Monitoring recreational impacts in wilderness of Kamchatka (on example of Kronotsky State Natural Biosphere Preserve)

Treesearch

Anya V. Zavadskaya

2011-01-01

This paper describes an assessment and monitoring program that was designed and initiated for monitoring recreational impacts in a wilderness in Kamchatka. The framework of the recreational assessment was tested through its application to a case study conducted during the summers of 2008 and 2009 in the Kronotsky State Natural Biosphere Preserve (Kamchatka peninsula,...

Forest communities and the Northwest Forest Plan: what socioeconomic monitoring can tell us.

Treesearch

Jonathan Thompson

2007-01-01

The Northwest Forest Plan (the Plan) was designed to balance protection of older forest ecosystems with mitigation of impacts on rural communities and economies. It was implemented by using an adaptive management approach that featured an interagency monitoring program. This program included socioeconomic monitoring—the systematic observation and measurement of a set...

24 CFR 84.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

...) Recipients shall immediately notify HUD of developments that have a significant impact on the award-supported... OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 84.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for...

24 CFR 84.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

...) Recipients shall immediately notify HUD of developments that have a significant impact on the award-supported... OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 84.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for...

24 CFR 84.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

...) Recipients shall immediately notify HUD of developments that have a significant impact on the award-supported... OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 84.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for...

24 CFR 84.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

...) Recipients shall immediately notify HUD of developments that have a significant impact on the award-supported... OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 84.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for...

LEAD SAFE YARDS: DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING A MONITORING, ASSESSMENT, AND OUTREACH PROGRAM FOR YOUR COMMUNITY

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA has developed a technology transfer handbook on how to plan and implement a residential soil lead monitoring, assessment, mitigation and outreach program for residential communities. The handbook provides guidance on 1) identifying potentially impacted communities, 2) c...

A framework for assessment and monitoring of arthropods in a lowland tropical forest.

PubMed

Finnamore, Albert; Alonso, Alfonso; Santisteban, Jose; Cordova, Saida; Valencia, Gorky; de la Cruz, Alicia; Polo, Roberto

2002-05-01

By applying principles of adaptive management, and by using the valuable information that arthropods provide from assessment and monitoring programs, managers can identify and reduce possible impacts on biodiversity in development projects. In 1996, the Smithsonian Institution's Monitoring and Assessment of Biodiversity program worked together with Shell Prospecting and Development Peru to establish an adaptive management program to protect biodiversity in a natural gas exploration project in a Peruvian rainforest. In this paper, we outlined the conceptual steps involved in establishing an assessment and monitoring program for arthropods, including setting objectives, evaluating the results and making decisions. We also present the results of the assessment using some of groups of arthropods, and summarize the steps taken to identify appropriate groups for monitoring.

The Canadian Immunization Monitoring Program, ACTive (IMPACT): Active surveillance for vaccine adverse events and vaccine-preventable diseases

PubMed Central

Bettinger, JA; Halperin, SA; Vaudry, W; Law, BJ; Scheifele, DW

2014-01-01

For almost 25 years the Canadian Immunization Monitoring Program, ACTive (IMPACT) has been conducting active surveillance for severe adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) and vaccine-preventable diseases in children. The network, which consists of volunteer paediatric infectious diseases investigators at 12 tertiary care paediatric hospitals, is an important component of Canada’s AEFI monitoring. The network employs nurses at each of the sites to search for and report possible AEFIs to local, provincial and national public health authorities. The active nature of the surveillance ensures a high level of vigilance for severe AEFIs in children. PMID:29769912

21 CFR 1403.40 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 9 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Monitoring and reporting program performance. 1403.40 Section 1403.40 Food and Drugs OFFICE OF NATIONAL DRUG CONTROL POLICY UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE... developments. Events may occur between the scheduled performance reporting dates which have significant impact...

Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation--A Prototype Internal Learning System for Livelihood and Micro-Credit Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noponen, Helzi

1997-01-01

An internal learning system (ILS), created for a development organization operating savings/credit programs with poor women, is used for data collection, monitoring, and evaluation. The ILS is participatory, pictorial, decentralized, and flexible; it documents socioeconomic impact and supports action planning. (SK)

Yucca Mountain: How Do Global and Federal Initiatives Impact Clark County's Nuclear Waste Program?

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

Navis, I.; McGehee, B.

2008-07-01

Since 1987, Clark County has been designated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) as an 'Affected Unit of Local Government' (AULG). The AULG designation is an acknowledgement by the federal government that activities associated with the Yucca Mountain proposal could result in considerable impacts on Clark County residents and the community as a whole. As an AULG, Clark County is authorized to identify 'any potential economic, social, public health and safety, and environmental impacts of a repository', 42 U.S.C. Section 10135(c)(1)(B)(i) under provisions of the Nuclear Waste Policy Act Amendments (NWPAA). Clark County's oversight program contains key elements ofmore » (1) technical and scientific analysis (2) transportation analysis (3) impact assessment and monitoring (4) policy and legislative analysis and monitoring, and (5) public outreach. Clark County has conducted numerous studies of potential impacts, many of which are summarized in Clark County's Impact Assessment Report that was submitted DOE and the President of the United States in February 2002. Given the unprecedented magnitude and duration of DOE's proposal, as well as the many unanswered questions about the transportation routes, number of shipments, and the modal mix that will ultimately be used, impacts to public health and safety and security, as well as socioeconomic impacts, can only be estimated. In order to refine these estimates, Clark County Comprehensive Planning Department's Nuclear Waste Division updates, assesses, and monitors impacts on a regular basis. Clark County's Impact Assessment program covers not only unincorporated Clark County but all five jurisdictions of Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Henderson, Mesquite, and Boulder City as well as tribal jurisdictions that fall within Clark County's geographic boundary. National and global focus on nuclear power and nuclear waste could have significant impact on the Yucca Mountain Program, and therefore, Clark County's oversight of that program. (authors)« less

Louisiana Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) Program Summary Report: Data and Analyses 2006 through 2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kindinger, Jack G.; Buster, Noreen A.; Flocks, James G.; Bernier, Julie C.; Kulp, Mark A.

2013-01-01

The Barrier Island Comprehensive Monitoring (BICM) program was implemented under the Louisiana Coastal Area Science and Technology (LCA S&T) office as a component of the System Wide Assessment and Monitoring (SWAMP) program. The BICM project was developed by the State of Louisiana (Coastal Protection Restoration Authority [CPRA], formerly Department of Natural Resources [DNR]) to complement other Louisiana coastal monitoring programs such as the Coastwide Reference Monitoring System-Wetlands (CRMS-Wetlands) and was a collaborative research effort by CPRA, University of New Orleans (UNO), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The goal of the BICM program was to provide long-term data on the barrier islands of Louisiana that could be used to plan, design, evaluate, and maintain current and future barrier-island restoration projects. The BICM program used both historical and newly acquired (2006 to 2010) data to assess and monitor changes in the aerial and subaqueous extent of islands, habitat types, sediment texture and geotechnical properties, environmental processes, and vegetation composition. BICM datasets included aerial still and video photography (multiple time series) for shoreline positions, habitat mapping, and land loss; light detection and ranging (lidar) surveys for topographic elevations; single-beam and swath bathymetry; and sediment grab samples. Products produced using BICM data and analyses included (but were not limited to) storm-impact assessments, rate of shoreline and bathymetric change, shoreline-erosion and accretion maps, high-resolution elevation maps, coastal-shoreline and barrier-island habitat-classification maps, and coastal surficial-sediment characterization maps. Discussions in this report summarize the extensive data-collection efforts and present brief interpretive analyses for four coastal Louisiana geographic regions. In addition, several coastal-wide and topical themes were selected that integrate the data and analyses within a broader coastal context: (1) barrier-shoreline evolution driven by rapid relative sea-level rise (RSLR), (2) hurricane impacts to the Chandeleur Islands and likelihood of island recovery, (3) impact of tropical storms on barrier shorelines, (4) Barataria Bay tidal-inlet management, and (5) habitat changes related to RSLR. The final theme addresses potential future goals of the BICM program, including rotational annual to semi-decadal monitoring, proposed new-data collection, how to incorporate technological advances with previous data-collection and monitoring protocols, and standardizing methods and quality-control assessments for continued coastal monitoring and restoration.

Ecological Monitoring and Compliance Program 2007 Report

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

Hansen, Dennis; Anderson, David; Derek, Hall

2008-03-01

In accordance with U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 450.1, 'Environmental Protection Program', the Office of the Assistant Manager for Environmental Management of the DOE, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO) requires ecological monitoring and biological compliance support for activities and programs conducted at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). National Security Technologies, LLC (NSTec), Ecological Services has implemented the Ecological Monitoring and Compliance (EMAC) Program to provide this support. EMAC is designed to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, delineate and define NTS ecosystems, and provide ecological information that can be used to predict and evaluate themore » potential impacts of proposed projects and programs on those ecosystems. This report summarizes the EMAC activities conducted by NSTec during calendar year 2007. Monitoring tasks during 2007 included eight program areas: (a) biological surveys, (b) desert tortoise compliance, (c) ecosystem mapping and data management, (d) sensitive plant monitoring, (e) sensitive and protected/regulated animal monitoring, (f) habitat monitoring, (g) habitat restoration monitoring, and (h) biological monitoring at the Nonproliferation Test and Evaluation Complex (NPTEC). The following sections of this report describe work performed under these eight areas.« less

Study of the Cherokee Nuclear Station: projected impacts, monitoring plan, and mitigation options for Cherokee County, South Carolina

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

Peelle, E.; Schweitzer, M.; Scharre, P.

1979-07-01

This report inventories Cherokee County's capabilities and CNS project characteristics, projects expected impacts from the interaction of the two defines four options for Cherokee County decision makers, and presents a range of possible mitigation and monitoring plans for dealing with the problems identified. The four options and general implementation guidelines for each are presented after reviewing pertinent features of other mitigation and monitoring plans. The four options include (1) no action, (2) preventing impacts by preventing growth, (3) selective growth in designated areas as services can be supplied, and (4) maximum growth designed to attract as many in-movers as possiblemore » through a major program of capital investiments in public and private services. With the exception of the no action option, all plans deal with impacts according to some strategy determined by how the County wishes to manage growth. Solutions for impact problems depend on which growth strategy is selected and what additional resources are secured during the impact period. A monitoring program deals with the problems of data and projections uncertainty, while direct action is proposed to deal with the institutional problems of delay of the needed access road, timeing and location problems from the tax base mismatch, and lack of local planning capability.« less

United States Postal Service Hovercraft Transport of Alaska Bypass Mail Ecological Monitoring Summary Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-03-01

The Alaska Hovercraft Ecological Monitoring Program evaluated the nature and extent of impacts, if any, from use of the hovercraft to fish, waterfowl, and subsistence efforts. This report documents monitoring methods, and presents results of the data...

WORKSHOP ON THE CHARACTERIZATION, MODELING, REMEDIATION AND MONITORING OF MINING-IMPACTED PIT LAKES, SANDS RGENCY CASINO HOTEL, DOWNTOWN RENO, NV. APRIL 4-6, 2000 (PROGRAM FLYER)

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of this workshop is to provide a forum for the exchange of scientific infomation on current approaches for assessing the characterization, monitoring, treatment and/or remediation of impacts on aquatic ecosystems including pit lakes from mining-related contamination i...

Twenty-eight years of wilderness campsite monitoring in Yosemite National Park

Treesearch

Laurel Boyers; Mark Fincher; Jan van Wagtendonk

2000-01-01

The research, resource management and wilderness staffs in Yosemite National Park recently completed the third 10-year cycle of a wilderness campsite impact monitoring program. Initial results indicate an overall improvement in conditions due to a strong restoration program, decreased use and increased visitor education. Lessons learned point to the necessity for ample...

Impact of Pharmacists’ Participation in a Pharmacotherapy Follow-Up Program

PubMed Central

Dualde, Elena; Santonja, Francisco J.; Faus, Maria J.

2012-01-01

Objective. To evaluate the impact of a continuing pharmacy education (CPE) course on Spanish community pharmacists’ participation in a pharmacotherapy follow-up program. Design. Participation in a CPE course offered 4 times over a 4-year period via satellite teleconferencing was monitored and the data analyzed to determine the course’s impact on community pharmacists’ participation in a pharmacotherapy follow-up program. Assessment. Community pharmacists’ participation in the pharmaceutical care CPE course had a slightly positive impact on their participation in the pharmacotherapy follow-up program. In the best profiles, there was a probability of 7.3% that participants would participate in the pharmacotherapy follow-up program. Conclusions. Completion of pharmaceutical care CPE courses did not have a significant impact on pharmacists’ participation in a pharmacotherapy follow-up program. PMID:22438606

Impact of treatment and monitoring on Prince George's County DWI's [sic

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1989-12-01

The state of Maryland maintains this nation's most intensive monitoring system for convicted drinking drivers. Each offender placed in the program by the court is required to attend a face-to-face interview once a week. In addition to the Monitor Pro...

Regional monitoring programs in the United States: Synthesis of four case studies from Pacific, Atlantic, and Gulf Coasts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tango, Peter J.; Schiff, K.; Trowbridge, P.R.; Sherwood, E.T.; Batiuk, R.A.

2016-01-01

Water quality monitoring is a cornerstone of environmental protection and ambient monitoring provides managers with the critical data they need to take informed action. Unlike site-specific monitoring that is at the heart of regulatory permit compliance, regional monitoring can provide an integrated, holistic view of the environment, allowing managers to obtain a more complete picture of natural variability and cumulative impacts, and more effectively prioritize management actions. By reviewing four long-standing regional monitoring programs that cover portions of all three coasts in the United States – Chesapeake Bay, Tampa Bay, Southern California Bight, and San Francisco Bay – important insights can be gleaned about the benefits that regional monitoring provides to managers. These insights include the underlying reasons that make regional monitoring programs successful, the challenges to maintain relevance and viability in the face of ever-changing technology, competing demands and shifting management priorities. The lessons learned can help other managers achieve similar successes as they seek to establish and reinvigorate their own monitoring programs.

Internal Technical Report, 1981 Annual Report, An Analysis of the Response of the Raft River Geothermal Site Monitor Wells

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

Thurow, T.L.; Large, R.M.; Allman, D.W.

1982-04-01

A groundwater monitoring program has been established on the Raft River Geothermal Site since 1978. The objective of this program is to document possible impacts that may be caused by geothermal production and injection on the shallow aquifers used for culinary and irrigation purposes. This annual progress report summarizes data from 12 monitor wells during 1981. These data are compared with long-term trends and are correlated with seasonal patterns, irrigation water use and geothermal production and testing. These results provide a basis for predicting long-term impacts of sustained geothermal production and testing. To date, there has been no effect onmore » the water quality of the shallow aquifers.« less

Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site Ecological Monitoring Program 1995 annual report

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

NONE

1995-05-31

The Ecological Monitoring Program (ECMP) was established at the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site (Site) in September 1992. At that time, EcMP staff developed a Program Plan that was peer-reviewed by scientists from western universities before submittal to DOE RFFO in January 1993. The intent of the program is to measure several quantitative variables at different ecological scales in order to characterize the Rocky Flats ecosystem. This information is necessary to document ecological conditions at the Site in impacted and nonimpacted areas to determine if Site practices have had ecological impacts, either positive or negative. This information can be usedmore » by managers interested in future use scenarios and CERCLA activities. Others interested in impact analysis may also find the information useful. In addition, these measurements are entered into a database which will serve as a long-term information repository that will document long-term trends and potential future changes to the Site, both natural and anthropogenic.« less

Mapping the information landscape: Discerning peaks and valleys for ecological monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moniz, L.J.; Nichols, J.D.; Nichols, J.M.

2007-01-01

We investigate previously unreported phenomena that have a potentially significant impact on the design of surveillance monitoring programs for ecological systems. Ecological monitoring practitioners have long recognized that different species are differentially informative of a system?s dynamics, as codified in the well-known concepts of indicator or keystone species. Using a novel combination of analysis techniques from nonlinear dynamics, we describe marked variation among spatial sites in information content with respect to system dynamics in the entire region. We first observed these phenomena in a spatially extended predator?prey model, but we observed strikingly similar features in verified water-level data from a NOAA/NOS Great Lakes monitoring program. We suggest that these features may be widespread and the design of surveillance monitoring programs should reflect knowledge of their existence.

Calibrating and monitoring the western gray whale mitigation zone and estimating acoustic transmission during a 3D seismic survey, Sakhalin Island, Russia.

PubMed

Rutenko, A N; Borisov, S V; Gritsenko, A V; Jenkerson, M R

2007-11-01

A 3D marine seismic survey of the Odoptu license area off northeastern Sakhalin Island, Russia, was conducted by DalMorNefteGeofizika (DMNG) on behalf of Exxon Neftegas Limited and the Sakhalin-1 consortium during mid-August through early September 2001. The key environmental issue identified in an environmental impact assessment was protection of the critically endangered western gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus), which spends the summer-fall open water period feeding off northeast Sakhalin Island in close proximity to the seismic survey area. Seismic mitigation and monitoring guidelines and recommendations were developed and implemented to reduce impacts on the feeding activity of western gray whales. Results of the acoustic monitoring program indicated that the noise monitoring and mitigation program was successful in reducing exposure of feeding western gray whales to seismic noise.

Yucca Mountain Biological Resources Monitoring Program; Annual report, FY91

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

NONE

1992-01-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is required by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (as amended in 1987) to study and characterize Yucca Mountain as a possible site for a geologic repository for high-level nuclear waste. During site characterization, the DOE will conduct a variety of geotechnical, geochemical, geological, and hydrological studies to determine the suitability of Yucca Mountain as a repository. To ensure that site characterization activities (SCA) do not adversely affect the Yucca Mountain area, an environmental program has been implemented to monitor and mitigate potential impacts and to ensure that activities comply with applicable environmentalmore » regulations. This report describes the activities and accomplishments during fiscal year 1991 (FY91) for six program areas within the Terrestrial Ecosystem component of the YMP environmental program. The six program areas are Site Characterization Activities Effects, Desert Tortoises, Habitat Reclamation, Monitoring and Mitigation, Radiological Monitoring, and Biological Support.« less

Identifying Effective and Sustainable Measures for Community-Based Environmental Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKay, Ariana J.; Johnson, Chris J.

2017-09-01

Resource development projects typically result in monitoring programs that fail to fully consider the values and participation of surrounding communities. Also, monitoring protocols for single environmental values can be insufficient for addressing the cumulative impacts of resource development. Community-based environmental monitoring (CBEM) has emerged as a way to meaningfully include local citizens in the decision-making process and assessment of the development of natural resources. Our research explored how to develop effective and sustainable CBEM. Interviews were conducted with staff from 15 CBEM programs established across Canada to identify criteria of what constitutes effective CBEM. Results demonstrate that CBEM offers an effective, locally adapted, and culturally applicable approach to facilitate community participation in natural resource management and to track environmental change. Benefits of CBEM include: locally relevant monitoring protocols, inclusion of cumulative impacts, better informed decision-making, and increased awareness and collaboration amongst community, governments, and proponents. Challenges associated with CBEM are cost, capacity, longevity, distribution of results, and establishing credibility. This research validates the use of CBEM for improving resource management.

Executive summary: Weldon Spring Site Environmental Report for calendar year 1992. Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project, Weldon Spring, Missouri

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

Not Available

1993-06-01

This report has been prepared to provide information about the public safety and environmental protection programs conducted by the Weldon Spring Site Remedial Action Project. The Weldon Spring site is located in southern St. Charles County, Missouri, approximately 48 km (30 mi) west of St. Louis. The site consists of two main areas, the Weldon Spring Chemical Plant and raffinate pits and the Weldon Spring Quarry. The objectives of the Site Environmental Report are to present a summary of data from the environmental monitoring program, to characterize trends and environmental conditions at the site, and to confirm compliance with environmentalmore » and health protection standards and requirements. The report also presents the status of remedial activities and the results of monitoring these activities to assess their impacts on the public and environment. The scope of the environmental monitoring program at the Weldon Spring site has changed since it was initiated. Previously, the program focused on investigations of the extent and level of contaminants in the groundwater, surface waters, buildings, and air at the site. In 1992, the level of remedial activities required monitoring for potential impacts of those activities, particularly on surface water runoff and airborne effluents. This report includes monitoring data from routine radiological and nonradiological sampling activities. These data include estimates of dose to the public from the Weldon Spring site; estimates of effluent releases; and trends in groundwater contaminant levels. Also, applicable compliance requirements, quality assurance programs, and special studies conducted in 1992 to support environmental protection programs are reviewed.« less

Monitoring work zone safety and mobility impacts in Texas.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-05-01

In this report, Texas Transportation Institute researchers identify key work zone safety and mobility : performance measures that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) should target as part of a work : zone monitoring program within a distri...

Indicators and protocols for monitoring impacts of formal and informal trails in protected areas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marion, Jeffrey L.; Leung, Yu-Fai

2011-01-01

Trails are a common recreation infrastructure in protected areas and their conditions affect the quality of natural resources and visitor experiences. Various trail impact indicators and assessment protocols have been developed in support of monitoring programs, which are often used for management decision-making or as part of visitor capacity management frameworks. This paper reviews common indicators and assessment protocols for three types of trails, surfaced formal trails, unsurfaced formal trails, and informal (visitor-created) trails. Monitoring methods and selected data from three U.S. National Park Service units are presented to illustrate some common trail impact indicators and assessment options.

Biological Effects–Based Tools for Monitoring Impacted Surface Waters in the Great Lakes: A Multiagency Program in Support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

EPA Science Inventory

There is increasing demand for the implementation of effects-based monitoring and surveillance (EBMS) approaches in the Great Lakes Basin to complement traditional chemical monitoring. Herein, we describe an ongoing multiagency effort to develop and implement EBMS tools, particul...

Environmental monitoring handbook for coal conversion facilities

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

Salk, M.S.; DeCicco, S.G.

1978-05-01

The primary objectives of the Department of Energy's (DOE) coal conversion program are to demonstrate the environmental acceptability, technical feasibility, and economic viability of various technologies for gaseous, liquid, and solid fuels from coal. The Environmental Monitoring Handbook for Coal Conversion Facilities will help accomplish the objective of environmental acceptability by guiding the planning and execution of socioeconomic and environmental monitoring programs for demonstration facilities. These programs will provide information adequate to (1) predict, insofar as is possible, the potential impacts of construction and operation of a coal conversion plant, (2) verify the occurrence of these or any other impactsmore » during construction and operation, (3) determine the adequacy of mitigating measures to protect the environment, (4) develop effluent source terms for process discharges, and (5) determine the effectiveness of pollution control equipment. Although useful in a variety of areas, the handbook is intended primarily for contractors who, as industrial partners with DOE, are building coal conversion plants. For the contractor it is a practical guide on (1) the methodology for developing site- and process-specific environmental monitoring programs, (2) state-of-the-art sampling and analytical techniques, and (3) impact analyses.To correspond to the phases of project activity, the subject matter is divided into four stages of monitoring: (1) a reconnaissance or synoptic survey, (2) preconstruction or baseline, (3) construction, and (4) operation, including process monitoring (prepared by Radian Corp., McLean, Va.). For each stage of monitoring, guidelines are given on socioeconomics, aquatic and terrestrial ecology, air quality and meteorology, surface and groundwater quality, geohydrology and soil survey, and surface water hydrology.« less

Boreal partners in flight: Working together to build a regional research and monitoring program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Handel, Colleen M.; Bonney, Rick; Pashley, David N.; Cooper, Robert J.; Niles, Larry

1999-01-01

Boreal regions of western North America regularly support breeding populations of 130 species of landbirds, including 68 Nearctic-Neotropical migrants. Primary conservation concerns within the region include increased timber harvesting, insect outbreaks, fire suppression, mining, impacts of military training activities, urbanization, and recreational activities. Under auspices of Partners in Flight, biologists, land and resource managers, and conservationists from Alaska and western Canada have combined efforts to develop a regional research and monitoring program for landbirds. An experimental monitoring program has been under way during the past four years to test the relative statistical power and cost-effectiveness of various monitoring methods in Alaska. Joint efforts currently include the Alaska Checklist Project on National Wildlife Refuges, 75 Breeding Bird Surveys along the road system, 122 Off-road Point Count routes, 27 Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship banding sites, and 8 migration banding stations. The ultimate goal is to design a comprehensive monitoring program that is sensitive to changes in population size, survival rates, and productivity, but robust enough to accommodate logistical constraints that arise when working in vast, roadless areas with limited funds and staff. Primary challenges that must be faced to assure the long-term future of such a program are obtaining long-term commitment from resource agencies in the region, integrating this program with other national and regional programs that address those species and habitats that are inadequately monitored by established techniques, and developing cooperative research, monitoring, and management programs at the landscape level.

Vaccination policies and programs: the federal government's role in making the system work.

PubMed

Schwartz, B; Orenstein, W A

2001-12-01

Government agencies play a key role, from preclinical development to postlicensure monitoring, in making vaccinations one of the leading public health interventions. Important steps in this process include development and testing of vaccine antigens, evaluation of clinical and manufacturing data leading to licensure, formulation of recommendations, vaccine purchase, defining strategies to improve coverage, compensation of those injured by vaccine adverse reactions, and monitoring vaccine impact and safety. Using examples of newly recommended vaccines, this article describes the infrastructure that underlies a safe and effective program and highlights some of the opportunities and threats likely to impact the system in coming years.

Vendor Furnished Information (VFI); National Marine Standard VFI Guidelines

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-02-28

vendors have global marketing perspectives and are continuously monitoring and applying innovations in technology. They propose new opportunities from the...strategic impact on shipbuilding programs. These vendors have global marketing perspectives and are continuously monitoring and applying innovations in

Clark county monitoring program

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

Conway, Sheila; Auger, Jeremy; Navies, Irene

2007-07-01

Available in abstract form only. Full text of publication follows: Since 1988, Clark County has been one of the counties designated by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) as an 'Affected Unit of Local Government' (AULG). The AULG designation is an acknowledgement by the federal government that could be negatively impacted to a considerable degree by activities associated with the Yucca Mountain High Level Nuclear Waste Repository. These negative effects would have an impact on residents as individuals and the community as a whole. As an AULG, Clark County is authorized to identify 'any potential economic, social, public healthmore » and safety, and environmental impacts' of the potential repository (42 USC Section 10135(C)(1)(B)(1)). Toward this end, Clark County has conducted numerous studies of potential impacts, many of which are summarized in the Clark County's Impact Assessment Report that was submitted by the DOE and the president of the United States in February 2002. Given the unprecedented magnitude and duration of the DoE's proposal, as well as the many unanswered questions about the number of shipments and the modal mix, the estimate of impacts described in these studies are preliminary. In order to refine these estimates, Clark County Comprehensive Planning Department's Nuclear Waste Division is continuing to assess potential impacts. In addition, the County has implemented a Monitoring Program designed to capture changes to the social, environmental, and economic well-being of its residents resulting from the Yucca Mountain project and other significant events within the County. The Monitoring Program acts as an 'early warning system' that allows Clark County decision makers to proactive respond to impacts from the Yucca Mountain Project. (authors)« less

Stormwater runoff water quality evaluation and management program for hazardous chemical sites: Development issues

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

Lee, G.F.; Jones-Lee, A.

1998-12-31

The deficiencies in the typical stormwater runoff water quality monitoring from hazardous chemical sites and an alternative approach (Evaluation Monitoring) for monitoring that shifts the monitoring program from periodic sampling and analysis of stormwater runoff for a suite of chemical parameters to examining the receiving waters to determine what, if any, water quality use impairments are occurring due to the runoff-associated constituents is presented in this paper. Rather than measuring potentially toxic constituents such as heavy metals in runoff, the monitoring program determines whether there is aquatic life toxicity in the receiving waters associated with the stormwater runoff. If toxicitymore » is found, its cause is determined and the source of the constituents causing the toxicity is identified through forensic analysis. Based on this information, site-specific, technically valid stormwater runoff management programs can be developed that will control real water quality impacts caused by stormwater runoff-associated constituents.« less

BUZZARDS BAY EMBAYMENTS, BAYWATCHERS II: NUTRIENT RELATED WATER QUALITY 1992-1998

EPA Science Inventory

Since 1992, the Buzzards Bay Citizens' Water Quality Monitoring Program, known as "Baywatchers", has been monitoring and evaluating bay water quality and particularly the impacts of nitrogen loading. More than 300 dedicated citizen volunteers have contributed to the effort, sampl...

Yucca Mountain biological resources monitoring program; Annual report FY92

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

NONE

1993-02-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is required by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (as amended in 1987) to study and characterize Yucca Mountain as a potential site for a geologic repository for high-level nuclear waste. During site characterization, the DOE will conduct a variety of geotechnical, geochemical, geological, and hydrological studies to determine the suitability of Yucca Mountain as a potential repository. To ensure that site characterization activities (SCA) do not adversely affect the environment at Yucca Mountain, an environmental program has been implemented to monitor and mitigate potential impacts and ensure activities comply with applicable environmentalmore » regulations. This report describes the activities and accomplishments of EG&G Energy Measurements, Inc. (EG&G/EM) during fiscal year 1992 (FY92) for six program areas within the Terrestrial Ecosystem component of the YMP environmental program. The six program areas are Site Characterization Effects, Desert Tortoises, Habitat Reclamation, Monitoring and Mitigation, Radiological Monitoring, and Biological Support.« less

33 CFR Appendix C to Part 273 - Information Requirements for Aquatic Plant Control Program Environmental Impact Statements

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Navigable Waters CORPS OF ENGINEERS, DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AQUATIC PLANT CONTROL Pt.... Program accomplishments: a. Goals. Discuss practical control levels. b. Monitoring accomplishment level. 3...

34 CFR 74.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to ensure subrecipients have met the audit requirements...) Recipients shall immediately notify the Secretary of developments that have a significant impact on the award... AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award...

34 CFR 74.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to ensure subrecipients have met the audit requirements...) Recipients shall immediately notify the Secretary of developments that have a significant impact on the award... AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award...

36 CFR § 1210.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to ensure subrecipients have met the audit requirements as...) Recipients shall immediately notify the NHPRC of developments that have a significant impact on the award... WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award...

34 CFR 74.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to ensure subrecipients have met the audit requirements...) Recipients shall immediately notify the Secretary of developments that have a significant impact on the award... AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award...

34 CFR 74.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to ensure subrecipients have met the audit requirements...) Recipients shall immediately notify the Secretary of developments that have a significant impact on the award... AGREEMENTS WITH INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION, HOSPITALS, AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award...

Can ecological land classification increase the utility of vegetation monitoring data

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Vegetation dynamics in rangelands and other ecosystems are known to be mediated by topoedaphic properties. Vegetation monitoring programs, however, often do not consider the impact of soils and other sources of landscape heterogeneity on the temporal patterns observed. Ecological sites (ES) comprise...

Adaptation to chemical perturbation in the HPG axis: Implications for assessment and monitoring

EPA Science Inventory

Over the past 15 years chemicals that impact the vertebrate hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis have arguably received more attention relative to research and regulation than any other class of environmental contaminants. Testing and monitoring programs to identify and ass...

The Effect of Monitoring: How Data Collection Type and Frequency Boosts Participation and the Adoption of Best Practices in a Coffee Agronomy Training Program in Rwanda.

PubMed

Gathani, Sachin; Gomez, Maria Paula; Sabates, Ricardo; Stoelinga, Dimitri

2015-12-01

The impact of surveying on individuals' behavior and decision making has been widely studied in academic literature on market research but not so much the impact of monitoring on economic development interventions. To estimate whether different monitoring strategies lead to improvement in participation levels and adoption of best practices for coffee production for farmer who participated in TechnoServe Agronomy Training Program in Rwanda. Farmers were identified randomly for monitoring purposes to belong to two different groups and then selected depending on the additional criterion of having productive coffee trees. We estimate treatment-on-the-treated and intention-to-treat effects on training attendance rates and farmers best-practice adoptions using difference-in-differences estimation techniques. Farmers were randomly identified to a high or low monitoring with different type and frequency of data collection and selected if they had productive coffee trees as part of the monitoring strategy. Attendance to training sessions by all farmers in the program and best-practice adoption data for improving coffee yield. We find that monitoring led to surprisingly large increases in farmer participation levels in the project and also improved best-practice adoption rates. We also find that higher frequency of data collection has long-lasting effects and are more pronounced for low-attendance farmers. Monitoring not only provides more data and a better understanding of project dynamics, which in turn can help improve design, but can also improve processes and outcomes, in particular for the least engaged. © The Author(s) 2016.

1989 Environmental monitoring report, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

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

Hwang, S.; Chavez, G.; Phelan, J.

1990-05-01

This 1989 report contains monitoring data from routine radiological and nonradiological environmental surveillance activities. Summaries of significant environmental compliance programs in progress such as National Environmental Policy Act documentation, environmental permits, environmental restoration, and various waste management programs for Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque (SNL, Albuquerque) are included. The maximum offsite dose impact was calculated to be 8.8 {times} 10{sup {minus}4} mrem. The total Albuquerque population received a collective dose of 0.097 person-rem during 1989 from SNL, Albuquerque, operations. As in the previous year, SNL, Albuquerque, operations in 1989 had no adverse impact on the general public or on themore » environment. 46 refs., 20 figs., 31 tabs.« less

What Strategies Are Appropriate for Monitoring Children outside of Family Care and Evaluating the Impact of the Programs Intended to Serve Them?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ager, Alastair; Zimmerman, Cathy; Unlu, Kathy; Rinehart, Richard; Nyberg, Beverly; Zeanah, Charles; Hunleth, Jean; Bastiaens, Ida; Weldy, Andre; Bachman, Gretchen; Blum, Alexander B.; Strottman, Kathleen

2012-01-01

Objectives: To strengthen the evidence-base for policy and practice for support of children outside of family care requires effective, efficient and sustainable mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation. Toward that end, two core questions guided a systematic review of evidence: What strategies are appropriate for monitoring the needs and…

Air pollution and climate change effects on health of the Ukrainian forests: monitoring and evalution

Treesearch

Igor F. Buksha; Valentina L. Meshkova; Oleg M. Radchenko; Alexander S. Sidorov

1998-01-01

Forests in the Ukraine are affected by environmental pollution, intensive forestry practice, and recreational uses. These factors make them sensitive to impacts of climate change. Since 1989 Ukraine has participated in the International Cooperative Program on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests (ICP-Forests). A network of monitoring plots has...

The European Marine Strategy: Noise Monitoring in European Marine Waters from 2014.

PubMed

Dekeling, René; Tasker, Mark; Ainslie, Michael; Andersson, Mathias; André, Michel; Borsani, Fabrizio; Brensing, Karsten; Castellote, Manuel; Dalen, John; Folegot, Thomas; van der Graaf, Sandra; Leaper, Russell; Liebschner, Alexander; Pajala, Jukka; Robinson, Stephen; Sigray, Peter; Sutton, Gerry; Thomsen, Frank; Werner, Stefanie; Wittekind, Dietrich; Young, John V

2016-01-01

The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires European member states to develop strategies for their marine waters leading to programs of measures that achieve or maintain good environmental status (GES) in all European seas by 2020. An essential step toward reaching GES is the establishment of monitoring programs, enabling the state of marine waters to be assessed on a regular basis. A register for impulsive noise-generating activities would enable assessment of their cumulative impacts on wide temporal and spatial scales; monitoring of ambient noise would provide essential insight into current levels and any trend in European waters.

Annual environmental monitoring report of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

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

Schleimer, G.E.

1989-06-01

The Environmental Monitoring Program of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) is described. Data for 1988 are presented and general trends are discussed. In order to establish whether LBL research activities produced any impact on the population surrounding the laboratory, a program of environmental air and water sampling and continuous radiation monitoring was carried on throughout the year. For 1988, as in the previous several years, dose equivalents attributable to LBL radiological operations were a small fraction of both the relevant radiation protection guidelines (RPG) and of the natural radiation background. 16 refs., 7 figs., 21 tabs.

Chronic case management: Clinical governance with cost reductions.

PubMed

Costa, Élide Sbardellotto Mariano da; Hyeda, Adriano

2016-01-01

With increasing global impact of chronic degenerative non-communicable diseases (CDNCD), multidisciplinary chronic disease management care programs (CDMCP) come as a solution to improve the quality of patients care. We conducted a cross-sectional epidemiologic prospective cohort study with data comparing a group of patients monitored by a CDMCP with subjects without CDMCP care, from 2010 to 2012. The patients monitored in this program were selected because they presented CDNCD with frequent hospitalization and/or emergency care in the year prior to study selection. Also, the patients could be referred to the program by their physicians and/or other programs such as HomeCare or family medicine. All costs related to the program were included and compared with the costs of users with the same epidemiological profile who opted for not participating in the CDMCP. We analyzed data from 1,256 cases, including 639 (51%) men and 617 (49%) women. The mean age was 56.99 years and 73% were older than 50 years. There was a prevalence of 34% (428) cases with ischemic heart disease (myocardial infarction and stroke) and 17% (210) with neoplasms. The cases studied showed a reduction of 79% in the number of days of hospitalization compared with the cases without CDMCP monitoring. The average reduction of total costs (hospitalizations, emergency room visits and/or disease complications) was 31.94%, with average reduction of 8.36% in monthly costs. Multidisciplinary monitoring carried out by CDNCD patient management programs can reduce hospitalizations, emergency room visits and complications, positively impacting the costs with health care.

Guide to Improving Parenting Education in Even Start Family Literacy Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, Douglas R.; D'Angelo, Diane

This guide provides a framework and suggestions for strengthening the quality and impact of parenting education services in Even Start. It is aimed at Even Start state coordinators and local program administrators responsible for supporting and monitoring the quality of parenting education services in Even Start, and at local program staff…

40 CFR 123.35 - As the NPDES Permitting Authority for regulated small MS4s, what is my role?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... management programs, TMDL programs, and water quality monitoring programs; (v) Where appropriate, you may... storm water discharge results in or has the potential to result in exceedances of water quality standards, including impairment of designated uses, or other significant water quality impacts, including...

40 CFR 123.35 - As the NPDES Permitting Authority for regulated small MS4s, what is my role?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... management programs, TMDL programs, and water quality monitoring programs; (v) Where appropriate, you may... storm water discharge results in or has the potential to result in exceedances of water quality standards, including impairment of designated uses, or other significant water quality impacts, including...

The Drought Task Force and Research on Understanding, Predicting, and Monitoring Drought

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barrie, D.; Mariotti, A.; Archambault, H. M.; Hoerling, M. P.; Wood, E. F.; Koster, R. D.; Svoboda, M.

2016-12-01

Drought has caused serious social and economic impacts throughout the history of the United States. All Americans are susceptible to the direct and indirect threats drought poses to the Nation. Drought challenges agricultural productivity and reduces the quantity and quality of drinking water supplies upon which communities and industries depend. Drought jeopardizes the integrity of critical infrastructure, causes extensive economic and health impacts, harms ecosystems, and increases energy costs. Ensuring the availability of clean, sufficient, and reliable water resources is a top national and NOAA priority. The Climate Program Office's Modeling, Analysis, Predictions, and Projections (MAPP) program, in partnership with the NOAA-led National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), is focused on improving our understanding of drought causes, evolution, amelioration, and impacts as well as improving our capability to monitor and predict drought. These capabilities and knowledge are critical to providing communities with actionable, reliable information to increase drought preparedness and resilience. This poster will present information on the MAPP-organized Drought Task Force, a consortium of investigators funded by the MAPP program in partnership with NIDIS to advance drought understanding, monitoring, and prediction. Information on Task Force activities, products, and MAPP drought initiatives will be described in the poster, including the Task Force's ongoing focus on the California drought, its predictability, and its causes.

Lunar Impact Flash Locations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moser, D. E.; Suggs, R. M.; Kupferschmidt, L.; Feldman, J.

2015-01-01

A bright impact flash detected by the NASA Lunar Impact Monitoring Program in March 2013 brought into focus the importance of determining the impact flash location. A process for locating the impact flash, and presumably its associated crater, was developed using commercially available software tools. The process was successfully applied to the March 2013 impact flash and put into production on an additional 300 impact flashes. The goal today: provide a description of the geolocation technique developed.

The impact of using mobile-enabled devices on patient engagement in remote monitoring programs.

PubMed

Agboola, Stephen; Havasy, Rob; Myint-U, Khinlei; Kvedar, Joseph; Jethwani, Kamal

2013-05-01

Different types of data transmission technologies are used in remote monitoring (RM) programs. This study reports on a retrospective analysis of how participants engage, based on the type of data transfer technology used in a blood pressure (BP) RM program, and its potential impact on RM program design and outcomes. Thirty patients, aged 23-84 years (62 ± 14 years), who had completed at least 2 months in the program and were not participating in any other clinical trial were identified from the Remote Monitoring Data Repository. Half of these patients used wireless-based data transfer devices [wireless-based device (WBD)] while the other half used telephone modem-based data transfer devices [modem-based device (MBD)]. Participants were matched by practice and age. Engagement indices, which include frequency of BP measurements, frequency of data uploads, time to first BP measurement, and time to first data upload, were compared in both groups using the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney two-sample rank-sum test. Help desk call data were analyzed by Chi square test. The frequency of BP measurements and data uploads was significantly higher in the WBD group versus the MBD group [median = 0.66 versus 0.2 measurements/day (p = .01) and 0.46 versus 0.01 uploads/day (p < .001), respectively]. Time to first upload was significantly lower in the WBD group (median = 4 versus 7 days; p = .02), but time to first BP measurement did not differ between the two groups (median = 2 versus 1 day; p = .98). Wireless transmission ensures instantaneous transmission of readings, providing clinicians timely data to intervene on. Our findings suggest that mobile-enabled wireless technologies can positively impact patient engagement, outcomes, and operational workflow in RM programs. © 2013 Diabetes Technology Society.

Empirical evaluation of the conceptual model underpinning a regional aquatic long-term monitoring program using causal modelling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Irvine, Kathryn M.; Miller, Scott; Al-Chokhachy, Robert K.; Archer, Erik; Roper, Brett B.; Kershner, Jeffrey L.

2015-01-01

Conceptual models are an integral facet of long-term monitoring programs. Proposed linkages between drivers, stressors, and ecological indicators are identified within the conceptual model of most mandated programs. We empirically evaluate a conceptual model developed for a regional aquatic and riparian monitoring program using causal models (i.e., Bayesian path analysis). We assess whether data gathered for regional status and trend estimation can also provide insights on why a stream may deviate from reference conditions. We target the hypothesized causal pathways for how anthropogenic drivers of road density, percent grazing, and percent forest within a catchment affect instream biological condition. We found instream temperature and fine sediments in arid sites and only fine sediments in mesic sites accounted for a significant portion of the maximum possible variation explainable in biological condition among managed sites. However, the biological significance of the direct effects of anthropogenic drivers on instream temperature and fine sediments were minimal or not detected. Consequently, there was weak to no biological support for causal pathways related to anthropogenic drivers’ impact on biological condition. With weak biological and statistical effect sizes, ignoring environmental contextual variables and covariates that explain natural heterogeneity would have resulted in no evidence of human impacts on biological integrity in some instances. For programs targeting the effects of anthropogenic activities, it is imperative to identify both land use practices and mechanisms that have led to degraded conditions (i.e., moving beyond simple status and trend estimation). Our empirical evaluation of the conceptual model underpinning the long-term monitoring program provided an opportunity for learning and, consequently, we discuss survey design elements that require modification to achieve question driven monitoring, a necessary step in the practice of adaptive monitoring. We suspect our situation is not unique and many programs may suffer from the same inferential disconnect. Commonly, the survey design is optimized for robust estimates of regional status and trend detection and not necessarily to provide statistical inferences on the causal mechanisms outlined in the conceptual model, even though these relationships are typically used to justify and promote the long-term monitoring of a chosen ecological indicator. Our application demonstrates a process for empirical evaluation of conceptual models and exemplifies the need for such interim assessments in order for programs to evolve and persist.

Yucca Mountain Biological Resources Monitoring Program. Progress report, January 1994--December 1994

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

NONE

1995-07-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is required by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (as amended in 1987) to study and characterize the suitability of Yucca Mountain as a potential geological repository for high-level nuclear waste. During site characterization, the DOE will conduct a variety of geotechnical, geochemical, geological, and hydrological studies to determine the suitability of Yucca Mountain as a potential repository. To ensure that site characterization activities do not adversely affect the environment at Yucca Mountain, a program has been implemented to monitor and mitigate potential impacts and ensure activities comply with applicable environmental regulations. Thismore » report describes the activities and accomplishments of EG and G Energy Measurements, Inc. (EG and G/EM) from January 1994 through December 1994 for six program areas within the Terrestrial Ecosystem component of the environmental program for the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project (YMP): Site Characterization Effects, Desert Tortoises (Gopherus agassizii), Habitat Reclamation, Monitoring and Mitigation, Radiological Monitoring, and Biological Support.« less

Research to support optimization of prescription drug monitoring programs.

PubMed

Doyle, Sheri; Leichtling, Gillian; Hildebran, Christi; Reilly, Cynthia

2017-11-01

Research is needed to evaluate the impact of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). This paper describes research priorities for PDMPs that were initially discussed at a 2015 meeting of PDMP administrators, researchers, public health officials, and other stakeholders. Meeting participants defined the current landscape of PDMP research and identified research gaps. Research priorities were grouped by theme. Prescription drug monitoring program research priorities were identified for 3 key areas: individual patient health outcomes, prescriber use and decision making, and population-level outcomes. Research areas for individual patient outcomes include examining drug-use thresholds that best predict risk for overdose or substance use disorder and unintended consequences of PDMP use. Proposed research on prescriber PDMP use include evaluating how enhancements to the content and format of PDMP reports informs clinical decision making and optimal clinician actions in response to a concerning PDMP report. Finally, research topics related to population-level outcomes include measuring the impact of PDMP policies on the incidence of substance misuse and harms and assessing the return on investment for these databases. The clinical, public health, and economic impacts of PDMPs must be evaluated, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. In addition to assessing patient outcomes, qualitative research should examine how clinicians use and interpret PDMP information. Research should also examine the impact of PDMP features and policies on prescriber utilization. Comparative analyses across states with differing PDMP policies should be conducted to inform best practices. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The NASA Lunar Impact Monitoring Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suggs, Rob

2008-01-01

We have a fruitful observing program underway which has significantly increased the number of lunar impacts observed. We have done initial test shots at the Ames Vertical Gun Range obtained preliminary luminous efficiency values. More shots and better diagnostics are needed to determine ejecta properties. We are working to have a more accurate ejecta. environment definition to support lunar lander, habitat, and EVA design. Data also useful for validation of sporadic model at large size range.

Space Environment Forecasting with Neutron Monitors: Establishing a novel service for the ESA SSA Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papaioannou, Athanasios; Mavromichalaki, Helen; Souvatzoglou, George; Paschalis, Pavlos; Sarlanis, Christos; Dimitroulakos, John; Gerontidou, Maria

2013-04-01

High-energy particles released at the Sun during a solar flare or a very energetic coronal mass ejection, result to a significant intensity increase at neutron monitor measurements known as Ground Level Enhancements (GLEs). Due to their space weather impact (i.e. risks and failures at communication and navigation systems, spacecraft electronics and operations, space power systems, manned space missions, and commercial aircraft operations) it is crucial to establish a real-time operational system that would be in place to issue reliable and timely GLE Alerts. Currently, the Cosmic Ray group of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens is working towards the establishment of a Neutron Monitor Service that will be made available via the Space Weather Portal operated by the European Space Agency (ESA), under the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Program. To this end, a web interface providing data from multiple Neutron Monitor stations as well as an upgraded GLE Alert will be provided. Both services are now under testing and validation and they will probably enter to an operational phase next year. The core of this Neutron Monitor Service is the GLE Alert software, and therefore, the main goal of this research effort is to upgrade the existing GLE Alert software, to minimize the probability of a false alarm and to enhance the usability of the corresponding results. The ESA Neutron Monitor Service is building upon the infrastructure made available with the implementation of the High-Resolution Neutron Monitor Database (NMDB). In this work the structure of the Neutron Monitor Service for ESA SSA Program and the impact of the novel GLE Alert Service that will be made available to future users via ESA SSA web portal will be presented and further discussed.

1992 Environmental monitoring report, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

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

Culp, T.; Cox, W.; Hwang, H.

1993-09-01

This 1992 report contains monitoring data from routine radiological and nonradiological environmental surveillance activities. summaries of significant environmental compliance programs in progress, such as National Environmental Policy Act documentation, environmental permits, envirorunental restoration, and various waste management programs for Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque, New Mexico, are included. The maximum offsite dose impact was calculated to be 0.0034 millirem. The total population within a 50-mile radius of Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico received an estimated collective dose of 0.019 person-rem during 1992 from the laboratories` operations. As in the previous year, the 1992 operations at Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico had nomore » discernible impact on the general public or on the environment.« less

1991 Environmental monitoring report Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

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

Culp, T.; Cox, W.; Hwang, S.

1992-11-01

This 1991 report contains monitoring data from routine radiological and nonradiological environmental surveillance activities. Summaries of significant environmental compliance programs in progress such as National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation, environmental permits, environmental restoration (ER), and various waste management programs for Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque (SNL, Albuquerque) are included. The maximum offsite dose impact was calculated to be 1.3 {times} 10{sup {minus}3} mrem. The total population within a 50-mile radius of SNL, Albuquerque, received a collective dose of 0.53 person-rem during 1991 from SNL, Albuquerque, operations. As in the previous year, the 1991 operations at SNL, Albuquerque, had nomore » discernible impact on the general public or on the environment.« less

Managing coastal recreation impacts and visitor experience using GIS

Treesearch

Anna M. T. Gajda; Judson Brown; Grant Peregoodoff; Patrick Bartier

2000-01-01

A campsite monitoring program was initiated in Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve/Haida Heritage Site to determine baseline levels of visitor impacts. These data were necessary to evaluate visitor management strategies and to act as reference points to measure changes in impacts over time. Using GIS, survey data were integrated with an ecological land classification,...

Emergent Toxins in North Atlantic Temperate Waters: A Challenge for Monitoring Programs and Legislation

PubMed Central

Silva, Marisa; Pratheepa, Vijaya K.; Botana, Luis M.; Vasconcelos, Vitor

2015-01-01

Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) are complex to manage due to their intermittent nature and their severe impact on the economy and human health. The conditions which promote HAB have not yet been fully explained, though climate change and anthropogenic intervention are pointed as significant factors. The rise of water temperature, the opening of new sea canals and the introduction of ship ballast waters all contribute to the dispersion and establishment of toxin-producing invasive species that promote the settling of emergent toxins in the food-chain. Tetrodotoxin, ciguatoxin, palytoxin and cyclic imines are commonly reported in warm waters but have also caused poisoning incidents in temperate zones. There is evidence that monitoring for these toxins exclusively in bivalves is simplistic and underestimates the risk to public health, since new vectors have been reported for these toxins and as well for regulated toxins such as PSTs and DSTs. In order to avoid public health impacts, there is a need for adequate monitoring programs, a need for establishing appropriate legislation, and a need for optimizing effective methods of analysis. In this review, we will compile evidence concerning emergent marine toxins and provide data that may indicate the need to restructure the current monitoring programs of HAB. PMID:25785464

Emergent toxins in North Atlantic temperate waters: a challenge for monitoring programs and legislation.

PubMed

Silva, Marisa; Pratheepa, Vijaya K; Botana, Luis M; Vasconcelos, Vitor

2015-03-16

Harmful Algal Blooms (HAB) are complex to manage due to their intermittent nature and their severe impact on the economy and human health. The conditions which promote HAB have not yet been fully explained, though climate change and anthropogenic intervention are pointed as significant factors. The rise of water temperature, the opening of new sea canals and the introduction of ship ballast waters all contribute to the dispersion and establishment of toxin-producing invasive species that promote the settling of emergent toxins in the food-chain. Tetrodotoxin, ciguatoxin, palytoxin and cyclic imines are commonly reported in warm waters but have also caused poisoning incidents in temperate zones. There is evidence that monitoring for these toxins exclusively in bivalves is simplistic and underestimates the risk to public health, since new vectors have been reported for these toxins and as well for regulated toxins such as PSTs and DSTs. In order to avoid public health impacts, there is a need for adequate monitoring programs, a need for establishing appropriate legislation, and a need for optimizing effective methods of analysis. In this review, we will compile evidence concerning emergent marine toxins and provide data that may indicate the need to restructure the current monitoring programs of HAB.

Environmental statement for Applications Technology Satellite program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

The experiments, environmental impact, and applications of data collected by ATS are discussed. Data cover communications, navigation, meteorology, data collection (including data from small unattended remote stations such as buoys, seismology and hydrology monitors, etc.), geodesy, and scientific experiments to define the environment at synchronous orbit, and to monitor emissions from the sun.

Lunar Impact Flash Locations from NASA's Lunar Impact Monitoring Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moser, D. E.; Suggs, R. M.; Kupferschmidt, L.; Feldman, J.

2015-01-01

Meteoroids are small, natural bodies traveling through space, fragments from comets, asteroids, and impact debris from planets. Unlike the Earth, which has an atmosphere that slows, ablates, and disintegrates most meteoroids before they reach the ground, the Moon has little-to-no atmosphere to prevent meteoroids from impacting the lunar surface. Upon impact, the meteoroid's kinetic energy is partitioned into crater excavation, seismic wave production, and the generation of a debris plume. A flash of light associated with the plume is detectable by instruments on Earth. Following the initial observation of a probable Taurid impact flash on the Moon in November 2005,1 the NASA Meteoroid Environment Office (MEO) began a routine monitoring program to observe the Moon for meteoroid impact flashes in early 2006, resulting in the observation of over 330 impacts to date. The main objective of the MEO is to characterize the meteoroid environment for application to spacecraft engineering and operations. The Lunar Impact Monitoring Program provides information about the meteoroid flux in near-Earth space in a size range-tens of grams to a few kilograms-difficult to measure with statistical significance by other means. A bright impact flash detected by the program in March 2013 brought into focus the importance of determining the impact flash location. Prior to this time, the location was estimated to the nearest half-degree by visually comparing the impact imagery to maps of the Moon. Better accuracy was not needed because meteoroid flux calculations did not require high-accuracy impact locations. But such a bright event was thought to have produced a fresh crater detectable from lunar orbit by the NASA spacecraft Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO). The idea of linking the observation of an impact flash with its crater was an appealing one, as it would validate NASA photometric calculations and crater scaling laws developed from hypervelocity gun testing. This idea was dependent upon LRO finding a fresh impact crater associated with one of the impact flashes recorded by Earth-based instruments, either the bright event of March 2013 or any other in the database of impact observations. To find the crater, LRO needed an accurate area to search. This Technical Memorandum (TM) describes the geolocation technique developed to accurately determine the impact flash location, and by association, the location of the crater, thought to lie directly beneath the brightest portion of the flash. The workflow and software tools used to geolocate the impact flashes are described in detail, along with sources of error and uncertainty and a case study applying the workflow to the bright impact flash in March 2013. Following the successful geolocation of the March 2013 flash, the technique was applied to all impact flashes detected by the MEO between November 7, 2005, and January 3, 2014.

1982 HHS/LIHEAP funds used for weatherization. An analysis of data from twenty states: Task A. Final report

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

Not Available

1983-05-01

During the Summer and Fall of 1982, Arawak Consulting Corporation monitored a number of program management functions of the Low Income Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) in the 20 states under the jurisdiction of the DOE Chicago Operations Office. The monitoring included on-site visits to all 20 state grantees and 85 randomly selected local subgrantees. Although the monitoring was designed to focus only on the DOE funded program, it soon became apparent that funds from the Department of Health and Human Services' Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) often had a significant effect on the scope and mode of operationmore » of the weatherization program. As a result of these and other outcomes, DOE asked Arawak to further study the impact of HHS funds on the Weatherization Assistance Program in the same 20 states. This report is the result of that request. It draws on information collected during the monitoring visits which were conducted from mid-July to mid-October 1982, and on additional information obtained in telephone interviews during the last two weeks of February 1983.« less

Landscape scale ecological monitoring as part of an EIA of major construction activities: experience at the Turkish section of the BTC crude oil pipeline project.

PubMed

Sahin, Sükran; Kurum, Ekrem

2009-09-01

Ecological monitoring is a complementary component of the overall environmental management and monitoring program of any Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report. The monitoring method should be developed for each project phase and allow for periodic reporting and assessment of compliance with the environmental conditions and requirements of the EIA. Also, this method should incorporate a variance request program since site-specific conditions can affect construction on a daily basis and require time-critical application of alternative construction scenarios or environmental management methods integrated with alternative mitigation measures. Finally, taking full advantage of the latest information and communication technologies can enhance the quality of, and public involvement in, the environmental management program. In this paper, a landscape-scale ecological monitoring method for major construction projects is described using, as a basis, 20 months of experience on the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) Crude Oil Pipeline Project, covering Turkish Sections Lot B and Lot C. This analysis presents suggestions for improving ecological monitoring for major construction activities.

Monitoring challenges and innovative ideas

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

O'Neill, R.V.; Hunsaker, C.T.; Levine, D.A.

1990-01-01

Monitoring programs are difficult to design even when they focus on specific problems. Ecosystems are complex, and it is often impossible to predetermine what aspects of system structure or dynamics will respond to a specific insult. It is equally difficult to interpret whether a response is a stabilizing compensatory mechanism or a real loss of capacity to maintain the ecosystem. The problems are compounded in a broad monitoring program designed to assess ecosystem health'' at regional and continental scales. It is challenging in the extreme to monitor ecosystem response, at any scale, to past insults as well as an unknownmore » future array of impacts. The present paper will examine some of the fundamental issues and challenges raised by large-scale monitoring efforts. The challenges will serve as a framework and as an excuse to discuss several important topics in more detail. Following the discussion of challenges, we suggest some basic innovations that could be important across a range of monitoring programs. The innovations include integrative measures, innovative methodology, and creative interpretation. 59 refs., 1 tab.« less

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

Smith, Jeff

This report discusses the UHSP monitoring program, a radioactive material accounting process and its purpose. The systematic approach to implementing Lean principles, determining key requirements, root causes of variation and disruption that interfere with program efficiency and effectiveness. Preexisting issues within the UHSP are modeled to illustrate the impact that they have on the large and extensive systems.

Efficiency improvements in US Office equipment: Expected policy impacts and uncertainties

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

Koomey, J.G.; Cramer, M.; Piette, M.A.

This report describes a detailed end-use forecast of office equipment energy use for the US commercial sector. We explore the likely impacts of the US Environmental Protection Agency`s ENERGY STAR office equipment program and the potential impacts of advanced technologies. The ENERGY STAR program encourages manufacturers to voluntarily incorporate power saving features into personal computers, monitors, printers, copiers, and fax machines in exchange for allowing manufacturers to use the EPA ENERGY STAR logo in their advertising campaigns. The Advanced technology case assumes that the most energy efficient current technologies are implemented regardless of cost.

Levels of Viable Enterococci Fecal Indicator Bacteria at a Marine Subtropical Beach: Assessing Temporal and Spatial Variability

EPA Science Inventory

Beach water quality monitoring is an important tool to inform the public of health risks from recreational beach use, as well as to assess the impacts of land-based sources of pollution on coastal ecosystems. Many beach monitoring programs in the US currently utilize a strategy o...

Long-term environmental monitoring for assessment of change: measurement inconsistencies over time and potential solutions.

PubMed

Ellingsen, Kari E; Yoccoz, Nigel G; Tveraa, Torkild; Hewitt, Judi E; Thrush, Simon F

2017-10-30

The importance of long-term environmental monitoring and research for detecting and understanding changes in ecosystems and human impacts on natural systems is widely acknowledged. Over the last decades, a number of critical components for successful long-term monitoring have been identified. One basic component is quality assurance/quality control protocols to ensure consistency and comparability of data. In Norway, the authorities require environmental monitoring of the impacts of the offshore petroleum industry on the Norwegian continental shelf, and in 1996, a large-scale regional environmental monitoring program was established. As a case study, we used a sub-set of data from this monitoring to explore concepts regarding best practices for long-term environmental monitoring. Specifically, we examined data from physical and chemical sediment samples and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages from 11 stations from six sampling occasions during the period 1996-2011. Despite the established quality assessment and quality control protocols for this monitoring program, we identified several data challenges, such as missing values and outliers, discrepancies in variable and station names, changes in procedures without calibration, and different taxonomic resolution. Furthermore, we show that the use of different laboratories over time makes it difficult to draw conclusions with regard to some of the observed changes. We offer recommendations to facilitate comparison of data over time. We also present a new procedure to handle different taxonomic resolution, so valuable historical data is not discarded. These topics have a broader relevance and application than for our case study.

Real time observation system for monitoring environmental impact on marine ecosystems from oil drilling operations.

PubMed

Godø, Olav Rune; Klungsøyr, Jarle; Meier, Sonnich; Tenningen, Eirik; Purser, Autun; Thomsen, Laurenz

2014-07-15

Environmental awareness and technological advances has spurred development of new monitoring solutions for the petroleum industry. This paper presents experience from a monitoring program off Norway. To maintain operation within the limits of the government regulations Statoil tested a new monitoring concept. Multisensory data were cabled to surface buoys and transmitted to land via wireless communication. The system collected information about distribution of the drilling wastes and the welfare of the corals in relation to threshold values. The project experienced a series of failures, but the backup monitoring provided information to fulfil the requirements of the permit. The experience demonstrated the need for real time monitoring and how such systems enhance understanding of impacts on marine organisms. Also, drilling operations may improve by taking environmental information into account. The paper proposes to standardize and streamline monitoring protocols to maintain comparability during all phases of the operation and between drill sites. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Analysis of Academic Assistance Programs on At-Risk Students at the United States Naval Academy

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-01

ADDRESS(ES) N/ A 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY REPORT NUMBER 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this thesis are those of the...programs are available to these students. In particular, the Naval Academy administers a program known as the Midshipmen Group Study Program, which...is based on the supplemental instruction model. This study examines the impact of participation in each of these programs as a determinant to

45 CFR 1174.40 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE... developments. Events may occur between the scheduled performance reporting dates which have significant impact...

