tibial shear forces to a greater extent than will a nonfeedback group. The secondary hypothesis is that the videotape feedback using the combination of the expert and self models will create the greatest change in each variable. Controlled laboratory study. Knee kinematics and kinetics of college-aged recreational athletes randomly placed in 3 different videotape feedback model groups (expert only, self only, combination of expert and self) and a nonfeedback group were collected while participants performed a basketball jump-landing task on 3 testing occasions. All feedback groups significantly increased knee angular displacement flexion angles [F(6,70) = 8.03, P = .001] and decreased peak vertical ground reaction forces [F(6,78) = 2.68, P = .021] during performance and retention tests. The self and combination groups significantly increased knee angular displacement flexion angles more than the control group did; the expert model group did not change significantly more than the control group did. All feedback groups and the nonfeedback group significantly reduced peak vertical forces across performance and retention tests. There were no statistically significant changes in knee flexion angle at initial ground contact (P = .111) and peak proximal anterior tibial shear forces (P = .509) for both testing sessions for each group. The use of self or combination videotape feedback is most useful for increasing knee angular displacement flexion angles and reducing peak vertical forces during landing. The use of self or combination modeling is more effective than is expert-only modeling for the implementation of instructional programs aimed at reducing the risk of jump-landing anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

Field Acceptance and Nutritional Intake of the Meal, Ready-to-Eat and Heat and Serve Ration.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-05-01

Scrambled Eggs (Natick) and Scrambled Eggs w/Bacon(Natick). These two mean ratings were received from the control group. Table 4A Control Group H&S...6.4 Creamed Ground Beef 6.3 Corned Beef Hash 6.1 Western Scrambled Eggs (Natick)* 4.6 Scrambled Eggs w...5.4 20 38 33 * Natick - NRDEC developed eggs Table 4B Test Group H&S Breakfast Acceptability Ratings (n=39) Food Groups Food Item Entrees

Single Stage Rocket Technology's real time data system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Voglewede, Steven D.

1994-01-01

The Single Stage Rocket Technology (SSRT) Delta Clipper Experimental (DC-X) Program is a United States Air Force Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) rapid prototyping initiative that is currently demonstrating technology readiness for reusable suborbital rockets. The McDonnell Douglas DC-X rocket performed technology demonstrations at the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico from April-October in 1993. The DC-X Flight Operations Control Center (FOCC) contains the ground control system that is used to monitor and control the DC-X vehicle and its Ground Support Systems (GSS). The FOCC is operated by a flight crew of three operators. Two operators manage the DC-X Flight Systems and one operator is the Ground Systems Manager. A group from McDonnell Douglas Aerospace at KSC developed the DC-X ground control system for the FOCC. This system is known as the Real Time Data System (RTDS). The RTDS is a distributed real time control and monitoring system that utilizes the latest available commercial off-the-shelf computer technology. The RTDS contains front end interfaces for the DC-X RF uplink/downlink and fiber optic interfaces to the GSS equipment. This paper describes the RTDS architecture and FOCC layout. The DC-X applications and ground operations are covered.

CCSDS Spacecraft Monitor and Control Service Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merri, Mario; Schmidt, Michael; Ercolani, Alessandro; Dankiewicz, Ivan; Cooper, Sam; Thompson, Roger; Symonds, Martin; Oyake, Amalaye; Vaughs, Ashton; Shames, Peter

2004-01-01

This CCSDS paper presents a reference architecture and service framework for spacecraft monitoring and control. It has been prepared by the Spacecraft Monitoring and Control working group of the CCSDS Mission Operations and Information Management Systems (MOIMS) area. In this context, Spacecraft Monitoring and Control (SM&C) refers to end-to-end services between on- board or remote applications and ground-based functions responsible for mission operations. The scope of SM&C includes: 1) Operational Concept: definition of an operational concept that covers a set of standard operations activities related to the monitoring and control of both ground and space segments. 2) Core Set of Services: definition of an extensible set of services to support the operational concept together with its information model and behaviours. This includes (non exhaustively) ground systems such as Automatic Command and Control, Data Archiving and Retrieval, Flight Dynamics, Mission Planning and Performance Evaluation. 3) Application-layer information: definition of the standard information set to be exchanged for SM&C purposes.

Sit-to-stand ground reaction force characteristics in blind and sighted female children.

PubMed

Faraji Aylar, Mozhgan; Jafarnezhadgero, Amir Ali; Salari Esker, Fatemeh

2018-03-05

The association between visual sensory and sit-to-stand ground reaction force characteristics is not clear. Impulse is the amount of force applied over a period of time. Also, free moment represents the vertical moment applied in the center of pressure (COP). How the ground reaction force components, vertical loading rate, impulses and free moment respond to long and short term restricted visual information? Fifteen female children with congenital blindness and 45 healthy girls with no visual impairments participated in this study. The girls with congenital blindness were placed in one group and the 45 girls with no visual impairments were randomly divided into three groups of 15; eyes open, permanently eyes closed, and temporary eyes closed. The participants in the permanently eyes closed group closed their eyes for 20 min before the test, whereas temporary eyes closed group did tests with their eyes closed throughout, and those in the eyes open group kept their eyes open. Congenital blindness was associated with increased vertical loading rate, range of motion of knee and hip in the medio-lateral plane. Also, medio-lateral and vertical ground reaction force impulses. Similar peak negative and positive free moments were observed in three groups. In conclusion, the results reveal that sit-to-stand ground reaction force components in blind children may have clinical importance for improvement of balance control of these individuals. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Effects of the spaceflight on organ-development in the neonatal rats: results in the Neurolab (STS-90)].

PubMed

Miyake, Masao; Yamasaki, Masao; Katahira, Kiyoaki; Waki, Hidefumi; Katsuda, Shin-ichiro; Ijiri, Kenichi; Shimizu, Tsuyoshi

2002-11-01

In the Neurolab mission, we found that spaceflight affects the development of the aortic baroreflex system and the body weight of the flight rats was significantly lighter [correction of lightess] than that of the control group. The aim of this study is to examine the structural and functional development in various tissues and organs. One hundred and eighteen nine-day old rats and seven fifteen-day old rats, which were launched at these ages and nursed by their dams in the space shuttle Columbia for 16 days, were served for this study. Two hundred and twenty one neonates were used as the ground controls (VIV: vivarium and AGC: asynchronous ground controls). On the landing day after they returned to the earth, the rats were perfused with a fixative under deep urethane anesthesia, and the organs were weighed and the ratio of the organ weight to the body weight was calculated. Six animals of the nine-day old group were reared on the ground for 30 more days after landing and also examined in the same protocol as the landing-day-examination. The organs obtained to examine were heart, lung, spleen, thymus, adrenal glands, kidney, liver, small intestine, large intestine, mesentery, pancreas, testis and ovary. Paraffin sections were made from some organ tissues and prepared for HE staining and immunohistochemistry. We compared these organs in the flight rat with those in the ground controls. All organs except the lung of nine-day old group were significantly smaller. In the ratio of organ weight to body weight, the lung and heart were significantly larger. The weight and ratio of the liver showed no significant difference. The thymus, spleen, mesentery and pancreas were smaller in the weight and the ratio. There were no differences in the body weight among 30-day reared groups, but the lung in the flight group is significantly heavier than the control groups and thymus also tends to be relatively heavy. In flight rats of the fifteen-day group, the kidney was heavy and the ovary was light as compared to the controls. The adipose tissue was macroscopically little found around the thoracic and abdominal organs in all rats of the flight group. These results suggest that the organs related to oxygen supply like as the lung and heart have priority in development over the mesentery and immune system organs even during spaceflight. Lightness of the mesentery in space rats is due to small contents of adipose tissues, and may reflect amounts of the food taken by the flight dams. Lightness of the organs like as the thymus, spleen and pancreas suggests that spaceflight may affect the immune system and also affect continuously the lung and thymus development even after landing.

The effect of simulated weightlessness on hypobaric decompression sickness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Balldin, Ulf I.; Pilmanis, Andrew A.; Webb, James T.

2002-01-01

BACKGROUND: A discrepancy exists between the incidence of ground-based decompression sickness (DCS) during simulated extravehicular activity (EVA) at hypobaric space suit pressure (20-40%) and crewmember reports during actual EVA (zero reports). This could be due to the effect of gravity during ground-based DCS studies. HYPOTHESIS: At EVA suit pressures of 29.6 kPa (4.3 psia), there is no difference in the incidence of hypobaric DCS between a control group and group exposed to simulated weightlessness (supine body position). METHODS: Male subjects were exposed to a hypobaric pressure of 29.6 kPa (4.3 psi) for up to 4 h. The control group (n = 26) pre-oxygenated for 60 min (first 10 min exercising) before hypobaric exposure and walking around in the altitude chamber. The test group (n = 39) remained supine for a 3 h prior to and during the 60-min pre-oxygenation (also including exercise) and at hypobaric pressure. DCS symptoms and venous gas emboli (VGE) at hypobaric pressure were registered. RESULTS: DCS occurred in 42% in the control and in 44% in simulated weightlessness group (n.s.). The mean time for DCS to develop was 112 min (SD +/- 61) and 123 min (+/- 67), respectively. VGE occurred in 81% of the control group subjects and in 51% of the simulated weightlessness subjects (p = 0.02), while severe VGE occurred in 58% and 33%, respectively (p = 0.08). VGE started after 113 min (+/- 43) in the control and after 76 min (+/- 64) in the simulated weightlessness group. CONCLUSIONS: No difference in incidence of DCS was shown between control and simulated weightlessness conditions. VGE occurred more frequently during the control condition with bubble-releasing arm and leg movements.

Detection of malondialdehyde in processed meat products without interference from the ingredients.

PubMed

Jung, Samooel; Nam, Ki Chang; Jo, Cheorun

2016-10-15

Our aim was to develop a method for accurate quantification of malondialdehyde (MDA) in meat products. MDA content of uncured ground pork (Control); ground pork cured with sodium nitrite (Nitrite); and ground pork cured with sodium nitrite, sodium chloride, sodium pyrophosphate, maltodextrin, and a sausage seasoning (Mix) was measured by the 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay with MDA extraction by trichloroacetic acid (method A) and two high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods: i) HPLC separation of the MDA-dinitrophenyl hydrazine adduct (method B) and ii) HPLC separation of MDA (method C) after MDA extraction with acetonitrile. Methods A and B could not quantify MDA accurately in groups Nitrite and Mix. Nevertheless, MDA in groups Control, Nitrite, and Mix was accurately quantified by method C with good recovery. Therefore, direct MDA quantification by HPLC after MDA extraction with acetonitrile (method C) is useful for accurate measurement of MDA content in processed meat products. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

BEARS: a multi-mission anomaly response system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Bryce A.

2009-05-01

The Mission Operations Group at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory operates a highly automated ground station and presently a fleet of seven satellites, each with its own associated command and control console. However, the requirement for prompt anomaly detection and resolution is shared commonly between the ground segment and all spacecraft. The efficient, low-cost operation and "lights-out" staffing of the Mission Operations Group requires that controllers and engineers be notified of spacecraft and ground system problems around the clock. The Berkeley Emergency Anomaly and Response System (BEARS) is an in-house developed web- and paging-based software system that meets this need. BEARS was developed as a replacement for an existing emergency reporting software system that was too closedsource, platform-specific, expensive, and antiquated to expand or maintain. To avoid these limitations, the new system design leverages cross-platform, open-source software products such as MySQL, PHP, and Qt. Anomaly notifications and responses make use of the two-way paging capabilities of modern smart phones.

An evaluation of three litter control procedures--trash receptacles, paid workers, and the marked item technique.

PubMed Central

Bacon-Prue, A; Blount, R; Pickering, D; Drabman, R

1980-01-01

This study assessed the effectiveness of three litter control procedures on the grounds of a residential retardation facility. Fifty-seven areas were divided into five groups according to the amount of litter they contained. Daily litter counts were made in one randomly chosen area for four of the groups and weekly litter counts were made from one randomly chosen area from the fifth group. After the baseline period, trash receptacles were placed a high traffic areas on the grounds of the facility. This was followed by the payment of two resident workers for picking up trash. In the next phase, marked pieces of litter were placed on the grounds, and residents voluntarily collected litter and turned it in at a central location. When a marked piece was turned in, that resident received $1.00 and had his or her picture taken and posted. This phase was followed by a return to the trash receptacles phase and then a return to the marked item phase. The results indicated that the marked item procedure was effective in reducing the amount of litter on the campus grounds, but the use of trash receptacles and the payment of resident workers for picking up litter did not noticeably reduce the amount of litter. The results are discussed in terms of the cost effectiveness of the procedures. PMID:6767679

Effect of Reduced Phosphoric Acid Pre-etching Times 
on Enamel Surface Characteristics and Shear Fatigue Strength Using Universal Adhesives.

PubMed

Tsujimoto, Akimasa; Fischer, Nicholas; Barkmeier, Wayne; Baruth, Andrew; Takamizawa, Toshiki; Latta, Mark; Miyazaki, Masashi

2017-01-01

To examine the effect of reduced phosphoric acid pre-etching times on enamel fatigue bond strength of universal adhesives and surface characteristics by using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Three universal adhesives were used in this study (Clearfil Universal Bond [C], G-Premio Bond [GP], Scotchbond Universal Adhesive [SU]). Four pre-etching groups were employed: enamel pre-etched with phosphoric acid and immediately rinsed with an air-water spray, and enamel pre-etched with phosphoric acid for 5, 10, or 15 s. Ground enamel was used as the control group. For the initial bond strength test, 15 specimens per etching group for each adhesive were used. For the shear fatigue test, 20 specimens per etching group for each adhesive were loaded using a sine wave at a frequency of 20 Hz for 50,000 cycles or until failure occurred. Initial shear bond strengths and fatigue shear strengths of composite adhesively bonded to ground and pre-etched enamel were determined. AFM observations of ground and pre-etched enamel were also conducted, and surface roughness as well as surface area were evaluated. The initial shear bond strengths and fatigue shear strengths of the universal adhesives in the pre-etched groups were significantly higher than those of the control group, and were not influenced by the pre-etching time. Significantly higher surface roughness and surface area of enamel surfaces in pre-etched groups were observed compared with those in the control group. While the surface area was not significantly influenced by etching time, surface roughness of the enamel surfaces in the pre-etched groups significantly increased with pre-etching time. The results of this in vitro study suggest that reduced phosphoric acid pre-etching times do not impair the fatigue bond strength of universal adhesives. Although fatigue bond strength and surface area were not influenced by phosphoric-acid etching times, surface roughness increased with increasing etching time.

Car Talk: Ethnic And Religious Identity In The Central African Republic

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

Republic and Democracy (APRD) began conducting raids on army positions. Ange-Felix Patassé controlled the APRD from his exile in Togo and the group was...Séléka forces razed villages to the ground. As it became apparent Djotodia could not or would not control the Séléka even more groups took up the Séléka...largest groups , the Rassemblement Patriotique pour le Renouveau de la Centrafrique (RPRC), the Front Populaire pour la Reniasance de la Centrafrique

Bilateral lesions of nucleus subpretectalis/interstitio-pretecto-subpretectalis (SP/IPS) selectively impair figure-ground discrimination in pigeons.

PubMed

Scully, Erin N; Acerbo, Martin J; Lazareva, Olga F

2014-01-01

Earlier, we reported that nucleus rotundus (Rt) together with its inhibitory complex, nucleus subpretectalis/interstitio-pretecto-subpretectalis (SP/IPS), had significantly higher activity in pigeons performing figure-ground discrimination than in the control group that did not perform any visual discriminations. In contrast, color discrimination produced significantly higher activity than control in the Rt but not in the SP/IPS. Finally, shape discrimination produced significantly lower activity than control in both the Rt and the SP/IPS. In this study, we trained pigeons to simultaneously perform three visual discriminations (figure-ground, color, and shape) using the same stimulus displays. When birds learned to perform all three tasks concurrently at high levels of accuracy, we conducted bilateral chemical lesions of the SP/IPS. After a period of recovery, the birds were retrained on the same tasks to evaluate the effect of lesions on maintenance of these discriminations. We found that the lesions of the SP/IPS had no effect on color or shape discrimination and that they significantly impaired figure-ground discrimination. Together with our earlier data, these results suggest that the nucleus Rt and the SP/IPS are the key structures involved in figure-ground discrimination. These results also imply that thalamic processing is critical for figure-ground segregation in avian brain.

Deficient motion-defined and texture-defined figure-ground segregation in amblyopic children.

PubMed

Wang, Jane; Ho, Cindy S; Giaschi, Deborah E

2007-01-01

Motion-defined form deficits in the fellow eye and the amblyopic eye of children with amblyopia implicate possible direction-selective motion processing or static figure-ground segregation deficits. Deficient motion-defined form perception in the fellow eye of amblyopic children may not be fully accounted for by a general motion processing deficit. This study investigates the contribution of figure-ground segregation deficits to the motion-defined form perception deficits in amblyopia. Performances of 6 amblyopic children (5 anisometropic, 1 anisostrabismic) and 32 control children with normal vision were assessed on motion-defined form, texture-defined form, and global motion tasks. Performance on motion-defined and texture-defined form tasks was significantly worse in amblyopic children than in control children. Performance on global motion tasks was not significantly different between the 2 groups. Faulty figure-ground segregation mechanisms are likely responsible for the observed motion-defined form perception deficits in amblyopia.

Research and development for Onboard Navigation (ONAV) ground based expert/trainer system: ONAV entry expert system code

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bochsler, Daniel C.

1988-01-01

A complete listing is given of the expert system rules for the Entry phase of the Onboard Navigation (ONAV) Ground Based Expert Trainer System for aircraft/space shuttle navigation. These source listings appear in the same format as utilized and required by the C Language Integrated Production System (CLIPS) expert system shell which is the basis for the ONAV entry system. A schematic overview is given of how the rules are organized. These groups result from a partitioning of the rules according to the overall function which a given set of rules performs. This partitioning was established and maintained according to that established in the knowledge specification document. In addition, four other groups of rules are specified. The four groups (control flow, operator inputs, output management, and data tables) perform functions that affect all the other functional rule groups. As the name implies, control flow ensures that the rule groups are executed in the order required for proper operation; operator input rules control the introduction into the CLIPS fact base of various kinds of data required by the expert system; output management rules control the updating of the ONAV expert system user display screen during execution of the system; and data tables are static information utilized by many different rule sets gathered in one convenient place.

The Awareness of Risky Peer Group Behaviors on School Grounds as Predictors of Students' Victimization on School Grounds: Part I--Elementary Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Astor, Ron Avi; Benbenishty, Rami; Marachi, Roxana; Haj-Yahia, Muhammad M.; Zeira, Anat; Perkins-Hart, Suzanne; Pitner, Ronald O.

2002-01-01

Examined the effects of awareness of peers' risky behaviors on elementary students' experiences of school victimization. Surveys of Arab and Jewish students indicated that students' awareness of risky peer behaviors in school was one of the strongest predictors of their own personal victimization at school, controlling for gender, ethnicity, and…

A qualitative inquiry into work-family conflict among Indian doctors and nurses.

PubMed

Pal, Suchitra

2012-01-01

The aims of this pilot study were to identify and examine job control, working long hours and their impact on work and family conflict (WFC) among four Indian doctors and nurses. The four participants had previously worked in the west and were now working in India. Employing a grounded theory approach data were analyzed using several coding procedures geared toward model development. For these four Indian doctors and nurses, job control was found to be grounded in two factors: type of work group control and a lack of control in the work environment. Working long hours is seen to be possible due to a culture accepting of working long hours, a supportive family system, and other arrangements at home.

Exposure to microgravity for 30 days onboard Bion M1 caused muscle atrophy and impaired regeneration in murine femoral Quadriceps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radugina, E. A.; Almeida, E. A. C.; Blaber, E.; Poplinskaya, V. A.; Markitantova, Y. V.; Grigoryan, E. N.

2018-02-01

Mechanical unloading in microgravity during spaceflight is known to cause muscular atrophy, changes in muscle fiber composition, gene expression, and reduction in regenerative muscle growth. Although some limited data exists for long-term effects of microgravity in human muscle, these processes have mostly been studied in rodents for short periods of time. Here we report on how long-term (30-day long) mechanical unloading in microgravity affects murine muscles of the femoral Quadriceps group. To conduct these studies we used muscle tissue from 6 microgravity mice, in comparison to habitat (7), and vivarium (14) ground control mice from the NASA Biospecimen Sharing Program conducted in collaboration with the Institute for Biomedical Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences, during the Russian Bion M1 biosatellite mission in 2013. Muscle histomorphology from microgravity specimens showed signs of extensive atrophy and regenerative hypoplasia relative to ground controls. Specifically, we observed a two-fold decrease in the number of myonuclei, compared to vivarium and ground controls, and central location of myonuclei, low density of myofibers in the tissue, and of myofibrils within a fiber, as well as fragmentation and swelling of myofibers. Despite obvious atrophy, muscle regeneration nevertheless appeared to have continued after 30 days in microgravity as evidenced by thin and short newly formed myofibers. Many of them, however, showed evidence of apoptotic cells and myofibril degradation, suggesting that long-term unloading in microgravity may affect late stages of myofiber differentiation. Ground asynchronous and vivarium control animals demonstrated normal, well-developed tissue structure with sufficient blood and nerve supply and evidence of regenerative formation of new myofibers free of apoptotic nuclei. Regenerative activity of satellite cells in muscles was observed both in microgravity and ground control groups, using Pax7 and Myogenin immunolocalization, as well as Myogenin expression analysis. In addition, we have detected positive nuclear immunolocalization of c-Jun and c-Myc proteins indicating their sensitivity to changes in gravitational loading in a given model. In summary, long-term spaceflight in microgravity caused significant atrophy and degeneration of the femoral Quadriceps muscle group, and it may interfere with muscle regenerative processes by inducing apoptosis in newly-formed myofibrils during their differentiation phase.

Dried, ground banana plant leaves (Musa spp.) for the control of Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis infections in sheep.

PubMed

Gregory, L; Yoshihara, E; Ribeiro, B L M; Silva, L K F; Marques, E C; Meira, E B S; Rossi, R S; Sampaio, P H; Louvandini, H; Hasegawa, M Y

2015-12-01

To evaluate the anthelmintic effect of Musa spp. leaves, 12 animals were artificially infected with Haemonchus contortus, and another 12 animals were infected with Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Then, both treatment groups were offered 400 g of dried ground banana plant leaves, and the control animals were offered only 1000 g of coast cross hay. During the trials, the animals received weekly physical examinations. The methods used to evaluate the efficiency of this treatment were packed cell volume, total plasma protein and faecal egg counts, and egg hatchability tests were performed on days -2, +3, +6, +9, +13 and +15. Coproculture tests were performed on day -2 to confirm monospecific infections. In the FEC and EHT, a statistically significant difference (0.04, 0.005; p < 0.05) was noted for T. colubriformis. There were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) for Haemochus contortus group in all tests. Our results confirmed previous findings suggesting that dried ground banana plant leaves possess anthelmintic activity.

A local network integrated into a balloon-borne apparatus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imori, Masatosi; Ueda, Ikuo; Shimamura, Kotaro; Maeno, Tadashi; Murata, Takahiro; Sasaki, Makoto; Matsunaga, Hiroyuki; Matsumoto, Hiroshi; Shikaze, Yoshiaki; Anraku, Kazuaki; Matsui, Nagataka; Yamagami, Takamasa

A local network is incorporated into an apparatus for a balloon-borne experiment. A balloon-borne system implemented in the apparatus is composed of subsystems interconnected through a local network, which introduces modular architecture into the system. The network decomposes the balloon-borne system into subsystems, which are similarly structured from the point of view that the systems is kept under the control of a ground station. The subsystem is functionally self-contained and electrically independent. A computer is integrated into a subsystem, keeping the subsystem under the control. An independent group of batteries, being dedicated to a subsystem, supplies the whole electricity of the subsystem. The subsystem could be turned on and off independently of the other subsystems. So communication among the subsystems needs to be based on such a protocol that could guarantee the independence of the individual subsystems. An Omninet protocol is employed to network the subsystems. A ground station sends commands to the balloon-borne system. The command is received and executed at the system, then results of the execution are returned to the ground station. Various commands are available so that the system borne on a balloon could be controlled and monitored remotely from the ground station. A subsystem responds to a specific group of commands. A command is received by a transceiver subsystem and then transferred through the network to the subsystem to which the command is addressed. Then the subsystem executes the command and returns results to the transceiver subsystem, where the results are telemetered to the ground station. The network enhances independence of the individual subsystems, which enables programs of the individual subsystems to be coded independently. Independence facilitates development and debugging of programs, improving the quality of the system borne on a balloon.

Expert assessments and content analysis of crew communication during ISS missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusupova, Anna

During the last seven years, we have analyzed the communication patterns between ISS crewmembers and mission control personnel and identified a number of different communication styles between these two groups (Gushin et al, 2005). In this paper, we will report on an external validity check we conducted that compares our findings with those of another study using the same research material. For many years the group of psychologists at the Medical Center of Space Flight Control (TCUMOKO) at the Institute for Biomedical Problems (IBMP) in Moscow has been analyzing audio communication sessions of Russian space crews with the ground-based Mission Control during long-duration spaceflight conditions. We compared week by week texts of the standard weekly monitoring reports made by the TsUP psychological group and audiocommunication of space crews with mission control centers. Expert assessments of the crewmembers' psychological state are made by IBMP psychoneurologists on the basis of daily schedule fulfillment, video and audio materials, and psychophysiological data from board. The second approach was based on the crew-ground communication analysis. For both population of messages we applied two corresponding schemas of content analysis. All statements made in communication sessions and weekly reports were divided into three groups in terms of their communication function (Lomov, 1981): 1) informative function (e.g., demands for information, requests, professional slang); 2) socio-regulatory function (e.g., rational consent or discord, operational complaint, refusal to cooperate); and 3) affective (emotional) function (e.g., encouragement, sympathy, emotional consent or discord). Number of statements of the audiocommunication sessions correlated with corresponding functions (informative, regulatory, affective) of communication in weekly monitioring reports made by experts. Crewmembers verbal behavior expresses its psycho-emotional state which is formulated by expert psychologists in weekly reports. This result shows that both approaches (expert assessment and content analysis of crew communication) can provide us with valuable data concerning crew's psychological state. Statistically significant correlations between crew-ground communication and expert assessment parameters testify that the same patterns of crewmembers behavior could be detected by both methods. 1. Lomov B.F. Problem of communication in psychology. // Problem of communication in psychology. Moscow, Nauka, 1981 2. Gushin V., M.D., Yusupova A., Pustinnikova J., Popova I. Crew-ground control communication styles: preliminary results in psychosocial area. // Proceedings of 56th International Astronautical Congress, Fukuoka 2005.

14 CFR Section 11 - Functional Classification-Operating Expenses of Group II and Group III Air Carriers

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...) This function shall include expenses incurred directly in the in-flight operation of aircraft and... assignment to an in-flight status. (b) This function shall not include expenses incurred in repairing, servicing or storing aircraft, expenses incurred on the ground in protecting and controlling the in-flight...

14 CFR Section 11 - Functional Classification-Operating Expenses of Group II and Group III Air Carriers

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...) This function shall include expenses incurred directly in the in-flight operation of aircraft and... assignment to an in-flight status. (b) This function shall not include expenses incurred in repairing, servicing or storing aircraft, expenses incurred on the ground in protecting and controlling the in-flight...

14 CFR 11 - Functional Classification-Operating Expenses of Group II and Group III Air Carriers

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Operations. (a) This function shall include expenses incurred directly in the in-flight operation of aircraft... assignment to an in-flight status. (b) This function shall not include expenses incurred in repairing, servicing or storing aircraft, expenses incurred on the ground in protecting and controlling the in-flight...

14 CFR Section 11 - Functional Classification-Operating Expenses of Group II and Group III Air Carriers

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) This function shall include expenses incurred directly in the in-flight operation of aircraft and... assignment to an in-flight status. (b) This function shall not include expenses incurred in repairing, servicing or storing aircraft, expenses incurred on the ground in protecting and controlling the in-flight...

14 CFR Section 11 - Functional Classification-Operating Expenses of Group II and Group III Air Carriers

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...) This function shall include expenses incurred directly in the in-flight operation of aircraft and... assignment to an in-flight status. (b) This function shall not include expenses incurred in repairing, servicing or storing aircraft, expenses incurred on the ground in protecting and controlling the in-flight...

PTS performance by flight- and control-group macaques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Washburn, D. A.; Rumbaugh, D. M.; Richardson, W. K.; Gulledge, J. P.; Shlyk, G. G.; Vasilieva, O. N.

2000-01-01

A total of 25 young monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were trained with the Psychomotor Test System, a package of software tasks and computer hardware developed for spaceflight research with nonhuman primates. Two flight monkeys and two control monkeys were selected from this pool and performed a psychomotor task before and after the Bion 11 flight or a ground-control period. Monkeys from both groups showed significant disruption in performance after the 14-day flight or simulation (plus one anesthetized day of biopsies and other tests), and this disruption appeared to be magnified for the flight animal.

ERTS operations and data processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gonzales, L.; Sos, J. Y.

1974-01-01

The overall communications and data flow between the ERTS spacecraft and the ground stations and processing centers are generally described. Data from the multispectral scanner and the return beam vidicon are telemetered to a primary ground station where they are demodulated, processed, and recorded. The tapes are then transferred to the NASA Data Processing Facility (NDPF) at Goddard. Housekeeping data are relayed from the prime ground stations to the Operations Control Center at Goddard. Tracking data are processed at the ground stations, and the calculated parameters are transmitted by teletype to the orbit determination group at Goddard. The ERTS orbit has been designed so that the same swaths of the ground coverage pattern viewed during one 18-day coverage cycle are repeated by the swaths viewed on all subsequent cycles. The Operations Control Center is the focal point for all communications with the spacecraft. NDPF is a job-oriented facility which processes and stores all sensor data, and which disseminates large quantities of these data to users in the form of films, computer-compatible tapes, and data collection system data.

Critical Point Facility (CPE) Group in the Spacelab Payload Operations Control Center (SL POCC)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The primary payload for Space Shuttle Mission STS-42, launched January 22, 1992, was the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1), a pressurized manned Spacelab module. The goal of IML-1 was to explore in depth the complex effects of weightlessness of living organisms and materials processing. Around-the-clock research was performed on the human nervous system's adaptation to low gravity and effects of microgravity on other life forms such as shrimp eggs, lentil seedlings, fruit fly eggs, and bacteria. Materials processing experiments were also conducted, including crystal growth from a variety of substances such as enzymes, mercury iodide, and a virus. The Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) Spacelab Payload Operations Control Center (SL POCC) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) was the air/ground communication channel used between the astronauts and ground control teams during the Spacelab missions. Featured is the Critical Point Facility (CPE) group in the SL POCC during STS-42, IML-1 mission.

Grounding after moderate eccentric contractions reduces muscle damage

PubMed Central

Brown, Richard; Chevalier, Gaétan; Hill, Michael

2015-01-01

Grounding a human to the earth has resulted in changes in the physiology of the body. A pilot study on grounding and eccentric contractions demonstrated shortened duration of pain, reduced creatine kinase (CK), and differences in blood parameters. This follow-up study was conducted to investigate the effects of grounding after moderate eccentric contractions on pain, CK, and complete blood counts. Thirty-two healthy young men were randomly divided into grounded (n=16) and sham-grounded (n=16) groups. On days 1 through 4, visual analog scale for pain evaluations and blood draws were accomplished. On day 1, the participants performed eccentric contractions of 200 half-knee bends. They were then grounded or sham-grounded to the earth for 4 hours on days 1 and 2. Both groups experienced pain on all posttest days. On day 2, the sham-grounded group experienced significant CK increase (P<0.01) while the CK of the grounded group did not increase significantly; the between-group difference was significant (P=0.04). There was also an increase in the neutrophils of the grounded group on day 3 (P=0.05) compared to the sham-grounded group. There was a significant increase in platelets in the grounded group on days 2 through 4. Grounding produced changes in CK and complete blood counts that were not shared by the sham-grounded group. Grounding significantly reduced the loss of CK from the injured muscles indicating reduced muscle damage. These results warrant further study on the effects of earthing on delayed onset muscle damage. PMID:26443876

Over ground walking and body weight supported walking improve mobility equally in cerebral palsy: a randomised controlled trial.

PubMed

Swe, Ni Ni; Sendhilnnathan, Sunitha; van Den Berg, Maayken; Barr, Christopher

2015-11-01

To assess partial body weight supported treadmill training versus over ground training for walking ability in children with mild to moderate cerebral palsy. Randomised controlled trial. A Special Needs school in Singapore. Thirty children with cerebral palsy, aged 6-18, with a Gross Motor Function Classification System score of II-III. Two times 30 minute sessions of walking training per week for 8 weeks, progressed as tolerated, either over ground (control) or using partial body weight supported treadmill training (intervention). The 10 metre walk test, and the 6 minute walk test. Secondary measures were sub-sections D and E on the Gross Motor Function Measure. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, and after 4 and 8 weeks of training. There was no effect of group allocation on any outcome measure, while time was a significant factor for all outcomes. Walking speed improved significantly more in the intervention group by week 4 (0.109 (0.067)m/s vs 0.048 (0.071)m/s, P=0.024) however by week 8 the change from baseline was similar (intervention 0.0160 (0.069)m/s vs control 0.173 (0.109)m/s, P=0.697). All gains made by week 4 were significantly improved on by week 8 for the 10 metre walk test, 6 minute walk test, and the gross motor function measure. Partial body weight supported treadmill training is no more effective than over ground walking at improving aspects of walking and function in children with mild to moderate cerebral palsy. Gains seen in 4 weeks can be furthered by 8 weeks. © The Author(s) 2015.

Histological analysis of the aortic nerve in the rat raised in space (Rapid communication on Neurolab Project).

PubMed

Yamasaki, M; Shimizu, T; Miyake, M; Miyamoto, Y; Waki, H; Katsuda, S I; Oishi, H; Nagayama, T; Katahira, K; Wago, H; Okochi, T; Kaneko, M; Matsumoto, S; Mukai, C; Nagaoka, S; Izumi, T; Yanagawa, K; Uemura, M; O-ishi, H

1998-11-01

To study development of the aortic nerve baroreflex under conditions of microgravity, we examined the cross section of the left aortic nerve (LAN), which is the afferent of the baroreflex, in the neonate rats aged 25 days raised in microgravity on the space shuttle Columbia (flight:FLT group) for 16 days. In this paper, we report a part of the result obtained from the data of the myelinated fibers of LAN analyzed with an electron microscope. Two kind of ground control groups were compared to the FLT group; one was asynchronous ground control (AGC) group where the rats were housed in the same cage as that on the shuttle, and the other was vivarium(VIV) group where the rats were housed in a commercial cage. The LANs in each group were extirpated the from rats perfused with a fixative and embedded for histological analysis. We observed the transverse sections of LAN and took pictures of several areas (magnified to x 2K to x 200K). No irregular myelination was found in all fibers of FLT group when they were compared with two control groups. The thickness of myelin of the maximally myelinated fibers were 0.55 +/- 0.17 micrometer in FLT(n=5), 0.45 +/- 0.10 micrometer in AGC(n=5), and O.47 +/- 0.06 micrometer meter in VIV(n=5). There was no significant difference among three groups (unpared t-test). The results suggest that there is no effect of space environment on the myelin formation of each nerve fiber in the aortic nerve.

Motion Simulation Research Related Short Term Training Attachment to TARDEC

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-04-01

CASSI group has five main areas of focus, which are, ground vehicle power and mobility , vehicle electronics and architecture, intelligent ground...control, steering as well as seats can all be changed to mock the necessary vehicle. Originally it was designed for a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled...necessary outputs to the motion base. SimCreator is a software package, similar to SimuLink. Most of the backend coding is done in C++. RTI accounts

The Captive Helicopter as a Training Device: Experimental Evaluation of a Concept. Technical Report 68-9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Caro, Paul W., Jr.; And Others

As part of the Army's effort to use synthetic devices to improve training, researchers evaluated a captive helicopter attached to a ground effects machine. Experimental groups received varying amounts of pre-flight practice tasks designed to develop flight skills, while control groups received no device training. Student flight performance during…

Knee extensor dynamics in the volleyball approach jump: the influence of patellar tendinopathy.

PubMed

Sorenson, Shawn C; Arya, Shruti; Souza, Richard B; Pollard, Christine D; Salem, George J; Kulig, Kornelia

2010-09-01

Controlled laboratory study using a cross-sectional design. To evaluate knee joint dynamics in elite volleyball players with and without a history of patellar tendinopathy, focusing on mechanical energy absorption and generation. We hypothesized that tendinopathy would be associated withreduced net joint work and net joint power. Patellar tendinopathy is a common, debilitating injury affecting competitive volleyball players. Thirteen elite male players with and without a history of patellar tendinopathy (mean ± SD age, 27 ± 7 years) performed maximum-effort volleyball approach jumps. Sagittal plane knee joint kinematics, kinetics, and energetics were quantified in the lead limb, using data obtained from a force platform and an 8-camera motion analysis system. Vertical ground reaction forces and pelvis vertical velocity at takeoff were examined. Independent sample t tests were used to evaluate group differences (α = .05). The tendinopathy group, compared to controls, demonstrated significant reductions (approximately 30%) in net joint work and net joint power during the eccentric phase of the jump, with no differences in the concentric phase. Positive to-negative net joint work and net joint power ratios were significantly higher in the tendinopathy group, which had a net joint work ratio of 1.00 (95% CI: 0.77, 1.24) versus 0.76 (95% CI: 0.64, 0.88) for controls, and a net joint power ratio of 1.62 (95% CI: 1.15, 2.10) versus 1.00 (95% CI: 0.80, 1.21) for controls. There were no significant differences in net joint moment, angular velocity, or range of motion. Peak vertical ground reaction forces were lower for the tendinopathy group, while average vertical ground reaction forces and pelvis vertical velocity were similar. Patellar tendinopathy is associated with differences in sagittal plane mechanical energy absorption at the knee during maximum-effort volleyball approach jumps. Net joint work and net joint power may help define underlying mechanisms, adaptive effects, or rehabilitative strategies for individuals with patellar tendinopathy.

A Secure and Efficient Communications Architecture for Global Information Grid Users Via Cooperating Space Assets

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-19

ground troop component of a deployed contingency, and not a stationary infrastructure. With respect to fast- moving vehicles and aircraft, troops...the rapidly- moving user. In fact, the Control Group users could have been randomly assigned the Stationary , Sea, or 134 Ground Mobility Category...additional re-keying on the non- stationary users, just as they induce no re-keying on the Stationary users (assuming those fast- moving aircraft have the

Foot Kinematics Differ Between Runners With and Without a History of Navicular Stress Fractures

PubMed Central

Becker, James; James, Stanley; Osternig, Louis; Chou, Li-Shan

2018-01-01

Background: A navicular stress fracture (NSF) is a common and high-risk injury in distance runners. It is not clear whether there are differences in foot structure and function between runners who have and those who have not sustained an NSF. Purpose/Hypothesis: This study compared foot structure, range of motion, and biomechanics between runners with a history of unilateral NSFs and runners who had never sustained this injury. The hypothesis was that runners with a history of NSFs will have less dorsiflexion and subtalar range of motion in a clinical examination and greater rearfoot eversion and higher eversion velocity while running than either the noninvolved feet or healthy controls. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Seven runners who sustained an NSF were matched with 7 controls without this injury history. Participants underwent a clinical orthopaedic examination, followed by a 3-dimensional running gait analysis. Clinical examination variables, foot kinematics, and ground-reaction forces were compared between injured and noninjured feet within the NSF group and between the NSF group and control group. Results: The NSF group demonstrated less plantar flexion on the clinical examination than the control group (P = .034, effect size [ES] = 0.69). The involved feet of the NSF group demonstrated greater rearfoot eversion excursion, greater eversion velocity, and reduced forefoot abduction excursion than either the noninvolved feet of the NSF group (P = .015, ES = 1.73; P = .015, ES = 1.86; and P = .015, ES = 0.96, respectively) or the control group (P = .012, ES = 1.40; P = .016, ES = 0.49; and P = .005, ES = 1.60, respectively). Conclusion: There are differences in foot kinematics but not ground-reaction forces, foot structure, or passive range of motion between runners who have and those who have not sustained an NSF. Runners who demonstrate increased rearfoot eversion and reduced forefoot abduction during stance may be more at risk for developing NSFs. PMID:29780837

STS-49 Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, Planning Team in MCC Bldg 30 FCR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

STS-49 Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, Planning Team with Flight Director (FD) James M. Heflin, Jr (front right next to ship model) poses in JSC's Mission Control Center (MCC) Bldg 30 Flight Control Room (FCR). The group stands in front of visual displays projecting STS-49 data and ground track map.

Project Ares 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raymer, Dan; Russell, Phyllis; Fox, Tim; Meyers, Doug; Lovric, Steven; Grabow, Robert; Epp, Manfred; Wynn, Warren, Jr.; Mako, Zoltan; Linzner, Gunther

1992-01-01

The mission of Project Ares is to design and fabricate an Earth prototype, autonomous flying rover capable of flying on the Martian surface. The project was awarded to California State University, Northridge (CSUN) in 1989 where an in-depth paper study was completed. The second year's group, Project Ares 2, designed and fabricated a full-scale flight demonstration aircraft. Project Ares 3, the third and final group, is responsible for propulsion system design and installation, controls and instrumentation, and high altitude testing. The propulsion system consists of a motor and its power supply, geartrain, and propeller. The motor is a four-brush DC motor powered by a 50-V NiCd battery supply. A pulley and belt arrangement is used for the geartrain and includes light weight, low temperature materials. The propeller is constructed from composite materials which ensures high strength and light weight, and is specifically developed to provide thrust at extremely high altitudes. The aircraft is controlled with a ground-based radio control system and an autopilot which will activate in the event that the control signal is lost. A transponder is used to maintain radar contact for ground tracking purposes. The aircraft possesses a small, onboard computer for collecting and storing flight data. To safeguard the possibility of computer failure, all flight data is transmitted to a ground station via a telemetry system. An initial, unpowered, low-level test flight was completed in August of 1991. Testing of systems integration in the second low-level test flight resulted in loss of elevator control which caused considerable damage on landing. Complete failure analysis and repairs are scheduled for September of 1992.

The effect of surface treatments on dental zirconia: An analysis of biaxial flexural strength, surface roughness and phase transformation.

PubMed

Botelho, Michael G; Dangay, Sachin; Shih, Kaimin; Lam, Walter Y H

2018-05-26

This study investigates the effect of selected surface finishing techniques on the biaxial flexural strength, surface roughness and phase transformation of a zirconia dental restorative material. Fully-sintered zirconia discs (⌀19.5 mm × 0.85 mm) were treated on one side with a single or a combination of the following treatments: diamond and/or tungsten-carbide burs without water coolant in an air-turbine handpiece, air-particle abrasion, rubber-point polishing in a contra-angle handpiece, or no treatment (control). Biaxial flexural strength (BFS) (eleven groups, n = 10) was determined using a universal testing machine and surface roughness (thirteen groups, n = 6) was assessed using a profilometer. Results were analysed using one-way ANOVA and Student-Newman-Keuls Post-hoc test (α = 0.05) with Bonferroni correction. Specimens were observed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) for their microstructure and crystalline phases respectively. Grinding with diamond burs did not weaken zirconia (p > 0.0045) but produced rougher surfaces than the control group (p < 0.0038). Tungsten-carbide burs smoothened diamond ground specimens (p < 0.0038) for both grits of diamond. Specimens ground by tungsten-carbide burs have significantly reduced mean BFS (p < 0.0045) by up to two-thirds and SEM revealed fine surface cracks. Air-particle abrasion restored the mean BFS of tungsten-carbide ground specimens to control levels (p > 0.0045) and surface cracks were not observed. Phase transformation was not detected by XRD. Dental zirconia ground dry with tungsten-carbide burs has a significantly reduced BFS and a smooth but defective surface. These defects may be removed and BFS restored by air-particle abrasion. The use of tungsten-carbide burs for grinding dental zirconia should be cautioned. Diamond grinding does not weaken zirconia but requires further polishing. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Artistic creation as stimulated by superimposed versus combined-composite visual images.

PubMed

Rothenberg, A

1986-02-01

The creative role of homospatial thinking in visual art was assessed in an experiment with 39 highly talented young artists. In order to compare the creative effects of visual elements occupying the same space with identical elements arrayed in a combined foreground and background organization, superimposed slide images were presented to a randomly selected portion of the subject group, and the other portion of the subject group viewed the same slide images constructed into a figure-ground composite. Both groups produced three drawings stimulated by the slide stimuli, and these drawings were independently judged by three art experts. Results were that drawings produced by the group exposed to the superimposed images were rated higher in creative potential than those stimulated by the figure-ground controls. These results extend previous experimental findings of a tendency toward homospatial thinking in creative individuals in literature and visual art.

Interpersonal and cultural issues involving crews and ground personnel during Shuttle/Mir space missions.

PubMed

Kanas, N; Salnitskiy, V; Grund, E M; Gushin, V; Weiss, D S; Kozerenko, O; Sled, A; Marmar, C R

2000-09-01

Anecdotal reports from space and results from simulation studies on Earth suggest that interpersonal and cultural issues will have an impact on the interactions of crewmembers and mission control personnel during future long-duration space missions. To evaluate this impact we studied 5 astronauts, 8 cosmonauts, and 42 American and 16 Russian mission control personnel who participated in the Shuttle/Mir space program. Subjects completed questions from the Profile of Mood States, the Group Environment Scale, and the Work Environment Scale on a weekly basis during the missions. Subscale scores from these measures were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA to examine mean differences as a function of country (American vs. Russian), group (crewmember vs. ground personnel), and their interaction. Americans scored higher on measures of vigor and work pressure, and Russians scored higher on measures of managerial control, task orientation, physical comfort, self discovery, and leader support (which also showed a significant interaction effect). Mission control subjects scored higher than crewmembers on four measures of dysphoric emotions, but both groups scored significantly lower than published norms from other studies. There were significant interaction effects for subscales measuring leader support, expressiveness, and independence, with the American astronauts scoring the lowest of all comparison groups on all three subscales. In future long-duration space missions, countermeasures should focus on providing support for crewmembers from a culture in the minority, and crews should include more than one representative from this culture. Positive aspects of the interpersonal environment should be enhanced. The needs of mission control personnel should be addressed as well as those of crewmembers.

Integrating care for neurodevelopmental disorders by unpacking control: A grounded theory study

PubMed Central

Waxegård, Gustaf; Thulesius, Hans

2016-01-01

Background To establish integrated healthcare pathways for patients with neurodevelopmental disorders (ND) such as autism spectrum disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is challenging. This study sets out to investigate the main concerns for healthcare professionals when integrating ND care pathways and how they resolve these concerns. Methods Using classic grounded theory (Glaser), we analysed efforts to improve and integrate an ND care pathway for children and youth in a Swedish region over a period of 6 years. Data from 42 individual interviews with a range of ND professionals, nine group interviews with healthcare teams, participant observation, a 2-day dialogue conference, focus group meetings, regional media coverage, and reports from other Swedish regional ND projects were analysed. Results The main concern for participants was to deal with overwhelming ND complexity by unpacking control, which is control over strategies to define patients’ status and needs. Unpacking control is key to the professionals’ strivings to expand constructive life space for patients, to squeeze health care to reach available care goals, to promote professional ideologies, and to uphold workplace integrity. Control-seeking behaviour in relation to ND unpacking is ubiquitous and complicates integration of ND care pathways. Conclusions The Unpacking control theory expands central aspects of professions theory and may help to improve ND care development. PMID:27609793

Protective effect of ascorbic acid and Ginkgo biloba against learning and memory deficits caused by fluoride.

PubMed

Jetti, Raghu; Raghuveer, C V; Mallikarjuna, Rao C

2016-01-01

Fluoride is present in the ground water, World Health Organization permitted level of fluoride in the ground water is 0.5 ppm. Tooth pastes, mouth washes, tea and sea fish are the sources of fluoride. Exposure to these multiple sources results in several adverse effects in addition to the fluorosis. The present study aimed to test the effect of vitamin C and Ginkgo biloba against the behavioural deficits caused by fluoride. Rats were divided into five groups with six animals in each group (n = 6). Control group received ordinary tap water with 0.5 ppm of fluoride, the remaining groups received 100 ppm of fluoride for 30 days prior to fluoride exposure. Two groups of animals received 100 mg/kg body weight of vitamin C and G. biloba for 15 days prior to fluoride exposure. After 45 days, behavioural studies (T-Maze, passive avoidance) were conducted on the experimental animals. The results of the present study showed no behavioural deficits in the control group of animals however, the rats that received fluoride water exhibited impairment in their spatial learning and memory deficits. The deficits are not marked in the vitamin C and G. biloba groups. To conclude chronic exposure to high levels of fluoride causes severe impairment in the spatial learning and memory, these deficits can be ameliorated with the vitamin C and G. biloba. © The Author(s) 2013.

Effects of different physical forms of wheat grain in corn-based starter on performance of young Holstein dairy calves.

PubMed

Pezhveh, N; Ghorbani, G R; Rezamand, P; Khorvash, M

2014-10-01

The objective of the present study was to examine the effects of partially replacing corn with 2 forms of wheat grain on daily intake of starter feed, average daily gain, feed efficiency, rumen pH, fecal score, weaning weight, skeletal growth, and blood metabolites of dairy calves. Thirty-two male and female Holstein dairy calves (n=8 calves per treatment) were used in a completely randomized block design. At d 3 of age, individually housed calves were randomly allocated to different treatments consisting of a starter diet with 60% ground corn (control), a starter diet with 60% whole corn, a starter diet with 30% ground corn plus 30% ground wheat (GCGW), and a starter with 30% ground corn plus 30% whole wheat (GCWW), with all other components in a meal form. All calves had free access to water and feed throughout the study period and received 4 L of milk replacer/d from d 3 to 50 and 2 L/d from d 50 to 52; weaning occurred at the end of d 52. Feed intake was recorded daily and body weight and skeletal growth measures were recorded on d 10 and every 10 d thereafter. Rumen pH was measured on d 30, 45, and 60. Blood sample were collected on d 30 and every 10 d thereafter through d 70. Data were analyzed using MIXED procedures of SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Over the experimental period (d 1-70), the starter intake for the GCWW group was significantly different from the control group, but not different from the other groups. Calves fed whole wheat had a significantly greater average daily gain compared with other groups over the experimental period (d 1-70). Feed efficiency was only better in calves fed the GCWW diet than the GCGW group for postweaning and overall periods. No differences were observed for preweaning in body length, hip height, or withers height among the treatments; however, differences were significant in heart girth and body barrel. Postweaning, some of the body measurements were greater in calves fed the GCWW and GCGW starter diets. Blood glucose concentration reduced with age; however, blood urea nitrogen, β-hydroxybutyrate, albumin, and total protein increased with age. Treatment × time effects on blood urea nitrogen and total protein concentrations were detected. Blood urea nitrogen concentration (mg/dL) was affected by dietary treatments on d 30, 40, and 70, but no significant difference was detected on d 50 and 60. Serum total protein concentration (g/dL) was also affected by dietary treatments on d 40 and 70, but no significant difference was detected on d 40, 50, and 60. Whereas rumen pH was significantly reduced for the control compared with the GCWW treatment on d 45, comparison of the fecal scores showed no detectable differences among the treatments. Overall, the results of the current study indicate that starter diets containing whole wheat and ground corn can improve performance in young dairy calves compared with diets containing ground corn/ground wheat, whole corn, or ground corn, under our experimental conditions. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ground reaction forces on stairs. Part II: knee implant patients versus normals.

PubMed

Stacoff, Alex; Kramers-de Quervain, Inès A; Luder, Gerhard; List, Renate; Stüssi, Edgar

2007-06-01

The goal of this study was to compare selected parameters of vertical ground reaction forces (GRF) of good outcome patients with different prosthesis designs with a matched control group during level walking, stair ascent and descent. Forty subjects, 29 with three main implant designs (including four subjects with a passive knee flexion restriction), and 11 healthy controls were measured with 8-10 repetitions. Vertical ground reaction forces were measured during two consecutive steps with force plates embedded in the walkway and the staircase. Defined parameters of the force signals were used to compare the results of the test groups. The results show, that, postoperatively, good outcome patients produce gait patterns of the vertical ground reaction force which are comparable to normal healthy subjects with the exception of a few distinct differences: a significant reduction (p<0.05) in the vertical loading on the operated side during level walking at take-off, at weight acceptance and take-off during stair ascent of the normal stair. During stair descent, the patients did not reduce load on the operated side, but increased load variation and side-to-side asymmetry; thus, the mechanical loads on the implants were high, which may be important information with respect to loading protocols of knee implant simulators. No systematic differences in any of the test parameters were found between posterior cruciate-retaining (LCS MB and Innex CR) versus non-retaining (LCS RP and Innex UCOR) implant designs. The restricted group showed significant reductions (p<0.05) of several loading parameters as well as an increased side-to-side asymmetry. About one third of the force parameters of the good outcome patients showed a side-to-side asymmetry between two consecutive steps, which was over a proposed level of acceptance.

Master Console System Monitoring and Control Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooks, Russell A.

2013-01-01

The Master Console internship during the summer of 2013 involved the development of firing room displays and support applications at the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC). This position was with the Master Console Product Group (MCPG) on the Launch Control System (LCS) project. This project is responsible for the System Monitoring and Control (SMC) and Record and Retrieval (R&R) of launch operations data. The Master Console is responsible for: loading the correct software into each of the remaining consoles in the firing room, connecting the proper data paths to and from the launch vehicle and all ground support equipment, and initializing the entire firing room system to begin processing. During my internship, I created control scripts using the Application Control Language (ACL) to analyze the health and status of Kennedy Ground Control System (KGCS) programmable logic controllers (PLCs). This application provides a system health and status display I created with summarized data for use by Master Console Operators (MCO) to monitor and verify the integrity of KGCS subsystems.

Study on the Control Strategy of Ground Source Heat Pump of Complex Buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dandan, Zhang; Wei, Li; Siyi, Tang

2018-05-01

The complex building group is a building group which integrates residential, business and office. Study on the operation of buried tube heat exchanger (BHE) with 30%, 50%, 70% and 100% occupancy rate by numerical simulation under the condition of full operation of the business and office, the optimal operation control strategy of a hybrid ground-source heat pump (HGSHP) system with different occupancy rates can be obtained. The results show that: at low occupancy rate the optimal operation control of the heat pump system is to use the cooling tower in the valley load period (June and September) and the heat absorption of the buried tube in winter; While at high occupancy rates, opening the cooling tower when the temperature of the outlet of the BHE is 2 degrees centigrade higher than the temperature of the wet bulb at the corresponding time is the optimal operating strategy. This paper is based on the annual energy consumption and optimization of soil temperature rise, which has an important guideline value for the design and operation of HGSHP system in complex buildings.

Internal sensations as a source of fear: exploring a link between hypoxia and flight phobia.

PubMed

Vanden Bogaerde, Anouk; De Raedt, Rudi

2013-01-01

Although flight phobia is very common in the general population, knowledge of the underlying mechanisms is limited. The aim of the current study is to determine whether hypoxia is selectively associated with flight anxiety. We wanted to explore levels of oxygen saturation (SpO2) and the associated subjective somatic sensations in flight phobics and controls. The data collected in this study were obtained from 103 participants: 54 had flight phobia, 49 were controls. SpO2 as well as a subjective report of somatic sensations and anxiety were measured during short haul flights, both at ground level and at cruising altitude. Results indicated that both flight phobics and controls showed a comparable clinical significant decrease in SpO2 from sea level to cruising altitude. Next, at ground level the flight phobic group reported more somatic sensations, most likely due to the elevated levels of anxiety at that point. However, at cruising altitude the flight phobic group still reported more somatic sensations while the level of anxiety was no longer significantly different from controls. This finding points to altered symptom perception in flight phobia and stresses the importance of somatic sensations in this particular phobia.

Development of Sensory Receptors in Skeletal Muscle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeSantis, Mark

2000-01-01

The two major goals for this project is to (1) examine the hindlimb walking pattern of offspring from the Flight dams as compared with offspring of the ground control groups from initiation of walking up to two months thereafter; and (2) examine skeletal muscle.

Community structure of grassland ground-dwelling arthropods along increasing soil salinities.

PubMed

Pan, Chengchen; Feng, Qi; Liu, Jiliang; Li, Yulin; Li, Yuqiang; Yu, Xiaoya

2018-03-01

Ground-dwelling arthropod communities are influenced by numerous biotic and abiotic factors. Little is known, however, about the relative importance of vegetation structure and abiotic environmental factors on the patterns of ground-dwelling arthropod community across a wide range of soil salinities. Here, a field survey was conducted to assess the driving forces controlling ground-dwelling arthropod community in the salinized grasslands in the Hexi Corridor, Gansu Province, China. The data were analyzed by variance partitioning with canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). We found that vegetation structure and edaphic factors were at least of similar importance to the pattern of the whole ground-dwelling arthropod community. However, when all collected ground-dwelling arthropods were categorized into three trophic guilds (predators, herbivores, and decomposers), as these groups use different food sources, their populations were controlled by different driving forces. Predators and decomposers were mainly determined by biotic factors such as vegetation cover and aboveground plant biomass and herbivores by plant density and vegetation cover. Abiotic factors were also major determinants for the variation occurring in these guilds, with predators strongly affected by soil electrical conductivity (EC) and the content of fine particles (silt + clay, CS), herbivores by soil N:P, EC, and CS, and decomposers by soil EC and organic matter content (SOM). Since plant cover, density, and aboveground biomass can indicate resource availability, which are mainly constrained by soil N:P, EC, CS, and SOM, we consider that the ground-dwelling arthropod community in the salinized grasslands was mainly influenced by resource availability.

30 CFR 77.1004 - Ground control; inspection and maintenance; general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Ground control; inspection and maintenance... OF UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Ground Control § 77.1004 Ground control; inspection and maintenance... unsafe ground conditions shall be corrected promptly, or the area shall be posted. ...

30 CFR 77.1004 - Ground control; inspection and maintenance; general.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Ground control; inspection and maintenance... OF UNDERGROUND COAL MINES Ground Control § 77.1004 Ground control; inspection and maintenance... unsafe ground conditions shall be corrected promptly, or the area shall be posted. ...

Minimum toe clearance events in divided attention treadmill walking in older and young adults: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Santhiranayagam, Braveena K; Lai, Daniel T H; Sparrow, W A; Begg, Rezaul K

2015-07-12

Falls in older adults during walking frequently occur while performing a concurrent task; that is, dividing attention to respond to other demands in the environment. A particularly hazardous fall-related event is tripping due to toe-ground contact during the swing phase of the gait cycle. The aim of this experiment was to determine the effects of divided attention on tripping risk by investigating the gait cycle event Minimum Toe Clearance (MTC). Fifteen older adults (mean 73.1 years) and 15 young controls (mean 26.1 years) performed three walking tasks on motorized treadmill: (i) at preferred walking speed (preferred walking), (ii) while carrying a glass of water at a comfortable walking speed (dual task walking), and (iii) speed-matched control walking without the glass of water (control walking). Position-time coordinates of the toe were acquired using a 3 dimensional motion capture system (Optotrak NDI, Canada). When MTC was present, toe height at MTC (MTC_Height) and MTC timing (MTC_Time) were calculated. The proportion of non-MTC gait cycles was computed and for non-MTC gait cycles, toe-height was extracted at the mean MTC_Time. Both groups maintained mean MTC_Height across all three conditions. Despite greater MTC_Height SD in preferred gait, the older group reduced their variability to match the young group in dual task walking. Compared to preferred speed walking, both groups attained MTC earlier in dual task and control conditions. The older group's MTC_Time SD was greater across all conditions; in dual task walking, however, they approximated the young group's SD. Non-MTC gait cycles were more frequent in the older group across walking conditions (for example, in preferred walking: young - 2.9 %; older - 18.7 %). In response to increased attention demands older adults preserve MTC_Height but exercise greater control of the critical MTC event by reducing variability in both MTC_Height and MTC_Time. A further adaptive locomotor control strategy to reduce the likelihood of toe-ground contacts is to attain higher mid-swing clearance by eliminating the MTC event, i.e. demonstrating non-MTC gaits cycles.

Simscape Modeling Verification in the Simulink Development Environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Volle, Christopher E. E.

2014-01-01

The purpose of the Simulation Product Group of the Control and Data Systems division of the NASA Engineering branch at Kennedy Space Center is to provide a realtime model and simulation of the Ground Subsystems participating in vehicle launching activities. The simulation software is part of the Spaceport Command and Control System (SCCS) and is designed to support integrated launch operation software verification, and console operator training. Using Mathworks Simulink tools, modeling engineers currently build models from the custom-built blocks to accurately represent ground hardware. This is time consuming and costly due to required rigorous testing and peer reviews to be conducted for each custom-built block. Using Mathworks Simscape tools, modeling time can be reduced since there would be no custom-code developed. After careful research, the group came to the conclusion it is feasible to use Simscape's blocks in MatLab's Simulink. My project this fall was to verify the accuracy of the Crew Access Arm model developed using Simscape tools running in the Simulink development environment.

Pineal physiology in microgravity - Relation to rat gonadal function aboard Cosmos 1887

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holley, Daniel C.; Markley, Carol L.; Soliman, Magdi R. I.; Kaddis, Farida; Krasnov, Igor'

1991-01-01

Results are reported from an analysis of pineal glands obtained for five male rats flown aboard an orbiting satellite for their melatonin, serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIA), and calcium content. Plasma 5-HT and 5-HIAA were measured. These parameters were compared to indicators of gonadal function: plasma testosterone concentration and spermatogonia development. Plasma melotonin was found to be low at the time of euthanasia and was not different among the experimental groups. Pineal calcium of flight animals was not different from ground controls. Pineal 5-HT and 5-HIAA in the flight group were significantly higher than those in ground controls. These findings suggest a possible increase in pineal 5-HT turnover in flight animals which may result in increased melatonin secretion. It is argued that the alteration of pinal 5-HT turnover and its expected effects on melatonin secretion may partially explain the lower plasma testosterone levels and 4-11 percent fewer spermatogonia cells observed in flight animals.

Organic Crystal Growth Facility (OCGF) and Radiation Monitoring Container Device (RMCD) Groups in

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The primary payload for Space Shuttle Mission STS-42, launched January 22, 1992, was the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1), a pressurized manned Spacelab module. The goal of IML-1 was to explore in depth the complex effects of weightlessness of living organisms and materials processing. Around-the-clock research was performed on the human nervous system's adaptation to low gravity and effects of microgravity on other life forms such as shrimp eggs, lentil seedlings, fruit fly eggs, and bacteria. Materials processing experiments were also conducted, including crystal growth from a variety of substances such as enzymes, mercury iodide, and a virus. The Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) Spacelab Payload Operations Control Center (SL POCC) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) was the air/ground communication channel used between the astronauts and ground control teams during the Spacelab missions. Featured are activities of the Organic Crystal Growth Facility (OCGF) and Radiation Monitoring Container Device (RMCD) groups in the SL POCC during the IML-1 mission.

A Gradient Optimization Approach to Adaptive Multi-Robot Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-09-01

implemented for deploying a group of three flying robots with downward facing cameras to monitor an environment on the ground. Thirdly, the multi-robot...theoretically proven, and implemented on multi-robot platforms. Thesis Supervisor: Daniela Rus Title: Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer...often nonlinear, and they are coupled through a network which changes over time. Thirdly, implementing multi-robot controllers requires maintaining mul

Peculiarities of lens and tail regeneration detected in newts after spaceflight aboard Foton M3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigoryan, Eleonora N.; Almeida, Eduardo; Poplinskaya, Valentina; Novikova, Julia; Domaratskaya, Elena; Aleinikova, Karina; Souza, Kenneth; Skidmore, Mike; Grigoryan, Eleonora N.

In September 2007 the joint, 12 day long experiment was carried out aboard Russian satellite Foton M3. The goal of the experiment was to study eye lens, tail and forelimb toe regeneration in adult 16 newts (Pl. waltl.) operated 10 days before taking-off. In spaceflight and synchronous ground control we used video recording, temperature and irradiation control, as well as constant availability of thymidine analog BrdU for its absorption via animals' skin. New techniques allowed us to analyze animals' behavior in hyperand microgravity periods of time, to take proper account of spaceflight factors, and measure accumulated pools of DNA-synthesizing cells in regenerating tissues. All tissue specimens obtained from animals were isolated in the day of landing and then prepared for morphological, immunochemical and molecular investigations. Synchronous control was shifted for two days and reproduced flight conditions except changes of gravity influence. As a result in flown animals as compared with synchronous ground control we found lens regeneration of 0.5-1 stage speeded up and an increased BrdU+ (S-phase) cell number in eye cornea, growth zone, limbus and newly forming lens. These features of regeneration were accompanied by an increase of FGF2 expression in eye growth zone and heat shock protein (HSP90) induction purely in retinal macroglial cells of regenerating eyes. Toe regeneration rate was equal and achieved the stage of accomplished healing of amputation area in both groups - "flown" and control animals. We found no essential differences in tail regeneration rate and tail regenerate sizes in the newts exposed to space and on ground. In both groups tail regeneration reached the stage IV-V when tail length and square were around 4.4 mm and 15.5 mm2, correspondingly. However we did observe remarkable changes of tail regenerate form and some of pigmentation. Computer morphometrical analysis showed that only in ground control animals the evident dorso-ventral asymmetry of tail regenerate took place, meanwhile it was absent in "free-floating" animals of flight and aquaria groups. The angle between animal basal ventral axis and regenerating tail tip was two times greater (25.5 degree) in "floating" newts than in loaded ones (13.5 degree). Observed morphogenetic differences in tail regenerates are likely caused by a change of positional balance of cell proliferation /cell apoptosis in tails growing under different dosage of gravity. This question as well as that on genes accountable for regeneration changes and gravity vector accommodation we investigate recently.

Directional and Attitude Stability Control Kit

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-01

Pre-MRAP Vehicle Rollover Stats1 7/6/2014 DASK - Directional and Attitude Stability Control Kit 7 1: Joint Military Vehicle Working Group Army... contained in this report are those of the author(s) and should not contrued as an official Department of the Army position, policy or decision, unless so...Control Kit 3 8/14/2012 9 Statement of Problem Studied • We address the problem of maneuver-induced rollovers of ground vehicles in theatre. A bolt

The space shuttle payload planning working groups. Volume 2: Atmospheric and space physics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The findings of the Atmospheric and Space Physics working group of the space shuttle mission planning activity are presented. The principal objectives defined by the group are: (1) to investigate the detailed mechanisms which control the near-space environment of the earth, (2) to perform plasma physics investigations not feasible in ground-based laboratories, and (3) to conduct investigations which are important in understanding planetary and cometary phenomena. The core instrumentation and laboratory configurations for conducting the investigations are defined.

Effects of aquatic PNF lower extremity patterns on balance and ADL of stroke patients.

PubMed

Kim, Eun-Kyung; Lee, Dong-Kyu; Kim, Young-Mi

2015-01-01

[Purpose] This study investigated the effect of aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) patterns in the lower extremity on balance and activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients. [Subjects] Twenty poststroke participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 10) or a control group (n = 10). The experimental group performed lower extremity patterns in an aquatic environment, and the control group performed lower extremity patterns on the ground. Both exercises were conducted for 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week for 6 weeks. Balance was measured with the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), Functional Reach Test (FRT), and One Leg Stand Test (OLST). Activities of daily living were measured with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). A paired t-test was used to measure pre- and post-experiment differences, and an independent t-test was used to measure between-group differences. [Results] The experimental and control groups showed significant differences for all pre- and post-experiment variables. In the between-group comparison, the experimental group was significantly difference from the control group. [Conclusion] These results indicate that performing aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation patterns in the lower extremity enhances balance and ADL in stroke patients.

Effects of aquatic PNF lower extremity patterns on balance and ADL of stroke patients

PubMed Central

Kim, Eun-Kyung; Lee, Dong-Kyu; Kim, Young-Mi

2015-01-01

[Purpose] This study investigated the effect of aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) patterns in the lower extremity on balance and activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients. [Subjects] Twenty poststroke participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 10) or a control group (n = 10). The experimental group performed lower extremity patterns in an aquatic environment, and the control group performed lower extremity patterns on the ground. Both exercises were conducted for 30 minutes/day, 5 days/week for 6 weeks. Balance was measured with the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), Functional Reach Test (FRT), and One Leg Stand Test (OLST). Activities of daily living were measured with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). A paired t-test was used to measure pre- and post-experiment differences, and an independent t-test was used to measure between-group differences. [Results] The experimental and control groups showed significant differences for all pre- and post-experiment variables. In the between-group comparison, the experimental group was significantly difference from the control group. [Conclusion] These results indicate that performing aquatic proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation patterns in the lower extremity enhances balance and ADL in stroke patients. PMID:25642076

Lower limb joint motion during a cross cutting movement differs in individuals with and without chronic ankle instability.

PubMed

Koshino, Yuta; Yamanaka, Masanori; Ezawa, Yuya; Ishida, Tomoya; Kobayashi, Takumi; Samukawa, Mina; Saito, Hiroshi; Takeda, Naoki

2014-11-01

To compare the kinematics of lower limb joints between individuals with and without chronic ankle instability (CAI) during cross-turn and -cutting movements. Cross-sectional study. Motion analysis laboratory. Twelve subjects with CAI and twelve healthy controls. Hip flexion, adduction, and internal rotation, knee flexion, and ankle dorsiflexion and inversion angles were calculated in the 200 ms before initial ground contact and from initial ground contact to toe-off (stance phase) in a cross-turn movement during gait and a cross-cutting movement from a forward jump, and compared across the two groups. In the cross-cutting movement, the CAI group exhibited greater hip and knee flexion than the control group during the stance phase, and more hip abduction during the period before initial contact and the stance phase. In the cross-turn movement the joint kinematics were similar in the two groups. CAI subjects exhibited an altered pattern of the proximal joint kinematics during a cross-cutting movement. It is important for clinicians to assess the function of the hip and knee as well as the ankle, and to incorporate coordination training for the entire lower limb into rehabilitation after lateral ankle sprains. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

43. Upper level, left to rightground missile guidance system liquid ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

43. Upper level, left to right--ground missile guidance system liquid cooling equipment, guidance and control coupler rack, programmer group - Ellsworth Air Force Base, Delta Flight, Launch Facility, On County Road T512, south of Exit 116 off I-90, Interior, Jackson County, SD

A new approach of the Star Excursion Balance Test to assess dynamic postural control in people complaining from chronic ankle instability.

PubMed

Pionnier, Raphaël; Découfour, Nicolas; Barbier, Franck; Popineau, Christophe; Simoneau-Buessinger, Emilie

2016-03-01

The purpose of this study was to quantitatively and qualitatively assess dynamic balance with accuracy in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). To this aim, a motion capture system was used while participants performed the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). Reached distances for the 8 points of the star were automatically computed, thereby excluding any dependence to the experimenter. In addition, new relevant variables were also computed, such as absolute time needed to reach each distance, lower limb ranges of motion during unipodal stance, as well as absolute error of pointing. Velocity of the center of pressure and range of variation of ground reaction forces have also been assessed during the unipodal phase of the SEBT thanks to force plates. CAI group exhibited smaller reached distances and greater absolute error of pointing than the control group (p<0.05). Moreover, the ranges of motion of lower limbs joints, the velocity of the center of pressure and the range of variation of the ground reaction forces were all significantly smaller in the CAI group (p<0.05). These reduced quantitative and qualitative performances highlighted a lower dynamic postural control. The limited body movements and accelerations during the unipodal stance in the CAI group could highlight a protective strategy. The present findings could help clinicians to better understand the motor strategies used by CAI patients during dynamic balance and may guide the rehabilitation process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microbiological and biochemical characteristics of ground beef as affected by gamma irradiation, food additives and edible coating film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouattara, B.; Giroux, M.; Yefsah, R.; Smoragiewicz, W.; Saucier, L.; Borsa, J.; Lacroix, M.

2002-03-01

The current interest in "minimally processed foods" has attracted the attention for combination of mild treatments to improve food safety and shelf-life extention. The present study was conducted to evaluate the combined effect of gamma irradiation and incorporation of naturally occurring antimicrobial compounds on microbial and biochemistry characteristics of ground beef. Ground beef patties (23% fat ) were purchased from a local grocery store (IGA, Laval, Que., Canada) and divided into 3 separate treatment groups: (i) control (ground beef without additive), (ii) ground beef with 0.5% (w/w) ascorbic acid, and (iii) ground beef with 0.5% ascorbic acid and coated with a protein-based coating containing selected spices. Samples were irradiated at 0, 1, 2, and 3 kGy final dose at the CIC. Samples were stored at 4°C and evaluated periodically for microbial growth, total thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS) and free sulfydryl content. At the end of the storage period, Enterobacteriaceae, Lactic acid bacteria, Pseudomonas and Brochothrix thermosphacta were enumerated. Regardless of the treatment group, irradiation significantly ( p⩽0.05) reduced the total aerobic plate counts (APC). Irradiation doses of 1, 2, and 3 kGy produced immediate reduction of 2, 3, and 4 log units of APCs, respectively. Also, shelf-life periods were higher for ground beef samples containing food additives. Lactic acid bacteria and Brochothrix thermosphacta were more resistant to irradiation than Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas. Concentration of TBARS and free sulfydryl concentrations were stabilized during post-irradiation storage for samples containing ascorbic acid and coated with the protein-based coating containing spices.

[Effect of ground mulch managements on soil bacterial community structure and diversity in the non-irrigated apple orchard in Weibei Loess Plateau].

PubMed

Chen, Yuexing; Wen, Xiaoxia; Sun, Yulin; Zhang, Junli; Lin, Xiaoli; Liao, Yuncheng

2015-07-04

We studied the changes in soil bacterial communities induced by ground mulch managements at different apple growth periods. We adopted the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) with PCR-amplified 16S rRNA fragments to determine soil bacterial community structure and diversity. Soil bacterial community structure with different ground mulch managements were significantly different. Both the mulch management strategies and apple growth periods affected the predominant groups and their abundance in soil bacterial communities. Grass mulch and cornstalk mulch treatments had higher bacterial diversity and richness than the control at young fruit period and fruit expanding period, whereas film mulch treatment had no significant difference compared with the control. During mature period, bacterial diversity in the control reached its maximum, which may be ascribed to the rapid growth and reproduction of the r-selection bacteria. The clustering and detrended correspondence analysis revealed that differences in soil bacterial communities were closely correlated to apple growth periods and ground mulch managements. Soil samples from the grass mulch and cornstalk mulch treatments clustered together while those mulched with plastic film treatment were similar to the control. The most abundant phylum in soil bacterial community was Proteobacteria followed by Bacteroidetes. Some other phyla were also detected, such as Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi. Mulching with plant (Grass/Cornstalk) had great effects on soil bacterial community structure and enhanced the diversity while film mulch management had no significant effects.

Thermal Control Working Group report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haslett, Robert; Mahefkey, E. Thomas

1986-01-01

The Thermal Control Working Group limited its evaluation to issues associated with Earth orbiting and planetary spacecraft with power levels up to 50 kW. It was concluded that the space station technology is a necessary precursor but does not meet S/C 2000 needs (life, high heat flux, long term cryogenics, and survivability). Additional basic and applied research are required (fluid/materials compatibility and two phase system modeling). Scaling, the key issue, must define accelerated life test criteria. The two phase systems require 0g to 1 g correlation. Additional ground test beds are required and combined space environment tests of materials.

Ground Kayak Paddling Exercise Improves Postural Balance, Muscle Performance, and Cognitive Function in Older Adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Choi, Wonjae; Lee, Seungwon

2018-06-10

BACKGROUND Kayaking is an interesting and posturally challenging activity; however, kayaking may be limited by safety issues in older adults. The aim of this study was to determine whether ground kayak paddling (GKP) exercise can improve postural balance, muscle performance, and cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty participants were randomly allocated to a GKP group (n=30; mean age, 74 years) or a control group (n=30; mean age, 74 years). GKP exercise consisted 5 types of exercise protocols, including paddling and multi-directional reaching with repetitive trunk and upper-extremities movements, which was performed for 60 min twice a week for 6 weeks. The outcome measures included the Timed Up and Go Test, the Functional Reach Test, the Berg Balance Scale, the Arm Curl Test, handgrip strength, and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. RESULTS In this study, adherence to the regimen was 96% in the GKP group. Postural balance, muscle performance, and cognitive function were significantly improved after intervention (p<0.05), and all the values in the GKP group, except for the Berg Balance Scale scores, were significantly decreased or increased compared to the control group. Differences between the 2 groups were Timed Up and Go Test -0.74 s; Functional Reach Test +7.20 cm; Arm Curl Test +5.56 repetitions; right handgrip strength +3.57 kg; left handgrip strength +3.08 kg; and Montreal Cognitive Assessment, +3.46 score (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS GKP exercise improves the physical and psychological ability of older adults with mild cognitive impairment.

Effects of space flight on GLUT-4 content in rat plantaris muscle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabata, I.; Kawanaka, Kentaro; Sekiguchi, Chiharu; Nagaoka, Shunji; Ohira, Yoshinobu

The effects of 14 days of space flight on the glucose transporter protein (GLUT-4) were studied in the plantaris muscle of growing 9-week-old, male Sprague Dawley rats. The rats were randomly separated into five groups: pre-flight vivarium ground controls (PF-VC) sacrificed approximately 2 h after launch; flight groups sacrificed either approximately 5 h (F-R0) or 9 days (F-R9) after the return from space; and synchronous ground controls (SC-R0 and SC-R9) sacrificed at the same time as the respective flight groups. The flight groups F-R0 and F-R9 were exposed to micro-gravity for 14 days in the Spacelab module located in the cargo bay of the shuttle transport system - 58 of the manned Space Shuttle for the NASA mission named ''Spacelab Life Sciences 2''. Body weight and plantaris weight of SC-R0 and F-R0 were significantly higher than those of PF-VC. Neither body weight nor plantaris muscle weight in either group had changed 9 days after the return from space. As a result, body weight and plantaris muscle weight did not differ between the flight and synchronous control groups at any of the time points investigated. The GLUT-4 content (cpm/µg membrane protein) in the plantaris muscle did not show any significant change in response to 14 days of space flight or 9 days after return. Similarly, citrate synthase activity did not change during the course of the space flight or the recovery period. These results suggest that 14 days of space flight does not affect muscle mass or GLUT-4 content of the fast-twitch plantaris muscle in the rat.

Effects of intensive therapy using gait trainer or floor walking exercises early after stroke.

PubMed

Peurala, Sinikka H; Airaksinen, Olavi; Huuskonen, Pirjo; Jäkälä, Pekka; Juhakoski, Mika; Sandell, Kaisa; Tarkka, Ina M; Sivenius, Juhani

2009-02-01

To analyse the effects of gait therapy for patients after acute stroke in a randomized controlled trial. Fifty-six patients with a mean of 8 days post-stroke participated in: (i) gait trainer exercise; (ii) walking training over ground; or (iii) conventional treatment. Patients in the gait trainer exercise and walking groups practiced gait for 15 sessions over 3 weeks and received additional physiotherapy. Functional Ambulatory Category and several secondary outcome measures assessing gait and mobility were administered before and after rehabilitation and at 6-month follow-up. Patients also evaluated their own effort. Walking ability improved more with intensive walk training compared with conventional treatment; median Functional Ambulatory Category was zero in all patients at the start of the study, but it was 3 in both walk-training groups and 0.5 in the conventional treatment group at the end of the therapy. Median Functional Ambulatory Category was 4 in both walk-training groups and 2.5 in conventional treatment group at 6-month follow-up. Mean accomplished walking distance was not different between the gait trainer exercise and over ground walking groups. Borg scale indicated more effort in over ground walking. Secondary outcomes also indicated improvements. Exercise therapy with walking training improved gait function irrespective of the method used, but the time and effort required to achieve the results favour the gait trainer exercise. Early intensive gait training resulted in better walking ability than did conventional treatment.

GRYPHON: Air launched space booster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

The project chosen for the winter semester Aero 483 class was the design of a next generation Air Launched Space Booster. Based on Orbital Sciences Corporation's Pegasus concept, the goal of Aero 483 was to design a 500,000 pound air launched space booster capable of delivering 17,000 pounds of payload to Low Earth Orbit and 8,000 pounds of payload to Geosynchronous Earth Orbit. The resulting launch vehicle was named the Gryphon. The class of forty senior aerospace engineering students was broken down into eight interdependent groups. Each group was assigned a subsystem or responsibility which then became their field of specialization. Spacecraft Integration was responsible for ensuring compatibility between subsystems. This group kept up to date on subsystem redesigns and informed those parties affected by the changes, monitored the vehicle's overall weight and dimensions, and calculated the mass properties of the booster. This group also performed the cost/profitability analysis of the Gryphon and obtained cost data for competing launch systems. The Mission Analysis Group was assigned the task of determining proper orbits, calculating the vehicle's flight trajectory for those orbits, and determining the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle. The Propulsion Group chose the engines that were best suited to the mission. This group also set the staging configurations for those engines and designed the tanks and fuel feed system. The commercial satellite market, dimensions and weights of typical satellites, and method of deploying satellites was determined by the Payloads Group. In addition, Payloads identified possible resupply packages for Space Station Freedom and identified those packages that were compatible with the Gryphon. The guidance, navigation, and control subsystems were designed by the Mission Control Group. This group identified required tracking hardware, communications hardware telemetry systems, and ground sites for the location of the Gryphon's mission control center. The Structures group was responsible for ensuring the structural integrity of the vehicle. Their designs included the payload shroud, payload support structure, exterior hull and engine support struts. The Gryphon's power requirements were determined by the Power/Thermal/Attitude Control Group. This group then selected suitable batteries and other components to meet these requirements. The group also designed heat shielding and cooling systems to ensure subsystem performance. In addition to these responsibilities this group designed the attitude control methods and RCS components for the vehicle. The Aircraft Integration Group was responsible for all aspects of the booster aircraft connection. This included the design of the connection structure and the drop mechanism. This group also designed the vehicle assembly facility and identified possible ground bases for the plane.

GRYPHON: Air launched space booster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1993-06-01

The project chosen for the winter semester Aero 483 class was the design of a next generation Air Launched Space Booster. Based on Orbital Sciences Corporation's Pegasus concept, the goal of Aero 483 was to design a 500,000 pound air launched space booster capable of delivering 17,000 pounds of payload to Low Earth Orbit and 8,000 pounds of payload to Geosynchronous Earth Orbit. The resulting launch vehicle was named the Gryphon. The class of forty senior aerospace engineering students was broken down into eight interdependent groups. Each group was assigned a subsystem or responsibility which then became their field of specialization. Spacecraft Integration was responsible for ensuring compatibility between subsystems. This group kept up to date on subsystem redesigns and informed those parties affected by the changes, monitored the vehicle's overall weight and dimensions, and calculated the mass properties of the booster. This group also performed the cost/profitability analysis of the Gryphon and obtained cost data for competing launch systems. The Mission Analysis Group was assigned the task of determining proper orbits, calculating the vehicle's flight trajectory for those orbits, and determining the aerodynamic characteristics of the vehicle. The Propulsion Group chose the engines that were best suited to the mission. This group also set the staging configurations for those engines and designed the tanks and fuel feed system. The commercial satellite market, dimensions and weights of typical satellites, and method of deploying satellites was determined by the Payloads Group. In addition, Payloads identified possible resupply packages for Space Station Freedom and identified those packages that were compatible with the Gryphon. The guidance, navigation, and control subsystems were designed by the Mission Control Group. This group identified required tracking hardware, communications hardware telemetry systems, and ground sites for the location of the Gryphon's mission control center. The Structures group was responsible for ensuring the structural integrity of the vehicle. Their designs included the payload shroud, payload support structure, exterior hull and engine support struts. The Gryphon's power requirements were determined by the Power/Thermal/Attitude Control Group.

Russia and the Current State of Arms Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

Suite 1204, Arlington VA 22202-4302. Respondents should be aware that notwithstanding any other provision of law , no person shall be subject to a...for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (START III) addressed well-covered ground from past arms control efforts and...composed of political, military, business , faith, and civic leaders in late 2008. That group mount- ed an international campaign for the elimination of

STS-49 Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, Planning Team in MCC Bldg 30 FCR

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-05-15

S92-36606 (20 May 1992) --- STS-49 Endeavour, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 105, Planning Team with Flight Director (FD) James M. Heflin, Jr. (front right next to ship model) poses in Johnson Space Center?s (JSC) Mission Control Center (MCC) Bldg 30 Flight Control Room (FCR). The group stands in front of visual displays projecting STS-49 data and ground track map.

Hydrogeology of a low-level radioactive-waste disposal site near Sheffield, Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foster, J.B.; Erickson, J.R.; Healy, R.W.

1984-01-01

The Sheffield low-level radioactive-waste facility is located on 20 acres of rolling terrain 3 miles southwest of Sheffield, Illinois. The shallow hydrogeologic system is composed of glacial sediments. Pennsylvania shale and mudstone bedrock isolate the regional aquifers below from the hydrogeologic system in the overlying glacial deposits. Pebbly sand underlies 67 percent of the site. Two ground-water flow paths were identified. The primary path conveys ground water from the site to the east through the pebbly-sand unit; a secondary path conveys ground water to the south and east through less permeable material. The pebbly-sand unit provides an underdrain that eliminates the risk of water rising into the trenches. Digital computer model results indicate that the pebbly-sand unit controls ground-water movement. Tritium found migrating in ground water in the southeast corner of the site travels approximately 25 feet per year. A group of water samples from wells which contained the highest tritium concentrations had specific conductivities, alkalinities, hardness, and chloride, sulfate, calcium, and magnesium contents higher than normal for local shallow ground water. (USGS)

10 CFR 63.302 - Definitions for Subpart L.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...; and (5) The lithosphere. Aquifer means a water-bearing underground geological formation, group of formations, or part of a formation (excluding perched water bodies) that can yield a significant amount of ground water to a well or spring. Controlled area means: (1) The surface area, identified by passive...

10 CFR 63.302 - Definitions for Subpart L.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...; and (5) The lithosphere. Aquifer means a water-bearing underground geological formation, group of formations, or part of a formation (excluding perched water bodies) that can yield a significant amount of ground water to a well or spring. Controlled area means: (1) The surface area, identified by passive...

Teaching High-Expectation Strategies to Teachers through an Intervention Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDonald, Lyn; Flint, Annaline; Rubie-Davies, Christine M.; Peterson, Elizabeth R.; Watson, Penny; Garrett, Lynda

2016-01-01

This study describes the outcomes of an intervention focused on the strategies and practices of high-expectation teachers. Specifically, the intervention involved 84 teachers who were randomly assigned to control and intervention groups. The research methodology was primarily qualitative, grounded in the interpretive tradition. Data collected from…

Water resources of Indiana County, Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, D.R.; McElroy, T.A.

1997-01-01

Indiana County, west-central Pennsylvania, is a major producer of coal and natural gas. Water managers and residents are concerned about the effects of mining and natural gas exploration on the surface- and ground-water resources of the county. This study assesses the quality and quantity of water in Indiana County. Ground- and surface-water sources are used for public supplies that serve 61 percent of the total population of the county. The remaining 39 percent of the population live in rural areas and rely on cisterns and wells and springs that tap shallow aquifers. Most of the county is underlain by rocks of Middle to Upper Pennsylvanian age. From oldest to youngest, they are the Allegheny Group, the Glenshaw Formation, the Casselman Formation, and the Monongahela Group. Almost all the coals mined are in the Allegheny Group and the Monongahela Group. Ground water in Indiana County flows through fractures in the rock. The size and extent of the fractures, which are controlled by lithology, topography, and structure, determine the sustained yield of wells. Topography has a significant control over the yields of wells sited in the Allegheny Group. Properly sited wells in the Glenshaw Formation may have yields adequate for municipal, commercial, or industrial uses. The Casselman Formation yields adequate amounts of water for domestic use. Yield of the Monongahela Group is small, and the water may not be of suitable quality for most uses. Yields of hilltop wells may be marginal, but valley wells may yield sufficient amounts for large-volume users. Data on the other rock units are sparse to nonexistent. Few wells in the county yield more than 40 gallons per minute. Most of the wells that do are in valleys where alluvial deposits are extensive enough to be mapable. Short-term water-level fluctuations are variable from well to well. Seasonal water-level fluctuations are controlled by time of year and amount of precipitation. The quality of water from the Casselman Formation, Glenshaw Formation, and Allegheny Group tends to be hard and may have concentrations of iron and manganese that exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Secondary Maximum Contaminant Levels of 0.3 milligrams per liter and 0.05 milligrams per liter, respectively. Ground water from the Glenshaw Formation is less mineralized than ground water from the Allegheny Group. Concentrations of minerals in water from the Casselman Formation are between those in water from the Glenshaw Formation and the Allegheny Group. Water from wells on hilltops has lower concentrations of dissolved solids than water from wells on hillsides. Water from valley wells is the most mineralized. Nearly half the springs tested yield water that is low in pH and dissolved solids; this combination makes the water chemically aggressive. The 7-day, 10-year low-flow frequencies for 26 unregulated surface-water sites ranged from 0.0 to 0.19 cubic feet per second per square mile. The presence of coal mines and variations in precipitation were probably the principal factors affecting flow duration on Blacklick Creek (site 28) during 1953-88. Sustained base flows of regulated streams such as Blacklick Creek generally were larger than those of unregulated streams as a result of low-flow augmentation. The annual water loss in streamflow as a result of evapotranspiration, diversion, seepage to mines, and seepage to the ground-water system was determined at four sites (sites 8, 9, 17, and 28) and ranged from 35 to 53 percent. The highest concentrations of dissolved solids, iron, manganese, aluminum, zinc, and sulfate were measured mostly in streams in central and southern Indiana County, where active and abandoned coal mines are the most numerous. Streamflow was measured during low flow in two small basins; one basin almost completely deep mined (Cherry Run) and one basin unmined (South Branch Plum Creek). The measurements showed a con

Intact figure-ground segmentation in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Herzog, Michael H; Kopmann, Sabine; Brand, Andreas

2004-11-30

As revealed by backward masking studies, schizophrenic patients show strong impairments of early visual processing. However, the underlying temporal mechanisms are not yet well understood. To shed light on the exact timing of these deficits, we employed a paradigm in which two masks follow each other. We investigated 16 medicated schizophrenic patients and a matched group of 14 controls with a new backward masking technique, shine-through. In accordance with other masking studies, schizophrenic patients require a dramatically longer processing time to reach a predefined performance level compared with healthy subjects. However, patients are surprisingly sensitive to subtle differences in the timing of the two masks, revealing good temporal resolution. This good temporal resolution indicates intact and fast perceptual grouping and figure-ground segmentation in spite of high susceptibility to masking procedures in schizophrenia.

On reducing hand impact force in forward falls: results of a brief intervention in young males.

PubMed

Lo, J; McCabe, G N; DeGoede, K M; Okuizumi, H; Ashton-Miller, J A

2003-10-01

To test the working hypotheses that after a brief (10 min) intervention, (a) young adults can volitionally reduce fall-related wrist impact forces, and (b) no difference in impact force would exist between intervention and control groups at 3-weeks or 3-months follow-up. The wrist is the most commonly fractured site in the body at any age, most often as a result of impact with the ground while arresting a forward fall.Methods. Twenty-nine healthy young male volunteers participated. A 3-month intervention group (n=10) performed five standardized forward falls before and after a 10-min instructional intervention aimed at reducing wrist impact forces during the baseline visit. They, along with a 3-month control group (n=11) who did not receive the intervention, were remeasured in five trials at 3-weeks and 3-months follow-up, without intervening practice. A baseline control group (n=8) performed the five trials, then repeated them at the baseline visit without receiving the intervention. Unilateral body segment kinematics and bilateral hand-ground impact forces were measured and the hypotheses were tested using repeated measures analysis of variance. At the baseline visit, a significant group-by-trial-block interaction was found (P=0.02): the 3-month intervention group reduced their average maximum impact forces by 18% from initial values (P=0.002); the baseline control group did not do so (0.5% increase, P=0.91). The 3-month intervention (20 falls) and control (15 falls) groups did not differ at the 3-month follow-up (P=0.62); however, when the groups were combined their maximum impact force had decreased significantly (8.9%, P=0.04) over that time. Healthy young males learned in 10 min to significantly reduce wrist impact forces in forward falls, but retention was poor at 3-weeks follow-up. Irrespective of group, however, after the 5 falls at 3-weeks subjects had taught themselves to reduce their impact forces at the 3-months follow-up. A brief educational intervention can significantly reduce forward fall-related impact forces in the short term. However, with or without the brief intervention, the experience of performing between 5-10 forward falls 3 weeks apart apparently resulted in decreased impact forces over the next 2 months, thereby reducing the risk of injury in these forward falls.

An intelligent position-specific training system for mission operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, M. P.

1992-01-01

Marshall Space Flight Center's (MSFC's) payload ground controller training program provides very good generic training; however, ground controller position-specific training can be improved by including position-specific training systems in the training program. This report explains why MSFC needs to improve payload ground controller position-specific training. The report describes a generic syllabus for position-specific training systems, a range of system designs for position-specific training systems, and a generic development process for developing position-specific training systems. The report also describes a position-specific training system prototype that was developed for the crew interface coordinator payload operations control center ground controller position. The report concludes that MSFC can improve the payload ground controller training program by incorporating position-specific training systems for each ground controller position; however, MSFC should not develop position-specific training systems unless payload ground controller position experts will be available to participate in the development process.

Testing the Enemies Hypothesis in Peach Orchards in Two Different Geographic Areas in Eastern China: The Role of Ground Cover Vegetation

PubMed Central

Wan, Nian-Feng; Ji, Xiang-Yun; Jiang, Jie-Xian

2014-01-01

Many studies have supported the enemies hypothesis, which suggests that natural enemies are more efficient at controlling arthropod pests in polyculture than in monoculture agro-ecosystems. However, we do not yet have evidence as to whether this hypothesis holds true in peach orchards over several geographic locations. In the two different geographic areas in eastern China (Xinchang a town in the Shanghai municipality, and Hudai, a town in Jiangsu Province) during a continuous three-year (2010–2012) investigation, we sampled arthropod pests and predators in Trifolium repens L. and in tree canopies of peach orchards with and without the ground cover plant T. repens. No significant differences were found in the abundances of the main groups of arthropod pests and predators in T. repens between Hudai and Xinchang. The abundance, richness, Simpson's index, Shannon-Wiener index, and Pielou evenness index of canopy predators in ground cover areas increased by 85.5, 27.5, 3.5, 16.7, and 7.9% in Xinchang, and by 87.0, 27.6, 3.5, 17.0 and 8.0% in Hudai compared to those in the controls, respectively. The average abundance of Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Homoptera, true bugs and Acarina canopy pests in ground cover areas decreased by 9.2, 10.2, 17.2, 19.5 and 14.1% in Xinchang, and decreased by 9.5, 8.2, 16.8, 20.1 and 16.6% in Hudai compared to that in control areas, respectively. Our study also found a higher density of arthropod species resources in T. repens, as some omnivorous pests and predators residing in T. repens could move between the ground cover and the orchard canopy. In conclusion, ground cover in peach orchards supported the enemies hypothesis, as indicated by the fact that ground cover T. repens promoted the abundance and diversity of predators and reduced the number of arthropod pests in tree canopies in both geographical areas. PMID:24963719

Heart rate and leukocytes after air and ground transportation in artificially ventilated neonates: a prospective observational study.

PubMed

Grosek, Stefan; Mlakar, Gorazd; Vidmar, Ivan; Ihan, Alojz; Primozic, Janez

2009-01-01

To evaluate the effect of interhospital air and ground transportation of artificially ventilated neonates on heart rate and peripheral blood leukocyte counts. Prospective, observational study. Level III multidisciplinary Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Fifty-eight near-term artificially ventilated transported neonates between May 2006 and April 2007. Day-helicopter, day- and night-ground transportation. Heart rate at retrieval, on admission to the ICU and 1 h later, and peripheral blood leukocyte counts on admission and 1 d later were compared. Fifteen neonates were transported by helicopter during the daytime (D-HEL), 20 by daytime ground and 23 by nighttime ground transportation (D-GROUND, N-GROUND). No differences in delivery mode, birth weight, gestational age, gender, primary diagnoses for transportation, response time and duration of transportation were found between the groups. Similarly, no differences in pH, pCO(2), blood pressure and skin temperature at retrieval and on admission to the ICU were found between the three groups. The mean heart rate at retrieval did not differ significantly, while on arrival in the ICU and 1 h later the D-GROUND group of patients showed a significantly higher mean heart rate compared to the D-HEL and N-GROUND groups. Moreover, leukocyte counts on arrival in the ICU showed significantly higher leukocyte counts in the D-GROUND group of patients compared to the D-HEL group of patients. These results demonstrate that there is an association between daytime ground transportation and higher heart rate and peripheral blood leukocytes.

Effects of dietary fermented spent coffee ground on nutrient digestibility and nitrogen utilization in sheep

PubMed Central

Rim, Jong-su

2018-01-01

Objective The objective of the study was to determine the effect of fermented spent coffee ground (FSCG) on nutrient digestibility and nitrogen utilization in sheep. Methods Fermentation of spent coffee ground (SCG) was conducted using Lactobacillus plantrum. Fermentation was performed at moisture content of 70% and temperature of 39°C with anaerobic air tension for 48 h. Four adult rams (initial body weight = 56.8±0.4 kg) were housed in a respiration-metabolism chamber and the treatments were: i) control (Basal diet; 0% SCG or FSCG), ii) 10% level of SCG, iii) 10% level of FSCG, and iv) 20% level of FSCG in 4×4 Latin square design. Each dietary experiment period lasted for 18-d with a 14-d of adaptation period and a 4-d of sample collection period. Results In SCG fermentation experimental result, acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN) concentration of FSCG (64.5% of total N) was lower than that of non-fermented SCG (78.8% of total N). Digestibility of dry matter and organic matter was similar among treatment groups. Although crude protein (CP) digestibility of the control was greater than FSCG groups (p< 0.05), the 10% FSCG group showed greater CP digestibility and nitrogen retention than non-fermented 10% SCG group (p<0.05). Body weight gain and average daily gain were linearly decreased with increasing FSCG feeding level (p<0.05). When the feeding level of FSCG was increased, water intake was linearly increased (p<0.05). With an increasing FSCG level, dry matter intake did not differ among groups, although the gain to feed ratio tended to decrease with increasing level of FSCG (p<0.10). Conclusion Microbial fermentation of SCG can improve protein digestibility, thereby increasing CP digestibility and nitrogen utilization in sheep. Fermentation using microorganisms in feed ingredients with low digestibility could have a positive effect on improving the quality of raw feed. PMID:29103281

Effects of dietary fermented spent coffee ground on nutrient digestibility and nitrogen utilization in sheep.

PubMed

Choi, Yongjun; Rim, Jong-Su; Na, Youngjun; Lee, Sang Rak

2018-03-01

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of fermented spent coffee ground (FSCG) on nutrient digestibility and nitrogen utilization in sheep. Fermentation of spent coffee ground (SCG) was conducted using Lactobacillus plantrum . Fermentation was performed at moisture content of 70% and temperature of 39°C with anaerobic air tension for 48 h. Four adult rams (initial body weight = 56.8±0.4 kg) were housed in a respiration-metabolism chamber and the treatments were: i) control (Basal diet; 0% SCG or FSCG), ii) 10% level of SCG, iii) 10% level of FSCG, and iv) 20% level of FSCG in 4×4 Latin square design. Each dietary experiment period lasted for 18-d with a 14-d of adaptation period and a 4-d of sample collection period. In SCG fermentation experimental result, acid detergent insoluble nitrogen (ADIN) concentration of FSCG (64.5% of total N) was lower than that of non-fermented SCG (78.8% of total N). Digestibility of dry matter and organic matter was similar among treatment groups. Although crude protein (CP) digestibility of the control was greater than FSCG groups (p< 0.05), the 10% FSCG group showed greater CP digestibility and nitrogen retention than non-fermented 10% SCG group (p<0.05). Body weight gain and average daily gain were linearly decreased with increasing FSCG feeding level (p<0.05). When the feeding level of FSCG was increased, water intake was linearly increased (p<0.05). With an increasing FSCG level, dry matter intake did not differ among groups, although the gain to feed ratio tended to decrease with increasing level of FSCG (p<0.10). Microbial fermentation of SCG can improve protein digestibility, thereby increasing CP digestibility and nitrogen utilization in sheep. Fermentation using microorganisms in feed ingredients with low digestibility could have a positive effect on improving the quality of raw feed.

Comparative transcriptomics indicate changes in cell wall organization and stress response in seedlings during spaceflight.

PubMed

Johnson, Christina M; Subramanian, Aswati; Pattathil, Sivakumar; Correll, Melanie J; Kiss, John Z

2017-08-21

Plants will play an important role in the future of space exploration as part of bioregenerative life support. Thus, it is important to understand the effects of microgravity and spaceflight on gene expression in plant development. We analyzed the transcriptome of Arabidopsis thaliana using the Biological Research in Canisters (BRIC) hardware during Space Shuttle mission STS-131. The bioinformatics methods used included RMA (robust multi-array average), MAS5 (Microarray Suite 5.0), and PLIER (probe logarithmic intensity error estimation). Glycome profiling was used to analyze cell wall composition in the samples. In addition, our results were compared to those of two other groups using the same hardware on the same mission (BRIC-16). In our BRIC-16 experiments, we noted expression changes in genes involved in hypoxia and heat shock responses, DNA repair, and cell wall structure between spaceflight samples compared to the ground controls. In addition, glycome profiling supported our expression analyses in that there was a difference in cell wall components between ground control and spaceflight-grown plants. Comparing our studies to those of the other BRIC-16 experiments demonstrated that, even with the same hardware and similar biological materials, differences in results in gene expression were found among these spaceflight experiments. A common theme from our BRIC-16 space experiments and those of the other two groups was the downregulation of water stress response genes in spaceflight. In addition, all three studies found differential regulation of genes associated with cell wall remodeling and stress responses between spaceflight-grown and ground control plants. © 2017 Botanical Society of America.

Influences of Patellofemoral Pain and Fatigue in Female Dancers during Ballet Jump-Landing.

PubMed

Peng, H-T; Chen, W C; Kernozek, T W; Kim, K; Song, C-Y

2015-08-01

This study investigated the influence of patellofemoral pain (PFP) and fatigue on lower-extremity joint biomechanics in female dancers during consecutive simple ground échappé. 3-dimensional joint mechanics were analyzed from the no-fatigue to fatigue conditions. 2-way mixed ANOVAs were used to compare the differences of the kinematic and kinetic variables between groups and conditions. Group main effects were seen in increased jump height (p=0.03), peak vertical ground reaction force (p=0.01), knee joint power absorption (p=0.04), and patellofemoral joint stress (PFJS, p=0.04) for PFP group. Fatigue main effects were found for decreased jump height (p<0.01), decreased ankle plantarflexion at initial foot-ground contact (p=0.01), and decreased ankle displacement (p<0.01). Hip external rotation impulse and hip joint stiffness increased (both p<0.01) while knee extension and external rotation moment, and ankle joint power absorption decreased (p<0.01, p=0.02, p<0.01, respectively) after fatigue. The peak PFJS also decreased after fatigue (p<0.01). Female ballet dancers with PFP sustained great ground impact and loads on the knee probably due to higher jump height compared to the controls. All dancers presented diminished knee joint loading for the protective mechanism and endurance of ankle joint musculature required for the dissipation of loads and displayed a distal-to-proximal dissipation strategy after fatigue. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Spaceflight Affects Postnatal Development of the Aortic Wall in Rats

PubMed Central

Yamasaki, Masao; Waki, Hidefumi; Miyake, Masao; Nagayama, Tadanori; Miyamoto, Yukako; Wago, Haruyuki; Okouchi, Toshiyasu; Shimizu, Tsuyoshi

2014-01-01

We investigated effect of microgravity environment during spaceflight on postnatal development of the rheological properties of the aorta in rats. The neonate rats were randomly divided at 7 days of age into the spaceflight, asynchronous ground control, and vivarium control groups (8 pups for one dam). The spaceflight group rats at 9 days of age were exposed to microgravity environment for 16 days. A longitudinal wall strip of the proximal descending thoracic aorta was subjected to stress-strain and stress-relaxation tests. Wall tensile force was significantly smaller in the spaceflight group than in the two control groups, whereas there were no significant differences in wall stress or incremental elastic modulus at each strain among the three groups. Wall thickness and number of smooth muscle fibers were significantly smaller in the spaceflight group than in the two control groups, but there were no significant differences in amounts of either the elastin or collagen fibers among the three groups. The decreased thickness was mainly caused by the decreased number of smooth muscle cells. Plastic deformation was observed only in the spaceflight group in the stress-strain test. A microgravity environment during spaceflight could affect postnatal development of the morphological and rheological properties of the aorta. PMID:25210713

Final Environmental Assessment: Williams Lake Wildlife Control Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

receptor is any person or group of persons in an environment where low noise levels are expected, such as schools, day cares, hospitals, and nursing ...prohibit formation takeoffs and landings  Depart pattern in trail; rejoin 3,000 feet above ground level (AGL)  Reschedule local training or

Prejudice, Pedagogy, and the Play: A Study of "The Merchant of Venice."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eiferman, Sharon

There is little critical agreement on the meaning of Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice." One must confront the mindset of the play that systematically dehumanizes, stereotypes, excoriates, and seeks the extermination of one group on the grounds that their existence is repugnant to the controlling majority. Such a mindset is the…

Relationship between lower limb dynamics and knee joint pain.

PubMed

Radin, E L; Yang, K H; Riegger, C; Kish, V L; O'Connor, J J

1991-05-01

To test the hypothesis that appropriate and timely neuromuscular control of limb motions plays an important role in the preservation of joint health, we kinematically and kinetically examined the behavior of the legs of young adult subjects at heel strike during natural walking. We compared a group of 18 volunteers, who, we presumed, were preosteoarthrotic because of mild, intermittent, activity-related knee joint pain, with 14 age-matched asymptomatic normal subjects. The two groups of subjects exhibited similar gait patterns with equivalent cadences, walking speeds, terminal stance phase knee flexion, maximum (peak) swing angular velocity, and overall shape of the vertical ground reaction. However, our instrumentation detected statistically significant differences between the two groups within a few milliseconds of heel strike. In the knee pain group, the heel hit the floor with a stronger impact in this brief interval. Just before heel strike, there was a faster downward velocity of the ankle with a larger angular velocity of the shank. The follow-through of the leg immediately after heel strike was more violent with larger peak axial and angular accelerations of the leg echoed by a more rapid rise of the ground reaction force. This sequence of events represents repetitive impulsive loading, which consistently provoked osteoarthrosis in animal experiments. We refer to this micro-incoordination of neuromuscular control not visible to the naked eye as "microklutziness."

Analyses of plasma for metabolic and hormonal changes in rats flown aboard Cosmos 2044

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merrill, Alfred H., Jr.; Wang, Elaine; Mullins, Richard E.; Grindeland, Richard E.; Popova, Irina A.

1992-01-01

Plasmas samples from rats flown aboard Cosmos 2044 were analyzed for the levels of key metabolites, electrolytes, enzymes, and hormones. The major differences between the flight group and the synchronous control were elevations in glucose, cholesterol, phosphate, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, lactate dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotransferase and decreased levels of thyroxine. Most of these differences were not mimicked by tail suspension of ground-based rats; however, both flight and suspended rats exhibited inhibited testosterone secretion. Corticosterone, immunoreactive growth hormone, and prolactin showed inconsistent differences from the various control groups, suggesting that the levels of these hormones were not due to actual or simulated microgravity.

Standing on slopes - how current microprocessor-controlled prosthetic feet support transtibial and transfemoral amputees in an everyday task.

PubMed

Ernst, Michael; Altenburg, Björn; Bellmann, Malte; Schmalz, Thomas

2017-11-16

Conventional prosthetic feet like energy storage and return feet provide only a limited range of ankle motion compared to human ones. In order to overcome the poor rotational adaptability, prosthetic manufacturers developed different prosthetic feet with an additional rotational joint and implemented active control in different states. It was the aim of the study to investigate to what extent these commercially available microprocessor-controlled prosthetic feet support a natural posture while standing on inclines and which concept is most beneficial for lower limb amputees. Four unilateral transtibial and four unilateral transfemoral amputees participated in the study. Each of the subjects wore five different microprocessor-controlled prosthetic feet in addition to their everyday feet. The subjects were asked to stand on slopes of different inclinations (level ground, upward slope of 10°, and downward slope of -10°). Vertical ground reaction forces, joint torques and joint angles in the sagittal plane were measured for both legs separately for the different situations and compared to a non-amputee reference group. Differences in the biomechanical parameters were observed between the different prosthetic feet and compared to the reference group for the investigated situations. They were most prominent while standing on a downward slope. For example, on the prosthetic side, the vertical ground reaction force is reduced by about 20%, and the torque about the knee acts to flex the joint for feet that are not capable of a full adaptation to the downward slope. In contrast, fully adaptable feet with an auto-adaptive dorsiflexion stop show no changes in vertical ground reaction forces and knee extending torques. A prosthetic foot that provides both, an auto-adaptive dorsiflexion stop and a sufficient range of motion for fully adapting to inclinations appears to be the key element in the prosthetic fitting for standing on inclinations in lower limb amputees. In such situations, this prosthetic concept appears superior to both, conventional feet with passive structures as well as feet that solely provide a sufficient range of motion. The results also indicate that both, transfemoral and transtibial amputees benefit from such a foot.

Tensile bond strength between auto-polymerized acrylic resin and acrylic denture teeth treated with MF-MA solution.

PubMed

Thongrakard, Ticha; Wiwatwarrapan, Chairat

2016-08-01

This study evaluated the effect of chemical surface treatment using methyl formate-methyl acetate (MF-MA) solution on the tensile bond strength between acrylic denture teeth and auto-polymerized acrylic resin. Seventy maxillary central incisor acrylic denture teeth for each of three different brands (Yamahachi New Ace; Major Dent; Cosmo HXL) were embedded with incisal edge downwards in auto-polymerized resin in polyethylene pipes and ground with silicone carbide paper on their ridge lap surfaces. The teeth of each brand were divided into seven groups (n=10): no surface treatment (control group), MF-MA solution at a ratio of 25:75 (v/v) for 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 120 seconds, 180 seconds, and MMA for 180 seconds. Auto-polymerized acrylic resin (Unifast Trad) was applied to the ground surface and polymerized in a pressure cooker. A tensile strength test was performed with a universal testing machine. Statistical analysis of the results was performed using two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Dunnett T3 test (α=.05). The surface treatment groups had significantly higher mean tensile bond strengths compared with the control group (P<.05) when compared within the same brand. Among the surface treatment groups of each brand, there were no significantly different tensile bond strengths between the MF-MA groups and the MMA 180 second group (P>.05), except for the Yamahachi New Ace MF-MA 180-second group (P<.05). 15-second MF-MA solution can be an alternative chemical surface treatment for repairing a denture base and rebonding acrylic denture teeth with auto-polymerized acrylic resin, for both conventional and cross-linked teeth.

Strength Asymmetry and Landing Mechanics at Return to Sport after ACL Reconstruction

PubMed Central

Schmitt, Laura C.; Paterno, Mark V.; Ford, Kevin R.; Myer, Gregory D.; Hewett, Timothy E.

2014-01-01

Purpose Evidence-based quadriceps femoris muscle (QF) strength guidelines for return to sport following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction are lacking. This study investigated the impact of QF strength asymmetry on knee landing biomechanics at the time of return to sport following ACL reconstruction. Methods Seventy-seven individuals (17.4 years) at the time of return to sport following primary ACL reconstruction (ACLR group) and 47 uninjured control individuals (17.0 years) (CTRL group) participated. QF strength was assessed and Quadriceps Index calculated (QI = [involved strength/uninvolved strength]*100%). The ACLR group was sub-divided based on QI: High Quadriceps (HQ, QI≥90%) and Low-Quadriceps (LQ, QI<85%). Knee kinematic and kinetic variables were collected during a drop vertical jump maneuver. Limb symmetry during landing, and discrete variables were compared among the groups with multivariate analysis of variance and linear regression analyses. Results The LQ group demonstrated worse asymmetry in all kinetic and ground reaction force variables compared to the HQ and CTRL groups, including reduced involved limb peak knee external flexion moments (p<.001), reduced involved limb (p=.003) and increased uninvolved limb (p=.005) peak vertical ground reaction forces, and higher uninvolved limb peak loading rates (p<.004). There were no differences in the landing patterns between the HQ and CTRL groups on any variable (p>.05). In the ACLR group, QF strength estimated limb symmetry during landing after controlling for graft type, meniscus injury, knee pain and symptoms. Conclusion At the time of return to sport, individuals post-ACL reconstruction with weaker QF demonstrate altered landing patterns. Conversely, those with nearly symmetrical QF strength demonstrate landing patterns similar to uninjured individuals. Consideration of an objective QF strength measure may aid clinical decision-making to optimize sports participation following ACL reconstruction. PMID:25373481

Mechanisms of ACL injury in professional rugby union: a systematic video analysis of 36 cases.

PubMed

Montgomery, Connor; Blackburn, Jeff; Withers, Daniel; Tierney, Gregory; Moran, Cathal; Simms, Ciaran

2016-12-30

The mechanisms of ACL injury in rugby are not well defined. To describe the mechanisms of ACL injury in male professional rugby players using systematic video analysis. 36 cases from games played in top professional leagues and international matches were analysed. 5 analysts independently assessed all videos to record the estimated frame/time of initial ground contact, frame/time of ACL tear and a range of play specific variables. This included contact versus non-contact ACL injuries, injury timing, joint flexion angles and foot contact with the ground. 37 side-stepping manoeuvres from a control game were analysed to allow comparison of non-injury versus injury situations. 57% of ACL injuries occurred in a contact manner. 2 main scenarios were identified: (1) offensive running and (2) being tackled, indicating that the ball carrier might be at higher risk of ACL injury. The majority of non-contact ACL injuries resulted from a side-stepping manoeuvre. In most non-contact cases, initial ground contact was through heel strike. Statistical assessment of heel strike at initial ground contact versus non-heel strike cases showed a significant difference in injury versus non-injury outcomes, with heel strike associated with higher injury risk. Non-contact ACL injuries had lower median knee flexion angles and a more dorsiflexed ankle when compared with a control group (10° vs 20°, p≤0.001 and 10° vs 0°, p=0.033 respectively). Over half of ACL injuries in rugby in our analysis resulted from a contact mechanism. For non-contact injuries, lower knee flexion angles and heel-first ground contact in a side-stepping manoeuvre were associated with ACL injury. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Gait Analysis of Symptomatic Flatfoot in Children: An Observational Study.

PubMed

Kim, Ha Yong; Shin, Hyuck Soo; Ko, Jun Hyuck; Cha, Yong Han; Ahn, Jae Hoon; Hwang, Jae Yeon

2017-09-01

Flatfoot deformity is a lever arm disease that incurs kinetic inefficiency during gait. The purpose of this study was to measure the degree of kinetic inefficiency by comparing the gait analysis data of a flatfoot group with a normal control group. The patient group consisted of 26 children (21 males and 5 females) with symptomatic flatfoot. They were examined with gait analysis between May 2005 and February 2014. Exclusion criteria were patients with secondary flatfoot caused by neuromuscular disorders, tarsal coalition, vertical talus, or others. Patients' mean age was 9.5 years (range, 7 to 13 years). The gait analysis data of the study group and the normal control group were compared. The mean vertical ground reaction force (GRF) in the push-off phase was 0.99 for the patient group and 1.15 for the control group ( p < 0.05). The mean ankle moment in the sagittal plane during the push-off phase was 0.89 for the patient group and 1.27 for the control group ( p < 0.05). The mean ankle power in the sagittal plane during the push-off phase was 1.38 for the patient group and 2.52 for the control group ( p < 0.05). The aforementioned results show that patients with pes planovalgus had a reduction of moment, power, and GRF in the push-off phase during gait. Symptomatic flatfeet had a moment inefficiency of 30% and power inefficiency of 45% during gait compared to feet with preserved medial longitudinal arches.

Control of standing balance while using constructions stilts: comparison of expert and novice users.

PubMed

Noble, Jeremy W; Singer, Jonathan C; Prentice, Stephen D

2016-01-01

This study examined the control of standing balance while wearing construction stilts. Motion capture data were collected from nine expert stilt users and nine novices. Three standing conditions were analysed: ground, 60 cm stilts and an elevated platform. Each task was also performed with the head extended as a vestibular perturbation. Both expert and novice groups exhibited lower displacement of the whole body centre of mass and centre of pressure on construction stilts. Differences between the groups were only noted in the elevated condition with no stilts, where the expert group had lower levels of medial-lateral displacement of the centre of pressure. The postural manipulation revealed that the expert group had superior balance to the novice group. Conditions where stilts were worn showed lower levels of correspondence to the inverted pendulum model. Under normal conditions, both expert and novice groups were able to control their balance while wearing construction stilts. This work investigated the effects of experience on the control of balance while using construction stilts. Under normal conditions, expert and novice stilt users were able to control their balance while wearing construction stilts. Differences between the expert and novice users were revealed when the balance task was made more difficult, with the experts showing superior balance in these situations.

Grounds Conservation Management Plan (1982-1991), Fish and Wildlife Management Plan (1982-1991), Forest Resource Management Plan (1979-1988).

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-01

necessary for complete control. The third weed group includes purslane , spotted spurge and knotweed. These weeds may be controlled with dicamba. [j 4...of marsh communities varies with salinity gradients fron brackish to fresh waters. Hideaway Pond has a completely fresh water marsh (no tidal...or pocket marshes convolute the shoreline of Tetotum Flats along Upper Machodoc Creek. Species composition varies with salinity and those pockets

Lessons learned from Shuttle/Mir: psychosocial countermeasures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanas, Nick; Salnitskiy, Vyacheslav; Grund, Ellen M.; Gushin, Vadim; Weiss, Daniel S.; Kozerenko, Olga; Sled, Alexander; Marmar, Charles R.

2002-01-01

BACKGROUND: During future long-duration space missions, countermeasures need to be developed to deal with psychosocial issues that might impact negatively on crewmember performance and well-being. METHODS: In our recently completed NASA-funded study of 5 U.S. astronauts, 8 Russian cosmonauts, and 42 U.S. and 16 Russian mission control personnel who participated in the Shuttle/Mir program, we evaluated a number of important psychosocial issues such as group tension, cohesion, leadership role, and the displacement of negative emotions from crewmembers to people in mission control and from mission control personnel to management. RESULTS: Based on our findings, which are reviewed, a number of psychosocial countermeasures are suggested to help ameliorate the negative impact of potential psychosocial problems during future manned space missions. CONCLUSIONS: Crewmembers should be selected not only to rule out psychopathology but also to select-in for group compatibility and facility in a common language. Training should include briefings and team building related to a number of psychosocial issues and should involve both crewmembers and mission control personnel. During the mission, both experts on the ground and the crewmembers themselves should be alert to potential interpersonal problems, including the displacement of negative emotions from the crew to the ground. Supportive activities should consist of both individual and interpersonal strategies, including an awareness of changing leisure time needs. Finally, attention should be given to postmission readjustment and to supporting the families on Earth.

Effects of cafestol and kahweol from coffee grounds on serum lipids and serum liver enzymes in humans.

PubMed

Urgert, R; Schulz, A G; Katan, M B

1995-01-01

The diterpenes cafestol and kahweol are present in unfiltered coffee in oil droplets and floating fines. They elevate serum cholesterol and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). We measured fines in coffee brews, and examined diterpene availability from spent grounds in healthy volunteers. Turkish or Scandinavian boiled coffee contained 2-5 g fines/L and French press coffee contained 1.5 g fines/L. An intake of 8 g fine grounds/d for 3 wk increased cholesterol by 0.65 mmol/L (95% CI 0.41-0.89 mmol/L) and ALT by 18 U/L (95% CI 4-32 U/L) relative to control subjects (n = 7/group). In a crossover study (n = 15), mean serum cholesterol was 4.9 mmol/L after consumption of both fine and coarse grounds for 10 d (P = 0.43). Serum ALT activities were 29 U/L on fine and 21 U/L on coarse grounds (P = 0.02). Floating fines could contribute substantially to the hyperlipidemic and ALT-elevating effect of unfiltered coffee. Diterpene measurements in coffee brews should include the contribution of fines.

Onboard utilization of ground control points for image correction. Volume 3: Ground control point simulation software design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The software developed to simulate the ground control point navigation system is described. The Ground Control Point Simulation Program (GCPSIM) is designed as an analysis tool to predict the performance of the navigation system. The system consists of two star trackers, a global positioning system receiver, a gyro package, and a landmark tracker.

Rapid visual grouping and figure-ground processing using temporally structured displays.

PubMed

Cheadle, Samuel; Usher, Marius; Müller, Hermann J

2010-08-23

We examine the time course of visual grouping and figure-ground processing. Figure (contour) and ground (random-texture) elements were flickered with different phases (i.e., contour and background are alternated), requiring the observer to group information within a pre-specified time window. It was found this grouping has a high temporal resolution: less than 20ms for smooth contours, and less than 50ms for line conjunctions with sharp angles. Furthermore, the grouping process takes place without an explicit knowledge of the phase of the elements, and it requires a cumulative build-up of information. The results are discussed in relation to the neural mechanism for visual grouping and figure-ground segregation. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Detecting Target Objects by Natural Language Instructions Using an RGB-D Camera

PubMed Central

Bao, Jiatong; Jia, Yunyi; Cheng, Yu; Tang, Hongru; Xi, Ning

2016-01-01

Controlling robots by natural language (NL) is increasingly attracting attention for its versatility, convenience and no need of extensive training for users. Grounding is a crucial challenge of this problem to enable robots to understand NL instructions from humans. This paper mainly explores the object grounding problem and concretely studies how to detect target objects by the NL instructions using an RGB-D camera in robotic manipulation applications. In particular, a simple yet robust vision algorithm is applied to segment objects of interest. With the metric information of all segmented objects, the object attributes and relations between objects are further extracted. The NL instructions that incorporate multiple cues for object specifications are parsed into domain-specific annotations. The annotations from NL and extracted information from the RGB-D camera are matched in a computational state estimation framework to search all possible object grounding states. The final grounding is accomplished by selecting the states which have the maximum probabilities. An RGB-D scene dataset associated with different groups of NL instructions based on different cognition levels of the robot are collected. Quantitative evaluations on the dataset illustrate the advantages of the proposed method. The experiments of NL controlled object manipulation and NL-based task programming using a mobile manipulator show its effectiveness and practicability in robotic applications. PMID:27983604

Anticipatory balance control is affected by loadless training experiences.

PubMed

Robert, G; Gueguen, N; Avogadro, P; Mouchnino, L

2004-09-01

The main purpose of this study was to identify whether a lot of sports training had any effect on the balance control associated with a leg movement. The nature of the training experience was also an important concern and we chose subject who had undergone specific training experience in absence of equilibrium constraints. To this end a comparison between control (untrained) subjects, triathletes and swimmers was designed to establish whether a general training in sports (triathletes) or a specific loadless training (swimmers), leads to differences in the balance control. A leg movement is preceded by a shift of the center of mass (CM) towards the supporting side to maintain equilibrium and forward to create the condition for progression. To provide an acceleration of the CM sideward and forward, an initial displacement of the center of pressure (CP) towards the moving limb and in posterior direction was performed. Interestingly, the lateral pressure onto the ground was greater increased in swimmers in both leg raising and obstacle avoidance tasks compared to the control group and/or triathletes whereas the backward CP shift in all group was the same. The initial control of the CM shift is very different in swimmers compared to triathletes and controls. The increased lateral pressure onto the ground in swimmers may be a result of a prolonged training in water. This suggests that prolonged training in the absence of equilibrium constraints has more of an effect on balance control than a prolonged general training. In addition, the lack of differences in the backward CP shift suggests that M/L and A/P controls support two functional goals: equilibrium maintenance and movement initiation.

Group Intervention to Reduce HIV Transmission Risk Behavior Among Persons Living With HIV/AIDS

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalichman, Seth C.; Rompa, David; Cage, Marjorie

2005-01-01

Results of a randomized controlled trial show that a behavioral intervention grounded in social cognitive theory reduces unprotected sexual behaviors among men and women living with HIV infection, with the greatest reductions in HIV transmission risk behaviors occurring with non-HIV-positive sex partners. In this article, the authors describe the…

Ploidy level and genetic diversity in the Genus Paspalum, group disticha

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Paspalum vaginatum Sw. is a grass species of increasing importance worldwide due to its salt tolerance and its ability to serve as forage, as ground cover for erosion control, and as turf for sports surfaces in vulnerable areas in the tropics and sub-tropics. Though it is a member of one of the lar...

Gait pattern alteration by functional sensory substitution in healthy subjects and in diabetic subjects with peripheral neuropathy.

PubMed

Walker, S C; Helm, P A; Lavery, L A

1997-08-01

To evaluate the ability of diabetic and nondiabetic individuals to learn to use a lower extremity sensory substitution device to cue gait pattern changes. Case-control study. Gait laboratory. Thirty diabetic persons and 20 age- and education-matched nondiabetic controls responded to advertisements for study participation. Participants walked on a treadmill at three speeds (1, 2, and 2.5mph) with auditory sensory feedback to cue ground contact greater than 80% duration of baseline. The variables measured included gait cycle (steps per minute) and number of times per minute that any step during a trial exceeded 80% duration of ground contacted compared with a measured baseline step length for each speed. Persons in both groups were able to rapidly and significantly alter their gait patterns in response to signals from the sensory substitution device, by changing their gait cycles (nondiabetic group, F(17,124) = 5.27, p < .001; diabetic group, F(5,172) = 3.45, p < .001). Post hoc analyses showed early gait cycle modification and error reduction among both groups. The nondiabetic group learned to use the device significantly more quickly than the diabetic group during the slow (1mph, t = 3.57, p < .001) and average (2mph, t = 2.97, p < .05) trials. By the fast (2.5mph) ambulation trial, both groups were performing equally, suggesting a rapid rate of adjustment to the device. No technical failures from gait trainer malfunction occurred during the study. Diabetic persons with neuropathy effectively used lower extremity sensory substitution, and the technology is now available to manufacture a durable, effective lower extremity sensory substitution system.

Effectiveness of a Standardized Equine-Assisted Therapy Program for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Borgi, Marta; Loliva, Dafne; Cerino, Stefania; Chiarotti, Flavia; Venerosi, Aldina; Bramini, Maria; Nonnis, Enrico; Marcelli, Marco; Vinti, Claudia; De Santis, Chiara; Bisacco, Francesca; Fagerlie, Monica; Frascarelli, Massimo; Cirulli, Francesca

2016-01-01

In this study the effectiveness of an equine-assisted therapy (EAT) in improving adaptive and executive functioning in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was examined (children attending EAT, n = 15, control group n = 13; inclusion criteria: IQ > 70). Therapeutic sessions consisted in structured activities involving horses and included both work on the ground and riding. Results indicate an improvement in social functioning in the group attending EAT (compared to the control group) and a milder effect on motor abilities. Improved executive functioning was also observed (i.e. reduced planning time in a problem-solving task) at the end of the EAT program. Our findings provide further support for the use of animal-assisted intervention programs as complementary intervention strategies for children with ASD.

Plant diversity to support humans in a CELSS ground based demonstrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howe, J. M.; Hoff, J. E.

1981-01-01

A controlled ecological life support system (CELSS) for human habitation in preparation for future long duration space flights is considered. The success of such a system depends upon the feasibility of revitalization of food resources and the human nutritional needs which are to be met by these food resources. Edible higher plants are prime candidates for the photoautotrophic components of this system if nutritionally adequate diets can be derived from these plant sources to support humans. Human nutritional requirements information based on current knowledge are developed for inhabitants envisioned in the CELSS ground based demonstrator. Groups of plant products that can provide the nutrients are identified.

Pituitary oxytocin and vasopressin content of rats flown on Cosmos 2044

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keil, L.; Evans, J.; Grindeland, R.; Krasnov, I.

1992-01-01

Preliminary studies in rats (COSMOS 1887) suggested that levels of posterior pituitary hormones were reduced by exposure to spaceflight. To confirm these preliminary findings, pituitary tissue from rats flown for 14 days on Cosmos 2044 is obtained. Posterior pituitary content of oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) were measured in these tissues as well as those from ground-based controls. The synchronous control group had feeding and lighting schedules synchronized to those in the spacecraft and were maintained in flight-type cages. Another group was housed in vivarium cages; a third group was tail suspended (T), a method used to simulate microgravity. Flight rats showed an average reduction of 27 in pituitary OT and VP compared with the three control groups. When hormone content was expressed in terms of pituitary protein (microg hormone/mg protein), the average decrease in OT and VP for the flight animals ranged from 20 to 33 percent compared with the various control groups. Reduced levels of pituitary OT and VP were similar to preliminary measurements from the Cosmos 1887 mission and appear to result from exposure to spaceflight. These data suggest that changes in the rate of hormone secretion or synthesis may have occurred during exposure to microgravity.

Scaled Composites' Doug Shane examines the screen of his ground control station during tests in New Mexico. Shane used this configuration as the ground control station to remotely pilot the Proteus aircraft during a NASA sponsored series of tests.

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-03-13

Scaled Composites' Doug Shane examines the screen of his ground control station during tests in New Mexico. Shane used this configuration as the ground control station to remotely pilot the Proteus aircraft during a NASA sponsored series of tests.

Agents.

PubMed

Chambers, David W

2002-01-01

Although health care is inherently an economic activity, it is inadequately described as a market process. An alternative, grounded in organizational economic theory, is to view professionals and many others as agents, contracted to advance the best interests of their principals (patients). This view untangles some of the ethical conflicts in dentistry. It also helps identify major controllable costs in dentistry and suggests that dentists can act as a group to increase or decrease agency costs, primarily by controlling the bad actors who damage the value of all dentists.

9 CFR 416.2 - Establishment grounds and facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... ACT SANITATION § 416.2 Establishment grounds and facilities. (a) Grounds and pest control. The grounds... place a pest management program to prevent the harborage and breeding of pests on the grounds and within establishment facilities. Pest control substances used must be safe and effective under the conditions of use...