LBL's Pollution Instrumentation Comparability Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLaughlin, R. D.; And Others

1979-01-01

Contained are condensed excerpts from the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Survey of Instrumentation for Environmental Monitoring. The survey describes instrumentation used to analyze air and water quality, radiation emissions, and biomedical impacts. (BB)

INEL Geothermal Environmental Program. 1979 annual report

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

Thurow, T.L.; Sullivan, J.F.

1980-04-01

The Raft River Geothermal Environmental Program is designed to assess beneficial and detrimental impacts to the ecosystem resulting from the development of moderate temperature geothermal resources in the valley. The results of this research contribute to developing an understanding of Raft River Valley ecology and provide a basis for making management decisions to reduce potential long-term detrimental impacts on the environment. The environmental monitoring and research efforts conducted during the past six years of geothermal development and planned future research are summarized.

Using Copernicus earth observation services to monitor climate change impacts and adaptations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, Daniel; Zebisch, Marc; Sonnenschein, Ruth; Schönthaler, Konstanze; von Andrian-Werburg, Stefan

2016-04-01

In the last years, earth observation made a big leap towards an operational monitoring of the state of environment. Remote sensing provides for instance information on the dynamics, trends and anomalies of snow and glaciers, vegetation, soil moisture or water temperature. In particular, the European Copernicus initiative offers new opportunities through new satellites with a higher temporal and spatial resolution, operational services for environmental monitoring and an open data access policy. With the Copernicus climate change service and the ESA climate change initiative, specific earth observation programs are in place to address the impacts of climate change. However, such products and services are until now rarely picked up in the field of policy or decision making oriented climate impact or climate risk assessments. In this talk, we will present results of a study, which focus on the question, if and how remote sensing approaches could be integrated into operational monitoring activities of climate impacts and response measures on a national and subnational scale. We assessed all existing and planned Copernicus services regarding their relevance for climate impact monitoring by comparing them against the indication fields from an indicator system for climate impact and response monitoring in Germany, which has lately been developed in the framework of the German national adaptation strategy. For several climate impact or response indicators, an immediate integration of remote sensing data could be identified and been recommended. For these cases, we will show practical examples on the benefit of remote sensing data. For other indication fields, promising approaches were found, which need further development. We argue that remote sensing is a very valuable complement to the existing indicator schemes by contributing with spatial explicit, timely information but not always easy to integrate with classical approaches, which are oriented towards consistent long term monitoring. Furthermore, we provide specific recommendations for the Copernicus services to ensure a consistent climate change monitoring in future and we indicate options and limitations for integrating service products into practical assessment and monitoring activities.

The Modular Borehole Monitoring Program. A research program to optimize well-based monitoring for geologic carbon sequestration

DOE PAGES

Freifeld, Barry; Daley, Tom; Cook, Paul; ...

2014-12-31

Understanding the impacts caused by injection of large volumes of CO 2 in the deep subsurface necessitates a comprehensive monitoring strategy. While surface-based and other remote geophysical methods can provide information on the general morphology of a CO 2 plume, verification of the geochemical conditions and validation of the remote sensing data requires measurements from boreholes that penetrate the storage formation. Unfortunately, the high cost of drilling deep wellbores and deploying instrumentation systems constrains the number of dedicated monitoring borings as well as limits the technologies that can be incorporated in a borehole completion. The objective of the Modular Boreholemore » Monitoring (MBM) Program was to develop a robust suite of well-based tools optimized for subsurface monitoring of CO 2 that could meet the needs of a comprehensive well-based monitoring program. It should have enough flexibility to be easily reconfigured for various reservoir geometries and geologies. The MBM Program sought to provide storage operators with a turn-key fully engineered design that incorporated key technologies, function over the decades long time-span necessary for post-closure reservoir monitoring, and meet industry acceptable risk profiles for deep-well installations. While still within the conceptual design phase of the MBM program, the SECARB Anthropogenic Test in Citronelle, Alabama, USA was identified as a deployment site for our engineered monitoring systems. The initial step in designing the Citronelle MBM system was to down-select from the various monitoring tools available to include technologies that we considered essential to any program. Monitoring methods selected included U-tube geochemical sampling, discrete quartz pressure and temperature gauges, an integrated fibre-optic bundle consisting of distributed temperature and heat-pulse sensing, and a sparse string of conventional 3C-geophones. While not originally planned within the initial MBM work scope, the fibre-optic cable was able to also be used for the emergent technology of distributed acoustic sensing. The MBM monitoring string was installed in March, 2012. To date, the Citronelle MBM instruments continue to operate reliably. Results and lessons learned from the Citronelle MBM deployment are addressed along with examples of data being collected.« less

Food fortification: issues on quality assurance and impact evaluation in developing countries.

PubMed

Florentino, R

2003-01-01

Quality assurance and impact evaluation are essential components of a food fortification program and should be integrated in the fortification process. Quality assurance will ensure that the micronutrient meant to be delivered is indeed reaching the target population at the correct level. Impact evaluation will determine the effectiveness of food fortification as a strategy in controlling micronutrient deficiency and enable program planners to make decisions on the future of the program. In developing countries, both quality assurance and impact evaluation are often constrained not only by inadequacy of facilities as well as financial and manpower resources, but by unclear definition of objectives and inappropriate design. It is therefore necessary to consider the target audience for the quality assurance monitoring and impact evaluation in order to clearly define their objectives and in turn suit the design to these objectives, at the same time as the limitations in financial and manpower resources are considered.

Compliance Groundwater Monitoring of Nonpoint Sources - Emerging Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harter, T.

2008-12-01

Groundwater monitoring networks are typically designed for regulatory compliance of discharges from industrial sites. There, the quality of first encountered (shallow-most) groundwater is of key importance. Network design criteria have been developed for purposes of determining whether an actual or potential, permitted or incidental waste discharge has had or will have a degrading effect on groundwater quality. The fundamental underlying paradigm is that such discharge (if it occurs) will form a distinct contamination plume. Networks that guide (post-contamination) mitigation efforts are designed to capture the shape and dynamics of existing, finite-scale plumes. In general, these networks extend over areas less than one to ten hectare. In recent years, regulatory programs such as the EU Nitrate Directive and the U.S. Clean Water Act have forced regulatory agencies to also control groundwater contamination from non-incidental, recharging, non-point sources, particularly agricultural sources (fertilizer, pesticides, animal waste application, biosolids application). Sources and contamination from these sources can stretch over several tens, hundreds, or even thousands of square kilometers with no distinct plumes. A key question in implementing monitoring programs at the local, regional, and national level is, whether groundwater monitoring can be effectively used as a landowner compliance tool, as is currently done at point-source sites. We compare the efficiency of such traditional site-specific compliance networks in nonpoint source regulation with various designs of regional nonpoint source monitoring networks that could be used for compliance monitoring. We discuss advantages and disadvantages of the site vs. regional monitoring approaches with respect to effectively protecting groundwater resources impacted by nonpoint sources: Site-networks provide a tool to enforce compliance by an individual landowner. But the nonpoint source character of the contamination and its typically large spatial extend requires extensive networks at an individual site to accurately and fairly monitor individual compliance. In contrast, regional networks seemingly fail to hold individual landowners accountable. But regional networks can effectively monitor large-scale impacts and water quality trends; and thus inform regulatory programs that enforce management practices tied to nonpoint source pollution. Regional monitoring networks for compliance purposes can face significant challenges in the implementation due to a regulatory and legal landscape that is exclusively structured to address point sources and individual liability, and due to the non-intensive nature of a regional monitoring program (lack of control of hot spots; lack of accountability of individual landowners).

45 CFR 1157.40 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... FOUNDATION ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS UNIFORM ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS... developments. Events may occur between the scheduled performance reporting dates which have significant impact...

The Role of Reflection and Collaboration in the Evolution of a Group of Novice Secondary Education Science Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cuesta, Josefa; Azcárate, Pilar; Cardeñoso, José Maria

2016-01-01

The present article analyses the changes in practices, ideas, and attitudes proposed by a group of novice science teachers during a further education teacher training program. The research on which it is based is focused on monitoring the training program and its impact on the participating teachers. The training program has as its starting point…

The Impact of a Professional Development Program on Teachers' Understandings about Watersheds, Water Quality, and Stream Monitoring.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepardson, Daniel P.; Harbor, Jon; Cooper, Barbara; McDonald, Jim

2002-01-01

Professional development programs should provide teachers with experiences that develop their knowledge and skills to integrate environmental field studies into their school curriculum. Reports on a professional development model that engaged teachers in designing and conducting local environmental science research projects. (Author/YDS)

Automated Instrumentation, Monitoring and Visualization of PVM Programs Using AIMS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehra, Pankaj; VanVoorst, Brian; Yan, Jerry; Lum, Henry, Jr. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

We present views and analysis of the execution of several PVM (Parallel Virtual Machine) codes for Computational Fluid Dynamics on a networks of Sparcstations, including: (1) NAS Parallel Benchmarks CG and MG; (2) a multi-partitioning algorithm for NAS Parallel Benchmark SP; and (3) an overset grid flowsolver. These views and analysis were obtained using our Automated Instrumentation and Monitoring System (AIMS) version 3.0, a toolkit for debugging the performance of PVM programs. We will describe the architecture, operation and application of AIMS. The AIMS toolkit contains: (1) Xinstrument, which can automatically instrument various computational and communication constructs in message-passing parallel programs; (2) Monitor, a library of runtime trace-collection routines; (3) VK (Visual Kernel), an execution-animation tool with source-code clickback; and (4) Tally, a tool for statistical analysis of execution profiles. Currently, Xinstrument can handle C and Fortran 77 programs using PVM 3.2.x; Monitor has been implemented and tested on Sun 4 systems running SunOS 4.1.2; and VK uses XIIR5 and Motif 1.2. Data and views obtained using AIMS clearly illustrate several characteristic features of executing parallel programs on networked workstations: (1) the impact of long message latencies; (2) the impact of multiprogramming overheads and associated load imbalance; (3) cache and virtual-memory effects; and (4) significant skews between workstation clocks. Interestingly, AIMS can compensate for constant skew (zero drift) by calibrating the skew between a parent and its spawned children. In addition, AIMS' skew-compensation algorithm can adjust timestamps in a way that eliminates physically impossible communications (e.g., messages going backwards in time). Our current efforts are directed toward creating new views to explain the observed performance of PVM programs. Some of the features planned for the near future include: (1) ConfigView, showing the physical topology of the virtual machine, inferred using specially formatted IP (Internet Protocol) packets: and (2) LoadView, synchronous animation of PVM-program execution and resource-utilization patterns.

Using ISERV and Commercial Satellite Imagery to Assess and Monitor Recovery Efforts in Urban Damaged Areas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bell, Jordan R.; Molthan, Andrew L.; Burks, Jason E.; McGrath, Kevin M.

2014-01-01

NASA's Short-term Prediction, Research, and Transition (SPoRT) Center uses a wide array of satellites to monitor and assess the impacts of natural disasters, with support from NASA's Applied Sciences Program. One of the newest sensors SPoRT is utilizing in these activities is the International Space Station (ISS) SERVIR Environmental Research and Visualization System (ISERV) instrument. ISERV provides a unique view of the areas impacted and will play a big role in monitoring the recovery these areas. High-resolution commercial satellite data is also used to monitor urban areas that have been impacted by natural disasters. SPoRT is developing techniques to measure the extent of these disasters and to monitor recovery. Several of these techniques include semi-automatic feature detection and change as well as developing an experimental damage assessment based upon the visible damage observed by the satellites. Furthermore, throughout these activities SPoRT hopes to provide additional data to the NOAA National Weather Service Damage Assessment Toolkit, which will help to supplement those activities being performed in the field.

Impacts of a disease management program for dually eligible beneficiaries.

PubMed

Esposito, Dominick; Brown, Randall; Chen, Arnold; Schore, Jennifer; Shapiro, Rachel

2008-01-01

The LifeMasters Supported SelfCare demonstration program provides disease management (DM) services to Florida Medicare beneficiaries who are also enrolled in Medicaid and have congestive heart failure (CHF), diabetes, or coronary artery disease (CAD). The population-based program provides primarily telephonic patient education and monitoring services. Findings from the randomized, intent-to-treat design over the first 18 months of operations show virtually no overall impacts on hospital or emergency room (ER) use, Medicare expenditures, quality of care, or prescription drug use for the 33,000 enrollees. However, for beneficiaries with CHF who resided in high-cost South Florida counties, the program reduced Medicare expenditures by 9.6 percent.

Implementation of evidence-based home visiting programs aimed at reducing child maltreatment: A meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Casillas, Katherine L; Fauchier, Angèle; Derkash, Bridget T; Garrido, Edward F

2016-03-01

In recent years there has been an increase in the popularity of home visitation programs as a means of addressing risk factors for child maltreatment. The evidence supporting the effectiveness of these programs from several meta-analyses, however, is mixed. One potential explanation for this inconsistency explored in the current study involves the manner in which these programs were implemented. In the current study we reviewed 156 studies associated with 9 different home visitation program models targeted to caregivers of children between the ages of 0 and 5. Meta-analytic techniques were used to determine the impact of 18 implementation factors (e.g., staff selection, training, supervision, fidelity monitoring, etc.) and four study characteristics (publication type, target population, study design, comparison group) in predicting program outcomes. Results from analyses revealed that several implementation factors, including training, supervision, and fidelity monitoring, had a significant effect on program outcomes, particularly child maltreatment outcomes. Study characteristics, including the program's target population and the comparison group employed, also had a significant effect on program outcomes. Implications of the study's results for those interested in implementing home visitation programs are discussed. A careful consideration and monitoring of program implementation is advised as a means of achieving optimal study results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1988 environmental monitoring report, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

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

Millard, G.; Yeager, G.; Phelan, J.

1989-05-01

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque is located south of Albuquerque on Kirtland Air Force Base. Because radionuclides are potentially released in small quantities from its research activities, SNL, Albuquerque has a continuing environmental monitoring program which analyzes for cesium-137, tritium, uranium, alpha emitters, and beta emitters in water, soil, air, and vegetation. A total of 5.23 curies of argon-41 were released as a result of SNL, Albuquerque operations in 1988. The albuquerque population received an estimated 0.04 person-rem from airborne radioactive releases, whereas it received greater than 44,500 person-rem from naturally occurring radionuclides. A nonradioactive effluent monitoring program at SNL,more » Albuquerque includes groundwater, stormwater and sewage monitoring. Results indicate that the groundwater has not been impacted by the chemical waste landfill. Preliminary testing of stormwater showed that no pollutants were above minimum detectable levels. A program to investigate potential remedial action sites has been started. 47 refs., 12 figs., 19 tabs.« less

Instrumentation, performance visualization, and debugging tools for multiprocessors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yan, Jerry C.; Fineman, Charles E.; Hontalas, Philip J.

1991-01-01

The need for computing power has forced a migration from serial computation on a single processor to parallel processing on multiprocessor architectures. However, without effective means to monitor (and visualize) program execution, debugging, and tuning parallel programs becomes intractably difficult as program complexity increases with the number of processors. Research on performance evaluation tools for multiprocessors is being carried out at ARC. Besides investigating new techniques for instrumenting, monitoring, and presenting the state of parallel program execution in a coherent and user-friendly manner, prototypes of software tools are being incorporated into the run-time environments of various hardware testbeds to evaluate their impact on user productivity. Our current tool set, the Ames Instrumentation Systems (AIMS), incorporates features from various software systems developed in academia and industry. The execution of FORTRAN programs on the Intel iPSC/860 can be automatically instrumented and monitored. Performance data collected in this manner can be displayed graphically on workstations supporting X-Windows. We have successfully compared various parallel algorithms for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) applications in collaboration with scientists from the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation Systems Division. By performing these comparisons, we show that performance monitors and debuggers such as AIMS are practical and can illuminate the complex dynamics that occur within parallel programs.

Monitoring and Evaluation of African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD): An Exemplar of Managing for Impact in Development Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandon, Paul R.; Smith, Nick L.; Ofir, Zenda; Noordeloos, Marco

2014-01-01

In this Exemplars case, the fifth and final under the direction of the current coeditors, the authors present a reflective account of an ongoing, complex, multiyear, multinational monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system conducted for African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), an international development program. The…

Assessing I-Grid(TM) web-based monitoring for power quality and reliability benchmarking

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

Divan, Deepak; Brumsickle, William; Eto, Joseph

2003-04-30

This paper presents preliminary findings from DOEs pilot program. The results show how a web-based monitoring system can form the basis for aggregation of data and correlation and benchmarking across broad geographical lines. A longer report describes additional findings from the pilot, including impacts of power quality and reliability on customers operations [Divan, Brumsickle, Eto 2003].

Low cost environmental sensors for Spaceflight : NMP Space Environmental Monitor (SEM) requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrett, Henry B.; Buelher, Martin G.; Brinza, D.; Patel, J. U.

2005-01-01

An outstanding problem in spaceflight is the lack of adequate sensors for monitoring the space environment and its effects on engineering systems. By adequate, we mean low cost in terms of mission impact (e.g., low price, low mass/size, low power, low data rate, and low design impact). The New Millennium Program (NMP) is investigating the development of such a low-cost Space Environmental Monitor (SEM) package for inclusion on its technology validation flights. This effort follows from the need by NMP to characterize the space environment during testing so that potential users can extrapolate the test results to end-use conditions. The immediate objective of this effort is to develop a small diagnostic sensor package that could be obtained from commercial sources. Environments being considered are: contamination, atomic oxygen, ionizing radiation, cosmic radiation, EMI, and temperature. This talk describes the requirements and rational for selecting these environments and reviews a preliminary design that includes a micro-controller data logger with data storage and interfaces to the sensors and spacecraft. If successful, such a sensor package could be the basis of a unique, long term program for monitoring the effects of the space environment on spacecraft systems.

Low Cost Environmental Sensors for Spaceflight: NMP Space Environmental Monitor (SEM) Requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrett, Henry B.; Buehler, Martin G.; Brinza, D.; Patel, J. U.

2005-01-01

An outstanding problem in spaceflight is the lack of adequate sensors for monitoring the space environment and its effects on engineering systems. By adequate, we mean low cost in terms of mission impact (e.g., low price, low mass/size, low power, low data rate, and low design impact). The New Millennium Program (NMP) is investigating the development of such a low-cost Space Environmental Monitor (SEM) package for inclusion on its technology validation flights. This effort follows from the need by NMP to characterize the space environment during testing so that potential users can extrapolate the test results to end-use conditions. The immediate objective of this effort is to develop a small diagnostic sensor package that could be obtained from commercial sources. Environments being considered are: contamination, atomic oxygen, ionizing radiation, cosmic radiation, EMI, and temperature. This talk describes the requirements and rational for selecting these environments and reviews a preliminary design that includes a micro-controller data logger with data storage and interfaces to the sensors and spacecraft. If successful, such a sensor package could be the basis of a unique, long term program for monitoring the effects of the space environment on spacecraft systems.

A program needs-driven approach to selecting dietary assessment methods for decision-making in food fortification programs.

PubMed

Coates, Jennifer; Colaiezzi, Brooke; Fiedler, John L; Wirth, James; Lividini, Keith; Rogers, Beatrice

2012-09-01

Dietary assessment data are essential for designing, monitoring, and evaluating food fortification and other food-based nutrition programs. Planners and managers must understand the validity, usefulness, and cost tradeoffs of employing alternative dietary assessment methods, but little guidance exists. To identify and apply criteria to assess the tradeoffs of using alternative dietary methods for meeting fortification programming needs. Twenty-five semistructured expert interviews were conducted and literature was reviewed for information on the validity, usefulness, and cost of using 24-hour recalls, Food Frequency Questionnaires/Fortification Rapid Assessment Tool (FFQ/FRAT), Food Balance Sheets (FBS), and Household Consumption and Expenditures Surveys (HCES) for program stage-specific information needs. Criteria were developed and applied to construct relative rankings of the four methods. Needs assessment: HCES offers the greatest suitability at the lowest cost for estimating the risk of inadequate intakes, but relative to 24-hour recall compromises validity. HCES should be used to identify vehicles and to estimate coverage and likely impact due to its low cost and moderate-to-high validity. Baseline assessment: 24-hour recall should be applied using a representative sample. Monitoring: A simple, low-cost FFQ can be used to monitor coverage. Impact evaluation: 24-hour recall should be used to assess changes in nutrient intakes. FBS have low validity relative to other methods for all programmatic purposes. Each dietary assessment method has strengths and weaknesses that vary by context and purpose. Method selection must be driven by the program's data needs, the suitability of the methods for the purpose, and a clear understanding of the tradeoffs involved.

The Automated Instrumentation and Monitoring System (AIMS): Design and Architecture. 3.2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yan, Jerry C.; Schmidt, Melisa; Schulbach, Cathy; Bailey, David (Technical Monitor)

1997-01-01

Whether a researcher is designing the 'next parallel programming paradigm', another 'scalable multiprocessor' or investigating resource allocation algorithms for multiprocessors, a facility that enables parallel program execution to be captured and displayed is invaluable. Careful analysis of such information can help computer and software architects to capture, and therefore, exploit behavioral variations among/within various parallel programs to take advantage of specific hardware characteristics. A software tool-set that facilitates performance evaluation of parallel applications on multiprocessors has been put together at NASA Ames Research Center under the sponsorship of NASA's High Performance Computing and Communications Program over the past five years. The Automated Instrumentation and Monitoring Systematic has three major software components: a source code instrumentor which automatically inserts active event recorders into program source code before compilation; a run-time performance monitoring library which collects performance data; and a visualization tool-set which reconstructs program execution based on the data collected. Besides being used as a prototype for developing new techniques for instrumenting, monitoring and presenting parallel program execution, AIMS is also being incorporated into the run-time environments of various hardware testbeds to evaluate their impact on user productivity. Currently, the execution of FORTRAN and C programs on the Intel Paragon and PALM workstations can be automatically instrumented and monitored. Performance data thus collected can be displayed graphically on various workstations. The process of performance tuning with AIMS will be illustrated using various NAB Parallel Benchmarks. This report includes a description of the internal architecture of AIMS and a listing of the source code.

1990 Environmental Monitoring Report, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico

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

Hwang, S.; Yeager, G.; Wolff, T.

1991-05-01

This 1990 report contains monitoring data from routine radiological and nonradiological environmental surveillance activities. Summaries of significant environmental compliance programs in progress such as National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documentation, environmental permits, environmental restoration, and various waste management programs for Sandia National Laboratories in Albuquerque (SNL, Albuquerque) are included. The maximum offsite dose impact was calculated to be 2.0 {times} 10{sup {minus}3} mrem. The total 50-mile population received a collective dose of 0.82 person-rem during 1990 from SNL, Albuquerque, operations. As in the previous year, the 1990 SNL operations had no adverse impact on the general public or on themore » environment. This report is prepared for the US Department of Energy in compliance with DOE Order 5400.1. 97 refs., 30 figs., 137 tabs.« less

The Automated Instrumentation and Monitoring System (AIMS) reference manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yan, Jerry; Hontalas, Philip; Listgarten, Sherry

1993-01-01

Whether a researcher is designing the 'next parallel programming paradigm,' another 'scalable multiprocessor' or investigating resource allocation algorithms for multiprocessors, a facility that enables parallel program execution to be captured and displayed is invaluable. Careful analysis of execution traces can help computer designers and software architects to uncover system behavior and to take advantage of specific application characteristics and hardware features. A software tool kit that facilitates performance evaluation of parallel applications on multiprocessors is described. The Automated Instrumentation and Monitoring System (AIMS) has four major software components: a source code instrumentor which automatically inserts active event recorders into the program's source code before compilation; a run time performance-monitoring library, which collects performance data; a trace file animation and analysis tool kit which reconstructs program execution from the trace file; and a trace post-processor which compensate for data collection overhead. Besides being used as prototype for developing new techniques for instrumenting, monitoring, and visualizing parallel program execution, AIMS is also being incorporated into the run-time environments of various hardware test beds to evaluate their impact on user productivity. Currently, AIMS instrumentors accept FORTRAN and C parallel programs written for Intel's NX operating system on the iPSC family of multi computers. A run-time performance-monitoring library for the iPSC/860 is included in this release. We plan to release monitors for other platforms (such as PVM and TMC's CM-5) in the near future. Performance data collected can be graphically displayed on workstations (e.g. Sun Sparc and SGI) supporting X-Windows (in particular, Xl IR5, Motif 1.1.3).

Coordinated bird monitoring: Technical recommendations for military lands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bart, Jonathan; Manning, Ann; Fischer, Richard; Eberly, Chris

2012-01-01

The Department of Defense (DoD) is subject to several rules and regulations establishing responsibilities for monitoring migratory birds. The Sikes Act requires all military installations with significant natural resources to prepare and implement Integrated Natural Resources Management Plans (INRMPs). These plans guide the conservation and long-term management of natural resources on military lands in a manner that is compatible with and sustains the military mission. An INRMP also supports compliance with all legal requirements and guides the military in fulfilling its obligation to be a good steward of public land.The management and conservation of migratory birds is addressed in installation INRMPs. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires federal agencies to evaluate and disclose the potential environmental impacts of their proposed actions. More recently, DoD signed an MOU (http://www.dodpif.org/downloads/EO13186_MOU-DoD.pdf) for migratory birds, under Executive Order 13186, with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in July 2006 and a Migratory Bird Rule (http://www.dodpif.org/downloads/MigBirdFINALRule_FRFeb2007.pdf) was passed by Congress in February 2007. The Migratory Bird Rule addresses the potential impacts of military readiness activities on populations of migratory birds and establishes a process to implement conservation measures if and when a military readiness activity is expected to have a significant adverse impact on a population of migratory bird species (as determined through the NEPA process). The MOU states that for nonmilitary readiness activities, prior to initiating any activity likely to affect populations of migratory birds DoD shall (1) identify the migratory bird species likely to occur in the area of the proposed action and determine if any species of concern could be affected by the activity, and (2) assess and document, using NEPA when applicable, the effect of the proposed action on species of concern. By following these procedures, DoD will minimize the possibility for a proposed action to unintentionally take migratory birds at a level that would violate any of the migratory bird treaties and potentially impact mission activities. In addition, implementing conservation and monitoring programs for migratory birds supports the ecosystem integrity necessary to sustain DoD's natural resources for the military mission.Non-compliance with the procedural requirements of the MBTA could result in a private party lawsuit under the Administrative Procedures Act (APA). A lawsuit filed under APA involving a Navy bombing range is the basis for a court ruling that unintentional take of migratory birds applies to federal actions. Ensuring the necessary data is available to adequately assess impacts of a proposed action will help avoid lawsuits or help ensure such lawsuits have no grounds. The data gathered in a bird monitoring program will provide the best scientific data available to assess the expected impacts of a proposed action on migratory bird species through the NEPA process. This report presents recommendations developed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) for the Department of Defense (DoD) on establishing a "Coordinated Bird Monitoring (CBM) Plan." The CBM Plan is intended to ensure that DoD meets its conservation and regulatory responsibilities for monitoring birds (Chapter 1). The report relies heavily on recommendations in the report, "Opportunities for improving avian monitoring" (http://www.nabci-us.org/aboutnabci/monitoringreportfinal0307.pdf), by the U.S. North American Bird Conservation Initiative (U.S. NABCI Monitoring Subcommittee, 2007) and on a review of 358 current DoD bird monitoring programs carried out as part of this project (Chapter 2). This report contains 12 recommendations which, if followed, would result in a comprehensive, efficient, and useful approach to bird monitoring. The recommendations are based on the entire report but are presented together at the end of Chapter 1. DoD has agreed to consider implementing these recommendations; however, final decisions will be based upon such factors as the availability of resources and military mission considerations. These recommendations from USGS can be summarized into 6 major themes: A major report on monitoring was released in 2007 by the U.S. North American Bird Conservation Initiative (http://www.nabci-us.org/main2.html). DoD can be consistent with this report by establishing policy that monitoring will be explicitly acknowledged as an integral element of bird management and conservation (Recommendation 1). The design of monitoring and assessment programs for birds should include the following steps: Preparation of a document describing the program's goals, objectives, and methods similar to a format we provide (Recommendation 2, Chapter 4). Selection of field methods using an "expert system" developed in this project (Recommendation 3, Chapter 5) or another well-documented system. Preparation and storage of metadata describing the monitoring program in the Natural Resources Monitoring Partnership (NRMP), and other appropriate databases Recommendation 4, Chapter 6). Entry of the survey data using eBird (http://ebird.org/content/dod) or the Coordinated Bird Monitoring Database (CBMD) and long-term storage of the data in the CBMD and the Avian Knowledge Network (AKN; Recommendation 5, Chapter 6; http://www.avianknowledge.net/). Submission of major results from the monitoring program for publication in a peer reviewed journal (Recommendation 6). The DoD Legacy Resource Management Program (Legacy; https://www.dodlegacy.org), Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP; http://www.serdp.org/), and Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP; http://www.serdp.org/) should be encouraged to continue their significant contributions to the foundations of bird monitoring (Recommendation 7, Chapters 1 and 3). Appropriate monitoring should be conducted to identify species of concern on installations. A year-round, one-time survey of birds on installations with habitat for migratory birds would provide the most information to assist compliance with the MOU, the Final Rule, and the NEPA analyses of proposed actions. However, less intensive survey efforts can still be conducted to yield useful information. We describe how various levels of survey effort might be organized and conducted. In addition, continuing surveys, as feasible, would further assist in documenting effects of military readiness and non-readiness activities on species of concern (SOC) (Recommendation 8, Chapter 7). Participation in well-designed, large-scale surveys [(e.g., North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS; http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/), Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS; http://www.birdpop.org/maps.htm)] on land that DoD manages or on lands where the results will be of high interest to DoD, will provide DoD and other NABCI members with information important to bird conservation (Recommendation 9, Chapter 8). Review and implementation of the CBM Plan should involve both higher level management and installation-level natural resources managers (Recommendation 11), be implemented through cooperative partnerships (Recommendation 12), and be followed on U.S territory lands and Army Corps of Engineers projects (Recommendation 10).Additional recommendations that pertain to implementing the DoD CBM Plan are discussed in Chapter 9.

Database Development for Ocean Impacts: Imaging, Outreach, and Rapid Response

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-30

1 DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Database Development for Ocean Impacts: Imaging, Outreach...Development for Ocean Impacts: Imaging, Outreach, and Rapid Response 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d...hoses ( Applied Ocean Physics & Engineering department, WHOI, to evaluate wear and locate in mooring optical cables used in the Right Whale monitoring

Stories from the Front Lines of Student Success: The Implementation and Progress of Near Peer Mentoring Programs in Alaska and Idaho. Western Policy Exchanges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krueger, Carl

2016-01-01

This brief provides an overview of the implementation and impact of near peer mentoring programs in Alaska and Idaho from the standpoint of both existing research and the near peers themselves. While progress is being monitored as part of state College Access Challenge Grant (CACG) program implementation and activity, only limited data on the…

A long-term study of ecological impacts of river channelization on the population of an endangered fish: Lessons learned for assessment and restoration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roberts, James H.; Anderson, Gregory B.; Angermeier, Paul

2016-01-01

Projects to assess environmental impact or restoration success in rivers focus on project-specific questions but can also provide valuable insights for future projects. Both restoration actions and impact assessments can become “adaptive” by using the knowledge gained from long-term monitoring and analysis to revise the actions, monitoring, conceptual model, or interpretation of findings so that subsequent actions or assessments are better informed. Assessments of impact or restoration success are especially challenging when the indicators of interest are imperiled species and/or the impacts being addressed are complex. From 1997 to 2015, we worked closely with two federal agencies to monitor habitat availability for and population density of Roanoke logperch (Percina rex), an endangered fish, in a 24-km-long segment of the upper Roanoke River, VA. We primarily used a Before-After-Control-Impact analytical framework to assess potential impacts of a river channelization project on the P. rex population. In this paper, we summarize how our extensive monitoring facilitated the evolution of our (a) conceptual understanding of the ecosystem and fish population dynamics; (b) choices of ecological indicators and analytical tools; and (c) conclusions regarding the magnitude, mechanisms, and significance of observed impacts. Our experience with this case study taught us important lessons about how to adaptively develop and conduct a monitoring program, which we believe are broadly applicable to assessments of environmental impact and restoration success in other rivers. In particular, we learned that (a) pre-treatment planning can enhance monitoring effectiveness, help avoid unforeseen pitfalls, and lead to more robust conclusions; (b) developing adaptable conceptual and analytical models early was crucial to organizing our knowledge, guiding our study design, and analyzing our data; (c) catchment-wide processes that we did not monitor, or initially consider, had profound implications for interpreting our findings; and (d) using multiple analytical frameworks, with varying assumptions, led to clearer interpretation of findings than the use of a single framework alone. Broader integration of these guiding principles into monitoring studies, though potentially challenging, could lead to more scientifically defensible assessments of project effects.

Groundwater and Leachate Monitoring and Sampling at ERDF, CY 2010

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

Weiss, R. L.; Lawrence, B. L.

2011-06-09

The purpose of this annual monitoring report is to evaluate the conditions of and identify trends for groundwater beneath the ERDF and report leachate results in fulfillment of the requirements specified in the ERDF ROD2 and the ERDF Amended ROD (EPA 1999). The overall objective of the groundwater monitoring program is to determine whether ERDF has impacted the groundwater. This objective is complicated by the fact that the ERDF is situated downgradient of the numerous groundwater contamination plumes originating from the 200 West Area.

Weatherization and Indoor Air Quality: Measured Impacts in Single Family Homes Under the Weatherization Assistance Program

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

Pigg, Scott; Cautley, Dan; Francisco, Paul

2014-09-01

This report summarizes findings from a national field study of indoor air quality parameters in homes treated under the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). The study involved testing and monitoring in 514 single-family homes (including mobile homes) located in 35 states and served by 88 local weatherization agencies.

Environmental monitoring and research at the John F. Kennedy Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, C. R.; Hinkle, C. R.; Knott, W. M.; Summerfield, B. R.

1992-01-01

The Biomedical Operations and Research Office at the NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center has been supporting environmental monitoring and research since the mid-1970s. Program elements include monitoring of baseline conditions to document natural variability in the ecosystem, assessments of operations and construction of new facilities, and ecological research focusing on wildlife habitat associations. Information management is centered around development of a computerized geographic information system that incorporates remote sensing and digital image processing technologies along with traditional relational data base management capabilities. The proactive program is one in which the initiative is to anticipate potential environmental concerns before they occur and, by utilizing in-house expertise, develop impact minimization or mitigation strategies to reduce environmental risk.

Optimization of Sensor Monitoring Strategies for Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klise, K. A.; Laird, C. D.; Downey, N.; Baker Hebert, L.; Blewitt, D.; Smith, G. R.

2016-12-01

Continuous or regularly scheduled monitoring has the potential to quickly identify changes in air quality. However, even with low-cost sensors, only a limited number of sensors can be placed to monitor airborne pollutants. The physical placement of these sensors and the sensor technology used can have a large impact on the performance of a monitoring strategy. Furthermore, sensors can be placed for different objectives, including maximum coverage, minimum time to detection or exposure, or to quantify emissions. Different objectives may require different monitoring strategies, which need to be evaluated by stakeholders before sensors are placed in the field. In this presentation, we outline methods to enhance ambient detection programs through optimal design of the monitoring strategy. These methods integrate atmospheric transport models with sensor characteristics, including fixed and mobile sensors, sensor cost and failure rate. The methods use site specific pre-computed scenarios which capture differences in meteorology, terrain, concentration averaging times, gas concentration, and emission characteristics. The pre-computed scenarios become input to a mixed-integer, stochastic programming problem that solves for sensor locations and types that maximize the effectiveness of the detection program. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

Increasing a Community's Knowledge about Drought, Watershed Ecosystems, and Water Quality Through Educational Activities Added to Coastal Cleanup Day Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brinker, R.; Allen, L.; Cole, P.; Rho, C.

2016-12-01

International Coastal Cleanup Day, held each September, is an effective campaign to bring volunteers together to clean trash from beaches and waterways and document results. Over 500,000 participants cleared over 9 million pounds of trash in 2015. To build on the enthusiasm for this event, the city of Livermore, California's Water Resource Department, the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District, Livermore Area Recreation and Parks Department created a water education program to embed within the city's Coastal Cleanup Day events. Goals of the education program are to increase awareness of the local watershed and its geographic reach, impacts of climate change and drought on local water supplies, pollution sources and impacts of local pollution on the ocean, positive impacts of a recent plastic bag ban, water quality assessment, and action steps citizens can take to support a healthy watershed. Volunteers collect and test water samples (when water is in the creek) using modified GLOBE and World Water Monitoring Day protocols. Test results are uploaded to the World Water Monitoring Day site and documented on the program web site. Volunteers report that they did not know about watersheds, impacts of local pollution, and water quality components before the education program. Volunteers are encouraged to adopt a creek spot for one year, and continue to collect and document trash. High school and middle school science classes added the water quality testing into curriculum, and regularly visit creek sites to clean the spots and monitor habitats. Each year for the past five years, about 300 volunteers have worked on creek clean-up events, 20 have adopted creek sites, and collected over 4,000 gallons of trash annually. As a result of these efforts, sites have been downgraded from a trash hot spot of concern. Strategies will be shared to expand an established (or start a new) Coastal Cleanup Day event into a successful watershed and climate awareness citizen science program. Include are: Data collection and review; Watershed posters and maps created for the event; Water quality test kits, equipment and protocols; Promotional items; Uses of social media and apps; Connecting with teachers; Recruiting interns; Program costs and supporting agencies. Attendees should feel that the program could be duplicated at their location.

Construction Monitoring of Soft Ground Rapid Transit Tunnels : Volume 2. Appendixes.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-11-01

The Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) Tunneling Program Concentrates its efforts on reducing tunneling costs, minimizing environmental impact and enhancing safety as it applies to the planning, organization, design, construction and mai...

Assessment of the 1998–2001 drought impact on forest health in southeastern forests: an analysis of drought severity using FHM data

Treesearch

R. J. Klos; G. G. Wang; W. L. Bauerle

2010-01-01

Analyses of forest health indicators monitored through the Forest Health and Monitoring (FHM) program suggested that weather was the most important cause of tree mortality. Drought is of particular importance among weather variables because several global climate change scenarios predicted more frequent and/or intense drought in the Southeastern United States. During...

Comparison of bioimpedance analysis scan, hemoglobin and urea reduction ratio in hemodialysis patients following and not following monitoring program for improving quality of life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muzasti, R. A.; Lubis, H. R.

2018-03-01

Hemodialysis (HD) is the renal replacement therapy in end-stage renal disease (ESRD), at least 2-3 times a week, impacting substantial changes in daily life. Therefore a monitoring program is needed to improve the quality of life (QoL) of HD patients. Indicators in monitoring QoL include phase angle (PhA), muscle and fat mass, and body fluid composition through Bio Scan impedance analysis (BIA) Scan, hemoglobin level, and urea reduction ratio (URR). An analytic study with the cross-sectional design was performed in 168 patients at Klinik Spesialis Ginjal Hipertensi (KSGH) Rasyida, Medan to compare BIA Scan profiles, hemoglobin levels, and URR in HD patients who follow and do not follow the monitoring program for improving QoL {Program Pemantauan Peningkatan Kualitas Hidup (P3KH)}. Each variable was analyzed by independent T-test, it is significant if p <0.05. This study showed that there were differences in BMI (p = 0.006), fat mass (p = 0.010), extracellular water / intracellular water (ECW / ICW) (p = 0.046), and haemoglobin p = 0.001). Although it was better in the program group, statistically there was no difference of PhA (p = 0.136), muscle mass (p = 0.842), and URR (p = 0.232).

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant site environmental report, for calendar year 1995

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

NONE

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Order 5400.1 General Environmental Protection Program, requires DOE facilities, that conduct environmental protection programs, to annually prepare a Site Environmental Report (SER). The purpose of the SER is to provide an abstract of environmental assessments conducted in order to characterize site environmental management performance, to confirm compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and to highlight significant programs and efforts of environmental merit. The content of this SER is not restricted to a synopsis of the required data, in addition, information pertaining to new and continued monitoring and compliance activities during the 1995 calendar yearmore » are also included. Data contained in this report are derived from those monitoring programs directed by the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMP). The EMP provides inclusive guidelines implemented to detect potential impacts to the environment and to establish baseline measurements for future environmental evaluations. Surface water, groundwater. air, soil, and biotic matrices are monitored for an array of radiological and nonradiological factors. The baseline radiological surveillance program encompasses a broader geographic area that includes nearby ranches, villages, and cities. Most elements of nonradiological assessments are conducted within the geographic vicinity of the WIPP site.« less

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

Dwyer, Morgan Maeve

This report summarizes the results of doctoral research that explored the cost impact of acquiring complex government systems jointly. The report begins by reviewing recent evidence that suggests that joint programs experience greater cost growth than non-joint programs. It continues by proposing an alternative approach for studying cost growth on government acquisition programs and demonstrates the utility of this approach by applying it to study the cost of jointness on three past programs that developed environmental monitoring systems for low-Earth orbit. Ultimately, the report concludes that joint programs' costs grow when the collaborating government agencies take action to retain ormore » regain their autonomy. The report provides detailed qualitative and quantitative data in support of this conclusion and generalizes its findings to other joint programs that were not explicitly studied here. Finally, it concludes by presenting a quantitative model that assesses the cost impacts of jointness and by demonstrating how government agencies can more effectively architect joint programs in the future.« less

Medically related activities of application team program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1971-01-01

Application team methodology identifies and specifies problems in technology transfer programs to biomedical areas through direct contact with users of aerospace technology. The availability of reengineering sources increases impact of the program on the medical community and results in broad scale application of some bioinstrumentation systems. Examples are given that include devices adapted to the rehabilitation of neuromuscular disorders, power sources for artificial organs, and automated monitoring and detection equipment in clinical medicine.

Preparation of Novel Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Electronic Device Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franklin, Casey Gail

This research evaluated the impact of energy information upon business owners' energy perceptions and behaviors within their architectural and social context. Specifically, it investigated if business owners were using an online electricity monitor, and how their perceptions related to engagement with energy information. The research sample consisted of ten small business owners who had participated in a free energy assessment program run by the local government. As part of the program, participants agreed to make one change the assessment suggested and attend two informational meetings. One meeting covering general energy efficiency topics and another instructing participants in use of an online electricity monitor. Data was gathered in the form of participant interviews, copies of the energy assessments, and screen shots of the electricity monitor. Interviews in context with the business owners covered topics such as how energy information impacted motivations, behaviors, and perceived limitations. Findings indicated that although each participant expressed an interest in conserving energy, none were regularly engaging with their electricity consumption information through the online monitor. Business owners did not find the monitor useful because it did not provide them information that was relevant to their business or architectural context. This indicates that future monitor designs should make a greater effort to incorporate information about users and their contexts into the representations of energy information. Doing this could make energy information more relevant and engaging so that users can relate to it and integrate it into their behavioral routines.

Tree establishment in response to hydrology at IDOT wetland mitigation sites.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-02-01

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) has compensated for unavoidable impacts to wetlands in transportation : project corridors by restoring and creating wetlands throughout Illinois. As part of the IDOT Wetlands Program, monitoring : of p...

78 FR 69127 - Supplemental Draft Environmental Impact Statement/General Management Plan, Biscayne National Park...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-18

..., the NPS undertook an evaluative process to consider a number of management actions that could be... decision-making. Both alternatives would employ a collaborative research and monitoring program (10-year...

FutureGen 2.0 Monitoring Program: An Overview of the Monitoring Approach and Technologies Selected for Implementation

DOE PAGES

Vermeul, Vince R.; Strickland, Chris E.; Thorne, Paul D.; ...

2014-12-31

The FutureGen 2.0 Project will design and build a first-of-its-kind, near-zero emissions coal-fueled power plant with carbon capture and storage (CCS). To assess storage site performance and meet the regulatory requirements of the Class VI Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program for CO2 Geologic Sequestration, the FutureGen 2.0 project will implement a suite of monitoring technologies designed to 1) evaluate CO2 mass balance and 2) detect any unforeseen loss in CO2 containment. The monitoring program will include direct monitoring of the injection stream and reservoir, and early-leak-detection monitoring directly above the primary confining zone. It will also implement an adaptive monitoringmore » strategy whereby monitoring results are continually evaluated and the monitoring network is modified as required, including the option to drill additional wells in out-years. Wells will be monitored for changes in CO2 concentration and formation pressure, and other geochemical/isotopic signatures that provide indication of CO2 or brine leakage. Indirect geophysical monitoring technologies that were selected for implementation include passive seismic, integrated surface deformation, time-lapse gravity, and pulsed neutron capture logging. Near-surface monitoring approaches that have been initiated include surficial aquifer and surface- water monitoring, soil-gas monitoring, atmospheric monitoring, and hyperspectral data acquisition for assessment of vegetation conditions. Initially, only the collection of baseline data sets is planned; the need for additional near- surface monitoring will be continually evaluated throughout the design and operational phases of the project, and selected approaches may be reinstituted if conditions warrant. Given the current conceptual understanding of the subsurface environment, early and appreciable impacts to near-surface environments are not expected.« less

Development Context Driven Change Awareness and Analysis Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarma, Anita; Branchaud, Josh; Dwyer, Matthew B.; Person, Suzette; Rungta, Neha

2014-01-01

Recent work on workspace monitoring allows conflict prediction early in the development process, however, these approaches mostly use syntactic differencing techniques to compare different program versions. In contrast, traditional change-impact analysis techniques analyze related versions of the program only after the code has been checked into the master repository. We propose a novel approach, De- CAF (Development Context Analysis Framework), that leverages the development context to scope a change impact analysis technique. The goal is to characterize the impact of each developer on other developers in the team. There are various client applications such as task prioritization, early conflict detection, and providing advice on testing that can benefit from such a characterization. The DeCAF framework leverages information from the development context to bound the iDiSE change impact analysis technique to analyze only the parts of the code base that are of interest. Bounding the analysis can enable DeCAF to efficiently compute the impact of changes using a combination of program dependence and symbolic execution based approaches.

Development Context Driven Change Awareness and Analysis Framework

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarma, Anita; Branchaud, Josh; Dwyer, Matthew B.; Person, Suzette; Rungta, Neha; Wang, Yurong; Elbaum, Sebastian

2014-01-01

Recent work on workspace monitoring allows conflict prediction early in the development process, however, these approaches mostly use syntactic differencing techniques to compare different program versions. In contrast, traditional change-impact analysis techniques analyze related versions of the program only after the code has been checked into the master repository. We propose a novel approach, DeCAF (Development Context Analysis Framework), that leverages the development context to scope a change impact analysis technique. The goal is to characterize the impact of each developer on other developers in the team. There are various client applications such as task prioritization, early conflict detection, and providing advice on testing that can benefit from such a characterization. The DeCAF framework leverages information from the development context to bound the iDiSE change impact analysis technique to analyze only the parts of the code base that are of interest. Bounding the analysis can enable DeCAF to efficiently compute the impact of changes using a combination of program dependence and symbolic execution based approaches.

Community radiation monitoring program. Annual report, October 1, 1992--September 30, 1993

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

Cooper, E.N.

1994-08-01

The Community Radiation Monitoring Program (CRMP) is a cooperative effort between the US Department of Energy (DOE), the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Desert Research Institute (DRI), a division of the University and Community College System of Nevada, and the Nuclear Engineering Laboratory of the University of Utah (UUNEL). The thirteenth year of this program began in the fall of 1992, and the work continues as an integral part of the DOE--sponsored long-term offsite radiological monitoring effort that has been conducted by EPA and its predecessors since the inception of nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Themore » CRMP began by enhancing and centralizing environmental monitoring and sampling equipment at 15 communities in the then-existing EPA monitoring network around the NTS, and has since expanded to 19 locations in Nevada, Utah, and California. The primary objectives of this program are still to increase the understanding by the people who live in the area surrounding the NTS of the activities for which DOE is responsible, to enhance the performance of radiological sampling and monitoring, and to inform all concerned of the results of these efforts. One of the primary methods used to improve the communication link with the people in the potentially impacted area has been the hiring and training of local citizens as Station Managers and program representatives in those selected communities in the offsite area. These mangers, active science teachers wherever possible, have succeeded through their training, experience, community standing, and effort in becoming a very visible, able, and valuable asset in this link.« less

Possibilities of using the German Federal States' permanent soil monitoring program for the monitoring of potential effects of genetically modified organisms (GMO).

PubMed

Toschki, Andreas; Jänsch, Stephan; Roß-Nickoll, Martina; Römbke, Jörg; Züghart, Wiebke

2015-01-01

In the Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms (GMO) into the environment, a monitoring of potential risks is prescribed after their deliberate release or placing on the market. Experience and data of already existing monitoring networks should be included. The present paper summarizes the major findings of a project funded by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (Nutzungsmöglichkeiten der Boden-Dauerbeobachtung der Länder für das Monitoring der Umweltwirkungen gentechnisch veränderter Pflanzen. BfN Skripten, Bonn-Bad Godesberg 369, 2014). The full report in german language can be accessed on http://www.bfn.de and is available as Additional file 1. The aim of the project was to check if it is possible to use the German permanent soil monitoring program (PSM) for the monitoring of GMO. Soil organism communities are highly diverse and relevant with respect to the sustainability of soil functions. They are exposed to GMO material directly by feeding or indirectly through food chain interactions. Other impacts are possible due to their close association to soil particles. The PSM program can be considered as representative with regard to different soil types and ecoregions in Germany, but not for all habitat types relevant for soil organisms. Nevertheless, it is suitable as a basic grid for monitoring the potential effects of GMO on soil invertebrates. PSM sites should be used to derive reference values, i.e. range of abundance and presence of different relevant species of soil organisms. Based on these references, it is possible to derive threshold values to define the limit of acceptable change or impact. Therefore, a minimum set of sites and minimum set of standardized methods are needed, i.e. characterization of each site, sampling of selected soil organism groups, adequate adaptation of methods for the purpose of monitoring of potential effects of GMO. Finally, and probably most demanding, it is needed to develop a harmonized evaluation concept.

Confronting barriers and recognizing opportunities: Developing effective community-based environmental monitoring programs to meet the needs of Aboriginal communities

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

McKay, Ariana J., E-mail: ariana.mckay@outlook.com; Johnson, Chris J., E-mail: chris.johnson@unbc.ca

Aboriginal communities can be negatively affected by resource development, but often they do not have a full opportunity to participate in project review and the resulting monitoring and mitigation activities. Cumulative impacts of resource development are also typically neglected in monitoring protocols that focus on a limited number of environmental values, rather than adopting a long-term, holistic view of development over time and space. Community-based environmental monitoring (CBEM) is emerging as a way to meaningfully include local Aboriginal citizens in the decision-making process as well as the assessment of the long-term impacts of the development of natural resources. We exploredmore » opportunities and barriers for developing CBEM programs that meet the needs of small and rural Aboriginal communities that are faced with the rapid and wide-spread development of natural resources. We conducted interviews with a local Aboriginal community, and natural resource management practitioners who could provide perspectives on the application of CBEM to resource management in north-central British Columbia, Canada. Results demonstrate that CBEM offers a locally adapted and culturally appropriate approach to facilitate the participation of Aboriginal communities in natural resource decision making and management. The interpretation of the specific role and purpose of CBEM differed among participants, depending on their objectives for and concerns about natural resource development. However, all parties were consistent in viewing CBEM as an effective method for engaging in dialogue, cooperation, and tracking environmental change. The development or improvement of CBEM programs should consider the efficacy of monitoring protocols, social cohesion and relationships, ability to inform decision-making, and effectiveness of CBEM for the members of the community. - Highlights: • We explored how to develop effective CBEM with a focus on Aboriginal communities. • We identified opportunities and barriers for developing CBEM programs. • CBEM can facilitate Aboriginal community participation in natural resource management.« less

No net loss of fish habitat: a review and analysis of habitat compensation in Canada.

PubMed

Harper, D J; Quigley, J T

2005-09-01

The achievement of No Net Loss (NNL) through habitat compensation has rarely been assessed in Canada. Files relating to 124 Fisheries Act Section 35(2) authorizations issued by Fisheries and Oceans Canada for the harmful alteration, disruption, and destruction of fish habitat (HADD) were collected and reviewed. Data extracted from these files were pooled and analyzed to provide an indication of the types of HADDs that have been authorized in Canada, what habitats have been affected, and what habitat management approaches have been used when compensating for HADDs and monitoring and ensuring the success of the compensation. Determinations regarding the effectiveness of habitat compensation in achieving NNL were made. Impacts to 419,562 m2 of fish habitat from the 124 authorized HADDs were offset by 1,020,388 m2 of compensatory habitat. Eighty percent of the authorizations had compensation ratios (compensation area:HADD area) of 2:1 or less, and 25% of the authorizations had a compensation ratio that was less than 1:1. In-channel and riparian habitat were the most frequently impacted habitats. Urban development and roads and highways resulted in the greatest areal loss of habitat. The compensation option that was most often selected was the creation of in-kind habitat. The mean duration of post-construction monitoring programs was 3.7 years. Determinations of NNL could only be made for 17 authorizations as a result of poor proponent compliance with monitoring requirements and the qualitative assessment procedures used by the monitoring programs. Adequate resources, proper training, and standardized approaches to data management and monitoring programs are required to ensure that the conservation goal of NNL can be achieved in Canada.

Wildlife mitigation and monitoring report Gunnison, Colorado, site

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

NONE

1997-04-01

The Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project is administered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE); its purpose is to cleanup uranium mill tailings and other contaminated material at 24 UMTRA Project sites in 10 states. This report summarizes the wildlife mitigation and monitoring program under way at the Gunnison UMTRA Project, Gunnison, Colorado. Remedial action at the Gunnison site was completed in December 1995 and is described in detail in the Gunnison completion report. The impacts of this activity were analyzed in the Gunnison environmental assessment (EA). These impacts included two important game species: the pronghorn antelope (Antilocapramore » americans) and sage grouse (Wentrocerus urophasianus). Haul truck traffic was predicted to limit antelope access to water sources north of the Tenderfoot Mountain haul road and that truck traffic along this and other haul roads could result in antelope road kills. Clearing land at the disposal cell, haul road and borrow site activities, and the associated human activities also were predicted to negatively impact (directly and indirectly) sage grouse breeding, nesting, loafing, and wintering habitat. As a result, an extensive mitigation and monitoring plan began in 1992. Most of the monitoring studies are complete and the results of these studies, written by different authors, appear in numerous reports. This report will: (1) Analyze existing impacts and compare them to predicted impacts. (2) Summarize mitigation measures. (3) Summarize all existing monitoring data in one report. (4) Analyze the effectiveness of the mitigation measures.« less

2004 Environmental Report

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

Althouse, P E; Bertoldo, N A; Brown, R A

2005-09-28

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) annual Environmental Report, prepared for the Department of Energy (DOE) and made available to the public, presents summary environmental data that characterizes site environmental management performance, summarizes environmental occurrences and responses reported during the calendar year, confirms compliance with environmental standards and requirements, and highlights significant programs and efforts. By explaining the results of effluent and environmental monitoring, mentioning environmental performance indicators and performance measure programs, and assessing the impact of Laboratory operations on the environment and the public, the report also demonstrates LLNL's continuing commitment to minimize any potentially adverse impact of itsmore » operations. The combination of environmental and effluent monitoring, source characterization, and dose assessment showed that radiological doses to the public caused by LLNL operations in 2004 were less than 0.26% of regulatory standards and more than 11,000 times smaller than dose from natural background. Analytical results and evaluations generally showed continuing low levels of most contaminants; remediation efforts further reduced the concentrations of contaminants of concern in groundwater and soil vapor. In addition, LLNL's extensive environmental compliance activities related to water, air, endangered species, waste, wastewater, and waste reduction controlled or reduced LLNL's effects on the environment. LLNL's environmental program clearly demonstrates a commitment to protecting the environment from operational impacts.« less

LOOP marine and estuarine monitoring program, 1978-95 : volume 1 : executive summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-01-01

In recognition of the potential for significant environmental impacts much attention was given to environmental safeguards by state and federal agencies and by the Superport developers. Because of the potential risks associated with the construction ...

75 FR 69036 - Notice of Data Availability Regarding Potential Changes to Required Ozone Monitoring Seasons for...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-10

... is specifically considering how these more recent data could impact changes to the current and... reporting to the public, ozone forecasting programs, and the verification of real-time air quality forecast...

Sandia National Laboratories: Cooperative Monitoring Center

Science.gov Websites

Programs Nuclear Weapons About Nuclear Weapons Safety & Security Weapons Science & Technology Robotics R&D 100 Awards Laboratory Directed Research & Development Technology Deployment Centers Audit Sandia's Economic Impact Licensing & Technology Transfer Browse Technology Portfolios

[Impact of a quality assurance program on the use of neuromuscular monitoring and reversal of muscle relaxants].

PubMed

Motamed, C; Bourgain, J-L

2009-04-01

As part of a quality assurance in the anaesthesia department, this study was designed to enhance the rate of neuromuscular blockade monitoring for patients receiving muscle relaxant during anaesthesia. After approval of our local ethical committee, we assessed 200 computerized anaesthesia records in which neuromuscular relaxants were used. The following data were collected: demographic characteristics, durations of anaesthesia and surgery, use of neuromuscular monitoring, reversal agents and the quality of neuromuscular monitoring. The results were discussed with all anaesthesia providers of the department and an internal guideline was elaborated with the endpoint that all patients having muscle relaxants should have quantitative neuromuscular monitoring. Six months later, another assessment of 200 consecutive records collected the same data to check the efficiency of the elaborated guideline. The monitoring rate was of 67% at the first assessment and increased to 94% (p<0.05). The reversal rate was at 48% in the first assessment and was stable at the second assessment (50%). The rate of patients not monitored and not reversed decreased from 5 to 2% (p<0.05). This study shows that as part of a quality assurance program systematic quantitative monitoring of neuromuscular blockade can be significantly increased.

Automated Instrumentation, Monitoring and Visualization of PVM Programs Using AIMS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mehra, Pankaj; VanVoorst, Brian; Yan, Jerry; Tucker, Deanne (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

We present views and analysis of the execution of several PVM codes for Computational Fluid Dynamics on a network of Sparcstations, including (a) NAS Parallel benchmarks CG and MG (White, Alund and Sunderam 1993); (b) a multi-partitioning algorithm for NAS Parallel Benchmark SP (Wijngaart 1993); and (c) an overset grid flowsolver (Smith 1993). These views and analysis were obtained using our Automated Instrumentation and Monitoring System (AIMS) version 3.0, a toolkit for debugging the performance of PVM programs. We will describe the architecture, operation and application of AIMS. The AIMS toolkit contains (a) Xinstrument, which can automatically instrument various computational and communication constructs in message-passing parallel programs; (b) Monitor, a library of run-time trace-collection routines; (c) VK (Visual Kernel), an execution-animation tool with source-code clickback; and (d) Tally, a tool for statistical analysis of execution profiles. Currently, Xinstrument can handle C and Fortran77 programs using PVM 3.2.x; Monitor has been implemented and tested on Sun 4 systems running SunOS 4.1.2; and VK uses X11R5 and Motif 1.2. Data and views obtained using AIMS clearly illustrate several characteristic features of executing parallel programs on networked workstations: (a) the impact of long message latencies; (b) the impact of multiprogramming overheads and associated load imbalance; (c) cache and virtual-memory effects; and (4significant skews between workstation clocks. Interestingly, AIMS can compensate for constant skew (zero drift) by calibrating the skew between a parent and its spawned children. In addition, AIMS' skew-compensation algorithm can adjust timestamps in a way that eliminates physically impossible communications (e.g., messages going backwards in time). Our current efforts are directed toward creating new views to explain the observed performance of PVM programs. Some of the features planned for the near future include: (a) ConfigView, showing the physical topology of the virtual machine, inferred using specially formatted IP (Internet Protocol) packets; and (b) LoadView, synchronous animation of PVM-program execution and resource-utilization patterns.

But I Trust My Teen: Parents' Attitudes and Response to a Parental Monitoring Intervention

PubMed Central

Metzger, Aaron; Ice, Christa; Cottrell, Lesley

2012-01-01

Parental knowledge gained from monitoring activities protects against adolescent risk involvement. Parental monitoring approaches are varied and may be modified with successful interventions but not all parents or adolescents respond to monitoring programs the same way. 339 parent-adolescent dyads randomized to receive a parental monitoring intervention and 169 parent-adolescent dyads in the control group were followed for one year over four measurement periods. Parent attitudes about the usefulness of monitoring, the importance of trust and respecting their teens' privacy, and the appropriateness of adolescent risk-taking behavior and experimentation were examined as predictors of longitudinal change in parental monitoring and open communication. Similar effects were found in both the intervention and control group models regarding open communication. Parental attitudes impacted longitudinal patterns of teen-reported parent monitoring, and these patterns differed across experimental groups. In the intervention group, parents' beliefs about the importance of trust and privacy were associated with a steeper decline in monitoring across time. Finally, parents' attitudes about the normative nature of teen experimentation were associated with a quadratic parental monitoring time trend in the intervention but not the control group. These findings suggest that parental attitudes may impact how families respond to an adolescent risk intervention. PMID:22720144

Rotavirus vaccines

PubMed Central

Tate, Jacqueline E; Patel, Manish M; Cortese, Margaret M; Lopman, Benjamin; Fleming, Jessica; Lewis, Kristen; Jiang, Baoming; Gentsch, Jon; Steele, Duncan; Parashar, Umesh D

2011-01-01

Early rotavirus vaccine adopter countries in the Americas, Europe, and in Australia have documented substantial declines in rotavirus disease burden following the introduction of vaccination. However, the full public health impact of rotavirus vaccines has not been realized as they have not been introduced into routine immunization programs in countries of Africa and Asia with the highest rotavirus disease morbidity and mortality burden. In this article, we review the epidemiology of rotavirus disease, the development and current status of rotavirus vaccines including newly available vaccine impact data from early-introducer countries, and future priorities for implementation and monitoring of rotavirus vaccination programs in developing countries. PMID:22108032

LOOP marine and estuarine monitoring program, 1978-95 : volume 2 : water chemistry.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-01-01

The proposed construction and use of facilities in an environmentally sensitive area led to questions about various consequential environmental impacts arising from the following activities: 1) oil storage caverns were created by leaching out a salt ...

Corridor Transportation Management For Highway Reconstruction, Southeast Expressway, Massachusetts 1984-1985

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1986-05-01

THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS BEGAN THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE SOUTHEAST EXPRESSWAY IN MARCH OF 1984. TO EVALUATE THE IMPACTS OF THE RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT, AN EXTENSIVE MONITORING PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED, WHOSE RESULTS WERE REPORTED IN N...

Construction Monitoring of Soft Ground Rapid Transit Tunnels : Volume 1. A Definition of Needs and Potential Developments.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-11-01

The Urban Mass Transportation Administration (UMTA) Tunneling Program Concentrates its efforts on reducing tunneling costs, minimizing environmental impact and enhancing safety as it applies to the planning, organization, design, construction and mai...

Model-Driven Energy Intelligence

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-01

building information model ( BIM ) for operations...estimate of the potential impact on energy performance at Fort Jackson. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Building Information Modeling ( BIM ), Energy, ECMs, monitoring...dimensional AHU Air Handling Unit API Application Programming Interface BIM building information model BLCC Building Life Cycle Cost

Evaluating social marketing programs.

PubMed

1988-01-01

Contraceptive social marketing programs (CSM) which use commercial marketing techniques and distribution networks to sell contraceptives at subsidized prices, have become an important source of contraceptives in many developing countries. However, research is needed to determine the extent to which CSM programs are recruiting new users or simply serving as an alternate source for those who already use contraceptives. 1st begun in India in 1967, today CSM programs are selling contraceptives in more than 20 countries, mostly selling condoms because they do not require medical supervision or usually have to be registered with governments as a pharmaceutical product. Most also sell oral contraceptives. Advertising is used to promote the program, both brand and generic, about family planning and the advantages of small families. In some countries only generic promotion is permitted. A CSM program begins with research on the marketplace and needs of potential customers, including baseline studies, group discussions, and personal interviews. Monitoring is done by market research on usage, acceptability and adequacy of distribution. Focus groups and surveys are also used. Evaluation methodologies are similar to those used in program planning and monitoring, including consumer intercept surveys and tracking studies. Program impact is an area often neglected, probably because of the unusual relationship between the private and public sectors that occurs in CSM. Couple-years of protection is the common measurement of impact, estimated from sales data (13 cycles of pills or 100 condoms or doses of spermicide/year is assumed to prevent conception). This method can be used to assess the contributions of different methods and distribution systems and to compare their cost-effectiveness by calculating the cost per couple-year of protection provided. Limitations on this measurement method are inability to discriminate sporadic use from careful compliance; sales may be substitutes for obtaining contraceptives from other sources. Consumer-intercept surveys can distinguish "switchers" from users. National, household and census surveys can also have a few questions directly related to CSM and provide secondary data to measure program impact.

Report on the Biological Monitoring Program at Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant December 1992--December 1993

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

Kszos, L.A.; Hinzman, R.L.; Peterson, M.J.

1995-06-01

On September 24, 1987, the Commonwealth of Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet issued an Agreed Order that required the development of a Biological Monitoring Program (BMP) for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PGDP). The goals of BMP are to demonstrate that the effluent limitations established for PGDP protect and maintain the use of Little Bayou and Big Bayou creeks for growth and propagation of fish and other aquatic life, characterize potential health and environmental impacts, document the effects of pollution abatement facilities on stream biota, and recommend any program improvements that would increase effluent treatability. The BMP formore » PGDP consists of three major tasks: effluent and ambient toxicity monitoring, bioaccumulation studies, and ecological surveys of stream communities (i.e., benthic macroinvertebrates and fish). This report includes ESD activities occurring from December 1992 to December 1993, although activities conducted outside this time period are included as appropriate.« less

Columbia River : Select Area Fishery Evaluation project : 1995-96 Annual Reports.

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

Hirose, Paul; Miller, Marc; Hill, Jim

1998-06-01

Water quality monitoring was conducted from November 1994 through October 1996 at five Oregon and three Washington select area study sites in the lower Columbia River. Physicochemical monitoring and aquatic biomonitoring programs were established to profile baseline parameters at each study site and document differences between study sites. Data collected at study sites where fish rearing operations were initiated indicate a potential negative impact on the surrounding benthic invertebrate communities.

Effluent monitoring of the December 10, 1974, Titan 3-E launch at Air Force Eastern Test Range, Florida

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wornom, D. E.; Woods, D. C.

1978-01-01

Surface and airborne field measurements of the cloud behavior and effluent dispersion from a solid rocket motor launch vehicle are presented. The measurements were obtained as part of a continuing launch vehicle effluent monitoring program to obtain experimental field measurements in order to evaluate a model used to predict launch vehicle environmental impact. Results show that the model tends to overpredict effluent levels.

75 FR 65995 - Biomass Crop Assistance Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-10-27

... practices approved through conservation planning would be periodically monitored by USDA to determine the... negative impacts, through reduced purchases of inputs for traditional farming, within a region ranging from... changes in land management associated with the adoption of dedicated biomass energy cropping practices and...

Planning an integrated agriculture and health program and designing its evaluation: Experience from Western Kenya.

PubMed

Cole, Donald C; Levin, Carol; Loechl, Cornelia; Thiele, Graham; Grant, Frederick; Girard, Aimee Webb; Sindi, Kirimi; Low, Jan

2016-06-01

Multi-sectoral programs that involve stakeholders in agriculture, nutrition and health care are essential for responding to nutrition problems such as vitamin A deficiency among pregnant and lactating women and their infants in many poor areas of lower income countries. Yet planning such multi-sectoral programs and designing appropriate evaluations, to respond to different disciplinary cultures of evidence, remain a challenge. We describe the context, program development process, and evaluation design of the Mama SASHA project (Sweetpotato Action for Security and Health in Africa) which promoted production and consumption of a bio-fortified, orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP). In planning the program we drew upon information from needs assessments, stakeholder consultations, and a first round of the implementation evaluation of a pilot project. The multi-disciplinary team worked with partner organizations to develop a program theory of change and an impact pathway which identified aspects of the program that would be monitored and established evaluation methods. Responding to the growing demand for greater rigour in impact evaluations, we carried out quasi-experimental allocation by health facility catchment area, repeat village surveys for assessment of change in intervention and control areas, and longitudinal tracking of individual mother-child pairs. Mid-course corrections in program implementation were informed by program monitoring, regular feedback from implementers and partners' meetings. To assess economic efficiency and provide evidence for scaling we collected data on resources used and project expenses. Managing the multi-sectoral program and the mixed methods evaluation involved bargaining and trade-offs that were deemed essential to respond to the array of stakeholders, program funders and disciplines involved. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Planning an integrated agriculture and health program and designing its evaluation: Experience from Western Kenya

PubMed Central

Cole, Donald C.; Levin, Carol; Loechl, Cornelia; Thiele, Graham; Grant, Frederick; Girard, Aimee Webb; Sindi, Kirimi; Low, Jan

2016-01-01

Multi-sectoral programs that involve stakeholders in agriculture, nutrition and health care are essential for responding to nutrition problems such as vitamin A deficiency among pregnant and lactating women and their infants in many poor areas of lower income countries. Yet planning such multi-sectoral programs and designing appropriate evaluations, to respond to different disciplinary cultures of evidence, remain a challenge. We describe the context, program development process, and evaluation design of the Mama SASHA project (Sweetpotato Action for Security and Health in Africa) which promoted production and consumption of a bio-fortified, orange-fleshed sweetpotato (OFSP). In planning the program we drew upon information from needs assessments, stakeholder consultations, and a first round of the implementation evaluation of a pilot project. The multi-disciplinary team worked with partner organizations to develop a program theory of change and an impact pathway which identified aspects of the program that would be monitored and established evaluation methods. Responding to the growing demand for greater rigour in impact evaluations, we carried out quasi-experimental allocation by health facility catchment area, repeat village surveys for assessment of change in intervention and control areas, and longitudinal tracking of individual mother-child pairs. Mid-course corrections in program implementation were informed by program monitoring, regular feedback from implementers and partners’ meetings. To assess economic efficiency and provide evidence for scaling we collected data on resources used and project expenses. Managing the multi-sectoral program and the mixed methods evaluation involved bargaining and trade-offs that were deemed essential to respond to the array of stakeholders, program funders and disciplines involved. PMID:27003730

A national program for control of acute respiratory tract infections: the Philippine experience.

PubMed

Dayrit, E S

1999-02-01

Maturing programs on child immunization and diarrheal diseases, a community-based research project, and a rational drug-use program facilitated the launching in 1989 of a nationwide Philippine Control of Acute Respiratory Infections program (Phil-CARI). From 1990 to 1991 the Phil-CARI expanded rapidly, training >80% of its middle managers and frontline health care providers on the case-management protocols of the World Health Organization for acute respiratory infection. Multiple donors and good collaboration with various societies and medical schools assisted the program. However, by 1992, there were difficulties in maintaining training quality, follow-up, and supervision. Donor assistance dwindled and the health care delivery system decentralized. Government procurement systems were unable to meet the logistics demands of the program. The monitoring and evaluation system was inadequate to measure impact. The Phil-CARI provides lessons in searching for more sustainable approaches and systems to meet the various demands of a nationwide ARI control program and to create the desired impact.

Blackbird Creek Monitoring Program to Study the impact of Climate Change and Land Use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozbay, G.; Chintapenta, L. K.; Roeske, K. P.; Stone, M.; Phalen, L.

2014-12-01

The Blackbird Creek Monitoring Program at Delaware State University continues to utilize various perspectives to study the dynamics of one of Delaware's most pristine ecosystems. The water quality of Blackbird Creek has been constantly monitored for 3 years and correlated with the rain and storm events. Soil nutrients composition has been studied by extracting the water associated with soil aggregates and analyzing the levels of different nutrients. Soil quality is also assessed for heavy metals to identify potential human impact that may affect the health of ecosystem. Within the Blackbird Creek there is a threat to native plant communities from invasive plant species as they alter the ecosystem dynamics. Saltmarsh cord grass (Spartina alterniflora) and common reed (Phragmites australius) are the common wetland plants. Aerial mapping of the creek has been conducted to determine the area covered by invasive plant species. The microbial community structure plays a key role in soil carbon and nitrogen cycles in the ecosystem. Molecular analysis has been performed to study the microbial diversity with respect to the type of marsh grasses. This program has also incorporated the use of diatoms as biological indicators to assess the health of ecosystem and correlate that data with physical and chemical water quality data. The abundance and diversity of macro fauna such as blue crabs, fish and other significant species has also been studied. Stable isotopic analysis of these macro fauna has also been performed to study the food web. The results from this program will be helpful in addressing environmental challenges and designing management strategies.

Measuring Competitive Foods in Schools: An Inventory Approach. Nutrition Assistance Program Report Series. Report No. CN-04-CFABT.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crepinsek, Mary Kay; Cole, Nancy; Golding, Joanna

2004-01-01

This Feasibility Study to Develop a Methodology to Monitor the Impact of Changes in Competitive Food Policies had two main goals: (1) Design and test a plan for collecting and analyzing data about competitive food policies and all foods offered and served to students at school; and (2) Provide a methodology for assessing the impact of changes in…

Executive Handbook for Financial Management.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-01

Review 3-U Section V Fund Control 3-8 Section VI Reimbursement Programs- 3-A Section VII Financing Remote Activities 3-13 Section VIII Monitoring...conduct of the dev- elopment effort. For more on this subject, see chapt er 9. k. Army procurement accounts. The reimbursable (customer) programs for...obligations. When these orders change or get lost, duplicated, or cancelled, they impact on the Army’s reimbursable obligational authority. This reimbursable

Laser safety: regulations, standards, and recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smalley, Penny J.

1993-07-01

All healthcare professionals involved in the delivery of laser technology to patients, must develop and monitor clinical laser safety programs that ensure compliance with national, state, and local regulations, professional standards of practice, and national consensus standards. Laser safe treatment environments for patients and for personnel can be established and maintained through understanding the impact of both regulatory and advisory guidelines, comprehensive program planning, appropriate continuing education, and routine safety audits.

Lessons from a 5 yr citizen-science monitoring program, Mountain Watch, to engage hikers in air quality/visibility and plant phenology monitoring in the mountains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, G.; Weihrauch, D.; Kimball, K.; McDonough, C.

2010-12-01

The AMC’s citizen scientist monitoring program, Mountain Watch, engages hikers in observational monitoring while recreating in the northern Appalachian Mountains. The program uses two monitoring activities:1) tracking the phenology of 11 mountain flowers species, and 2) the visitors real world perception of on-mountain visibility and its ‘quality’ with proximate monitored air quality parameters. The Mountain Watch program objectives are a) to engage and educate the public through hands-on monitoring, b) to motivate the participant to take further action towards environmental stewardship, and c) to provide supplemental data to AMC’s ongoing science-based research to further our understanding of the impact of human activity on mountain ecosystems. The Mountain Watch plant monitoring includes recording the time and location of alpine and forest plants flowering and other phenological phases using AMC field guides and datasheets. In the White Mountains of New Hampshire concurrent meteorological data, including soil temperature, is paired with the phenology observations as part of AMC’s research to develop spatial and temporal phenology models with air and soil temperature for northeastern mountains. Mountain Watch’s visibility monitoring program has hikers record visual range and rate the view at select vistas in comparison to a clear day view photo guide when visiting AMC’s backcountry huts. The results are compared to proximate air quality measurements, which assists in determining how White Mountain National Forest air quality related values and natural resources management objectives are being met. Since 2006 the Mountain Watch program has received over 3,500 citizen datasheets for plant reproductive phenology and visibility monitoring. We estimate that we have reached more than 15,000 hikers through our facility based education programming focused on air quality and phenology and field monitoring hikes. While we consider this good success in engaging hikers to date, the ratio of resource expenditures in recruiting volunteers and QA/QCing their data for actual research application has been high. Mountain Watch staff are now refining the program to achieve education and research goals a manner that is sustainable into the future with limited fiscal and staff resources. The quality of our citizen phenology observations, in comparison to staff monitoring, has lead to refinements including directing general audience hikers to well-defined trailside observation stations, growing our more skilled amateur botanist volunteer base, and use of remote cameras for quality controls and better temporal coverage. Visibility monitoring at four mountain vistas has recently been analyzed in the context of policy applications. Refinements will be presented that will further inform natural resource management of air quality in relation to Clean Air Act Air Quality Related Values and a potential visibility focused particulate matter secondary National Ambient Air Quality Standard. Overall lessons learned, regarding audience considerations, resource needs, and long-term sustainability, from our 5-year field based geoscience programs will be discussed.

Taking the Pulse of a Large Marine Ecosystem: An Inventory and Gap Analysis of Long-Term Recovery Monitoring Efforts in the Gulf of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robbins, C.; Baldera, A.; Spies, R.; Love, M. S.

2016-02-01

Discharges of hydrocarbons into a large marine ecosystem can cause acute and sub-lethal effects, resulting in a recovery of populations or habitats that could take years, even decades. Recovery from oil spill impacts is complicated by the vagaries of a dynamic marine ecosystem. A major challenge and need is establishing and sustaining an interdisciplinary monitoring and research program capable of tracking oil spill impacts and resource recovery within the context of an ever changing, chronically stressed ecosystem. Ocean Conservancy undertook an assessment to identify and prioritize data collection activities for tracking the recovery of species and habitats impacted by the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. We inventoried more than 700 discrete monitoring efforts in the Gulf, identified gaps in coverage for priority species, habitats and ecosystem drivers in space and time and mapped the footprints of active monitoring activities for ease of communication. We will present an overview of our methods and findings from the inventory and gap analysis and discuss how scientists and resource managers can integrate these tools into study plans or adapt restoration decisions based on recovery trajectories or changes in ocean conditions.

Analysis of the impact of trap-neuter-return programs on populations of feral cats.

PubMed

Foley, Patrick; Foley, Janet E; Levy, Julie K; Paik, Terry

2005-12-01

To evaluate 2 county trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs for feral cat population management via mathematical modeling. Theoretical population model. Feral cats assessed from 1992 to 2003 in San Diego County, California (n = 14,452), and from 1998 to 2004 in Alachua County, Florida (11,822). Data were analyzed with a mathematical Ricker model to describe population dynamics of the feral cats and modifications to the dynamics that occurred as a result of the TNR programs. In both counties, results of analyses did not indicate a consistent reduction in per capita growth, the population multiplier, or the proportion of female cats that were pregnant. Success of feral cat management programs that use TNR can be monitored with an easily collected set of data and statistical analyses facilitated by population modeling techniques. Results may be used to suggest possible future monitoring and modification of TNR programs, which could result in greater success controlling and reducing feral cat populations.

Use of process evaluation to guide health education in Forsyth County's project to prevent cervical cancer.

PubMed

Dignan, M B; Michielutte, R; Sharp, P C; Young, L D; Daniels, L A

1991-01-01

The Forsyth County, NC, Cervical Cancer Prevention Project is a 5-year public health education program designed to increase the proportion of black women in the county who are appropriately screened for cervical cancer. In this paper, the authors report on process evaluation--the procedures used to monitor the intervention and to insure that the target population was reached with a high quality, community-based health education program. A system that encompasses documentation of program activities, interviews with women in waiting rooms of primary care providers, semiannual interviews with a panel of approximately 100 women from the target population, and telephone followup with participants in direct education workshops was designed and implemented. Through October 1990, more than 2,100 interviews had been conducted. Data from these activities have facilitated continued development and refinement of educational materials, provided guidance for developing new strategies for reaching the target population, and provided continuous feedback to program managers to allow monitoring the impact of all program activities.

Disease management to promote blood pressure control among African Americans.

PubMed

Brennan, Troyen; Spettell, Claire; Villagra, Victor; Ofili, Elizabeth; McMahill-Walraven, Cheryl; Lowy, Elizabeth J; Daniels, Pamela; Quarshie, Alexander; Mayberry, Robert

2010-04-01

African Americans have a higher prevalence of hypertension and poorer cardiovascular and renal outcomes than white Americans. The objective of this study was to determine whether a telephonic nurse disease management (DM) program designed for African Americans is more effective than a home monitoring program alone to increase blood pressure (BP) control among African Americans enrolled in a national health plan. A prospective randomized controlled study (March 2006-December 2007) was conducted, with 12 months of follow-up on each subject. A total of 5932 health plan members were randomly selected from the population of self-identified African Americans, age 23 and older, in health maintenance organization plans, with hypertension; 954 accepted, 638 completed initial assessment, and 485 completed follow-up assessment. The intervention consisted of telephonic nurse DM (intervention group) including educational materials, lifestyle and diet counseling, and home BP monitor vs. home BP monitor alone (control group). Measurements included proportion with BP < 120/80, mean systolic BP, mean diastolic BP, and frequency of BP self-monitoring. Results revealed that systolic BP was lower in the intervention group (adjusted means 123.6 vs. 126.7 mm Hg, P = 0.03); there was no difference for diastolic BP. The intervention group was 50% more likely to have BP in control (odds ratio [OR] = 1.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.997-2.27, P = 0.052) and 46% more likely to monitor BP at least weekly (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.07-2.00, P = 0.02) than the control group. A nurse DM program tailored for African Americans was effective at decreasing systolic BP and increasing the frequency of self-monitoring of BP to a greater extent than home monitoring alone. Recruitment and program completion rates could be improved for maximal impact.

Understanding and monitoring the consequences of human impacts on intraspecific variation.

PubMed

Mimura, Makiko; Yahara, Tetsukazu; Faith, Daniel P; Vázquez-Domínguez, Ella; Colautti, Robert I; Araki, Hitoshi; Javadi, Firouzeh; Núñez-Farfán, Juan; Mori, Akira S; Zhou, Shiliang; Hollingsworth, Peter M; Neaves, Linda E; Fukano, Yuya; Smith, Gideon F; Sato, Yo-Ichiro; Tachida, Hidenori; Hendry, Andrew P

2017-02-01

Intraspecific variation is a major component of biodiversity, yet it has received relatively little attention from governmental and nongovernmental organizations, especially with regard to conservation plans and the management of wild species. This omission is ill-advised because phenotypic and genetic variations within and among populations can have dramatic effects on ecological and evolutionary processes, including responses to environmental change, the maintenance of species diversity, and ecological stability and resilience. At the same time, environmental changes associated with many human activities, such as land use and climate change, have dramatic and often negative impacts on intraspecific variation. We argue for the need for local, regional, and global programs to monitor intraspecific genetic variation. We suggest that such monitoring should include two main strategies: (i) intensive monitoring of multiple types of genetic variation in selected species and (ii) broad-brush modeling for representative species for predicting changes in variation as a function of changes in population size and range extent. Overall, we call for collaborative efforts to initiate the urgently needed monitoring of intraspecific variation.

An assessment of campsite conditions in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marion, J.L.; Leung, Y-L

1997-01-01

This research effort designed and implemented a backcountry campsite monitoring program for Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). This report reviews the need for visitor impact monitoring programs, describes monitoring procedures developed and applied at GSMNP, presents results from the first monitoring cycle, evaluates current park camping management policies, and provides recommendations for reducing campingrelated visitor impacts. Field staff assessed 377 campsites at 82 designated backcountry campgrounds, and all 18 shelters. Campgrounds are frequently bisected by park trails and more than half (188, 58%) of legal campsites are within 100 feet of a park trail. High campsite intervisibility diminishes the potential for solitude; 79% of the campsites have at least one other site visible, 26% have three or more other sites visible. Campsite conditions are quite variable, with some campgrounds exhibiting generally good conditions while others are exceptionally large, with substantial vegetation loss, soil exposure, and damage to trees. Evaluations of campsite condition data reveal a number of potential problems, most notably: 1) campsite proliferation, 2) campsite expansion and excessive size, 3) excessive vegetation loss and soil exposure, 4) excessive campfire-related degradation, and 5) low visitor solitude at campsites. Data are used to characterize these problems and evaluate influential relationships and contributing causes. Recreation ecology findings from other studies are considered in evaluating alternative management responses. Park backcountry management policies are also reviewed and recommendations are offered for management consideration.

Molecular sequence data of hepatitis B virus and genetic diversity after vaccination.

PubMed

van Ballegooijen, W Marijn; van Houdt, Robin; Bruisten, Sylvia M; Boot, Hein J; Coutinho, Roel A; Wallinga, Jacco

2009-12-15

The effect of vaccination programs on transmission of infectious disease is usually assessed by monitoring programs that rely on notifications of symptomatic illness. For monitoring of infectious diseases with a high proportion of asymptomatic cases or a low reporting rate, molecular sequence data combined with modern coalescent-based techniques offer a complementary tool to assess transmission. Here, the authors investigate the added value of using viral sequence data to monitor a vaccination program that was started in 1998 and was targeted against hepatitis B virus in men who have sex with men in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The incidence in this target group, as estimated from the notifications of acute infections with hepatitis B virus, was low; therefore, there was insufficient power to show a significant change in incidence. In contrast, the genetic diversity, as estimated from the viral sequence collected from the target group, revealed a marked decrease after vaccination was introduced. Taken together, the findings suggest that introduction of vaccination coincided with a change in the target group toward behavior with a higher risk of infection. The authors argue that molecular sequence data provide a powerful additional monitoring instrument, next to conventional case registration, for assessing the impact of vaccination.

77 FR 70805 - Presquile National Wildlife Refuge, Chesterfield County, VA; Final Comprehensive Conservation...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-27

... opportunities, including environmental education programs for approximately 120 school-aged students each year... species, protect cultural resources, monitor for climate change impacts, distribute refuge revenue sharing..., and a more aggressive response to habitat changes associated with invasive species, global climate...

Making quality improvement programs more effective.

PubMed

Shaw-Taylor, Yoku

2014-01-01

In the past 25 years, and as recent as 2011, all external evaluations of the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) Program have found its impact to be small or difficult to discern. The QIO program costs about $200 million on average to administer each year to improve quality of healthcare for people of 65 years or older. The program was created to address questionable quality of care. QIOs review how care is provided based on performance measures. The paper aims to discuss these issues. In 2012, the author supported the production of quarterly reports and reviewed internal monitoring and evaluation protocols of the program. The task also required reviewing all previous program evaluations. The task involved many conversations about the complexities of the program, why impact is difficult to discern and possible ways for eventual improvement. Process flow charts were created to simulate the data life cycle and discrete event models were created based on the sequence of data collection and reporting to identify gaps in data flow. The internal evaluation uncovered data gaps within the program. The need for a system of specification rules for data conceptualization, collection, distribution, discovery, analysis and repurposing is clear. There were data inconsistencies and difficulty of integrating data from one instance of measurement to the next. The lack of good and reliable data makes it difficult to discern true impact. The prescription is for a formal data policy or data governance structure to integrate and document all aspects of the data life cycle. The specification rules for governance are exemplified by the Data Documentation Initiative and the requirements published by the Data Governance Institute. The elements are all in place for a solid foundation of the data governance structure. These recommendations will increase the value of program data. The model specifies which agency units must be included in the governance authority and the data team. The model prescribes in detail a data governance model to address gaps in the life cycle. These prescriptive measures will allow the program to integrate all of its data. Without this formal data governance structure, the QIO program will be undetermined by the persistent lack of good data for monitoring and evaluation.

Third Annual Report: 2006 Pre-Construction Eelgrass Monitoring and Propagation for King County Outfall Mitigation

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

Woodruff, Dana L.; Southard, Susan S.; Cullinan, Valerie I.

2007-02-01

King County proposes to build a new sewer outfall discharging to Puget Sound near Point Wells, Washington. Construction is scheduled for 2008. The Point Wells site was selected to minimize effects on the nearshore marine environment, but unavoidable impacts to eelgrass (Zostera marina) beds are anticipated during construction. To mitigate for these impacts and prepare for post-construction restoration, King County began implementation of a multi-year eelgrass monitoring and restoration program in 2004, with the primary goal of returning intertidal and shallow subtidal habitat and eelgrass to pre-construction conditions. Major program elements are a) pre-construction monitoring, i.e., documenting initial eelgrass conditionsmore » and degree of fluctuation over 5 years prior to construction, b) eelgrass transplanting, including harvesting, offsite propagating and stockpiling of local plantstock, and post-construction planting, and c) post-construction monitoring. The program is detailed in the Eelgrass Restoration and Biological Resources Implementation Workplan (King County 2006). This report describes calendar year 2006 pre-construction activities conducted by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in support of King County. Activities included continued propagation of eelgrass shoots and monitoring of the experimental harvest plots in the marine outfall corridor area to evaluate recovery rates relative to harvest rates. Approximately 1500 additional shoots were harvested from the marine outfall corridor in August 2006 to supplement the plants in the propagation tank at the PNNL Marine Sciences Laboratory in Sequim, Washington, bringing the total number of shoots to 4732. Eelgrass densities were monitored in the five experimental harvest plots established in the marine outfall corridor. Changes in eelgrass density were evaluated in year-to-year comparisons with initial harvest rates. Net eelgrass density decreased from 2004 post-harvest to 2006 in all plots, despite density increases observed in 2005 in some plots and at some harvest rates. Eelgrass densities within individual subplots were highly variable from year to year, and the change in density in any interannual period did not correlate to the initial 2004 harvest rate. Continued monitoring should help project managers determine an optimum harvest rate that supports rapid recovery of donor eelgrass beds.« less

Participating in a Citizen Science Monitoring Program: Implications for Environmental Education

PubMed Central

Branchini, Simone; Meschini, Marta; Covi, Claudia; Piccinetti, Corrado; Zaccanti, Francesco; Goffredo, Stefano

2015-01-01

Tourism is of growing economical importance to many nations, in particular for developing countries. Although tourism is an important economic vehicle for the host country, its continued growth has led to on-going concerns about its environmental sustainability. Coastal and marine tourism can directly affect the environment through direct and indirect tourist activities. For these reasons tourism sector needs practical actions of sustainability. Several studies have shown how education minimizes the impact on and is proactive for, preserving the natural resources. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of a citizen science program to improve the environmental education of the volunteers, by means of questionnaires provided to participants to a volunteer-based Red Sea coral reef monitoring program (STEproject). Fifteen multiple-choice questions evaluated the level of knowledge on the basic coral reef biology and ecology and the awareness on the impact of human behaviour on the environment. Volunteers filled in questionnaires twice, once at the beginning, before being involved in the project and again at the end of their stay, after several days participation in the program. We found that the participation in STEproject significantly increased both the knowledge of coral reef biology and ecology and the awareness of human behavioural impacts on the environment, but was more effective on the former. We also detected that tourists with a higher education level have a higher initial level of environmental education than less educated people and that the project was more effective on divers than snorkelers. This study has emphasized that citizen science projects have an important and effective educational value and has suggested that tourism and diving stakeholders should increase their commitment and efforts to these programs PMID:26200660

Participating in a Citizen Science Monitoring Program: Implications for Environmental Education.

PubMed

Branchini, Simone; Meschini, Marta; Covi, Claudia; Piccinetti, Corrado; Zaccanti, Francesco; Goffredo, Stefano

2015-01-01

Tourism is of growing economical importance to many nations, in particular for developing countries. Although tourism is an important economic vehicle for the host country, its continued growth has led to on-going concerns about its environmental sustainability. Coastal and marine tourism can directly affect the environment through direct and indirect tourist activities. For these reasons tourism sector needs practical actions of sustainability. Several studies have shown how education minimizes the impact on and is proactive for, preserving the natural resources. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of a citizen science program to improve the environmental education of the volunteers, by means of questionnaires provided to participants to a volunteer-based Red Sea coral reef monitoring program (STEproject). Fifteen multiple-choice questions evaluated the level of knowledge on the basic coral reef biology and ecology and the awareness on the impact of human behaviour on the environment. Volunteers filled in questionnaires twice, once at the beginning, before being involved in the project and again at the end of their stay, after several days participation in the program. We found that the participation in STEproject significantly increased both the knowledge of coral reef biology and ecology and the awareness of human behavioural impacts on the environment, but was more effective on the former. We also detected that tourists with a higher education level have a higher initial level of environmental education than less educated people and that the project was more effective on divers than snorkelers. This study has emphasized that citizen science projects have an important and effective educational value and has suggested that tourism and diving stakeholders should increase their commitment and efforts to these programs.

Design to monitor trend in abundance and presence of American beaver (Castor canadensis) at the national forest scale.

PubMed

Beck, Jeffrey L; Dauwalter, Daniel C; Gerow, Kenneth G; Hayward, Gregory D

2010-05-01

Wildlife conservationists design monitoring programs to assess population dynamics, project future population states, and evaluate the impacts of management actions on populations. Because agency mandates and conservation laws call for monitoring data to elicit management responses, it is imperative to design programs that match the administrative scale for which management decisions are made. We describe a program to monitor population trends in American beaver (Castor canadensis) on the US Department of Agriculture, Black Hills National Forest (BHNF) in southwestern South Dakota and northeastern Wyoming, USA. Beaver have been designated as a management indicator species on the BHNF because of their association with riparian and aquatic habitats and its status as a keystone species. We designed our program to monitor the density of beaver food caches (abundance) within sampling units with beaver and the proportion of sampling units with beavers present at the scale of a national forest. We designated watersheds as sampling units in a stratified random sampling design that we developed based on habitat modeling results. Habitat modeling indicated that the most suitable beaver habitat was near perennial water, near aspen (Populus tremuloides) and willow (Salix spp.), and in low gradient streams at lower elevations. Results from the initial monitoring period in October 2007 allowed us to assess costs and logistical considerations, validate our habitat model, and conduct power analyses to assess whether our sampling design could detect the level of declines in beaver stated in the monitoring objectives. Beaver food caches were located in 20 of 52 sampled watersheds. Monitoring 20 to 25 watersheds with beaver should provide sufficient power to detect 15-40% declines in the beaver food cache index as well as a twofold decline in the odds of beaver being present in watersheds. Indices of abundance, such as the beaver food cache index, provide a practical measure of population status to conduct long-term monitoring across broad landscapes such as national forests.

Communicating credibly in an incredible environment-yucca mountain public outreach tools and techniques

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

Sheldon, S.R.; Muller, E.

Open disclosure and public understanding of major issues surrounding the Yucca Mountain Project is a consistent goal for Clark County, Nevada, which represents nearly 80 percent of Nevada's total population. Recent enhancements to the County's communication methods employ emerging technology as well as traditional public relations tactics. The County's communication methods engage the public through highly visual displays, exhibits, informative and entertaining video programs, school presentations, creative print inserts, public interaction and news media. The program provides information based on the county's research studies and findings on property values, the environment, tourism, public health and safety, increased costs for emergencymore » services and the potential disproportionate effects to Native American tribes and other minority populations in the area. Multi-cultural Dialogue: Nevada, particularly southern Nevada and the Las Vegas area, has experienced explosive growth in the last decade. The fastest growing demographic group in Nevada is Hispanics (nearly 23% in Las Vegas) and Asians (approx. 8%). Clark County's Nuclear Waste's Multi-cultural Program is designed to reach residents from these emerging segments of our population. Educational video programs: While officially opposed to the project, Clark County is committed to providing Nevada residents with accurate, timely and objective information about Yucca Mountain and its potential impacts to our state. Since the actual operation of the repository, if approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is about a decade away, the program includes presentations for middle and high school students on age-appropriate topics. Work with indigenous tribes: American Indian tribes in Southern Nevada participated in an unprecedented video program presenting the unique views and perspectives of the American Indian tribes directly impacted by the proposed repository. Monitoring program: To track economic, fiscal and social changes over time, the monitoring program is comprised of indicators in several core areas, including indicators of environmental, economic, community well being, fiscal, developmental and public health and safety. Its purpose is to highlight and monitor the most meaningful indicators of performance and perception in key service areas. The monitoring program is promoted within the public outreach program to make Nevada residents aware of this important resource of information. Internet Activities: Interactive quizzes, informational postings, electronic newsletters and pod-casts draw a demographic that prefers getting information from computer sources. Lively, interesting and ethnically diverse pod-cast episodes provide access to audio shows, which can be downloaded, to MP3 players or to a standard computer. (authors)« less

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Potential Impact Categories for Radiological Air Emission Monitoring

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

Ballinger, Marcel Y.; Gervais, Todd L.; Barnett, J. Matthew

2012-06-05

In 2002, the EPA amended 40 CFR 61 Subpart H and 40 CFR 61 Appendix B Method 114 to include requirements from ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999 Sampling and Monitoring Releases of Airborne Radioactive Substances from the Stack and Ducts of Nuclear Facilities for major emission points. Additionally, the WDOH amended the Washington Administrative Code (WAC) 246-247 Radiation protection-air emissions to include ANSI/HPS N13.1-1999 requirements for major and minor emission points when new permitting actions are approved. A result of the amended regulations is the requirement to prepare a written technical basis for the radiological air emission sampling and monitoring program. A keymore » component of the technical basis is the Potential Impact Category (PIC) assigned to an emission point. This paper discusses the PIC assignments for the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Integrated Laboratory emission units; this revision includes five PIC categories.« less

The Landsat program: Its origins, evolution, and impacts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lauer, D.T.; Morain, S.A.; Salomonson, V.V.

1997-01-01

Landsat 1 began an era of space-based resource data collection that changed the way science, industry, governments, and the general public view the Earth. For the last 25 years, the Landsat program - despite being hampered by institutional problems and budget uncertainties - has successfully provided a continuous supply of synoptic, repetitive, multi-spectral data of the Earth's land areas. These data have profoundly affected programs for mapping resources, monitoring environmental changes, and assessing global habitability. The societal applications this program generated are so compelling that international systems have proliferated to carry on the tasks initiated with Landsat data.

Biowaste monitoring system for shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fogal, G. L.; Sauer, R. L.

1975-01-01

The acquisition of crew biomedical data has been an important task on all manned space missions from Project Mercury through the recently completed Skylab Missions. The monitoring of metabolic wastes from the crew is an important aspect of this activity. On early missions emphasis was placed on the collection and return of biowaste samples for post-mission analysis. On later missions such as Skylab, equipment for inflight measurement was also added. Life Science experiments are being proposed for Shuttle missions which will require the inflight measurement and sampling of metabolic wastes. In order to minimize the crew impact associated with these requirements, a high degree of automation of these processes will be required. This paper reviews the design and capabilities of urine biowaste monitoring equipment provided on past-manned space programs and defines and describes the urine volume measurement and sampling equipment planned for the Shuttle Orbiter program.

REGIONAL SCALE EVIDENCE FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN SURFACE WATER CHEMISTRY 1990 TO 2001

EPA Science Inventory

The main aim of the international UNECE monitoring program ICP Waters under the Convention of Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) is to assess, on a regional basis, the degree and geographical extent of the impact of atmospheric pollution, in particular acidification,...

THE EFFECTS OF MACROINVERTEBRATE TAXONOMIC RESOLUTION IN LARGE LANDSCAPE BIOASSESSMENTS: AN EXAMPLE FROM THE MID-ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, USA

EPA Science Inventory

The macroinvertebrate taxonomic resolution needed for detecting human impacts on stream ecosystems draws continued attention from stream ecologists. During late spring 1993-1995, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) sam...

76 FR 29728 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement and Notice of Potential Floodplain...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-23

... 2.0 program would proceed through 2020 with design, construction, operation, and monitoring... of this test includes project definition, design, procurement, manufacture, installation, startup... the repowered oxy-combustion design. The station contains existing infrastructure that could support...

Meteoroid Flux from Lunar Impact Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suggs, Robert; Moser, Danielle; Cooke, William; Suggs, Ronnie

2015-01-01

The flux of kilogram-sized meteoroids has been determined from the first 5 years of observations by NASA's Lunar Impact Monitoring Program (Suggs et al. 2014). Telescopic video observations of 126 impact flashes observed during photometric conditions were calibrated and the flux of meteoroids to a limiting mass of 30 g was determined to be 6.14 x 10(exp -10) m(exp -2) yr(exp -1) at the Moon, in agreement with the Grun et al. (1985) model value of 7.5 x 10(exp -10) m(exp -2) yr(exp -1). After accounting for gravitational focusing effects, the flux at the Earth to a limiting impact energy of 3.0 x10(exp -6) kilotons of TNT (1.3 x 10(exp 7) J) was determined to be consistent with the results in Brown et al. (2002). Approximately 62% of the impact flashes were correlated with major meteor showers as cataloged in visual/optical meteor shower databases. These flux measurements, coupled with cratering and ejecta models, can be used to develop impact ejecta engineering environments for use in lunar surface spacecraft design and risk analyses.

What do you do with success? The science of scaling up a health systems strengthening intervention in Ghana.

PubMed

Phillips, James F; Awoonor-Williams, John Koku; Bawah, Ayaga A; Nimako, Belinda Afriyie; Kanlisi, Nicholas S; Sheff, Mallory C; Asuming, Patrick O; Kyei, Pearl E; Biney, Adriana; Jackson, Elizabeth F

2018-06-22

The completion of an implementation research project typically signals the end of research. In contrast, the Ghana Health Service has embraced a continuous process of evidence-based programming, wherein each research episode is followed by action and a new program of research that monitors and guides the utilization of lessons learned. This paper reviews the objectives and design of the most recent phase in this process, known as a National Program for Strengthening the Implementation of the Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Initiative in Ghana (CHPS+). A mixed method evaluation strategy has been launched involving: i) baseline and endline randomized sample surveys with 247 clusters dispersed in 14 districts of the Northern and Volta Regions to assess the difference in difference effect of stepped wedge differential cluster exposure to CHPS+ activities on childhood survival, ii) a monitoring system to assess the association of changes in service system readiness with CHPS+ interventions, and iii) a program of qualitative systems appraisal to gauge stakeholder perceptions of systems problems, reactions to interventions, and perceptions of change. Integrated survey and monitoring data will permit multi-level longitudinal models of impact; longitudinal QSA data will provide data on the implementation process. A process of exchanges, team interaction, and catalytic financing has accelerated the expansion of community-based primary health care in Ghana's Upper East Region (UER). Using two Northern and two Volta Region districts, the UER systems learning concept will be transferred to counterpart districts where a program of team-based peer training will be instituted. A mixed method research system will be used to assess the impact of this transfer of innovation in collaboration with national and regional program management. This arrangement will generate embedded science that optimizes prospects that results will contribute to national CHPS reform policies and action.

Monitoring Data-Structure Evolution in Distributed Message-Passing Programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sarukkai, Sekhar R.; Beers, Andrew; Woodrow, Thomas S. (Technical Monitor)

1996-01-01

Monitoring the evolution of data structures in parallel and distributed programs, is critical for debugging its semantics and performance. However, the current state-of-art in tracking and presenting data-structure information on parallel and distributed environments is cumbersome and does not scale. In this paper we present a methodology that automatically tracks memory bindings (not the actual contents) of static and dynamic data-structures of message-passing C programs, using PVM. With the help of a number of examples we show that in addition to determining the impact of memory allocation overheads on program performance, graphical views can help in debugging the semantics of program execution. Scalable animations of virtual address bindings of source-level data-structures are used for debugging the semantics of parallel programs across all processors. In conjunction with light-weight core-files, this technique can be used to complement traditional debuggers on single processors. Detailed information (such as data-structure contents), on specific nodes, can be determined using traditional debuggers after the data structure evolution leading to the semantic error is observed graphically.

Implementing the European Neutron Monitor Service for the ESA SSA Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mavromichalaki, H.; Papaioannou, A.; Souvatzoglou, G.; Dimitroulakos, J.; Paschalis, P.; Gerontidou, M.; Sarlanis, Ch.

2013-09-01

Ground level enhancements (GLEs) are observed as significant intensity increases at neutron monitor measurements, followed by an intense solar flare and/or a very energetic coronal mass ejection. Due to their space weather impact it is crucial to establish a real-time operational system that would be in place to issue reliable and timely GLE Alerts. Such a Neutron Monitor Service that will be made available via the Space Weather Portal operated by the European Space Agency (ESA), under the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Program, is currently under development. The ESA Neutron Monitor Service will provide two products: a web interface providing data from multiple Neutron Monitor stations as well as an upgraded GLE Alert. Both services are now under testing and validation and will probably enter to an operational phase next year. The core of this Neutron Monitor Service is the GLE Alert software, and therefore, the main goal of this research effort is to upgrade the existing GLE Alert software and to minimize the probability of false alarms. The ESA Neutron Monitor Service is building upon the infrastructure made available with the implementation of the High-Resolution Neutron Monitor Database (NMDB). In this work the structure of the ESA Neutron Monitor Service, the core of the novel GLE Alert Service and its validation results will be presented and further discussed.

NASA Applications of Structural Health Monitoring Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richards, W Lance; Madaras, Eric I.; Prosser, William H.; Studor, George

2013-01-01

This presentation provides examples of research and development that has recently or is currently being conducted at NASA, with a special emphasis on the application of structural health monitoring (SHM) of aerospace vehicles. SHM applications on several vehicle programs are highlighted, including Space Shuttle Orbiter, International Space Station, Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles, and Expandable Launch Vehicles. Examples of current and previous work are presented in the following categories: acoustic emission impact detection, multi-parameter fiber optic strain-based sensing, wireless sensor system development, and distributed leak detection.

NASA Applications of Structural Health Monitoring Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richards, W Lance; Madaras, Eric I.; Prosser, William H.; Studor, George

2013-01-01

This presentation provides examples of research and development that has recently or is currently being conducted at NASA, with a special emphasis on the application of structural health monitoring (SHM) of aerospace vehicles. SHM applications on several vehicle programs are highlighted, including Space Shuttle Orbiter, the International Space Station, Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles, and Expendable Launch Vehicles. Examples of current and previous work are presented in the following categories: acoustic emission impact detection, multi-parameter fiber optic strain-based sensing, wireless sensor system development, and distributed leak detection.

Los Alamos National Laboratory Meteorology Monitoring Program: 2016 Data Completeness/ Quality Report

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

Bruggeman, David Alan

This report summarizes data completeness by tower and by instrument for 2016 and compares that data with the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 2015 standards. This report is designed to make data users aware of data completeness and any data quality issues. LANL meteorology monitoring goals include 95% completeness for all measurements. The ANSI 2015 standard requires 90% completeness for all measurements. This report documents instrument/tower issues as they impact data completeness.

Applied Remote Sensing Program (ARSP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, J. D.; Foster, K. E.; Mouat, D. A.; Miller, D. A.; Conn, J. S.

1976-01-01

The activities and accomplishments of the Applied Remote Sensing Program during FY 1975-1976 are reported. The principal objective of the Applied Remote Sensing Program continues to be designed projects having specific decision-making impacts as a principal goal. These projects are carried out in cooperation and collaboration with local, state and federal agencies whose responsibilities lie with planning, zoning and environmental monitoring and/or assessment in the application of remote sensing techniques. The end result of the projects is the use by the involved agencies of remote sensing techniques in problem solving.

Environmental management and monitoring for education building development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masri, R. M.

2018-05-01

The purpose of research were (1) a conceptual, functional model designed and implementation for environmental management and monitoring for education building development, (2) standard operational procedure made for management and monitoring for education building development, (3) assessed physic-chemical, biological, social-economic environmental components so that fulfilling sustainable development, (4) environmental management and monitoring program made for decreasing negative and increasing positive impact in education building development activities. Descriptive method is used for the research. Cibiru UPI Campus, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia was study location. The research was conducted on July 2016 to January 2017. Spatial and activities analysis were used to assess physic-chemical, biological, social-economic environmental components. Environmental management and monitoring for education building development could be decreasing water, air, soil pollution and environmental degradation in education building development activities.

Overview of demonstrator program of Japanese Smart Materials and Structure System project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tajima, Naoyuki; Sakurai, Tateo; Sasajima, Mikio; Takeda, Nobuo; Kishi, Teruo

2003-08-01

The Japanese Smart Material and Structure System Project started in 1998 as five years' program that funded by METI (Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) and supported by NEDO (New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization). Total budget of five years was finally about 3.8 billion Japanese yen. This project has been conducted as the Academic Institutions Centered Program, namely, one of collaborated research and development among seven universities (include one foreign university), seventeen Industries (include two foreign companies), and three national laboratories. At first, this project consisted of four research groups that were structural health monitoring, smart manufacturing, active/adaptive structures, and actuator material/devices. Two years later, we decided that two demonstrator programs should be added in order to integrate the developed sensor and actuator element into the smart structure system and verify the research and development results of above four research groups. The application target of these demonstrators was focused to the airplane, and two demonstrators that these shapes simulate to the fuselage of small commercial airplane (for example, Boeing B737) had been established. Both demonstrators are cylindrical structures with 1.5 m in diameter and 3 m in length that the first demonstrator has CFRP skin-stringer and the second one has CFRP skin. The first demonstrator integrates the following six innovative techniques: (1) impact monitoring using embedded small diameter optical fiber sensors newly developed in this program, (2) impact monitoring using the integrated acoustic emission (AE) systems, (3) whole-field strain mapping using the BOTDR/FBG integrated system, (4) damage suppression using embedded shape memory alloy (SMA) films, (5) maximum and cyclic strain sensing using smart composite patches, and (6) smart manufacturing using the integrated sensing system. The second one is for demonstrating the suppression of vibration and acoustic noise generated in the composite cylindrical structure. In this program, High-performance PZT actuators/sensors developed in this program are also installed. The whole tests and evaluations have now been finished. This paper presents the outline of demonstrator programs, followed by six presentations that show the detail verification results of industrial demonstration themes.

INTEGRATED RESEARCH PLAN FOR LINKING BMPS AND WATERSHED WATER QUALITY IN SOUTHERN OHIO

EPA Science Inventory

Although it is routine for watershed management programs to coincide the monitoring of land use impacts and water quality at different spatial scales, rarely are the data collected or analyzed in such a strategic manner to be able to study the linkages among ecological systems ac...

76 FR 44044 - Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comments Requested: Revisions and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-22

... Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice... Center (TTAC) and the Office for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention National Training and... necessary to continuously assess the outcome and impact of the assistance provided for both monitoring and...

A Benefits Assessment of the FAA's Enhanced Traffic Management System (ETMS): The Impact of Initial Products of the ATMS Program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1992-12-01

This study examined the benefits associated with the application of initial ATMS products, the Aircraft Situation Display and the Monitor Alert function, within the FAA's ETMS system. The benefits presented in this report represent those benefits acc...

Modification of an environmental surveillance program to monitor PCDD/Fs and metals around a municipal solid waste incinerator.

PubMed

Vilavert, Lolita; Nadal, Martí; Mari, Montse; Schuhmacher, Marta; Domingo, José L

2009-11-01

Since the mid-90s, an environmental surveillance program has been on-going to provide information on the levels of PCDD/Fs and various metals in soil and vegetation samples collected in the vicinity of a municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) in Tarragona (Catalonia, Spain). However, the presence of other potential sources of pollution in the zone, such as traffic, forest fires, local industries, etc., makes hard to determine the impact concerning the MSWI. Therefore, in 2007 a change in the monitoring program was implemented by collecting additional ambient air samples through active and passive sampling devices. Mean PCDD/F levels in herbage and soil were 0.10 ng I-TEQ/kg dry weight (range: 0.05-0.17 ng I-TEQ/kg dw) and 0.64 ng I-TEQ/kg dw (range: 0.13-2.41 ng I-TEQ/kg dw), respectively. A significant reduction of the PCDD/F concentration in both monitors was observed with respect to our previous surveys. Air mean concentrations of PCDD/Fs were 12.04 and 15.21 fg WHO-TEQ/m(3) in 2007 and 2008, respectively, meaning a non-significant increase of 26%. In addition, a generalized increase of environmental metal levels with respect to our baseline study was not observed. The current concentrations of PCDD/Fs and metals in the vicinity of the MSWI of Tarragona are relatively low in comparison with other areas under the influence of emissions from waste incinerators. This indicates that the environmental impact of the MSWI of Tarragona is not significant. Moreover, the modification of the surveillance program has proven to be successful.

The Mexican experience in monitoring and evaluation of public policies addressing social determinants of health

PubMed Central

Valle, Adolfo Martinez

2016-01-01

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) have gradually become important and regular components of the policy-making process in Mexico since, and even before, the World Health Organization (WHO) Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) called for interventions and policies aimed at tackling the social determinants of health (SDH). This paper presents two case studies to show how public policies addressing the SDH have been monitored and evaluated in Mexico using reliable, valid, and complete information, which is not regularly available. Prospera, for example, evaluated programs seeking to improve the living conditions of families in extreme poverty in terms of direct effects on health, nutrition, education and income. Monitoring of Prospera's implementation has also helped policy-makers identify windows of opportunity to improve the design and operation of the program. Seguro Popular has monitored the reduction of health inequalities and inequities evaluated the positive effects of providing financial protection to its target population. Useful and sound evidence of the impact of programs such as Progresa and Seguro Popular plus legal mandates, and a regulatory evaluation agency, the National Council for Social Development Policy Evaluation, have been fundamental to institutionalizing M&E in Mexico. The Mexican experience may provide useful lessons for other countries facing the challenge of institutionalizing the M&E of public policy processes to assess the effects of SDH as recommended by the WHO CSDH. PMID:26928215

The Mexican experience in monitoring and evaluation of public policies addressing social determinants of health.

PubMed

Valle, Adolfo Martinez

2016-01-01

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) have gradually become important and regular components of the policy-making process in Mexico since, and even before, the World Health Organization (WHO) Commission on Social Determinants of Health (CSDH) called for interventions and policies aimed at tackling the social determinants of health (SDH). This paper presents two case studies to show how public policies addressing the SDH have been monitored and evaluated in Mexico using reliable, valid, and complete information, which is not regularly available. Prospera, for example, evaluated programs seeking to improve the living conditions of families in extreme poverty in terms of direct effects on health, nutrition, education and income. Monitoring of Prospera's implementation has also helped policy-makers identify windows of opportunity to improve the design and operation of the program. Seguro Popular has monitored the reduction of health inequalities and inequities evaluated the positive effects of providing financial protection to its target population. Useful and sound evidence of the impact of programs such as Progresa and Seguro Popular plus legal mandates, and a regulatory evaluation agency, the National Council for Social Development Policy Evaluation, have been fundamental to institutionalizing M&E in Mexico. The Mexican experience may provide useful lessons for other countries facing the challenge of institutionalizing the M&E of public policy processes to assess the effects of SDH as recommended by the WHO CSDH.

The impact of Brazil's Bolsa Família conditional cash transfer program on children's health care utilization and health outcomes.

PubMed

Shei, Amie; Costa, Federico; Reis, Mitermayer G; Ko, Albert I

2014-04-01

Conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs provide poor families with cash conditional on investments in health and education. Brazil's Bolsa Família program began in 2003 and is currently the largest CCT program in the world. This community-based study examines the impact of Bolsa Família on child health in a slum community in a large urban center. In 2010, detailed household surveys were conducted with randomly selected Bolsa Família beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries in a Brazilian slum community of approximately 14,000 inhabitants in a large urban center. 567 families (with 1,266 children) were interviewed. Propensity score methods were used to control for differences between beneficiary and non-beneficiary children to estimate program impacts on health care utilization and health outcomes. Bolsa Família has increased the odds of children's visits to the health post for preventive services. In children under age seven, Bolsa Família was associated with increased odds for growth monitoring (OR = 3.1; 95% CI 1.9-5.1), vaccinations (OR = 2.8; 95% CI 1.4-5.4), and checkups (OR = 1.6; 95% CI 0.98-2.5), and with the number of growth monitoring visits (β = 0.6; p = 0.049) and checkups (β = 0.2; p = 0.068). There were positive spillover effects on older siblings (ages 7-17) no longer required to meet the health conditionalities. Bolsa Família increased their odds for growth monitoring (OR = 2.5; 95% CI 1.3-4.9) and checkups (OR = 1.7; 95% CI 0.9-3.2) and improved psychosocial health (β = 2.6; p = 0.007). Bolsa Família has improved health care utilization, especially for services related to the health conditionalites, and there were positive spillover effects on older siblings. The findings of this study are promising, but they also suggest that further improvements in health may depend on the quality of health care services provided, the scope of services linked to the health conditionalities, and coordination with other social safety net programs.

The orbital debris detector consortium: Suppliers of instruments for in-situ measurements of small-particles in the space environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Simon, C. G.; Muenzenmeyer, R.; Tanner, W. G., Jr.; Uy, O. M.; Skrivanek, R. A.; Tuzzolino, A. J.; Maag, C.; Wortman, J. J.

1995-01-01

Industry and university participants have joined together to form the IMPA:Ct consortium (In-situ Monitors of the Particulate Ambient: Circumterrestrial) which offers a broad range of flight qualified instruments for monitoring the small particle (0.1 micron to 10 cm) environment in space. Instruments are available in 12 months or less at costs ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 million dollars (US) for the total program. Detector technologies represented by these groups are: impact-induced capacitor-discharge (MOS, metal-oxide-silicon), cratering or penetration of electroactive thin film (polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)), impact-plasma detection, acoustic detection, CCD tracking of optical scatter of sunlight, and photodiode detection of optical scatter of laser light. The operational characteristics, general spacecraft interface and resource requirements (mass/power/telemetry), cost and delivery schedules, and points of contact for seven different instruments are presented.

The efficacy of using self-monitoring diaries in a weight loss program for chronically ill obese adults in a rural area.

PubMed

Wang, Chi-Jane; Fetzer, Susan J; Yang, Yi-Ching; Wang, Wen-Ling

2012-09-01

Self-monitoring is part of many weight-loss programs and is widely accepted as effective. However, there is a lack of research related to the efficacy of various self-monitoring instruments in meeting the needs of individuals with limited mobility or access to healthcare providers, especially those with limited education living in rural settings. This study examined the efficacy of using self-monitoring diaries in a weight loss program targeting chronically ill and obese rural-dwelling adults. A community-based intervention program using a pretest and posttest design examined the effect of using self-monitoring diaries on weight loss. Fifty participants were enrolled from the chronic disease clinic of a district health center with limited medical resources in a remote village in southwestern Taiwan. All participants were diagnosed with diabetes and/or hypertension, had body mass indices between 27 and 32 kg/m, and had a minimum educational level of junior high school. Mean participant age was 43.7 years. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. All attended a mandatory 12-week weight loss program. The intervention group received instructions on how to record diet and exercise details in a structured, graphics-based diary provided by the researchers. Body weight and percentage of body fat were measured before and after the program, and data were analyzed by chi-square and ANCOVA. The intervention group significantly lost more weight than the control group (5.7 kg vs. 2.1 kg; p < .05). The participants of 88% in the intervention group lost 5% or more of their baseline weight greater than the 23% in the control group. Both groups achieved the mean of body fat reductions by comparing pretest and posttest. Self-monitoring diaries can have a significant impact on weight loss in individuals living in rural communities. Healthcare providers and health promotion agencies can use the suggested checklist method to improve weight loss promotion programs in isolated rural communities with limited medical resources.

Hybrid Modeling Improves Health and Performance Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

Scientific Monitoring Inc. was awarded a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project by NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center to create a new, simplified health-monitoring approach for flight vehicles and flight equipment. The project developed a hybrid physical model concept that provided a structured approach to simplifying complex design models for use in health monitoring, allowing the output or performance of the equipment to be compared to what the design models predicted, so that deterioration or impending failure could be detected before there would be an impact on the equipment's operational capability. Based on the original modeling technology, Scientific Monitoring released I-Trend, a commercial health- and performance-monitoring software product named for its intelligent trending, diagnostics, and prognostics capabilities, as part of the company's complete ICEMS (Intelligent Condition-based Equipment Management System) suite of monitoring and advanced alerting software. I-Trend uses the hybrid physical model to better characterize the nature of health or performance alarms that result in "no fault found" false alarms. Additionally, the use of physical principles helps I-Trend identify problems sooner. I-Trend technology is currently in use in several commercial aviation programs, and the U.S. Air Force recently tapped Scientific Monitoring to develop next-generation engine health-management software for monitoring its fleet of jet engines. Scientific Monitoring has continued the original NASA work, this time under a Phase III SBIR contract with a joint NASA-Pratt & Whitney aviation security program on propulsion-controlled aircraft under missile-damaged aircraft conditions.

Summary of preliminary step-trend analysis from the Interagency Whitebark Pine Long-termMonitoring Program—2004-2013

USGS Publications Warehouse

Legg, Kristin; Shanahan, Erin; Daley, Rob; Irvine, Kathryn M.

2014-01-01

In mixed and dominant stands, whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) occurs in over two million acres within the six national forests and two national parks that comprise the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE). Currently, whitebark pine, an ecologically important species, is impacted by multiple ecological disturbances; white pine blister rust (Cronartium ribicola), mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae), wildfire, and climate change all pose significant threats to the persistence of whitebark pine populations. Substantial declines in whitebark pine populations have been documented throughout its range.Under the auspices of the Greater Yellowstone Coordinating Committee (GYCC), several agencies began a collaborative, long-term monitoring program to track and document the status of whitebark pine across the GYE. This alliance resulted in the formation of the Greater Yellowstone Whitebark Pine Monitoring Working Group (GYWPMWG), which consists of representatives from the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), National Park Service (NPS), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and Montana State University (MSU). This groundbased monitoring program was initiated in 2004 and follows a peer-reviewed protocol (GYWPMWG 2011). The program is led by the Greater Yellowstone Inventory and Monitoring Network (GRYN) of the National Park Service in coordination with multiple agencies. More information about this monitoring effort is available at: http://science. nature.nps.gov/im/units/gryn/monitor/whitebark_pine.cfm. The purpose of this report is to provide a draft summary of the first step-trend analysis for the interagency, long-term monitoring of whitebark pine health to the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team (IGBST) as part of a synthesis of the state of whitebark pine in the GYE. Due to the various stages of the analyses and reporting, this is the most efficient way to provide these results to the IGBST.

Ensuring youth's right to participation and promotion of youth leadership in the development of sexual and reproductive health policies and programs.

PubMed

Villa-Torres, Laura; Svanemyr, Joar

2015-01-01

The purpose of this article was to reflect on the concepts of adolescence and youth, summarize models and frameworks developed to conceptualize youth participation, and assess research that has attempted to evaluate the implementation and impact of youth participation in the field of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). We searched and critically reviewed relevant published reports and "gray literature" from the period 2000-2013. "Young people" are commonly defined as those between the ages of 10 and 24 years, but what it means to be a young person varies largely across cultures and depends on a range of socioeconomic factors. Several conceptual frameworks have been developed to better understand youth participation, and some frameworks are designed to monitor youth development programs that have youth participation as a key component. Although none of them are SRHR specific, they have the potential to be adapted and applied also for adolescents' SRHR programs. The most monitored and evaluated intervention type is peer education programs, but the effectiveness of the approach is questioned. There are few attempts to systematically evaluate youth participation, and clear indicators and better methodologies still need to be developed. More research and documentation as well as the adoption of innovative practices for involving youth in sexual and reproductive health programs are needed. Participation is a right and should not only be evaluated in terms of effectiveness and impact. Youth participation in program and policy development should still be a priority. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Coverage of Large-Scale Food Fortification of Edible Oil, Wheat Flour, and Maize Flour Varies Greatly by Vehicle and Country but Is Consistently Lower among the Most Vulnerable: Results from Coverage Surveys in 8 Countries123

PubMed Central

Aaron, Grant J; Friesen, Valerie M; Jungjohann, Svenja; Garrett, Greg S; Myatt, Mark

2017-01-01

Background: Large-scale food fortification (LSFF) of commonly consumed food vehicles is widely implemented in low- and middle-income countries. Many programs have monitoring information gaps and most countries fail to assess program coverage. Objective: The aim of this work was to present LSFF coverage survey findings (overall and in vulnerable populations) from 18 programs (7 wheat flour, 4 maize flour, and 7 edible oil programs) conducted in 8 countries between 2013 and 2015. Methods: A Fortification Assessment Coverage Toolkit (FACT) was developed to standardize the assessments. Three indicators were used to assess the relations between coverage and vulnerability: 1) poverty, 2) poor dietary diversity, and 3) rural residence. Three measures of coverage were assessed: 1) consumption of the vehicle, 2) consumption of a fortifiable vehicle, and 3) consumption of a fortified vehicle. Individual program performance was assessed based on the following: 1) achieving overall coverage ≥50%, 2) achieving coverage of ≥75% in ≥1 vulnerable group, and 3) achieving equity in coverage for ≥1 vulnerable group. Results: Coverage varied widely by food vehicle and country. Only 2 of the 18 LSFF programs assessed met all 3 program performance criteria. The 2 main program bottlenecks were a poor choice of vehicle and failure to fortify a fortifiable vehicle (i.e., absence of fortification). Conclusions: The results highlight the importance of sound program design and routine monitoring and evaluation. There is strong evidence of the impact and cost-effectiveness of LSFF; however, impact can only be achieved when the necessary activities and processes during program design and implementation are followed. The FACT approach fills an important gap in the availability of standardized tools. The LSFF programs assessed here need to be re-evaluated to determine whether to further invest in the programs, whether other vehicles are appropriate, and whether other approaches are needed. PMID:28404836

Coverage of Large-Scale Food Fortification of Edible Oil, Wheat Flour, and Maize Flour Varies Greatly by Vehicle and Country but Is Consistently Lower among the Most Vulnerable: Results from Coverage Surveys in 8 Countries.