9 CFR 416.2 - Establishment grounds and facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... ACT SANITATION § 416.2 Establishment grounds and facilities. (a) Grounds and pest control. The grounds... place a pest management program to prevent the harborage and breeding of pests on the grounds and within establishment facilities. Pest control substances used must be safe and effective under the conditions of use...

9 CFR 416.2 - Establishment grounds and facilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... ACT SANITATION § 416.2 Establishment grounds and facilities. (a) Grounds and pest control. The grounds... place a pest management program to prevent the harborage and breeding of pests on the grounds and within establishment facilities. Pest control substances used must be safe and effective under the conditions of use...

INFLUENCE OF INJURY ON DYNAMIC POSTURAL CONTROL IN RUNNERS.

PubMed

Meardon, Stacey; Klusendorf, Anna; Kernozek, Thomas

2016-06-01

Injury has been linked with altered postural control in active populations. The association between running injury and dynamic postural control has not been examined. The purpose of this study was to examine dynamic postural control in injured and uninjured runners using the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), Time to Stabilization (TTS) of ground reaction forces following a single-leg landing, and postural stability indices reflecting the fluctuations in GRFs during single-leg landing and stabilization tasks (forward and lateral hop). It was hypothesized that dynamic postural control differences would exist between runners with a history of injury that interrupted training for ≥7 days (INJ) when compared to runners without injury (CON). Case-control study. Twenty-two INJ (14 F, 8 M; 23.7 ± 2.1 y; 22.3 ± 2.8 kg/m2; 29.5 ± 16.3 mi/wk) currently running > 50% pre-injury mileage without pain were compared with twenty-two matched CON (14F, 8M; 22.7 ± 1.2 y; 22.7 ± 2.7 kg/m2; 31.2 ± 19.6 mi/wk). INJ group was stratified by site of injury into two groups (Hip/Thigh/Knee and Lower Leg/Ankle/Foot) for secondary analysis. Leg length-normalized anterior, posterolateral, and posteromedial reach distances on the SEBT, medial/lateral and anterior/posterior ground reaction force TTS, directional postural stability indices, and a composite dynamic postural stability index (DPSI), were assessed using mixed model ANOVA (α=0.05) and effect sizes (d). No group X direction interaction or group differences were observed for the SEBT (p=0.51, 0.71) or TTS (p=0.83, 0.72) measures. A group X direction interaction was found for postural stability indices during the forward landing task (p<0.01). Both Hip/Thigh/Knee and Lower leg/Ankle/Foot INJ groups demonstrated a greater vertical postural stability index (VPSI) (p=0.01 for both, d=0.80, 0.95) and DPSI (p=0.01, 0.02, d=0.75, 0.93) when compared to CON suggesting impaired balance control. A group X direction interaction was also found for postural stability indices during the lateral landing task (p=0.03). Only the Hip/Thigh/Knee INJ runners displayed a greater VPSI (p=0.01, d=0.91) and DPSI (p=0.017, d=0.89) when compared to CON. When compared to CON, INJ runners demonstrated impaired dynamic control of vertical forces when performing the single leg landing and stabilization tasks. Clinicians should consider addressing dynamic control of vertical loads through functional tasks during the rehabilitation of running injury. Level 3.

Adipokine Profile in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Depends on Degree of Obesity

PubMed Central

Kocot, Joanna; Dziemidok, Piotr; Kiełczykowska, Małgorzata; Hordyjewska, Anna; Szcześniak, Grzegorz; Musik, Irena

2017-01-01

Background The fast pace of life, promoting fast food consumption and low physical activity, has resulted in obesity and/or diabetes as being serious social problems. The aim of the present study was to evaluate concentrations of selected adipokines (leptin, adiponectin, resistin, and visfatin) and to assess the leptin/adiponectin ratio in plasma of type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients in relation to degree of obesity. Material/Methods The study comprised 92 T2D subjects divided into 4 groups according to BMI value – I (normal body weight), II (overweight), III (obesity), and IV (severe obesity) – and 20 healthy volunteers (control group). Each group was divided into male and female subgroups. Plasma concentrations of adipokines were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results In women, leptin concentration was significantly higher in group IV, whereas in men it was higher in groups III and IV than in the control group and groups I and II. Irrespective of sex, a significant decrease in adiponectin level was observed in group III vs. control. There was no significant difference in resistin levels. In women visfatin was markedly enhanced in group III, whereas in men in groups II, III and IV vs. control. Leptin/adiponectin ratio was increased in groups III and IV vs. control in women, whereas in men vs. both control and group I. Conclusions The obese type 2 diabetic patients presented a disturbed adipokine profile, which seems to be an important link between obesity and T2D. The future studies concerning the question if regulating of adipokines’ concentrations could be a promising approach for managing metabolic disorders seem to be well-grounded. PMID:29049270

ADULTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED CLINICAL TRIAL

PubMed Central

Shah, Krupa N.; Majeed, Zahraa; Yoruk, Yilmaz B.; Yang, Hongmei; Hilton, Tiffany N.; McMahon, James M.; Hall, William J.; Walck, Donna; Luque, Amneris E.; Ryan, Richard M.

2016-01-01

Objective HIV-infected older adults (HOA) are at risk of functional decline. Interventions promoting physical activity that can attenuate functional decline and are easily translated into the HOA community are of high priority. We conducted a randomized, controlled clinical trial to evaluate whether a physical activity counseling intervention based on self-determination theory (SDT) improves physical function, autonomous motivation, depression and the quality of life (QOL) in HOA. Methods A total of 67 community-dwelling HOA with mild-to-moderate functional limitations were randomized to one of two groups: a physical activity counseling group or the usual care control group. We used SDT to guide the development of the experimental intervention. Outcome measures that were collected at baseline and final study visits included a battery of physical function tests, levels of physical activity, autonomous motivation, depression, and QOL. Results The study participants were similar in their demographic and clinical characteristics in both the treatment and control groups. Overall physical performance, gait speed, measures of endurance and strength, and levels of physical activity improved in the treatment group compared to the control group (p<0.05). Measures of autonomous regulation such as identified regulation, and measures of depression and QOL improved significantly in the treatment group compared to the control group (p<0.05). Across the groups, improvement in intrinsic regulation and QOL correlated with an improvement in physical function (p<0.05). Conclusion Our findings suggest that a physical activity counseling program grounded in SDT can improve physical function, autonomous motivation, depression, and QOL in HOA with functional limitations. PMID:26867045

Enhancing physical function in HIV-infected older adults: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Shah, Krupa N; Majeed, Zahraa; Yoruk, Yilmaz B; Yang, Hongmei; Hilton, Tiffany N; McMahon, James M; Hall, William J; Walck, Donna; Luque, Amneris E; Ryan, Richard M

2016-06-01

HIV-infected older adults (HOA) are at risk of functional decline. Interventions promoting physical activity that can attenuate functional decline and are easily translated into the HOA community are of high priority. We conducted a randomized, controlled clinical trial to evaluate whether a physical activity counseling intervention based on self-determination theory (SDT) improves physical function, autonomous motivation, depression and the quality of life (QOL) in HOA. In total, 67 community-dwelling HOA with mild-to-moderate functional limitations were randomized to 1 of 2 groups: a physical activity counseling group or the usual care control group. We used SDT to guide the development of the experimental intervention. Outcome measures that were collected at baseline and final study visits included a battery of physical function tests, levels of physical activity, autonomous motivation, depression, and QOL. The study participants were similar in their demographic and clinical characteristics in both the treatment and control groups. Overall physical performance, gait speed, measures of endurance and strength, and levels of physical activity improved in the treatment group compared to the control group (p < .05). Measures of autonomous regulation such as identified regulation, and measures of depression and QOL improved significantly in the treatment group compared with the control group (p < .05). Across the groups, improvement in intrinsic regulation and QOL correlated with an improvement in physical function (p < .05). Our findings suggest that a physical activity counseling program grounded in SDT can improve physical function, autonomous motivation, depression, and QOL in HOA with functional limitations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Phylogeny of Darwin's finches as revealed by mtDNA sequences.

PubMed

Sato, A; O'hUigin, C; Figueroa, F; Grant, P R; Grant, B R; Tichy, H; Klein, J

1999-04-27

Darwin's finches comprise a group of passerine birds first collected by Charles Darwin during his visit to the Galápagos Archipelago. The group, a textbook example of adaptive radiation (the diversification of a founding population into an array of species differentially adapted to diverse environmental niches), encompasses 14 currently recognized species, of which 13 live on the Galápagos Islands and one on the Cocos Island in the Pacific Ocean. Although Darwin's finches have been studied extensively by morphologists, ecologists, and ethologists, their phylogenetic relationships remain uncertain. Here, sequences of two mtDNA segments, the cytochrome b and the control region, have been used to infer the evolutionary history of the group. The data reveal the Darwin's finches to be a monophyletic group with the warbler finch being the species closest to the founding stock, followed by the vegetarian finch, and then by two sister groups, the ground and the tree finches. The Cocos finch is related to the tree finches of the Galápagos Islands. The traditional classification of ground finches into six species and tree finches into five species is not reflected in the molecular data. In these two groups, ancestral polymorphisms have not, as yet, been sorted out among the cross-hybridizing species.

Bibliography on Ground Vehicle Communications & Control : A KWIC Index

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1971-08-01

This bibliography, or the subject of communication and control of ground vehicles, covers the fields of land-mobile communication, computer-aided traffic control, communication with high speed ground vehicles and radio frequency noise. Emphasis is pl...

Neuromuscular Training Improves Lower Extremity Biomechanics Associated with Knee Injury during Landing in 11–13 Year Old Female Netball Athletes: A Randomized Control Study

PubMed Central

Hopper, Amanda J.; Haff, Erin E.; Joyce, Christopher; Lloyd, Rhodri S.; Haff, G. Gregory

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a neuromuscular training (NMT) program on lower-extremity biomechanics in youth female netball athletes. The hypothesis was that significant improvements would be found in landing biomechanics of the lower-extremities, commonly associated with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, following NMT. Twenty-three athletes (age = 12.2 ± 0.9 years; height = 1.63 ± 0.08 m; mass = 51.8 ± 8.5 kg) completed two testing sessions separated by 7-weeks and were randomly assigned to either a experimental or control group. Thirteen athletes underwent 6-weeks of NMT, while the remaining 10 served as controls and continued their regular netball training. Three-dimensional lower-extremity kinematics and vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) were measured during two landing tasks, a drop vertical jump and a double leg broad jump with a single leg landing. The experimental group significantly increased bilateral knee marker distance during the bilateral landing task at maximum knee-flexion range of motion. Knee internal rotation angle during the unilateral landing task at maximum knee flexion-extension range of motion was significantly reduced (p ≤ 0.05, g > 1.00). The experimental group showed large, significant decreases in peak vertical ground reaction force in both landing tasks (p ≤ 0.05, g > −1.30). Control participants did not demonstrate any significant pre-to-post-test changes in response to the 6-week study period. Results of the study affirm the hypothesis that a 6-week NMT program can enhance landing biomechanics associated with ACL injury in 11–13 year old female netball athletes. PMID:29163219

Terrestrial nest-building by wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes): implications for the tree-to-ground sleep transition in early hominins.

PubMed

Koops, Kathelijne; McGrew, William C; Matsuzawa, Tetsuro; Knapp, Leslie A

2012-07-01

Nest-building is a great ape universal and arboreal nesting in chimpanzees and bonobos suggests that the common ancestor of Pan and Homo also nested in trees. It has been proposed that arboreal nest-building remained the prevailing pattern until Homo erectus, a fully terrestrial biped, emerged. We investigated the unusual occurrence of ground-nesting in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), which may inform on factors influencing the tree-to-ground sleep transition in the hominin lineage. We used a novel genetic approach to examine ground-nesting in unhabituated chimpanzees at Seringbara in the Nimba Mountains, Guinea. Previous research showed that ground-nesting at Seringbara was not ecologically determined. Here, we tested a possible mate-guarding function of ground-nesting by analyzing DNA from shed hairs collected from ground nests and tree nests found in close proximity. We examined whether or not ground-nesting was a group-level behavioral pattern and whether or not it occurred in more than one community. We used multiple genetic markers to identify sex and to examine variation in mitochondrial DNA control region (HV1, HV2) sequences. Ground-nesting was a male-biased behavior and males constructed more elaborate ("night") nests than simple ("day") nests on the ground. The mate-guarding hypothesis was not supported, as ground and associated tree nests were built either by maternally-related males or possibly by the same individuals. Ground-nesting was widespread and likely habitual in two communities. We suggest that terrestrial nest-building may have already occurred in arboreally-adapted early hominins before the emergence of H. erectus. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Tethered Vehicle Control and Tracking System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

North, David D. (Inventor); Aull, Mark J. (Inventor)

2017-01-01

A kite system includes a kite and a ground station. The ground station includes a sensor that can be utilized to determine an angular position and velocity of the kite relative to the ground station. A controller utilizes a fuzzy logic control system to autonomously fly the kite. The system may include a ground station having powered winding units that generate power as the lines to the kite are unreeled. The control system may be configured to fly the kite in a crosswind trajectory to increase line tension for power generation. The sensors for determining the position of the kite are preferably ground-based.

Tethered Vehicle Control and Tracking System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

North, David D. (Inventor); Aull, Mark J. (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A kite system includes a kite and a ground station. The ground station includes a sensor that can be utilized to determine an angular position and velocity of the kite relative to the ground station. A controller utilizes a fuzzy logic control system to autonomously fly the kite. The system may include a ground station having powered winding units that generate power as the lines to the kite are unreeled. The control system may be configured to fly the kite in a crosswind trajectory to increase line tension for power generation. The sensors for determining the position of the kite are preferably ground-based.

Evidence of root zone hypoxia in Brassica rapa L. grown in microgravity.

PubMed

Stout, S C; Porterfield, D M; Briarty, L G; Kuang, A; Musgrave, M E

2001-03-01

A series of experiments was conducted aboard the U.S. space shuttle and the Mir space station to evaluate microgravity-induced root zone hypoxia in rapid-cycling Brassica (Brassica rapa L.), using both root and foliar indicators of low-oxygen stress to the root zone. Root systems from two groups of plants 15 and 30 d after planting, grown in a phenolic foam nutrient delivery system on the shuttle (STS-87), were harvested and fixed for microscopy or frozen for enzyme assays immediately postflight or following a ground-based control. Activities of fermentative enzymes were measured as indicators of root zone hypoxia and metabolism. Following 16 d of microgravity, ADH (alcohol dehydrogenase) activity was increased in the spaceflight roots 47% and 475% in the 15-d-old and 30-d-old plants, respectively, relative to the ground control. Cytochemical localization showed ADH activity in only the root tips of the space-grown plants. Shoots from plants that were grown from seed in flight in a particulate medium on the Mir station were harvested at 13 d after planting and quick-frozen and stored in flight in a gaseous nitrogen freezer or chemically fixed in flight for subsequent microscopy. When compared to material from a high-fidelity ground control, concentrations of shoot sucrose and total soluble carbohydrate were significantly greater in the spaceflight treatment according to enzymatic carbohydrate analysis. Stereological analysis of micrographs of sections from leaf and cotyledon tissue fixed in flight and compared with ground controls indicated no changes in the volume of protoplast, cell wall, and intercellular space in parenchyma cells. Within the protoplasm, the volume occupied by starch was threefold higher in the spaceflight than in the ground control, with a concomitant decrease in vacuolar volume in the spaceflight treatment. Both induction of fermentative enzyme activity in roots and accumulation of carbohydrates in foliage have been repeatedly shown to occur in response to root zone oxygen deprivation. These results indicate that root zone hypoxia is a persistent challenge in spaceflight plant growth experiments and may be caused by microgravity-induced changes in fluid and gas distribution.

Evidence of root zone hypoxia in Brassica rapa L. grown in microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stout, S. C.; Porterfield, D. M.; Briarty, L. G.; Kuang, A.; Musgrave, M. E.

2001-01-01

A series of experiments was conducted aboard the U.S. space shuttle and the Mir space station to evaluate microgravity-induced root zone hypoxia in rapid-cycling Brassica (Brassica rapa L.), using both root and foliar indicators of low-oxygen stress to the root zone. Root systems from two groups of plants 15 and 30 d after planting, grown in a phenolic foam nutrient delivery system on the shuttle (STS-87), were harvested and fixed for microscopy or frozen for enzyme assays immediately postflight or following a ground-based control. Activities of fermentative enzymes were measured as indicators of root zone hypoxia and metabolism. Following 16 d of microgravity, ADH (alcohol dehydrogenase) activity was increased in the spaceflight roots 47% and 475% in the 15-d-old and 30-d-old plants, respectively, relative to the ground control. Cytochemical localization showed ADH activity in only the root tips of the space-grown plants. Shoots from plants that were grown from seed in flight in a particulate medium on the Mir station were harvested at 13 d after planting and quick-frozen and stored in flight in a gaseous nitrogen freezer or chemically fixed in flight for subsequent microscopy. When compared to material from a high-fidelity ground control, concentrations of shoot sucrose and total soluble carbohydrate were significantly greater in the spaceflight treatment according to enzymatic carbohydrate analysis. Stereological analysis of micrographs of sections from leaf and cotyledon tissue fixed in flight and compared with ground controls indicated no changes in the volume of protoplast, cell wall, and intercellular space in parenchyma cells. Within the protoplasm, the volume occupied by starch was threefold higher in the spaceflight than in the ground control, with a concomitant decrease in vacuolar volume in the spaceflight treatment. Both induction of fermentative enzyme activity in roots and accumulation of carbohydrates in foliage have been repeatedly shown to occur in response to root zone oxygen deprivation. These results indicate that root zone hypoxia is a persistent challenge in spaceflight plant growth experiments and may be caused by microgravity-induced changes in fluid and gas distribution.

Advances in Rodent Research Missions on the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Choi, S. Y.; Ronca, A.; Leveson-Gower, D.; Gong, C.; Stube, K.; Pletcher, D.; Wigley, C.; Beegle, J.; Globus, R. K.

2016-01-01

A research platform for rodent experiment on the ISS is a valuable tool for advancing biomedical research in space. Capabilities offered by the Rodent Research project developed at NASA Ames Research Center can support experiments of much longer duration on the ISS than previous experiments performed on the Space Shuttle. NASAs Rodent Research (RR)-1 mission was completed successfully and achieved a number of objectives, including validation of flight hardware, on-orbit operations, and science capabilities as well as support of a CASIS-sponsored experiment (Novartis) on muscle atrophy. Twenty C57BL6J adult female mice were launched on the Space-X (SpX) 4 Dragon vehicle, and thrived for up to 37 days in microgravity. Daily health checks of the mice were performed during the mission via downlinked video; all flight animals were healthy and displayed normal behavior, and higher levels of physical activity compared to ground controls. Behavioral analysis demonstrated that Flight and Ground Control mice exhibited the same range of behaviors, including eating, drinking, exploratory behavior, self- and allo-grooming, and social interactions indicative of healthy animals. The animals were euthanized on-orbit and select tissues were collected from some of the mice on orbit to assess the long-term sample storage capabilities of the ISS. In general, the data obtained from the flight mice were comparable to those from the three groups of control mice (baseline, vivarium and ground controls, which were housed in flight hardware), showing that the ISS has adequate capability to support long-duration rodent experiments. The team recovered 35 tissues from 40 RR-1 frozen carcasses, yielding 3300 aliquots of tissues to distribute to the scientific community in the U.S., including NASAs GeneLab project and scientists via Space Biology's Biospecimen Sharing Program Ames Life Science Data Archive. Tissues also were distributed to Russian research colleagues at the Institute for Biomedical Problems. The expression levels of select genes including albumin, catalase, GAPDH, HMGCoA Reductase, and IGF1 were determined using RNA isolated from the livers by qPCR and no significant differences by one factor ANOVA were found between flight and ground control groups. In addition, some of the liver samples were analyzed for transcriptomic, epigenomic and proteomic profiles; some of the data sets are now available to the scientific community through GeneLabs open science data website. A second long duration mission, Rodent Research-2 (RR-2) was completed on the ISS in 2015; 20 female C57BL6J mice were successfully maintained on the ISS for various durations, with the last group of 5 animals living on-orbit for 54 days. Furthermore, we continue to expand the ISSs capabilities by introducing new on-orbit technologies including blood collection and separation, bone densitometry scanning, muscle grip strength and anesthesia with recovery. In addition, series of ground-based verification testing to fly male mice and increase the total number of mice on-orbit from 20 to 40. Subsequent missions will provide the capability to return live mice from the ISS animals to evaluate recovery on Earth, further expanding operational and science capabilities of the RR project on the ISS.

Ground-based Efforts to Support a Space-based Experiment: the Latest LADEE Results (Abstract)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cudnik, B.; Rahman, M.

2014-12-01

(Abstract only) The much anticipated launch of NASA’s Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer happened flawlessly last October and the satellite has been doing science (and sending a few images) since late Novermber. [The LADEE mission ended with the crash-landing of the spacecraft on the lunar far side on April 17, 2014, capping a successful 140-day mission.] We also have launched our campaign to document lunar meteroid impact flashes from the ground to supply ground truth to inform of any changes in dust concentration encountered by the spacecraft in orbit around the moon. To date I have received six reports of impact flashes or flash candidates from the group I am coordinating; other groups around the world may have more to add when all is said and done. In addition, plans are underway to prepare a program at Prairie View A&M University to involve our physics majors in lunar meteoroid, asteroid occultation, and other astronomical work through our Center for Astronomical Sciences and Technology. This facility will be a control center to not only involve physics majors, but also to include pre-service teachers and members of the outside community to promote pro-am collaborations.

Ground-based Efforts to Support a Space-Based Experiment: the Latest LADEE Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cudnik, Brian; Rahman, Mahmudur

2014-05-01

The much anticipated launch of the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer happened flawlessly last October and the satellite has been doing science (and sending a few images) since late November. [the LADEE mission ended with the crash-landing of the spacecraft on the lunar far side on April 17, 2014, capping a successful 140 day mission] .We also have launched our campaign to document lunar meteoroid impact flashes from the ground to supply ground truth to inform of any changes in dust concentration encountered by the spacecraft in orbit around the moon. To date I have received six reports of impact flashes or flash candidates from the group I am coordinating; other groups around the world may have more to add when all is said and done. In addition, plans are underway to prepare a program at Prairie View A&M University to involve our physics majors in lunar meteoroid, asteroid occultation, and other astronomical work through our Center for Astronomical Sciences and Technology. This facility will be a control center to not only involve physics majors, but also to include pre-service teachers and member of the outside community to promote pro-am collaborations.

Spacelab

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-01-28

The primary payload for Space Shuttle Mission STS-42, launched January 22, 1992, was the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1), a pressurized manned Spacelab module. The goal of IML-1 was to explore in depth the complex effects of weightlessness of living organisms and materials processing. Around-the-clock research was performed on the human nervous system's adaptation to low gravity and effects of microgravity on other life forms such as shrimp eggs, lentil seedlings, fruit fly eggs, and bacteria. Materials processing experiments were also conducted, including crystal growth from a variety of substances such as enzymes, mercury iodide, and a virus. The Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) Spacelab Payload Operations Control Center (SL POCC) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) was the air/ground communication channel used between the astronauts and ground control teams during the Spacelab missions. Featured is the Critical Point Facility (CPE) group in the SL POCC during STS-42, IML-1 mission.

Keeping Your Child Safe on the Information SuperHighway: A Parent's Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nevada State Attorney General's Office, Carson City.

This booklet is intended to provide parents with some critical information to help monitor and control their child's behavior on the Internet. Highlights include: the need for ground rules; how to gain knowledge about the Internet; what the Internet is; the World Wide Web; Internet Relay Chat (IRC); Usenet groups and e-mail; some red flags;…

Methodology for Examining Effects of Arms Control Reduction on Tactical Air Forces. An Example from Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

H. Wegner for developing the tactical air and ground force databases and producing the campaign results. Thanks are also due to Group Captain Michael ... Jackson , RAF, for developing the evaluation criteria for NATO’s tactical air force reductions during his stay at RAND. -xi. CONTENTS PREFACE

Telescience Resource Kit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, Michelle; Lippincott, Jeff; Chubb, Steve; Whitaker, Jimmy; Rice, Jim; Gillis, Robert; Sims, Chris; Sellers, Donna; Bailey, Darrell (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Telescience Resource Kit (TReK) is a PC based ground control system. It can be used by a single individual or in a group environment to monitor and control spacecraft systems and payloads. Capabilities include data receipt, data processing, data storage, data management, and data transmission. Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware and software have been employed to reduce development costs, operations and maintenance costs, and to effectively take advantage of new commercial products as they become available. The TReK system is currently being used to monitor and control payloads aboard the International Space Station. It is located at sites around the world.

An epidemiological study of reproductive health in female civil aviation employees.

PubMed

Yang, Yue; Zhang, Weiyuan; Chan, Ada; Li, Chunling; He, Xiaoyan; Cui, Lei; Lv, Yuren; Liu, Juan; Guo, Xiuhua

2013-06-01

To investigate the correlations between occupational risk factors and reproductive health and to provide targeted healthcare services to female civil aviation employees based on surveys about menstrual and reproductive health status. Subjects were selected from flight attendants working for China Southern Airlines, Air China, and other airlines; employees of China Aviation Oil Limited, China TravelSky, and China Aviation Supplies Holding Company; and airport ground service crews. Data were collected using anonymous questionnaires. A total of 1175 valid questionnaires were recovered. The subjects were categorized into a flight attendant group and a ground service group, which contained 563 and 612 women, respectively. The prevalence of irregular menstruation, including abnormal cycles, severe dysmenorrhea, and hypomenorrhea or menorrhagia, was significantly higher in the flight attendant group (30.55%) than in the ground service group (13.40%); in concordance, the fertility rate was significantly lower in the flight attendant group (36.59%) than in the ground service group (43.95%). The spontaneous abortion rate in the flight attendant group (6.80%) was significantly higher than in the ground service group (2.97%). The rate of life-threatening abortions, preterm births, and low birth weight was significantly lower in the flight attendant group than in the ground service group. The impact of occupational risk factors on the reproductive health of female aviation workers should be evaluated and examined more thoroughly. Additional healthcare services such as routine menstruation healthcare and policies for workers planning to have a pregnancy are beneficial in monitoring reproductive health, reducing harmful exposures during early pregnancy, and preventing incapacitating gynecologic events.

A preliminary evaluation of regional ground-water flow in south-central Washington

USGS Publications Warehouse

La Sala, A. M.; Doty, G.C.; Pearson, F.J.

1973-01-01

The characteristics of regional ground-water flow were investigated in a 4,500-square-mile region of south-central Washington, centered on the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission Hanford Reservation. The investigation is part of the Commission's feasibility study on storing high-level radioactive waste in chambers mined in basaltic rocks at a. depth of about 3,000 feet or more below the surface. Ground-water flow., on a regional scale, occurs principally in the basalt and-in interbedded sediments of the Columbia River Group, and is controlled by topography, the structure of the basalt, and the large streams--the Columbia, Snake, and Yakima Rivers. The ground water beneath the main part of the Hanford Reservation, south and west of the Columbia River, inures southeastward from recharge areas in the uplands, including Cold Creek and Dry Creek valleys, and ultimately discharges to the Columbia River south of the reservation: East and southeast of the Columbia River, ground water flows generally southwestward and discharges to the River. The Yakima River valley contains a distinct flow system in which movement is toward the Yakima River from the topographic divides. A large southward-flowing ground-water system beneath the southern flank of the Horse Heaven Hills discharges to the Columbia River in the westward-trending reach downstream from Wallula Gap.

Clinical effort against secondhand smoke exposure: development of framework and intervention.

PubMed

Winickoff, Jonathan P; Park, Elyse R; Hipple, Bethany J; Berkowitz, Anna; Vieira, Cecilia; Friebely, Joan; Healey, Erica A; Rigotti, Nancy A

2008-08-01

The purpose of this work was to describe a novel process and present results of formative research to develop a pediatric office intervention that uses available systems of care for addressing parental smoking. The scientific development of the intervention occurred in 3 stages. In stage 1, we designed an office system for parental tobacco control in the pediatric outpatient setting on the basis of complementary conceptual frameworks of preventive services delivery, conceptualized for the child health care setting through a process of key interviews with leaders in the field of implementing practice change; existing Public Health Service guidelines that had been shown effective in adult practices; and adaptation of an evidence-based adult office system for tobacco control. This was an iterative process that yielded a theoretically framed intervention prototype. In stage 2, we performed focus-group testing in pediatric practices with pediatricians, nurses, clinical assistants, and key office staff. Using qualitative methods, we adapted the intervention prototype on the basis of this feedback to include 5 key implementation steps for the child health care setting. In stage 3, we presented the intervention to breakout groups at 2 national meetings of pediatric practitioners for additional refinements. The main result was a theoretically grounded intervention that was responsive to the barriers and suggestions raised in the focus groups and at the national meetings. The Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure intervention was designed to be flexible and adaptable to the particular practices' staffing, resources, and physical configuration. Practice staff can choose materials relevant to their own particular systems of care (www.ceasetobacco.org). Conceptually grounded and focus-group-tested strategies for parental tobacco control are now available for implementation in the pediatric outpatient setting. The tobacco-control intervention-development process might have particular relevance for other chronic pediatric conditions that have a strong evidence base and have available treatments or resources that are underused.

Asymmetric ground reaction forces and knee kinematics during squat after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

PubMed

Sanford, Brooke A; Williams, John L; Zucker-Levin, Audrey; Mihalko, William M

2016-10-01

This bilateral squat study tests whether people with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction have symmetric three-dimensional ground reaction forces (GRFs) and symmetric anterior-posterior (AP) translation rates of the femur with respect to the tibia when compared with healthy control subjects. We hypothesized that there would be no long-term asymmetry in knee kinematics and kinetics in ACL reconstructed subjects following surgery and rehabilitation. Position and GRF data were collected on eight ACL reconstructed and eight control subjects during bilateral squat. The rate of relative AP translation was determined for each subject. Principal component models were developed for each of the three GRF waveforms. Principal component scores were used to assess symmetry within the ACL reconstructed group and within the control group. ACL reconstructed knees analyzed in early flexion during squat descent displayed a four-fold greater rate of change in anterior translation in the reconstructed knee relative to the contralateral side than did a similar comparison of normal knees. Differences were found between the ACL reconstructed subjects' injured and uninjured limbs for all GRFs. Subjects following ACL reconstruction had asymmetric GRFs and relative rates of AP translation at an average of seven years after ACL reconstructive surgery when compared with control subjects. These alterations in loading may lead to altered load distributions across the knee joint and may put some subjects at risk for future complications such as osteoarthritis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pancreas of C57 black mice after long-term space flight (Bion-M1 Space Mission)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Proshchina, A. E.; Krivova, Y. S.; Saveliev, S. C.

2015-11-01

In this study, we analysed the pancreases of C57BL/6N mice in order to estimate the effects of long-term space flights. Mice were flown aboard the Bion-M1 biosatellite, or remained on ground in the control experiment that replicated environmental and housing conditions in the spacecraft. Vivarium control group was used to account for housing effects. Each of the groups included mice designated for recovery studies. Mice pancreases were dissected for histological and immunohistochemical examinations. Using a morphometry and statistical analysis, a strong correlation between the mean islet size and the mean body weight was revealed in all groups. Therefore, we propose that hypokinesia and an increase in nutrition play an important role in alterations of the endocrine pancreas, both in space flight and terrestrial conditions.

Ferroelectric Switching by the Grounded Scanning Probe Microscopy Tip

DOE PAGES

Ievlev, Anton V.; Morozovska, A. N.; Shur, Vladimir Ya.; ...

2015-06-19

The process of polarization reversal by the tip of scanning probe microscope was intensively studied for last two decades. Number of the abnormal switching phenomena was reported by the scientific groups worldwide. In particularly it was experimentally and theoretically shown that slow dynamics of the surface screening controls kinetics of the ferroelectric switching, backswitching and relaxation and presence of the charges carriers on the sample surface and in the sample bulk significantly change polarization reversal dynamics. Here we experimentally demonstrated practical possibility of the history dependent polarization reversal by the grounded SPM tip. This phenomenon was attributed to induction ofmore » the slowly dissipating charges into the surface of the grounded tip that enables polarization reversal under the action of the produced electric field. Analytical and numerical electrostatic calculations allow additional insight into nontrivial abnormal switching phenomena reported earlier.« less

Kinetic Compensations due to Chronic Ankle Instability during Landing and Jumping.

PubMed

Kim, Hyunsoo; Son, S Jun; Seeley, Matthew K; Hopkins, J Ty

2018-02-01

Skeletal muscles absorb and transfer kinetic energy during landing and jumping, which are common requirements of various forms of physical activity. Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is associated with impaired neuromuscular control and dynamic stability of the lower extremity. Little is known regarding an intralimb, lower-extremity joint coordination of kinetics during landing and jumping for CAI patients. We investigated the effect of CAI on lower-extremity joint stiffness and kinetic and energetic patterns across the ground contact phase of landing and jumping. One hundred CAI patients and 100 matched able-bodied controls performed five trials of a landing and jumping task (a maximal vertical forward jump, landing on a force plate with the test leg only, and immediate lateral jump toward the contralateral side). Functional analyses of variance and independent t-tests were used to evaluate between-group differences for lower-extremity net internal joint moment, power, and stiffness throughout the entire ground contact phase of landing and jumping. Relative to the control group, the CAI group revealed (i) reduced plantarflexion and knee extension and increased hip extension moments; (ii) reduced ankle and knee eccentric and concentric power, and increased hip eccentric and concentric power, and (iii) reduced ankle and knee joint stiffness and increased hip joint stiffness during the task. CAI patients seemed to use a hip-dominant strategy by increasing the hip extension moment, stiffness, and eccentric and concentric power during landing and jumping. This apparent compensation may be due to decreased capabilities to produce sufficient joint moment, stiffness, and power at the ankle and knee. These differences might have injury risk and performance implications.

Reduced Bone Strength and Muscle Force in Women 27 Years After Anorexia Nervosa.

PubMed

Mueller, Sandro Manuel; Immoos, Marilyn; Anliker, Elmar; Drobnjak, Suzana; Boutellier, Urs; Toigo, Marco

2015-08-01

A substantial body of research findings indicate that muscle mass and bone mass are reduced in populations of anorexic females, even in such populations whose anorexia nervosa had been in remission for longer periods. This study aimed to investigate whether the bone of an anorexia nervosa recovery cohort is adapted to maximal muscle forces and whether there are alterations in the structure of the tibia in this population, as compared with a control group. This was a cross-sectional study of 22 women in Switzerland who have remained in stable recovery from anorexia nervosa for an average of 27 years. The measurements were compared with those of an age- and gender-matched control group (n = 73). There were no interventions. Bone characteristics of the tibia and maximal voluntary ground reaction force (Fm1LH) were measured. The variability in volumetric bone mineral content (vBMC) at the 14% site was explained by 54.7% on the grounds of Fm1LH (P < .001). Formerly anorexic women had an 11.6% lower Fm1LH (P = .001), a significantly lower vBMC at 4% and 14% of tibia length, and an 11.9% (P = .001) lower body mass than the age- and gender-matched control population. Present body mass of the anorexia group correlated positively with vBMC at the 14% site (P < .001). Despite the fact that findings reflected an adaptation of bone to the acting forces, most results indicated that the test cohort generally suffered from a secondary bone defect. In addition, maximal muscle force was also impaired in the formerly anorexic women.

Does Mode of Transport Confer a Mortality Benefit in Trauma Patients? Characteristics and Outcomes at an Ontario Lead Trauma Hospital.

PubMed

Buchanan, Ian M; Coates, Angela; Sne, Niv

2016-09-01

Evidence-based guidelines regarding the optimal mode of transport for trauma patients from scene to trauma centre are lacking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between trauma patient outcomes and mode of transport at a single Ontario Level I Trauma Centre, and specifically to investigate if the mode of transport confers a mortality benefit. A historical, observational cohort study was undertaken to compare rotor-wing and ground transported patients. Captured data included demographics, injury severity, temporal and mortality variables. TRISS-L analysis was performed to examine mortality outcomes. 387 rotor-wing transport and 2,759 ground transport patients were analyzed over an 18-year period. Rotor-wing patients were younger, had a higher Injury Severity Score, and had longer prehospital transport times. Mechanism of injury was similarly distributed between groups. After controlling for heterogeneity with TRISS-L analysis, the mortality of rotor-wing patients was found to be lower than predicted mortality, whereas the converse was found with ground patients. Rotor-wing and ground transported trauma patients represent heterogeneous populations. Accounting for these differences, rotor-wing patients were found to outperform their predicted mortality, whereas ground patients underperformed predictions.

Renormalization group analysis of dipolar Heisenberg model on square lattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keleş, Ahmet; Zhao, Erhai

2018-06-01

We present a detailed functional renormalization group analysis of spin-1/2 dipolar Heisenberg model on square lattice. This model is similar to the well-known J1-J2 model and describes the pseudospin degrees of freedom of polar molecules confined in deep optical lattice with long-range anisotropic dipole-dipole interactions. Previous study of this model based on tensor network ansatz indicates a paramagnetic ground state for certain dipole tilting angles which can be tuned in experiments to control the exchange couplings. The tensor ansatz formulated on a small cluster unit cell is inadequate to describe the spiral order, and therefore the phase diagram at high azimuthal tilting angles remains undetermined. Here, we obtain the full phase diagram of the model from numerical pseudofermion functional renormalization group calculations. We show that an extended quantum paramagnetic phase is realized between the Néel and stripe/spiral phases. In this region, the spin susceptibility flows smoothly down to the lowest numerical renormalization group scales with no sign of divergence or breakdown of the flow, in sharp contrast to the flow towards the long-range-ordered phases. Our results provide further evidence that the dipolar Heisenberg model is a fertile ground for quantum spin liquids.

Haptic information provided by the "anchor system" reduces trunk sway acceleration in the frontal plane during tandem walking in older adults.

PubMed

Costa, Andréia Abud da Silva; Manciopi, Priscila Abbári Rossi; Mauerberg-deCastro, Eliane; Moraes, Renato

2015-11-16

This study assessed whether the use of an "anchor system" benefited older adults who performed a tandem walking task. Additionally, we tested the effects of practice with the anchor system during walking on trunk stability, in the frontal plane, of older adults. Forty-four older adults were randomly assigned to three groups: control group, 0g anchor group, and 125g anchor group. Individuals in each group performed a tandem walking task on the GaitRite system with an accelerometer placed on the cervical region. The participants in the 125g anchor group held, in each hand, a flexible cable with a light mass attached at the end of the cable, which rested on the ground. While the participants walked, they pulled on the cables just enough to keep them taut as the masses slid over the ground. The 0g anchor group held an anchor tool without any mass attached to the end portion. The results of this study demonstrated that the use of the anchor system contributed to the reduction of trunk acceleration in the frontal plane. However, this effect did not persist after removal of the anchors, which suggests that the amount of practice with this tool was insufficient to generate any lasting effect, or that the task was not sufficiently challenging, or both. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards Human-Friendly Efficient Control of Multi-Robot Teams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stoica, Adrian; Theodoridis, Theodoros; Barrero, David F.; Hu, Huosheng; McDonald-Maiers, Klaus

2013-01-01

This paper explores means to increase efficiency in performing tasks with multi-robot teams, in the context of natural Human-Multi-Robot Interfaces (HMRI) for command and control. The motivating scenario is an emergency evacuation by a transport convoy of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) that have to traverse, in shortest time, an unknown terrain. In the experiments the operator commands, in minimal time, a group of rovers through a maze. The efficiency of performing such tasks depends on both, the levels of robots' autonomy, and the ability of the operator to command and control the team. The paper extends the classic framework of levels of autonomy (LOA), to levels/hierarchy of autonomy characteristic of Groups (G-LOA), and uses it to determine new strategies for control. An UGVoriented command language (UGVL) is defined, and a mapping is performed from the human-friendly gesture-based HMRI into the UGVL. The UGVL is used to control a team of 3 robots, exploring the efficiency of different G-LOA; specifically, by (a) controlling each robot individually through the maze, (b) controlling a leader and cloning its controls to followers, and (c) controlling the entire group. Not surprisingly, commands at increased G-LOA lead to a faster traverse, yet a number of aspects are worth discussing in this context.

Does eccentric training of hamstring muscles reduce acute injuries in soccer?

PubMed

Nichols, Andrew W

2013-01-01

To investigate the effectiveness of a 10-week hamstring exercise training program in reducing the incidence and severity of new and recurrent hamstring injuries among male soccer players. Cluster-randomized (by team)controlled trial, stratified by level of play and geographic location. Sample size was calculated with 80% power to show a relative risk reduction for injury of 50% at P ≤ 0.05. Soccer community study in Denmark during the period January to December 2008. Teams in the top 5 soccer divisions (2 professional and 3 amateur)were invited to participate. The exclusion criterion for teams was that they already used eccentric hamstring exercises, and for participants was that they joined the teams after the beginning of the season. Of 116 teams, 54 were eligible and willing to be randomized and 50 were included in the analysis (942 players). Teams in both the intervention and control groups followed their normal training programs. At the beginning of the study period, the intervention teams added 27 sessions of the Nordicham string exercise (after warm-up) during the 10-week period of the mid-season break. The exercise begins with the player kneeling with the torso upright and rigid, and the feet held down to the ground by a partner. The player lowers his torso forwards toward the ground braking with his hamstring muscles until the chest reaches the ground (eccentric phase). He returns to the upright position, pushing with his hands to minimize the concentric phase load. Sessions per week and sets and repetitions per session increased to 3, 3, and 12, respectively. Team coaches supervised the sessions. A hamstring injury was defined as an acute occurrence of a “physical complaint in the region of the posterior thigh sustained during a soccer match or training, irrespective of the need for medical attention or time loss from soccer activities.” Injuries were recorded by the teams’ medical staff on standardized forms. Only first injuries during the season were included and recorded as first-time injuries or recurrences of injuries sustained before the season.Severity of injury was defined by number of days lost from full participation in games and practices. Injury rates per 100 player sessions were lower for the intervention group (3.8) than for the control group(13.1); thus, the rate ratio (RR) adjusted for age, level of competition, and previous injury was 0.293 (95% confidence interval[CI], 0.150-0.572). Both rates of new and recurrent injuries were lower for the intervention group than for the control group(new injuries: RR, 0.410; 95% CI, 0.180-0.933; recurrent injuries: RR, 0.137; 95% CI, 0.037-0.509). The 15 injuries in the intervention group resulted in absence of 454 days from soccer (mean, 30.3; SD, 18.3; range, 7-64 days per injury), whereas 51 injuries in the control group resulted in 1344 days absent (mean, 26.4; SD, 19.5; range, 4-89 days per injury). Mean severity of injuries (days absent) was not significantly different (P = 0.16) between groups. Delayed onset muscle soreness,but no other adverse effect, was reported by most members of the intervention group during the training period. An eccentric hamstring exercise program was associated with lower rates of new and recurrent hamstring injuries in Danish male soccer players.

System and method for transferring telemetry data between a ground station and a control center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ray, Timothy J. (Inventor); Ly, Vuong T. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

Disclosed herein are systems, computer-implemented methods, and tangible computer-readable media for coordinating communications between a ground station, a control center, and a spacecraft. The method receives a call to a simple, unified application programmer interface implementing communications protocols related to outer space, when instruction relates to receiving a command at the control center for the ground station generate an abstract message by agreeing upon a format for each type of abstract message with the ground station and using a set of message definitions to configure the command in the agreed upon format, encode the abstract message to generate an encoded message, and transfer the encoded message to the ground station, and perform similar actions when the instruction relates to receiving a second command as a second encoded message at the ground station from the control center and when the determined instruction type relates to transmitting information to the control center.

Lactating Rats Retain Nursing Behavior and Maternal Care in Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Daly, Megan E.; Ronca, April E.; Dalton, Bonnie (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

In 1997, suckling mammals were flown in space for the first time as part of the NIH.R3 experiment sponsored jointly by NIH (National Institutes of Health) and NASA. Six rat dams and litters (Rattus norvegicus) were launched on an eight-day Space Shuttle mission at each of three postnatal ages (P5, P8, and P15). Dams and litters (N = 10 pups/litter) were housed within modified Animal Enclosure Modules (AEMs). Comparisons were made to ground controls. Dams and litters were videotaped daily in flight. The P8 and P15 flight litters showed excellent survival (99%) and weight gain relative to AEM ground controls, whereas P5 litters showed reduced survival (0% and 60%, respectively) and weight gain (less than 40% AEM). To examine the possibility that failures of maternal care contributed to P5 results, we analyzed the dams' in-flight nursing, licking and retrieving from four video segments ranging from twelve to fifteen minutes in length with control data derived from multiple ground segments. Video analyses revealed clear evidence of maternal care in flight. For P5 dams, frequency and duration of nursing and licking bouts fell within or above one standard deviation of control values. Retrieving was noted in the P5 and P8 groups only. The observed results suggest that factors other than maternal care contributed to the low survival rates and body weight gains of the P5 flight offspring.

Simulation of the Regional Ground-Water-Flow System and Ground-Water/Surface-Water Interaction in the Rock River Basin, Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juckem, Paul F.

2009-01-01

A regional, two-dimensional, areal ground-water-flow model was developed to simulate the ground-water-flow system and ground-water/surface-water interaction in the Rock River Basin. The model was developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the Rock River Coalition. The objectives of the regional model were to improve understanding of the ground-water-flow system and to develop a tool suitable for evaluating the effects of potential regional water-management programs. The computer code GFLOW was used because of the ease with which the model can simulate ground-water/surface-water interactions, provide a framework for simulating regional ground-water-flow systems, and be refined in a stepwise fashion to incorporate new data and simulate ground-water-flow patterns at multiple scales. The ground-water-flow model described in this report simulates the major hydrogeologic features of the modeled area, including bedrock and surficial aquifers, ground-water/surface-water interactions, and ground-water withdrawals from high-capacity wells. The steady-state model treats the ground-water-flow system as a single layer with hydraulic conductivity and base elevation zones that reflect the distribution of lithologic groups above the Precambrian bedrock and a regionally significant confining unit, the Maquoketa Formation. In the eastern part of the Basin where the shale-rich Maquoketa Formation is present, deep ground-water flow in the sandstone aquifer below the Maquoketa Formation was not simulated directly, but flow into this aquifer was incorporated into the GFLOW model from previous work in southeastern Wisconsin. Recharge was constrained primarily by stream base-flow estimates and was applied uniformly within zones guided by regional infiltration estimates for soils. The model includes average ground-water withdrawals from 1997 to 2006 for municipal wells and from 1997 to 2005 for high-capacity irrigation, industrial, and commercial wells. In addition, the model routes tributary base flow through the river network to the Rock River. The parameter-estimation code PEST was linked to the GFLOW model to select the combination of parameter values best able to match more than 8,000 water-level measurements and base-flow estimates at 9 streamgages. Results from the calibrated GFLOW model show simulated (1) ground-water-flow directions, (2) ground-water/surface-water interactions, as depicted in a map of gaining and losing river and lake sections, (3) ground-water contributing areas for selected tributary rivers, and (4) areas of relatively local ground water captured by rivers. Ground-water flow patterns are controlled primarily by river geometries, with most river sections gaining water from the ground-water-flow system; losing sections are most common on the downgradient shore of lakes and reservoirs or near major pumping centers. Ground-water contributing areas to tributary rivers generally coincide with surface watersheds; however the locations of ground-water divides are controlled by the water table, whereas surface-water divides are controlled by surface topography. Finally, areas of relatively local ground water captured by rivers generally extend upgradient from rivers but are modified by the regional flow pattern, such that these areas tend to shift toward regional ground-water divides for relatively small rivers. It is important to recognize the limitations of this regional-scale model. Heterogeneities in subsurface properties and in recharge rates are considered only at a very broad scale (miles to tens of miles). No account is taken of vertical variations in properties or pumping rates, and no provision is made to account for stacked ground-water-flow systems that have different flow patterns at different depths. Small-scale flow systems (hundreds to thousands of feet) associated with minor water bodies are not considered; as a result, the model is not currently designed for simulating site-specifi

[Effect of space flight factors simulated in ground-based experiments on the behavior, discriminant learning, and exchange of monoamines in different brain structures of rats].

PubMed

Shtemberg, A S; Lebedeva-Georgievskaia, K V; Matveeva, M I; Kudrin, V S; Narkevich, V B; Klodt, P M; Bazian, A S

2014-01-01

Experimental treatment (long-term fractionated γ-irradiation, antiorthostatic hypodynamia, and the combination of these factors) simulating the effect of space flight in ground-based experiments rapidly restored the motor and orienting-investigative activity of animals (rats) in "open-field" tests. The study of the dynamics of discriminant learning of rats of experimental groups did not show significant differences from the control animals. It was found that the minor effect of these factors on the cognitive performance of animals correlated with slight changes in the concentration ofmonoamines in the brain structures responsible for the cognitive, emotional, and motivational functions.

Magnetometry and Ground-Penetrating Radar Studies in the Sihuas Valley, Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wisnicki, E.; Papadimitrios, K.; Bank, C.

2013-12-01

The Quillcapampa la Antigua site in Peru's Sihuas Valley is a settlement from Peru's Middle Horizon (600-100 A.D.). Archaeological interest in the area stems from the question of whether ancient civilizations were able to have extensive state control of distant groups, or whether state influence occurred through less direct ties (e.g., marriage, religion, or trade). Our geophysical surveys are preliminary to archaeological digging in the area. Ground-penetrating radar and magnetometry attempt to locate areas of interest for focused archaeological excavation, characterize the design of architectural remains and burial mounds in the area, and allow archaeologists to interpret the amount of influence the Wari civilization had on the local residents.

Alteration of gene expression profiles in skeletal muscle of rats exposed to microgravity during a spaceflight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, Wayne E.; Bhasin, Shalender; Lalani, Rukhsana; Datta, Anuj; Gonzalez-Cadavid, Nestor F.

2002-01-01

To clarify the mechanism of skeletal muscle wasting during spaceflights, we investigated whether intramuscular gene expression profiles are affected, by using DNA microarray methods. Male rats sent on the 17-day NASA STS-90 Neurolab spaceflight were sacrificed 24 hours after return to earth (MG group). Ground control rats were maintained for 17 days in flight-simulated cages (CS group). Spaceflight induced a 19% and 23% loss of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscle mass, respectively, as compared to ground controls. Muscle RNA was analyzed by the Clontech Atlas DNA expression array in four rats, with two MG/ CS pairs for the tibialis anterior, and one pair for the gastrocnemius. Alterations in gene expression were verified for selected genes by reverse-transcription PCR. In both muscles of MG rats, mRNAs for 12 genes were up-regulated by over 2-fold, and 38 were down-regulated compared to controls. There was inhibition of genes for cell proliferation and growth factor cascades, including cell cycle genes and signal transduction proteins, such as p21 Cip1, retinoblastoma (Rb), cyclins G1/S, -E and -D3, MAP kinase 3, MAD3, and ras related protein RAB2. These data indicate that following exposure to microgravity, there is downregulation of genes involved in regulation of muscle satellite cell replication.

Evaluation of landscape coverings to reduce soil lead hazards in urban residential yards: The Safer Yards Project.

PubMed

Binns, Helen J; Gray, Kimberly A; Chen, Tianyue; Finster, Mary E; Peneff, Nicholas; Schaefer, Peter; Ovsey, Victor; Fernandes, Joyce; Brown, Mavis; Dunlap, Barbara

2004-10-01

This study was designed primarily to evaluate the effectiveness of landscape coverings to reduce the potential for exposure to lead-contaminated soil in an urban neighborhood. Residential properties were randomized in to three groups: application of ground coverings/barriers plus placement of a raised garden bed (RB), application of ground coverings/barriers only (no raised bed, NRB), and control. Outcomes evaluated soil lead concentration (employing a weighting method to assess acute hazard soil lead [areas not fully covered] and potential hazard soil lead [all soil surfaces regardless of covering status]), density of landscape coverings (6 = heavy, > 90% covered; 1 = bare, < 10% covered), lead tracked onto carpeted entryway floor mats, and entryway floor dust lead loadings. Over 1 year, the intervention groups had significantly reduced acute hazard soil lead concentration (median change: RB, -478 ppm; NRB, -698 ppm; control, +52 ppm; Kruskal-Wallis, P = 0.02), enhanced landscape coverings (mean change in score: RB, +0.6; NRB, +1.5; control, -0.6; ANOVA, P < 0.001), and a 50% decrease in lead tracked onto the floor mats. The potential hazard soil lead concentration and the entryway floor dust lead loading did not change significantly. Techniques evaluated by this study are feasible for use by property owners but will require continued maintenance. The long-term sustainability of the method needs further examination.

Terminal weather information management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Alfred T.

1990-01-01

Since the mid-1960's, microburst/windshear events have caused at least 30 aircraft accidents and incidents and have killed more than 600 people in the United States alone. This study evaluated alternative means of alerting an airline crew to the presence of microburst/windshear events in the terminal area. Of particular interest was the relative effectiveness of conventional and data link ground-to-air transmissions of ground-based radar and low-level windshear sensing information on microburst/windshear avoidance. The Advanced Concepts Flight Simulator located at Ames Research Center was employed in a line oriented simulation of a scheduled round-trip airline flight from Salt Lake City to Denver Stapleton Airport. Actual weather en route and in the terminal area was simulated using recorded data. The microburst/windshear incident of July 11, 1988 was re-created for the Denver area operations. Six experienced airline crews currently flying scheduled routes were employed as test subjects for each of three groups: (1) A baseline group which received alerts via conventional air traffic control (ATC) tower transmissions; (2) An experimental group which received alerts/events displayed visually and aurally in the cockpit six miles (approx. 2 min.) from the microburst event; and (3) An additional experimental group received displayed alerts/events 23 linear miles (approx. 7 min.) from the microburst event. Analyses of crew communications and decision times showed a marked improvement in both situation awareness and decision-making with visually displayed ground-based radar information. Substantial reductions in the variability of decision times among crews in the visual display groups were also found. These findings suggest that crew performance will be enhanced and individual differences among crews due to differences in training and prior experience are significantly reduced by providing real-time, graphic display of terminal weather hazards.

Reaction Time and Joint Kinematics During Functional Movement in Recently Concussed Individuals.

PubMed

Lynall, Robert C; Blackburn, J Troy; Guskiewicz, Kevin M; Marshall, Stephen W; Plummer, Prudence; Mihalik, Jason P

2018-05-01

To compare movement reaction time and joint kinematics between athletes with recent concussion and matched control recreational athletes during 3 functional tasks. Cross-sectional. Laboratory. College-aged recreational athletes (N=30) comprising 2 groups (15 participants each): (1) recent concussion group (median time since concussion, 126d; range, 28-432d) and (2) age- and sex-matched control group with no recent concussions. We investigated movement reaction time and joint kinematics during 3 tasks: (1) jump landing, (2) anticipated cut, and (3) unanticipated cut. Reaction time and reaction time cost (jump landing reaction time-cut reaction time/jump landing reaction time×100%), along with trunk, hip, and knee joint angles in the sagittal and frontal planes at initial ground contact. There were no reaction time between-group differences, but the control group displayed improved reaction time cost (10.7%) during anticipated cutting compared with the concussed group (0.8%; P=.030). The control group displayed less trunk flexion than the concussed group during the nondominant anticipated cut (5.1° difference; P=.022). There were no other kinematic between-group differences (P≥.079). We observed subtle reaction time and kinematic differences between individuals with recent concussion and those without concussion more than a month after return to activity after concussion. The clinical interpretation of these findings remains unclear, but may have future implications for postconcussion management and rehabilitation. Copyright © 2018 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Electrokinetic properties of polymer colloids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Micale, F. J.; Fuenmayor, D. Y.

1986-01-01

The surface of polymer colloids, especially polystyrene latexes, were modified for the purpose of controlling the electrokinetic properties of the resulting colloids. Achievement required a knowledge of electrical double layer charging mechanism, as a function of the electrolyte conditions, at the polymer/water interface. The experimental approach is to control the recipe formulation in the emulsion polymerization process so as to systematically vary the strong acid group concentration on the surface of the polymer particles. The electrophoretic mobility of these model particles will then be measured as a function of surface group concentration and as a function of electrolyte concentration and type. An effort was also made to evaluate the electrophoretic mobility of polystyrene latexes made in space and to compare the results with latexes made on the ground.

Study about locomotory ability of dystrophin-defected C.elegans after spaceflight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Ying; Sun, Yeqing; Lei, Huang; Xu, Dan

2012-07-01

Space microgravity could induce a variety of biological changes such as muscular atrophy. Recent studies show that gravisensing is a key point in muscular atrophy process, but the molecular mechanism is still unknown. Dystrophin, a muscle-related protein, plays an important role in muscle development. It is reported that mutation of human dystrophin gene could cause muscular atrophy. In this study, we focus on whether dystrophin gene acts as a gravisensing factor and observe locomotory ability of dystrophin-defected Caenorhabditis elegans (C.elegans) after spaceflight. We used wild-type (WT) and dystrophin-defected (dys-1) mutant of C.elegans, which were cultured to dauer stage and sent to space by Shenzhou 8 spacecraft (from Nov 1st to 17th, 2011). These worms were divided into three groups: space group (space radiation and microgravity conditions), space control group (space radiation and chmetcnvTCSC0NumberType1NegativeFalseHasSpaceFalseSourceValue1UnitNameg1g centrifuge force conditions) and ground control group.We already observed the progeny (generation F1 and F2) of worms which were sent to space, the movement of C. elegans is restricted to a two-dimensional sinusoidal pattern, and evaluated locomotory ability by the ratio (length/width) in crawl trace wave of C. elegans. The increased value of ratio indicates the decrease in locomotory ability of C. elegans. Our results from generation F1 showed that WT worms in space group(7.7±1.8) demonstrated the significant decrease in locomotory ability about 15%, compared with those in space control group(6.7±1.2). This finding indicates that locomotory ability of C. elegans progeny could be affected by microgravity in space environment. In comparison to the obvious difference in ratio between space group and space control group for WT worms, there is no significant difference between two space groups of generation F2 .For dys-1 mutant of C.elegans (generation F1 and F2), the results show that dystrophin deficiency results in no response to microgravity, compared with WT, suggesting that dys-1 gene plays a role in locomotory ability under ground gravity. Further, we performed all genome microarray analysis and found that expression of several muscle-related genes in dys-1 mutant groups were also changed, accompanied with changes in biological processes such as oxidation, protein modification and metabolic process. Our findings suggest that dystrophin gene could act as a gravisensing and affect locomotory ability of C. elegans progeny.

24 CFR 3285.204 - Ground moisture control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Ground moisture control. 3285.204... URBAN DEVELOPMENT MODEL MANUFACTURED HOME INSTALLATION STANDARDS Site Preparation § 3285.204 Ground... materials, a vapor retarder must be installed to cover the ground under the home, unless the home is...

14 CFR 25.415 - Ground gust conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Ground gust conditions. 25.415 Section 25... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANES Structure Control Surface and System Loads § 25.415 Ground... ground gusts and taxiing downwind: (1) The control system between the stops nearest the surfaces and the...

24 CFR 3285.204 - Ground moisture control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ground moisture control. 3285.204... URBAN DEVELOPMENT MODEL MANUFACTURED HOME INSTALLATION STANDARDS Site Preparation § 3285.204 Ground... materials, a vapor retarder must be installed to cover the ground under the home, unless the home is...

14 CFR 25.415 - Ground gust conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Ground gust conditions. 25.415 Section 25... AIRWORTHINESS STANDARDS: TRANSPORT CATEGORY AIRPLANES Structure Control Surface and System Loads § 25.415 Ground... ground gusts and taxiing downwind: (1) The control system between the stops nearest the surfaces and the...

Patients with sacroiliac joint dysfunction exhibit altered movement strategies when performing a sit-to-stand task.

PubMed

Capobianco, Robyn A; Feeney, Daniel F; Jeffers, Jana R; Nelson-Wong, Erika; Morreale, Joseph; Grabowski, Alena M; Enoka, Roger M

2018-04-03

The ability to rise from a chair is a basic functional task that is frequently compromised in individuals diagnosed with orthopedic disorders in the low back and hip. There is no published literature that describes how this task is altered by sacroiliac joint dysfunction (SIJD). The objective of this study was to compare lower extremity biomechanics and the onset of muscle activity when rising from a chair in subjects with SIJD and in healthy persons. Six women with unilateral SIJD and six age-matched healthy controls performed a sit-to-stand task while we measured kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activity. Subjects stood up at a preferred speed from a seated position on an armless and backless adjustable stool. We measured kinematics with a 10-camera motion capture system, ground reaction forces for each leg with force plates, and muscle activity with surface electromyography. Joint angles and torques were calculated using inverse dynamics. Leg-loading rate was quantified as the average slope of vertical ground reaction (VGRF) force during the 500-millisecond interval preceding maximal knee extension. Between-leg differences in loading rates and peak VGRFs were significantly greater for the SIJD group than for the control group. Maximal hip angles were significantly less for the SIJD group (p=.001). Peak hip moment in the SIJD group was significantly greater in the unaffected leg (0.75±0.22 N⋅m/kg) than in the affected leg (0.47±0.29 N⋅m/kg, p=.005). There were no between-leg or between-group differences for peak knee or ankle moments. The onset of activity in the latissimus dorsi muscle on the affected side was delayed and the erector spinae muscles were activated earlier in the SIJD group than in the control group. Subjects with SIJD have a greater VGRF on the unaffected leg, generate a greater peak hip moment in the unaffected leg, use a smaller range of motion at the hip joint of the affected leg, and delay the onset of a key muscle on the affected side when rising from a seated position. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reconnaissance and Autonomy for Small Robots (RASR)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-29

The Reconnaissance and Autonomy for Small Robots (RASR) team developed a system for the coordination of groups of unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs...development of a system that used 1) a relevant deployable platform; 2) a minimum set of relatively inexpensive navigation and LADAR sensors; 3) an...expandable and modular control system with innovative software algorithms to minimize computing footprint; and that minimized 4) required communications

Proceedings of the Meeting of the Coordinating Group on Modern Control Theory (2nd) 10-11 December 1980, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. Part 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-04-01

The results are summarizcd in the following lemma, Lemna 1: A canonical delayed-measurement observer for the system described by (30) aW-JT-) is...is probably due to the higher total accuracy of the systes with the extra support. However, in both cases, the contribution is minor . These results

Agent Transparency for an Autonomous Squad Member

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

C. Attentional  Control  Survey  41  Appendix D. System Usability Scale  45  Appendix E. Modified Jian Pre‐Post Trust Survey  47  Appendix F.  Posttest ...failing to comply with a collection of information if it does not display a currently valid OMB control number. PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE...information in a simulation-based unmanned ground vehicle monitoring task. Three groups were tested with visual displays representing 1 of 3 types of

Cost Benefit Analysis of Expeditionary Warfare Training Group Atlantic Forward Air Controller / Joint Terminal Attack Controller Training Options

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-13

Previous versions were signed in 2004, 2007, and 2010. The most recent version was signed 1 January 2012 by HQMC PPO and includes 17 United States DoD and...Amos) to Cdr USJFCOM - 21 Mar 2008 From CMC PPO POG: Ground Board discussion Collateral Duties of JTAC not compatible with primary duties MSG dtd...EWTGLANT Trng Cmd PPO APP MCSCG MARFORCOM USFFC CNAL CSFWL SFWSL CVW-X CVW-X OPNAV N-98 II MEF 2D MARDIV 2D MAW OPNAV N-95 NAWCTSD

Development of a Geospatial Data-Sharing Method for Unmanned Vehicles Based on the Joint Architecture for Unmanned Systems (JAUS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-08-01

the Office of the Secretary of Defense chartered the Joint Architecture for Unmanned Ground Systems ( JAUGS ) Working Group to address these concerns...The JAUGS Working Group was tasked with developing an initial standard for interoperable unmanned ground systems. In 2002, the charter of the... JAUGS Working Group was 1 2 modified such that their efforts would extend to all unmanned systems, not only ground systems. The standard was

Edge-Region Grouping in Figure-Ground Organization and Depth Perception

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmer, Stephen E.; Brooks, Joseph L.

2008-01-01

Edge-region grouping (ERG) is proposed as a unifying and previously unrecognized class of relational information that influences figure-ground organization and perceived depth across an edge. ERG occurs when the edge between two regions is differentially grouped with one region based on classic principles of similarity grouping. The ERG hypothesis…

Scheduler for monitoring objects orbiting earth using satellite-based telescopes

DOEpatents

Olivier, Scot S; Pertica, Alexander J; Riot, Vincent J; De Vries, Willem H; Bauman, Brian J; Nikolaev, Sergei; Henderson, John R; Phillion, Donald W

2015-04-28

An ephemeris refinement system includes satellites with imaging devices in earth orbit to make observations of space-based objects ("target objects") and a ground-based controller that controls the scheduling of the satellites to make the observations of the target objects and refines orbital models of the target objects. The ground-based controller determines when the target objects of interest will be near enough to a satellite for that satellite to collect an image of the target object based on an initial orbital model for the target objects. The ground-based controller directs the schedules to be uploaded to the satellites, and the satellites make observations as scheduled and download the observations to the ground-based controller. The ground-based controller then refines the initial orbital models of the target objects based on the locations of the target objects that are derived from the observations.

Monitoring objects orbiting earth using satellite-based telescopes

DOEpatents

Olivier, Scot S.; Pertica, Alexander J.; Riot, Vincent J.; De Vries, Willem H.; Bauman, Brian J.; Nikolaev, Sergei; Henderson, John R.; Phillion, Donald W.