PubMed

Aaron, Grant J; Friesen, Valerie M; Jungjohann, Svenja; Garrett, Greg S; Neufeld, Lynnette M; Myatt, Mark

2017-05-01

Background: Large-scale food fortification (LSFF) of commonly consumed food vehicles is widely implemented in low- and middle-income countries. Many programs have monitoring information gaps and most countries fail to assess program coverage. Objective: The aim of this work was to present LSFF coverage survey findings (overall and in vulnerable populations) from 18 programs (7 wheat flour, 4 maize flour, and 7 edible oil programs) conducted in 8 countries between 2013 and 2015. Methods: A Fortification Assessment Coverage Toolkit (FACT) was developed to standardize the assessments. Three indicators were used to assess the relations between coverage and vulnerability: 1 ) poverty, 2 ) poor dietary diversity, and 3 ) rural residence. Three measures of coverage were assessed: 1 ) consumption of the vehicle, 2 ) consumption of a fortifiable vehicle, and 3 ) consumption of a fortified vehicle. Individual program performance was assessed based on the following: 1 ) achieving overall coverage ≥50%, 2) achieving coverage of ≥75% in ≥1 vulnerable group, and 3 ) achieving equity in coverage for ≥1 vulnerable group. Results: Coverage varied widely by food vehicle and country. Only 2 of the 18 LSFF programs assessed met all 3 program performance criteria. The 2 main program bottlenecks were a poor choice of vehicle and failure to fortify a fortifiable vehicle (i.e., absence of fortification). Conclusions: The results highlight the importance of sound program design and routine monitoring and evaluation. There is strong evidence of the impact and cost-effectiveness of LSFF; however, impact can only be achieved when the necessary activities and processes during program design and implementation are followed. The FACT approach fills an important gap in the availability of standardized tools. The LSFF programs assessed here need to be re-evaluated to determine whether to further invest in the programs, whether other vehicles are appropriate, and whether other approaches are needed.

Use of oil shale ash in road construction: results of follow-up environmental monitoring.

PubMed

Reinik, Janek; Irha, Natalya; Koroljova, Arina; Meriste, Tõnis

2018-01-05

Oil shale ash (OSA) was used for road construction in a pristine swamp area in East-Estonia during 2013-2014. OSA was used as a binder both in mass stabilization of soft peat soil and in the upper layer. Use of OSA in civil engineering always raises questions about the environmental safety of such activities. Post-construction environmental monitoring of the pilot section was carried out in 2014 and 2015. The monitoring program involved surface water and soil sampling campaigns. Samples were analyzed for selected constituents and parameters of environmental concern. The paper gives data for assessing the environmental impact and evaluation of potential risks associated with construction of roads using OSA. Leaching of hazardous compounds from the pilot section to surrounding aqueous environment was not observed during the monitoring program. Still, the road construction affected the concentration of sulfates in surrounding surface water. Also, the water-soluble content of barium in surface water correlated significantly with the concentrations of chloride and sulfate ion and electric conductivity of the surface water. Therefore, it is recommended to monitor the electric conductivity, concentrations of sulfates, chlorides, and barium in nearby surface water when OSA is used in road construction.

Sensor Placement Optimization using Chama

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

Klise, Katherine A.; Nicholson, Bethany L.; Laird, Carl Damon

Continuous or regularly scheduled monitoring has the potential to quickly identify changes in the environment. However, even with low - cost sensors, only a limited number of sensors can be deployed. The physical placement of these sensors, along with the sensor technology and operating conditions, can have a large impact on the performance of a monitoring strategy. Chama is an open source Python package which includes mixed - integer, stochastic programming formulations to determine sensor locations and technology that maximize monitoring effectiveness. The methods in Chama are general and can be applied to a wide range of applications. Chama ismore » currently being used to design sensor networks to monitor airborne pollutants and to monitor water quality in water distribution systems. The following documentation includes installation instructions and examples, description of software features, and software license. The software is intended to be used by regulatory agencies, industry, and the research community. It is assumed that the reader is familiar with the Python Programming Language. References are included for addit ional background on software components. Online documentation, hosted at http://chama.readthedocs.io/, will be updated as new features are added. The online version includes API documentation .« less

Evaluating Self-Management Behaviors of Diabetic Patients in a Telehealthcare Program: Longitudinal Study Over 18 Months

PubMed Central

Chang, Chia-Hsiun; Wang, Chiou-Shiang; Wang, I-Ching; Chung, Yufang; Peng, Hui-Yu; Chen, Hui-Chuen; Hsu, Yu-Ling; Lin, Yu-Sheng; Chen, Huang-Jen; Chang, Tieng-Chun; Jiang, Yi-Der; Lee, Hung-Chang; Tan, Ching-Ting; Chang, Hsin-Lu; Lai, Feipei

2013-01-01

Background Self-management is an important skill for patients with diabetes, and it involves frequent monitoring of glucose levels and behavior modification. Techniques to enhance the behavior changes of diabetic patients have been developed, such as diabetes self-management education and telehealthcare. Although the patients are engaged in self-management activities, barriers to behavior changes remain and additional work is necessary to address the impact of electronic media and telehealthcare on patient self-care behaviors. Objective The aims of this study were to (1) explore the behaviors of diabetic patients interacting with online applications, (2) determine the impact of a telehealthcare program among 7 self-care behaviors of the patients, and (3) determine the changes in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Methods A telehealthcare program was conducted to assist the patients with 7 self-care activities. The telehealthcare program lasted for 18 months and included the use of a third-generation mobile telecommunications glucometer, an online diabetes self-management system, and a teleconsultant service. We analyzed the data of 59 patients who participated in the telehealthcare program and 103 who did not. The behavioral assessments and the HbA1c data were collected and statistically analyzed to determine whether the telehealthcare services had an impact on the patients. We divided the 18-month period into 3 6-month intervals and analyzed the parameters of patients assisted by the telehealthcare service at different time points. We also compared the results of those who were assisted by the telehealthcare service with those who were not. Results There was a significant difference in monitoring blood glucose between the beginning and the end of the patient participation (P=.046) and between the overall period and the end of patient participation (P<.001). Five behaviors were significantly different between the intervention and control patients: being active (P<.001), healthy eating (P<.001), taking medication (P<.001), healthy coping (P=.02), and problem solving (P<.001). Monitoring of blood glucose was significantly different (P=.02) during the 6-12 month stage of patient participation between the intervention and control patients. A significant difference between the beginning and the 6-12 month stage of patient participation was observed for the mean value of HbA1c level (P=.02), and the differences between the overall HbA1c variability and the variability of each 6-month interval was also significant. Conclusions Telehealthcare had a positive effect on diabetic patients. This study had enhanced blood glucose monitoring, and the patients in the program showed improvements in glycemic control. The self-care behaviors affect patient outcomes, and the changes of behavior require time to show the effects. PMID:24323283

China's Primary Programs of Terrestrial Ecosystem Restoration: Initiation, Implementation, and Challenges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Runsheng; Yin, Guiping

2010-03-01

China has undertaken several major programs of terrestrial ecosystem restoration (ERPs) in recent years, including the Natural Forest Protection Program (NFPP) and the Sloping Land Conversion Program (SLCP). There have been reports on the implementation of these programs, their preliminary impacts, and the problems encountered in carrying them out; a great deal has been learned from these studies. Nonetheless, China’s ERPs are not limited to the NFPP and the SLCP. Because a complete documentation and a timely update of these major efforts are still missing from the literature, it is difficult to gauge the scope of these programs and the scale of their impacts. In addition, a more thorough and critical analysis of both the general ERP policy and the specific technical measures used in implementing the ERPs remains urgently needed. The purpose of this article is to tackle these tasks. Overall, with the huge government investments in the ERPs, tremendous progress has been made in implementing them. To complete them successfully and to fundamentally improve the targeted ecosystems, however, it is essential for China to have a more balanced and comprehensive approach to ecological restoration. This approach must include: adopting better planning and management practices; strengthening the governance of program implementation; emphasizing the active engagement of local people; establishing an independent, competent monitoring network; and conducting adequate assessments of program effectiveness and impact.

Utilization of the Arkansas Prescription Monitoring Program to combat prescription drug abuse

PubMed Central

Rittenhouse, Rebecca; Wei, Feifei; Robertson, Denise; Ryan, Kevin

2015-01-01

Objective The Arkansas Prescription Monitoring Program (AR PMP) was implemented in 2013 to combat prescription drug abuse. All enrollees were invited to participate in a user survey available in February 2014, to identify makeup of users, utilization of the program, and changes made to health care practices after implementation of the program. Methods Of the 3694 individual enrollees invited to participate, 1541 (41.7%) completed the survey. Data collected were analyzed to identify changes in health care practices by program frequency of use and user profession. Results Medical doctors, advanced practice nurses, and pharmacists are the professions who use the program most frequently. Daily AR PMP users are considerably more likely than infrequent users to be prompted to access the program by the involvement of a controlled substance (CS) prescription or by office/facility policy requirements. Increased frequency of use of the AR PMP results in positive impacts on CS prescribing and dispensing practices. Conclusion Compelling more users of the AR PMP to be prompted to access the program by the involvement of a CS prescription or by requirements per office/facility policy may increase frequency of use of the program and thereby changes in health care practices to combat prescription drug abuse. PMID:26191489

Monitoring Student Engagement for Intercollegiate Athletics Program Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Symonds, Matthew L.

2009-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the impact that athletics participation in both revenue and non-revenue intercollegiate sport had on the engagement of students as measured by the "National Survey of Student Engagement." In addition, the study reported results to the institution's athletics department for application as a…

An Evaluation of the Effects of Graphic Aids in Improving Decision Accuracy in a Continuous Treatment Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Norman, Ethan R.; Nelson, Peter M.; Shin, Jae-Eun; Christ, Theodore J.

2013-01-01

Educators, school psychologists, and other professionals must evaluate student progress and decide to continue, modify, or terminate instructional programs to ensure student success. For this purpose, progress-monitoring data are often collected, plotted graphically, and visually analyzed. The current study evaluated the impact of three common…

77 FR 46213 - Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-02

.... Monitoring Impact of FY 2012 Policy Changes and Certain SNF Practices A. RUG Distributions B. Group Therapy... Common Procedure Coding System HR-III Hybrid Resource Utilization Groups, Version 3 IHS IGI (Information... OCN OMB Control Number OMB Office of Management and Budget OMRA Other Medicare-Required Assessment PPS...

Exploring the barriers to rigorous monitoring and evaluation of health systems strengthening activities: qualitative evidence from international development partners.

PubMed

Wisniewski, Janna M; Yeager, Valerie A; Diana, Mark L; Hotchkiss, David R

2016-10-01

The number of health systems strengthening (HSS) programs has increased in the last decade. However, a limited number of studies providing robust evidence for the value and impact of these programs are available. This study aims to identify knowledge gaps and challenges that impede rigorous monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of HSS, and to ascertain the extent to which these efforts are informed by existing technical guidance. Interviews were conducted with HSS advisors at United States Agency for International Development-funded missions as well as senior M&E advisors at implementing partner and multilateral organizations. Findings showed that mission staff do not use existing technical resources, either because they do not know about them or do not find them useful. Barriers to rigorous M&E included a lack suitable of indicators, data limitations, difficulty in demonstrating an impact on health, and insufficient funding and resources. Consensus and collaboration between international health partners and local governments may mitigate these challenges. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Supplement Analysis for Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project, (DOE/EIS-0169-SA-05)

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

Smith, Patricia R.

2002-09-20

Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project – Under the Monitoring and Evaluation Program (M&E), the domestication selection research task would be modified to include a hatchery control line, maintained entirely by spawning hatchery-origin fish. The Bonneville Power Administration is funding ongoing studies, research, and artificial production of several salmonid species in the Yakima and Klickitat river basins. BPA analyzed environmental impacts of research and supplementation projects in the Yakima basin in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) completed in 1996 (USDOE/BPA 1996), and in the following Supplement Analyses: DOE/EIS-0169-SA-01, completed in May 1999; DOE/EIS-0169-SA-02, completed in August 1999; DOE/EIS-0169-SA-03, completed in 2000; DOE/EIS-0169-SA-04, completedmore » in November 2000. The purpose of this Supplement Analysis is to determine if a Supplemental EIS is needed to analyze the changes proposed in the Monitoring and Evaluation program (#199506325) of the Yakima Klickitat Fisheries Project (YKFP) as reviewed in the FY 2001 Project Proposals for the Columbia River Gorge and Inter-Mountain Provinces, ISRP 2000-9 (December 1, 2000). Modifications to the M&E program are in support of the experimental acclimation, rearing and incubating activities for spring chinook.« less

Use of wetlands for water quality improvement under the USEPA Region V Clean Lakes Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Landers, Judith C.; Knuth, Barbara A.

1991-03-01

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Region V Clean Lakes Program employs artificial and modified natural wetlands in an effort to improve the water quality of selected lakes. We examined use of wetlands at seven lake sites and evaluated the physical and institutional means by which wetland projects are implemented and managed, relative to USEPA program goals and expert recommendations on the use of wetlands for water quality improvement. Management practices recommended by wetlands experts addressed water level and retention, sheet flow, nutrient removal, chemical treatment, ecological and effectiveness monitoring, and resource enhancement. Institutional characteristics recommended included local monitoring, regulation, and enforcement and shared responsibilities among jurisdictions. Institutional and ecological objectives of the National Clean Lakes Program were met to some degree at every site. Social objectives were achieved to a lesser extent. Wetland protection mechanisms and appropriate institutional decentralization were present at all sites. Optimal management techniques were employed to varying degrees at each site, but most projects lack adequate monitoring to determine adverse ecological impacts and effectiveness of pollutant removal and do not extensively address needs for recreation and wildlife habitat. There is evidence that the wetland projects are contributing to improved lake water quality; however, more emphasis needs to be placed on wetland protection and long-term project evaluation.

Final Environmental Assessment and Finding of No Significant Impact (EA/FONSI) for 2012-14 Capital Improvements Program (CIP) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson, Arizona

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

3553 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) US Air Force, Davis-Monthan AFB 355 CES/CEAO...would be insignificant. Operational impacts, including the use of groundwater for water supply, would be similar to current conditions. Biological...expected in the vicinity of the hush house. Land Use and Visual Resources. Construction and demolition activities would create temporary land use

Disease Management to Promote Blood Pressure Control Among African Americans

PubMed Central

Brennan, Troyen; Villagra, Victor; Ofili, Elizabeth; McMahill-Walraven, Cheryl; Lowy, Elizabeth J.; Daniels, Pamela; Quarshie, Alexander; Mayberry, Robert

2010-01-01

Abstract African Americans have a higher prevalence of hypertension and poorer cardiovascular and renal outcomes than white Americans. The objective of this study was to determine whether a telephonic nurse disease management (DM) program designed for African Americans is more effective than a home monitoring program alone to increase blood pressure (BP) control among African Americans enrolled in a national health plan. A prospective randomized controlled study (March 2006—December 2007) was conducted, with 12 months of follow-up on each subject. A total of 5932 health plan members were randomly selected from the population of self-identified African Americans, age 23 and older, in health maintenance organization plans, with hypertension; 954 accepted, 638 completed initial assessment, and 485 completed follow-up assessment. The intervention consisted of telephonic nurse DM (intervention group) including educational materials, lifestyle and diet counseling, and home BP monitor vs. home BP monitor alone (control group). Measurements included proportion with BP < 120/80, mean systolic BP, mean diastolic BP, and frequency of BP self-monitoring. Results revealed that systolic BP was lower in the intervention group (adjusted means 123.6 vs. 126.7 mm Hg, P = 0.03); there was no difference for diastolic BP. The intervention group was 50% more likely to have BP in control (odds ratio [OR] = 1.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.997–2.27, P = 0.052) and 46% more likely to monitor BP at least weekly (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.07–2.00, P = 0.02) than the control group. A nurse DM program tailored for African Americans was effective at decreasing systolic BP and increasing the frequency of self-monitoring of BP to a greater extent than home monitoring alone. Recruitment and program completion rates could be improved for maximal impact. (Population Health Management 2010;13:65–72) PMID:20415618

KSC-2015-1004

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-01-05

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –In the Kennedy Space Center’s Press Site auditorium, agency leaders spoke to members of the news media on the Cloud-Aerosol Transport System. CATS will monitor cloud and aerosol coverage that directly impacts global climate. From left are: Mike Curie of NASA Public Affairs, Julie Robinson, ISS Program chief scientist at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Robert Swap, program scientist at NASA Headquarters' Earth Science Division, and Matthew McGill, CATS principal investigator at Goddard. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery, 1996 Technical Report.

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

Steward, Cleveland R.

1996-08-01

The Nez Perce Tribe has proposed to build and operate the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery (NPTH) in the Clearwater River subbasin of Idaho for the purpose of restoring self-sustaining populations of spring, summer, and fall chinook salmon to their native habitats. The project comprises a combination of incubation and rearing facilities, satellite rearing facilities, juvenile and adult collection sites, and associated production and harvest management activities. As currently conceived, the NPTH program will produce approximately 768,000 spring chinook parr, 800,000 summer chinook fry, and 2,000,000 fall chinook fry on an annual basis. Hatchery fish would be spawned, reared, and releasedmore » under conditions that promote wild-type characteristics, minimize genetic changes in both hatchery and wild chinook populations, and minimize undesirable ecological interactions. The primary objective is to enable hatchery-produced fish to return to reproduce naturally in the streams in which they are released. These and other characteristics of the project are described in further detail in the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery Master Plan (Larson and Mobrand 1992), the 1995 Supplement to the Master Plan (Johnson et al. 1995), and the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery Program Environmental Impact Statement (Bonneville Power Administration et al. 1996). The report in hand is referred to in project literature as the NPTH Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan. This report describes monitoring and evaluation activities that will help NPTH managers determine. whether they were successful in restoring chinook salmon populations and avoiding adverse ecological impacts. Program success will be gauged primarily by changes in the abundance and distribution of supplemented chinook populations. The evaluation of project-related impacts will focus on the biological effects of constructing and operating NPTH hatchery facilities, introducing hatchery fish into the natural environment, and removing or displacing wild fish, including targeted chinook, non-targeted chinook, and resident species.« less

The antimicrobial resistance monitoring and research (ARMoR) program: the US Department of Defense response to escalating antimicrobial resistance.

PubMed

Lesho, Emil P; Waterman, Paige E; Chukwuma, Uzo; McAuliffe, Kathryn; Neumann, Charlotte; Julius, Michael D; Crouch, Helen; Chandrasekera, Ruvani; English, Judith F; Clifford, Robert J; Kester, Kent E

2014-08-01

Responding to escalating antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the US Department of Defense implemented an enterprise-wide collaboration, the Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring and Research Program, to aid in infection prevention and control. It consists of a network of epidemiologists, bioinformaticists, microbiology researchers, policy makers, hospital-based infection preventionists, and healthcare providers who collaborate to collect relevant AMR data, conduct centralized molecular characterization, and use AMR characterization feedback to implement appropriate infection prevention and control measures and influence policy. A particularly concerning type of AMR, carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae, significantly declined after the program was launched. Similarly, there have been no further reports or outbreaks of another concerning type of AMR, colistin resistance in Acinetobacter, in the Department of Defense since the program was initiated. However, bacteria containing AMR-encoding genes are increasing. To update program stakeholders and other healthcare systems facing such challenges, we describe the processes and impact of the program. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Annual monitoring report for the Gunnison, Colorado, wetlands mitigation plan

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

NONE

1995-10-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) administers the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project to clean up uranium mill tailings and other surface contamination at 24 abandoned uranium mill sites in 10 states. One of these abandoned mill sites is near the town of Gunnison, Colorado; surface remediation and the environmental impacts of remedial action are described in the Gunnison environmental assessment (EA) (DOE, 1992). Remedial action resulted in the elimination of 4.3 acres (ac) 1.7 hectares (ha) of wetlands and mitigation of this loss of wetlands is being accomplished through the enhance of 18.4 ac (7.5 ha) ofmore » riparian plant communities in six spring feed areas on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. The description of the impacted and mitigation wetlands is provided in the Mitigation and Monitoring Plan for Impacted Wetlands at the Gunnison UMTRA Project Site, Gunnison, Colorado (DOE, 1994), which is attached to the US Army corps of Engineers (USACE) Section 404 Permit. As part of the wetlands mitigation plan, the six mitigation wetlands were fenced in the fall of 1993 to exclude livestock grazing. Baseline of grazed conditions of the wetlands vegetation was determined during the summer of 1993 (DOE, 1994). A 5-year monitoring program of these six sites has been implemented to document the response of vegetation and wildlife to the exclusion of livestock. This annual monitoring report provides the results of the first year of the 5-year monitoring period.« less

Changing attitudes toward house arrest with electronic monitoring: the impact of a single presentation?

PubMed

Gainey, Randy R; Payne, Brian K

2003-04-01

The notion that community support is critical for program success is a consistent theme in the literature on community-based corrections. Unfortunately, many citizens know very little about alternative sanctions, are misinformed about them, and do not view them favorably. At issue is whether information about alternative sanctions affects individuals' attitudes regarding them. To address this question, students in an upper division criminal justice course were surveyed before and after a presentation on electronic monitoring. Following the presentation, students were more likely to agree that electronic monitoring is punitive and that it meets several goals of the justice system. Implications for policy makers and educators are provided.

Enhancing wind erosion monitoring and assessment for U.S. rangelands

USGS Publications Warehouse

Webb, Nicholas P.; Van Zee, Justin W.; Karl, Jason W.; Herrick, Jeffrey E.; Courtright, Ericha M.; Billings, Benjamin J.; Boyd, Robert C.; Chappell, Adrian; Duniway, Michael C.; Derner, Justin D.; Hand, Jenny L.; Kachergis, Emily; McCord, Sarah E.; Newingham, Beth A.; Pierson, Frederick B.; Steiner, Jean L.; Tatarko, John; Tedela, Negussie H.; Toledo, David; Van Pelt, R. Scott

2017-01-01

On the GroundWind erosion is a major resource concern for rangeland managers because it can impact soil health, ecosystem structure and function, hydrologic processes, agricultural production, and air quality.Despite its significance, little is known about which landscapes are eroding, by how much, and when.The National Wind Erosion Research Network was established in 2014 to develop tools for monitoring and assessing wind erosion and dust emissions across the United States.The Network, currently consisting of 13 sites, creates opportunities to enhance existing rangeland soil, vegetation, and air quality monitoring programs.Decision-support tools developed by the Network will improve the prediction and management of wind erosion across rangeland ecosystems.

Mondelēz Hope Kitchen Program, China: a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis.

PubMed

Li, Yanran; Yao, Xiaoxun; Gu, Lan

2014-09-01

Mondelēz Hope Kitchen is a community program initiated jointly in 2009 by Mondelēz International and the China Youth Development Foundation (CYDF). In response to the urgent needs of students, parents, and teachers at primary and middle schools in poverty-stricken rural areas of China, the program addresses the complex and intertwined issues of undernutrition and obesity. By funding both kitchen equipment and teacher training in health and nutrition, the Mondelēz Hope Kitchen Program improves the capacity of schools to supply healthy meals, helping students to access safe and nutritious foods and, ultimately, to improve their nutritional status and health. In 2011, the Mondelēz International Foundation awarded CYDF a grant to formally assess the impact of the original program design. The Mondelēz International Foundation encouraged CYDF and six other healthy lifestyles-focused community partners around the world to participate in this program evaluation workshop. The goals of this study were to describe the logic model of the Mondelēz Hope Kitchen Program, summarize a recent evaluation of the Mondelēz Hope Kitchen Program, and conduct a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis to identify Critical Quality Control Points (CCPs) and a suite of impact indicators. The findings were presented at the Healthy Lifestyles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, 13-14 September 2013, under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation. The authors developed the program's PIP diagram based on deliberations involving the program managers and Director and consulting the "Hope Kitchen Management Rules "and "Hope Kitchen Inspection and Acceptance Report". The PIP analyses identified three CCPs: buy-in from schools, kitchen infrastructure, and changes in teachers' knowledge of nutrition after training. In addition, changes in children's knowledge of nutrition will be added to the core suite of impact evaluation indicators that also includes children's dietary behaviors. Participation in this program evaluation workshop provided the Mondelēz Hope Kitchen team with the tools to improve the program using a sound monitoring system.

No-migration variance petition. Appendices K--O, Response to notice of deficiencies: Volume 6, Revision 1

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

Fischer, N.T.

1990-03-01

This document reports data collected as part of the Ecological Monitoring Program (EMP) at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, New Mexico, for Calendar Year 1987. Also included are data from the last quarter (October through December) of 1986. This report divides data collection activities into two parts. Part A covers general environmental monitoring which includes meteorology, aerial photography, air quality monitoring, water quality monitoring, and wildlife population surveillance. Part B focuses on the special studies being performed to evaluate the impacts of salt dispersal from the site on the surrounding ecosystem. The fourth year of salt impact monitoringmore » was completed in 1987. These studies involve the monitoring of soil chemistry, soil microbiota, and vegetation in permanent study plots. None of the findings indicate that the WIPP project is adversely impacting environmental quality at the site. As in 1986, breeding bird censuses completed this year indicate changes in the local bird fauna associated with the WIPP site. The decline in small mammal populations noted in the 1986 census is still evident in the 1987 data; however, populations are showing signs of recovery. There is no indication that this decline is related to WIPP activities. Rather, the evidence indicates that natural population fluctuations may be common in this ecosystem. The salt impact studies continue to reveal some short-range transport of salt dust from the saltpiles. This material accumulates at or near the soil surface during the dry seasons in areas near the saltpiles, but is flushed deeper into the soil during the rainy season. Microbial activity does not appear to be affected by this salt importation. Vegetation coverage and density data from 1987 also do not show any detrimental effect associated with aerial dispersal of salt.« less

Strategies for Evaluating Complex Environmental Education Programs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, V.

2011-12-01

Evidence for the effectiveness of environmental education programs has been difficult to establish for many reasons. Chief among them are the lack of clear program objectives and an inability to conceptualize how environmental education programs work. Both can lead to evaluations that make claims that are difficult to substantiate, such as significant changes in student achievement levels or behavioral changes based on acquisition of knowledge. Many of these challenges can be addressed by establishing the program theory and developing a logic model. However, claims of impact on larger societal outcomes are difficult to attribute solely to program activities. Contribution analysis may offer a promising method for addressing this challenge. Rather than attempt to definitively and causally link a program's activities to desired results, contribution analysis seeks to provide plausible evidence that can reduce uncertainty regarding the 'difference' a program is making to observed outcomes. It sets out to verify the theory of change behind a program and, at the same time, takes into consideration other influencing factors. Contribution analysis is useful in situations where the program is not experimental-there is little or no scope for varying how the program is implemented-and the program has been funded on the basis of a theory of change. In this paper, the author reviews the feasibility of using contribution analysis as a way of evaluating the impact of the GLOBE program, an environmental science and education program. Initially conceptualized by Al Gore in 1995, the program's implementation model is based on worldwide environmental monitoring by students and scientists around the globe. This paper will make a significant and timely contribution to the field of evaluation, and specifically environmental education evaluation by examining the usefulness of this analysis for developing evidence to assess the impact of environmental education programs.

Ready, Steady, Go! Program, Italy: a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis.

PubMed

Veracini, Giordana; Leonardi, Elisabetta; Girotti, Rita; Thrasher, Erika Willumsen

2014-09-01

Ready, Steady, Go! promotes proper nutrition and physical activity among people of all ages in targeted neighborhoods and encourages social integration and children's participation in decisions that affect their lives. It also seeks to involve parents in activities so that they can influence their children's attitudes toward lifestyles and personal development. This partnership has reached 70,000 Italian children and adults with new opportunities for physical activities and social experiences that help them improve nutritional behaviors while having fun with their peers. To assess the Ready, Steady, Go! Program logic and to identify Critical Quality Control Points (CCPs) and a core suite of impact indicators based on a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis. The PIP analysis team reviewed the key activities and processes that form Ready, Steady, Go! and then identified key CCPs for the project. The findings were presented at the Healthy Lifestyles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, 13-14 September 2013, under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation. The PIP analysis confirmed that Ready, Steady, Go! has a structure that is likely to support the primary aims of the program. The CCPs identified are training of teachers in healthy lifestyles, teachers' active participation in the program, access to remodeled and well-equipped sports and recreational centers, participation of parents and grandparents, and involvement of local institutions and networks. A suite of impact indicators for changes in healthy lifestyle knowledge, attitudes, and behavior was identified. Project staff are now more aware of the importance of carefully monitoring the CCPs and have decided to conduct quarterly PIP-informed quality control evaluations.

Monitoring and evaluation plan for the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery

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

Steward, C.R.

1996-08-01

The Nez Perce Tribe has proposed to build and operate the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery (NPTH) in the Clearwater River subbasin of Idaho for the purpose of restoring self-sustaining populations of spring, summer, and fall chinook salmon to their native habitats. The project comprises a combination of incubation and rearing facilities, satellite rearing facilities, juvenile and adult collection sites, and associated production and harvest management activities. As currently conceived, the NPTH program will produce approximately 768,000 spring chinook parr, 800,000 summer chinook fry, and 2,000,000 fall chinook fry on an annual basis. Hatchery fish would be spawned, reared, and releasedmore » under conditions that promote wild-type characteristics, minimize genetic changes in both hatchery and wild chinook populations, and minimize undesirable ecological interactions. The primary objective is to enable hatchery-produced fish to return to reproduce naturally in the streams in which they are released. These and other characteristics of the project are described in further detail in the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery Master Plan, the 1995 Supplement to the Master Plan, and the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery Program Environmental Impact Statement. The report in hand is referred to in project literature as the NPTH Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan. This report describes monitoring and evaluation activities that will help NPTH managers determine whether they were successful in restoring chinook salmon populations and avoiding adverse ecological impacts.« less

Major methodological constraints to the assessment of environmental status based on the condition of benthic communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medeiros, João Paulo; Pinto, Vanessa; Sá, Erica; Silva, Gilda; Azeda, Carla; Pereira, Tadeu; Quintella, Bernardo; Raposo de Almeida, Pedro; Lino Costa, José; José Costa, Maria; Chainho, Paula

2014-05-01

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) was published in 2008 and requires Member States to take the necessary measures to achieve or maintain good environmental status in aquatic ecosystems by the year of 2020. The MSFD indicates 11 qualitative descriptors for environmental status assessment, including seafloor integrity, using the condition of the benthic community as an assessment indicator. Member States will have to define monitoring programs for each of the MSFD descriptors based on those indicators in order to understand which areas are in a Good Environmental Status and what measures need to be implemented to improve the status of areas that fail to achieve that major objective. Coastal and offshore marine waters are not frequently monitored in Portugal and assessment tools have only been developed very recently with the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The lack of historical data and knowledge on the constraints of benthic indicators in coastal areas requires the development of specific studies addressing this issue. The major objective of the current study was to develop and test and experimental design to assess impacts of offshore projects. The experimental design consisted on the seasonal and interannual assessment of benthic invertebrate communities in the area of future implementation of the structures (impact) and two potential control areas 2 km from the impact area. Seasonal benthic samples were collected at nine random locations within the impact and control areas in two consecutive years. Metrics included in the Portuguese benthic assessment tool (P-BAT) were calculated since this multimetric tool was proposed for the assessment of the ecological status in Portuguese coastal areas under the WFD. Results indicated a high taxonomic richness in this coastal area and no significant differences were found between impact and control areas, indicating the feasibility of establishing adequate control areas in marine ecosystems. Nevertheless, significant differences were found between different seasons and different years, showing that the coastal benthic communities important temporal variations. Although those variations did not affect the status assessment based on metrics that considered the ratio between sensitive and tolerant taxa, diversity indices showed different classifications between seasons and years. These results indicate the need for a temporal stratification of the monitoring programs. That might be achieved by setting different thresholds for specific seasons or selecting specific monitoring seasons. It might also require a regular assessment of the environmental conditions that support the identification of outlier years, which monitoring results should be carefully considered.

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire: Does the subjectivity of the response perspective threaten the contextual validity of inferences?

PubMed

Elsworth, Gerald R; Nolte, Sandra; Osborne, Richard H

2015-01-01

On-going evidence is required to support the validity of inferences about change and group differences in the evaluation of health programs, particularly when self-report scales requiring substantial subjectivity in response generation are used as outcome measures. Following this reasoning, the aim of this study was to replicate the factor structure and investigate the measurement invariance of the latest version of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire, a widely used health program evaluation measure. An archived dataset of responses to the most recent version of the English-language Health Education Impact Questionnaire that uses four rather than six response options (N = 3221) was analysed using exploratory structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis appropriate for ordered categorical data. Metric and scalar invariance were studied following recent recommendations in the literature to apply fully invariant unconditional models with minimum constraints necessary for model identification. The original eight-factor structure was replicated and all but one of the scales (Self Monitoring and Insight) was found to consist of unifactorial items with reliability of ⩾0.8 and satisfactory discriminant validity. Configural, metric and scalar invariance were established across pre-test to post-test and population sub-groups (sex, age, education, ethnic background). The results support the high level of interest in the Health Education Impact Questionnaire, particularly for use as a pre-test/post-test measure in experimental studies, other pre-post evaluation designs and system-level monitoring and evaluation.

Dynamics behind the scale up of evidence-based obesity prevention: protocol for a multi-site case study of an electronic implementation monitoring system in health promotion practice.

PubMed

Conte, Kathleen P; Groen, Sisse; Loblay, Victoria; Green, Amanda; Milat, Andrew; Persson, Lina; Innes-Hughes, Christine; Mitchell, Jo; Thackway, Sarah; Williams, Mandy; Hawe, Penelope

2017-12-06

The effectiveness of many interventions to promote health and prevent disease has been well established. The imperative has therefore shifted from amassing evidence about efficacy to scale-up to maximise population-level health gains. Electronic implementation monitoring, or 'e-monitoring', systems have been designed to assist and track the delivery of preventive policies and programs. However, there is little evidence on whether e-monitoring systems improve the dissemination, adoption, and ongoing delivery of evidence-based preventive programs. Also, given considerable difficulties with e-monitoring systems in the clinical sector, scholars have called for a more sophisticated re-examination of e-monitoring's role in enhancing implementation. In the state of New South Wales (NSW), Australia, the Population Health Information Management System (PHIMS) was created to support the dissemination of obesity prevention programs to 6000 childcare centres and elementary schools across all 15 local health districts. We have established a three-way university-policymaker-practice research partnership to investigate the impact of PHIMS on practice, how PHIMS is used, and how achievement of key performance indicators of program adoption may be associated with local contextual factors. Our methods encompass ethnographic observation, key informant interviews and participatory workshops for data interpretation at a state and local level. We use an on-line social network analysis of the collaborative relationships across local health district health promotion teams to explore the relationship between PHIMS use and the organisational structure of practice. Insights will be sensitised by institutional theory, practice theory and complex adaptive system thinking, among other theories which make sense of socio-technical action. Our working hypothesis is that the science of getting evidence-based programs into practice rests on an in-depth understanding of the role they play in the on-going system of local relationships and multiple accountabilities. Data will be synthesised to produce a typology to characterise local context, PHIMS use and key performance indicator achievement (of program implementation) across the 15 local health districts. Results could be used to continuously align e-monitoring technologies within quality improvement processes to ensure that such technologies enhance practice and innovation. A partnership approach to knowledge production increases the likelihood that findings will be put into practice.

POST-DREISSENID INCREASES IN TRANSPARENCY DURING SUMMER STRATIFICATION IN THE OFFSHORE WATERS OF LAKE ONTARIO: IS A REDUCTION IN WHITING EVENTS THE CAUSE?

EPA Science Inventory

This recent publication uses data from EPA's long-term Great Lakes monitoring programs and data from Environment Canada to investigate Dreissenid impacts on calcium concentrations and summer water clarity in Lake Ontario. Since the dreissenid invasion of the lower Great Lakes, c...

SCIENCE FOR INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT: A MULTI-SCALE EXPERIMENTAL CASE STUDY LINKING LAND USE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND WATER QUALITY IN SOUTHERN OHIO

EPA Science Inventory

Although it is routine for watershed management programs to coincide the monitoring of land use impacts and water quality at different spatial scales, rarely are the data collected in a manner to elucidate the linkages among ecological systems across a drainage network. There rem...

The Impact of the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Program on Student Reading Achievement. Final Report. NCEE 2013-4000

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cordray, David; Pion, Georgine; Brandt, Chris; Molefe, Ayrin; Toby, Megan

2012-01-01

During the past decade, the use of standardized benchmark measures to differentiate and individualize instruction for students received renewed attention from educators. Although teachers may use their own assessments (tests, quizzes, homework, problem sets) for monitoring learning, it is challenging for them to equate performance on classroom…

Using ClassDojo to Help with Classroom Management during Guided Reading

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chiarelli, MaryAnne; Szabo, Susan; Williams, Susan

2015-01-01

This study examined the use of a free behavioral management software program to see if it was successful to help first grade students recognize and self-monitor their behaviors while working in centers during teacher directed guided reading time. The study found that ClassDojo had a positive impact on these first grade students' behaviors and…

Chesapeake Bay Program Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee Workshop: Monitoring and Assessing Impacts of Changes in Weather Patterns and Extreme Events. "U.S. EPA National Stormwater Calculator"

EPA Science Inventory

Stormwater discharges continue to cause impairment of our Nation’s waterbodies. In order to reduce impairment, EPA has developed the National Stormwater Calculator (SWC) to help support local, state, and national stormwater management objectives and regulatory efforts to re...

2016 Results for Avian Monitoring at the TA-36 Minie Site, TA-39 Point 6, and TA-16 Burn Ground at Los Alamos National Laboratory

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

Hathcock, Charles Dean; Thompson, Brent E.; Berryhill, Jesse Tobias

Los Alamos National Security, LLC (LANS) biologists in the Environmental Compliance and Protection Division at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) initiated a multi-year program in 2013 to monitor avifauna at two open detonation sites and one open burn site on LANL property. Monitoring results from these efforts are compared among years and with avifauna monitoring conducted at other areas across LANL. The objectives of this study are to determine whether LANL firing site operations impact bird abundance or diversity. LANS biologists completed the fourth year of this effort in 2016. The overall results from 2016 continue to indicate that operationsmore » are not negatively affecting bird populations. Data suggest that community structure may be changing at some sites and this trend will continue to be monitored.« less

Monitoring Biological Activity at Geothermal Power Plants

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

Peter Pryfogle

2005-09-01

The economic impact of microbial growth in geothermal power plants has been estimated to be as high as $500,000 annually for a 100 MWe plant. Many methods are available to monitor biological activity at these facilities; however, very few plants have any on-line monitoring program in place. Metal coupon, selective culturing (MPN), total organic carbon (TOC), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), respirometry, phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA), and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) characterizations have been conducted using water samples collected from geothermal plants located in California and Utah. In addition, the on-line performance of a commercial electrochemical monitor, the BIoGEORGE?, has beenmore » evaluated during extended deployments at geothermal facilities. This report provides a review of these techniques, presents data on their application from laboratory and field studies, and discusses their value in characterizing and monitoring biological activities at geothermal power plants.« less

A Space-Time Network-Based Modeling Framework for Dynamic Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Routing in Traffic Incident Monitoring Applications

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jisheng; Jia, Limin; Niu, Shuyun; Zhang, Fan; Tong, Lu; Zhou, Xuesong

2015-01-01

It is essential for transportation management centers to equip and manage a network of fixed and mobile sensors in order to quickly detect traffic incidents and further monitor the related impact areas, especially for high-impact accidents with dramatic traffic congestion propagation. As emerging small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) start to have a more flexible regulation environment, it is critically important to fully explore the potential for of using UAVs for monitoring recurring and non-recurring traffic conditions and special events on transportation networks. This paper presents a space-time network- based modeling framework for integrated fixed and mobile sensor networks, in order to provide a rapid and systematic road traffic monitoring mechanism. By constructing a discretized space-time network to characterize not only the speed for UAVs but also the time-sensitive impact areas of traffic congestion, we formulate the problem as a linear integer programming model to minimize the detection delay cost and operational cost, subject to feasible flying route constraints. A Lagrangian relaxation solution framework is developed to decompose the original complex problem into a series of computationally efficient time-dependent and least cost path finding sub-problems. Several examples are used to demonstrate the results of proposed models in UAVs’ route planning for small and medium-scale networks. PMID:26076404

Historic Shipwrecks as Ecosystem Monitoring Platforms in the Wake of Deepwater Horizon? Results of the Gulf of Mexico Shipwreck Corrosion, Hydrocarbon Exposure, Microbiology, and Archaeology (GOM-SCHEMA) Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damour, M.; Hamdan, L. J.; Salerno, J. L.; McGown, C.; Blackwell, C. A.; Church, R.; Warren, D.; Horrell, C.; Jordan, B.; Moore, J.

2016-02-01

Historic shipwrecks and other archaeological sites are protected by a well-established body of historic preservation laws intended to preserve these sensitive, non-renewable resources. While the cultural, historical, and archaeological value of historic shipwrecks is unequivocal, their function and value as ecosystem monitoring platforms following a major environmental disaster is becoming apparent. Shipwrecks have been found in previous studies to serve as artificial reefs and hotspots of biodiversity, essentially providing the basis for an intact ecosystem. This is especially true in the deepwater marine environment where natural hard-bottom is sparse. Micro- and macro-infaunal diversity on shipwrecks and their sensitivity to environmental change demonstrates the suitability of these platforms for monitoring ecosystem impact and recovery. After the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and partners initiated a multidisciplinary study to examine spill effects on shipwrecks and their associated microbial communities. To assess these impacts and to perform comparative analyses, the team collected microbiological, geochemical, and archaeological data at wooden- and metal-hulled shipwrecks within and outside of the subsurface spill-impacted area. Microbial community biodiversity informs us of micro-scale changes while 3D laser and sonar data reveal macro-scale changes. A multidisciplinary approach informs us of the roles microorganisms have in shipwreck degradation and corrosion as well as their response to ecosystem impacts. Results of the study identified multiple lines of evidence that sites were impacted by exposure to spill-related contaminants. Future multidisciplinary studies at these sites, as part of a long-term monitoring program, should inform on ecosystem recovery.

Impact of legislation and a prescription monitoring program on the prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescriptions for monitored drugs in Ontario: a time series analysis.

PubMed

Gomes, Tara; Juurlink, David; Yao, Zhan; Camacho, Ximena; Paterson, J Michael; Singh, Samantha; Dhalla, Irfan; Sproule, Beth; Mamdani, Muhammad

2014-10-01

The increased use of opioid analgesics, sedative hypnotics and stimulants, coupled with the associated risks of overdose have raised concerns around the inappropriate prescribing of these monitored drugs. We assessed the impact of new legislation, the Narcotics Safety and Awareness Act, and a centralized Narcotics Monitoring System (implemented November 2011 and May 2012, respectively), on the dispensing of prescriptions suggestive of misuse. We conducted a time series analysis of publicly funded prescriptions for opioids, benzodiazepines and stimulants dispensed monthly in Ontario from January 2007 to May 2013, based on information in the Ontario Public Drug Benefit Database. In the primary analysis, a prescription was deemed potentially inappropriate if it was dispensed within 7 days of an earlier prescription and was for at least 30 tablets of a drug in the same class as the earlier prescription, but originated from a different physician and a different pharmacy. After enactment of the new legislation, the prevalence of potentially inappropriate opioid prescriptions decreased by 12.5% in 6 months (from 1.6% in October 2011 to 1.4% in April 2012; p = 0.01). No further significant change was observed after the introduction of the narcotic monitoring system (p = 0.8). By May 2013, the prevalence had dropped to 1.0%. Inappropriate benzodiazepine prescribing was significantly influenced by both the legislation (p < 0.001) and the monitoring system (p = 0.05), which together reduced potentially inappropriate prescribing by 50.0% between October 2011 and May 2013 (from 0.4% to 0.2%). The prevalence of potentially inappropriate prescribing of stimulants was significantly influenced by the introduction of the monitoring system in May 2012, falling from 0.7% in April 2012 to 0.3% in May 2013 (p = 0.02). For a select group of drugs prone to misuse and diversion, legislation and a prescription monitoring program reduced the prevalence of prescriptions suggestive of misuse. This suggests that regulatory interventions can promote appropriate prescribing which could potentially be applied to other jurisdictions and drugs of concern.

Sustainable urban stormwater management in the tropics: An evaluation of Singapore's ABC Waters Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, H. S.; Lu, X. X.

2016-07-01

The Active Beautiful Clean (ABC) Waters Program was implemented in 2006 as part of Singapore's stormwater management strategy and reflects the country's move towards Water Sensitive Urbanism through the adoption of Low-Impact Development (LID) ideology and practices. It is the first holistic and comprehensive LID program in the tropics and holds promise for extension to other tropical cities. This paper presents a comprehensive summary of the goals, LID practices (ABC design features) and design considerations as well as results of several monitored sites, including a constructed wetland, two rain gardens, green roofs and three canal restoration projects. We evaluate the ABC Waters Program based on these initial results and consider the challenges, issues and the research needs for it to meet its hydrological and water quality remediation goals. So far, the ABC design features evaluated perform well in removing particulates. Performance in nutrient removal is poor. With over 60 projects completed within 10 years, post-project monitoring and evaluation is necessary and complements on-going laboratory and modelling research projects conducted by local academic institutions.

Multiple educational programs improves glycemic control, quality of life with diminishing the impact of diabetes in poorly controlled type 1 diabetics.

PubMed

Vyas, Chintan; Dalal, Lopa; Talaviya, Praful; Saboo, Banshi

2017-12-01

The aim of present study was to assess the outcomes of multiple educational programs on glycemic control, quality of life and impact of diabetes in poorly controlled Type 1 Diabetic patients. A 12 months diabetes education programs were conducted every week for first one month then followed by every 3 months with follow up on improvement of HbA1c and QOL in T1D patients (n=54). Clinical characteristics were recorded at baseline visit. The QOL was evaluated by 15 set DQOL questionnaires in 40 consecutive patients at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months after education programs. The HbA1c level (%) was evaluated at same time point. Decrease in DQOL score was reported as improvement in QOL. The rate of patients response to educational programs was noted 74.07% (n=40) at end of the study (12 months). The prevalence of T1D was reported higher in men than in women. The overall DQOL score and HbA1c% level was significantly (P<0.05) decreased at 3, 6 and 12 months after educational programs. Patients exhibited greater satisfaction and diminished impact of diabetes after educational programs was observed after 3 months and it was continue up to end of study. The frequencies of self-monitoring of blood glucose were increased. Numbers of hypoglycemic and DKA events were decreased after educational programs when compared to baseline. Results of study revealed that the appropriate education and counseling diminish impact of diabetes, improve QOL and help to achieve desired glycemic (HbA1c) level in poorly control T1D patients. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Microbiological Monitoring for the Constellation Program: Current Requirements and Future Considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ott, C. Mark

2007-01-01

Microbiological requirements for spaceflight are based on assessments of infectious disease risk which could impact crew health or mission success. The determination of risk from infectious disease is composed of several factors including (1) crew susceptibility, (2) crew exposure to the infectious disease agent, (3) the concentration of the infectious agent, and (4) the characteristics of the infectious agent. As a result of the Health Stabilization Program, stringent monitoring, and cleaning protocols, in-flight environmental microbial monitoring is not necessary for short-duration spaceflights. However, risk factors change for long-duration missions, as exemplified by the presence of medically significant organisms in the environments of both the Mir and International Space Station (ISS). Based upon this historical evidence, requirements for short duration usage aboard the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle and Lunar Lander Vehicle will not require in-flight monitoring; however, as mission duration increases with a Lunar Outpost, an ability to detect microbial hazard will be necessary. The nature of the detection requirements will depend on the maturity of technology in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Regardless, the hardware will still need to maximize information to discipline experts and the crew, while minimizing the size, mass, power consumption, and crew time usage. The refinement of these monitors will be a major goal in our efforts to travel successfully to Mars.

The impact of landsat satellite monitoring on conservation biology.

PubMed

Leimgruber, Peter; Christen, Catherine A; Laborderie, Alison

2005-07-01

Landsat 7's recent malfunctioning will result in significant gaps in long-term satellite monitoring of Earth, affecting not only the research of the Earth science community but also conservation users of these data. To determine whether or how important Landsat monitoring is for conservation and natural resource management, we reviewed the Landsat program's history with special emphasis on the development of user groups. We also conducted a bibliographic search to determine the extent to which conservation research has been based on Landsat data. Conservation biologists were not an early user group of Landsat data because a) biologists lacked technical capacity--computers and software--to analyze these data; b) Landsat's 1980s commercialization rendered images too costly for biologists' budgets; and c) the broad-scale disciplines of conservation biology and landscape ecology did not develop until the mid-to-late 1980s. All these conditions had changed by the 1990s and Landsat imagery became an important tool for conservation biology. Satellite monitoring and Landsat continuity are mandated by the Land Remote Sensing Act of 1992. This legislation leaves open commercial options. However, past experiments with commercial operations were neither viable nor economical, and severely reduced the quality of monitoring, archiving and data access for academia and the public. Future satellite monitoring programs are essential for conservation and natural resource management, must provide continuity with Landsat, and should be government operated.

SLICEIT and TAHMO Partnerships: Students Local and International Collaboration for Climate and Environmental Monitoring, Technology Development, Education, Adaptation and Mitigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aishlin, P. S.; Selker, J. S.

2015-12-01

Climate change understanding and impacts vary by community, yet the global nature of climate change requires international collaboration to address education, monitoring, adaptation and mitigation needs. We propose that effective climate change monitoring and education can be accomplished via student-led local and international community partnerships. By empowering students as community leaders in climate-environmental monitoring and education, as well as exploration of adaptation/mitigation needs, well-informed communities and young leadership are developed to support climate change science moving forward. Piloted 2013-2015, the SLICEIT1 program partnered with TAHMO2 to connect student leaders in North America, Europe and Africa. At the international level, schools in the U.S.A and Netherlands were partnered with schools in Ghana, Kenya, and Uganda for science and cultural exchange. Each school was equipped with a climate or other environmental sensing system, real-time data publication and curricula for both formal and informal science, technology, engineering and math education and skill development. African counterparts in TAHMO's School-2-School program collect critically important data for enhanced on-the-ground monitoring of weather conditions in data-scarce regions of Africa. In Idaho, student designed, constructed and installed weather stations provide real time data for classroom and community use. Student-designed formal educational activities are disseminated to project partners, increasing hands-on technology education and peer-based learning. At the local level, schools are partnered with a local agency, research institute, nonprofit organization, industry and/or community partner that supplies a climate science expert mentor to SLICEIT program leaders and teachers. Mentor engagement is facilitated and secured by program components that directly benefit the mentor's organization and local community via climate/environment monitoring, student workforce skill development, community education, and/or adaptation/mitigation activities. Students are motivated by advanced real-world skill development, leadership opportunity, internship, community service and opportunity for international peer communication.

Pathogen Screening of Naturally Produced Yakima River Spring Chinook Smolts; Yakima/Klickitat Fisheries Project Monitoring and Evaluation Report 6 of 7, 2003-2004 Annual Report.

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

Thomas, Joan B.

2004-05-01

In 1999 the Cle Elum Hatchery began releasing spring chinook salmon smolts into the upper Yakima River to increase natural production. Part of the evaluation of this program is to monitor whether introduction of hatchery produced smolts would impact the prevalence of specific pathogens in the naturally produced spring chinook smolts. Increases in prevalence of any of these pathogens could negatively impact the survival of these fish. In 1998 and 2000 through 2003 naturally produced smolts were collected for monitoring at the Chandler smolt collection facility on the lower Yakima River. Smolts were collected from mid to late outmigration, withmore » a target of 200 fish each year. The pathogens monitored were infectious hematopoeitic necrosis virus, infectious pancreatic necrosis virus, viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus, Flavobacterium psychrophilum, Flavobacterium columnare, Aeromonas salmonicida, Yersinia ruckeri, Edwardsiella ictaluri, Renibacterium salmoninarum and Myxobolus cerebralis. To date, only the bacterial pathogens have been detected and prevalences have been low. Prevalences have varied each year and these changes are attributed to normal fluctuation of prevalence. All of the pathogens detected are widely distributed in Washington State.« less

Incorporating physical activity measures into environmental monitoring of national parks: an example from Yosemite.

PubMed

Walden-Schreiner, Chelsey; Leung, Yu-Fai; Floyd, Myron F

2014-09-01

To address increasing prevalence of obesity and associated chronic disease, recent national initiatives have called upon federal agencies to promote healthy lifestyles and provide opportunities for physical activity. In response, the U.S. National Park Service has developed strategies promoting health through physical activity in addition to its well-established biodiversity and landscape conservation mission. Incorporating physical activity measures with routine environmental monitoring would help identify areas where parks can promote active pursuits with minimal environmental impact. This study provides one example of how protocols developed for visitor and environmental monitoring can generate data to evaluate physical activity. Researchers implemented an observational study in high-use meadows of Yosemite National Park during the summer of 2011. Variables measured include the spatial location of visitors and activity type. Metabolic equivalents (METs) were assigned to activity categories and analyzed for average energy expenditure. Mean METs values indicated sedentary to light physical activity across the meadows, with greater means in areas with boardwalks or paved pathways. Data leveraged in this study provide park managers an example of adapting existing monitoring programs to incorporate indicators relevant to physical activity evaluation and how physical activity may impact resource conditions in national parks.

Revisiting the concept of growth monitoring and its possible role in community-based nutrition programs.

PubMed

Mangasaryan, Nuné; Arabi, Mandana; Schultink, Werner

2011-03-01

Community-based growth monitoring (GM) and growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) have been implemented worldwide. The literature provides controversial messages regarding their effectiveness. Numerous countries have GM as their main community-based activity and need guidance for future programming. The notion of GM is usually clear, but the follow-up actions include a range of activities and interventions, all under the heading of "promotion." We suggested definitions, objectives, and outcomes of the GM and GMP. By providing some clarity on these conceptual issues we attempted to provide a basis for consensus building and development of recommendations on when this activity should be promoted or discouraged. We reviewed basic concepts and global experience of GM and GMP using publications about GM and GMP, UNICEF country reports and other publications, field observations, and reports of recent expert consultations. Realistic added benefits are suggested as compared with general counseling that could also be delivered outside the GM session. We provide a narrow definition of "promotion" in GMP, in which actions are tailored to the results of monitoring, as well as suggest quality implementation criteria. GM, even if complemented by a promotional package, can have only a limited impact if it is not part of a comprehensive program. GMP cannot be viewed as a competitor to highly effective interventions, but may serve as a possible platform for their delivery. The decision to build community-based programs on a GMP platform should be based on consideration of benefits, feasibility of quality implementation, and capacity of human resources.

Cost-benefit and cost-savings analyses of antiarrhythmic medication monitoring.

PubMed

Snider, Melissa; Carnes, Cynthia; Grover, Janel; Davis, Rich; Kalbfleisch, Steven

2012-09-15

The economic impact of pharmacist-managed antiarrhythmic drug therapy monitoring on an academic medical center's electrophysiology (EP) program was investigated. Data were collected for the initial two years of patient visits (n = 816) to a pharmacist-run clinic for antiarrhythmic drug therapy monitoring. A retrospective cost analysis was conducted to assess the direct costs associated with three appointment models: (1) a clinic office visit only, (2) a clinic visit involving electrocardiography and basic laboratory tests, and (3) a clinic visit including pulmonary function testing and chest x-rays in addition to electrocardiography and laboratory testing. A subset of patient cases (n = 18) were included in a crossover analysis comparing pharmacist clinic care and usual care in an EP physician clinic. The primary endpoints were the cost benefits and cost savings associated with pharmacy-clinic care versus usual care. A secondary endpoint was improvement of overall EP program efficiency. The payer mix was 61.6% (n = 498) Medicare, 33.2% (n = 268) managed care, and 5.2% (n = 42) other. Positive contribution margins were demonstrated for all appointment models. The pharmacist-managed clinic also yielded cost savings by reducing overall patient care charges by 21% relative to usual care. By the second year, the pharmacy clinic improved EP program efficiency by scheduling an average of 24 patients per week, in effect freeing up one day per week of EP physician time to spend on other clinical activities. Pharmacist monitoring of antiarrhythmic drug therapy in an out-patient clinic provided cost benefits, cost savings, and improved overall EP program efficiency.

Is polychaete family-level sufficient to assess impact on tropical estuarine gradients?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nóbrega-Silva, Climélia; Patrício, Joana; Marques, João Carlos; Olímpio, Monalisa dos Santos; Farias, Jéssica Natyelle Barros; Molozzi, Joseline

2016-11-01

Regular, robust monitoring programs set up to assess the environmental conditions of aquatic systems often target different biological groups. And, of these, macroinvertebrate communities and particularly the class Polychaeta are frequently used. Identifying these organisms takes time, money and specialized expertise to ensure correct identification to the lowest possible taxonomic level. Identification errors can lead to an erroneous assessment. The concept of taxonomic sufficiency has been proposed both to minimize errors and to save time and money. This study tested the usefulness of this concept in tropical estuaries in northeast Brazil. We selected two transitional systems with different degrees of human impact due to different land uses and different conservation systems: the Mamanguape estuary, which is in an environmental conservation unit for sustainable use, and the highly impacted, urban Paraíba do Norte estuary. The results clearly showed that nutrient concentrations were markedly higher in the Paraíba do Norte estuary in the dry season and that the composition of the polychaete assemblages differed between the two estuaries as well as along the spatial gradient of each estuary. The use of either genus or family level led to equivalent representation in each system in terms of taxon richness and both the Margalef and Shannon-Wiener diversity indices. Both taxonomic levels described similar changes in the polychaete assemblage along the estuarine gradients. Based on our findings, the use of a coarser taxonomic level (i.e., family) is a good option when the aim is to implement a monitoring program in tropical estuaries with the polychaete assemblages as one of the target groups. This time-efficient taxonomic resolution can help improve sampling designs and allow long-term monitoring studies without losing much vital information.

Thirty Years of Participatory Watershed Research: Engaging Citizen Scientists Through the NH Lakes Lay Monitoring Program (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schloss, J. A.

2009-12-01

While it began as a citizen water quality monitoring program to document long-term trends and find problem areas impacting lake watersheds the New Hampshire Lakes Lay Monitoring Program soon evolved into a model effort for engaging the participants to help investigate a wide range of scientific questions primarily derived through their concerns. As a true participatory effort, community members were involved in the design as well as the implementation of the research and also in the interpretation of the results. The research outcomes have provided benefits to both the local and scientific communities. In many cases productive partnerships between the research community and participants were initiated that continue to last to this day. In addition, participants have been empowered through their experience and have become local experts and community leaders. Collaborative research projects to date have explored fish condition, recreational impacts, nutrient loadings from watershed land use, morphometric determinants of lake productivity, ground truth for remote sensing of water quality, biological controls for invasive aquatic plants, in-lake resource co-occurrences, and cyanobacteria bloom toxin ecology. Participants were also instrumental in confirming a more accurate method for water clarity measurement. Results have not only provided the community with the information they require for the informed local stewardship of their resources but also have been useful to state agencies and decision-makers. Our success can be attributed to the development of quality assured methods acceptable to regional and state agencies, the cost efficiencies of using volunteer scientists, support from the University and Cooperative Extension, capturing the "local expertise" of our participants, providing timely feedback and support, and making sure the study results are reported back to the local community through the participants involved.

Improving BP control through electronic communications: an economic evaluation.

PubMed

Fishman, Paul A; Cook, Andrea J; Anderson, Melissa L; Ralston, James D; Catz, Sheryl L; Carrell, David; Carlson, James; Green, Beverly B

2013-09-01

Web-based collaborative approaches to managing chronic illness show promise for both improving health outcomes and increasing the efficiency of the healthcare system. Analyze the cost-effectiveness of the Electronic Communications and Home Blood Pressure Monitoring to Improve Blood Pressure Control (e-BP) study, a randomized controlled trial that used a patient-shared electronic medical record, home blood pressure (BP) monitoring, and web-based pharmacist care to improve BP control (<140/90 mm Hg). Incremental cost-effectiveness analysis conducted from a health plan perspective. Cost-effectiveness of home BP monitoring and web-based pharmacist care estimated for percent change in patients with controlled BP and cost per mm Hg in diastolic and systolic BP relative to usual care and home BP monitoring alone. A 1% improvement in number of patients with controlled BP using home BP monitoring and web-based pharmacist care-the e-BP program-costs $16.65 (95% confidence interval: 15.37- 17.94) relative to home BP monitoring and web training alone. Each mm HG reduction in systolic and diastolic BP achieved through the e-BP program costs $65.29 (59.91-70.67) relativeto home BP monitoring and web tools only. Life expectancy was increased at an incremental cost of $1850 (1635-2064) and $2220 (1745-2694) per year of life saved for men and women, respectively. Web-based collaborative care can be used to achieve BP control at a relatively low cost. Future research should examine the cost impact of potential long-term clinical improvements.

ERTS program of the US Army Corps of Engineers. [water resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jarman, J. W.

1974-01-01

The Army Corps of Engineers research and development efforts associated with the ERTS Program are confined to applications of investigation, design, construction, operation, and maintenance of water resource projects. Problems investigated covered: (1) resource inventory; (2) environmental impact; (3) pollution monitoring; (4) water circulation; (5) sediment transport; (6) data collection systems; (7) engineering; and (8) model verification. These problem areas were investigated in relation to bays, reservoirs, lakes, rivers, coasts, and regions. ERTS-1 imagery has been extremely valuable in developing techniques and is now being used in everyday applications.

Long-term monitoring for conservation management: Lessons from a case study integrating remote sensing and field approaches in floodplain forests.

PubMed

Rodríguez-González, Patricia María; Albuquerque, António; Martínez-Almarza, Miguel; Díaz-Delgado, Ricardo

2017-11-01

Implementing long-term monitoring programs that effectively inform conservation plans is a top priority in environmental management. In floodplain forests, historical pressures interplay with the complex multiscale dynamics of fluvial systems and require integrative approaches to pinpoint drivers for their deterioration and ecosystem services loss. Combining a conceptual framework such as the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) with the development of valid biological indicators can contribute to the analysis of the driving forces and their effects on the ecosystem in order to formulate coordinated conservation measures. In the present study, we evaluate the initial results of a decade (2004-2014) of floodplain forest monitoring. We adopted the DPSIR framework to summarize the main drivers in land use and environmental change, analyzed the effects on biological indicators of foundation trees and compared the consistency of the main drivers and their effects at two spatial scales. The monitoring program was conducted in one of the largest and best preserved floodplain forests in SW Europe located within Doñana National Park (Spain) which is dominated by Salix atrocinerea and Fraxinus angustifolia. The program combined field (in situ) surveys on a network of permanent plots with several remote sensing sources. The accuracy obtained in spectral classifications allowed shifts in species cover across the whole forest to be detected and assessed. However, remote sensing did not reflect the ecological status of forest populations. The field survey revealed a general decline in Salix populations, especially in the first five years of sampling -a factor probably associated with a lag effect from past human impact on the hydrology of the catchment and recent extreme climatic episodes (drought). In spite of much reduced seed regeneration, a resprouting strategy allows long-lived Salix individuals to persist in complex spatial dynamics. This suggests the beginning of a recovery resulting from recent coordinated societal responses to control excessive water extraction in the catchment, highlighting the need for continuing long-term monitoring. The DPSIR framework proved useful as a conceptual tool in analyzing the entire environmental system, while both field and remote sensing approaches complemented each other in quantifying indicator trends, improving the monitoring design and informing conservation plans. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hemodynamic-guided heart-failure management using a wireless implantable sensor: Infrastructure, methods, and results in a community heart failure disease-management program.

PubMed

Jermyn, Rita; Alam, Amit; Kvasic, Jessica; Saeed, Omar; Jorde, Ulrich

2017-03-01

The real-world impact of remote pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) monitoring on New York Heart Association (NYHA) class improvement and heart failure (HF) hospitalization rate is presented here from a single center. METHODS: Seventy-seven previously hospitalized outpatients with NYHA class III HF were offered PAP monitoring via device implantation in a multidisciplinary HF-management program. Prospective effectiveness analyses compared outcomes in 34 hemodynamically monitored patients to a group of similar patients (n = 32) who did not undergo device implantation but received usual care. NYHA class and 6-minute walk testing were assessed at baseline and 90 days. All hospitalizations were collected after 6 months of the implantation date (average follow-up, 15 months) and compared with the number of hospitalizations experienced prior to hemodynamic monitoring. Patients in both groups had similar distributions of age, sex, and ejection fraction. After 90 days, 61.8% of the monitored patients had NYHA class improvement of ≥1, compared with 12.5% in the controls (P < 0.001). Distance walked in 6 minutes increased by 54.5 meters in the monitored group (253.0 ± 25.6 meters to 307.4 ± 26.3 meters; P < 0.005), whereas no change was seen in the usual-care group. After implantation, 19.4% of the monitored group had ≥1 HF hospitalization, compared with 100% who had been hospitalized in the year prior to implantation. The monitored group had a significantly lower HF hospitalization rate (0.16; 95% confidence interval: 0.06-0.35 hospitalizations/patient-year) compared with the year prior (1.0 hospitalizations/patient-year; P < 0.001). Hemodynamic-guided HF management leads to significant improvements in NYHA class and HF hospitalization rate in a real-world setting compared with usual care delivered in a comprehensive disease-management program. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ambient & Vessel Noise Measurement and Marine Mammal Monitoring in the Stait of Georgia, British-Columbia, Canada.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moloney, J. E.; Hannay, D.; Mouy, X.; Mouy, P. A.; Urazghildiiev, I.; Dakin, T.

2016-02-01

Recently JASCO Applied Sciences (Canada) Ltd (JASCO), Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) and the Port of Metro Vancouver (PMV) have collaborated in the installation of a novel, real-time ocean observing (listening) system (PMV-ECHO system deployed in the Strait of Georgia, BC. This system was designed specifically to measure ambient noise, vessel source levels, and to detect, classify, localize and track marine mammals using their vocalization in order to estimate population density. The listening station deployment and monitoring activities are part of the Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) Program. The program aims to better understand and manage the impact of shipping activities on at-risk whales throughout the southern coast of British Columbia. The PMV-ECHO system is composed of two unique spatial arrays of four hydrophones and one active projector each. Both arrays are used to measure and monitor the environment and calibrate the hydrophones over time. Further, a new shored-based data processing and visualization system (JMesh) is used automatically process the data and to enable operators to easily provide measurement information, navigate through large time series of detections, examine spectrograms, listen to detected sounds, validate detections, and compare detections for different species over time and space. The JMesh web platform has been designed to overcome the otherwise overwhelming volume of acoustic data collected by the PMV-ECHO sensor systems. This paper will describe how the PMV-ECHO system along with the automated real-time analysis and visualization software suite can be used study marine mammal distribution and behavior, variation of vessel noises and potential effects of anthropogenic activities on marine mammals. The goal of the PMV-ECHO program is to find ways to reduce shipping impact on at-risk species especially in the approaches to large ports. This program and its scientific and technical approaches should be of interest to many marine organizations, industries, researchers and enforcement agencies.

Randomized clinical trial to change parental practices for drug use in a telehealth prevention program: a pilot study.

PubMed

Valente, Juliana Y; Moreira, Tais Campos; Ferigolo, Maristela; Barros, Helena M T

2018-03-21

Programs for parents have been found to have a direct positive impact on reducing the consumption of psychoactive substances by adolescents, as well as having an indirect impact on reducing risk factors and increasing protective factors. The present study aimed to verify if a telehealth prevention program based on a brief motivational intervention helps to reduce parental risk practices and increase parental protective practices for drug use in comparison with psychoeducation. A pilot randomized controlled trial was performed at the National Service of Guidance and Information on Drug Use (Ligue 132), from September 2014 to December 2015, with the parents of adolescents (n=26). The outcome measures were parental style, risk, and protective parental practices. The brief motivational intervention was found to be more effective than psychoeducation in reducing the negligent behavior of parents. Furthermore, when comparing pre- and post-intervention data, the brief motivational intervention helped to change parental style and the large majority of parental practices: increasing positive monitoring, as well as decreasing physical abuse, relaxed discipline, inconsistent punishment, and negative monitoring. These results demonstrate that the telehealth intervention is effective in modifying the parental practices known to help in preventing drug use. Studies with more number of subjects are required so that the results can be substantiated and generalized. Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Environmental Report 2009

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

Gallegos, Gretchen M.; Bertoldo, Nicholas A.; Campbell, Christopher G.

The purposes of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2009 are to record Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL’s) compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL’s environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring at the two LLNL sites—the Livermore site and Site 300. The report is prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by LLNL’s Environmental Protection Department. Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1A, Environmental Safety and Health Reporting, and DOE Order 5400.5, Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment. The report is distributed electronically and is available atmore » https://saer.lln.gov/, the website for the LLNL annual environmental report. Previous LLNL annual environmental reports beginning in 1994 are also on the website. Some references in the electronic report text are underlined, which indicates that they are clickable links. Clicking on one of these links will open the related document, data workbook, or website that it refers to. The report begins with an executive summary, which provides the purpose of the report and an overview of LLNL’s compliance and monitoring results. The first three chapters provide background information: Chapter 1 is an overview of the location, meteorology, and hydrogeology of the two LLNL sites; Chapter 2 is a summary of LLNL’s compliance with environmental regulations; and Chapter 3 is a description of LLNL’s environmental programs with an emphasis on the Environmental Management System including pollution prevention. The majority of the report covers LLNL’s environmental monitoring programs and monitoring data for 2009: effluent and ambient air (Chapter 4); waters, including wastewater, storm water runoff, surface water, rain, and groundwater (Chapter 5); and terrestrial, including soil, sediment, vegetation, foodstuff, ambient radiation, and special status wildlife and plants (Chapter 6). Complete monitoring data, which are summarized in the body of the report, are provided in Appendix A. The remaining three chapters discuss the radiological impact on the public from LLNL operations (Chapter 7), LLNL’s groundwater remediation program (Chapter 8), and quality assurance for the environmental monitoring programs (Chapter 9).« less

Psychosocial Correlates of Clinicians' Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Utilization.

PubMed

Pugliese, John A; Wintemute, Garen J; Henry, Stephen G

2018-05-01

The purpose of this study is to extend prior research on barriers to use of a prescription drug monitoring program by examining psychosocial correlates of intended use among physicians and pharmacists. Overall, 1,904 California physicians and pharmacists responded to a statewide survey (24.1% response rate) from August 2016 to January 2017. Participants completed an online survey examining attitudes toward prescription drug misuse and abuse, prescribing practices, prescription drug monitoring program design and ease of use, professional obligations, and normative beliefs regarding prescription drug monitoring program use. Data were analyzed in 2017. Perceived prescription drug monitoring program usefulness and normative beliefs fully mediated the relationship between concern about prescription drug abuse and intentions to use the prescription drug monitoring program. Clinicians' sense of professional and moral obligation to use the prescription drug monitoring program was unrelated to intention to use the prescription drug monitoring program despite a positive relationship with concern about misuse and abuse. Compared with physicians, pharmacists reported greater concern about prescription drug misuse, greater professional and moral obligation to use prescription drug monitoring program, and greater rating of prescription drug monitoring program usefulness. Interventions that target normative beliefs surrounding prescription drug monitoring program use and how to use prescription drug monitoring programs effectively are likely to be more effective than those that target professional obligations or moralize to the medical community. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Does the scale of our observational window affect our conclusions about correlations between endangered salmon populations and their habitat?

Treesearch

Blake E. Feist; E. Ashley Steel; David W. Jensen; Damon N.D. Sather

2010-01-01

Differences in the strength of species-habitat relationships across scales provide insights into the mechanisms that drive these relationships and guidance for designing in situ monitoring programs, conservation efforts and mechanistic studies. The scale of our observation can also impact the strength of perceived relationships between animals and habitat conditions....

Multistate comparison of attractants and the impact of fruit development stage on trapping Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in raspberry and blueberry

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, is an invasive pest of maturing and ripe soft-skinned fruits in the United States. D. suzukii monitoring is a necessary component of an effective integrated pest management program, but require a lure that is highly attractive and as specific to D. suzuki...

Has the promise of DNA barcoding been achieved? a critical look at the application of eDNA barcoding to biomonitoring

Treesearch

Carolina Penalva-Arana; Erik P. Pilgrim; John Martinson

2016-01-01

Biological monitoring programs aim to assess the health of waters and determine the direct impact anthropogenic activities are having on the ecosystems. There is a need for the development of accurate and reproducible methods that can assess biodiversity rapidly and in a cost-effective manner.

76 FR 20613 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List Spring...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-13

... Forest Service visitor's complex at the site of a former golf course, and construction of a hiking trail. The proposed hiking trail was asserted to traverse the length of the breeding site (Boyd 2009, p. 3... monitoring program is underway to assess the impacts and benefits to butterfly host plants. The information...

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE WINTERTIME BOISE, IDAHO, AIR SHED: A COMPREHENSIVE FIELD STUDY REPORT FOR THE U.S. EPA OFFICE OF AIR QUALITY PLANNING AND STANDARDS

EPA Science Inventory

A large-scale ambient monitoring program vas conducted in Boise, Idaho, during the 1986-1987 winter heating season to evaluate the impact of residential wood combustion (RWC) and automotive emissions on the local air shed. onsecutive 12-h particle, organic, and gaseous samples we...

Developing a monitoring program for bird populations in the Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona, using citizen observers: Initial stages

Treesearch

Joseph L Ganey; Jose M. Iniguez; Jamie S. Sanderlin; William M. Block

2017-01-01

The Madrean Sky Island region is an ecologically important area harboring exceptional biodiversity, including a unique avifauna that supports a thriving ecotourism industry in southeastern Arizona. This area has been impacted by several large wildfires in recent decades. These wildfires have altered vegetation composition and structure in forests and woodlands, and the...

Descriptive statistics of tree crown condition in the Southern United States and impacts on data analysis and interpretation

Treesearch

KaDonna C. Randolph

2006-01-01

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis Program (FIA) utilizes visual assessments of tree crown condition to monitor changes and trends in forest health. This report describes and discusses distributions of three FIA crown condition indicators (crown density, crown dieback, and foliage transparency) for trees in the Southern...

Longitudinal Monitoring of Public Reactions to the U.S

Treesearch

J.D. Absher; A.G. Graefe; R.C. Burns

2008-01-01

Natural resource managers need to better understand the impact of fees on outdoor recreationists. The debate about recreation fees involves both operational issues such as revenue use and social issues such as justice and fairness. The recreation fee program of the US Forest Service is over ten years old and it is now possible to gauge some of the longitudinal effects...

The Press and the Pentagon. Study Guide. Episode #824. America's Defense Monitor, Educational TV for the Classroom.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, B. T.

This program examines the changing relationship between the military and the press. In this episode leading journalists and military public affairs officials debate uses of censorship, access to the battlefield, and the impact of live television on military operations. The study guide offers questions to use before viewing the video, questions to…

The Writing of the Scientific Paper To Help Students Process Water Quality Data.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friday, Gerald

This paper describes how a water monitoring program uses a science research paper to help students apply knowledge learned from the field, the lab, and class discussion. The application consists of examining water quality data of a river and determining what factors had an impact on the river, either biotic or abiotic. Students are asked to…

Improving delivery of a health-promoting-environments program: experiences from Queensland Health.

PubMed

Dwyer, S

1997-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to outline the key components of a statewide multisite health-promoting-environments program. Contemporary health-promotion programs in settings such as schools, workplaces and hospitals use organisational development theory to address the health issues of the setting, including the physical environment, the organisational environment, and the specific health needs of the employees and consumers of the service. Program principles include management of each project by the participant organisation or site (for example, a school or workplace), using resources available within the organisation and the local community, voluntary participation, social justice and participant-based priority setting, and evaluation and monitoring. Adoption of these principles implies a shift in the role of the health worker from implementer to facilitator. Based on the experience of Queensland Health, it is proposed that the essential building blocks of the health-promoting-environments program are an intersectoral policy base, a model for action, training and resources, local facilitators, support from local organisations, a supportive network of sites, marketing of the program, and a state-based evaluation and monitoring system. The program in Queensland was able to develop a significant number of these components over the 1990-1996 period. In regard to evaluation, process measures can be built around the program components; however, further research is required for development of impact indicators and benchmarks on quality.

Modeling potential impacts of the Garrison Diversion Unit project on Sand Lake and Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuges: a feasibility analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hamilton, David B.; Auble, Gregor T.; Farmer, Adrian H.; Roelle, James E.

1987-01-01

The Garrison Diversion Unit (GDU) of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin program was authorized in 1965, with the purpose of diverting Missouri River water to the James River for irrigation, municipal and industrial water supply, fish and wildlife habitat, recreation, and flood control. The project was reauthorized in 1986, with the specification that comprehensive studies be conducted to address a variety of issues. One of these ongoing studies addresses potential impacts of GDU construction and operation on lands of the National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) system, including Arrowwood and Sand Lake Refuges (the Refuges) on the James River. A number of concerns at these Refuges have been identified; the primary concerns addressed in this report include increased winter return flows, which would limit control of rough fish; increased turbidity during project construction, which would decrease production of sago pondweed; and increased water level fluctuations in the late spring and early summer, which would destroy the nests of some over-water nesting birds. The facilitated workshop described in this report was conducted February 18-20, 1987, under the joint sponsorship of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. The primary objectives of the workshop were to evaluate the feasibility of using simulation modeling techniques to estimate GDU impacts on Arrowwood and Sand Lake Refuges and to suggest enhancements to the James River Refuge monitoring program. The workshop was structured around the formulation of four submodels: a Hydrology and Water Quality submodel to simulate changes in Refuge pool elevations, turnover rates, and water quality parameters (e.g., total dissolved solids, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, nutrients, water temperature, pesticides) due to GDU construction and operation; a Vegetation submodel to simulate concomitant changes in wetland communities (e.g., sago pondweed, wet meadows, deep and shallow marsh); a Fish submodel to estimate changes in abundance or biomass of rough fish (carp, buffalo) and sportfish (northern pike); and a Wildlife submodel to calculate indices of waterfowl abundance or habitat suitability (e.g., for mallards, western grebes, migrating diving ducks, white-faced ibis, egrets, over-water nesters). Submodels considered weekly to monthly changes in pools within a Refuge over a time horizon of 30-50 years. Based on workshop discussions and past experience with impact analysis modeling, a phased modeling approach was recommended for the James River Refuges analysis. The first phase would involve two modeling efforts. The existing Sand Lake hydrology model, and a similar one developed for Arrowwood NWR, would be validated and used to predict changes on pool elevations and winter inflows to each pool for a variety of GDU alternatives. Outputs from simulations would then be evaluated in terms of potential fish and wildlife impacts. For example, the models could generate indices comparing the magnitude and timing of winter inflows for pre- and postproject conditions; fisheries biologists could then use these indices to better quantify their concerns relative to potential changes in the frequency of rough-fish control. The other modeling effort in the first phase would involve developing a sago pondweed growth model to integrate Refuge monitoring data and existing literature and perhaps to address some questions concerning turbidity impacts. A second phase of simulation modeling would be undertaken only if the initial analyses of hydrologic outputs indicated significant potential problems and if monitoring and research projects had clarified some of the biological and physical processes that cannot be modeled reliably at the present time (e.g., resuspension of sediments by carp, immigration and winter mortality of fish, loss of waterfowl nests due to wave action). The second phase would attempt to develop an integrated impact assessment model. In order to address some of the biological and physical processes that presently are not well understood, a number of studies and enhancements to the Refuge monitoring program were suggested. The Hydrology and Water Quality workgroup recommended increasing turbidity and dissolved oxygen sampling, dropping expensive analysis of some trace elements, adding more pesticide analysis (including some biological monitoring), and developing better area-capacity data for the Sand Lake hydrology model. The Vegetation workgroup suggested expanding the number of monitoring stations, monitoring photosynthetically active radiation by depth, and modifying the biomass sampling procedure and schedule. Also suggested were additional analyses of existing Refuge monitoring data and additional field studies concerning sago growth under a variety of environmental conditions and effects of rough fish density on sago. A careful examination of Refuge narrative reports was recommended by the Fish workgroup to characterize conditions that led to various rates of winter-kill. Monitoring enhancement related to a better understanding of fish population dynamics included increasing dissolved oxygen monitoring, continuing present monitoring of fish movement upstream from Jamestown Reservoir into Arrowwood NWR, initiating similar efforts for upstream movement into Sand Lake NWR and downstream movements into both Refuges, and augmenting the present gillnetting program (or replacing it) with sampling for population and age/size structure estimates. The Wildlife workgroup suggested estimating the relative density of mallard nests in over-water and wet meadow nesting areas, estimating the number of western grebe nests lost due to wave action, delineating wet meadows on the Refuge vegetation maps, estimating annual tuber consumption by birds, and monitoring insect/macroinvertebrate abundance. The workgroup also suggested research studies to better understand the relationships between food supplies and the growth and survival of ducklings and young grebes. the workshop discussions also helped identify some suggestions for modifying project features that, if feasible from an engineering and operational standpoint, would reduce impacts on Refuge lands. These suggestions included: designing drains with control structures or small "reregulation" reservoirs to hold winter return flows that might adversely affect rough fish control, spreading construction activities over a number of years to reduce potential impacts of turbidity on sago pondweed in any single year, scheduling construction to occur after the spring sprouting and elongation growth stages to reduce impacts on sago pondweed, and installing "quick acting" control structures at Arrowwood NWR to reduce pool level fluctuations that might destroy nests of some over-water nesting waterfowl.

Y-12 National Security Complex Biological Monitoring And Abatement Program 2008 Calendar Year Report

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

Peterson, M. J.; Greeley Jr., M. S.; Mathews, T. J.

2009-07-01

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued for the Oak Ridge Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12 Complex) which became effective May 1, 2006, continued a requirement for a Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP). The BMAP was originally developed in 1985 to demonstrate that the effluent limitations established for the Y-12 Complex protected the classified uses of the receiving stream (East Fork Poplar Creek: EFPC), in particular, the growth and propagation of aquatic life (Loar et al. 1989). The objectives of the current BMAP are similar, specifically to assess stream ecological conditions relative to regulatory limits and criteria,more » to assess ecological impacts as well as recovery in response to Y-12 operations, and to investigate the causes of continuing impacts. The BMAP consists of three tasks that reflect complementary approaches to evaluating the effects of the Y-12 Complex discharges on the biotic integrity of EFPC. These tasks include: (1) bioaccumulation monitoring, (2) benthic macroinvertebrate community monitoring, and (3) fish community monitoring. As required by the NPDES permit, the BMAP benthic macroinvertebrate community monitoring task includes studies to annually evaluate the receiving stream's biological integrity in comparison to TN Water Quality Criteria. BMAP monitoring is currently being conducted at five primary EFPC sites, although sites may be excluded or added depending upon the specific objectives of the various tasks. Criteria used in selecting the sites include: (1) location of sampling sites used in other studies, (2) known or suspected sources of downstream impacts, (3) proximity to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) boundaries, (4) appropriate habitat distribution, and (5) access. The primary sampling sites include upper EFPC at kilometers (EFKs) 24.4 and 23.4 [upstream and downstream of Lake Reality (LR) respectively]; EFK 18.7 (also EFK 18.2 and 19), located off the ORR and below an area of intensive commercial and light industrial development; EFK 13.8, located upstream from the Oak Ridge Wastewater Treatment Facility (ORWTF); and EFK 6.3 located approximately 1.4 km below the ORR boundary (Fig. 1.1). Actual sampling locations on EFPC may differ slightly by task according to specific requirements of the task. Brushy Fork (BF) at kilometer (BFK) 7.6 and Hinds Creek at kilometer (HCK) 20.6 are the most commonly used reference sites for the Y-12 BMAP. Additional sites off the ORR are also occasionally used for reference, including Beaver Creek, Bull Run, Cox Creek, and Paint Rock Creek (Fig. 1.2). Summaries of the sampling designs for the three primary tasks of the Y-12 Complex BMAP for EFPC are presented in Tables 1.1-1.3. This report covers the 2008 period, although data collected outside this time period are included as appropriate. To address the biological monitoring requirements for Bear Creek and McCoy Branch, CERLCA-funded programs, data are summarized in Appendix A and Appendix B respectively. Data for these two watersheds are provided herein to address Section IX of the NPDES Permit for Y-12, where 'Results of these CERCLA programs can be used to meet the biological monitoring requirements of this permit...'. A summary of the toxicity testing results for Y-12 outfalls into upper EFPC is provided in Appendix C (these results have been previously reported) to provide a more thorough perspective of conditions in the stream. Data summarized in this report are available from the Oak Ridge Environmental Information system (OREIS) in an Arc-GIS usable format (http://www-oreis.bechteljacobs.org/oreis/help/oreishome.html). Per requirements specified in the NPDES permit, data collected following TDEC monitoring protocols (TDEC 2006) is also submitted directly to TDEC in Excel format.« less

Comparative Effectiveness of Wellness Programs: Impact of Incentives on Healthcare Costs for Obese Enrollees.

PubMed

Zivin, Kara; Sen, Ananda; Plegue, Melissa A; Maciejewski, Matthew L; Segar, Michelle L; AuYoung, Mona; Miller, Erin M; Janney, Carol A; Zulman, Donna M; Richardson, Caroline R

2017-03-01

Employee wellness programs show mixed effectiveness results. This study examined the impact of an insurer's lifestyle modification program on healthcare costs of obese individuals. This nonrandomized comparative effectiveness study evaluated changes in healthcare costs for participants in two incentivized programs, an Internet-mediated pedometer-based walking program (WalkingSpree, n=7,594) and an in-person weight-loss program (Weight Watchers, n=5,764). The primary outcome was the change in total healthcare costs from the baseline year to the year after program participation. Data were collected from 2009 to 2011 and the analysis was done in 2014-2015. After 1 year, unadjusted mean costs decreased in both programs, with larger decreases for Weight Watchers participants than WalkingSpree participants (-$1,055.39 vs -$577.10, p=0.019). This difference was driven by higher rates of women in Weight Watchers, higher baseline total costs among women, and a greater decrease in costs for women in Weight Watchers (-$1,037.60 vs -$388.50, p=0.014). After adjustment for baseline costs, there were no differences by program or gender. Comparable cost reductions in both programs suggest that employers may want to offer more than one choice of incentivized wellness program with monitoring to meet the diverse needs of employees. Copyright © 2016 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.

Environmental Predictors of Seabird Wrecks in a Tropical Coastal Area

PubMed Central

Fulgencio de Moura, Jailson; Siciliano, Salvatore

2016-01-01

Beached bird surveys have been widely used to monitor the impact of oil pollution in the oceans. However, separating the combined effects of oil pollution, environmental variables and methodological aspects of beach monitoring on seabird stranding patterns is a challenging task. The effects of a comprehensive set of oceanographic and climatic variables and oil pollution on seabird strandings in a tropical area of Brazil were investigated herein, using two robust and innovative methods: Generalized Linear Mixed Models and Structural Equation Modeling. We assessed strandings of four resident seabird species along 480 km of beaches divided into 11 sampling areas, between November 2010 and September 2013. We found that increasing the distance from the nearest breeding island reduce the seabird stranding events. Storm activity and biological productivity were the most important factors affecting the stranding events of brown boobies Sula leucogaster, Cabot’s terns Thalasseus acuflavidus and kelp gulls Larus dominicanus. These species are also indirectly affected by warm tropical waters, which reduce chlorophyll-a concentrations. Beach surveys are, thus, useful to investigate the mortality rates of resident species near breeding sites, where individuals are more abundant and exposed to local factors associated with at-sea mortality. In contrast, conservation actions and monitoring programs for far-ranging seabird species are needed in more distant foraging areas. Furthermore, beach monitoring programs investigating the impact of oil pollution on seabirds need to account for the effects of environmental factors on stranding patterns. The present study also demonstrated that seabirds inhabiting tropical coastal waters are sensitive to climate conditions such as adverse weather, which are expected to increase in frequency and intensity in next decades. PMID:27992578

[Impact of exercise on the body composition and aerobic capacity of elderly with obesity through three models of intervention].

PubMed

Prieto, Jose Antonio; Del Valle, Miguel; Nistal, Paloma; Méndez, David; Abelairas-Gómez, Cristian; Barcala-Furelos, Roberto

2014-12-17

The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of aerobic exercise on body composition and aerobic capacity of a sample of older, sedentary adults with obesity rates by three different models of intervention (recommendation, prescription at home and monitoring). A total of 76 older adults with a mean age 67.1+/-1.2 years, sedentary, with a BMI> 30 kg/ m2 were randomized in to four groups: Control (CON) recommendation (REC), prescription home (PRES) and monitoring in a sports center (MON). The same program of aerobic exercise for groups of home and sports center for 24 weeks, 3 days a week was developed. It was determined before and after the intervention BMI, Waist- Hip-index (ICC), the% fat ( Σ folds) and aerobic capacity (T6M) throughout the sample. MON and PRES groups showed significant improvements in the ICC, Σ folds and T 6M variables, not the case in BMI. However the MON group presented significant differences from group PRES between-group analysis (p <0.001). The recommendation did not get positive effects. Monitoring is the most effective exercise programs in adults with obesity methodology. However the exercise prescription at home since early intervention is an important approach for people with physical and/ or psychological reasons such as obesity cannot access the sports centers to participate in activities led by a monitor. Unknowns of aerobic exercise are cleared in the home that are of great impact for social policies regarding the health of the elderly population. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Status of China's Energy Efficiency Standards and Labels for Appliances and International Collaboration

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

Zhou, Nan

2008-03-01

China first adopted minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) in 1989. Today, there are standards for a wide range of domestic, commercial and selected industrial equipment. In 1999, China launched a voluntary endorsement label, which has grown to cover over 40 products including water-saving products (See Figure 1). Further, in 2005, China started a mandatory energy information label (also referred to as the 'Energy Label'). Today, the Energy Label is applied to four products including: air conditioners; household refrigerators; clothes washers; and unitary air conditioners (See Figure 2). MEPS and the voluntary endorsement labeling specifications have been updated and revised inmore » order to reflect technology improvements to those products in the market. These programs have had an important impact in reducing energy consumption of appliances in China. Indeed, China has built up a strong infrastructure to develop and implement product standards. Historically, however, the government's primary focus has been on the technical requirements for efficiency performance. Less attention has been paid to monitoring and enforcement with a minimal commitment of resources and little expansion of administrative capacity in this area. Thus, market compliance with both mandatory standards and labeling programs has been questionable and actual energy savings may have been undermined as a result. The establishment of a regularized monitoring system for tracking compliance with the mandatory standard and energy information label in China is a major area for program improvement. Over the years, the Collaborative Labeling and Appliance Standards Program (CLASP) has partnered with several Chinese institutions to promote energy-efficient products in China. CLASP, together with its implementing partner Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), has assisted China in developing and updating the above-mentioned standards and labeling programs. Because of the increasing need for the development of a monitoring system to track compliance with standards and labeling, CLASP, with support from Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), has expanded its ongoing collaboration with the China National Institute of Standards (CNIS) to include enforcement and monitoring. CNIS has already begun working on the issue of compliance. CNIS has conducted modest sample testing in 2006 for refrigerators, freezers and room air-conditioners, and repeated the same task in 2007 with a similar sample size for three products (refrigerators, freezers, air-conditioners and clothes washers). And, CNIS, with technical support from LBNL, has analyzed the data collected through testing. At the same time, parallel effort has also been paid to look at the potential impact of the label to 2020. In conjunction with CNIS, CLASP technical experts reviewed the standards development timeline of the four products currently subject to the mandatory energy information label. CLASP, with the support of METI/IEEJ, collaborated with CNIS to develop the efficiency grades, providing: technical input to the process; comment and advice on particular technical issues; as well as evaluation of the results. In addition, in order to effectively evaluate the impact of the label on China's market, CLASP further provided assistance to CNIS to collect data on both the efficiency distribution and product volume distribution of refrigerators on the market. This short report summarizes the status of Standards and Labeling program, current enforcement and monitoring mechanism in China, and states the importance of international collaborations.« less

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire: Does the subjectivity of the response perspective threaten the contextual validity of inferences?

PubMed Central

Elsworth, Gerald R; Nolte, Sandra

2015-01-01

Objective: On-going evidence is required to support the validity of inferences about change and group differences in the evaluation of health programs, particularly when self-report scales requiring substantial subjectivity in response generation are used as outcome measures. Following this reasoning, the aim of this study was to replicate the factor structure and investigate the measurement invariance of the latest version of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire, a widely used health program evaluation measure. Methods: An archived dataset of responses to the most recent version of the English-language Health Education Impact Questionnaire that uses four rather than six response options (N = 3221) was analysed using exploratory structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis appropriate for ordered categorical data. Metric and scalar invariance were studied following recent recommendations in the literature to apply fully invariant unconditional models with minimum constraints necessary for model identification. Results: The original eight-factor structure was replicated and all but one of the scales (Self Monitoring and Insight) was found to consist of unifactorial items with reliability of ⩾0.8 and satisfactory discriminant validity. Configural, metric and scalar invariance were established across pre-test to post-test and population sub-groups (sex, age, education, ethnic background). Conclusion: The results support the high level of interest in the Health Education Impact Questionnaire, particularly for use as a pre-test/post-test measure in experimental studies, other pre–post evaluation designs and system-level monitoring and evaluation. PMID:26770785

Assessing background ground water chemistry beneath a new unsewered subdivision

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilcox, J.D.; Bradbury, K.R.; Thomas, C.L.; Bahr, J.M.

2005-01-01

Previous site-specific studies designed to assess the impacts of unsewered subdivisions on ground water quality have relied on upgradient monitoring wells or very limited background data to characterize conditions prior to development. In this study, an extensive monitoring program was designed to document ground water conditions prior to construction of a rural subdivision in south-central Wisconsin. Previous agricultural land use has impacted ground water quality; concentrations of chloride, nitrate-nitrogen, and atrazine ranged from below the level of detection to 296 mg/L, 36 mg/L, and 0.8 ??g/L, respectively, and were highly variable from well to well and through time. Seasonal variations in recharge, surface topography, aquifer heterogeneities, surficial loading patterns, and well casing depth explain observed variations in ground water chemistry. This variability would not have been detected if background conditions were determined from only a few monitoring wells or inferred from wells located upgradient of the subdivision site. This project demonstrates the importance of characterizing both ground water quality and chemical variability prior to land-use change to detect any changes once homes are constructed. Copyright ?? 2005 National Ground Water Association.

Can surveillance systems identify and avert adverse drug events? A prospective evaluation of a commercial application.

PubMed

Jha, Ashish K; Laguette, Julia; Seger, Andrew; Bates, David W

2008-01-01

Computerized monitors can effectively detect and potentially prevent adverse drug events (ADEs). Most monitors have been developed in large academic hospitals and are not readily usable in other settings. We assessed the ability of a commercial program to identify and prevent ADEs in a community hospital. and Measurement We prospectively evaluated the commercial application in a community-based hospital. We examined the frequency and types of alerts produced, how often they were associated with ADEs and potential ADEs, and the potential financial impact of monitoring for ADEs. Among 2,407 patients screened, the application generated 516 high priority alerts. We were able to review 266 alerts at the time they were generated and among these, 30 (11.3%) were considered substantially important to warrant contacting the physician caring for the patient. These 30 alerts were associated with 4 ADEs and 11 potential ADEs. In all 15 cases, the responsible physician was unaware of the event, leading to a change in clinical care in 14 cases. Overall, 23% of high priority alerts were associated with an ADE (95% confidence interval [CI] 12% to 34%) and another 15% were associated with a potential ADE (95% CI 6% to 24%). Active surveillance used approximately 1.5 hours of pharmacist time daily. A commercially available, computer-based ADE detection tool was effective at identifying ADEs. When used as part of an active surveillance program, it can have an impact on preventing or ameliorating ADEs.

Effectiveness of "Step into Health" program in Qatar: a pedometer-based longitudinal study.

PubMed

Al-Kuwari, Mohamed G; Al-Mohannadi, Abdulla S; Sayegh, Suzan

2017-11-01

This study examines the impact of a one-year pedometer-based intervention on increasing the physical activity level among adult population in Qatar. This longitudinal study was conducted over a one-year period and included a total of 268 adults aged between 18-64 years old. Data were extracted and used from the "Step into Health" (SIH) program, a community-based program launched in 2012, as an approach to improve physical activity in Qatar. Walking intervention encouraged members of SIH to accumulate 10,000 steps or more per day and monitor their progress through a pedometer supported by a self-monitoring online account and a reinforcement system. This study shows a significant increase in average daily steps from 3933±3240 steps/day at baseline into 7507±5416 steps/week at the 12th month (P<0.001). It was found that 18.6% of participants met the daily target of 10,000 steps or more; however, there was a considerable increase of 39.2% by the 12th month. Females showed an increase in their physical activity; still, they remain less active than males. It was found that non-Arabs subgroup were more active than Arabs. Interestingly, older members (≥50 years old) were more active throughout the study period. Pedometer program was found to be effective in increasing the level of physical activity among participants. A decline in physical activity has been observed during hot weather, while re-enforcement campaign had a positive impact on the number of steps/day.

Report on the biological monitoring program at Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, January--December 1996

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

Kszos, L.A.; Konetsky, B.K.; Peterson, M.J.

1997-06-01

On September 24, 1987, the Commonwealth of Kentucky Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Cabinet issued an Agreed Order that required the development of a Biological Monitoring Program (BMP) for the Paducah Gaseous diffusion Plant (PGDP). The PGDP BMP was conducted by the University of Kentucky Between 1987 and 1992 and by staff of the Environmental Sciences Division (ESD) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) from 1991 to present. The goals of BMP are to (1) demonstrate that the effluent limitations established for PGDP protect and maintain the use of Little Bayou and Big Bayou creeks for growth and propagation ofmore » fish and other aquatic life, (2) characterize potential environmental impacts, and (3) document the effects of pollution abatement facilities on stream. The BMP for PGDP consists of three major tasks: (1) effluent toxicity monitoring, (2) bioaccumulation studies, and (3) ecological surveys of stream communities (i.e., benthic macroinvertebrates and fish). This report focuses on ESD activities occurring from January 1996 to December 1996, although activities conducted outside this time period are included as appropriate.« less

Inter-professional in-situ simulated team and resuscitation training for patient safety: Description and impact of a programmatic approach.

PubMed

Zimmermann, Katja; Holzinger, Iris Bachmann; Ganassi, Lorena; Esslinger, Peter; Pilgrim, Sina; Allen, Meredith; Burmester, Margarita; Stocker, Martin

2015-10-29

Inter-professional teamwork is key for patient safety and team training is an effective strategy to improve patient outcome. In-situ simulation is a relatively new strategy with emerging efficacy, but best practices for the design, delivery and implementation have yet to be evaluated. Our aim is to describe and evaluate the implementation of an inter-professional in-situ simulated team and resuscitation training in a teaching hospital with a programmatic approach. We designed and implemented a team and resuscitation training program according to Kern's six steps approach for curriculum development. General and specific needs assessments were conducted as independent cross-sectional surveys. Teamwork, technical skills and detection of latent safety threats were defined as specific objectives. Inter-professional in-situ simulation was used as educational strategy. The training was embedded within the workdays of participants and implemented in our highest acuity wards (emergency department, intensive care unit, intermediate care unit). Self-perceived impact and self-efficacy were sampled with an anonymous evaluation questionnaire after every simulated training session. Assessment of team performance was done with the team-based self-assessment tool TeamMonitor applying Van der Vleuten's conceptual framework of longitudinal evaluation after experienced real events. Latent safety threats were reported during training sessions and after experienced real events. The general and specific needs assessments clearly identified the problems, revealed specific training needs and assisted with stakeholder engagement. Ninety-five interdisciplinary staff members of the Children's Hospital participated in 20 in-situ simulated training sessions within 2 years. Participant feedback showed a high effect and acceptance of training with reference to self-perceived impact and self-efficacy. Thirty-five team members experiencing 8 real critical events assessed team performance with TeamMonitor. Team performance assessment with TeamMonitor was feasible and identified specific areas to target future team training sessions. Training sessions as well as experienced real events revealed important latent safety threats that directed system changes. The programmatic approach of Kern's six steps for curriculum development helped to overcome barriers of design, implementation and assessment of an in-situ team and resuscitation training program. This approach may help improve effectiveness and impact of an in-situ simulated training program.

Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) Programmatic Environmental Analysis--Appendices

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

Authors, Various

1980-01-01

The programmatic environmental analysis is an initial assessment of Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) technology considering development, demonstration and commercialization. It is concluded that the OTEC development program should continue because the development, demonstration, and commercialization on a single-plant deployment basis should not present significant environmental impacts. However, several areas within the OTEC program require further investigation in order to assess the potential for environmental impacts from OTEC operation, particularly in large-scale deployments and in defining alternatives to closed-cycle biofouling control: (1) Larger-scale deployments of OTEC clusters or parks require further investigations in order to assess optimal platform siting distancesmore » necessary to minimize adverse environmental impacts. (2) The deployment and operation of the preoperational platform (OTEC-1) and future demonstration platforms must be carefully monitored to refine environmental assessment predictions, and to provide design modifications which may mitigate or reduce environmental impacts for larger-scale operations. These platforms will provide a valuable opportunity to fully evaluate the intake and discharge configurations, biofouling control methods, and both short-term and long-term environmental effects associated with platform operations. (3) Successful development of OTEC technology to use the maximal resource capabilities and to minimize environmental effects will require a concerted environmental management program, encompassing many different disciplines and environmental specialties. This volume contains these appendices: Appendix A -- Deployment Scenario; Appendix B -- OTEC Regional Characterization; and Appendix C -- Impact and Related Calculations.« less

OCEAN THERMAL ENERGY CONVERSION (OTEC) PROGRAMMATIC ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS

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

Sands, M. D.

1980-01-01

This programmatic environmental analysis is an initial assessment of OTEC technology considering development, demonstration and commercialization; it is concluded that the OTEC development program should continue because the development, demonstration, and commercialization on a single-plant deployment basis should not present significant environmental impacts. However, several areas within the OTEC program require further investigation in order to assess the potential for environmental impacts from OTEC operation, particularly in large-scale deployments and in defining alternatives to closed-cycle biofouling control: (1) Larger-scale deployments of OTEC clusters or parks require further investigations in order to assess optimal platform siting distances necessary to minimize adversemore » environmental impacts. (2) The deployment and operation of the preoperational platform (OTEC-1) and future demonstration platforms must be carefully monitored to refine environmental assessment predictions, and to provide design modifications which may mitigate or reduce environmental impacts for larger-scale operations. These platforms will provide a valuable opportunity to fully evaluate the intake and discharge configurations, biofouling control methods, and both short-term and long-term environmental effects associated with platform operations. (3) Successful development of OTEC technology to use the maximal resource capabilities and to minimize environmental effects will require a concerted environmental management program, encompassing many different disciplines and environmental specialties.« less

Impact of a monitored program of care on incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia: results of a longterm performance-improvement project.

PubMed

Weireter, Leonard J; Collins, J N; Britt, Rebecca C; Reed, Scott F; Novosel, T J; Britt, L D

2009-05-01

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) remains a major source of morbidity, mortality, and expense in the ICU despite therapies directed against it. A retrospective review of a prospectively developed performance-improvement project monitoring the incidence of VAP in two adjacent ICUs was conducted. In response to an excessive VAP rate, weekly multidisciplinary team meetings were instituted to review data, develop care protocols, and modify care routines. Protocol compliance was monitored daily and feedback provided weekly to the care teams. VAP rates were determined by the institutional Infection Control Committee and reviewed monthly with the ICU multidisciplinary team. Duration of the investigational period was 10 years. A standardized ventilator-weaning protocol was instituted with confirmed 95% use. Additional modifications of care, such as patient positioning, use of specific endotracheal tubes to minimize aspiration of supraglottic secretions, an oral-care regimen, and aggressive antibiotic stewardship were standardized, with a compliance rate >90%. VAP rates dropped from 12.8 per 1,000 patient-days in 1998 to 1.1 in 2007 in the burn trauma ICU and from 21.2 to <1 in the neurotrauma ICU in the same time frame. Also, mean ventilator length of stay decreased from 6 days to 4.2 and from 5.8 days to 4.75 simultaneously in the respective ICUs. Such performance improvement has been sustained since implementation of the program. A systematic, monitored program of standardized care protocols can markedly reduce VAP rate in the ICU.

The role of citzens in detecting and responding to a rapid marine invasion

USGS Publications Warehouse

Scyphers, Stephen B.; Powers, Sean P.; Akins, J. Lad; Drymon, J. Marcus; Martin, Charles M.; Schobernd, Zeb H.; Schofield, Pamela J.; Shipp, Robert L.; Switzer, Theodore S.

2015-01-01

Documenting and responding to species invasions requires innovative strategies that account for ecological and societal complexities. We used the recent expansion of Indo-Pacific lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) throughout northern Gulf of Mexico coastal waters to evaluate the role of stakeholders in documenting and responding to a rapid marine invasion. We coupled an online survey of spearfishers and citizen science monitoring programs with traditional fishery-independent data sources and found that citizen observations documented lionfish 1–2 years earlier and more frequently than traditional reef fish monitoring programs. Citizen observations first documented lionfish in 2010 followed by rapid expansion and proliferation in 2011 (+367%). From the survey of spearfishers, we determined that diving experience and personal observations of lionfish strongly influenced perceived impacts, and these perceptions were powerful predictors of support for initiatives. Our study demonstrates the value of engaging citizens for assessing and responding to large-scale and time-sensitive conservation problems.

Development of GUI Type On-Line Condition Monitoring Program for a Turboprop Engine Using Labview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, Changduk; Kim, Keonwoo

2011-12-01

Recently, an aero gas turbine health monitoring system has been developed for precaution and maintenance action against faults or performance degradations of the advanced propulsion system which occurs in severe environments such as high altitude, foreign object damage particles, hot and heavy rain and snowy atmospheric conditions. However to establish this health monitoring system, the online condition monitoring program is firstly required, and the program must monitor the engine performance trend through comparison between measured engine performance data and base performance results calculated by base engine performance model. This work aims to develop a GUI type on-line condition monitoring program for the PT6A-67 turboprop engine of a high altitude and long endurance operation UAV using LabVIEW. The base engine performance of the on-line condition monitoring program is simulated using component maps inversely generated from the limited performance deck data provided by engine manufacturer. The base engine performance simulation program is evaluated because analysis results by this program agree well with the performance deck data. The proposed on-line condition program can monitor the real engine performance as well as the trend through precise comparison between clean engine performance results calculated by the base performance simulation program and measured engine performance signals. In the development phase of this monitoring system, a signal generation module is proposed to evaluate the proposed online monitoring system. For user friendly purpose, all monitoring program are coded by LabVIEW, and monitoring examples are demonstrated using the proposed GUI type on-condition monitoring program.

The Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI), a collaborative paradigm for institutional and human resources capacity building between high- and low- and middle-income countries: the Mozambique experience

PubMed Central

Noormahomed, Emilia Virginia; Carrilho, Carla; Ismail, Mamudo; Noormahomed, Sérgio; Nguenha, Alcido; Benson, Constance A.; Mocumbi, Ana Olga; Schooley, Robert T.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Collaborations among researchers based in lower and middle income countries (LMICs) and high income countries (HICs) have made major discoveries related to diseases disproportionately affecting LMICs and have been vital to the development of research communities in LMICs. Such collaborations have generally been scientifically and structurally driven by HICs. Objectives: In this report we outline a paradigm shift in collaboration, exemplified by the Medical Education Partnership Initiative (MEPI), in which the formulation of priorities and administrative infrastructure reside in the LMIC. Methods: This descriptive report outlines the critical features of the MEPI partnership. Results: In the MEPI, LMIC program partners translate broad program goals and define metrics into priorities that are tailored to local conditions. Program funds flow to a LMIC-based leadership group that contracts with peers from HICs to provide technical and scientific advice and consultation in a 'reverse funds flow' model. Emphasis is also placed on strengthening administrative capacity within LMIC institutions. A rigorous monitoring and evaluation process modifies program priorities on the basis of evolving opportunities to maximize program impact. Conclusions: Vesting LMIC partners with the responsibility for program leadership, and building administrative and fiscal capacity in LMIC institutions substantially enhances program relevance, impact and sustainability. PMID:28452653

[Impact of rational use of antibiotics in a third level clinic in Colombia].

PubMed

Pallares, Christian J; Cataño, Juan C

2017-06-01

The increasing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics threatens the survival of patients and health costs. To determine the impact of an antimicrobial stewardship program in bacterial resistance and antibiotic consumption. Quasi experimental study in a third level clinic in the city of Medellin, that evaluate in two time periods (pre-intervention between October 2012 and September 2013 and post intervention between October 2013 and September 2014) the impact of an antimicrobial stewardship program in terms of antibiotic consumption and bacterial ecology. Adherence to institutional guidelines for management of infections in the post-intervention period was 82%. Antibiotic consumption of meropenem, ceftriaxone, vancomycin and colistin decreased, and imipenem, daptomycin and linezolid was increased. A significant decrease in antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa was observed, including carbapenems. An increase of extended spectrum beta lactamase production (ESBL) in Enterobacteriaceae (especially E. coli) and piperacillin/tazobactam resistance was observed. The construction and implementation of a strategy in hospitals with guidelines for managing infectious diseases, restrictions in antibiotic use, a permanent monitoring system for the formulation of antibiotics, achieved a positive impact on reducing antibiotic use and bacterial resistance.

Effectiveness of the 3D Monitor System for Medical Education During Neurosurgical Operation.

PubMed

Wanibuchi, Masahiko; Komatsu, Katsuya; Akiyama, Yukinori; Mikami, Takeshi; Mikuni, Nobuhiro

2018-01-01

Three-dimensional (3D) graphics are used in the medical field, especially during surgery. Although 3D monitoring is useful for medical education, its effectiveness needs to be objectively evaluated. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of 3D monitoring in the surgical education of medical students. A questionnaire on high-definition 3D monitoring was given to fifth-year medical students in a 6-year program. Sixty-four students wore polarized glasses and observed a microsurgical operation through a 3D monitor. The questionnaire contained questions on stereopsis, neurosurgical interest, visual impact, comprehension of surgical anatomy and procedures, optical sharpness, active learning enhancement, and eye exhaustion. These parameters were evaluated on a 5-point scale that spanned negative and positive scores. The average score of each parameter ranged from 3.13 to 3.78, except for eye exhaustion, which was 0.88. The items for which the students reported positive perceptions (scores of 4 or 5) were stereopsis (67.2% of students), neurosurgical interest (62.5%), visual impact and optical sharpness (60.9% for both), active learning enhancement (57.8%), and comprehension of surgical anatomy (50.0%) and procedures (42.2%). By contrast, only eye exhaustion was evaluated negatively (26.6%). The use of 3D monitoring systems in medical education offers the advantage of stereopsis and contributes to surgical training. However, improvements are required to decrease eye exhaustion. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration Project final report: Monitoring for evaluation of recovery and restoration of injured nearshore resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ballachey, Brenda E.; Bodkin, James L.; Kloecker, Kimberly A.; Dean, Tom; Colettie, Heather A

2015-01-01

In 2012, we completed three consecutive years of full field sampling in WPWS for EVOS Restoration Project 10100750. Nearshore monitoring was conducted in collaboration with the NPS SWAN I&M program and, beginning in 2012, as part of the EVOSTC GWA program. Data collection was done in accordance with standard operating procedures set forth to monitor marine water chemistry and quality, marine intertidal invertebrates, kelps and seagrasses, marine birds, black oystercatchers, and sea otters. Summer sampling in 2012 represented the fourth year of sampling in WPWS (an initial year of sampling was done in WPWS in 2007; EVOS Restoration Project 070750). Based on our monitoring of nearshore species in WPWS, and comparisons of data from WPWS and other areas within the Gulf of Alaska, we have no evidence of continued injury to biological resources at the spatial scales we are monitoring. A key finding is that recovery of the sea otter population is no longer constrained by exposure to lingering oil; this is consistent with related EVOSTC studies on harlequin ducks (Restoration Project 12120114-Q). We anticipate continued annual nearshore monitoring in WPWS and at KATM and KEFJ under GWA, with data summaries and analyses including all three areas to provide a larger spatial and temporal context to the understanding of processes and patterns in nearshore ecosystems of the GOA which were impacted by the EVOS of 1989.

Vadose Zone Monitoring as a Key to Groundwater Protection from Pollution Hazard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahan, Ofer

2016-04-01

Minimization subsurface pollution is much dependent on the capability to provide real-time information on the chemical and hydrological properties of the percolating water. Today, most monitoring programs are based on observation wells that enable data acquisitions from the saturated part of the subsurface. Unfortunately, identification of pollutants in well water is clear evidence that the contaminants already crossed the entire vadose-zone and accumulated in the aquifer water to detectable concentration. Therefore, effective monitoring programs that aim at protecting groundwater from pollution hazard should include vadose zone monitoring technologies that are capable to provide real-time information on the chemical composition of the percolating water. Obviously, identification of pollution process in the vadose zone may provide an early warning on potential risk to groundwater quality, long before contaminates reach the water-table and accumulate in the aquifers. Since productive agriculture must inherently include down leaching of excess lower quality water, understanding the mechanisms controlling transport and degradation of pollutants in the unsaturated is crucial for water resources management. A vadose-zone monitoring system (VMS), which was specially developed to enable continuous measurements of the hydrological and chemical properties of percolating water, was used to assess the impact of various agricultural setups on groundwater quality, including: (a) intensive organic and conventional greenhouses, (b) citrus orchard and open field crops , and (c) dairy farms. In these applications frequent sampling of vadose zone water for chemical and isotopic analysis along with continuous measurement of water content was used to assess the link between agricultural setups and groundwater pollution potential. Transient data on variation in water content along with solute breakthrough at multiple depths were used to calibrate flow and transport models. These models where then used to assess the long term impact of various agricultural setups on the quantity and quality of groundwater recharge. Relevant publications: Turkeltaub et al., WRR. 2016; Turkeltaub et al., J. Hydrol. 2015: Dahan et al., HESS 2014. Baram et al., J. Hydrol. 2012.

A Pragmatic Strategy for Monitoring Substance Use and Potential Impacts of Prevention Programming for Local School Districts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feemster, Kristen G.; Proctor, Steven L.; Hoffmann, Norman G.

2016-01-01

This study identified peak periods of the onset, prevalence, and correlates of early adolescent substance use, and evaluated the feasibility of implementing a brief student survey at a high school in the southeastern United States. A brief survey was self-administered and 791 students with a mean age of 16.2 years (SD = 1.24) provided complete…

Measurement and Modeling of Ecosystem Risk and Recovery for In Situ Treatment of Contaminated Sediments

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-08-01

Hydrocarbons in Petroleum- Impacted Sediments." Environmental Science & Technology 47(2): 1024-1032. Choi, Y., Y. M. Cho, et al. (2013). "Measurement and...4020 9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Strategic Environmental Research and Development...was prepared under contract to the Department of Defense Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP). The publication of this

Y-12 National Security Complex Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program 2007 Calendar Yeare Report

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

Peterson, M.J.; Greeley, M. S. Jr.; Morris, G. W.

2008-07-01

The National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit issued for the Oak Ridge Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12 Complex) which became effective May 1, 2006, continued a requirement for a Biological Monitoring and Abatement Program (BMAP). The BMAP was originally developed in 1985 to demonstrate that the effluent limitations established for the Y-12 Complex protected the classified uses of the receiving stream (East Fork Poplar Creek: EFPC), in particular, the growth and propagation of aquatic life (Loar et al. 1989). The objectives of the current BMAP are similar, specifically to assess stream ecological conditions relative to regulatory limits and criteria,more » to assess ecological impacts as well as recovery in response to Y-12 operations, and to investigate the causes of continuing impacts. The BMAP consists of three tasks that reflect complementary approaches to evaluating the effects of the Y-12 Complex discharges on the biotic integrity of EFPC. These tasks include: (1) bioaccumulation monitoring, (2) benthic macroinvertebrate community monitoring, and (3) fish community monitoring. As required by the NPDES permit, the BMAP benthic macroinvertebrate community monitoring task includes studies to annually evaluate the receiving stream's biological integrity in comparison to TN Water Quality Criteria. BMAP monitoring is currently being conducted at five primary EFPC sites, although sites may be excluded or added depending upon the specific objectives of the various tasks. Criteria used in selecting the sites include: (1) location of sampling sites used in other studies, (2) known or suspected sources of downstream impacts, (3) proximity to U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) boundaries, (4) appropriate habitat distribution, and (5) access. The primary sampling sites include upper EFPC at kilometers (EFKs) 24.4 and 23.4 [upstream and downstream of Lake Reality (LR) respectively]; EFK 18.7 (also EFK 18.2 and 19), located off the ORR and below an area of intensive commercial and light industrial development; EFK 13.8, located upstream from the Oak Ridge Wastewater Treatment Facility (ORWTF); and EFK 6.3 located approximately 1.4 km below the ORR boundary (Fig. 1.1). Actual sampling locations on EFPC may differ slightly by task according to specific requirements of the task. Brushy Fork (BF) at kilometer (BFK) 7.6 and Hinds Creek at kilometer (HCK) 20.6 are the most commonly used reference sites for the Y-12 BMAP. Additional sites off the ORR are also occasionally used for reference, including Beaver Creek, Bull Run, Cox Creek, and Paint Rock Creek (Fig. 1.2). Summaries of the sampling designs for the three primary tasks of the Y-12 Complex BMAP for EFPC are presented in Tables 1.1-1.3. This report covers the 2007 study period, although data collected outside this time period are included as appropriate. To address the biological monitoring requirements for Bear Creek and McCoy Branch, CERCLA-funded data is summarized in Appendix A (for Bear Creek) and Appendix B (for McCoy Branch). Data for these two watersheds is provided herein to address Section IX of the NPDES Permit for Y-12, where 'Results of these CERCLA programs can be used to meet the biological monitoring requirements of this permit'. For potential comparison with instream biological measures, a summary of the toxicity testing results for Y-12 outfalls into upper EFPC is provided in Appendix C (these results have been previously reported).« less

Earth Observing System: Science Objectives and Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Michael D.

1999-01-01

The Earth Observing System (EOS) is a space-based observing system comprised of a series of satellite sensors by which scientists can monitor the Earth, a Data and Information System (EOSDIS) enabling researchers worldwide to access the satellite data, and an interdisciplinary science research program to interpret the satellite data. In this presentation we review the key areas of scientific uncertainty in understanding climate and global change, and follow that with a description of the EOS goals, objectives, and scientific research elements that comprise the program (instrument science teams and interdisciplinary investigations). Finally, I will describe how scientists and policy makers intend to use EOS data improve our understanding of key global change uncertainties, such as: (i) clouds and radiation, including fossil fuel and natural emissions of sulfate aerosol and its potential impact on cloud feedback, (ii) man's impact on ozone depletion, with examples of ClO and O3 obtained from the UARS satellite during the Austral Spring, and (iii) volcanic eruptions and their impact on climate, with examples from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

Assessment of Current Inservice Inspection and Leak Monitoring Practices for Detecting Materials Degradation in Light Water Reactors

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

Anderson, Michael T.; Simonen, Fredric A.; Muscara, Joseph

2016-09-01

An assessment was performed to determine the effectiveness of existing inservice inspection (ISI) and leak monitoring techniques, and recommend improvements, as necessary, to the programs as currently performed for light water reactor (LWR) components. Information from nuclear power plant (NPP) aging studies and from the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s Generic Aging Lessons Learned (GALL) report (NUREG-1801) was used to identify components that have already experienced, or are expected to experience, degradation. This report provides a discussion of the key aspects and parameters that constitute an effective ISI program and a discussion of the basis and background against which themore » effectiveness of the ISI and leak monitoring programs for timely detection of degradation was evaluated. Tables based on the GALL components were used to systematically guide the process, and table columns were included that contained the ISI requirements and effectiveness assessment. The information in the tables was analyzed using histograms to reduce the data and help identify any trends. The analysis shows that the overall effectiveness of the ISI programs is very similar for both boiling water reactors (BWRs) and pressurized water reactors (PWRs). The evaluations conducted as part of this research showed that many ISI programs are not effective at detecting degradation before its extent reached 75% of the component wall thickness. This work should be considered as an assessment of NDE practices at this time; however, industry and regulatory activities are currently underway that will impact future effectiveness assessments. A number of actions have been identified to improve the current ISI programs so that degradation can be more reliably detected.« less

The Impact of a Videogame-Based Pilot Physical Activity Program in Older Adults with Schizophrenia on Subjectively and Objectively Measured Physical Activity.

PubMed

Leutwyler, Heather; Hubbard, Erin; Cooper, Bruce; Dowling, Glenna

2015-01-01

The purpose of this report is to describe the impact of a videogame-based pilot physical activity program using the Kinect for Xbox 360 game system (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA) on physical activity in older adults with schizophrenia. In this one group pre-test, post-test pilot study, 20 participants played an active videogame for 30 min, once a week for 6 weeks. Physical activity was measured by self-report with the Yale Physical Activity Survey and objectively with the Sensewear Pro armband at enrollment and at the end of the 6-week program. There was a significant increase in frequency of self-reported vigorous physical activity. We did not detect a statistically significant difference in objectively measured physical activity although increase in number of steps and sedentary activity were in the desired direction. These results suggest participants' perception of physical activity intensity differs from the intensity objectively captured with a valid and reliable physical activity monitor.

The influence of sampling interval on the accuracy of trail impact assessment

USGS Publications Warehouse

Leung, Y.-F.; Marion, J.L.

1999-01-01

Trail impact assessment and monitoring (IA&M) programs have been growing in importance and application in recreation resource management at protected areas. Census-based and sampling-based approaches have been developed in such programs, with systematic point sampling being the most common survey design. This paper examines the influence of sampling interval on the accuracy of estimates for selected trail impact problems. A complete census of four impact types on 70 trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park was utilized as the base data set for the analyses. The census data were resampled at increasing intervals to create a series of simulated point data sets. Estimates of frequency of occurrence and lineal extent for the four impact types were compared with the census data set. The responses of accuracy loss on lineal extent estimates to increasing sampling intervals varied across different impact types, while the responses on frequency of occurrence estimates were consistent, approximating an inverse asymptotic curve. These findings suggest that systematic point sampling may be an appropriate method for estimating the lineal extent but not the frequency of trail impacts. Sample intervals of less than 100 m appear to yield an excellent level of accuracy for the four impact types evaluated. Multiple regression analysis results suggest that appropriate sampling intervals are more likely to be determined by the type of impact in question rather than the length of trail. The census-based trail survey and the resampling-simulation method developed in this study can be a valuable first step in establishing long-term trail IA&M programs, in which an optimal sampling interval range with acceptable accuracy is determined before investing efforts in data collection.

Long-term benthic monitoring studies in the freshwater portion of the Potomac River: 1983 to 1985, cumulative report. Volume 1. Text

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

Shaughnessy, A.T.; Holland, A.F.

1989-12-01

The report summarizes data from the first three years of a long-term monitoring program to establish baseline conditions in benthic communities on the upper Potomac River. Major sources of variation were considered in an effort to characterize the effect of two power plants on distribution and abundance of the benthos. Distinct changes occurred in benthic communities in the vicinity of power plant discharges. These included decreased abundances of dominant species and reduced occurrences of rare species. Impacts associated with power plants were most severe during summer months and during low flow years.