2015-06-30

An ephemeris refinement system includes satellites with imaging devices in earth orbit to make observations of space-based objects ("target objects") and a ground-based controller that controls the scheduling of the satellites to make the observations of the target objects and refines orbital models of the target objects. The ground-based controller determines when the target objects of interest will be near enough to a satellite for that satellite to collect an image of the target object based on an initial orbital model for the target objects. The ground-based controller directs the schedules to be uploaded to the satellites, and the satellites make observations as scheduled and download the observations to the ground-based controller. The ground-based controller then refines the initial orbital models of the target objects based on the locations of the target objects that are derived from the observations.

Hypobaric Hypoxia Exacerbates the Neuroinflammatory Response to Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Goodman, Michael D.; Makley, Amy T.; Huber, Nathan L.; Clarke, Callisia N.; Friend, Lou Ann W.; Schuster, Rebecca M.; Bailey, Stephanie R.; Barnes, Stephen L.; Dorlac, Warren C.; Johannigman, Jay A.; Lentsch, Alex B.; Pritts, Timothy A.

2015-01-01

Objective To determine the inflammatory effects of time-dependent exposure to the hypobaric environment of simulated aeromedical evacuation following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods Mice were subjected to a blunt TBI or sham injury. Righting reflex response (RRR) time was assessed as an indicator of neurologic recovery. Three or 24 h (Early and Delayed groups, respectively) after TBI, mice were exposed to hypobaric flight conditions (Fly) or ground-level control (No Fly) for 5 h. Arterial blood gas samples were obtained from all groups during simulated flight. Serum and cortical brain samples were analyzed for inflammatory cytokines after flight. Neuron specific enolase (NSE) was measured as a serum biomarker of TBI severity. Results TBI resulted in prolonged RRR time compared with sham injury. After TBI alone, serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC) were increased by 6 h post-injury. Simulated flight significantly reduced arterial oxygen saturation levels in the Fly group. Post-injury altitude exposure increased cerebral levels of IL-6 and macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), as well as serum NSE in the Early but not Delayed Flight group compared to ground-level controls. Conclusions The hypobaric environment of aero-medical evacuation results in significant hypoxia. Early, but not delayed, exposure to a hypobaric environment following TBI increases the neuroinflammatory response to injury and the severity of secondary brain injury. Optimization of the post-injury time to fly using serum cytokine and biomarker levels may reduce the potential secondary cerebral injury induced by aeromedical evacuation. PMID:20850781

14 CFR 23.415 - Ground gust conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Ground gust conditions. 23.415 Section 23... and System Loads § 23.415 Ground gust conditions. (a) The control system must be investigated as follows for control surface loads due to ground gusts and taxiing downwind: (1) If an investigation of the...

Effect of foot type on knee valgus, ground reaction force, and hip muscle activation in female soccer players.

PubMed

Rath, Meghan E; Stearne, David J; Walker, Cameron R; Cox, Jaime C

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which subtalar joint pronation resulting from a supple planus foot affects knee alignment, hip muscle activation and ground reaction force attenuation in female athletes during a broad jump-to-cut maneuver. Twelve National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II female soccer players (age=19.4±1.4 years, height=1.64±0.05 m, mass=64.10±4.8 kg) were identified as having either supple planus (SP) or rigid feet (RF). Participants completed three broad jump-to-cut trials onto a force plate while EMG and motion data were collected. Muscle activation levels (percentage of maximal voluntary contraction [%MVC]) in the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, biceps femoris, and rectus femoris were calculated, and peak vertical and medial shear force, rate of loading, and valgus angle were collected for each trial. Mann-Whitney U tests revealed no statistical significance between foot-type groups, however, effect size statistics revealed practical significance for between-group %MVC biceps femoris (d=1.107), %MVC gluteus maximus (d=1.069), and vertical ground reaction force (d=1.061). Athletes with a SP foot type may experience decreased hip muscle activation associated with increased vertical ground reaction force during a broad jump-to-cut maneuver. This might result in reduced dynamic stability and neuromuscular control during deceleration, potentially increasing the risk of non-contact ACL injury in female soccer players.

Effect of saliva decontamination procedures on shear bond strength of a one-step adhesive system.

PubMed

Ülker, E; Bilgin, S; Kahvecioğlu, F; Erkan, A I

2017-09-01

To evaluate the effect of different saliva decontamination procedures on the shear bond strength of a one-step universal adhesive system (Single Bond™ Universal Adhesive, 3M ESPE, St. Paul, MN, USA). The occlusal surfaces of 75 human third molars were ground to expose dentin. The teeth were divided into the following groups: Group 1 (control group): Single Bond™ Universal Adhesive was applied to the prepared tooth according to the manufacturer's recommendations and light cured; no contamination procedure was performed. Group 2: Bonding, light curing, saliva contamination, and dry. Group 3: Bonding, light curing, saliva contamination, rinse, and dry. Group 4: After the procedure performed in Group 2, reapplication of bonding. Group 5: After the procedure performed in Group 3, reapplication of bonding. Then, composite resins were applied with cylindrical-shaped plastic matrixes and light cured. For shear bond testing, a notch-shaped force transducer apparatus was applied to each specimen at the interface between the tooth and composite until failure occurred. The data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA. One-way ANOVA revealed significant differences in shear bond strength between the control group and experimental Groups 2 and 4 (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found for experimental Groups 3 and 5 when compared to the control group (P > 0.05). The present in vitro study showed that water rinsing is necessary if cured adhesive resin is contaminated with saliva to ensure adequate bond strength.

INFLUENCE OF INJURY ON DYNAMIC POSTURAL CONTROL IN RUNNERS

PubMed Central

Klusendorf, Anna; Kernozek, Thomas

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Background Injury has been linked with altered postural control in active populations. The association between running injury and dynamic postural control has not been examined. Hypothesis/Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine dynamic postural control in injured and uninjured runners using the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), Time to Stabilization (TTS) of ground reaction forces following a single-leg landing, and postural stability indices reflecting the fluctuations in GRFs during single-leg landing and stabilization tasks (forward and lateral hop). It was hypothesized that dynamic postural control differences would exist between runners with a history of injury that interrupted training for ≥7 days (INJ) when compared to runners without injury (CON). Design Case-control study Methods Twenty-two INJ (14 F, 8 M; 23.7 ± 2.1 y; 22.3 ± 2.8 kg/m2; 29.5 ± 16.3 mi/wk) currently running > 50% pre-injury mileage without pain were compared with twenty-two matched CON (14F, 8M; 22.7 ± 1.2 y; 22.7 ± 2.7 kg/m2; 31.2 ± 19.6 mi/wk). INJ group was stratified by site of injury into two groups (Hip/Thigh/Knee and Lower Leg/Ankle/Foot) for secondary analysis. Leg length-normalized anterior, posterolateral, and posteromedial reach distances on the SEBT, medial/lateral and anterior/posterior ground reaction force TTS, directional postural stability indices, and a composite dynamic postural stability index (DPSI), were assessed using mixed model ANOVA (α=0.05) and effect sizes (d). Results No group X direction interaction or group differences were observed for the SEBT (p=0.51, 0.71) or TTS (p=0.83, 0.72) measures. A group X direction interaction was found for postural stability indices during the forward landing task (p<0.01). Both Hip/Thigh/Knee and Lower leg/Ankle/Foot INJ groups demonstrated a greater vertical postural stability index (VPSI) (p=0.01 for both, d=0.80, 0.95) and DPSI (p=0.01, 0.02, d=0.75, 0.93) when compared to CON suggesting impaired balance control. A group X direction interaction was also found for postural stability indices during the lateral landing task (p=0.03). Only the Hip/Thigh/Knee INJ runners displayed a greater VPSI (p=0.01, d=0.91) and DPSI (p=0.017, d=0.89) when compared to CON. Conclusions When compared to CON, INJ runners demonstrated impaired dynamic control of vertical forces when performing the single leg landing and stabilization tasks. Clinicians should consider addressing dynamic control of vertical loads through functional tasks during the rehabilitation of running injury. Level of Evidence Level 3 PMID:27274423

Combined virtual and real robotic test-bed for single operator control of multiple robots

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sam Y.-S.; Hunt, Shawn; Cao, Alex; Pandya, Abhilash

2010-04-01

Teams of heterogeneous robots with different dynamics or capabilities could perform a variety of tasks such as multipoint surveillance, cooperative transport and explorations in hazardous environments. In this study, we work with heterogeneous robots of semi-autonomous ground and aerial robots for contaminant localization. We developed a human interface system which linked every real robot to its virtual counterpart. A novel virtual interface has been integrated with Augmented Reality that can monitor the position and sensory information from video feed of ground and aerial robots in the 3D virtual environment, and improve user situational awareness. An operator can efficiently control the real multi-robots using the Drag-to-Move method on the virtual multi-robots. This enables an operator to control groups of heterogeneous robots in a collaborative way for allowing more contaminant sources to be pursued simultaneously. The advanced feature of the virtual interface system is guarded teleoperation. This can be used to prevent operators from accidently driving multiple robots into walls and other objects. Moreover, the feature of the image guidance and tracking is able to reduce operator workload.

ENAMEL SUSCEPTIBILITY TO RED WINE STAINING AFTER 35% HYDROGEN PEROXIDE BLEACHING

PubMed Central

Berger, Sandrine Bittencourt; Coelho, Alessandra Sanchez; Oliveira, Valéria Aparecida Pessatti; Cavalli, Vanessa; Giannini, Marcelo

2008-01-01

Concern has been expressed regarding the staining of enamel surface by different beverages after bleaching. This study investigated the influence of 35% hydrogen peroxide bleaching agents on enamel surface stained with wine after whitening treatments. Flat and polished bovine enamel surfaces were submitted to two commercially available 35% hydrogen peroxide bleaching agents or kept in 100% humidity, as a control group (n = 10). Specimens of all groups were immersed in red wine for 48 h at 37°C, immediately, 24 h or 1 week after treatments. All specimens were ground into powder and prepared for the spectrophotometric analysis. Data were subjected to two-way analysis of variance and Fisher's PLSD test at 5% significance level. The amount of wine pigments uptake by enamel submitted to bleaching treatments was statistically higher than that of control group, independently of the evaluation time. Results suggested that wine staining susceptibility was increased by bleaching treatments. PMID:19089218

Pancreas of C57 black mice after long-term space flight (Bion-M1 Space Mission).

PubMed

Proshchina, A E; Krivova, Y S; Saveliev, S C

2015-11-01

In this study, we analysed the pancreases of C57BL/6N mice in order to estimate the effects of long-term space flights. Mice were flown aboard the Bion-M1 biosatellite, or remained on ground in the control experiment that replicated environmental and housing conditions in the spacecraft. Vivarium control group was used to account for housing effects. Each of the groups included mice designated for recovery studies. Mice pancreases were dissected for histological and immunohistochemical examinations. Using a morphometry and statistical analysis, a strong correlation between the mean islet size and the mean body weight was revealed in all groups. Therefore, we propose that hypokinesia and an increase in nutrition play an important role in alterations of the endocrine pancreas, both in space flight and terrestrial conditions. Copyright © 2015 The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR). Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

14 CFR 23.415 - Ground gust conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... and System Loads § 23.415 Ground gust conditions. (a) The control system must be investigated as... control system for ground gust loads is not required by paragraph (a)(2) of this section, but the applicant elects to design a part of the control system of these loads, these loads need only be carried...

Weak-field multiphoton femtosecond coherent control in the single-cycle regime.

PubMed

Chuntonov, Lev; Fleischer, Avner; Amitay, Zohar

2011-03-28

Weak-field coherent phase control of atomic non-resonant multiphoton excitation induced by shaped femtosecond pulses is studied theoretically in the single-cycle regime. The carrier-envelope phase (CEP) of the pulse, which in the multi-cycle regime does not play any control role, is shown here to be a new effective control parameter that its effect is highly sensitive to the spectral position of the ultrabroad spectrum. Rationally chosen position of the ultrabroadband spectrum coherently induces several groups of multiphoton transitions from the ground state to the excited state of the system: transitions involving only absorbed photons as well as Raman transitions involving both absorbed and emitted photons. The intra-group interference is controlled by the relative spectral phase of the different frequency components of the pulse, while the inter-group interference is controlled jointly by the CEP and the relative spectral phase. Specifically, non-resonant two- and three-photon excitation is studied in a simple model system within the perturbative frequency-domain framework. The developed intuition is then applied to weak-field multiphoton excitation of atomic cesium (Cs), where the simplified model is verified by non-perturbative numerical solution of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. We expect this work to serve as a basis for a new line of femtosecond coherent control experiments.

Standing stability enhancement with an intelligent powered transfemoral prosthesis.

PubMed

Lawson, Brian Edward; Varol, Huseyin Atakan; Goldfarb, Michael

2011-09-01

The authors have developed a ground-adaptive standing controller for a powered knee and ankle prosthesis which is intended to enhance the standing stability of transfemoral amputees. The finite-state-based controller includes a ground-searching phase, a slope estimation phase, and a joint impedance modulation phase, which together enable the prosthesis to quickly conform to the ground and provide stabilizing assistance to the user. In order to assess the efficacy of the ground-adaptive standing controller, the control approach was implemented on a powered knee and ankle prosthesis, and experimental data were collected on an amputee subject for a variety of standing conditions. Results indicate that the controller can estimate the ground slope within ±1° over a range of ±15°, and that it can provide appropriate joint impedances for standing on slopes within this range.

Tug fleet and ground operations schedules and controls. Volume 2: part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

This Tug Fleet and Ground Operations Schedules and Controls Study addresses both ground operational data and technical requirements that span the Tug planning phase and operations phase. A similar study covering mission operations (by others) provides the complimentary flight operations details. The two studies provide the planning data requirements, resource allocation, and control milestones for supporting the requirements of the STS program. This Tug Fleet and Ground Operations Schedules and Controls Study incorporates the basic ground operations requirements and concepts provided by previous studies with the interrelationships of the planning, IUS transition, and Tug fleet operations phases. The interrelationships of these phases were studied as a system to optimize overall program benefits and minimize operational risk factors.

Form control in atmospheric pressure plasma processing of ground fused silica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Duo; Wang, Bo; Xin, Qiang; Jin, Huiliang; Wang, Jun; Dong, Wenxia

2014-08-01

Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Processing (APPP) using inductively coupled plasma has demonstrated that it can achieve comparable removal rate on the optical surface of fused silica under the atmosphere pressure and has the advantage of inducing no sub-surface damage for its non-contact and chemical etching mechanism. APPP technology is a cost effective way, compared with traditional mechanical polishing, magnetorheological finishing and ion beam figuring. Thus, due to these advantages, this technology is being tested to fabricate large aperture optics of fused silica to help shorten the polishing time in optics fabrication chain. Now our group proposes to use inductively coupled plasma processing technology to fabricate ground surface of fused silica directly after the grinding stage. In this paper, form control method and several processing parameters are investigated to evaluate the removal efficiency and the surface quality, including the robustness of removal function, velocity control mode and tool path strategy. However, because of the high heat flux of inductively coupled plasma, the removal depth with time can be non-linear and the ground surface evolvement will be affected. The heat polishing phenomenon is founded. The value of surface roughness is reduced greatly, which is very helpful to reduce the time of follow-up mechanical polishing. Finally, conformal and deterministic polishing experiments are analyzed and discussed. The form error is less 3%, before and after the APPP, when 10μm depth of uniform removal is achieved on a 60×60mm ground fused silica. Also, a basin feature is fabricated to demonstrate the figuring capability and stability. Thus, APPP is a promising technology in processing the large aperture optics.

Monitoring eradication of European mouflon sheep from the Kahuku Unit of Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Judge, Seth; Hess, Steven C.; Faford, Jonathan K.; Pacheco, Dexter; Leopold, Christina

2017-01-01

European mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon), the world's smallest wild sheep, have proliferated and degraded fragile native ecosystems in the Hawaiian Islands through browsing, bark stripping, and trampling, including native forests within Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park (HAVO). HAVO resource managers initiated ungulate control efforts in the 469 km2 Kahuku Unit after it was acquired in 2003. We tracked control effort and used aerial surveys in a 64.7 km2 area from 2004 to 2017 and more intensive ground surveys and camera-trap monitoring to detect the last remaining animals within a 25.9 km2 subunit after it was enclosed by fence in 2012. Aerial shooting yielded the most removals per unit effort (3.2 animals/ hour), resulting in 261 animals. However, ground-based methods yielded 4,607 removals overall, 3,038 of which resulted from assistance of volunteers. Ground shooting with dogs, intensive aerial shooting, ground sweeps, and forward-looking infrared (FLIR)-assisted shooting were necessary to find and remove the last remaining mouflon. The Judas technique, baiting, and trapping were not successful in attracting or detecting small numbers of remaining individuals. Effort expended to remove each mouflon increased nearly 15-fold during the last 3 yr of eradication effort from 2013 to 2016. Complementary active and passive monitoring techniques allowed us to track the effectiveness of control effort and reveal locations of small groups to staff. The effort and variety of methods required to eradicate mouflon from an enclosed unit of moderate size illustrates the difficulty of scaling up to entire populations of wild ungulates from unenclosed areas.

Integrated Ground-based Hyperspectral Imaging and Geochemical Study of the Eagle Ford Group in West Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, L.; Khan, S.; Godet, A.

2017-12-01

This study used ground-based hyperspectral imaging to map an outcrop of the Eagle Ford Group in west Texas. The Eagle Ford Group consists of alternating layers of mudstone - wackestone, grainstone - packstone facies and volcanic ash deposits with high total organic carbon content deposited during the Late Cenomanian - Turonian time period. It is one of the few unconventional source rock and reservoirs that have surface representations. Ground-based hyperspectral imaging scanned an outcrop and hand samples at close ranges with very fine spatial resolution (centimeter to sub-millimeter). Spectral absorption modeling of clay minerals and calcite with the modified Gaussian model (MGM) allowed quantification of variations of mineral abundances. Petrographic analysis confirmed mineral identifications and shed light on sedimentary textures. Major element geochemistry confirmed the mineral quantification. Enrichment of molybdenum (Mo) and uranium (U) indicated "unrestricted marine" paleo-hydrogeology and anoxic to euxinic paleo-redox bottom water conditions. Mineral quantification resulted in mapping of mudstone - wackestone, grainstone - packstone facies and claystones (volcanic ash beds). The lack of spatial associations between the grainstones and claystones on the outcrop calls into question the hypothesis that the primary productivity is controlled by iron availability from volcanic ash beds. Hyperspectral remote sensing data also helped in creating a virtual outcrop model with detailed mineralogical compositions, and provided reservoir analog to extract compositional and geo-mechanical characteristics and variations. The utilization of these new techniques in geo-statistical analysis provides a workflow for employing remote sensing in resource exploration and exploitation.

Integrated ground-based hyperspectral imaging and geochemical study of the Eagle Ford Group in West Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Lei; Khan, Shuhab; Godet, Alexis

2018-01-01

This study used ground-based hyperspectral imaging to map an outcrop of the Eagle Ford Group in west Texas. The Eagle Ford Group consists of alternating layers of mudstone - wackestone, grainstone - packstone facies and volcanic ash deposits with high total organic content deposited during the Cenomanian - Turonian time period. It is one of the few unconventional source rock and reservoirs that have surface representations. Ground-based hyperspectral imaging scanned an outcrop and hand samples at close ranges with very fine spatial resolution (centimeter to sub-millimeter). Spectral absorption modeling of clay minerals and calcite with the modified Gaussian model (MGM) allowed quantification of variations of mineral abundances. Petrographic analysis confirmed mineral identifications and shed light on sedimentary textures, and major element geochemistry supported the mineral quantification. Mineral quantification resulted in mapping of mudstone - wackestone, grainstone - packstone facies and bentonites (volcanic ash beds). The lack of spatial associations between the grainstones and bentonites on the outcrop calls into question the hypothesis that the primary productivity is controlled by iron availability from volcanic ash beds. Enrichment of molybdenum (Mo) and uranium (U) indicated "unrestricted marine" paleo-hydrogeology and anoxic to euxinic paleo-redox bottom water conditions. Hyperspectral remote sensing data also helped in creating a virtual outcrop model with detailed mineralogical compositions, and provided reservoir analog to extract compositional and geo-mechanical characteristics and variations. The utilization of these new techniques in geo-statistical analysis provides a workflow for employing remote sensing in resource exploration and exploitation.

Magnetotelluric Data, San Luis Valley, Colorado

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rodriguez, Brian D.; Williams, Jackie M.

2008-01-01

The San Luis Valley region population is growing. Water shortfalls could have serious consequences. Future growth and land management in the region depend on accurate assessment and protection of the region?s ground-water resources. An important issue in managing the ground-water resources is a better understanding of the hydrogeology of the Santa Fe Group and the nature of the sedimentary deposits that fill the Rio Grande rift, which contain the principal ground-water aquifers. The shallow unconfined aquifer and the deeper confined Santa Fe Group aquifer in the San Luis Basin are the main sources of municipal water for the region. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting a series of multidisciplinary studies of the San Luis Basin located in southern Colorado. Detailed geologic mapping, high-resolution airborne magnetic surveys, gravity surveys, an electromagnetic survey (called magnetotellurics, or MT), and hydrologic and lithologic data are being used to better understand the aquifers. The MT survey primary goal is to map changes in electrical resistivity with depth that are related to differences in rock types. These various rock types help control the properties of aquifers. This report does not include any data interpretation. Its purpose is to release the MT data acquired at 24 stations. Two of the stations were collected near Santa Fe, New Mexico, near deep wildcat wells. Well logs from those wells will help tie future interpretations of this data with geologic units from the Santa Fe Group sediments to Precambrian basement.

Effect of gamma irradiation in presence of ascorbic acid on microbial composition and TBARS concentration of ground beef coated with an edible active coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lacroix, M.; Ouattara, B.; Saucier, L.; Giroux, M.; Smoragiewicz, W.

2004-09-01

The present study was conducted to evaluate the combined effect of gamma irradiation in presence of ascorbic acid on the microbiological characteristics and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) concentration of ground beef coated with an edible coating, crosslinked by gamma irradiation. The medium fat ground beef patties (23% fat ) were divided into two separate treatment groups: (i) control (ground beef without additive), (ii) ground beef with 0.5% (w/w) ascorbic acid. Meat samples were irradiated at doses of 0, 1, 2, and 3 kGy and stored at 4±2°C. The content of TBARS was evaluated. After 7 days of storage, Enterobacteriaceae, presumptive Staphylococcus aureus, presumptive Pseudomonas spp., Brochothrix thermosphacta and lactic acid bacteria were enumerated. Results showed that lactic acid bacteria and Br. thermosphacta were more resistant to irradiation than Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas. The content in TBARS was stabilized during post-irradiation storage for samples containing ascorbic acid. Shelf life extension periods estimated on the basis of a limit level of 6 log CFU/g for APCs were 4, 7, and 10 days for samples irradiated at 1, 2, and 3 kGy, respectively. However, the incorporation of ascorbic acid in ground beef did not improve significantly ( p>0.05) the inhibitory effect of gamma irradiation.

Experiment K-7-20: Pituitary Oxytocin and Vasopressin Content of Rats Flown on Cosmos 2044

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keil, L.; Evans, J.; Grindeland, R. (Editor); Krasnov, I.

1994-01-01

Pituitary levels of oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) were measured in rats exposed to 14 days of spaceflight (FLT) as well as in ground-based controls; one group synchronously maintained in flight-type cages with similar feeding schedules (SYN), one group in vivarium cages (VIV), and a group of tail suspended (SUS) animals. Flight rats had significantly less (p less than 0.05) pituitary OT and VP (4.48 +/- 0.31 and 7.48 +/- 0.53 mg hormone / mg protein, n = 5) than either the SYN (6.66 +/- 0..59 and 10.98 + 1.00, n = 5), VIV (6.14 +/- 0.40 and 10.98 +/- 0..81, n = 5) or SUS (5.73 +/- 0.24, n = 4) control groups, respectively. The reduced levels of pituitary OT and VP are similar to measurements made on rats from the previous 12.5 day Cosmos 1887 mission and appear to be a direct result of exposure to spaceflight.

Ground-water management under the appropriation doctrine. Technical report

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

Ralston, D.; Bruhl, E.J.

The purpose of the research is to better understand the characteristics of ground-water management under the prior-appropriation doctrine in the western United States. The general objective is to summarize the legal and administrative controls on ground-water use in eight western states and to compare the impacts of these controls on ground water systems.

A Grounded Theory of Western-Trained Asian Group Leaders Leading Groups in Asia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taephant, Nattasuda; Rubel, Deborah; Champe, Julia

2015-01-01

This grounded theory research explored the experiences of Western-trained Asian group leaders leading groups in Asia. A total of 6 participants from Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand were interviewed 3 times over 9 months. The recursive process of data collection and analysis yielded substantive theory describing the participants' process of reconciling…

Geochemical and isotopic composition of ground water with emphasis on sources of sulfate in the upper Floridan Aquifer in parts of Marion, Sumter, and Citrus counties, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sacks, Laura A.

1996-01-01

In inland areas of northwest central Florida, sulfate concentrations in the Upper Floridan aquifer are extremely variable and sometimes exceed drinking water standards (250 milligrams per liter). This is unusual because the aquifer is unconfined and near the surface, allowing for active recharge. The sources of sulfate and geochemical processes controlling ground-water composition were evaluated in this area. Water was sampled from thirty-three wells in parts of Marion, Sumter, and Citrus Counties, within the Southwest Florida Water Management District; these included at least a shallow and a deep well at fifteen separate locations. Ground water was analyzed for major ions, selected trace constituents, dissolved organic carbon, and stable isotopes (sulfur-34 of sulfate and sulfide, carbon-13 of inorganic carbon, deuterium, and oxygen-18). Sulfate concentrations ranged from less than 0.2 to 1,400 milligrams per liter, with higher sulfate concentrations usually in water from deeper wells. The samples can be categorized into a low sulfate group (less than 30 milligrams per liter) and a high sulfate group (greater than 30 milligrams per liter). For the high sulfate water, concentrations of calcium and magnesium increased concurrently with sulfate. Chemical and isotopic data and mass-balance modeling indicate that the composition of high sulfate waters is controlled by dedolomitization reactions (dolomite dissolution and calcite precipitation, driven by dissolution of gypsum). Gypsum occurs deeper in the aquifer than open intervals of sampled wells. Upward flow has been documented in deeper parts of the aquifer in the study area, which may be driven by localized discharge areas or rapid flow in shallow parts of the aquifer. Mixing between shallow ground water and sulfate-rich water that dissolved gypsum at the base of the aquifer is probably responsible for the range of concentrations observed in the study area. Other solutes that increased with sulfate apparently originate from the gypsum itself, from other mineral assemblages found deeper in the aquifer in association with gypsum, and from residual seawater from less- flushed, deeper parts of the aquifer. These ions are subsequently transported with sulfate to shallower parts of the aquifer where gypsum is not present. The composition of low sulfate ground water is controlled by differences in the extent of microbially mediated reactions, which produce carbon dioxide. This, in turn, influences the extent of calcite dissolution. Ground waters which underwent limited microbial reactions contained dissolved oxygen and were usually in ridge areas where recharge typically is rapid. Anaerobic waters were in lower lying areas of Sumter County, where soils are poorly drained and aquifer recharge is slow. Anaerobic waters had higher concentrations of calcium, bicarbonate, sulfide, dissolved organic carbon, iron, manganese, and silica, and had lower concentrations of nitrate than aerobic ground waters. For low sulfate waters, sulfate generally originates from meteoric sources (atmospheric precipitation), with variable amounts of oxidation of reduced sulfur and sulfate reduction. Sulfide is sometimes removed from solution, probably by precipitation of a sulfide minerals such as pyrite. In areas where deep ground water has low sulfate concentrations, the shallow flow system is apparently deeper than where high sulfate concentrations occur, and upwelling sulfate-rich water is negligible. The range of sulfate concentrations observed in the study areas and differences in sulfate concentrations with depth indicate a complex interaction between shallow and deep ground-water flow systems.

International Aerospace and Ground Conference on Lightning and Static Electricity (8th): Lightning Technology Roundup, held at Fort Worth, Texas on 21-23 June 1983.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-06-01

fighter aircraft. The entire test bed is from testing of a representative digital supported above the ground plane by non - control system(s)l e.g... control and Increased systems Integration a. Raw data must be collected and Introduce new requirements for protection, experimental setups and An accurate...presented, several possible solutions to the grounding prob! - are suggested. All rely on establishing initial ground contact through a controlled non -zero

Long Term Functional Outcome of Tibial Tuberosity Advancement vs. Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy and Extracapsular Repair in a Heterogeneous Population of Dogs.

PubMed

Krotscheck, Ursula; Nelson, Samantha A; Todhunter, Rory J; Stone, Marisa; Zhang, Zhiwu

2016-02-01

To determine a long term function of tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) for treatment of ruptured cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) in dogs, and to compare this to the long term function of previously reported tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO), extracapsular reconstruction (ECR), and a population of normal dogs. Prospective clinical trial. Dogs with unilateral ruptured CCL treated with TTA (n = 14), TPLO (n = 15), and ECR (n = 23), and normal adult dogs (control, n = 80). Force plate gait analysis was performed at 1 time point for the normal control group and preoperatively, and at 2 and 8 weeks and 6 and 12 months postoperatively for the treatment groups. Using serial force plates, symmetry indices (SI) were calculated between the operated and unoperated pelvic limbs for peak vertical force (PVF), contact time (CT), and vertical impulse (VI). Ground reaction forces (GRF) of the treatment and control group were compared using a general linear model. Walk SI for dogs with TTA were not significantly different from the control group at 12 months postoperatively. At the trot, neither TTA nor ECR achieved normal GRF. SI of the TPLO group were not different from the normal control group by 6-12 months postoperatively. At the walk, TTA achieves normal function by 12 months; however, at the trot TTA is indistinguishable from ECR. TPLO resulted in operated limb function that was similar to the control population by 6-12 months postoperatively at the walk and the trot. © Copyright 2016 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

An Analysis of Tower (Ground) Controller - Pilot Voice Communications

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-11-01

This report is based on an analysis of over 48 hours of pilot-controller communications recorded from the ground-control : frequency at twelve air traffic control towers. The analysis examined the complexity of controller instructions, that : is, how...

Quality Improvement of Ground Works Process with the Use of Chosen Lean Management Tools - Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowotarski, Piotr; Paslawski, Jerzy; Wysocki, Bartosz

2017-12-01

Ground works are one of the first processes connected with erecting structures. Based on ground conditions like the type of soil or level of underground water different types and solutions for foundations are designed. Foundations are the base for the buildings, and their proper design and execution is the key for the long and faultless use of the whole construction and might influence on the future costs of the eventual repairs (especially when ground water level is high, and there is no proper water insulation made). Article presents the introduction of chosen Lean Management tools for quality improvement of the process of ground works based on the analysis made on the construction site of vehicle control station located in Poznan, Poland. Processes assessment is made from different perspectives taking into account that 3 main groups of workers were directly involved in the process: blue collar-workers, site manager and site engineers. What is more comparison is made on the 3 points of view to the problems that might occur during this type of works, with details analysis on the causes of such situation? Authors presents also the change of approach of workers directly involved in the mentioned processes regarding introduction of Lean Management methodology, which illustrates the problem of scepticism for new ideas of the people used to perform works and actions in traditional way. Using Lean Management philosophy in construction is a good idea to streamline processes in company, get rid of constantly recurring problems, and in this way improve the productivity and quality of executed activities. Performed analysis showed that different groups of people have very different idea and opinion on the problems connected with executing the same process - ground works and only having full picture of the situation (especially in construction processes) management can take proper problems-preventing actions that consequently can influence on the amount of waste generated on the construction cite which positively influence on the external environment.

Comparison of Limestone and Ground Fish for Treatment of Nutritional Rickets in Children in Nigeria.

PubMed

Thacher, Tom D; Bommersbach, Tanner J; Pettifor, John M; Isichei, Christian O; Fischer, Philip R

2015-07-01

To determine whether children with calcium-deficiency rickets respond better to treatment with calcium as limestone or as ground fish. Nigerian children with active rickets (n = 96) were randomized to receive calcium as powdered limestone (920 mg of elemental calcium) or ground fish (952 mg of elemental calcium) daily for 24 weeks. Radiographic healing was defined as achieving a score of 1.5 or less on a 10-point scale. The median (range) age of enrolled children was 35 (6-151) months. Of the 88 children who completed the study, 29 (66%) in the ground fish group and 24 (55%) in the limestone group achieved the primary outcome of a radiographic score of 1.5 or less within 6 months (P = .39). The mean radiographic score improved from 6.2 ± 2.4 to 1.8 ± 2.2 in the ground fish group and from 6.3 ± 2.2 to 2.1 ± 2.4 in the limestone group (P = .68 for group comparison). In an intention to treat analysis adjusted for baseline radiographic score, age, milk calcium intake, and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration, the response to treatment did not differ between the 2 groups (P = .39). Younger age was associated with more complete radiographic healing in the adjusted model (aOR 0.74 [95% CI 0.57-0.92]). After 24 weeks of treatment, serum alkaline phosphatase had decreased, calcium and 25-hydroxyvitamin D increased, and bone mineral density increased in both groups, without significant differences between treatment groups. In children with calcium-deficiency rickets, treatment with calcium as either ground fish or limestone for 6 months healed rickets in the majority of children. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Research and Development, Technology Requirements, and Use of Existing Space Assets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grey, Jerry; Rowell, Larry

1999-01-01

Technology requirements are addressed in three categories: (1) Passenger-carrying STS(s); (2) orbital facilities (including on-orbit operations such as servicing) and human factors (crew and passenger training and recreation, on-orbit environmental control, etc.); and (3) ground infrastructure. An example tourism trip scenario is used in discussing possible targets for technology development activities. Some general comments are made as are considerations for other working groups.

International Aerospace and Ground Conference on Lightning and Static Electricity Held in Dayton, Ohio on 24-26 June 1986

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-10-01

developed by the AEH Group has the advantages: of compactness which makes it easily transportable; computer controlled acquisi- tion, signal processing...be available to a negatively charged aircraft. The experimental arrangement attempts to simulate the streamer propagation and growth in a quasi ...separate foam configurations: the operational configuration of non - conductive foam and a second configuration which contained an experimental

The HOT (Healthy Outcome for Teens) project. Using a web-based medium to influence attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control and intention for obesity and type 2 diabetes prevention.

PubMed

Muzaffar, Henna; Chapman-Novakofski, Karen; Castelli, Darla M; Scherer, Jane A

2014-01-01

We hypothesized that Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) constructs (behavioral belief, attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, knowledge and behavioral intention) regarding preventive behaviors for obesity and type 2 diabetes will change favorably after completing the web-based intervention, HOT (Healthy Outcome for Teens) project, grounded in the TPB; and that passive online learning (POL) group will improve more than the active online learning (AOL) group. The secondary hypothesis was to determine to what extent constructs of the TPB predict intentions. 216 adolescents were recruited, 127 randomly allocated to the treatment group (AOL) and 89 to the control group (POL). The subjects completed a TPB questionnaire pre and post intervention. Both POL and AOL groups showed significant improvements from pretest to posttest survey. However, the results indicated no significant difference between POL and AOL for all constructs except behavioral belief. Correlational analysis indicated that all TPB constructs were significantly correlated with intentions for pretest and posttest for both groups. Attitude and behavioral control showed strongest correlations. Regression analysis indicated that TPB constructs were predictive of intentions and the predictive power improved post intervention. Behavioral control consistently predicted intentions for all categories and was the strongest predictor for pretest scores. For posttest scores, knowledge and attitude were the strongest predictors for POL and AOL groups respectively. Thus, HOT project improved knowledge and the TPB constructs scores for targeted behaviors, healthy eating and physical activity, for prevention of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Definition of ground test for Large Space Structure (LSS) control verification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waites, H. B.; Doane, G. B., III; Tollison, D. K.

1984-01-01

An overview for the definition of a ground test for the verification of Large Space Structure (LSS) control is given. The definition contains information on the description of the LSS ground verification experiment, the project management scheme, the design, development, fabrication and checkout of the subsystems, the systems engineering and integration, the hardware subsystems, the software, and a summary which includes future LSS ground test plans. Upon completion of these items, NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center will have an LSS ground test facility which will provide sufficient data on dynamics and control verification of LSS so that LSS flight system operations can be reasonably ensured.

Supplemental oxygen attenuates the increase in wound bacterial growth during simulated aeromedical evacuation in goats.

PubMed

Earnest, Ryan E; Sonnier, Dennis I; Makley, Amy T; Campion, Eric M; Wenke, Joseph C; Bailey, Stephanie R; Dorlac, Warren C; Lentsch, Alex B; Pritts, Timothy A

2012-07-01

Bacterial growth in soft tissue and open fractures is a known risk factor for tissue loss and complications in contaminated musculoskeletal wounds. Current care for battlefield casualties with soft tissue and musculoskeletal wounds includes tactical and strategic aeromedical evacuation (AE). This exposes patients to a hypobaric, hypoxic environment. In this study, we sought to determine whether exposure to AE alters bacterial growth in contaminated complex musculoskeletal wounds and whether supplemental oxygen had any effect on wound infections during simulated AE. A caprine model of a contaminated complex musculoskeletal wound was used. Complex musculoskeletal wounds were created and inoculated with bioluminescent Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Goats were divided into three experimental groups: ground control, simulated AE, and simulated AE with supplemental oxygen. Simulated AE was induced in a hypobaric chamber pressurized to 8,800 feet for 7 hours. Bacterial luminescence was measured using a photon counting camera at three time points: preflight (20 hours postsurgery), postflight (7 hours from preflight and 27 hours postsurgery), and necropsy (24 hours from preflight and 44 hours postsurgery). There was a significant increase in bacterial growth in the AE group compared with the ground control group measured postflight and at necropsy. Simulated AE induced hypoxia with oxygen saturation less than 93%. Supplemental oxygen corrected the hypoxia and significantly reduced bacterial growth in wounds at necropsy. Hypoxia induced during simulated AE enhances bacterial growth in complex musculoskeletal wounds which can be prevented with the application of supplemental oxygen to the host.

Children’s imagination and belief: Prone to flights of fancy or grounded in reality?

PubMed Central

Lane, Jonathan D.; Ronfard, Samuel; Francioli, Stéphane P.; Harris, Paul L.

2016-01-01

Children ranging from 4 to 8 years (n = 39) reported whether they could imagine various improbable phenomena (e.g., a person making onion juice) as well as various impossible phenomena (e.g., a person turning an onion into a banana) and then described what they imagined. In their descriptions, children mentioned ordinary causes much more often than extraordinary causes. Descriptions of such ordinary causes were provided more often in relation to improbable (rather than impossible) phenomena. Following these imaginative efforts, children judged if each phenomenon could really happen. To check whether these reality judgments were affected by children’s attempts to imagine, a control group (n = 39) made identical reality judgments but were not first prompted to imagine each phenomenon. Children across the age range judged that impossible phenomena cannot really happen but, with increasing age, judged that improbable phenomena can happen. This pattern emerged in both the imagination and control groups; thus simply prompting children to imagine did not alter their reality judgments. However, within the imagination group, judgments that phenomena can really happen were associated with children’s claims to have successfully imagined the phenomena and with certain characteristics of their descriptions: imagining ordinary causes and imagining phenomena obtain. Results highlight close links between imagination and reality judgments in childhood. Contrary to the notion that young children have a rich imagination that readily defies reality, results indicate that their imagination is grounded in reality, as are their beliefs. PMID:27060420

Effectiveness and sustainability of a structured group-based educational program (MEDIHEALTH) in improving medication adherence among Malay patients with underlying type 2 diabetes mellitus in Sarawak State of Malaysia: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Ting, Chuo Yew; Ahmad Zaidi Adruce, Shahren; Hassali, Mohamed Azmi; Ting, Hiram; Lim, Chien Joo; Ting, Rachel Sing-Kiat; Abd Jabar, Abu Hassan Alshaari; Osman, Nor Anizah; Shuib, Izzul Syazwan; Loo, Shing Chyi; Sim, Sui Theng; Lim, Su Ee; Morisky, Donald E

2018-06-05

Amidst the high disease burden, non-adherence to medications among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) has been reported to be common and devastating. Sarawak Pharmaceutical Services Division has formulated a pharmacist-led, multiple-theoretical-grounding, culturally sensitive and structured group-based program, namely "Know Your Medicine - Take if for Health" (MEDIHEALTH), to improve medication adherence among Malay patients with T2DM. However, to date, little is known about the effectiveness and sustainability of the Program. This is a prospective, parallel-design, two-treatment-group randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness and sustainability of MEDIHEALTH in improving medication adherence. Malay patients who have underlying T2DM, who obtain medication therapy at Petra Jaya Health Clinic and Kota Samarahan Health Clinic, and who have a moderate to low adherence level (8-item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale, Malaysian specific, score <6) were randomly assigned to the treatment group (MEDIHEALTH) or the control group. The primary outcome of this study is medication adherence level at baseline and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months post-intervention. The secondary outcomes are attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, intention and knowledge related to medication adherence measured at baseline and 1, 6 and 12 months post-intervention. The effectiveness and sustainability of the Program will be triangulated by findings from semi-structured interviews with five selected participants conducted 1 month after the intervention and in-depth interviews with two main facilitators and two managerial officers in charge of the Program 12 months after the intervention. Statistical analyses of quantitative data were conducted using SPSS version 22 and Stata version 14. Thematic analysis for qualitative data were conducted with the assistance of ATLAS.ti 8. This study provides evidence on the effectiveness and sustainability of a structured group-based educational program that employs multiple theoretical grounding and a culturally sensitive approach in promoting medication adherence among Malays with underlying T2DM. Both the quantitative and qualitative findings of this study could assist in the future development of the Program. National Medical Research Register, NMRR-17-925-35875 (IIR). Registered on 19 May 2017. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03228706 . Registered on 25 July 2017.

Prediction of forces and moments for flight vehicle control effectors. Part 2: An analysis of delta wing aerodynamic control effectiveness in ground effect

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maughmer, Mark D.; Ozoroski, L.; Ozoroski, T.; Straussfogel, D.

1990-01-01

Many types of hypersonic aircraft configurations are currently being studied for feasibility of future development. Since the control of the hypersonic configurations throughout the speed range has a major impact on acceptable designs, it must be considered in the conceptual design stage. Here, an investigation of the aerodynamic control effectiveness of highly swept delta planforms operating in ground effect is presented. A vortex-lattice computer program incorporating a free wake is developed as a tool to calculate aerodynamic stability and control derivatives. Data generated using this program are compared to experimental data and to data from other vortex-lattice programs. Results show that an elevon deflection produces greater increments in C sub L and C sub M in ground effect than the same deflection produces out of ground effect and that the free wake is indeed necessary for good predictions near the ground.

Spaceflight-Relevant Challenges of Radiation and/or Reduced Weight Bearing Cause Arthritic Responses in Knee Articular Cartilage.

PubMed

Willey, J S; Kwok, A T; Moore, J E; Payne, V; Lindburg, C A; Balk, S A; Olson, J; Black, P J; Walb, M C; Yammani, R R; Munley, M T

2016-10-01

There is little known about the effect of both reduced weight bearing and exposure to radiation during spaceflight on the mechanically-sensitive cartilage lining the knee joint. In this study, we characterized cartilage damage in rat knees after periods of reduced weight bearing with/without exposure to solar-flare-relevant radiation, then cartilage recovery after return to weight bearing. Male Sprague Dawley rats (n = 120) were either hindlimb unloaded (HLU) via tail suspension or remained weight bearing in cages (GROUND). On day 5, half of the HLU and GROUND rats were 1 Gy total-body X-ray irradiated during HLU, and half were sham irradiated (SHAM), yielding 4 groups: GROUND-SHAM; GROUND-IR; HLU-SHAM; and HLU-IR. Hindlimbs were collected from half of each group of rats on day 13. The remaining rats were then removed from HLU or remained weight bearing, and hindlimbs from these rats were collected on day 62. On day 13, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content in cartilage lining the tibial plateau and femoral condyles of HLU rats was lower than that of the GROUND animals. Likewise, on day 13, immunoreactivity of the collagen type II-degrading matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) and of a resultant metalloproteinase-generated neoepitope VDIPEN was increased in all groups versus GROUND-SHAM. Clustering of chondrocytes indicating cartilage damage was present in all HLU and IR groups versus GROUND-SHAM on day 13. On day 62, after 49 days of reloading, the loss of GAG content was attenuated in the HLU-SHAM and HLU-IR groups, and the increased VDIPEN staining in all treatment groups was attenuated. However, the increased chondrocyte clustering remained in all treatment groups on day 62. MMP-13 activity also remained elevated in the GROUND-IR and HLU-IR groups. Increased T2 relaxation times, measured on day 62 using 7T MRI, were greater in GROUND-IR and HLU-IR knees, indicating persistent cartilage damage in the irradiated groups. Both HLU and total-body irradiation resulted in acute degenerative and pre-arthritic changes in the knee articular cartilage of rats. A return to normal weight bearing resulted in some recovery from cartilage degradation. However, radiation delivered as both a single challenge and when combined with HLU resulted in chronic cartilage damage. These findings suggest that radiation exposure during spaceflight leads to and/or impairs recovery of cartilage upon return to reloading, generating long-term joint problems for astronauts.

International Symposium on Spacecraft Ground Control and Flight Dynamics, SCD1, Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, Feb. 7-11, 1994

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rozenfeld, Pawel; Kuga, Helio Koiti; Orlando, Valcir

An international symposium on spacecraft flight dynamics and ground control systems produced 85 papers in the areas of attitude determination and control, orbit control, satellite constellation strategies, stationkeeping, spacecraft maneuvering, orbit determination, astrodynamics, ground command and control systems, and mission operations. Several papers included discussions on the application of artificial intelligence, neural networks, expert systems, and ion propulsion. For individual titles, see A95-89098 through A95-89182.

Ground reaction force comparison of controlled resistance methods to isoinertial loading of the squat exercise - biomed 2010.

PubMed

Paulus, David C; Reynolds, Michael C; Schilling, Brian K

2010-01-01

The ground reaction force during the concentric (raising) portion of the squat exercise was compared to that of isoinertial loading (free weights) for three pneumatically controlled resistance methods: constant resistance, cam force profile, and proportional force control based on velocity. Constant force control showed lower ground reaction forces than isoinertial loading throughout the range of motion (ROM). The cam force profile exhibited slightly greater ground reaction forces than isoinertial loading at 10 and 40% ROM with fifty-percent greater loading at 70% ROM. The proportional force control consistently elicited greater ground reaction force than isoinertial loading, which progressively ranged from twenty to forty percent increase over isoinertial loading except for being approximately equal at 85% ROM. Based on these preliminary results, the proportional control shows the most promise for providing loading that is comparable in magnitude to isoinertial loading. This technology could optimize resistance exercise for sport-specific training or as a countermeasure to atrophy during spaceflight.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: Sea-Tac and Alaska Air Group Achieve

Science.gov Websites

pilot project, Alaska Air Group encountered a few hurdles during the switch to eGSE. One was Sky-High Results with Electric Ground Support Equipment Sea-Tac and Alaska Air Group Achieve Data Center: Sea-Tac and Alaska Air Group Achieve Sky-High Results with Electric Ground Support

A ground based phase control system for the solar power satellite, volume 4

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chie, C. M.

1980-01-01

A ground phase control system is studied as an alternative approach to the current reference retrodirective phase control system in order to simplify the spaceborne hardware requirement. Based on waveform selections, functional subsystems to implement the ground-based phase control concept are identified and functionally represented. It was concluded that the feasibility of the concept becomes unclear if the conditions of the ionosphere and satellite motion are not met.

On the bodies of women: the common ground between Islam and Christianity in Nigeria.

PubMed

Pereira, Charmaine; Ibrahim, Jibrin

2010-01-01

This article explores the common ideological ground between Islam and Christianity in Nigeria, in the ways in which gender and sexuality are configured in relation to women's bodies. The latter constitute key sites for the inscription of social norms and practices inherent in particular interpretations of religion. We proceed by examining the interplay between religion and politics in historical context and in specific concrete instances. While the religious right among Muslims and Christians share the view that women's bodies are sexually corrupting and therefore in need of control, this perspective is also found in secular institutions. At the same time Christians and Muslims are strongly opposed to controls on women's bodies that may lead to either religious group being identified as 'the other'. The linkage made between women's bodies and 'public morality' produces diverse forms of gender inequality. The moralising of political economy that these processes entail complicates the terrain on which challenges to the politicisation of religion and its gender politics need to be sustained.

A new approach for automatic matching of ground control points in urban areas from heterogeneous images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cong, Chao; Liu, Dingsheng; Zhao, Lingjun

2008-12-01

This paper discusses a new method for the automatic matching of ground control points (GCPs) between satellite remote sensing Image and digital raster graphic (DRG) in urban areas. The key of this method is to automatically extract tie point pairs according to geographic characters from such heterogeneous images. Since there are big differences between such heterogeneous images respect to texture and corner features, more detail analyzations are performed to find similarities and differences between high resolution remote sensing Image and (DRG). Furthermore a new algorithms based on the fuzzy-c means (FCM) method is proposed to extract linear feature in remote sensing Image. Based on linear feature, crossings and corners extracted from these features are chosen as GCPs. On the other hand, similar method was used to find same features from DRGs. Finally, Hausdorff Distance was adopted to pick matching GCPs from above two GCP groups. Experiences shown the method can extract GCPs from such images with a reasonable RMS error.

Around Marshall

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-01-22

The primary payload for Space Shuttle Mission STS-42, launched January 22, 1992, was the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1), a pressurized manned Spacelab module. The goal of IML-1 was to explore in depth the complex effects of weightlessness of living organisms and materials processing. Around-the-clock research was performed on the human nervous system's adaptation to low gravity and effects of microgravity on other life forms such as shrimp eggs, lentil seedlings, fruit fly eggs, and bacteria. Materials processing experiments were also conducted, including crystal growth from a variety of substances such as enzymes, mercury iodide, and a virus. The Huntsville Operations Support Center (HOSC) Spacelab Payload Operations Control Center (SL POCC) at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) was the air/ground communication channel used between the astronauts and ground control teams during the Spacelab missions. Featured are activities of the Organic Crystal Growth Facility (OCGF) and Radiation Monitoring Container Device (RMCD) groups in the SL POCC during the IML-1 mission.

Diet affects arctic ground squirrel gut microbial metatranscriptome independent of community structure

PubMed Central

Hatton, Jasmine J.; Stevenson, Timothy J.; Buck, C. Loren; Duddleston, Khrystyne N.

2017-01-01

Summary We examined the effect of diet on pre-hibernation fattening and the gut microbiota of captive arctic ground squirrels (Urocitellus parryii). We measured body composition across time and gut microbiota density, diversity, and function prior to and after five-weeks on control, high-fat, low-fat (18%, 40%, and 10% energy from fat, respectively), or restricted calorie (50% of control) diets. Squirrels fattened at the same rate and to the same degree on all diets. Additionally, we found no differences in gut microbiota diversity or short chain fatty acid production across time or with diet. Analysis of the gut microbial transcriptome indicated differences in community function among diet groups, but not across time, and revealed shifts in the relative contribution of function at a taxonomic level. Our results demonstrate that pre-hibernation fattening of arctic ground squirrels is robust to changes in diet and is accomplished by more than increased food intake. Although our analyses did not uncover a definitive link between host fattening and the gut microbiota, and suggest the squirrels may possess a gut microbial community structure that is unresponsive to dietary changes, studies manipulating diet earlier in the active season may yet uncover a relationship between host diet, fattening and gut microbiota. PMID:28251799

Study protocol to examine the effects of spaceflight and a spaceflight analog on neurocognitive performance: extent, longevity, and neural bases.

PubMed

Koppelmans, Vincent; Erdeniz, Burak; De Dios, Yiri E; Wood, Scott J; Reuter-Lorenz, Patricia A; Kofman, Igor; Bloomberg, Jacob J; Mulavara, Ajitkumar P; Seidler, Rachael D

2013-12-18

Long duration spaceflight (i.e., 22 days or longer) has been associated with changes in sensorimotor systems, resulting in difficulties that astronauts experience with posture control, locomotion, and manual control. The microgravity environment is an important causal factor for spaceflight induced sensorimotor changes. Whether spaceflight also affects other central nervous system functions such as cognition is yet largely unknown, but of importance in consideration of the health and performance of crewmembers both in- and post-flight. We are therefore conducting a controlled prospective longitudinal study to investigate the effects of spaceflight on the extent, longevity and neural bases of sensorimotor and cognitive performance changes. Here we present the protocol of our study. This study includes three groups (astronauts, bed rest subjects, ground-based control subjects) for which each the design is single group with repeated measures. The effects of spaceflight on the brain will be investigated in astronauts who will be assessed at two time points pre-, at three time points during-, and at four time points following a spaceflight mission of six months. To parse out the effect of microgravity from the overall effects of spaceflight, we investigate the effects of seventy days head-down tilted bed rest. Bed rest subjects will be assessed at two time points before-, two time points during-, and three time points post-bed rest. A third group of ground based controls will be measured at four time points to assess reliability of our measures over time. For all participants and at all time points, except in flight, measures of neurocognitive performance, fine motor control, gait, balance, structural MRI (T1, DTI), task fMRI, and functional connectivity MRI will be obtained. In flight, astronauts will complete some of the tasks that they complete pre- and post flight, including tasks measuring spatial working memory, sensorimotor adaptation, and fine motor performance. Potential changes over time and associations between cognition, motor-behavior, and brain structure and function will be analyzed. This study explores how spaceflight induced brain changes impact functional performance. This understanding could aid in the design of targeted countermeasures to mitigate the negative effects of long-duration spaceflight.

Remediation of lead-contaminated soil with non-toxic biodegradable natural ligands extracted from soybean.

PubMed

Lee, Yong-Woo; Kim, Chulsung

2012-01-01

Bench-scale soil washing studies were performed to evaluate the potential application of non-toxic, biodegradable extracted soybean-complexing ligands for the remediation of lead-contaminated soils. Results showed that, with extracted soybean-complexing ligands, lead solubility extensively increased when pH of the solution was higher than 6, and approximately 10% (500 mg/kg) of lead was removed from a rifle range soil. Two potential primary factors controlling the effectiveness of lead extraction from lead-contaminated soils with natural ligands are adsorption of extracted aqueous lead ions onto the ground soybean and the pH of the extraction solution. More complexing ligands were extracted from the ground soybean as the reaction pH increased. As a result, significantly higher lead extraction efficiency was observed under basic environments. In addition, less adsorption onto soybean was observed when the pH of the solution was higher than 7. Among two available Lewis base functional groups in the extracted soybean-complexing ligands such as carboxylate and the alpha-amino functional groups, the non-protonated alpha-amino functional groups may play an important role for the dissolution of lead from lead-contaminated soil through the formation of soluble lead--ligand complexes.

Reduced Burden of Salmonella enterica in Bovine Subiliac Lymph Nodes Associated with Administration of a Direct-fed Microbial.

PubMed

Vipham, J L; Loneragan, G H; Guillen, L M; Brooks, J C; Johnson, B J; Pond, A; Pond, N; Brashears, M M

2015-12-01

Despite effective food safety interventions within abattoirs, Salmonella enterica remains a common contaminant of raw ground beef. Research has recently implicated peripheral lymph nodes (PLNs) as a potential route by which Salmonella contaminates ground beef. This study examined the efficacy of using Lactobacillus animalis (formerly designated Lactobacillus acidophilus; NP51) and Propionibacterium freudenreichii (NP24), at 10(9) cfu/head/day, as a direct-fed microbial (DFM) in feedlot cattle diets to control Salmonella within PLNs. Two studies were conducted in which cattle were randomly allocated into either control or DFM treatment groups. Diets of treated cattle were supplemented with 10(9) cfu/head/day of the DFM, while control groups received no DFM supplementation. During slaughter at abattoirs, one subiliac lymph node (SLN) per carcass was collected from 627 carcasses from one study and 99 carcasses from the second study. Lymph nodes were cultured to estimate the presence and concentration of Salmonella. In the first study, effects of DFM supplementation varied across slaughter days. On the first and second slaughter days, prevalence was reduced by 50% (P = 0.0072) and 31% (P = 0.0093), respectively. No significant difference was observed on slaughter day three (P = 0.1766). In the second study, Salmonella was 82% less likely (P = 0.008) to be recovered from SLNs of treatment cattle. While a greater relative risk reduction was observed in the latter study, absolute risk reductions were similar across studies. A significant reduction in the concentration of Salmonella in SLNs (P < 0.0001) on a cfu/g and cfu/node basis was also observed in cattle administered NP51 and NP24 in the first study; in the second study, too few quantifiable SLNs were observed to facilitate meaningful comparisons. The results indicate that NP51 and NP24 supplementation may aid in reducing the prevalence and concentration of Salmonella in SLNs and, therefore, serve as an effective control measure to reduce Salmonella in ground beef products. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Cognitive control under contingencies in anxious and depressed adolescents: an antisaccade task.

PubMed

Jazbec, Sandra; McClure, Erin; Hardin, Michael; Pine, Daniel S; Ernst, Monique

2005-10-15

Emotion-related perturbations in cognitive control characterize adult mood and anxiety disorders. Fewer data are available to confirm such deficits in youth. Studies of cognitive control and error processing can provide an ideal template to examine these perturbations. Antisaccade paradigms are particularly well suited for this endeavor because they provide exquisite behavioral measures of modulation of response errors. A new monetary reward antisaccade task was used with 28 healthy, 11 anxious, and 12 depressed adolescents. Performance accuracy, saccade latency, and peak velocity of incorrect responses were analyzed. Performance accuracy across all groups was improved by incentives (obtain reward, avoid punishment). However, modulation of saccade errors by incentives differed by groups. In incentive trials relative to neutral trials, inhibitory efficiency (saccade latency) was enhanced in healthy, unaffected in depressed, and diminished in anxious adolescents. Modulation of errant actions (saccade peak velocity) was improved in the healthy group and unchanged in both the anxious and depressed groups. These findings provide grounds for testing hypotheses related to the impact of motivation deficits and emotional interference on directed action in adolescents with mood and anxiety disorders. Furthermore, neural mechanisms can now be examined by using this task paired with functional neuroimaging.

Comparison ofdvanced turboprop interior noise control ground and flight test data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, Myles A.; Tran, Boi N.

1992-01-01

Interior noise ground tests conducted on a DC-9 aircraft test section are described. The objectives were to study ground test and analysis techniques for evaluating the effectiveness of interior noise control treatments for advanced turboprop aircraft, and to study the sensitivity of the ground test results to changes in various test conditions. Noise and vibration measurements were conducted under simulated advanced turboprop excitation, for two interior noise control treatment configurations. These ground measurement results were compared with results of earlier UHB (Ultra High Bypass) Demonstrator flight sts with comparable interior treatment configurations. The Demonstrator is an MD-80 test aircraft with the left JT8D engine replaced with a prototype UHB advanced turboprop engine.

Comparison ofdvanced turboprop interior noise control ground and flight test data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, Myles A.; Tran, Boi N.

Interior noise ground tests conducted on a DC-9 aircraft test section are described. The objectives were to study ground test and analysis techniques for evaluating the effectiveness of interior noise control treatments for advanced turboprop aircraft, and to study the sensitivity of the ground test results to changes in various test conditions. Noise and vibration measurements were conducted under simulated advanced turboprop excitation, for two interior noise control treatment configurations. These ground measurement results were compared with results of earlier UHB (Ultra High Bypass) Demonstrator flight sts with comparable interior treatment configurations. The Demonstrator is an MD-80 test aircraft with the left JT8D engine replaced with a prototype UHB advanced turboprop engine.

Positive Experiences for Participants in Suicide Bereavement Groups: A Grounded Theory Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Groos, Anita D.; Shakespeare-Finch, Jane

2013-01-01

Grounded Theory was used to examine the experiences of 13 participants who had attended psycho-educational support groups for those bereaved by suicide. Results demonstrated core and central categories that fit well with group therapeutic factors developed by I. D. Yalom (1995) and emphasized the importance of universality, imparting information…

Electron microscopic analysis of gravisensing Chara rhizoids developed under microgravity conditions.

PubMed

Braun, M; Buchen, B; Sievers, A

1999-01-01

Tip-growing, unicellular Chara rhizoids that react gravitropically on Earth developed in microgravity. In microgravity, they grew out from the nodes of the green thallus in random orientation. Development and morphogenesis followed an endogenous program that is not affected by the gravitational field. The cell shape, the polar cytoplasmic organization, and the polar distribution of cell organelles, except for the statoliths, were not different from controls that had grown on earth (ground controls). The ultrastructure of the organelles and the microtubules were well preserved. Microtubules were excluded from the apical zone in both ground controls as well as microgravity-grown rhizoids. The statoliths (vesicles containing BaSO4 crystals in a matrix) in microgravity-grown rhizoids were spread over a larger area (up to 50 microm basal to the tip) than the statoliths of ground controls (10-30 microm). Some statoliths were even located in the subapical zone close to microtubules, which was not observed in ground controls. The crystals in statoliths from microgravity-grown rhizoids appeared more loosely arranged in the vesicle matrix compared with ground controls. The chemical composition of the crystals was identified as BaSO4 by X-ray microanalysis. There is evidence that the amount of BaSO4 in statoliths of rhizoids developed in microgravity is lower than in ground controls, indicating that the gravisensitivity of microgravity-developed rhizoids might be reduced compared with ground controls. Lack of gravity, however, does not affect the process of tip growth and does not inhibit the development of the structures needed for the gravity-sensing machinery.

IGARSS 89: Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing (12th) (Symposium Canadien sur la Teledetection): Quantitative Remote Sensing: An Economic Tool for the Nineties Held in Vancouver, Canada on 10-14 July 1989. Volume 2. Tuesday, July 11

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-07-14

blunder-free DEMs, the manual verification group of Ground Control Points (GCPs); (ii) and editing stage is still needed. the orbit and attitude of... control the influence (weight) of the sources and model the that each information class only had one subclass! To set non -Gaussian data. When the...clear line of infinitesimally close laminae sliding parallel to a shear line of shear; a quasi -brittle inner regime and a non -linear viscous outer

Transgenic Mosquitoes - Fact or Fiction?

PubMed

Wilke, André B B; Beier, John C; Benelli, Giovanni

2018-06-01

Technologies for controlling mosquito vectors based on genetic manipulation and the release of genetically modified mosquitoes (GMMs) are gaining ground. However, concrete epidemiological evidence of their effectiveness, sustainability, and impact on the environment and nontarget species is lacking; no reliable ecological evidence on the potential interactions among GMMs, target populations, and other mosquito species populations exists; and no GMM technology has yet been approved by the WHO Vector Control Advisory Group. Our opinion is that, although GMMs may be considered a promising control tool, more studies are needed to assess their true effectiveness, risks, and benefits. Overall, several lines of evidence must be provided before GMM-based control strategies can be used under the integrated vector management framework. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relation of arsenic, iron, and manganese in ground water to aquifer type, bedrock lithogeochemistry, and land use in the New England coastal basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ayotte, Joseph D.; Nielsen, Martha G.; Robinson, Gilpin R.; Moore, Richard B.

1999-01-01

In a study of arsenic concentrations in public-supply wells in the New England Coastal Basins, concentrations at or above 0.005 mg/L (milligrams per liter) were detected in more samples of water from wells completed in bedrock (25 percent of all samples) than in water from wells completed in stratified drift (7.5 percent of all samples). Iron and manganese were detected (at concentrations of 0.05 and 0.03 mg/L, respectively) at approximately the same frequency in water from wells in both types of aquifers. Concentrations of arsenic in public-supply wells drilled in bedrock (in the National Water-Quality Assessment Program New England Coastal Basins study unit) vary with the bedrock lithology. Broad groups of lithogeochemical units generalized from bedrock lithologic units shown on state geologic maps were used in the statistical analyses. Concentrations of arsenic in water from public-supply wells in metasedimentary bedrock units that contain slightly to moderately calcareous and calcsilicate rocks (lithogeochemical group Mc) were significantly higher than the concentrations in five other groups of bedrock units in the study unit. Arsenic was detected, at or above 0.005 mg/L, in water from 44 percent of the wells in the lithogeochemical group M c and in water from less than 28 percent of wells in the five other groups. Additionally, arsenic concentrations in ground water were the lowest in the metasedimentary rocks that are characterized as variably sulfidic (group Ms ). Generally, concentrations of arsenic were low in water from bedrock wells in the felsic igneous rocks (group If ) though locally some bedrock wells in granitic rocks are known to have ground water with high arsenic concentrations, especially in New Hampshire. The concentrations of arsenic in ground water also correlate with land-use data; significantly higher concentrations are found in areas identified as agricultural land use than in undeveloped areas. There is, however, more agricultural land in areas overlying the metasedimentary rocks of lithogeochemical groups Mc and the minimally-deformed clastic sediments of group Mmd than in areas overlying other lithogeochemical groups. This correlation complicates the interpretation of sources of arsenic to ground water in bedrock. A test of this association revealed that relations between arsenic concentrations and the metasedimentary rocks of group Mc are not weakened when data associated with agricultural land use is removed; the reverse is true, however, if the data associated with the group Mc are removed from the analysis. The occurrence and variability of arsenic in water from bedrock supply wells could be related to several factors. These include (1) the distribution and chemical form of arsenic in soils and rocks that are part of the ground-water-flow system, (2) the characteristics that influence the solubility and transport of arsenic in ground water, (3) the differing degrees of vulnerability of ground-water supplies to surface contamination, and (4) the spatial associations between land use, geology, and ground-water-flow patterns. Strong relations between agricultural land use and the metasedimentary rocks of group Mc complicate the interpretation of arsenic source to water in these bedrock aquifers. This is due in part to the past use of arsenical pesticides; additionally, few whole-rock geochemical data are available for the rock types in the lithogeochemical groups of aquifers that contain ground water with elevated concentrations of arsenic. Without such data, identifying specific bedrock types as arsenic sources is not possible. In southern Maine and south-central New Hampshire, and in northern Massachusetts, the few available whole-rock analyses suggest, at least for these local areas, a connection between known bedrock chemistry and ground-water arsenic levels. Although the lithogeochemical group and land-use category variables individually describe much of the variance in the concentrations of

The perianesthesia experience from the patient's perspective.