Long-term benthic monitoring studies in the freshwater portion of the Potomac River: 1983 to 1985, cumulative report. Volume 2. Appendices

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

Shaughnessy, A.T.; Holland, A.F.

1989-12-01

The report summarizes data from the first three years of a long-term monitoring program to establish baseline conditions in benthic communities on the upper Potomac River. Major sources of variation were considered in an effort to characterize the effect of two power plants on distribution and abundance of the benthos. Distinct changes occurred in benthic communities in the vicinity of power plant discharges. These included decreased abundances of dominant species and reduced occurrences of rare species. Impacts associated with power plants were most severe during summer months and during low flow years.

Streamlined calibrations of the ATLAS precision muon chambers for initial LHC running

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amram, N.; Ball, R.; Benhammou, Y.; Ben Moshe, M.; Dai, T.; Diehl, E. B.; Dubbert, J.; Etzion, E.; Ferretti, C.; Gregory, J.; Haider, S.; Hindes, J.; Levin, D. S.; Manilow, E.; Thun, R.; Wilson, A.; Weaverdyck, C.; Wu, Y.; Yang, H.; Zhou, B.; Zimmermann, S.

2012-04-01

The ATLAS Muon Spectrometer is designed to measure the momentum of muons with a resolution of dp/p=3% at 100 GeV and 10% at 1 TeV. For this task, the spectrometer employs 355,000 Monitored Drift Tubes (MDTs) arrayed in 1200 chambers. Calibration (RT) functions convert drift time measurements into tube-centered impact parameters for track segment reconstruction. RT functions depend on MDT environmental parameters and so must be appropriately calibrated for local chamber conditions. We report on the creation and application of a gas monitor system based calibration program for muon track reconstruction in the LHC startup phase.

Carbonate addition--an effective remedy against poor activated sludge settling properties and alkalinity conditions in small wastewater treatment plants.

PubMed

Wett, B; Eladawy, A; Becker, W

2003-01-01

The impact of marble powder on the performance of small seasonal treatment plants dealing with high ammonia concentrated wastewater has been investigated. The carbonate has been added to one of two parallel lab-scale SBR-systems as an alkalinity depot and a bio-carrier. The focus of the monitoring program was put on the measurement of carbon fractions in the liquid and the solid phase and on the alkalinity conditions. Monitoring results show a significant correlation between carbonate dosage (and corresponding inorganic carbon concentration and pH-value) and sludge volume index and nitrification rate.

Geomagnetic storms: Potential economic impacts on electric utilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, P. R.; Vandyke, J. W.

1991-03-01

Geomagnetic storms associated with sunspot and solar flare activity can disturb communications and disrupt electric power. A very severe geomagnetic storm could cause a major blackout with an economic impact of several billion dollars. The vulnerability of electric power systems in the northeast United States will likely increase during the 1990s because of the trend of transmitting large amounts of power over long distance to meet the electricity demands of this region. A comprehensive research program and a warning satellite to monitor the solar wind are needed to enhance the reliability of electric power systems under the influence of geomagnetic storms.

CERT tribal internship program. Final intern report: Manuel Steele, 1995

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

NONE

The purpose of this internship was to facilitate transfer of advancements in renewable energy to Native American lands for economic and educational benefits and to assist in evaluation of proposals submitted for government funding under Title 26 Indian Energy Resources Program. Specific objectives were to examine specific cost factors stated by each Tribe for economic assessment of each proposal; assess environmental impacts of proposed scope of work presented by each Tribe; monitor existing grants for disbursement of requested funds; and provide Tribal governments with a fair and impartial review of grant proposals for funding by the Department of Energy.

Environmental Report 2008

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

Gallegos, G; Bertoldo, N A; Campbell, C G

The purposes of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2008 are to record Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL's) compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL's environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring at the two LLNL sites - the Livermore site and Site 300. The report is prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by LLNL's Environmental Protection Department. Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1A, Environmental Safety and Health Reporting, and DOE Order 5400.5, Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment. The report is distributed electronically and ismore » available at https://saer.lln.gov/, the website for the LLNL annual environmental report. Previous LLNL annual environmental reports beginning in 1994 are also on the website. Some references in the electronic report text are underlined, which indicates that they are clickable links. Clicking on one of these links will open the related document, data workbook, or website that it refers to. The report begins with an executive summary, which provides the purpose of the report and an overview of LLNL's compliance and monitoring results. The first three chapters provide background information: Chapter 1 is an overview of the location, meteorology, and hydrogeology of the two LLNL sites; Chapter 2 is a summary of LLNL's compliance with environmental regulations; and Chapter 3 is a description of LLNL's environmental programs with an emphasis on the Environmental Management System including pollution prevention. The majority of the report covers LLNL's environmental monitoring programs and monitoring data for 2008: effluent and ambient air (Chapter 4); waters, including wastewater, storm water runoff, surface water, rain, and groundwater (Chapter 5); and terrestrial, including soil, sediment, vegetation, foodstuff, ambient radiation, and special status wildlife and plants (Chapter 6). Complete monitoring data, which are summarized in the body of the report, are provided in Appendix A. The remaining three chapters discuss the radiological impact on the public from LLNL operations (Chapter 7), LLNL's groundwater remediation program (Chapter 8), and quality assurance for the environmental monitoring programs (Chapter 9). The report uses Systeme International units, consistent with the federal Metric Conversion Act of 1975 and Executive Order 12770, Metric Usage in Federal Government Programs (1991). For ease of comparison to environmental reports issued prior to 1991, dose values and many radiological measurements are given in both metric and U.S. customary units. A conversion table is provided in the glossary. The report is the responsibility of LLNL's Environmental Protection Department. Monitoring data were obtained through the combined efforts of the Environmental Protection Department; Environmental Restoration Department; Physical and Life Sciences Environmental Monitoring Radiation Laboratory; and the Hazards Control Department.« less

Ultrasound examination and behavior scoring of captive broadnose sevengill sharks, Notorynchus cepedianus (Peron, 1807).

PubMed

Daly, Jonathan; Gunn, Ian; Kirby, Nick; Jones, Robert; Galloway, David

2007-09-01

Serial ultrasound examination of four mature female sevengill sharks (Notorynchus cepedianus) was carried out over 18 months. Monitoring the reproductive cycle and development of follicles and fetuses in sharks in a noninvasive manner using this technique has not been reported previously. Sharks were caught out of the "Oceanarium" tank by divers using a specially made catch-out bag, and brought to a holding area for examination. A behavior scoring system was used to monitor the impact of regular handling on the well-being of the animals. Ultrasound showed the growth and regression of follicles in sevengill ovaries, and allowed an approximation of the reproductive stage of these sharks. Monitoring behavior at five time points during the procedure showed that regular handling of sharks for clinical studies could be done with minimal impact on animal welfare. The ability to follow reproductive events in elasmobranches using ultrasonography is an important step in the application of assisted reproductive technology in these species. Assisted reproductive technology, such as monitoring female reproductive cycles and artificial insemination, could potentially be used to maintain genetic diversity and compliment aquaria-based breeding programs for endangered species such as the gray nurse shark (Carcharias taurus). Zoo Biol 26:383-395, 2007. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Review of air pollution and health impacts in Malaysia.

PubMed

Afroz, Rafia; Hassan, Mohd Nasir; Ibrahim, Noor Akma

2003-06-01

In the early days of abundant resources and minimal development pressures, little attention was paid to growing environmental concerns in Malaysia. The haze episodes in Southeast Asia in 1983, 1984, 1991, 1994, and 1997 imposed threats to the environmental management of Malaysia and increased awareness of the environment. As a consequence, the government established Malaysian Air Quality Guidelines, the Air Pollution Index, and the Haze Action Plan to improve air quality. Air quality monitoring is part of the initial strategy in the pollution prevention program in Malaysia. Review of air pollution in Malaysia is based on the reports of the air quality monitoring in several large cities in Malaysia, which cover air pollutants such as Carbon monoxide (CO), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), Ozone (O3), and Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM). The results of the monitoring indicate that Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) and Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) are the predominant pollutants. Other pollutants such as CO, O(x), SO2, and Pb are also observed in several big cities in Malaysia. The air pollution comes mainly from land transportation, industrial emissions, and open burning sources. Among them, land transportation contributes the most to air pollution. This paper reviews the results of the ambient air quality monitoring and studies related to air pollution and health impacts.

Managing the vitamin A program portfolio: a case study of Zambia, 2013-2042.

PubMed

Fiedler, John L; Lividini, Keith

2014-03-01

Micronutrient deficiencies continue to constitute a major burden of disease, particularly in Africa and South Asia. Programs to address micronutrient deficiencies have been increasing in number, type, and scale in recent years, creating an ever-growing need to understand their combined coverage levels, costs, and impacts so as to more effectively combat deficiencies, avoid putting individuals at risk for excess intakes, and ensure the efficient use of public health resources. To analyze combinations of the two current programs--sugar fortification and Child Health Week (CHW)--together with four prospective programs--vegetable oil fortification, wheat flour fortification, maize meal fortification, and biofortified vitamin A maize--to identify Zambia's optimal vitamin A portfolio. Combining program cost estimates and 30-year Zambian food demand projections, together with the Zambian 2005 Living Conditions Monitoring Survey, the annual costs, coverage, impact, and cost-effectiveness of 62 Zambian portfolios were modeled for the period from 2013 to 2042. Optimal portfolios are identified for each of five alternative criteria: average cost-effectiveness, incremental cost-effectiveness, coverage maximization, health impact maximization, and affordability. The most likely scenario is identified to be one that starts with the current portfolio and takes into account all five criteria. Starting with CHW and sugar fortification, it phases in vitamin A maize, oil, wheat flour, and maize meal (in that order) to eventually include all six individual interventions. Combining cost and Household Consumption and Expenditure Survey (HCES) data provides a powerful evidence-generating tool with which to understand how individual micronutrient programs interact and to quantify the tradeoffs involved in selecting alternative program portfolios.

Volunteer water monitoring: A guide for state managers

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

Not Available

1990-08-01

Contents: executive summary; volunteers in water monitoring; planning a volunteer monitoring program; implementing a volunteer monitoring program; providing credible information; costs and funding; and descriptions of five successful programs.

Sharing Perspectives and Learning from One Another: Southern Paiutes, Scientists, and Policymakers in the Glen Canyon Dam Adaptive Management Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, D. E.; Bulletts, K.; Bulletts, C.

2017-12-01

The traditional lands of the Southern Paiute people in the United States are bounded by more than 600 miles of the Colorado River from the Kaiparowits Plateau in the north to Blythe, California in the south. According to Southern Paiute traditional knowledge, Southern Paiutes were the first inhabitants of this region and are responsible for protecting and managing this land along with the water and all that is upon and within it. In 1963, the Bureau of Reclamation completed construction of Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River, and in 1972, the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area was established, encompassing Lake Mead above the Dam and a world class trout fishery on the Colorado River between the Dam and Lees Ferry. Below Lees Ferry on its way to Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, the Colorado River flows through Grand Canyon National Park and the Navajo and Hualapai reservations. U.S. federal law requires that Glen Canyon Dam be operated with minimal impact to the natural, recreational, and cultural resources of the region of the Colorado River that is potentially impacted by flows from the Dam. The Grand Canyon Protection Act and the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Operation of the Glen Canyon Dam established a program of long-term research and monitoring of the effects of the Dam on these resources. In 1991, three Southern Paiute tribes - the Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah, and the San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe - agreed to participate in studies to identify cultural resources impacted by Glen Canyon Dam and to recommend strategies for their protection, In 1995, the EIS was completed and transition to the Adaptive Management Program (AMP) called for in the Grand Canyon Protection Act was begun. At that time, Southern Paiute activities expanded to include assessing potential environmental and cultural impacts of the dam, developing monitoring procedures, and interacting with scientists, other tribal representatives, and policymakers in the AMP. This presentation summarizes an analysis of two decades of Southern Paiute participation in the AMP, highlighting key interactions and learning experiences as well as ongoing challenges for Southern Paiute participants.

Lake Roosevelt Fisheries Evaluation Program : Limnological and Fisheries Monitoring Annual Report 1999.

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

McLellan, Holly; Lee, Chuck; Scofield, Ben

1999-08-01

The Grand Coulee Dam was constructed in 1939 without a fish ladder, which eliminated steelhead (Onchorhynchus mykiss), chinook salmon (O. twshwastica), coho salmon (O. kisutch) and sockeye salmon (O. nerka) from returning to approximately 1,835 km (1,140 miles) of natal streams and tributaries found in the upper Columbia River Drainage in the United States and Canada. The Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act of 1980 gave the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), the authority and responsibility to use its legal and financial resources, 'to protect, mitigate, and enhance fish and wildlife to the extent affected by the development andmore » operation of any hydroelectric project of the Columbia River and its tributaries. This is to be done in a manner consistent with the program adopted by the Northwest Power Planning Council (NWPPC), and the purposes of the Act' (NWPPC, 1987). With the phrase 'protect, mitigate and enhance', Congress signaled its intent that the NWPPC's fish and wildlife program should do more than avoid future hydroelectric damage to the basin's fish and wildlife. The program must also counter past damage, work toward rebuilding those fish and wildlife populations that have been harmed by the hydropower system, protect the Columbia Basin's fish and wildlife resources, and mitigate for harm caused by decades of hydroelectric development and operations. By law, this program is limited to measures that deal with impacts created by the development, operation and management of hydroelectric facilities on the Columbia River and its tributaries. However, off-site enhancement projects are used to address the effects of the hydropower system on fish and wildlife (NWPPC 1987). Resident game fish populations have been established in Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, the reservoir behind Grand Coulee Dam, since the extirpation of anadromous fish species. The resident game fish populations are now responsible for attracting a large percentage of the recreational visits to the region. An increase in popularity has placed Lake Roosevelt fifth amongst the most visited State and Federal parks in Washington. Increased use of the reservoir prompted amplified efforts to enhance the Native American subsistence fishery and the resident sport fishery in 1984 with hatchery supplementation of rainbow trout (O. mykiss) and kokanee salmon (O. nerka). This was followed by the formation of the Spokane Tribal Lake Roosevelt Monitoring Project (LRMP) in 1988 and later by formation of the Lake Roosevelt Data Collection Project in 1991. The Lake Roosevelt Data Collection Project began in July 1991 as part of the BPA, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers System Operation Review process. This process sought to develop an operational scenario for the federal Columbia River hydropower system to maximize the in-reservoir fisheries with minimal impacts to all other stakeholders in the management of the Columbia River. The Lake Roosevelt Monitoring/Data Collection Program (LRMP) is the result of a merger between the Lake Roosevelt Monitoring Program (BPA No. 8806300) and the Lake Roosevelt Data Collection Project (BPA No. 9404300). These projects were merged in 1996 forming the Lake Roosevelt Monitoring Program (LRMP), which continues the work historically completed under the separate projects. The LRMP has two main goals. The first is to develop a biological model for Lake Roosevelt that will predict in-reservoir biological responses to a range of water management operational scenarios, and to develop fisheries and reservoir management strategies accordingly. The model will allow identification of lake operations that minimize impacts on lake biota while addressing the needs of other interests (e.g. flood control, hydropower generation, irrigation, and downstream resident and anadromous fisheries). Major components of the model will include: (1) quantification of entrainment and other impacts to phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish caused by reservoir drawdowns and low water retention times; (2) quantification of seasonal distributions, standing crop, and habitat use of fish food organisms; (3) examination of variations in fish growth and abundance in relation to reservoir operations, prey abundance and predator/prey relationships; and (4) quantification of habitat alterations due to hydrooperations. The second goal of the LRMP is to evaluate the impacts of hatchery kokanee salmon and rainbow trout on the ecosystem and to determine stocking strategies that maximize angler harvest and return of adult kokanee salmon to egg collection facilities. Major tasks of the hatchery evaluation portion of the project include conducting a year round reservoir wide creel survey, sampling the fishery during spring, summer and fall via electro-fishing and gillnet surveys, and collecting information on diet, growth, and age composition of various fish species in Lake Roosevelt.« less

Physician-directed software design: the role of utilization statistics and user input in enhancing HELP results review capabilities.

PubMed

Michael, P A

1993-01-01

The M.D. Rounds Report program was developed and implemented in June of 1992 as an adjunct to the HELP System at Rex Hospital. The program facilitates rapid access to information on allergies and current medications, laboratory results, radiology reports and therapist notes for a list of patients without physicians having to make additional menu or submenu selections. In planning for an upgrade of the program, utilization statistics and user feedback provided valuable information in terms of frequency of access, features used and unused, and the value of the program as a reporting tool in comparison to other online results reporting applications. A brief description of the functionality of the M.D. Rounds Report, evaluation of the program audit trail and user feedback, planned enhancements to the program, and a discussion of the prototyping and monitoring experience and the impact on future physician subsystem development will be presented.

Training Medical Students for Rural, Underserved Areas: A Rural Medical Education Program in California.

PubMed

Eidson-Ton, W Suzanne; Rainwater, Julie; Hilty, Donald; Henderson, Stuart; Hancock, Christine; Nation, Cathryn L; Nesbitt, Thomas

2016-01-01

The Association of American Medical Colleges projects an increasing shortage of physicians in rural areas. Medical schools have developed specialty track programs to improve the recruitment and retention of physicians who can serve rural populations. One such program in California includes a variety of unique elements including outreach, admissions, rural clinical experiences, focused mentorship, scholarly and leadership opportunities, and engagement with rural communities. Preliminary outcomes demonstrate that this rural track program has achieved some success in the recruitment, retention, and training of students interested in future rural practice and in the placement of students in primary care residencies. Long-term outcomes, such as graduates entering rural practice, are still unknown, but will be monitored to assess the impact and sustainability of the rural program. This article illustrates the opportunities and challenges of training medical students for rural practice and provides lessons learned to inform newly-established and long standing rural medical education programs.

NASA Earth Science Disasters Program Response Activities During Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria in 2017

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, J. R.; Schultz, L. A.; Molthan, A.; Kirschbaum, D.; Roman, M.; Yun, S. H.; Meyer, F. J.; Hogenson, K.; Gens, R.; Goodman, H. M.; Owen, S. E.; Lou, Y.; Amini, R.; Glasscoe, M. T.; Brentzel, K. W.; Stefanov, W. L.; Green, D. S.; Murray, J. J.; Seepersad, J.; Struve, J. C.; Thompson, V.

2017-12-01

The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season included a series of storms that impacted the United States, and the Caribbean breaking a 12-year drought of landfalls in the mainland United States (Harvey and Irma), with additional impacts from the combination of Irma and Maria felt in the Caribbean. These storms caused widespread devastation resulting in a significant need to support federal partners in response to these destructive weather events. The NASA Earth Science Disasters Program provided support to federal partners including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Guard Bureau (NGB) by leveraging remote sensing and other expertise through NASA Centers and partners in academia throughout the country. The NASA Earth Science Disasters Program leveraged NASA mission products from the GPM mission to monitor cyclone intensity, assist with cyclone center tracking, and quantifying precipitation. Multispectral imagery from the NASA-NOAA Suomi-NPP mission and the VIIRS Day-Night Band proved useful for monitoring power outages and recovery. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data from the Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellites operated by the European Space Agency were used to create flood inundation and damage assessment maps that were useful for damage density mapping. Using additional datasets made available through the USGS Hazards Data Distribution System and the activation of the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters, the NASA Earth Science Disasters Program created additional flood products from optical and radar remote sensing platforms, along with PI-led efforts to derive products from other international partner assets such as the COSMO-SkyMed system. Given the significant flooding impacts from Harvey in the Houston area, NASA provided airborne L-band SAR collections from the UAVSAR system which captured the daily evolution of record flooding, helping to guide response and mitigation decisions for critical infrastructure and public safety. We will provide an overview of the response activities and data products provided by the NASA Earth Science Disasters program, partnerships with federal end-users and the International Charter, and preliminary feedback from end-user partners during response efforts following Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria..

Strong and healthy in Primary School Klasse2000 Program, Germany: a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) analysis.

PubMed

Dokter, Andrea; Horst, Brigitte

2014-09-01

Developing a Program Impact Pathways (PIP) diagram helps identify and clarify the key objectives, processes, activities, and evaluation indicators of school-based nutrition programs. The Mondelēz International Foundation has recently supported the development of PIP analyses for programs in seven countries around the world. The results were shared with other project organizers at a Healthy Lifestyles Program Evaluation Workshop held in Granada, Spain, 13-14 September 2013, under the auspices of the Mondelēz International Foundation. The objectives were to develop the PIP assessment of the Strong and Healthy in Primary School Klasse2000 Program in order to refine the primary, secondary, and tertiary objectives of the program; identify Critical Quality Control Points (CCPs); and identify core indicators of the program's impact on healthy lifestyles. The PIP report was developed based on detailed instructions provided prior to the workshop, taking into account the Klasse2000 Program evaluation reports. The following CCPs were identified: monitoring the qualifications and motivation of teaching staff (external health promoters and schoolteachers); assessing involvement of the students' environmental influences, including families, schools, and sponsors; and assessing the children's healthy lifestyle knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors before and after program exposure. The healthy lifestyle indicators identified were children's knowledge of healthy diets and health-enhancing physical activities; the availability of healthy breakfast and snacks; the frequency of consumption of fruits, vegetables, sweetened and unsweetened drinks,fast food, and sweets, as well as attitudes toward physical activity; and the frequency and extent of physical activity in school and during free time. Body mass index (BMI) was identified as the final outcome indicator. Developing a PIP report helped to focus the objectives of the program. Identifying CCPs helped draw attention to the processes linking critical program activities. As a result, plans for the upcoming school year include conducting a PIP-informed survey of participating parents and children to gauge their satisfaction with the program.

A New Master of Natural Hazards Program at The Australian National University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozgay, S.; Zoleta-Nantes, D.

2009-12-01

The new Master of Natural Hazards program at The Australian National University provides a multi-disciplinary approach to the study and monitoring of geophysical processes that can lead to the recognition of hazards and a consequent reduction of their impacts through emergency measures, disaster plans, and relief and rehabilitation. The program provides people with an understanding of the most up-to-date scientific understanding on the causes of natural hazards, their effects on human societies, and ways to mitigate their impacts and reduce their losses by focusing on Australia and the Asia-Pacific case studies. The Master of Natural Hazards program brings together the expertise of researchers across the university to provide an opportunity for students to do coursework and research projects that will provide them with extensive knowledge of the natural hazards that occur and pose the greatest risks on human communities in the Asia-Pacific, and an understanding of the human dimensions of the natural hazards occurrences. The program consists of two compulsory courses each in the Earth Sciences and in the Social Sciences that are designed to provide a complementary and comprehensive overview of natural hazards issues. Elective courses can be of a general grouping, or students may choose one of four Focus Streams: Environmental and Geographic Studies; Climate Change; Earth Structure and Imaging; or Socio-economic, Development and Policy Studies. A special case study project will involve writing a thesis on a topic to be approved by the Program Conveners and will comprise a body of work on an approved topic in natural hazards in the Asia-Pacific region. Students in this program will gain a broad scientific knowledge and methodological skills to understand the physical causes and frequency of the most important natural hazards in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as the latest scientific methods and best practices of monitoring them for hazard mapping and disaster reduction purposes. Furthermore, students will learn to apply critical thinking in studying the involvement of societies’ social systems in framing and influencing the severity of impacts and destructions that are brought about by different physical events. The academic training in hazards and disaster research that the program offers will enable students to get actively involved in the preparation of short- and long-term disaster mitigation programs that can help members of communities in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region who, without sufficient knowledge on hazards and skills on disaster management, would be left vulnerable against the adversities that can be brought about by natural hazards.

Analysis of the impact of spatial resolution on land/water classifications using high-resolution aerial imagery

USGS Publications Warehouse

Enwright, Nicholas M.; Jones, William R.; Garber, Adrienne L.; Keller, Matthew J.

2014-01-01

Long-term monitoring efforts often use remote sensing to track trends in habitat or landscape conditions over time. To most appropriately compare observations over time, long-term monitoring efforts strive for consistency in methods. Thus, advances and changes in technology over time can present a challenge. For instance, modern camera technology has led to an increasing availability of very high-resolution imagery (i.e. submetre and metre) and a shift from analogue to digital photography. While numerous studies have shown that image resolution can impact the accuracy of classifications, most of these studies have focused on the impacts of comparing spatial resolution changes greater than 2 m. Thus, a knowledge gap exists on the impacts of minor changes in spatial resolution (i.e. submetre to about 1.5 m) in very high-resolution aerial imagery (i.e. 2 m resolution or less). This study compared the impact of spatial resolution on land/water classifications of an area dominated by coastal marsh vegetation in Louisiana, USA, using 1:12,000 scale colour-infrared analogue aerial photography (AAP) scanned at four different dot-per-inch resolutions simulating ground sample distances (GSDs) of 0.33, 0.54, 1, and 2 m. Analysis of the impact of spatial resolution on land/water classifications was conducted by exploring various spatial aspects of the classifications including density of waterbodies and frequency distributions in waterbody sizes. This study found that a small-magnitude change (1–1.5 m) in spatial resolution had little to no impact on the amount of water classified (i.e. percentage mapped was less than 1.5%), but had a significant impact on the mapping of very small waterbodies (i.e. waterbodies ≤ 250 m2). These findings should interest those using temporal image classifications derived from very high-resolution aerial photography as a component of long-term monitoring programs.

Design and Operation of the Transformed National Healthy Start Evaluation.

PubMed

Banks, Jamelle E; Dwyer, Maura; Hirai, Ashley; Ghandour, Reem M; Atrash, Hani K

2017-12-01

Purpose Improving pregnancy outcomes for women and children is one of the nation's top priorities. The Healthy Start (HS) program was created to address factors that contribute to high infant mortality rates (IMRs) and persistent disparities in IMRs. The program began in 1991 and was transformed in 2014 to apply lessons from emerging research, past evaluation findings, and expert recommendations. To understand the implementation and impact of the transformed program, there is a need for a robust and comprehensive evaluation. Description The national HS evaluation will include an implementation evaluation, which will describe program components that affect outcomes; a utilization evaluation, which will examine the characteristics of women and infants who did and did not utilize the program; and an outcome evaluation, which will assess the program's effectiveness with regard to producing expected outcomes among the target population. Data sources include the National HS Program Survey, a HS participant survey, and individual-level program data linked to vital records and the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) survey. Assessment Descriptive analyses will be used to examine differences in risk profiles between participants and non-participants, as well as to calculate penetration rates for high-risk women in respective service areas. Multivariable analyses will be used to determine the impact of the program on key outcomes and will explore variation by dose, type of services received, and grantee characteristics. Conclusion Evaluation findings are expected to inform program decisions and direction, including identification of effective program components that can be spread and scaled.

40 CFR 264.99 - Compliance monitoring program.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... be based on a compliance monitoring program developed to meet the requirements of this section. (i... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Compliance monitoring program. 264.99... Releases From Solid Waste Management Units § 264.99 Compliance monitoring program. An owner or operator...

Environmental impact studies for gas hydrate production test in the Ulleung Basin, East Sea of Korea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, Byong-Jae

2017-04-01

To develop potential future energy resources, the Korean National Gas Hydrate Program has been carried out since 2005. The program has been supported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), and carried out by the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM), the Korea Gas Corporation (KOGAS) and the Korea National Oil Corporation (KNOC) under the management of Gas Hydrate R&D Organization (GHDO). As a part of this national program, geophysical surveys, geological studies on gas hydrates and two deep drilling expeditions were performed. Gas hydrate-bearing sand layers suitable for production using current technologies were found during the Second Ulleung Basin Gas Hydrate Drilling Expedition (UBGH2) in 2010. Environmental impact studies (EIS) also have been carried out since 2012 by KIGAM in cooperation with domestic and foreign universities and research organizations to ensure safe production test that will be performed in near future. The schedule of production test is being planned. The EIS includes assessment of environmental risks, examination on domestic environmental laws related with production test, collection of basic oceanographic information, and baseline and monitoring surveys. Oceanographic information and domestic environmental laws are already collected and analyzed. Baseline survey has been performed using the in-house developed system, KIGAM Seafloor Observation System (KISOS) since 2013. It will also be performed. R/V TAMHAE II of KIGAM used for KISOS operation. As a part of this EIS, pseudo-3D Chirp survey also was carried out in 2014 to determine the development of fault near the potential testing site. Using KIGAM Seafloor Monitoring System (KIMOS), monitoring survey is planned to be performed from three month before production test to three months after production test. The geophysical survey for determining the change of gas hydrate reservoirs and production-efficiency around the production well would also be conducted before and after the production test. KIMOS will be developed as the planning that was drawn up already. A period for monitoring survey and geophysical survey type, such as AUV or EM surveys will be decided according to the budget.

Field Verification Program (Aquatic Disposal). The Assessment of Black Rock Harbor Dredged Material Impacts on Laboratory Population Responses.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-01

report describes work performed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), Environmental Research Laboratory, Narragansett, R. I. (ERLN), as...of the use 2 such commercial prodluc!s TheP 0-series of reports includes Qubiicatiors Environmental Effects of Dredclng Proqramrs Dredg:ng Operations...public release; distribution 2b DECLASSIFICATION /DOWNGRADING SCHEDULE unlimited. 4 PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER(S) S MONITORING

SENSE IT: Teaching STEM Principles to Middle and High School Students through the Design, Construction and Deployment of Water Quality Sensors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hotaling, Liesl; Lowes, Susan; Stolkin, Rustam; Lin, Peiyi; Bonner, James; Kirkey, William; Ojo, Temitope

2012-01-01

This paper describes the structure and impact of an NSF-funded ITEST project designed to enrich science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education using educational modules that teach students to construct, program, and test a series of sensors used to monitor water quality. During the two years of the SENSE IT project, over 30…

High Cycle Fatigue Science and Technology Program 1999 Annual Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-01-01

CONFINING MEDIUM) FOCUSED LASER BEAM PAINT (ABLATION MEDIUM) TRAVELING SHOCK WAVES • A repetitive pattern of laser pulses results in an area of deep ...includes an improved beam delivery system, a more 11 robust beam monitoring configuration, and a more robust processing chamber. Lessons learned will be...impacted specimens. Additional work is needed to better understand the effect of this parameter and technique. Fractography showed that some of the

Remote sensing on Indian and public lands

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torbert, G. B.; Woll, A. M.

1972-01-01

The use of remote sensing techniques by the Bureaus of Indian Affairs and Land Management in planning resource problems, making decisions, writing environmental impact statements, and monitoring their respective programs is investigated. For Indian affairs, data cover the Papago, Fort Apache, San Carlos, and South Dakota Reservations. For the Land Management Office, data cover cadastral surveys, California desert study, range watersheds, and efforts to establish a natural resources information system.

Recent Weather Extremes and Impacts on Agricultural Production and Vector-Borne Disease Outbreak Patterns

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-21

funding from USDA Foreign Agricultural Service towards the Global Agricultural Monitoring project, DoD Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center’s...Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System (AFHSC/GEIS) under the Human Febrile and Vector -Borne Illnesses (FVBI) Program and USDA ...outbreaks during the 2010?2012 period. We utilized 2000?2012 vegetation index and land surface temperature data from NASA ?s satellitebased Moderate

Process Evaluation and Costing of a Multifaceted Population-Wide Intervention to Reduce Salt Consumption in Fiji.

PubMed

Webster, Jacqui; Pillay, Arti; Suku, Arleen; Gohil, Paayal; Santos, Joseph Alvin; Schultz, Jimaima; Wate, Jillian; Trieu, Kathy; Hope, Silvia; Snowdon, Wendy; Moodie, Marj; Jan, Stephen; Bell, Colin

2018-01-30

This paper reports the process evaluation and costing of a national salt reduction intervention in Fiji. The population-wide intervention included engaging food industry to reduce salt in foods, strategic health communication and a hospital program. The evaluation showed a 1.4 g/day drop in salt intake from the 11.7 g/day at baseline; however, this was not statistically significant. To better understand intervention implementation, we collated data to assess intervention fidelity, reach, context and costs. Government and management changes affected intervention implementation, meaning fidelity was relatively low. There was no active mechanism for ensuring food companies adhered to the voluntary salt reduction targets. Communication activities had wide reach but most activities were one-off, meaning the overall dose was low and impact on behavior limited. Intervention costs were moderate (FJD $277,410 or $0.31 per person) but the strategy relied on multi-sector action which was not fully operationalised. The cyclone also delayed monitoring and likely impacted the results. However, 73% of people surveyed had heard about the campaign and salt reduction policies have been mainstreamed into government programs. Longer-term monitoring of salt intake is planned through future surveys and lessons from this process evaluation will be used to inform future strategies in the Pacific Islands and globally.

Process Evaluation and Costing of a Multifaceted Population-Wide Intervention to Reduce Salt Consumption in Fiji

PubMed Central

Webster, Jacqui; Pillay, Arti; Suku, Arleen; Gohil, Paayal; Santos, Joseph Alvin; Schultz, Jimaima; Wate, Jillian; Trieu, Kathy; Hope, Silvia; Snowdon, Wendy; Moodie, Marj; Jan, Stephen; Bell, Colin

2018-01-01

This paper reports the process evaluation and costing of a national salt reduction intervention in Fiji. The population-wide intervention included engaging food industry to reduce salt in foods, strategic health communication and a hospital program. The evaluation showed a 1.4 g/day drop in salt intake from the 11.7 g/day at baseline; however, this was not statistically significant. To better understand intervention implementation, we collated data to assess intervention fidelity, reach, context and costs. Government and management changes affected intervention implementation, meaning fidelity was relatively low. There was no active mechanism for ensuring food companies adhered to the voluntary salt reduction targets. Communication activities had wide reach but most activities were one-off, meaning the overall dose was low and impact on behavior limited. Intervention costs were moderate (FJD $277,410 or $0.31 per person) but the strategy relied on multi-sector action which was not fully operationalised. The cyclone also delayed monitoring and likely impacted the results. However, 73% of people surveyed had heard about the campaign and salt reduction policies have been mainstreamed into government programs. Longer-term monitoring of salt intake is planned through future surveys and lessons from this process evaluation will be used to inform future strategies in the Pacific Islands and globally. PMID:29385758

Understanding Program Monitoring: The Relationships among Outcomes, Indicators, Measures, and Targets. REL 2014-011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malone, Nolan; Mark, Lauren; Narayan, Krishna

2014-01-01

This guide offers educators, program managers, administrators, and researchers a resource for building capacity for monitoring program outcomes. It provides concise definitions of program monitoring components and a framework for assessing program progress. Examples demonstrate the relationships among program components: outcomes, indicators,…

Establishing a national biological laboratory safety and security monitoring program.

PubMed

Blaine, James W

2012-12-01

The growing concern over the potential use of biological agents as weapons and the continuing work of the Biological Weapons Convention has promoted an interest in establishing national biological laboratory biosafety and biosecurity monitoring programs. The challenges and issues that should be considered by governments, or organizations, embarking on the creation of a biological laboratory biosafety and biosecurity monitoring program are discussed in this article. The discussion focuses on the following questions: Is there critical infrastructure support available? What should be the program focus? Who should be monitored? Who should do the monitoring? How extensive should the monitoring be? What standards and requirements should be used? What are the consequences if a laboratory does not meet the requirements or is not willing to comply? Would the program achieve the results intended? What are the program costs? The success of a monitoring program can depend on how the government, or organization, responds to these questions.

Dark Skies Awareness Programs for the International Year of Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, C. E.; Pompea, S. M.

2008-12-01

The loss of a dark night sky as a natural resource is a growing concern. It impacts not only astronomical research, but also our environment in terms of ecology, health, safety, economics and energy conservation. For this reason, "Dark Skies are a Universal Resource" is a cornerstone project for the U.S. International Year of Astronomy (IYA) program in 2009. Its goal is to raise public awareness of the impact of artificial lighting on local environments by getting people involved in a variety of dark skies-related programs. These programs focus on citizen-scientist sky-brightness monitoring programs, a planetarium show, podcasting, social networking, a digital photography contest, the Good Neighbor Lighting Program, Earth Hour, National Dark Skies Week, a traveling exhibit, a video tutorial, Dark Skies Discovery Sites, Astronomy Nights in the (National) Parks, Sidewalk Astronomy, and a Quiet Skies program. Many similar programs are available internationally through the "Dark Skies Awareness" Global Cornerstone Project. Working groups for both the national and international dark skies cornerstone projects are being chaired by the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO). The presenters from NOAO will provide the "know-how" and the means for session participants to become community advocates in promoting Dark Skies programs as public events at their home institutions. Participants will be able to get information on jump-starting their education programs through the use of well-developed instructional materials and kits. For more information, visit http://astronomy2009.us/darkskies/ and http://www.darkskiesawareness.org/.

The US Air Force suicide prevention program: implications for public health policy.

PubMed

Knox, Kerry L; Pflanz, Steven; Talcott, Gerald W; Campise, Rick L; Lavigne, Jill E; Bajorska, Alina; Tu, Xin; Caine, Eric D

2010-12-01

We evaluated the effectiveness of the US Air Force Suicide Prevention Program (AFSPP) in reducing suicide, and we measured the extent to which air force installations implemented the program. We determined the AFSPP's impact on suicide rates in the air force by applying an intervention regression model to data from 1981 through 2008, providing 16 years of data before the program's 1997 launch and 11 years of data after launch. Also, we measured implementation of program components at 2 points in time: during a 2004 increase in suicide rates, and 2 years afterward. Suicide rates in the air force were significantly lower after the AFSPP was launched than before, except during 2004. We also determined that the program was being implemented less rigorously in 2004. The AFSPP effectively prevented suicides in the US Air Force. The long-term effectiveness of this program depends upon extensive implementation and effective monitoring of implementation. Suicides can be reduced through a multilayered, overlapping approach that encompasses key prevention domains and tracks implementation of program activities.

Interrupted time series analysis of children’s blood lead levels: A case study of lead hazard control program in Syracuse, New York

PubMed Central

Shao, Liyang; Zhang, Lianjun; Zhen, Zhen

2017-01-01

Children’s blood lead concentrations have been closely monitored over the last two decades in the United States. The bio-monitoring surveillance data collected in local agencies reflected the local temporal trends of children’s blood lead levels (BLLs). However, the analysis and modeling of the long-term time series of BLLs have rarely been reported. We attempted to quantify the long-term trends of children’s BLLs in the city of Syracuse, New York and evaluate the impacts of local lead poisoning prevention programs and Lead Hazard Control Program on reducing the children’s BLLs. We applied interrupted time series analysis on the monthly time series of BLLs surveillance data and used ARMA (autoregressive and moving average) models to measure the average children’s blood lead level shift and detect the seasonal pattern change. Our results showed that there were three intervention stages over the past 20 years to reduce children’s BLLs in the city of Syracuse, NY. The average of children’s BLLs was significantly decreased after the interventions, declining from 8.77μg/dL to 3.94μg/dL during1992 to 2011. The seasonal variation diminished over the past decade, but more short term influences were in the variation. The lead hazard control treatment intervention proved effective in reducing the children’s blood lead levels in Syracuse, NY. Also, the reduction of the seasonal variation of children’s BLLs reflected the impacts of the local lead-based paint mitigation program. The replacement of window and door was the major cost of lead house abatement. However, soil lead was not considered a major source of lead hazard in our analysis. PMID:28182688

Interrupted time series analysis of children's blood lead levels: A case study of lead hazard control program in Syracuse, New York.

PubMed

Shao, Liyang; Zhang, Lianjun; Zhen, Zhen

2017-01-01

Children's blood lead concentrations have been closely monitored over the last two decades in the United States. The bio-monitoring surveillance data collected in local agencies reflected the local temporal trends of children's blood lead levels (BLLs). However, the analysis and modeling of the long-term time series of BLLs have rarely been reported. We attempted to quantify the long-term trends of children's BLLs in the city of Syracuse, New York and evaluate the impacts of local lead poisoning prevention programs and Lead Hazard Control Program on reducing the children's BLLs. We applied interrupted time series analysis on the monthly time series of BLLs surveillance data and used ARMA (autoregressive and moving average) models to measure the average children's blood lead level shift and detect the seasonal pattern change. Our results showed that there were three intervention stages over the past 20 years to reduce children's BLLs in the city of Syracuse, NY. The average of children's BLLs was significantly decreased after the interventions, declining from 8.77μg/dL to 3.94μg/dL during1992 to 2011. The seasonal variation diminished over the past decade, but more short term influences were in the variation. The lead hazard control treatment intervention proved effective in reducing the children's blood lead levels in Syracuse, NY. Also, the reduction of the seasonal variation of children's BLLs reflected the impacts of the local lead-based paint mitigation program. The replacement of window and door was the major cost of lead house abatement. However, soil lead was not considered a major source of lead hazard in our analysis.

The Prevalence of Employed Nurses Identified or Enrolled in Substance Use Monitoring Programs

PubMed Central

Monroe, Todd B.; Kenaga, Heidi; Dietrich, Mary S.; Carter, Michael A.; Cowan, Ronald L.

2017-01-01

Background For over 100 years, nurses’ particular work conditions have been anecdotally associated with increases in substance abuse. Reasons include job-related stress and easy access to medications. Current research has suggested that prevalence of nurses with substance use problems is actually similar to, if not less than, that seen in the general population. However, given nurses’ proximity to critical patient care, the potential threat to public health, as well as the current shortage of practitioners and problems related to retention, the lack of research on the effectiveness of the two existing treatment protocols (disciplinary and alternative-to-discipline [ATD]) is a pressing issue of concern to the nursing profession. Objectives The aims of this study were to estimate the 1-year prevalence of employed nurses requiring an intervention for substance use problems in the United States and the 1-year prevalence of nurses enrolled in substance abuse monitoring programs and to compare the sum total of nurses identified in disciplinary and alternative programs with the general population. Methods This was a balanced stratified sampling design study. Measurements included the National Council of State Boards of Nursing 2010 Survey of Regulatory Boards Disciplinary Actions on Nurses, the 2009 annual reports of alternative programs, the 2008 National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses, and the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Results The 2009 1-year prevalence of employed nurses identified with substance use problems in the United States and its territories was 17,085 or 0.51% of the employed nursing population. The 1-year prevalence of nurses newly enrolled in substance abuse monitoring programs in the United States and its territories was 12,060 or 0.36%. Although every National Council of State Boards of Nursing jurisdiction has a disciplinary monitoring program, only 73% (n = 43) of these jurisdictions have alternative programs. Despite this, on average, alternative programs had nearly 75% more new enrollees (9,715) when compared with disciplinary programs (2,345). The prevalence of nurses identified with a substance use problem requiring an intervention (and likely treatment) is lower than the prevalence of those who report receiving substance abuse treatment in the general population (0.51% vs. 1.0%). Conclusions The ATD programs potentially have a greater impact on protecting the public than disciplinary programs because ATD programs identify and/or enroll more nurses with substance use problems, thereby initially removing more nurses with substance use problems from direct patient care. PMID:22960589

Voluntary Compliance, Pollution Levels, and Infant Mortality in Mexico.

PubMed

Foster, Andrew; Gutierrez, Emilio; Kumar, Naresh

2009-05-01

The increasing body of evidence from high income countries linking pollution to health outcomes (Ken Chay and Michael Greenstone 2003; Janet Currie and Matthew Neidell 2004), has raised concerns about the health impact of adverse air quality in developing countries, where, in general, environmental regulation is less stringent and health monitoring and treatment are less accessible. These concerns have, in turn, encouraged consideration of the effectiveness of alternative mechanisms for improving air quality while limiting the adverse impact on economic growth. However, the analysis of both the effects of pollution on health and the effectiveness of pollution abatement policies faces particular empirical challenges in low- and middle-income contexts, given the scarcity of reliable measures of pollution concentrations. The primary source of good quality data on air quality, ground monitoring, tends to be limited to larger metropolitan areas with monitors placed at sentinel sites that may or may not yield a representative picture of population exposure. This paper calls attention to, and makes use of, newly available procedures for extracting measures of air quality from satellite imagery. In particular, satellite-based measures of aerosol optical depth (AOD) are used to obtain estimates of air quality for the whole Mexican territory at a detailed geographic scale, and these estimates are related to measures of participation in a voluntary certification program at the level of the county. The resulting estimates are then combined with estimates of the relationship between participation in the certification program and infant mortality due to respiratory causes to obtain a rough estimate of the relationship between air quality and infant health in Mexico.

Alternative indicators for monitoring the quality of a continuous intervention program on antibiotic prescribing during changing healthcare conditions.

PubMed

Bantar, C; Franco, D; Heft, C; Vesco, E; Arango, C; Izaguirre, M; Alcázar, G; Boleas, M; Oliva, M E

2005-06-01

We recently published on the impact of a four-phase hospital-wide intervention program designed to optimize the quality of antibiotic use, where a multidisciplinary team (MDT) could modify prescription at the last phase. Because health care quality was changing during the last 5 years (late 1999 to early 2004), we developed certain indicators to monitor the quality of our intervention over time. Different periods were defined as baseline (pre-intervention), initial intervention-active control, pre-crisis control, crisis control, post-crisis control and end of crisis control. Major indicators were rates of prescription modification by the MDT; prescription for an uncertain infection and a novel index formula (RIcarb) to estimate the rationale for carbapenem use. We assessed 2115 antimicrobial prescriptions. Modification of prescription rate was 30% at the beginning and decreased thereafter up to stable levels. Rate of prescriptions ordered for cases of both uncertain infection and unknown source of infection decreased significantly after intervention (i.e. from baseline to active control). In contrast, a doubling of culture-directed prescriptions was observed between these periods. RIcarb values lower and higher than 60% (modal, cut-off) were assumed as carbapenem overuse and underuse, respectively. Overuse was observed at the pre-intervention, while pronounced underuse was shown during the crisis (RIcarb, 45% and 87%, respectively). The present study demonstrates that certain indicators, other than the widely adopted impact outcomes, are a suitable tool for monitoring the quality of a continuous, long-term, active intervention on antimicrobial prescribing practice, especially when applied in a changing healthcare setting.

1990 Environmental monitoring report, Tonopah Test Range, Tonopah, Nevada

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

Hwang, A.; Phelan, J.; Wolff, T.

1991-05-01

There is no routine radioactive emission from Sandia National Laboratories, Tonopah Test Range (SNL, TTR). However, based on the types of test activities such as air drops, gun firings, ground- launched rockets, air-launched rockets, and other explosive tests, possibilities exist that small amounts of depleted uranium (DU) (as part of weapon components) may be released to the air or to the ground because of unusual circumstances (failures) during testing. Four major monitoring programs were used in 1990 to assess radiological impact on the public. The EPA Air Surveillance Network (ASN) found that the only gamma ({gamma}) emitting radionuclide on themore » prefilters was beryllium-7 ({sup 7}Be), a naturally-occurring spallation product formed by the interaction of cosmic radiation with atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen. The weighted average results were consistent with the area background concentrations. The EPA Thermoluminescent Dosimetry (TLD) Network and Pressurized Ion Chamber (PIC) reported normal results. In the EPA Long-Term Hydrological Monitoring Program (LTHMP), analytical results for tritium ({sup 3}H) in well water were reported and were well below DOE-derived concentration guides (DCGs). In the Reynolds Electrical and Engineering Company (REECo) Drinking Water Sampling Program, analytical results for {sup 3}H, gross alpha ({alpha}), beta ({beta}), and {gamma} scan, strontium-90 ({sup 90}Sr) and plutonium-239 ({sup 239}Pu) were within the EPA's primary drinking water standards. 29 refs., 5 figs., 15 tabs.« less

Rural Household Preferences for Active Participation in “Payment for Ecosystem Service” Programs: A Case in the Miyun Reservoir Catchment, China

PubMed Central

Jiang, Xuemei; Zhang, Kebin; Yang, Xiaohui

2017-01-01

Many payment for ecosystem services (PES) programs, such as the Slope Land Conversion Program (SLCP), are passive and require full participation by impacted households. In contrast, this study considers the alternative of “active and incomplete” participation in PES programs, in which participants are not obliged to contract their own land, and have the right to select into the program or not. This type of program has been popular over the last decade in China; however, there have been few studies on the characteristics of willingness to participate and implementation. As such, this paper uses the Choice Experiment (CE) method to explore ways for inducing effective program participation, by analyzing the effects of different regime attributes. The case study used to analyze participation utility was the Jing-Ji Afforestation Program for Ecological and Water Protection (JAPEWP), a typical active-participation forestry PES program, and a key source of water near Beijing in the Miyun Reservoir Catchment (MRC). Analyzing rural household survey data indicated that the program faces a variety of challenges, including long-term maintenance, implementation performance, cost-effectiveness, and monitoring approaches. There are also challenges with one-size-fits-all payment strategies, due to ineffective program participation or imperfect implementation regimes. In response, this study proposes several policies, including providing secure and complete land tenure to the participants, creating more local off-farm employment opportunities, designing performance-based monitoring systems that are integrated with financial incentives, applying differentiated payment strategies, providing capacity building to support forestation activities, and establishing a comprehensive implementation regime that would address these challenges. These policy conclusions provide valuable lessons for other active-participation PES programs as well. PMID:28046106

Rural Household Preferences for Active Participation in "Payment for Ecosystem Service" Programs: A Case in the Miyun Reservoir Catchment, China.

PubMed

Li, Hao; Bennett, Michael T; Jiang, Xuemei; Zhang, Kebin; Yang, Xiaohui

2017-01-01

Many payment for ecosystem services (PES) programs, such as the Slope Land Conversion Program (SLCP), are passive and require full participation by impacted households. In contrast, this study considers the alternative of "active and incomplete" participation in PES programs, in which participants are not obliged to contract their own land, and have the right to select into the program or not. This type of program has been popular over the last decade in China; however, there have been few studies on the characteristics of willingness to participate and implementation. As such, this paper uses the Choice Experiment (CE) method to explore ways for inducing effective program participation, by analyzing the effects of different regime attributes. The case study used to analyze participation utility was the Jing-Ji Afforestation Program for Ecological and Water Protection (JAPEWP), a typical active-participation forestry PES program, and a key source of water near Beijing in the Miyun Reservoir Catchment (MRC). Analyzing rural household survey data indicated that the program faces a variety of challenges, including long-term maintenance, implementation performance, cost-effectiveness, and monitoring approaches. There are also challenges with one-size-fits-all payment strategies, due to ineffective program participation or imperfect implementation regimes. In response, this study proposes several policies, including providing secure and complete land tenure to the participants, creating more local off-farm employment opportunities, designing performance-based monitoring systems that are integrated with financial incentives, applying differentiated payment strategies, providing capacity building to support forestation activities, and establishing a comprehensive implementation regime that would address these challenges. These policy conclusions provide valuable lessons for other active-participation PES programs as well.

Background monitoring and its role in global estimation and forecast of the state of the biosphere.

PubMed

Izrael, Y A

1982-12-01

(1) Scientific grounds and the concept of monitoring as the system for observations, assessment and prediction of man-induced changes in the state of natural environment, the program and aims of the background monitoring were developed by the author in 1972-1980. These questions were discussed in detail at the International Symposium on Global Integrated Monitoring (Riga, U.S.S.R., December, 1978). It should be stressed that along with significant anthropogenic loading on large cities and industrial areas, natural ecosystems covering most of the Earth's territory are also exposed to quite extended, though insignificant anthropogenic effects. This paper proposes to consider the ways of the background information use for the biosphere state assessment and prediction. (2) Classification of objects for monitoring from the point of view of the consequences of the man-made impact, pollution in the first hand, is as follows: - population (public health); - ecosystem elements employed by man whose production is used by population (soil, water bodies, forest, etc.); - biotic elements of ecosystems (without the immediate consumed production); - abiotic constituents of natural ecosystems, considerable components of the biosphere, climatic system. (3) Historically, monitoring in all countries involves the first two spheres. The background monitoring also extends on the next two spheres. It should differentially take into account physical, chemical and biological factors of impacts. Indentification of biological effects is most complex and vital. Human impact at the background level proceeds indirectly through a general (global or regional) deterioration of the state of the biosphere. (4) Gradually the background monitoring is being practiced on a larger and larger scale. It is shown that the long-range atmospheric transport of pollutants in various regions leads to a gradual general increase of all the natural media pollution and to perceptible biological effects (soil and water acidification and resulting disturbances in the composition of soil and water organisms). The levels of the background impact differ. Thus, the background concentrations of a number of anthropogenic pollutants in Central Europe is 10-20 times higher than in Central Asia. (5) The area of priority in the background monitoring of the biosphere pollution has become evident: compounds of sulphur, mercury and their derivatives, organochloride pesticides, some radioactive substances (e.g., krypton-85 in the atmosphere). (6) The World Ocean is practically all contaminated on a global scale. Biological effects of the World Ocean pollution cause special concern. Particularly important consequences, including climate impact, may be caused by disturbances in energy and matter transfer between environmental media (water-air, water-bottom, etc.). The priority of the impact factors can be allocated here as well: oil products, metals, organochloride compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. (7) One of the most effective possibilities of environmental quality control is standardization which consists in elaboration of permissible ecological loadings upon ecosystems and natural media. The approach to ecological standardization differs from that of hygienic control in principle. The objective of ecological standardization is to ensure the integrity of the given ecosystem and natural environment on the whole. (8) Ecological standardization in its turn requires knowledge related to the damage from this or another impact because in such a case there is a possibility to compare ecological standards for the same ecosystem in the case when impacts are of different origin (e.g., different pollutants).

Annual environmental monitoring report of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

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

Schleimer, G.E.

1983-04-01

In order to establish whether LBL research activities produces any impact on the population surrounding the Laboratory, a program of environmental air and water sampling and continuous radiation monitoring was carried on throughout the year. For 1982, as in the previous several years, doses attributable to LBL radiological operations were a small fraction of the relevant radiation protection guidelines (RPG). The maximum perimeter dose equivalent was less than or equal to 24.0 mrem (the 1982 dose equivalent measured at the Building 88 monitoring station B-13A, about 5% of the RPG). The total population dose equivalent attributable to LBL operations duringmore » 1982 was less than or equal to 16 man-rem, about 0.002% of the RPG of 170 mrem/person to a suitable sample of the population.« less

Implementation of a drug-use and disease-state management program.

PubMed

Skledar, S J; Hess, M M

2000-12-15

A drug-use and disease-state management (DUDSM) program was instituted in 1996 at a teaching hospital associated with a large nonprofit health care system. The program's goals are to optimize pharmacotherapeutic regimens, evaluate health outcomes of identified disease states, and evaluate the economic impact of pharmacotherapeutic options for given disease states by developing practice guidelines. Through a re-engineering process, resources within the pharmacy department were identified that could be devoted to the DUDSM program, including the use of clinical pharmacy specialists, promotion of staff pharmacists into the DUDSM program, a pharmacy technician, and information systems support. A strength of the program is its systematic approach for developing and implementing new initiatives, as well as monitoring compliance with all initiatives on an ongoing basis. The initiative-design process incorporates continuous quality improvement principles, outcome design and evaluation, competency assessment for all pharmacists, multidisciplinary collaboration, and sophisticated information systems. Seventy-five initiatives have been implemented, ranging from simple dose-optimization strategies for specific drugs to complicated practice guidelines for managing specific disease states. Improved patient outcomes have been documented, including reduced length of stay, postsurgical wound infection, adverse drug reactions, and medication errors. Documented cost savings exceeded $4 million annually for fiscal years 1996-97 through 1999-2000. Overall compliance with DUDSM initiatives exceeds 80%, and physician service profiling has been initiated to monitor variant prescribing. The DUDSM program has successfully integrated practice guidelines into therapeutic decision-making, resulting in improved patient-care outcomes and cost savings.

Optical depth measurements by shadow-band radiometers and their uncertainties.

PubMed

Alexandrov, Mikhail D; Kiedron, Peter; Michalsky, Joseph J; Hodges, Gary; Flynn, Connor J; Lacis, Andrew A

2007-11-20

Shadow-band radiometers in general, and especially the Multi-Filter Rotating Shadow-band Radiometer (MFRSR), are widely used for atmospheric optical depth measurements. The major programs running MFRSR networks in the United States include the Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program, U.S. Department of Agriculture UV-B Monitoring and Research Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Surface Radiation (SURFRAD) Network, and NASA Solar Irradiance Research Network (SIRN). We discuss a number of technical issues specific to shadow-band radiometers and their impact on the optical depth measurements. These problems include instrument tilt and misalignment, as well as some data processing artifacts. Techniques for data evaluation and automatic detection of some of these problems are described.

Sampling-based approaches to improve estimation of mortality among patient dropouts: experience from a large PEPFAR-funded program in Western Kenya.

PubMed

Yiannoutsos, Constantin T; An, Ming-Wen; Frangakis, Constantine E; Musick, Beverly S; Braitstein, Paula; Wools-Kaloustian, Kara; Ochieng, Daniel; Martin, Jeffrey N; Bacon, Melanie C; Ochieng, Vincent; Kimaiyo, Sylvester

2008-01-01

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of HIV care and treatment programs is impacted by losses to follow-up (LTFU) in the patient population. The severity of this effect is undeniable but its extent unknown. Tracing all lost patients addresses this but census methods are not feasible in programs involving rapid scale-up of HIV treatment in the developing world. Sampling-based approaches and statistical adjustment are the only scaleable methods permitting accurate estimation of M&E indices. In a large antiretroviral therapy (ART) program in western Kenya, we assessed the impact of LTFU on estimating patient mortality among 8,977 adult clients of whom, 3,624 were LTFU. Overall, dropouts were more likely male (36.8% versus 33.7%; p = 0.003), and younger than non-dropouts (35.3 versus 35.7 years old; p = 0.020), with lower median CD4 count at enrollment (160 versus 189 cells/ml; p<0.001) and WHO stage 3-4 disease (47.5% versus 41.1%; p<0.001). Urban clinic clients were 75.0% of non-dropouts but 70.3% of dropouts (p<0.001). Of the 3,624 dropouts, 1,143 were sought and 621 had their vital status ascertained. Statistical techniques were used to adjust mortality estimates based on information obtained from located LTFU patients. Observed mortality estimates one year after enrollment were 1.7% (95% CI 1.3%-2.0%), revised to 2.8% (2.3%-3.1%) when deaths discovered through outreach were added and adjusted to 9.2% (7.8%-10.6%) and 9.9% (8.4%-11.5%) through statistical modeling depending on the method used. The estimates 12 months after ART initiation were 1.7% (1.3%-2.2%), 3.4% (2.9%-4.0%), 10.5% (8.7%-12.3%) and 10.7% (8.9%-12.6%) respectively. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE ABSTRACT: Assessment of the impact of LTFU is critical in program M&E as estimated mortality based on passive monitoring may underestimate true mortality by up to 80%. This bias can be ameliorated by tracing a sample of dropouts and statistically adjust the mortality estimates to properly evaluate and guide large HIV care and treatment programs.

Sustainable Seas Intertidal Monitoring Project at Duxbury Reef

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soave, K. S.; Dean, A.; Gusman, V.; McCracken, K.; Solli, S.; Storm, E.; Placeholder, P.

2007-12-01

The Sustainable Seas Student Monitoring Project at the Branson School in Ross, CA has monitored Duxbury Reef in Bolinas, CA since 1999, in cooperation with the Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association and the Gulf of Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. Goals of the project include: 1) To monitor the rocky intertidal habitat and develop a baseline database of invertebrates and algal density and abundance; 2) To contribute to the conservation of the rocky intertidal habitat through education of students and visitors about intertidal species and requirements for maintaining a healthy, diverse intertidal ecosystem; 3) To increase stewardship in the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary; and 4) To contribute abundance and population data on key algae and invertebrate species to the national database, LiMPETS (Long Term Monitoring Program & Experiential Training for Students). Student volunteers complete an intensive training course on the natural history of intertidal invertebrates and algae, identification of key species, rocky intertidal ecology, interpretation and monitoring techniques, and history of the sanctuary. Students conduct two baseline-monitoring surveys three times per year (fall, winter, and late spring) to identify and count key invertebrate and algae species. Seasonal abundance of the algae species Mastocarpus and Fucus revealed lower populations in the spring monitoring events. Turban snails, Tegula funebralis, also showed dramatic population variation with respect to tidal zone. One of our project goals is to monitor this area long enough to obtain trends and to begin to connect these patterns to contributing factors (specific weather events, anthropogenic impacts, etc). Replicate counts of all species are regularly performed. Replicate counts for invertebrate and algae species within the same quadrat along the permanent transects revealed a very small amount of variability, giving us confidence that our monitoring program is providing reliable data. The Branson School 39 Fernhill Rd. Ross, CA 94957 (415) 454-3612 x 323 Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association, PO Box 29386 San Francisco, CA 94129, 415-561-6625 x 303

Lunar Meteoroid Impact Observations and the Flux of Kilogram-sized Meteoroids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suggs, R. M.; Cooke, W. J.; Koehler, H. M.; Suggs, R. J.; Moser, D. E.; Swift, W. R.

2011-01-01

Lunar impact monitoring provides useful information about the flux of meteoroids in the hundreds of grams to kilograms size range. The large collecting area of the night side of the lunar disk, approximately 3.8 10(exp 6)sq km in our camera field-of-view, provides statistically significant counts of the meteoroids striking the lunar surface. Over 200 lunar impacts have been observed by our program in roughly 4 years. Photometric calibration of the flashes observed in the first 3 years along with the luminous efficiency determined using meteor showers and hypervelocity impact tests (Bellot Rubio et al. 2000; Ortiz et al. 2006; Moser et al. 2010; Swift et al. 2010) provide their impact kinetic energies. The asymmetry in the flux on the evening and morning hemispheres of the Moon is compared with sporadic and shower sources to determine their most likely origin. These measurements are consistent with other observations of large meteoroid fluxes.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2010

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

Jones, H E; Bertoldo, N A; Campbell, C G

The purposes of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2010 are to record Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL's) compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL's environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring at the two LLNL sites - the Livermore site and Site 300. The report is prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by LLNL's Environmental Protection Department. Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1A, Environmental Safety and Health Reporting, and DOE Order 5400.5, Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment. The report is distributed electronically and ismore » available at https://saer.llnl.gov/, the website for the LLNL annual environmental report. Previous LLNL annual environmental reports beginning in 1994 are also on the website. Some references in the electronic report text are underlined, which indicates that they are clickable links. Clicking on one of these links will open the related document, data workbook, or website that it refers to. The report begins with an executive summary, which provides the purpose of the report and an overview of LLNL's compliance and monitoring results. The first three chapters provide background information: Chapter 1 is an overview of the location, meteorology, and hydrogeology of the two LLNL sites; Chapter 2 is a summary of LLNL's compliance with environmental regulations; and Chapter 3 is a description of LLNL's environmental programs with an emphasis on the Environmental Management System including pollution prevention. The majority of the report covers LLNL's environmental monitoring programs and monitoring data for 2010: effluent and ambient air (Chapter 4); waters, including wastewater, storm water runoff, surface water, rain, and groundwater (Chapter 5); and terrestrial, including soil, sediment, vegetation, foodstuff, ambient radiation, and special status wildlife and plants (Chapter 6). Complete monitoring data, which are summarized in the body of the report, are provided in Appendix A. The remaining three chapters discuss the radiological impact on the public from LLNL operations (Chapter 7), LLNL's groundwater remediation program (Chapter 8), and quality assurance for the environmental monitoring programs (Chapter 9). The report uses System International units, consistent with the federal Metric Conversion Act of 1975 and Executive Order 12770, Metric Usage in Federal Government Programs (1991). For ease of comparison to environmental reports issued prior to 1991, dose values and many radiological measurements are given in both metric and U.S. customary units. A conversion table is provided in the glossary.« less

Environmental Report 2007

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

Mathews, S; Gallegos, G; Berg, L L

2008-09-24

The purposes of the 'Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Environmental Report 2007' are to record Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's (LLNL's) compliance with environmental standards and requirements, describe LLNL's environmental protection and remediation programs, and present the results of environmental monitoring at the two LLNL sites--the Livermore site and Site 300. The report is prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) by LLNL's Environmental Protection Department. Submittal of the report satisfies requirements under DOE Order 231.1A, Environmental Safety and Health Reporting, and DOE Order 5400.5, Radiation Protection of the Public and Environment. The report is distributed electronically and is available atmore » https://saer.lln.gov/, the website for the LLNL annual environmental report. Previous LLNL annual environmental reports beginning in 1994 are also on the website. Some references in the electronic report text are underlined, which indicates that they are clickable links. Clicking on one of these links will open the related document, data workbook, or website that it refers to. The report begins with an executive summary, which provides the purpose of the report and an overview of LLNL's compliance and monitoring results. The first three chapters provide background information: Chapter 1 is an overview of the location, meteorology, and hydrogeology of the two LLNL sites; Chapter 2 is a summary of LLNL's compliance with environmental regulations; and Chapter 3 is a description of LLNL's environmental programs with an emphasis on the Environmental Management System including pollution prevention. The majority of the report covers LLNL's environmental monitoring programs and monitoring data for 2007: effluent and ambient air (Chapter 4); waters, including wastewater, storm water runoff, surface water, rain, and groundwater (Chapter 5); and terrestrial, including soil, sediment, vegetation, foodstuff, ambient radiation, and special status wildlife and plants (Chapter 6). Complete monitoring data, which are summarized in the body of the report, are provided in Appendix A. The remaining three chapters discuss the radiological impact on the public from LLNL operations (Chapter 7), LLNL's groundwater remediation program (Chapter 8), and quality assurance for the environmental monitoring programs (Chapter 9). The report uses Systeme International units, consistent with the federal Metric Conversion Act of 1975 and Executive Order 12770, Metric Usage in Federal Government Programs (1991). For ease of comparison to environmental reports issued prior to 1991, dose values and many radiological measurements are given in both metric and U.S. customary units. A conversion table is provided in the glossary.« less

40 CFR 122.48 - Requirements for recording and reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... representative of the monitored activity including, when appropriate, continuous monitoring; (c) Applicable... reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see § 123.25). 122.48 Section 122.48... recording and reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see § 123.25). All permits...

40 CFR 122.48 - Requirements for recording and reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... representative of the monitored activity including, when appropriate, continuous monitoring; (c) Applicable... reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see § 123.25). 122.48 Section 122.48... recording and reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see § 123.25). All permits...

40 CFR 122.48 - Requirements for recording and reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... representative of the monitored activity including, when appropriate, continuous monitoring; (c) Applicable... reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see § 123.25). 122.48 Section 122.48... recording and reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see § 123.25). All permits...

40 CFR 122.48 - Requirements for recording and reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... representative of the monitored activity including, when appropriate, continuous monitoring; (c) Applicable... reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see § 123.25). 122.48 Section 122.48... recording and reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see § 123.25). All permits...

40 CFR 122.48 - Requirements for recording and reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... representative of the monitored activity including, when appropriate, continuous monitoring; (c) Applicable... reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see § 123.25). 122.48 Section 122.48... recording and reporting of monitoring results (applicable to State programs, see § 123.25). All permits...

The Flux of Large Meteoroids Observed with Lunar Impact Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cooke, W. J.; Suggs, R. M.; Moser, D. E.; Suggs, R. J.

2014-01-01

The flux of large meteoroids is not well determined due to relatively low number statistics, due mainly to the lack of collecting area available to meteor camera systems (10(2)-10(5) km2). Larger collecting areas are needed to provide reasonable statistics for flux calculations. The Moon, with millions of square kilometers of lunar surface, can be used as a detector for observing the population of large meteoroids in the tens of grams to kilogram mass range. This is accomplished by observing the flash of light produced when a meteoroid impacts the lunar surface, converting a portion of its kinetic energy to visible light detectable from Earth. A routine monitoring program at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center has recorded over 300 impact flashes since early 2006. The program utilizes multiple 0.35 m (14 inch) Schmidt-Cassegrain telescopes, outfitted with video cameras using the 1/2 inch Sony EXview HAD CCDTM chip, to perform simultaneous observations of the earthshine hemisphere of the Moon when the lunar phase is between 0.1 and 0.5. This optical arrangement permits monitoring of approximately 3.8x10(6) km2 of lunar surface. A selection of 126 flashes recorded in 266.88 hours of photometric skies was analyzed, creating the largest and most homogeneous dataset of lunar impact flashes to date. Standard CCD photometric techniques outlined in [1] were applied to the video to determine the luminous energy, kinetic energy, and mass for each impactor, considering a range of luminous efficiencies. The flux to a limiting energy of 2.5x10(-6) kT TNT or 1.05×10(7) J is 1.03×10(-7) km(-2) hr(-1) and the flux to a limiting mass of 30 g is 6.14×10(-10) m(-2) yr(-1). Comparisons made with measurements and models of the meteoroid population indicate that the flux of objects in this size range is slightly lower (but within the error bars) than the power law distribution determined for the near Earth object population by [2].

A comparison of the temporally integrated monitoring of ecosystems and Adirondack Long Term-Monitoring programs in the Adirondack Mountain region of New Yrok

EPA Science Inventory

This paper compares lake chemistry in the Adirondack region of New York measured by the Temporally Integrated Monitoring of Ecosystems (TIME) and Adirondack Long-Term Monitoring (ALTM) programs by examining the data from six lakes common to both programs. Both programs were initi...

Quantifying the multiple, environmental benefits of reintroducing the Eurasian Beaver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brazier, Richard; Puttock, Alan; Graham, Hugh; Anderson, Karen; Cunliffe, Andrew; Elliott, Mark

2016-04-01

Beavers are ecological engineers with an ability to modify the structure and flow of fluvial systems and create complex wetland environments with dams, ponds and canals. Consequently, beaver activity has potential for river restoration, management and the provision of multiple environmental ecosystem services including biodiversity, flood risk mitigation, water quality and sustainable drinking water provision. With the current debate surrounding the reintroduction of beavers into the United Kingdom, it is critical to monitor the impact of beavers upon the environment. We have developed and implemented a monitoring strategy to quantify the impact of reintroducing the Eurasian Beaver on multiple environmental ecosystem services and river systems at a range of scales. First, the experimental design and preliminary results will be presented from the Mid-Devon Beaver Trial, where a family of beavers has been introduced to a 3 ha enclosure situated upon a first order tributary of the River Tamar. The site was instrumented to monitor the flow rate and quality of water entering and leaving the site. Additionally, the impacts of beavers upon riparian vegetation structure, water/carbon storage were investigated. Preliminary results indicate that beaver activity, particularly the building of ponds and dams, increases water storage within the landscape and moderates the river response to rainfall. Baseflow is enhanced during dry periods and storm flow is attenuated, potentially reducing the risk of flooding downstream. Initial analysis of water quality indicates that water entering the site (running off intensively managed grasslands upslope), has higher suspended sediment loads and nitrate levels, than that leaving the site, after moving through the series of beaver ponds. These results suggest beaver activity may also act as a means by which the negative impact of diffuse water pollution from agriculture can be mitigated thus providing cleaner water in rivers downstream. Secondly, the River Otter Beaver Trial will be discussed. In 2015 Natural England granted a five year licence to monitor beavers living wild upon the River Otter, Devon. The River Otter, ca. 280 km2, is a dynamic, spatey system with downstream areas exhibiting poor ecological status, primarily due to sediment and phosphorus loading, which both impact on fish numbers. The impacts of Eurasian Beaver upon English river systems are currently poorly understood, with the outcome of this pilot study having significant implications for river restoration and management. This project, the first of its kind in England, is monitoring the impacts of beavers upon the River Otter catchment with three main scientific objectives: (1) Characterise the existing structure of the River Otter riparian zone and quantify any changes during the 2015-2019 period; (2) Quantify the impact of beaver activity on water flow at a range of scales in the Otter catchment; (3) Evaluate the impact of beaver activity on water quality. Finally, lessons learnt from these monitoring programs will be discussed in light of the need for more natural solutions to flood and diffuse pollution management. We conclude that whilst our work demonstrates multiple positive benefits of Beaver reintroduction, considerably more, scale-appropriate monitoring is required before such results could be extrapolated to landscape scales.

Hydrologic monitoring of selected streams in coal fields of central and southern Utah; summary of data collected, August 1978-September 1984

USGS Publications Warehouse

Price, Don; Plantz, G.G.

1987-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a coal-hydrology monitoring program in coal-field areas of central and southern Utah during August 1978-September 1984 to determine possible hydrologic impacts of future mining and to provide a better understanding of the hydrologic systems of the coal resource areas monitored. Data were collected at 19 gaging stations--18 stations in the Price, San Rafael, and Dirty Devil River basins, and 1 in the Kanab Creek Basin. Streamflow data were collected continuously at 11 stations and seasonally at 5 stations. At the other three stations streamflow data were collected continuously during the 1979 water year and then seasonally for the rest of their periods of record. Types of data collected at each station included quantity and quality of streamflow; suspended sediment concentrations; and descriptions of stream bottom sediments, benthic invertebrate, and phytoplankton samples. Also, base flow measurements were made annually upstream from 12 of the gaging stations. Stream bottom sediment sampled at nearly all the monitoring sites contained small to moderate quantities of coal, which may be attributed chiefly to pre-monitoring mining. Streamflow sampled at several sites contained large concentrations of sulfate and dissolved solids. Also, concentrations of various trace elements at 10 stations, and phenols at 18 stations, exceeded the criteria of the EPA for drinking water. This may be attributed to contemporary (water years 1979-84) mine drainage activities. The data collected during the complete water years (1979-84) of monitoring do provide a better understanding of the hydrologic systems of the coal field areas monitored. The data also provide a definite base by which to evaluate hydrologic impacts of continued or increased coal mining in those areas. (Author 's abstract)

Impact of feedback on physical activity levels of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during pulmonary rehabilitation: A feasibility study.

PubMed

Cruz, Joana; Brooks, Dina; Marques, Alda

2014-11-01

This study aimed at investigating whether providing feedback on physical activity (PA) levels to patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is feasible and enhances daily PA during pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Patients with COPD participated in a 12-week PR program. Daily PA was measured using activity monitors on weeks 1, 7, and 12, and feedback was given in the following weeks on the number of steps, time spent in sedentary, light, and moderate-to-vigorous intensity activities, and time spent standing, sitting, and lying. Compliance with PA monitoring was collected. Two focus groups were conducted to obtain patients' perspectives on the use of activity monitors and on the feedback given. Differences in PA data were also assessed. Sixteen patients (65.63 ± 10.57 years; forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) 70.31 ± 22.74% predicted) completed the study. From those, only eleven participants used the activity monitors during all monitoring days. Participants identified several problems regarding the use of activity monitors and monitoring duration. Daily steps (p = 0.026) and standing time (p = 0.030) were improved from week 1 to week 7; however, the former declined from week 7 to week 12. Findings suggest that using feedback to improve PA during PR is feasible and results in improved daily steps and standing time on week 7. The subsequent decline suggests that additional strategies may be needed to stimulate/maintain PA improvements. Further research with more robust designs is needed to investigate the impact of feedback on patients' daily PA. © The Author(s) 2014.

Final environmental impact statement. Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

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

Not Available

1980-10-01

This volume contains the appendices for the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). Alternative geologic environs are considered. Salt, crystalline rock, argillaceous rock, and tuff are discussed. Studies on alternate geologic regions for the siting of WIPP are reviewed. President Carter's message to Congress on the management of radioactive wastes and the findings and recommendations of the interagency review group on nuclear waste management are included. Selection criteria for the WIPP site including geologic, hydrologic, tectonic, physicochemical compatability, and socio-economic factors are presented. A description of the waste types and the waste processing procedures aremore » given. Methods used to calculate radiation doses from radionuclide releases during operation are presented. A complete description of the Los Medanos site, including archaeological and historic aspects is included. Environmental monitoring programs and long-term safety analysis program are described. (DMC)« less

Implementation of a School-wide Clinical Intervention Documentation System

PubMed Central

Stevenson, T. Lynn; Fox, Brent I.; Andrus, Miranda; Carroll, Dana

2011-01-01

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness and impact of a customized Web-based software program implemented in 2006 for school-wide documentation of clinical interventions by pharmacy practice faculty members, pharmacy residents, and student pharmacists. Methods. The implementation process, directed by a committee of faculty members and school administrators, included preparation and refinement of the software, user training, development of forms and reports, and integration of the documentation process within the curriculum. Results. Use of the documentation tool consistently increased from May 2007 to December 2010. Over 187,000 interventions were documented with over $6.2 million in associated cost avoidance. Conclusions. Successful implementation of a school-wide documentation tool required considerable time from the oversight committee and a comprehensive training program for all users, with ongoing monitoring of data collection practices. Data collected proved to be useful to show the impact of faculty members, residents, and student pharmacists at affiliated training sites. PMID:21829264

Ecological and socioeconomic effects of China's policies for ecosystem services.

PubMed

Liu, Jianguo; Li, Shuxin; Ouyang, Zhiyun; Tam, Christine; Chen, Xiaodong

2008-07-15

To address devastating environmental crises and to improve human well-being, China has been implementing a number of national policies on payments for ecosystem services. Two of them, the Natural Forest Conservation Program (NFCP) and the Grain to Green Program (GTGP), are among the biggest programs in the world because of their ambitious goals, massive scales, huge payments, and potentially enormous impacts. The NFCP conserves natural forests through logging bans and afforestation with incentives to forest enterprises, whereas the GTGP converts cropland on steep slopes to forest and grassland by providing farmers with grain and cash subsidies. Overall ecological effects are beneficial, and socioeconomic effects are mostly positive. Whereas there are time lags in ecological effects, socioeconomic effects are more immediate. Both the NFCP and the GTGP also have global implications because they increase vegetative cover, enhance carbon sequestration, and reduce dust to other countries by controlling soil erosion. The future impacts of these programs may be even bigger. Extended payments for the GTGP have recently been approved by the central government for up to 8 years. The NFCP is likely to follow suit and receive renewed payments. To make these programs more effective, we recommend systematic planning, diversified funding, effective compensation, integrated research, and comprehensive monitoring. Effective implementation of these programs can also provide important experiences and lessons for other ecosystem service payment programs in China and many other parts of the world.

[Implementation of a remote oncology-monitoring program for cancer patients in outpatient care unit: A major challenge for the different actors].

PubMed

Peyrilles, Elodie; Lepage-Seydoux, Coralie; Sejean, Karine; Bonan, Brigitte

2018-04-01

The development of outpatient departments requires health professionals to reorganize practices for a better patient monitoring and a better patient care pathway. To evaluate, using indicators, the impact of an oncology-monitoring program on activity and organizational fluidity in a Cytotoxic Preparation Unit and clinical departments. Method the clinical and biological data are collected between two injections by calling the patient two days prior chemotherapy is performed by a specialist nurse of an outsourced medical call center. After medical and pharmaceutical validation, early preparations (D-1) for expensive and non-expensive molecules are performed. The program is started in February 2016. After 3 months, 382 patients were included into the program. Twenty-three patients on average are called per day related to 1162 completed clinical questionnaires (87%). Among the files, 47% are complete at D-2 (biological and clinical data). The early preparation rate of expensive drugs, zero before the program for financial reasons, has reached 40% at 3 months. The destroyed preparation rate because of non-administration decreased from 5 to 2%. Preliminary results show a significant patient compliance, feasibility of early preparation of expensive and non-expensive chemotherapy. These are preliminary results of a one-year study. They will be completed by an evaluation of patients' and health professionals' satisfaction, evaluation of length of stay, optimization of operations for clinical departments and CPU. The D-2 biological data collection must be improved. A strong doctor/pharmacist collaboration is essential for better patient care pathway. Copyright © 2018 Société Française du Cancer. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

How molecular epidemiology studies can support the National Malaria Control Program in Papua New Guinea.

PubMed

Koepfli, Cristian; Barry, Alyssa; Javati, Sarah; Timinao, Lincoln; Nate, Elma; Mueller, Ivo; Barnadas, Celine

2014-01-01

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is undertaking intensified efforts to control malaria. The National Malaria Control Program aims to reduce the burden of disease by large-scale distribution of insecticide-treated bednets, improved diagnosis and implementation of new treatments. A scientific program monitoring the effect of these interventions, including molecular epidemiology studies, closely accompanies the program. Laboratory assays have been developed in (or transferred to) PNG to measure prevalence of infection and intensity of transmission as well as potential resistance to currently used drugs. These assays help to assess the impact of the National Malaria Control Program, and they reveal a much clearer picture of malaria epidemiology in PNG. In addition, analysis of the geographical clustering of parasites aids in selecting areas where intensified control will be most successful. This paper gives an overview of current research and recently completed studies in the molecular epidemiology of malaria conducted in Papua New Guinea.

Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant environmental report for 1989

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

Turner, J.W.

1990-10-01

This calendar year 1989 annual report on environmental surveillance of the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PORTS) and its environs consists of two parts: the Summary, Discussion, and Conclusions (Part 1) and the Data Presentation (Part 2). The objectives of this report are the following: report 1989 monitoring data for the installation and its environs that may have been affected by operations on the plant site, provide reasonably detailed information about the plant site and plant operations, provide detailed information on input and assumptions used in all calculations, provide trend analyses (where appropriate) to indicate increasesmore » and decreases in environmental impact, and provide general information on plant quality assurance. Routine monitoring and sampling for radiation, radioactive materials, and chemical substances on and off the DOE site are used to document compliance with appropriate standards, to identify trends, to provide information for the public, and to contribute to general environmental knowledge. The surveillance program assists in fulfilling the DOE policy of protecting the public, employees, and environment from harm that could be caused by its activities and reducing negative environmental impacts to the greatest degree practicable. Environmental-monitoring information complements data on specific releases, trends, and summaries. 26 refs.« less

Impact of a drug-free program on broiler chicken growth performances, gut health, Clostridium perfringens and Campylobacter jejuni occurrences at the farm level.

PubMed

Gaucher, M-L; Quessy, S; Letellier, A; Arsenault, J; Boulianne, M

2015-08-01

The use of antimicrobial agents as feed additives in poultry production is a public health concern due to the overall increase in antimicrobial resistance. Although some alternative products are commercially available, little is known on their potential impact on flock health and productivity. A prospective study involving 1.55 million birds was conducted on eight commercial broiler farms in Québec, Canada, to evaluate the impact of replacing antibiotic growth promoters and anticoccidial drugs by a drug-free program including improved brooding conditions, anticoccidial vaccination, essential oil-based feed additives, and water acidification. Various productivity and health parameters were compared between barns allocated to the conventional and the drug-free program. Zootechnical performances were monitored as productivity criteria. Clinical necrotic enteritis and subclinical enteritis occurrences, litter and fecal moistures content were measured, and microscopic gut health was evaluated. Clostridium perfringens and Campylobacter spp. strains were recovered from fecal samples collected during farm visits. Clostridium perfringens counts were used as poultry health indicators and Campylobacter prevalence was noted as well. The drug-free program was associated with a significant increase in feed conversion ratio and a decrease in mean live weight at slaughter and in daily weight gain. An increased incidence of necrotic enteritis outbreaks and subclinical enteritis cases, as well as an increase in litter moisture content at the end of the rearing period were also observed for this program. Mean microscopic intestinal lesion scores and prevalence of Campylobacter colonization were not statistically different between the two groups but the drug-free program was associated with higher Clostridium perfringens isolation rates. According to the current study design, the results suggest that substitution of antibiotic growth promoters and anticoccidial drugs by a drug-free program impacts various broiler chicken production parameters and Clostridium perfringens carriage levels. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Human health and ecological assessment programs for Hebei Spirit oil spill accident of 2007: Status, lessons, and future challenges.

PubMed

Jung, Dawoon; Kim, Jung-Ah; Park, Myung-Sook; Yim, Un Hyuk; Choi, Kyungho

2017-04-01

Hebei Spirit oil spill (HSOS) of December 2007 is one of the worst oil spill accidents that occurred in Yellow Sea. The affected coastline along the west coast of Korean Peninsula hosts one of the largest tidal flats worldwide, and is home to tens of thousands of human residents. Based on nation-wide concerns on ecosystem damages and adverse human health effects, two separate surveillance programs on ecosystem and human health were initiated: a 10-year follow-up program by Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries to assess ecological impacts of the oil spill, and an exposure and health effect assessment program by Ministry of Environment for the residents of Taean and its vicinity. For the past eight years, extensive monitoring and surveillance data on ecosystem and humans have been accumulated through these programs. But these studies have been conducted mostly independently, and collaborations were seldom made between two programs. The lack of communication resulted in gaps and overlaps between the programs which led to loss of critical information and efficiency. As oil spill can affect both humans and ecosystem through various pathways, collaboration and communication between human and ecosystem health surveillance programs are necessary, and will synergize the success of both programs. Such concerted efforts will provide better platform for understanding the status of impact, and for developing approaches to address human and ecosystem health challenges that may be faced following environmental disasters like HSOS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cost considerations for long-term ecological monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Caughlan, L.; Oakley, K.L.

2001-01-01

For an ecological monitoring program to be successful over the long-term, the perceived benefits of the information must justify the cost. Financial limitations will always restrict the scope of a monitoring program, hence the program's focus must be carefully prioritized. Clearly identifying the costs and benefits of a program will assist in this prioritization process, but this is easier said than done. Frequently, the true costs of monitoring are not recognized and are, therefore, underestimated. Benefits are rarely evaluated, because they are difficult to quantify. The intent of this review is to assist the designers and managers of long-term ecological monitoring programs by providing a general framework for building and operating a cost-effective program. Previous considerations of monitoring costs have focused on sampling design optimization. We present cost considerations of monitoring in a broader context. We explore monitoring costs, including both budgetary costs--what dollars are spent on--and economic costs, which include opportunity costs. Often, the largest portion of a monitoring program budget is spent on data collection, and other, critical aspects of the program, such as scientific oversight, training, data management, quality assurance, and reporting, are neglected. Recognizing and budgeting for all program costs is therefore a key factor in a program's longevity. The close relationship between statistical issues and cost is discussed, highlighting the importance of sampling design, replication and power, and comparing the costs of alternative designs through pilot studies and simulation modeling. A monitoring program development process that includes explicit checkpoints for considering costs is presented. The first checkpoint occur during the setting of objectives and during sampling design optimization. The last checkpoint occurs once the basic shape of the program is known, and the costs and benefits, or alternatively the cost-effectiveness, of each program element can be evaluated. Moving into the implementation phase without careful evaluation of costs and benefits is risky because if costs are later found to exceed benefits, the program will fail. The costs of development, which can be quite high, will have been largely wasted. Realistic expectations of costs and benefits will help ensure that monitoring programs survive the early, turbulent stages of development and the challenges posed by fluctuating budgets during implementation.

Ecological investigations: vegetation studies, preliminary findings

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

Olgeirson, E.R.; Martin, R.B.

1978-09-01

The objective of the vegetation studies conducted on the research site is to produce a descriptive data base that can be applied to determinations of carrying capacity of the site and surrounding area. Additional information obtained about parameters that influence vegetation growth and maintenance of soil nutrients, and moisture and temperature regimes help define dynamic relationships that must be understood to effect successful revegetation and habitat rehabilitation. The descriptive vegetation baseline also provides a point of departure for design of future monitoring programs, and predictive models and strategies to be used in dealing with impact mitigation; in turn, monitoring programsmore » and predictive modeling form the bases for making distinctions between natural trends and man-induced perturbations.« less

Evaluation of programs to improve complementary feeding in infants and young children.

PubMed

Frongillo, Edward A

2017-10-01

Evaluation of complementary feeding programs is needed to enhance knowledge on what works, to document responsible use of resources, and for advocacy. Evaluation is done during program conceptualization and design, implementation, and determination of effectiveness. This paper explains the role of evaluation in the advancement of complementary feeding programs, presenting concepts and methods and illustrating them through examples. Planning and investments for evaluations should occur from the beginning of the project life cycle. Essential to evaluation is articulation of a program theory on how change would occur and what program actions are required for change. Analysis of program impact pathways makes explicit the dynamic connections in the program theory and accounts for contextual factors that could influence program effectiveness. Evaluating implementation functioning is done through addressing questions about needs, coverage, provision, and utilization using information obtained from process evaluation, operations research, and monitoring. Evaluating effectiveness is done through assessing impact, efficiency, coverage, process, and causality. Plausibility designs ask whether the program seemed to have an effect above and beyond external influences, often using a nonrandomized control group and baseline and end line measures. Probability designs ask whether there was an effect using a randomized control group. Evaluations may not be able to use randomization, particularly for programs implemented at a large scale. Plausibility designs, innovative designs, or innovative combinations of designs sometimes are best able to provide useful information. Further work is needed to develop practical designs for evaluation of large-scale country programs on complementary feeding. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

7 CFR 246.19 - Management evaluation and monitoring reviews.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN Monitoring and Review § 246.19 Management evaluation and monitoring reviews... reports, the development of corrective action plans to resolve Program deficiencies, the monitoring of the...

7 CFR 246.19 - Management evaluation and monitoring reviews.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN Monitoring and Review § 246.19 Management evaluation and monitoring reviews... reports, the development of corrective action plans to resolve Program deficiencies, the monitoring of the...

7 CFR 246.19 - Management evaluation and monitoring reviews.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN Monitoring and Review § 246.19 Management evaluation and monitoring reviews... reports, the development of corrective action plans to resolve Program deficiencies, the monitoring of the...

7 CFR 246.19 - Management evaluation and monitoring reviews.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN Monitoring and Review § 246.19 Management evaluation and monitoring reviews... reports, the development of corrective action plans to resolve Program deficiencies, the monitoring of the...

7 CFR 246.19 - Management evaluation and monitoring reviews.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAMS SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN Monitoring and Review § 246.19 Management evaluation and monitoring reviews... reports, the development of corrective action plans to resolve Program deficiencies, the monitoring of the...

45 CFR 2543.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 2543.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to...

15 CFR 14.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...-PROFIT, AND COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 14.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to...

14 CFR 1260.151 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Records § 1260.151 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subcontract, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subcontracts to ensure subcontractors have met the audit requirements as delineated...

14 CFR 1260.151 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... Records § 1260.151 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subcontract, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subcontracts to ensure subcontractors have met the audit requirements as delineated...

15 CFR 14.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

...-PROFIT, AND COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 14.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to...

45 CFR 2543.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 2543.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to...

14 CFR 1260.151 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Records § 1260.151 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subcontract, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subcontracts to ensure subcontractors have met the audit requirements as delineated...

45 CFR 2543.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 2543.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to...

45 CFR 2543.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Property Standards § 2543.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to...

15 CFR 14.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

...-PROFIT, AND COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 14.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to...

15 CFR 14.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

...-PROFIT, AND COMMERCIAL ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 14.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to...

Improving health aid for a better planet: The planning, monitoring and evaluation tool (PLANET).

PubMed

Sridhar, Devi; Car, Josip; Chopra, Mickey; Campbell, Harry; Woods, Ngaire; Rudan, Igor

2015-12-01

International development assistance for health (DAH) quadrupled between 1990 and 2012, from US$ 5.6 billion to US$ 28.1 billion. This generates an increasing need for transparent and replicable tools that could be used to set investment priorities, monitor the distribution of funding in real time, and evaluate the impact of those investments. In this paper we present a methodology that addresses these three challenges. We call this approach PLANET, which stands for planning, monitoring and evaluation tool. Fundamentally, PLANET is based on crowdsourcing approach to obtaining information relevant to deployment of large-scale programs. Information is contributed in real time by a diverse group of participants involved in the program delivery. PLANET relies on real-time information from three levels of participants in large-scale programs: funders, managers and recipients. At each level, information is solicited to assess five key risks that are most relevant to each level of operations. The risks at the level of funders involve systematic neglect of certain areas, focus on donor's interests over that of program recipients, ineffective co-ordination between donors, questionable mechanisms of delivery and excessive loss of funding to "middle men". At the level of managers, the risks are corruption, lack of capacity and/or competence, lack of information and /or communication, undue avoidance of governmental structures / preference to non-governmental organizations and exclusion of local expertise. At the level of primary recipients, the risks are corruption, parallel operations / "verticalization", misalignment with local priorities and lack of community involvement, issues with ethics, equity and/or acceptability, and low likelihood of sustainability beyond the end of the program's implementation. PLANET is intended as an additional tool available to policy-makers to prioritize, monitor and evaluate large-scale development programs. In this, it should complement tools such as LiST (for health care/interventions), EQUIST (for health care/interventions) and CHNRI (for health research), which also rely on information from local experts and on local context to set priorities in a transparent, user-friendly, replicable, quantifiable and specific, algorithmic-like manner.

Unraveling Structural Infrasound: understanding the science for persistent remote monitoring of critical infrastructure (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenna, S. M.; Diaz-Alvarez, H.; McComas, S.; Costley, D.; Whitlow, R. D.; Jordan, A. M.; Taylor, O.

2013-12-01

In 2006, the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) began a program designed to meet the capability gap associated with remote assessment of critical infrastructure. This program addresses issues arising from the use of geophysical techniques to solve engineering problems through persistent monitoring of critical infrastructure using infrasound. In the original 2006-2009 study of a railroad bridge in Ft. Leonard Wood, MO, the fundamental modes of motion of the structure were detected at up to 30 km away, with atmospheric excitation deemed to be the source driver. Follow-on research focused on the mechanically driven modes excited by traffic, with directional acoustic emanations. The success of the Ft. Wood ambient excitation study resulted in several subsequent programs to push the boundaries of this new technique for standoff assessment, discussed herein. Detection of scour and river system health monitoring are serious problems for monitoring civil infrastructure, from both civilian and military perspectives. Knowledge of overall system behavior over time is crucial for assessment of bridge foundations and barge navigation. This research focuses on the same steel-truss bridge from the Ft. Wood study, and analyzes 3D and 2D substructure models coupled with the superstructure reaction loads to assess the modal deformations within the infrasound bandwidth and the correlation to scour of embedment material. The Urban infrasound program is infrasound modeling, data analysis, and sensor research leading to the detection, classification and localization of threat activities in complex propagation environments. Three seismo-acoustic arrays were deployed on rooftops across the Southern Methodist University campus in Dallas, Texas, to characterize the urban infrasound environment. Structural sources within 15 km of the arrays have been identified through signal processing and confirmed through acoustical models. Infrasound is also being studied as a means of structural impact assessment. The Interstate-20 Mississippi River Bridge in Vicksburg, MS is a 7 span, cantilever bridge. On March 23, 2011, a barge moving downstream struck a pier of the bridge. Infrasound stations located approximately 4.5 km away detected the impact. Coincidentally, ERDC had instrumented the bridge with strain gages and accelerometers as part of a structural health monitoring project. Finite Element (FE) models were developed to investigate the structural behavior of the bridge due to the impact, with experimental data and FE models validating source mechanism of the infrasound from the bridge. Health assessment of large dams, whether for flood control or power generation, is critical for both civilian and military applications. Ambient excitations can induce measurable responses in the dam, adjacent foundation and in the reservoir, some of which are in the infrasound passband. The Portugues Dam outside of Ponce, Puerto Rico, is being investigated. Currently in the final stages of construction, infrasound array data collections over all four seasons before and after the opening of the dam will provide a seasonally variable database, begun in July 2013. Impulsive excitation using an instrumented Cold Gas thruster (CGT) instrumented with a dynamic force sensor induces transient frequency responses in the dam, reservoir, and along the dam-foundation interface below 20 Hz, to allow for controlled source validation.

Review of present groundwater monitoring programs at the Nevada Test Site

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

Hershey, R.L.; Gillespie, D.

1993-09-01

Groundwater monitoring at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) is conducted to detect the presence of radionuclides produced by underground nuclear testing and to verify the quality and safety of groundwater supplies as required by the State of Nevada and federal regulations, and by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Orders. Groundwater is monitored at water-supply wells and at other boreholes and wells not specifically designed or located for traditional groundwater monitoring objectives. Different groundwater monitoring programs at the NTS are conducted by several DOE Nevada Operations Office (DOE/NV) contractors. Presently, these individual groundwater monitoring programs have not been assessed or administeredmore » under a comprehensive planning approach. Redundancy exists among the programs in both the sampling locations and the constituents analyzed. Also, sampling for certain radionuclides is conducted more frequently than required. The purpose of this report is to review the existing NTS groundwater monitoring programs and make recommendations for modifying the programs so a coordinated, streamlined, and comprehensive monitoring effort may be achieved by DOE/NV. This review will be accomplished in several steps. These include: summarizing the present knowledge of the hydrogeology of the NTS and the potential radionuclide source areas for groundwater contamination; reviewing the existing groundwater monitoring programs at the NTS; examining the rationale for monitoring and the constituents analyzed; reviewing the analytical methods used to quantify tritium activity; discussing monitoring network design criteria; and synthesizing the information presented and making recommendations based on the synthesis. This scope of work was requested by the DOE/NV Hydrologic Resources Management Program (HRMP) and satisfies the 1993 (fiscal year) HRMP Groundwater Monitoring Program Review task.« less

Geothermal environmental studies, Heber Region, Imperial Valley, California. Environmental baseline data acquisition. Final report

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

Not Available

1977-02-01

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has been studying the feasibility of a Low Salinity Hydrothermal Demonstration Plant as part of its Geothermal Energy Program. The Heber area of the Imperial Valley was selected as one of the candidate geothermal reservoirs. Documentation of the environmental conditions presently existing in the Heber area is required for assessment of environmental impacts of future development. An environmental baseline data acquisition program to compile available data on the environment of the Heber area is reported. The program included a review of pertinent existing literature, interviews with academic, governmental and private entities, combined with fieldmore » investigations and meteorological monitoring to collect primary data. Results of the data acquisition program are compiled in terms of three elements: the physical, the biological and socioeconomic settings.« less

Impact: an Integrated Approach (Space and Ground) for Monitoring the Threat of Earth Orbit Corssing Celestial Bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bussolino, L.; Somma, R.

The threat of possible collision of asteroids and comets with our planet has reached an international stage since 1990 when U.S.A. Congress set up a dedicated committee for the analysis and the assessment of this problem.The U.N. organized a congress later on to summarize the current knowledge on this subject as well as the Europea Council recommended its member states to conduct studies to further deepen the understanding in terms of tackling and solving this kind of problem interesting the entire world. IMPACT is the acronym for " International Monitoring Program for Asteroids and Comets Threats " coming out as proposal from a study funded by the italian region PIEMONTE throughout the Civil Protection Bureau and performed by the Planetology Group of the Astronomical Observatory of Torino ( Italy ) and Alenia Spazio for the engineering part. They have carried out a series of analyses aimed at contributing in subsequent steps to the solution of the two fundamental problems associated to the potential impact threat : the assessment of the numbers of killers/terminators and the impact rates from one side and the development of the idea of considering space segments for supporting activities of discovery as well as the physical and mineralogical characterization using satellites in orbit around the Earth. other additional studies also funded by the European Space Agency where the space technology appears to offer a great contribution if conveniently integrated with the Earth networks for Potentially Hazardous Asteroids ( PHA ) detection. An international approach for monitoring this threat for the Earth is then proposed.

Establishing baseline biodiversity data prior to hydroelectric dam construction to monitoring impacts to bats in the Brazilian Amazon.

PubMed

Bobrowiec, Paulo Estefano D; Tavares, Valéria da Cunha

2017-01-01

The modification of Amazonian rivers by the construction of megaprojects of hydroelectric dams has widely increased over the last decade. Robust monitoring programs have been rarely conducted prior to the establishment of dams to measure to what extent the fauna, and its associated habitats may be affected by upcoming impacts. Using bats as models, we performed analyses throughout the area under the influence of the Santo Antônio hydroelectric dam, Southwestern Brazilian Amazonia before its construction to estimate how the fauna and its associated habitats would be affected by the upcoming impacts. We surveyed bats in 49 plots distributed along the areas going to be inundated by the dam and those remaining dry. As predictors for the species distribution, we tested the variables of vegetation structure and topography. Species composition largely differed between the dry plots and the plots located in areas that will be flooded, and this was strongly associated with the variables of forest basal area and elevation. Vegetation-related variables also had strong influence on the guilds distribution. The flooding of lower elevations areas is expected to negatively affect the species number and abundance of frugivorous species. In contrast, it is likely that animalivores will be less vulnerable to dam-induced flooding, since they were abundant in the areas not expect to be inundated. We urge for the implementation of studies to predict impacts caused by large hydroelectric dams, including tests of the influence of the local conditions that shape diversity to avoid massive losses of the biota, and to build preventive monitoring and management actions.

An overview of a landbird monitoring program at Tortuguero, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica

Treesearch

C. John Ralph; Margaret J. Widdowson; Robert I. Frey; Pablo A. Herrera; Brian P. O' Donnell

2005-01-01

Since 1994, the Tortuguero Integrated Bird Monitoring Program has been monitoring birds in a coastal lowland rain forest of northeast Costa Rica. The Program has combined the use of area searches, constanteffort mist netting, and migration counts into a longterm landbird monitoring and training program following the recommendations of the Partners In Flight &ndash...

Veterinary pharmacovigilance in India: A need of hour.

PubMed

Kumar, Rishi; Kalaiselvan, Vivekanandan; Verma, Ravendra; Kaur, Ismeet; Kumar, Pranay; Singh, G N

2017-01-01

Veterinary pharmacovigilance (PV) is important for the Medicine which are used for treating disease in animals. It becomes more important when these animals are further used for producing food. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) have a direct impact on animals and indirect impact on human beings, for example, through milk products, other animal producing food products. Currently, PV program of India is playing a vital role in assessing the safety of medicines in Indian Population. The safety of medicine in animals can be assessed by veterinary PV. The research institutes involved in animal research and veterinary hospitals can be considered as ADR monitoring centers to assess the safety of medicines on animals.

Evaluating the efficacy of a landscape scale feral cat control program using camera traps and occupancy models.

PubMed

Comer, Sarah; Speldewinde, Peter; Tiller, Cameron; Clausen, Lucy; Pinder, Jeff; Cowen, Saul; Algar, Dave

2018-03-28

The impact of introduced predators is a major factor limiting survivorship and recruitment of many native Australian species. In particular, the feral cat and red fox have been implicated in range reductions and population declines of many conservation dependent species across Australia, including ground-nesting birds and small to medium-sized mammals. The impact of predation by feral cats since their introduction some 200 years ago has altered the structure of native fauna communities and led to the development of landscape-scale threat abatement via baiting programs with the feral cat bait, Eradicat. Demonstrating the effectiveness of broad-scale programs is essential for managers to fine tune delivery and timing of baiting. Efficacy of feral cat baiting at the Fortescue Marsh in the Pilbara, Western Australia was tested using camera traps and occupancy models. There was a significant decrease in probability of site occupancy in baited sites in each of the five years of this study, demonstrating both the effectiveness of aerial baiting for landscape-scale removal of feral cats, and the validity of camera trap monitoring techniques for detecting changes in feral cat occupancy during a five-year baiting program.

28 CFR 70.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., HOSPITALS AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 70.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients must monitor subawards...

29 CFR 95.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 95.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to ensure subrecipients have met the audit...

29 CFR 95.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 95.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to ensure subrecipients have met the audit...

29 CFR 95.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 95.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to ensure subrecipients have met the audit...

22 CFR 226.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... ASSISTANCE AWARDS TO U.S. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS Post-award Requirements Reports and Records § 226.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor...

22 CFR 226.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... ASSISTANCE AWARDS TO U.S. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS Post-award Requirements Reports and Records § 226.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor...

29 CFR 95.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 95.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subawards to ensure subrecipients have met the audit...

22 CFR 226.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... ASSISTANCE AWARDS TO U.S. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS Post-award Requirements Reports and Records § 226.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor...

28 CFR 70.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., HOSPITALS AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 70.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients must monitor subawards...

28 CFR 70.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., HOSPITALS AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 70.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients must monitor subawards...

28 CFR 70.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., HOSPITALS AND OTHER NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS Post-Award Requirements Reports and Records § 70.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients must monitor subawards...

14 CFR § 1260.151 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... Records § 1260.151 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subcontract, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor subcontracts to ensure subcontractors have met the audit requirements as delineated...

22 CFR 226.51 - Monitoring and reporting program performance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... ASSISTANCE AWARDS TO U.S. NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS Post-award Requirements Reports and Records § 226.51 Monitoring and reporting program performance. (a) Recipients are responsible for managing and monitoring each project, program, subaward, function or activity supported by the award. Recipients shall monitor...

Central Alaska Network vital signs monitoring plan

USGS Publications Warehouse

MacCluskie, Margaret C.; Oakley, Karen L.; McDonald, Trent; Wilder, Doug

2005-01-01

Denali National Park and Preserve, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, and Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve have been organized into the Central Alaska Network (CAKN) for the purposes of carrying out ecological monitoring activities under the National Park Services’ Vital Signs Monitoring program. The Phase III Report is the initial draft of the Vital Signs Monitoring Plan for the Central Alaska Network. It includes updated material from the Phase I and II documents. This report, and draft protocols for 11 of the network’s Vital Signs, were peer reviewed early in 2005. Review comments were incorporated into the document bringing the network to the final stage of having a Vital Signs Monitoring Plan. Implementation of the program will formally begin in FY 2006. The broad goals of the CAKN monitoring program are to: (1) better understand the dynamic nature and condition of park ecosystems; and (2) provide reference points for comparisons with other, altered environments. The focus of the CAKN program will be to monitor ecosystems in order to detect change in ecological components and in the relationships among the components. Water quality monitoring is fully integrated within the CAKN monitoring program. A monitoring program for lentic (non-moving water) has been determined, and the program for lotic systems (moving water) is under development.

Perinatal Psychoneuroimmunology: Protocols for the Study of Prenatal Stress and Its Effects on Fetal and Postnatal Brain Development.

PubMed

Frasch, Martin G; Baier, Carlos J; Antonelli, Marta C; Metz, Gerlinde A S

2018-01-01

Prenatal stress (PS) impacts early behavioral, neuroimmune, and cognitive development. Pregnant rat models have been very valuable in examining the mechanisms of such fetal programming. A newer pregnant sheep model of maternal stress offers the unique advantages of chronic in utero monitoring and manipulation. This chapter presents the techniques used to model single and multigenerational stress exposures and their pleiotropic effects on the offspring.

Alarm Fatigue: Use of an Evidence-Based Alarm Management Strategy.

PubMed

Turmell, Jacob W; Coke, Lola; Catinella, Rachel; Hosford, Tracy; Majeski, Amy

The purpose of this article is to describe the impact of an evidence-based alarm management strategy on patient safety. An alarm management program reduced alarms up to 30%. Evaluation of patients on continuous cardiac monitoring showed a 3.5% decrease in census. This alarm management strategy has the potential to save $136 500 and 841 hours of registered nurses' time per year. No patient harm occurred during the 2-year project.

Benefit from NASA

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-04-15

Technology derived by NASA for monitoring control gyros in the Skylab program is directly applicable to the problems of fault detection of railroad wheel bearings. Marhsall Space Flight Center's scientists have developed a detection concept based on the fact that bearing defects excite resonant frequency of rolling elements of the bearing as they impact the defect. By detecting resonant frequency and subsequently analyzing the character of this signal, bearing defects may be detected and identified as to source.

Defense Coastal/Estuarine Research Program (DCERP) Annual Technical Report IV: March 2010-February 2011

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-05-01

of monitoring may be necessary to fully characterize and model the impact of major climatic events (e.g., tropical cyclones, major droughts ) and...stressors (past, present, and future) at local and regional scales; take account of extreme climatic events (e.g., hurricanes, droughts ); and integrate...the longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris), savannas, and pocosins (shrub bog) that dominate MCBCL’s terrestrial environments. Variation in the biota and

Field Verification Program (Aquatic Disposal). Use of Bioenergetics to Investigate the Impact of Dredged Material on Benthic Species: A Laboratory Study with Polychaetes and Black Rock Harbor Material.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-09-01

the presence of high concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons , and heavy metals including Cu, 69 - >- j :ij...34Measurement of the Responses of Individuals to Environmental Stress and Pollution: Studies With Bivalve Molluscs ," Philosophical Transactions Royal...Gilfillan, E.S. 1980. "The Use of Scope-for-growth Measurements in Monitoring Petroleum

24 CFR 266.520 - Program monitoring and compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... AUTHORITIES HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY RISK-SHARING PROGRAM FOR INSURED AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY PROJECT LOANS Project Management and Servicing § 266.520 Program monitoring and compliance. HUD will monitor the...

24 CFR 266.520 - Program monitoring and compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... AUTHORITIES HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY RISK-SHARING PROGRAM FOR INSURED AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY PROJECT LOANS Project Management and Servicing § 266.520 Program monitoring and compliance. HUD will monitor the...

24 CFR 266.520 - Program monitoring and compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... AUTHORITIES HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY RISK-SHARING PROGRAM FOR INSURED AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY PROJECT LOANS Project Management and Servicing § 266.520 Program monitoring and compliance. HUD will monitor the...

24 CFR 266.520 - Program monitoring and compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... AUTHORITIES HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY RISK-SHARING PROGRAM FOR INSURED AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY PROJECT LOANS Project Management and Servicing § 266.520 Program monitoring and compliance. HUD will monitor the...

24 CFR 266.520 - Program monitoring and compliance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... AUTHORITIES HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY RISK-SHARING PROGRAM FOR INSURED AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY PROJECT LOANS Project Management and Servicing § 266.520 Program monitoring and compliance. HUD will monitor the...

Selecting the optimum plot size for a California design-based stream and wetland mapping program.

PubMed

Lackey, Leila G; Stein, Eric D

2014-04-01

Accurate estimates of the extent and distribution of wetlands and streams are the foundation of wetland monitoring, management, restoration, and regulatory programs. Traditionally, these estimates have relied on comprehensive mapping. However, this approach is prohibitively resource-intensive over large areas, making it both impractical and statistically unreliable. Probabilistic (design-based) approaches to evaluating status and trends provide a more cost-effective alternative because, compared with comprehensive mapping, overall extent is inferred from mapping a statistically representative, randomly selected subset of the target area. In this type of design, the size of sample plots has a significant impact on program costs and on statistical precision and accuracy; however, no consensus exists on the appropriate plot size for remote monitoring of stream and wetland extent. This study utilized simulated sampling to assess the performance of four plot sizes (1, 4, 9, and 16 km(2)) for three geographic regions of California. Simulation results showed smaller plot sizes (1 and 4 km(2)) were most efficient for achieving desired levels of statistical accuracy and precision. However, larger plot sizes were more likely to contain rare and spatially limited wetland subtypes. Balancing these considerations led to selection of 4 km(2) for the California status and trends program.

Quality assurance for respiratory care services: a computer-assisted program.

PubMed

Elliott, C G

1993-01-01

At present, the principal advantage of computer-assisted quality assurance is the acquisition of quality assurance date without resource-consuming chart reviews. A surveillance program like the medical director's alert may reduce morbidity and mortality. Previous research suggests that inadequate oxygen therapy or failures in airway management are important causes of preventable deaths in hospitals. Furthermore, preventable deaths tend to occur among patients who have lower severity-of-illness scores and who are not in ICUs. Thus, surveillance of the entire hospital, as performed by the HIS medical director's alert, may significantly impact hospital mortality related to respiratory care. Future research should critically examine the potential of such computerized systems to favorably change the morbidity and mortality of hospitalized patients. The departments of respiratory care and medical informatics at LDS Hospital have developed a computer-assisted approach to quality assurance monitoring of respiratory care services. This system provides frequent and consistent samples of a variety of respiratory care data. The immediate needs of patients are addressed through a daily surveillance system (medical director's alert). The departmental quality assurance program utilizes a separate program that monitors clinical indicators of staff performance in terms of stated departmental policies and procedures (rate-based clinical indicators). The availability of an integrated patient database allows these functions to be performed without labor-intensive chart audits.

Space-Derived Sewer Monitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The QuadraScan Longterm Flow Monitoring System is a second generation sewer monitor developed by American Digital Systems, Inc.'s founder Peter Petroff. Petroff, a former spacecraft instrumentation designer at Marshall Space Flight Center, used expertise based on principles acquired in Apollo and other NASA programs. QuadraScan borrows even more heavily from space technology, for example in its data acquisition and memory system derived from NASA satellites. "One-time" measurements are often plagued with substantial errors due to the flow of groundwater absorbed into the system. These system sizing errors stem from a basic informational deficiency: accurate, reliable data on how much water flows through a sewer system over a long period of time is very difficult to obtain. City officials are turning to "permanent," or long-term sewer monitoring systems. QuadraScan offers many advantages to city officials such as the early warning capability to effectively plan for city growth in order to avoid the crippling economic impact of bans on new sewer connections in effect in many cities today.

A Framework for Long-term Ecological Monitoring in Olympic National Park: Prototype for the Coniferous Forest Biome

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jenkins, Kurt; Woodward, Andrea; Schreiner, Ed

2003-01-01

This report is the result of a five-year collaboration between scientists of the U.S. Geological Survey Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Olympic Field Station, and the natural resources staff of Olympic National Park to develop a comprehensive strategy for monitoring natural resources of Olympic National Park. Olympic National Park is the National Park Serviceʼs prototype monitoring park, representing parks in the coniferous forest biome. Under the umbrella of the National Park Serviceʼs prototype parks program, U.S. Geological Survey and Olympic National Park staffs are obligated to:develop strategies and designs for monitoring the long-term health and integrity of national park ecosystems with a significant coniferous forest component.design exportable monitoring protocols that can be used by other parks within the coniferous forest biome (i.e., parks having similar environments), andcreate a demonstration area and ʻcenter of excellenceʼ for assisting other parks in developing ecological monitoring programs.Olympic National Park is part of the North Coast and Cascades Network, a network of seven Pacific Northwestern park units created recently by the National Park Serviceʼs Inventory and Monitoring Program to extend the monitoring of ʻvital signsʼ of park health to all National Park Service units. It is our intent and hope that the monitoring strategies and conceptual models described here will meet the overall purpose of the prototype parks monitoring program in proving useful not only to Olympic National Park, but also to parks within the North Coast and Cascades Network and elsewhere. Part I contains the conceptual design and sampling framework for the prototype long-term monitoring program in Olympic National Park. In this section, we explore key elements of monitoring design that help to ensure the spatial, ecological, and temporal integration of monitoring program elements and discuss approaches used to design an ecosystem-based monitoring program. Basic monitoring components include ecosystem drivers, (e.g., climate, atmospheric inputs, human pressures), indicators of ecosystem integrity (e.g., biogeochemical indicators), known threats (e.g., impacts of introduced mountain goats), and focal or ʻkeyʼ species (e.g., rare or listed species, Roosevelt elk). Monitoring system drivers and key indicators of ecosystem integrity provide the long-term baseline needed to judge what constitutes ʻunnaturalʼ variation in park resources and provide the earliest possible warning of unacceptable change. Monitoring effects of known threats and the status of focal species will provide information useful to park managers for dealing with current park issues. In Part I we describe the process of identifying potential indicators of ecological condition and present conceptual models of park ecosystems. In addition we report results from several workshops held in conjunction with Olympic National Park aimed at identifying potential indicators of change in the parkʼs ecosystem. First, we describe the responses of Olympic National Park staff to the generic question, “What is the most important resource to monitor in Olympic National Park and why?” followed by the responses from resource and land managers from areas adjoining the park. We also catalogue the responses of various expert groups that we asked to help identify the most appropriate system drivers and indicators of change in the Olympic National Park ecosystems. Results of the workshops provided the justification for selecting basic indicators of ecosystem integrity, effects of current threats to park resources, and focal resources of parks to detect both the currently evident and unforeseeable changes in park resources. We conclude Part I by exploring several generic statistical issues relevant to monitoring natural resources in Olympic National Park. Specifically we discuss trade-offs associated with sampling extensively versus sampling intensively in smaller geographic regions and describe a conceptual framework to guide development of a generic sampling frame for monitoring. We recommend partitioning Olympic National Park into three zones of decreasing accessibility to maximize monitoring efficiency. We present examples of how the generic sampling frame could be used to help ensure spatial integration of individual monitoring projects. Part II of the report is a record of the potential monitoring questions and indicators identified to date in our workshops. The presentation is organized according to the major system drivers, components, and processes identified in the intermediate-level working model of the Olympic National Park ecosystem. For each component of the park system, we develop the need and justification for monitoring, articulate park management issues, and describe key resources and ecosystem functions. We also present a pictorial conceptual model of each ecological subsystem, identify monitoring questions, and list potential indicators for each monitoring question. We conclude each section by identifying linkages of indicators to other ecological subsystems in our general ecosystem model, spatial and temporal contexts for monitoring (where and how often to monitor), and research and development needs. Part II represents the most current detailed listing of potential indicators—the material for subsequent discussions of monitoring priorities and selection of indicators for protocol development.Collectively, the sections of this report contain a comprehensive list of the important monitoring questions and potential indicators as well as recommendations for designing an integrated monitoring program. In Part I, Chapter 6 we provide recommendations on how to proceed with the important next steps in the design process: establishing priorities among the many possible monitoring questions and indicators, and beginning to research and design effective long-term monitoring protocols.

Coordinating for Arctic Conservation: Implementing Integrated Arctic Biodiversity Monitoring, Data Management and Reporting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gill, M.; Svoboda, M.

2012-12-01

Arctic ecosystems and the biodiversity they support are experiencing growing pressure from various stressors (e.g. development, climate change, contaminants, etc.) while established research and monitoring programs remain largely uncoordinated, lacking the ability to effectively monitor, understand and report on biodiversity trends at the circumpolar scale. The maintenance of healthy arctic ecosystems is a global imperative as the Arctic plays a critical role in the Earth's physical, chemical and biological balance. A coordinated and comprehensive effort for monitoring arctic ecosystems is needed to facilitate effective and timely conservation and adaptation actions. The Arctic's size and complexity represents a significant challenge towards detecting and attributing important biodiversity trends. This demands a scaled, pan-arctic, ecosystem-based approach that not only identifies trends in biodiversity, but also identifies underlying causes. It is critical that this information be made available to generate effective strategies for adapting to changes now taking place in the Arctic—a process that ultimately depends on rigorous, integrated, and efficient monitoring programs that have the power to detect change within a "management" time frame. To meet these challenges and in response to the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment's recommendation to expand and enhance arctic biodiversity monitoring, the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF) Working Group of the Arctic Council launched the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP). The CBMP is led by Environment Canada on behalf of Canada and the Arctic Council. The CBMP is working with over 60 global partners to expand, integrate and enhance existing arctic biodiversity research and monitoring efforts to facilitate more rapid detection, communication and response to significant trends and pressures. Towards this end, the CBMP has established three Expert Monitoring Groups representing major Arctic themes (Marine, Freshwater, and Terrestrial). Each group, representing a diversity of disciplines, is tasked with developing and implementing pan-arctic integrated biodiversity monitoring plans for the Arctic's ecosystems. To facilitate effective reporting and data management, the CBMP is developing a suite of indices and indicators and a web-based data portal that will be used to report on the current state of arctic biodiversity at various scales and levels of detail to suit a wide range of audiences (e.g. local Arctic communities, regional and national governments and the Convention on Biological Diversity). The current and planned CBMP biodiversity monitoring underpins these indicators and indices. The presentation will highlight the CBMP approach and provide some examples of how integrated monitoring, data management and reporting are leading to more informed decision-making.

Loss of genetic diversity in Culex quinquefasciatus targeted by a lymphatic filariasis vector control program in Recife, Brazil.

PubMed

Cartaxo, Marina F S; Ayres, Constância F J; Weetman, David

2011-09-01

Recife is one of the largest cities in north-eastern Brazil and is endemic for lymphatic filariasis transmitted by Culex quinquefasciatus. Since 2003 a control program has targeted mosquito larvae by elimination of breeding sites and bimonthly application of Bacillus sphaericus. To assess the impact of this program on the local vector population we monitored the genetic diversity and differentiation of Cx. quinquefasciatus using microsatellites and a B. sphaericus-resistance associated mutation (cqm1(REC)) over a 3-year period. We detected a significant but gradual decline in allelic diversity, which, coupled with subtle temporal genetic structure, suggests a major impact of the control program on the vector population. Selection on cqm1(REC) does not appear to be involved with loss of neutral diversity from the population, with no temporal trend in resistant allele frequency and no correlation with microsatellite differentiation. The evidence for short-term genetic drift we detected suggests a low ratio of effective population size: census population size for Cx. quinquefasciatus, perhaps coupled with strong geographically-restricted population structure. Spatial definition of populations will be an important step for success of an expanded vector control program. Copyright © 2011 Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Nutritional status of beneficiaries of the ¨Bolsa Família¨ Program in Brazil - a systematic review].

PubMed

Wolf, Miriam Regina; Barros Filho, Antonio de Azevedo

2014-05-01

Various programs to combat malnutrition have been implemented over the years in Brazil. Since 2001, it has been the responsibility of the Bolsa Família Program (BFP). Despite the expansion of BFP, to date there has been little coverage charting the advances and challenges to be faced as well as the impacts on health and nutrition of the population. Although the monitoring of nutritional status is one of the conditions for continuing to receive the benefit, when searching for this data, there is great difficulty in obtaining them. The scope of this systematic review is to obtain information on the nutritional status of the beneficiaries of the PBF, to grasp the national reality with regard to this situation, and assess whether the program had an impact on the nutritional status of the population served. A search was conducted online via Medline, Bireme, SciELO, Lilacs, University Libraries System (ULS) and Google. The search includes original articles and theses from March 2002 through May 2012 and approximately100 works were located. After excluding the title there were 23 articles, and after reading the abstracts, 13 articles remained. The studies reviewed suggest that the Program is not modifying the nutritional status of the beneficiaries.

Genetic assessment of a summer chum salmon metapopulation in recovery

PubMed Central

Small, Maureen P; Johnson, Thom H; Bowman, Cherril; Martinez, Edith

2014-01-01

Programs to rebuild imperiled wild fish populations often include hatchery-born fish derived from wild populations to supplement natural spawner abundance. These programs require monitoring to determine their demographic, biological, and genetic effects. In 1990s in Washington State, the Summer Chum Salmon Conservation Initiative developed a recovery program for the threatened Hood Canal summer chum salmon Evolutionarily Significant Unit (ESU) (the metapopulation) that used in-river spawners (wild fish) for each respective supplementation broodstock in six tributaries. Returning spawners (wild-born and hatchery-born) composed subsequent broodstocks, and tributary-specific supplementation was limited to three generations. We assessed impacts of the programs on neutral genetic diversity in this metapopulation using 16 microsatellite loci and a thirty-year dataset spanning before and after supplementation, roughly eight generations. Following supplementation, differentiation among subpopulations decreased (but not significantly) and isolation by distance patterns remained unchanged. There was no decline in genetic diversity in wild-born fish, but hatchery-born fish sampled in the same spawning areas had significantly lower genetic diversity and unequal family representation. Despite potential for negative effects from supplementation programs, few were detected in wild-born fish. We hypothesize that chum salmon natural history makes them less vulnerable to negative impacts from hatchery supplementation. PMID:24567747

Assessing environmental impacts of constructed wetland effluents for vegetable crop irrigation.

PubMed

Castorina, A; Consoli, S; Barbagallo, S; Branca, F; Farag, A; Licciardello, F; Cirelli, G L

2016-01-01

The objective of this study was to monitor and assess environmental impacts of reclaimed wastewater (RW), used for irrigation of vegetable crops, on soil, crop quality and irrigation equipment. During 2013, effluents of a horizontal sub-surface flow constructed treatment wetland (TW) system, used for tertiary treatment of sanitary wastewater from a small rural municipality located in Eastern Sicily (Italy), were reused by micro-irrigation techniques to irrigate vegetable crops. Monitoring programs, based on in situ and laboratory analyses were performed for assessing possible adverse effects on water-soil-plant systems caused by reclaimed wastewater reuse. In particular, experimental results evidenced that Escherichia coli content found in RW would not present a risk for rotavirus infection following WHO (2006) standards. Irrigated soil was characterized by a certain persistence of microbial contamination and among the studied vegetable crops, lettuce responds better, than zucchini and eggplants, to the irrigation with low quality water, evidencing a bettering of nutraceutical properties and production parameters.

The role of population monitoring in the management of North American waterfowl

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nichols, J.D.; Williams, B.K.; Johnson, F.A.