PubMed

Susleck, Dacia; Willocks, Amy; Secrest, Janet; Norwood, Barbara K; Holweger, Jerri; Davis, Marissa; Myhan, Garret; Trimpey, Margaret

2007-02-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the perianesthesia experience from the patient's perspective. An existential phenomenological approach using Pollio's interpretive framework was used. Interpretations were conducted, in part, in a research group. The purpose of the interpretation was to recognize patterns or themes in an experience. Participants were asked to describe specific experiences that stood out for them because experiences which stand out are those that are meaningful. Ten participants (5 males, 5 females) ranging in age from 23 to 66 years were interviewed using phenomenological techniques. The interpretation found the perianesthesia experience to be grounded in self, others, and time, which become figural through experiences of control. Each participant relinquished control, lost control, or strove to gain or maintain control during their surgical experience. The perception of death lurking crossed into figural experiences as well. Images of death, while grouped predominantly with self, were interpreted as the ultimate loss of self, others, and time. Loss of control of self, the relinquishing of control to others, and the temporal experience of control may contribute to perianesthesia stress and anxiety. Nurses in the perianesthesia period have many opportunities to help patients with issues of control.

Key Personnel and Organizations of the Soviet Military High Command.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-04-01

Europe--the Group of Soviet Forces Germany, Northern Group of Forces ( Poland ), Central Group of Forces (Czechoslovakia), and Southern Group of Forces...units of the groups of Soviet forces in the GDR, Poland , and Czechoslovakia; the air and ground force units from the Baltic, Belorussian, and Carpathian...military districts; the naval units of the Baltic Fleet; and the air, ground, and naval forces of the GDR, Poland , and Czechoslovakia (see Fig. 5a

Kinematic primitives for walking and trotting gaits of a quadruped robot with compliant legs.

PubMed

Spröwitz, Alexander T; Ajallooeian, Mostafa; Tuleu, Alexandre; Ijspeert, Auke Jan

2014-01-01

In this work we research the role of body dynamics in the complexity of kinematic patterns in a quadruped robot with compliant legs. Two gait patterns, lateral sequence walk and trot, along with leg length control patterns of different complexity were implemented in a modular, feed-forward locomotion controller. The controller was tested on a small, quadruped robot with compliant, segmented leg design, and led to self-stable and self-stabilizing robot locomotion. In-air stepping and on-ground locomotion leg kinematics were recorded, and the number and shapes of motion primitives accounting for 95% of the variance of kinematic leg data were extracted. This revealed that kinematic patterns resulting from feed-forward control had a lower complexity (in-air stepping, 2-3 primitives) than kinematic patterns from on-ground locomotion (νm4 primitives), although both experiments applied identical motor patterns. The complexity of on-ground kinematic patterns had increased, through ground contact and mechanical entrainment. The complexity of observed kinematic on-ground data matches those reported from level-ground locomotion data of legged animals. Results indicate that a very low complexity of modular, rhythmic, feed-forward motor control is sufficient for level-ground locomotion in combination with passive compliant legged hardware.

Kinematic primitives for walking and trotting gaits of a quadruped robot with compliant legs

PubMed Central

Spröwitz, Alexander T.; Ajallooeian, Mostafa; Tuleu, Alexandre; Ijspeert, Auke Jan

2014-01-01

In this work we research the role of body dynamics in the complexity of kinematic patterns in a quadruped robot with compliant legs. Two gait patterns, lateral sequence walk and trot, along with leg length control patterns of different complexity were implemented in a modular, feed-forward locomotion controller. The controller was tested on a small, quadruped robot with compliant, segmented leg design, and led to self-stable and self-stabilizing robot locomotion. In-air stepping and on-ground locomotion leg kinematics were recorded, and the number and shapes of motion primitives accounting for 95% of the variance of kinematic leg data were extracted. This revealed that kinematic patterns resulting from feed-forward control had a lower complexity (in-air stepping, 2–3 primitives) than kinematic patterns from on-ground locomotion (νm4 primitives), although both experiments applied identical motor patterns. The complexity of on-ground kinematic patterns had increased, through ground contact and mechanical entrainment. The complexity of observed kinematic on-ground data matches those reported from level-ground locomotion data of legged animals. Results indicate that a very low complexity of modular, rhythmic, feed-forward motor control is sufficient for level-ground locomotion in combination with passive compliant legged hardware. PMID:24639645

Chemical Weed Control Increases Survival and Growth in Hardwood Plantings

Treesearch

Gayne G. Erdmann

1967-01-01

In a plantation of four hardwood species on a silt loam soil planted to 1-0 stock, 4 pounds of active atrazine or simazine controlled weeds effectively without injuring the trees. Chemical weed control was better on plowed and disked ground than on unprepared ground. Yellow-poplar and white ash grew faster on prepared ground. Black walnut and red oak did not respond...

Effects of 14 days of spaceflight and nine days of recovery on cell body size and succinate dehydrogenase activity of rat dorsal root ganglion neurons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ishihara, A.; Ohira, Y.; Roy, R. R.; Nagaoka, S.; Sekiguchi, C.; Hinds, W. E.; Edgerton, V. R.

1997-01-01

The cross-sectional areas and succinate dehydrogenase activities of L5 dorsal root ganglion neurons in rats were determined after 14 days of spaceflight and after nine days of recovery. The mean and distribution of the cross-sectional areas were similar to age-matched, ground-based controls for both the spaceflight and for the spaceflight plus recovery groups. The mean succinate dehydrogenase activity was significantly lower in spaceflight compared to aged-matched control rats, whereas the mean succinate dehydrogenase activity was similar in age-matched control and spaceflight plus recovery rats. The mean succinate dehydrogenase activity of neurons with cross-sectional areas between 1000 and 2000 microns2 was lower (between 7 and 10%) in both the spaceflight and the spaceflight plus recovery groups compared to the appropriate control groups. The reduction in the oxidative capacity of a subpopulation of sensory neurons having relatively large cross-sectional areas immediately following spaceflight and the sustained depression for nine days after returning to 1 g suggest that the 0 g environment induced significant alterations in proprioceptive function.

The Cognitive and Motivation Intervention Program in Youth Female Volleyball Players.

PubMed

Claver, Fernando; Jiménez, Ruth; Gil-Arias, Alexander; Moreno, Alberto; Moreno, M Perla

2017-10-01

This study, grounded in Self-Determination Theory (Deci and Ryan, 1985, 2002) was aimed to determine the influence of a cognitive-motivational intervention program, to improve the basic psychological need satisfaction of autonomy and competence, autonomous motivation, procedural knowledge, perceived performance and sport commitment, in youth volleyball players. Participants included 34 Under-19 female volleyball players. A quasi-experimental design was carried out with an experimental group (n = 16; M = 17.45; SD = .45) and a control group (n = 18; M = 16.64; SD = .70). The experimental group followed a multidimensional intervention program comprised of 24 sessions held over three months (two training sessions per week). It was based on two strategies: giving athletes the possibility of choice in specific training tasks (proposing training situations with several action alternatives) and questioning (cognitively involving players through tactical questions). A repeated-measures MANOVA 2 (group: experimental and control) x 2 (time: pre-test and post-test) was used to analyse the effect of Group x Time interaction. The results of the inter-group analysis showed significant differences in the post-test measurement between the experimental group and the control group (in favour of the experimental group) in the variables: basic psychological need satisfaction of autonomy and competence, autonomous motivation, procedural knowledge, perceived performance and sport commitment. Given the relevance of the cognitive-motivational processes, not only for performance but also for sport commitment, this intervention has important implications for sport coaching.

The transfer of skill from short tennis to lawn tennis.

PubMed

Coldwells, A; Hare, M E

1994-01-01

The purpose of this study was to establish if short tennis skills transferred to lawn tennis. The experiment was conducted in two parts. In the first experiment 16 children (average age 8.9 years) were coached for 20 h (2 h/day for 2 weeks). The experimental group (n = 8) received 10 h of short tennis coaching followed by 10h of tennis coaching. The control group (n = 8) received tennis coaching only. In the second experiment 14 children (average age 8.5 years) were coached for 8h in group strokes alone (only ground strokes were tested and analysed). The experimental group (n = 7) received 4h of short tennis coaching and 4h of tennis coaching; the control group (n = 7) received tennis coaching only. Prior to coaching, all children were tested on the Dyer Backboard Test. The tests were video-taped for later analysis of technique. The video was analysed by three coaches in terms of backswing, positioning (position where player stood in reference to the bounce of the ball), follow-through, and placement (accuracy with which the ball was hit). The experimental group improved more than the control group on the Dyer Backboard Test (p < 0.05) in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2 both groups improved (p < 0.05) with coaching; there was no difference (p > 0.05) between the two groups following coaching. This implied that the short tennis skills positively transferred to tennis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Moderate peripheral neuropathy impairs weight transfer and unipedal balance in the elderly.

PubMed

Richardson, J K; Ashton-Miller, J A; Lee, S G; Jacobs, K

1996-11-01

To quantitatively assess the performance of elderly with and without moderate, electrodiagnostically confirmed peripheral neuropathy (PN) on tasks of weight shifting and maintenance of unipedal balance. A case control study with PN subjects selected from a computerized data bank of all patients who had undergone electrodiagnostic studies at a university-based referral center. Control subjects of similar age and same gender were selected from the same source. Clinical examination included neurological and gross motor components. Quantitative evaluation included testing while the subjects stood with a force plate under each foot. Center of reaction (CR) excursions and ground reaction forces were quantified in: (1) six trials as subjects transferred their weight from bipedal stance to unipedal stance, on command, and attempted to maintain it for at least 3 seconds; and (2) in two additional trials in which subjects held unipedal stance for as long as possible. No subjects in either group had difficulty with level gait, a 180-degree turn, or required examiner assistance during an eyes-closed Romberg test. Biomechanical testing revealed that although the PN group used the same time to transfer their weight onto one foot as the C group, they achieved a significantly (1) lower rate of success in reliably maintaining 3 seconds of unipedal stance (.12 vs .58, p = .021), and (2) shorter mean maximum unipedal stance time (3.8 vs 32.3sec, p < .001). Furthermore, the PN group experienced greater difficulty in maintaining unipedal stance, as evidenced by significantly greater fluctuations in their ground reaction forces. The demonstrated impairment in reliability of unipedal stance in elderly with PN likely contributes to their known high rate of falls. Furthermore, unipedal stance testing serves to sharpen the physical examination by verifying the functional significance of impaired distal sensation-a common finding in the elderly.

The effect of surface grinding and sandblasting on flexural strength and reliability of Y-TZP zirconia ceramic.

PubMed

Kosmac, T; Oblak, C; Jevnikar, P; Funduk, N; Marion, L

1999-11-01

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of grinding and sandblasting on the microstructure, biaxial flexural strength and reliability of two yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia (Y-TZP) ceramics. Two Y-TZP powders were used to produce fine grained and coarse grained microstructures. Sixty discs from each material were randomly divided into six groups of ten. For each group, a different surface treatment was applied: dry grinding, wet grinding, sandblasting, dry grinding + sandblasting, sandblasting + dry grinding and a control group. Biaxial flexural strength was determined and data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey's HSD test (p < 0.05). In addition, Weibull statistics was used to analyze the variability of flexural strength. The relative amount of transformed monoclinic zirconia, corresponding transformed zone depth (TZD) and the mean critical defect size Ccr were calculated. There was no difference in mean strength between the as sintered fine and coarse grained Y-TZP. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between the control group and ground fine grained material for both wet and dry grinding. Sandblasting significantly increased the strength in fine and coarse grained materials. All surface treatment procedures reduced the Weibull modulus of Y-TZP. For both materials, the highest amount of the monoclinic phase and the largest TZD was found after sandblasting. Lower amounts of the monoclinic phase were obtained after both grinding procedures, where the highest mean critical defect size Ccr was also calculated. Our results indicate that sandblasting may provide a powerful technique for strengthening Y-TZP in clinical practice. In contrast, grinding may lead to substantial strength degradation and reduced reliability of prefabricated zirconia elements, therefore, sandblasting of ground surfaces is suggested.

Time to Stabilization of Anterior Cruciate Ligament–Reconstructed Versus Healthy Knees in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Female Athletes

PubMed Central

Webster, Kathryn A.; Gribble, Phillip A.

2010-01-01

Abstract Context: Jump landing is a common activity in collegiate activities, such as women's basketball, volleyball, and soccer, and is a common mechanism for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. It is important to better understand how athletes returning to competition after ACL reconstruction are able to maintain dynamic postural control during a jump landing. Objective: To use time to stabilization (TTS) to measure differences in dynamic postural control during jump landing in ACL-reconstructed (ACLR) knees compared with healthy knees among National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I female athletes. Design: Case-control study. Setting: University athletic training research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty-four Division I female basketball, volleyball, and soccer players volunteered and were assigned to the healthy control group (n  =  12) or the ACLR knee group (n  =  12). Participants with ACLR knees were matched to participants with healthy knees by sport and by similar age, height, and mass. Intervention(s): At 1 session, participants performed a single-leg landing task for both limbs. They were instructed to stabilize as quickly as possible in a single-limb stance and remain as motionless as possible for 10 seconds. Main Outcome Measure(s): The anterior-posterior TTS and medial-lateral TTS ground reaction force data were used to calculate resultant vector of the TTS (RVTTS) during a jump landing. A 1-way analysis of variance was used to determine group differences on RVTTS. The means and SDs from the participants' 10 trials in each leg were used for the analyses. Results: The ACLR group (2.01 ± 0.15 seconds, 95% confidence interval [CI]  =  1.91, 2.10) took longer to stabilize than the control group (1.90 ± 0.07 seconds, 95% CI  =  1.86, 1.95) (F1,22  =  4.28, P  =  .05). This result was associated with a large effect size and a 95% CI that did not cross zero (Cohen d  =  1.0, 95% CI  =  0.91, 1.09). Conclusions: Although they were Division I female athletes at an average of 2.5 years after ACL reconstruction, participants with ACLR knees demonstrated dynamic postural-control deficits as evidenced by their difficulty in controlling ground reaction forces. This increased TTS measurement might contribute to the established literature reflecting differences in single-limb dynamic control. Clinicians might need to focus rehabilitation efforts on stabilization after jump landing. Further research is needed to determine if TTS is a contributing factor in future injury. PMID:21062181

Human interactions during Shuttle/Mir space missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanas, N.; Salnitskiy, V.; Grund, E. M.; Weiss, D. S.; Gushin, V.; Kozerenko, O.; Sled, A.; Marmar, C. R.

2001-01-01

To improve the interpersonal climate of crewmembers involved with long-duration space missions, it is important to understand the factors affecting their interactions with each other and with members of mission control. This paper will present findings from a recently completed NASA-funded study during the Shuttle/Mir program which evaluated in-group/out-group displacement of negative emotions; changes in tension, cohesion, and leader support over time; and cultural differences. In-flight data were collected from 5 astronauts, 8 cosmonauts, and 42 American and 16 Russian mission control personnel who signed informed consent. Subjects completed a weekly questionnaire that assessed their mood and perception of their work group's interpersonal climate using questions from well-known, standardized measures (Profile of Mood States, Group and Work Environment Scales) and a critical incident log. There was strong evidence for the displacement of tension and dysphoric emotions from crewmembers to mission control personnel and from mission control personnel to management. There was a perceived decrease in commander support during the 2nd half of the missions, and for American crewmembers a novelty effect was found on several subscales during the first few months on-orbit. There were a number of differences between American and Russian responses which suggested that the former were less happy with their interpersonal environment than the latter. Mission control personnel reported more tension and dysphoria than crewmembers, although both groups scored better than other work groups on Earth. Nearly all reported critical incidents came from ground subjects, with Americans and Russians showing important differences in response frequencies.

Human interactions during Shuttle/Mir space missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanas, Nick; Salnitskiy, Vyacheslav; Grund, Ellen M.; Weiss, Daniel S.; Gushin, Vadim; Kozerenko, Olga; Sled, Alexander; Marmar, Charles R.

2001-03-01

To improve the interpersonal climate of crewmembers involved with long-duration space missions, it is important to understand the factors affecting their interactions with each other and with members of mission control. This paper will present findings from a recently completed NASA-funded study during the Shuttle/Mir program which evaluated in-group/out-group displacement of negative emotions; changes in tension, cohesion, and leader support over time; and cultural differences. In-flight data were collected from 5 astronauts, 8 cosmonauts, and 42 American and 16 Russian mission control personnel who signed informed consent. Subjects completed a weekly questionnaire that assessed their mood and perception of their work group's interpersonal climate using questions from well-known, standardized measures (Profile of Mood States, Group and Work Environment Scales) and a critical incident log. There was strong evidence for the displacement of tension and dysphoric emotions from crewmembers to mission control personnel and from mission control personnel to management. There was a perceived decrease in commander support during the 2 nd half of the missions, and for American crewmembers a novelty effect was found on several subscales during the first few months on-orbit. There were a number of differences between American and Russian responses which suggested that the former were less happy with their interpersonal environment than the latter. Mission control personnel reported more tension and dysphoria than crewmembers, although both groups scored better than other work groups on Earth. Nearly all reported critical incidents came from ground subjects, with Americans and Russians showing important differences in response frequencies.

Application of Risk Analysis Based On Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System Technologies To Control of Malaria In Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Njemanze, Philip; Njemanze, Philip; Peters, Constance; Uwaeziozi, Amarachukwu

More than 1 million Africans die from malaria each year. Remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) technologies could be applied to study the risk of malaria epidemic. The patient population included 45,140 of persons aged 0-85 years seen at primary health centers in 18 different local government areas (LGAs) of Imo State. Maps of old Imo State were converted to digital form using ARC/INFO GIS software, and the resulting coverages included hydrology, towns, and villages. Remote sensing images from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data set were used to obtain color-coded monthly normalized-difference vegetation index or NDVI. Three groups were distinguished as: group A LGAs using water from natural hydrology and bore-holes, group B - using rain water harvesting from roof tops into surface water reservoirs, and group C - using ground surface catchment of rain water with ground ponds. These stagnant ponds were Anopheles mosquito breeding sites. The NDVI values were used to determine water availability, and were least in January/February each year, and highest in April/May. Probabilistic layer analysis (PLA) was used to determine the Odds Ratio (OR), Relative Risk (RR) and Attributable Risk (AR) for malaria in groups A, B, C. Significant risk for malaria was associated with local water conservation methods in group C, compared to A, (OR = 4.55; RR = 4.46, AR = 77.6

Protective effects of Aloe vera-based diets in Eimeria maxima-infected broiler chickens.

PubMed

Yim, Dongjean; Kang, Sang S; Kim, Dong W; Kim, Sang H; Lillehoj, Hyun S; Min, Wongi

2011-01-01

Aloes have been widely used for a broad range of pharmacological activities, including parasitic problems. Avian coccidiosis is the most costly and wide-spread parasitic disease in the poultry industry, and has been mainly controlled by the use of chemotherapeutic agents. Due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains, alternative control strategies are needed. In this study, the protective effects of Aloe vera-based diets were assessed in broiler chickens following oral infection with Eimeria maxima. Chickens were fed a regular diet supplemented with ground Aloe vera throughout the duration of the experiment beginning 2 days prior to infection with 1 × 10(4) sporulated oocysts of E. maxima. No significant differences were found in body weight gain or loss between the Aloe vera-supplemented and unsupplemented groups with or without E. maxima infections. Fecal oocyst shedding decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in all of the treatment groups that were supplemented with Aloe vera as compared to the unsupplemented group. Furthermore, the Aloe vera-supplemented group showed significantly fewer intestinal lesions (p < 0.05) than the unsupplemented group following infection. The findings of this study suggest that Aloe vera could be used an alternative treatment for controlling avian coccidiosis. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strengthening and Strength Uniformity of Structural Ceramics.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-05-01

overnight to convert the Y(N03 )3 to Y203 . The composite power was ground with a mortar and pestle , and then axially pressed (4000 psi) into...agent, in materials that exhibit a phenomena known as transformation toughening. 2. Control of Crack Size Fracture origins in virgin ceramics are in some...surfactants, or hard, i.e., partially sintered groups of particles which require attrition to dismember. All dry powders *Adjusted to the propensity of the

Improving ground cover monitoring for wind erosion assessment using MODIS BRDF parameters

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Measuring and monitoring controls on wind erosion can facilitate detection and prediction of soil degradation important for food security. Ground cover is widely recognised as an important factor for controlling soil erosion by wind and water. Consequently, maintaining ground cover (e.g., vegetation...

Flight test experience and controlled impact of a large, four-engine, remotely piloted airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kempel, R. W.; Horton, T. W.

1985-01-01

A controlled impact demonstration (CID) program using a large, four engine, remotely piloted transport airplane was conducted. Closed loop primary flight control was performed from a ground based cockpit and digital computer in conjunction with an up/down telemetry link. Uplink commands were received aboard the airplane and transferred through uplink interface systems to a highly modified Bendix PB-20D autopilot. Both proportional and discrete commands were generated by the ground pilot. Prior to flight tests, extensive simulation was conducted during the development of ground based digital control laws. The control laws included primary control, secondary control, and racetrack and final approach guidance. Extensive ground checks were performed on all remotely piloted systems. However, manned flight tests were the primary method of verification and validation of control law concepts developed from simulation. The design, development, and flight testing of control laws and the systems required to accomplish the remotely piloted mission are discussed.

Shake Warning: Helping People Stay Safe With Lots of Small Boxes in the Ground to Warn Them About Strong Shaking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reusch, M.

2017-12-01

A group of people at schools are joining with the group of people in control of making pictures of the state of rocks on the ground and water in our land. They are working on a plan to help all people be safe in the case of very big ground shaking (when ground breaks in sight or under ground). They will put many small boxes all over the states in the direction of where the sun sets to look for the first shake that might be a sign of an even bigger shake to come. They tell a big computer (with much power) in several large cities in those states. These computers will decide if the first shake is a sign of a very large and close ground shake, a far-away ground shake, a small but close ground shake, or even just a sign of a shake that people wanted to make. If it is a sign of a close and really big shake, then the computers will tell the phones and computers of many people to help them take safe steps before the big shaking arrives where they are. This warning might be several seconds or maybe a couple of minutes. People will be able to hide, take cover, and hold on under tables and desks in case things fall from walls and places up high in their home and work. Doctors will be able to pause hard work and boxes that move people up and down in homes, businesses, and stores will be able to stop on the next floor and open their doors to let people out and not get stuck. It will help slow down trains to be safe and not fly off of the track as well as it will help to shut off water and air that warms homes and is used for when you make food hot. To make this plan become real, people who work for these groups are putting more small boxes in areas where there are not enough and that there are many people. They are also putting small boxes in places where there are no boxes but the big shake might come from that direction. There are problems to get past such as needing many more small boxes, more people to help with this plan, and getting all people who live in these areas to learn what to do when the warning comes about the big shake, but this year there was good news when in month number four they were able to get all of the computers to talk to each other and run the same plan with the same news of the first shaking.

Fatigue influences lower extremity angular velocities during a single-leg drop vertical jump.

PubMed

Tamura, Akihiro; Akasaka, Kiyokazu; Otsudo, Takahiro; Shiozawa, Junya; Toda, Yuka; Yamada, Kaori

2017-03-01

[Purpose] Fatigue alters lower extremity landing strategies and decreases the ability to attenuate impact during landing. The purpose of this study was to reveal the influence of fatigue on dynamic alignment and joint angular velocities in the lower extremities during a single leg landing. [Subjects and Methods] The 34 female college students were randomly assigned to either the fatigue or control group. The fatigue group performed single-leg drop vertical jumps before, and after, the fatigue protocol, which was performed using a bike ergometer. Lower extremity kinematic data were acquired using a three-dimensional motion analysis system. The ratio of each variable (%), for the pre-fatigue to post-fatigue protocols, were calculated to compare differences between each group. [Results] Peak hip and knee flexion angular velocities increased significantly in the fatigue group compared with the control group. Furthermore, hip flexion angular velocity increased significantly between each group at 40 milliseconds after initial ground contact. [Conclusion] Fatigue reduced the ability to attenuate impact by increasing angular velocities in the direction of hip and knee flexion during landings. These findings indicate a requirement to evaluate movement quality over time by measuring hip and knee flexion angular velocities in landings during fatigue conditions.

Magnetotelluric data collected near geophysically logged boreholes in the Espa?ola and Middle Rio Grande basins, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Williams, Jackie M.; Rodriguez, Brian D.

2006-01-01

The Santa Fe region is growing rapidly. The Santa Fe Group aquifer in the Espa?ola Basin is the main source of municipal water for the region, and water shortfalls could have serious consequences. Future growth and land management in the region depend on accurate assessment and protection of the region's ground-water resources. An important issue in managing the ground-water resources is a better understanding of the hydrogeology of the Tertiary Santa Fe Group. The Santa Fe Group includes the sedimentary deposits that fill the Rio Grande rift and contain the principal ground-water aquifers. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is conducting a series of multidisciplinary studies of the Espa?ola Basin in northern New Mexico. Detailed geologic mapping, high-resolution airborne magnetic surveys, electromagnetic surveys, and hydrologic, lithologic, and hydro-geochemical data are being used to better understand the aquifer systems. Magnetotelluric (MT) surveys were completed as part of these studies. The primary purpose of the MT surveys was to map changes in electrical resistivity with depth that are related to differences in various rock types that help control the properties of aquifers in the region. Resistivity modeling of the MT data can be used to investigate buried structures related to the basic geologic framework of the study area. The purpose of this report is to release MT sounding data collected near geophysically logged boreholes in the study area, including the nearby Middle Rio Grande Basin. This MT data can be used in subsequent resistivity modeling. No interpretation of the data is included in this report.

Lithofacies control of lignite distribution and ground-water quality, Wilcox group (Eocene), east-central Texas

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

Ayers, W.B. Jr.; Lewis, A.H.

1984-04-01

Deep lignite resources (200-2000 ft; 61-610 m) were evaluated regionally using 1470 geophysical well logs to interpret lithofacies, lignite occurrence, and resistivity (water quality). The regional distribution of lithofacies indicates that in the region, the Wilcox Group is a fluvial-deltaic system. The primary fluvial system entered the Wilcox coastal plain west of Waco, Texas, trended southeast, and supplied a 75-mi (120-km) wide fluvial-deltaic system comparable in size to the Mississippi system. Lignites are most abundant in the Calvert Bluff Formation (upper Wilcox). Lower Calvert Bluff lignites are thickest and most extensive southwest of the Navasota River, whereas those of themore » upper Calvert Bluff are thickest northeast of the Brazos River. In the shallow subsurface, Calvert Bluff lignites are found in dip-elongate low-sand areas (flood plains) between channel-sand belts. Basinward, laterally continuous lignites coincide with high net sand areas comprise of distributary channel sands indicative of a delta-plain setting. The wilcox Group is a major aquifer. Maps of resistivity values show that Wilcox channel sands are conduits for ground-water flow. High values of formation resistivity (low total dissolved solids) exist in recharge areas at outcrop and around salt domes. Elongate trends of high resistivity values extend tens of miles basinward and coincide with axes of major sands. Resistivity values decrease basinward and the 20 ohm-m contour delineates the downdip limit of fresh water. Lithofacies and lignite occurrence maps are guides to exploration for deep lignite. Resistivity maps can be used to explore for ground-water resources.« less

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

Not Available

The regional suitability of underground construction as a climate control technique is discussed with reference to (1) a bioclimatic analysis of long-term weather data for 29 locations in the United States to determine appropriate above ground climate control techniques, (2) a data base of synthesized ground temperatures for the coterminous United States, and (3) monthly dew point ground temperature comparisons for identifying the relative likelihood of condensation from one region to another. It is concluded that the suitability of earth tempering as a practice and of specific earth-sheltered design stereotypes varies geographically; while the subsurface almost always provides a thermalmore » advantage on its own terms when compared to above ground climatic data, it can, nonetheless, compromise the effectiveness of other, regionally more important climate control techniques. Also contained in the report are reviews of above and below ground climate mapping schemes related to human comfort and architectural design, and detailed description of a theoretical model of ground temperature, heat flow, and heat storage in the ground. Strategies of passive climate control are presented in a discussion of the building bioclimatic analysis procedure which has been applied in a computer analysis of 30 years of weather data for each of 29 locations in the United States.« less

Design and calibration of field deployable ground-viewing radiometers.

PubMed

Anderson, Nikolaus; Czapla-Myers, Jeffrey; Leisso, Nathan; Biggar, Stuart; Burkhart, Charles; Kingston, Rob; Thome, Kurtis

2013-01-10

Three improved ground-viewing radiometers were built to support the Radiometric Calibration Test Site (RadCaTS) developed by the Remote Sensing Group (RSG) at the University of Arizona. Improved over previous light-emitting diode based versions, these filter-based radiometers employ seven silicon detectors and one InGaAs detector covering a wavelength range of 400-1550 nm. They are temperature controlled and designed for greater stability and lower noise. The radiometer systems show signal-to-noise ratios of greater than 1000 for all eight channels at typical field calibration signal levels. Predeployment laboratory radiance calibrations using a 1 m spherical integrating source compare well with in situ field calibrations using the solar radiation based calibration method; all bands are within ±2.7% for the case tested.

30 CFR 57.3360 - Ground support use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Ground support use. 57.3360 Section 57.3360... SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Ground Control Scaling and Support-Underground Only § 57.3360 Ground support use. Ground support shall be used where ground...

30 CFR 57.3360 - Ground support use.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Ground support use. 57.3360 Section 57.3360... SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Ground Control Scaling and Support-Underground Only § 57.3360 Ground support use. Ground support shall be used where ground...

System for detecting and limiting electrical ground faults within electrical devices

DOEpatents

Gaubatz, Donald C.

1990-01-01

An electrical ground fault detection and limitation system for employment with a nuclear reactor utilizing a liquid metal coolant. Elongate electromagnetic pumps submerged within the liquid metal coolant and electrical support equipment experiencing an insulation breakdown occasion the development of electrical ground fault current. Without some form of detection and control, these currents may build to damaging power levels to expose the pump drive components to liquid metal coolant such as sodium with resultant undesirable secondary effects. Such electrical ground fault currents are detected and controlled through the employment of an isolated power input to the pumps and with the use of a ground fault control conductor providing a direct return path from the affected components to the power source. By incorporating a resistance arrangement with the ground fault control conductor, the amount of fault current permitted to flow may be regulated to the extent that the reactor may remain in operation until maintenance may be performed, notwithstanding the existence of the fault. Monitors such as synchronous demodulators may be employed to identify and evaluate fault currents for each phase of a polyphase power, and control input to the submerged pump and associated support equipment.

Pilot and Controller Evaluations of Separation Function Allocation in Air Traffic Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wing, David; Prevot, Thomas; Morey, Susan; Lewis, Timothy; Martin, Lynne; Johnson, Sally; Cabrall, Christopher; Como, Sean; Homola, Jeffrey; Sheth-Chandra, Manasi;

Ground test for vibration control demonstrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, C.; Prodigue, J.; Broux, G.; Cantinaud, O.; Poussot-Vassal, C.

2016-09-01

In the objective of maximizing comfort in Falcon jets, Dassault Aviation is developing an innovative vibration control technology. Vibrations of the structure are measured at several locations and sent to a dedicated high performance vibration control computer. Control laws are implemented in this computer to analyse the vibrations in real time, and then elaborate orders sent to the existing control surfaces to counteract vibrations. After detailing the technology principles, this paper focuses on the vibration control ground demonstration that was performed by Dassault Aviation in May 2015 on Falcon 7X business jet. The goal of this test was to attenuate vibrations resulting from fixed forced excitation delivered by shakers. The ground test demonstrated the capability to implement an efficient closed-loop vibration control with a significant vibration level reduction and validated the vibration control law design methodology. This successful ground test was a prerequisite before the flight test demonstration that is now being prepared. This study has been partly supported by the JTI CleanSky SFWA-ITD.

Differences in knee flexion between the Genium and C-Leg microprocessor knees while walking on level ground and ramps.

PubMed

Lura, Derek J; Wernke, Matthew M; Carey, Stephanie L; Kahle, Jason T; Miro, Rebecca M; Highsmith, M Jason

2015-02-01

Microprocessor knees have improved the gait and functional abilities of persons with transfemoral amputation. The Genium prosthetic knee offers an advanced sensor and control system designed to decrease impairment by: allowing greater stance phase flexion, easing transitions between gait phases, and compensating for changes in terrain. The aim of this study was to determine differences between the knee flexion angle of persons using the Genium knee, the C-Leg knee, and non-amputee controls; and to evaluate the impact the prostheses on gait and level of impairment of the user. This study used a randomized experimental crossover of persons with transfemoral amputation using the Genium and C-Leg microprocessor knees (n=25), with an observational sample of non-amputee controls (n=5). Gait analysis by 3D motion tracking of subjects ambulating at different speeds on level ground and on 5° and 10° ramps was completed. Use of the Genium resulted in a significant increase in peak knee flexion for swing (5°, p<0.01, d=0.34) and stance (2°, p<0.01, d=0.19) phases relative to C-Leg use. There was a high degree of variability between subjects, and significant differences still remain between the Genium group and the control group's knee flexion angles for most speeds and slopes. The Genium knee generally increases flexion in swing and stance, potentially decreasing the level of impairment for persons with transfemoral amputation. This study demonstrates functional differences between the C-Leg and Genium knees to help prosthetists determine if the Genium will provide functional benefits to individual patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Behavioral analyses of killifish exposed to weightlessness in the Apollo-Soyuz test project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, R. B.; Salinas, G. A.; Baky, A. A.

1977-01-01

Two groups of killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus, which were flown aboard Apollo-Soyuz, were subjected to postflight behavioral testing. The first group examined consisted of a graded series of embryos representing key developmental stages at orbital insertion (32-h, 66-h, and 128-h stages; pre-liftoff fertilization times). The tests revealed that the young adults from the flight 32-h stage had a significantly decreased positive geotaxis and increased negative phototaxis when compared with ground controls. These findings suggested a greater sensitization of the least-developed flight stage to post-hatching environmental influences. The second group consisted of 21-d old juveniles which were subjected to light orientation tests soon after recovery. No significant differences were detected.

Improving Dorsal Stream Function in Dyslexics by Training Figure/Ground Motion Discrimination Improves Attention, Reading Fluency, and Working Memory.

PubMed

Lawton, Teri

2016-01-01

There is an ongoing debate about whether the cause of dyslexia is based on linguistic, auditory, or visual timing deficits. To investigate this issue three interventions were compared in 58 dyslexics in second grade (7 years on average), two targeting the temporal dynamics (timing) of either the auditory or visual pathways with a third reading intervention (control group) targeting linguistic word building. Visual pathway training in dyslexics to improve direction-discrimination of moving test patterns relative to a stationary background (figure/ground discrimination) significantly improved attention, reading fluency, both speed and comprehension, phonological processing, and both auditory and visual working memory relative to controls, whereas auditory training to improve phonological processing did not improve these academic skills significantly more than found for controls. This study supports the hypothesis that faulty timing in synchronizing the activity of magnocellular with parvocellular visual pathways is a fundamental cause of dyslexia, and argues against the assumption that reading deficiencies in dyslexia are caused by phonological deficits. This study demonstrates that visual movement direction-discrimination can be used to not only detect dyslexia early, but also for its successful treatment, so that reading problems do not prevent children from readily learning.

Conformational Control of Ultrafast Molecular Rotor Property: Tuning Viscosity Sensing Efficiency by Twist Angle Variation.

PubMed

Ghosh, Rajib; Kushwaha, Archana; Das, Dipanwita

2017-09-21

Fluorescent molecular rotors find widespread application in sensing and imaging of microscopic viscosity in complex chemical and biological media. Development of viscosity-sensitive ultrafast molecular rotor (UMR) relies upon the understanding of the excited-state dynamics and their implications for viscosity-dependent fluorescence signaling. Unraveling the structure-property relationship of UMR behavior is of significance toward development of an ultrasensitive fluorescence microviscosity sensor. Herein we show that the ground-state equilibrium conformation has an important role in the ultrafast twisting dynamics of UMRs and consequent viscosity sensing efficiency. Synthesis, photophysics, and ultrafast spectroscopic experiments in conjunction with quantum chemical calculation of a series of UMRs based on dimethylaniline donor and benzimidazolium acceptor with predefined ground-state torsion angle led us to unravel that the ultrafast torsional dynamics around the bond connecting donor and acceptor groups profoundly influences the molecular rotor efficiency. This is the first experimental demonstration of conformational control of small-molecule-based UMR efficiencies which can have wider implication toward development of fluorescence sensors based on the UMR principle. Conformation-controlled UMR efficiency has been shown to exhibit commensurate fluorescence enhancement upon DNA binding.

Activities During Spacelab-J Mission at Payload Operations and Control Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

The group of Japanese researchers of the Spacelab-J (SL-J) were thumbs-up in the Payload Operations Control Center (POCC) at the Marshall Space Flight Center after the successful launch of Space Shuttle Orbiter Endeavour that carried their experiments. The SL-J was a joint mission of NASA and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) utilizing a marned Spacelab module. The mission conducted microgravity investigations in materials and life sciences. Materials science investigations covered such fields as biotechnology, electronic materials, fluid dynamics and transport phenomena, glasses and ceramics, metals and alloys, and acceleration measurements. Life sciences included experiments on human health, cell separation and biology, developmental biology, animal and human physiology and behavior, space radiation, and biological rhythms. Test subjects included the crew, Japanese koi fish (carp), cultured animal and plant cells, chicken embryos, fruit flies, fungi and plant seeds, frogs, and frog eggs. The POCC was the air/ground communications channel between the astronauts and ground control teams during the Spacelab missions. The Spacelab science operations were a cooperative effort between the science astronaut crew in orbit and their colleagues in the POCC. Spacelab-J was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Endeavour on September 12, 1992.

JFK airport ground control recommendations.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1971-11-01

The object of this effort was to generate a detailed recommendation on what to do about the JFK Airport Ground Traffic Control Problem, including a review of STRACS, a Surface Traffic Control System. Problem areas were identified by direct observatio...

Experimental investigation of active loads control for aircraft landing gear

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcgehee, J. R.; Dreher, R. C.

1982-01-01

Aircraft dynamic loads and vibrations resulting from landing impact and from runway and taxiway unevenness are recognized as significant in causing fatigue damage, dynamic stress on the airframe, crew and passenger discomfort, and reduction of the pilot's ability to control the aircraft during ground operations. One potential method for improving operational characteistics of aircraft on the ground is the application of active control technology to the landing gears to reduce ground loads applied to the airframe. An experimental investigation was conducted which simulated the landing dynamics of a light airplane to determine the feasibility and potential of a series hydraulic active control main landing gear. The experiments involved a passive gear and an active control gear. Results of this investigation show that a series hydraulically controlled gear is feasible and that such a gear is very effective in reducing the loads transmitted by the gear to the airframe during ground operations.

Relation of indoor and outdoor airborne fungal spore levels in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

PubMed

Jara, David; Portnoy, Jay; Dhar, Minati; Barnes, Charles

2017-03-01

Environmental control is an important component of asthma management for persons with asthma. A damp indoor environment and elevated airborne spore levels are factors in housing environmental control. We investigated if indoor airborne fungal spore levels correlated with outdoor ground-level airborne fungal spores or outdoor centrally collected spore levels as to types and abundance. Air collections were taken from home interiors, outdoor areas adjacent to the homes, and at a central location in the metropolitan area at the approximate same time. All air collections were examined and enumerated microscopically, and airborne spore estimates per cubic meter of air were reported for total fungal spores and for 11 identifiable spore groups. The 244 homes in the study were typical of the North American Midwest. The overall mean total spore counts in spores per cubic meter of air was indoors (4076 spores/m3), outdoors at ground level (8899 spores/m3), and outdoor metropolitan area (8342 spores/m3). All of the major indoor taxa were strongly correlated with the mean total spores present in the home. Total outdoor ground spore levels were highly correlated with levels of major outdoor taxa, such as ascospores and Cladosporium. Correlations of indoor spore levels with outdoor spore levels are strong for most major outdoor taxa. Indoor Aspergillus-Penicillium and Chaetomium are significantly correlated between indoor and local ground-level outdoor air. Although conditions may exist where indoor or outdoor spore levels were not well aligned, in most circumstances, the outdoor airborne spore community was reflected in the indoor airborne spore community.

Fluid-loading solutions and plasma volume: Astro-ade and salt tablets with water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fortney, Suzanne M.; Seinmann, Laura; Young, Joan A.; Hoskin, Cherylynn N.; Barrows, Linda H.

1994-01-01

Fluid loading with salt and water is a countermeasure used after space flight to restore body fluids. However, gastrointestinal side effects have been frequently reported in persons taking similar quantities of salt and water in ground-based studies. The effectiveness of the Shuttle fluid-loading countermeasure (8 gms salt, 0.97 liters of water) was compared to Astro-ade (an isotonic electrolyte solution), to maintain plasma volume (PV) during 4.5 hrs of resting fluid restriction. Three groups of healthy men (n=6) were studied: a Control Group (no drinking), an Astro-ade Group, and a Salt Tablet Group. Changes in PV after drinking were calculated from hematocrit and hemoglobin values. Both the Salt Tablet and Astro-ade Groups maintained PV at 2-3 hours after ingestion compared to the Control Group, which had a 6 percent decline. Side effects (thirst, stomach cramping, and diarrhea) were noted in at least one subject in both the Astro-ade and Salt Tablet Groups. Nausea and vomiting were reported in one subject in the Salt Tablet Group. It was concluded that Astro-ade may be offered as an alternate fluid-loading countermeasure but further work is needed to develop a solution that is more palatable and has fewer side effects.

Beyond anti-Muslim sentiment: opposing the Ground Zero mosque as a means to pursuing a stronger America.

PubMed

Jia, Lile; Karpen, Samuel C; Hirt, Edward R

2011-10-01

Americans' opposition toward building an Islamic community center at Ground Zero has been attributed solely to a general anti-Muslim sentiment. We hypothesized that some Americans' negative reaction was also due to their motivation to symbolically pursue a positive U.S. group identity, which had suffered from a concurrent economic and political downturn. Indeed, when participants perceived that the United States was suffering from lowered international status, those who identified strongly with the country, as evidenced especially by a high respect or deference for group symbols, reported a stronger opposition to the "Ground Zero mosque" than participants who identified weakly with the country did. Furthermore, participants who identified strongly with the country also showed a greater preference for buildings that were symbolically congruent than for buildings that were symbolically incongruent with the significance of Ground Zero, and they represented Ground Zero with a larger symbolic size. These findings suggest that identifying group members' underlying motivations provides unusual insights for understanding intergroup conflict.

ACTS TDMA network control. [Advanced Communication Technology Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Inukai, T.; Campanella, S. J.

1984-01-01

This paper presents basic network control concepts for the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) System. Two experimental systems, called the low-burst-rate and high-burst-rate systems, along with ACTS ground system features, are described. The network control issues addressed include frame structures, acquisition and synchronization procedures, coordinated station burst-time plan and satellite-time plan changes, on-board clock control based on ground drift measurements, rain fade control by means of adaptive forward-error-correction (FEC) coding and transmit power augmentation, and reassignment of channel capacities on demand. The NASA ground system, which includes a primary station, diversity station, and master control station, is also described.

14 CFR 29.143 - Controllability and maneuverability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...). (b) The margin of cyclic control must allow satisfactory roll and pitch control at VNE with— (1... operated without loss of control on or near the ground in any maneuver appropriate to the type (such as... control out-of-ground effect, with— (1) Weight selected by the applicant; (2) Critical center of gravity...

14 CFR 29.143 - Controllability and maneuverability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...). (b) The margin of cyclic control must allow satisfactory roll and pitch control at VNE with— (1... operated without loss of control on or near the ground in any maneuver appropriate to the type (such as... control out-of-ground effect, with— (1) Weight selected by the applicant; (2) Critical center of gravity...

14 CFR 29.143 - Controllability and maneuverability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...). (b) The margin of cyclic control must allow satisfactory roll and pitch control at VNE with— (1... operated without loss of control on or near the ground in any maneuver appropriate to the type (such as... control out-of-ground effect, with— (1) Weight selected by the applicant; (2) Critical center of gravity...

Analysis of Controller Communication in En Route Air Traffic Control.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Seamster, Thomas L.; And Others

To contribute to an understanding of the elements of good air traffic controller communication with the objective of providing recommendations to improve controller communication training, two studies analyzed team communication, ground-air communication, and ground-line communication. The simulated and live traffic analyses examined established…

[Analysis and characterization of Belamcanda chinensis with space mutagenesis breeding by X-ray fluorescence analysis and X-ray diffraction].

PubMed

Guan, Ying; Ding, Xi-Feng; Wang, Wen-Jing; Guo, Xi-Hua; Zhu, Yan-Ying

2008-02-01

The contents of various elements in the fourth generation Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC. with space mutagenesis breeding were analyzed and characterized. X-ray fluorescence spectrum analysis (XRF) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) were applied jointly. It was found that the content of K element in the space flight mutagenesis increases 1.03 and 0.31 times, Mg enhances 1.44 and 0.06 times, but Al reduces 38.5% and 85.5% respectively compared to the contents in the ground group and the comparison group, while those of Ca, Mn and Fe enhance 0.95, 0.30 and 0.29 times respectively contrasted to the ground group. Besides, there was discovered the crystal of whewellite in the Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC. and the content in the ground group is less than that of the outer space and the outer space group, which in turn is less than that of the comparison group. It is concluded that the contents of mineral elements indispensable to body in the space group are closer or superior to the comparison, group as compared to the ground group. In the present paper, a quick and simple appraising method is offered, which may be of great significance to the popularization of the planting outer space Chinese traditional medicine to filtrate more excellent breed and set up norm of quality appraisal.

Social and Cultural Issues During Shuttle/Mir Space Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanas, Nick; Salnitskiy, Vyacheslav; Grund, Ellen M.; Gushin, Vadim; Weiss, Daniel S.; Kozerenko, Olga; Sled, Alexander; Marmar, Charles R.

2000-07-01

A number of interpersonal issues relevant to manned space missions have been identified from the literature. These include crew tension, cohesion, leadership, language and cultural factors, and displacement. Ground-based studies by others and us have clarified some of the parameters of these issues and have indicated ways in which they could be studied during actual space missions. In this paper, we summarize some of our findings related to social and cultural issues from a NASA-funded study conducted during several Shuttle/Mir space missions. We used standardized mood and group climate measures that were completed on a weekly basis by American and Russian crew and mission control subjects who participated in these missions. Our results indicated that American subjects reported more dissatisfaction with their interpersonal environment than their Russian counterparts, especially American astronauts. Mission control personnel were more dysphoric than crewmembers, but both groups were signficantly less dysphoric than other work groups on Earth. Countermeasures based on our findings are discussed which can be applied to future multicultural space missions.

Effects of walking with a shopping trolley on spinal posture and loading in subjects with neurogenic claudication.

PubMed

Comer, Christine M; White, Derrick; Conaghan, Philip G; Bird, Howard A; Redmond, Anthony C

2010-10-01

To explore possible mechanisms underpinning symptom relief and improved walking tolerance in patients with neurogenic claudication (NC) when pushing a shopping trolley by evaluating the effects of a shopping trolley on spinal posture and loading patterns. An exploratory study of kinematic and kinetic changes in walking with and without pushing a shopping trolley in persons with NC symptoms and a comparison with asymptomatic control subjects. A primary care-based musculoskeletal service. Participants (n=8) with NC symptoms who have anecdotally reported symptomatic improvement when walking with a shopping trolley and a control group of asymptomatic persons (n=8). Shopping trolley. Changes in lumbar spinal sagittal posture and ground reaction force. Subjects with NC and asymptomatic controls walked with significantly more flexed spinal posture (increase in flexion, 3.40°; z=3.516; P<.001) and reduced mean ground reaction forces (-6.9% of body weight; z=-3.46; P=.001) when walking with a shopping trolley. However, at the midstance point of the gait cycle, controls showed minimal reliance on the trolley, whereas, people with NC showed continued offloading. Both posture and loading are affected by pushing a shopping trolley; however, patients with NC were found to offload the spine throughout the stance phase of gait, whereas asymptomatic controls did not. Copyright © 2010 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ground station software for receiving and handling Irecin telemetry data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferrante, M.; Petrozzi, M.; Di Ciolo, L.; Ortenzi, A.; Troso, G

2004-11-01

The on board resources, needed to perform the mission tasks, are very limited in nano-satellites. This paper proposes a software system to receive, manage and process in Real Time the Telemetry data coming from IRECIN nanosatellite and transmit operator manual commands and operative procedures. During the receiving phase, it shows the IRECIN subsystem physical values, visualizes the IRECIN attitude, and performs other suitable functions. The IRECIN Ground Station program is in charge to exchange information between IRECIN and the Ground segment. It carries out, in real time during IRECIN transmission phase, IRECIN attitude drawing, sun direction drawing, power supply received from Sun, visualization of the telemetry data, visualization of Earth magnetic field and more other functions. The received data are memorized and interpreted by a module, parser, and distribute to the suitable modules. Moreover it allows sending manual and automatic commands. Manual commands are delivered by an operator, on the other hand, automatic commands are provided by pre-configured operative procedures. Operative procedures development is realized in a previous phase called configuration phase. This program is also in charge to carry out a test session by mean the scheduler and commanding modules allowing execution of specific tasks without operator control. A log module to memorize received and transmitted data is realized. A phase to analyze, filter and visualize in off line the collected data, called post analysis, is based on the data extraction form the log module. At the same time, the Ground Station Software can work in network allowing managing, receiving and sending data/commands from different sites. The proposed system constitutes the software of IRECIN Ground Station. IRECIN is a modular nanosatellite weighting less than 2 kg, constituted by sixteen external sides with surface-mounted solar cells and three internal Al plates, kept together by four steel bars. Lithium-ions batteries are used. Attitude is determined by two three-axis magnetometers and the solar panels data. Control is provided by an active magnetic control system. The spacecraft will be spin- stabilized with the spin-axis normal to the orbit. All IRECIN electronic components are SMD technology in order to reduce weight and size. The realized Electronic board are completely developed, realized and tested at the Vitrociset S.P.A. under control of Research and Develop Group

The Control of Multi-Agent Systems (MAS)

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-09-01

Mixes rational (ground state E0 = |↓>) & emotional (excited state E1 = |↑>) • M(I, S) -> shifts agent |↑> or |↓> w/P(1) (Gibson, 1986; Caccioppo...1951): a group is more than sum of parts – Luce & Raiffa (1967): individual rational perspective cannot account for the “social” (viz., game and...deception • Assumption: Reality is bistable with I that is mostly inaccessible 2 9th ICCRTS, Copenhagen, 9/2004 Paradoxes • Rational , Individual: ∑xi

Concurrent validity of Physiological Cost Index in walking over ground and during robotic training in subacute stroke patients.

PubMed

Delussu, Anna Sofia; Morone, Giovanni; Iosa, Marco; Bragoni, Maura; Paolucci, Stefano; Traballesi, Marco

2014-01-01

Physiological Cost Index (PCI) has been proposed to assess gait demand. The purpose of the study was to establish whether PCI is a valid indicator in subacute stroke patients of energy cost of walking in different walking conditions, that is, over ground and on the Gait Trainer (GT) with body weight support (BWS). The study tested if correlations exist between PCI and ECW, indicating validity of the measure and, by implication, validity of PCI. Six patients (patient group (PG)) with subacute stroke and 6 healthy age- and size-matched subjects as control group (CG) performed, in a random sequence in different days, walking tests overground and on the GT with 0, 30, and 50% BWS. There was a good to excellent correlation between PCI and ECW in the observed walking conditions: in PG Pearson correlation was 0.919 (p < 0.001); in CG Pearson correlation was 0.852 (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the high significant correlations between PCI and ECW, in all the observed walking conditions, suggest that PCI is a valid outcome measure in subacute stroke patients.

Collection, quality control and delivery of ground-based magnetic data during ESA's Swarm mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macmillan, Susan; Humphries, Thomas; Flower, Simon; Swan, Anthony

2016-04-01

Ground-based magnetic data are used in a variety of ways when analysing satellite data. Selecting satellite data often involves the use of magnetic disturbance indices derived from ground-based stations and inverting satellite magnetic data for models of fields from various sources often requires ground-based data. Ground-based data can also be valuable independent data for validation purposes. We summarise data collection and quality control procedures in place at the British Geological Survey for global ground-based observatory and repeat station data. Whilst ongoing participation in the ICSU World Data System and INTERMAGNET facilitates this work, additional procedures have been specially developed for the Swarm mission. We describe these in detail.

Flight test experience and controlled impact of a remotely piloted jet transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Horton, Timothy W.; Kempel, Robert W.

1988-01-01

The Dryden Flight Research Center Facility of NASA Ames Research Center (Ames-Dryden) and the FAA conducted the controlled impact demonstration (CID) program using a large, four-engine, remotely piloted jet transport airplane. Closed-loop primary flight was controlled through the existing onboard PB-20D autopilot which had been modified for the CID program. Uplink commands were sent from a ground-based cockpit and digital computer in conjunction with an up-down telemetry link. These uplink commands were received aboard the airplane and transferred through uplink interface systems to the modified PB-20D autopilot. Both proportional and discrete commands were produced by the ground system. Prior to flight tests, extensive simulation was conducted during the development of ground-based digital control laws. The control laws included primary control, secondary control, and racetrack and final approach guidance. Extensive ground checks were performed on all remotely piloted systems; however, piloted flight tests were the primary method and validation of control law concepts developed from simulation. The design, development, and flight testing of control laws and systems required to accomplish the remotely piloted mission are discussed.

Implementation of rigorous renormalization group method for ground space and low-energy states of local Hamiltonians

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Brenden; Vidick, Thomas; Motrunich, Olexei I.

2017-12-01

The success of polynomial-time tensor network methods for computing ground states of certain quantum local Hamiltonians has recently been given a sound theoretical basis by Arad et al. [Math. Phys. 356, 65 (2017), 10.1007/s00220-017-2973-z]. The convergence proof, however, relies on "rigorous renormalization group" (RRG) techniques which differ fundamentally from existing algorithms. We introduce a practical adaptation of the RRG procedure which, while no longer theoretically guaranteed to converge, finds matrix product state ansatz approximations to the ground spaces and low-lying excited spectra of local Hamiltonians in realistic situations. In contrast to other schemes, RRG does not utilize variational methods on tensor networks. Rather, it operates on subsets of the system Hilbert space by constructing approximations to the global ground space in a treelike manner. We evaluate the algorithm numerically, finding similar performance to density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) in the case of a gapped nondegenerate Hamiltonian. Even in challenging situations of criticality, large ground-state degeneracy, or long-range entanglement, RRG remains able to identify candidate states having large overlap with ground and low-energy eigenstates, outperforming DMRG in some cases.

The Use of Tooth Particles as a Biomaterial in Post-Extraction Sockets. Experimental Study in Dogs.

PubMed

Calvo-Guirado, José Luis; Maté-Sánchez de Val, José Eduardo; Ramos-Oltra, María Luisa; Pérez-Albacete Martínez, Carlos; Ramírez-Fernández, María Piedad; Maiquez-Gosálvez, Manuel; Gehrke, Sergio A; Fernández-Domínguez, Manuel; Romanos, Georgios E; Delgado-Ruiz, Rafael Arcesio

2018-05-06

Objectives : The objective of this study was to evaluate new bone formation derived from freshly crushed extracted teeth, grafted immediately in post-extraction sites in an animal model, compared with sites without graft filling, evaluated at 30 and 90 days. Material and Methods : The bilateral premolars P2, P3, P4 and the first mandibular molar were extracted atraumatically from six Beagle dogs. The clean, dry teeth were ground immediately using the Smart Dentin Grinder. The tooth particles obtained were subsequently sieved through a special sorting filter into two compartments; the upper container isolating particles over 1200 μm, the lower container isolated particles over 300 μm. The crushed teeth were grafted into the post-extraction sockets at P3, P4 and M1 (test group) (larger and smaller post-extraction alveoli), while P2 sites were left unfilled and acted as a control group. Tissue healing and bone formation were evaluated by histological and histomorphometric analysis after 30 and 90 days. Results : At 30 days, test site bone formation was greater in the test group than the control group ( p < 0.05); less immature bone was observed in the test group (25.71%) than the control group (55.98%). At 90 days, significant differences in bone formation were found with more in the test group than the control group. No significant differences were found in new bone formation when comparing the small and large alveoli post-extraction sites. Conclusions : Tooth particles extracted from dog’s teeth, grafted immediately after extractions can be considered a suitable biomaterial for socket preservation.

Motor skills and school performance in children with daily physical education in school--a 9-year intervention study.

PubMed

Ericsson, I; Karlsson, M K

2014-04-01

The aim was to study long-term effects on motor skills and school performance of increased physical education (PE). All pupils born 1990-1992 from one school were included in a longitudinal study over nine years. An intervention group (n = 129) achieved daily PE (5 × 45 min/week) and if needed one extra lesson of adapted motor training. The control group (n = 91) had PE two lessons/week. Motor skills were evaluated by the Motor Skills Development as Ground for Learning observation checklist and school achievements by marks in Swedish, English, Mathematics, and PE and proportion of pupils who qualified for upper secondary school. In school year 9 there were motor skills deficits in 7% of pupils in the intervention group compared to 47% in the control group (P < 0.001), 96% of the pupils in the intervention group compared to 89% in the control group (P < 0.05) qualified for upper secondary school. The sum of evaluated marks was higher among boys in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The sum of marks was also higher in pupils with no motor skills deficit than among pupils with motor skills deficits (P < 0.01), as was the proportion of pupils who qualified for upper secondary school (97% vs 81%, P < 0.001). Daily PE and adapted motor skills training during the compulsory school years is a feasible way to improve not only motor skills but also school performance and the proportion of pupils who qualify for upper secondary school. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Non-Sagittal Knee Joint Kinematics and Kinetics during Gait on Level and Sloped Grounds with Unicompartmental and Total Knee Arthroplasty Patients

PubMed Central

Komnik, Igor; David, Sina; Weiss, Stefan; Potthast, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

After knee arthroplasty (KA) surgery, patients experience abnormal kinematics and kinetics during numerous activities of daily living. Biomechanical investigations have focused primarily on level walking, whereas walking on sloped surfaces, which is stated to affect knee kinematics and kinetics considerably, has been neglected to this day. This study aimed to analyze over-ground walking on level and sloped surfaces with a special focus on transverse and frontal plane knee kinematics and kinetics in patients with KA. A three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis was performed by means of optoelectronic stereophogrammetry 1.8 ± 0.4 years following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and unicompartmental arthroplasty surgery (UKA). AnyBody™ Modeling System was used to conduct inverse dynamics. The TKA group negotiated the decline walking task with reduced peak knee internal rotation angles compared with a healthy control group (CG). First-peak knee adduction moments were diminished by 27% (TKA group) and 22% (UKA group) compared with the CG during decline walking. No significant differences were detected between the TKA and UKA groups, regardless of the locomotion task. Decline walking exposed apparently more abnormal knee frontal and transverse plane adjustments in KA patients than level walking compared with the CG. Hence, walking on sloped surfaces should be included in further motion analysis studies investigating KA patients in order to detect potential deficits that might be not obvious during level walking. PMID:28002437

Functional invertebrate prey groups reflect dietary responses to phenology and farming activity and pest control services in three sympatric species of aerially foraging insectivorous birds.

PubMed

Orłowski, Grzegorz; Karg, Jerzy; Karg, Grzegorz

2014-01-01

Farming activity severely impacts the invertebrate food resources of farmland birds, with direct mortality to populations of above-ground arthropods thorough mechanical damage during crop harvests. In this study we assessed the effects of phenological periods, including the timing of harvest, on the composition and biomass of prey consumed by three species of aerial insectivorous birds. Common Swifts Apus apus, Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica and House Martins Delichon urbica breed sympatrically and most of their diet is obtained from agricultural sources of invertebrate prey, especially from oil-seed rape crops. We categorized invertebrate prey into six functional groups, including oil-seed rape pests; pests of other arable crops; other crop-provisioned taxa; coprophilous taxa; and taxa living in non-crop and mixed crop/non-crop habitats. Seasonality impacted functional groups differently, but the general direction of change (increase/decrease) of all groups was consistent as indexed by prey composition of the three aerial insectivores studied here. After the oil-seed rape crop harvest (mid July), all three species exhibited a dietary shift from oil-seed rape insect pests to other aerial invertebrate prey groups. However, Common Switfts also consumed a relative large quantity of oil-seed rape insect pests in the late summer (August), suggesting that they could reduce pest insect emigration beyond the host plant/crop. Since these aerially foraging insectivorous birds operate in specific conditions and feed on specific pest resources unavailable to foliage/ground foraging avian predators, our results suggest that in some crops like oil-seed rape cultivations, the potential integration of the insectivory of aerial foraging birds into pest management schemes might provide economic benefits. We advise further research into the origin of airborne insects and the role of aerial insectivores as agents of the biological control of crop insect pests, especially the determination of depredation rates and the cascading effects of insectivory on crop damage and yield.

14 CFR 121.421 - Flight attendants: Initial and transition ground training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... ground training. 121.421 Section 121.421 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION... § 121.421 Flight attendants: Initial and transition ground training. (a) Initial and transition ground... equipment and the controls for cabin heat and ventilation. (b) Initial and transition ground training for...

14 CFR 121.421 - Flight attendants: Initial and transition ground training.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... ground training. 121.421 Section 121.421 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION... § 121.421 Flight attendants: Initial and transition ground training. (a) Initial and transition ground... equipment and the controls for cabin heat and ventilation. (b) Initial and transition ground training for...

Powered ankle-foot prosthesis to assist level-ground and stair-descent gaits.

PubMed

Au, Samuel; Berniker, Max; Herr, Hugh

2008-05-01

The human ankle varies impedance and delivers net positive work during the stance period of walking. In contrast, commercially available ankle-foot prostheses are passive during stance, causing many clinical problems for transtibial amputees, including non-symmetric gait patterns, higher gait metabolism, and poorer shock absorption. In this investigation, we develop and evaluate a myoelectric-driven, finite state controller for a powered ankle-foot prosthesis that modulates both impedance and power output during stance. The system employs both sensory inputs measured local to the external prosthesis, and myoelectric inputs measured from residual limb muscles. Using local prosthetic sensing, we first develop two finite state controllers to produce biomimetic movement patterns for level-ground and stair-descent gaits. We then employ myoelectric signals as control commands to manage the transition between these finite state controllers. To transition from level-ground to stairs, the amputee flexes the gastrocnemius muscle, triggering the prosthetic ankle to plantar flex at terminal swing, and initiating the stair-descent state machine algorithm. To transition back to level-ground walking, the amputee flexes the tibialis anterior muscle, triggering the ankle to remain dorsiflexed at terminal swing, and initiating the level-ground state machine algorithm. As a preliminary evaluation of clinical efficacy, we test the device on a transtibial amputee with both the proposed controller and a conventional passive-elastic control. We find that the amputee can robustly transition between the finite state controllers through direct muscle activation, allowing rapid transitioning from level-ground to stair walking patterns. Additionally, we find that the proposed finite state controllers result in a more biomimetic ankle response, producing net propulsive work during level-ground walking and greater shock absorption during stair descent. The results of this study highlight the potential of prosthetic leg controllers that exploit neural signals to trigger terrain-appropriate, local prosthetic leg behaviors.

Below-ground herbivory in natural communities: a review emphasizing fossorial animals

USGS Publications Warehouse

Andersen, Douglas C.

1987-01-01

Roots, bulbs, corms, and other below-ground organs are almost universally present in communities containing vascular plants. A large and taxonomically diverse group of herbivores uses these below-ground plant parts as its sole or primary source of food. Important within this group are plant-parasitic nematodes and several fossorial taxa that affect plants through their soil-disturbing activities as well as by consuming plant tissue. The fossorial taxa are probably best exemplified by fossorial rodents, which are distributed on all continents except Australia. All other fossorial herbivores are insects. The impact of below-groud herbivory on individual plant fitness will depend upon the extent to which, and under what circumstances, the consumption of plant tissue disrupts one or more of the six functions of below-ground plant parts. Below-ground herbivory is probably more often chronic than acute. Indirect evidence suggests that plants have responded evolutionarily to herbivory by enhancing the functional capacities of below-ground organs, thus developing a degree of tolerance, and by producing compounds that serve as feeding deterrents. Many plant species respond to the removal of root tissues by increasing the growth rate of the remaining roots and initiating new roots. Soil movement and mixing by fossorial rodents infleuce the environment of other below-ground herbivores as well as that of plants and plant propagules. The relationships among the various groups of below-ground herbivores, and between below-ground herbivores and plants, are at best poorly known, yet they appear to have major roles in determining the structure and regulating the functioning of natural communities.

Characterizing the sources, range, and environmental influences of radon 222 and its decay products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nero, A. V.; Sextro, R. G.; Doyle, S. M.; Moed, B. A.; Nazaroff, W. W.; Revzan, K. L.; Schwehr, M. B.

1985-06-01

Recent results from our group directly assist efforts to identify and control excessive concentrations of radon 222 and its decay products in residential environments. We have demonstrated directly the importance of pressure-induced flow of soil gas for transport of radon from the ground into houses. Analysis of available information from measurements of concentration in US homes has resulted in a quantitative appreciation of the distribution of indoor levels, including the degree of dependence on geographic location. Experiments on the effectiveness of air cleaning devices for removal of particles and radon decay products indicate the potential and limitations of this approach to control.

Feedforward neural control of toe walking in humans.

PubMed

Lorentzen, Jakob; Willerslev-Olsen, Maria; Hüche Larsen, Helle; Svane, Christian; Forman, Christian; Frisk, Rasmus; Farmer, Simon Francis; Kersting, Uwe; Nielsen, Jens Bo

2018-03-23

Activation of ankle muscles at ground contact during toe walking is unaltered when sensory feedback is blocked or the ground is suddenly dropped. Responses in the soleus muscle to transcranial magnetic stimulation, but not peripheral nerve stimulation, are facilitated at ground contact during toe walking. We argue that toe walking is supported by feedforward control at ground contact. Toe walking requires careful control of the ankle muscles in order to absorb the impact of ground contact and maintain a stable position of the joint. The present study aimed to clarify the peripheral and central neural mechanisms involved. Fifteen healthy adults walked on a treadmill (3.0 km h -1 ). Tibialis anterior (TA) and soleus (Sol) EMG, knee and ankle joint angles, and gastrocnemius-soleus muscle fascicle lengths were recorded. Peripheral and central contributions to the EMG activity were assessed by afferent blockade, H-reflex testing, transcranial magnetic brain stimulation (TMS) and sudden unloading of the planter flexor muscle-tendon complex. Sol EMG activity started prior to ground contact and remained high throughout stance. TA EMG activity, which is normally seen around ground contact during heel strike walking, was absent. Although stretch of the Achilles tendon-muscle complex was observed after ground contact, this was not associated with lengthening of the ankle plantar flexor muscle fascicles. Sol EMG around ground contact was not affected by ischaemic blockade of large-diameter sensory afferents, or the sudden removal of ground support shortly after toe contact. Soleus motor-evoked potentials elicited by TMS were facilitated immediately after ground contact, whereas Sol H-reflexes were not. These findings indicate that at the crucial time of ankle stabilization following ground contact, toe walking is governed by centrally mediated motor drive rather than sensory driven reflex mechanisms. These findings have implications for our understanding of the control of human gait during voluntary toe walking. © 2018 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2018 The Physiological Society.

Rat gestation during space flight: outcomes for dams and their offspring born after return to Earth.

PubMed

Wong, A M; DeSantis, M

1997-01-01

Sprague-Dawley rats were studied to learn whether gestation in the near-zero gravity, high radiation environment of space impacts selected mammalian postnatal events. Ten rats spent days nine to twenty of pregnancy aboard the space shuttle orbiter Atlantis (STS-66). Their movement was studied shortly after return to Earth; subsequently, several of their offspring were cross-fostered and examined through postnatal day 81 (P81) for whole body growth and somatic motor development. Values for the flight animals were compared to ground-based control groups. Relative to controls, the pregnant flight rats showed a marked paucity of locomotion during the first few hours after returning to Earth. There was greater likelihood of perinatal morbidity for the offspring of flight dams when compared to the control groups. Whole body weight of surviving offspring, averaged for each group separately, showed typical sigmoidal growth curves when plotted against postnatal age. The flight group for our study had a larger ratio of female to male pups, and that was sufficient to account for the lower average daily weight gained by the flight animals when compared to the control groups. Walking was universally achieved by P13 and preceded eye opening, which was complete in all pups by P17. Thus, both of these developmental horizons were attained on schedule in the flight as well as the control rats. Characteristic changes were observed in hind limb step length and gait width as the pups grew. These patterns occurred at the same time in each group of rats. Therefore, prenatal space flight from days nine to twenty of gestation did not interfere with the establishment of normal patterns for hind paw placement during walking.

Rat Gestation During Space Flight: Outcomes for Dams and Their Offspring Born After Return to Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Andre M.; DeSantis, Mark

1997-01-01

Sprague-Dawley rats were studied to learn whether gestation in the near-zero gravity, high radiation environment of space impacts selected mammalian postnatal events. Ten rats spent days nine to twenty of pregnancy aboard the space shuttle orbiter Atlantis (STS-66). Their movement was studied shortly after return to Earth; subsequently, several of their offspring were cross-fostered and examined through postnatal day 81 (P81) for whole body growth and somatic motor development. Values for the flight animals were compared to ground-based control groups. Relative to controls, the pregnant flight rats showed a marked paucity of locomotion during the first few hours after returning to Earth. There was greater likelihood of perinatal morbidity for the offspring of flight dams when compared to the control groups. Whole body weight of surviving offspring, averaged for each group separately, showed typical sigmoidal growth curves when plotted against postnatal age. The flight group for our study had a larger ratio of female to male pups, and that was sufficient to account for the lower average daily weight gained by the flight animals when compared to the control groups. Walking was universally achieved by P13 and preceded eye opening, which was complete in all pups by P17. Thus, both of these developmental horizons were attained on schedule in the flight as well as the control rats. Characteristic changes were observed in hind limb step length and gait width as the pups grew. These patterns occurred at the same time in each group of rats. Therefore, prenatal space flight from days nine to twenty of gestation did not interfere with the establishment of normal patterns for hind paw placement during walking.

Cosmic Ray Energetics and Mass (CREAM)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coutu, Stephane

2005-01-01

The CREAM instrument was flown on a Long Duration Balloon in Antarctica in December 2004 and January 2005, achieving a flight duration record of nearly 42 days. It detected and recorded cosmic ray primary particles ranging in type from hydrogen to iron nuclei and in energy from 1 TeV to several hundred TeV. With the data collected we will have the world's best measurement of the energy spectra and mass composition of nuclei in the primary cosmic ray flux at these energies, close to the astrophysical knee . The instrument utilized a thin calorimeter, a transition radiation detector and a timing charge detector, which also provided time-of-flight information. The responsibilities of our group have been with the timing charge detector (TCD), and with the data acquisition electronics and ground station support equipment. The TCD utilized fast scintillators to measure the charge of the primary cosmic ray before any interactions could take place within the calorimeter. The data acquisition electronics handled the output of the various detectors, in a fashion fully integrated with the payload bus. A space-qualified flight computer controlled the acquisition, and was used for preliminary trigger information processing and decision making. Ground support equipment was used to monitor the health of the payload, acquire and archive the data transmitted to the ground, and to provide real-time control of the instrument in flight.

Spacelab

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-01-01

This photograph shows activities during the International Microgravity Laboratory-1 (IML-1) mission (STS-42) in the Payload Operations Control Center (POCC) at the Marshall Space Flight Center. Members of the Fluid Experiment System (FES) group monitor the progress of their experiment through video at the POCC. The IML-1 mission was the first in a series of Shuttle flights dedicated to fundamental materials and life sciences research. The mission was to explore, in depth, the complex effects of weightlessness on living organisms and materials processing. The crew conducted experiments on the human nervous system's adaptation to low gravity and the effects on other life forms such as shrimp eggs, lentil seedlings, fruit fly eggs, and bacteria. Low gravity materials processing experiments included crystal growth from a variety of substances such as enzymes, mercury, iodine, and virus. The International space science research organizations that participated in this mission were: The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administion, the European Space Agency, the Canadian Space Agency, the French National Center for Space Studies, the German Space Agency, and the National Space Development Agency of Japan. The POCC was the air/ground communication charnel used between astronauts aboard the Spacelab and scientists, researchers, and ground control teams during the Spacelab missions. The facility made instantaneous video and audio communications possible for scientists on the ground to follow the progress and to send direct commands of their research almost as if they were in space with the crew.

Surge current and electron swarm tunnel tests of thermal blanket and ground strap materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffmaster, D. K.; Inouye, G. T.; Sellen, J. M., Jr.

1977-01-01

The results are described of a series of current conduction tests with a thermal control blanket to which grounding straps have been attached. The material and the ground strap attachment procedure are described. The current conduction tests consisted of a surge current examination of the ground strap and a dilute flow, energetic electron deposition and transport through the bulk of the insulating film of this thermal blanket material. Both of these test procedures were used previously with thermal control blanket materials.

SUPERFUND GROUNDWATER ISSUE - FACILITATED TRANSPORT

EPA Science Inventory

The Regional Superfund Ground Water Forum is a group of ground-water scientists representing EPA's Regional Superfund Offices, organized to exchange up to date information related to ground-water remediation at Superfund sites. Facilitated transport is an issue identified by the ...

Genetic models in applied physiology: selected contribution: effects of spaceflight on immunity in the C57BL/6 mouse. II. Activation, cytokines, erythrocytes, and platelets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gridley, Daila S.; Nelson, Gregory A.; Peters, Luanne L.; Kostenuik, Paul J.; Bateman, Ted A.; Morony, Sean; Stodieck, Louis S.; Lacey, David L.; Simske, Steven J.; Pecaut, Michael J.

2003-01-01

This portion of the study quantified the effects of a 12-day space shuttle mission (Space Transport System-108/UF-1) on body and lymphoid organ masses, activation marker expression, cytokine secretion, and erythrocyte and thrombocyte characteristics in C57BL/6 mice. Animals in flight (Flt group) had 10-12% lower body mass compared with ground controls housed either in animal enclosure modules or under standard vivarium conditions (P < 0.001) and the smallest thymus and spleen masses. Percentages of CD25(+) lymphocytes, CD3(+)/CD25(+) T cells, and NK1.1(+)/CD25(+) natural killer cells from Flt mice were higher compared with both controls (P < 0.05). In contrast, CD71 expression was depressed in the Flt and animal enclosure module control mice compared with vivarium control animals (P < 0.001). Secretion of interferon-gamma, IL-2, and IL-4, but not tumor necrosis factor-alpha and IL-5, by splenocytes from Flt mice was decreased relative to either one or both ground controls (P < 0.05). Flt mice also had high red blood cell and thrombocyte counts compared with both sets of controls; low red blood cell volume and distribution width, percentage of reticulocytes, and platelet volume were also noted (P < 0.05) and were consistent with dehydration. These data indicate that relatively short exposure to the spaceflight environment can induce profound changes that may become significant during long-term space missions.

Response analysis of curved bridge with unseating failure control system under near-fault ground motions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, Ye; Sun, Guangjun; Li, Hongjing

2018-01-01

Under the action of near-fault ground motions, curved bridges are prone to pounding, local damage of bridge components and even unseating. A multi-scale fine finite element model of a typical three-span curved bridge is established by considering the elastic-plastic behavior of piers and pounding effect of adjacent girders. The nonlinear time-history method is used to study the seismic response of the curved bridge equipped with unseating failure control system under the action of near-fault ground motion. An in-depth analysis is carried to evaluate the control effect of the proposed unseating failure control system. The research results indicate that under the near-fault ground motion, the seismic response of the curved bridge is strong. The unseating failure control system perform effectively to reduce the pounding force of the adjacent girders and the probability of deck unseating.

Cavity as a Source of Conformational Fluctuation and High-Energy State: High-Pressure NMR Study of a Cavity-Enlarged Mutant of T4Lysozyme

PubMed Central

Maeno, Akihiro; Sindhikara, Daniel; Hirata, Fumio; Otten, Renee; Dahlquist, Frederick W.; Yokoyama, Shigeyuki; Akasaka, Kazuyuki; Mulder, Frans A.A.; Kitahara, Ryo

2015-01-01

Although the structure, function, conformational dynamics, and controlled thermodynamics of proteins are manifested by their corresponding amino acid sequences, the natural rules for molecular design and their corresponding interplay remain obscure. In this study, we focused on the role of internal cavities of proteins in conformational dynamics. We investigated the pressure-induced responses from the cavity-enlarged L99A mutant of T4 lysozyme, using high-pressure NMR spectroscopy. The signal intensities of the methyl groups in the 1H/13C heteronuclear single quantum correlation spectra, particularly those around the enlarged cavity, decreased with the increasing pressure, and disappeared at 200 MPa, without the appearance of new resonances, thus indicating the presence of heterogeneous conformations around the cavity within the ground state ensemble. Above 200 MPa, the signal intensities of >20 methyl groups gradually decreased with the increasing pressure, without the appearance of new resonances. Interestingly, these residues closely matched those sensing a large conformational change between the ground- and high-energy states, at atmospheric pressure. 13C and 1H NMR line-shape simulations showed that the pressure-induced loss in the peak intensity could be explained by the increase in the high-energy state population. In this high-energy state, the aromatic side chain of F114 gets flipped into the enlarged cavity. The accommodation of the phenylalanine ring into the efficiently packed cavity may decrease the partial molar volume of the high-energy state, relative to the ground state. We suggest that the enlarged cavity is involved in the conformational transition to high-energy states and in the volume fluctuation of the ground state. PMID:25564860

Cavity as a source of conformational fluctuation and high-energy state: high-pressure NMR study of a cavity-enlarged mutant of T4 lysozyme.

PubMed

Maeno, Akihiro; Sindhikara, Daniel; Hirata, Fumio; Otten, Renee; Dahlquist, Frederick W; Yokoyama, Shigeyuki; Akasaka, Kazuyuki; Mulder, Frans A A; Kitahara, Ryo

2015-01-06

Although the structure, function, conformational dynamics, and controlled thermodynamics of proteins are manifested by their corresponding amino acid sequences, the natural rules for molecular design and their corresponding interplay remain obscure. In this study, we focused on the role of internal cavities of proteins in conformational dynamics. We investigated the pressure-induced responses from the cavity-enlarged L99A mutant of T4 lysozyme, using high-pressure NMR spectroscopy. The signal intensities of the methyl groups in the (1)H/(13)C heteronuclear single quantum correlation spectra, particularly those around the enlarged cavity, decreased with the increasing pressure, and disappeared at 200 MPa, without the appearance of new resonances, thus indicating the presence of heterogeneous conformations around the cavity within the ground state ensemble. Above 200 MPa, the signal intensities of >20 methyl groups gradually decreased with the increasing pressure, without the appearance of new resonances. Interestingly, these residues closely matched those sensing a large conformational change between the ground- and high-energy states, at atmospheric pressure. (13)C and (1)H NMR line-shape simulations showed that the pressure-induced loss in the peak intensity could be explained by the increase in the high-energy state population. In this high-energy state, the aromatic side chain of F114 gets flipped into the enlarged cavity. The accommodation of the phenylalanine ring into the efficiently packed cavity may decrease the partial molar volume of the high-energy state, relative to the ground state. We suggest that the enlarged cavity is involved in the conformational transition to high-energy states and in the volume fluctuation of the ground state. Copyright © 2015 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Variable Cadence Walking and Ground Adaptive Standing with a Powered Ankle Prosthesis

PubMed Central

Shultz, Amanda H.; Lawson, Brian E.; Goldfarb, Michael

2015-01-01

Abstract This paper describes a control approach that provides walking and standing functionality for a powered ankle prosthesis, and demonstrates the efficacy of the approach in experiments in which a unilateral transtibial amputee subject walks with the prosthesis at variable cadences, and stands on various slopes. Both controllers incorporate a finite-state structure that emulates healthy ankle joint behavior via a series of piecewise passive impedance functions. The walking controller incorporates an algorithm to modify impedance parameters based on estimated cadence, while the standing controller incorporates an algorithm to modulate the ankle equilibrium angle in order to adapt to the ground slope and user posture, and the supervisory controller selects between the walking and standing controllers. The system is shown to reproduce several essential biomechanical features of the healthy joint during walking, particularly relative to a passive prosthesis, and is shown to adapt to variable cadences. The system is also shown to adapt to slopes over a range of ± 15 deg and to provide support to the user in a manner that is biomimetic, as validated by quasi-static stiffness measurements recorded by the prosthesis. Data from standing trials indicate that the user places more weight on the powered prosthesis than on his passive prosthesis when standing on sloped surfaces, particularly at angles of 10 deg or greater. The authors also demonstrated that the prosthesis typically began providing support within 1 s of initial contact with the ground. Further, the supervisory controller was shown to be effective in switching between walking and standing, as well as in determining ground slope just prior to the transition from the standing controller to the walking controller, where the estimated ground slope was within 1.25 deg of the actual ground slope for all trials. PMID:25955789

49 CFR 236.2 - Grounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., single-break, signal control circuits using a grounded common, and alternating current power distribution...) Alternating current power distribution circuits that are grounded in the interest of safety. ...

A simple strategy for jumping straight up.

PubMed

Hemami, Hooshang; Wyman, Bostwick F

2012-05-01

Jumping from a stationary standing position into the air is a transition from a constrained motion in contact with the ground to an unconstrained system not in contact with the ground. A simple case of the jump, as it applies to humans, robots and humanoids, is studied in this paper. The dynamics of the constrained rigid body are expanded to define a larger system that accommodates the jump. The formulation is applied to a four-link, three-dimensional system in order to articulate the ballistic motion involved. The activity of the muscular system and the role of the major sagittal muscle groups are demonstrated. The control strategy, involving state feedback and central feed forward signals, is formulated and computer simulations are presented to assess the feasibility of the formulations, the strategy and the jump. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ames life science telescience testbed evaluation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haines, Richard F.; Johnson, Vicki; Vogelsong, Kristofer H.; Froloff, Walt

1989-01-01

Eight surrogate spaceflight mission specialists participated in a real-time evaluation of remote coaching using the Ames Life Science Telescience Testbed facility. This facility consisted of three remotely located nodes: (1) a prototype Space Station glovebox; (2) a ground control station; and (3) a principal investigator's (PI) work area. The major objective of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of telescience techniques and hardware to support three realistic remote coaching science procedures: plant seed germinator charging, plant sample acquisition and preservation, and remote plant observation with ground coaching. Each scenario was performed by a subject acting as flight mission specialist, interacting with a payload operations manager and a principal investigator expert. All three groups were physically isolated from each other yet linked by duplex audio and color video communication channels and networked computer workstations. Workload ratings were made by the flight and ground crewpersons immediately after completing their assigned tasks. Time to complete each scientific procedural step was recorded automatically. Two expert observers also made performance ratings and various error assessments. The results are presented and discussed.

Phase diagram of the quantum Ising model with long-range interactions on an infinite-cylinder triangular lattice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saadatmand, S. N.; Bartlett, S. D.; McCulloch, I. P.

2018-04-01

Obtaining quantitative ground-state behavior for geometrically-frustrated quantum magnets with long-range interactions is challenging for numerical methods. Here, we demonstrate that the ground states of these systems on two-dimensional lattices can be efficiently obtained using state-of-the-art translation-invariant variants of matrix product states and density-matrix renormalization-group algorithms. We use these methods to calculate the fully-quantitative ground-state phase diagram of the long-range interacting triangular Ising model with a transverse field on six-leg infinite-length cylinders and scrutinize the properties of the detected phases. We compare these results with those of the corresponding nearest neighbor model. Our results suggest that, for such long-range Hamiltonians, the long-range quantum fluctuations always lead to long-range correlations, where correlators exhibit power-law decays instead of the conventional exponential drops observed for short-range correlated gapped phases. Our results are relevant for comparisons with recent ion-trap quantum simulator experiments that demonstrate highly-controllable long-range spin couplings for several hundred ions.

Functional Responses and Resilience of Boreal Forest Ecosystem after Reduction of Deer Density

PubMed Central

Bachand, Marianne; Pellerin, Stéphanie; Moretti, Marco; Aubin, Isabelle; Tremblay, Jean-Pierre; Côté, Steeve D.; Poulin, Monique

2014-01-01

The functional trait-based approach is increasingly used to predict responses of ecological communities to disturbances, but most studies target a single taxonomic group. Here, we assessed the resilience of a forest ecosystem to an overabundant herbivore population by assessing changes in 19 functional traits for plant, 13 traits for ground beetle and 16 traits for songbird communities after six years of controlled browsing on Anticosti Island (Quebec, Canada). Our results indicated that plants were more responsive to 6 years of reduced browsing pressure than ground beetles and songbirds. However, co-inertia analysis revealed that ground beetle communities responded in a similar way than plant communities with stronger relationships between plant and ground beetle traits at reduced deer density, a pattern not detected between plant and songbird. High deer density favored plants species that reproduce vegetatively and with abiotic pollination and seed dispersal, traits implying little interaction with animal. On the other hand, traits found at reduced deer density mostly involved trophic interaction. For example, plants in this treatment had fleshy fruits and large seeds dispersed by birds or other animals whereas ground beetle species were carnivorous. Overall, our results suggest that plant communities recovered some functional components to overabundant herbivore populations, since most traits associated with undisturbed forests were reestablished after six years of deer reduction. The re-establishment of functional plant communities with traits involving trophic interaction induces changes in the ground-beetle trait community, but forest structure remains likely insufficiently heterogeneous to shift the songbird trait community within six years. PMID:24587362

Round-bale feeder design affects hay waste and economics during horse feeding.

PubMed

Martinson, K; Wilson, J; Cleary, K; Lazarus, W; Thomas, W; Hathaway, M

2012-03-01

Many horse owners find round bales convenient, less labor intensive, and more affordable than other hay types, but report an inability to control horse BW gain and excessive hay waste. The objectives were to compare hay waste, hay intake, and payback of 9 round-bale feeders and a no-feeder control when used during horse feeding. Nine round-bale feeders were tested: Cinch Net, Cone, Covered Cradle, Hayhut, Hay Sleigh, Ring, Tombstone, Tombstone Saver, and Waste Less. Each feeder design was placed on the ground in a dirt paddock. Five groups of 5 horses were fed in rotation for a 4-d period with each feeder. Every fourth day, groups were rotated among paddocks and a new round bale was placed in each feeder. In the 5 paddocks used, 5 feeders were installed for d 1 through 20, and the remaining 4 feeders and no-feeder control were installed for d 21 through 40. Groups of horses were sequentially assigned to feeders using two 5 × 5 Latin squares, the first for d 1 through 20, the second for d 21 through 40. Horse groups of similar age, BW, breed, and sex were formed from 25 Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred geldings and open mares (means: 11 yr; 541 kg of BW). Hay on the ground surrounding the feeder was collected daily, dried, and weighed. The total amount of hay removed around each feeder for a 4-d period was considered waste. Dry matter intake was estimated as the difference between hay disappearance and waste. Number of months for the reduction in waste to repay feeder cost (payback) were calculated using hay valued at $110/t, and improved feeder efficiency over the control. Feeder design did not affect hay intake (P > 0.05); all feeders resulted in an estimated hay intake of 2.0 to 2.4% BW; the no-feeder control resulted in a reduced intake of 1.3% BW (P = 0.001). Mean percentage of hay waste differed among feeders (P < 0.001): Waste Less, 5%; Cinch Net, 6%; Hayhut, 9%; Covered Cradle, 11%; Tombstone Saver, 13%; Tombstone, Cone, and Ring, 19%; Hay Sleigh, 33%; and no-feeder control, 57%. Feeder design also affected payback (P < 0.01). The Cinch Net paid for itself in less than 1 mo; Tombstone and Ring, 2 mo; Hayhut and Tombstone Saver, 4 mo; Hay Sleigh, 5 mo; Waste Less, 8 mo; Cone, 9 mo; and Covered Cradle, 20 mo. Round-bale feeder design affected hay waste and payback, but not estimated hay intake or BW change during horse feeding.

Comparison of in-flight and ground-based simulator derived flying qualities and pilot performance for approach and landing tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grantham, William D.; Williams, Robert H.

1987-01-01

For the case of an approach-and-landing piloting task emphasizing response to the landing flare, pilot opinion and performance parameters derived from jet transport aircraft six-degree-of-freedom ground-based and in-flight simulators were compared in order to derive data for the flight-controls/flying-qualities engineers. The data thus obtained indicate that ground simulation results tend to be conservative, and that the effect of control sensitivity is more pronounced for ground simulation. The pilot also has a greater tendency to generate pilot-induced oscillation in ground-based simulation than in flight.

Motion Imagery and Robotics Application (MIRA)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martinez, Lindolfo; Rich, Thomas

2011-01-01

Objectives include: I. Prototype a camera service leveraging the CCSDS Integrated protocol stack (MIRA/SM&C/AMS/DTN): a) CCSDS MIRA Service (New). b) Spacecraft Monitor and Control (SM&C). c) Asynchronous Messaging Service (AMS). d) Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN). II. Additional MIRA Objectives: a) Demo of Camera Control through ISS using CCSDS protocol stack (Berlin, May 2011). b) Verify that the CCSDS standards stack can provide end-to-end space camera services across ground and space environments. c) Test interoperability of various CCSDS protocol standards. d) Identify overlaps in the design and implementations of the CCSDS protocol standards. e) Identify software incompatibilities in the CCSDS stack interfaces. f) Provide redlines to the SM&C, AMS, and DTN working groups. d) Enable the CCSDS MIRA service for potential use in ISS Kibo camera commanding. e) Assist in long-term evolution of this entire group of CCSDS standards to TRL 6 or greater.

Intergenerational volunteering and quality of life: mixed methods evaluation of a randomized control trial involving persons with mild to moderate dementia.

PubMed

George, Daniel R

2011-09-01

This article reports on a mixed methods evaluation of a randomized control trial in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, that assessed whether an intergenerational volunteering intervention could enhance quality of life (QOL) for persons with mild to moderate dementia. Fifteen participants were randomized into intervention and control groups. The intervention group participated in hour-long volunteer sessions with a kindergarten class and an older elementary class in alternating weeks over a 5-month interval. Psychometric data on cognitive functioning, stress, depression, sense of purpose, and sense of usefulness were collected at baseline and at the close of the intervention, and change scores were computed and analyzed for all variables. Ethnography was carried out through the duration of the study, and narrative interviews were held with participants and caregivers. A modified grounded theory approach was used for qualitative analysis. Quantitative analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in stress for the intervention group. Qualitative analysis identified three main pathways through which intergenerational volunteering affected QOL: perceived health benefits, sense of purpose and sense of usefulness, and relationships. Mixed methods evaluation demonstrated that intergenerational volunteering might enhance quality of life through several key pathways, most significantly reduced stress.

Computerized progressive attentional training (CPAT) program: effective direct intervention for children with ADHD.

PubMed

Shalev, Lilach; Tsal, Yehoshua; Mevorach, Carmel

2007-07-01

We tested the efficacy of a pioneering intervention program grounded in a contemporary theoretical framework of attention and designed to directly improve the various attentional functions of children with ADHD. The computerized progressive attentional training (CPAT) program is composed of four sets of structured tasks that uniquely activate sustained attention, selective attention, orienting of attention, and executive attention. Performance was driven by tight schedules of feedback and participants automatically advanced in ordered levels of difficulty contingent upon performance. Twenty 6- to 13-year-old children with ADHD were assigned to the experimental group and received the CPAT sessions twice a week over an 8-week period. Sixteen age-matched control children with ADHD were assigned to the control group and participated in sessions of the same frequency, length, and format except that instead of performing the training tasks they played various computer games during the session. The experimental participants showed a significant improvement in nontrained measures of reading comprehension, and passage copying as well as a significant reduction of parents' reports of inattentiveness. No significant improvements were observed in the control group. We thus concluded that the above academic and attentional improvements were primarily due to the CPAT.

Effect of prematurity and low birth weight in visual abilities and school performance.

PubMed

Perez-Roche, T; Altemir, I; Giménez, G; Prieto, E; González, I; Peña-Segura, J L; Castillo, O; Pueyo, V

2016-12-01

Prematurity and low birth weight are known risk factors for cognitive and developmental impairments, and school failure. Visual perceptual and visual motor skills seem to be among the most affected cognitive domains in these children. To assess the influence of prematurity and low birth weight in visual cognitive skills and school performance. We performed a prospective cohort study, which included 80 boys and girls in an age range from 5 to 13. Subjects were grouped by gestational age at birth (preterm, <37 weeks; term, 37-42 weeks) and birth weight (small for gestational age (SGA), <10th centile; appropriate weight for gestational age (AGA), ≥10th centile). Each child underwent full ophthalmologic assessment and standardized testing of visual cognitive abilities (Test of Visual Perceptual Skills and Test of Visual Analysis Skills). Parents completed a questionnaire on school performance in children. Figure-ground skill and visual motor integration were significantly decreased in the preterm birth group, compared with term control subjects (figure-ground: 45.7 vs 66.5, p=0.012; visual motor integration, TVAS: (9.9 vs 11.8, p=0.018), while outcomes of visual memory (29.0 vs 47.7, p=0.012), form constancy (33.3 vs 52.8, p=0.019), figure-ground (37.4 vs 65.6, p=0.001), and visual closure (43.7 vs 62.6 p=0.016) testing were lower in the SGA (vs AGA) group. Visual cognitive difficulties corresponded with worse performance in mathematics (r=0.414, p=0.004) and reading (r=0.343, p=0.018). Specific patterns of visual perceptual and visual motor deficits are displayed by children born preterm or SGA, which hinder mathematics and reading performance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A new procedure for processing extracted teeth for immediate grafting in post-extraction sockets. An experimental study in American Fox Hound dogs.

PubMed

Calvo-Guirado, José Luis; Cegarra Del Pino, Pilar; Sapoznikov, Lari; Delgado Ruiz, Rafael Arcesio; Fernández-Domínguez, Manuel; Gehrke, Sérgio Alexandre

2018-05-01

To investigate freshly extracted dental particulate used to graft post-extraction sockets in dogs, comparing new bone formation at experimental and control sites. Bilateral premolars P2, P3, P4 and first mandibular molars were extracted atraumatically from six American Fox Hound dogs. The teeth were ground immediately using a 'Smart Dentin Grinder'. The dentin particulate was sieved to ensure a grain size of 300-1200μm and immersed in an alcohol cleanser to dissolve organic debris and bacteria, followed by washing in sterile saline buffer solution. The animals were divided into two groups randomly: group 'A' (control) samples were left to heal without any extraction socket grafting procedure; group 'B' (experimental) sockets were filled with the autogenous dentin particulate graft. The rate of tissue healing and the quantity of bone formation were evaluated using histological and histomorphometric analyses at 60 and 90 days post-grafting. The type of bone generated was categorized as woven (immature bone) or lamellar bone (mature bone). Substantially more bone formation was found in Group B (experimental) than Group A (control) at 60 and 90 days (p<0.05). Less immature bone was identified in the dentin grafted group (25.7%) than the control group (5.9%). Similar differences were also observed at 90 days post grafting. Autogenous dentin particulate grafted immediately after extractions may be considered a useful biomaterial for socket preservation, protecting both buccal and lingual plates, generating large amounts of new woven bone formation after 60 days, and small amounts of lamellar bone after 90 days healing. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Effects of satellite transmitters on captive and wild mallards

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kesler, Dylan C.; Raedeke, Andrew H.; Foggia, Jennifer R.; Beatty, William S.; Webb, Elisabeth B.; Humburg, Dale D.; Naylor, Luke W.

2014-01-01

Satellite telemetry has become a leading method for studying large-scale movements and survival in birds, yet few have addressed potential effects of the larger and heavier tracking equipment on study subjects. We simultaneously evaluated effects of satellite telemetry equipment on captive and wild mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) to assess impacts on behavior, body mass, and movement. We randomly assigned 55 captive ducks to one of 3 treatment groups, including a standard body harness group, a modified harness group, and a control group. Ducks in the control group were not fitted with equipment, whereas individuals in the other 2 groups were fitted with dummy transmitters attached with a Teflon ribbon harness or with a similar harness constructed of nylon cord. At the conclusion of the 14-week captive study, mean body mass of birds in the control group was 40–105 g (95% CI) greater than birds with standard harnesses, and 28–99 g (95% CI) greater than birds with modified harnesses. Further, results of focal behavior observations indicated ducks with transmitters were less likely to be in water than control birds. We also tested whether movements of wild birds marked with a similar Teflon harness satellite transmitter aligned with population movements reported by on-the-ground observers who indexed local abundances of mid-continent mallards throughout the non-breeding period. Results indicated birds marked with satellite transmitters moved concurrently with the larger unmarked population. Our results have broad implications for field research and suggest that investigators should consider potential for physiological and behavioral effects brought about by tracking equipment. Nonetheless, results from wild ducks indicate satellite telemetry has the potential to provide useful movement data.

[Assemblage effect of ground arthropod community in desert steppe shrubs with different ages].

PubMed

Liu, Ren-Tao; Zhu, Fan; Chai, Yong-Qing

2014-01-01

Taking the 6-, 15-, 24- and 36-year-old Caragana intermedia shrubs in desert steppe as a subject, an investigation on soil properties and ground arthropod community was carried out under the shrub and in the open to probe into the assemblage effect of ground arthropod community in desert steppe shrubs with different ages. The results were as follows: 1) In the 6-year-old shrubland, significant differences were only found in soil physical properties (soil texture, soil moisture and electrical conductivity) between the microhabitats under shrub and in the open. Beginning from the 15-year-old shrubland, however, soil organic matter and nutrition (N, P) increased significantly. 2) A total of 27 groups were captured in the studied sites which dominated by Carabidae, Tenebrionidae and Formicidae. From 6- to 15-year-old shrubland, the number of dominant groups decreased while that of common groups increased for the ground arthropod community under the shrub. From 15- to 24- and 36-year-old shrubland, the difference between the microhabitats under the shrub and in the open decreased firstly, and then increased. Some special groups appeared under the shrub in the 36-year-old shrubland, and dung beetles became dominant. 3) In the 6- and 24-year-old shrublands, there were no significant differences in group richness, abundance, and diversity index between the microhabitats under the shrub and in the open. As for the 15- and 36-year-old shrublands, however, significant differences were observed. 4) The shrub age had a stronger effect on the distribution of ground arthropods living under the shrubs compared to that in the open. The changes in soil texture, pH and electrical conductivity could significantly influence on the distribution of ground arthropods under the shrub, also in the open to some degree. It was suggested that the development of shrubland had strong impact on assemblage effect of ground arthropods, which was closely correlated with the stand age and would affect the recovery of sandy grassland ecosystems.

Logical Connectors, Grounding and Cognition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Rong

1991-01-01

Study of a group of logical connectors in English demonstrates how the meanings of those connectors signal the grounding of the clauses they introduce in absolute terms, unlike other linguistic means of grounding performed by tense, aspect, mood, voice, or verbal categories. (14 references) (Author/CB)

47 CFR 87.349 - Frequencies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... for ground vehicle identification and collision avoidance; (3) No more than two hundred 1090 MHz... utility station at an airport served by a control tower, RCO or FAA flight service station is the frequency used by the control tower for ground traffic control or by the flight service station for...

Configurable technology development for reusable control and monitor ground systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Uhrlaub, David R.

1994-01-01

The control monitor unit (CMU) uses configurable software technology for real-time mission command and control, telemetry processing, simulation, data acquisition, data archiving, and ground operations automation. The base technology is currently planned for the following control and monitor systems: portable Space Station checkout systems; ecological life support systems; Space Station logistics carrier system; and the ground system of the Delta Clipper (SX-2) in the Single-Stage Rocket Technology program. The CMU makes extensive use of commercial technology to increase capability and reduce development and life-cycle costs. The concepts and technology are being developed by McDonnell Douglas Space and Defense Systems for the Real-Time Systems Laboratory at NASA's Kennedy Space Center under the Payload Ground Operations Contract. A second function of the Real-Time Systems Laboratory is development and utilization of advanced software development practices.

Study protocol to examine the effects of spaceflight and a spaceflight analog on neurocognitive performance: extent, longevity, and neural bases

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Long duration spaceflight (i.e., 22 days or longer) has been associated with changes in sensorimotor systems, resulting in difficulties that astronauts experience with posture control, locomotion, and manual control. The microgravity environment is an important causal factor for spaceflight induced sensorimotor changes. Whether spaceflight also affects other central nervous system functions such as cognition is yet largely unknown, but of importance in consideration of the health and performance of crewmembers both in- and post-flight. We are therefore conducting a controlled prospective longitudinal study to investigate the effects of spaceflight on the extent, longevity and neural bases of sensorimotor and cognitive performance changes. Here we present the protocol of our study. Methods/design This study includes three groups (astronauts, bed rest subjects, ground-based control subjects) for which each the design is single group with repeated measures. The effects of spaceflight on the brain will be investigated in astronauts who will be assessed at two time points pre-, at three time points during-, and at four time points following a spaceflight mission of six months. To parse out the effect of microgravity from the overall effects of spaceflight, we investigate the effects of seventy days head-down tilted bed rest. Bed rest subjects will be assessed at two time points before-, two time points during-, and three time points post-bed rest. A third group of ground based controls will be measured at four time points to assess reliability of our measures over time. For all participants and at all time points, except in flight, measures of neurocognitive performance, fine motor control, gait, balance, structural MRI (T1, DTI), task fMRI, and functional connectivity MRI will be obtained. In flight, astronauts will complete some of the tasks that they complete pre- and post flight, including tasks measuring spatial working memory, sensorimotor adaptation, and fine motor performance. Potential changes over time and associations between cognition, motor-behavior, and brain structure and function will be analyzed. Discussion This study explores how spaceflight induced brain changes impact functional performance. This understanding could aid in the design of targeted countermeasures to mitigate the negative effects of long-duration spaceflight. PMID:24350728

Advanced Ground Systems Maintenance Cryogenics Test Lab Control System Upgrade Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harp, Janice Leshay

2014-01-01

This project will outfit the Simulated Propellant Loading System (SPLS) at KSC's Cryogenics Test Laboratory with a new programmable logic control system. The control system upgrade enables the Advanced Ground Systems Maintenace Element Integration Team and other users of the SPLS to conduct testing in a controls environment similar to that used at the launch pad.

Application of Artificial Thunderstorm Cells for the Investigation of Lightning Initiation Problems between a Thundercloud and the Ground

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Temnikov, A. G.; Chernensky, L. L.; Orlov, A. V.; Lysov, N. Y.; Zhuravkova, D. S.; Belova, O. S.; Gerastenok, T. K.

2017-12-01

The results of the experimental application of artificial thunderstorm cells of negative and positive polarities for the investigation of the lightning initiation problems between the thundercloud and the ground using model hydrometeor arrays are presented. Possible options of the initiation and development of a discharge between the charged cloud and the ground in the presence of model hydrometeors are established. It is experimentally shown that groups of large hydrometeors of various shapes significantly increase the probability of channel discharge initiation between the artificial thunderstorm cell and the ground, especially in the case of positive polarity of the cloud. The authors assume that large hail arrays in the thundercloud can initiate the preliminary breakdown stage in the lower part of the thundercloud or initiate and stimulate the propagation of positive lightning from its upper part. A significant effect of the shape of model hydrometeors and the way they are grouped on the processes of initiation and stimulation of the channel discharge propagation in the artificial thunderstorm cell of negative or positive polarity-ground gap is experimentally established. It is found that, in the case of negative polarity of a charged cloud, the group of conductive cylindrical hydrometeors connected by a dielectric string more effectively initiates the channel discharge between the artificial thunderstorm cell and the ground. In the case of positive polarity of the artificial thunderstorm cell, the best effect of the channel discharge initiation is achieved for model hydrometeors grouped together by the dielectric tape. The obtained results can be used in the development of the method for the directed artificial lightning initiation between the thundercloud and the ground.

Adaptive nonlinear control for autonomous ground vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Black, William S.

We present the background and motivation for ground vehicle autonomy, and focus on uses for space-exploration. Using a simple design example of an autonomous ground vehicle we derive the equations of motion. After providing the mathematical background for nonlinear systems and control we present two common methods for exactly linearizing nonlinear systems, feedback linearization and backstepping. We use these in combination with three adaptive control methods: model reference adaptive control, adaptive sliding mode control, and extremum-seeking model reference adaptive control. We show the performances of each combination through several simulation results. We then consider disturbances in the system, and design nonlinear disturbance observers for both single-input-single-output and multi-input-multi-output systems. Finally, we show the performance of these observers with simulation results.

Hydrochemical Regions of the Glacial Aquifer System, Northern United States, and Their Environmental and Water-Quality Characteristics

USGS Publications Warehouse

Arnold, Terri L.; Warner, Kelly L.; Groschen, George E.; Caldwell, James P.; Kalkhoff, Stephen J.

2008-01-01

The glacial aquifer system in the United States is a large (953,000 square miles) regional aquifer system of heterogeneous composition. As described in this report, the glacial aquifer system includes all unconsolidated geologic material above bedrock that lies on or north of the line of maximum glacial advance within the United States. Examining ground-water quality on a regional scale indicates that variations in the concentrations of major and minor ions and some trace elements most likely are the result of natural variations in the geologic and physical environment. Study of the glacial aquifer system was designed around a regional framework based on the assumption that two primary characteristics of the aquifer system can affect water quality: intrinsic susceptibility (hydraulic properties) and vulnerability (geochemical properties). The hydrochemical regions described in this report were developed to identify and explain regional spatial variations in ground-water quality in the glacial aquifer system within the hypothetical framework context. Data analyzed for this study were collected from 1991 to 2003 at 1,716 wells open to the glacial aquifer system. Cluster analysis was used to group wells with similar ground-water concentrations of calcium, chloride, fluoride, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulfate, and bicarbonate into five unique groups. Maximum Likelihood Classification was used to make the extrapolation from clustered groups of wells, defined by points, to areas of similar water quality (hydrochemical regions) defined in a geospatial model. Spatial data that represented average annual precipitation, average annual temperature, land use, land-surface slope, vertical soil permeability, average soil clay content, texture of surficial deposits, type of surficial deposit, and potential for ground-water recharge were used in the Maximum Likelihood Classification to classify the areas so the characteristics of the hydrochemical regions would resemble the characteristics of the clusters. The result of the Maximum Likelihood Classification is a map showing five hydrochemical regions of the glacial aquifer system. Statistical analysis of ion concentrations (calcium, chloride, fluoride, magnesium, sodium, potassium, sulfate, and bicarbonate) in samples collected from wells completed in the glacial aquifer system illustrates that variations in water quality can be explained, in part, by related environmental characteristics that control the movement of ground water through the aquifer system. A comparison of median concentrations of chemical constituents in ground water among the five hydrochemical regions indicates that ground water in the Midwestern Agricultural Region, the Urban-Influenced Region, and the Western Agriculture and Grassland Region has the highest concentrations of major and minor ions, whereas ground water in the Northern and Great Lakes Forested Region and the Mountain and Coastal Forested Region has the lowest concentrations of these ions. Median concentrations of barium, arsenic, lithium, boron, strontium, and nitrite plus nitrate as nitrogen also are significantly different among the hydrochemical regions.

Feed forward and feedback control for over-ground locomotion in anaesthetized cats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazurek, K. A.; Holinski, B. J.; Everaert, D. G.; Stein, R. B.; Etienne-Cummings, R.; Mushahwar, V. K.

2012-04-01

The biological central pattern generator (CPG) integrates open and closed loop control to produce over-ground walking. The goal of this study was to develop a physiologically based algorithm capable of mimicking the biological system to control multiple joints in the lower extremities for producing over-ground walking. The algorithm used state-based models of the step cycle each of which produced different stimulation patterns. Two configurations were implemented to restore over-ground walking in five adult anaesthetized cats using intramuscular stimulation (IMS) of the main hip, knee and ankle flexor and extensor muscles in the hind limbs. An open loop controller relied only on intrinsic timing while a hybrid-CPG controller added sensory feedback from force plates (representing limb loading), and accelerometers and gyroscopes (representing limb position). Stimulation applied to hind limb muscles caused extension or flexion in the hips, knees and ankles. A total of 113 walking trials were obtained across all experiments. Of these, 74 were successful in which the cats traversed 75% of the 3.5 m over-ground walkway. In these trials, the average peak step length decreased from 24.9 ± 8.4 to 21.8 ± 7.5 (normalized units) and the median number of steps per trial increased from 7 (Q1 = 6, Q3 = 9) to 9 (8, 11) with the hybrid-CPG controller. Moreover, within these trials, the hybrid-CPG controller produced more successful steps (step length ≤ 20 cm ground reaction force ≥ 12.5% body weight) than the open loop controller: 372 of 544 steps (68%) versus 65 of 134 steps (49%), respectively. This supports our previous preliminary findings, and affirms that physiologically based hybrid-CPG approaches produce more successful stepping than open loop controllers. The algorithm provides the foundation for a neural prosthetic controller and a framework to implement more detailed control of locomotion in the future.

Quadrupedal galloping control for a wide range of speed via vertical impulse scaling.

PubMed

Park, Hae-Won; Kim, Sangbae

2015-03-25

This paper presents a bio-inspired quadruped controller that allows variable-speed galloping. The controller design is inspired by observations from biological runners. Quadrupedal animals increase the vertical impulse that is generated by ground reaction forces at each stride as running speed increases and the duration of each stance phase reduces, whereas the swing phase stays relatively constant. Inspired by this observation, the presented controller estimates the required vertical impulse at each stride by applying the linear momentum conservation principle in the vertical direction and prescribes the ground reaction forces at each stride. The design process begins with deriving a planar model from the MIT Cheetah 2 robot. A baseline periodic limit cycle is obtained by optimizing ground reaction force profiles and the temporal gait pattern (timing and duration of gait phases). To stabilize the optimized limit cycle, the obtained limit cycle is converted to a state feedback controller by representing the obtained ground reaction force profiles as functions of the state variable, which is monotonically increasing throughout the gait, adding impedance control around the height and pitch trajectories of the obtained limit cycle and introducing a finite state machine and a pattern stabilizer to enforce the optimized gait pattern. The controller that achieves a stable 3 m s(-1) gallop successfully adapts the speed change by scaling the vertical ground reaction force to match the momentum lost by gravity and adding a simple speed controller that controls horizontal speed. Without requiring additional gait optimization processes, the controller achieves galloping at speeds ranging from 3 m s(-1) to 14.9 m s(-1) while respecting the torque limit of the motor used in the MIT Cheetah 2 robot. The robustness of the controller is verified by demonstrating stable running during various disturbances, including 1.49 m step down and 0.18 m step up, as well as random ground height and model parameter variations.

Feed forward and feedback control for over-ground locomotion in anaesthetized cats

PubMed Central

Mazurek, K A; Holinski, B J; Everaert, D G; Stein, R B; Etienne-Cummings, R; Mushahwar, V K

2012-01-01

The biological central pattern generator (CPG) integrates open and closed loop control to produce over-ground walking. The goal of this study was to develop a physiologically based algorithm capable of mimicking the biological system to control multiple joints in the lower extremities for producing over-ground walking. The algorithm used state-based models of the step cycle each of which produced different stimulation patterns. Two configurations were implemented to restore over-ground walking in five adult anaesthetized cats using intramuscular stimulation (IMS) of the main hip, knee and ankle flexor and extensor muscles in the hind limbs. An open loop controller relied only on intrinsic timing while a hybrid-CPG controller added sensory feedback from force plates (representing limb loading), and accelerometers and gyroscopes (representing limb position). Stimulation applied to hind limb muscles caused extension or flexion in the hips, knees and ankles. A total of 113 walking trials were obtained across all experiments. Of these, 74 were successful in which the cats traversed 75% of the 3.5 m over-ground walkway. In these trials, the average peak step length decreased from 24.9 ± 8.4 to 21.8 ± 7.5 (normalized units) and the median number of steps per trial increased from 7 (Q1=6, Q3 = 9) to 9 (8, 11) with the hybrid-CPG controller. Moreover, these trials, the hybrid-CPG controller produced more successful steps (step length ≤ 20 cm; ground reaction force ≥ 12.5% body weight) than the open loop controller: 372 of 544 steps (68%) versus 65 of 134 steps (49%), respectively. This supports our previous preliminary findings, and affirms that physiologically based hybrid-CPG approaches produce more successful stepping than open loop controllers. The algorithm provides the foundation for a neural prosthetic controller and a framework to implement more detailed control of locomotion in the future. PMID:22328615

Surface roughness of zirconia for full-contour crowns after clinically simulated grinding and polishing.

PubMed

Hmaidouch, Rim; Müller, Wolf-Dieter; Lauer, Hans-Christoph; Weigl, Paul

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of controlled intraoral grinding and polishing on the roughness of full-contour zirconia compared to classical veneered zirconia. Thirty bar-shaped zirconia specimens were fabricated and divided into two groups (n=15). Fifteen specimens (group 1) were glazed and 15 specimens (group 2) were veneered with feldspathic ceramic and then glazed. Prior to grinding, maximum roughness depth (Rmax) values were measured using a profilometer, 5 times per specimen. Simulated clinical grinding and polishing were performed on the specimens under water coolant for 15 s and 2 N pressure. For grinding, NTI diamonds burs with grain sizes of 20 µm, 10 µm, and 7.5 µm were used sequentially. The ground surfaces were polished using NTI kits with coarse, medium and fine polishers. After each step, Rmax values were determined. Differences between groups were examined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The roughness of group 1 was significantly lower than that of group 2. The roughness increased significantly after coarse grinding in both groups. The results after glazing were similar to those obtained after fine grinding for non-veneered zirconia. However, fine-ground veneered zirconia had significantly higher roughness than venerred, glazed zirconia. No significant difference was found between fine-polished and glazed zirconia, but after the fine polishing of veneered zirconia, the roughness was significantly higher than after glazing. It can be concluded that for full-contour zirconia, fewer defects and lower roughness values resulted after grinding and polishing compared to veneered zirconia. After polishing zirconia, lower roughness values were achieved compared to glazing; more interesting was that the grinding of glazed zirconia using the NTI three-step system could deliver smooth surfaces comparable to untreated glazed zirconia surfaces.

Surface roughness of zirconia for full-contour crowns after clinically simulated grinding and polishing

PubMed Central

Hmaidouch, Rim; Müller, Wolf-Dieter; Lauer, Hans-Christoph; Weigl, Paul

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of controlled intraoral grinding and polishing on the roughness of full-contour zirconia compared to classical veneered zirconia. Thirty bar-shaped zirconia specimens were fabricated and divided into two groups (n=15). Fifteen specimens (group 1) were glazed and 15 specimens (group 2) were veneered with feldspathic ceramic and then glazed. Prior to grinding, maximum roughness depth (Rmax) values were measured using a profilometer, 5 times per specimen. Simulated clinical grinding and polishing were performed on the specimens under water coolant for 15 s and 2 N pressure. For grinding, NTI diamonds burs with grain sizes of 20 µm, 10 µm, and 7.5 µm were used sequentially. The ground surfaces were polished using NTI kits with coarse, medium and fine polishers. After each step, Rmax values were determined. Differences between groups were examined using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The roughness of group 1 was significantly lower than that of group 2. The roughness increased significantly after coarse grinding in both groups. The results after glazing were similar to those obtained after fine grinding for non-veneered zirconia. However, fine-ground veneered zirconia had significantly higher roughness than venerred, glazed zirconia. No significant difference was found between fine-polished and glazed zirconia, but after the fine polishing of veneered zirconia, the roughness was significantly higher than after glazing. It can be concluded that for full-contour zirconia, fewer defects and lower roughness values resulted after grinding and polishing compared to veneered zirconia. After polishing zirconia, lower roughness values were achieved compared to glazing; more interesting was that the grinding of glazed zirconia using the NTI three-step system could deliver smooth surfaces comparable to untreated glazed zirconia surfaces. PMID:25059249

Optical studies in the holographic ground station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Workman, Gary L.

1991-01-01

The Holographic Group System (HGS) Facility in rooms 22 & 123, Building 4708 has been developed to provide for ground based research in determining pre-flight parameters and analyzing the results from space experiments. The University of Alabama, Huntsville (UAH) has researched the analysis aspects of the HGS and reports their findings here. Some of the results presented here also occur in the Facility Operating Procedure (FOP), which contains instructions for power up, operation, and powerdown of the Fluid Experiment System (FES) Holographic Ground System (HGS) Test Facility for the purpose of optically recording fluid and/or crystal behavior in a test article during ground based testing through the construction of holograms and recording of videotape. The alignment of the optical bench components, holographic reconstruction and and microscopy alignment sections were also included in the document for continuity even though they are not used until after optical recording of the test article) setup of support subsystems and the Automated Holography System (AHS) computer. The HGS provides optical recording and monitoring during GCEL runs or development testing of potential FES flight hardware or software. This recording/monitoring can be via 70mm holographic film, standard videotape, or digitized images on computer disk. All optical bench functions necessary to construct holograms will be under the control of the AHS personal computer (PC). These include type of exposure, time intervals between exposures, exposure length, film frame identification, film advancement, film platen evacuation and repressurization, light source diffuser introduction, and control of realtime video monitoring. The completed sequence of hologram types (single exposure, diffuse double exposure, etc.) and their time of occurrence can be displayed, printed, or stored on floppy disk posttest for the user.

Nurses experience of using scientific knowledge in clinical practice: a grounded theory study.

PubMed

Renolen, Åste; Hjälmhult, Esther

2015-12-01

Guidelines recommend the use of evidence-based practice in nursing. Nurses are expected to give patients care and treatment based on the best knowledge available. They may have knowledge and positive attitudes, but this does not mean that they are basing their work on evidence-based practice. Knowledge is still lacking about what is needed to successfully implement evidence-based practice. The aim of this study was to gain more knowledge about what nurses perceive as the most important challenge in implementing evidence-based practice and to explain how they act to face and overcome this challenge. We used classical grounded theory methodology and collected data through four focus groups and one individual interview in different geographical locations in one large hospital trust in Norway. Fourteen registered clinical practice nurses participated. We analysed the data in accordance with grounded theory, using the constant comparative method. Contextual balancing of knowledge emerged as the core category and explains how the nurses dealt with their main concern, how to determine what types of knowledge they could trust. The nurses' main strategies were an inquiring approach, examining knowledge and maintaining control while taking care of patients. They combined their own experienced-based knowledge and the guidelines of evidence-based practice with a sense of control in the actual situation. The grounded theory contextual balancing of knowledge may help us to understand how nurses detect what types of knowledge they can trust in clinical practice. The nurses needed to rely on what they did, and they seemed to rely on their own experience rather than on research. © 2015 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Spatial Factors Play a Major Role as Determinants of Endemic Ground Beetle Beta Diversity of Madeira Island Laurisilva

PubMed Central

Boieiro, Mário; Carvalho, José C.; Cardoso, Pedro; Aguiar, Carlos A. S.; Rego, Carla; de Faria e Silva, Israel; Amorim, Isabel R.; Pereira, Fernando; Azevedo, Eduardo B.; Borges, Paulo A. V.; Serrano, Artur R. M.

2013-01-01

The development in recent years of new beta diversity analytical approaches highlighted valuable information on the different processes structuring ecological communities. A crucial development for the understanding of beta diversity patterns was also its differentiation in two components: species turnover and richness differences. In this study, we evaluate beta diversity patterns of ground beetles from 26 sites in Madeira Island distributed throughout Laurisilva – a relict forest restricted to the Macaronesian archipelagos. We assess how the two components of ground beetle beta diversity (βrepl – species turnover and βrich - species richness differences) relate with differences in climate, geography, landscape composition matrix, woody plant species richness and soil characteristics and the relative importance of the effects of these variables at different spatial scales. We sampled 1025 specimens from 31 species, most of which are endemic to Madeira Island. A spatially explicit analysis was used to evaluate the contribution of pure environmental, pure spatial and environmental spatially structured effects on variation in ground beetle species richness and composition. Variation partitioning showed that 31.9% of species turnover (βrepl) and 40.7% of species richness variation (βrich) could be explained by the environmental and spatial variables. However, different environmental variables controlled the two types of beta diversity: βrepl was influenced by climate, disturbance and soil organic matter content whilst βrich was controlled by altitude and slope. Furthermore, spatial variables, represented through Moran’s eigenvector maps, played a significant role in explaining both βrepl and βrich, suggesting that both dispersal ability and Madeira Island complex orography are crucial for the understanding of beta diversity patterns in this group of beetles. PMID:23724065

The influence of maternal lineages on social affiliations among humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) on their feeding grounds in the southern gulf of Maine.

PubMed

Weinrich, Mason T; Rosenbaum, Howard; Scott Baker, C; Blackmer, Alexis L; Whitehead, Hal

2006-01-01

Humpback whales on their feeding grounds in the Gulf of Maine typically form fluid fission/fusion groups of two to three individuals characterized by noncompetitive and, at times, cooperative behavior. Here we test the hypothesis that, despite the apparent absence of close kinship bonds, the fluid associations between feeding whales are influenced by "maternal lineages" as represented by mtDNA haplotypes. Using skin samples collected with a biopsy dart, variation in the hypervariable segment of the mtDNA control region identified 17 unique haplotypes among 159 individually identified whales from the southern Gulf of Maine. The haplotypes of a further 143 individuals were inferred from known direct maternal (cow-calf) relationships. The frequencies of associations among these 302 individuals were calculated from 21,617 sighting records collected from 1980 to 1995, excluding associations between a cow and her dependent calf. For groups of two where the haplotypes of both individuals were known (n = 3,151), individuals with the same haplotype were together significantly more often (26%) than expected by random association (20%). To account for different group sizes and associations with individuals of unknown haplotype and sex, we used Monte Carlo simulations to test for nonrandom associations in the full data set, as well as known female-only (n = 1,512), male-only (n = 730), and mixed-sex (n = 2,745) groups. Within-haplotype associations were significantly more frequent than expected at random for all groups (P = .002) and female-only groups (P = .011) but not male-only groups, while mixed-sex groups approached significance (P = .062). A Mantel test of individual pairwise association indices and haplotype identity confirmed that within-haplotype associations were more frequent than expected for all sex combinations except male-male associations, with females forming within-haplotype associations 1.7 times more often than expected by random assortment. Partial matrix correlations and permutation analyses indicated that the skew toward within-haplotype associations could not be accounted for by short-term temporal co-occurrence or fine-scale spatial distributions of individuals with shared haplotypes. While the mechanism by which individuals with a common mtDNA haplotype assort remains unknown, our results strongly suggest an influence of maternal lineages on the social organization of humpback whales within a regional feeding ground.

AN EXPERIMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF A GROUND PILOT TRAINER IN GENERAL AVIATION.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

BUTLER, E. DEAN; LANIER, H. MILLER

AN EXPERIMENT WAS CONDUCTED BY MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY TO ASSESS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A GROUND PILOT TRAINER USED TO DEVELOP PRIMARY AND INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PROFICIENCIES. THE STUDY REQUIRED DIFFERENTIAL USE OF THE DEVICE WITH THREE GROUPS OF CANDIDATES, AND COMPARISON OF TRAINING PROGRESS AND ATTAINED PROFICIENCY VERSUS THAT OF GROUP OF…

Perceptual Training and Figure-Ground Performance in Low Vision.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trudeau, M.; And Others

1990-01-01

Twenty-five older adults with age-related macular degeneration were separated into one of three groups: in-clinic training, take-home-training, or no-training. After testing, results showed that the ability to distinguish figure from ground is an improvable skill with the take-home group improving the most. (Author/DB)

Definition of ground test for verification of large space structure control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Doane, G. B., III; Glaese, J. R.; Tollison, D. K.; Howsman, T. G.; Curtis, S. (Editor); Banks, B.

1984-01-01

Control theory and design, dynamic system modelling, and simulation of test scenarios are the main ideas discussed. The overall effort is the achievement at Marshall Space Flight Center of a successful ground test experiment of a large space structure. A simplified planar model of ground test experiment of a large space structure. A simplified planar model of ground test verification was developed. The elimination from that model of the uncontrollable rigid body modes was also examined. Also studied was the hardware/software of computation speed.

Effect of prehatching weightlessness on adult fish behavior in dynamic environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, R. B.; Salinas, G. A.; Boyd, J. F.; Baky, A. A.; Von Baumgarten, R. J.

1978-01-01

At 16-17 months of age, three groups of fish from the embryonated eggs in the ASTP killifish experiment were subjected to postflight tests consisting of rapidly changing environments. It was found that the group of fish with the least amount of development at orbital insertion (A-32) had a decreased rheotropism for both the moving background and the rotating water current tests when compared to ground control fish. Exposure to parabolic aircraft flight conditions revealed that the A-32 fish were less disoriented during zero gravity periods and were hypersensitive to high-gravity periods. These results suggested a modified vestibular competency due to a 9-d prehatching weightlessness exposure.

Methods of selectively incorporating metals onto substrates

DOEpatents

Ernst; Richard D. , Eyring; Edward M. , Turpin; Gregory C. , Dunn; Brian C.

2008-09-30

A method for forming multi-metallic sites on a substrate is disclosed and described. A substrate including active groups such as hydroxyl can be reacted with a pretarget metal complex. The target metal attached to the active group can then be reacted with a secondary metal complex such that an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction occurs to form a multi-metallic species. The substrate can be a highly porous material such as aerogels, xerogels, zeolites, and similar materials. Additional metal complexes can be reacted to increase catalyst loading or control co-catalyst content. The resulting compounds can be oxidized to form oxides or reduced to form metals in the ground state which are suitable for practical use.

Ground-water resources in the tri-state region adjacent to the Lower Delaware River

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barksdale, Henry C.; Greenman, David W.; Lang, Solomon Max; Hilton, George Stockbridge; Outlaw, Donald E.

1958-01-01

The maximum beneficial utilization of the ground-water resources cannot be accomplished in haphazard fashion. It must be planned and controlled on the basis of sound, current information about the hydrology of the various aquifers. Continued and, in some areas, intensified investigations of the ground-water resources of the region should form the basis for such planning and control.

24 CFR 3285.204 - Ground moisture control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Ground moisture control. 3285.204 Section 3285.204 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development... moisture control. (a) Vapor retarder. If the space under the home is to be enclosed with skirting or other...

24 CFR 3285.204 - Ground moisture control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Ground moisture control. 3285.204 Section 3285.204 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development... moisture control. (a) Vapor retarder. If the space under the home is to be enclosed with skirting or other...

24 CFR 3285.204 - Ground moisture control.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Ground moisture control. 3285.204 Section 3285.204 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and Urban Development... moisture control. (a) Vapor retarder. If the space under the home is to be enclosed with skirting or other...

Effects of a dynamic core stability program on the biomechanics of cutting maneuvers: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Whyte, E F; Richter, C; O'Connor, S; Moran, K A

2018-02-01

Deficits in trunk control predict ACL injuries which frequently occur during high-risk activities such as cutting. However, no existing trunk control/core stability program has been found to positively affect trunk kinematics during cutting activities. This study investigated the effectiveness of a 6-week dynamic core stability program (DCS) on the biomechanics of anticipated and unanticipated side and crossover cutting maneuvers. Thirty-one male, varsity footballers participated in this randomized controlled trial. Three-dimensional trunk and lower limb biomechanics were captured in a motion analysis laboratory during the weight acceptance phase of anticipated and unanticipated side and crossover cutting maneuvers at baseline and 6-week follow-up. The DCS group performed a DCS program three times weekly for 6 weeks in a university rehabilitation room. Both the DCS and control groups concurrently completed their regular practice and match play. Statistical parametric mapping and repeated measures analysis of variance were used to determine any group (DCS vs control) by time (pre vs post) interactions. The DCS resulted in greater internal hip extensor (P=.017, η 2 =0.079), smaller internal knee valgus (P=.026, η 2 =0.076), and smaller internal knee external rotator moments (P=.041, η 2 =0.066) during anticipated side cutting compared with the control group. It also led to reduced posterior ground reaction forces for all cutting activities (P=.015-.030, η 2 =0.074-0.105). A 6-week DCS program did not affect trunk kinematics, but it did reduce a small number of biomechanical risk factors for ACL injury, predominantly during anticipated side cutting. A DCS program could play a role in multimodal ACL injury prevention programs. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of Nordic walking and walking on spatiotemporal gait parameters and ground reaction force.

PubMed

Park, Seung Kyu; Yang, Dae Jung; Kang, Yang Hun; Kim, Je Ho; Uhm, Yo Han; Lee, Yong Seon

2015-09-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Nordic walking and walking on spatiotemporal gait parameters and ground reaction force. [Subjects] The subjects of this study were 30 young adult males, who were divided into a Nordic walking group of 15 subjects and a walking group of 15 subjects. [Methods] To analyze the spatiotemporal parameters and ground reaction force during walking in the two groups, the six-camera Vicon MX motion analysis system was used. The subjects were asked to walk 12 meters using the more comfortable walking method for them between Nordic walking and walking. After they walked 12 meters more than 10 times, their most natural walking patterns were chosen three times and analyzed. To determine the pole for Nordic walking, each subject's height was multiplied by 0.68. We then measured the spatiotemporal gait parameters and ground reaction force. [Results] Compared with the walking group, the Nordic walking group showed an increase in cadence, stride length, and step length, and a decrease in stride time, step time, and vertical ground reaction force. [Conclusion] The results of this study indicate that Nordic walking increases the stride and can be considered as helping patients with diseases affecting their gait. This demonstrates that Nordic walking is more effective in improving functional capabilities by promoting effective energy use and reducing the lower limb load, because the weight of the upper and lower limbs is dispersed during Nordic walking.