2000-01-01

Despite the effort and expense devoted to large-scale monitoring programs, few existing programs have been designed with specific objectives in mind and few permit strong inferences about the dynamics of monitored systems. The waterfowl population monitoring programs of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Canadian Wildlife Service and state and provincial agencies provide a nice example with respect to program objectives, design and implementation. The May Breeding Grounds Survey provides an estimate of system state (population size) that serves two primary purposes in the adaptive management process: identifying the appropriate time-specific management actions and updating the information state (model weights) by providing a basis for evaluating predictions of competing models. Other waterfowl monitoring programs (e.g., banding program, hunter questionnaire survey, parts collection survey, winter survey) provide estimates of vital rates (rates of survival, reproduction and movement) associated with system dynamics and variables associated with management objectives (e.g., harvest). The reliability of estimates resulting from monitoring programs depends strongly on whether considerations about spatial variation and detection probability have been adequately incorporated into program design and implementation. Certain waterfowl surveys again provide nice examples of monitoring programs that incorporate these considerations.

Review of wildlife resources of Vandenberg Air Force Base, California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breininger, David R.

1989-01-01

Wildlife resources are reviewed for purposes of developing a Base Biological Monitoring Program (BMP) for Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB) in Santa Barbara County, California. The review and recommendations were prepared by review of applicable scientific literature and environmental documents for VAFB, discussing information needs with natural resource management professionals at VAFB, and observations of base field conditions. This process found that there are 29 federally listed vertebrates (endangered, threatened, or Category 2) that occur or may occur in the vicinity of VAFB. There are also 63 other state listed or regionally declining species that may occur in the vicinity of VAFB. Habitats of VAFB represent a very valuable environmental resource for rare and declining wildlife in California. However, little information is available on VAFB wildlife resources other than lists of species that occur or are expected to occur. Recommendations are presented to initiate a long-term wildlife monitoring program at VAFB to provide information for environmental impact assessment and wise land use planning.

Erkundung und Beweissicherung für eine geothermale Erschließung eines Alpinen Karstaquifers im Tuxertal, Österreich

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sass, Ingo; Heldmann, Claus-Dieter; Schäffer, Rafael

2016-06-01

Karst aquifers may on one hand improve the efficiency of geothermal systems due to increased permeabilities, but on the other hand, high groundwater velocities can reduce the efficiency of the underground heat storage capacity. The marble karst aquifer of the Hochstegen formation was explored and developed for the first time as an intermediate-depth geothermal energy storage system at Finkenberg, Tux valley (Tyrol, Austria). Geological field studies and a spring monitoring program for the project revealed characteristic hydro-chemical signatures related to the catchments in specific tectonic units depending on their lithology. Observations showed that the catchment area of the Hochstegen formation karst aquifer extends up to 2650 m a.s.l. southwest of Finkenberg. In the boreholes, karstification was detected to 400 m below surface (Sass et al., 2016). A monitoring program involving seven springs downgradient of the boreholes has shown that the geothermal project has had no long-term impact on groundwater quality.

Genetic Factors Involved in Fumonisin Accumulation in Maize Kernels and Their Implications in Maize Agronomic Management and Breeding

PubMed Central

Santiago, Rogelio; Cao, Ana; Butrón, Ana

2015-01-01

Contamination of maize with fumonisins depends on the environmental conditions; the maize resistance to contamination and the interaction between both factors. Although the effect of environmental factors is a determinant for establishing the risk of kernel contamination in a region, there is sufficient genetic variability among maize to develop resistance to fumonisin contamination and to breed varieties with contamination at safe levels. In addition, ascertaining which environmental factors are the most important in a region will allow the implementation of risk monitoring programs and suitable cultural practices to reduce the impact of such environmental variables. The current paper reviews all works done to address the influence of environmental variables on fumonisin accumulation, the genetics of maize resistance to fumonisin accumulation, and the search for the biochemical and/or structural mechanisms of the maize plant that could be involved in resistance to fumonisin contamination. We also explore the outcomes of breeding programs and risk monitoring of undertaken projects. PMID:26308050

Genetic Factors Involved in Fumonisin Accumulation in Maize Kernels and Their Implications in Maize Agronomic Management and Breeding.

PubMed

Santiago, Rogelio; Cao, Ana; Butrón, Ana

2015-08-20

Contamination of maize with fumonisins depends on the environmental conditions; the maize resistance to contamination and the interaction between both factors. Although the effect of environmental factors is a determinant for establishing the risk of kernel contamination in a region, there is sufficient genetic variability among maize to develop resistance to fumonisin contamination and to breed varieties with contamination at safe levels. In addition, ascertaining which environmental factors are the most important in a region will allow the implementation of risk monitoring programs and suitable cultural practices to reduce the impact of such environmental variables. The current paper reviews all works done to address the influence of environmental variables on fumonisin accumulation, the genetics of maize resistance to fumonisin accumulation, and the search for the biochemical and/or structural mechanisms of the maize plant that could be involved in resistance to fumonisin contamination. We also explore the outcomes of breeding programs and risk monitoring of undertaken projects.

Transient flow analysis linked to fast pressure disturbance monitored in pipe systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kueny, J. L.; Lourenco, M.; Ballester, J. L.

2012-11-01

EDF Hydro Division has launched the RENOUVEAU program in order to increase performance and improve plant availability through anticipation. Due to this program, a large penstocks fleet is equipped with pressure transducers linked to a special monitoring system. Any significant disturbance of the pressure is captured in a snapshot and the waveform of the signal is stored and analyzed. During these transient states, variations in flow are unknown. In order to determine the structural impact of such overpressure occurring during complex transients conditions over the entire circuit, EDF DTG has asked ENSE3 GRENOBLE to develop a code called ACHYL CF*. The input data of ACHYL CF are circuit topology and pressure boundaries conditions. This article provide a description of the computer code developed for modeling the transient flow in a pipe network using the signals from pressure transducers as boundary conditions. Different test cases will be presented, simulating real hydro power plants for which measured pressure signals are available.

Volcano and Earthquake Monitoring Plan for the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, 2006-2015

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2006-01-01

To provide Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and its surrounding communities with a modern, comprehensive system for volcano and earthquake monitoring, the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory (YVO) has developed a monitoring plan for the period 2006-2015. Such a plan is needed so that YVO can provide timely information during seismic, volcanic, and hydrothermal crises and can anticipate hazardous events before they occur. The monitoring network will also provide high-quality data for scientific study and interpretation of one of the largest active volcanic systems in the world. Among the needs of the observatory are to upgrade its seismograph network to modern standards and to add five new seismograph stations in areas of the park that currently lack adequate station density. In cooperation with the National Science Foundation (NSF) and its Plate Boundary Observatory Program (PBO), YVO seeks to install five borehole strainmeters and two tiltmeters to measure crustal movements. The boreholes would be located in developed areas close to existing infrastructure and away from sensitive geothermal features. In conjunction with the park's geothermal monitoring program, installation of new stream gages, and gas-measuring instruments will allow YVO to compare geophysical phenomena, such as earthquakes and ground motions, to hydrothermal events, such as anomalous water and gas discharge. In addition, YVO seeks to characterize the behavior of geyser basins, both to detect any precursors to hydrothermal explosions and to monitor earthquakes related to fluid movements that are difficult to detect with the current monitoring system. Finally, a monitoring network consists not solely of instruments, but requires also a secure system for real-time transmission of data. The current telemetry system is vulnerable to failures that could jeopardize data transmission out of Yellowstone. Future advances in monitoring technologies must be accompanied by improvements in the infrastructure for data transmission. Overall, our strategy is to (1) maximize our ability to provide rapid assessments of changing conditions to ensure public safety, (2) minimize environmental and visual impact, and (3) install instrumentation in developed areas.

A methodology for post-EIS (environmental impact statement) monitoring

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marcus, Linda Graves

1979-01-01

A methodology for monitoring the impacts predicted in environmental impact statements (EIS's) was developed using the EIS on phosphate development in southeastern Idaho as a case study. A monitoring system based on this methodology: (1) coordinates a comprehensive, intergovernmental monitoring effort; (2) documents the major impacts that result, thereby improving the accuracy of impact predictions in future EIS's; (3) helps agencies control impacts by warning them when critical impact levels are reached and by providing feedback on the success of mitigating measures; and (4) limits monitoring data to the essential information that agencies need to carry out their regulatory and environmental protection responsibilities. The methodology is presented as flow charts accompanied by tables that describe the objectives, tasks, and products for each work element in the flow chart.

Spring Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha Supplementation in the Clearwater Subbasin ; Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery Monitoring and Evaluation Project, 2007 Annual Report.

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

Backman, Thomas; Sprague, Sherman; Bretz, Justin

The Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery (NPTH) program has the following goals (BPA, et al., 1997): (1) Protect, mitigate, and enhance Clearwater Subbasin anadromous fish resources; (2) Develop, reintroduce, and increase natural spawning populations of salmon within the Clearwater Subbasin; (3) Provide long-term harvest opportunities for Tribal and non-Tribal anglers within Nez Perce Treaty lands within four generations (20 years) following project initiation; (4) Sustain long-term fitness and genetic integrity of targeted fish populations; (5) Keep ecological and genetic impacts to non-target populations within acceptable limits; and (6) Promote Nez Perce Tribal management of Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery Facilities and productionmore » areas within Nez Perce Treaty lands. The NPTH program was designed to rear and release 1.4 million fall and 625,000 spring Chinook salmon. Construction of the central incubation and rearing facility NPTH and spring Chinook salmon acclimation facilities were completed in 2003 and the first full term NPTH releases occurred in 2004 (Brood Year 03). Monitoring and evaluation plans (Steward, 1996; Hesse and Cramer, 2000) were established to determine whether the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery program is achieving its stated goals. The monitoring and evaluation action plan identifies the need for annual data collection and annual reporting. In addition, recurring 5-year program reviews will evaluate emerging trends and aid in the determination of the effectiveness of the NPTH program with recommendations to improve the program's implementation. This report covers the Migratory Year (MY) 2007 period of the NPTH Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) program. There are three NPTH spring Chinook salmon treatment streams: Lolo Creek, Newsome Creek, and Meadow Creek. In 2007, Lolo Creek received 140,284 Brood Year (BY) 2006 acclimated pre-smolts at an average weight of 34.9 grams per fish, Newsome Creek received 77,317 BY 2006 acclimated pre-smolts at an average of 24.9 grams per fish, and Meadow Creek received 53,425 BY 2006 direct stream release parr at an average of 4.7 grams per fish. Natural and hatchery origin spring Chinook salmon pre-smolt emigrants were monitored from September - November 2006 and smolts from March-June 2007. Data on adult returns were collected from May-September. A suite of performance measures were calculated including total adult and spawner escapement, juvenile production, and survival probabilities. These measures were used to evaluate the effectiveness of supplementation and provide information on the capacity of the natural environment to assimilate and support supplemented salmon populations.« less

The Impact of Apollo-Era Microbiology on Human Space Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Elliott, T. F; Castro, V. A.; Bruce, R. J.; Pierson, D. L.

2014-01-01

The microbiota of crewmembers and the spacecraft environment contributes significant risk to crew health during space flight missions. NASA reduces microbial risk with various mitigation methods that originated during the Apollo Program and continued to evolve through subsequent programs: Skylab, Shuttle, and International Space Station (ISS). A quarantine of the crew and lunar surface samples, within the Lunar Receiving Laboratory following return from the Moon, was used to prevent contamination with unknown extraterrestrial organisms. The quarantine durations for the crew and lunar samples were 21 days and 50 days, respectively. A series of infections among Apollo crewmembers resulted in a quarantine before launch to limit exposure to infectious organisms. This Health Stabilization Program isolated the crew for 21 days before flight and was effective in reducing crew illness. After the program developed water recovery hardware for Apollo spacecraft, the 1967 National Academy of Science Space Science Board recommended the monitoring of potable water. NASA implemented acceptability limits of 10 colony forming units (CFU) per mL and the absence of viable E. coli, anaerobes, yeasts, and molds in three separate 150 mL aliquots. Microbiological investigations of the crew and spacecraft environment were conducted during the Apollo program, including the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project and Skylab. Subsequent space programs implemented microbial screening of the crew for pathogens and acceptability limits on spacecraft surfaces and air. Microbiology risk mitigation methods have evolved since the Apollo program. NASA cancelled the quarantine of the crew after return from the lunar surface, reduced the duration of the Health Stabilization Program; and implemented acceptability limits for spacecraft surfaces and air. While microbial risks were not a main focus of the early Mercury and Gemini programs, the extended duration of Apollo flights resulted in the increased scrutiny of impact of the space flight environment on crew health. The lessons learned during that era of space flight continue to impact microbiology risk mitigation in space programs today.

Environmental and health impacts of February 14, 2014 radiation release from the nation's only deep geologic nuclear waste repository.

PubMed

Thakur, P; Lemons, B G; Ballard, S; Hardy, R

2015-08-01

The environmental impact of the February 14, 2014 radiation release from the nation's only deep geologic nuclear waste repository, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) was assessed using monitoring data from an independent monitoring program conducted by the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring & Research Center (CEMRC). After almost 15 years of safe and efficient operations, the WIPP had one of its waste drums rupture underground resulting in the release of moderate levels of radioactivity into the underground air. A small amount of radioactivity also escaped to the surface through the ventilation system and was detected above ground. It was the first unambiguous release from the WIPP repository. The dominant radionuclides released were americium and plutonium, in a ratio that matches the content of the breached drum. The accelerated air monitoring campaign, which began following the accident, indicates that releases were low and localized, and no radiation-related health effects among local workers or the public would be expected. The highest activity detected was 115.2 μBq/m(3) for (241)Am and 10.2 μBq/m(3) for (239+240)Pu at a sampling station located 91 m away from the underground air exhaust point and 81.4 μBq/m(3) of (241)Am and 5.8 μBq/m(3) of (239+240)Pu at a monitoring station located approximately one kilometer northwest of the WIPP facility. CEMRC's recent monitoring data show that the concentration levels of these radionuclides have returned to normal background levels and in many instances, are not even detectable, demonstrating no long-term environmental impacts of the recent radiation release event at the WIPP. This article presents an evaluation of almost one year of environmental monitoring data that informed the public that the levels of radiation that got out to the environment were very low and did not, and will not harm anyone or have any long-term environmental consequence. In terms of radiological risk at or in the vicinity of the WIPP site, the increased risk from the WIPP releases is exceedingly small, approaching zero. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ecological Monitoring and Compliance Program 2011 Report

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

Hansen, D. J.; Anderson, D. C.; Hall, D. B.

The Ecological Monitoring and Compliance (EMAC) Program, funded through the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Nevada Site Office, monitors the ecosystem of the Nevada National Security Site and ensures compliance with laws and regulations pertaining to NNSS biota. This report summarizes the program's activities conducted by National Security Technologies, LLC, during calendar year 2011. Program activities included (a) biological surveys at proposed construction sites, (b) desert tortoise compliance, (c) ecosystem monitoring, (d) sensitive plant species monitoring, (e) sensitive and protected/regulated animal monitoring, (f) habitat restoration monitoring, and (g) monitoring of the Nonproliferation Test and Evaluation Complex. Duringmore » 2011, all applicable laws, regulations, and permit requirements were met, enabling EMAC to achieve its intended goals and objectives.« less

The impact of parent involvement in an effective adolescent risk reduction intervention on sexual risk communication and adolescent outcomes

PubMed Central

Wang, Bo; Stanton, Bonita; Deveaux, Lynette; Li, Xiaoming; Koci, Veronica; Lunn, Sonja

2014-01-01

Parent involvement in prevention efforts targeting adolescents increases the impact of such programs. However, the majority of risk-reduction intervention programs that are implemented through schools do not include parents, in part because most existing parental interventions require significant time commitment by parents. We designed a brief parent-adolescent sexual risk communication intervention to be delivered with an effective HIV prevention intervention as part of a randomized, controlled trial among 2564 grade 10 students and their parents in The Bahamas. Mixed effects modeling analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of the brief parent-adolescent communication intervention using four waves of longitudinal data. Results indicate that a brief parent-adolescent communication intervention is effective in improving parent-adolescent communication on sex-related issues and perceived parental monitoring as well as the youth's condom use skills and self-efficacy. There is a marginal effect on consistent condom use. In addition, there is an apparent dose effect of the brief parent intervention on perceived parent-adolescent sexual risk communication and adolescent outcomes. These findings suggest that adolescent risk reduction interventions should include a brief parent-adolescent communication intervention which should be reinforced by periodic boosters in order to enhance the impact of adolescent HIV prevention programs. PMID:25490732

The impact of parent involvement in an effective adolescent risk reduction intervention on sexual risk communication and adolescent outcomes.

PubMed

Wang, Bo; Stanton, Bonita; Deveaux, Lynette; Li, Xiaoming; Koci, Veronica; Lunn, Sonja

2014-12-01

Parent involvement in prevention efforts targeting adolescents increases the impact of such programs. However, the majority of risk-reduction intervention programs that are implemented through schools do not include parents, in part because most existing parental interventions require significant time commitment by parents. We designed a brief parent-adolescent sexual risk communication intervention to be delivered with an effective HIV prevention intervention as part of a randomized, controlled trial among 2,564 grade 10 students and their parents in the Bahamas. Mixed effects modeling analysis was conducted to evaluate the effect of the brief parent-adolescent communication intervention using four waves of longitudinal data. Results indicate that a brief parent-adolescent communication intervention is effective in improving parent-adolescent communication on sex-related issues and perceived parental monitoring as well as the youth's condom use skills and self-efficacy. There is a marginal effect on consistent condom use. In addition, there is an apparent dose effect of the brief parent intervention on perceived parent-adolescent sexual risk communication and adolescent outcomes. These findings suggest that adolescent risk reduction interventions should include a brief parent-adolescent communication intervention that should be reinforced by periodic boosters in order to enhance the impact of adolescent HIV prevention programs.

Experimental analysis of the impact of sluice regulation on water quality in the highly polluted Huai River Basin, China.

PubMed

Zuo, Qiting; Chen, Hao; Dou, Ming; Zhang, Yongyong; Li, Dongfeng

2015-07-01

Impact assessment of sluice regulation on water quality is one of the crucial tasks in the present river management. However, research difficulties remain because of insufficient in situ data and numerous influencing factors in aquatic environments. The Huaidian Sluice, the main control sluice of the Shaying River, China, was selected for this study. Three field experimental programs were designed and carried out to analyze spatial and temporal variations in water quality parameters under various sluice regulation conditions and to explore the impacts of regulation mechanisms on water quality. Monitoring data were used to simulate water quality under different scenarios by the water quality analysis simulation program (WASP). Results demonstrate that the influences of sluice regulation on permanganate index (CODMn) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4-N) concentrations (indicators of water quality) were complex and nonlinear and presented different trends of increase or decrease from different regulation modes. Gate openings of different widths and different flow rates affected CODMn and NH4-N concentrations differently. Monitoring results and numerical simulation results indicate that the sluice opening should be small. Flow discharge through the sluice should be greater than 10 m(3) s and less than 60 m(3) s to maintain low CODMn concentrations, and discharge should be low (e.g., 14 m(3) s) to maintain low NH4-N concentrations. This research provides an experimental basis for further research on the construction of water quality models and for the development of reasonable regulations on water quality and quantity.

The future role of next-generation DNA sequencing and metagenetics in aquatic biology monitoring programs

EPA Science Inventory

The development of current biological monitoring and bioassessment programs was a drastic improvement over previous programs created for monitoring a limited number of specific chemical pollutants. Although these assessment programs are better designed to address the transient an...

Earth Observing System: Science Objectives and Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Michael D.

1998-01-01

The Earth Observing System (EOS) is a space-based observing system comprised of a series of satellite sensors by which scientists can monitor the Earth, a Data and Information System (EOSDIS) enabling researchers worldwide to access the satellite data, and an interdisciplinary science research program to interpret the satellite data. In this presentation I will describe the key areas of scientific uncertainty in understanding climate and global change, and follow that with a description of the EOS goals, objectives, and scientific research elements that comprise the program (instrument science teams and interdisciplinary investigations). Finally, I will describe how scientists and policy makers intend to use EOS data to improve our understanding of key global change uncertainties, such as: (i) clouds and radiation, including fossil fuel and natural emissions of sulfate aerosol and its potential impact on cloud feedback, (ii) man's impact on ozone depletion, with examples of ClO and O3 obtained from the UARS satellite during the Austral Spring, and (iii) volcanic eruptions and their impact on climate, with examples from the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo.

34 CFR 303.501 - Supervision and monitoring of programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... supervision of programs and activities receiving assistance under this part; and (2) The monitoring of... 34 Education 2 2011-07-01 2010-07-01 true Supervision and monitoring of programs. 303.501 Section... INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES State Administration General § 303.501 Supervision and monitoring...

34 CFR 303.501 - Supervision and monitoring of programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... supervision of programs and activities receiving assistance under this part; and (2) The monitoring of... 34 Education 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Supervision and monitoring of programs. 303.501 Section... INFANTS AND TODDLERS WITH DISABILITIES State Administration General § 303.501 Supervision and monitoring...

A western state perspective on monitoring and managing neotropical migratory birds

Treesearch

Frank Howe

1993-01-01

Neotropical migratory bird monitoring programs can contribute greatly to a more holistic and proactive management approach for state agencies. It is, however, imperative that these monitoring programs be scientifically designed and clearly communicated to managers. Information from monitoring programs can be used to develop multiple-species habitat management...

10 CFR 26.406 - Fitness monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Fitness monitoring. 26.406 Section 26.406 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS FFD Program for Construction § 26.406 Fitness monitoring. (a...) Licensees and other entities shall implement a fitness monitoring program to deter substance abuse and...

10 CFR 26.406 - Fitness monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Fitness monitoring. 26.406 Section 26.406 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS FFD Program for Construction § 26.406 Fitness monitoring. (a...) Licensees and other entities shall implement a fitness monitoring program to deter substance abuse and...

10 CFR 26.406 - Fitness monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Fitness monitoring. 26.406 Section 26.406 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS FFD Program for Construction § 26.406 Fitness monitoring. (a...) Licensees and other entities shall implement a fitness monitoring program to deter substance abuse and...

10 CFR 26.406 - Fitness monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Fitness monitoring. 26.406 Section 26.406 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS FFD Program for Construction § 26.406 Fitness monitoring. (a...) Licensees and other entities shall implement a fitness monitoring program to deter substance abuse and...

10 CFR 26.406 - Fitness monitoring.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Fitness monitoring. 26.406 Section 26.406 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION FITNESS FOR DUTY PROGRAMS FFD Program for Construction § 26.406 Fitness monitoring. (a...) Licensees and other entities shall implement a fitness monitoring program to deter substance abuse and...

Nonnative Fishes in the Upper Mississippi River System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Irons, Kevin S.; DeLain, Steven A.; Gittinger, Eric; Ickes, Brian S.; Kolar, Cindy S.; Ostendort, David; Ratcliff, Eric N.; Benson, Amy J.; Irons, Kevin S.

2009-01-01

The introduction, spread, and establishment of nonnative species is widely regarded as a leading threat to aquatic biodiversity and consequently is ranked among the most serious environmental problems facing the United States today. This report presents information on nonnative fish species observed by the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program on the Upper Mississippi River System a nexus of North American freshwater fish diversity for the Nation. The Long Term Resource Monitoring Program, as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Environmental Management Plan, is the Nation's largest river monitoring program and stands as the primary source of standardized ecological information on the Upper Mississippi River System. The Long Term Resource Monitoring Program has been monitoring fish communities in six study areas on the Upper Mississippi River System since 1989. During this period, more than 3.5 million individual fish, consisting of 139 species, have been collected. Although fish monitoring activities of the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program focus principally on entire fish communities, data collected by the Program are useful for detecting and monitoring the establishment and spread of nonnative fish species within the Upper Mississippi River System Basin. Sixteen taxa of nonnative fishes, or hybrids thereof, have been observed by the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program since 1989, and several species are presently expanding their distribution and increasing in abundance. For example, in one of the six study areas monitored by the Long Term Resource Monitoring Program, the number of established nonnative species has increased from two to eight species in less than 10 years. Furthermore, contributions of those eight species can account for up to 60 percent of the total annual catch and greater than 80 percent of the observed biomass. These observations are critical because the Upper Mississippi River System stands as a nationally significant pathway for nonnative species expansion between the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes Basin. This report presents a synthesis of data on nonnative fish species observed during Long Term Resource Monitoring Program monitoring activities.

Monitoring plan for vegetation responses to elk management in Rocky Mountain National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zeigenfuss, Linda C.; Johnson, Therese L.; Wiebe, Zachary

2011-01-01

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) in north-central Colorado supports numerous species of wildlife, including several large ungulate species among which Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus) are the most abundant. Elk are native to RMNP but were extirpated from the area by the late 1800s. They were reintroduced to the area in 1913-1914, and the elk herd grew to the point that it was actively managed from 1944 until 1968. In 1969, the active control of elk was discontinued and since then the herd has increased to a high point ranging from 2,800 to 3,500 between 1997 and 2001. In recent years, there has been growing concern over the condition of vegetation in the park and conflicts between elk and humans, both inside and outside the park. In response to these concerns, RMNP implemented an Elk and Vegetation Management Plan (EVMP) in 2009 to guide management actions in the park over a 20-year time period with the goal of reducing the impacts of elk on vegetation and restoring the natural range of variability in the elk population and affected plant and animal communities. The EVMP outlines the desired future condition for three vegetation communities where the majority of elk herbivory impacts are being observed: aspen, montane riparian willow, and upland herbaceous communities. The EVMP incorporates the principle of adaptive management whereby the effectiveness of management actions is assessed and adjusted as needed to successfully achieve objectives. Determination of whether vegetation objectives are being achieved requires monitoring and evaluation of target vegetation communities. The current report describes the design and implementation of a vegetation-monitoring program to help RMNP managers assess the effectiveness of their management actions and determine when and where to alter actions to achieve the EVMP's vegetation objectives. This monitoring plan details the process of selecting variables to be monitored, overall sampling design and structure, site selection, data collection methods, and statistical analyses to be used to conduct this monitoring program in conjunction with the EVMP. We report the baseline conditions observed at the time of the establishment of monitoring sites. We include detailed field protocols for site establishment and data collection, as well as timetables for sampling, so that RMNP staff will be able to continue monitoring the sites established during this implementation stage, and continue to add new sites when necessary, as the execution of the EVMP proceeds over the next 20 years.

Estuarine monitoring programs in the Albemarle Sound study area, North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moorman, Michelle; Kolb, Katharine R.; Supak, Stacy

2014-01-01

The purpose of this report is to identify major natural resource management issues for the region, provide information on current monitoring activities occurring within the Albemarle Sound study area, determine how the current monitoring network fits into the design of the NMN, and determine what additional monitoring data are needed to address these issues. In order to address these questions, a shapefile and data table were created to document monitoring and research programs in the Albemarle Sound study area with an emphasis on current monitoring programs within the region. This database was queried to determine monitoring gaps that existed in the Albemarle Sound by comparing current monitoring programs with the design indicated by the NMN. The report uses this information to provide recommendations on how monitoring could be improved in the Albemarle Sound study area.

Widespread local chronic stressors in Caribbean coastal habitats

PubMed Central

Collin, Rachel; Bastidas, Carolina; Cróquer, Aldo; Gayle, Peter M. H.; Jordán-Dahlgren, Eric; Koltes, Karen; Oxenford, Hazel; Rodriguez-Ramirez, Alberto; Weil, Ernesto; Alemu, Jahson; Bone, David; Buchan, Kenneth C.; Creary Ford, Marcia; Escalante-Mancera, Edgar; Garzón-Ferreira, Jaime; Guzmán, Hector M.; Kjerfve, Björn; Klein, Eduardo; McCoy, Croy; Potts, Arthur C.; Ruíz-Rentería, Francisco; Smith, Struan R.; Tschirky, John; Cortés, Jorge

2017-01-01

Coastal ecosystems and the livelihoods they support are threatened by stressors acting at global and local scales. Here we used the data produced by the Caribbean Coastal Marine Productivity program (CARICOMP), the longest, largest monitoring program in the wider Caribbean, to evidence local-scale (decreases in water quality) and global-scale (increases in temperature) stressors across the basin. Trend analyses showed that visibility decreased at 42% of the stations, indicating that local-scale chronic stressors are widespread. On the other hand, only 18% of the stations showed increases in water temperature that would be expected from global warming, partially reflecting the limits in detecting trends due to inherent natural variability of temperature data. Decreases in visibility were associated with increased human density. However, this link can be decoupled by environmental factors, with conditions that increase the flush of water, dampening the effects of human influence. Besides documenting environmental stressors throughout the basin, our results can be used to inform future monitoring programs, if the desire is to identify stations that provide early warning signals of anthropogenic impacts. All CARICOMP environmental data are now available, providing an invaluable baseline that can be used to strengthen research, conservation, and management of coastal ecosystems in the Caribbean basin. PMID:29261694

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

Call, Justin

This contract report is one of a series of reports that document implementation components of the Bonneville Power Administration's (BPA) funded project: Integrated Status and Effectiveness Monitoring Program (ISEMP - BPA project No.2003-017-00, Chris Jordan, NOAA-NWFSC project sponsor). Other components of the project are separately reported, as explained below. The ISEMP project has been created as a cost effective means of developing protocols and new technologies, novel indicators, sample designs, analytical data management, communication tools and skills, and restoration experiments that support the development of a region-wide Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation (RME) program to assess the status of anadromous salmonidsmore » populations, their tributary habitat and restoration and management actions. The most straightforward approach to developing a regional-scale monitoring and evaluation program would be to increase standardization among status and trend monitoring programs. However, the diversity of species and their habitat, as well as the overwhelming uncertainty surrounding indicators, metrics, and data interpretation methods requires the testing of multiple approaches. Thus, ISEMP has adopted an approach to develop a broad template that may differ in the details among subbasins, but one that will ultimately lead to the formation of a unified RME process for the management of anadromous salmonid populations and habitat across the Columbia River Basin. ISEMP has been initiated in three pilot areas, the Wenatchee/Entiat, John Day, and Salmon. To balance replicating experimental approaches with the goal of developing monitoring and evaluation tools that apply as broadly as possible across the Pacific Northwest, these subbasins were chosen as representative of a wide range of potential challenges and conditions, e.g., differing fish species composition and life histories, ecoregions, institutional settings, and existing data. ISEMP has constructed a framework that builds on current status and trend monitoring infrastructures in these pilot subbasins, but challenges current programs by testing alternative monitoring approaches. In addition, the ISEMP is: (1) Collecting information over a hierarchy of spatial scales, allowing for a greater flexibility of data aggregation for multi-scale recovery planning assessments, and (2) Designing methods that: (a) Identify factors limiting fish production in watersheds; (b) Determine restoration actions to address these problems; (c) Implement actions as a large-scale experiment (e.g. Before After Control Impact, or BACI design), and (d) Implement intensive monitoring and research to evaluate the action's success. The intent of the ISEMP project is to design monitoring programs that can efficiently collect information to address multiple management objectives over a broad range of scales. This includes: Evaluating the status of anadromous salmonids and their habitat; Identifying opportunities to restore habitat function and fish performance, and Evaluating the benefits of the actions to the fish populations across the Columbia River Basin. The multi-scale nature of this goal requires the standardization of protocols and sampling designs that are statistically valid and powerful, properties that are currently inconsistent across the multiple monitoring programs in the region. Other aspects of the program will aid in the ability to extrapolate information beyond the study area, such as research to elucidate causal mechanisms, and a classification of watersheds throughout the Columbia River Basin. Obviously, the scale of the problem is immense and the ISEMP does not claim to be the only program working towards this goal. As such, ISEMP relies heavily on the basin's current monitoring infrastructure to test and develop monitoring strategies, while acting as a coordinating body and providing support for key elements such as data management and technical analyses. The ISEMP also ensures that monitoring programs can address large-scale management objectives (resulting largely from the ESA) through these local efforts. While the ISEMP maintains a regional focus it also returns the necessary information to aid in management at the smaller spatial scales (individual projects) where manipulations (e.g., habitat restoration actions) actually occur. The work captured in this report is a component of the overall ISEMP, and while it stands alone as an important contribution to the management of anadromous salmonids and their habitat, it also plays a key role within ISEMP. Each component of work within ISEMP is reported on individually, as is done so here, and in annual and triennial summary reports that present all of the overall project components in their programmatic context and shows how the data and tools developed can be applied to the development of regionally consistent, efficient and effective Research, Monitoring and Evaluation.« less

Investigation of the radiological impact on the coastal environment surrounding a fertilizer plant.

PubMed

El Samad, O; Aoun, M; Nsouli, B; Khalaf, G; Hamze, M

2014-07-01

This investigation was carried out in order to assess the marine environmental radioactive pollution and the radiological impact caused by a large production plant of phosphate fertilizer, located in the Lebanese coastal zone. Natural radionuclides ((238)U, (235)U, (232)Th, (226)Ra, (210)Po, (210)Pb, (40)K) and anthropogenic (137)Cs were measured by alpha and gamma spectrometry in seawater, sediment, biota and coastal soil samples collected from the area impacted by this industry. The limited environmental monitoring program within 2 km of the plant indicates localized contamination with radionuclides of the uranium decay chain mainly due to the transport, the storage of raw materials and the free release of phosphogypsum waste. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nasa s near earth object program office

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yeomans, D.; Chamberlin, A.; Chesley, S.; Chodas, P.; Giorgini, J.; Keesey, M.

In 1998, NASA formed the Near-Earth Object Program Office at JPL to provide a focal point for NASA's efforts to discover and monitor the motions of asteroids and comets that can approach the Earth. This office was charged with 1.) facilitating communication between the near-Earth object (NEO) community and the public, 2.) helping coordinate the search efforts for NEOs, 3.) monitoring the progress in finding NEOs at NASA -supported sites, and 4.) monitoring the future motions of all known NEOs and cataloging their orbits. There are far more near-Earth asteroids (NEAs) than near-Earth comets and one of the driving motivations for NASA's NEO Program is the Spaceguard Goal to find 90% of the NEAs larger than one kilometer by 2008. While the total population of NEAs is not clearly established, the consensus opinion seems to be that the total population of NEAs larger than one kilometer is about 1000 (with a range of perhaps 800 - 1200). By April 2002, nearly 60% of the total population of large NEAs had been discovered and while the discovery rate will likely drop off as the easy ones are found, these early discovery efforts are encouraging. The five NASA-supported NEO discovery teams are the Lincoln Laboratory Near-Earth Asteroid Research effort (LINEAR, Grant Stokes, Principal Investigator), the Near-Earth Asteroid Tracking team at JPL (NEAT, Eleanor Helin, P.I.), the Lowell Observatory Near-Earth Object Search (LONEOS, E. Bowell, P.I.), and two discovery teams near Tucson Arizona - the Spacewatch effort (R. McMillan, P.I.) and the Catalina Sky Survey group (S. Larson, P.I.). Mention should also be made of the Japanese Spaceguard discovery site at Bisei Japan (S. Isobe, P.I.). A substantial portion of the critical follow-up observations necessary to secure the orbits of NEOs and provide information on their physical characteristics is provided by a group of very sophisticated amateur astronomers who might better be described as unfunded professionals. After nearly two years in development, the JPL SENTRY system has been brought on line to provide automatic updates of near-Earth asteroid (NEA) orbits and to predict future close Earth approaches along with their associated impact probabilities. For those NEAs that can approach the Earth, a Palermo Scale risk number is computed based upon the object's impact probability at a particular time, the energy upon impact and the time interval before the potential impact. A Palermo Scale number larger than zero implies the predicted impact event has risen above the expected background level of impacts that could occur between now and the predicted time of impact from all NEAs of the same size or larger. Computed Palermo Scale values are used to prioritize automatic Monte Carlo numerical integration runs to determine robust impact probabilities for those NEAs where a future impact cannot be ruled out - usually because of poor orbits and/or close planetary encounters. Our interactive web site at http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov will allow the user access to the latest information on NEOs including coming close Earth approaches, the risk page for poorly determined orbits, the progress toward meeting the Spaceguard Goal, links to the web sites of the NEO search teams, the rationale for studying NEOs, space missions to NEOs, as well as information on the characteristics, future motions, orbits and orbital movies for well over 120,000 comets and asteroids.

Peer education: a successful strategy with some constraints.

PubMed

Baldo, M

1998-01-01

The use of peer education programs to promote sexual health has been widely accepted because of the potential of such programs to be implemented in a cost-effective manner in various settings and because peers are considered more convincing than outsiders. In addition, the thousands of people who have received training to become peer educators constitute a new generation of social work and health professionals who are not embarrassed by sexuality. Problems encountered by peer health education programs include sustainability of volunteers and funding, difficulty in assessing the impact of a program (especially cost-effectiveness), and the lack of appropriate monitoring and evaluation indicators. Given the large turnover of peer educators and the resources needed to provide week-long residential training courses, new methods of training are needed that are less labor intensive and more cost effective. Another problem is that many facilitators of peer health education programs lack a background in health promotion, and sometimes peer education programs for similar audiences compete or send contradictory messages because of a lack of coordination.

The U.S. Geological Survey land remote sensing program

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saunders, T.; Feuquay, J.; Kelmelis, J.A.

2003-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey has been a provider of remotely sensed information for decades. As the availability and use of satellite data has grown, USGS has placed increasing emphasis on expanding the knowledge about the science of remote sensing and on making remotely sensed data more accessible. USGS encourages widespread availability and distribution of these data and through its programs, encourages and enables a variety of research activities and the development of useful applications of the data. The science of remote sensing has great potential for assisting in the monitoring and assessment of the impacts of natural disasters, management and analysis of environmental, biological, energy, and mineral investigations, and supporting informed public policy decisions. By establishing the Land Remote Sensing Program (LRS) as a major unit of the USGS Geography Program, USGS has taken the next step to further increase support for the accessibility, understanding, and use of remotely sensed data. This article describes the LRS Program, its mission and objectives, and how the program has been structured to accomplish its goals.

Physician-directed software design: the role of utilization statistics and user input in enhancing HELP results review capabilities.

PubMed Central

Michael, P. A.

1993-01-01

The M.D. Rounds Report program was developed and implemented in June of 1992 as an adjunct to the HELP System at Rex Hospital. The program facilitates rapid access to information on allergies and current medications, laboratory results, radiology reports and therapist notes for a list of patients without physicians having to make additional menu or submenu selections. In planning for an upgrade of the program, utilization statistics and user feedback provided valuable information in terms of frequency of access, features used and unused, and the value of the program as a reporting tool in comparison to other online results reporting applications. A brief description of the functionality of the M.D. Rounds Report, evaluation of the program audit trail and user feedback, planned enhancements to the program, and a discussion of the prototyping and monitoring experience and the impact on future physician subsystem development will be presented. PMID:8130443

Generic command interpreter for robot controllers

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

Werner, J.

1991-04-09

Generic command interpreter programs have been written for robot controllers at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL). Each interpreter program resides on a robot controller and interfaces the controller with a supervisory program on another (host) computer. We call these interpreter programs monitors because they wait, monitoring a communication line, for commands from the supervisory program. These monitors are designed to interface with the object-oriented software structure of the supervisory programs. The functions of the monitor programs are written in each robot controller's native language but reflect the object-oriented functions of the supervisory programs. These functions and other specifics of the monitormore » programs written for three different robots at SNL will be discussed. 4 refs., 4 figs.« less

Solutions Network Formulation Report. Visible/Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite and Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer Data Products for National Drought Monitor Decision Support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estep, Leland

2007-01-01

Drought effects are either direct or indirect depending on location, population, and regional economic vitality. Common direct effects of drought are reduced crop, rangeland, and forest productivity; increased fire hazard; reduced water levels; increased livestock and wildlife mortality rates; and damage to wildlife and fish habitat. Indirect impacts follow on the heels of direct impacts. For example, a reduction in crop, rangeland, and forest productivity may result in reduced income for farmers and agribusiness, increased prices for food and timber, unemployment, reduced tax revenues, increased crime, foreclosures on bank loans to farmers and businesses, migration, and disaster relief programs. In the United States alone, drought is estimated to result in annual losses of between $6 - 8 billion. Recent sustained drought in the United States has made decision-makers aware of the impacts of climate change on society and environment. The eight major droughts that occurred in the United States between 1980 and 1999 accounted for the largest percentage of weather-related monetary losses. Monitoring drought and its impact that occurs at a variety of scales is an important government activity -- not only nationally but internationally as well. The NDMC (National Drought Mitigation Center) and the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture) RMA (Risk Management Agency) have partnered together to develop a DM-DSS (Drought Monitoring Decision Support System). This monitoring system will be an interactive portal that will provide users the ability to visualize and assess drought at all levels. This candidate solution incorporates atmospherically corrected VIIRS data products, such as NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and Ocean SST (sea surface temperature), and AMSR-E soil moisture data products into two NDMC vegetation indices -- VegDRI (Vegetation Drought Response Index) and VegOUT (Vegetation Outlook) -- which are then input into the DM-DSS.

Program Monitoring Practices for Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Early Intervention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Anne E.; Marvin, Christine A.

2016-01-01

Program monitoring is an important and necessary assessment practice within the field of early childhood deaf education. Effective program monitoring requires a focus on both the consistent implementation of intervention strategies (fidelity) and the assessment of children's ongoing progress in response to interventions (progress monitoring).…

Investigating the Hydro-geochemical Impact of Fugitive Methane on Groundwater: The Borden Aquifer Controlled Release Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahill, A. G.; Parker, B. L.; Cherry, J. A.; Mayer, K. U.; Mayer, B.; Ryan, C.

2014-12-01

Shale gas development by hydraulic fracturing is believed by many to have the potential to transform the world's energy economy. The propensity of this technique to cause significant environmental impact is strongly contested and lacks evidence. Fugitive methane (CH4), potentially mobilized during well drilling, the complex extraction process and/or leaking well seals over time is arguably the greatest concern. Advanced understanding of CH4 mobility and fate in the subsurface is needed in order to assess risks, design suitable monitoring systems and gain public trust. Currently knowledge on subsurface CH4 mobilization and migration at scales relevant to shale gas development is lacking. Consequently a shallow aquifer controlled CH4 release experiment is being conducted at the Borden aquifer research facility (an unconfined, unconsolidated silicate sand aquifer) in Ontario, Canada. During the experiment, 100 m3 of gas phase CH4 was injected into the saturated zone over approximately 60 days through 2 inclined sparging wells (4.5 and 9 m depth) at rates relevant to natural gas well casing vent flows. The gas mobility and fate is being comprehensively monitored temporally and spatially in both the saturated and unsaturated zones considering; aqueous chemistry (including stable isotopes), soil gas characterization, surface efflux, geophysics (GPR and ERT), real time sensors (total dissolved gas pressure, soil moisture content, CH4 and CO2), mineralogical and microbiological characterization before, during and after injection. An overview of this unique study will be given including experimental design, monitoring system configuration and preliminary results. This multidisciplinary study will provide important insights regarding the mechanisms and rates for shallow CH4 migration, attenuation and water quality impacts that will inform baseline groundwater monitoring programs and retrospective forensic studies.

Investigating the Hydro-geochemical Impact of Fugitive Methane on Groundwater: The Borden Aquifer Controlled Release Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahill, A. G.; Parker, B. L.; Cherry, J. A.; Mayer, K. U.; Mayer, B.; Ryan, C.

2015-12-01

Shale gas development by hydraulic fracturing is believed by many to have the potential to transform the world's energy economy. The propensity of this technique to cause significant environmental impact is strongly contested and lacks evidence. Fugitive methane (CH4), potentially mobilized during well drilling, the complex extraction process and/or leaking well seals over time is arguably the greatest concern. Advanced understanding of CH4 mobility and fate in the subsurface is needed in order to assess risks, design suitable monitoring systems and gain public trust. Currently knowledge on subsurface CH4 mobilization and migration at scales relevant to shale gas development is lacking. Consequently a shallow aquifer controlled CH4 release experiment is being conducted at the Borden aquifer research facility (an unconfined, unconsolidated silicate sand aquifer) in Ontario, Canada. During the experiment, 100 m3 of gas phase CH4 was injected into the saturated zone over approximately 60 days through 2 inclined sparging wells (4.5 and 9 m depth) at rates relevant to natural gas well casing vent flows. The gas mobility and fate is being comprehensively monitored temporally and spatially in both the saturated and unsaturated zones considering; aqueous chemistry (including stable isotopes), soil gas characterization, surface efflux, geophysics (GPR and ERT), real time sensors (total dissolved gas pressure, soil moisture content, CH4 and CO2), mineralogical and microbiological characterization before, during and after injection. An overview of this unique study will be given including experimental design, monitoring system configuration and preliminary results. This multidisciplinary study will provide important insights regarding the mechanisms and rates for shallow CH4 migration, attenuation and water quality impacts that will inform baseline groundwater monitoring programs and retrospective forensic studies.

NCCN Mountain Lakes Monitoring Strategy: Guidelines to Resolution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoffman, Robert L.; Huff, Mark H.

2008-01-01

The North Coast and Cascades Network (NCCN) Inventory and Monitoring Program provides funds to its Network Parks to plan and implement the goals and objectives of the National Park Services? (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program. The primary purpose of the I&M program is to develop and implement a long-term monitoring program in each network. The purpose of this document is to describe the outcome of a meeting held to find solutions to obstacles inhibiting development of a unified core design and methodology for mountain lake monitoring.

Long-term fish monitoring in large rivers: Utility of “benchmarking” across basins

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ward, David L.; Casper, Andrew F.; Counihan, Timothy D.; Bayer, Jennifer M.; Waite, Ian R.; Kosovich, John J.; Chapman, Colin; Irwin, Elise R.; Sauer, Jennifer S.; Ickes, Brian; McKerrow, Alexa

2017-01-01

In business, benchmarking is a widely used practice of comparing your own business processes to those of other comparable companies and incorporating identified best practices to improve performance. Biologists and resource managers designing and conducting monitoring programs for fish in large river systems tend to focus on single river basins or segments of large rivers, missing opportunities to learn from those conducting fish monitoring in other rivers. We briefly examine five long-term fish monitoring programs in large rivers in the United States (Colorado, Columbia, Mississippi, Illinois, and Tallapoosa rivers) and identify opportunities for learning across programs by detailing best monitoring practices and why these practices were chosen. Although monitoring objectives, methods, and program maturity differ between each river system, examples from these five case studies illustrate the important role that long-term monitoring programs play in interpreting temporal and spatial shifts in fish populations for both established objectives and newly emerging questions. We suggest that deliberate efforts to develop a broader collaborative network through benchmarking will facilitate sharing of ideas and development of more effective monitoring programs.

1996 LMITCO environmental monitoring program report for the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory

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

NONE

1997-09-01

This report describes the calendar year 1996 environmental surveillance and compliance monitoring activities of the Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company Environmental Monitoring Program performed at the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL). Results of sampling performed by the Radiological Environmental Surveillance, Site Environmental Surveillance, Drinking Water, Effluent Monitoring, Storm Water Monitoring, Groundwater Monitoring, and Special Request Monitoring Programs are included in this report. The primary purposes of the surveillance and monitoring activities are to evaluate environmental conditions, to provide and interpret data, to verify compliance with applicable regulations or standards, and to ensure protection of human health and themore » environment. This report compares 1996 data with program-specific regulatory guidelines and past data to evaluate trends.« less

Program impact pathway analysis of a social franchise model shows potential to improve infant and young child feeding practices in Vietnam.

PubMed

Nguyen, Phuong H; Menon, Purnima; Keithly, Sarah C; Kim, Sunny S; Hajeebhoy, Nemat; Tran, Lan M; Ruel, Marie T; Rawat, Rahul

2014-10-01

By mapping the mechanisms through which interventions are expected to achieve impact, program impact pathway (PIP) analysis lays out the theoretical causal links between program activities, outcomes, and impacts. This study examines the pathways through which the Alive & Thrive (A&T) social franchise model is intended to improve infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in Vietnam. Mixed methods were used, including qualitative interviews with franchise management board members (n = 12), surveys with health providers (n = 120), counseling observations (n = 160), and household surveys (n = 2045). Six PIP components were assessed: 1) franchise management, 2) training and IYCF knowledge of health providers, 3) service delivery, 4) program exposure and utilization, 5) maternal behavioral determinants (knowledge, beliefs, and intentions) toward optimal IYCF practices, and 6) IYCF practices. Data were collected from A&T-intensive areas (A&T-I; mass media + social franchise) and A&T-nonintensive areas (A&T-NI; mass media only) by using a cluster-randomized controlled trial design. Data from 2013 were compared with baseline where similar measures were available. Results indicate that mechanisms are in place for effective management of the franchise system, despite challenges to routine monitoring. A&T training was associated with increased capacity of providers, resulting in higher-quality IYCF counseling (greater technical knowledge and communication skills during counseling) in A&T-I areas. Franchise utilization increased from 10% in 2012 to 45% in 2013 but fell below the expected frequency of 9-15 contacts per mother-child dyad. Improvements in breastfeeding knowledge, beliefs, intentions, and practices were greater among mothers in A&T-I areas than among those in A&T-NI areas. In conclusion, there are many positive changes along the impact pathway of the franchise services, but challenges in utilization and demand creation should be addressed to achieve the full intended impact. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

Health insurance systems in five Sub-Saharan African countries: medicine benefits and data for decision making.

PubMed

Carapinha, João L; Ross-Degnan, Dennis; Desta, Abayneh Tamer; Wagner, Anita K

2011-03-01

Medicine benefits through health insurance programs have the potential to improve access to and promote more effective use of affordable, high quality medicines. Information is lacking about medicine benefits provided by health insurance programs in Sub-Saharan Africa. We describe the structure of medicine benefits and data routinely available for decision-making in 33 health insurance programs in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. Most programs surveyed were private, for profit schemes covering voluntary enrollees, mostly in urban areas. Almost all provide both inpatient and outpatient medicine benefits, with members sharing the cost of medicines in all programs. Some programs use strategies that are common in high-income countries to manage the medicine benefits, such as formularies, generics policies, reimbursement limits, or price negotiation. Basic data to monitor performance in delivering medicine benefits are available in most programs, but key data elements and the resources needed to generate useful management information from the available data are typically missing. Many questions remain unanswered about the design, implementation, and effects of specific medicines policies in the emerging and expanding health insurance programs in Sub-Saharan Africa. These include questions about the most effective medicines policy choices, given different corporate and organizational structures and resources; impacts of specific benefit designs on quality and affordability of care and health outcomes; and ways to facilitate use of routine data for monitoring. Technical capacity building, strong government commitment, and international donor support will be needed to realize the benefits of medicines coverage in emerging and expanding health insurance programs in Sub-Saharan Africa. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health financing for the poor produces promising short-term effects on utilization and out-of-pocket expenditure: evidence from Vietnam

PubMed Central

Axelson, Henrik; Bales, Sarah; Minh, Pham Duc; Ekman, Björn; Gerdtham, Ulf-G

2009-01-01

Background Vietnam introduced the Health Care Fund for the Poor in 2002 to increase access to health care and reduce the financial burden of health expenditure faced by the poor and ethnic minorities. It is often argued that effects of financing reforms take a long time to materialize. This study evaluates the short-term impact of the program to determine if pro-poor financing programs can achieve immediate effects on health care utilization and out-of-pocket expenditure. Method Considering that the program is a non-random policy initiative rolled out nationally, we apply propensity score matching with both single differences and double differences to data from the Vietnam Household Living Standards Surveys 2002 (pre-program data) and 2004 (first post-program data). Results We find a small, positive impact on overall health care utilization. We find evidence of two substitution effects: from private to public providers and from primary to secondary and tertiary level care. Finally, we find a strong negative impact on out-of-pocket health expenditure. Conclusion The results indicate that the Health Care Fund for the Poor is meeting its objectives of increasing utilization and reducing out-of-pocket expenditure for the program's target population, despite numerous administrative problems resulting in delayed and only partial implementation in most provinces. The main lessons for low and middle-income countries from Vietnam's early experiences with the Health Care Fund for the Poor are that it managed to achieve positive outcomes in a short time-period, the need to ensure adequate and sustained funding for targeted programs, including marginal administrative costs, develop effective targeting mechanisms and systems for informing beneficiaries and providers about the program, respond to the increased demand for health care generated by the program, address indirect costs of health care utilization, and establish and maintain routine and systematic monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. PMID:19473518

Citizen science-based water quality monitoring: Constructing a large database to characterize the impacts of combined sewer overflow in New York City.

PubMed

Farnham, David J; Gibson, Rebecca A; Hsueh, Diana Y; McGillis, Wade R; Culligan, Patricia J; Zain, Nina; Buchanan, Rob

2017-02-15

To protect recreational water users from waterborne pathogen exposure, it is crucial that waterways are monitored for the presence of harmful bacteria. In NYC, a citizen science campaign is monitoring waterways impacted by inputs of storm water and untreated sewage during periods of rainfall. However, the spatial and temporal scales over which the monitoring program can sample are constrained by cost and time, thus hindering the construction of databases that benefit both scientists and citizens. In this study, we first illustrate the scientific value of a citizen scientist monitoring campaign by using the data collected through the campaign to characterize the seasonal variability of sampled bacterial concentration as well as its response to antecedent rainfall. Second, we examine the efficacy of the HyServe Compact Dry ETC method, a lower cost and time-efficient alternative to the EPA-approved IDEXX Enterolert method for fecal indicator monitoring, through a paired sample comparison of IDEXX and HyServe (total of 424 paired samples). The HyServe and IDEXX methods return the same result for over 80% of the samples with regard to whether a water sample is above or below the EPA's recreational water quality criteria for a single sample of 110 enterococci per 100mL. The HyServe method classified as unsafe 90% of the 119 water samples that were classified as having unsafe enterococci concentrations by the more established IDEXX method. This study seeks to encourage other scientists to engage with citizen scientist communities and to also pursue the development of cost- and time-efficient methodologies to sample environmental variables that are not easily collected or analyzed in an automated manner. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Principles in wireless building health monitoring systems.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pentaris, F. P.; Makris, J. P.; Stonham, J.; Vallianatos, F.

2012-04-01

Monitoring the structural state of a building is essential for the safety of the people who work, live, visit or just use it as well as for the civil protection of urban areas. Many factors can affect the state of the health of a structure, namely man made, like mistakes in the construction, traffic, heavy loads on the structures, explosions, environmental impacts like wind loads, humidity, chemical reactions, temperature changes and saltiness, and natural hazards like earthquakes and landslides. Monitoring the health of a structure provides the ability to anticipate structural failures and secure the safe use of buildings especially those of public services. This work reviews the state of the art and the challenges of a wireless Structural Health Monitoring (WiSHM). Literature review reveals that although there is significant evolution in wireless structural health monitoring, in many cases, monitoring by itself is not enough to predict when a structure becomes inappropriate and/or unsafe for use, and the damage or low durability of a structure cannot be revealed (Chintalapudi, et al., 2006; Ramos, Aguilar, & Lourenço, 2011). Several features and specifications of WiSHM like wireless sensor networking, reliability and autonomy of sensors, algorithms of data transmission and analysis should still be evolved and improved in order to increase the predictive effectiveness of the SHM (Jinping Ou & Hui Li, 2010; Lu & Loh, 2010) . Acknowledgments This work was supported in part by the ARCHEMEDES III Program of the Ministry of Education of Greece and the European Union in the framework of the project entitled «Interdisciplinary Multi-Scale Research of Earthquake Physics and Seismotectonics at the front of the Hellenic Arc (IMPACT-ARC) ».

[Effectiveness and economic impact of a program of integrated care with telemedicine support on insulin-treated type 2 diabetic patients (Study GITDIABE)].

PubMed

Inoriza, Jose M; Ibañez, Annabel; Pérez-Berruezo, Xavier; Inoriza-Nadal, Cristina; Coderch, Jordi

2017-03-01

To evaluate if insulin-treated type 2 diabetic patients with blood glucose self-monitoring (DIA), included in a program of integrated management of diabetes mellitus (DM), achieve a better level of metabolic control with telemedicine support than with conventional support, after 12 months follow-up. The impact on the use and cost of healthcare services, pharmaceutical expenditure, and consumption of test strips for blood glucose, was also assessed. A prospective parallel cohorts study. Four basic health areas of an integrated healthcare organisation. The study included 126 DIA patients aged 15 or more years, treated with rapid or intermediate Insulin and blood glucose self-monitoring, grouped into 42 cases and 84 controls, matched according to age, sex, level of metabolic control, and morbidity profile. Telematics physician-patient communication and download of blood glucose self-monitoring data through the Emminens eConecta ® platform; test strips home delivered according to consumption. Hidden controls with usual follow-up. Glycosylated haemoglobin (%HbA1c); perception of quality of life (EuroQol-5 and EsDQOL); cardiovascular risk; use of healthcare resources; consumption of test strips; pharmaceutical and healthcare expenditure. Reduction of 0.38% in HbA1c in the cases (95% CI:-0.89% to 0.12%). No significant differences with regard to any of the activities registered, or any significant change in the quality of life. The results obtained are similar to other equivalent studies. The profile of the patient is elderly and with multiple morbidities, who still have technological limitations. To surpass these barriers, it would be necessary to devote more time to the training and to the resolution of possible technological problems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Impact of the 2013 National Rollout of CMS Competitive Bidding Program: The Disruption Continues.

PubMed

Puckrein, Gary A; Hirsch, Irl B; Parkin, Christopher G; Taylor, Bruce T; Xu, Liou; Marrero, David G

2018-05-01

Use of glucose monitoring is essential to the safety of individuals with insulin-treated diabetes. In 2011, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented the Medicare Competitive Bidding Program (CBP) in nine test markets. This resulted in a substantial disruption of beneficiary access to self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) supplies and significant increases in the percentage of beneficiaries with either reduced or no acquisition of supplies. These reductions were significantly associated with increased mortality, hospitalizations, and costs. The CBP was implemented nationally in July 2013. We evaluated the impact of this rollout to determine if the adverse outcomes seen in 2011 persisted. This longitudinal study followed 529,627 insulin-treated beneficiaries from 2009 through 2013 to assess changes in beneficiary acquisition of testing supplies in the initial nine test markets (TEST, n = 43,939) and beneficiaries not affected by the 2011 rollout (NONTEST, n = 485,688). All Medicare beneficiary records for analysis were obtained from CMS. The percentages of beneficiaries with partial/no SMBG acquisition were significantly higher in both the TEST (37.4%) and NONTEST (37.6%) groups after the first 6 months of the national CBP rollout, showing increases of 48.1% and 60.0%, respectively (both P < 0.0001). The percentage of beneficiaries with no record for SMBG acquisition increased from 54.1% in January 2013 to 62.5% by December 2013. Disruption of beneficiary access to their prescribed SMBG supplies has persisted and worsened. Diabetes testing supplies should be excluded from the CBP until transparent, science-based methodologies for safety monitoring are adopted and implemented. © 2017 by the American Diabetes Association.

Proceedings of Shuttle Environmental Effects Program Review. [conferences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Potter, A. E. (Editor)

1980-01-01

Measurements of Titan exhaust cloud effluents are documented and compared, mesoscale and microphysical acid rain models are described, and a submesoscale model is proposed. Various instruments and facilities for measuring ice nuclei and other constituents of solid rocket motor exhaust effluents are discussed. Regional air quality monitoring and rain collection systems are described, and the ecological impact of solid rocket motor exhaust effluents is examined. The potential effect of space shuttle launches is estimated where data are adequate.

Compilation of 1993 Annual Reports of the Navy ELF Communications System Ecological Monitoring Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-04-01

variation in non-treatment factors that may affect growth or health such as soil, stand conditions and background and treatment EM field levels. The time...diameter growth residuals were much greater than expected given existing climatic conditions . In 1992, when the antenna returned to full power operation...growing seasons. If an enviromental factor which is not accounted for in the growth model significantly impacts seasonal height growth , then the observed

Final Environmental Impact Statement Establishment and Operation of an Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Strike Capability Andersen Air Force Base, Guam

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

Mariana Fruit Bat Pup Recruitment at Pati Point Colony; • Brown Tree Snake Interdiction and Control; and • Adaptive Management and Ground Track...establishment of a mitigation monitoring plan and adaptive management program. FUTURE ACTIONS As discussed in the Final EIS, the Air Force recognizes that...would initiate modifications to aircraft ground tracks and profiles over sensitive areas through an adaptive management strategy. This adaptive

Environmental Impact Research Program: Visual Resources Assessment Procedure for US Army Corps of Engineers

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-03-01

32264. Technical Monitors were Dr. John Bushman and Mr. David P. Buelow, OCE, and Mr. Dave Mathis, Water Resources Support Center, Fort Belvoir, Va. The...Manager for EIRP was Dr. Roger T. Saucier. Dr. John Harrison was Chief, EL. The report was written by Dr. Smardon, Dr. Palmer, Mr. Knopf, Ms. Grinde...Riverfront area will continue. Historic Mill District projects and establishment of the Riverside Parkway System will further unify S the Riverfront

A novel and cost-effective monitoring approach for outcomes in an Australian biodiversity conservation incentive program.

PubMed

Lindenmayer, David B; Zammit, Charles; Attwood, Simon J; Burns, Emma; Shepherd, Claire L; Kay, Geoff; Wood, Jeff

2012-01-01

We report on the design and implementation of ecological monitoring for an Australian biodiversity conservation incentive scheme - the Environmental Stewardship Program. The Program uses competitive auctions to contract individual land managers for up to 15 years to conserve matters of National Environmental Significance (with an initial priority on nationally threatened ecological communities). The ecological monitoring was explicitly aligned with the Program's policy objective and desired outcomes and was applied to the Program's initial Project which targeted the critically endangered White Box-Yellow Box-Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland ecological community in south eastern Australia. These woodlands have been reduced to <3% of their original extent and persist mostly as small remnants of variable condition on private farmland. We established monitoring sites on 153 farms located over 172,232 sq km. On each farm we established a monitoring site within the woodland patch funded for management and, wherever possible, a matched control site. The monitoring has entailed gathering data on vegetation condition, reptiles and birds. We also gathered data on the costs of experimental design, site establishment, field survey, and data analysis. The costs of monitoring are approximately 8.5% of the Program's investment in the first four years and hence are in broad accord with the general rule of thumb that 5-10% of a program's funding should be invested in monitoring. Once initial monitoring and site benchmarking are completed we propose to implement a novel rotating sampling approach that will maintain scientific integrity while achieving an annual cost-efficiency of up to 23%. We discuss useful lessons relevant to other monitoring programs where there is a need to provide managers with reliable early evidence of program effectiveness and to demonstrate opportunities for cost-efficiencies.