21 CFR 110.20 - Plant and grounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Plant and grounds. 110.20 Section 110.20 Food and... Facilities § 110.20 Plant and grounds. (a) Grounds. The grounds about a food plant under the control of the... litter and waste, and cutting weeds or grass within the immediate vicinity of the plant buildings or...

Responses of the Acutely Injured Spinal Cord to Vibration that Simulates Transport in Helicopters or Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected Vehicles.

PubMed

Streijger, Femke; Lee, Jae H T; Manouchehri, Neda; Melnyk, Angela D; Chak, Jason; Tigchelaar, Seth; So, Kitty; Okon, Elena B; Jiang, Shudong; Kinsler, Rachel; Barazanji, Khalid; Cripton, Peter A; Kwon, Brian K

2016-12-15

In the military environment, injured soldiers undergoing medical evacuation via helicopter or mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle (MRAP) are subjected to vibration and shock inherent to the transport vehicle. We conducted the present study to assess the consequences of such vibration on the acutely injured spinal cord. We used a porcine model of spinal cord injury (SCI). After a T10 contusion-compression injury, animals were subjected to 1) no vibration (n = 7-8), 2) whole body vibration at frequencies and amplitudes simulating helicopter transport (n = 8), or 3) whole body vibration simulating ground transportation in an MRAP ambulance (n = 7). Hindlimb locomotor function (using Porcine Thoracic Injury Behavior Scale [PTIBS]), Eriochrome Cyanine histochemistry and biochemical analysis of inflammatory and neural damage markers were analyzed. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) expression levels for monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were similar between the helicopter or MRAP group and the unvibrated controls. Spared white/gray matter tended to be lower in the MRAP-vibrated animals than in the unvibrated controls, especially rostral to the epicenter. However, spared white/gray matter in the helicopter-vibrated group appeared normal. Although there was a relationship between the extent of sparing and the extent of locomotor recovery, no significant differences were found in PTIBS scores between the groups. In summary, exposures to vibration in the context of ground (MRAP) or aeromedical (helicopter) transportation did not significantly impair functional outcome in our large animal model of SCI. However, MRAP vibration was associated with increased tissue damage around the injury site, warranting caution around exposure to vehicle vibration acutely after SCI.

Biochemical studies on the effect of different water resources in Hail region on liver and kidney functions of rats.

PubMed

Talkhan, Ola F A; Abd Elwahab, Safaa A E; Shalapy, Ebtessam M

2016-08-01

Low concentration of a heavy metal is toxic and can be classified as one of the pollution sources. Industrial and human waste can pollute water with heavy metals and soils breaking down under the effect of acidic rain, which release heavy metals into river, streams, lakes, and ground water. Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in vital organs of the human body damages these organs, including the liver and kidney, which are the main organs for metabolism, detoxification, and excretion. The present study aims to investigate into concentrations of such heavy metals (Fe, Cu, Zn, and Pb) in both ground and tap water samples collected from different areas in Hail region, KSA. Then, this study moves forward to examine the effects of such concentrations on the biochemistry of serum in rats. In this regard, the results demonstrate the presence of significant differences (p < 0.05) in the liver function parameters, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, total proteins, albumin, and globulin between all the studied groups that were exposed to heavy-metals-polluted water, when compared with the control group. In addition, there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in the kidney function parameters, uric acid, urea, and creatinine, when compared with the control group. Thence, and as this study indicates, heavy-metals-polluted water can cause disturbance in the liver and kidney function parameters, which highlights health risks of the water polluted with heavy metals. In this sense, the concerned authorities should regularly carry out survey and should monitor underground water, and people have to be aware of such risks.

30 CFR 57.3401 - Examination of ground conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Examination of ground conditions. 57.3401... NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Ground Control Precautions-Surface and Underground § 57.3401 Examination of ground conditions. Persons...

30 CFR 57.3401 - Examination of ground conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Examination of ground conditions. 57.3401... NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-UNDERGROUND METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Ground Control Precautions-Surface and Underground § 57.3401 Examination of ground conditions. Persons...

Ground test experiment for large space structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tollison, D. K.; Waites, H. B.

1985-01-01

In recent years a new body of control theory has been developed for the design of control systems for Large Space Structures (LSS). The problems of testing this theory on LSS hardware are aggravated by the expense and risk of actual in orbit tests. Ground tests on large space structures can provide a proving ground for candidate control systems, but such tests require a unique facility for their execution. The current development of such a facility at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is the subject of this report.

Leadership as an Emergent Feature in Social Organizations: Insights from A Laboratory Simulation Experiment.

PubMed

Curral, Luis; Marques-Quinteiro, Pedro; Gomes, Catarina; Lind, Pedro G

2016-01-01

Recent theoretical contributions have suggested a theory of leadership that is grounded in complexity theory, hence regarding leadership as a complex process (i.e., nonlinear; emergent). This article tests if complexity leadership theory promotes efficiency in work groups. 40 groups of five participants each had to complete four decision making tasks using the city simulation game SimCity4. Before engaging in the four decision making tasks, participants received information regarding what sort of leadership behaviors were more adequate to help them perform better. Results suggest that if complexity leadership theory is applied, groups can achieve higher efficiency over time, when compared with other groups where complexity leadership is not applied. This study goes beyond traditional views of leadership as a centralized form of control, and presents new evidence suggesting that leadership is a collective and emergent phenomenon, anchored in simple rules of behavior.

Leadership as an Emergent Feature in Social Organizations: Insights from A Laboratory Simulation Experiment

PubMed Central

Marques-Quinteiro, Pedro; Gomes, Catarina; Lind, Pedro G.

2016-01-01

Recent theoretical contributions have suggested a theory of leadership that is grounded in complexity theory, hence regarding leadership as a complex process (i.e., nonlinear; emergent). This article tests if complexity leadership theory promotes efficiency in work groups. 40 groups of five participants each had to complete four decision making tasks using the city simulation game SimCity4. Before engaging in the four decision making tasks, participants received information regarding what sort of leadership behaviors were more adequate to help them perform better. Results suggest that if complexity leadership theory is applied, groups can achieve higher efficiency over time, when compared with other groups where complexity leadership is not applied. This study goes beyond traditional views of leadership as a centralized form of control, and presents new evidence suggesting that leadership is a collective and emergent phenomenon, anchored in simple rules of behavior. PMID:27973596

Improving Dorsal Stream Function in Dyslexics by Training Figure/Ground Motion Discrimination Improves Attention, Reading Fluency, and Working Memory

PubMed Central

Lawton, Teri

2016-01-01

There is an ongoing debate about whether the cause of dyslexia is based on linguistic, auditory, or visual timing deficits. To investigate this issue three interventions were compared in 58 dyslexics in second grade (7 years on average), two targeting the temporal dynamics (timing) of either the auditory or visual pathways with a third reading intervention (control group) targeting linguistic word building. Visual pathway training in dyslexics to improve direction-discrimination of moving test patterns relative to a stationary background (figure/ground discrimination) significantly improved attention, reading fluency, both speed and comprehension, phonological processing, and both auditory and visual working memory relative to controls, whereas auditory training to improve phonological processing did not improve these academic skills significantly more than found for controls. This study supports the hypothesis that faulty timing in synchronizing the activity of magnocellular with parvocellular visual pathways is a fundamental cause of dyslexia, and argues against the assumption that reading deficiencies in dyslexia are caused by phonological deficits. This study demonstrates that visual movement direction-discrimination can be used to not only detect dyslexia early, but also for its successful treatment, so that reading problems do not prevent children from readily learning. PMID:27551263

Coupling of iron and organic matter under fluctuation redox conditions: implications for carbon turnover, mineral formation, and contaminant transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nico, P. S.

2015-12-01

Interactions between naturally occurring organic matter and minerals surfaces play a determining role on the transport, chemical composition, and bio-availability of reduced carbon. These processes are controlled on the molecular scale by mineral dissolution and precipitation dynamics which are in turn controlled by both changing solution chemistry and redox regime. The presentation will highlight recent work by our group and others on elucidating some of these mechanisms with particular emphasis on the impacts of redox cycling and Fe mineral transformation. We are particular interested in how the form of organic matter impacts the formation and transformation of iron minerals and vis-a-versa under fluctuating redox conditions, and how that in turn impacts the transport of other elements controlled by Fe surfaces, e.g. uranium. In two different field conditions, in a ground water well and at a ground water-surface water interface, Fe(II) was oxidized in an organic rich environment leading to different types of Fe-organic matter co-precipitates. We followed the evolution of those participates under a return to reduced conditions in order to understand the transformations, or lack thereof, of the Fe minerals and the fate of the associated organic matter.

Contamination control plan for prelaunch operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Austin, J. D.

1983-01-01

A unified, systematic plan is presented for contamination control for space flight systems. Allowable contaminant quantities, or contamination budgets, are determined based on system performance margins and system-level allowable degradations. These contamination budgets are compared to contamination rates in ground environments to establish the controls required in each ground environment. The use of feedback from contamination monitoring and some contamination control procedures are discussed.

Identification of Fungal Colonies on Ground Control and Flight Veggie Plant Pillows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scotten, Jessica E.; Hummerick, Mary E.; Khodadad, Christina L.; Spencer, Lashelle E.; Massa, Gioia D.

2017-01-01

The Veggie system focuses on growing fresh produce that can be harvested and consumed by astronauts. The microbial colonies in each Veggie experiment are evaluated to determine the safety level of the produce and then differences between flight and ground samples. The identifications of the microbial species can detail risks or benefits to astronaut and plant health. Each Veggie ground or flight experiment includes six plants grown from seeds that are glued into wicks in Teflon pillows filled with clay arcillite and fertilizer. Fungal colonies were isolated from seed wicks, growth media, and lettuce (cv. 'Outredgeous') roots grown in VEG-01B pillows on ISS and in corresponding ground control pillows grown in controlled growth chambers. The colonies were sorted by morphology and identified using MicroSeq(TM) 500 16s rDNA Bacterial Identification System and BIOLOG GEN III MicroPlate(TM). Health risks for each fungal identification were then assessed using literature sources. The goal was to identify all the colonies isolated from flight and ground control VEG-01B plants, roots, and rooting medium and compare the resulting identifications.

Grouping puts figure-ground assignment in context by constraining propagation of edge-assignment

PubMed Central

Brooks, Joseph L.; Driver, Jon

2010-01-01

Figure-ground organization involves assignment of edges to a figural shape on one or the other side of each dividing edge. Established visual cues for edge-assignment primarily concern relatively local rather than contextual factors. Here we show that assignment for a locally-unbiased edge can be affected by assignment of a remote contextual edge that has its own locally-biased assignment. We find that such propagation of edge-assignment from the biased remote context occurs only when the biased and unbiased edges are grouped. This new principle, whereby grouping constrains propagation of figural edge-assignment, emerges from both subjective reports and from an objective short-term edge-matching task. It generalizes from moving displays involving grouping by common fate and collinearity, to static displays with grouping by similarity of edge-contrast polarity, or apparent occlusion. Our results identify a new contextual influence upon edge-assignment. They also identify a new mechanistic relation between grouping and figure-ground processes, whereby grouping between remote elements can constrain propagation of edge-assignment between those elements. PMID:20436200

Cytoplasm-to-myonucleus ratios following microgravity.

PubMed

Kasper, C E; Xun, L

1996-10-01

The cytoplasmic volume-to-myonucleus ratio in the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles of juvenile rats after 5.4 days of microgravity was studied. Three groups of rats (n = 8 each) were used. The experimental group (space rats) was flown aboard the space shuttle Discovery (NASA, STS-48), while two ground-based groups, one hindlimb suspended (suspended rats), one non-suspended (control), served as controls. Single fibre analysis revealed a significant decrease in cross-sectional area (microns2) in the gastrocnemius for both the space and the suspended rats; in the tibialis anterior only the suspended rats showed a significant decrease. Myonuclei counts (myonuclei per mm) in both the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius were significantly increased in the space rats but not in the suspended rats. The mean myonuclear volume (individual nuclei: microns3) in tibialis anterior fibres from the space rats, and in gastrocnemius fibres from both the space and the suspended rats, was significantly lower than that in the respective control group. Estimation of the total myonuclear volume (microns3 per.mm), however, revealed no significant differences between the three groups in either the tibialis anterior or gastrocnemius. The described changes in the cross-sectional area and myonuclei numbers resulted in significant decreases in the cytoplasmic volume-to-myonucleus ratio (microns3 x 10(3)) in both muscles and for both space and suspended rats (tibialis anterior; 15.6 +/- 0.6 (space), 17.2 +/- 1.0 (suspended), 20.8 +/- 0.9 (control): gastrocnemius; 13.4 +/- 0.4 (space) and 14.9 +/- 1.1 (suspended) versus 18.1 +/- 1.1 (control)). These results indicate that even short periods of unweighting due to microgravity or limb suspension result in changes in skeletal muscle fibres which lead to significant decreases in the cytoplasmic volume-to-myonucleus ratio.

Balance Training Enhances Motor Coordination During a Perturbed Sidestep Cutting Task.

PubMed

Oliveira, Anderson Souza; Silva, Priscila Brito; Lund, Morten Enemark; Farina, Dario; Kersting, Uwe Gustav

2017-11-01

Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Background Balance training may improve motor coordination. However, little is known about the changes in motor coordination during unexpected perturbations to postural control following balance training. Objectives To study the effects of balance training on motor coordination and knee mechanics during perturbed sidestep cutting maneuvers in healthy adults. Methods Twenty-six healthy men were randomly assigned to a training group or a control group. Before balance training, subjects performed unperturbed, 90° sidestep cutting maneuvers and 1 unexpected perturbed cut (10-cm translation of a movable platform). Participants in the training group participated in a 6-week balance training program, while those in the control group followed their regular activity schedule. Both groups were retested after a 6-week period. Surface electromyography was recorded from 16 muscles of the supporting limb and trunk, as well as kinematics and ground reaction forces. Motor modules were extracted from electromyography by nonnegative matrix factorization. External knee abduction moments were calculated using inverse dynamics equations. Results Balance training reduced the external knee abduction moment (33% ± 25%, P<.03, η p 2 = 0.725) and increased the activation of trunk and proximal hip muscles in specific motor modules during perturbed cutting. Balance training also increased burst duration for the motor module related to landing early in the perturbation phase (23% ± 11%, P<.01, η p 2 = 0.532). Conclusion Balance training resulted in altered motor coordination and a reduction in knee abduction moment during an unexpected perturbation. The previously reported reduction in injury incidence following balance training may be linked to changes in dynamic postural stability and modular neuromuscular control. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2017;47(11):853-862. Epub 23 Sep 2017. doi:10.2519/jospt.2017.6980.

The deep space network, volume 18. [Deep Space Instrumentation Facility, Ground Communication Facility, and Network Control System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The objectives, functions, and organization of the Deep Space Network are summarized. The Deep Space Instrumentation Facility, the Ground Communications Facility, and the Network Control System are described.

EOS mapping accuracy study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forrest, R. B.; Eppes, T. A.; Ouellette, R. J.

1973-01-01

Studies were performed to evaluate various image positioning methods for possible use in the earth observatory satellite (EOS) program and other earth resource imaging satellite programs. The primary goal is the generation of geometrically corrected and registered images, positioned with respect to the earth's surface. The EOS sensors which were considered were the thematic mapper, the return beam vidicon camera, and the high resolution pointable imager. The image positioning methods evaluated consisted of various combinations of satellite data and ground control points. It was concluded that EOS attitude control system design must be considered as a part of the image positioning problem for EOS, along with image sensor design and ground image processing system design. Study results show that, with suitable efficiency for ground control point selection and matching activities during data processing, extensive reliance should be placed on use of ground control points for positioning the images obtained from EOS and similar programs.

77 FR 73025 - Procurement List; Proposed Additions and Deletions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-07

... Administration. Group 1 and 2 Spices NSN: 8950-01-E60-7765--Black Pepper, Ground Gourmet, 1.5 oz NSN: 8950-01-E60-7766--Black Pepper, Ground, Gourment, 16 oz, can NSN: 8950-01-E60-7767--Black Pepper, Ground, Gourmet, 16 oz NSN: 8950-01-E60-7768--Black Pepper, Ground, Gourment, 18 oz, can NSN: 8950-01-E60-7769--Black...

The 2013 German-Russian BION-M1 Joint Flight Project: Skeletal Muscle and Neuromuscular Changes in Mice Housed for 30 Days in a Biosatellite on Orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blottner, Dieter; Shenkman, Boris; Salanova, Michele

Exposure to microgravity results in various structural, biochemical and molecular changes of the skeletal neuromuscular system. The BION Joint Flight Proposal between the Charité Berlin Center of Space Medicine (www.zwmb.de) in Berlin, and the Institute of Biomedical Problem (IMBP) in Moscow, provided an exciting opportunity for a more detailed analysis of neuromuscular changes in mice (C57/bl6) exposed to real microgravity housed for 30 days in a BION M1 biosatellite on orbit. The mice from the BION flight group (n=5) were compared to three different on-ground control groups (Flight control, BION-ground and Vivarium, each n=5 mice). We started to analyse various skeletal muscles from the hind limbs or trunk. Apart from routine structural and biochemical analysis (fiber size and type distribution, slow/fastMyHC) we test the hypothesis for the presence of a microgravity-induced sarcolemma-cytosolic protein shift of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and partial loss in neuromuscular synapse scaffold protein (Homer) immunoexpression known to be prone to disuse in mice or humans (hind limb unloading, bed rest) as previously shown (Sandonà D et al., PLoS One, 2012, Salanova M et al., FASEB J, 2011). National Sponsors: Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi) via the German AeroSpace Board, DLR e.V., Bonn-Oberkassel, Germany (#50WB1121); Contract RAS-IMBP/Charité Berlin # Bion-M1/2013

Body weight-supported gait training for restoration of walking in people with an incomplete spinal cord injury: a systematic review.

PubMed

Wessels, Monique; Lucas, Cees; Eriks, Inge; de Groot, Sonja

2010-06-01

To evaluate the effect of body weight-supported gait training on restoration of walking, activities of daily living, and quality of life in persons with an incomplete spinal cord injury by a systematic review of the literature. Cochrane, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PEDro, DocOnline were searched and identified studies were assessed for eligibility and methodological quality and described regarding population, training protocol, and effects on walking ability, activities of daily living and quality of life. A descriptive and quantitative synthesis was conducted. Eighteen articles (17 studies) were included. Two randomized controlled trials showed that subjects with injuries of less than one year duration reached higher scores on the locomotor item of the Functional Independence Measure (range 1-7) in the over-ground training group compared with the body weight-supported treadmill training group. Only for persons with an American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale C or D was the mean difference significant, with 0.80 (95% confidence interval 0.04-1.56). No differences were found regarding walking velocity, activities of daily living or quality of life. Subjects with subacute motor incomplete spinal cord injury reached a higher level of independent walking after over-ground training, compared with body weight-supported treadmill training. More randomized controlled trials are needed to clarify the effectiveness of body weight-supported gait training on walking, activities of daily living, and quality of life for subgroups of persons with an incomplete spinal cord injury.

Sit-To-Stand Biomechanics Before and After Total Hip Arthroplasty

PubMed Central

Abujaber, Sumayeh B.; Marmon, Adam R.; Pozzi, Federico; Rubano, James J.; Zeni, Joseph A.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate changes in movement patterns during a sit-to-stand (STS) task before and after total hip arthroplasty (THA), and to compare biomechanical outcomes after THA to a control group. Forty-five subjects who underwent THA and twenty-three healthy control subjects participated in three-dimensional motion analysis. Pre-operatively, subjects exhibited inter-limb movement asymmetries with lower vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) and smaller moments on the operated limb. Although there were significant improvements in movement symmetry 3 months after THA, patients continued to demonstrate lower VGRF and smaller moments on the operated limb compared to non-operated and to control limbs. Future studies should identify the contributions of physical impairments and the influence of surgical approach on STS biomechanics. PMID:26117068

Whole body frontal plane mechanics across walking, running, and sprinting in young and older adults.

PubMed

Kulmala, J-P; Korhonen, M T; Kuitunen, S; Suominen, H; Heinonen, A; Mikkola, A; Avela, J

2017-09-01

This study investigated the whole body frontal plane mechanics among young (26 ± 6 years), early old (61 ± 5 years), and old (78 ± 4 years) adults during walking, running, and sprinting. The age-groups had similar walking (1.6 m/s) and running (4.0 m/s) speeds, but different maximal sprinting speed (young 9.3 m/s, early old 7.9 m/s, and old 6.6 m/s). Surprisingly, although the old group exerted much lower vertical ground reaction force during running and sprinting, the hip frontal plane moment did not differ between the age-groups. Kinematic analysis demonstrated increased hip adduction and pelvis drop, as well as reduced trunk lateral flexion among old adults, especially during sprinting. These alterations in the hip and pelvis motions may reflect insufficient force production of hip abductors to stabilize the pelvis during single-limb support, while limited trunk lateral flexion may enhance control of the mediolateral balance. On the other hand, larger trunk side-to-side movement among the young and early old adults may provide a mechanism to prevent the increase of the hip frontal moment despite greater vertical ground reaction force. This, in turn, can assist hip abductors to maintain stability of the pelvis during sprinting while allowing powerful force generation by a large adductor muscle group. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Method for Accurate Group Difference Detection by Constraining the Mixing Coefficients in an ICA Framework

PubMed Central

Sui, Jing; Adali, Tülay; Pearlson, Godfrey D.; Clark, Vincent P.; Calhoun, Vince D.

2009-01-01

Independent component analysis (ICA) is a promising method that is increasingly used to analyze brain imaging data such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), structural MRI, and electroencephalography and has also proved useful for group comparison, e.g., differentiating healthy controls from patients. An advantage of ICA is its ability to identify components that are mixed in an unknown manner. However, ICA is not necessarily robust and optimal in identifying between-group effects, especially in highly noisy situations. Here, we propose a modified ICA framework for multi-group data analysis that incorporates prior information regarding group membership as a constraint into the mixing coefficients. Our approach, called coefficient-constrained ICA (CC-ICA), prioritizes identification of components that show a significant group difference. The performance of CC-ICA via synthetic and hybrid data simulations is evaluated under different hypothesis testing assumptions and signal to noise ratios (SNRs). Group analysis is also conducted on real multitask fMRI data. Results show that CC-ICA improves the estimation accuracy of the independent components greatly, especially those that have different patterns for different groups (e.g., patients vs. controls); In addition, it enhances the data extraction sensitivity to group differences by ranking components with P value or J-divergence more consistently with the ground truth. The proposed algorithm performs quite well for both group-difference detection and multitask fMRI data fusion, which may prove especially important for the identification of relevant disease biomarkers. PMID:19172631

Third Party Interaction in the Medical Context: Code-switching and Control

PubMed Central

Vickers, Caroline H.; Goble, Ryan; Deckert, Sharon K.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the micro-interactional co-construction of power within Spanish language concordant medical consultations in California involving a third party family member. Findings indicate the third party instigates code-switching to English on the part of medical providers, a language that the patient does not understand, rendering the patient a non-participant in the medical consultation. In these consultations involving a third party family member, monolingual Spanish-speaking patients are stripped of control in ways that are similar to other powerless groups in medical consultations. Implications include the need to further examine how micro-level interactions reproduce societal ideologies and shape policy on the ground. PMID:27667896

Postural control and head stability during natural gaze behaviour in 6- to 12-year-old children.

PubMed

Schärli, A M; van de Langenberg, R; Murer, K; Müller, R M

2013-06-01

We investigated how the influence of natural exploratory gaze behaviour on postural control develops from childhood into adulthood. In a cross-sectional design, we compared four age groups: 6-, 9-, 12-year-olds and young adults. Two experimental trials were performed: quiet stance with a fixed gaze (fixed) and quiet stance with natural exploratory gaze behaviour (exploratory). The latter was elicited by having participants watch an animated short film on a large screen in front of them. 3D head rotations in space and centre of pressure (COP) excursions on the ground plane were measured. Across conditions, both head rotation and COP displacement decreased with increasing age. Head movement was greater in the exploratory condition in all age groups. In all children-but not in adults-COP displacement was markedly greater in the exploratory condition. Bivariate correlations across groups showed highly significant positive correlations between COP displacement in ML direction and head rotation in yaw, roll, and pitch in both conditions. The regularity of COP displacements did not show a clear developmental trend, which indicates that COP dynamics were qualitatively similar across age groups. Together, the results suggest that the contribution of head movement to eye-head saccades decreases with age and that head instability-in part resulting from such gaze-related head movements-is an important limiting factor in children's postural control. The lack of head stabilisation might particularly affect children in everyday activities in which both postural control and visual exploration are required.

The Effect of Micro-Gravity on in vitro Calcification

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boskey; Stiner; Binderman; Mendelsohn; Doty, S. B.

1997-01-01

The experiment focuses on mineral deposition or calcification of cartilage. The experiments were used to compare the mineral formed in the microgravity of space with that formed on earth. Results of these experiments were anticipated to provide direct insight into how calcification in cartridge and bone may be controlled in space. In the C-2 experiment (STS 66), we found that mineralization started later in the cartridges (both on the ground and in hypo-gravity) than in plastic, and that mineralization appeared to be retarded in hypo-gravity. The flight experiments also showed that the cells differentiated normally, but more slowly than the ground controls, and that the matrix produced was not different from that made on the ground. The purpose of the C-5 experiment was to confirm these findings. The C-5 experiment was flown on STS-72. Because of a computer problem, cells received no gases and no nutrition. The C-7 was flown on STS-77. Ground controls were repeated a week later, however, because there was a problem with the temperature control during the flight, the concurrent ground controls were performed at a different temperature. Despite these problems, the results of the C-2 experiment were confirmed. The cells in the flight cultures did not mature, formed few cartilage nodules, and showed no evidence of mineral deposition up to a culture age of 28 days. Ground controls showed the presence of mineral (based on chemical, spectroscopic, and histochemical analyses) by 21 days. The mineral in these cultures was analogous to that found in calcifying cartilage of young chicks.

Laser welding of a cobalt-chromium removable partial denture alloy.

PubMed

NaBadalung, D P; Nicholls, J I

1998-03-01

The electric alloy brazed joints of removable partial denture alloys have failed frequently after routine usage. A technique providing higher joint strengths was investigated. This investigation compared the tensile strengths of electric-brazed and laser-welded joints for a cobalt-chromium removable partial denture alloy. Twenty-four cobalt-chromium standard tensile testing rods were prepared and divided into three groups of eight. All specimens in the control group (group 1) were left in the as-cast condition. Groups 2 and 3 were the test specimens, which were sectioned at the center of the rod. Eight specimens were joined by using electric brazing, and the remaining specimens were joined by using laser welding. After joining, each joint was ground to a uniform diameter, then tested to tensile failure on an Instron universal testing machine. Failure loads were recorded and fracture stress calculated. Statistical analysis was applied. The student-Newman-Keuls test showed a highly significant difference between the joint strengths of the as-cast control specimens, the electric-brazed and laser-welded joints. The tensile strengths of the as-cast joints were higher than those for the laser-welded joints, and both were higher than the electric-brazed joint strengths.

Integrated failure detection and management for the Space Station Freedom external active thermal control system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mesloh, Nick; Hill, Tim; Kosyk, Kathy

1993-01-01

This paper presents the integrated approach toward failure detection, isolation, and recovery/reconfiguration to be used for the Space Station Freedom External Active Thermal Control System (EATCS). The on-board and on-ground diagnostic capabilities of the EATCS are discussed. Time and safety critical features, as well as noncritical failures, and the detection coverage for each provided by existing capabilities are reviewed. The allocation of responsibility between on-board software and ground-based systems, to be shown during ground testing at the Johnson Space Center, is described. Failure isolation capabilities allocated to the ground include some functionality originally found on orbit but moved to the ground to reduce on-board resource requirements. Complex failures requiring the analysis of multiple external variables, such as environmental conditions, heat loads, or station attitude, are also allocated to ground personnel.

76 FR 38203 - Proposed Information Collection; North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-29

...] Proposed Information Collection; North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife... populations. The North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey is an essential part of the migratory bird.... II. Data OMB Control Number: 1018-0019. Title: North American Woodcock Singing Ground Survey. Service...

30 CFR 56.3401 - Examination of ground conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Examination of ground conditions. 56.3401... NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-SURFACE METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Ground Control Precautions § 56.3401 Examination of ground conditions. Persons experienced in examining and testing for loose...

30 CFR 56.3401 - Examination of ground conditions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Examination of ground conditions. 56.3401... NONMETAL MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS-SURFACE METAL AND NONMETAL MINES Ground Control Precautions § 56.3401 Examination of ground conditions. Persons experienced in examining and testing for loose...

Ground-vehicle operator training using a low-cost simulator

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-05-01

Pilots, controllers, and ground-vehicle operators all have an important role in runway safety. Their actions, either individually or collectively can cause or avert a runway incursion. The roles and responsibilities of pilots and controllers in this ...

Workshop on technology issues of superconducting Maglev transportation systems

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

Wegrzyn, J.E.; Shaw, D.T.

1991-09-27

There exists a critical need in the United States to improve its ground transportation system. One suggested system that offers many advantages over the current transportation infrastructure is Maglev. Maglev represents the latest evolution in very high and speed ground transportation, where vehicles are magnetically levitated, guided, and propelled over elevated guideways at speeds of 300 miles per hour. Maglev is not a new concept but is, however, receiving renewed interest. The objective of this workshop was to further promote these interest by bringing together a small group of specialists in Maglev technology to discuss Maglev research needs and tomore » identify key research issues to the development of a successful Maglev system. The workshop was organized into four sessions based on the following technical areas: Materials, Testing, and Shielding; Magnet Design and Cryogenic Systems; Propulsion and Levitation Systems; and, System Control and Integration.« less

NASDA's Advanced On-Line System (ADOLIS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamamoto, Yoshikatsu; Hara, Hideo; Yamada, Shigeo; Hirata, Nobuyuki; Komatsu, Shigenori; Nishihata, Seiji; Oniyama, Akio

1993-01-01

Spacecraft operations including ground system operations are generally realized by various large or small scale group work which is done by operators, engineers, managers, users and so on, and their positions are geographically distributed in many cases. In face-to-face work environments, it is easy for them to understand each other. However, in distributed work environments which need communication media, if only using audio, they become estranged from each other and lose interest in and continuity of work. It is an obstacle to smooth operation of spacecraft. NASDA has developed an experimental model of a new real-time operation control system called 'ADOLIS' (ADvanced On-Line System) adopted to such a distributed environment using a multi-media system dealing with character, figure, image, handwriting, video and audio information which is accommodated to operation systems of a wide range including spacecraft and ground systems. This paper describes the results of the development of the experimental model.

A focus group study of the impact of trauma exposure in the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

PubMed

North, Carol S; Barney, Carissa J; Pollio, David E

2015-04-01

Much of the mental health research that has emerged from the September 11 (9/11) attacks has been focused on posttraumatic stress disorder and its symptoms. To better understand the broader experience of individuals following a disaster, focus groups were conducted with individuals from affected companies both at Ground Zero and elsewhere in New York City. Twenty-one focus groups with a total of 140 participants were conducted in the second post-9/11 year. Areas of identified concern were coded into the following themes: Disaster Experience, Emotional Responses, Workplace Issues, Coping, and Issues of Public Concern. Discussions of focus groups included material represented in all five themes in companies both at Ground Zero and elsewhere. The emphasis and the content within these themes varied between the Ground Zero and other companies. Content suggesting symptoms of PTSD represented only a minority of the material, especially in the company groups not at Ground Zero. This study's findings revealed an array of psychosocial concerns following the 9/11 attacks among employees of companies in New York City that extended far beyond PTSD. This study's results provide further evidence that trauma exposure is central to individuals' post-disaster experience and focus, and to individuals' adjustment and experience after disaster.

A Focus Group Study of the Impact of Trauma Exposure in the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks

PubMed Central

North, Carol S.; Barney, Carissa J.; Pollio, David E.

2014-01-01

Purpose Much of the mental health research that has emerged from the September 11 (9/11) attacks has been focused on posttraumatic stress disorder and its symptoms. To better understand the broader experience of individuals following a disaster, focus groups were conducted with individuals from affected companies both at Ground Zero and elsewhere. Methods Twenty-one focus groups with a total of 140 participants were conducted in the second post-9/11 year. Areas of identified concern were coded into the following themes: Disaster Experience, Emotional Responses, Workplace Issues, Coping, and Issues of Public Concern. Results Discussions of focus groups included material represented in all five themes in companies both at Ground Zero and elsewhere. The emphasis and the content within these themes varied between the Ground Zero and other companies. Content suggesting symptoms of PTSD represented only a minority of the material, especially in the company groups not at Ground Zero. Conclusions This study’s findings revealed an array of psychosocial concerns following the 9/11 attacks among employees of companies in New York City that extended far beyond PTSD. This study’s results provide further evidence that trauma exposure is central to individuals’ post-disaster experience and focus, and to individuals’ adjustment and experience after disaster. PMID:25319111

A common ground in clinical discussion groups: Intersubjective resonance and implicit operational theories.

PubMed

Bernardi, Ricardo

2017-10-01

Clinical discussion groups based on the Three-Level Model for Observing Patient Transformations (3-LM) enable us to reflect on the clinical common ground shared by psychoanalysts who have different theoretical frameworks. The very existence of this common ground is controversial. While analysts such as Wallerstein support it, others, like Green, think it is just a myth. In their 2005 controversy Wallerstein and Green proposed an observation procedure that might clarify this matter. This procedure bears great similarity to the one used by clinical discussion groups that apply the 3-LM. The study of numerous theoretically heterogeneous groups that use this model shows that communication is possible in crucial areas. We may thus conclude that a partial and dynamic common ground exists. At a phenomenological level, certain fragments of material produce a shared resonance that enriches clinical understanding for the whole group. Communication is also possible with regard to the conceptualization of patient changes, although some controversial issues persist at this level. Finally, at the level of theoretical explanations, divergences concerning abstract theories do not prevent a fertile interaction among 'in vivo' personal implicit theories. The latter give rise to the actual operational frameworks underlying participants' approach to clinical problems. Copyright © 2017 Institute of Psychoanalysis.

A comparison of two ground-based lightning detection networks against the satellite-based lightning imaging sensor (LIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Kelsey B.

We compared lightning stroke data from the ground-based World Wide Lightning Location Network (WWLLN) and lightning stroke data from the ground-based Earth Networks Total Lightning Network (ENTLN) to lightning group data from the satellite-based Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) from 1 January 2010 through 30 June 2011. The region of study, about 39°S to 39°N latitude, 164°E to 17°W longitude, chosen to approximate the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) field of view, was considered in its entirety and then divided into four geographical sub-regions. We found the highest 18-mon WWLLN coincidence percent (CP) value in the Pacific Ocean at 18.9% and the highest 18-mon ENTLN CP value in North America at 63.3%. We found the lowest 18-mon CP value for both WWLLN and ENTLN in South America at 6.2% and 2.2% respectively. Daily CP values and how often large radiance LIS groups had a coincident stroke varied. Coincidences between LIS groups and ENTLN strokes often resulted in more cloud than ground coincidences in North America and more ground than cloud coincidences in the other three sub-regions.

Social and cultural issues during Shuttle/Mir space missions.

PubMed

Kanas, N; Salnitskiy, V; Grund, E M; Gushin, V; Weiss, D S; Kozerenko, O; Sled, A; Marmar, C R

2000-01-01

A number of interpersonal issues relevant to manned space missions have been identified from the literature. These include crew tension, cohesion, leadership, language and cultural factors, and displacement. Ground-based studies by others and us have clarified some of the parameters of these issues and have indicated ways in which they could be studied during actual space missions. In this paper, we summarize some of our findings related to social and cultural issues from a NASA-funded study conducted during several Shuttle/Mir space missions. We used standardized mood and group climate measures that were completed on a weekly basis by American and Russian crew and mission control subjects who participated in these missions. Our results indicated that American subjects reported more dissatisfaction with their interpersonal environment than their Russian counterparts, especially American astronauts. Mission control personnel were more dysphoric than crewmembers, but both groups were significantly less dysphoric than other work groups on Earth. Countermeasures based on our findings are discussed which can be applied to future multicultural space missions. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Social and cultural issues during Shuttle/Mir space missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanas, N.; Salnitskiy, V.; Grund, E. M.; Gushin, V.; Weiss, D. S.; Kozerenko, O.; Sled, A.; Marmar, C. R.

2000-01-01

A number of interpersonal issues relevant to manned space missions have been identified from the literature. These include crew tension, cohesion, leadership, language and cultural factors, and displacement. Ground-based studies by others and us have clarified some of the parameters of these issues and have indicated ways in which they could be studied during actual space missions. In this paper, we summarize some of our findings related to social and cultural issues from a NASA-funded study conducted during several Shuttle/Mir space missions. We used standardized mood and group climate measures that were completed on a weekly basis by American and Russian crew and mission control subjects who participated in these missions. Our results indicated that American subjects reported more dissatisfaction with their interpersonal environment than their Russian counterparts, especially American astronauts. Mission control personnel were more dysphoric than crewmembers, but both groups were significantly less dysphoric than other work groups on Earth. Countermeasures based on our findings are discussed which can be applied to future multicultural space missions. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.

Rodent Habitat On ISS: Spaceflight Effects On Mouse Behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ronca, A. E.; Moyer, E. L.; Talyansky, Y.; Padmanabhan, S.; Choi, S.; Gong, C.; Globus, R. K.

2016-01-01

The NASA Decadal Survey (2011), Recapturing a Future for Space Exploration: Life and Physical Sciences Research for a New Era, emphasized the importance of expanding NASA life sciences research to long duration, rodent experiments on the International Space Station (ISS). To accomplish this objective, flight hardware, operations, and science capabilities supporting mouse studies in space were developed at NASA Ames Research Center. The first flight experiment carrying mice, Rodent Research Hardware and Operations Validation (Rodent Research-1), was launched on Sept 21, 2014 in an unmanned Dragon Capsule, SpaceX4, exposing the mice to a total of 37 days in space. Ground control groups were maintained in environmental chambers at Kennedy Space Center. Mouse health and behavior were monitored for the duration of the experiment via video streaming. Here we present behavioral analysis of two groups of five C57BL/6 female adult mice viewed via fixed camera views compared with identically housed Ground Controls. Flight (Flt) and Ground Control (GC) mice exhibited the same range of behaviors, including eating, drinking, exploratory behavior, self- and allo-grooming, and social interactions at similar or greater levels of occurrence. Mice propelled themselves freely and actively throughout the Habitat using their forelimbs to push off or by floating from one cage area to another, and they quickly learned to anchor themselves using tails and/or paws. Overall activity was greater in Flt as compared to GC mice, with spontaneous ambulatory behavior including the development of organized ‘circling’ or ‘race-tracking’ behavior that emerged within the first few days of flight and encompassed the primary dark cycle activity for the remainder of the experiment. We quantified the bout frequency, duration and rate of circling with respect to characteristic behaviors observed in the varying stages of the progressive development of circling: flipping utilizing two sides of the habitat, circling, multi-lap circling and group-circling. Once begun, mice did not regress to flipping behavior or other previous behavioral milestones for the remainder of flight. An overall upward trend in circling frequency, rate, duration, participation, and organization was observed over the course of the 37-day spaceflight experiment. In this presentation, we will summarize qualitative observations and quantitative comparisons of mice in microgravity and 1g conditions. Behavioral analyses provide important insights into the overall health and adaptation of mice to the space environment, and identify unique behaviors and social interactions to guide future habitat development and research on rodents in space.

Women's self-management of chronic illnesses in the context of caregiving: a grounded theory study.

PubMed

Martinez-Marcos, Mercedes; De la Cuesta-Benjumea, Carmen

2015-06-01

Uncover how women self-manage their own chronic illness while taking care of a dependent relative. International policies place special emphasis in promoting interventions addressed to control, prevent and care for people with chronic health conditions. Self-management is a crucial part of this care. Caregivers are more prone to have chronic illness than non-caregivers. They are confronted with dilemmas about taking care of themselves while taking care of their dependent relative and the rest of their families. Caregivers articulate strategies to enable them to focus their energy on caring. Qualitative study using constructivist grounded theory. Thirty-nine women caregivers with a chronic illness participated in the study. Twenty-three semi-structured interviews and two focus groups were carried out between April 2010-December 2011. Data were analysed using grounded theory procedures. Self-management helps women caregivers with a chronic illness to balance the demands of their own illness and those of the dependent relative. They self-manage their illness by self-regulating the treatment, by regulating their strength and by controlling their emotions. Women caregivers integrate effectively and creatively the management of their chronic illnesses within the complexities of family care. This renders their health needs invisible and reaffirms them as capable caregivers. Identifying self-management strategies of women caregivers allow health professionals to acknowledge and reinforce effective self-care measures and to deter those that are ineffective and lessen their quality of life. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Survival of epiphytic bacteria from seed stored on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schuerger, Andrew C.; Norman, Bret L.; Angelo, Joseph A., Jr.

1991-01-01

This study was designed to determine the survival of microorganisms exposed to the relatively harsh conditions found in low Earth orbit (LEO). Seed of corn, sunflower, canteloupe, zucchini, bean, pea, and pumpkin cultivars were packaged in two 18 x 2.5 cm aluminum tubes; wall thickness for each tube was 1.33 mm. One seed tube was attacked to payload M0006, tray C-2; a second tube was stored at room temperature in a lab on Earth. Five lithium fluoride thermoluminescent dosimetry wafers (TLD-100 wafers) were placed in each aluminum tube. The total mean dosages for flight and ground-control TLD wafers were 210.0 and 0.9 rads, respectively. Seeds were washed for 2 hrs in a phosphate buffered saline solution. Bacteria were isolated by plating samples of the seed-washings onto dilute tryptic soy agar. Pure isolates of morphologically distinct bacteria were obtained by standard microbiological procedures. Bacteria were grouped according to colony-type and preliminary identification was completed using a fatty-acid analysis system. Bacillus spp. were the primary microoganisms that survived on seed during the experiment. Bacterial diversity and relative abundance were similar for the ground flight seed. Bacillus subtilus, B. pumilus, B. licheniformis, B. polymyxa, B. megaterium, and B. pabuli were isolated most frequently. Members of the genera Kurthia, Listeria, Micrococcus, and Arthrobacter were also isolated from flight and ground control seed. Results support the hypothesis that terrestrial microorganisms can survive long periods of time in the relatively harsh LEO environment.

Altered Kinematics and Time to Stabilization During Drop-Jump Landings in Individuals With or Without Functional Ankle Instability

PubMed Central

Wright, Cynthia J.; Arnold, Brent L.; Ross, Scott E.

2016-01-01

Context It has been proposed that altered dynamic-control strategies during functional activity such as jump landings may partially explain recurrent instability in individuals with functional ankle instability (FAI). Objective To capture jump-landing time to stabilization (TTS) and ankle motion using a multisegment foot model among FAI, coper, and healthy control individuals. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Laboratory. Patients or Other Participants Participants were 23 individuals with a history of at least 1 ankle sprain and at least 2 episodes of giving way in the past year (FAI), 23 individuals with a history of a single ankle sprain and no subsequent episodes of instability (copers), and 23 individuals with no history of ankle sprain or instability in their lifetime (controls). Participants were matched for age, height, and weight (age = 23.3 ± 3.8 years, height = 1.71 ± 0.09 m, weight = 69.0 ± 13.7 kg). Intervention(s) Ten single-legged drop jumps were recorded using a 12-camera Vicon MX motion-capture system and a strain-gauge force plate. Main Outcome Measures Mediolateral (ML) and anteroposterior (AP) TTS in seconds, as well as forefoot and hindfoot sagittal- and frontal-plane angles at jump-landing initial contact and at the point of maximum vertical ground reaction force were calculated. Results For the forefoot and hindfoot in the sagittal plane, group differences were present at initial contact (forefoot: P = .043, hindfoot: P = .004). At the hindfoot, individuals with FAI displayed more dorsiflexion than the control and coper groups. Time to stabilization differed among groups (AP TTS: P < .001; ML TTS: P = .040). Anteroposterior TTS was longer in the coper group than in the FAI or control groups, and ML TTS was longer in the FAI group than in the control group. Conclusions During jump landings, copers showed differences in sagittal-plane control, including less plantar flexion at initial contact and increased AP sway during stabilization, which may contribute to increased dynamic stability. PMID:26794631

In-group modulation of perceptual matching.

PubMed

Moradi, Zargol; Sui, Jie; Hewstone, Miles; Humphreys, Glyn W

2015-10-01

We report a novel effect of in-group bias on a task requiring simple perceptual matching of stimuli. Football fans were instructed to associate the badges of their favorite football team (in-group), a rival team (out-group), and neutral teams with simple geometric shapes. Responses to matching in-group stimuli were more efficient, and discriminability was enhanced, as compared to out-group stimuli (rival and neutral)-a result that occurred even when participants responded only to the (equally familiar) geometric shapes. Across individuals, the in-group bias on shape matching was correlated with measures of group satisfaction, and similar results were found when football fans performed the task, in the context of both the football ground and a laboratory setting. We also observed effects of in-group bias on the response criteria in some but not all of the experiments. In control studies, the advantage for in-group stimuli was not found in an independent sample of participants who were not football fans. This indicates that there was not an intrinsic advantage for the stimuli that were "in-group" for football fans. Also, performance did not differ for familiar versus unfamiliar stimuli without in-group associations. These findings indicate that group identification can affect simple shape matching.

A ground based phase control system for the solar power satellite. Executive summary, volume 1, phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chie, C. M.

1980-01-01

The Solar Power Satellite (SPS) concept and the reference phase control system investigated in earlier efforts are reviewed. A summary overview of the analysis and selection of the pilot signal and power transponder design is presented along with the SOLARSIM program development and the simulated SPS phase control performance. Evaluations of the ground based phase control system as an alternate phase control concept are summarized.

Re-Engineering of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) to Reduce Operational Costs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garvis, Michael; Dougherty, Andrew; Whittier, Wallace

1996-01-01

Satellite telemetry processing onboard the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is carried out using dedicated software and hardware. The current ground system is expensive to operate and maintain. The mandate to reduce satellite ground system operations and maintenance costs by the year 2000 led NASA to upgrade the command and control systems in order to improve the data processing capabilities, reduce operator experience levels and increase system standardization. As a result, a command and control system product development team was formed to redesign and develop the HST ground system. The command and control system ground system development consists of six elements. The results of the prototyping phase carried out for the following of these elements are presented: the front end processor; middleware, and the graphical user interface.

Subjective evaluation with FAA criteria: A multidimensional scaling approach. [ground track control management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kreifeldt, J. G.; Parkin, L.; Wempe, T. E.; Huff, E. F.

1975-01-01

Perceived orderliness in the ground tracks of five A/C during their simulated flights was studied. Dynamically developing ground tracks for five A/C from 21 separate runs were reproduced from computer storage and displayed on CRTS to professional pilots and controllers for their evaluations and preferences under several criteria. The ground tracks were developed in 20 seconds as opposed to the 5 minutes of simulated flight using speedup techniques for display. Metric and nonmetric multidimensional scaling techniques are being used to analyze the subjective responses in an effort to: (1) determine the meaningfulness of basing decisions on such complex subjective criteria; (2) compare pilot/controller perceptual spaces; (3) determine the dimensionality of the subjects' perceptual spaces; and thereby (4) determine objective measures suitable for comparing alternative traffic management simulations.

Contesting modernity: Tobacco use and romanticism among older Dai farmers in Xishuangbanna, China.

PubMed

Zhao, Xiang; Davey, Gareth

2015-11-01

The majority of research about tobacco use in China focuses on Han Chinese, the main ethnic group comprising over 90 per cent of the population, and a paucity of research exists on ethnic minorities. The present study elucidates tobacco use among the Dai people, an ethnic group in Yunnan Province, Southwest China. The study design consisted of interviews and grounded theory methodology in a symbolic interactionist theoretical framework. The categories of the grounded theory revealed tobacco consumption was weaved in a complex web of meanings: social practices, perceptions of health, and work lives as agriculturalists, situated in Dai cultural and social milieu. An important finding was the stage-managing of tobacco as a symbol of 'tradition' versus 'modernity': Through a process of contested modernity, the older men championed long-standing tobacco customs as representative of Dai heritage and thus their own tobacco use as upholding traditions amid encroaching cultural and societal change in China. These findings are important because little is known about Dai people's tobacco use and how they are responding to social change. There are also implications for the development of culturally-appropriate tobacco control strategies. © 2015 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness.

The role of temporal structure in human vision.

PubMed

Blake, Randolph; Lee, Sang-Hun

2005-03-01

Gestalt psychologists identified several stimulus properties thought to underlie visual grouping and figure/ground segmentation, and among those properties was common fate: the tendency to group together individual objects that move together in the same direction at the same speed. Recent years have witnessed an upsurge of interest in visual grouping based on other time-dependent sources of visual information, including synchronized changes in luminance, in motion direction, and in figure/ ground relations. These various sources of temporal grouping information can be subsumed under the rubric temporal structure. In this article, the authors review evidence bearing on the effectiveness of temporal structure in visual grouping. They start with an overview of evidence bearing on temporal acuity of human vision, covering studies dealing with temporal integration and temporal differentiation. They then summarize psychophysical studies dealing with figure/ground segregation based on temporal phase differences in deterministic and stochastic events. The authors conclude with a brief discussion of neurophysiological implications of these results.

Analysis of interior noise ground and flight test data for advanced turboprop aircraft applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simpson, M. A.; Tran, B. N.

1991-01-01

Interior noise ground tests conducted on a DC-9 aircraft test section are described. The objectives were to study ground test and analysis techniques for evaluating the effectiveness of interior noise control treatments for advanced turboprop aircraft, and to study the sensitivity of the ground test results to changes in various test conditions. Noise and vibration measurements were conducted under simulated advanced turboprop excitation, for two interior noise control treatment configurations. These ground measurement results were compared with results of earlier UHB (Ultra High Bypass) Demonstrator flight tests with comparable interior treatment configurations. The Demonstrator is an MD-80 test aircraft with the left JT8D engine replaced with a prototype UHB advanced turboprop engine.

Analysis of interior noise ground and flight test data for advanced turboprop aircraft applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, M. A.; Tran, B. N.

1991-08-01

Interior noise ground tests conducted on a DC-9 aircraft test section are described. The objectives were to study ground test and analysis techniques for evaluating the effectiveness of interior noise control treatments for advanced turboprop aircraft, and to study the sensitivity of the ground test results to changes in various test conditions. Noise and vibration measurements were conducted under simulated advanced turboprop excitation, for two interior noise control treatment configurations. These ground measurement results were compared with results of earlier UHB (Ultra High Bypass) Demonstrator flight tests with comparable interior treatment configurations. The Demonstrator is an MD-80 test aircraft with the left JT8D engine replaced with a prototype UHB advanced turboprop engine.

Impacts of an Invasive Non-Native Annual Weed, Impatiens glandulifera, on Above- and Below-Ground Invertebrate Communities in the United Kingdom

PubMed Central

Tanner, Robert A.; Varia, Sonal; Eschen, René; Wood, Suzy; Murphy, Sean T.; Gange, Alan C.

2013-01-01

Vegetation community composition and the above- and below-ground invertebrate communities are linked intrinsically, though few studies have assessed the impact of non-native plants on both these parts of the community together. We evaluated the differences in the above- (foliage- and ground-dwelling) and below-ground invertebrate communities in nine uninvaded plots and nine plots invaded by the annual invasive species Impatiens glandulifera, in the UK during 2007 and 2008. Over 139,000 invertebrates were identified into distinct taxa and categorised into functional feeding groups. The impact of I. glandulifera on the vegetation and invertebrate community composition was evaluated using multivariate statistics including principal response curves (PRC) and redundancy analysis (RDA). In the foliage-dwelling community, all functional feeding groups were less abundant in the invaded plots, and the species richness of Coleoptera and Heteroptera was significantly reduced. In the ground-dwelling community, herbivores, detritivores, and predators were all significantly less abundant in the invaded plots. In contrast, these functional groups in the below-ground community appeared to be largely unaffected, and even positively associated with the presence of I. glandulifera. Although the cover of I. glandulifera decreased in the invaded plots in the second year of the study, only the below-ground invertebrate community showed a significant response. These results indicate that the above- and below-ground invertebrate communities respond differently to the presence of I. glandulifera, and these community shifts can potentially lead to a habitat less biologically diverse than surrounding native communities; which could have negative impacts on higher trophic levels and ecosystem functioning. PMID:23840648

Ground controlled robotic assembly operations for Space Station Freedom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrish, Joseph C.

1991-01-01

A number of dextrous robotic systems and associated positioning and transportation devices are available on Space Station Freedom (SSF) to perform assembly tasks that would otherwise need to be performed by extravehicular activity (EVA) crewmembers. The currently planned operating mode for these robotic systems during the assembly phase is teleoperation by intravehicular activity (IVA) crewmembers. While this operating mode is less hazardous and expensive than manned EVA operations, and has insignificant control loop time delays, the amount of IVA time available to support telerobotic operations is much less than the anticipated requirements. Some alternative is needed to allow the robotic systems to perform useful tasks without exhausting the available IVA resources; ground control is one such alternative. The issues associated with ground control of SSF robotic systems to alleviate onboard crew time availability constraints are investigated. Key technical issues include the effect of communication time delays, the need for safe, reliable execution of remote operations, and required modifications to the SSF ground and flight system architecture. Time delay compensation techniques such as predictive displays and world model-based force reflection are addressed and collision detection and avoidance strategies to ensure the safety of the on-orbit crew, Orbiter, and SSF are described. Although more time consuming and difficult than IVA controlled teleoperations or manned EVA, ground controlled telerobotic operations offer significant benefits during the SSF assembly phase, and should be considered in assembly planning activities.

Geohydrology and water quality of the Calumet aquifer, in the vicinity of the Grand Calumet River/Indiana Harbor Canal, northwestern Indiana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fenelon, J.M.; Watson, Lee R.

1993-01-01

A comparison of primarily inorganic-constituent data from the five land-use groups to inorganic-constituent data from sites known to be contaminated shows that constituent concentrations in ground waters from wells in the land-use areas generally are lower than those in ground water from contaminated areas. Abstract 1 Likewise, a comparison of inorganic-constituent data from the land-use groups to inorganic-constituent data from areas relatively unaffected by human presence shows that constituent concentrations in ground water from wells in the land-use areas generally are greater than those in ground water from the unaffected areas. Some documented but unaccounted for chemical loads in the Grand Calumet River are from ground water. Ground water probably contributes more than 10 percent of the total chemical load of ammonia, chromium, and cyanide to the Grand Calumet River. In comparison, about 1 to 3 percent of the total streamflow in the Grand Calumet River is from ground water. Of the four major groundwater sinks in the aquifer, the east branch of the Grand Calumet River and the Indiana Harbor Canal generally receive the greatest chemical loads from ground water, whereas Lake Michigan generally receives the smallest loads.

Activation and characterization of waste coffee grounds as bio-sorbent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mariana; Marwan; Mulana, F.; Yunardi; Ismail, T. A.; Hafdiansyah, M. F.

2018-03-01

As the city well known for its culture of coffee drinkers, modern and traditional coffee shops are found everywhere in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. High number of coffee shops in the city generates large quantities of spent coffee grounds as waste without any effort to convert them as other valuable products. In an attempt to reduce environmental problems caused by used coffee grounds, this research was conducted to utilize waste coffee grounds as an activated carbon bio-sorbent. The specific purpose of this research is to improve the performance of coffee grounds bio-sorbent through chemical and physical activation, and to characterize the produced bio-sorbent. Following physical activation by carbonization, a chemical activation was achieved by soaking the carbonized waste coffee grounds in HCl solvent and carbonization process. The activated bio-sorbent was characterized for its morphological properties using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), its functional groups by Fourier Transform Infra-Red Spectrophotometer (FTIR), and its material characteristics using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Characterization of the activated carbon prepared from waste coffee grounds shows that it meets standard quality requirement in accordance with Indonesian National Standard, SNI 06-3730-1995. Activation process has modified the functional groups of the waste coffee grounds. Comparing to natural waste coffee grounds, the resulted bio-sorbent demonstrated a more porous surface morphology following activation process. Consequently, such bio-sorbent is a potential source to be used as an adsorbent for various applications.

Attenuation of the protein wasting associated with bed rest by branched-chain amino acids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stein, T. P.; Schluter, M. D.; Leskiw, M. J.; Boden, G.

1999-01-01

Bed rest is generally accepted as being an appropriate ground-based model for human spaceflight. The objectives of this study were to test the hypothesis that increasing the amount of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in the diet could attenuate the protein loss associated with bed rest. Nineteen healthy subjects were randomized into two groups according to diet. During the 6 d of bed rest, the diets were supplemented with either 30 mmol/d each of three non-essential amino acids, glycine, serine, and alanine (control group), or with 30 mmol/d each of the BCAAs, leucine, isoleucine, and valine (BCAA group). Nutrition was supplied as a commercially available defined formula diet at a rate of 1.3 x REE. Nitrogen (N) balance and urinary 3-MeH excretion were determined for the 6 d. In our results, the urine-based estimate of N balance was 22.2 +/- 14.4 (n = 9) mg N.kg-1.d-1 and 60.5 +/- 10.1 mg (n = 8) N.kg-1.d-1 for the control and BCAA-supplemented groups, respectively (P < 0.05). Urinary 3-MeH excretion was unchanged in both groups with bed rest. We conclude that BCAA supplementation attenuates the N loss during short-term bed rest.

Maneuver Planning for Conjunction Risk Mitigation with Ground-track Control Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McKinley, David

2008-01-01

The planning of conjunction Risk Mitigation Maneuvers (RMM) in the presence of ground-track control requirements is analyzed. Past RMM planning efforts on the Aqua, Aura, and Terra spacecraft have demonstrated that only small maneuvers are available when ground-track control requirements are maintained. Assuming small maneuvers, analytical expressions for the effect of a given maneuver on conjunction geometry are derived. The analytical expressions are used to generate a large trade space for initial RMM design. This trade space represents a significant improvement in initial maneuver planning over existing methods that employ high fidelity maneuver models and propagation.

Effects of high temperature and noise on erythrocyte membrane ATPase activity in pilots during flight.

PubMed

Qin, S Z; Yu, Q F; Ma, G X; Hao, W W; Li, M G; Zhao, H

1999-12-01

Objective. To determine the effect of heat and noise on erythrocyte membrane ATPase activities in pilots during flying. Method. Twenty-four pilots performing bombing for 3 h (45-53 degrees C, 122-97 dB in the cabin) served as the subjects. 21 ground personnel served as control (27 degrees C in the room). Blood samples were taken from both groups before flying (6:00 a.m.), and immediately (12:00 a.m.) and 8 h (8:00 p.m.) after flying. Na(+)-K+ ATPase, and Ca2(+)-Mg2+ ATPase activities in erythrocyte membrane were determined with colorimetry. Result. The Na(+)-K+ ATPase activity in erythrocyte membrane at 6:00 a.m. in pilots was higher than that in control group at the same time (P<0.01). The Ca2(+)-Mg2+ ATPase activities in erythrocyte membrane at 12:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. in pilots were significantly higher, compared with those in control group at the same time (P<0.01). Conclusion. The ATPase values obtained in our study were all within normal range, and the daytime variation of both groups are the same. Exposure of human body to heat and noise for long time may be harmful, the higher ATPase activity is, the more catabolism of ATP will be. ATP exhaustion will lead to Ca2+ overload in erythrocyte thus stiffen the red cell membrane.

Lipid oxidation of stored eggs enriched with very long chain n-3 fatty acids, as affected by dietary olive leaves (Olea europea L.) or α-tocopheryl acetate supplementation.

PubMed

Botsoglou, E; Govaris, A; Fletouris, D; Botsoglou, N

2012-09-15

The antioxidant potential of dietary olive leaves or α-tocopheryl acetate supplementation on lipid oxidation of refrigerated stored hen eggs enriched with very long-chain n-3 fatty acids, was investigated. Ninety-six brown Lohmann laying hens, were equally assigned into three groups. Hens within the control group were given a typical diet containing 3% fish oil, whereas other groups were given the same diet further supplemented with 10 g ground olive leaves/kg feed or 200mg α-tocopheryl acetate/kg feed. Results showed that α-tocopheryl acetate or olive leaves supplementation had no significant effect on the fatty acid composition and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of fresh eggs but reduced their lipid hydroperoxide levels compared to controls. Storage for 60 d decreased the proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) but increased those of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in eggs from the control group, while had no effect on the fatty acid composition of the eggs from the other two groups, which showed decreased levels of lipid hydroperoxides and MDA. Therefore, the very long chain n-3 PUFAs in eggs were protected from undergoing deterioration partly by olive leaves supplementation and totally by α-tocopheryl acetate supplementation. In addition, incorporating tocopherols into eggs might also provide a source of tocopherols for the human diet. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial interactions during ISS missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanas, N. A.; Salnitskiy, V. P.; Ritsher, J. B.; Gushin, V. I.; Weiss, D. S.; Saylor, S. A.; Kozerenko, O. P.; Marmar, C. R.

2007-02-01

Based on anecdotal reports from astronauts and cosmonauts, studies of space analog environments on Earth, and our previous research on the Mir Space Station, a number of psychosocial issues have been identified that can lead to problems during long-duration space expeditions. Several of these issues were studied during a series of missions to the International Space Station. Using a mood and group climate questionnaire that was completed weekly by crewmembers in space and personnel in mission control, we found no evidence to support the presence of predicted decrements in well-being during the second half or in any specific quarter of the missions. The results did support the predicted displacement of negative feelings to outside supervisors among both crew and ground subjects. There were several significant differences in mood and group perceptions between Americans and Russians and between crewmembers and mission control personnel. Crewmembers related cohesion to the support role of their leader, and mission control personnel related cohesion to both the task and support roles of their leader. These findings are discussed with reference to future space missions.

Exploring Perspectives of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Histories of Challenging Behaviors about Family Relationships: An Emergent Topic in a Grounded Theory Focus Group Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Julie F.; Hamilton-Mason, Johnnie; Maramaldi, Peter; Barnhill, L. Jarrett

2016-01-01

The perspectives of individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) about family relationships are underrepresented in the literature. The topic of family relationships emerged in a grounded theory exploratory focus group study that involved thirty dually diagnosed participants with moderate or mild intellectual disabilities and histories of…

Effects of overweight and obese body mass on motor planning and motor skills during obstacle crossing in children.

PubMed

Gill, Simone V; Hung, Ya-Ching

2014-01-01

Little is known about how obesity relates to motor planning and skills during functional tasks. We collected 3-D kinematics and kinetics as normal weight (n=10) and overweight/obese (n=12) children walked on flat ground and as they crossed low, medium, and high obstacles. We investigated if motor planning and motor skill impairments were evident during obstacle crossing. Baseline conditions showed no group differences (all ps>.05). Increased toe clearance was found on low obstacles (p=.01) for the overweight/obese group and on high obstacles (p=.01) for the normal weight group. With the crossing leg, the overweight/obese group had larger hip abduction angles (p=.01) and medial ground reaction forces (p=.006) on high obstacles and high anterior ground reaction forces on low obstacles (p=.001). With the trailing leg, overweight/obese children had higher vertical ground reaction forces on high obstacles (p=.005) and higher knee angles (p=.01) and anterior acceleration in the center of mass (p=.01) on low obstacles. These findings suggest that differences in motor planning and skills in overweight/obese children may be more apparent during functional activities. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Can anti-gravity running improve performance to the same degree as over-ground running?

PubMed

Brennan, Christopher T; Jenkins, David G; Osborne, Mark A; Oyewale, Michael; Kelly, Vincent G

2018-03-11

This study examined the changes in running performance, maximal blood lactate concentrations and running kinematics between 85%BM anti-gravity (AG) running and normal over-ground (OG) running over an 8-week training period. Fifteen elite male developmental cricketers were assigned to either the AG or over-ground (CON) running group. The AG group (n = 7) ran twice a week on an AG treadmill and once per week over-ground. The CON group (n = 8) completed all sessions OG on grass. Both AG and OG training resulted in similar improvements in time trial and shuttle run performance. Maximal running performance showed moderate differences between the groups, however the AG condition resulted in less improvement. Large differences in maximal blood lactate concentrations existed with OG running resulting in greater improvements in blood lactate concentrations measured during maximal running. Moderate increases in stride length paired with moderate decreases in stride rate also resulted from AG training. The use of AG training to supplement regular OG training for performance should be used cautiously, as extended use over long periods of time could lead to altered stride mechanics and reduced blood lactate.

Water Resources Data for California, 1966, 1967, 1968; Part 3: Ground Water Records

USGS Publications Warehouse

1970-01-01

The water-level records are arranged alphabetically by county, and for each county by valley or ground-water basin. Thus, each group of data pertains to a distinct ground-water area, as indicated by subheadings in the report. Under each subhead, the records are arranged numerically by well number.

Ground vehicle control at NIST: From teleoperation to autonomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, Karl N.; Juberts, Maris; Legowik, Steven A.; Nashman, Marilyn; Schneiderman, Henry; Scott, Harry A.; Szabo, Sandor

1994-01-01

NIST is applying their Real-time Control System (RCS) methodology for control of ground vehicles for both the U.S. Army Researh Lab, as part of the DOD's Unmanned Ground Vehicles program, and for the Department of Transportation's Intelligent Vehicle/Highway Systems (IVHS) program. The actuated vehicle, a military HMMWV, has motors for steering, brake, throttle, etc. and sensors for the dashboard gauges. For military operations, the vehicle has two modes of operation: a teleoperation mode--where an operator remotely controls the vehicle over an RF communications network; and a semi-autonomous mode called retro-traverse--where the control system uses an inertial navigation system to steer the vehicle along a prerecorded path. For the IVHS work, intelligent vision processing elements replace the human teleoperator to achieve autonomous, visually guided road following.

Process Upsets Involving Trace Contaminant Control Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graf, John C.; Perry, Jay; Wright, John; Bahr, Jim

2000-01-01

Paradoxically, trace contaminant control systems that suffer unexpected upsets and malfunctions can release hazardous gaseous contaminants into a spacecraft cabin atmosphere causing potentially serious toxicological problems. Trace contaminant control systems designed for spaceflight typically employ a combination of adsorption beds and catalytic oxidation reactors to remove organic and inorganic trace contaminants from the cabin atmosphere. Interestingly, the same design features and attributes which make these systems so effective for purifying a spacecraft's atmosphere can also make them susceptible to system upsets. Cabin conditions can be contributing causes of phenomena such as adsorbent "rollover" and catalyst poisoning can alter a systems performance and in some in stances release contamination into the cabin. Evidence of these phenomena has been observed both in flight and during ground-based tests. The following discussion describes specific instances of system upsets found in trace contaminant control systems, groups these specific upsets into general hazard classifications, and recommends ways to minimize these hazards.

Control Law Synthesis for Vertical Fin Buffeting Alleviation Using Strain Actuation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nitzsche, F.; Zimcik, D. G.; Ryall, T. G.; Moses, R. W.; Henderson, D. A.

1999-01-01

In the present investigation, the results obtained during the ground test of a closed-loop control system conducted on a full-scale fighter to attenuate vertical fin buffeting response using strain actuation are presented. Two groups of actuators consisting of piezoelectric elements distributed over the structure were designed to achieve authority over the first and second modes of the vertical fin. The control laws were synthesized using the Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) method for a time-invariant control system. Three different pairs of sensors including strain gauges and accelerometers at different locations were used to close the feedback loop. The results demonstrated that measurable reductions in the root-mean-square (RMS) values of the fin dynamic response identified by the strain transducer at the critical point for fatigue at the root were achieved under the most severe buffet condition. For less severe buffet conditions, reductions of up to 58% were achieved.

Dairy farmers' perceptions toward the implementation of on-farm Johne's disease prevention and control strategies.

PubMed

Ritter, C; Jansen, J; Roth, K; Kastelic, J P; Adams, C L; Barkema, H W

2016-11-01

Implementation of specific management strategies on dairy farms is currently the most effective way to reduce the prevalence of Johne's disease (JD), an infectious chronic enteritis of ruminants caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). However, dairy farmers often fail to implement recommended strategies. The objective of this study was to assess perceptions of farmers participating in a JD prevention and control program toward recommended practices, and explore factors that influence whether or not a farmer adopts risk-reducing measures for MAP transmission. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 dairy farmers enrolled in a voluntary JD control program in Alberta, Canada. Principles of classical grounded theory were used for participant selection, interviewing, and data analysis. Additionally, demographic data and MAP infection status were collected and analyzed using quantitative questionnaires and the JD control program database. Farmers' perceptions were distinguished according to 2 main categories: first, their belief in the importance of JD, and second, their belief in recommended JD prevention and control strategies. Based on these categories, farmers were classified into 4 groups: proactivists, disillusionists, deniers, and unconcerned. The first 2 groups believed in the importance of JD, and proactivists and unconcerned believed in proposed JD prevention and control measures. Groups that regarded JD as important had better knowledge about best strategies to reduce MAP transmission and had more JD risk assessments conducted on their farm. Although not quantified, it also appeared that these groups had more JD prevention and control practices in place. However, often JD was not perceived as a problem in the herd and generally farmers did not regard JD control as a "hot topic" in communications with their herd veterinarian and other farmers. Recommendations regarding how to communicate with farmers and motivate various groups of farmers according to their specific perceptions were provided to optimize adoption of JD prevention and control measures and thereby increase success of voluntary JD control programs. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects on performance of ground wheat with or without insoluble fiber or whole wheat in sequential feeding for laying hens.

PubMed

Traineau, M; Bouvarel, I; Mulsant, C; Roffidal, L; Launay, C; Lescoat, P

2013-09-01

Sequential feeding (SF) is an innovative system for laying hens consisting of nutrients separating energy, protein, and calcium supplies to fulfill nutrient requirements at the relevant time of day. In previous studies, hens received whole wheat in the morning and a balancer diet (rich in protein and calcium) in the afternoon. To improve SF utilization, the aim was to substitute whole wheat in the morning by an alternative energy supply: ground wheat and ground corn, with or without a proportion of whole wheat and insoluble fiber. The goal was to obtain the advantages observed in previous experiments with whole wheat [bigger gizzard, thinner hens, reduced feed conversion ratio (FCR)]. Four hundred thirty-two ISA Brown hens were housed in collective cages from 20 to 35 wk of age divided into 8 different treatments: a continuous control diet, a sequential diet with whole wheat in the morning, 3 wheat-based diets (ground wheat, ground wheat and 20% whole wheat, and ground wheat with 5% insoluble fiber) and 3 ground corn-based (ground corn, ground corn and 20% whole wheat, and ground corn with 5% insoluble fiber) provided in the morning. All sequential regimens received the same balancer diet rich in protein and calcium in the afternoon. Whole wheat SF gave the best results with an improved FCR compared with continuous control and all other SF diets. Wheat- and corn-based diets showed intermediate results between whole wheat SF and continuous feeding. Gizzard weight was higher and hens were lighter than with conventional continuous feeding, leading to an average FCR improvement of 3.2% compared with a continuous control. Thus, it is possible in SF diets to substitute, at least partially, whole wheat by ground wheat or ground corn with added insoluble fiber or some whole wheat, allowing more flexibility and economic optimization.

Proceedings of the Meeting of the Special Interest Group on Control Theory (1st) Held at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland on 22 May 80,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-05-01

elements that will form the candi- existing targets are given In References 2 and S. date GIC systems; The effectiveness of any missile system Is con- a...authority is specified as that a sensor using some form of pattern recogni- tion may be required. The problem is to find or ot , .- I K (2, begin...have the requirements imposed by an advanced G&C system. been derived so that the resulting formulation is deliberately cast in a form particularly

Modelling Polar Self Assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olvera de La Cruz, Monica; Sayar, Mehmet; Solis, Francisco J.; Stupp, Samuel I.

2001-03-01

Recent experimental studies in our group have shown that self assembled thin films of noncentrosymmetric supramolecular objects composed of triblock rodcoil molecules exhibit finite polar order. These aggregates have both long range dipolar and short range Ising-like interactions. We study the ground state of a simple model with these competing interactions. We find that the competition between Ising-like and dipolar forces yield a periodic domain structure, which can be controlled by adjusting the force constants and film thickness. When the surface forces are included in the potential, the system exhibits a finite macroscopic polar order.

Effect of pretreatment with an Er:YAG laser and fluoride on the prevention of dental enamel erosion.

PubMed

dos Reis Derceli, Juliana; Faraoni-Romano, Juliana Jendiroba; Azevedo, Danielle Torres; Wang, Linda; Bataglion, César; Palma-Dibb, Regina Guenka

2015-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the Er:YAG laser and its association with fluoride (1.23% acidulate phosphate fluoride gel) on the prevention of enamel erosion. Sixty specimens were obtained from bovine enamel (4 × 4 mm), which were ground flat, polished, and randomly divided into five groups according to the preventive treatments: control-fluoride application; L--Er:YAG laser; L+F--laser + fluoride; F+L--fluoride + laser; L/F--laser/fluoride simultaneously. Half of the enamel surface was covered with nail varnish (control area), and the other half was pretreated with one of the preventive strategies to subsequently be submitted to erosive challenge. When the laser was applied, it was irradiated for 10 s with a focal length of 4 mm and 60 mJ/2 Hz. Fluoride gel was applied for 4 min. Each specimen was individually exposed to regular Coca-Cola® for 1 min, four times/day, for 5 days. Wear analysis was performed with a profilometer, and demineralization was assessed with an optical microscope. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test (wear)/Dunn test and ANOVA/Fisher's exact tests. The group L/F was similar to control group. The other groups showed higher wear, which did not present differences among them. In the demineralization assessment, the groups F+L and L/F showed lower demineralization in relation to the other groups. It can be concluded that none preventive method was able to inhibit dental wear. The treatments L/F and F+L showed lower enamel demineralization.

Effect of Surface Treatments on the Bond Strength to Turkom-Cera All-ceramic Material.

PubMed

Razak, Abdul Aa; Abu-Hassan, Mohamed I; Al-Makramani, Bandar Ma; Al-Sanabani, Fuad A; Al-Shami, Ibrahim Z; Almansour, Hosain M

2016-11-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of surface treatments on shear bond strength (SBS) of Turkom-Cera (Turkom-Ceramic (M) Sdn. Bhd., Puchong, Malaysia) all-ceramic material cemented with resin cement Panavia-F (Kuraray Medical Inc., Okayama, Japan). Forty Turkom-Cera ceramic disks (10 mm × 3 mm) were prepared and randomly divided into four groups. The disks were wet ground to 1000-grit and subjected to four surface treatments: (1) No treatment (Control), (2) sandblasting, (3) silane application, and (4) sandblasting + silane. The four groups of 10 specimens each were bonded with Panavia-F resin cement according to manufacturer's recommendations. The SBS was determined using the universal testing machine (Instron) at 0.5 mm/min crosshead speed. Failure modes were recorded and a qualitative micromorphologic examination of different surface treatments was performed. The data were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey honestly significant difference (HSD) tests. The SBS of the control, sandblasting, silane, and sandblasting + silane groups were: 10.8 ± 1.5, 16.4 ± 3.4, 16.2 ± 2.5, and 19.1 ± 2.4 MPa respectively. According to the Tukey HSD test, only the mean SBS of the control group was significantly different from the other three groups. There was no significant difference between sandblasting, silane, and sandblasting + silane groups. In this study, the three surface treatments used improved the bond strength of resin cement to Turkom-Cera disks. The surface treatments used in this study appeared to be suitable methods for the cementation of glass infiltrated all-ceramic restorations.

Applicability of Performance Assessment Tools to Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force C4 System of Systems Performance Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-01

application of existing assessment tools that may be applicable to Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Command, Control, Communications and...of existing assessment tools that may be applicable to Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Command, Control, Communications and Computers (C4...assessment tools and analysis concepts that may be extended to the Marine Corps’ C4 System of Systems assessment methodology as a means to obtain a

Canal wall planning by engine-driven nickel-titanium instruments, compared with stainless-steel hand instrumentation.

PubMed

Tucker, D M; Wenckus, C S; Bentkover, S K

1997-03-01

Twenty-two mesial roots of extracted human mandibular molars were divided into two groups based on root curvature and length. The mesiolingual canals were instrumented using either Flexofiles in a step-back anticurvature filing method, or they were instrumented with engine-driven 0.02 taper nickel-titanium files. Ground sections were prepared at 1-, 2.5-, and 5-mm levels from the working length. The mesiobuccal canal was used as an uninstrumented control for predentin character. Digitizing software was used to calculate the instrumented portion as a percentage of the total canal perimeter. The results indicated no significant difference in overall canal wall planning between the two groups and no significant difference at each of the three levels.

I am going to make the most out of it! Italian university Credit Mobility Students' social representations of alcohol use during study abroad experiences.

PubMed

Aresi, Giovanni; Fattori, Francesco; Pozzi, Maura; Moore, Simon C

2016-09-01

The aim was to explore shared representations of alcohol use in students who were to travel abroad to study. Focus group data from Italian students ( N = 69) were collected. Analyses used Grounded Theory Methodology and were informed by the four key components of Social Representation Theory (cognition, emotion, attitude and behavioural intentions). The study abroad experience was described as one that would involve an increase in alcohol consumption compared to pre-departure levels. Reasons given included greater social and leisure opportunities involving alcohol, reduced social control and features of the host country environment. Opportunities to intervene and address risky alcohol use in this group are discussed.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 outbreak associated with consumption of ground beef, June-July 2002.

PubMed

Vogt, Richard L; Dippold, Laura

2005-01-01

A case-control and environmental study tested the hypothesis that purchasing and eating ground beef from a specific source was the cause of a cluster of cases of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 gastroenteritis. A case-control study comparing risk factors was conducted over the telephone on nine case-patients with 23 selected controls. An environmental investigation was conducted that consisted of reviewing beef handling practices at a specific local supermarket and obtaining ground beef samples from the store and two households with case-patients. The analysis of the case-control study showed that eight case-patients (89%) purchased ground beef at Grocery Chain A compared with four controls who did not develop illness (17%) (matched odds ratio=undefined; 95% confidence interval 2.8, infinity; p=0.006). The environmental investigation showed that Grocery Chain A received meat from Meatpacker A. Laboratory analysis of meat samples from Meatpacker A and Grocery Chain A and stool samples from some patients recovered an identical strain of E. coli O157:H7 according to pulse-field gel electrophoresis. Both the case-control and environmental studies showed that purchasing ground beef at Grocery Chain A, which received ground beef from Meatpacker A, was the major risk factor for illness in eight case-patients; the ninth case-patient was found to be unrelated to the outbreak. Furthermore, meat from Meatpacker A was associated with a nationwide outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 illness that resulted in the second largest recall of beef in U.S. history at the time.

Clinical evaluation of a nutraceutical, carprofen and meloxicam for the treatment of dogs with osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Moreau, M; Dupuis, J; Bonneau, N H; Desnoyers, M

2003-03-15

The efficacy, tolerance and ease of administration of a nutraceutical, carprofen or meloxicam were evaluated in a prospective, double-blind study on 71 dogs with osteoarthritis. The client-owned dogs were randomly assigned to one of the three treatments or to a placebo control group. The influence of osteoarthritis on the dogs' gait was described by comparing the ground reaction forces of the arthritic dogs and 10 normal dogs. Before the treatments began, and 30 and 60 days later, measurements were made of haematological and biochemical variables and of the ground reaction forces of the arthritic limb, and subjective assessments were made by the owners and by the orthopaedic surgeons. Changes in the ground reaction forces were specific to the arthritic joint, and were significantly improved by carprofen and meloxicam but not by the nutraceutical; the values returned to normal only with meloxicam. The orthopaedic surgeons assessed that there had been an improvement with carprofen and meloxicam, but the owners considered that there had been an improvement only with meloxicam. The blood and faecal analyses did not reveal any changes. The treatments were well tolerated, except for a case of hepatopathy in a dog treated with carprofen.

Does shoe heel design influence ground reaction forces and knee moments during maximum lunges in elite and intermediate badminton players?

PubMed

Lam, Wing-Kai; Ryue, Jaejin; Lee, Ki-Kwang; Park, Sang-Kyoon; Cheung, Jason Tak-Man; Ryu, Jiseon

2017-01-01

Lunge is one frequently executed movement in badminton and involves a unique sagittal footstrike angle of more than 40 degrees at initial ground contact compared with other manoeuvres. This study examined if the shoe heel curvature design of a badminton shoe would influence shoe-ground kinematics, ground reaction forces, and knee moments during lunge. Eleven elite and fifteen intermediate players performed five left-forward maximum lunge trials with Rounded Heel Shoe (RHS), Flattened Heel Shoe (FHS), and Standard Heel Shoes (SHS). Shoe-ground kinematics, ground reaction forces, and knee moments were measured by using synchronized force platform and motion analysis system. A 2 (Group) x 3 (Shoe) ANOVA with repeated measures was performed to determine the effects of different shoes and different playing levels, as well as the interaction of two factors on all variables. Shoe effect indicated that players demonstrated lower maximum vertical loading rate in RHS than the other two shoes (P < 0.05). Group effect revealed that elite players exhibited larger footstrike angle, faster approaching speed, lower peak horizontal force and horizontal loading rates but higher vertical loading rates and larger peak knee flexion and extension moments (P < 0.05). Analysis of Interactions of Group x Shoe for maximum and mean vertical loading rates (P < 0.05) indicated that elite players exhibited lower left maximum and mean vertical loading rates in RHS compared to FHS (P < 0.01), while the intermediate group did not show any Shoe effect on vertical loading rates. These findings indicate that shoe heel curvature would play some role in altering ground reaction force impact during badminton lunge. The differences in impact loads and knee moments between elite and intermediate players may be useful in optimizing footwear design and training strategy to minimize the potential risks for impact related injuries in badminton.

Does shoe heel design influence ground reaction forces and knee moments during maximum lunges in elite and intermediate badminton players?

PubMed Central

Cheung, Jason Tak-Man; Ryu, Jiseon

2017-01-01

Background Lunge is one frequently executed movement in badminton and involves a unique sagittal footstrike angle of more than 40 degrees at initial ground contact compared with other manoeuvres. This study examined if the shoe heel curvature design of a badminton shoe would influence shoe-ground kinematics, ground reaction forces, and knee moments during lunge. Methods Eleven elite and fifteen intermediate players performed five left-forward maximum lunge trials with Rounded Heel Shoe (RHS), Flattened Heel Shoe (FHS), and Standard Heel Shoes (SHS). Shoe-ground kinematics, ground reaction forces, and knee moments were measured by using synchronized force platform and motion analysis system. A 2 (Group) x 3 (Shoe) ANOVA with repeated measures was performed to determine the effects of different shoes and different playing levels, as well as the interaction of two factors on all variables. Results Shoe effect indicated that players demonstrated lower maximum vertical loading rate in RHS than the other two shoes (P < 0.05). Group effect revealed that elite players exhibited larger footstrike angle, faster approaching speed, lower peak horizontal force and horizontal loading rates but higher vertical loading rates and larger peak knee flexion and extension moments (P < 0.05). Analysis of Interactions of Group x Shoe for maximum and mean vertical loading rates (P < 0.05) indicated that elite players exhibited lower left maximum and mean vertical loading rates in RHS compared to FHS (P < 0.01), while the intermediate group did not show any Shoe effect on vertical loading rates. Conclusions These findings indicate that shoe heel curvature would play some role in altering ground reaction force impact during badminton lunge. The differences in impact loads and knee moments between elite and intermediate players may be useful in optimizing footwear design and training strategy to minimize the potential risks for impact related injuries in badminton. PMID:28334016

Simulation-Based Acceptance Testing for Unmanned Ground Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-12

Ground Robotic Reliability Center (GRRC) at the University of Michigan in 2010, the focus of his research has been on unmanned ground vehicles...Jong Lee is a former student of the University of Michigan’s Ground Robotics Reliability Center (GRRC). He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree...methods to improve reliability of Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) systems. His primary research interests include robotic systems and control

Gravity and Development of Cardiopulmonary Reflex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagaoka, Shunji; Eno, Yuko; Ohira, Yoshinobu

Cardio-pulmonary reflex, which our cardiac activity is synchronized to the respiration by autonomic nervous system regulation, is called as "respiratory sinus arrhythmia" and commonly found in adult. The physiological function of the espiratory sinus arrhythmia is considered to maximize the gas exchange during respiration cycle. This respiration induced heart rate variability (RHRV) is only found in mammals and avian showing a remarkable postnatal development, whereas no RHRV in aquatic species such as fish or amphibian. To elucidate our hypothesis that gravity exposure may plays a key role in the postnatal development of RHRV as well as its evolutional origin in these ground animals, we have studied effects of hypergravity (2G) on the postnatal development of RHRV using rat. Pregnant Wister rats were kept in centrifugal cages system for 38 days from 6th days of pregnant mother to have neonates until 23 days old. Electrocardiograph was recorded from the neonates in 2 to 23 days old in 2G group with simultaneous control (1G) group. The RHRV analysis was performed by calculating a component of Fourier power spectral coincide with the respiration frequency. In both groups, averaged resting heart rate gradually increase from 2 to 23 days old. When comparing the heart rate between the two groups, the 2G group indicated significantly lower (240± 8 bpm) than 1G control (326±21 bpm, p¡0.001) in 2 days old, where as no significance in 23 days old. The RHRV of 2 days old neonates in both groups indicated very small magnitude but significantly lower in 2G group than 1G control (p¡0.01). The RHRV gradually increase during the first 2 weeks and then rapid increased to reached 45 fold of magnitude in 1G control, whereas 69 fold in 2G group. The results strongly suggested that the postnatal innervation from respiration to cardiovascular centers was gravity dependent.

The Impact of Tai Chi Exercise on Self-Efficacy, Social Support, and Empowerment in Heart Failure: Insights from a Qualitative Sub-Study from a Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Yeh, Gloria Y; Chan, Caroline W; Wayne, Peter M; Conboy, Lisa

2016-01-01

To qualitatively explore perceived physical and psychosocial effects and overall patient experience associated with a 12-week tai chi (TC) intervention and an education group in a clinical trial of patients with chronic heart failure (HF). We randomized 100 patients with chronic systolic HF (NYHA Class 1-3, ejection fraction≤40%) to a 12-week group TC program or an education control. At 12-weeks, semi-structured interviews were conducted on a random subset (n = 32; n = 17 in TC, n = 15 in control), audiorecorded and transcribed verbatim. Two independent reviewers extracted information using grounded-theory methods for emergent themes. We explored similarities and differences in themes/sub-themes between the groups, and examined qualitative association with changes from baseline to post-intervention in previously reported quantitative measures (e.g., Minnesota Living with HF, Cardiac Exercise Self Efficacy and Profile of Mood States). The mean age (±SD) of participants was 68±9 years, baseline ejection fraction 29±7%, and median New York Heart Association class 2 HF. We idenitifed themes related to the patient's experience of illness, perceptions of self, and relationship to others. Specific psychosocial and physical benefits were described. Common themes emerged from both groups including: social support and self-efficacy related to activity/exercise and diet. The tai chi group, however, also exhibited a more global empowerment and perceived control. Additional themes in TC included mindfulness/self-awareness, decreased stress reactivity, and renewed social role. These themes mirrored improvements in previously reported quantitative measures (quality-of-life, self-efficacy, and mood) in TC compared to control. Patients in TC also reported physical benefits (e.g., decreased pain, improved energy, endurance, flexibility). Positive themes emerged from both groups, although there were qualitative differences in concepts of self-efficacy and perceived control between groups. Those in tai chi reported not only self efficacy and social support, but overall empowerment with additional gains such as internal locus of control, self-awareness and stress management. Future studies of mind-body exercise might further examine perceived control, self-efficacy, and locus-of-control as potential mediators of effect.

Contamination control device

DOEpatents

Clark, Robert M.; Cronin, John C.

1977-01-01

A contamination control device for use in a gas-insulated transmission bus consisting of a cylindrical center conductor coaxially mounted within a grounded cylindrical enclosure. The contamination control device is electrically connected to the interior surface of the grounded outer shell and positioned along an axial line at the lowest vertical position thereon. The contamination control device comprises an elongated metallic member having a generally curved cross-section in a first plane perpendicular to the axis of the bus and having an arcuate cross-section in a second plane lying along the axis of the bus. Each opposed end of the metallic member and its opposing sides are tapered to form a pair of generally converging and downward sloping surfaces to trap randomly moving conductive particles in the relatively field-free region between the metallic member and the interior surface of the grounded outer shell. The device may have projecting legs to enable the device to be spot welded to the interior of the grounded housing. The control device provides a high capture probability and prevents subsequent release of the charged particles after the capture thereof.

Integrated Ground Operations Demonstration Units Testing Plans and Status

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Robert G.; Notardonato, William U.; Currin, Kelly M.; Orozco-Smith, Evelyn M.

2012-01-01

Cryogenic propellant loading operations with their associated flight and ground systems are some of the most complex, critical activities in launch operations. Consequently, these systems and operations account for a sizeable portion of the life cycle costs of any launch program. NASA operations for handling cryogens in ground support equipment have not changed substantially in 50 years, despite advances in cryogenics, system health management and command and control technologies. This project was developed to mature, integrate and demonstrate advancement in the current state of the art in these areas using two distinct integrated ground operations demonstration units (GODU): GODU Integrated Refrigeration and Storage (IRAS) and GODU Autonomous Control

Spacelab

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-09-12

The group of Japanese researchers of the Spacelab-J (SL-J) were thumbs-up in the Payload Operations Control Center (POCC) at the Marshall Space Flight Center after the successful launch of Space Shuttle Orbiter Endeavour that carried their experiments. The SL-J was a joint mission of NASA and the National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA) utilizing a marned Spacelab module. The mission conducted microgravity investigations in materials and life sciences. Materials science investigations covered such fields as biotechnology, electronic materials, fluid dynamics and transport phenomena, glasses and ceramics, metals and alloys, and acceleration measurements. Life sciences included experiments on human health, cell separation and biology, developmental biology, animal and human physiology and behavior, space radiation, and biological rhythms. Test subjects included the crew, Japanese koi fish (carp), cultured animal and plant cells, chicken embryos, fruit flies, fungi and plant seeds, frogs, and frog eggs. The POCC was the air/ground communications channel between the astronauts and ground control teams during the Spacelab missions. The Spacelab science operations were a cooperative effort between the science astronaut crew in orbit and their colleagues in the POCC. Spacelab-J was launched aboard the Space Shuttle Orbiter Endeavour on September 12, 1992.

A grounded theory of the process of adherence to oral chemotherapy in Hispanic and caucasian children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PubMed

Landier, Wendy; Hughes, Cynthia B; Calvillo, Evelyn R; Anderson, Nancy L R; Briseño-Toomey, Deborah; Dominguez, Leticia; Martinez, Alex M; Hanby, Cara; Bhatia, Smita

2011-01-01

Children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) receive treatment that relies on daily self- or parent/caregiver-administered oral chemotherapy for approximately 2 years. Despite the fact that pediatric ALL is uniformly fatal without adequate treatment, nonadherence to oral chemotherapy has been observed in up to one third of patients. Little is known about the reasons for nonadherence in these patients. This study used Straussian grounded theory methodology to develop and validate a model to explain the process of adherence to oral chemotherapy in children and adolescents with ALL. Thirty-eight semistructured interviews (with 17 patients and 21 parents/caregivers) and 4 focused group discussions were conducted. Three stages were identified in the process of adherence: (a) Recognizing the Threat, (b) Taking Control, and (c) Managing for the Duration. Doing Our Part was identified as the core theme explaining the process of adherence and involves the parent (or patient) taking responsibility for assuring that medications are taken as prescribed. Understanding the association between taking oral chemotherapy and control/cure of leukemia (Making the Connection) appeared to mediate adherence behaviors.

The NASA-Sponsored Study of Cataract in Astronauts (NASCA). Relationship of Exposure to Radiation in Space and the Risk of Cataract Incidence and Progression. Report 1: Recruitment and Methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chylack, Leo T.; Peterson, Leif E.; Feiveson, Alan H.; Wear, Mary; Manuel, F. Keith

2007-01-01

The NASA Study of Cataract in Astronauts (NASCA) is a five-year, multi-centered, investigation of lens opacification in populations of U.S. astronauts, military pilots, and ground-based (nonaviator) comparison participants. For astronauts, the explanatory variable of most interest is radiation exposure during space flight, however to properly evaluate its effect, the secondary effects of age, nutrition, general health, solar ocular exposure, and other confounding variables encountered in non-space flight must also be considered. NASCA contains an initial baseline, cross-sectional objective assessment of the severity of cortical (C), nuclear (N), and posterior subcapsular (PSC) lens opacification, and annual follow-on assessments of severity and progression of these opacities in the population of astronauts and in participants sampled from populations of military pilots and ground-based exposure controls. From these data, NASCA will estimate the degree to which space radiation affects lens opacification for astronauts and how the overall risks of each cataract type for astronauts compared with those of the other exposure control groups after adjusting for differences in age and other explanatory variables.

Ground-water recharge in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States - Climatic and geologic framework: Chapter A in Ground-water recharge in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States (Professional Paper 1703)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stonestrom, David A.; Harrill, James R.; Stonestrom, David A.; Constantz, Jim; Ferré, Ty P.A.; Leake, Stanley A.

2007-01-01

Ground-water recharge in the arid and semiarid southwestern United States results from the complex interplay of climate, geology, and vegetation across widely ranging spatial and temporal scales. Present-day recharge tends to be narrowly focused in time and space. Widespread water-table declines accompanied agricultural development during the twentieth century, demonstrating that sustainable ground-water supplies are not guaranteed when part of the extracted resource represents paleorecharge. Climatic controls on ground-water recharge range from seasonal cycles of summer monsoonal and winter frontal storms to multimillennial cycles of glacial and interglacial periods. Precipitation patterns reflect global-scale interactions among the oceans, atmosphere, and continents. Large-scale climatic influences associated with El Niño and Pacific Decadal Oscillations strongly but irregularly control weather in the study area, so that year-to-year variations in precipitation and ground-water recharge are large and difficult to predict. Proxy data indicate geologically recent periods of multidecadal droughts unlike any in the modern instrumental record. Anthropogenically induced climate change likely will reduce ground-water recharge through diminished snowpack at higher elevations, and perhaps through increased drought. Future changes in El Niño and monsoonal patterns, both crucial to precipitation in the study area, are highly uncertain in current models. Land-use modifications influence ground-water recharge directly through vegetation, irrigation, and impermeable area, and indirectly through climate change. High ranges bounding the study area—the San Bernadino Mountains and Sierra Nevada to the west, and the Wasatch and southern Colorado Rocky Mountains to the east—provide external geologic controls on ground-water recharge. Internal geologic controls stem from tectonic processes that led to numerous, variably connected alluvial-filled basins, exposure of extensive Paleozoic aquifers in mountainous recharge areas, and distinct modes of recharge in the Colorado Plateau and Basin and Range subregions.

Grouping puts figure-ground assignment in context by constraining propagation of edge assignment.

PubMed

Brooks, Joseph L; Brook, Joseph L; Driver, Jon

2010-05-01

Figure-ground organization involves the assignment of edges to a figural shape on one or the other side of each dividing edge. Established visual cues for edge assignment primarily concern relatively local rather than contextual factors. In the present article, we show that an assignment for a locally unbiased edge can be affected by an assignment of a remote contextual edge that has its own locally biased assignment. We find that such propagation of edge assignment from the biased remote context occurs only when the biased and unbiased edges are grouped. This new principle, whereby grouping constrains the propagation of figural edge assignment, emerges from both subjective reports and an objective short-term edge-matching task. It generalizes from moving displays involving grouping by common fate and collinearity, to static displays with grouping by similarity of edge-contrast polarity, or apparent occlusion. Our results identify a new contextual influence on edge assignment. They also identify a new mechanistic relation between grouping and figure-ground processes, whereby grouping between remote elements can constrain the propagation of edge assignment between those elements. Supplemental materials for this article may be downloaded from http://app.psychonomic-journals.org/content/supplemental.

JPL control/structure interaction test bed real-time control computer architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Briggs, Hugh C.

1989-01-01

The Control/Structure Interaction Program is a technology development program for spacecraft that exhibit interactions between the control system and structural dynamics. The program objectives include development and verification of new design concepts - such as active structure - and new tools - such as combined structure and control optimization algorithm - and their verification in ground and possibly flight test. A focus mission spacecraft was designed based upon a space interferometer and is the basis for design of the ground test article. The ground test bed objectives include verification of the spacecraft design concepts, the active structure elements and certain design tools such as the new combined structures and controls optimization tool. In anticipation of CSI technology flight experiments, the test bed control electronics must emulate the computation capacity and control architectures of space qualifiable systems as well as the command and control networks that will be used to connect investigators with the flight experiment hardware. The Test Bed facility electronics were functionally partitioned into three units: a laboratory data acquisition system for structural parameter identification and performance verification; an experiment supervisory computer to oversee the experiment, monitor the environmental parameters and perform data logging; and a multilevel real-time control computing system. The design of the Test Bed electronics is presented along with hardware and software component descriptions. The system should break new ground in experimental control electronics and is of interest to anyone working in the verification of control concepts for large structures.

76 FR 25657 - Cross-Waiver of Liability Clauses

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-05

... activities related to ground support, test, training, simulation, or guidance and control equipment and... process for use other than for ISS-related activities in implementation of the IGA. (8) ``Related Entity... activities related to ground support, test, training, simulation, or guidance and control equipment, and...

Female elk contacts are neither frequency nor density dependent

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cross, Paul C.; Creech, Tyler G.; Ebinger, Michael R.; Manlove, Kezia R.; Irvine, Kathryn M.; Henningsen, John C.; Rogerson, Jared D.; Scurlock, Brandon M.; Creely, Scott

2013-01-01

Identifying drivers of contact rates among individuals is critical to understanding disease dynamics and implementing targeted control measures. We studied the interaction patterns of 149 female elk (Cervus canadensis) distributed across five different regions of western Wyoming over three years, defining a contact as an approach within one body length (∼2 m). Using hierarchical models that account for correlations within individuals, pairs, and groups, we found that pairwise contact rates within a group declined by a factor of three as group sizes increased 33-fold. Per capita contact rates, however, increased with group size according to a power function, such that female elk contact rates fell in between the predictions of density- or frequency-dependent disease models. We found similar patterns for the duration of contacts. Our results suggest that larger elk groups are likely to play a disproportionate role in the disease dynamics of directly transmitted infections in elk. Supplemental feeding of elk had a limited impact on pairwise interaction rates and durations, but per capita rates were more than two times higher on feeding grounds. Our statistical approach decomposes the variation in contact rate into individual, dyadic, and environmental effects, and provides insight into factors that may be targeted by disease control programs. In particular, female elk contact patterns were driven more by environmental factors such as group size than by either individual or dyad effects.

Bond strength of one-step self-etch adhesives and their predecessors to ground versus unground enamel

PubMed Central

Yazici, A. Ruya; Yildirim, Zeren; Ertan, Atila; Ozgunaltay, Gül; Dayangac, Berrin; Antonson, Sibel A; Antonson, Donald E

2012-01-01

Objective The aim of this study was to compare the shear bond strength of several self-etch adhesives to their two-step predecessors to ground and unground enamel. Methods: Seventy-five extracted, non-carious human third molar teeth were selected for this study. The buccal surfaces of each tooth were mechanically ground to obtain flat enamel surfaces (ground enamel), while the lingual surfaces were left intact (unground enamel). The teeth were randomly divided into five groups according to the adhesive systems (n=15): one-step self-etch adhesive - Clearfil S3 Bond, its two-step predecessor - Clearfil SE Bond, one-step self-etch adhesive - AdheSE One, and its two-step predecessor - AdheSE, and a two-step etch-and-rinse adhesive - Adper Single Bond 2(control). After application of the adhesives to the buccal and lingual enamel surfaces of each tooth, a cylindrical capsule filled with a hybrid composite resin (TPH) was seated against the surfaces. The specimens were stored in distilled water at 37°C for 24 hours, followed by thermocy-cling (5°C–55°C/500 cycles). They were subjected to shear bond strength test in a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1.0 mm/minute. The data were compared using a two-way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni test at P<.05. Results: All adhesives exhibited statistically similar bond strengths to ground and unground enamel except for the etch-and-rinse adhesive that showed significantly higher bond strengths than the self-etch adhesives (P<.05). No significant differences in bond strength values were observed between ground and unground enamel for any of the adhesives tested (P=.17). Conclusion: Similar bond strengths to ground and unground enamel were achieved with one-step self-etch adhesives and their predecessors. Enamel preparation did not influence the bonding performance of the adhesives tested. PMID:22904656

Bond strength of one-step self-etch adhesives and their predecessors to ground versus unground enamel.

PubMed

Yazici, A Ruya; Yildirim, Zeren; Ertan, Atila; Ozgunaltay, Gül; Dayangac, Berrin; Antonson, Sibel A; Antonson, Donald E

2012-07-01

The aim of this study was to compare the shear bond strength of several self-etch adhesives to their two-step predecessors to ground and unground enamel. Seventy-five extracted, non-carious human third molar teeth were selected for this study. The buccal surfaces of each tooth were mechanically ground to obtain flat enamel surfaces (ground enamel), while the lingual surfaces were left intact (unground enamel). The teeth were randomly divided into five groups according to the adhesive systems (n=15): one-step self-etch adhesive - Clearfil S3 Bond, its two-step predecessor - Clearfil SE Bond, one-step self-etch adhesive - AdheSE One, and its two-step predecessor - AdheSE, and a two-step etch-and-rinse adhesive - Adper Single Bond 2(control). After application of the adhesives to the buccal and lingual enamel surfaces of each tooth, a cylindrical capsule filled with a hybrid composite resin (TPH) was seated against the surfaces. The specimens were stored in distilled water at 37°C for 24 hours, followed by thermocy-cling (5°C-55°C/500 cycles). They were subjected to shear bond strength test in a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1.0 mm/minute. The data were compared using a two-way ANOVA, followed by Bonferroni test at P<.05. All adhesives exhibited statistically similar bond strengths to ground and unground enamel except for the etch-and-rinse adhesive that showed significantly higher bond strengths than the self-etch adhesives (P<.05). No significant differences in bond strength values were observed between ground and unground enamel for any of the adhesives tested (P=.17). Similar bond strengths to ground and unground enamel were achieved with one-step self-etch adhesives and their predecessors. Enamel preparation did not influence the bonding performance of the adhesives tested.

Improving INPE'S balloon ground facilities for operation of the protoMIRAX experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattiello-Francisco, F.; Rinke, E.; Fernandes, J. O.; Cardoso, L.; Cardoso, P.; Braga, J.

2014-10-01

The system requirements for reusing the scientific balloon ground facilities available at INPE were a challenge to the ground system engineers involved in the protoMIRAX X-ray astronomy experiment. A significant effort on software updating was required for the balloon ground station. Considering that protoMIRAX is a pathfinder for the MIRAX satellite mission, a ground infrastructure compatible with INPE's satellite operation approach would be useful and highly recommended to control and monitor the experiment during the balloon flights. This approach will make use of the SATellite Control System (SATCS), a software-based architecture developed at INPE for satellite commanding and monitoring. SATCS complies with particular operational requirements of different satellites by using several customized object-oriented software elements and frameworks. We present the ground solution designed for protoMIRAX operation, the Control and Reception System (CRS). A new server computer, properly configured with Ethernet, has extended the existing ground station facilities with switch, converters and new software (OPS/SERVER) in order to support the available uplink and downlink channels being mapped to TCP/IP gateways required by SATCS. Currently, the CRS development is customizing the SATCS for the kernel functions of protoMIRAX command and telemetry processing. Design-patterns, component-based libraries and metadata are widely used in the SATCS in order to extend the frameworks to address the Packet Utilization Standard (PUS) for ground-balloon communication, in compliance with the services provided by the data handling computer onboard the protoMIRAX balloon.

Preservation Effect of Two-Stage Cinnamon Bark (Cinnamomum Burmanii) Oleoresin Microcapsules On Vacuum-Packed Ground Beef During Refrigerated Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irfiana, D.; Utami, R.; Khasanah, L. U.; Manuhara, G. J.

2017-04-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of two stage cinnamon bark oleoresin microcapsules (0%, 0.5% and 1%) on the TPC (Total Plate Count), TBA (thiobarbituric acid), pH, and RGB color (Red, Green, and Blue) of vacuum-packed ground beef during refrigerated storage (at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 days). This study showed that the addition of two stage cinnamon bark oleoresin microcapsules affected the quality of vacuum-packed ground beef during 16 days of refrigerated storage. The results showed that the TPC value of the vacuum-packed ground beef sample with the addition 0.5% and 1% microcapsules was lower than the value of control sample. The TPC value of the control sample, sample with additional 0.5% and 1% microcapsules were 5.94; 5.46; and 5.16 log CFU/g respectively. The TBA value of vacuum-packed ground beef were 0.055; 0.041; and 0.044 mg malonaldehyde/kg, resepectively on the 16th day of storage. The addition of two-stage cinnamon bark oleoresin microcapsules could inhibit the growth of microbia and decrease the oxidation process of vacuum-packed ground beef. Moreover, the change of vacuum-packed ground beef pH and RGB color with the addition 0.5% and 1% microcapsules were less than those of the control sample. The addition of 1% microcapsules showed the best effect in preserving the vacuum-packed ground beef.

The Awareness of Risky Peer Group Behaviors on School Grounds as Predictors of Students' Victimization on School Grounds: Part II--Junior High Schools.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Astor, Ron Avi; Benbenishty, Rami; Haj-Yahia, Muhammad M.; Zeira, Anat; Perkins-Hart, Suzanne; Marachi, Roxana; Pitner, Ronald O.

2002-01-01

Examined how risky peer group behaviors at school impacted junior high students' experience of victimization, extending findings from an earlier study of elementary students. Surveys of Arab and Jewish Israeli junior high students indicated that risky peer behaviors in school were one of the strongest predictors of victimization in both elementary…

Graviceptor development in jellyfish ephyrae in space and on Earth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spangenberg, D. B.; Jernigan, T.; Philput, C.; Lowe, B.

1994-01-01

Graviceptor (rhopalium) development in Aurelia aurita ephyrae which developed on Earth and in space during the nine-day NASA SLS-1 mission was compared. The space-developed ephyrae made graviceptors which were morphologically similar to those of their ground-based controls. Rhopalia of both groups developed statocysts with statoliths, ocelli, ciliated mechanoreceptor cells, and immature touch-plates with one type of hair cell. The number of rhopalia formed per arm of ephyrae of both groups revealed no significant differences. The number of statoliths formed per rhopalium was statistically higher in ephyrae which were induced to form in space with iodine than in L(Launch)+8h controls. Statolith numbers were not significantly different between Earth-formed control ephyrae and those formed from polyps induced on Earth and then sent into space 24h and 48h later. Statolith loss from rhopalia was significantly enhanced in the space-maintained ephyrae in artificial sea water (ASW) as compared to their controls. Ephyrae formed through thyroxine treatment and those maintained in thyroxine in space had statolith numbers comparable to thyroxine-treated controls. Pulsing abnormalitities seen in some space-developed ephyrae suggest that some space-formed ephyrae may have developed abnormal rhopalia because normal rhopalia development and function is necessary for normal pulsing.

Typical teleoperator time delay profiles, phase 2. [remotely controlled manipulator arms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wetherington, R. D.; Walsh, J. R.

1974-01-01

The results of the second phase of a study on time delays in communications systems applicable to the teleoperator program are presented. Estimates of the maximum time delays that will be encountered and presents time delay profiles are given for (1) ground control to teleoperator in low earth orbit, (2) ground control to teleoperator in geosynchronous orbit, and (3) low earth orbit control to teleoperator in low earth orbit.

Tracking target objects orbiting earth using satellite-based telescopes

DOEpatents

De Vries, Willem H; Olivier, Scot S; Pertica, Alexander J

2014-10-14

A system for tracking objects that are in earth orbit via a constellation or network of satellites having imaging devices is provided. An object tracking system includes a ground controller and, for each satellite in the constellation, an onboard controller. The ground controller receives ephemeris information for a target object and directs that ephemeris information be transmitted to the satellites. Each onboard controller receives ephemeris information for a target object, collects images of the target object based on the expected location of the target object at an expected time, identifies actual locations of the target object from the collected images, and identifies a next expected location at a next expected time based on the identified actual locations of the target object. The onboard controller processes the collected image to identify the actual location of the target object and transmits the actual location information to the ground controller.

Ground-flora communities of headwater riparian areas in an old-growth central hardwood forest

Treesearch

P. Charles Goebel; David M. Hix; Clayton E. Dygert; Kathryn L. Holmes

2003-01-01

The composition and structure of ground-flora vegetation was examined across headwater riparian areas of Johnson Woods, an old-growth forest located in northcentral Ohio. While the distribution patterns of these species groups is variable, classification and gradient analyses indicate that ground-flora vegetation is related strongly to landform and distance from the...

Young Children's Understanding of Cultural Common Ground

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liebal, Kristin; Carpenter, Malinda; Tomasello, Michael

2013-01-01

Human social interaction depends on individuals identifying the common ground they have with others, based both on personally shared experiences and on cultural common ground that all members of the group share. We introduced 3- and 5-year-old children to a culturally well-known object and a novel object. An experimenter then entered and asked,…

49 CFR 236.2 - Grounds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

..., single-break, signal control circuits using a grounded common, and alternating current power distribution... TRANSPORTATION RULES, STANDARDS, AND INSTRUCTIONS GOVERNING THE INSTALLATION, INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR... General § 236.2 Grounds. Each circuit, the functioning of which affects the safety of train operations...

COMPILATION OF GROUND-WATER MODELS

EPA Science Inventory

Ground-water modeling is a computer-based methodology for mathematical analysis of the mechanisms and controls of ground-water systems for the evaluation of policies, action, and designs that may affect such systems. n addition to satisfying scientific interest in the workings of...

Forward Air Controllers in the Vietnam War: Exemplars of Audacity, Innovation, and Irreverence

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-10

Controllers (FACs). They were bold men who linked air power to ground forces, supersonic jets to propellers, and bombs to targets. They faced their...were bold men who linked air power to ground forces, supersonic jets to propellers, and bombs to targets. They faced their enemy at low altitudes, in...They were bold men who linked air power to ground forces, supersonic jets to propellers, and bombs to targets. FACs were the cutting edge of the

Relation of ground water to stream flow at Battle Creek, Mich.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eddy, G.E.; Ferris, J.G.

1950-01-01

This is a summary of statements made by G.E. Eddy, State Geologist of Michigan, and J.G. Ferris, district engineer, Ground Water Branch, U.S. Geological Survey, Lansing, Mich., in a conference during the fall of 1949 with John Spoden, Chief of the Maintenance and Fold Control Division of the district office of the Corps of Engineers, Milwaukee, Wis. The conference related to the probably effect on ground-water conditions at Battle Creek of flood-control measures proposed by the Corps of Engineers.

Application of nonlinear-regression methods to a ground-water flow model of the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tiedeman, C.R.; Kernodle, J.M.; McAda, D.P.

1998-01-01

This report documents the application of nonlinear-regression methods to a numerical model of ground-water flow in the Albuquerque Basin, New Mexico. In the Albuquerque Basin, ground water is the primary source for most water uses. Ground-water withdrawal has steadily increased since the 1940's, resulting in large declines in water levels in the Albuquerque area. A ground-water flow model was developed in 1994 and revised and updated in 1995 for the purpose of managing basin ground- water resources. In the work presented here, nonlinear-regression methods were applied to a modified version of the previous flow model. Goals of this work were to use regression methods to calibrate the model with each of six different configurations of the basin subsurface and to assess and compare optimal parameter estimates, model fit, and model error among the resulting calibrations. The Albuquerque Basin is one in a series of north trending structural basins within the Rio Grande Rift, a region of Cenozoic crustal extension. Mountains, uplifts, and fault zones bound the basin, and rock units within the basin include pre-Santa Fe Group deposits, Tertiary Santa Fe Group basin fill, and post-Santa Fe Group volcanics and sediments. The Santa Fe Group is greater than 14,000 feet (ft) thick in the central part of the basin. During deposition of the Santa Fe Group, crustal extension resulted in development of north trending normal faults with vertical displacements of as much as 30,000 ft. Ground-water flow in the Albuquerque Basin occurs primarily in the Santa Fe Group and post-Santa Fe Group deposits. Water flows between the ground-water system and surface-water bodies in the inner valley of the basin, where the Rio Grande, a network of interconnected canals and drains, and Cochiti Reservoir are located. Recharge to the ground-water flow system occurs as infiltration of precipitation along mountain fronts and infiltration of stream water along tributaries to the Rio Grande; subsurface flow from adjacent regions; irrigation and septic field seepage; and leakage through the Rio Grande, canal, and Cochiti Reservoir beds. Ground water is discharged from the basin by withdrawal; evapotranspiration; subsurface flow; and flow to the Rio Grande, canals, and drains. The transient, three-dimensional numerical model of ground-water flow to which nonlinear-regression methods were applied simulates flow in the Albuquerque Basin from 1900 to March 1995. Six different basin subsurface configurations are considered in the model. These configurations are designed to test the effects of (1) varying the simulated basin thickness, (2) including a hypothesized hydrogeologic unit with large hydraulic conductivity in the western part of the basin (the west basin high-K zone), and (3) substantially lowering the simulated hydraulic conductivity of a fault in the western part of the basin (the low-K fault zone). The model with each of the subsurface configurations was calibrated using a nonlinear least- squares regression technique. The calibration data set includes 802 hydraulic-head measurements that provide broad spatial and temporal coverage of basin conditions, and one measurement of net flow from the Rio Grande and drains to the ground-water system in the Albuquerque area. Data are weighted on the basis of estimates of the standard deviations of measurement errors. The 10 to 12 parameters to which the calibration data as a whole are generally most sensitive were estimated by nonlinear regression, whereas the remaining model parameter values were specified. Results of model calibration indicate that the optimal parameter estimates as a whole are most reasonable in calibrations of the model with with configurations 3 (which contains 1,600-ft-thick basin deposits and the west basin high-K zone), 4 (which contains 5,000-ft-thick basin de

CT correlation with outcomes in 15 patients with acute Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus.

PubMed

Das, Karuna M; Lee, Edward Y; Enani, Mushira A; AlJawder, Suhaila E; Singh, Rajvir; Bashir, Salman; Al-Nakshbandi, Nizar; AlDossari, Khalid; Larsson, Sven G

2015-04-01

The purpose of this article is to retrospectively analyze chest CT findings for 15 patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and to identify features associated with survival. Patients were assigned to group 1 if they died (n=9) and to group 2 if they made a full recovery (n=6). Two reviewers scored chest radiographs and CT examinations for segmental involvement, ground-glass opacities, consolidation, and interstitial thickening. Eight patients had ground-glass opacity (53%), five had ground-glass and consolidation in combination (33%), five had pleural effusion (33%), and four patients had interlobular thickening (27%). Of 281 CT findings, 151 (54%) were peripheral, 68 (24%) were central, and 62 (22%) had a mixed location. The number of involved lung segments was higher in group 1. The lower lobe was more commonly involved (mean, 12.2 segments) than in the upper and middle lobes combined (mean, 6.3 segments). The mean number of lung segments involved was 12.3 segments in group 1 and 3.4 segments in group 2. The CT lung score (mean±SD, 15.78±7.9 vs 7.3±5.7, p=0.003), chest radiographic score (20.8±1.7 vs 5.6±5.4; p=0.001), and mechanical ventilation duration (13.11±8.3 vs 0.5±1.2 days; p=0.002) were higher in group 1. All nine group 1 patients and three of six group 2 patients had pleural effusion (p=0.52). CT of patients with Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus predominantly showed ground-glass opacities, with peripheral lower lobe preference. Pleural effusion and higher CT lung and chest radiographic scores correlate with poor prognosis and short-term mortality.

Shear bond strength of self-etch adhesives to enamel with additional phosphoric acid etching.

PubMed

Lührs, Anne-Katrin; Guhr, Silke; Schilke, Reinhard; Borchers, Lothar; Geurtsen, Werner; Günay, Hüsamettin

2008-01-01

This study evaluated the shear bond strength of self-etch adhesives to enamel and the effect of additional phosphoric acid etching. Seventy sound human molars were randomly divided into three test groups and one control group. The enamel surfaces of the control group (n=10) were treated with Syntac Classic (SC). Each test group was subdivided into two groups (each n=10). In half of each test group, ground enamel surfaces were coated with the self-etch adhesives AdheSe (ADH), Xeno III (XE) or Futurabond NR (FNR). In the remaining half of each test group, an additional phosphoric acid etching of the enamel surface was performed prior to applying the adhesives. The shear bond strength was measured with a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/minute after storing the samples in distilled water at 37 degrees C for 24 hours. Fracture modes were determined by SEM examination. For statistical analysis, one-way ANOVA and the two-sided Dunnett Test were used (p>0.05). Additional phosphoric etching significantly increased the shear bond strength of all the examined self-etch adhesives (p<0.001). The highest shear bond strength was found for FNR after phosphoric acid etching. Without phosphoric acid etching, only FNR showed no significant differences compared to the control (SC). SEM evaluations showed mostly adhesive fractures. For all the self-etch adhesives, a slight increase in mixed fractures occurred after conditioning with phosphoric acid. An additional phosphoric acid etching of enamel should be considered when using self-etch adhesives. More clinical studies are needed to evaluate the long-term success of the examined adhesives.

Charter for Systems Engineer Working Group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suffredini, Michael T.; Grissom, Larry

2015-01-01

This charter establishes the International Space Station Program (ISSP) Mobile Servicing System (MSS) Systems Engineering Working Group (SEWG). The MSS SEWG is established to provide a mechanism for Systems Engineering for the end-to-end MSS function. The MSS end-to-end function includes the Space Station Remote Manipulator System (SSRMS), the Mobile Remote Servicer (MRS) Base System (MBS), Robotic Work Station (RWS), Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM), Video Signal Converters (VSC), and Operations Control Software (OCS), the Mobile Transporter (MT), and by interfaces between and among these elements, and United States On-Orbit Segment (USOS) distributed systems, and other International Space Station Elements and Payloads, (including the Power Data Grapple Fixtures (PDGFs), MSS Capture Attach System (MCAS) and the Mobile Transporter Capture Latch (MTCL)). This end-to-end function will be supported by the ISS and MSS ground segment facilities. This charter defines the scope and limits of the program authority and document control that is delegated to the SEWG and it also identifies the panel core membership and specific operating policies.

Autonomous Mission Operations Roadmap

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frank, Jeremy David

2014-01-01

As light time delays increase, the number of such situations in which crew autonomy is the best way to conduct the mission is expected to increase. However, there are significant open questions regarding which functions to allocate to ground and crew as the time delays increase. In situations where the ideal solution is to allocate responsibility to the crew and the vehicle, a second question arises: should the activity be the responsibility of the crew or an automated vehicle function? More specifically, we must answer the following questions: What aspects of mission operation responsibilities (Plan, Train, Fly) should be allocated to ground based or vehicle based planning, monitoring, and control in the presence of significant light-time delay between the vehicle and the Earth?How should the allocated ground based planning, monitoring, and control be distributed across the flight control team and ground system automation? How should the allocated vehicle based planning, monitoring, and control be distributed between the flight crew and onboard system automation?When during the mission should responsibility shift from flight control team to crew or from crew to vehicle, and what should the process of shifting responsibility be as the mission progresses? NASA is developing a roadmap of capabilities for Autonomous Mission Operations for human spaceflight. This presentation will describe the current state of development of this roadmap, with specific attention to in-space inspection tasks that crews might perform with minimum assistance from the ground.

Field Tested Service Oriented Robotic Architecture: Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flueckiger, Lorenzo; Utz, Hanz

2012-01-01

This paper presents the lessons learned from six years of experiments with planetary rover prototypes running the Service Oriented Robotic Architecture (SORA) developed by the Intelligent Robotics Group (IRG) at NASA Ames Research Center. SORA relies on proven software methods and technologies applied to the robotic world. Based on a Service Oriented Architecture and robust middleware, SORA extends its reach beyond the on-board robot controller and supports the full suite of software tools used during mission scenarios from ground control to remote robotic sites. SORA has been field tested in numerous scenarios of robotic lunar and planetary exploration. The results of these high fidelity experiments are illustrated through concrete examples that have shown the benefits of using SORA as well as its limitations.

Visual preference and ecological assessments for designed alternative brownfield rehabilitations.

PubMed

Lafortezza, Raffaele; Corry, Robert C; Sanesi, Giovanni; Brown, Robert D

2008-11-01

This paper describes an integrative method for quantifying, analyzing, and comparing the effects of alternative rehabilitation approaches with visual preference. The method was applied to a portion of a major industrial area located in southern Italy. Four alternative approaches to rehabilitation (alternative designs) were developed and analyzed. The scenarios consisted of the cleanup of the brownfields plus: (1) the addition of ground cover species; (2) the addition of ground cover species and a few trees randomly distributed; (3) the addition of ground cover species and a few trees in small groups; and (4) the addition of ground cover species and several trees in large groups. The approaches were analyzed and compared to the baseline condition through the use of cost-surface modeling (CSM) and visual preference assessment (VPA). Statistical results showed that alternatives that were more ecologically functional for forest bird species dispersal were also more visually preferable. Some differences were identified based on user groups and location of residence. The results of the study are used to identify implications for enhancing both ecological attributes and visual preferences of rehabilitating landscapes through planning and design.

Knee Extensor Strength and Gait Characteristics After Minimally Invasive Unicondylar Knee Arthroplasty vs Minimally Invasive Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Braito, Matthias; Giesinger, Johannes M; Fischler, Stefan; Koller, Arnold; Niederseer, David; Liebensteiner, Michael C

2016-08-01

In light of the existing lack of evidence, it was the aim of this study to compare gait characteristics and knee extensor strength after medial unicondylar knee arthroplasty (MUKA) with those after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), given the same standardized minimally invasive surgery (MIS) approach in both groups. Patients scheduled for MIS-MUKA or MIS-TKA as part of clinical routine were invited to participate. A posterior cruciate ligament-retaining total knee design was used for all MIS-TKA. A 3-dimensional gait analysis was performed preoperatively with a VICON system and at 8 weeks postoperative to determine temporospatial parameters, ground reaction forces, joint angles, and joint moments. At the same 2 times, isokinetic tests were performed to obtain peak values of knee extensor torque. A multivariate analysis of variance was conducted and included the main effects time (before and after surgery) and surgical group and the group-by-time interaction effect. Fifteen MIS-MUKA patients and 17 MIS-TKA patients were eligible for the final analysis. The groups showed no differences regarding age, body mass index, sex, side treated, or stage of osteoarthritis. We determined neither intergroup differences nor time × group interactions for peak knee extensor torque or any gait parameters (temporospatial, ground reaction forces, joint angles, and joint moments). It is concluded that MUKA is not superior to TKA with regard to knee extensor strength or 3-dimensional gait characteristics at 8 weeks after operation. As gait characteristics and knee extensor strength are only 2 of the various potential outcome parameters (knee scores, activity scores…) and quadriceps strength might take a longer time to recover, our findings should be interpreted with caution. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Altered visual focus on sensorimotor control in people with chronic ankle instability.

PubMed

Terada, Masafumi; Ball, Lindsay M; Pietrosimone, Brian G; Gribble, Phillip A

2016-01-01

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effects of the combination of chronic ankle instability (CAI) and altered visual focus on strategies for dynamic stability during a drop-jump task. Nineteen participants with self-reported CAI and 19 healthy participants performed a drop-jump task in looking-up and looking-down conditions. For the looking-up condition, participants looked up and read a random number that flashed on a computer monitor. For the looking-down condition, participants focused their vision on the force plate. Sagittal- and frontal-plane kinematics in the hip, knee and ankle were calculated at the time points of 100 ms pre-initial foot contact to ground and at IC. The resultant vector time to stabilisation was calculated with ground reaction force data. The CAI group demonstrated less hip flexion at the point of 100 ms pre-initial contact (P < 0.01), and less hip flexion (P = 0.03) and knee flexion at initial contact (P = 0.047) compared to controls. No differences in kinematics or dynamic stability were observed in either looking-up or looking-down conditions (P > 0.05). Altered visual focus did not influence movement patterns during the drop-jump task, but the presence of CAI did. The current data suggests that centrally mediated changes associated with CAI may lead to global alterations in the sensorimotor control.

Deployable reconnaissance from a VTOL UAS in urban environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnett, Shane; Bird, John; Culhane, Andrew; Sharkasi, Adam; Reinholtz, Charles

2007-04-01

Reconnaissance collection in unknown or hostile environments can be a dangerous and life threatening task. To reduce this risk, the Unmanned Systems Group at Virginia Tech has produced a fully autonomous reconnaissance system able to provide live video reconnaissance from outside and inside unknown structures. This system consists of an autonomous helicopter which launches a small reconnaissance pod inside a building and an operator control unit (OCU) on a ground station. The helicopter is a modified Bergen Industrial Twin using a Rotomotion flight controller and can fly missions of up to one half hour. The mission planning OCU can control the helicopter remotely through teleoperation or fully autonomously by GPS waypoints. A forward facing camera and template matching aid in navigation by identifying the target building. Once the target structure is identified, vision algorithms will center the UAS adjacent to open windows or doorways. Tunable parameters in the vision algorithm account for varying launch distances and opening sizes. Launch of the reconnaissance pod may be initiated remotely through a human in the loop or autonomously. Compressed air propels the half pound stationary pod or the larger mobile pod into the open portals. Once inside the building, the reconnaissance pod will then transmit live video back to the helicopter. The helicopter acts as a repeater node for increased video range and simplification of communication back to the ground station.

Multi-segment foot landing kinematics in subjects with chronic ankle instability.

PubMed

De Ridder, Roel; Willems, Tine; Vanrenterghem, Jos; Robinson, Mark A; Palmans, Tanneke; Roosen, Philip

2015-07-01

Chronic ankle instability has been associated with altered joint kinematics at the ankle, knee and hip. However, no studies have investigated possible kinematic deviations at more distal segments of the foot. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if subjects with ankle instability and copers show altered foot and ankle kinematics and altered kinetics during a landing task when compared to controls. Ninety-six subjects (38 subjects with chronic ankle instability, 28 copers and 30 controls) performed a vertical drop and side jump task. Foot kinematics were obtained using the Ghent Foot Model and a single-segment foot model. Group differences were evaluated using statistical parametric mapping and analysis of variance. Subjects with ankle instability had a more inverted midfoot position in relation to the rearfoot when compared to controls during the side jump. They also had a greater midfoot inversion/eversion range of motion than copers during the vertical drop. Copers exhibited less plantar flexion/dorsiflexion range of motion in the lateral and medial forefoot. Furthermore, the ankle instability and coper group exhibited less ankle plantar flexion at touchdown. Additionally, the ankle instability group demonstrated a decreased plantar flexion/dorsiflexion range of motion at the ankle compared to the control group. Analysis of ground reaction forces showed a higher vertical peak and loading rate during the vertical drop in subjects with ankle instability. Subjects with chronic ankle instability displayed an altered, stiffer kinematic landing strategy and related alterations in landing kinetics, which might predispose them for episodes of giving way and actual ankle sprains. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automatic Barometric Updates from Ground-Based Navigational Aids

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-12

ro fAutomatic Barometric Updates US Department from of Transportation Ground-Based Federal Aviation Administration Navigational Aids Office of Safety...tighter vertical spacing controls , particularly for operations near Terminal Control Areas (TCAs), Airport Radar Service Areas (ARSAs), military climb and...E.F., Ruth, J.C., and Williges, B.H. (1987). Speech Controls and Displays. In Salvendy, G., E. Handbook of Human Factors/Ergonomics, New York, John

The Deep Space Network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Deep Space Network progress in flight project support, tracking and data acquisition, research and technology, network engineering, hardware and software implementation, and operations is cited. Topics covered include: tracking and ground based navigation; spacecraft/ground communication; station control and operations technology; ground communications; and deep space stations.

Spin-Orbit Coupling Controlled J = 3 / 2 Electronic Ground State in 5 d 3 Oxides

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

Taylor, A. E.; Calder, S.; Morrow, R.

Entanglement of spin and orbital degrees of freedom drives the formation of novel quantum and topological physical states. Here we report resonant inelastic x-ray scattering measurements of the transition metal oxides Ca3LiOsO6 and Ba2YOsO6, which reveals a dramatic spitting of the t2g manifold. We invoke an intermediate coupling approach that incorporates both spin-orbit coupling and electron-electron interactions on an even footing and reveal that the ground state of 5d3-based compounds, which has remained elusive in previously applied models, is a novel spin-orbit entangled J=3/2 electronic ground state. This work reveals the hidden diversity of spin-orbit controlled ground states in 5dmore » systems and introduces a new arena in the search for spin-orbit controlled phases of matter.« less

[Prevalence of Enterobius vermicularis infection of children and its influencing factors in Chongqing City].

PubMed

Wu, Cheng-Guo; Luo, Xing-Jian; Xie, Jun; Jiang, Shi-Guo; Li, Shan-Shan; Xiao, Bang-Zhong

2012-12-01

To understand the infection status of Enterobius vermicularis of children aged 3-12 years and its influencing factors in Chongqing City. One rural county and 1 urban county were selected as investigation areas. The children aged 3-12 years of 5 towns from 5 different directions of each county were investigated. About 150 children were investigated every town. The Enterobius vermicularis eggs of children were detected by the adhesive cellophane anal swab method. The children's parent education levels and personal circumstances of sanitation were investigated by the questionnaire survey. Among 1 592 children investigated, the total infection rate of Enterobius vermicularis was 6.85%. The infection rates of boys and girls were 6.29% and 7.40%, respectively. The infection rates of rural and urban areas were 12.13% and 2.14%, respectively. The infection rate in children aged 5-7 years was the highest (13.56%) among all the child aged groups. There were significant differences for the infection rates of Enterobius vermicularis among children of different aged groups, different areas, different education levels and occupations of parents, washing hand before meal or not, washing hand after WC or not, different classroom grounds, and lodging or not (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The multivariate logistic analysis indicated that aged group, different areas, classroom ground and lodging children were independent risk factors for Enterobius vermicularis infection. The infection rate of Enterobius vermicularis in rural area is higher than that in urban area. The control emphases should be the children of low group, rural area, poor classroom and lodging.